#but also like. ryne NEEDED to have at least someone she can be comfortable around without the stress of her circumstances souring it

[haunted-xander]

Sometimes I think about Urianger's role in and feelings on the Thancred-Ryne dynamic and I think watching it kills him a bit inside. For several reasons.

Like, to begin with there's the guilt he's been carrying with him since he ushered Minfilia to the first, how he effectively killed the person Thancred cared about the most in the world and who's "death" ended up causing Ryne's entire Situation. He looks at what's happening between them and can only think "I caused this" even though that's not really true. No one person is responsible for this outcome, it's a culmination of several circumstances and the consequences of them. Logically, Urianger knows this. But it doesn't matter, because his guilt is overpowering his logic.

And also, like. What Thancred is doing here, the way he's knowingly letting Ryne be and stay hurt because he literally cannot bring himself to tell her his feelings, is the exact same mistake Urianger made with Moenbryda. Of course, the circumstances are vastly different, and the potential consequences to Thancred telling Ryne the wrong things or her misinterperating it is far greater (being a matter of literal life or death), it's still the same sort of paralysis they are trapped in.

And he knows it. He sees it. But he can't say or do anything about it, he doesn't have the right to. He acknowledges the mistake, but he hasn't really improved upon it yet. He still doesn't voice his thoughts and feelings as he should. He's also non-confrontational by nature, he doesn't argue or try to change peoples minds, he probably doesn't think he has any place to.

So, he tries to help in what little ways he can. Because he doesn't want it to become Monebryda again, he doesn't want to know he stole not one but two people from Thancred. So he does what he can. He tells Ryne little tidbits about Thancred, things that help her understand him but are safe to share. Nothing too deep, nothing too personal. Just small things, things that are purely factual, because he can't afford to give her a false image of who Thancred is. He teacher her fun and interesting things, because Thancred isn't in the mindset to provide her with non-essential skills.

I like to think Urianger has brought it up with Thancred at least once, during one of his stays. But nothing would've come of it. Not really. Unlike Y'shtola, Urianger isn't pushy, he'll bring it up once or twice and when he sees this won't go anywhere, he gives up. He wants to help, but he knows that persistance only does do much, and he is not the person who has the resiliance needed to push and push until Thancred finally budges (because he won't budge, it won't help anything but to sour things further by adding aditional stress to an already strained dynamic).

And like. Urianger gets it. He gets it because he's been the same way- not saying what he should to someone he loves more than anything else because she was meant to figure her life out herself, and 'steering' her in any direction by telling her his feelings (regardless of if the 'steering' is intention or not) will go against that. He gets it. He gets it and it's all the more painful for it. He knows it can't just be fixed by acknowledging it or with encouragement, something needs to happen to break the stasis.

I think this is probably why he stayed behind while they went off to Nabaath Areng. This is the very last chance they have to say what they want to, and he can't afford to be the anchor anymore. This is about them, not him, he can't let their resolution be buffed by his presence, so he stays behind. Which was probably for the best. Ryne got nervous when Urianger said he's staying behind, probably not too excited about being alone with Thancred (well, not alone, but WoL doesn't count) so soon after she had ran away crying. But she needs to be nervous. For anything positive to come out of this Thancred and Ryne both can't afford to be too relaxed. As sad as it is, the stress is necessary for anything to happen. He knows it. Does he like it? Absolutely not, but nor does he like his other plots. At least no one dies this time if it goes right.

#urianger had an integral part in the thancred-ryne situation and i think its very important to remember that #like i think he served as a very important buffer that prevented the dynamic from becoming even more strained than it already was #but also like. ryne NEEDED to have at least someone she can be comfortable around without the stress of her circumstances souring it #urianger is uniquely suited to play that role. even with his guilt regarding minfilia he never showed anything but genuine kindness for her #it helps that she didnt know about his hand in the situation existing to begin with (as shes surprised when he tells her in ahm areang) #THATS ALSO IMPORTANT BTW. like this man had a DIRECT hand in making this happen (even if it isnt fully his fault. minfilia made her choice) #AND LIKE. the parallels between uri-moen and thancred-ryne. they both love these girls so so much but cant bring themselves to say anything #urianger has been through the pain before. he knows. but he hasnt improved much himself. what right does he have to scold thancred? #silent support is all he can give. pushing thancred would make him a hypocrite and risk making it worse. hes not suited for confrontation #y'shtola and uriangers approaches to helping both have their merits but it needs a balance #too much pushing and the dynamic just gets worse but too forgiving and nothing will ever change #and yes i know im just repeating myself but ITS IMPORTANT OK #GOD #urianger augurelt #thancred waters #ryne waters #final fantasy #final fantasy 14 #final fantasy xiv #ff14 #ffxiv #xander rambles #xander being insane about ryne #urianger actually this time but. its related to ryne so. it gets the tag

[candycryptids]

🍷: What's one of your OC's pet peeves concerning food? for Mochiie

🍻: What's your OC's favourite comfort ritual? How do they calm themselves down after a rough day? for Levraut

🍒: Has Your OC had their first kiss yet? If so, with who? for Ishi'li

🎂: Has your OC have any contradictory interests or traits to the first preception people have of the? How do they surprise people? for Chuusday

🍰: What's something your OC counts as unforgivable? for Tuesday

So firstly I’m showering you in flower petals and handing you a party napkin (Pokémon themed) with three cookies on it

🍷[Food Rituals; Mochiie] Mochi’s peeve is food made for the sake of making ‘pretty/aesthetic/art’ food (things like, you get a plate of one bite. He wants food to be filling and nourishing and shareable lmao.) His other peeve is making food spicy just for the sake of it being spicy, disregarding flavor (Zero makes him so nuts. The fact that the smell alone of her preferred curry makes him physically Ill doesn’t help, lmao)

🍻 [Comfort Rituals; Levraut ] depends on if it’s been a STRESSFUL day or a SAD day, lmao. Stressful days, nothing a round of drinks at the drowning wench can’t help fix (and a rowdy brawl, probably; flirting badly with another man’s girl is a great way to catch a stray fist, which leads readily to an intentional fist, which leads to a bucket of ice water and being thrown out for the evening, but as it goes.) Sad days tend to be soothed with three pints and then sitting on the dock and staring at the reflection of the sky (hopefully there’s a moon to look at!) and. Reflecting. Possibly writing down a mess of words for later, to work through what he’s thinking/feeling at the time

🍒 [First Kiss; Ishi’li] Ishi’s first kiss is, I Think with Keathan ( @zombiesockfuckinglovescardfight is that right?) but its for the silliest reasons which is that he wanted to. Have Experience and. He’s been adventuring now for at least a year and hasn’t done ANYTHING like other adventurers beside sleep on the hard ass ground and take down an empire and have a rivalry turned friendship with tension and nonsense with Kizuna (the main WoL) (his first kiss with Kizuna I thiiink doesn’t occur for quite some time after…. Not one they’d both qualify as a First Kiss. I think it’s Late-Shadowbringers….)

🎂 [Contradictory/Surprising Interest/Trait; Chuusday] Chuu’s first impression on people is usually less than hinged woman who will become scarce the moment the situation no longer interest her; I.E. there’s no more allagan/Garlean tech to look at.. her surprising trait would likely be intense love for Carbuncles. Since she disregards most other Organic Creatures (her Chocobo, Friday is cared for by Tuesday or the stablehands, they have a very Professional relationship and it’s tailored towards combat rather than Transport) she’s not even a proper summoner; her skills extend as far as being able to summon a Carbuncle because they’re the ideal creature. No need for food or water and when you’re busy they can be dissipated into the aether… (but you CAN feed them table scraps… most excellent creature) (Talia and Cid might be the only people to KNOW this, though)

🍰 [Unforgivable Action; Tuesday] it’s hard to find the morality line for him the earlier in his lifetime you get. A lot of his lines had to be programmed or Taught through experiences- but by the time Shadowbringers comes around an unforgivable action ends up being an action that violates someone’s Self (G’Raha was on thin ice for a while because of the soul snatching, the thing Lahabrea did to Thancred in ARR would also fall under this but obviously happened before he was alive lol. The way Minfilia’s were trained and made to do one specific thing, the, being a chosen hero shaped into a Hero’s image, it hits a gray area, but Ranjit firmly placed himself in the red zone through his use of force against Ryne… this was an interesting thing to think about 🥰)

[Ask Meme !]

#I am blowing you many kisses mwahmwahmwah #ask game #ffxiv Mochi #ffxiv Levraut #ffxiv Chuu #ffxiv Ishi #ffxiv Tuesday #🥺 Thabk yuuuu #also I hope this isn’t Too Long ?? I try to use readmore when it feels like a dash extender but…

[angst-fairygodmother]

Flowers ~ An Idiot (Affectionate) Story

A/N: I wanted to continue Ryne’s backstory, especially since my drabble really just raised more questions (and then y’all said you wanted it). Also, this is like super heavy topics, and I tried to tag them all, but please let me know if I missed any or need to make any tags clearer. Word Count: 1914 Rating: M - self-deprecation; discussion of: past emotional abuse, teacher/student (adult/minor) relationship; cheating; manipulation; canon-typical language

“Hey, can we talk?” Derek asked, leaning against her kitchen counter, folding his arms over his chest casually.

Ryne faltered, nearly dropping the bowl she’d been scrubbing. “About what?”

“...that guy. The one that had you sobbing a few days ago.” He flinched at his own bluntness, guilty but unsure how else to put it.

She sighed, setting down the soapy sponge and turning to him. “Yeah. I mean I guess, if you really want to know.”

“You haven't been you since. I’m worried.”

“What do you mean I haven’t been me?” she frowned, bewildered. 

“You’ve been distracted, grumpy, passing up opportunities to insult me even when I leave myself wide open.” He shrugged. “I’ll believe you if you tell me it’s nothing. But I wanna help, if you’re hurting. And I wanna know you, the good and the bad. Please?”

He was asking, but he meant what he said that it was up to her, and she knew that. It was strange, to be that in control, and stranger still, that she wanted to open up. 

She closed her eyes, taking a shuddering, steeling breath. 

“Lucas was...a teacher, not like a teacher-teacher, just someone my uncle knew who he paid to tutor me or whatever, push me further than school could. He was really set on getting me ready to be that whole Ivy League, MBA, 9 to 5 in a three-piece suit, bust my ass to climb the corporate ladder but never actually make it to the top because I have a vagina but hey it looks good for him because he raised me, bullshit.”

“You and Sean really are related,” Derek mused, shaking his head and earning a glare before motioning for her to continue.

“Anyway. He tutored me, and he listened to me, and pretended to give a shit, and told me that I was brilliant and beautiful and special.” She spat the word like it was poison. “No one had ever bothered before. The first time he kissed me was when I got my SAT scores back. And I thought, it didn’t matter that I was...I guess I hadn’t quite turned seventeen yet, or that he was twice that, because I was stupid, and I thought he actually loved me.”

“Ryne…” Derek murmured as he stared, aghast and furious. He knew what she was saying, but couldn’t wrap his head around it. That someone would, or could do something like that, could take advantage and play someone like that, or that she had ever believed, been made to believe, she was less than incredible.

“Lucas?” she called as she opened the front door and poked her head inside. “He-llooo?” 

When she was greeted by total silence in the apartment, she pouted. Sure, she was a little over an hour earlier than she expected to be getting to her boyfriend’s home, but that shouldn’t have been enough time that he wasn’t home. They hadn’t seen each other since the semester started so she had sort of expected him to meet her as soon as she walked in the door, or at least be waiting for her in the living room, but the place was empty.

“I’m just going to grab a quick shower,” she announced to the air, dropping her duffle bag on the couch to deal with later. 

As she passed the bedroom, she heard a sound that made her heart drop into her stomach. Slowly pushing the door opened, she tried to prepare herself for what she knew was on the other side. 

“Kathryn!” Lucas shouted, scrambling to sit up from where he lay tangled with two women in the sheets. 

“I...Lucas...what...why?” she stammered.

“What was I supposed to do Kathryn?” he snapped, glaring. “You weren’t here. I have needs.”

“I was at school for a month...and you didn’t say anything.”

“I shouldn’t need to. If you really cared about me, you’d understand that. You’d have come home on the weekends, or sent me a video. Taken care of me, instead of being so selfish.”

“We should go,” one of the girls said to the other, awkwardly shuffling around with a sheet pulled over her chest to find their clothes. 

The other leaned in, kissing Lucas on the cheek before realizing what she was doing. “I’ll...bye.”

Ryne stared with wide eyes at the scene unfolding before her. It was like something out of a bad dream. The first woman to have to have spoken patted her awkwardly on the shoulder as they scooted past. 

“I had school. I needed to focus, and I...you cheated on me…?” she said, eyes welling with tears. 

“No. Sweetie. It’s not cheating…” Lucas cooed, climbing out of bed and approaching her. “I swear it didn’t mean anything. I love you. I just needed a little relief. You understand don’t you? I’d so much rather it was you.”

He leaned down to kiss her and she turned her head away. Undeterred, his lips sought her neck and she found herself relaxing into his touch like she always did. 

“I really thought it was my fault. Somehow I believed that if I had just given him more, it wouldn’t have happened.” 

She laughed bitterly. Derek wanted to reach out and hold her, but something in her body language told him not to, not yet. It hurt him not to, but now that the floodgates had opened, he could see she needed to tell all of it, and that his comfort would just be getting in her way.

“I don’t even know how you give someone more than everything?” She looked at him, tears in her eyes and confusion on her face, like she was expecting an answer and he shook his head. 

“He begged me to move in with him so we’d have more time together. I convinced myself that whatever I’d done wrong, I could...fix...it. But I couldn’t. And then he was just cheating on me right under my nose, and trying to get me to do things I didn’t want to do. And making me feel like dog shit under his heel was worth more. And somehow, like a moron, I still believed he loved me.” She shook her head in disparagement.

“Hey, don’t do that. Shit. The only one you should be saying anything bad about is this douchebag, not yourself.” 

He decided to reach out anyway, taking her face gently between his hands and using his thumbs to brush away the tears running down her cheeks. 

“Come ‘ere.”

He drew her in, and she gratefully stepped into the protective bubble he formed just by being there next to her. She leaned against him, breathing deeply and taking comfort in his solid warmth. 

“So...you never said what brought you to Boston?” Ryne asked her aunt, tugging the sleeve of her winter coat down further over her wrists and palms.

“I came to see you,” Patty Falco responded flatly. “David told me where to find you. He said you dropped out of Brown?”

Ryne shrugged, staring out over the waterfront instead of meeting her eye. “I couldn’t handle it. I’ll go back…” It sounded unconvincing even to her own ears. “I just need to figure some stuff out first.”

“Stuff like that boyfriend of yours?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Don’t think I didn’t notice how much older he was than you. Or his over-inflated self-importance. I was worried about you when you didn’t come out for Christmas. You haven’t missed it since you had the stomach flu when you were seven.”

“I know...Lucas didn’t want to go. He wasn’t ready to meet my whole family. We just stayed in and had a quiet holiday. I meant to call but…” 

She looked down, fiddling with her fingers. She didn’t want to lie to her aunt. But how could she admit the truth? How could she say that it had been her idea not to fly out to Portland because she’d want to never come back, because she knew as soon as her family met him they’d pick up on the fact that Lucas didn’t make her happy, if anything he did the opposite. 

“I’m not blind, Ryne.”

She turned her head sharply to look at Patty now, frowning.

“You’re miserable darling. You look exhausted and pale, and like you forgot what smiling is. You dropped out of school. I can list things til the cows come home, but I don’t need to when we both know it. Does he hit you?”

“Aunt Patty it’s not—”

“Don’t tell me it’s not that bad or not what I think. You know better than to lie to your elders. Answer the question.”

“No,” Ryne blinked back tears. “No. It’s all in my head. I’ve just been trying so hard...I...I just wanted him to love me again. If I change, if I do what he wants...”

“He’ll just keep pushing further. Men like that, people like that, aren’t happy until they’ve chipped away everything you are and reduced you to nothing, because it makes them feel powerful.”

“That’s all I’ve got left already.”

“No. It’s not. You have your family. He’s at work right now right?”

Ryne nodded hesitantly. “Yeah. He should have left about twenty minutes ago.”

“Good.” Patty stood up from the bench, holding a hand out for Ryne. “Let’s go.”

“I moved in with them, got my feet back under me, got a job. Reapplied to school, maxed out my summer classes to get back on track. I thought about giving up on higher education, but it just seemed like that was letting him take it all away, make everything pointless. I moved on, and I was...I was good. But seeing him again...it just...I thought I left that and him and everything behind. I haven’t been back, I barely talk to my uncle,” she sighed deeply, “and somehow that bastard still managed to...show up here, in my life.”

She sniffled and buried her face into his chest. He pressed a kiss to her temple and let her, both of them silent for a while.

“Does Sean know?” Derek asked eventually, hesitantly.

“No. He knows that something happened that fucked me up for a while, but not what. And he can’t. You know he gets all...protective or whatever. Even though there’s only a few months between us and I could probably take him in a fair fight.”

Derek laughed. “You don’t fight fair.”

“Yeah, but Sean does, and would believe me if I said I would too. That’s why I can take him.”

“I know some guys from the neighborhood, and we know where he lives now. If you want me to…”

“Derek, no. I just want to forget about it.”

“We could just go round and scare him a bit?”

“No.”

“Okay. Okay. What do you need then? What can I do?”

She shook her head softly, fondly. “You don’t even know how much you already do, do you?”

He gave her a puzzled look.

“I just need you to keep being you.”

“I don’t understand. But if that’s all you want, I think I can manage it,” he said with a half smile and a chuckle.

She tilted her head to look up at him. “And if I need a little more reassurance for a while...or say, more kisses…?”

He leaned down, not quite touching her. “I can definitely do that one.”

#infidelity tw #emotional abuse tw #Yes that's a deeply relevant Hadestown-reference title #I'm so sorry my baby #applications to fight a bitch may be sent c/o: Derek Sandoval 4855 Northwest Hamilton St Portland #Derek Sandoval x Ryne Cassidy #Idiot (Affectionate) #I am the Angst Fairy Godmother

[zacolyn]

Footprints In Sand: Ch. 2

(Also on AO3)

Chocobos did not have a pleasant smell.

Ardbert grimaced as he stepped through the portal leading into the Crystal Tower on the First.  How did people of the Source stand it? How had Albert? He hoped he could have a bath to wash the smell off before submitting to whatever tests Beq Lugg might need to conduct. 

The first person he saw however was not Beq Lugg, but Lyna getting to her feet from where she’d been kneeling as if in prayer.

“Albert!” She greeted him, clearly flustered. “Is all well?”

She’d likely noticed his grimace. He smiled and pulled out the letter addressed to her, holding it out by way of reply.

“Hm?” She stepped forward to take it and frowned at her name before she flipped it open. “This is....”

Ardbert put a hand over the letter. “Best to read that in private, I think.” He said, for the first time using Albert’s voice, though he wondered if the deception was worse than the truth. “Do you know where Beq Lugg is?”

She took a moment to focus on him, then her spine straightened. “Beq Lugg? They’re in Amh Araeng treating the Light Sickened. I believe they will be back in a couple of days. Why?”

Ardbert shook his head. “It’s nothing. Thank you.” He stepped past, leaving her to her puzzlement and her letter.

He stepped outside, squinting slightly at the lighting difference before looking up at the sky. “Clouds.” He murmured, and smiled before continuing down the steps into the Crystarium proper, letting his steps lead them where they would while he considered what to do.

A couple of days to wait. He could stay in the Crystarium, likely get Albert’s old room in the Pendants. Or he could chase down Beq Lugg. Albert’s memories told him he would need to go to the Inn at Journey’s Head, but Ardbert had to admit that area was a bit traumatizing to him personally and he didn’t relish the idea of going there. Beq Lugg wouldn’t have the means to help Albert while they were there anyway, so why upset himself with memories of the Flood and his friends’ last sacrifice when it would come to naught?

He stopped walking and looked up toward the sky. He had to admit there was one more thing he could do. It was selfish, terribly hopelessly selfish, but if he really had to wait for a couple of days, couldn’t he afford a little selfishness?

“No....”

Ardbert turned to see that of all people to find him, Ryne had and she was staring at him in horror, hands clenched by her chest. 

“Your soul….what happened? You were fine! You were whole! ” She stepped forward, reaching out before aborting the motion to draw her arm back, and met his eyes. “.....I’m not speaking to Albert, am I?”

For being so young, she really did see so much. He sighed softly. “I’m Ardbert. I don’t know what happened to Albert, but when Beq Lugg returns I’ll talk to them about it. I’m hoping they can help.”

“....You’re the part holding him together.” Ryne reached out again, pressing her hand to the armor over his heart. “You saved him from the Light tearing him apart, or at least gave him the strength he needed to defeat Emet-Selch....but he was whole. The cracks were gone, and now....”

“....How bad is it?” Ardbert asked softly, dreading the answer.

“....Bad.” Ryne stepped back and met his eyes. “It’s not cracked, it’s torn. As if someone took a knife to his soul.”

Ardbert scowled in thought. Maybe Elidibus had done something? Albert’s memories didn’t indicate anything of the sort, but thinking on it Ardbert noticed that the memories of fighting Elidibus were harder to grasp than before. It was definitely getting worse then. Maybe it was worth tracking down Beq Lugg after all. Maybe they could stabilize Albert long enough to return to the Crystarium.

“.....I don’t know what happened.” He put a hand to his chest. “I don’t know how to stop it....” He smiled grimly then as a revelation came to him and he found actually he did. If his joining with Albert had helped him however temporarily, then the best solution was to travel to the other shards somehow and find the rest of the pieces of their collective soul.

He closed his eyes. Sure, maybe he could do such a thing, but at what cost? He had already compromised his morals once for what he thought was right, and ended up with a century to regret it. Besides, if the flow of memories went both ways Albert would know what he’d done and be left with the burden. That wouldn’t be fair to him.

He opened his eyes again to find Ryne staring at him in concern. “Do you...is there anything you could do to stabilize him? It doesn’t need to last forever, just long enough for Beq Lugg to do something about it.”

“I could try...” Ryne reached out, looking unsure. She touched his arm this time and closed her eyes. Ardbert closed his own and imagined what a sight they had to have been, just standing there.

Whatever Ryne did took several minutes before she let go and stepped back again. “There.” She said. “I’ve...I’ve done what I can. Hopefully it’ll last long enough.”

“I’m sure it will.” Ardbert said with more confidence than he felt. He put a hand on her head before he could think to stop himself, since while Albert would have done such a thing, she didn’t know him. “Thank you.”

Ryne seemed surprised at the contact, but not bothered and smiled after a moment, lifting her head when he moved his hand. “What will you do? I think Beq Lugg will be gone for a few more days.”

Ardbert considered his options again, then smiled slightly. “I think I’m going to visit an old friend. Hopefully Albert won’t mind.”

------

He’d stopped by the market to buy a bedroll and some food, then gone to the Amaro Launch and set a course for Il Mheg. He couldn’t help but grin giddily as he rode on the back of the amaro. A much smoother ride than a chocobo provided and a better smell besides. He pitied the Source for their lack of amaros. They had no idea what they were missing.

Landing in Il Mheg, he wasted no time getting out of pixie territory as quickly as possible, but even that didn’t prove quickly enough. 

“Ooh, his soul’s all torn up, the poor thing!” A disembodied voice commented. 

“You must be hurting quite a lot, looking like that!” Another said. 

“You should stay. We’ll take good care of you!”

“Yes! Stay!”

“Stay with us!”

Ardbert had stopped walking when the first obfuscation had gone up, and now he sighed. [The King wouldn’t take it well if they found you trying to harm their beloved sapling.] He told them in their language. 

There was a moment of stunned silence before they began to argue with one another about him knowing their language and how bad his pronunciation and accent was. While thus distracted, Ardbert began to walk, letting his mind lie idle and not calling forth thoughts. The obfuscation faded away, for the magic could only ensnare an engaged mind. They were still bickering when he left them behind, likely so confident he’d have to stay put they hadn’t been watching him. 

He snickered to himself at having pulled a fast one on them, though their words reminded him of just how bad off Albert apparently was. He put a hand to his chest as he walked. Ryne had stabilized him, and hopefully it would last long enough, but he felt a pang of guilt that he was indulging himself instead of seeking out Beq Lugg. Amaros could see souls too. What if the sight distressed Seto? Would his friend be angry at him for his selfish wish?

Ardbert clenched his other fist and sped up his pace instead of turning around. Well if Seto told him to go to Beq Lugg, then Ardbert would without a single protest even if he really didn’t want to go there. He knew his old friend wouldn’t let him be selfish if he thought he was causing harm.

------

He found his old friend was absent from his nest when he arrived at it, and climbed up with the intention of waiting for him there when his boot snagged on something and sent it tumbling.

“Oh, my crystal.” He made a grab for it before it could tumble out of the nest and held it up to look at it. Dulled to gray, it certainly held no power in it now. He remembered Albert had given it to Seto, but it really was funny that the amaro was keeping it.

He turned his gaze to the sky, only to see Seto winging his way back, the medallion Ardbert had given him long ago gleaming in the sun from a new necklace of what he thought might be leather. He stepped back to give Seto space to safely land and watched him with a smile.

Seto landed outside his nest and peered around it at Ardbert with clear bewilderment. “Albert?” He asked. “What’s happened to you? You seem….unwell.”

Ardbert frowned at that. “Well, I guess that might be a way of putting it.” he said, walking around the nest as Seto climbed up to settle into it. He placed his crystal back before straightening up to look at him. “Take a closer look, Seto.”

Seto made an inquisitive noise and stretched his neck out to get a good look indeed. “Ardbert?!” He exclaimed a few moments later, rearing back and blinking at him. “....I don’t understand.”

Ardbert smiled faintly. He was right, this was just upsetting him. “I don’t either, old friend. I...shouldn’t be here, in any sense of the word. I should have gone for help….but I came here instead. I wanted to see you again….talk to you.”

Seto grunted and settled his wings. “.....Something very bad is happening, isn’t it?”

Ardbert nodded. “His soul is coming apart. It....should be stable for now, and I’ll go back to the Crystarium in a couple of days to see Beq Lugg--do you remember them?”

“The nu mou?”

“Yes, that’s them. They’re good at soul work. I’m hoping they can help Albert. But in the meantime….I’d like to stay with you, if that’s alright?”

Seto stretched his neck out to gently nuzzle Ardbert. “Nothing would bring me greater joy.”

------

It was almost like the old days, but better. Ardbert slept against Seto’s side under his wings that night, and in the morning shared in a foraging hunt with him--though Seto’s broad back made it hard to sit comfortably. They reminisced and talked about happy things. Ardbert’s heart was full.

On the morning of the second day he found himself nudged awake.

“The King is here.” Seto murmured.

Oh shit. Feo Ul was going to know immediately something was wrong. Still, there was nothing to do but accept that he’d have some explaining to do and climbed out from under Seto’s wing.

There floated Feo Ul, or rather the small manifestation of them. They planted their hands on their hips. “Well that’s not right at all.” They announced. “What have you done to my precious sapling’s soul?!”

“Gods, is all of Norvrant going to get on me?” Ardbert commented irritably before he could stop himself. “I don’t know what happened. I’m going to talk to Beq Lugg about it.”

Feo Ul made a rude noise. “Oh, I don’t think I care for you one bit! Where’s my sapling? Where’s Albert?!”

Ardbert put a hand to his chest. “In here. Hopefully.” 

“HOPEFULLY?!” Feo Ul flew up right into his face. “My beautiful sapling’s been torn up, and you say ‘hopefully’?!”

Ardbert looked aside. “I don’t know what happened, alright?! I’m going back to the Crystarium soon and I’ll speak to Beq Lugg. Hopefully they can find out what caused this and how to fix it.”

“Well you’d better get going then before I get really cross!” Feo Ul stated. “Oh my poor darling Albert….”

Seto heaved himself to his feet. “I’ll take you, Ardbert.”

“Are you sure, Seto?” It wouldn’t be a comfortable ride given Seto’s size, but Ardbert would endure anything for a little more time with his friend.

Seto nodded. “I’m sure.”

------

Feo Ul joined them for the journey, and while they didn’t continue to nag Ardbert, it was clear they were extremely unhappy. To be fair, Ardbert wasn’t in the best spirits himself, and after landing outside the Crystarium and saying his goodbyes to his friend, he headed in with Feo Ul on his shoulder to go present himself to Beq Lugg.

The nu mou seemed recently arrived and was still settling back into their space in the Crystal Tower when Ardbert came inside. Turning to look, they blinked several times. “Albert? My King?”

Feo Ul launched themselves off Ardbert’s shoulder and spun around to point at him. “This isn’t my sapling! Something is wrong with his soul! Fix it! ”

“Not Albert? Oh dear, oh dear.” Beq Lugg blinked a couple more times. “If not Albert, then who are you?”

“Hello Beq Lugg. It’s been a while.” Ardbert said softly, smiling crookedly. “‘Bout a century, in fact.”

Beq Lugg tilted their head. “.....Ardbert? Oh dear, this is serious. I had been told you were a part of Albert, but this shouldn’t be possible.”

Ardbert grimaced. “I was afraid of that.”

“Well, uh...have a seat and I’ll take a look.” They paused to look at Feo Ul. “I’ll do everything I can.”

“Good. I want my sapling back.” They vanished on those words, and Ardbert made himself comfortable on the floor.

------

Beq Lugg had gotten Ardbert a chair, which he had been grateful for since everything had taken several bells thus far. The nu mou was still shuffling around, with ample muttering to themselves while Ardbert tried to keep quiet so he didn’t distract them.

“Well I can’t imagine how this could possibly have happened.” Beq Lugg finally said, turning back to Ardbert, their tail tapping on the floor with agitation. “But I believe I can work on fixing it.”

Ardbert let out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding. “Okay, well....that’s fine then. As long as you can reverse whatever happened, I guess how it happened isn’t as important....” Though he naturally badly wanted to know.

Beq Lugg nodded slightly and handed Ardbert a vial of cloudy blue liquid. “Drink that and we’ll move forward from there.”

Ardbert eyed the liquid, then took a deep breath and threw it back. He grimaced and twitched, but managed to swallow before he started coughing.

“Oh my.” Beq Lugg commented while Ardbert doubled over, hacking. “I may have made it a bit strong…”

Ardbert wheezed and slowly straightened up again. “Oi, what was that then?! You trying to kill me a second time?”

Beq Lugg’s tail slapped the floor hard at that comment, which was followed up by them stamping their foot. 

“That was an awful terrible thing, Ardbert! You shouldn’t joke about it! Oooh! I was sick in my heart for weeks afterward!” They slapped their tail again. “Terrible and awful!”

Ardbert pressed his hands together. “I beg your forgiveness, Beq Lugg.”

“Oooh!!!!” Beq Lugg’s tail slapped again. “You are infuriating!”

Ardbert smiled faintly. “Sorry. Payback for that godsawful whatever that was.”

Beq Lugg huffed at him and their tail slapped with agitation several more times before they calmed down again and squinted at Ardbert.

“Well you may not have liked it, but it looks like it’s doing the job. Of course you’ll need several more treatments, taken regularly, but hopefully the Exar-- former Exarch can take over when you go back.”

Ardbert put a hand to his chest. “.....I still wish I knew how this happened.”

“That would be nice to know, or it may well happen again.” Beq Lugg agreed. They turned away to scribble something on paper and then turned to hand it to Ardbert. “There. See that to the former Exarch.”

Ardbert looked at what was written before he shrugged and folded the paper up to tuck away and stood from the chair. “Thank you, Beq Lugg.” He said softly. “For everything.”

Beq Lugg sighed softly. “......It was good to see you again, Ardbert.” 

Ardbert smiled at them. “It was good to see you too.”

“Ardbert.” Ben Lugg’s tail slapped the floor, then stopped moving. “I have to warn you, this may not be quick. The treatment could take months. Possibly even years.”

“……Years….?” Ardbert touched his chest again and looked down. “No, no. It can’t take years! Albert doesn’t deserve to wake up an old man!”

“I’ll work on refining the treatment, so you’d best come visit again so I can see the rate of progress.” Beq Lugg said. “But for now, I don’t want to get your hopes up too high.”

Ardbert swallowed and nodded slightly. “…..Right.” When Beq Lugg said nothing more, he turned to go. 

------

It was raining when he emerged from beneath the excavation of the Crystal Tower, which meant Ardbert sloshed into The Rising Stones on a very unhappy chocobo. 

“Tataruuu.” He whined once he’d spotted the lalafell. “Please can I have a warm drink? I almost drowned out there.”

She blinked up at him, expression first amused and then concerned. “Oh dear, you are rather soaked, aren’t you? Go get something dry on and go sit by the fire.”

“Thank you.” He went to do so, and when he emerged again, Tataru directed him to a table by the fire. 

“So, how did things go?” She asked, climbing up onto the chair opposite him. “Were you able to get any answers?”

Ardbert grimaced and wrapped his hands around the mug. “I have a list of ingredients for G’raha to make a foul concoction for Albert’s soul. The first dose apparently took well, but I’ll need several more….and I’ll guess we’ll know it worked when Albert’s the one who wakes up in the morning. Well, you’ll know. I won’t, obviously.”

“But any idea what caused this?” 

Ardbert shook his head. “No one who could see the problem had any idea.” He paused. “…..But the treatment might take a while to work fully. Months, likely.” He dared not say years. No one would like that answer. 

“Months? Oh dear.” Tataru frowned, but then she smiled slightly. “Well it’s a good thing Albert has you, Ardbert. Otherwise we’d be stuck with his comatose body and no way to get help.”

“…Huh. Didn’t consider that.” So there was a good thing out of him waking up since he was the only one who could’ve sought help from Beq Lugg. A small bit of guilt he’d been feeling lifted. He’d rather it hadn’t happened at all of course, but under the circumstances, it definitely could’ve turned out worse. He smiled slightly. “Thanks, Tataru.” He looked around then. “Seems awfully quiet. Everyone out?”

Tataru frowned thoughtfully. “Mm. Something about porxies, I think.”

“Huh....” Funny little thing, porxies. He shivered violently. “Hopefully they’re somewhere dry.”

Tatatru nodded to that and gave him a smile before she hopped down to get back to her work, leaving Ardbert with his thoughts and a warm mug of cocoa.

------

Several weeks passed. Every day G’raha mixed a new concoction to Beq Lugg’s specifications--for the instructions stated it had to be fresh or it would lose potency--and Ardburt drank it, even though it continued to taste absolutely horrid. Every few days he returned to the First to check in with Beq Lugg and Ryne to get their assessment of Albert’s recovery.

The prognosis wasn’t good. The concoction seemed to have successfully halted the progression, but any recovery being accomplished was incremental. Beq Lugg promised to keep working on the problem when they weren’t treating the Light Sickened, and they decided to be relieved that it wasn’t getting any worse.

Ardbert started keeping a journal, writing down in as exact detail as he could, the last memory he had before awakening in Albert’s body, and the last clear memory he could access from Albert, which was defeating Elidibus, after which the memory sharply began to lose focus. He could barely recall what had happened to the Crystal Exarch, and struggled with those details. But bit by bit, he found that memory got a little clearer. Not as quickly as he’d like, but that there was progress at all, even if there was little evidence on the soul, gave Ardbert hope that the treatment was indeed reversing the damage.

The Scions had mostly stopped acting suspicious of him and were at least cordial, even as they tried to keep him out of as much as they could while they mucked about with proxies and Allag. Eventually however, they could no longer ignore the fact that while Ardbert was not their friend, trying to ignore and exclude him was only going to work for so long. He was still a Warrior of Light, and could still be of help.

They had started giving Albert’s mail to him as part of this, which for the most part he didn’t mind. He could fake messages to most of the people who wrote to him, even if his penmanship was his own and not Albert’s, he could fudge the syntax and use Albert’s memories to tell him how to respond to the inquiries. 

Except for one.

Albert had a girlfriend, a Viera woman named Eden he’d known since they were children; he a local of Ul’dah and she an abandoned would-be slave dumped by her would-be masters when they had been in danger of being caught. A woman he had thought of so highly he had found a way to Limsa when she had been adopted and scraped an existence by working part-time on her new family’s farm and the rest of the time doing errands for Limsa locals. A woman whose letters told him they had actually been engaged, meaning the proposal had happened after his return from the First, contained in memories Ardbert could not grasp.

He didn’t know what to say to her. She was wondering why she hadn’t heard from Albert, whether he was having second thoughts about the proposal and what was Ardbert supposed to say?! She was a sweet, gentle soul. Albert’s early adventuring partner, the healer and backup defender to Albert’s Warrior, then later Gladiator, Dark Knight, and Gunbreaker. His Lamitt, but a childhood friend.

Gods, the lengths Albert had gone to keep her safe had been absurd. His loyalty was unshakable to the point of uprooting his life just to follow her until they were old enough to strike out on their own. If soulmates existed, they surely were the prime example of it.

What was Ardbert supposed to say in the face of such a deep-rooted love? How was he supposed to tell her that the person sitting in Albert’s skin wasn’t the man she’d grown up knowing? It made his heart hurt. He knew he should say something, but the words wouldn’t come, and so he said nothing.

He should have known she wouldn’t be content until she got answers.

“Bear?”

Ardbert, in the middle of soundly trouncing Thancred at Triple Triad, stiffened and turned his head to look. 

There stood Eden, blinking at him with wet eyes. She was more diminutive than typical Viera owing to her early childhood of scraps and hardship. Tiny, freckled, and bespeckled, normally perky ears pressed flat against her head.

“Was starting to wonder if she was ever going to get here.” Thancred muttered, picking his cards up.

Ardbert swung back around to glare at him. 

“Your fault for not writing her back.” Thancred said. “Good luck.”

“You’re a dead man!” Ardbert hissed.

Thancred just shrugged and left the table with his cards, leaving Ardbert to face Albert’s ‘Bun’.

“Bear?” She said again, her childhood nickname for Albert before breaking his heart further with her adult one. “Alby?”

“Gods…” Ardbert rubbed his face before he looked back at her. “....You should sit down, Eden. We’ve gotta talk.”

She stepped over, hands clutched close to her heart, and sat down in the chair Thancred had vacated, which felt so far away. “....Did I do something wrong?” She asked. “Are you breaking up with me?”

“No...gods Eden, it’s not you. It’s not you.” Ardbert rubbed his face again. He wanted to take her hand, he wanted to hold her, he wanted to comfort her. He knew there was no right way to handle this, but he had to try. Albert loved his woman, and his love was strangling him.

“I...I don’t have….” He swallowed and made himself meet her eyes. “I don’t know what Albert told you, I can’t remember. I’m not Albert. I’m….I’m a forgotten soul from another world. He’s....he’s here but not here. His memories, but….” He touched his chest. “My name’s Ardbert. I...didn’t know how to tell you.” He squeezed his eyes shut, feeling like his heart was shattering. “Gods, I’m so sorry.” He choked out. 

“Ardbert….” She repeated. “He...he told me about you.” Ardbert heard her chair scrape and he jerked upright, irrationally afraid she was leaving, but she’d pulled the chair closer instead and just as he met her eyes again, as wet as he was finding his own, she touched the hand he’d left on the table. “Are….is….what happened?”

“I don’t know.” Ardbert whispered. “But...we’re trying to fix it, I swear.”

“Will he….come back?”

“I hope so...but it’ll be….” He grit his teeth, and finally spoke what he now knew had to be the truth. “It’ll probably be years, Eden.”

Her lip wobbled and her brimming eyes overflowed. It was almost more than he could take, and the guilt he barely kept at bay reared up as the Flood had over Amh Araeng.

He put his hand over hers. “Eden, I swear we’re doing everything we can. I’m...I’ll get him back to you. I’m not….he needs to continue your story.”

She gave him a wobbly smile and nodded before she pulled her hand free and slipped out of the chair. She stared at him for a few moments, then walked away, starting to cry in earnest.

Ardbert put his head in his hands. Just when he’d thought it couldn’t get any worse.

Once he’d gotten control of himself again, he stood up and went looking for Thancred, though he half didn’t expect to find him.

It was to his surprise then that he did, out on the terrace above the marketplace, apparently enjoying the view. He got to his feet as soon as he saw Ardbert bearing down on him, and looked like he was debating jumping off.

Ardbert swung his axe off his back and brought it down hard, forcing Thancred to jump back.

“What the hell was that?!” He yelled. “Putting that on my head without any warning!”

“You were ignoring her letters!” Thancred snapped. “Don’t you think she deserved to know?!”

Ardbert growled. “I’m not her betrothed! All that did was hurt her even more and she didn’t deserve that! One of you could have...I don’t know, lied to her maybe? Said he was away or--”

“If he wasn’t fighting beside us, she was his healer!” Thancred interrupted. “Do you think she would’ve just kept sitting back and not doing anything?! If you’ve really got Albert’s memories you ought to know that!”

Ardbert grit his teeth and looked aside, then glared at him sidelong. “You could have warned me!”

“So you could try to avoid her?” Thancred crossed his arms. “Yeah, that wasn’t happening. She deserved to know, and you could have lied to her just like you’ve been lying to everyone else, but you decided to just not answer her letters.”

“....Of course you’ve been reading the outbound mail.” Ardbert muttered.

“Just yours.” He shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. It’s nice of you to not want to lie to her, but you should have told her the truth before it got to this point.”

Ardbert looked aside again, fists clenched. Finally he reached for his axe and examined it for damage, smiling faintly when he didn’t find any before putting it on his back again and looking at Thancred seriously.

“Yeah, I’m not Albert, but that doesn’t mean I don’t give a damn. Maybe it had to happen this way, but I really hope one of you went after her because if something happens to her because of this, that’s on you.”

“Don’t worry, I saw her off safe.” Thancred said. “And I knew you’d give a damn, or I wouldn’t have set this up. You’re not our Warrior of Light, but you’re still a Warrior of Light.” He stared at Ardbert intently. “If it makes any difference, you’ve done a lot these past few weeks to make up for what you were doing the last time you were here.”

Ardbert shut his eyes and drew in a breath to let it out slowly. “....You know, if not for Albert’s memories I’d scarcely remember what you’re talking about. That was all a century ago to me.” Seeing himself through Albert’s eyes, the older memories so much crisper than his more recent ones, feeling what Albert had felt about the whole situation. It was enlightening in the most uncomfortable way.

“I’m tired, Thancred.” He said softly. “Tired of all of this. Tired of the guilt, tired of the existing. Even if I hadn’t given my life for a lie, I should be long dead by now.” He opened his eyes to look at the other man wearily. “I’m going to do my part to get Albert to wake up, and in the meantime I’ll do what he should be doing. But how about you stop making it harder on me, huh? Stop reminding me of my mistakes. Stop throwing it in my face.” His eyes narrowed. “It’s not my fault Minfillia--”

“Don’t.” Thancred snapped. “Don’t you even start. It’s not about her. You were a pawn of the Ascians, but you also saved my friend from the Light, and if you hadn’t woken up, he’d probably be worse than dead now. It’s hard looking at my friend’s face and knowing a stranger is behind his eyes, but I don’t blame you.”

“Then maybe I should stop looking like Albert.” Ardbert replied. “Give’m a haircut and a trim. It’ll grow back so that’s not a big deal, and I don’t know how he stands his hair this long anyway.” He looked down at his armor. “And green. Why’d he have to dye it green? Easy enough to fix all that too.” He looked back at Thancred. “Funny how he and I had the same taste in armor though, ey?”

Thancred blew out his breath heavily. “Sure. Maybe that’ll help....can’t complain about cosmetic changes he can set to right when he wakes up again.”

“Great...I’ll go see the barber then.” Ardbert concentrated on the energies of the nearest major city Aetheryte and teleported away.

------

Deep in the void of space, something stirred. Heartless and hopelessly wounded, alone without a single being left willing to exact its will, it reached out. Careful, oh so careful, it touched shards of memory and self. It could not remake its own heart, but it could remake this. Its last servant, themselves wounded and torn, and began its weaving. 

Careful, it had to be so very careful, lest its enemy sense it and stop it. Bit by bit, it put memory and intent together. Bit by bit it rebuilt the only tool left that it had been able to reach. 

Tired eyes opened somewhere below ground on the Source. A body stretched and there was the hiss of a lock releasing before a hatch swung open. 

“Ah…so it seems my time is not yet spent after all.” The servant murmured. “Very well….I live to serve, after all.”

They vanished into a void portal. They had been given a task to fulfill and it wouldn’t do to keep the Master waiting.

#ffxiv fanfiction #ardbert #ao3 fanfic #shadowbringers #ffxiv

[owlespresso]

Relationship Headcanons / Thancred Waters

It took some time to finish this, but here it is! Nothing too NSFW below the cut. Tip Jar

Thancred’s days of womanizing are past him.

He’s spent the past five years trundling about the wilderness, killing Sin Eaters and trying his damn hardest to protect the people and Ryne. He’s had one night stands here and there. Usually when he’s needed to blow off steam, or feel some semblance of affection.

He’s rusty when it comes to actual feelings and real romance, but ye gets back into the swing of it quick. He’s missed flirty, back-and-forth banter, missed being able to loosen up with someone he’s close to and can thoroughly trust. You feel like home, to him, a place where he can relax and lay all his truths bare.

To tell the truth, he’s not quite sure what to do with you when you arrive on the First. He’s missed you, that much is certain. But you’re both so busy and constantly in danger. Wouldn’t it be selfish of him to start a relationship when there’s so much else going on? 

Or, maybe this was the best time to fall in love. Your lives could end at any moment, any day. He had faith in your skills more than his own, but he refused to believe either of you infallible or immortal. Warrior of Light or no, you could die in any of the battles you found yourself in and the very thought terrified him.

Realizing your own mortality was what eventually pushed him into your arms. Whilst initially tentative before his confession, he becomes more open, affectionate and dare I say needy afterwards. He seeks your company out more than ever before, speaks softly, looks at you with a tenderness others seldom see from him anymore. He stays closer to you during your travels, walking at your side, taking any excuse to brush up against you. 

He gives you his jacket should you be lacking one, compliments you, takes every opportunity to spend time with you. Some of the others notice and tease him about his tendency to volunteer to accompany you wherever you go, but he pays them no mind. The moments you have together are fleeting and could get cut off at any moment, so he makes the most of what he has while he still has it.

Others have said much worse about him and he’s not one to get worked up over idle teasing. They’ll probably forget about it in the next few days or so.

You need no protection, but he’s protective anyways. Glares at Emet-Selch and other miscreants over your shoulder, makes sure you adequately feed and hydrate yourself, takes care of you should you get sick… He knows that being the Warrior of Light is a laborsome and near agonizing job. 

The masses which paw at you for assistance are often not swift to offer help in return. He supposes he can’t blame them, because they’re all impoverished in their own ways, and none can match your grandiose power. 

There are tasks that only you can do and it wears on you. He does his best to assist you, taking care of menial tasks, bringing you food, doing most of the errands. He’s sure Emet Selch could make a wise crack or two about him being your servant or lap dog, but he doesn’t care. 

It takes a long time for him to confess, purely because there’s so much to be done and so much at risk. Whilst he naturally worries about ruining the stable friendship you already have, his feelings build and mount until he can’t contain them any longer. 

He thinks about confessing nearly every day, wonders when the best time would be and how, and where, and who should or should not be around. In the end, he waits until it’s the dead of night and the others have gone their separate ways to approach you. It’s a quiet confession, and the long embrace he gives you at feelings returned conveys more than simple words ever can.

After confessing, he touches you more. Keeps an arm around your shoulder, a hand clutched tight to your own, etc. Being able to feel you soothes him.

And he also wants to be in your bed. Not for the sake of intimacy alone, but just to hold you, to keep you warm at night.

Speaking of beds, he prefers to keep your stacked with a ridiculous amount of soft pillows. Just piles and piles of extravagant cushions for you to lounge on. He’s not one to prioritize materialism or wealth above all else, but he’s a slut for pillows and has many as possible. This is a comfort he will not forsake.

Being able to enjoy common, domestic things with you is foreign to him, but he’s near obsessed with it. Doing chores together, going on walks hand-in-hand… For the past five years, he’d half counted on being cold and alone in a grave without ever having experienced actual, romantic love. Not that he wanted to meet a grisly end, far from it! 

Surprisingly good at remembering anniversaries, considering how busy you both usually are. If you both happen to be occupied on an anniversary, he’ll at least make a point to point it out and promise to take you out to dinner some other night. 

Is also very good at taking care of sick people. He’s not a medic by any means, but he’s learned the ins and outs of first aid very well, given his solitary lifestyle on the First before the rest of the Scions arrived. He also knows how to care for the sick from looking after Ryne while she was ill, a few times. He mothers you incessantly and might insist on carrying you from place-to-place, even if you have something as simple as a cold.

Is a work-a-holic, but also hates it when you’re a work-a-holic. Urges you away from whatever task is occupying your attention when he notices you’re getting tired. Makes sure you get the appropriate amount of rest.

He likes to pay for meals, and most dates you go on. He’s usually not one to bring flowers home out of the blue or pick up small trinkets, but he’s a perfect gentleman whenever you both go out together.

Master of every household chore besides cooking. He can scrounge up something quick to eat, but it’s usually never tasty and is more for the purpose of keeping his stomach full. Chief laundry do-er and folder, though. Prides himself on being able to carry things around for you, though he’ll never admit to it aloud. 

Flops all over you when drunk. Thancred doesn’t usually drink himself into a stupor, both because he usually wants to remain alert and he doesn’t want to be a bad role model on Ryne. However, he begins to loosen up after awhile, trusting you and the rest of the Scions to essentially babysit while he hiccups and blushes and drapes himself over you. He’ll shove his head onto your lap, wrap his arms around your waist, rest his head on your shoulder… All while insisting you pet him and pay attention to him.

Likes to spoon! Usually prefers being the big spoon, but isn’t opposed to being the little one. Being close to you is what matters most. He’ll kiss the back of your neck and wrap an arm around you to hold you close.

If you have breasts, he’s definitely going to want to rest his head on top or or in between them. Delights in your softness, idly squishes your hips and thighs. He lives for the simple ecstasy of having you tucked close to him under the blankets.

Usually chats with you until he drifts off. Asks about your day, your plans for tomorrow, how you’re feeling… as he gets closer to falling asleep, the topics grow a bit more nonsensical. Sleepy, loopy Thancred is honestly adorable.

Sometimes, he has nightmares about being spirited away from you again. He’ll wake up coated in cold sweat and restless, often opting to climb out of bed to take a shower, rinse himself off and gather his thoughts. He’ll probably wake you up whilst stumbling around the room, grabbing a new pair of pajamas because the ones he was wearing now feel icky. He hopes you don’t mind, and welcomes your company if you ask to come into the shower with him.

The biggest struggle he has is opening up emotionally. He’s kept to himself for the past five years, and spilling out his feelings is… difficult, when he’s spent so much time staying rigid, focusing on his work and cause and leaving little time for anything else. It takes time for him to speak up when something is bothering him or when there’s something he’d like to change about your relationship. 

Somewhat of a romantic despite the tragedies and hardships he’s been through. Waxes poetic about your body, about how strong you are, how you astound him every day… it can honestly get a little embarrassing, and sometimes he just does it because it flusters you.

Tugs your chair out for you, opens doors, performs other small, chivalrous gestures because he likes doing things for you, in general. He likes being needed, maybe even needs to be needed.

The first thing he does after coming home, or after you get home, is kiss you! Pecks your forehead, your cheeks before finally reaching your lips. He considers it a necessary part of greeting you, no matter who is in the room to see! He’s proud of being in a relationship with you and won’t hesitate to let others see how close you are.

If you’re cooking or wiping down the counter, chances are he’ll come up behind you and wrap his arms around you! Rests his chin on your shoulder or presses his forehead to your back, idly commenting on what you’re doing, or asking how your day has been, etc.

Spends a long time deciding what to get you for your birthdays or for holidays. Pays very close attention to things you like or say you might want. Whether it be food, jewelry, a weapon… just name it and it will be yours! 

Has trouble sleeping very often, and will try to wave you off to bed with a smile and assurances that he’ll be alright, come up within the hour. It’s surprisingly easy to drag him away from wherever he may be and into the bedroom, because he can’t resist your sweet pleads or firm demands. He’s putty in your hands and is well aware of it. 

While protective, he is not a jealous man. He trusts you completely and with his life, so he refuses to assume for a moment that you might cheat on him or be interested in someone else.

Likes resting his hand on your knee when you sit next to each other. It’s not sexual in nature, but he does it absentmindedly, as though he’s trying to make sure you’re really there. That being said, if he’s in a frisky mood, that hand may begin to wander.

100% does the grocery shopping. Ryne often accompanies him to the store and often insists on steering the cart or carrying a bag. He has trouble saying “no” when she points out something she wants. He’s come home with more sweets than he planned to initially, more than a few times. 

#thancred #thancred waters #ffxiv #Final Fantasy XIV

[eremiss]

Apparently I forgot to send you asks. SO. 6. do they get married (or equivalent)? 11. sleeping habits? 13. favorite sexual activity? (if you are so inclined! Wink Wonk). 44. do they feel they see each other enough, or do they have activities that take too much of their time? :B

it’s me so it got long oops hahah

6. They’ve both thought about marriage before, mostly as vague daydreams and ‘huh, maybe one day’. Towards the end of ShB they both start to think about it much more frequently and more seriously because they both came so close to death, on top of being separated for so long pre-expansion. 

They've both started giving off big ‘long term relationship’ and ‘spouse’ vibes recently (perhaps because Ryne is there to be like their daughter?) even though neither of them realize it. They’ve always been comfortable around each other, but there’s a new sort of energy to it that everyone else can see plain a day, yet they are particularly oblivious to.

Comments or teasing from their friends about being husband/wife or marriage in general tend to get Gwen quite flustered or make Thancred cagey and a little awkward.

Gwen and Thancred are still trying to figure out what they, themselves want in terms of marriage, beyond vague notions of, ‘hey it’s actually I can picture it now, where I never could before’ and wanting a family. They’re both struggling to find a balance between ‘what I/we want’ and ‘what the world needs’ and 'what's actually realistic, anyway?' thanks to all that responsibility and their own sense of duty, as well as wondering if, given their dangerous and hectic lives, a family is even a good idea. They want to be sure of themselves before they try to bring it up with the other, so they've stayed pretty silent on it.

Despite their long term, healthy relationship, Gwen and Thancred are still both uneasy/nervous about labeling themselves and what they have. Kind of ‘it works as it is, but labels might change or mess with it’ aka: labels make it real and ‘real’ about this kind of stuff is intimidating in a good and bad way (similar to thinking ‘getting married will solve our problems’, but instead it will somehow make problems). The biggest talk they’ve ever had about their relationship was in ARR when they had a semi-awkward discussion about what, exactly, ‘they’ were, and settled on ‘basically friends with benefits’.

Hells, they still haven’t even officially declared they’re exclusive; though it’s pretty much understood at this point, given how they clearly have no interest in anyone else and haven’t slept with anyone else in years.

They know what they feel, and they’re confident in what the other feels, ‘I know I’m serious and I’m here to stay. They know I’m serious, and that I’m here to stay.’ And they try to do things to show that, as saying it (particularly with ‘I love you’ involved) is kind of tricky. They’re both comfortable, secure and content knowing they’re committed, even though it’s not explicitly stated… but, well, maybe getting married could actually be kind of nice… one day.

 11. Not great, lol. They both frequently stay up too late for one reason or another, and it’s very difficult to make someone sleep who doesn’t want to. The only thing that will reliably get them into bed is not wanting the other to stay up all night, either. (they are amazing hypocrites when it comes to telling the other to take care of themselves or open up more, but not actually do that themselves lol) This inevitably turns into, “I have work to do.”  “Fine, then I’ll stay up too.”  “No!”  “Yes!”  or  “You’re doing work, yeah, but you know what’s more fun than work? *wink wink nudge nudge*”  or the occasional  “I’ll go to bed when you do.”  “Bet. I’m going to bed now.”  “FFFFFF” 

Gwen is a fairly standard sleeper (not light, but not dead to the world) unless she’s stressed or anxious, which is when she becomes a light, very restless sleeper. This is when maximum cocooning and stealing of blankets occurs. Thancred is naturally a light sleeper but, given how many partners he’s had, he had no trouble acclimating to sleeping with Gwen despite her fidgeting. She rarely keeps him up or wakes him unless she’s stolen the blankets, or he’s purposely sleeping lightly to keep an eye on her. When she’s restless he’s found the best thing to do (to calm her down and to not lose his blankets) is to basically spoons her and hold her still, and it actually does seem to help. 

They’re both early risers, but Thancred is quicker to actually wake up and get his brain functioning. Gwen hides her face and lazes for a few minutes before trudging to the bathroom (sometimes with her eyes closed) where she splashes water on her face or takes a quick, cold shower to wake herself up. 

 13. Uuhhh… Having sex?? LOL

More seriously, they both love nothing more than giving the other pleasure, as well as indulging in the sights and sounds associated with such. They also enjoy trying new things. 

For Gwen, who didn’t do much experimenting and whose past relationships just...well, weren’t nearly as deep and secure as this, just about everything is new, and she’s at least enjoyed experimenting, even if everything wasn’t exactly a success. Some things are a little difficult to wrap her mind around (“I... I’m supposed to wear what?”) especially at first, but she comes to embrace intimacy as a thing where there are no expectations except letting go and genuinely enjoying herself.

Thancred’s done plenty of experimenting, so he’s got the physical aspect pretty covered; instead he’s come to love the new kind of intimacy and familiarity that comes with having a partner he genuinely trusts and has a deep emotional connection with. Genuine tenderness and affection are new, as is relaxing and giving himself over to and trusting his partner rather than feeling he must maintain some aspect of control/distance, and so far it’s working out pretty great.

 44. Not at aaaaalllll haha. They have busy lives and tons of responsibilities, especially Gwen, what with being the WoL and all, and there’s rarely a time when one of them isn’t busy, nevermind both of them at once. What’s worse, not only are they busy, but they’re busy apart, given their difference in specialties pulling them to different places. 

Gwen is protecting Ishgard and fighting Nidhogg, Thancred is off tracking the Warriors of Darkness. 

Thancred is gathering intel in Garlemald and Gyr Abania, Gwen is a world away in Doma. 

Thancred is out at Eden, Gwen is running around on the First and the Source.

They try not to complain about it too much, because they know what they do is important and necessary, and they’re both pretty tired of it, honestly, but complaining won’t change anything… That doesn’t mean they don’t vent to each other, though.

They would like to see each other more, yes, but specifically they’d like to work together more. Not only would working together mean time together, it also means being able to look after and protect one another, as well as being able to help in the moment rather than showing up after the fact. Though they complement one another in battle and work together well, their dramatically different skill sets alway shave them on separate assignments. 

Failing the above, they’d like to be able to at least share a bed more often (or every night). Even if they didn’t always wake up or go to sleep at the same time, cuddly sleep is good sleep, and they’ve both come to find that physical closeness very mentally/emotionally recharging. Being close enough (aetheryte travel notwithstanding) to sleep together every night would also mean that they wouldn’t be too far apart in general. They’re confident in their own, and each others’, abilities, but that doesn’t mean there’s not some inherent, unexplainable sense of security and assurance that comes with knowing that, if something were to suddenly go to shit (like it so often does) they’re not days or weeks away.

#Thanks for the ask!! #Thancred Waters #Gwencred #They're both wondering about getting married but terrified of actually fully committing #even though they're basically already committed #Because they're both massive dinguses #Snugglesleep best sleep #WHAT'S THIS THE READMORE WORKS NOW???? #my writting #guinevere ashe

[queencatherynerhys]

Stuck With You - Chapter 1

Summary: Neal Caffrey had met his fair share of interesting women over the years. Once or twice he thought he had known what love meant. But he learned what being in love was like when he met her. Now he must face a future without her. How will he survive?

A/N: I know I haven’t been non-existent in Tumblr world and TRR fandom. I’ve been working on this story for a while. I was looking through fanfiction stories and realized there’s never really been a Neal/Female OC angst story that caught my eye. I just don’t know why, so I decided to write one of my own.

The character’s voices might be a little different than you’ve come to know if you’ve watched the amazing show. If not, I highly recommend it. White Collar is one to binge through these uncertain times we live in. I’ve rewatched it several times now.

I apologize for any errors. I feel like I didn’t capture it very well. But please leave a like or better yet a comment if you like it and I will post the next chapter.

Disclaimer: Characters mostly belong to Jeff Eastin. OCs and the plot concept are mine.

Tags: @devineinterventions2 @madaraism @theroyalweisme @drakewalkerwhipped @drakesfiance @hhiggs @hellospunkiebrewster @alicars @mrswalkerreynolds @mfackenthal @simplyaiden-blog @hopefulmoonobject @blackcatkita @cocomaxley @boneandfur @lizeboredom @crayziimaginations @umccall71 @zarina-x-zig @writtenbycandy @ranishajay @heatherfilliez @drakelover78 @indiacater @pens-girl-87 @katurrade @speedyoperarascalparty @greyeyedsmile14 @barbaravalentino @zilch3 @mynameiskaylabella @darley1101 @blznbaby @trashbagfullofflannels @bella-ca @highlyselectiveextrovert @kacie-0156​ *I just used my usual tag list. Let me know if you want to be taken off if you don’t want to receive notifications about this story. Also let me know if you want to be added.*

Four days earlier...

Earlier in the week, the FBI caught wind of an unidentified man that came into the city in the hopes of selling a stolen Rembrandt painting in New York. It sparked their attention because the particular piece hadn't been seen or heard for at least two decades. The storm on the Sea of Galilee went missing in 1990 and now it has resurfaced.

Peter and Neal followed the trail of clues and they managed to set up an appointment with their mystery man in Gramercy Park. As per protocol, the FBI staked out and waited for their man to show up from the confines of a worn utility truck parked two blocks away from the meeting site. Peter, Neal, Jones, and Diana all took a screen of their own and watched for anyone suspicious to show up.

"There," Neal pointed on his screen as an anonymous man sat down on one of the benches. He was a young man in his late 20s to early 30s with brown hair, but what caught Neal's eye was his demeanor. His knee was bouncing up and down, his fingers were fidgeting, and his eyes kept glancing and looking around nervously. This man was no art thief. He was just a young man. He looked at Peter to tell him, but from the looks of it he already knew what he was going to say.

"Guys, I don't think this guy is our man. Just look at him. He doesn't even come close to the profile of an art thief. I don't think this guy can steal a candy bar from a gas station. I think we are looking for another guy. This guy is just a middleman," Peter told his team.

"I agree, boss, so what's the plan?" Diana asked.

"We send Neal in to find out what he wants, and go from there," he answered. He watched as Neal stood up, fixed his tie and suit, and flashed his signature, smug smile before exiting the van.

Neal confidently walked towards the bench the man was sitting on, but before he could even come near him the young man glanced at him, ducked his head, and appeared as if he whispered something to an earpiece. Guess that confirms the theory of this guy being just a patsy, but now Neal knew he'd been made. Without showing realization, Neal kept walking acting as if he was just taking a stroll through the park.

He made a big loop back towards the van and informed the others when he got there that the still unidentified knew who Neal was and he informed his partner, or employer, of him through the use of an earpiece.

"By the looks of it, he knew who I was. I don't think this plan is much of a plan anymore, Peter," Neal said.

Peter had his thinking, planning face on. Then, a brief look of hesitation flashed on his face. No one else would have caught it but Neal was a master at detecting facial expressions, subtle or otherwise. He saw it. When Peter turned to him, he saw it in his eyes. He beckoned him to talk outside the van so he followed.

"What's up, Peter?" Neal inquired.

"I was thinking. This guy came to New York out of the blue to sell a valuable, stolen painting. What does that tell us? He's desperate to get the piece out of his hand, so he needs to find a buyer fast. What if we put a middle man on the table?" Peter explained.

"A fencer?" Neal questioned although he knew it was the right answer. "Where are we going to find someone good enough to act as an art fencer? Diana? She's good, but I have a hunch this guy is going to need someone more well-versed in the world of fine art. I would suggest Mozzie but he's been...occupied...since the Cape Verde fiasco. So who else is there?" Neal explained.

Peter looked at him with a look of hesitation with just a dash of regret. It dawns on Neal why he was looking at him that way.

"Oh, no. No. No, Peter, No. You are not bringing her into this," Neal began to object to his friend's idea.

"Neal, listen, she's the only chance we have of catching this guy. With her background in situations like this, who could be more perfect?" Peter tried to persuade. Neal was still not convince. He did not like this at all. Not one bit. Peter had one more card to play to try and get Ryne to do it.

"Well, how about we ask her opinion on it?" Peter slowly asked. He had come to know the young woman well in the year and a half she's been in Neal's life. He knew if anyone could change Neal's mind, it's her.

Neal had always been the romantic. Peter had seen him fall too easily and get heartbroken and dealt with loss no one should ever have to go through. He truly thinks that Neal loved them in his own way, but not the way he loves Ryne. Of all the women he's seen come and go, Kate, Alex, Sara, even Rebecca, in his friends life she's the only woman he was the most protective about. He could admit that seeing his friend care about someone the way he cared about Ryne gave him hope that Neal could have what he has with Elizabeth. A home, a family, love, happiness, contentment on where he is and what he has.

"Fine. Come by the apartment later," Neal gave in and walked away but not back to the van.

"Where are you going?" Peter asked him.

Neal turned around and a flashed a bright smile, "To make my case before you show up." He arrived at June's house and as he does everyday since he moved in he went to say hello to his beautiful, kind landlord before making his way upstairs. He looked everywhere on the lower floors for her, but he figured she currently wasn't home so he headed upstairs to his apartment.

The rich tones of a lively piano music being played gradually became louder as he ascended the narrow stairwell. A grin began to form on his face as he remembered the animated conversation they had about bringing getting a piano to his apartment.

"Come on, babe. It's all I'm asking. Everything else in the apartment is yours. I just want one thing that's for me. My own mark on Neal Caffrey's perfect apartment," she said in almost whiny, but endearing voice.

"Ryne, I just don't see the practicality of having a piano in here. Do you know how hard it will be to get it up here? And where would we put it?" Neal reasoned while tying his tie in front of the tall mirror beside their bed . He turned around to face her after he finished fixing himself.

She sashayed toward him slowly, enticingly, until coming to a stop in front of him to fix the lapels of his designer jacket.

"There's plenty of room in front of the bed," she suggested, almost pouted, and looked at his blue eyes with her big, hazel one pleadingly. The only thing missing was batting eyes, but she was not a little girl begging for candy. She's was a sophisticated woman who knew that the man in front of her would give her the world if she asked for it. He couldn't resist her, and she knew it.

"Ugh, fine, you can have a piano in here," he gave in and laughed when she jumped for joy at getting what she wanted. "The great Neal Caffrey tamed by big eyes and pouty lips. What have I become?" He looked down and shook his head with feign disappointment.

She lifted his face by the chin and flashed the brightest of smiles before she closed in and gave him a passionate kiss. One of his hands held the back of her head while the other wrapped around her waist to bring her closer to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and threaded her fingers through his brown locks.

Had he no plans of meeting Peter, he would have gladly had his way with her on the apartment they now shared. Funny, even though Sara lived in his apartment for a brief time he never considered them sharing his home. It was always his, and Sara was there conveniently due to circumstances at the time they were dating. That's not the case with Ryne. She's different. He wanted to share everything with her, to be with her, to spend every waking minute of his life in the comfort of her arms. It was at that moment he realized he wanted to be hers forever.

Neal Caffrey was smitten with her. He knew he had never felt like this with anyone before. Sara had been close to capturing his heart, but she demanded a life he couldn't give her. With all the women that came to his life, she's the only one that didn't want anything from him. She didn't demand him to change, to be less the conman and more the honest-living-type-of guy. She encouraged and loved that he needed to live an almost free-spirited life. She simply loved him, Neal Caffrey, and all his facets, no more and no less.

"I love you, Ryne Beneventi, more than anything in this world, more than the finest art or jewelry. If you would have me, I want to be yours forever," Neal proclaimed as he pulled away from the kiss and looked deeply into her eyes. He held her closer to him. Neal had never in his life said those three words to anyone but her.

Kate knew he loved her, but he never said the words aloud. It was always implied, assumed. Alex was a spontaneous relationship. They had something, but not enough for those words. With Sara, he came close. He realized he fancied the "domestic" life with her. He cared for her perhaps a bit more than the others. He even proposed to her as part of a job they were doing. Rebecca, she, was a different case. A loose canon not worth mentioning.

But Ryne, she was the light in the darkness. She was his compass when he felt torn on which direction he should go. She was the breath he needed to live.

"I love you, Neal Caffrey. And I am yours as much as you are mine. Forever," she replied with a bright smile as she caressed his cheek softly with a warm, soft hand. He leaned to her touch and kissed the back of her palm before pulling away.

He would have loved to have stayed with her the whole day, but almost in cue his phone began to ring. His leash beckoned.

In the present, Neal shook the memory away and proceeded up the flight of stairs towards their apartment. He opened the door quietly as to not disturb her. He leaned by the doorway mesmerized by the picture painted in front of him with Ryne lost in her world of music simultaneously filling him with joy and contentment he never knew he could feel.

#white collar #whitecollar #neal caffrey #nealcaffrey #neal x oc #neal caffrey x oc #peter burke #mozzie white collar #mozzie #angst #romance #hurt #comfort #neal x peter #friendship

[winduphaurchefant]

REALLY LONG CHARACTER SURVEY » Reese Farouel

RULES.  Repost, don’t reblog! Tag 10! Good luck!

TAGGED BY. @to-the-voiceless

TAGGING. @fivebrights and anyone else who wants to do it since the rest of flowr has been tagged

BASICS.

FULL  NAME : Charalise Farouel

NICKNAME : Reese, which she uses instead of her actual first name. It stuck.

AGE : 28

BIRTHDAY : 28th day of the 6th umbral moon (12/28)

ETHNIC  GROUP : Elezen / Wildwood and Duskwight parentage

NATIONALITY : Sharlayan

LANGUAGE / S : Eorzean Common, Sharlayan, and bits of some niche languages.

ORIENTATION : Bi (is inexperienced with the concept of polyamory but might be willing to try if it comes up)

RELATIONSHIP STATUS : In flowrverse (our fc where we are All wol)) she’s most likely taken by Haurchefant because there’s absolutely no fucking way he’d die on her watch. In-game universe is less concrete, her self esteem is quite low so she doesn’t actively seek relationships but she’s prone to getting crushes easily; Urianger being one of them.

HOME  TOWN / AREA : The Sharlayan Colony, Dravania

CURRENT HOME : A small cottage on the very fringes of the Lavender Beds. Also technically Fortemps manor and her room in the Pendants.

PROFESSION : Scholar (in the literal sense), Adventurer, and Warrior of Light 

PHYSICAL.

HAIR : Café au lait blonde. She used to have it quite long, reaching past her hips, not styled in any specific way but brushed at least. After the Seventh Umbral Calamity she’s kept it quite short for practical purposes and usually hacks away at it herself, much to her friend Lunya’s chagrin.

EYES : Almond shaped eyes of deep blue with a halo of gold around the pupil, accentuated by her thick brows which are uncommon for most Elezen.

FACE : An oval shaped face with a tall, straight nose. Not overly animated in her expressions since the calamity.

LIPS : Has somewhat pouty lips and a bad habit of lip biting

COMPLEXION : Fair skin that freckles easily, she has the ability to tan but makes sure to apply salves to her skin before leaving for areas with more intense sunlight. Lots of moles, with a few noticeable ones on her face.

BLEMISHES : None that are noticeable 

SCARS : A Lot. She has a very prominent scar across her back which she usually likes to cover up.

TATTOOS : None. She enjoys seeing other people’s tattoos but wouldn’t get one for herself, she hates feeling stuck with something.

HEIGHT : Average height for an Elezen at around 6′3″

WEIGHT : 180 lbs give or take, most of it is muscle

BUILD : Tall and lean, quite muscular but not very toned. Her muscles were built more for purpose and less for show, like a power lifter. She could probably roundhouse kick someones head clean off. Pear shaped.

FEATURES : Her prominent brows and two moles beside her right eye

ALLERGIES : No known allergies, but she can get sick very easily.

USUAL  HAIR  STYLE :  When it was long she usually just wore it down and free flowing, she does the same with her short hair although it doesn’t flow as much.

USUAL  FACE  LOOK : Her expression is usually quite stoic with a hint of Very Tired to spice things up. Is known frequently to come down with a case of RBF

USUAL  CLOTHING : Loose tunics and some fitted trousers and boots when she’s sitting around researching or not doing much, she’ll just pile on armour as needed. Starts to wear things that are a bit more form fitting or aesthetically pleasing as she becomes more comfortable with herself.

PSYCHOLOGY.

FEAR / S : Heights, being trapped, death, death of loved ones, failure, being abandoned, and... spiders

ASPIRATION / S :  To just be... content. Surrounded by people she loves and who earnestly love her in return.

POSITIVE  TRAITS : Empathetic, resilient, compassionate, she is the unstoppable force and the immovable object.

NEGATIVE  TRAITS : She is the unstoppable force and the immovable object. Tends to bottle her feelings and has a hard time trusting people. Self-sacrificing. Low self worth.

MBTI : INFP-T (Mediator) 

ZODIAC : Althyk (Capricorn)

TEMPERAMENT : Cross between phlegmatic and melancholic

SOUL  TYPE / S : Server

ANIMALS : Dire wolf, lioness, sparrow

VICE HABIT / S: Prone to bouts of just... lying there. Doesn’t sleep very well so she ends up half finishing a lot of things.

FAITH : Unsure

GHOSTS ? : Yes.

AFTERLIFE ? : Possibly

REINCARNATION ? : Possibly

ALIENS ? : Anything’s possible!

POLITICAL ALIGNMENT : She really doesn’t like thinking about politics after being absolutely smothered by The Bibliothecs. Very left leaning

EDUCATION  LEVEL : Received a proper education at the Studium in Old Sharlayan, sponsored by a certain Archon. Her interests were too varied to become an Archon and was constantly belittled for her niche areas of study. If she only applied herself...

FAMILY.

FATHER : Barnimonchet Farouel. (Status Unknown)  Archon Barnimonchet was the foremost expert on aetherytes and aetherical travel. Having led repairs to multiple aetheryte systems across Eorzea and a member of the Antitower excursion team, he drifted (literally) quite frequently between the Studium and the colony. Despite his meek nature and tendency to ramble, there is no doubting that he was worthy of the title of Archon.

MOTHER : Nenne Farouel née Phillone (Status Unknown) Archon Nenne was a master in the studies of all things alchemical, including potions, crystal structures, and inks for grimoires and tomes. Her preferred area of study was researching ways to better the body and mind, noting the aetherical compositions of different beings and brewing revitalizing concotions; especially her recent invention which coined the term "Craftman's Tea", creating the recipe as a way to help her husband in his work. She often found herself in the Arboretum gathering ingredients and helping out her fellows tasked with groundskeeping, scolding tones of "Barn!" could be frequently heard echoing through the Telmatology quarter as her husband and formerly mentioned Archon fumbled his way through the vined walkways to visit her.

SIBLINGS : None

EXTENDED  FAMILY : No knowledge of extended blood family. The closest she had to a parental figure was Archon Louisoix who had originally offered to babysit her as a babe when her parents left on orders to study an aetherical disturbance, after which they disappeared. He took on the role as a surrogate parent for her, having no trust in Sharlayan’s current care system. Takes on an older sibling role with the younger scions.

NAME MEANING / S : I named her Reese Peepo because I like Reese’s Pieces and the peepo video was popular at the time. Charalise is a nonsense name I gave her to fit in with why she’s Reese. 

HISTORICAL  CONNECTION ?: none

FAVORITES.

BOOK : She loves history books with any knowledge predating the fourth astral era, and has been known to read the occasional romance novel when no one is looking. Has grown to hate learning about anything Allagan.

DEITY : No specific deity

HOLIDAY : Starlight Celebration

MONTH : October (Fifth umbral moon)

SEASON :  Fall/Winter

PLACE : Urth’s Gift

WEATHER : Rain

SOUND / S: Wind blowing through the trees, crackling of firewood, morning bird calls, the cello

SCENT / S :  Clean laundry, freshly baked goods, flowers, cut grass

TASTE / S :  Savoury, warm spices, nothing too sweet

FEEL / S : Heavy blankets, smooth crystal, soft leaves

ANIMAL / S : All

NUMBER : none

COLORS : Earthy colours and the blue of the ocean on a clear day

EXTRA.

TALENTS : Gardening, sword fighting, art, singing (she usually does it by herself), healing magic

BAD  AT : Staying level headed, opening up, decorating, fashion

TURN  ONS : Honesty, good sense of humour, kindness

TURN  OFFS : Cruelty, making fun of her interests, being ignored, arrogance

HOBBIES : Researching lost civilizations, anything creative, cooking

TROPES : Rage Breaking Point, It Sucks to Be the Chosen One, Big Fucking Sword, Adorkable, Conveniently an Orphan, Friend to All Living Things, Broken Hero,  I Just Want to Be Loved, Badass Bookworm

QUOTES : 

MUN QUESTIONS.

Q1 : If you could write your character your way in their own movie,  what would it be called,  what style would it be filmed in, and what would it be about?          

A1 : Probably a LOTR-esque high fantasy adventure movie

Q2 : What would their soundtrack/score sound like?          

A2 : Lots of cello and choir pieces

Q3 : Why did you start writing this character?          

A3 : She’s basically my self insert but with a little extra Oomph

Q4 : What first attracted you to this character?          

A4 :  She’s basically my self insert

Q5 : Describe the biggest thing you dislike about your muse.

A5 : She’s not very expressive, she’s not used to being super goofy or anything which I am

Q6 : What do you have in common with your muse?          

A6 : Lots

Q7 : How does your muse feel about you?          

A7 : Probably pretty chill, would probably go and get pizza together

Q8 : What characters does your muse have interesting interactions with?        

A8 : Haurchefant intentionally or unintentionally tends to break her stony facade with his ceaseless flirting and a barrage of compliments which usually ends up with Reese either cracking a little smile or turning beet red and abruptly leaving the room. He brings out the morosexual in her. She instantly becomes brighter than the sun when she’s around anyone far younger than her, switching to a more motherly persona. Alphinaud and Alisaie receive the brunt of her affections before Ryne comes along. Neither will admit to the fact they both actually enjoy it.

Q9 : What gives you inspiration to write your muse?        

A9 : Honestly       listening to LOZ music since she’s basically Link but a little bit to the left

Q10 : How long did this take you to complete?          

A10 : F.....four days

#ffxiv #ask meme #reese #reese farouel #elezen

[draw-you-coward]

Hi! How is everyone? I wanted to talk about the Scions. Specifically, the Archons. Major spoilers for Shadowbringers!

I think what really helped me come to these conclusions was seeing all of them actively work together. specifically, seeing urianger in a context where he’s an actual character and not a deus ex machina! (side note: he’s honestly amazing in this expansion and i. love him??) I hope they keep this dynamic whenever it’s realistically possible!

So mostly, I want to talk about how the scions individually react to possibly groundbreaking events that have the possibility of changing their worldview. im speaking mostly about emet-selch’s “hydaelyn and zodiark were the first beings akin to primals” revelation. or more specifically, their separate reactions to that revelation. i think it’s very telling on how they each individually digest information. we, the players, may arrive to our own conclusions at our own pace, but we have to remember that for these characters, this is their world. their world view, being shattered. they all, to some degree, react negatively. they just show it differently, even if it’s not all that obvious.

i think that shadowbringers overall did a very good job of establishing their individual character dynamics, or more importantly, the idea that their major strength is also their major weakness.

let’s start with thancred. right away, his major flaw is apparent. in fact, a lot of people have gotten (rightfully) mad at him for it, although i think when he gets over himself and turns it around, it’s a lot more subtle. but i digress. with thancred, what he does with information he doesnt like is look at it, says “okay, i dont like that,” shoves it to the back of his mind to not think about, and tries to focus on whatever he wants to focus on in the immediate present. of course, it manages to bleed through regardless, and that’s where his doubts come from. and because he refuses to confront them head-on to deal with them, he has a very difficult time letting them go.

the actual first time when this comes to mind for me isn’t with ryne, it’s with the word of the mother in 3.X. (yes, it’s there with lahabrea too, but executed in a less clean manner, and people have already talked about that to death.) what he first sees is minfilia, the girl he’s attempted to look after primarily because of a sense of guilt, the girl who means the world to him, and whom he feels like, we know now, that he has never been sufficient enough for. (that theme of him feeling like he isn’t good enough is repeated multiple times with him, and it makes me wonder if it’s because of his manner of thinking.) but minfilia’s different now, in a strange and new and maybe not altogether comfortable way, and she’s drifting away from him now, and he can’t catch up to her to make up for all his regrets. he realizes this, realizes what’s going on, very, very quickly. in fact, i’d say that out of all of them, thancred is the one who is the quickest on the uptake. but he shoves his logical side away, and reacts emotionally, because he doesn’t want to acknowledge what he knows is true. in shadowbringers he does the same thing; he acknowledges minfilia’s words, and it is clear that he dwells on them despite himself, but he wants to react emotionally, in the moment. he is a very, despite his apparent distance, emotional person.

when he finally begins to get over himself accept the situation, it is in the tone of someone who is moving on from the loss of a loved one. he talks about how they met, how she grew up, what she liked. this is because he’s finally coming to terms with what he knew this entire time: that the real minfilia, his minfilia, died in that tunnel. the version of her that he is clinging onto in heavensward, in shadowbringers, is not her and all she used to be. it is not the “word of the mother” or the “oracle of light” or whatever she has turned into. it is but “minfilia,” but a memory, and he’s finally let it go enough to see it as such.

woo! okay. so moving on to how this works out for him in the best. honestly i dont think people acknowledge this enough, but he displays it time and time again? thancred is the one that is best equipped to deal with the present. to confront problems head-on without worrying about what may or may not happen, and without getting lost in the possibility of failure. he is by far the scion with the best ability to keep a level head. this is most apparent, to me, in aumarot. everyone one else is confused and lowkey freaking out or what have you, and thancred is the only one who has decided that no, what they really need at the moment is not to panic. what they need is calm, and confidence. and he is that. and you know what? he was right. and i think for me at least, he’s the biggest reason why I calmed down some at that point in the story.

next: y’shtola! I have less to say about the other scions, mostly because i wasn’t following their character arcs as closely or at all, but I do love them still!

y’shtola is the one who most visibly is struggling to handle emet-selch’s revelation. (you can talk to her now, at the time of the quest, or check your quest journal for confirmation of this). where thancred realizes things in a far more round-about manner--that is to say, figures them out, shoves them to the back of his mind, and tries not to think about them--she takes them by the horns and tries to confront them head-on. this gives her, in a way, tunnel vision. she is the loudest about her opinion, and the most direct. when emet-selch makes them by association question hydaelyn, she is the one who speaks up to defend her and their belief system. she is stubborn. it takes her a while to eat through something enough to 100% accept it.

but because of this, her conviction and belief in anything is strong. when she truly believes in something, she believes in it the most. she is the strength when the storm is finally over and she’s had time to build herself up. she isn’t afraid to force other characters to see the flaws in the way they are viewing things, or confront them when she knows she is in the right. yes, she can be harsh sometimes, but she is sorely needed. someone has to be sure of something here! in this way, she too is comforting. when thancred is calm, you know something is bad. when yshtola is calm, you know that whatever you have to worry about is surmountable.

urianger! my poor often-shafted elf giraffe man. he’s the one i had the most trouble puzzling out, so i may be completely wrong! but i’ll try my best :>

urianger is the one who has had this constant theme of showing up at the last moment to present something that he has thoroughly and completely thought about so he can be entirely certain of it. urianger’s way of dealing with things is to listen, listen some more, maybe go digging, and finally, only come to a conclusion when he knows every bit of information he can. he’s willing to work with ascians, he’s willing to go double-dipping in terms of sides, he’s willing to risk his friends’ trust. he is willing to take a long, long time to achieve a goal and know things only in full, and he has the patience to do so. he has the patience to deal with thancred in shadowbringers, to listen to what the exarch tells him to do, to bear with the whole plan, even as he sees things objectively keep getting worse. he’s not easy to rile up, he sees things as a whole instead of in parts... all of this really makes him a good teacher! it makes him a kind man. but.

he waits a little too long. what happens when you finally kill vauthry and emet-selch ruins everything? urianger’s carefully-laid plans go awry. suddenly, everything has gone wrong and he has no backup, because he never thought to make one. he has such conviction that his passivity is for the best that he stands by, barely intervenes, and decides to let things run their course even when warning signs are flashing in front of him. when things go wrong he fumbles, and doesn’t know what to do, because he isn’t used to that happening. up until shb, he’s taught himself that the path of inaction and support is the best one to take, and i am glad that he is finally being confronted with the realities of that. even with thancred and ryne; he can clearly see that their initial dynamic isn’t healthy, but he does absolutely nothing active about it. in the end, it is his very opposite force--entropy, chance--that fixes things with them. it’s interesting he became an astrologian, i think, because divination is something so abstract and vague that it allows him to stay in his comfort zone of not doing much to change things. fate is a fickle mistress, yes, but he leans a little too heavily on how things should be that he fails to see that everything in the present is in flux; that it is, in fact, dependent on the uncertain.

okay, that’s it! i think the three of them complement each other nicely with their respective strengths and weaknesses, and that’s why i hope they’ll keep that dynamic in the future! of course, if you disagree or want to correct me, please feel free; this is purely my own opinion, and i am very much putting myself in a position to be (respectfully) disagreed with by posting this. on the other hand, if you want to elaborate on something or add something, please also feel free! i’d love to hear your thoughts.

<3

nae

#ffxiv #urianger augurelt #thancred waters #y'shtola rhul #urianger #thancred #y'shtola #shadowbringers spoilers #hhhhhhhh #discussion

[linelpisffxiv]

5.0 Spoilers

He does not follow the others up the Talos. At least, not at first. He wishes he could, but he does not with to tip his hand too soon.

Of course, his mind returns to the kiss, her promise to ask him to reveal himself later.

Dammit, he’s never felt like this before. He’d stolen kisses before, but it was never more than a quick peck against the lips. How Lin managed to not pull away in revulsion at his naivete when she kisses like... like that is beyond him.

He waits for the excitement to die down at the foot of the Talos, counts to one thousand, and makes his own ascent. The Scions have done an amazing job at clearing out the Sin Eaters. He has a few he needs to strike down himself, but they are rare. He stops and enjoys the city that Vauthry tried to form on the mountain, full of gold and marble, or some light-aspected facsimile. There are even hedge mazes much to his surprise. Certainly if such creations persist past their creator’s demise (and that of his Light from the star once he’s done with the extraction), then it would be a place for all to enjoy, at least for some time. A ruin worth trying to preserve in some fashion.

He stops by a topiary and gathers his thoughts.

He doesn’t have to do this. Perhaps Lin can contain the light. Perhaps he can tether her in some fashion and have her release the light into the Aetherial Sea. Perhaps...

Perhaps...

There is no perhaps. It’s too late to think of a new plan. He has to steal it from her, channel it to the tower, and teleport, hopefully sans Tycoon, in such a way he’s ripped to shreds by nothingness.

“Exarch.”

The voice is in his ear. Urianger’s.

“Yes?”

“Might I ask if you have made haste up the Mount yourself? A’lin hath engaged Vauthry in a duel for some time now. What I have seen, she seems close to defeating him.”

Then it is time indeed to be there. “I have a request, Urianger,” he says. “While you should not interfere when I should arrive, give words that make it seem what I do is unexpected. That my own light is not that of kindness but greed.”

He removes the pearl and steps on it before he can hear any remark from his conspirator. Grinds it under the heel of his sandal.

The Exarch arrives not a moment too soon. He can see Lin collapsed, doing everything she can to hold the light in.

Failing.

It swirls around her, unable to escape her pull, but also not transforming her. Her will is strong enough, but only for now.

With that, he makes an entrance. One worthy of the legends bards like Lin would tell. “The combined power of every Lightwarden is too terrible a burden for any one soul to bear,” he says

She can see him. “P-please...” Her eyes plead with him.

He has the part to play, however. “And so,” he continues, doing a grin that would make that Ascian proud. “I shall relieve you of it.”

A quick flick of his wrist and he makes a barrier around them. One most can not hope to break.

Her eyes go wide. “You can’t, please--” Lin stutters too much. He’s glad she believes this farce. Let her believe he had tricked her. Let himself get close.

The others react as well. He can hear Alisaie shout at him. “What are you doing?”

What was his story again? Ah yes. Use the story of Omega in the end. Aether as energy. “I will channel this profusion of power to the Crystal Tower and use it to travel to other worlds, as I have dreamed of doing ever since I first learned of their existence.” His voice strains. He’s not sure if it is the syphon he begins or the strain of the role he must play.

Despite everything, he sees something sparkle in Lin’s eye. Is it anger? He hopes it is.

”Who would choose to remaine here, in this dying realm?” He spits the words out like the insult they should be. “When they might go elsewhere and begin anew? Not I.”

The syphon takes a toll on his arm. He can hardly keep it up. He’s hardly started, even. He may just die where he stands, before he gets through the speech.

”And thus, did I use you, Lin. You wouldn’t believe someone like me could love a child like you, did you?”

She squeaks. Tears fall, glowing with the light around her. It mixes with white bile she coughs up. That’s the nail he needs. Betrayal. Let her rest easy when he dies from the strain.

Min--Ryne adds her own thoughts. “It doesn’t make sense.I don’t believe you.”

”Damn you! We won’t let you do with her as you please!”

Another shout. As if anything would happen to Lin in the end.

”Do not interfere!”

That is Urianger. Urianger expressly not doing as he demanded. That wasn’t meant for him, but for the others, and not even in a cryptic way he is prone to.

Of all his luck, the one time he chooses to speak plain, it’s to end the promise he had.

“Please, I beseech you all, let him go.”

The tables turn. He can’t draw the power out, but he can keep up the barrier for the moment.

Y’shtola figures out his true plan in a matter of seconds, and tells the others. “Such vaguely defined acts of teleportation stand no chance of success.”

Something they both knew well. They are Sharlayan scholars of the highest degree.

“Please... gods, it burns,” Lin shouts.

No time for clever fictions and monologues to a captive audience. Just a few words of comfort for her as his own shoulders soften. He’ll bring her the peace she so desires.

“At journey’s end, an opportunistic thief makes off with the hero’s prize. A paltry way to end a chapter, I concede.”

It’s easier to say such words. He is no longer fighting both the aether and his heart. No longer acting, just helping her with the tale she need tell.

From what he read, far better than the one that ended her tale originally. An unsatisfying twist is better than a sad ending. “Yet your tale will continue, and my role in it will scarcely be remembered.”

“D-don’t, please. Another way, a-ano--” She stops as a scream comes through, another surge of the light threatening to kill her or turn her.

“There is no other way, Lin. Your tale will continue, this I swear. and my role in it will scarcely be remembered. And worry not, my love, whatever should become of me, I will be happy and free, safe in the knowledge I have played my part.”

“No!”

She cries and another burst gives off. A piece of the aether breaks free and flies past him with such force his hood falls off.

Her eyes widen as she looks at him, his secrets bare. The way his hair fades as it distances itself from the root, Just how the crystal scars his body.

“G’raha, no, don’t do this. I won’t lose another lover! Don’t you dare leave me like this when I’ve found myself again. I love you.”

There were suspicions -- nay, certainties -- that she knew his name, his past, yet hearing his name on her lips, the certainty of her heart.

He chokes back his own tears. He needs to be strong for her and die for her, as her husband had before. “Thank you for fighting for this world, for believing.” More grandoise than his, but they work. “Fare you well my friend, my love, my inspiration.”

He won’t let those words sink in, not his returned heart. He has one last job to do. As he said, he will transfer the aether to the Crystal Tower. Be the conduit needed. And make the deliberately incomplete jump to another world.

Lin keeps begging him to change, find another way. But he can’t. Not now.

He never planned to fall in love with her again. Let her fall in love with him. Yet no matter his hesitancy around her before, she was never deterred. If anything, he encouraged her to do so.

And then he’s hit in the back collapses.

#Crystal Exarch #G'raha Tia #Crystal Exarch/WoL #CW: Suicidal Ideation #5.0 Spoilers #ShB Spoilers #G'raha Tia/WoL #Tomorrow and Tomorrow #Level 79 #It's the feels

[eremiss]

14. Do they make it a point to eat at least one meal a day together with their partner, or do they do as they please?

This got kinda rambly and ended up talking about their relationship a bit haha woopsie!

For ARR it was mostly, “if we’re eating at the same time in the same place we’ll probably sit together”, with a smidgen of, “I’m 80% sure you haven’t eaten today and it’s food time, so I’ve manufactured a reason to come tell you to eat.”

They were generally independant at that point, when they were in that weird friends-with-benefits-kinda-except-not-sex (at first) stage that was more about both of them getting a bit of security and companionship out of their agreement to be “closer” and casual, along with both of them then gaining someone they knew they could lean for comfort or whatever other reason when they needed/wanted. They didn’t push or pry too much, or try to go much further with it, because then stuff might have gotten complicated, and neither of them considered themselves to be in the emotional/mental position to deal with anything more “complicated” or committed than they were–thus they both did their level best to keep it casual-with-benefits. As such they behaved more like good friends and colleagues about most things, including mealtime, with the occasional pestering to make one or the other eat when they knew they weren’t taking care of themselves.

 From post-HVW to ‘The Call’ in post-StB they got a lot closer. Their relationship improved, mostly through spending more time together and developing a deeper understanding of one another, particularly over the course of ‘Heal’. 

Around this time in the MSQ they both had a lot going on and a lot of things that kept them busy and away from Revenant’s Toll, so they learned to really take advantage of whatever time they had together, which included meal time. Getting more comfortable with simply being around each other, as well as getting some sense of comfort/closeness/satisfaction from being with one another instead of necessarily having to do stuff (like chores, conversation, go on a mission, etc…) meant meal time could be a nice chance to have a bit of calm and quiet time together. They would more actively seek one another out for at least one meal a day, as well as transitioning from “pretty sure you didn’t eat, go eat” to, “I know you, so I’m sure you didn’t eat, so I brought food” (and they were rarely wrong, too).

 In ShB, after working out a few bumps and wrinkles, they do try and eat together basically all the time, though at least once a day. Time together is precious, and the distance apart feels a lot farther due to the hard start/end dates and lack of correspondence while Gwen is on the Source. In StB she could at least send letters, and even teleport back to Mor Dhona** if she really needed to, but now they’re literally worlds apart and it’s not quite so simple. They cook a lot more, in general but also for each other, in the process of helping Ryne learn how to cook and look after herself, and eat together a lot more, too.

  **My HC is that teleporting with aetherytes takes energy and can take a bit of a toll, especially doing it too frequently, in poor health, or traveling huge distances in one fell swoop (like between continents). The longer distance you teleport, the rougher it is on the body, and it can leave people kinda winded, queasy and generally not feeling great. It’s not debilitating, but it’s not all that great either.

Even if the WoL is the one in charge of teleporting to/from the First and they don’t need the Exarch to YEET them anymore, I imagine that’s pretty draining, too.

#Thancred Waters #Thancred x WoL #WoL x Thancred #Guinevere Ashe #Gwencred #my writing #asks #fooood :D #food isn't a super huge thing to Gwen #beyond it being edible #she'll eat whatever whenever #I like to think Thancred does know how to cook #But only a handful of things #Thanks for the ask!!! #Answered