Bespoke Minutiae

Afternoon Catnap (874 words) by amairylle
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Haikyuu!!
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Kozume Kenma
Characters: Hinata Shouyou, Kozume Kenma
Additional Tags: Fluff, Crushes
Summary:

Kenma spends an afternoon with Hinata, while Kuroo pokes fun at Kenma's as-yet-unnoticed feelings.

Written for the Haikyuu Symbolism zine

I wish I'd thought to mention it here while preorders were still open, but I was recently part of the Haikyuu Symbolism Zine! It's a zine exploring all the symbols Furudate uses for various characters and teams. I wrote some very cute Kenhina for it and had a great time! Check out my piece here! Check out works other people made for the zine here!

Hello Trahearne.

I’m better today. I hope you didn’t receive my last letter. I can't recall whether I sent it or not and Sieran won't tell me.

It’s been almost a week since we made it to Falooaloo and my mistake means that we haven’t gotten anything done. We met the villagers, then got a tour of the village and gave them supplies, but that’s all. There’s dragon corruption all throughout the northern edge of the lake, and it’s spreading south. We have to evacuate them, but they’re tending a clutch of eggs, and can’t move until the babies hatch. The food we brought will buy them time, but we need to find another solution and I’ve just been dead weight.

Sieran is reading over my shoulder and says I’m being too hard on myself. She also says that she hasn’t just been sitting here while I was sick, and that I should give her more credit. Apparently she and Mychyte were trying to figure out a way to transport the eggs in tanks. The shells are permeable and must be kept in water at all times, so tanks would be a viable solution, except that the village has been so malnourished for so long that the eggs are out too fragile. They have a completed design anyway. They’ve got diagrams. Sieran wants me to send you one, so I’ll do my best to copy it for you. The one she’s handed me has soup on it.

I’m so sick of soup. Mychyte has been feeding me nonstop ever since I got sick. She still won’t talk to me, but every time I wake up, she’s there. I can feel her watching me too, but every time I turn my head she’s glowering at the wall with such force that I expect her to wear a hole in it. When I ask her what’s wrong, she huffs at me and gives me more soup.

At least our hosts are amused by my predicament. The norn say that the chills only effect the “tiny human explorers,” so they think it’s hilarious to see a sylvari so sick from the cold. I wish it were just from the cold. They say it’s summer here, but I believe it here less than I believed it at the priory. Even Sieran says it’s unseasonably cold, probably due to Jormag’s influence, and we have to fight to keep from freezing once we get out of the water, so my catching cold from it would be a reasonable explanation.

Sieran says I have to tell you what actually happened, or she will, so I suppose I have no choice. Please don’t be mad and stop writing. I can't bear to lose another friend.

When Shashoo, the quaggan who sent for us, took us on our tour of the village, our last stop was to see the “bad ice.” It was so cold in the water there that I couldn’t believe it, and I was curious that the ice could be colder. I touched one of the spires. It sent such a chill through me that I though my arm would freeze and fall off, and it spread through my body until I was sure I’d never be warm again. I was wrong, thank the Pale Tree, but we lost six days of progress on our assignment. I feel terrible. I still think I shouldn’t have come.

I’ve thawed, and Sieran swears that there was never any risk of me becoming a dragon minion, but my heart still feels heavy and cold. I hope by tomorrow I’m well enough to make up for this.

I think I’m going to sleep more now. I’ll write again soon.
Feorylle

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I wish you were here, Trahearne. The mission is going terribly and I don’t know how to salvage it. I’m ill, Mychyte will neither speak to me nor leave me alone, and Sieran is left trying to solve our problem by herself. We also have an entire village of anxious, hungry quaggans who are relying on us to solve their problem for them. This is the first time I’ve had enough strength to write in four days, although I can barely read it. I just had to talk to you. I wish you could actually reply. I don’t begrudge your situation at all and I understand why I have to wait so long for your letters but I just wish I didn’t have to today.

We’re probably going to fail the village because of me. The quaggans are going to die. I shouldn’t have come.

I’m so cold.

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8 Phoenix 1325

Feorylle,

I apologize again for the delay in my responses to your notes. Still, I’ve had an interesting week, and I hope you’ll find something satisfying in my letters.

Trahearne

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3 Phoenix 1325

Finally, a quiet moment.

We couldn’t find a way to make it to the area with the reliquaries by land, so at our supply drop two days ago, our quartermaster took us south by sea, around the mountains. I’m still in shock, I think. There’s just so much here, and it’s comparatively untouched! Miss Fans is positively beside herself, and I think even Olio was impressed, and his purpose here is just to be sure Miss Fans and I make it back. He’s currently probing the mainland to try and find places we can explore without dying. There’s so much magical activity here that we can’t charge in without a plan.

Miss Fans and I have set up camp on an island, at the base of an impossibly tall spire, stone interwoven with wrecked ships. It’s the first thing you see when you round the cape. They’re mostly pirate ships, all from before the dragon woke and Orr rose. I wonder if they were trying to get to Elona? There’s a small group in the Order of Whispers that occasionally mentions corsairs from the South, but I haven't heard anything specific. Miss Fans has been searching them for anything of historical importance and I’ve been largely useless except as a pack dolyak. She’s mostly interested in human history and artifacts of the gods, and though it’s always interesting to hear someone talk about a topic they’re passionate about, I can’t say I share her enthusiasm for the field or her expertise in discerning what’s actually useful. We've cleared all the hazards, so I’ve let her go on ahead for a couple hours so I have some time to read and answer your letters.

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Good morning, Trahearne!

Please excuse my handwriting—I’m writing this from the back of a supply cart, and the road is quite bumpy.

We finally got another assignment! We’re on our way to Wyrmblood Lake, because the quaggans there are having trouble with “bad ice” that’s interfering with their foraging and making the lake too cold to live in. We’ve been sent with supplies to help keep the quaggans, fed, but we might have to relocate them, if the “bad ice” has spread too far and we can’t find a way to push it back. Sieran bet me five silver that the “bad ice” is dragon corruption. I did not take her up on it. Anyway, if it is Jormag’s corruption, we’ll have a hard time relocating the quaggans. Many of the lakes in the area have similar issues. Even south of Hoelbrak! Jormag’s reach is so far. It’s terrible.

Sieran is in good spirits, as always. She’s excited to be put on assignment again, as am I. As much as I love the priory, being cooped up doesn’t suit me. I love research, but I’d much rather do so in the field. We also managed to convince Gixx to let Mychyte come with us, and she’s… less thrilled. She doesn’t have the same level of training that most explorers would, and investigating quaggans will require a good deal of swimming. She’s so tense I fear she’ll fall off her dolyak. I’m trying to reassure her by reminding her that this is supposed to be an easy mission, and besides it’s only my second mission overall, but I think that made it worse. I wish I had something to say to make her less anxious, especially about the swimming. Admittedly, an underwater mission isn’t my first choice either, but I’m up for the challenge! We should arrive by the afternoon. I can’t wait!

Because there’s no good place to camp by the lake (and because I’d probably freeze in the night, according to Mychyte) we’re staying at a nearby norn homestead, run by a man named Travelen. We’ll be there for the next couple of weeks, but Sieran assures me we’ll still get mail, so be sure to send your letters there.

I hope you’ve found something to put you in a mood as good as mine.
Feorylle

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I just got your letters! I’m so pleased—I wasn’t expecting to hear from you at all until you came back. I’ve been worrying about you, so I like to hear that you’re safe, even if it’s too late to be truly accurate. I hope it’s still true.

Don’t worry about brushing me off. I think, chronologically, you changed your mind before I could even ask you to! I’m excited to hear what you think, though. Like I said, I can tell Orr is special to you, so I’m looking forward to hearing your perspective, although it sounds like you haven’t had time to really observe in peace. I’m sorry your travels are rougher than you anticipated. I can’t think of where Zhaitan would be getting the bodies for more Risen, but I don’t care as long as you don’t fall victim to any of them. Please be careful. I would prefer that you all make it back in one piece, you especially.

I wonder if your attachment to it is because of your Wyld Hunt? Obviously, without it you might not ever have developed the interest in Orr, but perhaps because you’re so driven to cleanse it you’ve become more attuned to it? Or to what it should be? I’m far from an expert, but that would be my best guess. I wonder if there’s significant scholarship there, but if there were, wouldn’t you have heard? Maybe you'll have to write it. Maybe you should be taking more notes.

I’m excited to hear about the human temples. It’s a shame you couldn’t reach Balthazar’s, but if you can get through to the reliquaries it will be incredible! I’ve asked around, and no one’s heard anything conclusive about whether they’re still standing. I’ve accidentally collected small group of scholars who are very invested in your success in that particular venture. My apologies.

I have news for you as well, although it will have to wait until morning. I didn’t get to read your letters until late tonight, and I’m too exhausted from preparations to write.

Your friend,
Feorylle

P.S. Congratulations on the fork! Try not to cause a diplomatic incident with it.

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1 Phoenix 1325

Feorylle,

You'll be pleased to hear that your letters are reaching me— the quartermaster was kind enough to bring them to the supply drop. I've also been writing to you as I have time, and I'm sending my letters back with the boat. I do apologize, there is no proper reply anywhere in the envelope I’ve sent you. The boat can only stop long enough to hand things off, so I don’t have enough time to read your letters and reply before Magnus leaves. I'll write more as soon as I can, I promise.

Trahearne

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I'm sure you’re not going to get these letters until you get back, but I don’t care. I like writing to you, and if you have a stack to get through upon your return, then so be it.

I’ve figured out why we don’t have a new assignment yet! Apparently, the priory's annual fundraiser is in a few days, so anyone who isn't already out on assignment gets to stay and help. I've been tricked: "learning the classification system" and "sorting the artifacts" was just a ruse to get the place cleaned up. I expected Sieran to be annoyed that she's being distracted from her one true love—combat archeology— but she's delighted for a party. I shouldn't be surprised. She’s so vivacious and throws herself head-first into everything she does. I don't think I've spoken two words to her all day, but every room I walk into, she's there, cleaning something or cooking something or advising on decor or something. I wish to someday have even half the passion for life that she does.

I’m also enjoying the preparations, for the most part. As a novice, I go where I’m needed, which is to be expected, but they mostly have me in the kitchens. They like to have an elementalist around to maintain the fires (and to put out any unwanted ones), but since I can’t stare at a stove all day, they want me to help prepare. I’ve discovered that I have no gift for cooking. It’s a trial for everyone involved. Not to mention, I’d rather be out in the field than indoors, even if it’s still freezing, and I can’t say that your experiences in Kryta have given me faith in how enjoyable the fundraiser will be. Still, it’s fun to get caught up in everyone’s excitement, even if I haven’t had a moment to myself for the last two days.

I hope you’re doing well,
Feorylle

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Search and Rescue (2801 words) by amairylle
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Guild Wars 2 (Video Game)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Original Characters
Additional Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Broken Bones, Mild Blood, FLUFF! IT'S FLUFF!

Summary:

Amateur archeologist Okobii Fans's first real expedition is the best day she's ever had, until things go rapidly south. It looks like the best day of her life might also be the last day of her life, but out of sheer dumb luck she runs into a new friend, and a fresh start.

We did our reveal for my guild's secret Ho-ho-tron exchange like, three weeks ago, but I was moving so I forgot to post my fic in places other than Ao3. Happy Wintersday to my friend Squidh! Okobii is their character, and Arrandre is mine! I hope you enjoy!

Trahearne,

I owe you an apology. I got your letter—and your favor—after returning back from Sieran’s and my mission where we fought every Svanir and pirate between here and Black Barl's Mill. We did succeed though! And Sieran and I are only slightly bruised.

The sword the dredge took turned out to be the Sanguinary Blade, which is apparently made of Jormag’s frozen blood! I didn’t know that was even possible! Not sure what you’d use it for though, because it corrupts anyone who holds it for too long, which is where we ran into trouble with the Svanir. It made them a fair bit worse than they would have been otherwise. They stole it from the dredge and a Svanir named Steag Frostbeard was going to use it against Lion’s Arch, so Sieran and I had to act quickly to stop him. Which, of course, brings me back to why I didn’t get your message about caution sooner. I’ll do my best to keep out of trouble from here on out, but with Sieran, I feel it would be unwise to make guarantees.

Speaking of Sieran, I feel like you gave me some outdated information about her. It seems she’s teaching me whatever she deems relevant at the time, not “everything she knows.” We’re both on what she calls “a wee spot of probation” or “big ugly double-awful probation” depending on her mood (and she’s gone between them five times in the last hour alone) for not reporting to Gixx and going straight after the sword. I found out after we’d already gotten in trouble, of course. Still, I can take this time to properly learn priory procedures, so that at least one of us will remember to follow them.

Despite everything I do really like her. I’m having so much fun with her, Trahearne. I’m really glad I came here, even with the trouble I’ve had so far. It’s wonderful here. I can’t wait to get off probation so I can see what comes next.

You were right about the fur-lined leggings—worth every copper. The norn I bought them off is confident I won’t need them come summer, but I’ll believe it when I feel the sun again.

The Krytans do indeed sound trying. I hope you survived and are free of them by now, and that you’ve been well-supplied for your trouble. Cutlery? It’s not a complete waste of energy, I suppose, but given how perilous the area is, hunting for something specific is fruitless at best and dangerous at worst. Plus, did she even tell you where this manor even is? Was? Who knows if it’s even still there? She best not give you trouble when you get back. I hope not everyone was so irritating. Was the queen at least nice?

I’d be satisfied with anything you bring back, but especially stories. Orr is such a mystery. I’ve gotten through a few books, but I’m sure they don’t capture it at all. You have to tell me what it’s like there.

I got a letter from Caithe, although she gave no indication that she received my letter, or yours. I can’t say I understand what she’s doing, but she seems to be working on something to get her guild back together. I’m worried about her.

If I have to stay safe, then that goes double for you, especially in Orr.
Feorylle

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