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nights-at-crystarium · 1 year

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Fragments - episodes 15-18 author notes

Shall we sit back and go over the recent episodes together? C:

You can find similar breakdown posts on older episodes in my pinned!

Obligatory ShB spoiler warning.

Any theme song enjoyers? I associate this song with this moment, and generally with Exarch’s longing and excitement that can’t be shown. “And in my usual voice, I say, there you are”.

Go away grandpa, you crashed an otherwise perfect party :’>

Had this followed the msq more closely, i.e. had Feo Ul not been the first to find Vivi, or had it happened in an environment more familiar to him, he might've asked Exarch if he's shy, or just ugly. Kinda like if you’re a bully in your school, you might still wanna keep a low profile in a new school.

Vivi treads lightly in a new world, at least tries to. He doesn't yet know how thick or thin is the ice under his feet.

Exarch doesn’t know about the tree since he was busy waiting for Vivi in the Ocular, having just finished the summoning spell, tense and giddy, hood up and all. Minutes passed, nothing happened, then Exarch started getting antsy and finally turned on his tv to find Vivi in Lakeland.

“Hey it could’ve been your spine” I hope is clear: as in Vivi could’ve landed on Lyna instead of the aforementioned tree, not a threat to snap her spine in a fight. He knows better than taunting random people.. Moreover, people stronger than him x’D

Artist achievement unlocked: managed to make a hooded person look expressive. IN THE BACK VIEW.

SPROUT?!

He’s more cute than he deserves to be here and you’ll perceive him.

Being at the end of the episode, “we’re friends, yes” is the first and only line almost nonchalantly tossed to Vivi! Exarch wanted to buy time and observe him, how he’s changed, how’s best to approach him now.

..And Vivi needs rest and new clothes, he spent AN ENTIRE DAY in one outfit. We've seen him around several people so far, and, while he's always genuine, he's the most himself with Exarch, even at this early stage.

But yeah, he’s jaded, regrets many choices in his life and wants his money back.

Vivi's tailored for this ship. Before I even knew that I wanted to write a comic of this size, I asked myself, what condition does he need to be in at the beginning of ShB for the chemistry to happen? The answer was, well, "terrible". I’ve got the juicy deets, but you’d have to be patient and keep an eye out for more flashbacks sprinkled in throughout the story.

What matters now is that, finally, both of them are sufficiently tired to start noticing something else than gremlins in each other.

Have fun living with the knowledge that there’s no face where it’s supposed to be :>

Exarch has a way with the fae: don't flinch, offer them something nice. He offers rest to Vivi without hesitation, as soon as he sees his emotionally battered state. And, oh, he’s still an archer, landing that perfect shot first try. This here is a genuine spark of interest, surprise and gratitude in Vivi’s eyes.

I went balls deep with the visual subtext here. Despite being shown up close, Vivi’s broody face takes on a secondary role as his mind literally closes in on Exarch in that moment, on the mystery man that’s suddenly so unlike the rest. Even if he’s yet another quest-giver, even if shit’s on fire, he allows Vivi to go? Rest? Have some time for himself???? Exarch is, or is about to become, his only light in the darkness :3c

Exarch’s stiff posture is also intended here. He must’ve rehearsed this scene sooooooooo many times, he was prepared for hostility, interrogation, tantrums, but this Warrior’s indifferent and just wants to leave?

Magical boy de-transformation! Headcanon time, two of them even.

Firstly, the Tower can register living presence in its vicinity, a passive ability which Exarch can casually tap into. Being aware of an entire city’s population is, mildly put, overwhelming, thus he’s learned to shrink the “radar” area down to his Ocular, or wherever he’s at the moment and whenever he actually needs it. He feels that Vivi’s indeed left, therefore he can safely remove the hood.

Secondly, the hood shadow’s magicked. The panel above demonstrates how it’d look naturally, if it were a normal shadow. But he casts a pitch black glamour that also extends to his hair.

Just a cool crystal flare that I feel like showing off :>

None of you would believe me now if I said this isn't a horny scene? Although this looks lewd, for someone who’d spent a century clinging to memories and tales the lingering scent is just another confirmation that all of this's real. He can't even touch the WoL (or so he thinks), the scent could be the most he ever gets. Bearing in mind the stress of the day, I genuinely don’t think that he’s in the mood here. But no worries, he’ll get plenty of horny opportunities later on :>

The subtle characterization in the way he opens a door to a supposedly empty, still unknown room.

An unironically normal reaction to the Light, and shadowbringing \o/

This. This goes into my personal collection of the best vivifaces I’ve drawn.

He’s quick to react to a threat (?) popping out of nowhere in a supposedly safe room.

GOMU GOMU NOOOOOOO-

I know the arm’s too long, but I like to incorporate some animation princliples :>

The Champion of Eorzea uses a stick to cure a 100 years old depression, ca. 2023, colorized.

Vivi didn't mean to pierce him, actually. While the space's more than enough for living, it's still cramped for fighting as a dragoon, and he simply misjudged the distance while spinning around and lunging at the source of that eerie voice. There’s also an ooc explanation: I couldn’t quite align all of this in one frame, and thought hey, Ardbert’s a ghost, it’s okay to pierce him!

Both are quick to handwave the fact, and let’s be honest, self-defense of that sort must be a mundane thing for a WoL.There’s more important stuff to discuss. Both are desperate to vent to someone they could trust. They may disagree on things, but generally they vibe pretty well with Ardbert.

A lil shoutout to @agent-jaselin for commenting this under the respective episode. I almost forgot to point it out while making this post. Vivi tries to see if he can relate to another WoL, if his struggles are valid, or if he’s overreacting to a typical hero life. Ardbert had a whole friend group adventuring alongside him, the Scions don’t measure up unfortunately, on top of that Vivi (emotionally) stays the fuck away from anyone post-ARR for their own protection (and his own if he ends up losing someone else), so it’s not quite the same experience for him.

One of the few redeeming qualities: Vivi keeps his word. This's gonna be relevant in like 2025 :'>

He baby, THAT’S his problem.

From pointing his spear at him to comfortably undressing and falling asleep in his vicinity. Ardbert's possibly the first man to be asked to stay and not get laid by Vivi :’>

While the Crystarium and its people seem nice, it’s still Vivi’s first day (one loooooong day since the beginning of chapter 2) in a brand new world, and Ardbert’s the only somewhat familiar person here. A ghost? Even better. The supernatural’s easier to deal with and is less likely to backstab you.

The sweet-voiced hooded guy says that it’s okay, that he’s safe here.... Yeah that on itself is a flag for our mr doubter. He’s grown reasonably paranoid since ARR, (almost) everything he does has a nice cynical-flavored logic to it.

While this’s a wolgraha comic, it’d be bland without support characters. Ardbert doesn’t play a massive role in this particular story, still you’ll keep seeing him here and there.

The next several episodes focus on the main two and Feo Ul, they’ll claw their way in even if they were left out x’D

#shb spoilers #ffxiv #ffxiv: fragments #fragment ii: new world old friend #fragments talk #vivien rell #crystal exarch #g'raha tia #feo ul #lyna #ardbert #wol x g'raha tia #wolgraha #own: next lvl #ardbert hylfyst

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ffxiv-swarm · 8 months

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Would you tell us more about Pavo's weird and traditional tribe? He's probably the OC of yours that I want to examine under a microscope the most (the runner-up being Q'sevet, of course) :3c

OH NO YOU'VE ACTIVATED MY TRAP CARD

Bullet points in no particular order bc i've Never written this shit down before:

i freely admit this was based HEAVILY on classic maya life/traditions/art but like. bunnies

well, classic maya shit + Fae, But The Kind That Eat You

ritualistic cannibalism my beloved (if you're caught in their woods there is like an 80% chance you will be killed and/or sacrificed to their gods and/or eaten)

but aside from that the Miret-Moor village of Whispering Stars is...surprisingly chill? they have beehives and cassava and probably a variety of chocobo

clothing tends to be very sparse--think loincloths & wraps & leathers--because golmore is Fucking Hot

women and children stay in and around the village, men in a loose perimeter around it

TECHNICALLY they're only allowed back into the village once a year but in practice...wow, it sure is something how those sentries just Happened to be looking the other way

strong tradition of literacy and papermaking but their written tongue is indecipherable to eorzeans

(they actually descend from a Turalian viera tribe who went east during ehhHHH one of the previous astral eras & thought golmore would be a good place to settle)

also a very strong tradition of astrology. like. VERY strong. their current matriarch, aud (pavo's grandma!) is said to hear the voices of the stars themselves. stars tell them when to plant, when to harvest, how their kids will grow up, etc

which means that when pavo was born with the constellation of the Great Tree on his shoulder, they all went "ooooh"

alas, Kalju Happened

boys are supposed to stay away from the village for 7 years after they accept a mentor, learning the ways of men (tracking, various rites & rituals, etc). after those 7 years, they return, there's a big feast, they get facial tattoos, the works. the whispering stars dudes pretty much float around in each other's orbit the rest of the time, but long-lasting relationships aren't uncommon.

they follow the viera male surname system when introducing themselves & it's considered lucky if you're trained by someone who shares your elemental affinity

(ladies are always considered to have Earth affinities, but whether they are Rehw-Setlas or Djt-Setlas depends on whether they have borne children or not)

in the wider forest, though, they use their village name

Whispering Stars members also have day names used in the village, following the number/day of their birth in their calendar. these are used mostly for divination but sometimes they get used as actual names if you decide your given name sucks

typical full name: [first name] + [day name] + [elemental affinity] + [village]

ex: Sigri Ten Deer Djt-Marouc Miret-Moor, Kalju Four Jaguar Rehw-Gilda Miret-Moor

i AM capable of going on about classic maya naming systems for a while do NOT test me

ANYway, they're allowed to go anywhere in golmore!...but not beyond it. once they leave the tree cover, they're considered to have forfeited the protection of the Wood and the Green Word, and are thus too unclean to remain. only blood offerings can placate the wood, and depending on the length of the transgression that might be a hell of a lot of blood

this may have something to do with their dances on certain times of the day or night, dances beneath the stars

...Aud, along with every other high matriarch before her, has been known as the Starsinger. Do they sing back?

say, where did ultima come from anyway?

don't worry about it

at least she's not the only one in charge; the five eldest women in the village make major decisions as a group, and among men the eldest Djt-Marouc leads

yes this means pavo would have eventually been in charge, god help them

speaking of pavo, a fun mutation he has (common among the tribe) is what are called "climbing feet;" they're semi-digitigrade, with high arches and long toes, and so he's more comfortable in heels or sandals than closed shoes. in fact he's the MOST comfortable off the ground entirely, so it's a good thing...

...that the tribe builds their houses in trees! no, not just treehouses. actual giant hollowed-out trees, living spaces carved into or grown out of the wood.

think fanow here

except fanow PROBABLY doesn't have a skull rack outside the front gates as a warning

at some point i need to sit down & come up with a pantheon but Not Today

#pavo #fire the headcanons #viera

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bananaapplewaffle · 2 years

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Book Three Part 3: The Merchant from the Depths

Leona I am seeing shit in your room

what's the meaning of this

NOT ME IMMEDIATELY THINKING ITS A ROMANTIC EVENING

Tit for tat

Unless you have a keyblade and can just wack'em around

I have shit to do today, Leona. Of course I'm up on time.

MANG SHUT UP

rolls eyes in this is my house

One Day Remains

We're screwed.

Oh wait, I told them my plan.

My ngga what yowling did you do?

Alright y'all here's the mfken situation

and that's that

I mean...this is only plan b.

Plan a was murder.

Thanks Jack. It took a lot of convincing not to go with plan a

DON'T SAY THAT SHIT SO FUCKEN LOUD

DAMN

TIME FOR SOME GOOD OLE FASHION BREAKING AND ENTERING

Me and Ace

on the same wavelength

He's a good fucken actor, I'll give him that

EWWWWW

ITS TRITON

WELL SHIT

My mans is still going

NOT A FUCKEN MOVIE

asdsak;dlaskd;lakdask;ldk;l

WELL SHIT SQUARED

Them: "Alie, what's the plan?"

Me: ":)"

Them: "They're screwed."

NOT ME GETTING THE SAVANACLAW TO STIR THE POT

FUCKEN RIOT

LEONA MY BELOVED BITCH

We already got the shit

My nggas

Not Ruggie being a compulsive pickpocket

500 TO 600 HUNDERED

DAMN

"What did mew say?" LMAO GRIM

>:3c

Of course it was my idea, dearest Azul.

smiles in agent of chaos

I am a villain and a damn good one.

Awwww me and Leona are friends

AWWW THE BABY IS CRYING

AND THE HOLLOW BASITION LIKE MUSIC IS PLAYING

Because you're an annoying little shit, Azul

Overblot is like a mix of turning into a Heartless and Persona 4's Shadowself

YOU GOT GOT

...Floyd is big pissed

WELL

HELLO DARKNESS MY OLD FRIEND

Floyd this isn't helping

Also!

They have purple eye-something (liner or shadow)!

Also also!

I've noticed that when Jade talks, he tries to keep his teeth from showing as much.

OOOOOOOOOO LOOK AT THE SEA WITCH

Oh we're just getting straight into this

HP REGEN???? UGLY

Nah nah who the hell is helping me with their Dorm Uniform Leona

I wouldn't have been able to do it without you, Aidan!

BULLY HIM HARDER

FLASHBACK TIME

Oh damn, little kids bullied him? That's the worse. Not a filter in sight,

Then maybe stop being mean to him???

2 + 2 = 4 y'all come on

Girl what the fuck is an octopus pot?

oh.

Damn that Overblot was so crazy he's whole hat disappeared.

WHERE IS EVERYONE'S HATS

FLOYD SAID: "CRINGE"

Not Grim being the voice of reason

Everybody's getting got left and right

Yeah like

What's the point of being shady if your work is super detailed and put together.?

Let me see the picture of the baby

babies actual since Jade and Floyd are in it too

Such a round boi

Deuce you can't really hide your delinquent past since you have a sort of Delinquent Mode

I see everything

Ruggie who the fuck says that

Where the fuck is Crowely

FUCK IT LETS GO RIGHT NOW

AND YES LEONA THAT MEANS YOU AND RUGGIE TOO

Oh fuck

I forgot this cat belonged to the streets

DON'T YOU FUCKEN DARE

SPIT IT OUT

Yes, he has no manners

Leona if you don't fucken-

WE'RE HOME

MALLEUS

LMAO HE'S FUCKEN RUNNING FROM SEBEK AND SILVER

oh wait...

so Sebek is also Fae? It's the non pointy ears that throw me off

Girl why is the mirror glowing

HIS MAJESTY

MICHEAL MOUSE

WHO LEFT AQUA IN THE REALM OF DARKNESS FOR 1O YEARS

RICKY RAT

Oh god more people are going to just start coming to my house

How did we get on their good side like this

Why is Triton that buff?

JACK ASDJLASDKLASDJASKLD

Noooo

Nooooo

I WANT OCTO-AZUL

Girl you mean the fork

my ngga its a fork

You can't just erase the physical parts of your past. People still have their memories you know...

awww i'm at the last part...

oop girl phone finna die

DO YOU HAVE MORNING TEA MONEY, GRIM

So wait

$300 for the one point $6 and about $240 for three point $15

don't come for me math is not my passion

jfc

WAIT GIRL THEY'RE TWO DIFFERENT CARDS

OMG

SHOULDA BEEN DOING THIS SHIT FROM THE START

GRIM DO YOU HAVE EXTRA DRINK MONEY

NOT YOU TOO ACE, DEUCE

How sweet of Jack to help

GRIM GET OFF THE TABLE

sneaky last bit of the song slowing down there

I mean if he makes the funds, he can have the branch café built on sight

offer jobs to the student

its really not a bad idea

OH A SNEAK PEAK OF THE NEXT BOOK

HELLO

UMMMM

SUNSHINE BOY KALIM

oooh this has something to do with Jamil's Unique magic, no?

I think it's talked about in one of the Vignettes...

YEP THAT MFKEN LAUGH AT THE END

JAMIL BITCH

Anyway now that the main story is done! Let's warp this up by saying

Um chile the whole thing with mirrors and the latest update regarding Dark Road

I am looking closely

Twisted Ramblings

#waffle plays twsted #twisted wonderland #kingdom hearts #khux

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theriverpersonshadow · 3 years

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Lamia Drama Part 11

Heyooo. Guess who’s back... kinda. ^^;;; Not my favorite chapter by a long shot, but the idea got stuck in my head just enough to type out.

I hope tumblr doesn’t mess up the double-space formatting between texting and Liam’s thoughts, but I think it’s still distinguishable regardless.

A little bit of context for those who don’t play much DnD: Hexblade warlocks get their power from a patron who gives them a magic weapon. Fighters get a fighting style that allows them perks based on what kind of weapon they use. Sorcerers have inborn magic, and wild magic can make weird things happen sometimes.

Also, I know that it’s spelled y’all, but for some reason my fingers insist that it’s ya’ll??? Idek.

Aaaaaaanyways, these lamia species come from @vex-bittys ! Enjoy! <PREV | BEGINNING | NEXT>

Liam sighed happily as he stretched himself out in his enclosure. His skull-cap had been removed for the night. In theory he could, and probably should, leave it on, but the tacky substance that held it in place irritated his bones and itched horribly. Plus it just felt like something was sitting on his head all the time. It’s not like he had any nerves in the fake-bone, so it just felt like a dead weight. Bandage and cloth wraps were far more comfortable and did just as good of a job at keeping things out of his head. But in the safety of his own habitat with daylight hours away? There wouldn’t be much harm in letting it air out a little. Air swirled into his skull as he moved, tickling the inside, as he slid on top of the silky, plush pillows and under a warmed up heating blanket.

Normally he wouldn’t put on heat for the night unless it was freezing, it was easier to sleep in cool air, at least for him, but his eyes kept darting to his phone on its charger. Normally he’d have put it away by now, but they’d gotten Alex’s number and added her to the DnD group chat, Snarls and Snakes, so everyone with a phone was still chatting (save for Nikolai).

Pointy Combatant (Oozy): i demand you guys pronounce it G’nome. yeah i wear the pointy hat. m a G’arden G’nome

Devising Machinations (Keith): Your character still needs a NAME.

Pledged Companion (Trousle): YES, LAZYBONES!

Proxy Child (Alex): Names are hard, I get it m’dude.

Problematic Changeling (Liam): Still, that’s just lazy.

Devising Machinations (Keith): Oh hey, ya got your phone back. Nice :)

Problematic Changeling (Liam): They couldn’t keep it from me~

Pledged Companion (Trousle): THAT ISN’T EVEN YOURS!

Pointy Combatant (Oozy): dude caps

Pledged Companion (Trousle): I AM SMALL, YOU WILL NOT HEAR ME IF I DON’T SHOUT

Proxy Child (Alex): That… That isn’t how text works???

Pledged Companion (Trousle): ALSO THE SHIFT KEY IS STARTING TO ACT BUGGY. I DON’T WANT TO ASK FOR A PHONE OR KEYBOARD UNTIL THIS IS DEAD THOUGH

Devising Machinations (Keith): *nods* Understandable.

Pointy Combatant (Oozy): p sure that liam got it for good behavior

Pointy Combatant (Oozy): suck up

Problematic Changeling (Liam): IT IS A VALID HUNTING STRATEGY!!! Deception is JUST as valuable as being able to bite things. Sometimes. I’m more fond of biting deer than trying to play mind games with them.

Or he assumed he would be, if he got to see a deer. He was old enough to be rented out to handle overpopulated areas, but he wasn’t very popular… People saw the eye and all other thought seemed to go out the window. Nevermind that deer and rabbits pound at the ground like they were trying to break the earth, no one cared about that. They only cared that he was down an eye. Fuck them.

Devising Machinations (Keith): Everyone happy with their characters before I get started with anything in depth? I’ve talked to Hux, dude’s fine ^u^

Proxy Child (Alex): I think so??? I’m still trying to figure out whether or not to main in Hexblade or just go straight fighter. I mean, getting the fighting style is well worth dipping into it regardless, but, like, would my character *want* help from another fae, or is this something she felt she needed to do herself? Like, making pacts and stuff would make her seem more fey-y, but does she WANT to be fey-y? Or would I rather have her intentionally shun all of it?

Devising Machinations (Keith): Not a call I can make, but can’t wait to hear about it.

Problematic Changeling (Liam): I’ve had similar questions… I do think I’m going sorcerer one way or another, wild magic of course, since they’re inherently magic, but would they have been trying to learn other things as well?

There was something he couldn’t quite put his finger on with their characters. They seemed so juicy already, enough angst and plot potential for them both to sink their teeth into, but something felt slightly off…

Proxy Child (Alex): I guess it comes down to whether my character (who I will give a name to, eventually) would want the “crutch” of a more powerful fae helping them out, or if they’d rather prove their own worth.

Liam’s fingers were typing before he’d even thought it through.

Problematic Changeling (Liam): Prove your own worth. You don’t need someone hand-holding you through life.

Pledged Companion (Trousle): I DON’T SEE WHY NOT. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH NEEDING ASSISTANCE, BOTH IN GENERAL AND *ESPECIALLY* WHEN EVERYONE AROUND YOU CAN DO THINGS YOU CANNOT.

Proxy Child (Alex): Ya’ll both have points, just ain’t sure. I might have to try writing or RP’ing her a little to figure out what kind of person she is. Have to get a feel for her first, y’know?

Devising Machinations (Keith): That’s fine by me. No pressure ^^

Pledged Companion (Trousle): YES, NO REASON TO STRESS ABOUT IT, YOU’VE GOT AT LEAST A WEEK! YOU’LL COME UP WITH SOMETHING GREAT!

Proxy Child (Alex): Thanks dudes.

Proxy Child (Alex): I really like your character btw, Liam. Kinda wish I’d come up with that first XD It’s relatable, y’know? Though maybe a little too close to home anyways, ya’ll ain’t my therapists. Can’t wait to see how you play them out.

Problematic Changeling (Liam): It’s going to be awesome, naturally. Are you sure you can keep up with me?

Proxy Child (Alex): Honey, I don’t think you know what kind of angst machine you’re dealing with here >:3c

Pointy Combatant (Oozy): oh boy thisll be fun

Pledged Companion (Trousle): GUYS I’M PUTTING YOU ON MUTE. I’M KEEPING EVERYONE UP. GOODNIGHT! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Pointy Combatant (Oozy): night trus

Pointy Combatant (Oozy): also you should just play every single class at once

Pointy Combatant (Oozy): itd be HISSterical

Devising Machinations (Keith): XD Dude. No. Just no. Also, you’re ripping that off from Puffing Forest

Pointy Combatant (Oozy): lies and slander

Problematic Changeling (Liam): You watch it *while we game* sometimes. I’m half deaf and I can still hear it!

Pointy Combatant (Oozy): it aint my fault you take 5ever on turns sometimes

Problematic Changeling (Liam): Well SOME of us know how to strategize.

Pointy Combatant (Oozy): yeah, trus

Proxy Child (Alex): PFFFFFT. Oozy omg. XD But I oughta go to bed. I’ve got work tomorrow. Sleep tight ya’ll!

Devious Machinations (Keith): Niiiight!

Problematic Changeling (Liam): I’ll get you back for that Oozy. But really, I’m looking forward to this. It’s been a while since we got fresh blood in.

The last time they had was Trousle. Being the only bitty and the youngest of the group, they hadn’t been friends with him nearly as long as with each other, but he was still quite fun to have around. He was starting to grow on Liam, honestly. Liam had to respect his relentless optimism, at least to a degree. Albeit, Papython in general tended to be unwaveringly positive, but it seemed deeper than the surface-level sugar of some of his breed.

Pointy Combatant (Oozy): sleep sounds good actually. Night

Devising Machinations (Keith): Saaaame. Night everyone

Problematic Changeling (Liam): Goodnight.

Liam put the phone back and turned the heat off on the blanket, putting it over his head and settling in for the night. He was grateful that his wing tended to be pretty quiet; he never could sleep well with noise, lights, or too much movement, though the pillows muffled the vibrations in the ground nicely. No one was going to come anyways, not this late. Even if they did, he was a light enough sleeper to wake up and bite before the other even knew what hit them. He drifted to sleep alternating between contemplating his DnD character, and imagining hunting a deer.

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windupnamazu · 4 years

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fey union words: ~4200 notes: for @whitherliliesbloom's fae au and takes place after kiwi’s fic! wol/raha, cameos/mentions a few friends :’3c no beta we just die!

It was about eight bells into his unsubtle break-in when G'raha realized he made a mistake. Or two. Or three.

Entering the realm of the fae was a foolish maneuver, one not made any better by another mortal doing the same just before him. But G'raha was desperate—the people of the Crystarium were not getting any better, and no word had come from Eulmore's emissary in recent days. If there was anything he could do to help—even if it meant trespassing into the forbidden kingdom of Il Mheg himself—then he would do it. Simple as that.

...Krile was never going to let him hear the end of it, though. His plan to cordially request an audience with the queen ended up falling flat when he went tumbling into a patch of lilies right out of the gate, disturbing some pixies who gleefully tossed him right into Lyhe Ghiah's throne room on his tail. It was an embarrassing way to make a first impression (the gods knew that while the queen became lenient with his presence, her advisor was still far from pleased) but all he could do was hope this next one would turn out better.

He winced as his fae overseer pulled at his ear, the pixie giggling deliriously as they did. Titania hadn't assigned them to him, but it seemed like he was stuck with an orange and overly grabby guardian anyway. At the very least, Feo Ul was helpful when they wanted to be, stopping him from running smack into a phooka and getting his ribs broken when he'd exited the castle doors, and they'd been the one to wave off the tiny dryad guard who looked ready to smack him in the head with her shield when they passed. Together, they descended the hundreds and hundreds of stairs that connected Lyhe Ghiah to Mithai Glorianda, which seemed as numerous as the stars overhead.

"Feo Ul, my friend," G'raha began, allowing the pixie to settle on his shoulder. "Paragon of pixie-kind and most illustrious flower. What can you tell me about the stardust fae?"

"Oh, you are interested in our little moonflower?" Feo Ul chortled, reveling in the flattery. G'raha didn't bother to point out that it was only because they were on their way to meet her. "Lunya is very funny. Doesn't like her Fae name! Terribly sweet and loves to play! But she's also—"

The fae paused, looking skyward. G'raha craned his neck to follow their gaze up to the mosaic of stars, past the towering spires of Lyhe Ghiah and the rainbow wings that grazed the sky. That azure blur he'd spotted earlier still whizzed across the canvas of dark, the stars shining brighter in its wake. Il Mheg was a beautiful place, from its rolling pink fields to the vine-tangled stone buildings and the castle, rising above the lake in a way that made him long for the Tower, but more than anything else it eased his heart to see the night sky gleam as it did back in Lakeland.

Though he wanted Feo Ul to continue, the pixie continued to squint up at the figure dancing across the stars in unusual silence. G'raha let them be, glancing back down at all the stairs they still had to descend to reach the meeting spot.

"Hells, we still have a ways to go," he mumbled, which was his fourth mistake of the day. "It must be nice, being able to fly."

Feo Ul finally turned their attention back to him, practically bursting into a cloud of excited sparkles as they took off from his shoulder, wide-eyed and grinning. "Oh, that can change, [cloud mallow]! Yes, it can!"

He knew he was going to regret asking. He already did and he hadn't even responded anything yet, but there was a little voice in his head that sounded exactly like Krile with a derisive 'you've always been a fool, Raha, why stop now?', so he swallowed and asked, "And how so?"

In the end it was unnecessary, because Feo Ul was already rolling a ball of fae magic in their palms and singing a merry tune to themselves.

"Upsy-daisy!" the orange pixie sung, and then G'raha was plummeting toward the lake at a speed that would almost definitely kill him.

Well, his life had been fulfilling enough. His Viis apprentice could continue their research of Ronkan ruins in his stead, and Ejika was sure to come up with some alternative measure to help the ill. If they were lucky Krile wouldn't burst into Il Mheg to get his corpse and kill him herself, and maybe Rammbroes could find someone more suited than him to take the throne—

But then the air around him began to warp, and it almost seemed like the world was crawling to a slow stop. Above him, the stars began to fizzle and blink, each one alight with a blinding halo. Starshine poured from the night sky and weaved around his fingers, gently squeezing his wrists with the affection of an old friend. It twined itself through his hair and filled every slip in his jacket, lingering in the crook of his ears. The galaxies, radiant and infinite, descended on him with a midsummer breeze and left the scent of sea salt and a warm evening filled with laughter in his nose.

How lovely, he thought as the light grew brighter and he clenched his eyes shut, and before he could think to himself that at least the last thing he saw before he died was beautiful his feet softly touched what was definitely not cold lake water.

"Feo Ul, you imp. Mortals are very delicate," scolded a voice like little bells, far away enough to give it a dreamlike quality. The light behind his eyelids settled into something closer to that of a nightlight for a child, its glow tender and comforting. "You can't just fling them this way and that!"

"The wee bookman was fine!" Feo Ul protested somewhere above.

There was a musical sigh as his pixie friend—or perhaps menace was more appropriate—drifted down toward G'raha, who'd finally dared to open his eyes once more. He was standing at the bottom of the castle stairs, just one step above where the steps gave way to water, dredges of starlight still lingering in the corners of his vision. The backs of his hands glimmered with silver and gold dust, the glow of an unearthly star pulsing gently beneath his nails like a kind, forgiving heartbeat. And on the clear surface of the lake, water lilies were blooming where they hadn't before; they were glittering little things, feeble yet ethereal and bright, with glasslike petals that released motes of light as a small figure came to rest on the water's surface.

"Alphinaud has wings, and Elle still had to patch him up after." The voice belonged to the person who now stood out on the lake, but G'raha was so distracted by the sight of the glowing plants he forgot to look up. He couldn't just rule out any medicinal properties they may have—"Look, I'm sure the flowers are very exciting, fluffy mortal, but I just saved your life. Now stop squinting at the foliage and listen."

When he finally turned his gaze to his savior, he immediately lost the sassy retort he'd started to brew. For a moment he'd thought that Titania suddenly learned how to snark, but that was not so (yet he probably couldn't be faulted for thinking this fae was her sister).

She shared the queen's snow white hair and violet eyes, though her own fell in soft waves and the hue of her gaze was closer to that of twilight than fields of lavender, and her skin was sun-kissed and warm. She seemed smaller too, though it was tough to be sure when she was standing across the water, the gentle flap of her gossamer blue wings stirring just the slightest ripple beneath her feet as she balanced on the tips of her heels. Her stance was elegant and she was adorable, really, as she peered up at him with an exasperated but genial smile and waited.

"You're—" G'raha's brow furrowed, the memory of the queen smiling fondly when she'd told him this girl's name coming to mind. He hadn't been sure what to expect when Urianger placed the missive in his hand, and even now he felt uncertain. "Lunya, the stardust fae."

"That's what they call me." Still, Lunya did not budge from her spot among the glowing water lilies. It almost seemed like she was waiting for something else, though he couldn’t imagine what. "And you are G'raha Tia. 'Tis a relief to have a mortal running around who isn't as much of a bore as that Alphinaud boy, but for your own sake, I wouldn't humor any of the other fae. Feo Ul is actually one of the ones who like mortals, and you've seen that you won't be spared from their tricks just for that."

The pixie pouted but was at least aware enough to know they couldn't protest, giving them both a casual wave before they fluttered off, perhaps out of some semblance of politeness. Or maybe they were already bored and were going to bother someone else.

A chuckle slipped from G'raha's lips as he appraised the stardust fae again. "And should I count you among the ones to be wary of?"

Lunya's smile grew into a grin. It was equally charming and pointed, like the bared teeth of a predator. "Normally I would say yes. But if Il—if Queen Titania would have me help you, you may place your trust in me, silly one. For a price, of course."

Of course, he echoed to himself. The queen herself had told him this in advance, that 'the fae are not one to share gifts to outsiders without recompense.'

"I admit I don't know aught about the likes and interests of the fae," admitted G'raha, scuffing the heel of his boots into the stone beneath him. "But if it is coin, or treasures, my coffers are hardly light. My k—my home, the Crystarium, is famous for its myriad of rare minerals—"

"You entered Il Mheg through Zaya," Lunya interrupted, pressing her cheek thoughtfully into her palm as she looked southward, where thunderclouds hovered perpetually on the peaks that encased the fae realm. He really didn’t plan on ratting out the lightning sylph, but Lunya was already taking the surprise on his face as confirmation before he could school it into something neutral. "Clever. They've always been more crow than sylph. I'll have to talk with them later, but no, sparkling rocks are not what I need."

A hush fell between them. Her wings fluttered a little harder, entirely an unconscious motion as Lunya bit her lip and contemplated her next words. G'raha's heartbeat bounced back into his ears, anxiety forming a rolling ball in the pit of his stomach. It was good that he didn't have lunch before he left, between his worries about just about everything and getting dropped from fifty fulms in the air.

Then, finally: "Tell me more of your home," Lunya determined, pushing back stray strands of starlight behind a pointed ear, "Of this Crystarium of yours. And the rest of Norvrandt, if you know her. You have seen much, I can tell. Your stories can be payment enough."

Unconsciously, G'raha's tail curled.

"Is… is that all? Are you certain?" he asked, even though he knew he shouldn't. He was a bard as much as he was a historian, after all. Telling stories was second nature to him. Nero would throw a fit and Cid would pull his ear once they found out—the smartest thing would have been to accept the deal right away. He was losing nothing in this bargain, and who in their right mind would question a fae on what they wanted? Much less one who had demonstrated the strength of her magic on him just minutes before?

But even knowing that, he couldn't help but press. Looking at Lunya gave him the feeling that she'd seen injustice too, something different from most of the other fae he'd encountered so far, each of them simply living in the moment. There was something lonely and something angry and something grieving in the way she looked out on the land of rainbows, emotions that didn't fit the joyously bright landscape. And G'raha knew how those emotions felt better than anyone. He held a duty to his people, for sure, but what sort of example was he setting if he went around making unfair deals?

Lunya's eyes widened—imperceptibly so to most mortals, especially when she was still standing away. But this cursed eye of his was good for something, and he was glad for his sharp sight in the moment.

"Never ask that of the others," she warned him, though it didn't sound like a reprimand. She exhaled. There was something a little warm starting to grow in her twilight eyes. "I hadn't thought the mortal Her Grace was sending would be so earnest. It's been a long time since your kind last stepped foot here. It's… comforting, seeing that there are still good people out there."

When she smiled at him this time, it didn't feel like she was trying to hide anything. She opened her mouth again to speak, but before she could a gurgled grumble rippled beneath the water's surface. Lunya's wings stilled as she cocked her head to listen.

G'raha's mind went blank. Most of the books in the Cabinet were barely proper primers for the fae folk, notes cobbled together from generations and with conflicting information from generations of scholars who failed to study them. But most of them were in agreement of one thing: the fae that lived in Longmirror Lake, the Fuath, were not to be dealt with. Lunya had already proved she had no intention of harming him herself by warning him of his interactions with the other Il Mheg inhabitants, but if a Fuath were to pull him into the water...

"—waiting for you to make a move," Lunya told the mound of bubbles. It wasn't the weirdest thing he'd seen all day. "Tell Aenc Thon to stuff it and whine to Her Grace themself. This one is mine."

The gurgle stilled, then came back at triple the bubble rate. Lunya laughed as G'raha felt his face begin to turn red. She couldn't be talking about him, right?

"When? Just now, of course!" she said cheerily before her friendly grin turned into something darker and malicious. "Now piss off."

And before G'raha or the poor Fuath that dared to venture towards them could blink, Lunya spun on her heel and swung one dainty point of her shoe back and kicked, hurtling up a large splash of water and a blue blob that skipped across the lake like a pebble at the speed of an anxious wind sprite.

Oh, said the foolish skip of G'raha's heart instead of anything remotely sensible like 'gods, what have I gotten myself into?' as Lunya finally left her vigil on the lake, a small breeze from her wings sending the celestial water lilies drifting away when she flew upwards. She's cute and violent.

"Very impressive," he managed to say, equal parts enchanted and afraid.

"Thank you!" Lunya beamed, utterly angelic under the moonlight, as if he hadn't just watched her happily smash her foot into one of her fellow fae like a blitzball in the shadow of her monarch’s palace. "Don't worry about them, by the way. It's one less thing for our nymph to worry over."

The Fuath must have been present from the start, he realized, which was why Lunya hadn't come close before. Now she fluttered just a fulm from him, examining him better up close. The proximity was embarrassing especially when for better or for worse she'd just very aggressively staked some kind of claim on him, but not nearly as bad as Krile's harsh critiques of how he wore his regalia while his attendants were all watching.

"Back to before," said Lunya blithely, looking much more at ease now that she wasn't making sure G'raha wouldn't be drowned. "You are a strange one, kitty. And snae ling—" He really needed to look into getting a Fae-to-Common guide... "—but that's its own matter. I'll give you your stardust just for stories, really. Pixie's honor. But know that I can't give you much at once. You'll need to see me multiple times if stinky Alphinaud doesn't hurry it up and find some answers soon. Well, unless a single pinch of stardust is enough for you."

G'raha shook his head, biting down the impulse on his tongue. He didn't want to look greedy, but he'd known since he left the Crystarium that just one pinch wouldn't be enough. Even as they spoke, Krile and Chessamile were hard at work in the Spagyrics, tending to the dozens of Crystarium citizens who had fallen ill to this ridiculous curse. There would be countless more out in Lakeland and in the Greatwood and Amh Araeng. And there was Eulmore, across the sea, and Kholusia—he had no intention of hoarding any means of relieving the pain of all of Norvrandt's people.

The queen and her advisor weren't eager to trust him. He could tell, and he couldn’t blame them. But if his need for more than just a little stardust turned Lunya herself from the prospect of helping his cause...

He was startled by Lunya taking a lock of his hair and tugging impatiently. "I already knew you would need more than a night's worth of stardust before you even came down here, you goose. We wouldn't be having this conversation if there was a problem with it. Settle down—I can't hear myself think while your own thoughts are rattling around in your head."

G'raha stared. "You do not mean to imply that fae magicks include mind-reading."

She stuck her tongue out at him as she swayed on the spot, the occasional double flap of her wings keeping her in place. "I'm saying that you're an open book, plums-for-brains. Heart on your sleeve and all."

Well. That was one of the nicer things people have said about him, though he didn't know what plums had to do with any of it.

"If you have to go back and forth…" Lunya started to muse to herself, tapping a small fist against her cheek. "And we already have a mortal running around… and the Fuath… the beavers could also… Zaya and their stupid, shiny trinkets… Oh! A pact! A pact!"

"A pact?" G'raha echoed, more curious than nervous at how the stardust fae's face lit up.

"A link between you and I," Lunya explained excitedly, her eyes catching moonlight specks. "If we attune our aether, you'll be able to enter Il Mheg as you please. It'll have to be temporary, and I'll have to suffer through Urianger's lectures about rules and constantly trespassing mortals and this and that, but it's the best option we have."

"Are there downsides to all of this?" he asked warily. "Not just the pact—you giving me stardust. I know it comes from your own wings, and you are the one who brings the stars each night. If taking some causes problems for Il Mheg…"

But Lunya simply swatted his concern away with a nonchalant wave of her hand. "The realm of rainbows will not fall to pieces by a few nights of dim stars. More importantly, I am not someone who can sit idly when others are suffering."

G'raha frowned. "Even if they are mortal?"

"Even if they are mortal," Lunya agreed, and this time there was a trace of tiredness and guilt in the sad quirk of her smile. "I know Her Majesty feels the same, even when she has more right than anyone else in this world to not."

It sounded like something she hadn't wanted to admit, so he smothered the historian in him and did not ask.

"Very well," G'raha said, his voice thick with—what was it, hope? Relief? Gratitude? All of it in one swift blow to his heart, a strike bundled together by the unwarranted kindness Lunya and the queen had shown him today. "I accept your terms, Lady Lunya."

The stardust fae smiled, holding her hands out to him. With a deep breath, G'raha offered his own to hers, and though it shouldn't have been a surprise at all, something in him stirred at how small her hands were on top of his. Lunya turned his palm over, gently gripping at his thumb as the familiar buzz of magic sifted the air around them.

The union felt just how falling did earlier, when she woke the stars and hastened them to his side, but this time with all the intensity of waves crashing and clawing at oceanside cliffs. The intensity of Lunya's aether was a jolt straight down his spine and nearly knocked him off his feet, but it wasn't unpleasant. It was foreign, yes, and it was surprising, yet the cold that slipped down his back held all the comfort of a quality cloak and sweet tea on a summer day. Above them, the stars flickered and stuttered for breath until G'raha's vision filled with butterfly scales and universe-dust until it all faded into twilight.

He hadn't known what to expect from the stardust fae—one of Il Mheg's pride and joys. But now that he'd entrusted a part of himself to her, he found that he wanted to know more.

"Our aether is bound together," Lunya announced, releasing his hand and fluttering back a pace. As their hands parted, a strange feeling of loss in the way their fingertips brushed apart, her aether curled around his heart and made itself home. "You can come and go as you please now, and none can touch you while you are under my protection. Stop making that face, silly, it'll get stuck like that. It's not like I'm sapping your life force through it."

He hadn't even realized his face contorted into some strange mix between an unconsciously dopey grin and a grimace. "...Could you?"

She gasped, mockingly affronted. "I'd never!"

"But you can," G'raha prodded, the corners of his lips turning up as he teased his new partner.

"Oh, don't make me regret this, [gentle star]." But even as she said it, silent laughter made her eyes scrunch up in amusement. "I hope this is the start of a prosperous business relationship, G'raha Tia."

"I'd have it be a friendship, if you do not mind," G'raha said, youthful boldness finally breaking through again. It could have been an effect of having her aether mixed with his own. Maybe she was just bringing out some of the happier parts of him. "Unless I've been interpreting this all wrong, we get along rather splendidly."

It was a ridiculous thing to ask. His time in Il Mheg was limited, and he had the Crystarium to put first. There was no time for budding affection and hoping for a friendship that would eventually splutter to an end in a short time. Lunya would know that too—and even in the unlikely event that something changed between the fae and the mortals in the future, his lifespan was but a blink of a hummingbird's eye next to her own. Not for the first time (and naturally, never the last) today, he considered smashing his head against a stone for giving into childish whims.

But Krile was never wrong. He'd always been a fool, so why stop now?

"Are you like this with every fae you meet?" Lunya asked, giving away no hint to how she really felt as she tilted her head with a neutral smile. Her glassy eyes pierced through him, reflecting his own abashed face within them.

"Only the cute ones," G'raha assured her, more grateful than ever that Nero wasn't around to cackle at his foolishness. Instead, it was Lunya who burst into laughter, the sound genuine and whole and bright and infectious and the most real sound he'd heard from her all night.

"Friends it is then, G'raha!" the stardust fae giggled, wiping a tear from her eye; when she looked at him again, the cloudiness in her gaze had given way to true amusement and the start of something fond as she mirrored the silly grin on his face with her own. "And as my very good friend, you won't mind if I direct most of Urianger's huffing and sighing at you once he finds out I've made an aetherpact with a mortal, yes? We can discuss the stardust after."

"Huh?"

Lunya began to laugh again as she flapped her wings and shot up with a burst of speed, becoming a blur of Tempest blue as she spiralled away from him and back toward the castle.

G'raha moaned at the sight. "Lunya!" he hollered after her. "You minx, you're just as bad as Feo Ul! At least wait for me to climb all these stairs!"

For the first time in a long while, the night sky of Il Mheg was filled with an honest joy.

#ffxiv #final fantasy xiv #wol x g'raha #g'raha tia #lalafell #oc: lunya #s: let me find you #tales from the warriors of light #v: a gift from the stars #square enix please give us a fae dictionary im begging thee #anything in brackets is stuff in fae and raha cannot understand it but we dont have WORDS #ive had this sitting at 500 words for like three months but then i went crazy and wrote like 3500 more yesterday so uh??#no thoughts head empty #also my eyes are glazing over whenever i try to reread so there WILL be errors and i WILL only catch them two months from now #needb to draw fae lunya and illya now. hrugmphfh

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aliferous-ly · 4 years

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Or 10 with logince that one seems to have Plenty of Potential :3c

so i ended up literally only using two words of this prompt and it’s probably the Opposite of where your mind went HOWEVER…. ive been thinking about the witcher and listening to the amazing devil but am still incredibly soft so thats THIS

10: “Teach me how to play?”

summary: roman doesn’t know anything about logan, other than the fact that logan will learn about anything he can. good thing roman loves to talk.

warnings: bandits, horses, physical fights

Logan, the elusive reader without a past, really liked to learn, Roman swiftly found out.

It started like this: Roman hated working in his mother’s bookshop, because it was boring, and he had to be entirely creative to find entertainment.

It started like this: One night, his mother was away, Roman was searching for their most adventure-y book, his brother was starting a fire or something upstairs in their house.

It started like this: the door slammed open, harsh winds and swirling rain pelting through, and Logan stumbled in.

Roman had instantly forgone his search and lurched forwards, just barely catching the man before he went sprawling over the paneled floor. He was shaking, soaking wet, and yet it seemed as if glitter and shine exuded from his very being.

“Are you alright?” Roman had asked. The man had looked up at him and Roman lost all articulation at the golden gaze fixed upon him.

“Thank you,” the man had said. “My name is Logan.”

And that was that.

Logan wandered around, asking a million questions about everything, like he’d just been born. But Roman could pick up on an accent from -- somewhere (he really wanted to know where), so his culture must have been very different from Roman’s own.

“What are these?” Logan said, pointing to a page in a random book.

“Pages?” Roman said, furrowing his eyebrow.

“The little black markings,” Logan clarified. He ran his finger over the words, something like reverence in his gaze.

“Words,” Roman said. “Stories.” He paused. “Can you read?”

“Read,” Logan tried the word. He stared at the bookshelf, then turned to Roman with a gasp of enlightenment. “No! Can you teach me?”

And Roman was like -- fuck it, he’s bored, some pretty man was asking him to spend time with him, sure, so he said, “Yeah.”

And at midnight, Logan smiled, thanked him, and left, like a wisp, a fae, a creature of the woods.

He returned two nights later, and Roman continued to teach him, and three times a week Roman would see Logan and never be able to decipher his past, his goals, anything, just that he loved -- loved -- to learn.

Endlessly.

“Can you do that?” Logan asked, pointing at the horse-back riders clopping through the square. Roman sniffed. Some people were so entitled, romping around the center of town with a horse like some sort of knight, like they couldn’t dismount and lead their horse like any proper person.

“Yes,” Roman said.

“Can you teach me?”

“I don’t have a horse,” Roman said. Logan’s expression screwed up and Roman’s heart fluttered, which, nope, not okay. “Despite how much I know you love big smelly beasts,” he said, intending to counter any soft expression that threatened to settle on his face. Nailed it.

Logan shot him an unamused look. “Creative.”

“If you can’t think of a good comeback just say so and I will bask humbly in my glory,” Roman said.

“I don’t think you know the meanings of those words,” Logan said.

“Of course I do,” Roman said. He steered them out of the way of an obvious pick-pocket. Really? In this small town, where nobody has anything? “I merely use them wrong.”

“I hate that,” Logan said. He stared at a decoration on a lamppost and opened his mouth.

“It’s for the upcoming holidays, we celebrate the conclusion of the harvest,” Roman explained before Logan could ask. “And I know you do.”

“Insufferable,” Logan said. He’d learned the word four months prior and absolutely adored it. Evidently.

“Aw, you say the sweetest things,” Roman said. He gasped. “Oh my god, Dot is selling candy again, let’s go I need to show you what sugar bears are.”

Logan peered at him as Roman tugged him down the street intrigued shine in his eyes.

Roman took Logan to the city, and on the way back three bandits decided to, well. Rob them (Band them? No--).

So Roman is like, handing over their things because he values his life and also Logan’s, when Logan puts an arm out.

“Um,” Roman said, glancing between Logan and the three impatient bandits. “Logan?”

“What are they doing?” Logan said, glaring.

“R… robbing us…?” Roman said. He swallowed. Logan looked furious, angry in a way Roman had never seen before.

“Taking that which is not theirs,” Logan said. He narrowed his eyes. “Roman, is killing a proper response to… ‘robbing’?”

Roman blinked, then opened his mouth to ask what the hell because what the hell, when one of the bandits started forward with a harsh “This is taking too long,” reaching for Roman’s face.

Roman flinched back, only… within one heartbeat and the next, the bandit splayed out five feet in front of him, twitching unnaturally.

Logan shifted, sliding his feet back. Roman’s heart skipped a beat. He was reminded, starkly, of the moment Logan showed up at his bookshop, like his veins were filled with gold.

The other two bandits yelled, one of them stumbling backwards, the other jerking forward, knife in hand. Logan was forward in a flash, spinning and moving through the air like he had wings. The knife flew from the bandit’s hand and Logan pressed his hand against their throat --

“Stop!” Roman said. He pulled on Logan’s shoulders to no effect and Roman was suddenly faced with the knowledge that Logan was incredibly strong, much stronger than Roman himself. “Don’t kill them.”

“I didn’t,” Logan said, and then the bandit dropped. Unconscious, but breathing, to Roman’s relief.

The third bandit simply ran, tripping over their feet to distance themself from Logan as much as possible. Logan tensed under Roman’s hands but didn’t move, instead turning on his heel and oh god they’re very close, they’re so much closer than Roman thought --

Roman swallowed. “Um.”

Logan peered at him, hair disheveled. “You’re okay?”

“I -- yes -- you--!” Roman sputtered. “You can fight?”

“Yes,” Logan said. He shifted. “I have known my whole life.”

Roman blinked, trying to decide if that was devastating or hot or maybe some mixture of both. Then he surged forward, eyes wide.

Logan gripped at his arms, surprise jumping through his face as Roman pressed towards him.

“Teach me?” Roman said, staring into Logan’s golden eyes. “Please?”

Something like love flickered across Logan’s expression. Roman’s heart constricted in his chest.

“Of course,” Logan said, and he smiled, and Roman’s world ground to a halt. His thudding heart and heat flashes and desire to always be around Logan made sense, now.

It ended like this: Logan loved Roman, somehow.

It ended like this: Roman learned all -- almost, all -- of Logan’s secrets, even if it took years.

It ended like this: Roman loved Logan, more than anything.

#logince #uwu #i dont love this but its ok #sanders sides #rose-gold-roman #hi logan!!#ask games

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strayed-from-the-sun · 4 years

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☂ : Spread some love: mention someone you’ve met that has influenced you or your writing in a positive way, and explain how. {Do a couple :3c }

Ok So. We got

Rin, Rinalys. Oh also Rin!

Ok For real I do got a list of folks

I have to say I’m really thankful I had met @fae-fire when I was still fresh in the Rp community here. Honestly, you helped out a ton. You’ve been an amazing friend and I’m glad you’re still around \o/

@samurai-from-another-land - I mean I know this nerd irl. He’s a good man! But for real always fun to come up with goofy ideas even if its just Au stuff. GOTTA GET THEM PICS FOR THE SEKI AU THO THAT VN AINT GONNA FINISH ITSELF.

@whitewood-healer I know you’re not as active much here but you’re still an amazing rp partner! I really do gotta bug you again on Primal and start up some new threads on our discord xD

but yessss Ori is a good bean and Orion is a goof.

@illia-ast Gotta give a shout out cause every time I do a prompt you’re in the inbox! Your muses are all good beans and I’m always happy to respond! \o/

@silvertail-ffxiv I’ve been a fan of our threads! We’ll have to pick up on some more of Dimi and Jes’s goofing off sometime again!

And of course @rinrin-rinalys. Honestly one of the best and most inspiring folks I know here. Easily the most influential in helping me write and even rp in the FFXIV community. The amount of work you put in for Rin is amazing and it always makes me wanna get right back on working on Dimi’s blog.

Heck, I use our old Duskwatch lore that has played a huge part in Dimi’s own backstory! I still remember starting out and looking into the RP scene with you..You’re a great friend, an amazing writer, and amazing with those pictures! I hope you continue being an amazing part of this community friend <3

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swallowtail-jumper · 5 years

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lair review for @frxemriss !!!! Who apparently believes that I can’t easily choose 10 dragons from his lair and is right this is a sTRUGGLE

First up is Ishkur. Or should I say Fish-kur :3c One of my first favorites from your lair; he looks so fancy now! Very regal, but also still willing to drown a bitch who’s messing with him or his mates. The colors are so matchy and his lore is still so good (and heartbreaking)

Zeil! A scary boy who I admire from afar. Very far. I love his colors and genes and apparel, but it’s his lore that really intrigues me. He does scries, for a price. He has bodyguards. He only ventures out randomly. It just makes him all the mysterious, and I, for one, am definitely willing to just give him Runestones in return for occasional visits and small talk.

PINK AND BLUE. these are very good colors and a very good accent and a very good dragon. Zezozazizu looks like he’s wearing clothes, disguising his nakedness quite well. He doesn’t seem to have lore yet, but the ideas in his bio are good and I can’t wait to see what you do with him. It is also really fun to just keep repeating his name like a tongue twister lmao

NIIRU!!!!!!!!!!!!! (please imagine me having dramatically screamed that) I love Niiru so much. I don’t know if it’s as obvious as some of my other dragon loves from your lair, but Niiru just holds a secret place in my heart. It’s a combo of his colors, and that I drew him, and that he seems like a genuinely good person! I would trust him. I do trust him.

Zaire is such a pretty boy, but like a roguishly pretty boy. His accent makes me think feminine but his genes make me think tough. Which is a good thing, seeing as he’s a bodyguard! Zeil is in good hands with this protector working for him

Kelki is another one of your dragons I have a crush on admire! I love his design, and his lore in interesting. I think his design is cute, too. And he definitely has a different bio code from the last time I went on his page. Guess I’ll have to visit his page more often....oh no what a shame ;3 ;3

Dira is a beautiful dragon, but I do not trust. Do not trust at all. I love their apparel, I love their colors. But everything about them screams that if I wrong them I will be fed to the forest and will never be found again. But! I love them anyway. Beautiful dragon, as expected from your lair.

Duaness! So prettily dressed, so wonderfully scary. His worship of the Shade also has him firmly in the ‘do not trust’ section of my brain, but him being so cute has monkey brain me firmly ignoring that. Why does he want immortality? Is he afraid of death? Is he simply wishing to not be able to be killed? Why does he do what he does??

Gaheris has no lore!! But they do have wonderful hair, so all is forgiven. They’re in the ‘other’ tab, and, actually now that I’m thinking on it, might be based on a DnD character you’re using in a campaign. But I am Boo Boo the Forgetful so I can’t recall. Anyway, they’re gorgeous and I love their colors.

Last is the prettiest boy I have ever seen. You just got Vraxton and if anything happened to him I would exalt everyone and then myself. He’s just such a good way to showcase the accent you have him in. (which is one of my new favorite accents) M Faes are meant to be prettied up, and this is a perfect example of why. They’re just so pretty. Vraxton is so pretty

Thank you for the chests ^o^

#jacks lair reviews #flight rising #HA PICKED TEN #some of these i have dragon crushes on and it should be extremely obvious as to who it is

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fatal-blow · 5 years

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02, 07, and 13 for Kane and Ashe 👀

OH these are GOOD :3c

♥ (02) Does another OC love your OC? If so, whom, and does your OC know?

Ashe - Yes. And it sucks because Adrienne knows full well that Ashe is not interested in an exclusive relationship, much less a romantic one. Ashe barely even understands what that means! Of course, Ashe is completely oblivious to all this, and Adrienne would like to keep it that way.

Kane - This is another yes. Fergus has so many unresolved feelings for Kane, and those feelings just became extremely complicated. Kane is...aware of this. His feelings are mutual and equally as complicated and unresolved.

♥ (07) How successful is your OC at flirting with others?

Ashe - Never learned how to flirt because “hey, you wanna fuck?” is good enough in Cress. Not to say that fae don’t like the art of subtlety, just Ashe isn’t one of them.

Kane - A lot better than you might expect. He doesn’t usually use it, though.

♥ (13) How does your OC show their love to those that are not their partner(s)?

Ashe - I’m going to talk about Ashe and their non-sexual partners, which is like...one person lol. Ashe gets very overprotective! They’re still physically affectionate as well, a hand on an arm or shoulder, sitting close enough to touch, hugs, cuddles. They’re a very touchy-feely person in general!

Kane - Admittedly not very good at being openly affectionate. Kane will be noticeably relaxed around loved ones. Gentle teasing, catching their eye to exchange a Look™ when something stupid is happening, sharing in-jokes. He’s also definitely one to bail someone out of a situation they don’t wanna be in (Fergus in an awkward situation? “Hey Fergus, you promised me we would spar.”) or to buy small gifts or food and whatnot. He’s about the small gestures.

#oc tag game #ashe pallista #kane lightwood #kaypier

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wardencommanderrodimiss · 5 years

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ch 18 replies

@runningwolf62

KAY.

Kay please I beg you, act like a normal human being for three- I can’t finish this I love her so much.

Kay: “He’s super cute” Klavier: “When did you see him?” Kay: “I stalk him with my Murder.” Sebastian: “Can you stop calling it that?” Kay: “My council.” Klavier: “Can you stop stalking him?” Kay: “No.”

Kay: “My homebirds”

Sebastian: “I am begging you to stop.”

Dammit now I want to write the inevitable conversation between Kay and Klavier about her doing this. Poor Klavier. Poor Apollo.

It’s a bleak thought, that Phoenix might be expecting otherwise.

Gee, not to name names EDGEWORTH but I wonder why Phoenix is so worried.

Phoenix: -desperately tries not to get attached to people because he has a valid fear of losing them given all of the fae shit that surrounds him-

also Phoenix: -gesturing at Vera and Klavier- “I guess I’m their dad now I have no choice in this matter I have to do this”

Him?

HIM! I love that you have Larry greet Mia- oh my god I just had a thought about Larry and Mia, after she defends him Larry gives her that statue/clock and like holy shit that’s a lot of work and look just saying, to a Fae the statue probably has more value than money.

For Nick DAMN IT Phoenix who likes to eat, he’d prefer money.

Mia’s like “This debt is repaid in full” and Phoenix is like “WHAT no it’s not? I need money for rent?? Chief are you serious--”

“Yeah,” Apollo says, “that’s kinda how I greet my best friend, so.”

Hey Roddy I’m going cry now.

I’m crying inside every damn time too, like I know I made a lot of jokes about Clay dying especially with the Bullshit Defense AU but I am. genuinely. fucked up about it in this one.

I’m so proud of him. Also super pleased we pulled him out of the dumpster and turned him into someone worth throwing in AUs.

WE CAN REBUILD HIM. And we have. I loved your idea about him getting to mentor Vera, and then it fit just as perfectly in this AU what with the angle of Misty also having been fae, so it’s just.....our boy is here! And we’re proud of him!

“Are you the friend whose mentor was one of the fae?” Apollo asks at the closest thing to a lull in the conversation; Trucy is laughing while Phoenix and Larry glare at each other in mock anger about a joke Apollo didn’t catch, off a discussion about shapeshifters.

APOLLO YOU CAN’T JUST ASK THAT. Also :3c

Look I’ll tell you right now, it was another furry joke. It’s always furry jokes.

Anyway Apollo might have been scared a bit by Iris, but so far his “asking people things straight-out” hasn’t gone wrong. Like he knows Larry is human, what’s the worst that’ll happen? Blackquill will probably put the fear of god into him except as I write that, no, he won’t, because Apollo will just not ask him and instead go straight to Klavier to ask “hey what the fuck is up with this prosecutor” and while Klavier does try and stick to a stance of “not airing out people’s shit unless it’s super important”....it’s Apollo. He broke that rule of his for Apollo first thing by talking to him about Phoenix. Apollo is never going to learn his goddamn lesson about asking this sort of question. Phoenix and Klavier are both going to advise Apollo to make a deal with someone for the Sight because they figure that course of action is less risky than Apollo continuing to do as he does. Apollo’s gonna ask Ga’ran flat-out. Apollo doesn’t given a shit.

“That’s me,” Larry says. “Unless you’ve made other unfortunate artist friends while I’m not looking, and that’s unlikely, since the only friend you’ve made in the last seven years was a mortal enemy.”

“Look at you,” Phoenix says dryly. “You’ve learned how to use logic, even though I have made friends, thanks.”

sdkjfdklsfk ROAST HIM LARRY.

Phoenix is like “Excuse me, I’ve befriended Athena” “She’s your daughter’s age” and honestly he’s thinking about Lamiroir too, although she still is an “unfortunate artist friend” actually, just not the same type of artist.

AW YEAH EMBARRASSING STORY HOUR!

I’m never getting over the concept of “Larry accidentally became a witch and never realized it”. like I’m just. That one is gonna be the funniest part of this entire damn AU isn’t it. Everything I write for it going forward, and I used the best joke in the trilogy material that’s just tangential to this story.

Larry is meeting with his agent – apparently he hasn’t been home in a while, has a lot to catch up on,

:3c been touring in Europe or something Larry?

:3c you know where he’s been.

You know having Mia call Apollo puts the fear of God into me. Didn’t help my cheerful music I was listening to ended right before this scene so uh yeah.

Mia manipulated your music to get the proper dramatic effect.

Trucy’s expression tells him that she has definitely had Eldoon’s this early in the morning at least once before.

PHOENIX WRIGHT FEED YOUR DAUGHTER ACTUAL BREAKFAST.

You think he or anyone can stop Trucy?

“Like most magic, it depends.” Klavier’s eyes have a vacant, absent look, one that glamour can’t hide. “The scar on Kris’ hand, though – that was iron. I don’t suppose he ever forgave me for it.”

EXCUSE ME WHAT.

Klavier accidentally whacked his brother with iron and left a scar and honestly? That’s probably not the wildest shit that happened in the Gavin household, especially that first year after Klavier arrived back. Like. Listen. There’s Kristoph, who’s just had a world-shaking revelation about himself, and he’s also going “shit, can I use magic now? Can I learn magic?” and probably attempts some stupid shit that goes terribly, also let’s be real he probably put Klavier up to it with the iron thing, like Kristoph touches some himself and he’s like “okay, that just makes me feel sick, okay” and then a different time it leaves a little burn that fades in a day and then Klavier just whacks him and that’s how they both learn that none of this is fixed effects. Also while Kristoph is having his crisis, Klavier is like a goddamn....feral child, like not really but he’s still emotionally maladjusted and has no understanding of human social mores or human technology, plus his glamours, means that like, shit, the coffee maker made an unexpected noise and now we can’t find Klavier, because he probably ghosts away from anything that frightens him and it’s like when your hamster escapes its cage because you can’t find the damn thing except instead of a hamster it’s a 10-year-old child who’s still practically invisible and it’s like. it’s like trying to coax the hamster back out. Kristoph just. sets out a box of poptarts. ducks behind the couch. waits. It’s fucking remarkable that neither of them accidentally died in the fucking free-for-all of the adjustment period.

Honestly now I’m realizing I need to include a scene where Klavier recounts some absolutely batshit childhood anecdote and he’s like “haha you know how it is growing up” and Apollo who’s remembering like 87 near-death experiences with Nahyuta is like “yep” and Phoenix is like “No?? No??? Are you two okay???”

It took me a minute to figure out that was Athena he’s on the line with.

I figure I should start including her a little bit before she actually arrives. Poor girl wants advice for taking the Bar and Phoenix is like “Yeah, I don’t know what to tell you, it was literally just luck that I passed I’m almost positive”

Oooh love how you describe his not quite invisibility.

A great chapter, good luck with your school work!

Thanks!

God your “murder” joke is so good I’m still just. Kay. Kay. I love Kay. I figured out how to get her into one of the next two chapters -- not sure how the three big events I have planned will fall in the next two chapters -- because I love her. Apollo is still not gonna learn she’s a shapeshifter from that, though, because that’s hilarious.

#fae au tag

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