#Warrior of Light: Llewellyn O'Donnell

[starsandauras]

Entry 27: Memory

FFXIV 30 Day Writing Challenge Prompt 27: Memory

So far as Sammy was concerned, any time before he set foot in Gridania didn’t exist. Whoever he had been, it didn’t matter. The moment he gave his name as Sammy to Miounne was the moment the person he had been ended.

Llewellyn had accepted who Sammy was at face value, the day they had met. Had been careful with him, in a way many people hadn’t. Hadn’t asked questions, but had listened intently at anything volunteered.

“It was the way you held yourself,” he had said, one night when Llewellyn felt talkative. “As though you were protecting yourself from something.”

Sammy had been curled up on his chest, with one of Llewellyn’s hands on his back. It was solid and warm, and Sammy had never felt safer. He nodded slowly, just as slowly relaxing from his curl, to rest his head on Llewellyn’s shoulder. “I don’t want to talk about it,” he murmured, and he more heard than saw Llewellyn nod. “Not yet.”

“Of course. You never have to, if you don’t want.” He pressed a quick kiss to sunshine curls. “You are you, as you are now. And I love you, my ram hearted lamb.”

Sammy smiled and relaxed fully, the two of them rolling over and snuggling together into the mattress. “I love you too, Lyn,” he murmured, leaning up to kiss Llewellyn’s jaw.

Maybe someday Sammy would tell him where he had come from, what name he had held before Sammy O’Donnell. And maybe he wouldn’t, because it didn’t make a difference either way.

[starsandauras]

Prompt 19: Weal

FFXIV 30 Day Writing Challenge Prompt 19: Weal (the opposite of woe)

It was Brigid’s first time out of the medical wards since returning from Ultima Thule, and she was leaning against Llewellyn’s side as they slowly walked along the harbor. She was wrapped up tight, having even more trouble as of late regulating her body temperature than she usually did.

She’d been kept either in bed or inside in general for a good moon and fortnight, almost constantly monitored by her husbands, her son, her girlfriend, the healers, her brothers, and any combination thereof, only getting a moment’s peace in the rare spaces between shifts (or when Alisaie, her sweet darling sister, ran them all out for a bell). Finally she’d managed to convince them that she needed to get outside if she was to truly heal properly, and it was Llewellyn that backed her up.

“Thank you,” she murmured softly, leaning a little more heavily against him.

Llewellyn hummed softly, mulling over his words as he always did. “You’re welcome, little flame,” he said, soft and slow. “You’ve always healed better near the ocean.”

She nodded, her head brushing against his shoulder. “Helps to be breathin’ in the breeze, hearin’ the waves.”

“I told them to put you in a room near the water,” he murmured, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. He was frowning, and Brigid knew why. They hadn’t listened to him.

“‘Tis sure I am they werenae havin’ the space,” she tried to defend the healers, but Llewellyn continued frown. Ah, her protective brother, she did love him so.

“It’s delaying your healing,” he grumbled, and she laughed softly. “You should be able to walk along the harbor without help by now.”

“Well, I’ll have to be gettin’ out more often, aye? ‘Tis bein’ sure I am that Alisaie would be happy to be walkin’ ‘round with me. And Hilda, when she’s managin’ to be visitin’.”

And Thancred and Urianger, of course, but Urianger had his own patients to attend to. It was then left to Thancred to mind the children, and Cred still wasn’t dealing with the Final Days and Brigid’s injuries very well, being very clingy to his da. Ryne tried, she did, but Cred very much Wanted His Da.

Llewellyn hummed again, before sighing and nodding. “Come,” he said, turning them away from the water, “we’ll get something to eat before I return you to your room, Sammy should be waiting for us at the Last Stand.”

Brigid laughed softly, tucking herself closer against her older brother. “I’m likin’ that, be havin’ somethin’ warm to drink.”

[starsandauras]

Prompt 20: Hamper

FFXIV 30 Day Writing Challenge Prompt 20: Hamper

Sammy dearly loved Llewellyn. He made Sammy feel safe, listened to, and above all else, always important and worthy. Worthy of everything Llewellyn could give him. It was something he had been sorely lacking over his life. To all accounts, their relationship was one of sunshine and fairy floss.

There was one… slight issue, however.

Llewellyn was a Very Tall Elezen, and while Sammy was a Very Tall Lalafell, that didn’t come anywhere close to making up for the several fulms height difference. Which meant laundry day was as much a trial as dealing with Alphinaud before he realized he was being an utter prat.

Sammy grumbled under his breath as he awkwardly carried the laundry basket outside to their back garden, where he’d set up the tub and the line. “Stupid Elezen, stupid robes…”

Llewellyn followed behind sedately, hands behind his back. “I’m more than happy to do laundry,” he murmured, smiling lightly as Sammy glared at him over his shoulder. “You could do dishes instead. I’m happy to trade.”

“I can do it,” Sammy grumbled, and Llewellyn shrugged and continued following behind.

“I know you can, but you don’t enjoy it.”

“No one enjoys laundry, Lyn.”

“William does.”

“William took Feo Ul’s comments about the state of our bags personally and now makes a point about washing clothes.” Sammy set the basket down next to the tub, clothes already sorted by Elezen size and Lalafell size.

“They did call his reputation into question,” Llewellyn pointed out, sitting nearby. He watched as Sammy pointedly started on his own clothes, a besotted smile crossing his face. “Will you at least let me wash my own clothes?”

Sammy frowned a moment, before sighing and shuffling over. Llewellyn grinned and moved closer, kissing Sammy’s temple as he took one of his robes. “Only because I love you.”

“I love you too, my ram hearted lamb.”

[starsandauras]

Prompt 13: Confluence

FFXIV 30 Day Writing Challenge Prompt 13: Confluence

HEY. READ THIS. Welcome to The Hereward Fic for this year. For the new folks, this means the following CONTENT WARNINGS are in play: Parental death, parental abandonment, and emotional abuse. Please take care of yourself if you choose to read this.

Oh, and Will’s Accent, even if Will isn’t the one talking.

“Life is made up of meetings and partings. That is the way of it.” — Kermit the Frog, A Muppet Christmas Carol

Meetings

Brigid’s first memory of her father, the first real clear one, was of being carried in his arms along a beach. She must have been two? Three? She wasn’t sure, so many years on. The sun was setting, full of beautiful colors reflected on the water.

She’d flung her arm out, pointing at the water, shouting something, though she couldn’t remember what anymore. She couldn’t remember the exact thing her father had said in return, but she remembered that it was happy, and warm, and had a laugh mixed in. It was safe, he was safe, and would always keep her so.

He had held her closer, dropping a fond kiss on the top of her head, and they’d walked on, likely to meet up with her mother and brothers.

Partings

Brigid’s last memory of her father was of standing at the door to their house, herself and William on the threshold while their father stood on the stoop. Llewellyn was somewhere behind the twins, and Arthur and Connor somewhere else. She was thirteen, nearly fourteen, and nearly a year without a mother.

It was raining. The ground outside their home was almost sandy mud from the wet, and her lungs ached. Their father kept his eyes on William, on Llewellyn, anywhere but on her. She’d noticed, after a few weeks, how he never looked at her anymore. She tried not to think about why.

“When will you be back?” Llewellyn had asked, in that quiet way of his that *radiated* disapproval if one knew how to listen.

“Few sennights,” their father had replied, shrugging his shoulders. His voice was flat, and he already stank of drink. Llewellyn hummed softly, nodding as he did. None of them believed him.

“Are ye havin’ tae leave?” Brigid asked softly, and tried to ignore how he just looked over her shoulder as she spoke.

“Havin’ tae gae whaur th’ work’s bein’,” he said, shrugging again. A moment of silence passed between the four of them, before he sighed, focusing instead on Llewellyn. “Look after ‘em, ye’re th’ man ay th’ house now.”

Llewellyn nodded. “I will.”

There was an awkward moment, where their father tried to hug each of them, Arthur pushing him away almost instantly and Connor clinging, not understanding. Brigid wanted to cling, wanted to keep him there. But she couldn’t, and didn’t. And then Hereward O’Donnell turned and went into the rain, leaving his children behind.

That was the last time Brigid looked at her father.

[starsandauras]

Prompt 27: Hail

FFXIV 30 Day Writing Challenge Prompt 27: Hail

Sammy sighed and closed the curtain, moving away from the window and back up against his husband. “It’s still raining,” he grumbled, and Llewellyn laughed, draping his arm around Sammy, tucking him close.

“The sky watchers did say it would go for several days,” he reminded the other man softly, a thumb holding his place in his book.

“I know,” Sammy replied, pulling a blanket up and around him. Llewellyn smiled and tugged the rest of it up so that it would drape over both of them. Outside the rain grew harder, judging from the sound on the roof. They sat and listened to it for a long while, comfortably cuddling on the couch.

Soon enough Llewellyn shifted, easing Sammy awake from the light doze the combined sounds of the rain and Llewellyn’s breathing had lulled him into. “I’m going to build a fire,” he murmured, smoothing down his lamb’s golden curls. “And then I’m going to make rarebit.”

“Mm, warm bread and cheese,” Sammy hummed, smiling softly. “Sounds good.” He curled up, wrapping the blanket tight around him, and Llewellyn pressed a soft kiss to his forehead.

“I’ll wake you,” he whispered, and Sammy made a soft sound before the lalafell fell into a cozy nap.

Even rainy days could be nice days, Llewellyn thought to himself, as he busied himself with the fireplace.

[starsandauras]

Prompt #1: Foster

FFXIV 30 Day Writing Challenge Prompt 1: Foster

Llewellyn made a soft shushing sound as he led his guest through the bowers of the Conjurers’ Guild quarters. They weren’t particularity loud, the two of them, but the quiet of the night combined with the narrowness of the halls seemed to amplify even the softest inhale. He patted his guest on the top of the head, assuring them that they were nearly there, nearly to the safety of his room, where they would have their privacy.

Suddenly there was the sound of a third set of feet, quietly shuffling nearby, and Llewellyn froze, his hand bracing itself against his guest’s chest, halting their steps. He ran through his mental list of who could possibly be awake at such an hour and would most likely have an opinion on his current actions, and he sighed. This wasn’t a conversation he was ready to have yet, but clearly he was going to have it now.

“Brother E-Sumi-Yan,” he said softly, bowing his head as the Padjal came into view. He was holding a candle, the only source of light in the dark hall. “How do you fare tonight?”

“Well,” the other man said, just as quietly as Llewellyn. He raised an eyebrow and moved the candle to better view Llewellyn’s guest. “And your friend?”

The aldgoat doe huffed softly, and would have tapped a hoof sullenly had she not needed to brace her weight upon it. Her head curved to bunt at Llewellyn’s side, and he absently patted her back as he kept his eyes on E-Sumi.

“A sprained forelimb,” he replied, not bothering to hide it. Why would he anyway, he was well known to the rest of the guild on this matter, after all. “I couldn’t leave her.”

E-Sumi sighed, shaking his head. “Of course you couldn’t,” he said, and his voice carried the smallest hint of fondness as he did. “Two years you’ve been with us, after all. Will this be the tenth wild animal you’ve tried to hide in your rooms?”

“Eleventh,” he corrected.

“Ah, that’s right, there were two spriggans last time.” And they both silently agreed to not elaborate on that mild disaster. Instead E-Sumi sighed again. “And how long do you believe she will remain in your care?”

Llewellyn glanced over at the doe, then trailed his eyes down to her left forelimb, held slightly above the floor. “A little less than three sennights,” he said finally. “I don’t want to hurry her healing along too much.”

Apparently that was the correct answer, as the Padjal nodded with an approving noise. “Make sure Brother O-App-Pesi doesn’t see her, and release her back to the wilds as soon as you deem her recovered.”

“My thanks, Brother E-Sumi-Yan,” he replied, bowing again.

E-Sumi bowed in return, smiling as he rose. “And contact your sister, your hems are high.”

Hmm, so it wasn’t his imagination that E-Sumi was shorter. Again. “Of course.”

[starsandauras]

Prompt #15: Thunderous

FFXIV 30 Day Writing Challenge Prompt 15: Thunderous

Hi so time to deal with the Calamity!

Brigid held Connor and Arthur close against her, William standing behind the three of them, all of them looking up at the sky. Above them they could see the moon slowly coming down on what they knew were the Carteneau Flats.

“They sent me home,” Arthur grumbled even as he tucked himself closer to his sister. “Said I was too young to join the signal corps.” Brigid hummed and brushed her hand through his hair.

“They were sendin’ me home too,” she murmured. “Sayin’ we should be with our families, if we’re havin’ them.” Connor wordlessly clung to Brigid, the twelve year old’s eyes wide. “‘Tis alreet, me wee wolf…” she whispered to him, pressing a kiss to the top of his head.

Llewellyn came out of the house, holding several bags. He handed three of them to William, the younger brother nodding silently. “We’re where we’re needed,” he said softly.

Brigid nodded, holding Connor tighter. William passed one of the bags to her. She took it, resting it against her back. Suddenly she stiffened, eyes glazing over. “We’re needin’ to be runnin’,” she said flatly, before blinking back into awareness. “Now!”

Her bothers had long learned to listen to her in such situations, and they did as told, even Connor setting off at a mad dash at Brigid’s words. Only a few minutes into their apparent escape there came a massive CRACK and an equally massive gust of wind nearly knocked all five of them down. Llewellyn grabbed Connor and William swept up Brigid, meaning that they were the two that saw exactly what had caused such sound and wind.

A gigantic dragon hung in the air, wings spreading wider than should have been possible, where the moon once had been.

“Keep running!” Brigid screamed, or she thought she did. Her throat suddenly hurt after she heard the words, so she must have been the one to say them. The others in their small village followed her orders, screaming and panicking all the while. The O’Donnells meanwhile plowed their way through the crowd, Llewellyn, William, and Arthur refusing to look back, and Brigid and Connor with their eyes closed, still being carried by their brothers.

Even years later they didn’t remember what came after, what came after the running and the screaming and the horrifically loud noises. They knew what others had reported, such as that Archon Louisoix had somehow saved them all, at the presumed cost of his own life; or what was in front of their faces, such as the ruin of the West Shroud, the leavings of the terrible tidal wave they had narrowly evaded.

All they truly remembered was the near deafening roar, the sky turning into fire, and the dragon’s overpowering need to obliterate everything.

They huddled with other refugees in a barn one night, each one of them holding a tepid cup of tea. Brigid was the only one to voice the question they were all thinking. “Where’s Da?” she asked quietly. None of them had an answer, and Brigid wasn’t certain she was seeking one.

[starsandauras]

Prompt 19: Market Day

FFXIV 30 Day Writing Challenge Prompt 19: Market Day (Extra Credit/Makeup Day)

It felt like the break of dawn, even though it was several bells after the sun initially rose. Llewellyn yawned and sipped at his tea in his travel cup, still half asleep.

“You don’t have to come with me today,” Sammy said, looking up at him from under sunshine curls. “It’s still early enough that the crowd will be light.”

Llewellyn sighed fondly and smiled, reaching down to ruffle his hair. “I don’t mind,” he murmured. “I promised, after all.”

Sammy giggled softly, leaning into Llewellyn’s hand. “You promised before you were called in for a full moon night.”

Llewellyn groaned, not wanting to think about it. “And I’m still going to honor that promise.”

The lalafell smiled and shook his head. “We’ll be done quick, I promise.”

And so they walked into the Gridania markets, Llewellyn parting the minimal crowds for the much smaller man at his side. Though half asleep, he easily followed Sammy from stall to stall, carrying the larger purchases for him.

“Good morn, Master Llewellyn!” greeted one of the shopkeeps, and Llewellyn managed a smile for him. “Accompanying your beloved to market today?”

“I am, yes,” he murmured, perusing the wares on offer. “I think he needed the extra hands.”

“And yours are both easily available and larger,” the shopkeep added, smiling widely. He pointed at a basket. “My sister collected this marjoram fresh this morning,” he said with a grin. “If you should need extra, of course.”

Llewellyn did often need more marjoram, especially after his own sister visited. “I’ll see if it’s in the budget for this trip,” he said with a nod.

“Of course. Give my regards to Sammy.”

[starsandauras]

Prompt #9: Friable

FFXIV 30 Day Writing Challenge Prompt 9: Friable (defined as “crumbly”)

Warning: Will’s Accent has arrived.

Brigid, Connor, William, Llewellyn, and Araki sat silently at a table. Connor sighed and leaned back in his chair. Llewellyn hummed softly and worked on a checklist. Brigid swayed in her chair as she knit. William slowly leaned over the table, eventually ending up with his face on it. Araki picked at his nails.

“Why…” William started slowly, “are we lettin’ th’ runt cook?”

“It’s good to be supportive,” Llewellyn murmured, adding another item to his list.

“There’s havin’ to be somethin’ the wee lad can be cookin’, we’re just needin’ to be findin’ it,” Brigid agreed.

“Does anyone else remember the time the stove exploded?” Connor asked, affecting a disinterested air. “Because I remember the time the stove exploded.”

“Matsu’s in there with him, remember?” Araki replied, toeing at an empty chair opposite of him. “He’s the one working the oven.”

Connor hummed disbelievingly. “If you say so…”

Brigid and Llewellyn sighed. “Like Llew was sayin’, ‘tis bein’ good to be supportive. Lad cannae be learnin’ if we’re nay helpin’ him.”

“Th’ oven ‘sploded twice,” William grumbled, and the others fell into silence once again.

Half a bell passed before Matsu opened the door, letting Arthur out in front of him, the latter carrying a plate piled high with cookies. William’s head lifted from the table, blinking.

“Dinnae smell burnt,” he murmured, a touch of awe in his voice.

Araki laughed and bounced out of his chair, further bouncing his way to stand at Arthur’s other side. “Look at that! And they’re not gelatinous globs!”

Arthur huffed and rolled his eyes. “Yes yes, they’re neither burnt nor globs, they’re perfectly serviceable chocolate chunk cookies, if you’d all like to try them.” He set the plate down in the center of the table, his siblings leaning in to examine them closely.

Brigid was the first one to reach out and take one, quickly followed by Llewellyn. William and Connor soon followed, though a bit more hesitantly than the older two. She turned the cookie back and forth, humming as she examined it. “‘Tis havin’ good color,” she said brightly, a smile on her face as she looked over at Arthur. “Smellin’ ‘mazin’ too.”

A weak smile crossed Arthur’s face, as well as a light blush. “Thank you.”

“Yeah but how do they taste?!” Araki asked, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

The siblings looked at each other, then nodded, taking a bite in unison.

They chewed their cookies. Arthur chewed his lower lip.

Finally Connor and William frowned and shook their heads. Llewellyn made a sad noise. Brigid swallowed and instantly took a sip of tea.

“What’s wrong?” Arthur asked, the smile long gone from his face.

“Dry,” complained Connor, going for his own cup of tea (which was likely heavily adulterated with whiskey, knowing him).

Arthur made a strangled whimper and turned to Brigid, profound disappointment tugging at the corners of his eyes.

She nodded in agreement, but took another bite of cookie. “Aye, wee bit,” she said, a soothing tone in her voice. “But ‘tis bein’ an easy fix, either you’re cookin’ them a wee bit too long or your havin’ too much flour. And they’re nay bein’ so dry a cup of tea cannae be fixin’ what’s bein’ baked.” She patted the table, like she would Arthur’s hand. “You’re just needin’ to be tryin’ ‘gain, ‘tis all.”

Arthur dropped down into the chair opposite Araki’s, further dropping his head onto the table. “That’s all? You swear?”

Araki bounced back to his seat, grabbing a cookie. Matsu laughed softly and took his own as he sat in the last empty chair. Biting into it, he chewed thoughtfully. After a moment he nodded. “That’s all,” he agreed. “Next time we’ll ask F’eli to join us, I’m sure he’ll be happy to help sort this out.”

Arthur raised his head and whined, but reached out for a cookie as well. A silence fell over them as he tried his own creation, and he sighed after swallowing. “Crumbly too,” he grumbled. He looked over at Brigid. “Too much flour?”

“Aye, likely. But be havin’ F’eli check for you, I’m nay a confectioner.”

He hummed, taking another bite. “Not bad otherwise.”

Llewellyn smiled, sipping his tea. “Not at all. You’ll get better. I have faith in you.”

[starsandauras]

Prompt #7: Speculate

FFXIV 30 Day Writing Challenge Prompt 7: Speculate

“What the hell is this?”

Arthur leaned over Connor’s shoulder, looking down at the thing in his hands, smiling confidently. “It’s…” That smile fell near instantly, blinking confusedly. “…um.”

Connor looked up, his own confused face morphing into a mischievous grin. “You don’t know either~” he practically sang.

The older of the two sputtered before crossing his arms and looking away. “Of course I do! Why wouldn’t I know?”

“Well if you know, why don’t you tell me?”

The two brothers stared each other down, Arthur glaring and Connor grinning widely. “It’s. A thing,” Arthur settled on finally, smirking at his younger brother.

“A thing.”

“…It’s a long thing.”

“A long thing.”

“Look it’s not like you know what it is!” Arthur spat, grumbling under his breath.

“Yeah but I’m not pretending to know what it is like you are!”

“Bullshitting is an important life skill you know.”

“On exam papers and doing whatever the hell it is Alphinaud thinks he’s doing, not identifying something. What are you going to say next, it’s a ritual item?”

“It might be!”

“Arthur, Connor,” called Llewellyn from down the hall, voice completely neutral. The brothers still cringed upon hearing the eldest, and they sighed.

“Right, no fighting,” Connor grumbled.

“Right,” Arthur agreed.

There was silence for a long moment.

“You still don’t know what it is,” Connor said.

“Well neither do you!”

[starsandauras]

Prompt #19: Where The Heart Is

FFXIV 30 Day Writing Challenge Prompt 19: Where The Heart Is

Today it’s my cotton candy pair, Sammy and Llewellyn. If you don’t know, they are a Lalafell/Elezen pair. They are also ace. If you can’t do Lalafell in romantic relationships with the larger races, you might want to give this one a pass.

The sun rose, bright and warm, and shone through the east facing window of the small room. The soothing light soon inched onto the just as warm and soothing bed contained within, falling onto the occupants.

The Lalafell grumbled quietly and snuggled closer to the Elezen he slept next to, but soon enough blinked sky blue eyes open. They first fell on his beloved husband, and Sammy smiled, dropping a quick kiss to the tip of the other man’s nose. It wrinkled, and Sammy laughed softly before quietly attempting to slide out of bed and start the day.

Only to find strong arms wrapped around him and tugging him back against Llewellyn’s chest.

Sammy laughed again and gently nuzzled Llewellyn’s cheek. “Lyn~” he cooed softly. “It’s morning~”

“World cold, bed warm,” Llewellyn grumbled sleepily, leaning into the nuzzle.

“Lyn…” Sammy repeated, poking him in the side. “I have to make breakfast. You want breakfast, don’t you?” Llewellyn mumbled something, but Sammy couldn’t understand it. He poked his husband again, forcing him to open a single green eye. “Yes we have to have breakfast made,” he sighed fondly after a moment. “Not only is it important to eat, I bought bread last night specifically to make rarebit, and we don’t need that going to waste.” Llewellyn hummed thoughtfully, but he closed his eye again. Sammy pouted at him.

“C’n hear tha’ pout…” Llewellyn mumbled, further snuggling into bed.

“We have to babysit this afternoon,” Sammy reminded him, poking him in the nose this time. “Remember? Bri and Thancred want an afternoon to themselves and we agreed to watch the baby?”

Llewellyn hummed again. “Then we should get as much snuggling time in as possible,” he pointed out, and Sammy blinked, unable to refute the logic. Their nephew did take quite a lot of energy and attention after all, especially since he had recently learned to walk. And he talked, a malm a minute it seemed, and with Llewellyn not being much of a talker himself they both found it rather tiring to keep up with him sometimes.

So Sammy snuggled back against Llewellyn, earning a happy hum from the other man. “Okay,” he agreed. “Another half bell.”

“Whole bell?”

“We’ll see.”

[starsandauras]

:3c 5 (What does your character think of the Echo? What was it like when they first experienced it?) for ALL THE O'DONNELLS, PLEASE

For the dash record: After clarification it’s siblings only, no Ryuzaki twins or Sammy. SO. ALL FIVE O’DONNELLS BECAUSE BOY DOES WILL HAVE THOUGHTS.

Brigid: The auto-translate feature is very nice, she’s got to admit to that. The past viewing part of the Echo is pretty useful, but she also gets flash forwards (Which was decided and has appeared in fic well before Mikoto showed up by the way) that are functionally useless as far as she’s concerned. The flashes are so general that they’re not always helpful. She’s always had that manifestation of the Echo, well before it kicked into high gear, as it was, so she doesn’t really remember the first time ‘round. It certainly didn’t used to be as strong as it is now though.

Arthur: Another one who likes the auto-translate, though he wishes it would help with the “can’t look people in the eye” thing or the “oh god this particular sensation is horrible please take it away” thing. The Echo itself is a “this sensation is horrible” thing sometimes, actually. It feels very close to how a meltdown hangover feels and it screws with his mind. He was the first to have a “looks like a heart attack” Echo, and he’s fairly certain as he looks back that his first Echo vision came either mid-meltdown or caused one, because he can’t remember it not being horrible.

Llewellyn: Look let’s just say they all like the auto-translate thing. Llew probably has a better relationship to the Echo than the others, though he could really do without how bad it hits. He feels like it helps him with his healing, able to find more hidden hurts. His was another childhood manifestation, not that he realized it at the time. He’s pretty sure it’s a massive part of why he’s as skilled at healing as he is. It started as a vague itch at the base of his skull, and it’s just gotten worse from there.

Connor: Okay look his childhood isn’t the only reason he drinks. It’s never treated him very well, kicking in when he was 14. He tried to hide it too, because they’ve got enough shit, he doesn’t want to add to it or have them treat him like a baby over it. It’s certainly enough trouble now as it is.

Will: TAKE THE DAMNED THING AWAY FROM THEM HOLY SHIT CRYSTAL MOM DOES IT REALLY NEED TO KNOCK THEM ON THEIR ARSES EVERY DAMN TIME?! This kills the man, really.

[starsandauras]

Prompt #10: Avail

FFXIV 30 Day Writing Challenge Prompt 10: Avail

Non-graphic mention and treatment of a burn injury. Many thanks to @corbix for helping me finally figure out what I was gonna do with this one. <3

Brigid hissed in a breath as Llewellyn gently wrapped gauze around her burned arm. It wasn’t a terrible burn, but it was enough that on a regular patient he would take extra steps on it. That it was his baby sister that was his patient, well. It never hurt to be prudent, did it?

He turned to fetch the adhesive that would keep it from unraveling until it was time to check it once again, and he heard her huff behind him. He smiled to himself as he turned back, applying it. “And how did you come by this injury, little flame?” he asked, smiling gently as she sighed.

“Workin’ out what the guild’s callin’ Fire Two,” she muttered. “Wasnae workin’ right so I was goin’ out and tryin’ to figure out ‘twas goin’ wrong.”

“And you didn’t think to ask Guildmaster Coco..?”

“Cocobani. And nay, he’d just be tellin’ me to go read Thaumaturgy: The Yawnin’ Abyss ‘gain.” Brigid spread the fingers of her uninjured hand out wide and shook them a little. “As though I can be makin’ me way through somethin’ so dense ‘gain. ‘Twas bein’ hard ‘nough the first time,” she grumbled, and Llewellyn nodded. Book learning didn’t come easy to his sister, though of course she had basic literacy down like the rest of them. She didn’t have the focus for anything particularly academic, preferring to put her hands on things. He just wished she didn’t have a habit of wanting to do that with her thaumaturgy training.

“Still, he is there to teach you…”

“Then be teachin’ me in a way I’m understandin’!” Brigid finally snapped, flinging her good arm out to the side. “Guildmasters Cocobygo and Cocoboha both were teachin’ me hands on! Even Cocobezi was tryin’ to teach me somethin’ of value, even if I was already learnin’ it in me brothel days!” She covered her face with her hand, sighing. “I’m wantin’ to control this on me own terms, even if ‘tis meanin’ me staff’s ‘plodin’ in me face.”

“I would rather your staff not explode at all,” Llewellyn lightly chided, stroking Brigid’s hair gently. “Now, what will you do when you return to Ul’dah next?”

“…Ask Papalymo for help?”

“Brigid.”

She flinched, as Llewellyn rarely ever called her by her first name, and then she sighed. “Ask Guildmaster Cocobani if he can be helpin’ me with Fire Two,” she replied, voice flat in resignation.

“And?”

“And if he can be doin’ it without makin’ anythin’ blow up.”

Llewellyn smiled and leaned down to press a kiss to the crown of her head. “That’s my little flame. Now go change, Sammy’s about to have dinner on.”

“Angler stew?” she asked hopefully.

Llewellyn laughed. “With cheese risotto and blood currant tart for dessert,” he told her, and smiled brightly at the equally as bright smile that appeared on her face.

“Yay!”

[starsandauras]

Prompt #28: Irenic

FFXIV 30 Day Writing Challenge Prompt 28: Irenic (Adjective: peace-loving. Noun: A part of Christian theology concerned with reconciling different denominations and sects.)

Llewellyn was a healer. A born one, judging from what his mother had told him as he grew. His first words were to ask someone to intercede in a starfish’s pain, and he hadn’t changed since that day. He simply hated to see anyone in pain, especially if it was pain he could do something about.

It went without saying, then, that Llewellyn disliked causing pain, even in the course of healing. It certainly meant he very much disliked causing pain in general. That Hydaelyn decided a near-pacifist would be one of her Warriors of Light was a cruel irony that didn’t merit looking at too long, in his opinion. She had already chosen Brigid, after all, and it was well known how blood thirsty his beloved little flame was.

Perhaps that had been the reason, he mused occasionally, they needed his calm, peaceful attitude as well as his healing to augment the rest of the family’s more forceful, violent tendencies. Perhaps that was why his beloved Sammy, the lamb with the heart of a ram in his chest, was also a Warrior of Light. The balance was needed, if only to prevent Brigid from causing diplomatic incidents.

Still, he hated that maintaining this balance, healing those he called his family, meant that he would be called upon to fight. To cause people pain, even if they were their enemies and threatening to cause his family pain. He tried to reconcile it in his mind, that they saved so many more than they fought and killed, but his healer’s soul railed against the idea. It didn’t matter that he used the very stone itself to attack instead of blades or aether as the rest of the family did, the disconnect wasn’t enough. Even serving as his sister’s midwife and bringing his nephew into the world was only a temporary balm to a troubled soul.

He knew, in the end, that he would have to live with his actions, have to find meaning enough to allow him to do so. Perhaps that meaning would be in the faces of those he protected, in the smiles first of his sister and brothers, then in the wide, innocent eyes of his nephew. Perhaps that meaning would be in the night sky of Norvrandt, a whole world saved in part because of him. Perhaps that meaning would be his own husband, who had found the confidence he already had simply because Llewellyn had held out a kind hand with an offer to be a firm foundation and a soft place to land.

Life itself would be enough.

[starsandauras]

⌘ for Arthur, ♧ for Bri, and ☏ for Llew, please!

⌘ do they rather shower or take a bath?

Arthur says baths please! Showers are too much like rain storms and that makes him itch. The temperature differences between the water and the air in a shower also aggravates his sensory issues. Baths are closer to swimming and he grew up on the coast, so it’s something he’s much more used to.

♧ any freckles/moles/birth marks? where?

The better question for Bri is “where aren’t there freckles?” She’s the stereotypical Irish redhead with freckles everywhere. They’re mainly concentrated on her cheekbones and shoulders. And yes, Thancred does try to kiss each and every one of them. No moles or birth marks though.

☏ what do they wear when they’re at work?

Comfortable, slightly loose pants and comfortable short sleeve shirts, both in either hempen or cotton. Slip on shoes in soft leather. He’s a healer with a specialty in midwifery, so ease of movement and ease of cleaning are important. He has a robe he wears when he has to leave mid-day for whatever reason as travel garb, mostly to hide any worrying stains.

Thank you! [useless details meme!]

[starsandauras]

3. Who runs up and hugs their partner and who stands arms wide open to catch their partner?

Since I’ve already answered that for Bri/Thancred, I’m gonna go with Llewellyn and Sammy, because they are my adorable fluff bunnies.

Considering one is a Lala and the other is Elezen, Sammy does the running up and Llewellyn does the catching. Sammy has to jump very high to reach but they’re both smiling big and bright and they snuggle close the rest of the day. Even if that does mean making dinner is a bit difficult.

(OTP Question Meme)