#Illya x Alphinaud

[inviouswriting]

Apologies.

Short drabble.

mentions of

@maiden-born-in-snow ‘s otpoly, @whitherliliesbloom illyanaud, @meepsthemiqo ‘s family. and @candideangel’s Angelique.

On an envy to Gridania to go over some plans for assisting with All Saint’s wake, Aymeric has the opportunity to work with G’raha Tia. He had been looking for a way to approach the miqo in regards to a situation. 

“Thank you for your help Ser Aymeric! I wouldn’t have been able to hang alot of those decorations myself. And with a month to go for the celebrations.” All that had to be done now was wait for Kan-E-Senna’s approval for the new decorations mixed with old.

“Well, I’m blessed with a certain stature that is noticed well.” He referred to his height. Not a problem for an elezen. 

“G’raha, I’ve been meaning to speak with you about something.” Aymeric’s tone is straightforward. Even G’raha was taken aback by the change in demeanor.

“Y-yes?”

“Nothing too much to worry, it is in regards to my wife Kiya, and before she was summoned to The First.” G’raha understood where it was going. Just as he had gotten a verbal lashing once before by Kiya, he expected another one from her husband now.

“About that..” He fidgets with his hands, and lowers his head as they approach a ramp.

“I didn’t mean to cause her trouble.”

“It isn’t about the causing her trouble it is where. When you managed to call her. She was in the middle of a battle with Zenos. And your timing.. was how to say.. poor. If it weren’t for my trusted friend Estinien, she probably would have died.” G’raha’s ears flatten a bit to his head. He misses the mischief in Aymeric’s eyes.

Quickly G’raha’s chin is cupped by fingers and another one flicks his nose in a similar manner of Alisaie flicking his forehead. Only Aymeric’s hurt a little more. G’raha scoffs at this, but the mini assault doesn’t stop without ears being grabbed and petted. G’raha wonders just what did he do, then he remembers.

 This is punishment for almost killing his wife.

“That should suffice. Next time, would you make sure my beloved is out of danger before you summon her again?” Aymeric stands straight, satisfied with the flustered face and pout on the miqo. Similar to when he does the same to Kiya.

“I am sorry.. You know the reasons and the stakes. I truly wish there was a better way to have done it.” A twitch of his tail he straightens himself up and swats the hands off his ears. 

“You have your wife’s ears to do that with!” 

“Forgive me, wondered if they were soft like hers.”

“Are they?”

“Hers are softer.” G’raha almost scoffs at being told his aren’t soft. Angelique tells him they are. 

“Why the flick on my nose then?”

“That was for my wife.” Aymeric counters as he looks around them, spying their girls in the distance. 

“And the pets?” G’raha waves to Angelique, as both her and Kiya run up towards them.

“You looked sad.” Aymeric winds his arms around Kiya as soon as she was within grasp. Resting his head on top of her head with a satisfied smile of having her in them.

“Did you two finish early?” Angelique enquires as she stands next to G’raha taking a hand shy in her own.

“Yeah we did. What about you two? Did Senna like the designs?” G’raha asks taking Angelique’s hand to hold.

“She did. You two want to join me and Angelique for some food? Miounne made a fresh pie.” Kiya feels tugs on her ears and twitches her ears out of Aymeric’s hands. 

“We’d love to.” Aymeric says, giving G’raha a brief smile then focuses on his wife.

“What were you two talking about before we came up here?” Kiya asks.

“I just had some things to discuss with G’raha is all. Nothing to worry about. Mostly over the next decoration spots.”

“Ah.” They headed towards the Canopy, to find the rest of their friends. Meeps and Fae’a cutting bats out of fabric to hang later Asahi using the scissors to cut where he is instructed and to make spiders next. Shuri and Estinien focused on carving some gourds, with Kivera teasing Estinien about how he is messing up on the grin Ardbert trying his best too.

Illya and Alphinaud organizing some baked goods with Miounne’s guidance. Illya’s rolanberry tarts coming out nice, while Alphinaud’s looks like it can use some work.

Kiya goes to the counter to pick up their food, and Aymeric tags with her. 

“So did you talk to him?” Kiya looks up at him.

“I did. I feel a little better.”

“What did you do?”

“Flicked his nose.” This ears a snicker from Kiya. Miounne hands a tray of soups and plates. Aymeric takes it for the table Angelique and G’raha get. 

“Kiya.” Kiya turns to look at Aymeric, and brief he places a kiss on her cheek.

“What was that for?” She presses her hand to her cheek.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

[windup-dragoon]

The Summer event! 

@whitherliliesbloom @ancientechos

[ancientechos]

Shopping Trip!

For @whitherliliesbloom, based on their headcanons on an Illyanaud/Laurchefant double date!

Alphinaud/Illya + Haurchefant/Laurelis ♡ 2109 words ♡ some kinda modern au

This is supposed to be a so-called “double date”, but as far as Alphinaud is concerned, it is merely a regular one. Between Laurelis and Illya.

Haurchefant and Alphinaud simply happen to be there at the same time. Or at the very least in their general vicinity.

The taller elezen doesn’t appear especially bothered by this; he bears his burden of an already concerning amount of bags with unprecedented grace and decorum.

“They look like they’re having fun,” he says with an easy smile once he notices the white-haired elezen glancing toward him. Alphinaud clears his throat.

“I -- yes, I...suppose that is one of the words...that could describe them.”

Laurelis stands in the middle of one of the clothing stores, a veritable pile of dresses thrown over the nearest rack, clearly selected for the lalafellin girl fidgeting demurely in front of her. She holds her most recent pick -- a pale turquoise ruffled dress -- in both hands, holding it out near the shorter girl’s shoulders.

Whilst Illya looks only somewhat uncomfortable with her predicament, the miqo’te has a somewhat pinched, pensive expression as she stares at younger girl and garment with narrowed eyes. Then, abruptly and apparently satisfied, she gives a tiny nod and gently folds the dress before placing it on the ground beside her.

“Don’t I need to try that on first...?”

“Nope! I know you’ll look adorable without even putting it on!” Laurelis’ smile is bright and infectious; even Illya can’t help but let her lips upturn despite her misgivings. “But this...” The pink-haired woman’s voice trails off as she pulls yet another dress from the small pile she’s amassed. “I’m afraid you will have to try this one on.”

She holds it up to Illya briefly, before allowing the lalafell to take the dress from her. It’s a light, checkered thing; Alphinaud can’t make it out clearly from this distance, but it seems to have something frilly or lacy at the front.

After a mild “argument” (”Are you sure this isn’t too much?” “Nonsense! There’s never too many cute clothes!”), the lalafell retreats to the dressing room, defeated, dress in hand.

Perhaps it’s understandable that she should feel anxious. The vast majority of the bags Haurchefant holds contain clothes and shoes...for Illya, after all.

This scene had been repeated numerous times in other stores, with but one exception that had occurred exactly once and then never again, though the memory still causes the hair at the back of Alphinaud’s neck to spike in unease.

Illya had hesitantly peered out of the dressing room, violet eyes glimmering with discontent; she only finally pulled herself out with effusive and exuberant encouragement from her best friend. The sight that greeted the pale-haired elezen had nearly stolen his breath away: the dress Laurelis had chosen for her was the perfect colour and cut, brilliantly highlighting her features and, at the same time, making her look somehow even more lovely than she had mere minutes ago.

His silence had not gone unnoticed. Whilst Haurchefant had quickly offered his own praise, Alphinaud had merely been struck speechless and tongue-tied, as if somehow turned to stone. And the miqo’te had wheeled toward him, eyes narrowed, fluffy tail twitching only once.

“What do you think, Alphinaud? Doesn’t she look beautiful?”

Alphinaud had thought he could catch a hint of an uncharacteristic sharpness in her gaze -- a subtle glare that looked utterly unnerving on the miqo’te. He had cleared his throat, finding the words he needed to curtail his execution rapidly surfacing despite his initial floundering.

“O-of course. She looks beautiful -- absolutely stunning.” He most certainly did not stutter.

The pink-haired woman’s expression had transformed into a beam that could very well rival the sun. “Fantastic! I knew you’d like it.” Giving a tiny, gleeful clap, she had levied Illya with yet another dress, and the bone-chilling moment had passed as if nothing untoward had ever happened.

Alphinaud still occasionally feels somewhat cold, for no discernible reason.

As Laurelis fawns over the assortment of clothes she’s uncovered for Illya to wear and try on, Alphinaud finds his mind wandering. If this is a shopping trip -- and so it appears, as opposed to an actual date -- he may as well do some shopping on his own.

It appears Illya is well and covered in the clothing department, so he supposes there’s room for him to buy something else...

Like, he thinks, as his gaze roves over a nearby store, jewelry.

Illya, being quite modest, doesn’t often afford herself the luxury of pretty trinkets. Almost never, really, and certainly really nothing expensive.

Well, expensive for her. To him, and to apparently the pink-haired miqo’te, it may as well be a drop in the ocean.

The black, lacquered sign gleams at him under the skylights as he approaches. Genuine crystal bouquets. Perhaps not quite jewelry, as he’d initially assumed, but some sort of trinket nonetheless. And certainly nothing Illya would look even twice at.

She does love flowers, however. What ever would be better than an undying, beautifully cut, and vibrant bouquet? Far more than a simple collection of fake flowers...

Or so that’s what he thinks as he peers into the small shop. Behind locked cabinets and displays of glass are numerous attentively arranged crystalline flowers. Some are simply made of nondescript crystal; others, more ostentatiously priced, are labelled to be carved of gemstone.

He’s drawn almost immediately toward a composition of lilies, sparkling in the light. The price on the card beside them would undoubtedly make his girlfriend faint.

“Looking to buy, sir?” The elderly gentleman behind the counter hones in on him almost immediately, attracted by the crispness of his shirt and the stitching of his tailored coat. Evidently the man can smell the bottomless cards stowed away in his pockets. 

“Yes, I -- I was wondering, might I have a look at that lily bouquet up there?” Alphinaud gives a nod toward the glass shelves behind the counter. The shopkeep pulls out an assortment of keys from his pocket and begins fiddling with the locks.

“I feel like I shouldn’t even be here.” The light, airy comment nearly startles the long-haired young man out of his skin; he turns slightly to see his other companion, Haurchefant, joining him, bags in either hand. “Are you getting that for Illya?” He leans forward slightly as the older man brings the delicate bouquet down before them, allowing them both to look at it.

“Yes. I think it’s very beautiful. It suits her, don’t you think?” Alphinaud gently brushes a finger along one crystalline petal. It would look quite pretty on her nightstand -- perhaps away from any windows, lest anyone less savoury see it.

“It is very pretty -- ” Haurchefant breaks himself off as the shopkeep reminds his friend of the price. “But are you sure she’ll like it? It is rather expensive, after all...wouldn’t she be worried?”

Though Alphinaud does not think it to be that much of a money sink...he can attest that his love would probably be rather critical of the cost involved. Pursing his lips slightly, he looks away from the diamond lilies. “I suppose you are correct...”

He looks instead toward a series of delicately cut roses, pale and translucent. The price for these is substantially less.

“What about these ones...?”

When he walks out of the store a few minutes later, box neatly wrapped and tied and deposited into a white nondescript bag, he feels quite pleased with himself. Haurchefant had kept up his attempts to dissuade him, though to no avail; this bouquet was, after all, far less expensive than the other alternative. And roses are very romantic. Not to mention these particular flowers are eternal.

Illya might gripe about it, but she shouldn’t be displeased, he thinks.

The girls -- or Laurelis, rather -- have already finished making their new purchases by the time they return to the clothing store, the miqo’te excitedly chattering to her friend about the fine points of matching colours and accents.

________

The restaurant is filled with the sound of soft music and the laughter of children and the other patrons. Their shopping has been deposited in the trunk of Haurchefant’s car -- box of crystal roses included, which Illya miraculously did not notice.

Or perhaps chose not to bring up in front of their friends.

“What are you getting, Illya?” Laurelis asks with a mild quirk of her lips as she flips through her menu. Her expression is furrowed slightly in characteristic indecision, before it lightens. “I think I’m getting one of the burgers...”

“Um...” Illya trails off a moment as she finishes coming to her own decision. “The piping hot chicken wings, I think...”

“Ah -- I-I see...what about you, Haurchefant, Alphinaud?”

Alphinaud shuts his menu before he responds. “I’ll probably just get a coffee and a salad.” He’s typically not too hungry by lunchtime -- even with the walking they’d been doing earlier.

“I’ll likely be getting one of the burgers myself,” comes Haurchefant’s reply, closing his own menu.

It doesn’t take too long for their orders to finally arrive, or perhaps it only feels that way with the light, jovial chatter. Laurelis’ fashion classes are going well, as are Haurchefant’s English courses, and Illya’s shop is of course proceeding swimmingly. The conversation ceases for only a moment as the pink-haired woman fishes out her cellphone.

“I have to take pictures!” she announces. “If -- well, if that’s okay with everyone, at least.” Somehow, she always manages to make the food look even more appetising than it already is in her snapshots.

The wings on Illya’s plate are steaming, the scent of spice nearly overpowering the smell of Laurelis and Haurchefant’s burgers across the table. Alphinaud eyes the lalafell’s meal warily, keeping to his plain and boring salad.

“Oh, may I try one, Illya? They look quite good.” Haurchefant asks. Laurelis’ head nearly whips clean off her shoulders as she looks up to stare at him in what can only be described as abject pity, mouth agape.

“O-of course,” Illya murmurs, gently pushing her plate forward. The silver-haired man reaches to pluck one of the wings off her plate, lifting it to his mouth. He’s hardly even licked it when his eyebrows furrow slightly in consternation.

The brave man does, in fact, manage to take a bite -- and perhaps, it seems, even swallow it, though Alphinaud feels rather too terrified to actually get a good look at his facial expression.

“Well -- that was -- very good...I, ah -- excuse me...”

Laurelis politely slides out of the booth to allow the taller elezen to shift past her, and Alphinaud continues to wonder how he simply doesn’t sprint to the nearest washroom.

“I-is Haurchefant all right...?” Illya asks with wide, violet eyes. Her best friend gives a faint laugh, waving a hand gently.

“Oh, he’ll be fine! I-I think I felt his phone vibrating in his pocket, he m-must have gotten a call or something!”

“I hope it wasn’t anything serious...”

Their final group member returns a few minutes later, though he does not ask to partake in Illya’s dish again, and assures them that everything had gone well with his call.

________

Alphinaud feels a little bad for Haurchefant driving him home, but the older elezen had insisted.

“There’s nothing wrong with friends dropping friends off, is there? You don’t need to take your fancy driver everywhere.”

And Laurelis doesn’t even use a driver despite it well being within her means to. For some ungodly reason, she prefers to walk.

“I can take you home, Illya, if you don’t mind,” Alphinaud says before he steps out of the car. “I have something I’d like to talk to you about, too.”

The lalafellin girl looks a little confused as she blinks up at him. “Talk...?”

“Yes! So -- we can take your shopping to my apartment, right?”

“Oh, sure!” Laurelis wheedles her way into the conversation. “I can help you carry everything up!  There’s...a lot, ahah...”

“I’ll help, too.” Haurchefant’s smile is easy and light. “I think you’ll need it.”

Alphinaud staunchly pretends he has not an inkling of what the older man could possibly be talking about, the crystal bouquet weighing heavier than any mountain of shoes possibly could. He only hopes she’ll like them.

[finalfantasyxivwritings]

Old Traditions

AO3 Version

Relationship: WoL(Illya Skawi)/Alphinaud

Rating: PG

Summary: Alphinaud is spending a few days in Ishgard, and learns about an old, peculiar tradition he can’t help but be curious about.

Note: This is a (super late) prize for @whitherliliesbloom for winning the Wondrous Tails 2019 event--at first this was supposed to be something simple and sweet for her character Illya and Alphinaud (whom are adorable together), but one thing lead to another and now I have another fic to add to the ‘lockets as engagement rings in Ishgard’ headcanon because apparently I love it too much.

-

When Alphinaud makes the purchase, it was not fueled by plan nor far-reaching intentions. It had simply been something in just the right spot in the window to catch his eye, and furthermore something beautiful enough he thought it better suited someone else--someone whom he cared about deeply. 

Suffice to say even as he held the locket in his hand and reached out to show the shopkeeper the item he had intended to purchase, it was with no greater meaning than that of a rather fanciful gift spurred only by impulse. He could already hear Tataru’s sharp chastising the moment she’d find out and realize how much he so flippantly spent on it--but it was of his own earnings, and the recipient of his own choosing.

It was beautiful, all things considered. A locket of silver, decorated with various details of twisting vines and flowers blooming around a setting of amethyst or somesuch gemstone. It glittered so vibrantly even in the dull sunlight of an overcast day in Ishgard that Alphinaud could hardly take his eyes off of it once discovered.

Though it did not compare to the beauty he oft beheld within her eyes, Alphinaud could think of only one woman who deserved such a gift. Neither could be bring himself to think about how it pleased him to think of her wearing it--something of his own effort upon her, a symbol of affection and dedication to bringing a smile onto her lips like how she brought a smile to so many others around her.

Perhaps it was from this silly, romantic notion that had left an impression upon the elder, wizened elezen woman who sold it to him. As gil exchanged hands and Alphinaud had the locket safely tucked into a small, plain-looking wooden case, he couldn’t help but notice the look in her eyes.

“Is there something the matter?” He found himself asking. “Did I not give you enough gil?”

“Oh no, there’s nothing wrong,” she said, waving a hand as if to fend off his mounting worry. “It’s not everyday a young man like yourself has his heart so set upon someone he loves.”

Between the words themselves and the tone suffused within them, Alphinaud cannot help the heat that blooms over his cheeks. He clears his throat and allows his eyes to fall downwards.

"I-...I'm afraid I don't quite understand what you mean."

He doesn't know quite why he feels embarrassed when he hardly knew the woman, nor would likely never see her again once the purchase was complete--he's not set to remain in Ishgard for more than a few suns before meeting with several Scions back in the heart of Eorzea proper. Still, Alphinaud found his gaze falling towards the trinket in his hand, heat blooming like sweet spring lilies over his cheeks.

“You are not from Ishgard then?” the shopkeep asks.

Alphinaud shakes his head, and the warm look falls ever so slightly from the woman’s expression.

“Ah, well then pay my silliness little thought. ‘Tis only something of a tradition, though most young folk nowadays don’t seem to pay it much mind.”

She hums to herself and turns away, as if to return to what she’d been doing mere minutes before.

For as easy as it could have been to simply let the topic be and scurry away with his purchase, Alphinaud's sense of curiosity vastly outweighed his sense of embarrassment. He purses his lips and clears his throat in a vaguely subtle attempt to show he was still standing there, and only then does the woman turn back around to look at him with one arched brow.

"I...don't mean to intrude further upon your time," Alphinaud says lightly. "but I find myself curious to this old tradition, if you would care to explain it."

The woman stares at him for a few moments, with the silence only broken by distant sounds of construction from direction of the firmament. Sounds of rebuilding and hope only made possible by the efforts of the same woman Alphinaud was purchasing the locket for. 

Through the years of life experience seemingly etched in lines and wrinkles upon her face, a glimmer of warm amusement filled her eyes. She smiles, then steps closer to the counter, so that she could perch her elbows upon the old wood and her chin upon the heel of a palm.

"When I was but a girl, many years ago mind you, it was commonplace that a suitor would gift a locket to one they were courting."

"Courting?"

"Yes," the woman nods. "Once it was a gift of engagement. Far before my time, the lockets would be made by hand of the suitor or their family--but you can imagine for many it was easier to simply commission or purchase from a craftsman."

Alphinaud's brow furrows. He understands the words perfectly well, but it takes him a few moments for the context to sink in--why she had eyed him with such gentle amusement as he purchased the locket in the first place. He looks down to the small box in his hand, and then back up, realization at last dawning on him.

For some reason, his cheeks are burning ever hotter than before, and words that should have seemed obvious in answer yet tumble awkwardly over his lips.

"Ah, I see. An engagement of...marriage, I presume?"

The woman, whether amused by Alphinaud’s embarrassment or simply happy in his genuine interest, smiles just a little brighter.

"Of course. When my mother ran this very shop, there were young men of even the highest houses who would spend hours looking at her work to find the most suiting locket for their soon-to-be betrothed. And even before that, both my mother and grandmother were oft commissioned for their craft--such beautiful works of art made for one couple’s promise of lifelong union.” 

Wizened by years of life, the woman’s soft eyes fall upon the collection of jewelry across the counter before her. And then, after a moment more, a sigh slowly escapes her lips. Alphinaud watches as soft disappointment fills where warmth had been in her eyes.

"...There is meaning to each of these pieces, you know."

As she gazes over the work before her, Alphinaud can’t help himself but to speak, as if the words take life into themselves and fall from his tongue all the same.

“And what of this one?”

Though the motion is a little jarring and it takes him several moments to do so, he opens the small box in his hand for emphasis, to reveal the glittering locket within. As he does, the shopkeeper looks at him, and the smile returns—perhaps with just a touch more mischief than before, though the young Scion is hardly able to keep his mind away from how the sentiment connects to his own feelings for the warrior he is set to gift the locket to mere days from now.

“You certainly have an eye for gems. The amethyst, set in the center and surrounded by a wreath of flowers-“ she reaches out and gently taps a gloved finger to the center of the locket. “-the one you love must be the sort who oft takes on the suffering of others as her own burden. She forges a path of goodwill, and the flowers that flourish within that path are the lives she touches with her kindness.”

As she leans back, Alphinaud can’t help but feel a little awed.

“...and how can you say all that if you don’t know her?”

Within the woman’s eyes, a glimmer of something soft. In her lips, a wry smile, one that makes her look many years before, gazing down at a young man seeking to promise his heart to the person he cares most for.

“I don’t have to know them, young sir,” she says simply. “You were the one who picked that locket from all the rest of them. And given your surprise at its meaning, it would seem your heart chose perfectly.”

Even in the sharp, cold wind of Ishgard, Alphinaud feels a genuine warmth deep within his chest, one that grows with the reminder that he would be seeing that person soon, the one for whom his heart sang. The one who truly deserved the work of art clutched within his palm, and the deep tradition behind it.

“I thank you for taking the time to explain it to me; I will properly treasure this locket, and I know the one I’m to give it to will love it all the same.”

A gentle laugh escapes from the old woman, and she reaches a hand up to gently cover her mouth.

“And might you indulge me with the name of this one so dear to you?”

Alphinaud opens his mouth to speak, but at first not a single word comes out. 

So many ways to describe her; the warrior of light, the hope of Eorzea, the savior of Ishgard, Ala Mhigo and Doma alike. The one whose smile makes everyone feel at ease, the one who makes everyone feel safe—the one who, whenever she laughs, makes Alphinaud’s heart race and his thoughts hard to place.

“Her name,” he finally says, closing the locket box and gently tucking it into a pocket, and meeting the woman’s eyes. “-is Illya.” 

[whitherliliesbloom]

Ｃａｎ ｙｏｕ ｈｅａｒ ｍｅ？ 

The first time he asked was filled with the wariness of a stranger who knew not even her name. The second time he asked, was for the sole sake of himself. The third time he asked, his voice had been filled with fret. And the fourth time he asked...

Words: 1,288 || Illya/Alphinaud (WOLXAlphinaud)

ARR, Post-ARR, Post-HW & Post-ShB

“Can you hear me?” 

A voice calls out, a demand for attention. The attentive gaze she’d devoted to the worn parchment in her hand now pulled upwards, and their eyes meet. A stranger, accompanied by yet another.. and yet their identical faces make them unmistakably a traveling pair. 

“Y-yes?” Her head tilts up, as does the brim of her straw hat. Violet eyes peer up past the protective shadows of her bangs to who she assumes to be the boy who’d spoken. He towers over her, only because of her own incredibly petite stature.. and the ray of sunlight cast behind him almost floods his likeness in a silhouette. 

“This carriage. It is bound for Gridania, yes?” 

The grip of her thumb over the surface of her map tightens, eyes darting to the front of the carriage before they return to settle back on him.

“I-It is, yes.”

“Much obliged.”

The same faced pair give a curt bow. Deemed now no more deserving of their attention, they turn away to step onto the carriage, and her eyes are momentarily blinded by the view of the unobstructed sun. 

------------------------------

“Can you hear me?”

The wind billowing in her ears almost deafens her, almost makes her wonder if the voice she’d heard was nothing but a figment of her overactive imagination combined with unfulfilled wishes. 

The tightly wrapped package tucked under her arm almost slips as she raises a hand up to her ear, head tilted down to give a nod that he wouldn’t be able to see.

“U-um.. yes. I’m here. I got the delivery.” 

“Ah, yes. Thank you, Illya.” there’s a rustle in the background, accompanied by a chorus of muffled voices and the telltale exhale of frustration from the young man on the line. 

He sounds distant as ever. She couldn’t bring herself to picture the look on his face as he thanks her. She could already tell - navy blue eyes not even sparing a second glance at her, at the furrow in his brows if she so much as spoke out of line.

“I hate to impose on you again, but could I ask another favor?”

Do you really..?

There’s a tinge a guilt that claws at her heart as soon as that fleeting whisper of doubt crossed her head, and her voice sounds all too eager to make amends for a mistake he hadn’t knew she made as she gives him her reply over linkpearl.

“Y-yes.. It’s no trouble.”

“Excellent. Speak to Ilberd once you’ve returned. He will tell you what I need you to do.”

And all too suddenly, the noises stop.. left alone with the rustling of the leaves on the trees around her, a long and lonely dirt road ahead. The wind seems to pick up, and her fingers tremble from the cold.

---------------------------------------

“C-Can you hear me??”

A chill shoots down her spine and paralyzes her, the soaking of her collar with warmth her only comfort. And yet she feels something else, hears something else other than the howling of the wind.

Distant footsteps, the calling of somebody’s name faint and barely heard past the ringing in her ears. 

When she could finally bring herself to open her eyes, all she sees is red. 

Was the stain on her robe one of her own? Of the foe she just felled? Or yet another comrade she could not yet again save? 

“Illya!” 

His voice is clearer now, like the echo of a drop of water upon a still lake. It ripples, it stirs her, and everything snaps back into focus.

With vision still blurred, she forces her head up to look at him, and the look on his face agonizes her even more than any wounds she might have sustained before.

“Ah...Um...A-Alph-”

“Oh thank the twelve! Y-you’re... you’re okay. You’ll be okay.”

She knew not what his reassurances meant, and yet it eased her enough to turn her gaze back down to her lap.

“.....Estinien...?” 

“Ah- He’s alright now. Ser Aymeric just took him away to have his wounds tended to.”

“Then...”

“You collapsed right after we threw Nidhogg’s eyes away, can you not recall?”

Her gloved hands tighten on her lap and she lifts her head up once more - this time to look up upon the cloudy sky above. The little trickles of falling snow tickle her face only to melt away in an instant, forming drips of water that do little to clean away the smear of mixed blood on her face. 

But it serves to remind her, as does any longing gaze at falling snow does now. 

It’s finally over. 

Their journey through an endless plain of cold and white, their hard fought battles and friends they lost along the way.. 

And with them, the remnants of the dragon that tormented them so fallen away, never to be seen again, but never forgotten all the same.

It’s over.

“T’would seem your wounds were a lot worse than we thought. Here.”

Alphinaud extends his hand to her, her fallen staff she’d left abandoned after Nidhogg fell retrieved and held in his other. 

There’s a crippling hesitation that prevents her from even lifting her hand, but her vision blurs once more when she looks upon the reassuring smile upon her companion’s face.

“Let’s go. Everyone is waiting.”

-----------------------------------------

“Can you hear me?”

Why does she always feel cold when he asks her so? Why does the wind howl and cry, as if in defiance of any little comfort she may wish to feel?

But this time she’s tuned the sounds of the surroundings out, with ear pressed against the flat of his chest, hands gripping tightly onto his vest and refusing to let go.

As if sensing her desperation, the arms he had wrapped around her tighten, attempting to hold her closer than he already was. 

For but a brief moment, Alphinaud’s eyes open to look in the distance, where the crystal tower’s glow illuminated the starry night sky like the brightest of lamp lights. 

He looks upon it with pride - for it is proof of what they’ve been through together - of how far they have come. 

He knew not to attribute too much of this scenery to himself, of course.

Every twinkling in the sky, the dark blanket of the night and even the moon that peaked past the gathering of much welcomed clouds... it was given to this very realm as a gift by a girl who will never be able to be given back as much as she deserves for all her sacrifice.

The Warrior of Light, the Warrior of Darkness.. His..

Alphinaud would tell Illya to look up, to savor proof of her very heroism, and to feel as much pride as he does for her. 

But he cannot bring himself to, not when he hears her nuzzling closer to him.

His hand find the obscene length of her white hair and brushes through them, feeling each and every silken strand run through the gaps of his fingers and falling down her hips, almost long enough to pool around her on the floor. 

And then there’s his longing to hear her voice, a longing that he never knew built up over these past five summers until now. What a fool he was. 

“Can you hear me?”

He asks again before he presses his lips to meet the top of her head.

“Not yet. Just a little longer.”

Her head finally turns, though only to press her other ear against him now.. but it gives him a glimpse of the gentle smile upon her face.

“I want to hear your heart.. I want to hear proof that we’re both still here.”

[windupnamazu]

we’ll be safe beneath those boughs and in each others arms 🌿  » @whitherliliesbloom

[theadventuresofshuri]

BECAUSE I AM STILL LISTENING TO THE SOUNDTRACK OF “THE PRINCESS WEIYOUNG” I AM THINKING OF MY FRIENDS’ SHIPS AND MINE NOW

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=RDvVHOx9xJT3M @whitherliliesbloom Illya x Alphinaud. I don’t know why but Christ, I just see them with this song in the background. Like if your gifsets were in a video, this would be the song.

https://youtu.be/FnFDHOeBFH8 @windup-dragoon Kiri and Aymeric. Hands down.

https://youtu.be/N1P3VQVYyEQ this one be Shuri and Thancred

[inviouswriting]

Returning a favor

Just a drabble for @whitherliliesbloom​ to let her know I’m thinking of her and enjoy everything she brings forward. Always support content creators and the things they work so hard on. She works amazing on the things she generates. I love seeing her posts on my dash even in between moments while I work. I hope this helps brighten your days a little bit.

A simple gesture is all a friend needs sometimes, Kiya had noticed Alphinaud down the last few days, and asked him to meet her back at the Intercessory. She had been slowly learning culinary, much to Aymeric’s push in it for her to know how to cook. She learned enough to be able to make decent things now. One of which was a treat that comforted both herself and Alphinaud in hot chocolate. A kind gesture that was given to them from Haurchefant.

Kiya had Alphinaud wait by the fire while she prepared it and brought both herself and him a cup. The elezen was surprised that she made it for him. A kind smile and remanence of a friend no longer with them. They sit down in front of the fireplace to talk about recent things.

Alphinaud was having trouble trying to cheer his beloved up, and it made Kiya frown a bit. Knowing a friend is hurting and without a clear way to help them. She drifts into thought to recall advice or things Aymeric has told her in comfort. She smiles to herself remembering one of their nights when she was in a similar situation as their mutual friend.

“Being there for her, is more than anything you can do. We’re here for her, but it is to her to come to us. Give her time, and let her know you are there.” Kiya says and gets an understanding nod. With the mugs empty, and they had stood up from being close to the fire. Kiya hugs Alphinaud, she had to get back to Ishgard, while he went back to Yanxia.

“When did you learn to be so philosophical Kiya?” Alphinaud questions. Kiya gives a smirk.

“I think you know where. I’m engaged to him now after all. Aymeric is pretty good with words in comfort. Just remember to provide her with arms to seek solace in. Makes all the difference.”

They left the room that has been a solace to both of them in times of need. Thankful for one place that is a respite for them when the world is too much.

“Mayhap, Alphinaud, you should bring Illya here. It is a special place, and I think she would enjoy the stories you can tell her in these walls.” Kiya gives him an idea and he smiles.

“I should. Thank you.”

[inviouswriting]

Engagement

Inspired by @whitherliliesbloom​ s headcanons for a double date.

Aymeric x Kiya and Alphinaud x Illya

I know I have one version of his proposal. I got inspired to write a newer version of it.

Fluff - and long!

A rare chance to date, and enjoy it with friends. When Kiya was asked to invite a friend for a fancier party and to dress formal. She thought of her friend Illya and Alphinaud. Surely they would appreciate a chance to be treated like royalty for an evening. 

Now here she was fixing Illya’s hair into a neat braid carefully tucking all of her long hair into intricate braids to suit her in an elegant green dress. Kiya smiles to herself, she rarely gets the chance to spend time on others with how she runs around. She herself was dressed to turn heads, she already knows it will be a shock to Aymeric.

“There, done and looks almost as good as Jaudelain’s hand did it.” Kiya muses aloud, drawing her tiny friend’s attention.

“You sure this looks fine?” Illya glances up at the miqo’te having second thoughts about how she looks.

“You look as delicate as a flower.” They exchange a smile, knowing they needed to go meet the boys soon. Once the girls were set in their appearacnes they head out to transport to Ishgard. They were meeting in front of the Aetheryte Crystal both teleporting to it through the aether. 

Aymeric was already waiting to receive the girls with Alphinaud next to him. Talking brisk about minor politics much to Aymeric’s lack of interest in them out of office.

“The place we’re going to, it’s expensive right?” Alphinaud draws the taller elezen’s attention.

“It is a bit pricy, but nothing we shouldn’t be able to handle. Why is that?” 

“Oh, Illya is a bit modest when it comes to expenses.” Alphinaud folds his arms.

“So, you want me to handle ordering so she doesn’t see the prices?” Aymeric offers, and Alphinaud nods. They exchange a smile and Aymeric nods in agreement.

“Thank you, that would be most kind. She does like spicy things and flavor of course.”

“I’ll keep in mind.” Aymeric had his own nerves as this was a specific night for him in getting courage to ask his own beloved’s hand. He and Kiya have gotten serious, he wanted to be bonded to her eternally. Now to just ask her. Both men were dressed in similar blue suits, Aymeric’s a dark almost black vest with a white shirt. Alphinaud sporting a light blue identical looking his own level of sophistication for the evening.

Both men look up when they hear Kiya and Illya’s laughs as they land on their feet from the crystal.The girls straighten themselves up, and Kiya scans the crowd for their dates. She smiles bright seeing Aymeric. Alphinaud feels himself blushing at how adorable Illya looks. He glances at Aymeric who is awestruck over Kiya.

Of all the rare chances anyone gets to see the Lord Commander blush it was seeing how radiant his beloved looked in formal wear. Alphinaud and Illya start walking towards the place they’re going to, to give the taller two a moment.

“Illya, you look cute. That dress is very fitting on you. Did Kiya help you? I really enjoy what you did with your hair too.” He breaks the ice between them, and she smiles looking up at him.

“Yeah, she did. It’s not too short?” She raises a hand to touch the under part of her hair the way it kind of feathers out.

“It suits you, as long as you are comfortable.” They smile and he glances over his shoulder seeing how Aymeric is stunned in his spot. A light laugh from him.

Kiya brushes hair out of her face and sees Aymeric staring at her with love written in his eyes. 

“Ah, my love, you look so beautiful tonight.” Aymeric stutters just brief but catches himself. A light pink to his cheeks as he looks away bashful for a change almost losing his nerve for the evening wondering if he truly deserves this woman if she can pull off this style.

“Thank you, I take you like this?” Aymeric kneels brief and takes one of her hands to place a kiss on the back of it. Gaining his nerve again.

“I love it, blue looks so good on you.” He straightens as he stands and keeps hold of her hand in his entwining their fingers together. Aymeric leads the way to catch up to the other pair.

The place was a fancier dining spot in The Pillars. They were shown inside and to a spot that could easily fit another couple. The food that was ordered was a bit rich in taste, and when it came to eating it. They enjoyed their meals with casual conversation.

Aymeric and Alphinaud lightly bickering over recent agendas enough for Kiya to snip at both of them to keep politics out of their date with a firm glare. The woman could freeze a room figuratively and literally. Both girls could since they had met through the thamaturges guild. Kiya taking the black, while Illya took the red and white path. The twelve know, for these men have seen them in action.

“So, what made you call for a double date Aymeric?” Alphinaud was curious.

“I felt like tonight would have been better spent in company. It’s rare to get invites to places like this and even better to share it with friends and beloveds?” Aymeric worded his sentence to sound like a question but it was left as a statement. His eyes drifted to Kiya, who seemed off in her own world gazing at the dancers on the floor. Her eyes following their rhythms and a wistful smile on her lips.

“Kiya, would you like to join them?” Aymeric draws her attention, and Kiya looks down at her lap fiddling with the edge of the dress. A rich blue formal spring dress. She nods, and feels her hand lifted and tugged when Aymeric reaches across to take it and lead her out to the floor. Leaving Alphinaud and Illya time to themselves.

They two share talks of their lives, Illya going into some of the gardens around the black shroud. Alphinaud smiles knowing they will take a trip out to attend to the broken building’s plants. Alphinaud notices that Illya is staring off at the other couple seeing them engaged in a slow dance with a gentle smile. 

“Ahem, Illya.” Alphinaud clears his through as he starts to ask. He wasn’t as graceful when it comes to things like this. Not like the other pair, he was still clumsy in his approaches, still has years to reach the level of suave he has seen in Aymeric and Thancred.

“Yes?” Illya looks up at Alphinaud as he stands up to take one of her hands. Nerves writ in the poor boys demeanor.

“Would you like to dance?” He manages out, and earns a smile from her.

“I would be delighted.” She hops down and they join the other couple a little more off to the side. To not draw attention to them as much as Aymeric and Kiya have. 

The two seemed so comfortable with each other. They radiated their love for the other clear on their faces. Gentle smiles, and kind eyes directed to the other. How far they’ve come since the events of the Vault. Aymeric grips Kiya’s hands tighter when he holds them, as if he never wants to let go of her. Kiya returns his grip sensing emotions behind his touch.

They were naturals to the floor and flowed as such. Even as they made their escape off the floor, Aymeric making his love spin a few more times as he guides her back to their spot. Alphinaud and Illya joining them soon after, finding it a little crowded once the two left the floor.

The bill was presented to them, and the men almost bickered if it weren’t for Kiya’s glare the moment their voices started getting those tones of who should handle it. Instead they split the costs. The men paying their their respective dates.

They parted ways outside of the place, Illya and Kiya waving each other off. Alphinaud and Aymeric giving respective bows. Once free from the formalities of a fancy spot. Kiya gives Aymeric a mischievous look and takes off running. Aymeric follows after her hot on her heels. How she can run in heels amazes him. Let alone how fast she is.

He catches up to her at the platform to Last Vigil, she had jumped onto it with grace and he bounded after her taking advantage of her stumble to catch her around her waist.

“Gotcha~” He murmurs into an ear lifting her up with ease. Kiya laughs in joy, and Aymeric sees a genuine smile on her mouth. He knows now, he isn’t making a mistake. He feels his heart full with her like this. Seeing her let her guards down, seeing the real her without the fancy titles of warrior of light, or savior. This is his beloved, the girl he has fallen for. One he does not want to lose at his side.

“Kiya, whilst I have you. Would you entertain me a little longer? A little more mischief on my behalf?” Kiya looks over her shoulder to him, and smirks a bit, even her tail thrashes at the idea of a little more fun.

“Yes?” Kiya is set down, and Aymeric takes her hand to lead her off the platform and up towards the stairs towards The Vault. He had informed the guard their earlier of his plans, and they were let inside.

Aymeric feels Kiya tense a little walking inside the building where they lost their friend. His grip reassures her.

“Trust me.” He tugs her with him leading her towards The Quire. They walk in silence, Kiya a little behind him but her grip in his hand is tight. His guess memories were flooding her. This place meant a lot to both of them as much as Last Vigil does.

Once to the front of The Quire next to the fountain. Aymeric stands in front of Kiya, keeping her grip in his hands.

“Aymeric?” Kiya looks up at him, moonlight drifted in enough to cast a unique glow to him. Very much the knight at this moment. Very much the man she loves underneath that exterior. There is a gentleness behind the icy stare, life, hope, nervous. As if there were a thousand things on his mind and he is trying to muster them into what he wants to say.

“Forgive me... while I muster my words together. I just wanted to pause here before we go up the stairs. You truly look radiant.” He brings a hand up to the back of her hair and threads his fingers through silky soft black. He shakes his head, and leads her by her hand the rest of the way climbing the stairs slowly. The sound of their feet echo from her heels and his soft footfalls from his boots.

They pause in the center of The Quire. Both of them have their memories from different events. Hers the first time she ran in here. His, the second time. They both lost a friend to tyranny, and treachery. A dear friend they wish could witness what was about to take place.

Aymeric finally has his nerves, and kneels holding Kiya’s left hand in his own left. He places a kiss on the back of her hand on her ring finger. Kiya finally realizes the gravity of this night, the formal, the date, the mood. Her eyes go wide, and feels like her knees are about to give. Fear running down her spine, not of him, but what he was about to ask her. She keeps the emotion off her face, for fear he’ll lose his nerve if he saw that expression.

“Moons ago, we entered this place to stop tyranny. In doing so... we lost a friend, a brother. We lost Haurchefant.” He pauses and looks up to see at the edges of her eyes tears dot them. He expected it and nuzzles the back of her hand with his face reassuring. She was so close to Haurchefant, a brother she never had, in a family that showed her no racism. That accepted her after she had lost everyone she cared so deeply following the Bloody Banquet. How a family made her one of their own following Haurchefant’s death. Edmont had lost a son, but gained a daughter.

“Moons ago, we entered this place to save others. You had risked your life, over and over and over without a single care of your own well being. Just doing what needs to be done, because if you didn’t someone else would either lose life, or someone unprepared would accept that role. I for one would not be standing here if you didn’t.” He keeps his stare on her face. She did save his life, he had felt her flare rattle the entire Vault on the man who tried to kill him.

“I owe you my life for that day. I owe you many things. A debt that can never be repaid as you have given us new hope, a new future. So, I hope that you can accept mine love and be bonded to me. For eternity. Not just in Ishgard, but for the entire realm.” His hand grips hers tight as he asks her. Her eyes are wide, and tears have fallen but he notices they’re happy ones.

“Aymeric, I... love you. More than any of my words can convey.” She kneels down albeit she is a lot shorter than this elezen man. He sits on his knees as she scoots forward to him. What he doesn’t expect her to do is pounce on him and knock him backwards arms around him and her face nuzzling his.

“So, is this a yes?” He feels like his heart is about to burst from joy. Kiya raises up and looks down at him with him on his back. She reaches a hand forward and ruffles his bangs messing it up.

“Of course it is a yes! Yes! Yes! and Yes!” Kiya is pulled down and kissed. Aymeric kisses her in such a way she feels her head spin. Kiya laughs between their kiss, and Aymeric hugs her tight thankful in her agreeing. He feels elated and light like he is on a cloud and won’t come down for a while now.

His right hand cups her face, and she mirrors him leaning into his hand while he leans to hers. He pauses brief to bring out a ring he had made for her. One made of gold and sapphire. An engagement ring, he fits it onto her hand and kisses the top of it when it is settled into place.

“I promise from here on, to protect you and love you. If not to protect you physically, then your heart and all the burdens you bear. Let me be your comfort when you seek it, and your shoulder when you need to cry. Halone knows you use mine a lot. I want you to keep coming to me, now as an equal. Promise me?” Aymeric hooks his left ring finger with hers in similar to a pinky promise but made with their ring fingers. To make a pact to never break it.”

“Of course. You’re going to make me cry if you keep showing me so much love. I feel unworthy of this. You would see love in an outcast like me.” Kiya’s words makes him frown a little.

“My love. Even you are worthy of love. If it takes me years to make you see that. I hope to start now. You are worthy and worth fighting for. I love you too, Kiya.” He sees fresh tears spill over at being called worthy and loved. 

“You’ve given so much to me...” Before she can say anything more it is his turn to pounce on her, placing a hand behind her head to cushion it as he pins her down to the floor and gives her another deep kiss. His other arm around her waist holding her there, ignoring her protest to the cold on her shoulders.

He kisses her for a few minutes, nibbling her bottom lip, or small pecks to keep her from doubting or dismissing herself till he is sure her eyes glossed over from the affection. 

They descended the stairs and Kiya hopped up onto the edge to look at the fountain not getting the chance to view the place properly. Aymeric folds his arms and looks at her with a sense of amusement watching her. Kiya’s body finally catches up to all she was feeling, and missteps toppling over and into the fountain.

Aymeric is stunned at this sight, he couldn’t help what happened next in laughing. He earns glares from her, and all he does is laugh harder at how she was so composed one moment ago, and the next she lands in the fountain with her tail up. She even splashes him for laughing and they spend the next few minutes in a small water fight.

When they leave the place they stop before House Fortemps, Aymeric seeing her inside to talk to Edmont informing him of their engagement now. The older man smiling, but to his dismay, he notices Kiya and Aymeric are both drenched.

“While there was not a cloud in the sky for rain. Why are you both soaked like this?” He questions.

“She fell in the fountain.” Aymeric answers truthfully.

“And did you join her?”

“I splashed him for laughing at me.” Kiya answers and starts towards her room to change out of the wet clothes before they freeze to her. The men exchange good hearted laughs. Aymeric was about to leave when Edmont gets his attention.

“Ser Aymeric, be good to her. Dating is the easy part. Engagement and marriage are hard. They’re built on trust. Don’t do anything to hurt her.” Edmont shares his concerns.

“Fear not, I have no intention of seeing her in grief ever again. You have mine promise.” Aymeric bows, and swings by his beloved’s room to steal a kiss from her. He witnesses through the crack in her door, her excited and elated. She was dressed in warmer clothes, black sweater and tights to match.

“Kiya?” She turns at her name being called and sees Aymeric leaning against her doorframe. 

“Yes?” She walks to him, and he takes her hands in his own.

“What would it take for you to gather clothes for the morning and come with me? Would you spend tonight with me? Not for “that” but be in my arms? I think I might be too lonely without you next to me.” Kiya smiles warm seeing the look in his eyes. He is genuine in his promises. 

“Not much at all. I think I want to be curled next to you too.” Aymeric helps her gather what she needs, and they both leave the house together. By the time they got to Aymeric’s home, Kiya felt worn out from the day, it was well in the evening almost midnight. When she crawls into Aymeric’s bed she lays face down while her beloved goes and changes his own clothing to fit for sleep. When he returns he sees his cat has chosen to curl up on top of Kiya’s back at the small of it.

Kiya had already fallen asleep, and does little to help him fit into his own bed next to both his pet and his love. He moves the cantankerous one off his beloved’s back and tugs her to fit into his arms. The cat eyes him then moves to be in front of Kiya’s waist. Swiping at Aymeric’s hand.

Aymeric smiles to himself and ruffles the feline seeing he is playful naturally at night. Aymeric entertains before he follows his love to sleep.

[ancientechos]

date at kugane

for @whitherliliesbloom

[whitherliliesbloom]

Memoirs #2: Reunion

She never once left his mind

Words: 1,443 | Rating: G | Alphinaud X WOL

A year in the grand scheme of the ever spinning world means nothing. It’s far too short a time to him, whose ambitions and goals reached as far up as the stars. He can recall so much that has happened within the span of a year in Eorzea, yet all the same, it passed by so quickly that the memories of his arrival in Gridania felt like it had been a mere week ago. 

Yet staring up at the eternally blinding shimmers of light that pierced through a thin layer of clouds, with not even the comfort of her always reassuring words and touch to ease him, a single year has never more felt like an eternity to him as it did now.

There is nobody there he could speak to, or rather anybody that could ever feasibly fill the void in his heart.

The aching is ever more apparent in the silence, as his mind torments him with memories of her.

Busying himself with work can only do so much to ease the pain until he'd inevitably be driven away. How cruel an irony it was that the kindness of those he'd been helping would refuse his labour out of worry for his wellbeing that he'd be at his most troubled and wary.

He's very much unlike his sister . During the few and far between trips either of them would take to visit the other, there was not a single time that the name of the Warrior of Light had not left Alisaie's lips. Lamenting her unceremoniously leaving the lalafellin girl quite literally in the middle of a wartorn battlefield, or the unintentional mention of what the hero would do if faced with the same kind of troubles as they did. That was how Alisaie chose to cope with her worries and the inconsolable regret for abandoning a dear friend.

Her name however had rarely ever been said in his voice - and if ever, spoken in a thin, hushed tone that was barely louder than a whisper.

Because the mere utterance of that name may become his undoing, is far more likely to tear him apart than even the isolation and his lonely fight against the impenetrable city of Eulmore.

Someone calls his name, and their presence barely registers, but he manages to pull his attention away from that mangled haze of longing to look back over his shoulder. 

A ronso of blue fur is beckoning to him, and for some reason Alphinaud can tell his voice is chirpier than usual.

"Have you need of me, my friend?" The young man turns fully now, gesturing a greeting with a lift of his hand as he barely manages to make out a smile on his earlier frowning lips.

"Aye. Well, not exactly. Someone's lookin' for ya."

'Someone', he says. That alone is enough to pique his interest. It's not often that he specifically gets visitors looking for him. And if it were Alisaie, the ronso would have said so.

"Someone from Eulmore, I reckon?" He garners a guess, and the other male quickly shakes his head.

"No, no. It's.. a dwarf. Without a helm."

For a moment, Alphinaud's mind draws a blank. He pulls up an image of a dwarf within his mind, and is hit by another wave of confusion.

Why would one of the First's most reclusive race of people come looking for him?

He's seen a few dwarves who dared leave their village during his time in the First, certainly.. and was even lucky enough to make conversation with them, though not more times than he can count on one hand.

But something's odd. Something that doesn't immediately jump out at him until he's tried to piece the second piece of information he was given.

He's met dwarves. But he's never met one without their helmet and beard. Unless...

"Seemed like they knew you,so i wasn't too suspicious. Had pretty long white hair not unlike yours."

It's impossible not to jump to conclusions, not when majority of his time has been spent lost in thought of her.

He's met many a pint-sized people without their helm, at least where he's from. From home.

They aren't called dwarves in the source. They are Lalafells. Unrestricted by the burden of tradition, he's met a good number of both the shrewd and the kindest of Lalafells in his time. And none more kind than the one who would haunt his dreams for the past twelve months. Every night. Without fail.

White hair. Oh, how he's wanted to run his fingers through her hair for so long. How he longed to hear her voice.

Without even a hint of doubt, Alphinaud steps forward, unknowingly clenching his fists as he speaks out as if in demand.

"Where is she?"

Satisfied that the boy now seemed to know who this mysterious visitor is, and more than anything, seemed eager at the chance to meet them, Eybor gestures backwards.

"I asked 'em to meet ya at the Leaky Keel. Now go."

His order wasn't exactly necessary, for as soon as he'd uttered the name of that tavern, his feet had carried him far from the satisfied gaze of the Ronso. Walking to Stilltide has never felt more like a hike than it did now.

Alphinaud's method of keeping calm while nervous isn't exactly unknown, at least to those closest to him. And if his sister were here, no doubt she'd be teasing him about the tension in his brows, and the knot rapidly building up in his throat that he has to swallow down more than a handful of times. That is, if she weren't sprinting her way to meet their guest of honor too.

But despite all the jittery excitement bubbling within his chest, there was that uncertainty and fear that this may just be some kind of elaborate lucid dream.

What if he'd mistaken? What if it were somebody else? Perhaps he'd heard Eybor wrong, and his unconscious desperation to see the Warrior of Light had somehow clogged his eardrums and hazed his senses.

He's bombarded with a myriad of conflicting emotions, and it almost forces his knees to give way.

The only thing keeping him going forward being his distant dream of reuniting with her.

Alphinaud pushes open the door to the Leaky Keel a tad too hard than usual, though the the lady behind the counter seemed to not even take notice to his presence.

Something is tugging at the side of his head, a raging urge to look deeper inside the tavern for the source of that unmistakable presence. But his fear keeps his neck locked in position.

"And how is business today, mistress Theva?"

He prays she doesn't hear how his voice shook as he spoke, prays that she doesn't see his fingers shake despite his efforts to keep himself calm.

She's always been the best at reading his tells.

The bar mistress turns around with a welcoming smile, and though he'd attempted to keep his greeting strictly between them in a poor attempt at ignorance of the special guest sitting at the far end of the tavern, she's quick to force him to finally face his inner fear.

"Look, i have a new customer."

If he could stop time now, he would. He'd pray dearly to the twelve to grant him this desperate wish, to hear his plea if they would not listen to any of his other prayers.

Beneath the cool facade that was his unflappable expression, he was an utter mess, groveling on what little hope he's been presented with.

For what else is there he could do? What else can he do other than to let his love tear away at his aching heart?

He wouldn't have it any other way.

He finally turns, blue eyes settled on the woman who practically throws herself off the barstool.

"Alphinaud."

He doesn't know when his vision turned blurry, or when the ball in his throat had built up so large it almost causes him to choke.

He'd rehearsed their reunion more times than he'd like to admit, practiced what he wanted to say on the day they would undoubtedly meet again. Even if it was an eternity away, he'd still keep repeating that same sappy, perhaps a tad self-confident speech within his head.

But the moment he sees her large violet eyes gazing up at him, and the tugging of her thin little lips upwards to form the most gentle smile, he completely fails to remember the script he'd written for himself for the past three hundred days.

"'Tis good to see you again, Illya."

[whitherliliesbloom]

undefined

- cause we never go out of style  ♡ illya x alphinaud mini tribute

audio: perfect x style mash up lyric overlay by venpll on tiktok

[ancientechos]

Matter of Fact

FFXIVwrite2020 | Masterlist

Ship: Laurelis & Illya [WoL] [platonic] mentions of Alphinaud x Illya, Haurchefant x Laurelis

Expac/Verse: HW, but no substantial spoilers

Words: 372 words

@whitherliliesbloom

“So, when are you going to confess?” the miqo’te asks as she flops down onto her bed in their shared inn room, staring at her lalafellin companion as she brushes a comb through her long, white hair.

“Confess what?” Illya asks, avoiding the question entirely.

While it isn’t a very new question, all things considered, it has been a while since Laurelis has asked it. But you can’t blame her when it’s so very torturous to watch her best friend and her sort-of-but-not-quite suitor dance around one another. It’s painfully obvious to nearly everyone that the two don’t see one another as simply some passing fancy, nor as merely colleagues.

“You know what I’m talking about!” Laurelis huffs, turning over onto her stomach. “Your feelings, for Alphinaud.”

Illya flushes slightly as she shakes her head. “You know I can’t do that, Laurelis.” Her violet eyes are downcast. “It will just...r-ruin our relationship. I’m sure he doesn’t feel the same.”

A pained groan leaves the miqo’te as she rolls heterochromatic eyes. “How can you be so sure?” she asks. “Everyone sees it. Except you.”

“A-and how can you be sure?” her best friend replies, shaking her head lightly again. Her thin fingers move to braid her pale hair. “You can’t possibly know that.”

It always goes like this. Laurelis brings it up, and Illya shoots her down, postulating what-ifs and suppositions and arguing, quietly, that it can’t possibly be true that Alphinaud feels anything even approaching to her own, supposedly unrequited feelings. But that’s the point, isn’t it?

“You shouldn’t make assumptions about his feelings for me,” the younger girl continues quietly, moving on to her other braid. “It won’t -- he won’t feel the same.”

“I’m not guessing,” Laurelis says, annoyed. “It’s not a guess, it’s a matter of fact. He’s head over heels for you! Even Haurchefant thinks so!”

“And what of you and Haurchefant? Have you confessed your feelings, yet?”

A smattering of pink rises to the miqo’te’s cheeks. “N-n-no, there’s nothing to confess!”

And again, their conversation is dropped, unfinished and unsettled as always.

[whitherliliesbloom]

under-the-blood-moonlight replied to your post:  “Hey sorry to all my followers for the lack of...

Mood, but that’s fine Now imagine ffxiv x genshin. Yes I’ve been think about that for a while now v.v

MGDFKHMDJKHANGDIG HEWWO IM INTERESTED

Alisaie is 100% pyro sword user you can’t change my mind. Alphinaud as either anemo or cryo magic user and Illya mmmmm magic user but I don’t know what vision she’d have idfhvodhsag definitely an SSSSS tier healer tho. Maybe she can be an astrologer like Mona. 

ALSO the other way around. DILUC IS LITERALLY A DARK KNIGHT???? No coincidence that best genshin impact boy fits the best tank in ffxiv.

[inviouswriting]

Free - Butler!AU

Aymeric x Kiya

For the butler!au from @whitherliliesbloom

Let me start this off with. I know how some will feel out of character. But this is an AU, there will be moments where characters will always feel like that. Don’t come at me to point out the obvious. I know Nero would least likely be involved, but again this is an AU. I’m not aiming for canon! So now that we got that straight. 

Some warnings in place.

Some blood, some people getting stabbed, TW!forced marriage. Things that can cross into the abuse category with how some people treat their daughters as business trade investments. But remember this has a good ending. I’d never write something that made me uncomfortable.

With that out of the way. Enjoy~ This was suppose to have gone up yesterday but I got busy with other things.

Cameos mentioned.

@whitherliliesbloom​ , @meepsthemiqo​ , @maiden-born-in-snow​ , @wysteria-ffxiv​ , and @tatyltails​ 

Kiya has no idea how things got like this, she is staring at the courtyard from her window and the decorations are already being hung for a wedding. She replayed the previous night in her head, spending time with Aymeric put her in good spirits, but the day had finally come where she would either leave with him or leave married to a man she did not love and be expected to give children.

Kivera was grumbling to herself as she got Kiya ready for the disaster outside in her eyes. She is putting trust in Aymeric, alot of trust, she did not want to see this girl be used for others merits.

There is a knock on Kiya's door and Kivera opens it with a very angry glare. To Aymeric who steps back seeing the maid glowering at him.

"What do YOU want?!"

"Kivera. Please. Let me speak to both of you." He does not miss the lashing of Kivera's tail. She steps aside and let's him in. He spies Kiya dressed in a white dress, looking the part of a bride. Yet he sees on her face the worry.

Kiya looks up at him, curiosity etched into her face as to why he is there.

"It's official now, Edmont signed last night. As of now, you have no assets that these men could want. Other than you, but they'll have to fight me for you." Aymeric saysbwith a grin. He sees Kiya's face light up ag being told she is free, but now to break it to the world.

"Of course when we get back to Ishgard, you will have to stay in the dorms for a bit before you are back in the house to sort the red tape and such. I think you can manage." Kiya nods and Kivera gives him a quirked eyebrow.

"So tell me, what and when do you plan to reveal this information?" Kivera tugs in Kiya's hair a bit fixing it to the curled braid and spirals. Kiya swats at her hands only to have her face pinched.

"At the ceremony. What better spot than to speak now." Aymeric sees Kivera's eyes light amused.

"You know Ilberd might lose his cool. Don’t get stabbed." Kivera warns him.

"That is why I came to you. I think this would be safer in your grasp than mine till the moment." Aymeric hands Kivera the parchment and the miqo takes it hiding it up her sleeve.

"Alright, but if you fail." Kivera gives him a warning glare. Aymeric tugs at his collar then kneels in front of Kiya. To reassure her, he cups her face and places a gentle kiss on her lips avoiding smearing the lip paint.

"You will come home with me. Now I must go help Edmont to his spot. It is almost about. to begin." Kiya gets one more kiss from him before Kivera chases him out for the kisses.

Kivera touches her up, and then they wait. They walk down to a room before the courtyard. Kiya feels panic in her body at what if things go wrong. She recalls Aymeric telling her to have faith in him but it doesn't erase the anxiety in her.

Kiya peeks from the window seeing friends and names. From Shuri and her entourage, Illya and Alphinaud, Meeps and Asahi, Wysteria and Zenos. Kiya sees people who sympathize with her and want to help but can't when they have their own ordeals.

Another knock, this one belonging to Ilberd.

"It is time. Let's get this over with." Ilberd says as he begins to wander out. Kivera sighs as it is now nor never. She hopes for never.

The walk down the aisle was nerve wracking for Kiya every step felt like she had a ball around her ankle dragging her to them. She spies her friends who give anxious looks or glaring daggers at the scene unfolding in front of them.

Kiya reaches the altar and glares through the veil at the men. She felt every nerve on fire, she wanted to burn things, cast fire and ice till the whole place went up in flames for making her do this. Kivera stands to her side, along with a few choice friends from Nanamo to Tatyl. 

There was silence before the officiant began, reciting old words. Kiya wriggles her hands out of Nero’s grasp preferring to keep them at her side for now. There was the moment some were waiting for.

“If there should be a reason these two should not be married, speak now.” Kiya opens her mouth to speak and is shot a glare by Ilberd. She growls low and speaks anyway.

“I don’t want to do this!” Kiya takes a step back, and Aymeric takes this opportunity to get up and make for the center.

“I have some words myself. This woman, is under Ishgard’s maidservant training. In such, all who enter this careful practice relinquish their inheiritances, statuses, wealth, and namely anything that gives them leverage over their peers. It’s what makes us pretty good servers to be treated as equals.” Aymeric looks over to Nero who is comprehending what he just said.

“In other words, you could marry her, but you won’t get anything you are aiming for. Lolorito neglected to inform you didn’t he? That Kiya signed up on her own, they were hoping to marry her off, and save title by having her a Scaeva.” Aymeric looks over at the lalafell who only grins wide.

“Not that any of this matters to me. It was mostly Ilberd’s plan for Nero. You know how butler’s lose rank if their charges and wards lose their goals. An event like this? He’ll be a D rank by the end of the day, if not fired first.” Lolorito looks up at Kiya who only gives him glares.

“Why drag me along in this?” 

“Entertainment. Now the cat’s out of the bag.” Lolorito looks over to Nero who wisely walks away throwing his hands up.

“Back to Cid’s workshop for me.” He doesn’t even chance it. Aymeric pulls out a copy of the Ishgardian laws for Lolorito to read and Kiya’s parents who are more than mortified. Lolorito only accepted Kiya as a bargaining piece so they could pay off a debt to some wine makers. Lolorito also didn’t expect such a chase on the girl. Not that he could complain she is pretty.

“I’m fond of her, but I got what I wanted out of these charades.” Lolorito walks off after other guests as they get up and start to filter once they realized a wedding wasn’t happening.

Ilberd was silent and eyed the parchment on the table, he wondered if burning it would revoke this. Kivera sees his eyes on it, and they both reach for it. Kivera a little faster and the moment Ilberd’s hand graces the table, she plunges a knife into his hand pinning it there. 

The pained anguish that comes from Ilberd reaches the ears of a few and they turned to look in awe. Ilberd holds his hand now bleeding and glares at Kivera who smirks down at him.

“I’ll be taking this. You dare try to ruin this, I’ll gut you like a pig. Mark my words boy.” Kivera hands the parchment over to Aymeric who takes it and further grasps Kiya’s hand to start taking her away from the madness. Kivera follows after them as a way to guard them.

“My life will be ruined, my life is ruined..” Ilberd looks up at the officiant who just shrugs his shoulders and starts tearing up the marriage documents that were prepared. He had seen the sadness on Kiya’s face through the veil at being forced into marriage. 

“You know, marriage is suppose to be about love and happiness, and consenting. Not used as a business. It is appalling at what men do with daughters sometimes. Marry them off once they’re old enough to bleed and have children.” The officiant sees the defeated man and offers a rag to stop the wound.

Something seemed to click and Ilberd gets to his feet, Kiya, and Aymeric made it up the long stairs to go back into the palace. Kivera lingers and looks over her shoulder as she helps usher guests inside. They may as well make use of the banquet. Kivera sees Ilberd dashing up the stairs, and makes a face.

“By Hades and Thanatos. Will this never end?” Kivera takes her knife and turns to Kiya and grabs the hem of the gown and starts cutting it at her legs to remove the skirt from tripping her.

“Kivera?” Kiya winces as the knife nicks her leg.

“Sorry, but it looks like you’ll be missing the festivals a bit. Aymeric get this girl out of here before there are casualties.” Aymeric nods and picks Kiya up as well as usher his wards out to the chocobo they arrived in. They make it as far as the door when Kivera lets out a screech at being stabbed with a rapier.

“Kivera?!” Kiya calls out.

“Get out of here! I’ll be fine. Not the first time. But for this guy it’ll be the last time.” Kivera stares back at Ilberd.

“You ruined so much for me..”

“Me? Ruin things for you? Don’t be daft. You did it to yourself with forcing that girl’s hand. There are plenty of willing heiresses who would have been glad to have Scaeva, but you settled on Kiya because of the market trading she was tied to.” Kivera pulls herself off the blade and gives her wound a check seeing it healing already. Ilberd stares in horror at realizing she is not of this realm.

“What manner of creature are you.”

“Your death if you keep this up.” The knife Kivera holds to her side changes from the little tonberry knife to a grand scythe. Ilberd connects well that he had just harmed something that shrugs it off like a mongoose being bitten by a garter snake. 

Zenos and Wysteria see this change, and Galvus looks on amused at what was about to happen. Wysteria shocked at seeing an otherworldly being for the first time.

There is an exchange and Kivera uses the scythe pressing it down onto the ground and uses it as leverage to kick Ilberd back outside with her following him down the stairs they just climbed.

Ilberd lands back on his feet and prepares to fight with the reaper. This exchange is witnessed by the Fontaye house. Just coming up from the Garden. Startling the heiress head as Ilberd gathers to his feet and runs with Kivera in hot pursuit. Estinien gives a glance after Kivera who was sweeping her scythe at the back of Ilberd’s feet enough to make the man jump and he swears he could see flames at the end of her blade.

“Want me to follow them, Princess?” He offers to go lend his spear if things got out of control.

“Please do.” Estinien leaves her to run after the two in a fight, with Zenos walking slowly to follow. He doesn’t want to miss this, but doesn’t appear anxious for it.

Kivera brandishes the scythe and crosses it in front as the two square off in blows of blade to blade.  The sky was changing from bright sunny to a thick fog rolling in. Kivera notes they are at the front of the palace, and she could see in the distance her ward running, she had bought them enough time to get so far but it was getting them out of the area. She felt at ease but returns her eyes to Ilberd who knocks her back with a blow of his sword onto the front of her scythe. 

 Kivera holding back just a bit to allow people chances to leave. From above Zenos steps forward to watch the spectacle finding it of amusement more than the party. Ilberd lands another stab at her chest where her heart should be, and Kivera only glares down at him.

“Honestly, did you really think stabbing me would solve anything?” Kivera’s clothes change from the maid outfit she once wore into something more fitting for her taste as a butler. A suit to match and smirk on her face. She kicks him back and sends a shock through their weapons to drop him onto his back paralyzing him briefly and she jumps on top of him poising her scythe down near his neck.

“We are going to let them leave here.” She has a wild look on her face. Ilberd was about to raise up when the scythe presses down and he feels immeasurable strength behind her hold. She could easily crush him, or kill him. She would if it meant her ward leaves a happy woman.

“I’ve witnessed that girl grow up to be raised prim and proper, guided every which way to be. She chooses one thing for herself, and everyone has a problem with it. And I’ll be damned to hell again if I allow someone like you, the chance to enslave her in something like “THAT” You’ll accept your resignation of St Lucia’s ranks. If you come after my girl again. I will come for your head. got it?” Frantic nods from Ilberd and Kivera was about to step away.

“So you would let her do as she wan-” The scythe’s point aims dangerous at the center of his head now.

“Not another word. Realize the position you are in. That talk should be reserved for someone who cares, and someone on the winning side instead of losing.” Kivera amuses aloud, she straightens herself and looks around at the onlookers. She spies Kiya’s parents looking the part of wealthy oriented parents do. The mother in a fine dress and the father looking worn out of his mind.

“You two. Disown your daughter! You have no right to her anymore. Per the agreement with Lolorito. If she failed to marry someone to pay off your debt, the contract would be void. Release that girl from THIS.” 

“How would we pay off the debt then?”

“Getting a damned job like the rest of us. I’m sure Lolorito would have a fitting job for the both of you. Since you have no problems about controlling someones life, how about we fix you both up to work it off in a different manner?” Kivera glances over to her ward who offers a nod and grin. Kivera glances down at Ilberd.

“You will be resigning your rank, status, and anything else if you want to keep your head on. You’re not even worth killing.”  Kivera hops off and kicks him once in the side. She looks over to Lolorito who eyes her curious with amusement.

Kivera approaches the parents and holds up a parchment that Aymeric had prepared for her. 

“Sign it. Both of you.” To relinquish their parental status with Kiya. 

“What if we don’t sign it?”

“Then I’ll just kill you both. That should work now shouldn’t it?” Her voice low and venomnous, green eyes a dark red, suggests they obey her command. They realize there is no way out of this without signatures, or their lives at risk. They sign the document, and watch as Kivera glances over to Lolorito the moment it is done.

“I quit!” Kivera announces loud to him, and starts storming off. Zenos was a bit disappointed it didn’t end in bloodshed, but he got entertainment out of it.

“Now this was a party.” He comments and motions for Wysteria to follow him to leave the place.

Kivera goes to let off steam by sitting at the edge of the dock that leads to the salt of The Lochs. She seethed quietly till she hears footsteps behind her. Thinking it was another person bent on challenging her, she whips around and loops the scythe around the man’s neck seeing it is Estinien.

“What do you want?” Estinien holds the spear between himself and the scythe. How she has such fast reflexes.

“Come to offer you a job seeing as you quit your previous wards. I think you would do nicely at the Fontaye house. You can do what you like there, and without consequences and free to go after Ilberd if he shows up again.” Kivera eyes him as her bargains with her.

“I might be interested.” She places the scythe down and eyes him weary still.

“I think you’ll enjoy the house.” Kivera follows him to go greet the miss. They stop at a delivery moogle to send the document she had signed on priority to House Fortemps. She sighs to herself knowing now Kiya is officially a free woman from this life, and hopes that Aymeric will make her happy.

Kivera stands before Shuri, wearing her best. A graceful bow and a wicked grin on her lips.

“I am Kivera. At your service.”

[whitherliliesbloom]

well besides the obvious Alphinaud, what about Illya x Alisaie? or Illya x Urianger? o:

Send me what characters you ship my muse with! (accepting)

“Don’t you dare leave me.”

I’d be lying if I said I haven’t actually considered this before. Back when I was doing through Stormblood, specifically the post-SB quests leading up to ShB, I was getting really serious Alisaie/Illya vibes. I had a fleeting idea where Alisaie would have an unrequited crush on Illya, but out of respect for her brother and Illya’s feelings, she never bothers to act out on her feelings until things get rough with the scions being taken away one by one. 

A culmination of her already worried state for the scions and her brother, and fear of being left alone, she pretty blatantly tells Illya to never leave her side. Illya only saw it as a sisterly thing, though.

Buuuut I feel like that’s doing Alisaie an injustice. I just feel horrible for her if that were the case.. she’s my queen and she deserves better.. so that idea never really took off ;w; At the moment in my canon verse, she’s just really close to Illya and their relationship’s purely platonic. She sees Illya as something of family already, even if Illya and Alphinaud haven’t tied the knot yet.

“I beg thy forgiveness.”

Interesting. I’ve never actually considered this before. They definitely have some tension, specifically in regards to his tendency to lie to Illya and deceive her. Ultimately, she knows that everything he does is for the good of others, and what he believes to be the most noble course of action.. but she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t a tad bit hurt at Urianger’s constant lies.

That said, they still really respect one another.. and I can’t really see their relationship being anything other than platonic.