#and imagining them getting wrapped up in those while on their quest

[maddisandy]

is astarion and soleil going to be what drives me into becoming a 100k fic writer. is that what it took

[cobrakaisb]

call me, beep me, if you want to reach me

summary: percy, annabeth, and grover have some great news about their quest, but something is off about their hypothesis  

word count: 2.8k

featuring: reader and annabeth’s relationship, slightly steamy reader and luke scene, more percabeth crumbs, fluff and angst  

author's note: IM BACKKKKK...this one took me forever, and i am so sorry about that! between finals, coming home from college, and just dealing with life in general it has been a real struggle BUT we are finally back on the luke train 🤩 and trust, these next few parts are about to get real...anyways, enjoy 💗

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you run to the top of the hill, calling out to the three kids before they can cross the protective barrier surrounding camp half-blood.

“i just wanted to wish you guys good luck before you leave, although i’m sure you won’t need it,” you explain, walking up to the trio. 

annabeth smiles at you. there’s an excited gleam in her eyes, and you remember how she’s been waiting for this for years -- her chance at glory.

“thanks,” percy mumbles, not really knowing what to say. 

“i just…be safe okay?” you whisper, hands gripping tightly at annabeth’s shoulders while you look directly at her. 

she nods, “i will. i promise.” 

you nod in agreement, lips pursed in a tight line as you struggle to keep your emotions at bay. over the course of your years at camp, the bond between you and annabeth has grown exponentially. you love her like a little sister, one you’d do anything to protect. it scares you to think about her, a twelve year old kid, in the real world with no one looking out for her this time. 

she senses your anguish, and pulls you into a tight hug. you freeze at first, not used to the affection from her, but ultimately wrap your arms around her small frame. the two of you stand there for a minute, embracing each other, but break apart when luke calls out to you from the bottom of the hill. 

“it’s time to go,” he yells, and you imagine his pointed look and crossed arms. luke was just as worried as you, but he found it necessary to hide those feelings, claiming it was best for annabeth’s sake. you disagreed. 

you nod, stepping away from the kids, back towards the chaos of camp, “i’ll see you at the solstice.”

you watch, with your stomach in knots from nerves and a mouth full of anxiety, as the kids step past thalia’s tree and into the world of monsters.      

that was almost four days ago, and still no word from the trio. percy, annabeth, and grover were on their quest to find and return zeus’s master bolt, but the radio silence worries you. while you didn’t expect them to call every day to say good night — they needed to save their dracmas — you at least expected some type of update by now. the lack thereof leaves a nervous feeling in your stomach; something isn’t right, you know it, but you can’t quite determine what. 

“those are called feelings sweetie,” katrina replies when you explain your current predicament to her.

you suck your teeth at her words, shoving her shoulder as you mumble, “shut up.”

“i’m being serious! since when do you care about three twelve year olds? no scratch that, since when do you care about anybody?” she shouts, throwing her hands up. 

you look down at your converse, arms crossing over your bent knees as you sit and look at the rippling water. i care about luke, you think, and all those kids who will never experience a true family thanks to our parents. i care about you, and our friendship. i care about grover, who’s too kind for his own good. the list goes on and on, but you don’t say any of those names out loud. 

instead you respond with, “i care about annabeth.”

katrina openly scoffs at your words, leaning back on her palms. “oh please, i’m talking about that little blonde.” 

you sigh, looking at her over your shoulder. her short hair rustles in the breeze, and the unruly curls from spending the day in the water makes her possess a childlike innocence. if you didn’t know katrina, you’d think she was a sweet girl who’d chew you out for swearing, but you do know her; she’s anything but, and the constant taunting and teasing proves that. 

“there’s something different about percy,” you explain with a shrug. 

“yeah, it’s called your need to play mommy,” she mumbles. 

“oh shut up,” you gripe, getting up from your spot on the dock. you make sure to kick her calf, not too hard, on your way back to hera’s cabin. 

“harder,” luke commands, despite the sweat dripping down both of their faces. 

percy groans, throwing his head back in frustration. they’ve been going at it for hours, practicing various techniques and maneuvers with wooden swords. while percy’s claiming was still new, and his slaying of the minotaur with no experience was still the talk of the camp, it was obvious to everyone that he needed to train. there’s an impending war coming, and the blonde boy has found himself right in the middle of it. 

but he doesn’t even know what it is, you think, stepping into the dirt of the practice arena. 

“give him a break, luke. he needs some hydration,” you exclaim, holding up two refillable water bottles. 

they’re dripping in condensation, the ice from the pavilion already melting in the sweltering heat courtesy of long island summers. luke grumbles something under his breath, probably about how he doesn’t need a break, but takes the bottle from you with a squeeze of your hip. he stays close to your side as he drinks the water, and instead of giving him your attention, you’re busy looking over percy. 

“there’s a cut on your forehead,” you say, pushing back some of his curls to get a better look. 

“yeah, your boyfriend nicked me,” he replies, gesturing to luke with his chin. 

“it was an accident! how many times do i have to tell you?” luke defends.

“a lot more. i’m great at holding grudges,” percy announces, and you roll your eyes. 

“and that’s why you’re becoming friendly with annabeth?” you tease.

luke raises his eyebrows at your statement, looking over at the smaller boy, whose cheeks are suddenly a very dark shade of red. 

“that’s different,” he grumbles, pouring the remaining water on his head. 

“uh huh, right. whatever floats your boat i guess,” you reply, patting his cheek in a motherly fashion. percy swerves with an eye roll fit for a teenager. 

“anyways, i’ll let you guys get back to it,” you announce, turning to face luke. 

you kiss his cheek, and his palm splays across your waist. he gives it a gentle squeeze, a small sign of affection in a hasty moment. you smile at him, leaning into his chest to whisper, “go easy on him.” 

“he’s training with the best swordsman in camp, he knows what to expect,” luke replies, cocky as ever, as you pat his sweaty chest three times before walking away. 

the training arena is packed when you arrive, brimming with younger kids and blaring noisy chatter. they’re all clad in some sort of battle armor: shields, bronze chest plates, and celestial bronze swords. it takes a minute for them to notice your presence, but when they do they part like the red sea. most of them have the sense to keep quiet, watching you with nervous eyes and wary glances, fueled by the words of their older siblings no doubt. others, the more gutsy of the bunch, have the courage to whisper the exact words they heard from their siblings, warning their friends about you and your anger. you, however, are focused on finding the tallest head amongst the group; the one housing messy, onyx curls. 

“he’s up front, helping jimmy with his armor,” a young girl whispers shyly, drawing designs in the dirt with the tip of her sword.

you stop walking, turning to face her. she’s young, no older than eight, and you feel the edges of your hard exterior soften from the sight of her pigtails and pink twinkle toes. you smile softly at her, hoping that it doesn’t scare her off. 

“thank you,” you say, “i love your shoes.” she smiles at your words, giggling quietly to herself as a small blush coats her cheeks. 

just as she goes to answer, luke appears at your side with, who you can only assume, is jimmy. you smile softly at him, ready to explain why you’re here in the first place, but luke beats you to it:

“let me just give them some instructions, then we can talk, okay?” he whispers, his free hand taking its place on the small of your back.

you hum in agreement, watching fondly as he takes charge of the large group of young demigods. he instructs them to practice the methods he just demonstrated in pairs, explaining that he’ll be walking around to give feedback once he’s done talking to you. as the kids partner up, he leads you to the side of the arena, where he finally meets your gaze with a raised brow. 

“what?” you ask, crossing your arms at his confused stare. 

“you never come here while i’m teaching lessons,” he answers.

“well, maybe i’m starting to,” you reply. 

luke scoffs at your words, “no shot. what’s really going on?” 

“i could be!” 

“but you’re not. you hate their judgy, beady, little eyes. so, what’s going on in that pretty little head of yours to make you seek me out while i’m in the middle of lessons?” he continues, his fingers playing with the waistband of your shorts. 

you take a deep breath, meeting his chocolate brown eyes on the exhale, and state your concerns: “i’m worried. why haven’t we heard from them yet? it’s been days, and it’s not like annabeth to keep us completely in the dark.” 

luke sighs at your words, “i’m sure they’re fine.” 

you raise your eyebrows at his unexpected answer. this is luke, the same guy who refused to let you and annabeth out of his sight during capture the flag, talking? not a chance. 

“so you’re not worried, at all?” you ask, searching for the true reason behind his lack of worry. 

luke clenches his jaw at your words, looking away from you as he stares off into the distance. his eyebrows furrow, and you can see something flicker across his face. you don’t know what it is, but you know he’s battling something within himself. 

“luke?” you ask softly, resting your hand on his bicep. 

he shakes his head, a carefree smile taking over his face as he says, “it’s annabeth. she’s the smartest, most careful person i know. nothing’s wrong.” 

you eye him warily, and nod your head slowly, “right. i guess i’m just overthinking.” 

luke smiles, a teasing look in his eyes as he nudges your foot with his own. you look up at him, a breathy laugh escaping your lips as you meet his playful gaze. 

“you always are,” he mumbles, followed by a loud laugh as you shove his shoulder. 

he plants a quick kiss on your temple, hands rubbing up and down your sides before whispering, “i’ll stop by your cabin tonight. once they’re all tucked in.” 

you hum in agreement, watching as he departs from your side and heads to the closest duo to provide feedback.  

****

the door creaks open, and luke slips inside before the harpies register the noise. you’re already awake, patiently waiting for him on the singular cot in the cabin. the eternal flames of the fire pit burn brightly, leaving dangerous shadows on your face, illuminating the storm brewing inside. 

“you’re late,” you quip, not even bothering to look up from your book. 

you’re laying on your stomach, propped up on your forearms with a paperback book in your hands. you’re in your usual sleep attire, shorts and a tank top, and luke has to physically hold back a groan. he’s never wanted you so badly in his life, but instead of expressing that desire, he apologizes for his actions.

“some of the younger campers were arguing, you know i had to settle that,” he whispers, burying his face between your neck and left shoulder. 

luke kisses your bare skin, slightly warmed from all the sun you’ve been getting recently. your head tilts, giving him access to more skin, and he doesn’t deny that. his lips move to your neck, leaving more than a few marks. 

“careful. hera’s watching,” you tease, closing the cover of your book. 

“let her,” he mumbles, practically moaning when you thread your fingers through his hair. 

“oh you’d love that,” you taunt, tugging on his curls. 

luke’s right arm wraps around your waist, flipping you onto your back, while his left pushes your book to the floor. your mouth falls open in shock, and you gasp quietly. he smirks at your expression, feeling satisfied to have you speechless. before you can ruin the moment, he captures your mouth with his. 

the kiss is rough, all tongue and teeth. his left hand settles next to your head, while his right tugs your hips closer to his. your fingers are still lodged into his curls, and you use them to keep his face pressed against yours. he pulls back, gasping for air, but keeps his forehead planted against your skin. before he can reconnect your lips, you’re kissing all over his face.

“missed you,” you murmur in between kisses. 

luke sighs, relaxing into your arms as the tension from camp counselor duties and other activities leaves his body. he knows eventually he’s going to have to tell you. he thinks it will be something like ripping off a band aid. but, for now, when he has you so eagerly in his arms, and he’s content with baring the brunt of the burden. besides, the kids aren’t even close to figuring out the truth, he’s sure of it. 

****

“we know who stole the bolt,” percy announces, nothing but confidence in his voice. 

luke falters, but only for a second, before asking, “how do you know?”

immediately, annabeth starts rambling. she mentions an encounter with ares, how he knows who the thief is, but was clearly covering for them. as she talks, luke realize that their suspicions are anything but correct, in fact, they’re so far into leftfield it’d be considered a homerun. yet, he runs with it, not willing to give himself up.

“so who would ares cover for?” annabeth finishes, waiting for luke to answer. 

“his favorite daughter. clarisse is the lightning thief,” he answers, making sure to sound shocked by their groundbreaking discovery. 

“chrion’s got to arrest her, find out what she knows. there’s more to this than just the bolt, something bigger,” percy explains.

luke and annabeth share a look of uncertainty, one that percy picks up on because he quickly adds, “don't ask me how i know, you’ve just got to trust me.” 

as luke is about to assure the kids that he’ll get to it straight away, you walk into the office. 

“talking to yourself again, castellan? i knew you were crazy but not this off the rocker,” you tease, stepping closer to his side. 

as you approach, you see the faces of annabeth and percy in the mist. you smile at the sight of them. while they look tired, they seem pretty intact and much better off than you expected.

“how’s your quest going?” you ask, hoping to hear some positive news. 

“not too bad. between ares, the chimera and medusa, i’d say we’re doing pretty good,” percy exclaims.

your eyes widen at his words, and you look to luke to see what his reaction is, but he’s not even looking at you. instead he’s watching the two demigods arguing about which monster occurred each day. he smirks at the sight of them, gently bumping his hip with yours before saying, “what is this?”

“what?” annabeth answers, confusion written all over her face. 

“since when did you guys turn into an old married couple?” luke continues to tease, and you smile at the kids’ shocked faces. percy blushes at luke’s comment, and annabeth makes a point to avoid your gaze.

“not to change the subject, but we need your advice luke. we’re going to vegas and…” before percy can say another word, the iris message cuts out, the connective screen dissipating along with the rainbow that brought it here.

“well that was entertaining,” you joke, turning to face your boyfriend. 

you expect him to laugh at your words, but his face is set into a hard line. his arms are crossed and jaw clenched as he stares at the spot where annabeth and percy’s faces were previously occupying. his thoughts are clearly running a mile a minute, and you step into his line of sight, calling out to him. 

“they think they know who the lightning thief is,” he grumbles, gaze still distant and cold. 

“what? who?” you ask, stepping closer to him. while it’s only the two of you in the room, you don’t want to risk anyone else hearing; this isn’t the sort of thing that should be spread around camp, even if you hate the majority of the people here. 

“clarisse,” he starts, “but they’re wrong.” 

“how do you know?” you ask, nothing but confusion plastered all over your face. 

“because it’s actually me,” luke replies, finally meeting your gaze.

taglist: @percabethlvr @iwantahockeyhimbo @hottiewifeyyyy @loveryoushouldcomeoverr @maraschinocherry3 @used2beee @harrysnovia @cami-is-reading @mxtokko @cxcilla @obxstiles @dracoslovergirl @vanessa-rafesgirl @l1a-pjosversion

[vaguely-concerned]

every so often, varric will write a black fox story. not anything fancy or for publication or anything, just for fun and because he knows hawke has a soft spot for them. ("an intrepid hero getting into and out of all kinds of trouble and the merry band of misfits following inseparably in his wake? can't imagine why".) some of them are experimental, some of them are straightforward retellings; they're generally pretty short and quick to do, so he allows himself to play around with form and genre and language more than he does in his professional work. stretching over the span of almost twenty years as they do, they contain some of his favourite pieces of his own writing, and some of the most '...was I huffing lyrium fumes or drunk or both for this one, hawke? what the actual hell is this' pieces. hawke keeps every single one of them. varric speculates that this is either because they're just that sentimental, or possibly that it's for future blackmailing purposes. he usually has one ready for their birthday. they have so much blackmail material on him anyway by this point, he figures, what's one more piece of ammunition going to do one way or the other.

varric finishes one of these black fox tales a couple of nights before he brings rook with him to minrathous — the last one. it's about the very last black fox story, the one where the black fox and his friends all disappear together into the depths of arlathan forest, where those in the know say you can find them to this very day, if you know where to look, or if you ever find yourself in trouble and in need of a helping hand. they'll turn up to aid a traveller in need, and disappear back between the shaded trees again once the day is saved, squabbling all the way, seeking treasures and unlikely quests yet unfound and unimagined.

they say on some days, you can hear them as laughter and friendly bickering on the wind from a couple of clearings over. it's not the end, it's just other adventures, some other place. that's the thing about stories. they're funny that way.

(once he wrote a book for his mother on her deathbed and read it to her through the comfortless and drawn-out hours of the troubled nights, and he burned the book the day she died and never spoke of it again.)

after he finishes the manuscript, he sits with it for a long time in the quiet and the candlelight before he wraps it up properly and sends it off back home to kirkwall. he attaches a note -- a story, to the best of all my stories, the one I'd tell forever if I could. take care of each other while I'm gone. first one to arrive saves seats at the bar, right? happy birthday, and send all my lack of love to the merchant's guild, as always. —Varric

he sends that to hawke. just in case. and then he gets up and he goes to find rook — it's time to get going.

[bonefall]

the cats of the park is just frostpaw finally getting some therapy

tbh tho I feel like them being separate from clan life would help her immensely. They’re not so wrapped up in this culture of battle so they have a new and refreshing perspective (and also frost doesn’t have to worry about ulterior motives because they are STAYING AWAY from THAT trainwreck that is the clans)

(Future edit: this ask is a follow up to this one)

RE: Nothing in BB!ASC is set in stone until the arc is done BUT

One excellent thing ASC has done with the Park cats that is commendable, is that they're treated as legitimate. Not inferior or malicious. They're just another culture that Frostpaw is going to learn from. The bar is UNDERGROUND but we've finally hopped over it.

So I'd want to keep and acknowledge that.

I think I might have an interesting idea for Frostpaw's journey. Also, side note... I'm thinking BB!ASC will rename every book because these titles are actually awful, im sorry. So I'd call this one ASC: The Source of the River

Gonna jot these down;

So, to begin with, Frostpaw calls the human. While being heavily sedated, she has her first vision of Riverstar.

FROSTPAW DOES NOT HAVE A SPECIAL CONNECTION TO STARCLAN.

She NEVER would. Screw that. Instead-- learning to connect to this vision of Riverstar, to her ancestors and their wisdom, is a SKILL she would learn.

Frame the journey less as Riverstar's Side Quest and more as Frostpaw chasing the Revelation she had while anesthetized.

So when she wakes up, she's thinking about how incomprehensibly VAST Riverstar was. She can't even imagine how there's enough space in the world to contain such a being.

Even the Lake itself... the lake is just a droplet, being suckled like a kit on the teat of the Southern Inlet river

For a second, her troubles seemed like a small flea on the nose of a great, cosmic being. But as she reconnects with the mortal plane after her dream, the flea becomes an infestation. She doesn't know where to begin, or how she can save her Clan.

She thinks back to Riverstar. The river that feeds the Lake. Was that what he was trying to tell her? That she has to follow it to the source?

STOP 1: RIVER WARD

The BB!Tribe is massively overhauled. The Tribe of Rushing Water defines themselves as three Wards (Cave, Mountain, River), connected by living on the same stretch of river.

From them, she learns about connections. They are simply able to call upon each other for all they need, there's no need to "appoint" someone to manage everything.

Families and friends hold each other accountable, networking and negotiating constantly. When the group must act as one, it casts stones.

Their Stoneteller is a religious leader, but all cats connect with their ancestors by personally interpreting omens, even without needing to go see him.

(Contrast to BB!Clans, whose Clerics are the KEEPERS of holy knowledge, and it is a sin to interpret StarClan's will on your own)

Yet, there are downsides. She can see ostracised cats who skirt at the edges of the Ward, especially the descendants of a particular group (called Flicks) that she learns once tried to invade the River Ward.

Though they welcome travellers and have a positive view of Clan cats as "family," she learns that they freeze out those who break taboo. Even for smaller offenses-- social faux pas and personal disputes have caused rifts within the Ward.

And the personal omen interpretation means that two cats can try and justify their feelings with religious commands, leveraging any "soothsayer" (particularly religious cats) connections they have like a social pissing match, unless they're both willing to get dragged to Stoneteller.

From all this, Frostpaw learns that she CAN connect to Riverstar and her ancestors, even if she can't speak to them... and that she must LISTEN. Not allow herself to twist her ancestor's words.

And all the Wards are connected, by the source of a river. Suddenly she answers her question.

"How could the world be big enough to contain a being like Riverstar?" Because water isn't all in one place. It's everywhere. It pools where it can and flows where it cannot.

And yet-- a single people is connected by its water. Three wards, one River. Five Clans, one Lake... three siblings, one belly.

Her heart aches thinking about Curlfeather.

She thinks of when quarreling Tribemates are brought to Stoneteller to arbitrate, and be taught the truth. Brought up the river, to its source at the waterfall.

That has to be it! The source, the BEGINNING.

Stop 2 would be WarriorClan as she heads south, but I'm not sure what they'd teach her yet lmao. Monkeystar says "Hi! Do you want to learn how to play a kazoo"

STOP 3... I'd want to rename the Park Cats. Maybe the New Park cats.

(evil brain: "Neopark. Make terrible petsite joke. Be reincarnated as a lotus flower)

There would also be a BIG recap of Ancient Park culture, and the River Kingdom. Frostpaw knows they had KINGS.

And a lot of aspects that modern Clan cats have-- ceremonial sparring, mentors and apprentices, the Law of the Deputy... those came out of the River Kingdom, before its collapse in the Code Era.

But these cats are NOTHING like the glorious tales of a Kingdom warrior. In fact... this is THE park!

THE park that was destroyed, which King Arc-of-Park lead his people away from. How could it have been ruined if it's still here?

(Reality: the Park was shrunk and landscaped. It was destroyed in that time to the perspective of cats. Maybe she'll have some visions of the past through meditation...)

But the survivors, and those who chose not to follow their King... they remained. And they continue to thrive.

Like canon, have them teach her the ability to meditate. Unlike Tribe cats, meditation is about SIGNS, not OMENS. Omens are physical. Signs are psychic.

(Also i like Bee so im probably gonna keep him as Frosty's yoga coach)

She sees Riverstar a few times, has details of Curlfeather's scheme revealed to her in enough chunks to piece together,

but is eventually bowled over when her best, most productive meditation yet... results in a black shadow.

He has a shining pearlstone adorning his head, and deep, wet pools for eyes. Very few other features can be made out, besides his paw, which is shockingly normal compared to his wraith-like body.

Somehow, Frostpaw understands she is looking at a Patron. But she doesn't know who he is until he tells her, he is King Arc-of-Park.

Though remembered, he is not invoked often. The details of his appearance are lost. All that remains of him is his paw-- carried on in a few expressions and the -paw suffix. The one which Frostpaw herself currently bears.

Since Riverstar, his beloved son, so rarely speaks in straightforward terms, he has come to give Frostpaw her answers.

But before she speaks, trembling with desire for finally FINALLY getting the truth, almost frozen by the sheer volume of things she needs to know, he stops and tells her,

"You have earned the truth, Frostpaw. Be not afraid to ask for what you are owed-- but we only have time for three questions, and I shall ask three in turn."

Question 1: "What did you need me to learn?"

"Many things. How to find your own answers. The perspective of the thousand eyes you've met. The wisdom that only a pilgrimage can bestow. I, too, was no leader before I brought my people up the river, and now you too must save RiverClan. Have you learned what we sought to teach?"

She feels unsure... "I don't think I can know if I have, until I go home."

Even though he has no mouth, she can hear his smile, "That is a yes, child."

Question 2: "What am I learning about RiverClan and its history, if these New Park cats are nothing like my Kingdom ancestors?"

He hums, "You have come to the source of the river, and are vexxed to not find the water that is already swirling downstream? No cat stands in the same river twice, for it is not the same river, and they are not the same cat. Are my people gone, Frostpaw, or do they live on?"

Stunned, her jaw hangs open ever so slightly. She thought she knew the answer right away, but his simple question becomes a riddle on her tongue.

He tells her not to worry. She does not need to answer his questions immediately, as they're running out of time. Ask your last.

Question 3: "...did my mom love me?"

IMMEDIATE, "she did. Child of my distant blood, she loved you like a king loves his prince. Ferociously, ambitiously... selfishly."

He cradles her face in his one, massive, silk-soft paw, like he's reaching out of the shadows, across time itself. His last question, "She put you in a terrible position, didn't she?"

A lifetime's worth of love and agony bubbles out of the kid, "SHE DID. She DID and I never did ANYTHING to deserve this, I did everything she told me, and I just wanted to make her happy, and... and i miss my mom."

When she returns from her trance, she's crying.

But her companions are here to help her unpack all of what she just learned.

Will probably end up letting her recruit a little DND party lmao... maybe one cat from each pit stop. Heartstar shouldn't be the only girlie who's allowed to get expansion packs.

Make a little found family here that Frostpaw returns home with.

RE: NOT. CONFIRMED YET. NONE of this is BB canon yet. Just thoughts I need to get down.

[harumasa-wifey]

Heard you wanted to talk about Asaba Harumasa, here I am! He's my second favorite character in the game after Billy Kid and I already have some nice headcanons for him, such as him and Corin being childhood friends because they were both in the same hospital (remember Corin had a critical illness that needed a deadly surgery which you can see that she still has the scar in her Mindscape) so I see him as her adopted big brother who gave her her teddy bear. I also headcanon that he takes as much as leaves and sick days as possible just to be able to keep up with his treatments and hospitalisations that probably takes up a lot of his time, I could see him having lived in the hospital for as long as he can remember. One canon fact that I know thanks to one of Yanagi's trust event is that he is the only one who can sing well (apparently) when Section 6 and Section 5 meet up for karaoke, as Soukaku only knows oni songs which aren't in the playlists and Miyabi doesn't know any songs of this era, and Yanagi is a terrible singer, so for that I do hope that we'll see his VA sing a song in one of his character videos that we'll probably get this week since he and Miyabi are coming next week. Also while Yanagi is labeled as the normal one in the group, actually it would be Harumasa, since he is just very lazy and carefree but he is actually more down to earth compared to her, as she seems to have perfect memory and gets work done so well that even a robot would have trouble keeping up with her. I like to headcanon him and Miyabi as the disaster twins for constantly trying to shirk off work and constantly cover one another and help one another and have meetings about how to dodge their responsabilities in the office more often. Harumasa gives her ideas in how to skip section heads meetings and Miyabi is fine with him taking his sick leaves and doing his best at not getting any overtime, they get each other so well on that. XD

Oh please he is my favourite character now! I dropped playing the game on the first version because it got tiresome to me BUT when I saw leaks of him in the new quest (event special) I knew i needed this man now i don't have a single 5 in the game he will be my first and last i am definitely pulling for him don't matter if I get him free his w- engine LITERALLY CONTAINS MEDICINE he makes me wanna cry why did they do this to my man. I thought he was just a little silly guess he is more than that. I DID NOT KNOW THAT ABOUT CORIN I LITERALLY MAIN HER WTF guess i need to more deep search thank you for the info tho AND BIG BROTHER HARU THAT GUY IS A SOFTIE. He Gotta keep with all those medical reports and medicine literally he was a child i am not sure if they experimented on him or it was an accident but oh boy if they experimented on him hoyo is up for some serious talk. I REALLY WANNA HEAR HIM SING NOW. Gotta manifest his va singing fr. Yanagi is extraordinary to me she is literally so smart and holy crap she memorized that whole manual in such a short time yep she is anything but normal. While soukaku is busy thinking about snacks and miyabi and harumasa finding new ways to skip work yanagi almost manages everything including their leaves which oh boy it sounds tiresome yet she looks balanced doing all that shit. I love my lazy and carefree boy he could have been more normal if all that didn't happen. I genuinely didn't see this coming it broke my heart seeing his child self wrapped in all those endless wires and kept in confinement. The disaster partners!! Yess! Can definitely imagine them skipping meetings and paper work the only paper miyabi needs signed is her will by her gf (yanagi) it almost as anytime yanagi does something fascinating she has her will paper out with a pen "sgin this (⁠ ⁠╹⁠▽⁠╹⁠ ⁠)" like calm down girl y'all can get this signed in your marriage. Like i just finished the special mission and oh boy i wanna kiss harumasa so bad i typed his name so many times even my keyboard knows it now 😭. HIS LITTLE BANGBOO IS SOOO CUTE I WANNA HOLD HIM SO BADD. Thank you so much for indulging me in this i wanted to talk about it so badly.

[erosjournal]

☆ it's the most wonderful time of the year !

~ leo valdez x jason grace (minor piper mclean x reyna avila ramirez-arellano, and other ships)

~ synopsis : leo really loves christmas , yet jason never really got the chance to celebrate . leo hopes to make this the best first christmas for his boyfriend.

~ tw(s) : none ! just a little mix of angst and fluff !

~ posts that clear stuff up : traveling back and forth , two homes , deleted scene

It was December 1st, the crisp holiday air filled New Rome. Jason had invited Leo over for a walk to get some coffee (hot cocoa for Leo) and just talk. They'd been dating for 4 months and Leo wouldn't have it any other way.

"Jase, how's it been here in New Rome?" Leo asked, wrapping an arm around Jason's jacketed arm and sipping his cocoa. Jason cleaned his glasses, the steam from his coffee blurring his vision.

"It's been okay," He glanced over to Leo, kissing his hair. "Missed you a lot," Leo snorted, nuzzling into Jason's jacket.

"I've missed you too, Wolfy," He laughed. Jason smiled. Leo being happy was his favorite thing ever, he'd trade anything to see it over and over again. Leo glanced around New Rome. The street was flaking with frost, snow threatening to fall.

"So, Jase, what's Christmas like here? I mean, you've been here, like, your whole life, right?" Leo asked. Jason seemed to hesitate, his lip scar twitching.

"Well..." Leo raised an eyebrow. Jason scratched his neck. "I was never really able to celebrate any holiday here, since I was always busy in Camp Jupiter or off on a quest. Never got a holiday break," He joked, but Leo's smile faltered.

"You never got to take a break during the winter?" He asked quietly. Leo couldn't imagine that. Christmas was his favorite time of year. During Thanksgiving, he would have to spend hours being ridiculed by family. While during Christmas, it would be just him and his mom. She'd use whatever money she made to get him a little something as a gift, and they'd go together to the library to rent a holiday movie. The Santa Clause was always his favorite.

Jason shrugged and stopped walking. Leo frowned.

"Well, that we can't have that." He argued. Jason laughed but Leo kept his upset face on. He was determined for Jason to have the best winter of his life.

The first day, Leo decided to take his boyfriend shopping. He pulled Jason into a nearby shop, close to their apartment, which was decorated inside and out with christmas decor.

"Here, let's get some decorations for the apartment, and some sweaters!" He grinned, noticing a wide collection of cute and ugly christmas sweaters. Jason eyed them uneasily and frowned.

"Why would we waste money on this?" He asked. Leo tsked him and smiled.

"It's a silly mortal tradition, buying ugly sweaters." He taught, looking through them. "Though, some of these are too ugly." He scrunched his nose at a bright green one with glowing red lights and bells. Jason chuckled.

"Well, we bought matching sweaters in October, let's get some holiday themed ones." He helped Leo sift through them and stumbled upon a blue one with a snowman and snowflakes, and a brown one with a red hot cocoa mug. Leo looked over and his eyes widened.

"Let's get those!" He yelped. Jason sighed as Leo pulled them off the rack and dragged him towards the cashier, which on their way there, Leo bought as many christmas lights and other decor he could grab. They bought them and went back outside in the chilly air.

"Okay. Well, I bought the brown one in my size and the blue one in yours," Leo informed, shoving the brown one over his head. Jason rolled his eyes and unzipped his jacket, daintily placing it on the frosty ground before putting his own matching sweater on. Once they were done, Leo insisted on taking a picture on his demigod-safe phone ("I made them originally for emergency contact, but Chiron doesn't need to know...").

Leo looked at it, grinning. He immediately changed it to his lock screen, Jason chuckling at how sweet his boyfriend was. He pulled Leo close and kissed his forehead.

"You're so cute," He teased. Leo rolled his eyes.

"Yeah I know, what's new?"

The next day, Leo took Jason ice skating. Leo was actually decently good, for being a demigod whose powers were literally quite the opposite. Jason wobbled a bit on the ice, very hesitant.

"How are you so good?" He asked nervously, frowning. Leo held Jason's arm as he tried to help him get off the wall. His glasses would fog up and Leo thought he was really cute like that.

"My mom taught me when I was younger. Since she liked ice skating, I learned how to so I could skate with her." Jason nodded, trembling a bit. "Here, hold my hands." Leo adjusted so he was skating backwards and Jason was being pulled forwards. Jason still wobbled on the ice, but got the hang of it after a bit. With Leo's guidance, he was able to glide (hesitantly) along the rink by himself.

"Whoo! Look at you, Grace!" Leo teased, watching as Jason pushed along the rink... then fell. Leo broke into laughter before going over and helping him up.

"Don't ever say a WORD about this again, Valdez." Jason flushed, frowning. Leo just doubled over, laughing harder.

A few days later, Leo and Jason were in their apartment in New Rome. They had decided to start decorating for the holidays. Jason helped Leo reach the higher spots on the walls to stick up tinsel and the paper snowflakes they'd cut. Leo was wearing Jason's blue sweater and Jason was wearing Leo's tank top. There were little nicked fire markings on it.

"Hey, Jase," Leo said, his tongue sticking out as he reached on his tip toes. "Can you help stick this up?" He turned and Jason was sorting through a box of other decor. He looked up.

"Hmm? Sure," He walked over and started to take the item out of Leo's hand, who shook his head.

"No, no. Can you pick me up?" He asked, grinning ear to ear. Jason sighed, blushing, but complied. He wrapped his arms around Leo's waist and picked him up, their feet hovering. Leo giggled. "Okay, up higher." Leo commanded. Jason just did as he was told, moving up and down, left and right, wherever Leo asked him to.

When they were finally done, they sat on the couch, looking at the walls covered in decor. Leo smiled, laying against Jason's chest. They'd turn on the fireplace, which was crackling softly in the background.

"We did a pretty good job, Jase." He sighed into the thin cloth of his shirt. Jason smiled and ruffled Leo's hair.

"Yes we did." He responded, smiling. He placed a kiss in Leo's hair as the sun started to set.

"JASE! DON'T FORGET TO PUT ON A JACKET!" Leo yelled from the door, wearing overalls and a sweater. He probably should've worn something more, but the cold hadn't gotten to him yet. He shoved on his work boots, which were also snow/water repellent, and stepped outside. It was chilly, but not enough for Leo to need some more warmth. Jason was good at that too though, a big, cuddly, warm guy.

They were staying at CHB for the time being, since Jason and Leo were going to hang out with Piper and Reyna, along with Percy and others, for the holidays. They'd all been hanging out since the pair had gotten to camp, but Piper had left to visit her dad for a bit.

So now Leo had Jason all to himself again. He took a step on the porch and it left deep, melted prints. Leo looked at it then shrugged, continuing to walk until he got down the stairs and onto the grass. Usually it didn't snow at camp, but Chiron had let the campers enjoy some seasonal weather every now and then. And now that the holidays were right around the corner, the campers had gotten him to let some snow in.

"Uh, Leo?" Leo blinked out of his thoughts about boot prints and turned around. He stifled a laugh. Jason was wearing his sweater, along with a bulky/puffy white jacket, a red scarf, a beanie, and gloves. And some boots. Leo couldn't hold it in longer. He laughed and Jason frowned. "Hey, that's not nice! I'm trying to stay warm!" He argued. Leo walked back over to him and kissed his rosy cheeks.

"Sorry, mon amour, you just--" He broke into a fit of giggles again, Jason's cheeks flushed from the cold and now embarrassment. After Leo calmed down, he walked back inside. He grabbed a much thinner but fleece lined jacket, and took it out to Jason. "Wear this instead, alright?" He shrugged as Jason swapped out the jackets, looking much less restricted in it.

"Thanks," He shrugged sheepishly. Leo smirked.

"I know, I'm the best," He grinned. Before Jason could respond to the comment, his hand was grabbed by Leo's. He started running down the porch, down the stairs, and into the middle of the field of snow. There were a few campers who were playing in it, running around, or taking walks. Then Leo had an idea.

"We should make a snowman!" He exclaimed. Jason cocked his head.

"A what?"

"Snowman! Look," Leo started packing some snow together with his hands, which kept melting. He frowned and it was Jason's turn to laugh.

"Let me try, love," Jason balled up some snow in his hands, and held it up. Leo watched him, mesmerized at how Jason would smooth out each bump, lump, or scruff. It was perfectly round. Leo blinked

"Yeah--Yeah that's good, uh," He blushed, embarrassed that Jason might've noticed him staring at his hands. "Anyways, now we roll it through the snow." Jason complied, rolling the snow ball on the ground. Leo smirked as Jason would be amazed at how much snow the ball collected, becoming larger and larger. Finally, it was about the size of Leo's head.

"Like this?" Jason asked, patting the ball. Leo nodded, his eyes sparkling.

"Yeah! Okay, now we need to make two more--"

"What!?" He exclaimed. Leo rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, we have to make 2 more and then we stack them, like a man made up of snow!" Leo grinned. Jason sighed.

"Leo, I don't think I can make two more, especially bigger ones." Leo pouted. Jason frowned. So Leo fell behind the ball and grabbed a chunk of snow, chucking it at Jason.

"Snowball fight it is then!" He jokingly yelled, Jason ducking the melted snow only by a milisecond. He stood there startled, then his competitive side kicked in.

"Oh, you're on Leo!"

~~~

"What are they doing?" Percy asked, looking out of his cabin, watching Leo and Jason throw snow at each other. Annabeth took a long sip of her tea, sighing. "I thought they were snowball fighting, but Leo's snow is melted and Jason's is... too perfect." Annabeth raised her eyebrows, still sipping her drink.

"They're flirting." Percy looked over at her, looking confused.

"Are you sure?" Percy asked. Annabeth nodded.

"Yeah, they're gay. That's how they do it." She teased, a smirk sneaking on her face.

Leo was sitting in the apartment, wearing Jason's sweater and shorts. He held a cup of cocoa in his hands, which stayed warm since he kept reheating it. He'd lit candles and was now laying on the couch, waiting patiently for his boyfriend to come back home.

Jason had said he was going to pick something up from the stores before heading home, and it was becoming late fast.

Little Festus, or Festie as Leo called him, came bounding into the room. Leo sat up and smiled, scratching him behind the ears.

"Hey boy!" He giggled. Leo had created a smaller body for Festus to live in. He'd connected the mind of Festus and "Festie", so they both had the same memories and thoughts, it was just so he could stay with Jason and Leo in their apartment sometimes. The bigger Festus would usually be asleep in Bunker 9 when this happened.

Festie jumped on the couch, nuzzling Leo. The cold bronze shocked Leo, but he just kept cuddling his dragon while trying to keep the cocoa from spilling. "I hope Jason's safe," He mumbled.

As if on cue, Jason opened the door. His glasses were foggy and his breath was short. He carried a bag that seemed to be filled. He looked at Leo and Festie on the couch, grinning.

"Hey, mon amour!" Jason exclaimed, taking off his snowy shoes. Leo smiled, getting off the couch with Festie bounding at his feet. He walked over to Jason and kissed him.

"Hello Jase," He smiled. He helped him take off his jacket and tried to take a sneak peak into the bag while talking to Jason. "What took you so long? Festie and I were starting to get worried,"

"Oh, don't worry, I got something real special!" He promised. After they finished putting away his snow gear, he held Leo's hand and pulled him to the couch. Leo sat there, waiting impatiently.

"Well," Jason started. "You told me how you and your mom would go to the library to rent movies, so I got some for us," He opened his bag, showing the stack of DVDs sitting inside. Leo raised his eyebrows, pawing through them. Jason watched him nervously. "I just thought it'd be something sweet, you know?" Leo looked up, tears pooling in his eyes.

"Jase, you sap," He leaned in and kissed him tenderly. He sat back, trying not to cry. "You remembered."

"Of course I did. I love you." Jason smiled, pulling a specific movie out of the bag. "And I got The Santa Clause, I know it's your favorite," He blushed. Leo's heart just melted farther. He just stared at it and broke into tears, Jason pulled him into a hug as he cried. Leo felt so loved. Jason remembered the little things about him? That was something he couldn't get around his head.

Once he'd calmed down, Jason went to put the DVD in the player. When he got back to the couch, Leo nuzzled on his chest and Jason pulled a blanket over their laps. Festie jumped besides them and rested on the neighboring couch cushion.

"I love you Jason."

"I love you too, okay Leo?"

Jason inspected the tree, frowning. He was hovering ever so slightly off the ground, the way he did when he was intently focused. Leo watched him and rolled his eyes.

"Jase, I'm sure the tree's fine." He assured his boyfriend. Jason shook his head, still looking it up and down.

"It's just not right! See, this part's missing too many branches, and there's not enough foliage here..." Jason responded, using his hand to puff up parts of the branch. Leo sighed.

"It doesn't have to be perfect, mon amour." He promised. Jason didn't believe him.

"No, it does! If we're going to be doing Christmas the right way, it needs to be perfect." He complained. Leo just gently tugged on Jason's sleeve, causing him to come back to the ground and break his attention away from the tree.

"Jason, listen to me." He said, pulling Jason's head so they were touching their foreheads together. "It's okay. It doesn't have to be perfect, alright? I promise you, I'll love it even if it isn't perfect." Leo muttered between them. Jason closed his eyes, sighing.

"You're right. I'm sorry." Leo shook his head.

"Hey, don't be, okay? I get it, my mom would always have to remind me that I didn't have to get the most perfect thing for her. As long as we both loved it." He kissed Jason's nose. "Do you like the tree? Besides all the imperfections? I think that it makes it more like an actual tree, and not something cookie cutter."

"I mean, I guess. It's kinda pretty like that." Leo nodded. He stood up right and held Jason's chilled hands in his own.

"Yeah, it is. Plus, we can cover the more messy bits with even more ornaments!" Leo exclaimed, his eyes sparkling. Jason sighed a laugh, smiling at his overly excited boyfriend.

"Yeah, you're right. But I think we should keep it uncovered. Reminds us that we don't need to be perfect to be chosen, right?" Leo nodded.

"Yep! Okay, hold on," He dashed off, looking for the owner of the tree farm. "Sir! Sir! Yes! We'd like that one!"

"Oh yes, thank you Mrs. Jackson!" Jason thanked. Leo held his hand, trying to listen in on the conversation over the phone. Jason used his height to his advantage, straining away. "Yes, that sounds great. Again, thank you!" He put the landline down and Leo practically jumped with impatience.

"Jase! What was that about?" He exclaimed, Jason chuckling.

"Calm your horses, love." He kissed his forehead. "Mrs. Jackson and Percy have invited us over to their Christmas family dinners, and the whole Argos 2 crew will be there. Plus Nico and Reyna." He informed Leo and his face glowed with excitement.

"Wait, really! Oh gods! I haven't been at a family dinner in such a long time," He jumped for joy. Jason enjoyed seeing his boyfriend so happy.

"Yup! And it's a potluck, so we have to bring something."

"Don't worry Jase, I got that all figured out! Just change into something... nice but not too fancy." He dashed off then slowly walked back. "Do you think we can bring Festie?"

~~~

Jason and Leo stood nervously at the door of the Jackson residence, both wearing their sweaters and slacks. Jason held the plate of tacos and Leo held Festie's leash. He squeezed the hands they held between them two.

The door opened and the face of Percy Jackson popped out. He was wearing a bright red shirt with Rudolph on it, holding his sister on his hip. "You guys made it!" He grinned. Jason nodded.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." He smiled, squeezing Leo's hand. Leo adjusted his bag, full of mini supplies for Festie, along ear plugs. He and Jason both had their own pair, but he wasn't super concerned since it was a group of 9 kids with neurodivergent tendancies.

"Thank you again, for inviting us," Leo reminded, Percy grinned larger.

"Of course! You guys are welcome here anytime," He opened the door larger so the two (three, if you include Festie) could walk in. It was average size for an apartment, but seemed smaller with the sheer amount of people that were there. Most people were on the couches, talking happily about something. They looked up and greeted the two boys.

Percy lead them towards the table in the kitchen, piled up with food.

"You guys can leave your food here," He said, moving some things to make space. Jason settled it down and they followed Percy back out. Before they even left the kitchen, Piper was up on her feet, jumping to hug them both.

"I've missed you," She cried, squeezing them both extremely tight. Jason couldn't breathe and Leo giggled.

"Me too, Pipes." He mumbled back into her shoulder. After a minute, she finally stood back, looking at the mini dragon. She crouched, petting it's smooth metal.

"Who's this cutie?" Leo looked smug, happy to brag about his child/dragon any day.

"Festie! He's basically a mini Festus with the same chip." He announced, grinning happily. Jason kissed his cheek. He always thought Leo was adorable when he was talking about his creations.

Reyna walked over, holding a glass with something in it (Jason assumed wine at first, then remembered they're 17/18 year old's in America).

"Hey, guys, wanna come join our spot? You guys also should probably get some food," They said, handing a glass to Jason. He eyed it uneasily. "Apple cider with a little bit of nectar," Reyna assured, taking a sip of their own drink. Jason nodded and drank some. It tasted sweet due to the apple juice, and the nectar made it taste all the better. It reminded him of Leo's hot cocoa stained lips.

After a bit of chatting, Leo headed to the kitchen to get him and Jason a plate, while Reyna and Piper took Jason and Festie to the couches. There sat Hazel, Frank, Nico (and Will), Annabeth, Percy, and of course, Reyna and Piper. They all seemed very excited to have everyone together.

Leo came back and Jason rested his head on Leo's shoulder. Leo knew Jason struggled with social interaction sometimes, especially in a huge setting, but he didn't care. He loved his boyfriend and he'd do anything to keep him comfortable. One thing about Leo was that he had anxiety mostly around Percy. Talking to anyone else was either borderline scary or chill, but Percy gave him the most nerves. Specifically because of his blow up after the whole New Rome incident.

Leo did most of the social interaction for them. Jason would occasionally talk to the group, but would go back to enjoying just resting on Leo. After everyone had eaten, they went around sharing stories from their travels and munched on dessert.

"Jason," Leo whispered. Jason looked up.

"Hm?"

"Do you want to have dessert?" Jason saw the rest of the group eating a Christmas log cake. Honestly, Jason had forgotten how exhausting it was to be in a big group like this. And he loved hanging out with them, it was just that sometimes he found it hard. He nuzzled deeper into Leo's neck, shaking his head. Leo nodded.

"Hey guys," He informed the group. "I'm feeling a bit tired, so Jason and I are gonna head off early, is that alright?" The group nodded, saying their goodbyes and the two headed out the door.

~~

Once they got back home, Leo hugged Jason.

"Hey, everything alright?" He asked. Jason nodded, kissing Leo's forehead.

"Just tired. My social battery wasn't ready for all that." Leo nodded. He got that. He kissed Jason back.

"Oh. No problem. Should we cuddle up and watch something? Head to bed?" Jason shook his head.

"How about we make hot cocoa and talk?" Jason offered. Leo smiled, nodding. Jason used to not like hot cocoa that much, but he did after Leo started drinking and making it constantly at their place(s).

"Sure. Go change, I'm gonna boil the milk." Leo moved towards the kitchen and Jason went to his room to change. In their apartment, there were 3 bedrooms. One for Leo, one for Jason, and one for a guest. They usually slept in each other's room, but each had their own just in case they needed some space.

Jason came back in Leo's tank-top and blue pajama pants. He wrapped his arms around Leo as he made the cocoa, which caused him to giggle.

"Jase! You wanna try some?" Leo held up the spoon, which Jason took a sip from. He smiled in approval. Leo poured two mugfuls, with Jason still around his waist, and put whipped cream on his. Jason didn't like whipped cream, but who was Leo to judge?

They sat down on the couch, sipping their drinks. The night was young but neither of them were tired. They enjoyed hanging out with the whole 7, but sometimes it was difficult. It brought back a lot of bad memories along with the good ones. They were fighting for their lives most of the time, anyways.

"I'm sorry I left you to talk for us two," Jason offered. Leo looked surprised. He shook his head.

"No, it's fine! I love talking to people!" He grinned. Jason nodded. Leo had whipped cream on his nose, which Jason wiped off.

They kept talking about their fond memories of their days on the Argos 2, the hardships and the ones that made them laugh.

They talked until the next morning, in which they fell asleep on the couch, cocoa spilled on the floor.

And finally it was Christmas eve. Leo and Piper had forced Jason and Reyna to stay up with them that night, looking for Santa Claus.

"Pipes, he isn't real--" Reyna attempted before Jason shot a hand over their mouth. He squinted.

"Last time I said that, they threatened to put me on the roof for reindeer scouting duty," He whispered. He looked back at Reyna. "Seriously. I'm doing you a favor."

They sighed, peeling Jason's hand off of their mouth, and kept it shut.

Leo and Piper were giggling, thinking they were so sneaky kneeling under the kitchen table. Across from them, Jason and Reyna were sitting behind the couch.

"Does this happen every year?" Jason shrugged at Reyna. They both were going through Christmas activities with their respective partners for the first time.

"Apparently we-- they did this at Wilderness School too." He sighed. Nothing happened for a while, just Leo and Piper going through a sugar crash from being on cocoa and candy canes.

Jason looked at Reyna, putting a finger over his lips. Then he closed his eyes, and snapped. They heard yelping over from Piper and Leo's side, squealing from excitement. Reyna looked over the couch to see what they were so interested in. Snow fell through the chimney, leaving... were those footprints? Reyna rubbed their eyes to make sure they weren't asleep or sleep deprived and hallucinating.

Nope, they were there.

"Jason?" They whispered. He smirked.

"Keeps us from staying up all night." Reyna nodded slowly and sympathetically, not possibly being able to fathom staying up for some fictional housebreaker.

They heard shuffling and giggling, Leo and Piper crawling out from their hiding spot to look at the chimney. The cookies and carrots were gone. All four looked up as footprints were heard on the roof. As always, Piper and Leo tried to rush out to get a glimpse, but never could.

"One day we'll get him," Piper announced, Leo nodding alongside her.

"Yeah! We won't give up!" They high-fived while Jason snicked softly under his breath. Leo and Piper went back to the chimney, observing and plotting for next year. Reyna tapped Jason's shoulder as the two moved to the couch.

"How'd you do it? The cookies and the hoof-prints?" They asked, raising an eyebrow. The snow was something simple Jason could do, but the other aspects confused them. He smirked.

"I had Tempest go and walk on the roof, while I use a little wind to get the treats to go up the chimney. I'll get them tomorrow." He said matter-of-factly. Reyna looked surprised. They couldn't believe how planned out Jason was.

"That's... kinda cool."

"I know right? I told Annabeth and Nico and they both want my help to prank Percy and Will."

"I wanna see that."

"Let's go do it!"

Reyna had wanted to stay with them and open gifts, but had some urgent last minute work to do at Camp Jupiter. So they said their goodbyes.

Leo, Piper, and Jason sat in a circle, gifts in their laps. The tree in Leo and Jason's living space had piles upon piles of gifts, but Piper and Leo had a tradition. They would always opened each other's first, and now Jason joined their bubble.

"Pipes, open mine first!" Leo exclaimed, handing over his gift for her. Piper laughed, sighing.

"Yes, yes, repair boy. I'll do yours first." She took the wrapped box out of his hands. She started peeling the paper back slowly, trying to pull out the anticipation of the gift.

"Hurry!" Leo exclaimed. Jason sighed and rubbed Leo's shoulder.

"Calm down, love," Jason assured. Piper snickered and finally opened the gift. She gasped.

Inside was a glass flower lamp, one which had a steam that could twist and turn to the owner's liking. Leo had been working on it for a while, practicing glass techniques to make it work just right. Even Jason helped, keeping the electricity in the lamp ever going. The petals were a watercolor pink and the bulb a soft yellow center. Piper blinked back tears.

"You remembered..." She whispered. Leo smiled nervously, shrugging.

"Of course. It's not perfect... but," He shouldered her. "You're my best friend. And my sister."

~~

Wilderness School was not for the faint of heart. The place wouldn't let the kids celebrate holidays. The only permitted one was Christmas. This was when all of the kids were excused from classes and were taken to the snow, by bus, to play. That had been Piper's first time seeing snow. Then they'd head back to the school and get "gifts". These usually consisted of minor things, such as a piece of candy, or a stuffed animal. The kids wouldn't dare complain anyways.

When Christmas was just around the corner, the staff had left Leo and Piper on recycling duty. While Leo was sifting through the stack of old newspapers, Piper was sitting on a box reading a catalogue. It was the kind that stores would leave on door steps and kids would circle their favorite items in hopes of getting them for Christmas.

"Leo," Piper said suddenly, causing Leo to look up from his work.

"Hm?"

"Look," Leo stepped over and looked over her shoulder, noticing the beautifully crafted glass flower lamp. It was a pretty shade of pink, something Piper was definitely interested in.

"Wow." He muttered. Piper nodded. She looked up at him.

"When we leave, we should get one!" She announced. Leo smiled fondly.

"We? Pipes, I ain't got that kind of money! Plus, you're the one with the super rich dad," He teased. Piper rolled her eyes.

"Whatever!" She looked back at the lamp. "Just... promise me we'll be friends long enough to buy it?" Leo hesitated. He pressed a kiss on her head.

"Of course." He bit his lip. "When we leave, right?"

"Yeah." She smiled. "When we leave."

~~

After their fond sibling moments, Piper opened her gift from Jason, Chappell Roan CD's, and it was Leo's turn.

"Shit, I should've gotten you something better," Piper laughs, rubbing her eyes. Leo shook his head.

"The fact that you got me something is all that matters, alright?" He opens her gift, revealing a wrench that had been painted pink and had hello kitty stickers. Leo chuckled. "I actually needed a new one of these," Piper grinned.

"I know. I asked Jason," Leo looked over at Jason, who was flushing a light red. He laughed, and kissed Jason's cheek.

"Sweet." He started opening Jason's gift, who seemed very nervous about it.

"I'm sorry if it's bad," He muttered. Leo shook his head, still peeling away the paper at the small gift.

"No, no don't say that Jase. I bet I'll love it." He opened it, his eyes gleaming as they reflected off of the Celestial Bronze surface. In his palm was a fidget spinner. It was heavy, made mostly out of (what Leo guessed) Celestial Bronze and... Imperial Gold? He weighed it. Yup. It was painted dark red, with fire emblems on it. Leo smiled, looking up at Jason.

"You got this for me?" Leo asked softly. Jason blushed, suddenly very interested in a loose thread from his pajama pants. Jason shrugged.

"I asked Nyssa and Harley to, um, help me make it..." Jason mumbled. Leo smiled softly, blushing just as hard. He lunged and hugged Jason, who was very startled by the attack.

I love you. Leo tapped on his shoulder. Sometimes they did that, when someone else was there or they felt too shy to speak it. Jason smiled, and tapped back on Leo's shoulder.

After their hug, Jason went about opening his gifts. First from Piper, another world traveling booklet. Jason had been very interested in traveling the world, especially since he'd only traveled by 1. Dragon and 2. Flying Boat. He'd wanted to explore more, and live the childhood that he never got to.

Then Leo's gift. He opened the bag, which was stained with soot fingerprints, and found an animatronic wolf. It was much smaller than Festie, about the size of his forearm, but it was beautiful. It had silver and gold metals in it, its eyes sapphires. Jason looked up at Leo, who was grinning and nervously biting his nails.

"Leo..." He blinked back tears, trying not to cry. "I love it." He leaned over and hugged Leo, then pulled Piper in. "I love you guys so much."

"We love you too," Piper and Leo said in response, smiling sadly.

They stayed hugging for a bit, just enjoying the company of each other.

Piper left to go back to visit her father. Leo and Jason were back at camp to celebrate with other campers. With Festie their new animatronic wolf pet, they walked around camp.

It was chilly and empty, people heading home for the holidays to spend time with family. Frost flaked the ground. Leo squeezed Jason's hand, smiling up at his boyfriend. They were both drinking cocoa.

"So," He started. Jason raised an eyebrow.

"Hm?"

"How are you liking Christmas?" Leo asked, his eyes sparkling. Jason felt his face melt into a smile.

"I enjoy it a lot." He kissed Leo's forehead. "As long as I get to spend it with you every year." He teased. Leo nodded.

"Of course, Superman. Wouldn't dream of anything else."

Once they got to Jason's cabin, because it was very cold and Leo wanted to cuddle up, they spotted a couple Demeter and Hecate kids.

"What are they up to?" Leo asked, watching them snicker and giggle. Jason looked up. Then he started blushing.

"I-- uh--" Leo cocked an eyebrow, looking up. Oh.

A mistletoe grew from the entrance, green and leafy with little red fruit. It seemed to glow with magic. Leo looked over at the kids, who must've grown it, and rolled his eyes. He held Jason's hands, looking into his boyfriends eyes.

"Well, we gotta stick to traditions, right?" He said, smirking. Jason flushed harder, nodding. Leo grinned and pulled Jason close, kissing him softly. It felt amazing. Sparks of warmth fluttered inside of them. Leo heard the kids whooping, but couldn't care less. He was with Jason. His Jason. The boy who loved him.

Leo stood back, his face flushed and his lips red. Jason looked similarly.

"Well," Jason stammered. "I think this Christmas has been a success," Leo nodded, smiling.

"Me too. Merry Christmas, Jason!"

"Merry Christmas, Leo!"

~ an : aaaaah !! i finally finished this !! this has been in the drafts for like, 3 months and i finally got to work on this !!!! this has been a blast and i am sososososos happy with it !! i think its a cute concept and i love christmas sm and valgrace and alsfjlaskdjf !! i hope you enjoyed this just as much :DDD (i dont have much to say abt this, js i really liked this hehe) 4.5 k words !!!!

ty to everyone who read my silly yaps abt this and voted on the poll!!

i love you all so much, and merry christmas + happy holidays!!!

tag list : @writerthatarts , @ros-amoebas , @emofloofchild

[corrodedcoughin]

Hello!!! How're you?? Hope you're well!! I'm currently having Munson family feelings lmao

Please imagine lil pre teen Eddie settling in with Wayne, finding his footing, becoming more open in a way that he wasn't with his father. And he's really getting into his dnd. Has the manuals Wayne got him for his birthday one year. A mini or two. And he wants to get better at DMing, but he can't practice with his group because that would ruin the surprise of it all. So one day, he shyly asks Wayne if he'll practice with him. Fidgeting with the hem of his shirt and shuffling his feet. Isn't 100% sure what Wayne will think just yet

And to his surprise, Wayne says yes. And Eddie just... lights up. Smiles a big megawatt grin and starts talking about how it'll be super fun uncle Wayne you won't regret it!!!

They spend an evening making Wayne a character - a human called Wayne, they're keeping it simple - while they eat Mac n cheese for dinner. Wayne loves how happy it makes Eddie. How carefree.

And on Wayne's next day off, when Eddie doesn't have school, they play together. A mini campaign, just for the two of them. Eddie practices his skills, gets to play dnd, and hang out with his uncle all in one go. It's kind of everything to them. It's a lighthearted adventure where Wayne goes on a quest to get the perfect bait so he can go fishing and catch his dream fish. Eddie tells him what dice to roll, helps him fight a goblin and a bear, and puts on all sorts of voices for the characters Wayne meets. Eddie gets so wrapped up in it all, so excited. But when it ends he's all nerves - bitten lips and wringing his hands.

Did Wayne like it?? Did he have fun?? Was Eddie good??

And Wayne honestly says it wasn't quite his thing but he had a lot of fun. Eddie is a damn fine storyteller, has a real knack for the dramatics. He'll impress his friends, for sure.

And idk!!! I love Eddie and Wayne exploring their dynamic and figuring out where they stand with each other those first few years. It would have been a bumpy ride but they love each other!!!

Wayne getting in from grocery shopping on a Saturday, he likes to go really early so he can avoid Sally Knowles town gossip extraordinaire who Kees letting Wayne know ‘people are gonna talk if you don’t give that nephew of yours a Mothering presence in his life’ Wayne’s heard enough of it. So while it means he has to get up early, he’ll do it to escape the song and dance of busy bodies.

He’s making his way up the trailer steps, bags of groceries in hand (he’s a one trip kind of man and won’t be changed) when he hears a voice behind the door. The muffled and rushed but excited voice of his nephew barely audible through the rustling of groceries and the clattering of god knows what in the trailer - ‘okay. Okay he’s here. Go time. Show time. Time to shine. Story telling powers on.’

Wayne can see Eddie in his minds eye, turning an invisible switch at his temple. A ritual he started for their very first session. The boy had been nervous then and now, four - games? Chapters? Wayne wasn’t sure - in the nerves were still there but the excitement far outweighed them.

Opening the door, Wayne flicked his eyes over to the couch were Eddie was propped up, books spread out on the coffee table and rudimentary map laid across the table top.

Eddie’s head shot up, ‘I’ll help!’, scrambling to his feet to take some of Wayne’s provisions off of him.

‘You in a rush, son? Normally I’m shouting you through to give me a hand with these?’ Wayne was teasing. Could see that Eddie was conflicted, had Wayne forgotten that he promised to finish the story today? That it was going to find the Pond Of Dreams? Wayne loved the kid but he wanted to have a little fun too.

Setting the bags down and putting the freezer items away, everything else could wait. Not even glancing down at Eddie, Wayne stretched tall and exaggerated ‘think I need a nap after that. Don’t mind me Ed, gonna get some shut eye.’ And the thing is he couldn’t look at Eddie, if he did he’d crumble and it would all be for naught. One glance of Eddie in his home sewn cape and it’s be over.

So he hot footed it to the bathroom, hoping Eddie wouldn’t question the pre-nap detour or the backpack he was taking with him.

He could hear Eddie mumbling, frustration and disappointment evident in his tone. Then the tv going on, cartoons on high volume as he tried to distract himself. Which is when Wayne decided to re-appear, clad in his full fishing gear and rod. Along side a toy lizard he velcroed to his shoulder.

‘Well boy, you ready to go fantasy fishing? Heard there’s a dream pond waiting to be found’ Wayne tipped his fishing hat like a cowboy as Eddie’s eyes grew wide, scanning the outfit. It wasn’t much but Wayne tried to add the little details as he could; the potion belt of healing (an ammo belt he borrowed from somebody at work), the spear character wayne earned in his first battle (a pvc tube Scott Clarke was happy to provide after their last dinner where Wayne recounted Eddie’s tales) and of course -

‘Is that Creedence?!’ Eddie finally speaking up and pointing at the lizard, the decided companion and helper to Wayne in his journey.

‘Sure is kid, think he’s ready to roll. The question is, are you?’ It’s not the easiest thing for Wayne to do, sometimes he feels silly with all the fantasy and character voices that Eddie insists upon but when it makes the boy this happy? This unguarded and free? Who is Wayne to say no? Maybe the sillyness is good for him, good for both of them.

[disco-elysium-via-polls]

🎵 Bookstore

Looks like Guillaume le Million... that hair poster.

PLAISANCE - "Hello again, esteemed officer," she keeps reciting like a robot. "And welcome to Crime, Romance, and Biographies of Famous People."

3. "Plaisance, I have something to tell you... I've found the actual source of doom."

PLAISANCE - "What do you mean the *actual* source?" She clutches her pendant anxiously. "Are you talking about the... *Third Presence*?"

INLAND EMPIRE [Medium: Success] - She remembers. Good.

"Yes, the Presence, the Entity, the malicious Energy -- however you may want to call it…"

"My investigation has led me to discover a two-millimetre entroponetic hole in reality. That's the source of doom -- both in the commercial area *and* in Martinaise."

PLAISANCE - "She Who Has Many Names..." she nods solemnly. "I imagine things must be rather bleak for you to return to me. Tell me, what have you found?"

"My investigation has led me to discover a two-millimetre entroponetic hole in reality. That's the source of doom -- both in the commercial area *and* in Martinaise."

PLAISANCE - "A... a what?"

"A tiny hole... in reality. It may be connected with pale, an origin point of sorts. It would explain why historically so many things have ended in failure here in Martinaise."

KIM KITSURAGI - "Ma'am -- what he's saying is true. We found an entroponetic anomaly in the Small Pinewood Church down the coast. I don't mean to be an alarmist -- and more research *is* needed -- but... it's not looking good."

PLAISANCE - "But... but... *that's* not in any of the ancient texts! How am I supposed to protect my bookstore from *that*?!"

"You can't protect it -- not against *pale*. Close up the shop and try to get as far away from this thing as possible."

"You can protect it with hope, by refusing to give up. That's what people have done in the past -- by building a church, a place of worship around this thing."

"You'll have to find your own answer. I've spent too long on this quest as it is."

PLAISANCE - "You're *right*, officer. I mustn't lose faith -- especially now that Annette is finally settling in at school and making friends." She looks at her daughter, quietly studying in the corner of the shop. "No, we can't just leave!"

"Besides, didn't I have some Seolite hope catchers around here somewhere...? I must find them; everything will be alright if I can just find them."

"Thank you for your help, in any case. You're welcome back here anytime."

Task complete: Inform Plaisance about the Source of Doom

+10 XP

3. "Farewell for now, book peddler!" [Leave.]

You know, since we're here, and we already have more money than we can possibly spend...

MOUNTAIN OF BOARD GAMES - A small mountain of colourful board game boxes. There are numerous types of games for all ages. A lot of shelf space seems to be taken up by Wirrâl-related merchandise.

4. "I want to buy the *Suzerainty* game."

PLAISANCE - "Wonderful choice, sir." She smiles at you. "A wholesome *family* game."

4. "I want to buy the *Wirrâl* game."

PLAISANCE - "If you say so." She gives you a curious glance. "But you better stay away from those immoral occult rituals."

4. [Leave.]

BOARD GAME "SUZERAINTY"

A civilization-building board game where you get to choose a nation and set off to colonise and exploit other cultures. A star-shaped note on the box proclaims the game now includes a completely new "Genocide" option.

>INTERACT

SUZERAINTY: THE BOARD GAME - In your hands you hold a brand new copy of the game 'Suzerainty'. It's snugly wrapped in a skin of plastic...

The cover features a charming illustration depicting a mass of grinning labourers loading goods onto a ship while a richly dressed administrator oversees their work.

ENCYCLOPEDIA [Medium: Success] - The exact location and time period are left deliberately vague, but it's clearly meant to represent the economic relationship between the Revacholian Suzerainty and its many vassals.

Shake the box.

Remove the plastic wrap.

[Leave it perfect and undisturbed.]

SUZERAINTY: THE BOARD GAME - The box has a nice heft to it. You hear the rattle of individual wooden tokens and feel their weight shifting back and forth...

INLAND EMPIRE [Easy: Success] - What treasures wait in store for you?

SUZERAINTY: THE BOARD GAME - Even before you open it, you can tell that this will be a meaty game of grand strategy and complex player interactions.

2. Remove the plastic wrap.

SUZERAINTY: THE BOARD GAME - The plastic wrap rips off as easily as a bodice in a tawdry historical romance.

Open the box.

SUZERAINTY: THE BOARD GAME - There's a hiss as the lid slides off. Inside you find a thick, full-colour rulebook and more than a dozen pouches of various wooden components.

PERCEPTION (SMELL) [Medium: Success] - Ahhh! Savour that new board game smell! A mix of wood, paper, and ink, all wrapped in the sweet must of cardboard.

Read the rulebook.

Examine the components.

"Hey, Kim, wanna play?"

[Put the game away.]

SUZERAINTY: THE BOARD GAME - 'Welcome to Suzerainty: A game of economic strategy for the whole family!' The rulebook is sumptuously illustrated and thick as a Graadian novel.

'Economic strategy'? More like rapacious plunder and exploitation.

Keep reading.

+1 Communism

SUZERAINTY: THE BOARD GAME - The colourful illustrations depict cheerful workers picking apricots, hauling marble sculptures out of crumbling temples, and harvesting a strange, magenta-leafed plant. Everyone is smiling.

RHETORIC [Medium: Success] - You begin to suspect there may be a *political* agenda to this so-called 'family game'. Only one way to find out...

Keep reading.

SUZERAINTY: THE BOARD GAME - The instructions are opaque at first, and introduce many concepts you're not familiar with. Fortunately, there are many diagrams and examples throughout...

You soon figure out the basic conceit: Each player represents an administrator for the *Suzerain of Revachol*. Your objective is to increase the suzerain's wealth and renown by accumulating *victory points*.

How do you accumulate victory points?

Fuck the suzerain, what about *my* wealth and renown?

I've read enough. (Put the rulebook away.)

SUZERAINTY: THE BOARD GAME - There is no path to wealth and renown but through the suzerain. As one of the suzerain's trusted administrators, your very function is the glorification of Revachol...

That's where the suzerain's vassals come in. The game features four vassal nations, each one home to an economically important resource...

Each turn the player collects resources from vassals where they've placed workers. They may then rearrange their workers, fulfil contracts for coin and bonuses, or build structures back in Revachol...

REACTION SPEED [Easy: Success] - As you leaf through the pages, your eye catches on a sidebar labelled 'ADVICE FOR BEGINNERS'.

Read the advice.

Ignore it. Just tell me how the winner is determined.

REACTION SPEED - "Remember, there are many paths to victory in *Suzerainty*, but successful players will find *one* strategy and commit to it wholeheartedly."

HALF LIGHT [Medium: Success]- Boring, boring, BORING. Tear up this rulebook and commit some old-school atrocities!

How is the winner determined?

Isn't there any way to invade or commit atrocities or anything fun like that?

SUZERAINTY: THE BOARD GAME - Suzerainty is a family game. The only 'atrocities' you'll be committing are against the social standing of your rival administrators, as you bring in ever more resources and power for the suzerain. Speaking of...

The actual scoring system appears infinitely complex, with a series of tables and appendices required to compute each player's final victory point total. You skip that part for now.

2. Examine the components.

SUZERAINTY: THE BOARD GAME - You open up a number of pouches containing wooden tokens. There are also several punchboards with other cardboard components that will need to be punched out before you can play.

Punch out the cardboard pieces, one by one.

Check out the wooden tokens.

Put the components away.

SUZERAINTY: THE BOARD GAME - Each cardboard token makes a satisfying *chhhk* as you pop it out. Soon a neat pile of cardboard coins and counters has accumulated before you.

KIM KITSURAGI - "What, you're not going to offer to let *me* punch any of them out?"

2. Check out the wooden tokens.

SUZERAINTY: THE BOARD GAME - In addition to the worker and building tokens used by each player, there are also several piles of colourful resource tokens, each representing one of the game's four principal resources...

From the Empire of Safre: orange apricot tokens. From Ile Marat (the ancestral name of Iilmaraa): gray marble block tokens. From the Semenine Islands: white sacks of sugar tokens. And from Supramundi and Saramiriza: magenta tokens for unprocessed cocaine leaves.

KIM KITSURAGI - "Oh, those are nice." The lieutenant picks up a sugar token and admires it.

3. Put the components away.

SUZERAINTY: THE BOARD GAME - You hold the open game box before you.

3. "Hey, Kim, wanna play?"

KIM KITSURAGI - The lieutenant looks over the rulebook before he sees something that makes his eyes go wide...

"Holy shit, the average playing time for this game is one to six hours…"

"I'm not sure we can afford to set aside *that* kind of time for a *game*."

EMPATHY [Formidable: Success] - So he says, but his gaze lingers a moment longer on the rulebook than is strictly necessary. He could *make* time, if he really wanted to.

This unlocks a Suggestion check to convince Kim to play the game, but let's not get stuck into that now.

4. [Put the game away.]

BOARD GAME "WIRRÂL"

A high-pasternal *fantastique populaire* board game, illustrated with bucolic vistas and featuring odd-looking humanoid creatures. It's the 3rd edition mega-setting supplements module and can't be played without the main game.

>INTERACT

WIRRÂL - Large letters on the front form a title: "Wirrâl." The colourful box is illustrated with bucolic vistas. The cover art also features odd-looking humanoids, some short, some taller, some with pointy ears, others with ephemeral wings.

Examine the box.

Open the box.

Put it away.

WIRRÂL - Text underneath the title, in smaller typeface, reads: "Third Edition, Mega-Setting Supplements Module." The side panel adds: "A sword and sorcery adventure board game. With new maps and miniatures."

Shake the box.

Look at the back.

Enough inspecting.

WIRRÂL - Mysterious things rattle inside. What could they be? Dice? Plastic miniatures? A fantastical alternate world full of magic and wonder?

None of that witless Man from Hjelmdall fascist dross hidden behind faux-realistic allegory. Wirrâl is no cliché-ridden apologia for colonial violence. Wirrâl is pure *imagination*.

RHETORIC [Medium: Success] - Yes, the Wirrâl setting is known for its complicated system of political alignments. But if you're not into that you can just hack your way through dungeons in search of loot. That's what most people do.

2. Look at the back.

WIRRÂL - A blurb on the back reads: "Tired of the tedium and toil of modern life? Escape to Wirrâl! Leave behind isolas and nations with their petty squabbles. Discard electricity, magnets, and boring technological widgets..."

"Succumb to a world of high-Pasternal fantastique, unleash your imagination and create an adventure of endless possibilities. Discover the terrible secret threatening Wirrâl -- can your band of adventurers save the world?"

Yes, we're ready to take on this challenge.

I'm not sure I can handle all this responsibility.

Definitely not, it sounds too dangerous.

WIRRÂL - Man up, this is about having structured fun! All you have to do is read an intricate rulebook, study an assortment of maps, unfold the illustrated gameboard, and start rolling dice.

In no time you could be romping through grasslands with low-level characters, hunted by iyskel riders… or battling unspeakable monsters in endless dungeons fraught with danger and despair, conjuring up forceful maegics to aid your quest.

DRAMA [Medium: Success] - Don't forget heated arguments escalating to physical confrontation with your friends.

ELECTROCHEMISTRY [Medium: Success] - And beer. Lots of beer.

DRAMA - And most importantly, never forget to rage-quit if the dice don't go your way!

2. Open the box.

WIRRÂL - You pry open the box. Inside you find a folded-up map, a small booklet, a 24-sided die, and a little plastic figurine.

Look at the map.

Look at the booklet.

Look at the die.

Look at the figurine.

Close the box.

WIRRÂL - A reprint of a crude hand-drawn map. The top left corner reads: 'Lands of Wirrâl.' The map features both small villages and mid-sized towns (with odd names), in addition to meadows, forests, hills, lakes and seas (also with odd names).

It doesn't seem to correspond with anything you've seen thus far. It's not a very helpful map.

2. Look at the booklet.

WIRRÂL - A quick guide to the maegical races of Wirrâl. Create your own hero choosing from any of these completely unique and fantastical backgrounds.

The options are, in order of importance: the welkin, the dweorgr, the humans, the faerie folk, and the pygmies.

Read about the welkin.

Put the booklet away.

WIRRÂL - The welkin -- tall, lithe and graceful, with long flowing hair and pointy ears. They're known for being powerful maegic users, but can also hold their own in a brawn-driven fight.

The welkin come with a variety of exciting sub-races: high welkin, forest welkin, lake welkin, and snow welkin. But if you're not feeling experimental -- a basic welkin will always do.

Read about the dweorgr.

Put the booklet away.

WIRRÂL - A grand race of industrious mountain people. They're short, stout and muscular, and enjoy digging for gold and other precious minerals. They're also well-versed in the art of combat, where they prefer to use axes and hammers.

The dweorgr also come in a few different sub-races: hill dweorgr, shield dweorgr, and dark dweorgr.

Read about the humans.

Put the booklet away.

WIRRÂL - They're just humans... what else is there to tell? They're average in all stats and jacks-of-all-trades.

Read about the faerie folk.

Put the booklet away.

WIRRÂL - A very small race of flying people, known for being mischievous, full of trickery. They often lure people into their maegical traps. There are no sub-races for the faeries.

Read about the pygmies.

Put the booklet away.

WIRRÂL - The least popular of the Wirrâl races, the pygmies are short, rotund and dim-witted. Pygmies live in small villages made of shoddy wooden dwellings. They spend most their days tilling the earth and smoking their pipes. There are no sub-races for the pygmies.

3. Look at the die.

WIRRÂL - It's made from some sort of wood and has been decorated with peculiar plant motifs.

ENCYCLOPEDIA [Medium: Success] - You don't know much about dice, but this one looks pretty damn fancy.

Level up!

4. Take the die.

Item gained: Standard Wirrâl Die

WIRRÂL - You place the die into your pocket. It's always good to have luck on your side.

3. Look at the figurine.

WIRRÂL - You see a man in ragged clothes wearing a lopsided hat and wielding some sort of a firearm.

KIM KITSURAGI - "Huh, interesting. A communard."

"A what?"

"What's so interesting about that?"

"That doesn't sound very Wirrâl-like."

KIM KITSURAGI - "A communard. One of the leftist revolutionaries in the Antecentennial Revolution."

2. "That doesn't sound very Wirrâl-like."

KIM KITSURAGI - "It is not. The communards are not a part of the game setting... I guess someone misplaced it during the packaging process."

"Does this mean we can't play?"

"Maybe someone should make a role-playing game set during the Revolution."

KIM KITSURAGI - "Hmm. Good luck finding people who'd want to play as communards."

4. Take the figurine.

WIRRÂL - You pick the figurine up by the base to meet your gaze. The little plastic man stares back at you, his face contorted into a disturbing shout. Then you pocket it.

Item gained: Figurine Set "Revolutionary"

3. Close the box.

STANDARD WIRRÂL DIE

This basic 24-sided role-playing die can be used to get results for several dice. It's made of East-Semenese Snakewood and embellished with plant motives. It reminds you of plain- and hill-welkins. NOTE! Look at the MAP tab in Journal to see which White Checks have opened.

This die is not actually useful to us at this point in the game.

FIGURINE SET "REVOLUTIONARY"

What a nice little figurine! A turn-of-the-century leftist revolutionary in ragged clothes. On his head lies a lopsided hat, seemingly an ushanka. In his hand he carries a little musket.

I guess we could also give this to Dolores Dei... if we ever figure out what that actually means.

[antelopunny]

no one tagged me i simply enjoy talking about myself in the absence of actually writing

5 Songs

(opens spotify wrapped)

Slow Bloom - The Home Team

Dancing Demons - Space Weather

Gunners in the Rain - Mili

萬千花蕊慈母悲哀 - 珂拉琪

The Mad Stone - Everything Everything

Questions

1. Three ships you like:

about to self-report on my taste so hard rn

Idira Tlass / Jae Heydari (Warhammer 40k: Rogue Trader) - OKAY LOOK. I know people are here because I write that Yrliet fic but listen up. At first I thought of them as perfect besties, which is ALSO a great flavour, but then I began rotating Idira in my mind on full blast like a 900W microwave and I went CRAZY. Like, just, okay, let me try to summarize my thoughts... so Idira, she's brash, she's loud-mouthed, she's talented as FUCK and despite being an unsanctioned psyker has beaten all the millions of odds stacked against her, but pretty soon after meeting her, you can brush past her tough facade and realise she's just aching for someone she can Be Real with. You go deeper and you realise she was raised to be a weapon for warlords to use but then one day a knight in shining armour named Theodora von Valancius busted her out, swept her off her feet and spirited her away into the stars. She wants that back, in the end: someone she can lean on, hug her when shit is rough, stay with her until the inevitability of her gruelling end at the hands of the warp. AND THEN ENTER JAE HEYDARI, a supposed 'princess' of a faraway kingdom who seemingly wants a handsome (and very rich) prince to save her, but pretty quickly you can see past the act and know that Jae is a total freebird who knows that the only person she can count on is herself. But even so, she's fiercely loyal and would happily march into a cold death if that meant saving those she cared for (as many unfortunately found out because of Jae's Act 4 quest bugging). So it's Idira, the 'witch-diviner of fates' with seemingly unbreakable will, a valiant 'dark knight'-type figure holding back horrors unseen all while quietly yearning to be saved, + Jae, the 'runaway princess of Efreet' with unyielding charm and luxurious airs, a beautiful 'blooming rose waiting to be plucked'-type of girl that under the surface is chasing after her destiny all on her own two feet, because who the hell needs a Prince Charming when your name is Jae fucking Heydari? LISTEN. LISTEN OKAY THE ROLE REVERSAL. THE UNEXPECTED INTERTWINING OF THEIR FATES IN OPPOSITE SIDES OF A DANCE. GUYS DO YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYI

Trahearne / Pact Commander (Guild Wars 2) - Most people haven't played GW2 at all. But a lot of people have played FFXIV. So imagine a Haurchefant-type figure that, if you choose to start as a Sylvari, has been with you having your back the whole tile, sets up the whole We Gonna Save The World organization and trusts in you to be one of his top commanders, takes the lead but in truth is always looking upon you to be his sunlight and shining spear, you are the only one that sees through the brave face he has put up this whole time for the sake of fighting the good fight, you are the one he trusts with who he is, and then the first expansion of the game comes out and he FUCKIGNGEWOI HOGESWHIIO EGIJJiaewhioewh JHAHAhsahifEGHIWHW EIEWGi NOOoOoOO anyway you should play critically acclaimed MMO Guild Wars 2 it's got a free trial all the way up to the first expansion Heart of Thorns, is a 'buy once play forever' type of MMO so you don't have to pay a sub, and is constantly updating with new story PLEASE PLAY IT WITH ME PLEASE

Zheng Chenggong / Zhou Yu (Fate/Samurai Remnant) - Yes, that Ming loyalist guy who exorcised the Dutch from Taiwan + that Romance of the Three Kingdoms twink who dabbed on Cao Cao. I have no excuse for this one. They got that twin souls separated over 1300 years shit with a heavy heaping of 'time is a flat circle and nothing we ever do will matter in the end' on top of it. Zheng Chenggong is also, uh... it gets worse the more I talk about it so I'll just stop here. If you know you know.

2. First ship ever: ...probably N Harmonia / the Pokemon B/W player character. What was it? FerrisWheelShipping??????? I was like 12 years old okay you gotta leave me alone

3. Last song you heard: Persephone in the Garden - Aidoneus. I've had it on loop while writing. It, uh... it's a mood.

4. Favorite Childhood Book: My dad made me read The Little Prince when I was a kid and I regarded it with the blind childlike wonder an idiot 7 year old would, without understanding all the underlying whispers of tragedy. I reread it along with footnotes detailing the author's shit life and the backdrop of the Vichy Regime and I was like. What the fuck father why did you give this to me

5. Currently Reading: The Sea of Fertility tetralogy. Again. Yukio Mishima's ghost constantly possesses me and forces me to reread his 800 page long suicide note

6. Currently Watching: DUNGEON MESHI! OooOooH DUNGEON MESHI (narrator voice)

7. Currently Craving: Sleep. Good fucking night

simply do this if you wish, tag games are simply a tumblr dot com psy-op to make you anxious about bothering people

[bustyasianbeautiespod]

(non spn watcher here) when did destial become a canon love story with writer intent? like was there more destiel-ness in the season leading up to the nov 5th confession?

Okay *cracks knuckles*.

First and foremost, I'm gonna tell you about my SPN history. I started watching SPN and got caught up with the show while s10 was airing and was watching live until the end of s12. I gave up specifically because Castiel's s11 plot proved to be just on the side of too miserable for me, and s12 didn't really make it any better (Cas dies at the end of that season). During this time, and until Nov 5th 2020, I was solidly on camp "Dean and Cas are never going to be canon just because of what SPN is fundamentally as a show, and even if they did, I cannot imagine a situation where it would be a good thing for Cas given SPN's track record on how they treat the angel."

When Nov 5th happened I was sucked back into the show. In preparation for the finale I watched all of s13-15 in the two weeks between the confession episode and the finale. Again, my perspective going into this endeavour was still very doubtful and pessimistic, specifically on the Dean side of the equation.

The beginning of s13 was a bit of a shock to me, honestly. It starts with what the fandom calls 'The Widower's Arc'. I think this was the arc that most solidly cements the feelings from Dean's side. It was so vehement in pointing out that Dean feels for Cas in a way so distinguished from how Sam does. In the very first episode of the season (so the first episode I watched after going back into SPN), Dean quietly wraps Cas' body with a curtain all by himself in a sunlit room. And I go Oh. Okay.

This vibe does wane after Cas comes back and regular SPN hijinks ensues. S14 actually ends with Dean and Cas fighting and Dean doing his usual Dean-isms. 15.03 is when that fight culminates: they break up and spend a couple episodes apart from each other.

15.09 The Trap features Dean and Cas in purgatory, and this was Truly An Episode. They bicker through-out the entire thing and are pretty pissed at one another, but then Cas gets taken, and Dean desperately prays to him, confesses his anger issues, forgives Cas and asks for forgiveness back. Later, they reunite, and Cas acknowledges that he heard everything Dean said.

This episode is so interesting to me because it culminates the Dean and Cas fight-separation-reconciliation plot of s15, and in doing so confirms it to be as important as it is. I cannot point enough that the plot reasons for the stuff happening in 15.09 is so pointless. They go to purgatory for a fetch quest for an item that can be interchangeable with literally anything else, specifically to put Dean and Cas back in purgatory (a meaningful place for them), have them be separated, and have the prayer happen. The whole point of the Dean and Cas portion of the episode is to do character work. We don't even see the scene where Cas finally gets the thing they're here to acquire in the first place. That's literally not the point. The point is Cas and Dean's story. S15 is the last season of a show with so many big things to wrap up, and they make it a point to have Dean and Cas go through a half-season arc that DOES occupy so much of the season and brings a new openness, vulnerability, and room for development into their relationship.

So yeah, before 15.18 there WAS very visible marks of the fact that Something was gonna happen. Interestingly enough all those marks were pretty dean-centric. I would say s4-10 destiel is the audience being inundated that Cas loves Dean. S11-15, ESPECIALLY 13-15 is so very much making it known that Dean loves Cas too.

On a related note, on Nov 21, 2020, a post is made here on tumblr claiming that around Dec 2016 (S12 was airing at this point), Warner Bros. conducted a market research about Supernatural, and from this person's experience, specifically about Dean and Cas and Dean's sexuality (link to a post that confirms the information in the post to be true). This market research was during the time leading up to s13, which I think does mark a big change in how the love between Dean and Cas started being framed by the show as something Dean both feels and is also aware of.

So, to answer your questions.

Was there more destiel-ness in the season leading up to the nov 5th confession? Yes.

When did destiel become a canon love story with writer intent? It became a canon love story by S15, but the writer intent to make it canon goes way back to s13 but probably even s12.

- Grey :))

[theadventurerslog]

King's Quest Wrap Up

Here we are. I've finished King's Quest 1-7, which I would consider the main series as Mask of Eternity is so different and I won't be playing it. It's been a great ride that I wasn't even originally intending to do, but I'm glad I did. Sitting here writing this post is a bit more bittersweet than I expected.

This whole blog idea came about because of King's Quest. I went from just watching them played (Thank you SuchMinutiae!) to thinking it'd be fun to try at least V and VI to wondering about the idea of logging them as a textual let's play, which led to doing them all. And now I've played them all and they get to be the first games and first complete series done here.

I mentioned there were a lot of classics I was missing and that Sierra games were a big hole in my history entirely. Not only did I have that total gap, but it was one that didn't come with the best reputation. Basically my association with Sierra was hard obtuse games in which you die at the drop of a hat. Which, okay, especially in the case of the older games that is true, but it's not the whole picture. I can only speak for King's Quest right now, but that misses the fun adventure of them and the evolution the series went through and that VII dropped the cruelty and had no dead ends and deaths were harmless with instant retries.

It misses what I can only imagine the feeling was back then of setting out into what would have felt like a big world and going on this big adventure. It misses the charm and goofiness that crops up. The portrayal misses the fun (and sometimes frustration) of goofing around with the text parser in the first four games. It misses the evolution of not just the mechanics and graphics, but also the story telling and how they start to connect more with each other into a bigger whole. I'm going on a bit of a rant here, but if I had continued with only that original outlook on them and a couple of stray reviews I one time saw while looking briefly into the games quite some time ago--can't recall exactly why, it may have been when that episodic King's Quest game by another company came out--and those reviews also really highlighted difficulty and not too much else I would have passed on an experience I really enjoyed.

Now, I will freely admit my opinion would probably be a bit different if I had gone in blind, or just with the knowledge to save a lot and keep lots of saves. That last point is a big one and would spare some anguish. I definitely would have gotten more stuck on points far more often and probably dead-ended myself at other points and had to rely on past saves more. But I'm also not too proud to poke at hints or check for bits in guides, so I still could have gotten through, but there would have been some more frustration colouring my views. Not to say there wasn't any frustration because there sure was at points, beanstalks and stairs and dark dark caves with trolls, oh my. Still, my point still stands that I could have so easily been continuing to be swayed away from ever giving these a shot and missed out.

I also think it's great to visit or revisit some old games now and then. Not just to see how far things have come, but to experience what things were like. It was still so new as a medium, still is relatively speaking, and devs were still learning and trying stuff and experimenting and there's a very wild west feel to it. And it's just... this is what they knew, this what they had to work with in regards to the tech and it's...cool. And being reminded how much and fast things were changing like the jump from KQ IV to V. It was a lot! I just think it's nice to be reminded sometimes. Games have moved so quickly it can be easy to forget.

It was also nice to have a reminder of my own...outlook I guess? on graphics in a tangible way. I'm not someone who needs or cares about high-end top of the line graphics anyway, but the ability to get into the game and meet it on its level struck me particularly in a couple spots in III and IV where I found myself having the exact same reaction to things I'd have to the same kind of things in a modern game. Those things being a couple waterfalls spots in III ("ooo! waterfall!" Screencap!) and Genesta's island and the path going up the mountain to Lolotte's area in IV. More ooo, pretty, or ooo cool moments. These early four games are older than I am and primitive by today's standards and it's just...nice to know I can still have these little wow moments anyway.

I've gone off on some tangents here, so back to the individual games themselves. As for each game, the obvious thing to do in an end post like this would be to rank them, but I am terrible at ranking things. If you want to send me into a spiral of dithering and second-guessing myself, make me rank things. Instead I will just say that VI is my favourite and I have no idea after that. I am going to give my last thoughts on each and heck maybe some kind of preference or order will emerge. Still not ranking them though.

King's Quest I: Quest for the Crown

The beginning! There's always something exciting about a new start, certainly so when you know it continues into a series. It's very simple: find the three missing treasures of Daventry and become king. Really nothing deep here, but it's a short enjoyable romp through a mishmash of fairy tale things and sometimes there's comfort in simplicity. Less comfort in falling repeatedly off a beanstalk; I might still be bitter.

Not a lot to say about it really, but a solid enough start.

I'm looking forward to revisiting it sometime through the SCI remake.

-

King's Quest II: Romancing the Throne

I looked back at my final notes for the game and while my points are still true I feel like I had a more negative slant on them than I do now. As I've been thinking about these games off and on while playing I've had a growing fondness for II. Yeah, its plot is thin: Graham wants wife, girl trapped in tower by evil witch for some reason, rescue girl, get married. And don't go here for cohesive world building, but it was fun. It did feel like a grab bag of ideas tossed together into a game, but that ended up being what made it entertaining in not knowing what it's gonna throw at you next.

What IS grandma's deal with the wolf and Dracula, and oh yeah, Dracula. Antique shop in the middle of nowhere, the owner of which seems to have some kind of feud with the witch? Why not? Merfolk? Sure! Its stairs weren't as bad yet either.

I've found its ridiculousness is where the fun was for me and my fondness for it has grown.

-

King's Quest III: To Heir is Human

This game was important for setting out foundations for everything to come: introducing Alexander and Rosella, the existence of Manannan which was used for plot with Mordack for V which also included Cassima to get us the plot of VI, etc. It's where the chain of continuity felt like it really began.

That said I said it was a mixed bag and that hasn't changed. The beginning is fun with the spells and all the thing you can have happen with Manannan which I didn't get much of in my playthrough and I regret that. The spells themselves are fun and the game did get more complex than the previous two.

But that second chunk hits on tedium and frustrations and is just plain not as fun or interesting as the first part. If I were to rank the games, and I'm not, but IF I were I'd really struggle with this one and wish I could put one part in one place and the other part in a different lower place.

One other note: now we don't get a ton of Alexander's personality in III really, just by nature of these older games and he's a little older in VI and of course free of Manannan, but I do have a little trouble reconciling them as the same character. Like, for example, there's a point early when you get the fur from Manannan's cat and he snickers about it and calls it a stupid cat and I just cannot picture VI Alexander ever saying that. Of course I doubt they had any inkling of what VI would be like if it were to ever exist, just something I noticed.

-

King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella

Like KQ III I still feel this one is a mixed bag but its low points are lower still than the low points of III and it really leaves me conflicted because there are plenty of things I like but so much ugh at some of the bullshit. The whale, the bridle, the dark cave with the troll, some really awful stairs, it got to be a lot sometimes.

But then it was nice to have Rosella as the protagonist and it was nice to have a more present villain and with Edgar it gave them some material to pull from for later. There were still fun moments and some just really nice spots like the exterior of Genesta's home with her gardens. When I wasn't in the really annoying spots I was enjoying myself as much as the previous games but those blemishes cast long shadows.

It also felt a little more sombre overall, which makes sense under the circumstances, but something I noticed.

-

King's Quest V: Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder

"We're the aaants led by King Antony..." Ahem. V was my originally planned first game then when I realized it was bundled with IV and VI that maaaybe I should start with IV, which oof, glad I didn't, but then I started from the beginning.

That said I was looking forward to getting to V and I quite enjoyed it. That beautiful art. The voice acting is pretty bad, but I find it weirdly endearing. There's some really charming moments.

There's also a ton of bullshit and a long list of ways to softlock yourself, which should annoy me more on principle, but I think the difference between it and IV is that in this one's case the problems come from things that you can miss rather than frustration coming by the actual act of playing through the annoying trial and error parts like the whale and the cave with the added 'joy' of RNG. And since I knew what to look out for I could avoid the problems whereas I was stuck in it in IV.

Anyway, the connectivity really started to come into fruition here too making use of the events of III while building up to VI. ...Still cranky about Graham's attitude about Alexander at the end and everyone ignoring poor dead Cedric at first.

Other than that it's just so cheesily charming to me.

-

King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow

Much like my final thoughts in the last post for the game I'm wondering what more I can say. It's my favourite of the series. It's still so pretty. I really like Alexander as a protagonist. He's so earnest. I like Cassima for what we do get of her though I want more.

I love how much there is to interact with and just the sheer amount of descriptive text with some great humour in there. The premise is hinged on some real flimsy love at first sight, but it's wrapped up in such a good package I can't complain much. There are a lot of fun and charming bits and some just cool chunks too like the stuff in the Realm of the Dead. Having two different routes to two endings is neat as well.

Also, "Girl in the toooower!"

--

King's Quest VII: The Princeless Bride

This one's a little harder to talk about again since I did just finish it so it hasn't had the same time to sit in the back of my mind like the others. It was a departure in a lot of ways from the rest of the games but then again, V and VI were a departure in some ways from the first four as well. It was still a fun different flavour without feeling like it was something else entirely I think might be my best way of putting it. And it was a fun change of pace to be alternating between two protagonists.

And despite its differences it still clung to its roots of fairy tales and the Daventry royals and of course made use of the events of IV. It was also still a point and click unlike a certain other unplayed entry of the series.

It was more comedic and exaggerated and there were some points that were running the fine line of grating for me but never enough to be off-putting.

I wasn't quite sure how I'd feel about it before playing, but I did enjoy more it than I initially feared.

-

I kind of think of the series in three phases which further doesn't help with any attempts at ranking either. There's 1-4, 5-6 and 7. Seeing that kind of progression is another fun thing about going through a series from beginning to end though. Does a ranking emerge from the above notes? VI is high and IV is low. 5 and 7 are probably higher than 1-4 but trying to decide between 5 and 7 and trying to order 1-4 I just don't know. I enjoyed my time with all and that's what really matters in the end.

--

Various Stats and Other Rankings

I've got them anyway, so I may as well gather them into one place!

Final Points

King's Quest 1: 154/158

King's Quest II: 185/185

King's Quest III: 202/210

King's Quest IV: 230/230

King's Quest V: 260/260

King's Quest VI: 225/231

King's Quest VII: N/A

I only got max points in the half the applicable games. Clearly another reason to replay some of these.

--

Death/Game over Counts:

King's Quest I: 58

King's Quest II: 17

King's Quest III: 63

King's Quest IV: 86

King's Quest V: 59

King's Quest VI: 29

King's Quest VII: 42

Feeling some KQIV trauma looking at these counts all over again. I wound up with a higher count that I expected in VII too; it started low then Ooga Booga happened...

--

Death Rankings!

I was given the idea to rank deaths so here are some death awards!

Most Deaths: King's Quest IV. Some awful stairs among other things.

Most Maddening: Any stairs or stair-like things. Stair cases in IV and the bean stalk in I drove me nuts. Aside from stairs, the troll in the dark in IV. Once he's there, there's no escape and he's completely random.

Most Expected: Eat these nightshade berries says the golden eyed 'grandma'. What could go wrong. This being hasn't already tried to lead you to your death on more than one occasion before and isn't remotely suspicious now. Alexander, please.

Most Unexpected: This is a bit trickier as I wasn't playing blind. Possibly the rock in KQ I that you push. You have to push it to get a dagger, but if you push it from the wrong side you're squished and there's not really indication of it being on a slope or anything, so... squish. I feel like I'm probably missing some obvious contenders.

Most Tempting: Tree deaths in KQ IV. The tree puns! And failing the spells in III. Gotta see the results. Oh! And not a death but game over, actually this might be the most tempting, but getting turned into a beast in VI. How could you not want to let that run its course and see it? "Whee whee!!!"

Look at him!

Funniest: Possibly getting punched out by the bear in V. It's so ridiculous looking and abrupt.

Most Brutal: I've got three here: two deaths in VI and one in VII. The death by spiked ceiling in the catacombs and the death by fire with the druids. They're both drawn out and the way it all plays out is just yikes. They both had me flinching back into my chair. Then in VII we had Rosella and/or Valanice getting dragged in by the skeletons over the Boogeyman's home. And just the sound and the animation, oh the animation. It was another yikes moment for me.

--

Final Final Thoughts

As I try to figure out how to end this ramble. I suppose I will end this with the relatively simple question of would I recommend these?

VI and VII? Yes, particularly VII if someone wants a friendly point and click as VI still has softlocks and the need to save a lot for those deaths

V - with some caveats

I-IV - only to people genuinely interested in exploring the old stuff and willing to tolerate the BS and possible frustrations of a text parser (though I still think the text parser has its own fun)

Was the experience worthwhile for me? Absolutely. Will I replay these games or at least some of them? For sure. I have the SCI remake of I waiting for me and I'll definitely be playing VI again. I think I'll be able to add it to my comfort food rotation. I also, despite my complaining, want to give III another go sometime because I missed too much fun stuff at the start. Honestly I could see doing another run-through of the whole series for myself in the future, maaaybe skipping IV but also maybe doing it too because it's not like I hated it.

For now the Daventry family can live happily ever after until I restart the timeline and force them through all this again.

Once again, thank you for joining me and reading all this.

[taxfraudhousewife]

toga what would you do if you were me

all those big glorious ideas

was there ever room for a stupid crush

i keep asking men who can’t or won’t answer

i think it’s easier

can’t tell anyone if you’re dead

or ignoring me

but seriozna how could you tell so many stories and never mention

a girlfriend a boyfriend a shemale

no one

maybe im just used to everyone else im related to always becoming a thing and then breaking up etc.

i theorized you’re gay

idk maybe that’s dumb

i don’t have any reason to think that other than you respect women

i just wonder

you talked all this talk about

i should know my worth and not let anyone pressure me especially boys

especially chinese boys

idk it just made me wonder if your arms had room for all that hullabaloo

you would probably tell me to tell him

i think you’d like him

wouldn’t like his politics i don’t think

he thinks it’s good that south america got colonized cause of christianity

i wonder if that would be a deal breaker for you

how deep the socialism runs

i thought the socialism was in my bones

but he makes my brain go error 404 i don’t want reproductive rights

anyway if your religion is real you should tell me what to do

i’ll listen you know i always listen to you

if you care enough at least

that’s not supposed to be passive aggressive

i just mean i know you had a lot going on

and if you’re in jannah you definitely have a lot of shit going on and you’re still probably frazzled and processing the fact that your soul left your fucking body

i assume that would take a lot of time to wrap your head around

but if you have time

you should make a rainbow or some gay shit idk

make it snow or i wouldn’t complain if you harassed me in a dream

it’s been a while

anyway

hope youre doing good

i hope your religion is real or at least a religion in general

kinda hope you’re too busy and don’t have time for me still

even tho i have a million bajillion questions half of them are politics and half of them are just dumb but important to hear your thoughts on

i hope you’re busy going on a percy jackson quest to do a heaven intifada

i think only you could turn olympus horizontal

like i imagine you just picking up a mountain and laying it sideways

i think politically you could’ve done that

i’ve been secretly hoping that if religion is real you’re like

doing some jihadi shit

idk what

idk how hierarchical an afterlife would have to be to cause you to go on a percy jackson quest

it’s just really hard to imagine you accepting anything as fair

even if it’s unfair for one unholy mythological monster from the bible

idk the tea with your religion but even that sounds like you’d have so many qualms with it

are there actually seventy two virgins i think you’d unionize them

like is god a dictator are you gonna do a coup

you’d be passing all these woke laws about not torturing people in hell

citing all these international laws like it actually matters

it won’t matter to all the lil demons and cherubs and probably not to god

but it’ll matter to you cause it’ll matter to all the little pedophiles getting tortured

can’t imagine you letting the pedophiles get out so easily tho

that would be crazy if god was a dictator and you did a coup

would you become god then make everyone else god too and then it’s like

superpowers communism

wish i could ask you what you’d do if your religion is real and you had to do a heaven coup

what’s the strategy for that

i just know you’d have the best answer

anyway

shit

i’m gonna go to bed now

bye

[kn0ckkn0ckneo]

there are certain topics you cannot discuss w/just anyone. there is a certain level of trust, intellect or experience that is required with such topics. the spiritual, woo-woo, Death, ET-related topics are a few of mine i do not discuss w/just anyone. there is a certain level of openness & awakenness that must be present.

now, there is a topic i've been quite fond of my whole life, but haven't been truly connected to it until as of two years ago. Death. in my my life, i have had two NDE. the most recent one was about two months ago. it changed my life & mindset entirely. i have only shared this experience w/my spiritual teacher because i needed answers. i am still questing for them. looking for answers in books, in videos, in blogs- everything. i know what happened was real, but i just wanted the confirmation comparing my experience to those of others.

when you want something enough, truly want it. when you want something so maturely, so detachedly, so conscientiously... you just might get it. no matter how extreme it may be. spiritual ascension has been a theme in my life for the past three/four years & truthfully, i was tired. just tired.

the level of connection & communication i have formed w/my spirit team is beyond your imagination, i assure you that. i had spent a good while contemplating my death, the outcome of it, how can it affect everyone the least, thinking about my pets as well; just like you plan a wedding, i planned my own death, but only i wasn't going to do it myself, i asked a higher force to take care of the deed for me & my pets all together.

one night, i felt ready. i went to talk to the sky as i normally do each night & i told them, "i'm ready." we've had this conversation before, they knew what i needed done & how i wanted to go (w/my pets). so i said goodbye to the world & ended it w/much gratitude & love. i got ready for bed for the last time, did my nightly routine, kissed & hugged my pets a lot & was very grateful to each one of them. they knew, they knew. one of them, my little pisces girl, the one who has seen me almost die before, she was particularly anxious & hid under the bed. i told her it was going to be alright.

so i went to bed. at some point it started happening, i lifted from my body, but there was a silver cord attached from my soul to my body, it was slowly thinning out. i started to feel so much peace. everything was going black, pitch black & everything felt so easy & good. we made a stop. this place seemed to be what people call "paradise," as what i have now learned through my research of those who have experienced a NDE. mother Gaia at it's best. there were other "beings" there that seemed to have the shape of a human, & they felt so familiar. i felt comfortable w/them & there seemed to be some kind of preparation taking place. my cats were there too. my pisces girl was the most scared of them all. the others were happy to be there, but they were not coming w/me to the next level. they stay in paradise.

one of my "guides" asked me, "are you ready to go? i said YES. they said, "you can't take it back. if you're ready, follow me." Dorito kept walking around my legs & pushing himself onto me, wrapping his tail around my ankles, he was saying goodbye. Amparo, my pisces girl, she was so scared, my poor girl. she was in a corner under a beautiful wooden picnic table & didn't want to come out. i felt her energy saying, "please don't go." right before i decided to follow them, i said "no. i'm not staying here. i'm going back. i need to go back."

my guides knew what they were doing. they wanted me to think again about my choice. i saw their "faces" but really it was more their energy of them feeling joy on the inside. you know when you make the little smile because you got your way? like that. they were happy & proud of me to make this choice & they told me to be strong. they were not going to leave me.

then i was back. i woke up w/all my cats surrounding me. this is one of those things i probably will not ever share w/anyone i know.

[mumble-jumble-gallery]

"Take care of your dough...and your running days will be long..."

That's the motto Cotton Cloud Margarita takes to heart as a reminder from such a crucial moment in his life. If anybody ever wishes to build up a more crispy lifestyle then look no further than this cookie right here for help in finding the best recipe for a healthy balance! Working in fitness may be difficult with how rough around the edges he appears but you would soon be surprised just how polite and soft-spoken Cotton Cloud truly is by merely talking with him. It's hard to imagine such a stoic cookie could obtain most of those scars just by his clumsiness alone. Yeesh no wonder he clams up with bright orange burning his cheeks when it gets brought up!

No good sport is without some trouble on the side. Having put his delinquent path to a curb by a vocal elder in his youth, owning up to his previous mistakes through leading a better example is a top priority no matter how tough the going gets. It's merely a shame that a past bearing poor taste in company often comes with heavy regrets but fending off such bad choices is only a minor nuisance for him now. Nothing can deter him in this quest to forge a brand new path. Now...he just has to face against the impending doom of socialization...Gulp!

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-Adopted along with his sister by a couple with their toes dipped in the less than legal aspect of dealings which brought on such troublemaker behavior in him. That promptly got stamped out by a horse of the law which lead to him holding great respect for her ever since

-Firmly set in the teachings of his former mentor and strives to stay far away from the family "business" as he possibly can though still cares for them at the end of the day

-Despite being made with alcohol, Cotton Cloud Margarita holds no desire to drink and would be extremely lightweight otherwise; the irony of that coupled with his mother running a bar club is often lost on him...

-Looks scary but is simply so awkward in how communication that even his own roommate finds it hard to get a good grasp on what he thinks! The only ones who seem to understand him the best are his family especially his dad; guess he had to get it from somewhere

-Can easily recall the story of each scar right down to the exact date (the biggest scar on his chest having an entirely nonsensical reason to be there which gets amplified in comedy due to how genuine he tells them with his deep flat voice)

-Takes a bit to...pick up on certain signals even though he is plenty straightforward himself. Managing to finally "catch the drift" brings his hair more fizz than previously possible before ultimately remaining a bright orange statue and fumbling out words during the dial-up

-Finds comfort in being carried<3

-G A Y AF AND HAS POOR TASTE IN M E N. Don't worry his sister is the same with her poor taste in women

-Smiles in stressful situations. The more desire to not be wherever he is the more he looks like he'll steal yo kidneys

-Never missed leg day. Or arm day. Or any day. AW YEAH SQUAT OUT THE BURN YEAAAAAAA

-Takes being wrapped up suddenly in a blanket burrito then tucked into bed with a kiss on his head personally and with great offense! Just...when he wakes up...zzz...snork...mimimi....zzz...

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Adopted a while ago from @asktheplethaura

Here comes the boooooooy~ Hello boy~

[queen-of-meows]

I think all the issues with S2 can be boiled down to the fact that this season was commissioned by Disney during S1 production, while the whole plot was already wrapped up.

The more I rewatched it, the most obvious it becomes that Loki's sacrifice was likely meant to be the true finale of S1 and S2 is 6 episodes of biding time. It's a bit sad because if they had to do filler, they could have done interesting, character driven filler. But instead they seem to have purposefully avoided any character development, even erasing lot of S1 development and resetting them to early S1.

Mobius being suddenly okay with the TVA when his own S1 arc was about realising he was working with the bad guys all along.

Sylvie is just a background character with very little spoken lines.

Loki is... honestly, I have no idea. I don't understand Loki's characterization in S2. They made him torture a random dude to prove he's still a dangerous villain, but would have Avengers Loki done that ? Maybe ? Maybe not ? But also he was kinda mind controled by te Mind Stone so te point is moot.

B-15 is the most consistant character, but since she does all the heavy lifting off-screen while we follow Loki and Mobius doing the side quest like it's a Skyrim long play, it's up to our imagination.

Ravonna's arc kinda makes sense, but also she was such a fascinating character in S1 and now she's reduced to a wronged lover tryng to get her due. Not bad in itself, but it's still a downgrade.

Of course, S2 is not all bad, it introduces really good new characters, but I feel like the characters that got us invested emotionally got neglected. And even those good characters don't work very well as narrative tools. They're lovable and fun, but they lack anchors to each other.

Anyway, I feel like I'm being a negative Nancy. I don't even hate S2, it just doesn't feel like the sequel of the show I loved so much. It's more like a fun little DLC to play once you've finished the main game 20 times.

I realised what my issue with S2 Mobius was! His abrupt reversal from "I'm gonna burn this fuckin place downnnnn!!!" to "I love the TVA! They kidnapped me, but that was good! Also, I like pie!" is explained (too briefly) as repression/denial and not having any sense of purpose without the TVA, but it didn't feel to me like that was a logical progression for his character, an inevitable result of who he is, but more like the writer(s) wanted Jovial Office-Worker Mobius - perhaps the shallowest and least-interesting interpretation of him as he appears in S1 - and so the character is not allowed to be visibly upset or conflicted about his own life. It feels like he's been held back and reduced in complexity for the sake of convenience.

Sylvie's emotions being inconvenient for the Tedious Loom Plot led to her being largely absent and viewed as an irritable, irrational shrew, so Mobius did better than her in that he's allowed to be more easily "likeable" but he too is, while present, still being shunted to the side in a sense, because the story refuses to be about any of the things S1 left hanging/set up and wouldn't it be funny if Mobius suddenly liked food??? Ha ha ha, he likes cake pie! PIE!!! :D

[smellslikemultifandomimagines]

Hey, it’s me again! Hope u don’t mind, but if you haven’t done one before, could u do a frank or a Percy nsfw alphabet?

also:

pairing: percy jackson (18+) x fem!reader

warnings: smut → NSFW alphabet

headcanon 🖤

a/n: i chose percy for this if that's okay ✨

•:•.•:•.•:•:•:•:•:•:•:• ☾ ☼ ☽ •:•.•:•.•:•:•:•:•:•:•:•

requests are open🖤

request guidelines✨

🌻masterlist🌻

smut night masterlist 💦

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

would be the absolute king of aftercare

bby would run a bath and sit behind you, washing your hair / body

would 100% be such a cuddler too and would run circles / shapes all over your back as you cuddle into his chest

he'd be a talker too - like just talk about whatever's on his mind, whether it's college, or demi-god stuff

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

Percy would love your hands

He'd love to hold them while he fucks you

would love having them in his hair (at any given circumstance, but especially when he's having sex with you and you're pulling at his hair)

having your hands run down his chest while you ride him would be like 🤤to him

even having your hand wrapped around his cock is enough to send him over the edge haha

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

percy would take such pride in being able to make you cum

i think he can do it pretty easily through eating you out tbh - like that man would 100% know how to work his tongue lol

I think he'd have a thing for cumming in your hand or stomach tbh

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

omg Percy would have such a thing for seeing hickeys and bruises scattered all over your body

like one time he even called it his artwork haha

like knowing that he can do that to you would really turn him on ahah

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

I think a decent amount

I mean him and annabeth probably did stuff but I think she'd be a bit more conservative with what they did

with you, i think he's able to fully experiment lol

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

face riding!!

would love fucking you from behind

would also love you riding him oh my- bby gets so heated from that

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

ahha omg yes, are you kidding me?

percy never really takes anything too seriously (unless he has to of course) and i think being able to laugh would be such a reliving thing for the both of you

that being said, i think he can be pretty serious at times, especially when he's really concentrating on what he's doing lol

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

i think he'd have it groomed most of the time

but when you're on a quest, i don't think he'd care too much about that (though that's pretty much a given lol)

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

Percy would be so cute omg

like he'd always make sure that you're okay and would back off if you're not in the mood or if he did something that you're uncomfortable with

like i said before, Percy would hold you hands while he eats you out/fuck you

and he'd cup your cheek when he kisses you

even kissing would be super intimate bc he's so passionate and puts all his feelings of love into it

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

with you around so often, he doesn't really do it tbh

though there's no denying he'd go to the bathroom and secretly jack off bc you were riling him up haha

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

oop begging

would be a switch - but is mostly a dom

I've said this before in what sex would be like with percy, so heres an excerpt from that:

I’d imagine him having a praise kink – for either of you

“you take my cock so well, gorgeous.”

“you did so well”

“im so proud”

ya know, sweet things like that

I’d also imagine him saying those especially during aftercare too

and he’d get super blushy when you praise him

pet👏🏻names👏🏻!

baby

angel

but his favourite would be princess

percy would have a lowkey daddy / sir kink though like hahah

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

his cabin - obviously lol

i think as well anywhere you're not supposed to be lol (like Mr D's office for one hahah)

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

when you rile him up lol

and you do that pretty often, especially when there's a party at camp and you're swaying your hips to the song and giving him a show lol

every time you guys spar and you win and you're super cocky about it

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

honestly, i think you'd barely even have to have a safe word bc he'd know your limits

safe words were more common back when you were starting to experiment with kinks and other things but over time, knowing each other's limits became so much easier

I think though one thing he really would not do would be threesomes (only unless you want to, then he'd be okay with it)

there's just something about having you all to himself and being the only one to make you cum

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

I've said this before in what sex would be like with percy, so heres an excerpt from that:

ooh that boy would know how to eat you out!

one of the first times y’all were having sex you were literally like :o from how good he was with his mouth

the way he sucks your clit, to the way he flicks his tongue so pleasurably on your clit leaves you a trembling mess

like sometimes he leaves you trembling so hard you’re not even sure where to grab – the bedsheets, the headboard, the back of the couch, his hair

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

oh my god percy would 100% know how to pound you - to get you screaming, struggling to get a word out through your moans, trying to grab something to hold so you can ground yourself lol

but other times, he's super sweet and tender and just overall really cute

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

ahh omg yes, especially when you're having sex in places you're not supposed to be lol

ah ah omg being at work and he visits you and on your break you fuck in the staff bathroom lol (dude i think about this every day lol)

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

lmao yes

like imagine just fucking in Mr D's office, knowing that at any moment, he or someone else could walk in

would be up for experimenting to see what you both like, so i think risk taking would come under that

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

percy has some pretty good stamina in general, so don't be surprised if he could go for a couple of rounds

i think round 2 would be most likely spent in the shower as he washes you both off

bc let's be real, that man could not get enough of you

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

yes omg

would try with vibrators and a satisfier but i think he'd really like to get you off himself tbh

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

ah omg yes

like i said before, seeing you put on a show for him when you're dancing or teasing him during sparring, would be such a turn on for him

he'd hate that he gets so riled up easily and how easy it is for you to tease him without really doing anything / putting much effort in

he would love to overstimulate you and having you beg to cum

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

i think small moans - not too loud, not too soft

they'd be so hot against your ear as he buries his head in the crook of your neck

or from behind you as he focuses on pounding you and he's just letting out grunts and moans with each thrust

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

percy would have such a thing for making the bed rock against the wall

like having the headboard bang and mattress squeak as he fucks into you hard

even the sound of skin slapping against skin would turn him on so much

and sometimes would fuck you so hard just to hear them lol

not in a weird way, but more like he's able to fuck you this good that even the bed is taking it lol

another thing would be watching you cum – the way your eyes squeeze shut.  how you can’t even form coherent sentences (which i mentioned in sex with percy lol)

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

honestly???? a bit above average

would definitely love feeling his cock stretch you out lol

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

I think being on a quest can definitely take his mind off sex

but when you guys are alone together without any worries monsters, that's when he'd really be quite antsy

he can control himself around you, especially on a quest, but my god when you tease him or turn him on in anyway, it'll take every fibre in his being not to pull you over and fuck you right there and then

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

I think the two of you would get really sleepy during aftercare

like there would be times when you've napped in his arms in the bath and he's had to wake up you

it's nearly happened to him too haha

and with what i said before about being a talker, he'd talk until he'd fall asleep

like there'd be time when you're having a conversation and he just dives off into a sleep, almost slurring his words bc he's so tired

or if you're talking and notice he doesn't respond