#mentioned alphinaud but he's asleep

[theshotsheardacrossworlds]

Linkpearl

NSFW. Agi and Estinien attempt to have a sexy linkpearl call. “Attempt” is the keyword.

I hope he’s okay. Agnes lay in her bed at the Rising Stones and thought about Estinien (and Thancred and Alphinaud but mainly Estinien). The trio had set out to deal with some Lunar Primals, and Estinien in particular insisted vehemently that Agnes stay behind to rest. He’s worried about me and the baby. Not that I can blame him, but I do worry about him. I can’t help but worry.

 She was taken out of her thoughts by the familiar chime from her linkpearl. Oh for fuck’s sake who is it?!

 “Hello?”

 “Ah, you’re still up.” Estinien! Thank the gods.

 “Yes, love. I’m still up. How are you? How are things going?”

 She heard a grumble and nearly laughed. Someone’s enjoying his new job. “Hmph. Fine I suppose. We dealt with another version of Lunar Ramuh, and we’re heading to Gyr Abania next. We stopped to make camp a few bells ago…Alphinaud insisted on making the campfire. ‘See, Estinien? I remembered!’ It’s just a fire, little lord. Come off it!”

 Agnes stifled a laugh. “He’s still very proud of his wood-gathering and fire-making skills, I take it?”

 “I don’t know why! It’s just wood and fire!”

 “It meant a lot to him, love…and it means a lot to me that you called.” I miss you. I want you here with me.

 “I hoped you weren’t asleep yet…here in my tent, all by myself…no sausage roll with me…”

 Ooooooh I think I know where this is going, and I like it! “You’re in your tent, love?”

 “Aye. All alone, my sweet. And you? All alone?” His voice is growing more raspy by the second. So sexy!

 “Yes, alone. My door is locked, and my usual sound charm is in its place.” She said while a hand roamed to one of her breasts. “I’m touching one of my tits. A gentle squeeze like you would, love.”

 She heard a sharp inhale through the line. “Good girl. Such a good girl. Keep squeezing. Imagine it’s my hand going under your shirt. My fingers dancing on your belly and then holding a perfect tit in my hand.”

 “You so love my tits, my grumpy dragon. Tell me how much.” Gods, just thinking about his hands gets me fucking wild.

 “Your tits are the most perfect, biggest, sweetest, plump titties I’ve ever seen, tasted, or felt. I want to fuck them like I did with your ass that time. Fuck those big fat titties…fuck just thinking about it…” He groaned. “My angel, please…”

 Oh goodness! A sense a tittyfucking in my future! “Please what, love?”

 “Gonna fuck fat fucking tits when I get back. Agi, are you still touching your tit?”

 “Yes, love. Do you want me to touch something else now?” Oooooh this could be very fun and sexy! “Why don’t I move lower?”

 “Y-yes, my angel. Lower. Touch your belly and sides. So fucking sexy and soft and warm and perfect…” He groaned again; this time louder. “How you could ever think I wouldn’t find you beautiful is fucking beyond me.”

 You are the sweetest grumpy man ever. I love you. She sighed as her hand traveled down to her ample, soft belly and kneaded it a little. Just like he would. I wish you were here. I want a cuddle so badly. “I-I’m touching as you asked, love. I know how much you enjoy it…”

 “Every ilm of you is beautiful. Can’t not touch. And that you let me whenever I want…fucking hells, I want to hold you right now. Hold you nice and close to me…kiss your cheek and shoulder and feel you all up…”

 “Your cock in my backside I’m sure.” She laughed softly. “It always is. So hard and poking me. Feels amazing…”

 “Damn right my cock is in your backside, woman.” Oh, that growl is so sexy! “Going to grind against your fat fucking ass…so hot and soft and perfect…” Agnes heard a loud moan and nearly told him to be quiet. Nearly! But maybe Thancred and Alphinaud are already asleep? “Touch your lower belly now, sweetheart. Go on, be a good girl and do that for me…”

 Oh gods, he’s going in for the kill now. Agnes sighed softly as her fingers touched her lower belly. So sensitive and he knows it. Naughty man! “I am, love…still soft now but won’t be in a while…”

 “Nay, it won’t. Fuck, you’ll be so beautiful. Already are but even more so. My love, I’m leaking so much precum. I want you so badly. I want you—"

 “AND I WANT TO SLEEP, ESTINIEN! PIPE DOWN, WILL YOU?” Agnes nearly shrieked as she heard Thancred shouting over the linkpearl. I am…so…embarrassed…going to just die now…

 “WATERS, CAN YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP?! I’M TRYING TO RELAX WHILE TALKING TO AGI!”

 “JUST BE A LITTLE MORE QUIET AS YOU’RE JACKING OFF!”

 I’m going to get into a giant hole, curl up, and never come out.

 “I WASN’T JUST JACKING OFF! I WAS ADMIRING MY LADY’S ATTRIBUTES!”

 Agnes, her cheeks now bright red, put Estinien on hold and called Thancred. “Thancred, please…I am so sorry…”

 “Agi, it’s no trouble.” Thancred’s voice reassured her. “Just tell him to be quiet. He’s louder than a hundred bears in heat.”

 A hundred dragons more like…NO. Focus. “I will. Sorry again.”

 She hung up and went back to Estinien, who was still cursing Thancred.

 “Love, Thancred just wants you to be a little more quiet that’s all.”

 “SHOVE IT UP YOUR ASS, WATERS!”

 “ESTINIEN!” Agnes screamed. “Stop this nonsense right now, or I’m hanging up!”

 She heard an exasperated sigh. “I wasn’t being that loud.” He muttered. “In the Temple Knights, you’d hear your comrades in arms pleasuring themselves all the time. It just became background noise.” I have so many questions. So many. “Eh, whatever. So long as you enjoyed our little conversation, then I’m pleased.”

 YES I DID! “It was very sexy, love. We should do this more often…and without Thancred or Alphinaud in earshot.” She giggled. At the very least, it seems Alphinaud didn’t hear a thing. Small blessings. “You should try to sleep. You have more awful shit to deal with in the morning.”

 He sighed. “Aye, I should. I couldn’t not call though, my love. Have the sweetest dreams, and please rest. We know not what’s ahead.” He’s always worried about me, but now with the baby, he’s worrying more. No one can tell, but I can. I’ll be okay, love. I promise.

 “I will, and you sleep well. No nightmares…”

 He chuckled, and Agnes could imagine him smiling ruefully. “No promises there, Agi, but I’ll…hope for the best. Love you, sweet girl. See you soon.”

 “Love you too.”

 The call ended, leaving Agnes missing him all the more. See you soon, my grumpy dragon.

[ivorystand]

An EstiYuhki snippet I have been imagining in my head over and over. Also wrote this while high, I think my third eye opened

Also @pinkcadaver because I mention their wonderful OC and Yuhki's best friend, Melody!

Under the cut, but here's the screenshot that started my idea for this! (Also the way my brain associates the song "Contention" from the Heavensward soundtrack with Yuhki's pining for Estinien but being to shy and scared to lose her friend after finally reuniting to actually act on those feelings)

The Churning Mists seemed to fall into a tranquil silence, save for the soft crackles of a slowly dying fire. The group had decided to call it a night. Melody, Carbon, Alwin, and Alphinaud slept nearby, while Novia and Ysayle had given themselves a bit of distance from the others. The only two who had yet to fall asleep were Yuhki and Estinien.

Yuhki glanced up at her fellow dragoon. "It honestly feels good to have the trio back together,” she spoke softly. "It's been way too long…” 

Estinien nodded with a soft grunt of acknowledgment. "Aye, it has," he muttered.

"Remember that time we tried to jump that ravine?" She giggled. "I still don't know why you decided to try to cushion the fall."

The elezen couldn't help but chuckle at the memory. "Because I didn't want you two to get hurt. I still remember you kept apologizing when you noticed I broke my arm."

"I felt bad, okay?" She laughed before realizing she was getting a little too excited. The last thing she wanted was to wake the others.

"You'd always get so wound up over the little things, good or bad. Like the day we met when I scared off a chinchilla and you were convinced I was your hero," a faint smile appeared on Estinien's face. From what Yuhki could see from under the helm her friend refused to remove, he seemed to be reminiscing about their childhood.

Her heart fluttered at the sight of that barely noticeable grin. It reminded her of home, of the days before Nidhogg had burned Ferndale to the ground.

"Esti," she mumbled after a moment. She didn't even realize she had used the nickname she had given him as children until the smile she couldn't help but feel drawn to was replaced with a slightly shocked or flustered frown. Not Estinien's usual scowl he seemed to constantly possess.

"What did you..." He mumbled, letting his sentence drift off.

Yuhki's eyes widened slightly and her face tinged pink in embarrassment. "I'm sorry,” she blurted. "I'm just... thinking about how I used to call you that all the time. It may have been cute for an eight-year-old to call her friend that as a nickname, but it seems a bit weird for a 30-year-old to say.”

Before Estinien could respond with either a sarcastic jab or a possibly embarrassing anecdote from their youth, Yuhki stifled a yawn. "I think we should get some rest," she quickly added. She shuffled a little bit away before lying down in the grass.

As the last of the smoldering remnants of the campfire fizzled out, Yuhki glanced up at the sky. Lying on her side, facing away from the others, she found herself drifting into a lonesome sleep. She wished she could say just the right words and do so many things, and yet when she had a chance, it slipped out of her grasp.

[klopford]

Convalescence (ch 1)

Eyy so that WIP I posted earlier? First chapter is done! Here it is on AO3 if you prefer to read there!

But also here it is as a post because some people prefer to read these here and it's only 1,843 words right now? (I'll only tag the characters that actually make an appearance in this chapter)

IDK, is this enough space for a jump?

---

“We’re home, my friend! We’re home!”

As the Ragnarok continues its descent and makes the switch from artificial to real gravity, the Warrior of Light’s knees buckle. The crash of her armor against the floor as she collapses gets the attention of everyone on the bridge, and she’s once again surrounded by Scions, with Alphinaud quickly on his knees beside her.

“Katina! Are you alright? I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked you to stand so soon!”

The Paladin gives a halfhearted wave of dismissal from where she lay. “I’m fine…” she mumbles, “…just tired.” She tries to get up again but feels dizzy, placing her head back on the floor and closing her eyes.

Alisaie joins her brother in kneeling beside Katina and puts a hand on her chest to encourage her friend to stay still. “You’re not going anywhere,” she says firmly, “except back to the stretcher and then off to a bed.” She looks up at Estinien and Urianger at the mention of the stretcher, as if to ask the taller and stronger Elezen men to help move the fully armored Highlander Paladin.

Katina gives Alisaie a weak smile. “Says the one who refuses to stay in bed when injured… eep!” She yelps as Estinien carefully picks her up and places her back on the stretcher.

“I’ve never been as injured as you are right now!” Alisaie exclaims

Alphinaud speaks up. “You’ve been close…” he says, but refrains from elaborating as his sister glares at him.

The Paladin smiles at the twins. “Calm down you two,” she says before closing her eyes again, “I don’t think I could go anywhere even if I wanted to...” Her voice grows quieter as she trails off, raising some concern from her friends.

“Are you still with us?” Alphinaud asks as he kneels by the stretcher, looking Katina over for any signs of trouble. She turns her head to his voice, but doesn't respond other than a weak nod before losing consciousness again.

In the background, Thancred is still on the linkpearl with the waiting party in Sharlayan. “We will need a chirurgeon available as soon as we land,” he says.

---

When Katina wakes, she finds herself in a soft bed, stripped of her armor and dressed in a simple linen gown that reaches her knees. As she stretches and stirs, she feels a searing pain in her right hip, and her left foot nudges something.

Alisaie is curled up at the foot of the bed, asleep and trying to take up as little space as possible, but the nudge wakes her and she sits up quickly, blushing. “You're awake! Good!” Her voice rouses Alphinaud, who was asleep in a nearby chair. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I was trampled by a primal...” Katina grumbles. The horrified look on Alphinaud's face tells her this comment may have been in bad taste, remembering Arenvald. “Sorry,” she says quickly. “Where am I?”

“The Sharlayan Infirmary,” Alphinaud answers, yawning as he gets his bearings. “We brought you here as soon as the Ragnarok landed.”

“By 'we,' he means Estinien and Urianger carried your stretcher while the rest of us escorted you,” Alisaie clarifies.

“Where is everyone else?” Katina asks, trying to push herself up onto her elbows but wincing at the pain.

“Thancred, Y'shtola, Urianger, and G'raha are giving their report to the Forum. Estinien is standing guard outside... you've had no small number of admirers and well-wishers wanting to visit and express their gratitude!” Alphinaud explains. “Tataru and Krile have been making sure any 'get well' gifts are delivered to the Annex.” He frowns as he watches Katina struggle to sit up. “You mustn't strain yourself! Please, continue to rest!”

“Here,” Alisaie says as she gets up to offer a hand, assisting Katina into a seated position as Alphinaud reaches behind the bedridden Paladin to prop up a pillow for her to recline against.

“Ah... thanks,” Katina sighs as she's carefully moved to rest against the pillow and headboard, gently touching her right hip to get an estimate of the extent of the injury and gasping in pain at even her own light touch. “Not a very good location to get injured... damn scythe.” Noting the worried looks on the twins' faces, she asks, “How bad is it? Overall? Have the chirurgeons said anything?”

Alphinaud sighs before relaying everything he knows. “You took quite the beating. We did what we could on the Ragnarok , but we didn't have time to remove your armor and do a thorough examination, you were barely hanging on as it was!” He looks somehow disappointed in himself for not being able to do more. “You lost a lot of blood, and the wound on your hip is resisting most attempts at healing. It could be days, if not weeks, before you're allowed out of bed.”

“Honestly, it was a miracle you could even stand up for the brief time you did as we arrived!” Alisaie scolds, clenching her fists and resting them on the edge of the bed as she leans closer. “What did I say about taking better care of yourself?”

Were it any other person, Katina might not appreciate the scolding, but she knows this is Alisaie's way of showing that she cares. “It's alright, it's not like I have much of a choice right now,” she says before looking at Alphinaud. “You said weeks? I sure hope not...”

Their conversation is interrupted by Estinien opening the door and poking his head in. “Ah good, you're awake,” he says, a faint smile on his face. “There's a chirurgeon here to check on you.”

The Azure Dragoon steps aside and a middle aged Hyur walks in, carrying a tray with potions, tea, and a bowl of soup. “Mistress Star, glad to see you up! I just need to do a quick examination and change your dressings, then I have these potions for pain management and blood replenishment, as well as some supper if you feel up for it.” He sets the tray on the bedside table and then turns to the twins with a shooing gesture. “If you wouldn't mind giving my patient some privacy?”

Alphinaud and Alisaie, realizing that the exam would probably expose more of the Warrior of Light than either of them wanted to see, simply nod at the chirurgeon and step outside to wait with Estinien. While they wait, G'raha Tia enters the infirmary and spots everyone outside Katina's door, causing him to rush over with a worried look on his face. “Is she ok?” he asks.

“She's awake now, just being looked over by the healers,” Alisaie explains.

As if on cue, the door opens and the chirurgeon exits. “You can go back in, but let's try to keep the visitors to a minimum. She does need to rest.”

G'raha does not hesitate to go inside and see his friend. Alisaie follows, but Alphinaud lingers outside for a moment. “Estinien? Did you want to visit as well?”

“Room's too crowded,” Estinien grumbles, “You go ahead.” To this, Alphinaud simply shrugs and joins the group inside.

Katina was still sitting up in bed, with the tray that had been brought in now set on her lap. She looks up from idly stirring her soup with a spoon when she hears her friends enter. The twins, she expected already since they were just there, but she beams at the redheaded Miqo'te leading them. “G'raha!”

G'raha immediately moves to Katina's bedside, smiling. “My friend! 'Tis good to see you awake!”

Katina smirks as she remembers saying the same thing to G'raha a few times in the past. “'Tis good to be awake,” she replies, just as he had.

The Miqo'te's ears twitch as he remembers being on the other end of this greeting, and he smiles even wider. “Zenos did not damage your sense of humor then?”

“Oh no,” Katina laughs, “It will take way more than that for me to lose it, Gods willing.” She takes a bite of her soup and swallows, but then pauses for a moment with an unpleasant face.

“Not to your liking?” Alisaie asks, noticing the hesitation.

“It's, uh...” she prods the soup a bit with her spoon as she tries to describe it. “It kinda tastes like Archon Loaf. But in soup form. If that makes sense?”

Alphinaud gives a small chuckle. “When it comes to treating patients, nutrition is far more important than taste. I know you are unaccustomed to Sharlayan cuisine, besides that found at the Last Stand, but it's still very important to make sure you get the nutrients you need to heal.”

“Could use some salt,” Katina grumbles, “or any seasoning at all, really.” She looks up at her friends. “Have you all eaten yet? I don't want to keep you if you need to take care of anything.”

“Alphinaud and I grabbed a bite while we were waiting for you to wake up,” says Alisaie.

G'raha nods, confirming that he too had eaten already. “I stopped at the Last Stand after leaving the Forum. If I had known you'd be up, I would have brought you something. My apologies.”

Alisaie grins, getting an idea. “If you're feeling better tomorrow, perhaps we will bring you lunch? But do try to finish your soup for now. Alphinaud is right, after all.” She turns and gives her brother a look. “Don't let that go to your head, by the way.”

“What? I know I'm...” he trails off and sighs, “never mind.”

Katina laughs at the twins' bickering, and resumes eating her very bland soup.

Alphinaud looks over at G'raha. “So you have finished reporting to the Forum, then?” he asks. “Do you know if the others will be coming over?”

“They've all decided to retire for the evening, but they send their regards and will check in on Katina tomorrow.”

“What time is it, anyway?” Katina asks as she finishes her soup, looking around for a chronometer. “It was daylight when we were landing?”

Alphinaud retrieves a small pocket chronometer from his jacket. “'Tis half a bell past ten in the evening.”

“Gods!” Katina exclaims, “No wonder you two were asleep when I woke up! You should be resting as well!”

Alisaie's face reddens with a slight blush. “We just wanted to make sure you were ok, and that you didn't wake up alone.”

The Paladin smiles. “I'm fine. Well... fine as I can be given the circumstances. I appreciate your concern.” She stretches and covers her mouth as she yawns. “Guess the potions are kicking in.”

G'raha picks up the tray from Katina's lap and sets it on the bedside table. “We should let you rest then,” he says, offering a hand to help her scoot and settle without moving her legs too much. She accepts the assistance, though still winces in pain at certain movements. Eventually, she's laying down once more.

“We'll return tomorrow morning as soon as we are able,” Alphinaud says. “Pleasant dreams, my friend.”

Katina yawns again and waves as her friends depart. “Good night.”

[keanearts]

Braided Nerves

Rating: gen

Words: 1133, oneshot

Pairing: unrequited Haurchefant x WoL

Including: Alphinaud

Warnings: fluff and angst, mentioned canon character death

Summary:

Once Haurchefant tried to show Miyhu how to braid their hair, and once when they tried it for himself.

Ao3 link:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/48309616

Fic and notes under the cut:

Notes:

Here's my WoL, Miyhu; https://toyhou.se/21821261.miyhu-ruphar#66383828

---

"It's simple," he had said, fingers moving deftly through Miyhu's hair, now loose from it's usual ponytail, "I believe you would struggle to find a child in the whole of Ishgard who couldn't do this."

His voice was light, teasing, as he separated the strands of hair, "even you would have no trouble with it if you deigned to open your eyes."

Miyhu squeezed their eyes shut tighter in petty response, a wide grin spreading across his face as the Elezen behind him tutted jokingly. It was nice, the feel of his fingers running through their hair, the gentle way he teased out any knots and the light scratch he'd offer the base of their ears when he came back up to them, the Miqo'te could almost fall asleep where they were sat if he wasn't careful.

A fact that didn't escape Haurchefant as he flicked their notched ear with a chuckle, "stay with me Miyhu, this is an important meeting for you, I can't have you falling asleep and ruining all my hard work."

Reminded of the reason for his ministrations, the Warrior of Light grumbled, finally opening his eyes to see his own reflection in the mirror in front of him, set upon the dresser of the Fortemps guest room they were currently occupying. With the mirror, he could see where Haurchefant was sat behind him, he had said that even if they had been standing, it would've hurt his back to braid their hair if he stood. An over exaggeration of their height difference, but it was admittedly easier for them to both sit, and it made it more fun for Miyhu to flick his tail between Haurchefant's knees.

Haurchefant had a soft smile on his face as he finished up the end of the braid, tying it with another pale pink ribbon to match the other braid.

"Just one more step, my dear friend, then I'll release you," he spoke quietly, gathering a braid in each hand and wrapping them up around Miyhu's ears, holding them in place with one hand as the other reached past them to a small box sat next to the mirror, "I had this made for you, I'd hoped the colour would allow it to stand out against your hair."

His voice was quiet still as he opened the box, revealing a metal hair pin in the shape of red carnation flowers.

Miyhu let out a little gasp, reaching instantly for it, "it's so pretty!"

"Yes…" with their gaze on the pin, he didn't see Haurchefant's own eyes fixed solely on them, longing etched deep in his face.

Miyhu started to twist in their seat before Haurchefant's loose grip on his hair reminded him that they couldn't, and instead settled for staring intently at Haurchefant's reflection, "it's for me?"

Haurchefant smiled back at their reflection, "of course! Presuming that you like it, that is."

"I love it!" Miyhu said defiantly, clutching the pin to his chest as though Haurchefant would force it from him, "but… it looks espensive…"

Haurchefant closed his eyes for a moment, with no care to correct them on their pronunciation, he found them far too adorable at times. Opening his eyes again, he held a hand out for the pin so he might return to their hair, and said, "I would find a way to bring you the stars themselves if it would make you half as happy as this silly old hair pin does."

Miyhu handed the pin to him, then flashed him with a smile that Haurchefant believed could cure any woe, "I don't need the stars, Anty," they said as he carefully pinned their hair into place, "I'm happy just being here with you!"

Haurchefant patted their hair, making sure everything was in it's proper place as his heart attempted to leave its own, "and I you," he whispered back as they tilted their head this way and that, admiring his work.

---

The pin lay on the dresser before them, a blotch of colour in a greying world, a sharp red just like the blood upon Haurchefant's lips as he spoke his last words, staring up at Miyhu like they were the entire world as they cradled him, desperately begging that he doesn't leave them.

Fumbling fingers attempted to braid loose hair, but every attempt had it look messy and childish, not exactly the image the Warrior of Light wanted to give out at the funeral of a hero, a brave soul, and such a dear friend.

A sharp cry of anguish tore from his throat as he slammed the dresser, hair flying every which where, and carnation hair pin clattering to the floor. Miyhu gave a stuttered gasp, and slid to the ground so quickly their knee cracked loudly on the wood, but they ignored the flaring pain as he grasped the pin with wild eyes, turning it over and over to check for damage.

Once certain it was fine, he clutched it to their chest, letting out a small sob as he did so, and knelt there, rocking back and forth with it in hand. They didn't know how much time had passed before they heard their door crack open, and they didn't look up as he heard Alphinaud's light footsteps move towards him.

"Miyhu…" his voice was thick from crying, and Miyhu snapped back into their role.

Scrubbing roughly at their eyes, he stood, keeping the pin to their chest with one hand, "Alphy," they said, attempting to sound as normal as they could, as though they hadn't just also been crying, despite the red eyes and tear tracked face, "come here."

They extended an arm and the teenager immediately launched himself into them, hugging them tightly, "I'm- I'm sorry," he sobbed, "I came to- to comfort you- and now-"

Miyhu shushed him gently, starting a rumbly purr in their chest to help calm him, "it's okay Alphy, it's okay."

Alphinaud shook his head vigorously against their chest, but did not speak again as Miyhu guided him to sit, still wrapping him in a hug, "I- I wanted to help you," the young Elezen whispered, "not to- to cry on you."

Miyhu grabbed a cloth, and smiling softly at him, they wiped his face dry with gentle motions, "it's okay to cry," they said, "I've got you."

Alphinaud's face crinkled up again, fresh tears falling as he buried his face again in their chest. Miyhu pet his head gently, purring quietly for him, giving him all the comforts he could as they pieced themself together for him. He needed them to be strong.

Miyhu's eyes fell on Thancred's tunic lying across the bed.

Everyone needs them to be strong.

Still holding Alphinaud, they reached across and placed the pin on top of the tunic.

---

Notes:

So the name for this came from the lyrics "our nerves were braided under ceiling stars'" from the song Cicada Days by Will Wood so if you wanna listen to that while readin go ahead-

Also Alphy wasn't supposed to be in this but he didn't even knock on the door he just waltzed in like he owns the place-

[deet-doot]

Thinkin bout Han's relationships with the scions

I'm not good at words but whatever lmao

Overall he dislikes (that's putting it lightly) the group as a whole. They meddle in affairs he feels they have no business in, and use him as a means to an end. He sticks with them solely because his duty is to the people he's helping. He has no love for the scions, no sense of duty towards the scions, he just wants to help people how he can amidst all the killing he's been forced into

Minfilia he initially thought was genuinely kind, which kinda devolved into her being basically a HR rep. Maybe she did care about the cause and the people individually, but he wasn't overly fond of the way she showed it. It seemed almost fake to him, and that she martyred herself made her even more questionable in his eyes. When he found out she became the voice of Hydaelyn he instantly detested her. He hates Hydaelyn for pulling him into all this.

Lyse he initially found loud and obnoxious, but once she grew into herself he still found her obnoxious, but understood why she is the way she is. He wants to help her and her people how he can. (Unfortunately for him, that is primarily through violence lol)

Papalymo and Moenbryda he was indifferent towards. He appreciated the help ig? Was upset when they died, but back then Han wasn't numb yet. idk ngl i don't remember much about them

Tataru is the mom friend. He's simultaneously terrified of and awed by her ruthlessness. He sends the stuff she makes him back home to Sharlayan bc he doesn't want it to get ruined. When she finds out she scolds him for it

Thancred has always creeped him out. He avoids Thancred

Urianger too

He thinks Y'shtola is a cold-hearted bitch. Her ruthlessness is different from Tataru's, and not in a positive way. He avoids her too, when he can. Unfortunately for him she's nosy and constantly in his business. Often she's the *cause* of his business

Initially he avoided Estinien too but has come to be Okay At Best with him. Guy's an asshole but not on purpose, he's just Like That. He's actually hella sweet. Just... very bad at it. They'd probably get on pretty well if they'd met *after* the dragonsong war. As they say, first impressions last

G'raha is an annoying fanboy. He continues to be annoyed by him throughout the entire story. Yes, even shadowbringers. He knew right off the exarch was this idiot catboy. For all he cares he could've stayed asleep in the tower

By the time he meets Krile he doesn't care to get to know anyone anymore. He is at best apathetic

Alisaie. He loves Alisaie to pieces. She is a sister to him. She and Tataru are the only scions he feels gives a single shit about him as a person rather than an object, and has felt that way since the beginning. He is uncomfortable with her propensity towards violence, but appreciates that she uses it solely to help. This especially shines in shadowbringers, where the light poisoning is further numbing his emotions. The only spark he really gets by that point is when he sees Alisaie

Fuck Alphinaud. If he weren't Alisaie's brother he'd probably throw him off a cliff

I know he's not a scion but Cid gets an honorable mention. Fuck him too. "You're too bloody useful" my ass (this is both my and Han's view of him lmfao)

[lilbittymonster]

hands always finding each other for estinien and kitali? 👀

Kitali lay on the thatched roof gazing up at the stars. The night sky was clear save for the patch of errant smoke from a still-burning fire that hadn’t been extinguished. Everyone was long asleep, and so it fell to her to keep vigil in the stillness of the night. A familiar routine by now. 

It had been no more than a bell past midnight by her estimation when a sudden shout followed by the sound of muffled, ragged breathing came from where Estinien had made his bed. Sitting up she looked around for sign of him, and a few minutes later he emerged from the burnt-out building. In a moment he was on the rooftop. 

“Nightmare?” she asked gently.

Estinien just nodded, breathing still uneven. Reclining beside her on the straw he stared unfocused at the heavens. “It hasn’t been this bad in years,” he quietly confessed. 

“I’d be surprised if it wasn’t,” she said as she lay back down, angling her head ever so slightly towards him.

Estinien just heaved a sigh. They lay in companionable silence, the night birds singing and insects humming placidly as though half a village hasn’t been eviscerated. 

“How many other stars do you think there are?” Estinien asked suddenly. “Like ours.”

“I know of at least six others,” Kitali mused. “There has to be more than that.”

“Aye, this First you all keep mentioning.”

“I’m surprised Alphinaud hasn’t talked your ear off about it yet,” she teased.

Estinien grunted. “Oh, he has, but it’s all been either political babbling or what I’m sure is exaggerated recounting of your battles.”

“Oh? What’s he been saying about me now?”

“Something about you devouring a world’s worth of Light aether, and you single handedly bringing back the night to the whole star, crying over killing an Ascian, something about a king of the pixies?” he rattled off. “It all sounds like a children’s faerie tale, the way he described it.”

Kitali winced and closed her eyes at the sudden burst of memory. “No, that’s……that’s actually all true.” 

He turned to look at her, eyes searching her face for a hint of jest. “All that, and you came away unscathed.”

Kitali’s mouth twitched bitterly. “I wouldn’t go that far.”

Estinien gave her a knowing, sad smile. “Of course not.” He turned once more to face the stars.

“Tell me about it,” he asked softly after a while.

“About what?” 

“Your time on the First. I want to hear it from you.”

“We’ll be here a while,” she warned. “I was there for years.”

“Then just your favorite bits.” 

Kitali smiled to herself. So many memories, good and bad alike, sprang forth in a whirl, and she had to take a moment to sort them out. 

“I arrived in this purple forest,” she began, settling in. “It didn’t feel real for the longest time, even after I had been there for months. Everything, even the grass, was the same shade of lilac. The whole forest wasn’t like that, but the part coming off the lake was. And the city was built in a sort of circle around the base of the tower. They even had an indoor garden, and a library that ran I don’t even know how deep. All shoved full of fragments of a world they’d lost.” 

Kitali felt the back of her throat tighten thinking about the look on Moren’s face whenever she’d bring him things. She took a steadying breath, and felt Estinien’s shoulder press reassuringly against her own. 

“There’s Il Mheg, home of the pixies, where a whole city flooded into a beautiful lake. You can walk right down the ruins to the lake bed and look up at the sky. It feels like I’m flying when I swim through.” Her eyes closed in recollection. “And the castle……spires covered in stained glass, with a giant pair of wings sprouting out the back of the tower. Home of the King.”

“Thancred mentioned you had made some sort of a pact with the King?”

“I did. I killed the old one, who had become the Lightwarden, and pixie tradition demands that the new King be the slayer of the old. But, since I’m not a pixie and won’t live forever, Feo Ul took my place.”

“And Feo Ul is……”

“Feo Ul is the pixie who took it upon themself to be my guide in the First,” Kitali explained. “Gods know why.”

“How many more pacts will you make?” Estinien wondered, half joking. “Nidhogg, Midgardsormr, Hraesvelgr, a pixie king, Hydaelyn herself…”

Kitali shrugged. “Hell if I know. Not like I go around asking for patrons.”

She felt his fingers interlace with hers, and she idly stroked her thumb back and forth over his knuckles as she continued talking.

“...and the leaves and branches grow so thick it was almost like night underneath them. And I could leap between island and branch easy as walking. I don’t think we’d ever have to touch the ground-”

She looked over and saw that he had fallen asleep. His breathing was shallow and even, all traces of worry and scowl smoothed from his features. It was such a rare sight that she was momentarily struck speechless.

“I wish I could take you there,” she continued softly. “Maybe I’ll ask Feo Ul to make us a dream. We deserve pleasant dreams for once.”

Unresolved feelings prompts

[cinnabun-faerie]

Estinien x Injured!WoL Headcannons

A/N: Originally, this was written with Estinien going through the 5 stages of grief (as he was convinced that the WoL died) but decided to rewrite it in a happier light.

General FFXIV Masterlist ↳ here

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

You were very dear to him

might as well say that you were the apple of his eye

the center of his world

so as you can imagine, his heart sinks when he sees an attack coming your way

you were turned away from it

and he was sure that he wouldn't make it to you in time

he sees you get hit and fall to the ground unmoving

he's never been more reckless in his life

he races towards you, taking down everything and anything in his path

he has to get you away from the battle

he takes you into his arms with no thought

he panics as he you don't respond to him

you're not breathing

you couldn't be dead

you have survived everything thus far

you always were able to bounce back

Urianger rushes him to bring you to somewhere safe so he could try to heal you

"Why isn't it working? I'll bring Y'shtola and Alphinaud-"

he wants to stay by your side but Urianger shoos him away

he goes back to the battle with a new rage

he doesn't even think as he takes out his enemies

after he goes back to see how you're doing, he finds out that you're alive

a huge weight lifts from his chest

he goes to see you and finds you asleep

he promises to take care of you and protect you

when you're awake, he asks how you are

he's not obvious at all

what with his reactions to your every moment or your hisses of pain

Estinien has never been more on edge his whole life

wherever you need to go, he'll take you

he has no problem with carrying you

he doesn't understand why your face is so red

"ESTINIEN! PUT ME DOWN!"

"Can you walk? Last I heard you tried standing up and ended up falling. Rebroke bones that were healing."

"Fair point."

"Until you recover fully, I'll take you anywhere you need to go."

he changes your bandages everyday

not to mention he makes sure you've got the food, water and medicines you needs

he basically lives in your room

he has to make sure you don't get hurt again

Not on his watch anyways

if you got hurt in the presence of another, he would not be happy about that

honestly all this time he was taking care of you, both of you had gotten closer

you found out so much about his past that he didn't tell anyone

and he found out things about you that you tended not to share

it became a comfort to have him by your side

it wouldn't be far fetched to say that you had a new appreciation for him

and maybe some deeper feelings

When the other Scions tell you about another battle, you're ready to go

y'know, forgetting about your injuries and everything

Estinien puts his foot down and tells you that you're not going to be getting involved

honestly even when you do recover fully, he's hesitant to let you fight

or well do anything

when you ask him to help you train again, he agrees but goes a bit easier on you

you have to sit him down and talk about it

and actually tell him that you're okay and that you'd be more careful from now on

he trusts in you

as you do in him

and you thank him for taking care of you

giving him a kiss on the cheek

his face turns red and his eyes widen

"I won't go easy on you now, Y/N."

"I'd expect nothing less."

[dragons-bones]

FFXIV Write Entry #23: Flamecrafting

Prompt: soul || Master Post || On AO3

Sequel to my FFXIV Write 2019 fill “To Tend the Flame.” Arcanima headcanons GO! (These were developed with fellow arcanima nerd @chaemera, and the Arcanists’ Guild Inkmaster mentioned herein is his, used with permission. ♥)

TIMELINE NOTE: Set after Amh Araeng.

--

Ryne slid into the suite, closing the door behind her with a soft click, just in time to see Synnove drag her hands down her face and groan out, “Please just end me.”

The arcanist’s Pendants suite was a disaster, to Ryne’s wide eyes: nearly every surface was covered with paper scribbled upon in various colored inks, what little free space there was given over to bottles and partially-filled mortars and bags full of strange sands, quills and graphite sticks, and tools she didn’t have names for. The room smelled of stale coffee and unwashed bodies, and she wrinkled her nose. Perhaps she should have come with dry shampoo instead of food.

Synnove, Urianger, Alphinaud, and Alisaie were scattered throughout the suite; Synnove sat at the main table in the middle, Galette asleep around her neck, head now in her hands, her braids a frayed disaster. Urianger and Alisaie were seated cross-legged on the floor, rifling through papers and apparently attempting to put them into some sort of order, Urianger dressed down in an old shirt and slacks and Alisaie in a tank and shorts. Alphinaud was on the bench, cross-legged too and positioned sideways, a lap desk balanced on his moonstone carbuncle loafed next to him, a streak of blue-black ink staining his cheek and the tip of his ear. Glancing around, Ryne finally spotted Tyr (stretched out on the only clear spot on the bed, snoring, and covered in papers) and Ivar (hanging halfway out of the woodfire oven, hind end first, tails slack on the floor).

“Only if thou endeth me first,” Urianger said. The bruises under his eyes were enormous.

Ryne tiptoed through the mess, carefully finding free spots between the papers, and into the kitchenette. She ruthlessly shoved a handful of mortars on the table to the side to make room for the tray she was carrying, and set it down before stepping over to the oven and shoving Ivar inside. The carbuncle warbled out a sleepy thaaaaaaaaaanks in her mind as she picked up the poker to stir up the embers into a proper blaze, then she shut the door behind him as he curled up for a nap.

She returned to the tray, picking up two plates of sandwiches, and wove her way over to Synnove first, setting the roast ovim sandwich right beneath her face on the table, and then going over to Alphinaud to shove the rail sandwich beneath his nose. The young man accepted the plate automatically and blinked owlishly at it for a few long moments before he picked up one half and began devouring it with single-minded determination. A crab salad sandwich for Urianger, and another roast ovim for Alisaie (though hers sported alfafa sprouts rather than the lettuce and tomato on Synnove’s), and Ryne plopped unceremoniously into the chair next to Synnove. Galette woke up just long enough to ooze off her summoner and into Ryne’s lap.

“I take it the Demi-Phoenix array is going poorly?” she said, gently gathering the emerald carbuncle up into one arm and stroking her ears with the opposite hand.

Four groans echoed throughout the suite.

“The array itself was actually fairly simple,” Alisaie said around a mouthful of sandwich. Urianger shifted his foot to kick her shin reprovingly, but she ignored him. “Comparatively. Still took us two days to piece it together, and another three to map out from three-dimensions to two.”

Ryne had seen the full three-dimensional array, drawn to the suite along with the other Warriors of Darkness, Thancred, and Y’shtola at the cacophony of mad, exhausted laughter that echoed from it. Synnove’s hands had been raised, fingers twitching to rotate the aetheric model on an invisible axis; the planned array had nearly filled the suite, made of interlocking circles and two- and three-dimensional shapes that ran the gamut from the recognizable to the not and equations, some of those shapes equations themselves. It had been beautiful, everything a flickering red-to-orange-to-yellow-to-white like the fire in a hearth, and tucking herself into the corner to get a better look, she could faintly see the entire display had had an overall shape to it: a great bird, wings outstretched to brush the walls.

It had also been the last she’d seen of them for the next six days.

“It is, in fact,” Alphinaud was saying, drawing her back to the present, “everything else.”

“End meeeeeee,” Synnove whined, finally picking up her sandwich and biting into it. The bags under her own eyes were as ugly as Urianger’s.

“Tell me, Ryne: what doth thou remember of the requirements for creating an arcanist’s grimoire?” Urianger said, peering around the edge of the table to better catch her eye.

She nibbled her lower lip as she thought; it had been a very long time since that impromptu lesson at the Bookman’s Shelves. “The three most important things,” she said slowly, “are the paper, the ink, and the marginalia for page-blocks.”

All four mages nodded.

Synnove swallowed her bite and sighed. “We are running into the problem of all three. We’re dreadfully undersupplied; if there was an arcanima tradition on the First, it didn’t survive the Flood, so there we have to make our own ink and paper. Ink is the easiest of the two, of course, but that’s still not without its problems because of material and purity…” She huffed angrily and took another bite of her sandwich.

“Paper is currently the worst,” Alisaie muttered. “Fiber content, weave, precision of the cut, all of which have to be carefully tailored for the arrays being copied to best hold the magic stable and inert when it’s not being channeled, never mind prevent the grimoire from turning into a bomb should something be damaged. The best kinds of grimoire paper aren’t made on the First.”

“Resource scarcity,” said Ryne automatically. “Either the materials don’t exist anymore, or are too valuable to waste on experimentation.”

“Aye, and none of us are masters of the art,” Urianger said, sighing ruefully. “Even if we were in possession of the proper materials, our efforts likely would be for naught.”

“And…that’s leading into the problem with the marginalia?” Ryne said, still petting Galette. The carbuncle was now purring in her sleep. “Without the proper inks and paper, you can’t test the page blocks you’ll need to keep the Demi-Phoenix array segregated from all the others?”

“Bingo,” Synnove said, another heavy sigh escaping her, and reached up to massage her chest directly over her heart. “Rereha actually volunteered to head home and badger the Mealvaan’s Gate Inkmaster on our behalf to see if he had any ideas, or send us a ream of paper. We’ve hit a dead end with the examples we have on hand.”

“We’ve been beating our heads against the proverbial wall in the meantime to see if might stumble across a solution with little luck,” said Alphinaud, leaning back against the couch arm and stretching out his legs to shove beneath his carbuncle. She twitched an ear at him. “At least once it’s all sorted, recopying everything won’t be so tedious with four of us working on it, but…” He shrugged half-heartedly.

The latch on the door creaked, and they all looked up to see Y’shtola poke her into the suite. “Hello, everyone,” she said, eyebrow quirking up. “Still at it, I see.”

A mixture of groans and sighs greeted her.

The miqo’te’s expression turned wicked and she said, in the tone of someone who had needled her friends about this before just to get a rise from them, “Doesn’t a time like this make you wish for a standardized array system that would play nice with a printing press?”

Alphinaud, Alisaie, and Synnove lurched up as Urianger jumped to his feet and lunged for the door. “Thou art a HEATHEN!” he roared, before he was tackled to the floor with an angry yell by his three compatriots. Ryne hurried over, Galette still in her arms, to drop down and sit on Urianger’s back cross-legged. The elezen growled out curses she pretended not to hear, but he refrained from struggling beneath their combined weight since it would mean damaging the papers under him.

Y’shtola laughed, and winked at Ryne. She grinned back, and the miqo’te vanished with a click of the door.

The four of them eventually let Urianger up, and he sighed heavily before carefully pushing himself off the floor. “There are better methods to ensure my blood doth continue to circulate as normal,” he grumbled.

“Not as funny, though,” Alisaie said with a smirk, and ducked his attempt to ruffle her hair.

It was as they were reorganizing the loose-leaf pages and smoothing them to flat that both doors to the suite burst open, revealing Rereha and an upheld travel bag in her hands. “I return, victorious and with loot!” she cried out.

Synnove, Urianger, and the twins, were only prevented from surging towards the lalafell by Ryne pointedly clearing her throat. All four of them rocked back into their seats.

Rereha sauntered into the suite, kicking the doors shut behind her, and came over to the table, hopping up onto a chair to stand on and depositing her pack on the tabletop. She threw open the flap and reached in—too far in to be possible; it must be one of the bags Synnove had installed with a void storage metafold—to remove first a small rectangular case made of metal, and then a much larger one in the same material, a little bigger than one of Synnove or Alphinaud’s grimoires. Synnove took the smaller case, undoing the latches and flipping it open.

Every stray hair on each of their heads stood upright.

“Oh, damn,” Synnove breathed. “He sent us the good shite.”

Ryne peered over curiously. Nestled inside five pockets of crushed velvet were an equal number of large vials, each sealed with wax. The glass of each vial was clear, but the ink within them was so dark that she couldn’t tell if each was true black or another color so saturated it might as well have been. But she could sense the weight of the magic distilled into these inks, and she knew that was what made them special.

Alphinaud made a noise like a man first seeing water after days in the desert without it. Synnove snorted, but slid the case towards him, and he clutched at it greedily before removing a vial to examine closely.

Alisaie was opening the larger case, and she swore violently. “There isn’t paper like this in the Studium,” she said, Urianger looking over her shoulder. The red mage picked up a sheet, holding it up to the light, and swore again. “Gods,” she said, “is this linen? And silk?!”

Synnove reached out to grip the corner of the sheet between her thumb and forefinger and rub for a few moments, frowning thoughtfully. “Yes,” she said slowly, then grimaced. “Oh, I am going to owe him so many favors when I get home.”

(For a moment, Ryne thought she saw a flash of worried grief cross Urianger’s face, but it was gone so quickly she dismissed it as a figment of her imagination.)

“How much is in there?” Synnove continued.

“Two reams!”

“And I have another case of it, plus ink supplies and the recipe,” Rereha said smugly, then pointed her finger in Synnove’s face accusingly. “You never said the Inkmaster was a male viera! The hells!”

It took Ryne a moment to remember that viera was the Source name for viis while Synnove batted the finger out of her face. “It wasn’t important,” the hyur said mildly. “It has no bearing on his skills or knowledge—well, all right, some. He’s probably forgotten more ink recipes than the rest of the Guild combined can name.”

Rereha huffed and rocked back on her heels. “For someone that waifish, he is also terrifying,” she said. “One of the aetherochem people came in with their proverbial tail tucked between their legs with a grimoire in hand that had its spine broken.”

Synnove, Urianger, Alisaie, and Alphinaud all collectively hissed.

“Nerds, all of you,” the bard said. Ryne giggled, and Rereha pointed to her and added, “Not you, you’re an angel.”

“Well, there’s enough paper and ink to waste on marginalia practice now,” Alphinaud said, still hungrily examining the ink vial in his hand. “Which pattern do we want to start with?”

As the discussion quickly devolved into arcanima technicalities, and Rereha threw her hands up in disgust, Ryne sat back in her chair, dozing carbuncle in her lap, and smiled.

[katewalker]

don’t look it’s just a little self-indulgent thing i had to get out of my mind

Pernille was lost in her thoughts. Another Primal was no good news, but they did not have another choice than prepare themselves for the next day and fight. They had investigated at the Nonmind Gnath’s settlement all afternoon before coming back to Tailfeather where Marcechamp had a small hut prepared for them. The Gnath tribe was no doubt the key to defeat the belligerent deity they refused to worship.

Pernille became aware of Estinien’s presence. She heard more than saw him entering the cabin, before he came sitting next to her at their small round table. He laid his spear against the nearby wall before removing his helmet, long white hair cascading down his square shoulders and his fringe in disarray flopping on his forehead. The heavy muffled thump of the metal piece on the wood table made her jump, bringing her mentally back to the place with him. His annoyed sigh made her know exactly about what he was going to complain.

“She really is impossible,” he declared in a petulant voice.

Pernille chanced a look at the sleeping body of Alphinaud, the poor boy was exhausted after the last days of travel they endured. Estinien’s little tantrum thankfully did not wake the young Elezen up.

“Alphinaud’s fast asleep. Let’s talk outside.” He had the decency to look apologetic looking at the boy.

She went to sit against the small parapet near the river. Estinien joined her, standing rigid next to her.

"I thought we agreed yesterday to no more argument with Lady Ysayle," Pernille said softly, looking at the water. The current was softly taking away two small frogs on a branch. They looked happy, as far as frogs could be, she guessed. They didn't have the future of an entire continent weighing on their back. He only huffed for an answer.

"For the sake of our mission as well as Alphinaud's, I advise you to soften your tongue. Your spear is the only weapon needing to be sharp."

His next huff sounded amused. He approached the parapet and sat on it. Pernille looked at him, his eyes already on her.

"Why are you so keen on defending her? She is blinded by the wyrms' lies. You can't ignore the probability of her betraying us."

"She wants to end this peacefully. I'm no Ishgardian, but did you ever thought about how maybe the both of you have been mislead regarding the causes of this war?" She brought back her knees to her chest before resting her head against them, looking away. Her father never talked about Ishgard, she understood why after she entered the Saint City. She had wondered more than once if he would have been a different man, had he not grew up there.

She sighed, breaking the silence and turned her head, searching the face of the Azure Dragoon. He was still looking at her, his arms crossed against his chest.

"She's lonely. And she's sincere. We have our differences, but she will not betray us. Trust me on this. I know the feeling all too well." Pernille saw the smallest smile tugging at Estinien’s lips.

"Sir Haurchefant was right about you. You truly are something else, Warrior of Light."

Pernille blushed, both at his smile and at Haurchefant's mention, but she ignored the comment and stood up before him.

"I guess I cannot prevent the both of you to argue again during the rest of our mission, but please do try. At least for Alphinaud. He's been through too much for a someone so young." Without thinking she placed her long fingers against his armored clad forearm. "Try to get some rest."

She left him there and joined the bed next to her young companion, before checking if he was still fast asleep. She closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep when she heard Estinien coming back to the cabin.

[millymitsubachi]

Self indulgent fanfiction with my avatar I’d intended to enter into a FFXIV writing challenge but took too long to finish 2, electric boogaloo

     Alphinaud had, for some godsforsaken reason, wanted to prove that he did in fact have enough upper body strength to move his own luggage out of the boat they'd shared to the island without assistance. The boy wrenched his back almost immediately, crumbling faster than an Ascian-sabotaged civilization. His camping companions - the former Azure Dragoon and the now almost repulsively famous Warrior of Light - then betrayed their suffering invalid friend and ditched him to meddle in all manner of their host's farming work that the boy was too distracted by his wrenched back to point out didn't make for much of a "vacation"; they were too accustomed to nonstop crisis to relax. Meteor’s vieran brother-in-arms Felix quickly gave up trying to stop them, instead electing simply to hang back and hand out snacks as needed. For the compromised elezen child he brewed a tea tonic meant to help with muscle pain. Alphinaud took a few sips of it and flopped down under the cover of his host's forest hut for a nap that lasted several hours - one never knew how one would react to vieran herbal remedies.

     A cacophony of frustrated bleating finally snapped him awake. The tea now sat cold and bitter, forgotten for too long on the top step of his host's beach side work shop, and reheated periodically by well intended mammets until the contents had steeped into the spitting image of recently stirred swamp water. Noticing how much the sun had moved during his medicine induced coma, Alphinaud had little doubt that drinking it at its current potency would likely end with him promptly rejoined to the lifestream, and he got up - noting with relief how much more easily his back moved - to find a discreet place to dump it. A loud whoop to his right sent him scurrying back up the steps of the hut. He watched Meteor zip past flanked by Felix's three sons, all with a protesting sheep under each arm, thundering up the hill towards the animal pen and Felix following slowly behind them, calling them hooligans. Mystified, he followed the viera patriarch up the dirt road to see Estinien with shears in one hand and mired in a fussy clump of recently contained sheep, to which the "hooligans" quickly added their recovered runaways before scooping up some recently filled bags of wool and jetting off back down the hill towards the mammet workshop.

I have to still be asleep, he thought.

"Close your mouth before something builds a nest in it, child. How fare you?"

He turned to see Felix settling in to a hastily assembled work station at the edge of the field, packing all the shorn wool into fresh sacks he had brought up with him from the workshop. He beckoned him over.

"I forget how potent those herbs can be, I apologize. But a growing boy needs the rest, I suppose."

Alphinaud nodded absently, his eyes locked on Estinien's work. The dragoon nudged his head slightly in the boy's direction in acknowledgement of his presence without pausing, gaze narrowing pensively. Go on, I dare you, it said - make a smart comment. Not deeming further potential injury worth the temporary satisfaction of teasing his cantankerous friend, Alphinaud simply smiled and waved in return. He’d thought Meteor had been joking when he mentioned the dragoon’s shepherding experience.

"You have quite the little enterprise here. Where, may I ask, did they all come from, and where is all this going?" He motioned around at the milling beasts and ever growing stack of wool sheets.

"The sheep escaped a shipwreck, as I understand it, and have been living here with no one to care for them for some time - I got them along with the island, as no one had come to claim them. They are not wild, and must be shorn lest the wool grow out of control. It was -" he hauled another hefty sheet of wool up from the ground where Estinien had lobbed it over his shoulder, "far past that point, as you can see. They were struggling to even move. The mammets will wash what is here. That Fortamps boy seemed convinced Francel would be, ah... 'drooling over the prospect' of purchasing some."

"That stands to reason. Anything to keep warm in Ishgard would be a godssend. Or even Garlemald..." Both fell silent for a beat at mention of Eorzea's former national nemesis, still slowly clawing it's way back from crisis. Vacation, we are on vacation, leave it alone - Alphinaud shook himself and forced a smile.

"And what has our Emmanelain been up to lately?"

"Costa del Sol. Said he was 'networking' for Francel. Might even have actually been doing so with Lord Charlemend along. Just in time for Moonfire Fair."

Count Charlemend Durendaire was as heartwarmingly fervent in his desire to revitalize his home kingdom as he was fervently filled to disciplined bursting with traditional Ishgardian distaste for any flavor of debauchery. Imagining that honorable personage and his craggy, purse-lipped frown surrounded by half-naked grog gorged beach-goers clambering all over (and mostly falling off of) the traditional Moonfire obstacle course - oh, what would Halone think? To say nothing of what Felix and Meteor had been wearing when they went. Which was to say, not very much, and what was there had been very form-fitting, and likely to send Charlemend into an apoplectic fit were he to espy two heroes of the Dragonsong War wandering around in such.

"Oh my, I'm sure the good Count found that quite stimulating. I can't imagine he approved of seeing you two there in your skivvies."

"His reaction surprised me a bit, in fact."

"Oh?"

"Yes, he said I was a... I think I've heard young folk call it being a 'snack'" The Viera mumbled, still mostly focused on the wool.

Alphinaud's eyebrows flitted up into the bushy cover of his bangs like a pair of startled birds. "Wh-come again?" That couldn't be right - maybe he'd misunderstood some slang?

"Well, he, ah... compared me to food, I think. Called me something, you know - those little fried dumpling things. A... coquette?"

Alphinaud spun his gaze over the fence at a wheezy teakettle sound from the sheep pen. Estinien's relentless shearing had pulled to an abrupt halt, his shoulders bobbing slightly, and the boy realized that quietly piercing noise was coming out of him. The half shaved sheep he'd been working on tried taking advantage of the distraction to wriggle away but its lanky captor dragged it back and straddled it, bringing his face into the pair's view while he tried to get the animal back under control. He'd pursed his lips firmly against whatever fit had overtaken him, his ear-tips bright red with the effort.

"Aye, Ishgard's certainly fried a fair share of 'coquettes' in its time," He snorted out. Then, slightly under his breath, "Or tossed them down the Witchdrop."

"Estinien!"

"That's a waste of food," Felix rumbled disapprovingly.

This time the sheep got away.

[dainty-baneberry]

9. Yawn

She could not get her armor off. It occurred to Dainty, as she stood in the middle of her chambers at the Baldesion Annex in Sharlayan that she should have considered this. She then instantly decided that no, she was mostly unconscious after getting beaten to high hell by the Endsinger and a suicidal Zenos in rapid succession. This was Alphinaud and Alisaie’s fault for not considering taking her Twelve Damned bloody armor off before sewing her damned innards back together with magic. Annoyingly, incredibly annoyingly for as prideful a woman as Dainty was, she was going to have to ask for help. The thought made her physically cringe and she huffed about it to herself for more than a few seconds. Another thought occurred to her. Who, exactly, to ask? Cid was her first choice, naturally, since the man had already seen her naked plenty of times but she quickly discounted that. The Garlond Ironworks were currently asleep at the Baldesion Annex at G’raha Tia’s insistence. Cid, Biggs, Nero and Wedge had stayed up almost a full 24 hours complete to assist Kokkol Dankkol in preparing the Ragnarok hastily enough to avert the end of the planet. If anyone deserved a nice light coma, other than the Scions of the Seventh Dawn themselves, it was the Ironworks.

The list of Scions that had ever worn armor and could be trusted to get hers off her without reopening her wounds was not a long one. 

At least 2 of them Dainty instantly discounted because she did not trust them not to take her request the wrong way. She had not the energy to explain this moment of vulnerability was entirely unwilling on her part. Which left only… Dainty painfully  raised her fingers to her Linkshell, worn on a small clip behind her auri horns as she did not possess true ears. She could get her hand no higher than that and certainly could not reach the majority of the buckles that kept her armor on. “Estinien.” A pronounced yawn greeted her and a grumpy sounding; “Wot?” Dainty took no offense. 

She’d be right heated if someone was bothering her via Linkshell right now too however she had no choice in the matter. “My armor needs to come off. I am standing only due to the prodigious healing abilities of a pair of teenagers. It ain’t me what's capable of removing it.” There was a long pause followed by a significantly less grumpy sounding; “Understood.” “Why Dainty, you almost sounded like you were asking for help.” Y’Shtola’s rich voice, full of both affection and concern came through Dainty’s linkshell proving that at least one other Scions was yet awake to hear her request. Y’Shtola had been conversing with Ejika and a yawning Tartaru when Dainty had departed for her room. Dainty completely ignored this, instead hauling herself painfully over to the door to admit Estinien Varlineau who appeared promptly. He was yawning again as he entered, having removed his own armor and been only a minute or two away from removing the linkshell when Dainty summoned him. Pale grey hair white hair loosed from the leather thonging he kept it restrained in.

“Can you lift yer arms above the shoulder.” Estinien questioned. Dainty shook her head and he gave a begrudging nod; “Are you wearing anything beneath that?” “Small clothes…. Barely.” Estinien gave a snort of amusement; “Could be worse.” “I could be Aymeric?” Dainty suggested as Estinien moved behind her for the first layer of buckles that were keeping her armored pauldrons on. “Told you about that, did he?” Estinien commented, long deft fingers making light work of the fasteners. “Round aboutly. He mentioned once of a shared training squad only 2 of which managed to return home after a dragon attack…. Oooh…finally.” Dainty groaned in relief beside herself as the heavy weight was lifted from her shoulders. Estinien’s eyes widened, taking in the bruises on the pale skin exposed. She scales at her shoulders standing out almost white against the blues and purples that painted her skin. Dainty’s armor was still hiding most of it but those on her shoulders clearly extended all the way down her back. Estinien had no small amount of experience when it came to battle wounds and recognized what this signified instantly. She was still internally bleeding. One hand went for his Linkshell as the other groped for the brass links at the back of Dainty’s armor. “Alphinaud! Get to Dainty’s room now!” “No!” Dainty protested but was soundly ignored by the Elezen man to who repeated louder; “Alphinaud!” “Ejika will rouse him. I am coming.” Y’Shtola answered and within seconds Dainty could hear a door slam and footfalls come sprinting down the stone corridor of the Baldesion Annex. “Twelve bloody…” Dainty began but was swiftly cut off by Estinien forcibly lifting one arm to get to the buckles beneath. 

Agony lancing up her spine from the movement. She hissed a breath in through her teeth, feeling her knees go weak at it but she remained on her feet even as the leather strapping was pulled away and the same movements repeated on the other side. The door to the room pushed open to admit Y’Shtola and Tataru, the lalafellian gasped and her hands instantly flew to her mouth as Estinien got the strapping portion of Dainty’s armor undone and removed the entire chest piece in one go. “Oh!...Dainty!” The Scions had told Tataru that Dainty had taken some damage but she’d been up on her feet and walking when the Ragnarok landed, smiling and laughing even. Tataru struggled to reconcile that Dainty she had seen not 2 hours earlier with this one, whose entire rib section was painted in ghastly yellows and purples. Alphinaud, clumsily grappling with his sage’s weapon and Alisaie at his heels, followed soon after the others, Alisaie summing up the situation with a rather succinct;

“Hells!” 

She saw instantly as Estinien had, that that level of bruising was not correct and spoke of a deeper issue within the auri’s flesh. “When I asked if you could stand, Dainty, you might have mentioned this!” Alphinaud’s voice was probably more scolding than it ought to have been in his slight panic. He and his twin instantly set upon Dainty with the same healing spells they had used to tend her on the Ragnarok. “I could not speak of what I did not know.” Dainty retorted waspishly. 

This was wholly unnecessary. She would have healed. She only needed her armor off and a solid night's sleep. The Blessing of Light would have taken care of the rest. “Can I be of assistance in any way?” Y’Shtola questioned Estinien as the tall Elezen man bent to work on removing Dainty’s greaves. “Aye. Light would help, the latches at the thighs are always unbearably tiny.” A lantern came swiftly to Y’Shtola’s hand, there were several in the room and she did her best to position it so that it would cast some light down into what were essentially the armored thigh boots Dainty currently still wore. The auri warrior gritted her teeth both in annoyance and discomfort as fingers were pushed against her tender flesh in order to get to some stubborn snaps.

The fact that Dainty wore very little beneath her armor was noticed by no one as Estinien finally removed the last of the metal on her body. 

Her meager small clothes were reddened with her own blood, distracting thought of all else. 

It was dried, Y’shtola noted thankfully as she glanced closer with the lantern, proving the skill of the Twins and the strength of the healing spells they had woven around her on the return from Ultima Thule. “That should be the last of it needed.” Alphinaud spoke at last. “Well done you two.” Tataru enthused as Alisaie and Alphinaud stepped back and she could clearly see Dainty once more. The bruising from Dainty’s skin was now gone, restoring it to its usual tanned flesh colour, her pale  Raen auri scales no longer standing out vividly. Dainty had to admit a large amount of the pain that manifested at the removal of her armor and it no longer supporting her battered body had faded thanks to the Twins’ handiwork. Even if it was entirely unneeded, she could not discount that she would sleep better, no longer at risk of shocking herself awake with pain until her midsection was fully healed. “Right. You to your bed.” Y’Shtola ordered Dainty, swiftly taking charge before a sense of “what now” could settle in. She knew the auri’s arrogance and that Dainty had barely tolerated this and would absolutely not tolerate being gawked at further now that the emergency was over.

Even if Y’shtola did not necessarily agree with Dainty’s pride at times she was sensitive to it as it was similar to her own. “The rest of us, to our own.” “You won’t hear me complain.” Alisaie agreed, barely stifling a yawn that seemed to come from nowhere, her adrenaline spike deserting her. “And do not even think of locking that door.” Y’Shtola warned Dainty with slightly narrowed, lightless grey eyes. “Since when have I ever cared if someone might witness me sleeping?” Dainty returned as the small group began to troupe out. She’d not earned the nickname “Dozey Baneberry” unfairly. Estinien paused at the doorway to give Dainty one last look, a silent question between two that were cut from the same cloth. If she needed additional assistance from him a slight raising of her eyes was all she would need to do and he would double back once the others had departmented. Instead Dainty turned her back to them in favour of pulling back her bedsheets. Full glad that none had taken umbrage with her climbing into her clean bed in dirty small clothes.   She did not care. The sheets could be washed tomorrow.

[whitherliliesbloom]

weaving the present, illuminating the future

[ ffxivwrite2021 ] ★ [ masterlist ] ★ [ prompt #30 - abstracted ]

[ illya & friends ] ★ [ 2,849 words ]  ★ [ streamers au ]

modern / streamers / online celebrities au where the spud squad are all popular streamers who frequently collab together. centers around illya and kaye mainly, but briefly mentions a bunch of other friends and illyanaud.

abstracted- withdrawn in mind, inattentive to one's surroundings

the spud squad announce their indefinite hiatus right after releasing their one year anniversary single, and illya cannot help but to feel just a tad bit melancholic.

Illya hasn’t bothered checking her notifications, or looked at either her computer screen or mobile phone, really. The sounds of ping after ping on linkcord, text after text and the flood of new tweets mentioning the one tag she followed on twitter easily made her overwhelmed - and so she’d opted to switch her devices off entirely before burying herself under the covers for the evening, trying desperately to distract herself with a copy of a manhwa that she’d borrowed from Laurelis. 

But it was futile, her head is empty and heavy, yet swirling with a myriad of many emotions all at the same time. And after feebly reading and re-reading the same page over and over only to realize she hadn’t been paying attention to the contents of the book at all, she closed the manhwa shut with a heavy sigh before closing her eyes, praying to the heavens that exhaustion would lull her quickly to sleep.

Outsiders would merely assumed she was simply nervous from the release of their newest single, Ultramarine Hymn, a collaboration between the members of their massively popular streamer group made in celebration for their one year anniversary. They’d prepared for months, working together with a widely renowned music composer and even performing live on stage with a set of professional make up artists, producers and videographers to film their first ever music video.

For everyone barring Mint, it’d been their first time ever singing and dancing for a large audience online. While the experience had been undoubtedly fun, it was still their first real exposure doing anything of such professionalism and scale- and so her flat mate Kaye wasn’t surprised at all to find her shaking like a leaf as she sat next to him on the couch just several minutes prior to the premier of the video.

While the premier of their first music video was indeed a good half of the reason why Illya felt so out of sorts and nervous for the rest of the night up until sunrise, the true reason for the melancholy she bore in her heart came from the announcement that was posted right after the release of the music video, and it’d kept her awake for a good portion of the late night until she mercifully fell asleep, clutching the lavender purple ribbon she’d worn in the music video tightly in her hands.

The spud squad was going to go on an indefinite hiatus shortly after the release of Ultramarine Hymn - a result of an eight months long business trip Kaye had been assigned on as a professional programmer. Streaming and being something of an internet celebrity was never the man’s main source of income, so it’d be unwise of him to turn down the golden opportunity to further his career in favor of staying behind to continue streaming. 

Naturally, Lily was going to move overseas with him as well - and while she has made it clear to her audience that she will continue streaming whenever she could afford the free time to, the radically different time zones between Eorzea and Doma meant it’d be difficult to participate in anymore spud squad activities - at least until she and Kaye would return.

Mint too, announced that she’d been preoccupied with practicing for auditions into several professional idol management companies... and while Illya herself isn’t as busy as the other three, juggling between helping with business at her mother’s florist, studying for an entrance exam into a medical school and streaming on top of that has become quite a hectic endeavor. 

Thus with much reluctance, the six of them came to a consensus and decided to announce their indefinite hiatus, a news that they’d hoped would sit well with their impressively large audience of fans if it came with the release of a music video to remember them by.

Illya knew that it was a necessary change of process - that new doors are being opened for each of them and it was only right for them to seize the opportunity to chase their dreams. Deep inside, Illya truly did feel overjoyed for her friends, loved them all with of her heart so much that the hiatus was but a small fraction of the cost to pay in exchange for their happiness.

But that didn’t mean there wasn’t a hint of melancholy and bitter sweetness within that earnest joy and cause for celebration. None of the six of them knew when they’d next be able to work on something like this again, or if they’d even find the time in the future to work together again at all. It was perhaps because of their shared understanding - that unspoken sadness between all of them that they’d agreed to prepare something special to celebrate one year of their collaboration - a song that spoke of hope and a brighter future. 

‘The more you give up, the more regrets await you.’

By the time the sun rose, accompanied by the shining of morning light through her pastel pink curtains and the melodic chirping of birds nesting upon the wisteria tree just outside her window, her phone has been assaulted with a mountain of unchecked notifications that she dreaded to sort through. 

The girl knew she couldn’t possibly keep her phone locked and switched off forever, and so she’d booted it up after washing up in the shared bathroom, before walking out of her bedroom, staring down at her screen with a light frown.

The smell of fried bacon wafts through the apartment. The sound of sizzling oil intermingles with Hazel’s cheery singing, and Illya takes the time to open the latch of her enclosure, allowing the little sparrow to flutter about the living room until it settled peacefully next to the potted sunflowers that sat upon the window sills of the kitchen, watching the raven haired man flipping eggs effortlessly with a flick of the frypan. 

“Good morning, Kaye. Thank you for making breakfast, again.” Greeting with an ever bright smile, Illya sits herself down at her designated seat at the dining table upon a bright floral cushion, watching as the man turns his head back for a moment before returning his attention to the stove. 

“It’s Sunday, so it’s my turn. You don’t gotta thank me.” He walks over to the dining table to dump the steaming hot sunny side ups and crispy bacon onto their plates, cups of orange juice already poured and waiting, which Illya takes into her hand to take a quick sip out of.

“You checked eorzeatube and twitter yet?” The young man asks as he sets the frypan down, gesturing towards the phone in her hands.

“N-no... Is it urgent?”

“Not really, no.” Kaye raises an eyebrow, sitting himself down and jabbing a fork into his bacon. “But aren’t you curious about how the music video did?”

“I-I am... A little, I suppose... but-” 

Her stammer gives her away her listlessness, and Kaye shoots the girl a furrowed scowl and a frown. 

“Is somethin’ botherin’ you?” The man asks, and Illya’s lips curl upwards into a wide, deceptively warm smile.

“Just nervous is all.. What if the fans didn’t like it?” it wasn’t a complete lie, though not the total truth, but Illya was always exceptionally talented at hiding her negative emotions, and Kaye seems to buy it enough to slump back against the back rest of his chair and toss the bacon into his awaiting mouth, chewing quietly and swallowing before speaking.

“You won’t know till you see for yourself.” 

It’s an unfortunate reality that he’s right, and Illya finally gives in and taps onto the icon for the twitter app, waiting for the timeline feed to load before her star spangled violet eyes widen in complete disbelief.

99+ notifications, an equally unbearable amount of private messages in her inbox as well as the first tweet literally being about the music video - Moth’ir’s retweet of their short promotional video from their official spud squad twitter account, which has garnered over 40 thousand likes and 10 thousand retweets.

#spudsquad and #ultramarinehymn are trending, and Illya gives in to her curiosity enough to tap on the tags and scroll through the tweets.

cosplaycon2022 hype!!! @/oracleoflight  • 18h  my good friend illya and her friends #spudsquad just released #ultramarine hymn and it’s so so so good!!! please give it a watch!! 

EEEEEEEEEE @/driftinintiawind  • 18h @/academician you didn’t tell me your gf was an idol bro???? GOOD SHIT #ultramarinehymn

 pink is JUSTICE @/rosepinkcutie  • 17h OHHHHH I’m goihng to cwyg #ultramarinehymn made me cryuy. iT’S SO GOOD...... #spudsquad i LOVE YOU

Alphinaud @/academician  • 17h Do give your support to #spudsquad ‘s new music video, #ultramarinehymn ! They’ve worked very hard on it!

soliriii @/windupsunshine  • 17h thank you #spudsquad for all the joy you’ve given me for the past year!! what a way to celebrate <3 #ultramarinehymn

hien’s booty @/floortank   • 16h  HEY #ultramarinehymn IS SO LIT THOUGH????? WTF

thancredwaters @/gunbrkrs  • 16h #spudsquad Good job my daughter hasn’t stopped playing this song on repeat for the past 2 hours. 

Nyx @/underthebloodmoon  • 15h Sharing a good friend’s music video here. #ultramarinehymn #spudsquad

Nidhstinien @/azuredragoon  • 15h [youtube link] #ultramarinehymn nice

vergotohelldad @/reveilleur  • 14h only 4 hours after release and #ultramarinehymn is already trending. twitter has some fucking good tastes in music thank the twelve.

Lamittens! @/lalamitt  • 14h Oh to be spud squad long time fan :pleading: I’m so fed... #ultramarinehymn #spudsquad

nhelly @/blackestmage  • 13h I turn around and #spudsquad decided to drop an absolute banger. loving #ultramarinehymn !!

Aymeric de Borel @/officialborel  • 13h A wonderful song that elicits a sense of optimism and hope. #ultramarinehymn

kafuuchi @/cloudsysmile  • 13h hey is it just me or is kaye getting hotter :blush: still a kayelily simp tho!! #ultramarinehymn

KoKomi Komi @/sangopriestess   • 12h @/starblossoms Congratulations on the new MV!! It’s very catchy! #ultramarinehymn

The scroll is endless, timeline filled with a mixture of both familiar and unfamiliar twitter handles, yet all collectively singing praises and awe for the music video and the song. It’s hard to not be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of positive reception their hard work and efforts have received, and Illya tears her eyes away from the screen to look up at Kaye with a twinkle in her wide violet eyes, and the man looks back at her expectedly. 

“I-It...It seems to be very well received.”

“’Seems to be’? The video’s got over five hundred thousand views on eorzeatube from the past 18 hours.”

Illya almost chokes on her eggs, eyes blown wide as she swallows her food abruptly and her voice raises into a high, bewildered squeak.

“F-f-five... hundred thousand???” 

By the twelve, that’s far more than even their highest recorded number of viewers on their biggest stream - and it’s been less than a day since the release of the music video. She cannot imagine just how ecstatic Mint must be at having such a successful idol-esque debut. 

“Does that ease your worries now?” Kaye asks, snapping the girl out of her train of thoughts once more, and he is met with a smile and an affirmative nod in response. 

“It does... thank you, Kaye.” 

Knowing that weeks of preparation, practice and hard work has paid off and finally bore fruit was the biggest relief Illya’s experienced in a while, and the simple knowledge that the sentiment of their song got through to a good number of the fans warmed her heart.

But in the midst of the joy, there was yet an underlying somberness lingering in the air between the pair that was not lost to either of them, as silence quickly fills the atmosphere and quickly turns the space around them cold. 

Scrolling through the top tweets didn’t exactly help either - because while it had quickly eased Illya’s worries of the music video being negatively received, in between praises for the song came the posts of fans who were dejected by the hiatus announcement.

Most of them had been supportive, of course... Their audience has ever been so welcoming, understanding and wonderful to them. But that perhaps made the disappointment they felt even worse on Illya’s melancholy, as she once again quickly slips back into the depths of her own internal mind. 

Because as well received as the music video they’d released is, it still ends with them going their separate ways, and it fills Illya with a sense of already festering loneliness that she refuses to admit verbally to.

She never did like goodbyes. 

‘The time that flows in the blink of an eye. The fear of continuing to be as we are.’

Neither Kaye nor Illya particularly enjoyed talking about their troubles, not even to each other, and so while Kaye could make an educated guess on why Illya seemed so despondent, he makes no comment on it. He was never the best at comforting others anyway.

He lets the silence fester between them even after Illya sets her phone down to focus on her plate full of breakfast, fishing his own device out of his pants pocket and begins to type away at it. 

It isn’t until after a whole ten minutes has passed that he’d finally look up from the screen, expression unreadable yet his voice sounding a modicum more relaxed than it had been a while ago as he calls out to Illya as she was drinking the last of her orange juice. 

“Hey, you’re free tonight, right?” The raven haired man asks, and Illya sets her glass down with a quirk of her eyebrow, if there was even a hint of sorrow in her, she didn’t allow him to hear it.

“Um... I am. Why?”

A smile from Kaye is a rarity, let alone one that carries such gentleness and ease... but the one he’s wearing now is so warm that it blows away the storm clouds that she hadn’t even noticed hanging over her head. 

“Then, are you cool to do an Among us stream tonight? With the other four, of course.”

Sparkling lavender eyes widen, and Illya is silent for a brief moment before stuttering out in response.

“A-aren’t you going over to Lily’s place to help her pack though?? And... the others.. aren’t they-”

“I’ll only be there for the afternoon. We’re only gonna be flying next week so there’s no rush. As for the others, I already asked. You can even invite Alphinaud if you want, the more the merrier.”

“But didn’t we just announce that we’re going on hiatus? I don’t want to trouble the others if they’re too busy either-”

Her pink lips slightly part, voice timid and soft. Hesitation and uncertainty briefly flashing through her twinkling eyes as she averts her gaze from the man and hides them under the shadows of her pure white bangs. But it does little to keep the light red burn of her cheeks and the bridge of her nose from Kaye, who only rolls his eyes at her in response.

“Gods, stop being so nice. I said I already asked and they’re down for it.... well, mostly. Ichi said he wanted to sleep but I’ll drag him outta his bed if I have to. We may be on hiatus, but it’s not like we’re gonna stop hanging out together, right?”

Though Kaye’s tone is rough and his words are painfully honest, his tongue as sharp as the gaze of his midnight blue eyes, Illya knew there was kindness laced beneath his huff, and the tension in her body slowly begins to fade, making way for a brighter, far more honest and radiant smile that washed away the chill of the air like a spring breeze.

He’s right, as he often is. 

Even if they may go their separate ways in the future, they will still always remain connected as friends, holding the memories they made together close in their hearts. 

Her phone’s buzzing with notifications again, and she takes a peek down at the lit up screen, her heart warming at the equally excited messages from her beloved friends. From Mint who is spamming :mikurave: emotes, to Lily who was telling Ichi that no, a schedule with his bed isn’t a valid excuse and Nanami who was offering to set up the stream for the night... Things are all as it should be, right here and now where they are together - where they are home. 

“If everyone’s fine with it then... I’ll join too. Don’t raid Ichi’s flat, though!” 

Illya lets out a giggle that rings out like windchimes in a cool summer breeze, and Kaye clicks his tongue with a shrug of his shoulder.

“He gave me his keys for this exact reason, he doesn’t mind. How do you think he always makes it in time for our streams? All I need to wake him up is a fork and porcelain plate and-”

“Kaye! That’s... that’s so mean-”

‘I'll hug you with equal parts expectation and anxiety. You and I, weaving the present, illuminating the future.’

[shera-dnd]

Love for a Dark Heart

Adding now to the list of things I can’t fucking believe I got paid to write: My FFXIV character falling in love with herself.

Honestly I could have kept writing this for another 5k words more, but I set the rules so I’m gonna stick to them

As usual you can follow this link right here to read it on AO3 if you’d prefer that. If you’d like to have a fic written by me you should feel free to donate to my ko-fi (rules for donations over here) and let’s get going with the fic

You are a rational woman.

You try to deal with the facts and not let emotion rule over your decisions. That doesn’t mean you’re cold hearted or any such thing, but when it comes to wielding aether you really cannot let your emotions get in the way, lest your magic escape your control entirely.

It’s why you joined the Arcanists Guild so long ago, their approach to spell craft was exactly what you needed, and after many long months of training you had even mastered the lost art of summoning. It had been your calculated and well crafted spells that had felled the Primals and even bested Gaius and his Ultima Weapon.

But what did that amount to?

You’ve been betrayed, the Sultana is dead, your friends are lost, and the nations you fought to defend probably have a price on your head by now. All your possessions now fit neatly into the tiny backpack you brought along in your journey to Ishgard, and the only people left to console you are Alphinaud and Tataru, but in all honesty you’re usually the one consoling them now.

But Ishgard still welcomes you and still needs you. House Fortemps has embraced you and the least you can do is fight to protect them as well. Just keep fighting and saving people until everything gets solved, it definitely worked just fine the first time you tried that, so why not try it again?

You don’t want to be bitter, you don’t want to be angry, you genuinely feel sorry whenever you snap at Alphinaud or Haurchefant, you know they’re having a hard time too. Still it is so hard not to just let that frustration fester in your heart.

One day you’re walking the streets of Ishgard, trying to work the anger out of your system, when you hear a man muttering something. It was a story about a man who fought like a beast, who wielded the Darkness like other men would wield a blade. Something about this story sparks your curiosity and next thing you know you’re pressing the man for details.

It seemed your mystery man had died in battle with the holy knights of Ishgard and his corpse had been dumped in the Brume. It was unfortunate, but mayhaps you could still find his corpse, maybe even his soulstone.

You weren’t thinking of wielding the darkness, were you? No, it was simply academic curiosity. You just couldn’t leave such a thing unstudied, right? Of course. Now to make your way to the Brume.

No pulse, no breathing, skin as cold as the snow around you, that man was a corpse. At least he was a corpse with a soulstone, maybe you could study that. You just have to take it and-

A voice calls for you in the dark.

You wake up confused, but still intact. Better yet, the man you thought dead was now alive and well in front of you. His name is Fray and he was a Dark Knight. Apparently so were you now.

Perhaps embracing the dark should have been difficult, it should have been the kind of decision you pondered over and considered all the pros and cons. It wasn’t supposed to be something you did on a whim, but in reality it was the easiest thing you’ve ever done.

You were stronger now. How else could you wield a weapon so massive? How else could those knights strike you with their blades and barely make you flinch? How else could you take all that anger, and frustration that you had repressed for so long, and give it such a beautiful shape as it cut down those hallowed bastards? 

It felt good.

It felt too good.

Perhaps the life of a Dark Knight was exactly what you needed.

In the weeks that passed no one questioned why you disappeared every night or where you went. You had gone through a lot, and they just wanted to give you space to heal. Besides, who would question what the Warrior of Light did with her spare time? It almost made you feel bad for what you were doing.

Almost.

It was hard feeling bad now that you have started studying the Darkness. No, studying would imply a lot more research and controlled tests. What you were doing was more like exercising it, working out a muscle you didn’t know you had until now. If that meant killing your fair share of monsters then so be it.

Especially when working that metaphorical muscle also seemed to improve your physical ones. Even your eye sight seemed to have improved somehow. With time your tunic had been replaced by plate armor, your glasses by a full helmet, your book of spells by the biggest sword you could carry.

There were still hiccups when adapting to this new life as a Dark Knight. No matter how many times you attuned yourself to the Darkness you could only ever hear whispers of that voice in the dark that had once called your name. It worried you, and frustrated Fray to no end.

Frustration seemed to be Fray’s default state. Always furious at the people around you who insist on asking you to fix all their problems, ready to throw threats and insults any time someone so much as  thought of interrupting you. You try to be nice, you try to de-escalate, to help those people anyway, but you know deep down that you agree with her.

Her? Wasn’t Fray a man?

Doesn’t matter, Fray can use whatever pronouns she wants. You just can’t remember her ever telling you she changed those. 

Wait did she just mention fighting Leviathan? Had she been there with you on that ship? Surely you’d remember that.

Why hadn’t she mentioned that before?

Maybe if you still saw the world through your old scholarly lens, maybe if you still distanced yourself, studied the situation, maybe then you would have realized what was happening. You really can’t help but feel a little stupid when the truth finally reveals itself.

When Fray takes off her helmet it is your face that you see, your eyes that stare into yours, your voice that challenges you. She was your Darkness, your repressed rage against those who used you again, and again to suit their needs; your frustrations with this world that would exhaust you to the bone before finding any solution that didn’t involve you, your need for someone to just step up and care for you even once.

If only she hadn’t hurt those people, if only her first answer wasn’t to just draw her sword on those she saw as a threat to you, maybe then you’d let her go.

Your swords clash and ultimately she’s the one to fall. Your Darkness, your heart, your…

...Esteem, lies defeated before you and you don’t know how to feel. She was a monster formed from the deepest abyss, yet when you hear her declare that she will always be there for you, if only you were to call her, you can’t help but feel hope.

It was only after you exposed yourself to just about every guard, and soldier at Dragon Head that you decided that it’s about time you came clean to your friends.

Alphinaud and Haurchefant didn’t understand why you had made the decisions you had, but they couldn’t think of anyone better to wield such a power. Tataru trusted you with her life and just a bit of Darkness wouldn’t get in the way of that. Estinien claimed that he understood, that he too struggled against the evil that granted him his powers. In the end it all felt too easy, too unearned.

Still, there was a nation to save and a war to stop. Your little existential crisis would have to wait. You could almost hear Esteem screaming at you for ever forming that thought. 

Soon it wouldn’t be just almost.

Weeks passed as you traversed Dravania, searching for a way to stop this war. For a moment you had hoped that by exposing the lies of Ishgardian nobility you would finally put an end to this, but of course that just led the holy men of Halone to do what they thought was right, which just happened to be capturing and torturing an innocent man.

You went in to try to save a man, to make those self appointed saints pay. You didn’t go there to lose a friend, yet that’s what you did.

You kept your composure long enough to reach your private chambers in the Fortemps manor, but as soon as the door closed behind you, you collapsed. You could have saved him, you could have prevented this, you could have jumped out of the way, or pushed him away, or just done anything.

But you didn’t, and now he paid the price for it.

What a pathetic excuse for a Warrior of Light you are.

“You’re no such thing!” A familiar voice calls. You don’t know when or how you summoned her back, but there she was.

Esteem lifted you from the ground and laid you in your bed. You noticed now that instead of the black armor she had favored in your fight, now she wore one of your old robes and your old glasses. It was almost funny thinking of a being of pure aether deigning to wear glasses for some reason.

With a gentleness you didn’t know either of you had, she caressed and soothed you as she repeated those same words over and over again, “it wasn’t your fault.”

It felt pathetic to only have a shadow of yourself to care for you, but for now it didn’t matter. All you could do in that moment was cling, cling to the kind words and the soft touch of the only person who cared enough to offer, and try as hard as you can to believe in what she’s saying.

“Rest now, you fool,” she asked, her voice just as gentle as before.

“Please stay,” you pleaded, unsure if she would disappear the moment you closed your eyes.

It was a selfish thing to ask, to force her to stay in the material world simply for your own comfort, but Esteem wanted nothing more than for you to be selfish, so there was never any doubt that she would oblige.

The next morning she was still there, asleep somehow, still holding you in her arms. It shamed you to admit that this was the closest you’ve ever been to another person. No one had held you this close, no one had ever let you fall asleep in their arms - or fallen asleep in yours for what that matters - had she been more than just a piece of your own heart, perhaps you would have found reason for embarrassment.

There was certainly some strangeness to it, of course. Waking up in your own arms and seeing your own face in the morning was as surreal an experience as you could imagine right now. Though it did allow you some interesting introspection. You shifted in bed a little, trying to get a good look at your own face, wondering if you had ever looked this peaceful before.

“If you even consider rising from this bed I promise you the Archbishop will be the least of your worries,” she grumbles without even opening her eyes.

“I did not know you could sleep,” you comment.

“Neither did I,” she replies. She pushes herself into a sitting position, having completely given up on the idea of returning to your shared slumber, “if I must be honest, I don’t even know how I was granted physical form once more.”

“Yet your first response to sudden corporealization was not to question it, but to attend to the sobbing mess on the floor,” you are by no means attempting to mock her, it simply sounds odd to you.

“What am I to say?” She jested, “I’m quite fond of that sobbing mess.”

At that you averted your gaze. It felt embarrassing somehow, to have someone declare their fondness so bluntly, even if that someone wasn’t an actual person.

“Have we truly grown so alienated from affection?” She sighs, her voice a mix of worry and disappointment.

You motion to protest, but a knock on the door interrupts you both. With a gesture, she requests you stay in bed while she handles this. That may be the worst idea you have ever heard, but you’re far too tired to protest.

“I’m glad to see you’re awake and well,” Alphinaud greets her cheerfully, “If you’re disposed, I’d like to ask-”

“I’m not,” She interrupts, “now, you may be on your way.”

The poor boy is too stunned to reply, and does nothing to stop her from slamming the door on his face. A smug smirk forms on her face as she strides back to you.

“Must you be so rude to all my friends?” You say as you glare at her.

“Must you put the needs of every last soul above your own well being?” She shot back, matching your stare.

You’re the one to break the stare first, “I’ll try not to.”

She nods and gives you a satisfied smile as she sits next to you, “now do try to rest. Wouldn’t want me to be rude to poor Alphinaud for naught.”

In the weeks that followed she had been ever by your side. Like your old summons she could effortlessly appear and disappear from thin air, combined with her nature as a being of pure aether it made you suspect you had somehow called upon an egi of Esteem’s former self. This was promptly disproven by the fact that her response to any direct commands was a simple and direct, “sod off!”

By all accounts she should simply be darkness aspected aether, given shape and purpose by your needs and desires, as unreal as Ysayle’s false Shiva. Yet here she was, talking when she wanted to, sleeping when she wanted to, eating when she wanted to--seven hells she even has different tastes than you. There was no other way around it, Esteem had become her own person somehow.

Part of you worried that you had somehow created a Primal of your own heart. That had now been buried under the far more substantial worry that you have been utterly mistreating an actual person with thoughts and feelings, who had done nothing but help you and care for you for weeks. This in turn had been buried under the mess of feelings that struck your heart at the fact that this woman had held you in your sleep for weeks now. Mayhaps you should just focus on hitting things with big swords for now.

On that angle things have been a lot simpler. Your preparations for the journey to Azys Lla were now almost concluded, and as you waited for Master Cid to finish his work you took your time to aid a fellow Dark Knight by the name of Sidurgu.

That man quite proudly embodied the mass of hate and anger you expected from a Dark Knight, a trait that seemed to invoke Esteem’s disdain and earn him quite a share of her unkindly remarks. Neither his emotional state nor her opinion of him were ever aided by the fact that you surpassed him with ease.

You may have stumbled onto this power like a blind fool, but it had somehow suited you with a natural ease that eluded your companion. It was in the pursuit of more power - under the guise of aiding a young girl that Sidurgu had taken under his wing - that you found yourself once more doing menial tasks for moogles. At least today you’d have the catharsis of beating them within an ilm of their lives for it.

What you did not expect was for them to burst into song and dance afterwards.

“‘Tis love! ‘Tis love!” They profess with their tiny voices, “all-powerful, shining love!”

Suffice to say that the both of you were completely befuddled by the performance - Esteem loudly laughing in the corner she carved for herself in your mind - had Rielle, your shared charge, not appeared in that moment you were sure you’d both sit like that for an hour.

It was only as you made your way back to Ishgard that Sidurgu took you aside to talk about what had unfolded. He mocked the idea that love could be the true power of Darkness, but you could see that sharp edge on his voice begin to dull ever so slightly.

A year ago you would have been just as dismissive of such an idea, to properly channel aether you require coldly calculated theorems, not something as nebulous as love. 

Yet here you are. You’ve wielded anger and frustration like weapons for months now, why can’t you wear love like an armor?

You loved your friends and that gave you strength.

You loved Eorzea and that gave you strength.

You loved yourself and that…

...Well, did you really love yourself that much? Not as much as you should if Esteem were to be believed, but she does. She loves you, and that gives you strength.

It’s with this context that you begin to notice the little things she does, even when she’s not around. The gentle touches, the kind words, the worry in her eyes after a rough fight. It had been her love that helped you strike down with your blade, it had been her love that held you up when an enemy would fell you. It made you oh so keenly aware of her heartbeat - surprisingly human and comforting - next to yours as she held you both together.

Had you loved her too this whole time?

Perhaps you should have questioned this before the worries of facing Garleans, Ascians, and the Archbishop, loomed this close in the horizon. Perhaps you should have questioned that Esteem’s love didn’t come just from some magically ordained purpose. Perhaps you should have questioned what it meant about you that you so willingly accepted and reciprocated that love.

By the time you arrive at the Fortemps manor that night, you have already made your decision and you find her in your room, reading a spicy romance novel from Emmanellain’s secret stash. Steeling yourself in a way you hadn’t done since facing Ultima, you approach her and bring your lips to hers. It was a fleeting touch, but it had the whole of you buzzing with nervous energy.

With the most detestably smug smile, she brings you close again so she may kiss you back and, as if she hadn’t just shaken your very soul with that act, returned to her reading.

You stare at her, utterly confounded by her lack of any real reaction. It takes her a moment to realize you are still staring and the words that escaped her mouth would infuriate and haunt you for the rest of your existence.

“Was I wrong to assume we’d been lovers for at least a month now?”

Perhaps you really should have just stuck to hitting people with big swords.

[winterstorm032802]

A Child's Reprise

Nora: *asleep*

Alphinaud: Nora? It's about time you woke up, Krile and Tataru made some food for us *trails off* Huh?

Nora: *sits up and yawns* Mmm? *looks at Alphinaud and jumps out of bed* W-Who are you?!

Alphinaud: HUH?! (A child!?)

Nora: I said who are you! Where's my Mom and Dad?

Alphinaud: Nora? Is that you?

Nora: Y-Yes? How do you know my name? Where are my parents

Alphinaud: I-I'll take you to them *reaches his hand out* Follow me

.

Alisaie: Nora! What took you so long to get out of be-- Oh my Gods

Nora: *hides behind Alphinaud as her ears go down* ...

Alphinaud: Ah well you see, this morning Nora seems to have gone under some changes... She can't recall anything of us

G'raha Tia: *bends down and waves*

Nora: *ears flick up before going back down*

G'raha Tia: Are you alright young one?

Nora: *shakes her head* I need my Mom and Dad!

G'raha Tia: Your Mother and Father? *looks at Alphinaud confused*

Alphinaud: I'm as lost as you, Nora never mentions her parents to us. Oh speaking of, how old are you Nora?

Nora: *holds out seven fingers*

Alphinaud: She's three Summers older than us, which means we would've been four at the time

Alisaie: Technically she's two Summers since our time at The First

Nora: *sees Moonstone Carbuncle and she gasps*

Alphinaud: Hm? *looks at Young Nora* Is aught to catch your attention?

Nora: Sparkly

Alisaie: I think she refers to your Carbuncle Brother

Moonstone: *walks over and looks at Young Nora*

Nora: *eyes sparkle* C-Can I pet'em?

Alphinaud: *looks at Moonstone and smiles*

Moonstone: *puts it's head against Young Nora's hand*

Nora: *in awe* So cute *tail wags*

Alphinaud: What should we do?

Alisaie: Mayhaps wait it out? It doesn't some to be a long term thing, for now I believe we play babysitter

G'raha Tia: I wonder how this will go

Alphinaud: *kneels down* Nora?

Nora: Hm?

Alphinaud: Your parents shall arrive soon, they asked us to watch over you for now

Nora: Okay *holds Moonstone in her arms and walks over to Alphinaud*

Alphinaud: Mayhaps we should eat now

~

Nora: *wanders around*

Alisaie: What's the matter Nora?

Nora: Is Mommy and Daddy coming home soon?

Alisaie: Y-Yes they are

Nora: *smiles* I can't wait

Alisaie: Would you like to play a game in the meantime?

Nora: Yes! What is it?

Alisaie: Hide-n-Seek

Nora: *gasps* You won't find me! Go count!

Alisaie: Alright~ *closes her eyes*

Nora: *silently goes to Alisaie and waves her hand in front of Alisaie's face before sneaking out the room*

.

Alisaie: Are you in here? *opens Alphinaud's closet*

Alphinaud: No luck?

Alisaie: She was right, I would never find her this is the last area... OH NOOOOORRRAAAAAA! WHERE ARE YOOOOOU

Nora: *chuckles*

Alisaie: Hm? Was that a chuckle?

Nora: *laughs*

Alphinaud: *smiles*

Alisaie: Oh? *checks under the bed* There you are!

Nora: *laughs as she crawls out* Yay! You found me, you found me, you found me, you found me! *jumps up and down in excitement*

Alisaie: *smiles* So now you count, I'll hide, Alphinaud care to join?

Alphinaud: Sure

Nora: *covers her eyes* 1... 2... 3...

.

Nora: *walks around Dawn's Respite and whisper shouts* Alphinaud! Alisaie! Where are yoooou? *ears twitch as she hears some footsteps* Hehe *opens up a curtain* Aha!

Alisaie: Ooh you got me! Very well done

Nora: Now last is Alphinaud!

Alisaie: *nods* Let's go find me Dear Brother

.

Nora: *walks around* Alphinaaaaaaud! Where are you?

Alisaie: Oh Brother! Come out, come out wherever you are

Nora: Hm? *sees something move a bit* Oooh! *opens the storage closet door* Aha!

Alphinaud: Excellent job Nora!

Nora: *smiles* I got you both!

.

Nora: *waiting by the entrance*

Alphinaud: Nora? What are you doing here?

Nora: *ears go down* Mom and Dad haven't come back, how long is they're Hunt?

Alphinaud: Hunt?

Nora: *tilts her head* They didn't tell you? They go on Hunts, Mom heals and Dad fights

Alphinaud: I see, I've never known...

Nora: *voice wavers* What if they got hurt?

Alphinaud: No, they're as strong as you Nora, I know they won't get hurt

Nora: You think so?

Alphinaud: I know so

Nora: Thank you...

.

Nora: *fell asleep by the entrance*

Alphinaud: *walks over* (She said she'd be here a tiny longer-- Oh) *carries Nora in his arms* Such a young fragile soul... (A little different than now, and yet your determination is unwavered) *walks to his room and let's Nora rest as he sleeps beside her*

Nora: *clings onto Alphinaud and huddles herself closer*

.

.

.

Alphinaud: *wakes up to see Nora back to her original self* (She's no longer a child, I wonder what caused her to change in the first place? What matters is that she's well now) *falls back asleep*

Nora: *still clinging onto Alphinaud*

[kaoru-takaida]

Final Fantasy XIV Chapter: One Big Change...

  *SPOILERS FOR SHADOWBRINGERS INTO PATCH 5.4*

Footsteps echo through the halls of the Royal Palace in Garlemald. The two intruders run with all their might as alarums sound and lights flash adding to the severity of their situation. “Gods damn it all…” Nil says under his breath. “There’s no way we were spotted, so why are the Garleans in arms?”

  Kaoru scowls. “I haven’t the foggiest as to why.” She shakes her head. “We’ve failed. Haven’t we?” Nil slows his speed and stops running, looking up at her. She stops and faces the lalafell.

  “Nay.” Nil puts a hand to his chin. “Although, we may need to return to Eorzea to get an update on the situation here.” Nil scowls now too. “To think that not one of my contacts in the Populares are anywhere to be seen… There is something queer about the situation and we can not risk not knowing the full conflict that’s transpired.”

  Kaoru nods. “Aye.” She puts a hand of reasoning out. "However, I can't in good conscience leave Tius's sister behind… we were so close." Kaoru crosses her arms. "Mayhap I should remain without you?" Nil is taken aback by this approach. "You can bear word to the Scions, whilst I-."

  "Forget it!" Nil interrupts, standing his ground. Kaoru gasps a bit, caught off guard by his sudden reaction. "You're not staying by yourself. You'll surely need help with this. And with my knowledge of Garlemald, I can help." Nil shakes his head. "We have to figure something out…"

  Kaoru sighs, slightly annoyed. “Is there no way for us to remain?” She asks.

  Nil opens his mouth to respond. “Not with the attention you two draw to yourselves.” A voice replies. Both Nil and Kaoru choke in surprise. They reach for their weapons, only to find their holsters empty. The source of the voice was a hooded figure, a good 15 yalms from their position. Kaoru feels a chill run down her spine at the sound of the voice. “My, my, such pretty little things.” He says, lifting both hands with a set of circular chakrams in one and a grimoire in the other. Kaoru and Nil scowl. “Worry not. I’ll return them after I say my piece.” The man drops the weapons at his feet. “Tell me, why put yourselves in such a problematic situation?” The man asks through a smile. "Why would you go through the trouble of coming to this sordid place when it's clear you do not belong?" He puts a hand to his chin. "Why, one would think there's something you're after here in the Royal Palace." 

  Kaoru scoffs. “You knew we weren’t Garleans?”

  The man chuckles. “I’m a tad more… ‘in the know’ compared to some of the rabble here." He looks at Nil. "Although as far as Garleans go, it seems you're the only one here that ISN'T of Garlean blood.” The man gives a small wink at Nil and Nil's face twists into something Kaoru couldn't place as anger or embarrassment. The mysterious man fakes a dramatic gasp. He covers his mouth. “But where are my manners? I haven’t introduced myself, have I?” He reaches for his hood. “I think you were acquainted with 'me' at one point.” He drops the hood and Kaoru’s eyes widen at the reveal, confirming her initial suspicions. Nil cocks an eyebrow at what looks like a familiar man.

  “Asahi sas Brutus?” Nil asks, taking a step forward. Kaoru reaches down, stopping him in his tracks.

  “Asahi” smiles at Kaoru. “At one point, yes.” Kaoru answers. “But not now.” She steps in front of Nil, guarding him. “Not when I witnessed Yotsuyu slay him with mine own eyes.” Kaoru clenches her fists. “He’s an Ascian.”

  The man chuckles again. “Nothing gets past you.” He begins clapping. “Bravo! We have a winner!” He gives a dramatic bow, a menacing smirk creeping upon “Asahi’s” face. “The name is Fandaniel, my lady.” Kaoru doesn’t reply. He stands straight. “And I’ve a bit of a predicament with you two being here.” Fandaniel points at them. "Your positions aren't backstage where the world can't see you. You belong with the others where my Patron can take the audience by storm in your glorious and inevitable clash." He gestures an open hand out to Kaoru. "You, the little battle Princess and you," He gestures to Nil, "the cast out disowned Soothsayer." It's clear that the title hits a nerve in Nil because his fists clench and a scoffs escapes his lips.

  "And just who is this so-called Patron of yours?" Nil asks, snidely.

  Fandaniel shrugs. "I'm sure your Eorzean friends, The Scions of the Seventh Dawn, could tell you when you get back." Kaoru and Nil's eyes widen hearing this, fearing the worst. "Oh, they aren't dead. Just a bit crispy is all. I paid them a little visit to introduce myself. I'm sure you'll hear all about it." Fandaniel looks to Kaoru. "But something tells me that you're not intending to return to Eorzea willingly."

  Kaoru swallows hard, not moving. "Nay. I would rather not." Kaoru begins. "I've important business here in Garlemald that requires my attention." Kaoru reaches forward and her Chakrams begin to vibrate from their spots at Fandaniel's feet. Before the Ascian knew it, they whizzed forward and found their way into Kaoru's hands. She takes a step forward, primed to strike.

  But Fandaniel isn't anywhere to be seen. "Kaoru!" Nil shouts from behind her. She exclaims as a hand grasps her wrist and yanks her back, the black and purple smoke of a portal drifting away. Fandaniel pulls her towards him and as he does, a small ball of compressed magic forms in his other hand. Before she can react, he thrust it into her chest. She can feel a tightness in her chest before breathing becomes difficult. She collapses over, her knees buckling as she gasps for air. He helps her to the floor and then steps away from her as something crazy happens.

  Nil dashes to Kaoru's side. She gasps continuously for air. "What… did you… do?" She asks between breaths. Fandaniel shrugs.

  "I merely gave the sweet princess some motivation, is all." He tells her. A second after that, Kaoru acknowledges the weirdest feeling. She could have sworn she felt herself shrinking. Nil gasps now at what he witnesses. "A curse, if you will. Think of it:" Kaoru winces and heaves in pain on the floor. "The sweet Princess has befallen a terrible curse that she must find a way to break. Such an intriguing side story to up the stakes in the tale of this Star's impending doom."

  All seemed well. Or as well as it could be given the circumstances. Alphinaud and Alisaie are seated in the Rising Stones, pouring over the documents and tomes in front of them. Alisaie sighs. "If I stare at these any longer, I fear I'll do myself an injury." She says, slamming the book in her hand shut and sliding it aside on the table.

  Alphinaud sets his own tome down next to a pile of notes he'd been writing. "I understand, sister. But pray, take more time to rest. Given your recent travails, your aether needs time to recover." Alisaie nods, but looks annoyed.

  “Alright.” She says, letting her annoyance slip away as she stretches her arm a little. Alphinaud takes his cup of tea from its saucer and lifts it to take a sip. She releases a sigh of relief. Just as she does, a sharp pain stings in her chest. She inhales sharply. Strangely enough, as she does, so too does Alphinaud wince in pain, grasping at his heart, the tea cup in his hand falling from his grasp and shattering on the floor. Alisaie and Alphinaud both look at each other with pained expressions. Alisaie opens her mouth to say something. But is promptly interrupted by a crashing noise that comes from The Solar. As the two of them race into the room, Tataru and Krile, who were moments away from leaving to pursue Estinien, burst through the doors as well. There, Unukalhai is shaking an unconscious and familiar male Lalafell. “Is that-?!”

  Alphinaud shoots a look at Krile. She nods and they immediately run to the barely conscious Nil. He weakly props himself up on his elbows. “Help her…” He tells Krile. He points. Alisaie steps to the other side of the desk, and next to the toppled chair was another lalafell. A lalafell girl with familiar black and pink colored hair. She can’t explain why, the reason was beyond her, but she immediately knew who this girl was. “Help… Kaoru…”

  Krile wipes a bead of sweat from her brow, sighing in relief. She gives Alphinaud a tired smile. “Thank you for your timely assistance, Alphinaud.”

  Alphinaud lets out a tired exhale. “Phew…” Alphinaud seats himself on the stool behind him next to Nil’s bedside. They had all managed to move the two patients into the Dawn’s Respite. Nil opens his eyes. “You both are stable now.” Nil attempts to sit up, but Alphinaud holds his hands up, stopping him. “Take ease, Nil. Your aether was almost entirely drained.” Nil sits up slowly, grunting with effort.

  He gives Alphinaud and Krile a weak, almost sad, smile. “Thank you, you two.” Nil replies. All three of them look over at the, now soundly asleep and recovering, lalafell girl. “I feared the worst there for a moment. I didn’t think I had cast my spell in time.” Krile scowls now, giving a very concerned look to Nil.

  “One spell did all of that damage to your aether?!” Krile asks. “Just what Spell was it that you used? What trouble did you guys encounter in Garlemald that would force you to use such a damaging technique?” Nil takes a deep breath.

  “I think that can wait till the others get here.” Nil says. Nearly a bell later, Tius, Hope, G’raha, and Alisaie stride quickly through the doors and into the room. Nil looks over to them. “Hey there.”

  Tius instantly runs to Kaoru’s. “Kaoru!” This surprises everyone, since Alisaie did not mention Kaoru’s new appearance. But he knew it was her instantly. He takes her hand. She’s still sound asleep. Tius faces Nil and Krile. “She’ll be okay, right?” He asks. Both Alphinaud and Krile nod, giving him a reassuring smile.

  “Her aether became unstable during the transformation. Her body could not handle the amount of aether she had at the time.” Krile begins to explain. Alphinaud scowls, frowning.

  “Simply put, the transformation she endured did not take in account the aether of her original body.” He finishes. “So had her aether not been stabilized, her body would have failed due to the shock.” Alphinaud looks at her. “She will be fine now, but unfortunately, it does not look like a normal Phantasia will change her back to her original body…” Everyone is silent as dread creeps into the room.

  Krile looks at Nil. “As for you, might you explain just what happened, now that the others are here?” Nil inhales a long breath. “That spell you used is dangerous. What happened that made you have to use it?”

  Nil looks up at Hope and Alisaie. G’raha takes a seat next to Nil’s bed so they could see him better. “An Ascian with the name of Fandaniel did this to Kaoru…” Everyone in the room gasps or exclaims in surprise. Nil sighs. “Yeah, he told us he had introduced himself to you guys already…” Alisaie scoffs, crossing her arms.

  “That he did. In the form of having a dragon he dubbed ‘Lunar Bahamut’ trying to toast us and setting fire to the Gardens at the Royal Menagerie.” Nil gives her a shocked look. Alisaie closes her eyes, looking thoroughly annoyed. “There weren’t any casualties. But the Gardens were razed and the Ascian did not deign to reveal his plan.”

  Nil sits there, puzzled, as the Scions recount to him what had happened since Kaoru and him had left for Garlemald after they all had returned to the Source from the First. After all was recapped, Nil takes a moment to process and consider what he had been told. G’raha breaks the silence now. “I take it Kaoru and you met with the same type of misfortune in the Imperial Capital?” Nil clears his throat.

  “Well, we spent a fair amount of time snooping around the Palace for Tius’s sister.” Nil looks over at Tius. “We’d found she was in the service of the Royal Family… However, what we were not ready for was the unrest that had begun to claim the throne.” Nil crosses his arms, looking a bit upset. “None of my prior contacts were responding on their linkshells and we exhausted every means of exploration we could without the connections. But due to the chaos, our search was short lived.” Nil looks down at his hands. “When we were debating what we were going to do next, Fandaniel decided he had his own plans.” Nil looks up at Hope now. “I guess one that involved us being with you guys… and Kaoru cursed.”

  Alphinaud puts a hand to his chin. “Then you know of the Ascian’s choice of disguise this time around?” Nil nods, not saying anything. “Using Asahi’s body will greatly benefit them since the Empire knows naught of what transpired during the prisoner exchange.”

  Nil shakes his head. “Not just that, the House Brutus is an influential family in Garlemald, not to mention wealthy and possesses a standing in the eyes of the military.” Nil scoffs, bitterly. “No wonder none of the Populares responded to me. I wouldn’t be surprised if Fandaniel used his own connections to seek them out and…” Nil’s voice trails off as he bows his head, frowning. His bangs shadowing his face and his eyes barely visible. His shoulders are tensed and his braid is over his right shoulder, resting next to his neck. The room grows silent as Nil begins to seeth with what none of them can place as either anger or sadness. Tius stands now, walking to the other side of Kaoru’s bed and seating himself on it, placing himself between Nil and Kaoru.

  “It’s time you spill it…” Tius tells Nil. The Scions can’t help but exchange confused glances to one another. Tius scowls at Nil, his ears pulling back. “You’re hiding stuff from us. I knew this from the start, but with everything that’s happened and is still happening in Garlemald... “ Tius lifts his head slightly, looking down at Nil with an intense gaze. As if he was observing the lalafell. “If you want us to continue to listen to you, you need to start being honest and come clean with who you really are.”

  Another silence wades through the room. Nil looks over to him, giving a small sad smile. “Please…” A small weak voice says. They all see Kaoru stir a little before she sits up slowly, still very weak. She gives Nil a tired look and it makes him sigh again.

  He stands up and walks to the clearing in the middle of the area they were gathered. He gives a nervous smile before lifting the bangs that usually cover his forehead. Under them is a silver jewel in the center, above his brows. He removes it, revealing a silver pearl of an eye… The undeniable sign of pure Garlean blood. “My full and legal name is actual Niil Aan Caelo.” A unison gasp in surprise is heard as everyone is taken aback at the new development. “And while I am indeed Garlean in blood and name, I am actually not a citizen of the Empire. Not in an official capacity, anyway.” Nil drops his bangs, looking at the jewel in his hand. “I come from an ancient line of slave Soothsayers. For generations, my family have been under the Garleans’ chains offering them classified and sensitive premonitions for military and economical means.” He blinks, giving a determined look. “But I plan to be the last one.”

  Nil recounts his journey to escape the hold the Empire had over him because of his family. How he was able to flee the Capital by passing along information to resistances within the Provinces and even those in Doma who were able to rebel against the military. Everyone remains silent and Nil nervously shifts his weight. Alphinaud can’t help but think about how it seemed out of character for him. But maybe the stubborn and knowledgeable way he presents himself is actually just a front? But now that he’s coming clean on his actual identity, he can truly act as himself. “So… any questions?” Nil asks, sounding a bit uneasy.

  Alisaie steps forward. The look on her face confuses everyone because no one can tell what she’s thinking or feeling. She walks over to Nil, and reaches for him. Nil instinctively flinches and closes his eyes tightly. And then Alisaie pulls him into a hug. The wide eyed expression on his face makes Hope and Alphinaud laugh and Tius smile. Alisaie's face softens into a beautiful smile. "Thank you for being honest." She tells him. Alisaie closes her eyes. "You were brave to tell us." Then something happened nobody expected or had seen before. Nil's eyes get watery, and tears begin to roll down his cheeks. He buries his face into Alisaie's shoulder, and stifles a sob.

  Tius puts a warm hand on Kaoru's head. She looks up at him and smiles sadly. She scoots closer and lays her head on his lap. "So, what do we call you then?" Tius asks. Nil looks over at him. Alisaie releases him, kneeling next to him. "I mean, Nil is a cool name." Tius tells him. "But if you'd like we can call you Niil."

  Nil shakes his head, smiling, and wiping his eyes. "Nil is perfect. Thank you."

Part 2 will be on it’s way...

[ship-to-hell]

Estinien/Alphinaud – A, C, D, H, L, AA, AL!

...I was briefly very confused, because the ship meme I last reblogged shows up as numbers on my dashboard but apparently as letters on my actual BLOG. What the hell, tumblr code?

ANYWAY.

A: How do they fall asleep? Wake up? Any daily rituals?

They fall asleep wrapped in each other’s arms!...is what I’d like to say. In actual fact, Estinien is a furnace, so in most weather they make a valiant attempt at doing so before reluctantly disengaging to separate sides of the bed with only an outstretched hand as their absolutely necessary physical contact. Alphinaud tends to wake earlier than Estinien, who will sleep (and snore) for ten hours straight if nobody stops him.

As for daily rituals?...Once they get a chance to simply be together, without the fate of the world in the balance, they discover quickly that they enjoy making and eating breakfast together. (Estinien does most of the cooking. Alphinaud is not to be trusted with anything more complicated than boiling water.)

C: Are they open about their relationship? How do they feel about public displays of affection?

Neither of them will deny their relationship if asked, but it’s amazing how long these things can go without ever being brought up. Estinien in particular isn’t one to volunteer much information; if it was up to him, they’d probably be married for years before he thought to tell the Scions. (Thankfully, Alphinaud is much better with people.) As for PDA, Alphinaud isn’t much of a fan--he’s trying to be dignified!--but Estinien has no problem slinging an arm around him or stealing a kiss in front of people. It makes Alphy blush forever. (He does this in front of Alphy’s parents once. Alphinaud nearly dies on the spot.)

D: First impression of each other? Was it love at first sight?

Estinien: “Poncy. Little. Shite...pretty, though, until he starts talking.”

Alphinaud: “Oh. Oh dear, he is terribly attractive. That voice...I wonder what he looks like under the helm?”

H: What do they like best about their partner?

Though he never admits it, Estinien loves Alphinaud’s kind heart and persistence. Even if the idealism makes him roll his eyes, he knows it’s people like that who change the world. His bravery, too, is amazing for someone who goes into battle with a book. (Not to mention his long legs, his bright eyes, his smile, his butt...)

Alphinaud, meanwhile, admires Estinien’s strong will. There’s something reassuring about being with someone who doesn’t dither or hesitate, and he can trust Estinien to never lie to or mislead him. Even if Esti’s grumpy, he can see the soft squishy marshmallow center beneath! (And then there’s his arms, his shoulders, his legs, Dat Ass...)

L: Is there a wedding? What was the proposal like? Any kind of honeymoon?

Alphinaud spends months planning the Perfect proposal, writing and rewriting a speech, fretting over how best to tell Estinien that he wants to spend his life with the man. Estinien torpedoes this one night after dinner, when he stretches out on the couch and asks “Say, do you want to get married?”

Their wedding, naturally, is the Society Event Of The Season. The son of the Leveilleurs marrying the former Azure Dragoon? That’s two city-states’ honor at risk! The ceremony, the venue, the wedding favors, the reception...it all has to be perfect. Not a hair out of place. And it’s amazing how the grooms smile and nod to everything their parents suggest! (Well, mostly Alphinaud. Estinien just grunts.) The end result is a radiant mixture of both cultures.

...This is because they got married in the Gold Saucer the weekend before. The honeymoon was in Costa del Sol and they didn’t leave the bed for a week.

AA: Do they have kids? Grow old together? Split up?

YOU KNOW THEY GROW OLD TOGETHER. Creaky retired Azure Dragoon with his acclaimed scholar/Archon/politician husband and like, three dogs. I can’t picture them having kids unless they adopt slightly older ones; neither of them strike me as Good With Small Children.

AL: What are they like in the bedroom? Any kinks/fetishes/turn-ons? Anything they won’t do?

Oh, they have fun. Estinien tends to be rough, but Alphinaud can give as good as he gets! They’re both rather fond of bondage, and Alphinaud likes to tease--especially since Estinien has a bit of a thing for seeing him in lingerie or in his clothes. When it comes to things they won’t do, neither one of them enjoys inflicting pain or (much) humiliation, though Estinien is capable of some amazing dirty talk.