#okhi chelawae

[sezja]

For the character ask: Guydelot!

Character Ask Game

1: sexuality headcanon Bisexual! Doesn't tend to flirt with men unless they initiate it, and sleeps around a lot less than people think he does. He's had his share of casual one-night stands, but he doesn't usually flirt with intent.

2: otp I don't think anyone'll be surprised to learn it's Sanson.

3: brotp It's a close three-way tie between Eve (my partner's WoL, the one I refer to in my fics), Okhi Chelawae (my OC and Guydelot's childhood best friend), and Jehantel... but I think Jehantel takes it. We don't get to see them interact much, but I love how they talk about each other, and I love the sense you get of how much Guydelot looks up to the old man. He wants to make Jehantel proud...

4: notp Basically anyone but Sanson, honestly. I'm not interested in looking for any other ships with either of them.

5: first headcanon that pops into my head He first took up training to become a bard because he wanted an excuse to get out of doing drills - it was kind of a whim, not something he was taking seriously. But after only one lesson, he realized this was genuinely something he wanted to pursue, and he had a knack for it, which came as much as a surprise to Guydelot himself as it did to anyone else.

6: favorite line from this character "Your music is bad and you should feel bad!" is a strong contender.

7: one way in which I relate to this character We both love Sanson Smyth more than breathing No, maybe it's in that we're both wordsmiths of a sort, but fail at communicating how we feel.

8: thing that gives me second hand embarrassment about this character He has never done anything wrong, ever, in his life.

9: cinnamon roll or problematic fave? Sinnamon roll <3

[sezja]

Take a Leap

"You'll write, right?"

"Since when do you read, Thildonnet?"

Guydelot smacks Okhi's shoulder at the good-natured jab, then leans back once more in the tall grass. Seems quieter than it should: the bee skeps over at Fullflower Comb, just a few fulms away, are still silent. The bees haven't recovered from the aftermath of Dalamud's fall and the shifting aether; much of the world remains changed, even here in the Black Shroud. Hard for Guydelot to fathom, that. The Twelveswood's always seemed untouchable, inviolate. Now there's talk that the elementals' power is waning, the moon's gone and dropped out of the sky, and...

And Okhi's leaving.

She's leaving today, in fact. A shiny new satchel sits beside her, bursting full of foodstuffs, fresh clothing, medical supplies, all the odds and ends she could think to pack. She's got a new quiver full of fresh arrows; the two of them had sat up late all week fletching new ones, keeping only the straightest and keenest. She's got a new bow; they'd spent the last week breaking it in, firing arrows into straw targets until Okhi was certain she had the feel for it. It'd be her best friend on the road, after all - seeing as she was leaving her other best friend behind.

Not for lack of trying, mind. Aye, she'd wheedled at him for the past two years as she readied herself for her seventeenth nameday, when she'd bundle up all her necessary belongings and take to the road. A few times she'd damn near convinced him, too; what did Gridania have that the rest of the world didn't, eh? At least that he wouldn't be glad to set behind him: his parents, the stuffy people, all the rules one came to live by beneath the boughs.

Aye, if he hadn't finally been admitted into the Gods' Quiver, he'd likely have his own satchel and bow ready to go.

He absently smooths the front of the recruit's tunic he's wearing - hard to believe it's already been two moons since they took him on. It ain't that he likes the work, mind. Mayhap he's holding out hope that once his training days are behind him, life as a Quiverman will get more interesting...

Or maybe he just doesn't want to set out into a world that's changed in ways he doesn't understand yet.

Dalamud's fall - the Calamity - has shaken the world like a stone dropped into a pond, and who knows what the ripples might do? The way he sees it, better to wait it out and hope things settle. That's not the way Okhi sees it, naturally; the way she sees it -

"You could still come with me, y'know," the Keeper says, rolling over in the grass to face him. "It's a big world. I could use the company."

"And you could wait another year, I reckon," he replies, rolling to face her in kind. It brings back memories - they've been friends since they were tiny, and they've spent many a summer day's end curled side-by-side in the grass like this. Hells, they'd tumbled each other for the first time not far from this very spot, here in the grass, getting grass cuts in all sorts of unpleasant places... but that was years ago, and they've long since stopped the tumbling, but lying here together - that's never stopped.

Strange to think it will, after today.

Strange to think tomorrow he'll wake in a Twelveswood that doesn't have Okhi Chelawae in it.

It's enough to make him want to go with her. How many other friends does he have, after all? None so close or so true as she, and none who know him half so well. She won't know him at all once she's been gone a while.

"You're lucky I'm waiting another second," she retorts. Her green eyes narrow. "Can't believe you're stayin' for the bloody Quivermen. I'm gonna come back and find you a right proper little archer for the Twelveswood."

It makes him laugh. "Only thing I won't be is little." He stretches, pointedly. "Time you come back, I'll have two fulms on you, watch." She'd sprouted up four ilms in the past two years, finally growing taller than Guydelot - but they both knew his Wildwood bones were just waiting, just biding their time. "And aye, might be as I'll be a famous archer, like the Godsbow himself."

"You don't wanna be famous."

"You're right," he concedes, closing his eyes. "I just want... hells, I dunno, Okhi; I just want to do something with archery, mayhap. I wanna feel like it's for something."

She snorts. "Aye, it's for putting food in your belly and furs on your back." She sits back up. "Nearly mid-morning. I should head out soon, if I mean to reach Thanalan by evening."

He sits up too. "You ought to get a tent. There's no telling how many nights you'll be stuck on the road."

"Aye, sure, I'll fish about in Quarrymill." She sighs. "Guydelot, you should come with me! There's nothing here."

Guydelot's silent, watching a young Wood Wailer pass by, doubtless on his way to tedious guard duty near the Hawthorne Hut. Not yet on duty, he carries his mask rather than wearing it - Guydelot can see the thoughtful, distracted look on the young midlander's face. Pretty face. He spares the two of them half a glance-

Even at this distance, his eyes are such an impossibly deep shade of blue it steals Guydelot's breath away, set in a stern yet beautiful face.

Half a glance, then the Wailer dismisses them with a polite nod of indifference and moves on, trudging ever onward to his onerous duty.

"There's that."

"He wouldn't give you the time of day," Okhi says, half-chuckling. "You know it."

Guydelot grins. "Actually, I don't know it," he replies. "And if I leave with you, I reckon I'll never know it."

Okhi shrugs, standing and shouldering her quiver and her pack. "Suit yourself. While I'm off seducing the lads and lasses of the Far East and everywhere from here to there, you can be here, pining after a Wood Wailer."

"Pining." He's already forgotten what the man looked like - only what he represented; all the beauty and wonder to be had right here at home. "Right. Listen-"

"I'll write." She smiles, but it's wobbly - and for the first time, he realizes why she'd been pestering him to come along. She's nervous. Scared half to death. But here she is, ready to go anyway, all alone.

He drags her into a hug. They've never been the hugging sort, but after a moment, she winds her arms around him too, and squeezes until his ribs creak.

He walks with her as far as the South Shroud, then turns her loose, watching until she vanishes around a hill.

It's not too late to follow her, you know, he tells himself... and then, with a sigh, he turns and heads back for home. It'll be time to report for duty soon, and he's already been late for muster twice.

Best of luck, Okhi.

Whatever his own future holds, he hopes it's at least half as exciting as hers.

[sezja]

More questions if you are accepting:

What is the main color associated with them? What connections with that color do they share?

Your choice oc.

Thematic OC Questions (still accepting!)

Oh man okay so nearly all of my characters have some kind of color motif going on; FFXIV's dye system makes that super easy, so here are a small handful:

Coeli Qoet: Blues (specifically Raptor Blue). Coeli has always favored blue for its calming, soothing aspect - and it reminds her of the ocean; her family lives in Limsa Lominsa now, and she considers it home.

Ernaswys Lubbloefwyn: Colibri Pink. Erna's bright and bubbly nature is well-suited to this bubblegum pink color; it's the brightest pink she could find. It makes her stand out well in a crowd, at least.

Bjarni Iryut: Regal Purple and golds. His twin, Slejsa, favors bright bursts of color, but Bjarni likes the stately elegance of dark purples - he thinks it makes for a nice contrast with his twin's vibrance.

Okhi Chelawae: Celeste Green, and she gets annoyed that most people think she's just copying Guydelot's color scheme. She's always favored the lighter shade of green, and has never quite forgiven Guydelot for going all-in on turquoise while she was away.

Ibakha Dotharl: Though she seldom wears it in large swathes away from the Steppe, her deep Dotharl blues are never far from her heart, and there's usually some dark blue somewhere in her outfits.

Halan Soilanteaux: No specific color, necessarily, though lavenders and pastel blues and pinks turn up frequently - Halan is all about soft colors and gentle hues, which goes well with their quiet, shrinking personality.

And then there's Darcy, whose only real color scheme is "BRIGHT."

[sezja]

I need you all to envision short adolescent Guydelot. I need it.

Okhi's a max height Keeper of the Moon, but by the time she comes back home to Gridania, Guydelot has gone from a couple ilms shorter than her to towering over her and she's not alright with it

[sezja]

Old Friends

Fandom: FFXIV Ship: Guydelot/Sanson (Starring OC: Okhi Chelawae)

-

“So he’s the one, then?”

Guydelot smiles, leaning back against the tree’s trunk. “He’s the one, aye.”

From her comfortable perch on a low branch, the Keeper observes Sanson as he, in turn, observes the unit going through their routine drills - drills Guydelot has elected not to participate in. After all, he’s entertaining an old friend. Okhi Chelawae, adventurer: finally returned home to good old Gridania after six long years on the road, bringing tales and songs back home with her… and not at all expecting to find how things have changed in her absence.

Guydelot Thildonnet, Guydelot the Spent, a bard very nearly respected by the Alliance, having traded his place in the Gods’ Quiver for a place in a unique and special unit in the Order of the Twin Adder. A man with a place in the world. A man of purpose.

And a man in love.

Okhi’s green eyes narrow. “...I reckon you’re moonstruck, myself.”

“I know he’s a far cry from your usual taste.” Guydelot reaches up, playfully rattling her branch; Okhi yelps and glares, but maintains her place.

“As I recall he ain’t your usual taste, neither,” she retorts, ears flicking backward, tail lashing. “Since when did your interests run toward-”

Guydelot grins. “Pompous prats?”

“To put it sweetly.”

“Since him.”

“Ugh.” She leans back against the trunk, returning her attention to the practicing bards. “So. That’s your boy, then.” A moment of silence, then: “Well? Tell me about him, then. Wax poetical. You’re a bard now, right?”

It makes him laugh; she’s always made him laugh - but he doesn’t answer, not right away. How’s he supposed to put it into words? How’s he supposed to tell her it’s a hundred nights spent talking quietly with Sanson in the dark until they fall asleep; it’s the way Sanson’s deep blue eyes light up when they meet his own. It’s the relieved exhaustion after every battle when they find one another again, safe and sound. It’s the taste of Sanson’s lips, the scent of his hair, the warmth of his skin. It’s the way he frowns when he’s thinking, the way his lips twitch into a small smile when he hears a harp. It’s the way Sanson fits in Guydelot’s arms, the way he tucks his face into Guydelot’s neck. It’s even all their arguments, their unending quarrels, their bickering.

It’s everything, really.

“Aye, I’m a bard,” he agrees, watching Sanson hard at work, wondering if he senses Guydelot’s eyes on him. “Just like in the old stories.”

She rolls her eyes: she knows an evasion when she sees one. Fine. “And you’re head over bloody heels, too. Just like in the stories. I never thought I’d see the day: Guydelot, settling down.” She idly plucks a leaf from her branch, picking it apart and flicking little bits down at him. “I always reckoned you’d be like me - leave the Twelveswood behind and walk the world. D’you know I went to Othard and trained with the samurai there? I even snuck into Doma ere she was liberated. And here you are, falling silly in love and putting down roots.”

“Aye, I noticed you traded your bow for a sword.” It’s propped against the tree, scabbard gleaming. “Fancy.”

“It’s called a katana.” She lets a foot dangle off the branch, lightly kicking his shoulder. “Show some respect.”

Guydelot grabs her foot and tugs, nearly unseating her once again. “Noted. Katana. Any road-”

“Any road,” she continues, yanking her foot away and returning it safely to the branch. “Here you are, giddycakes over some Adder, when the Guydelot I knew wouldn’t be caught dead tangling with a soldier of any decent rank. Never thought you’d be the type to bow for anyone’s leash. What’s next? Marriage? Kids?” She wrinkles her nose. “I ain’t babysitting, Thildonnet, not for love or money.”

He laughs again, shaking his head - in denial or disbelief, he can’t say. “Don’t you worry, I wouldn’t dare ask.”

“What, ask me to babysit?” “Ask him to marry me.”

Okhi flicks him with her tail, quickly moving it away again before he can grab that. “Not so leashed after all, eh?” She squints back in Sanson’s direction once more. “Or mayhap he’s the one leashed? Are you just bedding your boss to stay in his good graces?”

He raises one eyebrow. “You reckon I’m the type?”

“No.” She frowns. “But I didn’t reckon you the type to fall in love, neither. Guydelot, you’re serious about this?”

“Serious about him? Aye.”

“Why?” She nudges him with her foot again, gentler this time. “Honestly.”

He’s quiet for a time, considering, weighing it… and then he smiles up at her. “Why not get to know him yourself, eh? Become a bard. Join his unit.”

Okhi’s eyes widen. “You’re mad. Me, an Adder?” “As much an Adder as I am.” He gestures to himself - not a shred of yellow to be found. “You still remember how to use a bow, right?” He pushes off of the tree, walking off. “Come along, then; I’ll introduce you to Jehantel.”

“Guydelot-” She slithers down from the tree, hurrying after him, belatedly remembering to grab her katana. “Guydelot, get back here; I’m not-”

“And then, when you’re a proper bard, I’ll introduce you to Sanson.” Guydelot warms to this idea, mad though it is. Sanson did promise to let him have a say in the next recruit, after all. This is perhaps not what Sanson had in mind, but Guydelot can be very persuasive. “And you can judge for yourself whether I’m mad for loving him, eh?”

“Oh, you’re mad,” Okhi replies, catching up. “You’re most certainly barking mad, no question.”

[sezja]

She!

[sezja]

Bard Hat for Bard Cat

[sezja]

My FFXIV OCs, a study

Solves Problems on Purpose:

Urha'to Nelhah / Kuja

Coeli Qoet

Silent Fox

Halan Soilanteaux

Sleeping Smile

Solves Problems on Accident:

Ernaswys Lubbloefwyn

Ibakha Dotharl

Ciceroix Greystone (occasionally on purpose)

Martiallais Redlance

Nerise the Dragonrider

Causes Problems on Accident:

Okhi Chelawae

Hujaghur Bayaqud

Tajna Ratyasch

Causes Problems on Purpose:

Furan Banjo

Fenumin Inahwen

Is a Problem:

Neirin Nelhah

Lolovi Lovi

Gets Dragged Into Problems:

Sohl Amh

Bjarni Iryut

[sezja]

Important headcanons that underpin all of my bard boys ficlets:

Sanson Smyth is a trans man

They're both bisexual

This is Guydelot's first actual relationship; Sanson's been in two prior relationships, neither of which lasted more than a few months (this is not counting his "first" boyfriend at thirteen years old, a "relationship" which lasted all of three days)

Sanson has two sisters; they're triplets. Their father is bard who retired from active duty shortly after they were born. Guydelot has no siblings and has a poor relationship with his parents. Sanson's never met them, and Guydelot wants to keep it that way.

The Bard Unit consists of (over the course of several years' recruitment, in order of recruitment):

Clotarion Liautroix, a Wildwood bard (the "novice bard" from the 80 quest). Generally well-behaved, friendly and good-natured.

Mordyn Lariat, a Midlander bard (the other novice who never speaks in the 80 quest). From Limsa Lominsa. Would probably get into a lot more trouble without Liautroix's influence.

Okhi Chelawae, a Keeper of the Moon bard and adventurer, Guydelot's childhood best friend and fellow hellraiser and bad influence.

Amianne "Annie" Grandeterre, a Duskwight bard, the baby of the band, also the quietest.

Nourval. Yes, that Nourval. It was Sanson's idea. Guydelot doesn't approve. (His recruitment is ten years after the incident, and no, that doesn't help.)

Hopeful Dawn, an Ala Mhigan Hellsguard who came to Gridania to train as a conjurer. Things get complicated.

[sezja]

"Are any of your OCs queer" let's see, shall we Just based on my FFXIV alts (excluding the ones based on NPCs):

Urha'to Nelhah: Aromantic, Asexual

Neirin Nelhah: Aromantic, Asexual

Ernaswys Lubbloefwyn: Lesbian

Elisi Kraken: Biromantic Asexual

Fenumin Inahwen: Aromantic Homosexual

Lytora Envers: Bisexual

Dirthamen Renan: Aromantic Asexual

Amianne Grandeterre: Questioning

Okhi Chelawae: Aromantic Bisexual

Lariat Mordyn: Bisexual

Sleeping Smile: Bisexual

Melody Smyth: Demisexual

Coeli Qoet: Polyamorous Bisexual

Furan Banjo: Aromantic Asexual

Bjarni Iryut: Questioning Asexual

Silent Fox: Aromantic Asexual

Ciceroix Greystone: Polyamorous Bisexual

Stephan Fletcher: Aromantic Asexual

Faine Thievenaix: n/a; she's a kid

Halan Soilanteaux: Demiromantic Demisexual

Ibakha Dotharl: Bisexual

Tajna Ratyasch: Lesbian

Hujaghur Bayaqud: Poyamorous

Darcy Firebrand: Demiromantic Bisexual

....So yeah, the only one who might be cishet is Huja.