fearlessly | THE PSL!!!!!!

THE PSL!!!!!!

[ this time, returning had not been easy.

it's certainly not the first time. from the temple and lunatia both, alisaie had returned to her home only to bounce back to both places, but each time had been a reset, a return to her "real life," to what she left behind, as if she had never left. she had no recollection of her time spent outside of this world, no memory of the events, or emotions, or people she had been leaving behind, and so ignorance had been bliss. she had remembered, of course, every time she returned, but it had hardly mattered then, once she was back.

this time, she remembers, and because of it there is a sense of.. finality. alisaie does not know how or why, but somehow, deep in her gut, she knows that she will not be returning to lunatia. it might be her natural cynicism, her realism that one day it would come to pass that she would arrive home and not return, and she may very well be wrong, but still she cannot help the feeling that it is over, that just as she had expected she is left to remember it all, to keenly feel the ache of her breaking heart.

prompto would have said that it would be worth it. he had said as much, in the past. he would say that having experienced love would be enough, that their time together, even if less than they both would want, would be better than nothing. she wants to agree, but in her heart she cannot convince herself, and instead there is only a quiet, private bitterness that she nurses in the deep hours of the night when she sleeps to the sound of the chilly wind over the dry sands of amh araeng. the desert suits her, arid and inhospitable and imbued with an old and powerful sense of longing and loss; mayhaps it was one of the many reasons she had been drawn here to begin with, when she first arrived on the shard. this wasteland at the ends of the earth, its very sands and stones infused with the ache of countless grieving hearts and angry ends, is a reflection of her soul. it always has been.

but still she works. that much is easy. there is always work to be done, and alisaie is more than happy to see to it, to bury herself in it, to distract herself from her anger and heartbreak because it has been several moons now, and she was right. it has all ended, and rather than prompto being erased from her heart and mind, she is left with the lingering memory of him in her mind's eye, on her skin, in her heart. he had promised, and where is he now? where is she? alone with her thoughts in this desolate wasteland.

would that he were here, if only so she could sock him right in the gut. ]

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[ It's the kind of sleep that pulls him in so deeply that by the time he starts to wake, it seems as though he's been asleep for weeks, and for how bone-tired he had been, he wouldn't be halfway surprised. There are few things he would rather do than sleep now that he's finally made it to his destination.

...But those few things demand he be awake, since the all involve Alisaie, and speaking of which, she's finally begun to stir, rousing him out of his half-awake stupor. He meets her gaze with a warm smile of his own, ready to answer her greeting, thrilled to be able to at last wake up next to her again. It feels so good, so right, so perfect.

...Of course, before he can respond, the last words he could have possibly expected from her tumble from her lips, and you can bet that sure as hell wakes him right up. Did he...could he possibly have heard that right? Is he still dreaming? He has to be dreaming. The last time he'd brought up the direction of their relationship, she hadn't wanted to pursue the conversation even remotely, and yet now, now she just...

His breath leaves him in a rush, eyes wide, as he sits up halfway, peering down at her from beneath a taut brow. Please hold... ]

Wh-wh...Ali —

[ His heart thunders in his chest, beating loud in his ears. Is this really happening? ]

...A-are you...are you sure?

[ he is not wrong. alisaie has resisted the advancement of their relationship at every turn, from the very first moment their attraction began, to the very end, before they left lunatia behind.

yet despite all odds, despite all evidence pointing to the contrary, despite how completely impossible it is.. he was right. somehow, in some way that she cannot even begin to understand, he is here, here, with her, pulled across time by the invisible yet indestructible thread that leads between their hearts. she had not believed it, that it would be possible, and yet here they are. here he is, and the night is passed, but he remains, he did not drift away like the sands on the wind, he was not a sweet, lovely dream while she slept. he was here, remains here, and at last she can perhaps begin to allow herself to believe that.. mayhaps they will never be separated, that he was right when he said that somehow, always, they will find one another.

but his clearly gobsmacked expression brings a grin to her face that she cannot suppress, and rather than answer right away alisaie leans forward, pressing tightly against him with her arms wound round his neck, and kisses him warm and good and deep right on his gross morning breath mouth. her breath is perfect ofc because she is an elf and elfs cannot stink. ]

Yes.

[ she murmurs, her mouth still curved in a smile against his lips. ]

You've no choice in the matter.

[ It's...kind of funny. For all the times that Prompto has daydreamed about this happening in his head — because he has, of course, daydreamed about this — in all the various ways he imagined it could possibly happen, if it ever did happen, it was always him doing the proposing. Down on one knee, ring in hand, with doves and chocobos and probably streamers and a shower of rose petals asking her to marry him. He's seen it a million times, at the Temple, in Lunatia, and now here, on the First, even as he journeyed to her. He had come to terms long ago that they night never marry, and he had made his peace with that, because even if it's something he has desperately wanted, he knew intimately how difficult being in this relationship had been for her. He knew how keenly her heart feels, and how absolutely devastated she would be if she lost not just a boyfriend, but...a husband, too.

But that hadn't stopped him from dreaming, from hoping, that one day...she might come around to the idea. That after he'd stuck around for long enough, she wouldn't be so afraid of losing him, and that she would open up to moving forward. But even in that possible eventuality, he had still imagined himself being the one to pop the question, to take that step.

And yet, here she is, telling him — no, not asking him — to marry her. Gods, his head is spinning at the mere thought, of being offered what he's dreamed of, so simply, so straightforward. His heart feels fit to burst.

Then she leans in to kiss him, in the sort of way that does not leave any room for doubt, and does not brook an argument. She would not have said those words if she didn't mean them, if she wasn't absolutely certain that it wasn't right. Alisaie has always dealt in absolutes.

His breath trembles as she mumbles against his lips, his grasp on her clothing tight between shaking fingers. This is...beyond surreal, and it should be a dream. But it isn't. It isn't.

At last, a chuckle tumbles from his lips, rubbing against the sound of a sob in his throat. ]

...Okay. Let's do it.

[ And then, his one smile blossoms against her own, as he blinks hard against the tears that prick at the corners of his eyes. Because of course he's gonna cry. ]

Let's...get married.

[ for all that prompto has dreamed of this, alisaie has dreaded it. she knew that one day, if they had stayed together long enough, the discussion of marriage and further would have inevitably cropped up. they had been together for a long while, their relationship only growing more and more deep and serious, it was only a matter of time before such a talk would arise. most days she had not thought of it, but when the consideration would creep in it would fill her heart with heavy dread and fear and worry. she had rejected him once, and it had been so painful to hurt him that way - how could she possibly do it again, when they had grown even more close?

but now that leaden, crushing weight has lifted from her heart. if he can find her here, he can find her anywhere, and she no longer has anything to fear. it still feels a little.. sudden, quick, and almost reckless - how can she think of getting married at a time like this, in a place like this, so far from home, with so much work to do?

it doesn't matter. she will continue doing what she is doing, prompto has never held her back in the past and he certainly will not here and now. they will work together, move forward together; marriage will not change anything at all. there is nothing to worry about. except, you know, the fact that she cannot even tell her own parents.. but that's a worry for future alisaie. ]

Let's get married.

[ she mimics, smiling brightly as her nose nuzzles alongside his own, a laugh bubbling up past her lips. but then she is reaching down, and winding her finger around a loose thread in the blanket, pulling it free so she can begin to twist it around his ring finger. ]

It is not much, but..

[ he'll just have to cherish it anyway!! ]

[ It's not much, but it's still perfect, and still takes him a few moments to process it fully, because of just how wonderful it is. It may be a simple thread, but it's so much more than that. It's a promise, a physical manifestation of the bonds that they've built between them, the bonds that somehow kept them together, even across and between worlds. Oh, how he wishes he could tell his friends, how he wishes they were here, but there's nothing that feels more right in this moment.

His thumb brushes over the thread around his finger, a breathless, disbelieving chuckle passing his lips. What a blushing bride he is...! But soon enough he's doing the same to her, pulling a thread from the blanket to tie around her ring finger, his hands trembling all the while until he completes the task and they lift to frame her face.

Maybe he never expected this moment to come to be like this, but nevertheless, it is exactly what it should be. Intimate, private, intensely personal. His heart is at peace. ]

It's perfect.

[ He murmurs, thumbs brushing over her cheekbones before he kisses her again, a deep, warm kiss, that he pours all the overflowing emotions in his heart into. They can get real rings later — this world is overflowing with people that could make them for them. What's on their fingers doesn't matter so much as the intent behind putting them on one another.

They're going to get married. ]

[ he responds in kind, until they both share matching, frayed little rings of string, and already the feel of it around her finger feels natural and right. alisaie has never been one for great formalities or frills and pomp, so rings like these suit her just fine, even if they.. may not necessarily stand up to the test of time. but that's all right. this moment, here, and now, they are all she could want and need.

prompto's mouth finds hers again and she giggles into the kiss, her arms around him tightening hard. she feels giddy, energized, happy deep, deep down in her soul and it tickles her core, making her feel light as air. she has kept him waiting for a long time, held him at bay, delayed the advancement of their relationship for as long as she could, but it was necessary, for now she feels.. at peace with it, she knew she needed to wait, to be sure.

and now she is. ]

Now I really should get up..

[ she mumbles, still smiling against his mouth. ]

I've responsibilities to see to..

[ Yeah, she's making a real strong case here, clearly she is just aching to get to work, rather than snuggle in bed with him and while away the day. It's not that her work isn't tremendously important, but it's not every day you get engaged to be married. In fact, it's often only one day in an entire lifetime, and even if nothing has really changed between them, it still somehow has, on a profound and fundamental level.

Sometime soon, he'll be able to call her his wife. He's longed for that privilege for an embarrassingly long time now, but that it can soon become reality...well, she's not the only one feeling lighter than air. ]

D'you? Sure they can't wait just a teensy, little bit longer?

[ He mumbles back, his mouth curled into a smile that is sure to last for days on end, as he punctuates the words with little warm kisses, drawing out his sentence as if to drive his point home. ]

We still have so much catching up to do...

[ She can take a day off! Call in sick!! She's earned it... ]

[ alisaie does not call in sick!! not in this job.. not even to celebrate her engagement. but she is, at least, hesitating a little, which is quite a lot for her to give tbh. ]

Just a little longer..

[ she concedes, nudging her nose to his own. ]

But not too long. I've already slept later than I should have.

[ Once she gets up, he invariably will too, even if he's still bone-tired from his journey. He's never been much of a layabout himself, and if she isn't going to take time off to celebrate, then neither will he! He'll just have to enjoy making eyes at her any chance he gets, and thumbing over the tiny piece of thread adorning his finger, to impress upon himself again and again and again that Alisaie asked him to marry her.

...Or, well, didn't ask, so much as demand, but hey, he's easy.

Anyway, it's...probably a bad idea to try to get too frisky with nothing but a curtain separating them from all her friends and coworkers, and you know how Prompto gets about privacy when they're getting busy...no matter how much he might want to go to bone town right now!! They've waited three months, they can wait a little longer, and it'll be all the better, now that they have such an occasion to celebrate. For now, he only takes her face between his hands and kisses her, slowly and sweetly, those sorts of kisses that are long and lazy, where he counts her teeth with his tongue, and nibbles her ear, and inhales the scent of her sweet skin. To think that he'll soon be able to call her, his beautiful, brave, unyielding knight, his wife is baffling. This girl he met literal years ago now, when she turned into a pink chocobo. They've come so very far together.

At last, they are moving forward, and there is still so much to figure out, but that first step is the most important one.

Finally he draws away, one finger gliding over her collar bone, gazing into her eyes with a gentle fondness. ]

Well, go on, then, what're we doing today?

[ i mean, alisaie definitely has a public kink, but that only really applies to strangers watching their exhibitionist escapades, not her friends and colleagues. if they were caught she would never be able to show her face in the inn at journey's head ever again. or amh araeng. maybe all of norvrandt, tbh. her mortification would be powerful enough to punt her right back into her body on the source.

so, no friskiness for them, no matter how much they might both want to celebrate their new engagement with some hanky panky.. heheh..

anyway, those are good kisses, nice and slow and deep, her favorite kind; he's making a very strong argument for just staying in bed, and alisaie is far weaker to his wiles in this moment, after so long without him. but she must stay strong. ]

I suppose we should make preparations to travel to the Crystarium. The others should know you are here, and the Exarch will no doubt want to know every detail of your arrival. The Scions, as well.

[ they've been working hard to find a way to return home, after all, and that prompto has arrived here across the fabric of spacetime is no small feat. mayhaps there is some wisdom to be gleaned by the method of his arrival, some small clue that might help them back to the source. ]

[ That's right...he had considered this before, but not since his arrival here. His arrival, much as he might have promised to follow her wherever she went, was not necessarily executed by his will alone. And Alisaie and the others were still stuck here, in a world beyond their own, and from the sound of it, without a means to return. Perhaps there is something useful they can learn from his arrival. He only hopes that he can be helpful, and provide answers that will grant them some insight to their own plight.

So he nods, sitting up, though he doesn't yet slip out from underneath the blankets. It's so nice and warm in here... ]

Alrighty! I'll tell 'em everything I can. [ A pause, as a thought occurs to him. ] Hey, Alisaie...do they remember? I mean, the ones of them that were in Lunatia with us?

[ Alphinaud, Urianger and the Exarch had been for a time, after all, and while Prompto had met them only briefly, if they did remember meeting him there, that might make things a bit easier. Maybe more with the engagement than anything else...Alisaie isn't the type to marry a man she just met, after all. ]

Alphinaud does.

[ it's a fair question, and one she would be worrying about, too - alisaie will have a hard time telling people who do remember prompto that they're now engaged, let alone having to tell people who do think she's marrying a man she just met. she can feel the embarrassment from here. ]

I've not asked the others, but.. if he and I have preserved our memories, there's a fair chance that the others have, as well. But I cannot be sure.

[ all the more reason to travel to the crystarium, she thinks. it might yield nothing of importance, but it is certainly worth the trip to find out for sure. there is always work to be done in amh araeng, of course, but with the light receded and the afflicted growing lesser by the day, her presence here is more appreciative, less imperative. ]

[ Well, of all the people who will make things easier on them if they remember, Alphinaud is undoubtedly at the top of that last, if only for the selfish reason of the news of their engagement being far easier to break if he remembers who Prompto is. Because of course Prompto is going to break the news as soon as he can. He's having a hard enough time not running out to shout it to every stranger at the inn. Sorry, Alisaie, she should have known this would happen after proposing to him tho... ]

Then let's get to it! Can't wait to get back on the road...

[ He's only sort of teasing. He might have just gotten here, but it's clear why this is a journey they should make. Besides, Alisaie will know the desert much better than him, and will be able to travail it much more easily than he had. And anyway, so long as he is with her, he doesn't really care where they go. His final destination is at her side, no matter where that might be.

He swings his legs over the side of the bed at last, offering a hand to her. ]

C'mon, sleepyhead!

[ the road to the crystarium is not necessarily easy, for amh araeng is harsh and swift travel is not accessible, save for teleportation magicks, which.. prompto is unable to use, naturally. what a scrub.

but the journey is light and happy despite the harsh conditions. they return first to mord souq, where they rest and rehydrate, before beginning the trek back to the desert's edge, where they can at last acquire amaro to hop the mountains to lakeland and soar to the crystarium. once they are on the backs of the beasts the rest of the trip is quick, and it is not long before they are alighting on the amaro launch, beneath the protective shadow of the crystal tower. much as alisaie loves amh araeng, and finds that its harsh climes suit her, there is something about this place that feels.. safe, like home, and comfort.

exhaling a long sigh, alisaie smooths her windblown hair, then laughs when she turns to prompto, because he looks like he went through a dryer?? ]

We are not far now from proper plumbing and a hot meal.

[ no more mord worms!! ]

[ Ah, she has never said words more beautiful to him. He loves her so much. Prompto may be heartier now than he once was, but that doesn't mean that traveling for days without a shower or worms for dinner suit him. Fortunately, the Amaro makes the last leg of the journey quite short, but it's still...kind of terrifying. It's not the first time Prompto has soared on the back of a creature, but heights aren't exactly his favorite, especially when there's no buckles to keep him seated on the creature's back. Still, it's pretty darn cute, and once they've touched down in the Crystarium and he can appreciate the Amaro from a place that isn't its back, he's quite enamored with it.

They could never replace chocobos in his heart, but they just might come close...

Finding his land legs again, Prompto does his best to fix up his hair, but it's mostly hopeless. He needs a haircut, and a shave, still. Sure, the stubble makes him feel a little rugged, but he isn't sure how he feels about it!

But more than anything else, he needs a hot (non-wormy) meal and a shower, and the Crystarium can provide them both. He loves it here... ]

Yeah, yeah, laugh it up...

[ He nudges an elbow to her ribs, attempting to smother a smile, but it's a difficult task. They have much to do here in the city, but not least among their tasks is finding proper rings to mark their engagement. The thread from the blanket still adorns his finger, but it's not in great shape, and he'd wager hers isn't, too. It's about time they found something a little bit sturdier.

But also, he's really excited for that shower. ]

I dunno if you've ever said sweeter words to me! Music to my ears...where to first?

[ Sure, he's been here before, but better that she leads the way, he thinks. ]

[ alisaie has no fear or sense of self-preservation, so for her, the flying was quite exhilarating, but she has learned to appreciate the feel of an amaro's back during her long time here on the first, and she has flown atop falcons and airships plenty of times before norvrandt. prompto might be more technically advanced in some ways, but not in others..

anyway, look at his dumb hair, she continues to snicker even as she helps him rearrange it into.. something similar to his usual 'do, but not really. it's been a long time since he's seen any hair gel, tbh. but given all the wild hairstyles you can get in ffxiv, chances are there are some pomades to be found, especially here in the crystarium. ]

To the Pendants, I suppose.

[ where the showers are!! unlike prompto, alisaie has, of course, not been obsessing too much over their engagement, so she hasn't even considered the idea of new, proper rings. still, she always feels the weight of the string on her finger, the texture, and she feels it now as she slips her fingers through his to take hold of his hand and pull him into a walk beside her. ]

We'll have something warm delivered.

[ alisaie isn't terribly picky about food, but it'll still be nice to eat something proper.. ]

[ Under any other circumstances, Prompto might insist on them going out to eat, because it's been too long since he's been able to take her on a proper date. But tonight...there's nothing he really wants more than to hole up with her in a nice, warm, clean room and not leave it until tomorrow. They'll have plenty of time to explore and do all they need to during their stay here, but ordering in tonight and eating in bed...sounds like bliss.

He squeezes her hand in his, a certain spring in his step as they move towards the Pendants with Pea trotting along at their heels. Prompto will definitely need to do some photography while he's here, too — he didn't have time to fully appreciate it last time he was here, but the Crystarium is truly a beautiful place. ]

Mmm, let's have ten somethings warm delivered. What d'you say?

[ Tonight, they eat like kings. ]

I could appreciate that.

[ alisaie is, after all, a canon shoujo protag, she can eat her weight in food in one sitting, especially after several moons of amh araeng's fair. growing up in sharlayan, where the food is notoriously bland, she has never been particularly picky, but eorzea has spoiled her..

anyroad, they're off to the pendants, stopping at a stall nearby to the departments to place an order for some warm meals and fresh bread, and it is not long at all before they are at last in their cozy, comfortable room. alisaie's things are already strewn around it - several tomes and scrolls, a few spare rapiers leaned against the wall, some of her clothing on the floor.. oops, she hadn't cleaned up the last time she was here, and she hadn't intended on bringing company back?? not that prompto isn't used to her slightly slovenly ways, anyway. still, she stoops to sweep up some of her discarded smallclothes into the laundry hamper at the end of her unmade bed..

she hasn't been here in moons, give her a break!! ]

Home sweet home, I suppose. I'll start the shower.

[ Ah yes, books, swords, and panties, that's Alisaie in a nutshell. It may be the first time that Prompto has been here, but there's already a certain sense of homeyness in this room, if only because of Alisaie's affects scattered about. It's also a room with a bed and a shower — that's all Prompto needs to feel at home, honestly. As they step into the room, Prompto shrugs his bag off his shoulder and drops it near the foot of the bed, while Pea readily moves towards the fire that is already going in the hearth. ]

A shower...

[ The sound he makes is absolutely indecent. Between a food and a shower, they probably don't even need to bang tonight to be satisfied...

Anyway, while she goes to start the shower, he spreads out the food on the table near the end of the bed, nibbling a piece of meat when her back is to him, heheh... ]

Nice digs, by the way. You stay here whenever you're in town?

[ the adjacent bathroom is near enough that she can call to him through the open door while she leans to start the water. ]

Yes. We are here often enough that the Exarch saw fit to supply us with our own accommodations.

[ for so often that she is in amh araeng, she is also so often here, checking in with her brother and the scions, bringing information, resupplying - the crystarium is central enough to norvrandt that it is easily accessible from the desert. having a room of her own here is a matter of convenience.

leaning, alisaie tests the water under her fingers until she is satisfied with the temperature, then on goes the shower. she contemplates filling the tub instead, but honestly, she wants to get clean and tumble right into bed with food. maybe tomorrow can be bath time..

straightening, she lists her arms high in a stretch, her spine cracking, exhaling an audible sigh, before she's unfastening the front of her dusty tunic. ]

Your chariot awaits..

[ To be fair, if they tried to bathe tonight, they would both be liable to fall asleep in it, which is probably not how they want to spend their first night here together when they finally have access to a private bed again. It isn't lost on Prompto that this is kind of their first chance to, you know...be alone since he got here. Truly alone, anyway. He's sure that fact isn't lost on her, either.

But first things first...that shower. No sooner does the sound of water reach his ears than is he zipping over to join her, his shirt already up and over his head as he wiggles out of his boots. At least he brought her a chicken nug, or whatever the Norvrandt equivalent of a chicken nug is, and pops it right into her mouth. ]

Oh baby, now you're talkin'...

[ Nakey time!!! She has probably never seen him move that fast, tbh. ]

[ wow, that's one prompt prompto.. look at him go, he's like a blur of nakedness. she knows his true love.

but a shower does sound nice, and alisaie is no slouch either, and it isn't long before their discarded clothing is piled on the floor and she is stepping in behind him, tugging her hair free of its braid and shouldering him out of the way so she can steal the water. didn't he miss her so much?? ]

Ah, that is lovely..

[ she murmurs, as the hot water rolls down her head and shoulders, already scouring away sweat and grime. she has sand in so many cracks and orifices. ]

[ Yes, he missed her so dearly, but her water-hogging habits less so!! She may shoulder past him, but he is quickly following suit, wiggling his way close to the water stream so he can lean over her and intercept it. ]

Ohhh yeah, that's the stuff...

[ He may not have been in the desert as long as her, but that doesn't mean that it hasn't left its mark on him. Already he's scratching at his scalp to free the dust and dirt from his locks, which is definitely more lank and greasy than he would prefer, but it's not like he had a lot of options here. ]

I guess one thing the desert's got goin' for it is how much it makes you appreciate a hot shower, huh?

[ He chuckles as he reaches for the shampoo bottle, helping himself to a handful before moving to stand behind her, working her fingers into her hair. It's been awhile since he's been able to do this, humor him. ]

[ ah he is already being so schmoopy, washing her hair for her. under normal circumstances alisaie might rib him for it, but these are not normal circumstances. not only has it been far too long since they were really able to be intimate this way, it's been just as long since she felt the gentle tug of fingers in her hair, and prompto is not the only one who enjoys a good head scratch. alisaie had been reaching for the soap, but she pauses midway and drops her arms to her sides again, leaning back into him shamelessly, a low purr in her throat.

gods, that feels nice. ]

Mm..hmm..

[ what words was he saying again?? ]

[ Now is his chance to push her down and take all that fresh, hot water for himself...

...But that little competition is far from his thoughts in this moment. All that matters is her, how good it feels to be able to touch her in this way, to feel close to her in this way. They've been practically attached at the hip since he found her in Amh Araeng, but this is different. A closeness they have not been able to yet reclaim — the simple intimacy of bathing together, of knowing exactly where she likes to be touched, and how.

So he takes his time as his fingers work through her hair, easing out the snarls and knots, taking care of each and every strand that passes through his fingers while he leans in close to press soft kisses to the backs of her ears. ]

How does that feel?

[ He's only being sort of cheeky about it. He knows how it feels, how much she's enjoying herself right now, judging by that low purr in her throat. For how hard Alisaie works, she needs her reprieves too, and this is an especially well-earned and important one for the both of them. ]

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