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ecosystem-administrator · 1 year

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Once Bitten, Twice Shy

Timeline: 4.5-5.0-ish, no major spoilers Pairing: Maxima/Riol Content warnings: Internalized homophobia, references to patriarchal culture

Riol trips over a secret he didn't expect to be a secret; Maxima has the emotional breakdown he's been repressing for several months; there is, finally, a kiss.

“Have you got anyone back home?”

The question was startling, and Maxima looked down at Riol uncertainly, for a moment envisioning any possible ulterior motives. But what did he have to lose? This wasn’t the Empire, the people here would be friendly to the Populares if they could find any. Or at least less openly hostile than the Empire was. “I gave you all the contacts I had when I first arrived,” he hedged.

That earned him a light smack on the upper arm; he’d been getting more accustomed lately to Riol’s style of physical affection, and just raised a bemused eyebrow in response. “Not what I meant. Like, a partner, a lover. Someone you miss.”

He shook his head. “There was someone…once. After my parents died, I broke things off. I planned to take a more active role in the movement in their place, and I didn’t want hi- them to be in danger.” Very few relationships between men in the Empire managed to last long-term, anyway; although it had hurt, they’d both seen it coming, and agreed it was for the best. There were just too many obstacles to such couples remaining together.

“Sorry to bring up bad memories,” Riol murmured. And then, in a very deliberate and careful tone, “…What was his name?”

Maxima stared at Riol again, wondering how much of the fear speeding his pulse was making it into his expression. He’d slipped up just there, and of course Riol was too quick not to catch it. It was one of the things he liked about the Hyur, one of several things that had him enjoying the company more than he should, entertaining daydreams of continued closeness. He’d already indulged too much, and now his most damning secret was exposed and he would lose this lifeline-

“Maxima!” Riol was shaking his arm, his grip warm and firm and more real than the panic he’d begun to spin into. “Gods, what’s got into you? It was just a question.” He swallowed visibly, and to Maxima’s astonishment, flushed a little. “…Well…” He cleared his throat. “…In the name of tryin’ to be more honest with each other, maybe not just a question. I’ve been really enjoyin’ your company these past months.”

The spiral of increasing panic had slowed, but Maxima was already too much in fight-or-flight mode to interpret what Riol was saying. “I’m sorry,” he managed, his voice wavering. “I-I’ll keep my distance, just…please don’t tell anyone else.”

“What in the Navigator’s name are you talkin’ about?” Riol was only getting more agitated, which was exactly the opposite of what he’d intended, but of course was the expected result even so. At least he had enough leverage not to feel physically threatened, but how was he to endure this social landscape without the one person who actively welcomed his company? But he would live, he would manage, if only he could persuade Riol to keep quiet in the name of the friendship they’d had. “I thought we might have somethin’ goin’ here. If you’re interested.”

“I…what?” Maxima blinked, reassessing the interaction, blushing suddenly as he realized what Riol had meant. Naturally, he realized, if Riol had been signaling that he was scaenicum as well, Maxima wouldn’t have caught whatever codes or gestures were specific to Eorzean culture. He glanced down at the camp; though the outburst hadn’t drawn any attention yet, they weren’t even entirely out of view. “If that was your intent, we’ve already been…incautious.” He lowered his voice, shifting back from the cliffside. “That is… yes, certainly I am, but we’ll need to think carefully about how to keep from seeming suspicious.”

“Suspicious how?” At least Riol seemed to have calmed as well, but he still seemed deeply confused. “It’s not a crime to…” Even as he spoke the words, understanding seemed to dawn, and he scowled deeply. “Ohh, I’d heard Garleans were backwards about- roles and relationships, but I never knew it was this bad… Llymlaen’s barnacled bosom, no wonder you’re so good at hidin’ everything.” He took a deep breath, visibly settling himself down, and got up on one knee so he could look Maxima in the eye more easily. “Listen, Maxima… it’s not like that here. Whatever you like in a lover, it’s not gonna change anyone’s opinion of you. And if anyone gets on my case for who you are, it’ll be because you’re a Garlean, not because you’re a man.”

It was a persistent rumor, of course, that such things were managed differently in foreign lands. That the roles of men and women within the family were less strict and relationships more varied. Maxima had had some hope that perhaps one day it would be possible to find a partner and live discreetly, in a way that his homeland had gone out of its way to deny him; he’d never dared to imagine that such discretion would simply be unnecessary.

This, finally, was simply too much. He was so far from home, and every familiar mountain and valley of his emotional landscape, everything he’d worked through and around all his life, was just insignificant to the outside world, meaningless upon a grander scale. His eyes began to sting, and no amount of reaching could find the calm center he relied upon to maintain his equilibrium; he realized he was holding his breath as if that could still the pain, and when he finally let it go, the exhale shook and the inhale stuttered. He reached for Riol blindly, instinctively, like an anchor in a storm, and without needing to give any further sign he found himself embraced, pulled into the warmth of Riol’s chest as his composure finally crumbled.

“It’s all right, let it out,” Riol said soothingly, stroking his back as he shook with emotion. “That’s been a long time comin’. Yer plenty tough for holdin’ out as long as you have.”

He wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that, though it probably wasn’t as long as it felt like: they’d come up here to watch the sunset as had become a habit, and when Maxima was finally able to raise his head again and breathe clearly, the first stars were only just emerging. Still, it was long enough that Riol groaned with relief when he was able to ascertain that his companion was steadying out, and he sat down on the earth again heavily. “Sorry,” he explained, “Much as I care for you, I ain’t twenty anymore, and that’s not doin’ my knees any favors.”

Maxima couldn’t help but laugh, a little brokenly, as he wiped his face and tried his best to regain his dignity. “Thank you,” he answered quietly. “I…being here… So much has happened.”

“You’ve been through a lot,” Riol agreed, leaning into his side and wrapping an arm around his waist supportively. “…Gods, I wish Thancred hadn’t got dragged off who knows where. Him and his fancy Sharlayan education…he would’ve known what kinds of things I should have told you from the start, where the differences are so I could help you adjust better. I’m good at sneakin’ around and payin’ attention, but when it comes to this diplomacy stuff I’m sailin’ in the fog here and just hopin’ I don’t end up on the rocks.” He grinned slyly and squeezed Maxima’s waist a little harder for a moment. “Good thing you’re tall as a lighthouse, isn’t it?”

He made it seem so easy. Sitting like this, Maxima didn’t feel any less lost, but at least the feeling was less dangerous and more adventuresome. Cautiously, he settled his own arm around Riol’s shoulders in return, accepting the smaller man’s presence more completely. “As for what you said earlier…”

“I’m not askin’ for anythin’ except your company. However much of it you’re comfortable givin’.” He looked up at Maxima seriously. “I’ve never been the type for commitment. We’ve both got too much goin’ to make any offers past here and now, right? But I like you, Max, I really do. At least what you’ve let me see so far. We can start there, and see where things take us.”

“I’ve grown very fond of you, as well,” Maxima admitted. “…The reason I was so alarmed earlier was in part because I had already been indulging in that affection more than I would have dared at home. I was afraid my carelessness had lost me your company.”

“Nah. If I wasn’t interested, you wouldn’t be the first one I’d let down gently. Maybe I’d give you a bit of a break to keep from makin’ things awkward, but we’d still be friends. And we’ll still be friends if you decide you’re not interested, too, all right? Gods strike me down if I ever try to use my position to keep someone hangin’ on when they’d rather go.”

“I know. I’ve seen plenty of abuse of power in my time. It’s not as if the thought didn’t cross my mind, but…you aren’t the type.” Maxima smoothed his thumb over Riol’s bicep, looking down at him speculatively. He’d never dared to be caught staring at the other man’s features before; now, he found he was getting lost in the green of Riol’s remaining eye.

“I’m not gettin’ back up on my knees for a bit,” Riol said with a grin that lit his gaze appealingly. “So if you want a kiss, you’ve got to come down here and get it.”

That was in fact exactly what Maxima wanted, the thought he’d still been hesitating to complete even in the safety of his own mind; so with permission given, he leaned down to press his lips to Riol’s, gently at first. Riol’s arms came up to wrap around the back of his neck, and he wasn’t sure whose lips parted first, but he tasted good, so good that Maxima could have lingered in that moment for an eternity, shutting out all the world in favor of this simple intimacy.

When they did finally part, to his surprise, Riol leaned their foreheads together, the warmth of his skin close to but not quite touching Maxima’s third eye. The further intimacy made Maxima shiver just a little, not having expected a foreigner to be familiar with the gesture, and Riol seemed to realize and pulled back just a little. “Oh hells,” he muttered. “I keep forgetting. You all right?”

“It’s fine,” Maxima told him quickly, blushing. “That is…it’s intimate, but not unpleasantly so. …It’s been a long time since I let anyone this close.”

“Figuring each other out is gonna take some work,” Riol nodded, but he was still smiling. “I’m up for it if you are.”

#ffxiv #ffxivwrite2023 #maxima quo priscus #riol forrest #maxima x riol #cw homophobia #this got too long to edit for pacing #guess what Garlean culture is fucked up #I spent half an hour looking up Latin words to decide what term I wanted for the queer community in Garlemald #in case you're wondering it means 'theatrical'

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headcanons-n-shit · 2 years

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B-team Scion headcanons! Hoary, Coultenet, Alianne, Ochre, Aenor, Riol, Clemence, and one or two others if you wish!

Imma be real i had to log in and run around for like. 15 minutes to remind myself who all of these ppl were.

Hoary and Aenor have never actually like. Done. Anything. Despite Aenor's many claims and fantasies. Poor Hoary is both A) Dense and B) Gay.

Aenor and Ochre on the other hand...

Speaking of Aenor and Ochre, they both discover a shared passion for teaching in Gridania. Eventually they get a nice little house on a quaint little plot set far enough away from their neighbors that they don't have to worry about noise complaints. It's a very nice house, just. dont go in the basement. It's more degen than the Balmung quicksands down there.

Hoary and Coultenet are married.

Riol has his fingers in every thieves' guild and information network from limsa to ala mhigo. His connections are only surpassed by Tataru (who he rightful respects and fears in equal measure). But somebody sneezes on the continent of Eorzea, and you can bet that Riol already knows.

Clemence is an extremely intelligent and competent healer, with a particular knack for detail work that makes her the ideal surgeon. Once she removes herself from the stress of combat healing, she eventually goes on to join the Eorzean equivalent of doctors without borders.

Bluomwyda is Merlwyb's half-sister. They don't talk a lot, but they do care about each other. Bluomwyda makes sure to send Merlwyb food and trinkets from her adventures, and Merlwyb sometimes plays a little favoritism to make sure Bluomwyda's ventures are funded (within reason).

Krile puts off officially becoming the leader of the Students of Baldesion for sooooo long. Ojika and Ejika basically con her into it: "here, this office has been empty for so long, you might as well do all your paperwork here!" "Oh, can you look over the list of potential new Students for us? we're sooooo busy." "Hey can you sign this really quick for me? Oh, nothing important, thank you." "Here's your new robes, congratulations on your 'promotion'."

#ff14 #ff14 headcanons #scions of the seventh dawn #hoary boulder #ochre boulder #Coultenet Dailebaure #Aenor Cockburne #clemence ff14 #krile mayer baldesion #ojika tsunjika #eijika tsunjika #riol forrest

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