#aveline records

[hadescavedish]

No companion in Da2 was ever straight.... there are just ones that are well hidden

[ninapedia]

finally opened an inprint! I’ll be uploading more pieces as time goes on but here’s the first batch!

i’m ninapedia on there too but the link will be on the ninapedia dot art homepage

[breadedsinner]

If Isabela is brought along on Aveline’s personal quest and gives her a hard time about not fucking anyone since her dead husband I have to assume it’s not to shame her but because Aveline’s reactions have always been disproportionate and it’s fun to get a rise out of her. Because there’s nothing to really suggest that the group, as a whole, is getting laid on the reg.

Like imagine she’s talking to Anders about Karl and she’s like yeah I understand it’s hard to move on or she actually understands why Sebastian’s celibacy is important to him and Aveline is just. Standing there.

[justrainandcoffee]

Against all odds (Alfie Solomons x fem!oc) Part 12. -End of the first half-

Peaky Blinders - Hunger Games crossover

Masterlist. Parts One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven

Summary: Finally the 75th Hunger Games started. From the Parade to the interview with Caesar Flickerman, Alfie and the rest of the rebel victors, express their thoughts about this new Quarter Quell. No one is happy. || Finally Rose's plan is revealed. || The Arena is harder than any of them expected and it shows that their bodies, mind and hearts are nothing but puppets for the Capitol.

Warnings: Angst. Blood. Death.

Words: 6.5K. || I know is long, but a lot of things are happening at the same time so it's easy to read. The longest part is the Arena but it's also dynamic.

Thanks to those who read this first half of the story. See you soon in district 13.

It was the morning after the announcement that Rose composed herself and the anger made her be more awake.

Snow didn't know the things she was capable of doing for her husband. Maybe she couldn't save him for going to the Arena again, but she was going to prevent him to die there.

She had nothing to lose. Nothing.

"Do you have it?" she asked Aberama the night of the 3rd of July. Next morning the eyes of Panem were going to be in the different districts where their old champions will be reaped again. One day later after that, they will be arriving to Panem. Before that moment Rose needed that thing she begged him to get.

"I have it, it's made especially for him. Do you understand? Just for him."

"I know."

Aberama gave her a golden locket with a wheat ear on it. Inside, was what she wanted.

"How much?"

"It's nothing. I paid for it."

"Thanks."

"Don't worry. See you , Rose."

-

It was raining in district 9 during the reaping day. Alfie and Nina walked to the square where the stage was, escorted by two peacekeepers. In case they just wanted to escape. To where! As if they had any other options.

Alissa was there but the usually cheerful woman was a shadow of herself. Her eyes were red, as she had been crying. But she did her best as soon as the cameras started to record her.

"Welcome to the reaping day for the 75th Hunger Games! Let's make this quick before the rain ruin our hair. As always, ladies first…"

Alissa gave Nina a sad smile before reading her name.

"Nina Ferrante! Come, love. You're beautiful as ever, sweetheart," she said once Nina was next to her. The young woman didn't talk. "And now the boys! Alfred Solomons! Here, Alfie dear. Ladies and gentlemen, the tributes of District 9!"

Nina couldn't say goodbye to anyone of her family. Alfie had no one.

Both of them were forced to enter the train as soon as the ceremony ended and they went directly to the Capitol. In the other wagons, their friends from district 12, 11 and 10 where already there. There was no mystery for the people who were there. Same as them, Lucy and Tommy were the only ones from 12 and Eva and Matt were the only ones from 10. 11 had three victors and Alfie preyed that Aveline weren't one of them. She was not just one of the people he just couldn't kill ever, but also was a reckless woman. If she had to kill, then she will.

Luckily for him, Aveline wasn't part of the tributes.

"I'm sorry," said Alissa, "I'm so sorry."

Alissa part of thre crew as much as Rose and both victors were. In fact, she was the first one. She was there with Alfie when he was reaped 20 years ago. She saw him became a victor and a mentor. Alissa like no one, literally no one, cheered the romance between him and Rose. Alissa celebrate with them when Nina won. So, of course the woman was sad and was upset too. They were her people and her boss had no mercy of them.

"It's okay, Alissa. It's okay," Alfie said squishing her shoulder briefly. No one of them talked again during the journey.

.

Rose was shaking. After a all those months apart, she was going to see Alfie again.

"For a last time", said a part of her brain. A very negative part of her. But she ignored the voice.

Unlike other people, she wasn't waiting for them in the main hall but in the ninth floor. There was so much she wanted to tell him, but she couldn't.

Alfie pushed the door violently and enter there.

"Sweetheart? Rosie are you here?"

"Al!"

She jumped in his arms and hid her head on his neck. She was sobbing against him. Alissa and Nina left them alone.

"Don't cry anymore, luv."

"I can't.

"Snow will need more than a bunch of mutts and deathly tributes to apart me from you. He has no idea."

Rose kissed him and Alfie picked her up and went to the bedroom.

"I love you," he said "you saved me, sweetheart. So stop thinking that you failed me. If someone never failed me that's you."

"Don't you think I'm the one to blame for this? After that infamous auction, things went from bad to worse. He killed my family and now…"

"I'm still here, Rosie. My Rosie. I don't blame you. Never okay?"

"You didn't deserve this."

"You neither."

Alfie hugged her resting his head against her chest. Feeling her soft skin, hearing the beat of her heart. Remembering her like never before because in that hell called Arena, she wasn't allowed to go with him.

She caressed his hair, while she felt tears running down her cheeks.

.

Night arrived sooner that they wished. Rose apologized with them because the costumes they were wearing were really big and heavy. Plus bith of them were carrying scythes, representing the wheat fields of their native district.

Staff from the Capitol helped Nina to get in the chariot. Alfie stood up next to his wife few more minutes. They were kissing. People were looking at him, Snow probably was looking them, but it did matter anymore.

"You need to trust me," she said, pulling apart.

"I tru-"

"No, you don't understand. I need YOU to trust me like never before. Alfie, I can't stay. If I stay, Snow will kill me. You're the untouchable, at least for this week, but not me."

"What? What do you mean? Rose! What's happening!!"

"You'll understand once the parade start. Do you remember what I said to you two, minutes ago? Untie the black ribbon half way through the runway. Something will happen."

"You go?"

"I have to. For you, for me. Because if they killed me, it's over and tonight is the night. This," she said touching his costume, "is a big fuck you to him. I didn't told you this morning because I wanted to pretend that we could be together as always. I'm heading to you know where. I'll see you in a week. I promise. You'll be fine. Me too. You're the best thing I have, no one can steal that. I love you, Al. I love you, I always did."

"Rosie!! No!"

"I need you to trust me. Trust me. Just trust me. I love you. Only you."

Alfie was forced to get in the chariot once the Panem's anthem started to sound.

Last time he saw his wife was when the horses started to run and Rose was walking through the multitude towards the street. A white car was waiting for her. She didn't saw people's reaction to her final costumes.

.

Alfie and Nina untied the ribbons that Rose said and the surprise inside the capes she made for them was revealed.

Hundreds, thousands, of dandelions flew away in the air. Dancing around both tributes, the little white puffy flowers, formed a kind of magical mist that reached the tributes behind them. At the same time, the gold capes they were wearing started to burn and the warm gold fabric disappeared. Now the capes were dark black.

District 9, carriyng the scythes and the black capes were now the Reaper. And the Reaper was exactly in front of Snow.

Some dandelions were still around them. And the black capes made them more visible to the eyes of Coriolanus Snow who had a sinister smile in his face.

.

"Do you really expected to see her here?" the woman said to the peacekeepers who entered abruptly in the ninth floor, following the orders of their President. "She's not here fucking losers."

"Where the fuck is she!!" A tall man, broaded shoulders and deep voice was pointing at the woman with a gun.

"As if I know… and even if I know, I won't tell you."

"Take her!" the man ordered "and register this fucking place!"

The rest of the peacekeepers didn't found anything. The only thing left in Rose's bedroom was a plate of fortune cookies that the soldiers didn't bother to touch.

Maybe they should have.

Later that night a gunshot could be heard in that illegal prison. Defending her friend, Alissa, the sweet escort from district 9 was dead.

.

Lawrence Evert saw his wife entering their manor sweating and started to put some things in a bag.

"We need to go, now!"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Rebels are coming soon, Lawrence. And no matter what the fuck do you think, this city isn't safe and can't contain them."

"What!!?"

"Rebels, Lawrence!! And the richest people of the Capitol are in danger. Your friend Matthew is waiting for you. Some of others too. There's a car waiting for us. We need to go, now! They want to kill you."

"Tonight is the presentation! They can't!"

"They can! And they will, we need to go, goddamn, let's go, Lawrence!!"

Lawrence Evert looked at Rose confused but her anxiety and yells didn't allow him to think clearly. Rose gave him the bag and almost pushed them into the same white car that she arrived with there.

"Where are we going?"

"The safest place I know."

.

Nina and Alfie saw the chaos in their floor when they arrived after the parade. The chairs were over the carpet, some flowerpots were broken, the bedrooms' doors were open, same as the closets.

Alissa was nowhere to be seen.

"Are you sure Rose left?"

"She told me so. Trust me, she said."

"Then, what happened here?!"

"Snow wants her dead. I think the peacekeepers believed she was here but she's not" Alfie guessed.

Nina didn't say more, even when probably she wanted to add something. Instead started to pickup the chairs and threw away the broken things. Alfie went to Rose's bedroom and there he saw the fortune cookies. Unlike the soldiers, he did pay attention to them.

It didn't take long for him to put them in order and read the hidden message. Alfie opened a drawer and there he found the locket. Inside, was exactly what the message that Rose left for him, said. Alfie closed the locket again and from that moment he carried with him at all hours.

Trust me, like never before.

.

Two years earlier.

The Capitol considered the previous Arenas touristic places. If you paid, you could visit them and walk through the same places where the victors won and where the other children were massacred.

First time Rose visited one of the Arena, she did it with a tour group. She paid for visiting the volcano island where Aveline Young won. The volcano obviously was off but being there you could see its magnitude. The surrounding lands where fertile and full of trees.

That week, she visited several of them.

The other week she went with Aberama and Bonnie. Previous to that Aberama visited the Arena where Alfie won. The frozen forest was the only place that Rose couldn't go yet.

And the next month she paid for a tour just for the three of them. No other people were allowed, it was a private trip. And when it was the about money, the Capitol never asked questions. Of all the Arenas, three were the chosen to visit again: the volcano island, the desert and the frozen forest.

The tour guide never noticed the different electronic devices that the Golds and Rose put in every single one of them.

The reasons behind it, started when Rose began to work as official stylist for district 9. Only that as the years passed, her initial plan started to change. And during the 73th games she had everything planned.

She needed to wait two years until the Quarter Quell.

Now.

Rose was hidden. For a week she had to be strong like Alfie and for Alfie. It won't be easy, but he was living something much, much worse. At least she could close her eyes and pretend, Alfie couldn't.

Aberama and Bonnie were far away from their house. The night after he gave her the necklace they went to district 3, where everyone were working in the plan. It had to be district 3, not just the people that Aberama contacted were smart, they were loyal. And because district 3 had a man who few could dare to confront. Mr. Von Trapp.

Georg Von Trapp was one of the first rebels. Born three years after the begging of the games, the man lived his whole life under the regime of tyrants during almost 20 years. When Snow became President he lived under the regime of the Devil.

He had only one daughter and he was lucky enough to see her back after she was reaped. His girl, nicknamed Wiress, was the first victor of district 3. Smart like anyone else he knew, until he met Beetee, Wiress was the perfect example that a strong body wasn't always the answer.

And Von Trapp was furious now. They promised not to touch her again. Immunity, they said. Until they shitted on their own words and Wiress was forced to go to the Arena again. After her games, Wiress couldn't speak again. Her mind wasn't the same again, but she was still incredible smart. Her father took care of her until the moment that Snow asked for her again.

So, yes, Van Trapp wanted to help the rebels because he waited 72 years to that moment.

Aberama, his son and part of his people were hiding there. And for the last two years, they had been illegally transporting technological devices. The kind of things you could find in the Capitol's underworld where the Golds were kings.

Why Rose spied the control centre in the Capitol for 13 years? Why did she risk everything year after year to do that?

To built a Control Centre 2.0. This one in hands of the rebels. The data collected helped the people from 3 to built computers and the same softwares that the gamemakers had. The spiders she bought years ago and that she introduced in the central, gave them the information that she couldn't collect listening to them.

The folders, the USB flashes, her own computer were part of them. And it was worth.

That's why Rose and the Golds went to the old Arenas. Because they reactived the old softwares there. The Capitol used those places as tourism, they didn't need them like in the past.

But the rebels had other plans. The 76th Hunger Games were in their hands.

And the tributes were the pedophiles.

.

While Rose was hidden with the rest of the members of the auctions making them believe that she was part of them, while they were unaware of their fate, Alfie and the rest were facing the final presentation.

Rose left a dress for Nina and a matching suit for Alfie. The blue-grey dress for her was made of silk and tulle and had little silver dandelions embroidered on it. Alfie's suit, was made of the same silk, but the dandelions decorated the inner jacket and the lapels.

"So tell us, Alfie!" said Caesar smiling and showing his artificial white teeth " I wasn't here as interviewer last time you were sitting here. This is the first time we met. Let me tell you that it's a pleasure. So please, tell about you after all these years!"

"There's no much to say, Caesar. Life is quite simple in district 9. Same birds chirping, same neighbours."

"No love?"

Alfie chuckled "yes, I'm married."

"That's wonderful!! Do you love her? Or him?"

"Her. I do love her, yes. And I promise to see her again."

"Let me tell you something, Alfie: You win and you will be happy with her. Anything else you want to say?"

"Yes. Fuck you, Snow."

_

Alfie and Nina were separated the morning of the beginning of the Games. They gave them a wetsuit, so Alfie understood that he needed to swim, even if he never swam before. It couldn't be that difficult, right?

Besides he couldn't imagine long distances. The Capitol wanted blood and inside the water they won't get that. They needed land.

The peacekeeper who was with him to make sure he get into the tube, didn't stop to glance at him.

"What?" he asked. The man shook his head but then spoke, almost whispering.

"Your wife says that she's thinking of you."

"What!?"

"There are rebels everywhere, Alfie, like dandelions. I work for Mr. Gold and my brother is with her!"

"Is she okay? Is my Rosie fine?"

"I saw my brother four days ago, she knew I was going to be with you, so she sent the message through ny brother. She was okay back then. It's complicated to keep in touch these days. But I assure you that if my brother is with her, she's fine."

60…59…58…57…56…

Alfie got into the tube and looked at the soldier. "Thanks."

"Good luck, Mr. Solomons."

The peacekeeper saluted him before turning around while, he was ascending.

The sunlight blinded him for a moment. He couldn't see Nina but he saw Lucy's red hair next to him. She didn't smiled but nodded at him.

35…34…33…

Tommy, Eva and Jack were five spots away from him. Finally he saw Nina, she was next to the morphlings from district 6.

15…14…13…

Lucy pointed with her head to the nearest beach and Alfie nodded.

3…2…1. Bang.

The Quarter Quell officially begun. Alfie jumped into the water towards the beach, the cornucopia could wait. He needed to be safe first, to think a plan later. He underestimated the power and the resistance of the water. His arms ached but finally he reached the beach where he was able to breathe. Lucy was next to him, but her green eyes were looking around them.

"He's on the other side," Alfie said pointing with his finger. Jack's height was visible in the distance and Eva and Tommy were with him. Nina, on the other hand…

"We need to hide," she said even when she wanted to run through the lake again towards him. But in between both groups were the strongest ones: The woman from district 2 and the siblings from 1 (It was lucky for them that Jack wasn't a career anymore) So, Lucy knew that run to be with Tommy was impossible now.

They got in the forest. And walked, first, towards the place where Nina supposedly was.

Lucy and Alfie heard five canon shots. That night, they were knew who they were. Neither of the friends wanted to think that was one of them.

Suddenly it started to rain. Lucy screamed and soon after her, Alfie grunted. That wasn't water. It was blood. She started to run ignoring the odor and Alfie went behind her.

"What's happening!" Alfie heard Lucy but he couldn't respond. The smell of blood was nauseous.

If someone was behind them, they ignored it. The only thing that Alfie and Lucy knew was that the gamemakers were pushing them again to the beach.

A familiar voice made them to stop. Nina and Danny Owen were running towards them. But an invisible and electric wall prevented them to be together.

"To the shore! Run to the shore!" yelled Nina pointing with her finger to the West of them. "To the shore!"

Lucy and Alfie nodded.

It took them about an hour to did it. The thirst was burning their throats but there was nothing to drink. The lake was salty and, on purpose, the Gamemakers didn't leave a source of water for them.

"Where's the rest?" asked Nina.

"We saw Tommy, Eva and Jack on the other side of the Arena," replied Alfie but that was hours ago. "Did you see the bloody rain?"

"What rain? The blood on you is a rain?"

"Yes. But… if you didn't see the rain, then?"

"Monkey-mutts tried to attack us," Danny said, "they're enormous. They killed the male tribute of 7."

The four of them remained in silence. As far as they know, there were six deaths now. Maybe not all of them were friends, but they knew them. Some of them were their colleagues for decades.

A bolt made them jump on their feet. It seemed to come to their left. The four of them were alert.

"What the hell is this Arena?!" Lucy asked, almost yelled.

"We need to move. We need to find the rest," Alfie said. "But we need weapons first. Do you have something, Nina?"

"I stole two knives from the tribute of 7."

"It's not fucking enough. We need to go to the Cornucopia."

"It's suicidal."

"It's suicidal too stay here with two fucking knives. You stay here with Lucy, if necessary run an look for the rest."

"Alfie…"

"You disobeyed me during your games, you're not going to do it now! And I'll not take another answer from you than a yes, Ferrante! I'm going to the Cornucopia and if you have to run, then run!" Alfie pointed at her with his finger "I'm trying to save you."

To calm the situation, because Nina was about to reply, Danny spoke "I go with you." And Alfie nodded.

The rocks were slippery. More than once both men had to control their balance to not end in the water.

As suspected, the Cornucopia wasn't empty. Three tributes were fighting there and one of them was Tommy.

The male tribute from 4, the woman from 2 versus him. It was Alfie who grabbed the back of the neck of the man and pushed him away from his friend. Alfie, who promised not to kill again, smashed the head of the man against the Cornucopia until his blood painted its the silver wall and the tribute fell dead in front of him.

"I'm sorry, man, I'm sorry."

Enobaria was a whole other story. Two men against her and she was ready to kill them and Alfie and then take a nap if it was necessary. She was fearless and strong. Dangerous combination.

Tommy and Danny, managed to dismantle her but still she had her teeth. Sharped teeth, perfect for destroy throats.

And to Tommy and Alfie's horror, that was what happened. One moment Danny Owen was with them and the other, Enobaria jumped in the water and stuck her teeth in him. The transparent water was soon dyed with red and neither of Enobaria or Danny were there anymore. She, because she swam to the other side of the lake and Danny because he was dead. And the sound of the cannon confirmed it.

"Are you okay?" Alfie asked. "He was a close friend of yours. I'm sorry mate, I'm sorry."

"Yeah. He was. He was" Tommy sighed and looked again at the water. There was one of those people who deserved better. But that was no time, nor place, to mourn. "Where's the rest?"

With a gesture of his hand, Alfie indicated Lucy and Nina that it was safe to cross the rocks. While Lucy and Tommy finally were reunited, Nina and Alfie picked up several weapons. And all of them went to the side of the shore where Eva and Jack were. Aurora, the pregnant girl of the previous year was with them.

Night was finally approaching. All of them were hungry but most of all, thirsty.

The very familiar music made them raise their heads. The fallen tributes of the first night. The image of Danny made them realise that any of them could be the next.

A new sound, diverted their attention from the sky. It was a gift that landed just in front of Alfie. He opened it and saw the little note on it.

'Stay hydrated. I love you- R. Solomons.'

Nina smiled "if she would, this woman would give you her own life."

"I know."

Inside the box was a thing that Eva indentified as a spile. "To drink water," she said. Her aunt had one and during the hot summers in district 10, they nailed one in the trees and that way they could get water.

When Alfie stood up and walked towards the nearest tree and did exactly what Eva said, for a moment nothing happened but after few seconds water started to fall of it. Never in his life Alfie enjoyed drinking water like in that moment. Not just him, the rest of them too.

Alfie wasn't sure if his wife was watching, but a 'thank you' directed to her scaped from his lips.

But that was one the last moment of peace they had. It was impossible for them to rest, the Arena was designed to tired them to death. Literally. They lay down in the sand watching the sky. Alfie allowed himself to close his eyes and fall asleep for what he thought it was an hour. A yelled woke him up. Eva was running from what it seemed to be a fog. Alfie was still confused.

"It burns!! It burns!"

He was running behind his friends. Eva was still screaming and holding her arm. Aurora sprained her ankle running and Jack carried her on her back.

"Keep running!" her husband to her. The extra weight was making him stay way behind the group.

The toxic fog reached Lucy back and it was Tommy who pushed her to him but it seemed that her whole body was paralyzed. And it was. "I can't move!! I can't move!! My muscles!! Tommy!!"

Nina stopped and both of them dragged her away from it before it was too late. Luckily she was tiny, but it felt like carring a furniture. Lucy was complete paralyzed.

They reached a new part of the forest and the fog started to disappear.

"Where's Jack! Where's Jack!!?" Eva was searching around them but he wasn't there. Aurora either.

"Evie!!" his voice reached their ears but he wasn't there. It was few meters away with Aurora in his arms. The girl was crying. "No!! No! Stay there!!"

Jack warned her and the rest. The same invisible wall that earlier that day separated Alfie from Nina was now between Eva an Jack.

"I'll find a way. Stay fucking there! Fuck, this fucking place!! Fuck you, Snow!! FUCK YOU!!" The big, tall man helped the girl to stood up and both of them disappeared in the trees.

The group was again separated.

While Lucy started to recover the control of her limbs. They couldn't stay there as Jack ordered because a familiar scream made Alfie startled.

"Alfie? Alfie? HELP ME, ALFIE! HELP ME!! AL, WHERE ARE YOU? HELP ME!!"

"Rosie? Rosie, love?" he started to run but he didn't know where.

"ALFIE!! ALFIEEE!"

The screams where everywhere and they were different voices.

"Mommy? Mommy!!"

"Laurie? They have my kid! They have my kid!" Eva was running in s different direction of Alfie.

Nina was in the floor covering her ears with her hands. "They're jabberjays!! It's not real, it's not them!! Just jabberjays!!" but either of them were listening to her.

The voice of his brother Arthur made Tommy run to the deepest forest, Lucy followed the screams of her brother Teddy.

"ALFIE!! ALFIE!!"

"Stop!! STOP!! Rosie!! Rosie!! They're torturing her!! Snow found her!!"

Nina tried to ignore the screams. The voices were too familiar for her, but she knew it wasn't real. And grabbing her friend's shoulder forced him to listen to her. "It's not her, Alfie!! It's not her!! There are jabberjays, look!! Birds!! It's not Rose!!"

"They imitate, Nina!!"

"Not this time!! Not this time, Alfie!! Listen to me!! Not to them!! They generated their voices!"

The birds started to attack him, torturing him with his wife's screams but Nina covered his ears and made him to look at her. "It's false. It's false."

As soon as started, it was over.

Humiliated, defeated. That was how the group was. Physically and mentally drained. Eva was still crying and Nina, once again, was the one to say that it wasn't real. It was never real.

"I'll try to fish," Nina said when she managed to calm the most nervous of them. "We need to eat."

The sun was up again. It seemed that the nights were shorter and the days extremely long. Nina left the group near the trees and grabbed a spear.

But it seemed that the Arena finished with their torture yet. This time, and just minutes after she went to the lake, all of them recognised Nina's screams.

-

Far away from the Arena, Rose and the rest of the members of the auction finally started to move. Rose was leaving the Capitol, forever.

A hovercraft landed where they were and the richest people of the Capitol, those who were part of the trauma the victors' had, got in.

"Where are we going?" Lawrence asked.

"You to the 62th," replied a girl around 20 years old. She was Bonnie's girlfriend, disguised as member of the Capitol. "Give me your arm, Mr. Evert."

"What the hell is this?!" He said as the girl injected him a microchip.

"A tracker. So we can find you after is over."

"What? What're you doing? Rosebeth!! What's this shit?"

"The safest place, Lawrence. The old Arenas. No one is going looking for you there."

Nor anywhere else.

Lawrence and the rest, started to protest. They weren't doing it. Treated like filthy tributes from the disgusting districts. They were millionaires, billionaires, they were more important than any rebels. But as soon as Bonnie's girl mentioned that their head had prices and the rebels weren't interested in their money as method to leave them alone, they calmed. Not all of them were going to be together. And either of them were going to survive these Games.

The first time that the hovercraft landed again it was in the volcano island. Some people as Matthew Sutton were there.

Lawrence Evert and the group he was in, landed in the dry, deathly desert where Eva Smith won.

"May the odds be ever in your favour, son of the bitch" yelled Rose to his husband with the biggest smile he saw in her ever. Followed by showing him her middle finger.

"Come back, bitch! Come back!!"

Too late Lawrence Evert realised that it was a trap.

Only one person member of the auction was still there apart from Rose and it was laughing.

"I should've known… let me guess. The 53th Arena."

"Yes," replied Rose.

In front of her was the woman who raped Alfie. Old now, but the same disgusting woman who the love of her life mentioned.

"There are any rebels. You're the rebel."

"There are rebels. Everywhere, like dandelions."

"It was consensual," she said, after a moment in silence. Her grey cold eyes were on her.

"No. It wasn't. He was terrified of you. He still has nightmares… and you're going to pay for it. Happy Hunger Games, ma'am."

The frozen forest was beautiful as it was tremulous. White but dark. That was the first time that Rose was there and she barely imagined Alfie's pain. He was a kid.

"I'll kill her," she whispered to Tina, the girl.

"That wasn't part of the plan! Rose if your stay here, I don't know if we will be able to rescue! We can't stay without bringing Snow's attention to us! And tonight we need to save th group!"

"Then go. This fucker ruined Alfie's life. Because of her, he lived traumatized for almost a decade! I need to kill her!!"

"Rose…"

"It's my fucking choice, Tina. Tell your friend to land this ship and then go."

Tina wasn't sure but nodded. She gave Rose her own jacket, matches, a ligther and ordered the rebel pilot to give her his gloves.

"We will back in an hour."

"Just go!"

-

At the same time that Tina and Rose were debating what to do. The official Arena had his own drama.

Alfie was furious and was all adrenaline. He wasn't thinking. They killed Danny in front of him, Jack was missing somewhere in the Arena and he was still traumatized for the attack of the jabberjays.

"Alfie! Help me, Alfie!"

Rosie's voice. Her screams.

Then he saw that man with his hands in Nina's neck, and Alfie went blind. Maybe he wasn't 17 anymore, but he was stronger than his younger version. His fist found the man's jaw and thanks to that he released Nina.

"Run!!" he ordered. Nina didn't dare to contradict him.

She found the few members of the original team that were still there.

Alfie was fighting in the water with the other one. Both were big, both killed before and both were ready to do it again.

"He's going to kill Alfie!! Tommy!! He's going to kill him!!"

From the seashore Tommy, Lucy, Nina and Eva were looking at his friend fighting with the male tribute. That man was Glass.

But his friends couldn't allowed it. Eva grabbed Nina's arm when she tried to run and help her former mentor.

"Let me go!"

"Nina, no!! If I let you go, you're dead! You can't fight Gloss! You can't! He's going to kill you like nothing! How many more are we going to lose!! For god's sake!! You can't do anything!!"

While Eva was forcing Nina to stay still. Lucy and Tommy went towards them. Lucy had their knives and Tommy and arrow and a bow.

The Arena started to move when both threw their weapons. Two things happened simultaneously: Lucy's knife ended in Glass' throat.

And Tommy's Arrow ended in Alfie's eye.

Glass fell first, already dead, in the water. The sound of the cannon made it official.

Alfie was still on his feet. Tommy watched horrified how his friend had his arrow standing out of his face. Trying to understand what happened. Alfie touched his face and saw blood in his hands.

Nina was screaming from the seashore, watching the scene with Eva still hugging her.

Lucy was petrified.

Alfie finally fell on his knees and landed on his side with the back to them. A new cannon shot made their nightmares come true and they saw the hovercraft picking up his body.

-

"You need to trust me like never before."

Alfie gasped as if he had been under water and finally was able to breathe again. He found himself in a strecher with an oxygen mask on his face.

"Welcome back, Alfie."

Looking around him, he just saw different medical devices.

The arrow. Alfie touched his face only to find that it was covered with bandages. He wasn't in pain, probably thanks to the anesthesia.

And that could explain why he was extremely confused.

At his side was a man with brown hair and a smile that looked familiar to him.

"You're safe. Just rest. Sleep that everything is fine."

Alfie was too sleepy to react and just closed his eyes. He couldn't even think why that man's smile was so damn familiar when he didn't know him.

.

The remaining members of the group were in silence. Unaware that Alfie was alive, they felt like living a nightmare.

Jack and Aurora were lost. Alfie and Danny dead and weren't signals of the rebels to rescue them.

A new sponsor sent a package for them. This time for Nina. Inside was a compass and a note "Always go to the North." It was anonymous.

"To the North? What's there?"

"The tree," said Lucy. "That one."

The tallest tree, the one where the bolt every now and then struck it. They had nothing to lose, except their lives. But Eva was reticent.

"No without Jack. I won't go anywhere with out Jack!!"

"When need to move! We are too exposed here! Not all the remaining tributes are allies, Eva! And he's alive! He's the strongest of us and he has Aurora with him! He's protecting the girl! And can't protect you if you stay here!" Tommy said.

Eva was tired, like the rest of them, but the idea of going there and lost Jack was horrible.

.

"Are you ready?"

One of the rebels, one of the most loyal men that Aberama had, asked to his partner and this one nodded.

"It's now or never. The hovercraft is ready to pick up the rest of them. We sent them messages to reunite them under the tree."

And both rebels pushed the bottom. The whole Capitol trembled. It felt like an Earthquake, but in a small proportion. Debris and dirt flew everywhere, like confetti. When everything settled, the disaster could be seen.

The majestic, big, luxurious building. That building that for over 60 years received tributes from all around Panem and that was the symbol of power, wasn't there anymore. And inside it, the Control Centre of the games with all of the gamemakers there, where now part of the history. Tons and tons of debris and rubble were over him.

The dome that was protecting the arena was deactivated with the explosion.

And several hovercraft appeared in the sky. In one of them were Eva, Lucy, Nina and Tommy. But Jack wasn't there. Neither was Aurora. The rebel hovercraft left the Arena towards district 13. Inside, Eva was still claiming for Jack. But no one listened to her. They needed to escape.

.

At the same time, in district 3, under the orders of Aberama and Mr. Van Trapp they activated the new control centre. And the tvs around Panem showed now three different but familiar Arenas.

"Welcome to the 76th Hunger Games!" A voice said. "Do you want to know our new tributes?"

The cameras that the Golds installed in the frozen forest, showed bloody footsteps that disappeared in the trees. And in middle of the scenery, surrounded by her own blood, was the body of an old woman.

Second part.

[idolbound]

I think people likely do suspect Meredith might be a little 💅 you know?

Obviously some followers of the Chantry take up vows of chastity, though from what I've been reading, while templars aren't required to take said vows, they do require special permission to marry as they may be required to move to other Circles or to do the Chantry's bidding elsewhere. As it were, if a spouse can provide their own support (e.g., owning land, having a role in another organization like the City Guard [I think of Aveline and Wesley, as he was apparently a former templar]), then permission is granted. This process likely deters most templars from formally marrying, or even maintaining long-term relationships.

That said, it's evident that templars in Kirkwall frequent the Blooming Rose often enough that Meredith eventually orders a raid of the place to find out which of her knights have been paying for sex and 'ruining' the reputation of the Order and its Knight-Commander. Obviously this demonstrates that templars seek and pay for sex without commitment nor worry about an actual relationship.

But, I am also certain that templars do have relationships beyond the Order - and perhaps, also, within it, though this is obviously discouraged and likely to earn reprimand for engaging in activities that could be seen as distracting from their duties (and creating a conflict of interest / tension among the ranks).

Now, with that context in mind, let's get back to Meredith.

Of course, already in Act 1 people are terrified of Meredith, and those who serve her do not want to break rules or cross her. She too wouldn't have any interest in being involved with someone serving under her, though I'm sure there are speculations about her interests. After all, we know from World of Thedas vol 2 that, when she stormed the brothel, she came across a very naked, very erect Jethann and politely and quietly excused herself. I'm sure Jethann has talked about this incident and rumours have spread; either the Knight-Commander is indeed, just a paragon of her faith and upholding a strict vow of chastity, or she isn't interested in men. While not a common assertion, someone, somewhere has probably drunkenly theorized about it. Like all the other rumours about Meredith, I think this one would certainly be among them.

Additionally, and this is in the game itself, but if Hawke is male and 'flirtatiously' compliments Meredith, she shuts him down by saying "I do not wear this armour for how it looks" and all but rolls her eyes at him. If Hawke is female, she simply says nothing (again, likely that they forgot to record a line / chose not to), but sometimes actions speak louder than words!

Now, in my own personal headcanon, I believe that as a Knight-Templar, Meredith had to deal with her templar brothers finding her attractive and desiring her in that way, which in response, she had to assert over and over, her utter disinterest in them. Most of these boys and young men thought they were rejected because Meredith was so focused on her studies, but others really found it hard to believe she would reject them. Obviously, this started the rumour mill about Meredith, both among her own cohort and beyond; after all, she was already a contentious initiate, since she already had an 'in' to doing well in the Order ahead of her peers because she was Knight-Captain Kell's unofficial adoptive daughter. Her blatant rejections towards her fellow knights' advances only added to that, with speculations ranging from the fact she already had a secret lover outside of the Gallows, to the fact she simply preferred the company of the fairer sex.

While it was true that Meredith was intensely focused on her duties and becoming the best Templar she could be, she was well aware of her romantic interest and sexual attraction toward other women early on (likely around age 16-17). I think as a ward of the Chantry that Meredith likely developed some close, possibly homoerotic friendships with other girls who grew up alongside one another, but obviously as Meredith became a templar initiate and stayed in the barracks of the Gallows, some connections may have been lost over time.

As an adult and new Knight-Templar, I believe Meredith - young, tall, and handsome - did have numerous illicit affairs with Chantry Sisters over the years, including when she became Knight-Captain, but stopping when she became Knight-Commander. As I've discussed, Meredith is hypersexual and this affects her relationships, but during this time, because of her duties, she is never able to form a long-term romantic relationship, preferring short-lived and secretive sexual relations, hidden by the cover of nightfall and the shadows in the darkest corners of the Chantry. While she has always been hypervigilant about, well, just about everything (due to her PTSD), there have always been wandering eyes and listening ears that notice such things.

In the timeline of Kirkwall, as mentioned above, I don't think such a rumour would become known by Meredith as most people are frightened of her and wouldn't dare mention it, but I do think the templars who have known her since the beginning, and those who have perhaps seen or heard a little too much, might know about where her preferences lie. In Thedas, for the most part, it would seem that having same-sex attraction is not seen as inherently bad or evil, though according to Brother Gentivi, in some places it is considered a quirk of character or sometimes scandal if done indiscreetly , or it can be accepted provided a noble still contribute to procreation and reproducing heirs for bloodlines.

In this case, given Meredith's position as Knight-Commander, and the other actions (or inaction) she takes regarding the templar-mage conflict and ruling the city, people knowing her sexuality is truly just another piece of gossip shared over ale in Lowtown, though one that may invoke further judgement by some.

[evita-shelby]

They didn't know we were seeds

Chapter 21

Cw: the usual so mdni

@justrainandcoffee @emotionalcadaver @call-sign-shark @peakyswritings

The games are long, by the eighth day Eva’s tributes are both dead even after Polly Gray paid a fortune to send the boy medicine to have survive the fire and the infection from a wound he sustained in the bloodbath. And because she got the woman to spend a precious dime on a dead boy, Snow refunds Gray’s whelp with Eva on the tenth night.

The boy’s barely twenty-one, his first time here and being primed to betray Tommy because Snow knows a mother would do anything for her child.

Even betray the holy cause.

Not that Jack would blame her, if it was his kid on the line, he’d serve Plutarch’s head on a platter for Snow. Family was a weakness, but it was also their strength.

Jack’s sword could deliver the Heads of every member of Snow’s Cabinet to the elusive President of 13 if anyone even so much as breathed too hard near his wife and little boy. Campbell would die painfully, by his mother’s hand if she’s wants to beat Polly Gray to the punch.

“Wish I could just fuck off with you and come back when it’s over.” The victor admits pulling his wife onto his lap no longer caring who sees them now that the game is at a record breaking fourteenth day.

The rules have been changed to see which duo would take the other out first and face Thresh. The rules would be changed again because this would be a nice little trap to generate the drama that will keep the Capitol entertained a while longer. People don’t like the games when they last too long.

And after the alleged riots in 11 after Aveline’s kid died, Snow needs their tribute dead to keep him from joining them. So far Clove had died at the feast yesterday and Cato has been hunting Thresh for the past day and night.

The storm proves a good danger for both boys, somehow the girl from 5 evades everyone. Thresh has spotted her but gives no chase, he only wants one person, and that person is hiding in a cave faking a romance to keep them both alive.

Haymitch has no idea how right he was about her being like Eva. Sometimes he doesn’t see the girl and boy from 12 in a rainy cave, sometimes Jack sees his twin brother and Eva wandering a desert.

Enobaria can keep the night shift, he needs to be away from these screens if he wants to keep himself from seeing the 61st games repeat themselves before his eyes.

“I’ll keep you company like this every day if you like, handsome.” the witch gave him a sultry smile as she got comfortable and drank her champagne still wearing that fucking persona like a second skin.

Everything’s different, the touches, the words and all that only had the intention to seduce and make the recipient believe she was the real thing. But this was the only way they could get away with being this close in public and those false caresses held a tiny hint of the real thing to make it worth it.

“Shame we’re in public, doll,” he nuzzled her and kissed the side of her neck with one hand wandering under her short skirt. Jack had wanted to fuck her against the bathroom stall earlier, but with everyone betting on Haymitch’s girl after the sendoff she gave Aveline’s kid, there was no fucking privacy.

“My place tonight, Jewel invited Matty to a party and I’ll be all by my lonesome in my big and empty bed.” Eva plays the whore to perfection, discards her glass an lets her cold hand run up and down his chest with very clear intentions.

This one was genuine, with the new escort and Helvia fearing for her own job as well, they haven’t been able to be together as often as they are used to.

Last time they were at her place, Jewel had caught them red handed and couldn’t believe the rumors were true. Helvia had talked to the girl, but now Hel was fretting about blabbermouth telling Caesar any second and getting her put to pasture as well.

But whatever punishment they get will be set for next year, they got one fucking year to make it all count.

Who knows if the Girl on Fire proves to be the Victor in this game, they won’t even see the horrors of the Quarter Quell.

“'Baria can hold the fort for me, how about now?” He suggests when the blond kid in the cave morphs into his brother’s face.

The last three days of the games provide enough entertainment for the Capitol for them to pass by unseen.

Jack tries not to show it, but he clings to Eva because he knows how that romance will end. He’s woken up from night terrors calling out for his brother, begging her not to kill his brother and, even worse, begging her not to kill him.

He’s drinking more, numbing himself in hopes the end of the games won’t fuck him up even more. It’s late evening when Cato uses Jack’s fighting stances to kill Thresh in Clove’s name and Jack pretends he is confident that the kid will win.

They’re on the couch again, Eva snuggled up on his side and his arm around her shoulders as the other holds his fourth whiskey.

“If you ask me, Katniss won’t kill him, she would’ve let him die in that cave instead of saving his life.” Eva tries her best to reassure him that her story isn’t playing out before them.

She has nightmares of her time in the arena and every moment after thanks to the star-crossed lovers. Just like Jack, she dreams she must kill him to win, to go home to Laurie with his father’s blood in her hands.

It’s not always her arena, sometimes it’s his or this one they are watching.

Eva is seventeen again, Jack is sometimes the teenage heartthrob she rolled her eyes at when he checked her out after her interview, and sometimes he is the man she loves and is a menace in the kitchen.

“You know the games won’t allow two victors, Evie. She’s got a sister and a mother who depend on her to survive, Peeta’s best chance is that Cato or the ginger take him out first.” He doesn’t look at her, his eyes glued to the screen as the cameras go to the ramrod thin girl from 5. The girl could win, hiding had helped the two victors from 6 and Annie Cresta as well.

But she is not the girl on fire or else Cinna would’ve picked her.

And sure enough, Marissa from 5 dies when starvation has her forget Peeta Mellark knows little about foraging like his fake girlfriend. She gorges herself on the things she stole and hesitates with the nightlock berries before eating them all in one bite.

An accident or suicide, no one will ever know. Marissa, with her foxlike character, dies after the excess of berries cause a violent seizure after the vomiting and sweating drives her to dehydration even at the edge of the water.

When her picture is broadcasted in the fake sky, the cameras focus on the girl’s blue eyes in the wolf mutt with the collar reading:5.

Eva cannot help but wonder what sort of creatures will be unleashed on them next year.

Neither sleep that night, even the comforting sight of Eva’s farmhouse in his ceiling cannot shake away the feeling that they will see her story play out once more. It was what Snow wanted them to see, to show them all no one can bend the rules and go unpunished.

Seneca Crane’s life was in Katniss Everdeen’s hands and the girl didn’t even know it.

“You don’t have to see him die.” Eva tells him in the afternoon of the 17th games when his student stops being the hunter and becomes the hunted. The boy reaches the Cornucopia by late evening and when he goes for the easy kill, Peeta Mellark, the girl’s last arrow sends him careening down to his slow and torturous death.

“I stayed the entire day like this in your games, I had hoped you’d be killed by Aveline’s kid because I knew Laurie wouldn’t do it.” Jack admits keeping his eyes on the boy being mauled to an inch of his life as a punishment for everyone watching. “Then I saw the snake in your hand when you went to him knowing he wouldn’t suspect a thing. They cut the footage of you killing yourself here too, they made it look like you didn’t care about him and only wanted to win. Heavensbee is damn fool for thinking his symbol exists, his symbol wants to live like we all did.”

And then on the morning of the 18th Games, Katniss convinces Peeta to commit a double suicide and forces Snow to change his rules.

Jack was right, Katniss wanted to live as badly as they do. Only she will have to live chained to Peeta and their false romance until the Games are no more.

The odds won’t be in their favor.

They never are for victors.

End of Part 3: Mentor

[princehendir]

What's up with da2 having "constantly keeping tabs on someone without their knowledge" be a neutral reoccurring plotpoint. Like sorry I know I'm on record as saying that when Varric does it it's funny but now that I've given more thought to whatever the fuck Aveline's problem is it's kinda.... I mean I'm a little concerned that someone or multiple someone's in that writer's room actually thinks that this is normal behavior

[vigilskeep]

wip wednesday

tagged by @amatres ! uh i don’t have much here’s a v messy scene from a while back of these losers being annoying because i think often of the immediate act 2 aftermath before things settled down into... relative calm

Anders says, “He’s going to be fine.”

Merrill sits down, suddenly, hours of nervous energy escaping her in a breathless instant. Varric swears, something relieved and unaccountably dwarven he won’t trouble himself to record. Fenris leans forward in his seat and rests his face in his hands, fingers pushing back his hair, nails digging into his scalp.

“Thanks be to the Maker,” says Sebastian, fervently.

“The Maker always gets the bloody credit,” mutters Anders, but without much heat. He looks exhausted, circles drawn darker under his eyes than ever before. Clearly he’s cleaned up, wearing some guardsman’s shirt a few sizes wrong, but there’s a trace of red smeared by a careless hand on the uneven line of his jaw, and he hasn’t seemed to notice.

“Was it bad?” says Varric.

Anders leans against the wall, running a hand over his face, just missing that blood. It’s shaking, slightly, the hand. Varric notes that his teeth are stained slightly with lyrium blue as he opens his mouth to say, acidic, “Was it bad?”

Varric winces. “I meant—anything we have to worry about? He’ll be up in the morning, or what?”

Anders closes his eyes, makes a non-specific gesture with his hand.

“What does that mean?” asks Fenris, sharply.

“It means,” snaps Anders, “that I’m a mage, not a prophet. He’ll make it. What else do you want? Haven’t you done enough?”

“I—?”

“Do you see anyone else around here who threw Hawke to the wolves? If you hadn’t suggested that duel—”

“If I hadn’t suggested the duel,” says Fenris, very slowly, “Isabela would be on her way to Par Vollen and worse than death.”

“Better the one responsible for this mess than—!” For whatever reason, Anders cuts himself off mid-sentence, scowls like he isn’t happy with it. “At least she had the decency to leave.”

Fenris crosses his arms. “Hawke knew the risks, and was victorious. Your lack of faith is not my concern.” His gaze flickers between Anders and Merrill. “What does concern me is the danger you pose now. We all know it. The Knight-Commander saw what you are. The witch, too.”

Anders bristles. Merrill frowns.

Varric scrubs at the brewing headache between his brows. How long has it been since he’d left Hawke at the gates of the Qunari compound? Feels like years. “Can you two just take it easy?” he says. “One night? Until the city stops burning?”

“The threat is not mine,” says Fenris, grimly. “And it cannot be wished away. Until we know what move she will make, I leave Hawke’s side when they do.”

“She named Hawke Champion,” protests Sebastian. “Before all the assembled nobility of Kirkwall, whatever her thoughts on his companions.”

“It’s not going to be that simple, is it?” says Merrill. “She didn’t look like it was going to be that simple.”

“I can’t go anywhere,” says Anders. His shoulders have begun to hunch now the fight has gone out of him, fingers digging into his arms. “Even if I... Believe me, there’s nothing I want less than to bring Meredith down on Hawke, but he’s not out of the woods yet. I can’t leave him.”

Fenris nods grudgingly. “We should delay any return to the estate. With Aveline’s aid, we can hold the barracks, should it come to it.”

That headache of Varric’s is getting worse. “Please tell me we’re not actually readying for a siege.”

“Si vis pacem, para bellum,” says Fenris. “If you want peace, prepare for war.”

[dragonagekeeper]

Disclaimer: This is not recorded in the keep.

Dragon Age 2 Polls

See quest descriptions from Dragon Age Wiki below

While fleeing Lothering, Hawke encounters Wesley and his wife, Aveline, battling Darkspawn. As they defend themselves, Wesley is cut across the arm and almost killed by a Hurlock, but is saved when Aveline tackles, beats and decapitates it. Still surrounded and outnumbered, the two are saved by the Hawke family.

When Hawke's sibling dies, Wesley offers a prayer for them to comfort Leandra.

After Flemeth saves Hawke and company from the darkspawn attack, it is revealed that Wesley has been corrupted by the darkspawn taint.

Due to the taint, Wesley will not survive; either Aveline or Hawke can grant him a quick death.

[cal-writes]

How likely for you to write a poly ship, like zolawlu for example?

i mean if i get an idea for it i suppose. im also not opposed to doing prompts with it tbh it just hasnt grasped me yet

i did a ship bingo for zolawlu before i think? but yea to make that work for me beyond like smut i'd probably need like a lot of legwork. bc as is in canon i dont think that'd constellation would end well. everyone involved in this is very possessive and law not being on the ship all the time while the others are joined at the hip like it creates vicious externalities that'd be difficult to solve given how terrible all of them are at talking also. its a lot of characters to juggle

you're welcome to leave prompts about it or other poly ships i do like them in general! i usually have random throuples in the background of my fics now that i think about it lol (aveline/fenris/donnic or megure/his wife/kogoro) i dont think ive ever had it as a focus except for a dnd character backstory once (which ended tragically for the record)

but yeah! no idea how likely but when the mood gets me

[crossdressingdeath]

So mary kirby said on her bluesky when someone asked if she wrote more crows than just lucanis that kristjanson wrote all the crow quests. She helped with some of the characters but the storylines were his.

Does this make you a little worried about how those play out? Because it makes me a little worried. His track record is...bleh, to say the least.

His track record with writing women specifically is bleh. His track record with quests is actually really good; I can't remember any of the ones he worked on by name offhand (Paragon of Her Kind was one I think...?), but I know he wrote some really solid quests. He's a sexist jackass who should never be allowed to write a female companion again for sure and I'm so relieved he wasn't given any of Veilguard's ladies, but he is a skilled writer; he's not even a bad character writer (along with massive fuckups like Aveline and Sera he also wrote Carver, who I adore). So as much as I hate him no, him writing the storylines for the Crow quests doesn't particularly worry me (although it does annoy me a little, why does that asshole get my favourite faction). He wasn't solely responsible for the characters so him writing the questlines is probably fine. If nothing else I'm no more worried about him than I am about any returning DAI writers who did things like not tell us Briala and Celene's backstory in WEaWH and cram a completely unnecessary sacrifice that only matters to returning players who don't get Stroud as an option into HLtA.

[teecupangel]

Happy belated holidays!

I’m enjoying scrolling through your tumblr and reading your AO3 fics (catching up on Eagle rn and istg Aquila is the best character out of the whole cast…ironically.)

Though all these Desmond posts I’m reading have me itching to resurrect my sister OC from a couple years ago.

I had kinda figured that with such a prestigious bloodline, Bill the bastard (I am in line to punch him) would want an heir and a spare. Whether or not that’s a twin is up for debate.

Mine was supposed to be the older twin, the one that stayed at the Farm and helped Desmond escape, to let him be free. Now I’m thinking…what then?

An identical twin sister, same bloodline… they take turns in the Animus.

Originally I was thinking about her taking Ezio’s Apple and being sent back to AC:Syndicate time for a Jacob pairing, but then I finished reading Beloved Moon and now I want an Altair pairing.

While I’m aware that the Animus requires Genetic memories during Desmond’s time, does it require the person to be the same gender genetically too? It’s a moot point by Origins (and I think as early as AC4 actually), but still.

Anyways, love your writing and your blog!

Happy belated holidays and advanced Happy New Year too, nonny!

Why ironically? Aquila is best birb and best boi! XD

Ooohh, that sounds interesting. I mean, if they’re twins, it doesn’t have to be a case of heir and spare since they wouldn’t have known they would have twins immediately. An older sibling for Desmond would hammer the heir and spare metaphor though.

You could also add in the angst of the two of them being made to compete against each other for the ‘heir’ spot even though neither of them want the spot.

Okay, so let’s talk about the Animus and its genetic memories requirement.

Before Black Flag, the subject must have the genetic memories BUT they don’t need to be of the same gender.

The primary example for this one is actually Aveline’s descendant:

Subject 1 was male and Vidic talks about him in the Subject Zero recordings in Black Flag, one of which is this:

No, it's fine. The Subject is unconscious. He's traipsing through 18th century New Orleans right now. In the memories of a woman. (Noob Files, Subject Zero – audio file 3)

So yeah, as long as they have the genetic memories, it was possible to relive the memories of their ancestor, regardless of the gender.

It became a moot point at Black Flag because the genetic memories are placed in the Animus by some other mean (in Origins and beyond, it seems to be a vial).

Good luck with your fic and I hope you have fun writing it :)

[transandersrights]

Thinking about. Transmasc Hawke who transitions during DA2. Maybe he had an inkling beforehand, maybe he didn't realise for whatever reason until he hit Kirkwall, but Maker he can't ignore it anymore. And the Kirkwall squad get to watch him come into himself. More confident, less closed off, his smiles wider and his schemes more daring, becoming a man they can really depend on

And I just know that yeah, Varric knows someone who can falsify birth records. Fenris and Isabela have known people from all walks of life who were just like Hawke, in their own way, reassuring them with every tale they have. Anders and Merrill come from different magical traditions with their own methods of medical transition (and hoo boy the hormone blood magic argument of 9:32 becomes legendary in years down the line, quoted and requoted). Aveline and Sebastian, as ~respectable citizens~, vouch for him if anyone ever calls anything into question.

Just. Transition in canon setting 🥺

[dalishious]

Are there any records of Dalish clans taking in non-elves? If not, do you think they would?

I know the clans are not a monolith, but it's a weird thought I have floating in my head

There is the legend of Knight Aveline (not the DA:2 character) shared by Leliana in DA:O. There is also Hall from DA:I Multiplayer, his backstory is shared in WoTv2. Both were taken in as infants and raised by a Dalish clan.

[justrainandcoffee]

Another birthday gift

So we know that Jack and Aveline are the only ones with swords (Linnie with her katana and Jack with idk a regular sword) and it got me thinking taht Beetee made sure they had tricked out swords and because Volcano Girl was the first Girl on Fire her katana can light itself on fire

Like this

Juli! Finally I was able to do this! ❤️. This is so badass omg!! 👀

Gift: A sword on fire.

Almost two decades separate her games from his. But they have something in common despite how different their Arena were: both used a sword as weapon.

Both heard that Beetee was working on something for them but the man refused to say what it was. President of District 13 wanted to record some propos and wanted to cause some impression on the rest of the citizens. And as soon as they saw it, despite both of them hated the president, the impact of seeing the fire, was something unique.

[bluerose5]

The Nightmare Part 4 (END)

Last part! Will probably post the full piece on AO3 later.

Previous parts will be linked in the reblogs. 💙

~~~

Anders settles into a chair while he watches Garrett make his way around the room, gathering ingredients here and there.

Neither of them speaks at first.

Exhausted, Anders drops his head into his hands. He tries to comprehend everything that happened, struggling most to come to terms with one important fact.

Garrett used blood magic.

Garrett used blood magic on him.

As if he said it aloud, Garrett rushes to assure him, "No demons were involved." When Anders glances up, Garrett nervously meets his eyes. "I can practically hear you thinking from over here. I swear to you both, I didn't consort with any demons."

Anders believes him, but that still begs the question.

"How long have you been doing this?" Anders waves vaguely in his direction, as if that explains it at all. "The blood magic, I mean."

"Not long," Garrett sighs. Working his way through the kitchen, he quickly whips up a mixture of lavender and elfroot. "Ever since we encountered Corypheus."

Anders raises a brow at him.

"So, what? You used a little blood to free him from his prison in order to defeat him, and that was the tipping point for you?"

Garrett huffs at him and shakes his head.

With mortar and pestle in hand, he adds some extra ingredients, grinding them down into little more than dust.

"I knew you wouldn't understand."

"Then help me understand!" When Garrett refuses to look at him, Anders sighs, then lowers his voice. "Garrett, please."

After a moment, he answers.

"No, the 'tipping point' wasn't when I freed Corypheus. It was when I learned that my father used blood magic when it was convenient to him," Garrett explains, "but he knowingly spent my entire youth outright discouraging my fascination with any practical form of the art."

"What do you mean by that?" Anders asks.

Garrett takes a second to finish preparing the incense, silent, contemplative.

"You know that I descend from one of the Alamarri tribes." Anders nods, and Garrett continues. "My father taught us their ways, growing up. A lot of their stories, history, and knowledge are passed on by word of mouth, but some things are recorded in writing. Magic, being one of them."

Anders can see where this is going.

"Even before I came into my magic, I read through the writings that were passed on to Father. I was fascinated. A lot of the spells that harnessed the power of blood were useful, everyday tools that they used. Magic to help crops grow, to form protective wards, to soothe the mind…"

"Like the spell you used on me," Anders whispers.

Garrett rushes to assure him, "Know that I would never have risked your safety on a whim. I wouldn't have cast the spell, were I not confident in my ability to use it." His shoulders slump, head pounding. "I'm familiar with the spell. I've had to use it a few times on myself, since things have gotten… tense in the city lately."

Anders doesn't know if he feels better or worse, knowing that.

He watches as Garrett lights the incense aflame, guiding the fire into being before calming it down to a slow, smoldering burn.

Before long, the room is filled with its thick aroma.

Lavender and elfroot mingle in the air.

Tension seeps from his muscles.

Taking a deep breath, Anders lets the mixture do its job.

"Does anyone else know?" he mumbles.

"Merrill, I think," Garrett says. "Varric knows, even though he would rather act like he doesn't. Isabela’s too much of a snoop not to know. Sebastian hasn't called me a maleficar yet, but it's only a matter of time, I guess. Same with Aveline. I'm certain Fenris has an idea, but it's just one of those things we don't bring up."

He shrugs, carefully keeping his distance, even as his heart aches to do otherwise.

Anders purses his lips as he considers that, but Justice is quick to remind him of another who once challenged their perspective on blood magic. A certain Commander of theirs who wielded it, not by working with demons, but by using Avernus' research to harness the taint in their blood to strike down evil.

Still, it hurts, knowing that Garrett didn't bring this up before now.

But he can hardly turn him away. Not now, not after all they have been through together.

"Come here," Anders beckons, and that's all that Garrett needs to hear before he launches himself across the room and into his waiting arms. Both of them cling to each other, their arms a safe haven in their chaotic, little world. "Love, why didn't you tell me?"

Garrett snorts, his laugh bordering on hysterical.

Unshed tears prick at the corners of his eyes.

"Is it so surprising that I kept it secret with how you treat Merrill?" he asks. Which, even Anders has to admit, is a fair point. He winces, but listens regardless. "I just— I don't know. I didn't want you to look at me any differently because of this."

His voice softens, small and uncertain.

"I wanted you to feel safe with me."

Ironic, considering that Anders still fully believes that —even with the blood magic taken into consideration— he still poses a greater threat to their combined safety than Garrett does.

That's a conversation for another day, though.

Right now, Garrett is his first priority.

He pulls away to cup Garrett’s cheeks, brushing dark curls behind pointed ears.

"You always make me feel safe," he whispers, pecking him sweetly on the lips. "Protected. But I need you to promise me you'll be safe. I need you to be careful, now more than ever."

"You know I will be."

"Promise me then."

Garrett furrows his brow, caught off guard by the intensity with which he spoke.

He searches amber eyes for answers, only to find a frantic sort of desperation where usually there was none.

"I promise," he tells him. "I don't use those spells regularly anyways. I won't risk weakening my connection to the Fade, but Anders?"

He cocks his head to the side, lips pursed.

"Did something happen to make you panic earlier, or did it happen randomly?"

Anders' mouth turns bone dry.

His heart threatens to kick into action again, but Anders focuses on his breathing, allowing the fragrant smoke around the room to draw his mind into a calming haze.

"I—" He swallows past the lump in his throat. The words are forced out, bit by bit. "I had a dream —a nightmare." His next breath shudders through his chest. "That you were made Tranquil."

Understanding hits Garrett like a punch to the gut, leaving him breathless, winded.

"Oh." At a loss for what to say, Garrett eventually manages. "I'm sorry. That you had to go through that alone, I mean."

Anders sighs. "It's not your fault."

"Even then…" Trailing off, he leans his forehead against Anders', staring deep into his eyes. "How about this?" He steals a brief, albeit passionate kiss, one that leaves them both breathless in the aftermath. "I promise— I swear to you, before any and all gods that will listen, that I won't be made Tranquil. No matter what, you will never have to go through that pain and heartache again."

Anders shakes his head in immediate protest.

"You can't promise me that." Even if it is such a bittersweet hope to embrace.

That doesn't change the reality that all mages are at risk, so long as the Templars and the Chantry have their way.

"Well, I just did promise exactly that," Garrett counters, "and I meant every word of it. Not even the Maker himself could make me break an oath to you." His touch gentles. His voice flows like a warm breeze. "Okay?"

Foolish as he is, Anders allows himself to believe him.

Eventually, he nods and whispers, "Okay."