#Coping with trading losses

[techmarkethunter]

Mastering Emotional Discipline in Trading: A Guide to Managing Fear and Greed

Title: Mastering Emotional Discipline in Trading: A Guide to Managing Fear and Greed Introduction: Trading in financial markets is not just about numbers and charts; it’s also a psychological game. Success in trading requires more than just technical skills; it demands emotional discipline. In this blog post, we will explore the crucial aspect of managing fear and greed in trading and how…

[shokuto]

ATSV isn’t Miles drawing a line between suffering and heroism or making a point that heroes don’t suffer period and bad things never happen (because it’s not even true in his case, and he would not be Spider-Man if RIPeter never died and Earth 42 wasn’t left without a Spider-Man), it’s him affirming that Spider-Man saves whoever he can whenever they need saving, like his father, while Miguel tells him his death is necessary because he can’t cope with the reality of unpredictable tragedy anymore and has effectively traded out the concept for predictive and therefore acceptable losses

[serpentface]

THE HIGHLAND KHAIT: AN OVERVIEW

The Highland khait, known internally as the feydhi, is a landrace breed of the Highlands of contemporary Imperial Wardin, and highly distinctive from all other native khait in the region. Their horns are notably unusual, being curved and pointed and frequently asymmetrical, which is often cited as a result of their folkloric origins as hybrids of khait and the (asymmetrically one-antlered) scimitar deer. They are very stocky and small for a riding breed, typically standing no more (and usually less) than 55 inches at the shoulder. Their coats come in a wide variety of colors and patterning, though a majority of individuals are dun or gray. Their manes are notably short and stiff, and they lack the beards common in many other khait breeds.

While notably slower than other khait, feydhi are very surefooted and have notably smooth gaits, able to move at a steady trot over difficult terrain with minimal bouncing for the rider. They are extremely strong for their size, and fully capable of carrying most adult riders and heavy packs, and pulling plows.

Their hair is longer than average but provides little insulation and they do not grow winter coats, and instead rely predominantly on fat stores to cope with winter conditions. They are easy keepers that can gain and maintain mass with very poor grazing, though most require supplements of grain to their diets to gain sufficient fat stores to survive winters in the highest settled altitudes.

Feydhi can adapt well to the hotter lowlands conditions than other Highlands livestock largely due to this lack of thick hair. Because they require no supplement to their diet to maintain condition, they are very affordable khait and an asset (along with a few other specialized lowlands breeds) during dry seasons, and see wide use throughout Imperial Wardin (particularly as pack animals along trade routes). They often survive a little too well in the lowlands, being adapted to sparse mountain pastures rather than seasonally abundant grasslands, and can be prone to obesity when allowed to graze freely.

They show a small degree of selection for milk production due to the import of dairy to the regional diet of the Highlands. Their milk has the highest fat content of the native livestock, but a notably gamey taste that is generally disfavored. It's used primarily as-is for basic sustenance and medicinal purposes- growing children and pregnant women are encouraged to drink feydhi milk to build fat stores, and mounted herders will often ride lactating mares in the winter and subsist largely upon their milk. Their meat is also the fattiest of any of the regional livestock and (unlike their milk) generally regarded as the best in taste, though their value as riding animals and more expensive upkeep prevents their consumption on any regular basis.

Rendered, chilled feydhi fat mashed with berries and eaten on bread is a seasonal delicacy eaten at midwinter feasts. It is considered an obligation of a wealthy ruling clan to slaughter some of their khait and provide the fat for this meal to their dependents, and an indication of failing wealth and authority if they cannot. A phrase translating as 'rich in cattle, poor in fat' invokes the notion of having a clan having superficial wealth (in cattle, which can largely sustain themselves on poor grazing and thus can hide a loss of material power for a period) but a heavily insecure position (unable to actually afford to lose their more high maintenance assets), and is used colloquially to describe a person or people giving hollow performances to mask lacking or lost substance.

They have some unique behavioral quirks among khait, such as a propensity to use their lower teeth in allogrooming to rake and scratch each other. This favoring of their teeth also lends more aggressive animals to biting (in addition to the far more khait-typical headbutting and kicking), a behavior that seems reserved exclusively for humans and is rarely used in intraspecies conflict. As with all bovidae, they no upper incisors and their bite can only do so much harm in most circumstances, but they can cause significant damage to the fingers of the unwary. They are also known for their tendency to consume bite-sized animals such as small birds when given the opportunity- this is not atypical of khait (or many grazing herbivores at large), but is emphasized in combination with their tendency to bite to cast them as uniquely carnivorous.

Their temperaments are regarded as notably stubborn and somewhat testy, but this is made up for with their intelligence and generally calm demeanor. Feydhi are most prized for their bravery- they do not spook easily against wild predators and can perform some functions as livestock guardians, readily chasing off small threats and known to stand their ground against even large predators, particularly hyena (the most populous and routinely threatening predator in the region).

This trait is commonly noted in folktales- one western mountain pass is said to be haunted by the ghost of an old gray mare who stood guard over her master (a noted drunk, who had fallen off her back and passed out) against a pack of hyenas for an entire night. When her rider awoke the next day, he found her dead and bloodied with her horns stuck into a hyena's side, having killed the predators but succumbed to her own wounds. He was so sorrowful that he resolved to never drink again (outside of holidays, and perhaps weddings) and buried her under stone. Travelers through this pass customarily pour out liquor and leave little offerings of grain for the animal's spirit, which is said to be seen at night from a distance, standing vigilant atop its cairn, but vanishes when approached.

The settlement cycle stories of the Hill Tribes go into extensive detail about the cattle and horses brought overseas with the migrants, but elaborate little on their khait and imply that a riding culture did not exist during the settlement period. The stories tend to describe people as walking on foot or riding their cattle, and khait riding is only mentioned in descriptions of proto-Wardi mounted nomads in the lowlands. It is likely that khait riding (rather than sole use as pack animals) was an adopted practice post-settlement, and possible that khait were not brought along with the migrants to begin with.

The actual origins of the feydhi breed are ambiguous as such. Old Ephenni folklore mentions tiny 'fairy' khait living in the Highlands that predated the arrival of the Hill Tribes, suggesting that these animals were already established as feral herds. It's highly possible that these herds were are a relic of the cairn-building civilization that existed in the Highlands prior to recorded history and had already long vanished (likely in a combination of plague and dispersal) prior to the settlement. The stories of feydhi being hybrids between foreign khait and native deer is also suggestive of such an origin, with wild deer as ancestors being a mythologized twist on feral khait.

Feydhi do not have the same status of cattle or horses as fundamental to subsistence, with much of their use being in utility as pack animals and transport over difficult terrain. However, they play very significant roles in the livestock raiding aspects of warrior culture, where they are used for quick exits and to help drive cattle and horses. Their roles in other aspects of warrior culture are more varied between tribes- some use them near-exclusively for raids, while others rely on them for open combat. Khait warrior culture is most central in the western Urbinnas tribes, who each consider themselves to be the most skilled riders and uniquely specialize towards mounted archery. The Urbinnas tribes have a long history of interaction with the lowlands Ephenni Wardi (alternating cycles of conflict and trade, and a half century of allyship against Imperial Burri occupiers). Both groups have a strong history of mounted warrior culture, and each claims to have introduced mounted archery to the other.

Khait also play roles in regional combat sports, which include mock battles and raids, races, archery, and most famously khait wrestling. The latter involves two mounted riders attempting to wrestle one another off their khait, gain control of their opponent's mount, and then successfully lead both animals out of the ring without their opponent re-mounting. This sport requires very calm, collected animals that will not panic while being fought over, and the measured temperament of the feydhi is well suited.

[shadrell]

Wo-hoo! Time to tell about Pandora's retinue. Long text.

CT-154374A (leads the lexmechanics on the ship and led the tech-priests on the exploration expedition as Pandora's right hand)

He knew Pandora back when she had not yet received the rank of Magos, and he himself was a simple acolyte. Usually, she does not pay attention to those who have not yet become a full-fledged member of the Machine cult. This is not arrogance, but rather a banal lack of interest. But she appreciated CT-154374A's abilities and contributed to his development.

He is a perfectionist to the core, phlegmatic, has management skills and copes with his job perfectly. However, he is too tactful and non-confrontational - and this greatly hinders his career advancement.

Considered a Lexmechanic for his love of organizing information, he has yet to decide which line of research he likes best. During a exploration expedition, Pandora fully appreciated the versatility of his skills. A jack of all trades, to put it bluntly.

Alpha-Xi 0023 (leads a maniple of classiari)

A shining example of the devout native of Forge World who lacked the skills to become tech-priest, but had plenty of fighting spirit. He worked his way up from a common laborer to an alpha-skitarii through long and hard work, trading his own achievements for new augmentations. His track record includes particular effectiveness on the battlefield, participation in the defense of the Ex-beta-734 manufactorum, as well as leading a successful operation to eliminate the leaders of a workers' revolt.

He is fanatical in his faith in the Omnissiah, but otherwise retains a fair amount of humanity. Before Pandora, he had little interaction with magos, but he had heard enough about the experiences of others, and therefore at first he was afraid that she would be wasteful in the matter of using skitarii. Alpha-Xi 0023 feels an excessive responsibility for his subordinates and is extremely prudent. However, magos Pandora has proven herself to be an excellent strategist so far, with her instructions leading the maniple out of battles without a single loss, and therefore he can rest easy.

Theta-000001A (leads cohort of hypaspists)

Unlike Alpha-Xi 0023, he was born to be a Skitarii, and has been trained since childhood. He is quite young and has not yet had time to prove himself in combat, but was appointed to his position due to his excellent performance in training. His cohort are brothers and sisters who grew up with him, and the squad was formed when they were still children.

Faith in the Omnissiah and a sense of his own destiny have been ingrained in his mind over the years of training, as has loyalty to the magos to whom his cohort was later entrusted. Theta-000001A yearns to become an even more perfect instrument of the Machine God, but due to his youth and an unpleasant encounter with one of the elder skitarii as a child, he fears losing his identity in the process. He is quite detached from all things worldly, but feels a strong connection with his subordinates, as if they were a big and strange family (which they are).

[nightlyrequiem]

Thinking about your post about what it would be like to be Valeria's wife and how do you think Valeria would react if she found out that reader was cheating on her? like, reader was feeling frustrated and not getting the love and support that she needs from valeria, so she looks for validation and that love elsewhere

AHHH. I've been wanting to write a one-shot about cheating for ages but I just haven't gotten around to doing it. Valeria is the one cheating though.

I've been cheated on by two different people, so my opinion on cheaters isn't very high. Wasn't very high to begin with anyway really. It's super fun to explore different perspectives though

Valeria with a Cheating Wife

Valeria would be pissed. First and foremost. Even more so if she has to find out on her own. Valeria doesn't even care that you've been feeling unloved and lonely because she sees this as an ultimate act of betrayal. Let's say finds out by looking through your phone or something. She is pissed, yes, but there is this deep-rooted hurt under it. (Which only makes the anger worse.) Valeria isn't the type to jump from relationship to relationship. She's incredibly distrustful and it takes a while for her to start letting down her walls.

So when she glances at your phone when it pings only to see an odd message, like "Tomorrow sounds good ;)". Or something. Valeria snoops right away. Scrolling through the long history of texts between you and this woman - evident by the nudes traded between the two of you. Her heart sinks as she reads about you complaining about her. Oh, she's always away, she was cold and grumpy today, being with Valeria is so lonely. She kind of just... stared at those texts for a while.

You come into the bedroom from doing whatever. Maybe you were showering or something, doesn't matter. Valeria is silent up until you get into bed with her. She wanted to ask subtly. To catch you in a lie or something but she's at a loss for words. She's so hurt and angry that she asks straight up if you're cheating. Valeria's heart shatters a little bit when you quietly admit you do. That quickly turns into you pouring your heart out about how neglected you feel. You feel like she's fallen out of love with you, even suspected she may have been having an affair herself.

Valeria, naturally, screams at you and kicks you out. Throws you out with your car keys and locks the door. She breaks things and contemplates how she'll kill the woman you were seeing behind her back. The thought of action, of writing this wrong helps her cope better. Then, she cries. It's not violent or dramatic sobbing. Just a few angry tears that are swiftly wiped away.

Valeria would also be embarrassed. She wasn't enough for you so you went to someone else.

Best case scenario is she simply divorces you and wants nothing to do with you but I feel like there's a good chance she'd kill you in a fit of rage. A small part, would feel guilty for having neglecting you but not enough for her to forgive cheating.

[lees-chaotic-brain]

rating things my classmates said/did after my dad died! (feat. class 1-a)

cw: mentions of death obviously, you're a member of class 1-a, crack, hurt/comfort, reader is religiously ambiguous, implied depression ig, some angst but mostly crack

note: guys i swear it's okay to laugh at this! i did!! some may say it's too soon but humor is how i cope and i missed writing so when this little idea invaded my brain while i was rewatching bhna (it's my comfort show) i couldn't resist

blog navigation | bhna masterlist

ochako: “if you believe in heaven i would offer to use my quirk on you so you could float up to heaven and visit your dad but i doubt they'd let you in anyways”

9/10

low key made me giggle

iida overheard and was horrified.

izuku: “i'm so sorry for your loss. if you ever need to talk i’m here. i know it’s not the same at all but my dad wasn’t around while i was growing up so i can kinda understand. not that i’m saying you have to talk to me because of that or that i understand or that we should make a dead/missing dad club oh my god i need to stop talking i’m so sorry i’ll leave you alone now bye please tell me if you need anything!” *scurries away*

11/10

sweet cinnamon roll 🥹

we should fs make a dead/missing dads club

todoroki: “i’m so sorry for your loss. if i could make my father trade places with yours i would do it in a heartbeat. unrelated, i heard you and midoriya are starting a dead/missing dads club. may i join? mine is dead to me.”

8/10

right idea i guess 😭😭

it was going so well during the first sentence too…

ps ofc you can join our club

bakugou: stormed into my room and violently ripped me from my depression burrito and dragged me downstairs to force feed me a warm home cooked meal bc he knew i hadn’t left my bed or eaten in the last 24 hours

6/10

i always knew you cared abt me us blasty 🥹🥰

the food was delicious but plz be more gentle abt it next time king 🙏

mineta: “yo your mom is a total milf.”

numbers don’t go low enough to express my feelings towards this one

like at my father’s funeral?? the AUDACITY

jirou: spent hours searching for a very specific song my dad sang to me when i was little and actually found it bc she found m crying bc i couldn’t find it and i wanted to hear it again

♾️/10

i actually love you so much

you have no idea how much this meant to me ❤️

aoyama: stuffed cheese into my mouth while i was crying in my depression burrito

-3/10

wtf man that was actually more traumatizing

it wasn’t even parmesan or brie

tokoyami: went on a long spiel about how we are all destined for the Great Darkness then abruptly ended by saying he was sorry for my father’s early departure and disappearing back into his room

7/10

i think you were trying to make me feel better so i appreciate the effort. i am a little confused tho

kiri: ask me if i wanted a hug. when i started crying he started tearing up too then gave me one of the best bear hugs i’ve ever gotten

20/10

super manly dude. i really needed it at the moment and appreciated it ❤️

gonna end this here. i had a few more but i felt like these were the best ones. not tagging anyone since this is like a personal self comfort one lol

THAT DOESN’T MEAN I DON’T WANT YOU GUYS TO LAUGH OR TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK. TRUST IT WILL MAKE ME FEEL BETTER

[aanthirin]

OC: Vivayth, Warrior-Witch

(art by plague-ridden-rat)

(Refsheet page for artists: Click Me!)

Formerly a Redoran born in Ebonheart, Vivayth is a mystic and a pellar who applies the will of the House of Troubles and follows the most ancient of magical practices as a means to harness chaos and free herself from the shackles of mortality. An incredibly spiritual person at her core, the combining of the divine and the mortal is essential to her day-to-day, and though her methods of learning and expanding upon her repertoire are unorthodox at best and criminally insane at worst, faith drives her to hopefully one day help all of mortalkind into godhood, even if it means one must turn to the Testing Gods of the Dunmer and bargain with all manner of Daedra and spirit.

While she does try to be kind-hearted and endeavor to be good to people as much as possible, the truth behind Vivayth is far darker than some would have you believe. Despite her awkward behavior, absentmindedness and apparent sweet motives, Vivayth is, in truth, a deeply emotional and troubled individual. Wracked by emotional unpredictability, she often finds herself lost in bloodlust and sadism in moments of intensity, only to later drown in regret. Self-inflicted exposure to horrors of all kinds has left her not only numb to carnage and the loss of life, but it has led her to develop a thrill for both seeing it, and causing it. In spite of all this, she's a woman of faith; religion is a tremendously important cornerstone to her entire personality, and not only is her odd, unorthodox, fully heretical faith is paramount to her way of life, but so is her philosophy of struggle that inevitably may lead to ascension beyond one's flesh. The Ancestral Spirits of Morrowind, those being the Daedra, will always be held in high regard in her heart, and they have enough sway over her that she has since rescinded her faith in the Tribunal; a love for the Three she has held for over a hundred years, now dead.

(art by bloodandboneart)

Vivayth was born to the Rathryn family in Ebonheart on the 21st of Midyear, 2E 409. The Rathryn were a prestigious clan of highborn largely made up of Redoran who have earned their high standing in society by working for the powerful Ra'athim nobility and their ebony mining fiefs. While this arrangement has brought tremendous prosperity to the clan over the generations, young Vivayth—who was, at the time, a boy—felt that this lifestyle she was born into was less of a luxury and more of a suffocating, gilded cage.

The stress of living up to her parents' expectations of her and carrying out whatever duties they might have deemed necessary—ranging from attending Great House banquets to rub elbows with the elite of Ebonheart to training in the yard in preparation of one day taking over the entire clan as its patriarch—was impossible to cope with. Throughout her first years, she slowly began sneaking away from the Rathryn Estate to explore the wilderness that spanned the city island Ebonheart was situated in, calling herself a budding explorer and trailblazer. This led to a dangeorus run-in with the wildlife. As a young child, a passing Mabrigash has taken quite a shine to her, and after healing her and sending her back to Ebonheart, the next several years were spent occasionally traveling to the city gates to mingle with other Ashlanders, who travel to Ebonheart to trade with the merchants and peddlers outside the city gates.

One day, many years after transitioning into a woman and learning what she could about Mysticism from the Ashlanders, Vivayth left her home and her gilded cage to carve her own path in life, and become her own woman.

(art by @triflingshadows)

Ever since her youth, Vivayth has always looked to the horizon. Her absentmindedness and forgetfulness show how truly far her mind lies above the clouds, and beyond unto the stars. When leaving her hometown of Ebonheart, she promised to herself that she'd acquaint herself with as much of Tamriel as she can, singing her way through life with her lute at her back to support her previously vagrant lifestyle. Her wanderlust is at fault for her interests in Mysticism, a magical practice where discovery and contradiction are foundational.

This had a partial, somewhat unfortunatae result: the laws of the Tribunal Temple and the opulence of the Great Houses led Vivayth to stray from the path of righteousness and into the darkness of the Daedra. Recent events have brought her to look to the teachings of Veloth, and to a greater degree of heresy, the Hunting Grounds of Hircine.

(art by Geinkotsu)

Vivayth always has been, and always will be, aggressively patriotic. Sure, her ideals and views now align more closely to that of the Ashlanders and she is not the fondest of the Great Houses, but her homeland is her soul, and the soul of her people. Nothing about this will ever change, except that the fact about Morrowind being free of lycanthropy has become somewhat inaccurate. She does not believe herself to be the last werewolf in Morrowind, but she is one of the last, after the Temple hunted them down to extinction within the tribunate.

Though madness is unbecoming of a former Redoran such as Vivayth, it has sunk its claws into her mind. Her pursuit of divinity is partially a result of her curse of lycanthropy, though one may come to find it's merely one layer of an ultimate desire for absolute freedom. Ultimately, she has chosen to interpret that she was chosen to help carry out the fate of the Dunmer people: apotheosis. Freedom from mortality, and the destruction of limitation.

This delusion has poisoned everything about her: every little choice that she makes, every promise, every step that she takes, and every word carefully chosen will, in her mind, lead her to fulfill Lorkhanic grand design and destroy the idea of mortality altogether. She will stop at nothing to convince and persuade those she holds dear into sharing this sentiment, and she thinks that if any want to stop her, they will be met with an early freedom of their spirit from their corpse.

[ambiguousfan]

I love the ship. Well one of them >///< i have more!!!!!

Better Place AU or What If....(I havent come up with a name, if you have any idea commend down below)

Warning

Mention of Grief, Ruins, Recklessness, Family, John Dory centric, Loss

Au Idea (Warning Messy)

Yodeler went to Lonesome Flat for a Better Life.

Hickory move with his brother who become the sherif of the town, taking care of few things and there

Dickory usually do more work than what needed like checklisting merchant traders; Bounty Hunter Like issue; Missing Pets; so one and so forth.

He then met a particular Jazz newbie Bounty Hunter (he failes his first hunt) save him, all in the days work. Eventually they warm up with one another.

Hickory on the other hand become the town bartender and hat maker.

Delta Dawn known Delta as long as he move to Lonesome Flat.

John went off after went to the mountain only to return months to the troll tree. Seeing it condition and no sight of his family. He wanted to take his mind off by coping finding more adventure elsewhere.

He take a reckless route venture of somewhere unknown when he found Delta and Hickory; more like they found him

wanting to explore more found tribe of troll hut stumble upon them

They did everyday life shenanigan; kind of slice of life adventure. John more than the rest, Having Hickory and Delta getting him out of a sticky situation. He try not to be too reckless of his wellbeing

I imagine chapter of Delta slowly become a mayor-to-be of the country troll town; Hickory continues his business; John taking job here and there around the small town. Eventuallly at break they would go on tour outside, 'way to make out brain exploded for how huge he world it' John like to say.

They go to every tribe learning exchanging culture and making few trade when John heard about the possible rumors of his brother being alive.

I wanted them fall in love with one another, their dynamic be intersting. Hickory more calm and collect, Delta more bossy and confident (way of leadership), John Dory more resourceful and bit emotionally unstable.

He went off better, less reckless after processing his grief of the loss of his family.

Movie 2

(I have not thought of it yet)

Maybe somehow John start to hear about pop troll saving the world and find branch

he wanted to find him but got kidnapped

or they met, branch angry while John just relieve of his safety eventually they grow on mending ties as Delta and Hickory there to support him .

Take place in movie 3

I wanted to imagine that John was one diamond instead of Floyd after singing in Mount Rageous resturant. Or maybe other way around

If Floyd kidnapped, the change event would be having Hickory and Delta onboard. More emotional support and trying become mediator. Delta more blunt and defensive on John behalf. Hickory try to stop any argument become it become too far.

Depend on the role Hickory and Branch got along more for survivalist tips

If John was kidnapped, also Hickory and Delta come, more determine and a bit tense and more defensive. Hickory would leave few snark here and there but trying understand situation. Delta a bit more hurry more.

I wanted to think Delta and Brandy would get along, talk about being in a family. And consideration of kids (i can think of an OC on this hehe, thy be so cute!!!).

Anyway I can't think any more idea that all i have.

[zero-and-crew]

Anti!AU pt.2 Electric Boogaloo!

+ A Very Rough Doodle!

sorry it's very low quality lol information under the cut

WARNING: Talks about kidnapping !!!

Cosmo, Wanda and Timmy struggled to cope with the loss of Peri— Cosmo and Wanda literally lost their child. It was hard on them. Very hard. They spend a lot of time struggling to cope, before starting to heal just a little. It's not easy. There's always going to be that part missing from all of them.

The nursery they had is still set up in their castle, they couldn't bear to take it down— and sometimes they still visit it. But they have each other! And with that, they manage to cope. Together.

One day, Timmy, Cosmo, and Wanda are playing a game of pirates. Timmy, standing on his bed, welding a wooden sword and pretending to do battle with Wanda while Cosmo's tied up, pretending to be a hostage. He's just about to win and save his fairy friend from the captain's mighty rage when suddenly the sound of a fairy poofing into their room stops them.

The typical darker cloud of the anti-fairies fills a small spot in the room, and Wanda and Cosmo immediately drop the pirate act, readying their wands and putting themselves between who they assume to be their counterparts. Timmy, still holding his sword, holds it out to fight too. It's never good when an anti-fairy visits. They're all confused, and scared. But they're not going to lose another member of their already tiny family. The cloud dissipates, and to their surprise.. It's not Anti-Cosmo, or Anti-Wanda.. It's..

A baby.

They all stand there, confused and shocked more than anything.

The baby then introduces himself as Foop. Their son's anti-fairy.

Their baby has an anti-fairy. He's still alive, somewhere. Wait. Why is his anti-fairy here? Do his parents know where he is? Why did he come to them specifically? There must be a reason! Does he know what happened to their son? The look on his face implies he knows something.

When they ask him why he's there, the poor baby starts to cry. He's hungry, in need of a nap, and knows way too much for such a little guy. And it's really late. He should be in bed. He's already in his pajamas, maybe he snuck out after being out to bed. If he's really their son's anti-fairy, that means he can't be that old— so he must really need a nap. They can talk after he gets some rest.

It might be best.

They can give him a place to stay for the night. It's the least they can do, since they're not sure Anti-Cosmo would want them showing up at his castle with his son at this hour. Especially not after the last few visits... The countless accusations of him taking their son, even though he's nowhere to be found in Anti-Fairy, or Pixie world for that matter.

They know what to do, having learned how to care for their own son before he was born. So, they comfort the poor kid and magically refill his bottle. Eventually, he falls asleep— and stays that way for a while. When he wakes up the next morning, he's still not exactly ready to tell Cosmo and Wanda everything. But, he does tell them he knows their son is alive. He's even... talked. To Peri. He doesn't mention everything else he did. That'd be too much for everyone to handle at once. Too depressing.

They have a place where he can sleep— where he doesn't need to worry about Peri, or having to go see him. He has information they need. It's a fair trade. Anti-Cosmo, and Anti-Wanda don't immediately know where he is— so, he feels safe enough to stay there... He never really felt unsafe at home, especially with Anti-Wanda. He knows she means well. When he really didn't feel safe, was when he was with AC and Peri. He knows how awful Peri can be now..

He's not sure what dark thoughts plague Peri's mind, but he does know he's Peri's anti-fairy. His opposite. And nicer, much kinder and happier thoughts plague his own. Thoughts of whiskers and kittens or being kind to someone creep up on him and he hates it. He's not supposed to like those things. He does still enjoy the occasional bit of chaos, or bit of violence.

Of course, in Irep's mind— this means that Peri has the opposite problem. He must have some dark and twisted thoughts floating around his mind— and likely frequently. Thoughts of evil and torment, surely.

And he's not wrong.

We'll talk more about Anti-Cosmo and Peri's situation later :3 We're still working on Peri's ref! So it'll come with that post :3

[mtmte-bracket]

[FINAL ROUND] Shadowplay vs Elegant Chaos

A quick summary/refresher for each storyline is under the cut including TFWiki links:

Shadowplay: an arc giving pre-canon backstory for a bunch of the cast, except instead of direct flashbacks our protagonists are trading off on relating bits of a story they were personally around for, because they think this will probably fix Rung’s brain damage. Shockwave gets his backstory for IDW and there’s a heist. Drift and Ratchet bicker a lot. Optimus is here and jumps off plenty of buildings. Backstory is had, basically. TFWiki link.

Elegant Chaos: the time travel one. The one where Brainstorm invents time travel because he had a crush on a boy, and then nearly eradicates the entire Cybertronian timeline because Chromedome is bad at coping with loss. We see the first glimpses of the Functionist Universe, and Rewind shoots a baby. And the whole thing turns out to be a closed time loop in the end anyway, going right back to Chaos Theory. (Sidenote: the Megatron flashback issue gets to be here too.) TFWiki link.

[chibrary]

ARTICLE: "The plane journey that convinced Ferrari on Leclerc" (Autosport Plus, 2018)

While Ferrari is doing all it can to help minimise the pressure - with boss Maurizio Arrivabene saying this week that the only goal for next year is for Leclerc to gain experience and 'absorb' the tricks of the trade - there is a feeling that in reality it secretly expects much more.

To realise why that is, you have to wind back the clock a little and understand that the decision to sign Leclerc was not some spur-of-the-moment call forced upon Ferrari because it was in a rush to sign somebody.

Ferrari made its decision on the eve of the Italian Grand Prix to pick Leclerc over Kimi Raikkonen not because it had to, but because it wanted to.

Leclerc's speed was obvious. The need to potentially shake up the internal dynamic at Ferrari was real.

And those fears about it being too early for Leclerc, of a young man not able to cope with intense pressure and at risk of being burned out and thrown onto the scrap heap before he hit his peak? The team management's minds had already been put at ease on that front.

It is often said that the qualities of an individual are found not when they are celebrating success, but when they have to pick themselves up from the bad moments.

And in Leclerc's case, it was the way he was able to cope with the death of his father in 2017 that proved a defining moment in convincing Ferrari that he had all it takes to deal with the pressure of racing for the Prancing Horse.

For someone who was as close to his father as Leclerc was, that loss last year was deeply painful. And, coming in the middle of an intense battle for the Formula 2 crown, it could have been enough to trigger a loss of concentration and a drop in form.

But amid all the personal heartache Leclerc was suffering, Arrivabene recalls meeting him on the Ferrari charter flight to Baku that week, and how the youngster's attitude there left him in no doubts about his star qualities.

"I asked him how he was after losing his father a few days before," explains Arrivabene. "He replied that he wanted to win the race, and then go home for the funeral. That is exactly what he did.

"If a guy can handle these moments, I do not think that he will have problems adjusting to the pressure of F1."

Leclerc has spoken openly about how the emotional rollercoaster of that weekend - the crying in the helmet after he took pole position and then the wins - meant those were days where he grew up a lot.

It is important to remember though that Baku was not the first time in his career Leclerc has faced supreme challenges. He knows full well how to keep his head under control when things are not going the way he may have hoped.

There was the risk as he started out his career of being unable to continue karting because the funds were drying up. Only a bit of help from his brother Lorenzo's best friend, Jules Bianchi, in convincing Nicolas Todt to try to help, made the difference.

Even today Todt remembers a very nervous Leclerc being dressed in a super smart black suit for their first meeting... and impressing throughout.

Then there was the difficult time in the middle of his 2015 European Formula 3 campaign. Taking a seat in the Van Amersfoort team that Max Verstappen had shone so strongly for in '14, Leclerc began the season in fine form with a series of wins in the first half of the year.

But something - most likely related to a senior engineer departing mid-season for personal reasons - changed within the team and Leclerc found himself suddenly on the back foot over the second half of the year. Where once he was battling in the top three week in and week out, suddenly he was fighting to be in the top 10.

Leclerc had to dig deep to try to recover; find answers about what had gone wrong, as he came home fourth overall in the standings.

But a super strong showing in Macau, where he finished second right behind winner Felix Rosenqvist, suggested he had kept his focus and unlocked the answers that were needed.

That time also marked Leclerc's arrival in the Ferrari Driver Academy, which helped him both progress as a driver and also show more evidence that when the intensity and pressure increase, he just gets better.

As manager Todt recalls: "Ferrari has helped him in many ways. Physical, mental preparation and also the contribution of the simulator played an important role. Of course, even more pressure has come, as is normal when you are part of the Ferrari world.

"But we have found that the greater the pressure that Charles is subject to, the greater his performance on track. That is a fundamental aspect, because today in the paddock I think that all the drivers have excellent sporting skills. But what makes the difference is the head, and on this front Charles I think is very solid."

Vettel will not be unaware of how fast and how mentally strong Leclerc is. Even if he hadn't seen it for himself, he has probably been told well in advance by Arrivabene why Ferrari is convinced it has the right man.

Did that prompt Vettel's recent suggestions that it will be important that the pair of them work together - rather than against each other - for the good of the team? Is he seeing a shift in the sands at Maranello as things will be different to how they were with Raikkonen? Only Vettel knows the answer to that.

[absolutelyhugh3s]

jersey giant | jh86

y’all i am so so sorry this took so long to get out!! i’ll try my best to start getting things out quicker and more often!!

but we’re back with the song blurbs!! i’ve recently been obsessed with jersey giant by elle king and for some reason it makes me think of the devils

pairing -> graves!sister!oc x jack hughes warnings -> mentions of blood, mentions of injury, slight cursing, mentions of death not my gif!!

word count -> 2.12k

7 months ago

since i was a little girl, I believed everything happens for a reason.

no matter how hard i search, there was no reason for this.

i remember that day like no other. i sat in the living room of my hoboken apartment, which i shared with my older brother, of course.

today my anxiety had been like no other. with ryan at hockey practice, i feared something happened to him. i texted him an upwards of 30 times, to be graced with a response of “dw cupcake i’m doing fine :)”

however, that did not calm my rambunctious mind. so i turned to my music. i’ve been writing music since i was in high school, not for the people, just for me. music was my escape, an outlet for me to express my emotions.

i don’t remember much from those few hours, the only thing i remember was my raw and bleeding fingertips after playing for so long.

it was about 3 o’clock when the front door opened. “i’m home cupcake!” ryan called, though it wasn’t his usual tone. it seemed gloomy and sad.

my brother seemed to drag himself into our shared living room, shoulders hunched, a solemn look on his face.

“how was practice?” i ask cheerfully, trying to lighten his mood. “i’m so sorry darcie” ryan croaks out, tears pooling in his eyes.

“for what ry? what’s the matter?” i ask, cupping his face and wiping the few tears that had fallen.

“they’re trading me.”

his words cut me like a freshly sharpened knife. he opens his mouth to speak once again and i brace for the impact.

“to pittsburgh”

the knife was twisted. for the past two years, i was blessed to call the garden state my home, and blessed to call the devils my family.

i was struggling with my schooling a lot a few years ago, trying to cope with the loss of my brother at home. so my parents thought it would be a good idea to send me to live with him.

so to new jersey he went, with me in toe.

i’ve made great friends while being here, johnny, dawson, nico, jesper, timo, they were all such great company.

but no one’s company could compare to that of the devils prodigy, jack hughes.

being very close in age, we became best friends immediately. we spent almost every day together except when he had morning skate or roadies.

jack was my person. at first i thought it was just platonically, but after a few months of our friendship, i developed feelings.

and after a hard loss, denying them a spot in the 2022 stanley cup playoffs, i discovered he reciprocated those same feelings.

so we started dating in secret. it wasn’t easy, but we made it work. and about 6 months in, we told our siblings. 

luke was accidentally first to know, after an awkward walk in that lacked clothes. quinn followed soon after, because jack felt guilty that the younger hughes knew but not the older hughes.

ryan was the last to know. it took a while for him to warm up to our relationship, but he eventually came around. plus, the boys became even closer than they already were. everything was perfect, until it wasn’t.

“so what does this mean” i ask, looking down at the dried blood on my fingers, my voice cracking as i try to conceal my true feelings.

“we have to leave jersey. and move to pittsburgh” he said, clearly just upset as i was. “trust me darcie i don’t want to leave” he sighs

“so don’t!” i exclaim jumping up from my place on the couch. ryan looks up at me with tears in his eyes. “darcie you know it’s not possible. if it was i wouldn’t be leaving”

“but ryan my whole life is here” i cry “my friends are here, my job is here, for fucks sake my boyfriend is here!” tears begin to stream down my face. “i cant just uproot my life because you got traded!” 

“darcie lynn graves you know we have no choice.” he says sternly. brushing his long hair out of his eyes. “better get packing” he says, looking around at the decor. “our flight leaves tomorrow night.” and with that, he walked through the apartment to his bedroom.

just as i’m about to pick up the phone and call jack, there’s a knock on the door. i look out the peephole to see non other than my boyfriend, with tear stained cheeks on the other side.

i immediately open the door to see jack still in his practice clothes. “nico was the first player to know. he told the rest of us and i came as soon as i could” his voice cracks.

i wrap my arms around his shoulders while his encircle my waist. “i don’t want you to leave me” he mumbles, placing his head in the crook of my neck. “i have no choice baby” i sigh “this is the absolute last thing i want to do”

“how long do i have?” he asks me, tears falling down his cheeks. “what?” i ask, caught off guard by the question. “until you have to leave. how long”

“my flight leaves tomorrow night” i brush the strands of his messy hair out of his face.

it looked as though that statement broke his heart. it’s scary, being young and in love, not knowing if this could possibly be the last time they ever meet face to face.

“then let’s make these next 24 hours, the best we possibly can” he says feigning confidence.

we did everything together for the next 24 hours, just as he had promised. we had the time of our lives. we went skating together, a late night 7/11 run, movies, the whole nines.

all knowing it could possibly be the last time.

then came the part i dreaded the most, leaving. ryan insisted on taking my ginormous suitcase, as jack and i walked through the airport hand in hand.

we stopped before we got to tsa. i bit my bottom lip, knowing this is what had to happen. knowing that i was leaving and he wasn’t coming with me.

jack turns to me with a sad smile on his face. “i’m gonna miss you so much baby” he says, trying to hold back tears as well.

“i’m gonna miss you too jacky” i said, my tears finally falling. he wipes them away, the sad smile remaining on his face. “i love you to the moon and saturn” he says cupping my face in his hands.

“i love you forever and always” i smile “no matter how far away i am” jack dips his head down placing a passionate and loving kiss on my lips. “dars let’s go!” ryan calls out.

“promise me you’ll call me if you need anything ok?�� a big goofy smile appears on the brunette boys face. “only if you promise me the same” we laugh and share our last goodbyes as ryan and i headed towards tsa.

present time

i left jersey almost seven months ago now, but i miss jack like crazy. being without him has been really tough for me, and everyone can tell. however, i was able to spend a few weeks with him over the summer at his lake house. i met trevor, alex, cole, and ellen and jim officially, and i loved every second of it

believe it or not i’ve made some great friends in pittsburgh. if you told twelve year old me that i was friends with sidney crosby she would laugh at you and tell you you’re crazy.

“whatcha doing kid?” sid asks as he sits next to me on the couch. ryan had invited the guys and their partners to our house for a team get together. he says it’s to “celebrate the start of the new season” but i think it’s to get on their good sides.

i point to the large flat screen tv currently playing the devils game against the st. louis blues. “ohh i see” sidney chuckles “ditching the boys to watch the boyfriend”

i laugh “don’t get too pissy sid” “no no i see where i lie on your rankings of favorites” he jokes, taking a sip of his beer.

“jack hughes goes down and he’s hurt!” the broadcaster says. sid and i freeze.

“no no no”

“cmon kid get up”

“god jack get up!”

“cmon kid cmon!”

we begin to panic, yelling everything we can at the tv, as though it could be heard all the way in st. louis.

i try to hold back my tears, as i pick up my phone. as my shaky hands attempted to open my phone, jacks contact photo appears.

i look to the tv to see he’s already in the locker room. “hello?” i ask, voice shaky and palms sweaty. “hello is this darcie graves?” the man asks, clearly not jack.

“yes how can i help you?” i ask “im michael coyne, the head physical therapist for the new jersey devils. now, i’m not sure if your aware but jack sustained a significant injury to his shoulder tonight, and he keeps asking for you. and if possible we would fly you into jersey and we can meet you there. now he has informed us of your current situation, we will cover all fees needed, we just want to make sure he is ok.”

“absolutely, um- i- yeah i’ll- i’ll go” i stutter. “perfect. the flight leaves in an hour, is that alright?” he asks. “yeah that’s perfect” i sadly smile. 

“any questions?” he asks sincerely. “yes there is. can i talk to jack?” micheal almost cuts me off, “absolutely here he is now” 

“hello?” i hear my boyfriend hiss in pain. “hi jacky. i’m coming ok? they’re flying you home and i’ll meet you there. it takes to hours to get there babe, but i’ll make it to the airport in about an hour or so” i ramble.

“ok.” he hisses again “i never expected you to come back” he says. i can tell he’s frustrated by the situation, he hates being away from hockey.

“i’ll come back if you just call” i say sweetly “now i have to get packing and head down to the airport. i’ll call you as soon as i can alright?” i begin to throw my clothes into my suitcase.

“ok i love you”

“i love you more jack, i’ll be there soon.”

3.5 hours later

i landed in newark just before jack and the trainers did. although it was around 10 pm the city was still alive. so to take my mind off of the stress, i walked to the prudential center. once i arrived the trainers were already there and assessing jack.

as soon as i walked through the doors i was met by devils personnel, who ushered me into the training room. 

it was there that i saw jack sitting near a pt table with ice wrapped around his shoulder.

“you gave me the worst scare of my life” i said making my presence known to the older boy. “oh thank god your here” jack goes to get up “god fucking damn it” he hisses, sitting back in the chair.

i run to his side “can i get you anything? water, ice, a heating pad? i can order chipotle if you want? have you eaten? oh god your probably starving” i ramble.

“hey, i’m alright darcie. i’m not going anywhere” he says cupping my jaw with his healthy hand. “but what if you weren’t? something serious could have happened, you could’ve gotten a concussion, snapped your neck, jack rowden you could’ve died!”

he doesn’t respond, only chuckling under his breath at my rambling. “stop looking at me like that! it’s not funny! this is serious!” i giggle, trying my best to stay mad at him. i failed miserably.

“come sit” jack says, patting the seat next to him. as i sit down he places his good arm around my shoulders, carefully pulling me into his chest. “thank you for being here. it means a lot to me” jack says, placing a kiss on my temple.

“i’ll always be here for you baby” i smile up at him. he leans down and places a slow and sweet kiss on my lips. 

i plan to stay in newark for the next few weeks, since luke and jack have an extra room in their house. “are you gonna play doctor?” jack asks as i help him into the car. “i guess so yeah” i giggle.

“can you wear one of those sexy nurse costumes?”

“jack rowden hughes!”

[thenightfolknetwork]

Turning isn't fun for me. I don't know if it's my particular strain of lycanthropy or if it's just me, but it hurts... a lot. It's really inconvenient.

I can feel the full moon deep in my bones. I've heard others describe it like a buzzing energy, a pinch in your center, or ah, I don't know a restlessness, maybe? It's annoying and a pain to deal with, but ultimately, nothing completely life altering. It's not like that for me.

For me, the moon is a constant ache that grows worse as the month advances. I can feel my bones grinding, twisting, and shuffling around. I've had to make a chart on what times of the month certain foods are dangerous for me to eat because the closer I get to the full, the more canine my insides are.

Now, my pack is incredibly supportive in all this. We've gone to doctors, witches, the fae, you name it, to try and find a way to cope. So far, we can't pin what's wrong, but we've found a way to manage my pain to be somewhat tolerable. My pack is not the problem. My problem is Debbie.

Debbie is a wolf shifter. While her change is influenced by the moon, she has conscious control over when she can shift, and by her own admission, it's virtually painless. She is also my only coworker connected to the community.

It was fine for a while. I thought we'd hit it off. As the only two people of the night, we could support each other like no one else in the job could. We'd trade jokes, cover each other's shifts at work when we weren't scheduled the same day, or just talk. I considered her a friend, or maybe more than, and even talked about introducing my pack to her.

The thing is, due to the nature of my condition, I have to take three days off a month. For years, this set up as been fine. Sure, I get a little less time off than everyone, but I love my job, and it's not like i can really go anywhere, so I don't consider it much of a loss.

But last month, my time off was denied. They wouldn't accept it. I asked if there was anything I could do to get it off, another sick note or something, but they said that they had "investigated" my condition and confirmed with someone else in the community that I was overexaggerating my symptoms. They told me they would let me off with a warning because of my track record, but not to make it a habit.

I was crushed. One of the reasons I love my job is because of their leniency. Without it, I would get burnt out and possibly aggravate my condition.

I told Debbie what happened. It was partly to see if she could cover my shift, but also to warn her to be vigilant and protect herself in case something similar happened to her. It turns out, SHE was the one that claimed my symptoms were overexaggerated! This whole time, she thought I was making out my condition as worse than it is. Her packmates don't have my problems, so clearly I'm just trying weasel in some paid time off.

I was so, so angry. I shouldn't have yelled, but my pain, both mind and body, was excruciating, and I couldn't take it anymore. I think I got the point across, though. By the time one of my packmates came to pick me up, she looked absolutely wrecked.

It's been a month and we haven't spoken outside of work related things. I'm currently looking for a new job because even with paid time off, my condition is slowly eating into it. Plus, I have a life outside of my job and would like to spend time with my pack.

But I don't want to leave Debbie on a sour note. I might not trust her like I used to, but she was a friend. With me leaving, She'll be the only person of the night in the job. I feel guilty leaving her by herself.

So, how do I approach this? She broke my trust, but we have too much history for me to feel comfortable leaving without saying anything.

How can I talk to her without getting hurt? Is that even possible anymore?

I'll get to the final part of your question in just a moment, reader. First, I want to address some of the issues you've raised about your workplace.

You say that, because you take three sick days a month, you get less holiday than your co-workers. From this, I am inferring that you are taking these days off as holiday rather than sick leave. Which raises a great many questions about their refusal to grant you leave on the grounds of this so-called “investigation” of your condition.

Your employer is entitled to refuse you leave, but they can only turn down those requests on reasonable grounds, and they cannot refuse to give you your leave entirely. This refusal does not seem to be made on the grounds of any clear business grounds – they haven't cited understaffing as the reason, for example.

In fact, any business concerns they might cite are clearly unsubstantiated. You've been working there for years, with no evidence at all that this time off has affected the business. And if they have no business grounds on which to refuse you, you're entitled to take that time off as you wish.

Instead, your employers have refused you on the grounds of their so-called “investigation” of your health condition, thereby treating your holiday leave as sick leave. If this time off is sick leave, they need to do far more than asking the opinion of some random person of the night. To deny you sick leave, they must conduct a proper investigation into your condition and take the actual medical evidence into account.

There is a wealth of medical evidence that somatic transformation is a radically varied phenomenon, and chronic, painful transformations are well-documented as a real medical concern. This is not to mention the evidence you've accrued over the years of your own efforts to find treatment for your condition.

In short, they have no grounds to refuse you this time off. If you really don't want to leave that place of work, you need to stand your ground and push for the leave you're entitled to. Speak to your manager, and make it clear that you know your rights and are willing to escalate the matter as necessary to see that those rights are respected.

I also strongly recommend you speak to this manager about the obvious lack of professionalism shown by discussing your private medical issues with another employee. As well as being a violation of your privacy, it's also demonstrates an appalling lack of respect for liminal identities and the diversity of experiences within the community.

In short, reader, put the fear of God into them. With any luck, you'll be able to keep your job and your time off, and find the balance you need to manage your condition in a healthy, sustainable way.

As for Debbie, that's really up to you. You say you don't know how to speak to her without getting hurt, but that's not something you can control. There is nothing you can do to ensure she won't say something at best thoughtless, and at worst, actively hurtful. All you can do is brace yourself for the possibility, and plan for how you can look after yourself if she does end up hurting you.

To be frank, however, I'm not sure she deserves it. She's undermined your trust and forsaken any right to your time and energy. Talk to her if you really want to, but I think you'd be well within your rights to draw a line under that relationship and concentrate on relationships that centre respect and mutual care – or at the very least, a modicum of solidarity.

[For more creaturely advice, check out Monstrous Agonies on your podcast platform of choice, or visit monstrousproductions.org for more info]

[mercars-musings]

Astaarit {Az} Mercar & Friends: Bonding.

Aka: A list of all my Rook's favourite things about the lighthouse gang & the ways they've all bonded both separately & in groups! {Listed in recruitment order.}

Also tagging anyone who wants to do this - feel free to reblog to add / copy & paste this into your own post to add info on your Rook's relationships! :3

{ A mention would be appreciated though if you do the latter 👉👈 }

Ao3 Link

{MASSIVE SPOILERS UNDER THE CUT}

Harding:

Feelings: Az thinks that Harding is one of the coolest people he's ever met & is absolutely in awe of how she's able to take her new abilities in stride {better stride than he would anyway}. He also is extremely inspired by her absolute resolve to help her fellow dwarves recover from the horrors inflicted on them by the Evanuris. Bonding Activity: They spend a lot of time talking about Cheese & Hardings stories of the Inquisition. They also talk about coping with their respective deep seated anger about things, though Harding only really talks about her rage over the Evanuris due to not wanting to upset Rook who as far as she thinks is very clearly not coping with Varric's loss. {If only she knew.} Post Tearstone Island: They start to talk about Varric, ALOT. Not constantly, they still talk about things they used to but their anger conversations quickly turn to also include grief conversations about Varric. They share stories about him, Harding talks about how he was in the Inquisition days, and they make a yearly visit to The Hanged Man with the Inquisitor, Hawke, Isabella and the rest of the Kirkwall Crew. The pair also frequently send letters to eachother with life updates, gossiping about people in their lives, and updates on any enemies they encounter that they think are important to let the other know about.

Neve:

Feelings: Work bestie that slowly turns into real bestie.

He was nervous around her at first, but warmed up to her & calmed down when he realised she didn't judge him for the Nessus job or think him incompetent for it. Thinks she's the best of the Shadow Dragons, wishes he had her intelligence / investigative skills very frequently too. Bonding Activity: Talking about all sorts of things: previous Shadow Dragon jobs, current Shadow Dragon jobs, gossip about their fellow Shadows, they bond a lot as the 2 people from the team that grew up in not only Minrathous but also POOR Minrathous AND as Laetans {Mages born to Non Mage Families.} Post Tearstone Island: They meet weekly for Hals fish and trade stories about their current jobs. He also frequently helps Neve and Rana on some of their cases whenever he has free time and the two of them swap intel with him frequently. They also have double dates {Neve & Lucanis / Az & Emmrich} every few months just to chat shit and sample the First Talons fancy wine selection - though Lucanis doesn't mind since he gets to see his friends & Neves also happy.

Bellara:

Feelings: His little sister in trashy romance, awful smut & in trying to figure out how to talk to cute people.

He really appreciates that their brains seem to work in a lot of the same ways, and really appreciates that they can oscillate between talking a bunch and then just sitting in a comfortable Autistic silence while Bell writes / tinkers & he reads / daydreams. Bonding Activity: They frequently meet up to brainstorm ideas for Bellaras stories, Rook is also Bell's First In Line Beta reader.

They often talk about the trashy romances they're reading, the awful smut they've been obsessed with AND when he finally takes the plunge, Az FREQUENTLY gushes to Bellara about Emmrich. Post Tearstone Island: Bellara makes monthly visits to the Necropolis to meet up with both Rook & Emmrich. In the day: she and Rook will hang out and talk about whatever their most recent literary hyperfixations are! And once Emmrich is done with work the three of them will go get something nice to eat & Rook will nod along and listen to Bell & Emmrich talk about all the intricacies of magic / whatever they're currently both researching. Bellara also sends Az drafts of her work for him to Beta Read. Rook also 1000% helps Bell ask Irelin out again now that she is in a better place emotionally and actually has time for a relationship again. It's very cute, sometimes Bellara and Irelin even join in on the Neve & Lucanis / Rook & Emmrich double dates to make it a triple date on the rare occasion they're all actually free.

Lucanis:

Feelings: Low key jealous of Lucanis' masterful cooking / baking skills. He also thinks Lucanis' abilities to hide more knives on his body than Rook can count is an amazing talent. Does wish Lucanis would actually get some rest sometimes though. He still feels fucking awful about Treviso and whenever he thinks about it, he yet again wracks his mind for a way he could have saved both Minrathous & Treviso. Bonding Activity: Lucanis gives Az cooking / baking lessons every other week {before Treviso fell, and then later once the wound healed between the two men a little}. Rook returns the favour by gifting Lucanis every book on Wyverns that he comes across. They also frequently talk about knives {the best ones they've used / heard of, good concealing methods, etc.} as the only 2 people in the team that use smaller daggers in their fighting styles. {Az is an Orb & Dagger Mage} Post Tearstone Island: They don't get to hang out that much anymore though when they do they often still discuss knives & cooking / baking. Rook is always asking about new recipes Lucanis knows & they'll even occasionally set up a day every few months where Rook will visit the Dellamorte Estate and Lucanis will teach him a new recipe while Rook drops off a new Wyvern book or some item or other to do with Wyverns.

Davrin:

Feelings: Rook see's him as the strongest person in the Veilguard. His bravery inspires Az and his quick thinking when it comes to dealing with the Darkspawn and the blight leave Rook wishing he had half the battle smarts Davrin had. Bonding Activity: Rook would spend hours asking Davrin questions about Darkspawn & the Blight. Originally: he wanted to know what they were up against, but over time he also found a strange interest in the topic in general.

They would also often talk about Griffons and Az would read anything he could find about Griffons {raising, rearing, training, history, etc} outloud to Davrin while Davrin was doing his whittling / carving.

After deciding to hand the Griffons over to Arlathan, they would talk about how excited they both were for not just the Griffons future but also to see what Davrin would do next. Post Tearstone Island: Rook was devastated about Davrin's death, he was so happy to see that his friend had gotten a second chance at life after Weisshaupt and he knew Davrin was so excited to forge a new path for himself and the Griffons.

Rook took some of the pieces that Davrin carved while they talked about Griffons, as a memento of the time they'd spent together. He frequently looks at them, and once a year on the anniversary of Tearstone Island, he will whittle another piece to add to the collection as if keeping Davrins legacy going in some small way.

He feels like he let Davrin down, making him sacrifice himself to make up for Az's failure to keep the team safe. In his darkest moments, Rook wishes he could trade places with his old friend so Davrin could get the future he deserved.

Taash:

Feelings: Little sibling!!! One of his closest friends in the Veilguard - Sees way too much of himself in Taash and it both endears him to them and makes him want to rip his hair out sometimes. Appreciates having another trans person & another Vashoth around, and is really grateful that he could help them figure that stuff out. Thinks they're cool as fuck & does appreciate it when Taash makes the effort to get along with Emmrich more. Bonding Activity: Talking about their family issues & how both their families died before they were able to make things right with them. Also talking about random crap {"What Ifs" particularly seem to be their favourite game together because they both say the wildest shit.} Taash really gets along with Rooks "Purple" side {which is basically his entire side tbh}. Post Tearstone Island: They still talk about their family stuff though it doesn't come up as often over time as they both heal more with each vent & just time in general.

Will have a monthly meet up where they will either go to the Hall of Valour to beat the shit out of some opponents for a bit OR will go do a monster workout at Taash' place. Either way it helps them both get their rage out in a healthier way {since Rook came out of the Fade Prison with A LOT more anger in him}.

They also make sure to go feed the birds on the monthly visit & Taash will tell Rook how things are going with trying to help integrate the Antaam into regular life. They also use this time to yap about their current hyperfixations honestly.

{Naturally, Taash helps Rook get a hold of a Dragons Tooth to propose to Emmrich with when the time comes!!!}

Emmrich:

Feelings: Loves that man more than he's loved anyone else. Truly sees him as his rock, his one and only, his Kadan / Amatus.

He loves the little family they've made together {Him, Emmrich & Manfred}. Really likes living down in the Necropolis, the travel between there and work can be a bit frustrating sometimes but luckily they still have access to the lighthouse eluvians so that definitely cuts down on travel.

He does wish that Emmrich would take some more time off work but that is rich coming from Az tbh. Bonding Activity: When they're not being insufferably gay, they'll trade stories of their respective adventures {Emmrich's dives into the deeper Necropolis & Rooks Shadow Dragon missions / shenanigans.}

They also frequently cuddle and read together, or one of them will read out loud as the other rests their head on the reader's leg. Post Tearstone Island: Many a dinner date, many a family outing in the Necropolis Gardens.

Emmrich will also sometimes pick Rook up from the Shadow Dragons sanctum when he finishes work early and Rook will do the same in return. Rooks favourite though, is still when they cuddle together and read. On special occasions Manfred also joins, sitting on the bed with them once he learns how to read.

In Groups:

Davrin, Lucanis. Az & Assan: Sitting in the dining room and trading stories of fights & missions gone surprisingly well or gloriously awry! With Assan begging for some snacks & pestering them all, knowing that if he can act cute at just the right moment 1 of them will be drunk enough to crumble & sneak him something.

Neve, Harding & Rook: Biweekly gossip sessions about people from the factions they visited or are / were helping that week.

All of them love to be nosy, & the messier the drama is the better it is. They'd never share this info outside of their little gossip circle though.

Taash, Davrin & Rook: Weekly workout sessions between the 3. These sessions also contain a lot of combat talk and conversations where they plan their next big fights out.

Sometimes, they'll even boast about fights they've been in to one another for funsies.

Bellara, Taash & Rook: The three of them really understand one another on how their brains work & honestly sometimes it helps to just randomly bundle into Bellara's room every week or so to just vent about how hard it was to get some tasks done or understand others.

They also often share neurodivergency tips & will usually end the conversation with one of them info dumping on the other 2 about whatever they're currently interested in. {For Taash, this has never failed to be Dragons lmao} Emmrich, Bellara Neve & Rook: All being mages they often like to discuss spells / how their magic manifests / weird magic stuff they've encountered lately / etc.

And although they'd never admit it, this usually does devolve into them chatting just shit about something or other.

Extra Secret Sad Addition:

Varric:

Feelings: Always thought Varric was the funniest person around. Really respected his opinions on things & always went to Varric for advice even before they got to the lighthouse.

Saw Varric as a somewhat father figure {albeit a shorter one than he would have expected}. Bonding Activity: Before the lighthouse, they would often talk about their respective adventures. Rook would also occasionally manage to persuade Varric to let him read an extremely revised draft of his yet to be published pieces. Post Tearstone Island: Rook was devastated, pissed & felt grief like he'd never felt. He had to mourn 2 parents before this but this... this was mourning a truly exceptional friend and father figure that he hadn't even known had been dead for the last several years {For context: I hc that Az experienced years of time in his Fade Prison even though it was only a few weeks in the real world}.

As stated in Harding's section: he & her make a yearly visit to The Hanged Man with the Inquisitor, Hawke, Isabella and the rest of the Kirkwall Crew to talk about and remember their friend.

He & Emmrich were also able to pull some strings and erect a grave in the Necropolis for Varric {not with his body, he got put to rest in the way he wanted to before this point obvs. But this is more symbolic and gives Az a way to visit often.}

[psychologeek]

WhumpMonth challenge

Due to the success of @whumptober (index), I'm going to try for @whumplovers-collaborate 's WhumpMonth challenge.

Feel free to send a number+more spesific request (for example, "3+Sweet Dreams au, badman verse)

Prompts (some I added songs I think would fit. Bc I like playlists):

1. Backed into a Corner: Facing fears / Isolation / Unable to breathe

(possibly taken: Accumulation)

2. Your Own Worst Enemy: Dehydration / Nausea / Unhealthy coping mechanisms

3. Reckless

Broken People (loaded gun) (+day 12, alt 3)

“Take me instead.” / Made an example of / Impaled

4. Cold Room

Lab rat / Used as bait / Interrogation

5. In the Shadows

Chains / Ritualistic torture / Left for dead

6.All Eyes on You: Made to watch / Put on display / “I can’t let them see me like this.”

(possibly taken: rock)

7. Ragdoll: Carried / Manhandling / Fever-induced honesty

(possibly taken: Death)

8. Tools of the Trade: Whipping / Electric shock / Salt in the wound

9. Home Stretch

Limping / Dead on their feet / On the run

(possibly taken: Blake))

10. Push

Broken pride / Overwork / Stoicism taken as a challenge

(Dorothy)

11. Lost in a Dream

Drugged / Temporary loss of a sense / Nightmare

(possibly taken: Sarah)

12. Should’ve Seen it Coming: PTSD / Explosion / Survivor’s guilt ( "Broken People (loaded gun)" with #2, alt 3)

13. Keep Your Enemies Closer

Scar reveal / Rescued by the enemy / Abuse of power

14. Alone

Drug withdrawal / Self-surgery / “Nobody is coming for you.”

15. Darkest Hour / Hand comes away bloody / Helplessness

(Johnny)

16. Like a Dog

Begging / Kicked while they’re down / “Just get it over with.”

17. In the Ring

Bloodsport / Duel / Fighting through the pain

18. Red-handed

Gunpoint / Mission gone wrong / Panic

19. Bite Your Tongue

Gagged / Slowly falling silent / Hidden injury

20. “Why are you doing this?” / Confused by kindness

( taken: Ben)

21. What Doesn’t Leave You

Exhaustion / Old wound still hurts / Hallucinations

22. Hold On

Stabbed / Infection / Field Medicine

23. Down for the Count

Beatdown / Repeatedly passing out / Trail of blood

24. Last Straw

Waking up crying / “Go on without me.” / Betrayal

25. Precious Cargo

Injured in the escape / Near-drowning / “They were behind me a second ago.”

26. Last Resort

Doorstep collapse / “No. No hospital.” / Blood loss

27. Running on Empty

Hypothermia / Magical exhaustion / Sleep deprivation

28. Trophy

Animal trap / Strung up by the hands / Hunted for sport

29. Missing in Action

Stranded / Vehicular accident / Long fall into water

30. Presumed Dead

Head injury / Last second rescue / “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

31. It’s Not Over

Can’t make a sound / Broken bones / After-action patch-up

Alts:

Blown cover

Threats of violence

Self-loathing (#2+#12: "Broken People (loaded gun) ")

Muzzled

Gilded cage

Botched execution

Shock

Recording

Made to hurt

Animal attack

[honeyhotteoks]

i just wanted to say that your latest update on what's been going on with you personally is really brave and meant a lot to me - I know you know already that you don't owe anyone any updates on your private life, but it resonated with and comforted me a lot and I'm grateful you shared.

I work as a painter irl and recently have been really afraid that I'm dipping into depression after a long time of feeling good - and have been even more afraid of what that means for my creativity. I'm only just at the start of an exciting career as a painter, so I've been sort of upset at myself for hitting the brakes on it because of my mental health.

So to hear you come out and very firmly say that you're prioritising your mental health above all else - and to say that if creativity comes alongside that's great, but if not that's also fine - is so validating and is exactly the kind of kindness and patience I want to show myself.

I really hope you feel safe and supported through your mental health & neurodiversity journey. As a long time reader I ADORE your work (I think it's all the better for the time you take to write them), and as well as that I'm so inspired by your boundaries and priorities you set with yourself and us readers too.

Whatever you're working through, you've got this! Xx

I’m so glad that my post gave you a little comfort, and I’m sorry you’ve been going through a difficult time like that. It’s funny how sometimes creativity can be a double edged sword, and mental health really affects that. I wrote Into the Aurora in what was possibly one of my worst years of life after the loss of my father and a million other things I’m not super comfortable talking about yet, but what I found in writing was both so good and so bad. It was good because it helped give me a community of people and helped me stay afloat, but it was also bad because I found myself unable to feel anything positive or do anything meaningful outside of writing. It affected my job, my personal relationships outside of the kpop sphere, and genuinely burned me out even though it was a creative thing I loved.

I say all this to say….. as someone on the other side of that dark period, but still actively working, taking the steps towards mental health and healing is the right path every time and I wouldn’t choose anything else now that I’m here. Online during that year I was posting, I was creative, and I’m sure I looked happy, but it was also the year my partner had to pull me back from the edge and get me the help I needed. While I love Aurora, and I love writing, I wouldn’t trade a second of my life now on the other side of that pain for however many words I was able to write or ideas I was able to have. I’m still able to be creative, I’m still working, but I’m trying hard to have it be a thing that is worked into my life instead of a thing I’m using to hide behind or cope.

Please don’t be upset at needing to prioritize yourself right now over your painting. Something I’ll also say, is that if you’re at the beginning of your career as a painter….. my guess is that you’ve very recently started to get paid (like paid a decent amount) and that can sometimes make the creative thing feel heavier than it used to to. It adds a pressure that wasn’t necessarily there when you were just doing it for the love of it, and that can make it challenging. If you’re experiencing that, outside of any financial obligations you currently have and if you’re in a position to do so I really encourage you to take a step back and recharge. If you’re not able to do that, and it would be unsafe financially or otherwise to do that, I encourage you to find the time where you can to let yourself rest. Depression is hard, creativity is hard, and if you ever need talk about it my inbox is open.

Anyways thank you so much for all the kind words, and you’ve got this too x