#poor loqi

[meldaciomartyr]

What in the hell was goin' on? They'd passed by Shinra troops in the past an' it was an unsaid understandin' that the hunters went about their business an' the troops done theirs too.

The hunters kept the fiend levels down and made travel safer, even for the Shinra personnel who traversed the continents. Sittin' back in his uncomfortable chair, Dave listened to this young man, eyes takin' in his uniform; no rank was visible.

"The hunters hunt fiends an' take jobs from boards at different settlements, that's all we do. Travel place t'place an' hunt, don't even take bounties if folks are hard up for gil." It was more important that folks were safe. "Ain't nothin' illegal about our activities, been doin' 'em since before ya were born."

"Who's orders are ya workin' under? Director Tuesti knows our work an' he'll vouch for us."

@meldaciomartyr | X

Hunters.

Some weirdo hobby soldiers, who thought themselves the cops around here. Or helpers. Whatever. Loqi had just had a tired laugh for them, as all the other recruits when they had been told about this merry band of fools running around the Grasslands.

Well, but even fools had their use.

"I know. I have been informed about your illegal activities for the past years here.", Loqi replied with a tired smile.

"But I decided that maybe I can hand it a good word for you not having any Shinra-issued permission for your business. That is, if you are of use to me, of course."

"Since you seemingly speak for all of the hunters - you surely know about all their activities. What do you know about some cooperation happening between the hunters and various resistance groups?"

[housetummelt]

It'd been one o' the only belongings she had with her when she arrived here. Weeks slid into months an' they all found a new way t'live beside each other. Kimi and Loqi were the quickest to figure it out thanks t'the innocence o' kids; them two were thick as thieves. Reno was more of a handful an' hangin' round Kaleb's daughter more than he'd like.

But it was learnin' to live with Ida that Dave found most challengin'. She was lady t'be reckoned with, but they were both widowers in this world an' trying to protect what family they had left. Until the months slowly trickled into more than a year an' it struck him that maybe she an her boys counted in that family.

Accidental touches, a strange awkwardness 'tween them and tryin' to hide form the youngsters that the adults were crossin' a line into more than friends.

Which is why this gesture seemed fittin' but Dave did wonder if he'd crossed a line; Ida had always kept the fine golden locket in a drawer since she'd arrived. It'd been broken in her fleein' from the Empire. But now it was mended; the tiny clasp holdin' the two pictures together was fixed, the gold polished to a fine shine and the delicate chain mended.

"M'sorry, I should'a asked ya first." Dave spoke the words quietly and placed the mended golden locket on the table in front of Ida, with the clasp open and picture of a younger her an' Baldur on their weddin' day looking up at her.

"I gotta pal in Galdin, a feller who likes t'create jewelry when he ain't working. Got him to fix it up for ya, don't worry though - I took the picture out first."

It was still a process of settling in. At least that was what Ida told herself. A lie, if she was being honest. This was a home now. Maybe circumstances had played a role in them having to adjust faster than usual, they had to play the part of unassuming refugees and they had played them so well, they became them.

Sometime she worried she had asked too much of her sons. But Loqi was thriving, doing normal childhood things instead of handling guns and being trained in mechs. Reno though... he had to had his personality readjusted when he was just about to figure out who he actually was. Ida was far more worried about him, trying to give Reno more attention currently.

She didn't mind herself much... but she didn't have to, it seemed. Because of Dave. He made her feel safe. At ease. It was so simple to forget all the grief and battle when he was around. Stupid head hunter with his stupid handsome smile and stupid kind golden heart.

He sometimes had that look... the same look with which he approached her now, laying something on the table between them. Ida immediately recognized it - and yet it seemed so strange. It was her necklace with the locket. A picture of her and Baldur on their wedding day safely within. She had looked at it so often when she had arrived here. It had hurt. For a long time, and then less and less. Until she had managed to stow it away safely.

Somehow Dave had noticed. And taken the work to get it mended and polished to its former beauty.

Looking at it now, she was very quiet. Silent in surprise as she carefully took the locket and turned it between her fingers, before looking at the small photograph again. At had not been so pale in her memory.

Poor Dave did not get a reply for quite a few long moments, Ida just quietly looking at the picture and her fingers dancing over the now smooth and shiny surface of the locket.

This was a lot.

She was not angry, not at all. He had taken it to make her happy. She knew that. He was a man with a bigger empathy and heart than anyone she had met before. Because... what man would do something like that? There was something blooming between them, she wasn't foolish or ignorant. But she feared what that meant. Another man would try to make things more clear. Her former husband was dead. And with what was between them, it would help him more if she forgot about Baldur. Instead Dave went out of his way to honour Baldur's memory. What was on his mind?

Why had it been so easy for her to read and sort in every other man she had ever met, but Dave was a riddle?

Clicking the small locket shut, Ida stood up and with one step she was in front of Dave, wrapping her arms around him. An embrace in gratitude. One that could be between friends. But her hold was a little tighter. Her hand not resting between his shoulderblades but at his nape, her fingernails dancing over where his short hair started. And her face not turned to the side, but to him, almost buried in his chest.

"Thank you, Dave... this means... more than I could possibly put into words."

@meldaciomartyr

[proxnotxaxfool]

❝ why didn’t you wake me? ❞  

the boat had lodged itself on the sandy banks of a cove along what he now knew what the vannath coast of lucis. going on the chatter he'd picked up, it was somewhere west of galdin quay, and east of caem coast.

it was lucis though.

it was solid land and they were off that fucking boat.

a hop, a clamber up worn track from the coast to top of the cliffs and a hitchhiked trip on a truck had gotten them as far as a gas station in cauthess. he knew there were two main imperial bases nearby, namely tollends stronghold and pepetouss keep, but night was closing in and reno knew they had to find a place to stay for the night before the dusk faded into black and daemons started to spawn, so this place was as good as any.

he'd pilfered some gil from that truck driver for his good deed, but needs must and the teenager had needed some currency to secure that small caravan for himself and loqi ... his little brother had fallen asleep during the truck ride to the gas station, the poor kid had been exhausted, and this was all such a shitshow - mama and papa's boat hadn't followed theirs in the hours he'd waited before leaving the coast.

the weather had been poor - perhaps their boat had veered to accordo? either way. his papa had told him to find meldacio and find a man called david auburnbrie and that was his mission right now - keep loqi safe and get to that meeting point.

shutting the flimsy door on the caravan, reno allowed himself a small exhale, dropping his guard ever so slightly now that they were in the private confines of the temporary lodgings. yes, there were still two imperial strongholds too close for comfort, but he'd take the small victories where he could right now - come first light, he'd figure out a path to meldacio.

why didn't you wake me?

reno cracked his eyes open as he heard his little brother's voice, a practiced smile on his face as he moved away from the caravan's door.

' you needed your sleep ... we're gonna stay here just for tonight and then head for where papa said he'd meet us, that sound good to you? '

the teenager quirked a brow, trying to keep a positive lilt to his voice as he went to the small kitchenette, filling the kettle with water and setting it to boil. he rattled two ramen pots at his little brother, holding both out for the boy to see.

' take your pick - seafood or spicy garula? '

[mysteriousbean5]

For @freaky-trickster who asked for Loqi, and "daydreaming". I'm sorry, I kind of ran with this, apparently into a tragic place. Loqi just makes me sad, I don't know. But it was fun to draw!

[housetummelt]

The air in Lestallum often was thick and heavy with grief and hopelessness. Shocking news and failed plans were a daily thing around here. But nothing could have prepared the Tummelts for the words that slowly, one by one tumbled out of Ji-eun's lips.

Both Ida and Baldur were frozen for a moment, staring at this poor young woman, who still stood there like she was a child, who had to admit to a mistake at school. But this wasn't a simple mistake. This was... life-altering.

And it was true. It was bittersweet in the deepest of senses.

This time... it wasn't Ida who reacted. She couldn't. There was something in her chest tightening up. All the pain and hope she had felt for finding her sons again, it seemed as if this marked an ending. At least for Loqi. He would never know he had a child. A small part of him lived on. But he would never know. Her fingers tightened around the fabric of her coat in her lap and she had to close her eyes.

Baldur was the one to get up and take the steps towards Ji-eun, pulling her close into an embrace. Like she had done to him so surprisingly today. It was a lot. It was so goddamn much. All that had happened today. And this was the crowning point of it.

There were many thoughts rushing through his head. That was why she wasn't on deployment. It had been a hint. But Baldur had not dared to go there. She had the check-up due to that. 'We're healthy.' She was good. The baby was fine, too. 16 weeks. That was... far along. Out of the very fickle first trimester. She said she couldn't hide it for long anymore.

Did she... want to keep it? It sounded like it. Otherwise she surely could have gotten rid of it this very evening... and no one could have blamed her, even at this late point. To bring a child in this world. Alone. No. Not alone. They'd stand with her.

"16 weeks... the baby soon can hear your heartbeat."

It was a low whisper coming from Ida. She had had two children, and she had read more than extensively back then. Put it all to memory. Now those little bits of informations bubbled up again. Science, when other words failed her.

The soft whisper caused Baldur to let go of Ji-eun and look back to his wife. She still looked down on her hands, but there was the hint of a smile in her tone.

"Another week or two... you will be able to feel it. They start... kicking a lot around then..."

It felt as though she were in a haze. Her head wasn't clear, and her emotions ran thick. She didn't know what to think or what to feel. But there stood Ida, like a guide through this fog. She smiled and she touched her arm with both hands... it was the kind of touch she would have to learn herself...

Her fingers had small callouses from all her hours and all her days and weeks and years of her training. She was made rough from a rough life. She didn't know how to learn such gentleness, or if she ever would.

Ji-eun barely managed to nod. Though she found herself swallowing the truth back down again. It was too much to speak, instead she mimicked a smile and nodded again. "You're too kind, I'm not so sure that I'm deserving, but.. I... would very much like the company, thankyou."

Their walk up to the flat was blanketed in a comfortable silence. Ida led her up the stairs, and she took the opportunity to glance around and take in the area. She supposed this was home now. Or, at the very least, it was a place she would be spending a lot of her time with what was to come.

The flat was cozy. In some ways it reminded her of home, she had always lived in smaller spaces. It looked bare, sure, but Baldur's papers and a small box of books already gave it more character. She nodded back to him and followed Ida to her temporary room.

A room for Loqi and Reno. Their youngest wouldn't mind her taking up his bed, she decided, and her belongings found a new temporary home being set on the desk. This would do. This was enough.

When she turned back to Ida, she felt a small pang of guilt. Even still she offered what comforts she could, welcomed her so warmly into her home, and yet her throat felt clamped shut. It was difficult to find her words. "... I will be along shortly." she promised.

She took the time to unpack her things, so to speak. There wasn't much at all, but it gave her hands something to do, while her mind was at war with itself.

When Ji-eun emerged, it was with a small jar of boysenberry jam, something that was beyond a delicacy now, something that had found its way into her supplies because of a last-second purchase before their entire lives exploded into chaos. The jam was going to be a present for her own mother, it was the only reason she'd ever make such a non-essential purchase on the clock. Now she offered it to the Tummelts by placing it on their table where Ida rationed slices of bread.

"I know this has been awkward, and I hope I can begin to change that. But first I have to admit that I haven't been entirely honest." she admitted, a little hesitant as she stood there like a scolded child might. This wasn't a conversation she was supposed to have alone. "Loqi and I... acted foolishly. We didn't have a plan." Perhaps they thought that she and their son had broken up, given how cryptically she spoke. Her fingers flexed at her sides as though she had to grasp for the words. "It would have been cruel of me to say anything before I knew my situation. Now it feels cruel no matter what, it's a bittersweet announcement to make alone. But I'm healthy. We're healthy." She exhaled a small sigh. Just get the words out. "I'm pregnant with your grandchild. Loqi wasn't told, I didn't know my plan forward, but that was a different time." Two high-ranking careers were on the line. "I'm about 16 weeks along. I was told soon I'll begin to show more, and I don't own baggy enough layers to hide this for much longer."

[ruiojousama]

Bonus by cthenotherapy: 

Aranea (at Loqi): You are between Cor and the mattress, cheesecake. 

This was inspired by @cthenotherapy because she suddenly dropped this meme on me while I was talking about my Loqi plans. It fits because Cor is a daddy with god-awful puns. 

Quoting her, “Fresh material from the top of the dumpster”. 

Freshly dumped.  Tagging these nice and cute people who were just so supportive about this:  @lhugbereth @moonraccoon-exe @asoeiki

[commandernochill]

.

[culinarystrategist]

@trashkingizunia @loqis

“Ouch.”

[leorugiet]

kinkylesbianfootsex replied to your post “Why is Loqi always squinting at everything?”

he's always got the sun in his eyes from having to look up at everyone

i’ll believe this reason the most

[loqis]

[ 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 ] : sender breaks one of receiver's bones.

He had been trained to pilot mechs specifically. The use of a sword and hand-to-hand combat had been part of his training, too, of course. But there were certain differences in stature he could not deny, even with all his ego and pride.

Running into this giant city-guard when going for the royal Lucian archives and military logistic centres had not been in Loqi's plan. It was an infiltration mission and he was to retrieve any plans and documents the struggling kingdom still held onto. It was only a few days until Insomnia would be shattered anyway, but the kingdom had no idea what they were in for.

This was just the last streak in preparing the plan.

It had just been another floor up - but this bastard was in the way. And he had seemingly quickly understood that Loqi wasn't some poor lost servant. In the ensuing fight, Loqi had at least managed to jam the guard's radio and all surrounding technology, so he was cut off from calling any comrades. A few hits exchanged, the guard was stronger than him - but Loqi was quicker. Just that one moment he had escaped too slow. And paid with a loud resounding snapping noise from his arm.

Loqi immediately roared in pain, still being held on by this fucking bastard who tried to force him to the ground.

"Rovhul...", there was absolute hatred burning in his eyes as he glared at the guard. Fuck. This made this whole mission a lot harder. But Loqi would rather die before giving up.

His still intact arm reaching into his own uniform and pulling out a small device. Maybe hard to see in the dim light, but even this idiot would recognize it immediately. A bomb in fun size - but potent enough to easily blast them both and the surrounding structure apart. It would cost a lot more lives, if it went off.

"Let go, or I take us both and a lot of your friends out."

@luciancityguard

[moonraccoon-exe]

Among Ruins (Ch. 25)

I’M ALREADY NEAR 200K STOP ME :’(

Here’s the link to the newest update!

[lhugbereth]

😂😂😂😂😂

Loqi vs Cor

[loyalandroid]

"CC? How much is the worth of a life?" Moral and philosophical questions for an android? Of course, it was part of the schedule and testing - and yet Loqi was incredibly interested how CC would answer that. He was developing his own paths in this...

@loqis

"The worth of a life?" The android considered the question for a moment. "I would say that a life is precious. It is something that cannot be recreated. Objects can have value assigned to them because they can be recreated. You can analyze the cost that goes into making it. Like a chair. You can determine the price based upon the labor and material. If the chair breaks, it can be replaced. While it isn't the exact same chair, it can fulfil it's purpose and the differences can go without being noticed. If something were to happen to you, there would never be another being like you, because you are a product of your experiences. That is something that could never be recreated. Therefore, I would say that life is priceless. That is why my duty is so important. I was designed so that others may live, because I can be recreated."

[thexrightxhand]

x continue from here

| brigadicrs |

Oh? Maybe Ignis has just misunderstood the other's expression? "I apologize for  this speculation."  He gives the other a little nod and turns around to focus back on the market stalls, still feeling bad for his rudeness. Wait, do the next words mean he has been jealous? Ignis starts to get more and confused, turning his attention back to Loqi. The little pout makes him lean closer to steal a kiss but suddenly froze. Right, not a big fan of public affection. He takes a step back and scratches the back of his neck. "I got a hint for a special shop that seems to have rare spices and books. Why are you asking?"

[marie-dufresne]

🍼

Marie was sitting on the porch with Gideon when Loqi pulled up, having gone into town for the things they needed. She appreciated his help more than he’d ever know, not having to send Gideon to do things a child shouldn’t have to do.

He was good to the children, often times in his own way, but as Gideon poured over the book of mechanics, taking notes on the information the blond had brought back for him a few weeks ago, Marie smiled at the boy’s enthusiasm for things he didn’t yet understand. He talked more now that Loqi was here. Not to anyone but her really, but it warmed her that he was crawling out from his shell after all these years.

The tip of his pencil snapped and without missing a breath, he reached into his back pocket, withdrawing a small pocket knife, and began to sharpen it, still babbling on about what he was learning. Marie didn’t interrupt him but raised a curious brow. Where had he learned to do that?

Her eyes lifted to the dirt they called a front yard as Loqi’s truck pulled up and she greeted him with a soft wave, not wanting to deter Gideon’s excitement as he began scribbling back in his overused notebook, copying diagrams and equations for better memorization. She didn’t watch Loqi unload the truck as she may have, nor did she push Gideon to help, but when she felt her friend’s presence before her, she looked up.

There was a baby in his arms, a bundle of blankets that he lowered into her arms. She was the caretaker here.

For a moment, Marie was elated.

Then she looked at the child and her heart sank. Beside her, Gideon closed his book, stood, and left silently. She understood. He couldn’t bear this again.

Loqi hadn’t been with her long enough to know the magnitude of what was in her arms. She’d told him stories of hardships, but he hadn’t been there. She wasn’t angry at him for bringing her this baby. Everyone knew she took in children in need, and that he’d accepted the child of either dead or dying parents, knowing what to do with it, made her happy in a small measurement.

“Loqi I can’t…”

Marie pursed her lips, taking a breath and drawing her fingers over the baby’s face, so soft a flawless. This child couldn’t have been two months old yet, its age still counting in weeks.

“This child is too young,” she settled on, trying not to cast her glance to the side yard where six little markers formed the house’s graveyard. Gideon had dug two of the graves.

“I…I can’t feed him.”

It wasn’t a matter of having too many mouths. She was more than willing to forego food herself to care for them, and she had in the past, but no sacrifice on her part could save this one, just as it couldn’t save the six that came before him.

They’d been lucky with one, little Grace, and had found enough formula to just barely keep her alive until she was old enough to eat solid foods, but even that had been a dangerous game. She was still too small and much weaker than the others and that was two years ago. There was nothing left.

“He needs a wet nurse or…” her eyes misted over and she turned her lips up in a sardonic smile. “…or a goat.”

Never in her life had she considered goats to be a luxury. Not until the sky had blackened and she’d fled Niflheim, watching as motherless babies starved to death. Watching as they were brought to her, withering away in her arms.

Now she would have killed for a goat.

[heartxandxhome]

"I can't tell you what's the right and wrong this to do in this, Reno." Sarah gave a small shake of her head, chewing the inside of her cheek.

She had never seen Ida's eldest looking so lost, or with his guard down so much. Normally he could get past anything with bravado and a smirk. Not this though.

Dave knew; that was good. Of all the people that could or should know, Dave was the most important. He was head hunter and he was juggling a lot of responsibilities at the moment, keeping his head above water and keeping them all safe.

"I spent years thinking the entire family were killed in the raid," she was quiet, realising just how much she and Baldur really did have in common. The poor man. "If someone had told me there was a tiny chance they might be alive, and I wasn't able to verify it, I would have either ignored it outright or tried my hardest to find a way to get to them. Either way, it wouldn't have been a smart move."

"Maybe finding out first is the better option?" Not getting Loqi's hopes up, or confusing Ida. Gods, it was going to be a complicated mess regardless. "- what does Dave think?"

he could hear the unvoiced questions lingering in the thick silence of the workshop; did dave know? did ezma know? did ida know? was he a fucking idiot? did he understand the risks involved in what he'd done? did selena know? had he knowingly put them all at risk?

no, he hadn't. he hadn't run head-long into this. if anything, he'd rested on the back foot for far longer than he normally would have, walking around its edge and skirting the topic like a wary coeurl at a wire trap, acutely aware that it was poised to snap down and catch him at any moment ... but too fucking curious to keep a safe distance away.

' dave knows. ' reno conceded, dipping his head into a shallow nod, fingers still clenching and unclenching on the hard edge of the workbench's length.

' ma doesn't though - not yet. and i haven't told selena either. '

did he believe veld? ha. well wasn't that just the million gil question. he'd gone back and forth on it so much - mulling it over the whole way back to meldacio. going between disbelief, caginess and a dangerous trickle of optimism as he'd paced along the harsh shoreline of cape caem, having stormed out of the house in a fit of temper after hearing all he could stomach from veld and not trusting himself not to retaliate if he'd stayed any longer.

' ... i do. i don't want to. but what he said over-right me, he had nothing to gain out of what he said, and everything to lose. but it's so fucked up ... tellin' ma and loqi - i just, i don't know whether the means justify the ends just yet. '

' do i tell them, pull the rug out from under their feet? or do i bide my time until i can put eyes on him myself and know for sure? i can't not do something though, sarah ... i can't let him just wallow in there, thinkin' we drowned that night. '