#feel like that goes without saying but saying just in case

[shysuccubusstuff]

husband! Zayne:

Content: SFW + NSFW hc, non proof-reading; established relationship + husband! zayne + consensual + praise kink; soft! dom into mean! dom Zayne (then back to soft! dom) : brat taming + degradation kink + praise kink + overstimulation + aftercare.

Note: So, I entered the game today and Zayne blew up my phone, one of the texts was about kaomojis and he said something about it being childish, even if he did it afterwards... I NEED TO MAKE HIM A DADDDD so freaking bad!! I'm pretty sure I already did something like this, but I just can't help it when I see such husband material... BTW Tomorrow is my birthday!! Time goes so fast :00 I hope everyone is able to rest during the holidays!!

♡ thinking about husband! zayne...

Hubby! Zayne. who proposed during one of your many outings, the sun was setting and you were sharing those old fashion snacks, laughing about how he had gotten the smaller side of the ice cream. You were still making fun of him when he suddenly got on one knee, his face completely red as he tried his best to get his severely prepared and rehearsed speech ready.

Hubby! Zayne, who makes sure to celebrate each single month , all the people in the hospital are completely aware of when that time comes, as they are able to see Zayne's uncontrolable smile during the whole week before the date. He makes sure to buy a beautiful bouquet for you, only using your favourite flowers and colours, that's the least he would do for you though. When your aniversary comes, better get ready for Zayne's constant pampering, always reserving some special place where the two of you can go together and spend some time alone, just him and you.

Hubby! Zayne, who makes sure to pay close attention to every single word you say, always answering to your rantings: "Oh, really? How could she do that to his long time fwb? Keep telling me, love."

Hubby! Zayne who prepares dinner the days that he gets home sooner than you, the table set and ready by the time you arrive home, sometimes even lighting up a few candles to give it a more romantic ambience.

Hubby! Zayne who sometimes appear without warning, he is resting his back against his car. As soon as he sees you getting out of your work, he quickly gets up, his right hand holding a plasting bag. "Just remembered you wante to go to that new restaurant, since I had time, I went and bought some take-out, do you want to go home and eat it?"

Hubby! Zayne who gets flusthered as soon as you start to think about having kids with him. He had been thinking about it for a long time, trying his best not to say it in case you felt unsure about it.

Hubby! Zayne who goes crazy just from the thought of filling your precious cunt with his essence, forcing himself not to get carried away as he keeps hitting the tip of his cock against your cervix, your insides clamping against his length making his mind foggy. What if he simply shoved you into the bed as he took away that damn condom, filling you to the brim as he whispered sweet nothings into your ear.

Hubby! Zayne who loves cuddling with you every single night, his sligthly cooler body quickly warming him up, maybe a bit too much, as you suddenly start to feel something poking you from behind.

Hubby! Zayne, who tries to act as if nothing is happening, slowly moving away as soon as he believes you are asleep, his hand tracing down his own body as he tries to reduce his erection as fast as possible just so he can keep embracing your body... Or so he thought.

"Zayne?" Zayne stops himself, quickly hiding it under his pants.

"...Yes, love?" You turn around, soon noticing how he had gotten away from you.

"Sure you don't need some help down there?" Zayne's face flushes, his eyes widening as he looked at you.

"...You noticed?"

"I mean, it's not exactly easy to ignore something stiff poking against my ass while trying to fall asleep, you know?" Zayne stopped your words, his hand covering your mouth as he tried to stop you from saying more embarrasing things.

"I, I just didn't want to bother you, I know you work so hard everyday so you must rest, this can wait until we have more time, there's no need to--" Zayne's words were stopped as you got on top of him with your hands massaging his chest while you started a deep kiss. "Love... we shouldn't, we have to wake up early tomorrow." Once again, you ignored poor Zayne's words, your hands quickly getting rid of his shirt, throwing it to the ground, your lips starting to make a small trail of kisses all over his neck to his chest. "You're always so..." Zayne's words were cut off, a deep breath leaving his lips before he was able to end his sentence. "...naughty." You smiled, almost a bit too happy to see him struggling under you, sadly, this soon reached its end, with Zayne swiftly changing positions, having you under his bigger frame. "Not so fun now, am I right, love? It seems I have been pampering a bit too much, now you even think that you can do whatever you want and have no consequences since I love you so much... But even brats like you should know when to behave." Zayne started to kiss you, his soft lips leaving small kisses all over you as his hands started to run under your clothes, his cold touch making your whole body shiver. "Not so funny now, uh?" With your whole body now completely exposed to Zayne it was almost impossible to stop him from finding your sweet spots. Zayne started to massage your breasts, his fingertips playing with your nipples while he sometimes gave them small licks. "Oh, they are perking up, seems I am not the only one who is weak to... someone's touch."

"You're talking too much, just-- Fuck..." Once again, Zayne's touch stopped you mid-sentence, his hands suddenly lifting your lower half and putting your legs over his shoulders, Zayne now kissing and leaving small licks all over that place, still not going for it, just teasing it. "Zayne, just, uh... please."

"Please what, love? I can't read your mind, I need you to say it to me." You clenched your fists as Zayne kept teasing you by kissing your inner thighs.

"...Please. Just... just make me feel good, I need you." That was everything Zayne needed, his mouth already moving towards your cunt, his lips kissing it and giving it a few licks before he actually started to play with your poor clit, his tongue making your whole body quiver as he started to use one of his fingers to play with your clit as he used his tongue to slowly enter you. After a few minutes, he finally introduced one of his digits, entering another as he considered you were finally ready for it. "Zayne... I need you now-- Give it to me."

"Don't rush, my love. We have all the night left." With that set in mind, Zayne ignored your pleas, having you lay with your legs wide open as he kept teasing you, stopping just before you were finally able to cum, making your mind start to feel fuzzy as he kept playing with your clit, his fingers still prepping your poor cunt.

By the time Zayne finally let your legs go, your whole body was trembling, your eyes tearing up as the overstimulation had gotten far too much, your hands fisting the sheets as you tried to avoid being heard by your neighbours. "Zayne, Zayne, please!... Just, can't think, I need you." Zayne chuckled at your pouty face, kissing your lips before he lifted you from the bed, sitting on the bed and finally letting his cock make his way inside your overwhelmed cunt, bottoming out with a deep groan.

"...You feel so nice, love." You rested your hands on his chest, trying your best to use your legs to try and lift your lower half, barely being able to take out a bit of his lenght. "Wait dear, let me help my sweet girl." As soon as he said that, Zayne's hands were already on your hips, carefully lifting you up before entering your cunt once more, kissing you as he tried to avoid your slutty moans to be heard by someone that wasn't him. Annoyed by his teasing, you tried to get Zayne to move faster, trying your best to release his grip on you, suddenly forcing you to slam yourself against him, a high-pitched whimper resonating in the bedroom you both shared. " It seems I haven't been able to put you in your place still, I suppose you really want to be treated like a brat, get fucked against the mattress while you cream all over my dick, so be it. It was foolish of me to think you would want to get pregnant while making love, you just love getting your brains fucked out by me, right?" Zayne quickly pushed you again, forcing you to face the bed as he started to slam his hips against your ass, the lewd sound reverberating in the room while your eyes rolled to the back of your head. "Speak, you always love running your mouth, why not answer me now?" Your nails digged on the sheets, Zayne pulling you by your hair without much force, just letting you breath so you could answer him.

" Sowwy--- I'm sorry! Sorry for being a brat, I love you, I love you Zayne... I love getting my brain scattered by your cock! Pleasee~... Just cum inside, don't pull out, please please Zayne!" Zayne once again teased you, turning you around just to see the face he loved so much, ashamed, you hid your face with your hands, trying your best to keep quiet as Zayne kept punishing you with his thrusts, your cunt gushing out each time he hit that special spot inside of you.

"That's my good girl, keep taking me so good, dear. You're doing such a good job, let me get you all nice and round, you will make such a good mommy... Keep cumming for me love, no need to think about anything else." So you did, your cunt pulsating as your mind was finally able to begin to clear up, Zayne's hands caressing your soft face while he kissed your wet cheeks. "You did so well, love. Promise I will pamper you the whole week, how about having breakfast in bed? We can then have dinner together in that new restaurant you keep seeing, yeah? Let me take care of everything." Nodding, you dooze off, Zayne's words resonating in your ears while he kept kissing your face.

[theunsinkableship1]

If You Know You Know

I don’t know how many times I’ll have to say this, it must be tiring for some, but I need to reiterate this CLEARLY to be properly understood:

I WILL NEVER SHIP THEM WITH ANYONE ELSE.

This makes absolutely no sense to me. The only reason I’m here is to support Luke and Nicola as a couple. I’ve never done anything like this before, and I won’t do it again after them. Hopefully, if they become an official couple, I’ll step away because my purpose will be fulfilled.

I joined this fandom because I saw something extraordinary between them, something I’ve never witnessed in my entire life. Their connection felt so unique and undeniable. Other relationships, real or supposed, simply don’t matter to me in this context. I initially believed people supported them because they, too, recognized the magic between them. But clearly, that’s not the case for everyone, which is disappointing.

To me, there’s no point in being part of the Lukola fandom if you don’t genuinely support both of them together. To be clear, I deeply admire and respect both actors, and I support their careers wholeheartedly. But that’s not why I’m here. I’m not here to support two talented actors, I’m here for their LOVE, for that incredible bond they share.

I’ve seen many relationships in my life, but nothing like this. Their dynamic is something rare, something worth rooting for.

To be a true shipper is to stand firm in your belief, to celebrate the connection you see and cherish without hiding behind the guise of "realism" or "pragmatism" to spread negativity. If you don’t believe in the ship, that’s fine, but then, why stay? Why participate only to criticize those who do have faith?

Truly shipping them isn’t about constant doubt or spreading cynicism; it’s about what you see and feel between the two people you root for. For those of us who support Lukola, our belief stems from the extraordinary connection we’ve witnessed between Luke and Nicola. It’s something that doesn’t come along every day.

It’s not about shipping every supposed relationship they might have, that approach dilutes the magic of what we see in them. Even if they confirm that they are indeed in those relationships, will I support those ones? Not really because I’ve seen many of those; if they love it, I like it .Their lives, their choices. Not every relationship needs to be shipped, and that’s okay. If Lukola isn’t your ship, then jump ship. No one is asking you to believe, but also, don’t bring your doubt and negativity into a space meant for those who trust and support this connection.

This space is for believers, for those who see and celebrate something extraordinary. If you can’t see it or choose not to, that’s fine, but don’t pollute the energy of those who do. We’re here for Luke and Nicola together, and our faith in them doesn’t need validation from those who don’t share it. Let us enjoy this space as it’s meant to be a celebration of love, connection, and the beauty of their bond.

It’s not about being delusional or not accepting the facts as reality. It’s about recognizing something profound, something rare that transcends other real or supposed connections. We don’t believe their bond is just platonic, just PR, or just friendship. If you still think that you need actively LISTEN and pay a closer look and EAR at what is publicly available. It goes beyond that. What we see is something that defies the boundaries of ordinary relationships.

This isn’t about diminishing the significance of other relationships they may have; it’s about acknowledging that what Luke and Nicola share is singular, a once in a lifetime kind of connection. It’s not something that can be replicated or overshadowed. It’s more.

This ship isn’t built on superficial observations or wishful thinking, it’s rooted in what they’ve shown us. It’s something you don’t see every day, and certainly not in every connection. It’s about believing in the rarity of what they have and celebrating it for the unique bond it is.

For those of us who believe, this feels more like something bigger, more meaningful, and more enduring than any fleeting moment.

This corner of the internet wasn’t created to be all things to all people, it was built with a clear and intentional purpose: to celebrate, believe in, and support the connection between Luke and Nicola. It’s a space rooted in trust, admiration, and the shared belief that what they have is rare and extraordinary.

If someone finds that they no longer resonate with that purpose, that’s okay. People grow, perspectives shift, and interests change. But the respectful and graceful thing to do is to quietly take your leave. Staying to criticize or sow negativity only detracts from the energy and intention of the space, which is to uplift and celebrate, not to argue or debate.

This community thrives on faith and positivity. It’s for those who still see the magic, who choose to believe, and who want to nurture a space filled with that same belief. If that’s no longer where your heart lies, it’s perfectly fine to move on, do the same if you think that we’re crazy, but let us continue to build on the foundation that brought them here.

"If you know, you know."This phrase perfectly encapsulates what it means to believe in something that isn’t always spelled out but is undeniably felt. Like the kind of connection that doesn’t need an announcement because it’s there, plain as day, for those who see it.

“If you know, you know" speaks to the undeniable energy and chemistry between Luke and Nicola. In their silence, because sometimes, what’s not said speaks louder than words.

For those who know, no explanation is necessary. For those who don’t, no explanation will ever be enough. That’s the beauty of it. Some things are felt, not proven, and if you know, you know.

[felassan]

Some more DA:TV and related snippets from Sylvia Feketekuty, Part 3. rest of post under a cut due to length and spoilers. [Post One, Post Two]

Ran out of characters or something in post 2. :)

User: "I LOVE the line "a raw, strangling fear, struck somewhere deep past the heart". It's beautiful and it resonates with me since I myself struggle with anxiety. Now for the questions! 1) Can you talk more about the banter between Emmrich and Harding after we start romancing him? What is her motivation behind it? Is she critical of their relationship or is she worried about Emmrich? 2) I love the argument Rook and Emmrich have before Tearstone Island, it gives nice depth to their relationship. But what did Emmrich think he would accomplish with that conversation? Did he want to break up with Rook because he thought it would be easier for him if something happened to Rook? 3) Not a question but I love Hezenkoss. Such a dedicated hater lol. -- Sylvia Feketekuty: "That was one of the first lines where I started to feel I had a handle on his voice in the first draft, so that means a lot to hear. (And thank you for noting the team effort, I got a lot of great feeback from the other writers and the editors on Emmrich. He wouldn't be as good without them.) On to questions: 1) My personal take: I think Harding is worried because she's very perceptively noticed how hard Emmrich's fallen for Rook, and that he's a man of large emotions. (And because they become pretty good friends over the course of the game.) 2) I think Emmrich let his anxieties run away with him, afraid that this romance wasn't, couldn't possibly be the One True Love he so wanted, and that's how his fear expressed itself. (Did he WANT to break up? No, but he was bracing himself in case Rook did think it was only a fling and so on and so forth, they should get it out in the open, and so on.) 3) Thank you! I loved writing her. She will always be a hater until her (un)dying day."" [source, two, three, four, five, six] -- John Epler: "someday we'll get the Hezenkoss/Anaris reluctant team-up the world deserves" [source] -- Sylvia: "Somehow, in the realm of pure imagination, they're already trying to strangle each other." [source] -- User: "Very important question- would Anaris finger gun? (Finger crossbow?)" -- John: "as a man defined primarily by his tremendous insecurities Anaris also takes himself incredibly seriously and unconsciously mirrors Elgar'nan, an elf he both loathes and desperately wishes he were so the real question is, would Elgar'nan finger gun?" [source]

User: "On my 1st run I thought some choices felt like the 'bad' ones and avoided them - Lich Emmerich, Harding's Anger, Qunari Taash etc. But on my 2nd run I was so pleasantly surprised to see that it wasn't the case! None of the companion choices feel right or wrong, just different, and that's fantastic." / Sylvia: "Thanks! We tried to make either choice compelling, to have something for different players either way. So I'm so glad to hear that." [source]

User, on Manfred winning a character award: "Congrats Manfred we knew you had it in you!" / Sylvia: "He did it! My little skeleton pal did it! (Especial thanks to the animators and voice actor, Matt Mercer, because like 90% of his personality lives in those gangly limbs and his hissing)" [source]

User: "I just wanted to say that Emmerich and Josephine are so interesting and well-written" / Sylvia: "I feel very lucky I got to bring them into DA, with teams that went for them 100%." [source]

User: "I enjoyed Emmrich's addendum to the codex about Templars in Nevarra: are they primarily there as backup if something goes profoundly wrong? Would they ever get someone who just wants to help down in the Necropolis, pretty please? (also <3 Vorgoth, they're great)" / Sylvia: ""are they primarily there as backup if something goes profoundly wrong?" That was my own take. You don't NOT want Templars, in case some ritual gets disrupted in an utterly disastrous fashion. But other times...the Mortalitasi flex their clout. "Would they ever get someone who just wants to help down in the Necropolis, pretty please?" Some Watchers might not be immune to flattery. I think a few templars could be all right under some circumstances, but that they'd be assigned a mage. (A bit of a reverse of the southern mage-templar pairs.) "(also <3 Vorgoth, they're great)" Thank you! I was so pumped when I saw the final art for them, everything I'd dreamed. (And their voice actor, Brent Mukai, was amazing.)" [source, two, three]

User: "I wanted to ask you what you think nevarran wedding attire might look like? or if you’ve considered it? asking for science." / Sylvia: "Geeze, that's a good question. I imagine the couple would exchange some custom-made grave gold pieces to mark the occasion, given how important it is in Nevarra. But other than that, you should let your imagination run wild." [source]

User: "Is seeing Josephine as Asexual or part of the Ace Spectrum a valid interpretation of her character?" / Sylvia: "Totally, if that's how you want to see the character and relationship. (My policy is generally that if it's not directly contradicted in the game, you can take that kind of thing as a valid read of the character.)" [source]

Sylvia: "I'll say this (spoiler free): there's a scene in "Walking the Graves" where I felt Emmrich's voice finally click for me on the first draft, so that one's special to me." [source]

User: "I remembered some questions I had about Emmrich.. Can he play any instruments? I always invision him playing a pipe organ or maybe violin! If not, are there any he would like to learn? 😊 Also, I was curious, can he ice skate? out on that frozen Nevarran lake in winter" / Sylvia: "Those are interesting questions. Because they're something I never considered or wrote, there's no real canon there yet. I see Emmrich as more an appreciator of music than a musician, but can't rule it out. As for ice-skating, I'm not even sure we've shown that in Thedas. I think Emmrich would enjoy it though. UPDATE: a friend reminded me about this tidbit from World of Thedas 2: "Ice skating – during the winter in Nevarra, people often skate on the frozen over Minanter river." So it's canon now. Emmrich ice-skates. He instantly manifests a scarf when doing so. (I fall on my sword for forgetting this.)" [source, two, three]

User: "about Josephine: what would her ideal/dream wedding be? I was tickled when I read about that in her letter to her Inquisitor I just have to know" / Sylvia: "what a delightful question in turn! I think she'd want a big, flower-filled, no-holds barred wedding at her family's estate. All her relatives, friends she made in the Inquisition, the Inquisitor's relatives (if they have any/keep in touch.) She'd begin planning 16 months in advance." [source]

Sylvia: "Aw thank you! (On behalf of me, and the rest of the team, so many people worked so hard on our eccentric necromancer man.)" [source]

Sylvia: "The Mourn Watch and Emmrich are a bit eccentric, but I really wanted their reverence for the dead (and the living) to feel genuine." [source]

User: "As someone who himself gets awful pangs about the thought of death and nothingness, it was really refreshing to see a character have those same thoughts as me, especially as he also happens to be a Necromancer who is around death daily." / Sylvia: "You're welcome, and thanks for the kind words. It's a familiar thing for me too, so I really wanted to talk about it. I suspect it's far more common than we might think." [source]

User: "My HOF was a spirit healer, very kind & very curious, & for years I've considered how that special connection to spirits might lend itself to an interest in Thedan necromancy & puzzling out where spirits & souls begin & end. Emmrich, Manfred/Curiosity and the wisps gave me so much to think about!" / Sylvia: "Thank you so much! And that's interesting about your HOF. They may've found some kindred spirits if they ever ventured further north." [source]

User: "No questions other than thank you and the team for Emmrich and Nevarra / The Mourn Watch. Seeing death treated with such kindness, empathy and as beautiful renewal rather than grim end is so refreshing and personal to me, it was a great experience to have!" / Sylvia: "That's one of the things I really wanted to express in Emmrich's arc, so I'm so glad you felt that way." [source]

User: "I feel that my Rook would want to learn more about the Mourn Watch after saving the world." / Sylvia: "Emmrich and the Watchers would love that. Emmrich probably has like, five lectures he could rattle off without preparation for your Rook already, haha." [source]

User: "do you have any favorite tidbits about Audric or Myrna that you can share?" / Sylvia: "As for tidbits, hrm. I did post something on what Audric's up to these days. Nothing surprising, but he's doing well! And I never wrote it in-game, so it lives in the hazy world of "only canon in my head": while Emmrich doesn't come from nobility, Myrna does-the Van Markham branch. She had the finest education, even before the Watchers. She doesn't play it up much, though. Her real passion's her work. And the theater. (I did a small bit about her love of theater here [link or see Post Two]. I think she's a regular attendee.)" [source, two, three]

Sylvia: "I also really wanted to explore more of the Necropolis ever since I first read about it. I'm very lucky the team and I finally got to show everyone the crypts..." [source]

User: "he stories, the worldbuilding, the characters, the locations, I loved it all so much I played my MW Rook twice" / Sylvia: "Nice. The Mourn Watch appreciates your studious interest in the hallowed art of necromancy." [source]

Sylvia: "thank you on behalf of the whole team, as you've surmised there were a lot of people bringing him to life. (Especial props to Nick Borraine, his VA, who's wonderful in the role.)" [source]

Sylvia: "It always makes me happy when people mention the short stories, and glad you enjoyed meeting (and perhaps romancing...) Emmrich." [source]

Sylvia, on Vorgoth: "I'm afraid I deliberately left our cloak-shrouded Watcher a mystery. But I'll say this: I'm sure they'd show your Rook in that picture their art collection, an honor Vorgoth bestows only on those they like or trust." [source]

User: "does the watch have any rules in regards to courtship/marriage between fellow watchers? An does Emmrich lecture at the Necropolis or at the College of Magi in Cumberland?" / Sylvia: "1) I actually got into that a little here [link or see Post Two]. Short story, it's not forbidden for mages within Circles to court or marry, so no particular rules there I think. 2) That is a very good question. Full disclosure, I am answering on the fly with what I think makes most sense. I can see Emmrich doing a bit of both in his younger days. But as he grew older, more specialized in his field, and had more MW responsibilities, he probably worked more out of the Necropolis. (And prefers it anyhow.) By the time DAV starts, it's probably been years since he was in Cumberland." [source, two, three]

User: "Thank you for your moving portrayal of thanatophobia. While most people have some fear of death, it was amazing to see the thanatophobic panic attacks etc portrayed so accurately." / Sylvia: "Thanks - they're not an unfamiliar phenomenon to me, I wanted Emmrich to try to get across that helplessness and wretched terror. (I suspect more people are affected by them than we commonly talk about.)" [source]

User: "whoever decided “DA liches are immortal protectors and not always evil?” Chef’s kiss. It’s all I’ve ever wanted!" / Sylvia: "Thanks again! It was in Emmrich's first draft. The other writers and editors gave me good feeback on lichdom and the philosophy behind it especially" [source]

User: "I wonder, did you prefer writing for either lich Emmrich or mortal? I would imagine it's a bit different." / Sylvia: "I wouldn't say I had a favorite, but it was fun to try to figure out what approach to take in scenes that had split lich/mortal lines. I didn't want Emmrich to be unrecognizable as a lich, but I did want him to occasionally be a little different, slowly absorbing what he'd become. We see him at the start of this new stage of his existence, so I think even by the end of Veilguard he's still just at the very start of adjusting to, and exploring, what he is now. I liked giving him that wonder!" [source, two]

Sylvia: "The Memorial Gardens were the heart of the Necropolis to me, the level artists and level designer and our audio team worked so much magic there. (And the lighting team! First time I saw it properly lit I think I clapped.)" [source]

User: "Also wanted to know if you wrote Josephine’s letter to Inquisitor if romanced?" / Sylvia: "I did write that letter, thanks! It was a joy to return to Josephine, even in a codex sent to her dearest Inquisitor." [source]

Sylvia on where Emmrich sleeps: "As to his sleeping arrangements, I gave a tantalizing (non) answer here [[link] or see [Post Two]]. (Though I think he'd prefer a proper bed, whatever form it takes. Emmrich's too old to be sleeping on cots like a student anymore.)" [source]

Sylvia: "So glad the team and I got to crack open the ancient doors of the Grand Necopolis, I've been curious about it too ever since reading about it eons ago. (And very glad you're liking MW Rook, I really wanted things to feel different when chatting with Emmrich as a Watcher yourself!)" [source]

User: "I enjoyed Johanna IMMENSELY and she is most definitely my favourite villain of all time now, so thank you for her as well!" / Sylvia: "She was a treat to write. (And Hezenkoss would 100% applaud you on your fine judgement and obvious taste.)" [source]

Sylvia on Emmrich's fear: "I'm not unfamiliar with that fear either, and it means a great deal to hear getting to know Emmrich helped you out even a little. (And happy to hear you dug Manfred!)" [source]

Sylvia: "I'm especially glad you liked the battle theme. Our music director instantly got the tone of Emmrich's arc, he and the audio team spun off so many great tracks from that core theme." [source]

User on Emmrich: "He's a brilliant character and everyone involved in his creation should be very proud!" / Sylvia: "There were a lot of people working on him, I was lucky so many people got onboard right away with our professor of necromancy. And I loved writing him chatting with Bellara, the mentor/student relationship was fun to hash out with her writer." [source]

User: "(1/2) Hello Sylvia! Like everyone else, I love Emmrich, but I also wanted to say thank you for your work in DAI. Josie was my first romance in DA and I love her a lot. My question had to do with her codex entry in Veilguard for a romanced Inquisitor: (2/2) Her letter in Veilguard implies she hasn't married yet, 10 years later. Josie is so image-conscious in how she conducts herself, so I was surprised she would put off marriage for that long as the first born noble of her house. Curious what the idea behind it was if you can share." / Sylvia: "Thank you! I'm honored to hear Josepine was your first DA romance. Re: marriage, you're right, that is a big time gap. I basically didn't want to surprise returning players with a marriage that had already happened to their Inquisitor offscreen. I'm sure Josephine has kept busy with world affairs, and so has the Inquisitor, which isn't a bad reason it's taken so long. But I thought it'd be more engaging for players to imagine the proposal, how they'd react, what the wedding would be like, as something good happening to them in the future." [source, two]

User: "I wanted to ask about banter I saw online; why does Taash say Emmrich smells like potash? Isn't that a bad smell, like rotten eggs? He doesn't strike me as a smelly person outside of being around the dead. Maybe Trick would know too" / Trick Weekes: "IIRC, I based it on residual scents that would come from chemicals -- can't remember whether it was what you'd get from working with embalming liquids or something used to style hair. That said, Taash comments on scents non-adaari can't detect, so it's not like he smells bad to normal people." [source] / Sylvia: "Chiming in late, but what Trick said. Taash has an incredible sense of smell, but they're detecting the tiny residuals. (Which is why poor Taash can smell that burial Emmrich helped with, even though he scrubbed down thoroughly afterwards. Gotta keep hygienic!)" [source]

User: "I wish more games had Romances like this, he was just simply perfect. [Emmrich] believably cares for Rook." / Sylvia: "I'm glad that part felt heartfelt, it was one of the cores of his romance for me." [source]

User: "What inspired you to want to go into writing for games? Or just writing in general?" / Sylvia: "I've played games since I was about 5 years old and that's what really did it. I fell in love at once with these cool, weird little worlds you could visit as someone else. As for writing in general, it feels goofy (or ominous) to call it a Calling, but it's just something I've always enjoyed doing. It's also probably what I'm best at, which means I'm unfathomably lucky I ended up at BioWare. I don't think I would've been happy until I was doing game writing somewhere, somehow!" [source, two]

User: "I have two questions about his and Johanna's childhood. 1. How and when did he and her(johanna) meet? 2. What was the story between him and her back then? Sorry if it's too long a question. Thank you! Oh I'm so sorry, how could I forget another important question😭😓 3. How tall do you think he is👀 He's almost as tall as Taash!" / Sylvia: "I have not forgotten the other two questions, I'll get to them later (it's just getting late here) but this one's a little easier. I THINK he's about 6 foot 2 inches without his boots, so about 6 foot 3 with them on. (A character artist would have to confirm or deny if I'm remembering right.)" [source]

Sylvia on her time at BioWare: "So I gt a 5 year award statue that looked like a glass disc, and then we swapped over the to the BioWare Character award statues so I got Wrex as my 10th one. (I think I remember people who'd been around earlier than me with those clocks on their desks!)" [source]

[atoriv-art]

what are your thoughts on the hyuga siblings and their relationship

OOF now thats one of my favorite naruto dynamics lmao. i think neji and hinata have a very interesting relationship and i say that as someone who really didn't (and tbh still doesn't) love how that relationship developed in canon

i really like the hyuga fight in the chunin exams because the way it's perceived is sooo interesting to me.. neji comes off as an outright bully and i don't even blame the kids for calling him an asshole after all of that, but from reader's perspective it's really obvious that his animosity only exists because of a larger issue...

neji shouldn't treat hinata the way he does, but he does so because of her unique position as a scorned heir. she still benefits from everything that makes his life awful - her life is still valued more than his - but hiashi hates her enough that he won't care if neji dishes out verbal abuse on her. it's an awful dynamic and definitely contributes to hinata's terrible self-worth, but it's a symptom of the life they have been forced into by the man who the manga is intent on letting escape all of the blame for this situation lmao

(hiashi himself can be a really fascinating case honestly. i think he fully means everything he says, which is what makes him so grating but fun to me LOL. his apology to neji is entirely sincere AND it completely misses the point of all of the issues, but neji is young and deprived of acknowledgement enough that he accepts it wholeheartedly. hiashi thinks he's the best uncle of all time.)

hinata herself has so little belief in her own worth that she just sits there and takes whatever abuse people throw at her... i don't actually think neji's anger towards her was a constant - i think some people interpret it that way - rather i feel like it was something that came up whenever he was pushed too far. in more normal circumstances where he's not being made to fight her directly, he was likely more detached than anything. he wanted nothing to do with her.

in one of the filler mini arcs ive mentioned before (i think. the one that focuses on hanabi and hinata) there's a scene that rang very true to me (and im gonna recount this without rewatching it atm so sorry if i get details wrong,): neji was being made to train with hinata, asked to be allowed to leave because he felt his time was being wasted and correctly noted that it doesn't have to be him here, was told no by hiashi and then he started getting vicious and violent. towards hinata, of course, not hiashi. he then got horribly punished for it LOL i think that's the general dynamic they were living in, neji reaches a limit of disrespect that he can take and explodes on the nearest most acceptable target (we loove a boy with no emotional regulation <3), goes too far and suffers the consequence of it while nothing else changes. to him interacting with hinata at all is just asking for pain, either emotional or straight up physical

But, for hinata, she saw herself and neji as similar (the black sheep of the family i suppose), and would have liked to bond over that fact; theyve known each other since they were very little and she outright refers to him as a brother. it's clear to me she's always cared a lot about neji and imo feels responsible for what happened to his father (something that hiashi doesn't help with. Dad of the year), so she saw their match in the exams as a chance to close the distance between them and get neji to see her as a person, an equal instead of a symbol to lash out on.

but, you know, she was 12 LMAO so she ended up pressing all of his buttons instead and it led to his famous outburst, which led to the famous moment of Every Single Jonin (other than asuma.) coming to stop him and further cementing his belief that her life is seen as special. i think (and this is a mix of Shit I Made up, and Me trying to make sense of the manga's insane mishandling of their plotline) that despite her trying her hardest to reach neji she didn't really grasp the horror of his situation. that's the tragedy of neji's life really LMAO, no one really tries to grapple with the severity of what having that curse mark does to a person. she thought of his fatalism as more of a psychological, metaphorical way of dealing with hurt and not like... "my life literally does not belong to me no matter how much i try to fight it"

this is loooooong take this readmore.

i think hiashi-hizashi were hoping that the cousins could have had a better relationship than they did... letting them hang out often and stuff, introducing them early, hizashi not discouraging neji from being friendly with her, to me it all reads as very "ok well this didn't work for Us, but what if it works out for them... even though literally nothing has changed". they were proper family once and hizashi wanted to die for his brother, not his leader, so that just makes sense to me.

i do nautttt like the naruto vs neji fight so to keep the post positive i will gloss over it <3 but hinata and neji's relationship post-chunin exams to me is peak like. God i wish this was done better because it could have been soooo good

neji realizes that his anger is consuming him and adjusts his behavior accordingly, getting a lot of his kindness back, and he becomes intent on fixing his relationship with hinata... i don't hate that premise at all, it's just the way it's executed that bothers me!

the impression i got (and i could be mistaken im in the process of rewatching the anime + rereading the manga) is that their relationship getting better is done exclusively through like. neji repenting for being mean to her. which, don't get me wrong, he SHOULD apologize (AND THAT WOULDVE BEEN A COOL THING TO SEE ONSCREEN, BTW) but you CANNOT divorce his behavior from the hyuga system in general. from the way they act after the exams you would think their issues were born solely from neji being a bully for no reason, and not, like... him lashing out on her because his uncle is literally the devil.

i don't think hinata has the power to change a lot in her clan on short notice (she did get disowned. did that un-happen offscreen? we will never know. Hiashi gets to be a grandfather to her children btw.) but i certainly would have liked to see her standing up for branch members and in the stuff i draw that's the story i have in mind LMAO. like, her gaining a deeper understanding of neji's situation and trying to work against her father trying to make her cousin's life better? i think that would have been really sweet and even show her gaining more confidence in herself and her beliefs. you can still have neji fussing over her and being protective because he feels bad for how they used to be, i actually really like that because neji IS a very sweet person, i just reject the idea that it's his sole Moral Obligation to put everything aside and make things better by the power of I Will Die For You Now, But This Time, For The Right Reasons

as for hanabi i wish she had more screentime soooo bad because i'm obsessed with how she gives off Haunted Child vibes lmfao. talking abt her requires me to expose myself a little bit and have to admit hiashi is kind of a blorbo to me because of how much he sucks ass, but like. Essentially his insane resentment of hinata was born when hizashi died, it doesnt matter it wasn't really her fault, he needed someone to blame and he would never blame himself, at least not outwardly lol. hiashi did genuinely love his brother, it just didn't stop him from being a monster to him, and he is certainly not gonna grapple with that now that he's dead!

(and, you know, the whole "sorry we sent a guy to kidnap an heir. you do need to die for killing him though" thing is really dumb but if we stop at every single stupid thing in naruto we will be here all day.)

with all that being said i think hiashi tries his best to make hanabi everything hinata isn't, and he has very little interest in having her and hinata have any bond at all. he just left neji and hinata to fester in that god-awful dynamic with no supervising, and took hanabi as the best direction for the clan to head towards. but, you know, father of the year is very demanding and doesn't seem to be very fatherly to her at all from the little we see of them. she's just like. a good soldier, and that's what he needs.

i think hanabi growing to resent her sister for the situation she's been put into (if hinata weren't 'weak' she wouldn't have so much responsibility) is very interesting! by the time we meet her i think she's learned that the best thing to do wrt her sister is to just ignore that she exists. as for neji he barely registers as a presence to her; neji has no reason to interact with her and hiashi has no reason to incentivize it. it's very fun to me!

in general i really like all of their dynamics can be used to explore how hurt and trauma drive people apart, i could talk about them for hourssss LMAO i love the suna family for the same reason!

[ferrarifinnick]

WHO WANTS TO BE A DADDY | THE HUNGER GAMES HEADCANON

didn’t think i would, but i absolutely loved thinking about this with thg boys. we only ever really see katniss’ opinion on parenthood in the books, and it was so much fun exploring other perspectives. i’d love to hear if you agree or if this feels all wrong, because there’s no right or wrong answer really! also, i know most of you dislike gale but i really enjoyed exploring him in this lol.

CW: set post-rebellion, when life is finally peaceful and full of possibility. small couple lines at the end of each section about: how many & genders i think suits them best, and why.

includes: gale, finnick, peeta

warnings: none

gale would absolutely want to be a father, but just not for some time after the rebellion is won and over. i can see him moving back to the new district 12, building a new house for you both to live in, far away from the ruins he watched go up in flames. i think this would be his project for a while. it would be his way to grieve the loss of his old life, while focussing on building a new one. with you. i can see this being therapeutic for him, and i can see his younger siblings helping him with painting the walls and his mother cooking a meal for you to eat together once the project is complete. and as gale is eating in your new home with his family, i think he would realise that he no longer has to provide for them like he has since his dad died. they will be alright without him now, and he can finally live a life of his own. after his family goes back to their new home, i think he would finally tell you that he’s ready and wants to start this new chapter right away. but most importantly, he wants to start it with you.

i think gale would shine best with two boys, partly because he can fill the void his father’s death left in him, and to turn them into better men than he was growing up.

i’m going to defy canon and say that finnick doesn’t really have a preference. i think his attitude would be that if it happens, it happens, and if it doesn’t, that’s fine too. it would be something he’d like fate to decide, i think. after all, finnick is much more interested in all things you than about what you can or can’t give him. but that’s not to say he wouldn’t be completely overcome with excitement if you did happen to fall pregnant. i think he would occasionally wonder what your baby would look like, if it would have your eyes or his smile, and he’d spend a lot of his free time thinking of names that incorporate your favourite flowers and colours, just in case. but if you didn’t ever fall pregnant, i can see him being equally content in taking the number one spot on the list of people that you love.

finnick is definitely great with kids. i think he’d shine best as a girl dad or as the fun uncle katniss and peeta’s kids see occasionally for holidays.

peeta has three priorities in life: propose to you, marry you, and then have beautiful babies with you. plural, because peeta has so much love for you that it couldn’t possibly be contained to just you. no, he needs extensions of you, so that he can share his love with them, too. i think peeta would take his role as a husband and father incredibly seriously, and that would include cooking every meal for your family, organising family game nights every week, etc. but he would even do little things like filling up a vase with fresh flowers every week for you, crafting his own stories to read to your kids every night (and he’d definitely make a picture book to go along with it), and really taking the time to meet the emotional needs of your family. most of all, he wants to make the kind of loving family that he wished for but never had.

he would do best as a father to at least one girl and one boy, if not more. he would definitely make saturday mornings a baking day, with you and the kids helping to bake some treats for game night later that day.

papa peeta makes my heart melt honestly. like, comment, reblog. love <3

[hannahssimblr]

Hey babe! Hope you’re enjoying Sorrento. What a view from the hotel, right? Send pictures if you can and let me know what you think of that restaurant I recommended. I got the linguine. Changed my life.   Oh, and one small request, if you have space in your bags, could you get a bottle (or two, or three) of limoncello for me and Leon? We got ours at a small specialty place somewhere in Old Town. Ran out a couple of months ago and CRAVE it. Please, Astrid. I will love you forever. Give your sexy boyfriend a big kiss from me.  xx Elias. 

“What should I tell him?” Astrid says, lounging there on the bed. The midday sun streaks across the sheets and her body, patterns of shadow on her skin. She hands me her phone. 

“Well, we can confirm the view is nice.”

“Do you think we will go to Old Town? We probably should.”

“Yes, but I don’t want to.”

“Me neither.” She rolls over to pluck a few grapes left to wrinkle slightly in the heat. They were plated up yesterday, breakfast brought by room service. This is the only way we have been eating for two days. Food as fuel, without concern for the quality or taste. 

A knock on the door now, and a muffled voice. “Salve, posso entrare per pulire la stanza?”

“No,” we both say, picking idly at these wilted grapes. A shuffling on the carpet as the cleaner goes away.

Two days of this already. The kind of dissolute fantasy you’d have at sixteen, lonely at night, enjoying so much the idea, while knowing with all the practical knowledge you have, it will never happen to you. Knowing it is never like this. Not this much, this often, this particular way. I don’t want to re-enter my life. I want to stay in this Sorrento hotel room with the beautiful view and the room service, and the cleaner we won’t let into the room. If I could pause time here and live this weekend forever, I would. 

“Do you think we’re wasting time?” Astrid says, rolling onto her back, and I smooth my hand down the length of her glorious body. Bare and white among rumpled sheets.

“No, I don’t really care about seeing the sights, do you?”

A smile. “No.”

“Same. And fuck the limoncello. We can get some in the airport.”

“Do you think he’ll be able to tell?”

“We’ll play dumb.”

“Hm.” Her face grows dreamy. She’s elsewhere, chest rising and falling with slow breaths. I touch her just to touch her, my hand over the soft skin of her waist, her hips, the back of her thigh. She’s ticklish there, and twitches away with a gentle objection. “I am still fantasising about what you did to me this morning,” she says, that particular, sexy rasp in her voice. 

“Mm,” I say. “You can tell me if it was weird. I just wanted to see…”

She shakes her head. “I loved it. You can do anything.”

“I feel like I’m still getting my head around that. I never imagined I could ask for that”

“Well, you can.”

I only half believe she’s real. There. Gorgeous. Obliging. Mine and I hers. I feel goofy around her, even now, aware my obsession is obvious, reduced to a love-struck teenage boy babbling incoherencies at her as she lies there, so tranquil. “You’re insane. Did you know that? In a good way, obviously. Like, insane. You know, if I even suggested that to another girl I went out with…”

“I’ll go further, just in case you ever wanted to. Tell me.”

I let a slow smile spread over my face. “Well, there is one thing, maybe.”

“Show.” 

I fall over her, and though my muscles ache and my body protests, I still want her. Over and over, forgoing my body’s needs for more. “You sure?”

“Yes, let’s try it.”

I groan. “God, you’re amazing. You know that?”

“Shh,” she says. “Just put me where you want me.”

Beginning // Prev // Next

[linka-from-captain-planet]

Neve/Rana NSFW alphabet

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

They're still soaking up all the touch they can. Cuddling, backrubs, washing up, Neve wrapping Rana's hair up for her to get ready for bed. This is the time they're the most relaxed and the most chatty. They manage to enforce a no-cases-in-bed rule (unless it's really important ofc), so they catch up on their friends, what they're reading (The Lighthouse Book Club still lives and Rana got into Brom's and Bellara's serials), what they should get at the market tomorrow. This kind of comfort and being-together is hard-won, and once they're settled in, they want to savor it.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

You think Neve's wide-open collar exposing the gentle slopes of her chest and a tasteful hint of the weighty cling of her bra-freed breasts to her sternum is an accident? You think they highlight her elegant neck for no reason? You think her perfectly structured belt and suspenders show off her hourglass figure and make sure her perfect ass is crystal clear is for fun? No. Weep. Rana doesn't really have her own favorite on herself - probably her hair if that counts, or women have always liked her arms and shoulders (trained on the sword and bow - she hits all the muscle groups). On each other, Rana is not immune to propaganda. She is a boob woman and Neve's are her first stop every chance she gets, and she also likes Neve's belly and thighs. Neve loves Rana's back and ass; she likes to watch her hands stroke them and dig her painted nails into the muscle.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

Rana loves taking Neve's strap, but it does make her squirt sometimes and she gets all bashful about it. Needless to say, Neve loooves it but manages not to tease her too hard (don't want to spook the kitty too much)

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

They're pretty clean, honestly. But they're also super private, so pretty much their entire sex life and their big feelings feels like a dirty secret (Rana more than Neve, since Rana is more reserved). Like whenever Taash and Harding come to visit, Neve and Rana are both white-knuckled hoping Taash won't be like "sniff sniff was someone eating ass in here 16.5 hours ago? nice" and Harding won't egg them on to talk about their ~love story~

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

Both have had fewer partners than you'd think for such hot, interesting people - single digits, most likely. Neither made it a priority, plus Neve is cagey and afraid of intimacy and knows she's a feelings-catcher, and Rana has spent her entire adult life in a homophobic religious organization. They've each had short-term relationships and flings and one-night stands, but mostly they've just powered through romantic loneliness and handled their sexual needs by masturbating, ignoring it, or looking for a hookup. But sex isn't rocket science and they're confident, sensitive, and determined, so they definitely know what they're doing.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

We've got the blessed top-leaning-switch (Neve)/bottom-leaning-switch (Rana) setup. They like to take advantage of every configuration and surface possible, but if they had to pick an all-time favorite: it's gotta be Neve with the strap-on taking Rana from behind. Doggy, side spoons, bent over the desk, Rana's face in the pillows with her braid wrapped around Neve's fist, what have you. It's a lot of body contact, optional eye contact (they can get self-conscious), hits the best spots, satisfies each of their particular I Must Be The Goodest Girl Or Else urges. When Neve wants to receive, straddling Rana's lap is her favorite, riding her fingers or the taking her turn on the strap. Generally, Neve wants to be physically on top whether she's giving or receiving; she can feel too vulnerable or stifled on the bottom. Once she's more comfortable with Rana, she doesn't mind as much - and she comes to love the feeling of bigger, heavier Rana covering her body, making her feel safe - but she still prefers her top positions.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

They're dead serious honestly lol. They do a lot of teasing and ribbing, but "goofy"? Not really. If they're laughing in bed, it's probably because one of them landed a really good dunk on the other.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

Neve presents a very tidy image, but she's as good as faking it as she is actually maintaining it. When she's got her head and heart wrapped up in a case, she lets some things fall by the wayside. She'll skip a shower or two, but will always fix her nails as soon as she can. She never skips caring for her skin under her prosthesis, but she sleeps in her makeup as often as not. When she gives herself enough time, she *luxuriates* in the bath. If she feels like shaving (anything), she'll shave and occasionally she does just to mix it up (something she can control, just for herself), but she has sensitive skin and prefers to avoid it to avoid irritation. She trims her pubic hair, but does a shitty job of it such that Rana eventually snaps and takes it over to do it right. Because Rana is Fussy. She is mani-pedi'd, exfoliated, moisturized, perfumed, coiffed, moisturized again, 24/7. A Thedan equivalent to a Tide pen is on her person at all times. She complains endlessly when Neve drags her into the gross catacombs or explodes a Venatori and gets her hair dirty because it fucks up her wash cycle. For her, it's about self-respect and self-control, and even self-expression - she was a Clean Templar, and now she's a clean dick ahaha detective. If there were a strong societal pressure for women to remove their body hair, she probably would since she's not one to defy The Rules willy-nilly, but I can't imagine why that'd be case. She's naturally not very hairy so she doesn't think much about it, but she meticulously trims her pubic hair (and Neve's) because she find it the most comfortable.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

They're weird about it at first as one might expect. They already have the trust, they understand the feelings are there (even if it takes them a long time to explicitly verbalize them); it's just a matter of getting over the awkward this-is-new hump. Fortunately, sex is an opportunity to do, rather than say, so it's faster-going than their feelings-talking. Little ways of caring for one another through touch had already creeped into their habits - checking each other for injuries, scraping the other off the pavement when the battle's over; gradually, touching hands when there's no reason to, gently guiding the other through a narrow alley with a hand on the lower back. So it's just a matter of bringing that to the bedroom. The first kiss on the cheek in the afterglow initially feels a little awkward, more intimate than the literal sex they'd just had. The first time Rana brings Neve a washcloth to freshen up a bit so she doesn't have to get out of bed, she spends the whole night agonizing over how touched she felt by a little gesture. The little things do add up, and it's not too long before they feel more comfortable acting romantic in the bedroom.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

No-nonsense types - get off, get back to it. They never gave themselves the chance to develop a more pleasing routine; Neve tried to avoid being home generally to avoid The Horrors (any of her feelings), and Rana was self-conscious living in the Templar quarters (what if someone heard? smelled it? better get it done and wash up fast).

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

The first thing I'm mentally establishing when I explore a new ship is which one is the armpit sniffer and which one likes anal more, which is sort of like my smut version of astrology. Neve/Rana could really go either way, but ultimately Rana is the sniffer and Neve is the anal enjoyer. Firstly, armpits are next to the boobs and Rana is a boob gal, so there's a primal wire there to be crossed there that extrapolates the eroticism of one to the other (Rana would find this embarrassing which is part of the appeal also). Secondly, scent is intimacy and trust. If Rana awakens with Neve safe and secure in her arms, bathed in that light musk of a long night's sleep in a body-warm bed, would she not want to nuzzle right on in? She would and that's why she's the sniffer. Neve gets anal because even though Rana being too uptight is part of their long-term conflict, it's Neve who's really tortured by her neuroticism (anal-retentiveness, if you will). Anal play is a very commanding sex act that requires patience, care, and relaxing, so can be a big relief for someone so high-strung. Also she has a great ass. It starts with Rana slipping her a finger while going down, and they explore more after Neve finally admits she likes it. Also, Neve also likes using simple restraints on Rana - just commands (hands on the headboard, or she'll stop), her ascot, a shirt. Rana finds submission relaxing, so she's glad to play along even though she's much stronger than Neve and could easily overpower her if she wanted to (this too is kink). She's never let anyone pull her braid before, but once she lets Neve do it once, she can't get enough. Neve's ice and time magic comes into play here and there, of course.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

Can't beat the comfort and convenience of the bed, especially since Rana springs for a full-size one when she moves to the Tallow in their quasi-together-quasi-not phase (Neve teases her about this for weeks - planning something, Savas?) and also especially since they tend to overwork themselves and come home too tired and sore to bang on the desk. That said, their desk, and Neve's desk in the Lighthouse, are their second favorite when they're feeling squirrely.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

Big brains. The other is never sexier than when she's thinking deeply, processing evidence, tabulating every possibility. And they love how they stand up to everyone else, including each other. Neve's status as a swaggering local menace gets Rana so hot, and she'll let Neve cajole her and push her around a bit, but Neve loves it when Rana turns the tables. They both also love a little rough-housing - a little manhandling, a little wrasslin. They're both tactile and physical.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

They're both a little skittish and rely a lot on the other for emotional support, so anything that plays with that - degradation, name calling, restraining then leaving them alone, etc - doesn't work for them. They're also exposed to enough real violence, and seen each other hurt enough, to not want to simulate anything of the sort in bed - a saucy smack on the ass is one thing, striking the other with an instrument, choking, brandishing knives, and so on is another. Some people can reconcile those experiences, they can't.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Neve initially prefers to give because she finds receiving more vulnerable; if they're scrappin a bit and she winds up riding Rana's face, that's one thing, but just laying back and letting Rana pamper her? It takes a while to warm up to that. But once she does... it helps that Rana really, really loves eating her out. Look at those lips, that jaw... behold her endless dedication, her commitment to a job well done, her fussiness. She's ON it. Rana likes receiving just fine, but it doesn't compare to snuggling down between the soft thighs she loves so much and digging in.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

They lean slower. Not that they don't still love their quickies (they got shit to do) or enjoy throwing the other on the desk and hair-pulling back-scratching ass-smacking capital-F-Fucking, but they live a lot of their life pretty fast, and it's nice to have something more indulgent at home.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

Quickies have long been their bread and butter with other people - if they're just hooking up to blow off some steam, they want to get it done and hit the bricks. At the beginning of their relationship, it helps them trick themselves into thinking they're easing in emotionally (fake news). Even later when they're more comfortably established, the quickie remains a part of any workaholic's sexual life. It's sorta a relief that they can now just have sex about it when they get under each other's skin mid-case and get back to it

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

Experiment, yes - risks, not really, no. They're by definition curious women, so when one of them gets an idea, the other is probably excited to try it out. Are they the most creative and kinky couple? Probably not, but they find themselves a variety of things to do. But as far as risk goes (getting caught in public? not preparing properly? not using protection when they should?), neither of them is a thrill-seeker like that. They took enough risks thwarting the end of the world, they don't need to get kicks from risking getting arrested over some alleyway ass.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

Neve is out there cross-country parkouring all of Northern Thedas without losing her breath, Rana is right behind her. They can fuck as long as they want. They're looking to connect, feel good, and relax, so they take the time they need to achieve that. Sometimes, 30 minutes and a snack after is perfect. Sometimes, it's a marathon session riding the high of a slam-dunk case. Sometimes, it's a languid morning in bed where it's not clear if they actually "had sex" but they're both glowing and full-hearted after it. Whatever they're feeling that day, they have the stamina to do it.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

Neve had a single dildo for personal use (she likes the feeling of fullness, even if she isn't always comfortable bottoming), but otherwise, neither of them had toys until they were together. Rana wasn't willing to bring such a thing into the Templar quarters, and also they're both chronically broke. They'd used pretty basic toys (strap-ons, vibrators, maybe simple restraints) with other partners who had them, but otherwise, they're used to using what the Maker gave them. Which for Neve, includes magic. Once they're together, and the city's made it through the aftermath of endgame, Neve goads Rana into attending the grand opening of the city's first non-black-market sex shop (thanks Archon Mae/Dorian!) and they get themselves a few things to start. Neve especially had been dying to get her hands on a strap-on.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Neve LOVES to tease - mostly out of bed. It's a big part of their long-term foreplay. Rana doesn't have enough game to pull off the same kind of teasing, but once they're in bed, she knows how to keep Neve on her toes. Neither of them likes to be strung along for too long, but they give each other a little affectionate shit before giving in.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

Both are pretty quiet. Neve can be pretty self-conscious, but we've all heard her kiss-whimpers. She can't help herself. She makes a lot of quiet little sounds - some of them embarrassingly high-pitched, but she can't help it. Rana is a heavy-breather, soft-grunter, quiet-groaner. Rana doesn't talk a lot in bed- little encouraging phrases, quick requests, sure, but she'd feel awkward trying to like, dirty talk. Neve, when she's totally in control, has that part down pat, purring and growling.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

Neve's first kiss, first girlfriend, and first time were all with the Little Oil Lamp Girl. They were latter teens, and that girl was the only thing that felt like it made sense as Neve's whole world was changing around her. It didn't burn forever - maybe that was her fault, the cynicism seeping in then, but it sure was nice while it lasted. Rana's first kiss and first time were with a guy she tried to like to please her parents. He was her friend and a nice kid, just proof she'd never measure up to the expectations, so it's a bittersweet memory. She ran away to join the Templars shortly after.

If Minrathous had a The Cart, they'd have at least 3 connections they didn't know about, one of which is definitely the Sexy Bartender From The Prologue.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

Even though we only get a tiny glimpse of it, Neve's body in-game is perfect for her IMO. She's dainty, but not too thin or frail-looking. She's got a bit of muscle (her arms!), but you know she's no gym rat and she mostly eats fried fish so of course she doesn't look like an Olympic gymnast. Her belly and thighs look SO!! soft and pettable. Her model doesn't quite do her supposed height justice (around 5'8"), although some gifs of her stradding Rook capture that vibe very sexily and her hourglass figure is poppin. Her thighs and ass are A+++ Rana's a little taller; she's as tall as the "100" height for a human feminine body, so I'm guessing around 6 feet tall. Hot! She was maybe lightly retconned from a warrior in Tevinter Nights to a rogue in Veilguard, so that throws off my original body headcanon a bit (but that was just based on her description of wielding a sword and wearing heavy armor - and the Veilguard rogue does use a sword, so maybe she's been a rogue all along). She's beefier than Neve, but still pretty willowy, like a track and field athlete. Her arms and back are well-defined and being a good swordswoman comes with a juicy ass.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

Pretty average? They've been emotionally entangled for so long before actually getting together that they don't have a big must-fuck-at-every-opportunity honeymoon period. While they're busting ass helping rebuild Minrathous or stuck on a big case that hangs over their minds, they have sex less - they might skip a week or two and prioritize non-sexual intimacy and touch when they can find a few quiet hours together. When they have less on their minds and things settle down, they go with the flow. It might be twice a day, every night, every other, twice a week. So it goes.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

They're sleep-deprived workaholics, so once those good good afterglow hormones hit the bloodstream, they both knock out pretty quickly. Sometimes basically still in position, resulting in some pleasant or not soreness the next day. If they're going to bed, Rana at least still wants to do her nighttime routine, so she can stay awake long enough for that.

[matchstickcosplay]

LRT or reblog or whatever with the Arcane posters and Jinx switching from the protected to the protector

Jinx's role as the protected sister has been important to their dynamic in so many ways. She is so used to having someone be there in case she falls, but also someone holding her back. Silco, Vi, even Vander. Jinx has never learned how to be herself. She wanted to be like her big sister growing up because she saw the acceptance Vi had from the other kids and she wanted that. (Vi didn't necessarily want this, but I can talk about that in a different post.) Jinx wanted to make Silco happy, so she devoted herself to making sure she made her dad proud. Jinx without Silco and without Vi and without Vander is the first time Jinx is able to discover who she actually is.

With the time she spent with Isha and Sevika, she could CHOOSE if she wanted to be a martyr and a symbol for Zaun. She could CHOOSE to spend her time helping Vi and Vander. She could CHOOSE to even take some time to herself with Isha and play with action figures and heal her inner child. Jinx IS always bombastic, loves bright colors, comes up with incredible inventions, and cares deeply about the people in her life. Through discovering who she was, she discovered her courage and what is important to her.

Isha helped her realize what Vi had been going through. It directly mirrors Vi's experience - seeing your younger sister, someone who you felt an incredible deep need to protect, jump into the battle because she wanted to be just like You. Catastrophe happens, she wasn't able to prevent it, and its because her younger sister made a choice.

After being thrown in jail just like Vi, she's able to consider the mixed emotions she had toward Isha. Back when she was "abandoned" by Vi, she only understood her own hurt. This time, she sees how easy it is to be angry with someone for making a stupid and reckless decision they were too young to even be considering making. She finally understands that Vi had just been trying to make sure she was safe.

Vi, on the other hand, has been instructed since she was a kid that the others look up to her. Vander's lecture would play in her head about how she sets an example for all the other kids. "You say run, they run." She feels so deeply responsible for Jinx's safety, and it was the only thing that she was able to think about while she was in prison.

Vi being able to discover who she is meant letting go of that responsibility she felt for Jinx. She had to let go of the unjust guilt she felt for not being able to protect her. Vi needed to be selfish and go after something SHE wanted. Vi had to hit rock bottom to discover she didn't know who she was because she had been fighting what she truly wanted with her duty tied to a promise to a dead man.

Thats why its so important that Jinx is able to tell Vi "you deserve to be happy with her." I've been seeing a lot of people say this scene is out of place for Jinx's character but its not. She's finally absolving Vi of her guilt and telling her its okay to be selfish. Jinx has matured to realize that Vi still loves her even if she loves someone else.

(This is even more highlighted in the previous alternative universe episode where Powder remarks about her sister upon seeing Ekko paint a mural for her. "Not my sister" - and talks about how she was always scared for everyone and that's why she fought so hard. Jinx will always understand Vi eventually.)

Jinx has finally gone from being the younger sister needing protection to seeing Vi for who she is and not how hurt she was from her perception of Vi. She goes from being protected by Vi to being a protector. Vi is finally allowed to be protected and not feel responsible for everyone. The series has always been about the sisters and being able to understand each other and their love. They were finally starting to approach each other on equal footing and thats why Jinx is such a tragedy.

Maybe one day we will get a poster of them just holding each other equally.

[didalexiabreakupwitholgaisback]

thank you for your post haha i feel crazy seeing people dismissing real criticism of Viv literally for what? Like do you guys think shes exempt from mistakes? That shes mena woman and queens white saviour with her selective activisms acts?? Just dense people genuinely

anyways I also wanted to share this really interesting thread by former Chelsea player who when asked to sign Viv beloved petition asked for the genocide to be brought up first to radio silence from all parties

https://x.com/hedvig_lindahl/status/1848440227917906025?s=46

thanks anon! 🫶 listen, i try not to get too personal on this blog, but i will here. i don't want to clown on players or fans, but to give my perspective on activism and what i view as helpful or harmful. and people should really listen to why so many arab and muslim women are upset with her statement and why we are not just bitter arsenal fans or whatever people are saying to dismiss our concerns.

i am a gay woman of arab/muslim heritage in my 30s living in a 'western' country whose family emigrated a long time ago to settle here. i have dealt with racism, homophobia, xenophobia, and islamophobia my entire life. i will never be spanish enough or arab enough or white enough or whatever enough, and frankly, i have stopped caring. 💅

therefore, my views of human rights and activism are very much centered on my own life experiences. and that is what i am sharing with you all! 🙏

people talk about lgbt rights in arab and muslim countries as if queer arabs and muslim do not exist. hello, we exist! 👋 in these countries and the diaspora as a whole. and that we should silence our voices in favour of a privileged gay white woman just doesn't sit right with me.

so my perspective on viv's 'statement' doesn't treat it as existing in a vacuum but rather places it in the context of what we have come to view as the stereotype of the 'reel' bad arab.

when it comes to selective activism, i think about all the depictions of arabs and muslims in media. go to netflix and pull up any show. we are almost always the gangster, terrorist, 'bad guy.' there are studies as to what this does to condition society as always seeing arab/muslims as the other, the barbarian, the backwards.

the same goes with mainstream journalism. when mahsa amini was murdered by the iranian regime for not wearing her 'hijab' properly, that's what gained worldwide news (as it should!) and gained broadstream feminist support, but what about the fact that europe is passing hijab bans, burqini bans, and preventing women from covering to do their jobs. where is that coverage and where are the same feminists with the same energy?

when every piece of activism associated with arabs and muslims (unfortunately by many white women) is negative, negative, negative, that our countries and people are terrible backwards places and it's okay to look the other way when we are killed in bombings and in genocides because we are evil, right? then yes, the constant pile on without mentioning the other side is harmful. because not only does it not change anything in society for us, it causes even more backlash, racism, and hate towards us. that's what these types of one-sided statements do. and arab/muslim activists are left with double the work, at home and in our heritage countries. because we are actually trying to change conditions for the better.

why is it okay only to criticise us, our countries, and our people, but not speak up on our behalf? and when the people who do speak up in favour and support of us get backlash and blacklisted, that's what is acceptable? are we are not people worthy of living and worthy of respect? do we not deserve empathy? or should we always 24/7 cater to white fragility over our own needs? 🙏

this is a case of intersectionality and i understand very well the pros and cons of what the anthropology and sociology communities have termed 'white feminism.' and i would encourage everyone to take the time and read about intersectional feminism, positive allyship, and what it means to help communities of colour around the world. because there are homegrown grassroots efforts and allies who are doing good work to actually *improve* the status of women and minorities in saudi arabia! and we should continue to support *these* efforts and not empty words 🫶

and many kudos to former swedish player hedvig lindahl who is probably one of the only female footballers who is using her platform to continuously (not just one tweet or throwaway lines in a column) bring awareness to the genocide in palestine. but i also have to recognise english former player gary lineker and lise klaveness, egil olson, and the norway football federation for their efforts too! impressed by the scandis 🫡

[notthatnebula]

straight transmasc people i love you so much and your attraction to women is not inherently "icky" or "dirty" or whatever other word terfs are trying to throw into the queer community nowadays

[waterlinkedgirl]

Musical Touken Ranbu: Michinooku ~ Hitotsu Hachisu (Michinooku ~ A Single Lotus)

Here we go! Only a few days after the archive release and toumyu's ninth anniversary (congratulations!)

Michioku, or Michihasu, is a myu I have many conflicting feelings about, both positive and negative. However, I do believe that with the right amount of care in the next Mika-related story myu, the negative can still be cleared. Plus, I'm glad about a lot of things being re-established. The writer does need to step up her game a little on the plot-writing side of things, as well as the understanding-and-respecting-past-myu side of things, but as long as she does, this can still be given a proper place within what was already established.

Keep in mind that these are only the subtitle files, timed and tled to the DMM senshuuraku and the bluray respectively. The archive version will have a talk at the start, so the starting times of the subs will have to be delayed accordingly.

You can find the subtitles and my TL notes document here!

[moeblob]

Ladd: but why would you kill me when I'm willing to kill for you?? Lass: omg you can't just say you'd kill someone, Ladd. that's murder and it's frowned upon.

(and then Ladd does kill for her but it's fine and part of the job)

[mothandpidgeon]

Too many thoughts on Gladiator 2

Ok, fuck it. I was having yet another sleepless night and decided to just dump all of my feelings here. I’ve only seen it once and I haven’t read any reviews so I won’t say my takes are perfect but also it was a mess so if anything is inaccurate here, I blame Ridley Scott. Spoilers below the cut.

First off, I don’t want to do a cinemasins on this movie. I’m not going to bash the clunky garbage dialogue that could’ve been written by an AI (the way I laughed when Pedro yelled “KILL HER!”) or the contrivances like Lucilla recognizing her long lost son from the way he was stimming in the sand. I’m not even going to harp on the fact that it’s wild a movie in 2024 features a white man transported on a slave ship. The absurdity isn’t the problem for me. 

So let’s start with the filmmaking:

Now I know that much of this movie was left on the cutting room floor. Entire characters were dumped in the edit. But I find that an unacceptable excuse for the mess that is G2. In fact, it’s absurd that that would be the case when Ridley Scott has famously cut and re-cut Blade Runner. He’s a legendary filmmaker and knows how tricky it can be to get the intended vision out. Yet the film is held together with scotch tape and paperclips. It felt like I was watching a movie made with the scraps where the actual shots had already been thrown away. Honestly, I’m not even interested in a director’s cut because that would mean MORE of this film where there already is too much.

The pacing is somehow a slog and yet rushed. I watched Paul Mescal fight sooo many people and animals and ships. IT’S ENOUGH SLICES! Central characters die HORRIFIC deaths but the film has no time to even register their passing let alone mourn them. More monkey battles! Are you not entertained?

It’s not just the editing that is a problem but the direction. None of the characters seem to be in the same film with one another. All of the performances are fine. Some of them are pretty great. But truly nothing matches even within the same scene. (And that goes for the cinematography as well. I won’t get into it without proper screenshots but it’s maddeningly inconsistent.) The characters aren’t even coherent to themselves. Lucius is a brooding loner whose entire personality is hating Rome yet he’s also (somehow) the leader of the nameless gladiators and future emperor? That’s largely fine, though, because I couldn’t give less of a fuck about any of the characters. Without taking into account anything we learned in the press tour, we aren’t really given any reason to sympathize with them.

Because the writing is garbage. The movie TELLS us that Lucilla is good but what's she doing for the common people? It TELLS us that Acacius is a good general but he got caught marching a bunch of guys through the streets. It TELLS us that Rome is ruled by the corrupt and people are starving but all I'm seeing is the spectacle of the colosseum. It even tells us that Lucius is sad his warrior wife (did she have a name???) got fridged but is their love story really just respectfully lacing one another's armor and giving a chaste kiss while having a snack?

The film even tells us that Marcus Aurelius had a vision of Rome that the audience should root for. And yet…

That brings me to Macrinus and the movie’s central message. Macrinus is presented as some master manipulator, 3D chess playing Littlefinger but at the end of the day, sure I guess he threw the empire into chaos for his own gains (to say he was pulling the strings feels generous) but he also killed both emperors with his own hands. So not sure what all of the scheming was even for. (I also have no clue why he felt the need to offer Lucius a shot at Acacius but I guess we needed to get them in the ring together somehow?) 

The reveal of his brand is actually one of the only powerful moments in the film, forcing Lucilla to confront reality as opposed to idealism. But the movie doesn’t care to engage with that. The audience isn’t asked to question the Aurelian vision of Rome and its hypocrisy. In the end, we are told that we should put aside our political differences and embrace some vague platitudes that make up the American self-identity. The people can rise up so long as they rally behind the nepo baby of Rome. A dude who hasn’t even lived there for a majority of his life, who decided, like, 15 minutes ago that he should get involved in the political process.

Anyway, I liked the monkey. 

I finally got to see G2 this week and I cannot stop thinking about how terrible it was. Not a single normal choice made. I’m considering putting my thoughts together into a review mainly so I can get them out of my brain and move on with my life. So idk let me know if you want to hear my Ted talk I guess.

[utilitycaster]

I genuinely believe the fact that so many popular Imogen/Laudna fics are no-powers AU is, if not the main cause, at least a factor in why so many people resist or even are hostile towards any interpretation of Imogen that isn't largely sweet and harmless. Like, write the fic you want, but Imogen in particular is someone so fundamentally shaped by her powers that to write a no powers AU is to write what is essentially a completely original character who happens to share her name.

I think it's made even more obviously a factor because many of those fics try to reconstruct aspects of Imogen's personality by giving her anxiety or agoraphobia (or both) but the problem is that those are purely mental illnesses, rather than something that both gives her powers and penalties (again, the X-Men problem). Some real-world mental illnesses cover the symptoms of Imogen's abilities, but none cover the abilities themselves. It's quite literally a removal of agency: they take away what she can (and frequently does) do with her powers, leaving only the negative effects on her behind while eliminating the negative effects she can have on others. No wonder there's this overwhelming push to woobify her from that corner; they've utterly defanged her and are now crying that other people who can still see her fangs (and even like them) are talking about them.

And the thing is, for all I can be negative about fanon, it is, ultimately, fine - so long one can either keep it separate in one's mind from canon or else remain in a particular fanon sandbox. But unfortunately people leave the sandbox, and when other people respond to the canon Imogen, who as of episode 81 (RIP CRStats) has voluntarily used Detect Thoughts/Open Mind 60 times and has openly stated her intent to use it specifically to know what her party members are doing in advance and theoretically prevent it, the fanfic crowd is utterly unable to react to this intelligently. The idea of Imogen they have is sweet girl with severe anxiety and a goth girlfriend. The problem is this construct exists only in their favorite fanfic writers' domestic fluff modern AU no powers setting. And frankly, I'm not interested in talking about that warped mirror version of her when I could have all the fascination, complexity, glory, and agency of the real thing.

[ilovedthestars]

i understand and appreciate the sentiment behind them but god, as someone in the process of getting an art degree and intending to pursue a career in art, those "don't get a job doing what you love because you'll start to hate it" posts are depressing

[squorttle-pox]

idk if it means anything really, but i think it's interesting how after all their time together as a couple in a christianity-adjacent world, lucifer and lilith only had one (1) child, and it was only 200 years ago at that