#dire wolf drama

[great-and-small]

This is unrelated to anything else with the silly “Dire Wolf” controversy but them putting these images in all the articles give me the weirdest uncanny valley discomfort. Like it is hard for me to take these photos seriously. Do you know why?

Wolf pups just do not look like that. Because wolves typically have their pups in underground dens, it is an evolutionary advantage for the vulnerable pups to blend in with the dark earth of the den. If they were born white, they’d be sharply contrasted and easier for predators to spot. Even arctic wolves are born dark and gain their typical white coat a little later (though not all arctic wolves are white either).

Fun fact in Game of Thrones they used domestic dogs to play the dire wolf pups; puppy Ghost is cute but he’s clearly no wolf!

Giving birth to pups that are darkly colored is a pretty basic adaptation in a lot of canids that litter underground. Red foxes and arctic foxes are also born a very nondescript shade of dirt. Exceptions exist, but this is just a thing that a lot of wild canines do. Here are various canids (red fox, Ethiopian wolf, maned wolf, and African wild dog) that do this

I don’t know if we have any proof that dire wolves had their pups in dens but it would be kind of weird if they didn’t. So even if the dire wolf had a light coat as an adult they would likely still be born with a darker color to act as camouflage.

So when I keep getting this image

blasted on all my feeds you can understand why my brain has trouble registering it even as a gray wolf pup. It’s just weird. It looks like what chat gpt would spit out if you requested an arctic wolf pup. That thing would stand out like crazy in an underground den. You can make something look like something else all you want but the evolutionary history of a species is too complicated for us to ever faithfully recreate from scratch.

[princessbellecerise]

You Kiss Their Scars

Summary ✩ How your lover reacts to you kissing their scars

Warnings ✩ Mentions of violence and blood

Jacaerys Velaryon

You were amused as your lips pressed against the teeth shaped scars, in the shape of tiny little bite marks that Jace explained were from Vermax

“He used to bite me plenty when we shared a crib,” Your husband told you. “He was a nasty little thing. Mother was afraid he’d take a chunk out of my arm—but he never did. He stopped doing it when I bit him back,” He revealed

You giggled as you imagined baby Jace and baby Vermax—both the same size at one point—going at it while Rhaenyra tried to separate them. “So I suppose you’ve both always been temperamental then,” You said

It was no surprise that your husband, who also had quite the temper, related so much to his dragon. The two were one of the same, and you guessed that’s why they got along so well

“Yes,” Jacaerys agreed, a fond smile on his face as he recalled the memories. “We were quite a menacing pair indeed.”

Aegon Targaryen

“She did it again,” Is the only thing Aegon had to tell you in order for you to pull him into your arms, kissing the spot where a nasty red bruise was forming

It was no secret that your husband and his mother did not get along, but never did you think that she would have the audacity to strike him after an argument

It was appalling to you every time it happened, and you wanted nothing more than to march towards her and give the same treatment, Queen be damned

It wasn’t fair that she took out her anger out on Aegon but he begged you, no pleaded with you to not do anything

“It won’t do any good,” He’d tell you sadly, and your heart would ache as you saw the brokenness, the sadness on his face. “She’ll just hate me even more if you act.”

Aemond Targaryen

“Hold still.”

You jutted your tounge out in concentration as you cleaned Aemond’s scar, making sure that it was sanitized properly for the day

Your husband trusting you with such a thing was an act of love itself. The fact that he trusted you to see his deepest insecurity meant alot to you, and all you could do to repay him and hopefully bring up his spirits was pepper light kisses on the skin surrounding it

“There, all done.”

“Thank you, my love,” Aemond smiled slightly as he touched the spots were your lips touched, still wondering how he got so lucky as to find someone like you

Cregan Stark

“Ow! Be gentle, woman,” Cregan said playfully, wincing as you brushed over his ‘scar’ with a wet cloth

Somehow, for some reason, your dear husband thought it would be funny to wrestle with his dire wolf and then he had the nerve to come crawling to you, asking you to patch up his wounds after the beast had bitten him

Of course, it wasn’t really that big of a deal and Cregan wasn’t really hurt, but you still smirked as you pressed a kiss to it like it was a real wound

“There. That should ease some of the pain, you big baby,” You teased, rolling your eyes

Cregan chuckled as he checked your work, looking at the bandage you had placed over some ointment

“What do you suppose it’ll look like when it heals?” He asked you seriously

“It’ll look like you simply have a freckle, Creagn,” You responded sarcastically, and then you giggled as he grabbed your waist and pulled you onto his lap

“Don’t make fun me, wife. You should be proud,” He said, flexing the arm where the bite was. “How many men do you know have taken on such a beast and lived to tell the tale?”

“Only you, husband. Only you.” You snorted at his dramatics, wondering just what you were going to do with your silly, drama queen of a husband

Benjicot Blackwood

There was reason they called your husband ‘Bloody Ben’

You found this out when one day, he came limping home after solving a conflict in the Riverlands, covered in wounds and blood—so much blood

Thankfully, most of it wasn’t his but Benji still did have a few wounds that needed looking after

The Maester was busy, having been sent by your husband to tend to the other men, so you got the pleasure of dragging him to your chambers, making sure that he was clean before you began to stitch him up

The entire time you worked, Benji barely even flinched which amazed you

By the time that you were done with his top half, he’d barely said a word or complained which led to you kissing over a few of his stitches as a reward

“What was that for?” He asked in wonder, a small blush on his cheeks while you grinned

“That, my love, is for being such a good patient,” You told him cheekily, and you did not expect what Benji did next

Standing up, he loosened his trousers and then he grinned as he pointed at the area beneath his small clothes

“Well in that case, I’ll need plenty of kisses here, too. No promises that I won’t move if you touch me there though.”

“Benji!”

[sillymakersweets]

I MISS 2024. İt was such an fun year for me.

Wacthing as a predator got exposed every new month, Wacthing elden ring DLC gameplay vidoes, and getting a week long break from school.

İt was also the same year where ı make my tumblr account! Yes, ım here over an year now. Im so happy to be a part of the SCP tumblr community, even get to talk with some SCP fans & authors here too.

İt was also the same year where ı get into the SCP fandom again. I lost all interest to the wiki back in 2020 when high school became more demanding, didnt have the time to read SCP tales or articles. But everything change 4 years later in 2024, when ı manage to find the time to engage with the SCP community again ! I first started reading tales & tales series, first finishing the yggarilds surveyor (Go read it its really good), then multiple tales from the ressurection canon. That was the first canon that ı really liked and manage to finish, thought ı only read the devils advocate splinter canon and not the other 3. Then ı moved to those twisted pines...I didnt liked it if ım being honest, it had bad pacing and ı only read 3 tales series from it before reading the dire wolf and leaving it like that. Im now trying to get into meta-foundation canons, thought i dont know how long ı can read before getting bored of them. My favorite canon/series is forgetten memories from Queerious and undervages from roundhouse.

2025 is really dull compraded to previous years, no drama for 2 months and a publicdomain contest that flopped.

Shout out to these two idiots that ı meet last year, they're pretty great.

@chronosnightmares

[a41-i-finally-caved]

So, this is another OBX-centered ask. Just thought I'd put it out there in the first line, so you only read the following text, if and when you're in the mood for it.

I just wanted to say that the writers of the show are absolute and complete nincompoops (Yeah, I said it! And honestly, on top of everything else, it's just a plain dumb idea to kill off the most beloved character in your tv show, but that's not the point right now.)

The point is that reading your fanfics and scrolling through your tumblr, you seem to have so much love and excitement for the characters. I hope you keep your joy for writing in this fandom, and not just because I love to read it (because I do! obviously), but because nincompoops shouldn't have the power to take these things away.

F*** them.

PS. On a very personal note: Thank you for sharing your universes!

I know people who have struggled with childhood abuse. It's not something I've talked to them about a lot for a myriad of reasons, but reading some of your fics, have made me think about it a lot and encouraged me to have more honest and indepth conversations about these things than we have had earlier.

I really want to thank you for that.

I also love your fluffy bits, btw. Because it's really lovely worlds to be in, and that's really important too.

PPS. Supernatural, Teen Wolf - inspired OBX fic? That sounds so fun.

PPPS. This 'ask' is in dire need of some kind of question. I see that. I just don't know how to formulate one right now. You don't have to answer, either.

Thanks for the consideration anon! Very sweet of you <3

So leading up to the Part 2 drop, I had a friend warning me like 'no, this is from an actual source, they're gonna kill JJ' and I was just sitting there like 'okay I hear you but it'd be SO STUPID???' and did not believe them, the more fool me lmao. So I'm with you anon, absolute nincompoops

And of course <3 These fics were definitely written for me first and foremost, but posting 'em is for whoever decides to read. The idea that people I will never meet in my actual life can get something outta what I wrote? That is wild and amazing and also keeps me posting on a (somewhat) consistent schedule lol

Thank you for reaching out; I know say it a lot but I really do love hearing from you guys <3

I know you said this doesn't have a question but "Supernatural, Teen Wolf - inspired OBX fic?" looks like one to me! I've got a very small (sub 2000 words) doc for it that I will probably jump into again this weekend. Because God if it isn't the most ridiculous fun nonsense I've written in a while lmao

JJ is a werewolf who's not very good at the whole werewolf thing. Sure the books say he needs lots of physical contact from his pack, but since his dad's the only family he's got, that's off the table for obvious reasons.

Kiara's got a whole selkie thing going on with her parents locking away her seal skin. Mike and Anna were a forbidden love story so expect lots of extended Carrera family drama there

Pope will probably be the plot driver. He finds a diary from his ancestor: the great alchemist Denmark Tanny, which sends the kids on a wild quest to recreate his transmutation process, the key to wealth, health, and eternal life.

John B has some sort of luck manipulation going on, courtesy of his dad. He also may 1) die 2) come back different and 3) be hopelessly in love with his best friend (because I cannot help myself)

Sarah and Cleo will also be there, I just haven't solidified how yet lol Right now I only have the thinnest threads of plot or cohesion, but I'll see what I cook up :)

[prpfz]

I’m gonna be honest, I have a bit of an unusual request this time but I hope it’s someone’s idea of a good time! I’m looking to do a MxM rp, OCxOC. I want it to largely be light hearted, but that doesn’t mean that angst and drama will never have their place in the story! I tend to match the length of my partner’s reply, so I can do anywhere from two paragraphs to several discord messages. I love talking OOC so someone who likes to do that would be awesome! But it’s not a requirement!

Now, about what I wanted the plot to be. I’ve recently loved the idea of doing an rp between a feral nature spirit/fey and the hiker that stumbled into their forest and accidentally summoned them. I have an OC I’d like to use for the fey character, so I’m looking for someone to play the lost hiker! Ideally the hiker would be some sort of himbo, but as long as they’re the type of character who would look at this feral fey creature with hearts in their eyes, even when they’re talking about eating the bones of their enemies to see their memories or introducing their dire wolf son, they’ll work! I basically just want a rp where a lost hiker falls in love with a forest spirit who doesn’t really know how humans work but falls for one anyways. Like I said, I want this to mostly be fluff and some smut, but there’s definitely also potential here for drama and angst, which I’m happy to explore. If this sounds interesting then leave a like! 🧚

give a like and anon will get back to you

[honest-moth-of-silver-grove]

If at all possible I was wondering if I could get a matchup for both genders for my tav, Cobalt. Monogamous not poly if that’s alright.

Some details about her:

She’s a tiefling druid, specifically a circle of the land druid, focused on arctic spells, so mostly ice. While her focus is on spells she does still sometimes wildshift, and her preferred form is that of a dire wolf.

Backstory wise her druidic circle was killed when she was young and she was taken as an oddity due to her ability to shapeshift. She ended up in Baldur’s Gate after being sold to a noble with a penchant for collecting people she viewed as unique. While there, she was pretty much treated as a circus animal/guard dog, and it’s one of the main reasons she chooses to focus on spells as opposed to wildshaping. She managed to escape after the noble was killed in a family coup, and before her abduction by mindflayers she’d been selling herbs and tonics from an apothecary she opened at the edge of the city.

Personality: Since she really didn’t get a normal childhood and wasn’t really allowed to have friends she’s used to taking care of herself out of habit. She never goes out of her way to prioritize herself but it just happens, it has to be pointed out that she’s doing it. On the other hand she does have a temper, but instead of choosing to lash out if angered or annoyed, she really just tries to make that person as uncomfortable as possible.(Unnerving smiles, macabre comments/facts, etc.) She’s extremely truthful, not out of a lack of social understanding, she just really doesn’t care how the truth might effect someone and can’t be bothered to tiptoe around other people’s feelings. She’s extremely loyal, and once you’ve gained her trust she’ll go to the ends of the earth for you. She loves sharing knowledge with others, even if they aren’t close, especially because she likes to feel like she’s listened to. She has a deep need for connection but has a hard time actually connecting with people for fear of them being taken away from her.

Hobbies: She loves alchemy and brewing potions, as it makes her feel much closer to her druidic background, even if she was separated from it at a young age. She also has a creative streak, and uses it to sketch and take notes on the various plants and animals she encounters on her journeys. To add to this, she also enjoys writing, and unusually enough if it’s not notes on nature it’s usually romantic dramas. They don’t always end happily, but sometimes they do.

Best Attribute: Her best attribute is easily her sheer strength of mind. Yes, she’s jaded and not as friendly as other people, but it takes a lot for her to give up. Not in the stubborn way, she realizes when things need to change, but if so she’ll just find a different way to keep going.

Worst Attribute: Overly blunt. She never minces her words and it can make her seem cold or callous. She’s really just too tired to work on her flowery language outside of writing.

Sorry if I wrote a lot I wanted to cover all my bases 😅

A/N: Not a lot at all! And even if it was, it’s perfectly fine! The more details the more I can get a feel for the character. I have to admit, I did need to google ‘circle of the land druid’, because I hadn’t heard of them before, but I think I got the gist of it below. And oh my goodness! Poor Cobalt! She’s been through so much. Hopefully, some romance will help her heart heal. 

For you, @cobaltspace , I think Cobalt’s best matches are Halsin (Male) and Shadowheart (Female)!

Halsin is a wonderful match for Cobalt! He’s kind, patient, and a wild-shifting druid as well, so they have a fair share of things in common. It’s unclear how old Halsin was at the time, but he lost his lineage a long time ago and has since endured his share of trauma. He was enslaved in the Underdark for years and lost many friends and much of his home to the shadow curse. He’s no stranger to loss and the grief it produces. However, he’s also two-hundred-plus years old, so he’s had a good amount of time to process and compartmentalize everything. He’s able to distance himself from his past hurts, and thanks to this and an overall calm demeanor, he’s quite a soothing presence to have nearby. That vibe would suit Cobalt well- Halsin makes her feel safe and understood, whereas other people may make her feel like she needs to keep her guard up and to keep wearing masks to stay safe. 

They’d also be able to bond over Cobalt’s knowledge and usage of nature and herbs. Halsin appreciates all things of Mother Earth, and he especially admires the people who show respect to her by exercising the appropriate wisdom and knowledge when dealing with her. I think she’d fit in quite well with Halsin’s new community post-game, outside of the city. She could still work as an apothecary, but this way, she wouldn't be so alone. 

I also think Halsin would be very eager to help her regain confidence in her ability to wild-shape. He’d understand why she would rather focus on spells because shifting is associated with a time in her life when she had no other choice. But Halsin would want her to know that now, she does have a choice, and he’d be honored to help her work through her pain, should Cobalt let him. 

He may be a bit put off by her usage of ice spells and deadpan expressions. Ice, while a formidable form of nature, can be quite detrimental to other living things- plant life, people, etc- if used in a large area. Of course with how long Cobalt’s been a druid, and due to whatever level she’s at, probably has good control over her ice spells, so that’s not too much of a concern on Halsin’s part. Her being extremely truthful is something he greatly admires, as he himself does not shy away from the truth. However, he does occasionally wish she had more social tact as he’s a natural empath and the feelings of others matter greatly to him. 

Of course, he understands why she is the way she is, and he doesn’t hold her abrasiveness against her. It’s just every so often he might shoot her a look, or give her a little nudge, politely requesting she rephrase a sentence or two. 

He loves how much Cobalt lights up whenever she shares all she knows about the fauna and flora of an area. And he especially loves reading through her notes and sketches. It touches his heart to see someone look at nature with such care and detail in mind. He feels so much closer to her when they talk about plants or druidic spells. 

(And he secretly loves reading her romantic dramas! Just don’t tell anyone. He has a reputation to uphold lol.)

Halsin thinks Cobalt’s wonderful. He admires her tenacity and strong mind, and he’s very grateful that she’s in his life. If she wanted the same, he would enjoy spending his future with her in it. 

Shadowheart shares a history similar to Cobalt. She herself was taken as a child, thinking her family was dead, and was forced to serve Shar for years. Shadowheart was targeted because she was a child of Selune, and she showed a fair amount of promise. Because of this, her abilities were exploited, and much of her childhood was robbed of her. Cobalt knows what it feels like to have to live with the fact that your gifts, your abilities, make you a target to those who seek to exploit power over others. She’s been used before and vows to never be used again. Cobalt’s ability to escape that life of servitude and begin a new chapter for herself at the edge of Baldur’s Gate makes Shadowheart hopeful that she too, will one day be able to put the whole Shar thing behind her. 

She’s secretly fond of the fact that Cobalt is a tiefling, mainly because it reminds Shadowheart of her long-lost friend. It’s a familiar element that Shadowheart appreciates. That being said, Shadowheart recognizes Cobalt is her person, with her own identity, and respects that fact. 

Shadowheart works well with Cobalt when it comes to healing: they’re both healers in their own right- Shadowheart being a cleric, and Cobalt being a druid and an apothecary. 

Both Cobalt and Shadowheart are neutrally aligned. They don’t go out of their way to help others, but they also don’t hurt them either. This means they agree on a plan of action more often than not. That said, Shadowheart can be a bit of a hypocrite, calling out Cobalt when she thinks she’s been selfish, not realizing she’d probably do the same herself. This is actually a good thing for Cobalt though, as it makes her look beyond the intention of her actions. Plus it gives her reason to call out Shadowheart for doing the same. 

Cobalt and Shadowheart excel at making others feel uncomfortable. Cobalt with her morbid facts and unnerving smile, and Shadowheart with her unreadable, stoic expression. And they both prefer to tell the truth as opposed to a comfortable lie. Loyalty is important to Shadowheart, (whether she stays loyal to Shar or if she becomes loyal to Selune), and Cobalt is no different. However, as opposed to a singular deity, Cobalt is loyal to herself and to those of her, whom she holds dear. Shadowheart, of course, is among those people. 

They’re both incredibly strong mentally, which makes it easier for them to take turns being strong when the other one is feeling down. 

They both desperately crave connection while simultaneously fearing abandonment. Together, the two of them can lean on each other when those fears arise, and remind the other that they’re not going anywhere- they’re in this for the long haul.

...

Please Like & Reblog!!!

[sacrialege]

plot wishlist for hayley marshall.

this is gonna be very much 3am-type thoughts and such but, here we go! these are some things i want to explore with hayley!

as u know, i am forever toying with werewolf lore and i was thinking that because wolves are highly territorial, hayley and the pack wouldn't be very welcome and open to unexpected visitors. give me surprise reunions of old friends or old flames; give me hesitancy and fast threats when unknown supernaturals come to town; give me young wolves (or even vampires!) that come seeking help from hayley, who by now is very well-rumored. or maybe they just come to seek a pack!

alphas renouncing their status to her.... love it. but i also want the difficulties that come with this; the differences of opinions or fighting styles/strategies and the arguments that grow from it, etc!!!

i want an au where hayley actually does run off with hope. i want to explore her possible allies (bonus points for werewolf allies!) and the traveling (with a baby), the relationships she'd have during her time on the run, and eventually create a resolution to the whole thing.

i want to explore the difficulty of hayley's hybridism. it wasn't so easy for her to get a grip on and learn control of. although she picked things up quickly, hayley still very much struggled with her hunger in a way that was more unhinged and animalistic than other vampires; strengthened and intensified by her wolf roots. i want all the difficulties that come along with it... and then i want to see hayley overcome it all!! i want my drama but i get my happy ending too. we make our own rules here.

pack dynamics. give me all of the pack dynamics!!! (and maybe an affiliated oc/verse or two?🥺 i would give a lung for oc jackson kenner and a hope to develop my canon with.)

hear me out lebonair ocs!!!!! please come scream at me about werewolf royalty

this one may be oddly specific but i have a sudden and dire need for it: someone in the pack thinks hayley isn't up for the task of being the crescent alpha so they want to challenge her, but they know they can't sway the other wolves' loyalty that easily... so they make a deal with the hunters; they start killing off a few wolves here and there, making hayley seem unable to protect her pack members, and then maybe it would give them an advantage. i want all the drama and angst and secrecy and horror for this!!

by default, hayley's pack functions a lot like the factions did in the originals; which is to say that she works side-by-side with the humans to keep both their kind and hers away from harm. i want more things with humans in the know!! i want hayley's brushes with law enforcement agents who aren't aware of hayley's dealings with their higher-ups; i want questions and accusations and disagreements and the two sides working together towards a common goal!!!

[lebonairs]

WISHLIST: WANTED PLOTS FOR HAYLEY MARSHALL.

this is gonna be very much 3am-type thoughts and such but, here we go! these are some things i want to explore with hayley!

as u know, i am forever toying with werewolf lore and i was thinking that because wolves are highly territorial, hayley and the pack wouldn't be very welcome and open to unexpected visitors. give me surprise reunions of old friends or old flames; give me hesitancy and fast threats when unknown supernaturals come to town; give me young wolves (or even vampires!) that come seeking help from hayley, who by now is very well-rumored. or maybe they just come to seek a pack!

alphas renouncing their status to her.... love it. but i also want the difficulties that come with this; the differences of opinions or fighting styles/strategies and the arguments that grow from it, etc!!!

i want an au where hayley actually does run off with hope. i want to explore her possible allies (bonus points for werewolf allies!) and the traveling (with a baby), the relationships she'd have during her time on the run, and eventually create a resolution.

i want to explore the difficulty of hayley's hybridism. it wasn't so easy for her to get a grip on and learn control of. although she picked things up quickly, hayley still very much struggled with her hunger in a way that was more unhinged and animalistic than other vampires; strengthened and intensified by her wolf roots. i want all the difficulties that come along with it... and then i want to see hayley overcome it all!! i want my drama but i get my happy ending too. we make our own rules here.

pack dynamics. give me all of the pack dynamics!!! (and maybe an affiliated oc/verse or two?🥺 i would give a lung for oc jackson kenner and a hope to develop my canon with.)

hear me out lebonair ocs!!!!! please come scream at me about werewolf royalty

this one may be oddly specific but i have a sudden and dire need for it: someone in the pack thinks hayley isn't up for the task of being the crescent alpha so they want to challenge her, but they know they can't sway the other wolves' loyalty that easily... so they make a deal with the hunters; they start killing off a few wolves here and there, making hayley seem unable to protect her pack members, and then maybe it would give them an advantage. i want all the drama and angst and secrecy and horror for this!!

by default, hayley's pack functions a lot like the factions did in the originals; which is to say that she works side-by-side with the humans to keep both their kind and hers away from harm. i want more things with humans in the know!! i want hayley's brushes with law enforcement agents who aren't aware of hayley's dealings with their higher-ups; i want questions and accusations and disagreements and the two sides working together towards a common goal!!!

[kdndigital]

Earlier today, I was a half-orc druid named Grumpa Karl, "Grampa" to his 24 grandchildren. He turned into a dire wolf, knocked a thug prone and got him to cower and give up. Later he put the finishing lightning bolt through a very nasty monster bbeg.

Currently a firbolg knight hanging with his squire and adventuring party. They triumphed through a chili eating contest. Failed to resolve a very public family drama. He is now eating some yogurt as he watches his companions compete in a cooking competition. They have eviscerated the vegetables with Magic Missle, a shortsword, a rapier and a crossbow bolt? Then they put a prawn to sleep and tried to roll Insight for a different prawn.

Dungeons and dragons is awesome.

[raisinchallah]

lol season 4 teen wolf post for the people reading my liveblogs but it got very long everyone else please scroll along

season 4 has definitely had the most outrageous and entertaining on its own type plot but it does also feel like this kind of turning point for the show that the characters feel a lot more bland than they did in earlier seasons not like they have ever been terribly deep but i feel like with fairly simplistic character types you can either make their take on that type more extreme and heighten them a bit every season or u can kind of regress to the mean and make everyone more normal which is unfortunately what teen wolf seems like its doing the latter like scott went from charismatic and fun guy caught up in all this weird supernatural bullshit which is like a fairly stock protagonist type in a lot of these kind of urban fantasy monster mash sorts of shows but you know played in a fun and engaging way with funny lines to ok hes now got the power and has graduated to the more boring character type of just nice guy hero who does the right thing and has the powers rather than guy out of his depth overwhelmed by this shit happening around him and stiles is just idk hes not really much of a weirdo loser anymore hes like succeeding at things and is less funny i think its also focusing less on scott and stiles hanging out which feels especially weird cuz of the revolving door of the rest of the cast nobody else is all that developed lydia definitely has the most interesting plot and most consistent character and growth but its also like i feel like half of her plot should be given to allison lol like uncovering insane family secrets and tangles and ancestors and having weird visions allison should be doing that with kate coming back as a villain she and lydia should be like besties having insane visions piecing this whole thing together and theyre digging up the skeletons in the family closet and such and allisons like hey lydia can u sense if i will ever kill someone i feel like i might have something dark deep down inside of me and lydias like (lying) no u dont have any air of death about u allison go back to sleep (average sleepover conversation for them) also i cant believe we havent gotten back to kiras 900 year old mom like excuse me dont leave that part hanging weird kiras now i guess a member of the main cast but it feels like she is actually getting less to do than when she was a guest star last season.. i think im realizing the problem is i actually think what worked about the show earlier was small but distinct from a lot of teen dramas that the characters were allowed to be like besties and the two little groupings of scott and stiles and lydia and allison felt like idk very real little pairs of besties but since the cast is constantly changing we are in dire straits in bestie land and everyones now just doing like regular dating drama instead very sad

[cantfightmoonlight]

"Is that what you are now?" She asked. The upturn of her lips and the crinkle of her amber eyes giving away that she was merely teasing. "Though," Her voice dipped. Her gaze that had once been eyeing him curiously, drifted to the rather questionable decor the hospital had decided to put up as she leaned back into the chair she had been previously perched at the edge of. "It's not always so easy, being resilient." A concept she knew far too well from experience. Her own mood having been damped far too long ago and never fully recovering.

At the mention of the wolf pack, Meena's head tilted back in his direction. Her own brows lifting as she tried to stiffen the amusement bubbling to her lips as she corrected him. "Not the wolf pack. You," She told him simply. "You've been making quite the name for yourself. It's hard not to take notice." And she hadn't been the only one. He wasn't the quiet advisor who sat in the back of the room anymore and kept his mouth shut that was for sure. "You're welcome and I suppose I'll take that as a compliment," She said. It now being her turn to roll her eyes lightly over.

"I'm sorry," Meena's eyes widened, feigning an innocent gasp. "Did my ears just deceive me? Or did J.C. Carvalho actually just accept a gift from the Clan Leader of all people? You're not going to accuse me of trying to bribe you later on, will you?" She teased. Her playful demeanor softening as she told him, "Though, you're welcome again. Or who cut down a tree in someone else's yard? And oh please. They totally are! They howl at the moon and everything. I mean you're telling me that you're not six feet tall when you shift? The blasphemy," A genuine giggle breaking from her lips as her gaze fell down onto box set in hand. Only for her eyes to narrow in on him at the mention of taking every bad vampire tidbit as fact. "You wouldn't. Well, I guess it's court dramas for you then. God forbid you try to shove me into the sun acting as though I can sparkle," She tsked. The hint of amusement all the while still dancing across her gaze as her eyes met him. The laughter returning to her lips at the deliberate sigh he made at the plushie she had bought for him. The irony not lost on her that this was the first time she had genuinely laughed in god knows how long, despite the current situation being far from fortunate. If anything, circumstances now seemed more dire than ever before, and yet, here they were still managing to find the sliver of light out of the situation. After all, at least for once, they weren't at each other's throats. "Oh please. You secretly enjoy me annoying you. You just haven't realized yet."  

"My mistake. Is 'an unbearable hell' more fitting?" She hummed quietly to herself, speaking from experience. "You and I both," Her words remained no more than a faint murmur as she offered him a small nod. "I'm sorry." She couldn't imagine what it must be like to have a body is supposed to heal and simply didn't. Every wound she had, all of the pain she endured, would always vanish and sometimes she didn't know if it would've been better to carry the physical scars. At least then, her body would tell the story of the life she had lived through, rather than being permanent frozen with the face of a girl she had long aged out of. "Would you say it's worse? Having to live with that pain everyday or, having been through hell and back and the wound vanishing away leaving you to question if it ever really happened or if you even deserve to mourn what you've been through? Sorry. You can ignore me. I assume the former is worse. I was just curious."

"Maybe so, but, then I guess that would also mean that I'm hardly as smart as you give me credit for," She said. Her shoulders raising and falling into a small shrug as she pressed her lips together. Her words mirroring his as she simply said, "Ex-husband, but putting it lightly."

"What can I say? Can't keep a good wolf down," Júlio César grumbled, but even he could admit that these latest injuries were dampening his already dampened mood, even more so than usual. But he would admit as much only to himself, not to Meena. He furrowed up his brow. "I don't know. I sort of got the sense that 'wolf pack' was everyone's favorite radio station right now, but what do I know?" He rolled his eyes deliberately, but there was no real venom in this remark, just banter, as if he were unwilling to give up the standoff even in his current state. JC's face softened at the pudding cup, however. He sighed. "Thank you. But I also know you're too smart to poison me with the gift basket everyone saw you bring in."

Looking at the various gifts, JC smiled weakly, shoulders slumping. "I appreciate it. I'll take anything that's not court shows right now. I wish we had petty shit to worry about. Shit like who messed up whose goddamn bathroom tiles. Damn it. But I do find that offensive actually. They're not even werewolves." He pointed at the box set as she showed it off. "Just know I'm going to take every bad vampire tidbit as fact." He flashed his teeth, a sardonic grin, before sighing deliberately at the stuffed animal. "You say that, Meena, but...at least three of those things were chosen specifically to annoy me. But I'll take it. Because believe it or not, I'm not completely immovable all of the time."

Closing his eyes, he pressed his head back on the pillow. "Putting it lightly," he murmured distantly before turning back to her. "I've been called worse." JC nodded roughly. "Yeah. Wrecked my leg. It just doesn't stand up to...real pressure now, so." He sniffed. "I disagree. I should have seen it coming. I'm getting sloppy. You won't believe me, but I don't get any pleasure or confidence out of your husband fooling you. That's shit. I'm sorry."

[hag-lad]

Why are there so many modern-day AUs for Jonerys???????

[floral-poisons]

I know this is probably a boring and unoriginal request but i really wanna see your take on it if you want to write it ....

pining headcanons for the boys- thats it- thank you for your time- bye-

hey anon! it’s not a boring and unoriginal request! i haven’t gotten any pining requests yet. this was a fun one to write! pining is always so cute you know. i hope these head canons live up to what you imagine! 💕

also i’m sorry if some of these are short. i wrote them while on my train back to school. </3

NRC STAFF

dire crowley

crowley’s going to call you into the office more often just to ask how you’re doing. in general, he wants to know how you’re doing in your personal life and if you’re healthy. if you were a drama, he’s invested. he becomes the person you go to if you want to complain (he’s not going to lie though, he does enjoy hearing you dish out some drama). crowley isn’t one to listen to people much check up on them so this is an entirely new person.

ashton vargas

ashton’s going to start pestering you to go on jogs with him, most certainly. or do any sort of physical activity with him. he finds that the best conversations happen when two people are jogging and wants to get to know you more. so it seems like a natural conclusion. no doubt he’s also showing off in front of you and subtle bragging.

mozus trein

he would let you take care of lucius. he’d let you handle his cat as long as you were careful of course. but that’s the biggest sign of trust and pining. it’s also him talking to you about anything other than school and academia. it’s pretty unique and an honor to learn more about his personal life.

divus crewel

staying after work to talk to you is certainly a sign that divus is pining. he’s definitely the teacher that wants to go back home asap after the day’s over. but he’ll stay after for you and even help you in whatever club you’re advising. the true indicator of pining is when he lets you touch his coat and even wear it. that’s a sign that he really likes you.

sam

it starts with discounts at his shop. you need something? here it is at a discounted price. physical goods don’t have as much meaning as you to sam. he’s also most definitely willing to cook for you and provide everything you need. most certainly, he also compliments you a lot. “you look very nice today (y/n). is that a new ring?” “your hair looks amazing! how’d you do it?” “are you hungry? did you eat?”

DIASOMNIA

malleus draconia

this may be because i’m listening to “she wolf / loba” by shakira. but he plays the violin for you. it was an offhand comment about how much you love the sound of a violin. so what better way to show he cares about you than learning how to play the violin? it’s a lot tougher than he thought and his horns sometimes gets in the way. but when he finally masters it, he gives you a private showing during one of your private tea parties. he will serenade you and he wants you to see that he pays attention to every little detail about you.

lilia vanrouge

lilia is old enough that i believe he wouldn’t pine for that long. like he definitely knows he’s attracted to you and would like to be as forward as possible. if he does pine, it’s going to be through small actions. you need help with something? he’s got you. and he most certainly will tell you stories that other students and people have never heard of. he wants to impress you and he likes seeing how interested you are in his life. it’s an indicator that you pay the same amount of detail as he does.

silver

you know silver is pining when he falls asleep in your presence. he feels comfortable enough in your presence to be at ease and let his guard down. you think it’s entirely normal until lilia says it isn’t. silver is someone with his guard up often due to his job. so being able to relax is a clear sign of trust and pining.

sebek zigvolt

malleus is his whole life. so when he starts spending a lot more time with you, it’s a clear sign that sebek is pining. he’s not sure how to go about it but one thing is for certain: going to the library with you is a lot more important than watching over malleus while he practices the violin (a strange new hobby). sebek is supportive regardless of what you do and this certainly comes out when he’s pining after you. you plays sports? he’s going to all your games. you work at the mostro lounge? he’s there everyday. you play an instrument? he’s going to all your concerts. you’re an influencer? he’ll gladly help you set up.

HEARTSLABYUL

riddle rosehearts

riddle’s going to let you in his personal space. he strikes me as someone who values his personal space greatly so him letting you hug him, kiss his cheek, put your arms around his shoulders is a really big deal. even trey is surprised. riddle’s face also goes extremely red (like when he is angry) when you do touch him. he coughs and says it’s nothing but really his heart is beating so fast he can’t keep up. riddle’s also willing to overlook rules more much to ace’s dismay.

trey clover

trey’s all about learning what your favorite dessert is. he’ll make it and keep trying until the recipe is right. you wonder why he goes through all the effort even though it’s not your birthday. he says it’s because you’re friends but the truth is, it’s not. he wants you to see that he’s willing to try anything to make you happy even if it was just baking.

cater diamond

he sets his phone down. that’s it. cater’s pining after you right? how else would he listen intently to everything you’re saying! he doesn’t care about trends or photos or magicam when he’s with you. he wants to listen to you and you get his undivided attention. and even when he’s talking to you, his phone is in his pocket or the screen is down, away from his face. he can get carried away with talking to you too and could care less about what’s going on online.

ace trappola

ace giving you gifts is strange. it’s probably small gifts too where he mutters that “it reminded me of you.” you thank him and don’t think much of it until deuce points it out that ace is being extra nice. and crashing over at ramshackle a lot more. even riddle is tired of having to write sleepover slips for ace. ace wants to be close to you and to show that he’s always thinking about you.

deuce spade

deuce wants you to see the honor student instead of the punk (regardless he still comes out). he’s set on showing you that he’s responsible and organized. need help with your homework? he’ll tutor you! need an alchemy partner? he’ll gladly volunteer! that doesn’t mean he isn’t protective either. people are immediately set off when they see how angry deuce can truly be so if someone’s bothering you? deuce will take care of it. he’ll be extremely sheepish afterwards.

POMEFIORE

vil schoenheit

touching. lots of physical touch. it’s not just me being a simp i promise. vil won’t outright say he’s pining but he shows it through touch. touching your shoulders, touching your arm, wrapping his arms around your shoulders or waist. just lots of touches that you presume are friendly. it’s just vil being friendly right? but friends aren’t always this touchy. at this point people already think you’re dating!

rook hunt

a lot more observation and a lot more of the flowery descriptions he sees. vil is the one to witness most of this as rook follows you around from a distance and admires everything you do. at first, he presumes it’s just him taking interest in you like how he takes interest in leona. but gradually, he begins to realize that he doesn’t normally watch his fellow peers for this long. he begins falling for you as he slowly understands everything about you.

epel felmier

quality time. in his mind, if you he spends time with you, then you will begin to notice how much more he can be. he carves apples for you just to hear your voice of gratitude. he studies with you to help the both of you pass. he performs spells to see the sense of wonder in your eyes. he’ll even go to town and go shopping with you if it means spending time with you. but you think it’s mostly what friends do until vil tells you that it really isn’t.

SAVANACLAW

leona kingscholar

the man is begrudgingly being nicer this time around. he usually doesn’t care and will have ruggie do things. but upon getting to know you and eventually falling for you, he begins to be more active. you want to go see a movie? he’ll give up sleep to spend time with you. you want a snack? no problem. he’ll go get it and wait on line for you. his acts of kindness put you off a bit but when you ask, you get a sheepish look and a clearly forced response of fake annoyance.

ruggie bucchi

ruggie’s going to stop the teasing when he begins to pine for you. of course he has his moments here and now but it’s not as much as before. he’s too busy admiring how excellent you are at everything whether it be alchemy, flying, or cooking. whatever you’re doing, he thinks you’re doing great. you find him zoning out a little bit when you guys are hanging out together and it’s because he’s thinking about you.

jack howl

jack’s going to be all about impressing you. he wants you to see the best version of himself possible. he’ll make sure you’re watching to score a goal in spelldrive, watch as he waits tables, get that alchemy equation right on the board. it’s also clear that jack wants you to be involved with the things he enjoys. he’ll invite you out to activities a lot more often so the two of you could spend time together.

OCTAVINELLE

azul ashengrotto

azul’s not a good cook. but he will certainly learn how to cook for you. he goes through the trouble of buying cookbooks and putting the wish granting aside to improve his skills. he has you try out recipes to change the mostro lounge menu. in general, azul’s going to put work aside to spend time. the mostro lounge and students’ requests can wait if you want to go shopping or look at the stars. you wonder why he’s spending so much time with you, not realizing it’s because he’s secretly pining for you. and it’s not obvious to outsiders too aside from jade and floyd.

jade leech

jade puts a lot of effort in his hobbies like mushroom foraging and growing his own mushrooms. but for you? he keeps his mushrooms on the side. he takes more interest in your own hobbies and even takes some of them on because he enjoys them. this gives you something in common, especially if you don’t like mushrooms. but if you do, he’s happy to show off his mushroom collection and take you foraging for them. he also definitely takes you to a special spot on the mountain he usually visits.

floyd leech

floyd’s going to do what he does best: tease. he’s most definitely going to tease you more than he did before. but there’s also an air of protectiveness with him. only HE can tease you. if someone else teases you, he goes out of his way to give them a stinging glare. worse, if someone approaches you when you don’t want it, he’ll wrap his arm around your shoulder and go, “what the hell do you want!” it’s enough to get people to back off. he wants to make sure you’re safe and comfortable.

SCARABIA

kalim al-asim

much like vil and epel, kalim would be all about physical touch and quality time. he wants to be with you and has already decided on that. he shows how he pines through the touches on your shoulders and asking if you want to try jamil’s cooking. there’s definitely a lot of heated cheeks and sheepish looks as you do something that makes him swoon for you. he wants to give you nothing for the best. while pining, the man’s also probably trying to plan the best crush confession to ever exist.

jamil viper

jamil starts by asking around about you. he wants to know everything. you don’t know this of course. grim finds it weird and probably makes an offhand remark about the scarabia vice prefect asking what your favorite food is. gradually, he starts doing acts of service to try to get your attention. need help in alchemy? he’s got you. need some food and you missed dinner? he’ll cook you up a hot meal. need someone to snuggle with during a thunderstorm? yes he would but he would certainly be very embarrassed the whole time. you eventually realize that jamil likes you when you bring something personal jamil’s talked about and everyone looks at you like you said something out of character about him.

IGNIHYDE

idia shroud

pining for idia? that’s going to involve a lot of pep talk. he wishes to approach you and he will if you’re alone. but if you’re with other people? forget it. the nerves get the best of him and he will be a fumbling mess which is an impression he doesn’t want to leave on you. he gradually starts inviting you over to play games or study so the two of you have some quality time together. he even lets you win too!! sometimes you notice his hair becoming orange when he’s around you but usually you brush it off as his anxiety. not until ortho asks if you like like idia.

[themusiichouse]

@automaton-otto

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

"WOLFIE!"

Felix screams and bolts as the giant nine-tailed wolf, as tall as a one-story house, careens toward him, tongue lolling out impetuously, barking like a dog at the sight of a newfound friend. Sure, he knows the guy's his friend, but said guy has yet to figure out that the sight of a giant wolf as big as a T-rex charging toward someone is utterly terrifying, even when one is trying to have fun. Behind the giant wolf is Wilhelm, the tiny blond who stood no longer than 5'2" straining to keep up with the sprinting Wolfie on his comparatively tiny legs as he calls for him to come to a halt.

"Wolfie, how many times do you need to be told?" Wil cries as the chase through the forest clearing drags on. "Stop running at Felix!"

"It won't scare him anymore if I keep doing it!" Wolfie yelps, picking up the pace.

"At least I get my dogs not to run at him. How is it that you can't have that restraint when they can do it and they're not even sapient?"

Ahead of them, Felix stops running and pants for breath. Wolfie screeches to a halt as well and gives him a giant lick with a tongue as long as his arm, causing the poor man's black hair to drip with saliva.

"You know I hate that too, Wolf," Felix grumbles, wiping sticky droplets of dog drool off his forehead with the back of his hand.

"It's how a dire kitsune shows love," Wolfie says in a superior tone. "What's wrong with showing my love?"

"You can also show love to me by listening when I say what makes me uncomfortable," says Felix with a sigh.

"Might as well ask me to shrink to the size of a chihuahua every time I'm around you," Wolfie says.

"That…would actually be great, thank you."

The great wolf-fox gives a toss of his head.

"I mean I could. But then how would you ever get over your fear of big dogs? Maybe it would help if I was bigger. Not smaller. Like this!"

And then he does it. Instantaneously he shapeshifts, shooting up, and up, and up, until he's at least thirty feet taller.

Felix stares and gapes. Though he never swore, his face just screams "what the fuck."

"That's not fucking funny! And they say I'm the annoying one!" Wil shouts.

"You're right. It'd be funnier if I were bigger!"

And then Wolfie grows, and grows, and grows, until he's standing at least ten times his usual height--big enough to crush his companions with a step. Every cell in Felix's body wants to bolt at the sight. But he stares, transfixed in his terror, the sun having dimmed for him in the great wolf's shadow.

"Oh God," he mumbles as his legs give out from under him.

Wolfie cranes his neck down toward the miniature Felix, the breath from his nostrils enough to ruffle the man's hair like a breeze.

"What's wrong, hoomin?" he says. "You don't enjoy the view?"

Felix could do nothing more than just mumble out a few words of unintelligible gibberish.

"Shrink yourself down right now!" Wilhelm shouts. "Don't make me pull out the PREDATIONS / RELATIONS score on you!"

"So you can what? Drama queen your way into making me submit?" Wolfie sweeps Wilhelm to the ground with a brush from one of his tails.

"Don't make me send valkyries up there, either!" Wilhelm shouted, yet another challenge. "I swear--"

The loud whirr of a mechanical motor causes them all to look up. A machine that loud? In their forest where nobody lived? What in the world--

And then, whatever fear Felix had of Wolfie is replaced by his fear of the robot whose figure cut so magnificently, so grandly, so terribly above the skyline. It looks like the invention of a bygone era--but an era in a different world that had surpassed their own, with the huge jets coming out of its back and the enormous clunking feet. It's as tall as Wolfie was in his current size--and as its body turns around to reveal a head crowned like a Pharaoh's, the three seem to have attracted its attention.

"Ohhhhhh, what is that thing?" Wolfie says wondrously, his tails perking up as he leans in closer.

"It doesn't seem too friendly," Felix observes.

"Yeah, I'm getting major 'I could kill you and I probably want to' vibes from this one," Wil says.

"Just because it looks big and scary? You can't judge a book by its cover," Wolfie says. "I think I'm going to go say hi!"

Felix reaches out an arm in protest. "Wait--"

But it's no use. The wolf-fox goes bounding off, knocking over trees and trampling undergrowth as though he wants to expand the clearing in his wake, streaking toward the killer automaton with the exuberance and lack of restraint of an untrained 1-year-old lab as both Felix and Wilhelm pelt after him. Already they feel as though they're falling further and further behind, left in the flattened grass and shattered forest that Wollfie leaves behind like a tsunami's sweeping tide. But they don't have to run very far to recognize a threat. So eagerly does he charge down this that he hardly even notices one of the automaton's arms raising and pulling back, ready to launch an attack.

"SHIT!" Wilhelm screams.

[prometheanpiero]

It hurt him to think of the boys not being there, but if the rumours were true than most of the older druids were no longer. Gone to rest in the paradise of the Isles forevermore. The fact that Erish/Evy was still here was one of the very few exceptions it seemed. And the fact that Aren had more kids was somehow not a surprise. It wasn't that Prometheus wanted to give females suffering with childbirth but humanity's lack of magic was made up for in mechanical biology and he trusted females could handle the pressure. But of course, that left lots of the male counterparts to become the more avid reproducers.

"Umm," he begun, nodding vaguely, trying to wrap his head around all of it. It was, at the very least, slightly relieving to know he wasn't alone in the drama with Archdruids. "He did that, did he... Is the mother here?" Though that likely didn't matter. Prometheus had seen Apollo weave threads of destiny between some of the human pairs. "Is the family giving you a rough time? Say the word, my sister. They should have nothing but the utmost respect for one of the oldest, most gifted druids in existence and I will let them know... in my own way." And Prometheus had been very subtle in his harmless, vengeful pranks to some humans and fey back in Eden - he was sure Erish would remember. "I remember how Aren always hated losing feeling in his arms." He loved his brother-in-law- but that's what he got for popping out of nowhere in their backyard as some fucking dire wolf; he didn't need to be dramatic back then he could have just knocked on their door. Hopefully Andreas had improved.

“It’s really good to see you again,” she repeats, voice fond and wistful as she takes him in. There is no denying that she missed the avariel, no denying that she is ever so glad to see him whole and as healthy as he can be after the punishment he had to suffer through for them. Family had always had a special place on her heart, and Prometheus among them, and having known of his punishment for lifetimes and being incapable of doing anything for her had been a burden that she carried daily. “I am happy,” she assures him, lips twisting into a short smirk. “Alright, I am as happy as I can be with everything that is happening.”

It does not mean that she doesn’t miss what it was, it doesn’t mean she doesn’t mean that she doesn’t miss Eden, but live goes on and they cannot return to the past.

It’s already gone.

“Aren is Andreas in this lifetime, and he is— Well, he is coping with everything that has been happening,” Evy admits, a sigh leaving her lips as she shrugs. “Nor and Dius haven’t appeared, and but they weren’t here before the wedding either, so I am assuming that they might be resting in the Isles,” she has to hope, because it would be too devastating to find out otherwise. With that in mind, she changes the conversation in a way that is sure to draw Pros attention. “But Andreas’ sons from another lifetime in which we didn’t meet are in Rome, and that is only the beginning of the mess that are his current family relations.”

[dumpsterhipster]

The Trash Dweller's Dumpster Dives: 2

[1] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Far From Ourselves - by Babble / @expended-sleeper

fandom || Skyrim rating || M categories || gen, f/f, m/m genre || drama, action/adventure characters of note || Miraak, Sofie, Vilkas, Lucia status || 25/37, 116k

I guess I care about the Companions now.

"Finish it," Sofie ordered, glancing at Miraak and his opponent. The remaining bandit dropped his spear and cradled his injured arm. The potential of his next move rendered Miraak lightheaded. With a swift motion, he could end this Argonian's life. He had not known such a power in many years. But where is the honor that Aela, Vilkas, and Farkas spoke of with such reverence? Certainly he did not see it in his reddened spearhead or the dripping edge of Sofie's axe. Nor did he feel a twinge of honor when he looked down at the cowering bandit bleeding on to the dirt. Sofie took a step closer. "Now, Miraak." "But-" The bandit's hidden dagger slashed and Miraak reacted. While the dagger found no purchase when it hit the leather pad covering Miraak's leg, the spearhead made its home in the Argonian's chest. Miraak stared in disbelief at the living organism that had swallowed the end of his weapon The bandit took a final bubbling breath and went slack against the weight of the spear.

A decade after Alduin's defeat, in a Skyrim still scarred by the barely-repelled Thalmor invasion, Whiterun is about to play host to a new power--one which will test the Companions to their limits, and shine a light on what has always been kept in the darkness. Among those swept up in the conflict are a broken former-Dragonborn looking to regain lost power; a whelp struggling with her inner nature and the young priestess she loves, whose paths seem set in opposition; and the Harbinger of the Companions, who must protect his home and family against this dire new threat.

I'll be honest, it's going to be difficult for me to be coherent about this fic. It's an absolute standout among the current crop of WIPs; a unique, gripping premise executed flawlessly, with a cast of characters who could walk off the page, no matter how small their roles, and the richest and most thought-provoking exploration of theme I've read in a fic possibly ever. Babble's writing is unbelievable in every sense, and this is a fic which deserves so much more attention than it gets.

I'll confess that my usual fic interests don't tend to lead towards the Companions: while there are many very well-written fics set surrounding the guild, they usually tend to focus on the romance between one of the wolf twins and the LDB rather than the rich narrative and thematic potential of the Companions themselves. Absolutely no shade to the many, many people who enjoy those fics, but they've typically fallen less within my wheelhouse.

Far From Ourselves is the Companions fic I've always wanted to read. There are some romance elements--and both the relationships between Miraak/Vilkas and Sofie/Lucia are brilliantly executed and very believable--but they are in the background, with the main subject matter of the fic really being theme. The story asks very meaty, thought-provoking questions about violence and honour and right and wrong and good and evil and all the many shades in between in a way which blows my mind with every chapter update, and inspires me constantly in my own writing. Of particular note is the way Babble asks questions, and examines them from every angle, but so far has yet to provide many answers. The reader is left to turn the problems over in their own mind, to think about the various beliefs and attitudes the characters have, and to arrive at their own conclusions (or not, as the case may be--they're VERY complex questions). It's incredibly well done, and leads to a plot and set of character relationship arcs which feel particularly coherent and meaningful.

This leads me into a discussion of how Babble approaches character. As you can probably assume from how they manage theme, the characters themselves all feel like real, living people with their own complex beliefs and values, rather than author mouthpieces/counter-mouthpieces. Babble is a true master of character writing. I was impressed by the sensitivity and nuance with which they wrote characters in Death of the Dragonborn (which I would also heartily recommend), which is particularly notable given that fic was written between the ages of 16 and 18. In the handful of years since that early promise has ripened and matured to the point where every character Babble takes a brush to comes alive within a few sentences; even the minor characters in Far From Ourselves are incredibly dynamic and three-dimensional. Special mention goes to Babble's sprinkling of OCs, including the wonderful additions to the whelps of Benajah and Hugs-the-Shadows, the Alfiq storekeeper Kishla, and Ruth, about whom I will say nothing other than that it's worth reading this fic for Ruth alone.

And then there's the main cast. Once again Miraak is not usually in my wheelhouse, but Babble paints such an incredibly complex, multi-faceted interpretation of a post-defeat Miraak that I was sucked in from the first harrowing paragraph, and have not been released since. I have never read a character like this Miraak in a Skyrim fic, and am awed at how consistently Babble portrays a mind so alien yet human. Babble's Vilkas is brilliant: he truly feels like the whip-smart, capable and thoughtful man we're given a glimpse of in canon, and a worthy Harbinger to succeed Kodlak. Grown-up Lucia as a priestess of Kynareth is both a delight and very fitting, but oh my god, for me the true standout of this fic's main cast is Sofie. I don't want to give anything away, but this is Sofie is probably one of my favourite canon character portrayals in a Skyrim fic, ever. Babble has done so much more with her potential than I ever could have imagined, and she is a true masterclass in just how much scope there is for both breadth and depth in turning the sketches we get in canon into fully rich and realised characters.

This review is already very long but it's worth noting that the plot is also incredibly fresh and gripping, with a really complex and nuanced 'villain' faction; Whiterun itself is beautifully rendered, as are those parts of broader Skyrim we have the privilege of being shown; and Babble's technical skills are excellent, with marvellous prose and dialogue both. I cannot recommend this fic highly enough--if you have any interest in the Companions, or in just really, really well-written and original, thought-provoking fantasy fiction, you owe it to yourself to check this out.