#have a playthrough to base him off of

[wayfayrr]

The Menace is back with a Self-Aware ask and your weekly words. So here we go with the Self-Aware!

So I think about a Self-Aware Wind and Spirit would be a good idea. You ask who Spirits is? Well the Link from Spirit Tracks because I'm sure he is a reincarnation of Wind as there were things that wouldn't make sense if he was the same. Niko is old but Spirit isn't, Zelda and Spirit don't recognise each other, Spirit doesn't have a sister or a grandma only old man Niko and Niko tells him the story of Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass.

I believe that Wind tries to be sneaky like when Reader looks away he turns his head towards them. Reader also catched him a few times but just thought their eyes were playing tricks on them same with Spirit. But I think it would be interesting when both of them break out at the same time.

Like the scenario is like that. Reader plays Phantom Hourglass on their DS and their little/older sibling comes to them as they are stuck somewhere in Spirit Tracks and it was Reader's game after all, they don't know that Spirit planned it. So Reader just say leave it with them and put their DS down to look at the problem. Only to notice that it seems as there isn't one, Link just runs around the overworld. So Reader thinks it's a glitch and runs around with Spirit to find a next town, they are really far away if you don't use the train. So Wind gets jealous and looks for methods to get their attention. How? He runs out of the safety zone from Bellum's temple and has a monster running after his life. So if Reader plays with sound on they immediately switch DSs to save Wind. And these two do that the whole time. Oh, there is the train geek? Sorry Spirit, but Wind just fell down somewhere and Reader has to go the whole way back so they don't lose progress and heal him. Oh, Wind has a puzzle that Reader tries to solve? Sorry Wind, but Spirit just rolled against a tree with a bees/horns nest, Reader has to save him. Oh, Spirit sees and Overworld Boss and it does nothing and Reader wants to take pictures of it T posing?! Sorry Spirit, But Wind needs their help as he lost all of the ore for smith Zauz and now has to collect them again!! Oh, Wind just got a heart container after he defeated a boss?! Well Sorry Wind But Spirits RUNS ON WATER! OH LOOK WIND FELL DOWN FROM THE BOAT AND NEEDS TO BE SAVED!! SORRY SPIRIT, BUT YOUR JESUS JOURNEY HAS TO BE CUT SHORT!! OH READER FINALLY FOUNDS THE TRAIN?! WELL EXCUUUSEE ME SPIRIT BUT WIND RAN INTO FREAKING BELLUM IN THE OVERWORLD!!! OH...

And so on. These two will go into extreme lengths to get Readers attention on one of them. So they will probably break out as Reader didn't fold any of the two DS to help their parents who called them. But at first the two will fight. Obviously they love Wind more they played his games a dozens of time! Nooo, they love Spirit more they could've given him back to their sibling but they didn't he was still there. When Reader returns they just demand to know who Reader's favourite is. Reader completely stunned as both games start talk to them think they go nuts as they pulled an all-nighter before. The two won't stop and slammed against the glass until it breaks and... why are they so small? Why is Reader so tall?! WHY ARE THESE TWO HERO CHIBIS!? AND WHY HAS ONE OF THEM A JOB!?!

And your words are.

Sacrifice

Mask

Search

Arsonist

Ice blue

Unknown

Hello menace! you've discovered one of my utter weaknesses that I've never mentioned on here - spirit is my son/lh/j. I love that silly little train kiddo, he's just! So silly goofy!!!

also firm believer that if they both get out - or actually speak to one another then they'll get along really really well. they're twins and I can't be convinced otherwise.

I think the idea of them both spiting the other until reader leaves them both to go and destress would be an eye opener to the both of them, being bitter and not working together is worse for BOTH of them. Of course they'll both bicker about who is the favourite but when push comes to shove, two is always more effective than one.

ALSO LITTLE MENACE SPIRIT???? LOVE HIM oh he deserves to be an absolute little shit for attention, he's just a baby that can do no wrong after all!!!! just a tiny little guy!!!! Baby boy!!!!! he's got his train so now he just needs his older sib's attention!!! so what if he has to mess with someone else's game to do that - it worked so how can you hate him for it?

also the jesus journey bit is actually sending me- he's so desperate for attention he'll break all the rules in order to keep your eyes on him ;-; hopefully you won't reset his game seeing as he's breaking it so much now

heheheheheh tiny baby spirit who can sit in your hand or a baby wind who can fit in your pockets they're just little tiny babies!!!!! little itty bitty guys!!!!! (reminds me of some imgs peep's sent in asks lmao) so what if they shouldn't be there! now they are and that's your problem to deal with!!! they won't cause issues - pinky promise <3

(both of these guys are by @artsy-moonwalker, I adore these two little guys beyond belief and spirit looking so scruffy is just so!!!!!! literally baby and I love him so!!!)

as for the words hmmmmm, I think I'll go with ice blue for this one (sorry for the late response too, I know these were last week's after all)

[s-ccaam-era-crepe]

rex poverly from oxenfree ii is transgender in this essay i will-

[four-two-six]

a couple of mhy rain world ocs. these are the scugcats i have iterators too but eh

blue_screen, a rot slugcat who means very very well and also eats pearls

and the anchorite, a slugcat who grew up with a lizard. that lizard was killed by a vulture and never recovered, so it's trapped at karma 3 wandering and learning to let go

[skrelpson]

Colla....ro ta te

[mechahero]

//Ideas rotating around the brain again.

[theaveragepsychoticbitch]

Cutting Tools

AFAB!Reader x Mr. Crawling/Mr. Chopped/Mr. Hood/Mr. Gap/Mr.Scarletella || NSFW || Scissoring, masturbation, some crack elements, pussy eating (receiving), a wee bit of plot in some of these, and obviously, AFAB characters ||

A/N: Watched playthroughs by Hello Yinny on YT! Check her out! Based off the poll!

Mr. Crawling isn't sure there's a word in either of your languages to describe how he feels when you present him with a pair of baby pink panties, a cute little bow adorning the front of them. And when you remove your clothes, revealing your matching pair, he knows for sure there isn't.

Sitting cunt-to-cunt, you on top, with his knees pressed to his shoulders and his large hands desperately grabbing at your calves and thighs, you figured you'd be just fine dying here and now.

You can feel his hole flexing through his panties, clenching and unclenching erratically. You haven't even started moving yet, and already his arousal soaked through the pink fabric, making it cling to his cunt. The very sight was lewd, even more so as you pressed into him, watching the outline of his lips squish as they kissed yours.

Long nails scratch your skin as you rock back and forth, slowly at first, studying Mr. Crawling for every little reaction he had. The bob of his adam's apple in his throat, the twitch of every muscle you could see as pleasure shot threw him, the way his back begins to bow, even restrained as he was. He was crying, wailing, pleading your name till it was mere babble even in his own language.

Taking a deep breath, you resist the urge to chuckle. He was about to cum– you could feel it in the way his hole fluttered –and you.... You haven't even sped up yet.

Mr. Chopped.... Doesn't have a body. But he does have enthusiasm, and what's sex without excitement?

You can't decide if he looks better with the underwear on his head, or over his face.

But, you suppose it doesn't matter now. Either way, he has a crystal clear view of your lithe fingers rubbing slow circles around your clit, a heart-shaped stain blooming in the orange fabric.

"Cute!"

His smile is so wide and genuine when he says it that you let it go. You're not sure if you would have accepted that description from anyone else.

Throwing your head back and spreading your legs wide, you slide realllll close, close enough that the print of your pussy through the panties is so clear, you might as well take them off. So close that had your finger not been busy abusing it, your clit would be touching the tip of his nose.

He can smell you, and it's making his mouth water. Your skin as sweat begins to drip from it, the intoxicating aroma of your arousal, so close yet so far. He wants to taste you, and you can see it in the wide-eyed stare he gives you as your hand slips past the lacey band and spreads your lips, slivers of each just barely peeking out the sides. Free of obstruction, arousal pours till it pools on the sheets below.

Want. One word he didn't have to teach you. When he said it, it was as clear as if he'd said in your own language.

"Want! Taste!"

His whining got louder and louder, tears beading as you scooted just out of reach right as he stuck his tongue out.

Aww, he's so desperate. It's mean to tease him like this. Hey– if you put the panties over his face, would that still count as scissoring?

Once again, it doesn't matter, because you're already stuffing his mouth full of your cunt, with the panties still on. And naturally, he's already slurping it like a man starved. His eyes are wide and excited, his tongue curious and rough. Orange irises dash between your face and your cunt, and you can feel him trying to speak as you grind along his tongue. He manages to push your panties to the side, his tongue bullying its way into your hole. He's eager, and you're close, and soon, your fluids are gushing down what's left of his throat, across his face, and wetting the matching lace panties you fit across his skull.

Later that day, you find he won't let you take them off. When he asks, "Me cute?" You can't bare to tell him no.

Mr. Hood... Also doesn't have a physical form. But you've scissored with less. Brought matching panties for less, too.

Wearing nothing but creamy brown lace panties, you figure this might be your most accurate twin yet. You almost couldn't take him seriously with that little brown bow attached to his hood. But you had to match somehow!

When you sat on top of him, cloak still on, an idea crossed you. Peeling the cloak back does nothing; but reaching in, you feel something. Trailing lower and lower, eventually, you find something. Something that could make Mr. Hood shiver and shake and gasp and moan.

To keep the cloak on and his form tangible, you had to let him get on top. He towered over you, flowing robes hiding much of your own form. But when your cores touch, it's worth it. When he rests on you, fully seated in proper scissor positioning, you're surprised to find how heavy he is. His lips kiss yours hard through the panties, the slightest of movements hitting your clit head-on.

Caring as ever, he checks on you when he sees you flinch.

"No... Good. More."

"Hurt?"

"Good?" His voice is surprisingly breathy, and you realize he's panting. His hips give a seemingly experimental roll, and you moan loudly.

"Yes, good! More!"

"More." He sighs it almost contentedly, his pace getting slower, his thrusts harder. It's mind blowing, and you soon find that you're the one left whining.

He's not silent either though; gasps are starting to escape, and in your attempts to meet his thrusts you find what must be his clit. His back bows, a noise rising from deep in his chest to fill the air between you as he grips the bedframe. You work hard to hit that same spot over and over again.

He's talking, but you can't hear past the pleasure. He feels so good, and he's so wet, and the lewd sounds coming from where you meet seem to make you more sensitive. It's somehow hotter when you can't see what's happening. Only feel it, left to imagine how his hole must look as it leaks and drools, his face as you fuck him back.

Then, he hits your clit hard. You scream as you cum, chants of "Yes, more" swimming at the edge of your consciousness as your vision goes white. For a few moments, you're floating. And when he cums on you, borderline babbling,

"Good. Yes. More. More. More," ...

You ascend.

Mr. Gap was a hard guy to catch, and even harder to put panties on. Like, what color would you even get them in? Broken vent grey? Hole in the wall white? Super scary shadow black? But he had a body. A hole, even. And you had a goal.

Deep in the darkness of what you would assume was a gap, you and Mr. Gap fight for dominance. Unfortunately, it's not nearly as hot as it sounds.

"Put these on!"

"Give heart."

It wasn't even a question! He has the audacity to tell you, like he has ANY authority here!

"Rrghhh-" you grit your teeth, groaning as you hold up the matching pair of black panties, line with white lace and adorned with a cute little black bow. At the center of it? An even littler white heart. Far too cute for this ungrateful ass.

Searching for the words, you attempt to communicate your frustration—

And then, it hits you. Kind of.

"...Me give... Me?"

His single visible eye blinks, confusion and interest blossoming in his gaze.

"Come here."

He does, and finally, you feel him. Freezing skin, a thin body, and... A warm cunt. It's a hassle to explain how you wrestled those panties onto him, but... There's emphasis on "wrestled."

At last, you have his legs locked tight around you. One over your shoulder, the other wrapped securely around your waist. You could hear how quickly he was breathing as if he were right next to you, feel every shudder of anticipation as if they were yours. You're beginning to think that this "gap" isn't just a space he resides in, but in some form, it is him. A part of him, at least. And it was feeling everything you did to him just as much if not more.

You roll your hips, and it seems as if the whole space pulsed. God, he's sensitive; that one thrust made his back arch, broken nails clawing down the skin of your thighs hard enough to draw blood. He didn't moan, but his sharp intake of breath told you plenty. You couldn't see what you were doing, but it seems like you should keep doing it.

Once more, and you feel as if you're inside him, being clenched and gripped as though he'd never let you leave again. He cries out this time, and it's your name that leaves his lips. It's not often that you hear anyone say it, let alone him, and it catches you by surprise

"[Name]..... Give... Heart?"

'Old habits die hard,' you guess. You sigh, grinding backwards reallllllllll slow, drawing out a long moan from the spirit beneath you..... And then starting straight into the most brutal pace you can manage.

The reaction is immediate; his back arches high and hard, and you're leaning over him to hold him by it. His cries become screams, pleasure tearing his vocal cords to shreds as you mercilessly fuck him. The friction of the panties, the knowledge that they matched, and the complete loss of sight left you in a similar state. It was too much, you were too sensitive, he felt too good, he needed you too badly. You didn't mind when he clawed at your back to ground himself. It'd turn you on again later, seeing the blood on his fingers, the scars on your back.

Both of your legs begin to tremble, the pulse of the space numbing your brain to all but the feel of his pussy against your own. It was electrifying, to the point you didn't realize you'd cum till your limbs failed to hold you up any longer. Mr. Gap was in even worse shape; he'd cum a long time ago. Overstimulation had fried his brain, his eye glazed over and unfocused.

You can't even find it in you to be mad when, however long later it was, he whispers, "You.... Not give you."

How'd you say it again in his language?

"You lose."

Mr. Scarletella was more than eager to dress up for you. Any chance to see you was a blessing upon his evil soul, and every chance to please you was an opportunity to make sure you never need, or want, anyone else, ever again.

Mr. Scarletella didn't just have on red underwear. He was wearing a full lingerie set.

Caging you onto the bed with his massive form, his nose brushed yours with every heavy exhale he released. Blood red eyes more haunted than the very building you inhabited stared at you, hungry for something you were oh-so ready to give him.

Your gaze carried a similar hunger. It made him love you that much more.

Your hands hold his face far too tenderly, a sort of daze coming over you. All you wanted was to touch and feel and taste and have and keep and- was this you thinking, or him?

Your hands run over red lace, silk straps snapping against his skin as you pulled them. You only let one hand continue far enough to cup his cunt; it emitted warmth enough to burn you up, and bless if it didn't excite you.

"Change."

He listens, eager to please. Now he lay flat on the bed, you between his thighs. Your eyes sat heavy on his core, watching arousal gradually soak through until when you touch it, a thin string connects you even when you pull your hand away.

Red panties, red lace, red bow. You kiss him, in more ways than one. First, mouth to mouth; it's a stretch, but it's worth it to feel his intensity all poured into a single touch. Then, cunt to cunt; you cage his thighs beneath your own, savoring the sigh of relief you both give when your pussies meet. The touch is soft, the intensity high. You want no more than to fuck him like this, until peak after peak rolls by, until you can't move, until Mr. Scarletella can't speak, until he tells you his name.

And so, you do. There was never going to be a slow start with him. He's all fire and passion and pumping blood and beating hearts, and merely being around him leaves you infected with the need to do and touch and please and have and-

"Love..."

His voice is a shadow of its former self. A breathless husk, just barely caught and kept long enough to say one word.

"Love... Me?"

"Yes."

"Together... Long?"

"Of course."

"You...." His voice cracks, then breaks, the shards of his sentence lost within the echoing cries that rip from his throat as he cums.

You can feel his clit twitching against yours. Your own tears begin to pour, your own orgasm crashing into you, yet your hips don't so much as stutter. It's as though they were possessed by a separate entity, one that intended to bleed you both dry.

Hours continue like this, and his ability to speak is lost completely. At some point, your body fails you too, your ability to move now gone. Peak after peak have gone by, but...

In the silence of the room, hours, days, years later, he finally mumbles something.

"Hm?"

"Me..."

You don't even have the strength to open your eyes, but you imagine yourself quirking your eyebrow while tilting your head in confusion.

"Name...."

Wait...?

"Me... Give."

You don't have time to react. Before you realize, he's saying it, and your life has changed forever.

------------

A/N: believe it or not, Mr. Gap is my favorite. But Mr. Scarletella is special to me. I don't even LIKE yanderes! Mr. Silvitair not included cause I don't really like him as much lol :P

[ren-054]

(Post playthrough thoughts in tags)

Can’t believe Kinito is 5 years older than me fpfpfppfp

[dalishious]

sorry if this is a silly question: did Solas actually have vallaslin? i have seen people claim that he had mythal's vallaslin, but I couldn't find any confirmation from my veilguard playthrough

Sorry for the super delayed response - took me a while to find an answer in the lore.

In Trespasser, Cole says this:

"He did not want a body. But she asked him to come. He left a scar when he burned her off his face."

"Bare-faced but free, frolicking fighting, fierce. He wants to give wisdom, not orders."

Which, as it turns out based on what we now know from DATV, is probably referring to Solas first testing his vallaslin removal spell on himself to get rid of his own.

[ox-imagines]

Tokyo Debunker as Romance Tropes

Feel free to ask me to write a longer imagine/oneshot for any of these!

Pt. 3 | Jabberwock

Pt. 1 | Pt. 2 | Pt. 4 | Pt. 5 | Pt. 6 | Pt. 7

Haru - Love at First Sight

Haru is a very busy man. He’s always on the go, rarely ever thinking about romance because he’s got thirty-thousand other things on his mind. One day, all these things weighing on him distracted him enough that Peekaboo managed to get out of his pen, wandering off out the back door that Ren had left open again. When he realized Peekaboo was missing he almost lost it, flying into a full panic and racing out the door. He found him playing with you in a large clearing in Jabberwock, you sitting on the ground picking wildflowers and handing them to Peekaboo, who’d sort them into piles based on their color. He was so relieved he came to a dead stop on the spot, a horrid crunch coming from one of his ankles from the sudden force of his momentum. He fell over, wincing softly, and you quickly moved over toward him, asking if he was ok. When he looked up at you, his breath caught in his throat. The sun was behind you, framing you and lighting up your loose hairs like they were glowing, and you wore a soft, concerned look on your face, which as far as he was concerned may well have been the prettiest face he’d ever seen.

“I, um, I’ll be fine, it, it happens! Thank you for watching my baby, I can’t believe I let him escape… whaddya say I, uh, treat you to dinner tonight as a thank-you?”

Towa - Soulmates

Towa has always loved the idea of soulmates. Towa loves love, period. Unfortunately, his love and devotion to Haru get in the way of him finding his own soulmate. At least, until you come into his life. He thinks you’re perfect: you understand him better than anyone ever has before, you’ve got an uncanny way of keeping his rapid mood swings at bay, and soon, he listens to you and does things for you unlike he will for anyone but Haru. The two of you can often even communicate without words, you adapting to his nonverbal tendencies so well you sometimes adopt them when you’re around him. You’re a bit free-spirited, but grounded enough that his wild, free spirit is calmed around you. Even if you don’t believe in soulmates, Towa does, and he’s certain that you’re his and won’t hesitate to let you know that on a regular basis. He regularly comes to you with R&R permits asking you to go off campus with him.

“~~~. You’re the one for me, Dandelion. Please never change~”

Ren - Roommates

All things considered, Ren is a good roommate. He doesn’t really help clean, but he also doesn’t spend much time outside his room to make much of a mess in the first place. He minds his own business, he never makes much noise, and sometimes, you can convince him to play video games with you. Ren loves video games. Sometimes, Ren loves video games more than he cares about his personal space, at least considering you’re also laid-back and mind his boundaries, so every once in a while he’ll even invite you into his room to play something with him, or watch game playthrough videos. One day, he does something you wouldn’t have ever expected of him, inviting you to watch a movie with him. You agree and go make popcorn, only to realize he’d meant in his room rather than the living room. You end up sitting up at his headboard together rather than perched on the end of his bed like you usually do when you’re in there. This becomes more frequent, the space between your shoulders decreasing little by little each time, until the night you fall asleep on his shoulder. He gets flustered, not even realizing you’re asleep at first, but he can’t deny that it’s a nice feeling to have you cuddled up next to him like that.

“So, uh. There’s a new movie that came out a couple weeks ago and it’s available to rent now, do you maybe wanna watch it tonight? I know you don’t love horror stuff, but…”

[colonelarr0w]

Promised Protector

Sypnosis - When a particularly pushy Araj begins to make Astarion revert to a past self that he had been trying so desperately to grow from, it leaves you to step in. It leaves Astarion with a small realization -- you did care for him, really truly cared for him.

Warning(s) - mature themes, foul language, mentions of abuse (physical and sexual), Araj being an ass, slightly OOC Astarion

Word Count - 1.8k

A/N - Trying my hand at BG3 fanfiction. I have yet to actually play the game, so I'm going purely based off of the playthroughs of others and random clips that I've found sprinkled around YouTube. I do plan to write more for this little vampiric shit, so y'all can leave requests for him as well!

“Must we be here darling? I’m not rather fond of dungeons with … medieval torture devices.”

You bite back the breathy chuckle in your throat as you continue forward, eyes expertly searching your surroundings to ensure that no creature in the dark would ambush you or Astarion. 

“For a creature that usually prefers the dark, you’re quite the complainer,” you bite back, tilting your head to cast a glance at the vampire over your shoulder. He clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth, shooting you a warning glare – one that you laugh off. 

“And for a creature as clumsy as yourself, you’re doing quite well in avoiding any potential traps.” Astarion’s eyebrow raises as you now shoot him a glare. His shoulders rise and fall in a nonchalant shrug as he moves to walk in sync with you, scarlet eyes scanning his surroundings before they allow themselves to return to you.

“I am not clumsy. It was one time,” you roll your eyes, continuing forward and clenching your jaw as Astarion dares to chuckle at your side. “Rich coming from the one who threw a tantrum even after I revived him.”

“Darling, need I remind you that you dropped an entire building on my head?” Astarion whips his head to the side to face you, his eyes narrowed now in a pointed glare that only brings a wide smile to your face. In any other situation, he too would have smiled simply at the sight of your own, but your revealed teeth only make his chest twist in faux anger. 

“And need I remind you that it was an accident?” 

“In what world is dropping a building on someone an accident?” Astarion murmurs under his breath, stopping when you do. Your eyes flicker to a figure standing just a few feet in front of you – a drow. 

She turns as your footsteps and Astarion’s become more audible, curiosity painting itself onto your face as you both approach. Her eyebrows raise, and you’re not sure if her expression is one of intrigue. 

“Hello,” you say politely, bowing your head in greeting as the drow eyes you curiously, irises raking over the entirety of your figure before they curiously flicker to peer at Astarion. 

“Araj Obladra, a pleasure,” the drow returns just as politely as you, her head dipping in the same bow that you had offered her. “How nice it is to stand in the presence of a True Soul … and her paled companion.”

Astarion’s eyes roll at the nickname, you catch it just out of the corner of your eye. But you choose to ignore it for the sake of not wanting to stir up any unnecessary drama – you had come to Araj for a reason, after all. 

“I’ve traveled to inquire about your services if you’re willing to provide them,” you explain, already noticing a glint in Araj’s eye. You’re not quite sure what expression it’s meant to convey, but from the way that she shifts from one foot to another, your gut tells you that it may not be the most positive. 

Another thing you notice … how her gaze continuously flickers to Astarion. 

“But of course,” Araj replies without hesitation, angling her body so that it faces Astarion rather than you. Your eyes narrow, brows momentarily pinching together. Just what was she playing at?

“You seem … interested in my pale friend here,” you think aloud, immediately wishing that you could swallow your words the moment that you register both Astarion and Araj’s reactions. 

“It is not every day that one encounters a vampire spawn,” Araj notes, the term bringing a disgusting taste to Astarion’s tongue. His nose scrunches in that same disgust, and for a moment, a flicker of anger dares to flare up within the depths of your chest. “After all, in exchange for blood, I craft potions.”

A hum rumbles in your throat, though you say nothing. Araj continues, choosing to ignore the expression you wear – the anger that you so clearly display. 

“All I truly need is a single drop, and then whatever potion you require … well, I can brew it,” she explains, finally moving from where she stands to circle you and Astarion. It reminds you of a predatory lion, one with slit-like pupils that eyes its prey before promptly pouncing on it. 

“And with the rest of it?” you prompt with a raise of your eyebrow. “My blood, I mean.”

“I shall keep it for myself … other potions need to be crafted, as you well know.”

She steps forward, extending her hand and holding her palm out to you. For a moment, you simply think, pondering whether or not you should even trust the drow – especially considering how her eyes still dared to flicker to Astarion. Why was she so interested in him?

You can sense Astarion’s worry from over your shoulder, the feeling rippling off of him like rolling ocean waves. But even with it, you lay your palm over Araj’s. 

“There, finished,” Araj says, already stepping back from you the moment that your skin comes into contact with her own. Her eyes, once again, meet Astarion’s. 

“And now wh—“

Araj’s attention turns completely now to Astarion, who momentarily falters underneath her gaze. His worry for you morphs silently into disgust directed at the drow. 

“There’s still much to discuss,” Araj comments, a smirk just barely pulling at the corners of her mouth. “Such as your paled companion.”

Astarion glances at you, and in return, he’s met with an expression of suppressed anger and jealousy — that would be a conversation for later, he dictates. 

“He’s a vampire, is he not? Or vampire spawn?” Araj’s eyes wander over Astarion, drifting down his entire body and ignoring the way that his eyes narrow in a glare at her. She turns then back to you, once again choosing to ignore the fury that glints in the depths of your eyes. 

“He belongs to you, am I correct?”

If you weren’t angry before, you were now. Your eyes flicker to Astarion, his expression a mixture of hurt and shock – it was one that you had never seen him wear before, and with the way it made your heart positively crack, you never wanted to see it again. 

“The last I checked, he was his own person,” you turn to Araj angrily, “he does not belong to anyone.” 

Araj bites back the chuckle that threatens to crawl up her throat, lifting a hand in front of her mouth as she laughs breathily into the skin of her palm. Your teeth grind against each other, jaw setting into place as the drow regains herself. 

“Oh, you were serious?” Her eyebrow lifts, the sight of it taking everything in you to not lunge at her and promptly wedge the blade of your dagger into the skin of her neck. “It’s adorable really … if he truly believes you, that is.”

Astarion swears he could hear one of your teeth chip with how roughly you set your jaw into place. His eyes wander down to your hands, taking note of how they clench into white-knuckled fists. Your fingers itch towards the blade in its holster, but you fight the urge to remove it. 

“Does your spawn have a name?” Araj shifts her attention back to Astarion, eyeing him once again. He opens his mouth to speak, but with a speed that feels almost inhuman, you answer for him. 

“His name is Astarion, and if you dare to call him my spawn again, I will surely–”

“Now, now darling!” Astarion’s hand closes around your mouth, palm pressing to your lips as he flashes you a too-sweet smile – hoping to whatever God was above him that you wouldn’t turn your anger onto him and plunge a dagger between his eyebrows. “Let’s be civil, yes?”

You bite back the angered insult that bubbles up in your chest, swallowing your words and settling back on your feet. Astarion nods, slowly removing his hand from your mouth before he turns to Araj.

“It’s been quite the dream of mine, being bit by a vampire … spawn or the like,” Araj explains, her tone taking on an almost dream-like lull. You can already feel the bile rising in your throat.

And it seems that Astarion shares your sentiment, what with the way that his eyebrows raised and his lips curled in that adorable little scowl. 

“I’ll have to decline,” Astarion is quick to answer, shaking his head and taking a tentative step away from Araj, almost as if he’s trying to hide his body behind your own. You allow it, going so far as to then sidestep him and stand protectively in front of him – an action that he smiles gently at. 

“I’ll compensate–”

“He said no, thank you very much,” you butt in, glaring down your nose at the overbearing drow. She falters on her feet for a moment, but just as quickly, she recollects herself. “We’ll be going now.”

You turn on your heel, reaching swiftly for Astarion’s hand before promptly leaving – not once sparing a glance to the disappointed drow over your shoulder. 

< … >

“Darling?” Astarion hesitantly lifts the flap of your tent, ducking beneath it and entering. You hum from where you sit at your desk, tilting your head slightly to show your acknowledgment. “Are you alright? Your lively presence was missed. You left me to deal with … them … on my own.”

You sigh, pinching the bridge of your nose as you turn in your seat to look at Astarion. At the sight of your face, he falters, his expression softening. 

“You’re still upset over that vile drow, aren’t you?”

“Of course I am Astarion!” you rise from your place, throwing your hands up. He flinches, not having expected a violent outburst from you. 

“She … she thought that I had ownership of you! All because of what, the fact that you’re a spawn and not a vampire? The nerve of some creatures disgusts me! I mean honestly–!”

“Darling.”

You pause, head lifting so that your gaze finally meets Astarion’s awaiting gaze. His eyes are soft as they gaze at you, lips turned upward in a smile of equal softness. He approaches you, offering his hands to you – which you take without hesitation. 

“I want you to know that I … appreciate what you did for me today,” Astarion admits quietly, speaking low enough that you could barely hear him. “It has been many years since I was able to choose my own.”

You soften, squeezing at his hands. “Astarion, you deserve to have your own voice. Nobody should be able to control what you do besides … well … you.”

He draws you closer to his chest, arms locking around your waist as his face buries itself into your hair. You chuckle lightly, returning his embrace and laying your face against his shoulder. 

For 200 years, Astarion had never known the sound of his own voice. 

But now?

Now he knew the sound of it, and he knew that it mattered. 

[nimthirielrinon]

I need to talk about Gale’s insecurities. For all his noted overconfidence, this is a man whose entire self-worth is based on his prowess with magic.

He was a “gifted” kid whose abilities started out well advanced for his age, just to begin with. He very much thinks of himself as annoying, which you learn in the Durge playthrough after the dead bard incident, when he says that if being annoying we’re reason enough to kill someone, he’d “be dead 1000 times over!”.

If you romance him and convince him not to take the Crown after the second romance scene in Act 3, he mentions how he’s used to being seen as over-confident and even self-deluded regarding his abilities, which I think would only make him posture even harder as a defence mechanism.

I think for a long time, his relationship with Mystra was likely something he used as a flex on other wizards who had been cruel or mean to him, based on how he brings it up, when he does.

But what gets me is his utter relief whenever he isn’t rejected by Tav. When he first opens up to you, he has pretty much already prepared himself to be kicked out of the party. He’s even got a plan for when his bomb goes off, to do the least amount of harm he can, and when he says “Even I’ve grown tired of the sound of my own voice” I swear his voice cracks and he sounds like he could cry.

If you romance him, when he tells you he’s in love with you, if you say “I love you too” instead of going straight for a kiss, he’s once again relieved. Despite the fact that you’re there with him and have been romancing him, he still has a doubts that you would return his feelings.

It’s no wonder he made the mistakes he did. This is a man who’s been told his entire life that he’s annoying. Though he’s had other mortal lovers (and we don’t know how those relationship were, only that they clearly ended), he is clearly primed for rejection. And then his ex-girlfriend, the goddess of magic herself, tells him she’ll only forgive his transgression if he kills himself.

Like I said at the top, his precocious talent for the weave is the entire basis of his self-worth, unless and until Tav assured him that he has value beyond his mastery of the Weave. It’s no wonder he felt like he had to “prove” to Mystra that he loved her enough. As long as his self-esteem was based on his magical abilities, he was never going to feel like he was good enough, especially for the goddess who is all magic. He was never going to be able to feel as though he was loving her well enough.

I guess what I’m saying is that his “ambition” and his hubris make so much sense when you consider the hinted-at reasons for his insecurities, his clear desire for friendship and affection (he summoned a Tressym who became a lifelong companion and a lava mephit or something with whom he is still in touch; he even says he didn’t have friends growing up), and his main talent/special interest.

I think he’s a superbly-written character, and I definitely feel like he deserves neither death nor godhood, but a good and comfortable life surrounded by a loving family who encourage him to be his best self.

[kitthenameless]

I've noticed something. In my last few Durge playthroughs, I approached Gortash either alone or with companions, but not with Karlach. This time, I've approached him with Karlach. I once saw a video comparison of Gortash's facial expressions meeting Durge with and without companions, but it turns out it's just Karlach who causes this change.

Karlach:

Companions but not Karlach:

I'm not sure what to make of this. Maybe it's because he knows she hates him, and, if you're her friend now, she's probably convinced you to hate him too, so he's more closed off. Or he feels like he can't show weakness in front of Karlach, and too much fondness could be considered a weakness. But he seems even more closed off with Karlach around when talking to Durge than with Tav. Anyone else have thoughts?

Idk, but did they really code different facial expressions into this man for numerous possibilities based on not only Tav vs Durge but also who else is present with Durge? And they didn't expect people to become invested and ship this?? You're telling me they didn't know exactly what they were doing???

[queenendless]

ÆŁŁ ƏŸƏ§ ØŊ MƏ

A/n: This was gonna be for another series. But this idea popped up for this one instead.

Pairing: Seto Kaiba x Yami Yugi x F!Reader.

Self aware AU. Inspired by Cross Duel and Duel Links; especially plot wise. Other YGO sequel series mentioned. But mostly DM. Mainly on these two.

CW: Depression, dysphoria and dysmorphia implied, chronic ailments; based off my own issues. Brief swearing, blood, violence. But also fluff, hurt/comfort, and romance/dark romance.

You spend many a day into the late nights, wasting the hours away by watching whatever and every other thing to dash away the emptiness you have inside. Whether on the TV, your laptop, to even your phone, you get lost into the vibrant, upbeat, tear-jerking moments of your favorite media. Shows, movies, games and beyond.

Like an iconic anime on a trading card game.

Having gotten late to the party, you quickly fell for the series, the plot, and its cast. Most of all, the reincarnated Pharaoh and his fated rival for his life.

The appeal of a brand new game peaked your interest. More so a fan game. The mechanics of Duel Links paired with the 2D CG moving models of Cross Duel. An immersive app combining all the series.

While you weren't the best at such competitive games, you still found yourself enjoying the experience. With every series up to the present day. So many characters to unlock and many decks to make. You weren't good at memorizing names, though. But your top two would be your #1 priority.

Anything to help you get through the days. Your job less, disabled days. Cooped up in your room, blocking out the yelling and slamming doors and intrusive thoughts.

Focusing on their handsome faces and familiar voices kept you calm and elated as you always switched between the two throughout your playthrough.

"You're a long way from become a true duelist ... but I can see you have the interest and potential for it. Stick with me and I'll make it worth your while."

"Not to fret. Each battle helps you learn and improve. So long as I am at your side, you'll be amazed at how far you'll go. I'm looking forward to it."

Hearing their voices, seeing those beautiful faces, gave you such serotonin as you stay cooped up in your own little safe haven, escaping from the suffocating cracked home life into the YGO verse.

You spent the next few days grinding in this immersive game, your free time spent leveling up, collecting your favorite cards, and raising the trust level of your other liked favorites. Especially to see the interactions, crossovers, and more as you picked up their voices.

The surprising sight of tapping all over your screen to see their hair and attire rustle paired with such flushed alarmed expressions poking their faces.

"You've got a lot of nerve to mess with the President of Kaiba Corp ..." The sight of him flicking you followed by the immediate firm tap on your forehead made you yelp loudly, nearing dropping the phone. Seeing Seto's laughing face on screen made your strewn expression lighten. "Well deserved."

Yami's raised brow look made you look away in shame. "Pardon me, but I'm right here. There was no need for that." The firm poke to your cheek made you jump in alarm and drop your phone on your bed, gaping at Yami's chuckling face. "Now that was well called for."

It had been a week when that happened. The real world influence from the digital world held in your hand. Startled, alarmed, concerned you had to close the app and take a while to process your racing, anxious self. The app flickered from blue to red. Your phone screen glitches.

Escaping to your laptop proved fruitless. For seeing your lockscreen darken and distort yourself, only to show the cast walking and chatting along the metropolis setting of the game you just checked out of in alarm. A certain white trench coat wearing giant walked along the screen, only to stop and turn to face you. Frozen in place, you watched as he walked head on in, getting closer when he started speaking in his usual snide, sarcastic tone.

"(Username) huh? To tell the truth, Y/n sounds better to say. How do I know your name, you ask? From your account profile, obviously." The roll of those piercing blue eyes was in character. The low soft words that came after were not. "I didn't mean to scare you off earlier. I was actually starting to enjoy myself around you. You're tolerable, at best."

The tri colored star shaped head of his rival peaked out from the side, guilt laced in his features, when he came in fully. "He won't bite you, if that's your concern. But, I too apologize for alarming you. We mean you no harm, Y/n. Honest."

The uncertainty of this meta phenomenon taking place before you was mellowed out at the sight of THE rival pair acknowledging you. Pinching yourself hard to smacking your cheeks to make sure you weren't in lala land now.

Dopamine and endorphins came hand in hand as their eyes widened in astonishment at the way your entire expression lite up, covering your now squealing mouth, not wanting to draw unwanted attention from your folks, your lips curving peaking out beneath your hands. It's all real.

You spent the remainder of that night asking them anything and everything you ever wanted to tell them, curled up in bed, smiling dazedly, lost in the nostalgic fuzzy experience that is these self aware anime baes, bouncing off each other in prideful, sparky conversation. The corner of their eyes caught sight of you sound asleep, Yami smiling tenderly at the sight and Seto's eyes giving off the same aura.

The following week since that night, you felt more energized and motivated than you have in a long time. You were curious if any other fellow players experienced such a phenomenon. Being able to interact with them, actually talk to them outside the contrivances, even offline was a relief. Even your old dead TV was brought to life by the sights of the vibrant series setting; Domino City. Numbers, Dueltaining, Links, and beyond. The world of dueling was seemingly endless.

"Artificial intelligence is more real now than ever. Not to mention virtual reality. So it was only a matter of time. This game is experimental proof of that self awarness. Not all of us are that bright, though."

Joey's pinched face cameo over that comment didn't go unnoticed by as evidence by Seto's snide face. Mai dragging Joey off screen to see kisses literally flying off in the background had the CEO turn pink at the PDA.

"I'd rather glimpse into the real world to broaden my knowledge. Every single being that's connected to us gives us insight. Getting to know you Y/n has been the best experience in all of it."

Waving to Yugi, Jaden and Yusei driving recklessly on the latter's duel runner in the off distance made you crack out a laugh. The charmin smile Yami gave at the sight of your expression caught your eye, turning you a bashful pink, to which he deeply chuckled in kind.

But even you need a break every now and then. You have bad days. And by bad, it gets BAD. Constant styes or eye irritations. Circulation issues in the feet. Swollen ankles. Depression, stress and many intrusive thoughts becoming hyperactive in that tired scarred mind.

Demented suffocating folks. Dysfunctional argumentative drama. And you? Walled up in their corner, feeling years older than their actual age, self pity and self hate over this defective body. The thoughts of self made wounds made on every defective part of you brought on tears every time.

So, fights like the one you just experienced today brought tears, swelling, and the truth to light. Your own fault for believing your own flesh and blood would provide genuine professional help, for the body and mind. But all they can afford is gaslighting, dogpiling criticism. Slamming doors, holing up in your room and blasting tunes through your ear buds was your only affordable escapism.

Black, blue and red glitches overtake your phone. It all happened in such a blur. Layers of warmth swallowed you whole, brushing away those tears, as you felt your face pressed gently against such support, protectivness enveloping you.

"Now that's just bullshit. Everyone’s flawed. If you count me and my many attempts at dethroning my one and only rival myself as one, go right ahead. Point being, screw them. You're genuine. Flaws and all ... you're perfect."

"You should never feel ashamed of yourself or your appearance. You should feel comfortable in your own skin. Regardless of what others choose to believe, your own feelings matter the most. When I look at you, I see nothing but a goddess in my eyes."

Digital character gaining form in reality before you changed things. Just as soon as they were there, they were gone, leaving you fuzzy or better ... and for worse?

The rare times when you had to go out on trips or even taking walks by yourself around your area meant you waving your phone around, being their window into more of your life. Even giving a room tour meant them blushing at spotting chibi plushies of them on your nightstand; their egos rising at further proof of you being smitten with them.

Only when everyone else in your household went to bed would you go hogging up the living room couch and be on your laptop and phone to get lost in watching your movies, shows or whatever to lift your spirits. Yet these late night binges bring with them chronic headaches that would kick in during your all night bends, leaving you closing your eyes and falling sound asleep to drive off the pain on top of your flared up feet covered in cold compresses.

Your laptop flickered and buffered in distortions as whatever you were watching is halted as entities literally come out of your screen. Warmth brushed your flushed cheeks, rubbed your scalp to soothe your aches, rewarded by your hums of content, as murmurs of their names parted your lips, causing the seed of possessiveness to grow at such a rate.

"They don't deserve your tears. They don't even deserve you. None of them are worth it. Unlike them, you've always been deserving of greater and better things. And I'll make sure of it."

"Please dream sweet dears, my dear. It hurts me to see you like this. Things will get better ... they will be better ... you will not suffer alone anymore."

But all good things come to an end. And this was no exception. For there came that time when you were in so much agony, suffering to the point where you wanted the rest of your ignorant home to suffer with you. Eyes too Strained to open. Feet too swollen to walk. Even your neck and scalp were stiff in pain. Your own body fell apart and all you could do was cry in silence, stuck in bed, as you just wanted to be free of it all.

A cold storm raged outside, tipping things over the edge. Your phone vibrating and dinging with notifications were left unchecked. The various reports of disapperances over your fellow real life players and the like. The strong voices of your kings calling out to you were left unanswered as you were too still and quiet.

So they animated right out of your phone screen. The eye of Udjat glowing as the Pharaoh dealt the fatal blows. Thrown furniture exploding. Glass shattering. Ear shattering screams cut off midway. Gurgling cries of agony follow right after. Thumps hitting the floor. The tall shadow of his megalomaniac partner covered your frail weak body as he carefully took you in his arms. It was now or never.

"Seto, are you sure about this? Bringing an actual human over to our side is too risky. Her body will not survive it."

"Please. My next gen solid vision system is visionary. Finding you across dimensions, for example. Connecting others across time and space through dueling has broken boundaries. Linking the cerebrum of those that have accessed my side project app has allowed us to view everyones memories and knowledge of our counterparts in this world has expanded our reach. Sharing our energy with her shall give the strength she needs to cross over. And besides, you practically begged me to take her with us from the start."

"Don't tell me THE Seto Kaiba is jealous about sharing me with another now. As if dragging me out of the afterlife wasn't enough for you. Part of me is still wrapping around your experiment on cross dimensional expansion. Regardless if we're just avatar copies based on fiction, we're still alive. We're past the point of no return. I just hope Y/n will understand."

"Take me ... take me away from here ... please."

Your consent was the trigger. Crimson met solid hologram as their combined hold made you feel at peace at last, blue and golden energy seeping into you, falling fast asleep. The next time you woke up, all the pain left your body, replaced with such looseness. Such levity. Basking in the endless streams of code and ethereal light. The faces of many familiar characters standing about among those like you that now obtained their virtual anime counterparts.

Smothered in between such defined sturdy bodies to remind you of your situation, your heart hammered on in the blue eyed and violet eyed gazes of your two Kings gazing down at you with such fervor, pristine looking with no signs of crimson staining their attire, right before they both layered gentle kisses all over your face. Their sculpted veiny hands held each of yours, tracing your very real skin, squeezing them to assure you that this is all happening. Tears of joy filled your healthy e/c eyes and giggles filled their ears as the sight of you brimming with happiness made their own hearts tremble at the hold you have on them. And vice versa.

Reshaping the future of dueling outsides the confines of an app game takes so much work, you know. Gaining sentience and all that. And it means everything to them to have you there with them for their journey across the Yu-Gi-Oh! multiverse. Hand in hand in hand. For life. These two Kings have finally found their Queen.

"Welcome home."

[quietplace26]

'Soulmate-esque au where certain Earthlings are drawn to certain Teyvatians for various reasons' - @arn9tails

Once again, thank you @arn9tails for another lovely idea for your Genshin au~

Warnings: OCness, cringe, mentions of head wound and blood as MC gets hurt but she's fine.

Soulmate au. Where your Soulmate's voice can resonate with your soul mark over your heart, signaling that they were your soulmate. These types of soul mates are call Soul-Hearts

Zhongli

To be honest, MC didn't have much interest on Genshin Impact when it first came out.

It was just something that existed and that was that.

But then she heard of the next nation that had been released. A nation called Liyue, and for the hell of it, MC decided to watch some clips on YouTube about it.

Liyue was pretty, with its clear Chinese roots and lore. And the Archon was apparently based on a eastern Dragon? Cool!

Feeling invested now, MC watch through various gamers playthrough of Liyue, sucking up the story and such, but one thing oddly stood out...

Rex Lapis. Something about that name... resonated with her. It made MC's Soulmate mark throb over her heart... But that- no, she was overthinking-

MC actually screams when she sees the Geo Archon's body fall out the sky and crash to the ground during the Rite of Descension cutscene.

The whole thing messed with her emotions, made her cry. Her Soulmate mark burned, her HEART burned... before settling down again.

What... What happened?

MC grips her hand were her Soulmate mark was, checking it to see if was still there. It was... But that didn't explain the emotional pain you felt when a game character died!

It wasn't like someone who wasn't real was your soulmate... Right?

MC decides to ignore what happened and continue watching the game play out...

Only she couldn't ignore it any longer when a new handsome character was introduced called Zhongli.

An odd, but mysterious consultant at, of all things, a funeral Parlor?

The more MC heard this man talk in game, went on his fetch quests, and enjoyed his company, the more her soul mark pulsed...

MC's mood actually drops when Zhongli left the Traveler to finish their quest... Really, what was wrong with her?!

One of her hands grips her shirt, rubbing the area where her heart and soulmate mark was.

Glaring down at the area, MC makes a note to make an appointment with soulmate specialist to have hers checked out cause why was it acting like this?

Eventually, MC watches the whole Liyue arc, which leads her to eventually learning Zhongli was actually Rex Lapis, Morax, or better known as Liyue's Geo Archon.

...The same one she randomly cried for earlier in the story because her soulmate mark acted up.

MC shuts her computer off then. She... She needed some air...

...MC never did gather up the nerve to go to the soulmate specialist. It... She didn't know why, but she just didn't.

Maybe she didn't want to be look at like so weirdo for having her soulmate mark act up because of a video game character...

Also... She started Genshin up in her PC. And would you look at that, Zhongli was on one of the current banners...

MC even got lucky and pulled both the Geo Archon and his weapon in only one 10 pull each.

She immediately starts to grind him up and begins to play Genshin for real.

...Cue a few years later, and it's after the 5.5 update. With a level 90 Zhongli as her main, who was also at bond level 10, MC was obsessed with him.

Over the years she also stopped trying to deny it the truth... That Zhongli was apparently her soulmate.

It was something that was never heard of before. A video game character, a fictional character, being a real person's soulmate. Absolute garbage!

...or at least that's what MC used to think in the beginning.

She finally gave up denying it when she happened to meet Zhongli's voice actor at a con a year or so ago.

Unlike when Zhongli talk in game, Keith Silverstein didn't make her soulmate mark react. Which was honestly fine as the man was married to his own soulmate, but still-

... MC's Soulmate, her other half... Was a video game character. He wasn't real and yet this god was her other half...

When it finally truly hits her, MC cried. She cried long and hard.

It wasn't fair... Why did this have to happen to her?! She wanted her Soul-Heart...

But even so... She never told anyone, making up the excuse that she wasn't interested in soulmate which was fine as not everyone could find their destined partner.

But it hurts. She knew who her other half was but couldn't do a thing about it. He was untouchable.

And she was going to have to live with these facts for the rest of her lonely life...

...Or at least, that's what she originally thought as before an odd phenomenon happens and shakes the foundation of earth itself.

Out of the blue, the Seven nations of Teyvat literally spawn into existence on earth!

And if things couldn't get even more insane... It turns out the size difference between Teyvatians and Earthlings were very much different...

Those from the Seven nations were absolute giants! Why were they so big?! In the game it never showed them being giants!

Was it because Teyvat had magic and it effects the humans and the environment there differently?

MC wasn't sure. All she could think about is that her soulmate was real now. He was in her world!

...And even still, so very far out of her reach.

Because come on! Why would Zhongli, Rex Lapis, Morax, the God of Contracts himself, and the Geo Archon, ever want a weak, tiny earthling soulmate?

With these thoughts MC was honestly thinking of keeping quiet but then there's word that a conference was going to be held in her country in a few days.

Apparently, a few of Teyvat's Gods were coming to meet with world leaders there, and Zhongli would be one of them.

MC doesn't think. She grabs her keys and wallet and runs out her house and starts her car...

"...Maybe this was a bad idea..."

MC glances around timidly as she tries to fight through the crowd of curious people surrounding the sports stadium the world's officials were using as a meeting ground with the Teyvatians.

It was the only place big enough where the once video game character could stand at full height...

Currently MC was in the stands trying to get to the lower levels closer to the field so she could actually have a clear view of the conference... and Zhongli.

The closer she got, the more her soul mark burned as the Geo Archon's voice rumbled through the air as he talked with the earthling political leaders.

Her body felt on fire! She wanted to scream and shout that she was here! That she was his soulmate, but both the crowd around her and her growing anxiety was stopping her...

At this point she was considering giving up and going home when bumps into the wrong person, who then shoves her away violently... and she falls.

MC's panicked scream echos around the stadium as she lands awkwardly and harshly on the ground, roughly smacking her head against the hard concrete. As she curls up into a ball of embarrassment and pain, she never notices how the whole place grew eerily quiet... and that earth shaking footsteps start walking over to MC's part of the stand.

MC, who was futilely fighting down the urge to cry as her head began to ache horribly, barely noticed the people around her scrambling away from her curled up form in a panic. But she does notice her soul mark was absolutely blazing on her chest now!

So, as she finally gathers the strength to lift her head, a shadow covers her.

A massive shadow that shallows her whole form.

Blinking tears away from her eyes, MC glances up in confusion, only to freeze as her gaze meets a pair of familiar amber colored eyes that glowed gold every now and then.

Zhongli...

MC tries to stand but immediately starts swaying as her vision blurs. She feels something drip down her face... is that blood? Why was she bleeding? Did she really hit her head that hard? Did she have a concu-

Large, gloved hands quickly, but oh so gently surround MC as her legs gave out from under her, and lifts her carefully up from the ground, bringing her up to Zhongli's face.

Wow... He was even MORE handsome now he wasn't a video game character. Truly he wasn't being fair to MC's poor little heart...

Hm... why was he frowning like that? And why was the world spinning? Ugh... Her head hurts so much...

"H-hurts... Soul-Heart... I-it hurts..."

In any other situation, it was rude to immediately call your Soulmate something like 'Soul-Heart' on first meeting, but MC was hurting, and she was scared.

She wanted her soulmate, HER Soul-Heart!

Choosing that perfect moment to black out from her definite concussion, she misses both the sight and feeling of the Geo Archon shivering at the sound of her voice and eyes widening in pure shock, then both understanding and delight, and then finally, rage.

"...Tell me,"

Elemental energy crackles around the stadium then, making the other Archons stand on edge as particles of Geo energy began forming around Zhongli as he protectively held MC's unconscious form.

He was sheading more and more of his human form. Looking less like the mysterious Funeral consultant and more like the War god he once was.

"Which one of you earthling mortals hurt MY 灵魂伴侣 (Soulmate)?"

Extra Notes

Zhongli thankfully didn't cause a mass Earthling massacre as Venti firmly reminds him that his Soul-Heart was hurt.

Venti: "Your Soul-Heart needs medical attention and YOU. Not you going off and smiting some earthling mortals for her, you Block-head."

And even then, it takes more firm coaxing from Venti to even pry MC from the now growling and more dragony Geo Archon's hands/claws.

Zhongli of course didn't trust any earthling healer with HIS soulmate and instead rushes to return back to Liyue despite the earthlings sputtering that the conference wasn't finished yet!

One quick visit to Bubu Pharmacy and Baizhu, and Zhongli sweeps a now healed and sleeping MC off to meet with the other Adepti, as not only did he need to introduce his new wife and Soulmate to his friends, but he also needed to ask Cloud Retainer a favor...

That favor basically being 'Hey, can you please shrink some clothes down for my new soulmate/wife? My thanks.'

And leaves the Adepti demanding what do you mean 'New wife/soulmate?!' Lord Rex Lapis-

MC would later wake up to not only being in a new place, in new clothes, but also realizing she had been sleeping on a shirtless Zhongli's chest!!!

The resounding squeak that erupts from his Soul-Heart's mouth, along with a blush that rivaled Jueyun Chilis, will forever live rent free in the Geo Archon's mind. His new wife was so adorable.

The Geo Archon would then gently pry small hands from his Soul-heart's face and tug her back over to original spot on his chest. Right where his own soul mark laid... over his heart.

Despite the sheer overwhelming feeling MC was feeling at the moment ('Oh my god I'm touching Geo daddy's chest-'), her own soul mark pushed her to be closer to her Soul-Heart.

She literally curls up over his heart, sighing as the first time in YEARS, since she first saw and heard Zhongli in Genshin Impact, the burning feeling she constantly felt from her soul mark settles and a proper Soulmate bond clicks together...

She knew the two of them, both she and Zhongli, had a LOT to talk about... but this man wasn't making things easy.

Not with the fact he was humming a soft tune, gently stroking a finger down her back, unknowingly rubbing possessively over the spot on her new clothes that had the GEO symbol on it and starts to drift back to sleep.

Ah... but she couldn't. Not yet.

Maybe it was rush of having a now COMPLETE soul bound, or maybe she was still tired and loopy from her near concussion, but MC felt oddly brave. She HAD to do this.

MC yawns sleepily, lifting her head enough to gaze at Zhongli's face before crawling upwards. She ignores his curious look as the God silently helps her on her mission, cradling her small form with one hand.

Once close enough to his face, she places a lazy kiss to his cheek, causing him to freeze... and he immediately starts purring! The fanfics were right! He does purr! And, oh, his eyes are dilating like a cat as well! He was happy!

She, a run of the mill earthling human, nothing special about her at all, was making Zhongli HAPPY!

MC giggles when Zhongli refused to let her move after that, letting the massive God nuzzle his cheek against her tiny body as he purrs out words. She was pretty sure it was the Liyuian equivalent of Chinese but couldn't make head or tails of, however they sounded nice in her ears...

But then he switches back to English, which MC faintly guesses is Mondstadt's own version of English, and he murmurs,

"Mine. My Soulmate. MY Soul-Heart. Finally, you are here with me... I waited for you for a very, VERY long time..."

And those words alone proved to her that she was going to be ok.

[curseofbreadbear]

["You're doing great" felt like a bit of a stretch. The bags under Jeremy's bloodshot eyes suggested enough about his situation; he looked like he hadn't slept in years. The shakiness from his last shift had worn off by now, but just being in front of the animatronics now...worried him. He hated feeling that way -- he loved these guys! But after enduring a couple of night shifts with them...their presence alone was intimidating. Not to mention the way they glared at him during the day...]

[Jeremy understood the situation -- he'd been hired as a night guard because the last guy complained about "conditions." He'd found that funny at first ( how bad could it be? ), but his confidence had faded after just one night. In the dark, those glossy, friendly faces became malicious and haunting. Suddenly, the idea of begging for a transfer made much more sense.]

[The company was in a tight spot -- Jeremy had learned that much after he was hired. It didn't make sense to him, not after being a diehard Fazbear fan for so long, but...the layoffs felt a bit more understandable now. How many people had cowered out of this position? He was inclined to do the same, but Mr. Bell's attitude didn't give him much hope. It wasn't like he could quit, so if this failed, he'd be stuck on the night shift forever. Could he survive for that long??]

[Mr. Bell's simplification of his predicament was frustrating -- yes, he'd managed to ward them off with a mask, but not once had the animatronics given him a break. He'd been stuck in an prolonged anxiety attack for the entirety of his shift. Sure, jobs were stressful, but should they be life-threateningly stressful?? Should they be giving him nightmares and panic attacks after-hours?? He was pretty sure that there were laws or OSHA regulations about this kind of thing.]

❝ I-It's more than that, Mr. Bell. It never stopped. The company's explanation just...doesn't make sense. It was like...they were hunting me down, n-not just trying to "find the sound." They...I-I think they wanted to kill me, sir. ❞ [Jeremy swallowed; he probably sounded delusional ( he sure thought he was going crazy ), but he couldn't think of any other explanation.]

❝ Listen -- I...I know I'm asking for a lot. But if there's any way I could switch to day shift, any way at all, I -- I need to transfer. I don't know how much longer I'm gonna last. ❞

@curseofbreadbear said: ❝ I just can’t deal with this. ❞ -jeremy for mr ring ring FJSJFJ;;; dude if i still wrote my old interpretation for mike it'd be over for him

You're killing me here, Jeremy, is what Steven wants to say. He's already switched over the last night guard, and he can't keep swapping people off the night shift every time someone complains; he knows it's not the best job around, but someone has to do it.

Instead, he manages a shaky, strained smile, nudging at his glasses to buy himself another half-second to plan his response.

"I know it's been, uh... hard to adjust, but you really don't have anything to worry about. You've been following my instructions, right? And look at you! You're doing great!"

There's a slight tinge of desperation to Bell's voice. The company can't afford for their new hire to quit on the spot, but there's also not much that Steven can personally do to address the boy's complaints. These things typically sort themselves out, anyway; Fitzgerald just has to stick it through like everyone else.

"Okay, okay. Run me through it one more time. The animatronics wandered in, you used the mask, and they left, right? I--I'm sorry, Jeremy, but I don't really see what the problem is."

[v4mpyinred]

ok this might be hella long, but I need to scream about some details about Makoto Yuki in Persona 3 Reload, because they're so missable so I feel like nobody else has noticed or cared about them other than me!!!!

Please someone hear me out 😭 (spoilers ahead)

One underrated thing about Reload, which is my favorite thing ever, is that we get to hear Makoto's thoughts when interacting with the world around him. Compare it to FES where the game's inner dialouge is in 2nd person, Makoto's inner dialouge in Reload is in first person.

I didn't give too much attention to a Makoto's thoughts in my 1st playthrough and I think it's what made me not as attached to Makoto as I would've liked in that playthrough. But god, in my 2nd playthrough, especially after watching the movies, all of that changed...

I noticed that Makoto's thoughts genuinely change as the game progresses. You see him start off as indifferent to everything, to cherishing the memories he's made with his friends.

For instance, take a look at his thoughts on the kitchen. I don't have a screenshot of this, but at first, he doesn't really care and just sees it as another tool. But as the game progresses...

This dialouge makes me swoon every time 😭💜

One of the biggest hidden details is Makoto's inner thoughts when you interact with the book on the dorm table. He has individual thoughts on the handwriting of each member of SEES as they join, which were delightful to read in my 2nd playthrough.

But what shocked me the most was after Shinji dies, if you interact with the book, then here are Makoto's inner thoughts:

That "..." doesn't show up if you interact with the book again. This was very intentional. And god, did that hit me extremely hard. In fact, if you interact with anything involving Shinji after he passes, you can really see how much Makoto respected him :((

Once January rolls around, Makoto's thoughts change to this sweet message 😭💜

Ngl I almost teared up when I saw this for the first time. Especially since it was my 2nd playthrough, and I was actually attached to Makoto this time + I knew what was up ahead :')

shit there's even dialouge if you go to the bathroom on the Promised day 😍

Don't even get me started on Makoto's inner dialouge on March 4th. Pretty much everything interactable is changed to fit the mood of how tired Makoto is, but also how much he's appreciated the year and the memories he's made.

Like when you interact with the kitchen, his inner dialouge about the kitchen changes once last time to this (credits to alanamisako):

This shit made me burst into tears so badly 😭😭😭 "I'll never forget those precious memories" FOUL atlus, FOUL!!! His thoughts on Shinji's room change on March 4th as well 🥲

Just seeing how much Makoto had grown throughout the game, and knowing what was to come, made this, and all the other March 4th dialouge, even harder to get through in my 2nd playthrough. It also resonated with me, because I too will never forget the precious memories I've made with this game...

Things like this make me appreciate Reload so much. Interacting with every little thing is my favorite pass time in video games that allow me to do it. I've probably wasted so much time in games doing this. But most game's interactables don't have this depth, and they certainly don't change at all, even as the game and protagonist develop. I also feel like nobody else takes the time to really interact with everything or see if there's anything else to see before they progress (trust me, if a game says go left, I'm always going to go right first), and it makes me sad that so much of this, and other details, go unnoticed. I've certainly heard "I've never noticed that" a lot when sharing these sorts of things with people 😭

Things like this really help flesh out the protagonist people call "bland". I really love silent protagonist and developing their personality based on their thoughts on the world around them. I also love worldbuilding and learning about other characters through it.

And I'm trying so hard to not let Makoto take Joker's place as my favorite protagonist (cuz the rest of SEES have already done that to the PTs LOL) but it's been getting harder these days. Makoto is just so perfect! I love his growth & seeing all of his inner thoughts and combining it with movie Makoto's AMAZING characterization (plz watch the p3 movies ya'll) just made me super attached to him!! I could scream about Makoto all day. He cares so much for his friends, and it's thanks to them that he's able to appreciate the life he didn't know he could have 🥲

So I highly encourage you to interact with everything when playing Reload! From NPCs, to random things that aren't the main objective (trying to leave when you're supposed to be fighting a full moon shadow leads to some funny dialouge for instance), etc etc.. especially as the game progresses. I mean, we all laughed at the 3 coffins in the Love Hotel, and there's so many other details and foreshadowing like that I can't even get into! It really immerses you and attaches you to the protag, but also makes the end of the game hit hard...That "my eyes feel heavy" got me horribly in my 2nd playthrough after keeping up with Makoto's thoughts the entire game HOO BOY!🥲

I also recommend you do this with other games as well. Video games have always been an experience over just a game to me. And I want to experience as much of the game as I can, even silly little things like this :)