#ink-dreams-ffxiv

[xmimiteh]

What's your role in the tragic play? -X'mimiteh Lhim

misunderstood villain

prepare for an onslaught of both the most dehumanizing and hateful takes, and flood of thirst comments. you are chronically misunderstood. whether or not you're actually evil is debatable. you may be acting out for revenge, to defend someone you love, or even just to protect yourself. you're a pretty jaded person. you don't trust or even really like most people. maybe you did at one point. but that part of you is gone, and you don't go a single day without grieving it. you think a lot about what your life could have been. you're stuck in the past. you're angry and maybe you don't even want to be, but this is the only way you can see to survive. you're open, but less in a trusting way and more like a wound. you don't like to let people see you, but the hurt spills out of you before you can stop it. you're impulsive, even as you try hard to plan and prepare. maybe someday your side of the story will finally be heard. until then, you can convince yourself that being hated is safer anyway.

I did not expect this. Though Mimi was never intended to be a hero, I would rather put her in the role of an anti-hero. She is grumpy, she can be mean and rude - but she has a good heart (she tries very much to hide). Maybe it is just the word "villain" that does not feel right here for me, because as difficult a character she can be, she is not supposed to be a straight up villain. But that is probably making her exactly that - a "misunderstood villain"? Being in a situation, where people do not understand why she acts the way she acts, why she is rude and mean and insulting and feisty. All just to cover up all the hurt and guilt she feels. She is jaded to some point, but still just feels "too much" - and that is her main problem. She cannot deal with that. And that's why she is angry. All the time. The more I think about it, the more it actually might be really spot on? I am confused!

Quiz: >HERE<

Tagges by: @miqojak and @arasnealashandr - Thanks so much for tagging!

Tagging: As I have been on a little hiatus due to my vacation and business trip I totally lost overview of who did that and who not. So, I apologize for anyone who now will get tagged, but has already done it. But I keep on tagging people, because I prefer tagging someone twice over someone not getting tagged at all. Here it goes: @fair-fae​ @avwalya​ @punchelf @lady-lissette @ysandrethedreamer, @kich-rp @candlelethe​ @ink-dreams-ffxiv @limitsbroke @captainkurosolaire​ @zhauric @antlers-and-omens @vulpes-ferus @starforger @miqoquest @gatheredfates @arbiterofthedead @archaiclumina @reconditerune @airis-ray @ahlis-xiv @luck-and-larceny @uldahstreetrat @blackbirdffxiv @riftdancing @cactusxwren @little-birdseeker @azure-seadragon @thorstyr @angelinecarax @miqomonkly @shavri-ffxiv and - as always - everyone who wants do it! Just do it and tag me, so I can read your answers. Really, I would love that.

[sarnai-dagra]

Nine people I'd like to get to know better

These wonderful peeps tagged me and I'm soooo thankful as I get back in the swing of things! Psst this is @mai-takeda :-p: @iona-xiv @it-maple-moff

Last song: Snooze - SZA

Favorite color: Purple! Followed by Royal Gold so close.

Last movie/TV show: The Marvels which wasn't bad though the masses felt that the case *shrugs*

Sweet/spicy/savory?: All? Why are you trying to limit me? I cannot be contained! Hehe sweet if I must choose one. All depends on what is being consumed really.

Relationship status: Jumped the broom long enough that it feels like I jumped it a few times *snickers*

Last thing I googled: GShade because it's time to get back to screenies

Current obsession: Christmas shopping unfortunately for the bank account.

Not even sure how many of my old peeps are still around but let's roll the dice since this one is harmless! Soooo tagging these wonderful people! @avwalya @fair-fae @captainkurosolaire @ink-dreams-ffxiv @maxikha-ffxiv @marilyn-maeve @airis-ray @moon-ffxiv @glendurgrodar @ashenbun @starforger @the-hawkeyes

If you did it already then no worries! Keep smiling and keep being awesome!

[wandringaesthetic]

Regarding last reblog, I'm sometimes @ myself like: if you're some kind of gender weird, how come, when given the opportunity to create your own character in video games or tabletop games, you've nearly 100% been a woman?

Well. In part, I think it's that a lot of games offer the ability to play a masculine role. Fairly few offer the chance to play a woman and fewer as one I really relate to.

And also, when it comes to FFXIV.... I could spill a lot of ink here that would not be very interesting, or I could sum it kind of stupidly as: trying to play as femme miqote made me feel dysphoric. It's partially the height, but it's mostly the particularl brand of femininity in the animations. Like, spunky, feisty, playful, energetic, etc etc. I think I would have a similar problem playing femme au ra or viera. I cannot relate to someone this soft and pretty and conventionally attractive and if au ra, small. Not for the hundreds of hours this game asks of me, anyway.

(ironically (?) I can get in a lalafell headspace, especially if I dream up some kinda gothic lolita adjacent persona)

[moonfurthetemmie]

The Maelstrom and the beasts

Beasts

Those most at risk to turn into beasts are those who have trouble regulating their emotions. This is one of the things that Nightmare and Dream managed to find out before they died, though it had only been a theory. The others have since seen this proven as fact.

People like Cross and Error, who were close to a spirit, happen to have a slight immunity buff, but if it won’t save them if they can’t keep calm. There’s also only a handful of people like that. Finch and Ink may be the only other ones.

Hacker and Bobby are probably high risk wuh oh

Xena is very high risk and Cross is trying very hard to help her work on that, but Xena doesn’t want to work on it. She doesn’t want to fight this thing! No one else can seem to convince her to at least try.

The radiance beasts are called ‘radibeasts’ (said like ‘ray-dee-I beasts’), and the corruption beasts are ‘negabeasts’. Totally did not base the radibeasts off of the Sin Eaters from FFXIV: Shadowbringers. Me? Never

None of the beasts are sentient. 

The radibeasts’ blood glows gold, and the negabeasts’ tend to glow purple, but not always. Similarly, the radibeasts tend to come mostly in white, yellow/gold, and sometimes orange, while the negabeasts’ can come in any number of colors. This is because radiance and positivity are gold, and while negativity is purple, corruption’s color somewhat depends on the user. At least in DS and other kai + frey involved AU/MVs

The radibeasts and negabeasts will go after each other at any and every opportunity. The only thing they want to kill more are humans, monsters, and Corvus and Orion.

The Maelstrom

The Maelstrom, after it absorbs the old Tree’s magic, is able to form tentacle-like appendages from its body, made of it’s super toxic corruption or radiance. That’s why Orion was mumbling about calamari and squid

The Maelstrom might be sentient, but it couldn’t understand its surroundings for a while. It can only sense emotions, positivity, negativity, radiance, and corruption. It didn’t know Corvus and Orion were statues, and then destroying them would destroy the magic it wanted.

The Maelstrom controls the beasts. It directs them to certain places or people during a fight, and can command them to ‘retrieve’ things, such as the statues of a couple of spirits

The Maelstrom also acts almost entirely on instinct. It seeks out strong sources of positive or negative emotions and takes it for itself, turning it into magic for itself. It has no real goal except to ‘survive’, and as it’s own magic is constantly warring against itself, it needs to consume large amounts of magic frequently. 

It would likely spread to another multiverse if given the chance. 

Due to the Maelstrom’s nature, the multiverse is actually sitting in a balance between positivity and negativity! Unfortunately that balance is still fucked up right now somehow.

The Maelstrom, oddly enough, will leave unusually strong spirits alone until it can find a source of the opposing magic. For example, Dream’s radiance might’ve been a tempting target, but it didn’t have an equally powerful source of negativity, so it didn’t go after him right away. If it knocks its own shit out of balance, that’s not going to be good for it! Or anyone else, with how powerful it’s gotten. If it becomes purely negative or positive the whole multiverse will probably crash and burn. So that’s a fun thought.

Origin story!

In Corvus and Orion’s universe, a very small settlement of priests lived near the Tree. They had decided to try to help protect it, as a tree with this sort of magic must surely be very important. Lots of people, human and monster, seem to want to take the apples, too. 

Two of those people have been hatching a plan for a while now. And while they’re working out how to distract the priests, not realizing that there’s a guardian spirit as well, the humans run into this little creature. A little impish dude. A trickster. A little bastard, if you will.

The imp had tried to steal apples from the Tree before, evading the priests but being chased off by the guardian with a few scratches. They’re not too happy with the spirit guarding the Tree, and decide to be a little bitch about it. The humans don’t know this, though. 

The imp, disguised as a regular monster, asks the humans what they’re up to, and goes “oh? You wanna steal the apples? Well, I tried that once. I failed, but I’ve been working on a way to deal with the spirit. I can help you, if you promise to share.”

The humans agree, not realizing that by ‘share’ the imp meant ‘give them all to me’, and they all make a plan. 

The imp has been painstakingly working on a weapon that can deal with the Tree’s guardian. An ornate magic dagger, which they refuse to show the humans until the time comes.

During a short lapse in the priests’ active watches, they attack. The imp goes for the spirit, only for her to jump out of the way. They wind up stabbing the Tree itself instead, and before they can pull it out the spirit kills them, their hand still clasped around the hilt of the dagger. That’s um. Not good for the spirit. 

The priests had heard a commotion and come running, and the humans are forced to flee, but the spirit’s fuuucked. The priests can’t seem to heal her. 

She tells them the Tree is going to need a new guardian, and they’re all like “yes, yes, we will steal their firstborn children.”

“That’s. Oddly specific. and kind of medieval. But whatever i guess, as long as they can protect the Tree.”

The spirit expires, and they begin looking for the two humans that attacked with that little imp fucker.

…It seems like there’s still a presence inside the Tree, though.

They study the imp’s dagger and learn about many of the enchantments on it, but do not notice that it was also very capable of transferring certain energies. Guess what little bastard in stuck inside the tree

The process caused them to lose a lot of themself, though, and they’re essentially asleep. Once they wake up…weird shit starts happening, eventually leading up to the Maelstrom’s ‘birth.’ Anything of the person it once was is gone, now. They paid a much bigger price for their greed than they could’ve known.

[stormbabylore]

All right, here goes! Started a tumblr specifically to infodump about all my baby FFXIV WoLs. Here's my main, circa Heavensward, when I finally had some glams I loved for her. She's a precious little bean, and I affectionately call her my "Stormbaby." ♥

So, a few things about her!

Name: Aeryn Stormwater

Age: Probably mid-20s, but she actually doesn't know!

Class(es): She canonically started as archer and later picked up the lance, too. She did try her hand at conjury but struggled to connect with the elemental magics and remained rather weak in the art. A known associate of the "Dutiful Sisters of the Edelweiss," she has some meager skill with a dagger, but she prefers the bow. (Outside canon, Aeryn has both black mage and astrologian AU personas!)

Crafting/Gathering: Omnicrafter forever! \o/ (Although I still haven't picked up armorer for some reason.) Canonically, just weaver, alchemist, and botanist. She does end up helping out around Naldiq & Vymelli's from time to time, mostly just with gathering and deliveries between the city-states.

Other Hobbies: She keeps a journal with her at all times that she uses to jot down notes, important details, sketches, and maps of all her adventures. When words fail her (which is frequently), she often finds she can write or draw what she thinks. She will also, eventually, take up painting.

Extras: Aeryn has no memory of anything besides her name when she wakes up on a chocobo cart bound for Gridania, in Eorzea, a place she knows nothing of. Folks tend to assume the stars on her face are tattoos, but upon closer inspection, they don't appear to be inked. The yellow streaks in her hair are natural, though everyone assumes she dyes it. (The game doesn't allow it, but her bangs would be yellow, too!) She frequently dreams - often having nightmares - but she can't seem to remember anything about them when she awakens. The first time she sees the ocean, she falls in love with it, and she has a tendency to spend her idle time near natural bodies of water when she is able.

About the Ears: When she saw those bun ears at the Gold Saucer, she Had. To. Have. Them. She still wears them with several of her glams. Unclear if she will ever give them up. /huh

And a few things about me!

I am Not a Typical Gamer. I panic in dungeons and feel terrible when I mess up. But I am o b s e s s e d with this game, its nuanced storytelling, and its myriad ways to play and explore.

I have too many so many alts and will likely end up blabbering about them all here at some point.

I've been playing XIV for about a year and a half, but I like taking my time with the story. Just finished Shadowbringers MSQ and am taking a pause for my emotional sanity. :D :D :D

(Still avoiding Endwalker spoilers where possible!)

I can't do FCs. They bug the heck out of my anxiety.

If I emote at other players, I'm probably highly over-caffeinated! I generally feel extremely awkward afterward and often just... run away.

⋆｡° ✩ °｡⋆Urianger⋆｡° ✩ °｡⋆ I love him with the entirety of my heart.

If you read all this, thank you, and have a lovely day! /beam

[keicordelle]

Steel and Crystal

Fandom: FFXIV Rating: E Pairing: Estimeric Tags: Explicit Sexual Content, Porn with Feelings, Explicit Consent, Established Relationship, Friends with Benefits to Lovers, Estinien Wyrmblood is Bad at Feelings, Oral Sex, Anal Sex, POV First Person (more tags on individual fics) An Estimeric series of mostly smut and some fluff, all related but able to be read independently. Set post-Dragonsong War, Estinien returns to Ishgard after trying to come to terms with his possession by Nidhogg, and Aymeric is more than happy to welcome back his lover. In between their fervent need to touch and be touched, they start to realize that perhaps their casual arrangement has become something more.

Read the series on Ao3!

Masterlist under the cut (WIP)

Moonlit Meeting      E | 4981 | POV Aymeric      Estinien returns to Ishgard post Dragonsong War

A Promise as Yet Unspoken      T | 1295 | POV Estinien      Aymeric trims Estinien’s hair

Office Delights      E | 2708 | POV Aymeric      Office blowjob beneath Aymeric’s desk

Our Beautiful Reflection      E | 3783 | POV Estinien      Rimming and reverent sex before a mirror

Hot Water and Warm Lips      E | 4754 | POV Aymeric      Comfort sex in/after a bath

A Test of Endurance      E | 6474 | POV Estinien      Teasing on the training grounds leads to blowjobs in a nearby bathhouse

Thoughts, Internal and Voiced      E | 5054 | POV Aymeric      Angst soothed by voiced desires and dirty talk.

Culinary Experimentation [ Ch. 1 | Ch. 2 ]      E | 6238 | POV Mixed      Estinien takes up cooking as a hobby, which eventually leads to food sex

Rescue [ Ch. 1 | Ch. 2 ]      E | 6650 | POV Estinien      Estinien rescues Aymeric from the Vault, and helps soothe him through the aftermath.

A Singular Kind of Hunger      E | 2073 | POV Aymeric      Estinien helps Aymeric through a wet dream.

An Arrangement of Convenience [ Ch. 1 | Ch. 2 | Ch. 3 ]      E | 9514 | POV Aymeric      Flashback to when Estinien and Aymeric made their FWB arrangement, and their first time together.

In the Quiet of the Barracks      E | 1969 | POV Estinien      Flashback to their Temple Knights days, quiet wall sex in the barracks.

A Dangerous Game      E | 5663 | POV Estinien      Jealous claiming at a masquerade

Of Nightmares and Longings      E | 3270 | POV Aymeric      Estinien soothes Aymeric’s nightmares with stories of his family and comfort sex.

Forced Vacation [ Ch. 1 | Ch. 2 | Ch. 3 ]      E | 11909 | POV Aymeric      Aymeric signs a contract with Estinien for a free use weekend.

The Courage of a Fool      E | 7139 | POV Estinien      Estinien confesses.

Wine and Revelations      E | 8010 | POV Estinien      Awkward drunken sex.

Return to Ferndale      T | 4459 | POV Aymeric      Estinien and Aymeric return to Ferndale for the 25th anniversary of its destruction.

Blue Silk      E | 7886 | POV Estinien      Light bondage brings back traumatic memories for Aymeric.

Wounded [ Ch. 1 | Ch. 2 | Ch. 3 ]      E | 9727 | POV Estinien      Aymeric cares for an injured Estinien.

Sound and Sensation      E | 3490 | POV Aymeric      Blindfolded sex

A Discussion of Firsts      E | 6115 | POV Aymeric      Aymeric and Estinien discuss their first times.

A Map of Memories      E | 3953 | POV Aymeric      Charting the scars on Estinien’s body

An Impossible Future      T | 4781 | POV Estinien      Estinien and Aymeric babysit and imagine what it would be like to have a child of their own.

Somnolescent      E | 2138 | POV Aymeric      Undernegotiated somnophilia.

Many Kinds of Magic      E | 6209 | POV Aymeric      A snowball fight turns into body worship and gentle sex.

Ink Across Parchment      T | 1153 | POV Estinien      Aymeric sketches Estinien in the dead of night.

A Contest of Wills [ Ch. 1 | Ch. 2 | Ch. 3 | Ch. 4 | Ch. 5 ]      E | 10140 | POV Estinien      Estinien loses a bet to see who can go the longest without coming and must submit to Aymeric’s whims for a day.

Over Any Distance      E | 3642 | POV Estinien      Linkpearl sex

Epistolary Comforts      E | 2445 | POV Mixed      Explicit letters

Just For Tonight      E | 5200 | POV Aymeric      Estinien shows up the night before the battle at Ghimlet Dark for one stolen night together.

[rain-grey-falcon]

Prompt #9: Dreaming

Prompt 9: Yawn - FFXIV Write 2022  Characters: Rainimont Griseaux, mention of Edarien (@thedarknesssings) 

“In all my dreams I drown.”

He remembered those words from before, when asked if he dreamed. He drowned. In Starlight. In Shadow. In Ink. In Blood. Every night, he drowned. A ceaseless onslaught that had been happening since he’d been awakened. But just like the way the rest of his life had changed, the nature of his dreams had also changed. 

From dreams of drowning, to dreams where tendrils of blackness drug him down into an imperceptible depth. So many of his nights had been filled with this dream. The endless pull down into what seemed like a floating nothingness. Coiling and twisting things that wanted to make sure he never again saw the light of day so distantly above.

From dreams of drowning, to dreams where he stood at the edge of a wide precipice, prowling back and forth like a hunting animal, his gaze fixed on some distant point beyond it. The chasm gaped wide before him, so wide he couldn’t see the far edge of it, though he knew it existed. There was something waiting for him on the other side, though if asked, he could not have told you what.

From dreams of drowning, to dreams where he stood back to back with some shadowed and hunched figure. It was mottled, disfigured, with elongated fangs and wide tattered wings and arms that stretched too long and ended in ferocious claws. Sometimes that figure was a man, and without turning, he knew that he was identical to him, with aqua hair that fell in a wave, with a teal and silver gaze that would meet him, unsmiling. 

It was him who he had replaced. It was him who guided some of his hidden memories. The figure in his dreams spoke sometimes, like a familiar friend. Like an old lover. The voice was always his own rumbling bass. On and on he spoke, until words that were sweet turned into venom, into poison to drip into his ears. Until Rain wanted to double over and cover his ears and scream. Until chains forged of dripping water of fathomless black lashed out from his spine and coiled around the figures throat and waist and arms and legs, and he could feel it at his back, bound to him. Bound in him. 

When he slid into semi-coherency this time, it was to the feeling of fingers brushing down one of his arms, soothing him. He’d been restless, his pillow was balled up beneath his head, the blankets that draped over him bunched down to his waist and tangled around his long legs. He turned into the brush of fingers, a quiet sigh parting his lips., not quite awake and not quite asleep.

His eyes blinked open slowly as he stared up the arm to the ash grey skinned man on the bed beside him. He barely had time to meet ice blue eyes before a low voice was murmuring for him to go back to sleep. His mouth opened, perhaps for a protest, but it never came. Eyes slid closed again, and in another breath he was sinking back into stillness and slumber with ease, body turning towards the hand sliding across his bare arm.

The remainder of his sleep was dreamless, and when he awoke in the morning it was from a satisfying sleep, a hand muffling the yawn he suppressed as he tried to shake off the depths of slumber. He lifted his gaze to watch the man still sleeping on the bed beside him, and another yawn hand him eyeing his pillow once more. 

With reluctance he drew himself up from his little makeshift space and folded the bedding he had used once more, tucking them over to the side before he was disappearing through the curtain into the bathroom. Perhaps a hot soak would banish that fatigue. He had enough time to confront what he could have sworn was simply further dreaming once he was fully awake.

[mikayla-w-marks]

Day 2/365

Prompt: What can't you leave the house without? Fandom: FFXIV Characters: Unnamed Miqo'te WoL (Gender Neutral) x G'raha Tia POV: G'raha Tia - After Endwalker MSQ in Sharlayan Trigger Warning(s): None! Words: 394 Date: Oct. 11, 2022

By the time the morning sun was shining gently through the curtains, G’raha was already out of bed and dressed for the day. Looking over to his bed, he took a moment to look at the Warrior of Light, his Warrior of Light, as he likes to think. They laid still curled up under the blankets, resting peacefully with their face buried into the small mountain of pillows. Every so often, they would deeply inhale before burying their face deeper into the pillows. When he would ask about that, since this happened every single day, they would say they can smell him, even in their sleep. Whether they knew it or not, comments like that had an effect on him; Tia or not he was still a man, after all. Thinking about such things and watching them, once more, deeply inhale and then bury their face more into the pillows that apparently smell like him, had him turning around swiftly before he could be tempted to join them once more in bed. He could feel his face turning the color of his eyes and hair just from the thought.

Tail flicking wildly behind him, he forced his racing heart to slow and then forcing his mind to do a second once over just to make sure he’s not forgetting anything important. Staff, check. Carrying bag, check. Journal with empty pages available, check. Ink and quills, check. Gil pouch, which he often forgets to the chagrin of his Dear Warrior, check.

“And I will pick up the tome on the way,” he mumbled absentmindedly to himself. He then straitened his top to make sure sure he looked professional and ready for his upcoming tasks and with one more glance at his love he walked briskly toward the door, opened as quietly as possible, and stepped out with determination. He had made it all of three steps before whirling right back around and into their room.

‘How could I forget?!’ he chastised himself.

He marched himself, as quietly as he could, right up to the side of the bed where his Warrior still slept, still recovering from their fight with Zenos. He then leaned down and planted a kiss to their temple. They seemed to smile lightly in their sleep before being sent back to the land of dreams. Now he’s ready to face the day.

[ffxiv-resources]

Exploring the Inn Room

So around level 10 you got access to the inn and shortly before leaving your starter nation you passed out and woke up in it. If you took the time to look around you'll have noticed there's a number of things in it; a bed, two bells, a desk, and the Glamour Dresser and Armoire.

[Image ID: Two different stand bells, the bell on the left is made of wood and brass with a sign under it and the words Summoning Bell over it. The bell on the right has red blue and white stripes on the stand and a sign behind the bell and the words Crystal Bell over it. /end ID]

The summoning bell has no significance until sometime around level 20 MSQ when you unlock retainers. You can also find them in every market place generally near the market board. You use them to summon your retainers to give them things to sell and hold and send them on ventures.

The crystal bell is how you summon the Aesthetician. Once you do Beauty Is Only Scalp Deep you can use this bell to summon Jandelaine to change up the small features on your character.

[Image ID: An open book on a desk with a quill in an ink well next to it with the words The Unending Journey over it. /end ID]

this is where you get to rewatch just about any cutscene in the game that you've already seen (so long as you've finished the corresponding quest.) The quests are separated by type (i.e. MSQ, side quest, job quest) and from there further broken down so you're not sifting through an endless list. You just need to find the quest the scene was part of and, if there was more than one scene, which scene in the order it is.

[Image ID: Two images from inside Ul'dah's inn in FFXIV. On the left a small chest sits on top of a dresser; it's partially open and seems to hold a stuffed moogle. The words Toy chest are above it. On the right is an ornate wooden structure with a stylistic harp on it. Above, it is labeled Orchestration. /end ID]

Doing certain optional content will unlock mini games. Once unlocked, they can be played whenever you want from the toy chest. Can be a fun way to idle if you have a longer queue or you're waiting for reset or what have you.

And throughout the game you'll pick up what's called Orchestration Rolls. I think of these as the rolls you'd put in a player piano. Once you use the roll you can play the track on any orchestration player in the game. Playing it changes the BGM in the room for all occupants, it's worth noting, so in FC houses with players you might want to ask around before you change the playlist.

[Image ID: A cropped screen cap of the bed in Ul'dah's inn room in FFXIV. Above, the bed is labeled Comfy Feather Bed. /end ID]

And lastly, we have the bed. From here you can log out or exit the game. You can also try on clothing from the cash shop here, however, which I feel is handier in helping make sure you like the look of something on your character before you spend your real life hard heard cash on it.

So if you've looked around the shop and have you eye on an outfit or three, or would prefer to shop by actually seeing it on your characters, the first thing you need to do is interact with the bed and select Dreamfitting

[Image ID: Same image as before only now there is a selection box in the center. The box asks "What would you like to do?" and the options are "Nothing.", "Dreamfitting. (Try online store gear.)", "Log out." and "Exit game." /end ID]

And once you've done that you'll get a window with the in game dressing room and a list of clothes and outfits and other gear to the left.

[Image ID: FFXIV's dream fitting screen. on the far left is a column labeled "Category" and lists "Latest Trends", "Online Store Exclusive", "NPC Attire", "Fan Festival", "Other Collaborations", "Heavensturn", "Valentione's Day", "Little Ladies' Day", "Hatchingtide", "Moonfire Faire", "The Rising", "Hunter's Moon", "All Saint's Wake", "The Starlight Celebration", "FFX", and "FFXIII".

the next column to the right is labeled "Available Items" and has a list of outfits. The outfit "Street Attire" is selected and a drop down is displayed under it listing the pieces of the set. To the right of that is the dressing room where my alt Thren, a medium skinned Lalafell, is shown wearing the selected attire. /end ID]

the cash shop can be handy if, say, you do a seasonal event and really like the outfit but now you've made a new character and the event is over. It's also handy for NPC cosplays and for all the online exclusive outfits.

In that list of categories, Heaveansturn, Valentione's Day, Little Ladies' Day, Hatchingtide, Moonfire Faire, The Rising, All Saint's Wake, and The Starlight Celebration are all yearly seasonal events. If an event gave gear (like Moonfire most years) when the event comes around the next year, the old gear will be released for sale- whether you did the event or not. Many of those also correspond with real world events:

Heavensturn > New Years Valentione's > Valentine's Hatchingtide > Easter Moonfire > Summer (most often august) The Rising > FFXIV's (2.0) birthday All Saint's > Halloween Starlight > Christmas

So if you want something ~festive~ going into a season and have a bit of money to spend, it can be handy to look around in dreamfitting to see what looks good to you.

[autumnslance]

Rose House Edit for the WIP files please!

WIP Ask Game:  Post the names of files in your WIP folder, regardless of how  non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title  that most intrigues them and then post a little snippet of it or tell  them something about it! and then tag as many people as you like.  

I’ve maybe realized a chunk of my in progress fics involve people getting it on that I just don’t finish/post for various reasons...A lot of my “Naughty” file fics are really meant more for me to figure out character dynamics, I think

This version is called “Edit” because it’s a draft I mucked with in ProWritingAid for grammar and redundancies way later than I meant to on Monday during maintenance after having @dragons-bones look at the base file. I keep feeling like this fic is “missing” something, but that may be a feature not a bug. Or it needs some pieces for setup and follow up, not to stand alone.

Because “Rose House” is the night in the Sea of Cloud, after Emmanellain’s little misadventure with the Vanu when Bismark’s existence was revealed early in Heavensward. It’s the night Aeryn Regrets because she gave in to emotional turmoil and physical reaction--and then never actually talked to Haurchefant to follow up on how she really felt, or how to otherwise deal with things like adults and then...yeah. Yeah.

Technically it DOES have followup, in “Ache” from the 2020 FFXIV Write, which is Aeryn’s PoV in the immediate aftermath where she realizes she screwed up and this was a Mistake (and also the more recent “Girl Talk” where she tells Lyse what happened). “Rose House” itself, however, is Haurchefant’s PoV of the actual event. If I were going to write this with setup and follow through, it’d be a bit more building up their relationship in Dragonhead and early Ishgard, and then Aeryn avoiding Haurchefant and deflecting Ysayle and Estinien’s teasing/queries (Alphinaud takes a bit to catch on, bless him), and then the fallout of the Vault and how she deals with the Fortemps family afterwards.

But for now, I wrote this to determine how and why things went between them, and while I have a vague idea of the rest, it was deciding “yes this happened” that also determined some things about how her relationship with Thancred ended up working out, and how that was different.

Excerpt under the cut:

---

She seemed so small, but he knew her to be stronger than anyone else in the realm. He could feel it in the steadiness of her heartbeat, the warmth of her form—and the tension in her muscles. He shifted behind her and began rubbing and massaging, trying to work some of that tension from her. She made a tired little grunt.

“You mustn’t strain yourself so,” he said in a low voice. This was a repeated conversation; her next words did not surprise him.

“If I don’t, someone else would have to. They may not be able to bear it. I can.”

“Not forever,” he countered. “Not alone.”

She turned to look at him, grey eyes dark. “There is no one else.” There was pain there, and guilt, and he knew she was thinking of the missing Scions again.

“There’s me.” Feeling bold, Haurchefant brushed his lips over her cheek and left a soft kiss on the corner of her mouth. “I shall always be at your side.”

“No, you won’t,” Aeryn replied. “Not so long as Ishgard needs you, and my journeys take me elsewhere.”

The words stabbed his heart, but he could not deny the truth to them. He was sworn to his nation, his house, his god. He had duties, responsibilities.

And yet.

If she asked—if she invited him beyond Coerthas’ borders, to stand at her side through whatever adventures and dangers she faced—

Aeryn turned abruptly, interrupting his thoughts with another kiss of her own—this one full on his mouth, taking him by surprise. He held her close, melting into her embrace, enjoying this sudden expression of affection. She let out a small noise in response to his hands running along her sides to her hips and he shivered to hear it, his grip tightening further. She pressed even closer, and he was aware suddenly that she was in his lap, legs straddling his thighs, and by the Fury, there was no hiding what that was doing to him.

He pulled away from the kiss, clearing his throat. “While I am...more than happy to see such passion from you, my dear, it does put thoughts in my mind.”

“That’s the idea,” she replied, resting her head on his shoulder, lips brushing his neck.

Haurchefant stilled and took a measured breath. He had to tread carefully here, lest he fall through the snow into a hidden ravine. “And if we were to, perhaps, give action to those ideas…?”

Aeryn was quiet for nearly a minute. “Please,” she finally replied.

Gods, he wanted to throw her down that instant. Instead, he kept his stillness, his measured breath. A knight was always in control. “Why?”

She lifted her head and looked at him, perplexed.

“Why now?” He continued, brushing a strand of dark hair from her face. “Believe me, I am more than willing—as you might be able to tell—but...you have always set such boundaries before.”

Aeryn leaned into his touch. “After everything,” she closed her eyes, and he wondered what—or who—she was thinking of. She opened them, and they were as dark as a cloudy night over Dragonhead. “I do not want to have an opportunity and miss it for my own fears. I will have to confront that primal someday, and the bards will make its terrors sound epic. But tonight, I want...simple, safe. You...make me feel safe.”

He drew her closer and kissed her gently as another surge of warmth rushed from his heart. “Very well, my dear. Your wish is my most fervent desire, of course. And should you find it too much, and need to stop—say so, and I shall do naught more than hold you close, or return to mine own chamber, should you command.”

“Haurchefant?”

“Yes?”

“Shh.”

[ancientechos]

gravity. cuddling up to a loved one when they are too tired to see straight.

Rest prompts (closed)

Thank you for the prompt @ink-dreams-ffxiv !

So, admittedly??? I kind of cheated. This is a direct sequel to the previous prompt, fog. But it can be read on its own just fine I guess? So don’t feel pressured to read that too (or any of them at all actually aaaaAAA)

________

Emet-Selch/Arianna ♡ 1441 words ♡ ShB [spoilers for end of expac]

Previous

Arianna’s mouth feels terribly dry, as if full of sand and grit. That’s the first thing she’s aware of as consciousness slowly returns to her -- then the awful weight in her head, as if she were carrying the entire contents of the Crystarium library within it.

It’s a struggle to open her eyes, though when she does, she immediately squeezes them shut. The light in the room is all but blinding. Despite the hollowness in her stomach, she attempts to throw herself to the side and bury her face in the pillow.

But movement is -- difficult. Almost disturbingly so. Were she in possession of more of her mental faculties, she would probably be alarmed by the sluggishness with which she endeavours to lift her arm.

As it is, she merely wants to sink back into sleep. She can’t even remember what she was dreaming of --

“Ah, you are awake. Wonderful.”

The voice is far too close for comfort, and much too loud besides, though she can’t find the willpower to move away. Instead, she decides to pretend she cannot hear Emet-Selch --

...

Hades...

A cough leaves her as she struggles into a sitting position. Her arms feel floppy and useless, and she gives up as her palms slide against the soft sheets. Hades carefully pulls her up by her shoulders, bringing her to sit up against a deluge of pillows behind her.

Whatever her misgivings, her green eyes crack open. Her head lolls back as she squints to look up at the Ascian. He stands at her bedside, leaning over her slightly, his hands still upon her. He seems...hale and whole...even his robes are devoid of any tears...

“You are...all right...w-what about...”

“Your friends? Are fine. Even your Exarch.” He leans away, and, with a flick of his wrist -- no finger snaps this time -- he materialises a tall glass of water. She’s immediately reminded of her parched throat. Before she can think to reach for it, he presses it carefully to her mouth, his other hand supporting the back of her skull as her head tilts back to drink.

Too exhausted to feel flustered by his actions or even question them, Arianna simply sips at the water. Before long, she’s emptied half the glass, and for the moment at least, she feels satisfied. Satisfied enough to go back to sleep without that feeling of sand in her mouth. Once she pulls away, Hades places the glass upon the side table with a pleased hum.

Eyes sliding shut almost immediately, she makes to shift down the bed, her head nestling against the pillows as she slowly relaxes entirely.

“Now, though, I’m afraid it’s time for you to get up.”

The mere words are enough for her stomach to twist unpleasantly at the prospect, her dark eyebrows furrowing in irritation. Can’t he see how tired she is?

“No.” Grogginess makes her belligerent, the insistent drag of her eyelids begging her to ignore the absolutely obnoxious man. Whilst normally she would at the very least find his voice pleasant, it grates on her ears like chalk.

He always wishes to sleep. The one time she acquiesces without an onze of complaint, and he has the gall to refuse her.

The Ascian scoffs a laugh. “That should be my line, my dear. I’m afraid I cannot simply let you sleep. And regrettably for you, you’ll find I’m quite adept at keeping you awake.”

Arianna has no intention of believing him, nor listening to him. Instead, she squeezes her eyes shut stubbornly, turning her head to the side. He takes the opportunity to tap upon her cheek. The motion has her brows scrunching further. Unfortunately, exhaustion and crankiness make her easier to annoy than she’d like.

Though she doesn’t open her eyes, she does exhale loudly. “Why...?”

For once, his chipper tone vexes her thoroughly. His weight sinks into the mattress as he sits upon the edge of the bed. “Well, firstly, let’s see...you haven’t eaten in several suns, if I’m not mistaken. Nor have you drank anything...asides from the water. Alas, these mortal bodies of yours are quite fond of both food and drink.”

I think I will be fine for a few more suns, she wants to say, though she knows without speaking that he won’t be especially convinced.

“And I promise that once you eat, you can go back to sleep.”

The words are as seductive as a demon’s purr. It takes a moment for her to summon the energy to reply.

“...All right.”

She strains to look at his expression for a moment. He seems pleased, though his smile is --

It reminds her a little of that sad smile, though it isn’t especially...sorrowful now. Simply...light.

Once she’s sitting up comfortably again, the Ascian snaps his fingers, producing a plate with a sandwich cut into small pieces. “Allow me.” Without waiting for a response, though she has no desire to argue anyhow, he neatly picks one up and lifts it to her mouth. When she doesn’t take it immediately, he prods the corner of her lips with it, earning a twitch of her brow.

It’s small enough to not have to bite it, thankfully. Arianna simply chews silently as he waits with the next piece. With the silence blanketing them, she can simply turn her mind off...

“You used nearly all your aether to fix me. I’m frankly surprised you could at all...”

She really does hope he does not expect her to respond.

“Why did you do it?”

Of course he does.

She doesn’t want to think about it, about any of it. It’s not even a principle of running away, figuratively or literally. She is simply too tired to consider anything critically. Her head hurts, and merely moving her jaw to eat feels like a chore. She should probably be finding the sandwich delicious, but as it is it is simply a nuisance she has to deal with. She doesn’t want another on top of that.

Not to mention the question itself...

The bond, whilst in principle seeming easier to speak with, uses aether...which is not something she particularly wants to expend now, minute the amount is. Unfortunately, she supposes she will simply have to speak aloud. Writing isn’t an activity she wants to indulge in. Perhaps she can simply feign chewing until he forgets the question.

Alas, Hades may be old, but inattentive he is not. Rather than offer her the next bite, he waits.

Arianna’s mouth twists indecisively as she considers her reply...though truthfully there is nothing to really consider. And saying it aloud should be nothing...

The faster she says it, the faster she can sleep...

“I...did not want you to die...Hades...”

He looks as if he might be about to reply, until she says that name. He stops stock still, the sandwich piece suspended in the air. His eyes widen slightly as he stares at her, motionless

Then a quiet laugh leaves him as he exhales. “How I have waited for you to say that...”

The smile upon his face is fond as he finally brings the next piece of food to her. Silence fills the room once more; neither make an attempt to fill it.

She feels somehow lighter. She’s not sure if it’s because the void in her stomach has slowly been filled, or because of something else.

“Good.” He sounds utterly satisfied. “You’ve finished it all.” Putting the plate beside the now-empty glass -- of tea, this time -- he regards her for a moment. Then he gently brushes his fingers along her temple and down her cheek, pushing her dark hair from her face. “Now, as promised, you may sleep to your heart’s content.”

Wordlessly, he helps her back down against the bed onto her back, finally letting her sink into it. Arianna’s green eyes flutter shut, before opening once again when she senses him sliding onto the bed next to her. Pulling her against him with a pleased hum, he fusses with the pillows and comforter a moment before finally settling.

Blinking blankly, she grasps gently at the arm slung across her. Her eyes slide heavily closed as she turns to touch her forehead to his chest. Like gravity, the sleepy lightheadedness returns and pulls her toward him, something solid.

She finally summons the energy to mumble a word of thanks. He shushes her with a light touch to the back of her head, and she finally drifts off to sleep.

[xmimiteh]

Body Language: X'mimiteh Lhim

This is one of the "newer" old prompts still sitting in my inbox. "Only" 2 years old. So, I am slowly catching up! I am a little bit afraid of the ones being 6 years old. Oh, dear. I truly hope nobody gets offended it took me so long. But the past years have been a really crazy ride and I do not understand how time flew by so fast! But let's clean everything up and get it done. I'm on it!

Bold what happens ♥ Italic what sometimes happens

DEFENSIVENESS.

arms crossed on chest  /   crossing  legs / fist-like  gestures / pointing  index  finger   /   karate  chops   / stiffening of shoulders /   tense posture / curling  of  lip  /   baring  of  teeth /  tail lashing  /  pinned ears / intense look

REFLECTIVE.

hand to face gestures /   head tilted / stroking chin  /  peering over glasses  /   taking glasses off to clean them   /   putting  earpiece  of  glasses in  mouth   /   pipe smoker  gestures  /   putting hand to the bridge of the nose / pursed  lips  /  knitted  brows / lip chewing / Hand on chin

SUSPICION.

arms crossed  /   sideways  glance  /   touching  or  rubbing  nose  /  rubbing  eyes   /   hands  resting  on  weapon  /  brows  rising or knitting together   / lips pressing into a thin line / strict unwavering eye contact /  wrinkling  of  nose /  eyes narrowing

OPENNESS + COOPERATION.

Open hands  /   upper  body  in  sprinters  position  /  sitting on edge of a chair /   hand to face gestures  /   unbuttoned  coat  /  tilted head  /  slouched shoulders /  relaxed  posture  /  feet  pointed  outward  /  palms  flat  and  facing  outward

CONFIDENCE.

hands  behind  back / hand son lapels of coat  /  steeped  hands  / smirking / baring teeth in a grin /  rolling  shoulders / tipping head  back  but  maintaining  eye  contact /  chest puffed up  /  shoulders  back  /  arms  folded  just  above  navel

INSECURITY + ANXIETY.

chewing  pen  or  pencil  /  rubbing  thumb  over  opposite  thumb /  biting fingernails  / hands  in  pockets /  elbow  bent  /  closed  gestures  /  clearing throat  / “ whew ”  sound  /  picking  or  pinching flesh  / fidgeting in chair /  hand  covering  mouth  whilst speaking   /   poor eye contact  /  tugging pants of clothes / jingling  money  in  pockets /  tugging  at  ear  / perspiring hands / playing  with  hair  /  swaying  / playing  with pointer or  marker  /  smacking  lips  /  sighing  / rocking  on balls  of feet /   flexing fingers sporadically  / chewing on lip  / pacing

FRUSTRATION.

short breaths  / “ tsk ”  sounds / tightly clenched hands /  fist-like gestures  / pointing  index  finger / running fingers through hair /   rubbing  back  of  neck /  snarling  / revealing teeth  / grimacing   /   sharp eyed glowers with brows drawn together / shoulders back,  head  up  / clenching of jaw  / grinding  of  teeth /  nostrils  flaring / heavy  exhales  / tail lashing  /  pinned ears

Tagged by: @zhauric - Thanks for tagging me!

Tagging: @mischiefandmystics @fair-fae​ @avwalya​ @mirkemenagerie​ @punchelf​​ @kich-rp @lady-lissette​ @ink-dreams-ffxiv​ @limitsbroke @captainkurosolaire​ @ysandrethedreamer @miqojak @antlers-and-omens @vulpes-ferus @starforger @miqoquest @candlelethe @gatheredfates @arbiterofthedead @archaiclumina @airis-ray @ahlis-xiv @luck-and-larceny @uldahstreetrat @blackbirdffxiv @riftdancing @arasnealashandr @little-birdseeker and everyone who wants to do it, but has not been tagged.

[lizzy-frizzle]

Punch Buggy was for the Amish Buggies, but when they became so rare and VW Beetles were so much more common, people just started going with Punch Buggy for them too...

Is this true? That's wild. Why do the wrong people call it slug bug then?

[gunbun]

Do they get embarrassed easily when it comes to nsfw things? Or are they shameless?

Tiona is a firm believer that there is a time and place for NSFW things and tends to be a private person, so she’s usually tight-lipped in conversation.  When it comes to how she behaves in a sexual situation, though?  There’s no shame whatsoever. [Not-so-spicy Asks]

[dawning-star]

What is a fantasy your muse has?

What is a fantasy your muse has?

This...actually this is a deceptively hard question to give a straight answer to. She doesn’t really have any, at the least that haven’t come to fruition in some way shape or form. Any that she’s had are surprisingly more innocent than one might expect. To be swept off her feet, for instance. Little things that just add something extra to it. Things that make her feel wanted and less just a means to achieve momentary satisfaction.

========

oh, right, uh also asked by @apassingshadow / @roses-and-grimoires 

{In-depth Sinday Meme}

[ckkikilukilu]

🌧️- favorite thing to do on rainy days?

“Look for rainbows.”