#larkin asks

Lark smiled as she wandered the streets of Ul’dah, her head tilting happily as she halted the song she’d been lilting on guard. She lifted one hand and tossed it about, a bit of a skip to her step as she began to speak. 

“Well, there’s… Soren, my unlikely new friend from the Proving Grounds, though very good at listening and storytelling himself. And there’s Galtera, the friend that came with him, and then…”

Larkin perked up a bit, a big grin coming across her face. 

“The usual crew. Orrin, Styr, Tyo’li, Eigengrau, Ehn, Rapha-” She paused, her face furrowing for a moment. “Who I haven’t actually seen for awhile…” She continued on happily, her raven ears flicking. “Raan, Rose…” The Paladin’s face seemed to melt into a small yet contented smile, her feet happily hitting the ground below her as she trekked along. “They’re all marvelous people. Seeing them reminds me why I hold the shield. Why I defend.”

Slowly, her ears pinned back, a sheepish look crossing her features. She shook her head, rubbing her nose with her hand. “And as much as I hate to admit it… Kazuki Matsumae has to make this list as well.”

Larkin has quite a few flaws she needs to work on, but among one of the largest is her emotional control. Her lack of education as a child has led to her being rather emotionally guided, and while her determination is good and her heart is in the right place, she tends to be rash at times and make decisions based off emotions, not logic or conceptualized thoughts.

If SHE were to answer this, however, she’d probably shift around uncomfortably and say something along the lines of her personal insecurity. Very vague, very clueless - She dislikes discussing this type of thing because of her emotional control (or, lack thereof).

Larkin rest her sword against the wall and her shield quickly after, stopping for just a moment to make sure neither one was going to slide down. She took a couple steps away and heard the sword fall just slightly to the left, stopping in her tracks. She spun on her heel and fixed it, staring blankly at the silver weapon the Sultansworn Songbird wore on her hip every day. Her glance drifted from the blade to the shield, the symbolic object grabbing her attention for more time than she intended.

“Failing somebody else,” She said, the words slipping from her tongue like a leaf falling from a tree into a rushing waterfall. As soon as they’d come, she wished she could put them back, her voice barely above a whisper. The small Miqo’te took a step back from her weaponry and put a gentle hand to her cheek, allowing it to slide to her neck as she leaned into it. Thoughts of Akaumi flashed in her mind, her eyebrows furrowing as her eyes flickered like fire.

Instinctively, her other hand moved in front of her as though she was holding the shield that was leaning against the wall in front of her. A slow exhale emptied her stomach through her nose, the Songbird’s raven hair falling into her eyelashes.

“I’m afraid to fail somebody else.”

She fell silent for a few moments. Three drops hit the ground below her like crystals shattering against marble.

“Anybody else.”

Larkin gazed out the window in her apartment mindlessly, the morning dew daring to drop as she challenged it to a staring competition. Finally, she broke from this trance and balled her hand up into a little fist, pulling her blanket over her shoulders fully. 

“If anybody crosses my friends,” She hissed through her teeth, raven hair falling in front of her face. “And I mean really crosses them…” She turned her head, gaze falling upon her sword and shield she’d polished blood off of the night before. 

“I won’t lose anybody else in my life. I swore to protect them, and protect them I will.” 

Reflexively, Larkin’s little fist moved over her heart, still clutching the blanket that kept her pale skin warm. She closed her eyes, letting the dew win this round.

🔥 - Name something that your muse finds attractive on others.

for Takome 

“…Attractive on o-… Er, others? …Kindness,” She began, her gentle eyes closing for a moment so she could reflect on what this meant. “And purpose-… B-But I guess if, uh… If we’re talking like, er… Physical? I-… Maybe? Maybe that’s what you m-meant…?” She seemed flustered for a moment, trying to work out in her head what exactly the question was asking. “…A strong j-jawline is always, uh… Attractive. It’s, uh… Handsome on, uh… Anybody.” She’d frown as she pulled awkwardly at the ends of her hair, knowing she likely just misinterpreted the entire question.

for Larkin 

“…Oof, ‘s a good one!” She’d bellow, her chestnut hair swishing behind her as she took a moment to contemplate where she wanted to go with this answer. “I don’t much care for what ‘ya look like so long as ‘ya show grace to others. So long as ‘ya seem to have a mind of ‘ya own and know not to be bossed around, I find that pretty attractive.” She’d raise a finger to the tip of her eyebrow and tap it gently, something else seemingly come to mind. “Oh- And if ‘ya have a heart that never gives up, you’ve already won me over.” 

The little Sultansworn sat on the edge of a dock in Limsa, feet circling around one another in the water idly for a moment as she leaned back heavily on one hand. A large huff of air escaped both nostrils as she cast her gaze up toward the sky, eyes narrowing to protect themselves from the golden glare. She brought a hand up to visor her eyes, the finally returned Miqo’te’s one smiling face now bare of any hint of a grin or smirk. 

“Loneliness,” She began, bringing that gaze back down toward her feet. “Which sounds silly to say, but… It roots.” She put her other hand on her stomach, digging it in in the shape of a little fist. “It begins like a seed until it grows up your throat and into your head. Loneliness manifested into insecurity into… Paranoia into… Fear,” She said, her long, raven braid sliding from her shoulder and falling into her lap as she arched her back over slightly. “It eats at my mind when I’m gone. It brings up other things I… Try not to remember.” She said, an inhale coming in through her lips as she drew her feet in through the water. 

“All these duties away from the city have been giving me too much time to think. I’m too far in my head,” She admitted, waving a dismissive hand in the air to the of her self. 

“The most intense thing I’m fuckin’ battling with is my goddamn self.”