#senah'to bajhiri

[bitterfates]

♫ 𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗟𝗘

[bitterfates]

♫ 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐌𝐄 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐓𝐎 𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐍

[bitterfates]

golden sands & sunny smiles

[bitterfates]

FFXIV WRITE 2023; PROMPT 30: AMITY

It was turning out to be another pleasant afternoon in Gridania; the morning showers had yielded to sunny skies, with a mild temperature perfect for the stroll Zizi had convinced her companion to take with her. He had surprised her with how easily he’d acquiesced to her wish, as he preferred to keep to himself usually, but she didn’t hesitate to take advantage of his sudden amicability.    

She had told him to meet her on the walkway leading to her apartment building, but he had gone one step further and met her at the entryway. Taking a cursory glance around, she noticed the area was blessedly free of people; the empty area would allow them to enjoy each other’s company stress-free, as she remembered how much the dark-haired Miqo’te disliked crowds.

It took only a moment for Zizi to nestle into his side and grab ahold of his arm, to which he shrugged and let out a deep sigh as if she were browbeating him into accepting her close proximity — but she saw through his token resistance for the bluster it was, as he had not made any attempt to disengage from her grip. (In fact, if she wasn’t mistaken, she could have sworn he had also leaned in closer to her.)

“Thank you for this indulgence, Senah,” Zizi acknowledged while tugging him forward, starting their walk at a slow pace. “I know how busy you must be these days. You are a hard man to track down. It was pure luck that I came across you in the marketplace today.”

“Not busy, actually enjoying finally having free time,” came the man’s dry answer. Senah followed in Zizi’s small strides for a few beats before easing them both into a slightly faster, even speed; much more comfortable for his legs. “You know I have a private linkpearl you could call if you just wanted to talk. It’s on all day.”

“Yes, but I can’t see you through it,” Zizi pouted, stretching out her words with a whine. The blonde squeezed Senah’s arm in a tight hug, and then tilted her head back to warmly smile up at him. “Nothing can replace being able to spend real time with a friend. I missed you dearly.”

Unexpectedly, Senah scoffed at the sincerity shown to him, gaze shifting to look only straight ahead. “You mean you missed having one of the Warriors of Light with you. I know what people want from me and Hara, which is why I haven’t been around here.”

“...No, I meant precisely what I said. I missed you, and not what you can provide for me.” Zizi was plainly taken aback by his mood change, her head canting to the side and tail flitting in confusion. She could hear the bitterness in his voice, but she was unsure of what she had done to make him think she didn’t care about him personally. “I have never once considered your title more important than who you are as a person. You are my friend, not just another battle companion. Have I ever treated you otherwise?”

Senah, embarrassed by the way Zizi had managed to soothe his worry so simply, began walking a little faster, sheepishly turning his head away to hide the redness he knew must be on his face. “...Thanks, Zizi. You’re…a good friend, too. Life wouldn’t be the same without you in it.”

The younger Miqo’te’s whole self seemed to radiate delight from the compliment, and she couldn’t help but snuggle into Senah’s side, loudly purring. It was even more embarrassing to have her hanging off of him like this, but again, no complaints were voiced and he did nothing to separate them.

“So…did you wanna hear about where I’ve traveled lately?” Senah segued clumsily, trying to ignore the glowing warmth in his chest spurred on by Zizi’s affections. Said woman did not answer him verbally, but he felt her head nod against his side.

He launched into a grand (and exaggerated) retelling of his trip around the Ilsabard and Eorzean continents, Zizi clinging to him but continuing to match his every step, enthusiastically asking for more details as questions popped into her mind. Senah entertained them both well into the early evening, and for once he was able to ignore everything outside of his time with a beloved friend, enjoying himself to the fullest.

[bitterfates]

one's end, another's beginning

a small photo-snippet of the continuous lore surrounding my friend's two Azem shards, that I'll have to go into more detail about later :)