#Yes these are my favorite characters of all time

[hellspawnmotel]

Question: I notice on your Deltarune posts you focus on a lot about relationships and gender roles and such. May I ask why exactly? Just curious as to why find this aspect of this game so particularly interesting? Is there anything else you find interesting about DR?

well. first of all yes I find many other aspects of DR to be interesting lmao. the discarded vessel, the conversations ralsei and kris have when the player isnt looking, the dreemurr-holiday family split, anything surrounding dess, the connections to undertale, what gaster's goals are, susie's potential, kris's whole everything.... but as I've said before, I don't really like making predictions outside of themes and character dynamics. and I feel that for most of these things, I don't have enough information yet to really dig my teeth in analysis-wise, or else I don't have anything interesting to say that hasn't been said already.

as for why I fixate on the theme of gender so much.......

it just happens to be a theme I'm extremely drawn to and interested in

idk if I've ever vibed with a single character as much as I do noelle. it's like she and all her aesthetics were made for me specifically to love. and noelle is..... at least given the context of the weird route, she's kind of a girl of all time? not just in terms of being a great character, but her position represents femininity in fiction to me in the same way as like, rei ayanami or anthy himemiya. she's very much herself but in the eyes of the narrative and the viewer she becomes every girl to ever live. she's turned into a symbol. all girls are like the rose bride. there's just already so many layers and so much to analyze about it- not just from the game itself but how the audience receives and reacts to the game.

I'm a woman

my absolute favorite genre of video games is JRPGs from the 90s and 00s and let me tell you something about that. I could name more games that I have stopped playing after getting hours in specifically because the way they handled their female characters pissed me off so much, than games that I've come out of feeling like the girls were written at all fairly. how women are written in this genre, and in fantasy at large, is something I already thought about all the time. and deltarune is very much based on games like that! it's not the only thing deltarune is based on but it's the thing I personally have the most experience with. and given what we've been presented with so far, I actually feel pretty confident, for the first time in my life, that deltarune is going to continue to do right by its female characters and have interesting things to say about women in JRPGs, video games, fantasy, and fiction in general, if only in the abstract. it's something I've been dying to see done well specifically in this setting, this genre, and this medium for years. and I'm gonna revel in that as much as I can.

......writing this I forgot that you also said "relationships" and not just gender roles lol but that answer's a lot simpler. I just love watching and writing character interaction. and again, it's something I can iterate on a lot despite not having the full picture yet. it's fun and cool.

[nightbutterfly09]

"I.L.Y."

Hiii sorry for being busy this week. I made this short skit a bit ago so it might not be great..

Regardless I hope you like it.

Sae x f!reader (as usual)

“Ily Sae” you ran to hug him from behind. “Give me love and attention please~” you begged while explaining that your favorite character just died in an anime.

He frowned and turned to face you. “I have enough problems with you shortening the i love you in chat- don't do that in real life too.

“Oh come on.. it's basically the same thing!” You protected your pride all the while knowing full well it really isn't the same.

“If you’re gonna say it, say it properly” he pinched your cheeks and raised your chin. “That is if you aren't too embarrassed” he smirked.

You sighed and leaned against his chest. “Is it just me or you’re being uncharacteristically funny today?”

“Are you suggesting I’m not funny any other time?” You look at him weirdly. “Uh yeah- do you want to be funnier?” You question cutting yourself off mid-sentence, afraid that she’d hurt her poor boyfriend.

He glares at you. His eyes darken and you feel two big arms snake around your figure. You couldn't help but giggle at his cold demeanor. “Okay I'll stop” slowly your loud laughs died down.

“I haven't forgotten what you came here for, so say it properly.” He demanded and he leaned down.

“Yes, consol me-” “No, Not till you don't say the actual words.”

“I love you Sae” unintentionally your smile widens and your whole expression softens. He noticed a light pink spread on your cheekbones.

“I love you too cariño” he leaned down to kiss you.

Your lips danced together. It wasn't rushed. But the craving for the other's touch made everyone rethink.

“Wait, what about my character who died?”

“We can talk later.” He sighed wearily.

[princess-charlie-of-hell]

im so petty against many radioapple shippers. So petty that noticing how much they hate Lilith (cuz she's Lucifer's wife) and mimzy (cuz she stopped hell's greatest dad song) makes me one of the biggest fans of these two women and then I loved them unironically because I love women doing dubious things and support women's wrongs

Oh god yes the misogyny in the R@dioapple fandom is the reason why I stopped shipping it. I know that not every shipper hates Lilith but the bashing in comics and fanfictions I saw was just so overwhelming, even when I filtered out the Lilith morningstar bashing, Lilith morningstar is a bad mother/person and Abusive Lilith morningstar tag people still involved Lilith being "evil"

The thing I found ironic is that people accuse her of attempting to separate Lucifer and Charlie, being a power hungry manipulator and abusive and like do you know who is all that? Alastor! He literally tried to get between Lucifer and Charlie, we know that he is a manipulator, he literally sang that he wants to "pull all the strings" and then he threatened Husk and pulled the leash which caused Husk to be on his knees shaking and scared like shit, I don't care what people say that was emotional abuse and we don't how far he would went have went if Husk continued to talk about Alastor's deal

Don't get me wrong I love Alastor but the fact that people ignore how terrible he is and put the blame somehow on characters like Lilith and Roo because they own and force him to do terrible things despite him being a serial killer before arriving in Hell (no leaks please) while villainizing a woman who hasn't said anything yet and had like 3 seconds screen time

And my girl Mimzy, I never understand why People hated her, she didn't even interrupted hells greatest dad, Lucifers and Alastor's part was already over if she didn't had appeared they would have argued or even fighted, she probably saved Alastor and i don't care what people say, I love her part in the song! Despite never really watching Steven universe, I listen regularly to other friends and drift away because Sarah stiles is a phenomenally singer, that plus her character design? How am I not supposed love Mimzy!! Why does she have more character Vox)

And people disliking her for bringing the loan sharks to the hotel is just a silly reason like it is not even the worst what happened to the hotel it was slightly damaged and the radio demon and King of hell were there so it wasn't even in great danger(if Lucifer would have done anything to defend) like even Adam gets less hate for bringing an army of exorcists to the hotel and destroying it completely

How the two are treated in the fandom shows how misogynistic it really is, like a woman getting between a MLM ship is enough to make her evil in the eyes of people. And if they actually turn out to be evil? I support women wrongs and people love characters like Vox despite him being a evil, arrogant, asshole capitalist who we see brainwashing other people to buy his products. Why can't we love evil women too?

Alastor/Vox/Adam: killing and torturing people

Fandom : My sweet baby girls they are perfect and can do no wrong🥰

Lilith/Mimzy: Exists

Fandom: Pure evil! Power hungry whores! They don't deserve to breath the same air as my favorite male characters!

[newttxt]

20 questions for fic writers

thank you @strawhattery for @ing me, even though i do feel like it's a not-so-subtle urge to finish my current wips... (i need the kick)

for reference/those who only see my art, i used to be a fic writer who occasionally drew. that's obviously changed, but i am trying to write more, so you can find me at pseudoanalytics on ao3.

1) how many works do you have on ao3?

44, but only 35 are linked to me (9 are anonymous...)

2) what's your total ao3 word count?

347,773 😰

3) what are your top five fics by kudos?

while i nodded, nearly napping (suddenly there came a tapping) [haikyuu, ushiten]

redacted :/

the inherent romance of classical conditioning (or, the fine art of emotional recognition) [haikyuu, sakuatsu]

you're really pushing it (but you're going much too slowly) [haikyuu, ushiten]

redacted :/ (sequel to the first redacted...)

4) what fandoms do you write for?

most of my fics are so old i can't bear to look at them, but i'm trying to write more for one piece. then i've written a decent amount of haikyuu, pacific rim, and star wars.

5) do you respond to comments? why or why not?

initially? i absolutely do! but as any of my friends will tell you, i struggle to even reply to dms or texts. so alas. i drop off pretty quickly

i LOVE comments though, and i eagerly read and reread them frequently ;__;

6) what's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

oh sheesh. you may only ask once (so be prepared for the reply) which is a bad end for pacific rim 2. or i guess... a worse end. it's also a bit of a role swap au, if i remember correctly.

7) what's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

i... honestly don't know. i typically write happy endings. i like to write "missing scenes" and post-canon, so things tend to be rather open-ended or to just lead into the next part of canon. my memory is also not my prize-winning quality, so i can't really remember how my fics ended pre-2018ish.

8) do you get hate on fics?

i know i've gotten some ruder bookmarks, but not typically, no. i get more hate on art or in my ask box, but i honestly just delete it all, so it never sticks.

9) do you write smut?

yes, though its debatable if it's "smut" so much as "sex in such an irreverent context that it becomes humor." i cannot take sex seriously, so alas, i rarely write it seriously. i use it more as comedy and a tool for character studies. i do enjoy a stoic character's facade getting cracked open.

10) do you write crossovers?

i don't write legitimate crossovers, with characters from different medias intermingling, and frankly, i rarely do au's either.

but if i have one weakness, it's that i am ALWAYS a sucker for a pacific rim au. yes, i am rotating a one piece version in my head.

11) have you ever had a fic stolen?

i had a sakuatsu one reuploaded to wattpad under someone else's username. they deleted my author's notes and added their own, as if they'd written the fic, too. hilariously they even used my art for the cover.

it got taken down, but idk why. i never reached out about it.

12) have you ever had a fic translated?

yeah! i've had 5 translated, and i've had 2 turned into podfics, which is cool.

13) have you ever cowritten a fic before?

nope. i'd be terrible to work with, tbh. my writing process is a holdover from my journalism days, and the steps are a mystery even to me. i think i'll stick to drawing art for other ppl and their fics.

14) what's your all time favorite ship?

i will hold to the fact that it's asanoya from ao3. they were the first ship i got really invested in, and i see their impact on everything i ship to this day. they were my "blueprint," if you will. i still get smiley when i see art for them!

on the flip side... terezi/vriska was also a formative ship for me. but i won't discuss that.

15) what's the wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

rip go ahead and start talking (i'll pick up the slack). it's my 1-of-2-chapters ushiten fic that i should just mark as complete, since the first chapter can stand alone.

16) what are your writing strengths?

hard to determine your own strengths, but i think my dialogue/characterization are pretty strong, especially since i still regularly flex those muscles when writing comics. i also think i'm funny.

17) what are your writing weaknesses?

writing.

but seriously, i am so bad at sitting down and just hammering out a fic. don't get me started on outlines or longform works. i'd rather grab my pencil and start drawing, i'm afraid.

18) thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

i think there are ways to interweave words or terms in other languages, but overall, i'm a fan of just standardizing everything into one language. if your character understands it, i think all readers should be able to understand it. and i'm not a fan of when you're expected to scroll to the end for a translation; i think it interrupts the reading flow.

this is a generalized opinion though. i think there are ALWAYS storytelling exceptions, so if the other language usage is really important to your theme/intent, i can see why you would do this!

19) first fandom you wrote for?

please don't do this to me. it was maximum ride. yes, the james patterson books about the kids with bird wings. i wrote 4-5 fics, i was in middle school, and — as far as i know — they are still up on ff dot net. no, i won't elaborate.

20) favourite fic you've ever written?

hands down, it's the sakuatsu domesticity simulator. it's not necessarily my best work in terms of writing skill, but i also drew over 50 images for it and html coded it into an interactive story. i'm just proud that i started a big project by myself and i actually finished it!

it's my dream to someday make a whole visual fan novel. i feel like the domesticity sim was the first step.

oh boy i'm bad at tagging but if @syrupfog, @lawsbbygirl, @macabrekawaii , @bmouse, or @cooknumber3 want to go for it... :))

[thebigqueer]

ive been meaning to make this post for weeks but im trying to avoid doing hw rn so heres a list of my fav caitvi fics that ive read so far

"I Did a Number on You" by stingingscoprion (smut one-shot)

it's the author's take on the caitvi sex scene (or how they saw it going down, since it was released before act 3 came out). after i read it i was reallyyyy hoping that the sex scene would go something like this since i thought it would be right after the caitvi argument scene </3 sometimes i still pretend it was this way just cuz it was written so well and so true to their characters imo and it holds weighted conversation w cait apologizing etc etc that i think a lot of people were hoping for. i absolutely adore the way the author wrote out their dialogue.

"Creature Comforts" by belmione

this takes place after the battle scene. it's just a deep conversation between caitlyn and mel while cait's in recovery. vi is briefly in it but i really loved the take and again i thought the author did cait and mel a lot of justice because i loveddd the way their conversation played out. honestly i think it could pass for a deleted / unreleased scene from the show.

"you were the crash and now i break" by goldfyshie927 (smut one-shot)

one of my FAVORITE takes on caitvi hate sex. it takes place between act 1 and act 2 (so during the time that vis a pitfighter and caits a commander). cait sneaks out to go clubbing and ends up finding vi (who's also a dj in this fic).

"your dearest fantasy (i could be a good mother)" by shadowsandsouls (smut but also has a larger plot - multichapter)

BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK!!!!! PROBABLY HAS TO BE MY FAV CAITVI FIC OF ALL TIMEEEEE I THINK ABOUT IT SO MUCH!!!!! cait and vi talk about the prospect of having kids after sex one day and it basically goes into their journey of trying to get pregnant. the author did soooo much research into league lore and it has to be one of the bestest most in-character fic i've EVERRRR read. ALSO ALSO PREGNANT VI!!!!! this fic was the entire reason i even decided id be down with caitvi ever having kids because the author wrote their struggles SO WELL and SO REALISTICALLY. every single time they spoke i was just shocked at how accurate it was to their characters. if caitvi ever did have biological kids i will accept it in no other way than this.

"The Space Between" by urdnot_wrekt (smut one-shot)

it's a smut one-shot that takes place after the mel and jayce and vi and caitlyn meeting before the final battle. it's the author's take on what happens the night before the battle (yes cait and vi have sex again). but it's not even about the sex i think the author made the emotion SO poignant and i could seriously imagine so much of the heartache that cait and vi were feeling in span of this fic.

"crawling back to you" by sweetpea56 (multichapter)

it's a fix-it fic that takes place during act 2 but i believe it diverges afterwards. it's the author's take on some scenes we never got to see, especially from caitlyn's perspective, and it starts off after caitlyn interrogates singed. i really like this fic cuz firstly so much of caitlyns character seems very realistic from what's been put up so far and i feel like the author has a good understanding of her character. we didn't really get to see much of caitlyns thought process in season 2 which is why i love this fic becuase the author does a really good job of doing that and on outlining her redemption arc a little bit.

"A Thing That Wants" by esotericarms (multichapter AU with some smut)

it's a modern setting but it still takes place in between zaun and piltover. cait's a journalist and vi's a boxer. cait is assigned to report on vi and of course smut and romance ensues. i really liked this fic i thought the yearning was written so well and the au was such an interesting idea.

[elizabeth-mitchells]

Something I noticed in my Yellowjackets rewatch is that, whether she intended to or not, Laura Lee is the one who sent them into chaos? Coach Ben tried to stop her from flying the plane, which, you know, he was right, but it was also what he had to say/do as the Adult Authority Figure. But by getting on the plane anyway Laura Lee fully ended the illusion of his authority and any kind of adherence to the kind of civilized hierarchy they'd been trying to cling to, and all hell broke loose almost immediately after. Probably the things everybody does after that are not what she would have wanted lol but by telling Coach Ben to politely go fuck himself Laura Lee empowered everybody else to go wild.

yes!! this!! i know i'm biased because she's my favorite character but Laura Lee's influence on the yellowjackets entire plot is so so significant. the obvious thing is the way she encouraged Lottie to believe in her visions -> Lottie started believing in the wilderness -> literally everything that's happened because of that. but!! this thing about Coach Scott is sooo real too. she really was the first one to defy and actually full on disregard his authority. that absolutely was the the beginning of his downfall

and there's so much to consider about it too! like. the cutest, nicest, least threatening member of the team standing up to him and winning? oh that ruined him. but also! uh. she very much died. you can't blame him because she really insisted and nobody else stopped her either but... what if you can blame him a little? he's even more ruined!

and now i'm thinking about previous interactions between these two. there's obviously the scene in the pilot where she smoothly manipulates him into letting her make the whole team pray with her. but also there's the moment before she basically exorcises lottie. to be fair he was drugged by misty. but there was a crisis in the cabin, the girls might have been in danger, she asked him to help, and he just threw up. so useless... again, i know it wasn't his fault. but i'm thinking maybe it was then that she lost her respect for him and that emboldened her to stand up to him the way she did about that plane. "what are you going to do to stop me, coach? (because last time you didn't do anything at all)"

and one last thought! as if laura lee defying him and even dying to make it worse wasn't enough to completely ruin his reputation and authority, what happens next with him? who's next to brush him off? lottie! lottie, who believed everything laura lee said and in turn will make everyone believe what she says. he tries to step in during jackie and shauna's fight, lottie tells him to stay out of it, he does, and then another girl dies! final nail in his coffin (and that's without even going on s2 and how he didn't participate in the jackie feast and didn't help when shauna was giving birth. but that's another subject)

[perseus-jackass]

I think one of the big issues with Tim is that the things that made him unique (upbringing /living family) were removed and other than that he is mostly just a modernisation/ revamp of the classic Robin for new audiences.

So Tim stans will look at a modern version of Dick Grayson (because our cartoons aren't set 40 years ago) and say it is Tim when it is just a modern Dick. Because Tim isn't as distinct as they think he is.

This is also present in BTAS Tim, people call him a fusion of Tim and Jason. But if he was called Jason instead of Tim there wouldn't be much of a fusion argument at all. It would just be considered a Jason adaptation where some Tim stans complained about design elements.

I think there is a weird issue in this fandom where people complain about characters stealing shit they had first. But Tim is especially bad in this regard.

(I once saw even someone say that treating Jason as the tragedy that was Batman's fault is stealing from Steph. This fandom goes wild with bias)

NO LITERALLY. The problem with them forcing him to be the “relatable robin” is that there’s nothing there to his character. Literally all he has is being Robin.

Pointing out the Grayson stuff is actually really interesting cause I’ve never thought about that. (This is mostly a Jason stan blog tbh) but yeah, I see that. (someone else said that Tim stole Dick’s bisexuality which is so funny adding this)

BTAS Tim is something I have discussed before a few times because that is just Jason Todd. You’re absolutely right to say there’s no fusion element that is literally Jason with Tim’s name slapped on it and he’s tortured instead of dying because it’s supposed to be more “family friendly”

I do agree with there being an issue of saying things are being stolen and I don’t think it’s just a bat thing (as in from just each other because my main outside example involves Jason) because people like to say that insinuating Jason may have been SA’d was stealing from Mia. Which I very much disagree with but now it’s not the time or place. The point is yes I absolutely agree that there is a problem with that within the fandom of not being able to acknowledge that more than one character can have the same traits. The thing with Tim is that he is such a blank slate that it’s not having similar traits. It’s just people projecting the traits of other characters on him. I think especially from Babs. I’ve seen so many things completely write her out and just have him hold her role. 

That Steph and Jason thing is fucking insane lmao. Steph is my second favorite Robin after Jason. I’ll defend her to the grave even more than Jason to be honest, but that is just a crazy thing to say considering part of her character is being similar to Jason. Like. First of all, Jason came first. Second of all, she is supposed to be a reflection of him! They are supposed to be the same!!

[samd1o1]

Silly Girls are my favorite character archetype

[front-facing-pokemon]

[call-sign-shark]

Lily, fasten you seat belt because this comment is going to be a wild ride. I've got so much to say that I must apologize in advance for the length and for the number of things I'm going to quote.

I enjoy the way you opened the chapter with Tommy's peaceful morning routine after his first night at the Dreadfort. The bond he has with Syndor is adorable. I swoon when the dragon pressed him against his warm scales and purred - he's nothing but a big baby, and I look forward seeing him act such with mama Lucy. The description here is particuarly vivid, such is the case with the lirbary scene. You really manage to balance detailed and efficient descriptions without writing too much nor losing the thread of it and that's very pleasant. The meet cute with Lucy was so heartwarming !! It felt like a romantic movie, with our favorite redhead dropping her books and the handsome, melancholic Prince helping her. It's so great to see Tommy acting like a bashful schoolboy with her, and her being all flustered. I want to hug these two babies.

“No, no, go on. It’s not everyday that I’m so casually threatened.”   I giggled so hard, this was so adorable and fun at the same time. Poor Lucy was shocked hihi. They just met and I can already feel the love radiating off them, they are so pure. I love the trope love at first sight and you did such a good job with it, moreover it suits these two love birds very well. The physical description of Lucy through Tom's eyes was so magnificent, what abeauty she is. No wonder why he was left flabbergasted. I particularly love the "brown sunset" imagery for her warm eyes.

Now, I wasn't ready for the awful reputation she has and how brilliant it is to reuse her nickname Red Demon! "And at the end of each session, Lucilla Bolton would emerge from the bowels of the castle, covered head to toe in blood as red as her hair2 Oh my gosh I love it so much, the rumors surrounding her are scary as heck - and they are rendered tragic when you know that she's forced to do it and that it is a torture for her too... I'm side-eyeing Amos hard here. With that being said, Tommy immediately knowing that there was more behind it mad me clap. YES TOM. Side note, the fact they are both quiet in nature and very observant is so greeeeat. What a team they'd make. "

Now, I wasn't ready for the awful reputation she has and how brilliant it is to reuse her nickname Red Demon! "And at the end of each session, Lucilla Bolton would emerge from the bowels of the castle, covered head to toe in blood as red as her hair2 Oh my gosh I love it so much, the rumors surrounding her are scary as heck - and they are rendered tragic when you know that she's forced to do it and that it is a torture for her too... I'm side-eyeing Amos hard here. With that being said, Tommy immediately knowing that there was more behind it mad me clap. YES TOM. Side note, the fact they are both quiet in nature and very observant is so greeeeat. What a team they'd make. "Those were not the eyes of a soulless torturer." SURE. And his observation doesn't come from nowhere since I bet he knows how to unmask real cruel people. The whole moment where he hesitates to suggest her to come see him in King's Landing is ADORABLE. Look at our little cold Prince already looking to meet Lucy more.

Aaaah you mentioned the episode in Highgarden and the fact she still writes to Lady Rose, this is adorable. I love that these two stayed in touch. Their friendship is pristine.🖤

Now I'm going to repeat myself but your treatment of Amos is a fucking masterpiece. To the point that you've managed to make me afraid of my own character. I adore how you can feel that he governs pretty much everything and that his presence is suffocating even when he's not physically here. That's something I already said in the previous chapter the but fact each character are very often saying "Amos did this, Amos thinks that, Amos wants this" is so oppressing and very much what I pictured myself. Especially when paired with Lucy's anxious body language when she spins her ring. And how she closes herself and reply that it's not a topic she wants to talk about randered it even more creepy. That's such a realistic traumatic response...

“I’ve never seen him so…taken with someone before.” GNNNNN LILY IIM SCREAMING. YESSS.

"For fuck’s sake. Focus. He forced himself to swallow around his desires” He's already so heels-over-head for head aw. And the moment he focuses on her lips and notices every detail - the fact they are a bit chapped but still look soft - is so intimate!

Okay now when I told you that you've managed to make me scared of my own character I wasn't joking. I literally stopped breathing when Amos appeared and, for that, thank you. Thank you for doing such a great job with him, to the extent of writing about his crushing and terrifying aura so well that even I can feel it through your prose. I am obsessed with the little body language things you add like this: "Lucilla quickly drawing away from him, a half frightened look crossing her face before it was wiped from her features, replaced instead by that tensing of her jaw, defiance already starting to simmer in her eyes. Like she was preparing for an argument. " This is pure talent. This, and the fact he's very often silently questioning/demanding explanations from Lucy. Poor doll, she must always feel cornered like a little animal in front of a predator. I swear when he left I finally breathed again.

"He felt his lips pull upwards a fraction. Ah. Perhaps that was why he felt such kinship with her." I didn't even think about that but now that I read about it... Yes? How could have I been so blind to this obvious link? They are both outcasted in their family so they are in the best position to understand and empathize with the other.

Aaahhhh the dinner scene... This comment is already too long but I really cannot stop and I'm sorry if I'm bothering you. Her conversation with Teddy was so fun. Especially that part about him willing to steal Tom from her, jokingly said of course aha. He really is a little gay ball of chaos and sunshine <3. As their conversation unfolded, I melted at how Tommy and Lucy looked for and silently greeted each other. Their almost telepathic bond (while they barely know each other) is something I really adored, especially that whole scene with Victor, when she mentally begs him not to say anything... He must have felt that Victor would have got back at her if he did.This is so soft... The panic she felt when she came to sit with her made me laugh so much, a real teenager in love I said. Pure first love.🖤 Like, the two of them brishing each other's fingers and not daring to do more hedkvletgdsdfs.. My babies. You really belong to each other. The "she felt safe with him", while just one sentence, is SO FUCKING IMPORTANT to Lucy.

Their whole conversation and Lucy's confession had me on the edge of my seat. As you wrote, the fact she's literally risking her life if words about her talking badly of Amos end up coming back to him madee the scene so intense. We can see that poor Lucy constantly live in fear of her family hurting her. But her description of Amos' opinion on Victor is on point. See, she's so observant and clever!! She managed to catch the little details while her father is completely oblivious to them. The whole confession was perfect and I was very tempted to copy/paste it entirely because... Perfection is not even strong enough. It's adorable how she's so worried for both Hev and the fact Amos is going to be King, granted him an immense power. Her fears are pretty legitimate and Tom's replies to them are exactly what I had in mind. “My cousin is no shrinking violet. She’s more than capable of protecting herself. And she has Kairaxès at her side.” // “Lord Bolton may be poised to be king, but I have no intention of handing over our dynasty or all of our power to him. Heavenerys will still be queen, and myself and members of my family will continue sit on the small council.” Absolutely!

Thomaryon shrugged. “You can, if you like.” He glanced over at where Heavenerys was still standing with Amos. Her arms were linked with his, smiling up at him adoringly. “But it won’t change anything.” omggg I loved this passage so much. Very spot on once again, and I'm still shocked by how your portrayal of Tommy is exactly what I intended to do with him.

broooooo, blablabla Elyas... ELYAS AT COURT. Let me side wth Lucy and be disgusted along with her. Bro, even Amos would be like "aha no. Go with Fynlor and let the adults work."

And last but not least... THAT FUCKING LAST SCENE. CAN YOU HOLD MY PROTEIN SHAKE WHILE I AM BASHING MY HEAD AGAINST THE WALL PLEASE??? The little mention of Aerthurys' mental health decaying since the wedding announcement and how stupid Thomaryon thinks it is, knowing that he was well aware of the outcomes in case he still wanted to get involved with Hev... This is so Tommy! I am also obsessed by the relationship you crafted between Hev and Tommy because this is also what I had in mind. He's acting both like a councelor and as a big brother. And Heaven gently teasing him about women is very much little sister-coded. Also while indeed strong and wicked, she is only seventeen; a bit naive and has been sheltered by Polly. You are 100% right.

“She’s…” Beautiful. Warm. Sweet. Fiery. “Nice,” he cleared his throat quickly. “I think you and her will get along.” THIS MADE ME GO BRRRR... OMG SO CUTE. He's already so obsessed - in a good way. Pls I need more of Tommy simping for Lucy.

Now, I told you but that whole conversation got me ecstatic. What a masterpiece! From Polly already showing beef against Lucy (yeah, I got the mean jab aha) to the "Oh he's wonderful --" //"Can you control him?" exchange .... Im yelling. The words "control/handle" Tommy uses and how he emphasizes on the fact that she has to be certain she can handle Amos not only today or tomorrow but for the rest of their life is so powerful.

As for one of the best sentence... “Then he will be my monster.” Just thank you. Listen, I got tears in my eyes when I read this, do you know what? Whether you did it on purpose or not, I wrote a similar thing in which Hev says "He might be a monster but he is MY monster" and the fact you wrote this line literally warmed my heart.

That was wonderful Lily!!!! HAT OFF.

Part 1: Hidden Devotions

Summary: Tommy and Lucy get a chance to speak to each other, and Lucy does her best to warn the Targaryens of the man poised to marry the heir to the throne.

Word Count: 5,924

Warnings: References to torture, incest, and violence.

Notes: Heavenerys and Amos belong to @call-sign-shark, and Rose Tyrell, Jared II Stark, and the other Stark boys belong to @justrainandcoffee.

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Chapter 2: What Dragons Dream Of

The early morning air was crisp against Tommy’s cheeks, a slight breeze ruffling at his hair. 

He tugged his cloak tighter around his shoulders, grateful that the Boltons had thought to provide them with some additional clothing more suited to the northern elements than their own. If he was indeed to start regularly making the trip up here to check on Heavenerys, he was going to need to get a whole new wardrobe for such occasions. 

Beneath his hand, he felt Syndor’s side flex with a snort. Seeming to sense that he was chilled, the dragon’s tail curled against the grass, bumping gently against the back of Tommy’s legs to try to draw him closer to his warm side. 

Tommy chuckled, leaning his cheek against his dragon’s inky scales, closing his eyes at the pleasant burn of them, the cold quickly banished from his bones. 

“Thank you, Syndor,” he said in High Valyrian. A purr rumbled from the dragon’s chest in response, his nose nuzzling at Tommy affectionately.

Tommy smiled, giving him a few strokes along his great side, just enjoying the warmth and comfort of being alone with his dragon. No distrusting eyes staring at him. No whispers behind his back when the utterers thought he couldn’t hear. No judgement burning into his skin.

He sighed, opening his eyes. Giving Syndor one final pat, he pulled away.

“I’ll come see you later,” he promised. Syndor chirped at him in understanding, curling up on the grass. He looked like an enormous, scaled black cat whenever he did that. Happy and content to doze in a patch of sunlight, a slight twitch wracking through his limbs every once in a while as he dreamed of whatever it was that dragons dreamed of.  

Tommy passed a few of the other dragons, most still slumbering soundly, on his way back to the Dreadfort’s gates. He felt awful leaving them out in the cold like this. Even if they did not seem to mind it. 

He stepped through the gates and into the courtyard, glancing around. It was early enough that most of the castle seemed to still be asleep. Not that he minded; it was good to have some time to himself before another day that was likely to be full of meetings and mingling.

Making his way back inside, he slipped off his leather gloves, rubbing his hands together against the cold. He stopped a bustling serving girl to point him in the direction of the library, following her instructions up a quick climb of the stairs and through a few winding hallways until he was pushing open huge oak double doors. 

He was greeted with dozens upon dozens of shelves, each stuffed near to bursting with books. Letting the doors swing shut behind him, Tommy picked one aisle at random to walk down, eyes sliding over the vast assortment of spines detailing practically every subject imaginable, perusing lazily for something that might catch his attention. He was impressed. Though it had nothing on the library in the Red Keep, it was still a surmountable collection. 

There was a sudden loud, heavy thud from a few rows over, followed by several more, and a soft, irritated mumbling. 

“Oh, for fuck’s sake…”

Tommy raised an eyebrow, following the noise to find the tiny Lady Lucilla between two stacks, attempting to balance an armful of books almost as big as her. A few had fallen from her grasp to land on the floor around her. She huffed, attempting to reach down to pick up the books even with the rest still in her arms. 

With quick steps, Tommy walked down the aisle to her, bending to help gather up the fallen books. Her shoulders stiffened at the sound of his footsteps, eyes remaining downcast towards the floor. 

“I swear, if you get on my ass about this too, I will–” she began to say, but immediately stopped, eyes growing wide as saucers and jaw falling open when her gaze finally lifted to meet his. Tommy felt his eyebrow twitch upwards again, fighting back an amused grin.

“No, no, go on. It’s not everyday that I’m so casually threatened.”   

“Prince Thomaryon…I am so sorry!” she stammered, cheeks turning the same shade as her hair. “I thought you were someone else.”

“It’s alright.” He reached for another of the fallen books.

“You don’t have to do that. I can manage,” Lucilla tried to insist, still looking adorably flustered. Tommy shook his head. 

“Nonsense. I don’t mind.” When he raised his eyes to her, it was to find Lucilla watching him, her blush seeming to grow when their gazes met. 

Tommy swallowed hard. She was even more beautiful up close than when she had first caught his eye in the courtyard yesterday. A tiny thing, somehow even shorter and more petite than Heavenerys. Slender, but curved in all the right places, with long red hair that fell in tousled waves down her back. Her fair skin was smattered with freckles even more numerous than his own, her eyes a warm, shining sunset brown.

But beneath the soft, wide-eyed expression, he could see a hint of the stern hardness that had been emblazoned on her face yesterday. A look which had only deepened when she and Amos had briefly made eye contact when he introduced her to Heavenerys. It seemed to be a common expression here in the north; a result of the harsh elements and distrust that seemed to permeate throughout the region. 

The northmen were a hard, wild people. They would do well to remember that. 

The Red Demon of the Dreadfort. That was what they called her. It was unclear how exactly the nickname had come about. During a break when they were flying up from King’s Landing, Aeda had started spinning stories about how Lucilla Bolton got the title because of her role as one of the Dreadfort’s torturers. That it was said screams would echo from the bowels of the deepest dungeons of the castle whenever the red haired lady would descend into their depths to convene with the poor souls who had been dragged before her. Some said that the screaming was so loud, villagers residing along the Weeping Water could hear it. And at the end of each session, Lucilla Bolton would emerge from the bowels of the castle, covered head to toe in blood as red as her hair.  

But one look in her eyes, and Tommy knew that could not be all there was to the story. Even if there was any truth in it, some significant detail had been left out; the picture left incomplete. Those were not the eyes of a soulless torturer. There was too much warmth in them.

“So,” he said, quickly looking away, realizing that he had been staring. “Are you checking all of these out…?”

“Returning, actually,” she straightened up, sliding a book into the shelf. Tommy finished gathering the remaining ones that had fallen to the floor, following her as she began to wander through the stacks, returning each book to its proper place. “Thank you. And I’m sorry again for…”

“Don’t worry about it.”

She cast him a shy smile, and he felt a slight swoop in his stomach that he tried to ignore. Fuck, she was pretty. 

“How are you finding the north, my prince?”

“Cold.”

She hummed in sympathy. “I imagine it’s quite grim compared to the capitol.”

“Have you ever been to King’s Landing?”

“No.”

He frowned. “Not even when you came of age?” Many children of the noble houses came to the capitol to be presented at court, usually with the intention of finding a wife or husband if they were not already betrothed. 

Lucilla shook her head. “My father wouldn’t permit it.”

Tommy cocked his head. That made sense, he supposed. Had she been presented at court, he was sure he would have remembered her. “He wouldn’t?”

“No.” 

“Why not?”

“I’m not sure. I don’t think that he thought anyone would be interested in the daughter of a second son.” She adjusted the books in her arms, an uncomfortable look crossing her face. “Anyway…the furthest south I’ve ever been is to Highgarden. But I was so little, I barely remember any of it.”

“What were you doing in Highgarden?” 

Lucilla stretched up onto her toes, trying to shove a book into a shelf above her head. Tommy took it from her, sliding it back into place. She cast him a thankful look.

“Something about Amos going to ward there. But the arrangement fell through while we were there.”

“Lord Tyrell chose the Baratheon boy instead.” Tommy was only vaguely aware of the incident. Something to do with Amos’s temper getting the better of him and causing Lord Tyrell to send him away. 

“That’s right.” A wistful look entered Lucilla’s eyes. “I’d like to go back there someday. I still write to Lady Rose, sometimes.”

“Lady Rose is a kind woman,” Tommy had not yet met her himself, but word of Highgarden’s most treasured flower had spread far and wide across the realm.

“Yes,” Lucilla agreed. “But usually Riverrun is as far south as we travel.”

“Your mother is a Tully.”

“That’s right.” She slid the last of her books into its proper place on the shelves.

“Well…” Tommy hesitated, momentarily worried that what he was about to suggest might be a little too forward. “Heavenerys and Lord Bolton will be expected to travel to King’s Landing from time to time to make appearances at court. Perhaps you and your family can join them, sometime.”

Something flickered in Lucilla’s eyes, a soft smile finding its way onto her lips. “I would like that.”

Tommy was suddenly deeply aware of just how close they were standing, their chests practically brushing. It wasn’t often that he found himself so much taller than someone. The top of her head barely came up to his chin. If he didn’t know any better, he would have thought that he noticed her eyes lingering on his chest. 

“I’m sorry,” Lucilla cleared her throat awkwardly. “I’m being so rude. Were you looking for something in particular here? The Maester isn’t usually in this early in the morning…” 

Tommy gave a shake of his head. “I was just looking around to pass the time.”

“Why were you up so early?” she asked, head cocking curiously. “If you don’t mind me asking,” she added quickly. 

“I like the quiet of the mornings. It’s a good time to think. And I wanted to check on the dragons before breakfast.”

Her eyes lit up at the mention of the dragons. “How are they doing?”

“They’re fine.”

Her hands, empty of books now, started fiddling with the few plain gold rings she was wearing. “I’m sorry that we don’t have anywhere better than the field to put them.”

“It’s alright. Truth be told, I think it’s good for them to be out in the open for a while, rather than cooped up in the dragon pit back home.”

She looked like she wanted to ask him something, but decided against it. “Well,” she glanced towards the door, “if you’re hungry, breakfast ought to be finally ready about now. And I expect Amos and my father will both be awake. Even if no one else is.”

“Alright.” He followed her out of the library and down the hall, letting her guide the way to the great hall. “Thank you for keeping me company this morning,” he told her as they descended down the stairs. Lucilla gave him another one of those shy, sweet smiles. 

“Thank you for saving me from my mountain of books.”

He had to push down another smile, momentarily puzzled at how many times he’d had to do so since encountering her in the library. It felt so…easy to be around her. He could not even have begun to explain why. She was a Bolton. Practically a complete stranger. He should have felt wary at best when it came to being alone with her.

“Amos and the princess seem quite pleased with each other,” Lucilla remarked as they walked.

“You sound surprised.”

“Amos hasn’t been interested in marriage at all. He refused every match brought before him until he was offered the future queen.” Her fingers were twisting at her rings again. “I’ve never seen him so…taken with someone before.”

Tommy cocked his head, still trying to puzzle out the details regarding the clear animosity between Lord Bolton and Lucilla. “You and him don’t get along.” It wasn’t a question, but she answered it anyway.

“No. Not since I was a child.”

“Why?”

Her pace slowed, shoulders tensing, jaw setting as though it were locking tight around the answer to his question.  

“Lady Lucilla?” Tommy pressed. 

“It’s not a pleasant topic of conversation.” An odd, faraway look crossed her beautiful features, as though her mind was somewhere else. Locked in some haunting, dark memory that had the color draining a little from her cheeks, the warm light flickering out in her eyes.

They came to a stop at a door leading into the great hall, her small hand enclosing around the knob. Before she could turn it, Tommy reached out, wrapping his fingers around her upper arm, turning her gently to face him. He tried to ignore the way something tightened in his chest at the feeling of the warmth from her body even through the layers of her dress. 

She looked up at him, eyes wide. She had lovely, full pink lips. Despite being chapped a little from the dry air of the north, they looked soft. 

For fuck’s sake. Focus. He forced himself to swallow around his desires. Lucilla was staring up at him, confliction apparent in her face.

“What…?” he began to ask, but the sound of approaching footsteps had Lucilla quickly drawing away from him, a half frightened look crossing her face before it was wiped from her features, replaced instead by that tensing of her jaw, defiance already starting to simmer in her eyes. Like she was preparing for an argument. 

“Prince Thomaryon. Lucilla,” Lord Amos Bolton said, dark eyes gleaming when he caught sight of them. “How surprising to see you together.”

“Good morning, Amos,” Lucilla greeted her cousin.

“What are you doing?” Amos asked, eyes narrowing at her scrutinizingly, shifting between her and Tommy suspiciously. 

Lucilla’s hands had clasped together in front of herself, gripping each other so tight her knuckles were turning white. “I…”

“I got lost,” Tommy interrupted quickly, flashing Amos a bashful smile, “trying to find my way to the great hall from the library. Lady Lucilla was kind enough to rescue me.”

Amos raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?” He was still eying Lucilla questioningly. She shifted from foot to foot. 

“Just trying to be a good host, Amos,” she murmured.  

Amos frowned. “How unlike you, Lucilla.”

She managed a weak smile. “Even I know to be on my best behavior when dragons are about, cousin.” She opened the door to the great hall, shuffling aside. “After you, my prince. My lord.”

Tommy gestured for Amos to go first. Once the lord had swept into the hall, he cast another curious glance Lucilla’s way.

“Thank you,” she whispered, almost inaudibly, eyes still watching Amos warily where he was moving to sit beside Victor Bolton, already seated and eating his porridge.

“Of course,” Tommy murmured in reply, deciding that now was not a good time to try to pry further into her problems with her cousin. He shot her a half teasing look. “Are you not normally a good host?”

With Amos a good distance away, some of the tension seemed to drain out of her face. Enough so that she was able to manage a small, mischievous smirk. 

“Oh, don’t you know, my prince? No matter what I do, I will ever get their approval. I’m the outcast of the family.”

He felt his lips pull upwards a fraction. Ah. Perhaps that was why he felt such kinship with her. 

“So am I.”

∗ ∗ ∗

Dinner was a quieter affair than it had been last night. Only members of house Bolton and Targaryen occupied the great hall, so that the families could get to know each other better without any distractions from the other houses. A few stood to mingle or swap seats as the meal went on, and soon the buzz of multiple conversations was flowing naturally throughout the hall.

Lucy sat at her spot next to Teddy at the high table, sipping her wine and humming along to whatever it was her brother was talking to her about. She wasn’t really listening. Her mind had been distracted all day, endlessly replaying the encounter in the library with Prince Thomaryon. The blue of his eyes staring piercingly back at her. The deep rumble of his voice. The way his lips kept twitching up at the edges as if he were suppressing a smile. The warmth of his hand through the thick layers of her dress when he touched her arm. 

“Lucy?”

“Hm?”

Teddy poked her. “You’re not listening to a word I’m saying.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but then closed it. There really was no point in trying to pretend. 

“Sorry.”

Her little brother–even though he was only a year younger than her, she would always think of him that way–cocked his head. His shaggy blonde hair fell into his face, that mischievous glow that was almost always present in his eyes starting to burn more earnestly. “What is it that’s gotten you so distracted all day?”    

Lucy wriggled in her seat, gaze darting across the great hall to where Thomaryon was sitting before she could stop herself. As if sensing her looking at him, the prince’s eyes shifted to fix on hers. She quickly looked away, feeling her cheeks warm. Beside her, having followed her gaze, Teddy grinned. 

“Ah.”

“Shut up.”

“I didn’t say a thing.” He raised his wine glass to his lips, grin broadening. “Can’t really blame you though.” His voice dropped conspiratorially. “Those blue eyes of his really are something.”

“I ran into him in the library this morning. He’s nice,” that last part came out as a whisper.

Her brother rested his chin on his palm, eyes still dancing with amusement, but something more analytical had entered them as well, appraising her face in a way that made her shift nervously.

“What?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smitten before.”

“I am not–”

“That blush you’re sporting says otherwise.”

She swallowed hard, frowning. “I barely even know him.”

“So?” Teddy smirked at her. “He keeps looking over here at you.”

She chanced a quick glance back across the hall to find that he was right. Thomaryon was indeed staring at her, but this time when their gazes met, neither of them immediately looked away. Thomaryon raised an eyebrow, one side of his lips tugging up. 

Hi, his eyes seemed to say.     

Lucy offered him a small smile in return. Hello.

“You should go over there and talk to him,” Teddy said in her ear. She pulled her eyes away from Thomaryon to fix back upon her brother.

“No.” Her hands fidgeted with each other, twisting at her rings. “I’m sure that he’s had more than enough conversation with me for one day.”

“I highly doubt that.”

“Oh you do, do you? And why’s that?”

Teddy grinned. “‘Cos he’s coming over right now.”

She felt her eyes widen, panic momentarily seizing her. “What–!?”

Teddy smirked, picking up his goblet. “If you do manage to snare him, I don’t suppose you’d consider sharing, would you?”

“Theodan!”

“I’m only kidding! Mostly. Good luck!” He shot her a wink, then stood from his seat and sauntered away to go speak with Prince Jon in one of the far corners of the hall.

Lucy drew in a shaky breath to try to steady herself, looking up when the prince’s shadow fell across her. The expression on his face was almost shy. 

“Lady Lucilla. Good evening.”

“Good evening, Prince Thomaryon.”

He nodded to the vacant seat next to her. “May I…?”

She nodded, hoping that she didn’t come across as too eager. “Yes, yes, of course.”

He sank into the chair, setting his goblet down onto the table.

“How was your first day at the Dreadfort?” she asked. “I heard that you were meeting with my father and cousin earlier.” The three of them had disappeared after breakfast to speak in Amos’s study. Something about discussing the structure of the court and small council once Heavenerys and Amos had been crowned. 

“It was alright,” he shrugged. “Productive.”

“Will you be remaining as Hand of the King?” Her eyes fixated on the pin clipped to the left side of his chest, glinting slightly in the dim candlelight. He had been appointed to the position during Pollyanna’s regency, and by all accounts had taken to the role as though he were born for it. 

“Yes. We discussed it, and Amos wants to keep me on.”

“That must be a relief.”

“Yes, it is,” he admitted. “We weren’t sure if Amos would want to name your father to the position instead.”

“Ah,” she couldn’t help but chuckle a little at the suggestion, even though she understood why they might have thought that. “Lucky for you, I don’t think that Amos is as fond of my father as he might initially appear.”

Thomaryon cocked his head. “Really? I thought that Lord Victor was his primary advisor and mentor after Lord Bolton’s father died.”

“He was. But I think Amos prefers to keep him at arm's length. He…” she frowned, struggling to put the relationship into words, “he knows my father is loyal. And useful. But I don’t think he carries particular affection for him.” It was perhaps one of a few things that she and her cousin had in common.

“But your father cares for him.”

“Yes,” she looked away. “He is the first born son that he never had.” It was impossible to keep the bitterness entirely out of her voice. 

Thomaryon reached out, hesitated, and then brushed his thick fingers across her knuckles to draw her attention back to him. Lucy swallowed harshly at just how much bigger his hand was compared to hers. It wasn’t until their eyes met that he seemed to even realize what he was doing, quickly snatching his hand back and leaving her to mourn the loss of his burning touch. 

“About earlier…” Thomaryon cleared his throat awkwardly. “My questions about you and Amos…I apologize if I overstepped…”

Lucy shook her head quickly. “It’s alright.”

The prince relaxed, face softening a little. “If there ever is anything that you feel you ought to tell myself or my family, you are always welcome to. Anything you say will be taken into confidence, and no punishment will come to you. You have my word.”

You don’t know my family very well, she thought sadly, but smiled at him for the gesture. All day, she had agonized over whether or not she should say something to one of them. If she did warn them regarding what they were sending Heavenerys into, and word got back to Amos that it was her who spoke up, the consequences would be dire.

But…could she really live with herself if she said nothing, and left the princess to walk into the jaws of a rabid dog potentially unawares?

She met Thomaryon’s gaze. There was something warm there, despite the icy blue of his eyes. She could not have entirely said why, but she felt safe with him. She did not doubt that he would make good on his promise of protection if that was what it came to. 

“You’ve heard the rumors about him,” she started to say, slowly. “About this place.”

“Yes.”

“And yet you promised her to him anyway.” That was the one thing she could not understand. Amos’s reputation was no secret. He wore it proudly. They had to know what he was. Why would they have offered him the future queen’s hand, and by extension one of the most powerful seats in the entire kingdom, if they were aware of all that? 

“Heavenerys is certain that she can handle him.”

“Can she?”

“Yes, I believe she can.” 

“Even if everything the rumors say about him is true?”

Thomaryon cocked his head. “My cousin is no shrinking violet. She’s more than capable of protecting herself. And she has Kairaxès at her side.”

Lucy nodded. The enormous, frost-scaled dragon was a formidable, legendary creature. She certainly would not want to risk his blue flames or sharp teeth if she was Amos. 

“He’s going to be king,” she said softly, her last hopes that the arrangement would fall through slowly dying, glancing across the room to where Amos was standing next to Heavenerys, close enough for their sides to be brushing while they conversed with her father. 

“Lucilla,” Thomaryon leaned forward, an urgency in his face. His voice lowered. “Lord Bolton may be poised to be king, but I have no intention of handing over our dynasty or all of our power to him. Heavenerys will still be queen, and myself and members of my family will continue sit on the small council.”

Lucy let her arm rest on the table, her fingers but inches away from his, aching to reach out and recapture the comfort that the warmth of his brief touch had brought her earlier, but not brave enough to actually do so. She nodded, letting his words sink in and soothe some of her worries. 

“Just…be careful with him,” she murmured. 

Thomaryon nodded. “We will.”

She let out a deep sigh of relief at knowing he had taken her warnings seriously and understood what he was dealing with. And yet…

“I feel as though I should say something to the princess as well…” 

Thomaryon shrugged. “You can, if you like.” He glanced over at where Heavenerys was still standing with Amos. Her arms were linked with his, smiling up at him adoringly. “But it won’t change anything.”

Lucy had to agree with him on that front. Amos was looking at Heavenerys with a similar expression of adoration splitting his face. Lucy shook her head. She barely recognized him. Never before had she seen him so…happy.

“We had to marry her to a northman,” Thomaryon explained, swirling the wine in his goblet lazily. 

“The people have been growing restless up here,” she concurred. 

“Yes. And with your house’s recent amassing of power, alongside how formidable the Starks already are, my aunt is worried about rebellions.”

“Why didn’t you marry her to one of the Stark boys?”

“Word is that Jared II is not particularly interested in the company of women, and the other two are already betrothed.”

“And I don’t imagine that the queen was all too interested in marrying the princess off to a house of any lesser standing than ours,” Lucy concluded.

“That’s right.”

She hummed, still watching Amos and Heavenerys, trying to discern if either of them were faking the love that seemed to be sparking between them. “Perhaps it will end up being a good match and I’m worrying for nothing.”

“Perhaps.” 

She looked back at Thomaryon to find him still gazing at her. The warm intensity of his eyes had her heart skipping a beat, warmth finding its way back to her cheeks. She opened her mouth, intending to change the subject to something more pleasant, when a voice interrupted. 

“Prince Thomaryon,” her father said, a hand landing on the back of her chair. Lucy felt her spine go rigid, jaw setting in a grimace at the unwanted presence. “So sorry to interrupt, but if you have a moment, I want to introduce you to my son, Elyas.”

Thomaryon frowned, looking like he was about to protest.

“That’s alright,” Lucy said quickly, knowing that if he refused his request, it would only cause a fuss between her and her father later. He’d probably accuse her of holding the prince hostage with her silly, boring little stories. “I’m sure that I’m boring the poor prince to tears anyway,” she managed a weak smile. Her father merely scowled at her before turning his expectant face back to Thomaryon.

The prince looked back at her, frowning a little, still looking conflicted. 

Please, just do what he wants. It’s easier, that way, she silently pleaded.

Whether he read the message in her eyes or not, Thomaryon stood, albeit reluctantly. “Alright.” But before departing with her father, he reached out, taking Lucy’s hand in his, and lifted it to press a quick kiss to the back of her palm. Lucy’s eyes widened at the softness of his lips against her skin. “It was lovely getting to speak with you, Lucilla,” he murmured, letting her hand go. 

“You as well, my prince,” she managed to stutter out. He gave her a small smile, lashes lowered slightly, light from the candles reflecting in his ice colored eyes. Her heart felt as though it was doing backflips in her chest, cradling the hand he had kissed to her chest as if she could infinitely hold the memory of his lips on her skin. Her father led him impatiently away, already saying something about his hopes that there may be a place for Elyas at court someday. Lucy cringed, feeling vaguely ill at the idea. She had been so focused on warning Thomaryon about Amos, she had not even gotten a chance to offer him a heads up regarding her brothers. 

“Cockblock,” Teddy muttered scowling at the back of their father’s head, coming up to stand beside her. “Ow!” he complained upon her elbowing him in the side.

“You’re going to get me into trouble,” she scolded halfheartedly while he retook his seat next to her. It wasn’t like she needed anymore of that. She already got hollered at for things enough as it was. 

Teddy flashed her a smile, as if he knew something that she didn’t. “Oh, sweet sister. Based on the way that he looks at you, I think you already are.”  

∗ ∗ ∗

Tommy rapped his knuckles against the wooden door leading into Heavenery’s chambers impatiently. It took only a moment for the door to be opened not by Heavenerys, but by Polly. 

“What do you want?” his aunt asked, looking puzzled at his presence. 

“I need to speak with Hev about something.”

She raised an eyebrow, but stepped aside to let him in. Heavenerys was sitting on a loveseat near the fire, working to undo the intricate braids her hair had been styled in for the day. 

“Hello, Tommy,” she greeted him warmly. “What’s going on? Is it Aerthurys?”

He sighed. It had been his and Jon’s job to keep their older brother from losing his damned mind during their time at the Dreadfort. Ever since Heavenerys’s betrothal to Amos had been announced, their older brother had been teetering on a ledge, moments away from spiraling into madness.

Tommy understood, to some level. Aerthurys had loved Heavenerys since they were children. It had to be agonizing for him to watch her be wrenched from his side and married to another man. But that did not stop Tommy from wishing that he could get a damned grip over himself. They may be royalty, but none of them were above duty. They had known that this day would come eventually. Polly had made it clear from the beginning that they would not be partaking in the tradition of incest that their family had enacted in the past. They needed to strengthen their ties with the other houses across the realm, and dilute some of the madness and sickness which generations of inbreeding had wrought upon them. 

Tommy struggled to understand how Aerthurys had not properly prepared himself for this moment. But then again, if he had any sense at all, his brother wouldn’t have gotten involved with their cousin in the first place.

“No,” he reassured, taking a seat across from Heavenerys, “it’s not Aerthurys.”

She tipped her head curiously. Polly sat down next to her. “So what is it?”

He hesitated, choosing his words carefully. “I’ve spoken to Lady Lucilla some today.”

Heavenerys’s expression warmed. “I saw you sitting beside her at dinner. What’s she like?”

“She’s…” Beautiful. Warm. Sweet. Fiery. “Nice,” he cleared his throat quickly. “I think you and her will get along.”

Heavenerys brightened further. 

“But…?” Polly prompted, expression still stiff. Tommy kept his gaze locked with Heavenerys’s.

“You and Amos seem to be getting on well.”

His cousin’s face lit up like the sun, eyes glowing with the brightness of a woman newly in love. “Oh, Tommy, he’s wonderful…”

“Can you control him?”

Her smile faded a little. “What…?”

He shifted in his seat, crossing one leg over the over. He hated to potentially throw cold water onto her happiness, but he needed to be certain about this. “Lucilla says that all the rumors about him are true.”

Heavenerys’s smile died away. Polly’s lips pursed. “Amos has been nothing but lovely and charming when I’ve spoken to him.”

“Of course he has. You’re the queen. And his betrothed’s mother. If he were rude to you I’d be questioning his intelligence.”

Polly leaned back into the loveseat, fiddling with the edge of her sleeve. “You’re really going to trust the word of a torturer?”

He frowned at the reminder of the rumors that swirled around Lucilla. “I don’t think that’s what she really is.”

Polly scoffed. “Thomaryon, when it comes to beautiful women, you’re not always the best judge of character…”

He sputtered slightly in offense. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“It means that you often think with the head not attached to your shoulders,” Heavenerys giggled.

Tommy huffed, running a hand through his hair and giving a slight shake of his head. “She seems frightened of him. And her father. Look…she just wants us to be careful, that’s all.”

Heavenerys tipped her head. “That’s kind of her to worry, but she doesn’t need to.” She smiled slyly. “I’ve already got him eating from the palm of my hand, and we haven’t even spent the night together yet.”

Tommy leaned towards her, staring hard into her eyes. There was a dismissiveness in her attitude that only worried him further, but that he did not know how to combat. She was only seven and ten, and–while she may have denied it–still optimistic and naive when it came to much in the ways of the world. Polly had always been so protective over her. She’d sheltered her, sometimes too much. 

“You’re the future of the realm, Hev. I need you to be sure that you can handle him. Not just today, or tomorrow. But for all the years to come. And in all matters. We can’t have him becoming another cruel tyrant on the throne. I can help you, but there’s only so much that I can do, even as Hand…” 

Heavenerys smiled at him, leaning closer, meeting his eyes unflinchingly. “I am sure, Tommy. You don’t need to worry.”

“Even if he really is a monster?”

An edge seemed to enter her smile, something flickering within her near glowing eyes, and he was reminded of the superstitions that his cousin was kissed by the cold, cursed with something wicked and twisted.

Perhaps, that really did make her the perfect match for the dark lord of the Dreadfort.

“Then he will be my monster.”

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[theandrosaur]

Ode to the Journey !

[luck-of-the-drawings]

OOH YEAH BABY ITS THE SURGERY EPISODE BABY!!! ME AND THE HOMIES NEED SOME NEW FACES FOR OUR NEW PLAN, AND WHO BETTER TO GET THE JOB DONE THAN THE TWO MOST EVIL PEOPLE WE'VE EVER HAD THE MISFORTUNE OF HAVING OUR LIVES VIOLATED BY? I MEAN IT WOULD BE FUNNY. IT WOULD BE FUNNY.

[lemongogo]

[redhoodinternaldialectical]

It really is fascinating that SO MUCH of what's spread about Jason via word of mouth apparently came from opposite world

The other Bats keep trying to reach out and connect with Jason and he keeps pushing them away? He grumbles and pretends to hate every bit of affection they try to show him? Absolutely not! Jason is constantly trying to reach out to them and is so down to receive/give a hug that Damian successfully used it against him in combat. Like, yes, half of Jason's bonding attempts were saw traps, but being bad at connecting with people does not mean he isn't consistently the one trying and the one reaching out and the one getting rejected.

Jason loves joking about his death? The other Bats walk on eggshells around the topic for fear of upsetting each other or him? Haha nope! Not unless we're talking exclusively about the Gotham Knights video game! Jason avoids talking about it at all, because it upsets him. Meanwhile the other bats are perfectly comfortable joking about his death to his face at his expense. Like some of those jokes have been cruel. It was only before he came back that they hesitated to say anything about Jason for fear that it would upset Bruce.

Dick and the others call him nicknames like 'Little Wing' that he finds embarrassing? Nuh uh! Jason is the one who loves giving the other Bats little affectionate nicknames. Jason is cheerfully calling him Dickie-Bird and it's making Dick's eye twitch.

Jason used to hate Tim? False! Jason has basically always liked Tim, meanwhile Tim used to loathe Jason so much that I've seen serious Tim analysis say it feels out of character.

Jason holds grudges forever and ever and ever? No. Jason forgives extremely easily. Like. Unhealthy easily. Here's a small sample of some things he forgave immediately without even being given an apology: being lured to his death, being drugged and implanted with a torture brain chip, being arrested and thrown in prison, being beaten bloody and thrown out of his home and city, having his throat slit and left to die. Not being avenged is kinda it in terms of grudges, and after UtRH, I'm not even sure if he still holds that one!

Idk, like sometimes one of the bats will be sympathetic to him? (Tim in Night Terrors and RHatO and one or two other things. Stephanie and Babs in Man Who Stopped Laughing, the alternate universes of Gotham Knights and Three Jokers) But pre-flashpoint and even most of the time now, the rest of the Bats are downright nasty to him.

It's so jarring too, because you'll be in Jason's head and he's going "yeah, this is Tim, The Best of Us, and my favorite :3" and then you swap to Tim who thinks of him and he's like "yeah, that's Jason, he's an asshole but at least his brute strength is useful on the rare occasions you can get his crazy, stupid, reckless, incompetent ass to listen to reason", and it's like that with almost every character! Even Duke, who has the least screen time so far and the fewest reasons to conflict with Jason, has apparently already racked up a compilation post worth of insulting him!

I think if you ignored everything pre-flashpoint and worked very hard at cherry picking and pretended that they were laughing with him and not at him, then maaaaayyyyyybe you could come up with a selection of comics to support Opposite World Jason being real? But on the whole I think there's far more weight on the side of the rest of the Bats just really not liking the guy, and treating him more akin to a Supervillain they have a temporary alliance with than someone who they actually enjoy being around.

All the haters have done is conclude that the other characters' attitude towards him is justified. *shrug*

(also a personal buggaboo of mine that isn't a relationship thing at all: people keep claiming that Morrison wrote Jason at his most violent and that is patently false! Morrison wrote Jason way less violent than Winnick who came back in like "Hey! Stop ignoring his crimes, we worked very hard on those!! >:P" and promptly had Jason slaughter nearly a hundred people at once)

The thing is that Jason haters get his relationships with the other bats much better than people who like Jason but are generally Batfam fans.

Those characters do not like Jason, they will always throw him under the bus when needed. He's the convenient scapegoat and it's easy to just put him aside because they don't need to inconvenience themselves with his presence there.

Also, whether or not you see them as a nuclear family, they do not support the member of the family that is just a bit harder to deal with - and no one is obligated to, but the thing is that, at the end of the day, the other bats will be there for each other, but they won't for Jason, because that would be just a bit harder.

(also, before anyone says "but they tried to reach out" - no, they didn't, not in any way that would be understood as such).

[amaranthdahlia]

paranormal brothers

WOO finally shigaraki twins art dump lesgoo

first off heres a facial study+headcanon thingy i did of these two cus theyre fun to make !!!

theyre not complete i think..? since i couldnt come up w anymore hcs 😭😭 i wanted more. anhways yeah also ofc things might change btw!

(this is actually a revised version but i dont wanna show yall the old one bc its bad hahdj)

anyways, doodles go!!!

andddd old art from 2022!! which u can tell cus of the age hc lol.(

[stemmmm]

its really funny how hard i fought not to get back into gf as my wife went down the billford rabbit hole when my track record for characters i get insane about now looks like this