#aerianger hair braiding ♥

[stormbabylore]

Time for another one from this series of love-related asks.

ˋ°•*⁀➷⁠ Round 1 | Round 2

Round 3: eclair and inipit!

6. eclair - do they want to one day be married? ─☆─ No, although it's honestly something she just doesn't consider. If she ever did, she'd come to the conclusion that any sort of public or "official" commitment isn't important to her. As she grows more comfortable with the people she feels a sense of commitment toward, the unspoken bond between them would be evident in their actions and routines together; and that's more than enough for her. (Plus, she actively avoids any situation that puts her on display.) That said, I got to attend an in-game bonding ceremony for the first time some months back, and I really liked the bit about the rings they exchanged being forged of their aether. I wanted to put my own spin on that... so I do have a quasi-bonding headcanon for Aeryn and Urianger. I can't imagine it would happen until post-Endwalker, but at some point Urianger would forge a bead or trinket out of aether and request to twine it into her hair (which in my silly little made-up ancient elezen lore would have been the final stage of courtship, when the couple would promise themselves to each other). Since Aeryn can't manipulate aether that way, she gives him the wildflower she'd preserved alchemically and had been wearing around her neck, because the color of it reminded her of his eyes. And because I'm a complete sap. It would be a quiet moment, just a simple gesture between the two of them in the midst of their ordinary routine, and it would come with no pomp or additional expectations, such that I don't know if I would consider them married in any way. It's more like a quiet request of each other: wherever you are, I hope you might carry a little part of my soul there to keep with you. 7. inipit - what qualities do they seek in a partner? describe physical qualities and personality traits? ─☆─ She doesn't. I don't mean to be obtuse, but Aeryn very especially doesn't seek anything or anyone in terms of partnership. Her every action in those early days is laser-focused on surviving in unfamiliar circumstances and finding answers about who she is. She is initially drawn to anyone who doesn't offer her excess attention and allows her the safe space to just quietly exist alongside them. Later, she begins to understand what qualities speak most deeply to her heart as she discovers them in the person who had already, unwittingly, endeared himself to her by offering her that safety. From there it just evolved without her ever having sought it. The qualities that end up meaning most to her are: respect; patience; support; freedom; and a sense of stability - a constancy despite her flightier, less-constant nature in the early days. She needed someone balanced enough to help bring her moments of comfortable stillness and clarity in the otherwise wild chaos of her journey.