#lily loves star gazing and would often do it with haurchefant too

[lily-ohfally]

🏖️

Clear spring/summer nights, preferably with the moonlight shining brightly down on him. It washes over him like a sense of belonging, knowing that Lily is not the only one staring up at the road carved by the stars. He is not the only one who feels lost and takes to the stars for a guide.

[starlit-seadragon]

Day 9 - lend an ear

Yume visits an old friend.

Spoilers for up to mid-Dawntrail.

My FFXIV Write Masterpost here.

"Hello, Haurchefant."

Yume laid a fresh bouquet of Nymeian lilies in the snow.

"'Tis good to see you again, my friend. Pray forgive the length of my absence. I've been... well, I've been quite a few places recently."

She reached into her bag and pulled out a cloth and a stoppered glass bottle containing an amber liquid.

"Where to start..." she said, reaching for the shield leaned against the grey headstone. "Do you recall my stories about the First, a shard of a star entwined with ours? Recently, I have been to another."

With deliberate care, she began to polish the shield.

"The Thirteenth. Though doubtless you know it by another name: the Void. Yes... all those sinister creatures wreaking havoc in our midst were people, once... " She paused a moment, gazing into the distance, before renewing her efforts with vigor. "I hope never to forget that. That those we view as monstrous often began much the same as we did. That our world can change us against our will into something unrecognizable. That even the most twisted are just trying to survive."

She smiled ruefully.

"But on to less grim tidings, perhaps. I fought the gods," she said lightly, running her fingers over the jagged, gaping hole in the shield. "I know you'd say I fight gods on a regular basis, which is perhaps not untrue, but... I mean *the* gods. The Twelve. I fought the Twelve."

The wind blew through the petals of the lilies. Yume set the shield carefully back against the headstone.

"I wonder... Aymeric told me it took a half dozen men to restrain you when you heard I was to fight Shiva." The memory brought a true smile to her lips. "How many might it have taken if you'd known I was to fight against Halone? You would have loved her, Haurchefant. She was as fierce and beautiful as a storm. A proud and powerful warrior, with equal love for battle and her people. She was... everything you've ever heard her to be."

She stilled, looking out again, worrying her lip. Suddenly, she gasped.

"Pray do not mistake my meaning -- she was no primal. None of them were. The Twelve are... well... were... it's a long story. But I was hoping for less grim tidings, as I said. I brought you a gift."

Yume reached into her bag once more and drew out a small stone carving. She held it up in her palm before the grave and then set it down in the flowers, nestling it into the snow.

"It's a unicorn. At least, it's supposed to be. I have been across the Indigo Deep, to Tural. There is a people there, a race of giant-like beings, the Yok Huy, and they believe that those we lose are still living so long as we remember them. They build elaborate monuments and carve them with the deeds of a person's life, so that they may always be remembered, and so live forever. I spoke with them at length and told them there was someone I wished to honor. So I made this. The first of your great deeds, immortalized in stone. I hope to add more soon."

A light snow began. When the flakes hit her cheeks, they melted, dripping like tears. For a moment, Yume tilted her head towards the sky, eyes closed, and let the snow touch her as it willed.

"I miss you, too, my friend," she whispered.

"Shirayume?" a familiar voice called aloud.

Yume started, turning -- and then smiled. "Artoirel."

He stood, flowers in hand. His smile was bittersweet.

"It is good to see you again, sister."

Yume rose to her feet. "Likewise, brother."

"I came to place fresh flowers on Haurchefant's grave and to tidy the site. I see you have already attended to it."

"'Twas the least I could do."

Artoirel shifted. He stepped forward, placed the flowers next to Yume's, and smiled.

"I see you've been in good company, brother. I shan't waste your time with inane tidings of home when you have such tales as Shirayume's to fascinate you."

He rose and took Yume's hand in his. "Are you here long, Shirayume?"

"I am," she said, placing her hand atop his. "I just arrived."

"Then might I welcome you home for dinner tonight?"

Yume smiled.

"I would be glad to join you."

[lily-ohfally]

13 and 30 for angst questions!!

Ask meme

13. What does it take to make your character cry?

Not much, Lily is a very emotional person, so anything from kind gestures to small goodbyes is enough to make him very emotional. But for big long cries it is a bit different. There's the obvious ones such as losing an alley or loved one. Having to say goodbye to his sibling for a few months of being unable to see them, or seeing someone for the first time after having parted ways for years, believing you would never see them again. But time spent self-reflecting often leads him to self doubt and regrets, making him susceptible to crying too, things like not being good enough. The two times Lily cried the most was when he lost a loved one. The first time was finding his mothers corpse among the other villagers after safe emerging from their hiding after an Imperial attack. The second time was after The Vault and seeing Haurchefant give his life so Lily could live. Two things that has seared a memory into Lily's brain, leaving a burnt trail behind that will never go away.

30. What makes them feel safe or secure? What makes them feel insecure or unsafe?

The embrace Haurchefant was able to provide was the first time in the years after losing his mother he had truly felt safe again. The warm feeling of Haurchefants body, the sound of his heartbeat and the gentle smell of the faded perfume and the distant smell of burnt wood from the fireplace was a feeling he would never forget, not now, not ever. Being nestled up in a fluffy bed besides his dear lover and friend, was a comfortable feeling, a feeling like everything would be okay. Another thing that makes him feel secure is star gazing. Lily often does it when distressed or in the need of relaxation. The thought of the starts being a guiding path for those who don't know where to go is a comforting feeling. The vast universe, yet even on Etheirys he would never truly be alone.

Large open fields or the sound of clanking metal and heavy footsteps is something that can quickly send this viera into an alerted state. Past traumas and painful memories surface immediately and cause him immense stress and anxiety which are hard to soothe. Insecurity can be caused by various factors, like overly friendly people and those who're eager to get close to him, yet he will keep on being nice and smiling, despite wanting to do nothing more than run away.