#Armine Sahakian

[eight-years-revolution]

Hi! I just found your game!! Wanted to ask what the general vibes of the relationships will be? The tropes or general flavor.... <3

Hi! I hope you’re enjoying the game so far!

I’m not very good with tropes, so I’ll try to give you a general vibe.

There’s definitely a power imbalance that might need to be addressed with all the ROs except for Berhane. Some are more sensitive to it than others.

Ajmal: It starts a little angsty. He’s very attached to his duty and is also very aware of the difference in status. Otherwise he’s very sweet and devoted and once the first hurdles are out if the way, that side of him will take over.

Zanetta: You can expect some subtle resistance at first. She knows that falling for the MC is not ideal. But you can expect her to deal with the complications of their relationship in a mature and healthy way, with a lot of communication. She’s very supportive in a relationship.

Felice: There’ll be quite a bit of angst in their route. They’re secretive and when the truth will come out, there might be some conflict. They also are the most distrustful of the RO so the building of the relationship will be slow and bumpy. But once their trust is won, they’re very loyal.

Armine: The chillest route lol. She’s straightforward, she knows what she wants, which makes the relationship pretty uncomplicated. Expects lits of hijinks, light-hearted scenes and MC learning to let loose with her.

Berhane: The war in Sarnah means that the relationship with them is very rocky to start with. I’d say it’s close to the enemies to lover trope. But once the tension eases, they address any issues straightforwardly and set up expectations and boundaries in a mature way, similar to Zanetta. They’re supportive as well, but with a firmer hand.

[armeniaitn]

Critical Inroads in State’s Turkish Divestment Efforts Announced

New Post has been published on https://armenia.in-the.news/society/critical-inroads-in-states-turkish-divestment-efforts-announced-74964-16-06-2021/

Critical Inroads in State’s Turkish Divestment Efforts Announced

BY ARA KHACHATOURIAN

The recent passage of a State Senate measure allowing local agencies to divest from Turkey has elevated the importance of the matter for the California State Teachers’ Retirement System, which has taken concrete steps to begin the process of divesting its interests from Turkey. This was announced by State Senator Anthony Portantino, who spearheaded the measure in the Senate, during a press conference on Wednesday morning on the Artsakh Street Promenade in Glendale.

Portantino was joined at the event by Glendale city officials and representatives of community organizations that backed the effort in thanking CalSTRS for the decisive action, which will mean that the organization will be removed from the original bill, placing added pressure on the California State Public Employees’ Retirement System to follow suit.

Portantino announced that CalSTRS has placed restrictions on the three Turkish state-owned banks, which will prevent them from being included in the CalSTRS portfolio, through either internal management or through ownership by an external manager. “As a direct result of this policy change, one of CalSTRS’ external managers is selling an investment in one of these banks,” explained Portantino.

CalSTRS has also directed each of its external managers who have Turkish state-owned entities in their portfolios to re-evaluate each of these investments to assess their compliance with CalSTRS’ Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) policy.

“CalSTRS is conducting additional risk evaluation of a Turkish-issued treasury that is currently the only investment issued or controlled by the Government of Turkey that they hold internally. We will continue to monitor this evaluation and its outcome but due to the significant steps they have taken, we are confident that they will continue to do the right thing,” added Portantino.

“I was pleased to join an impressive group of speakers and organizations on Artsakh Avenue today to announce the three divestment steps CalSTRS is taking to curb investment in Turkey.  Proud that SB 457, jointly authored with Senator Wilk, is making a difference. I extend my deep appreciation to STRS for this important, appropriate and positive decision,” said Portantino. 

“It is unconscionable that state and school employees of Armenian decent or not have a portion of their hard earned salary invested in a country that denies the Armenian Genocide and fails to take responsibility for its actions.  Historians and human rights organizations are watching and we can now add CalSTRS to the list of organizations doing the right thing,”  added Portantino.

In his remarks, Portantino highlighted not only Turkey’s continued denial of the Armenian Genocide, but also its active efforts in aiding Azerbaijan during last fall’s war, saying that California residents should not be forced to pay for Turkey’s human rights violations, especially Armenian state employees, whose investment into the pension system, which funds the country that murdered their ancestors.

He also presented messages from Senate Republican Leader Scott Wilk, who introduced the measure, SB457, along with Portantino and Senator Andreas Borgeas, who has been a strong proponent of the effort.

The event was moderated by Glendale City Councilmember Ardashes “Ardy” Kassakhian, who in his remarks highlighted the importance of the step taken by CalSTRS and commended Portantino and other lawmakers who have been on the forefront of the Turkey Divestment movement. He also emphasized the role that the Armenian Youth Federation and Armenian Student Associations have played in initiated the movement on University of California campuses, all of whose student governments individually voted to divest from Turkey.

“For far too long the costs and consequences of the Armenian Genocide have been borne by the victims of this international crime against all of humanity,” said Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region Executive Director Armen Sahakyan, who was one of the organizational representatives speaking at the event.

“We thank Senator Anthony Portantino and all co-authors of SB457 for their leadership on this critical issue, and applaud CalSTRS on this meaningful step of restricting Turkish holdings. Especially in light of President Biden’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide and Turkey’s ongoing aggressive posturing against Armenia and Artsakh, we call on CalPERS to follow the lead of CalSTRS in disallowing California public funds from being used in funding an unrepentant, genocide denialist government of Turkey,” added Sahakyan.

Also speaking at the event were the President of the Glendale Unified School Board Shant Sahakian, the President of the Glendale City College Board Dr. Armine Hacopian, Glendale Teachers’ Association president Taline Arsenian, representative of the AGBU Taline Yacoubian and the director of the Armenian Assembly of America Western Region Mihran Toumajan.

Glendale Mayor Paula Devine welcomed Portantino, the guests and the community to Glendale and expressed her support for the initiative. Also president were Glendale City Councilmembers Vrej Agajanian and Daniel Brotman.

Read original article here.

[eight-years-revolution]

A new NSFW illustration is up on my Patreon! This time it’s Armine’s turn in the bathroom.

[eight-years-revolution]

Hi there!:)

I'm curious as to what superstitions, myths and legends there are, if any of the ROs are superstitious about certain things?

Hi! Thank you for the ask!

I have some sparse notes on religion, so let me pull those out lol.

People from Ahabalad have a polytheist religion with a few gods representing forces of nature. The neighboring countries (like Sarnah) have similar religions but with some variations in their names and legends. They've been influencing each other's beliefs over the centuries/millenia.

In Ahabalad, the divinity that is worshipped the most is Hadia, the Rain Daughter. There are many legends surrounding the Gods and their relationship with mortals. One of them says that the hero Hayat has killed Nergyl, the Son of Flames, millenia ago, putting an end to a time of violent seismic and volcanic activity.

In Teledrica, the religion and beliefs are pretty different. The Dwarves don't believe in gods, but in saints, a lot of them actual historical figures ascended to divinity. Each of them represent a virtue and a sin and govern a particular hell. There are... many of them lol.

There are a lot of statues of different saints throughout Lagodoro and a lot of the superstitions revolve around them. Sometimes you have to touch a saint's bum for good luck, sometimes you have to give them an offering, and sometimes you have to avoid them altogether.

As for the ROs, I'll answer under a read more because this is getting a little long lol.

Ajmal isn't very superstitious. He is religious and pays dutiful respects to the gods when appropriate, but it's not a huge part of his life either.

Zanetta isn't very religious and not very superstitious either. She's too practical-minded for that I think. She swears a lot, though.

Felice is a different story. Maybe they wouldn't be superstitious if they had an easier life. But at this point, they'll try anything to help them survive. If patting some saint's foot is said to bring luck, they'll do it. Why not? They've got nothing to lose. They'll take to any superstition from any culture, they're not picky. Their beliefs tend to mix the glimpses of memories they have of their own culture and the Dwarven beliefs.

Armine is not very religious and not entirely superstitious but she perpetuates some rituals more out of tradition and habit than actual belief. It reminds her of her roots and her family when she feels lonely.

Berhane is a person of science before anything else. They don't believe much in religion and less so in superstitions.

[eight-years-revolution]

[BACK] - sender rubs a hand up and down receiver's back. May I request this for MC and Armine?

Thank you for the prompt! <3

[BACK] - sender rubs a hand up and down receiver’s back.

You glance up from your book to watch Armine walk around your bedroom, picking up random objects, examining each one, before putting them back down. You return to your reading, but the sound of Armine blowing raspberries attracts your attention again. It cannot be more obvious how bored she is and you smile.

“Do you want to play another game of qirkat?” You ask her.

“Please, anything but,” she whines and you chuckle.

As you continue to observe her from the corner of your eye, you notice she rubs the back of her neck while grimacing every once in a while. It makes you frown.

“Are you hurting?”

“Yeah,” Armine groans. “My back and neck are a bit sore. You know, bending down all day on jewelry work.”

You watch her stretch one arm up and then the other, her nose wrinkling as she makes a face.

“I could give you a back rub, if you want?” You propose casually, although you feel anything but.

Armine lifts one eyebrow and stares at you with a crooked smile. You shift in your chair under her scrutiny.

“You? Giving me a back rub?”

You frown, feeling a little offended.

“I will have you know I give excellent back rubs.”

The Elf snorts.

“How would you know? Do you give back rubs to your servants for practice?”

You feel your face heating with embarrassment.

“No, but… I read a book about it…”

At this, Armine straight-up laughs.

“That’s hardly the same as actually giving back rubs,” she points out, still highly amused.

“Well, I will not know until I try, then,” you grumble at her.

She gasps in pretend shock.

“You would use me as a test subject?”

“Armine,” you whine, bringing a hand to your face to hide your rapidly flushing cheeks.

She shrugs, a big smile on her lips.

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“I’ll let you rub my back.”

And as she says this, she starts unbuttoning her waistcoat. You sigh and mark the page of the book you were reading, closing it and setting it down on the coffee table. Armine throws her waistcoat unto the bed and you join her there, sitting on the soft mattress. You expect the Elf to do the same, but instead she starts undoing her shirt as well and your eyes widen in shock.

“What are you doing?!” You ask, panic making your voice rise a pitch higher.

Armine stops, her fingers frozen on the buttons of her shirt, looking back at you with genuine confusion.

“... Undressing so you can rub my back?”

“I…”

Your face is now burning and you avoid her gaze.

“You do not need to remove your shirt,” you finally say.

Armine grimaces.

“You’re going to do it through my shirt? That’s not going to feel nearly as good.”

“It… It would just be a lot more comfortable for me,” you explained, fiddling nervously with your hands.

She rolls her eyes but drops her hands from her buttons.

“Oh, alright,” she relents, dramatically turning around and letting herself drop on the mattress beside you, making it bounce significantly.

You find yourself sitting behind her, watching her back with hesitation. Her slightly undone shirt sags, revealing the nape of her neck, her braid pulled in front of her to allow you easier access. A mess of whispy dark blonde curls come undone from her braid, cascading down her neck, some of them slipping into the collar of her shirt.

Mindlessly, your hand reaches out and gently brushes the hair out of the way, your fingertips barely grazing her warm skin. A shiver shakes Armine’s shoulders and she giggles. You blink and retract your hand instantly.

“I am sorry.”

The Elf turns her head to look at you over her shoulder.

“For what? It wasn’t exactly what I had in mind, but it’s still nice.”

She smiles at you and you can see the little gap in her teeth. You do not know what it is, but there is something about it that relaxes you, makes you melt in her presence. Your shoulders sag and you smile back at her.

“Okay,” you murmur.

And you raise your hand again. Timidly, you splay it between her shoulder blades and you slowly drag it down her spine, putting light pressure into the touch and feeling every vertebra. You focus your attention on your fingers, catching and dragging the soft fabric of her cream shirt. Armine lets out a satisfied hum when your hand pushes back up, making you look up again, staring at her neck. You let your fingers meet her skin again, gently massaging her neck. Visible goosebumps spread across her skin as soon as your skin touches hers.

“Are my hands too cold?” You ask in a whisper.

“Mhm,” Armine simply hums, shaking her head.

You watch as the little wisps of hair move with her head and you let your hand follow the curve of her neck to her shoulder, your fingers leaving more little bumps in their wake.

“No,” she elaborates. “I just like it when you touch me.”

[eight-years-revolution]

One last discord question for you all!

This one is about how the ROs would react if MC fell asleep on them.

Ajmal would react much like someone who has a cat falling asleep on their lap. Obviously he can't move. :/ He just stays still until MC wakes up and might have a mild inner panic about it at first, but then he's just melting inside, happy that MC trusts him and is comfy enough with him to fall asleep on him.

Zanetta would smile and find it endearing. She might let them sleep on her shoulder for a little bit, but not too long. She'd try to lie them down without waking them up and would get them a blanket, making sure they can nap comfortably. She wouldn't want them to wake up with a sore neck!

Felice, like Ajmal, wouldn't move and just let MC sleep on their shoulder, if they are at a trusting enough stage of their relationship. They just would be a lot calmer about it lol. They also would be touched by MC's trust and level of comfort with them. Earlier on though, they'll probably tense up, might stay still for a while, but will have to move away from MC. They'd be careful not to wake them up, though, trying to make them comfy so they can keep sleeping.

Armine would be surprised that MC has fallen asleep on her, maybe a little offended too because if she sat still that long, she was probably talking non-stop to MC lmao. She would poke at their cheek to see if they wake up. If they don't, she'd draw silly things on their face. Sorry.

Berhane would have to take a moment to take in what's happening and examine how they feel about it. They'd hate to admit that it makes them very soft. They would stay still for just a moment, just enjoying the closeness, then they would either wake up MC to advise them to go to bed, or they'd carry them there.

[eight-years-revolution]

In December I posted a couple of questions that were asked on the discord some time ago, and then proceeded to completely forget about it lol.

I do have two more to share with you, so here’s one!

The question was how do the ROs sleep when they’re alone vs when they share a bed with someone.

Ajmal is tall and all limbs, so he takes a lot of room when sleeping alone. He tends to be too hot at night so he doesn’t use too much blanket. With a partner, he is a lot more conscious of the space he’s taking and will make sure they are comfy. If his partner is fine with it, he’ll very much want to cuddle while sleeping. Will get along just fine with a blanket hogger, lol.

Zanetta sleeps on her right side and doesn’t move around much, and she’ll likely do the same with or without a partner. She doesn’t hog the blanket, just takes what she needs. A very reasonable sleeper all around. She’s open to cuddling while sleeping, even if it’s not her go-to.

Felice sleeps in a fetal position and likes their blankets to entirely cover them. Usually, only the top of their head sticks out. With a partner, they’d likely behave the same and probably sleep their back to them at first. Later in a relationship, they’ll sleep closer to their partner, finding comfort in their proximity. Maybe they’ll even enjoy falling asleep while being spooned or held against their partner’s chest.

Alone, Armine sleeps diagonally in the bed, all limbs spread out, all tangled up in blankets. She takes as much room as she can. With someone else, she can be difficult, lol. She’ll both pull the blanket (not because she wants it for herself, more accidentally through moving in her sleep) and bumps her partner with her legs and arms as she moves around in her sleep. The best way to get her to behave in her sleep is to let her cuddle up to you, tbh.

Berhane can sleep in many positions and circumstances. They barely move at all during sleep, but they don’t have a go-to position, so if they are in a regular bed, it might change from night to night. With a partner, they just stick to their side of the bed and sleep like they would normally when alone. With someone they care about, they’ll enjoy some cuddling before sleep, but not during.

[eight-years-revolution]

A while ago I answered a few questions about the ROs on the discord server and thought it’d be a good idea to share the answers here. Then I forgot about it lol. But now is as good of a time as any so here’s one!

The ROs love languages, which were kinda touched on with a few previous questions, but here’s a more concise answer. (Although, the answer might change depending on how the characters evolve as I write them.)

Ajmal: physical touch and words of affirmation

Zanetta: acts of service

Felice:  gift giving and words of affirmation

Armine: quality time

Berhane: quality time and physical touch

[eight-years-revolution]

Another discord question! How are the ROs when they’re sleepy?

When sleepy... Ajmal is his usual self, I'd say, only a little more sluggish and maybe a bit clumsy and distracted.

For Zanetta, if it's the morning, she has less filter than usual and might be harsher if you annoy her. If it's the evening, you might catch her stubbornly reading in a chair while falling asleep.

Felice is rather grumpy and barely talks, just humming in response to anything you might say to them.

Armine is rarely sleepy, she tends to go from 100% to passed out pretty quickly. 

Berhane is actually quite relaxed when sleepy, more calm and collected than usual.

[eight-years-revolution]

Holiday specials — Armine

Hello again, I’m here to drop a new snippet! It’s Armine’s turn, today.

New year’s eve festivities are a whole new experience from down in the streets of Ahadinat. It is exciting, as well as a little overwhelming. When the night falls, the capital city’s arteries get even more crowded and you can feel a buzz pulsing through the throng. It is so loud too, people are talking and laughing and it does not seem to ever abate. They walk in a constant flow around you that nothing can stop, bringing you along in the current of warm bodies bumping carelessly into each other. The sun is long gone, but its heat still permeates the air, carried by the citizens as they amble down the street. It is also still bright thanks to the many lanterns everyone is carrying. Light is a big part of the festivities and you see so many of them moving and dancing in front of your eyes.

You feel a headache starting to pulse at your temples. It is just a little too much. You see friendly smiles and strangers asking you if you are doing alright. People reach out easily on new year’s eve, you notice, more than usual. Maybe it is the shared experience, the common goal to keep the city awake through the night, you are not sure.

You simply smile back and move on, your hand tightening around Armine’s. She turns her face to you and tilts her head questioningly. You smile weakly at her and that is all she needs to understand.

She pulls on your arm and tears you out of the flow, leading you into a less crowded side street. She stops near a house’s entrance, its stairs giving you a little bit of cover to catch your breath.

Armine takes your hand in both hers and gently brushes your knuckles with her thumb. There is a slight frown pinching a single line on her forehead.

“Are you okay?”

You close your eyes and nod, letting your back rest against the cool wall. “Yes. I just need… a moment. There is a lot of people.”

The Elf snorts. “Well, yeah!”

She leans against the wall beside you, still holding your hand and tracing circles on your skin. It grounds you and appeases you. Not an effect you thought Armine would have on you after all these years. But there it is.

“We can find a quieter spot to watch the fireworks,” your companion states, making your eyes flutter open.

You look at her. “I do not think there is a single quiet spot in this city at the moment.”

She giggles. “Don’t be ridiculous, if the people are out in the streets, that means they aren’t elsewhere.”

“If you mean their homes, then we will not have much of a view from indoors, will we now?” You retort with a frown.

“There’s the rooftops.”

You roll your eyes. “Somehow I doubt we are the first to think of watching fireworks from the rooftops.”

“But what about their workplace’s rooftop?”

You blink at her and she grins. “Yeah, I know. I do impress myself sometimes too.”

You give her a little shove with your shoulder and look away to hide your smile. She chuckles and straightens up, pulling on your hand.

“Come on! Let’s find the perfect make-out spot.”

“Armine!” You protest, your face turning warm as you follow her down the narrow street.

It is not long until you find a dark and empty ceramic workshop. It takes longer for you to find a way up to the roof. In the end, you have to jump over a small iron gate to access a set of stairs on the side of the building. It makes you nervous, but Armine assures you everything will be fine and you choose to trust her.

Once on top of the stairs, which only lead to the top floor, you have to do a little more climbing and you are on a deserted rooftop. It is dirty and not furnished in any way. You walk past the kilns’ large chimneys and Armine unwraps her shawl from around her shoulders to set it on the floor, like a blanket. It makes you wince a little, but better that than sitting directly on the dirty floor.

You both settle on Armine’s shawl and face the royal palace. The view is clearer than you expected, the workshop being up on a hill. What was once your home towers over the city, brightly lit by thousands of lanterns, making its silhouette stand out starkly against the darkness of the night. It does something to you, being both so close and so far from it. You gather your knees against your chest, wrapping your arms firmly around your legs. Your heart feels heavy in your chest and you swallow with difficulty.

You soon feel Armine cuddling up to you. She takes your hand, laces her fingers with yours, and brings it to her lap. Her head falls on your shoulder and you can breathe more easily.

You wait for quite a while for the fireworks to start, but you cannot complain. It is chillier up on the rooftop, so you and Armine stay close, sharing each other’s body warmth. When the palace’s lights dim, lanterns being snuffed out one at a time, you know there is not much longer to wait. The whole city seems to turn a lot quieter, everyone holding their breath for the show to come.

Then a single rocket pierces the air with a whistle. It explodes in a loud pop and sparkles shower down from the sky, bathing the palace and the rest of the city in soft golden light.

You watch the fireworks huddled together, red, green, and blue explosions lighting your faces alternatively.

When the show comes to an end, the city bells start all ringing at once. One time for the Night Father. A second time for the Hells Child. A third time for the Rain Daughter. And a fourth time for the Sun Mother.

“It is midnight,” you announce.

Armine straightens up suddenly. “What, already?”

You look at her and hum. She looks back, one eyebrow raised and a slow smile forming on her lips.

“You know, we have a tradition, back home,” she says. “For new year’s eve.”

“What is it?”

“You have to kiss the person next to you at midnight.”

She grins at you and your eyes widen. “You just… kiss them? Even if it is a stranger?”

“Well, it’s usually just me and my family. And it’s just a kiss on the cheek.”

“Oh.”

Her grin widens. “Unless it’s a special someone.”

Your face heats up and you glance away awkwardly for a moment. It has been a while and you still get flustered, somehow.

“Then what are you waiting for?” You mumble. “It is going to be midnight and one soon.”

Armine grabs both of your cheeks and turns your head so abruptly that she might as well be trying to break your neck. Then she smashes her lips against yours. You hum against her mouth in surprise before relaxing as the kiss turns softer. Armine peppers your lips with gentle pecks, each one turning longer and longer. One of her hands moves to your neck, the other one digging in your hair. You part your lips and let her tongue explore your mouth, yours meeting her halfway. She lets a pleased hum vibrate against your mouth and you respond in kind, a shiver running down your spine.

The kiss is long and it is only the first one.

[eight-years-revolution]

hiiii if you haven’t gotten this request before, maybe

💐 and everyone? 🥺

Thanks, anon! I never got that one and it’s a very cute one! Although I’m going to have to do some research lol.

💐 BOUQUET - create a bouquet for them! what do those flowers mean? are any of the flowers their particular favourite?

Ajmal - I imagine an all-white bouquet since it’s often used to symbolize purity. Maybe some angelica flowers for inspiration, white jasmine for sweet love, and white calla lilies for beauty (because he’s the prettiest boy).

Zanetta - I think red flowers would fit her well, it’s a bold color. Maybe red camellias for passion and gladioluses for strength.

Felice - I picture Felice’s bouquet with colors ranging from pink to purple. It feels soft and melancholic and it suits them. It would include anemones (forsaken), pink camellia (longing)

and lavender (distrust).

Armine - I would go with warm, bright colors for Armine, yellows, reds and oranges. I’m thinking yellow crocus (cheerfulness), lilies (happiness) and hollyhocks (ambition).

Berhane - I would put purple and red flowers in Berhane’s bouquet, because they remind me of passion and power. I’d pick amaryllises (pride), heliotropes (devotion) and irises (valor).

For the record, I have no idea if any of those bouquets would work irl, lol.

[eight-years-revolution]

if the ROs were in an orpheus/eurydice situation, would they look back or make it out without looking?

Thank you for this wonderful and heart-wrenching ask! *chinhands*

Ajmal would not look back but would have to fight his desire to do so the whole way, alternating between crying of joy (they're going to be back) and crying of despair (what if it doesn't work and I never see them again?).

Zanetta doesn't look back and manages to keep her cool for most of the way back. She might waver for a moment, wondering if it's a trick. But then she continues. If it's a trick, she'll figure something out.

Felice... It might depend on where they're at in their life and their relationship with MC. But they are the most likely to look back, desperate to make sure it's true, that they are behind them, that they've not been manipulated again.

Armine would be at risk to look back, simply by distraction, tbh. She would want to talk to MC the whole time, she would simply want to see them because she misses them. It'd be hard, but I think she'd remind herself how important it is and she would not look back.

Berhane would not hesitate a moment and would not look back at any point. They would try to make the trip as short as possible, though, get rid of the ordeal, and get MC back already.

[eight-years-revolution]

If your ROs had to romance an RO from another IF, who do you think they’d go for?

Oh my gosh I love this! Thanks for the ask!

For Ajmal, I'm thinking Danny from Smoke & Velvet (@roast-ifs), because they're so soft and sweet and I think it'd appeal to Ajmal's protective and nurturing side. Also they both like arts and theater so they'd have that to get excited about together.

I think Zanetta would be into someone like the Sage from the Nameless (@parkerlyn). They're calm, confident, nice and very smart and she just thinks that's very sexy.

Felice would fall for Penrose from Virtue's End (@crimsiswrites), I think. He feels very reliable and also very sweet and caring and Felice really needs that. I think Penrose would give them the assurances they need.

I feel like Armine has a bit of a similar vibe to Amilia from the Exile (@exilethegame). They'd probably enjoy getting each other in a wide range of shenanigans. I think it'd be cute!

Berhane would probably not go for anyone lmao, they've got better things to do. But if you can make them hang out long enough with Levi from Sentinel (@nyehilismwriting), then maybe something would happen. There'd be mutual respect and I think Levi could get Berhane to chill a bit and boy, do they need to chill.

[eight-years-revolution]

Anniversary snippet - Armine

Hello, today is Armine’s turn! This is a bit of a long one, I added a lot of context, lol. The prompt I went for is bandaging the other’s hand and not quite letting go from this list. Enjoy!

You had agreed to accompany Armine at the artisanal fair, to Sir Mansoor’s dismay. She wanted to ‘check out the competition’, as she said. But she probably mostly wanted to have some fun, as she was wont to do. You were just happy that she thought it would be more enjoyable with your company.

So you were walking down a crowded plaza, arm in arm with the Elf, while Ajmal was following at a short distance, eyes everywhere. But not to admire the stalls, brimming with various goods, which you passed at a leisurely pace. Armine was pulling you this way and that way to look closer at each display, complimenting the artist, asking questions, and joking around. You had already seen the work of several jewelry makers, but the young Elf had quickly lost interest in spite of the trade being her area of expertise.

Instead, she had stirred you directly towards the food stalls. It was hardly a surprise, considering Armine’s sweet tooth. At that point, you were already stuffed with all the free samples the Elf had managed to snatch for both of you (and some for Ajmal too). As soon as you showed interest in a product, Armine would sweet-talk the stall owner into giving you a sizable sample and as thoughtful as the attention was, you did not think you could eat any more. You also felt bad for all these artisans, working so hard to sell the fruit of their labor, only to have the Elf swindle them out of a few treats and never actually buying anything. None of them seemed to take it badly, however, so you supposed it was fairly usual.

As entertained as you were, you were starting to get tired, your feet aching from all the walking and you thought you had seen all the food you could possibly want to see in a lifetime when you heard a voice beaconing the passersby. You turned your head and leaned forward and back to see a bakery stand beyond the crowd. Armine quickly noticed where your attention had drifted towards and she leaned as well to see.

“What’s this?”

“It is alright, I think we had enough free samples for…”

You were interrupted by the bellowing voice of a Dwarven man. “COME OVER AND TRY YOUR LUCK!!! WIN AN ARM-WRESTLING MATCH AND BRING HOME THIS BEAUTIFUL PIE!!!”

That was all Armine needed to hear before grabbing your hand and pushing her way through the crowd. “It’s not a sample, it’s a whole ass pie!”

You felt your face flush at the touch and at her wording. She pulled you along until she reached the stall, her eyes taking in the display ravenously while her hand was still in yours.

The baker smiled brightly at you when you met his eyes, white teeth glinting under a thick black mustache.

“Do you want to try and win this — dare I say — beautifully crafted sweet mushroom pie, m’Lairds?” He asked, looking between you and Armine.

The Elf scrunched up her nose. “Sweet mushroom? That sounds kind of gross…”

“Armine…” You scolded her in an uncomfortable whisper.

“I beg your pardon, but I guarantee you that this pie is my and my husband’s best work,” the baker protested in pretend offense, his hand resting on the shoulder of a burly Dwarf, sitting at a small table beside the stall.

At the sight of his arms bulging underneath the rolled-up sleeves of his shirt, you guessed he was who you had to confront in order to win the pie. You took a closer look at said prize. The pie had a nice golden brown color, its shape was perfectly regular, making it one of the most appetizing baked goods you had seen in a while. But what really made it stand out was the decor shaped with strands of dough on top of the crust. A couple of beautifully rendered mushrooms occupied the center of the pie and a crown of foliage was framing it.

“It looks gorgeous,” you murmured.

“You do me too much honor, m’Laird,” the baker replied, looking honestly touched by the compliment.

Armine looked at you then at the pie, leaning over it to take a closer look. “I have to admit, it does look pretty.”

She sniffed the pie ostentatiously. “Smells good too.”

The baker narrowed his eyes at her. “Well, if you still doubt me, you can try your luck. Beat my husband at a game of arm-wrestling and find out yourself.”

Armine turned to you and you knew she was trying to gage your interest. You could not help but let your gaze wander back to the pie. It was so beautiful and you were curious to know what it tasted like.

“Maybe we could ask Ajmal if he would mind…”

“I’ll do it!” Armine cut you off, a bright smile on her lips.

Your eyes widened and you looked between her and the baker’s husband.

“Armine…” You tried to keep your voice low. “His arms are at least twice the size of yours!”

She glanced at the Dwarven man who rested his elbows on the table, returning her stare with one of his own, his bicep flexing ever so slightly.

“Make that three times!” She said, her smile even brighter, obviously unbothered.

You watched her turn slightly away from the stall to dig in the pouch she had hanging at her belt. Instead of pulling out a coin, as one might expect, a pendant was hanging from her fingers when she removed them from the small fabric bag. She slid it over her head, the thin chain settling around her neck. The small blue stone embedded in the leaves-shaped pendant had a slight glow to it.

You leaned towards her to whisper near her ear, a little concerned: “Is it magic? Would that not be cheating?”

“Shhh,” she replied. “It’s just to give me a little nudge, don’t worry about it.”

But you did worry about it. Enchanted jewelry was rare and expensive so it was unlikely the Dwarves would even think about it, but that slight gleam was unusual. Come to think of it, you never saw an enchanted necklace that looked quite like that before.

Armine turned back towards the Dwarves, beaming at them. She rolled up the sleeves of her own shirt, revealing delicate wrists and skinny forearms. She sat confidently in front of the baker’s husband nonetheless, legs widely apart, feet firmly planted in the ground, elbow slamming on the table, and fingers flexing.

“I’m ready!” She exclaimed eagerly.

The baker and his husband exchanged surprised and skeptical looks.

“Are you sure m’Lady?” The baker asked Armine with a worried frown.

“Yeah, bring it on!” Armine shot back, staring down her opponent. “Unless you’re scared!”

The baker’s husband let out a scoffing bark of a laugh, the first sound you heard him make so far. He slowly positioned his thick elbow on the table, enormous muscles rippling as his large hand almost entirely enclosed Armine’s. Even if the Elf was taller than him, the size difference was now made even more obvious. He was larger than her in every other way. Even with the help of magic, you were not sure Armine could do anything against the muscle-bound Dwarf.

The baker gave the signal to start the match and each of the opponents’ arms tensed as they started pushing. You fully expected Armine’s hand to hit the table immediately, but to your surprise, her forearm stayed upright. The standstill continued for a long moment and onlookers started to stop and group around the stall, watching with awe at the little Elf, holding her own against the much heavier Dwarf.

Armine’s face turned red with the effort, biting down her lip and huffing and puffing. But she held strong.

“Fuck! He’s strong!” She groaned as her and her opponent’s arms began to shake.

You watched, mesmerized, as she started gaining some ground and managed to push the Dwarf’s forearm towards the table.

“Oh, shit…” The Elf swore just when you started to think that maybe she could win.

Suddenly, her forearm snapped back and her hand hit the table violently, to the Dwarf’s own surprise. He immediately released her hand and stood up with a start.

“Saints— Sorry, you okay?” He asked as Armine was shaking her hand while making pained noises and grimaces, swearing up a storm.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” she replied, trying to reassure him with a lopsided smile.

But it was obvious she had hurt herself so you approached her to take a look at her hand.

“Let me see…” You asked, your concern taking over all thoughts.

The Elf let you take her hand in yours and you were careful not to put any pressure on her wrist and fingers. Her hand’s movements did not seem impaired in any way, but her knuckles were red and scratched, little beads of blood pearling on the skin.

“I have bandages,” Ajmal murmured next to you and you suspected he had come closer at the commotion.

You watched him pull out his first aid kit from his coat and he was ready to start bandaging Armine’s hand when you stopped him.

“I can do it.”

Sir Mansoor paused, frowning slightly. “Are you sure, my Laird?”

You nodded and he looked between you and the Elf. His lips pursed in a skeptical or disapproving expression, but he handed the leather kit to you nonetheless. Armine stood up and chuckled, patting his arm.

“You’ve got better things to do, anyway,” she said with a grin. “Go win us a pie!”

Ajmal groaned and rolled his eyes, but he still took her seat. The knight could never resist a challenge of strength.

Armine started watching the new arm-wrestling match, her hand still in yours. Meanwhile, you took a clean cloth out of the kit and a small bottle of rubbing alcohol.

“Fuck him up, Ajmal!” The Elf started heckling.

“I am not going to—” The knight turned his head towards her, distracted.

But the baker’s husband was gaining some ground on him and he had to refocus on the match, bringing both of their arms back up. Armine chuckled, but she winced and looked back at you when you started gently cleaning her wounds.

Once you were done, you set the cloth and bottle down on the baker’s stall to take clean bandages out of the kit. You were focusing solely on your task, trying not to think too hard about the prolonged contact of her hand in yours. Besides, you wanted to do things right. Your intense concentration seemed to capture Armine’s attention. Instead of following Ajmal’s progress, she looked at your joint hands and up at you, observing you as you delicately wrapped the bandage around her knuckles. After one last turn, you tied the gauze neatly, hiding the knot away to not get in her way.

“All done,” you murmured, more to yourself than anything.

Yet you did not release her hand immediately, your eyes lingering on thin, long, but rough fingers. Without you realizing it, your thumb brushed softly over her knuckles.

“You’re sweet,” Armine murmured, leaning over to reach your ear.

You dropped her hand, startled by the sound of her voice, so close, and the sensation of her breath on your skin. She planted a quick kiss on your cheek.

“Thank you,” she said just before turning towards Ajmal and the baker’s husband.

“TEAR HIS ARM APART!!!” She yelled enthusiastically.

[eight-years-revolution]

i know you've answered this before but if u want.. cus new year new costumes... what are the ROs dressing up as for halloween? love u mwah mwah

Thank you for the ask! New costume time! For those who might not have seen it, here's the first costume ask.

Ajmal's costume is just as obscure as the last one, unfortunately. He chooses a poorly known mythology creature as a theme and has the outfit custom-made by a tailor, giving specific instructions on the design. It's all very subtle and elegant, with a lot of symbolism, hand-stitched shimmering scales, etc. No one gets it and he's very frustrated by that.

Zanetta still can't be bothered to try, so she'll be a slutty witch. She pretty much puts on a regular but sexy black dress and only a pointy hat as a themed accessory. She will come up with some elaborate backstory for her slutty witch though.

Felice might go as a pirate this time. A very fancy pirate, though. They'll once again build their own costume with second-hand pieces and make it their own, choosing a pastel color theme to stay on brand. Expect giant avant-garde ruffles.

Armine goes as a pumpkin. She puts on an orange costume with thin black stripes, with billowing pants and sleeves. She has an orange hat with a green stem that looks like the top of a pumpkin. It's cute, but in a fashionable way.

If you somehow manage to convince Berhane to wear a costume, they'll wear something obscure, preferably that includes unsettling face paint. Maybe some monster from forgotten folklore. But unlike for Ajmal, it’s purposeful. They get offended at people who don’t get what their costume is to mess with them.

Love u too mwah!

[eight-years-revolution]

Armine and Penrose (Virtue’s End - @crimsiswrites ) for a kiss on the cheek. :)