#day 2: friendship

[luce-speaks]

kliff and the friends

last minute submission for day two of @fe-aspec-week 2024!! this one is a little thrown together because i had an idea at the last minute but! here goes!!

—

Kliff has never been particularly fond of other people.

He used to think he just got unlucky, stuck in a tiny village where no one understood the concept of personal space. He dreamed of the day he’d escape them, get out, go anywhere but here, and meet people who were actually decent.

Then he started going to school in the next town over, and with each new person he met, that dream died in front of him. Each and every one of them—over-familiar like Gray, clumsy like Tobin, naive like Alm, or disgustingly romantic like Faye. He hated it. He came back to Ram Village with a disappointed letter from his teacher and a new will to tolerate these idiots so he could safely ignore the rest. He might not fit in, but at least they know him well enough to leave him alone while he’s reading.

—

The war comes on suddenly, like a storm rolling in overnight, and things change. Kliff learns what fire spells can do to a human being, and Gray stops joking about hitting Tobin with his sword, and Faye picks up a lance for the first time, insisting she’ll do whatever it takes to protect her friends. Tolerable acquaintances become battle-allies, people you can trust to have your back. People who could die beside you, any day. There’s no room out here for petty bickering, but sometimes it also feels like there’s no room to get attached. When the war is over, Kliff thinks, they’ll go their separate ways. He probably won’t even miss them.

—

Tobin flags him down at camp one day. “Hey, Kliff!”

He rolls his eyes. “Tobin. I thought you knew not to interrupt me while I’m studying.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. But I have questions about magic! That counts as study time, right?”

Now Kliff is intrigued, though he refuses to give Tobin the satisfaction. “Since when do you care about magic? I thought it was too complicated for you.”

Tobin settles beside him, keeping a safe distance, but not bothering to ask whether he minds the company. “Well, I don’t really get it. But I want to learn. You know—for the war.”

He sighs. “I don’t know what Alm or Gray did this time, but you’re better with a bow than you’re ever going to be with magic. Focus on getting better at that.”

“Healing magic,” Tobin corrects. “I want to learn healing.”

“What? Why?”

“C’mon, seriously? I’m worried about you guys! I want us to go back to Ram when this is all over—all of us, together. Even if we’re not all planning to stay.”

“…All right, then. I can try to teach you.” Kliff grins. “Though I wouldn’t count on your ability to learn it.”

—

Faye catches him off guard in the middle of an overcrowded mess hall. She’s saying something, but he can’t understand her over the din of too many hungry soldiers. Eventually, she gives up and beckons to the door.

Kliff follows her, plate in hand, out to the cool night air. “What was that for?”

She shrugs. “You looked like you wanted to go outside.”

“I—” He pauses. Mess hall never used to bother him more than any other time around camp, but now that they’ve been getting more recruits, it has been getting louder and louder. He’s never liked loud noises, either. “I guess I did.”

Faye walks a little farther away from the tent, towards the woods. He follows her, and they settle together at the forest’s edge—still in earshot of the camp, but safely away from the clamor of the mess hall.

“I miss Ram,” Faye says quietly, after they’ve been eating for a bit. “Seeing this many people in one place reminds me how far we are from home.”

Kliff snorts. “It just reminds me of school. They always crammed too many people into the common areas for lunch.”

“So you didn’t like leaving then, either?”

“I liked going to school,” he answers. “I didn’t like the people there.”

“What kind of people do you like?”

He thinks on this. “The quiet kind.”

Faye smiles and nods. They eat the rest of their meal in silence.

—

Gray looks out for him during fights.

At first he’s convinced Gray is just showing off, jumping in dramatically and kicking down a mage in mid-chant before they can fire another spell at Kliff. But then it happens a second time, and a third time, and Kliff is more than certain that it’s intentional.

“You don’t have to do that, you know,” Kliff says, the next time Gray takes a blow for him.

“Do what?” Gray asks. “Look super cool while I’m saving the day?”

Kliff regrets that Gray is too focused on the battle to see him roll his eyes. “Protect me. I can look out for myself.”

“Oh, that? I’m just practicing for next time one of the girls needs saving.” Gray pauses to skewer another incoming mage. “Gotta keep my skills sharp and all that!”

“Gray, I’m serious. Can you stop joking around?” Kliff fires off another spell, stopping an approaching cavalier in their tracks. Now there are no more distractions—Gray will have to talk to him.

Gray turns to face him. “Look, I know you can take it, okay? But that’s not your job. If you’re up in the front lines taking hits, you won’t have the energy to cast your spells. So you do your job, and I’ll do mine, yeah?”

He sighs. “Fine.”

“Great! Now how about a ‘thank you’ for saving your ass?”

“In your dreams.”

—

Alm brings him a book from town.

“Here,” he says, unloading it off a pile of rations and weapons. “They had this on sale at one of the booths. I thought you might get some use out of it.”

Kliff inspects it. It’s a neatly-bound red tome, with gold embossing on the front. It looks well-used, but it’s holding together nevertheless. He flips it open, skimming the table of contents, and frowns.

“I hate to break it to you, but this is a book on magical theory. It’s not going to teach me anything I don’t already know about battle casting.”

Alm looks a little offended. “I know,” he says. “I just figured you would like it. You liked learning about magic at school, didn’t you?”

“I did, but—” He frowns again, turning the book over anxiously in his hands. “We’re in the middle of a war. Did you spend army funds on this?”

“Don’t worry, I spent my own money on it. No funds wasted.”

“But—” Kliff stammers. “Why? What’s the point? What do you get out of this?”

Alm sighs. “It’s just a gift. We may be at war, but we’re still people. I want you guys to be happy—at least, when we’re not having to kill people.”

“Oh,” Kliff says. “Uh. Thanks.”

Alm smiles, bright as ever. “Any time.”

—

The war continues, and Kliff keeps dreaming about the places he’ll go once he’s free to travel as he pleases. He’s not sure what kind of people he’ll meet out there, but—he thinks—if they’re anything like the ones he met in Ram Village, he hasn’t got anything to worry about. Other people may be unpleasant—clumsy, naive, romantic, and over-familiar—but they’re still worth knowing, every once in a while.

[calibratedgallow]

happy portal/team fortress 2/my little pony friendship is magic/ fallout day

[shadowspronouns]

super team dark !!! for @teamdarkweek day 7; space/light :]

[homkamiro]

Answering some questions regarding TF2 × MLP AU!!! This crossover absolutely rotted my brain and I can't.stop thinking about it

[sophfandoms53]

IS HE RECORDING A FUCKING TIKTOK DANCE LMFAOO

I cannot wait for Shadow to beat his ass and make him question absolutely everything😭

[dapper-lil-arts]

The meme you expected lmao

[courtmartialme]

forcing myself to post more just so the world has more riza in it

[arachnestwilight]

Big day for autistic people everywhere (it's me, I'm autistic people everywhere).

[somewhereincairparavel]

No thoughts.

Just thinking about how Reyna kept her distance from Jason because of Venus, fearing heartbreak, but ended up getting heartbroken anyway.

Just thinking about how Jason felt guilty about Reyna's feelings for him, thinking that he led her on, and felt truly sorry that he didn't love her back.

Just thinking about how bitter Reyna sounded when she said that Jason was no longer fully roman anymore.

Just thinking about how, upon seeing Thalia's eyes, the only thing Reyna can think of is Jason's startling blue stare.

Just thinking about how Jason could tell that Reyna was tired simply by noting how her shoulders move.

Just thinking about how Reyna rarely compliments anyone, but fondly calls Jason an "all American boy".

Just thinking about how Jason would never bet against Reyna under any circumstances, and knows if anyone is capable of completing dangerous missions, it's Reyna.

Just thinking about how Reyna daydreamt of her and Jason holding hands, walking in the garden.

Just thinking about how Reyna and Jason would geek over their shared interest of roman history.

Just thinking about how Jason HATES unkept promises, yet the only unkept promise he'd unintentionally made was that if he and Reyna would go visit Diocletian's sceptre, it would only be them visiting TOGETHER. Not seperately. The fates ruined his chance of keeping that promise.

Just thinking about how Reyna would've felt upon hearing that her once best friend, died tragically saving a god, and that she would never see him again.

Just thinking about how Jason dies with the guilt of not properly reconciling with his old friend.

Just thinking about how Reyna lives with the guilt of keeping her distance from him because of that wretched warning Venus gave her. Maybe if she had not, would they have been together? Would they have atleast remained best friends? Would they have not grown apart?

Just thinking about how Reyna looked like she'd been crying for hours during Jason's funeral.

Just thinking about how they both knew their friendship would never be the same again but refused to confront that bitter reality, so they ran away from it.

Just thinking about how they never even shared one last hug together.

Just thinking about how in the end, both of them most likely only had bittersweet memories of eachother, and that neither of them got to say their final goodbyes.

No thoughts, just the tragic end of Jason Grace and Reyna Avila Ramirez's friendship

[bbq-potato-chip]

thinking about saiura

[laswells-ashtray]

It isn't the first time John has been accused of being involved with or wishing he was involved with Kate. It drives him insane because absolutely not. There's no denying Kate is smart, her quick wit rivals his and she's obviously beautiful. But John has a certain Russian pilot in his bed and that is all he needs. He's accused of wanting her because he treats her with more respect than anyone else in the field, he'll never make the mistake of underestimating her because he knows better and if he didn't know her so well he'd fear her. Kate is undeniably his best friend, much to her own displeasure and if anything she's like a sister to him. He'd take a bullet for her every time and she'd smack him over the back of the head for it every time.

He doesn't want Kate in the slightest. The only thing he wants from her is her wife's fucking pasta recipe.

[sorikaied]

It doesn't matter when we met. Once we make a friend, we're friends for life.

celebrating 22 years of our friends being our power !

[no1tolerateitfan]

this is who runs my brain

[ifwebefriends]

This Day Aria: a gorgeous and dramatic aria building tension to the final confrontation of the episode, both hinting at the villain’s true plans and the true love that Cadence has for her fiancé

Shining Armor in that one shot:

[iffasart]

JWCTcountdown DAY 3: best duo

BEST DUO HANDS DOWN, I LOVE THEM TOGETHER

Also dont mind the background idk how to draw backgrounds 🥲

Night version under the cut

[yallthemwitches]

October Country

“Lily, I love you.”

Her eyes go wide. She starts to jerk around in his grasp, a panic setting in.

“Sirius, what are you doing—”

“No, Merlin, that came out wrong—sorry, let me try again— I love you because you have made James finally shut up.”

Written for @jilytoberfest Day 2, Prompt: A: “If anyone does X I’m going to love them forever.” B: Does X.

Rated T

Read Below or on AO3!

“Moony, it’s still October right?”

“I’m not a calendar, mate—but yes.”

“Like October—Quidditch season October?”

“Did it really take you seven years to put that timeline together?”

Sirius turns his head to either side of the room. He is sitting at the same desk as every year, Peter and Remus flanking him like always. Nothing has moved out of place since third, besides that the boys have grown taller with four years passed, hair a bit more wild looking.

“Then why the fuck is it so quiet?”

His answer sits just behind him. Sirius leans his chair back to investigate. Evans has had the same seat for years. In earlier times, she cursed the days she would have to share such close proximity to them, but now as she scribbles notes lightly on to her parchment, she looks like the paragon of happiness. James busies himself with tucking his face into the crook of her neck. Her hair barely shrouds his lips pressing firmly to her pulse point then traveling up behind her ear. A smile curls at her lips and every so often a small squeak bubbles forth, causing James to reappear from the veil of auburn to press his nose against her cheek and say something low under his breath. Her face, perpetually flushed these days, swats at him but with no clear attempt to deter. 

“Oi, Prongs!” Sirius isn’t making an attempt to be subtle. His best mate emerges once more from his girlfriend's neck and flashes his mate a smile that looks drunken and dazed—a look he has been sporting more and more since he and Lily became official a week prior. 

“Isn’t it quidditch season?” 

“Christ Pads, you’d think seven years with me would make you catch on to things like that.”

A muggle swear, another new and interesting development. Lily seems pleased to hear it, halting her notes to poke a finger into James’ cheek, taunting him in a soft, teasing voice. James turns and makes a playful bite at her retreating hand, eliciting another shriek that was fast becoming a new staple in Lily’s vocal repertoire. 

Sirius ignores them. 

“---You just haven’t been talking about it so much.”

“Really? Haven’t noticed, I’m sure I’ve been—” but James takes a reflective silence, then shrugs. 

“Guess I’ve been thinking about other things.”

Out in the corridor, James wastes no time pinning Lily to the stone wall right outside the classroom. The boys hover from afar for a moment, sizing up whether this round would be a quick snog, or one that they would have to abandon their mate for until he resurfaced. 

“Hey Evans—I need a word!”

Peter and Remus might be too timid or modest to ever try to interact with the couple when they were in such a state, but Sirius had an incredible passion for intercepting people’s private time. 

“---’m busy Black.” Lily attempts to make eye contact, but James’ hands are already weaving back through her hair, pulling her face back up to his. 

“Prongs, unhand your girlfriend, I have business to discuss.”

James’ head snaps back to cock an eyebrow. 

“What kind of business do you have with her that doesn’t include me?”

Sirius shrugs. “Well I was hoping to get a full performance report on your snogging capabilities, but I think I’ve already compiled enough unsolicited evidence on my own.”

Lily laughs, using it as leverage to wiggle her way out from under James’ grasp, inciting him to make a disappointed whine and stare pointedly at his mate.

“Fuck Prongs, don’t look at me like that—it was a joke. I’ll return your precious girlfriend to you in a sec, I just need to have a few words.”

He leads Lily out into the side courtyard, leaving James to stare into their retreating backs.

“I still haven’t sorted out if it’s cute or alarming how doting he can be,” Lily says lightly, more to herself than to anyone. 

“Your words.” Sirius snorts.

Once far enough out of earshot, Sirius whips around, startling Lily enough to jump. He places his hands on Lily’s shoulders, lowering his head to look straight into her eyes. He can tell she is uncomfortable but doesn’t pull back.

“Lily, I love you.”

Her eyes go wide. She starts to jerk around in his grasp, a panic setting in.

“Sirius, what are you doing—”

“No, Merlin, that came out wrong—sorry, let me try again— I love you because you have made James finally shut up.”

She stops her struggle. Her eyes search his face, mouth sloped into a frown. Sirius just returns it with a warm grin. 

“You’re mental Black, right fucked in the head, you know that right?”

Sirius snaps his head back in a laugh.

“What else is new.”

“You care to elaborate?”

“It’s quidditch season,” his tone imbues an obviousness that is not there.

“---why is this feeling like I’m back in ancient runes?” 

Sirius huffs, dropping his hands. Lily folds her arms against her chest with her eyebrows disappearing past her fringe. 

“Work with me, Evans. Quidditch season. Quidditch Season. Every year your stupid bloke of a boyfriend spends this time of year never shutting up about the damn sport. The stats, team performance, new strategies… ”

“Of course he does, he’s the captain. So what?”

“That’s my point! Now that he’s too busy snogging you, he doesn’t have time to talk about it.”

Lily blinks, eyes narrowing.

“So you are telling me you love me because I’m a…a distraction.”

Sirius frowns slightly in a moment of thought. “Yeah, reckon I am.”

“Goodbye Black.”

Lily turns on her heels, heading back towards an idle James who had spent the whole interaction pretending not to be spying behind one of the stone arches. 

“All I’m saying is—you can do whatever you want to him as long as you keep it up until the season passes.”

 His scream echoes far enough to turn the heads of lingering students. Even from afar, he can see James’ brow furrow, clearly confused and annoyed. Lily just turns back, her laugh chases the remaining echo of his words. 

“Will do. Thanks for the permission.”