#That condescending little laugh. Boy needs to be railed so hard he hears a deep ‘Fatality’ right before he passes out | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

smitten-miqitten · 4 years

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The Past, pt.2 In which I’m mean to my boy.

Ao3 Link

Rather than a warm hearth and a table set for dinner, Cid’s surroundings were far more ostentatious. The charming family had vanished, to be replaced with a multitude of youths, all wearing familiar deep red and black.

Cid found himself in the foyer of the Magitech Academy, wading through a sea of people, making toward a pair of men he found vaguely familiar, both dressed as aides. He himself was not directing his steps, moving rather as if on rails, a passenger in his own body.

He heard himself speaking to the aides, though he cared little for the conversation. When was this, that the scene would be so unfamiliar to him? His past self began to survey the crowd.

Prospective students. It must be an entry exam day… Hadn’t he been asked to proctor one such exam, long ago?

His gaze landed finally on a particularly unusual aspirant. A miqo'te girl, with periwinkle eyes and short cropped snow white hair, attired not unlike her peers, in what must be her early teens. Stonefaced and proud, she did an admirable job of ignoring the swarm of disdainful eyes on her. She had with her a small notebook, defiantly directing her attention to its pages in a valiant attempt at last minute review.

Era! But how?

Beside her stood a stern looking man of pureblood lineage, possessed both of hawklike nose and eyes. He was speaking softly to the young woman with an easy familiarity, his posture both protective and guiding. He was most certainly her guardian, her handler whilst she was in the capitol. Perhaps the tutor she spoke of as well; it was not uncommon practice for such people to be placed in a child’s life from early on to gain trust and compliance. So long as the guardian remained loyal to their appointer and not their charge, an arrangement that was often very effective at raising patriotic provincial youths.

The thought made him sick.

[“...you look rather fine in imperial black and crimson! Definitely your colors!”]

Cid wanted to kick himself.

He caught whispers from those around him, all pertaining to his dearest. ~Whatever is a Savage doing here?~ ~I hear she’s some viceroy’s little pet. Father said there was a ridiculous petition before the board for a young savage to sit the exam. It ought to have been dismissed outright, but the daft man pulled a number of favors...~ ~I heard it reached the ear of the Emperor himself! That the idea was so ludicrous he gave his assent for a laugh! ~Shhh, if that’s true you ought not be gossiping about it in public! Really!~

Cid silenced the lot with a withering glare. A hush fell over the room; they all knew who he was, and not a one was fool enough to cross him. He made his way over to the miqo’te youth, who looked up at him with suspicion. Okay... perhaps not everyone knew him.

How did he not remember this?!

“Well would you look at that?! You must be around the same age I was when I sat the exam. Nervous?” His younger self chuckled warmly, or at least that must have been the intent. Cid mentally grimaced at how condescending he sounded. Little wonder Era didn’t respond, eyeing him warily. Undoubtedly on guard for whatever foul trickery lay at the end of his questioning. What aim did this pureblood have, making nice with her?

Her handler, the picture of decorum, cleared his throat, leaning down to whisper in her ear. Informing her of Cid’s identity, and station, no doubt, for she changed her tune with lightning speed, eyes swimming with mingled fear and astonishment. For an applicant with so much stacked against her, she had the rotten luck of speaking with quite possibly the person she could most ill afford to offend.

“Only a little nervous. I’ve..I’ve studied very hard.” Her handler cleared his throat once more. “Sir!” She added. Her tail, still quite a bit shorter than it was in adulthood, was near wrapped around her leg. She was terrified, hugging her little notebook tight to her chest.

She’d called him ‘sir’. In any other circumstance Cid would have found that hilarious.

“I’ve no doubt. I’m sure you’ll do just fine.” Cid smiled, ears catching the renewed whispers of her peers. He’d made a target of her with his behavior, he knew, having acted without thinking, and decided it was only right to see it to the end. He would grant her no undeserved favors, but it was the least he could do to see she was treated equitably.

“Tell you what: After you finish up, come find me. You must've come a long way to visit the capitol, it wouldn’t be right to make you wait for the results. I’m sure you’ll be keen to know how you did.” He leaned in, whispering conspiratorially, “I happen to know the people here are notoriously slow graders, so let’s see if I can’t hurry them along.”

And also ensure they graded fairly.

“T...thank you! But I wouldn’t wish to impose…”

“No, it’s no imposition! Why I…” But Cid was cut off by the arrival of one of his aides.

“Sir, urgent news!” whispered the man, attempting to usher Cid to a more private locale. Cid shot him a harsh glance for interrupting, but the man continued, voice even lower, “From Bozja, sir. Please.”

…. No … No no no...

It couldn’t be…

“Alright alright, fine. You, young lady”, He said, turning his attention back to Era. “After the exam, come find me. No buts.”

If he let her do otherwise, it wouldn't matter if she passed or not. Loath as he was to admit it, the school would never admit a 'savage', even if it meant doctoring a passing grade to a failing one. More than anything, she needed him to vouch for her. Cid couldn't stomach the injustice, not when it was looking him in the face.

“Yes, sir!” She gave a little bow as he began to step away, at the direction of her chaperone like as not.

Oh, but he wouldn’t be there. No, it would be fifteen years until she found him again…

Cid followed his assistant to a quiet alcove, away from prying eyes and ears. Internally he strained against the action, willing himself to wake up.

Please not this. Not again.

“Alright, out with it. What’s father done now?”

Of course. This is why he didn’t remember. He didn’t want to.

“Sir, there’s been a terrible accident. The citadel, it’s...it’s gone.”

....

Cid did not proctor the exam that day, or any other.

#ffxiv #ff14 #cid garlond #era hess #character lore #cidera #my self indulgent minifics

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