#Papp/Roque

[gascon-en-exil]

Osvald/Partitio got me writing a an entire partial AU continuity, so obviously them. They just have so much to work from in canon between their Crossed Path, that one surprisingly spicy party banter, and how well they pair with Papp/Roque - another favorite - for multigenerational gay co-parenting.

(Also, Osvald/Partitio has massive kink potential which is always fun to see in fic and art. Osvald's design suggests around half a dozen options alone.)

I miss octopath yapping with people so uh yknow what! We’re gonna play a game!!

Explain in the notes what y’all’s favorite ships are and why you like them!!!

Only rules are

1) do not explain why everyone should think your ship is canon, as that is not the point of this post 2) do not put any other ships down bc that is also not the point of this post 3) ALL games are included (yes including cotc) 4) ANY SHIPS ARE ALLOWED!!! GO NUTS!!!!

[gascon-en-exil]

Very interested in 6, 21, and 26 for Roque Brilliante.

Someone's been reading my fics.

6. What’s something you have in common with this character?

I'm cynical, mostly amoral, gay, and am acutely aware of the concept of twink death. Granted those last two aren't explicit in canon...but really (see the last question).

21. If you’re a fic writer and have written for this character, what’s your favorite thing to do when you’re writing for this character? What’s something you don’t like?

Letting him internally snark about stuff other characters are too polite to remark on, like how dumb the Yellowils' names are or how Osvald comes off as cold and arrogant.

On the other hand Roque's more vulnerable moments are the most challenging to write, because it's a careful balancing act of making him sympathetic while still maintaining that he's a terrible person who doesn't really deserve sympathy but gets it anyway.

26. What’s something the character has done you can’t get over? Be it something funny, bad, good, serious, whatever?

That he hangs out in Papp's bedroom at night post-story and the game just doesn't address that. The devs stopped caring about subtlety after a certain point, I guess.

Imagine this in canon, where they didn't have a big mutual coming out at the end of Partitio's story...

Partitio: So how come you're always in Pops's room, Mister Roque?

Roque: Because I've been fucking your father on and off for almost two decades, Partitio. Try to keep up.

[autisticroquebrilliante]

Chat. I'm unsure if I got a Papproque song. I think?? It fits them! But I need people to weigh in

[partitioshugenaturals]

[nicandragon]

Papp, Roque, and their son!!!

Happily married (before the divorce)

[sombrerokiwi]

Funky Octopath au I made while back where Partitio and Hikari are childhood friends. Partitio just went to Ku for a nice baby’s first business trip thing and he met Hikari on that and they just both became pen pals and now it’s a slow burn childhood friends thing.

Bonus points with Roque and Papp having a sub plot of their relationship being “Oh my god we fucking sent our son to Ku. Why are we both idiots” and those two just asking Partitio if Hikari is the guy he was always writing to as a kid. They ship it even as they are divorced.

[spitblaze]

Heartwarming! The Yellowil family, known capitalists, are socialists also somehow!

[abobobob]

Was going through my notepad where I was writing headcanons for Octopath Traveler II, and this one got me pretty good:

- (Partitio Chapter 1) Papp and Roque got married shortly after Papp lost his wife for tax benefits. This makes Roque Partitio’s stepdad. Roque, however, didn’t put his real last name on it so he’s able to take shit if Papp died but Papp can’t get anything if Roque dies.

- (Partitio Chapter 1) Roque trying to take Partitio with him when he was 16 was Roque’s attempt of taking Papp’s son in the divorce

[chicken-molayme]

"Whats the most efficent way to go...?"

[beantothemax]

what if thurston succeeded in mortally wounding partitio and roque found out? in this essay i will-

“Partitio!” Alrond’s voice seemed tinny and far away as Partitio managed to land one final hit on Thurston, sending him backwards. What happened after that, he didn’t know. He blacked out before he could find out.

Partitio woke up, sore and groggy. He didn’t know where he was, or what he was doing there. His entire body hurt, and there was the sound of hushed voices whispering in heated discussion.

“He’ll be fine, Mr. Alrond, I promise-”

“Thurston mentioned a Mister Roque, I need you to contact him and inform him of what has happened. It is of the utmost importance-”

The voices faded out, and Partitio slipped into comfortable darkness once more.

“Dear Mr. Brilliante,

My name is Cassti Florenz. I am a travelling apothecary contacting you from Wellgrove. Your old employee, Thurston, followed Partitio Yellowil and his travelling companions- myself included- to this place, and attacked him and Mr. Alrond in Mr. Alrond’s manor. While Alrond was relatively unharmed, Partitio was not so lucky. He recieved major damage to the arteries in his legs, as well as a deep wound in his stomach and chest. He is in unstable condition, and I regrettably have no way of ascertaining whether or not that condition will change. He has been drifting in and out of consciousness, and in one of his boughts of wakefulness gave you permission to come visit us here. We have not moved locations by the time you recieve this letter, nor do we plan to until you arrive. Partitio sincerely hopes you will come check on him, as do the rest of us.

Wishing you well,

Cassti Florenz”

For all his faults, Roque Brilliante was not heartless. Not when it came to the Yellowils. Even though he had abandoned and tricked them in Oresrush, he still cared about them, deep down. So, when he heard that the boy he considered a son had gotten hurt by the hand of one of his old employees, he naturally began packing for the journey to Wellgrove immediately. He left his new secretary in charge while he was away, and set off.

Three days later, he arrived in Wellgrove. That evening, he was in the makeshift hospital Miss Florenz had set up in the inn. And there on the bed, torso wrapped in a blood-soaked bandage, was Partitio. A mixture of rage and sorrow bubbled in his chest. Rage at Thurston for daring to go this far, sorrow for pushing Partitio to this limit. Damn that boy and his stubborness, damn his father that he got it from-

... Gods help Roque Brilliante, for he still loved the Yellowils.

He knelt by Partitio's bed, heart thumping loudly in his chest. The 7 other people there- Roque presumed them to be the travelling companions Miss Florenz had mentioned in her letter- stepped back respectfully. A few bowed their heads. One or two of them clasped their hands together over their chests in silent prayer. “M... ister Roque....?”

Paritio’s voice was hoarse and rough, and Roque nearly started sobbing. “Yes, boy, it’s me. I’m here, chickadee...” The old nickname slipped off his tongue, and it earned a small, if weak, smile from Partitio. “S... sorry I never got ya your leaves... I was honest to Bifelgan tryin’...” “Don’t worry about that right now. Focus on resting.” Roque insisted, gently clasping Partitio’s frighteningly cold hand between his own. “... I am sorry too. For ever leaving you and your father. You did the right thing by staying. I wish I had done the same...”

Partitio just smiled. “Aw, shucks. Ya still got time to make up for it. Just you wait, Mister Roque...”

Gods help him, Roque still fucking cared for the Yellowils. “Does your father still need medicine?” He asked, and Partitio managed a weak nod. “Aye, that he does. Why?”

Roque made up his mind. “Because I will be purchasing it for him from now on,” he said, and Partitio chuckled, then coughed. “S-see? I toldja you could make up for it...”

When Partitio fell silent, Roque squeezed his hand, shaking him from his thoughts. “Hm? Ah, sorry... I’m plumb tired,” he explained, and Roque took that as his cue. He slowly stood up, and let Partitio’s hand fall limply from his own. “Then I will allow you rest. May I check on you tomorrow?”

“S’ fine with me if it’s alright by Cassti.”

Roque turned his attention to the blonde woman with the satchel. She must’ve been Miss Florenz.

“It is alright. Just... Take it easy. You’re still recovering, Partitio.” Cassti nodded, then chided Partitio for his roughousing antics. Roque couldn’t help but smile, as he used to tell Partitio the exact same thing. “No fighting, Partitio! You’re already fighting the flu!”

“Then that’s settled. I’ll come down here tomorrow. My room is 206, please come get me when you deem it suitable for Partitio to recieve visitors, Miss Florenz.”

Cassti nodded, and Roque cast one last glance at the scene before him, before heading for the door that led to the stairwell.

He prayed the whole way to his bed that he would be able to see Partitio with life in his body in the morning.

AAAAAAUH?????? BBBBWYH?????? SDFJGSHG?????? OW. OW THE ANGST. IT HURTS. this is your best piece yet I think. just. wow.. was not expecting this.

weh that ‘I swear to bifelgan’ line HE’S ALWAYS PUTTIN OTHERS BEFORE HIMSELF. HES LITERALLY ON A HOSPITAL BED AND THE FIRST THJNG HE DOES IS APOLOGIZE FOR NKT GETTING ROQUE HIS LEAVES. MY HEART.

partitio yellowil is too good for this world.

[broomballkraken]

Title: C'est la vie Chapter 1: Come What May

Fandom: Octopath Traveler 2

Pairing: Papp/Roque

Word count: 1308

Warnings: None

Fic Summary: C'est la vie is not only used as a descriptor for a pessimistic situation, but it can also be used to express something vital, essential, beautiful. Thus, it makes for a perfect descriptor for the tumultuous relationship between Papp Yellowil and Roque Brilliante.

Chapter Summary: Papp is devastated by the sudden passing of his wife, but he bottles up his feelings in order to be strong for Partitio. As the pain starts to become too much to handle, Papp luckily finds out that he has someone to be strong for him as well.

Even though he made sure to shut it as quietly as possible, the sound of Partitio’s door closing seemed deafening to Papp. It was well-past midnight, and after a long night of crying for his mom, Partitio had finally exhausted himself enough to fall asleep. Letting out a deep, weary sigh, Papp pressed his back against the door and slid down it slightly, cradling his head in his hands.

He was still trying to process that she was gone. His Maria, his starling, his beloved wife … It had all happened so fast. Only a week had passed between her collapsing out of nowhere due to an unknown illness that quickly rendered her bedridden, and using her last breath to tell Papp that she loved him and to take good care of their little chickadee. He didn’t understand why this had happened.

Papp felt tears start to prick at the corners of his eyes, but he clenched his jaw so hard that it popped and managed to blink them away. No, he couldn’t show how much he was hurting; he needed to be strong for Partitio. That was easier said than done, because every breath that he took was like razor sharp glass in his lungs, his heart hurt so much that he thought it might burst, and the perpetual nausea that festered in his gut had prevented him from having a proper meal in days.

“Papp.”

Jerking his head up, he swallowed thickly when he saw Roque standing before him. He had been a godsend during this horrific time, having taken over Papp’s share of their work to keep their business running, as well as bringing over hot meals for him and Partitio, and helping to keep the house clean. He truly could not have asked for a better business partner and friend.

“R-Roque…It’s late…” Papp said, trying and failing to keep his voice from cracking. Roque averted his gaze and worried his bottom lip between his teeth.

“I am aware, but…I’m worried about you, Papp.” Roque stepped closer to him and examined his face. “You look…pale. Have you been eating? Sleeping?”

“I-It doesn’t matter, I need to be strong for Partitio, above all else-” Papp was cut off when Roque took both of his hands and held them between his own. A lump had formed in Papp’s throat and he averted his gaze as his composure started to waver, causing him to tremble with the effort of keeping himself from breaking down.

“Papp, listen to me. Look at me.” Roque paused until Papp slowly lifted his head and their eyes locked. “You must be strong for Partitio, yes…but please, let me be strong for you .”

Papp felt his composure crumble even more, and his eyes welled up with tears when Roque gave his hands a gentle squeeze. “If you keep those feelings bottled up, they will eat you away from the inside out.”

“I lost a good friend in Maria, but Partitio lost a mother, and you lost the love of your life.” Roque lifted a hand to cup Papp’s face as the tears he tried so hard to hold back finally broke free. “I cannot fathom the pain that you are feeling right now, but even so, I want to help you in any way that I can. So let me do so, please . I…don’t want to lose you too.”

Something seemed to snap deep within Papp, and his legs gave out under him as he let out an anguished cry. Roque caught him by the arms before he could fall, and he slowly lowered them both to the floor as Papp clung to him and sobbed against his chest. He cried and cried and cried, and continued to cry, even when Roque helped him to his feet and led him safely downstairs.

Papp felt numb to his surroundings, and he barely noticed when Roque sat him down on the couch and draped a blanket over his shoulders. He cried into his hands as a few minutes ticked by, until he felt Roque’s arms wrap around him again, and Papp was pulled back into his comforting embrace. He didn’t know how long they sat there like that, but by the time Papp had stopped crying, his throat was raw and a dull pain had settled behind his eyes.

Taking in a deep breath, Papp let it out slowly, before rubbing at his red, swollen eyes. The smell of tea had filled his nose, and he looked at Roque, who was holding a steaming mug towards him.

“Here, drink it. I also have some stew heating up for you,” Roque said, and Papp gave him a slight nod in response as he took the mug from him. However, he couldn’t stop trembling, and Papp was grateful when Roque’s hands covered his and helped him to take a drink without spilling the hot liquid all over himself.

“...T-Thank you, Roque…” Papp managed to finally speak, and he winced at how hoarse his voice sounded. Roque nodded in response and helped Papp drink the rest of his tea. Taking the empty cup, he moved it to the end table and placed his hand on Papp’s back, rubbing it in a gentle, circular motion.

“...Better?” he asked, and Papp sighed and leaned over to lay his head against Roque’s shoulder.

“Eh…”

“Right, a foolish question on my part.” Roque hummed as he rest his head against Papp’s, and they sat in a comfortable silence for a while.

“I should never have let it get this bad,” Papp finally said, and Roque shook his head.

“Grief manifests itself differently for everyone, and it is hard to keep going as if your whole world wasn’t cruelly taken from you.”

Papp’s chest tightened painfully, and he bit his lip hard. “You’ve got that right…I miss her so much , Roque.”

“She was an incredible woman.” Roque turned to Papp and offered him a small, sad smile. “And I know that she loved you and Partitio more than anything.”

“Partitio…” Papp sighed and rubbed at his temples. “My poor chickadee’s cried himself to sleep every night since the funeral. Wish I could take his pain away…”

“You will help him get through this. The bond that you have is stronger than steel.” Roque’s smile grew as he placed a hand on Papp’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “And I will also be here, whenever and wherever you need me, come what may.”

A ghost of a smile crossed Papp’s lips, and he pulled Roque into a tight hug. “Thank you, Roque, for everything. I was a fool to keep my pain all bottled up like that. I couldn’t ask for a better friend.”

“Likewise, Papp. I will always be here for you both.”

“I’ll hold you to that, partner.”

Roque let out a chuckle and stood up, holding a hand out to Papp. ���Come, the stew should be hot by now, and I don’t want you withering away to nothing on me. That’s bad for business.”

Papp finally managed to smile, and he placed his hand in Roque’s and let himself be pulled to his feet. “Hells, I doubt that would be enough to put a damper on your mercantile prowess, Mr. Rainbow Tongue.”

“Hmm, perhaps, but then who will do all of that pesky paperwork that I hate so much?”

“You ass.”

Papp delivered a playful swat to Roque’s chest as they made for the kitchen, hand-in-hand, to get a much needed meal in him. Papp knew that there were more downs than ups waiting for him as he navigated his own grief, and Partitio’s on top of that. With Roque by his side, however, Papp didn’t have to worry about stumbling, because he knew that he had someone to pick him up again should he fall.

[quarterdollar]

THRONÉ’S ROUTE. THE HORRORS.

[gascon-en-exil]

Choose Octopath violence - 2, 16, 18

2. a compelling argument for why your fave would never top or bottom

I wrote Osvald as a total top in the most straightforward way possible: he tried bottoming once when he was younger and didn't like how it felt.

That's a fairly common reason for why actual total tops have their preference, but one that I think often gets ignored in online top/bottom discourse which is overly concerned with psychological implications and optics ("recreating heteronormative dynamics," etc.). There's also the point that top!Osvald pairs well with vers power bottom!Partitio, which is useful given how much smut I've written of these two together.

16. you can’t understand why so many people like this thing (characterization, trope, headcanon, etc)

Osvald as a cuddly, well-adjusted dad. It's cute and all, but it doesn't feel entirely in-character. The guy has serious issues with emotional expression, the trauma of five years in prison, and where Elena's concerned he missed a half decade of her development and came back into her life in a way that's bound to have been deeply upsetting for both of them between Harvey's brainwashing and attempted murder. That is a lot to work through, and on top of that there are party banters showing that Osvald believes himself to be a bad father because he knows how emotionally distant he is. Sure, his love for his daughter motivates him to generate magic laser beams...but that doesn't necessarily translate into good parenting skills under ordinary, non-life-threatening circumstances.

That's why their relationship in my fics has been on an extremely slow burn, and why I've had Osvald essentially say that he's relying on Partitio to be the empathetic and emotionally invested parent that he struggles to be. My next longfic idea - which isn't what I'm working on currently, but might be in the cards over the next few months - plans to delve more into Osvald's flaws as a husband and father, and how he's learning to become better in spite of them.

18. it’s absolutely criminal that the fandom has been sleeping on…

*gestures at Papp/Roque*

It's a toxic, decades-long on-again, off-again relationship that resolves with gay co-parenting and old man yaoi practically in canon(!). What's not to love?

...aside from the lack of official art making it tough to visualize the smut scenes, or how both of their names are incredibly stupid that is.

[autisticroquebrilliante]

"mon amour... I missed you so..." Roque cupped Papp's cheek. His eyes full of regret and love at the same time... yes. He did miss his husband. His one and only.

"darlin'." Papp gave a low chuckle, as he put his fingers through Roque's hair, petting it like the finest satin. "My gods, I missed ya. My shinin' Diamond."

[auncyen]

a brief note beforehand: this is an AU where Hikari ran away as a young teenager and ended up in Oresrush.

-

Partitio tells Papp about Roque being the landowner the same night he learns it. It's harsh medicine, to be sure, but Papp's glad he's not being mollycoddled just because he's sick. Better to know Roque's true colors so he could put the forlorn hope of seeing an old friend again out of its misery. He'll focus on getting better for his boys instead.

But as the days progress, even though he's still sleeping for more hours of them than he'd like, he starts suspecting the boys have kept something from him.

"Didn't know I was livin' with an octopuff," he comments when Partitio brings him a meal. Is this a late lunch or an early dinner? Gods, Papp misses having a schedule and knowing what time of day it is.

"Huh?"

"What's Hikari been doing? Feels like I've barely seen him."

Partitio pauses, and that alone tells Papp he's right. Something else has been going on since his boys went to teach Giff a lesson. "He's...been preoccupied. Up in his head."

"He better not be sleeping on the porch again."

Partitio grimaces, though he tries to recover with a weak attempt at humor: "Don't remind him, he might get ideas?"

"I want to know what happened."

Again, a long pause, so uncharacteristic of this son, as Partitio stares at the peeling wallpaper like it might give him answers. Then his shoulders sink, his head sagging into his hands before he picks himself back up and looks Papp in the eye. "Well, you remember why he was sleeping on the porch?"

"Yeah, I remember that load o' nonsense. Kept calling himself 'dangerous'." Gods, what a trial it'd been getting Hikari in. Back then he'd been a scrawny thing, only thirteen and skinny as a stick from foraging, looking like a wild thing until he opened his mouth and spoke proper as you please. 'Would you mind trading with me?' 'Yes, I am on my own.' 'No, thank you, I don't need help.' 'Thank you, but I don't think I'd be good company.' 'I don't want to hurt anyone. I need to be alone.'

Papp never tried to force Hikari into accepting help, because with how skittish he'd been he might have made like an octopuff and skipped town. Or maybe he really would have lashed out, but not because he was dangerous; because he was still a child and terrified of something. Hikari had only ever pointed out himself as a danger, but up until merchants from Hinoeuma stopped coming entirely, Papp had seen how any stranger from what had to be Hikari's original home set the boy on edge, even as he tried to mask it with a polite smile.

Instead Papp had tried to offer as much help as he could in ways Hikari would accept. Helping him get what he needed by trading. Telling him about the other townsfolk so he might feel more comfortable with them, and warning him of the rare bad apple to avoid. Talking with him. Just talking, hoping the next time he offered a place to stay the kid would accept.

The morning after a rare storm, Papp had stepped out onto the porch and immediately spotted Hikari curled up into a ball in the corner, asleep and burning up with fever. At that point it wasn't up for debate: he needed a roof over his head and a proper bed as he recovered. Even feverish, he'd fussed about that for a while, but then the worrying had started to drift off, the boy's voice turning to wonder.

'He's finally quiet.'

Papp still isn't sure exactly what that had meant. But it'd suddenly been a lot easier to convince Hikari to stay in the house, even if he'd stubbornly insisted on trying to repay the Yellowils in any way possible, like he didn't realize he was one himself.

"'Kari's not--he'd never hurt you or me, I know that," Partitio blurts. "He was good an' ready to kill Giff. He wasn't himself. Just, the way he was movin' and fightin'...and then nearly screamin' at Giff that he wouldn't let another lowlife thief steal you away... It spooked me a little. It spooked him a lot."

[viridiave]

WHAT YOUR FAVORITE OCTOPATH TRAVELER 2 SHIP SAYS ABOUT YOU

this is just for fun! I feel the need to reiterate that for this list too! Ship whatever you like ya'll!

POST-CHAPTER 1 SPOILERS ABOUND (up to the final chapters, but only like some of them (Hikari 5, Throne 4, Agnea 5, Partitio 4))

Hikari x Agnea

- you saw the art for Crossed Paths and committed to it

Hikari x Partitio

- you're into himbos who can sling twinks over their shouler. i don't blame ya.

Hikari x Ritsu

- shonen made you wonder why pinning your enemies to the ground is gay as all hell

Hikari x Castti

- your morbid curiosity has drawn you to the potential of the two characters of 'something's not right'

Agnea x Partitio

- you have a thing for sunshine characters who can make you go blind

Agnea x Gus

- you're a believer in childhood friends being endgame

Agnea x Giselle

- there's just something gay about being alone on a small island together and using your central ethos to inspire okay

Agnea x Dolcinaea

- you believe that Dolcinaea and Agnea have the innate power to turn everyone they meet into a raging bisexual

Agnea x Ochette

- same joke as Agnea x Partitio, but with permanent cat ears

Dolcinaea x Veronica

- you have a thing for muscled women. honestly i can't blame ya.

- you've seen Agnea's Chapter 5, and wonder how much ball it took to put that in there

Castti x Throné

- you were/are an avid Alfion shipper, and are very pleased about their path actions

Castti x Osvald

- you have a thing for Team Mom x Team Dad tropes

Castti x Rosa

- Winterbloom hurt more than just your feelings

Throné x Partitio

- you took shopping buddies as an invitation for something

Throné x Agnea

- you just want good things for Throné, and honestly who doesn't

Throné x Temenos

- same joke as Hikari x Agnea but with a significant increase in crime

Throné x Pirro

- you cried when you stabbed Pirro.

- you have not yet reached Lostseed, or have - and are still wondering what the actual fuck just happened

Osvald x Harvey

- you think the fire in Osvald's breast is a euphemism for something other than revenge

Osvald x Rita

- you cried at Conning Creek. then again at Montwise.

Osvald x Temenos

- you know what holy water is made of, and seek to defile it

Osvald x Partitio

- same joke as Hikari x Agnea but Partitio can afford therapy

Osvald x Emerald

- you really think Osvald should have mourned a little more

Temenos x Crick

- you played Temenos's Chapter 1. that's it that's the joke.

- you have either not reached Stormhail, or have - and reject that reality

Temenos x Cubaryi

- you love women who can kick your ass

Castti x Malaya

- you have a thing for mindfuckery

- you have either not reached the Abandoned Village, or have - and reject that reality

Partitio x Alrond

- you think Partitio should have taken off his shirt

- dw buddy Dancer subclass has got your back

Papp x Roque

- you think Partitio's Chapter 1 was a divorce that literally almost starved a town to death