An Inch Away From More Than Just Friends by StarfleetTeddybear (ao3 link here)
This beautiful, priceless masterpiece of art was commissioned from the stupendously talented @svanha. Once again, I remain in awe of her talent and am honored that she would bring my rendition of Emmrich and Evie to life once again.
An Inch Away From More Than Just Friends serves as a prequel piece to both my Veilguard continuing epilogues for mortal Emmrich fic The Flame Eternal and my Lich Emmrich fic An Enduring Affection. Both answer the lingering question: “What happens next after they conquer the big bads and ride off into the sunset?”
Essentially this one-shot was born out of the desire to see how Emmrich 'locked it down' with Evie. And...Voila! Some unexpectedly horny nonsense was born.
I made one of these Eluviana thingys for Evie. Art by @crimsen-khalessi. I tried to keep it open for all my different versions of Evie, be it the Modern AU, my lichfic, and my Mortal!Emmrich fics.
I also made a blank template on Google slides if anyone wants to make one too!
Thanks @rookfest-eluviana for making the original and making it so easy for us all to share our Rooks!
I’ll never get sick of writing Evie as an emotionally-constipated, depressed chosen one with insecure attachment issues and can’t see her value/worth.
On the other side of the spectrum, we have Emmlich who whenever he looks at Evie it’s like he’s staring into the sun after an endless night. He is a confident, refined man who is secure in his masculinity. A masculinity that is not afraid to be soft, in touch with his emotions, and chivalrous.
My greatest gift to Evie is gifting her Emmrich/Emmlich who is down-bad, obsessive (borderline Yandere?), and has heart eyes when he looks at her. God, love writing him worshiping her.
Emmrich is always busy mapping out their future, making plans, dissolving obstacles with political chess moves, and putting his money where is mouth is—covering Evie in fine clothes, and fixing surface level problems.
Case in point: Evie is always like, “Gosh, he deserves better. I don’t see why he would even want to be with me. I’m not special.”
Meanwhile Emmlich is like, “Oh, yeah? You get love letters and marriage proposals every week. I’ve been secretly collecting them as evidence and giving the worst ones to Lucanis.”
House Volkarin receiving proposals for Franny’s hand in marriage. Bet you the ink is not even dry on the adoption paper work before they start flooding in. Granted she’s not even a teen yet in either of my stories, but those negotiations start early in medieval times.
I giggle just imagining Emmrich’s displeasure at receiving them. Because there would be quite a few insistent ones. Her mom saved the world (her dad helped) for goodness sake. Her father is a well respected professor and corpse whisperer to boot.
Do you think he would immediately toss them into the hearth, or he would secretly roast them while writing polished dismissals?
He would compose the most polite yet firm replys with the vibes of never-gonna-happen-keep-your-garbage-boy-away-from-my-precious-girl. All the while he’s tsking and grumbling into his glass of fine brandy. Meanwhile Evie's over there doodling hearts or some shit into her diary, so grateful Emmrich loves their girl so much.
“No daughter of mine would marry into that family. She will marry for love, if she decides to marry at all.” He’d huff derisively. “Even still, she is deserving of a title greater than countess if such a thing is on offer.”
I bet you 1000 dollars that Franny's standards would be so fucking high too.
Like, "Oh it's the bare minimum that you treat me like a queen."
"My Papa would never speak to my mother that way."
"Oh, you won't do it? My Papa would. He'd already have it fixed."
I also think Emmrich would have a hard time with Franny getting older and becoming serious interested in finding a partner. He'd be supportive but all, "You can live at home as long as you want. You don't ever have to get married, you know."
