melodiesoflife | Love Springs Eternal (??)

Love Springs Eternal (??)

Who: ERRYBODY
What: It's Valentine's Day, and there are matchmaking notices everywhere. Here's an open log for one and all to post their shenanigans, meet ups, freak outs, and whatever else they're going to do about this.
When: forward dated to Feb. 14
Where: All over Aqures Ixen
Warnings: Ridiculousness.

[Plastering the city are notices matching up all of the Heroes of Light with one another, both the best and the worst. Moogles are having a grand old time handing them out and hanging them up, and are encouraging Heroes to speak with their top matches.

Naturally, reactions to this are mixed. Some Heroes are intrigued, some annoyed, some offended. Despite their feelings or misgivings, the rest of the city is still celebrating Valentine's Day as well, and now the thoughts of love are everywhere.

OOC: This is an open log for everyone to use for Valentine's Day stuff! Feel free to make your own prompts.]

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People kept reassuring Ramza that the moogles did not dislike him, but it was hard to believe. In his experience, hatred did not require a rational basis. He'd dealt with it his whole life. He shrugged a shoulder.

"If you think I should leave them in peace, I shall." He gave the flier another glance. "I suppose I need no 'mad science' to tell me the Calamity takes precedent over...romantic endeavors."

"Uh...yeah. Calamity's more important than worryin' what Moogles think matchmakin' is supposed to work." Ramza was only trying to make himself feel better, Mordecai was sure of it. "Hey, what can a machine tell about what person's really like? Your match just ain't another Hero of Light. Could be livin' in another city at this moment!"

"Perhaps I do not have a match at all. There is nothing to guarantee such a thing." Maybe his 'perfect match' was back in Ivalice, or perhaps he was simply meant to be alone. Barkeep seemed irrationally optimistic about his prospects.

"Don't say that! What kinda attitude is that, beatin' yourself up over somethin' on a piece of paper?" With his other hand, he pulled Ramza around so that they faced each other. "What if I said that we'll never find a way home 'cause we ain't guaranteed that? That reason enough for me to give up?"

"Is it better for me to hope that I will find love among the Crystallians? I will either be forced apart when we return home, or have to remain here forever and never see my home or my sister again. What sort of hope is that?"

He crossed his arms. "Is it not better to wait until it is all over, when I am wherever I am going to be for good, to search for a companion?" And then there would be no question of whether the moogles approved or not.

"Well-" That was difficult to answer, and the Barkeep hesitated. "You, uh, you can always have someone on the side if you ever get interested, don't mean you gotta get out there and find a date right now or get rid of your feelin's, else you end up like Sparks Nevada..."

But was Ramza right? Did he really worry that much about the feasibility of a relationship?

"Are you thinkin' of findin' someone to be serious with?"

Ramza shrugged. "I wasn't...but, with this holiday, no one seems to be thinking of anything else. And then the moogle's match-maker..."

He looked down at his boots. "Maybe there is something wrong with me. Even Sparks got higher scores than I did." And everyone knew that Sparks was hopeless with all things emotional.

"So maybe there is no point in even worrying about the possibility."

"Ramza," he let out one final sigh. "It's true that Sparks Nevada's one of the worst when it comes to romance, but he's got years of experience from the Moogles to draw from. Even if you ain't been in a relationship before, there's somethin' you got that he don't."

He paused for dramatic effect. And to make sure Ramza was listening.

"Appeal. You're young, you got a good heart, and anyone worth datin' would be attracted to you the moment you talked to each other." It happened with the Aqures Tosf bard, it could happen again. "Sparks goes after any woman he likes, even if they'll never work out. You're the type that picks and chooses, and you'll end up with a better success rate. This whole thing? Just matchin' you up to a few folks the Moogles could dig up documents for."

Ramza looked more hopeful as Barkeep spoke, until the mention of 'documents'.

"Oh...do you think the moogles read our files for this? No wonder they think me doomed..." Of course they would not want to saddle anyone with a heretic with a substantial bounty on his head. He had never gotten around to 'locking' his file, it was true.

"I am sorry, Mordecai. I may just be beyond help, in spite of your kind words."

Dangit, why did he mention that? Ramza was taking the Moogles' word seriously, which only made things worse.

"No one's beyond help, Ramza, not when I'm sill in the picture. Whatever happened on your planet don't matter here." He gave a heavy pat to Ramza's shoulder. "Now, you're gonna have a good time today, got it? Grab some chocolate, hang out with friends, enjoy yourself. The Herans are safe, you got good friends in us, and you're young. I didn't get married until I was older than you, and I met my wife when I was 24. Don't worry about it so much. You'll do fine."

Mordecai let go od him and took a step back. This was his housemate, and he had a responsibility in taking care of him. That was only right for someone who had the privilege of calling him by his real name. "Let's take a break today. You've been stressin' out a lot lately, and that ain't a way to go around life. Everyone needs time to relax, and why not today?"

Ramza nodded slowly. "I suppose...there is no reason in being upset over it..." And he was blessed with many wonderful friends, so he was never truly alone.

"What about you? You cannot spend this day with your beloved. Are you alright?" It was only right that if Barkeep fretted over Ramza's well-being, Ramza would do the same for him.

The Barkeep was serious before, but something in his eyes changed. He wrinkled his nose as to ward off certain thoughts and feelings about a day meant to be spent with a special somewhere, whether in person or over the communicator. Almost a year had passed since he last spoke to his wife over the telecomm, and it was almost a year since he last heard her voice. He hoped he wouldn't forget how out sounded when he returned home.

To combat that, he turned his focus to the ground. "I'll be fine. It's not like Harriet's home often, anyway."

It still hurt.

Barkeep said he was fine, but Ramza was not convinced. He wondered if there was anything he could do to bring his roommate some comfort. He had heard of other Heroes undertaking quests in exchange for mementos from their home worlds. He wondered if he could get something from Barkeep's wife if he asked.

"Time will see you returned home to her. True love cannot be hindered even by the span of distant worlds." He had no evidence to support that, but he believed it all the same.

If Ramza did, the Barkeep would be overwhelmed with positive and negative emotions. The fact he did it out of the goodness of his heart and a memento would bring him to tears, which would only be compounded with missing Mars even more.

But those comforting words brought a smile to his face. "Looks like I did get through to you. Love is one of the most powerful forces in the universe."

Ramza looked away from Barkeep. He would do what he could to get Mordecai that keepsake.

"Just because I do not have a lady to court, it does not mean I do not know about love." Romance was foreign to him, yes, but he had seen the world reshaped for love, demons defeated, death itself reversed. In the end, that was what life was, a search for someone to love. Sometimes it was a lover, sometimes family, but the power of that love was the same.

There was a pause while the Barkeep silently watched Ramza and mulled over his words. Those were wise words for a young man so clueless in the ways of the world. Maybe there was hope for his future.

"You know just what to say, don'tcha." He held out an arm as if to hug him, but at the last moment, let it pat his arm. "See, this is why you're goin' places."

Ramza did not touch people often. Gestures of physical affection were rare for him. But he was glad for the Barkeep's pat. It reminded him somehow of his lord father, looking down at his young son with pride. He smiled.

"But I am not going anywhere right now. Unless I should go seek out my friends, as you said."

That got a chuckle out of the older man. "I mean in the figurative sense. You know you got a good future ahead of ya, right? Now how about we find a place to eat? All this talk and I still haven't had lunch."

Ramza nodded. He could feel his appetite returning. Lunch was a fine plan.

[[ooc: That seems like a wrap.]]

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Love Springs Eternal (??)

So he's talking to the ahoge, then

that ahoge is the source of so much trouble

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