#prompt: endwalker

[iron-sparrow]

Has your journey been good?Has it been worthwhile?

We will find our way.

feat. @ahollowgrave, @hazelkjt, @this-is-ris & @nolanel-corbeaux

Final Fantasy XIV certainly isn't my first MMO, and I've been alive enough decades to be way too jaded about everything. Yet here I am, crafting these images of my friends (virtual representations of them) and feeling all kinds of ways the entire time.

I met Hazel and began raiding with him back in Shadowbringers. That's actually when I met Nolanel, too; I initiated our friendship when I messaged him privately for Paladin advice. He was the only other Paladin player I knew at the time, and I wanted to become a better raider.

We got along almost instantly.

In Endwalker, Hazel and I ran a second static to clear for Nol and some other friends. This is when we met Ris, who was recommended to us as a DPS by someone in our main static. She grew on us immediately, and I eagerly roped everyone into the RP-GPOSE-tumblr pipeline. Sorry, not sorry.

Come Dawntrail, Ris will be running her own static while Hazel and I go back to our main group, with Nol coming along as a fresh DPS. We've already made plans to reconvene after Savage, though, to get our DSR clear together.

I hope, too, that Pigeon will keep listening to our bullshit. She mentioned once that no matter how many times she watches us prog, she still has no idea what the fuck the mechanics are. Still sticks around though, giving us moral support (and watching us play with cursed objects in Phasmophobia). So there, in those images, is Odette greeting our tired asses after raid and asking us how it all went.

Fuck. It's been a real fun time.

I've really loved getting to know all of you. I really look forward to traumatizing developing our OCs more in Dawntrail together.

(Oh, and a very special thank you to @thefreelanceangel for the beautiful divider. Seriously, she's amazing and super talented.)

[ishgard]

Presenting: An Absurdly, Stupidly Long and Wordy Warrior of Light-based Questionnaire, or as my bestie dubbed it:

30 WoL Think Thonkers

Less an ask prompt, more of a daily prompt, (though you can use it as an ask prompt if you prefer!) Answer the questions however you want: straight-forward, with stories or screens, or a mix of all.

Get any of your little brainworms out. Wax poetic, ramble off into several digressions, challenge yourself to answer in the least amount of words possible, whatever you're vibing with! (If you want to tag them #wolthinkthonkers feel free!)

This is very Warrior of Light and MSQ based. It's set from a Post-Endwalker mindframe, so there are some minor/vaguely worded spoilers.

----------------------- WARM-UP QUESTIONS

I. Where is your Warrior of Light from? What was their home like growing up and what set them out on their journey?

2. What city-state did your WoL start in? How did they feel about it then, and how do they feel about it now? (ie, did their experiences sour their perception, or make them appreciate it more?)

3. How do they feel about being Hydaelyn's chosen? (Feel free to break it down from ARR's "Champion of Eorzea" all the way to "The Savior of Etheirys" as much as you like. Have those feelings changed, or just grown more complex?)

4. What do they do in their down time? Do they have any hobbies outside of Primal-slaying and world-saving? Are these lifelong hobbies or recent interests?

5. How do they feel now that "it's all over" (the story of Hydaelyn and Zodiark)? What do they plan to do next? Or is their story finished - and if you're retiring them, what does retirement look like for them? Do you have someone else taking the stage going forward?

6. Who was their Azem? What were they like, and were they different from your WoL? Who were their family, friends? Or, if you don't care for the Azem angle or went in your own direction for their past self, how so? How does your WoL feel about their Ancient identity?

----------------------- CHANGES

7. Have they gone through any physical changes? What scars have they collected, and how do they feel about them? Did they sprout horns or other features as a result of spells or pacts gone wrong? How did light corruption impact them? Or have they walked away miraculously unscathed? Are they more peculiar for how eerily unmarred they are?

8. What is one of their biggest regrets? Has it had an effect on how they act moving forward, for better or worse?

9. The Warrior of Light has been through quite a lot, but what is a moment, big or small, that bolstered and renewed their spirit? Was it a cup of hot cocoa or a lovingly crafted sandwich? Did someone give them a few words or a gesture at just the right time that meant the world to them? (Of course, this can be a canon event or headcanon!)

10. What does home look like for them now? Do they still return to the home where they started, and if so has it changed at all? Or have they found or forged a new home? Who do they live with, if anyone? What sort of things do they keep in their personal space?

11. Despite everything, is it still you? Has the core of who they are as a person remained true through everything, or have they been changed by what they've experienced and learned, for better or worse?

13. Is there a canon moment you've drastically (or not-so-drastically) rewritten? A character death, or something that just really did not fit your WoL's character. Or just some alterations and personal touches you've added? Has that had any long-term changes on the wider story?

----------------------- STORY

12. Which canon moments shaped your Warrior of Light and impacted them the most?

14. Do you have any headcanons for what happened post-Ultima Thule? What kind of injuries did they suffer, or did they walk it off like a boss? Did they take a lengthy vacation, did you shove a time skip in there before 6.1 hit? Or was it quickly off to the next adventure?

15. What were their thoughts and feelings on the events of Myths of the Realm? How did they regard the Twelve prior, and how did the revelations impact them? Was meeting their patron particularly special to them, or not really?

16. What were their thoughts and feelings delving into Pandaemonium? How did they feel working alongside Themis and Lahabrea, after all their history? What did they think about how things ended?

17. Taking a step away from "canon", do you have any wholly unique side quests and adventures your Warrior of Light has gotten caught up in? Did they chase down ghosts of their own past, get married, open a bakery, or fix an ancient blood curse on their family line? Have they reunited with loved ones or buried old hatchets? If there's some unique story behind your character, how does it show up and how did it play out?

----------------------- COMBAT & ABILITIES

18. How do they feel about the work they do? As the Warrior of Light they're tasked with quite a lot of violence, is it something that comes naturally to them or do they resist it? Are they merciless, do they try to spare as many lives as they can, or do they fall somewhere in between?

19. While many fights are dramatic or have high stakes, are there any especially memorable or difficult fights they encountered? Outside scripted battles, were there conflicts that you thought felt better if they were tweaked for narrative or lore-based reasons, ie their first time fighting a primal? Or perhaps a more meta "You the player had a hard time so it translated into headcanon for them".

20. Are there any unique abilities that they possess outside of what's in-game? Are they actually a dragon, or do they see visions of the future? Or, is there a special way that their Echo manifests?

21. Jobs! What job is your character and why is that the route they chose? Is your WoL a Jack-of-all-Trades, or just have one (or a few) specialties? Did they start with one job and change to another? Have you 'homebrewed' their job at all, adding any unique twists or details to it?

----------------------- RELATIONSHIPS & THE WORLD

22. What are their feelings on the Scions? Who are some of their closest allies and dearest friends? Are they more of a loner, or closer to people outside the Scions? Have they kindled any romances or partnerships?

23. How do they feel about getting pulled into politics? Are they adept at navigating political intricacies, or does it go over their head? Do they appreciate getting asked to do more than punch their enemies, or would they really rather just punch their enemies? Are there any areas they like to be particularly involved in?

24. How do they feel about Hydaelyn? What was their perception of the Mothercrystal in the beginning, and how did that change by the end, if at all?

25. Do they have any particular enemies that stand out to them? Someone who inspired a lasting grudge? Our beloved and beloathed antagonists give us plenty of reasons to despise them, but are there any that particularly rubbed your WoL the wrong way? On the other hand, are there villains they can't help but sympathize with, even if it's at odds with the narrative or their allies?

26. What are their thoughts on the Ancients, their way of life, and the world they lived in? Did they sympathize at all with the Ascians, or did learning the truth not influence them in that way?

27. How well known are they? Does everyone know their name as the Warrior of Light, or have they managed to maintain some level of anonymity? Do they prefer it that way, and do they have any struggles resulting from it? (Getting stopped on street corners VS awkwardly avoiding questions.)

----------------------- WHAT'S NEXT

28. What's something they look forward to? Exploring the stars, more of a place we've already been, or somewhere we haven't? Or do they look forward to retirement, starting a business with their craft of choice, or any other little old thing?

29. How do they feel heading into Dawntrail? Excited? Exhausted? What do they think of the promises of adventure to come, and their role to play? If you're using a new character, do you have any idea how they'll end up on this path, and where is their headspace starting out?

30. What are they going to be doing while waiting for the ship to Tural?

[flourish-of-steel]

18th Sun - Emo Growing Light

[impossible-rat-babies]

vierapril day 1--hope

"one day, life will fill the universe again. and hermes will see this and smile"

[yloiseconeillants]

there once was two different kinds of shadow dancing in a trance by the sea and one was in disguise, disguised as the other they were attempting some kind of harmony

[wildstar25]

MiqoMarch Day 23 - Midnight

With their intended voyage into the void only a few days out, Arsay thought it the upmost importance that she steal her partner away to Kugane, that they might share one more fond memory together should things not turn out the way they plan in the thirteenth. It was as they crossed the very same bridge the miqo'te had once sat on together two years prior when Arsay gifted Y'shtola with a bracelet matching that of her own. A token of endearment which, Arsay confessed, she would have given to her fellow scion back then, had nerves not gotten the best of her. While their relationship has undoubtedly changed since the initial purchase of the jewellery, the sentiment remained the same. Y'shtola was someone who Arsay loved dearly and she will forever be grateful to have the seeker's life intertwined with her own. No matter where their free spirits took them, they would always hold each other in their hearts. A promise Y'shtola was more than willing to keep. She slipped the the string of beads around her wrist without a second thought. They were never to come off, not even when the two decided to delay their return to Radz-at-Han in favour of a private bath at the dead of night.

[scionshtola]

I. Where is your Warrior of Light from? What was their home like growing up and what set them out on their journey? (source)

Corisande grew up in a secluded village in the Golmore Jungle, where their mother fled with them after Garlean forces invaded Valnain. The village did not typically allow outsiders in but made an exception for them after a Wood-warder vouched for them--he'd been good friends with their father, who'd been killed by Imperials before he could flee.

They lived in a small house on the outskirts of the village, and were largely treated as strange outsiders by most (but not all!). Despite the unkind treatment Corisande received, they enjoyed growing up in a forest, surrounded by nature. Though it was a rather lonely childhood, she occupied herself with roaming the forest, gathering herbs and flowers, and teaching herself as much as she could about arcanum and summoning as well as the world outside her village, which she desperately longed to see. She was often found in the company of the pink chocobo she had rescued and the Carbuncle she'd taught herself to summon.

Despite how Corisande longed to see the world, they were reluctant to leave their mother behind knowing they would not be allowed to come back. But their mother knew Corisande could not be truly happy if they were not allowed to travel, and she asked them to leave, to see the world and pursue their studies. It took quite a bit of convincing, but eventually they left their village behind and set off for the Arcanist's Guild.

[autumnslance]

BLINDSIDED and HELPED for the meme!!

(Yes these are taking me awhile. I do not control the rate at which I respond to prompts. You'd think so, but you'd be wrong. *pokes OCs with a stick, gets slapped back*)

send HELPED for a scene from my muse's past in which someone helped / saved them

“I can’t use magic,” Aeryn whispered, the admission stinging. “I’ve tried and tried, and I know it’s there, but it just…won’t come.”

The old woman nodded. “Perhaps one day you will find out how to change that,” she said. “But there is more than magic.”

Aeryn couldn’t help wrinkling her nose.

The old woman chuckled. “Yes, all the platitudes and reassurances you’ve doubtless heard before—but also more than that. Aether is not the only way in which we interact with the world.”

“But aether is everything,” Aeryn answered.

The old woman chuckled. “Spoken like a well-taught academic. Well, my teachings are not those of a university curriculum.”

Aeryn watched and listened, a small frown on her face, head tilted in curiosity. There were those who said the old weaponmaster’s wife was a witch. She hadn’t given the rumors any thought, when her stepfather had arranged her instruction for her requested nameday gift.

The old woman smiled, reaching a hand out. “Tell me, dear, in all your many readings, what did you learn of akasa?”

—-

(This one got a little long, so going below the cut, BUT how about something from my Free Company’s FF16 AU "On Our Fates Alight"…)

send BLINDSIDED for a scene from my muse's past in which they were betrayed or shocked by what someone did

Everything was supposed to have been better, once Emelia brought her children to Thavnair.

Away from Coerthas, away from its never-ending war. Away from the Inquisition and the dragoons, away the betrayal of the village priest.

Away from the loss of her husband and home.

Instead, she stood in the opulent chambers of the Meghaduta, trying not to tremble in the face of divinity.

The great wyrm sighed heavily, pain in his motions. Her eyes flicked to the wounds and burns scarring his massive form. “Worry not,” he intoned, the words clear in her mind as much in her ears. “I shall heal.”

“I’m so…sorry,” she said, the word trite and absurd for the enormity of the situation. “I had no idea…”

Aeryn, so small and young, so timid now since the events in Coerthas, had panicked—and the Manusya Eikon of War, Asura, suddenly stood in her place, roaring in fury, light and fire and storm flashing with each of her many blades.

So Zaine, to protect his sister, had rushed forward, heedless of danger. And then in his place stood Daivadipa, the Mrga Eikon of War, drum rumbling, snakeheads hissing, as he met Asura in battle.

It had taken the island’s protector and true ruler, the Great Wyrm Vrtra of the First Brood, to stop them from leveling Vanaspati.

Her children were Dominants. Her children were Dominants.

Vrtra shook his head. “Thou has but recently returned to our shores, and while the Eikons often take time to manifest, thy recent struggles hath primed thy children to accept the gods’ favor.”

Favor. Not how they would say it in much of the world. Memories of the Inquisition, rumors of Garlean hunters, crowded her mind.

“What do I do?” she asked, voice small.

“The children must be guided, as well as guarded,” the wyrm answered. “They shall be my wards, and I will teach them to control the divinity within. To the rest of the world, they shall be under the care of the Satrap—those of Alzadaal’s line who maintain my secrecy. You understand you are now part of this secret.”

Emelia nodded, mouth dry. “I want to stay with them.”

“Of course,” Vrtra replied, a warm gentleness in his tone she had not expected. “I would not separate them from thee.” He looked away briefly in thought, and she could swear he was frowning. “Emelia, what dost thou know of Aeryn’s Eikon?”

She blinked. “Asura is the Goddess of War; not always well-regarded among our people, who ever strive for peace, under your all-seeing eye. She wields many blades, and has many faces, all aspects of why one fights in war—justice, vengeance, conquest…”

He nodded, stretching his torn wings with a groan. “I hath known many a Dominant of Asura in my time. Yet none have also wielded the power of dragons.”

“What do you mean?” 

“Asura drew not only upon her own power, but upon Aeryn’s own. The inherent qualities of her bloodline have affected this manifestation of the goddess.”

“What are you talking about?” Her voice came in a hoarse whisper, her heart hammering in her chest. What was happening to her baby?

Vrtra’s head hung low. “Many Coerthans carry within them part of my sister, Ratatoskr, betrayed by mortals a thousand years ago. And in the time since, those men call heretics have found ways to strengthen the dragon within, by consuming the blood and essence of other dragons, as their ancestors did her.”

Emelia stepped back, bile rising in her throat. “That’s not how I’ve heard the story,” she said. “They only speak of Nidhogg, and his rage. Regardless, my daughter is five—she’s no heretic, and we’ve never…eaten…a dragon!” The very idea was blasphemy, even if it wasn’t already disgusting.

“No, she hath not committed such a sin herself,” Vrtra agreed. “And yet I sense my sister’s daughter’s blood within her. Thou hast obviously not partaken. Which leaves—”

“No,” Emelia sobbed, clinging to herself.

They had said the old priest was a heretic, secretly corrupting others for decades. Corran had been one of the men in town to spend time with Father Comfraire. Corran had so often worked longer, later, than some of the others, with certain comrades. Strange behaviors, strange scents and stains, strange secrets she had never looked much into; she had her own harmless friendships and interests, didn’t she? She trusted her husband implicitly, why shouldn’t she?

Emelia had seen Asura’s red draconic face, in the place of fiery Vengeance. Heard the goddess cry out in the draconic language as she had slammed magics into the wyrm repeatedly as Daivadipa tried to wrestle her down.

Vrtra tried to continue to explain in his gentle, rumbling tone, but all Emelia could do was fall to her knees and scream.

--

(No I did not proof Vrtra's Elizabethan language maybe later when it goes on Ao3.)

[rowanul-tyr]

FFXIV Polyamory Week - Day 1 - Sleeping positions

Hellooooo here I come for polyship week!

Turns out I already had this shot that fit the prompt perfectly (sorry for cheating that way, it WILL happen again). Usually Rowan is in the middle of the pile, but Estinien has been in the middle before--it uh. Did not go well for him dealing with a lot of purring. (Please look forward to that in the ot3 fic, haha).

[starrysnowdrop]

Endwalked!

Thoughts on Hali’s EW Journey

Hali has officially finished her Endwalker journey! 6.0 is done and the 6.X patches and all the EW side content await! I have many thoughts about this, and it felt so different playing it through on Hali vs Yume, so I have an overwhelming urge to tell you all how it went!

Because I will be long winded I’m sure, plus the many spoilers, it will be under the cut.

First of all, I felt from the very beginning of the expansion that this felt like this was Hali’s story, and finishing 6.0 solidified for me that Hali was meant to be my main WoL and Hali’s Unsundered was Azem.

Why is that? Well, I had played through the entire MSQ on Yume before I even created Hali, and I can tell you that though I personally was emotionally invested in the EW story before, it still didn’t feel like it really fit Yume that much. She was not as connected to the events as Hali is, and in several ways. Yume is still way more connected to SB and ShB, as she is the one who takes on the light from the lightwardens and has permanent changes to her body and aether as a result of the light corruption, not to mention her connection to G’raha and all.

Hali, on the other hand, is absolutely the spotlight WoL of HW and EW. For HW, it’s her finally facing the fact that those she cares about can get hurt and even die, and sometimes there’s nothing she can do about it, ie: Haurchefant and Ysayle. Secondly, HW is when her story with Aymeric largely happens, of course.

For EW, it feels especially personal for Hali for a number of reasons. First, she goes back to her home of Old Sharlayan and Labyrinthos for the first time since she left home without a word to her parents. She sneaks into Sharlayan under an alias and wears a disguise, but she is still caught in Labyrinthos and must face her parents and the Forum for her being a fugitive. Hali is confronted with the knowledge that her parents were both directly involved in the plot to escape from the Final Days, which Hali has a hard time with. She is very angry that her parents kept the secret from her for her whole life, and she is also upset at them for trying to convince her to leave with them instead of staying and fighting for everyone. For Hali, EW is when Hali must face her past, and try to reconcile with her parents in order to save the star and make a brighter future for all.

Another element that is personal to Hali is her connection with Fandaniel, specifically her past life as Azem when she and Hermes were once in a romantic and sexual relationship. Though these two souls were once in love, they were torn apart and went on completely different paths. While Hali doesn’t have any romantic or sexual interest in Fandaniel or Hermes, she does get a deja vu feeling when she is around them, which she believes might be her soul recognizing his soul from their past lives. She feels sorry for how deeply in despair Fandaniel/Amon/Hermes was, and she wishes that she could have helped him, but in the end, she gives him hope that he can find the answers in his next life.

I also found that Hali is much more connected to dynamis than Yume is, especially when in her canon, Hali almost turns into a blasphemy herself after her confession of love to Aymeric and feeling an overwhelming panic take over her with Aymeric’s reaction. Hali feels her emotions very deeply and wears her heart on her sleeve, so her journey of discovering what dynamis is and then using it to keep the light of hope alive in Ultima Thule, and in her battle with the Endsinger, it all just felt so satisfying to play through. Not just her being a Warrior of Light, but Hali as a person went on this incredible journey of self discovery from her leaving Sharlayan and coming to Eorzea in ARR, to saving the star and finding happiness with the man she loves in EW.

Endwalker overall was incredibly enjoyable on Hali’s playthrough, but the one thing that rubbed me the wrong way was the last solo duty when the WoL fights Zenos. When I went through it on Yume, it felt so unnecessary, but it did not feel too jarring because of who Yume is, and she would understand Zenos. Hali, on the other hand, would not.

Why is that? Well, Hali is not a warrior like Yume is, as she’s first and foremost a healer. Yes she has some really powerful offensive spells and abilities that she can use to hold her own in battle, but it’s not her main focus nor her goal. She’s of the mindset that she’s there to ensure that everyone comes back alive, and she would not want to fight Zenos. In fact, she’d more likely try to bring him back with her and then let him go, because she not only would not want to fight Zenos and 1) kill him, 2) give him the satisfaction of a fight because why would she reward him after everything he’s done, and 3) she’s not going to put herself in danger once the Endsinger is dealt with. Hali is coming home to Aymeric in one piece damn it, and she just would not fight Zenos and take that chance of not keeping her promise. So yeah, overall I just hated the last solo duty on Hali’s playthrough.

I think that’s all the blabbing I’ll do for now. I just wanted to say that I’m glad that I got to experience EW all over again and on a character that really felt personal to me and who really was meant to go through that journey. If you made it this far, thank you so much for reading!! 💖

[cantspelldragoonwithoutgoon]

Day 2

Home

Through the years Eclaire realised she had called - and still did call - many places home, each holding value in its own right.

A nostalgic memory, barely recognisable

A place imprinted so deeply into your soul it won't come off no matter how hard you try

A place enabling you to find your own way...

...accepting your return with open arms and no questions

And even the most unexpected of new places capturing your heart

[galadae]

“kissing your lover's forehead, then bending down to meet their lips” for calien? 🫶

this took me so long lol, thank you for sending this dani 💕

Before Dawn | ~950 words | mid ENW spoilers under the cut (and vague mentions of ranged role quest stuff, but nothing major if you haven't done it)

Calantha wakes to find the space beside her cold and empty. 

"Hien?" she whispers. She blinks sleep from her eyes. How long has he been gone? It's some odd time of the night, far past midnight but not yet dawn. The room is dark and quiet but for the wind gusting against the roof. She rises to her feet, feeling around in the dark for her haori and boots. He must be outside.

They've both slept fitfully in the nights since her return. With the blasphemy's last appearance, terror and unrest simmer under the surface of all in the enclave and beyond, threatening to mutate into something far more deadly. 

Calantha had kept watch for the blasphemy the first night, too on edge to sleep, her mind replaying the memory of the sky falling over Thavnair. A disaster she'd set in motion, despite her best intentions. But the intentions made no difference now. She’d locked up her guilt and fear in favor of action. She hoped her actions would be enough.

Perhaps it was selfish, coming back to Doma now, when the whole world needed her. But she couldn't ignore his request for aid. 

Now she dresses quickly and steps from the room. Despite the new number of those taking refuge within, the Kienkan is silent. She finds no sign of him in other rooms, or anywhere out in the streets of the enclave.

Her ground search fruitless, Calantha takes Giles into the air. She guides him above the river, going over any places Hien likes to visit in her mind. None of them seem likely. The moon is high, almost full, bathing everything in a soft, cool light. A fitting cold sky for the chilly wind.  

After half a bell of telling herself not to worry, the sight of his yol resting on the abandoned moon gate platform floods her with relief. Giles lands with a sharp "kweh." She slides from the bird's back and lands softly on her feet. 

Hien doesn't seem to have noticed her approach, or at least, he doesn't acknowledge her. He stands a few feet from the stark drop of the wall. His gaze falls on the flooded ruins of the castle. He still wears only the loose smock and trousers he slept in. She doesn't see his sword anywhere.

"It's chilly without you," she says. Calantha steps up next to him, boots crunching on the old stone. She clutches her haori around her, fighting off a shiver. 

He says nothing. He's been quieter, more reserved in the past few days. She doesn't need to ask why. 

"You've barely slept since you arrived," Hien says, finally. He doesn't look at her. "I thought you might prefer to not be woken again. I do seem to steal the blankets when I toss." A hint of a smile lifts his lips, but doesn't reach his eyes. 

Calantha rests her hand on his shoulder. "That's kind of you," she says. "But I would prefer having you next to me. I sleep alone enough as it is." She doesn't say her next thought. How else will I keep you safe?  

He turns his head to offer her another weak smile. "I shall keep that in mind." 

She studies his face, relief at finding him and worry for his well-being conflicting inside her. The cold moonlight does him no favors. He looks washed out, haunted. Far too tired. "Hien... Are you all right? I came to offer company, but if you'd rather be alone, I can go back."

Hien sighs, a long slow breath. He looks back out over the river.  "I thought myself in need of time to clear my mind, but it has solved nothing. I would not begrudge you for returning to bed, but if you wish to stay–"

"Of course I do." Calantha slips her arm around his shoulders. 

She brushes a hand against his cheek, tucking a free strand of dark hair behind his ear. He meets her eyes. 

"Do you want to talk? Would it help?"

"I am...unsure." His brow furrows. He looks down at his feet. "Forgive me," he murmurs. "I do not mean to make you worry." He wraps an arm around her waist. "You have enough cares as it is." 

The weariness of the past days is plain in his voice, dragging his words down like an iron weight. Try as he might, he can't hide it from her. 

She cups his cheek, pulling his gaze back to hers. "My worries for you aren't your doing." 

She presses her lips to his forehead, willing the kiss to take his cares away. He sighs and closes his eyes as she lowers her face to leave a small, soft kiss on his lips. 

For a moment the wind calms to a gentler breeze. Hien rests his head on her shoulder. His arm is warm around her. She wraps her other arm over his shoulder, holding him close. They stand in silence. The river is a distant roar mingling with the near, soft sounds of their breath. 

"Come back to bed," Calantha says. "Daylight will be here before we know it. Let's rest while we can." 

The wind picks up again, sending a shiver through her. Hien leans closer, hiding his face against her neck.

"It will be warm inside, at least," she adds.

"You are right," he says, with a tired huff. He steps back, but he still holds onto her hand. "I’m glad you came to me." 

"You can thank me by sharing the blankets," Calantha says. She squeezes his hand. "Let's go." 

By the time they fall back onto the futon, huddling close for warmth, birds are singing just before the dawn. Calantha closes her eyes, trying not to think about the days ahead. Everything is uncertain. Everything could go to ruin in a moment, with her helpless to stop it. But for now Hien is safe, asleep, and warm against her. She can take some comfort in that.

[abyssalmermaiden]

a desperate kiss as if they are convinced they’ll slip through each other’s fingers 

"Not even a single scar in the making to brag about-" "You-"

prompt list

(only one moment to set this in)

[why-raven]

orbit — for the single-word drive!

here we go ’round the world on broom stick at top speed

— poem by isorawrites

[wolpromptaday]

‪#WOLpromptAday‬

‪March 21, 2024‬

What is the most beautiful thing your WOL has ever seen? Was it a Place, Person, Action? Why is it beautiful to them? Do they reflect on it often? Was it an awe inspiring experience or did it make their heart race? ‬

[wildstar25]

MiqoMarch Day 09 - Flower

"A flower upon your return"