#Inspired by discord

[beccel]

Fast and small chibi art! I hope you enjoy it <3

[cjsees-art]

local men who are 2 seconds away from breaking out of jail and murdering everyone involved

[immawraffle]

Looking at Loghain poisoning Eamon like:

[roosterbox]

Hey, want another of my so-called thinky thoughts? This one was inspired by something on the discord. This one also goes under a cut because my hand slipped and I accidentally wrote too much, lol. But anyway.

Alternate universe. Steve and Eddie have been dating for a while, and it's not a secret. All their friends and family know and are supportive. Nancy works as a server in a fancy restaurant. An uneventful job, until she sees Eddie there, seemingly on a very romantic date with... a mystery woman?

What? She's not their server, and hasn't seen the woman's face yet (which will be important later, of course), but WHAT???

She's confused at first, but that confusion quickly gives way to anger. Anger mostly on Steve's behalf. Because she may have broken up with Steve when they were young, but he's still her friend, damnit, and he doesn't deserve this. And the longer the anger stews, the more furious Nancy becomes.

Finally, after one sappy unbroken romantic gaze and delicate hand kiss too many, Nancy storms over. Risking her job to defend the honor of her friend.

"What the actual hell, Munson?!"

Eddie startles, but doesn't let go of his date's hand.

"Oh hey Wheeler! Didn't know you were working tonight." The asshole doesn't seem nervous or worried about being caught. He even smiles at her. The prick.

"Don't you 'hey Wheeler' me, you cheating jerk!"

That finally gets Eddie's attention. His face turns serious, though a bit confused. "What? I'd never cheat on Stevie! Why would you even think that?"

There's a faint chuckling from the other side of the table. Nancy ignores her for now, focusing on Eddie.

"I oughtta punch you in the balls for that, Munson. For lying right to my face. And for what you're doing to Steve."

Eddie's confusion seems to evaporate as he realizes something. "Ah, well. You see Wheeler, the thing is-"

The quiet laughter of Eddie's date becomes too hard to ignore. Nancy spins on her heel, ready to confront this giggling floozy.

"Listen here, you little slut-"

She immediately stops short.

Eddie's date. It's... Steve. But also... not Steve?

"Ah," Eddie says again, a bit sheepish. He's still holding Steve's (?) hand. "You haven't been to one of our group get-togethers in a while.” He clears his throat before continuing. “Nancy, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Stevie."

With her flowing chestnut locks, subtle makeup, and sparkling red dress, Stevie Harrington is absolutely stunning. And she looks more at ease and comfortable in her own skin than ‘Steve’ Harrington ever did. Nancy is entirely taken aback. Stevie's still smiling, but her smile falters a bit at Nancy's silence.

"Nance? You, uh, you okay?" She asks.

Eddie recognizes the fearful undertones of Stevie's question, and gently squeezes her hand. Letting her know that, whatever Nancy's eventual reaction is, he's here for her, always.

Nancy finally blinks, brain having restarted from one of the biggest surprises of her life. "Wuh?"

Oh yeah, real intelligent there, Nancy.

"Buh?"

Oh come on, this is just embarrassing.

She gathers her thoughts, wrestling with them as one might while trying to fold a fitted sheet, keenly aware of the look on Stevie's face. Her friend was growing more and more nervous, and seemed to be bracing herself for something. After a moment, Nancy realizes why this is, and pulls herself together.

"I really haven't been around enough, have I?" She lets her lips curve into a small smile. Stevie relaxes a bit, but still seems guarded.

Nancy's expression softens completely. "It's nice to meet you, Stevie. The real you."

Stevie's smile is so big it must hurt her cheeks, and she looks as if she might cry. "You too, Nancy."

Nancy's expression shifts, turning to shock and embarrassment. "Oh God, I called you a- Jesus, Stevie, I'm so- You're not-" She babbles, face turning red. "Oh god," she says again, hiding her face in her hands. The soft laughter of her friends is simultaneously nice and yet mortifying. Truly this is one of the most embarrassing days of her life.

Gentle hands encircle her wrists. They don't pull, or force her face out into the open. Instead, they just hold, rubbing against her skin. The soothing motion coaxes her into lowering them, and opening her eyes. Stevie's eyes are still watery, but kind. So kind. She's holding Nancy's hands in both of hers.

"It's okay, Nance. Really. You didn't know."

"Still-"

"'Still' nothing. You didn't know. You've been busy. It's not like I couldn't have called you myself, right? That street goes both ways. Besides," She smirks, "the fact that you were so willing and ready to go to bat for me speaks volumes."

"I was two seconds away from punching your boyfriend right in the dick," Nancy reminds her.

"Balls, actually," Eddie mutters, remembering all too well. He shifts his legs under the table. Stevie throws back her head in laughter, drawing a few looks from other patrons. The few that weren't watching the dramatic encounter already, at least. The three friends pay the onlookers no mind.

"I should get back to-"

"Oh!" She lets go. Nancy misses the warmth immediately. "Oh, I'm sorry. We'll let you get back to w-"

Nancy bends and hugs Stevie, who's still sitting at her table. The positioning is awkward, but even so the other woman doesn't hesitate to return the embrace. "We'll talk later, okay?"

Stevie sniffs, holding back her tears valiantly. "Okay."

"And I am NOT missing another family party ever again. Who knows what might happen next time? For all I know, Mike and Will will have hooked up by then."

Her friend giggles in her arms, and she misses the knowing look that passes between Stevie and her boyfriend. Eddie hides his smile with a lock of hair.

She pulls back. Stevie smiles at her, makeup holding strong despite the lone tear that manages to escape. Nancy reaches over and wipes it away. "You look beautiful tonight, Stevie."

She blushes. "Thank you."

"But I really do have to get back. I'll see you two soon. Have fun on your date!" With one final wave, and a smile, she heads back into the kitchen. Every so often, she glances back, seeing them exchange flirty looks, gentle touches, and once, a kiss across the table. It's lovely, and everything she knows Stevie deserves.

On one of these glances, Stevie actually looks her way. She smiles. Nancy smiles back. And wonders, for the dozenth time that evening, what other big developments she might have missed happening in her little group of friends.

[bluerose5]

Astarion gets the Twilight treatment. I take my crackfics very seriously here.

...

"A little help over here!" Erys called out, grunting as he shoved at the slab of stone covering the hunter's sarcophagus.

They were deep within the latest tomb on their journey to find a way to counteract Astarion's... aversion to sunlight, and all paths that they followed led there.

Astarion watched him with a smirk, his hands on his hips.

"Oh, I don't know if you need me," he said. "I mean, I do rather like the view from here."

In response, Erys's tail swayed from side to side, draconic wings giving a slight flutter at the praise.

Of course that didn't stop Erys from turning to narrow his eyes at him.

"Astarion, my love, if you want to know whether this is what we've been waiting for or not," Erys crooned, "then you'll help me."

"Ugh, alright, fine. Spoilsport," Astarion huffed, poking his bottom lip out into a pout. "Although, if I ruin my nails on this filthy hunk of rock, then you owe me."

Erys snorted.

"As if I expect anything less."

Astarion joined him, brushing his fingers over the Infernal carvings upon the sarcophagus, familiar enough with the language by now to understand a few of the words.

"What do you make of it?" Erys asked.

"Blah, blah, something about darkness and light, yada, yada," Astarion muttered.

"Well, I'm surprised you got that much right," Erys taunted, taking Astarion's hand and guiding it over the script as he read aloud. "Roughly translated, it says, 'Bring darkness into light at your leisure, but remember that light shall always expose the true nature of darkness.'"

"So..." Astarion hummed. "What does that entail exactly? Will I turn into some sort of hideous beast in the sunlight instead of turning to ash?"

"Hot," Erys said under his breath; and when Astarion glared at him, he asked, "What?"

"Just help me open the damn thing."

Together, they pushed against the slab.

They pushed and shoved until, finally, the stone fell off to the other side.

A crash roared throughout the tomb, and a cloud of dust sprang up into the air.

Astarion and Erys coughed, frantically waving their hands around until they could see the remains within.

A blood hunter, or what was left of them at least.

And on their finger was a ring, emanating some of the strongest magic they've felt in a while.

"Is that—" Astarion started.

"Maybe?" Erys answered.

"Well," Astarion said, "only one way to find out."

He reached forward, but Erys grabbed his hand before he could reach it.

"Wait," he said, "what if the effects are permanent?"

"What?" Astarion asked. "Wouldn't you still love me as some sort of horrific, malformed beast?"

"That's not what I'm worried about." Erys grimaced. "I'm worried about you making a choice that you might come to regret."

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?" Astarion took a deep, bracing breath. "I have to try. I have to know for certain."

After a moment of searching Astarion's expression, Erys nodded, then released his hand.

Astarion reached into the sarcophagus and wrenched the ring free from the skeleton's bones.

They waited for a lone beat, sharing a skeptical look when nothing happened.

"Really?" Erys raised a brow and searched around them. "No hoards of undead to fight? No angry spirits to ward off? That's it? We can go?"

"Kind of underwhelming compared to the other places we've been to get here, I must admit. Not that I'm one to look a gift horse in the mouth."

When it truly appeared as if their theft didn't trigger any world-ending event, Astarion looked at the engraving along the inside of ring, the words upon the sarcophagus embedded within the band.

Astarion prepared himself for the worst.

He squeezed his eyes shut, then slid the ring onto his finger.

Again, nothing happened.

He peeked an eye open and patted his hands against his face, at least relieved when that remained the same.

"Well?" Erys asked, impatient. "Feel any different?"

"Not really," Astarion answered, his lips tugging into a scowl. "Guess we've come to the moment of truth then. That cryptic warning did mention that light will bring out my true nature or what-have-you. It must mean the sunlight will trigger whatever transformation awaits me."

"Are you sure you're ready for that?"

"As ready as I'm going to be."

"Alright, then," Erys sighed, scratching at his beard. "Time to make camp and wait for sunrise, I suppose."

It all seemed way too easy.

They did, in fact, make camp within the tomb —campfire, bedrolls, and all— but the night was a restless one to say the least.

When Astarion wasn't tossing and turning, trying to slip into his trance, he was up pacing back and forth within the darkness.

Erys eventually dragged him back to bed, unable to sleep without him, heavy wings draped over him in an attempt to keep him there.

Only then, in his arms, was Astarion able to rest.

But he was up at the crack of dawn.

Erys took that as a sign to get the hell up himself, yawning as he made his way outside first.

Once the sun rose, he lifted his hand up to shield his face against the first rays of daylight, peering out between his fingers.

He looked back at the entrance to the tomb, where Astarion teetered on the edge between darkness and light.

Erys reached a hand out towards him.

Astarion nodded to him.

He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and stepped out into the sunlight for the first time in years since their initial journey ended.

Astarion still didn't feel any change, his brow furrowed, confused by this turn of events.

On one hand, at least the change didn't hurt.

On the other, Erys was absolutely silent.

"Erys," He hissed, panic rising in his voice. "How bad is it?"

The silence stretched on.

Then, out of nowhere, the bastard snickered.

"Are you—" Astarion sputtered, indignant. "Are you laughing at me, you bastard?"

"I'm sorry," Erys wheezed. "It's just that, all of that suspense and build-up, and for this?!"

He barked out another laugh, to which Astarion stomped his foot with a huff.

"Sometimes I could just wring that pretty neck of yours. What in the Hells are you talking ab—Oh."

Astarion opened his eyes, only to be met with the sight of his skin, the same as before except for one teensy-weensy detail.

It was sparkling.

"Huh," he muttered, turning his hands back and forth, but there was no denying reality. This was really happening, apparently. "Never read anything about this sort of thing in all of those dusty, old tomes we dug up."

Erys shrugged.

"Perhaps the ring affects different monsters in different ways. Our buddy in the tomb, ole Hunter-What's-Their-Face, was consumed by the curse of lycanthropy in their final days. Either that," Erys guessed, "or the 'true nature' being revealed relies completely on the individual."

He beamed at Astarion in amusement.

"I think I like the second option more. Would make sense that you, of all people, would become the sparkly, glittery vampire."

"Ha! Whatever do you mean by that, my love?" Astarion crooned with a playful bite in his direction.

The sunlight bounced off his skin in a rainbow of color, casting light all around them.

"Only that I absolutely love that radiant personality of yours."

"You don't say," Astarion drawled, then instantly perked up, twirling back and forth as he basked in the morning's warmth. "You know, as flashy as this may have turned out to be, I'd take this over the alternative any day."

Gathering up their supplies, he reached out and took Erys by the hand.

They followed the path that they took to the tomb, their heads held high.

Erys bumped him with his arm.

"Hey, if anyone asks, we'll just say that this is some quirk of your Fey ancestry. That's if anyone has the courage to ask about it with me at your side."

"Heh, it's as good an excuse as any."

"I can't wait until Gale and Shadowheart get to see this at our next tea time," Erys laughed.

"Is that where we're going next then?" Astarion questioned, embracing the freedom to go wherever their hearts led them, however they pleased. "To Waterdeep?"

"To Waterdeep!"

After all, they owed him that special guest lecture of theirs.

[buster-loves-pr]

Dana: This is you *takes out a vintage Troll doll*

Ryan: *horrified*. That thing look more terrifying than the demons that raised me. What’s with the eyes?! Where’s the clothes?!

[monochromatictoad]

🌹

When Mathias had okayed Dracul to nap with him, he had imagined a scenario of laying in bed with the vampire, reading his book as Dracul slept on top of him. In a way that allowed Mathias to watch Dracul's face as he slept. He was honored he even asked in the first place.

What he was not prepared for, was a rat to be sleeping in the fur of his cloak. Mathias knew the vampire could shapeshift, but... a rat? He sighed and continued his journey through the Castle.

[coyoteworks]

[cannosoup]

sakura haruka: world's worst texter <3

original meme

[agentravensong]

thinking about how the extra area added on to a pacifist run of undertale, the true lab, is about alphys's past mistakes. how it ends with the story reaffirming that, despite the pain she's caused, the thing that matters is that she has now made the choice to do the right thing. she's still worthy of her friends' love.

thinking about how undertale doesn't expect the player to get a pacifist ending for the first time. how it's more likely than not that the player will kill toriel the first time they battle her, how lots of players don't initially figure out how to end undyne's fight without killing her, etc. what it expects — not even expects, really, but hopes — is that the player, if they care enough, will use their canonically acknowledged power over time to make up for those mistakes.

no matter how many neutral runs a player has done before committing to the pacifist run, the thing that matters to the characters, to the story, is that you've chosen, now, to do the right thing.

compared to alphys, the player honestly gets off lightly, in that you're the only one (other than flowey) who really remembers any harm you might have caused. and any direct guilting the game could have done about it is long past at this point. instead, as undertale often does, it makes its point via parallels: alphys caused harm, and she knows it. she has committed to being better. in doing so, she has unlocked for herself a better ending to her story. and she deserves it. she's forgiven.

those structural narrative parallels are all over undertale, if you know where to look. and that's one of the things that makes it so fuckin' good.

[manyrepulsivethoughts]

sketch dump timeee

[lonelyoleander]

redrew the most important frame from the p3 movies

[immawraffle]

Sebastian Vael is a lapsed slut recovering Catholic

[themarkofoxin]

imagine. you’re in a london gay club. you run into these two people who are clearly together and seem a bit awkward and start chatting. you’ve never seen them before and they seem open to a threesome. you hit it off and finally ask if they’d be down. they look at each other and nod, then wordlessly produce a 20-page document labeled NON DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT. you ask why. they laugh and say just sign it. you do. these people must be important to warrant this. you have the threesome. the sex is mid. they don’t even notice when you leave

[doctorsiren]

What if when Miles threw the gun, the shot killed MVK instead of just hitting his shoulder and so Gregory adopted Franziska rather than MVK adopting Miles

[californiatowhee]

old fashioneds and tipsy daydreaming

bonus: the subsequent drunk texting

extra bonus, if you made it this far: what happens next, in fic form (spoiler: Phoenix and Miles kiss)

Behavioral Phenomenon | Phoenix/Edgeworth | 2.5k