#I am once again asking Tumblr to allow me to edit tags on mobile
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cosmic-ships · 6 months ago
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We might get storms today.. may write a comfort fic
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headoverheelsforramsey · 3 years ago
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Hey hey hey! Here are this week's newlywed questions! So excited!
Note: Once again, this week’s round focuses on photos! Dialogue is entirely optional, though for some of these, it’d be fun to know the story behind the pictures ;) Tumblr mobile only allows 10 picture uploads (there are 10 questions), so collages are highly encouraged! Otherwise, the non-beta version of Tumblr desktop will allow more than ten.
Have fun!
For MC
Favorite childhood photo of Ethan
What’s your phone wallpaper image?
Contact name and photo for Ethan
Top three photo results when you Google Ethan
First picture of or with him that you uploaded to social media
For Ethan
Favorite childhood photo of your spouse
What’s your phone wallpaper image?
Contact name and photo for your spouse
Top three photo results when you Google your spouse
First picture you ever took of or with your spouse
*Credit to the anon who sent me the first three questions!
Hi Bree! These questions were so fun to answer, I loved it! 🤩 Thank you for sending these to me! 💖
P.S. : Ignore my mediocre editing skills, I tried my best! 😬
So lezz go!
FOR MEERA
Favorite childhood photo of Ethan
Meera : Ooh! Starting with a bang!
Ethan : No, Meera. Bree said favourite not embarrassing.
Meera : What if the embarrassing one is my favourite?
Ethan (with a snug face) : Fine then, I have ammunitions too.
Meera : You do?
Ethan (nods)
Meera (thinks for a moment) : Fine, so can we call it truce that no embarrassing pictures this round? (extends hand)
Ethan (shakes hand) : Sure Dr. Ramsey-Bose.
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Meera : After the infamous CPR pic, this has to be my favourite. Look at this kid. Isn't he adorable? �� You were always a dog person, no doubt we are soulmates.
Ethan : That's Tito. He was the pet to an elderly couple that lived accross the street from us. He was a very good boy.
What’s your phone wallpaper image?
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Meera : This picture from our wedding is one of my favourite.
Ethan : Mine too.
Contact name and photo for Ethan
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Meera : He didn't allow the 🥵 emoji so I bargained it for the 🔥 one.
Ethan : I neither understand the purpose nor importance of this.
Meera : Try being a millenial to understand babe.
Top three photo results when you Google Ethan
Meera (chuckles) : Remember the first time you did this for the pictagram profile.
Ethan : I said this that day, I'll say it again, the internet is a scary place.
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Ethan : Officially off the market? What even is that?
Meera (not being able to stop laughing) : You look so cute when flustered.
Ethan rolls eyes
Meera : Okay this is the article from when you announced on national television that you are not single. And the rest two are your recent achievements.
Ethan : Yes but how is something from four years back still the top result?
Meera : You did break almost a million hearts that day.
Ethan (a huge grin on his face) : Damn. Bad luck, I am stuck with you.
First picture of or with him that you uploaded to social media
Meera : Oh my my I have to scroll waayyy back for that.
Ethan (looks at Meera's screen as she scrolls) : Howcome there are more pictures of me on your profile than yours?
Meera : Because you are hotter and more famous and that gives me much more likes and followers.
Ethan (shakes head) : Kids these days.
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Meera : So, a little backstory. Dr. Ramsey kissed me infront of the entire hospital on the day of the Gala. But then didn't want to make our relationship public. I agreed because everyone was not in a right mindspace with the hospital closing and losing jobs.
Ethan : We were also figuring things out since we no longer would be working in the same place.
Meera : Then the hospital got saved and everything went back to normal. But he still didn't want to make it public. Next he wanted to take me for a getaway before the hospital opened after the remodeling. So I told him that I had to make it public now.
Ethan : As far as I remember, you ordered.
Meera : Yes I did. You tell me Bree what was I gonna tell my roommates? That I am going away for a romantic getaway with my BOSS? So I had to make it public a week before we left with this post. And all my friends and acquaintances literally roasted us alive in the comments. (facepalms)
Ethan : In my defense, how was I suppose to know that every single person knew?
Meera : You weren't quite subtle about it babe.
Ethan : But at the end it all paid off. (kisses Meera)
FOR ETHAN
Favorite childhood photo of your spouse
Meera : Remember no embarrassing ones.
Ethan : I got you, love.
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(just breaking character here to say this is me lol 🙈)
Meera : Oh my God! How did you even get this?
Ethan : Maa (Meera's mom) sent this.
Meera : This was at my uncle's wedding. I was what? Four.
Ethan : and the cutest four year old.
What’s your phone wallpaper image?
Ethan : One from our Indian Wedding, where she looked like a queen.
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Meera : I LOVE this picture!
Contact name and photo for your spouse
Meera (sighs) : Gonna be something boring for sure.
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Meera : Okay Ramsey, I see you played well. Now what about adding a 🥵 emoji beside the purple heart?
Ethan : I'll delete the picture and the heart if you try to bring me to put one of those faces.
Meera : Okay, okay, I hear you. Better be happy with what you have!
Top three photo results when you Google your spouse
Meera : Am I even famous enough to be Google searched?
Ethan : Ofcourse you are, darling!
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Meera (chuckles) : Yeah I am, after marrying you.
Ethan : That's not true see this one is about you heading the DT.
Meera : And the other ones are about our wedding and honeymoon respectively.
Ethan : Don't worry you will recieve all the recognition and love within a few years, I promise. (kisses her forehead)
Meera : With a husband and mentor like this, ofcourse I will.
First picture you ever took of or with your spouse
Meera : Shit! Why can't I remember this?
Ethan silently pulls out the picture.
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Meera : Oh yes this was in Miami, with Ines!
Ethan : Absolutely correct.
Meera : Now I remember. I was too afraid to ask you for a photo so Ines made you click one of us. And look at you know, my designated photographer for life!
Ethan (grins) : Can't say, I don't enjoy capturing your beauty.
Meera : Aww!
(they kiss)
Phew! Another week done! Thank you Bree for this once again! 💖 @jamespotterthefirst @messrprongs
A/N : I realised after creating the social media post that @gryffindordaughterofathena had used the same photo. But she gave me a green light to post mine so thank you Dri! 🤗
Tagging my usual : @starrystarrytrouble @mm2305 @charisworld @choicesfanaf @potionsprefect @genevievemd  @shanzay44 @little-flowers-on-heaven @schnitzelbutterfingers  @coffeeheartaddict @gryffindordaughterofathena @chemist-ana @adiehardfan @custaroonie @ireneadlerisseggsy @takemyopenheart @natureblooms24 @mainstreetreader @izzyourresidentlawyer @a-crepusculo @quixoticdreamer16 @starryeyedrookie @barbean
Please let me know if you want to be added or removed. Also if you want to sit out only the answers to the newlyweds game then hit me up too. There will be no hard feelings I promise! 💜
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chemist-ana · 3 years ago
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HELLO I AM SO EXCITED FOR ANA AND SAM TO ANSWER THESE!!
Note: Once again, this week’s round focuses on photos! Dialogue is entirely optional, though for some of these, it’d be fun to know the story behind the pictures ;) Tumblr mobile only allows 10 picture uploads (there are 10 questions), so collages are highly encouraged! Otherwise, the non-beta version of Tumblr desktop will allow more than ten.
Have fun!
For MC
Favorite childhood photo of Sam
What’s your phone wallpaper image?
Contact name and photo for Sam
Top three photo results when you Google Sam
First picture of or with him that you uploaded to social media
For Sam
Favorite childhood photo of your spouse
What’s your phone wallpaper image?
Contact name and photo for your spouse
Top three photo results when you Google your spouse
First picture you ever took of or with your spouse
*Credit to the anon who sent me the first three questions!
Newlywed Game
So my face when I got this ask was like shit-eating grin, THANK YOU Bree for sending me this. SO excited. *stretches fingers*
Pairing: Samuel Dalton and (F!MC) Anastasia Dalton
Format: Photos and Dialogue Only
Series: Newlywed Game
For Ana:
Favorite Childhood Photo of Sam
Ana: Don't look at me like that.
Sam: I am just so interested in what you are going to choose.
Ana: *bites lip* Well, this photo was supposed to be ammunition to be used at a later date, but, I guess there is no time like the present.
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Sam: Wow, Lincoln, this is actually a... wait ammunition for what exactly?
Ana: Clearly you are a dog lover.
Sam: I see where this is going, the answer is no.
Ana: We'll see.
What's your wallpaper image?
Ana: *cringes and eyes Sam wearily*
Sam: *head falls back onto the chair* How many times have I asked you to change it?
Ana: Well we haven't gone back to work yet, so I don't see a reason.
Sam: You mean Mase and Mick aren't enough reason?
Ana: *shrugs shoulders* They never look at my phone.
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Sam: Can you please change it now?
Ana: Yes I will. *puts hand up to block Sam's view and whispers* I'm not going to change it.
Sam: I am literally sitting right here.
Ana: *shrugs shoulders* I'm not sorry.
Contact Name and Photo for Sam:
Sam: Is it safe to assume you you haven't changed that one yet either?
Ana: I plead the fifth.
Sam: What am I going to do with you?
Ana: I can't help that I married the hottest man in the world. You're sexy babe, get over it.
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Sam: Now these photos are just out for the world to see.
Ana: Flaunt what you got.
Sam: *Looks away to hide the smile on his face*
Top Three Photos Results when you Google Sam:
Ana: Ooo, this is fun! I haven't Googled you in a while.
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Sam: What in the... that first photo?
Ana: Look like the pap found us on our honeymoon. Oo! But look at this second one, you are so broody. Out of all the photos that they chose for that article, they had to choose one without you smiling.
Sam: But what about the first photo?
Ana: And this is that interview you did with Science Mag, gosh you look so handsome.
Sam: Sam and Ana Dalton spotted getting sandy...' that was supposed to be a private beach!
Ana: *shrugs shoulders* No press is bad press right?
First Picture of or with him that you uploaded to Social Media:
Sam: Now this one I can get behind.
Ana: Will always be one of my favorite photos of us
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Sam: Yep, one of the greatest days of my life, finally being able to show you off. *grabs Ana's hand and squeezes*
Ana: *leans in and presses a soft kiss to his lips* Mine too.
For Sam:
Favorite Childhood Photo of Your Spouse:
Sam: Alright, it's my turn.
Ana: I know you well enough that you won't share anything embarrassing.
Sam: Yeah, yeah. This is easily one of my favorite photos of you.
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Ana: Oh! I can't even with this. Wow.
Sam: You were always going to change the world, I am just so grateful you chose me to do it with.
Ana: *blushes* Stop it. *slaps Sam's knee*
What's your phone wallpaper image:
Sam: It's so hard for me to choose just one, so it changes almost weekly, and unlike my beloved wife, I keep it professional.
Ana: *rolls eyes*
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Ana: Aww! When we were in Bali!
Contact name and photo for your spouse:
Sam: One of the first photos that I took of you after you became my wife.
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Ana: I knew you were going to make me blush.
Sam: It's my number one job, because I am addicted to that color on your skin.
Ana and Sam: *exchange heated glances before Sam clears his throat and looks back at Bree*
Top Three photo results when you Google your spouse:
Ana: Oo, let's see!
Sam: There better not be any photos of you in a bikini in here.
Ana: Just search!
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Sam: That's more like it. My wife being the beautiful, bad ass woman she is.
Ana: Aw, two photos of us! Damn, these are good.
First picture you ever took of your spouse:
Ana: I think I know which one this is.
Sam: Do you now? *scrolls through phone*
Ana: Italy, at the Duomo.
Sam: *holds up phone*
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Ana: See! I told you.
Sam: I remember this day so vividly, Carter had the boys, and we went and explored Milan. You were so happy.
Ana: We were so happy. *grabs Sam's hand*
***
Y'all that was a lot of phone, but a lot of work. Hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing.
Tagging my edit AND fic list below: *sorry if it bothers anyone*
@jamespotterthefirst @txemrn @secretaryunpaid @pixie88 @thefrenchiemama @sfb123 @mainstreetreader @shewillreadyou @khoicesbyk @lady-calypso @somersetmummy @melalicious8383 @chrissythadon @shannonwrote @jerzwriter @kat-tia801 @thefirstcourtesan @shanzay44 @queenrileyrose @forallthatitsworth @audburn @itsjustwinter @jennieausten@gardeningourmet @forallthatitsworth @nestledonthaveone @obsessedwithdool @wanderingamongthewildflowers @genevievemd
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badassxbirdy · 3 years ago
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Edit: 2nd February - I’m back home after visiting family, which means I finally have PC access! Thank you for your patience with the mobile formatting. I’ll be queueing the remaining replies to post over the next couple of days, and a new activity update is on the way!
January Activity Update! (Pinned)
It’s time once again for the monthly activity update! These posts help me to keep track of what the frick I’ve been doing, particularly when tumblr breaks or the brainfog strikes. This update only includes activity for December and the first three days of January. Everything else can be found over on my thread tracker (here). I believe I’m up to date at the time of queueing this on the 3rd, so please let me know if I’ve missed anything!
The full activity update (along with OOC house keeping) is below the cut Bolded text = links.
If you want to see all IC interactions without the other stuff, click here. If you’d like to start something new, I have opens, or you can hit up the memes. Alternatively you can just message me to say “WHAT UP, NERD” if you’d like to chat.
Important: I’m still on mobile only access at the moment. I’ll be using my mobile tag, so feel free to block it if the formatting becomes annoying to see. The tag is “mobile post: em’s on the move”
Alrighty, onto the update!
Threads, replies, and other IC interactions:
Car trouble - @demcnsinmymind (in the queue, will post before this does!)
Graveyard ghost hunt - @derschwarzeengel (in the queue, will post before this does!)
Tiger offers a ride - @exigencism (in the queue, will post before this does!)
Making their escape - @derschwarzeengel
Jail! - @derschwarzeengel
Time to ask a million questions. 😂 - @derschwarzeengel
“You know, usually when the bar is dead like this I don’t entirely strive for conversation.” - @blutschatten
Damon encounters dark!Ty - @derschwarzeengel
Meeting Pyramid Head - @rxdpyramidthxng
Injury prompt - @heavenguided
Drowning in rum (Dylan) - @normallyxstrange
Hunter talk (Joshua) - @wolfhymns
Meeting Hyde!Ty - @harkcr
Hunters are hypocrites - @derschwarzeengel
First meetings: at the bar - @dcnctgcgentle
“You aren’t supposed to be here.” - @razorfst
Dangerous animals >>>> Santa - @demonstigma
{Removed}
Tyler do be stabby sometimes. - @delabor
Banishment - @the-immortals-assistant
Tyler meets Lilith (ending! ❤️) - @magaprima
Crash (Eddie & Venom) - @omniishambles
“Once a hunter always a hunter, right?” - @hellshoundtm
“Can I draw you?” - @etcor
OTP REUNION AND I AM CRY. - @nightiingaled
“Salt hurts, but there’s somethin’ extra fucky about holy water.” - @hellshoundtm
“Need some help?” - @wraith-of-christmas-future
Ty goes from 👁👄👁 to 😤 - @tobeblamed
Coffee shop shenanigans (Carla) - @normallyxstrange
Investigating creepy places - @the-immortals-assistant
Running from the cops - @lcbcshcart
“I was just trying to help.” (Casey) - @normallyxstrange
Headcanons, memes, and assorted silliness:
Ty’s Christmas mischief! Her gift giving and assorted shitposts from the month can be found under that tag. RIP to the new folks whose first introduction to Tyler was all of this holiday shenanigans. ☠️
Dash commentaries
Only Ty is allowed to insult her emotional support Darklighter. 😤
Protecting 2022 like…
Tyler + New Years and mistletoe
“…I’m feelin’ very attacked right now.”
Tyler and Eli’s progress. 🥺
Tyler + Freedom of choice
Sleep habits
Platonic romanticism
Tyler + the Christmas spirit
Lock picking gripes
BUT WHAT IF YOU’RE PEEING, DAMON?
OOC Houskeeping:
Tidying the thread tracker some more, so I’ll be messaging folks I haven’t heard from in a while to see if things are dropped! Organisation? Me?! A rare sight to behold indeed. 😂
I’ve updated the blog description to make it clearer at a glance that non-mutuals are welcome here.
There are a fair number of broken links on my pages due to the tumblr url/tagging update. I’m working on fixing them, however it’s a bit slow to do on mobile.
New year, new avatar! Thank you to the folks who helped me choose. Look how cute she is!
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As mentioned above, I’m still on mobile for the time being and will be tagging accordingly. I also have a new mobile post banner:
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I believe that’s everything, but as always if I’ve missed something please do let me know! Stay safe, stay hydrated, and happy new year! ❤️ — Em
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blueprint-han · 4 years ago
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So I’ve finally decided to make this post and (officially) open gfx requests! This is a decently long post, so please read through carefully, especially the rules section! And before you ask, any banners I make will be completely free, I am not accepting commissions for banners. I just like making them.
If you wanna check answered questions about gfx reqs, click here, or ask me! Don’t be afraid to dm if you have doubts, I don’t bite. :)
If you’re already using my gfx and want to see the proper rules for using it, go to the section “credit rules”.
apps: open!
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RULES:
↠ give me a grace period of 3 weeks to complete your project. This is because I am a university student, and studies may cloud up my schedule from time to time. Of course, I will rarely take more than a week to complete a project, but just in case.
↠ Owing to the fact that I am doing this for FREE, please don’t get too greedy with the requests. You are limited to 3 requests a month and 15 graphics spread between those 3 requests, and if I feel the number of graphics you’ve requested is too high for me to complete, I will DM you so that we can negotiate. More info regarding this in the form itself.
↠ I will reach out to you to let you know whether your request is accepted or not! :D Please be patient.
↠ If you’re gonna request with specific photos, please make sure that if it’s a fansite picture, the op allows editing and that it’s not a sasaeng photo.
↠ Should I reach 5 requests, I will close requests and reopen them once I’ve cleared it all!
↠ I will only accept requests through the google form. This is because I have an exact idea of what you’d like on your graphic, since I ask a lot of specific questions. However, if you have some questions before filling out the form, feel free to dm/ask!
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STUFF I’M WILLING TO MAKE:
↠ banners
↠ icons
↠ mobile/desktop headers
↠ carrd graphics
↠ stuff for sites other than tumblr like twitter
↠ mostly anything else too! Just send a dm to clarify :)
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CREDIT RULES:
Failure to adhere to these rules will result in you losing the rights to use my graphic on your blog, and you will be politely asked to remove it or fix whatever you’re not following.
↠ when using a fanfic banner, you must credit me with an @ under the banner. Don’t throw the credit far down the post in the notes section. Credit must be clearly viewable to any users without having to go through any other stuff or a read more. If the banner is for a series. then you must credit me with an @ on every post you use the banner on. Including the masterlist and every chapter.
↠ DO NOT crop out my watermark under any circumstances. I usually leave hem very faint on fanfic/masterlist banners in case it’s stolen from you. Don’t credit me in the tags of the post, or credit me simply using my name. Meaning, “credit to dawn” is a wrong way to credit. You must mention me in the post with an @ that redirects the user to my blog. This is non-negotiable under any circumstances.
↠ The rules in the first point (and the second, for that matter) apply the same to masterlist banners.
↠ When using a mobile header/icon made by me, you must credit me either in your bio, or a pinned post with an @. Like I said, the link needs to be viewable without having to go through multiple sections or other stuff to access it. In your bio, simply using my url is fine, since I do understand many people don’t know how to link their posts onto their bio. However if you do know how to, it’s very appreciated if you link my url to redirect to my blog. 💞
↠ For external sites like carrd, twitter, etc. You must credit me with a link that redirects to my blog on tumblr. Again, it should be a link, if that’s possible; and should follow the rule of “it should be viewable to the user easily without having to click through multiple times or shouldn’t be hidden under a cut”.
↠ If you have any doubts regarding credit rules, feel free to send me a dm with your question! :) I promise I don’t bite. <3
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DISCLAIMER:
↠ I will not create graphics for fanfics that have content that make me uncomfortable, including stuff that contains full smut. (Suggestive is fine, but please read my carrd before deciding to request).
↠ I have every right to deny your request, and more likely than not, I will tell you why. Please do not question me on this if I happen to deny your request. <3
↠ I own the right to add a watermark on your graphic. In fanfic banners, it will be very faint, but it will be very clear to view on mobile headers. DO NOT crop this out.
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NOW THAT ALL THE BORING STUFF IS DONE, APPLY:
↠ If you’re here after all those sections wdiufhru thank you for considering this request! I appreciate you and your willingness to adhere to my set rules a lot <3
𝙏𝙊 𝘼𝙋𝙋𝙇𝙔:
↠ Follow me.
↠ Reblog this post.
↠ If you want to look at some of my edits before requesting, you can check the tag #*dawn.gfx, and if you’re too lazy/don’t have the time to scroll through all those edits/are on mobile so tag linking doesn’t work properly, you can check out my portfolio!
↠ Fill out this form! This form does not collect your email address, so you can be assured that your security is as promised.
↠ Send me an ask saying “I filled out the gfx form”. You could be on anon or not, I don’t mind. This is because I’m a forgetful dumbass and might forget to check the form responses daily. Please do this step so that I can get to your request at the earliest.
↠ When the banner is released to the public, please reblog that post I’ll tag you in! ^^ You’re only helping me and fueling my love for editing, thank you. <3
↠ If you, for some reason, decide to not use my banner, please let me know! I won’t mind at all!
↠ AND, please don’t make any extra edits to the graphic without my permission. If you need anything, just let me know, since I will be saving the psd files for your graphic. For e.g, if you have any url changes, want some color changes, etc.
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ladyofcreation · 6 years ago
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Warmth
Upset with Lila and her classmates, Marinette wrestles with herself over whether she's justified in her feelings, and finds herself saved from akumatization by one of the last people she ever would've expected to come to her aid.
I know, I know, everyone and their mother has been writing a salt fic in response to the Chameleon preview. Here's mine, just before the episode comes out.
Kagaminette (Kaganette? Marigami? Geez portmanteaus are troublesome), because I can.
Spoilers, obviously.
Tumblr is apparently making it difficult to find posts containing off-site links, so the “AO3 link” below is actually a link to the post with the link to the fic on AO3. Apologies for the inconvenience, but I would like my work to show up in tags.
Edit: apparently that didn’t work (and the in-site link doesn’t work on mobile, either). So I’ve edited it to be under a cut instead, since it’s short enough.
---
Things looked different from the back of the classroom.
Marinette often people-watched – it was good for inspiration. Of course, usually she did that by going out to popular public places, tourist attractions, and the like. Not her own classroom. But it was difficult to concentrate on learning when she felt like she had just tried to step on a step that wasn’t there, and about to tumble.
The way everyone had looked at her…for something she hadn’t even said…
She couldn’t think about that. She’d only get angry again, and then she’d do something stupid that’d only make things worse.
But it was so unfair!
But what could she complain about, really? Everyone else was happier in this arrangement. Everyone else got to sit by who they wanted to. If only one person had to be alone, then that was better, strictly speaking.
Though no one had been unhappy with the previous seating arrangement. Though it was so obvious that Lila had manipulated the situation to sit by Adrien.
But everyone else had gotten what they’d wanted out of it. And really, if she’d been there when they’d discussed the seat changes, wouldn’t she have ended up offering to sit in the back herself to make the others happy?
But they didn’t discuss it with her. They’d just sprung it on her without warning. Not even Alya, Alya who’d helped her fight for that seat in the first place…
She was getting upset again. She had to calm down. And if she stayed here, that wasn’t going to happen. Marinette excused herself to the bathroom.
She only made it as far as the locker room, before she became overwhelmed. She sank down against the lockers, hunched up on her knees as she let out a wordless noise of frustration and clenched her fists.
Why, why, why?
Weren’t they her friends? Hadn’t they always been there for her before? Hadn’t she always been there for them? Why, then, were a few fake tears from Lila all it took for them all to turn on her?
Something whizzed past the side of her head, and Marinette jumped, coiling into a fighting position. She didn’t know who or why or what, but she knew immediately that someone had thrown something at her. A foil, she registered half a second later, the object quivering as it stuck out between the lockers; someone had thrown a freaking fencing foil at her.
No…not at her, Marinette realized with growing terror as she saw the akuma pinned under its point. At the akuma.
It had been so close, and she hadn’t even noticed…she could’ve been…
She tried to force herself to be calm, to breathe, but the voice that spoke did nothing to help with that.
“So what’s going on?” Kagami said bluntly. Marinette turned to her, still keeping her eyes on the struggling akuma.
“Nothing! It’s nothing, really.” Of all the people to find her here, why did it have to be the Ice Queen herself? Of course this just had to be one of the times she was here for an early solo fencing lesson. This was the last thing Marinette needed when she could be akumatized any second now.
Kagami gestured at the pinned akuma. “Clearly not.”
“I just need to calm down,” Marinette said, more to herself than Kagami. “And you should go! In case I, in case it…”
“It’s not going anywhere,” Kagami said, again gesturing towards the akuma.
“I…” Marinette said, switching her gaze between the akuma and Kagami. She frowned. “How come it didn’t get absorbed into the blade?”
“Perhaps because, unlike you, I’m not upset at the moment,” Kagami said.
Marinette was…safe. Papillon couldn’t get her. She could…be angry, without risking the safety of the city. She was allowed to be angry, now, just this once. A weight that she hadn’t even realized she was carrying was eased, and perhaps it was that sense of relief and freedom that caused her to spill out her frustrations, when normally Kagami would’ve been one of the last people Marinette would’ve wanted to tell her troubles to.
���It’s…it’s this girl! No, my whole class. She waltzes in, telling these stupid, obvious lies – saved Jagged Stone’s kitten, what a laugh – and everyone believes her! No one questions her but me, and then I’m the bad guy because she makes a sad face! And all because of her, everyone switches the seats around and send me to the back without even asking. And maybe it’s stupid to be so worked up about a stupid seat, but this girl drives me crazy when she just…gets everything she wants with lies and tears, and everyone hates me because I don’t play along. And there’s nothing I can do about it, because the second I call her out, she’ll cry about how mean I am!”
Marinette exhaled, for a moment enjoying the catharsis of letting out her frustrations. But anxiety flooded back in an instant later as she remembered that she was not alone, venting to Tikki, but that Kagami was there with her. She looked up at the other girl, worried that she was going to be laughed at. But Kagami simply stood there as neutrally as ever, and offered her hand to help Marinette up.
“Better now? Because I do need that back,” she said, indicating the foil still pinning down the akuma.
Marinette blinked, as her world was turned on its head with the realization that she had entirely misjudged Kagami before.
Unable to find her words, Marinette accepted Kagami’s hand, her eyes never leaving hers as she was pulled to her feet. Marinette wondered how she had ever thought of Kagami as an ice queen. Because while her voice may have been cool, and her manner aloof, her eyes…
…Her eyes were so warm.
Kagami had shown her kindness in her own way. She had saved Marinette from becoming akumatized, even at risk to herself – had her bid to trap the akuma failed, she would’ve been the first victim to whatever Marinette would’ve become. She’d let Marinette rant and listened to her troubles without any reason to.
“Y…yeah. I’m nine fow…fine now!” Marinette managed.
Kagami withdrew her hand, and Marinette immediately missed its warmth.
“Good,” she said, and retrieved her blade. Weakly, the akuma flew away, and Kagami turned back to Marinette.
“When your usual technique isn’t working against an unfamiliar opponent, you step back, and analyze their technique. Find their weak points, and then strike back when they least expect it. Stay focused, and don’t concern yourself with the spectator’s jeers; it will only distract you.”
Marinette considered the advice. It made sense, of course – it was not unlike how she fought supervillains as Ladybug. But was it right to treat this like a battle?
Perhaps it was worth a shot. After all, she was good at turning battle to her advantage, and it made sense to work with her strengths.
“Thank you,” Marinette said.
Kagami nodded, and turned to leave.
Marinette wasn’t sure what possessed her to do it, but she called out before Kagami vanished.
“Kagami! Uh…um…” she hesitated as Kagami turned back to her, waiting. “Would you, maybe, like to have lunch with me later?”
Kagami looked surprised, and internally, Marinette panicked. Why had she asked that? They weren’t friends or anything, just because Kagami had been nice to her this once, didn’t mean that she wanted to hang out. Now she was just going to think Marinette was weird, and…
But to Marinette’s surprise, Kagami smiled softly, and Marinette felt a sudden warmth spread up from her chest to her cheeks as Kagami.
“I’d like that.”
“Oh…then…s…see you, then,” Marinette said, her composure slipping as Kagami walked away, and she shut her mouth before her words stopped working completely. Her cheeks felt like they were burning, but the rest of her felt comfortably warm.
“Are you going to be alright, Marinette?” Tikki said, poking out. “That was a really close call.”
“Yeah…yeah, I’m alright,” Marinette said, a little breathlessly. She continued to stand there, staring after where Kagami had disappeared.
“Marinette,” Tikki admonished, though there was a knowing smile on her face. “You should go catch up to that akuma before it ruins anyone else’s day.”
“Right!” Marinette said, snapping out of it. “Akuma. Let’s go, Tikki!” With a few words, she was soon sailing through the sky, chasing after the injured butterfly.
And for a moment, her troubles were forgotten, left behind on the ground.
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metatiki · 6 years ago
Text
Favorite Passage Written 2018
Tagged by the magnificent @opal-bee! Thank you so much! <3
I don’t know how many words I wrote last year, honestly, but for me it was a low output year. Most of the writing I did was for my Inquisitor Dorian fic, and most of it isn’t published yet and will be later, so I couldn’t use it here.
This scene, however, ended up not fitting the overall pacing and tone of the next Act, so it got cut. But I still really like it, so I thought I’d share it here. I might put it up on AO3 as part of a ‘Deleted scenes’ archive someday (I am keeping quite a few deleted scenes) but for now, it’s a Tumblr-only thang.
This was originally written for Act III of Don’t Worry, I’ll Protect You, my Cullrian fic where Dorian becomes Inquisitor after a terrible accident befalls his dear friend Inquisitor Lavellan (see my AO3 profile under tklivory for more). This scene occurs while everyone is travelling back to Skyhold after Adamant and the confrontation with Nightmare in the Fade. Cullen is recovering from injuries received there. NOTE: I’m presenting it with minimal editing. 
I’m tagging whoever else wishes to do this! Enjoy!
Fic: Don’t Worry, I’ll Protect You Pairing: Cullen/Dorian Game: Dragon Age: Inquisition (AU) Rating: T (This scene, anyway)
The next day proved to be no less tortuous than the first in terms of boredom, but at least Cullen had a bit more physical freedom now that the healers had worked their herbal and magical magic. The bandages were gone, and the heavy casts on his knee and wrist were reduced to far thinner versions supplemented by a spell. He no longer felt as if he were dragging large stones around whenever he moved. A horse still wasn’t possible, but at least he was able to get some real work done on the post-battle summary and recommendations for bonuses for the soldiers in the battle.
Of course, to decide on those awards, he had to speak extensively to the other leaders on the field. Blackwall was straightforward and brusque in his recommendations, and had high praise for several members of the Inquisition Forces. After a similar conversation with Ser Barris, he settled in for a good long session of list making and recommendations. He found himself frequently glancing at the door even as he worked, however, or pausing every time the carriage changed speed, hoping the door would pop open to reveal a familiar smile.
When the carriage did finally slow to a halt, he quickly tucked his lap desk to the side, not wishing to seem distracted from his visitor, especially if it was who he’d been expecting all day.
Dorian’s head pushed into the cabinet. “You’ll need to move your-- Oh, you already have. Capital. One moment.” And then he disappeared again.
As Cullen blinked in confusion, something was pushed into the carriage, floating without a hand touching it: a round, flat piece of decorated wood. As Dorian poked his head in again, Cullen asked, “Ah… What is it?”
“Sit back just a little further,” Dorian said in answer, waiting until Cullen had done so before making a little gesture. “There should be enough room, if my measurements are correct.”
Despite the questions hovering on his lips, Cullen managed to restrain himself until the piece of wood lay flat, allowing him to see the other side. His eyes widened. “A chess board?”
“Indeed!” Dorian exclaimed as he climbed into the carriage with Cullen’s chess set in hand. Settling into the seat across from Cullen, he said, “I had to scour the entire encampment to find one. Apparently, one of the Templars serving under Ser Barris is a fiend for chess. I had to promise some excellent wine from the Skyhold cellars to acquire this.” He rapped the board with his knuckles. “Still, well worth it, don’t you think?” Setting the box on the board, he pushed it across to Cullen. “I’ll let you do the honors, since they are your pieces.”
Cullen smiled. “You stole them from me last night, didn’t you?”
“Well, I couldn’t let them get packed away again, could I?” Dorian replied. “It’s much better this way.”
“It’s fine. It’s been a long time since I last played chess, actually,” he said, reaching for the box at last and working at the clasp. “Not since I played with-- Oh.” He frowned as the box opened, revealing something he’d forgotten until now.
“Commander?” Dorian asked, an expression of concern on his face.
Mutely, Cullen turned the box around so that Dorian could see its contents, knowing he would understand immediately.
“Oh.” Dorian reached out and lightly touched one of the dried flowers of the wreath which lay within. “She always did love embriums.”
“It was our stake,” Cullen explained softly as he turned the box sideways so he could retrieve the wreath. “Whoever won got to wear the wreath in the next game, and she would just make a new one when the old one withered.”
“So you won your last game with her,” Dorian guessed in a quiet voice.
“Mhmm.” Cullen’s fingers moved over the flowers gently, not wishing to disturb the desiccated petals. “She was improving, but I still tended to beat her most of the time. She was a sharp learner, but sometimes she would get overeager, and I could-- I would figure out what her game was. She insisted I not let her win, but--”
“But sometimes you did,” Dorian guessed. “And she figured it out.”
“Apparently I have tells,” Cullen said with a soft chuckle. “She’d reprimand me, of course.”
Dorian smiled. “She could have a sharp tongue when necessary.”
“Yes.” Cullen took a deep breath, letting a smile come to his lips. “I’ll have to figure out how to preserve that. It’s a special memory.” And, he realized, it truly was just that: a memory. Not a pain. Not a loss. Simply a poignant reminder of a happy time in his life.
Leaning forward, Dorian lightly placed his hand on one of Cullen’s. “If you wish to keep these memories of her to yourself,” he said quietly, “then I will find some other pursuit to bring here.”
“No.” Cullen sniffed, then straightened and focused on Dorian, tearing his eyes from the wreath. “No. She’d prefer us to play together, I think. To remember the good times with her, and not… not those last moments.”
Dorian smiled. “I do believe you are correct.” Squeezing Cullen’s hand, he sat back in his seat and began to pull the pieces from the box. “Though I’m not very good at weaving flowers together, I’ll warn you. They’d probably fall off if you so much as sneezed at them.”
Cullen chuckled. “I’ll keep that in mind.” Looking down at the wreath one more time, he brought it to his lips for a gentle kiss, then set it onto the table where both men could see it. “There. Now, which side do you want to play?”
“Does it matter?” the mage asked airily. “I’ll defeat you either way.”
As he started to place the pieces on the table, Cullen gave him a look. “We’ll see what tune you sing after the game is over, Inquisitor,” he said with a grin. “I daresay it will be different.”
“You’re on, Commander,” Dorian said, then sat back to contemplate the board, fingers steepled. This game was long overdue, after all.
After that, the chess game became a daily occurrence for as long as he was confined to the carriage. Given that he was the Commander, however, his healing sessions continued morning and night to great effect. The first time he was able to walk - albeit stiffly, and with the aid of a crutch - he had to be forced back into the carriage so that he didn’t overexert the healing knee. And, a couple of days after that, when he was finally allowed onto a horse, he spent the next few hours riding to inspect every last inch of the Inquisition forces.
The cheers that greeted him raised not only his spirits but, he hoped, those of the soldiers as well. He spent as much time leaning over his saddle to shake and touch the hands of his troops as he did actually riding along their lines, but everywhere he went, the men and women of the Inquisition rushed to meet him, to make sure he was all right.
It wasn’t until the evening after an extensive healing session and a light dinner  - eaten one handed, since his wrist was still wrapped securely in a thin cast - that he realized there was one particular face amongst his troops that he hadn’t seen. As a frown came to his face, the tent flap opened to allow Dorian entrance, chess board and pieces in hand. He paused there, regarding Cullen with a raised eyebrow. “Is something amiss, Commander? Is this a bad time?”
“What? No, no,” Cullen said, gesturing to the table. “I’m glad you came. I did miss our game earlier, but…”
Dorian chuckled as he tugged the table closer to Cullen and proceeded to set the board. “You were enjoying your mobility. I quite understand, Commander. But why the frown, hmm?”
“Oh.” Cullen blinked. “I didn’t see Jim while I was inspecting the troops, that’s all. I can’t remember the last time I didn’t see him when there was work to be done. Once he started pulling his weight, anyway.”
“Ah, Jim,” Dorian said with a nod. “Yes. He’s been sent ahead to Skyhold on special assignment.”
Cullen’s eyebrows rose. “Special assignment? What’s this? I hadn’t heard about any special assignment.”
Dorian grinned at him. “That’s because I didn’t want you to.”
“Oh, now that doesn’t sound suspicious at all,” Cullen drawled as his eyes narrowed.
“You’re right. It’s not suspicious at all. Wine?” Dorian moved to Cullen’s storage chest and pulled out the goblets. “I’ve been assured this one is a bit better than the last, so we can hope it doesn’t taste like vinegar.”
“Inquisitor,” Cullen groaned. “You’re avoiding the question.”
Dorian gave him a wink as he poured the wine into the goblets. “And quite on purpose, I assure you.” As he handed the goblet to Cullen, his face softened. “Don’t worry, Commander. I care about them, too. It is a special assignment, and no, I’m not going to tell you about it, and yes, the men are perfectly safe while they perform it. I suppose you’ll just have to trust me.”
Cullen’s gaze traveled over Dorian’s face, a habit that was becoming routine, until he finally sighed and reached for his drink. “If you insist.” A faint chuckle rose to his lips as he settled back into his chair and lifted his leg to rest on a stool as the healers had insisted. “I suppose if I trust you to take me out of the Fade, I’ll have to trust you when you say my soldiers aren’t in danger this time. Of course, now I’m just bloody curious.”
“As you should be,” Dorian teased him as he sat down opposite Cullen. “Now. I do believe I won yesterday, did I not?”
“I was distracted, you remember.” Cullen reached down absently and rubbed his knee gently. “All that infernal itching before they removed the cast.” And definitely not because he’d found himself staring at Dorian, no. Definitely not.
Dorian laughed as he quickly set up the chess pieces so that he got the first move. “You keep telling yourself that, Commander. I think I’ll go with my superior skill, hmm?”
With a grin, Cullen leaned forward in anticipation. “All I can say is you’d better think of something to blame your distraction on tonight. I know your play style now, so I know how to plan my assault.”
“Oh, do you?” Dorian asked. When Cullen glanced up from the board, he caught the amused expression on Dorian’s face when one curl of the mustache rose ever so slightly.
For a bare moment, Cullen stared at it, then quickly dragged his gaze back to the board. “Your move, Inquisitor,” he said in an oddly strained voice.
“Perhaps we should dispense with the formalities in private,” Dorian mused as he drew his finger along the board in front of his neatly arranged pieces. “We do have names, after all, and it seems a trifle odd to keep using our titles when we’re alone. Do you call Cassandra Lady Seeker?”
Cullen thought about it for a moment, then chuckled. “Only when I’m irritated with her,” he admitted.
That made Dorian laugh softly. “Maker forfend you are ever irritated with me! Besides, we already know how you deal with that, hmm? Especially if there’s a wall handy.”
WIth a wince, Cullen reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose. “Inquisitor…” When he heard a little clunk, he looked at the board and saw that Dorian had made his move. “Oh, is that your strategy this time? Provoke me into distraction and then move when I least expect it?”
“Would I do that?” Dorian asked with a flutter of his eyelashes.
“Definitely,” Cullen groused as he considered the board for a moment. Granted, Dorian’s first move was fairly standard, but he could at least eliminate some of the possibilities of where the game could go from the outset. As he moved his piece, he said, “Were you serious about the name thing?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” Dorian asked, surprised. His hand tapped one piece, then moved to another, then another as he hummed thoughtfully. He glanced up, waiting until Cullen brought his drink to his lips before adding, “Although when you are irritated with me, I give you full permission to press me against the nearest wall as a consequence. That should get my attention quickly enough.”
The spray of wine from Cullen’s mouth was followed by a coughing fit and a long breath for much-needed air. “Dorian!” Cullen gasped finally.
“Was it something I said, Cullen?” Dorian asked, lips twitching. He had, Cullen noticed with a flick of his eyes, made his move on the board while Cullen was coughing, in keeping with his new strategy.
“Don’t think I didn’t notice that,” he muttered as he finished wiping the wine from himself and mopped up as best as he could.
“I would never assume your keen eyes miss anything,” Dorian told him. He remained silent while Cullen’s fingers drummed on the board, speaking only when he reached for another piece. “They are such a lovely shade of brown that I would not mind looking into for a while, either.”
Cullen blinked, then looked up at Dorian. His eyes narrowed suspiciously at the completely innocent look the man affected. “You’re up to something.”
“Winning, I hope,” Dorian said as he lifted his cup to drink.
Trying to turn the trick back on Dorian, Cullen said, “I wasn’t referring to anything above your waist, Dorian.” Though Dorian didn’t quite do a spit-take, he did suffer from enough of a coughing fit that Cullen was able to move his piece without being noticed. It wasn’t a brilliant or unexpected move, but it was made using the tactics Dorian had established. When Dorian recovered enough to glare at Cullen, it was his turn to affect innocence. “What?”
“You know exactly what you did,” Dorian grumped as he set his goblet down and looked at the board.
“Truce, then?” Cullen offered.
Dorian sighed. “Oh, very well. Truce. I’m running out of wine, anyway.” With a sigh, he moved his next piece without drama, then set about refilling their cups in silent apology.
After that, they fell into a companionable silence as the game progressed, with only an occasional comment or murmur to break it. Eventually they found themselves down to the last few moves of the game, with both men’s brows furrowed in concentration. Familiarity with the other’s tactics and strategies had settled in, and now they were at the stage of trying to outwit each other in unexpected moves. As Cullen reached out and moved a piece at a diagonal, Dorian’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Are you sure about that?” he asked. “That sets you up for defeat in five moves.”
“Does it?” Cullen asked, leaning back in his chair and steepling his fingers.
Dorian glanced up at Cullen’s face, then back at the board, and his eyes narrowed further. “I must be missing something,” he muttered. He shifted in this chair, moving so that he could view the board from one angle, then another, and sipped thoughtfully at his wine in between, all in an effort to understand what, precisely, Cullen was trying to do. “You’re being sneaky,” he accused the other man.
“It’s called strategy, Dorian,” Cullen said. “You should try it sometime.”
‘Oh, ho ho!” Dorian said, pressing a hand to his chest. “Are you mocking me?”
“No. I’m twitting your vanity,” Cullen said with a grin. “Go on, make your move.”
“And how can I play when you make such a bold strike with that rapier wit of your tongue against something so very personal?” Dorian protested.
Cullen sat back in his chair and sipped from his drink. “I’m sure you’ll find a way. From what I’ve seen, you usually do.”
“And what is that supposed to mean?” Dorian demanded, even as he reached forward and flicked a piece forward.
The motion brought a frown to Cullen’s face. “Wait. Why did you do that?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know,” Dorian said airily. A lazy grin came to his face as he held his goblet by the rim, letting it swing gently back and forth as he moved his hand. “And here I thought you had me all figured out.”
With a snort, Cullen glanced at him for a moment, then focused on the table again. “I daresay that is beyond my poor capabilities.”
“You say that now, Cullen, but then… No. No, you’re right.” Dorian gave him a smirk. “You’ll say that after you go down in ignominious defeat as well.”
“I’m the Commander of your Forces, I might remind you,” Cullen said. “You’re not supposed to enjoy trouncing me quite so much.”
“Ah, but it will be such a sweet, sweet victory,” Dorian mused, watching avidly as Cullen moved yet another piece. “Wait. That’s not--”
“That’s not what, hmm?” Cullen said, raising an eyebrow as he leaned back in his chair. “Not what you expected?”
“Oh, hush,” Dorian commanded, hunkering over the table once more.
With a soft chuckle, Cullen raised his glass to his lips and drank from it slowly, watching Dorian try to puzzle through the game as it had been set up for him. His gaze moved slowly over the man, noting that the normally impeccable hair was just a bit out of place. Those few hairs made his fingers itch, and before he knew it, he reached forward to smooth them out.
Dorian looked at Cullen in surprise. “What was that for?”
“Ah…” Cullen coughed and leaned back quickly. “Your hair was mussed.”
Looking amused, Dorian said, “You could have told me about it. Or ignored it.”
“Perhaps, but I’ve gotten so used to you looking perfect that it was a bit disconcerting.”
“Perfect, am I?” Dorian asked with a grin. “I don’t suppose you’d be willing to vouchsafe that to other parties? It seems that my perfection seems to elude some.”
Cullen laughed, and tried to ignore the fact that his fingertips tingled slightly. “At any rate, you’re sorted out.”
“My vanity thanks you,” Dorian said, flashing him a brilliant smile before returning to his scrutiny of the game board.
Which brought Cullen right back to his own contemplation of the man across from him. With Dorian’s hair restored to its rightful place, Cullen admitted that he did have a preference for the man’s appearance, which was a startling thing to realize. In fact, he had more than grown accustomed to the man’s presence, he had come to look forward to it in a way that he did with very few others.
And only now, in the depths of his own mind as he sat and studied Dorian, could he acknowledge that it went a fair bit further than that. As Dorian raised his cup for a sip, Cullen found his gaze lingering on that perfect mouth for a bit longer than the motion warranted, and when Dorian’s tongue emerged to lick a bit of wine from his lips, Cullen bit the inside of his own. Surely I can’t… No, he isn’t… Shaking his head, he cleared his throat and quickly gulped his wine.
“Trouble, Cullen?” Dorian asked, looking up at him with a grin as he finally made his move. “Back to being scared of losing again? I think I see what your gambit is, you know.”
“Oh?” For a moment, Cullen could only stare at him. Finally he cleared his throat and asked, “And what might that be?” Maker knows, I’ve forgotten.
“You’re trying to be clever and use the Tevinter Reverse, aren’t you?” Dorian asked. Tapping his temple, Dorian then waggled his finger at Cullen before settling back in his chair. “But I’m on to you, now. I can reverse it.”
“Reverse a Reverse? Are you sure?” Cullen asked, forcing his eyes to drop to the table.
“Well, it is a Tevinter Reverse. I’d besmirch the honor of my forefathers if I couldn’t counter it,” Dorian said airily.
Now Cullen frowned. He didn’t think such a move was possible, but if Dorian said it was… “You’re bluffing,” he said finally, after staring at the board for a few moments. “There’s no way out of this.”
“Care to make a wager on that?”
Cullen looked up at Dorian, eyes narrowing ever so slightly as he saw the sly expression on the man’s face. “I left my purse back at Skyhold.”
Dorian’s eyes twinkled. “Well, thankfully, we’ll arrive there tomorrow so that you can pay me. But, if you don’t want to bet money, there are other options.”
Now that was a bit too intriguing. “Like what?”
“You’re a creative man, Cullen. Surely you can come up with something,” Dorian sallied back.
And, try as he might, Cullen simply could not dredge up a single idea that didn’t go straight to a place which seemed, to put it mildly, inappropriate between the Inquisitor and his Commander. At which point, his mind happily supplied just what had gone on between the last Inquisitor and her Commander.
“My dear Cullen,” Dorian said, eyebrows rising. “Are you blushing?”
“What? No. I’m, ah…” Cullen reached for his wine and gulped it down. “Perhaps we could wager for an undeclared favor? That way if you need me to pay your gambling debt to Varric, I can.”
“Clever,” Dorian mused. “You don’t have to come up with something on the spot, and I can decide at any time what to ask of you.”
“Or the reverse,” Cullen reminded him.
Dorian scoffed. “If you win. And that yet remains to be seen. Very well, I accept the wager.” He held out his hand. “A favor owed by the defeated to the victor.”
“A favor,” Cullen agreed, reaching out to shake on it.
The next few minutes were tense now that something rode on the outcome, nebulous as that stake was. With so few pieces left, and each man trying to outwit the other within the narrow path for victory or defeat for each of them, each move took longer than the last. The wine bottle ran dry and the goblets set aside before Cullen finally smiled and looked up at Dorian after the mage lifted his hand from his piece. “Got you.”
Dorian’s eyebrows lowered as he frantically looked over the board. “What do you-- Oh, veshante kaffas, how did I miss that?”
Cullen simply smirked as he moved his piece into position. It wasn’t that it would take Dorian’s linchpin piece, of course, but that the maneuver prevented Dorian from moving his own pieces to defend that piece. The ending was a forgone conclusion in three moves. “Do you concede, Dorian?”
“I see no other option,” Dorian said with a sigh as he leaned back in the chair. “You have your victory.”
“And your favor,” Cullen reminded him.
Dorian tilted his head and smiled. “Oh, you already have that.” After a moment, Dorian blinked and then looked away. “Ah. Pardon. The wine, you understand.”
“Of course. The wine.” Cullen cleared his throat and reached up to awkwardly rub his neck. “It must be quite late by now. I should to bed.”
“As should I,” Dorian said, rising to his feet. He did sway ever so slightly, but the bow he gave to Cullen was impeccable. “I shall leave you to your slumber, Commander.”
“I thought we were using names,” Cullen said mildly.
Dorian chuckled softly. “Do forgive my lapse. Cullen, then.”
And somehow, just hearing it spoken in Dorian’s hushed, deep voice made Cullen’s mouth go dry. To distract himself from that, he lifted his foot from the stool and forced himself to his feet.
Unfortunately, his body wasn’t quite ready for the change in position. Hours of sitting had stiffened his knee enough so that when he did put weight on it, a surge of pain shot through him and it buckled. With a yelp, he fell forward, avoiding an embarrassing fall flat on his face only due to Dorian’s quick reaction.
It took a moment for Dorian to do more than simply support Cullen, during which their faces were mere inches from each other. “Close call,” Dorian said with a bit of strain in his voice. “Don’t put any weight on that knee, all right? I’ll get you to bed.”
Cullen nodded, not quite ready to trust himself with speech given the way that his heart was racing in a way that he couldn’t entirely blame on his near-miss with a face full of dirt. As it was, he kept his eyes on Dorian as the man shifted his grip and slowly lifted them up. He found himself fascinated not only by the intensity of the man’s expression, but also by the play of muscles on his bare arm and the feel of his strength. When Dorian tugged Cullen’s hand over his shoulders and wrapped an arm around his waist to help him to bed, Cullen found that hand splayed on warm, firm skin and swallowed harshly.
“Painful, is it?” Dorian asked solicitously. “Don’t worry, it’s only a few steps. Come on, now.” With gentle coaxing and more than a bit of sheer strength, Dorian managed to get Cullen to the bed and swing him around so that his head was mostly on the pillow. “Hold on, I’ll check your knee.”
Cullen nodded, staring up at the ceiling of the tent as Dorian’s hands ran over his leg. A gentle warmth much like that of the mage healer stole over his leg, but the greater cause of warmth was, he realized, his reaction to Dorian’s touch. Closing his eyes, he wasn’t aware that he’d tensed his face until Dorian asked, “Does that hurt? I’m sorry, I’m not a healer. Perhaps I should fetch them.”
As the man moved to rise, Cullen’s hand shot out and grabbed his wrist. “No! Ah, no. The pain is fading, thank you. I’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure?” Dorian asked as he sat on the side of the bed and searched Cullen’s face, then pressed his hand on Cullen’s forehead. “You’re flushed. Are you sure you’re not coming down with some sort of fever?”
“Quite sure,” Cullen said, then cleared his throat. “I’ll be fine, I promise.”
“You don’t have a history of being the most forthright of patients, but… very well.” Dorian withdrew a kerchief from one of his many pouches and used it to remove the sweat from Cullen’s brow. “There we are. Perhaps it is the wine. Some people do tend to get overheated when they are inebriated, after all.”
“That must be it,” Cullen agreed, relieved to have an excuse.
Dorian smiled as he put the kerchief away. “Then sleep is the best course for you, my friend. Here, let me adjust you a bit.” Leaning over, Dorian worked to get Cullen’s pillow in a more comfortable position.
Cullen’s eyes closed again as that subtle musk in Dorian’s hair flooded his senses once more. Maker, what was it about this man? Their relationship had shifted so gradually that he couldn’t pinpoint when acquaintance had become friend, and then most trusted confidant, yet that is what they had arrived at by the time the Inquisition had marched on Adamant. But now, with the scent of the man hovering around him again, he couldn’t help but wonder if the possibility of more had slowly crept from faint embarrassment to alluring ideal.
When Dorian suddenly froze, his eyes snapped open to find the grey eyes staring at him. Mouth dry and heart racing, he licked his lips and croaked, “What is it?”
“Your hand, Cullen,” Dorian said oh-so-softly, and Cullen could tell the moment that Dorian’s eyes dropped to his lips before rising to lock with his gaze again. “It is…. not what I was expecting.”
My hand. Cullen swallowed and concentrated, and finally glanced down to where his hand had come to rest on Dorian’s hip. Well… mostly Dorian’s hip. Actually, in all honesty, it wasn’t even mostly there. Slowly he looked up at Dorian again, his breath catching in his throat as a muscle very deliberately twitched under his grasp. “Do you wish it gone?”
“Oh, I am quite content,” Dorian murmured. An odd play of emotions shifted his features, too swiftly for Cullen to even begin to understand. Ultimately, though, his face settled into a small smile as he asked, “Do you wish it gone, never to have ventured there?”
Maker. Cullen felt the blood pounding in his ears as he licked his lips again, staring into Dorian’s eyes for so long he almost forgot to breathe. Could he admit the truth? “No,” he whispered at last in confession. “I don’t.”
For a long moment, Dorian simply searched his face, brows drawn together ever so slightly. Then he raised his hand to cup Cullen’s cheek as his thumb lightly stroked Cullen’s lower lip. “I’m glad,” he murmured, then leaned down.
Cullen’s eyes fluttered shut as he felt the caress of Dorian’s lips on his, the tension so great in him that even that barest of touches elicited a moan. When the man didn’t press further, though, Cullen’s hand rose from where it rested to sink into Cullen’s hair, drawing him into a more fervent embrace. In answer, Dorian seemed to melt into him, his response to Cullen’s insistence every bit as eager as Cullen could have hoped for.
The need for air finally pulled them apart, and Dorian hovered above Cullen as he panted to regain his breath. “I see you enjoy playing with fire, Commander,” he murmured in a husky tone.
“You could say that,” Cullen replied, his hand still caught in Dorian’s hair. He felt his injuries even more keenly now, or rather the immobility they imposed on him, but that didn’t matter nearly as much as the sight of Dorian’s flushed cheeks and darkened lips.
Dorian smiled, his thumb again stroking Cullen’s lip. “I have to ask… if the wine is a factor.”
Cullen’s brow furrowed, confused by the half-question more than anything. “No,” he said. “No, I am certain. It just… took me a while to admit it.”
A subtle tension left Dorian’s face, and he relaxed with a smile. His second hand rose to lightly trace the line of Cullen’s jaw and stroke through his hair. “Good. I have a… bad history of wine making decisions for myself and those around me.”
After a moment, Cullen ventured, “Hawke?”
Dorian nodded. “Among others, but he was the most foolish one, yes.”
Shifting his hand to cup Dorian’s face, Cullen finally let himself tease the curl of Dorian’s mustache as he had wanted to for so long. “That is not what is happening here, I promise you,” he said, trying to convince Dorian with every fiber of his being. “And we don’t break our promises to each other, remember?”
“No,” Dorian said, his lips curving into an almost tremulous smile.
And that smile then was so tender, so… beautiful, that Cullen couldn’t resist the man any longer. He pulled him into another kiss, ignoring the protest of his knee as he twisted his body to lean into Dorian more strongly. In answer, Dorian’s hand ran down his side and cupped an entirely different sort of cheek, pulling them as close as they could manage despite the awkwardness of the cot and Cullen’s injuries. Since he only had one working hand, Cullen kept moving it between Dorian’s hair and either of the man’s cheeks, or at least the ones he could reach. Finally they parted once more, gasping for breath, and Cullen finally had to admit that he was going to pay for their passion as he hissed in pain.
Dorian immediately grew contrite. “I pushed you too far, Cullen.”
“Oh, don’t worry, I definitely helped,” Cullen told him with a throaty chuckle. “And I don’t regret a single instant of it.” He rubbed his knee. “Well, except the whole being injured part.”
“This cot really isn’t big enough for the two of us, anyway,” Dorian replied. “Perhaps we should discuss a more primal version of this activity later, hmm?”
Cullen nodded, though when Dorian moved to pull back, he wrapped his arm around the man’s waist. “Where are you going?”
Dorian’s eyebrow raised. “I thought we were--”
“Done?”
“Or at least for the night,” Dorian admitted.
“Not yet,” Cullen said, trailing his fingers up Dorian’s bare arm to come to a rest on the man’s chest. “Not as long as we can still caress the other’s lips with our own.”
Dorian’s expression softened. “Is that what you wish?”
“Yes.” For a moment, Cullen let his frustration show as he said, “At least until we’re near a desk that can hold you weight, and I have a knee that can hold mine. But I don’t want to end this conversation quite yet. Our lips still have far more to say to each other, I think.”
Dorian smiled as he took Cullen’s hand and brought it to his lips for a gentle kiss. “Perhaps they do at that,” he murmured. Twining their fingers together, Dorian leaned in, passionately claiming Cullen’s lips with his own once more.
Time melted away around them as Cullen lost himself in the taste and feel of Dorian’s lips. Nothing else really mattered right now. Nothing but Dorian mattered.
And that was the way it should be.
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xaz-fr · 6 years ago
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I will add links when I get access to a computer because mobile Tumblr hates letting you easily edit text lols. On this hell site? Very likely. But everything is in the #zs tag on my blog at the least until then.
Set in a fantasy world of the semi socialist society Fey Alliance with magic, dick head dragon riders, benevolent necromancers, and even bigger dick head gods of mischief. The Zealous Servant is the story about a guy named Spayar who, has to keep his crown prince of a bff from being murdered by his entire family by murdering them first. But Spayar just wants to take a nap and find a cute boy to kiss and not have to worry about his corpse potentially being dragged through the street after a war. Better win that shit then.
I will only ping this particular list once and if you want to be pinged like or reblog this post. In the wake of Tumblr going tits up its even more important to reblog works that you like. So please consider doing so.
@girllikewisdom @enjoythewolfs @asnakewithwingsisadragon @fyreeprince @ispyatobert @frxemriss @madamecoyote @leprechaunsean @xangelstearsx @golden-lionsnake @deadpool-scar-bro @starry-ampelope @kami-mint
DiSol is a good boy who really doesn't deserve the shit I eventually do to him lol. Also gods I love Tassa so much she's great and I'm glad she's got a bigger role in the rewrite :D
Spayar knew something was in his room as soon as he opened the door. It wasn't a feeling that something bad was going to happen, just that something was out of place. There were no candles or lamps lit and the shutters were drawn closed against the nearly constant autumn rain in Assarus so it was difficult to see but he was a mage and a warrior and knew when things were off. Something felt off now and the part of Spayar that wasn't that brave at all wanted to just step back and head back downstairs and get his dad to deal with it like he had when he was nine and made him check under the bed for mud rats- a mythical rat creature with golden eyes and slimy brown fur that crawled into your mouth at night to suffocate you. He couldn't though because he was nineteen and a grown ass man and fully capable. He hated being an adult.
He stepped into his room and kept his power close. Nothing happened. He looked around, squinting into the shadows but still saw nothing. He waited a moment before he was satisfied he was just being paranoid. He went over to one of the lamps on his dresser and turned it back up to illuminate the room when he felt something behind him.
Spayar didn't have time to react, "You're home!" a high pitched voice cried, nearly right in Spayar's ear and he flinched as he was tackled, first by one body, then by a second, and finally a third and he couldn't remain standing and they all fell to the floor in a heap.
"Ahg!" Spayar yelled and found his siblings crawling all over him and realized what had happened. They'd been waiting for him up here when they probably saw him in the shed checking in on his horse and then saying hello to their mother. "Get off!" he howled and his three siblings laughed and did no such thing, clinging to his neck and waist. "Mom!" he yelled.
"What?" she called from downstairs.
"Help!"
His siblings giggled as he struggled to sit up and he heard his mother coming up the stairs. A moment later she arrived in the doorway and laughed at what she saw, Calli, Anora and Duren all piled up on top of Spayar in the most uncomfortable position. "What are you three doing?" she asked them, a smile on her face, and put her hands on her hips.
"Spayar's home mama," Anora said cheerfully, she had her arms around Spayar's neck, head under his chin.
"Yes I can see that," Relora said with a smile, amused by her eldest son's predicament. "I think he'd like to be able to stand up though."
"I would, yes," Spayar gasped because Duren was laying on his stomach and for only eight Duren already had their father's thick frame and body and was heavy. His little siblings giggled but when Relora told them to get up they did. Duren and Calli helped to drag Spayar to his feet. He took stock of himself and made sure he wasn't hurt.
"You three let your brother have a moment, he just came back from the west," Relora said.
"Are you staying longer than last time Spayar?" Calli asked. Gods she looked even more grown up than when Spayar had seen her a few weeks ago. It might have been the clothes, which were fashionable and the way she wore her hair. Spayar could already foresee his father growling at all the suitors his little sister would have soon, especially with a brother like Spayar. At least if he stayed as important as he was. He may very well be dead in the next year.
"Something wrong sweetie?" his mom asked him. Thinking about the coup made his chest tight, made him stare death in the face. If Von was killed there was no way the Asuras would let him live. He was too close to Von, too loyal. He'd never bend on another Le'Acard. He was d'alaer. It would be Von, or no one.
"Yeah, sorry I was just thinking about something," he smiled a little. "And I will be staying until his royal highness comes back from his trip at the least.”
"Do you know how long that is?" she asked.
"No but hopefully longer," he shook his head, "though the rains will keep everyone inside for a while,” they always did at the start of fall when the Meltong Basin started its wet season which was its autumn, it petered off after Lugalsta in the beginning of Lun usually. "He's coming from the coast though so I should have plenty of time to slack off," he grinned.
"Yes," Duren looked up at Spayar in delight, "will you teach me how to ride Spayar?" he asked.
"Ride a horse?" Duren nodded eagerly. Spayar cocked his head at his brother. Common folk in Assarus didn't normally have horses, his family hadn't had one until Von had given Spayar his mare a few years ago. His father had built the shed next to the house for her when Spayar was home. "Why?"
"Because I want to," Duren said.
"Uh," he looked at his mother.
"He's been bothering your father about it," his mother said.
"He said if you said yes he'd give me time out of the forge to practice," Duren said seriously.
"If I have time," Spayar said and that seemed good enough for Duren. He announced he was going to tell their dad and wiggled through the door their mother was still standing in.
"C'mon you two, let your brother take a bath," Relora said and shepherded her daughters out of the bedroom, closing the door after them to give him some privacy.
Spayar sighed once he was gone and could finally put his things away. He turned on another one of the lamps as he pulled out his dirty laundry for cleaning and put his weapons and bag away. He didn't travel with much and was used to packing up and leaving quickly. He rolled his eyes at the thought of Von summoning him when they were younger to go hunting or to visit some friend of his outside of Assarus for a few days. He was taking off his leather jacket when he felt the wrongness again and stopped as he undid the first buckle near his throat and looked around his room again. Someone was still in here with him, not just his little sisters and brother.
"Who's there?" he asked, there was no answer, "I know you're there; show yourself I don't have time for games." He honestly wasn't expecting anyone, but giving voice to his paranoia made him feel better. So when a piece of shadow broke off from one of the high corners of his ceiling and fell to the floor with a soft thud Spayar froze and went cold. 
Spayar swallowed at what rose from the little puddle of darkness; a lonth. Lords of shadows they were all wizards or mages and lethal with any weapon including their hands. The Adoshade were one of the most southern houses in the Alliance before you hit the Kas’sca and incredibly small but powerful. This one in front of him wore his Shroud tight to his body, making his skin black and shiny like a bug's carapace, only his face and hair revealed. He was older than Spayar by only perhaps three years with nearly ruddy skin with black eyes and hair and looked like a Black Foot though removed some generations from the original people who lived within the lands of the LoHanJo'in province.
"Are you Spayar Hillsman junior?" the lonth asked, despite being from the coast like Peonia and the Garden which had similar accents that were quick, rolling and beautiful the Shade had a starkly different one that made them sound sort of slow. The Black Foot language was very meandering and since the Shade had come from the Black Foot their accent mimicked that.
"I am, who are you?” Spayar said.
"My name is DiSol Adoshade," they bowed a little to him, "Second son of LouSai, Shadow Lord." That made Spayar uneasy.
"What can I do for you DiSol?" Spayar asked keeping as calm as possible. Von said that the Adoshade had been quiet lately and killed anyone who came into their province, or at least any spies never returned. But it was the Adoshade, the Adoshade did not allow survivors to those they considered traitors.
"You are the d'alaer of Vondugard Le'Acard are you not?" he asked.
"I am."
"A worthy thing to give your life for then," and Spayar grabbed his power in case DiSol attacked him. DiSol didn't move towards him and Spayar realized that if DiSol had wanted to kill him he could have done it already or if he wanted to know Spayar wouldn't be able to stop him, lonths never let a target live.
"What do you want?"
“We need help and the Shadow Lord is dying,” he said.
"Excuse me?" dropping his power in pure shock. The Shadow Lord was dying?
"Virilia," the Asuras, "has sent my father threats if he does not cooperate. I'm sure you've heard we have closed the borders of our province to outsiders," Spayar nodded, "my father is very sick and has put my older brother in charge of defending DisAdo and keeping the house safe." Spayar knew DiSol's older brother, CoLan, nearly everyone in the Alliance knew him, they called him the Dawn Demon and he was a monster, the strongest lonth there had ever been. Ruthless and cunning without a good thing about him he was said to have no conscious and did his duty for the pleasure of the kill. "My brother is not a good leader," DiSol said and his Shroud retreated back from his body like seeping water revealing his gray mottled clothing, his Shroud becoming a cape behind him.
"I don't see why you need me."
"My brother has been killing Virilia's spies when they come and see what is going on in LoHanJo'in as well as anyone else who crosses from the Relua province into ours. I managed to convince him to let normal people to pass through unscathed but he doesn't like it. As I said, Virilia is sending my father threats, my brother sees them instead because he is acting Shadow Lord. He has gone into the Boggarts to find Black Foot to raise an army." Spayar paled, another house who wanted to raise an army. Black Foot used a type of magic that robbed people of their free will, they were puppet masters and if you had a band of Black Foot shamen in your army you could make the enemy dance for you. At least those were the stories. He hadn’t heard of an actual puppeteer in decades. "Virilia said that if we do not bend by the spring she will send an Arm to wipe us out and remind us that the Le'Acard rule the south, not the Adoshade and we will be an example to all the other houses."
"CoLan is gone now?" DiSol nodded, "Who is running DisAdo now?"
"With my brother gone, I am. My father sent me here to beg," he'd never heard of a lonth begging before. "My father says that a Le'Acard who managed to find themselves a d'alaer were good, better than most. The other princes or princesses couldn't help us, they wouldn't be able to move quickly enough. But His Highness Vondugard-" he seemed lost for words for a moment. "CoLan will be gone until spring, until then I am running DisAdo.”
"Vondugard has till then to move," Spayar said softly.
DiSol nodded, "When my brother returns he will set his army at the border of LoHanJo'in and wait for Virilia to move against him. If he does we will lose. We may win the battle but we will be crippled. Our harvests have been horrible this year, our resources will be tight on our people as it is, let alone needing to feed and supply my brother’s army. A small army of lonths can hold back one branch of the Alliance army but the Alliance is a bottomless well of people. Virilia will just find more people, send the other Arms. We will be crushed."
"I understand," Spayar said, nodding, thinking quickly. This was a lot to take in. He wasn't aware the situation with the Adoshade was quite so dire. And the bad harvests weren’t just effecting the central Alliance. Even somewhere as far away as LoHanJo’in was suffering, like a malevolent hand of a god was pressed across the land. He needed to find out what other provinces would also suffer a food shortage this year once the harvest was brought in. One thing at a time though. He needed to focus on DiSol and making sure he could handle what was needed there. "Can you promise Vondugard lonths when it is time?"
"I will give you as many as you want. The Shade need a new Asuras. We will not exist past the spring if Virilia remains where she is."
"Why didn't you just go to Vondugard himself with this?"
“Spies follow him everywhere. I am good, but I'm not invisible. And we know you have his ear. We know you will speak for him." Spayar came up short on that. He did? Since when? "Do we have his Highness' help?"
"Yes," Spayar said, "You do.” If they were going to die in the Conflict might as well try to come out on top first. “We will move as soon as we can. Try to stall your brother, the Asuras' furies are short lived she may not send an army to you. But if what you're telling me comes to pass you're saying we have till the end of winter to prepare," DiSol nodded. "What about your father?"
"He's sick."
"With what?"
"We don't know, and we don't know if he'll get better soon. It may be a long illness," DiSol frowned. "He sees the error of putting my brother in command, but he's too sick for his orders to remove CoLan to be taken seriously. My brother just says our father is sick and doesn't know what he's saying."
"He's really a demon," Spayar said.
DiSol smiled a little, fractured, smile, "It's why they call him the Dawn Demon," he said.
"Return to DisAdo and tell your father Vondugard will help you. I also want to send a healer with you to look at your father."
"We have some of the best-
"It wasn't a request," Spayar said, "I know if my father was sick I'd want all the help I could get."
DiSol looked up at Spayar with grateful eyes, he bowed a little, "Thank you Hillsman," he said.
"Also tell your father that when he's better he must ensure that your brother can never take the Seat of Shadows," Spayar said. "I don't care how but the Dawn Demon is too volatile to be Shadow Lord."
"I agree," DiSol said.
"That is the price for the prince's help, that his eldest son can never become Shadow Lord."
"A price he will be willing to pay," DiSol said.
"Give me a day to find my healer friend, she will go with you back to DisAdo and see to your father."
"You're too kind. I will give you to the ninth morning bell tomorrow," DiSol said and Spayar nodded. "Thank you Hillsman," he said again.
"Make sure the Shade are ready to move in the spring."
"We will be, I promise," and his Shroud once again wrapped around his body, turning him into a black insect and then it covered his face, only his black eyes visible. He bowed to Spayar and then went to the window and eased the shutters open. DiSol climbed onto the sill and instead of dropping like Spayar expected DiSol stood up and climbed onto the roof, a black tendril of his Shroud snaking down and closing the shutters, locking them behind him. Spayar shuttered.
He stood there a few moments, looking at the shutters before everything seemed accelerated. He needed to get another letter out to Galinsum to Sinso that whatever progress he'd made on those grenados needed to happen faster. There was an accelerated time table. He jotted it down, folded it and shoved it into an envelope to take to the post office. This needed wyrm postage. It needed to get to Galinsum now. 
And he had to go see Mali, convince her to leave with DiSol and make the Shadow Lord well. And this was on top of all the other things he needed to get done in the time between Von returning from the gut, hopefully with good news about X’vazior at the least and hopefully others as well. What he needed was for Tassa to be home. He needed her.
He sealed the envelope with his personal mark and then spelled it so that if anyone but the intended recipient opened it it would burst into flames. He added an extra weave under that one so that if someone touched the top weave to investigate it that weave would trigger anyway. He rebuckled his leather jacket and grabbing the letter went back downstairs.
"Spayar where are you going?" his mother called as he grabbed his hat from the rack by the door
"Post office, then to see a friend, be right back," Spayar said, tucking the letter inside his jacket's breast pocket.
“Will you be back for dinner?”
“Yes,” Spayar said, looking at her through the window in the wall between the kitchen and the dining room. He could smell the wonderful food she was preparing.
"Is everything all right?" she asked, standing a bit more in view, the ceremonial scars on her forehead nearly touching from her furrowed brown.
He looked at her and frowned. He'd just cut his own life nearly in half with his agreement to help the Adohade. Before he'd had a year till the coup. With his declaration to help the Adohade he'd shortened it to just a few months. "No," he said and then turned and walked out the side door. Outside it was raining and Spayar put his wide, waterproof, hat on and walked off into the storm.
The rain during the fall was nearly constant in the Meltong Basin, and of course that was exactly where the winter capital was located, at the center of the Alliance. Spayar was watching the rain outside and people rush around under the awnings lining the sidewalks, or hunched over on horses or buggies. In the house it was warm and dry.
Mali was in the kitchen with his mother and he could hear the two of them talking, but wasn’t paying attention to their words. The sun had risen two bells ago but the sunlight was wane, wet, and gray. He was waiting for the ninth morning bell when DiSol would show himself and he and Mali would return to the LoHanJo'in province and DisAdo
He looked over when someone sat next to him, it was Calli. His perfect, proper, sixteen year old sister with more sense in her head than just about anyone Spayar knew. She was wearing a morning gown that came to her knees and had little yellow horses embroidered on it. She looked like she'd just woken up but yet was alert and keen. "Good morning," he said.
"Morning," she yawned a little, putting her hand over her mouth. "You're up early. Usually when his highness is away you sleep in."
"Busy," Spayar said, leaning against the arm of the chair. "Can't sleep now," literally. He'd tossed and turned all night and had dreams of a red eyed necromancer standing over his grave reading from the Red Book to summon a necrell that would take his soul to the Shadowed Lands. He hadn't been able to sleep after that nightmare.
"Busy with what?"
"It doesn't matter to you," he waved her inquiry away.
"Why, cause I'm a girl?" she asked.
He looked at her and laughed in her face, "Calli, I would never be so stupid as to keep a matter away from someone for as trivial a thing as gender. It doesn't matter to you because it literally has no bearing on your life if you know, and is better if you didn't know anyway."
"Why?"
"Because your brother is doing a very bad thing," he said softly looking away.
"Which is?"
He gave her a look, "If you're lucky you won't ever know," he said and looked back out the window. He could see the big bell tower from here, through the rain, its face illuminated from the inside, and knew it was close to the ninth bell.
"Spayar," Calli asked after a few minutes. He 'hmm'd at her. "Will you introduce me to some nobles?"
"Why would you want to do that?" though he didn't look at her.
"Because I want an interesting, wealthy, husband," and Spayar looked at her so fast he nearly gave himself whiplash.
"What?" he squeaked.
"I said-
"I know what you said," he waved her words away impatiently. "Calli, you're sixteen, and a commoner. You aren't obligated to marry," he reminded her.
"I know, but I will marry someone, someday."
"And you're sure you'll have a husband?" he challenged.
Calli came up short, she hadn't thought of that. Her brother would never have a wife like Duren probably would. He would never have children either. She thought about the implications of her sexuality for a moment, mulled them over and then said, "Yes, I will have a husband. I like boys, you're a good role model for liking boys," she smiled at him and he smacked her knee playfully, making her giggle. "And I want a good one. A courageous, handsome, wealthy, noble, husband," she said.
"Heh, well I can tell you bidi, those types of men are few and far between. Also why would you want a noble?"
"Because I never want to worry if something happens to us," Calli said. "Mama is always worried about you and I'm old enough to realize that if something happened to you..." she bit her lips, "dooim might not get as much business." He knew what she was saying. If he died in a coup, fighting against someone who beat Von, he'd be a traitor, and his family would be cast in that shadow. No one would want what his father made.
"Nothing is going to happen to me," Spayar promised. "And you don't want a noble husband. Nobles are awful. Trust me, I know plenty."
"But what about you?"
"What about me?"
She blinked and knew she needed to proceed carefully. She licked her lips before saying, "Aren't you in love with a noble?"
"What? No,” he scoffed
"So you're not in love with the prince?" and Spayar's face went slack and he flushed brilliantly, the color probably showing a bit on his dark skin. She smiled a little, "You have no room to talk about wanting a noble husband," she said.
He scowled at her, "It is a completely different situation. Vondugard is my best friend and my prince, of course I love him."
"You know what I mean."
"You're completely delusional," he waved her off. "And you don't want a stupid, prideful, noble for a husband. You're sixteen, and too young and good for most of them."
"I won't know unless I meet them though will I?" she asked.
"No," he said sternly.
"At least let me come to her highness' Talalsalla's naming day party this year," she begged. “Please,” she put both hands over her heart in a begging fashion. “I promise I’ll be good.”
He huffed through his nose and puffed his cheeks out a bit. She gave him her best doe eyes. "Fine," he grunted and rolled his eyes a bit.
She got out of the chair and hugged him tightly, "Thank you. Thank you,” and then kissed him on both cheeks and between the eyes.
"Yeah yeah," and the clock started to ring. Nine bells. "Now I need to go do stuff," he pushed her off gently and stood. "Mali," he called and went to the kitchen. His mother and Mali were in there standing at the kitchen table. Relora was packing Mali a bag of food while Mali tried to say she didn't need it but Relora just shushed her and packed it anyway. Spayar's eyes went to the window as the shutter eased itself open and a dark, man shaped, mass slipped into the kitchen. If Spayar hadn't been looking at the window he'd have missed it and it would be as if DiSol had just appeared.
"Having fun?" Spayar asked them.
"Your mother is too kind," Mali said, slightly beside herself.
"Nonsense. We're having a bad harvest this year and I doubt you'll be able to get as good of food as this elsewhere,” Relora said kindly. “And Dirinnan food is made to put meat on those bones,” and she patted Mali’s belly with all the gentle love a mother could muster.
“Relora-
“I insist,” Relora said firmly.
Mali sighed a bit theatrically. “Fine. Is he here?" Mali asked turning to Spayar. Spayar had told her why she was going to LoHanJo'in and why it was important she make LouSai well as soon as possible. She'd been very against it at first but like always he convinced her. It wasn't good having a soft heart around Spayar, he'd abuse if for all he could and despite her hard exterior Mali had a very soft heart. 
"I am," and Mali and Relora both turned when DiSol spoke, standing behind them. Thankfully he wasn't wearing his Shroud over him, so he looked rather normal. "This is the healer you spoke of?" he asked Spayar, looking at Mali.
"Yes, this is Mali Thralluk," he said, "Mali, this is DiSol Adoshade."
"Never met a lonth before," she looked him up and down, "I expected them to be taller." DiSol frowned at her but didn't take the bait. Mali turned back to Relora, "Thank you so much Relora, you're too good to me."
"Of course dear. Any friend of Spayar's is always welcome at our home and table."
“We should leave, before the rain gets worse,” DiSol said emotionlessly.
”Right, c’mon,” he nodded to Mali and DiSol and they followed him out of the kitchen. Despite just being out in the rain DiSol wasn't wet so he didn't have to worry about the lonth tracking water into the house. They left the house and stood under the second story overhang that looked out onto the side yard. While he'd been gone his mother had picked some of the produce and that made him nervous. Usually she only picked the produce when there was a fear of it wilting or being washed away by the rains. She'd picked it early. "Mali is aware of the situation," he told DiSol, who nodded, "while she's there she'll be acting as Vondugard's voice."
"Does she have the same authority as you?" DiSol asked.
Mali and Spayar looked at one another. Neither of them kidded themselves in who was higher, who held more weight and authority, "No," he said. "But if she promises something for Vondugard it's likely to be carried out," he gave Mali a look to make sure she knew not to fuck it up. He trusted her though, After Tassa and Von Mali was one of his oldest friends, even if they hadn’t started on perhaps the most honest of terms. “She knows what to do, do you?"
"When we return to LoHanJo'in I'll keep my brother occupied and away from DisAdo for as long as I can."
"I'll send the summons for aid through Mali. You march on her say," DiSol looked at her and then nodded slowly. "Good," Spayar wracked his brain, what else could he do? Not much. He'd done everything he could really. "Safe journey," he kissed Mali on her cheeks and between her eyes, "Make the Shadow Lord well," he ordered.
"He'll be skipping through fields of flowers in no time," she promised him with a smile.
"I'll hold you to that.”
"Let's go," DiSol said seriously, "I've already been away from LoHanJo'in long enough. I need to get back."
"Goodbye Spayar," Mali said.
"Keep her safe," Spayar said sternly as he saw the two to the high walled fence, rain splattering across Spayar’s head. Mali's horse was in the shed with his own mare and she went to get it.
"You have my word," DiSol said, "no harm will come to her."
"I can take care of myself," Mali said, “I did my time, remember?” she gave him a look.
"Just let me worry a little," Spayar half pleaded.
She grinned, "We'll see you in spring," and DiSol drew his Shroud over his body and face as Mali put on her wide hat, mounted her horse and entered the rain again trotting out to the road, her horse seemed miserable. She waved and then turned the corner onto the road and was out of sight. A half moment later Spayar saw a black shadow streak after her. Spayar frowned after them. There was nothing he could do now. He'd done all he could. He closed the door and went back inside.
It was drizzling miserably while Spayar walked down the road bundled against the wet, his wide hat casting rain over his shoulder in a sick dribble. It never got cold in Assarus but it did get chilly and fall had come with a vengeance, dumping feet of rain in short order with the promise of more. It was expected in Assarus even this early in the fall. Asurala  had started now and they had five weeks of miserable rain until it petered out in Neyjarra and finally stopped in Lun save for the normal rain storm until spring started and the Meltong flooded from the snow out west in the Spine melting.
He was in the middle of Uptown close to the mouth of the lake that the city surrounded. Tassa’s apartment was around here. Her father had bought it for her. Part to give her independence and part to get her to stop having sex all over his house. Spayar liked Kenna, he was nice, if having the personality of a mouse. He had always struggled to keep Tassa in line. Spayar didn't know where Tassa got it.
He was grateful to get out of the drizzle as he stepped into the foyer of a nice building. It was warm and dry inside with a guard desk who's main duty was to protect the mail slots along the front of the desk, keep any large packages, and call the actual guards should there be any need. Spayar shook himself just a bit on the mat inside the door to get the worst of the water off before stepping into the shiny wooden floors.
“Hello, can I help you?” the desk guard asked.
“Is Tassa Peony home?” he asked.
“I didn't see her leave this morning and the night guard didn't give any indication she hadn't been in all night.”
“Great,” Spayar said and signed his name on the guestbook. “I’m a friend,” he added.
“The young miss has lots of those,” the guard eyed him.
“No like actually,” Spayar chuckled and left the desk without saying much else.
Tassa had a ground floor apartment with a front porch onto the courtyard the building surrounded. As he got near he passed through the gentle cobwebs of a magical weave Tassa had coccooned the entrance of her home in. She might have been the daughter of a noble but that didn't mean the guards wouldn't have a good reason to arrest her. A bored mind and quick hands tended to get that sort of negative attention that would warrant such a weave. Spayar just coated his fingers in magic and gently pushed aside the ornately constructed threads that looked a lot like a larger and more complex version of the one on the back of his bedroom door. He just didn't need them touching him. Had he not been looking through magic he wouldn't have even seen it much less felt it.
He knocked inside the pocket free of magic right against the door. He made sure to knock loudly. Tassa came to the door after a solid minute of him knocking wearing a shift that was barely hanging off one shoulder her hair more disrupted than simple bed head would do. “Spayar?” she squinted at him. “What are you doing here at this hour?”
He looked at the clock on the post in the center of the courtyard, “It’s chems, Tassa,” he said.
“What? Chems?” she grumbled a little, “I stayed up too late.”
“Yes. May I come in, we need to talk.”
“Sure. I'll make something,” she yawned and waved him in.
Tassa’s apartment was as though a storm had ripped through it. It was one bedroom and bath and a living room and things lay in disarray all over. Papers and dishes were arranged hazardously on flat surfaces, brushes and makeup products lay scattered across tables and the floor. The couch looked more like a bed and a large pipe was leaned up against the wall. Spayar didn't mention any of it and just joined Tassa in her tiny kitchen where she was carelessly etching a weave in the air with magic coated fingers. The heat ring started glowing almost instantly. She put a pot from above on it and fingers still coated in magic connected two pieces of a larger weave together that caused the sink faucet to open and water to pour directly from it into the pot. It would disintegrate over time to stop the pot from overflowing.
She slouched onto the table across from Spayar, pulling a slender leg up to rest on the seat of the chair, casually brushing her hair with her fingers with mixed success. “Have fun last night?” he asked her, smiling.
“You’re lucky you're so pretty,” she groaned and rubbed her face. “Me and the girls went out last night down to the Den, got into some trouble.”
“Nothing serious?”
“Not even,” she sighed, “just welcoming me home.” As she said that a man left her bedroom, looked at the two of them and hustled out. Another bustled out quickly after him. 
“Fun huh?”
“Would have been more fun with you around,” she said and rubbed the top of his hand.
“You know I don't like white guys,” he said with a grin.
“Well, most white guys,” she said.
“I assure you I don't know what that means.”
She pulled her hand back, “So what's up?” she asked and looked at the last person to stumble out of her bedroom. This was a lady in much better condition than the two men. “You the last one, love?” Tassa called.
“Hmm? Oh, yeah I think so,” she grinned at Tassa. Spayar vaugely recognized her meaning it was a friend of Tassa’s who didn't run in their circle. “You’re buying next time,” she waved as she left.
“She seems nice.”
“Uhhhhg, she's so hot I hate herrrr,” Tassa groaned and leaned on one arm.
Spayar laughed. “Yeah I can relate,” he said with a grin. Tassa got up and took the boiling water off the heat rim, deactivating the weave with a crook of her finger and poured the water into two mugs. She scooped an herbal mixture into two tea balls and put them into the cups. From a cupboard she produced beet sugar cubes, stained slightly pink for effect, some strawberries and two day old bread that was partially eaten to go with the butter on the table.
“Chems,” she announced grandeously as she set the tea and food down between them.
“How gracious. Your father wouldn't even recognize you,” he said, not adding any sugar to his tea while Tassa added about six.
“Hardy har har,” she stirred her tea with a weave of magic that turned it into a mini maelstrom. “What are you doing here and not a more appropriate hour of the day?”
Spayar popped a strawberry into his mouth. “I heard the thief lord died.”
“Uhg, not this now,” she moved her hair in annoyance. 
“You didn't mention it when I saw you.”
“I forgot and by the time I remembered I figured you'd know already,” she said and sipped her tea.
“What’s this Cross guy like?”
“Western fence who got a taste for the business way I heard it. Came from a city around Galinsum I think. Showed up in Assarus few months ago, killed Jackertty with their own knife. He doesn't like people.”
“You mean he doesn't like you.”
“He’s skittish around girls. Meet him and you'll see why- no. Spayar stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what?” he asked, leaning on the table a bit, giving her his best innocent eyes. 
“You don't want to meet Cross. He’s not like Jackertty.”
“I know.”
“He’s way more cut throat.”
“We’d get along then.”
“Spayar I am serious!”
“Me too. I can't have some unknown entity in my city. I use his hands as my eyes. Pays to visit the boss.”
“Spayar I don't-
He leaned across the table and put his hand on hers, “Tassura,” he said gently like the bastard he was. “I need your help.”
Spayar-
“Please, Tassura?” he kept his voice low and sweet. Only he and her father were allowed to call her Tassura, her real name. It was a soft and intimate familiarity that wasn't allowed by most Aldashi outside of family or their lovers. It was a weakness Tassa didn't let anyone have over her other than those few she loved. Spayar was a real wretch for using it now and he knew it.
“I— guess I could,” she said softly.
“Thank you,” he squeezed her wrist gently and let her go. “How was your trip back with Vondugard?” The prince wasn't back I'm the city yet. He'd taken a long route around and detoured down Maker’s End to the land around and past Gorum, see if any help could be drummed up there. 
“He needed you,” she said.
“He sent me ahead-
“I meant in the past two years. You could have waited to serve time.”
“Again, also something I couldn't control,” Spayar said.
“He’s soft, Spayar. I worry.” Not about Von, Tassa was worried about Spayar. “X’vazior almost said no.”
“But did he?”
“No. I lied for him.”
Spayar sighed and rubbed his face, “He’s too nice is what you're telling me?”
“He cares too much to be an effective emperor,” she used the Aldashi word for it but Spayar knew it. Kenna called Verilia emperor when he was pissed at her, or when he spoke ill of the princes and princesses. Wasn't fully bilingual in any one Alliance tongue but Spayar knew enough in a lot of them to get by.
“He’s too nice,” Spayar groaned, still rubbing his face. “He’s always too nice.”
“If you don't want to get killed when Teldin finally attacks he needs to toughen up.”
“I know,” he put his hands down and sipped his tea. Tassa had two strawberries, the red juice staining her olive lips. “You’ll set something up with Cross for me?”
She sipped her tea. “ What do I get? You're a deal maker.”
“What do you want? And don't say sex you know I like girls even less than white boys.”
“Oh, I gave that up years ago,” she lied. Spayar knew she hated it was a lie too. “How about you owe me one?”
“An unspecified favor? Tassa you were hanging around the Peony too much,” he smirked.
“Is that a yes?”
“So long as it isn't sex, sure.”
“It isn't,” she rolled her eyes.
“Then yes. A favor. Just keep it of similar magnitude?”
“I will. Are you going to stay for the rest of chems?” she worried the point of a strawberry with her index finger distastedly.
“I guess. You made me tea and everything. It doesn't have anything in it does it?”
“Of course not,” she scoffed and popped the entire strawberry into her mouth. “You enjoy I'm going to get some real clothes on,” and she got up. Spayar privately rolled his eyes. Her shift was barely long enough to cover her buttocks in the back. He sipped his tea and buttered some bread. 
Tassa ended up throwing a final, third, man out of her house while he got dressed. They cast a furtive look at Spayar as they scuttled away and he just smiled and waved. They grimaced and bolted, fearing him being her actual boyfriend. He just enjoyed the rest of the chems until Tassa came back out, brushing her hair with a wide toothed brush to get it under some control. “Want some help feeding the afternoon birds? You know they like me,” she leaned against his shoulder luxuriously.
“I’d be remiss to say no,” he said. She grabbed another strawberry and went to put on some shoes. Spayar crammed the last bit of buttered bread into his mouth and shot the rest of his tea before following her. “It’s still raining, bring an umbrella.”
“Who do you take me for Spayar?” she asked and selected one of her six umbrellas in the stand by the door. This one was wide and deeply curved, rain cloud gray on the outside with a red lace trim and an array of red hibiscus on the inside. It matched her wine bodice and scaldingly red leather breeches that clung to her legs and hips in a way that was meant to be distracting.
“Of course, I forgot to whom I spoke,” he teased and opened the door. “After you, my lady,” he swept his arm out teasingly.
“Oh thank you, my Lord. How gracious,” she said with an extra girlishly giggle and stepped out of her front door. The rain had intensified while he'd been inside. He put his hat on before stepping out and locking the door. Tassa waved a hand at the door, locking a weave across the front like a cage to prevent entry.
“Shall we, my lady?” he asked, offering her his arm.
“Oh my Lord,” she batted her lashes at him making him chuckle as she took his offered arm and they left the building complex through the front. Tassa opened her umbrella, sheilding them from unwelcoming eyes as they headed for one of the places Spayar went to to hear the news from his birds.
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ourpieceoutoftime-blog · 6 years ago
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Rules
Hi! :D And thanks for reading my rules! Please don’t be discouraged if this post seems long, I swear I’m not a hard-ass! Most if not all of my rules come down to ‘don’t be a dick ooc’ and use common sense. The rest mostly info about me and how I rp. There is other important stuff thrown in there too like a rules password and info about how this blog runs (spoilers, it runs on a queue!). I feel bad having to include a password, but I’ve had people lie about reading my rules before and so it’s best to include it for my own anxiety and sake.
General
Don't be a dick occ
IC does not equal ooc; the muse(/s) does not equal the mun! I do not share all of their views nor do I condone all of their actions.
No godmodding or powerplay. No forced ships.
All hate will be deleted and the person/anon will be blocked. I do not participate in callout culture and will unfollow for vague blogging and the alike.
I hold the right to drop threads with you or not accept your meme/starter call-like, as do you as well (and not just with me!).
Please cut your posts down to 2 replies (the one you’re reblogging the post with and my previous one), unless you’re on mobile. If you’re using gifs/icons I will assume you’re on a computer of some kind and will probably put in the tags or IM you about cutting the post.
This blog is very much OC and crossover friendly! This blog is multi-ship and multi-verse!
All triggers I can think of will be tagged with ‘thing tw’ when/if they come up. Please do not hesitate to tell me (even on anon) your triggers for me to tag! I do not have any myself.
Excluding rape, for obvious reasons (just NO), I am all for darker themes/threads. Give me ALL the angst!
I do accept and will write with OC partners of my canon characters, or OC companions of the Doctor (11 or 13). But, the first thread we have will be set whenever they first meet in your OCs backstory, so that I can get a feel for how our muses mesh together.
I do accept and will write with OC children of my canon characters as long as the OC child has a detailed about page. I need to be able to get a good feel for them to know how my muse is/will be with them. For reference, a ‘detailed’ about page would be more then just stats about your character, or more then a few small paragraphs about how they were created.
I do accept and will write with duplicates of my canon characters!
I do accept and will write with dash-only blogs.
I track my url as a tag.
I tend to mainly write multi-para to novella threads. Short(er) threads are hard for me to do (see under ‘Person Rules and How I RP’ for more info) and so I generally do not write them.
Due to Tumblr’s new Community Guidelines as of Dec 17th, 2018, there will be NO smut on this blog!! I know it says written erotica is still allowed, but I’ve seen blogs deleted for less, so I’d just rather not take the chance! Any and all threads going in that direction will be moved over to Discord if my RP partner has one and is comfortable with adding me as a friend there. If not, we’ll simply do a time-skip and continue the thread here on Tumblr.
My Discord is open to people I’ve talked to before or have a thread with. Just send me an IM asking for it!
This blog runs on a queue. (see under ‘Queue’ for more info)
Personal Rules and How I RP
Please use proper spelling and grammar to the best of your abilities. I have a learning disability called ‘dysgraphia’ which makes sentences with little to no proper grammar or bad spelling very hard for me to read. Please just do your best, as do I (if there are spelling/grammar mistakes in my replies, this is why!).
You do NOT need to match my length, but if I write multiple paragraphs and you reply with less than one (or with 2 lines posing as 2 ‘paragraphs’), I will be dropping our thread. Once is fine, but over and over will result in a drop.
I generally don’t do shorter/one-liner type threads unless I know the mun. I tend to ramble, as do my muses. This makes shorter threads hard for me and so I’ve decided to just no longer do them. RP is supposed to be a fun hobby anyway! I do sometimes have shorter threads as, in those cases, I know the mun behind the blog and am comfortable and willing to hold myself back and write less. If you mainly write shorter threads, I highly recommend NOT following me!
I don’t care what type of format you use, but the most I will do is make my reply small once.
I will NOT write with/make a greeter starter for blogs who;
do not have at least a rules or about page/post (as in one or the other, but both is always preferred)*
*This rule is applicable to even mobile-only or dash-only blogs.
only write in no-caps style (as in all lowercase sentences)
write in small-small text or sub-text (too small for me to read!)
say somewhere on their blog that they don’t read people’s rules or don’t send in rule passwords (since I have one)
Opens, Starter Calls, Memes, etc
Open starters, starter calls, memes, etc are always open to everyone. And I really mean everyone! It doesn’t matter if I’m following you or not (this blog is not mutuals only!), if we’ve interacted before or not, if you’re a canon or OC blog, if your characters are from the same shows mine are or not, if you’re following me or not, if you’re over or under 18, whatever! It does not matter! I am open to writing with just about everyone! Unfortunately, there is a but here...
But, if we haven't interacted before and you’ve yet to send me in my password, I’ll be hitting you up either by ask or IM asking you to read over this post before I reply/make your starter.
I do not practice Reblog Karma, so no worries about sending in a meme before reblogging it!
Replies to any of my opens are moved to it’s own post on my reply (for my thread tracker).
Please feel free to turn meme answers into threads! I love that! I don’t personally care if it’s on the same original post or a new one.
Greeter Starters
I make greeter starters for every rp blog who follows me and sends me my password. I have a starter list and so you will be added to it then (as I will say in replying to your ask/IM).
I’m not a mind reader, so if you want your starter from a specific muse, or if you want to plot beforehand, all you gotta do is let me know!
I generally use a gif in my starters, but you can use whatever you want (or nothing!). If you use icons or gif icons, I’ll switch to those if I can find them of my muse’s FC! No worries!
Following
I am not selective in who I write with, but I am selective about who I follow/follow back. Not following/following back does NOT mean I don’t want to write with you! Generally, I wait until a new rp partner has replied to my greeter starter before following, just so that I can see how our characters and writing styles mesh. But, overall, I tend to not follow/follow back if you don’t cut your posts (even if because your mainly on mobile). Sometimes I’ll follow/follow back before making my starter for you if I see that you also write multi-para threads.
Queue
As mentioned under ‘General’, this blog runs on a queue. 5 threads will be posted each day with other things in between such as pictures of my muses and promos of my partners. The queue posts something every hour (except for midnight).
Sometimes my queue runs out. It sucks, but when that happens, I do my very best to fill it up again and start it as soon as possible!
ALL thread replies will be thrown into my queue. The only exception to this is starters I make or replying to a starter made for me, as posting them right away makes it easier to then add them to my rp tracker.
Threads are done from oldest to newest and are put into the queue in that order.
My rules password is ‘Time is Relative’. If you’ve made it this far please send it in to me through an ask or IM. Either is fine and welcome and will be replied to privately by me! :D
Disclaimers
I do not own any of the gifs/icons/pictures used on this blog. Some of the pictures in my theme have been edited by myself, but I do not own them nor do I claim to.
I reblog gif/icon hunts to my personal side blog, as well as fandom things, pictures of my muses, etc (found here).
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briteboy · 7 years ago
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WHO is Santi and WHERE is his face?
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i am LIVING for your warm & colorful posts right now!! your editing is so amazing and it brightens my day everytime i see a new post of yours *.*
THANK YOU!!!! <3 i am so happy/relieved to be using warm colors once more, i feel like myself again. don’t get me wrong, i do like evoking different moods, but sometimes (a lot of the time, especially with santi) too much is too much. today’s posts were HOPEfully my last emo edits..............for now
LOL I actually made a comment about Fiona naming a cat/dog (once Pets comes out) Rodrigo. I'll go back underground now haha (still a great story, cant wait to read more) -Runaway NONY
OH I DIDN’T EVEN SEE THAT wtf. either tumblr ate it or i accidentally scrolled past it i’m sorry. i always enjoy seeing messages from anons who return to my inbox! but lmAO that’s a good idea. i actually met the most perfect dog today and now i know the breed and name of dog santi needs immediately
Hii! If you dont mind me askin, how do you edit your darker screenshots? I always end up making them too light or too dark to see a thing :( Thank you!
hmmm idk what to tell you about making them too light or too dark, because that’s a very specific thing that really depends on the picture. BUT i know that the dodge tool is my bff for brightening up dark pictures while still retaining some of the darker elements you want in them (aversely, the burn tool will help darken parts), messing with the exposure can also really help, coloring can also help too, selective color is my bff especially with blue shadows and orangey skin...this is kind of a broad answer, i’m sorry, but if you needed help with something specific, let me know!
I remember you answered an ask and said you drew tears when you edit right? Is there a reason you don't use CC tears?
i answered this like two weeks ago but i can’t find it so whateveR i’ve used cc tears a few times but there’s only like three of those in existence and my characters have cried a LOT. i feel like it would be kinda weird if they had the same tears every time. also there are just some variations that i like to customize myself by drawing, like sometimes they’ll be full on sobbing, sometimes just one single tear...it just depends on the situation, that’s why i draw ‘em.
Santi is my favorite Harvest Moon character.
idk shit about harvest moon so idk how to respond to this :[ here’s a small picture of michael cera with a cactus
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Would you recommend buying a macbook for playing sims?
if a macbook is what you already have, then yeah, i’d say it suffices without many problems. if you’re specifically going out and buying a computer with the knowledge that you’ll be playing sims on it, then mmmmmm i’d probably say no...but it also depends on if you’re like gonna get REALLY into storytelling and cc n shit or if it’s just casual gameplay with a mods folder that’s like 5 gb or less...if it’s the latter i think it should also be fine. but yeah it just depends on what kind of gaming you’re planning on doing.
How can I read your story from the beginning? Is there a link or something? I keep seeing it on my feet and it looks so great!
thank you! there’s a button at the top of my page that says “story directory” but if you’re on mobile you can just go here or copy this link: http://femmesim.tumblr.com/tagged/story/chrono
I've talked to u like once before and I'm to shy to talk to u again... Why am I like fish?
This**
we are all like fish if you really think about it lmao but really just reach out my dude! if we talked once then y’know you already broke the ice so just go for it!! i am here and ready to talk about all the things under the sun
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Do you use Topaz Clean?
yep
hi hello so maybe I am just a blind bean but may I ask how in god's name do you get your images to be so crisp? I have everything set up, but it seems as if when I do my thing in Photoshop, everything turns out lookin like a blobfish. I'm not sure if you use another person's topaz settings or if you have your own. Thank you so much if you do respond bc I was too much of a wuss to message you *cries in Spanish*
OMG well it’s mostly just resizing, smart sharpening, and most importantly topaz clean (see above) that makes them so crisp. i also use the sharpen tool on sims’ faces, and the smudge tool when something is particularly pixelated or whatever. everything i do is listed in here! UR NOT A WUSS *hugs you in spanish*
youre my inspiration to be a better writer. I know i'm good and giving characters depth and backgrounds and coming up with a rough story idea. but i rush things and i'm not great at putting it into a good story so ya. My story on simblr started out as casual gameplay but i wanted it to be more and i'm trying to get better @ everything
OMG ;_________; it sounds like you are a good writer already, and it’s awesome that you recognize your strengths while also acknowledging that you need to work on some things as well. i try to do the same and i think that’s what keeps me level headed. it sounds like you just need to dedicate some time to planning, that way you start to realize all the nuances of your story that come together to flesh out that initial rough idea. you seem to have a positive attitude, so that’s great!! you’re already getting better and better, i know it <3
now Santi's song is Post Malone - Congratulations
OMF LMAO u sent this when santi finally got to mexico and it’s fitting
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sos i was listening to the song fight song by rachel platten when i saw the photoset of santi making it to mexico and now i can't stop ugly crying please make it stop
omG i see it TAKE BACK UR LIFE SANTI U GOT THIS
This is so random but like, can I just say that you're so amazing like?? Why?? You're so sweet and funny and I love you very much ok
AKJSKJDFKJS THANK YOU THIS IS SO NICEEEE ;-; i try but a lot of the time i feel like a sarcastic asshole lmao thank u for thinking otherwise <3
Am I the only one who's like... really mad about pets being NPCs? I just feel like being able to control them was the best part. I don't really feel like the EP is worth it without them. Like, don't get me wrong, I understand that the team worked really hard on it, but I feel like they didn't do it as well as they could have.
hmm i’m kind of meh on that front because like on one hand i did like controlling pets and the novelty of the fact that you could just see their different interactions firsthand, but ultimately i think i’m okay with not controlling them because it makes it more realistic for me and honestly they’re probably more likely to take care of themselves a little bit more if they’re automated, because i’m just thinking about ts3 pets and how i literally had to make them go pee outside otherwise they’d pee in the house...even if they were well trained and stuff lmao. plus there might be a cheat or mod that lets you control them, like there was in ts2? so don’t lose hope yet.
hey your blog is AWESOME, i read through your stories in a day and am obsessed (kind of in love with gianni) ❤ what are some of your favorite ts4 blogs? i'm trying to find more awesome blogs to read through during my miserable journey of trying to get the game to work on my computer lol
heyo here’s some! thank you btw, and i hope your miserable journey ends soon :{
(I really need to get this off my chest) ok so my aunt is currently in a critical condition after having a kidney failure and she's in desperate need for a new one and I'm the only one in my family that's a match (so far) but I'm not allowed to donate bc I myself have severe health issues affecting my day to day life that would make it extremely dangerous for me to remove a kidney. I'm so fucking frustrated you don't understand like I just want to cry most of the time
first off i’m so sorry that this is even happening to you ;__; and you’re an amazing person for being willing to help out your aunt like that, so just know it isn’t your fault that you’re unable to. don’t guilt yourself for it okay? is there any other possible donor at all? i wanna know how this situation ends up. i really hope your aunt will be okay. just stay close to your family for support and don’t blame yourself.
how did you get photoshop for free? I'm trying to find a link that won't give me a virus, but I had no luck yet
the pirate bay is ur friend
Ok I gotta rant. GoT does NOT deserve the hype/amazing ratings. Like, sure the cinematography is pretty great and they have ok actors but the freaking script is so mediocre I actually think I could write a better one. Me. A 16 y/o tiny child. There are so much better shows out there! Hell, even Supernatural has a better script than GoT
whenever ppl agree with me about how much GoT sucks i grow stronger and stronger even the actors are iffy at this point. watching daenerys act is painful, jon snow is wooden as hell, it’s just bad. ur 16 yr old self has more potential than these writers tbh. it’s just completely mediocre; it started out as something great because it followed the same layered storytelling pattern as the books, but it’s diverged from that completely because the writers got too caught up in the hype. and you’re right, it doesn’t deserve that hype! omfdkjsgkj i’ve never watched supernatural but i haven’t heard good things. that’s a low bar
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ignxsdraco-aa · 7 years ago
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Rules Page for Mobile Users
LAW –––––
OOC Info:
Yo’s welcome to my blog, my name is Ben and this is my portrayal of Natsu Dragneel. Firstly I’d like to start off by saying that Natsu is owned by Hiro Mashima. I claim no ownership of said character nor do I claim to be Hiro himself. Secondly, all icons you see me use are credited to Mashima as well as Artists from the fandom. If you have any questions or concern please feel free to message me. Thank ya!
Private && Selective:
So for this I’d like to state that there are several reasons for why I am like this. Could be due to a falling out with whoever, busy with tasks IRL, bouncing between other blogs and such. As much as I like to do stuff here I’d like to be fair and say that my interest varies from time to time as well as my muse. There could be somedays where I don’t feel like getting on and somedays where I do feel like getting on.
I will answers asks such as memes BUT, if we are not mutual (which means you follow me and I follow back ) I will not respond to anything that you reblog from me. Which now brings us to the mutuals rule if you follow me I will look at your blog and follow you back if I like what I see. What I usually look for is just the rules and about page. Also another thing is I will not respond to anything that I’m tagged in if we are not mutuals. Lastly please do not take things personally if I don’t follow you back. The reasons could be that I don’t agree with some things or I haven’t seen the notification if you followed me.\
OC’s & Cross-Overs:
For OC’s I’m very open to interacting with them since I myself have an OC as well. However, they have to be well written. Which means the whole shebang (Back story along with Head Canons). Also any OC that Natsu hasn’t interacted with him; he will treat as a stranger. Mainly to create chemistry between muses, makes it more interesting to start from scratch. Which also leads to shipping with OC’s in general, I will only ship with OC’s if both muses have developed chemistry together where they can also develop feelings and attraction towards each other.
This one I can’t stress enough. If you have a character that has a backstory involving my muse such as tragic past, relationship Family or Friend. You MUST contact me to discuss. Starters that are automatically sent to inbox for example “You killed my family! In front of my eyes! I’m going to kill you!” will be deleted with no hesitation. Communication is key if I don’t agree with your head canon your character has with my muse. Don’t take it to face value. Just have to try again.
Cross-Over’s on the other hand I am very open to doing just as long as I know the series said muse is from. It’s always an interesting and exciting experience to have two characters from different universes interact with each other. Also I do not mind to either throw my muse into a different universe or to have yours interact in my muse’s universes.
Asks & Threads:
For asks as much as I like having my inbox spammed with multiple asks. PLEASE keep it to at least one or two prompts for each Prompt I reblog. Reason for this is mainly to keep things in check, it makes it very hard for me to answer each individual ask you send me. As well as other prompts that other muns send me. So please keep it at to a minimum of one or two per prompt. Lastly, if you do not see your ask be answered please do not take anything to heart. I either drafted the ask or replied to it but queued it.
For threads if we have a thread going on and I’m genuinely interested in it I will reply to it. Also If you have a thread going on and you wish for us to continue it. Feel free to message me chances are the thread is in my drafts.
Plotting & Winging it:
I am an awkward shy turtle, who also sucks at plotting from time to time. But I do enjoy a good plot just takes a while for me to come up with something good. Though if you have any ideas on a plot for our muses. Then by all means I am all ears, I’m interested in hearing on other peoples ideas.
Winging it which means just go with the flow of how our muses interact. Depends and varies from time to time. Where as to setting up a scenario for our muses aka plotting, winging it can either be good or bad. What I mean by this is that I can either be interested or not interested with how our muses interacted. But do not be alarmed or hesitant when I say this. Majority of the time I will be interested, so do not fear. :D
Tagging:
This is just for personal reasons but please tag your ships. I respect people and their ships, however I do wish for them to be tagged as there are some I do not agree with for personal reasons. I will most likely want Laxlu and Lolu. Along with others, everybody will get one if by chance you forget to tag them. But afterwards if I see any post without them being tagged. I will unfollow
Shipping & Smut:
I am a multi-ship blog meaning each character Natsu has a romantic ship with will be in its own universe. Ex: He can be shipped with x amount of Lucy, Levy, Lisanna, etc. HOWEVER, even though both Natsu and I are a multi-ship blog. As mentioned before there NEEDS to be chemistry and development in order for Natsu to be shipped with another muse romantically. For Natsu, it’s a long and slow process alike many others to develop feelings.
Smut however can happen with any muse with or without feelings towards said character. Could be mainly sexual attraction towards another character. However I will only smut with mun’s and muses that are of or over the age of 18.
Ships will be tagged with their tags along with a verse tag. NSFW threads such as smut will also be tagged to allow easy access to black list. As well as images & Gifs containing adult situations
Formatting:
PLEASE TRIM your replies and threads unless on mobile then it is easily understandable. However if you are replying on PC this can easily be fixed. There is an extension that works for Chrome and Firefox called New Xkit. Install that on your respective choice of browser then once installed should give you a message on the tumblr webpage to refresh.
Once the page is refreshed a window will pop up there are several tabs. The one you want to click on is “Get Extensions” scroll down and you will see an extension that says “Editable Reblogs” install that. Once that is taken care you can now trim posts, I apologize if this is a lot to ask. But it makes things a lot easier not only for us but for everyone else on the dashboard. Shorter & Trimmed posts makes the dash board a lot easier to scroll down than to continuously scrolling down a single thread that isn’t trimmed.
Also we don’t have to match each other’s length for replies nor do you need to have special texts. Reply with however length you feel comfortable with as well as your writing is good enough for me.
Triggers :
I do not have any triggers, however with whatever theme of the thread/RP my muse is in. I will tagged certain themes with tw: *insert theme here* (Trigger Name). If there is a certain theme you want me to tag please let me know. I want to make sure that everyone is comfortable.
OOC related things :
There will be times will I post things out of character. Which may contain several ooc/posts from the mun. Sometimes these posts will contain gifs or images so tag “tw:Images/gifs” and “Image/Gif warning”
Most of all have fun! Role-play is meant to be as a hobby where you can fun. If you read all of my rules state the following
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acethena-discourse · 5 years ago
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@grungedyke Tumblr own’t let me reblogged, and i’m not sure if its being dumb or you blocked
Thanks for showing up dumbass. Your presence and your type of thinking in that server is like a tumor, do you realize that? You’re a spineless liar if you think a member saying they were leaving is “strongarming” someone, and those mods are truly either desperate or foolish to keep you in there. No wonder people are uncomfortable with the environment in there – you and other active users have a habit of distorting any disagreement into violent persecution while pretending everything on your side is completely “valid” and brave.
I’m allowed to stay because i don’t break rules. Even now, this isn’t breaking rules. I rarely interact with minors in the server unless they directly talk to me first. But please go off about how I’m terrible for thinking that demanding a mod force someone to stop unhealthy coping, and cropping that out is bad.
My claim that rules are more heavily enforced is directly addressing the fact that i have gotten in trouble for things i legit forget. Ie. THe server does not allow the word b*tch. So often i’ll type “bitching about’ and get a warning from dyno. Thats p fucking strict. I’ve also phrased things v poorly, and been told to either delete the message or clarification, I often opt to EDIT THE INFORMATION because I know exclus will screenshot the bad one, and not the new one. But okay.
Recently a rule has been implimented for triggers, telling us that server anouncemnts will be modifed with new triggers/squick as they appear. Now if you have issues with these instances of rules, please go take that up with the mods.
Now, as for your screenshot, yes, I did tell them to archive it, and how I’ve both handled people baying for blood over the art of 2 ocs in a server in the past. I locked the channel, put an NSFW ban in place, and then *archived them* something I’m surprised you are more grateful for. Considering not only would archiving the channel would keep the good advice (ie yes use lube, do not use soap like in fanfic etc.) along with the bad that yall screenshotted before.
You may pretend to be nice, but that typical tendersoft nerd innocent-white-person shit does not stop you from being predatory.
There is no pretending. I genuinely believe it or not, believe in being nice to just about everyone I come across. That includes you, or a stranger on the bus or even someone walking by my house in a fucking ski mask. Being polite, and kind is just something I believe in. Until you give me beyond a reasonable doubt, I don’t even owe you basic compassion, then you’re gonna get it. Yes, that includes for big mistakes like not having age roles when you were finding your feet in discord moderation. That includes, people like you, who are trying to accuse me of “preserving gross content” when the reality is archiving a chat is a neutral suggestion because it favors no one. But i see, clearly i should go around kicking random babies and yelling don’t touch me. Because clearly if i’m not openly 100% mean to everyone, i must have some ulterior motive for my kindness right?
Can you name a single change to the rules aside from this recent “keep all the messages and let the adults keep reading them” shite?
See the above. In the past when users got banned all their messages would be deleted. They started keeping this for context. Then there's last year where someone decided to doxx a bunch of discords and said “Btw I did this bc uwuw you don’t edit screenshots” it took two weeks to give or take for mods to come to a verdict on what to do. So they made the rule that screenshots may not have their og username in them. Based on this, alone, i suspect the nsfw channels and sex ed might not be reopened for a similar period of time until the mods make new rules and clarify old ones.
It’s irrelevant and maybe even suspicious for you to bring up the wrongdoings of people who are completely unrelated to this situation. You’re already deflecting onto other people, offering no evidence of the “context,” and bitching on behalf of the mods. If you were in any way committed to safety or improving the situation, you wouldn’t be bringing up random people and downplaying things you obviously witnessed.
“offering no evidence of the context” for someone in the server you would know a handful of things about me 1) mobile tumblr is hell and i attach information from pc once I can. 2) I was out of town for someone so eager to screenshot me funny how you were so eager to forget that information.
So heres screenshot 1
Funfact i did not, and still don’t know what agere is. Now i will say my stance on cgl is that its not for me. I don’t like it, i don’t want to hear about it. But as long as both participates are 18, i also don’t need to know about it. Now if a minor was in chat, said “i participate in cgl with my partner” i would full stop be like what the fuck. And would leave if the mods decided to condone it, but that isn’t what happened. But you can see the mods do point out that if an unhealthy relationship or it was discussed at all outside of nsfw- channels they would be warned, banned, or reported.
Then there is the obvious mention that age regression isn’t a consenting adult, yeah. Ya dang right it not motherfucker. But let's talk about the word AGERE in relation to this. I’ve never once heard that there is a special word for nonsexual coping mechanism. So like damn, I’ll just add that into my vocabulary.
But I didn’t know that word exists, me saying “non sexual cgl” or “coping cgl” is literally me acknowledging that I find that eh but ultimately okay between consenting adults who are not aged regressing vs sexual cgl.
screen shot 2
In this a user tries to suggest the mods have a moral obligation to inform someone its “unhealthy” when mods point out that no they do not, but nor do they allow users to go off telling everyone “Oh cgl is a great coping mechinism you should do it to.”
Which is important. Because again, I hate cgl, but I also am of the mind that, i can’t stop it. I outright can’t, so no i’m not gonna get involved in someones personal road to recovery and be like “you’re disgusting”. I can however tell them to keep it away from me, and not to discuss it in channels minors can see. (a policy that has been in place for a while now.)
screenshot 3
More of the mods not condoning it, and stating p clearly that policies have changed since 2017/early 2018. I’ve been in the server since july 2018ish. And things have been nearly constantly evolving.
screenshot 4
Mods again emphasizing that you can find the policy changes since the messages have changed. Because that is important. They confined this to other channels. Why they didn’t delete the information in sexed, i can’t actually say one way or another. They might have kept it because they believe in mistakes of that caliber being left alone. But you also have no evidence for why they kept the og messages.
But the reason, i consider what herpcourse did lying by omission, is herpcourse led you to believe the above screenshots were out in the open. The ones i just posted happened in some random channel. They did not, they happened in an age locked channel. That only adults are in. And mods are under no obligation to 1) be your personal therapist, 2) nor are they obligated to go “uwu reminder cgl in all situations no matter what is disgusting you dirties” because doing so is preformative. One of the mods is squicked by it just like me. But please go off about how admitting past mistakes happened, refusing to performatively disown something, and refusing to tell anyone who mentions it in the age locked channels is actually gross and unhealthy when you know nothing about them is bad.
I did not, in fact, witness anything in sexed, because I don’t go there. I only witnessed the stuff that followed herpcourse callout, which means the above messages. I have sexed muted.
I also didn’t bring up random people I brought up a known predator who is on youtube, actually sends salacious photos to minors, and is p safe to say fucking gross, my point was there are actual sharks in the water, please stop focusing on the tuna. Because you can surprise, call out both behaviors. But i’ve yet to see an exclus call out someone like pkrussel, instead choosing to focus on people who might have a seemingly large following in one community. Me pointing out sharks in the beach and asking you to stop focusing on tuna, is not telling you to ignore the tuna.
I’m only as committed to this situation as anyone can be, which isn’t v much considering I’ve yet to witness someone grooming a minor in gen chat. Or witnessed them grooming minors at all. The only skin i have in this game is the following: Minors still being allowed access to decent sex-ed resources and being allowed to ask questions. And 2) my own personal discomfort with all cgl. My hope is that rules do become more clear, maybe only discussion of sex ed by users to be direct questions only. Meaning a minor can come in ask a direct question and receive a direct answer. Which while not ideal sex ed, is sitll better than what i got, what you probably got, and what they’re likely getting (if getting any at all)
The mods are not level-headed and not passive when they actually care and think they have control. They’re cowardly, that’s the difference. They literally got more mad over someone making fun of one of their icons and a minor saying genuine trauma with the q slur is possible.
I don’t expect them to be 100% level headed. I’d honestly be kinda upset if they didn’t display emotions when shit like this happens. But please give me a source on the icon thing (which btw, no you shouldn’t make fun of people, period) and for the minor saying ‘queer can have trauma’ bc I do think it can. But if you join fya, you can’t request it be tagged as qlur. Because there is a lot o discussion not only of queer as a personal identity but also queer as a history. Which means groups like queer nation, or shows today like queer eye. And just like I hope if I’m discussing the motorcycle gang made up of lesbians called dykes on bikes and their history, you’d not want me to censor, or remove their history and accomplishments by calling them “d-slur on bikes uwu” you don’t expect me to censor the discussion above. But to my knowledge, the denial is not “queer isn’t used as a slur” its “queer as an identity deserves respect, and to insist its evil is to take the word our oppressors used and give it back to them.”
Also what’s with you specifically and always bringing up “afab” as a gotcha descriptor in arguments? What are you trying to say?
Bc lets be real, when you talk about ddlg, you’re talking about an afab person dressing up as a child and calling her partner daddy while he fucks her most times. Didn’t know to point out the difference between that and agere was in fact a “gotcha” based purely on the agab of the person. But okay.
You need to leave and delete your five blogs from anywhere you can speak to minors like yesterday.
Okay, what are the five blogs? Bc I’m only aware of...literally none that interact with minors in conscious effort.
I highly doubt there’s any reason for them to have changed, considering the execrable atmosphere in that server, so here’s a screenshot of one mod (toytulini) going Karen mode along with a bunch of other 20+ year olds while the minor they were targeting tried to defuse the situation as mentioned above.
What is the context? Bc i legit don't’ see any. I see them arguing, btu about what, I don’t know, if i  was involved myself, I do not remember. So again, not much of a smoking gun. It looks like they were trying to get someone to actually *understand* what was being said, but that wasn’t appearing to happen. But again, missing context such as what the argument was about, why that started, so on so forth. also if the person was told not to argue there, yeah, they should have moved it. as per server rules, there are channels to argue in, that wasn’t one. So no matter the context, if they were breaking rules, and did not move when requested, yes, they should be given a ban based on whatever the conversation topic was.
Now, i’ve provided evidence. I’m gonna go to bed, please feel free to dm me here if you need me to clarify anything or want to throw out accusations about how being kind must be predatory af since i’m barely an adult and adults lose compassion after becoming 18.
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