Aetrius silently sat there as Linde began to speak, and couldn't help when a small blush overtook her face when Linde placed her hand in her's. It was a subtle gesture, and a tender moment she was bound to always keep in her mind. She remained silent as Linde spoke, taking in all she said. And when Linde began to tear up, her heart hurt. Not just metaphorically, but it literally made her heart hurt to see Linde cry, and because of her. She caused Linde to not only tear up, but to literally tackle Aetrius in a fervent hug. Her face turned a bright pink as she felt Linde practically sit on her lap and hold Aetrius close, their bodies touching far too much, causing her face to turn a shade of maroon. But this wasn't the time for her to become a flustered mess. No, Linde needed someone to comfort her, as Linde in a way confessed how she felt. But only as a dear friend, and Aetrius needed to be to fill that role for her in that moment.
Aetrius slowly rose to her feet as Linde began to cry again, sobbing and apologizing for being so sentimental, and openly showed she cared whether Aetrius would die or not. If things came to that. Aetrius sighed, and outstretched her hand, gently grasping Linde's forearm, and gently pulled her back into a hug, holding her head close to her chest as she held Linde close to her. Her heart was beating heavily, not from making such close contact with Linde, but because she felt terrible for causing Linde to break down into a fit of sadness and endless sobbing. Her grasp around Linde only tightened more as she thought of several occasions as to where things could go wrong, either her or someone else getting hurt, as well as Linde herself. And that is what did it.
The thought of losing Linde. She had already lost Kieran, in a sense. Believing her to be dead for three years, and it terrified her to think she'd never see her again. But here she was in Veilbrand, and she was going to be able to see her again. But she was not going to let the same thing happen to Linde. Not ever, if she could stop it. Even if it meant her dying to protect her now friends, but she kept that thought to herself, Linde was already too overwhelmed, and she didn't need that added to it.
She looked down as she was holding Linde. She found herself gently placing a kiss on the top of Linde's head and pausing. Her heart beating faster as she did so. She cared too much for Linde, and whether or not that could be her downfall, she didn't care. If she was going to turn Linde away by how protective she would be from here on out, so be it. But she was not going to let her own nightmare become a living one. She had already lost enough, and she was done losing. She looked down at Linde who she was holding closely and spoke in a soft and caring tone, with a small tint of a loving tone, the latter being a rare thing from Aetrius.
"Linde...I promise..." she started saying, gently caressing the other woman's head as she spoke, "I'll be more careful...Just know I'll do what I have to keep you safe...I won't have what happened to Kieran happen to you...Not going to let someone else I love be taken from me again..."
She put an emphasis on 'you', and didn't care if Linde was picking up on the hints she just gave, or whether she meant what she had just said, she wasn't exactly sure. But she was intent on keeping her word. No matter the cause, she'd keep Linde and the others safe.
Aetrius slowly rose to her feet as Linde began to cry again, sobbing and apologizing for being so sentimental, and openly showed she cared whether Aetrius would die or not. If things came to that. Aetrius sighed, and outstretched her hand, gently grasping Linde's forearm, and gently pulled her back into a hug, holding her head close to her chest as she held Linde close to her. Her heart was beating heavily, not from making such close contact with Linde, but because she felt terrible for causing Linde to break down into a fit of sadness and endless sobbing. Her grasp around Linde only tightened more as she thought of several occasions as to where things could go wrong, either her or someone else getting hurt, as well as Linde herself. And that is what did it.
The thought of losing Linde. She had already lost Kieran, in a sense. Believing her to be dead for three years, and it terrified her to think she'd never see her again. But here she was in Veilbrand, and she was going to be able to see her again. But she was not going to let the same thing happen to Linde. Not ever, if she could stop it. Even if it meant her dying to protect her now friends, but she kept that thought to herself, Linde was already too overwhelmed, and she didn't need that added to it.
She looked down as she was holding Linde. She found herself gently placing a kiss on the top of Linde's head and pausing. Her heart beating faster as she did so. She cared too much for Linde, and whether or not that could be her downfall, she didn't care. If she was going to turn Linde away by how protective she would be from here on out, so be it. But she was not going to let her own nightmare become a living one. She had already lost enough, and she was done losing. She looked down at Linde who she was holding closely and spoke in a soft and caring tone, with a small tint of a loving tone, the latter being a rare thing from Aetrius.
"Linde...I promise..." she started saying, gently caressing the other woman's head as she spoke, "I'll be more careful...Just know I'll do what I have to keep you safe...I won't have what happened to Kieran happen to you...Not going to let someone else I love be taken from me again..."
She put an emphasis on 'you', and didn't care if Linde was picking up on the hints she just gave, or whether she meant what she had just said, she wasn't exactly sure. But she was intent on keeping her word. No matter the cause, she'd keep Linde and the others safe.