#I do want to read The Sentinel as well hehe

[anothermonikan]

Epic delivery just happened

Epic

[jweekgoji]

psst

if u have time pls do a continuation of the Yandere d-16 and reader but somehow he finds the reader when he’s Megatron and this time HE tops

Yandere!Megatron/Reader [TFO]

tw: ROBOTS sexxx (minors don't read please), possesive behavior, mentions of jealousy, brief violence/threats, biting, word count: ~1,2k additional tags: dom!Megatron, sub!reader, decepticon!reader, idol!reader, cybertronian!reader. a/n: it's not like /megs/ finds reader here but the other way around (ig) hehe.

The news of the sudden death of Sentinel Prime had reached you suddenly. Another ordinary, simple day, as it seemed back then. You were used to living in comfort and coziness, after all, from the moment you were born, you were special. At least, you couldn't help but feel that way in a privileged society.

Now, thinking about it, a feeling of pity and wrongness overwhelms your thoughts. It was no surprise that those who were unlucky enough to be born with t-cog had no choice but to dedicate their entire existence for the greater good of your entire race.

Standing humbly behind the decepticon leader's back, you only gave a silent glance in his direction. How much had he managed to endure? What exactly did he have witnessed that day when he went from an obedient and shy D-16 to...

“Why are you still here?” a deep, gravelly voice suddenly yanked you out of your thoughts.

For a moment, you didn't know what to answer. Was it that important? No, you never noticed him asking the same question to the others.

“To fight alongside you, Megatron,” you quickly replied, your arms kept hidden behind your back, like a well-trained soldier.

A soft, almost inaudible huff escaped from his lips as he shook his helm in mild frustration. He slowly turned around to bore his own red optics into yours. Weren't they orange? You didn't recall.

“That's not what I asked you,” Megatron narrowed his optics, his gaze still as stern. “You know what I'm talking about.”

You tilted your helm down, as if in submission or simply unable to maintain eye contact with him. Either way, an ominous feeling of regret continued to grow inside you, despite how often you tried convincing yourself that it was never your fault.

Funny, isn't it? It seemed like a while ago, here were the two of you right next to each other. His smaller, so small but never fragile frame, was so tender in your servos.

The chassis was completely tarnished in little bruises and scratches, yet it was always a pleasure to gently run your servo over the surface of the silver metal, feeling how the mech beneath you could only bite his fist in a desperate attempt to not make a single sound.

But now, everything seems so different, strange perhaps, but at the same time in its own way familiar. Above you now is a different person; to deny that would be foolish, if not pointless.

The frame is wider, much bigger, than you can remember. The chassis is now peppered with a lot of scars after numerous battles in which you can only feel sorry for every opponent he's faced. All stained in energon, the pink liquid slowly oozing out to smear your own frame. You know it doesn't belong to him.

“Mine, you're all mine,” his servo tightening around your wrists, pinning them both above your helm.

Megatron's heavy breathing made a pleasant shiver run along your spine, and almost instinctively, you pressed your hips against his own.

Everything felt so hot now, so suffocating, that you were barely hanging on to keep from passing out. His chassis only pressed you down further, taking away any chance you had of escaping.

You wish you could tell him so much now. That now, all in his power, you would have never dared to leave him at a moment like this. You would take whatever he would choose to give you, even though he was still inexperienced with controlling his own power.

The thoughts of the past fight gave Megatron no relief. It seemed that the more he focused on the past, the more he wanted to lash out with all of his pent-up anger at you. And you would take it, wouldn't you? You'd always come back and beg for more.

His servo squeezes your thigh, stroking and massaging, then, moves only lower to forcefully spread your legs. Your interface panel was open long ago, presenting him your soaking wet port. Getting off on this as much as he is, what a freaking pathetic duo you both are. That is why you have always been perfect for him, he thinks.

With a rough thrust, Megatron buries his spike inside you to a halt; the way you squeeze around him, writhing in pain and pleasure, is a godlike sight for him. Primus, he should have done that a long, long time ago. If only he wasn't so meek and weak-willed back then, but now he's thankful for it.

He lets out a low, guttural growl as he slams his hips against yours once again, receiving a soft whine. A small, still sensible part of him restrains himself to ruin your body more. That deep-rooted care and desire, genuine love, still makes him act all soft with you. It tells him to leave more kisses, to shower you in that love and care he grew for you for cycles from only observing.

Megatron grits his teeth at the thought. Acting soft and weak already cost him enough suffering in the past. Making the same mistakes again will only show off how little he changed since that day...

He tastes the energon on his glossa, leaving a cold, wet trail of saliva on your neck, only to be followed by a sudden bite, which makes you gasp in surprise.

It was a miracle that no one had entered the room by that time, with none of you trying to hide your gasps and moans from the potential listeners. Perhaps, they already found out; even Starscream, with how often he comes here to complain and grumble about everything, doesn't dare to bother Megatron at the moment of raw need, adrenaline rushing through the whole frame.

Your soft moans are music to Megatron's mind. Every single time you let out his name, breathlessly asking for more, only makes him pepper your neck in wet kisses, more of those bleeding marks forever marking your body. That is how it should be, how it always should have been. You underneath him, so beautiful and perfect, and the most important, this way everyone will know that you are his.

He had grown tired of competing for your attention since when he was a miner. Every day of hard work, daydreaming about you, of you finally noticing him instead of attending another race, with countless of other Iaconians showing their love for you. He would not make any more mistakes.

His, his and only.

“If you ever think of leaving me,” Megatron leans his helm closer to you, burying your face into the crook of your neck. “I will find and kill you with my own servos.”

What you said to him that day never left the mind of the leader of the decepticons. And it seemed that from that moment on, your relationship with each other took on a very different direction.y

Who knew that the threat of your own execution by no one else, but Megatron, would sound so hot to you?

[quill-firefly]

Did I Ever Really Know You? (SG TFOne Fanfic) - Chapter 6

Happy New Year! Like I said, I will upload the last chapter after the new year hehe

We've reached the end of the story! Hope you guys enjoyed this story, and if I ever get the time in the future, I'll write more of Shattered Glass TFOne AU because I just love it very much. Thank you for reading!

prev

There was only one threat to eliminate.

For all his Dee’s brilliance, he never considered that the distance of their meeting place to Iacon would not hinder Optimus from taking the mech back home where he belonged. 

Axe clasped tightly in his servos, Optimus reeled back, the weapon flying from his grasp. 

He didn’t aim it towards Dee.

The axe had nearly reached its target, that pathetic High Guard leader that had stolen Dee from him, before it was blasted out of the way.

He barely had time to register what happened before he felt a pain in his chassis.

A crack broke through the silence as he fell to his knees. His optics darkened before focusing on the broken headlight on his chassis. The extent of the damage was minimal, but it might as well have broken his spark. Optimus was not a fool to delude himself on what just happened.

Red met terrified blue.

Smoke still wafted in the air as Dee lowered the cannon, his faceplate contorted with a look of grief and horror. Behind him, Optimus could see that wretched High Guard leader still standing, unharmed by the axe that was now discarded to the side.

“Dee—”

“I didn’t want Sentinel to die, but I tried to understand why you did it.” The other mech gritted out, servos tightening around the trigger of the cannon. Despite himself, a part of Optimus thought that Dee would finish him off. Instead, Dee tossed the cannon to the side, blue optics focused entirely on him. “I understand your anger even if I don’t agree with what you did. You’ve always wanted to be more than what you were. Now… you’re a Prime, and Primus has shown your actions were… correct. But Commander Starscream is innocent—”

“He was complicit in cycles of suffering. Where was the High Guard when Iacon needed them the most? Weren’t they meant to protect Cybertronians? So where were they?” Optimus gruffed out, rising from his knees. Then he let out a laugh, his vocoder straining to keep his dwindling patience and sanity from snapping. “They hid on the surface, cowering from both the Quintessons and a False Prime. All under the leadership of this mech who deserted his post, his Primes, and his fellow Cybertronians. Is that what innocence is to you, Dee? They deserve the same fate as Sentinel.”

“I acknowledge that the High Guard has made their mistakes, and I am to blame.” Starscream disrupted the conversation. The white and red mech moved forward, stopping beside Dee as he placed a servo on the mech’s shoulder. Optimus wanted to rip him into scrap. “I should have done more to negotiate with Sentinel—”

“You should have killed him.” His servos twitched at his sides, wanting nothing more than to reach and strangle Starscream until his spark dimmed. Optimus was stopped though by a servo on his arm. He hadn’t even noticed that Bee had moved to stand by him.

“You can’t fix the mistakes of the past with violence.” Dee vented out, optics closed as though he was in pain. “You can’t begin the future by tainting Iacon with a murdered mech’s energon! You can’t start a better path with mass executions!”

Optimus rolled his optics. He didn’t have a lot of expectations from Dee, knowing how much of a softspark the mech was, but if he wanted to lecture him about what he - a Prime - should do, he was mistaken.

“I can, and I will. Dee, don’t you understand that as Prime, my word is law. If I want this mech dead, then with the power of Primus, I will have his head displayed on a pike for the Quintessons to see and his body strung for future Cybertronians to know what happens to traitors.” He pointed a digit at Starscream.

He lumbered forward, pausing when Dee scrambled away. He let out a soft vent, reaching out an open servo.

He had to remember who the real enemy was. 

With a kind smile, Optimus tried to reach out again. “I’m offering you an official pardon, Dee. Come back to Iacon. Come back to me. I… I love you.”

“Would you really do that? Display such brutality just to show your power?” The words were whispered, that Optimus’ audials had to adjust. 

He shrugged, “Only to traitors, Dee. = I don’t see why you care so much about the High Guard—”

“Do you understand what you just said?”

Optimus rolled his optics. “I haven’t lost my processor, but it seems you have if you keep asking—”

“You really are serious… aren’t you?”

He let out an incredulous laugh. What was going on?

“Yes, Dee. Now stop repeating yourself—”

“When we were still miners… You always got into so many fights that I had to take hits for you. Now you have the power to…” Dee jolted back, as though he had been shot by his own cannon. He felt his worry spike as Dee nearly fell to his knees, only stopped from hitting the ground as Starscream caught him in his arms.

Optimus was going to melt the High Guard leader himself.

“This has been too much for you. Why don’t we go back to Iacon before you have a breakdown—”

“I’ve always tried to stand by you in your choices.” Dee stood back up. “I have always tried to save you from your choices.”

This time, when those blue optics met his, Optimus could only see sad resignation. No sparkbreak. 

Only acceptance.

“I’m done saving you.”

The words struck so deep in his spark that Optimus didn’t do anything as the two mechs began to walk away.

“I… I never needed you to save me.”

Dee didn’t even look back.

“But you need me.”

If Dee didn’t want to save him, then that’s alright.

He never needed to be saved.

But Optimus Prime will save his D-16.

Even if he had to drench the entire surface with fallen mechs’ energon.

He will save him.

[kylorenfanfic]

Long Away - chapter 10

Kylo Ren x Female Reader

masterlist       

TAGLIST IS OPEN - if you want to know when the next chapters come out, just ask me to be add in the taglist :) A/N: Hi! With quarantine all that stuff, I am having more time to write, also, I got over a little bit on my writer’s block. Wait for the next chapters, hehe, things are heating up soon enough *wink wink*. Please if you enjoy reading leave a comment, a like or a reblog, you have no idea how much that means to me and keeps me writing!!! Lots of love and stay safe everyone. #StayHome.

> Sorry for any typos or grammar mistakes :]

> words: 2.5k

You got a ship to nearer the old Jedi Temple, you parked it a bit far from it, but still near enough so you could get there walking. That region wasn’t as crowded as the one you previously were. You could feel the Force in that area, so strong there, you wondered how much stronger it was inside the Temple.

The ancient temple in Dantooine didn’t call you like this one did. That temple was so old and forgotten that maybe even the Force forgot about that place, even though you knew it was still holy. But this temple was different, maybe because it was there where the jedis died. Just like happened to your temple from the New Jedi Order. You also knew it was rebuild, it wasn’t the original one, although the presence was still there.

The five big towers on top of the construction were in front of you. In your mind, you pictured the sentinels in those towers, protecting the Order. In another moment, you could see the empire troopers protecting the place. Now, it was completely forgotten. Not even Snoke or Kylo Ren cared to check the place, it was useless, no Jedis were alive, no one knew how to open the holocroms, no one would understand or use the informations. The Dark Side sympathizers got all of their interest in there during the early Empire years.

You thought you had to fight or sneak out your way into the temple, but you didn’t have to, that was a forgotten place and you could tell that by entering the front door.

A big large hall was ahead of you, statues of Jedi heroes, masters. The place smelled death. The ruin of something once so powerful and now not even the ghosts were there to talk. Oh the battles in there, what those rebuild walls must’ve seen. What might have been the wind wending into holed hallways never before penetrated sounded like the funeral keening of spirits waiting to be avenged. What might have been the resonance of the footfalls of stormtroopers sounded like the beat of distant war drums. What might have been smoke from the fires that should have gone out years ago seemed more like wraiths writhing in torment.

You were walking further in the place, going upstairs, looking for something that maybe would be interesting.

You entered a large room, multiple seats were disposed in circle in the room, you found yourself in the middle of it, watching the viewport. There must’ve been the place where the masters discussed important things about the order and there you were right in the middle of that, a nobody who was just lucky enough to survive another Jedi massacrer. You exited the room and the crying of children echoed into your ears, the sound of lightsabers, now mixed with laughs. It reminded you of your own temple, the children laughing and training, the crying and death at the end.

The ruin of a fallen order was there and nobody to see it, no one cared enough even to remember it. A tear was about to fall from your eye but you cleaned it before it could roll over your cheek, you wouldn’t be crying over it, but you couldn’t stop thinking about what could’ve happened if the New Jedi Order wasn’t destroyed. Would you have died already during a mission? Would you have become a jedi already? Would you be a master someday? Would you have a padawan? All those questions about a life you never got the chance to have making you want to cry while you gave up on looking for something interesting. It was just not worth it.

Broken statues, ripped carpets, broken droids and training balls covered the whole place, just giving it a more abandoned look. You found your way back, you would have memory enough to show Kylo Ren if needed.

You felt a shiver down your spine, a weird feeling. The Force was calling you. You reached the lower floor and it was empty, but there was where the Force wanted you to be. Your heart was heavy, your hands sweaty and your stomach felt like having butterflies in, you didn’t have your saber with you, and you wanted it so badly at that moment. You got the blaster that was hang on your waist and pointed to the nowhere - you felt danger.

Suddenly the blaster was rip out of your hand and flew across the room until his hand covered with a leather glove. Kylo Ren was in front of you, holding the blaster that he just got out of your hand by using the Force. You actually was surprised, you didn’t really imagine he would show up or that he would know where you were. That was very naive of you, of course he would know where you were, he maybe knew everything you did, he probably knew about Poe, about you being an old padawan, a spy and everything else, but instead of panic or fear, in that moment you felt relief. You felt relief it was him right in front of you, and not really an enemy you’d have to fight with - he was an enemy, but you couldn’t really explain the peace that invaded you when you saw his face staring at you, even though he had a serious dangerous look on his eyes.

“Hi” you said, calmly and he remained silent. In your head it crossed a thousand of possibilities of what he would say to you next.

“Do you know which place is this?” He asked with a firm voice tone.

“Would here by any chance be a bar?” you jokily answered and by his face, you could tell he wasn’t in a mood for jokes.

“I know this is the main Jedi Temple.”

“It was the main Jedi Temple” he restated “and what are you doing here?”

“I was curious” that wasn’t a lie. You knew Kylo had thousands of thoughts in his head and you wished you could see them all – everything that you wanted was him to say something.

“Why?” he asked looking around

“I wanted to learn something about them. By myself.” By his eyes, you knew that he learned that you were more audacious than he thought, that you weren’t that naïve.

“They are dead. There is nothing to learn.”

“There is always something to learn” you gave him a small smile.

“You accepted to be my apprentice, why are you trying to learn by yourself?”

“Well, would you tell me everything about the jedis? What if I wanted to become one?” you still had a small smile on his face.

“The jedis are dead.” That ached a little bit of your heart, because you knew that for sure.

“You keep saying that, but what if I had found something here that could teach me or change my mind? You can’t be the only one to teach me things.”

“You are more ambitious than I thought.”

“Well maybe you underestimated me.” You said with a bit of proud.

“Old things must be left in the past. New things must rise. The jedis, the siths, they all were defeated, we must learn with their mistakes and be better.” He looked at you for the first time in a while.

“Why do you hate the jedis so much?”

“You know why. I showed it to you.” You blushed at this – so that was why you had that dream, Kylo Ren himself wanted you to see his memories, he wanted you to understand him.

“I understand why you hate Luke Skywalker, but why destroy all those lives?”

“There would always be the concern of someone turning to the Dark Side, what if they did? One must do whatever they please, why choose a path?”

“You mean like yourself? Obeying Luke, then Snoke, and now you are on your own.”

“I am the Supreme Leader. I have my own path.”

“Yes, I guess your method works, but at what cost? Do you even have feelings?” he remained silent, you stared at him, hoping he would say something back. “At those memories I had empathy for Ben Solo – that was your name, I guess – he felt the same as I did, but in such different circumstances. What now? All those feelings are gone?”

“Why did you want to come here… to betray me coming to the Jedi Temple?”

“Woah, hold it there. First, I didn’t betray you or whatever” you firmly stated “what? Looking for knowledge is some short of crime now? I am not going against you or anything.” You sighed “you are so paranoid, honestly. You think someone is going to betray you, to overthrow you, so you want everyone to be terrified by you, but actually you are trying to hide your weakness: your feelings. Yeah, you do have feelings, Kylo Ren.”

“Second” you started again “I came here because this place called me, I don’t know, I just felt it.” At a moment you admired yourself at how a good liar you were. “Do you want to punish me? Fine. Choke me again, throw me back to the prison, kill me or whatever, but I have done nothing wrong. And by doing any of that, you are losing an ally, an important one, because as far as I can tell… you don’t exactly know many Force-sensitive people.”

“You said you wanted people to choose their own path, I am trying to choose mine, but apparently you are doing the same as they used to do. I can be loyal to you, you just gotta let me be me. And teach me somethings, afterwards I know nothing.” Kylo had a blank expression, his eyes craving into yours, you kept staring him. You started to notice his face, his smooth lines that gave him a tough look, his nose, the scar, his dark eyes. His lips. You remembered Poe kissing you, it was your first kiss – know you knew how it was like to be kissed and you couldn’t avoid wondering how would be to kiss another lips. His lips.

“Fine” he declared at the end. Your mind wandered far away, from what the conversation was before, and your eyes from his lips immediately focused on something else.

“What?” you asked blinking, trying to bring your mind back to the moment.

“I trust you.” He said. You didn’t know it, but he wasn’t telling the truth, he wasn’t trusting you for real, yet.

“You mean… we’re friends?” you said confused, with some short of silly smirk on your lips.

“No. I mean you’re my apprentice and I trust you.” You smiled at him, believing in his words. You took a step closer.

“Give me your hand” you said, standing your hand for him. He oddly looked at it, wondering what you were pretending. “Let’s leave here together, if you trust me. Hold my hand.” You explained. His large hand touched your, you felt the leather of the glove he was wearing, it was cold but you could also feel the warmth of his hand covered by it, you squeezed his hand and looked at him, his eyes were different now, they weren’t that scary anymore.

“I have another question though” you stared at his eyes while holding his hand, the question had just popped into your mind as you recalled his memories – and yours. He remained in silence waiting for your question. “How was it like? In Luke’s Temple, I mean. You showed me your memories and I could feel how you felt but how it was for you so you could feel like that?” ‘Because for me it was like home’ you finished the question in your mind.

His hand left yours and he took a step back, you weren’t sure if he was going to answer you.

“You know what? Nevermind, don’t answer it. Let’s go” you said again starting to walk towards the exit.

“I liked it at first” he started and you looked at him like a child would look at their parent telling a fascinating story about their own past. “But all they did was look at themselves and think that they were the only ones able to control the Force.”

“Maybe they thought you didn’t want to be with them” you said also remembering your days.

“And I didn’t. My parents just didn’t want to have the trouble to deal their Force-sensitive son and educate him, so they thought that throwing him in Skywalker’s hands would solve things. I didn’t want to be there.”

“You said you wanted at first.”

“It was all new and exciting. I liked the idea of having other people around that were like me, I was just a child afterwards. I was silly and naïve and I trusted Skywalker.”

“Didn’t you stop liking them because Snoke got in your head?”

“Snoke was right all along, he was just stating the truth.”

“I don’t remember my parents” you randomly said “I guess that maybe I am lucky. You can’t really miss something you never had, right? Or at least you don’t remember you had… What I mean is that you remember your parents and they weren’t the best for you at just sending you to Luke. But they weren’t that bad, were they?”

“Have you never wanted to meet your parents?” he didn’t answer your question.

“A few times yes. I had a friend who took care of me when I was lonely the most, she showed me a good path and made me feel right about the place I was.”

“Well and where is she now?” he mocked the way you were talking about her.

“She…” you took a deep breath “is dead.” And in your head the scene of Hylia being killed by the man in front of you was on repeat. You felt a tear in your eye and you turned around to hide your face from Kylo, you cleaned the single tear and cleared your throat looking back at him. “She died protecting me.”

“Is that why you were living all alone in Dantooine? Feeling the pain over her death?”

“Yeah, that too.” you could tell he was waiting for an explanation for your life in Dantooine – for a moment you wished you could tell him the truth. “I was hiding, I was afraid of who killed her to come after me. But I guess I was stupid all this time, they never remembered who I was. And why would they? I am a nobody.”

“You were a nobody.”

“What am I now?”

“You’re my apprentice now. And you are getting a position inside the First Order.”

“Oh, that’s new, can I get a paycheck too?” you jokily smiled.

“Is protection enough?”

“I guess.”

“You don’t have to hide anymore, (Y/N).”

“Neither do you.” You stared at his eyes.

“I don’t hide.” He firmly answered you

“Don’t you?” because you knew he was hiding his feelings. **

CHAPTER 11

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[knives-out20]

Magnetic Push - Erik Lehnsherr x Male!OC - Part 6

Fandom: X-Men: Days Of Future Past (2014)

Pairing: Karmel Rosenstein (OC) x Erik Lehnsherr

Warnings: Swearing, Gay, Spoilers for X-Men: Days Of Future Past,

Notes: hehe erik tiddie, The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) reference,

“Yesterday, the Paris Peace Summit was rocked by the appearance of unidentified assailants, the likes of which the world has never seen" a news reporter on the TV spoke. "Mass hysteria has gripped the nation as people ask: 'where did they come from?' 'Will they be back?' And most importantly, 'are they friend or foe?'"

The President- along with Trask and other government officials- all stood watch of the four TV's in the Office, watching Erik, Karmel, Raven, and Hank on the other three TV's.

"That was London correspondent Toby Elliot reporting from the Paris Peace Summit yesterday" another news reporter reminded.

"Fuck me" Nixon cursed, going to sit behind his desk. "What the hell are we dealing with here? Off the record."

"Two days ago, these men, Erik Lehnsherr and Karmel Rosenstein, escaped from a maximum-security prison inside the Pentagon" one official spoke, placing a file on Nixon's desk. "We believe that this woman is a former associate of theirs. They were all together in Cuba, the day of the crisis in sixty-two. The two men were also implicated in Kennedy's assassination" he explained, placing Erik's and Karmel's mugshots on the desk as well, setting another file on top of them.

"What about that thing?" Nixon asked, referring to Hank.

"We don't know what that thing is, sir. Actually, we really don't know what any of them are" another official replied, from where he sat.

"Yes. Yes, we do" Trask corrected, walking into the light. "They're mutants" he clarified, walking over to the TV. "Erik has the power to control metal. Last I checked, that's what most of your weapons are made of. Karmel has the power to summon vines from either out of himself or his surroundings and control them. And she can transform into anyone" he explained, pointing at Raven. "A general, a secret serviceman. Even you, Mr. President. She could walk into this office and order a nuclear strike, if she was in the mood. And that's only three of them."

"Well, do we have any countermeasures? Any defense?" Nixon inquired.

"I was waiting for you to ask me that question." Trask admitted, placing a folder in front of Nixon.

"That's...an experimental program, sir. Strictly off the books" the first official said.

Nixon grabbed what Trask gave him, opening it up. "You're telling me these mutants are out in the world, and our best defense are these giant, metal robots?"

"Many of the mutants look like us" Trask reminded, referring to Erik and Karmel. "My Sentinels can tell the difference. I have eight prototypes ready to go. They're built out of a space-age polymer, not an ounce of metal on them. Plus, they're way too heavy for someone with Karmel's frame to simply pull down."

Nixon looked up at Trask, then around the silent room. All eyes were on him. "I want to make a demonstration. I want the world to know that we can protect them. What do you need to get these things operational?"

"I already gave that number to Congress. Unfortunately, they elected to shut me down. It's going to cost a bit more to turn them on."

"Whatever you need" Nixon agreed.

"Oh, and, one more thing. If we do manage to capture them, I would like her" Trask suggested, pointing over at Raven on the first TV screen. "For research purposes, of course."

"I don't care who you screw, as long as it's not me. I just don’t want another rich family heir like Rosenstein to attempt another assassination."

***

Karmel and Erik were able to gain access into a hotel room that night. He found out what Erik had stolen from Trask was a film roll for those robots Trask wanted to create. Karmel was also extremely grateful for finding scissors in their hotel room, because now his hair was back to its normal length.

A French news reporter droned on a small TV in the corner of the room, as Erik used his powers to stitch up the wounds Hank caused on both the back of his head and Karmel's head.

Karmel winced in pain, holding Erik's hand tightly as Erik controlled the film roll, spinning it up and down as it projected onto the wall.

Erik turned to look at the TV, watching a recording of some government official scraping up Raven's DNA from the scene outside the other hotel earlier that day.

Karmel kept his eyes on the blue, floating film. "Those are some ugly-ass robots" he scoffed.

"Forgive Trask for not designing them to be good-looking more than their sole purpose" Erik returned, sarcastically.

"Ow-" Karmel hissed, his hand trailing down his bare chest. "I gotta say, it's nice being free, again, but- ow- I kinda miss how safe the cell was" he huffed. "I miss not knowing how much Charlie hates my goddamn guts."

Erik looked at him, slowly licking his lips. "He doesn't...He doesn't hate you, Karmel" he told. "Charles hates me, and what he thinks I've done to you, and Raven. He thinks I've poisoned your mind."

"He's just mad my views have always aligned more with yours than his and that he couldn't change that" Karmel replied. He looked down at Erik's bracelet on his wrist, it was the only piece of clothing he currently adorned from the waist-up. He didn’t exactly consider his bandages to be clothing. "He said I abandoned him, as if- as if he wasn't the one who fucking told me to go with you, remember? He said it was what I wanted, and he was right. Why's he trying to twist me into being the fucking bad guy?"

Erik shrugged. "A psychic's mind can obviously be a strange place. We can't let them get into ours, y'know? Which is why tomorrow, we're going back to the Pentagon."

"Back-? Why? I was lying about the cell thing, y'know-"

"No worries, love. We're just going to retrieve a couple things we left behind."

Karmel softly furrowed his eyebrows. Once he was all stitched up, he slipped his shirt back on and started to button it up. Karmel nodded silently, turning back to the robot reels. "I admire you, y'know?" Karmel told. "No psychic in the world needs to read my mind to find that out how much I love you."

Erik smiled softly. "I admire you too, Karmel. 'Til the end of time, right?"

Karmel nodded, happy that Erik remembered the little saying that they had made up for one another. "Even then, you'll still be mine."

Erik nodded, throwing a shirt on. ”I adore you, Karmel, y’know that?”

“Oh yea?” Karmel raised his eyebrows. ”Tell me some good things about me then; tell me some good things about Karmel Rosenstein” he challenged, crossing his arms.

“Good things about Karmel Rosenstein?” Erik scoffed. ”Could take me some time.”

Karmel rolled his eyes.

Erik thought back to what he told Charles on the plane, as Karmel slept. ”Karmel is talented. Karmel is tender...Karmel is beautiful” he listed.

Karmel giggled, “you’re such a liar.”

Erik had a knowing look on his face- this is exactly what he told Charles that Karmel would do. ”Karmel is...Karmel is a mystery. Karmel is not a nobody,” he shook his head along with his statement. ”Karmel has secrets he doesn’t want to tell me...and I wish he would.”

Karmel crossed his arms, the corner of his lip twitching up for a moment.

“Karmel has nightmares,” Erik softly held Karmel’s crossed arms, careful not to evade his personal space. ”That’s not a good thing. Karmel has someone to love him,” he pointed at himself, a smile on his face that made Karmel’s chest warm and fuzzy. ”That is a good thing.”

[twdmusicboxmystery]

TWB 1x04: The Wrong End of a Telescope - Analysis

So, I really loved this episode of TWB as well. Lots of good stuff in it.

Early on, the call the CRM the “hidden city.” I was really glad they said that because it further proves our Avalon theory. (Read HERE.)

There was more talk of luck and being lucky in this episode as well. The group gets to a high school and decides to go in, both to get out of the rain and to scavenge for supplies. 

They end up dividing into three groups: Huck and Hope, Felix and Elton, Iris and Silas.

With Felix and Elton, they happen upon some iodine, and Elton calls it the “Holy Grail of water purification.” So, water theme. They also come upon a walker who’s stuck in a locker. (That rhymes, hehe.) But it’s actually locked into the locker with a padlock. It makes Elton claustrophobic and we some flashes of his past, though they’re not entirely clear yet.

I think this is an important theme, though. The walker is imprisoned and can’t get out. Felix couldn’t get it out if he’d wanted to because it was locked in, and he didn’t have a key. So key and lock theories, imprisonment, etc. At one point, we even saw Felix picking a lock, so it was there a lot.

It also becomes clear that there’s an animal, a predator, in the high school. We see it drag a walker away and hear it growling. As it turns out, it’s a wolf, living in the vacant school. Sirius Still feels, no? The first thing I thought of was the Up the Wolves song from Still and the idea of Beth being the mother wolf.

And get this: Huck and Hope are the ones who see it. They are looking at it (from behind a door) and decide it’s acting weird. It’s not pacing around or really trying to attack them or running away. It’s standing in the doorway like a sentinel. Huck apparently knows a thing or two about wolves and says it’s probably protecting it’s young.

So, we have a mother wolf protecting its children in a school with yellow walls and lots of water jugs. Hmmm.

The other thing is that Hope took a lesson from Huck and the wolf and applied it to her father. (We also get flashbacks of Hope arguing with her father in this episode, before he left with the CRM. He tells her some things that at first seem pretty innocuous, but also make me think she might be special in some way. We’ll have to wait to find out how/why.)

Anyway, Huck says sometimes you think you’re reading a situation right, but really there’s a lot going on you don’t know about. She said this in reference to the wolf. It wasn’t really out to get them; just protecting it’s young. And Hope took that and applied it to herself saying perhaps she’d totally misunderstood her dad all those years and there was a lot more going on than she knew.

So, for me, the line about being a lot more going on that you’re not seeing could apply to Beth and TD, no? But also, the fact that Hope applied it to her dad gives me hope that maybe Beth’s story will, as we’ve theorized, be tangled up with the father and his research in some way. I can’t help but compare him to Dr. Edwards, who was also a research doctor.

Also, side note: Hope is SUPER smart. Like her dad. She knows about chemistry and how to build chemicals and compounds and such. Pretty cool.

Now let’s talk about Iris and Silas. It has crossed my mind in earlier episodes that they might become love interests at some point, but it wasn’t clear, so I truly wasn’t sure if that’s where it was going.

As of this episode, it’s VERY clear there will be romance between them. Why? Because of all the Beth/Daryl parallels.

The two of them get locked in a gym together for a short time before getting out again. The dialogue and vibe was very Bethyl. First, Iris, who love art but hasn’t been pursuing it in past years, picks up paintbrushes. Then she gets embarrassed and says they aren’t essential. But he says they’re essential to her and puts them in her bag. So he’s supporting her in her art. Reminded me a lot of Daryl telling Beth to sing.

The dialogue wasn’t word for word in this case, but had a lot of the same meaning. For example, Silas says Iris is different now, being a leader. She says, “I’m trying.” And he replies, “you are.” So, we have parallels to both the line where Beth said she wished she could just change, and Daryl said she did. And also to when Beth said Daryl got away from his past. When he denies it, she says, “you did.”

Silas also opened up to Iris about the negativity in his head and how he can’t escape it on the inside. But “out here” he doesn’t hear the negative voices. It reminded me of Aaron and Daryl talking about how Daryl sometimes needed to be “out here” in 5b, with Buttons.

There was also a “you okay?” exchange, kind of like Bethyl in Beth’s cell in 4x01.

There were signs all over the school for a Sadie Hawkins dance. They made a funny joke in which neither of the kids had heard of it and assumed it was the name of a girl who went to the school. My high school did the Sadie Hawkins dance, but all I really know about it is that it was girl’s choice and less formal than prom. But I wondered if there was more to the symbolism here, because the signs for it were EVERYWHERE and it was really emphasized. So I looked it up. Look what I found:

I think the emphasis of the girl’s choice is important, especially as we’re dealing with romance here and in both cases—Beth and Iris—the girl really reached out to the guy, rather than vise versa, and helped him come out of his shell and open up to her.

Also, notice the dog reference (Dogpatch) in where the Sadie Hawkins dance originated from. I’m kinda thinking that’s why the writers chose it rather than just doing a prom theme. It has canine roots! ;D Also reminds me of the “dog trot” in Still.

They also shared “green soda.” Obviously the green thing, but Silas just randomly found it and Iris really liked it. I feel like this was the teenaged version of Beth and Daryl’s moonshine.

There was a really adorable moment when Iris and Silas danced together to music. Obviously the music gave me Bethyl vibes. There wasn’t really any dance themes around Beth and Daryl in particular, but I couldn’t help but think of his line about singing out in public. Most of his other “I Nevers” have since come true in some way, and I’ve long suspected that, at some point, he and Beth will sing together in some capacity.

I have no idea what that will look like, but Iris and Silas dancing felt like some version of that. He kept objecting that he didn’t know how to dance, but she talked him into it and they figured it out together and were laughing and smiling and having fun. Yeah, I ship it. ;D

The next thing I noticed has to do with the Pink Theory. This episode did this thing where they kept showing flashbacks. Not of the man characters per se but of the school before the apocalypse hit. So, it would show kids walking through the halls, dancing at school dances, having fun, etc. And it kind of zeroed in on one girl who was very happy and somewhat popular. Lots of people talking to her, taking her picture, etc. She was very happy. And she had pink hair. The significance of that didn’t hit me until about halfway through.

We even saw a guy at her high school smile at her, as though there might be some romance blooming there.

Iris sees a picture of this same girl in a yearbook. The caption says, “most likely to march to the beat of her own drum.” That made me think of Beth because 1) pink hair 2) drum = music reference and 3) Beth definitely marched to the beat of her own drum, taking a different path than the rest of the group and kind of existing outside the main story line.

At the very end, we see a walker with pink hair. It’s obviously supposed to be her. So, it’s sad, because she died in the school. Symbol-wise, I do think she represents Beth. She was a teenager (18), enjoying her life and romance was perhaps even blooming for her, when everything was cut short. She was sort of like the sacrificial lamb.

And then we have that wolf image. I feel like they’re hinting at the death of the lamb and birth of the wolf, here. And this works for these characters too as they grow and mature and leave their innocence behind. So, pretty potent—not to mention biblical—symbolism here. The lamb and the wolf are mentioned together often, especially in the book of Isaiah. 

Hope and Huck find foodie supplies and there’s all kinds of symbolic goodness here. Pretty sure there’s some peanut butter on the shelf, Huck grabs sardines, which are a type of fish. 

There’s a walker with a missing leg that got caught in a grate (missing foot symbolism). At one point, Silas finds a flare, which is sitting right next to a water jug. (Lots of those in the school, too.)

So, interestingly, we had the pink theme in both FTWD and TWB this week. (FTWD = Rich Bitch walker and TWB = pink haired Beth proxy.) We also saw flares lit in both. One by Al on the roof of the office building and one by Silas in the school.

Silas has an anger moment, lashes out, and accidentally hurts Elton. He gets depressed about it and wants to be left behind, but once again, Iris reaches out to him and helps him work through it. And they all leave together at the end.

Then there’s the coda. Yes, this episode had a coda. There weren’t any SUPER obvious Beth ties, but we saw “test subjects” being experimented upon. 

So this obviously has something to do with the girls’ dad and where they’re going. But any after-the-credits-coda I can’t help but link to Beth. And then there’s the bite/cure theory. So I’m definitely side-eyeing this. The woman we see doing the tests calls them “Test Subjects” just as Jenner did in Season 1 of TWD. Very interesting.

[littleteatimestories]

[MTMTE] Prowl x Fem! Reader x Fortress Maximus:  Just Your Friend (There Could Have Been More)

A/N: Phew! Here’s another reader-insert for all ye MTMTE fans! I had this story in mind already ever since I read the last issue of MTMTE. The story is basically the same; just added some tweaks of here and there so that we could insert ourselves in the story, hehe. Enjoy this one! I still have a few stories in the works and, this time, all of them are in the TFA continuity.

GREAT NEWS! I created an AO3 account: moreteatimestories. This is for easier navigation and reading in case Tumblr decided to go haywire on you.

-

“You care for him so much. That only means you may be his... sparkmate,” Sentinel Prime said, peering at you holding a now dead Prowl in your arms.

Cerebros remarked worriedly, “Sentinel, he’s your friend, for Primus’s sake! Aren’t you even bothered that he’s dead?”

Sentinel only laughed devilishly. “I don’t care even the slightest if he’s dead. He’s a fool, anyway.”

“How dare you!” you shouted angrily. “How can you be so cruel! I don’t even know how you’re still alive!”

“Yeah, Sentinel,” Cerebros concurred. “You were supposed to be dead. What happened?”

“Oh? Now you want to know? I’m more than happy to tell you.”

Meanwhile, Fortress Maximus and Red Alert were having a scuffle with one another, Fort Max being too distracted. He can’t help, but look at you holding Prowl in your arms. He admitted to himself that he felt... jealous.

When he decided to come back to Cybertron on his own (and be stationed in Luna-1), you became his new psychiatrist. While he commended Rung for being a great one, he felt more at ease with you. You were always smiling and you wouldn’t push him to answer if he seemed uncomfortable with some questions. It was like you treated him as a trusted friend. You were patient, too. These qualities what made him fall for you.

However, the pining was the only thing he can give. You and Prowl are sparkmates (not yet a Conjunx) and Fort Max knew he can and will never have your spark (heart, in your case).

He was still lovingly gazing at you. Prowl was one lucky mech...

THOK!

He fell on the ground, his optical vision fizzing temporarily.

“Why aren’t you fighting back?!” Red Alert taunted.

Fort Max grunted. “Maybe because I didn’t want to hurt you, obviously. You’re a friend, Red!” He partially lied.

Red Alert flew another punch, but Fort Max was able to take hold of his fist. However, he didn’t counter an attack and instead pushed him forcefully.

Going back to your case, Sentinel finally explained his ‘reincarnation’ and his grand scheme of taking Cybertron to a new form of glory.

“Actually, I don’t mind taking a queen with me as I mold a new Cybertron!” He held your arm tightly.

“What?! No...! Stop! I am not yours to take!” you screamed as he tried to pull you away from your lover.

“Sentinel, be reasonable!” Cerebros coaxed. “Whatever happened, this is not you.”

Sentinel ignored him as he pried you away from Prowl. You thrashed, pulling yourself from him. “Let me go!”

He shifted his hold to both of your wrists as he closed the proximity between you and looked at your eyes.

“This would be easier if you’re not struggling so much, sweetspark.”

“I hate you,” you muttered loudly.

Suddenly, Sentinel groaned painfully loud as he released your wrists. You moved backwards to witness the ex-Prime falling on his one knee joint and a medium-sized hole on his shoulder plate.

“First of all, she is NOT your sweetspark. And secondly, if you want a bot to actually die, make sure they’re DEAD. For REAL.”

You could shed some tears of contentment as you heard and saw Prowl. “Prowl!” You ran to him and enveloped him in your embrace. He returned it, but more protectively.

“Prowl! Thank Primus it worked!” Cerebros cheered.

“Ah, so you lived? No matter. I’ll just finish all of you!” Sentinel growled fiercely.

Prowl shot him again and this disabled Sentinel for the time being. He then announced, “We’re going NOW. Fort Max! Let’s go!”

Said Autobot pushed Red Alert forcefully. “But, if we go, Sentinel will-“

“Just trust me and let’s go. He won’t do anything for a while.” He peered at you with his now one optic. “Ride with me, sweetspark.” He got hold of your hand and used the still functioning M.A.R.B.S. to flee for the meantime.

***

“Are you alright, Prowl? You looked like in pain,” you worriedly said.

“It’s just my helm. I don’t know why I’m having a processor-ache,” he answered.

“Oh! Lemme explain that!” Cerebros briefly explained how he ‘revived’ Prowl and this made the latter feel resentment.

“Do you want to know how much I HATED being controlled?! Being manipulated?! I have mental and physical scars when it comes to that. Give me one good reason that I won’t kill you right now!”

You interrupted him by gripping his arm plate. “Prowl, enough! Cerebros was just trying to save you. He didn’t mean to do it. Just calm yourself down. You know I’m always here for you if you feel those scars again.”

He shook and composed himself. He removed your hold and went to one side for now. He spoke, “Give me a few nanokliks to process everything.”

You huffed quietly and shifted your attention to Fortress Maximus. You weren’t able to notice him since your mind was occupied by your lover being dead (and thank Primus he wasn’t). You approached him in another room, seemingly tinkering on some device with Beak on it.

“Hey, Max,” you called.

His spark jumped upon hearing your voice. He turned to you at once.

“(Y/-Y/n)...!” he stammered.

“Just wanted to check up on you. I know Red Alert is a friend and it must have hurt you seeing him fighting all of us.”

Well, yes, it did, but what was more hurting for him was the fact that he could be protecting you from Sentinel instead. Plus, the fact that he can’t have you. Just witnessing you worrying Prowl like that made his spark ache. He wished that you would fret over him like that of Prowl. But, of course, that was just wishful thinking.

“Max, are you sure you’re okay?” you tried to coax him to answer.

He gazed at you for a moment. You were so beautiful in the optics (well, in his optics, that is) and all he could do was just the pining.

He replied nonetheless, “I’m fine. I’m sure there’s a way for Red Alert to snap out of it.”

You gave a small smile and that warmed Fort Max’s cheek plates. He always loved that upward curve of your lips.

“I’m your friend, Max. If you need me, I’ll be there no matter what.”

Right... Friend... You two were just FRIENDS and that was as far as your relationship can go. Fort Max, once again, wished there was something more.

All he ever said back was, “If you also need anything, I’ll be there. ALWAYS.” He emphasized the last word. No matter what he was doing, be it fighting Decepticons or any other life forms, he’ll be there. Because it’s you whom he will protect and take care of. Because if he was to admit, he LOVES you too much. Be damned if you and Prowl were together. He will never stop loving you because you made him feel safe. You made him feel HOME.

Prowl’s vocal chords echoed in the room. He was panicking as he entered. “Red Alert shot me! He shot me! That damn double-crossing, hypocritical bastard shot me!”

You hushed him. “Prowl, again, calm down.”

He held his helm and grumbled. “Sorry, sweetspark. It’s just that... All these catching up is making my processor hurt.”

“How’s about I make it simple?” Cerebros presented. “All you need to know is that Sentinel is planning to open a portal to Cybertron. And the plan is to commandeer this Titan we are in so that we could stop the other Titans passing through the portal.”

“Except there’s only one problem,” Fort Max declared. “This device won’t budge. It’s a release mechanism. I can’t flip it over. It’s stuck.”

Prowl growled. “Step aside.”

Fort Max raised an optic ridge. “No offense, Prowl, but if I can’t move it, I don’t think-“

“You just haven’t had the practice.” The police officer flipped the switch with ease.

***

“You stay here, sweetspark. I’ll be more at ease if you’re here,” Prowl stated.

You frowned. You always hated being left behind and being able to do nothing. “But, Prowl...”

“(Y/n), no. I’m not letting that bastard Sentinel have his servos on you.”

“Alright...” you finally gave way as you bowed your head.

“Hey.” Prowl lifted your chin. Before you can even look at him, his lips gently crashed onto yours. It was a surprise to you so you couldn’t react as he removed his lips and gazed at you adoringly. “I love you.”

You were able to register his words as you whispered back, “I love you, too.”

Fortress Maximus, sadly, saw the whole action. His spark, once again, hurt. He always wondered how your luscious lips would feel on his own. That would be so comforting. He snapped on his thinking when Prowl called at him.

“Fort Max, I’ll be leaving (Y/n) here. Make sure she’s not hurt while you’re trying to control this Titan.”

Now that was like underestimating him. If that glitch-head knew how much he loves you more than his life, he’ll definitely finish the job without having a scratch on you.

You assured the both of them, “I know how to watch myself, thank you very much. You don’t need to worry over me. I’ll make sure to hold onto something when things get rough.”

“I’m going now.” Prowl kissed your forehead for the last time.

‘Lucky bastard,’ Fort Max mused.

***

“You’ll be fine, Red. Judging from your answers so far, you still seemed unease, but eventually, you’ll be able to overcome it,” you shared to Red Alert.

Said mech ex-vented. “That’s good to know, (Y/n).”

It had been three solar cycles now ever since Sentinel finally met his demise. Prowl and the others were able to save Cybertron from the Titans.

Speaking of the police officer, he and Fortress Maximus took Sovereign back to Earth. It hadn’t been that long, but you already wanted to see him. Your mech has been through a lot, even losing his one good optic.

“And, we’re back!” Prowl announced.

Your smile widened upon hearing his voice as you quickly approached him.

“Welcome back!” you happily exclaimed as you hugged him.

Fort Max diverted his optics away from the two of you as he walked away to a room. Red Alert followed him.

“So... Did you tell her?” he asked.

“Tell her what, Red?” Fort Max replied with a question as if he knew nothing what his friend was referring to.

“You know what I mean, Max.”

The large Autobot ex-vented. “There’s no point, Red. She’s already taken. From the way I see it, she and Prowl deeply love each other.”

Red Alert raised an optic ridge. “So, what now? You’re just going to do the pining while they canoodle here and there?”

“Do I really have a choice?” Fort Max turned to face him. “I’m not some bot who’ll break their relationship just because he and I love the same femme.” He lowered his helm. “She was already with Prowl the moment I came back in Cybertron. I’m contented to be just there for her whenever she needs me.”

“Well, I guess that’s good enough. But, word of advice, don’t get too attached. Don’t want you get hurting again.”

“I’m already hurt, Red. Emotionally. Seeing the love of your life being whisked away by another mech…”

Red Alert patted his friend’s large shoulder plate. “‘Least she gets a guardian to protect her no matter what.”

Fort Max just gave a small beam.

[mistralrunner]

Trespasser Liveblog, Part 1: Ruins and Reunions

I decided to post my reactions to playing Trespasser with my Inquisitor, Menel Lavellan, cause why not. I watched @inner-muse​ play Trespasser with her Trevelyan when the DLC first came out, so I’m spoiled for a good portion of it, but considering I forgot things, didn’t read many of the codices, didn’t have the context at the time to notice some details, and my Inquisitor is rather different from hers, I’m hoping to be surprised by some things.

The game starts out swimmingly as Menel Lavellan’s face isn’t fully loaded and looks derpy for the opening scene. I reloaded.

Negotiations at Halamshiral are always a kind of punch in the face for a Lavellan

I’m so powerful and yet I still can’t get a Dalish homeland.

The march parade thing is two competent diplomats and Cullen, but his whining is very useful for exposition and probably getting the general Inquisition member pov.

Ahh the theme. Ahh the anchor. It’s really happening.

Mother Giselle: The Dales are finally recovering Menel: *knows he should be happy the shemlen aren’t suffering and somewhat is but considering their homes are on land stolen from his people* *is polite and gracious anyway*

I am so happy I get to reference that conversation about the Inquisition putting down their swords in game yesss. I have a fondness for that sort of thing.

Varric you are the best for negotiating a deal with Wycome’s council, especially with cities like Starkhaven around.

I’m honestly surprised they referenced Clan Lavellan’s fate since Inquisition did such a poor job of tying in character origins. Happy, but surprised.

All hail Viscount Varric he who does not wear the silly pointy crown

I wonder what happens if your Hawke took the Viscount position in DA2 though. Cause Tamara Hawke avoided that route like the plague.

I hesitated re: where to go next and then headed over to the tavern cause new songs. Who are these diplomats that I should probably be speaking to first?

I do not regret making Cole more human cause it made sense to Menel and also fit with Menel’s character arc but I do not ship this ship. It came out of nowhere and the implication that romance is a part of becoming human kind of rubs me the wrong way. It’d be nicer if they were just buddies roaming about making people happy. At least Menel’s reaction mirrored how weirded out I am.

Hehehe Menel you nerd distracting Bull are you even taking this seriously. The Veil as a vibration repelling the Fade part is interesting though given what’s to come.

I just realized Dalish and Menel have the same hairstyle. Huh.

Serraaaaa <3

Menel is no Jenny but he is there to be a friend always.

Sera’s journal is a mix of humor and feels as always. I do wonder how obvious Menel’s pain is to the general populace, and not just observant people like Sera. I headcanon Vivienne and her tailor fashioned formal attire for Menel that cloaked the glowing to some extent.

Josieeee my diplomat buddy

I’m so happy she takes a break and that she considers me enough of a friend to invite me.

Glad to see it’s still Leliana despite the silly new hat. Wanting to borrow Scout Harding to find more nugs, and not hiring anyone without first observing them in a room of baby nugs.

Why is there floating cheese?

It’s just hanging in the air near the palace entrance.

For context I should mention I headcanon that Menel was already in talks with Ferelden about disbanding the Inquisition and relocating members and Ferelden is covering it up by acting buffoonishly belligerent cause the Orlesians will absolutely believe that. Of course things are still tenuous cause the Inquisition has power and Ferelden is probably concerned they’ll be betrayed.

Arl Teagan: Redcliffe remembers its savior. Me: Which one?

Aww I can read Alistair’s letter in his voice wait what how dare you

"Someone, presumably His Majesty, has drawn a stick figure weighed down by an oversized crown at the bottom of the page."

I wonder if that letter is different with a warden romanced Alistair, since technically my canon is that @inner-muse’s Cousland and my Mahariel were wardens together and her Cousland becomes queen.

Oooh the landscape is so pretty.

And that makes Menel sad. Cause Halamshiral.

Fitting the journey ends here at the place named for journey’s end

DORIAN

PFFT CYRIL'S THE NEW DUKE OF CHATEAU HAINE PFFT

All references to Chateau Haine amuse me.

Ugh I really hate the reuniting Briala and Celene option. All the options stink but maybe I should have gone for the triumvirate instead. It was out of character to put a warmonger like Gaspard in power for Menel and I headcanoned that the romantically reuniting dialogue didn’t really happen and it was more like Menel and Briala cornered Celene politically but ugh. The commentary is disgusting even without what I know of The Masked Empire and is hard to listen to.

A fountain with Orlesian lions is such a great commemoration for a Dalish elf

Leliana's right next to a chessboard wow

That Leliana conversation was so good on so many levels. Bonus points for the hand focus

"You and I have come so far through the darkness together. It is time for us both to live in the light."

Thanks Leliana I didn't expect these feels

Now can you please please repeat this speech to Rhovan Mahariel

Pupppyy

I'm still angry we didn’t get a mabari. Menel respects the mabari's intelligence and finds it typical of Orlais to abandon one but doesn't understand my resentment

The line about how the mabari should know where they came from is so Dalish

I forgot the dog treats gave you a constitution bonus!!

My initial reaction to said bonus was tied between “Scary mabari magic” and “Honestly Menel will need it”

Dorian needs a hug

Aaaaah creepy purple smoke things even before the Eluvians that spooked me

Okay there are chessboards everywhere. Even more fitting considering who we’re seeing at the end of this DLC.

Spa day with Vivienne! Admittedly I headcanon Menel has full body vallaslin so seeing him in the swimsuit is weird. .

Hehe Sera in the background steals the show.

Glad to know Vivienne still ships Cassandra and Menel

Love how Leliana has her own guard, nice helmets too, oh they still have the same weird face belt thing as Sebastian

I had a weird feeling about that guy and he vanished right in front of me in creepy smoke like the last one

Saved talking to Cassandra for last. I know what Varric tells her in the case of other romances, but would he really lie about a proposal in this case?

Probably

Casssaaaandraaa she’s so adorable when startled and would probably kill me if I said so

Seriously Varric. Not surprised at all, but seriously.

The awkward silence was excellent.

I really like how this was handled. Cause this is not the right time, they’re busy with their respective duties, Menel is increasingly concerned about the state of his hand, and an Orlesian council isn’t really that romantic to either of them, and they both recognize it and accept that.

But her line about not even the Maker can keep her away coming from Cassandra

You know, Varric technically wasn’t wrong. Cause a quasi proposal did kind of happen in the sense of a conversation about are you okay with a proposal sometime in the future

Okay meeting time, which is clearly not going to be interrupted.

Really Teagan those comments about the wardens were unnecessary

The exile meant that there were very few wardens to combat the Blight, which by the way nearly destroyed your country about a decade ago as opposed Sophia Dryden messing things up hundreds of years ago.

I get we have a tenuous secret arrangement but slandering the wardens is not the way to cover it up.

I kind of just want the Hero of Ferelden to barge into the Council cause that would be hilarious.

Also Menel seriously in pain and struggling to cover it up during these tense talks and Josie's look of concern

Nice, this time they actually have guards blocking off the area rather than just no one noticing the obvious bloodstains in the Winter Palace

Eluvian!

*Rhovan Mahariel’s furious screeching in the distance*

*touches the glass and it makes a fun splooshing noise and pretty light effects* *touches again*

Rhovan “DON’T TOUCH THE GLASS TAMLEN” Mahariel is so done right now

The Crossroads is so much prettier as an elf all the colorsss

I don't have to fight the guardian spirits I am so happy. I could only parse some of the elvish but I feel like it’s cheating to look up an official translation if there is one?

We can't imagine why the Qunari think the Inquisition is in cahoots with Fen'Harel it can't possibly be because the Inquisitor talked to the spirit guardians activated by an agent of Fen'Harel and they attacked the Qunari but let the Inquisitor pass

Huh Vivienne is the first to suggest the Fen'Harel as the deceiver thing is propaganda, fitting considering she knows courts

Constant glowingggg Anchor yes

Sera: The Dalish. Are going. To shit themselves. Menel, a Dalish: ...

Cullen shut up Josie's job is important

I'm so sorry Josie. Our plan is falling apart and I'm not helping. You’re so talented but you should not be carrying this weight alone.

Where is the Tirashan where elves like Sentinels supposedly are

I forgot how much I love Cole’s cryptic lyrical statements. All the alliteration makes me happy.

“Your hand hurts. A heartbeat, not yours, hammering the beat of a song in its final verse. I’m sorry.”

“The spirits have fled, flying, fluttering, fast to the farthest Fade. They’re afraid of the Veil tearing again. ”

Also not concerning at all, nope.

Glad to see Sera still ships Menel and Cassandra, even if her humor is admittedly crude.

"Elf-loovians" pfft

Sera: Are you all right with it? The...Creators? Menel: I don't think I am, Sera. Sera: I...don't know words that fix things. But you have friends. We're real. Please remember that.

Excuse me as I cry

Aaaah Sera says the Jenny near Wycome says my clan is doing well aaaaah

Eluvian, part II!

I already know it’s the Deep Roads, so looks like I’m bringing Varric along!

I am really intrigued by this Dalish elf writing these notebooks, and also the fact that there was another misplaced Dalish in Kirkwall besides Merrill and Feynriel’s mother. Admittedly Merrill didn’t really engage much with the alienage community until much later.

I really do appreciate the Qunari ingenuity in finding people who know things and extracting information and then building upon it. The independence and unwillingness to cooperate with anything they don’t control not so much.

Yeah the Fen'Harel and Mythal in cahoots thing is unnerving to Menel. Also it’s been two years and the Well of Sorrows failed to mention anything about that until now? And elfy ruins underground feels so wrong.