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eliniei · 2 years

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Not As It Seems XXXIX

Summary: When Emet-Selch and the Warrior of Light go out with a neighborhood child to collect candy, he is unimpressed with Eorzean's idea of horror.

Word Count: 4964

Masterlist: here Ao3: here

“Is it really time for this already?” Emet-Selch asked as I set two pumpkins on the dining table. I hummed, sliding the pack from my shoulder.

“Yes,” I replied, a soft smile gracing my lips, peering down into the bag, examining the ingredients I had bought at the market. “But this year, you’re going to try another tradition, as well.” He raised a brow, crossing his arms across his chest. My grin widened as I attempted to hold back a chuckle.

“Am I now?”

“Oh yes.”

He huffed a laugh, averting his eyes to the side for a moment before shaking his head and took a few steps toward me, leaning one hip on the side of the table. His head dipped as he looked down. I opened the bag to him.

“Apples?” He clicked his tongue. “Don’t tell me we’re going to play that unsanitary game-”

I waved my hand to cut him off.

“No, no,” I interrupted. “We’re going to make candy coated apples.”

“Candy coated…,” he started, but trailed off before clicking his tongue. “Eorzea undoubtedly has many more traditions than Garlemald.” I hummed as I began pulling the fruit out, lining each one up on the table.

“That’s because Garlemald is boring ,” I stated, then turned the bag over, the caramels and individually wrapped hard candies tumbling out, spreading all across the surface of the table. “I bet it’s cold and dreary there on a good day. You celebrate the new year by jumping into frozen bodies of water, for Twelve’s sake.”

When I looked back to him, he had narrowed his eyes at me and I tilted my head with a coy smile.

“Am I wrong?”

He rolled his eyes.

“No,” he replied, begrudgingly. “You are not.”

I nodded knowingly, my smile softening as my eyes dropped and I began busying myself with folding the bag.

“Would it be so bad to add a little color to your life sometimes?”

After a moment, he sighed.

“I suppose it wouldn’t.”

With a hum, I tucked the fabric under my arm and began scooping the candy into my hands.

“Okay,” I said, motioning with my elbow to the remaining ingredients. “Grab the caramel.”

I started for the kitchen, and when I pushed the door open with my hip, I looked over my shoulder to him. He hadn’t moved, and was instead, standing with his arms crossed over his chest, his lips pursed.

“Well?” His gaze slid to mine. “Come on,” I urged. “I can’t promise that it will be fun , exactly, but...it’ll still be worth it.”

“Alright, alright,” he conceded, his arms dropping as he shrugged. “But it had better taste good.” I grinned brightly as he made his way to the table.

When we were both in the kitchen, I set him to work, gathering bowls and toppings and thick wooden sticks. While I began melting the candies, he put everything down on the island in the middle of the room and snapped, the apples appearing in the same formation on the counter in front of him.

“And now?” I turned away from the stove, placing myself at his side.

“The sticks,” I said as I picked up one of the fruits and twisted the stem off, then held my hand out. He reached for one and laid it in my palm. “You spear it through…” Gently, I slid the sharper end through the top, stepping about halfway through. “Not all the way through though, since the end is pointed.”

When the Ascian nodded his understanding, I went back to stirring.

“When you’re finished, get some parchment and lay it out across the counter.”

He hummed, confirming that he had heard me.

A few minutes later, I turned back as he was pouring the different toppings into the small glass bowls he had gathered. I set the two warm bowls between us.

“Ready?” I asked with a smile.

“I...suppose,” he said slowly, curiosity piquing in his tone.

“So,” I began, reaching for an apple. “You dip the apple in the coating…” I lowered the fruit into the red candy and slowly began spinning it to cover the entire thing, and as I let the excess drip back down into the bowl, I swiped my thumb across the bottom of the apple so that it wouldn’t stick to the paper as it cooled.

I debated wiping the candy on the edge of the bowl when an idea popped into my head, a sly smile spreading across my lips.

Before Emet-Selch could react, I reached to him as he leaned closer to me to watch, leaving a red residue on his nose. He straightened immediately, blinking in surprise. He raised his hand to his face, roughly wiping the candy off of his skin, then looked down at his glove with a displeased frown.

“I won’t abide you ruining my clothes, Warrior of Light.”

I clicked my tongue as I set the fruit down onto the parchment.

“Oh, please ,” I teased, a laugh in my voice. “Acting like you couldn’t just snap…” I reached for the bowl with crushed nuts, plucking a handful out. “And fix it.” I began sprinkling them over the coated apple. “You tell me to let go all the time, Ascian . Perhaps you should do the same.”

When I was finished, I heaved a sigh, crossing my arms over my chest and leaned one elbow on the island.

“Must you fight me every step of the way?” I asked and he raised a brow. “I’m only trying to...show you who I am besides the hero .” He surveyed me in silence for long moments before a small smile started creeping onto his mouth and he looked down.

“Indeed,” he answered me, finally.

My eyes followed as he began removing the gloves, the red smear still across the fingers of one. He set them off to the side before shrugging out of his overcoat, tossing it onto the small table on the other side of the room.

“You’re right,” he admitted as he unfastened the buttons on the cuffs of his tunic. He rolled his sleeves up to the elbow. “Now, which toppings go better with the caramel?”

I huffed a laugh, the grin returning to my face as I turned back, relaxing my eyes.

“I like the nuts with both,” I told him, motioning to the bowl I had just abandoned. “But a chocolate syrup drizzle is quite good, as well as the small marshmallows.”

Together, we began building our creations- candy coating with chocolate chips or brightly colored sprinkles, caramel with crushed cookies or shreds of coconut.

When he was busy with the last apple, I leaned on one elbow, chin in my palm as I watched.

“See?” I asked. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

He hummed as he set the fruit down onto the parchment, then looked down to me. With a chuckle, he shook his head.

“Whatever am I to do with you, my dear?” I furrowed my brow in confusion as he lifted one hand, swiping his thumb across my cheek. I stood straight as he pulled his hand back, caramel on the tip of his finger. I pouted my lips.

“Don’t make fun,” I replied with a click of my tongue and began to turn away. Without warning, his other arm went around my waist and he spun me back to face him, a quiet squeal of surprise escaping me. Holding me firmly against his front, his smile widened into a smirk as he lifted his hand to inspect the candy for a moment before he slipped it into his mouth, and licked it clean. I sucked a sharp breath in through my nose as his gaze locked with mine.

“No, hero,” he whispered as I swallowed hard, my cheeks beginning to heat up. When he removed his finger from his mouth, he lowered it to my chin, tilting it up towards him as he slowly lowered his head. I released an unsteady breath against his face, unable to look away, caught in the glittering gold of his eyes.

“It was not that bad.”

Before I could respond, his head dipped down the rest of the way, pressing his mouth to mine. I tensed at the contact before relaxing into him, letting my eyes fall shut as I returned his affection.

His hand slid down my neck as his other arm tightened around me, deepening the kiss and forcing my mouth open with his tongue. A muffled whimper slipped from me as his danced with mine, the sweetness of the caramel still lingering. Both of my hands went to the sides of his face as I pressed myself harder into his body.

He hummed again, turning us so my back was facing the island. His hips pinned mine to the counter as he reached behind me with one arm, pushing the bowls with the leftover ingredients out of the way. When he was finished, his hands began exploring my body, sliding down my sides and over the curve of my backside before effortlessly lifting me up and onto the surface.

I wrapped my legs around his waist, pulling him back into me as my lips moved against his with fervor. His fingers began dragging up my skin, lifting my shirt with him before laying his palms flat against my back, relishing the shiver that ran through me.

“Enthusiastic, are we?” he said against my mouth.

My arms wrapped around his neck, one hand threading into his hair at the back of his head.

“Shut it,” I ordered. He breathed a laugh.

“As you wish, my sweet Warrior.”

My arms slipped from around him, reaching for the buttons of his tunic.

I had barely unfastened the top two before there was a knock. I clicked my tongue as he pulled away to look towards the front door, roughly turning his head back to me.

“Ignore it.” He shook his head, reaching behind him, coaxing me to loosen my legs.

“You’ll want to take this one,” he insisted and I pursed my lips, but released him.

“Fine,” I mumbled as he stepped away. I hopped off of the counter to make my way to the door but he grabbed me from behind, pulling me against him once more.

“No worries, hero,” he breathed into my ear, then nipped at the lobe. “You can guarantee we will finish this later. Perhaps...” There was a devilish grin on his lips when he pulled back. “With more caramel?”

I rolled my eyes, but was unable to keep the smile from my mouth.

“Alright, alright,” I chuckled, patting my hands on his arms. “Let me go.”

When he had, I hurried to the front door. I swung it open to find a young child, her back to me as she started to scurry off.

“Nellie?” I asked. Immediately, she perked up, spinning back around to face me with a toothy grin on her face, one of her front teeth missing.

“You are home!” she exclaimed, bouncing towards me, wrapping her arms around my legs to hug me. I chuckled, kneeling down in front of her as she let go.

“Is your friend here too?” The girl asked as she peered around me and into the house.

“He’s here,” I replied, following her gaze over my shoulder. “Just in the-” The hinges of the kitchen door squealed as it opened and the Ascian stepped out, drying his hands on a towel.

“Ah, Nellie,” he said, inclining his head in greeting. I raised a brow and he shrugged one shoulder. “My fingers were sticky.” I huffed a laugh and rolled my eyes, but turned back to Nellie as he joined us.

“Sticky?” He chuckled as he crouched down next to me so he was at eye-level with her.

“Yes, we were making candy apples.”

Immediately, her eyes widened and she gasped.

“You can make those at home ?”

“Of course you can,” he replied.

“Momma buys them from the market already made,” she sighed. Emet-Selch hummed.

“Because she’s busy taking care of you and your siblings, I’ll bet.” She nodded. “Would you like to come in and have one? I very much doubt the both of us can eat them all by ourselves.”

“Really?” she asked, brightening with excitement. She whipped her head to me for permission. “Can I?”

“Of course you can.” I smiled, moving to stand, motioning for her to come inside. “You can even choose whichever one you want.”

She bounced excitedly over the threshold and into the house, a big toothy grin on her face that made both of us chuckle. I led her into the kitchen, but when she was not tall enough to see over the counter, Emet-Selch was kind enough to hold her up long enough to choose.

After a moment of surveying all of the different apples, she point to a candy coated one that had brightly colored chocolate chunks stuck to it.

“That one, please!

“Coming right up,” I said, quickly moving to grab three saucers from a cabinet. “And you?” I asked, tilting my head towards the Ascian, who hummed in consideration as he slid Nellie back to the floor.

“Caramel with peanuts,” he said. “Since you praise it so highly.” I breathed a laugh and nodded as he leaned in to press a soft kiss to my temple.

As I prepared our treats, he showed her to the dining table, and when I emerged, he had pulled up his chair next to hers, leaning in close to her.

“Would you like to see a magic trick?” he whispered conspiratorially as set the plates onto the wood. She nodded vigorously and he began making a dramatic show of rolling up his sleeves once more. I laughed and shook my head as I sat down on the girl’s other side. “Alright, what would you like to drink?”

“Mm,” she hummed as she thought. “Do you have any hot chocolate?”

“Ah,” he said. “The perfect drink on a cool autumn day. Are you ready?”

“Yes!” He lifted his hand into the air and I heard her inhale a deep breath in anticipation. He snapped his fingers and a steaming mug appeared on the table, the leftover small marshmallows floating on the surface of the liquid.

“Wow!” she exclaimed, her eyes wide and sparkling with wonder. The girl reached for it, hesitantly at first.

“Go ahead,” I urged as I sat down in the chair on her other side, pulling the cookie covered apple I’d chosen towards me. “He does this all the time.”

A few minutes later, Nellie was still finishing her drink as Emet-Selch sat back with a sigh.

“I concede,” he said. I leaned forward, my elbows on the table as I raised a brow. “Caramel apples are quite good.”

“You’ve never had one?” the girl asked, to which I chuckled.

“Do you know Garlemald?” I asked her. She thought for a moment, then nodded.

“The bad people?” My eyes flitted to the Ascian for a moment, who shrugged one shoulder.

“Well,” I began gently, turning towards her. “They can be bad, yes. They have not been very nice to our people. But…” I held my hand out to him. “Emet-Selch is from Garlemald. And he’s…” I huffed a laugh. “Well, he’s alright .”

“Oh, only alright am I?” he scoffed with faux indignance, crossing his arms over his chest. I grinned as I watched one corner of his mouth tug upwards.

“Anyway,” I continued, glancing back down to the girl. “Garlemald does not have many of the fun things we have here in Eorzea.”

She hummed, nodding thoughtfully as she tipped the mug of hot chocolate back. I sat back in my chair, crossing one leg over the other.

“So, what can we help you with, Nellie?” I asked. “I assume you came all this way in the cold for something.” She looked over the rim of her mug before setting it down, a sheepish smile on her face.

“Well…,” she started. “Momma told me not to bother you but…I was wondering if you wanted to come get candy with me tonight.”

“Are your siblings not going out this year?”

“They are,” she admitted, her eyes dropping to her lap and I exchanged a glance with Ascian.

“But they’re still mean to you, aren’t they?” She nodded shyly. I hummed, crossing my arms over my chest. She lifted her eyes to me, then to Emet-Selch.

“Well, we don’t have costumes,” I started. Immediately, she deflated, assuming that I was going to deny her. I sat forward, quickly, placing my hand on her shoulder, a soft smile spreading across my lips. “So it’s a good thing we have an amazing magician on our side, isn’t it?”

Confusion spread across her face for a moment before she sucked in a quick breath, sitting straight up in her seat.

“ Really ?” My smile widened and I nodded.

“Of course,” I assured her. “We’d love to.” I could see her nearly vibrating with excitement. “Why don’t you tell me where you live and we’ll come pick you up tomorrow night?”

“Okay!”

A few minutes later, after I’d jotted down the address, she skipped out of the house.

The next day, we stood in my bedroom, debating what costumes he would conjure for us. I explained to him the various types of creatures the children tend to dress up as and he rubbed his chin while I spoke, examining me up and down.

“Ah,” he said, finally. I tilted my head as he snapped his fingers. His clothes twisted and changed- a white shirt with long, frilly sleeves, and a black and red vest that laced up. Long, black dress slacks and shiny riding boots. A dark cape sprouted from his shoulders, lined with red, high-collared and clasped in the front with a jeweled bat. And when he grinned, he flashed elongated fangs at me.

“Impressive,” I conceded. “And for me?”

“Yes, yes.”

With another snap, my clothes transformed too. I twisted around to face the full-length mirror to find...fur. A fluffy grey and white bodice, larger tufts over my chest and around my neck, imitating that of a…

“A wolf?” I asked, scrutinizing the short skirt. I saw him nod through the glass. I lifted my hand to touch the ears pinned to my head to find clawed paws on my hand. I looked down, finding similar boots on my feet. “Why?”

“There’s a very popular book on the Ninth shard,” he elucidated to me. “In which werewolves and vampires are mortal enemies. It is particularly popular with young girls around Ryne’s age.”

I placed my hands on my hips with a teasing grin.

“And you enjoyed these books meant for teenage girls?” He rolled his eyes, taking a step towards me.

“ I did not deign to read them,” he shot back at me. “But they are well-known.” I hummed as he slid his arms through mine and around my waist.

“Mortal enemies, hm?” He leaned down, nuzzling his nose into the crook of my neck.

“Quite.” I breathed a laugh, leaning my cheek against his head for a moment before I pushed myself out of his arms.

“Come on, we’d better go get Nellie,” I said, catching his hand as I moved. The corner of his lips tugged upward and together we headed out.

When we arrived and explained what we were there for, the girl’s mother looked horrified.

“Oh, I do hope she didn’t bother you,” she sighed.

“Not at all,” Emet-Selch insisted.

“Really, it was our idea,” I interjected.

Finally, the woman conceded and went to go find her daughter. The Ascian looked at me curiously with a raised brow and I shrugged.

“A little white lie doesn’t hurt anyone.”

A minute later, Nellie emerged, dressed as a little red panda, her striped tail swaying wildly as hurried to meet us at the door. I reached for her hand, which she readily gave and hopped down the front steps.

“No worries,” Emet-Selch assured her mother. “She’s in safe hands.” The woman chuckled, reaching down to pat the girl on the head.

“With the Warrior of Light?” She mused. “I have no doubt.” With a smile, I inclined my head and a moment later we were on our way.

We walked the whole neighborhood before traversing to the subdivision, stopping at a particularly large house that had gone all-out on decorations.

Next to me the Ascian clicked his tongue as we came to a stop outside the gate. Nellie ran up the walkway to fetch her candy and I turned to him, leaning one arm against the wrought-iron fence as I raised a brow.

“Yes?”

“ This ,” he started, motioning towards the decorated houses. “Is what you Eorzeans call horror ?” I huffed a laugh. “Your haunted house last year was passable, but these...obviously fake decorations...consider me disappointed.”

“Need I remind you this holiday is for children ?” I asked with a shake of my head. I turned back towards the yard, inspecting the large coffin decoration that took up a good portion of it. “Children are much easier-”

Suddenly, the lid popped open, a magicked skeleton springing out of it.

With a gasp of surprise, I jumped back into the Ascian. He scoffed as he helped steady me.

“Mediocre,” he said, simply. I rolled my eyes, but smiled as the girl returned. I pushed off of the fence and held my hand out to her. “When we get home, I’ll be sure to show you true horror.”

“Hah,” I laughed as she slid her fingers into mine. It was his turn to raise a brow. “I’m the Warrior of Light , remember? I don’t get scared.”

His eye flicked to the scene behind us, an obvious hint. I clicked my tongue.

“Being startled isn’t the same as being scared .”

He pursed his lips, trying and failing to keep the amused expression from his face

”Okay, you’re on,” I scoffed. “Do your worst.”

An hour later, when the sun had fully set and the moon hovered high above us, we returned Nellie, and her large bag of candy, to her home. Her mother thanked us profusely for generously taking her with us and when we bid our goodnights, Emet-Selch opened a portal back to the house.

I stepped through and into my front room, then clasped my hands behind my back and turned, waiting for him.

“Alright, Ascian,” I challenged with a grin. “Show me this true horror.” He hummed as the portal closed, rubbing his chin with his gloved hand.

“Go get changed,” he instructed. “I’ll set everything up.”

With a nod, I rushed upstairs to go change into a pair of leggings and a thick, cable-knit sweater.

When I made it back down, tying my hair into a loose tail over one shoulder, I found him by the fireplace, wearing a pair of flannel pants and a form-fitting t-shirt. Upon his snap, a fire roared to life and the television returned to the mantle.

“A movie?”

He hummed, sliding his hand along the underside of the device to turn it on, then motioned to the large sofa. I walked around the end table, two mugs of steaming tea and a couple of glasses of water already laid out for us in preparation.

“Not based off of that vampire and werewolf book, I hope.”

He shot me a look and rolled his eyes, then sat on the cushion at the end, opening his arm for me to slide in next to him.

“How you vex me,” he sighed with exasperation. I giggled as I took my proffered place, tucking my legs in close, letting his body warm me.

“I was under the impression that you enjoyed it,” I teased as he rested his arm around my shoulders.

“Perhaps,” he said with a shake of his head. When he snapped, the lights dimmed and the show began to start. I looked up at him curiously.

“Scary movies have better effect in the dark,” he explained, lifting one of the mugs with his free hand. He handed it off to me, and I gratefully accepted, taking a sip while curling into his side, getting comfortable for the movie.

A short while later, however, I had abandoned the tea on the floor after nearly splashing it all over myself in response to a sudden jump-scare that I hadn’t anticipated.

As the story continued, I sat stock straight in my seat, bumps rising along my arms as the young girl in the movie, who had seemingly been possessed by some kind of supernatural entity, walked down the staircase in a spider-crawl, blood spilling out of her mouth.

“Alright, hero?”

“F-fine,” I said, though I was sure I wasn’t convincing. “It’s just…” I cleared my throat. “Not what I was expecting.” He chuckled from behind me, his hands winding around my waist to tug me back. With a sigh, I scooted back, attempting to make myself comfortable again.

When the movie had ended and the credits began rolling, I clicked my tongue, moving to stand. I turned to face him, putting my hands on my hips as he raised a brow.

“It wasn’t that bad,” I said. He chuckled and I rolled my eyes, bending down to pick up the mug I’d left on the floor. When I had straightened, I held my hand out to him, motioning for his.

“Would you like to watch another, hero?” He asked, setting the empty cup into my palm. “There are a plethora.” I hummed thoughtfully, glancing at the barely-illuminated chronometer.

“We could, I suppose. But I’m going to make some more tea first. Do you want any?”

“Mm...the cinnamon one.” With a nod, I headed back around the sofa and into the kitchen.

I poured the cold remnants of my own tea into the sink and set both mugs on the counter, then turned on the water, hanging the kettle from the faucet. When it was full, I set it on the stove and summoned a small ball of fire to my hand to light the burner, then tossed a couple of unused tea bags into the cups.

When I was finished, I sat on one of the stools at the island in the middle of the kitchen to wait.

After a minute or two, I took in the unusual quiet of the room. Even beyond, the living area seemed silent, though I knew he was out there. I peered around, the only light a dim lantern I kept on the wall above the sink so that I could see something , should I wander in in the middle of the night for a drink. I could feel my heartbeat pick up.

I shook my head quickly, huffing a laugh. I was being silly. It was merely a movie . A work of fiction.

But perhaps his words held some truth- Scary movies have better effect in the dark.

But a moment later, the hair on the back of my neck stood on end as a chill ran up my spine. I felt a brush against the skin of my neck and out of instinct, I whipped around and-

Punched Emet-Selch square in the face.

I quickly pulled my arm back, mouth dropping open in horror as he stumbled backwards, hand flying to his nose as blood began pouring out of it.

“Seven hells,” I cursed, panic coating my voice.

The Ascian clicked his tongue as he pulled his hand away to inspect his fingers.

“Was that really necessary, hero?”

“What were you doing ?”

“Don’t just stand there, Warrior of Light,” he muttered in lieu of an answer, covering his nose once more. “Get a towel.”

I pursed my lips, but did as he requested, crossing to the other side of the kitchen and wrenching a drawer open.

When I approached him again, I tried to shove his hand out of the way.

“Let me see,” I ordered. He pressed his lips into a thin line as he glowered down at me.

“You’re not going to punch me again, are you?”

“You deserve it,” I said as he removed his hand at my continued insistence. “Sneaking up on me like that in a dark room.” I examined his face, one nostril still dripping blood, but not crooked or otherwise out of place. “Well, it doesn’t look broken.”

“Thank Zodiark for that,” he mumbled. I shot him a look, but guided him to the stool I had just been sitting on, then hopped up on the one next to it.

“We just have to wait out the bleeding.” I leaned one elbow on the counter, my cheek in my palm as my other hand held the towel to his nose.

We sat in an annoyed silence for a few, long minutes before finally, I sighed, removing the bloody rag from his nose, gently wiping away any remnants to see if it had stopped. It was still red, but seemed dry.

“I concede,” I said quietly, trying to quell the tension between us.

“Hmm?”

“You scared me.” He huffed a laugh at my admission as I set the towel down on the surface of the island and gave him a half-hearted smile. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine , hero,” he assured me, reaching up to pat me on the cheek. “I’m sure I deserved it.” With a grin, he slid off of the stool and held his hand out to me. “Come. The next one is ready to go.”

I blew out a sigh of relief, twining my fingers with him.

“Alright,” I said. “This one had better be terrifying .”

“Not to worry, my dearest Warrior,” he replied. “I think I’ve chosen the perfect one.”

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