Gemna

[gaiages]

Gemna

Fandom: Final Fantasy XIV
Gale is rather troubled by the bartender. Why does she keep staring at him with a glint in her eye?

Rating: General Audiences

1,544 words
Relationship(s) / Characters: OCs & OCs
Tags: Pre-MSQ ; first meetings ; bartenders ; drinking
CWs: none

This is a short and light-hearted introduction to Gemna! I love her. Gemna ends up being a mother-like figure for the two Viera, which is lovely because they never really had that in their lives. And they definitely need the help sometimes.

Fun fact, Gemna is actually older than them. While Gale and Laurent are about 70 at the point of this fic, Bangaa live twice as long as Hyur, and Gemna is probably around 160 or so.

Other links: Tumblr | AO3

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What is with this damn bartender? Gale takes a sideways glance at the Bangaa at the counter. She has taken an interest in him all day, and it's throwing him off. Gale works hard to blend in and look like he simply belongs–you can't get people to talk if you look suspicious.

Gale found out quickly that in Rabanastre, people see what they want to see, and if they see someone friendly, someone open, they're quick to spill secrets. Those secrets, from the right people, can earn you a nice bit of money.

But people don't like their secrets sold. So Gale's learned how to blend in and change how people perceive him so he wouldn't get caught. Not that he couldn't defend himself, but an information broker doesn't want to make a scene.

So, why is this elderly Bangaa woman staring him down as if he's a drunkard about to get into a fight? Did she know him? He's never entered this bar before. Did he talk to her in the past? Is he using the same look too often? No, it's nothing like that–

"I knew you'd come walking through those doors one day."

Gale breaks from his thoughts with a start and looks in the direction of the voice. Sure enough, the Bangaa was at his table, and she was pulling the chair out across from him, getting ready to sit down. I suppose I can't get out of this now…

He runs a hand through his black hair, hoping his frustration doesn't show as he begins to speak with a thick Dalmascan accent. "My apologies, but have we met be–"

Gale is cut off by the Bangaa's sudden, boisterous laugh. "Oh, that accent is adorable, dear. You sound like you've lived here your whole life!" She chuckles for a bit longer as Gale stared at her, utterly confused by what was happening. "But you haven't, have you, Eir?"

What? Gale drops all pretense of friendliness when he hears the bartender say his forest name. "Who are you?" he asks coldly as he glares at the Bangaa, which she returns with a smile.

"Name's Gemna." The Bangaa holds out her hand for a handshake, but Gale simply continues glaring. "Goodness, they don't teach anything about manners in the jungle, do they?" Gemna lets out a loud, exaggerated sigh. "Just like your friend, I tell you. You're both easy on the eyes, but your personalities are colder than–"

Friend? Gale stopped listening to the elderly bartender's rambling when she mentioned a friend. What friend? A friend from the jungle? She can't possibly mean–

"Hey! You're not listening!" Gemna snaps her fingers in Gale's face, breaking his concentration once again. "How have you not been stabbed if you keep daydreaming like that?"

Never in his life has Gale been so utterly infuriated and exasperated by another person. He has no idea what to make of this elderly Bangaa, but he was beginning to think it was nothing good. I need to clear my head.

Gale gets up to leave the bar, only for Gemna to grab his wrist with far more strength than he expected. "Come now, let's talk upstairs," Gemna says as she practically drags the Viera behind the counter and towards the stairs in the back. "We can have some tea!"

***

This is absurd. Gale glares down at the tea and cookies before him, arms crossed. Gemma had been chattering about everything and nothing since he dragged him upstairs, setting up for a tea date as if they were old friends.

But obviously, they were not, and at this point Gale just wished the Bangaa would tell him what she wanted with him, or just stab him or something to put him out of his misery.

"Goodness, dear, stop pouting," Gemna says as she sits down at the table and takes a sip of the tea.

"I am not pout–" Gale cuts himself off with a low growl as he pinches the bridge of his nose. Ugh, she's treating me like a child! What is with this woman!? "Could you tell me what you want already?"

"After you drink your tea. Go on, before it gets cold." Gale simply crosses his arms again, and the Bangaa rolls her eyes. "Come now–what was the name you were giving people? Gale?–Come now Gale, if I wanted to poison you I would have slipped something in your second drink. Something you couldn't taste and would make it look like you drank too much. Why would I waste good tea on something like that?"

Gale knew that something was off about this elderly Bangaa, and the way she casually talked about poisoning a person proved she was more than just an unusually strong, overbearing bartender.

She wasn't wrong, though, it would have been easier to poison him while he was drinking ale. And it was clear the Rava wasn't going to get away from this situation without humoring Gemna.

Defeated, Gale lets out a heavy sigh and takes a sip of the tea. "Good, isn't it?" Gemna says with a light chuckle in her voice. He was loathe to admit it was quite good–certainly better than most blends you'd find at the stalls in the city.

"...Yes, it is," Gale finally responds before setting the cup down. "How did you know my name from before I left the jungle? I haven't told anyone that name." The only one in Rabanastre who'd know it is…

"Oh is that what you're so upset about?" The Bangaa waves Gale off between bites of a cookie. "Laurent told me. Who else would even know it?"

It took everything in Gale's power to keep his expression neutral, although his mind was racing. She knows Laurent? What's her plan? If he's talked about me, then does she know about what happened? What should I…

"Where'd all the questions go dear? Now the cat's got your tongue?" Gemna shrugs, then continues talking. "I met your friend shortly after he got here, I assume. He ran into a bit of trouble with one of the groups here, and I offered to help him out. Now don't get me wrong–he was just as grumpy and moody as you were at first, but he eventually opened up a bit. And he certainly had a lot to say about you."

The Bangaa smiles widely. "Now that I think about it, there was a Gale that had been causing the poor boy problems every once and a while. Someone that no one could ever seem to get a solid lead on. I'm guessing that was you, dear?"

Well, there's no use hiding anything now. "Yes, it was," Gale stated plainly. "While I'm glad he's been keeping safe–or that you're keeping him safe, I suppose–I've been trying to talk to him since I've gotten here."

"And you couldn't just go running around telling everyone who you were or else you'd end up dead in an alley."

"...Well, yes." She really has me pegged. Gale sighs, but then a thought comes to his mind. "Wait, how did you know who I was?" The Viera runs his hand through his black hair again. "I don't look like how Laurent remembers me."

"Oh, dear, when you're my age you just know," Gemna winks, then sighs when Gale doesn't seem amused. "Here, let me show you." The Bangaa get up from the table and begins rummaging around a cabinet in the kitchen. Eventually, she pulls out a mirror and walks over to where Gale is sitting, getting uncomfortably close to him.

Gemna slowly reaches out towards Gale–What, is she going to strangle me?–only to grab a lock of hair and pull at it. "Ow!" Gale can't help but grumble when she yanks at a strand near the back of his head. "What in the seven hells–"

"Your hair is dyed." Gemna suddenly interrupts, positioning the mirror so Gale could see what she's pulling at. A small patch of blue hair, barely perceptible among the black strands–but undoubtedly there. "You missed a spot," Gemna smirks as she pulls away a bit. "Besides, you can't hide those gorgeous eyes of yours, dear."

"My… eyes?" The Rava's cheeks flush at the sudden compliment, much to his frustration. Gemna only laughs in response. "What do my eyes have to do with anything?"

"Oh, you boys, what am I going to do with you two?" The elderly bartender lets out a long, exaggerated sigh, and Gale does not get a straight answer. "Anyway, it's time for you two to meet up, methinks. In fact, it's long overdue!" Gemna claps her hands together excitedly and heads back to her spot on the other side of the table. "Let's make a plan, son."

"...Son?" Gale crosses his arms as he looks at the Bangaa. "I'm not your–"

"Oh of course you are." Gemna waves Gale's objections away. "I've always said you're my other son, and now you're home! Let's get to work."

Gale lets out a huff, exasperated, but warming up to this strange woman. If nothing else, she seemed genuine. "Alright then, let's get to work."

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