#The dinner with aymeric

[roegadynroost]

FFXIVwrite 2023 - 18 Fish Out of Water

It had taken Hellina and C'ramel a few hours to get ready for the dinner with Ser Aymeric de Borel, and still they'd arrive a bit early. 

Though sometimes Hellina would loose C'ramel walking five feet in a scantly crowded market, she'd found her Miqot'e partner blissfully organized and prepared for the days events. 

"We'll need to get you something to wear Mellie." Hellina mused aloud as she brushed and straighten her sleep mussed hair. When Aymeric extended the invitation she'd planned all the time in the world before hand for them to go shopping and to get dolled up.

"Oh! I've got something already!" C'ramel said excitedly hurrying over to the armoire in their shared room at the Fortemps estate.

Hellina raised an eyebrow in surprise as she watched the excited feline in the reflection of the vanity mirror. C'ramel had excellent fashion sense and hygiene compared to a good amount of adventurers she'd come across, all the same she was a bit unsure when her friend insisted she had an outfit. Ishgardian high society loved their rules and fripperies every bit as much as Ul'dahn aristocracy. Of course she thought the Ul'dahn's had terrible taste, they thought axes had no business on the dance floor. All weapons, but especially axes were the BEST dance partners. The Roegadyn digressed, she wanted to be a congenial guest for the Knights' Commander so she wanted to make sure they dressed properly.

So when C'ramel riffled through the wardrobe and pulled out a nearly identical High house Justaucorps to hers, but in a warm olive green instead of purple, the pleasant shock was written all over Hellina's face.

"Well!" Hellina exclaimed warmly. "Yes, that will do won't it?" 

With outfits figured out more quickly than she expected, Hellina still didn't want to waste their day, so she took them shopping in the Jeweled Crozier all the same. 

A new pair of shoes, some travel provisions and a cute little cravat for Midgardsormr later, they returned to their room to get ready.

One of Aymeric's manservants had seen them arrive early and ushered them in, having them wait in a nice little sitting room by the fire until Aymeric was ready and the food was done.

"You cut a fine image out of your armour Knights' Commander, doesn't he Mellie?" Hellina complimented the handsome Elezen grinning to her companion.

"Oh! Yes! Though you looked good in your armour too!" C'ramel replied enthusiastically. 

Hellina thought she spied a bit of blush on his face as he and the manservant led them to the dining room. It was dimly but warmly lit by the fireplace and candlelight. The walls were painted in his signature royal blue with white patterns painted across it, what Hellina surmised the crest of his house.

Aymeric was a right gentleman, seeing both herself and C'ramel sat before he took the seat across from them. He pulled out one chair and pushed it in, and then repeated it for the next. It was while seating C'ramel that he spied the little dragon on her shoulder, and he greeted him politely, but Midgardsomr had little to say as was his wont. She wondered if he were annoyed that they'd put him in the tie. He hadn't complained vocally.

The night commenced with good food and good company. They traded their favorite stories. Of the Moogles of the Churning Mists, and of the ones in the Shroud as well. C'ramel was very detailed in the stories about the Moogles, and Aymeric laughed mirthfully. They'd never seen him quite as unwound as in this moment, handsome face soft and amused with comfort and delight.

C'ramel had managed to get the steward to pile her plate with quite a lot of food, but none batted an eye at it if it bothered them, and she didn't waste a bit of it either. Hellina thought she looked quite the fish out of water, but the most charming fish. The Miqo'te had made many efforts to follow her lead with what utensil to use with what dish, but at a point, she still would just use her hands if it were more convenient.

"To think the Moogles would prove such harsh taskmasters! Forgive me, I did not know you had suffered so in your quest for the horn." Aymeric was all smiles as they spoke between bites.

"I dare say we would not have been as kind to them if not for their... Cuteness." Hellina brought her napkin to her lips, pouting a bit. She loathed to admit she found them so adorable.

"They weren't THAT bad." C'ramel chirped, awkwardly digging her fork into a piece of fish and holding it up for the great wyrm to enjoy. For as quiet as the dragon was, he seemed to be enjoying the food a lot as the Miqo'te shared with him.

The night went on swimmingly. They'd even dared to invite the Knights' Commander for their next journey, though he declined most graciously as expected. He had far too much to be responsible for. Hellina understood all too well and didn't press him. 

"...May I ask a personal question?" Aymeric asked them. "Now that the dust has settled, what will you do? Not as Scions, I mean, but...what do you want for yourselves?"

Hellina looked to C'ramel for a moment, eyes crinkling warmly at her friend. She herself thought she'd like to perhaps get back to their adventuring roots, less politics.

Of course before the answer could be made, duty called once again.

[arcteris]

fine dining attire

[starrysnowdrop]

Awaiting the one she loves… 💙

[lilbittymonster]

WIP Wednesday

Tagged by @lilas tysm 💜

Tagging @crackinglamb @anneapocalypse @crystallineconflict @thevikingwoman and @myreia

It's been a minute but here's a bit from the Year of the OT3 prompt I'm working on

~

Kitali turned away from the flames at the sound of the front door opening. She listened as the sound of booted steps grew closer and closer before finally arriving before the doors to the parlor. As the doorknob turned, she stood from where she had been crouched before the hearth to face the doors fully. Aymeric entered, letting the door fall shut softly behind him, looking slightly flushed in the low lamplight.

“You’re here,” he exhaled, slightly breathless.

“I told you I would be,” Kitali said mildly. “Did you run all the way here?”

“I, ah. Not all the way, just from the aetheryte.”

It was endearing to see him so flustered, Kitali thought. The polish of the Lord Commander fell to the wayside as he crossed the room towards her, nervously pushing a stray lock of hair from his eyes before hesitantly reaching out towards her. She stepped closer in turn and met him halfway.

“Are you feeling better?” he asked softly.

“A bit.”

His hand ghosted against her cheek, and she tilted her head to lean into his touch. Her eyes closed as his thumb brushed across the dried trail of a tear.

The room hummed with a strange tension. The world felt narrowed to just these four walls. Without opening her eyes, Kitali could feel his gaze on her face. Aymeric took several small inhales, as if to speak, and just as she was about to break the silence he finally spoke.

“Kitali, may I-”

“Yes.”

[the-rogue-mockingjay]

I bet your shoulders can hold more than just the straps of that tiny dress That I'll help you slide aside when we get home I've seen 'em carry family, and the steel-drum weight of me Effortless, just like that dress that I'll help off --- I bet your back can carry more than just the weight of your button-down One by one, they'll come undone when we get home I've seen you carry family, and all my insecurities One by one, they come undone when we get home

as always, bonus shots below the cut 💞

[zazter-den]

"Keep talking like that, and I'm gonna go feral"

"...That supposed to get me to stop?"

This man is gonna drive me crazy

[genderdotcom]

best way to get out of mandatory bed rest post-edw: remind g'raha you have a promise to fulfill

[elizabethrobertajones]

I was in such a HW Dragonsong War homoeroticism era haze I had to be reminded I ship my own WoL with Aymeric intensely too, and she also is extremely easy for him to pick up like she weighs nothing.

Halone bless bisexuality.

[starlit-seadragon]

Day 10 - Stable (Make-up)

I once read a post analyzing the state of the stables outside the Borel Manor and it has haunted me since (if you know the post, please link me, as I've lost it! Thank you to the person who took the time point it out).

My FFXIV Write masterpost here.

House Borel had but a single manservant remaining in its employ.

Long had he served, and with great pride. Though they were neither as prominent nor influential as the High Houses, the Lord and Lady de Borel had always been good to him.

He remembers parties and dancing, feasts and falconing, sound and light and warmth. The lady at the piano, the lord at the fireplace, cooks and maids and hostlers and errand boys. Music and merriment. The sound of laughter.

A home.

The young lord is not often home as of late. The many, many rooms are dark and the kitchens remain cold. It is not to be unexpected; with the work, his lord is kept busy. The manservant remembers him in his youth, always watching, always working. He used to smile more, but to see him rise to his position despite -- well, *everything* -- has been a point of pride.

And yet... there are times when the stillness is too still, when the nights are too dark, when the cold seeps in too deep. Times where he looks at the chocobo stables outside the manor, now replete with dusty crates and forgotten purpose, and feels a heaviness in his chest.

A single manservant remains in the employ of House Borel, and no amount of his wistful, wishful thinking will resurrect the past, nor will it bring forth a different future.

Regardless, he remains. Ready to serve, should need arise.

[demigod-of-the-agni]

I used to find Aymeric adorable. now I need him. badly. why are all the characters in this silly game so fucking nice and fun to hang out with

[snow-system-wol]

(Fandaniel and S'ria first meeting -- typical suicidal ideation and uncomfortable zenos vibes)

Well, S'ria...definitely doesn't know what to make of this on first pass. He supposes not all Ascians would truly be committed to bringing back the old world, but the logical opposite of that is to then want to commit to this current one. Not choose neither.

He can understand why a person, especially one living longer than a mortal life, might want to end it. S'ria's just not sure why taking everyone else with him has a such gleeful appeal.

S'ria actually hates that so many people -- other Scions, Raubahn, some random military soldiers and guards -- were here to see this exchange.

Part of it is the pressure of everyone knowing exactly what conditions have been given and who to blame if things turn to slaughter.

The other part is perhaps less logical, but S'ria fears being misunderstood. The internalized arguments in his head of: "No, you see, any moment I shared with him was simply us trying to kill him" or "I've done nothing to encourage his attentions or tried to make him this obsessed, there is nothing between us."

No one is questioning it though, these are all Scions and Ala Mhigans present, they know how Zenos can be.

That's never good.

Aw, but Zenos, I thought you wanted your Warrior to face violence and adversity and grow stronger?

That aside, watching these two interact really is like a comedy duo.

[dan1000100]

FF14 is such a great game!!! 3.3 patch quests were soo amazing to play!! Can't wait for more

[starrysnowdrop]

FFXIVWrite 2023

#6: Ring

Noun: a typically circular band of metal or other durable material, especially one of gold or other precious metal, often set with gems, for wearing on the finger as an ornament, a token of betrothal or marriage, etc.

Set some time before the events of 7.0; Aymeric’s head butler Arnaud carries down a box from the Borel Manor’s attic that brings back precious memories, and conjures up dreams of the future.

As the elder elezen walked into his lord’s parlor, he saw the younger man sitting on the sofa in his blue silk robe, running his hand through his raven curls with a deep frown on his face and hunched over what looked to be a shopping catalog. He cleared his throat as he announced, “Dinner will be served within the hour, my lord.”

Aymeric glanced up at his head butler for a moment with a quick little smile before returning his attention back to the catalog in his hands. “Thank you, Arnaud.”

“If I may ask…?”

Looking up again, Aymeric replied, “Hmm? Of course, what is it?”

Arnaud tilted his head in curiosity as he noticed that the catalog in question was from the Ul’dahn Goldsmith’s Guild. “You seem troubled. Is something the matter?”

“Oh, ‘tis nothing to worry yourself over. I just have to make a decision, but I am not fond of any of these choices.”

Aymeric sat the catalog down on the table and Arnaud could finally see the items that his lord was referring to: a selection of what appeared to be engagement rings. A smirk crossed his lips. “Ohh, I see…”

Sighing, Aymeric crossed his arms and shook his head. “Hali deserves the best ring in all of the world, one that is as beautiful as she is, and one that she will adore for the rest of her life. And yet, none of these are right.”

“It is an important decision to be sure, though I am confident that Lady Hali will love anything you give her. For her, as long as it is from you, and comes straight from the heart, she will be over the moon with joy.”

“No, you are right. Still, I cannot help but want it to be perfect, and none of these are what I have envisioned.”

“What exactly do you have in mind?”

Aymeric closed his ice blue eyes momentarily before turning his attention back to Arnaud. “I picture a brilliant blue jewel with diamonds surrounding the center like stars in the night sky. With a crescent moon perhaps? Hmm…”

“A brilliant blue jewel, you say?” The elder man’s mind immediately recalled a ring that fit that description in part, but most importantly, the jewel that served as the ring’s centerpiece. Yes, it just might fit perfectly. “Well, I believe that I have a solution for you, my lord. Just wait here a moment.”

Before Aymeric could reply, Arnaud walked out of the room. A few minutes later, the butler returned with a small blue velvet box that was covered in a thin layer of dust. He brushed off the dust as Aymeric’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped in shock.

“Wait, you don’t mean…”

Arnaud nodded as he opened the little vintage box in his hand. “Yes, your late mother’s ring.”

As both elezen men turned their attention to the ring, of which had belonged to the late Lady Borel, Aymeric’s adoptive mother, a gleam of nostalgia and joy twinkled in Aymeric’s eyes as he admired the blue diamond encircled with tiny white diamonds on a band of gold. It was close to being a century old now, but it was still a sight to behold.

The elder smiled as he offered up his thoughts. “For over a decade, it has been collecting dust in a box in the attic. Why not take the ring and commission a goldsmith to create a new setting for the blue diamond, and make the perfect ring for your beloved? I dare say that Lady Borel would have been the first to approve, and she likely would have put forth the suggestion herself.”

Arnaud sat the opened ring box down on the table in front of Aymeric, who then picked it up and looked it over more closely. With a nod and a grin, Aymeric replied, “You are not wrong about that, Arnaud. Yes, I think that is exactly what I should do. Thank you, my friend.”

“Anytime, my lord.”

[the-rogue-mockingjay]

You ever seen a girl so beautiful you started crying?

[beneaththeplanetofthebatmans]

I like how Dion is kinda like Aymeric but if Aymeric was canonically gay and could also turn into a dragon.

[dongbangskies]

My WoL may have been traumatized and nervous but I was so ready

I mean it’s a fair reaction wouldn’t you say?

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