#Ffxvi when that of course happens | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ruukina · 8 months

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WOLFISH

FANDOM: final fantasy xvi PAIRING: clive rosfield x reader ( gender neutral, afab ) RATING: explicit / 18+. minors dni. SUMMARY: After an exhausting week of running around Valisthea, you return home with your heart full and missing a certain outlaw. What you find upon your return is different... but not unwelcomed. WARNINGS: slightly rough sex, dirty talking, breeding kink, implied heat cycle. WORD COUNT: 7.7k

A/N: yeah i'm fairly down bad for this man. i normally don't write reader fics but i'm trying to expand my horizons so. here we are. gotta feed myself in this economy right?? expect more ffxvi stuff, whether its reader insert or other shit because the brainworms are very bad.

read on ao3!

It’s a silent ride back to Hideaway, as it always is on these solo missions of yours.

It’s not a common thing, but every so often you find yourself having to run around all of Valisthea with the job of making payments and collecting orders from the many kind souls that have been helping the cause that even keeps your personal home afloat. In fact, you could even say as Cid’s personal advisor, this was your main job; Otto was busy running the Hideaway and keeping it in check, so the job fell to you when you weren’t tailing after the man you worked under.

You also didn’t mind it, because it meant you had some time to yourself. You had the wind at your back, the smell of sea water to keep you company, and you could be in your thoughts alone.

Usually you didn’t mind it, at the very least.

It’s not a long task to do or even a hard one, in fact you’d argue that most of your time spent there is arguing with the likes of Martha and Isabelle and even L’ubor to accept the gil that Cid himself has offered to give them, but this month’s mission of yours was different. It seemed like a certain boss of yours had racked up a few requests and the people he graciously helped either wanted to give him a reward or send a letter to ask for more help. And since you were unfortunately playing messenger, it meant that you were basically running around and doing his job… in the sense of gathering the requests and gifts, of course.

So, you were being a little delayed in returning. You made sure to send a Stolas, to let everyone know you weren’t dead - just incredibly busy.

But now you finally found yourself on the ferry back home and you were impatient to get back. Excited to get back to everyone, excited to finally be returning after about a week of having to travel by Chocobo to get to everywhere.

Excited to return back to him.

“Hey, Obolus, are we almost there yet?” You peer over to the ferryman, the wind wilding through your hair.

Obolus didn’t even look back at you, as he ‘tsks’ in response. “We’ll get there when we get there. Asking every five seconds won’t make the boat go any faster.”

You scrunch your nose at him, but he did unfortunately have a point. The trip usually never feels so long, but after being away for what seems like months, you were just anxious to get back and rest your feet. The silence of the ride passes, with only the sound of waves pressing against the exterior of the boat.

You lean against the side and take the chance to reflect on all that’s happened. All that you’ve experienced.

All that you’ve done.

You don’t really remember when you became Cid’s advisor. It’s had to have been years at this point, you remember only barely being what one would call an adult. You were a bearer without a brand, hiding your magic behind crystals. It’s what your father had taught you, to protect you from the cruel world you were born in. You were cursed, your mother refused to even acknowledge your existence - even more so after the death of your father. You only lived the way that you did because your mother loved your father more than she loved you, and made your father take care of you.

Your father never gave up on you. An idealist in a world of realists, he really thought you could be the one to change the world.

He set himself up for failure, you bitterly had thought when news of his death arrived at your doorstep. He died for a cause he believed in, sure, but now he expected you to carry on that torch for him. And maybe there was a part of you that wanted to fight for a better world than the one you were handed, for those like you. You weren’t really sure what your true feelings were at that time.

There was one thing you did know, however; you knew you weren’t safe in your mother’s care, so you ran the day after your father’s passing and never looked back. You’re not even sure if your mother is even still alive or if she even misses you. Did she start anew, start all over with someone else and have a child she could be proud of?

As the years went on, you found that you didn’t even care. You can’t remember her face anymore.

You were crafty, a trickster, because that’s what kept you alive. Somehow, your paths with Cidolfus Telamon crossed. Not just once or twice, but five times. Four times, you rejected his appraisal and invitation to join him.

On the fifth path crossed, and the day he saved you from death, you finally joined him. You didn’t really expect to stay long in Hideaway, only thinking you would spend a few weeks or even a month before you jumped ship. You never stayed in one place for long, because it was always too dangerous for you to attach yourself to people. But everyone was so kind, so nice to you, and welcomed you with open arms.

Especially Cidolfus.

You clung to him a lot, maybe because despite only meeting him five times he was the only person you really knew, and somehow you managed to become his advisor with your skills and your ability to pull him back to the ground. Otto was against it at first, not because he didn’t like you, but you were barely an adult. Yet, Cid had smiled and patted you on the shoulder, telling Otto that there was more to you than meets the eye.

It’s much more than what your mother gave you. Worthless, unneeded, dirty, sinful - that’s all that she had called you. Your own father would try and raise your spirits, but her words were sharp as a knife and they cut wounds in your wrists. Weeks turned into months, months turned into years, and you stayed. You stayed with the people who would become your family.

One day, Cid left with Goetz and the wolf he ( or rather, charon ) cared for, because of rumors of Shiva’s Dominant finally rising in a place where he can finally catch her, to give her the freedom she needed. He came back with Goetz carrying a girl on his back, and a branded man with the wolf practically attached to his hip.

Clive Rosfield.

You didn’t realize it at the time, but the man before you would change your life completely.

Cid introduced you to him, asking you to watch over him and help him adjust to the Hideaway. It’s almost funny to think about, because despite Clive’s grumblings about ‘not staying long’ ( words that echoed in your head as familiar, because you had said the same thing ), when you finally got track of him again, he was out helping the people of Hideaway.

You made a joke about that and he quickly looked away, some colour on his cheeks and the tips of his ears. It was a cute sight, unsightly for a rugged man like him. Despite his appearances, he was kind and soft, albeit a bit cynical from the hardships he faced in his life. Then you ended up helping him help people, because there wasn’t much to do at that time and you needed to stretch your legs, and that’s how Cid decided on his great idea to make Clive your personal assistant.

Clive then realized when Cid told him you ran him ragged, he meant it, because once Cid assigned Clive to you, it didn’t take you long to get him working because as long as someone could move, they could work. But of course, you joined Clive on his journey to help him out. Some days you had to stay at Hideaway but for the most part, you were at his side alongside Cid.

You and Clive bonded together. Quick whips with one another, long nights together trying to figure out your next course of action with the Mothercrystals and how to save Valisthea, and slowly he became someone you… well, liked, essentially. You don’t exactly make friends with people, because you’ve never really had the chance to do so, but somehow Clive stabbed his way into your life and heart.

He became softer with you, and you did too. You found it was easy to smile with him, to laugh with him, to love him. It scared you, because Clive was a Dominant - the second, mysterious Eikon of Fire, and yet something so much more than that. It was basically a target on your back, even more so than the relationship you had with Cid.

But you found that you couldn’t stop loving him, that you would endure the burning world for him. Maybe that scared you more.

He held you when you sobbed and broke down over Cid - the first time your mask of being strong ever cracked. You hated it, you hated being weak, because Cid didn’t need weak people helping him. Cid needed someone who could put themselves back together, but this time you couldn’t. The pieces of you were scattered all over the floor like glass and every time you picked one up, you cut your hand and let the blood drip from your wound.

Yet, Clive held you. He held you close, he didn’t judge you, because he was crying alongside you. Cid meant so much to everyone, including him. You sat in his arms, and he didn’t leave until he knew he could leave you alone without worrying over you. His gentleness contrasted his roughened up look, he looked at you so softly and filled with fondness towards you. He was not afraid to help pick up the pieces, even if it meant cutting his hands in the process.

He put you back together, and he didn’t complain about it. Not even once.

Your relationship with him bloomed. Your friendship with him became something new, something else. It was a dangerous love, because of who Clive Rosfield is - what he is. Yet, you never swayed. You never faltered.

No matter what, he’s Clive to you.

But in public, he is Cid and you are Cid’s advisor - like you always were. You two were professional on the outside, only sneaking away to shed those titles when you had enough time to. You didn’t get those chances a lot, but when you did he made sure to treat you like you were a deity. You’ve had lovers in the past, but they never made you feel like Clive made you feel. He made you feel loved, appreciated, cared for. You took care of him, but he always took care of you in return. He never simply just took, he always gave back.

No wonder you were anxious to get back to him; you’ve missed him dearly.

“We’re approaching the Hideaway!”

The ferryman’s voice pulls you from your thoughts. You open your eyes, quickly looking towards the horizons. Even in the blackest of nights, with the moon being your only light, you could see the shape of the broken down airship that you and everyone else called home. You could feel the smile creeping on your face.

“I’m home,” you whisper.

To who exactly? Not yourself, but to the man who was waiting for you.

You thank Obolus for the ride home as you step off of the boat, quickly rushing up the stairs. Most people had turned in for the night so there were only a few souls still haunting the Hideaway, and they offered their greetings to you and a cheery ‘welcome back, advisor!’, to which you returned with a smile.

You feel a little silly rushing through the halls, like an eager child, but you were happy to be home.

You were happy about seeing him again.

You skid to a stop when you reached your destination. The Tub and Crown was a bit of a ghost town around this time, but you knew there were still a few people aside from Maeve haunting the area.

And you weren’t wrong. There sat Gav and Jill, with Torgal laying at Jill’s side. The hound lifts his head up at the sound of your footsteps, and once he lays his eyes on you he quickly stands up and rushes over towards you with a happy sounding bark. Since becoming Clive’s partner, Torgal never really left your side either. If he wasn’t with his owner or Jill, he was shuffling at your hip and following you around.

“Torgal!” You greet happily, kneeling on the ground to pet him and spoil him with some treats you carried on hand once you got close enough to where the two sat.

The two break from their conversation to see what Torgal was barking at, both of them greeting you with a smile on their faces.

“Well, if it ain’t our favorite advisor!” Gav slams his drink down. He looks you over, peering at the basket of gifts and requests at your side - all for a certain someone. “Talk about bein’ fashionably late. You weren’t kiddin’ when you said almost everyone in Valisthea was keepin’ you away.”

Jill nods her head in agreement, cupping her own chin to look over the heavy basket. “It sounds like you’ve had quite the adventure yourself.”

“Oh, it was the same ol’ stuff I deal with everyday. Just this time everyone in Valisthea caught wind that Cid’s advisor was in town and decided to make it their problem.” You rub Torgal’s belly, to which the hound accepts with happy pants.

Speaking of the aforementioned man… You look to the side of Gav. No handsome brooding man there.

You look to the side of Jill. No handsome brooding man there, either.

“Where is Clive?” You stop petting Torgal for a moment. “I figured he would be hanging out with you.”

Gav rolls his eyes a little, both good naturedly but also in some slight annoyance. “Went right to his chambers to work on things when we got back. He’s been in a bloody mood all week.” The scout holds up a finger. “Scowlin’ more than usual, more antsy than usual, tappin’ his foot while he waits at the door.” Every reason is met with a finger going up. “Not like everyone is afraid of him here, but it felt like we had to walk on eggshells around him. Even Charon was tryin’ not to rib him so hard.”

You blink a little, a brow raised. “Has the missions been going poorly or something?”

“Fuck no,” Gav shakes his head in response. “Everything’s been going smoothly. He’s just been actin’ like a shite.”

“He hasn’t been that bad,” counters Jill. Though, there’s a slight pause of hesitation from her. “But Gav isn’t wrong, he has been in a bit of a mood. More than likely, he was just worried about you.”

Worried about you? It’s not like you can’t handle yourself, and you’ve definitely been on missions longer than a week without him. You can’t help but scrunch your nose in thought - as always, when you’re thinking hard. Something was up with him, clearly.

Jill reads you like a book, with a smile on her face. “He’s still up, last time I checked. He’s burying his nose in reports as to distract himself. I’m sure he’ll appreciate the visit from you.” She stands up from her seat, as Torgal also rolls over and trots back to her side. “I’ve got some work to do with Tarja, but it was nice seeing you tonight.”

You nod your head, standing up and dusting yourself off. “Tarja, huh? Try not to stay up too late with her, alright?” You laugh a little when Shiva’s dominant huffs softly at your teasing, giving you just a gentle nudge in return. The two of you have gotten quite close over the years, and she was supportive of you and Clive. You felt like you could sigh in relief at that, that you didn’t have to worry about Clive’s childhood friend coming after you.

Gav finishes his drink, standing up as well. “I’m turnin’ in for the night.” He pats your shoulder with a grin on his face. “Make sure you give our leader a nice, warm welcome!”

He only grins harder seeing your cheeks turn red like a tomato at the implication of his words, and Jill’s soft laughter only makes you turn ever redder. Ah, there was your punishment for teasing Jill. The three of them make their way out of the alehouse, your eyes following them as you think about your conversation.

He’s in a mood.

What could he be in a mood about? You’ll have to do some digging, which isn’t hard - if there’s one thing Clive is with you that not even a sour mood could change, it’s that he was honest with you. It’s one of his best traits, really, that he’s open with his feelings and doesn’t usually shy away from speaking his mind about certain things. It’s not always easy, because there are some things he keeps to his chest, but for the most part communication is always important between you two. You pick up the basket of gifts and quickly make it to the end of the hall, where Clive’s chambers were.

And well, they were technically your chambers too, you think with the heat growing at your cheeks once more.

Shifting the basket a little, you use your free hand to knock on his chamber doors - once, twice and thrice.

“The door’s unlocked.” Clive’s low voice fills your ears. He already has you sighing and letting out a quivering breath. Founder, you’ve missed him.

You open the door with a smile on your face. You take in the sights before you - his room is as you left it, with the man himself seated at the desk. He seems to be burying himself in his usual reports and paperwork, just as Jill said. He didn’t even lift his head upon you entering.

“Guess who.” You smile, as you close the door behind you.

The sound of your voice has Clive immediately lift his head from his work. Cerulean eyes widened, the quill he was using drops from between his fingers and clattering on the desk.

“You’re back.” He sounds almost breathless. His chest raises a little as he breathes in and out, those cerulean eyes of him looking a lot more puppy-dog than usual.

This was different, indeed.

You walk towards him, placing the basket on the edge of the desk not covered in scattered papers. “Just got back. Gifts for you by the way, I was hunted down by weary souls who wanted to give their thanks to the so-called Cid the Outlaw.” You peer at him with a gentle, loving smile on your face.

He laughs a little in response, a rare smile forming on his own features. “No wonder you’re late. Sorry about that. I’ll be sure to pen my thanks to them soon.”

You shake your head at him. “Oh, don’t even start with the apologies. It’s my job to aid you, it’s kind of in the title.” A pause, shifting your feet a little as you hold your hands behind your back, shyly. “And… you know I’ll do anything for you, Clive.”

The words you whisper made him smile a little more. “You have perfect timing. I’m actually finishing up and I could use your advice.” He nudges his chair back a little, gently patting his thigh.

For a moment, you stare with a tilted head, until you realize the implications. Your cheeks turn red.

Oh, he’s inviting you to sit there.

Oh, this was different, indeed.

But you don’t hesitate or falter at all. You take a seat on his thigh, leaning against him. One of his strong arms wraps themselves around your waist, pulling your body flushed against his. The position is a little embarrassing, you have to admit to yourself, but it feels warm, comforting - loving. It doesn’t take long for you to fall back into place, flipping through the letters and offering your advice and help to him.

It also doesn’t take long for Clive to stop paying attention. He nuzzles his face in the crook of your neck, breathing in your scent. His hot breath tickles your skin, a shiver running down your spine, as his fingers draw circles in your hip. His lips ghosts around your skin, pressing the gentlest of kisses to your neck as though he was whispering forbidden words in your skin. The quill from his fingers once again falls onto the desk, the reports forgotten about as his attention shifts to you. It’s hard to focus when he’s like this, so you decide to also forget about the many papers that littered his desktop.

“Jill and Gav told me you were in a mood.” You finally shift the conversation to what was really on your mind.

Clive only offers a grunt at first. “I’m not really in a mood.”

“Are you? You’re acting a little differently tonight.” Your fingers run through his hair, out of his eyes. “What’s on your mind, Clive? You know you can tell me.”

For a moment, he hesitates, but he knows he doesn’t like keeping secrets from you. You know he doesn’t like keeping secrets from you. He pulls you close to him, finally lifting his head to look you in the eye.

“I was fine when you left, but after a day, it felt like there was a pit in my stomach.” Clive runs his fingers up and down your hip. “Hunger, I suppose, is the best way to describe it.”

“Hunger?”

“I felt like I couldn’t focus with you gone. It was worse when I was here alone. Your scent was so much stronger than it usually was…” Clive recounts, averting his gaze for a moment from slight embarrassment, but he quickly focuses back on you. “The more days you were away, the more the hunger grew.”

“And the grouchier you got?” You tease him, though your tease was cut short and replaced with a slight yelp when he pinches your thigh with a huff.

“I wasn’t grouchy.” He counters, but his tone of voice sounds like he’s not exactly fighting the accusation.

You think about what he’s said, though. A hunger he felt for you. It started happening when you first left. He found that your scent was stronger than normal, even when you weren’t there. The symptoms sounded fairly familiar to you, and you hummed a little in thought as you ran your fingers through his hair. He groaned in delight at that, leaning into your touch and burying his face in the crook of your neck once more.

“Maybe you’re going through a rut?”

Clive lifts his head up. “A rut? I’m not a dog, love.”

“I mean, you travel with a dog, you constantly have a permanent puppy-dog eyes look on you and you turn into a dog-lizard thing. You’re kind of dog-adjacent.” You shrug cheekily, with an equally cheeky smile on your face. “But I’m serious about the last thing. We don’t know a whole lot about Ifrit. Maybe it’s going through some kind of rut or something and it’s affecting you. It is springtime, you know. Maybe nature is just setting course for Ifrit, too.”

It’s a pretty plausible theory. Clive stops to think about it for a brief moment, his breath tickling your neck once more as you sigh. Still, he says nothing at first and pauses his movements, until he looks right back up at you, his gaze meeting yours.

“You do realize the implications of your theory, right?” His pupils are blown out, more than usual. His strong, calloused hands grip your hips, shifting you a little so your lower half is flushed right against his.

Oh, there’s something pressing against you. Your body warms up, a heat and ache pooling right in your core.

You didn’t realize how much you miss his body pressing against yours in such a sinful manner, until he rolls his hips against yours in want and need.

“I meant what I said,” you begin to say, your hands gripping to his shoulders as you slowly grind against the bulge in his pants, meeting his hips’ movements. You couldn’t help but grin a little when he moaned lowly, a sound just for you. “You know I’ll do anything for you, Clive.”

That’s all you’re able to get out at that point, because once you give him permission to do what he needs to do, Clive’s lips press against yours. It was only a sweet, soft kiss for a for seconds at best, because it quickly turned into something fierce, hungry. His tongue prods against your lips, wanting access into your warm mouth, and you gladly part your lips for him, because you need him as much as he needs you. Your tongue presses and swirls against his - it’s a small battle for dominance you never win, but you know he likes a small challenge. His own tongue presses and pins yours, until you ease away to let him completely take the reins.

The kiss is hot, wet, truly sinful. His hands grope everywhere he could, mostly squeezing at your thighs and hips with his fingers digging into your soft, plump flesh until they found their way to your rear. Squeezing and grabbing, groping in such a way that would make you flustered had you not been needy with your own arousal, he lifts you up as though you’re made of nothing but feathers, and truly you’re a little limp in his grasp. Clive’s strength always managed to make you feel dizzy, in a good way, and that doesn’t change here. He pushes his chair back, leaving the desk and the many reports he still has to do in the dust and makes his way towards his bed - your shared bed.

He only breaks the kiss to place you down on the mattress, gentle pants leaving both of your lips as a string of saliva connects the two of you. It breaks as he pulls away a little more, only to dive back in and press fluttering, wet kisses to your neck. Just like the kiss from before, it turns into something a little more hot and brutal; his lips suck at your skin to give it a bruising mark, teeth sinking into your flesh to draw just a little bit of blood from you. You groan hotly, your fingers gripping at his dark locks as your hips jolt upwards. Clive licks and kisses at the bruise and bite mark he left, panting gently against your flesh.

“You still taste so, so good.” Clive whispers into your skin, as his hands tug right at your shirt. He tries his best not to rip it, but unbuttoning your shirt during these kinds of acts was never exactly a cleanful tact, because you can already see a few buttons pop off just from him ripping it open. You chuckle a little; some things really don’t change.

Your chest is bared to him, and Clive wastes no time in pressing gentle kisses on naked skin. Trailing down, he kisses, licks and sucks on any skin he could latch himself onto and sinks teeth into your sink that leaves behind a delicious sting of pain, until finally reaching your left breast. Your breath hitches a little as his tongue swirls around the nub of your nipple, the hitched breath morphing into a needy moan once his lips latch around it to give it a gentle suck. His fingers tease and play with the unattended one, his attacks on you relentless and cruel - cruel in the sense he never slowed down.

“Clive.” you whine with a high-pitched voice, trying your best to roll your hips against his. But he doesn’t let you, pinning you down with just his pelvis. He lifts his head up, a smirk on his face.

“Just lay there and let me make you feel good,” whispers Clive. The way his low voice sounded so commanding, you can’t help but obey him. He was always like this, though; he was always chasing for your pleasure and never his own. He loved you, he wanted to make you feel good. It was never really fair! But at the same time, it truly was nice. He was so different from lovers you had in the past, who only cared about their own needs.

He attends to your other breast, giving it the same treatment - a lick here, a suck there, leaving a trail of bruises and bite marks in his wake. Once he’s satisfied, his lips start to trail downwards. He worships you like this, with his lips and his tongue, making sure there’s a patch of skin with his mark on it. His hands make work of your bottoms, pulling off the offending fabric until you were just left in your undergarments. You expect to feel his fingers on your skin so he can pull them down, but instead when you look down, you see Clive is using his teeth to pull them down.

Oh, this is different. Normally he takes his time with you; press himself against you, kiss you all over. Even as someone who prefers to please his partners more than please himself, it seems like tonight he’s impatient.

“Seems like someone’s been wanting this,” chuckles Clive as he spreads your lower lips a little to inspect you. “You’re already so soaked. All I did was tease you a little. Founder, you’re as depraved as I am.” His hot breath hits your wetness as he speaks, never once pressing his lips against you. You jolt a little at the feeling, a soft huff escaping your lips.

“You started this mess,” You tell him, your fingers already gripping in his hair. “You finish it.”

Another chuckle leaves his lips. Clive is impatient, though, and he wastes no time in pressing his lips right against your dripping entrance. His tongue is relentless here just as it was on your skin; it wastes no time in slipping inside of you, as he starts to drink your essence and fuck you with his tongue alone. It’s almost unbearable to you, in a good way - he drinks like a man starved.

Clive is so good to you, but he knows how to be so cruel, because he knows you enjoy it. He knows how easily you melt on his tongue, and he enjoys every single moment of it.

His fingers slip in as well, two of them pumping in and out as he moves upwards a little, finding your clit. The tip of his tongue flicks at it and you feel the smirk against your entrance as soon as you squeak and moan from his actions. He licks, sucks, his movements becoming faster with each second that passes. You’re trying so hard to swallow back your moans, but the moment his lips wrap around your clit and give it a hard suck, you can’t control your volume anymore. It echoes off of the walls, embarrassingly so, but your mind is so fogged that you don’t seem to care like you usually would.

The knot in your lower stomach painfully tightens, you can feel yourself reaching your peak as Clive continues to tease your clit and thrust his fingers in and out of you. Just as you’re about to find your release, though, he abruptly stops. He pulls himself off of you, his fingers are coated with your essence.

“Clive–” You begin to whine, almost in pain. You stop yourself short when you watch him lick his fingers clean - slowly, like he’s putting on a show for you. Once they’re clean, he looks at you as though he’s a predator who has caught prey in his trap. The slight darkness of the room makes his cerulean eyes have a glow to them. The knot in your stomach returns.

He intends to devour you, his way. He’s going to drag this out, until you’re begging and crying for release.

Clive crawls back onto the bed, his hands moving to undo all of the leathers and fabric of his clothing, until he’s as bare as you are. His cloak and shirt go first, dropping onto the ground until his chest is revealed to you. Greagor, you could probably write several missives about Clive’s chest and muscles, but despite what your lover may say, you’re not that depraved. You keep all of those thoughts to yourself, like a good advisor should. Your eyes drift down with his hands, watching as they fumble a little with his belt, stifling a laugh from how needy and excited he is.

You stop laughing once he finally does undo his belt and pull his pants down, revealing his hard cock to you. You’ve seen it before, it’s been inside of you multiple times now, but you still hitch your breath when you see it. The gods certainly graced Clive with something to brag about, for certain.

If you ever do meet Ultima maybe you should thank him for giving his vessel something that would make you cross your eyes and forget your own name, but something tells you a narcissistic god obsessed with the purity of his vessel may not appreciate the sonnets a mere mortal would write about said vessel’s cock.

Pre-cum dribbles at the tip, his fingers coated in a mix of his saliva and your juices as he uses it to his advantage to stroke himself a little, to really give you a show now. You hear yourself panting, your chest heaving up and down as you watch the sinful sight before you.

“Enjoying yourself?” Clive smirks, smugness in his voice.

You huff a little in response. “I’ll only enjoy myself when you actually fuck me instead of showing off, Rosfield.”

He laughs a little, leaning down to kiss your forehead sweetly. “As my faithful advisor commands.”

You have no time to respond, as he quickly flips you so you’re on your stomach, face slightly pressed against the pillow beneath you. He presses his front against your back, the tip of his cock pressing against your wet folds teasingly. Your needy whine and rear thrusting back to try and get him inside of you earns a laugh from him, but thankfully he’s not intensely cruel tonight. He presses inside of you, though it’s not as slow as he normally is. Normally he takes his time with you, but in just seconds he’s got his entire length inside of you. You feel the way his body shudders against your back, your soaked walls clenching around him. A sigh passes your lips, morphing into a moan.

You’ve missed this. You’ve missed him.

His thrusts are slow at first, but it doesn’t take him long for him to pick up his speed. His hips meet your backside, a wonderful symphony of skin slapping against each other fills the room, loud enough to make your ears burn with embarrassment. You bury your face in the pillow to muffle your moans. A hand wraps itself around the back of your neck, though, to pull you up towards its owner. Clive’s heavy breath is in your ear now, worsening your arousal.

“Don’t hide your voice from me,” pants Clive, sharp teeth nibbling at your earlobe. “I want to hear you.”

And you find that you can’t deny him. Your moans are loud, needy, your knuckles turning white from how roughly you’re gripping the sheets to the point where they might tear. His other hand snakes down your stomach, reaching your lower half, and his fingers make work on your clit. It’s a slow rub, his thrusts contrasting the gentleness of his fingers. You can feel yourself reaching your peak, you can feel the knot in your stomach tightening and tightening until–

Until he pulls right out of you.

You whine, loudly, at the loss. Your walls clench at nothing, and you try to thrust yourself back towards him, but Clive doesn’t let you do that. Instead, he flips you both again - him on his back and you sitting on his lap. He looks up at you with a smile, his hand running up and down your stomach once more.

“I know exactly what you like.” The outlaw says, pulling you forward so his cock rests right against your stomach. You feel how hot it is, how hard it is, and how it throbs and pulsates against your skin. “Show me how much you want to cum.”

Oh, he’s definitely dragging this out as long as he can. You can’t exactly blame him, you don’t want this to end either.

But you also really need to reach your peak, otherwise you may burn the whole Hideaway down.

Your wobbly legs manage to hold yourself up, slowly moving down on him. Your whole body shudders as his cock fills you up again, the tip pressing against the deepest parts of your inside. You move up and down on his length, moans and pants spilling from your lips as you decide to not hide your voice any longer - because he wants to hear you. And you can’t deny him, because you don’t want to deny him.

“Founder, your voice alone drives me mad.” Clive growls, his hand squeezing your thigh as he thrusts upwards to meet your own movements. “Tried to focus on my work, tried to put you out of my head for days, but I just couldn’t. I couldn’t stop thinking about how much I needed you blissed out on my cock–”

He’s rambling, his voice low and rough, and you love every second of it. Clive’s not much of a talker, but when he is, he makes you feel so depraved for him. Your legs were starting to shake and feel weak already, but you push yourself - you push yourself because you want this. Because you need this from him, just as much as he needed this from you.

“Clive,” you chant his name like a prayer, over and over again. You must sound delirious.

But Clive clearly doesn’t seem to mind, the way his back arches a little just from the sound of your sweet voice. It’s a powerful feeling, you realize, having such a powerful man like him weak at you - a mere mortal, a bearer but not a Dominant. Yet, it’s a good reminder that beneath everything, Clive is a mortal man as well.

“Can you feel me, sweetheart?” He places his hand on your lower stomach, feeling the way it bulges a little from the sheer size of him. You look down, shuddering at the sight as he continues to thrust upwards, your eyes following how the bulge disappears then reappears. “You take me so fucking well. It’s like you were made for me, the way you shake your hips like a woman at the Veil.”

You can’t respond, any time you try to all that fumbles from your lips are moans and whines of pure pleasure.

“I can get so deep into you like this,” groans Clive, his other hand grasping at your hip. “All the way into you. Fuck, I could breed you right here. I could make you swell with my child.”

Oh, that’s different.

And it’s clearly a good different, the way your body responds. Your walls clench around him, as if your body had a mind of its own, as if your body was begging for the man to breed you. He notices too, and he licks his lips and smirks once he realizes you may enjoy the idea as he did.

“You would like that, wouldn’t you?” Another thrust upwards. His thrusts are getting sloppier and rougher, but Greagor does it feel so good. “I wouldn’t be able to control myself, seeing you like that. I’d fuck you every single day–”

You moan, so lecherously. “Clive, fuck, I’m going to cum!”

Both hands grab at your hips, fingers digging and sinking into your skin so hard you know there’s going to be some bruising there in the morning. But you don’t care. All you care about is the man underneath you, and chasing after your own release. Clive makes you move faster onto him, a growl rumbling from his throat.

“Go on, let yourself go.”

You were already so overstimulated from the foreplay from before, and the way his cock brushes against your sweet spots and bashes against the entrance to your womb, you can’t help it. Your walls tighten around him, and you let yourself go.

Another growl rumbles from his throat, this time he pulls you right down onto him, hard. It doesn’t take him long to follow you into a blissful climax, his hot seed pouring into you and flooding your insides. It’s a lot, more than usual, to the point where it floods out from your entrance and onto him.

You collapse onto him, and he instantly takes you in his arms. Slowly, he flips your positions again, just so he can press himself deeper into you. Thank the Founder, because your legs were about to give out.

A moment passes, until he finally pulls himself out from you. His blown out pupils watch as his seed overflows from you, dripping onto the sheets beneath you. He shudders at the sight, and you can’t help but shudder as well.

You’re fading in and out of existence, but when you mostly come to, Clive has wiped you and him down, cleaning you up and gently pressing kisses against any marks he’s left on you. The sheets will unfortunately have to wait until tomorrow. Frankly, you could give less of a shit about that.

The outlaw slumps himself against you, pulling you into his arms. You both lay there in a comfortable silence, as he buries his face in the crook of your neck.

“Thank you.” His voice trembles, a little embarrassed - that’s the Clive you know. “I’ll, uh, make sure Tarja prepares a herbal tea for you tomorrow, so that you don’t…” He trails off, hiding his face against your neck even more now.

You chuckle, feeling the hotness of his cheeks against your skin. “Feeling better?”

“Yes,” answers the male as he lifts his head up with a smile. “Much better. You always seem to know how to cure my worries and needs.”

“What can I say? I know my boss pretty well.”

He laughs, and your heart feels so warm, so in love with the man before you. Clive leans in, pressing his lips against yours to share a sweet, innocent kiss that contrasts the sinful act you both just partook in. And you kiss him back, wrapping your arms around him. You only stop when you feel something hard rub against your thigh, pulling back to see he was still pretty aroused. He’s a little sheepish at that, but he looks at you in want, in need - and love, as always.

“I don’t think one time is going to be enough for you, big guy.”

A sheepish laugh falls from his lips. “I don’t think so either. I might need a few more rounds. That is, if my faithful advisor is up to it.”

He’s challenging you, clearly. The smirk on his face tells you all you need to know. You smirk back, bucking your hips against his to accept.

“Only if you do most of the work.” You tell him, a leg going in to wrap itself around his waist. “You made me weak in my knees, Lord Rosfield. A gentleman should take some responsibility for his actions.”

His low chuckle reaches your ears, as he leans in to press his forehead against yours. It’s a tender action, one that definitely makes you feel weak in the knees - if you hadn’t already. It doesn’t take him long to reenter you, and you can’t hide the shudder of your slightly overstimulated body.

But you want everything he has to offer, the good and the bad of Clive Rosfield, and he’ll give it to you.

Because he wants everything you have to offer, the good and the bad of his faithful advisor, in return.

“As you wish, my love.”

He claims your lips. The night goes on.

“Somethin’ seems to be on your mind.”

Jill looks towards the source of the voice. Gav stands next to her, arms crossed as he meets her gaze with a raised brow. The Dominant says nothing to him, only slowly returning her gaze to where she once was looking. Gav’s line of sight follows hers, landing right on the scene that was unfolding before them.

“Clive, I’m trying to do work!”

Hideaway’s poor advisor was currently trying to shake an overgrown Cid the Outlaw off of them, who has currently draped himself over you. It had been a single day since you had returned from your trip and needless to say, Clive was acting as though you had been gone for years. Arms wrapped around your waist, pulling your body flush against yours.

“Nothing is stopping you from doing your work,” is all Clive remarks with, burying his face in the crook of your neck.

“Except for a fucking overgrown dog!”

Gav whistles at the sight before him. “Someone seems to be in a good mood.”

“Indeed,” nods Jill, her gaze never leaving the both of you. Right now you were trying to walk away, which resulted in you basically having to drag the second Eikon of fire around because he refused to let himself off of you. “But, I can’t help but wonder if this is worse than the mood he was in before.”

The scout shrugs his shoulders. “Our advisor has dealt with worse from him. And we don’t have to deal with him slobberin’ all over us, so I’d say a good mood is better than nothin’.”

The woman says nothing. She knows it’s going to be a few days before Clive will return to his normal self, if your theory about why he’s been moody all week rings true. Such things don’t end with a simple, pleasurable night. You’ll be fine, she knows that, so she’s not too worried that you won’t be able to handle Clive Rosfield.

It’s in your job description, after all.

( she’ll still pray to metia for you, at the very least, and hope you come out unscathed. )

#final fantasy xvi #ffxvi #clive rosfield x reader #clive x reader #clive rosfield #🌙.txt #🌙 seren's writings

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cryptictongues · 7 months

Text

Beyond Our Vessels

pairing: Barnabas Tharmr x Sleipnir Harbard x Fem!Reader rating: Explicit (MINORS DNI; 18+) word count: 4.4k summary: Barnabas lets you and Sleipnir enjoy each other and realizes something along the way.

warnings: porn without plot (this is pretty self-indulgent LOL), polyamory, threesome, vaginal sex, cunnilingus, vaginal fingering, minor pain play, making out, body worship, voyeurism

Author's Note: Spoilers about Barnabas's background and connections, and some mentions of things revealed from FFXVI Ultimania. Going to put an Ultimania spoiler note at the end for those interested. Nothing crazy, but of course read with caution!

Also, I wrote this in Barnabas's POV so please forgive me if some parts sound strange. It is something new I'm trying out.

[AO3 link]

Barnabas Tharmr is a patient man. Through his stoicism and endurance, he has learned that patience is everything and in time the things he commands will fall into place. While others are one step ahead, he is three steps further; calculating every possible move that would fall into his lap and how he would bend it to his liking. He is patient because he knows he is always in control, which brings him to the displays of affection happening right before him.

Here he is sitting in his chair in the corner of his chambers, watching you and Sleipnir kiss hungrily: with Sleipnir on top of you palming at your breasts, while you keep your hands in his silver hair and rub your thighs together to relieve the want stirring between them. To see the both of you so needy for one another, the two people he trusts and loves with his whole being, is the most beautiful thing he has ever witnessed.

Barnabas Tharmr can’t deny that he is a possessive man, especially when it comes to you. So much as a look from another man in your direction is a reason for punishment of the highest order, as no one is to look at you with such lust and need. You are his, and his alone… until now.

Barnabas had found you during his time in Kanver after their fight for independence was over. You were a barmaid, serving ale to the Kanver army and citizens in celebration. He was captivated by many things: the way you made barmaid garb look elegant and how you had the voice of an angel when you sang songs local to the area, just to name a couple. However, the one thing that absolutely drove him mad was the innocence you exuded; an innocence he so desperately wanted to break… and he did just that. He brought you to his kingdom, made you his queen, spoiled you with all the luxuries he could grant you, and had you submit to him at your own will, which you willingly gave away with his own when you both became Akashic to better serve his Master. Since then, you and Sleipnir have been the only two members in his council that mattered; everyone else disposable.

You and Sleipnir’s devotion to him is undeniable, serving him in all ways that he commands willingly. However, over time, he had noticed subtle shifts between the two of you. Sleipnir was often ordered to keep watch over you when he was away, and every time he would come back he would sense the atmosphere was different. He had always conjured it up as you both grew closer due to such close proximity, which pleased him regardless.

It wasn’t until one night where he had woken up to your dream induced whimpers and curses that he knew the connection between you and his lord commander was much deeper than anticipated. He remembers hearing Sleipnir’s name as more pretty sounds would fill the room. He remembers thinking he should be enraged that you were dreaming of another, yet all he felt was the immense thrill that ran straight to his cock at the thought of watching Sleipnir take you.

To say you were surprised when he approached you on the matter is an understatement, for you had broken down and fallen to your knees, confessing that the love you have for him extends to his second-in-command. You cried that you had tried to push the wavering feelings down, as he was everything you needed and wanted and more, but the harder you would push, the faster it would spring back up. He felt he should be angry at what would be considered emotional infidelity, but instead he had knelt down and cradled you in his arms, whispering in your ear how he wasn’t upset and how much he loves you. In his mind, he kept thinking maybe the soft spot in his heart for Sleipnir makes this so easy to forgive, even when there was nothing to be forgiven.

Little did he know, it was much more than that.

A gasp brings Barnabas back to the moment, and he sees Sleipnir inserting one of his long fingers into your pretty cunt, leaving your mouth agape as you watch him play with you. He is leaning over you as he draws his finger in and out of you, cupping your face as he seemingly whispers words between shared kisses. Barnabas takes notice of one of your hands traveling down to Sleipnir’s cock, running your fingertips along the sensitive flesh. He is mesmerized at the chemistry the two of you have, both loving each other in rhythm.

Sleipnir leans down towards your ear, muttering something Barnabas can’t decipher. Your head turns towards him as a second finger slips in, and his fists clench in self-control as your face contorts with a moan. He can feel his cock straining in his trousers but refuses to palm himself. He just tilts his head, admiring the sounds and faces you make as Sleipnir continues to get you ready for his own cock. Barnabas can tell you are overwhelmed with both the pleasure you are receiving while having to look at him, and he wants to see you fall apart.

“Sleipnir, why don’t you prepare our sweet angel with your tongue?” Barnabas suggests, causing your eyes to go big.

Sleipnir looks at Barnabas from your neck, and grins. “As you wish, my liege.”

He sits back further in his seat as he observes Sleipnir make his way down your body, placing open mouthed kisses on your skin. Your head turns back to him only for him to seize your chin to keep it facing Barnabas. “Keep your eyes on your majesty. Let him watch as I please you.”

Barnabas keeps his eyes on you, and knows instantly when Sleipnir’s tongue makes contact with your delicate flower: eyelids heavy, chest rising and falling more rapidly, and lips parted as sweet little moans enter his ears. Your hands reach down to Sleipnir’s hair, pulling the strands causing him to hum into your cunt and trail his free hand from your chin to your thigh, squeezing the flesh.

“Oh stars please, Sleipnir!” You moaned, pushing his face more into your heat. Sleipnir picks up his pace, ravaging you in a way that has you squirming. This only makes Barnabas groan at the push and pull game the two of you are playing, and he decides to take a closer look. He stands from his seat, walking over to you two with the primal urge to be close. He kneels beside you, cupping your face in his hands before gently kissing you, a big contrast to the animalistic actions Sleipnir is performing between your thighs. A gasp from you breaks the kiss slightly, making Barnabas look to the cause. He sees how Sleipnir is devouring you, mouth sucking on your clit and fingers working you open, a third one being added to the mix sometime during his escapades. Watching him pleasure you in this manner feels so different and new, and it feels so right.

Barnabas turns back to you, seeing how your eyes have not left him. He smiles wickedly, loving the way you are being so obedient to the two of them. “How are you faring, my dear? Is he making you feel good?”

You nod, a small curse leaving your lips at what he knows is from Sleipnir’s doing. “Hmmm feels so exquisite with his tongue, doesn’t he? Especially if he is making absolute sin drip from your own.”

“Yes, my king! He feels so good!” You praise, causing a loud groan to hit your clit from Sleipnir which only makes you grow louder.

Barnabas looks over at Sleipnir and to see the sight of his lord commander up close consuming your cunt with his fingers buried deep inside you is a sight to behold. While he cannot see the vigor of Sleipnir’s fingers, he can see him going back and forth from his pinkish gray lips sucking your pretty pearl to his tongue caressing it to make you last evermore. It’s hard to tear his eyes away from the glorious sight, but that sight will have to wait. After all, he wants to watch you surrender to the rapture you are about to fulfill.

He turns back to you, hands going to your cheeks, so your focus stays on him. He feels your hands wrap around his wrists, a grip of a thousand men clutching for dear life at your impending release. He can feel himself smile, teeth and all, for the desperation and need of release from you is apparent. And he is more than willing to give it to you.

“Are you going to let go, my beloved? Are you going to give your lord commander the nectar he starves for?” A whine comes out of you, eyes shutting and head turning to the side. He is quick to turn your head back facing his, one hand leaving to grasp the back of your head by your hair. “Oh no, we can’t have that. You will keep your eyes on me when you finish.”

Barnabas is barely holding on, the pout and tremble of your lips from the overwhelming stimulus happening makes him want to finish you off himself. But once again, he is a patient man. He will wait for Sleipnir to give you your first release of the night. A sudden gasp comes from you and a shake of your head starts as you start to fall over the edge. “Mmmm goodness Sleipnir please!” You wailed, the grip on Barnabas’s wrist growing tenfold with nails digging into his skin. He moans, the pain feeling so good, and he goes down to kiss you, swallowing your cries as Sleipnir draws you out of your orgasm.

Barnabas feels movement on his right and releases your lips to see Sleipnir sitting up from your thighs, lips glistening with your arousal and hair a mess from your earlier pulling. He holds up the fingers that were once in your cunt and moves forward to bring them to your lips. “Open up.” Barnabas sits you up, and watches you lean over to lick your juices from Sleipnir’s fingers, purring at the taste as you clean them off. “That’s it, our sweet angel. Clean up your mess.” Sleipnir murmurs, a trance apparent at the way you work your tongue.

Barnabas can’t keep his eyes off Sleipnir in this moment. Watching his chest rise and fall as he watches you, swollen, wet lips agape, small amounts of perspiration on his body. He looked like an absolute God, and Barnabas could feel something snap in his chest as realization dawned on him. He loves him.

Barnabas loves Sleipnir. He created him to fill the loneliness and the void; to always have someone by his side for all time. When he doesn’t have the words, it is Sleipnir that knows what he is thinking. It is Sleipnir who knows what action needs to take place before Barnabas commands it. Before you, it was Sleipnir who protected Barnabas from his fears. His lord commander has always held a special place in Barnabas’s heart and the realization of those feelings have led to this moment: that the love he has for Sleipnir goes beyond companionship.

Sleipnir’s focus is on Barnabas, curiosity in his eyes as he awaits his king’s next move. This sets Barnabas off, for he was going to admire the beautiful being before him so help him. He is quick to take his trousers off, now fully naked, and gets on the bed kneeling by your side. Barnabas takes no time at all to grab Sleipnir by the back of his neck, and bring him down for a deep kiss. He feels Sleipnir encircle his arms around his waist, pulling him in closer and urging him to keep going. Barnabas growls, biting Sleipnir’s bottom lip causing him to grunt, granting him full access to his taste; tongues greeting one another for the first time in 47 years. It feels so natural, and all he can think is that this is right. The three of you together as it should be. As it should have always been.

He pulls away from Sleipnir’s lips, now looking more swollen and glossier than before, and he can’t help the genuine smile that forms. Sleipnir huffs out a laugh, his hand reaching up Barnabas’s cheek to soothe the handsome wrinkles under his eyes. “You don’t know how long I’ve waited for this. How long I’ve waited for you, my king.” Barnabas thinks that Sleipnir deep down must have known it would come to this and must have known his feelings for him early on. The corners of his mouth turn up, the fingers of his free hand trailing to meet the hand on his cheek to bring it to his lips. “Forgive me for my late realization.” He mutters through the kisses on Sleipnir’s fingers. “For my ignorance nearly led me astray from you, my star.”

It feels like they are both in that position forever before Barnabas senses a shift on the bed, and next thing he knows his cock is being touched. He looks in between him and Sleipnir to see you on your knees beside the two of them, one cock in each hand and slowly stroking them in sync. He can only chuckle, seeing you serve your King and Lord Commander during a sentimental moment. Such a naughty little thing.

“It seems someone wants attention.” He hears Sleipnir snicker. All you do is smile innocently, and Barnabas leans down to press a sweet kiss against your lips. “You’ve been so patient, my dear.” He goes to leave a kiss on your temple. “You’ve cooled down quite a bit.” He goes to kiss under your ear. “Would you like us to warm you back up?”

“Yes, my darling. I beg you. I beg the both of you.”

Barnabas acts fast, crawling to rest against the headboard before grabbing you swiftly. He gets a yelp and a fit of giggles from you before settling you in between his legs, your back against his chest with his cock snug against your lower back. He keeps his head on your shoulder as he watches Sleipnir approach you on his hands and knees, crawling to you like a lion about to go in on the hare. He sets his thighs under your knees and starts to rub your thighs up and down. “My Queen, is this truly what you want? You shall only receive what you wish.”

Barnabas watches you nod determinedly. “I want you, Sleipnir Harbard. I want all of you.”

Barnabas observes Sleipnir slowly push inside your cunt, a soft gasp leaving your lips at the intrusion. He watches as you open up, the preparation serving well for his new lover’s cock. While Barnabas’s cock is well-sized, girthy and uncut, Sleipnir’s cock is undoubtedly longer with protruding veins, so he knows it’ll rub against areas that will have you feeling enlightened.

Barnabas wraps his arms around your waist as Sleipnir goes at a leisurely pace, his hands gripping the crease of your hips. Barnabas takes this time to drink you in, kissing your neck gently to start and letting his hands knead your tummy. You keen as he continues his trail, starting to nip at your skin as Sleipnir grows notably faster in his pace as your lower back starts to grind into Barnabas’s cock. He trails his hands up your tummy to your breasts, deciding to knead them roughly, causing you to whimper at the treatment. He senses Sleipnir pick up the pace again, rocking his cock in and out in a smooth rhythm. This only makes Barnabas up the antics, biting down on your neck hard enough to leave indents of his teeth all the while taking your pebbled nipples between his fingers and pulling on them.

“MMMM Barnabas!” You choked out, and Barnabas chuckled against your neck, letting go of the skin of your neck to lick it soothingly. “My little masochist.” He tugs at your nipples harder, making you squirm in his hold. “It’s no wonder you chose an old sadist like me.” He continues playing with your sensitive nipples as he watches Sleipnir continue to take you, soft grunts leaving his lips every so often.

“How does our sweet angel feel, my pet?” Barnabas asks, curious as to what is playing through his lord commander's head.

“She feels absolutely delicious, my liege.”

“Delicious?” Barnabas smirks. “If she feels as such, why aren’t you showing her?”

Sleipnir simper’s, leaning forward slightly. “I’m simply enjoying the view, my liege.” He leans down, placing a gentle kiss against Barnabas’s lips, juxtaposing the roughness of his cock entering your cunt, causing a cry to leave your lips. “I’ve been left speechless.”

“You may not be as loud now, but don’t worry.” Barnabas lets go of your nipples, wrapping one arm back around your torso while his free hand wraps around Sleipnir’s throat, a soft gasp leaving his lips. “Next time, it’ll be you who begs for release at the mercy of myself and our queen.” He growls. “Now, give her what she wants.”

Sleipnir groans deeply. “As you wish, your majesty.”

Barnabas lets go of his neck and the first thing Sleipnir does is go down to you, kissing you deeply as his cock continues ravaging you. The particular thrust of Sleipnir’s hips affects both you and Barnabas; a shriek of pleasure at a certain spot Sleipnir hits inside you and a loud moan from the gravity of his thrust pushing you further into Barnabas’s cock. Barnabas can feel himself in need, needing to worship his lovers as they take on one another, for it exhilarates him knowing the both of you love each other in the same way he loves you both.

He maneuvers his arms in a way that allows each of his hands to weave his fingers into yours and Sleipnir’s hair. He pushes both faces together, watching as you and Sleipnir swallow each other’s sounds. The sound of panting kisses and the wet smacking of Sleipnir’s hips is driving Barnabas insane, and so he pulls them apart so he can bring Sleipnir down to his own lips. They both groan hotly, heavy breathing intaking them as their tongues battle for the others' mercy. Barnabas feels you tilt your head back, feeling your eyes on him and Sleipnir as he claims the latter. He releases Sleipnir, their lips stringing saliva, and goes down to meet your lips to give the same treatment. You whimper against his lips as he claims them, and he feels your hand rest against his jaw, scratching against his facial hair lightly. He notices Sleipnir move his head in his grip, and he decides to push his head down to the crux of your neck. Barnabas captures your gasps, glancing down to see Sleipnir nipping love bites into your skin, small pink marks forming.

Barnabas pulls away, and stares at your blissed out expression. You have never looked more beautiful than you do now, and all he thinks is you deserve everything, especially for bringing all three of you together like this. He clutches his fingers in your hair a little harder, making sure your focus is on him. “Tell me how your lord commander is making you feel? I want to hear you say it.” He bids, but you only twist and turn, making Sleipnir push against your hips to hold you down against Barnabas. Your hands latch around Sleipnir’s back, your head falling on his shoulder. Next thing Barnabas witnesses is Sleipnir lifting his head, a shuddering smile on his face; the same one Barnabas equips when he is the one worshiping you. One of his hands leaves your hips and travels to your neck, wrapping his fingers around it and pushing lightly so your neck would stop turning away. “That wasn’t a request, my queen.” Sleipnir hums. “It’s an order from your king. Tell him, tell us, how I’m pleasuring you.”

“You feel incredible!” You sobbed. “You both do I- It’s too much.”

“But not enough.” Barnabas hums into your ear. “Next time, you’ll get to have both of us and our spends. At the same time.” You start to shake, and he can see how his words are reeling your excitement. “But for now, clench your walls on him. Let him really feel you.”

He knows you are doing as you’re told because Sleipnir starts to grunt obscenities, his hand going back to your hip. Barnabas takes the opportunity to let go of both heads, throwing one arm back around your torso and letting his free hand run past the two bodies of his lovers, landing right on your clit as he starts to rub small, tight circles. A sob leaves your lips, a telltale sign that you were right there.

“My king, I can’t hold on much longer. Please let me be relieved!” You cried, your hands coming to clutch on his arm holding you to him.

He kisses behind the shell of your ear, nipping and licking slightly at the cartilage to tease you further before he gives in to your desire for release. “Let go for us, my dear.”

He watches as your climax takes over you, seemingly possessing you mind, body, and soul as your back arches against him. He sees Sleipnir is at his wits end, his hips pistoning back and forth brutally as he rides out your release. Barnabas smirks, as seeing Sleipnir Harbard, his lord commander, his newfound lover, utterly tranced by you makes him feel euphoric.

“My dear, why don’t you help our star out, hm?”

You nod, and your hands let go of Barnabas’s arms to wrap back around Sleipnir again, pulling him in closer with the back of your heels. His breath hitches as he goes forward, his hands catching himself as they plant on the mattress on either side of Barnabas’s thighs. Barnabas moves his arms so you and Sleipnir’s chests touch, wanting the two of you as close to each other as possible. He lets his hands go down to Sleipnir’s hands, stroking them as you work on Sleipnir’s release.

Barnabas can vaguely hear what you are saying, your voice low in Sleipnir’s ear as you coax him. All Barnabas can think of is how you and himself can bring such a snarky, matter of fact being into such a submissive state. The way he is gasping and muttering a variety of affirmations, like he is begging for you to give him what he needs, brings a whole new side to him. Barnabas feels like he has fallen in love all over again.

Barnabas leans over your shoulder, Sleipnir’s other ear available, and whispers his command. “Release inside her. Fill her with your love as I do.”

That is all Sleipnir needed, a chain reaction setting off as Sleipnir moans hoarsely as he releases his spend into you, causing you to whine as another orgasm hits you from the constant stimulation of his cock. His arms give out, Barnabas catching him by wrapping his arms around him alongside your own. “You two did so well.” Barnabas praises, his hands going to rub your side and Sleipnir’s back. There is only heavy breathing in response, bearings working to be met as everyone calms down their hearts.

Sleipnir is the first to move, placing kisses on both you and Barnabas’s lips before slowly pulling out of your cunt, a groan leaving your lips in the process. Sleipnir flops graciously on the bed, sighing with utter thrill as his eyes rest for a moment. Barnabas goes to move you to the side when you turn in his hold, going to your knees in front of him. He is perplexed for a moment, only to see you staring at his hard cock.

“My darling, you didn’t get to have a release. Let us please you.”

This perks Sleipnir up, rolling over to his front to crawl over. “Yes, my liege. We want you to feel as good as we do.”

Barnabas laughs and shakes his head. “In due time. I can assure you both that I am completely satisfied. Let’s rest for a moment, only then will I let the two of you have your way with me.”

You and Sleipnir look at each other, smiles plastering in agreement. You move off the bed, ushering Sleipnir to go back to his side of the bed. “Okay, but at least be in the middle so we can both love you.”

Something shifts in Barnabas’s chest, a sense of belonging settling in deeply. He inclines, moving to the middle of the bed and under the covers where Sleipnir is already settled in. Sleipnir latches to him, his left arm wrapping around Barnabas’s torso. Barnabas feels another weight on the bed, his right shoulder now being used as a pillow as you snuggle up close to him. There is a buzzing throughout the room; hums, sighs, and gentle kisses summoning a calm atmosphere. Barnabas has never felt so complete; to be adored and loved like this by the two people he considers home is elating.

He can hear Sleipnir lightly snoring, a dreamlike state having taken over him. Barnabas turns his head to you and goes to kiss your forehead. You purr, stretching into him as your eyes open to meet his. He reaches his free hand to your face, brushing your cheek with his knuckles as he admires your glow. He is so in love with you, especially in this moment.

“Thank you.”

Your eyes glint, confusion striking them. “For what, my king?”

“For bringing the three of us together, for if you hadn’t, I’m afraid a part of my heart would have never unlocked.”

You move up slightly, and kiss his lips, both of your hands on his cheeks. Your lips linger against his own as your next words flow. “Thank you for opening up your heart for us. He has loved you for a long time, just as I have.”

Barnabas sighs against your mouth and moves to lay his head into the crook of your neck. “I truly love you both. I adore and admire you both. I hope you know this.” Your chest vibrates, your hand still holding onto his face. “I know because I love you. I love him. I love us three.”

“It is us three beyond our vessels.”

Ultimania Spoiler Note: Sleipnir was created in the Year 826 when Barnabas was 18 using Odin's magick, meaning up to Year 878, they have been together for 52 years. This story takes place in 873 only because I felt like in 878 a lot is happening.

#barnabas tharmr x reader #sleipnir harbard x reader #ffxvi x reader #barnabas tharmr smut #sleipnir harbard smut #ffxvi smut #ffxvi #barnabas tharmr #sleipnir harbard #my fics #smut

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ponett · 9 months

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I saw in your FFXVI review that you'd played Tears of the Kingdom. What were your thoughts on Zelda's role in the game and story?

it was okay. i'll put this below a read more for spoilers. this will also talk more about the stories in general, because i feel like i can't say much about zelda's storylines without doing that

generally, i think i liked the execution a little better than how botw told its story. i loved botw, but it felt like the entire story was already 99% finished by the time link woke up. i didn't feel like i was developing a relationship to those characters as the player, i felt like i was being told about things that just kind of happened around link 100 years before i took control of him - things that he barely reacts to because of how little this version of link emotes in cutscenes. zelda was pretty fun at times, but her arc is really just "she's under immense pressure from her father to live up to her destiny as the reincarnation of hylia and save everyone... and then she does it, the end"

so i preferred the execution in totk, where it felt more like link and zelda had parallel adventures occurring in the present and the ancient past. zelda sets up a lot of things for you in the past, but you also have all the stories of the sages. they're not amazing or anything, but like, those are characters that YOU, the player, met and helped as part of YOUR adventures in the previous game, and now you'll continue to work alongside them and help them save their home regions. those storylines are built upon YOUR actions as the player, making you an active participant, as opposed to being told about link's relationships with the champions. and because link is completely absent from zelda's storyline, you're on the same page as him as you piece together what zelda was up to on her own, so i found that more engaging

the actual content of zelda's storyline in totk is, like... fine. she admittedly feels like kind of a passive observer for a lot of it, a mere point of view character for us to see what rauru was doing, until she finally has the idea to become a dragon and repair the master sword. but i thought that was a cool narrative move. that sacrifice feels like more of an interesting act of agency on her part than her living up to her father's expectations in botw

of course, yes, in the end zelda has to turn back to normal. she can't stay a dragon. it's cheap, but i dunno. did we really expect anything different? to me the only part that REALLY feels like a cop out is the fact that the tens of thousands of years she spent as a dragon are written off as feeling "like a dream" to her, rather than leaning into zelda waiting so many millennia to reunite with link. embrace that drama! but, like. it's a zelda game. they were always going to give us that happy ending where link and zelda are reunited and everything's back to normal

i think the thing to me is that, like. at this point in my life, at the ripe old age of 29, i accept that the stories in most zelda games are nothing to write home about. games like link's awakening and majora's mask are the exception, not the rule. zelda games have fun worlds and characters, they have occasional moments of brilliance, but they're straightforward hero's journey stories made to support the gameplay first and foremost. and most of the 3d zelda games at this point have some sort of ass pull in the final act - shit like zant being pushed aside for you to fight ganondorf, or tetra getting whitewashed and turned into a completely different character the second they reveal she's a zelda

i go to other games when i want a really nuanced, emotional story with a bittersweet ending. i'm not waiting up for zelda writing to blow me away like that, in the same way that i'm just playing other games with female protagonists instead of waiting up for them to make a game where you play as zelda

#fanofsmbx #ask

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xenodile · 6 months

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I've seen plenty of jokes about how when the FFXVI collab happens in XIV, Clive is gonna see all the Aetherytes and have an aneurysm, or WoL will summon Phoenix as a mount or SMN pet and give him PTSD flashbacks, but what's actually going to happen is he's gonna show up in the middle of Limsa Lominsa and see fuckin' roegadyn and lalafells and miqo'te all coexisting and go "Wait wait so there's like...no systemic racism..? You all don't try and kill each other for being born different??" and some rando will be like "What the fuck, of course not, what kind of backwater do you come from?"

Clive is gonna find out literally everyone in Eorzea can just do magic if they apply themselves and it's gonna change his entire worldview.

#Abby plays FFXIV #Final Fantasy XVI

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hellish-inferno · 9 months

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Past pretense

Prompt: So, Brenda drew fanart and I just stepped in like 'hey, what if I wrote something for that'- And this happened. Dare I say, enjoy?

Description: Completely based on this fanart in particular. Dion and Joshua are rivals on the tracks, on paper and on magazines- Whatever happens outside of there, though, is for them alone to deal with. Rating: T (they get handsy and they very much kiss [hard])

Couple: PhoenixFlare (Dion/Joshua) - FFXVI

Words: 1345

The weather forecast hadn’t been merciful that morning: with the temperatures predicted to skyrocket way past the season’s standards, the upcoming preparations for the race were promising to be a veritable nightmare to get through, not only due to how busy the track would get, but also thanks to the seeming jitteriness that overcame people whenever the heat broke certain unspoken and unwritten limits.

While he normally did relatively well under the sweltering heat of the Sun, Joshua had to admit that the Dhalmekian summer hit a little bit differently than the Rosarian seasons he was so accustomed to- The rays felt heavier somehow, not caressing his skin, but rather dragging their invisible hands along his face, making him huff in dismay as a result. As if that weren’t enough to sour his mood to an extent, there was also the fact that he couldn’t seem to find Dion anywhere and that little game of hide-and-seek wasn’t exactly a balm for his tension, if anything, it made him feel even more stretched taut, frustration brewing under his skin and making his suit feel uncomfortable, almost cumbersome to wear- Not that it had ever been particularly nice to wear under horrid heat, but the more he walked around the garage, the more he felt like scratching his skin off in an attempt to find some manner of relief.

They had been pretty much forced to wear their suits for the sake of taking pictures for the one gods-forsaken magazine that would always put them on the front cover, thus there was no real way for them to turn the request down- Not when it was pretty much free advertisement for them. However, while Joshua had been stuck wearing the entire set for two long, exhausting hours (because of course they couldn’t stop at a photo or two, they had to go through an entire photoshoot worth of poses), Dion had been somewhat blessed with the chance of undoing the top part of his suit, because the photographer had insisted that a few ‘in the workshop’ inspired photos would do absolutely great.

It had taken all of Joshua’s self-imposed composure to ask what about a very, very shirtless Dion screamed ‘workshop’ to them, but he bit his tongue and pretended not to see, nor to care. If they wanted to parade him around like some manner of prized horse at a fair, they were welcome to do so away from his eyes.

However, once that obnoxious part of the photoshoot had ended, it seemed as his rival had all but disappeared into thin air, leaving everyone around with a single, pressing question:

Where the hell was Dion Lesage?

The man was many things, but funny was never an adjective Joshua would’ve used to describe him. ‘Irritating’ was a fitting one, maybe ‘annoying’ could also fit the bill, ‘smug’ perhaps- But never funny. And he seriously doubted he’d grown a sense of humor in the span of the three weeks that had separated them before this hellish photoshoot.

(Three weeks, three unbearably frustrating weeks.)

Whether it had been his irritation, or divine intervention, Joshua didn’t know for sure, but the moment he turned the corner, set on going back to his station, a hand shot out from one of the offices and dragged him inside: a normal man, any other man, would’ve yelped out in panic, would’ve fought against being manhandled in such a way, but Joshua was all too aware of who had just slammed his back against the wall (how very rough of him) and thus didn’t put up any sort of fight- Not yet, not when he’d been dying to be pressed between concrete and a body nearly as warm as his own.

“It took you long enough. Didn’t you pride yourself in always being on time…?”

“You know the journalists pushed that on me. That’s simply called being decent and not making everyone wait for you.”

Dion was an extremely patient man, with a mind often veering into strategy rather than blind instinct, so it made sense to think that he’d been biding his time, waiting inside that half-unused office for his chance to strike and catch Joshua off-guard. Prolonging the wait, making himself scarce, it had all worked in Dion’s favour, making his ‘arch-rival’ feel frustrated, thus forcing him to be less alert and… That’s exactly how he ended up in his current position, with heavy hands gripping at his hips and amber eyes boring into his own, burning so bright he could’ve considered blaming him for the rising temperature outside.

“Are you quite done staring, then?” Prodding the blond man was one of his favourite pastimes, feeling a twinge of pride every time he managed to wear down the resistance he was so well known for- And no one but him would ever get to see the walls crumble, the control slipping away from his eyes as he leaned forward, pressing their lips together in a kiss that had little more to it than teeth and grunts. Who would ever believe him if he said that Dion Lesage, controlled and beautiful as a statue when on the track, would turn into a hungry, starving beast when pushed in the right direction?

In the back of his head, Joshua regretted not having had the time, or rather the presence of mind, of taking his gloves off while wandering aimlessly in the corridors- Dion’s skin was right there, covered in a very light sheen of sweat that nearly begged to be touched, to be felt, but taking his hands away completely would mean wasting precious time, time they didn’t have, and thus, some sacrifices had to be made.

(But he would make sure to spend an inordinate amount of time just touching Dion next time they got to be together.

Whenever that would be.)

Joshua had little interest in talking further, but the moment his right hand found purchase in Dion’s hair (giving it a well-deserved pull, making the other man groan into the kiss), he felt a very familiar obstacle hindering his fingers and he could not, for the life of him, avoid the annoyed noise that escaped his throat. “I hate your sunglasses so much.” That cursed set was always, always neatly perched on top of Dion’s annoyingly perfect hair (as if wearing a helmet didn’t factor in at all) and every time, without fail, Joshua would end up colliding with them somehow- Even so, Dion sternly refused to remove them.

“Oh, just as much as you hate me, I’d wager.” The man had the gall, no, the audacity to smirk even with their lips still half-pressed together, but he swiftly made Joshua forget all about the sunglasses the moment he slid his hands lower, pressing fingers into the redhead’s backside with enough strength to make him feel it even through the layers of clothes and then lifting him off the ground with nary a grunt of effort, keeping his back firmly pressed against the wall as a manner of support. There was something about being moved like that, something Joshua couldn’t put into words, but that tickled some part of his head beautifully, making him moan somewhat harder than when being groped- Was it the show of strength in itself, or perhaps the beauty of being wanted so bad?

Despite his head feeling hazy from the kissing, Joshua still had it in him to pull at Dion’s hair once again, forcing him to tilt his head back just enough for their eyes to meet again- And it was a miracle that the air between their faces didn’t catch on fire.

“Today-“ Oh, why did he have to sound so breathless? “You will eat my dust, Lesage.”

“Why settle for the dust, when there’s much richer prizes I could sink my teeth into?” Dion’s hold on his rear had tightened considerably, punctuating his words in such a way that Joshua couldn’t really bite back an almost embarrassing gasp. “Wouldn’t you find that so much more enjoyable, too?”

“Gods, you’re such a braggart.”

#PhoenixFlare #FFXVI #FF16 #Dion Lesage #Joshua Rosfield

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themelodicenigma · 10 months

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***Long post, oh boy.

It is interesting that I've gotten some Asks about Fang and Vanille circulating on Twitter because of FFXVI. Lol I have seen the posts, and also the resistance of it from those who feel like it's looking down on Dion/Terrance (which I kind of agree with, let them have their spotlight).

Overall, we really just shouldn't care too much about that.

A lot of the fandom drama is just bleh at this point (really always was), and when you've seen SO much for years, it's easy to tell what is what. I mean, I'm now seeing people fighting over Jill/Clive of whether they're romantic or not, or if they align more with Clerith or Cloti. Lol Just why.

However, as for what some of ya'll requested from me about Fang and Vanille, to talk about how they're different from Jill/Clive or Vaan/Penelo—I mean, that's easy.

Jill/Clive? It's a random line in her young profile at the beginning that mentions Clive and Joshua "love her as a sister"—the same beginning that immediately has an NPC say Jill/Clive make a "handsome pair", show hardly any typical sibling action, dialogue, or contextual connotation between Jill/Clive in any scene (where they barely really interact until the Moon screen), and the interactions they do have don't really naturally fit into the box of "these two love each other as siblings or Clive views her as a younger sister". Apparently, it's also BOTH the ENG and JPN that mention a sibling relationship. Either way, the game also straight-forwardly writes them as romantic, so it doesn't matter even if it was true or not—unless you're trying to argue he thinks of her as both, there's no doubt they're romantic. Like, seriously, if you haven't finished the game well....trust, you'll find out they're romantic.

Vaan/Penelo? Well first, as far as I'm concerned, the BradyGames guide from years past is the one that carries the assumption that they're "brother and sister". Otherwise, the game, Ultimania, and even the Archive Ultimania only mention they're "like family"—in which case, this is obviously in reference to their orphan past where they were already childhood friends. Reks (Vaan's brother) went to war and Vaan's parents died, Vaan stays with Penelo's family as a result, and then soon after Penelo's parents ALSO died, and then now they BOTH were orphaned along with a bunch of other kids and grew up together working for Migelo as a group of orphans. It's not written for no reason or something that is not true—they're like family. And of course, you know that's a descriptor of a bond, of closeness—YOU can assume it defaults and is limited to a sibling relationship, but technically that's not true, and very often isn't. So, it doesn't even contrast their romanticism (which is hinted at in the 1st game, not just the 2nd), not to mention, it's not even a focus between their characters in the story. The friendship is really the focus, while the family aspect is more expressed for Vaan through dealing with his actual brother's death. The family in relation to their past and part of their bond is definitely a thing, don't get me wrong, but it's hardly emphasized within the game and a center for what they express about and to each other. That'd be the friendship, you just also happen to have romanticism applied eventually as well.

Fang and Vanille, though? It's the major focus of their characters, the family concept flows through them intentionally, consistently, and is also specific to being as sisters. Not to mention, it then is applicable to ALL things shown between them and EXPLAINS their behavior towards each other. In the Games, FFXIII and FFXIII World Previews, Ultimanias + Other credible guides like Piggyback, VA interviews, novelizations—this never stops being true for them and something implemented more than you'd EVER see between Clive/Jill or Vaan/Penelo. And it all "coincidentally" flows together as a whole for the family/sister application.

FFXIII World Preview - their introduction on the relationship chart is "same family surname". Even before the game's release, the family connotation is applied to them. While we learn the REASON in-world is because of them being from the same village, this more than obviously is for the purpose of serving the continuous family connotation THROUGH Fang and Vanille specifically to emphasis this, as supported by all other points below. Also, just a small thought, why choose this to introduce the characters mysteriously, and then later have a plethora of familial confirmations, if it's something that isn't representative of exactly what it foretells?

FFXIII Ultimania Chart - "relationship like sisters", enough said. Unlike Vaan/Penelo, it specifies WHAT family relationship they have. They didn't pull back from "same family surname", they took it steps further. The relationship chart is informative of something about the characters, and obviously the content can show something more than just the chosen moniker (e.g. Aqua/Terra/Ven aren't just "fellow pupils"), but it also isn't something that is FALSE information unless the content TELLS you it's false. It normally doesn't, and certainly didn't for Fang and Vanille, as per below.

FFXIII Scenario Ultimania, Archive Ultimania, LR Complete Guide - literally, everywhere, ESPECIALLY in writings relative to Fang, who is the older sister, protector, and most concerned over the other—this also correlates to why Fang's character centers around Vanille's more than the other way around (more on that later). Her descriptions really capture WHY she is the way she is towards Vanille and why the center of her character is protecting Vanille and keeping her from turning into a Cie'th. The FFXIII Scenario Ultimania even directly says in Fang's profile "Vanille is not just a childhood friend from the same hometown" and guess what works alongside this description: "To Fang, Vanille is an irreplaceable family member", "grew up like sisters", "they have a bond beyond family", “Since the original Final Fantasy XIII, Fang has always strived to protect Vanille, considering her as her own family", etc. etc. etc. Family, family, family. Being friends is absolutely a thing, don't get it twisted, but the family aspect not only in retrospect to growing up together, but in HOW they see each other, is consistent, ESPECIALLY for Fang. The Lightning Returns Complete Guide is from Piggyback, who is known for having the developers involved in the conception of their guides as well, and Toriyama himself is quoted in the book saying Fang considers Vanille as family.

FFXII Scenario Ultimania Stories - As a bonus, in Benny Matsuyama's short stories for all the characters, including separately in both Fang and Vanille's stories—in both stories, he doubles down on the same things as above, describing how Fang has this strong conviction and vow of protecting Vanille, who is like her younger sister, and wants to stop her from becoming a Cie'th. While Matsuyama's canonicity through BentStuff is a complete other conversation, there is the consideration of the fact he's reiterating something that has already been applied as opposed to making it up, not to mention, his novella and the character he created in the FFXIII Ultimania Omega were made canon, and he's in the staff credits for Lightning Returns.

FFXIII Ultimania Omega Interview - even Fang's VA mentions how "To Fang, Vanille is like a younger sister", and relates that to why she relates to Fang since she has a younger sister too, and thus understands the strong conviction Fang has in protecting Vanille.

The FFXIII Game - now I don't think the game itself specifically mentions them being "like sister" (at least in the dialogue, as I've gone through the script of the cutscenes), but the family aspect is something they carry pretty heavily, especially for the group. Vanille's narration talking about family and the regrets of not keeping them as close as you should, Vanille introducing the idea of "On Gran Pulse, everyone is family", Fang and Vanille emphasizing that their village is a close-knit family when arriving to Oerba, Fang assuring Vanille "we have a new family now" and the Ulti Omega doubling down by saying that this line clearly shows how Fang sees the group as her family, and of course, Fang trying to sacrifice herself to fulfill her promise to "protect her family" when the group faces Orphan. Fang's worry and conviction to protect Vanille, and extending this to her expanded family, is shown greatly.

-Zero Promise- Novelization - the novelization is the treasure trove for Fang and Vanille's context as character, their family/sister relationship (along with friendship, of course), and their past. It even features two direct parallels between Lightning and Fang for the sake of showing how Fang views Vanille like a little sister. Even Vanille, in the moment they became L'Cie at their village, tells Fang about how despite being orphans, they were raised together, and were family. There's also the additional context of Fang being like the "woman/adult" while Vanille is like "the child", emphasizing the child-like personality of Vanille by how she always slept next to Fang (also with other kids in the village, before they became L'Cie) from her fears of loneliness, and Fang recounting this of her looking after her being a "crybaby". Naturally, all of this does naturally fit within a context where there's an older sibling and a younger sibling. There usually isn't, but if there are concerns over canonicity—Jun Eishima, the author of this novel (and the FFXIII-2 novels), was hired directly by SE to write her novelizations and to have them published through SE individually, had them featured in the World Previews of both FFXIII and XIII-2, had another short story called -Episode i- featured with the Xbox 360 release of FFXIII, AND was the Story Advisor for the actual FFXIII-2 game. So, it's safe to say she's an authentic additional party to the series as an author, even more than Matsuyama.

-Episode i- Novelization - this short story features the group slightly post-the ending of FFXIII. The story shows the groups conviction for saving Fang and Vanille from the crystal stasis, which sets up this same conviction expressed from all of them (especially Snow and Hope) in FFXIII-2. More importantly, how this conviction is shaped by the familial bond they created with Fang and Vanille, and they remark how this meaning came from Vanille's famous line: "On Gran Pulse, everyone is family".

FFXIII-2 World Preview Book - continuing the trend, Fang and Vanille are described as "like family" once again in the relationship chart. And at this point, we already know HOW they're like family: sisters.

FFXIII-2 Game/Novelization - This first point is really kind of a bonus that is congruent to the comparison of Lightning and Fang, but in FFXIII-2 when Serah meets Fang for the first time, she talks about how Fang reminded her of Lightning. There's also the "Daughters of Etro" moniker they gain through prophecy and the "Legend of Cocoon" Noel speaks on—this is obviously congruent with the concept of them being family/sisters to one another, it just throws in the context of a connection to Etro. Interestingly enough, the ENG localization also recounts the legend through Noel as them being called "the sisters", as well, though this line of dialogue in JPN from Noel is still "the daughters". This meaning is also talked about within the novelizations Fragments Before and Fragments After.

FFXIII: Lightning Returns Game - And of course, Fangs conviction to protect Vanille is STILL the center of her character, to the point she leaves Vanille in order to accomplish this. Lightning will remark this, wondering what made Fang leave since they have "a bond beyond/stronger than family". At this point, it's obvious why family is the foundation of this descriptor, but also how it works as a nice descriptor that comments on the strength of this bond, and how it is stronger than the already strong bond of family bonds.

And the most important thing as demonstrated above? They don't stray from this—they build upon it. There's no deviation, there's no making it false, there's no "this is a lie and it's actually romantic". This IS the characters and their relationship—perhaps the most important difference between them and Clive/Jill or Vaan/Penelo. Within all this, there is no "coded/subtext" of romance, when all things expressed in the game fits within ALL that is provided above and is congruent to one another for the same conclusion: Fang and Vanille are family, are sisters, and very much so care a lot about each other. As you can see, it was given in a multitude of ways throughout the existence of all 3 games and corresponding material relative to them. This especially for Fang—a character who is older, has grown up taking care of a younger character in a family setting, and whose main priority is protecting them and looking after them: this doesn't just fit in the sibling/parental [hogosha] box, it is THE box itself. Are there stories that deviate, that subvert this and make it romantic? Absolutely, I've seen them myself. But, it's a deviation for a reason, it's "different than what it appears as" for a reason—because it's not what is natural for a romantic relationship to develop. There's a reason Fang is consistently compared and paired with Lightning, who is also not only just a sibling to Serah, but also a hogosha [parental figure]. I would make the same argument for Fang too.

One thing I've seen actively in the way is the very typical urge to use our personal interpretations more than the content to understand something. The bar for romanticism is REALLY low in how people perceive things, and that's a wider conversation on how media itself was the influence on this, kind of negatively if you ask me. Glorification of romanticism and sex is a thing. Like really, it's what part of me understands HOW people can see Fang and Vanille as romantic, but also, WHY I know they also should be able to see it as platonic, too. I believe this is an important aspect of talking about perception and media. However, we can't be blinded by it—logically or emotionally. There's not a single thing they've done that can't be understood through the lens of what the material has given you to understand it. Use the lens of the information, not your own personal interpretation if you want to KNOW Fang and Vanille. If you want to ship the hek out of them despite this, fine—I don't care about that specifically, but it would be nice if people recognized and also talked about who the characters actually are outside of their headcanon. That way, when things that are just misconceptions are said, people who know better can say something.

Fang originally being a man? Actually, they both were in a sense. And, not only is it a "coincidence" that the construction of Fang's character is centered on her "wanting to save Vanille", but also that one of the reasons Fang was turned into a female was to AVOID the feeling of romance between Fang and Vanille. Interesting how that little detail is left out by those mentioning this (one could even argue it's slightly homophobic, but that's a whole other convo). Either way, it makes sense as to why the center of Fang's character is her conviction to protect Vanille—it's what she was created for, and we see HOW they chose to execute that: to protect Vanille, her younger sister, her family.

Fang and Vanille being like the Ragnarok legend? It's pretty easy to understand what was/wasn't used with the Lif and Lifthrasir comparison. They're a duo, seemingly the last of the Pulse civilization, and associated with Ragnarok—that's where the similarity ends and how far it was utilized, obviously as based on the above. Something done in media all the time is the utilization of concepts, but not ALL details are 1:1. Happens all the time, and when the storytelling is directly referencing the concept itself (like True Love's Kiss or an Act of Pure Love), it's actually a specific point to SUBVERT from romance and apply it differently.

Vanille talking about never sleeping alone? This is literally linked to the "child-like" aspect of her character—of her fears and sadness of loneliness, and quite frankly the trauma of being orphaned. She's never slept alone, and Vanille recounts this in lieu of herself and ALL the orphans (before they're L'Cie)—it wasn't just Fang in her recollection, but Fang is the one she is closest to and relied on the most. Sleeping alone = fear of loneliness. Fang recounts the same idea in lieu of Vanille's "crybaby" personality—"Vanille would always cry, waking up from a bad dream, holding on to Fang and begging her not to leave her alone. She had always been like that, since they were children."—and naturally, this coincides with Fang's role of taking care of her since they were kids. Surely we're not confused on how that fits with a sibling dynamic more naturally than a romantic one? Then lastly, what is probably even the inspiration of this from the -Zero- Promise novel, is the wholesome/sad scene in the FFXIII game when Vanille, after making a deal about Sazh not invading her sleeping space, sneaks over to sleep next to him, crying, and Sazh allows it, calling her a kid. I mean, it's literally outlined three separate times. Nothing to do with romance, it's about Vanille's character. Unless, you really think Vanille was coming onto Sazh as opposed to dealing with trauma. Knowing the internet, I'm sure that's a ship somewhere, but it ain't it.

Fang lifting up Vanille's skirt to see her brand on her upper thigh? That is, to see if she is close to death, being a Cie'th? The very thing she's been stressing about the entire game up to that point? In this, we can also include the ability of Fang and Vanille hugging or holding each other's hands when they're sacrificing themselves. Basically, physical intimacy.

Boy, this one is a rant for me, and it's hard to be nice about it.

The L'Cie brand is practically almost like a wound, and they're constantly in s state of worry of it getting worse, with it being their ticking time clock towards losing themselves to becoming Cie'th. This is one of Fang's biggest concerns for Vanille along with protecting her.

Now, take their outward personalities that reinforce they're not one to make a big deal about seeing skin, their close-knit familial upbringing + being sisters within this environment—supplemented by the info that supports Fang being the older sister whose main concern is Vanille's safety and turning into a Cie'th + Vanille, who is the younger sister and like a "child", them both being females, and how Fang wordlessly moves Vanille to do this while Vanille has no protest, which can be reminiscent of a mother/child, which "coincidentally" flows with the above, etc. If you seriously can't understand in any way how this interaction fits within the information of the above, platonically, and doesn't showcase anything relative to "this can only happen if they're fucking"—then there's not much else to be said other than, maybe expand your understanding of human interaction and personalities in media (not even just JPN, either)? That's the nicest and most understanding way I can put it. Take in anything, where a sibling dynamic and their capability of interaction isn't just bickering and tussling with one another. Please. It's super easy, and has been done before or even further in so much other content, all across JPN media. There's SO many characters with strong sibling relationships. For SE games, also look at FFXIII itself—Lightning and Hope, Hope and Vanille (the beginning), Sarah and Vanille even share a moment when they meet, Lightning and Serah's interaction at the end of XIII-2, etc. It's everywhere. Yuna and Rikku's hug scene in FFX, Aqua's general intimacy towards Ventus in the KH series, etc. There's not a single thing Fang and Vanille has done that isn't covered under what has been given about their characters, and it's not even like, that much. I mean, Elsa and Anna between Frozen 1 and 2 show more I'd say. "B-but, but, hugs in Japanese media are always—". Nope, go read, watch, anything, please. Now, there can be a certain conversation of expectations between say, a female and male (and even this isn't absolute), but between females? Showing physical intimacy and closeness, not only in real-time of the story but also in key art? Super common. Easy.

There's even a conversation for the sake of how Fang and Vanille specifically are the way they are because of this upbringing, so Fang not making a big deal about even checking Lightning's brand despite being a stranger, Vanille and Serah sharing a moment while being strangers, and even how quickly Vanille physically came to comforting Hope at the beginning of the game—it's more about their personalities and familial/close-knit characterization.

Like, c'mon man. There's "I can see this happening between a couple but also know it can happen without it", and then there's "there's no 'heterosexual' explanation for this". One shows understanding and wisdom, the other, either just uninformed or purposely ignorant of the fact that, yes, they give you an explanation. Over, and over, and over again, in multiple sources, in multiple ways, as shown above. Realize the whole "I would never do that with my sister" is not evidential of what CAN and HAS been done for other sisters or sibling characters. I mean, if you're sincerely not use to seeing all types of physical or descriptive expressions that can happen between this configuration of characterization, I'm not sure how you'd make it through most JPN content to be honest and not tell the difference between what's sexual or platonic, or even American content like Four Brothers, The Outsiders, Frozen, etc., without believing all the siblings (blood related or not) are all having sex with each other. Also, I think it's interesting to note that most physical interactions are initiated by Fang, the older sister, who's main priority is protecting and looking after her younger sister—it certainly matches the same energy you'll see from older sisters in JPN media who show love and comfort to their younger sisters.

Fang would "be everyone's enemy/tear the sky down" just to save Vanille and this is like "Snow's language" towards Serah? I mean, have you seen Supernatural? XD Also like, again, ANY JPN content with an older and younger sibling, whose sole motivation and characterization is protecting their younger sibling? It's called conviction (as we covered, Fang was created specifically to have for Vanille), and considering Serah and her happiness is Lighting's "reason for living and her greatest reward", who Lighting has "the same beloved feeling" for that is the same depth as Snow, is what, "coincidentally", Fang herself uses to motivate Lightning to keep going when she contemplates giving up, who Lightning does turn against Cocoon for in order to save, and who is THE most important component to Lightning's agency in the 3rd game and is the key to her character arc—I'm sure Lightning isn't far off from what Fang is. Again, there's the novella equating them, and also, Serah being reminded of Lightning when she finally meets Fang—this conviction to protect and save your loved ones is something, really, all the characters show. It isn't just Snow, nor is it just Fang. And, Fang just so happens to have this conviction in a way that has been repeatedly linked to "protecting Vanille, her younger sister".

Fang and Vanille having a "bond beyond family"? First, notice how family is still the basis of this bond, the conventional relationship type that is the most versatile AND the top signifier of closeness. So "bond" here isn't relationship type, it's in the same vein of the "reason for existing", "irreplaceable", "unbreakable", "most important thing", etc. descriptors that you get to show how a relationship goes beyond just a type, which all the above is beyond simply being family. The logic of romance being "beyond family" also doesn't make any sense because it literally is it's own sector in family—I mean, the conventional point of a romantic relationship is TO become family. Also for this specific phrase, funny enough, I've only ever seen it used platonically or specifically with no romanticism application, e.g. in Boruto, Sakura tells her daughter that her and Naruto became "more than family". It's like literally the same Kanji phrasing too (家族以上 - kazoku ijou). I haven't even seen it used in a romantic context, but I'm sure it very well could be. It's also funny that, Lightning says this about Fang and Vanille, of how Fang would "never just leave Vanille all alone", but "coincidentally" (this is getting fun, huh), Hope says Sazh had mentioned practically THE SAME THING about why they wanted to believe Lightning wasn't in the crystal, that Lightning wouldn't "just up and leave Serah like that".

Vanille's VA says she hopes the games will show how Fang and Vanille "have a bond more powerful than friendship"—I mean, yeah? They're family, something stronger than friendship. Bond-wise? Absolutely. They have a bond BEYOND even that. See the above, how is this specifically and only romantic? Keep in mind, this is also the same interview where Fang's VA directly says "To Fang, Vanille is like a younger sister", seeing herself in Fang because she has her own younger sister, and relates of the feeling of "protecting small children" that comes with this. Like you know, "coincidentally", like how Vanille as a younger sister is also "childlike" in disposition and a "cute, crybaby" to Fang. Neither this phrase or "bond beyond family" are inherently romantic, and they're very applicable to other multiple relationship types because it's for the sake of describing the strength of a bond.

Fang and Vanille still live with each other at the end of LR? You mean, two people who have lived together since they were children as a close-knit family, have a whole arc involving them separating and reuniting in BOTH games, and are thrust into a new world with the two still being each other's closest family? A world of which is also still very different than the one they came from? You mean two people like THAT would still live together? I am shocked and dismayed. I feel a little sassy here because, c'mon. I'd also like to point out that the idea of "never being apart/leaving each other's side" is congruent with their history, but also is something expressed in the storytelling of Vanille's fear of loneliness, in which even WAY back in the FFXIII novelization Zero Promise, she expresses to Fang “We might be orphans, but we were raised together. We’re family. We can protect everyone together. We’ll be together forever… no matter what happens, we’ll never be apart.” when being turned into L'Cie. So, it's very fitting, but also still within the context that is repeatedly there.

Let the material speak for itself. Which it does. A lot. And you don't have to do much other than just finding it and absorbing it. I feel like, there's STILL more that I could say, but this is the brunt gist of understanding Fang and Vanille.

#oerba yun fang #oerba dia vanille #final fantasy xiii #ffxiii #ffxvi #ffxii zodiac age #kingdom hearts #long post #lightning farron #serah farron #clive rosfield #jill warrick

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veilder · 8 months

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9 people you want to get to know better

Ooh, alright then! Here we go!

I was tagged by @eomma-jpeg (thank you! :D)

Last song: Listen... Idk why, but I just went on a crazy La La Land song binge last night? Just outta nowhere? So, while it's not the last song I listened to (that was probably whatever was on in the car on the drive home from work), this is what's currently stuck in my damn head. XD Lovely Night - Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone

Currently reading: Um! Well, as far as actual books go, uh... 😅 Although, I did buy This is How We Lose the Time War (by recommendation of a certain Bigolas Dickolas XD) that I need to get to. And also Camp Damascus, haha.

Current fic: God, too many to count. 😰 But I am super duper looking forward to the conclusion of @eomma-jpeg's absolutely phenomenal Trigun fic, In the Meadow! :D (Last chapter comes out TOMORROW, I'M SO EXCITED!!!)

Also really wanna read @noaafishfieldguide's Trigun mermaid!AU fic, omg. Really need to get to that someday? As well as like a hundred other assorted Trigun fics, omg. XD

Currently watching: Uh... Well, I binged a whole bunch of really sad history videos about terrible things that happened last night. Does that count? 😅 Nah, but for reals, the only show I'm watching rn is the Rurouni Kenshin reboot? Haha, it's just that and rewatching Trigun and TriStamp over and over when I'm not on YouTube. XD

Next on my watchlist: FUCKIN CASTLEVANIA NOCTURNE, BOIS!!!!!!!! HOLY SHIT, I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THAT SHOW?!?!?!?! There are also a handful of movies I'm interested in, too, if I ever get around to them, omg. And, y'know... TriStamp season 2, whenever that will be, omg.

Current obsession: I'm sure y'all might have picked up on this by now, but I have fallen hard back into Trigun, omgggggggg. It's actually ridiculous how much this has no taken over my life. 😫 But besides that, my love of Genshin Impact has been rekindled with the update, so I'm like back on board with that, too? To a lesser degree, I'm also lowkey obsessing over FFXVI because that game was amazing and it seems like no one's talking about it for some reason, omg. And also hyped about whatever new pieces of FFVII Remake info is trickling down. Oh, and CASTLEVANIA NOCTURE OF COURSE, OHOHOHOHOHOHO! And, last but not least, there is always my lingering love of DBH there in my periphery. Ah, I will never fully leave that one I think. XD

Tagging:

@woppy42 @mothric @laoness @detroitbecomeonline @titaniumpsychologist @keltii-tea @sharysisnhmoonshadow @frankedz @timebird84

#tag games #personal #haha I am a mess XD

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liroyalty · 1 month

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John is a very lead by example ruler, so once he hears of his own people being attacked by akashic thralls as a result of an aetherflood, he is of course going to lead the Oathsworn & military himself to save them. It's his consistent trait of being a frontline leader, even in FFXVI, where he's never HAD to lead on the frontline before.

Which in itself, also shows, because while he does indeed defend Plumeria for quite a while, it results in him becoming an akashic as well. This chain-results in the rights of rulership being swiftly handed to Ann suddenly, & having to make the call of having her father killed while having to deal with knowing her father has lost his humanity & having to try & protect Plumeria.

No one actually manages too however, resulting in Sue having to put her own father down & out of his misery. While she also helps clear out as many akashic thralls as she can to give Plumeria time to prepare to defend themselves when the next wave eventually comes; which she will once again not be there for because she needs to stop Ultima.

You can call this a grand effort by Ultima to try & drive the Dominant of Leviathan to madness, as he did with Garuda, Titan & Bahamut's Dominants. To get her to prime in a state of emotional turmoil so she can not control her eikon, which would force Clive to deal with her & thus take her Eikon from her. As which has happened so many times before.

But Sue's trait is her iron will, & she knows exactly what Ultima is trying to do. Of course, Sue feels the sorrow & anger that these things happening, having her home attacked & her father turned into what is basically a zombie, but not to where she'll lose herself to them. No one else's will shall guide her actions expect her own.

#musings [lore and ideas]#『v!ffxvi』#headcanons [a royal decree!]

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phoenix-flamed · 2 months

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I could swear you had posted something re. your portrayal and feedback and even if I cannot find it, I will give my unsolicited opinion here - I love what you have done with Elwin. I can say that you have taken a character that unfortunately did not have much screen time and fleshed him out beautifully, in relation to his past, the country he ruled over, his family and personal beliefs.

I love that you try to make Elwin (and Miles) very real and tridimensional in the sense he's not perfect - there are flaws there but they're understandable and balanced with the man we see in the game. I often feel FFXVI tried to paint Elwin as the 'good' ruler we had in opposition to Sylvestre and Barnabas but even if he was comparatively better/a more decent man, you still take the time to detail the many ways in which he failed (or that he believes to have failed).

I am constantly intrigued and compelled to read your musings and thoughts on him, and you definitely made me care for Elwin in a way I did not previously do (at least, not while playing FFXVI for the 1st time). I sometimes forget that his survival AU is 'just' your creation (I say this with the utmost respect) and I think it speaks to the care you have put into giving him a believable 'second chance' - befitting for one representing the bloodline of the phoenix. :)

Thank you for your hard work and for keeping the Elwin agenda alive!

Friend! <3 I've been contemplating how to reply to this, so let me start by saying: thank you for your kindness, patience, and support. You've been a great help and inspiration with your own writing and ideas, and that's to say nothing of all of your help coming up with crossover verse ideas! And of course, thank you for being so accepting and encouraging of "Miles", and being so willing to interact with him!

I'm probably going to repeat myself like fifty million times in this post, because I'm bad at words, but still. Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.

I hope it's okay if I go on a small tangent about some thoughts I have! What you said about the game painting Elwin as the "good" ruler made me remember something -- which I do agree with you! I feel that with Elwin and Anabella, too, as oddly as that may sound. In the case of Anabella, I understand why the people of Rosaria have this more black and white perception of her and Elwin after The Night of Flames, especially with everything Anabella has been doing to them versus how Elwin ruled and was. But I wish the game itself had done better at showing that it really isn't that black and white, that there's nuance to the situation by way of everything that led up to The Night of Flames. I don't know if that makes sense. Hanna, Byron, even Clive himself all mention that Anabella had changed and, in the case of Clive, says that her decisions regarding the culling of the Bearers is uncharacteristic of her. None of the Shields in the little area of Rosalith that we were able to access during the flashback had anything necessarily bad to say about her, at least not in English. (It may be different in the other versions of the game) There was pity for Clive over how she treats him, and mentions that she'd have their heads if their shipments weren't loaded or unloaded on time, but overall the "worst" anyone said was Rodney mentioning her perfectionism or something like that in his Inner Voice thought towards her. There's also the fact that, in my opinion, Elwin seemed to trust her enough to not only not mention her as a potential enemy in his will, or view her as a threat to him, and to trust her back in Rosalith while they rode to Phoenix Gate. Both Jill and Clive's Inner Voices regarding her during Phoenix Gate involve being worried about her. I know Anabella lays out for us what happened when she yells at Clive and Jill in her final scenes, but I still wish we'd gotten to see more, and gotten to see more of Anabella beyond the villain that she became, when there are details that allude to her having not always been that way. Or if she always has been that way, then I wish we'd gotten to see more of her and the Rosfield family before Phoenix Gate, so that it could really drive home, despite the odd behavior and things she says regarding Olivier and Valisthea's future, that she always had been that way, but she kept it carefully hidden in order to deceive everyone until she had the perfect opportunity set up to strike against Elwin.

When it comes to Sylvestre in particular, I wish so much that the game had better highlighted the fact that neither Sylvestre nor Elwin were wrong in their methods of ruling. Placing aside how they were as people, and speaking strictly of them as heads of their respective nations -- Elwin prioritized the people, while Sylvestre prioritized the territory, the latter being what Anabella believed as well according to her. Elwin isn't wrong, in the sense that without its people, a nation is just empty land, and without the support and loyalty and morale of the people, a ruler is pretty ineffective unless they want to go the route of forcing compliance and obedience. On the other hand, Sylvestre isn't wrong, in that from a logical standpoint, yes, the people can be replaced with others if they die. Whether it be through the raising of more generations, or the assimilated people of nations overtaken by the Holy Empire's rule, there will theoretically be more. But if a nation loses its land, then what's left for it? Nothing except displaced citizens who will then have to become refugees in another nation, while their ruler submits to the authority of that nation's ruler -- and in doing so loses their own authority. I don't know if any of this actually makes sense, but this is my opinion, and something I really, sincerely wish they'd done more to convey!

Okay but all of that aside, no, like I said... thank you. By this point, you'd think I'd be less worried of what people think of my portrayal, or how people perceive the whole survival AU thing, but alas, I am a limp noodle who worries constantly about everything under the sun. So to hear your encouragement and reassurances makes me so happy, as well as comes as a great comfort.

Thank you. <3 It's cliche, but I wouldn't be here -- and my muse wouldn't be as developed as he is -- without wonderful people like yourself who not only continue to encourage me and take interest, but more importantly, who inspire me with their own muses and their own writing and their own work! Thank you, endlessly, thank you. And I am so sorry for the rambling. aklfdjlkgd

@stingslikeabee

#Saved #Audiences #stingslikeabee #thank you for everything -- you're wonderful #I needed this encouragement lately!

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tsckcyomi · 10 months

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thoughts on the ffxvi ending below + some general thoughts. nothing rly in-depth ig

i'm subscribing to the theory that clive lives while joshua is dead. although clive must have had god-like powers after absorbing ultima, when he tried healing joshua, he was already dead, and he says "ultima's power was too great for this vessel along". that, to me, very much sounds like clive tried using ultima's powers to bring back joshua but he simply couldn't wield these powers. as for the phoenix powers, the game stated clear limits. the phoenix can heal the body, physical wounds, but they can't bring anyone back from the dead nor can they help/heal the soul. also the tidbits scattered in the sidequest make it the more plausible ending what with jill saying something along the lines of clive being like the dawn that always comes back after the night, and dawn breaking during the ending. then we have the book after the credits that is written by "joshua rosfield" which would be clive's pen name. harpocrates gifted clive a quill and told him to write a book of his adventures, and clive said that he might just do that. also, clive is the narrator at the start and at the end of the game. and in general that's just what it built up to... joshua just wasn't going to survive this whole ordeal seeing how his powers affected him, and how he wanted to be the one to protect clive now.

SO YEAH i absolutely cried and then started sobbing when the main theme hit as the credits rolled, i was kinda embarrassed at myself lmao. so i loved it. i'm someone who very much enjoys bittersweet, heartache-y kind of endings and stories. the songs that played also hit that spot. the other scenes that made me tear up were byron reuniting with clive (it was both a very silly and a very cute scene...) and then later on with joshua. another one was the last sidequest with eloise and theodore. and, of course, when joshua died before the final fight.

but also i can ignore canon and give them all happy endings if i want :) or not. who knows, i enjoy it all.

my quick summary on some other thoughts would be: benedikta's arc is still a little disappointing imo but ok, WHATEVER. i'm over it. i was skeptical of jill at first but she absolutely grew on me, just like clive/jill did. i feel like they're definitely one of the better couples that they've had in recent games. i'm sad about what happened with dion and terence because neither of them would have survived - dion would die from the fall in origin and terence would have been in the crystalline dominion when ultima summoned his ship and destroyed the city in the process. i liked the sidequests even though they were basically always designed the same way, but they did a good job of expanding the universe and showing just how cruel the people are towards bearers, among other things, and i was in it for the lore. i liked all of the npcs (except of course the ones you're supposed to dislike dfgha). so, yea... that's it for now, i think. late night thoughts over.....

#( ooc )#ffxvi spoilers #ff16 spoilers

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ofengineers · 8 months

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@bymargrace said: 🍪 my favorite roleplay memory 🍷 a character i want to write but never made a blog for ⭐️ my roleplay pet peeves MY EXPERIENCE IN THE ROLEPLAYING COMMUNITY | ACCEPTING

🍪 my favorite roleplay memory

Honestly, I think I'm currently having my best roleplay time with you guys 🥺❤ but if i exclude that, i'd say the few months after Spider-Man: No Way Home release! I was writing Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland versions) before the movie came out, but the fandom grew and I had so many great interactions after that! Unfortunately, a lot of people quickly became inactive again, but I still have very great memories of that period 🥰

🍷 a character i want to write but never made a blog for

Answered here ! But there are definitively more than one, so I'm gonna talk about another one who's very dear to my heart: Kain Highwind from Final Fantasy IV. He is my favorite from that game, but also such a complex character, and I would have loved to develop him through interactions. But pretty much like Final Fantasy VI, the fandom barely exists here, so I never wrote him.

⭐️ my roleplay pet peeves

It didn't happen to me in FFXVI fandom and I'm very happy about it, but something that bugs me is when people try to force a popular fandom headcanon to our characters. No matter how popular it is in the fandom, we don't have to agree with them of course! Each portrayal is valid 💕

#answered #reviresc

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mintffxiv · 10 months

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My thoughts on FFXVI - Full Game Spoilers

Ranking 7.5/10

As I only completed it a couple of hours ago some thoughts might change with time and if there are DLC's or other information after time has passed. My thoughts are also emotionally charged and sporadically disjointed but I will try to keep on point. Speaking of points I'm going to bullet point each thought to try and not ramble as I always do so I can get personal catharsis from writing my feelings out. So this is definitely also a release post because I need to get my feelings out.

Also has Encanto spoilers but I've pointed out where but just to add prior so it can be easily avoided.

The first thing I did after completing the game during the credits was check Google which of course took me to Reddit. This,

was the first post I saw and I've been reading and mulling over it since.

From that post and other comments I did feel some relief that Clive is alive. And for me and thankfully others that Joshua and Dion are alive.

I don't think Clive wrote the book, I think it was Joshua. Even though Tomes gave Clive his quill he also said that Joshua was also quite the historian or something like that. Now I could be misremembering but even so I don't think it's Clive who wrote it.

And speaking on that, I don't like seeing the far off future. I always feel sad when magic is gone because it's so important for this type of fantasy style. I get that it's powerful but the world looses it's spark for me. Like recently I watched Encanto with my friends. Avoid this next part of text if you don't want Encanto spoilers.

Encanto Spoilers start:

Like at the end I was so happy they all kept their magic. I mostly always dislike it when stories lose their magic because that's what made them special. That's what symbolised their strengths in a fancy and literally magical way.

Encanto Spoilers end.

I know it's Squares route to always say yadda yadda humans are magical without magic but they spend their whole damn games with magic as a core standard. I know 16 is different to an extent but it feels like overkill and almost making it too Earth-like. Like I myself am not a stable person so I need these stories to boost me up, so coming back down this way doesn't feel complete or good for me. I think it would have been better if maybe dominants wouldn't be possible anymore or just that simply the blight would stop from the aether being sucked from the land and that everyone would have the chance to use magic. Like magic wasn't the problem it was the abuse of magic so getting rid of it feels too drastic and even too easy. Like Ultima made humanity here, so they are magical beings. The flaw if any is that not all humans can use magic so ideally breaking the original crystal would restore balance to the planet. I'm sure the curse would still be present in a way of overuse but that's what happens to anything with overuse. If you exercise too much you're at risk of damaging your body from pushing too hard etc and as it's balanced now the blight would stop spreading and eventually the land would recover especially with the new survival techniques born from The Hideaway.

I get symbolism is present in all Final Fantasy games, but when it comes at a cost of clear closure it's a problem. I was finally feeling relieved that this game had clear intentions. Such as yes the people have sex lol. Yes they swear. Yes they bleed. But suddenly at the end we aren't given that? 15 really did a number on me and not just because of the ending it was a lot of issues I had so I was tentative with this but as I trust the XIV team and as I was going through the story I was starting to believe in a clear triumphant victory. But no it's just vague to be... I dunno why. Like after all the uncertainty in the game having a clear happy ending would have been so so good and appreciated. I don't feel the catharsis I needed and I expected. Even with the hope and logical thoughts that Clive and co are alive I don't feel closure and it really hurts so bad. And yes I do get heavily invested but that's just my way for many personal reasons but even so I've seen a lot of others feel the same way so that is something at least.

At least they didn't kill Torgal. However I wish he had more of a stronger role. He was our soul mate. I understand how he couldn't get on Bahamut's back but I dunno maybe he could have howled and restored Clive's health during a part of the fight, like how our friends voices cheered us on. And their first meeting was lackluster. Especially after we see how tireless Torgal was collecting Clive's things. There are a lot of jarring disconnects at times which sucks considering a lot of things are said to connect characters and events. A few lines here or there would go a long way.

Continuing on that thought, I was really expecting and then hoping for past scenes and gameplay of the brothers childhood but they had to just jam the knife in at the end. Like it just hurts, really hurts and I hate that. I was also expecting and hoping for politics but that all ends at Phoenix Gate. Like the disappointment when we get to the city of Sanbreque and the brothel only to not explore it but then move fast on rails away from it and never to step once in its city properly. Like that grand palace hello!? I was expecting some sort of masquerade stuff infiltration and seeing our mother there only she doesn't know it's us. But nope they just go off to Twinside but then we can't even explore there and then it gets flown up into the sky like? We're only stuck in the hideaway that we can't edit which would have been really cool and when we're not we're stuck in very similar landscapes outside which are pretty but it really makes the world feel small. Especially that the blight has already limited our exploration having the cities we have being taken away from us really sucks. And Barnabas! I was hoping he'd invite us for a grand dinner and during it we'd get drugged and hallucinate because he's aiding Ultima to easily take possession and then it'd switch to Joshua and we'd play as him going with Jill and Gav to infiltrate the castle and rescue Clive. Going further into my fantasy lol, imagine after recovery which would maybe take some time with Joshua reminding Clive of who he is with flashback game scenes, and maybe even after Clive comes back they end up recruiting Barnabas but I know that's definitely a stretch haha! The point is I felt we weren't given the full tour of the world and I know all Final Fantasy games are lineal but this was very on rails only stopping for side quests and with me personally running around to listen to updated voice commentary on what NPC's had to say which was cool but also distracting and long but I didn't mind especially at the time because I was enjoying figuring out the world.

Too many side characters. I really did like the lore account and information for each NPC big or small but at some point some characters really should have been one instead of two. Example Gaute and the woman next to him (I've forgotten her name and cba to look) who gives us appreciation points, should have been one person. It would also give more chances to have a stronger character we could get to know more and bond with.

Along with that was the bond and war table really necessary? I appreciated it at the time and I do still appreciate the effort but this energy could have been used for making the ending not unnecessarily vague or having all the characters voice lined and not being randomly non voiced. Like I thought my game had a bug before I realised it was doing that style for those parts but it was really confusing and not expected!

On reflection I don't think Metaia disappeared or died, I think it went to tell the moon the wish to be granted and will be back again. But if not I think it definitely went to tell the moon which also symbolises a power higher than what Ultima wanted us to believe. I think it also shows when Clive senses and partially sees his dad at his grave showing bonds and life beyond death which is extremely comforting and valid.

It would be great to learn on Leviathan properly. I know it was destroyed but perhaps there still in a defendant. Some have said it could be the baby in Edda or even Gav who is unaware. I think it's probably a whole other character we might meet in DLC however it'll be something to see how to manage that post world without magic or they do an alternative timeline or even go back in the past though that would also be sad because we know they are 'lost'.

I feel they killed off big characters too quickly which made the passing off. I knew Cid would die from his constant coughing blood and also because he's 'old'. Most characters die if they're old in these games or they are full side NPC's that half their character is being the old person. Also because he's too powerful of a character and they need Clive to take the reigns but it would have been really cool if Cid was still alive and we helped him recover, it would have been cool to have quests for him. Benedikta too, I feel like we didn't get enough of her. She drove a lot of the story well and then was cut out. I feel like they were inspired clearly by GoT but as it went on went back to final fantasy style which had a clash of styles hence the vague ending which most likely would have not been so stark if the full game was that style.

Oh and Jill. Along again with the wish that characters had more character Jill is one. I like Jill she is just above the line of being a basic boring pretty love interest. With Ice unfeeling it would have been great to have Clive melt her icy heart and in doing so she would cool his fiery anger. And I feel Clive didn't get angry enough. Like her whole story part was once again on rails, I feel like we got more emotion and character from Dory's side story because we got to read and somewhat experience this horror. We never one on one talk to Jill about our experiences and she hers to us. And on that I really thought we'd start the game from Clive being imprisoned and branded. We really missed out on a lot of lore building that really would have elevated the driving force of characters.

The bar was stupid and a waste of time. This would have been a great moment to be able to de-stress with the cast and get to know them more. Ben Starr Clive's voice said Clive was funny at least to him so I was expecting more funny and light hearted scenes but it's note like moments and it's not super funny or even cheeky just aha yeah. I wish we got the chance to learn about Clive. The whole game is about revenge to getting the choice to live and throughout that Clive is only that. What does he like to eat or not eat like Joshua and his carrots, does he like music, what does he want to do in life aside from this grand dream. We never get full bonding and comfort moments with the brothers, only a small part that ends in the space of a brief punch.

Our mother's death was disappointing. I think because the reunion was so quick and sudden. I was thinking she had more play in the story and also her bloodline thing makes no sense it's our dads bloodline not hers unless there's some unspoken fucked up GoTs shit going on lol. I was hoping when getting the eikons she'd realise that not only was we strong but far stronger than anyone and try to manipulate us to get a piece of our glory only to fall from grace from rejection just like she had rejected us all these years. Death of a character doesn't always have to be actual death but social death would be amazing. The disgraced Ana groveling to her son's would have been so so damn delicious. But naaa she just cuts her throat. As I said I was expecting and now wished for more political gameplay. Even giving us choices of how to approach a crystal would have been cool planning it, giving Vivian's map a really cool play. And having our Uncle help us with politics.

Like with Torgal I wish we got more chances of love with him and Ambrosia. They stayed loyal all this time and Clive doesn't even get the option to pet her.

I wish we got more clothes and not just us but the cast. We go to the desert in our leather clothes. The only person who ages is us and that's getting slightly more hairy lol like Jill looks the same. I thought the side quest for fabric would get her a new dress but nope.

I'm getting a bit fatigued now but I'll try to finish my thoughts. I gave this a 7.5/10 because of the ending. -2 for Clive and Joshua and 1.5 for Dion because although I want him alive I can understand if he did in fact die though the hope of him seeing with his flower and reuniting with Terrence and maybe even adopting the girl would be really comforting.

I think the only way I could fully be at peace is if DLC not only gave closure and a true happy ending but more loose ends tied up and a look to a fresh bright world not some future book with random people. After all the world isn't as important without the people in it and even more the people we know make it what it is. That's even what Clive said to Ultima that his bonds made him stronger, that because of love for others than himself he was able to beat him.

It's a shame, I was seriously contemplating getting platinum but now I don't want to even look at the screenshots I took and I want to delete them which I might later.

But yeah I do hope for clarity. Clive and Joshua and Dion deserve it. They deserve the world they fought for.

As for now I'm trying to recover, even if it was the ending I wanted and expected finishing a game is always bittersweet. I've been crying and felt shit so writing this helped a little to get it at least off my chest.

🗒️Notes: As usual there might be spelling and grammar mistakes. I might add more thoughts later. These are my thoughts and opinions which rely heavily on my strong emotions. I get extremely attached to games and things for personal reasons so my thoughts might come as even more personal because I take it too heart which is just my way I try to get past that but it's hard so I don't want to force myself. Anyway I'm nodding off now as I took meds for a headache lol so yeah. At least I don't have to worry about spoilers which was stressing me not stop whilst playing which made me anxious to complete it.

Also I wanted to make this short but as always it's long but yeah. I wonder if anyone read all this lol either way I got it out so I don't have to keep talking back and forth to myself as hard as I was. But if you did and even more so agree that means a lot because I'm a fragile person and I know I'm weird or I just don't manage things well so when I see people agree or I see others have my similar thoughts it helps. Anyway sleep now, I've been yapping for 2-3 hours.

New additions

I do like Clive and Jill together and how they were mostly portrayed. Same as most of the relationships but I just wanted more. I know they are busy with the plan and also have to be to defeat Ultima in time but they even said at the end Ultima would wait lol so totally could have time before then or before Clive was ready. I feel it was done well for a FF game and in general Japanese RPG games but the bar isn't very high so can't really compare. Anyway more talking moments would have been top.

#my thoughts #long text post #long post #ffxvi spoilers #ffxvi #spoilers #encanto spoilers #Encanto

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