#// even if they're persuaded by their path

[olivescales3]

[ukiyowi]

𝐏𝐄𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐎 (𝟏𝟏𝟖)

𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑢𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑆𝑒𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

Peitho is the Greek goddess of persuasion, seduction and charming speech. In my opinion, wherever Peitho is in your chart, it shows in what way are you persuasive and seductive, what areas can you persuade people. 

Masterlist

⟲ Houses: 

Ⱄ 1st - So determined and have very high self-esteem, may feel empowered through sexual liberation, you use your confidence and authoritive aura to seduce and get people to do what you want, honestly low-key can make anyone listen to you, you may notice a lot of people getting easily swayed by you, may embody traits of Peitho to a certain extent. 

Ⱄ 2nd - Can easily get money from people around them, may get a lot of material gifts without having to ask for them, can influence people's choices about financial decisions, good at talking business and getting people to spend, sensual and sweet, extremely feminine and may have slow elegant movement. People may not agree, but femme fatale energy as well. 

Ⱄ 3rd - Charming speech really charming, they can get people to do whatever they want using a few sweet words. Silver tongue, great sales people, can sell and pitch ideas really well. May be the type to be an academic, use their intellect and knowledge to seduce people, also good at spreading rumours. 

Ⱄ 4th - Welcoming and warm, persuade people through making them think it was their idea on the first place, manipulative, make people feel at home and get your way through creating a comfortable space, nurturing instincts that can make people imagine having a family with you may garner a lot of suitors who want to start a family.

Ⱄ 5th - They're really creative and their originality is what gets people to listen and makes them curious, great teachers, kids always listen to them, big movements, their way of doing things is grandiose, could be a bit of a tease, I've seen these people dance and they look very attractive and in their element. 

Ⱄ 6th - People always listen to them when it comes to health or routine, for example people with this placement could advice someone to change their diet and the person would instantly agree or try to do as advised, straightforward when trying to persuade someone, mind over matter in terms of seduction, seduces through promises of giving more than receiving.

Ⱄ 7th - My friend has this placement and she's a matchmaker, can persuade people to either get into relationships or out of them, have a great eye for red flags, polite can be a bit condescending, they may use their demure demeanour to seduce people, may have the whole "good girl/boy" "girl/boy next door" thing going. 

Ⱄ 8th - Just powerful in general, convincing in regards to matters related to family property and finances, may be good at persuading people to learn more about the occult and make them interested in it, intense and mysterious seduction, pull people in who like the chase like a cat and mouse game, could pull anyone they want to be honest.

Ⱄ 9th - Make for great academics and can be the type to be able to easily recruit people into a religious organisation/making people believe in multiple religions/gods, good at convincing people to travel with them or accompany them (even if it's to the grocery store) fast paced, see seduction as a weapon to wield, direct and honest, a little clumsy.

Ⱄ 10th - The ability to make or break someone's reputation honestly, whatever they say in a work setting is taken seriously, motivate co-workers to work hard, if they spread a rumour about someone at the workplace people will take it as truth, can persuade people to change career paths, seduce through smizes, bold yet reserved body language and wit. 

Ⱄ 11th - Have such a huge influence on their friend group and community, easily persuade people to be more giving to the community, carry out humanitarian acts, donate, persuade people to alter or change political beliefs and friends, seduce by being different, their eccentricity pulls people in because its unique, fluid in terms of they can make themselves be anyone's ideal type. 

Ⱄ 12th - My friend has this placement part 2, helps and persuades people to move on from past trauma and heal themselves, are able to convince people to get rid of their limiting beliefs and this placement has a healer role almost. Seduction caused by looking/seeming dreamy and making themselves seem unattainable, use fashion to go for the kill. 

xoxoxo

All Rights Reserved Ukiyowi. Do not steal or plagiarise or reword and claim as your own!

[foone]

Along the lines of my previous posts about a "maid that doesn't realize everything is kink" and "other maid that's just tired of all the horniness" and "guy in an all-lesbian polycule and doesn't realize everyone thinks he's got a harem":

Guy who has several people simultaneously trying to feminize him (with varying degrees of force) and he's both unaware of and no-selling their attempts.

They try to talk to him about if he ever liked wearing dresses as a kid and he's like "oh, yeah! I used to borrow on of my sister's dresses all the time when I was a kid, because when you do a 180 in a skirt it swishes like Vader's Cape."

Someone else tries to put estrogen in his coffee and it looks like he drank it... but it turns out he traded with someone else because he was in the mood for a pumpkin spice latte.

His girlfriend gets him to put on a long blonde wig and show him how he looks in the mirror, and he's just like "dude! I look like a heavy metal guy!" and now he's listening to Swedish power metal and headbanging. His dog is confused but trying to join in the fun.

Someone convinces him to try different pronouns as an in-class experiment and he ends up using h3/h1m, because "he used to be a fan of that video game webcomic, home struck".

His mom got worried because he was eating so much soy and she'd heard it can feminize you but he launched into an explanation about how it's an important part of his nutrition if he's gonna build muscles.

(we thought the gym thing might lead him down the path of breast growth through steroid overuse and we could maybe do something with that, but nope. He's all nutrition and hard work, we can't even get him to try steroids. We sent in a guy about the size of a Volvo to try to convince him to try some steroids, and somehow he persuaded our bodybuilder guy to start estrogen?!)

Naturally this is just making his assorted feminizers more angry and determined. They're joining forces. Having meetings. Making plans.

And he's just off living his life, unaware of the shadowy council determined to make him a woman.

[wise-innocence]

LOOK AT THE SU INTERACTIONS

Thinking about Aha and Akivili again </3

[alijuan]

Ascended Astarion is true unlike Spawn Astarion who pretends to be good for Tav

If i see that opinion again i will explode🫠

It's funny because Astarion will only approves if you persuade him not to perform the ritual.

A lot of people don't understand the concept of grey morality and it shows. Many people justify him but this type of AA fan thinks worse of him than he really is. He needs the ritual not because he's a power-hungry villain, but because he needs safety for himself and his lover. Depending on Tav/Durge's actions, he either stays with the feeling of fear (AA is still afraid deep inside, the game files confirm this) or he fights against it and becomes truly free of Cazador and fear (spawn ending). The dialogue with Durge about not being afraid is wonderful and shows difference between SA and AA.

Astarion: This little adventure of ours has taught me that we can't let our lives be ruled by fear. Or else we never really live. Astarion: I'm not afraid. Not of you, not of your darkness, and not of our future.

The point of the spawn ending is that Tav/Durge saw him as more than just an outward image of a power-hungry killer incapable of becoming a better person. But if you can't see beyond that image, he will think that he has no choice but to continue living in the world that Cazador has built for him. If you think that AA is his best ending because he is evil then you have failed to understand his whole personality.

I feel safe with you. Seen.

Despite of his love of killing (he is a vampire after all), he repeatedly showed compassion and guilt for luring people. Before the ritual, he literally convinced himself that he should kill spawn for power. Astarion rationalises this to protect his psyche, because he’s clearly not the type of guy who can sacrifice thousands of people to the devil and not feel anything about it.

Durge/Tav: This isn’t you, Astarion. Not really. Astarion: It should be.

I really like that the player technically makes the insight check and that there’s an advantage when they're romancing Astarion. Tav/Durge could see through the image Astarion was trying to create. They saw an elf whose fear prevented him from seeing all the possibilities.

Astarion: When I look at my future, anything and everything feels possible now.

Just as Astarion saw Durge not just as serial killer, but as someone who could defeat Urge and become a better person.

Durge: I am myself at last. You don't need to fear anything from me ever again. Astarion: I knew you had that sweat heart all along. I was alarmed by you sometimes, scandalised even, but somehow by your side, I still only ever saw you.

AA fans also often ignore the fact that the game has good and bad endings in the companion stories. And it's not about morality. All companion quests are literally about how the desired and obvious path leads to a bad ending. And Astarion is no exception. In a good ending, he gets the chance to heal and finally acceptes himself and his vampire nature, in a bad ending, he gives up and regresses as a person.

Spawn Astarion knows what he wants and says it. SA is ready for a relationship and sex. Ascended Astarion can’t answer the question of what he wants, so he acts as a vampire lord should. AA is literally back to the state of the first act and has started manipulating Tav/Durge through sex again (even repeating the same phrases). This is why he doesn’t really want sex (he approves if you choose the no sex option and he definitely dissociated during the sex scene) unlike Spawn Astarion who initiated it.

Spawn Astarion is the same Astarion who enjoys “murder and terror” and you can see that clearly in his “hero” ending (more like “antihero”). And this is the ending without romance, he chose it himself. And the whole idea of him pretending to be good for Tav is actually meaningless without romance.

Ascended Astarion is the same Astarion, but stuck in a black and white world of fear and domination.

SA scene ends with hope music (instrumental version of I want to live) AA scene ends with chains.

And there’s so much more. Larian specifically showed the difference between good and bad endings in the dialogues, scenes after ritual, recent updates and even the interview so people would definitely understand, but they didn't🙃 Some AA fans (especially on youtube and larian forum) are on a new level of delusion.

[meanbossart]

Love Drow's camp greetings, but now I've got to know-- what would his romance path look like?

(This was a REALLY FUN thought experiment, thanks for asking about it!)

You'd get approval points by: -Picking the joke dialogue options, especially if they're dark or crass. -Succeeding intimidation checks. -Starting fights no-questions-asked with characters that don't immediately show you respect. -Defying authority. -Antagonizing drows, githyanki, mindflayers and goblins. -Being friendly towards animals. -Showing willingness to do what the dream visitor suggests. -Notable boost if you let him take on the Loviatar priest in your stead.

You get disapproval by: -Disclosing to people that you're infected with the tadpole. -Agreeing to help NPCs who aren't offering to get rid of your parasites. -Some deception checks (he doesn't always realize you're lying). -Being distrustful/pushy with Shadowheart. -Siding with the absolute. -Trusting or empathizing with the Emperor at all after he reveals himself (Yes, he will leave you if you bang the squid). -Massive point loss if you don't let him take on Orin on his own.

[More elaboration underneath the cut, CW for terrible relationship dynamics and implications of sexual coercion, especially within the context of BDSM.]

He can be persuaded to allow you to have a one-night-stand with Halsin, but will not agree to a three-way relationship or long-term arrangement.

He will stay with you if you sleep with Mizora without the need to roll for anything, but you will lose a lot of approval.

He will agree to a four-way with the twins at Sharess Caress if you ask him about it, but only after you complete his quest. If he has lost to Orin he will kill the twins during the act. If he has accepted Bhaal, he will ask if you want to kill them with him, but you can refuse/dissuade him from doing so.

In regards to his personal interactions, you would usually get choices between antagonizing him, expressing fear, not taking him seriously at all, or making flirtatious advances.

He's neutral/disapproving towards flirtation prior to triggering a romance (though he still reacts flattered). He's neutral/approving of not being taken seriously and/or being feared, as long as the PC is being somewhat facetious and not expressing outright distrust or doubt toward his capabilities. Basically, as long as what you're saying implies that he's formidable, or makes him laugh, he will like it.

After the romance is initiated, he will enjoy flirtatious dialogue options that put him in the role of the desired, compliment his looks/abilities, or express general affection. You would also get options that paint him in a kind of "sexually predatory" light - he doesn't like those.

You could encourage him to embrace his Urge at the start of the campaign for approval, then he flips to wanting you to discourage it after it grows outside his control. If he accepts Bhaal, this switches it back to where he approves of it being encouraged. If he loses to Orin, he will just agree with you whether you tell him to give into his Urges or keep fighting them.

You can break up with him at any point unless he has accepted Bhaal; In that case, he won't agree to it and say that when he takes over the brain you won't have a choice on the matter. The only way to keep him from betraying you during the ending is to either kill him or staying in the relationship with him and dominating the brain together.

As for the actual romance scenes, it'd be similar to Astarion's route where you get to sleep with him right away, then the following interactions are more focused on other forms of intimacy and developing the emotional side of the relationship. You would get the option to push for more sex every time, which he would turn down out of fear of what the Urge might do if he goes along with it - if you keep pushing even after that, it gets you disapproval.

During the scene that locks the romance path (prior to arriving at Baldur's gate) you can persuade him to have sex, and if you succeed he will lose control and try to murder you during the act. The only way to survive it is to kill him instead. You can be resurrected if you lose (he cannot) but he then breaks up with you.

The "themes" of his romance are supposed to allude to the different dynamics of a maso-sado/dom-sub relationship. If you push him to pursue Bhaal you are setting yourself up for a 24/7, lifelong arrangement. the relationship is reduced entirely to your sexual desire for each other, the pushing of boundaries with no limits, and constant one-upmanship. You are no longer allowed (and outwardly mocked) for displaying any tenderness that isn't sexually charged, and he will become angry with you if during your night together following the finalization of the quest you don't pick the aggressive/violent options during intimacy.

If he loses to Orin, he becomes entirely emotionally dependent on the player character, willing to bend to your every will and latch onto the PC as his new master whether or not they agree to it. He is terrified of his fate and desperately wants to please you so you don't abandon him before he loses himself. You can either take advantage of this and revel in the power you have over him, become frustrated, or demonstrate patience and try to encourage him to hold onto some individuality. You can also just kill him, which he will allow you to do through dialogue options at any point. During the romance scene that follows this path, you can only have sex if you restrain him completely first.

If he refuses Bhaal, you get yourself a quiet, cocky, but loving weirdo who enjoys play-dynamics a healthy amount but is ultimately in it because he likes you as a person. He's willing to compromise on the maso-thing as long as you don't put him down for it, and it is implied that while things may not be perfect, you are both willing to work on it through mutual understanding and patience because the relationship is based on more than just burning desire or co-dependency.

[papasbaseball]

The Wizard x Reader (Wonderful Wonderful Girl) | Chapter 2

Pairing: Wizard x F!Reader

Rating: Teen (Rating to Increase)

Warnings: Power Imbalance, Boss/Employee Relationship

Summary: Being a maid in the Royal Palace of Oz is not half so bad. Despite the meager wages, everything else is provided for you for an honest day's work. It can be unnerving working for the most powerful man in Oz, but you are able to avoid him most of the time. This changes during Lurlinemas, your paths soon becoming inextricably intertwined.

Word Count: 2,899 of 5,084 Prev | Next

AO3 Link

The Markets of Oz are normally packed during the daytime, ladies coming and going to get groceries and maybe a new dress or two, but they are flooded during the night markets of Lurlinemas. If you have the chance to look without getting swallowed in the waves of the crowd, you can see green lights strung from brick building to brick building (the bricks painted green for lack of renovation funds), newly built stalls in the main square that sold roasted quail for a quarter, and a great Spruce that had been brought in from Winkie Country, its top cresting just past the meager buildings that boxed in the square. Emily tugs me along as I admire the great golden star that was perched atop it, emeralds chiseled into the shape of snowflakes adorning each tip.

"If we move any slower they're going to run out of hot chocolate," she says, pulling me by my elbow.

The hot chocolate in the night market is one of a kind, spiced with warm cinnamon and sweetened to the point that it hurts your teeth. If I could have it year-round, I think I would like that very much, even if I did eventually get sick of it. I follow after her in our immediate quest, trying to shoulder oblivious men and women out of the way.

"How many presents do you need to get?" I ask as we get in line for the cocoa.

Emily pulls her green-gloved hands out of her pocket, silently ticking off her checklist on her fingers. "Six," she says.

I try not to drop my jaw at the idea of such wastefulness. I'm not sure there are six people that I could call friends, much less that I would be willing to spend my wages on for silly presents. In truth, there was one, but she would chastise me if I tried to get her anything. Still, I couldn't help but wish for something to get her.

We order our hot chocolate and sip it as we stroll through the sea, dipping and dodging any particularly rude costume choices. We had stuck to our uniforms, hiding them under the woolen pine-colored peacoats that were standard issue for when we had to lend an extra hand in shoveling off any balconies that got covered in snow during the wintertime. There was no option for us to have extra extra wide-brimmed hats or wired puffy sleeves that were the size of small dogs. Even if we had the option, I don't think that I would have done it on a regular market day, much less in the nights leading up to Lurlinemas.

Emily stops at an ornament seller and takes her time browsing the brilliant sun catchers and rhinestone-encrusted baubles. The glass and “sodering” (I’m sure it’s silver-colored glue) look far too flimsy, so I tell her I'm going to the next booth to look at ribbons and laces. The price of laces haven't gotten any better (in fact they had gone up by 6 cents) but I look at them anyway.

Most clothing could be mended, but there was only so much to be done about laces as they became more and more unraveled. If you had a friend in the mailroom, you could persuade them to let you borrow some rubber cement to stick the frays back together. If you didn't, you had to dip the tips of your laces in the wax of your candle at night. The wax didn't last nearly as long as the cement, usually cracking off within a day or two. I wasn’t friendly with anyone in the mail room, so I had slowly been shortening and dipping my laces until they just barely tied in a regular knot.

My eyes flicked over the shades of olive and forest and moss, until they had reached the box of ribbons. There is a skip in my heart as I remember how the Wizard had tied the ribbon in my hair just days ago. If I close my eyes, I can feel his hands guiding the ribbon up from the nape of my neck and the warmth that radiated from them as he tied the bow in place. If it is true or not, in my mind he has a smile when he looks at me after. I wonder if these ribbons would make him smile like the one I still have in my hair, if they would make him...

I have to look away from the ribbons for a brief moment. The thoughts I had of him since that day have not been pure and kind. They are selfish. I know that they will lead me down a path of trouble if I linger on them. I have my sister to think about and it would not do if I were to lose my job at the palace. I could not save her from the children's home, but they still let me visit her and send her things. I don't send her much, most of it disappears within a few days, but I bring her sweets if I have time to swing by the bakery after I am no longer needed for the day.

Looking back at the ribbons, I can't help but wish I could get one for her. I want her to feel as pretty as I did that day in the Wizard's bedroom. The kids would have a harder time taking the ribbon from her if I braided it into her hair, away from their jealous hands. My eyes flick up to the price card that is held in a coily golden wire stand. 200 cents! It's more than double the price of the laces.

I bite my lip, but my mind is already made up. I look at the shop lady, but she has her back turned attending to the till and adding pennies to it from a green paper sleeve. I snatch a pistachio-colored satin ribbon and shove it into the pocket of my peacoat. Quickly, I slip back out into the crowd of people, heading back to Emily in the ornament booth.

I'm jerked back, my forearm locked in an iron grip as it is hoisted high, so high above my head that I'm afraid my shoulder will dislocate.

"Hey!" I shout.

"There is zero tolerance for stealing in the Emerald City," The man says. I scrape my tiptoes against the ground to get a better look at him and realize that I've been detained by one of the Emerald City's Royal Guards. The green coat with gold trim and accents is unmistakable, accompanied by a sharp green officer's cap.

"I didn't steal," I lie.

He fishes into my coat pocket and pulls out the ribbon that I had stashed in there. "Is that so?" he says. My shoulder burns as he drags me back to the lace and ribbon booth, chucking the spooled-up ribbon back to the shop lady. "Sorry about that, Hazel. Street rat."

I can't help it as the words come flying out of my mouth, “I am not a street rat! I work at the palace!"

"Good," he says. "Then I know where to take you. Lets me get off my shift earlier at least."

He lowers my arm, only to twist it up behind my back, his other gloved hand grabbing hold of the collar of my coat. I shout at Emily, trying to fight against him as he marches us past the ornament booth, but I'm not sure she heard me. She has a confused look on her face as I'm dragged off, but she doesn't do anything to interfere. We may share a bed in this cold weather, but she's never been the type to stick her neck out for anyone, no matter how big or small the injustice. I wouldn't expect her to start with me.

By the time we get to the palace the hand behind my back is numb from the position and the cold air. The shame and fight has long since left my body, my mind trying to focus on how I will provide for my sister and me, or even if I will be allowed to see her again. Do they let criminals into the children's home? Would they even let me stay in the Emerald City? I try to remember what happened to criminals that were detained in the palace. There had been a boy in the kitchen who had been caught with a whole ham hock in his bag when the kitchen staff was closing up one night this past summer. It had been such a scandal -- it was all the staff could talk about for two whole weeks straight -- but in the end, I could not remember what had become of him, only his original crime that had been passed on by those who had been in the kitchen when the joint had been discovered.

We don't go through the main doors, neither the servant's entrance, but rather a side door that I had never seen before. It must have been for guard use only. They crawl the castle like an infestation of ants, so it only seems natural that they, like ants, would have cracks and crevices to aid their coming and going. It's dark, but soon I see that we are in the main entryway. If I can remember correctly, the guards' barracks and offices occupy the left wing from the audience room (convenience for removing unruly guests from the days of King Pastoria, I suppose). Most in the Wizard's personal service have no reason to go there.

The Wizard. There's a sort of heavy disappointment that sits like an oversized and cold jewel on my chest, deep beneath the layers of wool and scarves and uniform. It's not the disappointment that a child might feel under the disapproving eye of a parent, no. It is something entirely unfamiliar: an anger at myself that I might never see him again, that my last impression on him will be one of a thief. But wasn't that what I was? I had stolen the ribbon, no intention of paying.

The guard marches me up through the darkened emerald halls, passing the large pillars, the walls carved with their sharp geometric designs. I take in the sight of all of it knowing that it will be my last time seeing any of it. We're crossing the audience room, the heart of the entire palace, and nearly to the other side when I see him.

He's in a deep green almost black suit. The lapels of the jacket are peaked giving him the appearance of being even taller than he already is. He's talking to a stocky man, at least two heads shorter than him and twice as wide, wearing the uniform of the palace guards with a few additional golden cords strung over his chest that my jailer doesn't have.

I try walking faster, dragging the guard who had my arm pinned behind my back. I don't want him to see me like this. Better to just have all of my stuff gathered and thrown out the back door with me than to disgrace myself even further.

"Uh…Guard," a voice calls. I know it's his. I hate that I know that it's his.

My captor stops in his tracks, spinning us around to address the two men. "Captain," he says, giving a nod to the shorter man.

The Wizard has a confused if not irritated look on his face. I can tell that I've made him upset. How poorly must this reflect on the palace if members of his staff are getting arrested in the street? He says, "Are you going somewhere?"

The guard looks to the stocky man who gives him a subtle nod of the head. "Street rat," my captor says. "I caught her stealing in the market. I'm taking her to booking and calling the head of staff for the palace. She said she works here."

"Well, yeah," the Wizard says. "I can see that. Anyone can see that." He approaches me and pinches the thick wool of one of my coat lapels in between his thumb and forefinger. I try not to look too hard at the gold ring on his thumb as he drags it back and forth lazily against the material, stroking it as if to assess the warmth of the garment. "She's wearing a palace coat. Initials on it and everything."

My captor seems tongue-tied by this, I can hear his mouth open, a gasp for air as if to say something but nothing comes out. I dare to look up and see that the Wizard has his eyes locked on him. The way he's looking at him with those amber eyes reminds me of grade school, when we learned about the flora and fauna of Oz in biology. When talking of tigers, our teacher had told us that if you could see their eyes through the grass it was already too late. You had been stalked for hours before even noticing and they never got close enough for you to notice until you couldn't get away even if you tried. Foolishly, he tries, saying, "I need to take her to booking. She is a stain on the image of the palace."

The wizard drops my lapel and walks back to the officer that is now resting his hand on the pommel of his sword. It makes me nervous, but I'm not sure for who. Would they execute me right here in the audience chamber? I wouldn't be the first. The Wizard bends down and whispers something to the officer. I watch his eyes tick back and forth as he processes the secret.

"Guard," the officer says, "Leave her to me. I am sure you are wanted back in the square. Where there is one thief there is sure to be more."

I can't see his face, but I know that my captor is annoyed. He'd been hoping to clock out early and now he had to walk all the way back down to the market square. That brings a smile to my face as I hear the hesitant click of his boots and feel all the blood start rushing back into my arm as he lets me go.

We stand there, the three of us, until we hear the loud echo of the door shutting. The short man salutes the Wizard and makes his exit. The smile drops from my face as I realize what little law and witnesses there were had just walked out of the room, leaving me alone with the tiger.

"Stealing?" he says, cocking his head to the side. Immediately, he sets to pacing around me.

"It was just a ribbon, Your Wonderfulness," I say. My shoes have become infinitely more interesting to me, noticing the way even the stitching of the leather to the soles was starting to fray near the toes.

He laughs and it is quiet and deep, sending a prickling from my shoulders down my spine. "Did you like the first one that much? You could have asked for another."

"It wasn't for me," I say.

I can feel him tug on the braids that wrap my head. I had woven the ribbon into them earlier today. There hadn't been a day where I hadn't worn his ribbon since I got it. It was risky, and eventually Emily or someone else would catch on, but I didn't want to leave it in my nightstand and come back to find it missing, pilfered by someone's sticky fingers. So I had woven it into my hair where no one could take it, where the Wizard was now tracing its crooked and dashed path against my scalp.

"You are a terrible liar, missy" he says. "What are we going to do with you?"

Let me go? Kick me out of the palace? In truth, I wanted things to just go back to the way they were, no ribbon, no staff suspicions, just me and my chores and the shared bed with Emily. My voice quavers as I feel his finger stray from the twisted path of the ribbon, wandering onto the pulse of my bare neck, stopping underneath the corner of my jaw. "I won't do it again," I choke out.

"Oh, I have no doubt of that," he says. "But you can't be trusted. To have a thief in my staff... well, it would just cause too many problems. First ribbons, next other things..." He completes his circle around me and I find myself facing him again.

"Are you going to kill me?" I ask.

He smiles, revealing to me a flash of hungry white teeth. Too late. He says, "Do you want me to?"

I shake my head, my lips stitched together in case any wrong words should fall from them.

"Such a fascinating creature," he says, perhaps to me or perhaps to himself. "I'll deal with you tomorrow. Why don't you go upstairs and get some rest? I have... things to arrange."

He leaves me there in the audience chamber, shaking. If you see them, it is too late. I am standing there, head still on my shoulders, and yet I know that I haven't escaped. If you see them, it is too late.

[grandlinedreams]

|| inspired by the fact that's one of my favorite tropes, I present to you: kisses in the rain, featuring: Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Ace [pt.1! Pt.2 will include Sabo, Law, Kid & Mihawk]

Luffy ㅡ It's unexpected, the abrupt switch from bright and sunny to torrential downpour as Luffy grabs your hand and tugs you with him, loud laughter making you join in as you bolt down the path back to the Sunny.

"Come on," Luffy urges and your yelp is half of amusement and surprise as you lose a shoe ㅡ unsurprising, they're not made for the sticky muck the ground has turned into.

"Luffy, my shoe!" You protest, tugging at his hand to make him stop so you can pick up the lost piece of footwear. Bright grin undimmed, he opts to simply pick you up, earning another yelp.

"There," he says, laughter still clear in his voice as he resumes running. It doesn't take long to be back on the deck of the Sunny, and he sets you down on your feet. "Man, that was fun!"

"It was," you agree, eyeing him and the way rain still pelts the brim of his hat before you lean to steal a soft peck. Luffy looks a little bewildered but nevertheless pleased.

"What was that for?"

"Nothing, I just love you." Both of you should undoubtedly change clothes, but the way Luffy lights up at your words is worth it.

"I love you too!"

ㅡ

Zoro ㅡ If he hears Nami's warnings about heading directly towards brewing storm clouds, it clearly slips Zoro's mind in favor of a nap in one of his usual spots. And as such, the rumble of impending rain doesn't wake the swordsman.

One drop hits his face. Two, three, four ㅡ and his eye(s) flutter when nothing else hits his face. Was that it? Not much of a storm ㅡ but soft laughter has him waking further to stare up at you. "What are you doing?"

"Making sure you can sleep," you say, "if you insist on being outside in the middle of a rainstorm."

"It isn't that bad." He'll complain later when his clothes are soaked, but for now? He's comfortable. "You'll get wet too, you know."

"I know." You shrug. "Worth it, if it's with you."

"Idiot," Zoro chastises, but it's fond and affectionate, accompanied by the lift of a hand to cup the back of your head and coax you down for a kiss. The awkward angle makes you giggle, and he grins at the sound of it.

ㅡ

Sanji ㅡ "Regretting grocery shopping with me now?" Standing beneath the overhang of the shop behind the two of you, Sanji turns to look at you, and you shake your head.

"Nope. I make a habit not to regret anything, especially if it's with you." Sanji stares, the lightest dusting of pink on his cheeks at your genuine words.

You hold a hand out, humming as water pelts your skin. "It's not so bad, I think we can make it back."

"You sure?"

You turn towards him. "A little rain never hurt anyone, Sanji."

He steps out from the overhang after you, watches as you hum and spin, arms spread out. "Like it that much?"

"I do," you answer, head tipped back and uncaring of the rain that soaks into your hair, plastering it to your face. "You don't like the rain?"

Sanji blinks, then shrugs. "I don't hate it," he says, and you crow hop towards him, reaching to cup his face before he can react.

Your lips are soft on his, a little cold and a little wet ㅡ but he still stares dazedly at you when you pull away. "And now?"

A slow smile curls his lips. "I'm being persuaded to like it more."

ㅡ

Ace ㅡ "Get back here you littleㅡ"

"Sticks and stones, Ace! Sticks and stones!" You call back, breathless with laughter even as the rain seems to come down even faster. "Don't tell me you're afraid of regular water too!"

"I'm not afraid of either one, but you're gonna get sick!" Ace gives chase despite his initial reluctance, enticed by the bright gleam of your eyes and childish grin on your face.

"So? Small price to pay to live today!" Ace nears you and then overtakes you, making you shriek as he staggers to a stop and brings you with him, arms locked around you. Steam curls off him like a wispy haze, his body heat seeping through your clothes and making you shiver.

"Love you," you murmur into the tangle of his arms around your shoulders, and he squeezes you in response.

"Love you too," he answers, letting up just enough to let you turn to face him before he kisses you. Slow and sweet, uncaring for the fact the two of you are drenched to the bone ㅡ that doesn't matter. All that matters is that you're here, and so is he.

[redistrictgirl]

As of September 8th, 2024, Kamala Harris is slightly favored (64% chance) in the race for the presidency.

So first, let's talk about that topline.

Some other forecasts have become noticeably more bullish for former President Trump, and that's because they're looking at the polling margins decline and declaring that the convention bump is still declining. But that's not the important part of the picture. Here, my polling "bins" come in handy. Let's look at the week-by-week average of national polling:

Week of August 11th: 47.7 Harris, 45.8 Trump

Week of August 18th (week of DNC): 47.9 Harris, 43.8 Trump

Week of August 25th: 47.9 Harris, 45.0 Trump

Week of September 1st: 49.0 Harris, 46.4 Trump

Notice anything? Vice President Harris held steady through the DNC- the convention bump merely took the form of a dip in polling for Mr. Trump. My personal theory as to why that is rests in the tone of the convention - the organizers clearly attempted a big-tent strategy to reach out to disaffected Republicans. But that makes undecided voters, not new voters for Democrats. And now both candidates are snatching up undecided voters - we are officially in full gear.

Now, let's break down the closest states:

Arizona (51% chance of being won by Harris) - This state had the biggest swing this week thanks to continued gains for Mr. Trump. The fundamentals of this state are still strong for Ms. Harris, however.

Georgia (62% chance of being won by Trump) - Another Romney-Trump-Biden state, the Vice President is keeping this state close, but it may not be enough given that the Deep South isn't known for its abundance of persuadable voters. Fundamentals and polling line up well here.

North Carolina (64% chance of being won by Trump) - The polls have this state being neck-and-neck, but again, the model expects Mr. Trump to have an easier time picking up undecided voters here.

Pennsylvania (67% chance of being won by Harris) - This state has the closest polling average in our dataset, but the model seems to believe we're more likely to be looking at a polling miss like 2022's instead of 2020's.

Wisconsin (69% chance of being won by Harris) - If there's any state the polls could fumble, I personally think it's this one. I just can't buy this whiter, more rural Rust Belt state voting to the left of Michigan. But even just looking at fundamentals, Ms. Harris is still a very, very slim favorite in the Badger State.

Now for some other notable swings:

Nevada (77% chance of being won by Harris) - Another massive swing in the Southwest, but this time it's bad for the former President. The model is now pretty confident that he's locked out of around 48.5% of the state's voters, which... you know... gives a narrow path for victory. He better hope that Ms. Harris doesn't gain any further here.

Texas (96% chance of being won by Trump) - Texas has leaped back off the board for a similar reason to Nevada - all indicators suggest that Mr. Trump is approaching 50% of the vote in this state. It would probably take a genuine polling miss in the Vice President's favor to make the state winnable.

So where does this leave each candidate? The Rust Belt continues to get more important for Ms. Harris, and Mr. Trump still needs Georgia and North Carolina to come through for him. So on a macro level, outside of the Southwest getting weird, things have actually been fairly unsurprising, which you'd expect from a short week. Let's see if there's a shakeup after the debate and in the coming months.

[bird-inacage]

Only Friends: Episode 5 Preview (A walk in Sand's 'Rough & Dusty' World)

I'm really looking forward to where Episode 5 is taking us with Ray and Sand's storyline. This almost feels like the proper start to these two as a 'couple'. Having seen more to Ray last week, we're now getting a better insight into Sand's life, which looks peppered with sweet and spicy moments throughout.

We start with breakfast at Sand's. Can we safely assume this is a morning after scene, which means they slept together again? (How adorable does Ray look whilst he peeks into the kitchen? He's an actual child, I weep).

At the end of Episode 4, Ray seems to have arrived at the conclusion that he's now open to the idea of welcoming Sand into his life, and being more sincere about their (cough) 'friendship'. And with that, he intends to make more of a conscious effort, to show he has taken on board what Sand said.

So Ray suggests they spend the day together, "Can I stay with you? I wanna get to know you better." (A nice parallel to Ray's usual 'stay with me') It's an immediate indication that someone is starting to take you seriously, because they are initiating opportunities to see your world, to understand your perspective - to better appreciate all the things that make you who you are.

So far, Sand has mainly operated in Ray's world when they've crossed paths. Ray knows very little of Sand's life, other than his job as a bar singer. The fact that Ray is taking an active interest is a huge step. This isn't 'I'm paying or begging you to spend time with me' (aka Ray wanting Sand to keep him company), it's 'I want to spend time with you' (I'm keeping you company). That's a very notable distinction.

This request also means that Sand will be leading the day's activities, with Ray following along. That's another role reversal of how their dynamic has played out so far. Ray is the one who dictates what he'd like to do, and he persuades Sand to agree. Giving Sand full control is another example of Ray welcoming his opinion and preferences. It's a sign of moving towards more equality and balance in their relationship.

(How powerful is Sand in the leather jacket? The whole riding a motorbike together screams boyfriend energy).

Try to stay sane folks, because we should also be getting THIS notorious scene. It looks like they're in a changing room but who knows, maybe Sand has a weird privacy corner in his flat? The shirt Ray wears for the rest of the episode is hanging on the wall. We get Sand changing Ray (because his role as Ray's caretaker reigns supreme), and whilst doing so, he goes in for a cheeky fondle.

Sand continues to open Ray's eyes through music at a gig, which is a nice continuation of the lovely scene they shared at the record store. They also return to the go-go bar, where Ray publicly serenades our resident singer?

And we'll bear witness to Sand falling more and more visibly in love by the second. It's just as Mew called it - Ray should be a ray of sunshine and that's exactly the way Sand looks at him. That gaze is full of warmth and awe. Sand is completely aware of Ray's faults and bad habits, because he saw those first and upfront. And yet he sees Ray beaming underneath, despite all those things.

(As a side note to Ray - the superficial attention of many doesn't come close when compared against the all-encompassing attention of just one. Do you see how that man looks at you??)

After a long day out of playing actual boyfriends, they have a quiet, steamy make out session on Sand's balcony. Having had Ray accompany him all day, there's no doubt Sand is even more head over heels now.

If they did indeed sleep together the previous night and were gunning for 2 in a row, I really don't think you can shirk that off as 'friendship' anymore. I don't care how deep or convincing you think your denial is.

Aaaand OH. It was only a matter of time before this inevitably happened. Either Sand would walk in on Boston/Nick wildin', or they would catch him and Ray doing the dirty. My worry is how Boston is going to react, because not only has Top given him the cold shoulder, Ray is swiftly veering off his plan and how he ideally wanted to manipulate the situation. In a desperate bid to clutch at straws, I really hope Boston doesn't try to stir shit up with Sand instead (in regards to that Ray and Mew kiss).

Boston, you better steer well clear of our unproblematic couple. Let them be happy without the fuckery that is your mind games.

(Ray's expression cracked me up. He looks completely out of it 'Huh? What's happening? Who dis?' Boy was so consumed in kissing Sand, he forgot who he was).

[oh-no-its-bird]

I've never been more persuaded to read "one step three steps" more than via the promise of an Itachi and Ichigo fist fight. let Itachi be feral 2024

LET ITACHI BE FERAL 2024 HE DESERVES IT !!!! I am obscenely excited to write it actually, Ichigo is a pro at pressing peoples buttons and shes ab to find Itachi's and fucking slam them (though in her defence, Itachi found hers and slammed them almost as hard)

I love when characters meet and are pretty friendly at first, look like they're on a solid path to become friends, then one of them (Ichigo) realizes that the other (Itachi) has a similar look in their eyes as someone they admire (Madara) and when they try to point it out as a good thing, it is absoloutley taken the worst fucking way possible and things quickly devolve into a public shouting match where they have to be physically pulled away from eachother ❤️

(Ichigo is ab to be 2 for 2 for getting in brawls with clan heirs)

I think their fight is also made funnier bc Itachi is SO out of Ichigo's league when it comes to fighting, like, literal ANBU agent vs a girl who only just hits chunnin level if you squint. So like the fact that they just fucking go at it in a messy, uncoordinated brawl that they need to be pulled appart from— they're really showing their age w this one huh

Anyways take this snippet I wrote fucking months ago from my fic notes:

"I— Fugaku . . ." Mikoto looked faint. "Itachi got into a fist fight with one of the children today." Fugaku stared at his wife, uncomprehending. "Is that an analogy, or—?" "No, he got into a fist fight. Not even a proper one, I-I think they bit eachother? I . . ."

Mikoto slowly sank into the chair next to her, hand rising to cover her mouth as she said faintly, "Is this what they call a teenage rebellion?" "Our Itachi." Fugaku clarified. "They had to be separated from eachother. In public." "Our Itachi." He tried again. "They nearly got put in holding for disorderly conduct."

Anyways u should totally read the fic I like to believe it's funny and the Itachi and Sasuke chapters (ch 7+8) is honestly some of my favorite writing I've done in the naruto fandom overall

Ooooo u wanna read it sooo baddd

[lienspien]

Okay, hear me out.

I want to write a fanfic where Remus is the one who goes horcrux hunting and dies drowning. First of all, romantic moonwater where Regulus talks about Kreacher to Remus, and in an attempt to stop Regulus from doing it, he goes before Regulus. He thinks he's stronger and more competent since he's older and a werewolf. Obviously he dies and Regulus is fucking devastated.

Unrequited wolfstar, too. He hears about this from Regulus, and he's so mad at Regulus for letting it happen. His moony. Dead. Because his incompetent little brother, whom he trusted to date his moony, let the guy go on a suicide mission, so they had an even bigger fallout. In the midst of his grief, he found comfort in Marlene, who helped him stand up back to his feet. James and Peter helped, too, of course, but the way Marlene held him was so different. After graduating, he went on to marry Marlene and fight in the order.

On the other hand, James was just as upset at the death of his friend. But he couldn't do anything about it. He did a lot of thinking and observing. He watched Sirius cry and scream at the mans death, and he watched Regulus walk the halls like a zombie. He made it his mission to kill voldemort with his own bare hands.

Peter was worried and torn between joining the death eaters and the order. He lost his best friend's in some way or another. To death, to revenge, and to grief. He decided that he's going to follow James, like he always had. Just not on the same level, as he was kept grounded by his other slytherin friends. Who knew what's going on and persuaded him into being the rational one in his friend group for once.

Marlene tried to get the marauders back to their feet. She slapped James out of his muttering about vengeance, told Peter to man up and help his friends, and helped Sirius out of his mourning. She would push them all into the correct path, even if one of them would eventually stray away. Yet her mother went on and on about her involvement in the war, telling her to just settle and let the men do it. She will marry Sirius, discarding her past with Dorcas for a play pretend household.

Lily and Mary would also help the marauders collect themselves after their own moment of mourning. They would help gather information and resources for the order and make sure that everyone else knows what's going on and doesn't push the wrong buttons. They would date secretly, because being in love and happy would be selfish of them when their friends were at their lowest.

Meanwhile, the slytherin skittles aside from Regulus would move on from Remus' death quickly. They knew Remus, but Regulus was the one who's alive, so they're more thankful for his death than anything.

Regulus would slowly go insane. Everything reminds him of Remus. He lost the person who understands him, who he loves the touch of, someone who was connected to him by soul and mind. Now he's empty. Just a shell of what he used to be. All of him gone, following where Remus was. He would go on a rampage, getting incredibly violent and unstable. He would then start killing people. Whoever he decides deserves it, he would kill them. He will marry Pandora to continue the Black lineage, but she would only be helping him hide all the bodies he killed. He would be against voldemort for pushing Remus to death, and would hate the order because Sirius would be in it and it would be a constant reminder of Remus. He would rarely attend the meetings and never go on the missions voldemort tells him to go. He would only start going more often when Barty and Evan join and swears to himself he's going to protect the both of them at all costs.

Evan will become a death eater as well. He at first would gaslight Peter into joining them, but when he hears about Remus' death and watched the way it affected Regulus, James and Sirius. He makes Peter think through his actions, and forces him into helping James. He will marry a pureblood woman from obligation (Genevieve my beloved), and do the bare minimum in playing his part ad a follower.

Barty would become a death eater too. He would be absolutely obsessed with the dark lord, which only makes Regulus mad and Evan annoyed. But if it means he could ruin his father and everyone around the man, he would do it. He was incredibly excited when he received the dark mark and kept on talking about all the things he would do in the name of the dark lord. But at one point, he would watch his mother cry when she saw the dark mark and soon regretted his decision.

Dorcas will join the order. As a half blood, she valued her life over anything else. She has a little sister to protect, and a friend group to look after. But she would dread every order meeting. Because Marlene is right there, as beautiful as ever, but she was not the one who held her hand. She would be active in the order, helping Lily manage everything while still keeping touch with her friends. Despite their differences, she still respected them and cared for them. Regulus and Evan were suffering in their forced position, and Barty had regret his decisions after all, why would she hate her best friends? She would help comfort Pandora, who often times struggled. All while ignoring her own health.

Pandora would be passive. She wouldn't join the death eaters, but would be a follower by association. She was deeply concerned by Regulus' violent tendencies, though Regulus would rather kill himself than hurt Pandora. She was worried by the tired expression Evan constantly had and felt pity for Barty whenever he would stare at his mark and talk about his mother. She will make sure that all her friends were safe. She will take care of Regulus, check in on Barty, and have talks with Evans wife. Pandora would fall into deeper pressure, to bear an heir, to spread the Black family influence while her dear best friend repeats a generational cycle.

The fic will tell all about their relationships and time during the war. The struggles, the fighting, the betrayal, the deaths. All in different perspectives. Its a simple retelling, and a show of curses.

@multishipperofgaydeadwizards @koezii READ MY YAPPING 🏋‍♂️🏋‍♂️🏋‍♂️🏋‍♂️🏋‍♂️🏋‍♂️🏋‍♂️🏋‍♂️🏋‍♂️🏋‍♂️

[fullscoreshenanigans]

I wonder how much Sisters are in the HQ. Because even if the selection is hard, a lot much sucess.

Isabella's orphenage ship 6 children by year, so 6 new kids must be given to her.

There are 5/6 orphenages for Grace Field. So 30/36 children shipped by year and 30/36 new given to the orphenage. EVERY YEAR. So even if it's sure that the Sisters gave birth of more than one child (only the Mother can have only on).

Because if 30/36 children must be given by year to orphenages, 30/36 must waiting their turn in the nursery and as much sister must be pregnant. I think that every sister has the right to take a break after a pregnacy.

For Exemple if Sienna is the mother of both Emma and Carol, seen there are more or less 10 years between them, it probably mean that there had at least one kid between them. Maybe more.

So i think that, even if the selection is rude, a lot of girls survives. Because if they need 30/36 new babies by years...

And it's just Grace Field. It must be worse at Great Vallley (especially that Barton must have took a lot of children for his huting ground)

[Response to this ask]

I'm not sure where you're getting all moms having only one child being common from?

From your previous ask:

Isabella is an anomaly when it comes to moms in that she's the youngest one to ever be selected in the history of at least the current incarnation of Grace Field that's been around for roughly 400 years.

(Mystic Code Book Chapter 1 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 181.2 | Chapter 181.3) Her excellent test scores at the farm and later at headquarters combined with favoritism from Sarah led to her placement being expedited. With there being an extremely limited number of mom positions, most sisters (because they're all sisters first, Isabella being the exception and not the rule) are left waiting for years, and this is what results in them having multiple children if they don't retrain for another path, not that moms are limited to having a single child. If anything, you'd think they'd want more children bred from those who reach that position, so the time spent waiting for spots to open up would be beneficial for the demons. Sarah had enough sway to persuade those in charge to get a recent graduate of the sister training in there, though, so Isabella was able to skip to the front of the wait list.

And it's confirmed there's five plants plus headquarters for Grace Field.

(Chapter 29 | Chapter 100 | S1 Episode 4)

So assuming there are no oddities, they're averaging 30 kids per year between the five, and if each plant maintains the same number of children plant no.3 normally does, there's around 190 kids at a given time outside of Grace Field headquarters prior to Isabella taking over as grandma when she reduces the number of shipments beginning in mid-January 2046, which is kind of wild given how low it is already.

(Chapter 181.3)

So I think that, even if the selection is rude, a lot of girls survives. Because if they need 30/36 new babies by years...

The second light novel does say this, yes.

Even if it's hard to calculate exactly how that math works out with how gleeful Sarah seems about eliminating Cecile and Krone's entire class, along with not having any information about how often the moms are recommending girls for sister candidacy.

(Chapter 181.2)

Chapter 166's bonus sketch gives us headquarters' layout, but no listing of how many people it accommodates, though it does look massive between this and the amount of running around the kids do in the Return to Grace Field arc.

It must be worse at Grand Valley (especially that Bayon must have took a lot of children for his hunting ground)

To be fair, those children were going to be eaten regardless, so Bayon Sr. taking some for his hunting grounds isn't altering the general death count, just where it's being distributed.

(Chapter 84 | Mystic Code Book Chapter 7 Series Timeline)

Sometime between 1801–1900, Bayon is looking so miserable some of the staff of the farms he's in charge of start shipping children to him alive.

I'm defaulting to this being at Yverk's or Leuvis' behest—Yverk as a means of keeping Bayon comfortable in order to maintain the status quo of Legravalima's regime, Leuvis as a means of satisfying the hunger he knows still resides in his friend—but maybe they just decided to do it on their own because of how bad he looked, who can say.

Regardless, he's approached by another party to begin his hunts, and it isn't until he's given this push that he gives into his impulses again when he told Leuvis centuries ago he was committed to upholding the promise, in a similar manner to how we see Bayon Jr. adhere to upholding decorum and duty during the gathering for Tifari in 2047.

Bayon Sr. starts off with one human every three months, but after that it's hard to gauge exactly how the numbers ramped up. Over two hundred years, it was in the hundreds to potentially thousands.

I'm assuming it maxed out between five and ten at a time, though. Enough of a significant gap where Bayon accepts Peter's offer to use Goldy Pond, originally meant to be a village of refuge for escaped cattle children in James' plan, as his new hunting ground starting in late 2031 with more humans and supplies being available to him.

(Chapter 98)

63 - 17 (15 Grace Field escapees and 2 adults not counted among the Goldy Pond population by Bayon) = 46 children who escaped from Goldy Pond on January 29, 2046 after a hunt had taken place the previous day. We don't know how many children are killed during regular hunts, but I'm guessing they would keep the population between 50 and 60 at any given time. Enough of a thrill to entice Bayon to take Peter's offer, not enough between the 18 farms he supervised or was in charge of to give unaware staff pause to want to stick their noses into noble business because the yield between them was vast enough to make it negligible.

(Mystic Code Book Chapter 3)

Grand Valley, Glory Bell, and Goodwill Ranch are large enough that the demons don't invest in implanting trackers in the children like at Grace Field because it's too costly, though once the mass production farms begin during Peter's tenure as the 36th head of the Ratri Clan, the minuscule dent Bayon's hunts put on Grand Valley's output is even less conspicuous.

[incesthemes]

there are moments in both croatoan and houses of the holy i want to compare, because i think the show is doing something kind of fascinating and fairly subtle.

the allegorical conflict in croatoan centers around whether dean will kill duane or not (and, by extension, whether dean will be willing to kill sam). in the end, dean lets him live, which is an act of devotion and deference to sam. duane ends up not being infected with the virus, and so dean made the right decision. this is the general framing of the conflict—dean unlocks the good end by deferring to sam's judgment.

the ideological conflict in houses of the holy centers around the concept through fate, taken through a christian lens: is god real? does god have a plan? sam is faithful and dean is faithless, and their beliefs butt heads throughout the episode. in the end dean was right and the "angel" was just a ghost, and sam acquiesces to dean's beliefs and accepts god isn't real. this too is the general framing of the conflict—sam arrives at truth by listening and believing in dean.

but both of these episodes end ambiguously.

as it turns out, duane was possessed by a demon, which means that dean's instinctual distrust was right on the money, and killing (or attempting to kill) duane would actually have been the right choice—dean correctly assessed the danger and took steps to stop it, and it was sam who got in the way and persuaded him to stand down, which allowed the demon to escape.

and also as it turns out, a bigass rebar killed that would-be killer sam was sent after, and it was such an outrageous death that it throws dean off balance and makes him reconsider whether fate and god are actually real—which, as we come to discover later, is true, and sam and dean are cosmically destined to assume the roles of cain and abel in the coming apocalypse. sam was actually the correct one here, and the beliefs he was operating under were given ample support literally throughout the episode; it was dean who clouded sam's judgment and directed him away from the actual truth of the divine plan for them.

i don't think there's a grand revelation in comparing these two episodes this way, but i do enjoy how the show keeps them spinning on an axis, and how the seemingly correct decision is actually much more nuanced than it seems on the surface. when dean is right he's still wrong; when sam is wrong he's still right—and vice versa. black and white answers simply can't exist in this world because there is nothing wholly good and nothing wholly bad. dean had to let duane live because to do otherwise would be to succumb to his fate, even if letting duane symbolizes that dean will allow sam to succumb to his. sam had to defer to dean's ideology because to do otherwise would be to spiral further down the path to his destiny, even if that destiny is real and it's coming for them both anyway and they can do nothing to stop it. they're the best decisions they can make in those situations, but they're still not unambiguously perfect.

it's just another layer to the complexity of these seasons and the plot they've been born into. right is wrong and wrong is right, and family trumps fate but family will lead to ruin. and the gods are absent fathers pulling strings they don't even know are there.

[tziporarosen]

FLIP A COIN

CHAPTER II

Smacking your hand over your phone, you drag it towards you with your eyes closed before opening one eye to switch off the alarm ringing through your ear drums. Your eyes do a double take as you catch a glimpse of the time, shooting you straight into immediate panic as you jump out of bed, quickly tossing on a t-shirt that is laid out at the foot of your bed. “Fuck, fuck, fuck” you mumble to yourself as you pull your hair into a high ponytail, quickly wiping the mascara off your under-eyes. Zipping up your pants, you run over to your kitchen, grabbing your belt along with your radio and weapon, snapping them into place as you open the front door, only to speed back into the bedroom to grab your forgotten phone. 

Walking into the office felt like a scene out of a movie, eyes gawking at you from every direction as you walked in, the other officers creating a path for you. What the fuck? Smiling in confusion and discomfort, you make your way to your glass office, your sergeant and watch commander standing with their arms crossed, waiting for you to shut the door behind you. 

“So sorry, I overslept, Sir” you apologize awkwardly as you take your leather jacket off. 

“You being late isn't why we are here” your watch commander stated sternly, his eyes panned in disappointment. Double what the fuck? 

“Oh- whats, uh, what's going on?” you inquire with a broken voice, your senses rising to a hundred. You swallowed down, hard, as your sergeant walked to the glass cabinet at the side of your desk, scanning your framed awards and trophies for the work you've done. 

“I thought giving you this case would be simple, a quick case opened and closed, but no.” he insinuated flatly, his back turned to you as his arms rested on his lower back. 

“Sir, I'm so close, it's been a little harder than expected” you admit in defense, completely confused by the tension sitting in your chair, admiring the scene as you fall apart in anxiety. 

“At what cost?” your watch commander chipped in, his eyes trained on your tired face, your eyes dark from insomnia. 

“What? Sir I’m confused by what's going-” 

“When was the last time you spoke to Officer Lanes?” he interrogated calmly as the sergeant rounded his way back to you, standing side by side with your watch commander. 

“Last night? Why? Is something wrong?” you asked with concern slipping through, your gut telling you there's something they're not telling you, something is terribly wrong. You can feel it.

“Nothing is wrong, Officer Lanes is perfectly okay, but you not so much” the sergeant joined back in, watching you like a hawk. 

You tilt your head back, taken aback by how they're jumping around what's wrong, speaking in riddles, almost as if they're waiting for you to spill. Confess. “Am I in trouble for something?” you interrogate in response, unwilling to jump around in circles and waste more time, or worse, incriminate yourself. You knew exactly what their ‘innocent’ questions meant, they think you've done something, you know that because it's what you do all day, it's your job. 

Your watch commander exhales harshly before he throws a glance to the sergeant before he nodded at him, allowing the watch commander to explain. “We wanted to hear what you have to say before we do this, we trust you, and frankly we're both very disappointed in you” he expressed as you spiraled, your heart in your mind beating in echoes, muffling his words as he continued. “Officer Lanes came to us this morning, told us about last night, how you've been inappropriate to her, harassing her after work, showing up to her place and even persuading her into.. Uh, sleeping with you” he finished, the last part falling in a croak at how uncomfortable he was by having to be the one to say it out loud. 

You couldn't help but burst into a loud chuckle of disbelief, completely nonplussed by the things you were hearing. “Do you think this is funny, detective?” the sergeant spoke up, his tone searching for amusement. Goosebumps spread over your skin, realizing this is real, you're being accused of abusing your inferior. Fuck. You couldn't feel your pulse, you felt as if you're floating into space, your mind and body numb from the shit you've dug yourself in. She's the victim, and you're the predator. 

“I- that's not true.. She wanted it to-” you gulp the remainder of your sentence down with your courage as you look at their faces, knowing you've just made it worse. You just shot yourself in the foot, and there's no way out. 

“I'm going to need your gun and badge, I am hereby placing you under administrative leave effective immediately. You are not to leave town, you are not to act as detective or any form of enforcement in any capacity, including court. We will let you know of any changes once the investigation is no longer pending” the watch commander asserted as he opened his arm to take your gun as you paused for a moment. “Detective,” he warned gently. 

“Sorry” you mumbled as you took the badge off your belt, passing it to him with your eyes pinned to the badge in his palm, your hands trembling as you processed what had just happened. “What now?” you whispered, your eyes blurring ever so slightly as you glanced up at them both. 

“You go home, think over your defense” your commander advised, a faint crack in his voice seeping under his stoicism, confirming to you it wasn’t a decision either of them wanted. Clenching your jaw to hold the tears desperate to escape, you nod in understanding as your chin tremors. 

A stillness that can only be described as a frozen moment in time takes over before they separate from one another, creating an opening for you to exit your office. Swallowing your pride, you step out in silence, the whispers dancing around you as they gaze at the consequence of negligence and emotions. You expected to feel angry, but all you felt was betrayal, not only by her, but by yourself as well, allowing yourself to end up in this position. Now you've lost it all, in a flash of a second, you've lost your career, your dream, and Sevika. 

Your feet formed a mind of their own as you walked to your car, your head ringing profusely as the heel of your foot hit the concrete beneath you with every footstep. You had no idea what's next. Leaning on the little voice in your head, you drove down to the little bar hiding a block away, welcoming all the walking dead men and women, every degenerate and drunk, keeping eachother company. 

Locking the door behind you, you take a deep breath before pulling the door open, walking into the somber bar and sitting down in the corner, away from any form of life. “I'll have a Johnnie, neat. Please” you murmur as you rest your head on your palm, your elbows keeping you up. 

“Tough day at the office?” the bar man inquired as he poured your whiskey glass, sliding it over to you as he walked up to you. 

“You could say that” you replied with an audible scoff, still in disbelief at the turn of events. 

“You stuck on a case?” he suggested as he turned his back to you, placing clean glasses on the shelf, preparing for the afternoon rush while it was quiet. You furrow your brows as you look up at him, taken aback by his knowledge of you being a cop. 

“How did you-?”

“It's obvious you're a cop, jeans with a t-shirt and a leather jacket? Seriously? You couldn't be a more stereotypical cop.” he pointed out as he turned back around to face you, one brow raised as he scanned your attire. 

You let out a little chuckle as you down your drink, amused by his judgemental analysis. “You should be a detective yourself, Mr Sherlock” you rebuke playfully as you slide your glass back to him, indicating for a second pour. 

“I should, shouldn't I?” he remarked with a warm little laugh of his own, pouring your glass before he pulled his attention to the man at the other side of the bar calling him over. You grab your second glass, allowing the whiskey to burn its way down your throat, getting rid of the lump hidden in it. You let your head back down to the bar as your arms shield your face, your foot tapping against the bar rod along with the slow beat of the music playing in the background. An oncoming shuffle of a person approaches before they sit down beside you, their leg slightly brushing against yours as you shift back slightly, not bothered to pay any attention to their presence. 

“Do you usually start drinking at 11 AM?” your heart falls to your gut at the voice, the owner of it being only one possible person, and here they are, delivering themselves to you. In reflex, you slide your hand to your gun holster as you lift your head, only to be met with her brow raised, amusement lingering in her stone eyes. “Tsk, they took your gun, remember?” she taunted as she slid her jacket slightly, revealing the pistol in her holster. “They didn't take mine. stay” she asserted, her tone flat, almost as if she's bored, routined. 

“W-what? What are you doing here?” you ask as you lower your leg to the ground, preparing yourself for an easy escape. Her words were so contradictive with how calm she was, there were no nerves in her, she was confident. Her arms looked as though she didn't need her gun to kill you, a simple wrap around them and she'd crush you, her build was hunched over the thin bar stool, her shoulders leaned forward as she relaxed. 

“Do you usually stutter when you investigate someone?” she pondered, her eyes now turned to her glass as she raised it before pinning her attention back to you. “Cheers?” she offered, a thin smile forming for the first time since you met. 

“Cheers? To what?” you questioned cautiously, your body frozen at a loss of escape, or defense for that matter, and her aura was making you extremely unnerved. 

“To freedom” Sevika answered, her features sharp as she waited for you to obey. 

For some reason, her words, mixed in with the smug grin plastered on her beautiful face pulled a rage only the fool would act on, and it looked like you were a fool, with a death wish. You didn't have a weapon, but you had a fair amount of skill, not enough to beat her, but enough to let your adrenaline convince you that you can. Lifting your glass to feign a cheer, you pull the most convincing smile you can muster as you watch her cling her glass against yours. Catching your opportunity, you shift your arm forward and smash the glass onto her head, causing her to grunt heavily as she loses her posture, giving you just enough time to gain a head start. 

The lungs in your chest clamped together, ready to keep you afloat for this escape, hoping to put those running skills to good use. Slamming the bar door open, you let your feet take charge, running as fast as you can, each breath counting down as you made it further and further. You didn't dare look back, knowing if you do, it'll be a lost cause, it always is. All you knew was that she was behind you, you could see her shadow against the hot day, the sun reflecting on the pavement. She was getting closer. You strategize as you keep going, scanning for the best route to take, knowing the area like the back of your hand finally came useful, pointing you to the perfect alleyway. 

Sudden silence takes over, her shadow disappearing like a faded imagination, leaving you to lower your guard, slowing down as your run shifts into a jog as you enter the alley way. You find a wall to lean on, using it as a reinforcement to catch your lost breath, your chest heaving as you shut your eyes. 

You open your eyes back slowly before they go wide as you stand before her, her body shading you from the sun as she stood there and watched you, her breath far more recollected than yours. “I win” 

You let out a little shriek as you jump up slightly, comepletey taken aback by her presence. How did she beat you here? 

“We're quite alike if you really think about it. You know every creek and corner of every street, so does someone like me. You know how to operate a weapon, so do I. And best of all, you know how to lie and convince anyone to do whatever you want them to, and guess what? So do I. So tell me detective, what makes you so different from me?” she interrogated, her words clear and distinct as she scanned every shift in your pupils. Your stomach was in circles at how nervous and scared you were, there was no way out now. You knew you'd either leave here in a stretcher, or in a body bag. She didn't have her physique for show, she was strong and you could tell, her forearms showed her weight capacities, her legs looked like she could suffocate you with them in no effort. You needed a plan B, maybe it was time to stand up for yourself, hoping that will throw her off. 

“I dont kill for my own benefit” you spit as you take a step forward, not ready to let her win just yet, you can’t let her scare you. 

“Oh, you're a brave one aren't you?” Sevika cooed as she took the challenge, stepping forward as well, your chest ghosting on her shirt. 

“It's not bravery, I would need to be scared to be brave, and you don’t scare me” you lie, hoping your locked jaw will convince her otherwise. With your heart on pause, you watch time slow into a still quietude as she glared down at you, attempting to figure out your game, because you both knew this was a dangerous game. You couldn't tell if she was plotting or simply waiting for you to fold, but the tension was quickly melting you to speak up. “I deal with dirt like you everyday, you'll have to do a little more than that to make me scared of you” you scorned. 

A little smirk grows on her dark lips, taken aback by your words. “Okay detective, let me see you catch me without the security of a gun and badge, you think you can do that?” Sevika jibed as she lifted the leather hook over her pistol. Grabbing her gun, you back up immediately, only to watch her lower it to the ground, her eyes not leaving yours for an instant. 

Fuck.

You watched her stand back up before tossing the gun back a little more with her foot as she crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for your response. Both of you knew sevika would win, there was no question about it. You had your skills of course, but without your badge and gun, you were at a severe disadvantage. It was a game you couldn't win, and deep down, you knew it.

“Show me what you got princess”

[spicyraeman]

gen 5 and story 12

Thank you for the ask! I may have put a bit too much thought into these but I had fun lol

[Compainion!Tav Ask List]

5. Are there any instances where your Tav can permanently leave the party, depending on player character actions?

There are two instances where Vir will permanently leave; one is if the player considers accepting (or later does accept) Raphael's deal, and the other is if Wyll kills Karlach. 

In the Rapheal situation, the PC can either try to persuade (or deceive) them by saying that you don’t actually have any intentions of considering the deal or that they have a plan to outsmart the devil, but in both cases, if you fail the check they will leave the party believing that they’re better off on their own than someone stupid enough to make a deal with a devil.

And if Wyll kills Karlach, Vir will confront both the PC and Wyll and give them an ultimatum: either Wyll goes or they go. You can try to persuade them that Wyll truly regrets his actions and get them both to stay, but the DC is dependent on Vir's relationship level with the PC.

12. Is it possible for your Tav to be kidnapped and replaced by Orin? How is Orin's deception revealed? How do they react to the PC rescuing them in the Temple of Bhaal?

Vir is a potential kidnapping target and there are actually two versions of Orin reveal scene depending on if you took the path to harden them or not.

If they're hardened, they prey on the anxiety and paranoia of Orin possibly being anyone in hiding. They’ll talk the PC in circles and back them into logical corners, picking out recent strange habits of the other and hounding the PC on if they could commit to killing a party member they suspect to be Orin and if they could live with the outcome if they chose wrong. Whether or not the PC chooses to follow their logic, Orin will mock their answer and reveal herself.

If they’re not, then they have a scene similar to Halsin’s, starting with them in their werewolf form over a hurt Scratch or Yenna (dependent). They then shift back to their human form and begin rambling about how they couldn’t control themself and how it's secretly been getting harder for them to keep their beast in check and how the gods have so truly abandoned them that even Selûne won't have mercy on them. They ultimately pull out a knife, telling the PC a life without control over their own mind is not worth living and beg them to either put them out of their misery or they’ll do it themself. Like before, regardless of what the player picks, Orin will then reveal herself.

When the PC finally rescues them, they’ll be somewhat surprised but mostly relieved that they took the time to find them. They’ll also express some embarrassment and frustration that they let their guard down and weren't able to see through Orin’s ruse.