open post;

[concussionprotocol]

OPEN POST

Here's where we thread. Character history is available here and IC/OOC permissions are here. Any questions? Wanna run something by me? Shoot me a DM on this journal.

Some things I'd love to thread:

::post "In From the Cold" brain fog & trauma
::post EW putting lives back together
::seeing the Azim Steppe for the first time
::concerns about the effects of the Light
::Val being gullible/believing the wrong sob story
::actually opening up and having a conversation about her mem-loss
::her finding her family, either alive or dead
::or someone claiming to be her family who's actually a con artist
::Bad End AUs

Comments

for exarchon

[concussionprotocol]

[ It's been a very long couple of weeks. Not bad; not at all. But all of the Scions have gone their separate ways for awhile. No pressing matters, no world-ending crises, and so it had been time for them all to pursue some more personal matters.

Val's personal matters had turned up on her doorstep -- or would have, if she had a doorstep. More like they'd shown up in Revenant's Toll and started asking around for the Warrior of Light. 

Long story short, it was quite a meeting. A Hyur woman, with a quiet man accompanying her, had run up to her and enveloped Val in a hug -- something that had set Val's teeth on edge at first, until the woman had explained through tears.

Family found. 

Since then, just over a week ago, Maeve -- as the woman had introduced herself -- had kept Val running ragged. Small errands, shopping trips, dinners... It was never-ending, but Val swallowed any complaint that might have rose. 

She had found what she'd been looking for for so long.
 
Val's trotting through the square, a bag full of stuff over her shoulder, when she sees an old friend crossing the lane near the aetherite. ]

G'raha! [ She calls out, waving and immediately having to stop waving and grab the strap slipping off her shoulder. ]

Re: for exarchon

[exarchon]

[Normally, G'raha doesn't mind getting to spend time in Sharlayan, especially time spent in the library. It was sort of nice to get back to his student days, getting completely lost in his research, even if he did also fall back on bad habits and Krile needed to keep reminding him to eat or sleep, but at the same time he'd kept catching himself wanting to show Val something, or tell her about a passage he'd just read, and then he'd remember she was still back in Revenant's toll.

He'd gotten to used to her being close in the First, he thinks, he was spoiled by her attention.

After a couple of weeks he's mostly done with the research he wanted to do, and he's found himself quite excited to leave - or, more accurately, to get back to his dearest friend.

So, of course, when he hears that familiar voice shout his name from across the square, he perks up immediately and almost bounds over to her]

Val! It is good to see you again, my friend! How have you been? Can I help you with that burden...?

[He motions to the overstuffed bag, holding out his hands in an offer to take it from her]

[concussionprotocol]

I'm so glad to see you too! [ It's a little breathless; she's still struggling with the bag. Val digs through the bag, gives up, and crouches to set it on the ground. She's not going to make G'raha carry it all. ]

Sorry! [ She grabs a couple packages and a few pieces of clothing, leaving foodstuffs in the bag. ] Take these?

[ When G'raha takes the items, he'll definitely not that the clothing is both not in Val's size and not her usual style.

She stands up with the now much less unwieldy bag and throws the strap over her shoulder. ] Thank you! Hi. How are you? How was your trip?

[exarchon]

[G'raha watches her with fond amusement - he would have been more than happy to just take the bag and save her carrying it further, but he's not going to waste time arguing it, instead he just takes the offered items, arranging them carefully in his arms for ease of carrying, glad to share some of the weight at least.]

What's all this for?

[He's looking at the clothing curiously, wondering at the difference to her usual - surely she must be doing a good deed for somebody, probably got roped into fetching something for someone who didn't realise they were conscripting the champion of Eorzea to run their errands, as usual. He looks up when she speaks though, smiling]

Oh, it was very productive, thank you.

[concussionprotocol]

Well, I'm glad that you were productive. [ Please say that you also had fun, G'raha. (Though, she knows full well that if his time in libraries was productive, then he had a grand old time. It's not like she's immune to the satisfaction of learning new things in old books.) ]

Oh, it's... uhm... [ She finds herself tripping over her words. It's good news but she's... not sure how to say it? G'raha -- and a handful of other people, almost all exclusively fellow Scions -- know of her regrettably lost memory and her general search for family. Though, they may not know how much time spends in that pursuit, or the heartbreak and frustration that it causes her at any given point in time.

So why is it so hard to say? She's not sure, and wonders at what's staying her words. ] It's for Maeve. You should meet her.

[exarchon]

[G'raha ducks his head a little sheepishly, knowing that she's teasing him - he did enjoy it, though, and he learned a number of things that are likely to be useful for the Scions - and her - going forward, which to him means it was time well spent.

Her reluctance to answer his question, however, earns a faint frown of concern, making him wonder if there's more to this than his initial assumption...]

Maeve? I don't believe I know the name... who is she?

[And what about her is making Val so shy all of a sudden?]

[concussionprotocol]

[ And now he's concerned. She can see it in his face, so she ducks her head. (If she can't see it, it doesn't exist. It's never worked for her before, but someday it might.) ]

She's supposed to meet me at Seventh Heaven. Right about now, in fact.

[ Val adjusts the shoulder strap, not really needing to, but needing something for her hands to do. She gestures toward the bar, motioning for him to follow her. ]

Maeve is my sister.

[ It comes out quickly, breathlessly. ]

[exarchon]

[He moves to follow her with a nod but he's barely taken a step before he's freezing, staring at her with wide-eyed surprise]

Your sister?

[He knows how much she's been looking for her family, something he has witnessed with no small amount of guilt - though he wants to admit to her that he is part of the family she's looking for, he also knows that would entail admitting what happened to the rest of them, and he would rather her hope stayed alive, as cowardly as that is.

He thinks he would remember, though, if he had another sister.... but then, he knows a little of Val's story, knows that she may have ended up with another family after he left Corvos, perhaps this Maeve is from there.. or perhaps she's a biological relation... perhaps it is good, he thinks, for her to have found family that won't only bring bad news and disappointment]

Well that's wonderful, my friend, I will be glad to meet her.

[concussionprotocol]

[ Val's smile is slow and shy. She wants so badly for G'raha to live Maeve, and vice versa. One of her dearest friends not liking her new-found family? She can't even fathom it. Maeve has been cheerful -- almost too much so for Val's more reserved personality -- and upbeat. She thinks that G'raha will like her.]

I'll be happy to introduce you.

[ She opens the door to the bar and, almost immediately, a Hyur woman with mousy-brown hair turns toward the door and waves. Val! You were gone so long that I started to get worried. ]

That's her. [ She says to G'raha as Maeve comes over to take the bag from Val's shoulder. ] Sorry to keep you waiting. [ She says to Maeve, who throws an arm over her shoulder.

It's definitely not a biological relation, G'raha. ] Maeve, this is my dear friend, G'raha. [ She's a little uncomfortable with the forced affection, but she's smiling through it. ]

[exarchon]

[G'raha is, indeed, reassessing his theories as soon as he sees the woman - not biological, but perhaps a family she settled with when she was a little older than the last time he saw her when they were children.

He can see that she's uncomfortable with the affection and wishes there was something he could do about it, he does rearrange the things in his arms so he can offer her a hand, hoping it might draw her away from Val just a little and give her some space]

A pleasure to meet you, Maeve. You must be very happy to see Val again after all this time, however did you manage to find her?

[concussionprotocol]

[ Val can't help the little sigh of relief when Maeve shifts away from her to greet G'raha. She wants to be more receptive -- this is her long-lost family -- but she's never been good with unexpected affection from a stranger.

And that's what Maeve is, but Val is looking forward to getting to know her.

It's not hard to hear stories about the Warrior of Light, Maeve was saying to G'raha. And then when I heard someone describe what she looked like, I knew I had to seek her out. I've been looking for Val for so long. ]

I happened to be in Revenant's Toll when they arrived. [ Val reaches into the bag and hands Maeve a wrapped package. ] Try this pastry. It's one of my favorites. [ As Maeve takes the package, Val continues. ] Someone let me know that they were asking after me.

[ Don't ask her who it was, G'raha. She honestly can't remember. ]

[exarchon]

[Personally, G'raha thinks Maeve should know that Val would be uncomfortable with that kind of affection, he certainly does, but he also understands the excitement of finding her again after so long, and how easy it can be to forget that missing memories can influence how somebody feels about you. It's not as though he's holding himself up as the perfect standard of 'how to treat your missing family who doesn't remember you', given that he's taken the route of just not saying anything]

It's lucky you managed to find her here [He's smiling, slightly teasing as he gives Val a mischievous look] Our beloved champion of Eorzea here does travel an awful lot.

I hope you've had a chance to reminisce, fill in some of the gaps?

[concussionprotocol]

[ Between Maeve taking the wrapped pastry and greeting G'raha, Val is given a little room to breathe. She feels as though she should be better about the closeness, because this is her family but old habits are hard to break, and Val has never been comfortable with such things.

(Maybe she had been, though, as some point. Maybe Maeve remembers that.)

She beams at G'raha. ] Maybe so. I didn't have anywhere else to be. [ For once.

Maeve is also smiling, directing them both toward the table she'd been sitting at. Her quiet male companion is still sitting there, looking about as out of place as Val was feeling just a minute ago. Some, Maeve says. I'm afraid I've been so entranced by Valeria's stories that we've had very little chance to actually catch up. ]

[exarchon]

She does have many very excellent stories.

[He can't deny that, after all, but he is a little surprised that they're not trying to help her remember more of her childhood, if he wasn't such a coward he would be telling her all sorts of stories. But then, she probably hasn't volunteered to them how she feels about those missing memories..]

I hope you'll have time to, though, before some crisis or other calls her away.

[He turns his attention to Maeve's companion, nodding a greeting to him]

Oh, and this is...?

[concussionprotocol]

[ She's kept the stories nice and light; she's found that the stories people usually want to hear most are the ones she least likes to tell. Still, Maeve seems content to let her jabber away.

Maeve turns toward her companion: another Hyur with light colored hair and dark eyes. Not a looming or hulking presence, nor does he shrink into the background. Just... quiet. This is my partner, Alnod. We've been traveling together for some time.

Alnod gives a nod and a quiet greeting as Val and Maeve sit at the table. ]

So far, it's been quiet, [ and Val gives G'raha a mock scolding look, ] but now that you've said something...

[exarchon]

[G'raha greets the man pleasantly, introducing himself in turn before turning to Val and holding his hands up defensively, mischief in his eyes]

It won't be my fault if something comes up, you know as well as I the odds are high that it will. You're too much in demand, my friend, though of course the other Scions and I will be happy to take care of what issues we can so that you have more time with your family.

[He smiles impishly]

Or you can go and save the day and I shall be the one to collect tales of your younger days. I'll write them down for you.

[concussionprotocol]

[ Val huffs, and leans over to give G'raha's shoulder a light smack. That's what she thinks of that. She turns her attention to her bag and pulls out a single jar of what G'raha will recognize as one of her favorites: a fruit preserve that she just can't seem to get enough of some days.

She hands the bag off to Maeve, who takes it with a smile. Thank you, Val. I never would have asked for any of this.

Val shrugs one shoulder. ] I know. I wanted to share.

[ Maeve sets the bag down beside her and leans forward. It's so sad, she says, responding to G'raha's comment. So many things we shared that Valeria just can't remember anymore.

There's a small twitch at the corner of Val's mouth. Her memory -- or lack thereof -- is not her favorite subject but she supposes that it's bound to come up in these circumstances. ]

[exarchon]

[G'raha gives her a softly sympathetic look - he knows she doesn't like to talk about it, and he can't exactly blame her, so he's apologetic for being the one to bring it up, but he thinks this is a good opportunity - a chance for her to learn more about the past that's hidden to her. A chance he wishes he had the courage to give her himself]

Well, you will have to share the memories with her, and make new ones for you both.

What is your favourite memory? I would love to hear something about Val when she was younger, oh, as long as you don't mind me asing, Val?

[He knows he might be pushing too much, but more than anything he just wants to know that she had a happy life after he left Corvos, wherever she ended up. He knows she's doing well now, and he's so proud of her, but still the curiosity is there]

[concussionprotocol]

[ Val shakes her head. Had almost any other person asked, she may have shut the conversation down and moved on to other things. But she trusts that G'raha has her best interests in mind, and she does want to ask Maeve so many things. ] I don't mind.

[ Despite that, despite her reasoning, anxiety settles in her chest. (If they know about her disability, they'll never trust her. It's insidious... and wrong, she knows, but she can't make it shut up.)

Maeve laughs, excitement lighting her eyes. Oh, the stories I could tell you! Even as a kid, Valeria was always walking right into trouble... and usually taking me right along with her! ]

[exarchon]

[He can believe that, she was always so full of energy, so ready to explore despite the anxieties that called her home periodically. He hopes those eased as she got older. He laughs lightly]

So she was something of a handful, then?

How old was she, when she joined your family?

[Maybe it's a strange question, but he doesn't think it's that strange, since there's obviously not a biological connection, he's just interested to know how long she stayed in Corvos after he left, and perhaps a little curious why she left - not that he can ask that part]

[concussionprotocol]

[ (Those anxieties never eased; she just found better ways to cope with them.)

Maeve's grin is full of nostalgia. A handful is one way to put it! She'd drive Ma crazy with worry, even as a young little thing. I grew up with her dogging my steps.

Val opens her mouth to defend herself -- and then closes it when she has no real way of doing so. ]

[exarchon]

[G'raha's smile slips a little, and his brow furrows in confusion. Maybe it's just a choice of phrasing, but 'grew up with' implies a certain amount of childhood, especially when you combine it with the 'young little thing' comment, but unless he's judging her age very badly, she can't have been that young when Val became part of her family, even if she left Corvos right after he did.

On it's own, perhaps he could dismiss it, but when you combine it with the vagueness of her responses and the way she outright ignored the question about Val's age... he doesn't want to be suspicious, but there's just something about it all that's nagging at him... he's protective of Val, he doesn't want to see her hurt.

He gives Val a slightly cheeky smile]

I'm sorry, my friend, I don't mean to embarrass you, but the very image of you running around causing chaos, even as a toddler, it warms my heart.

[He feels bad for lying, even if he tells himself that the mental image does warm his heart, whether it be his own memory or somebody else's, but he knows that's just splitting hairs. It's a test, though, to see how Maeve reacts - whether she corrects him or not]

[concussionprotocol]

[ Before Val can even think about saying anything, Maeve laughs -- long and loud -- and Val wonders at the position she's in, where her newfound family is speaking with her dearest friend and she's hardly able to get a word in.

It does her heart good, though, to see G'raha happy for her. (Though she wonders at that slip of expression. Perhaps he was simply worried about embarrassing her, as he said.)

I'm hardly surprised that our Valeria has accomplished so much. From the moment she could walk, she was leaving us all behind. Maeve reaches out and settles her hand on Val's, smiling and shaking her head. ]

[exarchon]

[And there it is. From the moment she could walk. It feels like ice down his back and while his smile doesn't drop, it does become a little fixed and his ears twitch before he can stop himself. He hates that he was so mistrustful, but he hates even more that he was right. Maeve cannot possibly have any idea what Val was like the moment she could walk, because she was certainly not present when G'raha - determined and insistent, barely more than a toddler himself - held his sister's hand as she took her first steps, their father hovering behind to make sure neither child fell.

His gaze drifts to the pile of gifts and treats that Val brought back with her today, and he feels almost certain that they're not the first. Yes, he can understand why somebody might want to claim a kinship with the warrior of light, why they might take advantage of her kindness. It makes his blood boil.

More than that, though, because while he's angry at Maeve for her lies, he's angrier still at himself - if he had just come clean and told Val the truth from the beginning, something like this never would have happened. And now... now it's harder than ever, but there's also no avoiding it, he refuses to let somebody take advantage of his friend, his family.

He forces his smile a little brighter]

She certainly has accomplished a great deal. We scions are all very proud of her, and you'll be glad to hear we're very protective, too. We'll all be there to protect her, no matter what harm may threaten.

[concussionprotocol]

[ Val isn't sure what it is that changes the mood completely. G'raha's smile becomes something frozen and his ear twitches in that way it does when he's irritated. Val's brow furrows and she looks at Maeve, who is just as blithely cheerful as ever.

But then G'raha speaks again and the first part isn't anything odd, though she does automatically shy away from the compliments.

The next thing, though? Val's eyes narrow, G'raha's smile is forced, and Maeve draws back. She reaches out and settles the tips of her fingers against G'raha's arm, even as Maeve starts to talk.

Oh, I'm glad to hear that. She deserves friends who look out for her. ]