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[blackjackkent]

Halsin gives Hector a comfortable smile as he approaches, a pleasant nod of the head. "You would think someone of my vintage would be inured to the passage of time," he says lightly. "Yet these past six months have seemed endless without your company. But now our paths cross once more..."

(A/N: Interestingly, one of Hector's potential responses here is "You sound almost sentimental considering we didn't really get along." I guess I never got Halsin's approval up very high - despite the fact that he was definitely super in love with Hector at one point. XD They were friends in my head though, approval numbers aside.)

"The feeling's mutual," Hector says warmly. "I've missed you."

He can hear the weight of feeling under Halsin's words and knows that the unspoken truth still hangs between them - that Halsin would have loved Hector gladly if Hector had been open to the possibility. But it remains unspoken, as Halsin promised it would, and Hector is glad to see him; Halsin was always a steadfast bulwark of the group and a source of wisdom and reassurance to Hector personally.

Halsin hesitates, then nods. "We have all pined for each other's company, I sense. I cannot imagine otherwise, after what we shared. That bond was forged in a crucible that can never be stoked again, Oak Father willing. It is a bond that can weather any distance, any passage of time." His eyes flick away and he takes a heavy draught of ale from the mug in his and. "I know it can, for I feel the longing for old friends in my heart each day."

Hector raises his eyebrows. It suddenly strikes him that Halsin - who often kept to himself quietly in camp - is terribly lonely, to a degree that he never articulated, and that that loneliness has become a settled thing in him with the dispersal of the group out to their separate adventures.

"You sound like you need a hug," he says with a cautious smile.

Halsin blinks, and then his eyes brighten. "I always do," he murmurs. "Should I ever decline, assume a doppelganger has taken my place."

It's not an official request, but it's pretty close, and Hector obliges.

It is like hugging a tree trunk; Halsin's torso is almost too thick and sturdy for Hector to properly get his arms around. But Halsin's embrace is solid and fierce and warm, and Hector finds that he is comforted by it as much as giving comfort himself. I should have asked for a hug from you more often back in our adventures... he thinks with a slight smile to himself. We both might have benefited from it.

He lets the hug last as long as Halsin wants it to; when the other man finally draws back, he is smiling, and a little of the tension has gone out of his face.

"That was more than worth the wait," he says softly.

Hector, much to his own surprise, realizes that he agrees. "I'm sure there will be more where that came from," he says with the flash of a grin.

Halsin laughs softly. "Rest assured, my arms will be ready." He takes another drink of his ale. "Now, we have much to catch up on. Do not allow me to ramble on - I am eager to hear all you have been doing."

Hector shakes his head. There are many stories of the Hells to tell, no doubt, but he wonders what sort of fare they would make for a party atmosphere like this. It has not been easy. "You first, Halsin," he says. "I want to hear about the life you've made, the people you've helped."

Halsin chuckles. "In that case, very well," he says agreeably. "Our community grows rapidly; in six months we have turned what was once a shadowy wasteland into a true home for all. In another six months, I would wager the scars of the past will be entirely invisible even to those who remember them. The old masonry of Moonrise Towers and Reithwin have been repurposed into new homes, and the land is rich with harvests and bountiful trees. Nature and civilization are in harmony, stronger together."

A bright smile spreads over Hector's face. This is tremendous news; he has wondered about what would become of the lands so newly released from the shadow curse and the once-Selunite town that was shattered apart by it. To hear that it is being renewed with life again is an absolute balm to one quiet injured corner of his heart. "Sounds wonderful," he says.

"It is, truly," Halsin agrees. "Though a more complex, evolving beast than I could ever have anticipated. I spoke often of balance before; only now do I realize that balance is no simple fixed thing. We welcome folks from all walks of life, anyone who wishes for a new start. Naturally it has been chaotic at times, but it is a thrilling sort of chaos. It thrives in ways I could never have dreamed of."

"I'll need to see this place for myself," Hector says eagerly. It would do him a great deal of good to see Reithwin thriving again. And he has some hopes that he and Karlach and Wyll may be able to establish some type of reliable way for them to come back to the material plane more often. In a way the visit for this party is a sort of test - to see how well Karlach's heart holds up to short visits, to examine the portal Withers used to bring them here.

Halsin smiles. "You are welcome whenever you like, and for however long you please." He waves a hand energetically. "Now please, tell me all, and spare no details. I shall not lie - I have an ulterior motive in wishing to hear all. It is the children, you see - my charges."

His eyes glint with amusement. "Their appetite for bedtime tales is greater than I could ever have anticipated. 'Another story, Daddy Halsin, another!' is the chorus that greets me each nightfall. They have all but exhausted my repertoire in but a few short months. No mean feat, given the lifetime I have lived. I desperately need new material, please. My reputation is at stake."

Hector laughs softly. He knew in general terms that Halsin had taken on a number of young wards as part of beginning the rebuilding of Reithwin and the surrounding area, but the mental image is easier to conjure now. And he can well believe that Halsin makes a good father to them all.

"All right," he says thoughtfully. "Let me see what I have..."

"I am all ears," Halsin says eagerly - then adds, "though I never cared for that phrase. A rather unsettling image."

Hector scours his mind for tales of his battles in the Hells that are not too bloody, not too terrifying for children, not too depressing for a reunion between friends. He never considers himself much of a storyteller - but his memory is his greatest strength, and he can provide quite a lot of detail.

So he speaks of the more glorious battles, a campaign they waged against an enclave of Zariel's forces near the House of Hope, in as much detail as he can, for Halsin to take home to the children.

Recount fighting alongside Karlach against the devils and demons.

Halsin smiles with only the faintest hint of melancholy. "Karlach is truly lucky to have you in her life. Even the Hells themselves cannot dim the love you share," he says mildly. "Now, it would be cruel of me to hoard you all to myself for the evening, as much as I would like to. I shall leave you to the others for now - unless there was anything else."

Hector does have a few questions. "Tell me about Thaniel and Oliver - do you see much of them?"

"Quite often - they come and go as they please, but with so many playmates to avail of, they are far from strangers. They ask after you often. What you did for them will never be forgotten - I can see it in the land all around me, but more importantly I see it in their faces whenever they visit. To make a child smile is to dabble with the power of gods, as far as I am concerned."

"Still partial to roaming in bear form, I take it?"

"I spend half my days in ursine form. The children demand it! I had a score of them taking turns riding upon my back just days ago. I am glad they are so comfortable with the Oak Father's creations, but they must learn that not all are as amiable as I am. A lesson for another time, though; they deserve some joy. As for roaming... that impulse has dwindled, I must admit. Perhaps because I have found where I am meant to be."

"You seem more settled than I expected of you. I thought that was against your nature."

"As did I... but somehow I feel like I no longer need to roam, that I have found something worthy of laying roots for. Amazing what can be discovered about oneself, even at a ripe old age."

(A/N: Hector can certainly relate to that.)

"What of the Grove? Do you stay in touch?"

"On occasion, but I prefer not to interfere. Francesca of the High Forest is Archdruid now, and by all accounts, she has proven to be a steady and wise influence. Even Kagha may yet find true balance, thanks to her influence."

(A/N: One more, why not.)

"May I have a hug?"

"By all means."

[frownyalfred]

love how Gotham goons are like "awh, it's the nice, quippy one" when they see Nightwing and then Dick shoves his fucking escrima stick down their throats until they choke on it and almost die

[shepscapades]

Realized I haven’t posted anything other than dbhc angst lately, so here’s a small collection of silly and sweet things as an offering to balance out the angst :]

[crimeronan]

it's sometimes so silly to look in the notes of a polyamory art/post and see people like "is this cheating art....?" when the characters in canon are all extremely close friends. i know it's not malicious because most people think of monogamy as the default and anything outside that Must be cheating, but truly i'm always like. guys. guys Please.

please think about this for like 2 seconds.

under what circumstances do we think this non-canon couple might hold hands directly in front of their canon partners. and under what circumstances do we think the canon partners might be okay with this. do we Truly think this is a secret relationship. do we Truly think these guys would sneak around behind their canon partners' backs when all of them are extremely close friends with a high level of trust and commitment to each other.

would assuming that these extremely close friends have actually communicated with one another Exactly The Same Way They Do In The Canon Source Material perhaps cause less despair.....

[twentyfivemiceinatrenchcoat]

u call gojo princess exactly one time as a joke and he lets out a giggle he didn’t know his vocal cords were capable of producing

[deerspherestudios]

(translated) I don’t understand how the toggle switch works, sorry if something is wrong :_) (I still haven’t learned how to draw shadows..)

[sparring-spirals]

bell's hells at any given enemy: friendship? :)

bell's hells, after battle has already kicked off, casting Command, Fast Friends, using telepathy, trying to immobilize them, etc: >:( Friend. Ship.

[sysig]

Scriabin and Edgar eating crepes for requestober !!

Day 8 - Delicious silence

[volivolition]

wiggles my fingers at you ouuuu… you want to tell me about solace so bad…

HKJGG wiggles my fingers back lovingly!!! i really do, i fuckin LOVE solace :3 hey did you know i really like making fake skill descriptions?

SOLACE

Follow the north star. Find light in even the darkest places. Cool for: Optimists, Recovering lost souls, Sweet summer children

Solace is the skill you tucked away long ago, at the bottom of Pandora's box. The little one that tells you: despite it all, there is still hope. It needs a lot of nurturing -- and it's far from being the most helpful for police work -- but taking care of it is basically self-care. It enables you to find the glow in yourself that you often ascribe to gold lungs or brilliant halos in others. It encourages you to wake up and watch the sunrise, to play board games with someone you love, to forgive yourself and let yourself be a gentler kind of animal. Constantly looking forward to a brighter future, it also helps shield your morale from damage.

At high levels, Solace gives you a heightened sense of childlike optimism - which isn't always the sense to lead with in this precariously harsh world. Always looking for the bright side will blindside you with naivety. At low levels, however, you may just extinguish whatever keeps your soul alight. You've already lost her once. You may not survive the desolation if you let her disappear again.

[mars-ipan]

some postgame doodles for pride month

[lloydfrontera]

damian being so mad at the idea of cutting rakiel into pieces that he outright asks an archangel, one of the most powerful beings in existence, if he was crazy or just losing his fucking mind. and the fact that lloyd is not even really being offended by it and instead a little bit endeared because damian reminds him of javier. devoted to save his master and always ready to insult him <3333

[formulaonedirection]

ok question cause you're the resident landoist in my head: what the hell is quadrant supposed to be? like i thought it was lando's sim team or something but it's not? but its like a clothing brand??? but they also make videos??? like no matter how many videos i see of them i'm still confused

I've been laughing at this ask all afternoon like I don't know how to explain that Quadrant is literally the friends we made along the way.....

But like if we REALLY want to get into it Quadrant is legally an "esports" "company" "founded" by "lando norris" which doesn't really mean much I suppose.... I think they started off just doing like videos on youtube and then selling merch but they're clearly trying to scale towards something because they're doing a lot of financial injections and sponsorships this year. Like the two controlling companies in Quadrant are Lando's personal private limited (which is just run by him and Adam Norris Pure Electric for personal ventures and I assume runs the LN4 operations) and Veloce which is an actual e-sports company that has like an e-sports team and they do Formula E I think?? And I recall Lando talking about Quadrant doing their first round of getting major investments last year so they're operating like a proper start up and their liquidity is pretty good from what I can gather from their FY 2023 statements so I suppose the YouTube money and merch money and sponcon must be pretty profitable??? I'll wait and see what their FY 2024 says. Anyway. Sorry for actually trying to understand what kind of company Quadrant is. And that this left us with more questions than answers. The conclusion is they are a start up that does niche sport entertainment media but mostly.....it's just the friends we made along the way.....

[burningcomputerpersona]

my cds (and cassette tape) finally arrived in the mail today!!

[sankttealeaf]

some band au ruetash thoughts bc i am obsessed with their fucked up dynamic :3

they have matching tattoos. rue has little rue flowers along her collarbones. gortash has a little flower where ever i can remember to draw it (its looking like his upper arm or maybe behind his ear. somewhere hidden)

rue also has gortash's handprint on her arm and he has hers somewhere else on him, a little bit smaller and more hidden away. dont look too deep into the meaning of that

hooked up a few times weeks before rue signed up to be under gortash's management. and then a few months into that professional relationship she moved in with him (it was cheaper than paying rent for a shitty studio apartment when she could use that money to put back into her singing career)

she has his card details memorised. want pizza? no worries, it's on gortash

rue also has a few songs she's written about gortash (some nice, some not so nice) that will never see the light of day because theyre "too vulnerable"

gortash was in a band in his 20's. he has scrubbed all knowledge of that from the internet because if anyone found out he would be cancelled so many times

(also fits the lyric from motion sickness by phoebe bridgers "and you were in a band when i was born" bc unfortunately... age gap ruetash in this and thats a song i think rue would sing in this au)

rue jumps between genres a lot. gortash tells her its a good idea to do early in her career so she can see what performs best and use that. she enjoys showing off how she's good in any genre she sings in

in some of her early songs recorded under gortash's management she gets him to do backing vocals. its kind of sweet, actually

rue has a draft of what she would post if she and gortash were to ever break up. lines include "he took advantage of me at my most vulnerable" and "i am so upset at how i was treated, both as a client and as a partner". she's unsure if she should drop this as a notes app message or film a video using it as a script so she can pretend to cry to really sway public opinion into siding with her

on the opposite side, gortash has several emails drafted and ready to send to big magazines and news outlets documenting rue's anger issues and her treatment of workers/techies/the general public, so he can smear her name and ruin her career

they love each other really :)

[ratatatastic]

or alternatively dweeb meets other dweeb more news at 11

LIGHT. LIGHT IN HIS EYES. LOOK AT EM BIG OLE EYES. LOOK AT HIM TOUCH HIS JERSEY.

GLORY BE TO THE MIKKSY SIGNED JERSEY RAAAAAAAAA

CanesWear Signing | 7.1.24

[vaguely-concerned]

I was going to have rye maaaybe start to buy into solas' whole johnny silverhand deal a little bit more in the post-weisshaupt talk -- to Progress the Arc tm/set up the beginning softening in that relationship and heighten the effect when it eventually goes. quite another way entirely -- but the sheer spectacular cruelty in hindsight of 'at least you still have varric to talk to' is such that considering where I'm intending to end up with this narratively, the stoic 'not here to make friends you fucker gimme your intel' option is simply irresistible. gotta have that echo rattling around rye's head forever when he decides that you know what? I have had enough of being nice, actually. I do want to go ape shit. someone hold my coat for me please I have some work to do and I don't want to stain it. guess for now the ol' watcher training & instincts are still kicking in enough for them to treat solas like a tricky spirit you should treat with respect and good intentions, but also shouldn't be out there offering little fingers to unless you have a whole arm lying around to spare haha