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slothquisitor · 2 months ago

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Trust Exercises

Summary: Lucanis and Rook return to Treviso to plan a funeral. Eventual Lucanis/Rook, 4.5k.

Also on AO3.

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The Lighthouse isn’t small, but there are only so many places to hide. And when someone is avoiding her, it’s impossible for Camina not to know it. Ever since their last trip to Minrathous, Lucanis has subtly found other places to be when she’s around. So she’s more than a little surprised when he approaches her one morning with a request.

Could she go with him to Treviso to plan his grandmother’s funeral? He tells her he’d appreciate the backup if Spite makes problems. She would have gone anyway, but there’s something about that trust, even if grudgingly given because of what she’d seen in Minrathous, that makes her want to say yes even more.

He’s so careful around all of them. In fairness, they’re all careful with each other. There’s still some tension between her and Harding that she can’t quite figure out, but can’t seem to bring herself to ask about. At least now, Varric is mobile so she doesn’t feel like she has to wonder if anyone but her is taking care of him or visiting the infirmary. Still, he keeps to himself.

She suspects his absence is two-pronged: he’s feeling responsible for the situation they’re currently in and he’s trying not to undermine her new leadership. She’s just hoping that now he’s doing better, Harding might spend some more time out of her room. For now, it seems everyone is content not to talk about it. Which is fine because Camina feels spread a little thin anyway. She’s looking forward to a night in Treviso, especially if it involves funeral planning.

As always, Treviso is beautiful. She’d never been to Antiva before, but there’s something about the city, even scarred as it is with Antaam and barricades that is special.

And it’s clear that Lucanis loves it.

She has no idea what he was like before the Ossuary, but every time she returns to Treviso with him she feels like she sees a bit more of the person he might have been. Like returning home is giving him back some of what imprisonment took. She just wishes that they weren’t coming back to the reminder of another loss.

She also wishes that they could walk around the city like normal people instead of climbing around on roofs and zip lines. She hates heights.

“Did you take us a longer way to the Diamond?” she asks.

“No, Rook, it’s the same route we always take,” Lucanis says, there’s an amusement in his voice that makes her want to throw something at him.

“It feels longer.”

“Okay.”

Lucanis is marvelously even-keeled at all times. Even when Spite is causing him problems, he seems very cavalier about the whole thing. She suspects that he’s just very good at burying his feelings. She’d know a thing or two about that.

“So I don’t think I’m super familiar with Antivan funerary practices,” she says as they make their way across a rooftop.

The look that Lucanis gives her can best be described as clearly horrified, but he covers it up quickly. “I think Teia is making most of the arrangements.”

“Is that typical? For the Crows, I mean?”

He shrugs. “I don’t know. It’s typical of Teia.”

“Oh?”

Lucanis sighs. “You saw her when they told us about Caterina…Teia had an easier time being close to her than Illario or I did.”

”Because they’re both Talons?”

“Because Caterina lost nothing by liking Teia. Teia is not a weakness to exploit or the entire expectations of her House.”

“But you were.”

“Yes.” He doesn’t clarify which, she suspects it’s both.

“Is there anything you need from me during this whole…” She gestures rather uselessly at whatever this is.

Lucanis glances back at her. “I just appreciate you coming.”

They enter the Diamond. It looks more like it did when she first met with the Crows, before it was attacked by Venatori. The Crows made quick work of the clean-up. She’s still unsure about how she feels about working so closely with an organization of assassins. The Crows are woven into the society and culture of Antiva in tangled ways, and without a standing army, they really are the only defense against the Antaam and whatever else comes Antiva’s way. But there’s something that doesn’t quite sit right with her realizing how much this particular governing system relies on the whims of a handful of wealthy assassins.

But that’s probably the poor street kid in her talking, so she keeps it to herself.

Teia greets them with a smile, her curly hair bouncing as she approaches. Camina expected Viago to be at her side, as is usual, but tonight it’s Illario.

“Good, you’re here,” Teia says warmly.

“Thank you for making the arrangements, Teia,” Lucanis says.

“For Caterina, how could I do otherwise?” She turns the full force of her brown eyes on Lucanis, radiating sympathy. “I’m so sorry, Lucanis. This must be such a blow. Rook, thank you for coming with him. I need at least one Dellamorte to plan this. His cousin has been no help at all.”

Illario stands beside her, looking pale and tired. “I’m sorry, Teia. This is just…too much right now.” And he does seem genuinely overwhelmed as if he can’t wait to leave.

“Since I’m here, if there’s anything I can do to help, just say the word,” Camina replies.

Teia smiles at her. “You’re such a dear. I hope these two are paying attention.”

Lucanis sighs. “Teia, don’t flirt with my…colleague.”

The pause before colleague is doing a lot of work in that sentence. But it’s not surprising. Lucanis has been somewhat distant at the Lighthouse even before the incident in Minrathous. He observes more than he engages, but it’s getting better. She’d walked in on him and Bellara exchanging cooking tips the other day.

Teia smirks. “Jealous? Fine. To business, then. But first, I need the ashes.”

“Ashes?” Illario looks both lost and confused.

Teia rolls her eyes. “Maker help us, yes, the ashes! Caterina’s ashes. From the cremation?”

Illario smiles in a way she thinks he means to be reassuring but instead, there’s something off-putting about it. For all his relative calm the last time she’d seen him, he seems like he’s fraying at the edges tonight. “Oh. Yes, of course. I’ll get them to you right away.”

Lucanis steps close to his cousin, his voice soft. “Illario, what happened?”

Illario searches Lucanis’s face. “What do you mean?”

“Caterina. How…? How did the Venatori get to her? When? Where? In the estate? In the city? How did they get past our people? What did they use? Poison? Blades? I need to know.”

These must be all the questions he’d been too shocked to ask lthe ast time they were here. She’s been around enough death and its aftermath to know that the answers don’t often offer any comfort to the living, but she understands why he’d want them anyway.

Illario shakes his head dismissively. “Cousin, stop. You can’t dwell on this. It’ll drive you mad.”

Lucanis is a quiet man, but his voice raises a bit, frustration bleeding in. “I’m not dwelling. Zara killed the First Talon. I have to know how if I’m going to stop her.”

“I told you, I’m handling it.” There’s a finality to it, but it’s clear Lucanis is ready to fight.

Illario is ‘handling it’? What does that mean? Is he going to go after Zara himself? Is he bent on revenge? It’s not really any of her business, but she can understand why Lucanis is so worried about his cousin. Emotion or grief or something is making him sloppy, forgetful. She can’t imagine that ends well for him.

Camina notices that Lucanis and Illario’s conversation has attracted attention within the Diamond. The other Crows present have ceased their conversations, turning their attention to the pair.

Teia has noticed as well. “Boys! Enough of this. We have other things to discuss.”

It is entertaining to see how Teia, who cannot be much older than either Lucanis or Illario, is able to rein them in so handily. Illario murmurs his apologies and takes his leave, Lucanis watching him go with worried eyes.

“Are you alright?” She’s watching for any signs of Spite if the emotions of the day have gotten to him.

“I’ll be fine. Better, once we kill Zara Renata. It’s him I’m worried about.”

Teia nods grimly. “Illario can be a handful, but this? The only time I’ve seen him like this was when Lucanis died.”

Right. Because they’d all thought Lucanis had been dead for a year. Had mourned him and remembered him…only for him to be here now. Lucanis shifts uncomfortably.

Deftly, Teia changes topics. “You’re worrying, aren’t you? What will people say if they hear the ‘Demon of Vyrantium’ has a big, soft heart?”

He ignores Teia’s teasing. “He’s been careless at times, but never when his own life was on the line. Zara took down the First Talon. Anyone could be next. And my cousin doesn’t want to think about it.”

“You have a point. It’s not like Illario to ignore a knife coming at him. I’ll keep my eye on him.”

Appeased, he nods. “What do you need from me for the funeral?”

“First, drinks, I think. Then I’ll show you what I’ve got so far,” she gestures for them to follow.

What Teia has so far is an impressive collection of place settings and stationary and linens. Honestly, Camina had expected more gold. Lucanis just looks tired, but dutifully follows Teia making decisions and offering polite opinions.

“You sort the stationary options, I need Rook’s opinion on something,” Teia says.

Rook glances quickly to Lucanis who offers her the most imperceptible of nods. Which is good because she doesn’t want to abandon him, but she also doesn’t want to tip Teia off that something is not quite right. “Sure.”

“I’d be careful with her,” Lucanis says.

Teia laughs, a musical thing. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep Rook safe from the flower arrangements.”

“I wasn’t talking to you, Teia,” Lucanis says without turning.

Teia leads her to another room that looks as though someone ransacked a greenhouse. The tables are all laden with different floral arrangements, each more elaborate than the last. Teia moves to the nearest one and begins toying with the placement of the blooms.

“I understand you’re from Nevarra, a Mortalitasi?” Teia asks, the question tossed casually over her shoulder with a sway of her hips.

“Mourn Watch, more specifically,” Camina corrects.

Teia nods. “Ah, I think I’ve met with some of your order. They’re not terribly common outside the Necropolis, are they?”

She doesn’t ask if the familiarity was about assassination when she knows what the woman does for a living. “Nope. I’m a long way from home.”

“Well, I hope that you find Treviso well. The Crows are indebted to you for your help here against the Antaam.”

“That does feel somewhat strange,” she replies.

Teia flashes a grin. “Oh, it’s not so bad having assassins on your side.”

This is what makes Teia dangerous. She’s beautiful, of course, but it’s the take-no-prisoners charm of it all. Camina tries to remind herself that Lucanis trusts this woman, but that doesn’t make her her friend. If anything, Lucanis’s warning feels especially clear now.

She shrugs. “Simply unexpected.”

“How is Lucanis?” Teia asks, voice earnest and attention fully fixed on her.

The concern feels damn genuine, but that doesn’t mean she’s going to betray his confidence. She offers up the same sort of non-answer she had given to Illario. “He was imprisoned for a year and the second he gets his freedom he loses his grandmother. That’s a lot for anyone.”

Teia smirks like she realizes she’s only offered a half-truth, but she doesn’t seem angry about it. If anything, there’s approval there. “I’m glad he has a place with you then.”

“We’re going to need him.”

***

Lucanis has never liked the Diamond; he likes it less trapped in a room making decisions about flowers and place settings and wines and paper. It is a long and frustrating evening asking himself, “What would Caterina have wanted?” as if he has not spent his whole life trying to be the answer to that very question.

In the end, he’s able to convince Teia to keep the funeral itself small, that between the occupation and Venatori threat, too big an event would only be a target. Selfishly, it’s for him too. Mostly to avoid an audience if he has an incident with Spite. They argue a bit over invitations, but in the end, he’s satisfied.

Before he and Rook leave, Teia asks him to go with him to her office. There’s a tidy sort of chaos to her space. Everything appears to have its place, but there are a lot of things in the office. Artwork and finely crafted wooden furniture takes up every available bit of space. Teia is a maximalist at heart, it seems.

“I found something in Caterina’s private room here,” Teia says, reaching into a drawer and producing a small stack of papers.

He carefully pulls the twine keeping them together. It’s a collection of maps and reports and notes about Venatori movements. Some of them mention the Ossuary. “What is this?”

“They date back to the day your ship was ‘lost’,” Teia replies. “They chase the smallest leads from Antiva to Tevinter and back again. She never stopped looking for you.”

And she died for it. What would she say if she could see him now? See what he’s become? How far he has fallen. How long had he hoped and prayed that someone was looking? That there would be some escape for him? And all that time, she had been trying. But was it out of love or because he was an expensive asset to have lost? Was the search that of a caring grandmother or the First Talon trying to find her heir apparent? With her dead and gone, there are some knots he’ll never be able to untangle.

He rewraps the twine, tucking the parcel of papers away. “Thank you, Teia. House Dellamorte owes you for the kindness you’ve shown.”

Teia looks taken aback at his formality but quickly hides it. “Of course. Please give Rook my best.”

And then he turns on his heel and leaves Teia’s office. He finds Rook on the top level of the Diamond chatting amiably with the ever-stoic Viago. She steps away when she sees him approaching.

“Ready to go?”

He’s ready to leave the Diamond, but not Treviso. Not yet.

“How much are you going to complain if I take you somewhere else in Treviso before we head back to the Lighthouse?” Lucanis asks.

Rook considers his question and sighs. “Depends on how many zip lines and horrifying roof leaps there are.”

He knows that no matter what he says, she’ll follow. “No zip lines and only two ‘terrifying roof leaps’, but I promise the view is worth it.”

“And we can’t get this particular view from the ground?”

He smirks. “No.”

Rook looks like she wants to protest, but she doesn’t. “Lead on then.”

So he does, taking them to the northern part of his city. It’s been a year, but from up here, his city hasn’t changed. Unless he looks down, he cannot see the Antaam barricades, the scars left on his home. Up here, he’s almost able to pretend the last year didn’t happen.

Spite loudly complains every step of the way, and continues to ask to talk to Rook, but never moves out of mild annoyance to true anger. It had been a miracle he’d been so well-behaved in the Diamond. Perhaps he had sensed the danger of revealing what they are. He wishes the quiet could last.

When he finally stops on the roof that is their destination, Spite has grown tired of trying to get his attention. He finds it easier to block Spite out when they’re out in the world like this. He’s desperate for another hour he doesn’t feel he has to track in the perpetual day-like glow of the Lighthouse. With no way to tell the time of day, he never knows if he’s lost time or if Spite has taken him over in the exhausted haze of eternal hours. He wants more time without having to fight sleep or to maintain control. Another hour that is his .

This stretch of rooftop has always been one of his favorites. When he was younger, it was an escape from the Villa, and as he got older it became a sort of touchpoint after a particularly long time away. Illario used to find him here. He finds he doesn’t mind Rook’s presence; especially when she looks out at his city with the sort of awe it deserves.

“Wow,” she whispers, taking in the view.

Treviso is a city best enjoyed at night. The canals turn silver in the moonlight against the backdrop of glowing street lamps, and the music that floats up toward the stars. There is always sound and laughter and life in Treviso. He can see the glow of ships moving in the harbor, the gentle sway of gondolas in the canals. Not even an Antaam invasion can change what Treviso is at its heart. He has been to many places, but nowhere truly compares to home.

“I told you it would be worth it,” he says, unable to keep the smugness from his voice. “You’re getting better at this.”

Rook’s eyes narrow. “The patronizing tone is really selling it.”

“What tone? There was no tone!” But he’s chuckling because she is the slowest person he’s ever traipsed roofs with. “I used to come here when I was upset with Caterina as a boy.”

“You were climbing roofs like this as a kid?” she asks incredulously.

He shrugs. “All part of Crow training.”

“I met her the one time, but I don’t know anything about your grandmother beyond that she was First Talon,” Rook says. There’s a question there if he wants to take her up on it, gentle enough if he doesn’t. He appreciates that Rook never pushes too hard, always makes it a choice, an offer.

“There wasn’t much about her that wasn’t defined by being First Talon,” he admits. “She was my grandmother, but she was always a Crow first.”

“That had to be hard. You said she raised you?”

He nods. “A rival house killed my parents. Illario’s too. Caterina had five children and eight grandchildren. She took us both in and raised us like brothers. We’re all that’s left.” The ruins of House Dellamorte. And now it’s just Illario…and whatever he’s become.

“I’m sorry,” she says. It’s not the first time she’s expressed sympathy to him, and it’s both unfamiliar and unexpected.

“She feels sorry for you. The broken assassin,” Spite taunts.

“I’ve presided over my fair share of funerals,” she says, and it’s clear he’s missed something or perhaps this is just an unexpected tangent.

“I don’t think Teia has a Nevarran necromancer down as presiding at Caterina’s.”

Rook looks horrified, eyes wide, head shaking. “No, no…that’s…that’s not where I was going with that.”

“And…where were you going with it?”

She keeps her gaze focused on the skyline, cheeks bright red from embarrassment. “I’ve been around a lot of people after they’ve lost someone. I don’t know that my experience offers much comfort to you, but I know that there’s no one way to grieve. That every grief is different because the person you lost is singular and unique. Does that make sense?”

She turns to him at the final question, embarrassment fading, replaced instead with a clear earnestness in her eyes that could never survive in his world.

“I’m used to death, Rook,” he says. ”It’s my job.”

“Death and its aftermath are not the same thing.”

And he knows that, but it feels too big, too much to wrap his mind around when he may be free of the Ossuary, but he’s still just as trapped as before. It feels as though he’s lost everything that mattered, and Illario being so distant just makes it all worse. The parcel Teia gave him feels heavier now.

He turns his attention back to the city, staring out towards the towering spires of the Chantry. Sometimes, it would be nice to believe in something bigger than death, but there’s little room for conscience in his line of work. “I know.”

“Are you religious?” she asks, as though she’s followed his gaze, his thoughts.

He snorts. “No. We only ever went to the Chantry if we were looking to send a message.”

“Oh?”

“A group of trained killers showing up to worship services sends a pretty clear message.”

She considers that and smiles. “I’m sure it does.”

“I assume with all the presiding you are though.”

She shakes her head. “Not really. I’ve studied the Chant and other religious traditions as all Watchers do to be better stewards of the dead. The Mourn Watch is…very academic about it all. Much of what we know of the Fade and spirits stands in direct contradiction to the teachings of the Chantry. It’s viewed at best with amusement and at worst annoyance. There’s still an assumption of belief in the Maker though. Every fancy dinner party opening the term starts with a prayer. I don’t know, I didn’t have strong feelings about it until I watched an entire populace rewrite the narrative around a Dalish mage to make her into the Herald of Andraste.”

A breach in the sky and a Dalish mage at the head of a Chantry-organized institution. It had been odd to hear the mental acrobatics the most devout had twisted themselves into to explain that one. But what is religion except one way of explaining the unexplainable?

“And you’ve never corrected Bellara when she uses ‘our gods’ with you.”

She glances at him in surprise. “Yeah, she does do that.”

“Does it bother you?”

She frowns, looking back at the city. “I don’t know. I spent my whole life trying to blend into the Mourn Watch, which is by and large more inclusive than the rest of Nevarra. I was still an elf without family or money. It’s hard to say which made it harder. But then there’s Bellara who doesn’t seem to care and immediately includes me in what she sees as our shared history…it feels like…a piece of clothing I’m putting on. Not really part of me.”

It’s not the same, but it’s how he often feels with other Crows. He was born into this life, trained by the First Talon herself. There had been no period of trying to make a name for himself, of the bonding that emerges amongst other fledglings as they fight and claw and kill to survive. His upbringing had been dutifully fulfilling the expectations and shouldering the burdens placed upon him. It had always put a certain distance between him and other Crows. Illario had been the only other person who understood, but he had always been better at bridging that gap.

“You could ask her to stop.”

She nods. “I could. It’s nice though. To just be included without reservation.”

It surprises him that she’d care about that at all. She seems so self-assured, so comfortable in her own skin. He realizes for the first time that it must have been hard-fought and that perhaps in losing her place in the Mourn Watch she has also lost a sense of self.

“I’ve never really been part of a team like this before,” he admits. He hasn’t been part of Rook’s team long, but already there are things that have become important to him: the dinners filled with talking and laughter, listening to Bellara describe her favorite serials and Neve smirking as she figures out the twist, and the way Rook is always ready with a joke or quip. Even Harding seems to be trusting him more now.

“Not even with other Crows?” she asks.

“No.”

“But Teia seems…”

He sighs. “I know. And I know that she made up some job to get you alone to interrogate you. What did she want to know?”

“She’s worried about you. Do you think maybe you should tell them about Spite?”

He hates the idea of that; he wishes that Rook didn’t even know. He can’t imagine Illario finding out what he’s become. But more than that, he was sold out by someone in the Crows. He doesn’t believe Teia or Viago would do that, but with Caterina dead and Illario distracted, House Dellamorte is more vulnerable than ever before. If he was someone making a play for the seat of First Talon, he’d be striking now.

“Teia means well, but she is still a Talon from another House, and trust only goes so far.” It spoke to the dire circumstances the Antaam had put them in that Caterina had been in the company of two other Talons when she met with Rook. Teia and Viago are good Crows, but familiarity doesn’t mean anything more than tenuous alliances. Lucanis knows how quickly it could all shift anyway. Still, he doesn’t doubt that Teia cared for Caterina and cares about him.

“Viago is a Talon from another House too, and it’s clear she trusts him.”

Well, there is that . “Teia and Viago are probably the only ones who truly understand what they are, but trust among Crows is always in short supply. Teia cared about Caterina, and Caterina favored her. It’s good of her to make the funeral arrangements, and we’re aligned in our desire to help Treviso. Her questions could be just as much concern as they are figuring out where the power shifts in House Dellamorte.”

Rook doesn’t seem like she thinks much of his assessment. “That seems awfully complicated.”

“What? The Mourn Watch didn’t have their own politics?”

She snorts. “Of course, they did. It was just a bunch of stuffy, backward academics and skeletons. Watchers mostly have philosophical disagreements over dessert about the nature spirits and death or get mad about improper citation of research. No one dies. Well, most of the time no one dies…” Sometimes Rook says things that remind him that Nevarra is a very different place.

“Oh, is that a hint of judgment I hear in your tone?”

“What tone?” She asks, mimicking his earlier question with a feigned wide-eyed innocence.

“We should head back to the Lighthouse.”

“Whenever you want.”

“Thank you for coming with me, Rook.”

She shrugs like it’s nothing. “What are friends for?” She doesn’t say it pointedly, but he can only think with a little bit of shame the awkward way he’d referred to her as his colleague. And this is a job and jobs don’t last forever, but maybe it could be as simple as that.

#lucanis dellamorte #lucanis x rook #rookcanis #dragon age fanfiction #mourn watch rook #lucanis x camina #the watcher and the crow #dragon age the veilguard #slothquisitorwrites #i had this ready to go for a solid hour before I settled on the title #forever thwarted by my own hubris there

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crow-with-a-typewriter · 2 months ago

Text

Time to actually do a writeblr intro, wow this took me forever to make.

HI! I’m Crow, I like writing sometimes & wanna post about how I write sometimes. To do that I gotta have a place where people can have summaries of my too many projects. So, here

Most of my projects (except for War & Wings) take place in Cievia, a high fantasy world that I’ve been working on for 5 years now and love immensely.

[ ] means the name hasn’t been decided yet; a placeholder name

Novels

The Wanderer’s Guide

A somewhat academic-style, whimsical story of two best friends accidentally creating the first ever encyclopedia (and leading a decrepit world into a new golden age).

It’s a platonic love story as these two idiots (affectionate) travel the world together, gaining a comprehensive understanding of demonology, metaphysics, and the structure of the universe while on their roadtrip to go everywhere and experience everything in the world. That roadtrip just ends up longer than expected when they keep unintentionally helping wayward gods. And being the only witnesses to the death of the King of Heaven. And then fixing heavenly bureaucracy. And getting into underworld legal drama. And making a child from scratch to repopulate humanity. Y’know, usual roadtrip things.

A lot happens when a cartographer/scholar and a wilderness guide decide to be best friends, okay?

Wanderer’s Guide will be a multi-book series that sees everything in Ceivia in its lowest state. Zipping Dragonfly (cartographer & scholar) and Cal Ipse (wilderness guide) go through Heaven, the Mortal Plane, and the various afterlives out of a youthful desire to see the world, and it’s their need to help the people & gods they encounter that makes the world start to slowly recover. It’s a very domestic and hopeful story and it’s easily my biggest project.

Themes on what the different kinds of love look like & how they often overlap, the ability or lack thereof to feel an emotion doesn’t make you evil, learn from history or be doomed to repeat it, it’s never too late to try to get/be better, evil is a matter of perspective, and organizations can and should change with changing times.

[To Adapt]

A sort of side-sequel to Wanderer’s Guide? It follows the stories of two side characters as they reconnect and start traveling together.

It takes the perspective of Isal, a former major god who was out for the count for a solid two eras and is now back with no family left, his people barely remembering him, and without most of his power. Isal, when brought back, is greeted & taken care of by Lutt, a major enemy of his back in the day. Lutt has fallen from grace too; the civilization that worshiped him is gone. Lutt, once the god of rulership and an advisor to kings, is now the god of stories & wandering minstrels with almost no worshipers at all. The story follows the two as Isal relearns how to be a nobody, and tries to figure out a new domain for himself.

It’s borderline a philosophical dialogue, with the two constantly debating with each other. The big question is about betrayal. Isal used to (and might still) be the god of betrayal, so he has opinions about it. Lutt thinks it’s a neutral thing, whether it’s good or bad is determined by who you’re doing it to, and some forms of betrayal are the right thing to do no matter who you’re doing it to. Isal thinks that it is awful in all forms. Betrayal can be justified or necessary, but it is always morally wrong.

Lots of grappling with immorality and what it means, how you handle outliving people you love, and what to do if it all gets dull or tired.

Empire of Nixarian

This one is about the slow expansion of an empire on a very cold continent, told from the perspectives of the emperor, the emperor’s advisor(and lover), a runaway slave from a neighboring kingdom, and a small group of soldiers at the front line. It takes inspiration from the reigns of Qin Shi Huang and Wu Zetian.

The perspective of the emperor deals with internal workings and politics of the palace, as well as his dubious sanity. The emperor’s advisor has a lot of focus on the politics of the demons and spirits of the frozen landscape, ensuring the safety of his emperor, and managing his own demonic nature. The ex-slave’s story focuses on the magic system as she learns it and uses it to maintain her freedom. The soldiers’ story shows the horrors of the front line & the love of found family, used as contrast to the goings on of the palace.

Themes of how mental illness doesn’t make you a bad person, who the ‘hero’ of a story is is subjective, the nature of family & romantic relationships, and whether trying to live up to a legacy is worth it.

Web Comics

War and Wings

War & Wings is a story meant to play with the stereotypes & tropes of Fae King x Spunky Peasant Woman romances.

It’s a political drama & romance between a former nobleman and a fae queen.

A nobleman, named Ivan, was taught levitation magic by his sister (before she left) as a child (only women are allowed to learn magic). He wanted to spend his days in archery, romance novels, and practicing magic in secret, but he had to get married to secure the family line. He delayed marriage as long as possible, and when he couldn’t delay it anymore at home he joined the army as an archer.

At the border of the fae lands, [Queenie] has united all the clans of her people under one banner. She is leading them to conquest into human territories to have a place for her own people away from the constant threat of dragons and other great beasts. She has conquered a decent chunk of human territory, and is in the process of renovating a crumbling fort into a palace city complex.

While at war, Ivan and others are captured by [Queenie]. Ivan is picked out to be a palace servant. Plot ensues as Ivan finds he actually enjoys being a servant and the power he wields by influencing other servants and blackmail.

[Queenie] ends up finding out about his skill with levitation & the power he wields as a servant. She makes a deal with him. He will be her personal servant (a position of safety), and he will turn his network of servants into a network of spies for her. He agrees. Romance spirals from there.

I enjoy this one a lot since the story is kind of a story of villains? [Queenie] and her flying menace of a lover Alfe (Ivan starts calling himself Alfe) are very antagonistic to very hero-coded adventurers who are trying to stop them from continuing their conquest.

Medium To Be Determined

[Wandering House]

This one is mostly just vibes right now. Inspirations from Howl’s Moving Castle, the Kidnapping of Persephone, and Baba Yaga.

A traveler is lost in a blizzard when he finds a manor. He breaks in and makes himself warm by the fireplace. At some point he eats food there. He looks for people but he can’t find any, but things keep getting fixed up and arranged like servants are working around the manor. At some point the traveler meets the master of the manor, who is determined to keep him there for some reason, probably loneliness. The master of the manor is up to some spooky shit and the traveler goes “Nope” and tries to leave. He can’t, doors won’t open and when he finally breaks a window to leave he ends up back at the manor anyway.

He does manage to get away at some point, and manages to stay away for a while by actively dodging the place no matter how often it appears on the road. He gets forced back eventually.

The manor is full of spirits that work as servants :]

[Protect the Heir]

I have a better grasp on this one.

A snake demon & an enchanted soldier are desperate to protect the last surviving heir to the royal family until she reaches maturity.

The guard has been through many surgeries, removing his bones to be placed in weapons so that he’ll be able to control them with his mind. So many bones have been removed that he’s missing an arm, his feet are mostly metal, the remaining arm is in shreds, and his jaw got replaced with metal so he can’t speak. He is the princess’s protector and the only person she has other than her godmother, the snake demon. The guard is an older brother to the little princess; she adores him.

Revolutionaries think that the demon and guard are manipulating the princess, or are going to puppeteer her, or otherwise hurt her so they kidnap her. The snake demon stays behind as regent to keep the place running, the guard goes to steal the princess back.

This one will probably be a comic but I haven’t decided yet.

#writeblr #writeblr intro #took me awhile to make this #writing #fantasy

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fumblingmusings · 1 year ago

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give us some Francex Spain headcanons please

This is so long and unorganised, apologies. TL;DR - Francis is lucky Antonio is so placid, because the moments he bites back genuinely frighten him, but the status quo of him sitting neatly on top of Spain always seems to swing back around. Again, Francis is lucky Toni's life ambition is to own a cafe...

For proper context - I imagine Antonio as Castille first, then comes to represent Spain as a whole, though I imagine there will be representations of Galicia, Catalonia/Aragon etc. just like there's the regions of Japan or Picardy for France or indeed how Arthur represents the UK internationally, but of course his brothers are still very much around. So, just for why I think Francis and Antonio have a relationship which goes way back.

Francis and Antonio I imagine as a sin/cos curve... like when Francis is up high, above Toni, things are 'correct' and in their natural place. They're friendly as Antonio is such a mild mannered friendly kid he's quite content to sit and listen to Francis crow about his amazing Kings and fancy court and so on. Francis loves to brag about how it's him that's the true heir to Rome, not the Germans. Spain nods, thinking about other more important things back home.

France used Spain very much as a bulwark against the al-Andalus parts of the Iberian Peninsula - as Francis at the time of Charlemagne and thereafter loved to see himself as the saviour of Europe, so as time goes by and we zip by the occasional Castille/France team up versus England/Portugal you start to get an increasingly influential Spain by the late 15th century, and the trouble is... Toni wants the same thing as Francis. And oddly enough, he's better at getting what he wants, despite seemingly not really trying. Maybe because he is honest to goodness just a little bit less... smug? But sometimes reading Spanish history in the 1500s is going like: Oh. Well that was convenient. It's not the reality of course, but it must have been very frustrating.

Antonio also dislikes the same things as Francis. So it's interesting. When they're fighting my God do they go at it. When they're on the same side their a pretty solid duo. But I love the idea of Antonio just pissing Francis off at times, and like... sometimes just by vibing. The man's vibes are zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. And Francis - depending on his ego that day - finds it rancid. I know a lot of people don't like the way Antonio is characterised, but I love him as he is so shh. He's so disconnected at times from the reality going on around him. Only his immediate circle matters. He doesn't seem to really understand his Civil War. I think compared to Francis, who is much more in tune with his people... it gets messy.

The trouble comes because Francis is jealous, and likes his standing as number one in Europe. No-one can challenge that. But Antonio does, for a good century or even two, and maybe Antonio doesn't necessarily mean to, but his King and Queens do, or maybe Antonio finds that ambition suits him. The 15th through to mid 17th century gives him the ability to out class Francis. Maybe it's not intentional at first, but once Antonio finally grasps what he may be about to lose during the Thirty Years War and then the failing of his line of the Habsburgs... the ugliness comes out full force.

But... Like to show the overlap once Spain starts to really assert themselves in the late 15th Century, and how truly infuriated Francis must have been at points. They both have a vested interest in Italy - Antonio wins that one. Francis has a stake in Barcelona - Antonio wins that one. They both want the Low Countries. Antonio wins that one. Antonio gets Holy Roman Empire. And the actual creme de la creme... Antonio has divided the world in two with that blooming Treaty of Tordesillas. And the Pope was the one to approve that one. The Pope! The guy who says France is the most important nation for Christianity in Europe (save HRE but... oh look Spain is now Holy Roman Emperor too Jesus Christ).

Needless to say, Francis feels the universe is conspiring against him. God's not still mad about that Avignon Pope... is he?

So Francis is forever looking for ways to kick Antonio in the shins - to go back to him being the main guy in Europe, the guy who wants it and works for it and you know Francis more than anything wants to admired. Antonio... oh. Not sure what he wants more than anything really. A peaceful life. Which he did not get to have for most of his existence really. Arthur and Sadık are handy for Francis to use from time to time to deal a smack to Antonio, but otherwise it's him looking at this guy who - let's be generous - is not the most ambitious man going, who seems to just grow more and more powerful, more and more influential and it eaaaaaaaaats at Francis.

But you know. Habsburgs. Religion. War. Antonio finally understands what he stands to loose, and ah. There's the ambition and drive. But he still looses, and now there's a Bourbon in charge and he is unable to ever fully get back up to that the ascent that the Trastámaras started. Pacte de Famille pops up again and again in the 18th Century, and I like the idea of it being characterised as Francis using Antonio's love of the Italies, and the fact that Arthur is increasingly a pain in the fucking arse for the both of them. Again, both Francis and Antonio love the same things. They also hate the same things. Sometimes that thing is a god awful English dude and sometimes love and hate are indistinguishable.

Like, Francis can loathe Arthur at points, but at least Arthur works to be a pain in the arse. Toni... wants to own a cafe. And he isn't even that good at it.

#this is so unorganised and i didn't talk about anything post 1800 but you get the point #early modern french-spanish relations is a yo yo and i love it #hetalia #hws spain #hws france #headcanon #op #q&a #historical hetalia

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theriancultureis · 1 year ago

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Crow (or any winged really) therian culture is loving zip-lining because it reminds you of what it was like to fly

#therian culture is #therian culture #alterhuman #otherkin #therianthropy #theriantype #theriotype #therian #wing theriotype #wing therian #wingkin #wing kin #crowkin #crow theriotype #crow therian

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glorious-kt · 1 year ago

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O14 x Young Wolf Exo!Hunter

Some lovely smut

Soft and fluffy

@hidden-scarlet-whispers for your needs

Pinning Osiris to the bed was easier when Saint was also behind them to be another barrier. The older Warlock was unable to escape, not that the human wanted to anyways, not when a naked Young Wolf was sitting prettily in his lap and a naked Saint had a hand on his thigh and another on the Hunter’s hip. The three of them had stumbled into bed like this after Osiris had finally given in to Sagira's complaining about seeing Ghost and Geppitto. The other two ghosts missed their friend after all, and Osiris did miss his lovers. So he left Mercury and snuck into the Tower on Earth. Wolf found him first, because of course he did. His little spark was an amazing tracker as they were a scholar. Osiris was sure that if they hadn't been a Hunter, then Warlock would have come next.

"Pretty," Young Wolf clicked out softly, his voice just barely a whisper, the sound more glitchy than anything due to his low usage of his voice box.

Osiris flushed under the sharp green optics, swallowing as he burned under the pure lightning sitting in his lap. Rarely did Wolf ever speak, so to hear the younger Exo use his voice to call him pretty of all things... well, it did things to him.

"Yes, yes, he is pretty. Our pheonix, so bright and daring," Saint crowed out from behind Young Wolf, those purple optics shining bright with amusement and adoration, tugging Osiris closer by the thigh.

It caused the human to gasp in shock as the motion knocked Young Wolf further onto his cock. The younger Exo trilled from on Osiris' lap, the lights following the line of his body pulsing with the pleasure that zipped up the hunter’s spine. Osiris tipped his head back with a moan, closing his eyes as the smaller Exo rolled his hips with a sound of pleasure and laughter. Osiris missed the both of them. Missed this. The laughter and joy in their intimacy. The kind touch from the lightning in Wolf's touch. The cold shock of the void in Saint's hold. He missed the roll of Wolf’s hips against his, the feeling of Wolf taking him deep and gently.

He missed the way Saint was being so gentle, allowing their Hunter to set their pace before rocking forward into Osiris, sinking his member into the warlock with practiced ease. Their connection was like seeing a series of stars that made up the constellations that Young Wolf loved looking at. Osiris reopened his eyes with a cry as he looked up at the lithe Exo. He was full on both ends, pressing deep into Atlas and Saint pressing deep into him. The younger Exo made a noise in the back of his voice box, chirping and clicking happily as he leaned down to press a kiss to Osiris' forehead, rolling his hips to Saint's thrusts.

Osiris felt overwhelmed, tears sparking in his eyes as he reached up to hold on to Young Wolf’s thighs, needing a point of contact that wasn't just his dick. He could feel his two lovers ripping him apart with just their kind touches. The slow rolling pace, like an steady stream slowly eroding the dirt to make way for a river to grow.

"Wolf, Guardian, Wolf, please. Please, little spark, don't tease," Osiris begged out, grip tight on the Hunter’s thighs, Solar Light burning in his palms.

The Exo shushed him softly, leaning down further to press a kiss to his gasping mouth. Good timing too, as Saint picked up the pace right then, ramming into Osiris' prostate, turning the softness of the moment into somehting more rough and desperate. Osiris cried out against Young Wolf’s mouth, tossing his head back in pleasure, giving Wolf room to nip at his neck.

"We have you, my pheonix. Don't worry. We have you," Saint cooed as he dragged the two of them in closer.

Osiris could die happy. Sandwiched between his two lovers. Pleasure on all sides and the feeling of cold void and sparking lightning dancing along his spine.

Sagira wouldn't be happy, but his ghost would live.

#young wolf #destiny o14 #o14 x yw #o14 #osiris destiny #Saint 14 #Osiris #destiny osiris #osiris x saint 14

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seas-of-silver · 1 year ago

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Oh! For the thingy of sentence. (My ml Tumblr is dadplagg-mamatikki btw...)

"Get back here!" Plagg yelled as he flew after a cackiling Tikki.

(Also I think I misspelled something.. 🤦🏻‍♀️🥲)

No worries about spelling errors and whatnot - I can fix that 🤭

Here you go @dadplagg-mamatikki!

~/~

‘Get back here!’ Plagg yelled as he flew after a cackling Tikki.

‘You snooze, you lose!’ she sing-songed as she zipped around the umbrella behind Marinette’s chaise.

‘That doesn’t even make sense!’ he yowled as he followed her, flying past Adrien as they went through the trap door to the living room below. ‘I wasn’t even asleep!’

‘Could’ve fooled me, Stinky Sock,’ she teased as she did a lap around the room with him hot on her tail.

He growled as he tried to overtake her, almost whacking into a Tupperware while Tikki weaved through the assortment of salt and pepper shakers with ease. He flew straight through the centre of the cookie cutters that were standing on their sides on the bench, digging deep within himself to close the gap that had been growing between him and his cookie-loving counterpart. He almost had her-

‘And she’s over the finish line! Tikki wins!’ Tom crowed, handing Tikki a tiny medal Marinette had made.

‘Gah, I was so close!’ Plagg groaned, floating down to land next to his partner. ‘You were unfairly fast.’

‘I don’t weigh myself down with mountains of cheese,’ she joked lightheartedly, before handing him a slice of Camembert from the platter Sabine had prepared earlier. ‘You raced well today, Plagg.’

‘Thanks, Sugarcube,’ he said, taking the cheese, ‘but you know that I’ll totally beat you next time, right?’

Tikki’s eyes sparkled with the challenge. ‘You’re on!’

‘The next contenders in the Kwami Obstacle Course is… Kaalki and Fluff!’ Adrien announced. ‘Come on up to the starting line!’

Plagg watched as the two kwamis excitedly flew up into Marinette’s room.

‘Wait,’ said Tikki, sounding concerned, ‘doesn’t that leave Roaar and Orikko to compete against each other? We’ve gone through everyone else, haven’t we?’

Plagg dropped his Camembert. The last time Roaar and Orikko teamed up for something fun like this, Roaar tried to boost morale and excitement with friendly jests and words of encouragement… words which Orikko misinterpreted as insults, and did not take it too kindly. Orikko, feeling snubbed, wasn’t too polite to Roaar, who really didn’t like the rude attitude after her attempts to help her teammate’s mood. Things escalated, and, well, it wasn’t pretty. They haven’t been paired up since.

‘Okay!’ Marinette called from above. ‘Ready-’

The last time Roaar and Orikko were paired up, they were in the safety of the Miracle Box.

‘Steady-’

This time, they were in Marinette’s family home, in the outside world.

‘Go!’

Plagg looked at Tikki, despair in his gut. ‘Oh, shit.’

~/~

Ask game: Give me the first sentence and I'll write a short piece for it!

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stellarsjae · 1 year ago

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i love seeing how the different birds at the park by me approach hunting/foraging like the crows evenly space themselves in almost a grid across the fields and peck in their sections, the canada and cackling geese send a couple scouts then descend en masse and sweep together in a line, robins are only out in the morning picking berries and wet worms from the upper fields, the finches and sparrows cling to the fences and sunflowers and berry bushes and never sit still just like the bees, turkey vultures swoop in groups of three or more circling from the river across the parks to the road and back, and at the right time of day a single blue heron or bald eagle will patrol the confluence of rivers with watchful eyes above where the iridescent swallows zip and dance playfully across the surface, ducks paddling noisily around the boat launch and seagulls in the overflowing trashcans... and starlings just bully everyone in sight lmao

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dansnaturepictures · 1 year ago

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Hayling Island Oysterbeds 02/12/23

Flora and fauna photos taken in this set are of: 1 and 10. The gorgeous Long-tailed Duck which we got stunning views of on the lagoon, an exquisite, excellent and charming bird I am overjoyed to see one in Hampshire this year after they were stars of the Scotland trip we went on in April. It was exceptional to see this one and filled me with glee, seeing it swim and then flying over the lagoon into the mist that had descended at the end of the walk was a magical natural experience. 2. Another star bird of my year seen well and in numbers feeding at the shore on the sides of the lagoon, not a bird I'd seen at this spot much before but a common one in Hampshire, Turnstone. 3. Another species I've thoroughly enjoyed seeing and photographing this year one of a few Rock Pipits seen well this afternoon. Its feathers shone line fine fabric in the winter sun. 4. I believe my first ever white melilot, a sweet milky flower to see. 5. A big Buzzard it was a treat to see out in the marsh, a beautiful and unique sight we got a splendid view of one flying over the road on the way here too. 6. One of a few Red-breasted Mergansers I loved seeing this afternoon, beautiful ducks, I have seen and photographed it and its cousin the Goosander this week which can't have happened often with photos of both Long-tailed Duck and Long-tailed Tit this week too. 7. Knots, Dunlins and Turnstones, there were possibly Grey Plover mixed into this big group too. It was exceptional to enjoy the winter spectacle of all of these together not only in the huddle but elegantly gliding through the air as the mist was falling. 8. Oxtongue a bright flower it was great to see a few of by the sea. 9. Brent Geese, it was so uplifting and joyful to see them so well and be immersed in the place with the quintessential winter sound of their honking. I made the most of seeing them throughout the walk with some cracking views and it was mystical to see them fade into the mist which made a good backdrop to them at the end of the walk.

Other bird highlights were a Kingfisher zipping across the sea with the tide in at the start, Shelduck, Little Grebes on the lagoon, Cormorant, Grey Heron, an eerie Little Egret view in the foggy light, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Redshank, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Blackbird, Robin, Carrion Crow and Magpie. Roe Deers seen well, daisy, teasel seed heads and hawthorn berries kissed by the winter sun beautifully, rose hips, burdock seed heads, fluffy old man's beard, tree mallow leaves and privet berries were also nice to see. I enjoyed seeing Grey Silverfish and many Goldfinches out the front at home today. An enriching winter day.

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ladyofcrowsandcoffee · 11 days ago

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ginger, chai, and oolong! (pick any oc(s), since I don’t know yours) :3

Ask post in question

I forgot to put names so I'm picking Juniper and Carphira

Ginger: What always brightens your OC’s day?

Juniper: stargazing or being able to make others smile with kindness

Carphira: zip lining or curling up with her pets. A new dagger or new poison would also brighten her day

Chai: What is your OC’s comfort food/drink?

Juniper: his favorite drink is hot chocolate with flavored whipped cream or a vanilla chai latte

Carphira: hazelnut latte or a delicious coffee roast that has spices in it

Oolong: How does your OC decorate their space?

Juniper: He decorates with trinkets from loved ones, plants, throw blankets, whatever his roommate/partner want, and art he commissioned. Very cozy home vibes

Carphira: She decorates like a goth assassin who's really 3 crows in a trench coat. She's got skulls, daggers, shinny statues, a fancy coffee machine, a poison set, and some art she definitely stole acquired

#my ocs #ask #ask game #tav: Juniper #juniper #my tav #my rook #rook: Carphira #Carphira De Riva

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relax-and-read-on · 1 year ago

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You all asked for it....

Primarch, and the shitty gift they ended with

Part 2

Roboute: Lie, cheat, bargain and blackmail his way into getting Perturabo's gift. He WANT fancy new heated public bath, and there is no friends or brother in that fight. Quite happy with himself.

Lion: Got Leman's gift. Imemdiately start eating it with his hands, in front of everyone. A few complain about the strong smell and he growl at them. Literally licking the tin that contained caviar.

Alpharius Omegon: Try to troll Rob by "going" for Pert's gift, but decide to go for Mortarion's one. The want the extremely invasive succulent, for... Completely innocent purpose. Yep. No tomfoolery in the plans.

Rogal: Get Roboute's Mug, and has one big "AH! This is humourous!". Will never use any other mug ever again. Is generously sharing the candies amongst family members.

Perturabo: Kinda super smug that his gift was quite beloved, but try to play it off. As such, he's in a good mood, and "pretend" that he doesn't care that he got Lion's weird taxidermy bird. Actually, he's crazy excited because he think he has a new taxon of bird. No one tell him.

Corvus: Gets Angron punching bag. It's the same size as her. Actually make a VERY comfortable firm body pillow, it will join her nest at once. No one will ever see it again.

Lorgar: After a few people tried Vulkan's hot sauce and almost died, Lorgar tried it, and declare it DELICIOUS. Him and Vulkan are now exchanging cooking tips, or possibly recipe for biological weapons, no one is sure.

Konrad: Get's Lorgar tea set. Ignore the fancy teapot and immediately start munching on the leaves, in spit of Lorgar's warning. 15min later he's high as a kite, star fishing on the carpet with a big dopey smile and giggling about bees. He's having a good time.

Sanguinius: Get Magnus color changing robes! Then has a lot of fun trying to color change his own hair to match. Someone (Horus) ask what color it turm when he's horny, and get a semi-gentle wing slap.

Vulkan: Rogal's screwdriver! Immediately start having fun with it, and is pleased to see a tool that his resistant to his size and strenght. Might try to convince Rogal to make an entire line of tool for him and his sons.

Horus: at first was also going for Pert's gift, but end up abandoning that for Fulgrim's family painting. They are having the party on his ship, in his rooms, and take the time to grind everything to a halt just so that he can hung his new favorite painting in the whole world. Rogal help him gladly.

Mortarion: See Jaghatai's foal start eating Magnus hair, and take it so it's not "corrupted by witchery". The lil animal chew on his cloak instead and fall asleep in his laps. Try hard not to cry at how much he love him.

Jaghatai: Get the edible sexy underwear, and immediately put them on (above his clothes!) Make prolonged eye contact with anyone starring, and declare that if anyone wants a taste, they can. Multiple people are tempted.

Leman: Get Ferrus rock collection, and honestly thought it was rock candy. Crunch one, and wince as it grind against his teeth. Still try a few more, because *maybe* they do have different flavors??? Surprisingly like the ammonite fossil.

Magnus: Get the Twins MLP:FiM dvd set. Way too intrigued by mysterious dvd, he will spend WAY too much time watching the show eventually, and try to decipher it's arcane meaning.

Fulgrim: Bite the bullet, and got Konrad's gift. He wants to encourage him to do more art, and he also recognise the stitching technic used as the one he thought Konrad. So. He can endure the tiny bit of skin still attached to his hair pillow.

Ferrus: Ended up with Corvus gift, the crow kigurumi. It bulge obscenely over his muscles and can't zip up much. Looks quite inappropriate, but he insist on wearing it because it's "comfy as fuck". Fulgrim is fully encouraging him.

Angron: Get Sanguinius pillow. Grumble that it's a shit gift, then actually lay his head on it to see how soft it is. Immediately asleep. The party is very quiet after that, and declared a resounding success.

In the (late!) Spirit of the holidays, I wanted everyone to have a good time, and a gift they enjoy. I wanted to post this around christmas, but hey, life got in the way! So! I hope you all had a happy celebration, filled with the people you love, and that you will all have a year 2024 better than the last.

Again, thank you all for following this silly lil blog!

I have not made made a generic hc post about the primarch in a LONG time. I miss it, and it's good for the warhammer tumblr ecosystem. So, without further waiting....

Primarch, and the absolutely shitty gifts they give each others for a White Elephants gift exchange

Roboute: A classic coffee mug (primarch sized!) Filled with sweets and a indestructible fancy fountain pen. The mug say "World Most Okay Dad" on it, and he joke that it apply to them all.

Lion: a stuffed bird. The number of eyes on it is vaguely unnerving. It's unclear wich way is the head suppose to go, and all agree that it's probably an awful mutant bird. Lion is too proud to admit that it's just a really shotty taxidermy he made himself.

Alpharius Omegon: They give a series of mysterious CD in blank case, wich is a very rare and hard to read format on most ship! It's the entire series of MLP:FiM, famous lost media in the 30th millenium.

Rogal: A thick, sturdy, and perfectly elegant multi bit screwdriver, with extra standard bits put in the handle. Give a proud presentation on it, explaining it's superior design and all it's ergonomic features. It's 45 min long.

Perturabo: it's a coupon that say "one (1) construction from me and my legion, free of complaining. Valid until the 31th millenium." It's the most popular gift of the night.

Corvus: slipper and kigurumi, all crow themed. They are *adorable*. Sadly, the size is a bit tight and vaguely indecent on the more muscular primarch.

Lorgar: a traditional colchian tea set, with hand dried craft teas! The set is beautiful, and the teas prove to be only mildly hallucinogenic.

Konrad: A very, VERY pretty embroidered set of throw pillow! They have delicate pattern of flower and nature imagery... And are made with human hair. Konrad is very proud of himself, and even more of the absolute bloody screaming his gift create when he explain it.

Sanguinius: put out by Konrad's gift, but he also made a pillow, but this one filled with his own feathers. Has surprising property against nightmare.

Vulkan: He was actually sweet, and brought homemade hot sauce, his mother's recipe! The problem is that the stuff is so strong, it's considered a dangerous chemical in most of the galaxy. Can be used as jet fuel.

Horus: Edible sexy underwear. Insist that whoever gets it has to wear it, and jokingly say that, if they are too shy, he can do a demonstration himself.

Mortarion: a succulent growing kit. Even his most dumbasses of brother should be able to keep a succulent alive, right? Doesn't mention that it's an highly invasive species that will colonise the entire ship of his poor victime.

Jaghatai: a foal. Yes, he carry a whole ass live animal to the gift exchange, and keep insisting that it's an appropriate gift. The horse is chewing on Magnus' hair.

Leman: Mad that he didn't think of bringing a puppy, but he has the most amazing looking collection of smoked salmon, caviar and preserved fish to offer.

Magnus: his patience is wearing thin, but he still offer a perfectly beautiful robe, that act as an honest to good mood ring and change color depending on the person's aura.

Fulgrim: A painting of himself! Wich is actually a joke, it's just a thin and hand painted decorative paper covering the true gift: a painting of all their family, together. Get called a try hard.

Ferrus: a collection of very pretty crystals and fossils! Wich he arranged in a chocolate box, and explain that those are his favorite flavors.

Angron: A punching bag that even *he* find durable. He made sure of it, by thoroughly testing it before giving it out, wich explain it's used appearance.

I know exactly who gets what..... Yall want to know in a part 2 ;)?

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goddesspharo · 1 year ago

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ao3 wrapped: 3, 6, 28?

[ask me about my ao3 wrapped!]

3. What work are you most proud of (regardless of kudos/hits)?

Probably against the grain of dystopic claims (Top Gun: Maverick), although I really hate the title now. But an apocalypse AU! Multi-chaptered! Kind of plotty! A WIP that I posted as I was working on it! And actually finished! Just doing one of these things would've been a feat, but to do all of it on the same fic without wanting to never write another TGM fic again afterwards? I'm patting myself on the back for that, especially since I didn't do that thing where I skimped on plot stuff near the end just to be done with it.

6. Favorite title you used

It has to be we talk just like lions, but we sacrifice like lambs, which is a lyric (the best line???) from Counting Crows' "Round Here." I got a thrill out of using it for Ready or Not fic because of the sacrificial lambs and all.

28. Favorite work you wrote this year?

Easily put it in a zip-lock bag for The Bear. I'd never written a band AU before and this was my first foray into The Bear fic, but I had such a blast writing it, it flowed out of me like I was possessed, and I realized just how much I loved writing Richie (and, by extension, Richie's friendship with Michael). And how I'd love to write even more Richie/Tiff backstory because, honestly, casting Gillian Jacobs as Tiff was genius and I hope she comes back next season if for no other reason than so they can look sad on opposite ends of a phone call while I think about them in "Fishes" and weep about how cute they were.

#ask me things

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casspurrjoybell-19 · 2 years ago

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TORN - Chapter 21

*Warning: Adult Content*

When Alpha Oasis Amador was just a pup, he remember always thinking about who his mate would turn out to be.

He always imagined them to be the most beautiful person alive, someone whose features and personality would shock him to his very core and make him fall head-over-heels.

Around the time he reached puberty, he'd stay up into the late hours of the night, a flashlight in one hand as he sat underneath his covers to write endless letters to the one person he longed to meet.

He would write long lines of promises on the thin sheets of paper in his terrible, pubescent scrawl before falling asleep to dream of the tiny, faceless boy that pleasantly ravaged his dreams.

The first time he had that dream, he knew that he was definitely going to fall off of the beaten path that most Alphas followed.

He was in love with that little, faceless male at a young age, that much he knew, although it didn't bother him at all.

All he wanted was to be able to keep his mate safe from anything and everything that may hurt him.

But he'd failed at doing the one thing he promised himself to always strive for once he'd finally found him.

That one fact tore at Oasis constantly, his insides bubbling with hatred not only for that fucking bastard that stole his mate from him but also for himself.

He just wanted his Angel happy and safe but he had already fucked that up.

On top of that, Berlin was pregnant with their perfect little pup.

Oasis had to hold back a pain-filled growl when that thought crossed his mind, determined to keep it together for the sake both his pack and himself.

Instead, he focused on the trees around him as he zipped through them with his Warriors at his sides.

The steady beat of many paws hitting the ground with a sense of urgency along with his gave everyone the conviction to continue on and continue they did.

They had to have been running for at least three hours straight but Oasis and York didn't even feel the least bit fatigued.

In fact, York was steadily growing more and more impatient as the hours rolled by, tearing at the back of Oasis’ mind because despite the fact that they were in his Wolf form, the Alpha still took over York’s consciousness.

"Alpha, we are just outside of the boundaries."

Beta Ortiz's voice rang out in Oasis’ mind as they approached the meet-up area just as the sun began to set behind the mountains.

The sky was a beautiful mixture of reds, oranges and a soft cream color.

It was vaguely reminiscent of the color Berlin's soft cheeks took as he blushed.

Oasis’ heart clenched in pain as he thought of him, throwing his head back to send a loud howl into the air to alert the rest of his pack that they had arrived.

"Thank you. Round up everyone in the clearing."

Almost instantaneously, the Warriors that Alpha Oasis led in Wolf form began to file into the large area surrounded by trees.

They began to shift back to human and dress themselves in the appropriate attire, chatting quietly among themselves and loading full magazines into their guns.

A minute or so later the other half of their group appeared from the trees, already in human form and surprisingly looking wide awake, almost as if they hadn't just endured a long, cramped drive here.

Oasis took no time at all to shift back to human as well, ignoring York's incessant grumbling in their mind as the Alpha pulled on the sweatpants he brought before simply fastening the bullet-proof vest over his bare torso.

He easily towered over many of his Warriors in both height and might, making it easy to gather the attention of every one of them with a loud clearing of his throat.

A smirk made its way onto his lips when all heads turned to look at him, bathing in the respect and attention that flowed from each one of his Warrior's actions.

‘I guess I truly am an amazing Alpha.’

"Just beyond these trees lies a man who will do anything he can to keep our Luna forever," Oasis started, making eye contact with each person in the crowd to the best of his ability.

"He is demented, deranged and will do anything to get his way. Do not, I repeat, do not under any circumstances attempt to apprehend him. That will be my job and my job only," he paused, letting everyone have a moment to let his words sink in before continuing.

"Our goal today is to get our Luna back, no matter the cost. The first wave of you will handle the outside guards, the next will infiltrate the inside. Cut off into your groups on each floor but the top floor belongs to me. Your Beta will aid me when needed," Alpha Oasis finished off his instructions, letting them ring through the clearing before turning around, putting fresh magazines into all of his guns and raising his hand high above his head as a signal.

‘Please, Goddess. Help me save my Princess.’

Just as Oasis’ knuckles straightened his Warriors flew into action, zipping through the trees and moving around their Alpha like rushing water around a boulder.

Oasis stood there for a silent moment before walking in the same direction, taking out his silver gun when he reached the edge of the tree-cover.

The house that stood in the target area was gigantic and extremely sterile looking.

The entire place was made out of concrete, definitely made for protection rather than appearances.

Oasis stared, expressionless as his men expertly executed the plan, many of them quietly snapping the necks of those standing guard in front of the fortress while the rest prepared to file into the building.

He made his way slowly to the front of the line of men, addressing them with a nod of his head before kicking his leg out hard.

The steel door swung open with a whine from his use of force, revealing a long hallway lit by equally sterile and hospital-like lighting.

The Alpha held the door open for the Warrior behind him as he walked into the hallway, his gun drawn away from him in a defensive stance.

But Oasis’ gun didn't shield him from the images he saw next.

The first door to the right of the hallway made him gag as the putrid scent of death slipped from the crack underneath it.

There was a large window on the door, giving anyone who walked by it a perfect view of the decaying bodies inside.

They were arranged around an elegant table, sitting in leather chairs as if they were just having a leisure tea party.

The sight was repulsing to say the absolute least, leaving Oasis’ heart pounding as his need to find his Mate increased by at least a thousand.

‘If that fucking asshole even touched Berlin...’

Throwing his arm over his nose to at least muffle the scent, he quickly moved past the room of horrors, searching for the stairs to the goddamned building.

He wanted to find Berlin, kill the Max demon and get out of this fucking place before he vomited his guts up from disgust.

The Warriors followed their Alpha when he finally found the stairs at the end of the hallway.

It was silent but they all knew what to do.

As Oasis climbed higher on the staircase, groups of his men separated to ambush each floor, however the top floor was his.

He could sense Berlin's presence in the highest area of the building, calling out to his deepest sense of being but he forced both himself and York to act rationally.

The last thing he needed was his furious Wolf busting into the compound and blowing the plan for all of them.

As the sound of shouting, screams and gunshots filled his ears from the lower levels, Oasis held his gun to his chest, pressing his back against the wall next to the door when he reached the top floor.

He took a deep and steadying breath as he closed his eyes for a quick moment, reminding himself of the only things he valued more than his own life.

‘Berlin. Berlin and my perfect, unborn pup. They needed me, and I'd fight until my last breath to have them both back in my arms.’

Oasis eyes swirled with flecks of gold as he whirled around and kicked the door right off of it's hinges.

It hit the floor with a loud bang and Oasis immediately pressed his back against a large pillar when the sound of rustling of gun magazines filled his ears.

"We know you're up here, Oasis. Come out, we just want to play a little game," came a sickly sweet voice from beyond the pillar.

It was high-pitched and sounded awfully familiar, making his skin crawl with agitation when he couldn't place the sound to a name or face.

The Alpha took that moment to glance around the floor, taken slightly taken aback by the decor that was extremely comforting and... livable.

It looked to be made for a king and one would never guess that just a few floors below there were rooms filled with rotting dead bodies but Oasis knew better.

Peeking around the edge of the thick column, he was greeted with the sight of ex-pack member, Callie standing with a group of four or so men, each of them donning large rifles.

She wore a cocky smile upon her lips and Oasis raised an eyebrow when he realized that it was her who spoke just moments ago.

It was amusing really, seeing her weak self with a couple of equally weak-looking guards surrounding her.

Oasis scoffed, stepping from behind the column and raising his gun before easily sending a bullet straight through the foreheads of the four men before they could even react.

Max truly did a terribly job at training his men, especially when he claimed to always be 'one step ahead'.

That left Callie standing there with her mouth ajar and a look of sheer terror adorning her features as the men fell to the ground around her.

She went to raise her rifle with shaking hands but it was too late, Oasis was on her in less than a second.

Hitting her in the head with his gun was enough to knock her out cold and he simply smirked at the sight of her unconscious body atop the dead guards.

So much for protection... Oasis sidestepped them quickly, still holding his gun out in front of him as he approached the only door at the end of the hallway that Callie and her posse were ‘guarding’.

It was curious, as the door was much fancier than the rest that lined the walls of the hallway.

Although, with a second glance at the cocky 'M' carved on the door, Oasis’ curiosity dissipated when he realized why.

It had to have been Max's room... there was only one demon so narcissistic and obsessed with the man he'd possessed that they would have the first letter of their name carved into the mahogany door.

Oasis snapped out of his thoughts at a soft whimper that came from the other side of the door, his heart pounding as his very soul recognized the sound as purely Berlin.

He didn't flinch when the sound of footsteps behind him registered, knowing that it was only Beta Ortiz when he whistled out under his breath.

The heavier footfalls of Warrior Corey came just after him, although he was silent as usual.

"Fuck, you really did a number on them, huh?" Ortiz chuckled, coming up right behind Oasis but not daring to touch him in such a state.

There was a weird feeling in his chest that held the Alpha back from opening the door, almost as if to tell him that this rescue was unusually all too easy.

There's no way Max would let them get this far, this fast.

However, with a burst of hope, Oasis charged in through the door only to be met with a sight that shredded his heart completely and threw it into a fire to shrivel and burn.

Berlin was handcuffed to the large bed on his stomach, his eyes closed tightly as his little body was wracked with sobs.

Deep whip lashes covered the once flawless skin of his back, leaving the flesh underneath open and bloody.

Some of them looked as if they were trying to heal but given the fact that he was an Omega as well as grossly underfed, it was obvious that they were healing even slower than human wounds.

The scent of blood and sex was thick in the air and Oasis couldn't help but let out a growl of pure rage when he saw and smelt the dried semen and blood running down Berlin’s bruised thighs.

He looked even smaller than normal as he tried his best to curl into himself, if that was even possible and his expression was that of someone who'd completely given up.

Even so, there was a glow about him that was uniquely Berlin.

It called out to Oasis like nothing else, coaxing him towards his tiny body on the bed.

Oasis took no time in rushing over to his little Angel, grasping the handcuffs in his hands and breaking the chain.

Berlin’s eyes began to flutter open at the sudden movement, adjusting to the light of the room before they settled on Oasis.

It took a second or two for him to register the situation through his watery eyes as they overflowed like a fountain but when he did, his thin arms were around his Mate’s neck in less than an instant as he sobbed even harder.

Oasis wrapped his arms around Berlin cautiously as well, his own tears silently overflowing the moment his skin touched mine.

"I-I-I t-thought y-you l-l-left m-me," he hiccuped between almost between every syllable, crying hysterically as his face pressed against Oasis’ neck.

The Alpha shook his head instantly, trying to reign himself in and remind himself that they had to get out of this fucking building and back to the pack house as fast as possible.

"I would never leave you," he breathed out, kissing his Mark on Berlin’s neck over and over as if it would make the entire situation go away.

Oasis wanted to scream out in agony at the sight of it's faded edges, meaning that someone else had taken his kitten in a way only he should.

Max raped him and he wanted Oasis to know.

As if on cue, a loud alarm sounded throughout the building, followed by Max's demented laughter over a loud PA system.

"And we have a Bingo," Max cackled, sounding as if he was conducting a game at an old-folks home on a leisurely Sunday evening.

Berlin whimpered loudly in Oasis’ arms, beginning to shake as he curled up and clung to his Mate like a life-preserver.

The Alpha forced himself to pull back, each of his sounds of protest causing another stabbing-like pain in his chest but had to push through it for a few moments.

Quickly pulling off his bullet-proof jacket and revealing his bare torso, he carefully fastened it onto Berlin instead.

His tiny Mate’s cries of pain tore at the Alpha when the rough material rubbed against the deep wounds on his back.

"N-no," Berlin screeched, trying to unfasten the jacket from around him.

"I-it's yours."

Oasis quickly wrapped him up in his arms once more to keep him from doing so.

"Kitten, stop. Please. You need much more protection than I do," Oasis explained, kissing the top of Berlin’s head as he cried into his chest.

‘My poor sweetheart was so overwhelmed, almost to the point of breaking completely. I could tell that he was hanging on by an exceptionally thin thread. All due to this fucking demon. He might as well consider himself dead.’

“You're carrying our pups, baby. Please, just wear it. I heal much faster than you will if anything were to happen."

Berlin's watery eyes looked up and into Oasis’, his bottom lip trembling with fear.

"I w-wanna g-go h-h-home..." he begged before shoving his face into Oasis’ neck again.

The Alpha simply nodded, shifting his Mate into his lap as gently as possible before standing up with him still in his arms.

Oasis nodded towards Ortiz and Corey who were standing by the door, Ortiz in Corey's protective embrace as the Alpha silently instructed them to get backup but our actions were all cut short when the PA system once again crackled alive.

"So nice to see the family reunion you've got going here but you're not going anywhere," Max's shrill voice cut through the speakers which were receded in the ceiling.

Oasis sneered in the direction of them, his arms tightening around his little Mate in his arms at Max's threat.

Although there were no windows in the room, the sound of windows in the hallway and the doors leading to the stairwell being slammed shut with metal grates and locked sent chills down Oasis’ spine.

‘Like I said, this whole thing seemed too easy from the very start.’

"We're doing things my way, with a little game," a sinister giggle came across the speakers.

"Oh, oh but first, I meant to commend you on how tight your mate is. He was such a good slut for me, his screams were just so delectable."

The Alpha growled out in fury, his nails turning into claws and his canines extending at his gibe.

He snarled in anger and Berlin's soft cry of pain did nothing to help the situation.

"FUCK YOU. You can go fuck yourself, you demented asshole. How dare you touch my mate?" Oasis screamed out in rage at the empty room with no doubt that Max could hear him loud and clear.

Max just scoffed and then spoke in a cheery tone.

"I really prefer to do the fucking but thank you for the suggestion. You forget that he was my Mate too, silly. If these memories serve me right, he was always such a good fuck."

There was a moment of silence and Oasis gritting his teeth to keep from lashing out and potentially harming Berlin in blind rage before the demon continued.

"Anyways, let's make this fun, shall we? I always do love a good game of hide-and-go-seek. Count to 30 and catch me if you can, but don't leave that room early or little Berlin goes bye-bye."

Although Max’s words were dripping with insanity in every syllable, there was no other choice.

The Alpha’s entire group of Warriors were locked in the building and the weight of the pack as well as the fate of his Mate and his child's very life was on his shoulders, hanging in the balance over a game of ‘hide-and-go-seek?’

‘What kind of shit is this? However, I won't give up. I'm a fucking Alpha and not just any Alpha. I'm Alpha Oasis fucking Amador, with my beautiful Luna at my side. Nobody dared to challenge me, not even this lunatic of a demon possessed ex-Alpha.’

With a smirk pulling at the edges of his lips and his pregnant Mate in his arms, Oasis replied in just four words...

"Bring it on, shit-head."

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