#smadvil

(also how was I not following you yet hwouhiqughKJG FIXED)

Thank you so much for the ask, @smadvil !

Thancred takes a ragged breath and staggers on. Blood trickles down his face from a cut on his brow, forcing him to squint. His body aches, every step another battle that he is barely winning. The fighting never ends. His hand is numb from the impacts against his gunblade, the blood running along the steel a mirror of his own crimson-stained features. He would've fallen to his knees long ago, with the last of his strength naught but a fleeting memory were it not for...

"This is why I told you not to fight by yourself, you dumbass," Match chides him, his voice a blend of anger and concern. Thancred's free arm is strung across his shoulders, with Match's arm around his waist. Hardly the first time they've found each other tangled in each-other's arms, though at least back then there were soft sheets, cheap wine and a warm desert wind through the blinds to add to the occasion. "Keep charging in like that and you're gonna end up dead, and then..."

Then what do I do? The question hangs unsaid in the air between them, like so many others these days. Too many. But that long Ul'Dah summer where perfect messes were made were even longer ago now. Long enough that the discomfort clings to them as tight as Thancred's fingers on the gunblade's handle. As tight as Match's hand on his waist.

"My apologies, Matchstick," Thancred murmurs, throat parched from exhaustion. Match rankles, but he won't decry his use of that awful nickname, not at a time like this. "What can I say," Thancred continues, that old teasing tone still managing to creep into his voice, "even now... You inspire me to acts of folly and bravery in equal measure..."

Under the grime of battle, Match's face flushes, his long ears twitching in embarrassment. Thancred's arm settles a little tighter across his shoulders, and for just a moment they're back on a balcony in Ul'Dah... The sun's just set. Thancred puts a playful arm across Match's shoulders. Says a joke, a tease, who could even remember what. Then, after the laughter, a long moment. Eyes locked. A tension, unspoken. A bad idea full of too many kept secrets. And then Thancred's eyes closing, his lips moving closer, and Match more than willing to jump right into whatever this mistake might be.

And back in the present, back on the edge of another bloody battlefield, another fight hard-won, shoulder to shoulder, arms in arms, both of them think maybe. Just maybe...

...

This was a lot of fun to write! Match and Thancred's relationship is really important to me, it's defined by so much heartache and ultimate reconciliation into a really beautiful friendship, so it's always fun to tease a little at the bigger story there. Thank you so much for the ask and sorry it took so long to get to, I've been away from my computer all week DX

💕: how does my muse express their feelings? do they do through small but meaningful gestures, or through bold declarations?

Morganaux, Phoebus, and Apollo all tend to lean toward small, but meaningful gestures to varying degrees!

Morganaux:

Morgy, being a lover of faerietales and epic romance novels, is the most likely to do anything on the bolder side, but only when he's alone with his partner(s). He doesn't want to make a spectacle out of of his relationships, but at the same time, he loves putting in the time and effort for those magical, faerietale moments.

He'll do things like using the Dzemael manor's ballrooms for a private evening of dancing, fussing for months on end to make a handmade gift, and plenty of other over the top things, so long as his partner(s) won't be overwhelmed by it. And, he has no problem with dipping into his family coffers to spoil someone he loves.

But day by day, he likes to be consistent and do little things here and there to show his affection— things like leaving notes for his lover(s), offering to help them out with things, etc.

Phoebus:

Never being a fan of anything over the top, Phoebus isn't likely to make any bold declarations. ...Aside from declaring (privately, of course) his undying devotion to his partner and how he'd protect him with his life, and then proceeding to do exactly that, if given the opportunity to do so.

But, beyond that, he doesn't like making a big deal out of showing his love for someone and feels that it'd ruin the authenticity of it if he were to do so. That being said, he's not emotionally withdrawn in a relationship and is actually the complete opposite of that. He just prefers the quieter, more subtle ways of showing affection.

Apollo:

By Apollo's own standards, his displays of affection are small! Sending letters and gifts back home while traveling is a near daily thing for him, so while it might seem like a grand gesture for most relationships, this is a perfectly normal everyday thing for him.

"Of all the fucking times to actually fall asleep, Moonblade," he growled, though even he could hear the worry in his own voice.

Crouching down behind a pile of scrapped magitek machines, he tore off a gauntlet and felt for a pulse, relief flooding through him at the reassurance beneath his fingertips. He let his forehead rest against hers for a moment, the faint exhales brushing across his face, before putting his gauntlet back on.

"Let's get you somewhere safe," he said under his breath as he gathered her close once more, taking to the skies.

The last remnants of battle passed beneath him in clouds of smoke and ruin. Small skirmishes still waged in pockets between blasted earth and blasted machines. The stench of blood and hot metal filled the air. Keeping an eye out as small bands of Garleans moved about, keeping as low and hidden as possible, Estinien slowly worked his way with his precious cargo back towards where the Alliance had staked a claim.

A familiar flash of blue caught his eye and he pivoted towards it without thinking. Estinien landed with a crouch, glancing down again at Kitali in his arms, still breathing. Thankfully.

Aymeric turned at the sight of him, his expression morphing from relief to horror in an instant.

"Kitali!" he bellowed, dropping Naegling in the soil and charging towards them at full tilt. "No no no nonono, Fury no-" he chanted under his breath as he approached.

"Peace, friend, she yet breathes," Estinien forestalled.

Aymeric scooped Kitali into his arms, cradling her close. Much the same as Estinien had, he rested his forehead against hers, tears slipping down his nose. Estinien, thus relieved of his burden, stepped back awkwardly, feeling as if he were intruding on a moment not meant for him to witness. As he turned away to leap back into the fray, Aymeric called after him.

"And you're to just leave again, with not even a word of farewell?"

Estinien turned back around. Aymeric's gaze met his, anger and pain naked on his face.

"You know as well as I do that this war is not yet won," Estinien said. "I'm of no more use to you here. My talents lie elsewhere." His gaze fell back to Kitali's face, still in slumber. "At least now I know she's safe."

Aymeric closed his eyes, several emotions flashing across his face in rapid succession. When his eyes reopened, they were steeled with a familiar mix of resignation and resolve.

"Fury keep and watch over you, my friend," was all he said.

"Fury keep us all," Estinien replied, and with that he was gone.

-

"Who was that man?" Lord Hien asked as Aymeric approached.

"A dear friend and a trusted ally," Aymeric said distractedly, eyes still on Kitali. She had not stirred one bit, even as he had taken her from Estinien's arms, and he prayed that she had not fallen to the same strange malady that her fellow Scions had. The lord fell into step alongside him as he continued back to the Alliance's encampment.

"Not one for pleasantries, I see."

"He speaks with his actions, and that's always been more than enough," Aymeric responded, a bit defensive. Old habits.

If Lord Hien had any further observations, he kept them to himself.

"Kami willing, she will wake no more worse for wear," he said instead as they continued walking.

"I've seen her come back from worse," Aymeric said.

"My Lord," Lucia said, saluting, before noticing Kitali in his arms. Her expression was stricken. "Is she-"

Aymeric interrupted her with a curt shake of his head. "Lucia, I am leaving you in command of the remaining Ishgardian forces. I'm taking her home."

Thank you for the prompt, @smadvil this gave me a great excuse to write out this scene that's been tormenting me for weeks now lol

The sky was clear above the clouds. The air sharp and frigid in her nostrils, the floating islands of her home far beneath her as she soared. A gentle tilt forward, tucking her wings close against her body and then she was falling, falling, falling….

With a jolt Kitali sat upright, tangled amongst the heavy down blankets in her room.

15. Is there a type of music relaxes your muse?

Anything with a steady rhythm, really. Something she can latch onto and drift with. Tavern/drinking songs are great for this bc they can become easy background noise.

22. What does your muse love about their crush / love?

alsfhalhloehqhroqhwt I can and have written essays on what Kitali loves about her partners lmao BUT for brevity's sake I will tl;dr them here.

Aymeric: She loves his optimism and steadfastness. He's her anchor in many ways. He's home to return to. He reminds her that there is, in fact, still good worth fighting for.

Estinien: She loves his brutal honesty and decisiveness. He doesn't waste time mincing words, he simply does what needs to be done. He lets his actions speak for him, and they speak volumes.

☀️ SUN - are they a morning person? what is the first thing they do in the morning?

This implies that Kitali sleeps lmao. But she likes the quiet hours of dusk and dawn when there's hardly any sunlight and most everything is asleep. If she's with company she might be making breakfast for them.

🙉 HEAR-NO-EVIL - what is the worse thing your oc could hear from someone?

I think being told that she isn't wanted. Especially if it was from someone she had deemed close to her. Her trust and love is extremely hard won so if she were to hear that from someone she trusted that bond would be forever shattered.

🌌 MILKY WAY - what was the inspiration behind your oc? what was the first thing you decided about them?

Kitali is a remade version of an old tiefling horizon walker ranger I had made for a DnD campaign that collapsed after less than a year. I had poured a lot of time and effort into her and I was devastated that all the work would be wasted. So when I decided to finally give XIV a try I knew I was going to be making her again. A lot of her backstory is salvaged from the homebrew setting, though I had to Xacto knife her out and away from all the interparty connections that had been built into the original campaign.