#and i wrote MORE KISSING

[hollywoodsargeant]

HELLO IT IS BOYISH 4 honestly i am. Why. this is like almost 11k words which is for all intents and purposes pure lunacy bc like what even happens. kissing? a lot of kissing? idk but i hope you like it

they’re dumb as rocks. here’s a link to chapter one if you would prefer that

[inkskinned]

because sometimes there are invisible tests and invisible rules and you're just supposed to ... know the rule. someone you thought of as a friend asks you for book recommendations, so you give her a list of like 30 books, each with a brief blurb and why you like it. later, you find out she screenshotted the list and send it out to a group chat with the note: what an absolute freak can you believe this. you saw the responses: emojis where people are rolling over laughing. too much and obsessive and actually kind of creepy in the comments. you thought you'd been doing the right thing. she'd asked, right? an invisible rule: this is what happens when you get too excited.

you aren't supposed to laugh at your own jokes, so you don't, but then you're too serious. you're not supposed to be too loud, but then people say you're too quiet. you aren't supposed to get passionate about things, but then you're shy, boring. you aren't supposed to talk too much, but then people are mad when you're not good at replying.

you fold yourself into a prettier paper crane. since you never know what is "selfish" and what is "charity," you give yourself over, fully. you'd rather be empty and over-generous - you'd rather eat your own boundaries than have even one person believe that you're mean. since you don't know what the thing is that will make them hate you, you simply scrub yourself clean of any form of roughness. if you are perfect and smiling and funny, they can love you. if you are always there for them and never admit what's happening and never mention your past and never make them uncomfortable - you can make up for it. you can earn it.

don't fuck up. they're all testing you, always. they're tolerating you. whatever secret club happened, over a summer somewhere - during some activity you didn't get to attend - everyone else just... figured it out. like they got some kind of award or examination that allowed them to know how-to-be-normal. how to fit. and for the rest of your life, you've been playing catch-up. you've been trying to prove that - haha! you get it! that the joke they're telling, the people they are, the manual they got- yeah, you've totally read it.

if you can just divide yourself in two - the lovable one, and the one that is you - you can do this. you can walk the line. they can laugh and accept you. if you are always-balanced, never burdensome, a delight to have in class, champagne and glittering and never gawky or florescent or god-forbid cringe: you can get away with it.

you stare at your therapist, whom you can make jokes with, and who laughs at your jokes, because you are so fucking good at people-pleasing. you smile at her, and she asks you how you're doing, and you automatically say i'm good, thanks, how are you? while the answer swims somewhere in your little lizard brain:

how long have you been doing this now? mastering the art of your body and mind like you're piloting a puppet. has it worked? what do you mean that all you feel is... just exhausted. pick yourself up, the tightrope has no net. after all, you're cheating, somehow, but nobody seems to know you actually flunked the test. it's working!

aren't you happy yet?

[seefasterdraws]

from the homumiko mines

[strangersteddierthings]

In the 19 years Steve's lived in this house, never once has he slammed his front door like that. Too scared of his parents' wrath should it have caused any damage.

It feels good.

He almost turns around to do it again, a fuck you to his parents and every decision they ever forced on him, but then he remembers. They're all in there. Nancy, Jonathan, Argyle, Eddie, Robin. In his living room, making declarations and decisions about Steve's life for him. Or, well, one of them is.

Like his parents do. Did?

He didn't grab his keys, wallet, or even his coat, but he's not going back for them. It's cold, sure, but Steve's sure his anger will keep him warm until he reaches a destination. Any destination.

He just doesn't understand why- Why they keep doing this to him.

Why he keeps letting them.

No. No, that's a lie. He keeps letting them because he knows, deep down, he's not a fighter. Not for himself.

He'll put himself between the ones he loves and danger in a heartbeat; he's done that since the first time he watched a petal-faced monster peel its way out of the Byers' wall in '83.

But his parents trained the fight right out of him when it came to himself. It was easier to not argue, to just do what they wanted. They'd smile at him when he was good. They'd take him with on shorter business trips when he behaved. His mom would even allow a quick hug if he impressed a shareholder with how well-mannered and quiet he was.

He won their affections with obedience.

He's never- Nancy and he love each other now, but in the same way they all love each other after having survived the horrors the Upside Down. But Nancy never loved him the way he'd once loved her. That was bullshit.

Even Robin and Dustin. He knows they love him now. Will love him forever, going forward, but both had admitted to having a predetermined idea of who Steve was and what he was like and they weren't wrong but they also weren't right because Steve's never been Steve a goddamn day in his life.

Steve hadn't even known Steve until monsters came into his life.

The way everyone used to refer to him as the Steve Harrington was a judgement all its own. A thing that he was, and had no say to be otherwise.

Even Eddie, in the Upside Down, and now, in his own house.

Steve finally feels like he might be becoming who he really is and he's surrounded by friends and it just made him stupid. He'd thought it was confidence, when he pulled Eddie aside to talk, to confess, but then-

Eddie telling him he's confused. Like Steve is a child learning new concepts and not an adult who has been questioning how he feels about men since he first noticed other boys in middle school.

Eddie telling him, 'you don't want this, man. Not really.'

It's not fair.

Robin came out to him, and he'd just wanted to make her laugh so she would quit looking so scared. Eddie came out to him, and Steve had thanked him for trusting him. Jonathan, Nancy, and Argyle confess to all dating each other and Steve congratulated them. But Steve comes out and gets told he's confused?

And Steve didn't even refute it. Just got so hurt he couldn't be there anymore. Left his own house because he'd told Eddie he had a crush on him, and asked if he'd like to go on a date sometime and Eddie said no and told him he was confused.

Eddie doesn't get to decide that for Steve! No one but himself can decide if he like guys or not. No one gets to tell him he's confused about what he's feeling.

It's- that's bullshit, is what it is!

Steve turns on his heel and marches back to his house. His hurt has fully morphed to anger now.

Steve hasn't run away from a fight since '83, and he's not going to start now.

He rips his front door open and is greeted to everyone just inside the door, in various states of putting their winter clothes back on. All the faces look concerned, but he scans for Eddie's.

Eddie who looks relieved for all of two seconds, when it seems to dawn on him that Steve is angry, and it's directed at him.

"The appropriate response," Steve growls as he steps through his door and punctuates those words by slamming it shut again. (It's not as satisfying this time, because he sees how it makes his friends jump.) He barrels on with his words, eyes never leaving Eddie, "when someone comes out to you, is to say 'thanks for telling me' or perhaps even 'thanks for trusting me' or, if one is so inclined, to just say 'cool, dude' but you don't get- you don't get to tell me I'm confused!"

Eddie takes a step back, knocking directly in Argyle, who steadies him, but he doesn't say anything.

Maybe Steve should be more calm about this, given the audience, but he's not able to stop the words now that they've started. "I'm not confused, and I know exactly what I'd be getting into. You don't get to- to try and make your rejection my fault. If you don't wanna date me, just say so. But you don't get to try and tell me how I feel about you!"

From the corner of his eye, he can see Nancy trying to subtly shift herself and Jonathan away from the door, probably to get out of what really should be a private conversation, but Jonathan's a bit preoccupied by catching Robin around the waist as she lunges towards Eddie.

"What the fuck did you say, Munson!" Robin growls, arms swinging out like she's going to claw Eddie to death.

Argyle has inched back a bit, putting distance between him and Eddie in case Robin breaks free. "You dudes should probably talk this out in private."

"Byers, if you don't let me go right now-"

"Robbie, I got this," Steve says, because Robin shouldn't be turning on Jonathan when he's done nothing wrong. Robin continues to glare at Eddie for a few seconds before she makes eyes contact with Steve. He raises his brows slight -I got this- and she furrows hers -are you sure?-, so he tilts his head -yes, really- and she deflates in Jonathan's arms and allows him to drag her away.

"We'll just be in the rec room," Nancy says, looping her arm through Argyles and following after Jonathan.

Eddie doesn't bolt, which is a bit more than Steve expected. They both just stare at each other until they hear the click of the rec room door.

"Steve-"

"That was fucked up, Eddie," Steve interrupts.

"Yeah. It was," Eddie says, but doesn't offer up more, even though Steve is waiting for an apology.

"That kind of reaction is exactly why I didn't come out sooner. What would be the fucking point if no one even believed me? Or worse, if you'd given me that kind of reaction like, six months ago, I probably never admit to liking guys out loud ever again. You can't just- you can't decide this kind of shit for other people!"

"I know! I- I freaked out, and panicked, and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Steve," Eddie says, and he sounds sincere and looks almost fragile while saying it that Steve loses a bit of his steam. He doesn't want to just keep yelling at Eddie.

"Yeah. Well. Thanks for apologizing," Steve mutters, crossing his arms with a huff.

Eddie worries his bottom lip before he seems to gather all his courage and says, "have I fucked everything up between us?"

"No. Not- I'm going to, like, need some time to get over my crush, but no. It's- it'll just be take time-"

"No! I mean, I can't- if you don't, uh, like me like that anymore I get it, but I- what I meant was. Well. No, I guess that answered my question."

Steve is confused, now. For real, and not about his sexuality. "What?"

"What?"

"You did it again. Deciding for me if I liked you or not."

"Shit. Fuck! Sorry," Eddie drops his head into his hands and groans. "I'm fucking this up so bad."

"Than use, like, real, whole sentences and speak to me!"

"I like you!" Eddie blurts. "I have a crush on you, too, but I- I fucked it up!"

"Yeah. Kinda."

Eddie makes a really pathetic noise at that.

"Not so much we can't, like, figure it out, though," Steve offers. "Not, like, right now, because I'm hurt and angry, but like, I'm not going to stop liking you because of one fight. Not. Uh, not now that I know you like me, too."

"Oh," Eddie whispers, then frowns. "For real?"

Steve rolls his eyes. "I said it, didn't I?"

"Sorry, it's just, just good things don't happen to me. It's- I'm processing, okay."

Steve lets out a long-suffering sigh and heads towards the rec room. "If you want to leave to 'process' alone, I get it, but you're welcome to stay. We can get this party re-started and hang out."

Eddie's silent a moment, and Steve thinks he's going to ask if Steve's sure, but instead he gets a quiet, "yeah. I'd like to stay." and the sound of Eddie's footsteps following him to the rec room.

-

@i-less-than-three-you @nburkhardt @afewproblems @skepsiss

[rona-eser]

Together (3pgs)

[ceratedfish24]

People REALLY liked my Scottho post, which I thought might get maybe 17 notes if even that, so, uh, here’s a dabble based on literally one line towards the end of Etho’s 5th episode of Wild Life.

—————

“Best Decision I’ve Ever Made” -Etho

The rain lashed against the cobblestone roof above Scott’s head. For the sake of privacy and as a defense mechanism against Impulse and Cleo’s snoring, Pearl and Scott had put up cherry wood walls between the four color coordinated beds in the small base. Scott had thought about putting a window by his bed, but he figured it was best to keep his enemies from being able to see into his base in a death game. The blankets were heavy, and Scott was lying on his stomach, completely limp. His cerulean eyes drooped. Grian’s games were fun, but they were also exhausting. If he was being honest, his favorite part came after the games, when he was curling up in his bed with his cat and sleeping for hours and hours after a whole pot of pasta.

There was a knock on the door.

Scott’s shoulders had just settled into the mattress, but he shoved himself up from the bed. His chest was heaving just from pulling himself onto his knees on his bed, and he took a moment to decompress from that effort alone. Nobody else was going to answer the door. Scott is nothing if not selfless. He puts his weight onto his left hand, feeling it sink into the sheets, and swings his legs over the edge of the bed.

The teal haired man stumbled his way to the door of his room and leaned against the frame, running his hands through his bed head. If he was going to answer the door in the middle of the night, he may as well look the best he can manage to represent his team. Scott’s feet dragged themselves to the front of their base, shoulders sagging. Impulse’s snores were faint, but they were audible. Scott pulled his head up to look through the small window in the door. A black eye and a red eye looked back at him. The blue haired man shot upright.

“Etho?” Scott swung the door open towards himself. The poor man’s white hair dripped and sagged over his headband, covering it completely. Etho’s eyes were as sunken in as Scott’s, and they were almost hidden in the dark of the night. Water rushed down his skin, dappled with sun and age. The torches covering the base were like a bonfire outlining Etho’s lean frame. Scott was starting to think he had overdone it with the mob spawn-proofing.

“I know this-” Etho couldn’t finish his sentence, before Scott was dragging him inside by his dripping vest. Scott was too tired to notice how Etho’s eyes dropped to look at his lips, momentarily confused as to the blue boy’s intentions.

“What are you doing out here?” Scott slammed the door shut behind them and practically threw himself into his team’s storage. He fished out the thickest wool blankets they had. Cleo had prepared them for the team during the early days of the game, before they had walls and a roof over their heads to keep out the wind. They didn’t need such heavy blankets now that they were in a safe little abode, but Scott was a hoarder. This was exactly why. He wrapped them securely around Etho’s shoulders, and his hands brushed Etho’s neck. The white haired man was ice cold, but he wasn’t shaking. Scott knew cold like nobody else. Etho should be freezing. His teeth should be chattering, and his nose should be running. Maybe Scott would never understand how Etho had managed to reach such a point in his life that such conditions were normal to him.

“Bdubs stole my bed,” Etho shrugged, hugging the blankets closer to him, digging his fingers into the fabric. “You have- uh. Thank you,” Scott would not have been surprised if Etho was about to admit that he hadn’t seen a blanket in weeks. “I know that I was the one who said that we- uh, that we would keep it, keep this alliance on the downlow, but…”

Scott blew on his hands several times and pressed them against Etho’s masked jaw. It was tense. That must be why his teeth weren’t chattering. Etho stared at Scott. The tension in his shoulders, even under the thick wool, visibly relaxed, and his head dropped into Scott’s palms, which felt like a fireplace on Etho’s face. The stiffened joints in Etho’s neck audibly cracked, and Scott could practically feel the knots in Etho’s shoulders and upper back unraveling.

“You don’t have to apologize for wanting to be warm,” Scott murmured. Thumbs rubbed Etho’s cheekbones, which seemed to jut from his face. The blue haired boy made a mental note to feed this lanky man.

Part of Scott wanted to pull Etho’s head into his neck and cradle his shoulders, letting the man put all his, admittedly very minimal for such a tall survivalist of a man, weight on him. He pulled away instead. Scott pulled a towel out from the chest monster and draped it over Etho’s head. A surprised little “oh!” squeaked out of Etho’s throat, as Scott dug his hands into the towel and mussed Etho’s soaked hair, doing his best to dry it. Trying his best to keep his head still, Etho squeezed his eyes closed, as Scott bunched the towel in his hands on Etho’s scalp. The redstoner’s hair was pretty short. Scott didn’t have to try too hard to get it dry enough.

“Uh, do you have an extra, an extra bed?” Etho shuffled in place and rolled his shoulders. Scott did not have an extra bed, nor did he have the resources to make one. The G’s had yet to move their livestock, so shearing sheep would require a fifteen minute run to and from the island far from the rest of the bases in the rain and darkness.

“Yeah. It’s in that room,” Scott handed Etho a water bottle and nodded to his own room, pulling the blanket off of Etho. “You go ahead. I should set up a hook in here to dry this.”

Reluctantly, Etho pulled his mask down. Scott turned away respectfully, but he could hear Etho drinking. He sounded like he hadn’t had fresh water in a year, before he made his way to the ‘spare’ room. He stood in the doorway for a moment and looked back at Scott. The dry man did his best to ignore it, pretending everything was normal. Scott wrung the water out of the blanket in his hands and draped it over his shoulder, opening the chests to look for the materials for a tripwire hook. Etho’s eyes softened, and he crossed his arms, leaning against the wall.

“This is your room,” Etho stated. Scott huffed and half-heartedly picked through a chest for string.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Scott tried.

“I’m tired, Scott. I’m not clueless. The whole room is blue,” Etho argued. Scott threw the blanket onto the chests.

“We don’t have a fifth bed,” Scott mumbled, defeated, and looked up at the taller man. Etho shrugged nonchalantly. He hadn’t pulled his wet mask up. His lips had a scar running through them. It looked like it might have been from the same attack that scarred over his eye. Scott ignored that he was looking at Etho’s lips.

“So I’ll sleep on the blanket.”

“Absolutely not.” The blue haired boy sped over to Etho and practically tossed him onto the teal sheets. Scott closed the bedroom door behind him. “You’re not a stray fighting for scraps on the street anymore, sir. You’re my teammate, and no less.”

Scott tugged the blankets from under Etho and tossed them onto his frozen form. The warmth from when Scott was still under the sheets not too long ago seeped into Etho’s muscles. The older man had little time to react before Scott climbed in next to him, wrapping his arms around Etho’s neck and tucking Etho’s damp head under his chin. Etho didn’t know what to do with his cold hands. It seemed rude to press them against Scott’s warm shoulder blades. Scott’s neck felt scorching against Etho’s frozen nose. He doesn’t know when he had begun to let his body shiver.

“...If you insist,” Etho whispered. Scott’s hands ran through his damp hair. They felt like a mug of hot chocolate after a day in the snow. He felt like he was melting. “This is, like, the best decision I’ve ever made, I think.”

—————

Thanks for reading my little drabble!!🩵

[ganondoodle]

so, inspired by the warm welcome the captain received with that rough doodle i posted, i made an updated design for Ki'ita as well (basic and with clothes)

i removed the piercings she had bc considering that they spend the majority of their time in arctic waters i think having metal directly in your skin is a bad idea, no matter how thick your blubber is; i also gave her typical white markings a green hue bc ... i liked how it looked and makes them stand out a little more

(i will not repeat what i wrote on the post about the captain but wanted to add a bit of more info about Ki'ita herself)

(i dont have ALL of their backstory done yet but) the captain and Ki'ita worked together in another organization, one in which the father of the captains child also worked at, before being betrayed and barely managing to escape, after which the both of them founded their pirate crew (possible name is the Solar Pirates bc of their solar powered boat stuff); since the captain had her daughter shortly afterwards Ki'ita managed most of the organisational matters at first, including the construction of their base on an abandoned island they had initially fled to

over the years they invented the solar powered ships that allowed them to gain control over a large part of an important trade route, leaving normal ships (mostly) alone but attacking those of hunters and similar, rescuing demons and mutants, even some humans from them, most of which also join the crew and it quickly lead to them becoming their own little community

Ki'ita does not like to spend alot of time among large groups of people, no matter how much she cares about them, and her originally being from norther lands gave her the idea to explore, and if viable, do underground missions in those norther areas to disrupt the infrastructure the hunters had built in recent years and overall keep the crew informed about things that may otherwise stay hidden; with each of their travels her time absent from the base increased but the patience of the captain is wearing thin so its likely a serious talk is underway on Ki'itas third solo mission she nearly died due to entanglement in abandoned nets made by hunters from an unknown material that she could not break, the massive scars on her tail especially come from that, only surviving bc the date they were supposed to return to the crew had passed and the captain grew to worried about her and made the entire crew rush into an emergency search, including the captain herself and her toddler, who were not suited for the cold climate just like the rest of crew, taking a huge risk that Ki'ita still feels ashamed of for causing; they stayed within the base for a whole year afterwards, not just to recover but also as a silent apology, taking time preparing herself to ensure theyd not get into a situation like that again

(before departing on their next mission the captain gifted her a sword with the blade made from the material of the net, a wooden handle, bc of the cold, and a blue wrap around it reminiscent of the captains striking blue teeth; a reminder of what had happened, a means to defend herself when their strength and teeth are not enough, and also a promise to always return again)

the oldest members of the crew know Ki'ita well and treat her like an old friend, among the newer members she has more of a .. cryptic status, the mysteriously absent vice-captain who only appears every few months or so out of thin air, throws a big party, sleeps for a few days and then vanishes again, the only hint to when they will return soon again being the captain getting noticably grumpier

(OC art, Ki'ita, she/they)

[vigilskept]

gnashing my teeth thinking about how veilguard talks about the gods only as a joke when they could've gone somewhere truly crazy.... you're so right.

Yeah... you get it. It's just such a missed opportunity!

I don't even mind the jokey tone they use a lot of the time, because we all joke about things we struggle to understand/cope with.

Except Veilguard refuses to let you even try to broach the subject beyond that surface level. In fact, when it does let you engage with it at all, it manages to make things even less nuanced!

I'm just going to talk about Bellara's quest here since it's the most directly linked with the elven gods, and it's already a lot. Fundamentally, her companion quest is asking us two things:

Should elves be blamed for the actions of the Evanuris?

Should they preserve any of their past at all?

The first one is absurd to even begin with. It's not even a good or interesting take on the (very christian!) question: "Are we responsible for the sins of our ancestors?"

The Evanuris are not the ancestors of modern elves. Dalish religion implies that modern elves descend from those who the rebels never freed from slavery to the Evanuris.

This setup is already awful without looking at any of the parallels Bioware has (intentionally) drawn between the elves of Thedas and Jewish/Indigenous people. I have to put the rest of this under the cut because I genuinely don't think it can be shortened without making it sound flippant. In the context of the coding of the elves, the theological/social implications of all of this are so much worse.

TLDR: the indigenous/jewish coding of the elves makes bioware's treatment of elven religion in veilguard thoughtless at best, cruel at worst. they did not have to write themselves into this corner. there was a way of handling this lore reveal without the implication of elven religion (again, jewish/indigenous coded) being obsolete

So, the religion of the Dalish was part of their enslavement. It's the belief they were forced into by the cruel gods they are still devoted to. That's already pretty bad. How could it get worse, you might wonder?

Whether Bioware deviated from their initial inspirations for the elves or not, the implications for these lore reveals in light of those parallels are particularly cruel. Those two core questions in Bellara's quest? Yeah. Those have both been levied against the oppressed groups that Bioware chose to draw inspiration from. Both historically and presently. To justify atrocities against them.

And to be clear, Bioware does not deviate from or subvert the usual indigeous and jewish-coding of the elves in their writing here. If anything, they end up actively endorsing a very significant element of antisemitic and anti-indigenous sentiment.

Indigenous-Coding

Advocates of colonisation have always justified it by arguing they were 'saving' groups of people who were stuck in the past. They had been ‘left in the dark’ through ignorance of Christianity. In the more secular sense, this was framed as Europeans having journeyed through history to reach enlightenment, while the rest of the world was still in an ‘uncivilized’ state.

Christianity and progress had to be brought to these people to save their souls and bring them into the future with everyone else. Their Gods? There were only two possible ways to frame those. Either they were not real at all, or they were evil. Either way, they were obsolete.

In the Americas, these arguments were still used when corralling indigenous children into residential schools or tearing them from communities through the adoption system. Governments pushed the idea that they had to be forced to assimilate because they were 'backward' in their practices and beliefs.

In the settler-colonial state Canada, where Bioware is based, it's still common enough to hear people justify all of this as having been done "for their own good." Even those who admit that the ways colonization was perpetuated were cruel will still try to defend it by telling you, "it was bad, but their ancestors weren't saints either."

Sounding painfully familiar yet? A little uncomfortable in the context of Bellara's questline?

Jewish-Coding

Since the dawn of Christian Church, Jewish people have had a very fraught place in Christian theology. Christianity claims that that the coming of the messiah in the person of Jesus Christ makes the religion of Judaism obsolete. Christians believed the obvious answer to this problem was that Jewish people should convert.

When many did not, they were labeled as ignorant, obstinate, stuck in the past. They were so focused on their history that they couldn't see the truth which had been revealed in the present. There’s a significant legacy of this idea in Christian artwork with depictions of Synagoga blindfolded next to the clear eyed Ecclesia. You still hear echoes of this sentiment in antisemitic language today.

As for the nature of the Jewish God... there is some deviation here. For some Christians, He is God the Father, and He is good. For others — and this idea has been around from early Christianity till now — He is the Creator of the material world, but He is evil.

There are innumerable variations of Christian gnosticism that probably wouldn't be productive to get into on a Dragon Age Blog. What I need to underline here though, is that the idea of the Old Testament God as the devil/the demiurge/fundamentally evil, has been used to justify atrocity towards Jewish people for over a thousand years.

Should elves be blamed then? For the sundering of the Titans? For the Veil? For the Blight? For the evils of this world, created by their Gods?

Implications for Veilguard

Not only is religion in Dragon Age: The Veilguard often devoid of nuance or ignored outright, when the game does engage with it at all, it does so in a way that quite literally draws on these incredibly harmful antisemitic and anti-indigenous sentiments that have been (and still are) used to perpetuate real harm.

To be clear, I don't think the writing here intends to endorse the idea that elves should be blamed for any of what's going on. Bellara's anxieties are being projected onto her people as a whole while she grapples with what this all means for her, I get that. In fact, you could be generous and read some of this as a critique of this particular kind of anti-indigenous/jewish bigotry.

However, I don't think that absolves the writers of any of the implications they've created by confirming that the elven pantheon did exist and was canonically evil.

Elements of Dalish/elven culture might be preserved after all this, but the conclusion the game railroads you into is that their religion is obsolete. Just like Judaism. Just like the many Indigenous religions around the world. Except in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, it’s no longer just the bigotry of outsiders claiming that to be the case. It’s now the objective truth of the setting.

Going forward, the elves of Thedas can keep their culture, but they can’t practice their religion. If they continued to practice, they would be framed the way the Venatori are: evil and stuck in the past. This really can’t be overstated: this is the exact rhetoric that has justified centuries of violence and oppression of Jewish and Indigenous people. This rhetoric is still around and still weaponized.

It’s so cruel to create an in world ‘lineage’ that draws so heavily from their cultures and histories, then validate the rhetoric that has been used to hurt them. At best, it’s thoughtless. But as a company based in a settler-colonial state, this is something they should’ve put thought into, given that they chose to code their elves and Jewish and Indigenous. That was their responsibility, actually.

What gets me about all this is that they actually didn't need to force that conclusion at all. They could have kept the Evanuris as cruel tyrants without demonising the Creators and their worship at the same time.

The Evanuris weren't always Gods. They weren't even always rulers.

In Trespasser, when asked how they became Gods, Solas tells Lavellan that they did so slowly. That it started with a war. That fear bred a desire for simplicity. For right and wrong. For chains of command. That generals became respected elders, then kings, and finally gods.

Veilguard confirms all of this. The addition it makes is that before all this, the first elves were spirits who made their bodies out of the Titans. This all occurred over the course of thousands of years.

None of this needs to be retconned in order to allow for a respectful yet nuanced portrayal of religion!

TLDR pt2: bioware, u could’ve avoided literally ALL of this by making the evanuris part of a priestly class who seized power after the war with the titans. it wouldn’t even have undermined ur lore! u could’ve kept dalish religion alive! u could’ve implied complex political dynamics for your ancient elves without even having to write it! why didn’t you even try?

Trying to Fix This Mess

Say the elves took their bodies from the Titans and settled the lands of Thedas. Say the Titans even allowed this for a time. The dwarves were made from their own bodies after all.

Yet the elves didn't have the same connection with the Titans as the dwarves did. They had no stone-sense, so they couldn't understand the Titans' song.

Generations down the line, some of them took too much from the Titans. More than they were willing to give. That was when the Titans lashed out, making the earth tremble so that all the elves had built crumbled beneath them.

And what if the firstborn among the elves had taken up priesthood to guide the younger ones. They were closer to spirits than the elves that were born into this world, and so the younger ones looked to them for guidance. Maybe they were the ones who were trusted to reach out to the more powerful of the spirits who chosen stay in the Fade, their old kin who preferred to keep their distance from the physical world to preserve the essence of what they were. The spirits of Justice, of Benevolence, of Craft. Those who the elven people paid homage to, and trusted to preserve them in turn.

So when everything seemed to fall apart, the elves turned to their Keepers, their priests, and asked of them what they ought to do. How could they make the earth stop shaking? What would they have to do to be at peace again?

Whatever the spirits themselves may have responded, many of the Keepers (among them the Evanuris) took up arms and chose war. They saw it could be won so they fought, sundering Titans from their dreams and stilling the land.

And yet there was no peace.

Some Keepers sought to hold on to their power as generals, and wanted to wage war on new shores to keep it. Some Keepers thought they had already gone too far, claiming they had acted without the guidance of the spirits who hadn't wanted war.

These Keepers could've caused chaos and endless bloodshed, so the Evanuris formed their alliance to suppress the others. Likely, they thought they were doing so for the benefit of all the elven people. More war meant more death, and it was needless now that the land was still. And even if what they did to the Titans was wrong, it was done and they could not fix it. Better to silence those who meant to stir up fear among the people.

The Evanuris fought until they were the last faction left, naming the few holdouts the Forgotten Ones. They were praised for bringing peace to Elvhenan, and trusting in their guidance their people crowned them as rulers.

Yet some dissent always remained. None of them were infallible. They were no longer spirits, they hadn't been for thousands of years. They were now more accustomed to command than to priesthood after all that war. They had drawn on the power they had stolen from the Titans to gain the advantage over their enemies, and the corruption of the Blight was starting creep in, ever-so-slowly.

Maybe some of the people, unhappy with their rule, started to voice the thought that was expressed by their rival Keepers once more: that the Evanuris had grown distant from the spirits. That Elgar'nan didn't serve Justice anymore. That Mythal had strayed from Benevolence.

So Evanuris took the mantle of godhood for themselves. It was only for peace and stability.

It would be too dangerous if anyone could claim they were deviating from the will of the spirits, so they would claim they were those great spirits. Elgar'nan was Justice, Mythal was Benevolence. They would use their rule only for the benefit of the people, not abuse their power.

And there you go. None of what I've written above can't be neatly incorporated into the existing lore of Veilguard. It leaves the elves of Thedas precisely where they started in Dragon Age: Origins. Distant from their ancient Gods, trying to pick up the pieces of their forgotten past.

[mixtapedoh]

hi hi this isn’t a request, more of a “i do not have anyone else to scream about this with” BUT ANYWAYSS, idk if you listen to keshi but i was listening to Soft Spot on repeat and I cannot get woozi out of my mind send help. might have to start writing for svt at this rate. anyways back to studying for midterms i go, hope you’ve been well olive!

NOT A REQUEST BUT I CAN'T CONTAIN MYSELF BECAUSE FUCK YEAH YOU GET ITTTTTTTTTTTT.

also, hi jen <3 how are you <3 i have been habitually away from tumblr and that is my fault because i saw this like two weeks ago and was going to listen to the song you sent and then. simply did not. forgive me, forgive me, i am unworthy of such correct headcanons and vibechecks, but thank you for sharing them regardless.

ʏᴏᴜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ɪ ɢᴏᴛ ᴀ ꜱᴏꜰᴛ ꜱᴘᴏᴛ ꜰᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ .⭒˚.⋆˙⭒.✮

.⭒˚.⋆˙⭒.✮

"so i was just talking to hoshi—" you opened the door to your apartment and set down your keys, tugging off your shoes and already mid conversation, as had become your habit, after moving in with jihoon. you paused for a half second, just long enough to wrestle off your other shoe, and from somewhere deep in the apartment, you heard jihoon's wordless sound of interest. i'm listening. "—and he is somehow under the impression that we are going clubbing with him and the others this friday."

you walked into into the main room, your steps soft and meandering, where jihoon sat on the couch, his guitar next to him and a notebook resting on his lap. he had a pencil twirling in his fingers, and when you caught his eye and asked, "do you know anything about that?" he looked down and pretended to write something.

"yeah, i told him we'd both go." his voice did it's best to feign casual disinterest.

"you told him? you??" the surprise in your voice was giddy and sweet, bubbling like a can of coke just popped, carbonation fizzing.

jihoon still didn't meet your gaze. "you've been saying you need an excuse to wear that new outfit you bought a month ago... and we're spending that night together anyway. i knew you didn't have any scheduling conflicts." he was mumbling this last bit, and the erratic twirling of his pencil did little to hide his nervousness. "two birds, one stone."

you had the buoyancy to laugh, warm as the late afternoon sun coming in through the window. "woozi. you hate clubbing."

he had to look at you, this time. if only to see how your face would melt further into affection and tender admiration. not that he was somehow any better — all the attention made his complexion rosy, and for the life of him, he couldn't wipe off this stupid grin. "but i love you."

"ji!!" the whole of you spun into a whirlwind of motion as the lovesickness hit you square in the chest. you covered your face in embarrassment, and when jihoon laughed, it only brought you somehow closer, now standing above him, your legs brushing the front of the couch. "you can't say that! makes me blush... makes me all stupid in love."

he managed to capture your pinky with his. "it's a good look on you."

you swatted his chest with your free hand, and jihoon pulled you closer, sitting you on his thighs and kissing you deeply. you intertwined your fingers with his, and after breaking away, kiss both of his cheeks. twice. for all that jihoon loves to claim he doesn't understand romance and doesn't believe in all the mushy stuff, he certainly always tries to get it right with you.

you kiss his neck, and jihoon sighs your name contentedly. you smile against his skin before pulling away to ask, "are you really gonna give up our inuyasha rerun night for clubbing with hoshi?"

his face contorts into a playful grimace, and you can't help but laugh at the expression. "that's when loving you becomes the operating part of my promise."

.⭒˚.⋆˙⭒.✮

[crsssie]

for all time/lovebrush chronicles boys as kisses

word count: 481

summary: how the lovebrush boys kiss you

Ai Yin / Ayn

Ayn presses his lips to yours like he's waited for you his whole life, his lips are molded to yours as he practically tries to absorb you, his passion bleeding through his hands as he holds you to him desperately. He kisses you like he's lost you in a past life again and again, and he kisses you like he has nothing left but you in this world. He kisses you like he's going to lose you and he's terrified of what's to come when you have to inevitably pull away.

Lu Chen / Alkaid

Alkaid kisses you like a butterfly— his lips brush against yours only once before he pulls away, cheeks warm and neck red, and you have to pull him in again if you want a kiss again. His lips brush yours for a second as if you're something he's not allowed to have, and his lips feel like a heaven in a world far away from you. Alkaid kisses you like he's not allowed to, like the two of you are destined to break as soon as one of you step over the line.

Luo Xia / Lars

Lars kisses you with both hands on your cheek as he leans over you to the best of his ability, the love bleeding from his chest to yours as he presses it to yours, and he kisses you like he's going to spend tomorrow and forever with you. He kisses you like that moment in time is the only thing that matters, even if you're going to leave someday. Yet, he kisses you in the present, a sense of determination that he'll never lose you, and even when he presses his tongue into your mouth for more, he is there, and so are you.

Si Lan / Clarence

Clarence kisses you like he knows there are many more to come. His fingers wrap around your waist gently as he tilts his head to slot his lips against yours better. He kisses you like he knows that you are his destined one in this world, and the way he rests his hand on the back of your head to help you angle is a reminder of how far the two of you have come. He kisses you like he's sure you're the one destined for him, and that you have eternity ahead of the two of you, so there's no rush.

Ye Xuan / Cael

Cael kisses you awkwardly, his fingers curled next to him as he's scared to touch you, worried that if he does, he'd be committing some kind of sin, that he'd break you by kissing you back too hard. He kisses you like he's not supposed to, fingers delicate against your skin as his thumb brushes your cheek and he tucks your hair behind your ear, his eyes half-lidded as he takes in your expression, always worried that some higher deity outside of his control would steal you away at any moment.

[the-girl-from-another-place]

phantom of the opera really has me writing m/f ... i don't like the person i've become

[invinciblerodent]

yeah, i don't think I'll ever be fully over Dorian and my Inquisitor as a couple

like i may be something of a serial blorboshipper, I know that, but they just... they're just it for me, you know

they got everything

the raw sexual tension between tank and support. the coy wordplay bleeding into overt, if playful flirtation. the friendship as natural as breathing as they march side by side into love inevitable. the attack dog devotion. the fearless leader falling to his knees in worship of his beloved. the deep understanding unlike any they've had with anyone before.

the humor. the kink. the angst. the both of them feeling ever so vaguely unworthy of the other, and marveling at not just each other, but the very fact that they are allowed to have this.

i just. head in my hands, clawing my face off, etc, the sickness has claimed me again and it is not letting me go

is this the Blight? it's got to be the Blight

[skitskatdacat63]

Happy 5/14!!!!

Aaaaahh not sure if this is my best work 😭 I just really wanted to draw smth for vettonso day but my brain hasn't really been functioning well LOL so I kept dreading working on this, especially bcs its so important to me, y'know? I hope it's good????? I'm happy with the concept, but I was just so unsure on so many of the angles and it was killing me. I did the color thing bcs I thought it'd add something interesting to it :) since I didn't paint it as I usually would

Anyways! Process!

Now I will explain all of them:

Boy king au is where it all starts of course. I think their relationship is the most developed in this compared to the others, but at the same point, they just start from such a different point, especially affection-wise. All of these kinda have a power dynamic, except the last one, and this is the most imbalanced. Fernando is being subservient, the only part of Seb he may kiss(in public lol) is his hand.

Matador au next. They hurt themselves when they try to be affectionate, because they live in the culture of a sport of violence and death. The sword separates them, their love for the sport keeps them apart, in fear that they hurt each other. Seb, yet again, looks down upon Fernando. Seb haunts Fernando's whole career, the constant overhanging presence. Also aside from that, shame that you can't see his three musketeers look bcs of the black background 😔

2012 core!!! I think this one is pretty easy to understand. Both of them often kiss their trophies, more so than any driver. So they're both trying to claim the wdc trophy by kissing it. Maybe you guys should just get rid of the trophy altogether and claim each other! But yes, just like the sword in the matador au one, the trophy and their ambitions divides, keeps them from ever bridging the vast gap between them, at least at that point in time.

The conclusion! Aka what I wish we will get at Imola 2024- kidding kidding. But it is 2024. Finally there is no conflict between them, there's no big thing keeping them in conflict, they can finally come together. Finally they can touch, there is no gap to bridge, they can appreciate each other, and appreciate what they failed to in years past.

The thesis is basically that they always have their aspirations between them, and their aspirations happen to be basically the same thing. Until those are resolved, the gap between them is too vast for them to recognize and/or find any commonality. How do you get along with someone when you're both fighting for the same thing? How do you get along when it feels like one of you is winning more? How do you get along when there's such a vast gap?

In boy king au, it's going to take a while before they both feel settled about the issue of the throne. That's what makes that au interesting, they're trapped in this state of non-closure and they have to actually solve their issues without the matter of one of them simply removing themselves from the equation. They have to find a way to get over themselves and their aspirations, because like it or not they're stuck with each other. I think with the hand kissing, it represents how Fernando, at that point, is only willing to play along with the game if it's tradition, and he often won't budge in other ways. Yes, I will show subservience, but only in this detached, formal way that I don't connect personally to. He's still holding his own bitterness over meaningfully appreciating Seb. Though it's not like Seb isn't at fault. It takes a while for him to not hold things over Fernando, and constantly humiliate him. One day they will meaningfully show affection, and it won't be some sort of power play.

I think matador au is pretty similar to real life, and the 2010s era(it's basically just their actual plot line but in the context of bullfighting.) They're forever going to have this big elephant in the room, and it only really gets resolved when one of them leaves the sport. Once they're not fighting directly against each other, they realize what they've been missing out on and what they were not appreciating for so many years beforehand. They finally come together because they can't just rely anymore on the sport keeping them together. They actually have to make that step to be in each other's lives, rather than just taking their presence for granted.

Also the text on the comic. "We keep missing, and missing, and missing, and finally kissing." It's basically: we keep missing the point of it all, we keep failing to appreciate each other presence in our lives and in our own individual grand stories. But when we're not forced together anymore, we have to make the choice to come together again ourselves. We keep missing what we actually need to do. Missing each other in favor of our aspirations. Etc etc. One day we will finally embrace and there will be nothing keeping us apart.

[the-scooby-gang]

Just finished “Scooby Doo and Krypto too!” and I want all of you to know that I would die for both of them and this is the friendship ever

[sinnbaddie]

Kakagai fanart based on this excerpt under the cut:

Kakashi: I hurt you.

Gai: Kakashi…

Kakashi: (being embraced by Gai, blushing and thinking *help*)

Gai: no matter what happens next, this conversation has made me the happiest man alive. I am honored that you chose to share your affections with me. To know I am worthy of your love… even if you decide that we must remain friends rather than passionate companions, tonight means more than I can ever express.

Kakashi: I don’t like curry.

Gai: nobody’s perfect.

Based off this fanfic:

[ki11cupib0]

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 [part 3]

𝗲𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗲 𝘅 𝗳𝗲𝗺!𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿

𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲!𝗲𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗲 𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗳𝗳

~part 1~ ~part 2~

3140 wrds

｡･:*:･ﾟ★, ｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★, ｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★, ｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:･ﾟ★, ｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

｡･:*:･ﾟ★, ｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★, ｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★, ｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:･ﾟ★, ｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

As Kyle pulled up to the dorm, Brit turned around from the passenger seat, her eyes gleaming with mischief. “You owe me all the details later!” she said with a teasing grin.

You laughed, feeling a mix of excitement and exhaustion. “Definitely. I’ll fill you in tomorrow. Thanks for the ride back, you two,” you said, offering a grateful smile.

Kyle gave you a friendly nod. “Of course. Have a good night.”

You grabbed your things from the back seat and made your way to your dorm. The quiet walk gave you time to reflect on the night, particularly Eddie’s lingering gaze and warm smile. A small nagging worry crept in—what if he was just being friendly? But the hope of something more quickly soothed that fear.

Opening your dorm room door, you felt an overwhelming urge to crash into bed. You lazily washed your face and changed into your comfortable pajamas, letting the day’s excitement settle into a peaceful tiredness.

In the afternoon, you wake up to the buzz of your phone beneath you. Mindlessly, you reached for it, wondering who might have texted you and opened the message.

freakydndm0nster: Hope you got home safe!! When you free for the movie night?

Fuck, I didn’t mean to open it.

You: i did, i hope you did too and im honestly free whenever :D

He’s already typing back, AHdh.

freakydndm0nster: Okok freakydndm0nster: Would tonight be okay? I know it’s soon but I have band practice tomorrow night. Unless you’d like to join and we can watch a movie afterwards?

You: either works! It would be nice to see you practice tho :0

freakydndm0nster: Tomorrow night it is then :))

You couldn’t help but grin, staring at the ceiling as you imagined the evening ahead. You’d get to see Eddie in action, which was something you’d been curious about since he first mentioned his band. And the movie night was just an added bonus. The mix of excitement and nerves fluttered in your stomach.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of anticipation. You caught Brit up to speed and she shared her excitement, you both agreed to meet up tomorrow. After chatting you tried to get some work done but, your mind kept drifting back to Eddie. What would his band’s practice be like? What would they sound like? And, of course, what would it be like to watch a movie with him afterward?

When evening finally rolled around, you found yourself digging through your closet for the perfect outfit. It wasn’t a date just a hangout, but you still wanted to look nice. After several outfit changes, you settled on a casual yet cute look that you hoped struck the right balance between “I’m chill” and “I put in some effort.” Again, not a date.

As you made your way to the band’s practice space, which was located in a building on the edge of campus, you couldn’t help but feel a little jittery. When you arrived, you took a deep breath before heading inside. The building had an old, worn-out charm to it, with posters and flyers about local bands plastered on the walls.

You found Eddie waiting for you in the lobby, his face lighting up when he saw you. “Hey! Glad you could make it,” he said, his warm smile making your heart skip a beat. So hot.

“Hey! Thanks for inviting me,” you replied, trying to sound casual. “I’m so excited.”

“Hell yeah, I’m glad”. He led you through a narrow hallway to a door marked “Practice Room 3.” Next to it was a paper stuck to the door saying ‘Corroded Coffin in session’. As he opened it, you were hit with a burst of sound—drums, guitars, and a bass creating a lively, energetic atmosphere. The band was already in the middle of a song, and you couldn’t help but be impressed by their talent.

Eddie gestured to a couple of folding chairs set up along one side of the room. “Make yourself comfortable. These are the guys I’m always telling you about. This is Jake, our guitarist; Sarah, our drummer; and Max, who plays bass. Everyone say hi!” He shouted a bit over the noise as some paused and greeted while others gave a nod.

You took a seat and watched, captivated, as Eddie’s band began to play. The music was fantastic—lively and full of energy, and Eddie was clearly in his element. The way he played with such passion made you admire him even more. I always wanted to see his band, to see him play but didn’t want to bother him. God, this is amazing.

After their set, Eddie came over to you, sweaty but smiling broadly. “So, what did you think?”

“It was awesome!” you exclaimed. “You guys are really good.”

“Thanks! That means a lot,” Eddie said, looking at you with such softness it makes your heart melt.

The band members joined the conversation, and you talked to them about their music and upcoming gigs. They were all friendly and you could tell why Eddie enjoyed being part of their group.

As you and Eddie finished loading the last of the equipment into his van, you both became more comfortable and the energy was evident. The heavy lifting was done, and Eddie turned to you with a grin. “I told you, you don’t have to carry anything heavy. I wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself.”

“Oh, please,” you said with a playful eye-roll. “I’m more than capable of handling a couple of amp cases. But I appreciate the chivalry.”

Eddie chuckled. “Well, I wouldn’t want you to miss out on a chance to admire my biceps. They’re a crucial part of the show.”

You laughed, shaking your head. “I’ll take your word for it. Though I have to say, the band’s performance was impressive enough to make up for it.”

He looked genuinely pleased. “Why, thank you! We work hard, so it’s nice to hear that. By the way, if you ever want to join us for practice or a gig, you’re always welcome. It’s cool to have someone there who’s genuinely interested.” Fuck yes!! Can’t wait to see more bicep action.

“I’d love that,” you replied. “It’s been really fun getting to see you in action. And hey, maybe one day I’ll even get to hear some behind-the-scenes band drama.”

Eddie raised an eyebrow with mock seriousness. “Oh, you’re in for it then. We have plenty of drama. You just have to promise not to tell anyone about Jake’s obsession with perfecting his guitar solos.”

“I’ll keep the secrets,” you promised with a grin. “On one condition—you have to let me bring popcorn to the next practice.”

“Deal,” Eddie said, extending a hand to shake on it. “You drive a hard bargain, but it’s worth it.”

After securing everything in the van, Eddie suggested grabbing late-night dinner. “There’s a great 24-hour diner not far from here. How about we head there for some food and then watch that movie?”

You agreed, and the two of you made your way to the diner. The neon lights of the place created a warm, nostalgic glow as you walked in. It was cozy and filled with a mix of students and locals, creating a relaxed atmosphere.

As you both settled into a booth, Eddie immediately started teasing you about your movie choices. “So, what’s your go-to movie snack? I’m guessing you’re a popcorn fanatic.”

“Oh, absolutely,” you said with a mock-serious expression. “But I’m not picky. I also appreciate a good nacho or candy combo. I’m a firm believer that variety is key although nothing beats the buttery goodness of popcorn.”

Eddie raised an eyebrow. “A connoisseur of movie snacks, then. Impressive. I might have to up my game if I want to keep up with your standards.” You both smile at each other.

Eddie’s grin widened as he leaned back in his seat, clearly enjoying the playful banter. “You know, I’m really glad to see you letting loose like this,” he said, his tone sincere and warm. “I always felt like there was more to you than what you let on, and it’s awesome to see this side of you.”

You glanced at him, feeling a rush of warmth from his words. “I appreciate that. I’ve always been a bit shy about showing this side of myself. But I have to admit, it’s easier when I’m around people I feel comfortable with.”

Eddie nodded, his eyes softening. “I get that. And I’m really glad you’re feeling comfortable. You’ve got this cool energy about you, and it’s great to see it come out. I’ve always thought you were interesting, but it’s nice to see you in a more relaxed setting.”

You blushed slightly, feeling a bit self-conscious but pleased by his compliment. “Well, I guess you’ve got a knack for making people feel at ease. It’s been really nice hanging out with you, both last night and tonight. I know we only hang out with the group but still. It is nice.” It's nice to finally have some one on one.

Eddie’s expression turned thoughtful as he took a sip of his soda. “I agree… you know, sometimes it’s hard to tell what people are really like beneath the surface. I mean, I knew you were cool, but seeing you interact and be yourself is refreshing. It’s like getting to know a whole new side of you.”

You chuckled, feeling a mix of gratitude and amusement. “I guess I’ve always been more comfortable in the background. It’s easier to observe than to be the center of attention.”

“That makes sense,” Eddie said, his gaze fixed on you with genuine interest. “But I’m really glad you’re coming out of your shell.”

The waitress arrived with your orders, breaking the momentary silence between you. As you both dug into your late-night dinner, the conversation shifted to lighter topics, but the underlying connection remained. You couldn’t help but feel a growing sense of excitement.

“So,” Eddie said after a few moments, his eyes twinkling with mischief, “what’s the movie you’re going to suggest for our movie night? I need to prepare myself for the cinematic brilliance.”

You laughed, enjoying the playful challenge. “Oh, I’ve got a few ideas up my sleeve. But I’m open to suggestions too. What kind of genres do you like?”

Eddie’s eyes lit up as he leaned forward, clearly animated by the topic. “I’m a fan of pretty much anything with a good story. Horror, comedy, drama—I’m all in.”

“Well, then,” you said, raising an eyebrow, “I think we might have to do a movie marathon next time. I have a few obscure gems I think you’d really enjoy.”

Eddie grinned, clearly excited by the idea. “I’m in. And hey, maybe we can turn this into a regular thing. You know, a movie night tradition?”

“I’d like that,” you said, feeling a sense of anticipation for future plans. “It sounds like a lot of fun.”

As you both finished your meal and paid the check, Eddie’s smile remained bright, and his easygoing demeanor made the evening feel relaxed and enjoyable. The conversation continued to flow effortlessly, and you found yourself feeling more and more at ease with each passing minute.

When you finally walked out of the diner and back to Eddie’s van, the night air was cool and refreshing. Eddie opened the door for you, and you both climbed in.

“How about we watch Heavy Metal?” Eddie said as he started the engine. “1981, sci-fi?”

"I believe I’ve heard of it but haven’t seen it yet."

Eddie flashed a grin. "Fuck yeah. It’s got a mix of sci-fi, animation, and some pretty wild storytelling. I thought it’d be a fun pick for our movie night."

As Eddie drove, his music played and you both sat in comfortable silence as you tapped to the music. All your small fantasies and wishes about him were coming true, and you were excited for the future.

When you arrived at Eddie’s place, he quickly set up his living room for the movie. The space was cozy, with dim lighting and a well-worn couch that looked perfect for a relaxed movie night. Eddie grabbed some blankets and a couple of pillows, making the setting even more inviting. He waved you to it.

“Make yourself comfortable,” Eddie said, placing a blanket on you as he prepared the DVD. “I’ll grab us some more snacks. You want anything specific?”

You thought for a moment. “Maybe just some more popcorn if you have it? I think I’ve already had my fill of real food.”

Eddie laughed. “Got it. I’ll be right back.”

As he went to the kitchen, you settled into the couch, enjoying the cozy atmosphere. The anticipation of watching the movie with Eddie made you feel even more comfortable. When he returned with a bowl of freshly popped popcorn and a few drinks, he flopped down next to you, his relaxed demeanor making it easy to feel at ease. “I made sure to make it buttery like you mentioned”

“It’s so lovely of you to remember,” you said a bit sarcastically. Eddie chuckled as he nudged you playfully. “Of course! I aim to please. Now, let’s get this show on the road.” He handed you the bowl of popcorn, the buttery smell wafting up and making your mouth water.

You snuggled into the couch as Eddie hit play on the movie. The dim light of the TV flickered across the room, casting a soft glow that made the space feel even cozier. Eddie settled next to you, close enough that you could feel the warmth of his body and the occasional brush of his arm against yours.

The movie started, and Eddie’s enthusiasm for it was palpable. “I’m so excited for you to see this,” he said, his eyes bright with anticipation. “It’s got some unique animation and an awesome soundtrack.”

You grinned, leaning back and trying to relax in the comfortable setting. “I’m excited too. I love discovering new films, especially ones with a bit of a cult following.”

You both got lost in its vibrant, animated world. Eddie occasionally glances over at you, catching your reactions and commenting on scenes, his enthusiasm adding to the fun of watching the film. You found yourself laughing and enjoying the movie more than you expected, and Eddie’s presence made the experience even better.

At one point, Eddie turned to you with a mischievous grin. “So, how are we doing so far? Any thoughts on the movie?”

You laughed. “It’s amazing! I can see why it’s considered a classic. The animation is quite unique, and the story is wild in the best way possible. Plus, your company makes it more enjoyable.”

Eddie’s smile widened. “Glad you’re enjoying it. And hey, if you ever want to discuss the deeper meanings of animated sci-fi or anything else, I’m your guy.”

You both laughed, the conversation flowing easily between movie commentary and personal anecdotes. It felt natural and effortless like you’d known each other for much longer than you actually had.

As the credits rolled and the movie came to an end, you both sat back, feeling a satisfied sense of closure to the night. Eddie looked over at you, his expression warm and relaxed. “So, what did you think of our movie night? Successful, I hope?”

“Absolutely successful,” you said with a smile. “It’s been great, don’t want it to end yet but I do have classes tomorrow.”

Eddie’s smile softened as he looked at you. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. I had a great time too. Let’s get to the van, sweetheart.”

You nodded, feeling a mix of contentment and a little sadness that the night was coming to an end. “That sounds perfect. Thanks, Ed.” I can’t even react properly, I’m too tired. But he said, sweetheart!!!

As you both began to gather your things and prepare to head out, you couldn’t help but notice how he treats you with such kindness. Despite being in the same friend group you both never talked outside of it, stayed in your bubbles. It warms your heart to know that you two are growing closer and more comfortable.

The drive back to your dorm was relaxing. The hum of the engine and the soft glow of the streetlights outside created a peaceful ambiance. Eddie kept the conversation light, sharing funny stories about the band and making you laugh.

As you approached your dorm, you felt a twinge of reluctance to say goodbye. Eddie parked the van and turned to you, his expression a mix of warmth and something that felt almost like hesitation.

“Well, here we are,” he said, his voice gentle. “Is it okay if I walk you to your dorm? Or at least to the entrance?”

You smiled at his offer, feeling a warm flutter in your chest. “I’d like that,” you said softly. “Thanks, Eddie.”

He nodded, giving you a reassuring smile as you both got out of the van and started walking toward your dorm. The night air was crisp, and the quiet campus was calming. Eddie walked beside you, his presence comforting and easygoing.

As you reached the entrance to your dorm, the reality of the night coming to an end started to sink in. You turned to Eddie, feeling a mix of gratitude and a hint of sadness that the evening was over. “I had a great time tonight,” you said sincerely. “Thanks for inviting me and for making it so fun.”

Eddie’s eyes softened as he looked at you. “I’m glad you did. I had a great time too.”

Eddie’s eyes lingered on you for a moment, and then he added, “Before you go, I just wanted to say that it’s been nice getting to know you better. You’ve got great energy about you, and I’m glad we got to spend some time together. I’ll be looking forward to our next movie night, and maybe I’ll even try to keep up with your snack standards”

You laughed lightly, your heart fluttered at his words, “I’ll hold you to that, and thank you, Ed. I feel the same way.”

There was a brief, comfortable silence as you both took in the moment. Eddie finally broke it with a playful grin. “I guess I should let you get some rest before your classes tomorrow. I’ll text you about our next movie night but remember, if you ever need someone to hang out with, I’m your guy.” He is too cute. I want to hug him but I think we are both playing it safe.

You laughed softly. “Got it. And the same goes for you.”

Eddie’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “Deal. Goodnight, sweetheart.”

“Goodnight,” you replied, feeling a little giddy as you entered your dorm.