#can I hug the chocobo?

[aurorasgate]

i saw a post while scrolling down your profile and i came up with a req of sleepy sex with seph whos just a super exhausted husband who wants to spend time with his wife but doesn't have the energy to go all out

eeee anon!!! i love this request - i am but a puddle against this man🥺🩷 husband!seph my beloved<3 i hope you enjoy, thank you for requesting this! my heart was all warm writing this🥰💕

sephiroth x fem!reader | 3.3k + words

warnings: 18+ MINORS DNI, pre nibelheim seph, soft n sweet, size kink if you squint (i will repeat this man is huge), cream pie

slow and heavy, your eyes blink and through your bleary vision the animated movie about the baby chocobo who ran away from home that you had started about an hour ago continues to play quietly on the television screen. you can hear their small voice, make out the tuft of pale yellow feathers at the top of their head but don’t register what’s being said or what they're doing. 

your thumb fiddles with the band around your finger, the motion trying to keep you awake for just a little longer in hopes you’d be able to wait for your husband to get home. it’s late, with the moon high above your shared apartment on the top floor of the building and the quiet streets below set in the glow of the streetlights that emanate the color of the mako that powers them. 

the world was in a similar state when sephiroth had left early this morning and you suppose you were too. though instead of being tucked into bed that clung with his warmth, wiggling more and more onto his side until you could bury your face in his pillow, you were now laying on the couch in a half comfortable position with a soft blanket wrapped around you. it also happened to smell like him.

blinking again, or what you thought was you blinking, you’re surprised when your eyes open and in the dim light the only thing you see is the familiar dark leather of sephiroths coat against his pale skin, so very close you could reach your hand out to touch him with little effort, could feel his warmth. the apartment is quiet, like you had slept through the rest of the movie even though it feels like only a minute has passed since you closed your eyes.

“welcome home,” you coo, your voice clinging with sleep and happiness.

“i didn’t mean to wake you,” he replies quietly, caring. tired.

“you didn’t,” your assurance is sweet as you stretch out your arms towards him. even kneeling he’s so much larger than you and you have to sit up a bit to wrap your arms around his neck properly, wanting to hold onto him and not the armor he still adorned. he must have just walked through the door. you smile when you look up to meet his shimmering eyes, loving how tenderly they look back at you but there’s no ignoring the dark circles under them either.

bringing him into your embrace, needing no strength or words to do so, large arms envelope around you. he smells like leather and sweat and the flora of his shampoo, an intoxicating combination that has you snuggling closer, shamelessly taking in a deep breath. only a moment passes before he pulls you from the blanket, effortlessly lifting your body and so easily you follow, wrapping your legs around his waist as he stands and starts to make his way to the bedroom. dressed only in one of sephiroths old tshirts and your panties, in the cool air your bare legs break out in goosebumps and you cling to him harder, soaking in his natural heat.

sephiroths hold on your thighs grows tighter. 

“were you waiting for me?” he asks, murmuring softly against the side of your head where his lips place a long kiss but there's a teasing lilt to his tone that makes your heart flutter wildly.

“of course i was, i wanted to see you. didn’t mean to fall asleep,” you mumble the last part, feeling your heart contract.

perfect pink lips still pressed to the side of your head, he hums in contentment at your words. what had he done to deserve you? “i’m sorry to keep you waiting.”

shaking your head, you hug him tighter, nuzzling the tip of your nose into his soft skin. “it’s okay seph. i’ll always wait for you.”

so often you have left him speechless, longing to never let you leave his embrace. he felt the same when he came through the door and spotted your figure curled up on the couch. his little love, so adorable and even more thoughtful in a way he wasn’t sure he’d ever be used to. 

in sephiroths long strides the walk to the bedroom isn’t long but he wasn’t ready to let you go just yet and instead of placing you on your side of the bed and leave you curled up under the blankets to get ready to join you, he sits at the edge of it and rests your legs comfortably on either side of his muscular thighs. perhaps he should have shed his armor before he came over to you on the couch but upon seeing you there, his feet immediately brought him to your side. all he wanted after every day, long or not, though lately they had been constantly long, was to end it with you in his arms.

shifting your weight on his legs, you move your arms from around his neck, letting your fingers roam from the column of the throat, over his exposed collar bone and to his shoulder. he sighs under your touch and you can feel his eyes on your face but your own can’t be torn from the rise and fall of his chest and the milky soft skin you want to kiss over and over again. 

your hands are gentle and delicate as you pull at the straps that keep his pauldrons secured to his jacket and you have to grip each one with both hands as you lift them off his shoulders, forgetting how heavy they actually are. he helps you shrug them off of him and place them at the ground near his feet, one after the other, and as you undo the clasps of his belts, he sheds his gloves and spreads his large hands over the span of the top of your thighs.

he feels lighter, in so many ways and all of which lead back to you; your love, your soft touch, your tender flesh under his hands that were never meant for anything but to be a weapon, a tool, and yet to you they’re nothing of the sort. home, you had once called them so fondly. you had always trusted him to touch you with gentleness he once believed he was not capable of.

“i missed you,” your voice, barely above a whisper, breaks the silence in the room as you undo his jacket, moving onto the suspenders of his soldier uniform that cross his chest. you work on unbuttoning them and look up at him, feeling your body flush with heat under the glow of his mako eyes in the moonlit room and the pulse of his thin pupils that blow wide and return to their normal thin slits at the locking of your gazes.

the warmth of his left palm leaves your leg and his large hand cradles the back of your skull, bringing you to his lips. tips of silver locks tickle your cheeks, act as a sheer curtain of starlight and it is all you can see against the sparkle of the lifestream in his beautiful eyes. “i’ve missed you too darling,” he says lowly, his words spoken on your lips before capturing you in a deep, breath stealing kiss that has you clinging to his chest for purchase and his right hand traveling from your thigh, over the hem of your panties and under your shirt to your lower back to press you against him.

years of training, experiments, mako, have made his body hard, every inch of him defined in thick cords of muscle and scars that you’ve counted and mapped out like constellations and loved endlessly but there’s a distinct press between your legs and with each kiss you share, it only grows harder, more evident and you can’t stop yourself from wiggling your hips to feel more of him.

sephiroth groans against your lips, his fingers flexing and pulling you further into him until there’s nothing that could slip between your two bodies. a languid roll of his hips has you gasping into the kiss and he takes the opportunity to slip his tongue inside, exploring your mouth and bucking his hips at the touch of your tongue against his, so sweet and needy.

you don’t know how long you stay like that, on the edge of breathlessness and pleasure that wasn’t enough and was all you need at the same time but suddenly your world is turning and your body becomes caged between the plush sheets and your husband's firm body. the hand on your back moves to keep him hovering above you, so as not to crush you with his full weight, and your thighs spread instinctively. through your panties his thick clothed cock rubs against your clit, making you gasp.

at the breaking of your lips, you take in cool air that does nothing to quell the heat building inside of you, especially when his own finds your neck and begins to kiss the span of your throat, the tip of his tongue licking along your pulse point, tasting your skin without hurry. but you can’t help the worry building inside of you either. he must be so exhausted. you saw it in his eyes, felt it on his skin and your own longing was a reminder of how much he had been working of late.

“seph- wait.”

he pulls away from your neck to look into your eyes, stopping the soft rutting of his hips. worry flashes through his eyes as he looks down at you, his breath heavy and hot in the little air that surrounds you.

“what’s wrong?”

“nothing,” you’re quick to assure him, bringing your hands up to cup his cheeks. he leans into your touch, long dark lashes fluttering closed. “i just - aren’t you tired? we don’t have to ton-”

your words are cut off by sephiroth bringing a hand over one of your own, holding it there as he kisses your palm and speaks against your skin. “i’m okay. i want you,” another kiss to your palm. “i need you.” as if to emphasize his point, he rolls his hips again, letting you feel just how hard he is for you. “can i have you angel?”

“please.” you all but whimper as you arch into him and your free hand on his face sinks into his silver locks, soft and silky between your fingers. he always asked but he never needed to. “i’m yours seph.” yours for the taking. yours to love. yours for eternity, in every life, in every universe.

“you’re mine,” he says, leaning down to kiss your lips softly while keeping your palm pressed to his cheek. “and i’m yours,” he murmurs against your lips before he’s completely too far away from you, now standing at the edge of the bed while you lay enveloped completely in it.

you can feel your heart pounding in your chest and how it reverberates throughout the rest of your body. you can hear it in your ears, heating you from head to toe, feel its pulse through your throbbing cunt as you watch sephiroth shed the rest of his clothes, starting with his jacket. 

he has always adored calling you angel but you were constantly reminded of his ethereal beauty and were convinced, truly and totally, that he was the actual angel here. or so much more than that, you thought as you watched long and thick fingers against pale skin and dark cloth, pulling down his pants and underwear in the same movement, lifting over the unbelievable length of his cock before sliding down his thighs and hitting the ground with a dull thud.

yes, so much more. your breath caught at the sight of your husband in the moonlight, his flushed mushroom tip leaking on his abdomen, every dip and curve of muscle and inch of skin you know is soft to the touch despite how marred it is from years of war and battle. cat-like eyes that shine and swirl with devouring, all consuming, love and devotion. a god among men but with the way he worshiped you, you were always his equal, regardless of whether you believed it yourself.

even in his much larger grasps his cock looks big and your mouth waters at the remembrance of the weight of it on your tongue as he pumps it slowly once, twice, with heaving breaths as he crawls back over to you. 

truthfully, he is as exhausted as you worry he is. he knows he is but this time apart from you has taken more of a toll on him than the tiredness could. all he wants is to be with you, his precious wife, and now you are finally underneath him, pliant and sweet and needing him just as much as he does you. nothing could keep him from you.

you lift your hips to help him slide your panties down your legs, the wetness of them trailing along your skin and deliciously evident to sephiroth in the dim light.

“so wet for me,” he purrs and sucks in a sharp breath as he taps your clit with his cock head again and again, a wet, lewd, noise filling the air. 

your essence is slick and drooling down his length, onto his hand at the base of his cock the more he slides it along your slit until it catches at your entrance and he sinks into your tight hole just a little more. he nearly collapses on top of you, the last of his weight held up by his forearm near your head and is joined by his other that cradles your cheek and brings you to his lips once more.

he takes his time sheathing fully himself inside your velvety walls, swallowing each of your whimpers and murmurs of his name the deeper he delves into you with each roll of his hips and the pleasurable ache between your legs from the stretch makes your body burst with the flames he controls so well.

the way sephiroth sighs your name as he stills inside of you, now completely enveloped by you and letting his forehead rest on yours, is like the most beautiful and sinful melody. one that stirs you to your core and makes you cling to him like you needed reassurance he was really there. your fingers sink into the soft flesh of his back and the strands of hair that spill over his frame and shoulders, your legs squeezing around his hips so he might not slip from your grasp.

when he finally starts to move, his thrusts are slow and deep, barely pulling out of you before he’s reaching deeper than before, the thick vein on the underside of his cock rubbing and throbbing against your walls. you’re so full of him, in every way you can possibly think of. every thought is only of him, each breath heady with his scent, everywhere your bodies touch pressing you further into the plush mattress and keeping you right underneath him, right where he needs you, where you don’t know where he ends and you begin.

you’re so tight around him, taking him perfectly, and moaning his name with a particularly deep roll of his hips that has him thinking he won't last much longer. you could bring him to his knees with your smile alone but like this..

“oh, seph~”

“say my name again,” his voice is low and husky with desire and laced with tiredness but he doesn’t stop, doesn’t want to stop. he needs to be as close to you as possible.

you do, over and over at the drugging feeling of him making love to you, filling you like you were made for each other, like the missing piece of your soul you couldn’t go without. you can feel the tautness of his muscles when he’s so very deep and your walls squeeze around him in white hot pleasure, pulling him in deeper, begging for more. 

“seph.. mmm.. please -  sephiroth!!”

you gasp his name as he grabs ahold of your leg and brings it up to his chest, still thrusting in and out of you as he easily maneuvers you so you’re laying on your side and without sliding out of you, he takes the place behind you, pressing your back against his chest with the hand that snakes underneath you and presses on the space below your breasts underneath your shirt.

he gingerly guides your leg back down, soaking in the feeling of your soft skin under his palm and this new angle with you in his embrace. his pace remains unhurried and overwhelming at the same time; you whine each time he pulls his hips back, feeling unbearably empty despite how much just his tip splits you open, and cling to his arms around you desperately, mewling and writhing in his hold when he pushes back into you slowly and fluidly, hitting that perfect spot inside of you that has you burning and trembling. 

“look at you.. my beautiful darling.. i love you,” his voice is hot and heavy in your ear, a seductive purr that breaks the hold on the tightness below your belly. a rare curse leaves his lips, “fuck - you always take me so well.” his hold on you tightens, keeping you in place as his thrusts become less paced and more desperate, not able to retract from your heat, but bringing you down on his cock more and more.

your voice cracks around his name on your tongue, your pretty pussy fluttering around his length and he stills inside of you to feel every last squeeze as you milk him for all he’s worth.  

“just like that angel, take me..” 

you’re still throbbing around him, his release plentiful and sticky, unable to be kept all inside of your cunt with you so full of his cock but he doesn’t seem to mind the messiness between your legs and keeps you held close even after you’ve both come down from your highs. 

nuzzling his nose into your hair, you feel his weight sag against you and the expanding of his chest with the deep inhale he takes that’s wafting with sex and your sweet scent and that melts the remnants of his strength, what little of it had been getting him through these last few days. none of it mattered anymore now that he was home with you. 

“seph?” you ask, feeling his breath fall into a steadiness that reminds you of when he’s sleeping in your arms without a worry.

“mm?”

“let me clean us up,” you offer, wanting to take care of him, though he hadn’t had you ever do so before. cleaning you up after was a duty and privilege he took very seriously, as if he needed to care for you in that way.

you try to wiggle from his hold, shivering at the over stimulating movement of his half hard cock still sheathed in your cunt, but he doesn’t budge and you aren’t strong enough to escape, even if you were to give it an honest effort.

“stay like this with me for a little longer,” his voice sounds so full of sleep and boyish. it makes your heart stutter and your cheeks warm.

you can’t deny him. you don’t think you’d ever be able to. so you give in to your own tiredness, fitting perfectly in the curled up space of his chest and thighs when you snuggle closer, letting the weight of him surrounding you, inside of you, drift you into sweet and steamy dreams featuring your soldier.

when you wake, moonlight still fills the room but the mess between your legs is gone, the sheets are clean and your husband holds you so impossible close, the warm metal of his wedding band clinking against your own as you lace your fingers together and fall back asleep to the sound of his steady heart in your ears.

main masterlist

[rottenpumpkin13]

hiii I'm at work secretly reading these under my desk and cracking up. Anyway I need to know. The gang all has a trip across the sea on a boat or cruise. Cloud is extremely seasick. How do the gang try to help him? What does Zack do to make it better and unconventionally of course make everything worse. Angeal trying to take care of Cloud but it's not going to great. Does Cloud the ride survive???? I freaking live for Cloud having motion sickness just this little angry chocobo dude who can't ride any transportation makes my dad.

*Cloud is slumped dramatically over the railing, the wind whipping his hair, face green, dying like a Victorian maiden. The rest of the gang gathers around, extremely unhelpfully*

Angeal: Buddy, this is bad. You need ginger.

*Genesis, confused, awkwardly wraps his arms around Cloud*

Angeal: NOT YOU. Real ginger, preferably in the form of tea.

Sephiroth: Cloud, just focus on the horizon. That's what they tell pilots. Look, out there, the swaying waters, lapping back and forth, and back and forth as the boat tilters left and right and left and right. Each wave, a tender breath of the Planet, rising and falling like—

*Cloud turns a concerning shade of green*

Angeal: Sephiroth I will push you in.

Sephiroth:

Angeal: If you're going to make him envision something, why not something fun? Zack, you know fun. Say something fun for Cloud to imagine.

Zack: Rollercoasters! :D

Angeal: NO.

Genesis: You gentlemen are clueless. Obviously nausea is weakness leaving the body. Cloud, you need to channel it. Sculpt it. Vomit with intent.

*Cloud retches*

Genesis: BUT NOT ON ME.

Zack: Wait, what if the thing Cloud's missing is love and affection? Maybe being coddled can scare the nausea away and make him feel all warm and fuzzy inside!

*Zack hugs Cloud really, really, hard. Bone-crushing. Violent. Spiritual*

Cloud: I'm gonna vomit—

Zack: That's the affection kicking in!

Genesis: HE'S GONNA BLOW!

Angeal: WHAT DO WE DO?

*Sephiroth panics and punches Cloud in the face, knocking him out*

Zack: ?!?

Genesis: ?!?

Angeal: ?!?

Sephiroth: Motion cannot sicken the unconscious.

[drabblesandimagines]

Happy birthday! Can I request some Vincent Valentine, perhaps a list or short of him slowly becoming more open to affection, little touches, more talkative etc. Thank you and have a good one!

Anon, I think I've gone waaay off ask with this, but I tried and this is where we've ended up. I dunno how best to describe this - head canons/weird short story bullet list? Anyway, please lemme know if you like it/hate it and thank you so much for your birthday wishes! xx

Fat Chocobo Vincent Valentine x female reader, fluffy nonsense as per

It would be a lie if you didn’t admit you were a little nervous at first in the company of the newest member of your party.

No-one could blame you either - the way the first meeting had ended with one Vincent Valentine in the basement of the Shinra Mansion…

He was silent, stoic and you could never quite tell what he was thinking, features obscured behind his red cowl, tight-lipped as the leathers he was clothed in.

He was, however, a gentleman with impeccable manners. If he was sat whenever you or Aerith, Tifa or Yuffie stood, he’d stand immediately, waiting for them to sit again or leave the room before he’d resumed a cross-legged position once more.

And always the first to offer a steadying hand when you’d hesitated at a jump or large step.

Not to mention all the times he’d darted in front of you, shielding you when a fiend attacked… even the times you weren’t on the front line and really in any danger.

Aerith and Tifa would share knowing looks – ones that caused you to roll your eyes and Yuffie stomp her foot at being “left out”.  

You’d had a nightmare, woken up heart pounding, in a cold sweat – being pursued by fiends, Shinra troops, Turks, Sephiroth - but managed to catch yourself before you screamed, clamping a hand over your mouth in fear of waking your companions in your shared room in the Haunted Hotel.

No wonder you were having bad dreams. You’d take numerous nights in the drafty rooms at Johnny’s Seaside Inn over this.

You’d got to your feet after an hour of trying to settle. Dawn wasn’t so far off now, you reasoned, sneaking past a snoring Yuffie and made it out to the hall.

At least the Golden Saucer was the place that never slept…

You decided to go watch the chocobo races, but soon found yourself at the souvenir stall, eyeing up a stuffed fat chocobo.

It would be nice to cuddle.

Entirely impractical in the lifestyle you now find yourselves in, though.

A cold weight on your shoulder causes you to jerk back in fright, nearly losing your footing when it moves to your waist instead, keeping you steady.

“Apologies.” Vincent has to raise his voice over the blaring music in the background. “I did not intend to startle you so – I called your name but I don’t think you heard.”

“Oh.” The pounding in your chest begins to settle. “No… I was miles away.”

“You cannot sleep?” His gauntlet leaves your waist.

“Something like that.” You clench your fists, unconsciously, in memory of the unpleasant dream. “How about you?”

“I do not sleep much.”

“Do you like the chocobo races?” Your eyes flit to the screens behind, another race about to begin.

He gives a half-hearted shrug. “I do not mind them. Perhaps one of the more tolerable activities to observe around here.”

“I was gonna sit and watch some… if you wanted to join?”

A curt nod follows as he steps aside, waiting for you to lead the way to one of the benches and the two of you sit in companionable silence. It’s nice – not having to make forced conversation, his presence feeling reassuring by your side.

“Happy birthday!” Aerith throws her arms around you in a hug as the two of you return to the hotel lobby an hour or so later. You swear you feel Vincent’s eyes burn on you at her comment.

“Where did you go?” The flower girl pulls back with a smile as she looks between you and Vincent. “I wanted to give you your present as soon as you woke up!”

“Wait, present?” You shake your head in disbelief. “You didn’t need to get me anything, it’s-”

“Uh-uh. Come on.” She grabs your hand and tugs you in the direction of the stairs. “The rest of the boys aren’t awake yet. Could you check on them, Vincent?”

“Hmph.”

Vincent watches as Aerith drags you up the stairs towards the elevator, the girl mercifully waiting for the doors to slide close before she assaulted you with questions.

“Were you two on a date? Did he take you out for your birthday?”

“What? No, Aerith! I couldn’t sleep so I went for a walk and bumped into him.”

“Suuuure,” she nods, bouncing on her heels.

Everyone is too sweet – receiving a number of thoughtful and practical gifts, given your current situation.

Cloud gifts you a new booster pack of Queen’s Blood, mumbling something about how it’s a duplicate he had, but Yuffie loudly declares she saw him deliberately buy two at the Card Carnival in Costa del Sol, causing Barret to laugh heartedly and slap the ex-SOLDIER on the back.

You don’t see Vincent again until the evening, everyone bidding one another goodnight when he emerges from the shadows.

“Could you…?” He pauses to clear his throat, his eyes cast down. “I’d be grateful if you would wait a moment.”

“Erm… sure. Aerith, I’ll see you up there.

Aerith giggles as she heads off, waving at you over her shoulder.

Vincent pulls out a chair from one of nearby tables, gesturing for you to take a seat. You sit down and watch as the raven-haired man strides over to the reception desk in, soon talking to the concierge who pops down from the ceiling in his usual manner.

You drum your fingers on the table – a nervous habit.

Why would Vincent want you to wait?

He appears in your peripheral vision soon after – an odd shape tucked under his cloak.

“If you’d close your eyes.”

You do.

Something is placed in your lap.

Something… soft?

You open your eyes, finding one of the fat chocobo plushies.

“Happy birthday.”

 “You… you bought me this?”

“I was under the impression you wanted one – given how long you stared at it last night.”

“Vincent, I…” You stare up at him, a little in disbelief, clutching the soft toy to your chest. “Thank you. But how did you…? Wait, what game did you play?”

Vincent taps his nose, keeping his secrets. He offers you his hand, pulling you up to your feet. “Come – you need to sleep.”

You’re escorted up the stairs in the blink of an eye, the elevator door soon sliding open again.

“Thank you. Really.” You step in, expecting him to follow but he stays in place. “I don’t know what else to say.”

“It was my pleasure.” The corners of his eyes crinkle – you hope it means he’s smiling – one to match the dumb one on your own lips. “Sweet dreams.”

The elevator doors slide shut.

And, with the fat chocobo squished in your arms, smelling a little like Vincent from its brief time in his cloak, your dreams are certainly sweet.

--

Masterlist . Requests welcome . Ko-fi

[salternateunreality2]

Hi Salty! Know you’re busy and hope you’re surviving well!

For the times when you need a break & something light hearted, please consider the following:

Young Genesis having an ongoing rivalry with a woodpecker that keeps waking him up at an unacceptable hour (anytime before 10).

Cloud meeting Genesis before Zack. Later that evening, he’s staring down his boyfriends with arms folded whilst willfully unrepentant, “Angeal got to bring one home!”.

Zack introducing his girlfriend to his boyfriend preCC. Aerith is delighted, adoring and gushing (and teasing, ofc), thoroughly making Cloud turn red. Zack is just beaming at how well they’re getting along. The Turks are getting free entertainment.

Angeal sitting Sephiroth down for a serious discussion. He’s even cleared the apartment so they have some relative privacy. A couple hours later, the others cautiously come back to find them heatedly debating the best way to fold a fitted sheet.

Smolgeal and Miniroth discovering this small jungle puppy child who has basically inserted himself in whatever they’re doing. He reminds Sephiroth a lot of Angeal. (Why does he have a fro—oh, that’s not a frog.)

AerTi having the cutest, fluffiest dates. Cafes and window shopping, lakeside picnics and sun beam naps as flower petals dance around them, carnival games with their own Ferris wheel ride, etc.

Sephiroth literally stumbling over Cloud & then both are trying to fix things because they think the other is upset at them in increasingly amusing miscommunications. (Which might just accumulate into an accidental date?)

Genesis reverting to a Banoran twang for some reason and Sephiroth is completely mesmerized (so pls keep talking).

Angeal reverting to a Banoran twang and Zack completely focusing, listening without any mischievousness or trouble for once.

Zack cursing in Gongagan but Angeal doesn’t speak it so he is unsure if he’s saying something inappropriate or not. So, basically, it’s just Angeal giving him the side eye in suspicion each time Zack starts up.

Cloud reverting to the Nibelheim accent & language and the others want to hear him speak more as they’re absolutely enchanted. They are willing to resort to bribery.

Sephiroth not having an accent really but his reading voice & purring are pure ASMR for the others~

That’s all I’ve got, but I hope they can bring some joy when you may need it. 💕☺️

Keep hydrated!

(@violetinkclouds)

These are so cute and funny!!! Thank you!!! ❤️

Genesis' little 'tude is bringing me life. Of course he has beef with a bird. Of course he acquired a chocobo and wants to bring it to the group.

Lololol in my Kunsel fic, this is exactly how Zakkuraerith goes. Both Zack and Aerith making Cloud blush, 24/7.

Hnnnn all of these! All of them are so sweet and perfect!

Sephiroth dreaming of his boys being so perfect and wanting to hug them:

[sapphirothcrescent]

I ship Sephiroth with nearly everyone. Cloud, Tifa, Angeal, Genesis, OC, Reader? All good. He just needs love. Someone give him a hug.

I don't even need him to even get shipped. He can get non romantic/sexual love. Idc which version of Sephiroth it is too. EC, CC, AC you name it. Let someone adopt him. I'd be content with him getting adopted by a herd of chocobo.

Hell, let a ZOLOM find him and adopt him as baby.

[dollcieee]

Finding Fluffy

Platonic! Kid! Cloud Strife x fem! reader <3 Your big sister Tifa recently got a cat!

Tifa and Y/n have been begging for their father to get them a cat for a long time now. When Tifa's twelfth birthday came up, Zander, one of the village elders, decided to give Tifa the white and mischievous kitten Fluffy.

Y/n was so ecstatic to see Tifa carrying a small kitten that she instantly took the cat and ran outside to find it a collar.

She got Fluffy a red bandana, but the kitten jumped out of Y/n's arms and ran off, leaving for Y/n to chase after it.

'Kitty, come back!'

Fluffy was much faster than her. In the end, she couldn't find her. She walked back to their house but stopped when she imagined an image of an angry Tifa scolding her for losing Fluffy.

Y/n started crying heavily and crouched, the ends of her pink sundress touching the ground, covering her face with both of her hands still holding the bandana. 

▬▬ι═══════ﺤ

In the peaceful village of Nibelheim, a now 12-year-old Tifa wanders around the house in search of Y/n, her younger sister. Going out of their house, she finally finds her sister, her back facing Tifa.

"O-oh no.. Fluffy.." Y/n continues to sob while holding the red bandana she was supposed to make Fluffy wear.

"Y/n what's wrong?" Tifa pats her sister's back, concern written onto her face, but Y/n continues to cry, "Hey you can tell me what's wrong, you know" this time Tifa embraces her in a comforting hug.

"Fluffy.." Y/n whispers, trying not to cry anymore, Tifa now notices the absence of their new kitten and looks around and asked "Y/n, Where's Fluffy?" upon asking her that Y/n cries again, holding the bandana tightly this time "I lost her and I d-don't know where she is now *hic an-and I tried lo-looking for her b-but *hic I can't find her Tifa!".

"It's okay, we'll find her together, okay?" Tifa says as she lets go of her and urges Y/n to follow her, "Let's start looking at the village square".

"Wait- Tifa!" Tifa turns around towards her sister, tilting her head in a questioning manner.

"Hold hand" Y/n in a much better mood grabs Tifa's hand and they both go to the village square.

▬▬ι═══════ﺤ

"You see anything there Y/n?"

"no..."

The Lockhart sisters moved to another place near a trailhead leading to a gate. It's been almost an hour now, but the sisters were determined to find their cat.

"Y/n! I'll go to the other side" Tifa shouted, running to the opposite direction Y/n is currently in.

"Okay!" Y/n shouted back and continued on looking at the bushes.

Y/n flinched when she saw movement in the bigger bushes in front of her. Thinking it might be Fluffy, she sneaked inside the bush to take a peek. She saw nothing except a top of someone's head.

'This one has a very sharp hair' she thought as she called out to whoever this mysterious blond person was, "Hey!" the boy stood up and looked around him surprised by the sudden voice.

"Hey Chocobo head!" She shouted again.

▬▬ι═══════ﺤ

Okay, that actually irked Cloud a little bit. Whoever was calling him should just show themselves to him. He was so close to catching the white cat he's been following.

"Pssst... helloooo over here!" Cloud finally found the voice who's been calling to him, when he looked to where she was his eyes widened when he recognized the face of the girl, it's Tifa's younger sister, Y/n Lockhart.

"What are you doing here?" He started to walk towards Y/n, looking down at her as she tried to stand up properly.

"Your Cloud right?" She asked, patting her dress to remove whatever dirt particle landed in it.

"Yeah, that's me, what do you want?" He asked back, arms crossed to his chest "Well um.. I was hoping that.. By any chance, you saw a white kitty around here?" She looked at the ground and back to Clouds piercing blue eyes.

"I did, I would've caught it by now if it weren't for your shouting" He nonchalantly answered.

"Oh, sorry..hehe" She apologized, a sheepish grin forming on her face, Cloud sighed and started walking away from her.

"Where are you going?" She asked, following him from behind, "To find the cat"

They both walked to the darker part of the forest.

"I hope Fluffys nearby" she whispers to herself, but Cloud hears her.

"Fluffy is the name of the cat?" Cloud asks.

"Yeah.. me and Tifa just got her today, but she just had to run away and I lost her. Now we have to look for her in the middle of the woods" she ranted to Cloud even doing hand motions to prove her statement.  

Cloud just nodded to whatever she said and looked around while walking deeper to the forest, Y/n started to close her distance with Cloud, the dark forest was starting to scare her.

"Stay close, don't worry I know my way here" Cloud exclaims eyes not looking away at the front. Y/n felt a little sense of relief from what he said.

"Do you go here a lot?" She asked, wanting to get to know the loner boy, "Yeah, I find it peaceful here"

Y/n nodded looking at him for a minute, "Why don't you hangout with us next time? I'm sure everyone would've loved to play with you" she continued but before Cloud could even reply a meowing noise can be heard close to them.

"That could be Fluffy-!" Y/n ran, leaving Cloud behind "Wait-" he sighed in frustration but went after her anyway.

▬▬ι═══════ﺤ

"Y/n you there?" Tifa came back to where she had last seen Y/n, looking around, she doesn't see her little sister. She looked up at the sky, the suns about to go down and they're not close to home.

'Dad must be worried' Tifa thought, looking at the place she had last seen Y/n, she thought about it for a moment and walked into the forest to see if she could spot her sister there.

"Y/n you better be safe.." she whispered to herself.

▬▬ι═══════ﺤ

"Fluffy! You silly-silly cat!" Y/n carried Fluffy in her arms, hugging the kitten while swaying side by side.

"Meow"

"Don't you 'meow' me, you made me worried.."

"Don't just run *pant* off like that you could've been *pant* hurt.." Cloud scolded while trying to regain his steady breath back, Y/n didn't seem to care as she finally found her sister's cat. In a moment of silence they hear the shouts of Tifa nearby.

"Y/n? Y/n you there? Let's just look for Fluffy tomorrow. It's almost night-time"

"Tifa! We're here! Cloud's here too!" Y/n shouted back, looking at a now stiff postured Cloud, "Cloud, you'kay there?" She asked, leaning close to his face "-yeah I'm fine..".

"Hmm, okay then tomorrow we should-" "I gotta go now, don't tell Tifa anything!" Cloud who's about to sprint stops for a moment and faces Y/n "about earlier I'd like to hangout with you" he runs off to another direction leaving a confused Y/n "Whatta weird kid..".

"Y/n there you are! We should- you found Fluffy!" Tifa said excitedly, grabbing Fluffy from Y/n's grasp "Also where's Cloud? I thought he was here as well" she looked around, no spiky-haired boy in sight.

"He went away I think I dunno" Y/n answered, tying the red bandana around Fluffy's neck.

"Well let's go home, dad's gonna get worried" Tifa holds Y/n's little hand

"Yeah! I'm hungry!"

The Lockhart sisters got home safe and sound, and ate dinner happily with their dad and new kitty Fluffy.

Edited: 08/07/2024

[autumnslance]

FFXIV Write 2024: 6 Halcyon

(2,480ish words taking place about 20ish years before ARR...)

“Papa! The caravan’s here!”

Rashae stood at the front of their stall, leaning over the counter to see farther down the street. Beyond her, he could indeed see the first of the wagons rolling in.

“Gather your siblings and cousins,” he said. “They’ll be weary from the trade routes and we’ll do our part to lighten their load as we welcome them in.”

Rashae nodded and dashed off. Tanzel joined the other men and women of their Cooperative in leaving his store to ensure the warehouse doors were open and the stables ready to accept the chocobos and their cargo. Friends and relatives greeted one another, separated by weeks or months since they had all left Davarresh for this trade season, plying the wares around the island, with some like Tanzel’s family coming straight to the capital.

He grinned as he saw one of the wagons belonging to the Ranaz family. “Jin!” he called, catching a glimpse of his oldest friend.

Jinrahn turned, smiling broadly to return the quick hug Tanzel gave him. “Good to see you, brother!” Jinrahn said. “It’s good to be home.”

“Until we go home to Davarresh when the wind cools. How was the road?”

“Dusty and hot, as always,” Jinrahn said. “But we’re a little lighter than normal for finishing out the season.”

“That good, eh?”

“Well, I had more charming help than usual.” Jin’s smile faltered slightly, a sympathetic tinge to it that Tanzel did not understand, until he followed his friend’s gaze to the two women wrangling the Ranaz children into some semblance of order. He knew Jinrahn’s wife, but the other woman took him a moment to recognize.

“Is that Emelia?”

“It is,” Jinrahn said. “She and her children arrived just before we left the village. That never ending war the Coerthans somehow have with their dragons—imagine!—claimed her husband.”

“I thought she’d married a farmer?”

“Aye. Something about giving succor to a soldier, some hero I guess, and got caught in the conflict. Lost their house and all. So she came home finally. She can still charm the stingiest Arkasodara grandfather into buying more than he meant, too.”

Tanzel nodded. It had been a shock to everyone when Emelia Ranaz had remained in Coerthas, having fallen in love there, after scorning the attentions of every local boy and even a few girls who had looked her way as she had blossomed from Jinrahn’s skinny little sister into a lovely maiden trained in bardsong.

Well, she was still Jinrahn’s little sister, that they had by turns teased and avoided as boys. At least until she turned and saw Tanzel, taking a moment to recognize him, and then smiling, offering a small wave.

He knew too well that particular sadness swimming in her dark blue eyes, the exact sort of tension in her shoulders.

Tanzel saw the same in his mirror every day.

-

The trade season kept the Cooperative families happily busy, another successful year passing by. Tanzel was now familiar with Emelia’s son, an energetic ten year old called Zaine, playing with the other children when not performing daily chores and light work. A helper, that one, willing to lend a hand as needed.

If he kept busy enough, he wouldn’t have to dwell on his pain, Tanzel knew, from watching his own boys.

Emelia’s daughter was a helper too, but she was quiet, and rarely left her mother’s side, unless she was with the old teacher, Shovanna. Still, Aeryn seemed like a good, hard-working child, who otherwise played or read silently, only rarely joining the other children’s games. Some folks whispered about the girl not being quite right in the head—what unhindered child made such little sound?—but everything Tanzel saw showed a bright, helpful girl, sometimes frustrated by her own silence.

He recognized the hurt in her, too. He saw it in his own daughters.

It was their last night in Radz-at-Han. In the morning—late, after tonight’s merrymaking with their neighbors and those of the Cooperative who would stay through the rainy season—most of them would make the trek up the coast to their little village, and the cycle would begin anew. Tanzel was eager to return to the quiet of Davarresh, after months in the city.

He was not so eager to join in the drinking, feasting, and dancing going on in the square outside the Cooperative’s compound. He put in a brief appearance for propriety’s sake, nursing a single drink while smiling politely and speaking to a few business partners and good friends. He soon slipped away, as had been his wont for the last few years. He just didn’t have the heart for it anymore.

As he found his excuse to return to the storehouse, he saw he wasn’t the only one.

Emelia was in one of the stalls belonging to her family, leaning on a stack of chocobo feedbags. Her hands gripped the canvas, her hunched shoulders stiff. Her long, dark hair hid her face, but he heard her sniffle. He made certain his boots made noise and she straightened, quickly swiping her face before turning with her usual dazzling smile.

“Oh. Hello, Tanzel.”

He smiled in return, but didn’t bother with his own mask. “Hello, Emelia. Not feeling up to the party?”

Her smile faltered. “I...no,” she said, letting the mask drop now. “Not really.”

Tanzel nodded. “Me neither.” He pretended to think for a moment. “Come on.”

She raised a brow. “To where?”

“Somewhere we won’t have to deal with well-meaning friends and their platitudes,” he said bluntly, but gently, heading away from the entrance and the festivities outside.

After a brief moment, he heard her light step follow after him.

He paused in his family stall long enough to grab a couple small, brown bottles from under the counter, that he had not yet packed on purpose. Then he led her to the stairs, and the winding climb up past the third story, taking her hand to help her up onto the roof.

The city glittered and gleamed around them, color and lights rioting under the starry heavens. It was a sight he could never tire of, and from the way Emelia sucked in a breath, it was one she had nearly forgotten, and had not yet taken the time to reacquaint herself with since returning home.

Tanzel and Emelia sat on the edge of the roof, opposite of the party up front, looking out over the city. He popped open one of the bottles and handed it to her, then took the other for himself. Emelia wrinkled her nose as she took a swig.

“Ugh, you and Jin still have terrible taste in booze,” she said, taking another sip.

“A man’s gotta have at least one vice,” Tanzel replied.

“Your grandfather’s favorite saying,” she said. “But he had better taste for proper liquor.” Her soft smile was genuine now, recalling those happy days of their youth.

“We can blame my uncles for being poor influences. Or your uncles. I forget.”

She laughed. Not as freely as she once might have, but genuinely, and that was good enough. “Remember when Uncle Fahr convinced you and Jin that a wish-granting djinn lived in a cave in the cliffs south of Yedlihmad?”

Tanzel chuckled. “I do, and the punishment we got for investigating—and stumbling on a nest of efts instead. You’d think that’d be punishment in itself!”

“Perhaps had something to do with leading them back to town.”

“Oh, perhaps. But you weren’t exactly a saint, either, as I recall.”

“I don’t know what you could mean.”

“That incident with the silk merchant and the fish comes to mind.”

“It was a crab, and that was a perfectly formulated plan for revenge.”

“My mistake. I do have to question your definition of ‘perfectly formulated’ though.”

“My plan was fine,” Emelia insisted with an exaggerated pout. “It was the crab and my target who were uncooperative.”

Tanzel laughed. They continued talking, recalling childhood and adolescent adventures and achievements, bright days when their futures had yet seemed limitless in possibility.

“And I remember,” Emelia said, as the contents of their respective bottles were low. “At your wedding, my brothers were so—” She stopped suddenly, looking away. “I’m sorry.”

“What for? If it was about the pranks they pulled on me just before we were to give our vows, I have it on good authority you had nothing to do with that.”

“I just,” she hesitated. “I heard what happened. And I haven’t taken the time yet…”

He leaned over and bumped her shoulder—not quite like when they were children, but in a similarly familiar manner. “It’s fine. I’ve heard the words often enough. Just like you have by now.”

She peered at him, absently batting him away, as she had done when a girl and he and her brother had pestered her like that. “Doesn’t it still...Are you…”

“Yes, it hurts,” Tanzel replied quietly. He looked out over the city again. “I’m not sure it will ever stop hurting. I might have lost myself in a pile of these bottles, if not for my children.” He smiled. “Rashae’s so much like her mother. Looks like her more and more, too.”

“Zaine looks like his father,” Emelia whispered. “And they both have his eyes.”

“Blessed reminders,” Tanzel said. “At least, that’s what everyone tells me. And on good days, I agree with them.”

“And on bad ones?” She didn’t quite look at him.

“I curse the gods for such a constant cruelty. Then I continue on, trying not to feel guilty, because what else can I do?”

He saw her bite her lip and nod ever so slightly.

“Still,” Tanzel continued, finishing his drink. “It doesn’t hurt to think of our wedding—not anymore. It’s still one of the best days of my life. Then our children were born, and those were blessed times too. At least until the little monsters started keeping us up all night,” he joked.

She chuckled, and he again took it as a victory. “At least you had family with you.”

“That did help.” He frowned. “Did he not?”

She shook her head. “His mother disapproved of me. So we settled in a village where he had friends, and...we did have good neighbors, who helped.”

“Fool woman, to not know what a gem of a daughter-in-law she had,” Tanzel sniffed.

“Thought I was Jin’s bratty little sister.”

“I never said you weren’t still that, too.” He bumped her again. She smiled wanly and shook her head. “You were happy though, weren’t you, Emelia?”

Her face crumpled. “Mostly. I loved him enough to stay in that cold, colorless land—I wanted to come home for years, but he didn’t want to leave, and now...” She leaned forward, face in her hands.

Tanzel rubbed her back for a time, letting her crying, saying nothing. Eventually she calmed, taking a shaky breath, and accepting his handkerchief to wipe her eyes and nose.

“Tell me about Coerthas,” he finally said. “It can’t have been all terrible, if you stayed for so long.”

“It’s all...tangled up in memories of him.”

“Of course it is. But the good outweighs the bad, doesn’t it?” As she considered that, he continued. “That wretched moment cannot overshadow all the time proceeding it. It’s a disservice to them and the joy they brought us. The children they left with us. The only thing that comes close to helping is remembering the times we laughed and loved. That one terrible day can’t take away the rest.”

They were silent for a long while.

“It had its own beauty,” Emelia finally said, voice hushed. “More stark, the mountains swooping over the vales. In Springtime suddenly the fields would go from gray and brown to a lush green and the flowers would bloom like rainbows fallen from the sky. We’d walk along the sheep paths and deer tracks…”

He listened, as she described the idyllic life of a Coerthan farm family—not that they hadn’t known hardship, and he understood her sighing about little Aeryn going through clothes and shoes like water, his Rashae was too similar—but what began in fits and starts soon fell into familiar bardic story rhythms as she told stories until they were both laughing over her children’s antics, her neighbors’ strange foreign actions, and her happier memories of her husband.

The bells chimed thrice, startling them both. The sounds of the party up front had long since faded, though there were still a few revelers wearily talking and stumbling themselves and others to bed. Tanzel stood and stretched, offering Emelia a hand up. She took it, and continued in to give him a tight hug. He returned it, and they stood like that for a long moment.

“Thank you, Tan,” she said, still leaning on him. “I wish...I wish you didn’t understand. But I’m,” she hesitated again.

“But I do. And I’m here, when you need to talk. Or just get away from others who say things, without knowing it how we do.”

She nodded against his chest, then, with a deep exhale, stepped away. “Shovanna said she’d stay with the children, and they should all three be asleep, but I ought to check on them.”

“Mine were probably up too late and getting into mischief until their grandmothers caught them,” Tanzel said. “I’ll get an earful in the morning.”

“So you’ll do as when we were children, and you and Jin used to blame me to try to keep out of trouble.”

“Ah, you’ve caught on to my dastardly plan.”

“Next time, consult someone whose plans are perfect,” she said, affecting a haughty sniff.

“If I find someone like that, I’ll let you know,” he replied, laughing as she bapped his arm.

He helped her off the roof and into the stairwell, and they made their way down in the dark, still joking. They parted at the base, he heading to his family quarters, Emelia to her family’s. He glanced back before stepping inside. She had also stopped, and waved to him.

Tanzel returned the wave before Emelia vanished behind the door. He felt better than he had in awhile. If this pain he carried, and how he was learning to live with it, could help his childhood friend...well, it was far from worth it, but it was something useful, at least. Maybe.

He wished it hadn’t taken this sort of wretched circumstance to reunite them. To make her more than Jin’s bratty little sister, but someone who understood, and needed to be understood herself.

Tanzel shook his head, disposed of the bottles, and continued on to bed. Morning would come too soon and a lot of work with it.

He dreamed of his favorite days with his wife, and then of youthful days playfully teasing his friend’s little sister.

[icycoldninja]

Fluffcember #4 Cloud x Reader

Chocobo farm

"Cloud, can I open my eyes now?"

"Not yet."

"Please?"

"I said, not yet."

You blew out a long, pouty exhale as Cloud led you down what you thought was a path. He'd told you to cover your eyes so you didn't spoil the surprise, but you were SO curious, it was everything you could do to keep from opening your eyes then and there. "Watch your step," He warned, guiding you by the shoulders as you almost tripped over a particularly large rock. It was then when you realized that he was leading you somewhere into the countryside--Midgar streets were paved and clean, none had stray rocks just lying around. "Where are we going?" You asked again, impatiently. You heard Cloud sigh. "I can't tell you, remember? It's a surprise." He continued leading you down the road for a few moments, the only sounds either of you heard were your own footsteps. After a while, Cloud stopped walking. He grabbed your arms to signal you to stop as well. "Can I open my eyes NOW?" Cloud exhaled softly beside you. "Not yet. Wait here." Judging by the sounds of metal clinking and leather scraping along the ground, Cloud was walking away. You huffed, your eyes still closed, and wrapped your arms around yourself. Several minutes passed with you just standing out on the road, alone. You began to wonder if this was a joke. Several more minutes passed before Cloud returned, his arrival announced by the sound of metal jingling as he walked. "This way." He said, taking your arm and leading you down another path. After a few more minutes of walking, you reached your destination. A series of loud chirps filled your ears, as did the sounds of many pairs of feet stomping around. Cloud took your hand and guided it to something in front of you; you soon felt the soft touch of fluffy feathers under your fingers. "Surprise." Cloud said, a hint of quiet laughter in his voice. You opened your eyes in amazement, only to find the cutest, fluffiest, fattest chocobo you'd ever seen standing before you, chirping happily as you petted it's head. "What do ya think?" Cloud asked, arms akimbo. You turned to him and flung your arms around his shoulders. "Ahhhh, they're so cuuuuuteeee!" You squealed, strangling him with a hug. "Thank you so much!" Cloud nodded, then reached out to give the fat chocobo a few headpats. "They are cute, aren't they?" You nodded excitedly, watching as the chocobo shook it's head happily, similar to the way a dog wagged its tail. "They're adorable!" You peered past the fat chocobo to see several baby chococbos running around, chirping at each other. "Aww, look at the babies!" You cooed, grabbing Cloud by the hand and dragging him along the fence to see the little balls of fluff run around each other. A few minutes later, the mother chocobo came out, fluffy golden feathers shining in the sunlight. She turned to peck lovingly at her babies, then herded them back inside their pen. As she turned around, you pointed at the animal's posterior. "Look, it's just like your hair!" You joked. Cloud scoffed, shook his head, but said nothing. The two of you admired the chocobos for a while, soon losing track of time because of their cuteness. Eventually, the sun began to set, something Cloud noticed. "It's getting late." He remarked, nodding. "We should head back." "Yeah," You agreed, ruffling the feathers on the fat chocobo's head one last time. "Thank you for bringing me here. I had so much fun!" Cloud nodded, "You're welcome. I'll...uhh...bring you again sometime." You grinned, then reached up and ruffled his hair the way you did with the chocobo. "I'd like that, Chocobo-head." With a scoff and a deep (poorly hidden) blush, Cloud took your hand in his and walked you down the path.

[starswornoaths]

1. Steer

Serella wants to set sail. Her father doesn't have it in his heart to keep her focus ashore forever.

word count: 1,002

To hear her father tell it, Serella was born a Captain.

When her Da scooped her off the ground and set her in front of the wheel, her hands sought spokes they couldn’t yet wrap around like it was second nature. Her little arms made proper handling impossible but that was fine; their little mockup was attached to the playground built outside the Carpenter’s Guild, and wasn’t going anywhere anyroad. 

“Captain! What course are we to set?” her Da asked her.

“We sail for…adventure!” she decreed, pointing ahead of them.

“Course has been set! For adventure!” he declared, matching her enthusiasm and pointing in the same direction.

Even with no resistance but the simple cogwork of the wheel, it was hard for a child of three summers to twist and turn but that did not deter Serella, face scrunched in consternation and focused on imaginary waters with her whole being.

In her mind’s eye, the tide whorled around their grand galley, lapping at sides port and starboard alike. Storms blew all around, ignorant of the sun warming their backs in truth.

When she tried to turn the wheel to fight a particularly strong wave to the port side, Serella struggled against the wood, hearing the sanded off wooden gears protest the movement. “Hard to steer,” she huffed.

“The waters are choppy this night,” her Da said sagely when he saw her struggle. 

If she could stretch her arms out to even the next spokes over she might have enough leverage, but she’s so small… 

Despite her best efforts to cling to the imaginary and continue with play, all her dreams of sailing involved a boat her size, something she could reach and use and lead and, and, and—

“No, hard to steer.” she huffed again, letting go of the spokes and crossing her arms.

Frustration welled up in her and quickly overflowed her small frame, heating her face and threatening her eyes with the sting of tears. Embarrassed, she hid her face in her hands.

“Hey now, Little Acorn, what’s the long face for?” her Da said, immediately dropping their play titles.

How could she start to explain what was hurting her heart? Why did she not understand what she was feeling? Frustration mounted ever higher, and tears ran down her face.

“I’m too little!” she cried.

Serella’s had never known her Da to be a man possessed of alacrity—an injury from before she was born had given him a cane and a limp that she had always seen him with, and it took him a few moments to carefully ease himself down to her level.

“You’re a growing little acorn, love,” he reminded her, and when she opened her arms asking for comfort he wasted no time in scooping her into a big hug. “Every tree started out just like you, remember?”

Through sniffles and uncaring of the snot she wiped on his shirt, Serella nodded.

“You’re only little for a little while, you know,” he said, his voice growing strangely thick as she tried to get her tears to stop. “And ‘afore you know it, you’ll be taller than me!”

“Taller than you?!” she squeaked, pulling back enough to look up at him incredulously.

“Taller than me!” he confirmed with an affectionate rub of their noses together that never failed to send her into a fit of giggles. “But it takes time—plenty of time for you to learn how to be taller. Can’t have you wobbling around like you’ve got stilts for legs, now can we?”

“But I can’t steer now,” she whined.

“Mayhap you can’t steer that way, but there’s plenty of ways to steer all sorts of things—here, I’ll show you. It’s getting late anyroad, and your Ma will send a search party if we’re gone too long, eh?”

With a conspiratorial wink that got his daughter to giggle again and follow him back to their chocobo, content and grazing not far from the Carpenter’s Guild fence.

A pirate is always carries a bit of the sea with them, so it was only natural that her Da hoist her and himself onto the back of their chocobo.

Once they were situated in the saddle, her Da pointed toward the leather reigns and said, “See? Riders use this to steer their chocobo—and that’s how you’re going to get us home in time for supper.”

“Me?!” Serella squeaked. 

“That’s right! You’re a natural at steering, Ellie—you just have to practice. Like so,” he said as he began to reach for the reigns.

It took little and less encouragement and instruction before she had her hands where they needed to be.

“Good. Now, there’s more ways to guide a steed than even this—like I told you, lots of ways to steer. Watch, I’ll have her start moving for you.”

With a click of his tongue and nudge of his boot, Addie began to dutifully meander out of Gridania proper and back onto the Shroud. The sway of the bird’s massive body almost felt like what Serella imagined a ship felt like, all that rocking back and forth like her Da would tell her.

Under her Da’s tutelage, she carefully led Addie until they were out of the gate and down the walking path.

The reigns felt vastly different from the ship wheel and yet, it felt like she was beginning to understand how this was also meant to steer—the pull of the leather on either side to turn, both to stop, and a nudge to go faster. Sails and rudders, wheels and anchors. Anything could be a ship if she wanted to guide it, anything could steer that ship if she could make it listen to her.

When they were far enough away from civilization, her Da leaned down from behind her and whispered, “you know, the winds are fair this eve, Captain. What say you we open the sails and ride the wind home?”

Years later, Serella would remember looking up into his eyes in that moment, twinkling like stars guiding their ship home.

[violetinkclouds]

An offering! To @rottenpumpkin13 for the angsty stuff I didn't but did have to mention in The Banora Trio AU. Here are a cute pair of scenes to imagine happening — and with only a tinge of bittersweetness in the second half.

 

εїз ✿ εїз ✿ εїз

  

Before Canon-ish Events:

• Cloud getting a splinter as he builds kites under Angeal's guidance — one for himself and one for Genesis who's too sick to come build one, because Genesis deserves to fly kites, too! — and Angeal immediately cradling his hands between his own with the utmost care. His brow furrowed in a way that makes him look older than Cloud, more so than usual.

Cloud winces as his hand is moved to see better and, ouch!, he knows now that splinters under the nail hurt a lot worse than in the palms of your hands! He can't help but pout and look longingly at their project, but no. Angeal is very serious about any injuries being treated right away. Even small splinters in unfortunate places. Genesis had warned him to go with it when their friend gets like this, so Cloud holds back the tiny whine of impatience to make the kites and listens as well as he can.

Out comes the little first aid kit Angeal carries with him all the time — especially now that he has Genesis and Cloud for friends. (He wouldn't trade them for anything on the planet, but he does wish he didn't need the first aid kit. Not so much, at least. He's realistic about it, anyways.) He approaches again with all the seriousness one would expect from an open heart surgery, except he's holding a pair of tweezers and an old but clean magnifying glass.

It's a simple action and not even five minutes later everything is put back up except for their kite making materials. The two boys are back at it, a bit more carefully, maybe, but just as enthusiastic. There's now a little chocobo themed bandaid on the tip of one finger as two sets of hands work away, one set guiding the other with gentle movements. Plenty of eager smiles and soft laughter fill up the area with memories in the making for future times to reminisce.

 

    

After Canon-ish Events:

• Cloud teaching Marlene and Denzel how to build a kite from scratch and then fly it.

He tells them how he learned to do this and cautions them on the mistakes he made. He has already made sure the supplies they're using are free from splinters with evil intentions and too sharp corners just waiting an excited, hasty move from one of his kids. He comes around and helps them in that way that's also almost like a hug from behind. Hands gentle as they guide, voice soft but encouraging.

It's how Angeal had taught Cloud and so it's how Cloud teaches them. It's as if Angeal is there, guiding him as he guides the cherished little ones of the eclectic found-family they're a part of.

Angeal, he thinks fondly as he pretends not to notice the tiny glue monster being made with the cut offs he's leaving as he works alongside, would've loved them so much. They'd of had him damn well wrapped around every finger with just one pout.

The kids delight in all the attention they're getting, of the fun activity they're learning and interesting little stories from when their Cloud was their ages. Cloud can't help the content smile on his face as he's reminded of a similar scene happening almost two decades ago — minus the evil, nailbed seeking splinters, thankfully.

.....and plus one tiny glue monster named Alfreda, which Cloud has convinced them that Cid needs to keep him company when he's flying.

  

εїз ✿ εїз ✿ εїз

 

[arora-kayd]

So @kaianimates likes me to hangout while they play Genshin Impact (I play after they go to bed usually) and has been kind enough to write down my various headcanons:

- itto and wrio shop at hot topic together

- thoma and itto hang out?

- yoimiya and klee should NEVER meet

- zhongli and neuvi would meet over tea and discuss laws and contracts

- ningguang is a koi fish

- barbara and itto hang out + bennett would maybe join too ????

- itto would watch cartoons with bennett fr

- bennett would make razor watch mlp to help him learn how to make friends and itto would be there too

- bennett and razor would also watch fosters home for imaginary friends

- itto is a brony

- sucrose and alhaitham would be nerds together

- rosaria looks like she owns a brothel

- yun jin and kokomi would go shopping together and also run a lolita fashion blog

- shinobu probably plays mortal kombat and mains/cosplays mileena

- dehya is a gold star lesbian and likes showing people how good lesbian sex is

- mika is a chocobo who escaped final fantasy

- kaveh and alhaitham have all the hate sex

- kirara would hang out with kagamine rin (like the vocaloid)

- lynette needs a hug and ice cream and should be allowed to just go around and kick guys in the balls (navia would organize the crotch kicking and chiori would help)

- lyney probably goes to hot topic and is also pan and does drag shows

- freminet looks like a victorian child

- neuvi is a dom and wrio is the sub

- wrio and ororon would hang out

- clorinde and shenhe should NOT hang out bc everyone would die

- sigewinne has a disturbing amount of plushies and is probably a hitman

- emilie is a can-can dancer

- mualani and nilou are in a dance troupe together (mualani dances salsa and they met at "so you think you can dance" auditions)

- kinich is a gamer bro but the good kind

- xilonen is straight out of jet set radio

- ororon and tighnari are plant nerds together and he also goes to hot topic

- chasca and beidou are friends (maybe friendly rivals?)

- thoma and noelle swap cleaning tips

- kachina and sigewinne do sticker books together

HOT TOPIC SQUAD: fischl, wrio, lyney, ororon, itto

[weregreatatcrime]

I literally JUST posted the most recent add-on to forest Noctis au but the NEXT bit was already briefly in progress until I realized I didn't like this angle. But I liked the blurb and didn't wanna delete it. So here's 500 words of some good re-introductions after six years of Noctis missing WHOO

~~~~~

“Stand by my son, please. I do not know everything he has been through. And there is much he has yet to tell anyone. He lacks trust in the Crown. In… me. I cannot blame him. I only ask that you prove yourselves to be worthy of his trust, for he gives it sparingly. I cannot convince him to return to the city. I do not know exactly his goals or his ideals. But I do know from our letters that he cares for Lucis and its people. I do not wish him harmed, or alone. Be by his side. Walk tall.”

~~~~~~

Ignis drove the car, Gladiolus in the back. Cor sat in the passenger seat. The atmosphere was tense.

Wiz Chocobo Post was not exactly where Ignis expected to find Noctis after not seeing him for six years. But when they pulled up there he was. Standing stiffly near a picnic table with his hands hovering awkwardly at his sides like Ignis remembered he did when he didn't know what to do with them.

Gladiolus charged out of the car before it was even in park. Cor sighed heavily.

“I told him not to rush him.”

“I said so as well.” Ignis gritted out, stepping out as quickly as he could.

Gladio stopped in front of Noctis, the two of them staring at each other for a few seconds before Gladio swept the smaller man up in a bear hug.

“You ever leave me behind like that again, I will kick your ass.” Gladio threatened, voice thick.

“You can try.” Noctis didn't hug him back. But he did bury his face in Gladio's chest.

After a minute he was released and he turned to Ignis before looking down, refusing to meet his eyes.

“...your Highness.” Ignis breathed. He'd already had plenty of emotional moments back at the Citadel when he was told about Cor locating Noctis. He didn't need to be crying now.

“Don't- don't call me that.” Noctis crossed his arms, ducking his face behind the rat's nest of his hair. “I'm trying to keep a low profile?”

“Noct, then.” Ignis approached and, unsure of himself, opened his arms. Noctis leaned towards him enough that Ignis felt comfortable hugging him close. Gentler than Gladiolus did, just tight enough to convince himself that Noctis was there.

“Noct'll work.” Noctis mumbled shyly. “But everyone knows me as Megumi. So. There's that.”

“Oh. You guys are here already..? Ah. Uh- well, hi?”

Ignis released Noctis to turn and see a young blond man with a nervous smile and cheeks full of freckles.

“This is Prompto, my best friend.” Noctis threw an arm around his shoulders and leaned against him. “My boyfriend.”

Prompto turned a little red. “Hi?” He squeaked. “Gumi’s great.”

Gladiolus crossed his arms while he sized up the much smaller blond. Prompto eyed his biceps anxiously.

“Ignis Scientia.” Ignis stepped forward and held his hand out before the poor boy could be intimidated too much. “It's nice to meet you.”

“Um- Prompto Argentum?” Prompto shook his hand quickly and then let go. His left arm, in a sling, appeared to be shaking somewhat.

[lunarianebula872]

[2nd image is older but it's cute still also yes I'm posting this at like 4:02am because I can't seem to get a good sleep schedule]

C!Cloud finding a more peaceful dimension of sorts where he meets a little Cloud with some interesting abilities, this little Cloud was rescued from his home when the reactor and home was destroyed by some very angry dragon males fighting for females which also caused a lot of casualties which one of them being Cloud's mother [no one in the town wanted Cloud and treat him like they do in many dimensions which is very poorly], Genesis sensed some strong magic within Cloud [that being strong materia abilities but also something that he can't put into words either but he knows something is strong within Cloud], Sephiroth and Angeal when the realize what Genesis is trying to figure out know that Hojo will without a doubt try to use the kid as a test subject and study the kid which causes Sephiroth, Angeal, Genesis, and later on since he was still in Midgar Zack adopt Cloud as their own, Zack is informed of the situation when Sephiroth, Angeal, and Genesis return which he has way more experience since he has babysat and cared for young ones in the past which is a big help, once they fully have adopted Cloud they make sure he has all he needs and Sephiroth [who ends up being stationed in Midgar most of the time] even gives Cloud one of the several chocobo plushies he owns [which Cloud adores and cuddles a lot], Angeal with enough time makes homemade baby food when Cloud was still young enough for it while Genesis and Zack came to a sort of agreement/truce on cute and practical clothes [especially onesies like Cloud is wearing], once Cloud manages to walk he tends to explore which was when Zack stayed at the tower to watch over him this is when Lazard and Veld meet Cloud and give the firsts support when needed [this causes them to become uncles to Cloud], Tseng meets Cloud after a meeting along with Rufus [when he starts to talk] where Cloud being curious and a big sweetheart he walks up to them to say hi which gets their attentions and they have a cute little interaction where Cloud shows them the cute stickers he's been given but he even gives Tseng and Rufus some of the stickers as little presents [which not showing it makes Tseng and Rufus think it's straight up adorable which they make sure Cloud can't get ahold of their guns since they're not toys for kids], overtime Tseng and Rufus encountering Cloud they get little hugs from him which brightens their moods [Cloud even gets to learn Wutaiian from Tseng when the turk isn't busy].

Now for C!Cloud to suddenly show up and get little Cloud whose in his teddy onesie's attention and ends up liking him [even giving C!Cloud snacks that little Cloud calls snackies], I can see C!Cloud trying not to go dad mode here lol, @aimeelouart how is C!Cloud going to fully react to a cute a friendly child version of him [and even a massive plus a lot of Angeal's home cooking not only just leftovers because C!Cloud is such a foodie like that]

[mosthuggableffxiv]

Round 1B: Ameliance Leveilleur vs The Warrior of Light's Chocobo

"her husband is Fourchenault and she is a cinnamon roll"

"They're a big bird who can charge fearlessly into battle beside you or soar with you into the clouds of strange lands, because they love you so much. They're a Big Bird and I think hugging one in real life would fix me."

[salternateunreality2]

Bodyguard Beefa AU again

Sephiroth is unhappy about Zack and Tifa. That is HIS little chocobo.

He gets to him after the burn incident, because Cloud catches an infection and has to go to the hospital due to his issues with geostigma.

Aerith forces Zack to go home and rest, and Tifa steps into the hallway to take a call. Sephiroth slips in through the window and this happens:

Cloud is hallucinating from the geostigma and thinks Sephiroth is part of the hallucinations, until he feels the hug, but by that point he's too scared to make a sound.

Fortunately, Tifa's spidey senses go off.

Tifa: Vin, I gotta go, something's off...*bursts into the room* OI! *Throws the 6'7" hulking crazyroth off her boy and gets between them, slamming the alarm in the process* HELP!

Sephiroth hears the footsteps running down the hall and spits blood at her before jumping back out the window. He is SO PISSED at her now.

Tifa slams it shut and locks it as Nurse Kunsel comes in.

Kunsel: Hey, what's going on? Is that blood? Whose blood? Mr. Strife, you ok?

Cloud can't hear him, he's just trembling and muttering about swans, clutching his own arms in a vice-like grip.

Tifa: Call security and the police, his stalker got in through the window somehow. That's whose blood it is. I think Cloud's ok, but let me check, he's still hallucinating and he knows me and hates hospitals.

Kunsel nods and gets to work.

Tifa: Cloud? Cloud, hon, he's gone. Tifa kicked him out, ok? Did he hurt you? Let Teefs see...there, let's relax this hand...good. Other hand...ok, I don't see any marks. What are you seeing and hearing?

Cloud: T-t-teef...s-swans, they're still here, they're all over, don't move, they'll hurt you, be careful, Tifa, be careful

Tifa: Ok, I'll be careful. Are you hurt?

Cloud shakes his head.

Tifa: That's great Cloud, you're doing great. Did he give you anything? Shots, drinks, food, lotion?

Cloud shakes his head again.

Cloud: N-no. Tifa left *whine*...

Tifa: I'm back, I'm right here, holding your hand.

Cloud: He came through the-the window, he came in and *closes his eyes and shudders* said...stuff...I thought he wasn't real, I'm sorry, I thought he was like the swans, I didn't know, he hugged me but I didn't know, I was scared, I thought, I thought...

Tifa: It makes sense Cloud, it's ok. I don't blame you. It's ok. I thought something felt off and came right back, you're safe now.

Cloud: I thought he wasn't real but he was, but then Shiva came in and threw him out. Are...are you Shiva?

Tifa: I'm Tifa, but probably Shiva too, in this case.

Cloud: Can I...hug?

Tifa: Of course, Cloud.

He timidly buries his burning head in her neck and cries, clutching her shirt at her sides.

Tifa: Can I hug you back?

Cloud: yes!

Tifa, careful not to replicate the way Sephiroth did it, hugs him close, murmuring reassurances.

Zack is miffed and worried in the morning when he finds out nobody woke him up, but he gets it and Cloud is safe in a different, more secure room. Tifa is also staying with him except for breaks where she swaps with someone else.

The incident did NOT help Cloud's health, at all. He has dark bags under his eyes and is even more twitchy today, and the hallucinations won't leave. His fever is still high and the geostigma is still raging under all the stress.

Seeing Zack DOES help, and he's finally able to get some sleep. Zack stores that little fact firmly in his mind to gloat over in private, once this is all sorted out. He lets a hint of it slip to Aerith and she teases him mercilessly.

Tifa and Aerith when they start getting more details from the boys about the stalker. They are taking no shit and kicking all the Sephi-ass they can.

Next

[candycryptids]

OC Smash Or Pass: Mochiie Kaisuri edition-

Rules: pretty self explanatory. include physical descriptions or pics, and propaganda. the “other” label can be used for “sexuality misalignment” (ie: oc is femme and you’re gay, vice versa or you aren’t into smashing but a specific thing you wanna do with them like perhaps hug or study them under a microscope idc).

Got tagged by @cindernet-explorer , @selnyam AND @gatheredfates and I know I did this once for Tangy but idr who got to take credit for that tag so 🙏 forgive me

If you wanna do this I’m tagging you. I’m so srs rn.

The Basics-

Height: [approximated] 179 cm or 5’9 (short for a m’ra!)

Age: 29

Gender: GNC Cis Man (He/Him)

Sexuality: Pansexual (gender does not play a role in his attraction)

The Good

Good with kids of all ages and animals of many sizes

He can cook! And will cook for you! Actually he’ll insist.

Willing to make the decisions if you’re uncertain, like where to eat or where to go.

He’s soft and warm :) (Fur AND body hair) and likes using nice smelling soaps and oils for his hair/skin

Will make you a lunch to go in the morning if you’re going to work/adventure! He worries about you. Packs you an extra potion.

Will always turn up to help you move or offer you a couch to crash on even if you’re not dating.

The Bad

Collects Chocobo hatchlings the same way Batman collects orphans or Ash Ketchum catches ‘em all. They all have names. He gets a little sad if you get them wrong.

Has a drinking problem, but won’t admit to it or acknowledge it. Doesn’t actually see it as a Problem. Drinks when stressed, and socially.

Forgets to take care of himself while rushing around taking care of others, and sometimes misplaces his glasses. Which he very much needs to see.

Can’t handle spicy food. Like, at all. He likes the taste of it, but it plays hell on his stomach.

Isn’t actually that much of a romantic in practice and can forget to pay extra attention to his partner, treating them the same as everyone else until you’re alone together again.

The Bonus Disc

Likes nature and hikes and casual walks, and stargazing

Believes in Fate and is always interested if someone offers to read his fortune in the cards- even if they have bad news. He’s grit-teeth optimism when regular optimism isn’t available.

Wants a big family, but isn’t super picky on how that works out? Like, if it’s adoption, if it’s his partner, or if it’s just him, his flock of Chocobo, his partner(s???) and a garden patch.

Should really write home more often but doesn’t.

Is a guy that usually Knows A Guy, if he can’t help you with whatever your problems are, he can likely point you to someone he personally knows that can.

He has ‘two of them’

ROMANTICALLY: when it’s just the two of you, he’s like a fairytale prince. Charming and sweet and doting. You might have trouble doing anything because he wants to do it for you. When he’s around others… hes not one to flaunt a relationship and overcompensates that by treating everybody the same.

SEXUALLY: He’s comfortable being in control and likes leather and bondage. Leaves plenty of hickeys and bruises while knowing if you asked he’d heal (most) of them for you. Is quietly into scarification as a show of devotion, but won’t bring it up with casual flings, or even most serious flings. He just likes the idea of leaving permanent marks on each other people can see as opposed to the invisible ones left on memory/soul/life