Celestia Faerie

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“Giri,” Annie called.

The seated figure on the coastline turned in response, expression softening after catching glimpse of who was speaking. Her daggers were sprawled out onto the rock beside her. “Forgive me for making you search,” she called in response. Annie shook their head, “No matter.” They planted a kiss on Yugiri’s forehead as they took their seat.

Annie listened closely as Yugiri began to speak. They leaned their head against the Raen’s, fingers intertwining. “- That you even spoke with my mother and father,” she said, tears barely making it down her cheeks before Annie was wiping them away with their thumbs. The Raen chuckled in appreciation and self-deprecation. “My apologies, I don’t mean to-” she started, interrupted by Annie’s lips on hers. Yugiri smiled as Annie’s head found its way atop her chest. The pair remained in solemn silence for minutes on end, simply basking in the rare, quiet presence of the other. Annie watched as the sun slowly set into the horizon over yonder.

“You know I love you, right?” they asked to Yugiri.

Annie felt Yugiri let out an approving moan into the top of their head.

It was then that the pair noticed an imperial airship within the clouds.

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A short one to start out with. I've been wanting to write this scene for ages; this was such a beautiful scene between Annie and Yugiri and I want to do it justice. I'm still not completely satisfied with it, but that's the point of this, isn't it?

Sune was surrounded by beautiful, fragrant blooms, vibrant petals filling the little forest clearing. Gentle fingers ran across the tops of them, watching as they swayed with his touch. His lips curled into a soft smile as he leaned his head back, face pointed to the sky, dappled sunlight kissing his cheeks, filtered through the canopy of leaves above. 

This was their favorite place; he and Fessa stole away to this meadow as often as they could manage, so they could sit among the blooms and talk. In fact, the two had spent a lot of time together recently, but Sune still found himself missing the older boy when they were not together. He hadn’t ever really felt that before now, before him. He missed his family of course, when he had first been dragged off to the forest for training. But that had faded in time, resolved to his fate as he had become. But with Fessa, he didn’t feel quite so doomed, quite so stuck. 

His heart beat unsteadily in his chest as a soft rustling broke him from his reverie, and he turned just in time to see Fessa stride through a break in the trees. At the sight of him - tall and muscular, ivory hair brushing across his shoulders, bright smile gracing his lips - a blush spread unbidden across Sune’s face. He looked away quickly, shifting his gaze instead to his hands, picking at the grass beneath him. 

“Sune…” he nearly shivered at the way Fessa said his name, serving only to deepen the blush on his face. Pull yourself together… he chastised himself, taking a deep breath and finally looking up at Fessa. “Sorry, got held up in training. I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long?” the boy smiled sheepishly, which was an expression not many were blessed to see. Beautiful. 

Sune smiled “N-not long, ‘s okay. I um…” he swallowed awkwardly “I saved you a seat?” he softly patted the grass beside him. He didn’t notice the soft blush in Fessa’s cheeks as he lowered himself to sit in the grass. “How was, uh, training today?” his gaze was back on his fingers, picking at the blades of grass again.

“Long, boring.” Fessa answered simply for a moment, before directing a rather intense gaze towards Sune. “I much prefer spending time with you…” he spoke softly, words spilling out between them, hanging heavy in the perfumed air between them. 

A moment passed, and another, before Sune squeaked out: “Y-y-you… you really mean that?” he met Fessa’s eyes shyly, uncertainty knitting his brow. He didn’t often hear that someone actually enjoyed his company, and it meant that much more from someone whose company he himself coveted more than any other. Fessa leaned towards him, pressing their shoulders together quietly. 

Sune could feel his heart racing, his hands trembling, his cheeks practically aflame. Tentatively, afraid of breaking this peaceful moment, he laid his head against the boy next to him. Wordlessly, Fessa reached out to take Sune’s hand in his own. They sat like this, side by side, leaning on each other, hands entwined, for quite some time. Long enough that the sun began to set, casting a warm orange light across the clearing. 

Sune heard, and felt, Fessa sigh beside him. “It’s getting late… perhaps we should start heading back?” Sune whipped around, eyes wide, responding with a hasty shake of his head - eliciting a fond smile from the white-haired viera staring down at him. Calloused fingers met his jaw, his cheek, gently holding his face, as though it were something fragile and precious. Fessa inclined his head, slowly, eyes roaming Sune’s face for his reaction, stopping only when their lips were less than an ilm apart. 

Sune made a small impatient sound in the back of his throat, reaching up to grasp at Fessa’s chest, hands balling in the fabric there. Fessa smiled at him in fond amusement, and Sune could feel that smile, as their lips finally met.

In the light of a setting sun they kissed, wrapped comfortably in each other’s presence; all the world falling away save for their little meadow, nestled among the trees beneath a clear, star-filled sky.

“I’m fine”

She was lying, of course. Lhili hadn’t been fine since the events that transpired after they had entered the vault. She felt as though her heart had suffered the same damage Haurchefant’s shield had, and that she had similarly failed to protect him. “A smile better suits a hero” he had said, but she had not smiled since, she thought perhaps she would never smile again, without him there to see it.

She poured herself into her work, helping the warrior of light and her companions to track down the key to Azys Lla, accompanying them to The Sea of Clouds. It fulfilled the expectations set by its name, a sea of clouds dotted with green islands. In every battle she brought her all to bare, ensuring that her companions - her friends - did not come to harm.

They prepared to fight a giant whale, the specifics of which Lhili did not care to remember. She knew what her job was. She would not fail again. On a small island, they fought the great creature. Hurling spell after spell, Lhili gave her all. Bismarck slammed his large body into the island, shaking the group as they barely kept their footing. The air felt thin, Lhili’s aether nearly spent. She sucked in breath, and spells continued flowing through her body and her staff. A gust of wind. She stumbled. 

“Lhili, take a breather!” Banana, the warrior of light, shouted to her. She could barely hear the words over the gusts of wind whipping across the island, over the rush of blood in her ears. She wouldn’t, she couldn’t hold back. He needed her - no… they needed her. She had already failed Haurchefant, she couldn’t fail them too. Had she forgotten for a moment? 

Lost in thought, Lhili didn’t notice Bismarck rearing back for another body slam into the island. The ground beneath her shook and, unprepared, she fell to her knees. Her own breath threatened to choke her, if the wind whipping around her nose and mouth didn’t do the job first. She was faintly aware of someone screaming her name from across the island, a strangled sort of cry before it faded along with the island and everything else. 

She was warm. Lhili opened her eyes, blearily taking in the room around her. Soft blanket around her shoulders, a lit hearth, and gentle hands pushing a warm mug into her hands. She must have fallen asleep here, on Haurchefant’s couch. She smiled up at the man in question, who offered his own dazzling smile in return. 

“The snows have kicked up while you’ve been asleep, love. It’s quite the blizzard out there in fact. Perhaps you should stay for the night?” He sat down beside her, sliding a strong arm over her shoulders comfortingly. “It wouldn’t do to let you out into that storm, I couldn’t forgive myself if something were to happen.” Cheeky.

Lhili smiled fondly at him, leaning into his embrace. She thought for a moment, taking a sip of her drink. Hot chocolate. She hadn’t expected the mug to contain anything else, afterall. She leaned her head back on his shoulder, looking up at him as he patiently awaited her answer.

“Yes, I suppose I should. I’ll need someone to keep me warm though - do you think you’re up to the task?” Groggily, Lhili woke up in truth. Memory came back to her in snippets, the past couple weeks slowly catching up with her, her brain still lost in the dream. That’s what it had been, she realized, only a dream. Haurchefant was still gone.

Blinking back sleep she sat up, and was met with a somewhat familiar room. Plush carpet over smooth stone, heavy red drapes hanging open over a frosted window separating her from swirling snows beyond. Fortemps manor, she realized after a moment. She started to sit up, immediately met with a dull soreness as she did so. Taking a breath that rattled in her lungs, it dawned on her. 

She fell in battle. She fell in battle. And she had no idea the outcome of that battle, beyond the assumption that someone managed to drag her back to Ishgard. Cursing herself internally, she swung her legs off the bed and stood up. The room spun, and she fell back to the bed with a soft thump against the blankets. She sighed heavily, pressing fists against the beginnings of tears welling up in her eyes. She had lost focus, let that whale get the better of her… 

The door swung open quietly behind her. She didn’t turn to see who it was. Lhili just listened to the footsteps across the floor, padding softly against the rug before they reached her. A gentle hand on her shoulder, another reaching out to press a warm mug into hers. Hot chocolate. She looked up in surprise, tears finally breaking free, rolling down her cheeks as she looked up at Alphinaud. The young Elezen gave her a sheepish smile.

“It won’t be as good as his, you know, so… temper your expectations my friend.” he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding her eyes. It was sweet, and a smile crept onto her face despite the tears still rolling silently down her cheeks. She lifted the mug to her lips, taking a sip. It was good. Alphinaud was right, of course, it was not quite as good as Haurchefant’s recipe.

“We were so scared when we saw you fall, you were unconscious and nothing we did would wake you…” Alphinaud tentatively sat on the bed beside her, fidgeting with his hands. Her heart sank in her chest for a moment, before he continued “Everyone else is fine, before you start to worry.” Lhili let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. “Um… How do you feel? Any better? Count Edmont insisted on the best chirurgeons to care for you - only Ishgard’s finest you see, a-and they gave you medicine, I suppose you don’t remember any of that of course… They assured us you would make a full recovery and yet I could not help but worry for you my friend, all things considered…” The boy rambled when he was worried. Lhili silently took another sip of her hot chocolate. “All that is to say… are you alright?” Alphinaud looked at her hopefully. 

“I’m just fine, Alphinaud, feeling much better already.” she forced a smile, wet streaks across her cheeks still shining in the low light.