Chapter 16 - A Visit

March twenty third. It had been a week since the miraculous phone call between her and the marshal, and yet, Eira hadn't seen Cor again. The next day after that, she once again sent an email to him to apologize for her accidental miss call. Just a simple [It's okay] from Cor for the reply, and after that, they didn't exchange email anymore.

His squad had returned to Insomnia three days ago. She got that information because a crownsguard member who was in the same squad as him visited infirmary yesterday, asking her to take off the suture from his wound and to cast a spell on it. From a light conversation between them, she knew that the man had just returned from the mission outside of the city with the marshal. However, she didn't have enough courage to ask about Cor's whereabouts. She wanted to know why Cor hadn't visited the training room yet.

Eira's shift was always on his training schedule for these past three days. She stayed from noon to night, and it was impossible for her not to notice his familiar footsteps. Moreover, since Eira was blessed by magic skill, she could sense his presence. Cor couldn't use magic like the glaives, but he had this strong presence around him and it must be impossible for her not to notice it. Except if he walked past the infirmary when she performed her magic spell or when she was lost in thought. Well, the latter one happened often. But, she was sure that Cor indeed hadn't visited the training room since his return.

Perhaps Cor was busy with paperwork and staying in his office since then. But, it was weird for him not to come to the training room even for a minute just to watch the crownsguard training session. Did he take some days off? But Eira remembered how Cor spent his holiday to train in the citadel. Was it paperwork? But three days only for paperworks? Now she was afraid that Cor was injured or sick and it was actually the main reason why she hadn't seen him.

"Eos to Eira. Eos to Eira. Hei, you want to go to the training room with me?"

Eira stopped walking when she heard the question thrown by a young woman from her right. Blinking twice, she turned her head to look at Lizette who frowned at her. A soft gasp escaped Eira's lips as she turned her body and saw that she had walked past the infirmary.

"You're right," she mumbled.

"Are you okay?" Lizette asked.

"Yes, yes I'm fine. Good luck with your training."

"Okay. Good luck with your shift, too."

Eira smiled, then an idea struck her mind. How about gathering information from Lizette? She then said, "Hope the marshal won't be too strict at you."

Lizette chuckled, "No. He won't come to the training room for a while."

Eira frowned, "Why?"

"He takes days off. Days. I kinda miss his training. Gladio sucks at teaching. He's so annoying."

Eira didn't really care about Lizette's talk regarding Gladio. "Marshal takes days off? What's wrong with him?"

"Injuries? Sick? Dunno. Clearly he's not coming, not even in his office. Ignis talks about that yesterday."

"Oh," Eira bit her lower lips, eyes looking to her left as she wondered about what was happening to Cor. Perhaps he was indeed injured or sick. She wondered if she should text him or not.

Eira went quiet as her mind was filled with dozens of questions about Cor.

"Why do you ask about the Marshal?" Lizette asked.

Eira gasped then gave an awkward smile as she answered, "Eh? Ah… No… Just curious."

"Curious?" Lizette raised an eyebrow.

"What's with that look?" Ei frowned at Lizette, only for a second before she averted her gaze again. She unwittingly avoided eye contact with her crownsguard.

"You are curious about the Marshal?"

Lizette was clearly thinking that it was weird for Eira to ask about the marshal. Eira cursed herself, regretting to ignite the topic about the marshal with Lizette. Why did she pick Lizette? Why didn't she ask about the marshal with the other crownsguard. Or, even though she was sure Gladio would tease her, now she thought that it was better to ask about Cor to him than to Lizette. Well, at least Gladio had already known that Eira had a crush at the marshal.

Now, she should find a way to avoid Lizette's suspicion. She replied, "No. I'm not."

"Just curious." Lizette mimicked the way Eira talked as she answered Liz's question a few seconds ago. "And now you said that you're not curious. So which one is it?"

"Eh… Eh? Which one?" Eira bit her lower lips, fiddling her fingers since she was flustered right now. She didn't know that Lizette was a perceptive person. Wait, she forgot that she was the one who was easy to read. Raine knew about Eira's secret crush because she noticed how Eira's eyes were sparkling whenever Cor walked past the infirmary. And now her cheeks were burning as she blushed, and she knew she couldn't hide it from Lizette who squinted her eyes as she stared at her closely.

"Oh, f-. Ei, your face is red." Lizette was shocked as the truth was finally being unveiled in front of her.

"It's not." Not knowing what to do, Eira hastily turned away and ran to the infirmary. Which was absolutely a futile way since Lizette chased her.

"Ei, don't tell me…"

"I didn't tell you." Eira scowled.

"Oh, Shiva," Lizette almost squealed but she tried not to, as the result it was only a muffled curse—she couldn't hold it anymore. "Fuck..."

"No. It's not like what you think. He's not… I don't… It's not like that. Whatever you're thinking about right now. It's not like that." Eira knew that her words would be useless against Lizette. Lizette had found out her secret, and Eira couldn't hide it anymore. Her argument as she denied that she had a crush at Cor wouldn't be valid because her reddened face had revealed everything. And she was stuttering, which was enough to prove Lizette's assumption.

"That's why I never found out who your crush is." The brown haired young woman rubbed her face while lifting her head to stare at the ceiling to calm down her head for the fact she just discovered before staring back at Eira in disbelief.

"No… No, no, no." Eira was already desperate. She had lost her words. Hiding her face with her hands, she wished that she could cast a spell to erase someone's memory. Unfortunately, there was no such a spell.

"Fuck. It's Cor. Oh the Astral. Your crush is… Oh the Six."

"Don't say it loud!" Eira hushed. She finally gave up in hiding the truth and now begging Lizette, "Don't say it!"

"Fuck. How? Why? How? Since when?" Lizette sat on one of the nearest beds. Still looking at Eira in disbelief, she didn't even blink as she waited for Eira's answer.

"Please… We're not talking about this. Someone might come and I don't want anyone else to know about it." Eira walked to her desk, placing her bag at the hanger attached to her table.

"No I won't step out of this place. Not until you tell me about everything."

"O-Okay, you will miss your training, then." Eira tried to ignore her, didn't want to lose in being stubborn. She took off her cardigan while walking to her locker. Taking her crownsguard medic coat, she wore it after keeping her cardigan in her locker.

Eira sat at her desk, eyes glancing at Lizette who was still sitting on the bed. The young crownsguard crossed her arms, staring at Eira in a judging manner. But, Eira didn't want to lose. She ignored Lizette's presence and began to arrange her documents, work on her computer, check the meds and equipment, while receiving Lizette's piercing gaze.

"Come on. It's already ten minutes," Eira huffed.

"It's only ten minutes. I can do this all day," Lizette insisted.

Eira put her palms on her face then gave a long sigh. "Fine. Okay. Fine."

"Yes!" Lizette jumped in excitement then hurriedly sat on the chair in front of the medic.

Eira tapped her cheeks for a few times, giving another long sigh before she began her story. It all started from a memorable dinner in the izakaya, to a drive from the citadel to her home, to the sweet exchange of emails, and to the movie date.

Lizette parted her lips, staring at Eira in amazement. "Oh the Six… Eira… You… and my boss… Oh… Bahamut…"

"That's why I don't want to tell you."

"Who else knows?"

"Raine and Stella."

"Obviously." Lizette rolled her eyes.

"... and Gladio." Eira murmured.

"WHAT?!" Lizette unwittingly raised her voice, "Oh, okay Ei. I hate you for keeping it secret from me."

"Sorry I don't mean to… I'm too shy about it… And Gladio knew it because he caught me staring at Cor in the elevator. I didn't expect he would notice it."

"Aaaaa," Lizette let out an annoyed wail as she raised her head to look at the ceiling before looking back at Eira. She then spoke, "Okay, okay, okay... Now that I know about it. I wish to see some progress. Let's go to his house. You confirm his feelings. You fuck him, and you report it to me."

"Fu— What?!"

"It's clear that he also has a crush on you! He agreed to watch a movie with you. It was a date! You gave him chocolate and he planned to cook something for you as a reply. He always drives you home whenever I'm not around. Okay, I think I'll stop driving you home from now on. He, the marshal, the immortal, Sir Cor Leonis, exchanges email with you. He called you back when you accidentally called him. Oh the Six, who's brave enough to chat with him through email and an unimportant phone call late at night? Not even the bravest woman in crownsguard! He never ever invites us to dinner! And you, how many times you sit at the same table as him while you enjoy your meal?"

Eira stunned by Lizette's fiery speech. She was so impassioned about Eira's relationship with the marshal. She was full of confidence about Cor's feelings toward Eira, meanwhile the subject of the talk wasn't sure about it.

"No," Eira chuckled, "Marshal is just too kind."

"Denial is unacceptable. Come on. Go to his house and confirm both of your feelings." Lizette stood, left her seat, and walked closer to Eira who was sitting behind her desk.

"What? No. No." Eira shook her head and gave a wry smile, "It's impossible, Liz. He doesn't have a feeling for me. I'm just… a kid. And he's… He's out of reach. Twenty four years gap. It's impossible. Marshal is just too kind. He's my dad's friend, and I'm sure that he's kind to me because of that."

"No." Lizette shook his head then placed both of her hands on Eira's shoulders. "Age gap is nothing. Well, it's interesting. I love the age gap." She smirked.

"It's not interesting. And the age gap is not a joke, Liz."

"I'm not joking either. You might think of it as forbidden love." Lizette murmured, "And that's romantic."

"Liz," Eira scowled.

Lizette shook Eira's body, "But! I'm one hundred percent supporting you. You're eighteen anyway. Not a kid. You can give consent."

"Liz, please. He's just five years younger than my dad."

The young crownsguard stood straight and crossed her arms over her chest. "Love is something that's natural and it can't be helped if you love someone who's coincidentally five years younger than your dad. In two years, you'll be twenty and he'll be forty four. It's legally acceptable for you to marry him."

Eira chuckled by Lizette's nonsense speech, "Oh my God."

At first she was so worried about Lizette knowing her secret crush. But, seeing how she was over-optimistic about it, she couldn't help but thinking that it was funny.

She still thought that it was impossible, though.

"Okay, so, I'll drive you to his house tonight. I'm sure he's still taking a day off now. But to be certain, I'll ask Gladio or Ignis or whoever else to confirm his whereabouts. I'm sure he's still at his home."

"Eh?" Eira widened her eyes. Lizette was serious about dragging her to Cor's house. "No, no. No!"

"I'm not accepting no."

Eira's hands were trembling as she stood in front of a certain house. It was Cor's house, and she was already standing still there for five minutes. What she needed to do was only pressing the bell to let Cor know her visit. But it was a hard thing to do.

Her heart raced, pumping the blood in her body at a higher speed than usual. She was dizzy, and probably was going to faint in any second. But, no, no, she was already here, holding a paper bag containing some fruits and coffee jelly she bought on the way... and she was indeed worried about Cor. Also, Lizette had already left and it would be a shame if she returned home after all the trip to this place.

She wanted to see Cor. She really wanted to, and she just needed to press the bell to be able to see the marshal.

Shutting her eyes, Eira took a deep breath. Inhale. Exhale. For a few times until she was calmer than before.

Gulping, she slowly raised one hand, until finally she pressed the small button on the wall with her trembling finger.

The ringing bell startled her. Funny, she was the one who pressed it and she was the one who was startled because of it.

Eira bit her lower lips, staring at the door behind the gate which hasn't been opened yet. Of course it would take a few seconds until the owner came out to open the door, wouldn't it? But then a sudden worry shrouded her. What if the one who opened it wasn't Cor but someone else? What if Cor had a lover and she or he or whoever it was would be the one who opened it?

However, before she created any other question, she heard the door being unlocked and slowly opened.

Widening her eyes, she looked at the tall man who just opened the door.

It was Cor Leonis, wearing a dark t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants.

The man widened his eyes and parted his lips, surprised seeing her sudden appearance in front of his house.

"Eira?" he froze for a few seconds before finally walking out from his house to the gate. "What's going on?"

"Hi," and what she managed to say was only that, with a sheepish smile as she waved her hand to the marshal.

After Cor opened the gate, she spoke, rather a whisper as she was so nervous right now, "Did I bother you?"

"No. No, no. Come in."

Eira could hear her own heartbeat when Cor asked her to get into his house. She nodded then walked inside.

Her mind was blank. She couldn't think clearly. She asked herself why she got into his house when she could just hand the gift she was bringing right in front of the gate. But her legs were already moving by themselves, bringing her body to enter Cor's house.

"Aa… Please have a seat," Cor was a bit flustered, clearly not expecting her to be here at this time.

"Ah… Yes… Thanks." Eira sat on one of the sofas, placing the paper bag on her lap then looking down at the glass coffee table on her front.

Cor took a seat in front of her, and she could sense the awkwardness in the atmosphere. She wanted to hide, running outside and pretending that all of this never happened. Yet, she was already here, inside his house which she wanted to observe. But the young woman couldn't even lift her head, not to look at the man, nor to observe the place that man was living in.

But, no, no, she should state her intention.

"Marshal." She raised her head, looking at Cor who was sitting unrelaxed across the table. Oh, no, Cor in his loose shirt. The marshal in his very informal attire. Eira really wanted to gaze upon him for a long time and admire his look.

"Yes?" Cor's hoarse voice pulled Eira from her thoughts.

"Ah… I bring some fruits and coffee jelly." Eira placed the paper bag on the table. She wished Cor didn't notice how her hands were still trembling as she handed the bag to him.

"For me? Thank you." Cor took the paper bag and slided it closer to him. Glancing down at the inside, he then looked back at Eira. He parted his lips, seemingly wanted to say something else but reluctant to do so.

Until finally Eira realized that Cor probably wanted to know why she gave them to him.

"I… I heard you take days off… and I'm wondering whether you're sick or injured."

Oh, Eira, you just realized that you actually can ask about it via email, don't you?

Cor chuckled, and it made her slightly forget about her nervousness.

"Thanks for your concern. Yeah, it's embarrassing but I'm wounded a bit and Clarus forbids me to come to the citadel. He takes this chance to force me to take some days off, remembering that I rarely took one last year."

Thud.

Eira's heart let out a loudest thump as she heard about his injury. "Is it bad? Are you treated? Should I cast a spell on it?"

"No, no need. It's okay. It's already outside of your working hour. No overtime allowed here."

"It's not a big deal. Really." Eira insisted.

"It's just a scratch." Cor still refused.

But Eira wasn't pleased hearing it. She worried about him, sincerely. She wanted to know what kind of wounds hidden beneath that t-shirt he wore. Yes, she knew that there were a lot of great crownsguard medics out there, the best of the best also joined Cor and his squad to their mission, and they must be the one who treated Cor's wounds. Also, the other best medics were staying at the hospital near the border, and even if Cor was wounded and needed treatment, he wouldn't go to the citadel infirmary in the middle of the city but to the hospital in the border. Except if it was a small scar like the one he had a few months ago. Now when she thought about it, that was also after Cor was coming back from his mission. But that time they weren't close and Eira didn't have much courage to ask him about it.

"It won't hurt to let me see it, right?" she still insisted.

Cor stared at her, seemingly reluctant about it.

"Casting a simple healing spell also won't hurt me. I'm not using any magic today," she added, assuring him that it wasn't really a big deal.

After a few seconds pause, Cor sighed, "Fine."

Eira grinned, happy to get Cor's permission.

Cor stood up, and so did Eira. The man still looked slightly hesitant as he glanced at her, but after giving another soft sigh, he took off his t-shirt.

Eira held her breath as she gazed upon a well-built body that was being revealed in front of her. It wasn't the first time for her to see the marshal's bare chest, but it had been a long time since the last time she saw it.

This time she acknowledged her feelings to him, and she couldn't deny that she had a primal desire toward the man before her eyes.

Eos to Eira!

Suddenly she remembered Lizette's words this afternoon and she quickly gasped before she engulf herself in her wild imagination.

Walking closer to the man, her eyes now looked at the bandages that covered Cor's chest. One of them was quite long while the others weren't as big as the longest one. From the length, she could assume that he got few stitches along his wound.

"Just a scratch?" she pouted, lifting her head to look at Cor who then chuckled hearing her.

"Few scratches, then."

"I'm going to cast a spell." Eira smiled. "I'm sure you're already bored staying at home and unable to train right?"

Cor chuckled. "You know."

Eira giggled. "The marshal prefers to go to the training room on his winter holiday. Guess he won't like it if he's unable to spar in his supposedly working days."

Cor didn't reply, just staring at her with a smile on his face. Eira stood closer to him until she could slightly perceive his breath brushing her cheeks.

She raised her head, gazing at the pair of steel blue eyes that looked straight at her. She would never get tired admiring it. They were beautiful, so beautiful that she wanted to stare at them forever.

But, she should cast a spell to heal him.

Struggling to maintain her composure while her heart was causing an uproar in her chest, Eira looked down at his chest and raised one hand to slowly touch the bandage that covered his skin. Closing her eyes, she wished Cor didn't notice that her forefinger was trembling as she drew a magic circle over his wound.

She should be calm. She should be calm.

Temporarily forget how charming the man before her, she murmured the incantation. The magic circle she had drawn was gleaming in soft white light, before slowly dispersing into Cor's body. As she knew that she had finished the spell, Eira opened her eyes and smiled at Cor, whose face somehow was closer than she remembered before she closed her eyes.

"It's done," she muttered.

"Thanks," he replied softly.

There was something different with Cor tonight. The marshal was staring at her in… daze. She noticed that he didn't even blink. And his eyes were softened as he saw her. She could hear his breath, it's slow and somehow a bit heavy.

She was trapped under his gaze. Couldn't move, couldn't speak, she couldn't think clearly. Moreover when she stared at the pair of lips in front of her which partly opened.

She wondered… what does it feel to touch his lips… with hers.

Suddenly Cor touched her head, tucking some strands of hair behind her ear. His fingers softly grazed her cheek, and she could find a trace of desire in his eyes. She stopped breathing, holding her breath because she was confused about what was going on right now.

Her mind stopped working. What? What was happening?

But then Cor cleared his throat and quickly stepped back from her. "Ah… Um…"

She gasped, also stepping away from him and looked down to the floor.

"I..." Cor scratched his head, "I was cooking for dinner…"

Eira looked at him, confused. "Ah, yes? Sorry I was coming here without prior notice…"

What was that? What was that?!

"No, no, it's fine. I mean… if you haven't eaten, yet. Want to have dinner here? Perhaps… if you are still curious about the marshal's cooking."

"Eh?" Eira was flustered then stuttered, "Ah… Right… Yes… Sure…"

"Great."

Eira was panicking. Why did she accept the offer for dinner here? After whatever was going on a few seconds ago?

What was that? Oh the Astral. Marshal tucked my hair. What? No? Does it mean Lizette is right? All this time… Marshal is also…?

"Sorry that I promised you to cook on White Day but there was a sudden mission."

"No, no problem at all." Eira shook her head and gave an awkward chuckle.

"Any request?" Cor walked to the sofa and took the t-shirt he placed there before.

"Ah… Um… The marshal's special dishes, if you have any?" she gave another awkward chuckle.

Cor gave a pause, probably thinking about the menu before replying as he smiled at her,"Got it."

He wore his t-shirt and smiled at her before walking to his kitchen.

Eira was dumbfounded. And when Cor wasn't in the living room, Eira placed both of her hands on her burning cheeks.

What was that?!