#at least she's safe and happy and has her free will and memories?

[unluckiestmember]

how abt headcanons for the arcane women on a beach date? :0 feel free to add/remove anyone ^^

Coming right up!

Arcane X Beach Date with Reader!

Characters: Powder/Jinx, Violet "Vi", Caitlyn Kiramman, Ekko, Viktor, Jayce Talis, Mel Medarda, Sevika, Ran and Vander

Warning: Some slight suggestive themes and mild cursing. But pretty much SFW.

A/N: Aww, summer is practically over! I hope you guys had fun this summer and stayed safe! Whatever is next in the future, I hope we all have a great time and look forward to the rest of 2024! We only got three more months until Season Two guys, I know we can do it even if it feels so far. So let's hang in there!

Powder/Jinx

“Hey, hurry up and look over here, toots! I’m about to pull off the biggest cannonball!... Yeah, yeah, I’ll be fine- Now watch me!”

At the beach, Jinx is absolutely going to do everything under the sun, whether it be legal or illegal! She might not be the best swimmer, but she loves getting in the water, especially jumping in and getting her adrenaline going. And you better expect her to get you involved in a water fight! Just don’t expect her to play fair, girlie has a bunch of mechanisms she can make into weapons for your game and she’s not afraid to use them!

Sand castles are requested and being buried in sand is a must. A date at the beach with the Loose Cannon feels more like a hangout than a lovely day together in the sand, but don’t get it wrong. Jinx loves spending time with you at the beach and will sneak some kisses to your cheek or slam her lips on yours. She’s pretty sure your beach date is probably one of the best days of her life and it’s all thanks to you.

Violet “Vi”

“This is the perfect weather for a nice swim, babe. Hey- Race you to the other side. Last one there is buying ice cream!”

When you invited Violet to a date on the beach, she was more than ready, she was beyond excited! She is a perfect balance between playful and romantic, always flirting with you in regards to your swimsuit and even sneaking some seductive touches along your body. And right when she’s done or is about to kiss you, she’s quick to trick you by running away gleefully waiting for you to catch her or messing with you.

She’s not exactly the best of swimmers, but is willing to learn and get her feet wet just for you. If you both aren’t having fun talking to each other and exploring the beach side by side, then guests of the beach better expect to see a happy couple making out in the sand or getting affectionate. Peering eyes or none, a beach date with Violet is all you could ever ask for and more.

Caitlyn Kiramman

“Ahh, isn’t this absolute bliss, my love-... Did. Did you just splash me? Oh, you’re gonna pay royally for that.”

Caitlyn has been to the beach quite a lot in the summer with her family and always loved spending time on the coast. So when you asked her on a getaway there, she was immediately on board. During your date, she makes sure you are all okay, rubbing sunscreen on you and checking if all your equipment is accounted for. Caitlyn is more on the quieter side, having a picnic in the sand with you or laying in the shade and just catching the breeze.

But do not let this fool you; She can be playful and accept your requests to swim, especially since she’s a pro at it, or just play in general! She’ll always be open to exploring underwater with you or even making some sand castles together! When it’s time to go, Caitlyn almost doesn’t want to leave, but at least she has a sweet memory and new tradition to share with you.

Ekko

“You’re right, we all needed this vacation. Everyone’s happy and you’re happy, so I’m fine. Wanna take a swim with the others?”

Ekko has never been to the beach before. He’s only heard stories from Pilties that passed by the undercity and seen pictures of it, but has never set foot on one, and neither has the Firelights. Whenever he needed a swim or a getaway, he would just find a local lake or river to satisfy him and everyone else’s needs. So you can imagine his surprise when you set up a little vacation for him and his allies on the coast!

The leader of the firelights is beyond happy the entire time you’re by his side and showing off the beach to the firelights, engaging in small games of volleyball or tag with the young ones. Of course it’s still a date for you two, so he’s sure to give you all the love and care you could ask for when the kids or Scar aren’t taking up you two’s time. But even then, it is all in all a fun experience to share, whether alone or with the freedom fighters.

Viktor

“Aye! How is the water so cold? Maybe you should swim on without me… Don’t worry, I’ll keep watch-. H-Hey! Fine, I’ll join you, let’s just take it slow.”

It had been years since Viktor had stepped on a beach before you asked him on a date there. The once feeling of sand in his feet made him raise an eyebrow and the wind touching his skin had him a bit nervous with his body out. From the looks of it, you were sure at first that this would be a hard time to enjoy together…

But after a while and a bit of convincing to let loose with some encouragement, the scientist finally let loose a little and enjoyed all of the beach with you. He may not be able to swim, but walking in the water, holding your hand and feeling the small waves crash into his ankles? Now that was a piece of absolute heaven. And exploring uncharted territories with you to find the most beautiful of caves was beyond delightful. He would have to remind himself to come to the beach with you more often.

Jayce Talis

“What’s up? Are you admiring my muscles?... If you’re looking at them dry, I can’t wait to see how you’ll look at them wet. Now come on in!”

All it took was one date to find out that Jayce practically belonged on the beach with you! There he acted like such an excited child in his trunks running immediately into the water with your hand in his to feel the waves wash over you two. Don’t expect to do much outside of swimming unless you need something from your personal belongings, and even then Jayce will go grab it for you and head straight back in!

He isn’t much of a goofball swimming with you outside of small moments of teasing, but he does get quite handsy and flirtatious, holding your waist and pulling you close to kiss you. Everyone can practically put together that you are his with how affectionate he is around you. And he doesn’t care either because he doesn’t mind putting you on the pedestal where you belong. It’s a chill date, but a nice date regardless.

Mel Medarda

“Mmm, we needed this, sweetheart. A day away from the nagging, pointless fighting and having to meet expectations? It’s absolutely worth it.”

A beach date with Mel has got to be one of the calmest dates you’ll ever have in your life. Mel isn’t much of a swimmer, preferring to just walk down the coast with you. But even then, she spends most of her time sunbathing and simply taking in the ambiance around the both of you in relaxation. For some it may be boring, but for her just being near you and practically doing nothing is heavenly.

Of course she won’t be a prude though. Sometimes she’ll take a minute and collect seashells to take home with her as souvenirs. And if you do want to swim around or really utilize the beach, she will let you and simply watch you having fun lovingly from the sidelines. That is unless you want her to join you, then just ask and she’ll be right by your side enjoying every second with you.

Sevika

“Ran is challenging me to volleyball and I was wondering if you’d want to be my partner?... Thanks babydoll- Hey, Ran! Get ready to get your ass kicked!”

Sevika doesn’t go to the beach unless it’s with a group of friends. Only then with them and you as company is she gonna have the time of her life! Outside of work and in the sand, the muscular woman is a lot more relaxed and a bit playful with everyone, including yourself. She’ll do whatever you’d like as long as it means you both are enjoying yourself.

Want to play a few games? She’s all for it. Want to just kick back and take in the sun and the waves? She’s cool with that too! Nothing is off limits for the Right Hand of Zaun, and I mean nothing. Because if you feel it’s not exactly a date, then Sevika has no problem taking you somewhere a bit more secluded and showing you a great time~. At the end of the day, you’re sure to look back on your time with your girlfriend at the beach fondly and can’t wait for the next one!

Vander

“We should try and make this a tradition. You, me and the kids, come down to the beach every summer. They’d look forward to it every year. And so will I…”

Everytime you and Vander go to the beach, it is usually with the kids as an annual family outing. Yeah, the both of you have to babysit a bit and deal with the mindless teasing of the sumprats when you both get intimate, but you enjoy yourselves regardless. You love when the Hound of the Undercity plays tag with his adopted children, even dragging you in for the ride and getting a good adrenaline kick from it all.

You two always leave the beach excited for the next time around the following year with tired kids needing to be laid down. He makes sure to let you know how grateful he was to spend time with you and everyone else, nuzzling into you and whispering how much he loves you. Though you miss those days, you never broke that tradition, even when the world fell apart. No matter what, you always come back every summer to the beach to keep the memory alive…

If you got any requests for Arcane or X-Men '97, send them my way!

Likes and retweets are always appreciated! I love you all, stay hydrated and have a good day! <3

[memysoulandi]

Jason Grace, so much potential...

Actually this goes for the entire lost trio. The AMOUNT of TRAUMA these three had and the potential for character development they had too is UNREAL, yet nothing was done. Let us begin my personal beliefs

Leo:

-Delve into his trauma of his remaining family deciding he was the devil at age EIGHT and refusing to take him in-abandonment issues

-Have his constant feelings of invalid-ness and being the unneeded member of the seven be corrected by giving him CLOSE FRIENDS HE PIPER AND JASON NEED TO BE CLOSER AT THE VERY LEAST and conversations when he realizes he is wanted and needed

-Don't have Calypso storyline in there-he didn't need a girlfriend to solve his problems, if you have it, have it as good friends-another member of his support group

-Make him gay and have valgrace or slowburn/implied valgrace(the two of them pining then like kinda tragic as Leo dies)

Piper:

-Have her lesbian storyline occur in HoO where she's a main character-it's an important storyline for her character that deserves a spotlight and time that ToA couldn't give it

-No Jiper! This relationship was toxic and founded on fake memories-if you're going to do it, do it as a part of her LGBTQIA+ journey and Jason's as well

-Don't have her demonize femininity! She can wear dresses! She can wear makeup! She can present more feminine and still be the same character and her hatred of any and all things feminine is not good representation! Make her a feminist, please! Or at least make her less against femininity as a whole.

-No kaleidoscope eyes! Give her brown eyes and also have her rediscovering her culture storyline as a part of HoO too!

Jason:

-Make him a better fighter than Percy. He has been at Camp Jupiter since the age of three and spent a year with wolves before then. He has spent his entire life in a military setting training, he should be a better swordfighter than Percy 'I show up to summer camp at age 12 to 16 and only really use my sword then' Jackson.

-Give him more powers. Or Percy less. Children of the big three should be equal in potential power, not Percy being OP and the others having lightning or shadows powers some of the time. Percy needs less power and Jason, Thalia, Hazel, and Nico need more. Jason should have more power than Percy as he has had longer to train it.

-Give him a personality. His storyline in HoO should be a journey of self-discovery. He has always been another member of an army, with constant pressure on him to be the best at everything and a strong confident leader who doesn't make mistakes as a son of Jupiter. His entire life has been dictated by those around him. For the first time, he is free of that and he needs to be discovering things like how he likes to dress, his style, his sexuality, his likes and dislikes, and his personality. In my opinion he should be kinda shy with a feral edge, side effect of the wolves, who is always trying to people please. When he stops doing this, he becomes significantly happier and a greater use to the team. Plus valgrace;D.

-Also, make him despise Percy at the beginning. He worked his entire life to be an afterthought that nobody looked for when he went missing for months, while Percy was looked for by everyone after only a few days. Percy achieved everything he wanted in a matter of weeks in New Rome and he was happy and had friends and a life. Percy has everything Jason doesn't. They need to have a moment where they are locked together and Percy goes "why do you hate me" and Jason breaks down because "You have everything I want and you don't even have to try!". This would create a better relationship for them and be the turning point for Jason as Percy hears what he has to say and validates him. Also Jason personality.

-Don't kill him off and continue his self-discovery journey in ToA.

-Make him and Thalia have a closer relationship that in the months between TLH and TSoN, it is implied that they spend time together. He should feel safe with her and they needed more interactions as they are SIBLINGs, god damit.

-Make him and Reyna just friends-she wanted to look for him but couldn't 'cause Octavian(the bitch) and someone needed to be Praetor in his absence.

-Also give him history with Octavian-ex-friends or something give me drama.

[starshinegazer]

Shoutout Sunday

I just wanted to collect some of the most memorable Astarion fanfics I've read so far and to give them and their authors a big ol' shoutout. These are some of the fics I strongly suggest others to check out, if you haven't yet.

Also, please feel free to comment and recommend your favorites as well! And, if you know of some of these authors on tumblr, lemme know, so I can add them too :) I'm not too good with words, so I'll be slapping some of the authors own words as descriptions (for now). Oh, and do be mindful of tags etc etc... Here goes, in no particular order:

Pieces Still Stuck In Your Teeth by howlsmovinglibrary (@wetcatspellcaster) "The Vampire Ascendent has crossed a line. Eleven years after making the biggest mistake of her life and losing the man she loved, tiefling wizard (now Archmage) Rosalie decides it’s time to put this Astarion in the ground for good. Hopefully, both her head and her heart are strong enough to see this awful task through to its end."

An Honest Lie by howlsmovinglibrary (@wetcatspellcaster) "Astarion and Rosalie think they understand each other perfectly, but they have each fallen prey to the other’s mask. As they both go forward with their adventure, will either of them dare to be honest?"

A Crooked Touch by eyes_of_the_lamb "If you want to read a story where Astarion is sweet from the start and Tav is here to fix him, this isn't the one. If you want to read about two terribly broken men spending a good long while making each other worse before they make each other better, this might be for you. If you thought the in-game romance was a little too easy and it should have been ten times more painful and difficult to convince Astarion he's worthy of love, this is definitely for you."

Perfect Slaughter by Imagineitdear (@imagineitdearies ) "Tyrus, a low-born drow with aspirations for necromantic wizardry, finds none of the hospitality he expected from his new noble patron, Cazador Szarr. Quickly he loses his life and future, his hopes and dreams—only to find something new to fight for in the unlikely arms of Cazador’s least favorite spawn."

A Novel Experience by meanboss (@meanbossart ) "Initially just an epilogue for my own game campaign with my big meaty dark urge drow, turned whole story which I accidentally deleted and am now reuploading, my bad LOL

Hope you enjoy!"

Carving Through The Dark by skitter "The realm is safe and the story is over.

Wren and Astarion descend into the Underdark in search of a new purpose, and learn a few things along the way. Namely, that healing isn't linear and sometimes love takes the long way round."

Blood In The Weave by gingealish "There is no need to breathe, but I miss it all the same. The suffocating silence, the desperate darkness have encapsulated me for I don’t even know how long; It could have been tendays or years. I’ve long since accepted my punishment, stopped trying in vain to crack the seal of my tomb against the onslaught of panic and hunger. Now I lay here, thinking of the friends I’ve lost, the lover who turned on me, and how to finally get even.

Astarion is the new Big Bad Evil Guy. Spawn Tav is rescued by a familiar face. "

When He’s all but Forgotten How to Love Again by bg_brainrot "You saved Baldur’s Gate almost 300 years ago. You died 150 years ago. On a new life now, you find that memories from your past lead you to a specific silver-haired man. Who was he, and why won't he leave you be? tldr; An Elf-Tav reincarnation story where Tav dreams about Astarion in their nightly reveries and eventually seeks him out once they reach maturity. Things definitely totally go well."

More Than Any Words by mataglap "They have saved the city and possibly the world. All is great and everyone is happy... except Astarion has been banished back into the shadows, and Tav is stuck in an uneven battle with his own oath. He's losing the fight. He knew he would from the moment he fell for Astarion. But he can't lose yet, not before they find a way for Astarion to walk in the sun again."

Inexhaustible Oil by homeward_bound "This is the absolute opposite of a redemption fic. A post-canon, fall-from-grace, "I can make you infinitely worse" kind of story, in which there is no simple happy ending. But there's mystery on the way. And dragons. True love, even. So if you're fine with that, come aboard. It's going to be a wild ride."

[mioakem]

Sometimes I remember that nico lost his mother and then was put in a hotel for seventy years and finally get let out and then found out that his dad was a Greek god and he was so excited but then his sister decided to join the hunters of Artemis and he’s happy for her but also scared once he finds out that she’s going on a quest so he makes the cute guy who saved him earlier promise to keep her safe only for him to return after the quest and tell him that his sister had died and then everyone hated him because of who his father was and he realized he was in love with the guy who he blames for his sisters death and hates himself for it and then he goes on a side quest with Percy and brings him to his fathers palace under the impression that hades just wanted to talk with Percy because he said that it he brought Percy to him then he would tell him more about his family but then hades tricks the both of them and imprisons Percy and Nico goes to save him but Percy doesn’t trust him anymore and then he single handedly brought three gods to help with the battle of manhattan only to still not feel welcomed and then he learned that there might be a way to bring back his dead sister only to find out that she had chosen rebirth and then found his other sister and brought her back from the fields of asphodel and then found another camp and started to actually heal and then Percy shows up with no memory and he lies to him and promptly dips and ends up completely alone in Tartarus only to get kidnapped by two giants and get stuffed in a jar with only a limited supply of pomegranates and then when the seven finally come to save him he finds out that most of them didn’t even want to save him and thought it would just be better to leave him in the jar to die and then he had to watch the guy who he’s not rlly in love with anymore fall into Tartarus but not before making him promise to lead a group of people that hate him to the house of hades and he agrees to it and then everyone except for his sister stay away from him because they think he’s creepy and weird until he has to go on a side quest with Jason to retrieve something from Cupid and he is forced to admit that he was gay and in love with Percy to a guy he barely knows let alone trusts and then realizes that no one would hate him because of that and he makes his first actual friend and then he volunteers himself to go on a deadly quest to take a ginormous statue back to camp via shadow travel and he nearly dies from it but he also developed a strong friendship with Reyna along the way and after the war he finally allows himself to be loved by his friends and tells Percy how he used to feel about him and meets Will and is finally happy for the first time in a while and then his boyfriends dad shows up as a mortal but he doesn’t think much of it until one day he feels the same feeling he felt when Bianca died and realized that Jason had died and goes into a deep depression and then Reyna also joined the hunters and everything just sucks again but at least he has Will and people at camp don’t really hate him anymore but then he starts getting plagued with nightmares and it gets so bad to the point where he finally gives in and goes down into Tartarus again but with Will this time and is forced to face his demons but ends up embracing them and freeing his friend and everything is now kind of okay again and he starts kinda developing a friendship with Piper and he’s actually happy but who knows how long that’s gonna last cause he’s been happy before and look where that got him

[thedeviltohisangel]

Angry Confession #8 for John and Cas

ANGRY CONFESSION BLURB PROMPT ERA

8. “Tell me how I’m supposed to un-love you, then. Tell me. Spare me.”

a little tease of the wisconsin fight i have been screaming in DMs with @gloryofroses19 about...

also. this might get it's own multi-page interlude and read slightly different. cass might get on that forced march and it won't read exactly like the blurbs. my muses have a mind of their own and i don't try to reel them in. if you ever have a question or wonder how i might see something differently with hindsight, please always reach out!

AND. writing this broke me.

The silence was deafening as Cass felt his words snap across her face. She almost wishes the pain was physical instead of the emotional torment that he was inflicting upon her. At least then she would know how to heal. She would know how to proceed. At least then she could find the courage to fight back and gain control of whatever storm was brewing between them.

"All I know, Cass, is that I want you to be happy. I want you to be free and safe and experience everything life has to offer. I'm not the right person to ensure that for you anymore. I'm not the right person to live life with you anymore. I'm not the right person to," he paused and choked on the words that were tumbling out, "bring home to South Carolina and...you deserve a better man to have children with."

"Don't you dare," she practically spat as she pushed off the wall and took an angry step towards him. "Don't you dare fucking say any of that, John." The letter that caused all of this was still clutched in his hands. She wanted to burn it. She wanted to go back in time and never write it.

"Tell me I'm wrong. Tell me that you haven't noticed how fucked in the head I am. That you haven't stopped sleeping because you're afraid of what I've become at night." His eyes were looking at her wrist. Imagining the way his hands had wrapped around her delicate skin with malice as his nightmares had blurred his capacity to distinguish the past from the present.

"I love you. I love you so much it hurts me and that is the only thing I have been certain of for a very long time." Her fingers wrapped around the footboard of the bed in his childhood room. There was so much of him ingrained in these walls that it was dizzying. She had been giddy upon their arrival to Wisconsin, anxious to see him reunite with his mother and sisters. Anxious to get him back to his roots in the hopes it would heal the uncertainty that had settled over him since the morning after Gale's wedding. "You are exactly the man I want to bring home to South Carolina. Exactly the father I want to give my children. Exactly the person I want to experience everything in life with. All the pain and all the happiness. None of it means anything without you." She took another step but he stood and she paused.

"I'm setting you free. Free from me and this marriage and all the memories of what happened over there that I keep drudging up for you."

"I don't want that," she cried. "I am not asking for any of that!"

"Someone is going to make you so happy one day." His hands were shaking and he knew he needed to leave this house before he could let the tears in his eyes fall. "Someone who doesn't have demons in their head. Someone who doesn't have blood on their hands and doesn't have to worry about staining you when he holds you."

“Tell me how I’m supposed to un-love you, then. Tell me. Spare me," she yelled as she found the courage to hit him in the chest. "Tell me how you expect me to move on from our nights in the flower field and how I am supposed to pretend that London meant nothing to me and tuck away everything that happened in Germany into a box. No one else will ever understand me, John. No one is ever going to make me feel a pin prick of what you do." She beat her palms against his chest until all the anger left her chest and she collapsed as it was replaced by despair. He let a tear drop onto the carpet next to her.

"I love you, Sp-" He stopped as the term of endearment tried to slip out. She couldn't bring herself to look at him. John stepped past her and stood in the doorway, not flinching when he saw his sisters scurry into their rooms. "One day, when you hold your precious child and don't see any of me inside of them, you'll know we are doing the right thing. And I just know you are going to be the best fucking mother in the entire world." Oh how he had dreamed of watching her become a mother. Watching her with their baby. Their baby that looked like a perfect combination of the two of them and was a physical embodiment of the love they had for each other. How he had spent the sleepless nights in Germany thinking of their names and how they would feel on his tongue. Cass was, is, a deity. She would be raising angels in her image and he couldn't not taint them with the horrors that lived inside of him. Couldn't risk any of it seeping into them.

"It won't be worth it without you," she mumbled as she stared where he had been in shock. "Life without you won't be worth living." If he stayed any longer, he'd never be able to leave.

So, without a glance back, he stepped out of the room. And down the stairs.

And into the night.

[piltoverfinest]

Listen. Listen. I had a thought (yes a single one because Karlach and Wyll have taken over my mind completely) and I am nothing but not intend on adding more salt to open wounds.

Karlach and Wyll both grew up in Baldurs Gate. Very different parts of it, granted, but Ulder Ravengard strikes me as someone who would encourage his son to know all of the cities people, rich or poor. And we know Wyll is certainly the type of person to try and look over this stuff, to strive for being the kind and popular leader one day.

So, young Karlach and young Wyll become friends. Like, best friends. Karlach is this courageous, never-scared spitfire, a perfect balance to Wyll's demure and safe upbringing. They spend almost every day with each other, roaming the city. And as they grow older, they eventually crush on each other. It just...happens. It's a natural development but Wyll gets more and more involved in his duties and Karlach needs to break out of this hole she grew up. They never tell the other how much they actually mean to each other. And suddenly Karlach is gone, nowhere to be found and only a few weeks later Wyll makes the hardest decision of his life and just like that- poof, their lives change forever.

(Let's put a 'Read More' here because like everything I ever write, this turned out longer than I wanted it to be. Ooops, I guess.)

Now, we all know Mizora twisted things so nobody remembers the imminent attack and Wyll got sent away by his father. But what if she didn't just alter the memories of the people around Wyll but in addition, also took something from him. Zarliel already had Karlach in her claws, so, naturally, if you are a devil with the chance to add even more pain, you do. Because come on, it just cant be a coincidence that Karlach and Wyll were enslaved by the same devil. It just cant be. And that way they made sure Wyll would also never come after her. Or at least not to save her. So again, just like that - poof, no recollection of Karlach or his feelings for her. No memory of her laughter and friendship.

Which brings us to poor Karlach, recently sold by the man she trusted, cut off from all of her friends and family, left to do Zariel's bidding. Her heart gets taken, replaced with infernal iron and hot blazing heat and yet, she doesn't cave. She grinds her teeth and hangs on to the hope of survival. Of one day returning to Baldurs Gate. And she won't give up on her positivity. She can't give it up, it's all she has left. So when the war is finally over, she dares to breathe and hope to be set free...only to be told there's someone out to kill her. The Blade of Frontiers. She has no idea who that person is, just knows that he's a monster hunter. Being thrown in the same pot as devil's and lemurs stings more than any dagger she ever felt.

So she runs, hides, until she finally meets him. The Blade of Frontiers. A knife to her throat and she's frozen. Because that isn't the Blade of Frontier. That's Wyll. Same brown eyes (or at least one of them), almost the same handsome face except for the newly added scars. He's the same Wyll and yet he's not. She whispers his name and realizes the second he looks at her, talen aback and confused, that he doesn't remember. He has no idea who she is. And that hurts even more than when Zariel cut her heart out. Her closest friend, the one person she ever felt love for and here he is calling her a monster. A devil. Scum under his boots. Threatening to kill her.

She has no choice but to fight back and push him off. Run again. Hide again. And suddenly she wakes up on a weird ship and she's out of the hells. And Gods is she happy. Gods is she scared. Gods is she broken. For the first time in years the horrors of everything catches up with her. The first few nights she spends crying, curled up in fetal position, trying to figure out what to do next. Who to go to when the only person she trusted has forgotten all about her. She wants to hate him. She wants to be mad. But she can't. She still carries love for him where her heart used to be.

Wyll doesn't know why but ever since their meeting in the hells, he can't close his eyes without hearing this darned devil's voice. Not Mizora's snears and petty remarks, he's used to ignoring her by now, but Karlach's. A laugh so catching he can't help but smile in his sleep, even though he's sure he has never actually heard her laugh before. Her soft whisper of his name. His real name. Wyll Ravengard. How did she know? He hasn't been Wyll Ravengard for a long time. No one seems to know Wyll Ravengard anymore, so who is that devil woman? He keeps tossing and turning, the strangest dreams of sharing his first bottle of beer with that flaming woman, hidden on the Pier of Baldurs Gate. Leaning in with the untamable urge to- But it's all so fuzzy.

When they meet the next time, Wyll is with a group of people and Karlach has never begged for her life but she knows she doesn't want to die by his hand. It can't be. She is pretty sure this will be her last day, though. She can't take 4 people all on her own when one of them is Wyll. She can not, will not, kill Wyll. So she begs and pleads, tries to explain, tries to convince him and for some wonderous reason, the leader of their group understands her dilemma. And Wyll sees his error. He lets his blade sink. He lets her live. More than that, as soon as he realizes his mistake, he willingly pays the prize Mizora forces upon him. He turns into the very thing he hunted, turns into a devil for her just to keep her safe.

That night, the first night at camp, she cries again. Quietly. Hidden behind some rocks. It's tears of relief but also shame and guilt. Wyll is a devil because of her and if only he knew...he would never forgive himself. She will never forgive herself for the sacrifice he had to make for her. If only she knew, maybe she would have let him kill her. So she decides, with a heavy heart, if he doesn't remember then he doesn't need to be reminded. She doesn't need to add to his torment by throwing her own feelings in the mix.

All the while, Wyll knows something is up. Something is not what it seems. He notices the things that seem too convenient to be a coincidence. They both grew up in Baldurs Gate. Mizora works for Zariel, who stuck her claws into Karlach, too. She vanished just weeks before the Dragon attack. She knows his name. His full name. His real name. And the way she looks at him sometimes, so full of pain and longing...

Karlach puts on a smile, swallows her feelings and acts like the person Wyll turned into, the Blade of Frontiers, isn't the most beautiful person she has ever met, inside and outside. Like his unbreakable kindness doesn't make her heart swell. That the jokes that fall flat on the other's ears make her burst out into laughter she hasn't felt in years. The way he immediately is ride or die for her again reminds her of their time together and sometimes, she catches herself looking at him. Longingly. Remembering. Wishing for something that will never be. Staring at him during her night guard while he's slumbering peacefully.

Then there's the matter of his dreams. Surely, some of them are purely a reaction to his undeniable attraction to Karlach because good Gods, she is bold and loud and strong but also, despite the misery she was put through, she has remained soft and hopeful and a beacon of glowing positivity. She is absolutely perfect. It only took him a few nights to fall for her completely. But other dreams feel...too real to be a figment of his imagination. They feel like memories.

It doesn't come back to him until they free Mizora and she agrees to set him free in six months. That night, the memories take over his euphoric, open mind, swarming and flooding him. Defending a teenage Karlach from someone twice their size because she decided to seek a fight for fun. Running from the guards after Karlach convinced him to steal an orange from a merchants cart. Holding her hand, staring out at the endless ocean, leaning in and then fleeing like a coward. The only time bravery left him hanging. Karlach showing him her favourite places in the Baldurian slums, sharing foods of her home with him. And gods, the love for her almost bursts from him when he wakes with her name on his lips.

He looks at her then, over to where she sleeps and he can't hold it in. He crawls towards her, quietly puts his head next to hers and the only thing he can say is her name. Karlach blinks at him, surprised, then suddenly vulnerable and finally her yellow eyes flood with happiness and emotion. He puts his arms around her as soon as she smiles. He whispers her name in her ear, the same way he did when they were seventeen and it only takes her a second to notice, to recognize the difference, the sound still carved into her chest. Her infernal heart soars. She closes her eyes, leans her head against his.

And finally, after years and years of torture, she is home again. And finally, after years and years of searching, Wyll is too.

[strawberryspence]

happy valentines day, to my lovely people. i’m not going to tag each person, but you know who you are. no, you will literally know because i am going to send it on discord. you guys are my favorite tiny lil humans in my phone. i hope this makes sunsets/sunrises a little better. (im also hoping that it heals some of the pain the original sunset fic caused) ♥️

-

Steve Harrington has always loved the sky.

To Steve, there was something so captivating about it, something so bewitching. There’s no start, nor end to it. He has always been fascinated at how vast, and free it is. More than anything, Steve loves the way it changes colors with the season and weather. Sunsets and sunrises, and the things they signify. Some people hate the way it makes them feel smaller, like they could get lost underneath it, but Steve loves it. As long as he’s underneath the bright blue sky, he is safe.

At the early age of five, Steve’s first memory is of his mother, sitting beside him in the garden. If other kids learned their colors through flashcards and crayons, Steve learned his first colors through the skies. A sunset is where he learns his first hue of orange, and yellow, and blue. She was the one who taught him colors and it’s one of Steve’s favorite childhood memories.

At thirteen, the sky becomes Steve’s only friend. His parents started leaving more often now, saying something about how he’s old enough for it. Steve loves it some days, hates it some days. Today, he loves it as he floats aimlessly around the pool. No one’s going to scold him that his skin has started to wrinkle, or that he’s wasting his time watching the clouds change into different shapes. Being under the big sky is a reassurance— that he may be alone in this big, dark house, but he’s at least not alone in this world.

At seventeen, Steve finds comfort in the night sky. He finds it as the moon watches over him and as the stars sparkle and dance against the dark. It’s the first time he’s ever loved someone and the first time he has gotten his heart broken. He doesn’t cry, because “Harrington’s don’t cry.” He’s never alone though. It’s always going to be him and the big vast sky. There’s more horror in the world, like 12 year olds that get experimented in labs, a girl getting pulled in his pool and to her death and monsters living under the ground he is laying on. But the big dark sky stares from above him and Steve feels a little better in the uncertainty. He’s being wrapped within its darkness, almost like a comforting hug from an old friend who understands.

At eighteen, Steve meets his soulmate. Not the sky, but Robin Buckley. The half of his soul, a friendship forged from scooping ice creams and drugs injected into their veins. Robin— Robin is the rain after a long drought, giving him another reason to live and fight. The mall burns down and there’s— there’s so much death and he wishes he could’ve done something more. Two nights after the fire, unable to sleep, Steve asks if Robin would lay beside him on the ground. They lay in silence as the stars wave their goodbye, and as the sun greets him hello, signifying a new day, a new beginning. Underneath that new brand new day, Steve and Robin finally fall asleep, secure under the sun and clouds and safe in each other's arms.

At nineteen, Steve meets Eddie Munson. Really meets him, while the world is ending. It’s the night after they come back from the upside down, Steve's sides are aching and they’ll probably go back to the upside down tomorrow. Nancy has a plan, because she always does and he wants to take a nap, or eat something, but he can’t. He’s paralyzed in the uncertainty and danger around them. He sits at the back of the trailer, away from people that could see him, and that's where Eddie finds him.

“I can’t believe you guys have been doing this for years.” Eddie says, disbelief apparent in his voice.

Steve shrugs, “I don’t either. They’re—“ He pauses, thinks about El who’s only 15 and has the weight of the world on her shoulders, thinks of Will who’s been through hell and death, thinks of Max who’s still grieving her dead brother only for it to be used to lure her into death.

He thinks of the kids, the kids who're all barely 15 fighting this entity, “They’re all too young for this.” He finishes.

Eddie stares at him and Steve doesn't like it at all. It feels like he’s being studied, feels naked under Eddie’s eyes. Like Eddie can see through him, see the broken pieces Steve has glued together for all of them.

“You’re young too.” Eddie answers back, gently kindly, “You, Robin, Nancy, even me.”

Steve shrugs, even though he knows it's true, “I guess. I just want this to end already.”

Eddie looks away, staring at the skies as it finally starts changing its hues, “Maybe after this we can all go on a trip.”

Steve hums, “Definitely. Maybe a beach. El’s never been to one.”

Eddie chuckles, a smile on his lips as he looks forward. They watch the sky change its hues, a new day rising right in front of them.

“I don't really like sunsets.” Steve turns to him, offended and ready to defend his oldest companion.

But Eddie continues, “I’ve always liked the sunrises more, you know? Sunsets are— endings and though they are beautiful endings, nothing beats a new beginning, a new slate.”

Steve stares at him, watching silently as Eddie smokes. Steve knows the sun is rising, and he’s never been one to miss it when it’s right in front of him. But there’s something about the way the sunlight is hitting Eddie’s face, the colors dancing on his skin and the colors illuminating his brown eyes, making it brighter.

It's lighting him up in ways Steve has never seen before and something awakens in him, his heart beating against his ribs like it wants to break free. It’s breathtaking, Eddie’s breathtaking and it makes him feel things he’s never felt before.

When the silence grows heavy, Eddie breaks it, “Plus I really like it when the darkness turns brighter.”

It’s the first time Steve has ever ignored the sky and with Eddie here, he knows it won’t be the last.

At nineteen, Steve learns that the sky could also be red. He doesn’t remember much, just Dustin crying over Eddie’s body as the red sky above him thunders on, menacing and cackling at their demise. They killed Vecna and the victory is so close— so close.

It’s hard to look up at the sky then, when they finally emerge from hell while he cradles Eddie’s body. Steve thinks that no clear blue sky, or no dark starry night, can ever give him comfort again, not until he finally knows that Eddie’s safe.

At twenty, three months after defeating Vecna. Steve is on some beach with his friends— his family and they’ve survived. There’s no more danger impending to happen, all gates burned and closed forever.

Steve has just turned twenty, and he has real friends. He sits there, sand against his toes, as he watches the kids play around the water under the golden glint of the sun. They finally have their chance to enjoy being a kid.

“Is this what you wanted?” Steve looks up. Eddie’s hovering above him, with a can of Pepsi in his hand.

He hands Steve a can and plops down beside him on the beach towel. Eddie’s shirtless and yes, Steve’s ogling him but there’s also a clench in his heart as he tracks the taut skin, and pink scars surrounding his whole body.

It’s okay.

It’s okay.

Because they’re all alive, and safe, and the scars are there to be reminders of what they’ve survived. Whatever the horizon offers them, it’ll be okay.

Steve smiles at him, opening the soda in his hand with a hiss.

He stares at Eddie, holding out his can to clink it against his can, “It’s exactly what I wanted.”

At twenty-two, Steve moves to Boston with Eddie, Robin and Nancy. It’s a weird group. It’s his soulmate and her girlfriend, who was also his ex-girlfriend. On top of that, there’s Eddie. Eddie’s his best friend, but also the same man he’s been pining over for three years.

But they’re Steve’s family (aside from the kids) and he’d go anywhere if Robin asks. It’s the happiest Steve’s been in years, and he wouldn’t do anything like confessing to ruin the dynamic they’ve created.

Steve spends most of his days with Eddie, laid on their backs as they watch the clouds. Eddie makes him coffee in the early mornings, Steve never really understood why he’s awake to watch the sunset with him, but he’s there even if he hates waking up early. At night, Eddie watches as Steve outlines the stars for him with his finger, not knowing that Steve would climb the damn moon and take it in his back pocket for him.

It’s a conversation they’ve always avoided, whatever this thing Eddie and Steve had, the endless dance they do around each other.

Eddie’s almost death has always been hard for the three of them. There’s this overwhelming thought that— somewhere out there, somewhere far away— is a universe where Steve was too late, that Eddie died, that all he has is the tint of orange in the sky. A universe where Steve didn’t know that Eddie likes his coffee sweet, but doesn’t like ordering it because it doesn’t fit his image, where Steve didn’t know that Eddie snorts in his sleep and likes to wear socks under the sheets. A universe where the only thing Steve knows is the what ifs, the what could’ve beens.

It all comes out one day. The anniversaries have always been harder, not only were they far away from the kids, but the Vecna spring anniversary always hits them the hardest. It’s also Eddie and Max’s almost death anniversary, to make it worse. Robin plans it all out for them, they all call in sick that day, skip classes, just stay inside all day. Just watch movies, eat snacks, and stay wrapped in comfortable blankets. The four of them fall asleep in the middle of their fourth movie of the day, all tangled together and it’s days like this that makes it harder to ignore the fact that the four of them— are four halves from the same whole.

When Steve wakes up, Eddie’s not beside him anymore, Nancy and Robin still sleeping peacefully on the other side of the couch. The digital clock— they all can’t stand the silent tick tocking of a clock, reminds them too much of a grandfather clock, no matter how big or small— blinks at him, it’s almost 5:21 in the afternoon.

Steve knows it’s almost time for the sun to set, he charts it every weekend so he can take a few minutes to watch the sun wave her goodbyes. Steve swings the blanket on his shoulders and heads out to the balcony.

It’s not a surprise to see Eddie already there, watching the sky start to change colors, the sun impending to set in a few more minutes.

“Hey.” Steve slumps beside him, extending the blanket over to Eddie’s shoulder.

Eddie snuggles closer to him, “Thank you.”

“You doing good?” Steve asks, not able to take his eyes off Eddie.

“Yeah. Just—“ Eddie sighs, “Today is hard. I talked to Wayne.”

“What did he say?”

Eddie shrugs, “All the sappy stuff. He was thankful that I am alive and here. That he loves me.” There’s a hitch in his voice when he says it, that makes Steve’s eyebrows furrow.

“Wayne’s right. You do know that, right?”

Eddie turns to him, his legs hugged closer to his chest and head leaning against his knees, “Is he though?”

Steve opens his mouth to say something when the words spring out of Eddie, “It’s been three years since I let Chrissy die and ran away from her dead body like a coward. She could be the one who’s living this life, alive and happy. I could’ve tried.”

Eddie lets his eyes flutter shut, and for a second he looks so fucking peaceful, “Sometimes when I remember her dying in front of me, I try to think of something else. Anything else. My mind brings me to different places. Chrissy where she gets to graduate. She wears this pink dress, with her blue eyeshadow. She’s happy.

Chrissy where she gets to go to Paris. She looks like the kind of girl that would want to visit Europe. She’s wearing a beret, with the brightest smile on her face. Chrissy where we get to be friends. She’s always been kind, maybe she could’ve lived with us, maybe she could’ve been my own platonic with a capital P.”

Eddie opens his eyes, brown eyes shining with tears, “And then I open my eyes. And I remember that she’s gone. And I am here. Why do I get to live and not her? She deserves it more than I would ever.”

“Eddie.” Steve hisses, “Don’t ever say that.”

Eddie blinks at him, tears rolling down his face. Steve swipes it off his face, in the gentlest matter, “You’re here because you are here. Chrissy deserved better, yes, but she’s gone. We couldn't have done anything about it. The life you have right now? You deserve it, Eddie. It’s always been meant to be yours. There’s nothing you could’ve done to help her.”

Steve cups his jaw, thumb softly drawing circles on his cheek, “If you really think she could’ve been your platonic soulmate, then she would want you to live your life. She would hate you for saying all this.”

Eddie chokes up even more, his voice shaky when he finally speaks, “Thank you for saving me that day, Stevie.”

He smiles, a lump burning against his throat, “Best decision I’ve ever made.”

Eddie stares at him for a few seconds, brown eyes staring intently at him. There’s a spark in his eyes that could rival the brightest stars, “I am in love with you, Steve Harrington.”

And right there, as Steve watches Eddie, the colors dance behind the love of his life, Steve says it back.

“I am also, insanely, in love with you, Eddie Munson.”

Eddie beams at him, moving closer to capture his lips into his. And if Steve had to describe the kiss, he would say that it’s exactly how he feels when the sun rises in the morning. It’s the feeling when the first hue of orange paints the sky. The feeling when the sun greets him once again. It’s a promise of new beginnings, captured with so much tenderness and adoration.

It’s comfort and skies and softness. It’s Eddie Munson.

When they pull away, Eddie moves closer, resting his head on Steve’s shoulder as they turn to the sky, waiting for it to change. Steve has watched maybe hundreds, maybe thousands of sunsets in his life. Together they watch as the day of the anniversary ends, with what Steve could only call the most beautiful sunset he’s ever seen in his life. Just before the darkness, it breaks into the most beautiful hue of pink.

Eddie starts shaking against him, a hand flying to block a gasp that comes out of him. Steve fights the smile forming on his face, his own eyes filled with tears.

“Hi, Chrissy.” Eddie whispers. Steve kisses the top of Eddie’s head to comfort him.

It’s a beautiful ending.

At twenty-six, Steve graduates with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Atmospheric Science.

Steve never avoids the sky. He studies it now, and writes the weather news for a big Boston channel. He stops to point out random objects in the sky, and has a telescope set up for constellations. He drinks a hot cup of coffee every morning, watching as the sun rises.

Eddie is always with him in every endeavor. He works as a music teacher in the middle school near their home. On the weekends, Eddie plays in a bar, singing his own songs and playing his Sweetheart. He makes Steve a cup of coffee every morning, watching as the sun rises.

Steve lays in the grass with Dustin and Suzie’s son and teaches him how to cloud watch. Eddie will then pester them, and try to teach the kid D&D. Steve takes time to send reminders to Max and Lucas to wear a raincoat if he sees that it’s going to rain in California. Eddie will slip an umbrella on his satchel when Steve forgets, because he could only think of Max and Lucas and the other kids.

Steve talks to Will and Mike for hours, just trying to describe to them a weather phenomenon so Will could draw it and Mike could write it for their latest best-selling comics. Eddie teases Mike for it. It annoys Mike so bad that he slams the phone. They laugh so hard, their ribs ache. Steve knits El a gorgeous sky blue scarf, because he knows how cold it gets in New York. Eddie gets her a matching hat for it.

Wayne calls them, every other day, to ask how the weather is in Boston and Steve asks how the weather is in Indiana. Eddie will talk his ear off. They have Thanksgivings together, year after year, thankful for the life they were given.

Steve and Eddie spend a few summers in the guest room of the farm house Joyce and Hop bought in 1986. Steve stays and writes about the stars and the planets because the skies are so much clearer in rural places. Eddie stays and writes tunes and rhymes, sings and records it in the empty barn on the back.

They still live with Robin and Nancy, but they’ve moved to a bigger house now. Steve has his own equipment for sky watching in the backyard and Eddie surprised him with a sunroof in his office. They have a dog named Hetfield and a cat named Sabbath.

And more than anything, Steve loves sunrises. He wakes up early for it everyday. He’ll set the alarm early, wake up, tell Eddie that he doesn’t need to wake up with him. The next morning, Steve will always find the kettle hot, and a hot coffee waiting for him as his husband wraps an arm around his waist, face smushed on his neck.

They wait for the sky to turn from darkness and brightness and smile when the sun waves at them with hues of colors— different everyday.

It’s a hello, a how are you, a comfortable hug.

It’s a reminder of new chances and new opportunities.

And as long as Steve Harrington is in Eddie Munson’s arms, everyday is a new beginning.

→ the original angstier sunset fic and it’s siblings <3

[i-promise-i-am-not-on-drugs]

(The good ending we deserve AU: )

— Boris ended up buying an appartement less than 1km away from Hobbie's, and he lives there when he's in NY, which is becoming the norm these days.

— Theo has a key to Boris's appartement (obviously) and he use it when Boris's not here. He likes Boris's appartement. It has a calm and cozy vibe to it, and Boris always had the best blankets anyway. (It feels safe. It feels like home. It feels like Boris's arms around him after he had night terrors, in LA.)

— After Theo and Kitsey officially broke up, she and Tom "started to" date each other. They ended up breaking up not too long after that, as she discovered that Tom was cheating on her and using her for her family's money and her body.

— Pippa and Theo had another talk about their feelings for each others. They agreed on staying good friends, and Theo promised her to try and become friends with Everett. They actually get along pretty well.

— Hobbie convinced Theo to try to see a therapist. The therapist diagnosed him with a huge depression, internalized homophobia, and suicide idealisation. They are working on it, slowly but surely.

— Hobie and Theo are trying to convince Boris to go to therapy too, it isn't going anywhere for now. Boris doesn't like to talk about his problems, and even less having to pay for it.

— Theo is going to detox therapy for drugs and cigarettes. Not for alcohol thought. He recently managed to convince Boris to do it with him.

— Pippa and Boris meet each other by chance in a bar and didn't realize that they where "the one Theo was talking about". They went along pretty well.

Weeks later, they meet again at Hobbie's because Theo wanted them to meet each other, and they went "HEY! I know you!!" and started laughing, and Theo was just so confused.

— Boris came back to NY after a 3 weeks long travel, and while he walked to a bus stop not too far from the airport, he saw a cardboard box with "free" written on it. Of course, he crossed the road to see what was inside the box. And he saw a small white pup, looking at him with it's big and sad brown puppy-eyes. Boris has a soft heart for animals, dogs and cats especially, but this one somehow made him think of Popchyk. And he just couldn't leave this little guy here in the middle of winter, could he?

— Theo loved Popchyk, and he was absolutely devastated when he died. (Of course he was. Popchyk was another living being in Theo's life who missed Boris, and that was a comforting though. Even if he was only a dog.) When Boris entered his appartement with a small puppy in his arms that looked at him with the same look Popper used to have, Theo couldn't help but feel like his little gay-looking dog came back to life, somehow.

— They agreed to name the pup Popchyk Jr., in honor and memory of Popchyk.

— Boris and Theo's relationship is... Complicated, to say at least. They pretty much live together, they have a dog, they sleep in the same bed. They like to cuddle while reading, watching the TV or just talking. They cook, eat, and do the dishes together, and they split the chores. They also have sex together sometime, and they kiss. Just because they can.

But they don't talk about the implications of any of that.

And maybe they should.

But for now, it's fine. They're both happy with how things are between them.

(Maybe one day, they will have enough courage and mental stability to put words on what they are. And maybe, these words will be "life partner", or even "soulmate". Not today, and probably not tomorrow either. But one day. They will.)

[nogenderbee]

Can you write the Genshin archons + Ganyu and Xiao with a teen reader who they basically watched grow up? Like they first met when reader was 6 and basically just went up to them with “idk who you are but we are now friends.”

you can remove Nahida if you’d like

also platonic obvs-

Yes, of course! I really hope I got that right and so I hope you'll enjoy <3

Venti, Zhongli, Raiden, Nahida, Ganyu, Xiao watching teen!reader grow

TW: small mention of drinking in Venti's part

⊱ Venti remembers that day you approached him like it was yesterday

⊱ he still recalls how you said you'll stick with him forever to enjoy his music, of course he thought get that you're joking because you were a kid back then but actually kept your promise

⊱ watching you grow up was so moving to him, especially if you also learned to play on instrument because of him

⊱ what am I saying... of course you learned how to play at least on his lyre!

⊱ he definitely cut on drinking since he didn't wanted to give child a bad example

⊱ you might haven't even noticed it but he did write a song about you and sang it publicly for people on Mondstadt

⊱ he definitely likes to go back to good old times and remember pleasent memories for both of you

"I remember how one day you borrowed my lure and gave a real performance in Tavern! And in exchange for good job, Diluc even gave you free juice!"

⊱ despite those happy memories, he can't help but be scared that he'll loose you some day like he did his dear friend

⊱ Zhongli has amazing memory so no wonder he remembers how you approached him with every little detail

⊱ he told it you and many others about how your relationship started from you asking him to tell you a story, then another one, and another one, and another one, and... yea you get the point

⊱ he literally remembers every single one of your memories and now he has even more stories to tell

⊱ he'll go back to your old memories all the time and tell you how you used to be when you were younger and how you slowly matured

⊱ you definitely become a smart teen thanks to spending time around him

"I'm very glad that you're satisfied with how we used to spend time together. And you really matured since back then."

⊱ but spending time around him didn't meant you have only historical experience, you also went on many trips around Liyue so you know your ways around this region

⊱ of course, the older you got, on more dangerous trips you two went but still not too dangerous

⊱ okey but if you walked up to Ei like she's not terrorizing Inazuma, she genuinely becomes interested in you but you'll have to come to her on your own couple of times

⊱ but once she takes real like of you, she slows down in on terrorizing Inazuma or just slows down with it around you

⊱ you probably were spending time with Miko as well, so you know both of them very well

⊱ but when she watches you grow, she can't help but feel like mother to you

⊱ don't expect her to cook you anything, if you'll want some food then you'd have to go get something in the city

⊱ she literally fed you with sweets at first all the time so it wouldn't be a surprise if it turned out that you have problems with teeth

⊱ she doesn't go back and tell you all the memories you had together if you won't ask her and if you, she still tells you the minimum, she simply doesn't see reason for it

"What you were like when you were a child? You were a normal child. Just like every other mortal."

⊱ but now in all honesty, she definitely keeps you in her "infinity space" was it how it's called? in order to make your time together last a little longer especially after remembering how fast mortals grow up

⊱ Nahida was extremely happy when you approached her and immediately proceed to take care and play with you

⊱ she remembers every little memory and also have album full of photos keeping those memories safe

⊱ so if you want her to remind you any memories from your childhood, you only have to tell her that and she'll take out the album full of photos

"In this photo, we were walking around Sumeru City streets and you a car seemed to take a like of you! In this one tho you..."

⊱ she definitely gets nostalgic often but she's also very proud of how mature you are now

⊱ she definitely was super soft and gentle towards you when you were a child and she still is when you're a teen

⊱ although you probably couldn't spend that much time with her, so she really appreciated every single second together with you

⊱ she knows very well how short mortals live so she wants you to have fun and appreciate your time together as much as she does

⊱ if you randomly walked up to Ganyu and just went like "we're friends now", she definitely was a little shocked at first but it changes as you spend more time together

⊱ she's actually so gentle with you as if you're made of porcelain that can break any second

⊱ it's not a secret that she's busy so you two probably didn't had that much time together

⊱ but sometimes even when she had work, she took you to her work place if you wanted and make sure you have something to play with

⊱ although she's not a big fan of bringing child to her work since you always managed to distract her to she usually spent time with you after she's done with her work

⊱ she remembers all memories very well, even the ones she doesn't want to remember...

"Did someone ever mistaken me for your mother?! W-Why don't we focus on other kind of memories?"

⊱ she definitely gets a little sad sometimes while thinking about how much time you have left but of course she never shows or mentions it in front of you

⊱ Xiao is always busy and avoids public eye so you must be really lucky to even catch him once

⊱ but since he watch you grow up, then you probably were really lucky and met him more then once

⊱ he knows mortal life isn't long but he only truly realizes it as he watches you grow up

⊱ he either watched you from afar or you were the reason he showed up more in public

⊱ he probably left you with Zhongli many times, especially at night since he usually has demons to defeat

⊱ but when you two spent some times together, he always was soft to you, although in public he probably was a little more harsh

"I was never soft for anyone. Including you! I just wasn't that rough towards you since you were a child."

⊱ of course he remembers every memory with you but won't tell you much unless you ask him to do so and even if, he still can't see why you want to know it so much

⊱ the truth is, he kind of doesn't want to remember the memories since that reminds him of how short mortal life is and that you won't be forever by his side

❉⊱•═•⊰❉⊱•═•⊰❉⊱•═•⊰❉⊱•═•⊰❉⊱•═•⊰❉⊱•═•⊰❉

[sixosix]

(so… that ask about the potion made me think… and when you brought up plastic flowers, it kinda clicked and i kinda had brain rot in between my final exam and IRL stuff- figured i’d at least try! Look at me mashing things together like play-dough and pretending it makes sense, so please pardon any writing or spelling/grammer mistakes! I like to write but i’m not really a fanfic writer, and not confident on my grasp of any characters! Plus i threw this together in like a few days - deadman aether anon)

You look happier.

No… that isn’t exactly it.

You may be more open with your emotions now, but that doesn’t necessarily mean happiness. The few glances Lyney gets of you during his street performances show you as focused, stressed in some way if not tired. Running around the streets of Fontaine for whatever task your job seemed to require of you at that time. He hasn’t seen you laughing in joy or with a wide cheek-to-cheek grin on your face.

But you seem more relaxed. You don’t have a constant guard up anymore. There may still be tension and stress in your posture, but it's not the kind a soldier has. Just the constantly present worries of making ends meet.

Lighter.

You look lighter. 

Like you no longer carry the weight of your past sins on your back. 

Which makes sense.

After all, how can one carry that weight if they have no memory of it?

He knows something happened between you and Father; even if she refused to tell him exactly what happened the one time he dared to ask, brushing it off for a later time. Any attempts to try to get answers out of the flower shop owner; mother, you called her your mother; also failed, only resulting in a bittersweet look in the woman’s eyes. 

All he knows is by the time he managed to find out their location, he found you standing in front of the Knave and the tied up woman. Downing something like it was hard liquor, before handing back the little bottle to Arlecchino with a grim but resolute look on your face. 

Nothing odd seemed to happen after you drank it. No longer the star of the show, but apart of the audience, he could only watch in anxious bewilderment as you walked past the harbinger without even receiving a second glance in return. Able to free Rosalie without even the Fauti guards nearby saying a word. As the two of you had started to leave, Lyney had tried approach you again. To discover what happened or to beg for you to trust him, to trust in his genuine feelings for you… he doesn’t know. 

But you only walked past him with the same resolve you had with Father. Even Rosalie only glanced at him, opening her mouth to say something only to shut it and continue walking with you. Lyney had barely managed to reassure himself with the fact that you were unharmed, that he could try to approach you at a different time despite Arlecchino’s orders to stop contact.

Gods, he’ll always regret arriving too late, till the end of his days he’ll never forgive himself.

When Father informed him and his siblings of the fact you no longer had any memories of the Fauti, his heart broke. 

No… no, you won’t have, right? You won’t have chosen to forget everything. Not Cecilia, not Freminet, or Lynette or even the rest of the family. Not- not him.

Lyney always has to bite back the thought that they hadn’t been your family for years at that point. 

But with how you acted when Rosalie was kidnapped…

He can’t even blame you like he had when you first left. If it was the only way, he would gave up his memories in a heart beat if it meant his family would be safe. 

Gods, if only Lyney could hate you for this. But the only thing he hasn’t been able to successfully trick as been his heart.

Originally, after the confrontation he stumbled on, he had wanted to come up with a plan. Some sort of way to work around Arlecchino’s orders and make contact. Sure, he would have to start from the beginning again, but he was willing. For you, he’d do it. He’d do anything for you.

But this, this was hitting rock bottom and grabbing a shovel to dig deeper.

When he first saw you after everything, the words had died in his throat as he watched an unburdened you hurrying through the crowds with a goal in mind. It felt just like it had when you had gotten drunk at the party, and just like before, he couldn’t bring himself to call out to you. To press you for details and answers, to figure out what little memories you had left, to try and woo you, to try to put a blush on your cheeks. 

So, Lyney settled.

He settled with passing glances, watching you in the distance. Settled for not being a major role in the opera of your life but a member of the audience. Even at the knowing looks he gained from Lynette and Freminet when he changed the location of his street performances, he couldn’t help himself. He futilely tried to convince his heart that this was fine. As long as he could still see you, as long as you were ok, that he could settle with crumbs instead of a full meal.

Only for all his efforts to come undone the moment Lyney saw you standing in the crowd.

Like a starved, feral animal, all his feelings came bubbling forth when he realized you joined the tail end of the performance. He would swear to anyone who asked that the only reason he didn’t come undone like at the Opera House is because of the continued exposure he got, as little as it was. 

Seeing you, looking up at him, starstruck despite the fact he isn’t doing a single trick at that moment, just advertising his and Lynette’s next show…

His resolve crumbles into dust, and the spare flower he keeps on hand to charm the citizens of Fontaine feels heavy in its hiding spot. 

In the end, he never really could stop himself when it came to you, could he?

The noises of the remaining crowd members just turn into an incomprehensible buzz at that point, he doesn’t even hear the apology he gives out with a theatrical bow as he sees you getting farther and farther away. The moment the necessities of politeness are done,  he darts off after your distant figure, everything unrelated fading to the background. 

“Wait, wait!”

Unlike the past three times he has called out to you like this, you stop.  Lyney hears his heart pounding in his ears, joy rising as he watches you turn around. He barely notices you looking around in a panic, wondering why someone like him is calling out to you because all he can think about in that moment is that you stayed.

You, in all your glory, stayed. 

“Hello…” you murmur reluctantly as he comes to a stop. Despite that, he can’t help the smile that comes to his face.

Well, third times the charm, isn’t it?

- you only put this together after a few days?? 😭😭 youre incredible (cut below is me losing my mind line after line thank you very much)

- ‘lighter. you look lighter.’ IM GPING TO SOBB 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 LYNEYYY 😭😭😭😭

- “Gods, he’ll always regret arriving too late, till the end of his days he’ll never forgive himself.” NOOOOOO MY POOR BOY 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 he did nothing wrong my heart aches for him AAUGHH IM SAD FOR HIM U WROTE HIM SO WELL

- “Lyney always has to bite back the thought that they hadn’t been your family for years at that point. “ im srsly going crazy. MY DOOMED FAMILY my babies 😭

- “Gods, if only Lyney could hate you for this. But the only thing he hasn’t been able to successfully trick as been his heart.” I have been shot.

- “Settled for not being a major role in the opera of your life but a member of the audience.” OKAY OKAY I GET IT ILL JUMP OFF

- “In the end, he never really could stop himself when it came to you, could he?” i have fainted on the floor

- THE WAY IT SO SMOOTHLY CHANGES TO THE BEGINNING OF PLASTIC FLOWERS WOOOWWW I HAD TO PAUSE AND CLAP. I HAD TO TAKE A BREATH……… that was so seamless i didnt even realize it until i thought the “wait wait” and the “hello…” was familiar

- YOU ARE SUCH AN INCREDIBLE WRITER WOW. im stunned. you have such a way with words ☹️🙏 the way u wrote lyneys train of thought and feelings I CANT BELIEVE THERES FANFIC OF THAWED and i cant believe the first fanfic of it is this it is SO GOOD i ate this up this was literally my breakfast i have been fed well by your immense skill

[yourlocalghoulette]

Part One ~ Grand Opening

Series masterlist~ Main masterlist~ Meet the horsies~

w/c- 3k

warnings- eventual smut so MDNI, this chapter is pretty much fluff, language, reader has riding trauma but not explained in detail (yet), Joel is a softie for horses and Sarah, he's so sweet he'll make your teeth ache!

lmk if you want to be on the taglist!

horses used to be a favorite past time.

a place in your life where you could feel alive, feel comforted, feel free. an escape from reality. home.

happiness doesn't last forever, and you found that out quick. being the best in your hunter/jumper team didn't mean you had it good. hell, it made it worse. more stress, more demanding work, more pressure from trainers to hold up the team and win the gold medals. but one thing led to another, and after a few mentally and physically abusive trainers and a bad fall, you decided to quit.

quit the one thing that made you happy.

sometimes you wish you could go back in time, to when you were five and sat on a pony for the first time at the fair. your mom always smiled at the memory, saying she wished she could see that light in your eyes once more.

living in Austin, Texas, the land of cowboys, wasn't exactly helpful. horses were everywhere, from hunter barns to trail riding stables. although horses are practically shoved in your face in Texas, you've done pretty well with staying away from them. they bring back too many unpleasant memories.

little did you know that a tiny new stable across town would change your life forever.

Joel Miller adores horses. his life, heart, and soul, or at least some of it.

his daughter Sarah takes up most of his everything. she's his sun, moon, stars, and his rock ever since he woke up in an empty bed eleven years ago. well, the horses too. sometimes the only time he would feel grounded was when he was mounted up in the saddle. it's a strange comfort, knowing that you can trust the 1,000 pound animal with your life. most of the time, of course. he's had his fair share of accidents, as would anyone that's associated with horses.

after years of working double shifts for a contracting company with his brother Tommy, he finally saved enough money up to build his own riding barn.

he doesn't want to be like the showy, expensive barns that are found all over Austin, Texas. he wanted his barn to be a safe house, an escape from reality for whoever walked into his barn. he had grown up in the dressage barn his parents owned, and the toxicity among the members was palpable. everything was a competition.

Joel didn't like that at all. he thinks horses should be a man's best friend, not a ticket to a gold medal. which is why he is opening the new stable. he knows it won't compete with the larger barns around it but at least it will be a home to the few people that come to find it.

your mission to stay away from horses is hijacked when you get a call from your best friend, Sōl, while you're driving home from the coffee shop you work at.

"hey, girlie pop!" you answer the phone, jumping as her voice comes through the car speakers loudly.

"hey, babes!" you hear her cheery voice on the other side of the phone.

"Jesus, Sōl. you're connected to AirPlay and about made me cause an accident," you laugh, turning the car volume down. "what's up?"

"ok, you're not gonna like this," she starts out slowly.

"girl, just tell me," you sigh knowingly, hearing her attempted compelling tone of voice.

"I know you don't really want to be around horses anymore butttt there's a new barn opening in Leander and the grand opening sounds super fun. horse rides, food, and games. you wanna come with me?" she questions slyly, using her sweetest voice to convince you.

you let out a long sigh, running a hand over your face as you stop at a red light. "I don't know, babe. i...I haven't been around horses since...since like high school. I don't know if I'm ready for it."

"come on girl, it's gonna be a good time! and it's not like the other barns you rode at, or like Cedar Ridge." Sōl rides for Cedar Ridge, a large jumper barn outside of Austin, and is one of the best on the team. "listen. I'll send you the website and you can look at it, then decide. okay?" you can hear Sōl's grin through the speakers.

"fine. but it's only a maybe, okay, babe?" you let out an exasperated breath.

once you're back home and settled on the couch in your apartment with a bag of cheddar popcorn, you open the link Sōl texted you and scroll the website. the description catches your eye and you click on the read more button.

Sarah's Stables is a small, family-owned barn located just outside of Austin. our goal is to make people comfortable around horses and to bond with these amazing creatures. we aren't about competitions and gold metals at Sarah's Stables. we believe horses should be a second home, a place to rest your head. we also believe that the privilege of being around horses should be available to everyone, so we have affordable prices and volunteer-to-ride programs as well. come to our grand opening on July 26th!

below the paragraph is a picture of the owner, Joel with his daughter Sarah. you look closer to see that he is undeniably handsome. his dark brown eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiles widely in the photo. brown curls frame his forehead, streaked with a few silver hairs. his jawline is specked with salt-and-pepper scruff. his daughter is beautiful as well, with light brown skin and tight curly hair. you can see the resemblance in their eyes.

you sigh deeply. it doesn't look like the barns you're used to. it looks more relaxed, more fun. and it was only a small plus that the owner is easy on the eyes.

you give in and call Sōl. "i read the website. I'm in," you grin.

who knows, maybe it'll be good for you to see horses again.

July 26th dawns bright and early for Joel. he wakes up with a start to the sound of Sarah knocking on his door.

"Alarm!" she calls into his room.

"shit," he mutters, hitting the top of the beeping alarm with his palm. when he remembers what day it is, his hands turn clammy with nervousness. he glances at the alarm clock. 5:40; he has twenty minutes before he has to go to the barn to feed the horses. he rolls out of bed with a grunt, stretching his limbs. he throws on a worn t-shirt and a pair of jeans and walks downstairs.

he finds Sarah in the kitchen, scrambling eggs over the stove. "mornin', kiddo," he grunts, ruffling her hair as a small smile plays on his lips. "how'd you sleep?"

"i didn't," Sarah grins. "i was too excited and scared. scare-cited... scexcited...?"

"scare-cited sounds right to me," he chuckles, pouring coffee into a red mug.

"i was gonna make pancakes for the big day but you forgot to pick up mix. you're gonna have to settle for scrambled eggs," Sarah hands him a plate, grinning knowingly.

"Was I....I was. sorry, kiddo. I'll pick some up later. I've been a bit stressed lately, obviously." Joel sits down at the table and starts quickly eating the eggs. he picks something out of the eggs and holds it up to Sarah. "shell," he says gruffly.

Sarah grins widely with a mouthful of eggs. "calcium."

"lovely," Joel rolls his eyes. "well, i best be off to feed the horses. Uncle Tommy will be by in a few hours to pick you up. love you, kiddo." he plants a soft kiss on the top of her head before discarding his plate into the sink. he grabs his wallet and phone before sliding on his black Ariat boots.

"love you too, dad. good luck," Sarah sticks her tongue out as he slings his backpack over his shoulder.

the short drive to the barn is quiet, with Long, Long, Time by Linda Ronstadt crackling through the old truck radio. Joel pulls into the barn driveway just as the Texas sunshine starts peeking through the darkness, a sight he'll never get tired of. he can already hear the six horses banging against their stall doors from outside, impatient for their morning grain.

he fishes the door key out of his back pocket and opens the door. he's met with a chorus of snorts and nickers as the hungry horses wait impatiently for their grain.

"mornin', ya little glue sticks. you gonna behave well today?" he grins playfully, stopping at Whiskey's stall, the one-eyed, cinnamon-colored Tennessee Walker gelding. he pets the front of Whiskey's face gently, tracing the long white blaze that splits down his face. "guess what, little man? you get to give pony rides," Joel smiles, his eyes soft and full of admiration for this horse. he know Whiskey loves the kids. he's the sweetest horse, always giving you kisses and loving nudges. though he is missing one eye, his other is very expressive.

Joel parts with his favorite horse to go make feeds, scooping a variety of different grains and supplements into the six color-coded buckets.

once the feed is distributed and the horses are happily munching on their food, Joel gets to work. he sweeps the stall aisles clean of hay and manure, then shovels it into a wheelbarrow. while he's dumping it outside, he sees his younger brother Tommy's truck pulling into the driveway. When Tommy and Sarah come inside, Tommy grins, giving his brother a firm hug.

"Ain't this a sight for sore eyes," he whistles lowly. "it's okay big bro. we'll help you get ready."

Joel rolls his eyes. "fuck you."

"da-ad," Sarah grins. "that's a quarter in the swear jar!"

"you're right, kiddo, sorry," Joel mutters, shaking his head.

"alright, big bro, we gotta get to work," Tommy nudges Joel in the shoulder.

back at your apartment, you're awoken by the sun peeking through your floral-patterned curtains. you groan, shielding the light from your eyes with the back of your hand. you pick up your phone, glancing at the time. 10:23. shit. 40 minutes to get ready. a text notification pops up on your phone from Sōl 😜.

Sōl😜~ morning bb! u ready for today?? im picking you up at 11!

morning girlie! just woke up lol. I'll b ready for u! ~you

you turn on your morning playlist and climb out of bed and into the bathroom, where you dance to Take On Me by A-ha while brushing your teeth. you get dressed into faded blue bell bottoms and a yellow tank top with white flowers. you even pull out your blue cowboy boots that you'd stored away in your closet for so many years. you leave your hair down, knowing you'll probably have to wear a riding helmet later.

it's 11:05 when Sōl knocks on your door, and you answer it quickly. She squeals excitedly, pulling you in for a hug.

"babes, you look so goddamn cute! maybe there'll be some hot cowboy at this here grand opening," she smirks.

"as do you, babe! I know one's gonna be there for sure," you grin as you walk out with Sōl and into her car. "did you see the picture of the owner? whoo-ee."

Sōl nudges your shoulder across the center console. "told ya. this was meant to be."

the car ride is full of laughter, Disney songs, and off-key singing, and you finally pull up to the stables along with a few other cars. the barn is a quaint, white wooden structure with periwinkle blue trim around the open barn door and windows. yellow and white flowers hang from around the overhang over the entrance, where a big banner is posted that reads Sarah's Stables in curly cursive handwriting.

"this place is so cute! this Joel guy sure knows how to decorate," Sōl says approvingly, admiring the small concrete horse figurines standing guard outside the door.

you walk into the clean, homey barn to see Joel Miller in the flesh. God, he's even more handsome than he was in the picture.

"welcome in, darlin'!" Joel smiles warmly, shaking your hand. "the name's Joel. so glad to meet you."

you smile widely as you tell him his name. "I'm excited to be here. this place is gorgeous."

"why, thank you, darlin'," Joel grins proudly. he tries to push the thought of how pretty he thinks you are away. "do you ride?"

you bite your lip for a second before nodding. "used to. haven't really been around horses since high school."

"how come?" his dark brown eyes soften, studying your face. Sōl has ran off to see the horses at this point.

"I rode at a few hunter jumper barns on a high level," you explain. "you....probably know how those trainers can be. I didn't exactly want to go back after how they treated me."

Joel nods understandingly. "I know exactly how it is. my parents owned a dressage barn for my whole childhood. everyone's always after everyone's ass and trying to be better than the other and such. it wasn't a healthy environment for me as a kid." "dressage, huh? you seem more like a cowboy to me, Joel," you smile infectiously. "it's the accent, believe me. don't let it fool ya." he chuckles. "oh, there's some new guests. I gotta go introduce myself. there's pony rides, games and drinks outside through that door."

"thanks," you stare after him as he walks away, admiring the way his broad shoulders fill out the sleeves of his navy blue t-shirt. you walk out the door Joel had directed you to, immediately spotting Sōl who is already talking up a storm with a tall, younger blonde man wearing a cowboy hat. you grab a sparkling raspberry lemonade can from the cooler and walk over to them.

"hey, girlie! bout time you made it out here," Sōl grins. "this is Chase. He rides at Cedar Ridge on my team."

he tips his hat to you as you politely tell him your name. you gently nudge Sōl's shoulder. "wanna go look around?"

"sure. see you later, cowboy," Sōl flashes a wink towards Chase, who blushes slightly.

you and Sōl walk the barn aisles, admiring the cleanliness of it. you inhale the mixture of horse, hay, and manure, an odd smell you always found oddly comforting. you take in your surroundings, admiring how beautiful the simplistic decorations are. you peek in the tack room, which is unsurprisingly clean and organized. each intricately stitched saddle sits on its own stand, polished to perfection.

"this place feels...different," you say thoughtfully, peeking into a stall and smiling at the sight of a little chestnut shetland pony.

"different how? awww, look at this cutie." she scrunches her nose up at the shetland, giving his muzzle a little boop.

"I don't know. it feels comforting....like home." you stroll down to the next stall to find a tall black percheron. the small handwritten sign on his stall reads that he's an 18 year old gelding named Amadeus, and he was rescued along with the Shetland from an animal hoarder.

"I see what you mean. feels a lot less fancy and...sterilized than the other barns we've ridden at."

"and the trainer is nicer," you say quietly, tracing the white star on Amadeus's forehead. Sōl raises a knowing eyebrow.

"is someone developing a crush?"

you shoot her a pointed look. "no....no. it's just... refreshing for it to feel like the owner actually cares."

"someone's developing a crush?"

your eyes widen as you hear Joel's voice behind you and you spin around to face him, a flustered expression on your face. "no one," you grin. "just Sōl being a bit of a menace." you try to laugh it off.

Joel smirks and looks over at Sōl who just shrugs innocently. "anyways, I wanted to talk to you before more people come. I'm in dire need of some extra help, having the barn just startin' up and such. you seem to know your stuff, and-" he gestures to Amadeus's calm expression as you pet him. "the horses seem to be relaxed around you."

you purse your lips, taking a deep breath. are you really ready for this? after so long not being around horses....no. you push that thought out of your mind. this place feels good. feels natural.

"of course. i...this opportunity will be good for me. I need to gain confidence around horses again." Joel's eyes crinkle as he smiles, obviously relieved.

"thank you so much, darlin'. you're truly a blessin'. I'll pay you of course. looking forward to see you around."

[eliotquillon]

I always thought those pictures emma sloan took of them soooo cute. honestly if it was any other showrunner they would've milked the chameron relation for at least another season. alas it is our loss. Could you maybe write something about those pictures and where they eventually ended up?

sorry this ends on kind of a sad note LMFAO couldn't help myself. feel free to stop reading before the final asterisk if you want to leave this on a happy ending :P

They’re just photographs. The fact that he keeps them doesn’t have to mean anything.

*

The truth is that Chase has never been a photo kind of guy. His memories of his family aren’t fond enough to warrant a shrine in their absence, he didn’t really keep in touch with any of his old high school and college friends after he moved to America, and while he has other friends now–the local Saturday soccer team, the guys at the bowling alley, some of the regulars at the deli he always buys his lunch from–they’re not the sort of people you take pictures of. He’s passing through their lives, and they’re passing through his; it’s nice while it lasts, but there’s no point pretending. There’s a tiny, almost thumb-sized photo of his mother holding him as a baby that he keeps in his wallet, but most of the time he makes sure to fold his cash in a way that he doesn’t have to keep seeing it. It isn’t deep, or anything. There are posters and prints in his apartment, little trinkets from the occasional grateful clinic patient and old gifts from girls he used to go out with and seashells from the beaches in Melbourne that he keeps under his bed–Chase isn’t allergic to sentimentality, he’s not House. But there aren’t really any photos. He doesn’t see the point.

This, he knows, puts him on one side of the spectrum; Foreman, Chase would guess, is somewhere in the middle–he keeps a photo of his own mother pinned up carefully inside his hospital locker–and Cameron is safely, squarely, on the opposite side. He’s seen her wallet, the inside of her glove compartment that one time she was driving them back to his apartment and asked him to pass her a chapstick: they’re littered with them, a mix of Polaroids and disposable film and photobooth strips and digital print outs. A small, mean part of Chase suspects that this might be why Cameron is always so insistent on making them go to his apartment instead of hers; he doesn’t really remember the inside of her bedroom well enough from that one night last year, but he suspects she keeps her wedding album proudly on display. And he doesn’t begrudge her for it. They’re not together; what kind of an asshole would he be, to begrudge her for it? But he can’t help but be intrigued. Cameron’s life, from his outside-in perspective, isn’t exactly bursting to the full. She works; she fucks Chase; she sometimes volunteers at her local church and then complains about how weird it feels to be there for hours afterwards. She has precisely one friend that she hangs out with regularly–Josie–and although Chase has never met her, she sounds absolutely insufferable. On the surface, it is emptier than his. But to look at it from the photos alone–from his lack of them, from her abundance of them–it would seem the complete opposite.

This is, in truth, why he is initially intrigued by Emma Sloan’s photograph of Cameron. For a moment, Chase sees that photograph and imagines himself as a photograph person–for a moment, he wants to childishly fold the photo away and slip it into his pocket and keep it somewhere nobody else can see. It isn’t like it’s a particularly special moment, either. It’s just Cameron, wearing her glasses, preparing to do a bladder tap. He means it when he tells Emma that he sees her all day like this: focused, compassionate, ready to do good. The realisation that everyone else sees her like this, too, suddenly makes him feel absurdly jealous in a way he’d rather not dwell on. It’s just Cameron. 

But Emma tells him to keep it, gives him permission to stow away the little bright, warm feeling in his chest, and Chase can’t help it: he smiles. He barely hears the camera go off again. “Thanks,” he tells Emma, not yet dwelling on what the hell he’s doing or why he’s so interested in this picture, and he pretends that he doesn’t know why Emma laughs.

*

“When’d she take this picture of you?” Cameron asks, holding the photo of Chase looking at her own photo. “You look so…”

Enamoured, Chase thinks. Head over heels. Surely you can see it?

He isn’t disappointed when Cameron doesn’t ask to keep the photograph. It’s for the best, really; if she kept it, maybe she’d keep asking what Emma did to make him smile like that. It doesn’t mean anything. It doesn’t mean anything that Chase, who has no photographs, kept hers, and that Cameron, who hoards photographs, didn’t ask to keep his.

*

He can’t bring himself to get rid of it, even after he asks Cameron for more and she says no; even after he keeps confessing his feelings to her every Tuesday and she keeps getting more annoyed and insistent that she doesn’t return them. The upside, Chase thinks, is that at least Cameron doesn’t come around to his apartment anymore. He doesn’t have to worry about keeping Emma’s photograph hidden like a bad secret. He keeps it tucked between his bookshelves, the thin, glossy paper slightly bent from being pressed between two hardbacks; at first Chase kept it facing outward, but it hurt too much, seeing her face–earnest and bright and so Cameron–and feeling like a stranger to her again, just another voyeur. As much of an outsider as Emma, even though he still sees her every day.

When House fires him, Chase decides he’ll get it framed. Emma was right; he wants to see Cameron outside of work. He’s probably never going to see her again–not with any regularity, anyway; they’ll probably cross paths at conferences or whenever Foreman is back in town, but it won’t be anywhere close to the same–and the feelings will fade, eventually. He’ll stop hurting. The photograph will be good exposure therapy. Chase will get used to seeing her in photograph form, and learn to forget about Cameron in her real form, and soon it will just be a nice, artsy photo taken by a patient he particularly liked. It won’t be weird. It’ll be nice. It will.

*

“What’s this?” Cameron asks, after their third–maybe fourth–real date. She’s prowling around his bookshelf and looking for something to read–she is, she claims, protesting Chase’s decision to rent the new Spider-Man movie–and her fingers brush against the concealed edge of Emma’s photograph. Chase never did get around to getting it framed; Cameron showed up on his doorstep before he got the chance. His apartment is still technically photo-less, but Cameron has a photobooth strip of them she made them take when they went to a fair last week, and he keeps reminding her to give him half of the photos. So he’s working on it, basically. That’s the main thing. “Wait–is this me?” She’s holding up the photo properly now, wine-dark mouth in a small little o of surprise. “This is Emma Sloan’s work, right?” Cameron asks, when Chase doesn’t answer the first question. It’s obvious, after all. “I’ve never seen this one before. Did you steal it?” “She gave it to me,” Chase answers defensively, ducking his head. He feels embarrassed, and a little caught-out. “She said I should keep it. I think she…knew. That I had–that I have–feelings for you.”

“Huh,” Cameron says. She traces her fingers contemplatively over her own face, and nods decisively. “Give me a second.” “Wait, Allison, I’m sorry,” Chase calls after her, as Cameron suddenly dashes out of his living room and starts toeing on her shoes. She’s a little tipsy, and swaying with the movement; he wants to reach out and steady her when she wobbles a little with one foot in her heels, but he isn’t sure if it’d be welcome. “I didn’t mean to be creepy, I just–” “Robert,” Cameron cuts him off authoritatively, “give me a second. Wait here.”

Chase watches, helpless, out the window as she totters out towards her car and opens her…passenger door? What, he thinks blankly. If Cameron was going to run away screaming–and, if he’s honest, a part of him did expect her to; she gets a little funny when it comes to grand declarations–she should be getting in the driver’s seat. Not folding herself up like a pretzel while she roots around in her glove compartment, holding something triumphantly aloft and then full-on sprints back up the front steps and into the hallway…

“Look,” Cameron smiles, “we match.” It’s that photo of him: the one that Cameron said made him look all glowy. It hasn’t fared as well as Chase’s photo of Cameron; it’s creased and slightly whitened, like she’s been folding it and unfolding it fastidiously over the last few months, like she couldn’t bear to stop touching it. A little part of Chase thinks he might cry. “But you didn’t–I was with you when we gave Emma back her stuff,” Chase says, dumbfounded. “You didn’t ask to keep it.”

“Maybe you didn’t steal yours,” Cameron says, “but I did.” She smiles down at the photo again, and brushes her fingers against photo-Chase’s black-and-white face. “You were looking at my photo, right? When Emma took this one?”

“Yeah,” Chase allows.

“I want to make you look like this picture all the time,” Cameron says shyly, and then he kisses her: because he can do that now, because she likes him back, because now he gets to see her after work and it’s wonderful. 

They get the photos framed, when they move in together. They’re the first of many.

* When Cameron goes to Chicago, she takes Emma’s photographs with her. It makes sense, Chase thinks. He tells himself he doesn’t miss them.

[riddle-me-ri]

A/N: shhh no I don't have a problem, I dunno what you're talking about..this isn't my third Miguel fic in a row hnng…but also thanks so much love on the first two! Seriously, I'm blown away! Anywho, if there's anything I'm a sucker for writing about its…like character deep dives. I like to get in their heads and kinda make my own interpretations or take to the best of my ability while staying true to what we know of the character. And while it's kind of a "x reader" it's not until the very very end. Also if you guys have any requests or ideas feel free to send them my way! It may take time but I'd love to hear any ideas! Here's a link for my request info!

Trigger Warning: none, some depressive/angsty thoughts cause it's Miguel and his backstory so...rip and also unsure if I used resentment right or not I like one word titles rip

Word Count: 1k

Miguel O'Hara x Reader - A Long Way To Happy

Miguel's eyes strained at the screen once more. 

It probably wasn't healthy watching back these tapes from a universe that once was. Over and over, and over again. 

He sees himself. A big proud grin on his face. A darling little girl propped on his shoulders, smiling, laughing, living…

Miguel doesn't even recognize that man anymore.

It is him, sure. 

Exactly where he shouldn't have been. Filling in the shoes of an alternate him that was supposed to not be there. 

Miguel O'Hara wasn't supposed to be there for his daughter's games and practices. He wasn't supposed to wake her up and cook breakfast or tuck her into bed and wish her sweet dreams. 

But he was…and now Gabriella and that entire universe was destroyed. 

All because he was careless, selfish, foolish. He let his own desires get in the way of protecting and maintaining the multiverse. 

Not again. He knows the risks now, the sacrifices that are endured whenever someone tries to go against the silk of a predetermined web. 

Miguel won't let himself get distracted, get pulled away. He doesn't care what the others think, he doesn't care if he's not as warm and bubbly as the other Spiders…he was never entirely like them anyway. 

Maybe before, but that man was long gone, only to be seen on film. 

He won't slip up again. Now that there's holes and anomalies popping to and from universes…there's no time for indulgences or distractions. 

After he swallowed the growing lump in his throat on seeing a beaming Gabriella hugging him. He turned off the video and began a routine scan for anomalies. 

Then he felt a sudden weight along his back along with some soft coos. 

When he turned his neck he was greeted by a sweet baby face with a mop full of red curly hair. The baby smiled widely at him before continuing her trail. 

Miguel sighed. 

This…this was not helping…

It just…it didn't feel fair. It wasn't fair. 

Miguel shook his head. 

It's not Peter's fault he didn't have Gabriella and Peter could be a dad to Mayday. 

Then he thought of Jessica with her mystery baby on the way…

Miguel wasn't sure how he'd feel if she had a girl. 

This has to be his punishment. 

He obliterated an alternate universe by filling in for that universe's Miguel O'Hara because he wanted a family…because he wanted what that Miguel had. 

He deserves this. To be surrounded by happy families and precious babies. 

At least the multiverse was stable and safe enough to where they felt comfortable starting families.  

Miguel doesn't want to feel this resentment. He knows it's childish, so he buries it deep along with his traumatic memories of his daughter glitching out of existence. 

He distracts himself by staying focused. Pushing, pulling, and commanding the Spider Society. Maintain order in the multiverse, that's what he should have been doing to begin with. 

Perhaps then he can be redeemed…for his own sake. 

Until then, he had no reason to be playful and carefree like the others. He had no reason to pursue his wants, not after what happened the last time he did so. 

Then there was you. 

Bright-eyed and bushy tailed as all the other Spiders (well most of them). You were personable, kind, and sweet. Peter said you also had a sense of humor, leaving Miguel to still be the only Spider without one. 

Miguel didn't think much of you at first. Just another part timer perhaps. May catch a glimpse of you every once in a while. 

That is until you almost went out of your way to see him or do things for him. You always checked on him once if not twice a week. (He almost wishes you'd visit more so than Peter B.) And every now and then he'd notice a tray of food for him.  

He did take notice of your prowess on missions. He always appreciated a competent agent. This led him to have you on his backup team with Jessica. 

Needless to say, he did feel…content with you. Which was something he hadn't felt in a long time.

"Oh, geez, there you are, Mayday! Your daddy's looking everywhere for you." Your voice echoed throughout Miguel's headquarters as you swung up on your silk to retrieve the baby. 

"God, sorry Miguel, I turned my back for a minute and she's gone. Should've figured she wanted to see her favorite uncle." You chuckled as you pried the baby off Miguel's shoulders. 

"I doubt that." He sighed. 

"What?" 

"Nothing." 

You nodded. 

You noticed a familiar tab open on the hologram beside the tab he had open with a map of the multiverse. You recognized the name and date. 

You sighed as you began turning around ready to hand Mayday back to her dad who was sparring in the training room. 

Until you looked over your shoulder at Miguel slumped over his desk. His eyes heavy with exhaustion and his lips down in a depressed frown. 

"You know, you don't have to take this burden on your own. You have us…and the whole society…and everyone's happy…content for the most part. Outside of canon stuff anyway but…" You took a deep breath, trying to control your rambling to a minimum. 

"Look, I just…want you to know…you deserve happiness too." You concluded. 

As if to agree, Mayday squealed and kicked her feet in your arms.

Miguel didn't respond. He straightened his posture so he wasn't leaning and he glanced at you over his shoulder. He solemnly nodded and nothing else. 

Finally deciding there was nothing more to say, you began shooting your webs and swinging out of his headquarters. The quiet room is filled with echoes of Mayday's laughs and chortles. 

When Mayday's noises faded. Miguel brought the video back up. 

He paused when the video reached the end. 

A close-up of him. A ghost of him.

Was it possible? Could he be happy again? Should he be? Did he really deserve to be?

Where resentment slightly gnawed in his gut. The idea of becoming content made it fade away. Actually, indulging in other relationships while also protecting the multiverse. Not trying to control something that even he and Lyla have minimal understanding of and controlling a plethora of other individuals. 

Miguel can't change what's happened, that is for certain. He can control what he does today and the next though. 

It's going to be a long way to happiness. Yet, he couldn't help but think with someone like you around…it may make the journey a little easier.

[draconicocelot]

Phantom Pain

Summary: Ballister has a bad episode of phantom limb pain, luckily his trusty sidekick is there to help him through it. just some good ol' fashioned found family fluff 💗

Ballister never considered himself skilled enough in the field of medicine to pursue a career in it, but he was quite knowledgeable in the areas of science and engineering. He was able to craft his own prosthetic arm and an implantable socket that acts as a metallic ball-and-socket joint attached to his right shoulder region. Its integrated biomechanical design protects his residual limb, keeps his arm securely attached, and allows for a full range of motion. He couldn’t believe how quickly he had to adapt to such a significant change. It was only one swing of a sword, one swing of Ambrosius’ sword, that left him without his right arm.  At the time of impact, Ballister was so horror-struck by the laser firing from the hilt of his sword that he barely noticed Ambrosius swinging his blade upwards. It wasn’t until it was dug halfway into the deep muscle of his arm that the pain brought him back to the moment, crying out and clutching the gorey mess that remained. He looked back at Ambrosius, the one he once saw himself spending the rest of his life with, as his sword fell to his feet, a look of great regret painting his features. 

He wasn’t sure if his relationship with Ambrosius would ever recover. His best friend, who he had grown up with since he was allowed to join the other knights in training as a child, had just attacked him. No, disarmed him. He was simply doing his job… right? Regardless, after discovering the corruption seeping through the cracks of the institution with the Director behind the reins, Ambrosius too found out the truth. Now with the Director no longer controlling the knights of the realm, they were free to operate as they saw fit. Ambrosius was deemed the knight commander, with Ballister right by his side. However, while Ballister never blamed Ambrosius for the loss of his arm, the damage had been done, and he now had to deal with the aftermath. Most of all: the pain.

The episodes seemed to grow worse with each passing day after the death of the queen. Though once several weeks went by, it wasn’t as frequent, at least, the severe pain wasn’t. The loss itself was agonizingly painful, leaving him to hobble to the ruins of his future home, the only place he found that was safe to hide in. Remnants of medical supplies were enough to stop the bleeding, at least until he could construct a more permanent solution. While the pain slowly decreased with his new prosthetic in place, it would never be the same as what he was used to for so many years. He hadn’t felt irritation and discomfort so severe since the days following the loss of his arm, but every once and a while the sensation would rear its ugly head.

He was just sitting on the couch when it hit, their green blanket draped over his legs as he watched television. At least it was something he wasn’t upset about missing, just a mindless show about building houses and different architectural styles. Nimona was never a fan of that type of entertainment, always claiming it was too boring, which is why he usually only had it turned on when she was busy in her room. The tower had gone through many renovations after she returned, turning an evil lair into an evil home, at least, as Nimona would claim.

He kept her neon-colored lights, the used couch and coffee table, and her drawings that remained on the wall. Even many of the weapons they possessed were hung up in a more secure yet visible space, just to keep her desired level of chaos with more rounded edges. The once-titled “murder wall”, now referred to as the “family wall”, was decorated with memories of the times they spent together. 

They even included Ambrosius, his face appearing in many photos of the three of them with a few professional looking photographs taken during a photo shoot of the happy couple. Well, with a few in-between shots involving a naughty pink snake wrapping around Ballister’s shoulders. Or those that showed a little pink bird landing in Ambrosius’ long golden hair, building herself a nest as Ballister threw his head back with laughter. These were the moments he tried to remind himself of when the discomfort became too intense to ignore.

It began with a slight itch, a prickling feeling starting in his residual limb. His prosthetic arm was resting on his work bench on the other side of the room, so once the feeling started he assumed it was because he was used to wearing it unless he was asleep. Before he could swing his legs off of the couch, the once harmless annoyance shot through his phantom limb like a bolt of lightning, bringing him back down to the couch with a pained yelp. 

“Boss? You good down there?” Nimona called from the upper levels of the tower. Ballister attempted to respond, but the sting pulsed through him so deeply that he felt it on his entire right side. The only noise he could muster was a whimper. “What happened? Did you cut your other arm off?” The voice grew louder as she came downstairs, approaching the couch with her usual teasing behavior. 

“It’s… It’s nothing…” Ballister hissed through his teeth, his face wrinkled with distress. He brought his left hand up to massage his other shoulder, attempting to dispel the pain. Nimona’s expression softened, leaning on the arm of the couch. 

“It doesn’t look like nothing, do you want me to get Ambrosius?” Ballister shook his head in response. 

“No! No… he’ll just take it too seriously.”

“I don’t think you’re taking it seriously enough, boss,” Nimona stated, her draconic tail extending and swishing. Ballister shifted himself so that he was lying directly on his back, rotating his right shoulder as much as he could to keep it moving.

“It’s just a temporary bout, it’ll pass,” he muttered in a strained voice, closing his eyes and pulling the blanket up further. He tried to zone out, to listen to the faint sound coming from the television or the quiet hum of the air conditioning unit. While the initial shock faded away, he still felt a twinge in his arm, creeping down his forearm and burning down to his fingertips. What a cruel joke, to feel such realistic pain in an arm he no longer had. 

This dark mental spiral he was taking himself down was interrupted by the introduction of a new feeling. It was something more pleasant than what he was otherwise dealing with. An addition of weight against his stump. Something soft and warm had landed against his upper right side, and it brought an immediate sense of comfort. As he glanced down, he saw a furry pink cat curled up on his chest, her bottom half on the couch with her upper body draped over him like a weighted blanket. 

“Nimona?” 

“I know that look better than anyone. That’s the look of someone who says they want to be alone, but in reality it’s really a time when they shouldn’t be alone,” she explained, “besides, they say a cat's purr helps promote faster healing or some shit like that.” Ballister chuckled at the comment, more relieved than he admitted aloud to have her company. 

What he hadn’t mentioned to Nimona at the time was that the last few times he dealt with this situation, he was alone. He was lying on the cold hard ground, staring up at the ceiling with tears streaming down his face. The burning sensation was nothing compared to his boundless grief of losing the queen, it was almost too much for him to bear. He truly loved the queen, she was the closest figure he had in his life to a mother, the one who encouraged him to be the best person he could be. Now, she was gone, killed by his sabotaged sword, witnessing her expression of anguish from a front row seat. He was used to not only the torment he experienced, but the feeling that he deserved it. He didn’t kill the queen, he knew that, he wasn’t a murderer… but the queen was killed because of her kindness in accepting him, and the Director’s malicious and horrid views of the way the Institute should have been run. 

As Nimona began to purr, the gentle vibration soothed Ballsiter’s muscles, the damaged nerves calming their attack. He still felt a festering burn and the occasional twitch every few seconds, but her presence brought him an overwhelming feeling of tranquility. Gently stroking her back, he took a deep breath in and slowly let it go.

“You were never a monster, Nimona,” Ballister mumbled softly, moving his hand higher to scratch the top of her head, running his fingers over the soft fur between her ears. 

“Glad someone believes that,” Nimona replied, one eye open as she looked over at him. Ballister huffed in response, a gentle smile across his lips. 

“You’re a miracle.��� She stopped purring for a moment, the words he just spoke hitting her harder than she expected them to. Both eyes now slowly opened, meeting his as he sat up, his back against the arm rest. 

“…You really think that?” she asked, shifting back into her human form, the one she was in when she first met Ballister. He nodded in response, moving his hand back to where it was when she was still a cat, stroking the top of her head. 

“Course I do, I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it.” Nimona couldn’t stand to look into his eyes any longer, full of such genuine appreciation that she had to look at something else before she felt too soft. Glancing over at the television, she saw the boring show from before was still playing and smirked a bit. 

“Alright fine… I’ll let you keep this garbage home improvement show on,” she groaned, situating herself so that she was still laying against his right side, using him as a pillow. Ballister leaned down and pulled the blanket up over her, rolling his eyes before turning the volume back up.

“Maybe if you actually watched it you would find that it’s not so garbage after all,” Ballister hummed. 

“Mmm, I doubt that old man.”

[morgana-ren]

Been playing with an idea and I'm curious about your thoughts: Tav stays with Ascended Astarion because she knows he will hunt her down anyway, and that the hunt will wear away what remains of the gentle love she misses. Not even in a "I can rein his worst impulses in" way, but in a "I can't bear to destroy this illusion of kind love because it's the only thing I have left of him" way. idk just musing

Speaking from experience, sometimes we cling to scraps. Somewhere deep and desperate, we know the truth, but facing it would take what little is left of our dwindling sanity-- especially when you are literally trapped in the situation.

When you're staring down the barrel of the gun, sometimes it's better to live with the constant threat than it is to pull the trigger and shatter the illusion.

The die has been cast, the choices long made, and all that is left are consequences.

Being in love can be a wonderful thing. It really can, I hear. It can also be a fucking prison, and worse, it's one of your own making. You can't rationalize with your brain. Our lives would be exponentially easier if we could. Sure, you can know the truth, but there's always some little part of you that fights and wails against that truth. Anything to keep itself stable.

It's a game of giving yourself a reasonable doubt. It's presenting yourself with a logical conclusion, and that nasty little part going "You can't possibly know that!"

Chances are, you didn't fall in love with the monster. You fell in love with the man that came before him-- or at least had that illusion of existing. And Astarion was very much a man before he became... this. There was a time of tender love and genuine affection.

There was a time when he would do anything to protect her-- and he did. He turned to this ritual because he was afraid-- both for himself and for her-- and he did what he felt he needed to do to keep them both safe. To allow them to live long enough for that love to be able to breathe.

There was a time, seemingly not so long ago, when it was a kind love. And yet, these happy memories turned haunting and cold. Something that dances ever on the edge of Tav's brain, just out of reach. Ever grasping, ever longing, ever taunting.

To run would be to accept this truth. It would be to fully reject the lie that has kept her sane. It would be to take away the one raft she has in this maelstrom and leave herself to drown. It would be to accept the truth that this isn't love; it never could be.

Love is vulnerability and selflessness, and by nature, he cannot be. His love is a cage. It is something strangling and cruel that would sooner see her suffocate than free. That is his nature now.

He is capable of saying the right words and making the right motions-- just enough to keep the lie beautiful and believable-- but to acknowledge their emptiness would be to accept that they are nothing but a death rattle. The last note in the swan song that is his dying humanity. It is a ghost of something that once existed, and has chosen to haunt and possess rather than go in peace.

If she runs, he will catch her, and there will be no pretense to his grip. That illusion is gone. She will have played her hand, laid the cards on the table, her intentions bare. And it's a game that not only does he not play by the rules of, he is simply not playing. What she has is the illusion of choice, and sometimes, it's easier to work at building that facade than it is to accept it.

When you look at him, it's those same eyes that once held adoration. The hand that chokes you is the same one that loved you once. You like to think it's still in there, somewhere, deep deep down. If you could only reach--

And what hurts more? To stay and keep trying, keep choking, keep suffering? Or to simply let it end?

Well, when there is no end even if you try, the answer seems obvious. Keep it dressed up in your mind, keep disguising it, keep trying, keep reaching for it. Something tells you that you haven't seen the worst part of him yet, and that monster will come knocking once it isn't placated.

His love for her became something very twisted and wretched. In his mind, he likely does still love her. He is showing it the only way he knows how; the only way he is capable of showing it. If she were to leave, he would feel rejected-- abandoned. Except she no longer has a choice, does she? She runs, he will find her, and he will make her love him, or she will suffer until she does.

It seems a mix of self preservation and mental preservation brewing in a caustic mix with the the dying gasp of what was true love for him. It's dancing on the edge of a razor forever, and in this case, it's quite literally forever.

Maybe she thinks she can remind him somehow. That maybe, one day, she can find a-- a cure or or something to bring him home to her. He's in there somewhere, right? Surely, he must be. This is still the same man she once loved. He's there, he has to be.

It's either keep holding out hope for this, or acknowledge the reality of the situation. It's not as easy of a choice as one might think.

[serene-faerie]

For the silm ask meme🗡️🐉🪄?

Hi anon! Sorry for answering this late!

🗡️ Defend your favorite war criminal (or make them worse - I'm not your mom).

Oh god, this is difficult...

Since Maedhros and Fëanor are the only war criminals I actually find fairly interesting, I'll talk about them.

Even though Fëanor is kind of a prick, at least he has some redeeming qualities. I really like that he loved Nerdanel not for her looks but for her skills and character, and I do think that they had a very happy marriage prior to him making the Silmarils. What makes Fëanor interesting to me is how he had so much potential to be one of the greatest Elves in the world, but then he was corrupted by Morgoth, which brought out a very ugly side to him.

As for Maedhros, his story is very much a Shakespearean tragedy. I don't know if I'd go as far as to call him a tragic hero, but I will say that he's more of a Macbeth, in my honest opinion. Like his father, Maedhros has some redeeming qualities: he's a skilled fighter, and he has a sweet friendship with Fingon. He has a lot of potential to be one of the greatest Elven heroes of the First Age, but because of his choices, he falls into darkness and becomes one of the greatest war criminals. And that, to me, is such a compelling part of his story.

🐉 A lot of figures in the Silm have weird Eldritch powers or possibly biology. Tell us about your headcanons for one.

I'll go with my girl Lúthien.

My headcanon is that Lúthien is luminescent due to her Maia blood. However, she only glows when she's feeling safe and happy, when she's around someone she trusts. Her skin glows whenever she and Beren make love, which shows just how much she loves and trusts Beren. As for Beren, he thinks it's absolutely beautiful when she starts glowing, and he's so honored that she trusts him so much.

🪄You can change how one (1) Big Event goes down in the Silm - either in favor of something in HoME or something you made up. What happens instead? Tell us the cool stuff!

I don't know if Lúthien's captivity and escape from Nargothrond counts as a Big Event, but here's how I would make it go down.

Lúthien isn't completely isolated during captivity. Instead, she manages to befriend Celebrimbor, who is completely disgusted with how his father and uncle are treating her. He protects her and keeps her safe from their advances, and he helps her plan an escape from the kingdom. Later, when things get too dangerous, Celebrimbor sends Huan to Lúthien's chambers to help her escape. And while Lúthien and Huan are escaping, Celebrimbor distracts his father and uncle so that they don't notice anything.

And though neither Lúthien nor Celebrimbor see each other again after that, they both have fond memories of each other that they carry in their hearts for the rest of their lives.

Thanks so much for sending these! Please feel free to send some more!