#flight rising meta

[nevros-fr]

Big question: Who or when was the first use of the term UMA?

Cross posted to FR's forums but I thought fr tumblr meta readers would like this too! Introduction What is a UMA? It stands for User Made Accents, where the companion term is User Made Skins, but UMAs caught on as the catch-all term instead of UMS. I was in the Arcane discord server where foxaquinn made a joke about UMAs and wondered who was the first to use it. If you are on GASP (general accent and skin pinglist), UMAs pop up regularly where I got pinged 60+ times for threads with UMA in the title. I research by day and play pet sims by night so here I am, combining research and pet sims to unravel how language changed throughout the years in the skins and accents community! I included in text citations for my sources because I like those and I don’t like making works cited lists. :) First, what language does the staff use for skins? Maybe UMAs came from them? The Kickstarter uses the word “customs” in regards to the skins (Kickstarter, 2013) The first skin submission competition for the festival, Undel used the word “customs” to refer to the skins users made (Undel, 2013). Note that the current competitions and even the tooltip for blueprints use the word “customs” as well. The blueprint page even uses “user-created” and not “user-made” so "user made" must have stemmed from the community as a more casual way to say user-created.

Results Let’s rule out some approaches that may give an easy answer. I tried to use the FR search tool to see if I could find the first use of UMA, however it only indexes up to one year of results or 100 pages, whichever you hit first when you sort by age so I wasn’t able to glean anything from that. Note that I tried to stick with UMA as the search term because use of UMS just overlaps too largely with the sound “um” when I use the search bar, which also means that plurals are captured by FR’s search. I can also tell you that FR’s search lets you type in user-made or user made and it will pull up the same results.

Then I tried google where I used the key terms site:https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/ "UMA" with a time range from 2013 to 2014. It looked promising at first because it looked like there was an instance as early as 2013. When I actually checked it though, it pulled up the most recent use of UMA in the forums in the first two hits as seen by the timestamps of May 2023 next to it. Google indexed when the forum board was established instead of the individual threads for this search. I dropped the time range and just checked what results it would pull up.

There was an individual thread called the FR Abbreviations Guide that got pulled up. It was made in 2014 and includes both UMA and UMS in the definition list. However, UMA was added to the page in 2020 (FR Abbreviations, 2020).

I decided to just look back at some of the early Skins and Accents posts to see what language they use. It was pretty interesting, where many people just used skins and accents. There is no distinction yet, likely because there weren’t any festival or coliseum skins that users could submit yet! There were still categories though, since blueprints were so expensive, some artists offered “premades” which were skins people could buy for a certain cost on top of providing a blueprint. There were also options for “ghost artists” where the artist could design a custom skin but pass the psd files to the patron for them to distribute instead of the artist selling them instead. “Customs” was also another common term, where it works the same as it does today. People commission an artist to design a unique skin for them. The majority of skins on the market right now would be considered premades back then, which makes sense as it lets the artist have their creative liberties and will allow like minded users to support them.

I was clearly a fool to think UMAs were old because with the skins and accent threads research, I decided to comb through my forum posts to see what I ended up using. I first used UM accents in 2016 since that is when I first started collecting them, then the last time I used it was in early 2018 because I started using UMA by early 2019. I have no posts between 2018 and 2019, but clearly there was a language shift for me that preceded the FR abbreviations update just a year later  (FR Abbreviations, 2020). I’m usually slow in the uptake so I decided to try and track down other forum boards besides the skin specific threads to see what terms were used.

As I was thumbing through the pages, I think I may have overestimated the age of UMA use popularity because I thought it started back in 2013-2014 since that is when the site first got started and I felt like UMA was such an old acronym. The General Skins and Accents Pinglist (GASP) started in 2016. I raked the first version for mentions of “UMA” and there was nothing ! The use of “UM skins” and “UM accents” was the norm (GASP, 2016; GASP V2.0, 2016; GASP v2.0, 2018). One of the first instances of UMAs being used in this thread was in 2018 (GASP, 2018). Can I do any better than 2018? It surely is an older term!

The accent trading hub was established in 2014, so chances are, there are some time points there! The results for “user made” predates “UM accents” by one year, and “UMA” by two years which were 2014, 2015, and 2016 respectively (Accents Trading Thread, 2023a; Accents Trading Thread 2023b; Accents Trading Thread 2023c). There were 14 pages of results for “user made”, 64 pages for “UM accents”, and 96 pages for “UMAs” from the accent trading hub thread. “UMA” was used by two people in 2016, then 5 pages worth of posts in 2017, then another 6 pages worth of posts in 2018, and it took off with 25 pages worth of posts in 2019. Clearly the language was developing around 2016 but exploded in popularity in 2018. This trend was similar in the UMA mentions in the skins and accents forum board. I used ctrl + f with UMA to see when it started regularly showing up in titles, and that was in 2018.

Discussion

According to the UMA searches in the discussion boards, do you know what cultural icon got a revival in the minds of mainstream media? Uma Thurman specifically because of Fall Out Boys who released a song with her name. And you know what Uma is like? UMA, User Made Accents. I’m not saying that Fall Out Boys planted the idea in our heads, but it’s quite the coincidence the song came out in 2015 and UMA as an acronym use started in 2016. In fact, when I searched the FR threads for UMA across the site, the early ones were Uma as a name and Uma referring to the song. The earliest mention of UMA that was actually relevant and broke containment from the skins and accents board was in 2017 in the tiny little questions thread asking what does UMA stand for. (tiny little questions, 2017).

I would like to say that while this user wasn’t the first to use it, they repeatedly popped up when I tried to see who used UMA the earliest. And that user is chocomonster, they showed up and consistently used UMAs in the forums since 2016. I’m saying they showed up in the bug reports, suggestions, dragon trading posts using “UMA”. They are definitely an early trendsetter for UMAs and repped it across the forums.

Popularity of UMA rose in 2018, you know what else got popular in 2018? Reselling UMAs to the secondary market. Typing in UMA in a title means you have more characters for other things. You know which artist got really popular in 2018? Ravenhearst. She has since changed her username but I will keep Ravenhearst for the search results legacy.

I know correlation doesn’t equal causation, but her skins were massively popular when she was regularly releasing skins for the highly rendered wings and sky scenes where there were skins sold in the 100s range. I looked at the game database for Ravenhearst’s earliest skin which was #24078 and compared it to my hoard of festival skins as a year benchmark. The Flameforger’s event in 2017 has a skin with #23992 while the Crystalline Gala in 2018 had a skin #25608. She started her night sky niche around skin #25001 so it lines up with the 2017 - 2018 timeline.

A stronger communal identity was also created with groups like accent addicts anonymous in 2017 or aaa for short, which is a group of collectors and artists who came together to make collaborative skins. An early "big hit" for them were the wildclaw male line where the participating artists made flower/halo/wings skins that were super popular at the time but also being hated on by the vocal minority. If you weren't around for the bustle, one example that came out would be Invidious by fenmori or Bewitched by Churyu. Some examples of the aaa's recent work would be like aaa. Amanita Ambrosia where three artists take turns, one sketches the concept, one lines the skin and one renders it .The increase of more people interested in buying skins and artists flexing their creativity allowed for a great burst of interest that has carried on to this day.

Conclusions Can I pinpoint who first used user made accents, UM accents, UMAs? No, but, I can guess that it was sometime between 2015-2016. It is clear that language has evolved in small ways right under our noses and that human memories are terrible as I thought we were using UMAs since the very beginning. The customization and uniqueness of the UMA system on FR is such a joy and I can't wait to see how the community changes in the future!

If someone wants to try to tackle who first said UMA, be my guest and let me know! My earliest mention of UMA was October 2016 in the Accent Trading Hub  Accents Trading Thread 2023c.

In conclusion, I love umas and will probably look at their sales and trends more.

[making-your-fave-in-fr]

Meta Knight from the Kirby series

I made Meta Knight from Kirby in Flight Rising!

...no idea why the image looks so squished. If you click on it, it shows up just fine.

M Snapper (Glowing Light eyes) Indigo/Basic | Shadow/Seraph | Indigo/Underbelly

Light Sword, Wise Bonecarver's Mask, Soundless Saboteur's Pauldrons, Contrast Rogue Mask, Dusk Rogue Cape, Opulent Nightshade Spats, Contrast Rogue Gloves, Demure Faderose Gloves

[mekha-draws]

Actually when the Tidelord returns I hope there's a bit in either the short story or whatever they release by the time where it's mentioned how relieved and glad the other deities and clans are of his return but also how pissed some of his own children, and others, are

Mad at the vagueness of his words, at the ages they spent going high and low to even get a crumb of a clue of his whereabouts, mad about his disregard for their calls even when "nearby", how their estranged siblings only came back for his' sake and even if some have reconnected there's others that simply went back to their own now that their "mission" was done leaving behind generations of amicable relations now that he is back, clans that have gone by generations mourning him and even wishing he never came back at all because he is sure to have brought back something dangerous that they now have to deal with (*cough*adventure mode)

Idk I just don't want all this BOTE and lore stuff to end (or expand) in an all-around positive note, because (I assume) we all know for sure that's not how it will be when the inevitable conclusion to the whole "Tidelord missing" part of the story comes to a close

[makedamnsvre]

watching all of the internet kill itself . they werent lying abt enshittification

[cloudybrain-fr]

wait should i be farming chests now for notn. what is the like. meta????????? it's my first proper one outside of when i first joined and had no clue what was going on

[voidscreamns]

./

[salsalvador]

Bro the XP from the cheap as event stuff I’m crafting at Baldwins got me actin kinda strange…

[aftgficrec]

Can't believe I caught this open. I love your page. Was just wondering about fics centered around medicated Andrew. Like the foxes realizing that the drugs were more harmful than helpful. Thanks!

Medicated Andrew is an AFTG hot button theme with a good amount of fandom meta, discussion, and umbrage to be found. Some fic writers go the fix-it route with time travel aus or canon divergent stories with different or zero meds (here's the ao3 unmedicated Andrew tag). When Andrew is on the problematic medication it’s usually Neil who wants it gone, but sometimes other foxes see it too. We also found aus with unexpected people wanting Andrew off the meds…can you say Tetsuji Moriyama or Fox!Harry Potter? We have a good amount of Andrew’s pov, and fanart that’s like whoa. What I’m saying is, buckle up for a wild ride, rabbits. -A 

previous recs:

Andrew’s meds here

‘They All Burn the Same’ here (updated)

‘take two’ here

‘Deals With Devils’ and ‘The Sun Still Rises’ here (both updated) 

‘The Sphynx and the Hare’ here (completed)

‘Hope Was A Dangerous, Disquieting Thing’ here (updated)

‘i'd die for you (that's easy to say)’ here

‘California Drifting’ here (updated)

‘Of Ocean Tides’ series here

‘This Is What Hollows’ here  (completed)

andrew pov:

‘The Court-Hole Fox’ (completed), ‘Fuck the Game’ series, and ‘oh be cautious, do not stand too near’ series, plus ‘Monster’ and ‘Monster 2.0’ (both updated) here

‘Fold me in your palms’ here

‘Therapy session’ here

‘Odd Eye’ here

‘Stranger To Stay’ here (updated)

‘The Real Thing’ here

‘And we’ll be running’ here

‘One More Time (With Feeling)’ here (updated)

‘we destroy everything we need’ here

you may also like:

post easthaven andreil reunion here

foxes revise opinion of Andrew here

‘Live Once More (This Time Will Be Better)’ here

‘Inked Truths’ series (parts 1 and 2) here

‘The Unkindness of Ravens’ here (updated)

I hate your smile by PateticabutBunny [Not Rated, 2066 Words, Complete, 2022, Locked]

One day on the relationship between Andrew and Neil And the drugs

tw: vomit, tw: addiction, tw: mania, tw: medication side effects

Another Raven in the Nest by 0bsessednerd [Rated M, 4051 Words, Complete, 2024]

“Minyard will cooperate, I’ll find a way.” Kevin ensured them. and Riko gave him a dangerous look. “If you don’t I will.” Riko said coldly, and everyone knew he would. Kevin better keep his promise, thought Neil, or Minyard was going to not have a good time. No one spoke for the rest of the flight. ~~~ Neil has a nightmare of Andrew being in the nest and part of the perfect court. As imagined it doesn’t go well

tw: nightmares, tw: implied/referenced self harm, tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: implied/referenced csa, tw: abuse, tw: torture, tw: ptsd

I would choose to live all this a thousand times, if in the end, I had you by FayeS2 [Not Rated, 42517 Words, Incomplete, Updated June 2024]

After almost a decade together, Neil and Andrew travel back in time to Neil's first year at Palmetto. Now, they must relive demons from the past. But at least they still have each other.

tw: drug use, tw: homophobia, tw: violence, tw: blood

Good Men Lie Too by heybabyricecake [Rated M, 100678 Words, Complete, 2024]

Me: Andrew and Neil are perfect for each other <3 their love story is iconic and they are otp and it's a crime to ship them with anyone else!!!!! Also me: Anyways here's a KevNeil fic :) Canon reimagined as if it were Kevin and Neil falling in love!! I take some of the story line from the original series but there's also very different plot points for Kevin and Neil for obvious reasons! Not Kandriel sorry. This fic answers the question: What happens when two Exy obsessed idiots fall in love???

tw: implied/referenced abuse, tw: nightmares, tw: nonconsensual drug use, tw: vomit, tw: canonical character death, tw: recreational drug use, tw: implied/referenced torture, tw: homophobia, tw: involuntary outing, tw: assault, tw: blood, tw: attempted rape/noncon, tw: kidnapping, tw: alcohol abuse/alcoholism

Glow In The Dark by Anonymous [Rated M, 20984 Words, Complete, 2024]

If Riko Moriyama is Exy's number 1, Kevin Day is number 2. But, if Riko Moriyama is King of Exy, Andrew Minyard is the opposing pawn who’s crossed the board to become Queen. Andrew has spent far too long denying Riko what he wants and Riko has spent far too long fantasising about the day Andrew finally breaks to leave things as they are. And if you want a job done right, you really do have to do it yourself it seems. So RIko invites Andrew to Evermore for the holidays.

tw: graphic depictions of violence, tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: implied/referenced csa, tw: implied/referenced self harm, tw: implied/referenced medical abuse, tw: threatened rape, tw: abuse, tw: torture, tw: blood, tw: emotional abuse, tw: nonconsensual drug use, tw: nonconsensual restraint, tw: nonconsensual nudity and photography, tw: internalized homophobia

Vivid by Anonymous [Rated M, 6884 Words, Incomplete, Updated Feb 2024]

Andrew returns to Palmetto State after his spending his winter break at Edgar Allan. And he's fine. Totally fine. Obviously. Hello. Welcome or welcome back. Vivid is finally here and got longer than I expected. So technically, this is a sequel to Glow In The Dark but you don't need to have read it to understand. Everything important is either there in the summary or will be explained in the fic.

tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: implied/referenced torture, tw: implied/referenced self harm, tw: implied/referenced medical abuse

A collection of Andreil one-shots by Auviic [Rated E, Collection, Incomplete, Updated Jan 2024]

Chapter 1: Andrew Minyard's mistakes [6567 Words] Andrew and Neil find themselves amidst a zombie-apocalypse.

tw: graphic descriptions of violence, tw: blood/gore, tw: implied/referenced suicide, tw: gun violence, tw: drug addiction

Chapter 3: Tongue tied [5125 Words] Nathaniel Wesninski is paired with a new partner.

tw: graphic depictions of violence, tw: torture, tw: blood/gore, tw: implied/referenced abuse

Sunrise by DeeLeBee [Rated E, 26499 Words, Complete, 2023]

Part 1 of Sunrise, Abram, Death 

Listen. All fans of All For The Game hate this fucking series just as much as they love it and I am no exception. Nora's writing doesn't make sense in so many parts, there are plot holes, WHAT ARE ANDREW'S MEDS ABOUT, and Nora was a coward because she planned to make Kandriel a thing but chickened out. (Love you , Nora.) Anyway, I am here to remedy all these ailments.

tw: violence, tw: implied/referenced torture, tw: implied/referenced abuse, tw: recreational drug use, tw: nonconsensual drug use, tw: nonconsensual kissing, tw: canonical character death, tw: self harm

We work well with crazy. by MBlack93 [Rated E, 45145 Words, Incomplete, Updated May 2024]

Neil is on the run for his serial killer father and apparently a Yakuza family with delusions of grandeur. Harry is on the run for the Dark Lord, the Light Lord, and practically the whole Wizarding World, except for the Goblins. Because Goblins are awesome.

tw: implied/referenced child abuse, tw: implied/referenced csa, tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: implied/referenced food withholding, tw: homophobia, tw: implied/referenced torture, tw: implied/referenced human trafficking, tw: nonconsensual drug use

Andrew pov:

A Monster, A Defender, A Psychopath (You Maniac) by Lytta323 [Not Rated, 1953 Words, Complete, 2022, Locked]

Andrew has a bad psychotic episode due to his medication and gets the help he deserved sooner.

tw: self harm, tw: blood/gore, tw: mania

What if I’m the Monster? by 0bsessednerd [Not Rated, ​​1130 Words, Complete, 2024]

The pills sat on the counter taunting him. He really didn’t want to take these. But when had Andrew ever gotten anything he wanted in his life? It was his fault he had to take them. That’s what everyone told him. If he hadn’t gone too far, if he hadn’t been a problem he wouldn’t have to be on these. He wouldn’t have to be high out of his mind every fucking day. He wouldn’t have to give in to the addiction. He wouldn’t have to go to therapy. He wouldn’t have to be reminded he could never be free. He wouldn’t be a monster. ~~~ Andrew taking his medication for the first time and how he felt doing it. And how he felt after the effects kicked in.

tw: implied/referenced hate crime, tw: implied/referenced violence, tw: negative self image

a foxhole collection: on possibilities and digressions by vicariously kingly (pelted) [Rated T, Collection, Last Updated 2016] 

Chapter 21: andrew minyard in wonderland [734 Words]

for the prompt: pre-andreil snippet. in summary: andrew on drugs.

Feet Don't Fail Me Now by freefromenvy [Rated E, 56824 Words, Incomplete, Updated May 2024]

Neil was an exceptional runner until his past caught up with him. After years on the run, he was taken back to the Nest where he had to learn how to survive all over again. After Neil helps Kevin and Jean escape the Nest, Riko sends Neil to Palmetto to inform the rest of the Foxes that he will keep attacking their team, just like what happened to Jamie Smalls, unless Kevin and Jean return to the Nest. If Neil fails in his task, the Moriyamas will giftwrap, and hand deliver Neil to his father after he is released from prison. Neil has always known he has lived on borrowed time. He lived Alex's life, Stephen's life, James's life, and many more. Now all he wants to do is to be able to die as Neil and not as Nathaniel Wesninski.

tw: violence, tw: abuse, tw: blood, tw: implied/referenced child abuse, tw: implied/referenced self harm, tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: implied/referenced torture, tw: implied/referenced human trafficking, tw: blood/gore, tw: mutilated dead animal

Apathy by Marquee [Rated G, 144 Words, Complete, 2023]

Andrew thinking about people in his past. Including but not limited to awful foster homes, people who him on the drugs, people calling him crazy, just yucking people in general

tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon

Love Bites, Hate Bleeds by kongruenz [Rated M, 6286 Words, Incomplete, Updated May 2024]

Andrew's at juvie with nothing to look forward to, no life, no passion, just the constant need to be numb and bury what happened, to forget. Until Coach Wymack, Kevin Day and Neil Josten appear in his locker room to recruit him to the Palmetto Foxes. _ An AU in which Neil joined the Foxes before Andrew, and Andrew looks at Neil for protection instead.

tw: implied/referenced self harm, tw: implied/referenced torture, tw: violence

I don't want to by The_7th_Void [Not Rated, 3017 Words, Complete. 2024]

Andrew runs late night errands with Neil and tries to fight his drugs. Neil is confused but helps him anyway. Or Neil lies. Andrew is honest.

tw: vomit, tw: addiction

I took the pills for these empty nights by All_for_the_andreil [Rated T, 6013 Words, Complete, 2022]

He gazes at Neil and thinks about all the questions he’s too afraid to ask. Would you still want me when I’ll be a mess? Would you stay even after you see how fucked I am? Would you hate me if I stopped playing exy for good? And perhaps the most important one: Will they kill you if we fail this season because of me? -or- Andrew gets diagnosed with bipolar disorder and is prescribed medication. Given his history with that, he has some issues.

Träumerei by Sashe [Rated E, 12038 Words, Incomplete, Updated May 2024]

Andrew never planned on joining the Ravens, not when Riko and Kevin demanded it, but Coach Moriyama is willing to bargain. And he sees right through Andrew in a way no one ever has before. He’s offering Andrew a home, people who believe him, a family who will never abandon him, and a chance at something to build his life around – something to live for. All he has to do is play Exy for him for five years.  or Just another Raven!Andreil AU

tw: graphic depictions of violence, tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: implied/referenced torture, tw: implied/referenced self harm, tw: emotional/psychological abuse, tw: implied/referenced child abuse

We will survive to live by Whyreme [Rated M, 20663 Words, Incomplete, Updated April 2024]

Andrew had been a Spear since the age of thirteen. He endured a lot, but he had a mother, a father and a home. Until it all fell into ashes and his world was turned upside down. He fought back and lost everything, earning himself mandatory medication in return. So when Riko Moriyama and Kevin Day offered him a tempting deal, he couldn't refuse. He'd be a Raven, but that was a bigger cage than his alternative, right? or AU where Andrew never met Aaron and Nicky, was adopted by the Spear and has a very good reason to be a Perfect Court member. (Raven!Andrew and Raven!Neil AU)

tw: dark, tw: graphic depictions of violence, tw: hallucinations, tw: horror, tw: blood/gore, tw: implied/referenced child abuse and neglect, tw: implied/referenced csa, tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: implied/referenced self harm, tw: medication addiction, tw: torture, tw: murder, tw: vomit

The Avarice Never Ends by stuntinf8 [Not Rated, 1341 Words, Complete, 2022]

Andrew liked Neil Josten in the way that a cat might like a mouse: easy to tousle by the tail, quick to fuss, simple enough to rattle. The meds made it even easier. (OR A medicated Andrew reflects on the anomaly that is Neil Josten.)

fandom thoughts and meta:

Dependence and Addiction in All for the Game meta by @the-greater-grief [Tumblr, 2022]

I need to talk about Andrew's medication meta by @deadliestpieceontheboard [Tumblr, 2021]

if Andrew wasn't on anti-psychotics, what was he on? meta by @amiandthechaos, @sinistercacophony [Tumblr, 2021]

why abby was so vehemently against committing andrew to rehab early? discussion by @bookmarkmyword, @deadliestpieceontheboard [Tumblr, 2022]

Andrew -Medication or Incarceration ? meta by @lemonboyjosten [Tumblr, 2021]

thoughts about Andrew…his mental issues and medication? by @palmettomonsters [Tumblr, 2017]

Andrew’s meds make me so fucking angry by @kazzyboy [Tumblr, 2021]

Happy Pills by Weathers song analysis by @meanie-boy-minyard [Tumblr, 2019]

Art

Alien Blues art by @fortheloveofexy, on ao3 here

“It’s a cruel world” art by @swarenar

Put on a happy face :) art by @allfortheslay25

bloody smiles art by @rhyva

meds art by @/rhyvva on twitter

I'm not okay art by @creekgods

apathy is a tragedy art by @doesephs

medicated Andrew art by @yolkylemon

sober vs medicated Andrew cosplay by @/csplyxeva on tiktok

aftg-tober day 4 art by @i-did

[shams-of-the-wild]

Burning Under Bloody Moonlight (Drink Sunny Stars)

———

| [Ao3 Link] |

It was never a good sign when the portals were unexpected, or when it split them up, or when it left them unconscious.

Of course, the latest portal just happens to do all three.

Legend, understandably, is less than pleased. Especially at Hylia.

{Written during a six hour long, sprint prompt of the Linked Universe discord — Prompt: Stars don't shine, they burn}

Word Count: 2,431.

Warnings: Legend has Chronic Pain and PTSD (and is accidentally Irish), Burns, Blood, Cooking, Swearing, Angst and Hurt/Comfort.

A/N: I ended up rewriting this fic three times and I did not intend to make Legend Irish, but here we are, for context, I'm Irish so I know what I'm doing. Also, thank you so much to those who commented on my previous LU fic, genuinely this is the nicest fandom I've been in. 💚 <3

As a heads up, this fic features some non canon compliant headcanons of mine (I will eventually be making a meta series/fic covering all of them), the ones in this fic are: •Blood Moons last all night (instead of fading after midnight), make all monsters (both overworld/sky and in depths) temporarily stronger for the duration, and turns all overworld/sky monsters into the gloom/malice infected versions for the duration. •The Blood Moons can shoot "meteors" that turn into enemies (such as in the cutscene we're shown of that in game). •Sunny elixirs exist and are made using star fragments, please do not try to follow the recipe in game as unfortunately it will only make Dubious Food.

———

 Legend awoke with a deep ache in his bones and muscles. The pressure had changed. That was more than easy to tell. The pain was far too strong to be from normal weather changes, especially since they'd just been in Four's era. Fecking portals. Begrudgingly, he blinked open his gritty eyes with a grimace.

 The sand was warm beneath his hands. Warm from the dying light of the sun, washing the sky in a viscous cloudy red. Like blood billowing out of a wound in the darkest depths of the water.

 Red sky at night, sailor's delight.

 It didn't feel like a delight when they were in Wild's era. Especially when the embers and ashes of malice began to bleed from the ground, thin wispy tendrils that clawed and snarled around them.

 Legend pushed himself up off the ground, elbows and knees cracking painfully. Muscles twinging in protest. “Well feck you too.” He grumbled under his breath.

 Waiting a moment so his body would stop trying to complain, he was a hero for the oracle's sake, he took a moment to take in his surroundings. His bag was thankfully only a few metres away, a tad sodden and covered in a fine layer of sand. No sign of anyone else nearby though. Nothing happened as he made his way over to it and slung it over his shoulders with a practised ease. Though his shoes sunk into the sand a little, making each step even more strenuous and painful than usual.

 The beach he was on, was recognisable, luckily. Wild had shown them some photos of it on his slate. Eventide, he had said this island was called. It reminded Legend far too closely of Koholint. Of waking up on the sun warmed shore like a piece of jetsam.

 Then again, Wild had said there was a place on this island called Koholit. Maybe this is what became of the island in the future? Maybe that meant his island had been more than just a dream—No.

 Legend gritted his teeth, he couldn't afford to think like that. Especially when he was alone and there was one of Wild's Blood Moons rising.

 “From the breast of Hylia.” He grumbled to himself 

 He glanced up, the blighted bloody moon began to peek over the treeline. Illuminating the sky and all its numerous scattering of shattered islands hanging in the sky like bloodstained teeth and broken bones.

 A wasp circled around him, distracting him for a moment before buzzing off. But its flight path guided his sight to one sky island that stood out above the rest, a circular looking one that lurked above the island he was on. And on it—aww feck—a Gleeok. A weird looking one, with three heads. It wasn't visible at this distance as to what kind of Wild's Gleeoks it was, but it definitely was one of them.

 Luckily it hadn't noticed him yet. Knowing his luck though…

 Still, the light was waning, and he needed a way to defend himself, so his choice of weapon was more than easy. Nothing better than his good ol' trusty fire rod. Besides, Wild set monsters on fire all the time, and when in Lorule, do as the Lorulians do.

 Best to try to avoid combat as much as possible though, Wild's monsters had only gotten smarter since his latest quest and whilst already naturally black blooded, they still could get infected, and therefore even stronger and more intelligent than normal, like any other era's monsters. And as if that wasn't enough, Wild said his monsters became infused with malice during the Blood Moons, amplifying their strength even more. Meaning, if Legend stumbled across any of Wild's monsters here, they could be up to three times more dangerous than last time he fought them.

 Thankfully the blood moon never affected any other era's monsters, regardless of black blooded status, otherwise he'd be doubly fecked.

 Of course, at the exact moment he thought that, the blood moon pulsated like a thrashing Podoboo Tower. Strange star shaped meteors of malice burst from the moon's surface, like the moon was an active volcano.

 “Shite!” Legend hissed. A malice-star meteor was heading straight for him. He barely even had time to click his Pegasus boots together. Bolting across the sand, directly horizontal from the moon. Still sinking in a few centimetres, still slowing him down.

 He glanced back at the meteor “Feck! Feck! Feck!” The meteor had swerved to follow him, speeding up as well. He wasn't going to be able to outrun this.

 It slammed into his back.

 Right between his shoulder blades.

 It burned.

 Sending him skidding across the beach from the force. Clothes melting into the wound as the sand raked at his hands and face. Tearing bloody grazes across his skin.

 Finally rolling to a stop, Legend lay still. It burned,  it burned. It burned.

 Distantly, he could hear screaming.

 He wasn't alone then, someone else must be hurt. Feck, he needed to help them.

 Legend went to move, to get up. But the agony from his back flared up. Like flames dancing through his veins. Every movement felt sluggish, as if there were multiple gels clinging to him. That meteor must've been a red zol that split on impact.

 His vision began to burn, spots of black and brown began forming, spreading outwards just like how a piece of paper burns. The screaming seemed to have stopped, he couldn't hear it anymore. Though, he couldn't hear anything else either. It was like he was deep under the water again, with only his heartbeat beating silently in his ears, making his ears twitch in discomfort.

 Arse-biscuits… Was all he could think of as everything faded into darkness.

  A bright light shone in Legends face, he groaned, scrunching his eyes tight to try and block it out. Failing miserably.

 Something cool was being rubbed against his back. Numbing the burning sensation partially. He groaned, trying to wriggle away from the touch. Just because it was making it feel better, didn't mean that he was gonna sit here and let some person touch him. For all he knew, they could be rubbing poison or some shit into his wound.

 “Legend, we're not trying to poison you.” A tired voice said flatly.

 A hand grabbed each of his shoulders to hold him still.

 Legend scoffed, great, he was mumbling in delirium. “'At's what some-un' tryna poison me would say.” He slurred in response.

 “I could actually poison you, if you wanted!” A far too cheerful voice responded.

 “Wild, please for the love of Hylia.” The tired voice groaned.

 Ah. Legend stopped trying to wriggle away. Only one person sounded that hypocritically exhausted with them whenever someone said or did something stupid. That meant Wild and Time had found him.

 A disgruntled bark cut his sludge-like thoughts off.

 “And Wolfie too! He's the one that led us to you after you stopped screaming.” Wild added, as if that wasn't obvious from the bark.

 “Thanks Wolfie.” Legend muttered.

 “Aww no thanks for us?” Wild teased.

 He raised his middle finger in the direction where Wild's voice was coming from. “Feck off.”

 Reluctantly, Legend peeled his eyes open. He was facing a cooking pot over a small fire, one that had clearly been used many times. Wild was to one side of the pot, humming and stirring some sort of strange, golden shimmery liquid. Behind the cooking pot was a large chasm surrounded by viscous pulsating malice and swirls of smoke-like gloom.

 He craned his head up. Time's hands let go of Legend's shoulders as he moved.

 Wolfie was further away—on the side opposite of Wild—sitting between the edge of the beach and the start of the forest. His back was turned to them, facing towards the forest, ears pricked up and shoulders flexing from tension. Clearly on watch.

 “The others?” Legend asked.

 Time sighed heavily. “They're safe, Wind contacted us through Wild's slate earlier, they all landed in Lurelin village, they got beds in the local inn.”

 Legend scowled. “Lucky feckers.”

 A silence descended on the group. Or as silent as Wild's era could get, with the crickets chirping, the fire crackling, the waves lapping gently, and the faint squirming of the nearby malice.

 “Wild.” Legend rasped.

 Wild paused stirring whatever the concoction he was making was. “Huh, yeah?”

 “What the feck was that?” He jabbed a finger up at moon, wincing as it pulled at his back wound.

 “Moon's infected.” Wild replied with a shrug, going back to stirring.

 Time nodded sagely out of the corner of Legends eye, as if that made any fecking sense.

 “What. The. Feck.” Legend hissed.

  “Moon's infected.” Time answered.

 Wolfie made a very unimpressed snorting noise. At least someone was on Legend's side today.

 Legend did not whinge, he responded in a very normal pitch and not at all in an accusing and whiny tone. “Your moon shot a meteor at me!”

 Wild cocked his head to one side and stared at him. “Yep. It does that."

  Legend through his hands up in disbelief. “Since when!?”

 Immediately, regretting the action, as the wound burned again. “Feck it all!” He snarled, flinching viciously.

 “Careful.” Time gently pushed Legend's arms down. “I haven't finished rubbing the sunny cream into your burns.”

 “What—” Legend started.

 “—Sunny cream.” Wild cut him off, launching immediately into an explanation. “It's made using crushed sundelions, a newly discovered flower in my Hyrule, capable of treating malice burns. Helps numb the pain too. It's not as effective as eating Sunny veggie porridge, though. But it works in a pinch, especially on someone who's not capable of eating anything due to the wounds, or unconscious.”

 Legend blinked at Wild. “Still doesn't explain what the fuck is up with your moon.”

 Wild made a strangled I-don't-know noise. “Ganondorf infected the moon with stronger malice during the second quest, which as I've told you all, made it much more dangerous and it kinda never went back to normal after I defeated him.”

 “You didn't mention it could shoot fucking malice meteors.” Legend groused.

 Time patted him on the undamaged part of his shoulder. “Welcome to the moon trauma squad.”

 Legend rolled his eyes, though his faint smile betrayed his sarcasm. “Joy.”

 “To be fair, it doesn't normally hit people!” Wild huffed, waving his wooden spoon in emphasis, splashing a few drops of the golden liquid onto the sand. “The meteors usually get close, and then the malice itself coalesces into a gloom infected monster! You got unlucky, it hit you and turned into a malice fire chu-chu. Which is mildly concerning, because I've never encountered any monsters, throughout my quest, that were both elemental and consumed by malice.”

 Legend snorted. “Oh so Hylia just hates me personally then, I see how it is. The feelings mutual, fecker.” Raising both middle fingers up to the sky.

 “You're not aiming at Hylia. The only thing in that direction is a King Gleeok.” Wild rolled his eyes, a quiet laugh in the tone of his voice.

 Legend sighed in dramatic aggrievement. “Feck 'im too.”

 “Oh definitely!” Wild agreed, then froze for a second. A moment later, his face broke into the happiest expression Legend had ever seen Wild express.

“Brilliant!” Wild stopped stirring and began scooping the golden shimmery liquid into a star fragment shaped glass vial. “It's ready!”

 Legend squinted at him suspiciously. “What's ready and why are you so happy about this. Are you finally poisoning me?”

 “Nope but you do get to try my newest elixir experiment! Starry elixir!” Wild stopped the star shaped glass vial, before shoving it right in Legend's face with one hand. He tilted his head to one side again, a finger from his free hand tapping away at his lip as he began to mumble. “Although, technically, it should probably be called sunny elixir, as it works just like the sunny foods and cream. But it's not made with sundelions despite having the same malice purifying effect.”

 “Wild… do I even want to know what you've put in that?” Time asked dryly.

 Wild perked up like a dog. Practically vibrating in excitement. “Four plain chu-chu jellies, and a star fragment! Pretty simple, really. The chu-chu jellies melt into a thick gelatinous water when boiled and stirred, a the star fragment dissolves into stardust, which sticks to the gelatin in the water and once mixed thoroughly, it produces an elixir that fills you with pure light, thereby purifying the malice or gloom! The glow only lasts a few seconds unfortunately, so it's no use as a bright elixir.”

 “That definitely sounds potable.” Legend responded, laying the sarcasm on thick.

 Wild snorted. “You'd be surprised, usually it's more effective if you use dragon horns, or gibdo guts, but I thought you'd want something a little easier on the taste buds.”

 Pursing his lips, Legend glanced at Wild. “Thanks…” He said it perhaps a tad too genuine, as Wild launched forwards, tackling him into a hug.

 “Watch it!” Time snapped.

 Wild stuck his tongue out at him.

 Wolfie barked gruffly in laughter.

 Legend would join in with the laughter, if it weren't for Wild squeezing him like a like-like. He made an awful wheezing noise.

 “Oops, sorry Legend!” Wild apologised, properly handing him the stoppered elixir.

 Legend grimaced. “Why couldn't you just cook me up some sunny foods, you said they were more effective than the cream, yeah?”

 “It's not as effective as this elixir, trust me!” Wild beamed at him. “Once you've downed it, your burns will heal in a flash and you'll feel good as new!”

 Time cleared his throat. “And you've tested this before, right Wild?”

 Wild slapped his hand against his chest in mock offence. “Of course I have! Flora and I have started to drink this all the time whilst exploring the depths!”

 “Urgh, feck it, fine.” He shut his eyes and downed it in one go like a very large shot.

 Immediately he pulled the vial away from his lips, coughing and spluttering. “Feck's sake, Wild. Even the strongest whiskey I've had doesn't burn as bad as this.”

 “It's got stardust in it! Of course it'll burn, besides it's hardly as strong as Goron spice!” Wild argued.

 “Don't remind me.” Legend croaked, though his malice burns had already started shining with golden light.

 “Alright, rest up Legend.” Time instructed. “Wild will make us a boat to reach Lurelin, tomorrow at first light. Wolfie, Wild, and I will alternate between watches.”

 Legend nodded, not even bothering to put up a token fight tonight, already flopping back onto the ground. “Whatever.”

———

Thank you for reading! Hopefully you enjoyed this oneshot!

This honestly wasn't supposed to be another Wild gets to info dump whilst cooking fic but I clearly have discovered my niché in this fandom.

Kudos, comments, join collection requests, and bookmarks are all much appreciated!

— As always, Criticism and/or rude comments are not welcome regardless if you try to soften them with compliments/compliment sandwiches.

Otherwise, as per usual, I'll be over the (blood) moon to receive any comments, whether it's as short as <3, emojis/kaomojis/emoticons, extra kudos, or as long as a whole fic reaction comment! No matter the comment, you'll each have my undying love and gratitude.

[dandelionsresilience]

Good News - July 1-7

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $Kaybarr1735! And if you tip me and give me a way to contact you, at the end of the month I'll send you a link to all of the articles I found but didn't use each week!

1. Footage reveals 'miracle eagle chick' in flight

“In an unprecedented display of extended eagle parenting, the two white-tailed parents skipped this year's breeding season to continue to tend to their year-old offspring. The youngster's wing was broken when the nest fell to the ground during unseasonably wild weather last year. […] The fully-grown chick was being fed fish by its parents, caring behaviour that the eagle expert described as “unprecedented” for the birds. […] “If an immature bird was to reappear near its nesting parents or any other pair the following year [after dispersing], it would likely be aggressively chased away. That’s why this is so exceptional.””

2. Rare wild horses back on Kazakhstan’s Golden Steppe after being saved from extinction

“For the first time in at least 200 years, wild Przewalski's horses have returned to Kazakhstan’s Golden Steppe. [...] Przewalski's horses are considered the last truly wild horse left on the planet as other species like the American Mustang are descended from domesticated animals. The species were once common across the vast steppes of Central Asia. [...] The zoo will also be sending some Przewalski’s to Mongolia in 2026 where a reintroduction programme has seen their population boom to well over 850 animals.”

3. For one Austin summer camp, public transit is part of the adventure

“[... “O]ver 90% of the kids will tell you that their favorite part of ATX Kids Club is riding the bus.” That’s the program’s goal: getting kids to have fun on public transit so they’ll grow up using it. The nonprofit’s summer camp, which takes kids ages 4 to 12 on field trip “adventures” around the city, uses Capital Metro buses as its main form of transportation. [...] Before camp, [the field trip leader] said, he believed in stereotypes about transit being dirty and “scary” — but his experience with Austin’s bus system has been the opposite so far.”

4. Brazil Prevents Meta from Using People to Power Its AI

“[…P]ersonal photos of Brazilian children are used to build powerful AI tools without their knowledge or consent. In turn, others use these tools to create malicious deepfakes, putting even more children at risk of harm. […] The Brazilian government’s decision is a powerful, proactive move to protect people’s data privacy in the face of swiftly evolving uses and misuses of AI. Yesterday’s action especially helps to protect children from worrying that their personal data, shared with friends and family on Meta’s platforms, might be used to harm them in ways that are impossible to anticipate or guard against.”

5. Ambitious Living Shoreline Project Combats Coastal Land Loss in South Carolina

“Living shorelines stabilize coastlines by reducing the impacts of waves and rising sea levels. They are made of materials that promote the growth of marsh grasses and commercially important species like oysters and crabs. […C]oastal sites could offset almost 80 percent of tidal habitat loss with careful conservation and management. […] Young people in this AmeriCorps program receive training, a living stipend, an education award, and connections to potential employers.”

6. Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge announces proposal to modernize water infrastructure

“Under the refuge’s proposal, the Service would improve 4,400 feet of an earthen water delivery ditch, rehabilitate 1,200 feet of Upper Lake Dam, develop 100 feet of new diversion channel into critical nesting habit for federally endangered southwestern willow flycatcher, modernize current water monitoring stations and improve 640 feet of the Pahranagat Ditch Drain. […] The improvements will result in significant habitat improvements for multiple bird species, [… and] also enhance flood control holding capabilities of the Upper Lake for the Pahranagat Valley.”

7. New chemical process separates textile fibers for easier recycling

“A combined team of chemical and biomolecular engineers [... have] developed a way to chemically separate fibers in textiles, allowing them to be recycled more quickly and cheaply than conventional methods. [... T]hey found they could break apart the textiles in as little as 15 minutes. They also noted that the process [breaks down polyester and spandex into] organic compound[s] that could conceivably be used to create more polyester. [... T]he material integrity of both the nylon and the cotton were retained, suggesting they could be used to make new batches of clothes.”

8. Pongamia trees grow where citrus once flourished, offering renewable energy and plant-based protein

“[Some Floridian] farmers are turning to the pongamia tree, a climate-resilient tree with the potential to produce plant-based proteins and a sustainable biofuel. […] Pongamia trees also don't need fertilizer or pesticides. They flourish in drought or rainy conditions. And they don't require teams of workers to pick the beans. […] The legume is now being used to produce several products, including Panova table oil, Kona protein bars and protein flour. The legumes also produce oil that can be used as a biofuel, largely for aviation, which leaves a very low carbon footprint[….]”

9. Trans candidate celebrates receiving more votes than anti-trans campaigner Posie Parker

“An independent trans candidate says that she hopes receiving more total votes than anti-trans campaigner Posie Parker at the general election will show trans children that they are loved. […] Bristol Central was won by Green Party’s out bisexual co-leader Carla Denyer, while Parker received just 196 votes, equal to 0.5 per cent[….] Elsewhere, trans candidate Sophie Molly secured 225 votes standing as an independent at the other end of the country, in Aberdeen South[….]”

10. Ohio zoo celebrates birth of critically endangered western lowland gorilla

“The Columbus Zoo said the gorilla was born June 29 and first-time mother Sue is "very attentive and providing excellent care to her little one, who she nuzzles and cradles closely." […] “With tiny hands and beautiful big brown eyes that melt our hearts, this baby is absolutely precious—in regard to both the cuteness factor and what the baby represents for this species’ future. We are proud of the dedication of our care teams who diligently work to provide the gorillas with top quality care and wellbeing while continuing the legacy of the Columbus Zoo’s renowned gorilla program,” said Audra Meinelt, curator of the Columbus Zoo’s Congo Expedition region.”

June 22-28 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[edupunkn00b]

Delirium

Photo by Fleur via Unsplash

Rated G - WC: 2660 - CW: fever, there might be a swear :)

Logan comes home sick from work and Janus cares for him. No-one expected feelings to come out. (Remy did. Remy expected feelings. "Told ya so, babes.")

Janus rinsed his coffee cup and wiped down the counter for the third time, gaze focused more out the kitchen window than on his task. Just over two hours ago, Logan had texted from the office, sounding… off and said he was coming home early. Nearly an hour and a half later, the barista at their favorite café called and said he was bringing his roommate home.

“Thank you, Remy,” Janus murmured, holding the front door open wide as the taller man half-walked, half-carried his roommate inside. “Lo’s really in no state to drive.”

“Yeah, he said he needed a little coffee to sharpen up before he made the trip over the bridge,” Remy laughed, shaking his head. “I make a good brew but caffeine won’t cure a fever.”

“‘M fine, Jay,” said roommate mumbled, left hand flopping up and landing ineffectually against his chest. Logan nodded slowly, brow solemn as though he’d just finished his closing argument.

“Yes, I see…” Janus’ smile dissolved when Logan’s cheek burned under his hand. Ordinarily unflappable, Logan would only show vulnerability like this under the influence of—as their favorite book would call it—extraordinary amounts of alcohol or, as now, a worryingly high fever.

“I’m double-parked, babes.” Remy said, smirking over his sunglasses. “Where d’ya want him?”

“I…” Janus’ gaze trailed up the stairs. Logan’s bedroom was two flights up in their narrow townhouse. 

Typically, the layout was welcome. Early to bed, early to rise, he would readily excuse himself when Janus was entertaining… company. It was usually just Remus nowadays, but still. Two flights up from Janus’ room, it was as though they each lived alone once nighttime came around. It was an ideal arrangement.

Except on rare nights like this.

Logan wobbled, stumbling to one side even with Remy’s arm hooked through his and Janus didn’t need to think, he just reacted, reaching for him before he could fall. Logan’s hand wrapped around his, warm. Too warm, Janus reminded himself. “I suppose my room would be best,” Janus finally said and together, they maneuvered him down the hall and onto Janus’ bed.

“Hmm,” Remy hummed, looking around the room. The centerpiece of Janus’ room was a high-set king size bed, layered with pillows and two comforters. Hidden between the layers was his weighted blanket. He’d never really gotten around to furnishing the room much more than that, preferring to keep his library in their shared shelves, and he worked from the dining room or his armchair in the living room. Wherever Logan had settled in with his own reading or case files.

He kept his room dark… ish. The walls were lined with warm faux-incandescent Edison bulbs Remus had fashioned for him out of LEDs and golden filters after he described the giant meta-analysis Logan had sent him on the impacts of artificial light and myopia. The dim light had only made Logan’s little approving smile that much brighter. 

“Cozy,” Remy laughed once they were done, then smoothed down his jacket sleeve where it had bunched up with his efforts to hold Logan up. He lowered his sunglasses so Janus couldn’t miss his lascivious wink. “Very cozy.”

“We don’t have that kind of relationship, Rem,”

“Whatever you need to tell yourself, babes,” Remy chuckled as he backed out of the room. 

“No… bed’s too big,” Logan groaned, voice muffled by the heavy down comforter. “Too far away t’hold you, Jay.”

Both men froze, heads whipping over comically to stare in Logan’s direction. “Wha—what did you say?” Janus swallowed, eyes wide. He had to have misheard.

“Oh, ho ho ho, Emile owes me ten bucks!” He hadn’t misheard anything.

Remy clapped Janus’ shoulder and started down the hallway. “Congratulations, man. Maybe now you’ll stop crying in your coffee all the time.”

“No, wait!” Janus’ arm snaked out and grabbed Remy’s sleeve. “Remy, no! You can’t say anything!!“ His eyes bore into Remy’s. “He’s delirious and doesn’t know what he’s saying. He doesn’t mean it.”

“Uh-huh,” Remy said, lowering his sunglasses and looking back at Logan who’d curled around Janus’ pillow, rubbing his cheek against the cover. Eyes closed, he was smiling and pressing little kisses into the satin. “Maybe he really, really means it and it’s only because he doesn’t know what he’s saying that he—”

“Remy…” Janus warned, fingers tight on his sleeve as he stared up at the much taller man.  “Seriously. Don’t.” 

“Alright, alright. Fine,” he said, shrugging. “It’s your funeral.”

“Thank you,” Janus said, belatedly releasing his grip. He pulled his hand back, thumb rubbing over his knuckles and frowning. That escalated quickly, didn’t it? “Thank you,” he said again and nodded, tamping down the embers of protective fire that had sparked in his chest. “I apologize,” he murmured, inclining his head.

But Remy just laughed. “Buy me a coffee and we’ll call it even.” Logan groaned again then, eyes squeezed shut and Janus sat next to him, adjusting the covers. “I’ll let myself out,” Remy said and closed the door behind him. 

Janus waved without looking away from Logan and clicked on his bedside lamp.

“Jay,” he said, squinting, and buried his face in the pillow. “Jay, I don’t feel well.”

The admission was almost funny.

“I know, Lo,” Janus murmured, pushing back his hair from his face. His skin was still terribly hot and pale enough that, if he’d wanted, Janus could’ve traced the latticework of thin veins over his eyelids and along his temple. If he’d wanted. 

“Rest here and I’ll get you some water and aspirin, alright?” Janus started to rise, suppressing a frown at the way even Logan’s hair seemed overly warm.

Before he’d moved away completely, Logan’s hand shot up and covered his. “You won’t go far?” he whispered, fever bright eyes fixed on him.

“I’ll just be in the kitchen…” Janus promised, voice trailing off when Logan his hand closer. After a moment, Logan stilled and Janus began to wiggle free. Logan’s eyes snapped open at the movement and laced their fingers together. “I’ll need this to get you that aspirin,” Janus murmured, the burn of Logan’s touch both drawing him closer and pushing him to get something to lower his fever.

Eyes slipping shut again, Logan nodded and relaxed his grip. Giving his hand one last pat, Janus whispered, “I’ll be right back.”

Leaving the door open so he would hear Logan’s calls, Janus dashed down the hall and back to the kitchen. He clicked the kettle on, then grabbed a basket from the top of the fridge and filled it with Gatorades from the fridge, a box of tea, apple sauce, Logan’s travel mug, and a pack of his favorite crackers.

The kettle clicked, water bubbling, so Janus unplugged it and grabbed the whole thing to set up in his room, basket hooked on his arm. Hot water would be one fewer thing he’d need to leave Logan’s side to fetch. Finally, he grabbed a bottle of aspirin and the thermometer from the medicine cabinet as he passed and hurried back into his room.

Logan sat on the floor, one arm out of his shirt, the other twisted behind him. His trousers lay crumpled in a heap next to him and his collar was up over his head, tie loosened by not removed. “Oh, Lo,” Janus muttered and set the kettle and the basket on his nightstand. “May I help you?”

“Please.” Logan’s voice was quiet and Janus wondered if perhaps he’d even drifted off. Kneeling next to him, Janus finished removing his tie and unbuttoned the rest of his shirt, a little sigh of relief sneaking past when he saw Logan’s undershirt. Relief. Not disappointment.

Perhaps… a tiny bit. It would be easier to regulate his fever without it.

“There you go,” Janus murmured once Logan was free of his shirt. “I put your glasses on the nightstand, too, Lo.” 

Logan leaned heavily against the side of the bed, eyes cracked open. He nodded then closed them again. “‘Ank you,” he whispered, hands flailing until they landed on Janus’. “Y’take care of me.”

“Anytime you need me, Lo,” Janus murmured. “I’m going to help you up onto the bed now, okay?” Logan’s head sort of wobbled in agreement, so Janus released one hand and curled his arm around his best friend’s back before pushing up to his feet.

Logan mumbled something unintelligible and leaned into his side, fever bleeding right through Janus’ shirt.

“I’ve got you, Lo,” he encouraged. “There we go,” he sighed once Logan was again seated on the bed. Holding him up with one arm, Janus stretched, snagging the aspirin and a Gatorade from the nightstand. “Have this, then rest.”

Humming, Logan curled into his side and let Janus feed him two tablets, sipping slowly. When he’d managed to h get about a quarter of the bottle, Janus recalled it and returned it to the nightstand. “It’ll be here for you when you’re ready for more.”

“‘nk you,” Logan mumbled again, curling on his side and twisting his fingers in Janus’ sheets. “‘nk you, Jay,” he said again, more breath than words. “Love you.”

Janus froze mid-rise, back curled over the bed as he reached to fluff the pillows under Logan’s head. He didn’t mean it. Remy’s little leer danced through Janus’ mind and he almost didn’t notice when Logan hugged his hand to his own chest, pressing kisses against his arm. “Love you, Jay,” he repeated, painfully clearly.

Patting Logan’s hand and ignoring the thrumming in his chest, Janus sucked in a slow breath. He’d never remember anyway. “I love you, too, Logan,” he whispered. “Rest well.” After a moment, Logan’s grip loosened and his brow went slack as sleep took him. “Rest well, love.”

~

Logan dreamed. He was at the beach, warm sand beneath him, warm sun overhead. Far from the shore, but close enough to hear the gentle susurations of the waves and catch a bit of the breeze coming up over the water. 

“Lo? You’re dehydrated, drink…” Janus appeared, watermelon daiquiri in hand. Logan drank deeply, then kissed his fingertips. Janus’ skin was soft against his lips, nails, as expected, perfectly manicured. There was the tiniest hint of calluses at the edges of his forefinger and thumb and he smelled like… bergamot and sage.

“Thank you, darling,” Logan murmured as he lay back against the sand. “That’s perfect. You’re just what I needed.” He sat up, gripping Janus’ hand between his own. “Do you know that? Have I told you? You’re just what I needed. Always.” 

“Shh, Lo, relax… Rest, love…” Janus’ voice blended with the sounds from the shore, the soft rush of water and breeze, and Logan nodded, eyes slipping shut.

“With you,” he smiled and drifted to the quiet crash of the waves.

The waves grew louder until Logan woke to… stickiness. His mouth was simultaneously dry and pasty, tongue adhering to the roof of his mouth, his teeth, his lips. He cracked open his eyes but quickly squeezed them shut. He’d fallen asleep with his light on and even the small glare from his desk lamp was enough to sear his eyes.

His bedsheets stuck to his skin and he was… damp, like he’d slept with the heat on too high. Fumbling blindly, he reached for his eyeglasses and knocked over an empty plastic bottle before his hand closed on the cold glass face of an old-fashioned analog alarm clock.

Logan bolted upright and waited for his eyes to adjust to the light. A plush yellow comforter slid off the bed and onto the floor and tiny glowing golden bulbs dotted the walls. This wasn’t his room. He swung his legs over the edge and picked up the mostly empty Gatorade bottle he’d knocked down. He stared at the bottle in his hand for a long moment before uncapping it. His eyes flew wide open at his first whiff of its remains. Watermelon.

Tightening the cap, he set the bottle back on the nightstand and finally found his glasses. Shoving them on his face he looked around the room. Janus was sound asleep near the end of the bed, feet propped up on the far side from where Logan had been laying. Hands shaking, he picked up Janus’ blanket and sniffed. Bergamot and sage. “Love you, Jay… Have I told you?”

Oh fuck. 

Reality and dream merged, the muscle memory of those words fresh in his mouth. A thermometer sat next to Janus’ clock and he thumbed through the history. 104.1, 104.5, 103.9… 

Taking pains to make no noise, Logan straightened the blanket on the bed as much as he could without disturbing where Janus’ feet were propped. He found his trousers folded neatly over a chair, his shirt and tie hooked on the back of Janus’ door. Logan managed to get his shirt back on but as he lifted his foot to put on his trousers, his toes caught on a beltloop and he tumbled forward, crashing to the floor.

“Lo!” Janus was at his side, one hand at his back the other already checking his knees. “You’re up,” he murmured, one cool hand coming up to his forehead even as the other worked to untangle him from his clothes. “Your fever broke,” he smiled, bright enough to burn.

Logan looked away. “I—I—I did not intend to wake you, Janus, I apologize. You’ve… you’ve been caring for me?”

“Of course, Lo. You were pretty out of it.” Did Janus sound… sad? No, just tired. He must’ve been up half the night with him.

“Thank you,” he said, then clamped his mouth shut before he could voice the questions burning in mind. He remained quiet while Janus helped him up and turned, remaking the bed while Logan finished dressing. “Thank you,” he said again.

“Anytime you need me, Lo. You know that.”

“I should… ah…” Logan’s mouth worked. How did he ask what he wanted to know? “H—how long was I out of commission?” he finally managed.

“Remy brought you home last night.” Janus gestured to the clock and the dark sky just on the other side of his window. “Last, last night, I suppose. You’ve been sleeping for about twenty hours?”

“Ah,” Logan nodded.

“You, um…” Janus moved to the side of his bed and patted a space a respectful half-foot from where he sat. “Will you sit?” He wouldn’t quite meet Logan’s eyes. His hands were carefully folded in his lap, thumbs turned in, tiny twitches in his tendons the only tell to his fidget.

Logan nodded again and sat where Janus indicated. “I… I believe I know what you wish to say, Janus.”

“You do?” Janus’ brow furrowed and even his thumbs stilled. “But how—”

“I have some… fleeting memories of the past day or so and I recall…”

“Lo, I’m sorry,” Janus interrupted and Logan’s shoulders sank before he remembered himself and sat up straight. It was better this way. Janus planned to be kind as he let him down easy. They could move forward.  “I never would’ve said those things if I thought you’d remember. I…”

Logan’s confusion must have been obvious because Janus’ words fizzled out. “What things?” he asked. “I…” Janus’ voice from his dreams filled his mind.

“Rest, love…”

“Oh,” Logan laughed. “I… I believe I understand.” Swallowing hard, he reached for Janus’ hand. Cool and soft. Callused fingertips just where he expected them. He laced their fingers together and they fit just right.

“I don’t,” Janus whispered, eyes down at their intertwined hands.

Logan slid just a little closer and Janus matched his movement. Watching Janus’ eyes, he raised his hand and brushed a kiss against his fingertips just as he had in his “dream.” “Maybe we can start there?” He took a breath and chance and smiled at Janus. “Darling?”

A soft chuckle spilled from Janus’ lips and he squeezed his hand tighter. “I like the sound of that, love.”

[nevros-fr]

Introduction Welcome to my UMA musings. If you have no idea what a UMA is, it stands for user made accents that are directly sold by users to other users instead of being distributed by the site, I did a look at UMA acronym history here (Nevros, 2023). I wanted to look at how the uma sales decisions changed over time since I saw words like premades to refer to the current way artists would sell skins, that is having a design and collecting names of people who are interested in buying it, as opposed to customs, which would be making species designs for each person. I was also curious about when preorders started. I really like this honour system that helps artists fund their uma without having to pay a large portion by themselves to bring the skin to market. The current market consists of artists who want to sell their skin, set up a shop with prices around 500g for an accent and 750g for a skin that includes the cost of buying a blueprint and then they run preorders. They also usually ping GASP, the general accent and skin pinglist to see if there are any interested buyers. Methods I went through each thread individually from the skins and accents thread for the June to August 2013 of FR to get a gist of it, then started cherry picking months to look through for the general trends because 500 pages of threads is a lot to look through one at a time! I also think a massive caveat is that the older threads are the ones that may not have been as successful because threads get bumped up as more people post so the threads get found based on their last post rather than their first post.

Results I went all the way back to the start of June 2013 and tracked how things may have changed. For one, this was the unknown frontier, so there was no established or efficient way to sell skins yet. As I mentioned before, premades are the most common way to market a skin that an artist would like to sell, with customs being an available option, but not necessarily popular. People were bringing this terminology from previous sites they’ve played, such as Aywas or Wajas. Prices for these premades ranged wildly from 50k to 200k in treasure or 700g to 5000g for a single copy of a skin without a blueprint (Morau, 2013). Otherwise, they would state a price for the skin plus the blueprint or the cost equivalent in gems. I saw a few artists who would have liked to sell the psd of skins to users so they may print skins at their own discretion (Balu, 2013). With these prices in mind, I think it’s clear that skins were pretty inaccessible to the wider public unless people bought gems with real money. Despite the fact of people marketing skins by selling the psd file, I haven’t noticed any skins showing up multiple times in the game database due to this practice. Either none of them were made, or possibly they were reorganized to reduce confusion since the credits on every skin usually go to the person that printed it. Rules such as “one payment equals to only one use of the skin” was popular, presumably since the user would be given a psd file for them to print. There was also a common rule to not sell premade skins for more than you bought it for. It did not take long for people to consider selling multiple copies for premades at once. Remember, a single blueprint is 1000g for accents and 2000g for skins, but multicopy packs are considerably cheaper at 2500g for 10 accents and double that for skins (Custom Skins, 2013). The earliest person that I saw to consider selling multiples of one accent was Xaishi but never actually set up a show (Xaishi, 2013). All these developments happened in June!

What does July bring? People who accidentally submitted the wrong skin and have no idea what to do :> Before the establishment of the Skin and Accent Problems, users would need to message mods or admin to see if they can get those errors fixed. I found the intent to sell premades using multipacks with a thread dating back to July 1 (Pathojay, 2013). I also saw people selling multiprints for the very first time as a 5 print run where the artist paid for the blueprint pack first (AkaPanuka, 2013). With these early threads, more people were selling skins in the range we see now at 800g which includes the blueprint price now. There were still many people selling skins with single print prices and multiprint options. It also seems like preorders to fund blueprints were also rising in popularity (Dactyl, 2013).

I can also see the topics change as time goes on. In June/July 2013, people were offering designs only as interest checks. In August/September 2013, people were requesting constructive criticism and help with designs. September showed that the markets settled people into two big models, supply your own blueprints to the artist or join preorder runs (Magyr, 2013). It was clear to me that the people who used preorders and standardized their prices ended up doing better than the people who sold umas without blueprints (Violet, 2013; Incarnation, 2013; Grimgram, 2013)

By the early 2014 in April/May, preorder runs became the standard and prices reflected what we see nowadays (Kanamine, 2014). Though, there were people selling skins at dynamic costs, where prices would decrease if more people joined the run (Kenjinthala, 2014). Skin retirements also happened more often in 2014 where the artist wanted to stop printing a certain uma because they wanted to move on to newer designs. This is similar to what happened around 2018 up until 2020 ish. It’s taxing to keep an active catalogue instead of retiring some to make pinglists more manageable. I think the time between standardized, and thus cheaper prices, and my rising interest in skins during this time was probably no accident. I would bet a lot of people also joined because of the reasonable prices and clearer organization.

Many interesting things happened in 2014. An event I came across was from the Mistral Jamboree event where people designed skins and had the chance to win a 10 print blueprint pack (Amphitere, 2014)! Selling UMAs to a secondary market started around this time where people were only selling a handful of UMAs (Dabble, 2014). I also want to state that the [accent=skin id] tooltip didn’t exist yet so everyone was using the png image of the tooltip. Moreover, if people had skin/accent problems, there was a thread to post to now (Aequorin, 2014)! No more pming mods, admins or sending in help tickets!

“Looking for x accent” or “accent wanted” threads became popular in 2014, which meant it clogged up the board for artists looking to sell their umas. This heralded the rise of GASP version 1 in early 2015 where google sheets made its big debut into the skin and accents board (GASP, 2015). Artists also started using google sheets to contain their pinglists to make life easier instead of checking pings to see who needed to be added (SarcasticSketch, 2015). This allowed better coordination to allow artists to monitor many different skins and the status of multiple runs.

By 2015 to 2016, skin shops had stronger branding with different banners and personal archives of what skins they have made (YusukeKitagawa, 2016). Since shops were also gaining stability and popularity, there was also a stronger desire to limit runs or else be stuck in administrative purgatory. It takes a lot of work to keep all skins active between taking preorder payments, then trying to send them out to everyone with crossroads or private messages. This did introduce the subtle distinction where accents artists were interested in running again are called “reprint” runs, when the umas can return for sales weeks after the initial print.

Third party skin previewers also popped up around this time so that people can conveniently overlay their dragons with skins and imagine what it would look like. There was a crack down on those tools for data scraping but other go-arounds such as requesting the user to save all necessary photos locally to upload them on the previewing website instead of pulling them from FR.

Hold on to your hats, early 2017 ushered in a new way to distribute skins with the fancy pantsy new private auction system (FR News, 2017a)! This meant a way to streamline the selling process since the interface is friendlier for massive order processing. Traditional preorders can still work with the PA system if patrons send gems to the artist and that meant the artists could list the umas for 1 treasure. For artists that could afford it, names were taken down for preorders but they could list umas privately to the buyer for the full price and eliminate the hassle of organizing payments upfront. The Dressing Room also came out in 2017 where people can now preview printed skins on their dragons and scries (FR News, 2017b)!

I feel like from 2018 onwards, the uma market reached an equilibrium with what we more or less see today. There have been a few noteworthy updates. With the rise of limited skins and popular artists, resales and the secondary accent market became quite popular. GASP conducted a survey around how they could deal with the overflowing reselling ping issue (GASP, 2018).

The one part that I feel is different, is that there are more artists who are keeping shelved catalogues. It was normal in the past, but it seems like artists are actively combating the steep price increases that come from reselling limited umas. It is more hassle for the artists but the users who buy are surely happy with the shift from limited to shelved.

Conclusions The start of uma shop culture and multi-prints preorder runs started as early as July 2013. I thought this finding was funny because it's the reverse of what I found with UMA acronym history, where that started much later than I thought. Thanks for reading!! Stay tuned, the next installment might be me going through all the player skins in the database and looks at trends

[slitheringghost]

Some scattered notes as I try to finish a longer Unweaving Canon Lily Evans meta:

Lily as "like a sister" to Sirius is emphasized in the textual comparison of Lily to Bellatrix and Narcissa (also see this post); Sirius’s “brothers” photographs are left on walls - the Marauders on Sirius’s bedroom wall, Regulus with the Slytherin Quidditch team on Regulus’s bedroom wall - while his "sisters'" photographs (and his mother's gloves) are stolen (and significantly this passage mentioned alongside Merope's locket):

“Mundungus Fletcher stole it all: Miss Bella’s and Miss Cissy’s pictures, my Mistress’s gloves, the Order of Merlin, First Class, the goblets with the family crest, and — and —” Kreacher was gulping for air: His hollow chest was rising and falling rapidly, then his eyes flew open and he uttered a bloodcurdling scream. “— and the locket, Master Regulus’s locket, Kreacher did wrong, Kreacher failed in his orders!” (DH) And next, Snape was kneeling in Sirius’s old bedroom. Tears were dripping from the end of his hooked nose as he read the old letter from Lily. The second page carried only a few words: could ever have been friends with Gellert Grindelwald. I think her mind’s going, personally! Lots of love, Lily Snape took the page bearing Lily’s signature, and her love, and tucked it inside his robes. Then he ripped in two the photograph he was also holding, so that he kept the part from which Lily laughed, throwing the portion showing James and Harry back onto the floor, under the chest of drawers (DH)

Mundungus is somewhat linked to Snape in several ways (a half-blood who wears women’s clothes, Harry directs his rage at him for Sirius’s death as he does - more validly - at Snape, Snape Legilimizes Mundungus to give the idea of the identical Potters in Battle of the Seven Potters, etc.)

We know Sirius throws out the photographs of Bellatrix and Narcissa (stated to be in the dining room - consistent with other references to female characters around cooking and in domestic spheres), and presumably was rereading Lily's letter and looking at that photograph during OoTP.

Additionally, this was the passage in the OG text of GoF (see elaboration on the initial published Priori Incantatem here):

Harry described how the figures that had emerged from the wand had prowled the edges of the golden web, how Voldemort had seemed to fear them, how the shadow of Harry’s mother had told him what to do, how Cedric’s had made its final request. At this point, Harry found he could not continue. He looked around at Sirius and saw that he had his face in his hands. Harry suddenly became aware that Fawkes had left his knee. The phoenix had fluttered to the floor. It was resting its beautiful head against Harry’s injured leg, and thick, pearly tears were falling from its eyes onto the wound left by the spider. The pain vanished. The skin mended. His leg was repaired. (GoF)

note that 1) the text emphasizes Voldemort’s fear of Lily and Harry disobeying Voldemort’s orders vs. obeying Lily in the graveyard; 2) Fawkes healing Harry at that moment hints at Lily's connection to the prophecy/priori incantatem/the twin cores, and her tie to flight and (Harry and Voldemort's) death/rebirth/immortality; and the phrase "beautiful head" is likewise repeated about the doe patronus in DH and her eyes emphasized (It was a silver-white doe, moon-bright and dazzling, picking her way over the ground, still silent, and leaving no hoofprints in the fine powdering of snow. She stepped toward him, her beautiful head with its wide, long-lashed eyes held high. // She turned her beautiful head toward him once more)

and 3) while I assume Harry mentioned James's shade's words too and Sirius's reaction is of course related to that, it's significant that Sirius was stated as burying his face in his hands right after Harry mentioned Lily's shadow - because that gesture at the memory of Lily is then repeated several times around the memory of Lily’s murder in OoTP and when Dumbledore is reminded of Ariana - the grief at the death of a sister (I don't necessarily take Petunia's reaction as the same emotion, just that canon is making that allusion - and the burning also echoed around Lily elsewhere, like her blood magic to LV, etc).

Several men (Dumbledore, Aberforth, and Grindelwald) leading to Ariana’s death is paralleled in both Merope’s murder at the hands of Morfin and Marvolo (and perhaps Riddle Sr.) and to Lily’s murder.

She caught her breath, horrified. The red envelope had begun to smoke. “Open it!” Harry urged her. “Get it over with! It’ll happen anyway—” “No—” Aunt Petunia’s hand was trembling. She looked wildly around the kitchen as though looking for an escape route, but too late — the envelope burst into flames. Aunt Petunia screamed and dropped it. An awful voice filled the kitchen, echoing in the confined space, issuing from the burning letter on the table. “REMEMBER MY LAST, PETUNIA.” Aunt Petunia looked as though she might faint. She sank into the chair beside Dudley, her face in her hands. (OoTP) Harry tried to empty his mind, tried not to think, or remember, or feel... “Let’s go again... on the count of three... one — two — three — Legilimens!” A great black dragon was rearing in front of him... His father and mother were waving at him out of an enchanted mirror... Cedric Diggory was lying on the ground with blank eyes staring at him... “NOOOOOOO!” He was on his knees again, his face buried in his hands, his brain aching as though someone had been trying to pull it from his skull. “Get up!” said Snape sharply. “Get up! You are not trying, you are making no effort, you are allowing me access to memories you fear, handing me weapons!” Harry stood up again, his heart thumping wildly as though he had really just seen Cedric dead in the graveyard. Snape looked paler than usual, and angrier, though not nearly as angry as Harry was. (OoTP)

“People don’t like being locked up!” Harry said furiously, rounding on him. “You did it to me all last summer —” Dumbledore closed his eyes and buried his face in his long-fingered hands. Harry watched him, but this uncharacteristic sign of exhaustion, or sadness, or whatever it was from Dumbledore, did not soften him. On the contrary, he felt even angrier that Dumbledore was showing signs of weakness. He had no business being weak when Harry wanted to rage and storm at him. (OoTP)

(Harry’s reaction is to Cedric, but we’re meant to understand it’s also an allusion the memory of Lily in the Mirror of Erised and Harry’s reflecting the emotion and gesture that Snape is feeling and can’t reveal openly over Lily).

Similarly, the way Harry stops speaking when the memory of Lily is alluded post-graveyard mirrors Sirius going silent (other than telling Crookshanks to get off him) and stopping all attempts to protest and explain (despite Sirius's voice being "urgent" a moment earlier) when Harry brings up that he hears Lily being killed near the dementors in the Shrieking Shack, and Crookshanks settles himself right over Sirius's heart - declaring Sirius innocent of the murder of his "sister":

Harry went on; he explained how Voldemort had emerged from the cauldron, and told them all he could remember of Voldemort’s speech to the Death Eaters. Then he told how Voldemort had untied him, returned his wand to him, and prepared to duel. But when he reached the part where the golden beam of light had connected his and Voldemort’s wands, he found his throat obstructed. He tried to keep talking, but the memories of what had come out of Voldemort’s wand were flooding into his mind. He could see Cedric emerging, see the old man, Bertha Jorkins… his father... his mother… He was glad when Sirius broke the silence. “The wands connected?” he said, looking from Harry to Dumbledore. “Why?” (GoF)

“I understand a lot better than you think,” said Harry, and his voice shook more than ever. “You never heard her, did you? My mum… trying to stop Voldemort killing me... and you did that… you did it…” Before either of them could say another word, something ginger streaked past Harry; Crookshanks leapt onto Black’s chest and settled himself there, right over Black’s heart. Black blinked and looked down at the cat. “Get off,” he murmured, trying to push Crookshanks off him. But Crookshanks sank his claws into Black’s robes and wouldn’t shift. He turned his ugly, squashed face to Harry and looked up at him with those great yellow eyes. To his right, Hermione gave a dry sob. Harry stared down at Black and Crookshanks, his grip tightening on the wand. So what if he had to kill the cat too? It was in league with Black... If it was prepared to die, trying to protect Black, that wasn’t Harry’s business... If Black wanted to save it, that only proved he cared more for Crookshanks than for Harry’s parents... Harry raised the wand. Now was the moment to do it. Now was the moment to avenge his mother and father. He was going to kill Black. He had to kill Black. This was his chance... The seconds lengthened. (PoA)

Hilariously, Harry debating killing Crookshanks is echoed in Lily's letter to Sirius saying baby Harry "nearly killed the cat" while flying on the broomstick Sirius bought him - and then likely actually did kill the cat while vanquishing Voldemort.

[sp1resong]

my flight rising meta strat is that i accumulate dragons rapidly and unnecessarily then on the rare occasion i need money for something i sell a few im not emotionally attached to for ridiculously low prices, just enough so i can get the money i need. and then rinse and repeat. i do not know how the economy works but i know that, in the moment, i am winning

[stagefoureddiediaz]

To live your life by a compass not a clock

New chapter posted - read it in full here - Chapter 8

I really need to get back to my writing - I've had too many other things going on to get much done recently (looking at you unexpected costume meta!!)

Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter - its the aftermath of the recital and Buck is not in his parents good books (not that he ever has been!

Excerpt below!

The next morning, Buck wakes early, his sleep had been fitful as his brain processed everything that had happened but he feels clearer and more sure of himself in the morning light. He might still be dreading having to face his parents and their disappointment in him, but he is glad they chose to ignore him for the night. It gave him the chance to go over things and he has reached a point where he no longer wants the need for their approval to dictate his life. 

The remembrances of how intense the pleasure he had been experiencing in the moments before he had been exposed have pushed themselves to the front of his mind and, while he would’ve preferred not to be caught and recognised, he had been cavalier in agreeing to hooking up in such a public place. He doesn’t see why he should let the disapproval of those who will never accept him dictate his life and keep him from the things that make him feel alive and happy.

Buck rises from his bed feeling settled and more sure of himself. Even though it’s early, he calls for hot water and while he waits, pulls out his clothes for the day, laying them on the bed before crossing to the window to watch as servants running early morning errands pass by beneath him on the street. 

Hot water finally arriving, Buck goes though his morning ablutions and dresses himself before descending one flight of stairs and crossing to Daniels door, tapping lightly before gently opening it and slipping inside. He wants and needs to talk to his brother before his parents get a chance to send him away.

Daniel is propped up in his bed, awake and reading, but looking wan and exhausted. 

‘Daniel.’ Buck says softly ‘you don’t look well, perhaps you should go back to sleep.’

Daniel puts the book down and shakes his head. ‘I’m fine, just tired from last night.’ He pauses to study Buck before continuing,  ‘You’ll need to go to Teignmouth's this morning on your own, I’m not going to be up for it.’ Buck tries to protest, saying they can cancel it and go another day, that Teignmouth would understand, but Daniel insists.

‘You need to go. I insist. You need to talk to him before our parents get involved.’ At Bucks slightly baffled look he presses on ‘You need to break off whatever it is you have going on with him, he’s bad news and I don’t want him to destroy you any more than he already has.’

Buck splutters ‘How? How did you… How do you know about me and Teignmouth?’

‘You think Mother and Father were the only ones to see you?’ he stated before adding ‘Plus Mother couldn’t stop wailing about it and how it would no doubt lead to the family’s ruin in the carriage home.’ 

tagging @spotsandsocks @honestlydarkprincess @xxfiction-is-my-realityxx @copyninjabuckley @princessfbi @mandzuking17 and please let me know if you'd like to be added to the tag list!!

[wyvernscales]

My Meta/Analysis

I don’t really know how to make one of those fancy masterlist pages for myself, so this will have to suffice for now. Just wanted a hub for some of the posts I’ve been making as of late.

For the tag, click here

Theories:

Old God Soul Andraste? 

Kirkwall and the Second Sin

Lore:

Signed Languages in Thedas 

Envy Demons 

The Nightmare Demon 

Dragon Age: Inquisition Locations

Observations:

My Magnum Opus: The Trespasser Mural/Skyhold Fresco/Dread Wolf Rises Analysis 

On Hawke and Dragon Age 2 

Darkspawn Ichor

Comparing the Inquisitions

Warden Brosca and Orzammar

David Gaider on the Evanuris and Old Gods

Flemeth? Andraste? Mythal?

The Wardens are not a Great Order

My Novel Reviews

The Stolen Throne

The Calling

The Masked Empire

Asunder

Last Flight

Upcoming: Mythal and Snakes, The Black City and the Evanuris, Background Specific War Table Missions, Dwarves and the Fade, The Avvar/Alamarri/Clayne