#SERA [SOMETHING MORE THAN ALL YOU'LL EVER BE]

[a-dauntless-daffodil]

"what if adam came back as a sinner and stayed in the hotel. what if he was redeemed and made ethically fuckable" oh my gods they wanna make niffty cry.... ;_; not her bad boy nooooo

wait though, would that mean all the other dead angels come back as sinners too? assuming they're not heaven born- a flock of pissed off former exorcists and the most awkward day in vaggie's work life when things get tallied up and it turns out she not only killed off the single biggest number of her ex-sister in arms but also barely remembers any of the blink-and-you'll-miss-it deaths they're pissed about??

like presumably the death has to be really heroic or done while doing something really bad or you have to go through some big character shift for a soul to respawn instead of just ultra dying, so

could winner Vaggie go evil for love and friendship, die murdering Val or adam or whoever in cold blood, and come back as moth themed sinner / overlord for real? could she die heroically shielding a sinner from lute and get yeeted back up to heaven again as the single most angry arrival the pearly gates have ever seen???

Vaggie: (rattling the gates of heaven) "LET ME OUT LET ME OUT!"

Adam: (other side same thing) "LET ME IN LET ME INNNN!"

Emily: (excited) (cheering) "SWAP SWAP SWAP SWAP-!!!"

Sera: (headache) "...these trials are sent to test us..."

(vaggie and adam both start yelling very creative insults at her while emily takes pictures for posterity)

Sera: "....they are trying... my pATiENcE..."

Lilith: (lounging and reading on the streets of heaven while casually naked) "If my ex comes back up here I'm leaving."

Sera: (physically shielding her eyes) "Do you promise?"

bonus

Charlie: (clambering up to heaven with her bare clawed demon hands) "GIVE VAGGIE BACK I'VE BEEN COHABITATING WITH HER FOR WAY MORE THAN A YEAR AND IF THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH TO BE MARRIED IN SOME TIMES AND PLACES ON EARTH THEN IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR HEAVEN AND HELL NOW GIVE MY WIFE A TRAVEL VISA OR SOMETHING!!!"

[talesfromawannabejournalist]

Demon in Disguise

Here it is @kittenfangirl20, hope you enjoy part 1

Adam sighed as he waited for Lilith to make her appearance in the embassy. Adam was summoned by a letter from the Queen herself requesting an audience with the first man himself. Though Sera, the woman he looked at as a mother as she looked at him as her son, warned him against this meeting. However, Adam's will be strong, and he wishes to know what the snake wants. It didn't help that tensions were rising what with the sinners starting to rise. Adam's knee slightly bounced from underneath the table as he crossed his arms over his chest. Though he'd never admit it to anyone other than himself it always sent a shiver down his side whenever it was only just the two of them. Suddenly the doors opened and in walked Lilith all with the grace of a queen, and the slithering motions of a serpent. Her amethyst pierced Adam's soul as they locked onto him.

Lilith: Ah Adam just the man, or first man, I've been meaning to see, how are you? Doing good? Heaven sure does seem to be treating you good.

Lilith stated while her gaze turned directly on Adam's chubby belly. Adam scowled already wanting this meeting to end.

Adam: Cut the crap and just say what you want Lilith

Lilith: Very well, I've come here for a proposal. I understand that Heaven is getting quite antsy as of late due to my people beginning to rise up. I also understand that they are looking for solutions, well I have one that will solve everything.

Adam: And that is?

Lilith: I remove myself from my title as queen, Hell's military, leave Hell, and be given a spot in Heaven.

Adam was silent for a moment until he laughed out loud even banging his fist against the table.

Adam: Ok, and what makes you think that anyone in their right mind would allow you to stay? Not to mention me ever giving you free range of upstairs.

Lilith: You are still close with Sera, correct? Then she can help forward this deal. I also have something that you want more than anything

Adam: And what might that be?

Lilith: Lucifer's child

Adam: ...what?

Lilith: I'm sure that your little...birth defect is still present even as an angel, yes?

Adam glared at her wording but slowly nodded. Not long after Adam's creation his creator, God helped shift his body so that he then had both parts of a man and a woman. Though he didn't know why he did it, he didn't hate his body in any way, despite Lilith doing her hardest to make him back in the garden.

Lilith: I'll collect Lucifer's seed and have it implanted in your womb then you'll finally have the precious baby that you always wanted with your dear guardian angel.

Adam: ...Lucifer is alright with all of, this? You leaving him and me being impregnated with his sperm?

Lilith: But of course, after all, he does want what's best for our subjects, not to mention that if there is less interaction in Heaven ten the less, he'll have to see you. Plus, with you not only in Heaven but also supported by

Adam didn't know what to say, on the one hand, he'd finally get his dream of being a mother. He loved all his children when they were on Earth and loved being their father even when...the incident occurred and afterward. However, ever since Eden, he wanted to be with Lucifer, his Luci, his sweet angel, and have a family with him. On the other hand, it hurt him to his core that this was the only way. But...the pros outweighed the cons and on the plus side not only would he get his dream, but he'd also finally be putting a stop to any uprising from the denizens of Hell since the fire was only filled with Lilith there leading the charge.

It seemed Lilith could tell what his decision was and smirked.

Adam: alright Lilith, I accept your deal.

[midmorninggrey]

Corny Combat Dialogue: OC Edition

One of my favorite parts of playing Dragon Age is when all the companions start yelling. So I started a list of weird things my OCs might yell.

Cal the Canary

[Combat]

"Incoming!"

"We've got company."

"Cut them down!"

"Come on then!"

"Right, they're coming at us now."

"Was this part of the plan?"

"Horsefeathers!"

"Whoops, watch out for that one."

"I've got your back!"

"You should've run when you had the chance!"

"First time?"

"I'm going to hit you now!"

"My arms don't have the reach."

"I can't hold them much longer!"

"I'm feeling a little peaky."

[Low Health/KO]

"Andraste's arse, Anders!"

"Merrill - not good!"

"Get up, Isabela! Pretty please!"

"How'd they best Aveliene?"

"They got Varric!"

"Oh no, there goes Sebastian."

"No, Bethany! You'll regret that, you bastards."

"Fenris! Not while I live!"

"Hawke! Hold on, Hawke!"

"Fall back, Hawke!"

"Get to Hawke."

[Locks/Interactions]

"I'm stuck...(Again.)"

"I walked into a trap."

"There's a trap over here! You'll never guess how I know."

"Oh, bother."

"I'm not the one to ask for that, sorry."

"Why don't you let me take a try?"

"There you go."

[After Combat]

"Everyone here?"

"I felt braver when they were trying to kill us. Now they're just...on the ground, aren't they?"

"Maker, what a mess." 

"That was fun. Let's never do it again."

"Hawke, have you ever thought of staying in? With a hot drink or something?"

Arden Trevelyan 

[Combat]

"Be ready."

"Don't try me."

"Pray that you come back stronger in the next life."

"Is this how you thought you'd die?"

"Do not fear the pain - it is your teacher."

"Not today!" 

"Stop sniveling."

"I'll break your skull."

[Low Health/KO]

"Seeker! The Maker does not will it!"

"Don't touch them!

"No, it's not his/her time!"

"Sera! Shit!"

"Bull! Gods."

"Ah, Solas is taking a nap."

"Dorian - no! You will not take him!"

[Locks/Interactions]

"Let us meet this moment with quiet contemplation."

"Fuck! More demons."

"Don't ask me where I learned to do that."

"I've been told I have nimble fingers."

"Blasted - shit assed - what bloody arsehole?!...And praise be to Andraste. Sorry."

[After Combat]

"Is everyone alright?"

"It's done. For now."

"May the Maker show us mercy."

"Take a breath if you need it."

"Let's move on."

Celeste Trevelyan 

[Combat]

"They're coming this way!"

"There are things worse than death! I think."

"That hurt." 

"Ow!"

"Back to the shadows!" 

"I don't fear you!"

"Take that! And that!" 

"Got one! Did you see?"

"I don't feel so good."

[Low Health/KO]

"Cole! I won't let them hurt you!"

"Wait, Solas fell!"

"I think Vivienne's hurt."

"I have to help Varric!" 

"Blackwall - Get up! Victory!"

"I need to help them!"

[Locks/Interactions]

"Why won't it open...?"

"I don't want to do that."

"No?"

"I guess so."

"Aha! It's not so tricky."

[After Combat]

"Is it over?"

"I think I'm ready to go."

"Yuck."

[takemetothemoon-fics]

Starts with S, nine letters.

Title: Starts with S, nine letters

Pairing: Killian Jones x OC

Word count: 900

Warnings: none

Tags: Fluff, a loooot of flirting, mild smut but mainly kissing

Synopsis: This story is about Seraphina Vale, my OC, who meets Captain Hook when she's in a bar. Things get flirty real quick...

A/N: Hello!!! So happy you're taking the time to read this. This is my first fic ever!!! For this story I decided to create an OC, but you can just replace the name with Y/N if you'd like. Just for the sake of this story I decided to give her a name, since Killian has to guess her name at some point. Hope u like the story. Don't be afraid to follow me here :)

MASTERLIST

She had no clue what was about to come upon her. Who she was about to meet. It was late in the evening. Seraphina was sitting in a bar, alone.

'Hello darling.'

Sera looks up. There's a man standing next to her table. Without asking, he sits down at the head of the table.

'And you are?' Sera asks.

He raises an eyebrow and is amused by your inquiry, a warm smile growing on his handsome face.

'Why, I'm Captain Killian Jones darling, also known as Hook.'

'And you are?' he leans in and looks into your eyes.

'Hook. Interesting name. My name... Is not important. For now.'

'Hmm…' he raises an eyebrow once more, taking note of this strange woman who has chosen not to introduce herself.

'Not important… ' he says in a contemplative tone, 'I have stumbled upon a mystery. I'm quite good at solving mysteries, you know.' he says with a smirk.

'I'd like to see you try' Seraphina says. Hell, why not, she thought to herself. She felt like having some fun.

He smirks and leans on the bar, his tone flirtatious as it always is.

'Oh, is that a challenge I hear darling?'

He tilts his head and looks at her with a sly grin.

'Hmm…' he muses, 'a woman who wants to test me… ' he purrs and his eyes look like they are assessing her up and down.

'What are the stakes?'

'You name them.' She says, in a teasing tone, daring him to bite.

His eyebrows raise a little higher this time, his smile growing bigger and even more smug.

'Hmm… how about a kiss?'

'You know what? I'm bored. Yes. You'll get a kiss as soon as you guess my name' She says.

He nods his head, his smile growing wide as he leans in and looks deep into her eyes.

'It's a deal, darlin'. You have yourself a challenge.'

It's clear he's confident in his ability to complete this task, although he's also intrigued by the mysterious woman in front of him.

'Let the games begin…'

He grins from ear to ear as his eyes sparkle with confidence and his eyebrows raise.

'And may the best pirate… win.' he says with a self-assured smirk that shows he's more than ready to play the game.

Killian takes a sip of his drink and starts to observe her closely, carefully considering all of her features and mannerisms as he begins to think of who this mysterious woman could be.

'Hmmm…'

He leans forward slowly with a smirk on his face, his eyes fixed on hers as he looks into her eyes, looking like he's carefully considering what name might suit her. He's clearly starting to get into the game now, and his eyes have the playful, teasing look about them that's so characteristic of him.

'How about…' he says playfully, 'Annabel?'

'Wrong.'

He pulls back a little, running a hand through his hair as he thinks for another few moments. After a little time, he leans forward slowly once more, and looks into her eyes with a coy smile once more.

'Well then how about… Charlotte?' he asks teasingly with a wink as he once again tries to narrow down her name, his eyes gazing into hers as if he's trying to uncover her secret to get to it.

'Such basic names..' She teases, 'wrong again.'

Killian raises an eyebrow, his playful face turning slightly more serious as he considers the matter at hand.

'Basic names?' he asks in a joking tone while he moves his face a little closer to hers as he raises the other eyebrow.

'Give me something less basic.' She says with a teasing tone while his eyes look her up and down with a playful but calculating gaze.

'Something… that'll suit you. ' he purrs as he leans even closer, clearly enjoying the game and wanting to continue teasing her.

'I'll give you a hint. the name starts with S, and has 9 letters'

Killian leans back in his seat in mock frustration, but a warm smile also crosses his face.

'Nine letters… S…' he hums to himself, clearly running through the names and combinations of words in his head while he looks at her thoughtfully and a playful, yet calculating look crosses his face.

'How about… Seraphina?' he says with a smile as he watches her, waiting to see if he got the name right this time. The way he says her name gives her goosebumps.

'Well played. You got it.' Seraphina says, impressed with how quickly he got her name.

'Well, my dear Seraphina, consider the game won.' he says with a flirtatious grin and wiggles his elbows.

'Now… about that kiss…' he says with a teasing wink, moving forward and gently placing a hand on her cheek.

'Call me Sera, and yes. You've earned it.' She says, seductively.

'Sera it is darling…' he says with a playful smile as he leans closer, placing the other hand behind her neck while he tilts his head a little to the left as he once again moves closer for what promises to be an intense kiss. His breath hits her lips as they get closer and the passion in his eyes is easy to see.

'Sera…' he whispers as the two of them share a slow and sweet, yet passionate kiss that takes their breath away.

[luck-and-larceny]

Off the Hook

7 years ago…

"You can't be serious. I'm not going to do that."

The twenty year old Miqo'te hiding in the cramped closet of her mark's bedroom put her fingers to her linkpearl and gave the voice on the other end an incredulous frown they could not see.

"The deal was I steal for you, not that I maim anyone. First of all, that's fucked up. Second of all, not my skillset. Send someone else, Red Moon."

Meanwhile, her as of yet untortured mark continued playing the violin. That was, of course, what she was known for. Malika's understanding had been that she'd steal the priceless, one of a kind instrument as a form of professional sabotage for Red Moon's shitty client. At no point had there been discussion about breaking her fingers.

"The client has updated their expectations," the deep, no nonsense voice of Malika's crime lord boss stated. "As well as the pay."

"I don't care about the pay–" Malika began to protest.

"I do." There was a warning in his voice that the young Keeper knew not to challenge. She was silent for a moment and for that moment the only thing that could be heard was the beautiful, haunting sound of the violin. 

Malika knew not to challenge the man. She'd suffered the consequences for that in the past and was not keen to be on the receiving end of his anger ever again. A wise person might have kept quiet and let it go.

Wisdom was not her strong suit.

"I don't do this kind of work," she whispered, her distress evident in the way she clearly and urgently enunciated each word. "I will be caught. You're wasting a perfectly good thief!"

"My perfectly good thief," he answered quietly and with a gentleness she knew to be artificial, "the waste will be if you continue to defy me. Do as you're told."

She bristled.

4 years prior she'd run away from The Nameless Caravan and swore she'd never be beholden to anyone ever again.

Now, here she was trapped in service to a greedy, violent, dangerous crime lord who got off on telling her to do what she was told. It was as though she'd never even left the Caravan in the first place– apart from the fact that Red Moon was generous enough to pay her for the abuse.

This is temporary, she told herself as she took a deep breath in preparation. The plan is already in place. You're getting out of this. You're going to be fine. And you'll never ever ever do a job you don't want to do ever again. Just… just do this thing…

Red Moon would stay on the line. He'd want to hear it happen rather than wait for her to call back. That was just the sort of sick fuck he was. So there'd be no chance to talk to this woman. No explaining anything. Just sudden violence and the cracking of bones.

Not my thing. Malika could feel the panic attack starting to form in her chest as she grappled with the weight of going against her 16 year old self's promise not to do anything she didn't want to ever again. There was no time for that.

"Fine," she said on the line.

Nymeia, I'm sorry. If you have one more miracle left for me, I could really use it…

Three…

Malika pressed her shoulder against the closet door.

Two…

She turned the handle and readied herself to slam the door open and rush her victim.

O–

The music stopped. Malika stopped, too.

"What's happening?" Red Moon demanded.

Malika didn't answer. She didn't know. And with the music stopped it was too risky to speak.

"Sera, I can't do this. I don't want to do this. Something feels off. Something feels wrong. No. No, not with the piece. With this– this whole thing. Everything. Give the solo to Tali. It'd mean the world to her. And I just don't want to do this anymore. I'm quitting. I'm done."

"What the–?" It was extremely unusual for Red Moon to express surprise. "Lia, did you do this? Explain yourself."

"I didn't do shit," she hissed back.

The linkpearl conversation became too faint to hear. She'd moved to another room. Malika cracked open the closet door to see the violin resting on the bed. Seconds later the front door opened and closed. A quick glance out the window showed the owner of the violin leaving the house.

"Shit. She just left, boss. Without her violin."

Silence. The kind of silence that indicated that Red Moon was not pleased, but that he couldn't think of a reason to take it out on her.

"Grab it," he finally said with a sigh. "Bring me the violin. You're off the hook for the rest."

He could probably feel the radiance of Malika's relieved grin from over the linkpearl.

"This time," he warned. "Don't expect to be so lucky in the future."

Unfortunately for him, she did expect to be that lucky in the future. If there had been any doubt that the goddess of luck was on her side prior to this moment, there wasn't any longer. 

Three weeks later a series of extremely fortunate events would free her from her contract with Red Moon without repercussion. Moving forward, she'd keep her promise to herself and never again work for anyone she didn't choose to work for and she'd never take jobs she didn't choose to take.

[nuclearforest]

surprise gift for @cry-ptidd because i wanted to write a werewolf with a predatory side and a BAMF middle aged woman. partly inspired by a convo we had. i can probably be convinced to continue it.

closest you'll get to a TW is threats of gore and predatory behaviors. Laura is a werewolf.

Laura is not permitted to go hunting as often as she’d like; no outings into the night in general, much less the violent sort that ended with men’s limbs gripped between her snarling jaws as they cried in agony. That was almost never. But tonight must be special—her very own Sir Integra had deigned it a night she was allowed to go out. Not for a violent hunt, no, but for something to sate a different kind of hunger.

She stands in the head office at her master’s side where the traitor once stood, rigid in posture with her hands clasped at her front. The marble floor is painfully clean and shining, even under the low light of the too-high crystal chandeliers. Even after all these years, Integra’s wide mahogany desk and tall upright chair remain the only furniture in the room. An expendable agent stands before the two women, rattling something off from a newfangled tablet. It was the kind of technology that had an unpleasant whine in her ears more often than not.

But after listening to the nightly debrief from operational intelligence, Integra waves her hand. “It sounds like a sleepy night,” she muses, “truly a rarity.”

Laura finds herself tensing in anticipation, hair on her arms and the back of her neck standing on end. That wasn’t how Integra usually led into training exercises or the housework given on other dull evenings. The middle-aged heiress to the Hellsing name cracks open the center drawer of her desk to unearth a golden cigar case. Through the tall windows behind them, the dark sky and full moon called, speckled with the faintest of stars and framed by red curtains. The werewolf’s eyes widen a sliver and her nose twitches.

“Better than the alternative,” the man quips back with a smile, straightening the pages and laying them on Integra’s desk for her to review. The arteries in his neck pulse ever so faintly with his heartbeat. His hair is salt and pepper grey, with movements slow and sluggish in the werewolf’s eyes. If not for the red armband on his suit and the woman at her side, Laura would’ve thought him a fitful, lean snack.

“I suppose so,” she hums, “but I can’t leave my girls bored forever.” For a second, something flutters in Laura’s chest at the possessive tone. But she just as soon crushes it, forcing it away as Integra flicks open her case and plucks a cigar. “Laura.” Integra snips the end of the cigar for a crisp start. “Be a dear, will you?”

The werewolf reaches into the pocket of her apron and pulls out a golden lighter, offering a flame with a quick flick.

“Good girl.” The praise sends an imperceptible shudder down Laura’s back. “That will be all.” She replaces the lighter in her pocket and the lowly peon bows, turning his back to shuffle away like he wasn’t one wrong step from being picked up and shaken like a ragdoll.

They are far too comfortable around her.

The door clicks shut behind him, echoing in the high ceiling, and the ever-lovely Integra swivels her chair to look at the werewolf over the rim of her glasses. Laura just stares back at her piercing blue eye, waiting for an order.

“Do you think I should approve Seras’ request?” Integra asks before inhaling slowly from the cigar. The strong smell is almost enough to make Laura’s stomach churn with memories of dingy pubs and disgusting pigs but on her master? It is another matter entirely.

“What did she request?” the werewolf replies, nose almost wrinkling as Integra blows out another puff of smoke.

“A night on the town with you.” The Hellsing cracks a wry smile. Something in her eye glimmers. In the back of her mind, Laura wonders how long ago this request had been placed. They didn’t exactly go out frequently, and the vampiress frequently complained in her ear the next evening about how she’d snuck away.

“And why ask for my approval?” Laura’s hand twitches with the urge to brush a strand of hair, slipping from her ponytail, away from her eyes. Almost like she was a schoolgirl again. Distant memories of flowers crushed in her tense grip for some faceless young thing; a first crush. She swallows.

“Figured I’d see if you’d like to go,” Integra muses with the cigar between her lips, “If you were up for behaving tonight.” Heat almost rises to Laura’s cheeks at the thought of the last time, almost getting caught by all-too-perceptive humans. Funny that the woman hadn’t put together the teeth and the eyes until they were almost to her home. Funnier yet that Laura had been on her best behavior at the time and simply disappeared.

“I am bound to your command,” Laura replies gruffly, finally breaking eye contact to look away.

“Fine then.” Integra blows an almost playful puff of smoke at her. “I command you to accompany Seras for the night with nothing but your very best behavior.”

A smirk crawls up on Laura’s face at the thought of innocent women at the bar, straying like a young rabbit from its den. Tonight is a night for hunting bunny rabbits. With wide eyes and rosy cheeks. Soft skin and a dainty perfume. The big, bad wolf would eat them right up. “Oui, sir.”

[ironychan]

A Little Human (as a Treat)

Part 1/? - Un Voluntario

Part 2/? - Un Escursione

Part 3/? - Una Complicazione

Part 4/? - Una Famiglia

Part 5/? - Una Aiutante

Part 6/? - Una Ricerca

Part 7/? - Un Confronto

Part 8/? - Un'Emergenza

Part 9/? - Una Speranza

Part 10/? - Una Sera

Flavia and Perla help plan a prison break. Silvio tells terrible jokes. Ercole eats a bug. @dysphoria-sweatshirt @writer652

Giglioli returned a few minutes later, red-faced in anger and escorted part of the way by a police officer. About twenty metres from the shop door, Signor Giglioli shrugged the man's hand forcibly off his shoulder and stomped the rest of the way alone.

“A bunch of fools!” he declared as he went back inside. “I don't know how grown adults get caught up in this nonsense, but we have to do something before somebody gets hurt. Have you two heard of mass hysteria?”

Perla and Flavia shook their heads.

“It's when a bunch of people all get in on the same delusion,” Giglioli explained, “and it can lead to terrible consequences. During the middle ages they burned a bunch of people for being witches when there really weren't any such things. I'm not going to watch the same thing happen to supposed 'sea monsters' in my town. Let's get your friends out.”

“Really?” Flavia asked.

“You'll pay their bail?” Perla chimed in.

“They're not going to accept bail,” said Giglioli. “We're going to have to break them out.”

“How?” Flavia wanted to know. “There's so many people.” When she glanced throught he window, the crowd outside the police station seemed bigger than ever. Signorina Mulino's friend Felicia was hanging around in the back of it, asking people questions and getting shaking heads in reply.

Giglioli turned the sign in the window to say chiuso and locked the door, then smiled and ruffled Flavia's hair. “Don't worry, kiddo,” he said. “I know about more things than candy. Before that was the police station, it was Canepa's Drogheria. The wall at the back, where the cell is, is one of the oldest walls in town. It's a good half-metre thick.”

That didn't sound encouraging, but the confectioner didn't seem worried. He led the girls into the back room, the kitchen where the candies were made. A teenage employee was in there cleaning up, but she was focused on scrubbing burnt matter off a cookie sheet, and barely acknowledged Giglioli as he began rummaging in a cupboard under the stairs.

“That whole row of buildings backs onto the old wall,” he continued, moving brooms and buckets out of the way. “The Canepa family used to own the whole thing, but when the place went out of business after the war, they divided into separate units to sell. The police took the one on the left there to make into their station. So while the west wall could keep out an army, the north one is just a single layer of bricks.” He found what he was looking for, and turned to face the girls again, a smile on his face – and a sledgehammer in his hands.

“Are we gonna break through the wall?” gasped Perla, both terrified and delighted.

“We certainly are,” Giglioli told her.

“Won't people hear?” Flavia asked. Surely that would be loud.

“Not as much as you'd think,” the man said. “Stone walls muffle a lot of sound, but we do need a distraction, something else for all those rubberneckers to pay attention to. I believe your grandmother is looking for you, Signorina Pepitone,” he said to Perla, mock-stern.

“You think people need to come hunting for us instead of looking for the sea monsters?” Perla guessed.

He nodded.

“So we need to hide somewhere, and have everybody come find us,” said Flavia.

“Yes, exactly. Where do you two think you can go where people will believe you're in trouble and they'll all go to look for you?”

Perla thought about it. “If we were up somewhere high, Flavia would have trouble getting down.”

“I'm not going up anywhere high!” Flavia protested. She did some thinking of her own, and got an idea. “What about out on the water? If we went out in a boat on our own to find more sea monsters, people would be worried about us, right?” Children never went on boats alone – Flavia was pretty sure of that.

“That's a good idea as long as you two know how to be safe about it,” said Signor Giglioli. “Do you?”

“Yes!” said Perla eagerly. “You have to wear a life jacket so if you fall in you won't sink!”

“And you can both swim?”

“I can!” said Perla, “and Flavia definitely can!”

Flavia herself wasn't so sure about that. She had no idea how humans swam without tails, and wondered if Ciccio had much trouble figuring it out. She did know what a life jacket was, though. She'd once found one floating on the surface of the Gulf, far from land, and Papa Giorgio had told her it was something humans wore to keep their heads above the water. After nearly choking when she'd first transformed, that was definitely a good idea.

“Then let's find you a boat,” said Giglioli. “We'll also need one more person, who can tell everyone where you are. Remember, I'm going to be the one knocking the wall down.”

Perla and Flavia exchanged a glance. Who could they use? Flavia didn't have any ideas – she didn't know anybody in this town except for Perla and her family.

But Perla smiled. “I know exactly who!” she declared.

-

By this time, Signora Pepitone and her son had finished telling their story to the police. Leonardo Scorfano suspected they'd embroidered it somewhat – if nothing else, sea monsters didn't have horns and none of the kids were anywhere near ten feet tall in either form – but there was very little he could do besides stand there and wince every time Dionisia brought the subject up. When somebody actually asked him a question, he had to reply that he hadn't arrived until all this was already underway, and hadn't seen any of it.

Worse, the police were failing to keep the curious public out of things. Several people had come right into the front office using one excuse or another, and it was hard to miss that they kept sidling closer to the door that led to the cell room. Leonardo took it upon himself to make sure they got no further, leaning against said door and glaring at people who came too close.

One boy of about fifteen or sixteen was particularly insistent, coming closer and closer and watching Leonardo like a hawk. Leonardo glared directly at him and folded his arms, letting the boy know he wasn't going to budge.

“Come on,” the boy whined finally. “I just want to see the sea monsters.”

“My daughter is missing and you're worried about sea monsters?” Leonardo said.

The boy at least had the grace to look ashamed of himself.

Signora Pepitone was still sitting at the desk across from the tall police officer, and she frowned at Leonardo. “They've got to be connected,” she insisted. “That's the only other odd thing that's happened today. Don't you see it?”

“Madame, please, try to calm down,” the police officer sighed. “To find them, we'll need full descriptions of both girls...”

The boy trying to get around Leonardo looked over his shoulder. “The sea monsters took your daughter?” he asked.

“No,” said Leonardo. “Not necessarily, anyway. Nobody saw what happened so we...”

“We do know, that's what I keep saying!” Signora Pepitone interrupted. “I'm getting the idea you think I'm mad, Signor Scorfano, but I'm telling you, I know what I saw at the zoo, and...”

“It can't have been the sea monsters, though,” said the boy.

“Nobody's asking you,” the police officer informed him. “In fact, I think you should leave.”

“But I saw them!” said the boy.

“The sea monsters?” Leonardo asked.

“No, the girls,” the boy said. “At least, I saw Signora Pepitone's granddaughter, and there was another girl with her...”

Leonardo stood up straight. “Where were they?” he asked, his heart suddenly thumping.

“They were in the Signorina Mulino's French pastry shop,” the boy said. “They were in there sitting with a woman in blue. Perla Pepitone in a polka-dot dress, and a friend with short dark hair, right?”

Leonardo looked at Dionisia, and saw the shock on her face – this was the first she'd heard of this, either. She jumped up to talk to the boy face to face. “What were they doing? Was there anyone else?” she asked.

“They were eating cookies and talking to this lady... I think some friend of Signorina Mulino's,” the boy said. “She was wearing a blue dress. But it can't have been the sea monsters who took them away,” he added, “because I went in there to tell my brother, he works there, that they'd been caught. The sea monsters were already locked up, and the girls weren't with them.”

Signora Pepitone just stared at him, until Leonardo came to put a hand on the boy's shoulder. “You're sure,” he said.

“Totally sure,” the boy insisted. “I know Perla, because I've seen her bothering Pietro for free treats. She said if the sea monsters were caught, then it's safe and they could go, and they ran off.”

Leonardo let out a quiet relieved sigh. That didn't tell them where the girls had gone, but at least it was proof that Alberto and his friends weren't involved – proof nobody could deny. “What did I tell you?” he asked Dionisia.

She sat down again, eyes wide with apparent shock. “Where could they have gone, then?”

“I don't know,” the boy said. “Maybe they told Signorina Mulino.”

“We'd better go find her, then,” said Leonardo. At last, here was something to go on. “Maybe she can tell us...”

That was when the door opened, and a new person entered the room, panting and indignant after having elbowed her way through the crowd outside. This was a tall, thin woman in blue, with her hair under a kerchief. “Excuse me!” she said. “I need to get to... who is Signora Pepitone?”

“I am!” Signora Pepitone turned around.

“That's her!” the boy who'd seen the girls exclaimed, pointing to the newcomer. “That's the lady who was with the girls at the Patisserie!”

The newcomer nodded. “Céline asked me to watch them,” she said. “I've been following them half the evening but they keep getting away, but I've found them at last. They said they wanted to find these sea monsters everybody's talking about, and they've gone out on a boat.”

“What?” asked Signora Pepitone.

“What?” Leonardo said at the same time. A dozen horrible images danced in front of his eyes. Flavia had probably never seen a human swim. She wouldn't know how to keep her head out of the water. Did she even know she couldn't breath it anymore? No... no, she must know that, she'd come up gasping and sputtering when she first transformed. But she knew nothing about boats. What if she fell overboard?

What was she even trying to do? Was she hoping there were local sea monsters who could help them somehow? How was she planning to contact them when she knew she couldn't get in the water?

Maybe Massimo would notice them, but it was also entirely possible he wouldn't. What was Massimo doing right now? Had he figured out the kids weren't down there or was he still looking?

Signora Pepitone was equally distressed, but for a very different reason. “They went out on the water?” she asked, pale. “When they know there's sea monsters? Or... good heavens, were they lured.” She turned to another man, a tall fellow with red hair. “There's a painting in that museum of yours, the sirens luring the sailors!”

“That there is, Ma'am,” the man replied with a nod. He swallowed.

The woman in the blue dress, gestured for everybody to follow her. “They haven't got far yet. I'd've gone to get them myself but I can't swim. Come and see! Oh, I hope the sea monsters haven't found them yet!”

She led the way outside, with the intrigued crowd surging after her. Leonardo should have gone with them, but he kind of wanted to stay by the door, in case somebody else tried to go in and harass the kids. With everybody else gone, maybe Leonardo could have a proper conversation with them and piece this all together. Maybe he could even find the key and let them out, although he'd want to be really sure nobody was watching...

“Hurry, Signor Scorfano!” Signora Pepitone called from the street outside.

“I'm coming, Dionisia!” he replied. But once the room was empty, he went and tried the door that led to the room with the cell.

Of course it was locked – that was hardly even surprising. He had to find the key. Leonardo looked around, and his eyes went to the desk where the younger of the two on-duty police officers had been sitting until he, too, had gotten up to follow the woman in blue. When he opened the top drawer, Leonardo found it full of papers and pens. He started rummaging around, looking for keys.

As he did so, he heard the first thump.

Leonardo looked up. He was a lone in the room, and nothing seemed to have moved. Maybe something had fallen in an upper storey, or off a roof. He shook his head, and closed the first drawer before opening a second.

There was another thump. Then a third. This time, when Leonardo raised his head, it was in time to see a photo of the town's police force (all four of them) fall from the wall. Another thump made dust drift down from the ceiling. There was a sound like ceramic breaking.

With a chill, he realized that whatever was going on, it was happening in the cell room. Leonardo shut the drawer and rattled the handle again, then threw himself shoulder-first against the door. If he had to break it down to get to those kids, he would.

-

In the cell, the kids and Signor Macarello also heard a series of thumps, but unlike Uncle Leonardo, they could tell exactly where it was coming from – the wall on their left, where the police station butted up against the old greengrocers. Somebody was hitting it repeatedly with something heavy, making the whole wall shake and buckle. They got up and crowded against the other wall, worried the building would fall down on them.

After a few more thumps, a brick fell out and broke on the floor. Then a second. Then the head of a giant hammer came through, and the person on the other side used it as a hook to pull more bricks back towards himself. Soon there was a hole big enough to wriggle through, and a face appeared in it.

Luca couldn't believe his eyes. “Signor Giglioli!” he exclaimed, then immediately regretted it as somebody began shaking the door to the rest of the station. A moment later he realized that was silly – it was much more likely the sound of bricks falling had alerted them, rather than Luca's cry. It didn't matter, though. Whoever was outside shook the door harder, and then began trying to break it down.

“Hurry!” Giglioli held out a hand.

Giulia was the first to take it and wriggle through the opening. Luca came after her, and then helped pull out another couple of bricks so Alberto would fit. They dragged him through, but then the door burst open, and there was nothing they could do for Antonio. Giglioli herded the kids through an open grate in the floor, and pulled it shut after him.

“Can't stay here!” he said, reaching between the bars to replace a padlock that had been holding the grate shut. “Follow me!”

“What about Signor Macarello?” Alberto protested. He'd been nothing but helpful, even when he was obviously terrified. They couldn't just leave him.

“We'll have to come back for him,” Giglioli said. He turned on an electric torch, and ushered them through a door into another part of the old Drogheria basement, stacked with old fruit and egg crates. This door, too, he contrived to lock behind himself. “Maybe in the morning, when they've all calmed down and realized you're not sea monsters.”

The kids had begun to follow him further through the dark maze of basements, but now they stopped short. Signor Giglioli kept going and reached the next door, then realized they weren't there anymore and looked back, puzzled.

There was a moment of awkward silence. Voices could be heard shouting overhead, muffled by the stone and earth in between.

“What's the matter?” asked Giglioli.

Luca swallowed. “Um, Sir?” he said.

“We... kind of are sea monsters,” Giulia said.

Giglioli blinked. “I beg your pardon?” he asked, in a voice half-confused, half-insulted. “Kids, I just broke you out of jail. This is hardly the time to...”

Luca's stomach sank right down to his toes as he remembered what he'd said to Flavia earlier in the day... he'd thought Signor Giglioli wouldn't mind if he found out they were sea monsters. Had he been mistaken? Should they just take it back and lie? If they did that, though, Signor Giglioli wouldn't realize just how much trouble they were in here. He looked at Alberto.

Alberto sighed and, feeling rather like one of the animals in the zoo, transformed.

For a moment Signor Giglioli didn't realize it had happened, but when he realized both Luca and Giulia were looking at their friend, he turned to see why, and the electric torch fell from his hand. It rolled a metre or so across the uneven stone floor, and came to rest at Alberto's flippered feet. Alberto picked it up and offered it back to him, and Giglioli took it without a word. For what seemed like a very long time, nobody spoke.

“Are you going to put us back in jail now, Sir?” Luca asked timidly.

That seemed to bring Giglioli back to his senses. “Of course not!” he said. “If I try I'll end up in there with you. Anyway, you haven't done anything to deserve being locked up.” He paused. “Have you?”

“No, Sir!” said Luca. The others shook their heads in agreement as Alberto let go of his transformation and resumed human form. “We just wanted to show Flavia around. She's never been on land before.”

“Really? Huh.” Giglioli thought about that. “Well, I'm honoured you brought her to my place, then. All right, let's get you back to the shop. You can hide out there until everybody goes to bed.”

“What about Flavia?” Alberto asked, as they fell into step behind him again. “Uncle Leonardo will kill me if we don't bring her back.”

“She and Perla are currently providing a distraction so fewer people would hear me breaking that wall down,” said Giglioli. “They've probably been 'rescued' by now. Dionisia Pepitone is a little odd, but when she's not wailing about sea monsters she...”

He stopped mid-sentence. Luca nearly walked right into his back.

“I guess Flavia is a sea monster, too,” said Giglioli.

“That's complicated,” said Giulia.

“Complicated?” Giglioli raised an eyebrow as he looked back over his shoulder at her. “How complicated can it possibly be?”

“You'd be amazed,” said Alberto.

“All right,” sighed Giglioli. “We'll figure something out.”

-

While all these dramatic events went on in San Giuseppe, off the coast of Portorosso Ciccio and Ercole were sweeping out construction debris that had found its way into the Donzella house earlier in the day. The physics of doing this underwater were somewhat complicated and did very much require both of them to make sure no bits got away. Worse, Signora Donzella hovered over them and watched, and Ciccio expected at any moment to be asked how he could have gotten to his age without learning how to sweep a floor.

But she didn't seem to have noticed at all. She offered a shell full of what first appeared to be gumballs, until Ciccio realized they were actually colourful, sowbug-like creatures.

“Would you like some isopods?” she asked.

“Grazie, Signora,” said Ciccio, and popped one into his mouth to see what it was like. It turned out to be much like a gumball after all, with a crunchy shell and a soft inside that was both salty and sweet.

Ercole must have figured if Ciccio ate one then it must be all right. He took a handful for himself and started to much on them, only to make a sudden muffled noise of pain and spit one back out again. Now uncurled, the little creature turned itself right side up and swam away, wiggling its many legs.

“Oh, dear,” said Signora Donzella. “You do have to bite them before they bite you.”

Ercole stared at her in utter horror for a few moments, before remembering that he had another isopod still in his mouth. He looked at Ciccio, who calmly looked him right in the eye while taking another isopod out of the dish, placing it between his teeth, and biting down. Ercole took the message, and swallowed what remained of his, whole.

Signora Donzella smiled as she surveyed their work. “That's so much better,” she said. “You know, you boys really didn't need to go to the trouble, especially after you worked so hard earlier today.”

“Yeah, we really didn't,” Ercole said pointedly to Ciccio.

“It's no trouble, Signora,” Ciccio said cheerfully. “We wouldn't want to be rude.”

“You know,” said Ercole, “when humans have guests they don't expect them to do anything. All the chores are the host's job.”

“Really? I didn't know that,” said Giorgia pleasantly, then looked a bit worried. “Arturo's aunts do have him and Silvio do some garden work in exchange for watching the football games. Is that all right?”

“Its' fine,” Ciccio assured her. “I'm pretty sure Concetta and Pinuccia work by sea monster rules.”

Silvio himself darted through the door then, and the first thing he saw was the shell full of snacks. “Ooh, isopods!” he said, and went to help himself.

“Where've you been off to?” his mother asked him.

Silvio put several of the tiny arthropods in his mouth at once and crunched on them, leading Ercole to make several horrified faces. “I went to give Signora Trota her shovel back,” he said.

“Oh, yes, I'd forgotten that,” said Giorgia. “Good job for remembering.” She moved the dish away as her son reached for more isopods. “These are for our guests.”

“It's fine, Signora,” Ciccio told her. “Like I said, we're not that hungry.”

“Then I'll put these away, or they'll all be gone by tomorrow.” Signora Donzella shooed at Silvio, and swam off into the kitchen.

Ciccio and Ercole both took advantage of her absence immediately: Ercole by theatrically coughing and gasping and spitting out isopod legs that had gotten caught between his teeth, and Ciccio by pulling Silvio closer to talk to him.

“Did you tell Giordana where we are?” Ciccio asked. He was pretty sure that returning the borrowed shovel had just been an excuse, and Silvio's actual purpose had been to let the Trota children know what was going on.

He was right. “I told Arturo to tell her,” Silvio confirmed. “He said she's worried about you.”

That made Ciccio feel a little better. “Are they gonna be allowed on land anymore?” If they weren't... Ciccio didn't know what he'd do.

“Arturo's Mom didn't say, and him and Giordana are both too scared to ask,” Silvio said. He turned his head suddenly towards the door. “Hey, did you see that?”

“See what?” asked Ciccio.

“The light in the kelp.” Silvio went to the doorway to look outside. “It flashed twice and now it's gone. Maybe it's the giant squid!” he whispered excitedly. “Did you hear people talking about it?”

Ercole scoffed. “It was the only thing the servants talked about at dinner. I think you're all making it up to frighten me.”

“We had one here once,” said Silvio. “Ages ago. I wasn't hatched yet.”

“Giordana told me about it once,” Ciccio agreed. He hadn't been consciously thinking about that when he'd chosen it was something to threaten Ercole with it, but it must've been in the back of his mind.

“Dad said he and Mom had to take my egg and hide in the forge,” Silvio went on. “Giant squid usually live in the cold water out base Gibilterra, so they don't like when it gets too warm.” He turned to Ercole. “And they're not very fast, so probably even you could outswim one. Probably.”

“Don't try to bully me, Squaletto,” said Ercole. “It doesn't suit you.”

With the cleanup done to Signora Donzella's satisfaction, she led them out to the newly roofed barn, bringing along a string of softly glowing jellyfish which she towed by the tentacles like a bundle of balloons. Inside, her husband had set out mats of sponges and seaweed, and filled an old honey jar with bioluminescent plankton so they'd have a lantern.

“Here you go, boys,” he said. “I hope you'll be comfortable. If you need anything, you can wake up Junior.”

Ercole had just opened his mouth, presumably to ask why there were three sleeping mats instead of two. With the question answered before it could be asked, he closed it again and watched Silvio settle down on the nearest mat and grin.

“It'll be like camping out!” Silvio said happily.

“Thank you,” said Ciccio firmly. “I hope you guys can come up and visit us at the bakery sometimes.”

“We should,” said Silvio. “The bread him and Giordana make is really yummy. My favourite is the kind with the olives, but the one with the sardines is also great!”

“We should try putting isopods in it,” said Ciccio, mostly to gross Ercole out. It worked.

“Nah,” Silvio said. “They go mushy when you cook them.”

Ercole covered his mouth with one had, as if afraid he would throw up.

Giorgia Donzella gave her son a kiss on the cheek and wished him a good night, and her husband reminded the boy that he was responsible for looking after their guests. Then the adults left the three boys alone to settle down and sleep. Ciccio considered the bedding he'd been given, and decided he'd better sleep on his stomach. He still had sponge pieces all over his spines, but if any of those came off he might rip the mat to shreds. That was no way to thank the Donzellas for their hospitality.

Silvio was also on his stomach, but in his case it was because his stiff, shark-like dorsal fin could not fold down out of the way. Ercole was having no trouble lying on his back, although it took a bit of squirming for him to find a comfortable position without pinning his fin under his shirt.

“I hope Papá manages to sleep all right,” said Ciccio. Ottonello had been very specific about not wanting Ciccio spending the night underwater, but here he was, doing exactly that. It sounded as if he spent a lot more time worrying about Ciccio in general than he normally admitted.

“I could go tell him you're here,” Silvio suggested. “He knows Dad and me.”

Ciccio propped himself up on his elbows to look at the younger boy. His first reaction was that might be a good idea. Just knowing where Ciccio was would probably help a lot – but there was a problem. “Is it safe to go out by yourself after dark?” he asked.

“Normally I'm not allowed,” Silvio admitted, “but Mom and Dad said you could ask me for anything you needed.” He grinned mischievously. “I could talk to your parents, too,” he suggested to Ercole, “if you tell me where to find them.”

“Don't you dare,” said Ercole immediately.

“He doesn't want anybody to know this happened to him,” Ciccio said.

“And my parents won't care anyway,” Ercole added. “I've been away overnight before. They figure I'll get home when I get home. Sometimes I think if I just disappeared they wouldn't even look for me.”

“Really?” asked Ciccio. He knew very little about Ercole's relationship with his parents, having only met them once or twice. They'd seemed very permissive, even indulgent. He would not have thought of them as neglectful. Had Ercole spent the whole day wondering whether his parents would care if he never came back?

Ercole glared at him, and his tone changed abruptly. “They trust me,” he huffed, “unlike some parents who yap at their children's heels everywhere they go and send their friends to spy on them. Anyway, don't you say a word to them or anyone else,” he told Silvio. “If anyone in the town finds out about this, I will never be taken seriously again.”

Ciccio snorted. As if anybody took Ercole seriously anymore.

“Your secret's safe with me,” said Silvio cheerfully. He wiggled a little, getting his toes into the end of the sponge mat to stretched it out a bit. “Hey, why is the ocean blue?” he asked.

“How should I know?” Ercole said. “I think it's something to do with reflecting the sky.”

Silvio rolled his eyes. “It's blue because the land never waves back!”

There was a moment of silence as Ciccio and Ercole both figured out what that meant. Then Ercole snorted, and Ciccio groaned at the pun.

“Why did the lobster turn red?” Silvio tried next.

“Because they dumped it into boiling water, still alive,” snarled Ercole.

“Why?” Ciccio asked.

Silvio giggled. “Because it saw the ocean's bottom!”

This time Ciccio could help a snicker, even as Ercole scoffed.

“What's the strongest creature in the sea?” Silvio tried next.

“What?” asked Ciccio.

“A mussel!”

Ercole let out a bark of laughter, then quickly silenced himself. “Not bad, Squaletto,” he admitted grudgingly. “Not bad.”

[xxx-sir-pentious-xxx]

Truly Heavenly au

Dark topic: kidnapping, a deer you know, gods a nut tbh, no sympathy for the cherubs

Part 2

It was a odd morning, he felt lighter and when he looked in the mirror he saw his halo was different, he poked it lightly and giggled,

"Oh it's kinda pretty..."

He got dressed feeling a sense of purpose, he wanted to show Emily his halo, but he learned she was banished after some sort of huge fight last night with Sera.

He showed Sera the halo hoping at least someone could maybe tell him about it but he just got a look of disgust from her. For some reason everyone he talked to about it found it unappealing. All he knew was the rocks they threw at him didnt hit him, as if he had a force field.

Despite not being physically hurt it still hurt his feelings that people only seem to be ramping up the torment. Somewhere in his mind a feminine voice whispered comforting words, soft affirmations and helped him get away from the hostile people.

He found a place to hide, where no one could hurt him and where he could cry.

The God that was trying so hard to protect their only worthy soul they could inhabit felt their heart break for him, he was sweet and he simply didn't deserve the torment. A torment only brought from his ex sinner status.

He heard her soft voice speak to him,

"My poor vessel... my poor poor angel... dont you worry.... you'll make them understand... you'll prove yourself as more than the sums of your parts my dear.."

Pentious looked around,

"How will I prove that? I'm just a soul.."

The Gods touch was unseen but felt strongly as he was soothed.

"You will grow stronger that's how, your more than a soul now... you've been around long enough, you've earned your angel feathers... I'll protect you... I'm sorry I cant do anything more..."

The God expected cruel words after saying that, she expected it because no one shes encountered ever understood or were at least patronizing. She was stretched thin she wasnt as strong as before, the lack of faith people had hurt her. Yet. She hears,

"I understand... thank you for being here anyway, it's better than nothing at all, for that I'm thankful."

Pentious spoke with honesty and a level of empathy that was sorely needed in heaven, she poured a bit more of herself into him adding another flair to his halo hoping hed be able to help himself.

"Here.. I trust you to use this wisely... a lot of power comes from the halo ya know.... you need to practice your powers. They arent strong enough from lack of use so you will need to practice on weaker forms of life like cherubs."

With that he planned with the devine being to catch a cherub and keep them, one that had recently shown to be rather callous.

It took a lot of time but he found the target talking in a tasteful soda shop, the loud mental groan from God made Pentious almost laugh.

"Oh my self, why are they so lame... wine is literally drank in church they can drink some damn wine once in a while..."

Pentious just waited outside kinda loitering waiting for the deer cherub to come out and quickly bagging them in a backpack he had to buy specifically for this. The cherub freaked out all zipped up and had to get slammed into the wall to be shut up.

"I hope their not dead."

Pentious went home with the victim hed be practicing on, tying them to a chair and treating the bruise on their thick bulbous head glad they arent dead yet.

"What now God? What do I do?"

God, who was seemingly giggling about something spoke,

"Well just give them some time to dwell on the situation... gag them also okay, their coming to their senses again."

Pentious gags the deer cherub and ties it in place, he was a bit proud of himself needless to say and locked them in a room with sound proofing due to his building stuff being annoyingly loud.

Hed rest after and sleep hoping all this would lead somewhere good.

[herearedragons]

Hello hello ^^ From the OC Relationship ask game, for your Dragon Age ships:

39. Do they dance? If so, who's better?

40. What is a song that reminds you of the OCs' relationship?

Hope you have a lovely day!!

OC relationship asks

39. Do they dance? If so, who's better?

Zevran and Kyana: he's definitely the better dancer; Kyana doesn't really dance, but Zevran taught her something like a basic waltz as a part of helping her get some range of motion back with her bad leg (she has a limp after getting badly injured at the Tower of Ishal). They don't really dance in public, but in a relatively private setting, sometimes they will.

Evelyn and Sera: Evelyn's rigorous ballroom dance training vs Sera's 'spin you around as fast as possible until we're both dizzy and giggling and what do you mean this doesn't count as a dance' is pretty funny to me, but I think they find a middle ground that's fun for both of them. They're also about in the same weight/strength category, which means either of them can pick the other up without much trouble, so there are definitely lifts happening.

Neilar and Dorian: both good dancers and quick learners when it comes to picking up new moves. Funnily enough they don't dance that much, but when they do they're a pretty good match.

May and Blackwall: he's the better dancer, which. he's not great but he has the basics covered, and it's still more than what May has, which is nothing at all. She tried to learn, and she even made some progress for Halamshiral, but it's just not her thing. She'll accept an invitation to dance if it's Blackwall, though; he knows what he's getting into.

40. What is a song that reminds you of the OCs' relationship?

ZevKya: Imogen Heap - The Walk

Alright then (alright then)

I can keep your number for a rainy day

That's where this ends

No mistakes, no misbehaving

Oh, I was doing so well

Can't we just be friends?

I feel a weakness coming on

Neilrian: Florence + The Machine - What Kind Of Man

I'd already had a sip, so I'd reasoned I was drunk enough to deal with this

You were on the other side, like always

You could never make you mine

And with one kiss, you inspired a fire of devotion

That lasts for twenty years

What kind of man loves like this?

Sera and Evelyn (Seralyn? I guess it's Seralyn): EVE - Yoku

Let's love useless things. We don't have time to think about the meaning

You are mine. We love each other

We mimic what we desire

May and Blackwall (Maywall? I don't even know): actually didn't have one ready to go for them, but I'm assigning them Inkpot Gods by The Amazing Devil

And when the rain came down

I made a vow onto the dark

Please let her live just one more day. 'cause she is so much more than all her scars

(...)

And to those gods I will speak bluntly

We've an accord

If you ever touch or harm him, please rest assured

That you might not fear a man, but to a woman by the end you'll kneel and plea

Because I'm more than what my mom told me to be

[mlobsters]

supernatural s1e14 nightmare (w. sera gamble, raelle tucker)

dude being in that smoky exhaust vintage car reminded me of b dylan hollis showcasing his '78 lincoln continental mark v, it's a boat of a car (longer than the impala but 2 doors and puny backseat, no less). he mentioned it gets 7mpg. always thinking about baby and fuel expenses

see there's the advantage of being in arm's reach i was talking about, shake him right out of bed

DEAN Yeah, that makes sense. You're dreaming about our house, your girlfriend. This guy in your dream, you ever seen him before? SAM No. DEAN No. Exactly. Why would you have premonitions about some random dude in Michigan.

sam with the "i was right, jerk" stare lol

rolling my eyes thinking about that's some peak post 9/11 hyper patriotic bullshit with the giant flag on the police car, then noticed it's also an ugly modern impala ha

SAM I don't know what it was. I don't know why I'm having these dreams, I don't know what the hell is happening Dean. What. DEAN Nothing. I'm just, I'm worried about you man. SAM Well, don't look at me like that! DEAN I'm not looking at you like anything. Though I gotta say, you do look like crap. SAM Nice. Thanks.

so begins the sam starting to get freaked out over (dean) thinking he's a freak storyline?

SAM Dean, you saw them, they're devastated. They're not going to want to talk to us. DEAN Yeah, you're right. But I think I know who they will talk to.

excuse to play dress up

pretty sure i commented on this first time watching but it cracks me up that for his priestly getup, sam combs his bangs to the side. extra forehead also means extra sympathetic face via forehead crinkles

i know the mom (beth broderick) from something, all i can figure is sabrina the teenage witch, but i didn't think i'd seen much of that show? but she's so familiar and i definitely know her voice. ah well

i definitely know these ladies though?? the 5 mrs buchanans???? 17 episodes in 1994-5. focus, nic. the dumbass green laser gadget is soon

SAM I know it's rough, losing a parent. Especially when you don't have all the answers.

uh huh

s1e14 brendan fletcher as max miller / the killing s3e3 as goldie

thought he played belko in the killing for a minute and was very confused. both actors are named brendan too! lol

truly the green lasers that does me in every time. it's just so out of step with the general vibe of this show lol and thankfully never to be seen again

sweaty jared sighting

jensen was givin a lot of neck in this little gun cleaning situation

the classic grab for the amulet/chest. rewatched the clip from 2x11 because i know you can see the amulet sorta flash by like he had it gripped before he grabbed dean's face but wasn't sure if we see him grab him (we don't) but noticed that it's the mushy music theme at the end of that scene!! (also little insight into why the music reminded me of top gun!)

DEAN If you're gunna hurl I'll pull the car over you know, cause the upholstery…

surely they've got towels or blankets for protecting the precious upholstery being how often they're covered in blood and viscera. also, plastic bags aren't just for trash

sam sweaty and freaked out, dean doing a bad job at not looking freaked out

SAM Dean, I'm scared, man. These nightmares weren't bad enough, now I'm seeing things when I'm awake? And these, visions, or whatever, they're getting more intense. And painful. DEAN Come on man, you'll be all right. It'll be fine. SAM What is it about the Millers? Why am I connected to them, why am I watching them die? Why the hell is this happening to me? DEAN I don't know, Sam, but we'll figure it out. We've faced the unexplainable every day. This is just another thing. SAM No. It's never been us. It's never been in the family like this. Tell the truth, you can't tell me this doesn't freak you out. DEAN (After staring straight ahead for a long moment) This doesn't freak me out.

some cute little parkour there getting up dude's building, will i make gifs no one cares about again? maybe so

had to go brighten this up, look at those jeans pockets. how very 2000s lol. and i think sam's actually wearing boots in this sprint up the fire escape

of course i made the gifs. parkour!

sammy bout to walk into traffic, i'm sure dean taught you better :p

SAM Well, I know one thing I have in common with these people. DEAN What's that? SAM Both our families are cursed. DEAN Our family's not cursed! We just...had our dark spots. SAM Our dark spots are...pretty dark. DEAN You're....dark.

okay that was cute and i laughed

man, this actor that plays max is really good at this. i remembered him being he was really good at crying/playing sad but this conversation where sam and dean are trying to gently push for info on his dad and uncle, everyone does such a good job. max seems genuinely upset and scared but trying to put on a good front unsuccessfully, dean pushes but not too hard and then also is the one to be pretty soft about suggesting they should head out and let max get some rest.

fun fact i used this moment for my tiny sam and dean in my motel acrylic painting, you can take the first shower

MAN Well, in my life I've never seen a child treated like that. I mean I'd hear Mr Miller yelling and throwing things clear across the street, he was a mean drunk. He used to beat the tar outta Max. Bruises. Broke his arm two times that I know of. SAM This was going on regularly? MAN Practically every day. In fact that thug brother of his was just as likely to take a swing at the boy but the worst part was the stepmother. She'd just stand there, checked out, not lifting a finger to protect him. I must have called the police seven or eight times. Never did any good.

cps has problems too but that's who they should have been contacting

SAM These visions, this whole time -- I wasn't connecting to the Millers, I was connecting to Max! The thing is I don't get why, man. I guess -- because we're so alike? DEAN What are you talking about? The dude's nothing like you. SAM Well. We both have psychic abilities, we both... DEAN Both what? Sam, Max is a monster, he's already killed two people, now he's gunning for a third. SAM Well, with what he went through, the beatings, to want revenge on those people? I'm sorry, man, I hate to say it, but it's not that insane. DEAN Yeah but it doesn't justify murdering your entire family! SAM Dean... DEAN He's no different from anything else we've hunted, all right? We gotta end him. SAM We're not going to kill Max. DEAN Then what? Hand him over to the cops and say 'Lock him up officer; he kills with the power of his mind.' SAM No way. Forget it. DEAN Sam...

dean's face to the "promise me" line lol

SAM Dean. He's a person. We can talk to him. Hey, promise me you'll follow my lead on this one. DEAN All right fine. But I'm not letting him hurt anybody else.

this had to go down in only way where someone's hand is forced, painted themselves into a corner. far from the days where they can be like, if we catch wind if you killing someone, it's curtains 😠 (like kate in bitten 8x04) classic slip slide around a moral quandary

what a beautiful shot of him. and interesting with their pushing sam to admit that john never hated him, with this conversation. john raised them like soldiers, stole their childhoods, neglected them, etc. but he never hated them

MAX It wasn't about getting away. Just knowing they would still be out there. It was about...not being afraid. When my Dad used to look at me, there was hate in his eyes. Do you know what that feels like? SAM No.

feels like jared is *this close* to really hitting this conversation where he realizes max's mom got killed by azazel too, but felt kind of clunky. but it's also kind of an awkward vibe generally because sam's in puzzle solving mode and kind of fired up because he's figuring it out but max is still crying (and doing really well at keeping that despair and fear going so long). i think all the times in the rewatch i felt a little wobbly about jared's performance is portraying this type of emotion, think he just hasn't quite nailed down where to go with it

more sweaty sam out of nowhere which i'm blaming on sweaty jared

floating gun effects are rough. the knife wasn't great but it was easier to ignore but this is big and bright and shiny all over and they're rotating it and it's like mmmmkay. that's a real gun!

sammy with his one-time (other than when he's juiced up on demon blood) telekinesis, because if there's anything that's gonna bring out the psychic powers it's gonna be saving dean

ugh i forgot max killed himself. blugh.

SAM Well, I'll tell you one thing. We're lucky we had Dad. DEAN Well, I never thought I'd hear you say that. SAM Well, it coulda gone a whole other way after Mom. I little more tequila and a little less demon hunting and we woulda had Max's childhood. All things considered, we turned out ok. Thanks to him. DEAN All things considered.

in spite of him, bro! john's lucky dean was able to take care of everyone. as a child! sure, it could have been worse, that doesn't make it good either :p

my goodness sam giving the babiest sweetest puppy face in all the lands

SAM Yeah, maybe. Aren't you worried, man? Aren't you worried I could turn into Max or something? DEAN Nope. No way. You know why? SAM No. Why? DEAN Cause you got one advantage Max didn't have. SAM Dad? Because Dad's not here, Dean. DEAN No. Me. As long as I'm around, nothing bad is gonna happen to you.

moment of despair over how very much this is not the case, despite all his efforts

[originemesis]

@chasingrainbcws xxx

❝ --- Are you kidding me ?! ❞ She snaps, her frustration boiling over like a kettle left too long unattended. It made his little impromptu flambé prank look like a snuffed match. How much abuse was she possibly meant to take before kindness gave way to rage ? Pale palms slam against the table as she pushes herself up, the chair sliding back behind her as the cherub makes himself scarce. If it were anyone but Adam, the unnatural manner in which an unseen wind fans her hair like flames coupled with the smoldering scarlet consuming the whites of her eyes may be intimidating... but to him, it was likely little more than amusing --- in fact, it was probably exactly what he wanted. She so loathed to give it to him... but he was treating this with such blatant and dismissive boorishness... ! This wasn't a joke to her ! He was actively threatening everything she held dear; how was she meant to respond ? How could even she, with her kind heart and forgiving nature, not feel anger... ?

❝ What do you mean, what do I got ?! You've backed me into a corner and left me with no options ! And I am not your BITCH ! ❞ It isn't like her to cause a scene... but this professional business negotiation had turned into a hostile takeover; Heaven was blatantly declaring war ! ... And it was a war that Hell couldn't win. He knew that, but still prodded her to keep trying --- pretended that he might be convinced, that there was a way out of this ! He's infuriating ! She snarls, slowly trying to swallow her anger as she sits... palms still flat on the table with ichor claws digging into the glass. Her teeth feel sharper... her horns protruding from her temples. ❝ This is not a negotiation... it's a threat ! What the fuck does Heaven expect us to do ?! Lie down like dogs and just die to make your lives easier ?! Well fuck that ! If you want a fight, you'll get one --- and we might lose, but something tells me that Sera won't be very happy to hear that because you couldn't handle a simple negotiation, Heaven and Hell are going to war ! ❞ No... no, she wouldn't be. Sera wanted to keep the peace, above all else. Even if she had signed that approval... she likely was banking on the fact that Charlie would give in. If she heard that Hell planned to fight back --- then all of Heaven and its denizens could be at risk... and who would the blame for that fall on ? ❝ --- There has to be another way. ❞

Oh, so there's her mother's temper. It looked far more clownish on her- must have been the cheeks. Where Lilith's flash fury might have caused him to sit up a little straighter and work at taming a grimace into a grin, her demonic display is met with a yawn and a resting of his cheek into the grooves of his knuckles. When is a twerp like her going to realize that her role in this ten thousand year old drama is minimal at best? Well, unless she keeps showing her ass long enough for heaven's angelic security system to detect her fuming.

That'd be fun. Enough for him not to mention it even. Of course even if he wanted to, there was the matter of bread sticks and the third or fourth one he's sliding through his mask in one firm push. The chewing sounds happen behind the flash of firmly latched teeth, and he takes his time of the task before she gets a response. And it's apparently well worth the wait for him to have collected his thoughts when he hits her with the ever prophetic "-nah." As in nah, he wasn't kidding, and she was making an ass out of herself for no reason in particular. Just a little spilled blood of no one she should give a second thought over and likely didn't until it was him doing the spilling- oh well. She could be a hypocrite so long as she stayed hot.

"I mean what do you got? We're still negotiating ~ babe. No one said this is the final draft. Though I guess if you're too ah... rabid-" he denotes, flaring talons towards her unkempt demeanor "to put this little deal-a-roo to bed already, we can settle on the council's rendition and I can go on an extended paid vacation. 'Cause let's be real, hell warring with heaven? You might as well be farting into a hurricane." Clicking his teeth, he sets about stacking the documents one by one in order starting from the last and building to the first page by way of his angelic levitation curated by a simple swirl of a talon tip. Halfway through the stacking, he pauses on one page as if its contents had only just caught his attention, and he directs her attention to the fourth or so paragraph down by snapping his fingers and highlighting the passage in gold lettering.

"Real cute of you to mention my boss though, Karen. But I assure you she's more than happy that I'm the one having to orchestrate these... enriching encounters." Though by the way he grinds that out behind a forced grin, it's not the first word that came to mind. Another snap and the golden text begins to glow, prompting the blood moons of her gaze to follow.

"Tell you what. Us reaching any other agreement here is going to cancel out the council's recommendations. You- aren't in favor of my kick ass plan of multi-layer exterminations. So it seems we're at an impasse... unless-" Folding his talons, he rests his chin atop them, a knowing smile twitching at the corner of his mouth as he watches her skim the section.

"-unless your people were to become my people, of course." Nothing like keeping a diplomatic partner under strategic surveillance like a pre-arranged marriage ~

[omniblades-and-stars]

Omg pity party for the wip game pls 🥺👉👈

It's *drumroll* a Dragon Age fic (who's surprised?)

And because I'm quite sure I'll never finish it. I'll just cut off a piece for you.

She really didn’t mean be so sour. But she had always been prone to a rather stonewalled exterior already. She also certainly did not mean to trip on a rock in the dark on her way to the well and stub her toe so hard that she shouted, “Fenedhis! Stupid fucking, gods-damned rocks!” Her curses quickly melted into rapid, and quite loud, Elvhen curses as she petulantly dropped to the ground against the well.  The whole endeavor to fill her canteen all seemed rather pointless just then. So instead, she started plucking blades of the sparse, drying grass angrily, like they had done something to offend her personally. Easier to take her anger out on helpless blades of grass than try to wrestle an explanation that made any sense out of him. He just talked in circles about distractions, as though this … pain wasn't by far more distracting than anything they ever did together. She was more than capable of fighting off the end of the world and sharing her heart with someone at the same time, thank you very much.  In fact, by all benchmarks, she was under the impression that they worked well together. They fought intuitively on the battlefield, casting spells in frightening harmony, and he happily allowed her to bend his ear for information and advice about her job. Her job … not that she would ever be caught dead complaining to the shems about it, but she thought she made it quite clear to Cassandra and Leliana that she was not some prophet and she certainly was not a tool for the Maker. The very thought made her lip curl and her nose scrunch. And still, they named her Inquisitor without so much as a by your leave.  Bah, she was too old to be behaving like some lovesick welp. And she was definitely too old to pretend like being the Inquisitor meant anything other than it did: she was the only woman with the ability to close rifts, and she wasn't selfish enough to just wish them luck and be on her way. Because she would always do what must be done. They did not care that she didn't believe in the Maker.  They didn't care about the potential fallout of putting a Dalish apostate in charge. Her life was already in danger, and once this whole ordeal was over, she had an enormous target right on her head. The drying grass was coming out in clumps now as she stewed. Cold, hard dirt caked beneath her nails, and no, those absolutely were not tears sneaking out of the corners of her eyes. She barely noticed the dark boots approaching her as she moped against the well. How embarrassing.   "Valethen, you'll catch your death out here without a coat on. What … are you doing?" Blackwall asked kindly, catching her in the middle of throwing a handful of grass.  Like a child.  Embarrassing. "I believe Sera and Varric would call it a "pity party". I meant to get water, but I suppose I can't see clearly enough to make it to the well either," she said darkly without looking up. "I'm a grown woman pouting, Blackwall. It is very undignified."

[sakurarisen]

" look at me. " <3

Send 'Look at me' to re-catch Sera's Aria's attention in tense moments!

'Don't pace, you'll put a hole in the floor'. She'd heard that dozens of times from her vanguard, Yanqing - And any other time, Aria would've teasingly gestured at the floor of her chambers and pointed out she had yet to wear the crystal, almost frozen-looking surface down like he'd claimed she could. While she had no doubt such a thing were possible, given enough focus, friction, and time, she wasn't going to do so by a little pacing to get her worries and nerves out while her twin brother, Aelius, was busy with his own issues.

In fact, it was those very issues that had the phoenix crossing from one side of the room and back repeatedly, fluffy wings even fluffier in her concern, folded against her back. She'd hoped it was just her. She'd so very much hoped it was just a temporary issue, and one they could clear up quickly. That the fighting that had been breaking out, more and more by the day, would stop, with or without their input. That the snaps she'd overheard in her brother's temple about demanding all of their power, that they as humans deserved it, were just jokes.

She'd hoped it wouldn't transfer to any of the other temples... And then she'd heard it in her own, Frostlight's crystalline halls echoing with sneers she hoarded her near-immortal status as a sign of power over them - Something she'd never even before considered. Sure, she lived longer than the humans, but she could be killed, just the same as them; why would she ever want to... It just made no sense! Just like the mumbled promises to take it if they wouldn't give it had been enough to send Yanqing, along with Aelius's vanguard Alibaba, into strict 'guard mode', prompting even more concern and anxiety in the snowy bird. If something went wrong... If someone was hurt, if they couldn't fix this, if... If-!

"Hey. Look at me."

She wasn't sure when Zack had come into her chambers, but his voice and touch, gently gripping her chin and turning her head to face him, was more than enough to prompt Aria to stop in her repeated movements and let out a soft sigh. He'd always been calming, ironic for a wolf who often tended to bounce and run around more than any child could dream of keeping up with, and after a moment, she did as requested, looking up into familiar bright blue eyes. "...I'm okay."

His raised eyebrow and amused but concerned smile said he didn't believe her, and with his hand still holding her chin in place, she couldn't even look away to hide her own slowly forming smile. How he managed to bring one to her lips every time they were together was beyond her, though she wouldn't stop it - Unlike the shiver she tried, and failed, to hold back at his other hand reaching behind her to stroke along the side of one of her wings. She was fine - Well, would be fine, she wanted to argue. There was just so much on her mind, so much that made her heartbeat race-

"It'll be fine. Promise," Zack offered, and slowly, Aria's head dipped into a small nod. Somewhere, on some distant level, she doubted it would be. Her stomach had been in knots for days over it all, and no matter how much Zack promised everything would be all right, he couldn't stop things from snowballing if they wanted to, and Aria knew it. He could try, but the targets were the Fenix, it seemed - Nothing could keep people angry with them from being angry unless they wanted to stop.

Even so, the wolf's promise warmed her straight through to her core. As long as he was there with her, she'd be safe. Was safe. With him by her side, everything could be all right - and, just as slowly, she leaned in close, pressing a soft and gentle kiss to his lips. "I trust you. I... It's... It's still a lot, but... I trust you."

"Then how do we make it not be a lot for a bit?"

"Like this, I think."

With her chin finally released in favor of his arms curling around her middle, Aria leaned in closer still, trying her best to lose herself in his hold. Maybe if she tucked herself away in him, all the worries and concerns really could go away, just for a little while... Just long enough to remind-

"I love you, Zack... Thank you."

[hlfmoonshine]

hey, sometimes i get remarkably sad when i think about the pairings that once were. the partners that were the best part of my day. the worlds i'd built with someone else. there's a reason this blog is themed after taylor swift's song 'clean'. there's a reason why 'when the flowers that we'd grown together died of thirst' is featured on my about me page. i am haunted by the writing, the muses, the partners that i've lost along the way, to life, to the breakdown of friendships, to protect myself.

so raise a glass to lincoln and taylor. to banoi island. to margotofrph. to alex and honey. to frank and tyler. to my baby girl natalee. to the writer's garden. to maeve and alec. to magdelena and kit. to you, you know who you are. to juno and noah and salem and sawyer and caine and hanna and thea and silas. to the endless town rpgs. to 2011-2014. to dollwrites. to eleanor gallagher and the glass cage. to all the plot bunnies i've tried to make again but no one ever loved quite like you did. to theo and thadd and dia and nate and noah and pennyshore and ivy and noah and nash and lucien and nash and hana. to graceland. my beautiful graceland. to anakin and graceland. richard and graceland. to emmalee and hazel. to lucy and winnie. to andrew and lila. to eleanor and desmond. to sera and luis. to decker and millie. to asher and nellie. to that one harvest moon rpg in 2009, my first rpg where i totally got kicked out for never having played the game the characters i'd picked to write were from and thus didn't canon shit. to the couple who faked being together to go to a wedding. to standing on their doorstep in the pouring rain because even though they are terrible for each other, they cannot stay away. to finding out your girlfriend had your kid and you missed the first four years of their life. to meet cutes in the park where a kid throws something at you. to atlas and poppy. to evan and greer. to nighthawke and dragon. to caleb and winter. to cj and greer. to alex and greer.

there's a graveyard of ships in my heart. and i know none of these people will ever see this post. i want to send it out into the world though. even if no one reads it, no one visits a grave of ships anyway. i love you. i hold you in my heart. you still matter to me and i cried like a baby while writing this. i miss you. more than you'll ever understand.

[xcharmedxheirsx]

@xhelenaxleblancx​

Sera couldn’t stop fucking SHAKING. What the fuck was this? Well it was fucking OBVIOUS. It was yet another spiteful attempt at trying to make Sera JEALOUS. And it was fucking WORKING. She clicked off the video -- heart CLENCHING in her chest. And maybe there was a little bit of FURY there. But she tried her damnedest to TEMPER THAT before she finally replied. Downright GRATEFUL for the filter of text message. And that Helena couldn’t see the PAIN written across her features.

SERA: You really think I’m going to watch this whole fucking thing? SERA: It’s already deleted. SERA: You’re gonna need to try a little harder to get under my skin. ~~LIAR!!~~ SERA: Does Alex even know you sent that to me?

[sulky-valkyrie]

‘Whose blood is that?’ from the Hidden Injury prompts? my guilty rarepair is Fenris/Solas, but if you're not into that then Fenris with anyone! thank you <3

okay, so this idea is starting to run away from me, but I have TECHNICALLY filled it and will probably be doing another chapter/sequel that's a bit naughtier for @dadrunkwriting ~~~

A furious white-haired elf was something ever Varric expected to see barrelling toward him again.  "What the void are -"

"Where's Hawke?"

"Gone, Broody."  He shook his head.  "I wrote Rivaini and Daisy, but -"

A gauntlet pushed him back in his chair.  "I will rephrase.  Where did you lose them?"

"Adamant.  Western Orlais, but -"

Fenris spun around and stalked out.  The dwarf rubbed his face and sighed.  This was not going to go well.  And someone needed to tell Sparker to take a long vacation.

"What a prig."  Sera appeared next to him.  "And those tattoos, he must think he's even elfier than Solas."

Varric winced.  "Not exactly.  Can you go find Sparkler and drag him on a treasure hunt or something?  Keep him out of sight?"

The girl frowned.  "Not gonna let some pricked up puff of a man walk in here and-"

"Did you read my book?"

She snorted.  "’Course not."

The dwarf sighed.  "Of course not.  Look, Broody used to belong to a magister; belong as in slave?  I just want to soften the surprise so no one ends up with extrails as opposed to entrails." 

"Extrails."   She giggled.  "Nice one.  Alright, I'll get our pet peacock to go strut off somewhere."

He nodded his thanks and hurried out, right into the elfiest elf of them all.  Solas cocked his head at him curiously.  "It's not often I find you in the Herald's Rest."

"Technically, you still haven't.”  He looked around.  “I don't suppose you saw a pissed elf run past you?"

"Pissed as in intoxicated?"

"Pissed as in looked like he wanted to kill something."

"Ah, then yes."  Solas pursed his lips, looking faintly irritated.  "What is he?"

"Oh come on, are you telling me you've read everything but my books?"  Varris grumbled as he pushed past him.

Solas followed him.  "I skimmed it; does that mean he's your ex-slave?"

"Shit, Chuckles, never let him hear you say that."  The dwarf paused.  "Which way did he go?"

"Toward the cells."

Oh no.  "Is Erimond still down there?"

"I believe the Inquisitor planned to pass judgment tomorrow."

He sped up.  "Broody might have just taken care of that himself."

"I saw no weapon, how much can he do that quickly?"

"Wow, really?  Are you sure you even skimmed The Tale of the Champion?"  Varric scoffed.  "The man is basically half lyrium."

As expected, Fenris was inside Erimond's cell, and his hand was inside the mage's ribcage.  What wasn't expected was that he had an audience.  Isabela and Merril both looked like shit, and- 

"Blondie, are you insane?"

Anders shrugged and tugged the hood closer as his eyes flashed blue.  "Hawke needs us." 

Erimond made a pained gurgling noise and dropped to the ground as Fenris released his spine or his heart or whatever he'd been threatening to rip out.  "He knows nothing."

"Kill him anyway."  Isabela's voice was rough, and her arm tightened around Merrill's shoulders. 

"It is not our place."  Anders' voice had two tones in it, a sure sign that Big Blue and Angry was considering coming out to play.  "We need to go."

"Go where?"  Varric asked.  "Don't get me wrong, staying here is a terrible idea, but -"

Merrill looked at him, and the force of that glare made him step back a pace.  Back in Kirkwall, with all her fumbling and bumbling, it had been hard to remember just how powerful she was.  "We're getting Emjee back."

"She -"

"They."  There was Big Blue and Angry.

Solas nodded apologetically, then continued.  "They were physically in the Fade, no normal mortal can just -"

Merrill walked up to him.  Stalked, more likely.  Her fingers were still entwined in the pirate's.  "Then I suppose you'll have to help us."

The other elf blinked at her in confusion, then concern.  "Whatever do you mean?"

"The spirits speak of you."  She cocked her head to the side, scrutinizing him, and Varric wasn't sure if he'd ever seen the elf so discomfited.  "You're coming to fix this.  It doesn't balance any scales to leave them to die alone, does it?"  She swung that gaze back to Varric.  "And you'll be explaining to the Inquisitor that Fe - Solas here needs to take a leave of absence."

Varric frowned.  "The world is ending, Daisy, this isn't -"

"And I trust you to save it while we save Hawke."  With that, Merrill walked out, Isabela in tow.  Anders followed after them.  Fenris spat on Erimond's crumpled form before phasing back through the bars of his cell.

"What is - what did you just do?"  Solas asked, surprised and intrigued.

Fenris arched eyebrow then glanced at Varric.  "Not a fan of yours?"

The dwarf snorted.  "Definitely not my books, not sure about my person."

He shook his head and held up a hand, then let it glow blue.  "This is a curse that I have made into a blessing."  As it dimmed, he touched Varric's shoulder and squeezed gently.  "We will bring them back, or die."

The dwarf patted the gauntlet.  “The first one.  I just write tragedies, don’t want to live through another one.”

"You are determined," Solas observed.

The other elf looked at him.  "Hawke is important."

"Who's blood is that on you?"

Fenris glanced at the splatter then waved a hand back toward Erimond's cell.  "His.  Probably.  Don't worry, I left him alive for your Inquisition."