#anyway. enjoy my rambling there's a point in there somewhere probably

[lordgeneralsix]

I can't remember who said this but there was this one dev who said that when making romanceable characters they have to be attractive in some way (personality, looks, not too morally fucked up etc). and since I read that, the statement hasn't left my mind and I'm very aware now of whenever outside influence and modern discourse get to me or other writers. like just yesterday I found myself rewriting a scene to be more "comfortable" to witness, even though the point was to be emotionally charged and face a difficult topic the character had been actively lying about. but some things can't be glossed over. sometimes it's good when media grabs you by the shoulders and makes you face horrible shit. it's good when media makes you uncomfortable even if it's coming from a ~romanceable companion~. that means it's working. if you remain comfortable forever you learn nothing.

I bring this up bc the veilguard companions are the perfect example and victims of the "romanceable characters need to be attractive" mindset. they don't have ugly sides, they don't fight with each other--and I mean really fight--they don't have controversial opinions or do problematic things. they don't ever question your authority over their lives and why you're the guy in charge. they are nice and perfect and their problems aren't really that serious and can be fixed by simply having a therapy session w rook (bc being possessed or gaining new magic isn't a big deal in a world where previously such events are Very distressing and hard to control). they are further proof that trying too hard to make something attractive has the complete opposite effect if your brain isn't the size of a pebble.

it's overall very frustrating that big game developers continue to be so spineless and I'm not giving anyone a pass for shallow writing, especially from a franchise that is known to have complex characters. none of this is impressive after the first three dragon age games, which were well loved and dissected and debated for years after their release. that isn't to say these games don't have kind characters, having that balance is why I personally like dark fantasy and liked what the dragon age games offered (whenever the writing was good..). it's not dark for the sake of being dark (see grimdark), there's a reason why these things are happening, and in this world no one is completely innocent even if they have good intentions. most people like when their characters aren't always kind or agreeable, bc it's extremely rewarding to finally find that middle ground (of course I have to bring up larian, who made bg3 and proved just how much people appreciate flawed characters, see astarion). conflict is the driving force of a story, no matter what it is. even the most sickeningly sweet cozy slice of life story will have some kind of conflict. it's unavoidable. that's life. taking that away is setting yourself up for failure and all that remains is a boring story full of boring people. no one cares about characters who have their lives together.

(the post is technically over but I wanted to put some final thoughts under the cut bc this got longer than I meant)

I want to go back to the statement real quick... like i do agree, it's true as writers we'll subconsciously (or consciously if you're insecure) try to make our characters appealing, but this is the common trap writers fall into by giving a shit about what others think and want from Their work (which btw I fully believe in writing what you want even if it's "bad" because something with genuine soul will never be as bad as soulless cashgrabs). romanceable characters can and should be as flawed as you'd make any other character, bc trust me there's an audience for everything. even a random npc with two lines will be attractive to someone.

the pressure of an imaginary audience is what pushes writers into a corner and prevents writers from writing and exploring what They want. it's the writer's story first, not the audience's. I think the romanceable companion trap can be easily avoided if writers just 1) grow a bit of a backbone and 2) ask themselves if this is even a necessary or insightful mechanic that will help develop a character further. ask themselves if this character even has the capacity to handle a romantic relationship bc everything else is subjective and it's impossible to appeal to everyone (which apparently this is a controversial take). I won't sit here and pretend that I don't appreciate a good romance, but sometimes all someone really needs is a friend.

obsidian is a good example of self aware devs. they tried to do romance for pillars of eternity 2 bc of fan demand, and it didn't work very well. now for avowed, they didn't explore romance bc they know it's not their strong suit and don't feel it's necessary for this story, instead that time and effort went to developing the characters in other meaningful ways. I have nothing but respect for such a decision bc they know what they want from their story instead of lying and trying to be everything at once. less is more as they say.

[sengoku-nadeko]

[wolfsong-the-bloody-beast]

More thoughts on Lucanis x Neve romance, from a Rookanis enjoyer, with love.

(Grab a snack. This is long.)

What I'll be focusing on in this post: Extra info and fun facts about Lucanis and Spite that I have gathered during my playthroughs. The consistency of Lucanis' writing between his romatic relationships with Rook and Neve. Addressing some criticism I've seen to be common. These are my thoughts and opinions.

As I said in my previous post about this topic, I enjoy seeing affectionate Lucanis from the external perspective, because it gives me more insight into his character. Of course, this isn't restricted to just romance, but that's what I want to focus on in this post. (It's too long as it is.) I also have to admit that I'm not exactly a Nevecanis shipper myself (not a big shipper in general), because I simply prefer romancing these characters myself, but I do think that it's a good thing that in my other playthroughs where I explore other options, besides my favourite, Lucanis has someone to make him happy, and I can personally think of nobody better for it than Neve, and Neve also deserves the world. I think it's good that they decided to pair some characters up, when unromanced, so that the group is more lively and doesn't feel like Rook's harem. Also, I tend to reblog whatever artwork of these characters that I like, regardless of whether I'm personally into the pairings or not, and regardless of whether they're possible in the game. Whatever you ship, we're good. As long as we're having fun. But that's beside the point of this post. I'm rambling already.

In my previous post, I ended my commentary with my thoughts about the dialogue cutscene that happens right after Inner Demons, where Rook finds Lucanis preparing dessert either for them or for Neve, depending on whether Rook romances him or not, and the similarities and differences of how each is handled and how each relationship develops until that point.

One thing that I didn't really touch upon is that if Rook saves Minrathous instead of Treviso, we don't get to do the Inner Demons quest, but we still get the dessert scene. So, only briefly. As most of us probably know by now, if Rook sacrifices Lucanis' home, they are cut off from his romance. Neve is not. I'm not going to delve deep into the nuance of that here. Suffice to say that Lucanis is in a vulnerable place after the Ossuary, almost a full year of physical and psychological torture, he's struggling for control of his own body with what most would consider a demon, he thinks his grandmother is dead. His abuser is still somewhere out there. He only has revenge, Treviso, and Illario left, and his cousin acts damn weird, on top of it all. If Rook makes the decision that also dooms his home, it understandably breaks his heart, even if he realizes that Rook is not to blame for what happened. He's lost pretty much everything at that point. (By the way, have you seen blighted Treviso? That place is utterly fucked. I don't think many people could process that in a healthy way.) Meanwhile Neve is in the same position as him when that choice occurs and is just as dependent on Rook's decision as he is. She is ultimately also not the one that makes the decision. It makes sense that he bonds with her over it rather than with Rook. (No, I don't care if you use a mod to make the romance happen anyway. Private mod use is none of my business.) I'm definitely not saying that one choice is better than the other, of couse. They're two different flavours of terrible. Neve is also hurt by the decision to sacrifice her home town, but she's also tragically used to struggling against the system alone and to people not showing up, and it feels like she still has at least something to hold onto. Minrathous is in terrible state and the future of the whole country looks grim, nobody knows what the consequences will be, but at the very least Dock Town stands. Hal is alive and selling treats. Some of the little people she cares about are still there. Neve's a different person with different problems to solve, and she can still find it in her heart to fall for Rook, which is amazing. But anyway...

---

What other sweet and interesting things have I learned from their romance?

Lucanis can recognize Rook by the sound of their footsteps.

We know that from walking in on him in Neve's office where he's alone, waiting for her.

Spite yells at him to talk to his sweetheart!

By saying, "Well, not just Spite," Lucanis is definitely referring to himself here. He wants to try and be more open about his feelings and Spite clearly tries to motivate him to be more proactive.

You can bet Spite yells at him to talk to Rook, as well.

Either way, we find out that Spite is supportive of Lucanis' relationship and even encourages him to act on his feelings. (Seriously, Lucanis beating around the bush must be so frustrating for a spirit of Determination.) I think that from this we can safely say that Spite also likes Neve. Enough to encourage Lucanis to court her.

Of course, we already know that Spite likes Rook a lot, and I imagine that most of us Rookanis lovers already headcanon Spite pestering Lucanis to express his feelings for Rook anyway. Or something similar. However, I don't think it's actually confirmed during a playthrough where Rook romances Lucanis. So, here, Spite canonicaly yells at Lucanis to woo his love interest.

A lot more yapping under the cut.

Once again, in this scene we see how Lucanis doesn't really have a lot of confidence in himself in this department. He keeps mentioning how he's not really good at sweet talk, which is very much in line with what he says during the previous scene where we catch him preparing the dessert before. In total, he says something to that effect at least 3 or 4 times in the game - that all he knows is knives and coffee, that he's not the charming type, that he isn't good with words, etc. (That's not what I personally think about him, but that's what he obviously thinks about himself.) He's not beating the wet cat allegations any time soon.

As I said in my previous post already, I noticed that some consider Lucanis' writing to be inconsistent between his romance with Rook and Neve. And we're all entitled to our opinions, of course. But I'd like to explain why I do not think that is true. Again, that is my perspective and my opinion.

There is one variable here that is not often taken into account here, and that is Rook. Well, two, actually. Because I think we also need to keep in mind that the scene where Lucanis' romance with Neve locks in happens quite some time after Inner Demons and the scene that occurs right afterwards where we catch Lucanis preparing the dessert. In that scene, he is still very much a wet cat, regardless of whether he's preparing the dessert to woo Rook or whether it's for Neve. (Not a bad thing to remember here is that falling for somebody seems to be rare enough for Lucanis, as he's never been in a relationship before, and he has already once before been rejected after trying to court somebody with a gift.)

First of all, if Rook is not present during the follow-up scene where the lock-in for Lucanis and Neve is supposed to happen, if the player for some reason decides to skip it, Lucanis does not express his interest to Neve and, tragically, may later regret this, should something happen to her. It makes sense that he would still have feelings for her, even if he never confessed. Love doesn't go away like that, just because you never put it into words. Also, I know this is a video game mechanic, but I still consider it part of his characterization that he needs his partner to either be very perceptive (like Rook during the scene after Inner Demons) or in this case get cornered a little to actually express his feelings in this complicated phase of his life. It makes sense when you look at how this scene plays out. Rook being there for the start of his romance with Neve is important - either it puts him a bit more at ease, or more on the spot, or a litte bit of both. Either way, it helps them work it out. (It also makes sense that it is Rook that basically spells it out to the player during the previous scene, after Inner Demons, that Lucanis has made a dessert specifically for them, if romanced, because they understand him and what he's trying to say, but the player may not, because Lucanis tends to deflect and put himself and his efforts down. He clearly has a lot of insecurity in this department and Rook is good at untangling it.)

As I also mentioned in my previous post, it's clear that when Lucanis made the first dessert, he clearly didn't express his feelings for Neve then, because... well, we get their romance lock-in here, in this scene, so much later. (I got this scene after Blood of Arlathan. That's pretty late in the game.) Neve also explicitly states that this is the second time he's made her favourite kind of pie.

With Rook, they figured it out and officially started dating on Lucanis' first try. (Or the first pie? Haha.) However, with Neve, this is his second attempt to express his feelings. This is one of the reasons why I think Lucanis' writing is consistent, and why I previously said that his romance with Neve may actually be slower than with Rook. They take longer to actually start dating and Lucanis is very much a wet cat all the way until this point.

And even in this scene, you can see that Lucanis drops the treat and coffee in Neve's office and is almost ready to evacuate again!

He just... keeps saying that.

That's so him. The Demon of Vyrantium, the legendary slayer of blood mages and Venatori, the master assassin, the demon-powered killing machine that made a near immortal eldrich horror bleed, on the verge of retreat... from his love interest, because he may know how to kill a man with his bare hands in a hundred different ways, but sweet talk? Nah, that's scary.

Except this time, Rook is there to provide emotional support (or peer pressure, haha). They already know all about his feelings for Neve. Especially if the Inner Demons quest occurs. And they can so tattle on him, if you so choose. Each of those options is pretty cute and/or funny.

No, I'm making you look great. You'll just have to trust me on this, Lucanis.

But most importantly, seeing Lucanis getting tangled in this situation, Neve finally says something. Either she finally figures it out, or more likely she just finally acknowledges it. She's a seasoned detective. She observes people all the time. Of course she would notice that he's trying to treat her special. However, from Neve's romance, we also know that she herself struggles with her own issues, namely with letting people close, so this is a significant step for her, as well. It makes sense that it takes them longer to bond, when Lucanis struggles to express his feelings and Neve tries to avoid catching feelings, or at least acting on them, for fear of things going wrong. And while Neve's bonding with Rook shows more of her internal struggle to let herself finally have something, we have to simply accept that the companions simply aren't and can't be as front as centre as the protagonist in such a game, so we can't delve into their inner workings as deeply in that case. (Funny, though, how I've never once seen anyone say that Neve's writing here is inconsistent. Almost as if it only matters when it's our Antivan male lover...) There are always going to be differences in how characters are handled in companion x companion romance vs protagonist x companion romance. Their romance is very much side content that's supposed to make them feel a little more real. It's also worth noting that Rook's lock-in scene with both Neve and Lucanis happens way earlier than this scene between them. But here, they both had a lot of time to let their feelings stew, so they can finally reach this point. However, Neve still warns him that she's not going to make his life easy. A light reference to what happens when you romance her with Rook.

I've seen some upset over the fact that we learn that Lucanis hangs out with Neve at night if he courts her, as if he doesn't with Rook. But we already know this from Lucanis' romance with Rook! Remember?

We know that Lucanis and Rook hang out together around midnight, as well! That's not new information, but I wanted to include it, because I do think (and will keep repeating that) Lucanis' writing is pretty consistent between the two romances. Lucanis loves to be around his partner. We know that from both his romances.

This is what he further says about Rook when romanced.

Which means that he will likely sit nearby like a content cat while Rook sorts out and reads their mail out loud for both of them or whatever. He doesn't care what they're up to. He wants to be there with them. It's implied that Rook and Lucanis read together. "Nearing midnight: Reading," only appears in that particular entry of his log book when he's romanced. They stay up at night to spend time together, as he also writes down in his log book. And it makes him happy, "just being around them", which you know not only from his words but also the tone of his voice when he talks about it in that banter.

Anyway. Because Neve finally acknowledges that Lucanis is clearly trying to spend time with her for a reason and admits that "maybe" she likes that (The woman also can't express her feelings to save her life, bless her.), Lucanis is pleasantly surprised (He says, "Really?" and sounds happily taken aback.) and responds warmly and enthusiastically afterwards, because of course he does. Because IS THIS SUCCESS??? LET'S GO! He gets giddy about it, and it's cute.

Neve.exe briefly stops working. Then tries to play it cool. Nothing to see here.

Encouraged by his unexpected success (He was almost about to run away!), he musters a bit of charm here, haha. From the coffee date with Rook early in the game and the scene where he almost kisses them when romanced, we know he has it in him, but at this point in the game he doesn't really seem to believe it himself. He repeats it over and over. He tells that to Emmrich at least twice. ("I don't know what [Rook] sees in me," is sort of a sad thing for him to say when you think about it, honestly, and when you look at his romance lock-in with Rook, it's a pattern. He doesn't believe he has much to offer.) He tells that to Rook when not romanced. He says it in this very scene. Yes, he's an adult. He knows what flirting is and what it entails. We all know he can pull it off. Whatever. But he clearly doesn't seem to believe that he can do it, or that he's good with words, and seems to be more comfortable expressing himself in other ways, especially at first. However, now that he knows that the person he cares for actually likes him back, too? Hell, yeah, he's unstoppable now. Heh, sort of anyway. When you think about it, his charm here and elsewhere, for most of the game actually, comes from him being earnest, not suave. Just him being himself. I think that's demonstrated on the couple of lines above. Telling Neve that she makes his life better and that he hopes he has more charm than this is not some killer move. It's just him being honest and enthusiastic after finding out she actually likes him back, and that ends up being sweeter and more charming than whatever flirt line anybody could possibly come up with. It also seems to me that once he knows that the affection is mutual, he does turn into a sweet talker, as we see on his later interactions with both Rook and Neve. But he does it in his own way.

Once again, it's important to remember that this happens quite late in the game. This is not the scene after the ordeal of Inner Demons where he prepares the first dessert, still rattled. This is possibly after all his quests have been resolved, his grandmother saved, etc. (For me, that is the case anyway.) This is why Lucanis' demeanor here is a bit more relaxed in general.

I do not think that means that his writing is inconsistent. We merely see another side of him under different circumstances.

---

Now, I'd also like to talk about some of the banters they have together afterwards, because there's some fun information there, and they're also what I've seen some complaints about.

To me, the "inconsistencies" boil down to interpretation. Simply put, it depends on whether you can imagine two adults spending quality time together without having sex.

If somebody likes to interpret the banters as Lucanis and Neve being that intimate, I think that's perfectly fine... unless they also get super upset about it and make it a whole problem. I think the banters are written in a way that let's you interpret them how you please, which in Lucanis' case is a great choice, in my opinion. As far as I'm concerned, they handled it well.

It's sort of what a lot of us do while romancing him with Rook, as well, because there's enough space left for interpretation. While Lucanis' dialogue cutscenes with Rook are mostly tame, there's also enough space for the player to headcanon whatever level of intimacy they please for the rest of the game, because there's nothing to confirm or deny that.

Personally, for my own playthrough, I like to imagine that Rook and Lucanis share those shy, fleeting touches Isabela mentions after they officially start dating, share their first kiss after Lucanis' last quest/outing, and slowly get more physically intimate overtime, but make love for the first time after Tearstone Island, like it is in the game. So, as far as I'm concerned, I already have this idea of (slowly) intensifying intimacy with time for Rook and Lucanis. That's how I personally like it, and I think that any other headcanon people come up with for their own playthrough that pleases them is great - whether they imagine that Lucanis and Rook don't get intimate at all until the bedscene happens in the game, or that they break his cot in the pantry the same evening they share the dessert, or something in between, or something else entirely. Is the note in his log book about them having a pleasant late night chat or did they cuddle? Something else? Up to you.

My point is, you can easily do the same thing with the romance between Lucanis and Neve, because the banters are so unspecific.

Let's look at the most cheeky ones I've found.

Neve: So you and Spite are friends now? Can't say my money was on that one. Lucanis: I would've lost that bet too. Neve: If it lets you sleep at night… Unless this clears the way for new and different midnight brooding. Lucanis: I wouldn't put it past me. Neve: Well, find me at midnight and we'll test the theory. Lucanis: (Chuckles)

What does this banter tell us? It tells us that they spend time together late at night. But we already know that! From their romance lock-in scene. ("You find me at midnight just to talk.") I think this banter is a reference to that. How you imagine they spend that time, that's entirely up to you. If you imagine they're fucking their brains out, and you like that, cool! If you imagine they're sitting side by side, having a pleasant time, looking through Neve's case notes, and you like that, cool. If you think they're just starting to get physically intimate, cool. Because the banter does not say.

Taash: Hey, Lucanis. Lucanis: Yes? Taash: You and Neve? Lucanis: Yes. Taash: Nice catch. Lucanis: Thanks.

He's just as cagey as he is when Taash talks to him about Rook, by the way. It continues...

Taash: And Spite's good with her? Lucanis (Spite): No talking. When. Her hat comes off. Go play with wisps. Taash: 'Kay.

This one made me laugh.

But what does it actually mean? It tells us that Lucanis sets some boundaries with Spite. He's in love. He's in a relationship now. Of course he at the very least thinks about the possibility of getting intimate.

This can again be interpreted as Lucanis and Neve already being intimate in some way. Which also doesn't necessarily mean all the way - I swear that sometimes, it seems to me that people forget that cuddling and making out and other non-sexual forms of intimacy exist. Or it could mean that Lucanis has simply considered that this is where he wants the relationship to go sooner or later, and so he's told Spite, "Hey, if this situation occurs, be quiet and give us some space." This one definitely sounds more spicy and it shows that Lucanis obviously thinks about these things, but more than anything it shows that he asks Spite to give him privacy. Again, I feel like this is up to the player and what they want it to be.

I would also like to disagree with the narrative I have seen somewhere before that Neve rejects Spite. That's not the impression I've got from the game at all. I've never once caught Neve having a problem with Spite when she and Lucanis are in a relationship. (Though I don't yet know what happens during their romance when Minrathous is saved, because that's where I'm currently romancing Neve myself, but even then I haven't really seen her say anything that would suggest that she has a problem with Spite.) Most importantly, Spite clearly likes Neve. He even suggests that Lucanis should bring her flowers from Lavendel, which is adorable.

Seriously, his romance with Neve makes it almost seem that Spite is more competent at wooing somebody than Lucanis is sometimes, which is just so funny. This little guy, trapped in a world utterly alien to him, barely understands what feet are, but he knows you bring people flowers to show affection. I love him so much. While Lucanis' reaction shows he's probably never had an example of a healthy relationship of any kind for reference in his entire life. (Actually, from his reaction it seems to me that he perhaps simply doesn't yet know if Neve even likes flowers as a gift. Insufficient data.)

Either way, I think that when Lucanis loves Neve, Spite loves her, as well. It's not Neve who sends him away to have more privacy. It's Lucanis.

"BUT I WANT LUCANIS TO GET FLOWERS FOR ROOK, AS WELL!" Look at me. Listen to me. You give that man some damn flowers. He cooks for Rook. He prepares sweet treats for them. He invites them for coffee dates. He makes coffee or hot chocolate for them, and even though he himself doesn't even like tea, he makes sure it's in the Lighthouse for them. He would kill for them. You give the man flowers. Or rather, I'll tell you what to do: You go to Treviso, visit Fletcher, and buy that fancy tea (coffee) set for Lucanis after you lock his romance in, and you'll get that little cutscene where Rook gives it to him. Enjoy his romanced response. Call me crazy, but I think that's sweeter and more satisfying than the one line where Spite has to suggest giving flowers to Neve to him and Lucanis reacts like he's not even sure that's a good idea, haha. It's something wholesome and more normal that Rook can do for him to express their affection for a change, besides standing by his side through his struggles. But anyway.

Maybe it's because I like to imagine (my) Rook and Lucanis getting intimate at that point in the game, as well, and/or because I don't think that when two adults are alone in a room together, it necessarily means that they have to immediately get naked, those banters don't bother me, nor does it seem to me like the writing is inconsistent, especially because of how open to interpretation it is. If you leave your own assumptions out of it, the banters really don't say that much. They confirm for us that Lucanis has spicy thoughts, which I personally think is cute, and which I'm also pretty sure is already part of many people's headcanon for their Rook x Lucanis playthroughs anyway. They confirm for us that Lucanis enjoys spending time with his lover. And that he tries to communicate his boundaries to Spite.

I think it's also important to realize that these are two companion characters and we don't actually get any other romance scenes between them than the one described above, so they had to give their relationship some depth pretty much exclusively through banters and some rare mention here and there, just like they do it with Taash and Harding. (By the way, I also haven't seen anyone say anything about any possible inconsistencies with Taash and Harding, either.)

From the other banters, we find out that Lucanis asks Neve what her favourite dish is, and after she tells him, he promises to try and prepare something like that for her.

Lucanis: Neve, do you have a favourite food? Neve: Whatever you're cooking. Lucanis: There must be something. Neve: I might have a weakness for seafood and candlelight. Lucanis: I'll see what I can do.

He's clearly willing to learn and actively puts effort into his relationship. That's a trait that definitely also applies to his relationship with Rook. We know that because he remembers their favourite drink, makes sure it's stocked in the Lighthouse, and later prepares a matching treat. (He may even ask Emmrich for a recipe.) His love language clearly is food and quality time together. (And stabbing people for his lover, as is particularly clear from his romance with Rook.) That's how he seems to be most comfortable showing affection.

He also tells Neve that, during the Inner Demons quest, she was there to "sort of" help guide Rook through his mental prison. Neve tries to be cool about it and again ceases to function when he's earnest about it, which is always funny (and understandable).

Lucanis: Neve. In the Fade with Rook and Spite... you were there. I mean, not you, but... you know what I mean. You helped Rook. Sort of. Neve: Sort of? Well, isn't that flattering. At least I'm on your mind. Lucanis: You are. And not just then. Neve: I... oh. Well, then.

And he says he's not good with words.

Neve: I need to go through my notes later. See what the Shadows might find useful. Lucanis: Need company? Neve: No. But I'd love yours all the same. Lucanis: Then I'm yours.

Again, they talk about spending time together. That's definitely his thing. Lucanis also gives Neve similar "I'm yours," that he gives Rook. When you visit him in the pantry, he may say to Rook: "Did you need me? I'm yours." It couldn't be more clear that he's ready to be wherever Rook is, regardless of what they're doing, as well.

Also, a version of this banter exists before Lucanis and Neve start dating and possibly before dealing with Aelia. More casual, but similar vibe.

Lucanis: You don't sleep much, do you? Neve: More than you, but little enough. Still looking over everything on Aelia. Lucanis: If you need fresh eyes, I'm awake anyway. Neve: Maybe. If you don't mind the company. It comes with wisps. Lucanis: Wisps are nothing. Besides, you're better company than Spite. Neve: Really? Rumour has it I'm a pain in the ass. But that's if you ask Tarquin.

I think that's what Neve references when she says, "You find me at midnight just to talk."

All in all, the banters between Lucanis and Neve, and with a couple of other companions, during their romance simply hint at them having a loving relationship and spending quality time together. Consider that they had to squeeze their whole relationship into a few lines of banter and an occasional mention in dialogue and somehow make it believable, because unlike Rook and Lucanis, they don't have whole quests, outings, and many other interactions inside and outside of the Lighthouse, to develop their relationship.

Lucanis' relationship is definitely flavoured by his partner, whether it is Rook or Neve, and it's good that it's not completely the same for both couples, because they're different individuals, but I also don't really find any actual inconsistencies in their characterization between them.

I do agree that some of these interactions are super sweet and I would absolutely love it if we had some more of them between Rook and Lucanis and the other companions, because honestly I could easily listen to a hundred more, but it's also necessary to acknowledge that Lucanis and Neve are two companion characters and the few banters, one short cutscene, and a rare mention here and there, are all they get. And I think it's perfectly sufficient for them as NPCs. The interactions are lovely. They're clearly good for each other. But I also don't think they're actually getting anything extra in comparison with Rook, and I'm just honestly a bit baffled by the noise about it.

Rook as the protagonist has great chemistry and dynamic with Lucanis from the very beginning, thoughout the whole game, as I already to some extent described in my previous post. This post is already way too long without me getting too much into it here. But Rook has the benefit of being able to do Lucanis' quests, go on outings with him, be there for him during all the important moments (e.g. his grandma's funeral arrangements), have various interactions in the Lighthouse (e.g. Lucanis attempts to kiss them way before the dessert scene comes up) and outside of it. The Inner Demons quest is, in my opinion, the most intimate thing ever while doing his romance. They have banter together and with the other companions about their relationship and other things. We know they spend quality time together. Besides travelling everywhere side by side outside of the Lighthouse so often, they get together late at night, read together, are coffee buddies (or whatever drink you've chosen). Lucanis insists that Rook stay and tell stories while they drink with Davrin, wanting to hear a story from their life that he's already heard from others before, just because he thinks nobody tells it as well as Rook. I don't think that loses its meaning just because it's also a friendly interaction. Lucanis writes into his log book about them. He yells at Illario when he injures them. Etc. Etc. I really don't think there's any reason to hate on Neve, be jelly, or argue which relationship is more "canon". (For fuck's sake.)

Not to be patronizing or anything, but we, as a fandom, do remember what canon is, right? As in, actually established facts about the setting. As in, humans, elves, dwarves, and qunari are the races populating Thedas. Alistair Theirin was at the Battle of Ostagar. Magic and dragons exist. Treviso is in Antiva. Then there's personal "canon" that we each create for ourselves and those are wildly different. (And that's great about them!) For some, that means that e.g. the Hero of Ferelden died killing the Archdemon. Or that Hawke sided with the mages. Or that the Inquisitor exiled the Wardens. Or that Rook tricked Solas. Romances and optional relationships between NPCs fall into the category of personal "canon". Let's not forget that. It's so stupid to argue about which relationship is more legit when it literally depends on the player's choice. This is a reminder aimed especially at the part of the fandom crying that Neve's romance with Lucanis somehow invalidates Rook's romance with him.

As for them reusing small bits of Lucanis' romance scenes with Rook for his romance with Neve. Mostly this just means that he mentions her in like... two dialogues, maybe. It doesn't bother me, because to me that is the smart move, because it saved them time that they could invest into something else, probably more significant. I think it would bother me way more if they actually put unnecessary time into creating a lot extra content for them when I could have it instead. Maybe it's just me, but I don't think it takes anything away from Lucanis' romance, because his romance and dynamic with Rook, overall, is delightful and consists of so much more than one short cutscene and a couple of lines.

Again, I'm not here to argue with anyone. Mostly, I think. I'm here to offer my perspective and also information for those who haven't seen Lucanis x Neve for themselves, don't have time for multiple playthroughs, or whatever, but are interested and/or want to know more about Lucanis for their headcanon.

Now, I'm going to end this rambling here, otherwise I'll keep adding to it forever. Pardon any mistakes or nonsense, I can't bear to read this all again, haha. If you've read all the way here, thank you so much for putting up with my bullshit. That's crazy.

[celestiallystella]

Mer Legend/Link x gn!reader

back on my merman legend propaganda

progression of legend x reader, but with a strong focus on mer legend instead of hylian legend! won't have anything to do w/the chain, so he will simply be called link (though even then its used very little lol), and reader is a hylian native to legends hyrule :)

its prtty long, a lot of my rambles about him, but yk

hope you enjoy!

the first time you two meet he's in his mer form

youre in absolute DISBELIEF

youve been pretty sheltered most of your life, so you havent gone out and seen/experienced much, and now that you live by yourself you don't put any effort into learning about what everyone in the larger parts of hyrule think/know

you definitely dont think merfolk are real

AND YET heres this blonde haired mer, blinking up at you from the water

he looks just as shocked as you do

theres a lot of attempted gaslighting on his part

he isn't real, youre totally making him up, mer people?? nahhhh never

you, of course, don't believe him

he must realize he can swim away, because he does just that, leaving you hanging

it becomes a common thing, though, to stumble across this really odd mer

thankfully, over a lot of time, he starts to stick around a bit more and you guy get to talk

you learn his name is link, and that he's rather grumpy (though, maybe that's a bad word for it. tense and untrusting, maybe?)

he never answers ANY of your questions about what it's like to be a mer, and he'll often leave right after you ask him any questions

so, you learn not to ask questions!

instead, you talk about yourself, your interests, your family, your friends, just.. everything

the first few times, he doesn't seem to be really listening to anything you say. he's just collecting a lot of stuff off of the riverbed and stowing them away.

(the first time you ask what he's collecting he near growls, gets clearly embarrassed about that and promptly flees. you don't ask again)

either way, at some point he starts listening to you as he gathers materials.

he's not sure when he started to like listening to you talk, but it happened at some point and now he's come to look forward to it a lot

he gaslights himself into thinking its just funny to listen to your complaints when he's done and gone through so much. that it was just nice to be reminded that not everyone in hyrule is going through literal hell

it gets harder to convince himself that's his reasoning when he realizes he doesn't need to go back to the river near your house anymore

he doesn't want to go somewhere he doesn't need to, but eventually he gets super stressed by everything he has to deal with and decides thats a good enough excuse to go listen to some random person's ramblings

at that point, though, it's probably been weeks, so you've also stopped going

why would you go when the mer you liked talking.. uh.. to isn't there?

so, he shows up and is promptly bummed when he realizes you aren't there.

we all love link, i know, but you guys i fear he's a little dumb, so the thought of... taking the mermaid suit off never crosses his mind.

like he could take it off and just go knock on your door like a normal hylian would, but he could also depressingly lay on the riverbed like his lover has gone off to war and hasn't responded to any of his letters

anyway.

he repeats this a couple of times before deciding you've gotta come down eventually, right? and even he'll admit it at this point; he's starting to miss you

so everytime he comes, he'll bring an itty bitty shell of some sort and set it on the shoreline.

you think he's a mer, and he doesn't plan on telling you he isnt, so he might as well play into that

and hes right, eventually you do go down to the river and see the little pile of shells he's left you, like he's a bird waiting for his owner

you're definitely a bit surprised, but you collect the shells.

you go down early the next day with the shells in hand, a knife, and some string

as you wait to see if he'll turn up, you carve little holes into the shells and pull string through them

they're a bit too big for a necklace, unfortunately, but you can still make it into a decoration of some sort no issue.

he does show up eventually, and he gives you a smile when he sees you, which is probably one of the first youve seen from him. its small, but its meaningful

so anyway, you thank him for the shells, he gets a bit embarrassed and defensive, so you quickly move on

you start up the old routine of rambling on about different things

at first you had set your work aside to chatter, but unlike before when he would swim around while you talked and he gave idle, bland comments, now he sits with his arms crossed on the bank, head sitting on them and staring at you unnervingly

so, you pick the shells back up and keep working while he watches you

this guy does not realize he's acting weird in your eyes, so he remains where he is, tail and most of his upper body floating in the water, his chin and arms on the river bank

that becomes the new routine! eventually though, you do run out of shells to use and have to face his stare

for a minute the first time you stutter and choke on your words - you live in relative solitude, and, as aforementioned, you were relatively sheltered, so you really arent used to people paying such close attention to you and your words

you get by it though!

he does catch on at that point, and makes it a point to look away or start scratching random designs into the dirt under his hand whenever you end up stuttering again, which helps to get you more relaxed

he isn't really sure at what point during this he starts offering more about himself to you, but he does

his age, the fact that he's done a lot, how stressed he is (though, never the details) and other miscellaneous things, like his enjoyment of traveling and magic

youre thrilled to learn what you can about link

and after you find out about his tendency to hoard things, you offer the shells he gave you that you strung up back

he declines, and says that they were meant for you anyway, so you might as well keep them

i think thats when he realizes he must have developed some romantic feelings for you at some point, and just hadnt picked up on them

it definitely scares him at first

the last time he'd felt anything towards someone that he was confident he could label as being romantic, it was marin, and.. well..

so, yeah, it scares him off for a little bit.

you learned your lesson last time he disappeared, and still go down to the river pretty frequently.

anything that's not a house chore and can be done wherever starts to get done by the river, and that's just how it is now

he does come back eventually

he realizes that he knows damn well he isn't dreaming (though sometimes he isn't sure, but ever since all of that happened, hes never been too sure about anything)

he also decides that if this, if you, are a dream, maybe its a sign from Hylia herself to just kinda stop falling for people

so anyway, when he comes back he brings one of his necklaces with him. hes not sure if youll like it, or if youll wear it, but its really simple

just a black cord, and a small charm on it thats enchanted for protection

when he gives it to you, youre thrilled

maybe you wear jewelry a lot, maybe you dont, but either way its something easy to slip on and off and it's rather nondescript

plus its from link so of course you wear it

anyway, it snowballs from there and he starts gifting you random, small items

theyre either enchanted to protect you in some way, or they really are just random items

eventually YOU realize you like him too

for you i wanna say its an easy thing to accept. you like this silly, grumpy mer guy, and thats that

so youd confess first, probably after you confirm its not just a fleeting crush, and link probably glitches or something

anyway, you guys would totally have your first kiss with him awkwardly half out of the water and you on your knees crouched down

you fall in right afterwards, because the angle is so awkward

i think at this point he'd be worried you wouldnt like him once you find out hes not a merman, and he isn't really sure how youd react to him not being one, so i think he'd just show up at your door injured one night and panicking (though he won't say he's panicking)

you, also, panic before doing your best to help him

blah blah blah, he heals up, you guys talk about the fact that he is not, in fact, half fish, and you reassure him you dont only love him because hes half fish

thatd be silly of you

its something i think youd probably have to reinstate throughout your relationship with decreasing frequency over time

he never admits hes a bit insecure, but youve learnt to read his silent signals over time, so you can tell

he does appreciate it a lot, and he appreciates you even more

he's forever glad he decided on the river by your house to gather materials from

though, sometimes he still expects to wake up and find out it was all a dream (he never talks to you about that one, i fear)

idk might take this and do more with it, i kinda just rambled a loott and it all feels like it might be a decent template for a full fanfic but who knows!! not me, thats for sure LMAO

nsfw continuation here!

[kakarotcake]

Had a giant early morning realization on why I enjoy Gochi as much as I do. (I wrote a lot in this; there's a TLDR at the end but please read through my hopefully-coherent rambling to get full context.)

It's specifically because of how non-conventional they are. They didn't date / go through a courting phase before they got married. They barely knew each other at all in fact. Yet, Goku felt unbothered enough to honor a promise he made as a child, and agreed to go forward with the marriage anyway. Chi Chi stayed committed to Goku's promise, despite how she didn't know him, and literally got his consent as an adult first before they went on.

And they made it work.

I so wish we got to see the 5 years of Goku and Chi Chi living together + the early years of Gohan's youth, but specifically because I would like to see just how they each adapted to their new living situation. But regardless, the fact remains that they STAYED together. Chi Chi for sure would've left Goku if she was that unhappy with how Goku just isn't a conventional guy when it comes to relationships. Going home to her dad and resuming being Fire / Frypan Mountain's Princess was always right there as an option. Hell Chi Chi's been identified as an attractive lady in-universe, so she could probably meet someone new before long! But she didn't take it. IIRC, she never has.

I also feel like Goku would also get up and leave if he was unhappy. He's never had to force himself to sacrifice his own happiness for someone else as he lived on Paozu by himself for years, then spent the rest of his teenhood traveling around & training, so if presented with that kind of scenario he wouldn't think twice before being like "ok whatever, see ya" and just peacing out. He wouldn't see the point in staying, since why would he make himself stay somewhere he isn't welcomed or doesn't feel welcome? Grandpa Gohan's old home was always there for him.

My personal biggest gripes with their relationship have honestly never been because of how they had little chemistry before they got together. For me it's always been about how Chi Chi is just treated like a joke by the writer(s); she follows an angry housewife stereotype. Sure, it's supposed to be a joke and she's supposed to come off as comedic, but it only ends up doing damage because it encourages you as a viewer to not take Chi Chi or her relationship with Goku seriously. (I'm ignoring Goku here, but his writing in DBS *anime wise at least* is atrocious and further fed into this btw.)

Yet, from what I've seen over the years in the western fanbase, people's biggest issues with Gochi (aside from general Chi Chi hatred) is because it isn't a conventional relationship. It had hardly any chemistry going into it. I understand that logic, don't get me wrong, but I only understand it when I factor in society's amatonormative & allonormative lens. And I hate both of those things. Gochi not complying with them is what I find charming about the ship.

They didn't date or establish a super deep bond or whatever, yet they lived together in peace for 5 years. They continued to bounce off of one another throughout Z. Chi Chi NEVER remarried or even dated someone while Goku was dead for 7 years. She was crying happy tears when he finally returned at the end of the Buu saga. Goku was more than happy to go home with her and their kids (and tbh I'm 99.99% sure he wouldn't have minded if Chi Chi chose to get with someone else - he chose to stay dead after all). OBVIOUSLY they care for one another a lot, despite how they married each other as strangers. They themselves are narrative (if that's the right word) proof that conventional love & romance & whatever don't guarantee successful marriages. I adore that.

And it's funny because Vegebul is a pairing that also had little to no chemistry going into it, but unlike with Gochi, the no chemistry actually does hurt it for a couple of reasons (all of them revolving around how Vegeta was/is a terrible person) that I won't get into here because it'll derail this post and it's long enough already. I just wanted to point that out in text myself first, before other people came at me trying to argue it.

Anyway. TLDR Gochi as a ship defies amatonormative & allonormative concepts regarding intimate relationships. "You have to date / court someone first, fall in love with them, then marry them because marriage will make sense & be healthy then." They didn't do the first two parts, but after getting married, they're happy together. They spat in the face of societal norms & expectations.

[vaporwavedoggie]

Amethyst

A Peri x Irep short story

So help me Jesus I got back into writing fanfiction

"Hey.. are you willing to meet up and talk?"

The text from his oh so wonderful on and off again boyfriend lit up the screen. Peri sighed and rolled over in his bed. It was 2am, Dev had been asleep for hours at this point. They had been on a break for a few months at this point, and he was actively avoiding every text he's gotten from him. He already knew why he tried to take his god kid, as some way to get back at him for ignoring him. Peri didn't know whether or not he wanted to continue with this relationship. So much fighting. It seemed like they were on opposite sides of the universe considering.. they were opposites.

"Peri? I know you probably won't respond but.."

The notification popped up at the top of his phone. He knew it was most likely going to be some long-winded rant he's sending him at the dead of night because he can't sleep and he's on his mind. But to be honest.. he was on Peri's mind too. He thought to himself 'eh.. no harm in looking I guess' and tapped on the notification.

"Peri? I know you probably won't respond but.. it's been awhile. I miss you and I want to catch up. So much has happened since we've been apart and I want to see how you're doing. Sorry I'm rambling, I probably sound stupid, but I promise you I'm not trying to get back with you I'd just like to catch up."

Peri sat up and ran a hand through his hair, playing with one of his curls. He was debating whether or not to take Irep up on his offer. Whether or not it'd be worth it to have all the pain from their break come up again, whether or not it would just lead to another fight.. he sat there staring at the wall for a good 5 minutes, deep in thought before he picked his phone back up.

"Alright, we can meet up, but it'll have to be now since the kiddo's asleep and I don't have any free time when he's not."

He tapped the message quickly, sent it, then shut off the screen. He flipped his phone over in his hand a few times, then less than a minute later, he got a response.

"That works :) I kind of figured, which is why I texted you now. You've always been a late sleeper.. anyways, meet up at our usual place?"

'Always been a late sleeper? Ha! As if he doesn't stay up until 6am..' Peri thought to himself. He quickly tapped out another message.

"Sure. Give me a few to get ready and I'll be there :P"

Peri got up out of bed and stretched, popping his back. He grabbed his wand off his bedside table and poofed out of his pajamas and into his usual outfit. Figuring he was going to be up the rest of the night, he also poofed himself up an energy drink and chugged it. His stomach hurt a bit from it, but he was too anxious to really care. Lifting up his wand, he then went off to their usual meet up space, which was a small park somewhere in Fairy World. One where they spent the most time at as kids.

Once he got there, he shot Irep a quick text saying he was there, and went to sit on the swings. No one was around since it was so late, so he decided to swing for a bit. Despite being in his 20's, he still very much enjoyed it but couldn't do it around the other fairies without being stared at. He then heard some laughter behind him.

"God, you're such a child!" He immediately recognized Irep's voice and slowly came to a stop. Without even turning to look at him he said "You're one to talk!! I know for a fact you do this too!"

Irep took the swing next to him and chuckled to himself as he sat down. "Well yeah, reminds me of when we were kids.. when things were a lot more uh.. hopeful."

Peri looked at him and smiled. "Eh, I'd say things are still pretty hopeful now. I'm a god parent now! Never thought I'd get my license, haha.."

"Yeah.. I wanted to talk to you about that. I thought you didn't want any god kids?" Irep raised an eyebrow.

"Well.. it's a job, and I figured why not. It seems to be fulfilling, well at least, it was to my parents. And hell, we even exist because of one of my parents god kids!"

"Yeah.. though I worry. He seems a bit.. tough. And from what I've heard, you two argue about as much as we did in high school."

Peri smirked. "Heh.. yeah. He's a little tough, has a lot of daddy issues. But you seemed to get through to him fine. It's just.. I don't know what I'm doing wrong man. I'm trying my best with this kid and it's like.. nothing I ever do is good enough for him."

"Eh.. honestly I could do the thing where I over analyze everything but I know you hate that so I'll save it."

"Actually, it might be useful right now, so shoot."

"Hm.." Irep kicked his feet in the woodchips underneath him, thinking for a moment. "You seem to expect everything to come to you so easily, and have little patience for when it doesn't."

Peri crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "Go on."

"Ever since I've met you, if you can't do it right the first time, you either.. burn out or give up. You also get.. really angry at yourself, turn inward, and become bitter. You lose patience very easily when this happens."

"Why do you think that could be?"

"Well, a number of reasons.. we've talked about the issues we've had with our parents before. How yours nearly suffocate you with praise and affection to the point where you avoid them and wouldn't even tell them you got a god kid until they found out themselves. You were the first fairy baby born in a millenia, and I hate to say it but because of that you were spoiled rotten. Your parents were over protective of you because of their own mommy and daddy issues, so they tried to make up for what they didn't have by giving it to you, but.. they did too much. And because of that you burn out very easily and it drives you up the wall when it even looks like you're slightly failing. You're an overachiever and expect only good things to happen to you when.. that's just not how life works."

"Hm.. guess you're right.."

"Life is a constant rollercoaster of emotions. You can't just expect only the good to happen to you, you also have to expect the bad as well. Not saying to prepare for the bad or get yourself too anxious by trying to fix things before they're broken, but you know.. accept that good things don't happen all the time. Life has its struggles. That's part of it. And from what I gathered, being a god parent requires a LOT of patience, which is something you don't have a lot of, and self forgiveness, which is something you barely do. I mean, you still hold on to mistakes you made way back in spellementary school!"

"Eh, true. How are you able to gather this much from me?"

Irep chuckled a bit. "You act as if I hadn't been by your side since we were babies. As if I hadn't noticed every small detail about you, like.. how your eyes sparkle just right in the moonlight. It looks like amethyst."

Peri shoved Irep. "Quit being mushy! We're still on break. Plus.. you act as if you don't have the exact same eyes as me."

"What can I say? We're both egotistical little shits, are you really surprised we fell in love in the first place?"

"Hah.. nah.. god, remember how pissed our parents were when they found out we were hooking up behind their back? They tried so hard to keep us apart. 'Anti fairies and fairies should never be together, especially when they are exact opposites of each other, da rules, blah blah blah'."

"Yeah! And then your mom walked in on us and threw anything she could get her hands on at me? Good times."

"Psh, yeah.. we were dumb teenagers, what can I say. And I guess the only difference is a few years. Now we're dumb adults."

They both laughed a bit, and Peri looked down at his feet.

"..I still love you, you know. Even if you decide to break things off with me permanently, I always will."

"Oh, you're always such the romantic! I'm swooning." Peri chuckled and Irep looked into his eyes.

"No, but.. I'm being serious. My biggest regret in our relationship is.. smothering you like your parents did. I didn't realize I was doing it, I.. you're the only one that's ever showed me love. You know how my folks are, wasn't raised in the most loving family so.. I tried to overcompensate by trying to return all the love you made me feel."

"I know, Irep, I know. But.. I don't know, im just so confused. I don't know what I want to do, who I want to be, so I'm trying to figure that all out now."

"Heh, is that why you got a license and took on a god kid?"

"Eh, part of it.. I wanted to see if it would suit me. Besides maybe I'll learn how to be patient from this. Maybe the kid will give me challenges I'm not used to and help.. balance me out. I don't know. I know I shouldn't expect other people to fix me, let alone a kid, but how do I even begin to fix myself when I don't know where to start?"

"Take baby steps. Try different things and see how it works. You're doing good by getting out of your comfort zone now, but you need to remember to be patient and forgive yourself for any mistakes you've made."

"Yeah but.. that's a lot easier said than done. How do I even begin to learn patience and self forgiveness? Where do I even start?"

"Hm.. that's something you'll have to figure out on your own. I know the best way to do it is experiencing hardship period, and I can already see with Dev you will. Biggest thing to remember is he's a kid. He will fuck up. He will make mistakes. There are times where he'll be mean to you, say hurtful things, and get under your skin. But you CAN NOT take it personally. You have to keep in mind he's still a growing human. You've seen how messed up the human world is, imagine going through what they go through with absolutely no magic at all. Sure we had puberty and all that shit but at least the magic made it a bit easier and a hell of a lot more fun."

"True.. I just end up getting so frustrated with him I want to rip my hair out! And you know how much I love my hair! But, I don't know.. I don't know what the hell I'm doing, I'm going into this blind aside from what I was taught in the classes. I'm too afraid to go to my parents for advice because they'll just be like 'oh you're doing great just keep doing what you're doing'! I swear, I've always appreciated how you can be blunt and honest about things, it's something I really look up to about you. As annoying as it gets when I don't ask for it.. it is helpful. So thank you."

"Always."

Peri got up and stretched. "You know, Irep. I do miss spending time with you like this.. like our late night talks."

Irep's eyes lit up. "We can do them more often, if you'd like!"

"Hm, maybe. I just have some.. personal feelings to work through before I'm ready for us to see each other regularly again."

"..Yeah. I get that. But until then, I'll be here when you are ready."

"Hah, yeah.. it's getting late. Or I guess I should say, early. The kid will be up in a few hours and I gotta go be a parent.. but before I go.." Peri stood in front of Irep and held his hand out to him. He took Peri's hand, and he pulled Irep up, close to his chest.

"Oh and hey.. didn't get a chance to tell you this, but I love you too. I don't wanna give up on us yet, I just need.."

"Time?"

"Yeah. But before I go, I want to give you something." And before Irep could answer, Peri pressed his lips against his, then broke away from him and put his head on Irep's chest.

"You know, your eyes do a sparkly thing too when I kiss you but I don't have any other purple shiny things to compare them to."

"Hah.. you're a goof. But look at you being all romantic. And you called me mushy!"

"Shhhh." Peri pulled out of the embrace. "Anyways.. I'm going to spend the next few hours scrolling through my phone. Uh.. I'll try to text you when my brain isn't acting stupid."

Irep smiled. "Of course. Take your time, don't push yourself, and again.. I love you."

Peri smiled back. "I love you too." And with that, he lifted his wand and poofed back home.

He flopped down in bed, immediately poofing back into his pajamas and pulling up his phone. He was compelled to look back at old photos of the two before he went back to scrolling mindlessly on social media.

God he wish he could figure his shit out quicker, but like Irep said, he needs to learn to be patient. So maybe this is a good test for him.

[pocheccos]

soft spot.

You shake your head while looking up at Checo, “Been traveling all week, I think it’s catching up to me. I would like to stay somewhere for longer than a couple days.”

sergio perez x gender neutral!reader // word count: 1098 // no major content warnings. mentions of airsickness but nothing happens. just being soft. no use of y/n

rambling. hi, hello! it’s been a hot minute (years maybe a decade, in fact) since i’ve posted any writing onto this site. i wrote this before the news today but this is me coping i guess!! anyways hope u enjoy and hugs to my fellow checo lovers. we are free from the hell that is red bull racing. if my spanish seems off, thats on me. i only speak fluently, but never formally learned how to write/read (im at a first grader level probably). ty ty. how the hell do u format on this thing

You’re nervous on the flight heading to Las Vegas. From the initial take off, your stomach felt uneasy. Thankfully, the Red Bull team had the idea to fly out from Los Angeles, so the flight would be short. Your whole life you’ve never been one to fall prone to airsickness. That would not change today.

You kept your eyes trained to the scenery outside. Your eyes traced mountains and their ridges as a distraction. You mentally ran through your personal schedule for the week. Even as a guest for the team, you were required to complete media duties. A few video shoots with Red Bull and some with your own personal sponsors. Today would be one of your free days; you’d have the chance to adjust to the time zone and settle into your home for the week. You’re so focused on not feeling sick, you don’t even register when someone takes the seat next to you. You only become aware of Checo when he takes your hand into his.

You exhale a deep breath and offer the driver a smile. He drops your hand in exchange for raising the arm rest that separates him from you. Without question, he presses himself against you while wrapping his arm around your shoulders. On instinct, you lean against him while keeping your eyes trained on the window. Your free hand comes up to grip the hand that's draped over your shoulder.

“Since we took off,” Checo begins as he leans to press a kiss to your hair, “has tenido una cara. What’s wrong?”

You don’t answer immediately, choosing to look away from the window and give the man your attention. You shake your head while looking up at Checo, “Been traveling all week, I think it’s catching up to me. I would like to stay somewhere for longer than a couple days.”

Your offered reason wasn’t a complete lie, you were tired. You felt as if you were being pulled in a different direction at every turn. Even if you were in a beautiful city for an event, you had to adhere to a schedule.

Coupled with the stress of watching your partner struggle in his sport, you felt drained. Checo, even Max, had expressed their frustrations to you after races. Complaining that their cars were not responding to them or that the team refused to acknowledge that their beloved car wasn’t the fastest anymore. You were waking up at odd hours during race weekends only to see both Red Bull drivers struggle to get points.

The media had managed to get under your skin, unfortunately. You had grown accustomed to being on the end of good and bad press with your own career. But seeing your partner casually slandered each week was different. It was easy when the boys performed well. Though a bad performance meant the press could lob every doubt and criticism with little remorse. It felt as if you were the one being stabbed with each word.

Unconvinced brown eyes stare into yours, waiting for you to admit the real reason. Checo doesn’t press the subject further, but you see how his eyes beg for you to confide in him. Perhaps in a more private setting, you would. You could discuss it in his native tongue for an extra sense of privacy, but you didn’t want to feel vulnerable on a plane.

Perhaps you were being dramatic. You had no real reason to be this distraught over his race results. You weren’t a part of the Checo’s garage. You weren’t there to change his tires, to fix his car after receiving damage, and you weren’t strategizing on his behalf. You were just the significant other. The Red Bull affiliated athlete that happened to be dating a Formula One driver. Others would tell you to focus on your own sport.

Still, the anxiety chose to manifest.

“Mi vida,” Checo says and it pulls you out of your mental spiral. You see the concern taking over his face, and it makes you feel guilty. You didn’t want to be on his list of worries for the weekend. Checo would argue against that thought, give you a kiss and remind you that he wanted to support you as you did him.

”You’re under a lot of pressure this weekend.” You begin, “I’m hoping that this weekend treats the team well. Don’t let my bad mood add to your stress.” It's a loose attempt at describing how you feel, but you see the frown on Checo’s face.

You choose to give Checo a quick kiss to dissolve the growing frown. He chases you as you pull back for another kiss. This one is far more intense than your peck, so much so that it blinds you to the sensation of his hand on your thigh. His fingers skirt towards your inner thigh just close enough to replace the nausea in your stomach with butterflies.

You dig your nails into his other hand as a warning, “Pórtate bien, Sergio.” You say in a hiss. You shoot the man a glare. Your relationship with Checo wasn’t a secret, but you would rather jump off the plane with no parachute than join a certain club.

All the man does is chuckle at your reaction, but he moves the offending hand closer to rest by your knee. He lowers his face to find the space between your neck and shoulder. The pair of you sit in comfortable silence, your gaze returning to stare out the plane window.

“When the season is over, I’ll take you somewhere we’ve never been.” He mummers against your skin. In a tamer fashion, he peppers soft kisses along the area, “No schedules, just us and whatever we’d like to do. Three races and then we’ll disappear. Only if you promise me something.”

You can’t help but hum softly at his words, knowing you’re falling victim to his favorite way of getting you to open up. You already know what his request will be.

“Lo que tu quieres, mi cielo.” You tell him anyway.

”Tell me what’s bothering you,” Checo says, lifting his head from your neck. “Whatever feelings you have, they won’t scare me. Feeling you pull away is what scares me. Only when you’re ready.” You shiver at the air hitting the empty space. You don’t turn to face him, but you squeeze the hand that you were still holding and turn your head to grace it with a kiss.

I will. You wordlessly tell him.

I love you. Checo reminds you when he intertwines your fingers together.

[majestic0pheonix]

MOONVALE HEAVY SPOILERS AND THEORIES

Okay! I have been stuck at home so I thought I would write down my theories here for a change.

Here are some of the things I am most curious about and that I think will lead somewhere. Basically ADHD rambles, enjoy!

1. BRIAN

Everyone is suspecting this guy for a reason. Ash couldn't reach him in episode 1 and Eric said he called him but he had really bad reception and the call cut off in the middle, and who else has terrible reception? Adam. Eric never once faced reception issues in the forest. Only in the cave which I still think is odd, because there was the sound of water, wasn't there? And he did say the cave was flooded?

Anyways, Brian is hidden so far for a dang reason and I suspect he is close to where Adam is.

2. TAROT CARDS.

The meeting might not be between just Adam and MC. There is a whole deck of Tarot cards, people. I bet even Adam had his own tarot card.

The problem is, why on earth did Adam believe MC was coming for him when no one contacted us? No one gave us the card yet? Was there someone else who was supposed to contact us? Did someone tell Adam to come meet MC in Greenside? And did they fail to reach us for some reason? Also Unknown believed we would go into the forest as well, he had gotten the same info as Adam, that we were going to meet him in greenside.

Is the reason they failed to reach us because someone has been messing with our phone? Yeah I didn't forget the dang video that was ruined. Our phone had been compromised from Episode 1, we as fans just adore that cus it reminds us of Jake.

Back to the main point, there are more tarot cards. Is there a meeting in that room that we will find out about next episode?

3. UNKNOWN

As I mentioned before, I think Unknown has his own tarot card. The Magician, I suspect. I did some lil research into Tarot cards so take this with a grain of salt, but I believe that Adam might have been The Fool. Purely because he was always talked about as this spontaneous fun person and he got taken out so early in the game so I believe he might have been more than a little naive.

Also, are we forgetting that Whitmore might have shot Unknown? Did he get shot and ran away and ended up in the motel to recuperate? In room 031, to be precise?

(But tbh, I have the strongest feeling it will turn out to be Charlie. Purely because he was so suspicious of the motel in the conversation with his friend who i believe doesn't have a name yet and then suddenly switched to No, I have to go to my super important job. I bet he is still there and managed to break into the room and scare the heck out of Ash and MC, who had switched from talking on the group to talking privately. But. The music box? Did charlie find a music box that has the same melody as the one we heard being whispered while Adam was being taken?)

Hope that poor baby unknown is okay next episode. And, no. I don't suspect him of being Jake at all. Duskwood characters will not come back as main characters cus it doesn't make sense. If anything, he could even be Brian.

4. Whitmore

Whitmore is the liar, supposedly. We haven't seen his name on the envelope so we can't be 100% sure. He could have found that envelope in the forest and destroyed it cus it meant nothing to him.

I am very confused about this man tbh, probably because his actions didn't make any sense to us and kept changing rapidly.

Why does he have alarms in the forest? Why is he roaming around after midnight? Why did Unknown warn us of him? Did he actually mean to hurt Eric? Perhaps trade him into the game that he is stuck in? Give his tarot to him so he takes his role?

If he wanted to use Eric for whatever reason, why on earth did he throw him away so suddenly? He had probably seen Unknown, right? Did he perhaps know Unknown? The same way Unknown knows of him? Is that why he threw Eric out, because he knew they were probably affliated or that there was something related to the dang game going on? That he had essentially played himself?

Too many theories that are pointing absolutely no where. Excited to see where this man will show up again (probably when Bucket gets his stuff together and decides to check what Eric says and goes to ask him questions?)

5. Adam and Co.

The man of the hour. Or the game, you could say.

I am about 90% sure we are going to go into his apartment next now that his keys have been mentioned and that we will find a tarot card as well as some other clue.

Also, the reception issue. So far the places that have bad reception are the cave and, according to the comments on Maps, Greenside motel.

I suspect Adam did reach his destination after all and there is perhaps a secret room in greenside motel.

The video calls of his are also very vague. The first two video calls, it seems like he is running from someone and he calls us to tell us who he saw, like he is giving us some kind of hint, and then we have the video call where the phone is hidden in a bag or something? What was up with all these holes that the camera barely saw through? And Adam looked like he was trying to show us something or ah, the whistling? He was trying to let us hear the whistling? He didn't try to say a singly word in that video call, and the whistling is the same as the melody at the end of episode 2. It is probably a hint towards the person who took him, isn't it? I doubt it is any of the characters we know right now, though.

Also, I don't think Violet and Adam are a thing, perhaps they have history or a one-sided crush, but Violet is way too calm. It feels like she knows something.

Oh, and what could Charlie help us with? Is it related to his job as a journalist? Or will he become our hacker friend? He doesn't strike me as a hacking type of guy. I feel like MC is gonna handle the hacking on their own this game.

So yeah. That is all for now, my brain is coming up blank.

Thank you for reading this mess till the end!

[sunnysidesevenup]

So, um, I might want you to ramble endlessly about Tilly for a bit. For reasons that may or may not have to do with his upcoming birthday, and an idea I may or may not have had, and the realization that I have no idea how to write Tilly. This also, obviously, all hinges on whether or not I have your permission to write Tilly. Thanks!

OMG OF COURSE YOU HAVE MY PERMISSION. Honestly people just have blanket permission to write/draw any of my oc’s (as long as they’re not weird about it, of course)

YOU ASKED AND NOW YOU SHALL RECEIVE: ENDLESS TILLY RAMBLING TIME!!!

Tilly grew up in an incredibly dangerous area on the streets, probably somewhere in the Queendom of Roses, and that’s basically been his entire life. He had an older sister, but he was too young to remember her when she disappeared/left him/died, so he only has very vague memories of her. He doesn’t even remember her name. (There’s a good chance, though, that her name actually WAS Matilda. The name Tilly comes from a piece of clothing he had with him, the tag was signed with it, and it might have been hers or it could have been some stranger. He has no idea, honestly, but that’s his name now, so!)

He never had anyone to take care of him, so he’s very self sufficient but is simultaneously pretty useless when it comes to basic life skills. He can convince someone to buy him food but he can’t cook himself, never having any of the tools to do so. He can steal clothes but can’t mend them, so he tends to go into stores, change, and then leave. He doesn’t carry around anything with him because chances are they’ll just get stolen anyways!

He’s very nonchalant about getting hurt. The amount of times he’s gotten stabbed is far more than zero, and at some point he started stealing money literally just so he could hand it over when people mugged him 😭. He found it VERY rude that some people would still injure him even when he gave them the money, too. This has led to a very awful attitude when it comes to what he can handle and what he can’t—his pain tolerance is ridiculously high. He’s basically survived horrible injuries entirely due to luck—and his level of childhood trauma is high enough that he just straight up doesn’t remember half of it.

When it comes to writing him, he’s very, very expressive but simultaneously guarded! The type of character who can talk and talk but probably won’t say anything relevant, and his expressions and attitude can change so fast that it’s almost impossible to read him. He likes overreacting, he enjoys teasing people, and he’s a flirt. He’s almost impossible to embarrass because he’s too shameless. If you ask him any questions, he’ll answer honestly even if it’s something traumatic to him, but the chances of you actually learning what his FEELINGS on the topic are is zero. Likes talking in ways that sound like riddles, but isn’t very elegant about it unless he’s attempting to trick someone. He says people’s full names when he’s speaking to them a lot. He’s a VERY good liar, but maintains a playful attitude even when he’s doing so.

I’d say when writing his dialogue, I tend to shorten words/drop g’s when he’s speaking fast. “You” to “ya’” and things like “nothing” to “nothin’”. Only when he’s talking a lot/occasionally, though! He DOES have a tendency to ramble and switch topics seemingly with no rhyme or reason, which can be fun to write. Snappy banter with him all the way, as well—he loves a good argument.

Let me know if there’s anything specific you’d like to know, too!!! I love talking about characters and writing choices sm haha,,,,

[bonecaffeine]

helloo! this for the touchstarved matchups,,,

I go by either sam or amber (have been called samba .), she her he him ... whatever works .. ROMANTIC PLEASE !! I love love

ok got my friend to describe me yay.. hair is dark brown, they said it a wolfcut its just layered and stuff. ends right above the shoulders and I have bangs,,, nose is like. mix between button nose n snub nose and I am white. french😢 5'3 (5'2 and a half but I needed the pity points)

okay iLOVE biology especially when it comes to like viruses and stuff I find that so interesting yes please. drawing, writing, baking (but I have been compared to kuras in that aspect), and occasionally insects and flowers have piqed my interest. I dunno I really like drawing and writing

for dislikes um.... math is my OPP and I hate like. unpredictability I prefer rules and stuff when I have to do something but i confess i do enjoy slacking.OK THANKS SO MUCH

Hii! Thank you so much for your request! You where first to submit one, so congratulations! I've also read through other request people have submitted and I've got to say I am very grateful!!

☆ Romantic matchup for @jellynui !!

☆ tw - none

...

Anyways, I decided to match you with Mhin!

Yours and Mhins differences balance you two out, whilst your mutual similiarities provide a deeper understanding of each other. As a result you two are not only good friends but amazing partners as well. Let me explain:

It's not a secret that Mhin hasn't had the easiest life. It's very obvious from their attitude and general distance they keep from people that they have seen a lot of things they wish they could unsee. But in the midst of the turbulence and the chaos they have to put with with on a daily basis, Mhin has you by their side. You are their peacemaker, someone who provides calmness in their otherwise disarrayed life. And Mhin is so, so thankful for that even if they don't express that often.

In return you get someone who'll always be there to protect you! If you struggle to stand up for yourself Mhin will do just that whether that be with a sharp tongue or a satisfying punch in the face. Mhin does not take any shits when it comes to you.

Mhin struggles with being vulnerable... like a lot. Yet I know you harbor enough patience for this person. Lay their head down on your chest or hold their face between your hands and you'll heal a part of Mhin that they thought would never heal. They like it when you "slack off" because Mhin craves some slowness in their life! And of course, during these moments Mhin can get a lot of attention from you, which is amazing, though they'll never admit that.

Mhin would love to hear you ramble about biology (or about anything, really) because they too are probably knowledgable in this subject since they know anatomy so well. Mhin will keep everything you say in mind and once they're out and about somewhere in nature they'll look at the flowers you talked to Mhin about and the flowers will remind them of you.

As for drawing and writing, Mhin will also try to support this aspect of your life the best way they can. Mhin finds it admirable that you create art and literature just from your hands alone. Reading your writings is like therapy to Mhin since they struggle a lot to express themselves verbally. They're quick to absorb how nicely you knit words into sentences and later Mhin finds themselves using the words you used in your creations in their own conversations with others.

For the baking part... well Mhin will try anything you make (as long as you didn't accidentally make poison) whether it's good or bad! Mhin is an honest personality though so you have to be prepared for that!

If that's what you'd want to do, I imagine you two going on a drawing date! Something like a picnic but you two get to draw. Since Mhin is a hunter I feel like they know where the most safest parts of Eridia are, and know exactly where to take you if you two need some peace and quiet.

Just like you, Mhin hates not sticking to rules and routine. While it may seem that Mhin has a rebellious nature at first, change makes Mhin anxious and frustrated. The freelancer is glad that you are the same and appreciates this trait of yours.

For my final point - and this may sound cheesy so bear with me. I like how different Mhins and yours hair colors are! White and brown go along so nicely, I feel like. It kinda reminds me of white flowers blooming on a tree, you know?

...

Alriiight, I hope you like it, Sam!! This was fun to write ngl^_^ let me know what you think, only if you want to of course.

[gin110881]

In Another Life, chapter 8, New Year's Eve

Hi everyone!

Wow, I have to admit, I was a bit surprised (and more than a little overwhelmed) when I suddenly got so many followers. Thank you all so much!

I’ve had this Tumblr account for a while, but if I’m being honest, I’ve never quite figured out how to properly use it. Posting sneak peeks was already a victory, haha! I probably should take some time to actually learn my way around here, but every time I think about it, I feel like it’d eat into my writing time—and let’s face it, writing always wins.

Anyway, enough rambling. Here’s a sneak peek of Chapter 8: New Year’s Eve. Hope you enjoy it!

-------------------------------------------------

Harry took a big swig from his bottle and glanced around. His mother, along with Mrs Weasley, Charlie, and Tonks, was sitting in the chairs, warming their hands on their mugs of mulled wine, while his sister stood nearby with Ginny, drinking what Harry assumed was hot tea. Once they had finished their butterbeer, they quickly switched to mulled wine at Ron's suggestion, as their mothers seemed a little distracted tonight, maybe even a tad tipsy, and weren't paying much attention.

Harry couldn't help it, but his gaze kept wandering over to the girls, who'd apparently also switched to mulled wine quite unobtrusively. Watching Ginny chatting so animatedly with his sister dampened his mood for a moment. He'd avoided Ron's sister since that stupid incident on Boxing Day, simply because he didn't know how to treat her. He'd tried his best, but as always, it had ended in disaster.

"Harry, are you even listening?" asked Ron, waving his hand in front of Harry's eyes.

Torn from his thoughts, Harry looked up. "Of course. What's up?"

"It's about to start," Ron said, grinning and pointing to Charlie, who was setting up the Muggle fireworks he and Tonks had gotten from somewhere.

A glance at his watch told Harry that it was indeed almost midnight.

"I'll get us some more mulled wine," said Ron and trotted over to the drinks table where champagne glasses were already being prepared for midnight.

"Hi, Harry."

Startled out of his musings, Harry turned around only to stare at Ginny, gobsmacked. "Hi," he answered cautiously, a crooked smile on his lips.

"I... erm," she started and sighed, giving Harry an uncertain look. "I want to apologize. About Christmas."

"Oh," Harry replied, surprised. "You don't have to apologize. It was my fault."

"Hogwash," Ginny responded, eyeing Harry irritated. "Ron bumped into you, and you didn't see me. I shouldn't have yelled at you."

"But I ruined your dress," Harry said, confused. "You had every right to yell at me. Your mother said you wore that dress especially for Christmas."

Ginny chuckled, shaking her head. "Not especially for Christmas, rather for..." She paused briefly. "It wasn't a good idea anyway."

"You looked really amazing in that dress," Harry blurted out, feeling a blush spread across his face, much to his discomfort.

"Thank you, Harry," she replied sheepishly, giving him a hard-to-read look.

A lump formed in Harry's throat, and he couldn't hide a smile as he felt his cheeks heat up even more. But not from the bonfire. Taking a step closer, he heard Ginny's breath hitch as he stood so close to her, looking into her chocolate-brown eyes. Reaching out, he tucked a strand of hair that had come loose in the wind behind her ear. "You always look great no matter what you're wearing," he heard himself saying.

Harry couldn't believe his own ears. Had the mulled wine made him brave? His heart pounded loudly in his chest as he met Ginny's wide-open eyes, which felt like magnets, drawing him in. He leaned forward a little and could almost feel her lips on his when Emily's distant voice sounded, "Ginny, Harry, come on. Mum has already poured the champagne. It's almost midnight."

Brought back to reality, Harry took a step back. Still a little befuddled, his gaze followed Ginny's, who was giving his sister a disgruntled look.

At this moment, Charlie set off the fireworks.

[tonycries]

Howdy alpha daddy tony 🤠🐺 story time ig??

This is probably not ur usual silly anon asks but I graduated last year (im enjoying my free time ☺️) and lately noticed some of my classmates (from different grade lvls) had babies or are pregnant 😀 like.. I noticed early on since middle school. YEAH MIDDLE SCHOOL. like we're nearly the same age and my older brothers ex's (& classmates/ppl he knows) have gotten pregnant who are like my age 😶 girl I only had my first kiss (more like a peck) in middle school with a girl (consented, we love consent :)) and I progressed into barely hand holding with a boy in high-school 😭😭 MY GAME IS SHIT!!%$;& (Introverted asf)

Anyways, I know there's no rush to virginity. You lose it when the time is right for you. I'm just feeling bewildered that the ppl I know are moving so fast and im here rotting in my bed 😔

Srry for the rant ^^' I know alpha tony wouldn't treat me like this trust 🙌 we'll hold hands and make out under the sunset right? <3

(It's 1 am help 🙂‍↕️🫶)

YOU'RE RIGHT YOU'RE RIGHT lovely I would smooch you senseless n' we'd run through pretty fields together <33

Also honestly REAL I get it 😭 I remember when everyone around me started dating n' all during middle school and I was like ☹ "where's my middle school sweetheart??" ☹

But ultimately I'm so GLAD I had zero rizz back then eugh 🥴 There's absolutely noooo problem in taking all the time you want lovely!! I get that feeling of FOMO frfr, but the worst part would be if you pressure yourself n' end up hastening things to somewhere you might not want!!

But yeah ahh I'm rambling 😭 Point is to take your time, focus on making you the #1 in your life. Your time will come <3

[lilywily143]

Do you mind telling me any thoughts you have about Slay the Princess? Are there any AUs or something people have made? And don’t worry about spoilers, I think I’ve learned enough!

EEEE IT'S AMAZING :3333

I am so impressed that it's all made on paper, I love how the paths change as you play, the princess designs are so cool, the voices are super super well written.

I wanna share that my favorite routes are: Happily Ever After, Thorn, Den, Wild, and Stranger

Stranger route is my top favorite ever, I wanna hug them, they are so cute. And I love how you can get... kinda a flavor of ending if she's the first route u get. The endings work where if u go in the cabin in the ending, you'll see the first princess you met [normally a ruder one if u have the blade, or a nicer one if u didn't grab it in that first route] So if stranger was your first princess, you see her. And It's just amazing I love it, and that ending made me love the Voice of the Contrarian.

I have no info on the fandom of this game, honestly. The only au I have seen is a Role Swap. The different princesses that can get taken are her voices, and the player's voices become routes. They usually share the replaced line of [paraphrased] "There is a Hero in a cabin, your job is to slay him"

There are probably more au's 100% but I haven't presonally looked for them yet. I will soon. Though I remember seeing someone share the idea for a Coffee Shop au with the narrator as just a Karen XD. Fun post.

I have my own au idea though which is just the aftermath of my favorite ending.

I still feel like hiding the spoilers a bit

I love the ending where you and the princess get to choose to spend your lives as mortals, instead of joining the conglomerate god.

Took me a while to realize that the shifting mound and long quiet don't like... die or something when you choose to be mortals. They are kinda their own thing, which makes sense when.... the princesses get taken by the god to join her singularity. They are separate beings, I think.

Look, I love this game but the vague languages the god use for themselves make room for interpritation, which is the point, I think? I love it, but it's hard to put it in words. The god says that herself so I don't think I'm wrong.

Okay I didn't mean to ramble THAT much, I just thought the ending deserves to be talked about it I wanted to talk about my au.

But anyways the au I have is kinda just a cozy au. The princess and player get to just enjoy the world outside of the confines of the long quiet cage. And I really also wanna go with stories about the voices and princesses kinda getting their own lives.

Hero says it himself, "I'm not sure I'll be alone for too long, anyways. The others are still around here somewhere. I'll find them"

I want them to have their own lives, a good life

[batcave-dinosaur]

Okay, so I said I'd write a post in response to the last post I reblogged because I had a lot of thoughts, which I do, but don't expect these to be particularly well-thought out, I just wanted to get them down somewhere lmao

I've always personally enjoyed the headcanon of Cass using ASL because I'm a very intro learner of the language. I'm also not a huge fan of the whole "magically-given English ability" thing, but that's mostly because I come from a linguistics and psychology background and find Cass to be a pretty interesting hypothetical. A few people in the notes of that post pointed out there are some pretty racist implications of the Asian girl not being allowed/able to speak (allowed in the Doylist sense, able in the Watsonian), which I hadn't considered before.

Part of me headcanoning her as using ASL was also based on my knowledge of language deprivation being unfortunately common in deaf children born to hearing parents. However, I failed to account for the actual effects of that language deprivation, and I admittedly have yet to read Batgirl (2000) [boos and tomatoes are thrown] I know I know it's high up on my list, but I didn't realize she canonically resists language use and learning unless necessary, which makes sense considering it's something she's spent most of her life without And it's gotta be incredibly frustrating for her to try and work with because of it.

I agree with the folks saying she'd probably pick up iconic signs pretty easily (iconic just meaning they visibly resemble what they represent) and she'd be able to memorize individual units pretty easily, but the specifics of grammar would escape her. Honestly I feel like I need to be reading some papers on language deprivation, but I know it's also one of those things that's very hard to research outside of case studies because it's obviously very unethical to induce. Other things I hadn't considered before, but I do like the idea of her using an AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) device, especially at first since I imagine her vocal chords wouldn't be in very good shape after so many years of disuse. It would be neat to see people feature that and speech therapy for her in fics.

Anyway this was just a bit of a ramble, but if anybody ever wants to discuss any of this with me, my asks are always open :) I love language I love language headcanons for my favourite little guys

[consumerofsoup]

hello!! this is literally just me yapping (again lol) but your last fic was literally amazing, and I would love to hear your thoughts about heartstrings, if you have any!!!

hihihihihihihi :3c!!!!! I must say again your comments mean the world to me, I'm so super duper happy and glad and all the synonyms on Merriam Webster that you enjoyed my anbai fic!!! be prepared for rambles because 1) I am a pro at those and 2) literally any ship that I enjoy makes me ramble!

-Elphelt first meets Haehyun while she's piloting her mech because of like. formal reasons, right?? maybe they first meet at some fancy schmancy party to strengthen the ties between Illyria and the Japanese Colony BLABLABLA all that matters is they dance

-Elphelt falls in love immediately because this is Elphelt we're talking about. and she proposes immediately after their second dance

-EITHER they get into an arranged marriage because WOWZERS Haehyun also immediately falls in love with the golden retriever that is Elphelt and sees the good things that would come out of an arranged marriage for the Japanese colony

-somewhere along the way before the wedding Haehyun comes clean about who she is after fretting over it for ages, apologizes for lying to Elphelt, explains the sitaution, etc. etc. and then is thrown a curveball when Elphelt just. grabs her hands and is like OH MY GOD YOU'RE CUTE. CAN I STILL MARRY YOU??? because she is thrilled that not only she gets to be the wife of a very powerful political leader, but she's the wife of a CUTE political leader???? woah!!!!! and ofc she starts yapping about how tradition is flung out the window, because look at them defying norms and spitting in the face of tradition in the name of love and she goes on all night and Haehyun is very happy obviously

-OR they just become friends and eventually they are close enough Haehyun feels comfortable revealing her secret, to which Elphelt asks for a SECOND time if they can get married, but for real this time because she has gotten to know who Haehyun is (at least through her persona, but I feel like Elphelt is good at feelings, so she just gets it??) and is like?? actually in love?? and Haehyun is also in love but doesn't expect it back???

-and yeahhhh I think I'm gonna have to write a fic about them now. at the very least at some point because I have 5 WIPs, I can't go adding more (lie)???

-now for the more little things that aren't plot ideas I've had rattling around my brain

-they are so yapper x listener. Elphelt will not stop talking ever and Haehyun enjoys listening and loves seeing her enthusiastic?? especially about her band??

-oh and on the topic of band, Elphelt 100% gets super dramatic when she has to leave and yknow what maybe Haehyun is a bit lonely for a while, and then Elphelt comes back and showers her with affection and grand stories the tour and most importantly, how much she missed her

-at first, the Japanese Colony is a little hesitant because that's Elphelt VALENTINE, who was under the influence of the Universal Will and almost destroyed the world and all. but after Haehyun's insistence she's alright they allow her to stay, and about twenty minutes later everyone loves her and begs her not to leave and gives her gifts etc. etc.

-not exactly the focus but Jam totally tries to get Elphelt to work at her restaurant because she would absolutely be a hit, but maybe Haehyun is a bit jealous??? and anyway Elphelt has a band to tour with, so not this time, Jam

-they play music together. sorry I don't make the rules. I imagine that Elphelt probably doesn't do her death metal growl with Haehyun (that would be funny though), she sings more like how Molly Daisy Scarpine does during the second verse in Extras??

there are probably about a billion other things I could say about them that I just can't think of at the moment!!! and okay wow looking back I did ramble a lot. I truly am the rambler of all time. thank you for the ask, heartstrings is such a great ship name and I think more people should consider their relationship!! :))

[complicitgirlfrot]

A late favor returned for one of my fave moots~

4. Genie granted you three NSFW wishes. What are you wishing for?

19. Would you be able to go full month just pleasing your partner daily, without getting anything back?

50. Favourite thing to do when being dominated?

Haaaiiiiiii <3 sorry for letting this sit for like 2 months. Teehee i forgor

Anyways.. answers. Gotta have a couple of those laying around here somewhere

4. A genie grants you 3 NSFW wishes. What are you wishing for?

Easy. I mean its not cuz this question is the reason i let this set for so long but like. I have answers now:

Shapeshifting. I’m trans and a monsterfucker. Self-explanatory

Teleporting. My favorite moots fuck on the regular and I'm not invited cuz i live some fucking 500 miles away and am going insane thisting after them. If i could teleport this would be a nonissue. That 8 hour drive grows more tempting by the day

I can't be bothered to think of a 3rd one so i'll be cheeky and wish for the bonus pic anon teased earlier today cuz i'm absolutely drooling over the tummy pic they posted. Call them the bit the way i'm chomping after it

19. Would you be able to go the full month just pleasing your partner daily, without getting anything back?

I mean thats basicslly how i live now soooo... yeah. Easy.

To be fair tho, my partner *really* enjoys recieving head and i *really* fucking enjoy eating them out cuz of an unchecked oral fixation so i don't get exactly nothing out of it

50. What is your favorite thing to do while being dominated?

Whine

Lol no. While true, i probably have a mostly better answer

Thing is, i don't get dominated very often (hence the title of my blog), and when it does happen its not like, a lot or very hard domination, y'know? So a lot of my answer still sits within the realm of untested fantasy (which i desperately hope to amend). I've really enjoyed the light bondage, petplay, and degradation that i've gotten to try and want to do both more. I fucking love to follow directions, especially if its something that will make me really desperate. Also the punishment for if i dont follow them correctly. Oh and the-

Yeah, i'm cutting this short before i lose myself and ramble on hornily for like 2 hours. I got things to do. Of all the options and considerations and fantasies and whatever, my favorite thing to do (so far) is to eat someone out/suck someone off (haven't tried the 2nd one yet) while they ride my face. Bonus points if it's a 69 type situation. Extra bonus points if there's someone else and it's a spitroast type situation

Also normally i would reblog or link the ask game but that thing is fucking gone sooooo yeah.