From the Heavens (Final Fantasy XVI)

𖥸 Slip of the Tongue 𖥸

|| Information ||
This oneshot takes place during the second time skip. Joshua has yet to reunite with Clive.

|| Plot ||
Clive has returned to the hideaway after being gone for a while. He is overjoyed to see everyone again, especially Lyra. However, he returns to discover Gav has said something that causes the woman to isolate her from everyone.

•••••••••••••

|| The Hideaway ||
|| Central Storm Deadlands ||

It had been an entire week since Clive left the hideaway. And now, he was finally back from his latest mission that took him to Sanbreque. Having been alone with Torgal, he was more than excited to see his friends. More specifically, he was the most excited at seeing Lyra again. Whether it be for a few hours or a few weeks, he always found himself missing her the most.

When he filled Otto in on his successful mission, he was confused at hearing a commotion coming from the main deck. Wondering what was going on, he headed to the Tub and Crown. As he walked through the threshold, he saw Gav looking up at the ceiling while shouting, "Oi! I said I was sorry!"

Clive looked up to what the scout was looking at to see Lyra in her cat form. She was sitting on a support beam, her tail flicking back and forth wildly. Having seen her in such a state before, he knew she was upset. He walked over to Gav to get an explanation. "What is going on?"

"Oh, Clive," Gav met the man's gaze. "I, uh, well..."

"Ya fucked up, to put it nicely," Blackthorne remarked, putting his empty mug on the counter.

"I'm drunk!" The scout rebuttals. "'Course shite's flyin' outta my mouth!"

Clive crossed his arms. "You don't seem to be inebriated."

"I'm over the fuckin' moon!"

"And poor Lyra was caught in the middle," Tarja said, pushing herself off the counter. "Calling her an old lady like that. You deserve whatever spell that pops into her head to be hurled your way."

"You...what?" Clive asked, shocked.

Gav groaned. "I called her an old lady after she told me she was over two thousand years old. B-But she looks great for an old lady!"

"Gav!" Tarja hissed.

"Oh, fuck! I did it again!" Gav looked up at the cat pleadingly. "I'm so fuckin' sorry, Lyra!"

Lyra didn't even look down at him. All the cat did was lay down on the beam, her tail dangling off the side.

Clive looked up to his beloved and called out to her. "Lyra?" He saw her small form tense, but she didn't say anything. Sighing, he looked to Torgal and wondered if the canine could reach her. Receiving a whine in response, he knew it wouldn't be possible to get her down.

"I've never seen her this broody before," Tarja said.

"Years ago, Lyra confessed to me the insecurity of her ageless being," Clive answered. "She often expresses concern about her age."

Gav slapped his hands over his face with a groan. He then perked up when an idea popped into his head. He rushed out of the main deck and returned a minute later with a ladder. It was just long enough to reach the beam the cat was perched on.

Clive immediately knew this was a bad idea. "Gav—"

"No, no," the scout interrupted. "I've got this!" He climbed the ladder, his ascent unsteady due to his drunkenness. He reached the top and his eyes fell onto the curled-up cat. "Listen, Lyra, I really say the worst shite when I'm like this. You can give me a good slap when—oh, fuck!" He cried out when he almost lost his balance.

The ladder moved and wound up crushing the cat's tail. She meowed in pain and jumped into the air, only to have her back paws slip off the edge when she landed awkwardly. Before she could sink her claws into the wooden beam to stop her descent, her body plummeted downward.

Clive lunged forward and caught Lyra in his arms. He held her small form gently, placing one hand on her back. His sapphire eyes met emerald slits when the feline looked up at him. "Lyra—"

She didn't let him say much before slinking out of his hold and taking off.

He sighed sadly and looked over at Gav after he safely descended the ladder. "Leave her to me."

Gav frowned. "But..."

"Save your apology for later," he told him. "I shall see what I can do to ease her concerns."

Clive left the Tub and Crown in search of Lyra. He headed the way she disappeared, which was through the Black Hammer and toward the rear stacks. He asked a few people if they had seen the goddess disguised as a cat when he arrived at the atrium.

Fortunately, Josselin, Aimee, and Arthur had seen the feline run past them and into Mid's dungeon. He thanked the children before proceeding down the stairs to the workshop below. Seeing it was empty, he searched for Lyra and found her curled up on one of the many shelves. He made sure his footsteps were heard by her to avoid startling her.

Stopping in front of the shelf she was curled up on, Clive gazed at her to see her emerald eyes were focused on him. Even in her cat form, he could see the sadness in her eyes which made his heart ache. "Lyra," he softly called out to her.

Her ears flattened against the top of her head. "I know what you're going to say. You want to tell me not to worry about my age and how Gav's words are hollow."

"Part of it, yes. But there is more I want to say." Clive gingerly grabbed one of her paws and rubbed it soothingly. "While I never shall come to understand the plight of immortals, all I wish for you to know is this: not once have I doubted our relationship because of your age. Whether two centuries old or two hundred thousand, my love for you will never change. You are the woman I fell in love with."

Lyra's heart fluttered at his sweet words. Her ears perked up when he moved his hand from her paw to the top of her head. She leaned into his touch as he gently scratched behind her ears. She purred before reluctantly pulling away and hopping down on the floor. She reverted back and smiled at him. "I love you with all my heart, Clive."

Now that she was back to being human, Clive didn't waste a second. He cupped her cheeks in his palms and pulled her into a kiss. He'd been wanting to do this the moment he returned. Now, he finally got what he craved.

After the kiss ended, Lyra let out a heavy sigh. "I should speak to Gav. Though his words did upset me, I know he meant no harm." She took a couple of steps toward the stairwell, only to be stopped by a hand grabbing her wrist. Peering over her shoulder, she met her beloved's gaze. She could see in his eyes that he wasn't planning on letting go so easily. "Will you truly deprive Gav of his apology?"

Her question was just enough to make Clive's grip slacken. He then slowly released her wrist. "It seems now is not the time for my selfishness."

She smiled in amusement. "You may be as selfish as you desire once I've spoken with our favorite scout. For now, you should return to our chambers and relax. I can tell how exhausted you are from your travels."

He sighed heavily as he felt the full weight of his fatigue. "Yes. Rest shall do me well."

Her smile grew. "Our rendezvous is set, then. I shan't keep you waiting too long, darling."