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What title is your WoL currently using?

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I'm gonna soak up the sun...

"Shtola, if you look at this passage here, it seems to corroborate the point you were just making about aetheric flows!"

"Could you read it to me, dear? I'd like to let my 'eyes' rest a bit today."

"Of course, my lady," G'raha replied, clearing his throat before launching into the dense aetherological jargon the tome contained.

Lehon'a laid at the end of the lounge chair that the three of them had been promised by Haermaga, content to simply listen to her partners talk over the din on the top deck. Their skating trip from Limsa had taken some energy out of all three of them, but this was the perfect place to relax and recharge.

They'd arrived early enough that it hadn't truly started to heat up, despite the sun making its daily climb towards the center of the sky.

The afternoon heat's the perfect time for a dip in the pool, Lehon'a thought, and perhaps I can drag these two away from their books long enough to push them down the waterslides.

In the meantime... perhaps I'll try one of the drinks. Lehon'a took a deep breath through her nose, trying to capture more of the tropical aroma that had wafted over in her direction. That smells heavenly! Just a few minutes more and I'll think about getting up...

A noise from across the deck shook her from her thoughts, but the familiar voice meant she didn't need to open her eyes to identify the source.

"Come on, Beau, doesn't the water look so inviting! It's far too warm already not to jump in!"

Lamaty'i's excitement carried all the way across the deck, and the heavy footsteps going past meant that she was likely already in motion towards the pool. She could only imagine Beau trying to mentally brace for the imminent cannonball her girlfriend no doubt intended to do as she jumped in.

Lehon'a turned her focus back to her partners, once again tuning in to a dense scholarly conversation that would've seemed comically out of place on a party boat coming from anyone else. And yet, Lehon'a thought, I wouldn't have it any other way.

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Summer Road

"It turned out that they did have the volume I was looking for after all, but it had been shelved in the wrong place! Only happened to find it when–" The sunlight sparkling off the Strait of Merlthor suddenly grabbed his attention. "Look, over there! The sunrise behind the cliffs!"

Lehon'a turned slightly to have a better look, careful not to lose her footing as she skated over the bridge. "Truly a lovely sight to behold," she remarked, "And I'm sure it'll be even prettier from the boat!"

"Almost makes our early departure worthwhile," Y'shtola chimed in, the remnants of sleep still audible in her voice.

"It's not too much longer now, I promise! There will be plenty of time to relax on the Queen Lhaminn once we get there, and I have Haermaga's word that he's reserved the best spot on the deck for us. Owes me for all the lifeguard shifts I've been doing for him!"

"Next to the bar, I hope?" Y'shtola asked in a tone that suggested she already knew the answer.

"Precisely! Would hardly be a relaxing day in the sun without a refreshing fruit cocktail, now would it?" Lehon'a pushed ahead, seemingly motivated by her own sales pitch.

Y'shtola and G'raha shared a look before picking up their pace slightly. They all skated up the La Noscean coastline, eager to take in the delights of the Moonfire Faire.

(couple alternate angles and a bit of rambling under the cut)

As promised, here's the pose with the skating outfits I'd previewed the other day! I do intend to take a part 2 of this with some shots on the party boat (couldn't leave these three out of all the summer fun I've been seeing from everyone else on my dash!), so please look forward to it! Roller skate mod can be found here, courtesy of @/nhaneh!

Alternative angles ahoy:

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Summertime, and the livin's easy...

Featuring the modding talents of @nhaneh (maker of the roller skates)! You can find a link to their post about the mod, a bit of my rambling, and a few extra close-ups I liked below the cut!

I've been seeing this little roller skate mod from @nhaneh go by on my dash a couple times, and I finally had enough time at my desk to sit and play with it!

I don't have a proper story written for these, but I kinda imagine Lehon'a would like skating around before or after her lifeguard shifts on the Queen Lhaminn during the Moonfire Faire. She's coordinated enough for dancing, so I figure she'd get the hang of it pretty quickly! (And maybe she could be persuaded to join in on some roller derby...)

Thanks so much for sharing the fruit of your modding labor, it's super cute and it worked perfectly for me! If you want to grab this yourself, you can find the drive link on this post here!

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WoL/G'raha Week #7 - Confession/I Love You

This piece felt like it came so naturally to me, and I feel like it serves both as an opportunity for these characters to reminisce about their past selves while I also get to think about how I've enjoyed writing and creating about them. I don't want to get to sentimental up front here, but this one is on the sappy side.

Summary: G'raha and Lehon'a reminisce about the people they were and the people they've become.

Check it out on Ao3 here (registered users only, sorry) or read on below!

“Hey, Raha?”

“Mmm?”

“When did you first know…?”

“When did I first know what?”

“When did you first know that… that you loved me?”

“Hmm…” He closed the book he had open on his lap. “I don't know if I can give you the single, concise answer you might be after, my heart, but… I can say without doubt that it was long, long before I finally spoke those words aloud to you in Thavnair.”

“Don't worry, I'm not after a ‘right’ answer. Just… thinking back on our previous adventures and how I felt back then.”

“True, it can be enlightening to reminisce a bit with the gift of hindsight. And there's no better place to start from than the beginning, I suppose. Before I left you the first time, I… I definitely cared for spending time with you. No one had really ever taken me seriously, only the knowledge I held. I had that persona I wore, that cocky hunter who knew it all, as some kind of defense mechanism. To pretend I didn't feel so alone.” Lehon'a placed her hand on his shoulder. “I get the impression you might agree with my assessment that neither of us were remotely ready to admit anything as serious as a love confession back then.”

“I think you're probably right.” Lehon’a let out a small laugh.

“Speaking just for myself, I had a long way to go to find the person you now sit beside.”

“Both in terms of time and distance,” she added. “We both did.”

G’raha nodded. “I think I knew I loved you when I arrived on the First, though. It was the kind of love a young boy might have for their favorite fantasy hero… more idolization than earnest affection. It’s the kind of love that’s impossible to reciprocate, the kind that simply falls apart after the most fleeting brush with reality.”

Lehon’a sighed. “And I was certainly not an easy hero to love. Not an easy person to love either, I think.”

“You had much of yourself left to uncover, Lehon’a. I cannot fault you for needing the time to look within yourself and find it.”

“Could’ve stood to be less of a brooding weirdo about it.”

G’raha laughed. “Perhaps. Or perhaps it was the person you needed to be in that moment to become who you are in this one.”

Lehon’a hesitated a moment. “I could tell. That I worried you, I mean. It never felt right, even then, but…”

G’raha took her hands firmly in his. “My heart, it is in the past. As you have forgiven me for my deceptions and attempted self-sacrifice, so must you forgive yourself for your own imperfections.”

“Speaking of brooding weirdos…” Lehon’a said, grin growing on her face.

“Yes, yes, I too was not immune to the thought that my inner thoughts were best kept secret, and that the ensuing anguish was something to be proud of; a scar on the heart akin to one borne by a great warrior.” G’raha looked down for a moment, then back up at his partner. “Do you remember our conversation on the cliffs of Kholusia?”

“Of course. It was when I’d figured out that I wanted to give you the full life you deserved.”

“It was the closest I came to showing my hand, and it was all because I realized that once I’d gotten to know you, to see the real you, I truly did want nothing more than to share the road by your side, wherever your travels took you. It was at that moment I knew I could no longer bear to lie to you, so I omitted the uncomfortable parts of the truth instead. I knew I couldn’t bear to break your heart by showing you mine, knowing the path I’d chosen.” It was his turn to sigh. “I wish I’d told you, that we might’ve found another way forward.”

“That’s basically what we did, wasn’t it? Thanks to Emet’s… excellent marksmanship.”

“I wish we’d found that way forward together, then. Without involving Garlean projectile weaponry.” They both shared a laugh.

“Well, it seems we weren’t that far apart in our realizations, then. I recall asking someone in the Crystarium for clues as to where Emet might’ve taken you, and they pointed me towards the watchtower beside the amaro rookery. Said it was a spot that you often went to think. And I remember sitting there, feet dangling in the air, looking out over the purple sea of Lakeland’s trees, and realizing how much I missed you.” The beginnings of tears were forming in her eyes. “I… I truly couldn’t have been happier to see you standing there when all was said and done.”

“I can assure you, my heart, that the feeling was very much mutual.”

“And– and I’m so glad you’re here now. Despite all the world-ending nonsense we keep finding ourselves at the center of, I couldn’t feel luckier to have you beside me through it all.”

“I’m glad too. Glad to call you and Shtola my partners, my closest companions, glad to get to share everything with you. From the apocalyptic to the ordinary, there’s nowhere I’d rather be on any day than by your side.”

She threw her arms around him and squeezed him in a fierce hug.

“I love you so much, G’raha. Never forget it.”

“I won’t. I promise.” He tilted his head slightly and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. “I love you too, Lehon’a.”

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WoL/G'raha Week #6 - Intimacy

Partly because I went bananas on prompt #5 and partly as a challenge to myself, I tried to keep this prompt on the short side, too. I didn't realize that it would basically take me to poetry territory, but here we are, somewhere near the border of poetry and prose.

I hope this piece makes sense to more people than just me, though I am happy to give an explainer to anyone genuinely confused about what exactly is going on.

No real content or spoiler warnings again; technically you could spoil yourself a bit on Shadowbringers, but in a bit of circular logic you kind of have to already know what happens to make enough sense out of it to make it a spoiler.

Summary: A series of intimate moments ripple across time, the pair destined to sing a familiar refrain over and over again.

Check it out on Ao3 here (registered users only, sorry) or read on below!

It had started just the two of them.

Sitting on a cliff somewhere above a campsite, a dig site, really. Sharing knowledge, sharing speculations, sharing fears. 

It was the one place, it seemed, where both hunter and healer might lay down their arms and armor.

Their masks, however, remained firmly in place.

Like all good things, it must come to an end.

—

It had been just the two of them.

Sitting on a cliff somewhere above a farm town, a ghost town, really. Sharing hopes, sharing desires, sharing plans.

It was the one place, it seemed, where both leader and champion might lay down titles and pretense.

One mask had slipped off, and one had begun to crack.

Like all good things, it came to an end.

—

It had remained just the two of them.

Sitting on a cliff somewhere above a new city, an ancient city, really. Sharing victories, sharing anxieties, sharing truths.

It was the one place, it seemed, where both researcher and performer might lay out theories and routines. 

Two masks lay on the ground, discarded. 

Like all good things, it persisted to the end. 

—

It was just the three of them.

Sitting on a cliff somewhere above a small house, a small home, really. Sharing days, sharing nights, sharing lives.

It was the one place, it seemed, where sorceress, wizard, and Warrior might lay down their burdens and cares.

Three faces unmasked, lit by the setting sun.

Like all good things, it goes on without end.

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WoL/G'raha Week #5 - Music

I got so absolutely caught up in writing this it took me a whole extra day and ended up over 3000 words long. (Sue me)

It's a bit of a follow up to the stories for prompts 1 & 2, and overall I think I'm pretty happy with this one. Might've been in the kitchen cooking so long that the proverbial dish is overdone, but time will tell I suppose. Spent too much time writing not to share it!

The lyrics quoted towards the end are, of course, from Dedicated to Moonlight: the song so good it basically is responsible for all of my XIV OC content.

Same content and spoiler warnings as before, which is to say, none really of note. Extremely vague & generic mention of the fact that this technically takes place after Endwalker happens, but it's so broad it could basically apply to almost any major story arc.

Summary: Under the trees of the Shroud and the light of the moon, G'raha discovers a new favorite song.

Check it out on Ao3 here (registered users only, sorry) or read on below!

“So,” G'raha began, jumping on a lull in the conversation while Lehon stirred a pot of stew  sitting atop the stove, “during the course of our excursions through the realms of The Twelve, Lehon'a made mention of your tribe's traditions, specifically those of the musical variety. Is it–” He hesitated for a moment, fearful of overstepping an invisible boundary. “Would it be possible to hear some? It needn't be a full performance, just a taste to satiate my own curiosity.”

Lehon's eyes lit up and Lehon'a let out a tiny sigh, knowing full well what was now going to happen. “Well, sure, I don't see why we couldn't! Would be a shame for it to just be me and Lehon'a though. My fiddle playing was never all that good, and the music really doesn't sound quite the same without it.”

“Are most of the regulars out hunting today, or…?” Lehon’a asked.

“Might be, but given the sun's been down for a good little while, they shouldn't be out much longer. You know, why don't you go around and see if you can't get a few friends to join in? Maybe we can have a proper dance tonight after all!” The excitement in Lehon's voice at the idea was palpable, and it was clear to anyone looking his direction that the prospect excited G'raha just as much.

“Sure, I can do a quick lap around and see who's interested,” Lehon'a replied, standing from her spot at the kitchen table. “Raha, did you want to come with?”

He looked to Lehon instinctively, as if seeking her wisdom as the eldest person present.

“You should go! It's good to stretch your legs before a dance, and besides–” She quickly dipped a finger in the stew pot and brought it to her mouth. “–Dinner's got a while to go yet.”

“I hate to invite myself along, but my legs could also use some walking after sitting most of the day– that is, if you don't mind?” Y'shtola chimed in, directing her question to Lehon.

“By all means, go ahead! Don't feel tied to the house on my account!”

“Then lead on, Lehon'a; we'll be right behind you,” G'raha responded, offering Y'shtola a hand up once he’d gotten to his feet. The three of them gathered by the door to get their boots back on, and having the least complex footwear meant G’raha quickly found himself pushing the door open to hold it for his partners.

“Be back in a few, mom!” Lehon’a called out in a familiar tone, turning to offer one of her trademark two-finger salutes as she walked backwards through the door.

“Have fun, dearheart!”

—

G’raha put his arm around Y’shtola’s shoulder as the three of them walked together around the small collection of houses and cabins, content to follow behind Lehon’a’s eager footsteps that led them to the first stop on their route. Lehon’a stepped up to the front door without any hesitation and knocked a couple times, idly looking around afterwards as she waited for a reply.

A couple seconds later, the door creaked open.

“Lehon’a, hey! It’s been a good little while since you’ve stopped in, what brings you back?” A miqo’te with blue-gray skin and black hair standing in the doorway opened her arms for a hug, which Lehon’a promptly accepted. “Did you want to come in for a spell? I think your mother’s home if you were looking for her.”

“Don’t worry, she found us already,” Lehon’a replied with a laugh. “I’m back to introduce her to my partners, but mom had the idea to show them what a proper moon dance looks like, so I thought I’d go around town and gauge interest. And also introduce them to everyone, I suppose.” She turned and stepped to the side, gesturing to each of them in turn. “G’raha Tia and Y’shtola Rhul, this is one of my old friends, Miah Amariyo!” 

“A pleasure! I’ve heard tales of you two, I reckon. Lehon’a here isn’t too shy about sharing,” Miah exclaimed, offering them both a polite wave. 

“The pleasure is ours,” Y’shtola replied.

“Anyroad, would you be free tonight? Can hardly have a proper dance without a fiddle, and yours is the best in all the Shroud.”

“I’d be delighted, it’s been a while since I’ve had a new audience to play for! Let me go get myself ready– Oh! Do either of you play instruments? I’ve almost certainly got something in storage somewhere you could borrow, and I have a few copies of the notation I’ve been transcribing for the most frequently played songs– never hurts to have a few extras, y’know?” Miah asked, her mouth barely keeping up as the ideas came to her.

There was a beat of awkward silence: neither G’raha and Y’shtola expected to be put on the spot, nor did they have any idea how to respond. “I won’t promise a performance, but I’ve heard G’raha sing on many an occasion, and I believe Y’shtola’s dabbled with six-stringed instruments here and there. If you’ve got a lute or the like to spare, maybe bring it with, just in case?” Lehon’a said, coming to the rescue.

“Can do! And I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to impose or anything like that. Music’s just more fun with more people, y’know? We’d be happy to have you just listen, if that’s what you’d prefer,” Miah said, clearly apologetic.

G’raha and Y’shtola shared what felt like the tenth awkward look that day, before G’raha turned back to face the door. “It’s no trouble at all, and I appreciate your generosity! Playing with everyone sounds fun, I’d just hate to stick out like a… red chocobo, as Lehon’a might say.”

“Don’t worry about it!” Miah switched to a whisper, not wanting anyone who might happen by to hear. “Between us, there are some people who insist on playing even when they can't carry a tune in a bucket. You’ll be fine!”

Both G’raha and Y’shtola nodded. “Well, we’ve got some more people to ask and then some of mom’s stew to eat, so… we’ll let you get yourself ready. See you later!” Lehon’a said, jumping in to keep things moving along.

“Oooooh… Enjoy the stew! I’ll see you all again later!” Miah replied, closing the door gently.

Lehon’a turned to her partners with a smile. “Sounds like you’re part of the band now, hm? I probably should’ve warned you about that, Miah’s mom is the tribe’s “keeper of the cadence”-- basically our term for the music teacher, conductor and prayer leader all rolled into one. Her name is Nahri– she’s the one who taught me how to play the drums properly instead of just banging to my own beat! Their family is pretty easy to excite when it comes to playing or teaching people, so don’t worry, it’s not just you she’s picking on. I promise you won’t get any more spontaneous offers to do with musical instruments from anyone else.”

“Mmm, I see. I was a bit too caught off guard to offer a reply, but the idea of getting to play with everyone does intrigue me. Keeper music isn’t something I’m familiar with, and I’d be curious to see how it compares to my tribe's own repertoire,” Y’shtola said.

“It’d be entirely new to both of us, I imagine,” G’raha chimed in. “All the more reason to attend– as long as I don’t have to sing a solo, that is.”

“No solos required unless you want to,” Lehon’a assured him. “Anyroad, mom’s probably made good progress on the stew, so we should get a move on too.”

Her partners both nodded, and G’raha gestured for her to lead the way once again.

—

It had been more or less a routine at each house they’d visited: Lehon’a would knock, the occupant would open the door and offer Lehon’a an embrace, she’d ask about the dance, they’d reply in the affirmative, and the three of them would be off to the next doorstep. Sometimes there were some introductions or a small anecdote thrown in, but the basic formula held true for every door she knocked on.

The trio had made their way back to Lehon's house, guided by the intoxicating aroma of the stew that had been taken off the stove only moments before they arrived. After the long trip, the afternoon's conversation, and their jaunt around the village, everyone at the table practically inhaled their bowls, the warm dish a welcome boost of energy that put the color right back in everyone's faces. 

“Thank you, mom, that was spectacular! Even after circling the star, I struggle to find a stew I can say I like better,” Lehon'a said as she cleared the empty bowls and stacked them in the basin to be washed.

“It was most delicious indeed, many thanks for cooking it for us,” Y'shtola added.

“You kids are too nice!” Lehon exclaimed, getting up and trying to look busy in the kitchen to avoid more flattery. “Besides, you all should be getting ready too, right?”

G'raha gave Lehon'a a quizzical look, which prompted a look of sudden recognition in return. “Right, forgot about that too! Most folks have special clothes they wear for these kinda things. Usually blues & whites, moon patterns, designs inspired by Menphina… you get the idea.” G'raha and Y'shtola both looked down at their clothes in unison. “Don't worry, I think between my mom’s old outfits and what I've got left from… before, there should be enough to go around. Let's go have a look in the closet, shall we?”

The three of them entered what used to be Lehon'a's old room in their usual travel clothes, and after enduring a whirlwind of fabric, they emerged entirely decked out in shades of turquoise, blue, and pure white. G'raha had opted for a loose fitting shirt and trousers that had once been Lehon'a's, while Y'shtola had chosen a flowing dress from Lehon’s closet that tied across the middle, and Lehon’a wore her usual tunic with a crown of preserved flowers. A treasure trove of jewelry and metal embellishments ensured that all three of them would sparkle in the moonlight like brilliant gemstones. 

Just as Lehon'a finished pulling on the pair of white boots that completed her outfit, Lehon poked her head into the room.

“Sorry, mom, we'll be done in a minute!”

“No need to rush, dearheart. I was thinking that you all should head to the usual meeting place as soon as you're done, so you don't have to wait around while I get ready.”

“Are you sure, mom?”

“I get to do this kind of thing all the time, and I wouldn't want you three to miss any of the festivities!”

Lehon'a stood from the bed where she'd been sitting and slung a small drum over her shoulder by its decorative strap. “Well, then are you two ready?” G'raha and Y'shtola nodded in unison, the slight jingle of the metal jewelry audible as they did. “Then it's showtime!”

—

Lehon'a once again took the lead, this time guiding her partners to a circular clearing in the trees where her tribe mates had already begun to gather. It was a testament to the density of the forest that they'd only walked a few minutes away and already the houses were nothing more than a faint glow, barely visible through the branches and leaves. 

As they stepped out from between the trees, G'raha immediately noticed the light playing off of their jewelry and turned his gaze up to look at the moon itself. It was nearly full, and despite having seen it hundreds of times over the course of his life, he could never recall it having looked this bright. His attention was immediately drawn back down to the ground as someone approached their group.

“Glad to see you made it!” Miah exclaimed, jogging up to meet Lehon'a with something in hand. “It sounds like we're just about to start, so you made it just in time. I've got this for you,” she said, handing the lute she'd been holding to Y'shtola, who took it into her hands gingerly. “And if you can decipher my handwriting, these should be the first couple songs we'll play.” She handed G'raha a couple copies of what looked like rudimentary sheet music. “It’ll get easier once everyone gets going and you can kinda follow along that way.”

Y’shtola gave the lute a tentative strum, testing the feel of the strings and listening for any adjustments that might need to be made. “I can’t say I’d be able to improve the tuning any more myself, so I believe I’m ready to begin.”

“Warming up would be wise,” G’raha said, following his partner’s lead and humming up and down some simple scales. He’d only managed to finish a few before the ambient chatter began to die down to a noticeable degree. 

“Sounds like we’re about to start, I hope you all enjoy!” Miah whispered excitedly before running off towards the center of the open space.

A louder voice broke the silence as Lehon’a and her partners wandered a bit closer.

“Greetings, my fellow children of Menphina, and to all those who gather under Her light. I understand that this evening’s gathering is a bit sudden, but it seemed worthwhile under such circumstances as these.” An older looking miqo’te spoke with authority, clearly skilled at focusing the attention on herself during such rowdy events. 

The woman looked familiar, and it took G’raha a few moments to realize that she bore some resemblance to Miah. ‘Tis likely Nahri, the… keeper of the cadence, G’raha thought to himself. Miah’s mother.

“It is my understanding that one of our own has returned home from the road, and brought two companions along with her to share in our celebration,” she continued, beckoning Lehon’a to come closer. Lehon’a obliged, turning back to wave G’raha and Y’shtola over before sitting down next to the keeper. “We welcome you, and offer our thanks for your courage in protecting our home. I invite you to join us, to find hope and comfort in Menphina’s light.” Y’shtola and G’raha had crossed the circle and sat beside Lehon’a, both clearly a bit uneasy about becoming the center of attention. Nahri turned to the three of them. “As I’m sure was made clear, you need not participate if you do not wish to, but your contribution will always be welcome, great or small.” 

By this point, Lehon’a had taken the drum from off her shoulder and positioned it between her legs, readying to play, and Miah had also appeared beside her mother, fiddle ready at her chin.

“With the formalities out of the way, let us begin.” She let the silence hang over the clearing for a moment after she finished speaking, before raising her hands over her head. Y’shtola readied her fingers on the strings for the first chord on the sheet she’d been given, and G’raha quickly scanned his own copy to figure out when his part began. 

Both of them knew, just as everyone else in the clearing did, what the keeper was doing. She clapped her hands together twice at half tempo, and then clapped four steady beats to count everyone in.

On what would’ve been the fifth clap, the music began. The crash of a cymbal echoed from the far side of the circle, and both Lehon’a and Nahri began to beat a steady rhythm on their drums. Miah played short, staccato notes on her fiddle that fit perfectly into the groove of the drums, and a chorus of voices that felt like they were coming from every direction began to sing the opening lyrics. G’raha watched Y’shtola play while he waited for his section to approach; it was rare to see her focused so intently on something that wasn’t a long-forgotten tome speculating about the Void.

He was broken from his thoughts shortly afterward by the sounds of a lively fiddle melody taking center stage, Miah’s playing bridging the gap between the song’s intro and the first verse. Here we go, he thought, counting down the beats in his head until it was time to begin. He took a deep breath, and began to sing.

Through the silent woods tonight, I am guided by moonlight, For the first time so alone fearing no shadow Like my mother before me I follow this path Knowing love will find me 

G'raha stopped to catch his breath a bit halfway through the verse, realizing he was a bit more out of practice than he'd expected. The quick tempo and brand new lyrics to learn certainly hadn't made it easy, and the nerves that came with his “guest of honor” status probably wasn't helping him relax either. 

In the few moments of rest he'd taken between the verse and chorus, G’raha eyes began to scan the assembled crowd, almost as interested in watching as he was singing. His gaze was immediately met by Lehon’a’s mother standing across the circle from him, giving him a wave as she shook a tambourine in her hand to the rhythm. He looked down to either side of him, Lehon’a drumming away on one side and Y’shtola plucking the lute strings in time with the beat on the other, and then looked back up at Lehon. He gave her the biggest, toothiest smile he could physically manage, and in the handful of beats left before he had to sing again, mouthed the words ‘thank you’.

Fairest goddess wandering the night In your name we bare our hearts With your grace will our passion take flight We would keep your song alive Shrouded safe in soft moonlight 

As the song reached its apex, G'raha closed his eyes. The feeling in the air was so palpable, so strong that he didn’t need to see to feel the love and joy present all around him. He felt it in the pulse of Lehon’a’s drums, in the cheery disposition of Miah’s fiddle, and in the calculated, frenetic strumming of the strings on the lute Y’shtola played. He heard the way all of these elements blended together, the way his voice merged and harmonized with all of the other singers and danced over top of the instrumental foundations beneath it, and he understood.

He understood why Lehon’a returned whenever she could, why she worried so much about these people when things grew dire, why she carried music with her everywhere she went. If you could bottle this feeling and take it with you all over the star, he thought, you’d be a fool not to. And though he knew it was something you could never truly capture, as he sang the words to a song that was at once foreign and familiar, he sought to engrave the memory of this moment on his heart, to put it some place that could never be forgotten.

Maiden goddess of heavens above In your name we share our hearts With your grace will our prayer become Solace, shelter, hope and love Greater than the tales sing of Oh, love 

As the fiddle took what was likely its last solo, G'raha opened his eyes to see that both of his partners had taken a momentary break from playing to dance together. It didn't take long before Lehon'a beckoned him over, each of them offering him a hand as they spun around and around in childlike joy.  And inside that circle within a circle, whirling around in a blur of flowing fabric and glittering metal and raucous music, G'raha knew this was a song he could never tire of listening to. Not in a thousand thousand years.

[improvised-finish]

A maintenance night WoLQotD:

If your WoL/OC had a custom idle animation, what would it be?

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WoL/G'raha Week #4 - Touch

Wanted to challenge myself to write something short and sweet today, and I'm really happy with what I came up with. A bit of a peek into G'raha's thoughts during a quiet moment seemed like fertile ground, so I went with it!

No content or real spoiler warnings, as with previous entries this is vaguely set sometime after Endwalker. This fic does make very brief reference to some of the events of Shadowbringers, but not any more than you'd get from seeing stuff about G'raha Tia online.

Summary: Sometimes the breaks you take from studying can be more illuminating than the studying itself.

Check it out on Ao3 here (registered users only, sorry) or read on below!

G’raha found himself idly running his fingers through Lehon’a’s hair.

She’d taken it out of the braid she usually wore it in and let it hang loose, flowing down her back like a silvery-white waterfall.

It was something he did without thinking, oftentimes when he was struggling to unpick a particularly complex piece of writing or wrestling with the synthesis of new ideas. There was something particular he felt as his fingers flowed through the strands, a quality he couldn’t put a name to. Something that grounded him in the present moment.

Perhaps it was the occasional knot or tangle he encountered; the handful of moments it took to gently separate the intertwined hairs serving as a reminder that it was okay to take time to sort out his thoughts before coming to a grand conclusion. It offered an opportunity to focus inward, to reflect on his physical needs and ensure he remembered to emerge from his library excursions for long enough to eat an actual meal and rest in a proper bed.

Maybe it was simply the physical connection he craved; the many years sealed away in isolation in the Crystal Tower and many more after that living behind a mask on the First having taken their toll on his psyche. A response to a subconscious fear of being left alone that he hadn’t been able to fully shake, even after making it back to the Source.

Or maybe it was just simple admiration; an acknowledgement of her beauty, even in the quiet moments of their shared life together. Mornings lounging around in bed, afternoons reading and compiling research, evenings eating and drinking around the table in their home; there was scarcely a time of day when she didn’t catch his eye.

Or it was all of those reasons, and many others that he’d yet to consider at all. Perhaps I’ll find every possible explanation someday. And in the meantime… He paused his thought for a moment as his hand reached the end of Lehon’a’s hair. I’ll just have to hope she doesn’t tire of my makeshift brushing.

He started again from the top, working his fingers into a new section of her hair.

[improvised-finish]

WoL/G'raha Week #3 - Job Swap

I promise I did finish writing this late last night, but it was one of those fics that just kept going and going, and before I knew it, it was basically midnight. So! Here I am posting it today (and hopefully I can bang out something quick for today's prompt). (I'm also like 95% sure now I'll go back and GPose all of these cause this story really made me want to see G'raha in the outfit I'm imagining him in here, which is the DT DNC artifact gear)

No content warnings or spoilers, not even really a vague hint of a time when this takes place; just a cute moment between these two.

Summary: Lehon'a gives her favorite student some dancing lessons, and gets a bit more than she bargained for.

Check it out on Ao3 here (registered users only, sorry) or read on below!

 “You know, for ages I’d wondered how you had the energy to dash all over the battlefield, but this outfit feels so light I think I might fly away if I’m not careful.”

“It’s freeing, isn’t it? I never could get Nashmeira to explain exactly how they were made, but I’ve started to wonder if there’s some magic in the threads or something like it. No matter how many steps I took, I never seemed to lose my stamina,” Lehon’a replied, making a big show of looking him up and down as she did. “It also has the power to make you look absolutely stunning, my radiant sun.” G’raha raised one of the chakrams he was holding to try and cover his face. “I really mean it, Raha, no kidding around!”

“I believe you, my heart. Though I do start to wonder if there might’ve been some… ulterior motives in your offer to teach me,” G’raha replied, dropping his arms back to his sides as he joined Lehon’a in looking over the outfit he was wearing. “It certainly doesn’t leave much to the imagination, does it?”

No, it does not, Lehon’a thought to herself, already grateful to her past self for even considering the possibility. The vest’s lack of sleeves and open chest put those archer’s muscles on display, the brightly contrasting fabrics and gold decorations serving only to embellish his well-earned upper-body strength. Sad that he insisted on the version with pants underneath, but perhaps Shtola and I could convince him to try the shorter bottoms next time.

“O wise and talented instructor,” G’raha called out, trying to burst Lehon’a from her daydream bubble, “When might I expect the ogling to end and the teaching to begin?” His tone let her know he wasn’t actually upset, even if there was a kernel of truth in it.

“Right now, actually,” she replied, closing the distance between them faster than he’d expected. “Do you wish to learn the basic steps first, or something a bit more… magical?”

The flush had returned to his cheeks again. “...Let’s go with the magic. ‘Tis probably preferable to watching me trip over my own feet practicing for bells at a time.”

“Fine by me, there’s no wrong answer,” Lehon’a said, taking his hands in hers and admiring how the jewelry on his fingers shone in the sun. “The first step in using dancing magic involves choosing a partner.” He gave her a quizzical look, seeming to wonder silently whether he hadn’t already done that. “Not that kind of partner, love. Someone to share a dance with, someone you’re focused on supporting in battle. It’s like… some dances can’t be done by yourself, y’know? You have to have both parts together for it to be possible. It’s like that.”

“Oh, I see! So how does one… choose someone? Is there a…?” 

“A sort of ritual, I guess you could say. It involves finding… hmm, this is harder to describe than I’d thought… the other person’s… natural rhythm, let’s call it. Their steps, their actions, their connection to the aether around them, it all has this… pulse. It can be easier or harder to feel, depending on how well you know the person and what kind of state they’re in.”

“It sounds like I’ve gotten a bit of a head start with you here, then.”

“That’s the hope.  Practice is also a factor too, I’d imagine. Admittedly, when Lyna taught me the basics it just kinda… worked, so… hopefully I’m making some amount of sense.” Lehon’a let out a nervous chuckle. “Focusing in on that other person, trying to feel their rhythm and… lining yourself up with it, I guess… that’s what you want to do. When you feel like you’ve got it, you make a gesture sort of like this–” Lehon’a paused to demonstrate, raising one hand overhead and then lowering her extended arm as part of a formal bow. “--with one of the chakrams you’ve got there. They help make that shared rhythm into a real connection, something that lets you offer support, even from afar.” She squeezed his hands for a moment, drawing his focus to them. “Now, try your best to feel that pulse in me– and it might take a bit to find it, so don’t lose heart if it doesn’t come right away.”

She watched him close his eyes before closing her own, trying to keep herself as steady as possible so he wouldn’t have too much trouble. She heard his breaths even out as the seconds passed, and after a couple minutes more, she noticed that they’d lined up with her own. Another moment went by, and she felt him pull his hands away. She heard the sound of him taking chakrams into his hands as he broke the silence. “I think I’ve found it– found you.”

“Then go for it, Raha.”

She opened her eyes and watched as he mimicked her motion from earlier, the chakram in his hand tracing a curved path from above his head to right where her hands had been only moments before. 

“May I have this dance, my heart?” 

In that instant, right as he uttered those words, she felt a familiar magic wash over her, ever so slightly different than how she recalled it. “You certainly may, Raha, you did it!” The slight heat in her face that she’d felt when he’d asked had been superseded by pure enthusiasm for her partner’s success.

“I can scarcely believe it, but it was just as you said. I found the rhythm of you, and that was all I needed.”

“And the really good news is that it’s much easier to reconnect with someone than it is the very first time. That’s what lets me change my focus so quickly in the middle of the fray, y’see.”

“I see, that does make things a good deal easier!” G’raha nodded, excitement palpable in his voice. “So now that we’re proper partners, what comes after that?”

“Depends on what you want to do,” Lehon’a replied. “The fancier combinations can give your partner’s strikes a bit more oomph or offer a bit of extra protection, but… I think the best place to start is a simple curing waltz.”

G’raha eyes lit up with a flash of recognition. “Is that the sequence you did with Shtola, in the vault off the coast of Thavnair? The one right before we…” 

She cut him off, not wishing to recall the embarrassment of the very start of their relationship. “--Yep, that’s the one, let's learn how to do it, I'll show you!”

G'raha tried so hard to keep his composure, but eventually a giggle managed to escape his lips, and it was only moments before he was doubled over into a full laughing fit. The laughter ultimately proved contagious, and soon both of them were on the ground, clutching their sides. 

After another few minutes catching her breath, Lehon'a climbed back to her feet and helped pull G'raha up.

“That healing magic would do wonders for my stomach muscles right about now,” G'raha said, turning to smile at Lehon'a. “I don't know about you, but I got quite the workout just now.”

“You said it,” Lehon'a replied, biting back the reflex to chuckle for fear of ending up incapacitated on the ground again. “All right. Let's try this again.” She took one more deep breath to ensure no more laughing fits would interrupt the rest of her demonstration. “So I'm gonna show you the simple way to do it, but keep in mind this magic work can work at a distance too. It kinda just ends up being where the physical stuff I'll teach you just uh… happens in your mind.” G'raha gave her a slightly skeptical look, but kept any thoughts he had to himself. “I know, I know, just… go with it, okay?” 

G'raha nodded, gripping the chakrams once more. “Okay, I'm ready.”

“You'll need a free hand for this part, so… in lieu of fancy moves where you can keep the extra chakram spinning on your arm, probably best to just keep both of them in your other hand– and before you ask, the spinning tricks are the next class.” 

“As usual, you've read me like a book,” G'raha replied, moving the extra chakram to his left hand. “What next?”

“Well, you simply grab your partner's hand…” Lehon'a instructed, taking G'raha's free hand in her own. “...then you give them a little spin, and as you do, focus on channeling a bit of aether across that bond created by your partner, and the chakrams you're holding should do the rest!”

“From how you describe it, this feels like it could be descended from white magic techniques– channeling ambient aether across a distance to aid one’s allies is how most scholars would probably describe the practice, I reckon. You know, I wonder if there was any rhythm-based practices back during Allagan times– certainly they must've had music of some sort, but it would be most fascinating to try and locate some sort of historical context for all this, mayhap even an origin point, and I think I know just where to start look–”

Lehon'a gently threw the brakes on his runaway train of thought. “Raha. We can head to the library after you've cured me of my laughter based ailments– which I may remind you, you were responsible for,” she said, adding a cheeky wink in case her tone alone hadn't communicated her playful intent. 

“Right. Right. My apologies, where were we?”

“Three steps: grab hand, channel aether, spin partner.”

“And that's all, nothing else is required?”

“That's all I was taught, and it's all I've ever needed!”

G'raha exhaled forcefully, trying to psych himself up for something that, by all accounts, had pretty much nothing of significance riding on it. “Here goes nothing, then.”

He loosened his grip on her hand slightly, then began to move his arm in motion that would lead Lehon'a into a spin. She moved in sync with him, matching the speed of his motion to minimize the chance of awkward stumbles, and as she made her first full revolution, she began to feel the warmth of his aether flow across the small space between them. She basked in the feeling: a mix between the sound of a familiar childhood melody to her ears and the feeling of a cozy blanket wrapped around her on a cool evening. The realization hit her, all at once. It feels like home.

G'raha released her hand as she finished the spin, and the aether flowing between them dissipated out into a glowing spiral pattern. “So, how was that? Did I manage to soothe your ailments?” He laid on the faux-romantic tone thick, almost assuming he hadn't succeeded.

Lehon'a looked up at him with tears pooling in her eyes. “You did wonderfully, Raha. Full marks.” 

He dropped the comedic tone immediately. “Oh, my heart, I hope I haven't–”

“You did everything right, my wonderful sun.” She reached out a hand to cup his cheek, and then went in for a gentle kiss, which they shared for a moment. “I've never felt better,” she continued, wiping her eyes and cracking a brilliant smile. “Next time I'll try and show you some basic steps, but… as a tiny bit of ‘homework’, maybe you should show Shtola what you've learned? I’m sure she'd jump at the chance to dance with someone in such dazzling attire, and extra practice might make future lessons a bit easier.”

“As you wish, instructor Lehon'a.” He gave a theatrical bow. “Thank you for the lesson, I couldn't ask for a better teacher.”

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WoL/G'raha Week #2 - Comfort

Behold! Another short fic for WoL/G'raha Week! It's a continuation of yesterday's so same rules apply, no big content warnings or spoilers and it's set in post-Endwalker somewhere.

Summary: If you fall on someone in front of their mother, the least you can do is heal their injuries, right?

Check it out on Ao3 here (registered users only, sorry), or read on below!

“So what was this Runar fellow like? Lehon’a didn’t mention him much when she talked about the jungles of… Ratkita? Have I got that right– I feel like I haven’t!” 

Lehon’a heard her mother’s laugh punctuating a portion of the conversation in progress as she opened the front door and crossed the familiar threshold. She quickly unclasped her boots and left them beside the two pairs she recognized and what must’ve been her mom’s sandals, eager to find out what it was they were all talking about.

“You’re nearly there, it’s called the Rak’Tika Greatwood. And Runar, well…”  Lehon'a’s focus on Yshtola’s words was broken by a chorus of aches and pains from her wrist, knee and lower back. She stopped in the hallway for a moment and tried her best to compose herself out of everyone's view, and after a sharp inhale, she walked out into the living room, trying hard to keep her new limp from being noticed. 

It seemed like Y'shtola’s focus was on recalling her time with the Night's Blessed on the First, and Lehon’a recognized the look of excited interest her mother was giving Y'shtola’s story from her own previous storytelling sessions whenever there was a long enough break in an adventure to return home. As she went to sit down next to G'raha at the unoccupied end of the couch, though, she noticed that he had already zeroed in on the leg that was sore. Her mind was cast back to what she'd said only a few minutes earlier about his keen eyes. Me and my big mouth, she thought as she practically collapsed into the cushions.

Not a moment went by before G’raha attempted to grab her attention with a silent wave, which she acknowledged with a nod. He pointed to the leg he had correctly identified as the source of the limp, and made a gesture that called to mind a simple healing spell. Lehon’a thought it over for a minute, weighing the relief against the possible awkwardness of having to explain what was happening, but before she could manage a coherent thought on the subject, she noticed a small glow in her peripheral vision. 

The sound of Y’shtola’s voice in the background came to an abrupt stop, and suddenly everyone’s eyes were on Lehon’a. 

“Are… are you all right–?” Lehon asked, genuine concern coloring her voice. 

“And Raha, why are you casting–?” Y’shtola added, matching Lehon’s tone.

Lehon’a cut off both of their questions, a hint of embarrassment coloring her cheeks. “It’s nothing, I promise just… some bumps and bruises from earlier outside stung a bit more than I thought.”

G’raha’s face had also grown a bit flushed, though he managed to maintain focus on the spell in spite of it. “My apologies. I noticed her walking in with a bit of a stagger, and I thought it would be silly of me to interrupt the exciting tales at hand by making a big fuss of it when I could just… well…” He trailed off as he slowed the flow of aether to a stop, the light cast from his palm growing dim. 

“Have care that you mind your own energy reserves is all I ask. I don’t wish to see either of you suffer needlessly, especially when I’ve yet to lift a finger myself,” Y’shtola cautioned. 

“If you want a big lightshow to go along with your story, why don't we all just heal each other?” Lehon’a couldn’t hold in a snicker at her own silly idea, and it got a couple chuckles from G’raha and Lehon too. 

Y’shtola simply rolled her eyes and smiled. “Then permit me jump off of Felix’s back into your waiting arms first, that way we’re even.” After a beat of laughter, Y’shtola attempted to continue her original thought. “So where was I? I must’ve just gotten to Runar’s big, strong arms. The kind that would certainly catch someone falling from a chocobo…” She took another sip of her tea and gave Lehon’a a wink, making it Lehon’a’s turn to roll her eyes and smile.

Y’shtola restarted the story about Runar she’d actually been telling before getting derailed, and Lehon’a turned her focus to G’raha. “Thanks,” she whispered, trying her best not to interrupt things again. “I needed that.”

“It was no trouble at all,” G’raha whispered in reply. “Is there anywhere else that ails you?”

“...Now that you mention it…” Lehon’a trailed off, turning her back to face him and contorting her arm to point at her lower back. “...right there would be lovely.”

“As you wish,” he replied, resuming the spell at the spot where Lehon’a had pointed. She relaxed into his touch and leaned back against his shoulder. 

“Thank you, Raha. My brilliant, beautiful sun,” Lehon’a whispered, her eyes closed in relaxation. She struggled to imagine a place on Etheirys more comfortable than exactly where she was now, surrounded by loved ones who truly cared. All she knew was that she wouldn’t trade it for anything.

“You’re most welcome, my heart.”

[improvised-finish]

WoL/G'raha Week #1 - Introducing Family

No fancy shmancy GPoses this time (cause I decided literally this morning that I'd do this), but I wanted to get a tiny bit of writing practice to warm me up for other stuff on the horizon by banging something short and sweet out over my work breaks, and the WoL/G'raha week prompts seemed as good an excuse as any, so! This was all written today and barely edited, so expect the odd S&G mistake or weird wording choice. No content or spoiler warnings to really be aware of; this is technically set in the time between Endwalker and Dawntrail but no real specifics get talked about.

Summary: Is there a better way to make a first impression on your potential mother-in-law than falling off a chocobo and landing on her daughter? Asking for a G'raha Tia. Check it out on Ao3 here (registered users only, sorry), or read on below!

“Is that it over there?” G'raha had asked, pointing his finger over Lehon'a’s shoulder as the chocobo underneath them bobbed up and down with each heavy footstep along the path.

Lehon'a instinctively followed the path of his finger, her eyes eventually meeting a small cluster of cabins and wooden houses that were just barely visible through the Shroud's foliage. 

“For the sake of our spines, I hope you're right,” Y'shtola replied, her dry tone riding the line halfway between joking and serious. Long journeys on chocobo-back certainly took their physical toll, especially to those who made them less frequently. She unwrapped one of her arms from G'raha’s torso and patted Felix’s flank. “Nothing personal, you understand,” she whispered to the bird. 

Lehon'a let out a laugh. “Yeah, that’s it there. Not long left now, promise.” She turned her head to the side so she could make eye contact with him. “Don't think I could sneak anything past your keen eyes if I tried, Raha.” She only caught a glimpse of the slightly pink tinge to his cheeks before she turned her attention back to the road ahead. 

It was plain just from the tone of G'raha's voice that he was full of nervous excitement, the prospect of finally meeting Lehon'a's mother after so many close calls and ‘maybe next times’ making him a bit anxious in every sense of the word. She felt it too, in the way his fingers on his non-pointing hand gripped her shoulder and the sound of very deliberate deep breaths in her ears.

“You two won't have anything to worry about, y'know. My mom's the nicest lady I know, and I've already talked both of you up plenty over the years. You should get along like 3 chocobo chicks in a nest!”

Y'shtola let out a small chuckle at yet another of Lehon'a's seemingly-endless chocobo-related figures of speech, but before anyone could puzzle out a fitting reply, Lehon'a interjected again. 

“Speaking of, here we are! End of the line, everybody off!” Lehon'a swung her leg forward over Felix's neck just as the bird dipped it down slightly (a maneuver they'd practiced many times, from the looks of it) and she jumped down to the ground. Lehon'a held out her hands and Y'shtola took them first, eager to stretch out her stiff legs on solid ground. That left just G'raha sitting in Felix's saddle, and Lehon'a could see him concentrating on something as she once again extended her hands to him for support. 

Instead of taking them, though, he kicked his leg up, trying to copy the dismount technique that Lehon'a had used only moments before. His leg cleared Felix’s neck, which was the first hurdle, but both Lehon'a and Y'shtola could see he'd put a bit too much gusto into it. 

“Raha, wait–” Y'shtola called out, her words a few moments too late to prevent what was unfolding. Lehon'a moved on instinct, open arms and bent knees now focused on keeping her partner from a hard landing on the ground. Even Felix seemed to sense that G'raha’s momentum was wrong somehow, letting out a sharp chirp to warn everyone about what they already saw happening. 

G'raha tumbled sideways through the air, the look of shock on his face letting everyone know that he too had realized his mistake. It was only a second before he collided with Lehon'a, her arms only enough to slow his momentum a little before he sent them both to the ground in a cloud of dirt and leaves. 

“My heart, are you all right?” G'raha asked in a panicked tone.

“Yeah, I'm fine. Nothing some of Mom's cooking won't fix,” she replied, grinning. “How about you? Not done falling for me, huh?” That got a laugh out of everyone, and a cocky smile from Lehon'a, proud of her silly joke.

“I don't know if there will be a day that goes by where I'm not falling for you,” G'raha countered, putting on his best overly-romantic tone along with a smirk of his own. 

Y'shtola and Lehon'a shared a glance. “Sounds like our Raha to me,” Y'shtola said, a look of disbelief still on her face.

Felix let out another series of chirps, seemingly relieved that everyone appeared unharmed, and not long after, the door to the nearest house opened.

“What is going on out there…? It sounds like a herd of elk trampling though– oh, dearheart! It's you!”

Lehon'a turned her head to see who the voice belonged to, and was greeted by the sight of her mother, Lehon. “Oh, hi mom! Sorry if we made a racket, just a bit of a…” she trailed off and looked at G'raha once more. “...rough dismount!”

Lehon wandered over to join the group, giving Felix a couple of compulsory scratches on his head as she got close. “So these must be those two you've told me about, is that right?”

Lehon'a nodded. “Mhm, that's Y'shtola Rhul, and this is G'raha Tia,” she continued, pointing to each of them in turn.

“Well, I'm Lehon, in case Lehon'a hadn't made it clear, and it's lovely to finally meet you both! Lehon'a talks all about you just about every time she comes home! Sometimes it's tough to get her talking about anything else. And before I forget,” Lehon said, moving to stand between where G’raha was sitting on the ground and Y’shtola stood. “Thank you both. For fighting for all of us. And for keeping my daughter safe.” 

It was Y’shtola and G’raha’s turn to share a momentary look before G’raha’s flowery words came to the rescue once more. “It has truly been our pleasure to stand by your daughter’s side, whether in battle, on the open road, or in the study. There’s no one I’d rather have at my back in such dire situations as those we’ve encountered together, and her spirit of adventure seems to know no bounds. I count myself incredibly lucky to be in her life, and I’m confident Y’shtola would say the same.” Y’shtola offered a purposeful nod as he finished speaking, not wishing to invite any further awkward compliments by adding to G'raha's pile of superlatives.

“Lehon’a told me you were a scholar, but… such a way with words!” She leaned in closer to him and switched her voice to a whisper. “I can see why she likes you.” Lehon’a gave her a playful eyeroll, and Lehon cracked a smile before turning back towards the still-open front door. “Well! No reason to keep you sitting outside in the dirt, so how about you three come on in? I've got another batch of lemon tea I can crack into, and I’d love to hear all about the parts of your adventures that Lehon’a leaves out!” She disappeared inside with a short laugh, and Y’shtola took the opportunity to offer a hand to her partners to help them off the ground.

Lehon’a reached for Felix’s reins and started to walk around the other side of the house with him. “I’ve got a spot for Felix to roam around out back, and I’ve got some you-know-what in the saddlebags that I’d like to give him, so you two head on in. I’ll be behind you in just a minute.”

G’raha and Y’shtola nodded and then turned to each other before making their way up to the front door, hands still intertwined. I see where she gets it, G’raha thought to himself as they crossed the threshold. Everything makes so much more sense now.

[improvised-finish]

WoL/G'raha Week #1 - Introducing Family

No fancy shmancy GPoses this time (cause I decided literally this morning that I'd do this), but I wanted to get a tiny bit of writing practice to warm me up for other stuff on the horizon by banging something short and sweet out over my work breaks, and the WoL/G'raha week prompts seemed as good an excuse as any, so! This was all written today and barely edited, so expect the odd S&G mistake or weird wording choice. No content or spoiler warnings to really be aware of; this is technically set in the time between Endwalker and Dawntrail but no real specifics get talked about.

Summary: Is there a better way to make a first impression on your potential mother-in-law than falling off a chocobo and landing on her daughter? Asking for a G'raha Tia. Check it out on Ao3 here (registered users only, sorry), or read on below!

“Is that it over there?” G'raha had asked, pointing his finger over Lehon'a’s shoulder as the chocobo underneath them bobbed up and down with each heavy footstep along the path.

Lehon'a instinctively followed the path of his finger, her eyes eventually meeting a small cluster of cabins and wooden houses that were just barely visible through the Shroud's foliage. 

“For the sake of our spines, I hope you're right,” Y'shtola replied, her dry tone riding the line halfway between joking and serious. Long journeys on chocobo-back certainly took their physical toll, especially to those who made them less frequently. She unwrapped one of her arms from G'raha’s torso and patted Felix’s flank. “Nothing personal, you understand,” she whispered to the bird. 

Lehon'a let out a laugh. “Yeah, that’s it there. Not long left now, promise.” She turned her head to the side so she could make eye contact with him. “Don't think I could sneak anything past your keen eyes if I tried, Raha.” She only caught a glimpse of the slightly pink tinge to his cheeks before she turned her attention back to the road ahead. 

It was plain just from the tone of G'raha's voice that he was full of nervous excitement, the prospect of finally meeting Lehon'a's mother after so many close calls and ‘maybe next times’ making him a bit anxious in every sense of the word. She felt it too, in the way his fingers on his non-pointing hand gripped her shoulder and the sound of very deliberate deep breaths in her ears.

“You two won't have anything to worry about, y'know. My mom's the nicest lady I know, and I've already talked both of you up plenty over the years. You should get along like 3 chocobo chicks in a nest!”

Y'shtola let out a small chuckle at yet another of Lehon'a's seemingly-endless chocobo-related figures of speech, but before anyone could puzzle out a fitting reply, Lehon'a interjected again. 

“Speaking of, here we are! End of the line, everybody off!” Lehon'a swung her leg forward over Felix's neck just as the bird dipped it down slightly (a maneuver they'd practiced many times, from the looks of it) and she jumped down to the ground. Lehon'a held out her hands and Y'shtola took them first, eager to stretch out her stiff legs on solid ground. That left just G'raha sitting in Felix's saddle, and Lehon'a could see him concentrating on something as she once again extended her hands to him for support. 

Instead of taking them, though, he kicked his leg up, trying to copy the dismount technique that Lehon'a had used only moments before. His leg cleared Felix’s neck, which was the first hurdle, but both Lehon'a and Y'shtola could see he'd put a bit too much gusto into it. 

“Raha, wait–” Y'shtola called out, her words a few moments too late to prevent what was unfolding. Lehon'a moved on instinct, open arms and bent knees now focused on keeping her partner from a hard landing on the ground. Even Felix seemed to sense that G'raha’s momentum was wrong somehow, letting out a sharp chirp to warn everyone about what they already saw happening. 

G'raha tumbled sideways through the air, the look of shock on his face letting everyone know that he too had realized his mistake. It was only a second before he collided with Lehon'a, her arms only enough to slow his momentum a little before he sent them both to the ground in a cloud of dirt and leaves. 

“My heart, are you all right?” G'raha asked in a panicked tone.

“Yeah, I'm fine. Nothing some of Mom's cooking won't fix,” she replied, grinning. “How about you? Not done falling for me, huh?” That got a laugh out of everyone, and a cocky smile from Lehon'a, proud of her silly joke.

“I don't know if there will be a day that goes by where I'm not falling for you,” G'raha countered, putting on his best overly-romantic tone along with a smirk of his own. 

Y'shtola and Lehon'a shared a glance. “Sounds like our Raha to me,” Y'shtola said, a look of disbelief still on her face.

Felix let out another series of chirps, seemingly relieved that everyone appeared unharmed, and not long after, the door to the nearest house opened.

“What is going on out there…? It sounds like a herd of elk trampling though– oh, dearheart! It's you!”

Lehon'a turned her head to see who the voice belonged to, and was greeted by the sight of her mother, Lehon. “Oh, hi mom! Sorry if we made a racket, just a bit of a…” she trailed off and looked at G'raha once more. “...rough dismount!”

Lehon wandered over to join the group, giving Felix a couple of compulsory scratches on his head as she got close. “So these must be those two you've told me about, is that right?”

Lehon'a nodded. “Mhm, that's Y'shtola Rhul, and this is G'raha Tia,” she continued, pointing to each of them in turn.

“Well, I'm Lehon, in case Lehon'a hadn't made it clear, and it's lovely to finally meet you both! Lehon'a talks all about you just about every time she comes home! Sometimes it's tough to get her talking about anything else. And before I forget,” Lehon said, moving to stand between where G’raha was sitting on the ground and Y’shtola stood. “Thank you both. For fighting for all of us. And for keeping my daughter safe.” 

It was Y’shtola and G’raha’s turn to share a momentary look before G’raha’s flowery words came to the rescue once more. “It has truly been our pleasure to stand by your daughter’s side, whether in battle, on the open road, or in the study. There’s no one I’d rather have at my back in such dire situations as those we’ve encountered together, and her spirit of adventure seems to know no bounds. I count myself incredibly lucky to be in her life, and I’m confident Y’shtola would say the same.” Y’shtola offered a purposeful nod as he finished speaking, not wishing to invite any further awkward compliments by adding to G'raha's pile of superlatives.

“Lehon’a told me you were a scholar, but… such a way with words!” She leaned in closer to him and switched her voice to a whisper. “I can see why she likes you.” Lehon’a gave her a playful eyeroll, and Lehon cracked a smile before turning back towards the still-open front door. “Well! No reason to keep you sitting outside in the dirt, so how about you three come on in? I've got another batch of lemon tea I can crack into, and I’d love to hear all about the parts of your adventures that Lehon’a leaves out!” She disappeared inside with a short laugh, and Y’shtola took the opportunity to offer a hand to her partners to help them off the ground.

Lehon’a reached for Felix’s reins and started to walk around the other side of the house with him. “I’ve got a spot for Felix to roam around out back, and I’ve got some you-know-what in the saddlebags that I’d like to give him, so you two head on in. I’ll be behind you in just a minute.”

G’raha and Y’shtola nodded and then turned to each other before making their way up to the front door, hands still intertwined. I see where she gets it, G’raha thought to himself as they crossed the threshold. Everything makes so much more sense now.

[improvised-finish]

And here are the answers/explanations!

Why did Lehon'a leave home for Gridania?

A: Her tribe's traditions forced her to leave at a certain age

Since she grew up being raised as a boy, Lehon'a was subject to the traditions for male Keepers of the Moon, which say that boys who come of age are sent off into the world to wander, staying away from the established communities for more than a handful of days at a time. After her transition and return, she's now free to come and go as she pleases, though in a twist of fate, she now finds she enjoys the open road even more than when she first left (doubly so because she knows she is welcome to return). I wrote about the day she left home in this fic here!

Why did Lehon'a join a Grand Company?

A: To get a mount license

Lehon'a is kind of the chocobo equivalent of a "horse girl" and spent a lot of her childhood at Bentbranch Stables, helping care for the chocobos there. As a kid, she bonded with a particular bird whom she took to calling Felicitias, or Felix for short. She had to leave Felix behind when her White Mage training and duties as a Scion took her elsewhere, but it ended up being the thing to get her to sit through all of the line winded presentations and paperwork. Alphinaud was starting to get on her nerves at that point a bit, and she does have a desire to help the people of the land, but the primary motivator to actually get her to do it was the prospect of getting to be with Felix again. I wrote about their reunion here!

How many hairstyles has Lehon'a had?

A: 5

This is admittedly very tricky, and 4 (which had a lot of guesses) was the closest in spirit.

The 5 hairstyles:

- ARR (very beginning) - kinda shaggy catboy hair

- ARR - ShB - long hair with twin buns

- ShB (after coming out) - long hair pulled into a simple ponytail - this was the tricky one, but it's in a GPose here and mentioned in an older fic of mine here!

- ShB (after fantasia)-EW - short hair with the red streak in it

- DT-present - long hair pulled back into a braid

Who was the first person she talked to about gender feelings?

A: Y'shtola

This comes from one of my oldest fics, Mirror! Y'shtola ends up being the first person she opens up to, but she does tell all of these other people about it at various points after that over the course of Shadowbringers MSQ.

Which of these instruments is Lehon'a most skilled at playing?

A: Drums

She's had an innate sense of rhythm since she was a child, and often drummed on any surface she could get her hands on until her mother eventually got her proper drums to play on. She loves jamming with other musicians, and her musical abilities were the bridge between her and the rest of her tribe when they viewed her as an outsider.

Where did she get the earring she wears to honor Menphina?

A: It was a gift from her mother

Her mother gave it to her on the day she came of age and was made to leave home as a parting gift; something that might protect Lehon'a on her travels. I wrote about it in the same fic mentioned above about her leaving home!

Which of these people does Lehon'a actively dislike?

A: Estinien

This was answered in an old ask here, but effectively she still holds him responsible for the deaths of Haurchefant and Ysayle, along with nearly losing her co-Warrior of Light. They tolerate each other for professionalism's sake, but Lehon'a would avoid being around him one on one unless absolutely necessary.

Of the trio, who technically confessed their feelings first?

A: G'raha

This is truly a close one, and even within the fic this is referring to you could maybe make an argument for Lehon'a making the first move, but in the excerpts from here, G'raha says his piece first, followed by Y'shtola, with Lehon'a responding in a very sober and tactful manner after that.

What stage name does Lehon'a take while battling in the Arcadion?

A: The Neon Shadow

Mentioned in this little story, it's the best, most generic "cool name" she (and I) could think of. Does it make sense if you think about it? Not really, but that's okay!

Which of these jobs can Lehon'a technically perform without a job stone?

A: Red Mage

Lehon'a was a white mage originally (and still possesses the abilities), and dabbled a tiny bit in red magic when she taught Beau a bit of conjury after Heavensward, which Beau took along with her thaumaturgy experience to become a full fledged Red Mage under X'rhun's tutelage. For Lehon'a though, she gets Y'shtola to teach her enough black magic during downtime between Story Moments™ that she can act as a Red Mage in a pinch, going based off feel and what she remembers of watching Beau use the rapier. Is she a master? Absolutely not, but she can technically do it!

I hopped on this trend recently among my friends, so when I saw it here too, figured I'd add mine to the pile, so!

Lehon'a Quiz Be Upon Ye!

I have changed the questions a tad from the original version, and there shouldn't be any secret lore involved; everything is in a fic or a post on here, I believe!

[improvised-finish]

I hopped on this trend recently among my friends, so when I saw it here too, figured I'd add mine to the pile, so!

Lehon'a Quiz Be Upon Ye!

I have changed the questions a tad from the original version, and there shouldn't be any secret lore involved; everything is in a fic or a post on here, I believe!

[improvised-finish]

A Neon-Drenched Nameday

"Arsay!" Lehon'a exclaimed as she caught up to the other Miqo'te, stopping her on the streets of True Vue. "A little chocobo told me it's your nameday today, is that right?"

"Sure, that's true. Why do you ask?"

"Well..." A grin grew across Lehon'a's face as she pulled a couple slips of paper from her jacket pocket. "A friend of mine is playing this new music made using Alexandrian tech at a club just down the way, and I thought maybe we might celebrate with a night of dancing and drinks!" She pointed to the establishment as she spoke, not even remotely hiding her enthusiasm for the idea. "They gave me two tickets, so this one's got your name on it."

"Sounds like fun, so let's do it!" Arsay replied, plucking one of the tickets from Lehon'a's grip with a smile.

The club's lighting echoed the same neon pink and blue color scheme present all across the city, though the contrast was intensified by the lack of ambient light inside. The DJ booth stood to one side of the space, elevating its occupant above the dancefloor, and a few scattered tables sat opposite. There was a small crowd gathered already, most likely the die-hard fans and true party animals.

A hrothgar in reflective glasses climbed up in front of the DJ equipment, and nearly everyone in the club turned their attention to her.

"Come on, we made it just in time!" Lehon'a said in a hushed tone, waving Arsay to the front of the crowd. "The sound right here is the best, and we should have enough room to let loose."

Her train of thought was cut off as the voice of an announcer came over the sound system: "Solution Nine, make some noise! For one night only: the sensational, the electric, the queen of bumpin' beats herself: DJ Stardust!"

Lehon'a and Arsay shared a look that grew into a pair of wicked grins as the first song began to play, and it wasn't long before the whole crowd was swept up into the futuristic melodies and driving rhythms of the music, and all but the most stubborn of wallflowers were on their feet and on the dancefloor.

As the night eventually wound to a close many hours and dance moves later, Lehon'a closed her eyes, drinking in the last outro of DJ Stardust's final song. Try hard as she might, she just couldn't imagine a better time than sharing the dancefloor with a friend. Happy nameday, Arsay! Hope we can do this again sometime, she thought to herself, opening her eyes to see Arsay offering one last round of applause to the DJ before the party's end.

(a few alternate angles and some notes below the cut!)

Gosh, I went like so unbelievably overboard with this! I originally just had the initial invitation shots, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I had the itch to do more. I figured why not take advantage of the Neon Stein's existing setup and do an action shot... which quickly involved adding some S9 NPCs to fill in the crowd. and then adding Wuk Lamat and Koana and Gulool Ja as little easter eggs. and then @a-pink-beau because Gulool Ja shouldn't be unaccompanied. and then @reversalsun and @godspeedwagon and another mutual friend. and then G'raha and Y'shtola because I had to. and then my other wol as the DJ cause I couldn't find the DJing loporrit in Brio.

Before I knew it this scene had like twenty actors and it's by far the most involved thing I've done (thought tbh it didn't feel like it took that long), and it was all just thanks to a little nameday request! All of this bluster to say: happy nameday Arsay ( @wildstar25 )! I look forward to seeing many more of her adventures in the future and the amazing poses you come up with, they really are inspiring.

Anyway. With that, I return to my cosplay cave for the next month, cause con is only a few weeks away, and I've got a Pitou to finish! I leave you with these alternate angles to show off a bit more of the background :3

[improvised-finish]

These also took me a while to settle on, but I think it's got the blend of energy, intensity and playfulness that Lehon'a would bring to the ring!

Phase 1:

Phase 2:

Bonus secret third phase ultimate mode (this song is a banger and would make a killer soundtrack for a fight, but doesn't really fit her vibe exactly)

Here, a WoL QotD that I've been thinking about today.

Under the cut for Dawntrail raid spoilers (not specific to 7.2)

I've seen plenty of people talking about what their WoL's feral soul would be if they were an Arcadion fighter who used one, but I want to know:

What kind of music would your WoL's Arcadion fight be set to?

(Genre, vibes, specific bands and/or songs, whatever goes just any sort of example to describe it)