#aymeric headcanon

[buoyfriend]

Bad Day ft. The Elf Husbands

Hi! This is kind of a fluffy HC ask, but say the elf husbands have had a bad day - what could their partner do to comfort them most? [not a nsfw ask per se but like. i do work from home ;)]

Aymeric

There are days that Aymeric rues his choices, sometimes the choices made for him. He had not asked to be Lord Speaker, nor had he expected to hold the title once it had been made. After all, he had taken a dagger to the ribs for his political stances, he had not anticipated that he would be trusted with this role.

Yet, he was chosen! He was elected without so much as a campaign speech. Aymeric could have rejected the offer to lead the House of Lords, but who was likeminded enough to carry out his vision? Who would meet the House of Commons as true equals? Who would sacrifice all want to safely bear Ishgard to the other side of the Dragonsong War?

On days like these, he sits among the mountains of paper on his desk. He remembers your dinner so long ago, the blush reaching his ears as you asked "Why not come with me on the next?" He had always wanted to come with you, yet here he was. Losing his days in contentious meetings, piles of rejected proposals.

He often loses himself in his imagination as he revises his proposals, choosing a warm fantasy over bitter rumination about his day. He reads each line three, four times, forgetting what he had intended for Section III, Part IX. He can almost feel the wind in his hair! In his mind's eye, his hands slide around your waist, he breathes in the scent of Yanxia's trees lingering in your hair. He had eyed the Yol you brought home, curious how high it might be able to fly. How fast it might go, the rush you must feel as you are spirited across the star to see your many sights.

He goes through the motion of dipping his quill in the ink. Smoothly, "Ser Aymeric de Borel" on the line, hearing his own name in his ears. Your voice, "Ser Aymeric, why not join me on the next?"

Did you ever get to go with them? On an adventure, I mean.

Aymeric laughs, smiling at the neatly piled documents stacked before him. I am not the tallest person, but the documents have reached my eye level. Aymeric seems to keep his neck above it all, peering over the documents to meet my eyes.

"Unfortunately, no. You know as well as anyone! After the conclusion of the Dragonsong War, our star faced new difficulties. We both found ourselves preoccupied for some time. I had hoped in the moments we shared in Ala Mhigo, perhaps...the Lochs aren't the most breathtaking sight, but an adventure all the same. I-we both had much to contend with at the time. I hold out hope that we will find a moment of respite, but-"

Aymeric gestures to his desk.

""The moment has yet to find us. Still, we make our time when we can. It means much and more when they drop by the Congregation."

He smiles before pulling a small jar from his desk drawer. He rolls it around in one hand, rich birch syrup catching the light.

"I admit, they have me spoiled. A jar of birch syrup and a bottle of my favorite wine. A few bottles if there is enough time for it. This desk has seen much merriment between the Warrior of Light and I."

He looks away from me, eyes trained on the desk as his lips curve into a grin. One I haven't seen before, a bit mischievous.

Estinien

Though he loathes to admit it, Estinien can be quite sensitive. He has always maintained his calm exterior in the face of crisis, this is true. Yet, those days come for everyone. The materia doesn't meld properly, someone tells you 10,000 gil isn't a reasonable price for your lunch, the only room left at the inn is downwind from the only washroom in the establishment.

It's not surprising how little someone who wears spikes on their armor is touched. What surprises Estinien is how badly he would like to be touched. Not just in all the ways he imagines when you're away from him for so long, but the small things.

He growls when you move his hand away from his coinpurse at the market or when he nearly misses his finger slicing a popoto. However, when you're not around, he does think of those moments when he misspends his coin on an overpriced hair tie or knicks his thumb slicing popotoes for a stew.

He regrets the growl even though it makes you laugh, he smiles thinking about your effort in making him feel cared for. He regrets making you think that you'd ever be an inconvenience, that you're in any way unwelcome when he's feeling low or walking into a mistake.

The most welcome surprise would be you, kicking down the inn room door to peel off his armor. Your hands in his hair, untying the elastic and running your hands through the strands. Your hands scrubbing the soap that smells like you into his scalp, running your fingers along his skin before your arms give him a squeeze with all your strength.

On these absolutely cursed days, he falls asleep thinking how much he wished you'd at least knock. He knows the weight of your hand against a door. He tells himself he is being ridiculous-that the moonlight streaming through this blasted window in this shameful inn with no decency to even set up curtains- is what's keeping him awake. He knows this isn't true. After the first hour comes and goes, he knows that it's because he's listening, waiting for the exact weight of your knuckles to hit the door.

You look terrible, my friend. No offence. But you look absolutely terrible. You didn't wake up early to go fishing, did you?

Estinien is too tired to let out his customary growl or scowl. Instead, he smiles down at me pleasantly as he holds his coffee mug.

"The opposite, I fell asleep late last night and woke rather late as well. I-I'd make this conversation quick, my friend."

Eager to get somewhere?

"The Warrior of Light will be here soon, it has been some time. They should be in the plaza shortly."

Estinien drummed his fingers against the table, slurping his coffee. Before our conversation has begun in earnest, he leaves far too much coin on the table at the Thavnairan cafe and shouts his goodbyes as the hum of a distant teleport sounds in the distance.

Haurchefant

Haurchefant is slow to admit that his job is hard. It's not the Holy See. He doesn't manage an entire city, his decisions don't trickle down to a far reach. Still, being Commander of Camp Dragonhead is no simple task.

Many knights have been lost during the war, and his duty to them weighs heavy as he writes notification letters to the families of the deceased. He bears that responsibility all his own, ruminating on what he might have done differently to keep just one more alive.

On easier but still challenging days, he counts himself lucky that the only problems are few. Still, he must delegate the tasks. He must figure out how to stretch supplies after the latest shipment was destroyed by heretics. He must break up the fight over Aurelle's promotion or the lewd photo of Jeantremont's beloved stolen from his trunk.

On these kinds of days, increasing in number, Haurchefant thinks about your face the first time he brought you a steaming mug of hot chocolate.

While it had been no easy feat to procure the chocolate, it had been more difficult to prepare the fragrant drink without a camp full of knights asking why it wasn't on the menu for them as well.

Still, he secreted the brick of chocolate into the camp. He looked over his shoulder as he stirred the milk and sugar in the pot. Carefully, he hid it in a drawer hoping to cover the scent as he awaited your return that day.

In his most difficult moments, Haurchefant chuckles to himself about his favorite phrase, "a knight lives to serve". For a man who has spent his entire day struggling through his duty to others, he realizes nothing would relax him more than doing something kind for you. Anything to see that look on your face again.

Haurche? How did you get the chocolate? I thought that drink was a rarity in Ishgard.

Haurchefant bellows his laugh, moving his hands to his hips as he shrugs.

"It was no easy feat, my friend! How did you know I brought the Warrior of Light hot chocolate? Did they tell you?"

Yes, apparently your recipe is quite delicious.

Haurchefant smiles softly with a soft blush that spreads to his ears. He looks around the room slowly, leaning in with a conspiratorial grin.

The House Fortemps does keep a small supply in the kitchens. Though I grew up there, I can't say that I am welcome to turn up unannounced. I wove an elaborate story about wanting to take Emmanellain out to "shop" for "party clothes" and snuck a brick of the chocolate out after we returned from an hours long venture to the Jeweled Crozier.

[headcanons-n-shit]

How about the first kiss the ffxiv boys initiate - bonus Magnai and Artoirel please? 🥺

We're being cute today u_u

First kisses (ff14boissss)

Thancred is quite used to trusting his instincts and acting before he fully finishes a thought. His hands and body move faster than his brain, grabbing at your shoulders, spinning you around, pressing you against the rough stonework. His lips slot against yours like theyre meant to fit together, that nearly-chapped texture, the slight indent beneath your tongue, as though there is a scar across his mouth you never noticed until this very moment. The slight intake of breath as a takes a half step towards you, brings your bodies flush together, one hand curled around your neck, his other arm braced against the stonework beside your head.

The sounds of clanking greaves passes. Thancred lingers, your noses brushing, his half-lidded gaze taking in the blush high on your cheeks. Just to be sure the danger has passed, he tells himself as he forces himself to pull away.

Certainly not because he never wants this moment to end.

Urianger is as meticulous in this as he is in all things. He made reservations at the Last Stand. He memorized the route he was going to take you through the Noumenon. He had an tall, gnarled, private oak tree all picked out.

What he didn't account for was the way a storm predicted to pass just south of the island would be suddenly, violently caught by a high wind and blown over the city. The two of you rush for the cover of a nearby pavilion, your coats thrown up over your heads to protect yourselves from the worst of the sudden downpour. Or, at least, to try to-- Urianger ends up looking like a wet rat, and you not much better. But the sight has you doubled-over laughing, and, not soon after, him as well.

Your first kiss is there, under that random pavilion in the Sharlyan harbor, tasting of rainwater and serendipitous joy.

G'raha wakes slowly in the unyielding cradle of the throne in the Crystal Tower. His body feels... odd. Logically, he knows that he has been asleep for a very long time. His muscles should feel stiff, his eyes crusty. But the preservation of the Crystal Tower is complete-- his neck doesn't even crack as his head rolls.

And then the memories hit him.

He flings himself from his throne, colliding with your at-speed and taking you both down onto the unforgiving crystal floor. The soul vessel cracks with a clear tone. His arms cradle your head, but his knees crack against the floor, but he doesn't care. He's alive. You're alive. You're both alive.

His first kiss misses your mouth by a malm, but on his second you grab him by his braid to guide him better. You're both crying, gasping against each others mouths, but you're alive.

You're alive.

Estinien tries not to feel nervous as you invite him into your room. The two of you. Havent really gotten to talk. After ghimlyt dark, and then you were swept away to The First, and now the world is falling apart again, and. It really does feel like now or never. If he is going to fall at the end of the universe, he wants to do so with no regrets.

Your back hits the door as it closes, and estinien looms over you, his hair tickling your cheek where it comes to rest feather-light against your skin. His eyes are blown wide, and his thumb brushes oh-so-softly against your lower lip.

"If you dont want this," Estinien growls, "then just say the word, and I will cease at once."

But your arms come up around his neck, and you never do.

Aymeric is getting sick and tired of being interrupted during his carefully-planned dates with you. Dragons, primals, assassination attempts, cats. He's trying to be a proper Ishgardian gentleman about this, but there is only so much a man can take.

Today you're wandering the Jeweled Crozier together, ohhing and ahhing at the new leatherwork on display and the new selection of fabrics for the season and even the new selection of lances from the Skysteel. It's a rare sunny day, and it can almost be called warm, and, just as Aymeric is about to slide his hand into yours, your linkpearl rings.

Something or another pulling you away from him again, you try to explain apologetically, though Aymeric doesn't let you get more than a few words out before he is leaning forward and kissing you, gently and soft.

"Come home soon," he says with a smile, and it's a good thing it's nothing urgent because you definitely spend five whole minutes just composing yourself.

Haurchefant tries not to appear impatient as he works through the last bits of paperwork for the day. It's so late it's nearly early again, and you're still not back from patrol. You're competent. More than competent. He doesn't need to worry about you, but. he does anyways.

And he breathes a sigh of relief when you try to slip soundlessly through the door, the crunching of snow caked to your cloak and armor giving you away. He doesn't bother trying not to look eager as he jumps from his seat. The two of you argue, as you shrug your armor in front of the fire and he fixes you a cup of steaming hot cocoa. Youre beautiful and passionate and infuriatingly stubborn when you choose to dig you heels in, and he nearly spills your drink all over your front as he shuts you up with his mouth.

"Dont worry me like that again," he pleads, and you can make no promises for the way he kisses you again.

Sidurgu stares at the empty space where Fray once been and just. Breathes. He expected. Something. Some kind of feeling to twist his chest. Guilt, maybe, or grief, or. something. But Fray and Myste had stood together and smiled as they were swallowed again by the Abyss, tucked again into your soul, and he feels...

relief that you are alive. Happy, to have seen them again, but also to have this whole situation behind him. And when you turn to him, blood spattered on your face and your hair all flyaway and he loves you.

It's easy to drop his blade. To step away from the violence and cradle your face gently in his hands. Less easy to pause there, staring into your eyes, waiting, because he wants this, but, more than that, he wants you to want this. And he feels joy, when your lips meet his. He feels whole.

"Ewwwwwwww," Rielle whines and makes a fake gagging noise, and you and Sidurgu both feel nothing but fond irritation.

BONUS

Magnai can't get the image of you out of his mind-- standing in the light of the ovoo, resplendent and beautiful, Khagan of the Steppe. It haunts him as he celebrates with the rest of the Oronir, drinking far too much fermented mare's milk to try to chase it away.

It doesn't work. Especially not when you're right there, laughing as Hien shakes your shoulder and retells the events of the day, how you turned from the ovoo immediately into scything down Imperials like you hadn't already been fighting all day, and you're impossible, you're--

looking up at Magnai with big, startled eyes as he leans down and plants a kiss on your lips. It's sloppy, and he tastes of fermented mare's milk, and the whole of the Oronir and the Buduga and your friends are jeering and cheering, but neither of you pull away until you're out of breath.

Artoirel is only partially drunk when it happens. It's late, just the two of you and the last two glasses of a full bottle of wine, the fireplace long burned low into smouldering embers, the barely-there orange glow casting your laughing face in beautiful, dramatic shadows. The way your nose scrunches up and you half-hide your mouth behind you hand and it strikes him, then, just how close you two are sitting, your thighs brushing beneath the table, your head knocking against his shoulder as you collapse into helpless giggles.

It's the most natural thing in the world for him to cup your cheek in his palm and tilt your face up towards his. To take in the way your eyes go half-lidded and your mouth parts around the whisper of his name. Your whole body strains towards him as he leans down the last few ilms and lets his mouth meet yours.

Forget whatever preconceptions you even held about this man: there is nothing gentlemanly about the way he kisses.

[mothwingwritings]

Look, I don’t think this would ever happen (if anything I think the two of them are/would be great buddies and would bond over their mutual love of the Warrior of Light/you), but I am a little obsessed with the idea of G’raha and Aymeric being so jealous of each other’s relationship with you that it births an intense rivalry between the two of them.

I’m talking childish levels of banter, one step away from the two of them grabbing either one of your arms and beginning a tug of war match. They would conceal their jealousy during any important meetings, when it’s time to work they are all business and decorum, too focused on trying to impress their hero with their prowess and tact to worry about what the other is doing. But afterwards, before the assembly splits up and everyone is just milling around sharing pleasantries? Oh, it’s on.

G’raha talking just a smidge too loudly about all the fun and exciting adventures he has gotten to share with you (and will continue to share with you far into the future), making sure Aymeric is within earshot so he can clearly hear each little intimate detail. Aymeric in turn excusing  himself from whoever he is speaking with so he can interject into the conversation, standing just a little too close to you as he does so. He places his hand on the small of your back while he regales the party with tales of his time together with you, recanting with a fond twinkle in his eye all the time you spent together as you brought about the end of the Dragonsong War. He focused most of his time elaborating on the moments he spent alone with you and the greatness the two of you were able to achieve together, how well you both complimented each other.

They both get under each other’s skin so easily. G’raha is essentially living Aymeric’s dream life, getting to go on countless daring adventures all over the world (and beyond) with the person he treasures the most. And Aymeric intimately knows you in ways G’raha does not, as Aymeric has been a beloved companion and confidante in your life before G’raha even had a presence. For so long G’raha simply existed as an unreachable, detached entity from you, only able to dream of an eventual reunion (that on most days seemed like an unobtainable dream). He feels like he’s constantly playing catch up, while Aymeric consistently frets that he is being left behind. Both men know sides of their hero that the other does not, and both have experienced moments with you that the other will never share, and that gets to them.

Of course all the other scions notice this and tease them both about it mercilessly. Despite the heavy handedness of it all and their desire to always one up the other, both are always exhibiting remarkably good behavior around you to the point where you yourself are a little clueless as to the extent of this rivalry. And they work hard to keep it that way! No sense in looking like a fool in front or the person they love and admire the most, even if they are hell bent on being as petty as possible to each other behind the scenes to claim the top spot in your heart.

(Which is silly, you love and cherish both equally! :) No matter how much that impartiality may irritate them.)

[killingdove]

could we perhaps get some headcanons for the ishgardian trio realizing the moment they fell for the reader/wol 👀👀👀

ishgardian trio ➳ — 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐅𝐄𝐋𝐋 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒

A/N: ooh i love this request so much!! i hope these are to your liking dearest anon ♡

𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐄𝐍 𝐖𝐘𝐑𝐌𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃

it was in the way you sliced not only your foes but the way you sliced through the air as well when you were in battle

you may or may not worship halone but either way you were clearly bestowed the gift of combat prowess by her grace

when you’d have sparring matches together, estinien would never go easy on you as he finds that disrespectful but you knock the breath out of him physically and metaphorically whenever you win

there was a day where the practice match ended in you managing to get estinien’s back to fall atop the ground and you were pointing your weapon’s tip at him proudly from your standing position

“don’t tell me you’ve gone easy on me, wyrmblood,” you smirk

estinien stares up at you with wide eyes as he feels his heart skip a beat

but he quickly schools his elegant elezen features into his usual scowl

“of course not. who do you take me for?”

laughing, you help him up and he swears the contact between your hands ignited something within him, something different and incomparable to nidhogg’s rage that he felt all the time

he comes to find your laugh is like music to his ears

he also realizes he wants to hear more of the sound, and he uses that dry humor of his to elicit more of them from you from that day onwards which results in more small smiles from him

he’s doomed

𝐇𝐀𝐔𝐑𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐘𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐄

when he wrote and poured his heart into the missive that would later grant you and the scions access to ishgard, he stopped at one point after going on a spiel about you in ink

he had unwittingly went on to sing your highest praises and much of it read like a love letter

it was during his reminiscing of your good deeds as he wrote did he realize the pure adoration and emotion he felt for you

haurchefant gets embarrassed by himself, a blush rising to his cheeks as he sets the paper aside to start anew

he was nervous such a prodigious hero as yourself would not return his feelings

not only that but he did not want to risk his father blabbering about the contents of the missive to you

later, he sees you that day and feels his stomach doing somersaults

you were just so radiant, bringing hope and happiness wherever you tread

“be still my beating heart…” he mumbles to himself before he approaches you with a smile

as usual, he was his jovial and enthusiastic, caring self

but if one were to look closely enough, the dead giveaway of his love for you was evident within his eyes as they’d crinkle at the corners with his genuine smiles

𝐀𝐘𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐂 𝐃𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐋

he had always admired you from the moment he started following your expeditions and learning of your successes

but he never knew the extent of how deep his feelings ran for you as time had passed with working with you

it wasn’t until he invites you for a one-on-one dinner within the Borel manor

that evening he got to know you better, and the back and forth conversations you had over steak and wine did nothing but stoke the flames of his growing love

when the topic had shifted to romance, he felt heat circulating within his cheeks

the way you talked about your past lovers however, caused a different heat within him; one that bespoke of jealousy

it was an ugly feeling that twisted him on the inside, one he was not quite familiar with but nevertheless he hid it well

he had asked what you found attractive in a partner eventually totally for the sake of carrying conversation and not because he was curious to see if he was the warrior of light’s type nooooo

aymeric found himself comparing his likeness to your standards and it suddenly hit him with startling clarity mid-way through rejoicing internally that he shared your type’s physical attributes

uh oh

the concern on your face when he lets his mask slip for just a moment makes him fall even harder for you if anything

with his newfound revelation, he says nothing is amiss and diverts your attention towards sharing your experiences with beastmen

all the while he’s screaming inside

[cryoriku]

hc how i think the scions + some others are religiously

• minfilia - very much religious and loyal about it. it is just a personal thing for her and something that has been a comfort over the years, she would never be preachy but it's not something she hides either.

• y'shtola - y'shtola is very spiritual and believes in a lot of things, but it wouldn't be accurate to call her religious as she would never really care to worship any of them.

• lyse - canonically athiest. she thinks theyre probably real but considers them more a figurehead for people, yet doesnt think they deserve it, as people should live for themselves and their neighbors

• thancred - pays his respects and is passively religious (ie he'll get out of a situation by the skin of his teeth and thank thaliak but that's it).

• urianger - prays from time to time. he believes, but is more spiritual than religious; pays deep consideration to the gods' roles in everything, with a larger emphasis on nature/mysticism

• alphinaud - logical about it; believes more in science, but that science must have came from a god. although not overtly religious, he makes efforts to pay his respects to any and all deities, even if they are not ones he believes are most likely to be real

• alisaie - very similar to alphinaud in that she has a logical/practical approach to religion. though, she wants to believe that every god is real, and prays from time to time when a bit of lingering childishness has her doubtful and she needs a hand

• aymeric - church boy who go to church and read his enchiridion. aware of the dangers misuse of religion can cause (obviously) and aims to eliminate that, but still devout in his worship to halone

• estinien - performs religion more than he actually practices it, as it's just so engrained in ishgardian culture that he's caught some habits secondhand. he believes they exist(/ed), it's just not his thing really.

• haurchefant - tell me haurchefant doesnt seem like the guy you went to youth group with your whole life and your parents want to set you up w him because he seems like a good holy young man but when you hook up he's actually insanely horny

anyway thats all i got 4 now

[starrysnowdrop]

Aymeric de Borel Headcanons

This is a list of the important headcanons that I personally hold for Aymeric and I have these in mind as I write him in my fics. I am not entirely certain how “popular” of an interpretation that I have of him, and quite frankly, I’m not here to have the “popular” interpretation, or to say that this is the “right” one either. This is simply how I have always seen him and I felt the need to share with you all.

If you hold a different view of Aymeric than myself, feel free to share your thoughts with me, but please be respectful of my views and those of others that you might see in the replies. I was inspired to write this post up because of @miqomischief, so thank you for sharing your thoughts!! Now, onto the headcanons!

Content warning: discussion of sensitive and potentially triggering topics, such as religious trauma, violence, and torture. Will also include discussion of mental health issues, such as clinical depression and PTSD. Under the cut below:

First, I must start with Aymeric’s birth. As of now in canon, we have zero knowledge about Aymeric’s mother, even the lorebooks have nothing to say about her. It also seems as though he was adopted right after he was born by the Borels. That all being said, it’s highly likely that Aymeric’s mother was a lowborn woman who either died in childbirth, or heaven forbid, Thordan and/or the church might’ve had her killed and the chirurgeons were able to save her baby but not her.

Either way, it must be hard on Aymeric to finally have the confirmation of who his birth father was, and must deal with everything his father had done, but still don’t know about his birth mother. I wonder if later on he will try to investigate the mystery and find out the truth about his mother. If we never get the canon account, I might expand on this in the future and come up with something myself.

I imagine the Borels were incredibly loving parents, always loving and treating Aymeric as their own child, and he never questioned how much his adoptive parents loved him. And yet they couldn’t shelter Aymeric from the constant bullying by other children about the rumors of him being the Archbishop’s bastard son.

Though I like to think that Aymeric got his insanely good looks from his mother, it’s still very noticeable that Thordan is his father, especially in the scene where Aymeric confronts Thordan, as Aymeric’s ice blue eyes are the same as Thordan’s. So even though Aymeric couldn’t prove his true lineage until that moment, everyone around him whispered that he was a bastard of the Archbishop, and he was scorned for this his whole life.

Because of this, Aymeric has struggled with his self-esteem, and he never had that many close friends. I imagine that outside of his family and their few servants whom the Borels treated like their family, Aymeric must’ve been pretty lonely, especially with finding friends his own age.

Another pressure on him was the fact that his loving adoptive parents, the only parents he has ever known, were elderly, and they would pass away long before others’ parents would. He would have to face adulthood and find his own place in the world without them, and that must’ve been devastating for him when they did pass away.

I assume that the Borels both died long before we meet Aymeric in the MSQ, so I think that it must’ve happened after Aymeric comes of age and joins the Temple Knights. This is because Aymeric is still using the bow and arrow when he meets Estinien in the short story Through Fire and Blood, but he was gifted Naegling, the Borel family sword, obviously before we meet him. So, sometime between the events of the short story and when Aymeric is promoted to Lord Commander of the Temple Knights, is likely when the Borels died.

I imagine that Aymeric joins the Temple Knights for multiple reasons, one being the obvious one of him wanting to protect his homeland and the Ishgardian people, but I think that he also wants to be included in something larger than himself, something that he will feel included, where he can be recognized and respected. The Temple Knights are where he can rise through the ranks and gain a better reputation, and not just be known for his suspected parentage.

I think that Aymeric did want the position of Lord Commander of the Temple Knights, as he had finally found a place where he felt he belonged; he would also be able to make a difference in the war effort and bring about change in Ishgard. But he had no plans on being the Lord Speaker of the House of Lords, and had to be talked into it, as is suggested in the ending scenes of Heavensward.

Stemming from the bullying in his childhood, as I mentioned before, I believe Aymeric has several mental health issues, including low self-esteem and bouts of self-loathing, clinical depression, and more recently PTSD due to the effects of the Dragonsong War, his time imprisoned in the Vault when he was tortured, and then his attempted assassination.

Though all of us Aymeric fans love to gush about how insanely gorgeous the man is, I doubt that Aymeric himself feels that he is that physically attractive. Perhaps he is aware that others find him attractive, but he probably thinks it’s due to his pretty face and nothing else.

Why is this? Well, I have always imagined that Aymeric has many scars on his body, from not only his years of fighting on the battlefield, but also the torture he endured while imprisoned in the Vault, and he also has a large stab wound from the attempted assassination. I think he must have marks around his neck, wrists, and ankles from being shackled, and potentially many cuts and burns all over his torso, especially if someone like Charibert was the one who was torturing him for information. I don’t believe Aymeric is going to find his body attractive after all of this has happened to him.

Without going into too much detail about the torture, Aymeric was imprisoned and Thordan had told the Heavens’ Ward to “question him thoroughly”. Then we see Aymeric limping as he attempts to talk Thordan out of his plans. He clearly has suffered physically and mentally due to his imprisonment. As Aymeric himself says, “Some scars do not heal.” That’s all the evidence we have of what happened in the Vault from the MSQ, and the rest I have inferred from reading about Charibert’s background.

Another factor that has affected Aymeric greatly is the Ishgardian Orthodox Church, and it’s strict teachings. The religious trauma he has experienced just adds another layer onto him trying to gain a better reputation for himself. In doing so, I surmise that Aymeric has made sure not to have any casual sexual relationships, as he would want to properly court a partner in accordance with Ishgardian tradition. On that note, I personally see Aymeric as demisexual/demiromantic and can be attracted to any gender.

To elaborate on my last point, I do not think Aymeric would ever have a casual sexual encounter. This is not only because of the church’s teachings that he would’ve grown up with, but because he is a bastard and has been shunned his whole life because of what his parents did, so I don’t think he would ever put himself in a position for such a situation to happen again, regardless of the gender of his partner. I think he would just take his time in getting to know someone and not jump into bed with someone without a serious commitment, and he would want to court a partner properly.

Overall, I think that Aymeric tries his best to make himself seem perfect, and though he truly is kind, compassionate, brave, and dutiful, that is certainly not an act, but I do think he is much less confident than he lets on. He is good at looking calm, collected, and seemingly put together. Aymeric has true leadership qualities that make him have the image of the perfect leader that Ishgard needs, but deep inside, I believe he is very hard on himself and doesn’t see himself how others do.

I also believe Aymeric is really lonely. He still seems to not have many friends, and he longs for companionship, which is evident when he asks after his friend Estinien and whenever he sees the Warrior of Light. He drops his Lord Commander mask and he genuinely smiles and even seems giddy when he’s around the Warrior of Light.

The dinner with Aymeric is also evidence that he wants more in his life than just his duty, as he seems to genuinely be interested in the Warrior of Light and their adventures—he is extremely happy if you invite him to come with you on an adventure sometime. No, Aymeric would never shirk his duty just to run away with the WoL, I can never see him ever doing such a thing. However, he clearly is lonely and some part of him likely wants to go adventuring when his duties as Lord Speaker are complete.

Overall, I do think Aymeric has the background and the qualities that could make him a great villain—savvy at politics, manipulating people to get them onto his side, persuading others to do as he bids, all of which he seems to do when he’s Lord Commander and Lord Speaker. But he only has good intentions, and he uses his abilities as a force for good in the world, and not for personal gain. And that is what makes all of the difference. He is a hero because he chooses to be, and he chooses to rise above the circumstances of his birth and what Thordan had wanted for him. That’s why Aymeric is a hero.

Well, that’s about it! Thank you very much for taking your time to read through all of this! Let me know if this lines up with what your headcanons for Aymeric are, if you wish to of course.

[cinnabun-faerie]

Celebrating your nameday with Aymeric

No matter what, Aymeric would do his damndest to make sure he got to celebrate your nameday with you

it may not be as soon as he'd want, but surely you'd understand that he'd rush to you as soon as he was free

he'd planned dinner with dancing as well as taking you for a little stroll about the city

and when he does, he embraces you with a present in hand

he would be a little nervous of your reaction to his gift

there had never truly been anyone who he'd felt so in love with before

so he wasn't really sure what was appropriate at this time in your relationship

he could have asked for advice, but honestly he got so carried away when he saw your gift that he just acted on impulse

he was relieved when you opened your gift and looked up at him with the most beautiful smile

one that would always have him falling in love with you over and over again

"Happy nameday, sweetheart."

[yukiotacon]

Elf husbands poly Valentine's day hcs

You can bet your ass they are gonna have every important meeting about this

Aymeric does the impossible he ........ takes a break * audience gasp *

They have a very thoughtful discussion on what to get you

Unfortunately Aymeric ends up becoming the voice of reason for both Haurchefant and Estinien

Haurchefant going way overboard on the idea of showering you with gift

To which both Estinien and Aymeric have to remind him of last year's incident

Poor Haurchefant unintentionally was the cause of all the delivery moogles to be super tired

Estinien on the other hand is of course terrible with money

Haurchefant literally had to tackle and drag him away from a 200k ribbon for your hair

Aymeric was the one who came up with the plan

Which included

A nice stroll around Gridanian ( Estinien)

Participating in the sweet heart even( Haurchefant)

A nice home cook feast in the Borel manor

It semi when off without ay hitch

Fortunately or unfortunately Haurchefant channeled his inner 2014 heavensturn when he spoke about his partners

Yeah, all three of you were red as a tomato

The dinner was delicious and plentiful

Aymeric made sure to include everyone's favorite food on the menu

When the food was eaten, Haurchefant leans in and whispers " My love do save room for dessert ~" Haurchefant says in a sensual manner

Let's just say dessert was eater inside your shared bedroom and it involves a nice chocolate fountain and fruits platter and three still hungry Elezen men

To all Warriors of light I salute you because good lord you ain't coming out of that bedroom any time soon

Happy valentine's day guys ♡♡♡♡

[theworldwalkerswols]

Alt text:

Twitter user Athenaeum @/athen_aether on Jul 29, 2022

Aymeric carrying Estinien from the Steps of Faith ought to become an entire genre of art 1000 years after The Dragonsong War. Y'know like the Lamentation of Christ. It's 'The Mercy Of St Aymeric', sometimes styled 'The Deliverance of St Estinien' and it's always very homoerotic.

[alfonce-astrida]

On Hope and Family

A character study of Artoirel during Heavensward

If you had told Artoirel de Fortemps that one day the Warrior of Light would be his sibling, one of his closest most trusted companions he would have hesitated to believe you.

It's not that he didn't believe Haurchefant when Fortemps Manor received his first letter all but begging for you to be allowed access to Ishgard, when he'd called you "hope incarnate". Its just that, well, Haurchefant always has been a touch dramatic, has always worn his heart so openly, always given it so freely. A trait that Artoirel has always been somewhat envious of, if he was being honest with himself.

And then you arrived and you were... not what Artoirel was expecting. He remembered briefly reading of the events that led to your arrival, being publicly accused of murder, running for your life, how many allies lost. Perhaps that explained the subtle hollowness to your eyes, the way you seemed to only really half smile, the way you clung to Haurchefant's side. For a god slayer you looked... tired.

This is part of why, Artoirel tells himself, he is so displeased at being forced to work alongside you. That and Artoirel is a knight of Ishgard, does his father really think him incapable of aiding the efforts at Falcon's Nest alone? But he did see the way your eyes seemed to light up at being given a role, a purpose, even one so temporary. So he didn't complain. Much.

Whilst in Falcon's Nest, the two of you find a knight injured by heretics. He feels a pang of guilt sending you off on the dangerous task of finding the heretics while he collects reinforcements, but you do not hesitate. You have always been happy doing the hard tasks, the dangerous ones, if you do them alone then no one else can get hurt. Artoirel watches you go and perhaps he is beginning to understand why Haurchefant called you hope.

He finds you later, having single handedly fought through the heretics, though their leader, Lady Iceheart escaped. You offer him a smile, and he finds himself smiling back.

Artoirel learns later of your efforts to rescue his brother from his own foolishness. Though of course, people were generally more focused on the new primal, he did not miss Honoroit's story of how you threw yourself into enemy territory alone to protect Emmanellain. Casually, he mentions this thought to Haurchefant who just smiles and nods as he looks over at you from across the room.

Unfortunately, this moment of peace is quickly broken by the news of Alphinaud and Tataru's arrest. The events that unfolded were nothing more than contained chaos, but Artoirel saw once more how willing you are to protect others, how selfless you are, and how you were, above all else, kind. So very kind. Haurchefant was of course there to celebrate your victory.

It is now that Artoirel begins to open himself to you. You care so deeply, perhaps not at openly as Haurchefant, but just as honestly. In the time you spend in Ishgard, staying in the Fortemps Manor, you slowly but surely begin to feel like family. He sees how you laugh and joke with Emmanellain, how you always make sure Honoroit knows he is seen, how tightly you hug Haurchefant after you haven't seen him in a while. How you spend time with him, talking softly, listening genuinely, how you don't care for the expectations of Isghard high society, how you don't judge that he does. And when you leave for Dravania with Estinien and Alphinaud, on some mission you cannot tell him of, Artoirel finds himself praying to the Fury for your safe return.

You come home as often as duty permits. Staying for a few days after reaching a brick wall (or barrier) before being whisked away to Ul’dah. And then you're home again only briefly before you make the journey to slay Nidhogg. Strange, when did Artoirel start to call Fortemps Manor your home? He worries for you each time you are gone, and is so very relieved when you return safely, but he trusts your skill. He knows you will be fine.

When you leave to fight Nidhogg it's different. You leave with Estinien alone. On a task none know if you will survive. Though Artoirel worries for you greatly, Haurchefant and Alphinaud are beside themselves. In your absence, Artoirel offers what comfort he can, words of praise to your skill, your past triumphs, you have slain gods so what is a dragon? You and Estinien are among the greatest warriors of our age. You will make it, you will win and you will be fine. Safe. Artoirel does his hardest to believe in the words he says.

And then the Dravanians attack. If your duel with the Heavens' Ward had been contained chaos, well then your return to Ishgard was pure unadulterated chaos. Artoirel later learns that you returned to the city with Lady Iceheart in tow, how you ran into Haurchefant on the way, and how the lady turned the invaders away. She spoke of a lie. A lie the very city of Ishgard had been built upon. It would have been too much to believe if any but you had spoke it. You would not say something like this if it had any risk of being wrong. He trusts you. And so does Ser Aymeric.

It is this trust, and the desire to do good, that leads Ser Aymeric to be arrested. That leads you and your allies to fight your way through the vault to rescue him, to stop the ArchBishop.

Artoirel is not there when Haurchefant gives himself for you. When he lies dying in Ser Aymeric's arms. When he asks to see you smile one last time. When his bright light flickers and goes out.

Artoirel is there though when you return to the manor after, your voice shaking, tears in your eyes, trying so hard to be strong. In the quiet moments in between you sit close to one another. You, Artoirel, Emmanellain, Honoroit, you all sit in silence pressed against each other as tears fall and bodies shake with echoing sobs. There are no words to be said. No words of comfort to give. You all know what you have lost.

He watches you leave the next morning, a terrible grief and a terrible rage within your eyes. He understands. He feels it too. He just prays that you do not lose yourself to it. That you come home safe. Artoirel does not know if he could take the loss of another sibling.

When you leave once more, to stop the ArchBishop, to take revenge upon Ser Zephirin, Artoirel watches you go. He watches long after the Excelsior has disappeared into the clouded sky. He prays once more.

"Please let them come home. Please."

You do. Thank the fury, you do. But Estinien does not return with you.

Still though, there is hope. You are safe and the moment you are alone with Artoirel he pulls you into the first hug he has ever given you. You wrap your arms around him in return. The both of you holding each other tightly, there is no need for either of you to speak. You both understand. He may not ask you in as many words to be your sibling, but you both know it to be true. You have both loved and lost, you would both do anything to protect that which you love. You are family.

You stand together with the Fortemps, a signet ring heavy on your finger, as Ishgard rejoins the Eorzean Alliance. As Ser Aymeric smiles at you, Artoirel's mind returns to the words Haurchefant once wrote.

"Hope Incarnate."

Artoirel turns his face to the sky allowing himself a small smile. "You were right, Haurchefant. You would be proud."

[buoyfriend]

A Surprise Birthday Gift ft. Aymeric, Estinien & Zenos

I've always wandering about Aymeric's, Estinien's and Zenos's reactions at a gift given to them by WoL. And their realization that they've forgotten about their own birthdays:)

Aymeric

Though Aymeric is a shrewd and clever man, he is a busy one as well. [redacted] day of [redacted month] is always labeled "House of Lords Vote" or "Alliance Meeting" rather than "Nameday Celebration".

Ser Aymeric's nameday is quite the event in the Holy See. In the weeks preceding it, the price of dragoon blue dyes skyrocket at the Jeweled Crozier. Florists prepare their stocks of blue oldroses, always failing to estimate the number needed every year.

Lost in increasing responsibilities, he always fails to see the month of unceasing attention coming for him like snow tumbling down a mountain. That is, until it has arrived in the form of many, many gifts.

He ignores the notes praising the lustrousness of his hair and the richness of his voice. He sends his regrets, he will not be able to attend any banquets in his honor. He discards requests to meet in some dark corner of the Empyreum ward under the waxing moon.

Instead, he chooses instead to spend the night in his office, lamenting the strangeness of his culture. For as much political opposition as he had received, he had always received shallow admiration in equal measure.

On such nights, his thoughts trail off into the meaning of the day. This nameday, the very first day he was Aymeric de Borel was the first time he was chosen. It was the first time he was loved.

Imagine his surprise when you catch him lost in reverie! He doesn't give much time to reflect on his parents, but you've found him doing just that as he sips his tea before the fire in the parlor. As he shakes the thought of the very first time he was loved, he thinks on all of the love you've given him in the time you've known each other.

Your gift isn't a shallow attempt to earn a high house's title nor to win his political favor. It's simply a token of your appreciation, of your affection. To say he is moved is an understatement.

Aymeric, you receive so many gifts each year. Why was this one so meaningful to you? I'm told you "stuttered and couldn't find any words"!

Aymeric blushes, red spreading to the tips of his long ears. He gently clears his throat as he looks away from his interviewer.

"Truthfully, I did struggle in that moment. You know the ways of the Holy See, if not through your own travels through these interviews, I'm sure. Their gift was simple, but it meant all to me. Not a grand bouquet of oldroses, not jewelry crafted by the Crozier's finest artisans. It was not extravagant nor was it attempt to curry my favor. It was a small token, made for me by their own hands. The same hands that carried the burden of Ishgard's history, the same hands that rebuilt the Firmament.

Though you and I do share quite a bit of candor between us, the exact nature of the gift is not something I will disclose. That is between the Warrior of Light and I. But, know that as they presented the gift to me, I was quite overcome. My eyes glazed over with returned admiration as I thought of exactly where I might place it to see it every day."

Estinien

As his Temple Knights are wont to do, Estinien has long enjoyed excuses to celebrate over a pint! Despite leaving his company of warriors, he has not lost his interest in celebrating namedays at the Forgotten Knight.

But despite all interest, his attention has been split in the last several years. Since your arrival in Eorzea, his views have been shattered. On his life, his country, the world around him.

A man so committed to defeating dragonkind, driven to cast aside his family name in place of "Wyrmblood" has found himself in the deepest kinship with many dragons. His nameday is the last thing on his mind in light of the years' many events.

Estinien prides himself on being difficult to find, only appearing on the board at the precise moment that he would like to join the game. Alas, you have found him. The surprise does not end there.

Though he catches himself as the words tumble out of his mouth, he does realize that his tone was impolite, that your intentions were nothing but kind, he is quite taken aback that you have learned his nameday without him sharing it directly with you.

He softens as you extend your hands with a gift, surprised that you would make a point to find him at all, let alone on this day with a trinket meant to express your feelings.

It must have been quite a shock that the Warrior of Light found you. How do you think they did that? They are quite talented, you and I both know that, but you're a slippery one. How did they manage?

Estinien releases a low growl as he rolls his eyes. He sighs as he turns to look at his interviewer.

"Gods if I know. I would like to know to avoid a repeat of the incident. I do not enjoy being surprised in such a way. Though, I do admit, I enjoyed the rest of the surprise. In these last few years, I've had quite a bit to consider. My views on things have changed, as you can see.

Estinien turns his head to smile lightly at Vritra.

My view of myself has changed. The last time I celebrated mine own nameday, I was covered head to foot in a wyrm's blood, cheering many deaths at the Forgotten Knight.

He scowls, head hung low for a moment as if he's not proud to admit this in present company.

The Warrior of Light made a fool of me, of what I had believed. But in that, they made a better man of me as well. I was a fool, we all were. It was a nameday better spent, surrounded by the friends I couldn't have imagined having before we met. After all, the taverns in Thavnair aren't half bad."

Zenos

To say that Zenos is disconnected to the arbitrary ways people mark the passage of time is an understatement. He may have attended Garlean banquets for his nameday, but to say he "celebrated" them would ring false.

He has a singular focus, of course you know of it, he has told you many times. He has chased you across the star, to the far edge of fate, longing for the fulfillment that only a bloodstained dance with you can bring him.

He is not surprised when you refuse him yet again, but even more surprised when you offer something else.

At first, he is disappointed that you would speak of something so banal, a nameday. He had expected that you of all people would understand, it was simply the day one had breathed their first breath on this star, simply the day they were first known as who they are.

Yet, he must admit, he is...feeling something. An emotion he can't quite place, one wholly unfamiliar to him. He feels it strongly as soon as he hears your voice calling to him, watching your eyes hold his gaze. His first friend, reaching out to him simply because you remembered a fact from this history books: Zenos Viator Galvus, born [redacted] day, [redacted] month, Sixth Astral Era.

The Warrior of Light had long refused your company, rejecting your pleas for another glorious battle. Why do you think they came to you on this day?

Zenos is wearing a face that I myself have not seen before. He looks flummoxed, his expression shifting as he searches for words to define the emotion lingering within him.

"I had hoped when I heard them call my name in the distance that I would turn to see them, weapon drawn, hunger in their eyes. I was disappointed to find them marching slowly, comfortably. Not racing, leaping for the first strike. I had thought I had overcome disappointment,. It is hard to be disappointed when you have no expectations for mankind, knowing in your heart that they would never rise above their drive to satisfy base instincts. Yet, I felt deep disappointment to watch them stride closer to me, arms extended to present me with a gift.

A gift! A material trinket. I scoffed at it, yet found my hands grasping it, my arms clutching it to my chest as they said their farewells. We parted ways once again, our mutual friend once again leaving me with an emotion I never thought I would experience. Not simply the disappointment, but...

Zenos casts his head upwards to the moon, gazing at its' fullness. He is silent for a moment, forgetting that he had just been speaking with someone. He is lost then, imagining something I could not fathom.

Do you treasure this gift?

Zenos turns back to his interviewer, his lips spreading in a wry smile. His hand moves to his pocket as if it were a subconscious act, fingers curling against a shape in his pocket. He walks away without another word, as if the question was just as banal as remembering a nameday, of loving a friend deeply enough to share a gift. Yet, he smiles once more at the moon, a smile that slowly becomes a grin.

[headcanons-n-shit]

Hello

Your newest post reminded me i had an idea. The bois comforting wol who is having a nervous brakedown from all the stress. Bonus Ardbert.

I really like your stories. Especially the angsty ones.

(TAZ The Breakdown plays in the background)

(Mild shadowbringers spoilers)

Thancred literally (accidentally but still) disassociated so hard from the stress that he gave up his body to the bad guy for a bit. If anyone gets what youre going through, its probably going to be him. Hes not going to waste his time on empty platitudes: hes going to get you a glass of water, a warm blanket, and a hot meal, and let you cry it out on his shoulder for as long as you need to.

(And if that still doesnt help, well. Sex is still on the table. Its rarely a good idea, but hes all out of those.)

Urianger is probably breaking down with you lets be real. Every future my mans has ever read has included world-ending catastrophe, and, sure, youve thwarted it every time (usually with his help) but. What if this time you dont? What if this time you fail???? Its an unreasonable amount of stress for one man to be carrying. He probably does a fantastic amount of fantasy weed to cope and still all it takes is seeing you break down for him to also start blubber-crying.

Graha seems kind of detached and distant at first. "Shower water food" he commands you, in the voice of Lynas grandfather the Crystal Exarch, firm and uncompromising and impossible to disobey, and you might miss the way his voice and smile are strained. The way his hands clench and unclench at his sides. Hes never regretted turning back time to help you save two worlds, but. Its times like this that he wonders if he shouldnt try again to give you a happier ending.

Estinien is a firm hand on your shoulder, a steady shoulder to lean on, because he gets it. The feeling of being trapped in your own body, puppetted by powers so much greater than you can imagine, almost greater than you can comprehend... Youre breaking down for the both of you, honestly, because hes spent so long training the iron discipline to resist nidhoggs influence that he doesnt know how to anymore. This is. Cathartic. For the both of you tbh.

Aymeric wishes in this moment, more than anything, that he could just. Just be with you. Out on your journeys, giving you support by your side instead of from a distance. And he knows, he knows, that the support he gives you is important, that his ability to move nations in your favor has helped far more than any single sword at your side ever would. But he bears the weight of a nation while you bear the weight of a star, and that just. Doesnt seem fair to him.

Haurchefant knows that theres some things that hot chocolate cant fix but. Its a good starting place if nothing else. Something warm and sweet right now couldnt hurt, neither would a soft blanket and a roaring fire. He'll sit with you, bundled up together, and just listen if thats what you need. Or he can talk-- he has plenty of embarrassing stories about Artoirel that he hasnt shared yet. Either way, he'll happily help you wipe your tears away when youre done, and then drop a delicate kiss on your forehead.

Stand tall, he says. A smile better suits a hero.

Sidurgu is surprisingly good at this. Or, maybe not so surprising? Rielle is very mature for her age, but shes still a child. He probably does this whole song and dance every other week. And you feel a little bit like a child, the way he bullies you into the shower and then bundles you up in blankets and pushes food at you, but. Beneath the gruff words and scowl you can tell hes worried. Frustrated. This is exactly the kind of injustice that as a dark knight he swore he would fight, but hes just one man, there isnt much he can do about the desolation of the star. But he also needs you to know that he'll always be in your corner. Whether in this little way or if you need him to help you kill a god, he'll always come when you call.

BONUS

Ardbert has never felt so helpless in his life. He cant touch you, cant be a shoulder you can cry on. He cant even fetch you a glass of water. All he can do is stand there and watch as you break apart in your bed in the Pendants, and its. Its torture, worse than anything any ascian could ever conceive.

Still. He does what he can. And if all he can do is sit at your bedside, his hand hovering half-through yours in a mockery of touch while he tells you stories of his adventures, or friendship and triumph and happier times, well. Its the least he can do.

[tsunael]

WoL Think Thonkers

8. What is one of their biggest regrets? Has it had an effect on how they act moving forward, for better or worse?

Haurchefant is a big one, of course. Canonically he is the WoL's main regret, but in Tsuna's case I have been mulling over the idea inspired by this post that she tried so hard to bring him back that not only did she perform the taboo of using her own life energy for her white magic once she drained herself both of mana and ambient aether, but that the sheer strength of her wish caused his corpse never to rot-- similar to Niellefresne's condition. It ensures that he is tethered to the world for as long as she is.

Does it have an effect on how she acts moving forward? Yes. Despite her meetings with Fray telling her that she can't save everyone, and that to sacrifice is to renounce everything. She becomes distant for a time, and quicker to anger.

Aside from the obvious canon losses that she couldn't prevent, the other regret (coincidentally also around the same time) is having a drunken, one-night stand with a certain rogue. No, it doesn't go well. It affects their relationship negatively well into Shadowbringers.

[killingdove]

Elf boys request, their morning routines. Getting out of bed, shaving, getting dressed, eating etc

ishgardian trio ➳ — 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒

A/N: hi anon!! since you didn’t specify which elf boys, i chose the ishgardian trio :) i hope you enjoy these headcanons as much as i enjoyed writing them!

𝐇𝐀𝐔𝐑𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐘𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐄

this little ray of sunshine is—to no one’s surprise—a morning bird. has no problem rolling out to start his day. after all the day is full of opportunities to seize!

is one to quickly dress to get it over with

never misses leg day and does his morning squats for 45 minutes

is on top of his facial grooming. sees to it that every dastardly hair is gone

gives himself a pep talk in the mirror

“alright haurche, today’s the day! the warrior of light will be here soon; be cool”

dorkily does the Haurchefant Thing (aka his emote) before leaving the restroom to devour a big hearty but nutritious breakfast

despite his (impressive) musculature, haurchefant has a huge appetite and fast metabolism

probably whistles the whole way to his office

𝐀𝐘𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐂 𝐃𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐋

being in such a high, significant position as he is, there is no time to waste in the mornings. is up and at em’ sometimes despite the few hours of sleep he got because he was working late into the night (…again)

usually gives a big yawn (due to his lack of sleep) as he stretches while sitting upright in bed

drags himself out to take a quick cold shower and also takes the time to meticulously shave while in the shower

always drinks his coffee; 9 out of 10 times it works and he’s now a productive member of ishgardian society

always makes sure to wear his earring as he considers it a lucky charm

takes a morning jog on the rare days it’s not snowing in foundation (and is oblivious to all the eyes that openly check his lithe, beautiful physique out) if he can’t, then he does his personal exercise regime inside

returns to his quarters or goes on to don his usual full Lord Commander Attire™️

strictly sticks to the diet lucia devised for him

power naps if he didn’t sleep well enough and time permitting (like when he finishes his morning routine early)

practices his cordial, politician mask in the mirror and makes sure it doesn’t slip as he goes about his day out in the public

𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐄𝐍 𝐖𝐘𝐑𝐌𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃

is another early riser. wasn’t one growing up but has grown accustomed to the ways of being one due to his rigorous training over the years

most likely grumpy because it’s 6AM and nidhogg’s fury is furying

sleeps commando so he makes sure his curtains are drawn the night prior when he gets out of bed

being the azure dragoon, his physicality had to remain in tip top shape so he lets his bloodlust for nidhogg and the dravanians motivate him to exercise

foregoes breakfast in favor of the eorzean equivalent of a protein drink typically because his schedule doesn’t permit enough time to cook (not that he can cook that well anyway unless squid is involved)

contrary to popular belief, he does shower and like aymeric, cleanly shaves during it

takes the time to care for his hair with the proper shampoo and conditioner and takes the time to brush it thoroughly when out of the shower

polishes his armor carefully before wearing it

makes sure his dried squid snacks are in his pockets before taking on the day (??? why is he like this)

[teawithaphd]

---Headcanons of the Scions and Sleep---

Back again with more headcanons! Can I get a snork... mimimimimimimi.......

bonus sleepies at the bottom

bone app the teeth <3

Alphinaud

He would be a very heavy sleeper, the Final Days could occur right outside and he would never know if he were already fast asleep

Occasionally gets nightmares of the Crystal Braves and the Bloody Banquet, all revolving around him failing everyone and everyone blaming him for it

He wouldn’t stir from it, but the change in his demeanor the next morning when they occur is pretty visually clear. S/o usually would have to talk him into opening up about it, and with some comfort and encouragement, he’ll be right back on his feet again

He needs his beauty sleep, and will get cranky if he doesn’t get his full 8 hours of sleep

Little pancake flipper, never stays in one place

To bed, he wears an adorable blue silk pair of polka dot pajamas with a matching eye mask and sleeping hat (so he can snooorkkk mimimimimimi)

Despite him sleeping so deeply, he’s a rather quiet sleeper and doesn’t really snore. If you listen carefully though, you can hear his quiet breaths as he sleeps peacefully.

Alisaie

Shes a mid-heavy sleeper; can be woken up but you’ll have to shake her quite a bit.

Her nightmares come rarely, but when they do, she would dream of being far too weak to save her friends and loved ones, and helplessly watches her friends go through what Tesleen did, as well as relive the memory of her becoming a sineater.

They’ll usually wake her up in a cold sweat, but with a little sneak-out into the kitchen for some midnight tea and snacks, a little midnight chatter, and the warm presence of her s/o, she’ll be good as new and sleeping like a baby

She needs her blankets because she gets cold easily, and she’s a blanket hogger, don’t expect to have any blankets the moment she falls asleep. They’ll all be gone.

A kicker, too. Expect to find new bruises in the morning if you share a bed with her.

AND a talker. Will often say the most ridiculous, nonsensical things you’ve ever heard come out of her mouth while she's deep asleep.

She has a matching pair of polka dot pajamas with Alphinaud, pink ones. Ameliance gave it to them awhile back, but they’re so comfy she never got rid of them

Thancred

MSQ says he’s a light sleeper from all his missions

His nightmares get pretty bad, and he’ll try to stay up as long as he can without having to sleep to avoid them outright—yet he eventually relents

The nightmares are of all sorts of things, from Lahabrea, to losing Minfillia and Ryne, leaving the First, failing the others, Louisoix, the list goes on…

He’d often leave the bed the moment he wakes, sometimes with a start, and either find a place to sit outside or paces in the room

He’s a tough one to comfort, and would take a lot of coaxing and patience to get him to open up about what he dreamt about, but his s/o would eventually always get through to him, bringing him back to bed, and keeping them close in his arms the rest of the night.

Because of his work, he can fall asleep anywhere, on a bench, a log, on the floor, you name it

Prefers to only be in his boxers when going to sleep (or nothing at all after a spicy night)

Urianger

He’s a rather light sleeper, though not as light as Thancred

Up until post-Endwalker, he’d be plagued by nightmares of his betrayals, his friends and loved ones discovering his schemes and hating him for it, Moenbryda’s death, and telling her parents about her death (before he actually did it) fairly often.

Comforting him would take getting up with him to go to the kitchen, enjoy a cup of tea together, and slowly talking it out (though he would be a hard nut to crack, arguably the hardest of the Scions)

He and Alisaie sometimes find each other in the kitchen at night and stare at each other like O — O O — O

He stays perfectly still, to the point where one would think he’s dead, which when they go to inspect his body, he’d only crack open a single, unblinking eye

His only giveaway that he is indeed still among the living is a modest, comical snore (he snork mimimimis)

Also a living space heater

He’s capable of sleeping in any condition, from sharing in Thancred’s missions, but would prefer to sleep butt-of-ass naked in his feathered bed with silk sheets

Y’shtola

A rather light sleeper, will be among the first to wake and the first to get up to investigate any disturbances that might occur in the night

She claims to be an early sleeper, one of those to say “early to bed, early to rise”, “must get your beauty rest” preachers, but will actually get lost in a book at night, sleep late, and end up with the book in her face in the morning

She doesn’t have many nightmares, but will sometimes dream of Runar and leaving the Night’s Blessed behind in the First

She wouldn’t mention it in the morning, but s/o can tell by that far-away glance and more sentimental look about her that she’s been having those dreams again

Has a very faint snore, almost sounding like a deep purr, paired with a light toss-and-turn, and a penchant for snuggling up to the nearest heat source in her bed

Has a full 12-step beauty routine before bed and refuses to go to bed before taking a bath

She would also be very picky with her pillows and blankets, if a pillow is slightly too soft or firm, no one will hear the end of it

Owns the prettiest, black silk nightgown that Tataru could ever craft, with a robe to match

Estinien

A very light sleeper, would start with even the faintest sound or movement

Nightmares, lots and lots of nightmares. I don’t think he’s ever known a good night of sleep in his life…

He’s the type to jump from his bed and reach for his lance before realizing where he is. S/o often has to grab onto him, shake him, and hold him down until he comes to. Estinien needs quite a bit of comfort, gently holding him until he regains the courage to go back to sleep again, never letting go till morning (he’ll never admit it though, and will totally play it off)

SNORES LIKE A BEAST

When he’s deep enough asleep, they’re loud enough to rival the dragonsong

Also has a penchant for drooling on his pillow at times, and clinging to anyone brave enough to sleep beside him (though he will adamantly deny it to the end of time, even with his s/o)

If there’s a pillow and a bed, he sleep, though he does have a penchant for getting too hot at night and tossing his blankets to the ground

Sleeps in the ugliest men’s 16th century French night gown you’ve ever seen (literally everyone has told him to dump it)

G’raha

He’s a moderate sleeper, but has a hard time falling asleep

MSQ has mentioned that he fears falling asleep in fear of never waking up

When he finally does get to sleep, he’s usually pretty sound. On the odd occasion that he does get a nightmare, however, it would be about losing friends, loved ones, or his s/o despite all he does to keep them. Even rarer, he’ll have imposter-syndrome nightmares, where he finds out he’s not the real G’raha, and his life is not his own, but those pass towards the end of EW

Unlike some of the other Scions, G’raha’s actually pretty easy to comfort. S/o will likely find him already out of bed, staring softly out the window on a cold night, with only some warm incentive and the allure of cuddles and conversation to lull him back into bed. The rest of the night is spent snuggled up in his warm embrace, with the soft beat of his heart to bring s/o into a restful sleep as well

He gets cold easily at night and needs a warm bed and plenty of warm, weighted blankets to keep him toasty (his s/o might suffocate under all that weight, though)

He’ll usually sleep on his side, curled up in a fetal position, and sometimes moves his tail about like a sleeping kitty as well as purrs. He’ll also sometimes subconsciously curl his tail around his s/o in his sleep

If s/o has a tail, he’ll curl his tail around theirs

Wears warm and soft cotton pajamas that Tataru made when he came back from the First with matching, cozy socks and ear socks during colder, winter months

--Bonus--

WOL Panne

(OC WOL, From A Tale of Two Warriors Link)

She’s a pretty light sleeper

Usually her sleep consists of a blink before waking up. Very rarely she has nightmares, but on the occasion that she does, she doesn’t remember them, but still wakes up with a yelp and a start, sometimes wakes up crying but doesn’t remember why.

It would be tricky to comfort her, since she wouldn’t be able to remember anything about her nightmares. After waiting for her nerves to calm, she falls back asleep silently in the arms of her s/o.

Chronic pancake flipper

Throws her blankets and sometimes pillows everywhere and wakes up with nothing

Also gets into a starfish position somewhere in the night, with her arms and legs splayed out

Also kicks and punches anyone who dares sleep in the bed with her, intolerable sleeping partner, 0/10

Like Estinien, if there’s a soft surface and something that resembles a pillow—she calls it a night!

Wears a cute pair of cotton shorts and a tank top to bed (which she didn’t ask Tataru to make for her, and yet it’s comfy)

WOL T’orr

(OC WOL,From A Tale of Two Warriors Link)

Chronic insomniac, and he doesn’t know why

But when he does fall asleep, he sleeps like a log and absolutely nothing can wake him up, it’s amazing

He doesn’t sleep for long enough to really have any nightmares, but is the kind of person to be constantly running plans and plans for worst case scenarios in his head as he sleeps

(When he does sleep) a bit of a flipper and every once in a while would talk in his sleep, though what he says is nonsensical except for the occasional reciting things he has to do

When his s/o brings it up in the morning, he’ll play it off,

“What, me? I didn’t do that... Though I do appreciate that you love me enough to dream of my voice~.”

He is the most difficult of the Scions to get to sleep, and his requirements are a very, very long list. (maybe I'll post it if you ask UwU)

Usually only sleeps every 2-3 days, and has to be at his breaking point in order to actually fall asleep. He will occasionally take ‘cat naps’ throughout the day, though.

Doesn’t wear anything special to sleep, contrary to popular belief. He gets fairly warm at night, so he would own a plain shirt and shorts to sleep in.

Aymeric

Terrible, terrible sleeping habits

Fairly heavy sleeper when he does get sleep

Gets a fair amount of nightmares with the prosperity of a country weighing heavily on his shoulders. He would constantly be fretting about it, especially in his nightmares. On occasion, he has nightmares of fallen comrades and foul memories in the age before their newfound peace.

As a workaholic, his usual sleeping spot is his desk

When he is finally coaxed into bed, he would be a fairly quiet sleeper and either sleeps on his back or his side

He looks serene like a princess in his sleep, it’s quite endearing

Ideally, he enjoys a soft bed and softer pillows, but his exhaustion always reaches a breaking point at the wrong time and place…

There was once such occasion where he was having dinner and fell asleep face-first into his soup…with Lucia right in front of him

He owns a very elegant silk men’s nightgown, in blue, of course, adorned with beautiful gold embroidery throughout

Erenville

He’s a fairly light sleeper

Used to short sleep and long travels, so he can usually last with 3-4 hour spurts of sleep and travel

He very rarely gets nightmares, but when he does, they’re usually silly ones, like a horde of frogs attacking him all at once, or being swallowed by a giant toad

Has inherited the Sharlayan penchant for having terrible sleeping habits, like falling asleep with a book in his lap during long nights spent deep in research with mountains of archon loaf to keep him going

When he gets normal sleep, like a normal person, please, He’s a tad restless at night and tends to flip sides quite a bit. He also has a bit of a kicking tendency…(probably dreaming about getting to his next destination)

He’s pretty easy to please in terms of sleeping requirements, always being out and being pushed to his limit as a gleaner, especially during the Final Days. He got used to sleeping pretty much anywhere whenever he got the chance, but he’d much prefer a proper bed

A simple pair of soft, cotton pajamas are all he needs to get a good night’s sleep, and the one he owns has a little embroidered frog on the t-shirt pocket. He also owns a frog plush one of his gleaner friends got him as a gag gift on their graduation that he cuddles up with in his sleep (and doesn’t tell anyone about, ever)

----See the Menu----

[starrysnowdrop]

This is one of my favorite conversations between Hali and Aymeric that we have in the game (you know, outside of what I write for them I mean). It not only shows Aymeric’s insecurities but Hali’s as well, which Aymeric in that moment takes Hali’s words as giving him a confidence boost, but he doesn’t know how true Hali is in her remarks here.

This is actually foreshadowing my WIP of their love confession scene, as it’s only a short time later when Hali confesses her love to Aymeric, only for her fear of rejection to overcome her before Aymeric is able to respond and she almost turns into a blasphemy. The biggest coincidence is that I came up with the idea and began writing the scene way before I redid this questline and saw this. IDK I just think it’s cool.

~ Thoughts on my WIP: “With Love Always”