#Don't Turn Their Entire Development Into Romance

[arkiwii]

For me part of it is that I've been playing since global launch, and rhine fam was part of what got me playing, and I've never seen anyone take the divorced jokes seriously even since then (in contrast to doc and kal, where like 80+% were taking it seriously for years)

you can only trust me for word because I don't want to call out anyone, but I have seen fanfictions or art pieces that seriously despicted them divorced (there's some on ao3). and if they're not divorced, they're at least exes. it's a very common headcanon, and I mean it. not saying people really believe it's canon, but at least, they want to imagine it is. as a heads up, it's not wrong, people think whatever they want! I was just bringing the point that it gave a less interesting side to her relationship to make them into bitter exes, imo. it makes it look like "Silence is mad at Saria because Saria betrayed her, and now she's acting really awful towards her, which Saria simply accepts". that's a simplification of their relationship. it's not necessarily wrong, but it's not the real message.

Silence doesn't hate Saria. she can't help being mad at her because she's mad at herself. when she looks at Saria, she sees someone who failed to protect them, and most than all, she realized that she was putting her hopes unti Saria. she's mad at herself because she is weak, because she was depending on anyone stronger than her to do the right things, and had expectations for them. she realized that Saria is just a person, so is everyone, and if she wants to achieve something, she has to do it herself.

as for Saria, she's not just accepting Silence's hate. she thinks that she deserves it, that she really failed. she's the shield If Rhine Lab, she promised that she would protect anyone, and she failed. because she pushed herself to carry this burden, because she unconsciously doesn't trust that the people she's protecting can protect themselves. Silence, Ifrit, they don't need Saria to fight for them. they need her to fight with them.

what really makes them really interesting to me is that it's when they finally open up and show their true selves, they realize that they can work together and that their flaws perfectly complete each other. Silence does not fall in love with Saria the director of Rhine Lab who is strong and hot and perfect looking, but with Saria who is a broken person who needs to love herself and be shown that she can be loved. Saria does not fall in love with Silence the weak and innocent girl who relies on her, but with Silence the woman who learned to fight for her ideals, and who saw the pain inflicted to those close to her, promising herself to never let it happen.

OK I WENT RANTY IN THERE BUT tl;dr in my personal opinion, bringing a romance in their time before Lone Trail doesn't change anything to her development, and it can be very well handled, I'm sure, but all the cases I have seen are just an excuse for spicy exes stuff "I loved you but you betrayed me" and turn their relationship into just "lovers who are still in love but misunderstanding happened", y'know

[kateksmallcuteowl]

June 26: Soulmates/Soulmate Marks AU

Your mark shows how old will your soulmate be when you fall in love with them. (Meaning both romantically and sexually)

For an event by @bagginshieldweek24

More headcanons after the cut. Seriously, there’s a lot, as I developed a whole idea but had no time to write a fic because of exams.

— Dwarfs come of age in around 80 y.o., having a soulmate from another race is a very rare occurrence; throughout the history of Middle-earth, there have been at most a dozen such cases, so most dwarves are unaware of this possibility. Having a mark with a number younger than the age of majority is a lifelong shame, essentially an admission of pedophilia. Unfortunately, this happens more often than having a soulmate from another race.

— Thorin spent his entire adult life, from the moment the mark appeared, wearing an extra layer of bandages under his bracers to prevent anyone from seeing the number. Fortunately, among dwarves, it is not considered inappropriate to hide the marks, as many value their privacy.

— The mark and thoughts about it were the reason why Thorin often appeared especially gloomy when the topic of romance came up.

— He truly tried to compensate for his "defectiveness" with his virtues.

— Of course, Thorin is a virgin.

— Bilbo, on the other hand, didn't think much about this; hobbits don't see anything wrong with living without their soulmate or seeing their soulmate as a friend. They are generally a loving people and don't worry about the concept of "the one and only."

— Although the topic of soulmates is considered highly romantic in hobbit literature, Bilbo was somewhat disappointed when he realized he would likely never meet his soulmate. (Hobbits are also unaware of inter-racial soulmates.)

— I tried to make young Bilbo look more like Frodo, so here he has smaller curls and a different style of shirt.

— Thorin and Bilbo both hid their marks, so when they felt an attraction to each other, especially after the Carrock, both were initially upset, thinking they weren't soulmates. Thorin, of course, was much more upset.

— During the two weeks they stayed with Beorn (yes, I'm mixing the movie and the book, what are you going to do about it? Slow burn needs time to be slow), they managed to reach the point of kissing near the river or something like that. But when Bilbo tried to unlace Thorin's tunic, Thorin stopped him and said that, unlike hobbits, for dwarves, sexual interaction is a very serious step in emotional attachment. It wouldn't be fair not to tell Bilbo what kind of monster he was getting involved with, because after seeing what Thorin had to show him, Bilbo might not even want to look him in the eye. Bilbo was honestly frustrated. (It is implied that Thorin used some term characteristic of a pedo... ahem)

— With a terrifyingly serious face, Thorin unwrapped the bandages on his wrist, and Bilbo, with a sinking heart, prepared to see a number like 5 or 12. Instead, there was a very respectable and completely normal age. Thorin turned away, not wanting to see the disappointment in the hobbit's eyes. Bilbo spent a few seconds calculating how long dwarves live and how old Thorin actually was.

— Thorin thought Bilbo wanted to shame him for having the audacity to enter into a relationship at such an age, knowing his soulmate's extremely young age. With closed eyes, he forced out that he was 195 and knew how disgusting he was because of it.

— Instead of a slap or something worse, which Thorin wouldn't have opposed, thinking any normal person had the right to treat him like that after seeing it, Bilbo reached for his own wrist and, with suspicious enthusiasm, pulled off the leather bracelet he had worn since the Shire. On the pale skin was clearly marked Thorin's age, written in dark ink with characteristic dwarvish notches.

— Some time passed in silence as they both realized that such a coincidence simply couldn't be.

— They were in for a very pleasant evening away from the company🌚🌝

— Later, when the entire company gathered by the fire, Bilbo and Thorin would come to them, holding hands, the hobbit nearly glowing with happiness in front, and a red-to-the-tips-of-his-ears Thorin slightly behind. This would be the first time anyone in the company saw Thorin without bandages, and if not for the matching age on Bilbo's wrist, now also not hidden by a bracelet, they wouldn't have believed Thorin could be normal with such a number on his skin.

— And the dwarves would realize how young Bilbo was by their standards.

— Truly, the ways of the Valar are mysterious.

— At the very end of the night, Fili would nudge Kili with his elbow and hint that since their uncle had an inter-racial mark, he might not be so angry and yell when he finds out that his brother has a four-digit number on his wrist.

[dearobinchwan]

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 ?

featuring : gn!reader + Zoro, Mihawk and Ace

warning : none

masterlist

Roronoa Zoro

His heart suddenly beats more rapidly whenever he sees you smiling, laughing, or even doing the most random thing. On top of that, Sanji's overly complimentary remarks towards you make him want to reach for his swords. No, this can't be. He's stared death down a thousand times, cut through countless enemies. Yet, this new feeling blooming for you – it's terrifying.

Zoro coming to terms with his feelings for you? Buckle up, because it's going to be a hilarious journey. Denial will be his middle name for a while, trust me. This dense swordsman will be in for a wild ride before he finally connects the dots.

Thanks to Nami's interrogation skills (and a little sake), the whole crew knows Zoro has a thing for you. Now, expect endless teasing from Luffy and Usopp, who'll probably try to spill the beans before a certain mosshead gives them his best glare.

Zoro finally figuring out his feelings for you? Great! Now comes the real test: talking to you about them. Because let's be honest, under that tough-guy act, he is probably a nervous wreck, sweating bullets at the thought of rejection.

Zoro's not exactly the Romeo type. So expect a confession that's straightforward, maybe a bit awkward – but heartfelt nonetheless. If you feel the same, a weight will lift from his shoulders. But if not, he'll respect your decision and try to keep things smooth between you.

Dracule Mihawk

Don't be fooled by Mihawk's stoic facade – because he is quite aware of his feelings for you. Years have honed his instincts, and unlike his pupil, he has no time (and he is too old) for childish denial. His emotions are clear, even if unspoken.

That man has a very calculating mind. He'll dissect every interaction, every glance, searching for a sign that you love him as mush as he loves you. Despite his solitary nature, his mind might already be constructing a future by your side – a future dependent on your response.

Mihawk is probably one of the few men in One Piece who are very romantic (Oda told me so). His brand of romance is subtle yet charming. Imagine leisurely strolls through his gardens or watching the sunset with a glass of wine by his side. A subtle offer of his arm, a hint of a blush from you – that might be all the encouragement he needs to take things a step further.

Once confident your feelings mirror his own, Mihawk will approach things in an (VERY) old-fashioned way. Be prepared for a carefully crafted dinner invitation, where he can formally request the honor of courting you. His pride lies in being a gentleman, and rushing into things is simply not his style. He prefers to court you slowly and respectfully, allowing your relationship to develop naturally.

After a series of thoughtful dates, Mihawk will finally take the next step and ask you to be his partner (Perona and Zoro might have placed a bet on the timeline, of course). Like everything he does, Mihawk will approach this new chapter with utmost seriousness. Your well-being will always be his top priority.

Portgas D. Ace

Ace isn't the denial type. The ache when you're gone, the quiet competition with Marco and Izo for your laughter – these are the clues that tip him off. Ace falling for you? It's written all over his flustered face. He stutters and turns red like a tomato when speaking to you unexpectedly.

The entire crew is a nuisance and teases him constantly about his love for you. They have grilled him mercilessly – “When will you confess?” they ask, convinced you feel the same.

Denial ? Once again, not Ace's style. But baring his heart, admitting his love for you ? That's a terrifying vulnerability he fears more than anything. On top of that, I believe he is also afraid of losing your friendship by making things awkward if you don't feel the same about him.

Thankfully, Marco, ever the voice of reason, is there to guide this lovestruck dummy. And honestly, this old man is tired of watching you two pining from afar. A stern talk from Marco might be just what Ace needs to understand that silence could lead to a missed opportunity for a great relationship.

Ace's confession? A masterpiece in the making, at least in his head. Daily mirror pep talks and a meticulously planned romantic gesture – that's how he plans to declare his love. Just imagine the blushing, the stammering, the potential for minor explosions (caused by Ace's nervousness, of course).

Dinner over, Ace reaches for something hidden in his pocket. His nervousness is palpable, a sheen of sweat forming on his brow. But then, with a determined glint in his eye, he throws caution (and the letter) to the wind, ready to confess his true feelings directly from the heart.

[amnestria-the-elf]

So we're all just supposed to be fucking grateful that Larian gave us "new Wyll content" (evil ending for a man who is canonically incorruptible, what the fuck) and simultaneously broke him again (giving low approval greetings to a romanced PC, what the fuck).

I... I just... the simultaneous feelings of rage and utter hopelessness are overwhelming.

Listen, if you've read any of my posts you know I have a pretty clear "Don't yuck anyone's yum" policy. If you think an evil Wyll ending is interesting, fine. But here's why it falls flat for me.

First, like I said above, Wyll is canonically incorruptible. It's literally the entire basis of his character. He is a man who was coerced into making an infernal contract to save a city and had to pay a horrible price for doing so, then spent seven fucking years alone in the wilderness doing his damned best to protect the people of the Sword Coast, while all along telling his horrible, abusive patron to just fuck off already.

Now, could you argue that during the events of the game, Wyll develops a taste for evil? Sure. There are plenty of opportunities for his villain origin story to unfold. But they never do. His moral compass never wavers. Turned into a devil? He feels shame, because it's an outward sign that he was doing things for Mizora that were morally wrong, and he didn't see it before. His approval rating for the PC shoots through the roof if you save Karlach, a sure indicator of his true moral compass. His father kidnapped? Fuck that noise, we're gonna save him. Rescue Zariel's "asset"? Ugh, fine, but don't get distracted from the real reason we're here. His father gets tadpoled? Oh hells no, we're gonna take down these assholes and save the godsdamned world. His father accuses him of being an agent of a devil and is super pissy about it? "Everything I did, I did for the people of the Sword Coast."

For fuck's sake, he will leave the party if the PC gets too evil, even knowing it means he'll probably turn into a mindflayer immediately. Even if he's romancing the PC. Unwavering moral compass. So giving him an evil ending without also going back and changing everything about his character just feels like lazy writing to me.

Which brings me to the second reason all of this rubs the wrong way. Wyll deserves so much more content. More romanced greetings, more reactions to other characters' choices, a final boss battle that is actually about him, a default ending that actually makes fucking sense (I have another post cooking about the Avernus ending, so I will leave it for now.)

And please, spare me your "But Wyll was rewritten after early access" bullshit. That's Larian's problem. They chose to listen to feedback and do a late-stage rewrite. They then chose to implement it poorly and never fucking fix it. Other characters, who already have far more content than Wyll, have had even more added over the course of the seven released patches. Wyll, on the other hand, has been sitting around completely ignored until now when we get this evil ending.

Many have rightfully pointed out the inherent racism steeped in all of this. I want Larian to be better. But as Maya Angelou said, "When someone shows you who they are, believe them." I already didn't have much hope about Patch 7 for Wyll, but this... honestly, this is worse than him just being ignored again.

The thing that kills me the most is that this is just going to be more fodder for the fandom to completely mischaracterize Wyll, for those who already haven't bothered to think critically about his character at all to just be like, oh, cool, Wyll is evil now. Nope. You've completely missed the point.

I'm just... so tired. I've worked very hard to put this little bubble of Wyll enthusiasts around me (hi friends I love you all!) so that I can hold on to some shred of sanity in this fandom. The world needs heroes of color. Just let Wyll be the hero in peace.

[the-badger-mole]

You know what really irked me, even as a kid watching ATLA? Any time Aang vented about his crush on Katara to anyone, they would pat his head and assure him she would come around eventually. Some even implied since he's the Avatar, she basically has to. No one ever told Aang to maybe respect Katara's boundaries and choices, and not see friendship as a stepping stone to being her boyfriend. That bothered me then, and it bothers me even more now.

It should bother EVERYONE! One of the things I hate about Kataang- the MAIN thing I hate about Kataang- is how little Katara matters in the relationship. She is Aang's prize. Whatever she might actually want for herself is irrelevant. I hate how little care was given into Katara's side of this relationship. It was so poorly developed that when pressed, the only examples of Katara's feelings being more than friendship are that last scene in "The Fortuneteller", which has Katara literally only considering Aang for half a second because someone outside of herself pointing out that he was a powerful bender, and then never mentioning it again, or that scene in "The Headband", which has Katara giving Aang bedroom eyes FROM HIS PERSPECTIVE, but again, not talking about it or giving him any actual signal that she wants to pursue something with him. I'm convinced the only reason those scenes exist is because Bryke were just aware enough of how romance should be structured that they knew that Katara should have some sort of participation in the romance. Too bad they didn't care enough about her feelings to actually center her feelings.

Meanwhile, Aang's feelings get explored, discussed (with everyone EXCEPT Katara) and validated. We can't NOT know how he feels. The reason all those people reassuring Aang that he'll get Katara is so insidious is because Aang never considers her feelings. He can't even fathom her turning him down. It never crosses his mind that her answer might be no. That she has the right to say no. So when she says no in EIP (and it was a no. If👏🏿 it's👏🏿 not👏🏿 a👏🏿 yes, 👏🏿it's👏🏿 a 👏🏿no👏🏿), Aang can't respect that boundary. He stomps over that boundary because he's the Avatar, and he wants her, so of COURSE she's not going to turn him down. She can't say no to him. And Bryke agree with him! They don't ever address how messed up it was for Aang to kiss Katara without her consent TWICE, and they don't ever address Katara's feelings. Instead they make it so the only charitable explanation for why Katara's feelings changed between EIP and the finale is that she feels like she owes Aang.

She is not romantically interested in Aang until the moment she sees him on stage being hailed as tH3 r3@L h3R0!!!11!!! He was the Avatar she'd been hoping for. He ended the war. He wanted her. Bryke, instead of giving Katara moments of having Aang support her, give emotional validation, or even just helping her with chores without being a baby about it, ignored developing Katara's feelings altogether-ignored the fact that Zuko was right there giving her in like 5 episodes what Ang never gave her in the entire series- in favor of presenting her as a literal prize for their boy.

[a-driftamongopenstars]

i just want to say a few words about this "only 3 choices kept from DAI" thing.

we shouldn't be okay with it. yes, at some point the game does need to grow out of where it is, not every single choice can be addressed, but that's the thing. no one is asking for it. to throw away an entire game's worth of choices in a sequel that follows directly after a massive cliffhanger is just disrespectful to player's time and emotional investment. whatever the team is saying to try and defend this choice is not working. we don't need 100 cameos and no, "bringing back a character always leads to something bad happening to them" is just not true.

it's been 10 years in development. how in this whole time does it not come up who the divine is. who drank from the well. inquisition turned the tides of nations, it's a fact, how is it that the only thing that matters is who you romanced, and whether or not you want to save solas. this is asinine.

I know Bioware did it before (see: leliana). but it's like, one or two things. not the entirety of a very long game.

people's disappointment is absolutely justified. it's normal to feel upset that your choices of a massive scale don't matter in a game directly affected by said choices.

[edelgarfield]

i love shadowgast, i think their journey together learning how to be better people & healing is beautiful.

but nothing annoys me more than when Caleb gets all the credit for Essek's redemption arc, or when Essek's relationship with Caleb is automatically placed on a pedestal above his friendship with the rest of the Mighty Nein.

because it is straight up untrue. it wasn't even Caleb that did most of the legwork reaching out to Essek, it was Jester. Yes, their magic lessons, and Caleb's understanding went a long way towards showing Essek that he could change, but Jester was the one who consistently and repeatedly reached out to him. I am of the firm belief that without Jester, the Mighty Nein would never have gotten past Essek's initial standoffishness.

And furthermore, Caleb was Essek's friend first. I don't think it's ever been confirmed, but IMO most of Essek's initial attraction to Caleb was 1) academic 2) performative, and any genuine physical or romantic attraction didn't start developing until post-reveal. I'm not even convinced Essek was romantically interested in Caleb, or at least able to identify it as such, by the END of the campaign. Essek values Caleb primarily as a friend and any romance on top of that is a bonus.

Essek's relationship with Caleb is not inherently more important than his friendship with the rest of the Mighty Nein just because they're dating. He loves all of them, and expresses that multiple times at the end of CR2. It was their friendship that changed him, not his interest in Caleb. Caleb values the Mighty Nein's friendship more than whatever budding romance he had with Essek. Essek's entire life doesn't, nor should it revolve around Caleb! Caleb is an important part, yes, but he values and needs the love he receives from the rest of the Mighty Nein just as much.

As someone who's aro/ace-spectrum and has little to no interest in romance, every time I see Essek's relationship to the Mighty Nein reduced to his relationship with Caleb, it feels like a slap in the face. It validates my deepest fear that I'm just an accessory in my friends' lives, and that no matter how much I love them or what I do for them, I'm inevitably going to be discarded when someone they want to date comes along.

People will watch 500+ hours of a show that emphasizes over and over the importance of friendship and platonic love then turn around and reduce it to romance alone.

[katyusha454]

I think I've found the most tragic ship in BG3 and I need to rant about it

I've seen a decent number of people discuss and write about Dark Justiciar Shadowheart, but they always focus on what she's like post-game when she's fully committed to Shar. Which is a fine thing to focus on! Especially when you're writing smut where she's a mean domme. Post-game DJ Shadowheart is a fascinating character. But I feel like people neglect to consider what she's like during the transition phase of Act 3, where she's become Shar's Chosen but hasn't yet Done The Thing that caps off her personal questline. And there is SO MUCH potential for angst and drama during that time frame.

IMO the most important aspect of this stage of her development is that she is not evil yet. She simply made a single bad decision and now she feels like she's in too deep to do anything but double down on it. She's spent her whole life trying to "fake it 'till you make it" and she's only just now starting to transition out of that and into sincere belief. All the misgivings and insecurities she's shared with you are still there, just buried deeper. That desire to love others and do good hasn't yet been completely stamped out. In my Dark Justiciar Origin run, I try to do good things whenever possible as long as I can find a way to rationalize it as benefiting Shar. (but I still ended up saying enough evil-sounding things to make Minthara incredibly horny for me)

So where does Karlach fit in?

Well, turns out when you play as Origin Shadowheart, Shar doesn't make you break up with your partner. In fact, Shar says absolutely nothing to you about your romantic situation. This is really weird if you're romancing anyone other than Karlach, but I think it makes perfect sense for Shar to tolerate a relationship with Karlach for the time being. It's the ideal opportunity for Shar to prove a point. Karlach is dying, and no matter what Shadowheart does, this relationship is going to end in painful loss. Shar wants Shadowheart to fall in love with Karlach only to have that love abruptly ripped away from her. It perfectly demonstrates everything Shar believes about love: that it's fleeting and will always hurt you in the long run. Better to just avoid it entirely so you don't get hurt.

And Shadowheart knows all this. She's studied Sharran scripture extensively, after all. She knows that Shar is trying to teach her a lesson, she knows that the longer the relationship lasts and the more emotionally intimate it gets, the more the end is going to hurt. So why doesn't she break it off? Partly it's because she loves Karlach and doesn't want to end things; she's probably in denial at least a little bit. But I think it's also partly because she's a bit of a masochist. She thinks she deserves to suffer because she knows, at least subconsciously, that she's still not a very good Sharran. She can see the loss coming and she hopes the experience will bring her closer to Shar.

You'd think Karlach would be unwilling to put up with DJ Shadowheart's fanatical bullshit, but personally I think Karlach would stick it out for a whole mess of reasons. Number one, she can still see the good in Shadowheart and she refuses to give up on her partner. She's clinging tightly to the hope that Shadowheart can still be redeemed, even though she probably understands that it's a long shot at best.

Number two, she blames herself. When you play as Tav/Durge or another Origin, Shadowheart will have a conversation with you before deciding what to do in the Shadowfell. But if you play as Shadowheart, none of your companions says a word to you. In the context of this ship, I choose to interpret that as Karlach being too trusting. She's seen the good in Shadowheart, after all. She's so certain Shadowheart will do the right thing that she doesn't think she needs to speak up. It's not until too late that she realizes what Shadowheart needed was for someone to say "hey, are you sure about this?" So now she feels she needs to make up for that failure somehow by continuing to try and nudge Shadowheart in the right direction even though it seems impossible.

And number three, Karlach's just plain lonely. As fucked-up as this relationship is, she's still getting companionship and intimacy, and she doesn't think she has time to cultivate a new relationship if she breaks up with Shadowheart. She wants someone to be with her and hold her hand at the end, even if that someone is a brainwashed cultist.

In sum, both of them know that their relationship is extremely unhealthy; that it's hurting them now and will hurt them more in the future. But they both refuse to end it for their own reasons. And good gods, the ANGST. ARE YOU FEELING IT NOW, MISTER KRABS?

[back2bluesidex]

Hard Luck - JJK & KTH (18+) - Prologue

◆ Pairing: CEO Jungkook X Fem employee Reader X Legal advisor Taehyung. 

◆ Summary: You have a good face, a nice body, a fat amount saved in your secondary bank account, a stable job that you love, loving friends and family, you are good in bed. You have almost everything other than a good luck in love. Sleeping around with random dudes don’t feel enough when your friends are getting married and having kids. If you are being honest, you have started getting bored of this prolonged singlehood already. 

Your last light of hope fades away when your work crush, aka the hot guy from the legal department, Kim Taehyung (with whom you might or might not have slept once, okay! twice!), asks you to set him up with your work best friend (who, apparently, is the most asked out woman of the company). But what you don’t know is that the CEO of the company has taken a liking to you and has set out on a mission of winning your heart. 

But wait… Taehyung might have started developing feelings for you in the process of receiving your help!!!

◆ Chapter Summary: First time is a turn-of-events. Second time is... what?

◆ Theme: Romance, drama, light angst, my poor attempt of humor, fluff and eventual smut. office romance au. co-workers to lovers au.

◆ Warnings: implied smut, drinking. NSFW!!!

◆ Word count: 700

◆ Minors and karens are not allowed in this blog

◆ Taglist is open (till 3rd July, 12 am edt). So, you can comment down if you want to be tagged (only if you have your age mentioned in your bio). you can also dm me if you don't want to make your age public.

Series Masterlist | Masterlist | Patreon (Early access available for Patreon members)

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When the first time it happened - both of you were drunk. 

Much to your dismay, it was one of those cliched turn-of-events that you hate with your full chest. 

Not that you didn’t know who Kim Taehyung is but still company gatherings are basically incomplete without “I am x from x department. Looking forward to working with you.” 

So you smiled at him politely, when he approached you, all while trying not to appear too flushed as the rich timbre of his voice grazed the back of your neck.

If he saw heat creeping up to the tip of your ears, he didn’t say anything. 

And then everything happened in a flash. At one moment he was offering to drop you home saying that he had called in a designated driver and the next moment, he was pushing your body against your bedroom door, kissing you as if he had waited the entire evening just for this. 

“I wanted to do this! All evening!” Taehyung confirmed, grunting when your tongue trespassed into his mouth. His words were tangled, you understood those nonetheless. 

“You wanted to kiss me all evening? You didn’t even know who I was.” you teased him as you hand did an exceptional job in undoing his necktie and removing his button-up within a few seconds. 

His hand roamed all over your body as if he didn’t know where to start from. 

“Umm.. So what? I knew your face. We have seen each other a couple of times in the elevator, cafeteria, once in a meeting too!” Taehyung replied upon scratching his memory, his hands finally started unzipping your dress, “it is a part of why I approached you today.” 

You knew you should never feel giddy during these kinds of situations. He could, very well, be saying those things only to get inside your pants. But the little flutter in your stomach was beyond your control. 

Taehyung is, after all, known as the most handsome man in the company and he is completely deserving of that title. 

He is all about dark hair, siren eyes, tall and towering weight, lopsided smiles that can turn into full boxy ones if you match his vibe. 

You won’t be exaggerating if you say that he is the most good looking human you have ever witnessed in your life. And a man as handsome as him saying that he intentionally approached you, strokes your ego for sure. 

When he left your apartment the next morning after he made sure that you had his number saved in your phone as “taetae”, your heart was gone alongside him.

As a result, the second time comes more naturally. And this time none of you have a drop of alcohol in your system, which means you have to take the full responsibility for your actions. 

Taehyung hands mold against your smaller frame so naturally that it surprises you. It’s impossible to hold someone so intimately after having sex just once. 

But he does it. 

He holds you, kisses you, presses your body on his as if he means it all. You give him access without thinking much. 

“Never thought a harmless coffee invitation would turn out this way.” Taehyung mumbles as he nips on the skin of your throat. You moan his name as sweetly as possible. 

“You sure, you didn’t plan for this?” oh! You love to tease him. 

“You caught me.” he bemoans as his fingers unbutton your shirt hastily. 

Then you don’t say anything and let him do his thing. 

He takes you to his bedroom, lays you down on his immaculately made bed and makes love to you. 

Yes. it was not just fucking but he actually makes love to you. 

It was more vanilla than anything you have ever experienced before and you like it this way. Soft moans and groans fill his lavender scented bedroom. 

Taehyung spills into the condom much before you are even close. So, goes down on his knees and eats you out and in turn makes you cum. 

Very few men that bedded you were this considerate. 

Hence, that flutter in your heart is back. 

Things can’t go wrong if you take it slow right? 

(Unbeknownst to you… things are going to go very wrong.) 

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[comikadraws]

The "No Regrets" Line

At the request of @the-real-sasuke-uchiha and because this seems to be a common point of critique of Itachi Uchiha.

So yeah. This is the explanation all of you have been waiting for. I've got Japanese raws, researched the original expression used, and now I'm here to let you know how haters never seem to understand this scene.

Length: • 1.8K Content: • The "Wrong" Translation • The Correct Translation • A Quote Taken Out of Context

DISCLAIMER: Blue links are sources. The art in the header is mine but drawn referencing Kishimoto's original art.

The "Wrong" Translation

We all know it. We all have heard it. It regularly comes up in anti-Itachi discourse to show fans how much of a remorseless monster Itachi truly is. It's the infamous "I have no regrets" line at the end of the Kabuto fight.

And it shows up not just in the manga but in the official English Sub and Dub as well. So it should be perfectly fine, shouldn't it?

Well. Before anybody's attention span gives out, this is indeed a translation error. Sort of, at least. The English translation is "correct" but it sacrifices nuance for the sake of a simpler, crispier line. Unfortunately, this nuance just so happens to be a vital puzzle piece to understanding both Itachi and Sasuke in this scene. The lack thereof became the origin of many misconceptions about Itachi's words and, therefore, his true character.

So, instead of its true meaning, many people who read "no more regrets" ended up interpreting the line somewhat like this:

"I never regretted anything I ever did. Just deal with it, Sasuke."

And that interpretation has since turned into a stubborn misbelief within the anti-Itachi part of the fandom, so much so that it has developed a life of its own. People no longer analyze the entire scene but instead, they rip two panels out of context. They no longer quote Itachi's "I have no more regrets" but instead simplify it further to "I have no regrets" as if he never had any regrets, ever.

Don't believe me? Here's a compilation!

DISCLAIMER: I intentionally did not include sources or usernames in the compilation to avoid unnecessary witch-hunting of people who just didn't know any better or fell victim to Itachi hate propaganda. If you recognize a comment of yours and would instead like to be credited as its author, please let me know.

The Correct Translation

But now, let's take a look at what Itachi was actually meant to say in that scene. I found a Japanese raw and had a friend (who is studying Japanese) translate it for me.

Kana: もうこの世界に未練はない Rōmaji: Mō kono sekai ni miren wanai. English: I have no more attachments to this world.

If you don't believe me, you can literally enter that full sentence into Google Translate and it will provide you with the exact same translation.

And by now you probably wonder "How the fck did this happen" because the mistranslation appears to change the message of Itachi's words drastically. One speaks of resignation; The other is complacency. What rid the translator here?

Well. The secret lies in the Japanese word 未練 "Miren". It is one of many words in Japanese that express feelings of regret, each with different nuances. 後悔 "Koukai", for example, could have been a perfectly viable option had Itachi meant plain regrets or remorse for his actions. But "Miren" expresses a more complex emotion.

To better understand the meaning of "Miren", I checked three different Japanese-to-English dictionary sites [1] [2] [3]. It translates to a multitude of different words, including "lingering affection", "attachment", "reluctance", "ruefulness", and "regret". When in use, it means a reluctance to abandon or depart from something. I was told that "miren" often appears in the context of breakups, expressing an attachment to a past romance. The regret part refers, in this case, to a life that could have been or once was that you refuse to let go of. Having "Miren" means that you want to stay and that you would regret leaving. Not having any "Miren" means you are ready to move on.

Itachi uses this expression in reference to 世界 "Sekai" (World) to mean that he no longer feels a lingering attachment to the (mortal) world or life itself. He considers his own job done - Not because he thinks himself to have finished the job but instead because he has no belief in his own ability to change things for the better. With nothing left to salvage, he is ready to move on.

It is not that Itachi thinks he is a good person. He is simply just giving up. This becomes more apparent when viewing the line in context.

A Quote Taken Out of Context

What should probably be mentioned as well is that while the "no regrets" translation definitely does Itachi a disservice, haters usually also rip the line out of its original context unnecessarily. Not that I entirely blame them, as the trajectory of both Sasuke's and Itachi's thoughts is not exactly straightforward. Add to that that the butchered translation can easily be twisted to imply a different meaning entirely - especially when followed by the younger Uchiha's reaction - and you might end up interpreting Sasuke's words somewhat like this:

"You have no more regrets? You have been and are aiding the village that ruined you - That ruined me! And it is your fault! How dare you say you don't regret that?! How dare you side with them? How dare you make those your last words?!"

The outrage becomes very pronounced, is what I am saying.

At first glance, it seems as though Sasuke searches for any signs of his brother's guilt and regret, fishing for an apology, perhaps. But anybody who has paid any attention at all already knows that Itachi has expressed his guilt and regrets multiple times over already.

Aside from being shocked and disheartened to learn that Sasuke has joined the Akatsuki, he consistently frames this turn in Sasuke's path as a result of Itachi's own actions. While, yes, he recognizes "Madara's" involvement in all this, he rather says "It's my fault you became what you are now" and "I turned you into a criminal" than distracting from his own responsibility. And then when Sasuke describes Itachi as "perfect", the one thing that Itachi points out, in order to contradict this notion, is his attempts to manipulate Sasuke, characterizing them as mistakes or a character flaw of his. Itachi even denies himself the right to berate Sasuke for his decisions because he knows the weight of his mistakes.

So no, Sasuke knows that Itachi experienced profound guilt over his actions and feels deep regret - Both for their manipulative nature as well as for the effect they had on Sasuke. Sasuke has no reason to demand an admission of guilt he has already received.

But then, what does Sasuke want from Itachi? For that, let's take a look at the true context of this scene.

It begins with Sasuke's realization that, with the release of the Edo Tensei, Itachi is going to disappear yet again. Their words are meant to be interpreted somewhat like this:

"The dead revived with Edo Tensei will disappear." "But that means you will leave as well." "I know, but I accept that outcome. Even if it will be the end of me as well, I will have protected Konoha - my homeland. But beyond this, there is nothing else left for me to help with. I have no other purpose in the world of the living."

And it is not before this that Sasuke has his outburst. Much like Itachi's line about lingering attachments, the intent of Sasuke's words changes now that the mistranslation is out of the way. And much like last time, context reinforces this interpretation of Sasuke's response.

"Why would you sacrifice yourself for Konoha again? What they did was unforgivable! You should want to stay rather than help them at the cost of your life."

Sasuke clearly frames Itachi as the victim in the first part of his outburst. He is angry at Konoha not because of what they did to him but because of what they did to Itachi. He then builds upon that.

"And even if you do forgive, I still won't. I will remain their enemy. You helping Konoha will be futile. I need fixing. You've said it yourself. Both your guilt and the threat I pose should be a lingering attachment to you! So beyond Konoha not deserving your attention, I actually do require it! You are not done in this world yet."

In the second part, Sasuke picks up Itachi's own words and turns them against him. He makes himself out to be both a threat and a mistake to appeal to Itachi's wish to protect Konoha as well as his guilt over failing Sasuke.

In his mind, he must either convince Itachi that Konoha is not worth saving (and therefore shouldn't come at the cost of Itachi's "life") or remind Itachi that Sasuke should be considered a more important lingering attachment (or rather, unfinished business). The idea is to make one option more appealing than the other by all means necessary. He appeals to Itachi's guilt, potential frustrations, and tries to convince Itachi that helping Konoha will be futile. Upon success, Itachi will stay.

The reason why is elaborated on in the next chapter. He still needs to learn the truth from Itachi but also he is longing for his older brother that he still feels affection toward. I am not saying that Sasuke's hatred for Konoha doesn't play a role or that he is not indignant over Itachi's dedication to saving the village. It is simply that Sasuke is not just merely having an outburst, as his words are more deliberate and much more thought-out than that, even while wrapped in anger and incomprehension.

Sasuke isn't actually being malicious but desperate instead. Desperate enough to frame his current state of being as something "wrong" that needs Itachi's fixing, if only it means he won't leave. It uncovers an entirely new layer of vulnerability to his character.

Back to Chapter #588, Itachi knows that Sasuke is not looking for an admission of guilt from him. So instead of an apology, Itachi responds with a reason as to why Sasuke doesn't need Itachi anymore, saying he (Itachi) is not the one to change the younger Uchiha. Instead, he believes it is Naruto who can and will stop Sasuke.

Itachi's reasoning here is that he no longer believes himself fit to steer Sasuke onto the right path. The older brother has made too many mistakes to believe himself worthy or competent enough to take on such a role in Sasuke's life. This decision was made more than 30 chapters prior (or more than 200 chapters ago, actually), when Itachi decided to leave Sasuke to Naruto.

(Obviously what is actually going on is that Kishimoto must shoehorn Naruto into the equation, but I am trying to explain Itachi's in-universe reasoning)

It is certainly a heartbreaking interpretation in which Sasuke seeks justice and wants his brother to understand his crimes, admit to them, and take it all back. One in which, instead of a brother, all he is given is a mindless puppet of Konoha.

However, the true meaning of the scene is that Itachi already has accepted his crimes. He already has sought justice for them. But this acceptance, this guilt, and those regrets are exactly the reason why Itachi is ready to move on. There is nothing keeping him in life because, in his opinion, he isn't worth it. Sasuke, instead, wants for his brother to stay. It is a longing that Itachi cannot fulfill - Not when this selfishness will get people killed or possibly spell the end for Konoha.

Isn't this a tragic way to look at it, too?

[jetii]

Event Horizon

Chapter Twelve: Justice

Chapter WC: 11,285

Chapter Tags/Warnings: war stuff, description of blood/injuries

A/N: angst? happening. plot? developing. romance? uhhhhh

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Saleucami, 21 BBY

Dorin, Geonosis, and now Saleucami. It's been a series of defeats and close calls, and the losses have been mounting. You're running on fumes, and the exhaustion is starting to catch up with you. 

The plan to rescue Master Koth from General Grievous had fallen apart as soon as the mission started, and now, you and Obi-Wan were racing to make things right. Anakin was still in orbit, fighting off the Separatist fleet, while you and Obi-Wan were on the ground in pursuit of General Grievous. Somehow, you'd been given command of the 501st, and even though it was technically only temporary, it still felt good to have his presence at your side again. Especially after the last few missions.

Tracking is tedious work, and your body was still thrumming with adrenaline from the naval battle. You stand off to the side as Obi-Wan's men sift through the wreckage of the landing transport, but you know as well as he does that neither Grievous nor his droids are among the debris.

You stand on the back of an AT-TE, binocs in hand, scanning the horizon for signs of movement. But, the area is eerily quiet, and there's no sign of the enemy. Even the wildlife is silent, as if sensing the danger. The hairs on the back of your neck stand on end, and you take in a shuddering breath.

"Thermal housing intakes are still warm. This couldn't have happened too long ago," Cody announces, and the men murmur in agreement.

"The crew compartment's almost entirely destroyed," Rex adds, his gaze shifting up to meet yours. You leap off the walker to stand beside him, the ground uneven beneath your feet, and his hand comes up automatically to steady you.

You ignore the tingle of warmth where his gloved hand touches yours, and you turn your attention to the wreckage. "They can't have gotten far on foot."

"We'll split into teams," Obi-Wan announces, his gaze sweeping over the assembled men, and you nod.

"Rex, take Jesse, Hardcase, and Kix and search the wetlands," you order. "We'll stay on this path and cover more ground."

"Yes sir," Rex says. He signals the other clones, and the four of them break away from the group, heading toward the land speeders

"Be careful," you call after him, unable to stop yourself.

He looks back, and there's a faint smile on his lips.

"Always, sir," he promises before he turns and climbs into a speeder, securing his helmet over his head. The engines roar to life, and the three speeders zoom off. You watch as they disappear over the crest of the hill and let out a long breath.

Rex is more than capable, but you can't shake the feeling that something is wrong. The ominous dreams of golden fields and smoke have grown worse over the last few weeks, and it's only a matter of time before the visions begin to manifest in reality.

The feeling doesn't go away. It only grows stronger the further you get from the wreckage. Something is wrong. You can feel it, and it makes you uneasy.

Obi-Wan must sense your unease, because he stops and turns to face you, his eyes searching your face. His hand comes to rest on your shoulder, and he squeezes gently. "Don't worry, my dear. They'll be fine."

"Rex is a smart man," Cody adds. "He knows how to handle himself."

"Indeed." Obi-Wan nods, and he gives you a reassuring smile. "Always thinking on his feet."

"Yeah."

You let out a sigh, and Cody gives you a knowing look. He tilts his head, and his voice drops low. "Sir, is there something you'd like to share with the class?"

"No," you say, and his brow furrows, his expression skeptical. You scowl at him, and he just smirks, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You sure about that?"

"Yes," you retort, your voice firm. You fix him with a flat look, but you can't quite stop the flush creeping into your cheeks. Cody raises an eyebrow, and his lips twitch. You roll your eyes. "I don't know. I can't explain it, but I have a bad feeling about this."

"Well, that makes two of us," Obi-Wan remarks dryly.

"Three," Cody adds. He shakes his head and shrugs. "We should get moving. We don't have time for a debate."

"Agreed," Obi-Wan replies. Cody gives a nod and moves off, leaving the two of you to stand and watch as the men poke through the wreckage. He sighs, his expression grim, and he glances up at the sky. "I hope Anakin is alright. He was in quite a mood when we left."

You huff. "He doesn't like losing."

"No he doesn't. And neither do you," Obi-Wan says, his expression thoughtful. He's silent for a moment, his brow furrowed, and his gaze shifts back to you. "How are you feeling?"

"What?"

"Well, it's been some time since we've had a chance to talk," he starts. His eyes are sharp, his expression serious, and he tilts his head, scrutinizing your face. "I know the past few weeks have been...difficult. We've all been under a lot of strain. But I haven't had the chance to check in with you."

"I'm fine, Obi-Wan," you say, trying to reassure him, but the words feel hollow. He gives you a long, doubtful look, and you let out a heavy sigh. "Okay, I'm tired. Really tired. But, I'm fine. Honest."

"Good."

"How are you doing?"

"Fine."

"Fine," you echo. You tilt your head and give him a wry smile. "Are we ever going to actually talk about how we feel?"

"We did," he points out. "And if I recall, it did not go well."

"No, it didn't," you admit. You snort, and you lean against the walker, resting your elbows on the metal hull. Not going well was generous.

"Do you think we should try again?" he asks. His mouth twitches, and he gives a pointed glance at Cody, who's standing a short distance away. The Commander's back is to the two of you, and his gaze is fixed on the men. "Now might be a good time."

"You're joking." At his raised eyebrow, you let out a groan and run a hand through your hair. Your voice drops to a low hiss. "You want to talk about一about the kiss? Here?"

Obi-Wan's eyes widen, and his cheeks flush pink. He glances at Cody again and clears his throat, lowering his voice. "No, no, that's not what I meant."

"Oh."

"I mean, if you'd like to talk about that, we can. We should," he adds quickly. "But, that's not why I asked."

"Then, what did you mean?"

"Well, it's just that—”

A shout from one of the men draws both your attention, and you stand on the tip of your toes, trying to see what's going on. You can't quite make out what they're saying, but they're excited, their voices loud and eager.

"General, we found something," Cody shouts. He jogs over to you, and Obi-Wan steps forward, meeting him halfway. You follow after, trying to keep up, and you push down the unease that's rising in your chest.

"What is it?" Obi-Wan asks.

Cody points down to another escape pod. Behind the glass lies a droid, frozen and lifeless. "Still intact."

"We'll interrogate it on the go," Obi-Wan says. The Commander gives a quick nod and signals the men, who move forward and begin to batter the glass with the ends of their rifles. He glances at you and offers a tight smile. "Well, at least we have something to work with."

"Yeah."

"Try to stay positive, my dear," Obi-Wan says. The glass shatters, and two troopers move to drag the droid out. It's disassembled and shoved into a pack within seconds, and the two of you give the order to the battalions to set off once more.

The landscape is barren and bleak, and the heat is oppressive. It's a stark contrast to the cold of space, and the wind blows your hair as the AT-TE rumbles along.

You stare at the horizon, hoping that, maybe, you'll see the other team, but the sight does nothing to ease your anxiety. The weight of your armor feels heavier than usual, and your body is aching, your muscles tense and sore.

Your gaze drifts down to the ground, and you can't shake the feeling of dread that's beginning to creep over you. It's the same feeling from Felucia, from Geonosis and from a dozen other battles. A touch of something at the back of your mind, a faint ripple in the Force that threatens to pull you under.

You close your eyes, and you let out a slow breath. You don't need the Force to tell you something is wrong. Your instincts are more than enough, and right now, they're screaming at you.

"Perhaps we should split up," you suggest suddenly, opening your eyes and turning to Obi-Wan.

"Split up?" he repeats, his eyebrows arching. He looks amused, but there's a flicker of apprehension in his eyes, and his brow furrows. "Whatever for?"

"We could cover more ground that way," you say, trying to keep your voice light. You shrug and turn away from him, your eyes on the horizon. "A small team could move faster. More discreet."

"I suppose that's true," he muses, but his tone is dubious. "But, I don't want to risk一"

"Risk what?" you press. You look at him, and his lips press together, his expression tight. "It's not a terrible idea, and you know it. We're running out of time."

"I know," he says with a reluctant sigh. "Fine. I'll take the western sector, and you take a squad to the east."

"Understood," you say. Your shoulders slump with relief, and you offer him a smile. "Thank you, Obi-Wan."

He nods and smiles back, but it doesn't reach his eyes. There's a tension in the lines around his mouth, and you can feel his worry.

"Just, please, be careful," he warns. "Don't take any unnecessary risks. And if you encounter General Grievous, do not engage. Understood?"

"Yes, yes," you say, waving a hand dismissively. You leap off the walker and land, dirt flying up around your boots. You cup a hand around your mouth to shout up at him. "I'll see you soon!”

"Make sure you're not followed!"

"I'm not a complete idiot," you mutter under your breath, and you glance back to see Obi-Wan watching you, his arms crossed over his chest. You know he heard you, and you can feel his frustration through the Force.

You consider giving a rude gesture, but you salute instead, and he shakes his head, his expression resigned. You smirk and turn around, looking for a familiar pair in blue armor. 

"Fives, Echo, you're with me. The rest of you, go with General Kenobi. We'll rendezvous at dusk."

The men nod and move off, leaving you alone with the two troopers. They're standing at attention and waiting for your orders, their rifles at the ready.

"Let's move."

"Sir," Fives starts, and he gestures at the walker lumbering past you. "Wouldn't it be easier if we stayed with the main group?"

"Maybe," you admit, and Echo tilts his head.

"Then why send them away?" he asks, confused. "This isn't a stealth mission."

"Because we have a better chance of finding the General if we split up," you explain. "And I can't just sit still and do nothing. We're running out of time, and every minute we waste is a minute Grievous could be getting farther away."

"Fair point," Fives says. He lets out a long sigh, and he rubs the back of his neck. "Well, where to, sir?"

"We're going to search the eastern sector," you tell him. "Stay close, and keep your eyes peeled."

"Yes, sir," he replies, and Echo nods his agreement.

You head off in the opposite direction of Obi-Wan and his men, and you're glad to have some distance between the two of you. It's easier to think when he's not hovering nearby. You can't deny that his concern is touching, but it's also distracting, and, right now, you need to focus. Besides, the sooner you find Grievous, the better.

You keep a brisk pace as you walk, the sun beating down on your shoulders. The landscape is flat, and the horizon is a blurry, shimmering line through the strange-shaped plants jutting up from the ground around you. You can feel the sweat trickling down your spine, the dust sticking to your skin, and the tension knotted in your muscles.

You manage to come across another pod, but just like the rest, it's empty, smashed to bits, and there's no sign of the occupants. You let out a frustrated huff and continue on your way. You're not sure how far you've walked or how long you've been moving, but the sun is starting to dip low on the horizon, and your body is starting to tire, the worry gnawing at you. You know Rex and the men can handle themselves, but the longer they're out of contact, and the longer you don't know where Grievous is, the more anxious you're becoming.

The only thing you can do is keep moving forward, and so you do, Fives and Echo at your heels. The heat is finally fading, and the breeze is beginning to pick up, the air filled with the sound of chirping bugs and the rustle of leaves.

"It's quiet," Echo observes, an edge to his voice. "Too quiet."

"That's a good thing," Fives counters, and his helmet tilts, his gaze scanning the horizon. "Quiet means easy. We can handle easy."

"Something tells me easy isn't in the cards for us today," Echo mutters.

"Hey," Fives laughs, "don't be such a pessimist. We can handle whatever this place throws at us. Right, sir?"

"Right," you say absentmindedly as you scan the area for any signs of life. But, everything seems calm, and you let out a deep breath, trying to shake the anxiety from your mind.

"Well, it's certainly not the worst place we've been," Echo sighs, and you can almost hear him rolling his eyes. "Remember Dorin?"

"How could I forget?" Fives groans. "Ugh, the fog. And the mud. And the giant worms."

"And the slime," Echo adds, and the two of them laugh.

"You're both lucky," you chime in, shaking your head. "I missed all the fun trying to keep Obi-Wan and Anakin from killing each other."

"Trust me," Fives says. "You weren't missing much."

"The swamp planet, however," Echo points out. "That was a disaster."

"Oh, yeah," Fives groans. "We all got sick, didn't we? Well, except for Rex."

"He always was immune to the worst of it," Echo chuckles. 

The mention of Rex's name catches your attention, and you look back at the two of them over your shoulder. It's been months since you've seen him, and even longer since the two of you were alone. You miss him. And his laugh. And his smile.

"Is that so?" you ask, your curiosity getting the better of you. You tilt your head, and your voice takes on a teasing tone. "Immune to what, exactly?"

"Everything," Fives says. "Nothing ever fazes him. He's tough, that one. Always has been."

"That's why they made him captain," Fives adds, pride clear in his voice. "He's the best we have. No one's better suited for the job. After he saved some Jedi during the first battle on Geonosis, they gave him the 501st, and there was no turning back."

You feel your heart skip a beat, and you nearly trip over a root snaking along the ground in front of you. You quickly regain your footing and try to ignore the way your stomach twists into knots. There's a strange mix of pride and guilt welling up inside you, and your throat tightens.

"Really?" you say, trying to sound casual. You keep your eyes fixed on the path ahead of you. "I didn't know that."

"Yeah," Fives replies. "Some crazy, reckless Jedi who was too stubborn to listen to reason."

"Sounds familiar," Echo says dryly, but you ignore the quip, suddenly overcome with the need to know more. Rex had let on very little about how he felt the day he saved your life, and now here was your chance to get some answers. You slow your pace and glance back at the two men, unable to hide the eagerness in your voice.

"What happened?" you ask, and they glance at each other, clearly surprised by your sudden interest.

"Well," Fives starts. "He was supposed to stay put and man the ship for the retreat from the arena, but instead, he charged into the fray, taking on a horde of clankers by himself."

"Risky move," Echo comments, his tone appreciative, and Fives nods in agreement.

"Very," he agrees. "But, he pulled it off. He managed to save the Jedi's life and earn himself a promotion in the process."

"A Jedi?" you repeat. "Which one?"

"Don't know," Fives replies with a shrug. "Rex never told us."

"He said she was incredible," Echo offers. The feeling in your chest eases a little, turning into something else entirely, a strange mixture of regret and hope that you can't quite identify. "Told us she fought like a demon, and that he wouldn't have survived without her. She saved his life too."

"She must've been one hell of a fighter," Fives says.

"True," Echo agrees. "He has a lot of respect for her."

"Respect," Fives scoffs, and Echo shakes his head.

"What?"

"Oh, come on, vod," Fives says, nudging his elbow against Echo's side. "I think it’s more than that."

Echo nudges him back, hard, and Fives stumbles, hissing in pain. "Ow.”

"Sorry," Echo says. His tone is insincere, and Fives snorts, rubbing his side. "My hand slipped."

"Uh huh," Fives mutters. He steps closer to Echo and dips his head, lowering his voice. "I'm just saying, he's never talked about someone the way he talked about her. Ever."

Echo glances over in your direction, and his voice drops even lower, but not so low that you can't still hear them. "You can’t be serious. It's Rex."

"So? Rex can have feelings, can't he?"

"Of course, he can, but, come on, it's Rex," Echo repeats. "He's the most dedicated clone in the entire army. He'd never allow himself to be distracted like that."

"Who said anything about being distracted?" Fives retorts, his voice rising. "Don't tell me you didn't think the same thing."

"No, I didn't. And it's none of our business," Echo retorts sharply. He looks back over at you, and you quickly avert your gaze, pretending to be interested in a large conical bush. "Besides, even if Rex did have feelings for her 一 which he doesn't 一 it wouldn't matter anyway."

"Why not?"

"Because," Echo starts, and you can't help but watch him out of the corner of your eye, a strange, tight feeling in your chest as your heart races in anticipation of his words. "She's a Jedi. They're not allowed to have relationships."

You swallow hard and bite the inside of your cheek, and you turn away, focusing your gaze on the path ahead. A hollow pit forms in the center of your stomach, and the warmth drains from your body, replaced by a cold chill that makes your bones ache.

"So?" Fives argues. "That doesn't mean they can't."

"Yes, it does," Echo counters, his voice rising. He looks at you. "Right, sir?"

"Hm?" you mumble, turning around and pretending like you hadn't been holding your breath and listening to their entire conversation. You try to look like you have no idea what they're talking about, but it's a losing battle. You can't focus, not with all these thoughts swirling around in your mind. 

The two men are staring at you expectantly as the silence stretches on, and you can feel their eyes boring into you. You shift your weight, a nervous laugh escaping your lips. "What was the question?"

"You know," Echo presses. "About the rules."

"The rules?"

"The Jedi code," Fives clarifies, and you let out a heavy sigh.

"Oh, that." Your hands twist behind your back, and your palms are sweaty as you struggle to maintain your composure. Forcing the words out takes all the effort you can muster. "Um, yes. That's correct. Jedi are forbidden from developing attachments."

"See?" Echo says, his voice smug. He turns to Fives and folds his arms across his chest. "I told you."

"Okay, okay," Fives concedes. "I was just saying, that's all."

"Well, don't," Echo warns. "It's rude."

"Fine," Fives sighs. He looks back at you and dips his helmet apologetically. "Sorry, sir."

"It's alright," you tell him, trying to give him a reassuring smile, even though your heart is pounding and your head is swimming.

Fives is wrong, of course. He has to be. It's ridiculous to think that Rex would be interested in you in that way. The two of you are friends, and that's all you'll ever be. It's a miracle that you're even that, after everything that's happened.

It doesn't make sense. None of it does. The very idea is preposterous. 

But...if it's true...what then? Would he ever act on his feelings? Would you? And if you did...what would happen? Where would you go from there? 

It's not like you could have a normal relationship, not that you even know what that feels like. Not to mention the fact that it's illegal. And frowned upon. Very frowned upon.

And yet...

"Sir," a voice crackles on your comm, startling you out of your thoughts. For a moment, you're staggered with a wave of relief, but then you realize that it's not Rex, but Jesse that's speaking. "We're on our way back. No sign of Grievous."

"Where's Rex?" you demand, the question tumbling out before you can stop yourself. Your grip tightens on the device, and you can feel your pulse quickening.

There's a pause, and the line crackles with static.

"Rex was injured, sir," Jesse reports.

Your stomach lurches, and your legs are suddenly unsteady, threatening to buckle beneath you. There's a cold pit in the bottom of your stomach and a lump in your throat as the blood drains from your face, and your hand shakes as you lift your comm back up.

This was what you were afraid of. You should've never let him go without you. This is all your fault.

"How bad?"

"He'll be fine," Jesse replies. "But we had to find him shelter for the night."

"What do you mean?" you snap. "Jesse, what happened?"

"A sniper took a potshot at us," he explains, and there's a grimace in his voice. "The Captain got hit."

"Where are you?" you press. You can hear your pulse thudding in your ears, and your voice is rising as you fight to keep yourself calm. "I'm coming."

"No, sir," Jesse argues. "We're on our way to reconvene with the rest of the unit. We're close. Rex is fine. He's just resting."

"Resting," you repeat numbly. "Jesse一"

"We'll see you soon," he cuts you off. "Don't worry. The Captain will be fine."

"He'd better be," you mutter as you close the channel. The two men are still staring at you expectantly, and you take a deep breath, trying to get your emotions under control. You can't afford to lose it, not now. Not when Rex is counting on you.

"He'll be fine," Echo assures you. His hand rests on your shoulder and squeezes gently. "We've been through worse."

"Of course he will," Fives agrees, his tone light. "He's the Captain. Nothing can take him down."

"You're right," you murmur, and you take another deep breath. "Thank you."

"Of course," Echo says. "Just try not to worry, sir. Rex can handle himself."

"Yeah," you sigh. "I know. It's just...this whole mission has been a fucking mess."

"Aren't they always?" Fives laughs. "You gotta learn to roll with it."

"I'll try," you say.

"Come on," he says, gesturing towards the horizon. "Let's get going before we lose the light."

You nod and start moving again, and the two of them fall into step at your side. The rest of the journey back is tense and quiet. You can't get the thought of Rex lying somewhere hurt and alone out of your mind, and the guilt is threatening to consume you. If he hadn't been out there on your orders, if you'd stayed together, he wouldn't have gotten hurt. You should've known better, should've anticipated the danger, should've protected him.

It's your fault that he's injured, and that knowledge eats at you.

By the time you return to Obi-Wan's position on the western front, the battle has already begun. You can hear the sound of canons and blaster fire, and the ground is trembling under your feet. There’s a downed escape pod surrounded by swaths of droids, and you can see the glint of green and blue lightsabers in the hands of the looming figure in front of it. It appears Obi-Wan has found Grievous after all, and he’s closing in quickly.

"Looks like they've started without us," you observe wryly, and the two troopers glance at each other, amused, before nodding in agreement.

"So, what's the plan, sir?" Fives asks. "Do we rush in and save the day?"

"Something like that," you reply, and he lets out a low whistle, his posture relaxing slightly, his helmet cocked to the side.

"Sounds like my kind of fun," he says, and Echo nods his agreement.

"Stay behind me and stick close," you order. “We’re not letting him get away this time.”

The two men nod and you draw your lightsaber, igniting the blade with a sharp hiss. The three of you begin running, your pace quickening as the sounds of the battle grow louder, and the smell of ozone fills the air. 

When the scene comes into view, it's an absolute disaster. There are pieces of droids everywhere, and the wreckage from the crashed ship is scattered around the base of the cliff. The walkers are firing their cannons, and the blaster bolts are flying thick and fast, ricocheting off the rocks and sending sparks shooting up into the sky. 

You'd hoped to see Jesse, Kix, and Hardcase among the men, but they're nowhere in sight. Still, the 212th and the remainder of the 501st is holding its own, and for once, you’re optimistic that this is a fight you can win. If you can get close enough to Grievous, he'll fall, and the rest will scatter like the rats they are.

Obi-Wan is poised on the bow of a walker, deflecting blaster fire with ease. You catch his eye and gesture to Fives and Echo to stay close, and you leap up to join him on the top of the vehicle, landing beside him with a soft thud. 

"Nice of you to join us," Obi-Wan quips, his attention shifting from the battle to you. When he sees your expression, his brows knit together. "Everything alright?"

"Peachy," you mutter. Your lightsabers ignite, and you deflect a blaster bolt that comes too close for comfort. "Sorry we're late.”

He stares at you for a beat longer. It’s obvious that he can feel the worry coursing through you. He knows something is wrong. He always does. But, this is a conversation that can wait. Grievous is the priority, and, as usual, Obi-Wan seems to know exactly what to say to calm your nerves.

"No apology necessary," he says gently. "Though it would seem our dear General Grievous is in a bit of a hurry to leave. It's rather rude of him not to say goodbye."

"Oh, I think we can persuade him to stick around," you reply, a smile tugging at your lips, and Obi-Wan returns it with a smirk of his own.

"My thoughts exactly," he agrees.

The two of you move as one, jumping off the walker and racing towards the group of droids, deflecting their bolts and slicing them to pieces as you go. You split off to the right with Fives and Echo flanking you, and, together, the three of you cut a path through the sea of metal bodies, heading straight for Grievous. 

Obi-Wan takes the opposite direction, and you can hear his lightsaber humming as he makes short work of the droids in his path. The walkers are firing steadily now, the sound deafening, and the explosions rock the ground beneath your feet. 

The Republic has the upper hand here, but Grievous is a formidable opponent. If you want to win, you'll have to bring the fight to him. And, you know that's exactly what he wants. He's a tactician at heart, and he knows when to retreat, which means you have to push him, and quickly. It's risky, but you don't have much of a choice.

You keep moving, not stopping for a moment. A blaster bolt glances off the side of your armor, and the impact is enough to send you reeling, but Echo’s hand on your back keeps you upright. You surge forward, determined to reach Grievous and end this battle once and for all. There are more than enough troops to keep the droids distracted, and they've begun pushing them back, using the cover fire from the AT-TEs to drive the clankers towards the cliff.

“Sir! We can take him!" Fives yells over the din of battle as you throw your shoto, the blade embedding in a nearby droid. 

When you turn and pull it back into your hand, you can see him pointing at Grievous, and you nod sharply. It's the best plan you've got. 

Grievous is still standing in front of the pod, his body hunched over, his cape fluttering in the wind. You can feel his rage as he stares at you, his yellow eyes piercing through you. The flash of his stolen lightsabers makes you grit your teeth in anger as you race forward, Echo and Fives at your heels, the blaster fire whizzing past your ears, and your heart thumping in your chest.

A ship buzzes overhead, and you look up to see a transport attempting to land behind enemy lines. There's no doubt that the droids are attempting to extract Grievous, and you know the opportunity is too good to pass up. If you can cut them off, then you can end the battle, and capture the Separatist leader.

"Concentrate your fire on that ship!" Obi-Wan orders, and you repeat the command to your men. The walkers adjust their aim, and the cannons pound away, narrowly missing the hull.

"We can't let him get away!" you shout. "Keep pushing!"

Fives and Echo grunt their acknowledgement, and the three of you continue charging towards Grievous, your lightsabers whirling around you. You can hear the men shouting, their voices muffled by their helmets, and the blaster fire is a constant buzz in the air. The sound is punctuated by the explosions, and the dirt is being thrown up around you as the walkers blast the droids.

"Sir, that ship's coming around for another landing attempt," Jesse says in your ear, and your eyes flit back up to the sky, searching for the enemy vessel. You find it easily and curse under your breath when you realize it's too far away to hit with the cannons.

"Keep firing," Obi-Wan commands from behind you. "Don't let that ship land."

You glance back at him. You're closer to Grievous than he is, and you can't pass up the opportunity. If the cyborg manages to escape, then it's over, and you'll be damned if you're going to let that happen again.

"I'm on it," you say into your comm.

"What? No, wait," Obi-Wan protests, but you're already running, your eyes fixed on the ship. “Wait!”

"Sir, where are you going?!" Fives calls after you, and you can hear him and Echo struggling to keep up.

"Taking care of Grievous!" you shout. You launch yourself over the bodies of fallen droids and the wreckage of their machines, the Force pushing you forward. The air crackles with energy, and you can feel the adrenaline surging through you as you jump, twisting your body to avoid the blaster bolts streaking past you.

You hear the men shouting behind you, but the sound is distant. The only thing that matters is catching Grievous. You're not going to let him slip away. Not this time. Not ever.

Your blades sing through the air, and he turns just in time to deflect the blow. His mechanical breathing rattles through the air, and his yellow eyes glow menacingly as he leers down at you, the lightsabers in his hands hissing and crackling with energy. 

He's a mountain of metal and wires, his claws curling into fists as he swings one of the weapons at your head, but you're ready for him, and you duck beneath the blow. You bring your lightsaber up in a wide arc and manage to score a glancing hit on his leg, and the metal sizzles as the blade cuts through it, sending sparks flying.

Grievous roars, and he descends on you with a flurry of blows that leave you reeling, but you're able to parry each one, the blades singing as they clash against each other. Your arms are shaking from the effort, and you can feel the strain in your muscles.

Obi-Wan barks another order over the comm, but you don't listen, too focused on the fight. The transport is closing in above you, and you watch as a rope descends from the open hatch and falls towards Grievous. You know you have only seconds before he's gone, and you have to act fast. Your lightsabers twirl, and you block his next strike, but he lashes out with an unarmed claw as you do.

A yelp of pain escapes your throat as the razor-sharp points rake across your arm, catching underneath your plate and ripping it off your shoulder. The sudden movement throws you off balance, and the blow is enough to send you stumbling backwards, blood dripping down your arm. 

The sight of your own blood soaking through your white robe fills you with a new sense of urgency, and you can feel your rage bubbling up, threatening to consume you. The Jedi Code is the furthest thing from your mind, and, as your eyes lock on the Separatist general, all you can think about is ending him.

You raise your arms to block as he descends on you again, his lightsabers flashing through the air as he moves faster than any human should be able to. The pain in your shoulder is forgotten as you parry his attacks and counter with your own. The sounds of the battle fade away, and all you can hear is the roar of your pulse, and the crackle of his lightsabers as they slash through the air around you. 

After a particularly hard blow sends you stumbling, the cyborg takes the opportunity to appraise you, his yellow eyes narrowed as he studies you. His claws twitch as he looks you up and down, and a strange noise escapes him between labored breaths.

"Ah, I know you," Grievous croaks, and you realize the noise is laughter. "The angry little Jedi from the arena."

"What?" you hiss. Your hands grip the hilt of your lightsabers tightly, the muscles in your shoulders tensing. You feel like you're a spring coiled so tight that it's about to snap at any moment, and a shudder runs through you. "What did you just say?"

"Yes," he chuckles again. "You are the same. How amusing. Dooku will be pleased."

"What do you mean?" you ask, and your voice trembles with anger. You know he's trying to distract you, but you can't help yourself, desperate for any answers you can get.

"You are a fool," Grievous laughs, the sound echoing through the canyon. He raises his arms, his metal body towering over you. "If you knew what happened to your master, you would not be here."

"Tell me," you growl, taking a step forward. You can hear Obi-Wan shouting, but the words are lost in the haze of your rage, and the ringing in your ears drowns him out.

"Why would I tell you?" he sneers. "You are nothing."

His words hit you like a blaster bolt, and the anger burns hotter than the sun, consuming every thought in your mind. Your vision goes red, and your muscles tense as you let out a primal scream and charge, throwing yourself at him, your lightsabers swinging wildly.

It's a reckless move, and a stupid one, but it's all you can do. Your blades strike again and again, the sound deafening. You're barely aware of anything else. Not the blaster fire. Not the walkers. Not even Obi-Wan yelling. All you can focus on is Grievous, and the fury inside you.

"You are weak," he taunts, his voice low and gravelly. His words only make you angrier, and your body shakes as the emotions overwhelm you.

He blocks the next swing of your lightsaber, and the impact is enough to nearly knock the blade from your hand. You scramble to keep your grip, barely managing to hold onto it. You're panting now, your lungs burning, and sweat dripping down your brow.

"You will pay for what you've done," you snarl, and you raise the blades again. "For the lives you've taken."

“What about you?” he snarls, his mechanical breathing labored as he twirls his sabers. “Will you pay for the lives you've taken?"

His words stop you in your tracks, and, for a moment, the world seems to slow down around you. You feel like you're falling into the depths of an abyss, your mind spinning. You know he's toying with you, trying to provoke you, but the images from your past come rushing back faster than you can push them away. He can't possibly know...can he?

The sound of a cannon exploding nearby jerks you back to reality, and you look up and see the ship hovering just above Grievous. He’s staring at you, a sick satisfaction in his eyes. The rope has been lowered almost all the way now, and you can see the droids inside the transport waiting to haul him up.

"You will regret this day, Jedi," Grievous taunts, his eyes flitting to the transport. He knows he's won, and it's the last thing he'll say to you before he's gone, leaving you with nothing but the memory of his voice and the knowledge that he has answers you need.

The anger surges up inside you again, and, before you can think twice, your lightsaber is flying towards him. He barely manages to catch it with his own, and the blade skims the edge of his arm, slicing through the metal and causing the wires beneath to spark. Satisfaction floods you as the smell of burning wire fills the air, and his lightsaber drops to the ground with a thud.

A scream tears itself from his throat, and he lashes out with his other blade. You whirl and parry, but you’re not prepared for the hand that snaps out. Clawed fingers catch around your neck and lift you off the ground, and you kick and struggle, but his grip is like a vice. Grievous squeezes hard, and your lightsabers fall from your hands as your vision blurs and your lungs burn for air.

The pain is searing, and you can feel your pulse pounding in your head as he lifts you higher, until you're looking him straight in the eye. Your hands wrap around his wrist, trying to pull yourself free as your legs kick frantically, but it's no use. You try to call your lightsabers back to you with the Force, but he kicks them away, and the sound of them hitting the ground rings in your ears. 

Grievous lets out a wheezing laugh as he tightens his grip on your throat, and you gasp, your mouth open, desperate for air, your mind screaming in agony.

"This is where we part ways," he growls, and you can hear his mechanical breathing getting louder as his claws squeeze the last of the life from you.

“Leaving so soon?” 

Obi-Wan’s voice comes from behind you, and you can't turn to look, but you hear the hum of his lightsaber and see a flash of blue in the corner of your eye. Grievous roars and releases you, and you crumple to the ground, your body colliding painfully with the dirt.

You're gasping for air, your head swimming, and your vision blurred. You can hear Obi-Wan shouting orders, and the sound of a lightsaber clashing against another. The ground is shaking, and there are shouts and screams, but the world around you feels so far away.

When the haze finally clears from your mind, you look up to see Obi-Wan and Grievous locked in a duel, their lightsabers clashing in a fury. You can barely keep track of the two combatants as they circle each other, moving faster than should be possible, their blades a blur of light and color.

Obi-Wan is the best swordsman in the entire army, and he has more experience fighting the cyborg general than anyone else, but even he can't take on Grievous without help. If you want to win this fight, you need to get involved. You push yourself upright, trying to shake off the fog that has settled over your mind, and you search for your lightsabers, desperate to help, but they're nowhere to be found.

"Come on, come on," you mutter, turning back towards the battle.

"Sir!" 

You feel a pair of hands wrap around your waist, lifting you up and away. You fight, trying to pull free, but the arms are unyielding. You struggle uselessly against them, the panic setting in as you watch the duel unfold. Obi-Wan is starting to tire now, and you can tell he won't last much longer, not without your help.

"Stop!" you cry out, and the sound is strangled and raspy. You can feel the bruises forming around your throat, and the pain is radiating down into your chest as you squirm and thrash. "Let go!"

"Calm down, sir!" the voice orders, and it takes you a moment to recognize Jesse. His helmet is pressed close to your ear, his voice strained with effort as he tries to keep a hold of you. "Calm down! It's me!"

"Jesse," you rasp.

"Yeah, it's me," he repeats. His grip loosens, but only slightly. "Don't move."

You can see the transport closing in now, and Grievous is backing away from the fight. He's retreating. It's the opening he needs, and Obi-Wan won't have a chance.

“Jesse, let me go.”

"What? Are you crazy?" Jesse demands. "You can't fight like this."

"I don't care!" you yell, and the volume of your own voice sends a shockwave of pain through you.

"Sir, I'm trying to help," he pleads, his grip tightening again, the armor pressing into your ribs.

"Jesse, let go!" you repeat, and your voice cracks. "Please!"

He hesitates, and for a moment, you think he's going to refuse. But then, his hands release you, and the sudden change in position throws you off balance. You stagger, your hands flailing, and you're certain you're going to fall, but his arms steady you and hold you up.

"Thank you," you pant, and you can feel his eyes on you, even through the helmet.

"I hope you know what you're doing, sir," he sighs.

You both look up to see Grievous scaling the side of the downed escape pod, the transport hovering overhead. Obi-Wan is struggling to stand, his body hunched, his lightsaber dangling loosely in his hand.

The cyborg is still laughing, his metal frame glinting in the moonlight as he reaches for the rope, his claws wrapping around the end and pulling himself up. 

If you can buy Obi-Wan more time, stop Grievous from boarding the ship...you can still end this. This won't be for nothing. Rex won't have been hurt for nothing. None of it will have been for nothing. Not if you can take Grievous down before he can leave. It's the only way.

"Get back," you order Jesse, your voice dark. "Now."

"But, sir一"

"That's an order!"

"Yes, sir," he replies, his voice flat.

Jesse releases you, and the relief is immediate. You can feel the cold air filling your lungs, and the weight has lifted from your chest, but the pain in your throat is still searing. Your hands tremble as you try to gather the Force around you, drawing on every ounce of strength left within.

You expand your mind, reaching out for the Force to guide your path, and you feel a jolt as you grasp onto the ship. You hold tight, focusing on keeping it in place, and the metal groans as it strains against the invisible bonds holding it there. The effort makes your head pound, but you ignore it, pouring everything you have into the movement.

"Sir," Jesse yells behind you, "what are you doing?"

"Something stupid," you grunt, wincing as a sharp pain lances through your skull. The strain is enormous, and you can feel your control slipping, your body shaking from the exertion, but you can't stop now. Obi-Wan is climbing up after Grievous, and if you could just hold the transport for a few more seconds...

The air around the vessel ripples, and the engine shudders. The ship is groaning under the strain of the Force pushing against it, and it's all you can do to hold the craft still, your heart pounding in your chest, the sweat running down your forehead, and the ache in your head growing by the second. Obi-Wan is halfway up the pod now, but Grievous is ascending, lifting higher into the air.

The ship begins to pull away, straining against the hold you have on it, the metal groaning and creaking as the engine whirs. Your body shakes as the ship rises a few meters, your grip slipping, your mind screaming in agony. 

You're struggling to stay conscious now, your vision blurred and the world around you beginning to spin, and you know you won't be able to maintain control much longer. The ship is too big, too heavy, and your head is pounding so hard you can barely think straight. But, you have to hold on. You have to keep fighting. You have to save the men. You have to save Obi-Wan. You have to一

Suddenly, the ship lurches, and the metal buckles. There's a loud popping sound, and you fall to your knees, the breath rushing out of your lungs as the weight of the vessel releases from your mind. The world is spinning, and your heart is hammering in your chest. And the ship...

The ship is flying away.

You watch through the fog in your mind as the ship rockets up into the sky, and the darkness swallows it whole. 

There's a moment of deafening silence as you realize what's happened, and then the crushing weight of defeat sets in. Grievous has escaped. Again. All of this was for nothing. You've failed.

"Sir?" Jesse asks gently, and you look up.

You meet his gaze through the visor of his helmet, the tears stinging the corners of your eyes and the lump rising in your throat. He places a hand on your shoulder, his grip gentle but firm, and you let him lift you to your feet. Your head is spinning, and the nausea is creeping up the back of your throat, but you keep moving as Jesse guides you back toward the others.

"Is the General alright?" Fives calls as he and Echo rush towards you, their blasters raised and their heads turning back and forth, searching for threats.

"She's fine," Jesse replies curtly, his tone brooking no argument.

"I'm fine," you whisper, and the words taste like ash. You're far from fine. In fact, you're pretty sure this is the farthest thing from fine that you could possibly be. Grievous has escaped. Rex has been injured. Obi-Wan nearly died because of you. How can any of this be fine? How can it ever be okay again?

"Sir?" Fives says, concern bleeding through his voice modulator, and the sound makes your stomach twist into knots.

"We...we need to regroup. We...have to...the men..." you say weakly, and the exhaustion is beginning to creep in, the adrenaline fading and the pain taking its place. The words are a jumbled mess, and you're not even sure what you're trying to say, but the others nod their understanding.

"Sir, you're bleeding," Kix says as he comes running over with Hardcase close behind. His hands are immediately on your arm, his fingers probing the wound, and the pain makes your stomach clench. 

You wince, pulling away from him as best you can, the tears stinging the corners of your eyes again. You're not sure if it's the pain or the humiliation that's causing the burning sensation in your throat, but it doesn't matter, because both are making you want to disappear.

"I'm fine," you reply, the words coming out more harshly than intended, and Kix takes a step back, his hands raised in surrender. You know the injury is severe, but the sting of your pride is stronger. "Help the wounded."

"With all due respect, sir, I don't think一"

"That's an order," you snap, and the medic flinches at the venom in your voice. "Do it."

"Yes, sir," he replies quietly, his tone resigned. "Just...take it easy. Please."

He nods to Hardcase and they hurry away. After another long look, Echo and Fives move off with them, leaving you alone with Jesse. You stand there for a moment, watching them, the shame and the anger mixing into a sickening cocktail that's making it difficult to breathe. 

You can feel the eyes of the other men on you, but you refuse to meet their gaze. They must hate you for failing them, for putting their lives in danger, for letting their brothers die. You don't deserve their concern. You don't deserve their care. You're a failure, and they deserve better.

"Sir," Jesse says quietly, and the guilt rises up in your chest, choking you. He shouldn't be worried about you. He should be worrying about the rest of the men, the men that are lying dead on the battlefield, the men that are going to die because of you. 

"Let me help you," he continues when you don't respond. He lifts his hand, showing your lightsabers clasped within it. You didn't even realize he had picked them up. "You're going to need these."

"Right," you mutter, taking the hilts from him, the metal cool and smooth against your palms. You look down at them for a moment before clipping them to your belt. "Thank you."

"Anytime, sir," he replies, his voice warm and comforting. "We should go check on the General. See if we can't help him and the men."

You nod, and the two of you set off towards the wreckage. The sounds of the battle have faded now, and the only things that remain are the moans of the wounded and the crackling of the fires burning across the field. The sight is one that's all too familiar to you, and you know you should be grateful that there are so few casualties, but the feeling of defeat is overwhelming.

Obi-Wan stands, his hands on his hips, his head bowed. You can tell by the way he's holding himself that he's exhausted and sore. Still, he turns when you approach, a small smile on his face. 

"Well done, my dear. Though, I have to admit, you gave me quite the scare."

The brush of emotion through the Force is almost overwhelming, and you have to fight back the urge to cry. He's not angry. He's not disappointed. He's just...relieved, proud even. It's enough to make you break down and sob right then and there, but you manage to hold yourself together. There will be time for that later.

"Thanks," you mutter. "You alright?"

"Just a bit banged up," he says with a shrug. "It'll pass. How about you? How are you feeling?"

"Like a complete and utter failure," you answer honestly, your voice catching in your throat. You force out a laugh, but there's no humor behind it. "But what else is new."

Obi-Wan's smile falters, and his gaze slides from you to Jesse, who's standing silently beside you. "Give us a minute, please."

"Of course, General," Jesse replies, saluting before walking off to join the others. 

You watch him go for a moment before turning back to Obi-Wan, and the tears threaten to spill over. You can feel his compassion, his concern, his love. It's enough to bring you to your knees. 

"I'm sorry."

"What for?" he asks softly.

"I...I failed. I should have一"

"Enough," he cuts you off, his voice firm but kind. "You did the right thing. It was a calculated risk, and it could have paid off, but sometimes that's just how things work out."

"But I...Rex. And the men. If something happens..."

"Stop," he orders, and his voice is hard, the compassion gone. "You're spiraling. Listen to me: we will find Grievous. We will capture him. We will win this war. And, we will do it together."

The certainty in his voice is enough to convince you, and, for a moment, you believe him. You feel the anger fade and the shame abate. You know he's right. You know you have to stop letting the failures eat at you. You have to learn to let go. You have to trust. 

"I'm sorry. I'm trying. I really am."

"I know you are," he says gently. "And, I'm proud of you."

Obi-Wan steps closer, and he takes your face in his hands, his thumb tracing the scar on your forehead. His touch is soft and warm, and the contact is enough to make the tears fall. You look up at him, your gaze meeting his, and you know the emotion that passes between you is the same. "It will be alright. I promise."

"You can't promise that," you whisper.

"No," he replies, his voice low and his expression serious. "But I can try. We won't let him slip through our fingers. Not again."

The words are like a balm on your soul, and, for the first time since Rex was injured, you feel a sense of calm wash over you. You nod, and Obi-Wan's smile returns, though it's tinged with sadness.

"Now, please go see a medic," he says. "You're bleeding everywhere."

"Right," you laugh, sniffing and wiping the tears from your cheeks. "Will do, General."

"Good," he replies. Obi-Wan drops his hands and turns to leave, but he pauses, glancing back over his shoulder. "There is one more thing, though. I know I'm not your Master, and that's not my place, but I would advise caution."

"What?" you ask, confused, and Obi-Wan smiles sadly at you.

"I saw how you fought today. How you lost yourself to the rage. I felt it," he says softly, and the words are enough to send a shiver down your spine. "I know you don't want to hear it, but it's the truth, and I won't stand by and watch it destroy you again."

You stare at him for a moment, stunned, your heart pounding in your chest. Of course he noticed. He's always noticed. But, this is the first time in a long time he's said anything. "Obi-Wan..."

"Don't say anything. Just promise me you'll be careful," he says. "We can't lose you. I can’t lose you. Not to the dark."

"I promise," you reply, the words sticking in your throat.

"Good," he replies, his expression lightening. "Now, go get yourself checked out. Our pickup should arrive in the morning."

"Yes, sir," you reply, and the words come out more strongly than you feel. You roll your eyes at him, and he chuckles, turning and striding away, the smile still on his lips.

You watch him for a moment before turning and looking across the battlefield. The fires are starting to die down now, and the moon hangs low in the sky. There's so much left to do, but, for the moment, you let yourself breathe, the air cool and sweet in your lungs.

You close your eyes and exhale, and then you start walking. You make your way across the field, your eyes searching for a familiar face. You see Cody in the distance, helping the men, but Rex is still nowhere to be found. Panic surges in your chest, but you take a deep breath and steady yourself, pushing the emotion away. It will do no good. You'll just have to trust that he'll return, safe and whole, when he's able.

As you walk, you pass the 501st. They're sitting in the dirt, their armor stained with dust and smoke, and their faces streaked with sweat. They're exhausted, but their morale is high. Fives is laughing with Hardcase, and Jesse is teasing Echo about the reg manual he keeps in his pocket. The sight fills you with warmth, and the tension eases from your body. Maybe you haven't failed. Not entirely.

"General!" Fives shouts as he catches sight of you. The others turn, and a chorus of greetings follows.

"Are you okay?"

"What's the word, sir?"

"Is General Kenobi alright?"

You blink, a little overwhelmed by the sudden onslaught. They're all staring at you, their eyes full of hope and concern, and, suddenly, you feel like you might burst into tears again. Instead, you smile, and you count off the questions on your fingers. "He's fine, we should be out of here by morning, and yes, I'm okay. How are you all holding up?"

"Better than you, by the looks of it," Fives replies, and then grins. "Nice work with that ship. That was some crazy Force stuff. Very impressive."

"Oh, it was nothing," you mutter. You move your arm to rub the back of your neck, failing to consider the deep gash in your shoulder, and the pain explodes across your skin. You let out a sharp hiss and close your eyes, waiting for the wave of agony to pass. "Ow."

"That's definitely not nothing," Jesse says dryly, before he turns his head and cups a hand over the side of his mouth. "Kix! Get over here!"

"I'm fine," you insist, and you open your eyes, glaring at him. "I've been through worse."

"Yeah," Hardcase replies. "We know, sir. We were there."

You can't help but laugh at the comment. "Fair point. Okay, you got me. It hurts. A lot."

"No shit," Kix snorts as he approaches. He's carrying a bag full of supplies, and his expression is stern. He grabs onto your uninjured shoulder and guides you to a fallen log, gently forcing you to sit. "Can I take a look now, or are you going to keep arguing with me?"

"Fine," you grumble. "Go ahead."

He kneels beside you and sets the bag down. The others hover nearby, pretending not to watch as Kix helps you remove your damaged chestplate. Your vambraces and remaining pauldron come off next, and together, you pull off your bloodied white tunic. Kix cuts into the grey bodysuit you wear underneath, and his deft fingers begin to peel the torn fabric away from the wound. The motion sends a jolt of pain through you, and you can't stop the grimace that twists your mouth.

Your shoulder is a mess of torn flesh and blood. It's an ugly sight, and the wound burns as the cool air hits it. Kix presses a clean cloth to it, and you wince. 

"Damn. That looks painful."

"It is," you hiss through gritted teeth. "But not as bad as it looks."

"Of course not. That's why your face is white as a sheet," he huffs. He glances up at the others. "Can someone get me some water?"

Hardcase is off like a shot. You're sure he’s just as eager to be helpful as he is to be anywhere but near Kix. You're glad. You don't need any more witnesses to the humiliation of this moment. Still, there's no denying the fact that you need medical attention.

"You should have said something," Kix grumbles as he begins cleaning the wound, his movements slow and gentle. The medic does his best to keep his emotions in check, but the occasional wave of irritation washes over you. He's upset, he feels helpless, he doesn't like it. You don't either. "It's been hours."

"Sorry," you murmur. "I was worried more about the men."

"You're always worried about the men," he sighs. "We're clones. It's what we do."

"Not always," you protest. "You're people too. You matter."

"So do you," Kix says firmly. "You know that, right?"

You shrug and immediately regret it as the motion sends a sharp spike of pain through your arm. "It's just...the war...you can't 一 fuck, that hurts 一 it's hard."

"Yeah," he says softly. "It is. But that's all the more reason to take care of ourselves. We have to stick together."

You nod. "Right. Sorry."

Kix shakes his head and continues cleaning the wound. He's quiet now, and the silence hangs heavy in the air. The others are still close by, but they're keeping their distance. It's probably for the best. You don't want them to see the tears forming in your eyes.

"Rex is going to have my head," Kix mutters under his breath, more to himself than to you. You blink and look down at him. His expression is grim, his mouth twisted in a line as he ties off the last of your stitches. "He told me to watch you."

"Where is he?" you ask. Your heart leaps into your throat as the thought that he might have died flits through your mind. "Is he一"

"He's alive," Kix says quickly. "He's stable."

"He's resting," Jesse adds. He's not looking at you, but there's a grimace on his face. "We left him on a farm nearby. Some local family agreed to take him in and look after him."

"Oh, good,” you reply softly as the relief washes over you. "What happened?"

"We were ambushed by commando droids," he says, his tone dark. "One of the bastards got the jump on the Captain. Shot him clean through the chest."

You nearly fall off the log in shock. "What?"

"He's fine," Jesse insists. "Kix fixed him up. It's just...well...it was touch and go for a minute."

"But he's fine," Kix repeats. "The shot missed his heart by a few inches."

"And the other wounds?" you ask quietly. Your head dips down, but you don't miss the way Fives and Echo glance at each other. There's something unspoken between them, but you don't dwell on it, too focused on Kix's answer.

"Minor. Mostly bruises from the crash," Kix replies. "Hold still."

"Sorry," you mutter. The relief is making you a little woozy. You'd been so worried about him, but he's going to be fine. Everything's going to be okay. You're still alive. You're all still alive.

For once, everything is going to be fine. The buzzing of the Force in the back of your mind, the one that has been growing ever since you left Coruscant, seems to settle and calm, and you find yourself letting out a long sigh.

"Thank you, Kix."

"What for?" he asks. He's wrapping a bacta patch over the freshly sutured wound now, his movements quick and practiced. "For saving his life?"

"Yeah," you answer. "And for taking care of me."

"That's my job," he huffs. "I don't need thanks for doing it."

"Well, thank you anyway," you insist. He nods, and you can't help but smile at the faint blush that colors his cheeks. "I mean it."

"Okay," Kix says gruffly. "Enough chit-chat. Let's get this bandaged up."

He pulls out a length of gauze and starts wrapping it around your arm. The bacta is working its magic already, and the pain has eased. You can feel the exhaustion starting to set in, and your eyelids are beginning to droop.

Without the pain and the anger, and the fear, to keep you going, you're starting to crash. You know you should probably eat something too. You can't remember the last time you ate anything. Was it yesterday? The day before? It's hard to tell anymore. The days have begun to blur together.

"How are the others?" you ask, trying to stay focused. "Any serious injuries?"

"Mostly minor scrapes and bruises. Nothing we can't handle," Kix replies. He ties off the gauze and sits back on his heels, surveying his handiwork. "There. All set. That should hold until we can get you back to the ship."

"Great," you sigh. "Thanks."

"Anytime," Kix says. He stands up and brushes the dirt off his knees, and then he picks up the bag of supplies and turns to the others. "Don't let her sleep until she's eaten."

"I'm right here," you grumble, though there's no heat behind the words. You know they're just trying to look out for you, and, right now, the care and concern feels surprisingly nice.

"Right," Jesse snorts. He leans over and taps you on the forehead. "You still with us?"

"Yeah," you sigh, rubbing your eyes. "I'm awake."

"Good," Kix says, nodding his approval. He turns and heads towards the nearest group of clones, stopping to tend to a wounded trooper on the way.

Hardcase returns a few moments later, and you manage to drink the canteen of water he brings you, though the liquid threatens to come back up. You fight the urge, forcing yourself to take deep, even breaths. The food isn't any better, and you struggle through a few bites of nutrition bar before giving up. The taste is too much for your stomach, and you can't bring yourself to eat any more.

The boys don't seem to notice. They're talking about the fight and what they hope will happen next, and their voices are a steady, calming rhythm in the background. They're safe. They're alive. And, right now, that's all that matters.

You sit there for a while, your head resting on the tree behind you, listening to the sound of the clones laughing and joking around, the tension and fear finally fading.

Your eyes grow heavier and heavier, the exhaustion pulling at your limbs and lulling you into a state of relaxation. You can't remember the last time you felt this calm, and it's a relief to finally let go. You let yourself sink into the warmth of the Force, the energy swirling around you and wrapping you in its embrace.

After a few minutes, the darkness of unconsciousness swallows you whole, and the world fades away.

You dream of golden fields, but this time, the sun is shining, and the air is filled with the scent of wildflowers. The wind is cool and gentle, the sound of children's laughter echoing through the trees. It's the most beautiful thing you've ever seen, and, for the first time, you let yourself feel hope.

thanks @lordofthenerds97 for beta-ing this chapter!

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[preciouslittle-bhaalbabe]

Thoughts about Ascended Astarion! (This is a long one, and I'm not trying to change anyones opinion, just highlighting the fact that the player is in complete control of the situation at all times. This game is about choices.) First off, I don't usually prefer to ascend him. But I love all versions of Astarion. His character is so well written and all of his arcs deserve praise and attention no matter what your personal opinion of them are. The devs did an incredible job. If any parts of his arc (ascended or spawn) make you uncomfortable, then romancing him isn't for you. If the dynamic between AA and your character makes you feel scared or upset, don't ascend him. That dynamic is supposed to be 100% consentual. He's a tough nut to crack and his story can be very triggering. I myself broke down a few times hearing him talk about what he went through. There are other companions with lovely character development that you can choose. When people go "ugh he's ruined I didn't want this" My dear, with all due respect. This is the dark fantasy romance option. Emphasis on the fantasy. You didn’t get his approval by being nice. It's not like he's the only option. You chose to romance the vampire. The game warns you of what exactly you're about to do multiple times. You willingly help him murder thousands of people for freedom. A vampire who was a literal slave for longer than he was even alive for just got a MASSIVE amount of power. Were you expecting he was gonna just be a good guy now? He has had NOTHING for so long. His entire life trajectory changed within moments. He’s still figuring himself out. You as the player are still completely in charge. He owes everything to you and he knows that. You can walk away at literally any point. He asks you to kneel and obey to establish trust and a dynamic. To confirm this is what you want. YOU CAN SAY NO. Then, he gets right down on the floor with you. He's either gentle or rough based on your choice. If you don't like the vibe just break up with him at that point like he literally lets you do. Or, even just reload the save. But just remember. "That's what you want, isn't it?". When Astarion ascends, Neil says it best. His mask is off and he's allowed to be at his most terrible with no fear. He doesn't have to perform or be aloof as a distraction from the pain anymore. He was never good aligned. But now, he has the power and ability to give himself and his favourite person the life he thinks they wanted. Otherwise why would you ascend him? His love language becomes acts of service and gifts. He ADORES tav to almost obsession. He's always doting on them and calling them his. The ritual only amplifies that. "but what about what he says if you convince him not to go through with it?"

He’s not lying. He knows tav saved him from himself. It is technically the “good” ending. But that’s not what matters here. The ascension is for characters who are not good aligned. It is for characters that are just as much of a power hungry monster as ascended Astarion is. They want to be a monarch that rules the world over. It’s a role playing thing. Is it wrong? That’s for you to decide for yourself. Not others.

"but what about karlach? He's a massive jackass to her when he ascends" ...Yes. He's not a good guy. Karlach is basically the goodest character in the game. It won't work. And if you do break up with him, he lashes out and says some extremely hurtful things. Because you just broke his heart. It's a perfectly normal response from someone being completely blindsided. He thought you wanted this. You said you wanted this. After everything you both did you get here, he feels betrayed. Not even to mention ascended Astarion does not make you just a regular spawn. You quite literally become his vampire spouse. He thanks you for putting your trust in him. Then eventually you become a true vampire with time. He wants to make sure tav doesn't go insane after being turned. If you wanna learn more about vampire spouses in DnD I highly reccomend doing some google searches. It's fascinating. Is ascending him the right thing to do? No, but it's not "wrong". The game doesn't work that way. Is keeping him a spawn the right thing to do? Maybe, if your character thinks it is. Either route has their sets of pros and cons. It's up to you which ones you think work for your playthrough.

I almost always convince him not to go through with the ritual. But ascended Astarion + durge is a power couple and the vibes are immaculate for evil runs. Just have fun with the game! The devs made all these character arcs for you to explore! Thanks for reading <3

[artbyblastweave]

Finished up Batman Beyond today. As much as I liked it, one thing that did jump out at me over the course of the show was that Dana Tan was basically an unreconstructed instance of "The Superhero's Girlfriend-" a love interest who's present in the narrative mainly to create tension between the demands of the superhero lifestyle and the loved one who's in the dark, but who has very little agency or role in the story beyond that, indeed, very little else you can have them do if you want to preserve that. The episode in which I believe she got the most focus, she spent most of it running for her life from a Rat Guy through the sewers.

There's a post about Spider-Man doing the rounds, which posits that part of why Mary Jane won out over Spidey's other long-term love interests was that because she wasn't originally intended to win, she had room to develop traits and dynamics beyond "superhero's put-upon girlfriend-"in fact, she had to, in order to present a plausible temptation away from whoever Spidey was quote-unquote "supposed" to be dating. I'm not a comprehensive Spidey reader, so I'm not going to go to the mattress for that read until I've read some more- but I do think there's some meat to that dynamic in general because of this show. Melanie Walker only shows up in three episodes and already she's got a ridiculously tangled family dynamic thrown into the mix, torn loyalties, the need to keep her head above water financially no matter what other goals she has, a cool hoverboard. Max Gibson's got an actual give-and-take back-and-forth with Terry and Bruce, the added interesting complication that she's trying to prybar her way even further into the game than either of them want her to but it's not like they have a way to make her leave. Dana is.... pissed that Terry is spending so much time with Mr. Wayne. Again. I mean, she's got a job to do, she clocks in at the start of each episode and does it.

This sort of harkens back to Invincible, where a major tenet of the first quarter of the book was that for logistical and ethical reasons, a superhero's dating pool is realistically limited to other players of the game- other people deep enough in the cape lifestyle that they can keep up and relate. Otherwise, your partner is going to spend most of the relationship stuck on the outside looking in, and even if they're nominally okay with the situation it's going to suck. Arguably, Amber in the comic fell into the pit of visibly existing mainly to demonstrate this, reproducing the dynamic they were critiquing. The show did a lot of legwork trying to make her more of an actively agentic character, but when the entire point is that a character in her position would have extremely limited agency there's only so much you can do to patch that. Then Eve rolls in, and it turns out you can do the exact same relationship beats about chronic unavailability, lack of communication and the like, but with a partner who's equally capable of showing up to all the big set piece fights and gorily eviscerating people in her own unique ways- a character who's consistently around in the story for reasons other than that she's dating the hero. You don't have to pick!

This got longer than I thought it was going to be. I do want to round out by saying that this sort of aligns neatly with something else that I've noticed- namely that a lot of post-10s cartoons also appear to have noticed this, and either hang back from biting off more than they can chew by committing to a romance subplot for their leads, or if there is a romance subplot they really aggressively commit to making sure the love interest approaches deuteragonist status in terms of airtime and agency. Hell, Steven Universe left the exact status of Steven and Connie's relationship ambiguous, and it still had a lot to say about the civilian girlfriend freezeout trope. Again- date other players!

[graveyardcuddles]

Some rambling personal thoughts on Astarion's endings since I can't sleep.

I find myself really loving Astarion's spawn endings and ALL of their variations even more the more I think about them (the exception ofc being the cursed af endings where you don't help him AT ALL and he either gets turned into a zombie or is still being hunted by cazador even after the game, but I'm obviously not talking about those).

I think I, like many others who grew very attached to his character, were left feeling very torn over his initial spawn ending before the added epilogue. Because Astarion being free from cazador and learning to truly relish in that freedom AND use it towards more positive ends is the entire point of his spawn endings. But we don't really get the chance to see that fully paid off in the narrative. One could argue that we do see the very beginnings of it with the graveyard scene and the morning after scene and how he makes several comments about never being a slave again after he kills cazador. But then we get a rather painful reminder of the fact that he's still been forced to give up something he's come to love and cherish so much over the course of your journey. And then we just kinda end on that note.

I definitely didn't regret keeping Astarion a spawn, even after that. But I will admit there was a part of me that still really wanted to see more for him. And that's why I really do adore the epilogue. I know people have their issues with it and say it's unrealistic for Astarion to be so "healed" after only 6 months but I disagree with this take because we're literally only seeing a glimpse of him on one really good, happy night, it's not necessarily a reflection of how he usually is. He could very well still be having days where he struggles, and he almost certainly does. But comparing his previous 200 years to his possible (good) spawn endings, it's not really surprising that he's thriving. Same with the "counterweight" comment. He's not saying the 6 months you've been together completely negates and erases the 200 years of torture. He's saying his freedom and your love have been such a HUGE contrast to what he's had to live through for so long that they feel like a counterweight to the horrors.

I think about how far he has to come for him to actually get to those endings. His bounty hunter/adventurer ending? Amazing! He's relishing in violence and living his best rouge life. Leading the spawn in the Underdark? Speaks so much to his character development that he actually cares enough about them to even attempt such a massive undertaking. Lots of potential for healing of course but also: Holy shit the potential for unhinged shenanigans as well. Going to the hells with Karlach? Incredible! He's not just getting to enjoy tearing up cambions all day he's devoted to Karlach and helping her it's literally so beautiful.

Something else I really adore about his spawn ending vs. his ascended ending is that he burns down cazador's palace in his spawn ending. Burns it to the ground and destroys it for good. Whereas ascended Astarion literally moves into the palace and like...sure you can headcanon that maybe he eventually has a new, even grander palace built. But the mental image of Astarion wandering those halls is just so fucking sad to think about. He could go anywhere and do anything but he's still physically occupying the space that hosted so many horrors and tortures for him. And it to me that just screams that he's still there mentally.

I'll always defend people who like the ascended ending because I understand the appeal of it. As a dark romance enjoyer, I very much understand the appeal of the dark consort ending. And I don't even think this is the "worst" ending for Astarion because there's at least still potential for him (as opposed to the endings where he dies or is still being hunted, which ARE the worst endings for him). But it does feel like a step backward for him. And I think the people who go "Well this is just NATURAL character progression for him he's selfish af of course he would want this" Think too little of him or at least underestimate his capacity to care for others.

Because he very obviously DOES care. And allowing him to get to a place where he can foster that sense of compassion for others is truly so beautiful and so profound to see. I'm someone who is easily moved by fiction already but Astarion's story really touches my heart just because of how rewarding it is to see how far he comes in those endings.

[identityua]

Can I have Venti, Focalors and Ei dating hcs?

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DATING THE GENSHIN ARCHONS.

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PAIRINGS: Ei & Furina x GN!Reader

WARNINGS: Mentions of death (Makoto). Me completely bullshitting everything about Focalors, since we have practically nothing to go off of. Tooth-rotting fluff as well! TAGS: Romance, kisses here and there, maybe even cuddles, pda, possessive behaviour (only a tad and mostly on Focalors), kinda sad, but also nice.

(I didn't write for Venti sorryyy)

EI

• The only way for your relationship to develop is already after the decree, because well, she was absent during it. Which means you don't have to put up with the awkward Shogun puppet, and actually hang out with Ei herself! • Let's start off with the fact that the electro archon is pretty much, entirely clueless about the whole romance thing. Unlike the other archon on this list, who has some idea of it either due to experience or media, this one spent thousands of years isolated. So let's be honest, you are going to need a lot of patience and skill to guide her into the playing field.

• In the first stages of your relationship things would be awkward, maybe even embarrassing. Baal wouldn't know how to react to your advances. Attempting even a simple peck on the cheek, would result in a confused:

"What are you doing, may I ask? A kiss, hm... It feels uncomfortably wet."

• Despite the lack of intimate knowledge, she will try her best with you. Because you are one of the most important things to her, you make her feel warm and secure, something Ei hasn't experienced in a long while. She will just have to put up and learn with you "interesting human antics."

• I hope you have a good dentist. The electro archon has an extremely sweet tooth, and in addition she has a whole array of servants and cooks at her disposal. Pretty much every date/hangout will consist of consuming copious amounts of sugar at one point or another.

• She doesn't really understand that humans need nutrition in different forms, not only sweet mochi and dango. So either try to explain that to her or... eat some protein beforehand.

• Being around Ei is calming. Whether you are an active or a quiet person, somehow her presence just balances everything out inside of you. Messy thoughts turn silky smooth, as just her soothing voice is enough to make you forget your troubles. Who needs a therapist when you have the electro archon?

• While you get to enjoy the tranquility that comes with being in her gentle company, sadly for Ei it is the exact opposite.

• Don't get me wrong, she loves spending time with you but... Ei just cannot shake off the sticky feeling that comes with it. You are a mortal, and mortals die. Their lifespans are short and often insignificant, little flickering candles that die out in a moment compared to how long she has lived.

• The thought simmers inside of her with each passing day, painfully reminding her of what she has felt when Makoto passed. Thoughts of eternity are mixed into this painful concoction as she wonders, has she made the right decision?

• However the archon is wise. She is a deity that has lived for many a millennia, and remembers the lessons she has learned through healing and self-discovery. The precious moments in life will hold no meaning If she staggers their flow. What matters is the now, she will worry about the later when it comes.

• Your relationship is neither public or private, because she doesn't exactly care If anybody knows. If danger is to come for you, because somebody with malicious intentions finds out you are affiliated with her -- Ei can protect you, no doubt about it. So it doesn't truly matter If somebody is aware of it or not. I would worry about Miko finding out, which she of course will, because that kitsune will not ever stop teasing the both of you about it.

• The one to think about marriage the least. It's not in the cards for either of you, and as she is slowly letting go of the idea of eternity, the symbol of "eternal love" can be a bit too ironic.

• Overall, a relationship with her is the exact opposite of the one with Furina. It is calm, secure, and loving, everything that a wounded soul like her would need to heal and keep on living. You are the light of her days, and no matter how fleeting, Ei will cherish every memory made together.

FURINA

• You know how the traveller is considered to be the saviour of many nations, due to their heroic acts? Saving cities from destruction and stuff, and how their journeys are super dangerous? Well, you made their job 10 times more difficult. Because Furina's act just went up by a mile.

• The citizens of the city of Justice simply cannot be happier that you exist, because around you, their beloved Lady puts on an even better, grand performance (in hopes of impressing you.)

• Chief Justice, however? Pray for him and his nerves.

• As long as you are present beside her in court, she tends to be in a better mood during the trials, even the ones she would normally consider boring. After all, how can she be bored If her precious mortal is right by her side?

• At the same time however, her emotions are bursting out of her, with you around. Yes she is in a better mood and more agreeable to compromise, but this drama queen cannot hold back from showing off in front on her partner. You are the only one who can influence her. So, you have to physically sit her down, and your conversations during trial are often something along the lines of:

“In my holy opinion, you are utmost guilty!”

“Love, he just asked a question, let’s not make assumptions just yet.”

“UGH, fine🙄”

• Will make comments during trials that are guaranteed to be the foulest roasts you have ever heard. The entire time you two are just trash-talking everyone, gossiping like high-schoolers.

• The hydro archon cannot get enough of you, but she is highly inexperienced in relationships. Therefore she will be flustered to initiate anything, but will brush it off with a mocking laugh. She adores acting all high and mighty, like you are lucky to even be around her (It’s the other way around). However If you were the one to touch her out of nowhere, she would practically melt, trying her best not to cling onto you like a koala.

• (Sometimes however, she does cling like a koala.)

• PDA is a bit iffy, because she does get extremely flustered, but she wants everybody; and I mean everybody to know that you are hers. So the Lady Justice will sit there, head up high with pride, blush all over her face, boasting about how she is the best of archons and of course has the best partner. Kiss her on the cheek and watch steam come out of her ears.

• Lady Furina is the type to say “Eyes on me” to her partner, but not in a suggestive way, no. She just wants yours undivided attention, and will get annoyed If she can’t have it 24/7. Please for the love of everything, set boundaries with her. She is a being that has lived for hundreds of years, she has no idea what that is.

• Kisses with her are a bit awkward, stiff even. She would never allow for them in public (only on the cheek is okay, since she prefers not to get too flustered). Which means they would be intimately shared only between the two of you. Furina would drop the act ever so slightly, her truthful nature slipping out. The scared of rejection, terrified of losing you nature, which she hides underneath so many covers of her flamboyant personality. Perhaps, this vulnerability is what makes her kisses so emotional and so very her.

• Despite the fact that she can be a bit much, she tries to be as caring as possible around you. As someone who spends days and days analysing criminals, she picks up on behavioural patterns very easily. Therefore, as soon as you are upset, she is on the case, looking for a way to get you smiling again. She will drop anything and everything to be at your side If you need her, because you are just that important to her.

• However having said that, she is not the best at picking her words sometimes. Furina can be a little offensive with her comments, so just let her know it bothers you. After all she does care for you, and would hate having you hurt.

• Will not apologize. Unless she has tremendously fucked up, don't expect any verbal apology. Focalors is like Slavic parents, instead of saying “I’m sorry”, she will bring you a gift and tell you to stop sulking. After all, she’s the god of Justice, she’s not used to being wrong.

• The one archon out of all in Teyvat to think about marriage the most. I mean she is the holy deity and persona number one in her own court, she can arrange that whenever and however she wants. As your relationship progresses, Furina finds herself daydreaming about you and her having a majestic wedding. The thought makes her giddy with excitement.

• Dates with this archon are spontaneous, and are probably the most unique you have had in your life. I mean, who else would take you sightseeing into the abyss? Yeah, only this one.

• Can be a Karen to service workers whenever you go to restaurants. Don’t let her, or she’ll never stop.

• Overall, being in a relationship with Focalors is spontaneous, fun and lively. Never a dull moment with her, but she can be overbearing and a bit clueless. Have patience for her, she does truly love you after all, as much as a deity can.

+

• Catching Focalors’s attention in the first place is not that difficult, for one reason. Yes, she seeks constant entertainment and you would think that she needs a jester for a partner to keep her in a relationship. But due to her tendencies and the fact that everyone only adores her for the dramatics she puts on, she can get quite lonely.

• No one really knows or understands the hydro archon for who she is, therefore she is terrified of slipping up, making a mistake, showing any sign that she isn't all mighty and all knowing.

• So If you manage to see past that façade, and not make fun of her for it? Take her heart, It's already yours.

[autistichalsin]

Gameplay changes I'd make to BG3 if I was in charge:

(Under a read more bc this is an insanely long list)

Ability to make party changes without going back to camp; I.E. "hey Lae'zel, go back to camp and tell Karlach to come here."

Able to see companion approval at all times even if they're not in the party

Able to make checks with any character, not just Tav. You used to be able to do this to an extent by having other characters do conversations, but when they made it so Tav was prioritized back in patch 6, they changed it so that even if you click with another companion, it switches to Tav. Ideally they would fix it so that if the conversation triggers automatically, it prioritizes Tav, and if you deliberately start a conversation with another companion, it recognizes that you wanted that.

Better item sorting. "Most recent" actually sorts by when you acquired the item.

Ability to text search for an item if you know its name.

Ability to mark an item as a favorite so you don't accidentally sell it/drop it/send it back to camp.

Quest items don't count against your weight total.

Quest items that are no longer relevant are no longer marked as quest items.

Either allow for character leveling past 12 (Even if class leveling is limited to 12) or adjust the difficulty across the board so you scale more evenly. Act 1 becomes a bit easier, act 2 remains about the same, act 3 becomes a lot harder. I should not hit the level cap early in act 3.

Alternatively, at least give a reward in lieu of XP when you hit the level cap. Items, gold, a points system that lets you use excess XP to buy additional spell slots/wilshape charges/rage charges/bardic inspiration, something.

Story mode; battles are disabled, allowing you to solely explore and focus on the story elements.

Dark Urge as a companion.

Ability to change who your unfortunate murder victim is, outside of Alfira and Quill. Maybe it's Zevlor, or Rolan, or Kagha.

More recruitable evil companions. Kagha, Wulbren, and Ethel are a good start.

Halsin recruitable in act 1 or at least no later than the start of act 2.

More reactivity for story developments after act 1, particularly in act 3 when it drops to little comments here or there.

More reactivity for Dark Urge story elements in particular, especially everything related to the Orin fight.

Ability to fast travel to quest-related markers.

Ability to hook up your companions. Let me smooch Halsin but hook up Karlach and Wyll, or let me romance Wyll while hooking up Halsin and Astarion!

Change point and click lines for characters to reflect story developments (resist Durge should sound less unhinged, Lae'zel shouldn't reference Vlaakith after turning away from her, etc)

Let your love interest answer questions about you during the love dryad test. You can select the right answers beforehand, and then they'll answer right or wrong depending on a bit of approval and a bit of luck/dice rolling. Halsin, of course, will automatically know you fear krakens.

Fighting Gortash at the coronation is actually an option that doesn't break the bridges and doesn't disable fast travel into Wyrm's Rock once he's defeated.

Give the gnomes the ability to fix Karlach's engine, or at least work on a prototype.

Option to speed up or entirely skip enemy turns, coming back to you and giving you a brief recap of who was hit and for how much damage/what status effects. This would make the courtyard, in particular, less of a slog. I should not be able to finish my turn, take a pee break, and come back to the enemies still attacking.

Ability to make it more clear what your relationship with Halsin is in a polymance- keep it as a one night stand/physical relationship, make it a poly romance with your other partner as your nesting partner, or even make it a throuple. Similarly, if the latter, add scenes of your partners getting to know each other better, kissing, etc.

Don't tie so many plot events to long rests while stressing that the player needs to hurry to avoid ceremorphosis. Either drop the facade that there is a rush, or make these plot developments happen outside of camp.

Consequences for using tadpoles beyond one (possibly two as of patch 7) dice rolls. Make it so using too many will cause you to squid, no matter what.

Ideally, bring back the plot that was teased in act 1, where instead of being the Emperor, you Dream Guardian was your tadpole, trying to seduce you to let it take over.

Better balancing for Rangers at higher levels, as as it is now, you basically have to multiclass them to get any decent use out of them. After level 5 any additional levels spent on Ranger are wasted.

Improve Eldritch Knight and Arcane Trickster to use the class's standard stat instead of int or wis for their spells.

All wildshape attacks minus three of the four myrmidons should count as unarmed for the purposes of tavern brawler and other similar things that buff unarmed attacks working.

Make the Emperor/Orpheus a fully autonomous party member, allowing you to give them equipment (and allowing them to use potions/spells they didn't already have on hand) during the final battle.

Fix pathfinding for characters you don't control, and especially fix them automatically jumping back to the other side of a gap just because you had to switch to a character who wouldn't make the jump before.

Improve Fly so that it is better than Jump outside of like 2-3 levels.

Some kind of enemy-rush mode where you see how long you can last against all the bosses in the game would be amazing.

Ability to either return to the city and finish up some quests before the epilogue.

New game plus.

Origin Halsin and Minthara.

The game does a better job of remembering that Halsin isn't tadpoled, and also does a better job of not always assuming that if you're in a poly relationship with him, you want the other partner prioritized for literally every scene.

Resist scene for Minthara and Halsin.

Recruitable Aylin and Isobel. Ideally, you can also romance them and become their third.

Dye preview, as well as clothing and armor previews.

Armor scales in weight with your size, so the same armor put on a small character will weigh less than the same armor on a large character, allowing little characters more options.

Druids automatically revert to human form for cutscenes, then return to wildshape after without losing a charge.

Orin can kidnap any character, including your romanced companion, but to compensate, there are less steps needed to access the Temple of Bhaal.

The kidnapped companion is not guaranteed to be unharmed even if you save them; depending on how long you took, they might have been badly tortured and receive a status debuff that lasts several days.

Faith-leap trial is fixed so that you can actually solve it without either a guide or cheesing it.

Let Wyll dump Mizora as a patron, then become an Archfey warlock with Thaniel and Oliver as his patrons. Wyll then becomes a nature defender.

More autonomy for Wyll in his quest. You can't make the pivotal choices of his story arc for him, and instead, your ability to convince him is tied to dice rolls that have a DC scaled to your approval, like for SH.

Able to take Scratch and Owlbear home in the epilogue, instead of only being able to send Owlbear with SH, Halsin, or you if romanced to either.

Let Karlach stay in the House of Hope if Hope lived, allowing her to live in Avernus without having to constantly fight and fear Zariel.

More interesting Speak With Animals conversations. They drop dramatically after act 1, and by act 3 there are very few times I use the spell anymore, just to talk to the kitties.

Able to cast certain spells (I.E. Hero's Feast) on all recruited characters, not just those in the active party.

54. Fix the morality system for Paladin oaths so that it's more clear what actions will break your oath ahead of time.

55. Give players more chances to fix things if a character turns temporarily hostile. I shouldn't lose a vendor, quest, etc for good because of a failed persuasion roll. There should be one more chance to fix it.

56. More deities for players to choose from; if not for Clerics, at least add more at the Stormshore Tabernacle. Ideally, allow even other classes to talk about having a favored deity, as most in the Realms do, and it would be interesting to, for example, be a Ranger, worship Mielikki, and have dialogue with Halsin, Jaheira, and Minsc.

57. Act 3 gets more unique music instead of largely reusing tunes from acts 1 and 2.

58. More companions so that every race and every class has representation.

59. Elves act more elven. Halsin and Astarion can have conversations in Elvish. Arnell is not confused by Shadowheart choosing her own name.

60. Free healing by Halsin. He is a world-renowned healer and would be great to see him use it more. Also, more shown of him researching medical conditions, helping sick/injured civilians in Baldur's Gate, etc.

61. The Shadow Curse breaks as soon as Ketheric dies or Thaniel and Oiver are reunited, whichever comes later, so the player can see the lands not influenced by the curse. Move the cutscene that plays on leaving the lands to this point, just without the bit of the party leaving the land.

62. Ability to save Art Cullagh so he won't die shortly after the game ends.

63. After you defend Halsin's portal, you get to play a side-quest where Halsin fights through the Shadowfell, finds Thaniel, and fights his way back. OR, you can delegate the portal defense to your other party members, and join Halsin in the Shadowfell to help him find Thaniel.

64. Introduce a weather system and a day/night system.

65. When you knock out a character using non-lethal attacks, the character is actually treated as alive, letting it be used outside of Minthara, Minsc, and Alfira.

66. Scene of Withers telling the players who he really is. Dark Urge players can become Withers' Chosen after they reject Bhaal, while Tav and non-Shadowheart Origins can be it from earlier on, maybe a scene early in act 2, and Shadowheart can be it after turning from Shar.

67. The Dark Urge's Urge manifests in battle, causing them to sometimes waste an action torturing a victim who's already been downed, or to turn hostile on allied characters.

68. More references to the Dark Urge being chronically ill as a result of their brain injury- this is brought up periodically in act 1 and then dropped for the most part. This could even lead to scenes of romanced characters comforting them when they have a headache or fainting spells.

69. More intra-party conflicts besides SH and Lae'zel, and the possible Halsin-Minthara ultimatum. Let the evil characters get angry at Gale for wasting magical items and try to kick him out.

70. Implement the Halsin-Minthara ultimatum, but don't make it an ultimatum; instead Halsin simply signals his intention to leave, and if you want him instead of Minthara, you bring up sending her away. Also make it clear that the Absolute still hunts Halsin for what happened in the Grove and for fighting Ketheric 100 years ago, showing that even without a tadpole, he has stakes in this too. Also make it clearer that Minthara is severely triggering his past trauma with all her pro-slavery talk, possibly causing him to gain a status debuff if he's near her. That way people will stop demonizing Halsin there will be more of a feeling of balance in the ultimatum.

71. Ability to rescue children (particularly the orphaned ones in act 3) and bring them back to camp for Halsin and/or Jaheira to mother.

72. When you're in the final battle, the companions who aren't fighting at your side are instead on a sidequest evacuating the city and fighting the midnflayers who are terrorizing the citizens. Alternatively, just for this one battle, you can bring all your recruited companions with you (it would certainly help make that courtyard fight more balanced if you aren't using invisibility potions).

73. Platonic paths get just as much weight as romantic ones. You can become Karlach's best friend forever and go on friendly outings with her. You can train with Lae'zel. Etc.

74. Setting for romance/sexual encoutners/offers to be turned off entirely.

75. Explorer difficulty allows you to multiclass still.

76. More quests for evil players.

77. Every romanceable character has at least one action that will cause them to break up with you, and every companion has one that will cause them to leave the party (outside of sinking approval to -40).

78. Option to turn on a "confirm action" button, so that accidentally clicking on an item in red that's right next to a communal use item doesn't get you aggro'd.

79. Optional choice to add in random encounters.

80. Reintroduce class-specific tadpole powers from Early Access.

81. Ability to help people in the city more; you can offer refugees shelter at your camp, feed or pay all beggars, etc. Telling the rich they suck for not helping is great but I want to be able to do more.

82. Sidequest for that Druid who's trying to save the dying tree in Baldur's Gate, ideally with special Halsin and Jaheira interactions.

83. More conversations like the one with Halsin and Jaheira in act 2, where controlling a character lets you talk to another and unlock special dialogues you don't otherwise get.

84. The circus is now a proper carnival, including magic-fueled rides, treatos, and a tunnel of love. Also, the Bhaalists are trying to interfere with the rides and get people killed, which you have to stop.

85. You have the option to tell owlbear cub that you don't want to give him the potion to make him grow faster because he deserves to stay a cub and grow naturally.

86. You can give companions little gifts, like SH with the night orchid. You can give Halsin his pipe back.

87. You can choose to join a companion in the endgame even if you haven't romanced them. You can move to Halsin's commune or keep Astarion company in the Underdark.

88. Ability to evict companions from your camp at any time, with a corresponding chewing out from the companions who stayed unless you have a really good reason for it.

89. Bring back the datamined bits where companions who left your party would later show up in the courtyard battle, tadpoled (if not already) and under the Absolute's control. (Maybe with a scene showing how it happened, including the tadpoling for Halsin and Jaheira who wouldn't have been infected before).

90. Bring back the datamined scenes from the morphic pool where the netherbrain would make the party have hallucinations corresponding to their insecurities. Including the option to comfort them after, especially your romanced partner.

91. Optional ability to cook meals yourself, maybe with a little cooking minigame like Pokemon has. Different foods can give you different status benefits the next day.

92. Ability to travel back to any act at any time before the final point of no return.

93. Act 1's point of no return is either entering the Underdark or the Mountain Pass, or entering the Shadow-Cursed Lands, but not either entering the Shadow-Cursed Lands from the Underdark or entering the Mountain Pass.

94. A gardening mechanic for edible plants and such would be fun, so you could have a steady supply of camp supplies and certain alchemy ingredients. Especially mushrooms since Minthara literally has her own mushroom farm.

95. Camp library so you can keep all your books, notes, and letters in one space to read without cluttering up your traveller's chest.

96. Alternatively, there are multiple traveller's chests for different items. Armors and weapons in one, scrolls, potions and other magical items in another, food and alchemy supplies in another, etc.

97. Ability to take care of and comfort characters who've been poisoned, infected with contagion, etc.

98. Let Halsin, SH, and the player cuddle more animals.

99. Every class gets a unique camp follower a la the Oathbreaker Knight.

100. Vendor of common things (animal speaking potions, some alchemy ingredients, camp supplies) in camp for the whole game.