#andreia speaks

[constellationclarke]

[brandycranby]

in his name: the heroes

a brief exploration of CE character names and how they match their stories/personalities... or don’t 😗💕

the heroes  ❥ the villains  ❥ the lovers

a/n: finally putting my linguistics degree to good use my frens 😚 i really enjoy sociolinguistics, if i continued w grad ling, i would’ve focused on that i think. i’ve been meaning to make more bulletpoint posts and headcanons bc sometimes!! you're too tired for coherent fic!!

Andy Barber

ANDY is a diminutive of ANDREW, a given name with Greek roots, Andreia.

Meaning “brave”, “manly”, or “valorous”, fitting for Andy who, in canon, is said to be particularly aggressive and masculine as a result of the warrior gene or a MAO-A variant i mean largely played up for the ✨️drama✨️ but u kno

ironic if you consider how he’s often one step away from being soft dark or full dark bc of his aggressiveness but that's also what's attractive 😬

BARBER is what’s known as an occupational surname, very common English last names. some others are miller, baker, and smith. it’s likely that one of his patrilineal grandfathers was actually a barber

Ari Levinson

ARI is a Jewish name and is a variant of Arieh. Both mean lion in Hebrew. (Ari is also a given name in Faroese and Icelandic but since he’s canonically Jewish, we’ll skip those explanations)

LEVINSON is a Jewish patronymic last name where it’s a word made up of a personal name + son/daughter of, so Levin + “son”. Jewish surnames have historically used the Hebrew prefix ben (son of) or bat (daughter of-) and then the father’s name. but bc of decrees in the 18th c. german empire, these traditional surnames were changed to be more “european”

given that in canon, he and his mum tried to escape the continent bc of nazi perscution, we can assume that he’s Ashkenazi Jewish by birth and is able to speak Yiddish alongside Hebrew and English. depending on whether his adoptive family was also Jewish or not and whether he was encouraged to keep speaking Yiddish or assimilate would have had effects on his language skills tho 😕 for more angst, apply forced americanization

Curtis Everett

CURTIS is an English translation of Corteis (Old French) which may sound very similar to “courteous” to you!! hehe that’s bc tho english is a germanic language, it uses dozens of loan words from other languages. so Curtis means “well-bred” or “courteous” stemming from the idea of courtly behavior or etiquette.

the idea of etiquette began snowballing in popularity during the enlightenment when the bourgeoisie adopted upper class manners, aka “polite society” in order to move up in the world. kinda parallel to Curtis' movement from the tail end to the engine

EVERETT is also interesting; originally Everard (Old English), it means “strong/hard as a boar”. boars are notoriously hard to kill and were called "desperate fighters" by the brits that hunted them. special spears had to be made for hunting them whereby the animal would charge and impale itself. i hope bong joonho knows what an apt name it is for our rebellion leader Curtis 💕💕

Frank Adler

We have some options with FRANK. It could be a name in itself, or a shortened form of Francis and Franklin. histotically, Francis is a shortened version of Franciscus and Francesco which mean “Frenchman” or “free man” in reference to St. Francis of Assisi. Franklin is an English name with roots in Middle English, meaning “landowner of free origin”

ADLER is Middle German, stemming from the term “edler Aar” or “noble eagle” which distinguished eagles from falcons and hawks for hunting.

frankie's just a plain ol boy but he is rather noble like an eagle 🥺

Steve Rogers

STEVE is diminutive of Steven or Stephen, stemming from Stéphanos (Ancient Greek) meaning “wreath, crown, honor” as well as “to wreathe around”, which in Steve’s case could imply protection 🥺

but this name is also significant bc of its common attribution to Saint Stephen, a disciple of Jesus that was stoned to death and named the first martyr. slightly prophetic of Sarah Rogers ngl 🥲

Sarah may have also called him Stíofán or Steabhán at home (not on the streets bc that’s how you let racist/nationalist ppl know you’re not from here uwu) but she may have also been a part of the generation in Ireland that didnt get to learn or use Irish bc of British control 🤷🏻‍♀️

ROGERS is… complicated in that it could be an English/Norman surname or an Anglicized Irish surname. Rogers in the Norman sense means “son of Roger”. The Normans (aka early French) invaded England in the 11th century and eventually conquered Ireland in the 12th century bringing the name Rogers.

Alternatively, it could be the English version of Mac Ruaidhrí. We don’t know enough about his dad (besides that he was abusive in the og comics) to decide but since the more common Anglicization of Mac Ruaidhrí is McCreary or McCrory, one of Steve’s ancestors might have just taken the English surname.

---

genuinely if you finished this, ty bc this is so niche of an interest 😖💕💕 ily and i'll get the villains out soon 👀

tag list: @punemy-spotted, @thornsnvultures, @sweetascanbee

[traegics]

Closed Starter - @beavtifvltragedies (Aria)

Andreia's arrival had done the one thing he had worked so hard to dig himself out of. It sent him spiraling again, back down that dark hole of heartache and panic attacks. He could've gone to his mother but if he was being honest, that was the last person that he wanted to go to about this, plus Aria had been around for the relationship and the inevitable break down that came along with her death. Hands trembled lightly as he lifted his bottle of beer to his lips, gaze trained straight ahead of him as her shadow casted across the bar, an almost empty look against his features. "Did you know Andy was back," Lucas questioned eventually, the words almost inaudible as he attempted to muster the strength to even speak. "I don't- I had just started moving on and now she's back and I feel like absolute shit. Guilty, physically ill, empty, confused. I don't know what to do."

[art-of-manliness]

Odds & Ends: February 2, 2024

Huckberry’s Valentine’s Day Shop. Valentine’s Day is coming up. If you’re looking to get something for your gal, check out Huckberry’s Valentine’s Day Shop for some one-of-a-kind gifts that go beyond Walgreens’ plush teddy bear holding a heart. A few stand-out items: Flint and Tinder Women’s Waxed Trucker Jacket, Redstone Pocket Knife, Turquoise pendant from j.bee. Glaucon’s Fate: History, Myth, and Character in Plato’s Republic. I read this book several years ago in preparation for my interview with the author, Jacob Howland, and still think about it today. Howland’s argument is that in the Republic, Socrates was attempting to save the soul of Plato’s politically ambitious brother, Glaucon, but ultimately failed.  Throughout the book, Howland provides insights about Greek notions of manliness, or andreia, and how cultivating the virtue of manliness can help you seek after the Good.  The Great British Baking Show. Thanks to our daughter, Scout, our family has become big fans of the Great British Baking Show. We’re slowly working our way through some past seasons. The BBC-produced reality competition show pits at-home bakers from the United Kingdom against each other in a series of baking challenges to impress judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith. The show is refreshingly charming and wholesome. I think the appeal comes down to the fact that the contestants are actual amateurs (and don’t even get any money if they win!), and unlike most reality competitions that play up conflict and rivalry for drama, the bakers support and root for each other. It’s just so pure.  Getting the Pump: On the Resurrection of the Body. Author Jordan Castro has penned one of the best and most lyrical odes to weightlifting I’ve come across. He describes how he once ignored physical training, feeling that the cerebral life of the mind was superior and more meaningful, but came to discover that it was something that imparted a new kind of knowledge and a transformative connection to the true, humbling verve of reality. “Thus lifting,” he writes, “which is commonly thought of as the activity of the egotistical and vain, is in reality the opposite—it is a corrective for those things.” When we lift, we go through a bit of suffering so that we can become a new creature and become who we are — it allows us to pass through “little deaths and resurrections every day.”  Quote of the Week Look in the face of the person to whom you are speaking if you wish to know his real sentiments, for he can command his words more easily than his countenance. —Lord Chesterfield The post Odds & Ends: February 2, 2024 appeared first on The Art of Manliness. http://dlvr.it/T2G8VZ

[intoy31]

On today’s 51%, we speak with Miss New York USA about how beauty pageants can lift up young women. And we’ll hear from Miss Wisconsin Earth about how she’s representing plus size women on the stage in a time of changing attitudes about pageants.

25-year-old Andreia Gibau is 2020’s Miss New York USA. Gibau is also an immigrant from Cape Verde, a small collection of islands off the west coast of Senegal.

[salorem]

CONTENT CREATOR AU

Brief summary on what they do:

Alex - Youtuber. Makes aesthetic ASMR videos about weaponmaking. Very detail-oriented, has plenty of videos to choose from with a fresh design every time. Never speaks in his videos unless it's a milestone.

Noêmia - Speedrunner and Twitch streamer. Started off as a speedrunner and gained some popularity on Youtube with her speedrun attempt uploads. Still streams on Twitch to speedrun but also plays horror games and fuck around. Doesn't really touch Youtube except to upload vods.

Kade - Instagrammer. Freelance photographer that helps smaller accounts take more professional-looking photos, especially involving cosplays or influencers. Also has a bunch of animal photos.

Kosuke - Youtuber. Uses engineering to make fanart sculptures, but also enjoys educating viewers on how the mechanisms work. A mixed bag of content, really.

Andreia - Instagrammer. Makes both original and fanart jewellery. Sometimes she appears in Kosuke's videos as the designer of their new project! Also works as their editor if they're too swamped with other things.

[livejasmin-sexchat]

Andreia Kirisawa

Andreia Kirisawa AndreiaKirisawa is a petite asian, 29 old female, with long black hair, has black eyes and a normal breast size. AndreiaKirisawa speaks english and likes anal sex, butt plug, cameltoe, close up, dancing, dildo, fingering, live orgasm, love balls, oil, roleplay, strap on, striptease, vibrator, zoom, deepthroat, footsex and…

[useragarfield]

Lolo for that fic writer ask game I know u said just the thought was overwhelming but I gotta do it so babe 3, 4, 20, 23 and 32 pleaseeeee 💖

3. Are there any fics that inspired you to write what you do?

anything @pollylynn has wrote just, across the board. brella on ao3's young justice fic singlehandedly gave me back the will to live after what happened to wally. makapedia on ao3 also has some of the best prose OVER. her soul eater fics are a source of great happiness in my life. also my friend @redbelles meg is crazy freaking talented. bless hot riding instructors sons...

4. Link your three favorite fics right now. already answered :)

20. What’s your favorite part about the fanfiction writing process?

when words are FLOWING like you're in the right mood and just things are happening JUST like you want. if i look at the clock, write, and look again and somehow it's been an hour, that's the good shit right there. also when i send snippets to my friends and they like it.

also the instantaneous high of hitting publish on ao3. god that shit's good.

23. What’s your absolute favorite trope to write? already answered :)

32. Copy and paste your top three favorite lines/jokes/sentences you’ve ever written. What fics do they come from?

i'm going to terrible and talk about more of my fics don't judge me

"This time, his emotions are at a thread. This time, he’s tired and cranky and she fucking broke him and he’s still in love with her. Wade’s been in love with her since she declared that his grin wasn’t going to work on her, or since she blew the fusebox on purpose when she was pissed off, or when she told him a million times that she hated him and then kissed him like it was more necessary than breathing. He didn’t know when or where but he was and he had been and Wade is deeply, deeply terrified he never won’t be for the rest of his life."

this season 3 fic was a labor of love and boy did i spend some time with my boy wade on this hod fic. never started the s3 section of the zade playlist over in the same damn sad spot so many times. it's from the wound's still hot, so new, it's still numb.

"So sure, it came with a little murder, but so did every job. People butchered their character, values, ethics every day to get ahead in the workplace, or just through the day. In Nathan’s case, he at least tried to add some style to it, and the only blood spilt was completely necessary, and more or less for the greater good. Definitely more. Not a lot of less, but things happened.

People pissed him off. People got in the way. People impeded the mission.

If you hadn't been designated as an innocent, there was only so much guilt Nathan could gather together for you.

Most of it ended up being pity."

one day i'll come back to you, gentleman spy soulmate mark naley tattoo fic. one day. if anyone's interested, it's just one regret to live through.

"When Castle’s hands both come up, devoted to cupping her face and directing her mouth back to his with his thumbs, Kate comes willingly. Lingers on every draw of their lips against each other, sips at him like he’s a mixed drink at a party you don’t know all the ingredients of,  but don’t care because you’re a little drunk  (on this, on him ) and it tastes pretty damn good."

deadass from one of my favorite fics i've ever wrote. a caskett ta au that is mostly the castlegc's fault and because i love them forever i eventually will write the finale. love y'all, and so does as bright as you in my telescope.

[izayoichan]

Arlene: You'll be okay, I promise.

A scream shattered the air around them as Andreia willfully "lost" control of the spell she was casting, all her rage, her anger and her desperation fueling it as it was sent towards the group. She no longer needed a dragon, she wanted them all dead! And then she could hunt Apollo and his twin until they too were dead, her mind fully consumed by hate and loss.

John: Brace yourselves! 

Eltanin remained frozen in place. His big brother was gone. He didn't know what to do, how to fight. So long he had wanted to be a mage, a spellcaster, just like his uncle River and his cousin, like Devan, and here were spellcasters trying to hurt them, spellcasters took his big brother and there was nothing Eltanin could do. He couldn't even speak or move.He was afraid and when he felt John, all he could think was: we're going to die. And there was nothing he could do. His sister was holding him and he couldn't even react. He didn't know what to do. His mother never taught him what to do.

Emil: Concentrate. Focus, ice to slow down the spell, energy to cast a ward. We shall be their shields," -Emil calmly instructed.-

Beginning - Previous - Next

[constellationclarke]

It's fine it's chill I'm totally normal over this I'm acting supremely normal I'm not biting anything

[soc-characters-as-songs]

The OCs as Taylor Swift eras?

debut: arely

fearless: meredith

speak now: kaden

red: ramona

1989: cornelia, suzy, bianca

reputation: diana, alassie, rhea

lover: dahlia, archibald

folklore: ivy, samuel

evermore: andreia, raphael

[raphael-schreave]

what's your favorite thing about each of the remaining selected?

((Someone also asked for 1 thing he likes about everyone so this is kind of a combo of it))

Meredith: she does these rhymes when she speaks like later and alligator

Diana: The way her tenacity shines and how she can keep her chin up in the most difficult situations

Ramona: her brows, more expressive sometimes than her own eyes, when they knit, when they rise and everything in between

Rhea: There’s a sing song quality in her voice that I like listening to

Cornelia: Everytime after she has a serious look on her face and then she smiles

Kaden: The rings she’s always got on and I can’t keep track of how many she actually owns

Andreia: her ability to interpret and have some kind of direct line to the meaning of art pieces

[dulcetgames]

Hi! I was curious as to which characters are bilingual. I'm certain that Raquel, the twins, and Neha are. But anyone else? I'm still pretty new to the fandom so sorry if this has been answered before

Hi there! First and foremost, welcome to the family!

Raquel: Portuguese (Brazilian one) and English. Because of how close the language is to Portuguese, she’s able to understand some stuff in Spanish as well.Axel: Spanish and English. Raquel totally taught him a couple of Portuguese words.Tegan: Czech, English, Polish and Slovak. Knows some Russian and a couple of words in Japanese thanks to the video games he plays!Karol: Czech, English, Polish and Slovak. Can communicate in French and Italian to some extent thanks to her photo shoots and catwalks in Paris and Milan. Neha: English, Hindi, Bengali and Marathi. Tadashi: Japanese and English. Can communicate in Mandarin and Korean to a degree.Claire: French and English.Ellie: French and English.

Tyler: Only speaks English, however, Claire and Ellie taught him some French swear words! 

Alistair: English

Andreia

[mythicalbinicorn]

Hey could you talk about the oc's you were telling me about? I'm curious about them.

You got it! I have alot though, so buckle up 

 Crestri/Insomniai: She's half human, with her "mother" being a Lu'ai person (a race I made up)(also, "mother" is the closest term to what they use) who is married to Edward Nygma. She exists in 2 worlds, the Young Justice show, and the DCAMU. In the DCAMU!Verse she is the main adversary of Lady Light, however is good friends with her alter ego, Elayne Leclair. She is also the SoS' pseudo mother (more ocs you'll meet in a minute) She is over 2 000 years old, and has a lot of abandonment issues. She has morals, and refuses to do things for the Light (which she is a part of in the YJ!Verse) if it seriously hurts children. Her powers include: shape shifting, voice mimicry, illusions, portal creation, and has alot of magical capabilities. Also, YJ!Verse Crestri sees Klarion as a little brother. 

 Elayne Leclair/Lady Light: She's a young French woman with the ability to absorb energy around her and use it. She ia a fashion designer (Yes, she made her own suit) and is good friends with Crestri (They do know abt each others alter egos). She lost one of her arms saving Damian Wayne, and nearly gave Bruce a fucking heart attack. On that note! She's part of the Justice League and is good friends with Hal and Barry, the three often teaming up to annoy Bruce. She is also in a relationship with Bruce Wayne, but that's really only one part of her life. She's both serious and silly, something that can be both helpful and annoying to the Big Bad Bat. She exists only in the DCAMU!Verse  

Vallili Dru-Zod/Superflare: She is the daughter of General Zod and a Kryptonian woman who wasn't on Krypton when it fell. She was adopted by the Kent's after her mother sent her to Earth, due to developing a terminal illness. Vallili exists only in the YJ!Verse, however not at the same time as Crestri or alot of the others. She is lesbian, and falls in love with Demand'r (Wally dubbing them the "Space Lesbians"). 

 Demand'r/Sunfire: She is a young Tamaranean princess, and sister to Komand'r, Koriand'r, and Ryand'r. She was kidnapped when she was young and doesn't see her family for years. She is also a lesbian and returns Vallili's love. Demand'r is strong and kind, often going out of her way to help her friends. 

Noania/Nalliand'r/Solar: She is a clone made by the dna of both Vallili and Demand'r, and they took her in as soon as they found her. She's very young, but when she does grow up she will be part of the YJ team along with the other hero children. She has a tiny crush on Artur (Aquaman and Mera's son). 

 Nikolai and Nicole Hunter/Predator and Prowler: They are twins who became orphans after their parents "died" (only on of them is dead). They are extremely close to each other, and rarely do things without the other. When they were 13 Nikolai suggested they become vigilantes because they had powers those being cat-like scences, claws, and a small healing factor. Their father is Luke Hunter. They exist in the YJ!Verse and the DCAMU!Verse. Trixie is one of their closest friends, her being Nicole's bestfriend and Nikolai's crush/girlfriend. Speaking of crushes, Nicole has the biggest one on Garfield Logan. Nick is very feminine in general, while Nicki is somewhere between feminine and androgynous. My favourite fact about nick is that he wears dresses, skirts and makeup with no regrets. 

 Kameela Ahmad: She is a Muslim scientist who adopts the twins after discovering their "extra activities". She supplies them their gear and a home. Kameela is extremely smart and often works with S.T.A.R. Labs. She is now in a wheelchair due to something that happened at S.T.A.R. Labs. Kameela exists in both the YJ!Verse and DCAMU!Verse. 

 Durriyah Ahmad: The younger sister to Kameela, she is a meta human with limited reality manipulation. She is still young, and very much looks up to her sister. 

 Luke Hunter/Dark Claw: He's the father of the twins, and is the one they inherited their powers from. After heroes failed to save his wife, he faked his death and became "Dark Claw". He later found out his children were Predator and prowler, and allows himself to get caught and sent to prison. 

Beatrix Taylor-Queen/Quiver: Known as Trixie to everyone, she is the daughter of Oliver Queen, although he didn't know about her till she was around 15-16. She decided to become Quiver after being saved by Roy/Will Harper (depending on the universe) and is very close with him. She doesn't like her father much, bacause she's scared that she's just a charity case for him. 

 NOW ONTO THE SISTERHOOD OF STEEL (they only exist in the DCAMU!Verse) 

Melody Prowell/Ballad: She is the daughter to Dennis and Sophia Prowell, being very close to bother parents she definitely inherited Dennis' penchant for theatrics, and is the most well adjusted member. She is in a relationship with Kon-El, them often leaving their respective teams for dates. 

 Sophia Prowell: Not much is known about her yet, only that she is married to Dennis Prowell and is one of the most talented voice actors known. She is incredibly close to her daughter. 

 Andreia Drakor/Oblivia: Andi is the daughter of Ares, and she begins the sos as a way to please him. She is in love with Darcy, and after only her death does Andreia become less of a villain and more an anti-hero. 

 Emiko Takahashi/Kira: Her family was killed by assassins when she was young, and her emotional state has been going downhill since. She was taken in by a League of assassins member, Black Spider, and took on the name "Kira", cutting out the tongue of anyone who calls her Emiko. She is close to all of the SOS, and later follows them in becoming anti-heroes. She is unofficially adopted by Bruce Wayne. 

Darcy Merryland/Red Lantern/Star Sapphire: After her father murders her mother, she gains a Red Lanturn ring to exact her revenge. She starts out cold and fulll of rage, but becomes more mild as the years go by. She later she discovers she love Andreia and her ring rejects her, and she dies in Andreia's arms. She is resurrected later and is given a Violet Power Ring. She leaves Earth for a while, later coming back and reuniting with the SOS (done with the sos) 

 Penelope Isley-Qinn/Red Thorn: She is a clone of Harley and Ivy the created. She is part of the Teen Titans (2003 ver.). Penny has a plant she created, named Walter. Walter is carnivorous, and Beast Boy has gotten stuck in him. She is in a poly relationship with Raven and Beast Boy. 

 NOW FOR MY NON-TV/MOVIE OCS (all of them exist in the comic books) 

 Aretha Diamondis/Valor: Adopted by Athena after her parents dies, Aretha is incredibly loyal. She was granted powers by Athena that she uses to fight bad guys. She is also in a relationship with Kon-El. 

 Daphne Galitz/Spectre: She is a young Jewish girl with the ability to turn invisible and phase through stuff. She is energetic and kind, and in a relationship with Bart Allen, something that annoys the bad guys to know end. This is because they now have to deal with two times the taunting. 

 And lastly,Caelan Sideris/Mayhem: He is the son of Ares, and is originally a villain. He turns sides after his father seriously injures Aretha, who has shown him nothing but kindness (albeit a strict kindness at times) I hope this helped, I'm still flushing out alot of my characters

[shardweavers]

Chapter Fifteen - A Man Rides Through

The two male Miqo'te quietly rode across the sands of Amh Araeng for a while. Angel seemed focused on his Amaro and the trip over the sands. He had worried that flying with the cargo might risk losing it, 'whereas,' he had argued, 'if they were riding on the sand, and anything fell, they could recover and continue'. Even the two Amaro had seemed to agree, and Ice had felt outvoted. At least, since it was past midday when they left, he knew the weather should start to get cooler as they headed south.

The Miqo'te Warrior couldn't help but continue to think about everything that had happened since yesterday. The whole thing was strange to him; the Warriors of Darkness having been shards of themselves, their supposed regaining of creation magicks, not to mention just accepting an Ascian as a traveling companion... It all just seemed completely unreal. The Warrior pulled one hand off the reins, then looked at it as they rode over the ridge; he stared as if something would magically appear before him like it had with Angel. Ice sighed a bit as he realized nothing was going to happen, then placed his hand back on the reins.

Speaking of the Ascian... Emet-Selch did seem rather interested in other means of reuniting the soul shards, but he knew better than to trust the word of an Ascian; he was sure his husband did too. He trusted Shoto, even if he didn't quite understand her thinking in this matter. She had Sumire and Yuki with her as well, and he was certain they would keep her safe. His mind continued to wander as they rode on.

Ice thought back to the final battle, as he closed his eyes to focus for a moment. He remembered seeing the Galdjent Paladin of the Warriors of Darkness. Branden was his name; he had been there with him in that moment of the final battle. The male Galdjent had consoled him when he thought all was lost. His strength joined with him to use the Light within to help restrain Hades. Could it really be that simple? 

"Ice..." Angel's voice broke the silence. Ice blinked a few times, then looked over to his husband on the other Amaro. “Are you okay?” Angel's concern was obvious in his tone. 

“Yes! I’m fine!” The Warrior smiled to reassure him, "Just... was thinking about a few things."

Angel nodded once, still unsure. He mostly stared at the feathers of the Amaro, apparently lost in his own thoughts as they rode on.

Ice let out a breath as he nudged his Amaro to keep up. "Angel...?"

The mage stopped, his ears perked up at Ice's voice. He then turned himself and his Amaro to look back.

Ice did the same, stopping his mount as he made a face. "I know... we said... we all saw one of the Warriors of Darkness. In that last fight with Hades."

"Right...?" Angel tilted his head confused. Ice fidgeted with the reins before he continued.

"I know it's a silly detail, but... well... I wondered who it was you saw?" He waved a hand a little, "I mean, it's fine if you don't remember or don't wanna say, I was just thinking about it again since..." Ice trailed off, his grin faded a bit, but he maintained a sort of smile.

Angel watched his husband fidget, then sort of lose his smile as he thought about things.

《That whole thing yesterday must be bothering him more than he's telling you... Now I'm curious where this goes.》

Angel nodded slightly in response to Anubis' mumbling. Ice seemed worried by his husband's silence... and his thoughtful staring. 

"Ahh ha ha nevermind! It was a weird thing to ask in the middle of the desert! You're... You're probably... hot."

"Lamitt," Angel replied. Ice blinked, then nudged his mount forward a bit as Angel reaffirmed his response. "I saw Lamitt."

"She was... the little White Mage, wasn't she?"

Angel nodded, "Though, she might take offense at the little part," he smirked a little. His eyes then focused on the Amaro beneath him, and he continued. "I don't know why you're curious, but... after my nightmare... and the memories it dredged up, maybe it would help to say it out loud."

"Angel...?" Ice looked both worried and apologetic. He was genuinely curious who they had each seen, he hadn't meant to upset his husband with unpleasant thoughts again. Angel seemed to realize his concern, or at least guess his worry, as he smiled and reached out to take Ice's hand.

"It's okay. It isn't bad. In fact, even in the face of destruction, she had a sense of humor."

"Oh?" Ice shifted his hand to hold Angel's properly, then perked his ears forward, curiously.

Angel nodded, "She pointed out that we weren't dead yet. That we can't do much for the dead... but the living... is another story." He chuckled slightly, as her voice had been almost playful when she said it. He'd seen the memory of her first meeting with Ardbert, when he'd been soundly beaten by the hobgoblins he'd run into. He recognized the humor of what she said now, even if the situation had been far more dire than a pack of hobgoblins. The White Mage seemed lost in thought as he recalled what she'd said.

It hurts.

Lamitt...?

I realize... he's been alone all this time. Wandering, lost, continuing on without us. Pushing forward, for our sakes. None of us ever thought he'd be left alone like that. I think the only reason we still had anything left behind was because of our crystals.

Your... crystals...?

Yeah. You know, the one you're still holding on to? Not yours?

...the Crystal of Light...?

Aye. That one. You saw my thoughts... my memories. They're fragments of who I was, what was left after everything was turned to dust and aether.

I...

I saw yours too, once. All the bad, and the good. You believe the same thing as I do, deep down. I'm certain of it. We don't live for ourselves, but for others.

. . .

Listen. Your sister, your mother... him. What happens to them if you don't get back up now...? You can still stand, right? Just one more time?

I... can... with some help.

Well, it took you long enough to say so! Ha! C'mon, we've got enough for one last push! For their sake!

After a quiet, thoughtful moment of looking at Angel's thoughtful face, Ice gently squeezed his hand. It was enough to draw the mage's attention, and the Warrior looked up to the late afternoon sky. It was still light, but it had gotten cooler as the sun started to go down; as expected. While that meant they were expected to arrive at the Inn soon, he wanted to finish their conversation. It felt important...

“I saw... Branden. The... Paladin. At first, I thought it was just because I chose to help Granson in the Crystarium. I know each of us offered to help with one of the Cardinal Virtues that had appeared...” A frown formed on Ice's face as he looked out over the dunes of sand.

The Cardinal Virtues; the twisted horrors that Vauthry had created from the fallen warriors' bodies. The fallen Paladin had been called Dikaiosyne.

Angel had wanted to help Giott, as they had been looking for 'someone skilled in the Healing arts' to chase one down. Shoto had gone with him as they chased the fallen White Mage, Sophrosyne.

Now that they knew what had happened, it seemed rather obvious that they had been drawn to help free each of the Virtues. Sumire had helped Renda-Rae by defeating Andreia, and Yuki had helped Nyelbert by defeating Phronesis. They had all gained their spent Crystals of Light, and had seen memories, but none of them had really talked in depth about what they'd seen, or what had happened... just that it had.

"She told me," Angel fidgeted with the eternity band on his husband's finger; the smile on his face was a bit sad. "We continue forward, even if we lose everything, because we don't live for ourselves, but for others." 

Ice wanted to argue, but something about the sentiment rang true... His own experience had been similar, with Branden. The memory he saw of Princess Sauldia's death, and the memories his Crystal of Light had triggered. Branden's promise to never hesitate again. The Galdjent's question about being his husband's sword and shield... wasn't that a similar sentiment? That he wasn't living for himself, but for Angel? ...For everyone...? It was Ice's turn to fall silent, as he once more heard what Branden had said to him.

Are you hesitating?

I can barely move.

I know you saw what happened to the princess. I replayed that time over and over. I wondered if I had just acted instead of thinking, could I have saved her? A simple pull or push might have dodged the spell. Maybe my shield could have stopped it.

Bran...den?

I hesitated to follow her order, even though I knew what would happen if I didn't. I knew there was no way to reverse that magic. I still made her suffer that transformation. I made her fight even after she had asked me to spare her that. Ardbert even volunteered to do it for me,  but I couldn't let him do that.

. . .

Hey now. What's that look for? You're trying to do the same thing, aren't you? You're trying to think what you could have done differently to save him from all this. You're wondering if there was anything you could have changed.

That's...

Nothing. There's nothing you could have done. But the fight...? It's not over yet. You're supposed to be his sword and shield, aren't you? This can't be all you've got left.

He...

If you keep thinking, you'll definitely lose him.

...I won't! I won't. . . . Branden help me. I can still be his sword and shield. I can be their sword and shield! I just... I can't do it alone.

Just promise that next time, you won't hesitate to ask for help. C'mon, stand up, there is still hope yet.

"Odd... I think I finally understand." Ice closed his eyes, then let out a breath. He felt Angel squeeze his hand in reply. Neither Miqo'te were paying much attention to their surroundings anymore, focused as they were on one another.

A white blur flew past the two on one side. It spooked the Amaro; they bucked their riders onto the sand as they bolted for some nearby vegetation. Angel rolled to a stop a few yalms down the slope as Ice managed to barely land on his feet.

"Angel!" Ice stood quickly as the white blur flew in front of him. He winced, then looked to his arm; that thing must have hit them as it flew past the first time. He clicked his teeth and drew his axe. Angel pushed himself to his knees and shook off the sand. Ice could see a similar slash on his husband's arm. The Warrior moved to go towards the mage, but a second white blur flew in front of him. "Two...? Angel, are you alright?"

"Just a bit... dizzy," Angel replied, as he stood and drew his cane. He didn't get a chance to look over to Ice, as he immediately held his weapon up to block one of the two white blurs that had gone right for him the second he stood up.

The blur was a sin eater; it was long, thin, and had very sharp claws on the ends of bony arms. The speed suddenly made sense, as did the slashes. The other blur made an attempt at Ice, who easily blocked it with his axe, and a frustrated growl. The Warrior was sure they could take them, but their speed, while fighting on sand might make it more challenging. Still, without a Lightwarden, the remaining stray sin eaters weren't likely to be more than an annoyance... right?

"Ice, behind you!" Angel called to his husband, as he yanked away his cane from the sin eater's claws. It pushed it aside long enough for the White Mage to cast a shield on his husband. A flicker of light blue and white hexagons appeared around Ice in time to deflect the slash of a gargoyle-like sin eater. Ice growled a bit, and heaved his weapon; with the serpentine sin eater still holding onto it; around to the gargoyle. It dodged his swing, but the serpentine sin eater went crashing into a nearby sand dune. A bright glare of white and blue light hit the hovering gargoyle in the face, and a flicker of green appeared around Ice's injury a moment afterwards. The Warrior glanced back and gave Angel a grateful nod, as the wound began to mend itself.

The serpentine eater that Angel had knocked aside was gone again, and the one Ice had thrown still writhed in the sand; it kicked up a small cloud. Angel tried to hurry across the sand, to get over to his husband, but a blur flew past him and stopped him from doing so. The White Mage gripped his cane a bit tighter as he jumped back a bit.

Ice made sure his footing was solid enough to go after the gargoyle, then leapt at the still dazed eater. He brought his axe up high, then let his momentum carry him down into a powerful Fell Cleave that managed to take off the eater's arm and wing in one hit. The sin eater cried out sharply as it suddenly flailed in a wild attempt to fly off, but could no longer manage it. It flailed its remaining arm at Ice, who had brought his weapon back to strike again. He felt a sudden, sharp, burning pain across his back that interrupted his Heavy Swing and let the gargoyle hit his leg. It was immediately followed by the soothing feeling of his husband's white magic.

"Ice, are you--" Angel's question was cut off by a sudden impact. The tail of one serpentine eater hit him square in the chest. Ice turned in time to see the White Mage collapse to his knees, gasping for the breath that had been knocked out of him. His cane had been nabbed by the eater when it hit him.

The Warrior growled loudly, and focused on the flailing gargoyle eater. If he finished that one, he could focus on the two swift serpents. A dark red aura began to swirl around him as he gripped his axe. A flicker of red appeared in his eyes, and his axe moved faster than before. It swung once and took the legs off of the gargoyle sin eater; it swung again, and through the middle. His last hit took the eater's head right off. Its aether dissipated quickly, as Ice turned to look for the two serpentine ones. In his currently heightened state, he caught sight of them both flying about, but still wasn't sure he could hit one fast enough. He moved towards Angel, and that seemed to get their attention. He took a defensive stance, and managed to hit the tail of one, but the other slashed at his side. The Warrior cried out sharply, then pivoted on his heel and swiftly brought his axe down onto the sand; the impact sent a wave of force out in a cone before him. It worked to stun the one he'd taken the tail from, but the other escaped.

Ice turned towards Angel, and spoke quickly as he gestured. A green barrier instantly surrounded the coughing White Mage, then the Warrior turned towards the flailing serpent again. It hissed loudly, then righted itself in an attempt to lunge at him; Ice lunged first. The Warrior closed the gap as he brought his axe around to behead the sin eater. It was still trying to recover, so his axe struck true, as did the three follow-up swings. The sin eater's aether dissipated slowly, and Ice turned toward his husband.

Another Warrior stood over him, the corpse of the remaining sin eater only ilms away from the White Mage's knees. Angel was still defending his face with his arms; braced for an impact that never came.

The mysterious Warrior pulled a blood-stained axe from the serpentine sin eater, then put it on his back. He had on a long, hooded traveler's cloak that hid his face from Ice's view.

Ice felt himself calm a little as he realized the sin eaters were defeated, but he was wary of this stranger near his husband. 

The stranger took a few steps away as the last sin eater dissipated into aether. He picked up Angel's stolen cane, dusted it off a bit, then walked over to kneel before the mage. Angel realized it was quiet, and lowered his arms a bit. He blinked open his eyes to see his cane being held out to him. He reached out to take it, then opened his mouth to thank Ice. He realized the one before him wasn't his husband, as soon as his hand touched his weapon. 

No words were spoken. The mysterious Warrior nodded, then stood, then turned to head off towards Mord Souq. The setting sun had made it hard to see his face, but Angel stared at the axe on the stranger's back.

《That axe looks familiar...》

Angel nodded to Anubis' trailed off comment. His chest still felt tight from the impact that had winded him. He couldn't remember where he'd seen an axe like that before, but the stranger had saved him... so... did it matter right now?

"Are you okay, love?" Ice's voice drew his attention. His husband knelt before him, worriedly. Ice reached out to touch Angel's cheek, "Are you hurt...?" The mage shook his head, then smiled gratefully and nuzzled against Ice's hand. "I'm glad... I couldn't get away from those two. I'm sorry," Ice frowned.

Angel shook his head again, his voice okay, but he sounded to still be winded. "Not your fault... They kept us apart. You took care of them." He smiled, then accepted Ice's help to stand.

"I wasn't the one who saved you." Ice sounded upset. His grumble and pout made Angel blush, then chuckle quietly. Ice pouted more, "What's so funny?!"

"You're jealous."

"I'm not jealous! I'm upset that someone else had to protect you!"

Angel's smile faded a little, but he maintained it as he nodded. "It's okay, love. I'm sorry I didn't pay better attention to things around me. You still saved me. I wouldn't have had the chance to cast anything if you hadn't kept their attention."

"That one seemed focused on you, though..."

Angel blinked, then looked thoughtful. It had felt like that, hadn't it... like each of the serpents had focused on each of them? It was probably nothing, though... after all, they were just prey to sin eaters, right? The mage looked over to the vegetation, then gently pulled away from Ice. "We should get to the Inn, we can rest inside."

"Good idea," Ice nodded, then followed his husband over to the still-spooked Amaro.

"It's okay now," Angel spoke quietly, with his hand out in front of him, "The danger's passed." The Amaro he'd been riding poked its head up, towards his hand. Angel continued forward, cautiously, then gently placed his hand on the Amaro's head. He let out a breath as the Amaro nuzzled gratefully against his hand. It seemed to settle as it smelled Angel, then shifted as if ready to let his rider back on. Angel smiled in relief, then stepped over beside the Amaro, lost in thought for a moment.

Ice similarly petted his Amaro, then got back in the saddle and petted its neck. "Thanks for the ride." He looked over to check on Angel, only to notice he still hadn't mounted up again. Ice frowned,  "Everything okay, love...?"

“Ice...? Everything... will be alright... right...?” He looked over to Ice.

The Warrior paused, then gave him a worried smile. "Yeah. Everything will be alright. Let's go meet our friends at Journey's Head. They're waiting for us and these supplies."

Angel looked relieved to hear the words. He let out a breath, then mounted his Amaro. Hr gently patted its head and neck as he spoke quietly. "I'm sorry you were spooked like that. You're safe now. Thank you for the ride."

The two Amaro seemed extremely grateful for the pets, then took off across the sand as the sun dipped past the horizon. Angel and Ice both spared a glance back to where the cloaked stranger had headed off, but there was no sign of any traveler in the distance. Angel turned back around, sure that meant he'd had a mount nearby, while Ice squinted at the empty desert. Something felt wrong, but he had no idea what it might be.

Sorry for the extra week’s delay on this one, it was mostly chaos IRL that caused it. Thank you all for your support and patience! The next chapter will check in with Shoto, Yuki, Sumire, and Emet-Selch on their way to Eulmore!

[linelpisffxiv]

FFXIVWrite 2020 5: Empathy Lost

The words eat at Lin as she works with Lue-Reeq.

“Hey, Lin. are you well? You’re not doing that thing again, are you? I think Andreia’s almost here.”

Lin shakes her head. “No, not at all. I promise you. Now we know who she was, how she beat the beast, I doubt there is much that could pull me into one. I’m just lost in thought.”

Emet-Selch is tempered. That’s what he said to her the day she stormed out of the Ocular.

And he said it in such a casual way, but every word felt so honest. As if it were a passing thought.

“We cannot suffer the tempered to live. Nor the Primals that temper them.” She speaks as quiet as she can.

Lue-Reeq’s ear twitches, but he seems to know she talks to herself, not him.

Gods, she doesn’t know what’s worse. What he said, or the fact that before he said those words, part of her hoped that perhaps she could sway this man to turn on his kin.

But a tempered cannot act against their primal. Not knowingly, and Emet-Selch is too clever, the ages of wisdom he lived through, to be tricked.

Whatever plan he has for her, it is not one that ends with him turning. It was always to draw her in.

Always with that same tone. The tempting hesitant looks that she gave in to.

She’ll fall for them again, but she knows if she gets one of those chances, it’s not in hopes of understanding the man, feel for him.

It’s so she knows her enemy.

She can hear the crinkling of leaves, feel the light of something despite Rak’tika being in the middle of a chill night.

“I hope those arrows work, Reeq,” she says She stands up and holds her own bow.

“I may not be as good of archer as you, but I know some good trick shots. One of those should work.”