#Honestly this might be one of my favorite convos they've ever had!

[onwesterlywinds]

Ashelia Riot tucks her newly long hair behind her ear as the door to the Keane house closes behind her. Edge Marbrand had been sitting by the warmth of the fire, waiting in tense solitude from the moment Linini Mooglesworn had informed him the others would be returning. Ashelia Riot: Surprise. Edge Marbrand looks up as the door closes, and stands up so fast that his chair falls to the ground. Ashelia Riot admittedly didn't know how she would feel once she returned - and now, she's beaming and crying and laughing all at once. Edge Marbrand: You're here... you're really here... Edge Marbrand can't move, for some reason - not to hug her or kiss her or hold her in his arms. Instead, his lip quivers and tears come to his eyes. Ashelia Riot walks over slowly and throws her arms around him. Edge Marbrand finally returns the gesture and cries into her shoulder. Edge Marbrand: Gods... I thought this was really it. I thought I'd lost you... Edge Marbrand grasps her shoulders, looks her up and down, runs his fingers through her hair. Edge Marbrand: You're... really you? Ashelia Riot nods vigorously through her tears. Ashelia Riot: Though for a time, I thought I'd lost myself. No longer.

Ashelia Riot runs a hand of her own along his face and through his hair. Edge Marbrand: Your hair has grown back... it feels like it could have been that long, though I know it can't have been... Ashelia Riot shakes her head. Edge Marbrand buries his head into her shoulder again. Edge Marbrand: I missed you. Ashelia Riot replicates the gesture, knowing she has to tell him everything but wanting only to be with him for now. Ashelia Riot: You deserve to know what happened. All of it. Edge Marbrand: I think I do. Please. I know some, but... Ashelia Riot: That's right. You'd have seen what Lini saw. Ashelia Riot: ...I'll make tea. I likely shouldn't be drinking yet. Edge Marbrand: I saw some of the things you've done. The things Lini had done, all of you... Edge Marbrand: I'd hear it from your lips. Ashelia Riot nods. Ashelia Riot: ...I wouldn't deny you that. Ashelia Riot breathes in heavily, as she prepares a kettle. When it's ready, she takes the tea right into bed, preferring comfort over the idea of sitting at a table. Edge Marbrand: Lini told us of those stones. I saw how it had a hold on her, and heard how it enslaved near everyone else. How could you let such a thing happen? Ashelia Riot: You'll remember that I was the first to receive one of the stones. It was offered to us by the Resistance, through my aunt - as a token of goodwill, though the suggestion came from one Resistance member in particular. A man named Grissom. Edge Marbrand nods for her to continue. Ashelia Riot: Grissom was a double agent for the IVth Legion. He meant all along to gather the zodiac stones for the Riskbreakers to use - at the orders of Legatus Noah van Gabranth. Edge Marbrand: Lini encountered him in Valnain. With your father. Ashelia Riot nods. Ashelia Riot: Gabranth wanted us to be taken over - preferably captured, studied. I believe Grissom had other ideas. He was of an old religious order: one that believed that enough sacrifice would bring about the Zodiac Braves, who would then free the world from chains. Edge Marbrand: And you were the sacrifice? Or the harbinger for these Zodiac Braves? Ashelia Riot: The harbinger. My stone was Virgo: that of Ultima, the High Seraph. She spoke to me. Much as Exodus spoke to Lini. But she showed me things, too. The entire history of Ivalice, from thousands of years ago... all the way up to the near present. Edge Marbrand: What did she want? Ashelia Riot: To take hold of my body - and for me to set about a massive sacrifice in her name. She would have needed an entire war to bring about her resurrection. A war to tear down the Empire. Edge Marbrand: And what did you think about all this? Lini was herself sometimes, so I would think you were too...? Ashelia Riot: Only rarely. I... don't remember much by the end. But I know that my own actions, my plans, were still my own. Ashelia Riot: Even to what should have been the last, I was protective of the others. I demanded their safety, and trusted in them wholly. And I... I was determined to destroy the Empire at any cost. Edge Marbrand: Those monsters were powerful, Ashe. Perhaps more powerful than anything else we've ever faced. Did you know their reach extended even here? To home? Ashelia Riot stares at Edge Marbrand in fear. Ashelia Riot: You and the others weren't harmed, were you? Edge Marbrand: Exodus used our connection to Lini. Through her, he corrupted even Azi and Siz'ir. They fought us... and tried to kill us, even. If we didn't stop them they could have hurt the rest of the Riskbreakers. Ashelia Riot: Were any others outside of the Cluster immediately affected? Edge Marbrand shakes his head. Edge Marbrand: Not that I know of. Ashelia Riot: Good. Edge Marbrand's gaze is hard. Edge Marbrand: Never again, Ashe. Promise me. No matter what kind of power is within our reach, we will not accept anything that isn't our own. The price is too great. Ashelia Riot: I waged this campaign on a foundation of absolute honesty. I'll have to share this information with the others soon, but it... certainly puts our failures into a different perspective. Edge Marbrand: A different perspective? Ashelia Riot: I endangered the entire company - not solely those who went to Dalmasca. Edge Marbrand: Yeah. Edge Marbrand clenches his fist. Ashelia Riot swallows hard. Ashelia Riot: I'm sorry. I'm... so sorry. Edge Marbrand shuffles closer to her in bed, gently brushing her hair behind her ear. Edge Marbrand: I'm so angry. Partially at the whole situation, but mostly at myself. Ashelia Riot shakes her head. Ashelia Riot: Don't. This was no fault of yours. Edge Marbrand slams his fist into the futon mat. Edge Marbrand: I should have been there. Once again, I was on the other side of the world when you needed me most. Ashelia Riot: To do what? Ultima was whispering in my ear that you would have made a perfect vessel for Belias. Ashelia Riot holds his face in her hands. Edge Marbrand pulls away and stands, his blood boiling. Edge Marbrand: Then I would be a vessel right there with you! I promised once that I'd follow you through all the seven hells if that's where your path took you! Edge Marbrand takes a moment to fume. Ashelia Riot doesn't look at him; if anything, she looks like she's about to cry. Edge Marbrand: But instead you were alone, and I was here, and helpless to do anything. Ashelia Riot: You know that would be the last thing I would want. Edge Marbrand: Going to hell with you would be preferable than losing you altogether. Ashelia Riot: And what of the company? What of the rest of the Cluster? Edge Marbrand: They don't need me like they need you. Ashelia Riot: With you safe, you were able to deal a blow against Exodus. What if you were not there? Edge Marbrand: It wouldn't have mattered. Ashelia Riot: What matters is that we both survived. Everyone in the company survived. And I have no doubt that I survived because that small, sleeping part of me knew that you were safe at home. Edge Marbrand: I love you. If I lost you to something like... something like that, then I don't know what I would have done with myself. Ashelia Riot: I understand. Ashelia Riot: ...You say 'never again,' but... Gods, how do any of us know what we'll be made to face? Edge Marbrand wipes her tear away. Edge Marbrand: We won't. We never will. But next time... next time we need to face it together, okay? Ashelia Riot sobs again, nods, and throws her arms around his shoulders; she leans her weight against him for a time, just crying, not saying anything. Edge Marbrand embraces her tight, crying just as hard. Edge Marbrand: I love you. Ashelia Riot: And I love you. Ashelia Riot speaks again when tears have subsided. Ashelia Riot: ...I mean to go back to Dalmasca. Not to wage an all-out war, but... to rebuild. Edge Marbrand: And what of Ala Mhigo? Ashelia Riot: I'll split my time, as well as I'm able. If it means the Riskbreakers remain without an acting leader for a time, then so be it. But I daresay those who participated in the campaign... are as eager as I am for a hiatus. Edge Marbrand gazes upon Ashelia Riot in deep reflection. Edge Marbrand: Will you be safe in Dalmasca? With the imperial occupation? Ashelia Riot: I'll have my aunt. Ashelia Riot: She... gods, I was horrid to her. Edge Marbrand: You were? Ashelia Riot: I doubted her at every turn. Though I had no cause to do so. Edge Marbrand: Well... Now you have all the time in the world to make it up to her. And I can't wait to see her again. Ashelia Riot nods. Ashelia Riot: ...I'll have to get her to stop calling you 'Gerald' first. Edge Marbrand laughs. Edge Marbrand: So, when do we leave? We'll have to take the long way, since I can't teleport there... Ashelia Riot: ...Leave? You mean for- Edge Marbrand: Dalmasca, of course! Ashelia Riot starts laugh-crying again, mostly from all of the other emotions from the day. Ashelia Riot: W-We've a need to wait for things to die down. After the last battle at Ridorana, the Garleans are eager for any sign of us. But... soon. Edge Marbrand: That's fine. That'll give me some time to set some things in order. Ashelia Riot stares at her husband in wonder, then throws her arms around him again.

[hardestgrove]

You asked for prompts for the quad SO time to ask my favorite question, what are their after high school plans? Has Emily ever thought about college? I don't think you've ever talked about that, but sorry if you have!

BONUS question!! -> Emily's favorite foods? What do they like to eat? Can they cook, or is their diet more of a "fast food and whatever they find in the fridge" kind of deal?

fjghlsds I haven't talked about it yet yeah! i have thought about it tho!!

billy's og plan was to save up money and move back to cali but there's been alterations to that for a lotta pretty obvious reasons... so far that's his main goal in life. some variation of "gtfo outta here, ideally to cali" i think he's also gonna be going thru a process of sorting out his shit and what he really wants to do now that he's allowed to engage with his passions and can do whatever he wants. will not be shocked if he ends up doing something music related.

eddie still graduates in s4 (u know... assuming he does dfgds) his main life goal is to make his band actually fucking happen. I think realistically after graduation tho corroded coffin semi-falls apart as all things do in the gap between high school, college/adult life but he's likely gonna end up latching on to the twins who are both also EXTREMELY serious about a music career and both very competent already as musicians and likely that'll go places or at least help launch them all into their own various solid music in the long run careers.

emily was actually going to go to college until plot events make her realize she can't leave her siblings alone with their parents. like yes her brothers would still be there to look out for stacy and alison but the reality is it's a team effort and they've survived so long doing as well as they have because they stuck together. so they got into a really good school and had to defer/inform them they weren't going which also leads to a huge fallout with their father when he finds out bc like ofc. it's all very dark at the time bc emily saw college as an escape from the abuse but over time is actually glad they didn't go because like... they didn't know what they'd do there??? like obvs their dad wanted them to go into business but that's not what they wanted to do. they've got no clue what they actually wanna do with their life. ironically might get wrangled into the band since they already get very literally forced to play bass for the twins sometimes and eddie would 1000% jump on that and help w/ the peer pressure lol. honestly kinda unsurprisingly from someone who was so intensely single-minded about like, 1 escape plan and just survival in general emily's just kinda out at sea a bit once the plan is gone.

steve's in the same boat pretty much, they both know long run they don't wanna keep living in hawkins. that's honestly the one thing everyone agrees on tbh but like he doesn't know what he wants to do with himself or like, what he's even good at. he's still gonna be at scoops ahoy and family video for a while just trying to do something. him and emily (and sometimes billy) likely have talks about wtf they wanna do with their lives since they're the most ????? about it. he gets increasingly more sure tho that he wants kids and like, domesticness which becomes an interesting convo with the other 3 but no one in the quad is actually against the idea in the long run. honestly wouldn't be shocked if he ended up a house husband or some kinda 80s ned fulmer kldfjsgds

i think emily's fave foods are probably like, variations on pasta with tomato sauce, so like half italian food lol and milkshakes. so steve's job at scoops ahoy was a real bonus for them pfft. emily can in fact cook but it's much more on the utilitarian end of cooking because they're making things for 5 people and trying to do it kinda quickly since there's a lot going on. so a lot of things that are pretty easy like pasta and fired rice or involve defrosting things like frozen pizzas. it's also not a shock to see them eating their portion right out of the pan or eating the leftovers off plates a la stories you hear from the exhausted parents of young children lol i think branching out more in cooking is one of the things they'd be into exploring once they have less shit on their plate to deal with honestly

[rei382]

B, F, I, R, X and Y

B: Any of your stories inspired by personal experience?

tbh, I think all of them are inspired by personal experiences, to a certain extent. However, ofc, some are more obvious ^^"

Don't Quit Your Day Job is based on me staying at a hotel casually looking for something in the drawer and stumbling upon a certain magazine. Though definitely did NOT look through, so there was no boss of mine there, nor the reactions XD

Happy Ending was written as my own attempt to rewrite a part of my history. I did not have the happy ending, tho.

I refuse to believe that, but my therapist claimed that The Wedding Date in a way was based on me, as well, and an attempt to handle the fact that my dad is an old fashioned....... yeah. Well. I did not bother coming out, nor did I ever have a fake relationship, nor was I pressured to get married, but whatever.

Anyway, those are the most "concrete" ones, but I do leave a piece of myself in each of my works.

F: Share a snippet from one of your favorite dialogue scenes you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

Alright, I already talked about that 100% dialogue smut of mine XD So I'll have to find something else for this one! I think I'll go with my Erised piece, Wake Up And Smell The Coffee. It's Harry and Draco talking on what is their first date, and there was a tense moment of Draco learning about Harry's fucked up childhood. Harry tries to be all natural, commenting on the music Draco chose, but being completely off the mark. Draco used the opportunity to lighten the mood. I also, of course, mirrored this specific convo in the ending, with Draco being a tad suggestive :)

“I can’t be dating someone who cannot tell the difference between Laqora and Oraprix.”

Harry blinked. “Who?”

“Merlin, Potter! Did you spend your entire life living under a rock, or something?” he said, which made Harry frown. Malfoy let out a short laugh. “Don’t worry. By our third date you’ll be a bit more educated.”

Harry blinked again, but for a whole other reason. “Third date?”

“Why, yes. You didn’t think I was going to put out on the first date, did you?”

Heat spread through Harry’s cheeks. “I – I didn’t say anything about –”

“Relax,” Malfoy said, and tilted his glass to swirl the wine inside. He glanced at it, and then looked directly at Harry, and smirked. “I always put out on the first date.”

To be honest, it mostly made me laugh XD Draco likes being a hoe...

R: Are there any writers (fanfic or otherwise) you consider an influence?

Oh for sure!!! I know for a fact that Rhysenn had influenced me. Honestly, I'm not sure I would've gotten into slash fiction at all if it wasn't for their Irresistible Poison fic. Also... I'm pretty sure I was influenced by BeautifulFiction, UP2L8, and my Draco is influenced by The_Sinking_Ship's Draco, just a little bit. Though my Draco, as was established, is a hoe. 🙃

X: A character you enjoy making suffer.

Oh ho ho ho. Why. I like making them all suffer 😈😈😈

For real though, I think my favorite to torture is Ed. He just reacts to it in such an interesting way. Draco, too. I mean, it's evil. They've both been through so much already!!! They deserve only good things, and I sit here, putting them through hell.

But I (almost) always give them the happy ending they deserve. Hopefully that makes up for making them suffer so much.

(As for killing, I enjoy killing Lucius off. Like. A lot. As in almost always. I also have the tendency to kill off Alphonse. As a means to torture Ed, though.... it's so interesting to see what would've happened with him if it wasn't for Al.)

Y: A character you want to protect.

Funnily enough, the very same ones??? Though then I'll have to add to the list also Harry (I think he might be first place in the list honestly, that boy... God, he needs SOMEONE on his side), Pansy (she's too hilarious, honestly), Havoc (but some light-hearted fun doesn't hurt right?), Arthur Weasley, and... yeah okay I think everyone else are fair game. lol

How come Roy isn't on either of those lists? Weird. I like torturing him in a light-hearted way like making him find a single grey hair or something like that. That's sooooooo much fun.