"How often do you come?"
"Whenever I can."
He only noticed the tremor in her voice from the utter silence surrounding them, making Alphinaud stop himself before saying something more. His outstretched hand fell limply to his side. The glowing carbuncle beside him looked up at him, tilting its head in confusion. Alphinaud dismissed it.
The Warrior of Light hadn't turned away from the gravestone since Alphinaud had found her there. Her arms were wrapped around herself, and he noted the way her fingers dug into her exposed skin. Her hair whipped around her downward tilted head, and he struggled to see her expression, wondering if it was purposeful.
Thinking better of it, Alphinaud stepped up beside her but didn't look up or touch her. It felt to him as though she was miles away… months in the past….
He carefully removed the clock from his shoulders and reached up to drape it over her. She turned her head away but she did pull the new clothing closer to herself.
He looked down once more at the bare stone. The only glimmer of color from the white cliff-side was the shining red of the unicorn on the shield that sat leaning against the stone.
Alphinaud finally chanced a glance up at her face. It was expressionless, as stone-cold as the grave.
He opened his mouth to speak… to say what he wanted to since that day… since Estinien too…. He closed it.
Finally, he settled. "He was right about you."
She didn't seem to hear him or didn't care; there was no change in expression or movement.
He said it anyway. "A smile better suits a hero."
Still, she gave nothing away. Sighing, he turned from her, stopped, clenched and unclenched his fists with a grimace appearing for just a moment on his face, and he walked down the mountain alone.
The Warrior of Light stood stoic in the bed of flowers staring out over the field. She didn't move when she heard two distinct sets of footsteps behind her.
Lyse and Alphinaud turned to her, out of breath.
"You're alright…." he thought to himself. "Thank the Twelve…."
Before Alphinaud could process what Zenos, the broad, powerful man before him had spoken, he saw him lift the sword to his neck.
"COWARD!" he yelled. He saw the way the Warrior of Light reached out to him, almost… afraid.
He watched the horror unfold… Lyse was too late. The body slumped to the floor. The head once atop his shoulders… cast aside.
He looked up to the Warrior of Light.
Tears fell.
Only Alphinaud noticed the great Warrior of Light wipe them away.
Against his better judgment, Alphinaud found himself standing at the gate of a mansion belonging to one of many so-called Free Companies in Shirogane. To his dismay, it wasn't uncommon to find the Warrior of Light taking her downtime at this one in particular.
Grimacing, the young Elezen stepped through the gateway and looked around the lavish exterior of bridges and cherry blossoms. A few adventurers gave him a second glance but he otherwise brushed them off. Fortunately for him, he found his target off in the corner of the yard at the chocobo stable tending to a mid-size blue chocobo he recognized immediately.
He cleared his throat when he approached, making the girl's head snap up. He smiled at her, and she returned it, not quite allowing it to meet her eyes.
"You're probably wondering what I'd be doing here in a place… like this." he allowed. "Though I must say, it exceeded my expectations."
She looked to him, an eyebrow raised.
The younger of the two sighed before he continued. "I know, I said I'd never come here. And still, I haven't the faintest clue why you insist on using your abilities for… this…."
The older of the two lowered the brush from the chocobo and folded her arms across her chest, narrowing her eyes.
Alphinaud pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm really making a mockery of myself as I go about this entirely wrong, aren't I?"
That gave her the chance to crack a smirk.
"I just don't understand why you don't want to stay at the Rising Stones with us…. Especially after the events having just transpired-"
"I don't want your pity, Alphinaud." she snapped.
Taken aback, he opened his mouth to retort but dropped it. Thinking better of his words choice, he took a breath. "Despite what you may think, I have the best intentions for you and the Scions. And in spite of that, your reckless behavior has me-"
"Oh, like the Crystal Braves?" she snapped again.
A sharp intake of breath. "I thought-"
"You thought wrong." She clenched her eyes shut before reopening them again. "You always think you know what's best for everyone, Alphinaud." She wasn't loud, her voice rather low but sharp in her cutting words. "Creating another Grand Company and further dividing Eorzea? Splitting up the Scions after we just reunited after Ul'dah? You weren't even there when Alisae was hurt! You stayed back!"
He clenched his fists then pointed a finger. "By the Twelve, you know that we both thought she was fully capable of being on the front lines."
"On what grounds? You hadn't fought alongside her in months! You had faith in your sister, so I trusted your better judgement!"
"It was your Gods-damned choice to allow this to happen!"
She stopped and formed a thin line with her mouth. "Alphinaud Leveilleur…. Are you implying that I want to be saving the world several times over in under a year?"
He scoffed. "They call you a primal slayer for the jest then?"
She turned away from him then and continued brushing her chocobo in silence.
Alphinaud sighed. "Despite all of this, I did not come all the way out here to rile you."
"Is that so?" she asked without turning her gaze.
"You're the one-" but he stopped, straightened his tie and coughed. "I just feel that it would beneficial for the rest of the Scions to know-"
"Of course." she grumbled to herself.
It didn't go unnoticed. "I beg your pardon?"
"It's always about the Gods-damned Scions, Alphinaud. Do you even remember what happened with the Heavensward? To Ysayle? Estinien?" She bit her lip before the last. "…Haurchefant?"
"Seven Hells! Of course I remember! How can I forget? I pried the Eye off of Estinien with you! I watched as Haurchefant drew his last breath in your arms!"
"Then why is it still always about the Scions?!" she yelled at last, turning to him, making Alphinaud take a step back. "You could have been possessed by fucking Nidhogg! Or worse! You could have been killed by Estinien! Is that what you want?!"
"I'll be damned if I don't do something!"
His last outburst was louder than the rest and earned him a few extra stares. Seeing the great Warrior of Light grimace was a sight. She waved to them, reassuringly.
She glared back down at him. She hissed, "Now you understand why I'm the primal-slayer. Go home, Alphinaud."
He clenched his teeth, glaring back into her eyes, searching them for any amount of regret. There was none.
This time, he didn't bother with parting words or turning away. He teleported to the Rising Stones as he held her gaze.
The Circle of Ala Mhigan village leaders spoke amicably about the renewal of peace in the previously-controlled territory.
Standing off to the side, the remaining Scions of the Seventh Dawn watched on as Lyse led the discussion.
But the outburst of the Ananta leader turned all heads to her. She cried out to summon a primal. Disbelief swept the circle of people. The Scions all turned to each other, eyes wide.
The doors burst open behind them. More Ananta can surging forward with guards flanking them, enthralled.
In a flash, Lakshmi appeared before them.
The Warrior of Light, turned back to Alphinaud. But before she could call out a command, others shouted orders, deaf to their four ears.
He whispered, and she saw the message. "Not again…."
But he was told to run, to protect the others from enthrallment.
Clenching his teeth, he nodded to her one last time and ran, ushering everyone to go before himself.
The fight itself seemed to have taken years. When silence finally reigned, Alphinaud was one of the first to burst back through the doors, clearly out of breath. His eyes darted around the room, finally settling on the glowing light of the Echo coming from the Warrior of Light.
He could finally breathe again.
The Rising Stones is more often than not a hub of social interaction. Between the drinking, talking, and overall positive attitude that typically floats through the open spaces, the bar attitude tends to spill into the headquarters of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. After all, what's saving the world without a little celebration?
On this night in particular, since the freedom of Ala Mhigo, many were absent, sent to various parts of Ala Mhigo and villages to establish new connections and reunite families. The usually boisterous halls were near-silent with only a few candles flickering here and there for light.
Down the corridor of the dormitories was particularly silent, save for the sound coming from one room, muffled behind a door.
Alphinaud Leveilleur happened to be up at this time, going over his notes on spells and summons when he paused to listen. The wood chair scraped across the wood floor at he stood and placed down the quill and book in front of him. His heels clicked on the floor as he approached the doorway and listened.
It wasn't all that difficult to hear it, albeit being muffled. His mouth parted slightly but then it tightened into a line as he took a step back from the door.
No, he thought, I need to do this.
He stepped through the doorway and walked down the hall to the doorway with the noise coming from it. He rapped on the door one, twice…. The noise stopped. "Are you alright?" Silence. He sucked in a breath and pushed open the door.
The room was dark, save for a single candle on the night table beside the bed. The figure sitting on the mattress was hunched over on itself, knees tucked up to the chest with their back to the wall. He heard choked breaths once again, and he slowly walked over to the bedside.
He looked down at her, then, he hesitantly sat on the edge of the bed. He folded his hands in his lap, silent.
He waited. He waited for what felt like eternity.
"You're one of the most patient people, Alphinaud."
He noticed the way her voice was: rough, hoarse, choked. She had been like this for hours. He chuckled. "I'd like to think I am."
He felt the bed creak and the shuffle of the other person before she appeared beside him, her legs tucked beneath her. She folded her hands in her lap and stared at the floor.
"I'm not sure what I'm doing here anymore." He said it without thinking. He wasn't sure why he said it. But he felt like it was an important place to start.
It served its purpose. She turned her head to look at him, but he was also staring at the floor. "Here?" she asked tentatively.
"I don't mean to say that I am not fit to be a Scion," he explained quickly, still not looking at her. "I have long since come to terms with my… faults… mistakes." He practically spit the last words out. "What I mean to convey…. I do not understand what I can do for you, my friend."
He was met with stunned silence. Then, "Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"Nothing," she said again. He finally looked up to meet her eyes. They wavered, if only for an instant. "You can do nothing for me."
His chest tightened. "What are you planning?"
Her eyes narrowed, then she questioned, "Planning?"
"Do you plan to run? To leave the Scions? To go and get yourself-?"
"I am not suicidal, Alphinaud."
He grimaced, but his chest felt less constricted. He said nothing.
"It's Zenos…." She said it hardly above a whisper.
But she was caught. "Zenos…? You're… you are despairing over Zenos? A sworn enemy? One which you watched run from trial?"
She looked down again then nodded.
"He was a monster! A criminal! A murderer! How could you care for that-!"
"Friend. He said I was a friend."
This stopped him in his tracks. He settled down and listened.
"It was his final words. He saw me as his equal, a challenge when that day finally came. He was excited… happy even, to face me again. He knew what I was capable of. And he was ready for him…. But I didn't accept him. That was why…." She took a shaky breath.
"You believed that?" he asked, beside himself.
She nodded, still looking away.
"My friend… my true friend…. He was trying to get inside your head. If not for you, Ala Mhigo would yet to be free! Then you nearly killed yourself trying to save us all from Lakshmi's influence so soon after the matter! You are our hero, our Warrior of Light, our-!"
"Is that why you've been acting like this? Why you've been so…?" she trailed off.
He scoffed. "Overbearing? Worried? What would you make of that?" he snapped. "Would you run? Would you push me away yet again to run to another great foe? I am tired. I cannot, will not… continue to allow this. I cannot continue to chase you."
She bit her bottom lip and turned to the far wall.
"Look at me."
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because I'll just continue to break you!" she yelled to no one. She took three shallow breaths. Then she continued, "I know I'm hurting everyone over and over again."
"Then why? Why do you keep running after primals? Finding trouble wherever it stirs? Why will you not get some rest?"
"I can't." she whispered.
"Why not?" he asked sternly.
"Do you want to die, Alphinaud?" she snapped back, turning to him again. This time, he saw the tears welling in her eyes. "That's why I do it. Because without the Echo… without me… everyone dies. Everyone. I am one person. I can't be the last one. I can't be alone."
"You are not alone," he said, taking her closest hand between his own two. He felt his face heat up. "If you let us help you, you will not die-"
Annunciating each syllable carefully, she yelled, piercing the halls' silence. "But everyone else will! You will die!"
"I'd rather die than allow you do so in my place! The title of primal slayer, slayer of Nidhogg, Warrior of Light… none of them have true meaning to me! They are all lost to me when the most important part of those things is you!" Realizing his own words, he licked his lips and swallowed.
He felt her shaking in his grip. Her mouth parted in surprise. The tears long-welled up in her eyes spilled over the lower lids and streamed down her cheeks.
He carefully pulled a hand free to collect her other one in his lap on the remaining open palm. He took his other free hand and reached up, using his thumb to push the tears away.
Once he was satisfied with the tears clear, he leaned forward, taking in her scent as he took a deep breath. His forehead touched hers as he closed his eyes against her overwhelming presence. He felt her take a sharp breath but then let it go slowly, relaxing into him.
Finally, she slid her forehead off of his and let it fall into his shoulder. She sobbed herself dry. She had been long done with tears, save for the few last ones she let go for him. He rubbed her back in circles, shushing her quietly.
After what felt like too soon to the boy, she lifts her head off of his shoulder and looked to him, eyes puffy. She gave him a weak smile.
He leaned forward again, pressing his forehead to hers, and if she were surprised, she didn't let on this time. They both closed their eyes.
"You are my dearest friend," he whispered. "We have been to the Seven Hells and back together. I could not bear the thought that you may not come home one day. And for how I have been withholding this from you, allowing my resentment to be the feeling showing through, I am gravely sorry."
"Don't be." she replied. "I haven't exactly been the least reckless person you know."
"They don't call you a primal-slayer for the jest then?" he asked, his voice shaky but with a smirk.
She chuckled lightly, making his stomach flip over. He smelled her breath on his face. He felt her hair fall in his face.
"I'm sorry about what I said, too," she added quickly. "You did everything you could, and it was for the right reasons."
Alphinaud shook his head. "You were at least partially right. I am headstrong, too much to be a leader in times like these."
"That's not true," she whispered. "I wouldn't want anyone else to be our leader now. You understand what we've been through. You want nothing more than to change Hydaelyn. That's something to be proud of." She shook her own head. "You've made mistakes. So have I."
"Are my mistakes worthy of your kinship, great Warrior of Light?" he said, smiling, despite the heat building on his face and his throat growing dry.
He gently pushed the hair aside and over her shoulder. He had not meant it the way it had come out, so forward. He wanted more than anything to, at the very least, allow her to know she had a companion, one loyal to the bitter ends of Hydaelyn and to the Seven Hells and back… at her side. He smiled at her in promise. He would not let her run. Not again.
His head was spinning and eyes were closed before he was aware of her pressed against him. Her lips pushed eagerly against his, and her hands had made their way to his shoulders, wrapping around his neck.
He breathed in sharply through his nose, taking her face in his hands and fully taking the rest of her in. She breathed him in, gripping him tighter, pulling him closer.
She abruptly pulled back, leaving him dizzy and breathless. He searched her eyes for something… any kind of explanation, as they both grasped for air.
She did nothing. Then she breathed, "You know that I can't promise to be safe."
He continued searching her eyes, trying to also steady his own breath. "I do. But I ask that you not impose the same on myself." Her eyes widened, but he pressed on, pulling her close once more. "Let me be at your side, no matter the threat. Will you accept my wish… please?"
Her eyes narrowed, clearly not willing. But she nodded with a smile… as she always did. Then, she came back to him once more.
[A/N 10-20-17]: Yeah, I know I said I'd be updating my other stories first and starting other one-shots, but I've been playing A LOT of FFXIV and I had to get this one down on paper. I'm not sure if I will be doing more one-shots for FFXIV than this one, but if I do, they will be able various characters posted here! I hope you enjoyed this one!
I purposefully made the WoL rather ambiguous so that anyone can relate their character or picture who they want in that position. I've loved the dynamic of the player character with Alphinaud and I had to put this one out there!
Two songs inspired this story but I didn't feel that either was quite perfect, so a blend of the two it is! So not a story fic, but if you're curious:
Fallen Angel by Three Days Grace
Be Somebody by Thousand Foot Krutch
Stay tuned for more… maybe!
