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chysgoda · 4 years

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“ i’m not going anywhere. ” (take your pick, I trust you!)

So it’s been a few hot minutes since the betting round in poker was last explained to me. Any mistakes will be handwaved as being the Eorzean equivalent of poker.

Under the cut for minor 5.3 Spoilers

“You are spending too much time with Aymeric.” Uthengentle groused as he discarded a card and indicated for Roile to deal him another. From the solar, the muffled sounds of yelling ebbed and flowed.

Bel arched an eyebrow, as she rearranged her cards. “Do not compare me to that craven ass.”

Uthengentle raised both eyebrows and then looked to the side when Alphinaud snickered into his gloved fist. “What did I miss?”

“Word is that Lady Valentione has been on another run of matchmaking attempts,” Thancred said. He considered his hand and sighed. “Fold”

“And he sacrificed me to her to save his own skin.” Bel’s tail lashed in agitation. She glanced at the pile of gil and tossed a few more coins on it. “Raise”

“It can’t be that bad,” G’raha Tia put in from where he was watching the game of poker. The door to the solar rattled in its frame. G’raha straightened up startled and then frowned at the rest of the scions when they ignored it. “What is going on in there?”

“Art’imis and Serella,” Alisae drummed her fingers on the table before adding her bet to the pile of gil. “Call.”

“Shouldn’t we check on that?” G’raha asked as he fidgeted with the hem of his tunic.

“I would advise against getting involved when sisters are fighting,” Alphinaud stated. He shook his head and set his cards down. “I fold.”

The door rattled again and G’raha stood up. “If they’re fighting like this someone needs to step in. They’ve always been there for each other-”

“And they always will. Stay to your side of the path.” Bel looked up from her cards to frown at the other Miqo’te. She opened her mouth to say more but hissed in pain after the dull sound of a boot hitting a shin came from under the table.

“Be polite,” Thancred said as he leaned back in his chair, unconcerned about the glare Bel’s blue and green eyes leveled at him.

G’raha frowned, he vaguely remembered Bel as a child hiding behind the legs of her foster mother. Now she seemed more like Lyna, an experienced soldier with little patience for fools. The shouting created again and he decided that someone at the very least needed to referee. He ignored the various looks he got from the table and walked to the solar.

“Did they lock the door?” Thancred asked.

“Probably not,” Uthengentle sighed and laid down his hand, “They were already pretty deep into it when they went in.”

“They need to get it out,” Bel said firmly as she laid down her hand. She smirked at Unthengentle’s small sound of dismay and Alisae’s resigned sigh. “It’s been building up for a while.”

“What is it about?” Roile asked. He glanced at the door when it opened and then closed again.

“What are they yelling about or what are they fighting about?” Uthen shrugged and watched Bel gather up her winnings forlornly. “Where have you been playing cards lass?”

“The Alliance camp out at the front.” Bel shrugged. She turned in her chair when the Solar door slammed open. G’raha was roughly shoved out and for a moment Serella and Art’imis were both visible glaring at the mage like they were sizing up a primal to kill. The door slammed shut again and the fur on G’raha’s ears and tail stood on end. Slowly he turned and walked to the bar.

Alisae shook her head and muttered something to Alphinaud that made her twin sigh heavily. Bel pointedly ignored the shaken mage. “Another round?”

Roile began to shuffle the deck and the group at the table ignored the continued shouting from deeper in the Raising Stones.

#ffxiv #ffxiv asks #uthengentle arcbane #bel aliender #thancred waters #spoiler character #serella arcbane #art'imis chysgoda #look you just don't get involved in a sister fight #that's how your body is never seen again #what are they fighting about?#Who knows they're both stubborn bitches

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ravencrossffxiv · 5 years

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⭐️ ⭐️ :3c

((I am doing two for each sibling like I TRIED doing before but dumblr mobile is a bitch... -.-))

Serella!

This is probably more fact than anything, but Raven and Serella are reckless, good-hearted idiots who throw themselves in battle if their family or friends are in trouble, and doubly so if its their respective sweethearts.

Raven and Serella have absolutely dragged their boys on a double date once through the city and the result was their drunk asses being carried back home by their respective man (who are a bit buzzed but can still walk straight). Aymeric carries Serella bridal style while Haurchefant piggybacks Raven.

Uthengentle!

Raven and Uthengentle are scheming pranksters. If there is a prank pulled, more than likely these two are the masterminds. Newer recruits to the Immortal Flames aren’t official if they aren’t pranked. They even pull a couple on Raubaun and Pipin, much as Raven was scared to try it. Of course they both had a good laugh over it, even if the pranks are tame by comparison.

As practitioners of the black, their fire is an inferno that could rival Ifrit, but it’s all controlled and the hellstorm that rains upon enemies is devastating, and it gets worse as Raven picks up dragoon tricks from Estinien. Uthen might be a little jealous.

#Raven Cross #Serella Arcbane #Uthengentle Arcbane #((I now need the second one drawn ASAP))#((Also wtf happened on that double date?))

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autumnslance · 5 years

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⭐️ :D (any characters, take your pick!)

When arrangements were made to work with a crafter from the small local free company called Gage Acquisitions (on a commission for a young Flame officer’s birthday), Uthen of course thought Dark Autumn would send along their infamous master craftsman, the non-communicative lalafell Teii Tei.

What Uthen got blowing into his workspace was small and pink--but a miqo’te who talked a malm a minute about anything and everything, and was accompanied by a tiny behemoth that she dismissively referred to as her pet piggy when concerns were brought up. Still, the girl had the goldsmithing skills needed for this simple of a job. It was just for a week, anyway.

By the time said week was over, Violet was (officially) permanently banned from Flames headquarters (again), and Uthen needed quite a lot to drink and to not see the color pink for a few moons. He’s still not exactly sure when or how C’oretta completed her part of the commission, but the armor and its accessories were on time, looked great, and the officer receiving the set was pleased and flattered, praising the good Lieutenant for coming through yet again.

Dark sent him a lovely thank you and apology note; C’oretta had a great time and would like to work with Uthen again and is totally not crushing even a little (that just happens sometimes, it’s fine).

#this was a silly idea inspired by sleepiness #Punchy Prompts #Uthengentle Arcbane #C'oretta Khell #I'm so sorry Uthen #stars-bleed-hearts-shine

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ffxivmingxiajiang · 4 years

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Prompt 3: Muster

You know it REALLY doesn’t help that so far each of these prompts can fill a chapter EACH.

#ffxivwrite2020 #ffxiv #ffxivwrites2020 #stone vigil #prompt 3 #muster #mingxia #foulques #raven cross #serella arcbane #mentioned uthengentle arcbane #rukia oronir #lord drillemont #alphinaud #alphi being a brat

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catte-bard · 5 years

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(You mentioned AUs and stuff but if this is unwelcome please disregard!) I imagine the Arcbane siblings will find out their counterparts in the 1st star died, but that their father is still alive there, as well as uthengentle's birth parents! And the village they grew up in was never destroyed, so they "meet" old neighbors and friends that died when they were still kids. It's a surreal experience for them, tbh. What about for your character? :D

(You’re fine!

And I bet. That sounds like quite the roller-coaster there. A lot for them to process. Hope they’ll be okay. :o

As for Bellona, I’d like to imagine her counterpart on the first would probably have been a dancer or some other sort of entertainer. And her birth mother would have lived to raise her. Without an imperial upbringing, she’d probably have been a bit more of a pacifist as well.)

#answered asks #stars-bleed-hearts-shine

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starswornoaths · 4 years

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Prompt 23: Shuffle

Wrote some silliness in the hope it makes friends smile. Featuring the ever wonderful characters from the even more wonderful friends of mine, @foewreckem‘s Aoife Mahsa, @holyja‘s Hyana Geriel, @karoiseka‘s...Karoiseka O’dayla, and @nuclearanomaly‘s Ninira Nira

Uthengentle just wanted his stars read, not a dissertation on why it’s pointless to do it.

Word count: 2,036

It was a relatively quiet day. Quiet enough that the group had made camp for lunch, taking a rare opportunity to enjoy the mild weather.

Hyana and Ninira tended to the fish that had been freshly caught, grilling over the fire. In a pot, they added fish stock and vegetables to the rice they had only just cooked and fluffed, the smoky, rich scent of the cooking meal enough to inspire hunger even in the most stoic of the group. Karoiseka strummed lightly on her lyre, shaded in the tree as she was. At her side, G’raha dozed on and off peacefully, intermittently humming along to the tune his dearheart plucked out. Even not knowing the song necessarily, Aoife managed to harmonize on her own lyre, her voice soft as she joined G’raha in humming. Once he had laid out a folded up blanket as a smooth surface for his triple triad board, Uthengentle held out a deck of cards in offering to his sister, and at her nod, started to cut and shuffle the deck as she produced hers and did the same.

By all rights, it was a blessedly mundane day, where they were beholden to nothing but the road, basking in the quiet calm, hard won after the chaos and strife they had endured.

That was usually when the trouble started.

“Why don’t you ever read people’s stars?” Uthengentle asked his sister offhandedly as he looked over his hand of cards.

“I don’t see the point to it,” Serella told him with a shrug. She laid her Moogle card on the bottom middle tile of the Triple Triad board. “I can, but whatever I could say is vague and doesn’t help anyone with anything.”

“Don’t you read stars to heal and shite?” He pressed, tossing down a Morbol card on the bottom right.

Serella’s Moogle next to it turned from blue to red, lost to her. She sighed.

“That’s different,” She replied, half mumbling into her hand of cards. “That would be more akin to pulling from the stars rather than reading them.”

“Sure, sure,” He half heartedly agreed, eyes sharp as she laid her Tonberry in the center tile. He placed down a Griffin card to its left to steal it, motion swift and decisive. “But couldn’t you, I dunno, just put up a stall when we hit towns, help people out for a bit of extra gil?”

“I’d just feel like I’m lying to them. I assure you, card reading is just unhelpful in the best of times, outright harmful in the worst of them.”

After a moment’s deliberation she decided her Moogle was utterly lost to her, and instead opted to play her Ixal card on the middle right space to reclaim the Tonberry in the center as hers, and stealing his Morbol card in the process. Uthengentle glared at her.

“Cheeky.” He clucked his tongue. “And anyway, isn’t it something useful for people anyway? If you can predict a possible future for them and all? That’s what they do, right?”

“You’d think, but it’s so vague that there’s naught to be gleaned from it,” she answered, though let out a defeated grumble when he played Hraesvelgr on the left middle slot and all three cards flanking it turned red— with all but one tile his, his victory was secured. “Absolute bastard, you are.”

“And a sore loser be ye!” Uthengentle replied in a mock pirate accent, his arms scooping the not insignificant amount of gil they’d been betting, sat in a jar, and curling around it, held to his chest as he cackled like a gremlin adding to his hoard. When he was sufficiently with her flat, unimpressed staring, he put the jar away and asked, “So why can’t you get aught from a reading?”

“It isn’t helpful,” she huffed, even as she took her cards back from the board, “the most detail I might glean from reading the cards is that something might happen, but whether that thing is good or bad depends on how the card is facing.”

“I don’t follow.”

“The best reading you could hope for would be me saying, “hey, in the morning, something might happen to you!” She wiggled her hands in front of her. “And then, in the afternoon? Surprise! Something else might happen!” She leaned across their makeshift table as a show of mock dramatic tension, hands on her knees as she rocked forward enough for her backside to leave the grass. “And then...in the dark of night…”

“...Something might hap—?”

“Something might happen!” Serella exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air and flopping back dramatically. With a huff, she let her arms slump back to her sides. “So yes. Very vague. Unhelpful. If I charged for it, I’d be a swindler and a crook.”

“That bad, huh?”

“Can’t do it.” Serella handwaved him as she tucked her deck back into her pack. “Stars say no.”

“Can you show me?” Uthengentle asked, and she could tell that his enthusiasm would not be sated with aught less.

“Really need a demonstration of how useless it is?”

“I like judging things for myself,” Uthengentle answered, leaning back in his chair and slinging an arm over the back. “Besides, sounds like it’d be interesting.”

“You have a strange idea of, ‘interesting,’ but sure,” Serella capitulated with a sigh, “I’ll read your stars— on the condition that you don’t complain when you’re disappointed.”

“Deal,” he agreed, already shuffling the Triple Triad board to clear it of his cards and flipped it over, blank side facing up on the folded over blanket.

“May I watch?” Ninira asked, coming over to take a seat between them. “I’m curious on how this works.”

“Ah, is Ella on her bullshit again?” Hyana called over from the fire.

At Ninira and Uthengentle’s confirmation, she dusted her hands on her pants and moved to sit right next to Serella. When the Astrologian turned a playful quirk of her eyebrow at her, Hyana shrugged and offered only, “If one or both of you is being stupid, I at least know it’ll be entertaining.”

“Cards?” Aoife asked, standing and peering down at their little makeshift reading board.

“I’m gettin’ my fortune read. Want to see?” Uthengentle asked her over his shoulder, gesturing for her to join them.

Aoife took a moment, eyes dancing between him and Serella. After a moment, she crouched down in place, not joining the unfinished circle that was forming, but not excluding herself.

“I will watch.” She said, tail twitching behind her. “From here.”

“As you like!” Uthengentle beamed at her.

Karo joined on the other side of the makeshift table, opposite of Ninira, between Hyana and Uthengentle. G’raha, equally curious for how little he had been able to witness of Astrology in practice, sat on his knees and pressed against his beloved’s back, hands on her shoulders, peering over her shoulder, tail swishing behind him excitedly.

Even as she laid her arcanima deck on the board, Serella could only shake her head at the group’s dogged curiosity.

“I can’t stress this enough: the only prediction I’ll make today that’ll be right is that you’ll all be disappointed. Now then.” Her hands were practiced as she shuffled the cards. “Let’s see what hand fate has dealt you.”

When the group groaned collectively, she laughed out of sheer delight, as she always did when she told her puns.

“Had to get one in, didn’t you?” Hyana grumbled at her side, half into her shoulder.

“You’re smiling.” Serella mused without even looking at her; she could feel it pressed into her shirt.

“I am, and I hate it.” Hyana groused, even as it was obvious in the way she tried to hide her face entirely that her smile had only widened.

“Now then— I will draw six cards. A full sleeve.” Serella dictated her actions, laying the six cards face down on the board in two rows of three. “I will reveal them one by one, and read the stars’ intent for you.”

The first card on the top row was overturned. The group collectively leaned in ever so slightly to peer at it.

“The Bole, upright.” She gave a pleased hum. “Your immediate future is filled with potential. The energy it turns into is dictated by the energy that you put into it.”

“Explain this to me like I don’t understand it.” Uthengentle said slowly. “I do, though. Understand it. Just...just for the group, y’know?”

“Try to have a good day, and you probably will.”

“Seems a fairly straightforward reading,” Ninira noted, tapping her chin in thought. “Though I can see why it would be unhelpful.”

“Hey now, there’s five more to go!” Uthengentle insisted, pumping his fist. His optimism would not be denied.

Serella turned over the next card, and frowned as she laid it out.

“Balance, reversed. Uncertain times approach you, and you will be made to make difficult decisions. Hard though they may be, stay the course. To flounder is to spell doom.”

“For...what…?” Karoiseka asked, a ponderous tilt to her head.

“A nondescript decision of uncertain import.” Serella replied, shrugging. “As I said: unhelpful at best, harmful at worst.”

“I’m starting to understand— this is primarily meant as a guideline, rathar than a strict edict from the stars, yes?” G’raha guessed after a moment’s thought.

“Generally, that’s the way of it. The idea is that it informs you of how things can go, if—” Serella pointed her finger up. “—You play your cards right.”

Another collective groan.

“I can’t stand you.” Hyana huffed, even as she leaned bodily into her.

“I know.” Serella gestured back at the cards. “Shall we?”

At the group’s murmured agreement, she turned over the next card. As she lay it out, face up, she hummed.

“Arrow, upright. I could wax more poetic about it, but more or less, what you’re doing is working, so keep doing it.”

“What...am I doing…?” Uthengentle asked, scratching his head.

“Exactly.” Serella turned over the fourth card. “Spear, upright. Your confidence works to your favor, but avoid growing arrogant, else your luck with take a turn for the worst.”

“How do I know when I’m arrogant and not confident?” Uthengentle asked helplessly.

“How indeed.” To prove her point, she didn’t answer as she flipped the fifth card. “Ewer, reversed. Your energy is finite, and you would do well not to run yourself dry of it over useless endeavors. Save something of yourself for yourself.”

“Wh—”

“No idea.” Serella replied, already knowing what he was going to ask.

As she flipped the last card with a dramatic flourish, she held it up, and as her eyes roved over the art, her face paled. The group leaned in even more, their attention hung on her reaction.

“What...what is it?” Aoife asked from just outside the circle of people.

Wordlessly, Serella laid the card down.

“The Spire. Reversed.” She said, tone grave as she laid the card down. “Your struggles will turn against you. Everything you’ve done will be for naught.”

Uthengentle swallowed heavily, though after a moment hesitantly spoke up, “Wait...didn’t you say this only pertained to the immediate future?”

“Oh hey, you’re learning.” Serella dropped all pretense of dramaticism, posture going lax as she shrugged. “And thus your fortune predicted itself: all your anticipation led only to disappointment.” Another shrug. “Or something else might happen. Who knows?”

“Coulda just said that in the first place.” He grumbled, puffing his cheek in annoyance.

“I did, you gullible maroon.”

Peace returned to the late morning. Ninira and Hyana dusted themselves off and returned to the food, soup now happily bubbling and fish pleasantly cooked and crispy with the perfect amount of flavorful char. Aoife took to happily rummaging around for bowls and cups, replacing the bubbling soup pot with a kettle of water and tea leaves. Karoiseka and G’raha returned to sitting against the tree stump, the former now playing a brighter song with an amused smile on her face as the latter rested his chin on her shoulder, watching Uthengentle chase his sister down the hill as he lobbed stale muffins at her head.

Mundane, exactly as they had fought for.

#ffxivwrite2020 #ffxiv #Aoife Mahsa #Hyana Geriel #Karoiseka O'Dayla #Ninira Nira #Serella Arcbane #Uthengentle Arcbane #akdfjlhauihila idk what happened I just hope my friends know I love them and that they make my life better for being in it #and also their characters are great and they should feel great about that

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starswornoaths · 3 years

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🌹

To say it had been an uphill battle would be a gross understatement. The only surprise was that the Houses of the Lords and Commons were actually not opposed to the holiday— especially framed as a celebration for children to enjoy as it had been when she and Uthengentle had proposed it in the first place. They had voted – nearly unanimously – to approve the festivities when the Inquisition— because of course it was the Inquisition, had insisted their vote be made only after they investigated the event for signs of heresy.

It had ultimately been Uthengentle who gently reminded them that the Theocracy had been abolished— gently reminded them with his hand on his axe handle, mind, but at least he had been polite about it. With Serella adding that just because the holiday was Unorthodox did not mean that it was, by default, heretical.

A month on, and she was still laughing at that particular joke, much to Aymeric’s chagrin.

#random wip sentence asks #anorptron #ffxiv #thank you for the ask!#here's that Halloween fic I keep meaning to do every year and every year I forget ajdfkshfklsg #Serella Arcbane #Uthengentle Arcbane

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starswornoaths · 4 years

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Prompt 22: Argy Bargy

Sometimes the only thing to do when your brother is arguing with his ghost boyfriend is to play chess with your ghost bro.

Word count: 630

“They’re arguing again, aren’t they?” Branden said tiredly, ghostly finger attempting in vain to poke at a bishop on the chess board.

“That they are.” Serella sighed and leaned over to pick up the bishop piece and held it in waiting. When he tapped at the space he wanted to move the piece to, she set it down for him. She frowned as she observed the board. “Damn, that’s a good move.”

“Oh, you think you’re so clever, do you? Think you’re makin’ a good argument for yourself?” Uthengentle’s muffled voice roared through the solid brick wall. “Well I came prepared for this argument!”

“Check.” Branden chirped.

Serella crossed her arms, her frown deepening. She had some few options on the board, but her prospects looked bleak. He’d been a better opponent than she had anticipated. After a few moments, she settled on shifting her knight to take the bishop, even knowing she put it in the path of the queen.

Decisive sacrifices must needs be made, in difficult times.

“Yeah, I have a fucking list! It’s even alphabetized! I have a lot of reasons for thinking my chocobo is the best!”

“Wait, that’s what all this argy bargy is about?!” Branden bolted up from his half slumped position, wide eyes looking over at the wall connecting the two rooms.

“As Uthen tells it, Ardbert had started commenting on how much more Seto had done compared to Momotoko.”

“Who?”

“His chocobo. Apparently this is grounds for a heated debate on who is better.”

“Oooohh, so your feathered friend can talk! Whoop-dee-fucking-doo! That don’t make him smarter! You know how many idiots I have to talk to in a day?!”

“Lad’s got a point.” Branden mused, pointing down at a rook and gesturing for Serella to move it to the far right corner.

“If Ardbert could hear you, he’d be scandalized.” She replied flatly, and set her chin in her hands as she contemplated her next move.

“Momotoko can eat whole fucking tin can! He’s capable of turning anything into good fertilizer, even if it’s an ordinarily inedible object! Can Seto do that, ya incorporeal pissant?!”

“Probably, actually.” Serella mused, moving her pawn two spaces out of its starting position.

Branden hummed and shook his head. “Sensitive stomach, from the neglect before Ardbert got him.”

“He was neglected? I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Regrettably, I’d been the first one to speak up on there being no point to keeping him.” Branden turned wistful, half paying attention when he asked Serella to move his queen forward. “Check.”

“That doesn’t sound like me.” Serella winced, though saw the opportunity to move her other knight to take the queen and readily took it.

“YES HIS NAME IS MOMOTOKO AND YOU WILL RESPECT IT!”

“Didn’t sound like me, either, looking back on it.” Branden sighed and leaned back against the chair he was oddly permitted to sit in. He crossed his arms thoughtfully as he studied the board. “I wasn’t much myself, after I left Voerburt. And I was even less myself after I had returned again, as you saw.”

A cacophany of noise— akin to furniture breaking, vaguely— could be heard through the wall, along with shouts of unbridled rage.

“You got better.” She mused.

“I had help.” He gave her a wincing smile that turned apologetic as he tapped at his rook. “Checkmate.”

Wood splintered from the other side of the wall, followed by the crash of pottery shattering and metal utensils clattering to the floor. With a sigh, Serella dutifully moved the rook to block her king in.

“Good game.” She said in good sport.

“OF FUCKING COURSE I FIGURED OUT HOW TO FIGHT YOU. WHAT KIND OF MHIGAN WOULD I BE IF I COULDN’T PUNCH A FUCKING GHOST.”

“Aye, good game.”

#ffxivwrite2020 #ffxiv #Serella Arcbane #Uthengentle Arcbane #5.0 spoilers #have a funny idk

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starswornoaths · 4 years

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Prompt 20: Jailbird

I’m a bad at math gay, I have one more after this one, and THEN I’ll have my masterpost up ajsdfkdgl

Set post 2.5, prior to the start of 3.0. Uthengentle manages to escape the Braves, but he refuses to leave without a certain companion.

or: Uthen can’t save Raubahn but he can save a chicken, and that’s what he’s gonna do, by god

content warning: mention of use of restraints on a chocobo, but no injuries take place

Word count: 2,450

In the sennight following his revelation about what really happened to the Sultana, Uthengentle did his level best to keep up appearances—though he had begun to lay out what he hoped was a good enough plan to get out while protecting those who would still be trapped in the snare the Crystal Braves had become. In front of Ilberd— and Yuyuhase, who he suspected had far less noble intentions behind his particular brand of villainy— Uthengentle appeared as he had for months, as nothing more than a bitter brother who had made the ‘correct’ choice.

In his dealings with those who he was closest to, those who had given him a cold shoulder, however…he spoke softly. He reached out, for the first time, and nearly wept every time he was met with a relieved, “I’d hoped you’d come around,” every time he did. Suddenly he was warmed by their company again—and they were eager to help him break up the Braves to boot. So long as no one did anything reckless, and nothing suddenly broke out within the ranks…Uthengentle might actually pull this off while sparing as many innocents as possible.

And if something did blow up, as it was wont to do, well. He had thought of that, too.

The morning had been unseasonably cool, with crisp, cloudless skies and a gentle breeze on the wind. That was not to say that it was cold in Thanalan—could it truly ever be, he idly wondered—just that the weather could be described as pleasantly below boiling. As he walked the streets, he averted his eyes to those who looked upon him with disdain, who had spat at him— and worse— when he had worn the Braves uniform. At least now, he fully and truly understood why. He was not there to tarry, however; Ilberd was expecting him, and he would do well to keep up appearances.

Instinctual dread had settled in the pit of his stomach when Ilberd had instructed him to meet at the Royal Stables, where her Grace’s most prized birds were stalled. As if that were not enough cause for concern, he remembered who else’s chocobo was still there, unmoving and belligerent to all who approached him.

Sure enough, he only barely rounded the bend before he heard a muffled commotion, the percussion of a struggle against stall walls only interrupted by a panicked, angry wark!

Swallowing his heart, Uthengentle entered the stables.

The sight before him made him nauseated. Ilberd stood, flanked by Yuyuhase and Laurentius observing a mix of soldiers from both the Brass Blades and the Crystal Braves— but not the Flames, Uthengentle noted bitterly— struggling to hold down a horrifically familiar snow white chocobo. The poor bird thrashed against the ropes they had tried to leverage to pin his torso down from jumping, his beak gnashing against the muzzle they struggled to put on it.

“Ullr,” Uthengentle said under his breath without thinking.

Ilberd turned toward his wayward protégé, alerted to his presence.

“There you are,” the newfound Braves Commander hailed him, his mouth set in a grim line.

Eyeing Uthengentle’s armor, Yuyuhase pursed his lips. “And not in uniform, I see,” he said in a snide voice.

“Local threw a piss jug at me.” Uthengentle lied easily. “Figured it’d be less disrespectful showing up in something clean.”

Really, he just felt dirty wearing the damned thing.

“You’d be right, Uthen.” Ilberd said, easing his frown into an almost sympathetic smile. Uthengentle ignored the rage that flickered in his chest at the nickname. “Good of you to come regardless. I have a task I would entrust to you.”

Already, Uthengentle could see where this was going. His stomach churned as he fought the urge to fidget.

“I could entrust this to no other, if I’m being honest.” Ilberd continued, oblivious— or uncaring— of Uthengentle’s growing unease. “I’ve been attempting to return this feathered fiend to the Maelstrom—we’ve no use for him, ornery bastard as he is.”

“I could calm him down, sir.” Uthengentle volunteered, hoping it would be enough and he wouldn’t be asked to do what he knew he would be asked to do. “I could even ride him to Vylbrand—“

“T’would be a waste of time and effort, I’m afraid.” Yuyuhase groused, and Uthengentle saw the way his lip curled into a snarl. “The Admiral does not acknowledge your sister’s treachery—“ Ullr let out a shrill wail and bucked his head against a Brave who had managed to secure the muzzle around him. “—and has declared that her crime is not permitted to be released to the public without an investigation.”

No fucking wonder, Uthengentle thought but did not say. Ullr’s cries of anger were muffled by the muzzle now, but they seemed louder than ever to his ears.

“Which leaves us with the unfortunate task of dealing with the bitch’s bird.” Ilberd said gruffly. Uthengentle hid his wince with a cough. “We’ve tried calming it down enough for transport to the Maelstrom, but in the ensuing struggle, one of my men was severely injured.”

Uthengentle highly doubted that was the case, but a part of him hoped it was true. He bit his tongue and nodded gravely.

Ilberd continued, “Now, ordinarily I would be fine with just letting the damnable thing out free, but with such wild antics, we wouldn’t want to put the public at risk of injury, now would we?”

“They’ve got a muzzle on him, sir.” Uthengentle said helplessly. “I can just walk him out to—“

“I would not unduly put any more of my men,” Ilberd emphasized with a pointed look to his lalafell companion. “At risk. Nor the Blades.” He turned to look back at his sister’s beloved companion, who was beginning to thrash harder as the panic well and fully set in. Uthengentle’s heart squeezed. “So I would entrust you to put that axe of yours to good use.” He clucked his tongue. “Waste of a perfectly good bird, but if it’s too imprinted on the Warrior of Light to be repurposed, then it needs to be disposed of.”

“Commander, I could—“ Laurentius spoke up, eager to prove himself.

“Uthengentle has already been assigned the task.” Ilberd said, turning away from the struggling chocobo to face the Arcbane Warrior fully. “Surely this is simple enough, no?” He pursed his lips. “Atonement for your failure at capturing the Sultana’s murderer.”

Uthengentle clenched his hands into fists, reminding himself to be calm because this was the kind of implosion he had planned for— he was only sorry Ullr got caught in the crosshairs.

“I won’t let you down—“ he tried to say.

“Again.” Ilberd cut him off sharply. “You won’t let me down again.”

“…No,” Uthengentle agreed slowly as he breathed out his rage. “I won’t.”

“Good.” Ilberd answered with a nod. He turned his attention to the men who were now pulling the ropes taut to force Ullr to be still. “Tie them off and step outside. No sense in getting your uniforms dirty.” With an almost bored flick of his gaze to Laurentius he ordered, “you, stay behind and help dispose of the body. And you,” he looked back at Uthengentle. “Make it a clean kill, eh? Don’t make the poor bird suffer.”

“Yessir.” Uthengentle ground out.

Satisfied that such unpleasant business was concluded, Yuyuhase was the first to dash off, clearly uncomfortable with witnessing the violence he was complicit in. Such cowards in power could rarely stomach the evidence of their own villainy, after all.

Ilberd stepped languidly back toward the door Uthengentle entered, but stopped long enough to place a hand upon his shoulder. Where that had once been a showing of brotherly companionship, Uthengentle could only liken it to the weight of his mistakes pressing down upon him.

“I know this must be hard.” Ilberd said— and perhaps he meant it, perhaps there was a spark of the man he once was in him that lamented what he had become. It didn’t matter. Uthengentle didn’t care. “But sometimes we have to do terrible things for the good of those lesser than us. For our home.” He squeezed his shoulder—in affection or in warning, Uthengentle couldn’t say. That didn’t matter either. “We know that well, don’t we?”

Uthengentle refused to tear his gaze away from Ullr, watching as the fight was worn out of him. As if he accepted his fate. Quietly, he replied, “I do. More than most.”

“That you do, my boy.” Ilberd said, removing his hand, leaving. “That you do.”

The doors closed, and it was just him and Laurentius, staring at the snow white chocobo in front of them. Ullr let out a low, crooning wark, defeated.

“This…this doesn’t feel like something we should be doing…” Laurentius admitted in a trembling voice. Slowly, he reached for his spear, clearly intent on helping carry out the deed. “But…but it’s just like Ilberd said, isn’t it? We do bad so good people don’t have to?”

“That’s what he said.” Uthengentle said, pausing long enough to give the fool one last chance to make the right decision for once.

“Still…” Laurentius lowered his head. “It’s hard…but we’ll carry it out.”

The disgraced Wood Wailer looked up when Uthegentle clapped a hand on his shoulder.

“Yeah,” the Warrior agreed with him. “Yeah, it’s hard. Damn hard.”

Without preamble, Uthengentle forcibly pulled Laurentius toward him as he pushed his own head forward—just hard enough that the lancer’s forehead met his helmet with a loud, dull clang. Laurentius crumpled to the floor, unconscious but alive.

“My ‘elm’s harder, though.” Uthengentle said conversationally to no one, and stepped over the slumped twofold traitor.

Wark? Ullr looked up, surprised.

“Easy, boy,” Uthengentle cooed, carefully but quickly using a dagger from his boot to cut the ropes holding him in place. “Easy, almost gotcha.” The ropes fell in messy piles much the same as Laurentius had, and once the last of them had been pulled from Ullr’s feathers, he unclasped the muzzle from his beak. “Atta boy.”

Ullr trilled and gave Uthengentle’s face a nuzzle, pleased that he was free and with someone he trusted.

“Now then,” Uthengentle said conspiratorially as he held Ullr’s face. “What say you we track down Ellie, eh?”

Wark! Ullr agreed with an enthused nod and a fluttering of his wings.

The doors had been shut, for a mercy, so he had just enough time to saddle Ullr up before anyone caught wise. He spared a moment of thanks to Buscarron as he mounted the bird— having smelled trouble on the horizon, the barkeep had insisted he stable his chocobo in Gridania for safekeeping. Easy enough to go through there on the way to Coerthas, leash Ullr to his own bird, and make for colder climes.

Assuming, of course, they made it out of Ul’Dah.

Quick but muffled footfalls were approaching the front. They were running out of time.

“Alright boy,” Uthengentle leaned over to speak gently into Ullr’s head feathers. “They’ll try to attack us, but we just keep runnin’, alright? We don’t stop until we find Ellie.”

Wark! Ullr agreed, and Uthengentle guided them out of the back door.

The sound of the heavy front doors of the stables bursting open alerted Uthengentle to the return of the guard. There was shouting— someone was barking an order to contact Ilberd. He bit back a grin as he spurred Ullr into a sprint down the alley. The shouting rapidly fell away, distantly echoing off the walls of the tightly cramped buildings…

...Only for a new chorus of voices to rise up ahead of him. In a wave of blue uniforms, they flooded the alleyway— with Ilberd spearheading their charge.

But Uthengentle was prepared for this. Dragoon as he was, he channeled every second of training under Alberic and Estinien he’d gotten— and all of Estinien’s bastard energy he had absorbed— into leveling the sharpened lance at the tip of his axe’s handle, just above its head. He spurred Ullr into a faster sprint.

Ilberd intended to play chicken, it seemed, and doubled down, charging ahead, shield up and sword poised to slash.

But Uthengentle wasn’t willing to endanger Ullr for his own personal vendetta— and he had to get out of Ul’Dah besides. Biding his time until the absolute last second, with a tap of his heel and an order of, “ULLR, UP!” The chocobo leapt onto Ilberd’s shield and, using him as a leaping off point, soared delicately over the crowd of Braves behind him.

Uthengentle spared a glance over his shoulder once Ullr had landed back on solid brick and cackled at the sight of Ilberd knocked to the ground. When the Braves Commander rolled to look at his disappearing protégé, Uthengentle made a point of settling his axe on his back and slowly raising his arm, middle finger up, and held it there as he returned his attention to the road ahead of him.

More shouting— someone called for the gates to be closed to trap him in. Brass Blades began to shoulder past ordinary folk on the path to try and get to the gate lever. Uthengentle refocused and returned both his hands to the reigns. As he saw the gate of Thal descending ahead of him, he leaned further into Ullr’s feathers.

It’d be close, but he had no choice.

“I’ll keep you safe, Ullr, just don’t stop for anything!” He rallied the bird. “Let’s go find Ellie!”

Ullr let out a valiant cry and bent his neck low, pushing himself to run all the harder. The gate loomed overhead like a guillotine as they ran under it— they wouldn’t make it.

It didn’t matter. They had to.

It was a near miss, but with a well-timed swing of his axe, Uthengentle managed to use the momentum from swinging it from his back and use a strong enough fell cleave on the jagged gate spike that it stuttered against the mechanisms controlling it. Sparks showered all around them as they managed to push through, raining down from both the point where his axe blade met the gate, and from the now ground down gears in the pulley system above. With a roar, Uthengentle used that Fell Cleave to push the gate up some fulm above them, high enough they could safely sprint through, and smoothly remounted his axe on his back as they slipped away.

The gate slammed behind them so hard Uthengentle felt the ground shake beneath their feet. Indignant roars reached his ears, but if they were a distant worry before, they were music to his ears now as he eased Ullr into a marathon jog.

They had some ways to go before they made it to Coerthas, after all.

#ffxivwrite2020 #ffxiv #Uthengentle Arcbane #Ilberd Feare #look I had to actually address how tf he went from being with the Braves to joining up with the group for 3.0 #I might as well at least let him have a bastard hour as a treat

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starswornoaths · 3 years

Note

🌹

Random WIP sentence asks - Accepting!

:3c

In an instant, Serella regretted ever doubting Uthengentle when he said Ardbert was a ghost that was possessing his apartment in the Pendants. The mental image of him asking for her gun and offering nothing more than a, “Room’s haunted,” over his shoulder as he left again suddenly and violently made more sense to her.

#random wip sentence asks #ffxiv asks #themadchemist #ty for the ask!#kdhfjkdfgfdlskg I promise this fic is going somewhere with this #Serella Arcbane #Uthengentle Arcbane #5.0 spoilers

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starswornoaths · 4 years

Note

“what can i do to help?”

Pick your poison

Uthengentle lacked the hypersensitive hearing of M’iqote or Elezen races, but he didn’t need it to hear Bel swearing up a storm from within the training ground.

It didn’t take long to find her, hacking away at a training dummy with her lance. Even from a distance, the stiffness in her posture and the deep crease in her brow told him that she was less training with technique and more just working out aggression. Maintaining his distance, he waited for her to work out the worst of it.

When the trusts of her lance slowed and her shoulders slumped in heavy panting, Uthengentle finally called out, “That bad of a day, eh?”

“Isn’t it usually?” Bel growled with another pointed thrust of her spear.

“No, usually you’re just tired from training. What happened? Tell me all about it.” When she didn’t immediately answer, he tried again, “I promise I won’t threaten bodily harm on anyone who’s upset you.”

That got the desired effect, and she laughed hard enough she stopped attacking the training dummy.

“Just things with training.”

“What can I do to help?”

Bel didn’t immediately answer, though Uthengentle made a mental note to speak with Art’imis about it later, let her know what’s been happening with her daughter, especially if it was something discriminatory.

“...I don’t want to talk about it here.” She finally said quietly, and started her rotation over again.

“Why don’t we head to Serella’s? It’s not far, and it’s a hell of a lot warmer there, and you could see the pets.” When she didn’t stop training, but wavered between putting her weapon down and continuing, he sweetened the deal with, “I’ll get us some cocoa and cookies from that one stall you like on the way-”

He made good on his word to get them a nice hot drink and snack, and with a notice to her mother of where she was going, they made for Serella’s house, given how much closer it was than his own home in Ul’Dah. It was the best he could think of to give her both privacy to feel comfortable with talking about it, and also have backup snacks, blankets, and affectionate pets to help lift Bel’s mood.

#ffxiv #chysgoda #Bel Aliender #Uthengentle Arcbane #ffxiv asks #they just didn't go to Uthen's bc he lives in Ul'Dah and he lives stupid far away from Ishgard #and also Serella has cats and a dog #v important #I hope this sparks joy!

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starswornoaths · 4 years

Note

NAME!! for the rest prompt =3

under the cut bc spoilers for 5.0! Not fully angsty, per se, but is sad :< Thank you for the ask!

name. being so exhausted that they faintly whisper the name of someone they trust as they are carried to bed.

Uriangier had insisted on carrying Serella down from the peak of Mt. Gulg, once Ryne had managed to stabilize her aether enough to ensure she didn’t turn into a godsforsaken Lightwarden. They’d scarce reached the base of the mountain before the miners were readying a stretcher for her. It was a long trip back to the Crystarium, they reasoned.

When Uriangier insisted he still take one of the handles of the stretcher, Uthengentle, Thancred, and Magnus each took the remaining corners to get her onto the airship that was freshly procured from Eulmore. Poor Dulia had to be gently talked down from joining them on the ship, with fervent promises from Alphinaud that he would keep them all apprised of what happened.

No one looked up higher than they needed to. No one wanted to see the sky.

The airship ride took entirely too long for any of their liking, but if that ride felt like eons, the march from the drop-off point at the gate to Spagyrics was as a blur; one moment, the airship door was opening, the next, Chessamile was fretting in between curt instructions on where to bring the Warrior of Darkness.

When the four men set the stretcher down, Uriangier was the first to move and lift Serella to the bed, but Thancred waved him off- “keep using your restorative magic, I’ll get her,” he reasoned, and the remaining Scions wondered how much of the two’s actions were an attempt at atonement for their personal transgressions. Uthengentle couldn’t muster it in him to chastise them for even thinking such; heartsick as he was, he could only flip through his Scholar’s tome with trembling hands, could only murmur incantations with a warbling voice, could only form the words with quivering lips.

Thancred gathered the Paladin in his arms as though she were made of porcelain. Her skin looked so akin to snowy plaster that he half feared he was right. Had her body become the husk from which a monstrosity would burst forth, he wondered darkly.

As he straightened to stand with her in his arms, Serella’s head rolled into his chest, her cheek gently tapping against his breastplate. He tensed when she stirred.

Through rasping breath and with lips only barely moving, she whispered, “Aymeric...?”

“...Sorry, sister mine. I’m a touch too short, and much too handsome to be him.” Thancred’s attempt at humor crumbled half way through, though as with all things he did, he pressed through it all the same.

And then he waited. They waited. Waited for her to quip back about how Thancred had once fawned over her fiance’s appearance in a drunken babble, or waited for her to joke about his fatherly tendencies. Waited for Serella to make it all okay again, as they always did. As she always did.

She did not wake. As she was tucked into a gurney and Chessamile ushered them out, they all wished they could feel like they hadn’t failed her.

#ffxiv #5.0 spoilers #shadowbringers spoilers #whitherliliesbloom #Serella Arcbane #Uthengentle Arcbane #yeah this is Fine.#I'M TRYING TO NOT BE SAD SO MAYBE I'LL JUST GET IT OUT NOW #THANK YOU FOR THE ASK FRIEND #ffxiv asks

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starswornoaths · 4 years

Note

🌹 :D

Post 3.4 MSQ :3c

“So, what, is Ishgard just…home now?” Uthengentle asked his sister.

And it should not have made Aymeric’s attention so sharply shift to hear her answer, even as he pretended he was still focused on the conversation between himself, Hilda, and Lucia. It shouldn’t have made his heart pause in beating, if only for the few seconds it took for her to respond, but it did, and he cursed the level of influence she had over him for what felt to be the thousandth time.

Because…surely it was home? She had just spoken of seeking a house to purchase or build here in Ishgard—it would be strange if Ishgard was not, by proxy, home.

So why did he fear her answer?

Serella hummed in thought, half into her flagon as she took a pull of mead.

She stared into her flagon a moment as though she were diving the answer from the froth at the top, and though it was only a moment or two, it felt an eternity as he waited with baited breath. She lowered her flagon and swallowed her sip.

“Not really, no.” Serella answered finally with a nonchalant shrug.

“No?” Her brother pressed incredulously.

“Nah.”

And it…should not have hurt the way that it did, that casual dismissal. It should not have felt like a sharp ache in his chest, a needle piercing his heart. Because…well, she had hardly been made to feel wholly welcome, he supposed. The more he dwelled on it, the more he could somberly concede that there were places she would be more welcome than here.

#ffxiv #writing snippet ask #eremiss #Serella Arcbane #Aymeric de Borel #Uthengentle Arcbane #I am as ever your shield #THANK YOU FOR THE ASK I PROMISE THIS IS ACTUALLY A REALLY FLUFFY FIC

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starswornoaths · 4 years

Note

🌹🌹

The sight before him made him nauseated. Ilberd stood, flanked by Yuyuhase and Laurentius observing a mix of soldiers from both the Brass Blades and the Crystal Braves—but not the Flames, Uthengentle noted bitterly—struggling to hold down a horrifically familiar snow white chocobo. The poor bird thrashed against the ropes they had tried to leverage to pin his torso down from jumping, his beak gnashing against the muzzle they struggled to put on it.

“Ullr,” Uthengentle said under his breath without thinking.

Ilberd turned toward his wayward protégé, alerted to his presence.

“There you are,” the newfound Braves Commander hailed him, his mouth set in a grim line.

Eyeing Uthengentle’s armor, Yuyuhase pursed his lips. “And not in uniform, I see,” he said in a snide voice.

“Local threw a piss jug at me.” Uthengentle lied easily. “Figured it’d be less disrespectful showing up in something clean.”

Really, he just felt dirty wearing the damned thing.

“You'd be right, Uthen.” Ilberd said with a smile and a nod of his head. Uthengentle ignored the rage was flickered in his chest at the nickname. “Good of you to come regardless. I have a task I would entrust to you.”

Already, Uthengentle could see where this was going. His stomach churned as he fought the urge to fidget.

#ffxiv #lynmars79 #Uthengentle Arcbane #Ilberd Feare #Yuyuhase #Laurentius #ffxiv asks #writing snippet ask #thank you so much for you ask!!!#I'm still really excited to write Uthen's post 2.5 journey to reunite with Serella just before 3.0 #I just. keep getting so busy as;dlfjrihfg

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starswornoaths · 4 years

Note

misfit. getting out of bed too soon, insisting they feel much better, and collapsing / passing out. (Your choice!)

I can’t decide which sibling I should write for, so have a sibling fic! \o/ Thank you for the ask, friend!!!

“I’m telling you, I had that behemoth before you got there!” Uthengentle insisted in a huff, crossing his arms.

His sister, sat at his bedside, goldsmithing tools neatly lined up on the bedside table, didn’t even lift her gaze from using her tweezers to bend and shape the metal filigree into its original shape. Admittedly, he was glad she was the one repairing it- it would at least look just like he’d left it before the behemoth had decided his arm was a chew toy.

“Mhm.” Serella barely deigned to acknowledge he’d said anything, focus honed on repairing what was left of his bracer.

He huffed again, just to make sure she heard how displeased he was at being stuck in bed.

“Look, the chirurgeons looked at me! I’m well rested, I feel great!”

When he moved to flex his arm as a show of his renewed vigor, his shoulder popped loud enough that Serella’s shrewd gaze darted briefly to him, hands stilling momentarily before she resumed her work.

“...Listen, my joints have always popped, you can’t count that.” He bargained.

She returned her tweezers back to their place in her goldsmithing kit in favor of that magitek soldering tool she’d modified with Cid and Nero. The fire shard inside it crackled to life at the push of a button, and she set to work fusing the reshaped metal back together.

“Mhm.”

“No! You stop that!” Uthengentle cried dramatically, pointing his bandaged finger at her. “You’re trying to give me the cold shoulder and make me feel bad! I’ve played your game before, Serella Arcbane, and I’m not being guilted by your silence!”

“Mhm.” She replied noncommittally.

...Alright, maybe he had taken the hunt mark for the behemoth and ran off without a party or a plan.

...And sure, he might have charged over a cliff to land on the behemoth’s back and dig his axe into its neck.

...And...and okay, fine, fine! Maybe he hadn’t looked before he leapt...right into the Behemoth nest. Where there was another fully grown behemoth and two very hungry young behemoth adolescents.

...Alright, maybe he’d earned the cold shoulder he’d gotten since his sister and their fellow Free Company members had bailed him out of that particular pit of hellfire, horns and hooves.

The guilt itched beneath the itch that already persisted from the bandages and healing salves. His muscles jittered with the want to just not be here, and before he could think better of it, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and hauled himself upright.

He heard the soldering tool fizzle out- she’d turned it off. He ignored her, the pain shooting up his legs, arcing along his spine, and singing his shoulders, and started to walk toward the door.

He made it roughly three steps before he finally buckled under the pain. Had Serella not caught him, and heaved him over her shoulders in a fireman carry, he might have just crumpled to the floor in a heap. His face burned with shame as he was very gently deposited back onto bed, his pillows were fluffed, and he was tucked into the blankets in that weirdly specific way that their Ma used to do where he just can’t get out of them.

Serella went back to repairing his gear as though nothing had happened at all.

After a few moments more, Uthengentle chanced a very quiet, “...Sorry.”

“...Don’t do it again.” Serella replied, and when his stomach rumbled, she dug in her pack and gave him his favorite cheese and bread, bought fresh from the markets just for him.

It helped ease the shame, and his grumbly belly both.

#chysgoda #thank you for the ask!!!#ffxiv asks #Uthengentle Arcbane #Serella Arcbane #'but Serella you're just as bad' 'DO AS I SAY NOT AS I DO OR I'M TELLING MOM'

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