Alright, one Meeps screen, as I really like this one. I didn't realize how cheap this hair is. I really like it on her, it looks like she has bed hair and hasn't straightened her hair into her usual 2B bob yet.
I am finally getting to this prompt, so sorry for the delay! This was one that I had posted a section of before for the last WIP Wednesday, but now it’s complete! This one went way longer than I had expected, but I am pleasantly surprised that I was able to write as much as I did with this one! I hope you like it @traveler-of-light!! Thank you so much for this! 🥰💖
Friendship and Water
Hali & Emmanellain, with mentions of @meepsthemiqo’s OC Meeps Ior; Hints at future Hali x Aymeric and Meeps x Emmanellain
As soon as she entered St. Valeroyant's Forum, Hali waved and jogged up to the familiar face of Emmanellain de Fortemps, who was, quite oddly, not in his usual hangout amongst the merchants and travelers in the Jeweled Crozier. “Oh Emmy, there you are!”
“Hmm? Oh, greetings old girl. My dear brother sent you to fetch me, did he?” Emmanellain glanced down at the lalafellin woman without his typical friendly smile. There was no ounce of joy in his voice. On the contrary, every word was dripping with bitterness and contempt.
Caught a bit off guard, Hali’s eyes widened as she retorted, “Actually no. I was just coming out here to clear my head a bit. But if I’m bothering you, I’ll find somewhere else to sit and brood.”
“No no, you aren’t bothering me.” The elezen waved his hand nonchalantly and he gave a quick smile, though quite unconvincingly Hali noted to herself. Nonetheless, Hali decided to nod and sit next to him, though not too closely, as if to be a safe distance away from any sort of potential outbursts.
“Thank you. It’s a bit difficult to find a good spot with some running water around here.”
Emmanellain’s contorted with disgust. “You do know that we have plenty of running water back at the manor, right? Besides, it’s not exactly proper etiquette to bathe in a fountain, much less being arrested and charged with indecent exposure.”
Hali’s face fell, and it silenced the lalafell for a few seconds, as her brain needed ample time to fully compute what her companion had just spoken aloud. As soon as she was able to form words once more, Hali stood up and nearly startled the poor Ishgardian man.
“Wait, what?! No! Gods NO! I’m not bathing in any fountains, thank you very much!”
Emmanellain shrugged. “Alright, but I’m still not following.”
“Well, if you’re that curious, I’ll tell you.” Hali sat back down at the edge of the fountain as her mind drifted back to her island home in the North Sea.
“I’m from Sharlayan. Old Sharlayan mind you. And in nearly every corner of the city are beautiful fountains and water features, not to mention the giant statue of Thaliak pouring the waters of knowledge from his ewer to greet you in the harbor. So, whenever I needed some alone time to sit and think, or if I was meeting a friend to study with, or just going to relax and clear my head, there was always water nearby.”
“I see now. So, why were you seeking out the familiarity of the water? Anything in particular? Perhaps you are daydreaming about a certain knight in blue?”
Hali’s cheeks turned a deep red as she waved her arms about furiously, as if to physically block out any thoughts of him.
“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
“You’re a poor liar, old girl.”
Hali covered most of her reddened face with her hands. “Is it that obvious?”
Emmanellain raised his eyebrows. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Uhhh, no?”
The elezen deeply sighed and shook his head. “You’re so in love with Ser Aymeric that you melt whenever you are in his presence! Do you mean to deny the fact that you were standing vigil at his bedside for the entirety of his infirmary stays, not only following his rescue from the Vault, but also after the most recent attempt on his life? Not to mention that when you received word that he was gravely wounded, you ran to him as fast as any significant other would’ve from what I was told!”
The lalafell huffed and folded her arms. “Well, of course I did! I wanted to help him however I could! I am a healer you know.”
Emmanellain merely shook his head, completely unconvinced. “You poor, sweet, innocent girl… you have never been in love before, have you?”
She paused momentarily before replying, “No, I guess I haven’t.”
Hali closed her eyes as she felt her heart pounding in her chest, her breath caught in her throat, and her hands shaking. In her mind’s eye, she pictured Aymeric’s shining, ice blue eyes, his brilliant smile, his raven hair… never had she found a man that gorgeous before in her life. And yet, for all of his physical beauty, none of it was what she dwelled upon day in and day out, what kept her up at night. No, it was the man who opened his heart to her, who laid bare all of his thoughts and feelings about anything and everything in those long days recovering in the infirmary. They talked for hours on end, neither one getting bored of the other. She had never met anyone else who made her feel like she was dancing along the sea of clouds above.
Hali turned back to Emmanellain and smiled. “You’re right… I’ve never felt this way about anyone else before. Aymeric… he excites me and calms me all at once. I feel so happy to just to be near him. And his smile alone makes all of this endless fighting seem worth it in the end.”
“Ha! So you admit it. FINALLY!”
“Oh, don’t be a hypocrite! You are as bad as I am at confronting the truth of your feelings!”
“What?!”
“Yeah, you aren’t getting off that easy!” Hali smirked as she slid over and poked Emmanellain in the chest. “Admit it! You are so torn up about Meeps’ situation that you’re fighting with Lord Artoirel endlessly over her!”
Emmanellain sighed. “Oh alright! There’s no use in denying it. It’s true! Meeps is the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes upon! Why, she’s as beautiful as the silvery moon above with its gentle glow to light up the darkest night! A keeper of the moon? Nay! She is the embodiment of Menphina herself! Goddess of the moon and love incarnate!”
The pink haired lalafell rolled her eyes, cringing to herself. Is this how she sounds to others when she’s talking about Aymeric?
“Alright alright, I get it. So, now that you admit it, what are you going to do about it?”
“I should ask you the same question, old girl,” Emmanellain said with a smirk.
Hali’s eyes widened a moment before she looked down at the ground. No, she could not do anything about her love, as she was no fool. Ishgard is a nation with deep abiding faith and tradition, with arranged marriages still commonplace, and highborn men did not court lowborn women, let alone an outsider. Emmanellain and Hali both were in love with someone not of their station, but at least the Ishgardian noble was not the firstborn son, and he had a bit more freedom to pursue Meeps as he wishes. Hali, however, was in absolutely no position to pursue Aymeric in the same fashion. If she ever had a chance with Aymeric, it would have to be of his own volition, and not with her pushing him to go against Ishgardian courting and marriage traditions. With all he has been through, she was willing to wait for him.
Hali looked back to the elezen with a gentle smile. “It’s… not that simple.”
“Hmm? Why is that?”
“Nevermind.” Hali shook her head before she continued, “Some advice, Emmy. You should ask Meeps on a date, and see if there’s any spark between you. Get to know her outside of her role as a Warrior of Light, and outside of her present circumstances as a mother. Get to know her as an individual, learn what her hopes and dreams are for the future, what she loves, what makes her happy. Learn what makes Meeps, well, Meeps.”
“I don’t know… what if she rejects me? What if she laughs at me? Maybe I’m just not good enough for her.”
“You won’t know unless you try! Besides, what are you afraid of? Rejection hasn’t stopped you from your attempts at courting Lady Laniaitte for years!”
Emmanellain narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth. “Aren’t you forgetting one small detail? Those were all failed attempts, old girl.“
Hali shook her head and grinned from ear to ear. “Yes, but aren’t you the one forgetting something?”
“And what could that possibly be?”
“We are talking about Meeps here, not Laniaitte. Meeps is a completely different person, and who knows, she might just have feelings for you too.”
Emmanellain sat there in quiet contemplation for a good minute or so, much longer than he normally would during a conversation, until he jumped up from his spot by the fountain and exclaimed, “You’re right! I’m going to ask Meeps on a date!”
Hali cheered for the newly invigorated Ishgardian noble. “That’s the spirit Emmy!”
“Yes, I will ask Meeps tonight. But first, I have someone else that I need to have a chat with… if he’s available.” He looked back down at Hali with the biggest mischievous grin plastered on his face, which prompted confusion from the lalafell.
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Thank you for everything, old girl. I shall repay you the favor.”
Emmanellain then waved back at Hali before walking straight towards the building directly across from the fountain, which so happened to be the Congregation of Our Knights Most Heavenly.
As soon as it hit her where he was headed, Hali began to panic. “Hold up! Are you going to speak with whom I think you are?! Don’t you dare Emmanellain!”
For a split second, Hali contemplated rushing after him, but her anxiety made her stay right where she was, with her face as red as a tomato, and her heart beating a malm a minute.
“What in the seven hells is he going to say to him?! Should I start packing my things and disappear off the face of the star?! Gods, I’m doomed.”
Now I want to know what track from FFXIV you think would work for Meeps!
After much pondering (and recovering from my silly headache) I settled on A Better Tomorrow.
There are lots of more strident or emotional pieces that would also fit Meeps of course, but this piece feels wistful, yet somehow optimistic (as befits its title). It makes me think of someone who has been through terrible adversity, now finding joy in the magic of little and ordinary things - like the funny things that their children say, the pleasure of creating a home for their family and (naturally) the satisfaction of a good fried fish supper...
Not sure if that's what you were expecting, but it's where my mind ended up!
