#GPOSERS 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙡𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙅𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙚

#GPOSERS "𝘕𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘫𝘰𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘬?"

Chapter 22: Where We Begin Again Part I: Fractured Quiet, Gentle Hands Sleep did not bring Aldra peace. It dragged her back. Back to the glow of the broadcast. Back to the moment everything felt normal—safe, warm, familiar. And then— The other her. Standing behind Alicia. Wrong. Too close. Too real. Aldra’s breath caught as memory replayed in fragments—pieces clicking together too late, too fast. The way Y’shtola had spoken before. Careful. Precise. Describing Aldra without ever saying her name. At the time, it had felt… strange. Now— Now it made sense. Aldra’s voice echoed in memory, unsteady—not accusatory, not doubtful—but afraid, trying to confirm what her instincts were already screaming. “What… what is your wife’s name?” Not because she doubted Alicia. Never that. But because she understood. There was another Aldra. And this Y’shtola— Was not here for her. She was looking for something else. And Aldra had just realized it. But Y’shtola didn’t answer. She shifted the moment instead. Her voice came calm. Curious. Cutting. “How did Alicia get you pregnant?” The fear came back all at once. “No—!” Aldra jolted upright, breath ragged, hands clutching at her head as if she could tear the memory free. Her body trembled violently, heart racing far faster than it should. She didn’t recognize the room at first. Only the fear. Only the echo. Only the realization— That she had been seen. Not as herself. But as someone else entirely. “Aldra—hey—hey, I’m here.” Alicia’s voice grounded her. Warm. Steady. Real. Alicia was already beside her, one hand firm at her back, the other gently guiding Aldra’s shaking hands away from her head. No panic. No hesitation. Just presence. “I’ve got you,” Alicia murmured softly. “You’re safe.” Aldra leaned into her without thinking, breath uneven as she tried to come back to herself. Safe. She wanted to believe that. Later, when the trembling eased enough for her to move, Alicia stayed close as Aldra dressed. The blue dress rested gently against her frame, familiar—but everything beneath it felt different now. Heavier. Changed. Aldra stood before the mirror. And froze. Her horns. They curved differently now—longer, more defined, etched with faint turquoise lines that pulsed softly with a life of their own. Not imagined. Not fading. Real. Her hand lifted slowly, fingers brushing over them as if expecting them to vanish. They didn’t. Her hair—longer. Darker. Her eyes— Aldra’s breath hitched. One shimmered faintly with that same unnatural light, the memory of the change still lingering behind it. A tear slipped free before she could stop it. “…It wasn’t a dream.” Her voice broke under the weight of it. “Why would she…?” Her hand trembled as it lowered, fingers curling slightly. “Why would she pretend to be the Y’shtola I knew…? To reconnect… just to—” She stopped. Her other hand moved instinctively to her stomach. The child. Always the child. “She wanted the spell…” Aldra whispered, voice quieter now, trying to make sense of something that refused to settle. “To understand how Alicia… how we…” Her brows knit faintly, confusion bleeding into the fear. “…but she didn’t mean to hurt me.” That part didn’t fit. Wouldn’t fit. Aldra’s voice softened, fragile with uncertainty. “She was scared too… when it happened.” She could still see it. That shift. That moment where curiosity shattered into horror. “…she made sure we were safe.” The words felt strange even as she said them. Uncertain. Unresolved. Aldra wiped at her eyes quickly, as if ashamed of the tears, and turned away from the mirror. The stairs felt longer than usual. Each step carried hesitation. By the time Aldra reached the bottom, she stopped again—just at the edge of the living room. Her tail curled tightly around her leg, protective, instinctive. The space was unchanged. But it didn’t feel the same. Not anymore. Fragments of memory pressed in— Y’shtola’s voice. Her presence. That warmth that had felt so real. So familiar. So trusted. Aldra swallowed hard. Was any of it real? “Was she… actually caring for me…?” the thought came unbidden. And that frightened her more than the answer. Alicia saw it. The pause. The tension. The way Aldra’s body held itself like it was bracing for something that wasn’t there. She didn’t push. Didn’t question. She simply stayed close. Close enough that Aldra didn’t have to face it alone. The rest of the day passed in quiet fragments. Aldra sat at the kitchen table with a book open in front of her, eyes tracing lines she barely processed. Alicia sat across from her, keeping conversation light, steady—never forcing more than Aldra could give. A small smile would appear now and then. Soft. Fleeting. But Aldra never quite met her eyes. The next morning, Alicia guided her gently to the couch. No rush. No pressure. Just careful hands and quiet reassurance. Aldra leaned into her this time, allowing it—resting against Alicia as if the closeness alone could keep the world from shifting again. Her voice trembled as she spoke. “Y’shtola found me in Gridania…” Slowly, haltingly, she told it. The reconnection. The warmth. The dinners. The laughter that now felt like something fragile and false. Then the broadcast. The moment everything turned. Alicia didn’t interrupt. Didn’t react outwardly. She simply held her, one hand brushing gently along Aldra’s arm, grounding her through each piece. When Aldra reached the café, her voice faltered. Her breathing hitched. “She smiled…” Aldra whispered, eyes unfocused as she relived it. “When she found what she was looking for…” Her hand trembled as it pressed to her stomach again. “And then…” Her voice broke. “The change…” Pain flickered across her expression—real, remembered. “But she didn’t expect it,” Aldra continued weakly. “She said… the book didn’t mention half-dragons…” Aldra swallowed hard. “And she was scared.” That part mattered. For reasons she couldn’t explain. “The last thing I heard…” Alicia’s hand tightened slightly around hers. “…was that we were safe.” Silence settled after that. Heavy. But not empty. Alicia pulled her closer, pressing a soft kiss against her temple. “I don’t know her reasons,” Alicia said quietly, voice steady but firm. “But what she did—how she did it—was wrong.” Her gaze softened immediately after. “But right now… none of that matters more than you.” Aldra leaned into her, eyes closing briefly. “…and our child.” Alicia’s hand rested gently over Aldra’s. “Today marks the fifth month,” she continued softly. “Let’s have Nurse V take a look—make sure everything is as it should be.” Aldra nodded slowly, a small but genuine smile forming. “I… I’d like that.” There was a pause. Then, softer— “…can we find out the gender too?” Her hand rested more firmly against her stomach now. A small moment of hope. Alicia smiled—warm, immediate. “I’d love that.” She rose carefully, helping Aldra to her feet, steadying her without making it feel like she had to. “Ready, my love?” Aldra nodded. This time, she held Alicia’s hand first. Together, they stepped out into the day. From the quiet safety of their home in the Lavender Beds… Toward Gridania. Toward answers. Toward something gentle, for once. Not a battle. Not a mystery. Just~ A mother. A wife. And the fragile, growing life between them. And at Alicia’s side, Aldra walked forward. Not unafraid. But no longer alone. / #BoundFlameLore / #BoundFlame / #SapphireRoseWritings / #EorzeaPhotos / featuring: wifey: @WildRose2743

Happy Femra Friday everyone! Also finally gave her a name, she is called Marci!

Mati turns as you approach, light reflecting off the makeup she put on, just for tonight. "You're a little early." She muses with a smile. Despite being a xaela, she feels right at home in a fine silk dress on the streets of Kugane for this Femra Friday.

Knightly Queen

ᴡᴀɪꜰᴜ ᴛᴀᴄᴛɪᴄᴀʟ ꜰᴏʀᴄᴇ ft: @SaltyCel, @BeeHuni, @KoriTheHeathen

On the hunt.

Kori Lore Post 2/4 Story in comments💕 Ft: @Sevi_TheRemnant & @BeeHuni

Kori Lore Post 3/4 Story in comments💕 Ft: @Sevi_TheRemnant & @BeeHuni

Kori Lore Post 4/4 Story in comments💕 Ft: @Sevi_TheRemnant & @BeeHuni

Collabs: Expectations (Ft. @SYeetsilon) (1/2)

Guys, if you believe just hard enough then dreams really do come true, man I'm so hyped for KH4! 😆

May this weapon strike true; may it be wielded with wisdom; may it be put down when its job is done.

#GPOSERS 𝔻𝕣𝕒𝕘𝕠𝕟 𝕊𝕝𝕒𝕪𝕖𝕣𝕤 ft. @Sevi_TheRemnant

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝 #FFXIV #GPOSERS

What are the plans for today?

"The Color of Love" #DagasiDaito

ITS POOL TIME!

Summer's here sooner than expected and I had to make sure my swimsuit still fit... This is your reminder to do the same before it's too late and you get embarrassed at the beach!