#he's giving me more and more hope that his loyalty to the red team is not blind 🙏🏼

[il-predestinato]

Charles Leclerc discusses his future with Scuderia Ferrari. His contract currently ends in 2024. 🎥: SkySports F1 (February 14, 2023)

[estell-allary]

APHRODITE’S BANE

Relationship:romantic

Pairing:Clarisse La Rue x fem!aphrodite!reader

Warnings:fighting,mentions of blood,reader getting injured,swearing pls tell me if I missed any<3

A/N-this is my first time writing,also this is just a fluff about Clarisse and you loving each other AND you are like the past Aphrodite the fighter and warrior that she truly is,not this soft weakling that people preseve she is just because she is the graceful goddess of love~(it is also 00:30am and this is heavily inspired by the song Salvatore by Lana)

Shocked.That’s what you would say you (and most of camp half-blood) were when you found out that your mother-Aphrodite-claimed you,especially in the middle of capture the flag! No it’s not because you’re not pretty-hell your one of the prettiest girls in chb,but because everyone was sure you would be claimed by ares or even Athena.

Everyone had no doubts to you being one of there children because you were strong,quick witted, intelligent and understanding you also had an undying loyalty towards the ones you loved, but after you were claimed people started to relate you to your mother more-or well who your mother used to be,Aphrodite Areia.

When you were unclaimed you would hang out with the ares kids and a few other people,but there was only(not even)a hand full of people you talked to in the Aphrodite cabin-them being piper,livia,Valentina and silena

I mean you were only claimed a few weeks after you arrived at camp half-blood that being in that years game of capture the flag..that’s also when you met her.Clarisse La Rue,honestly you didn’t really think of her to be all that before the incident,sure people told you to stear clear of her because she was a bully and would not hesitate to flush your head down a toilet,but you just saw her as a normal teenager who had anger issues.

You’ve only been at camp half-blood for 3 weeks and the date of capture the flag was today,everyone has been preparing and training extra hard for a few days now and you still haven’t even found out who your godly parent is yet,tho everyone’s already assumed who they are,ares or Athena,because your a natural for sword fighting and one on one combat or because you are wise and patient-most of the time.

You were placed on the blue team with the hermes cabin until your claimed same goes with the rest of the unclaimed kids,Chiron did his speach and then the red team let out this loud monstrous war cry that made you flinch,“um Luke,is that normal”you asked in a hushed voice to the black haired boy that was standing next to you “yep,they do it every year,don’t worry you’ll get used to it”he pated you on the shoulder biding you goodbye as the blue team departed.

Stumbling through the woods trying to get to your spot was..difficult to say the least let’s just say you got lost a few times,when you finally get there you lean back against a rock,it was smooth and rough at the same time,just right.You could feel the sun levitating off of your now warm skin,this was sure to give you a light tan.

‘Catch me if you can,working on my tan Salvatore’

You heard a twig snap behind you and you quickly jumped up and grabbed your sword,turning around to see no one,“hello?..”you said confused but keeping up your fighting stance “annabeth?..Luke?” You called out knowing annabeth was close by but Luke wasn’t you were just confused…that was until you got tackled to the floor by non other then..someone? it was a boy and he smelt vile but you had no time to think about that before you panicked and slashed your sword at the side of his amour and flipped him off of you before quickly getting up and taking a step back.

He lunged up and swung at you but you quickly dodged and bolted for the woods, running,in hopes he would head for the flag instead of following you,but he didn’t..it was strange he was going after you and not the flag, “ow!shit!” You cried out as you were tackled to the floor again this time with him stabbing at your amour.

You pushed yourself backwards and kicked him in the stomach sending him back a few meters,you jumped up again and so did he this time you lunged at him stabbing at his chest but he kicked your legs out from under you and pushed you back making you fall of a small ledge and land on the small,damp rocks of the beach.

‘Dying by the hand,of a foreign man,happily’

He jumped down on to you and held his sword to your neck,he was about to open his mouth to say something but you kicked him in the shin making him fall and his sword pierce your skin,not enough to properly injure you but just enough to draw blood,he yelled out as he hit the damp rocks “ah!you bitch!”you both got up again and started clashing your swords together “why the hell are you still trying to fight me!”you grunted out.

Before he could respond you heard yelling and both the blue and red team came running out the woods the blue team with the red flag,the person holding it was annabeth but she faltered for a few seconds seeing that you were is a fight.

Then you caught her eye,for the first time you both looked at each other and gods she was gorgeous.Clarisse La Rue.

But you got distracted.“HEY!”luke yelled out as the boy stabbed with full force at your chest.

‘Calling out my name in the summer rain,ciao,amore’

You huffed out a breath,gasping for air as you grabbed the end of his sword cutting your palm and two of your fingers but kept your grip on it strong,you raised your foot and kicked the boy in the stomach making him stumble and lose his grasp on the sword.You threw the sword into the water and just as he was about to punch you,you grabbed his fist and flipped over above him landing behind him (thank god for you being able to do gymnastics)

Just as annabeth got the red flag to the post you punched him in the back making him fall on his front and he stayed down..OH GOD YOU KNOCKED HIM OUT!!

You looked up panicked and everyone was staring looking shocked at yo-..wait why were they looking above you?You looked up and gasped,

“Wha-?”

Suddenly you were tackled into a hug by silena who was laughing “oh my god” you heard annabeth say,your gaze went from Silena to Annabeth to Clarisse..she was looking at you with a puzzled expression before saying the thing that everyone was thinking, “how the fuck are you a daughter of Aphrodite?”she said your eyes grew wide before you furrowed your brows “HEY!are you calling me ugly!?”you yelled out looking offended even tho you were thinking the same thing.

“Well no bu-!”Clarisse started before she was interrupted by Chiron “Aphrodite areia..you take after your mother’s original origins from being a warrior”he said with a kind smile on his face.

“Well that’s enough for today everyone go get some rest get fixed up and carry on with your day!”Chiron declared.

A/N:sorry that there was like no Clarisse x reader in this I promise there will be way more in my next one this one was just a tester btw😃

[celaenaeiln]

12 am anon back at it again. my friend called me at 2 am, tipsy on i wanna say wine??? and ranted about how nightwing’s “superpower” is his charisma for like 15 mins . and then they talked about how he looks like he’d have a great spice tolerance before hanging up. i think its a hyperfixation .

I absolutely love it!! You and your friend just have the best conversations ever.

Your ask immediately reminded me of this scene from YJ Season 3

"That's just about everyone. Wasn't sure they'd all respond."

"You command more respect than you realize."

"I'm starting to get that."

Literally this boy has charisma oozing out of his pores. It absolutely is his superpower!

Charisma is known as "a personal magic of leadership arousing special popular loyalty or enthusiasm for a public figure" or "the quality of being able to attract, charm and influence those around you." And Dick is the living embodiment of it.

It's actually a canon trait of his

The New Teen Titans (1980) Issue #5

Dick has the unique ability to lead people. It's not just about telling others what to do, it's people wanting to follow him, listen to him, and and accepts his commands of their own volition.

In the DC/RWBY comic, the RWBY team crosses over to Gotham with all their problems so they have to work together with Batman, Batgirl, and Nightwing (Ruby REALLY gets along with Dick which for some reason makes so much sense idk why). And the batfamily get superpowers.

And DC-

DC LITERALLY WENT-

DC/RWBY Issue #3

THEY ACTUALLY GAVE HIM THE POWER OF INSPIRATION. THEY SAID "if anyone has the ability to lead people to a better life, give them light and hope, and be everyone's favorite leader and savior, then there is only one person to which we can attribute this power to."

Inspiration is the factor that leads people to moving mountains, becoming greater, and changing our entire lives and everyone else and Dick is the one who bestows that power.

He literally inspires people to be better and inspires them to follow him and became the greatest they can be.

Teen Titans (2003) Issue #33

He just has the ability to inspire people to reach greater heights. The younger generation, his own, and the older ones kind of hero worship him.

Charisma is a dangerous power to have. It's essentially the unique ability to convince people to want to do things for you.

Examples of charismatic leaders are Martin Luther King Jr, Joan of Arc, Fidel Castro, and Napolean.

These people moved nations, worlds, societies but they are only one person. And Dick, has the ability to do this too.

To describe him as a person, to describe his charismatic authority, you need to combine all those figures into one person. And that's the equivalent of his power.

Because in the comics when he wants something - the whole superhero society answers.

The Titans (1999) Issue #39

On a separate note, Dick does have a high spice tolerance!

Batman and Robin (2009) Issue #1

Also Romani food is made hot and spicy, commonly using chili, paprika, and red and black pepper. So he can definitely handle the heat.

Lol I'm just imagining Dick absent-mindedly chewing on a red chili pepper while he watches Garth dare Wally to eat a ghost pepper while Donna's rolling her eyes and Roy's hyperventilating on the floor because he's having flashbacks to Ollie's Chilli.

[sallowsunshine]

love triangle between reader, sebastian, and garreth weasley? Maybe things come to a head during a “friendly” quidditch match between Slytherin and Gryffindor

LOVEEE THIS- Year 6, things have smoothed out. It’s a normal year so far and quidditch is back! I’m going to use Hufflepuff as the house for reader, just so she’s not pulled to support one or the other based on house loyalty (Also posted here)

By Your Side (Sebastian SallowxReader)

The Great Hall was buzzing louder than usual, the students chatting excitedly with one another. Quidditch was back after being canceled last year, and the first friendly match was today, between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Tryouts ended early last week, and you were the backup seeker for Hufflepuff. You wouldn’t see much playing time until you could prove yourself, but you understood. It was only really your second year at Hogwarts, and your second year flying on a broom.

You were sandwiched between Poppy and Adelaide at the Hufflepuff table eating breakfast. “Who are you going to cheer for today?” Poppy nudged your shoulder with a smirk on her face. “Team Garreth or Team Sebastian?”

You roll your eyes. “I’ve decided I’d be a bad friend if I picked one or the other, therefore I am cheering for both of them.”

The doors open with a bang and the Slytherin table starts cheering as their Quidditch team enters. Some boos come from the Gryffindor end. You join in on the cheers, clapping your hands while you search for your friend amongst all the green. You finally spot Sebastian, his eyes searching the Hufflepuff table until they land on you. You smile and give him a little wave. He grins widely and gives you a big wave back. This is the first time you’ve seen him in his uniform. He’d grown a bit over the summer, now standing almost a foot taller than you. You’re glad to see him smiling, as it was so rare these days, after what happened last year. You were the one to suggest trying out for Quidditch. He had made the team his fourth year, it was canceled his fifth, and after everything that had happened, he wasn’t going to try out again, but you insisted if he had something like a hobby to practice and improve at, it would be a welcome distraction.

Before the team even finishes taking their seats, the doors are thrown open again, cheers erupting from the Gryffindor table. You clap again, and immediately spot Garreth’s Weasley red hair from the Quidditch players entering the Great Hall. He catches your eye and winks.

“He’s coming over here!” Poppy smacks your shoulder.

“Ouch! Poppy, quite it.”

Garreth approaches you with one hand behind his back. “How’s my favorite potions partner doing?”

“Hi, Garreth.” you stand up and smile. “Are you ready for the game today?”

“I am, indeed. I’ve brought these for you, hoping your good luck will rub off on me today.” He pulls his arm out from behind him and presents her with a small bouquet of red and yellow roses tied with a gold bow. Some of the girls around the tables gasp.

“Oh Garreth, that is very kind of you.” you smile and take them from him.

“I’ve got to join my team now, but I hope to see you out there.” he winks again and leaves.

You sit back down, a bit embarrassed he gave you flowers in front of your entire house. You knew Garreth liked you, based on the relentless flirting, but he had yet to ask you out. You also had a feeling Sebastian liked you too, but he was a bit harder to read. The two of you had been through so much together from the moment you met, and you cherished your friendship with him beyond anything else. You didn’t want to jeopardize it by telling him you had feelings for him if he didn’t reciprocate them. If Garreth actually asked you out, you would decide to come to the conclusion that you and Sebastian were only meant to be friends.

“How cute!” Poppy gushes in your ear. “Oh, don’t look now, but Sebastian’s watching you.”

You feel even more embarrassed to know that he saw Garreth give you flowers.

-

Sebastian entered the Great Hall with the rest of the Slytherin Quidditch team, the adrenalin from excitement and anticipation pumping through his veins. His eyes scanned first to the Slytherin table where he sees Ominis and Anne sitting together. They still had not been able to find a cure for Anne, but they found a spell that eased her pain enough to come back to Hogwarts. She still had to take days off to rest, but Sebastian was just glad she could be back at school. They still weren’t on good terms, but he knew it would take time for her and Ominis to come around. Next, he gazes over the Hufflepuff table. He finds you in the mix of black and yellow and sees you. You smile and wave, and he grins and waves back. It’s been hard, his best friend and his twin giving him the cold shoulder. But you- you were a light in the shadows. You were the warmth of the sun. You hadn’t given up on him. He knew you were still hesitant with your trust, but you stayed by his side despite what he did.

Sebastian takes his seat and boos with the other Slytherins when Gryffindor’s team enters the Great Hall. He sees a redhead break off from the others and head toward the Hufflepuff table. It’s Garreth Weasley. Sebastian’s eyes narrow. Weasley is headed straight for you, and from his angle, Sebastian sees the red and yellow flowers behind his back.

Sebastian bought his backup quidditch top in hopes that you would wear it and show your support for Slytherin (and him) but it looks like Garreth beat him to it. He tucks it away, no chance he’ll be able to give it to you now. He eats his breakfast, trying to think about the game and not about you.

-

“Sebastian, wait up!” You call out. The two teams were heading out to the Quidditch Pitch to start warming up. He stops and turns, looking for who called him. You jog to catch up.

“I didn’t get to wish you luck!” you say bashfully, avoiding eye contact.

“I saw Weasley give you flowers”, Sebastian blurts out. “Did you wish him luck, too?”

“Oh, yeah, he did. And I did. There’s nothing wrong with wishing both of my friends luck.” you say, a bit defensive.

“Well you might as well cheer for Gryffindor, those half-witted gits,” Sebastian grumbles.

“Okay, Sebastian, that was not necessary.” you cross your arms. “You’re my friend too. One of my closest friends. Of course, I’m going to cheer for you.”

“I- thank you.” Sebastian backs out, cooling down for a moment. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to get upset. Imelda’s got the whole team worked up over this game.”

“It’s okay, I understand.” you smile, and before you can chicken out, you move forward up on your tiptoes to kiss him softly on the cheek.

“That’s for good luck,” you say, backing up. “See you after the match!” you run back towards the castle.

-

The Hufflepuff is gone before he can find his voice, but he moves his hand to his face, fingertips brushing where her lips touched his cheek. A smile graces his face, and then he mentally smacks himself when remembers the uniform top he meant to give you. That would have been a perfect time.

-

The pitch is practically shaking from all the cheering, stomping, and yelling. Gryffindor and Slytherin are tied, the golden snitch nowhere to be spotted. Sebastian and the other Beater have been playing good defense, Sebastian sticking by Imelda, their best Chaser (probably the best Chaser to come from Hogwarts), and protecting her from the incoming Bludgers.

Sebastian can’t believe Garreth made Beater for the Gryffindor team.

All game, he’s been taunting Sebastian, knocking brooms with him, or swatting the Buldger at him. It’s thrown his focus totally off, but luckily he has yet to make a major mistake. It’s difficult to do when Imelda keeps threatening him with violence if he doesn’t straighten out and do his job.

Imelda calls out a code for one of their formations and he zips over to line up with his teammates and protect her as she flies with the Quaffle toward the three rings. She scores easily and the crowd’s roars are deafening. The adrenaline high brings a smile to Sebastian’s face. A flash of red zips up by him- Weasley.

“Nice trick, Sallow, but it won’t win the game for you.” Weasley taunts. “Speaking of tricks, I’ve got one that I think our little Hufflepuff friend will like, if you know what I mean, eh?” he chuckles, and Sebastian fumes.

“Don’t you talk that way about her, Weasley. She’s not your girl.” Sebastian calls over.

“I’m only having a bit of fun, lighten up, Sallow. If you care that much, you’d make her your girl before anyone else finds the guts.”

Sebastian’s grip on his broom tightens. “Sallow, on your right!” A teammate calls out, and he barely reacts in time to hit the flying Bludger away towards the Gryffindor Chaser in possession of the Quaffle.

“Pay attention, Sebastian,” Imelda growls from behind him. “We need you at your best if we’re to beat Gryffindor today. Just then, the crowd erupts into cheers, and the two Seekers speed by. They must have spotted the Snitch.

“Go! We need to stop them from catching the Snitch” Imelda commands, and Sebastian pushes forward to pick up speed, his bat at the ready.

Weasley is once again by his side, matching Sebastian’s speed. “You think she’ll give me a congratulatory kiss when Gryffindor wins this match?”

“Bugger off, Weasley.” Sebastian leans in and knocks his broom against Garreth’s.

Chaos erupts with the two Seekers being mere feet ahead, also knocking into one another, their arms extended forward, grasping for the Snitch. Sebastian tries to focus on the task at hand, but Weasley’s struck his last nerve.

His eyes are so focused on Weasley, he misses when everyone else ducks down. Panic raises as he yanks himself down, but he doesn’t quite make it, the tip of his broom catching one of the barriers of the pitch. It throws him off his broom, and he’s falling ten feet to the ground. Everything goes dark.

-

You’re in the stands with Anne and Ominis, binoculars at your eyes, giving Ominis a verbal playback of everything that’s happening.

“They’ve spotted the Snitch!” you say, grabbing Ominis’ wrist in excitement.

“Who?”

“Sorry, both Seekers are after it. There goes Sebastian and Garreth, I think they’re going to try to clobber the Seekers! Oh- no, I can��t see them anymore, they’ve disappeared underneath the Pitch- oh there they are again- oh wait- I’ve lost them, nope- there they are- and-” You stop suddenly and gasp, wordlessly watching as Sebastian loses control of his broom. You pull away your binoculars but you still see his body fall and crash toward the ground.

“I’ve got to go!” You race out of the stands.

“Wait what happen-” You don’t hear the rest of Ominis’ question, you’re pushing past students, taking the stairs down to the bottom two at a time, hopping over the railings.

You reach the entrance to the pitch, the game continuing since no foul had been called. The crowd’s uproar is deafening, one of the Seekers must have caught the Snitch, but you don’t care. Pushing your way on to the pitch, you’re by Sebastian’s side in an instant.

“Sebastian!” You cry out, scared to touch him, scared of how injured he could be. He doesn’t react, his eyes closed, but he’s moaning in pain, curled up in the fetal position. He stops moving, probably passed out from the pain.

“He needs the nurse! Someone get Nurse Blainey!” you scream, but only a few are paying attention, everyone is focused on the win and the end of the game.

-

Sebastian wakes up in one of the beds of the Hospital Wing, his ribs and one arm bandaged up. The windows are dark, it must be nighttime. His mind is hazy, and it takes him a minute to recall the last memories before blacking out. The impact rushes back fresh into his mind and he cringes in pain, squeezing his unbandaged hand. It startles him when he realized that his hand isn’t empty, but another is gently holding his four fingers. He turns his head, and there you are, curled up in a chair next to his bed, your hand extended out, holding his. You’re fast asleep, still, wearing the previous day’s clothes, but there’s another addition Sebastian didn’t see that morning. His house scarf is draped around your neck. You had a bad habit of stealing his scarf, claiming it to be warmer than your own, but he didn’t believe you. He never asked for it back the last time you borrowed it, and you must have worn it for the match.

It brings a smile to Sebastian’s face. Garreth was wrong, he’d already made you his girl. Sebastian just hadn’t realized it himself, until now, seeing you stay by his side throughout the night. Until now, seeing you wearing his scarf.

Sebastian squeezes your hand, trying to wake you up gently. Your eyes flutter open.

“Sebastian?” you whisper. “Oh Sebastian, are you okay? How do you feel?” you sit up quickly. “That was a nasty fall.”

Sebastian tries to speak but finds his throat too dry to get words out. Instead, he grunts in pain, trying to sit up.

“Don’t- No, don’t move. Or speak. You might hurt yourself further.” You jump into action. “Let me get you some water.”

Sebastian lays back and closes his eyes. There’s so much he wants to say to you, but he’s in too much pain. Those words will have to wait. For now, he lets you take care of him, and he feels a weight off his shoulders, knowing with you by his side, everything will be okay.

[melodiclune]

The theory that winners are the only ones who remember the happenings of the games is one that really sticks with me.

Grian going into the first game, with nothing except the whispers of a life he has elsewhere, and the murmurs of the Watchers in his mind. One thing leads to another, and his game ends with blood on his hands and tears in his eyes.

He falls. He dies. But he remembers.

Because then he spawns into a new game with the same people and- and nobody remembers anything. They're all lost, forming alliances and enemies in such stark contrast to everything they had the previous time. Grian is the only one who remembers, and all he can do is watch, like he's always doomed to.

Scott wins, and Scott remembers now. He remembers the flower fields, the burns of betrayal and war and distrust from his own game- and now his own ally from before, Pearl, remembers none of it. He can only watch as they abandon each other, nothing like the first time. Pearl spirals down, down, down- and Scott is the one who remembers how different things used to be.

And he still cares for Pearl. So he lights the TNT, and gives her the blessing (the curse) of remembrance.

Pearl, exhausted, betrayed and tired has no luxury of ignorance anymore. She only has the same people with blank memories to connect to all over again. And she's much more calm this time round, because she remembers the games before her own, too. Allies have been had before, and all she can do is trust, hope, that they will happen again.

(They do. She wants to lead them to the very end.)

And this time- she's killed by her own ally. (No, that's wrong, they were only allies two games ago, and conflicted in the previous- what are they now? Friend or foe?) She can't hold it against him though, of course she can't. They both understand too much for it.

Martyn wins- and he remembers all his past loyalty. The cold of the Red King's rule, the Southlanders and his foray into a game with soulmates with no connection to his own. He has the clutches of betrayal and the corruption of the Watchers guiding him into their next game, and all he can do is listen, as the others make new friends and foes all over again as though nothing before ever existed. The loyal alliances are but an echo of his betrayal and victory.

(Have you ever noticed how winners hardly ever team up with each other? They're all so focused on supporting their allies, after they win, and they hardly cross paths with the previous winners. It's like they know, that the memories leave their connections in confusing pieces. Nobody knows where they lie with each other anymore, and they don't have the blank bliss to take comfort in. Grian never did.)

Grian can only watch, like he's always doomed to- as Scar dons a cloak with poppies and lilacs embroidered, and he's the one who remembers. He's the one who knows what those flowers mean, and Scar is all alone this time round. Pearl throws herself into fire if it means her allies have a shot at winning. (They all fall before her, and all she has is an ally she makes on the same day.) Fighting Scar at the very end is like fighting herself from the past- she's grown so much, since then. She can only hope Scar does too.

Martyn has no one but himself, now that Jimmy's gone, and yet he's betrayed no one this time round. Scott holds his head down as he lets Gem take his final life- he already has the curse of remembrance. For Gem, with such a strong will to win and things to prove, it would mean the world to be the last person standing. She has no memories to recall. It would be far easier on her, than anyone else.

And yet, it's Scar who wins. And he remembers. The burning sun of the desert, the cold winds of a forgotten and lonely mountain, the pandas and the dripstone, the clocktower and a family of old.

All he can do is stare, at the blood on his hands and the quiet stillness of the world. Every other winner understands, the cruel irony of their final stand being the one that reminds them of every other game. The cold clutches of terror when they realise nobody else remembers the way they do.

Maybe that's why they're so understanding, so self sacrificing, and so true to their allies the second they get them. Throwing themselves into each game time and time again, not because they want to win again, but because that's easier than bearing the brunt of the trust and betrayals of the past.

[liloinkoink]

as someone who also has so much homework to do. what are your thoughts on treesekai ren (speaking of treesekai, i actually sent that fic to a friend like a year ago who doesn't watch hermitcraft etc and i remember we had fun reading it and giggling over the anime of it all so tysm for that ♡)

i am no longer doing homework so i can share thoughts. it is almost 3am tho so idk theyll be coherent

first im glad you two enjoyed it! dont know how i feel about the fact it's breached containment but it is good to know it holds up

[speaking of, this fic was posted a year ago, so if you dont know what treesekai is, here is the link for you]

second i think all the time about just how lonely treesekai Ren is. ive made posts like this before but Ren is just... he's so lonely. Ren is a character with a lot of love in him, always. he always wants someone to care about. often many someones! he gravitates towards big loyal teams, and he usually spends his time at home building a place for that team to be protected and safe, and is willing to die to defend that home (and he has. twice.)

dogwarts was a big team whose loyalty he took seriously and whose home he died to defend. the shadow alliance had matching skins and, until they went red, all ren's loyalty, and their base of operations was one of the last bases standing bc Ren continually put it back together for his teammates. Ren and BigB died on the doorstep of of box, with ren's last words being about defending it. home and the people in it are important to him

treesekai Ren is the same, but he doesnt really have anywhere to point it. he has a home, but what matters to Ren about a home is that theres people in it. he loves the country he rules but he thinks if he does that hard enough he'll have someone, and he just doesnt. he assumes he can trust his staff, thinks he'll be able to make alliances with other nations, hopes his fiance will be that person he needs. but he isnt! and Ren cant trust him! or his staff! or other royalty! no one else in the world cares about him! many of the people close to him ultimately want him dead!

so, in the game, he ends up paranoid, and he ends up evil, and he ends up dead

but in the fic he meets Martyn, and he gets that connection and affection and care hes been looking for all this time. and like. it fascinates me how much Martyn doesnt know how much hes changed ren's life. Ren isnt evil for nothing--above all he's lonely and hurt. by saving him from loneliness, Martyn saves his life. he could abandon the game plotline then and there, completely forgoing all the normal isekai tropes of running thru every event w future knowledge and picking the best possible outcome, and Ren would no longer die. just by being there and sincerely caring for Ren, Martyn has already achieved the best of all possible worlds. and he doesnt even know it!

i just. i love how lonely he is and how simple he is. he just wants to be loved. he just wants to love someone. he's a dating sim character, after all, and that's the whole point, isn't it? his world exists just so the people in it can be loved, and he's not allowed to have any of that. if youd just give him a romance, he'd be more than happy to be a love interest instead, but he isnt! he isnt allowed! no wonder he loses it. on some level, maybe he knows hes being denied the fundamental purpose for existence in his universe

this is rambly bc its rlly late but im just. it must hurt more than anything to be the one character in a world about love who is meant to be completely unlovable

[blorbocedes]

i would DIE if you did a small perspective flip from his eyes are like angels his heart is cold

i actually had to look up the mafia au to remember it's from carlos pov 😭 so here's a little lando excerpt from the gala:

Lando is always wondering what if he forgets how to use a car when he has to drive Carlos Sr. Being his personal driver is a signed of being the favoured Ferrari Academy driver. As if Carlos practically moving him in his rooms didn't give that away. The other guys at the Academy think he slept his way into this position, well why don't they try to drive the Father of Ferrari's second son and risk crashing.

Carlos Sr, the intimidating force of a man, had taken one look at the blood red badge of the bull silhouette pinned on Lando and it was like, he knew. Like it was printed on Lando's face, "your son just gave me a weird handjob and I think he said I love you." Sr does not say a word, the one Sainz who believes in keeping his distance from 'the help.' Lando's ears were pink the whole time, like he was carrying a time bomb of a secret.

Lando parks beside Carlos' 488, the whole parking lot looking like a vintage car show as Italia's rich and famous came to play. He enters through the back entrance meant for staff — the Academy boys aren't to be seen, except for the ones that are good for PR, the success story public face like Charles. At the actual red carpet, Carlos and Charles are getting photographed; in their matching suits and Carlos' hand resting on Charles' waist. They're giving a speech on the charity gala hopes to support orphans or their youth outreach program for endangered sports cars, which makes Lando scoff. If only they knew how the Ferrari Driving Academy treated their orphans.

Unlike Charles, who would and has bled red for the House, Lando has no undying loyalty. He's grateful, of course, for being picked but he never had the delusion of racing dangled over him. If he's loyal to anything, he guesses it's Carlos. The guy shaved his initials into Lando, he can take a hint. Carlos was the one who taught him how to drive stick when the Academy had near given up on him, at how nervous he was. And now, the only place he's at home is behind the wheel. Even the Sainz sisters fussed him around like a little brother, or a puppy. They took him in when they didn't have to, and that's why Lando has to leave.

Carlos had taken the news well, kind of, Lando hopes. The move to McLaren. Charles was right when he told Lando he's Carlos' biggest liability, who is going to take the Second Son seriously when Carlos needs to constantly protect him and keep him within the family. At least, this way, Lando can repay his debt to Ferrari. Carlos protects him, why can't he protect Carlos? By driving for the enemy two continents and an ocean away?

Lando watches from the balcony that's closed off for guests. Carlos in his element, charming the guests in smooth conversational Italian. (Lando's is still hopeless, he gave up after subject verb agreements.) A balding politician, and his much younger wife and Carlos making her kiss the dice before throwing it on the craps table. She has an arm around him, and with the way her husband is staring it seems like he wouldn't mind watching. In the other end of the room, Charles is sneaking off with the racing world's latest World Champion and who was his main rival; Max Verstappen. Lando wonders if he can get an autograph.

"Little Lando, nice to finally catch you here." A distinctly American drawl seizes his attention. Zak Brown, in his slicked back silver hair and orange tie, brown suit. The CEO of McLaren, whose official business is weapons manufacturing for the American government -- which unofficially make their way in war zones and cartel violence -- with new interest in automation and a racing team. Just like Lando's 'official' job with them would be on loan from Ferrari as a test driver, and unofficially drive said contraband across the borders. It's more interesting Daniel — the marketable face of the company, like Carlos and Charles are for Ferrari even if it is the elders and Sr who really pull the strings — isn't here. "You've cost me a pretty penny, let me tell you, but I think we'll be doing great things for each other."

Lando reaches out to shake his soon-to-be new boss' hand, sliding his business card in his back pocket.

[fionajames]

ocs pt. 2

apologies but i love making characters

GUYS IM SO SORRY FOR BEING ABSENT TODAY, I HAD TO WORK ON AN ASSIGNMENT AND THEN DRIVE AN HOUR TO MY COUSINS' PLACE FOR A BIRTHDAY AND THEN DRIVE AN HOUR BACK PLUS IVE BEEN TAKING CARE OF MY LITTLE BRO AND SIS

@lovejoysoots u asked to be tagged so here :) also, hope its okay i included xane in taki's info!

GUYS REQUEST.

ALSO, I REALISE KNOW IVE ONLY JUST MENTIONED THIS, BUT IF Y'ALL WANT I CAN WRITE AN 'X READER' WITH MY OC IF U LIKE THEM THAT MUCH BUT YOU. HAVE. TO. TELL. ME.

ANYWAYS, ENJOY, AND SORRY AGAIN

Taki Caileth

Taki is a Nautolan Bounty Hunter with dark violet skin and magenta, lilac and pastel purple. His eyes are purely black (as Nautolan eyes usually are).

He's eighteen in 22 BBY and became a Bounty Hunter when he was merely a kid - because he grew up on Glee Anslem until he was eight and then was hurriedly taken away, growing up on Tatooine and Corellia, as well as all over the galaxy.

He fights best with a sword or a blaster rifle. Taki is decently well-known as a Bounty Hunter under the name of Maverick (not related to Top Gun, it literally means an independent person). Whilst many know Maverick, not many know Taki.

Taki works - as the word maverick means - independently. It's not because he hates people or anything but because of trust issues after his family's death.

During the Clone War, Taki sides with whoever pays - and usually the GAR, because he feels bad for the clones. Not the senate, not the republic, not the Jedi, the clones.

He's smart and calculating yet sarcastic and loyal. His loyalty can be his downfall as he tends to trust easily and so his solution is to not get too close to anyone.

On several occasions, Taki has teamed up with fellow Bounty Hunter Xane. They are a scarily and shockingly good team and share several views over things, although Taki sides with the GAR more, Xane has a disliking towards a certain Jedi named Anakin Skywalker.

Although Taki is moving alot, he has a place on the lower levels of Coruscant which he uses as a base. 

During the war, as everyone is desperate for money, Bounty Hunters become very valuable. One Bounty Hunter was doing a job for the Separatists and kidnapped a Jedi Youngling - an eight year old Rodian boy. Desperately, the GAR hired Taki, who went and retrieved the boy. In the process, he lost his left leg from the knee down. In thanks, the Jedi gave him a black-metal prosthetic and paid him about 70% of what he was originally supposed to earn, even though the prosthetic cost about the same price as the original payment. Taki begins to side even more with the GAR because the Separatists captured an innocent child - which he sees as very wrong, as something similar happened to him when he was younger.

Taki doesn’t really have a best friend but he’s closest with Xane and the Rodian Youngling he rescued.

Satsuki Noriko

Satsuki is a Human girl with light freckled skin, short, fluffy (dyed) red hair and black eyes. She’s seventeen in 22 BBY. Her grandmother was a Mandalorian who left Mandalore for reasons she refuses to explain.

Satsuki has a shop on the middle layers of Coruscant where she paints armour and helmets, as well as ships and speeders occasionally. When the clone wars came around, Satsuki decided to increase her work hours - in hopes of getting more customers and more money - so she could allow Clones to come in. Because the Clones aren’t paid, Satsuki doesn’t charge them for any money.

She’s kind and generous, but also sarcastic and stubborn. Her best friend is a Clone trooper named Trinket. Trinket once saved an old, rich woman off-planet who insisted on giving him her expensive jewellery as thanks. Trinket gave all of it to Satsuki as payment for the paints, materials and her time on behalf of all the Clones.  

Satsuki is part of a rather large family with one fourteen year old sister, one eight year old half-sister and one six year old half-brother. The family do family dinners weekly and Satsuki gets along best with her sisters and brother and grandmother. Her grandmother is your resident badass grandmother who is incredibly scary and awesome. 

Satsuki has and will beat up anyone who talks shit about the Clones and is their number 1 protector. She hangs out with Trinket, Fox, Rex, Cody and Vyper (the unnamed Commander of the 13th Battalion who I’ve named) the most.

Satsuki sees the Clones as her brothers and best friends, and has to be daily convinced not to sneak on board to join the fight. 

One time, Satsuki introduced Rex to her grandmother and her grandmother instantly called him bu’ad and he almost cried. 

The Clones and her have frequent conversations in pure Mando’a and it’s rather entertaining. 

Rin Keiko

Rin is a human girl with long black hair, dark brown eyes and tan skin. She’s 16 in 22 BBY making her one of the youngest Jedi Knights, although not the youngest ever. Rin fought during the Battle of Geonosis alongside her Mirialan Master Aoi Tsumugi. During the fight, Aoi was struck down and Rin was forced to continue fighting for her life, feeling alone even though surrounded by hundreds of other Jedi.

After the battle, Rin managed to convince the Council into Knighting her using her points that one; Aoi was going to Knight her in a few months anyway, two; they’re scarce for Knights and need all they can get, and three; she is ready. 

Rin was then Knighted and given a battalion of her own to lead as General. Alongside her Clone Commander Warden, of course.

Rin is what many describe as insane. She is protective to her troops and friends and would rather lay down her life than any of theirs. She’s reckless and smart but overconfident and cocky in a scary way. Her laugh is maniacal and intertwined with trauma, plus her troops are convinced she's either seeing ghosts or hearing voices. That doesn’t mean they don’t love her though! Their General is their sister and they are extremely horrified when they find out months after meeting her that she's still just a kid.

They are terrified for her when they accidentally somehow witness one of her PTSD-induced dreams (something a lot of Jedi get and are extremely dangerous) as she floated midair and objects swirled around her like a hurricane. She - frankly - looked possessed.

Rin starts losing it with the council a lot, laughing inappropriately and insanely and muttering loudly with huge grins. It’s terrifying for a sixteen year old to do that. If Rin wasn’t such a good fighter and General, the GAR would have probably forced her into some sort of insane asylum - or at least gotten her daily therapy.

Rin’s best friend is Warden and their like brother and sister, and all her friends are the Clones and some of the Jedi. 

Iniko Edge

Iniko is a fourteen-year-old Pantoran Youngling boy. He has violet blue skin (colour hex code; #4157A2), golden yellow eyes, soft yellow markings on his arms, legs and hands, and curly raven black hair that is actually very dark, deep purple but only really obvious in certain lights.

Iniko has a double-bladed dark purple lightsaber that can be split into two separate lightsabers (like Cal’s). He got both crystals during the Gathering, and panicked because of it. 

Iniko was apprenticed to Shaak Ti at the start of the Clone Wars and lives on Kamino. He trains there and has befriended many clones. 

Iniko is a kind and quiet boy, but not shy. He loves befriending the Clones but is a bit quiet at first. All the Clones see him like a younger brother. After a few months of training with his Master on Kamino, Iniko is sent to assist other Jedi with missions and use Kamino as his base instead of Coruscant. He is sent as a Commander alongside Captain Rook and a small battalion of Clones. They aren’t really like battalions such as the 212th and 501st because they're a lot smaller and they have never gone on missions just with themselves. They don’t even go on missions as much as others, because thats how they work.

Iniko secretly cries for every Clones’ death and is a sweet Clones’ rights supporter. He befriends lots of other battalions’ clones - such as Cody, Rex, Jesse and others. He is best friends with Captain Rook, Ahsoka - who he teams up with during missions and was actually créchemates with - and several members of his squad - in particular Tripp, Kaz and Tempest. 

Iniko also met Rin and sees her as an older sister, although Rook lectures him regularly about not taking after her reckless nature. Rook is extremely protective over him, and it shows through a lot. In fact, the entire squad - and others - are protective over him. But not in an obsessed way. They know that he can handle himself and that's what scares them. 

Iniko is a wholesome boy and very similar to Dhole in a few ways because of it, but also different. 

Iniko hides his breakdowns and illnesses and injuries and all that from everyone, because he believes he doesn’t matter as much. That’s one of the Temple’s faults. They brought up all the Younglings, Padawans, Knights and Masters to believe that peace was the most important thing, and to get it at all costs. Accidentally, they taught Iniko that he wasn’t worth as much as the battle, and so he remembers that. The Clones are slowly helping him but he’s still fragile.

DONE

HOPE U LIKED

IMMA GO HAVE A MENTAL BREAKDOWN

[dragonflight203]

Mass Effect 1 replay, part 1 of Virmire:

-I guess the geth are waterproof, since so many of them walk in the water

-The pod crabs are adorable.

-The path the mako takes seems man-made; the border between it and the ocean seems to have a fence-like structure that has eroded.

Why was the fence built? By who? Why has it eroded?

-What’s the point of the first gatehouse? The gate is open – you can drive straight through without ever entering.

There are clearly gate controls if you do enter. Why didn’t they shut the gate as soon as the first geth spotted you? Why don’t they pursue you if you drive through?

-It’s a nice touch to see the Normandy sweep in after disabling the guns at the second gatehouse.

-Shepard never introduces themself to Kirrahe, so no alignment for spectre/Alliance. Presumably Ashley handled introductions, since she’s already speaking to Kirrahe when Shepard walks up.

-Kirrahe mentions that he lost half his men investigating the facility. That lays the groundwork for the salarians we find later.

-When Shepard initially speaks to Kirrahe, it’s just Kaidan and Ashley. Wrex suddenly appears once Kirrahe mentions that Saren is breeding an army of krogan.

-And from the get go the casual racism of the salarians is apparent. Kirrahe refers to Wrex as “the krogan” and calls the krogans a mistake.

-If you discuss Wrex with Ashley, you tell her to be ready if you go paragon or neutral.

-Everyone but Shepard is in their original clothing, rather than the armor you’ve probably equipped them in.

-Rentola is stranded on Virmire about to attack a facility that massively outnumbers his people and he still insists on selling you his goods. No freebies.

-Garrus, Kaidan, and Ashley address Wrex by name. Kaidan and Ashley twice, Garrus once.

-Notable: Ashley offers to kill Wrex (albeit not in so many words) but still uses his name.

“If you need my help dealing Wrex just let me know”

-Garrus does refer to him as an angry krogan, but he’s not using that to address Wrex, just describe the situation.

“The last thing we need is an angry krogan on our team”

-Tali and Liara both refer to Wrex by name once and “the krogan” once.

Very surprising – typically renegade characters are more racist, and Tali and Liara are more paragon aligned. In both their lines they could easily have used “Wrex”.

Tali: The krogan seems very upset.

Liara: The krogan’s demeanor is worrying.

-The inability to hack device if Shepard doesn’t have decryption is irritating. What, I can’t ask Tali to help me with the medical device just behind her?

-When you speak to Wrex, he mentions that he went with Shepard because he wanted to do more than fight for credits.

Even now, at his lowest point, Wrex still wants to make things better.

He’s just very depressed, and being asked to destroy the best hope for his people in the last millennia isn’t helping.

-If you’ve done Wrex’s family armor quest, you have to lean into renegade to kill Wrex (but not red renegade).

It doesn’t take any speak checks to save him, just not picking the renegade option on the first dialogue wheel after he draws his gun.

-If you kill him, Liara and Tali once again have some very surprising lines:

Liara: We will be a better team without Wrex. His loyalties could not be trusted.

Tali: We will miss the krogan’s strength. But I sense the team will be better off now that he’s gone.

At least Liara uses his name in both her lines about him. Tali still uses “the krogan”.

Did Liara and Tali have the same writer?

-I think Ashley, Kaidan, and Garrus all referred to Wrex by name after his death; I did not write it down.

-The soldiers are mostly thrilled Wrex is dead. Only one says that killing him was regrettable.

-Kirrahe lets you pick whether to give him a Council sponsored funeral or dump his body in the swamps. You can pick the swamps if you go renegade; Shepard isn’t about to honor a traitor.

-If you go paragon with Wrex, one of his lines is: To thank us for wiping out the rachni, they neutered us all.

“They” being the Council.

So we’re just ignoring the part where the krogan invaded an asari colony and refused to leave?

-Now it’s Liara’s turn to use “the krogan”: Your ability to calm the krogan is impressive.

-Ashley, Kaidan, Garrus, and Tali all refer to Wrex by name

[stormsbourne]

Top five final fantasy characters recruited after the first act finishes

this is interesting because it makes me piece out when the end of act 1 is for various final fantasies. here are some thoughts in no particular order:

yuffie kisaragi, specifically the remake/rebirth version. I was never one of those people who despised yuffie (though I did always find .... yufficent?? vinfie??? vincent x yuffie nonsensical), but the remake did a number on this girl. she is unironically among my favorites. I love her. she joins maybe a good third of the way into rebirth, in addition to not being in remake at all outside of the dlc. you really get a sense of her bitterness about wutai (specifically this game's version of wutai), her loyalty to her home, and even her materia-grubbing nonsense is dialed up in a fun way. she's also very funny and very adorable. chocobo, choco choco chocobo, I'm on a chocobo, you're on a chocobo! also loved all the "team babies" sidequests with her and red interacting.

joshua rosfield. now listen. sure. technically there is no party in ff16, something that did honestly really let me down, but you can see the outline of what could have been and he is a party member in all but name. perhaps even THE party member. he is up to his own shit the entire game, extremely sweet and gentle and smart as a whip, the way he is the person directly acting to keep clive from finding him too soon? it's damn good

kain highwind. alright. listen again. sure this guy starts with you. he leaves immediately. he rejoins and then leaves again and the second time, I believe it's stated/implied (it's been a long time since I played ff4) that his time with you was effectively as a mole/spy. and then when he really rejoins you for real-reals you can tell he feels like absolute shit and wishes he was dead. he truly despises that his possessive jealousy (of both cecil and rosa I would argue) was used as a weapon against those very same people. this leads to some pure shenanigans in the sequel from what I understand, but this guy is so fucking ashamed. peak dog wandering behind the party with his tail ALL the way between his legs

auron. tbh I still feel this is a somewhat cringe pick but I like the guy. you get the sense, after you know what all is going on, of the way he's seen his worldview dismantled to give way to the sacrificial cycle of spira. when he finally lets himself truly go to the farplane at the end you can almost feel his satisfaction. also he's forever mourning his two dead boyfriends (one is not dead but IS stuck as a giant kaiju whale so.) and he gives the pre-yunalesca speech which I feel is a major turning point for a TON of the cast and obviously the plot in general

celes .... I think my feelings on her have cooled a lot since I haven't played ff6 in a long, long time, but it's very fun that she gets to be the party leader in the last bit of the game, rushed and mistranslated as it is. I also think it's just genuinely quite fun to have the enemy defector as a party member. see above ponderings on kain, but celes isn't a dog with her tail between her legs, she's determined to make things right and less than able to compromise

some misc notes

rebirth cait sith almost makes this list. he's so fucking good. he joins later than yuffie and you not only get a sense of this guy as a cartoon mascot fortunetelling cat, but also about the sheer grimace.jpg going on with reeve behind the scenes. he's so emotive, he seems to have a genuine personality and worldview, and also, reeve always needed more attention to really sell him. the bit with reeve photoshopping the poster is so good. I trust that The End Of Rebirth is going to make this guy/cat reevaluate his life and decide firmly that team avalanche is the name to back.

I've also got high hopes for what remake pt 3 is going to do for cid and vincent. cid especially needs it. vincent, like yuffie, is a victim of deadline and money cutting his presence down significantly, but cid? cid has a pretty nasty legacy of beating his live-in non-wife and drinking all the time. he's already on good ground in rebirth and I'm interested to see what the game does with him.

did you know how many ffs acquire the entire party before the end of act 1? not to mention how hard the acts often are to define! I'd argue end of act 1 for ff8 is the edea parade and everybody is already there! where do you put the act break in ff10? (the blitz game imo, which means auron technically counts as act 1, but .... ??? what about the canyon where a gajillion people die including the gay crusaders? or macalania??) does act 1 of ff7 end when you leave midgar? when you get the tiny bronco? when aerith dies? is act 1 of ff6 where the world of ruin starts or?? (I'd argue the doma poisoning because that is very noticeably when shit gets Real but)

I did not allow myself to put ff14 because it's extremely complicated but the answer for that one is g'raha tia. obviously. come on

or alisaie. shit. how can I choose

[tieflingtareon]

My love, are you the devil? (Oh, call me a devil)

Chapter 14 | Words: 3.3k

Summary: Astarion found himself often surprised by his heroic companion. He had one goal. To become the favoured companion of the group, to earn the Tieflings loyalty, to make Tar'eons strength his own. Yet Tar'eon isn't like the usual target of his manipulations. Despite his naivety, he does not seem gullible. There is something very wrong with their 'leader' to begin with. Astarion isn't sure if he wants to control it or eradicate the threat it posed. But can he really do either when Tar'eon himself seems so...unwaveringly kind?

That devil is getting into his head, while others get into Tar'eons. He doesn't appreciate not having the upperhand after years of being at the disadvantage. He will find a way to make him see.

He is the one he should be listening to. Astarion would make it so, no matter the means.

AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/50668558/chapters/127995079

The next morning is filled with more noise than Astarion would prefer.

“No, no - truly! I’ve heard of your heroic deeds on my journey here. Though I’m only passing through. I have a very important mission to fulfil, one bestowed upon me from my- uh, Goddess, Mystra, but I’ll admit, the chance to finally meet the group of heroes in the same predicament as I…it is an honour.”

Astarion quirked a brow at the man talking boisterously to his companions, Tar’eon and Wyll sitting much further apart than he would have assumed after their little affair last night. Sneaking away for a dance and a kiss. Ridiculous.

Jealousy was an ugly monster that crawled up from his gut to his throat, thin, oily tendrils wrapping around his voice box, heat simmering there like it was just burning, yearning for the chance to take control of him.

He snatched a bottle of wine from the shelf and didn’t bother with a glass, standing behind the bar and taking a swig, staring at the wizard before him with a deadpanned expression, entirely unamused by his word vomit that resembled something akin to praise but sounded more desirous to him, like he was hoping to earn something by laving them with fancy words.

“…and you are?” Astarion finally asked when the man did not speak, regarding him with curiosity.

“Mind my manners, I did not realise I was missing out on one of your dear companion — Gale of Waterdeep. It’s a pleasure to meet you, my pale fellow.” He offered a hand and Astarion bared his fangs, hissing like a cat giving a warning before he stalked off, his black rain cloud quite obvious. He didn't wish to play friends with the annoyingly cheerful man. Tar’eon frowned as he watched the man go.

“Ah. A vampire. You, uh, have quite the diverse team. A githyanki, a Shar worshipper, two tiefling — even a devil and a vampire!”

“I’m a human. I was cursed to look like a devil.” Wyll frowned, looking a touch annoyed.

“Ah. My apologises. Still! You lot seem to be flourishing. I’m almost sad we did not meet earlier.”

“Yeah…” Tar’eon’s gaze drifted off to where Astarion had walked off to. “Would you- could you excuse me? I’ll be back.”

“Oh, no, please, don’t let me keep you. We’ll have plenty of time to get to know one another on our journey to Moonrise!” Gale laughed, sounding jovial as he raised his glass to the other, a mages hand working as his own right hand.

Tar’eon smiled tightly and found Astarion sitting with His Majesty in his lap, drinking from the bottle of red. He was drinking a red he didn't even examine before opening it - likely plonk or vinegar according to him. That worried him.

“Are you…are you alright?”

“Perfectly fine, sweetheart. Go, enjoy the wizard and all his tricks. You like the magical type, don’t you?” He said bitterly, refusing to admit to his pout as he took another gulp. Tar’eon frowned and sat beside him with a grunt, his wound still tender.

“Well…I don’t think the wizard will like me much when he realises the price of meeting me was his hand.” Astarion paused in his next swig and looked at Tar’eon, squinting as he tried to make sense of his words.

He barked out a laugh, head tipped back. Oh, of course! No wonder the voice niggled at his brain. Tar’eon severed his hand off. Gods. How had the wizard not realised yet?

“What are the odds?”

“Fairly high. He’s got a parasite too.”

“And no hand.” Astarion giggled.

“Please stop laughing, I feel awful.”

“Pfft, please. He’ll never know. I was the only one there that day, remember?”

“I do remember. He called me a lunatic.”

“Oh yes, his vocabulary was quite exquisite, even as you gnawed his flesh from his bone.”

“Astar.”

“Darling.”

Tar’eon sighed, letting it go as he leaned back into the wall heavily. He watched Astarion pet the wrinkly cat, the man smiling without even realising. Somehow, he’d gained the cats favour. Not even Tar’eon had managed that yet.

“…are you sure you’re alright? You really don’t seem it.”

Astarion scoffed.

“I’ll be alright when we kill that stupid creature Raphael wants dead and I can know what the Hells Cazador has locked me into, okay? Leave it be.”

“Astar…” Tar’eon slipped his hand into his, looking at him with pleading eyes. “Ph myirz; we will go there today, I promise you. I…I unfortunately have no lead on Mol, so I promise you, this is priority to me. By dusk, you’ll have your answers. Or, when we get back. Times a little flimsy here.”

Astarion huffed and slipped his hand free of Tar’eons.

“We better. Please tell me that wizards not coming.”

“Well…”

“You didn’t.”

“I promised to let him tag along. I mentioned the place and he seemed interested. He’s really hard to turn down, Astar.”

Astarion groaned.

“Fine. I’ll go get ready. But I expect a drink before we leave. I’m quite peckish considering you forgot to feed me last night.”

“I bled most of my blood out, Astarion.” The vampire tsked.

“Excuses.”

****

Astarion didn’t bring it up. If he was honest, he wasn’t sure why. Maybe because he wanted to drag it out, just that little bit longer. It was so hard to hold back and not say anything, not snap, when Tar’eon kept touching him every now and then along the journey, adjusting his cloak, tucking a curl behind his ear, his fingers brushing his when he took the Moon Lantern so Astarion could unlock a chest they found along the way, looting gold out of it.

He was still being so affection. In fact, he hadn’t even spoken to Wyll the whole journey, the man lingering at the back of the group with Gale who was chatting his ear off about some tome he read. Wyll was trying to get words in between the wizards pauses in monologue, but it was a hard feat. Once he started, he didn’t seem to stop.

Astarion was annoyed at first, but it was becoming background noise very quickly to his ears.

As they came back to where they had seen Raphael for a third time on their journey, Astarion looked at the daunting entrance with a little apprehension. He was nervous, sure, but he wanted - no, needed, to know. He couldn’t let Cazador have his secrets, or any more power over him.

Tar’eons hand was warm against his back.

“You’re not alone. You’ll have your answers, ph myirz.”

“You still haven’t told me what that means.”

“I told you. It’s untranslatable.”

“Liar.” Astarion grumbled, moving word with the lantern in hand, guiding their way.

It took almost half an hour to disarm all the traps by hand as not to scorch or gas themselves, and figuring out the puzzle itself to open the crypt took him ten minutes of pressing buttons endlessly, rolling his eyes into his skull when it failed again and again until Wyll pointed out it was more of a story than a riddle. The man gazed at the three pictures for all of a minute before he pressed the buttons in succession and the tomb opened.

Astarion gave him a deadpanned look.

“You and your fairy tales.”

“I’m a man of fine literature.”

You’re a homewrecker, that’s what you are, Astarion thought bitterly. But truthfully, there was no home to wreck. Wyll had had every right to make a move on Tar’eon. Tar’eon had every right to kiss him back.

That didn't ease the jealous monster inside his chest.

Tar’eon patted Wyll’s back with a tight smile.

“Good job, Wyll.” They slipped away, even deeper into the crypt, Gale making a marvelled sound.

“A temple of Shar. Fascinating. We should have brought your cleric! She’d love this.” Gale hummed, and despite his words, he sounded a little apprehensive about being in another place of worship. He himself worshipped some other Goddess after all, didn’t he?

“We’ll have to loop back sometime. She could definitely like this place. We can explore it more later, for now, we’re focusing on killing this enemy of Raphael’s.”

“Raphael? A friend of yours?”

“No.” Was the resounding response from all three men and Gale made a vague sound of understanding.

“A reluctant ally. I see.”

“Barely. He’s a devil. We’re doing him a favour for a favour because he’s too scared to do it himself.” Astarion drawled.

“A devil of the Hells? Not someone you’d want to get mixed up with, indeed.”

“Yes, well, we already have one idiot who made a deal with a devil, so we’re not looking to repeat his mistakes.”

“I do not regret my decisions, Astarion. I can’t say the same for the likes of you.” Wyll crossed his arms, looking at Astarion with contempt at the obvious jab to his situation.

“Oh come off it, Wyll the Wise. You can insist you hold no regrets, but that would be a lie, and heroes aren’t supposed to do that, now are they?”

“Astar. Enough. Wyll, ignore him.” Tar’eon sighed.

“No, I don’t think I will. If you want to dance, pretty boy, I will gladly waltz you into my blade.” Wyll held the hilt of his scimitar where it hung from his holster at his belt, looking ready to make good on his word.

“I’ll rip your throat out with my teeth if you ever offer me a dance." Astarion narrowed his eyes at the man, remembering the firelight, the shapes of their bodies as they circled around each other. "You’re nothing but Mizora's favourite toy solider.” His voice was cold as ice.

“And you’re nothing but a pet who strayed too far from it's master." Wyll hissed, his words striking him as they left his forked tongue. His eyes widened, obviously shocked by his own slip of tongue, the cruel words so unlike himself.

Astarion was still as stone, the lantern's light illuminating a piercing red eye, a marble complexion like that of a statue, but half of his face was shrouded in darkness, the only thing visible being the sharp gleam in his eye. A few seconds ticked by, everyone's nerves on end as they waited for Astarion to react, Wyll's hand still on his blade, less as a threat and more as a defence now.

"I...I apologise, that was unnecessarily cruel-"

Astarion lunged forward, and he would have taken Wyll down in half a second if not for Tar'eon wrapping his arms around him tight, crushing him to his chest as he fought against the hold, expression feral. Gale had appeared in a flash in front of Wyll as well, his left hand outstretched and glowing an ominous purple, tangling his fingers into the weave.

"Let go of me. I'll kill him." Astarion bared his fangs.

"I'm afraid if you do that, I'll have to eviscerate you." Gale said plainly, levelling his gaze with the vampires.

"Calm down, Astar, please."

"Let go of me!" Astarion finally broke free, smacking Tar'eons hand away with a snarl. He looked up at him, every inch of his expression murderous. "Send him away."

"Astar-"

"Send him away, or I'll decorate this place with his innards." His voice was near calm despite his terrifying expression, and Tar'eon knew he wasn't lying. He was completely serious.

"...Wyll, go back to Last Light."

"So he can get away with every cruelty imaginable, yet I cannot. I told you, I'm sorry, but you keep testing my patience at every corner-"

"Wyll." Tar'eon turned a stony gaze to the man. "Just...go."

Wyll's hurt expression morphed into something more accepting, yet still sad.

"I see...I should have known where your favour lied. Let the vampire disillusion you to his nature. His tongue is no less forked than my own." Wyll took a few steps back and clenched his jaw. "I will send Shadowheart in my stead. I'm not cruel enough to allow you to fight this battle one man down, unlike some."

He turned on his heel sharply and stalked out of the crypt, the only thing left of his presence being the echo of his boots against stone.

The air was rife with tension, Astarion turned away from the other two men. His shoulders were hunched in, hands fisted tightly. When he forced them open, blood stained his nails, crescent moons imprinted into his palms. He raised his head, standing tall and looking at the wizard with contempt.

"If you ever raise your hand to me again, I'll take it."

Gale met his gaze, acting cool and collected despite the pinprick of his pupils, giving away his fear of the threat coming to fruition. Astarion could smell it on him, as rank as the smell of his slowly dying body. Tar'eon pursed his lips.

"Gale...A moment, please?"

"Right, yes, I...I'll wait for Shadowheart. Show her the way inside." Gale bowed his head ever so slightly as he took his leave, leaving the pair alone.

Tar'eon turned to Astarion, hesitating before he rested a gentle hand on his shoulder. Astarion shrugged him off sharply, his lip twitching like he wanted to pull it back and hiss like a feral cat.

"Right, okay, I won't touch you, just...talk to me? Please."

"I would love to, once I no longer feel like stripping the skin and muscle from someones bones, darling." The affectionate lint of the pet name was missing, sounding more like a warning. An omen.

Tar'eon sighed softly and ran a hand through his hair, unsure what to do with this. He'd never seen Astarion so full of fury before, so unreachable in his anger. His expression was as chilling as a frozen wasteland, eyes devoid of any warmth. They were empty. Contemptuous yet empty.

"...He didn't mean it. You know that, don't you? You're more than what he said."

"Do not try to defend him right now." Astarion's gaze snapped to the tiefling, regaining their piercing nature, that emptiness fading as they were filled with something indistinguishable. An amalgamation of diverse emotions, all overtly intense.

He stepped forward and Tar'eon took a hesitant step back, frowning ever so slightly at his advance. With quick steps, Astarion had the mans back to the wall, his cold fingers walking up his chest and curling around his neck. He could hear his pulse, the way it got faster, his heart beats more erratic; he could feel the bob of his throat as he swallowed beneath his palm, his tail winding around his ankle like it did when Tar'eon was holding something back, trying to hide his true feelings.

Astarion hadn't seen him do such a thing with him in so long.

"I don't want to talk about him." Astarion's hand slipped higher, cupping his cheek and allowing his blood tipped nails to scratch along his jaw. Tar'eon shivered against him.

You still want me. You're an open book. You're just as easy as they were.

He tipped Tar'eon's chin down, stretching to his full height to press his lips to the mans, the heel of his boots barely touching the ground in his ascent to meet his parted lips.

It felt like the thump in Tar'eons chest was ricohetting into his own, his hands possessive as he wound them into dark strands, curling the other around his throat to keep him in place. It was not a gentle kiss, not when his whole body was trembling with the rage that was hot beneath his sternum, crushing ice cold lips to burning ones, devouring the heat from them for himself.

Astarion's hands dipped down to his armour, frantically unbuckling the chest plate the man wore, needing closer, needing skin on skin, needing proof-

This isn't over yet. Let me have your lust, if nothing else. Let me monopolise you.

Tar'eon groaned against his lips, hot hands running up his sides, his fingers spanning over the centre of his back, his thumb in the divot of his spine as he seemed to pull him even closer, if the action was even possible, his other hand trailing over his backside, resting on the back of his thigh. Enveloping him with his frame. Holding him like something precious even as Astarion's fang punctured his bottom lip, blood filling both of their mouths.

You called me beautiful once. Let me convince you that's enough.

Astarion suckled on the wound and moaned, something raw and unpractised as he managed to get the chest plate off, his hands crawling beneath his undershirt, nails raking over the swell of his chest like he could claw his way into the tiefling. He felt animalistic and calculated all at once, there yet not, floating yet burning.

Breathe me, think only of me, of all my body can do for you, love me, you damn devil. Love me, love me, love me-

Skin broke beneath his nails and Tar'eon pulled his hips forward, grinding his cock against the taunt muscle of his thigh, tilting his head and crushing their lips together after barely a moment to catch his breath, being the only one who needed it. He cradled his face as he devoured him, the taste of his own blood on his tongue, the metallic taste stuck to the roof of his mouth. He wanted to hold his face between both of his hands and kiss him forever, wanted to cradle his skull and increase pressure, squeeze harder and harder until-

"I see you two are having quite the talk. I was wondering how long you'd be." Shadowheart's disapproving drawl broke them both from their moment, Tar'eons hands dropping from the vampires face instantly where they had attempt to crawl upwards into the silver strands at his temples.

His whole body was trembling, stomach roiling as he fumbled to fix his armour, whatever arousal he felt being washed away by the ice cold water that was dread. He'd been so close to crushing his skull between his hands...even while awake. He'd gotten distracted, and his urge had been ready to take advantage.

Astarion looked over at Shadowheart, licking his lips, a deep red stain of blood smeared across his cheek like lipstick. He licked at one fang like a hyena cleaning its canines, looking annoyed at her appearance by strangely calmer despite his aching cock. He wiped at his cheek with a finger, licking it clean of blood.

"Too bad you couldn't stay away another ten minutes. I would have been able to have my fill without someone interrupting my meal." Astarion's nails scratched along the edge of Tar'eons jaw, smiling at her. "I'm sure your Lady Loss would have appreciated the show."

Shadowheart wrinkled her nose, Gale looking equally disgusted. And very awkward.

"Yes, well, I'm afraid we have a very important mission to attend to, do we not? Right, Tar'eon, my friend?"

Tar'eon licked his own lips, the wound on the right of his bottom lip stinging fiercely.

"Yes...Lets focus on the mission."

He needed to kill something. He needed to sate the urge, before he did something he couldn't take back. He couldn't afford to get distracted again.

Astarion watched the man as they travelled deeper into the crypt, eyes fixated on his swollen, bloody lip.

He'd like to see Tar'eon explain that away to his righteous, noble lover.

As long as I continue to make you burn, you will look only at me. I am the only salve to your desire. No one will ever be as good as I am. I have centuries of skills above them all.

Like he could hear him, Tar'eons gaze fell to his as they walked, staring back for a long moment before he glanced away, a splotch of red high on his cheek.

I have you hooked. And you know it too, don't you, darling?

[coffeeheartaddict2]

Changes

Book: Open Heart (book 2 rewrite)

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!mc Casey Valentine

Category: fluff

Rating: PG

Warnings: language, sexual references

Word count: 3110

Summary. It is the Hopeful Hearts gala. Will it be enough to save Edenbrook?

Disclaimer: Characters,dialogue (actual and paraphrased)

Authors note: So I will not be rehashing the gala too much but there are some extra bits.

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

Casey is with her friends in the doctor’s lounge. The dawning of just how numbered Edenbrook’s days were was really starting to dawn on them. Kyra then walks into the office with a smile. Bryce perks up when he sees her and wonders if she has some good news. Kyra is very excited whilst she tells us to check our emails. We look and find an invitation to a gala to raise funds for the hospital. We too all become rather excited. We can not hit yes quick enough. We finish our break. I catch Sienna and ask her if she wants to go dress shopping tonight.

“Of course she says.”

We arrange to meet after our shifts and go shopping and then we continue with our rounds.

I then bump into June. I am still more than pissed off with her but feign a smile and ask her if she is looking forward to the gala.

“Oh I don’t think it is appropriate that I go as I have been offered a position at Solomon Kenmore and despite our differences I think you should come over with me.”

“Why June? So you can laugh at me in between rounds with Tobias? I want nothing to do with your games June.”

“Loyalty will not save Edenbrook you know?”

“Yeah well I would rather stay here than work with a snake like you?”

“Excuse me” June looking rather perplexed.

“You heard me. How do you think your new co-workers will deal with your schemes, you said it yourself you have to read the files of your co-workers to give you an advantage or do you plan on being too busy fucking Carrick in the supply closet every chance you get?” June stands there in stunned silence and takes a breath.

“You will at least think about it won’t you- we still work well in a team together, despite our differences.”

“The only reason we worked well together is because I was initially oblivious to your games and when I found out I avoided you. Good at Solomon Kenmore but personally, I do not have anything further to say to you.” I walk away until I am flagged down by Zaid. He tells me I am needed in room 314. I am perplexed as I know I do not have a patient there but then I recall it is Esme’s. I attend to the patient then Esme comes in. She apologises for me needing to do her job. I remind her that she has my pager and to use it in future as I state that Zaid had to flag me down. She is upset, says she will use my pager in future if she is caught out and then leaves.

I then see Ethan.

“I have been looking for you.”

I look at my pager and then say “I have not received any pages.”

“It was not work related. I was wandering what your plans were for the gala. Being on the Diagnostics team it seems logical that we attend together.”

“So what you are saying Ethan is you have to logically ask me on this date? Yes I would like to go with you.”

He blushes slightly, “It is not a date Casey. Our first official date deserves to be more than a work event, but for what its worth I am looking forward to it.”

He smiles then walks off.

The end of my shift finally arrives and I meet up with Sienna and we head to the mall to look for an outfit for the gala. She asks what my plans are. I state that I will be going with Ethan as part of the Diagnostics team. I also tell her about the other night in his apartment where we had a chat but still had not decided what we are yet.

Sienna gives me a hug. “At least you are in a place where you can talk about stuff.”

“This is true. I teased him about the gala being a date today but it is also a work thing so it is frustrating as it is work that lead to the indecisiveness of what we are.

Then I see a gorgeous red gown on one rack and a gorgeous gold gown on another. I grab both to try on. I try the red one first, the sleeves were off the shoulders with a mix of sheer and embossed areas and a slit on the legs. Sienna loves it and so do I. I go to try the gold one on next, it is low cut and long sleeved and another slit and me and Sienna both loved it. I could not decide which one to buy So I bought both.

“Now the hard decision which one to wear.”

“So, in other words which one would Ethan like better?” Said Sienna with a laugh.

I do an eye roll then laugh with her. My phone buzzes. I check and there is a text from Ethan.

“Speak of the devil.” I say as I read the message.

ER: night of the gala- meet at yours at 7.

CV: heading into date territory aren’t we?

ER: it is not a date rookie

CV: whatever you say Ethan- see you then

I tell Sienna that Ethan is meeting me at the apartment.

It is the night of the Gala and we are all trying to get ready. Elijah runs over my foot several times. Aurora finds it hilarious and I talk her into coming as it is in her interest that Edenbrook remains open. I then go into my room to change into my dress. I decide to wear the red one and I emerge from my room.

“Damn” says Jackie.

“Try and save some spotlight for us Casey” says Bryce.

Elijah ducks behind the bar and brings out a bottle of Tequila. Aurora wonders if we have time for this and then there is a knock at the door. I answer it. It is Ethan.

“Casey, you look.....”

“Ready to represent the diagnostics team?” I say coyly.

“I was going to go with beautiful.”

He spots my friends ready for the tequila shots and joins in. We are all pleasantly surprised that he joined us.

Me and Ethan catch a cab together.

“It was interesting see you and your friends in their element.”

“If you told them a year ago that they would be taking tequila shots with Ethan Ramsey they would have thought you crazy.”

“Same here but it can be nice to be proven wrong.”

Our hands find each other and our fingers interlace. I squeeze gently and he does the same. There is a storm of questions running through my mind. When is a date not a date? If this is work why is he holding my hand right now? Is anything else going to happen tonight? Do I want things to happen tonight?. Before Ethan can ask me what is on my mind we pull up at the hospital. We hop out and make our way in. The atrium looks absolutely amazing and Kyra comes to greet us.

“This looks amazing Kyra”

“Thank you- this place saved my life literally and I want it to stick around.”

“How is the hospital affording this Kyra?”

“A little thing I like to call ear marked funds. Some donors donate with no strings, others donate with the proviso that we throw more aren’t donors great parties.”

“So we had to throw a party?”

Yeah pretty much”

“Well we are certainly lucky to have someone so talented in our corner, thank you Kyra”

We make our way in. We head to a bar and order two Old Fashioned.

“Glad to see my good taste is rubbing off on you.” Says Ethan.

I tell him not to take all the credit as we head to where our friends are sitting.

After assuring Jackie that she will still be able to find a position despite her name being on the list of doctors receiving perks from the Panacea perks programme, we under the advice of Ethan divide and conquer to shore up much needed donations.

Me and Ethan work well together shoring up donations for the hospital. I then notice Aurora and make my way to her. I crack a joke about missing my true calling and then ask her what is up. She is having troubles with her aunt again, especially after she found out that her being at Kenmore was ploy to lure her Aunt across. We track down Harper and discuss how Aurora feels like that she will never leave the shadow of her aunt. Harper stated we never really escape from our mentors and our attendings. I then state that Ethan still holds Naveen’s advice and opinion in high regard. Harper also states that being on the team and Ethan as my mentor will have its advantages and disadvantages. Aurora seems to appreciate the new perspective. We head back to the gala.

I wander around the gala and then I spot Kyra. She is looking at her phone and typing rather anxiously. I ask how she is. She states that they are raising money but it only looks like it will be only a month or so. She feels bad for not saving Edenbrook but I assure her a month is a month that we did not have. We both head back to the party. I spot Ethan and he is looking exhausted. I know that he does not like this sort of thing. He is at the bar and he drinks his drink in a single gulp. I walk up and place my hand gently on his arm.

“I am really proud of you for stepping up tonight Ethan, I know how much disdain you have for this type of thing.”

Ethan asks for two more drinks and gives on to me. Ethan takes a sip of his drink

We talk about how once again he feels that he has let Naveen down and then we hear a cough behind us.

“Of course you would think that too but it was never about the team. It was about the mission- creating a place for those who had nowhere to go.” Naveen reassures Ethan that this mission will go with him wherever he goes. He gives Ethan a hug. Ethan looks more invigorated than I have ever seen him. He looks at me. And pulls me to towards him. I can’t believe what is happening. He cups my cheek in his hand and kisses me rather passionately. I am caught off guard but am quickly swept up in the moment. We reluctantly pull apart and move onto the dance floor.

Meanwhile Sienna and Casey’s other room mates see the kiss.

Sienna is excited and exclaims “I knew it!”

Jackie says ooohhh. Then she remembers what Sienna said- “Hang on Sienna, what did you mean you knew it?”. Sienna tells Jackie about the conversation she had with Ethan when they went to the FBI field office and how they had been seeing each other in secret until the rumours came about them. Elijah comes up- “Ahh, so the walk of shame he did last year at our apartment was not the only time then?”

“Wait what??” Says Jackie.

After the ethics hearing Ramsey stayed the night.” Says Elijah.

Bryce comes along and states that a lot of things now make sense.

Naveen sees the kiss and is overjoyed that Ethan is now open about the relationship. He did confirm that there was one when the rumours initially broke but had sensed that there had been trouble since but he did not press Ethan on the issue.

Harper saw the kiss too. She was happy for Ethan.

****************

Later on Ethan and Casey emerge from the diagnostics office. Casey is pleasantly surprised she can walk given how wobbly her knees still are after that rather intense session on his desk. They see Kyra and she asks what we were up to. Ethan states that there was some paperwork that needed attending too. Kyra laughs and says you’re not fooling anyone and walks off with a smile on her face. Before we head back down Ethan asks if I want to go back to his place.

“As much as I want to continue on from what we did in the office I also would appreciate being able to walk tomorrow. He kisses me gently and says fair enough.

We go back to the party and then then eventually head back to our separate apartments.

Sienna is still up when I enter. She asks me why I am not at Ethan’s and I state that I wanted to stay here tonight. Sienna told me about our housemates reactions. I had to chuckle at jackie’s and then we then head to bed.

I head into work the next day and run into June. She asks if I had given any further thought to her offer.

“No June, I will not. I am more than happy here and even though the days are numbered, I would rather stay here. I also choose to not be used as a pawn in any of your and Tobias’s power games. You can go to hell June.”

June is shocked. “It is ok to look out for yourself you know?”

“What makes you think I am not?”I say stonily. “Good bye June”

She puts her box in the car and drives off. I stand and feel the relief of her being gone.

Meanwhile Ethan is having a meeting with Naveen. Naveen is in shock with the news that Ethan has just told him.

“You’re wanting to disband the team”

“Yes for the third time.” said Ethan

“But why?” Questions Naveen.

“Our chat last night reminded me that the team was set up to help those that had nowhere to go- the way I see it, disbanding the team, allowing us to focus on the clinic is fulfilling that mission and hell may even buy us some more time.”

Naveen ponders his mentee’s response and then remembers what he witnessed.

“This also would have nothing to do with a certain resident who you kissed rather openly and passionately last night? Hmm?”

Ethan blushes. He knows that he has to admit as there is no pulling the wool over Naveen’s eyes, hell Naveen knew Ethans feelings before he did. “Ok- yes maybe had a bit to do with it- after the gossip awhile back we did end our relationship but we could not deny our feelings- we have not defined what our current status is however if I give them a little less to gossip about then we can weather the storm better if there is no team but the primary reason is the mission.”

Ethan then heads up to the office to finalise the paperwork and steels himself for work in the clinic. Baz is in the room when he enters. He tells Baz that he is disbanding the team. He advises Baz that they will still be working with their current patients but they will be working in the free clinic mainly.

Casey is checking on her patients when Ines pops her head out of a room. “Casey can we talk to you?”

Casey enters. She hopes it is about Esme but she can’t help the thought it was about Ethan’s kiss last either.

She sits down. Anita advises that the Coates family through their attorney believe that Dr Ortega deliberately ended the life of their son. If Dr Ortega did do it deliberately all liability will fall on her. So Dr Valentine, do you think she is capable?”

I take a breath. “I do believe that she was asked and she went through with the request yes.”

Naveen thanks me for my candour and time. I then head back to the ward and continue my rounds. I head into the locker room and see Esme. She is holding an envelope and she states that it was from the Coates’s attorney and that they were suing her and pressing charges for assisted Suicide. She asked if I had been spoken to by the board. I stated to Esme that I had. She rolled her eyes.

“You did this Esme, no one else. No matter what really happened in there, Levi’s death is on your hands.”

There is a whole heap more I want to say, but I refrain. If Esme did not listen to me before all of this then why would she now.

I then head to the diagnostics office and find it odd that the lights are off. Baz then walks past and says we are downstairs. I ask Baz if we have a new patient and he advises me we have several. We head down to the clinic. Ethan is already down there with Marlene one of the nurses diagnosing issues with patients.

In between patients I ask what is going on. Ethan states that he disbanded the team this morning and that our focus will be on the clinic to focus on the mission. I then get to work.

At the end of my shift I am exhausted. Ethan offers to drive me home. I accept. He grabs my hand as we leave.

“So why no team anymore?” I ask

“My chat with Naveen last night reminded me of the mission so I decided to disband the team so we could focus on that. That and I am no longer your boss.”

I sit there stunned. “It will be a relief to not hear whispers of people assuming I slept my way onto the team anymore.”

Ethan smiles. “I know we need to have a discussion about what we are at some point but can’t we just enjoy being able to be in the open.”

I squeeze his hand, “I think that will be a good idea.”

We pull up at my building and he walks me up to my apartment. He kisses me tenderly at the door. “Good night Casey.”

“Thank you for bringing me home. Good night Ethan.” I kiss him again and we separate for the night.

I enter the apartment and no one is in the living room. I lean against the front door relieved and happy.

Ethan makes his way back to his apartment. He wants to tell Casey he loves her but again he talks himself out of doing so. There are too many variables he tells himself, as he knows she may have to move elsewhere, even though he knows he will happily go where she goes.

Authors note: So that was the gala. There is still more drama to come.

Tagging: @jerzwriter @jamespotterthefirst @genevievemd @potionsprefect @liaromancewriter @cariantha @tessa-liam @bex-la-get @a-crepusculo @crazy-loca-blog @lucy-268 @peonierose @binny1985 @schnitzelbutterfingers

@choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

[chibi-pix]

Chibi watches V3D 15

Time for an episode of Voltron: The Third Dimension!

Fifty billion inhabitants in the moon-cities!?!?! No thanks. That is way too people-y for me. Oh look, it’s Haggar. Bringing to life robot dinosaur things. I mean. It’s effective. “Yes, by all means, go away. Far away.” Yeah, I feel that on a daily basis with folks. I love the Voltron force, but dudes, I feel like I’m vibing with the space witch more.

Yeah sure, strike a black hole to mess with the gamma energy or whatever. That sounds safe. I get that it seemed to go well for the team, but still. It does not feel safe. Well, whatever. It worked.

I don’t trust Lotor with a white flag… Oh look, he wants to return Zarkon. Can’t he just keep him? “I’m in agreement with blue boy here.” Lotor, was that a reference to Lance’s uniform having been blue back in DotU? Or is he just colour blind and thinks red looks blue? Allura’s plea for Lotor to not attack the Troika moons because there are innocent folks and children there. Honey? Did you really expect him to reconsider at that? Sweetie, bless your heart.

Amalgamus really considering the destruction of the robot lions. Does he not remember the trial? It’s been pointed out that, more or less, Voltron doesn’t belong to the alliance or serve it. They serve the universe. Jeez. Someone scrap this calculator. Oh wow. This show actually says the word “massacre”?! A children’s show actually says that word?! I’m amazed.

“Will the alliance leaders decide to destroy the Voltron lions?” They have no right. Right? The lions aren’t theirs to do with as they please. And these people are dense, ready to make the sacrifice. Do they really think if the lions were destroyed that Lotor will just turn over a new leaf, be good, and no longer attack anyone? They have not seen many shows to think it’s a good idea. Bad guys NEVER play fair.

Pidge reminding Amalgamus that the lions don’t belong to him, but to Arus. Yeah! You tell him, Pidgey! Oh… Allura is ready to turn the lioons over. And Lance being pissed about things. It’s intriguing that Lance feels that they’re betraying the lions by turning them over to be destroyed. And you know what? He’s right. Honestly, I side with Lance on the matter big time.

Poor Red having to be towed. Almost seventeen minutes in, I really hope that even without her pilot, Red decides to act out, refusing to give up. C’mon, baby! Reflect your pilot! Follow his lead and not be down with this bullshit! “I keep thinking that somehow someone’s gonna stop it.” Hunk, babe. Lance is unaccounted for, with reasons, and the lions might be sentient? If Lance isn’t secretly in Red ready to cause trouble and be defiant, then I bet the lions are gonna make their opinions on the matter known. Oh, Lance wasn’t in Red at the moment. But he’s definitely fighting to defend her! Good job, Lance! Show that loyalty! Lance getting shot down, my draw dropped. And Lance is pissed with the others, calling them ex-friends.

Okay, watching the lions be wrecked and dismantled, I actually feel like I wanna cry. “What have I done?” I dunno, Allura. Maybe just betrayed the lions who were nothing but loyal and faithful to you guys and doomed the universe?

Oh. Voltron lights just shot off. Hoo boy… I wonder where they went.

Yeah, it’s no surprise that Lotor’s fleet is turning back around and not gonna be destroyed. Amalgamus should have seen this coming. He. Is. Flawed. Stupid calculator.

The team better find a way to make things up to Lance and then find out where those lion lights went and make it up to them and get them back. Otherwise? Bye bye Alliance HQ.

Okay, all in all? I'm intrigued. I may have a vague idea of what kinda happens in the next episode due to some clips shown in the past in a discord server, but, we'll see on the next time I watch an episode. Also, as much as I vibe with Haggar's little comments, I also vibe with Lance's wit and logic. The man holds the brain cell it seems. Good for him.

Anyway, that's it for the night. Until next time!

[brucebocchi]

oh btw i have reasons for every single one of these:

Cowboys/Dojima: Incapable of accepting that what they once loved will never return to them, forever indulging in escapism and unwilling to face what's in front of them

Giants/Mitsuru: Stodgy, from old money, completely unaware of how the world around them actually works in this day and age

Eagles/Haru: fuck da police

Commanders/Sumi: "You know, Senpai, the old name was actually a tribute to Native Americans, they never should've changed it, I'm gonna keep calling them the Re-"

Bears/Akechi: S U F F E R I N G (also this work by gimmie20dollas that has become my entire personality)

Lions/Kanji: Hard nosed, smash mouth football, duh (actually he thought the Hawaiian Blue color was super cute but he'd never tell you that)

Packers/Morgana: Zero innate understanding of how anything works outside of their own milieu, arrogance hiding insurmountable insecurities, I hope they both die

Vikings/Ann: It's a common headcanon that she's part Scandinavian, so this was an easy one. Just don't tell her about 1998

Falcons/Makoto: No matter the accolades, no matter the talent, no matter the devoted fanbase, both will always and forever be mid (I'm so sorry Makoto I love you)

Panthers/Yusuke: Prone to rash, irresponsible decisions that will leave them impoverished for ages to come; in desperate need of leadership

Saints/Sojiro: What is gumbo but Cajun curry?

Bucs/Ryuji: Pirates. I didn't think any further than that and neither did he

Cardinals/Futaba: Kyler Murray is a gamer and Futaba thinks that's swell

Rams/Rise: Glitz, glamor, and mortgaging your future for short term glory. It's the idol way

Niners/Naoto: Naoto saw that little man Brock Purdy rise to greatness and got gender envy. And what better place for that than San Francisco

Seahawks/Chie: Found out about the Legion of Boom a dozen years ago and thought it was the coolest shit ever

Bills/Yu: Exudes DGAF energy but barely beneath the surface is nothing but passion and loyalty. Also Bills fans all have sister complexes

Dolphins/Fuuka: As we all know, Fuuka has a deep compassion for her team and profound technical knowledge, but can't cook for shit. Just like having Mike McDaniel for a coach

Patriots/Akihiko: Much like the Brady/Belichick years Akihiko is defined by a borderline-psychotic infatuation with always improving, always staying on top, and always finding a made-up mental hurdle to climb. Also he just gives me New Englander vibes. He'd probably call you a slur

Jets/Yosuke: Much-deserved suffering.

Ravens/Ren: Much like the city of Baltimore, Ren gives off a goofy, theatrical vibe that can sometimes overshadow his innate toughness and loyalty. Unlike Ray Lewis, though, he doesn't deserve to have a criminal record

Bengals/Shinjiro: Hardscrabble, rough history, both barely surviving on meager funds

Browns/Teddie: He found out about Deshaun Watson and liked the cut of his jib

Steelers/Yukari: Always serviceable and more than a little mean, though clinging desperately to the past to avoid the pain of the present

Texans/Kawakami: A life of exhaustion, malaise, and zero forward momentum while drowning in debt is almost as depressing as having to be in Houston. Also I just really wanted to photoshop her with a Lone Star

Colts/Door-kun: Makoto doesn't care, and what better team to not care about than the Colts? Folks,

Jaguars/Junpei: Junpei is basically Jason Mendoza

Titans/Aigis: Technically sound, maybe, but wildly incompetent in most other regards. Titan Up, as they say

Broncos/Adachi: Years of abject mediocrity after trying to make something of yourself, desperately clawing to any shred of normalcy or relevance, would drive anyone to madness and sociopathy. Also Adachi is there

Chiefs/Yukiko: Red offensive powerhouses stick together, I guess. Definitely killed a guy

Raiders/Kotone: A yawning, bleak emptiness just beneath the surface. May have fans still, sure, but long forgotten by just about everyone else

Chargers/Zenkichi: Became a fan when they were in San Diego and has foregone all dignity to continue supporting them. Once again, a loved one escapes his life and he finds himself looking backward, chasing after a past that will never return to him.

Persona characters as football fans

this is my magnum opus

[theshadiertwin]

Have some not-fic about this post by @theminecraftbee that has made me laugh and then feel immediately distressed:

Someone - we'll say Scott, because he's gay and dramatic and online enough to come up with this kind of plan and mention it on the server - talks about how it would theoretically be possible to kidnap a hostage and force their soulmate to complete a task or provide a resource to get them back alive. Someone else - we'll say Martyn, because he feels as though he has nothing to lose by this plan - hears him, and decides to attempt the ploy in question.

He considers what there is of value in this game, and on his green life there's very little - he has unlimited access to Bdubs and Impulse's cows already, the enchanter has not yet been found, and there are no villagers or even zombie villagers to convert. So it's something for the future.

For the wars to come.

Traps then. Redstone.

He considers what redstoners they have on the server, and of course they all have a decent level of skill, but there are three names that come to mind first: Etho, Impulse, and Tango.

Etho is right out. He'd have to not only find a way to kidnap and secure Joel, which is a dangerous proposition in itself, but then he'd have to contend with Etho on the outside of it - Etho who is an enigma at the best of times, Etho who seems affable and seems to have everyone's best interests at heart, Etho who betrayed them in their first go, who betrayed team Best for Bdubs and then Bdubs for his own life in the second (or so Martyn thinks), who has the whole world to betray on behalf of Joel this time - you can see the blood in Joel's teeth already, and Etho's teeth are hidden. No, Etho is not a safe choice.

Impulse seems more likely at first glance, and as a bonus he and Bdubs are still green - if it goes wrong, revenge will not be immediately an option for those two. But then again, Bdubs keeps revenge close to his heart, and carries his loyalties through seasons, moreso even than Martyn does. As much as Martyn knows his hand would hesitate to swing an axe at Ren, even now, he knows that Bdubs feral heart would tear itself out of his chest before putting his love in harms way, and even now he would be gentle with Cleo and Etho in memory of the love they had in prior worlds. If he held Bdubs captive to force Impulse to give him a trap, he would be arming a trap against himself by ever letting Bdubs free. He is not prepared to keep a prisoner until the world's ending, not yet.

Now Tango - Tango is a real possibility. Tango's rage, to paraphrase what Bdubs once said, is a valuable weapon in and of itself, to the one that can aim it, but the other half of Tango's soul is Jimmy. And Jimmy's heart is trained in forgiveness - even in their first go, he didn't want to stain his hands with the blood of his enemies. If he can convince him - and Martyn is confident enough in his silver tongue to know he can convince him - he'll be able to talk his way out of consequences, make it sound reasonable even. He'll be able to talk him into the trap too - it's easy, with his gullible old friend. The difficult part, really, will be keeping him alive while he's a bargaining chip, but he has faith in his ability to build a Timmy-proof box that can last a few hours.

So Tango. Redstone. War.

And the invitation for the first red lives to come in, should fate disagree with Martyn's hopes once again.

[dgcakes]

That was the thing about loving a man who lies like breathing, especially about his own safety. It took learning when to listen and turn a blind eye, and when to plan.

Hubert didn't need to know the details of when Ferdinand started to plan contingencies for his missions. He didn't need to know which of his agents had been won over, their respect and loyalty to their commander allowing them to make exceptions for his partner when the situation called for it. He didn't need to know how even Edelgard was in full support of there being an extra clause in the rules around Hubert's missions, for she too would move mountains for him, just as Ferdinand would, should they ever need to.

He didn't need to know, but he would be finding out now.

It had taken time before Ferdinand and Edelgard felt enough had passed before they would at least start compiling information and putting a (hopefully unnecessary) plan together for extraction or rescue. Usually halfway between his departure and expected return, they would have something at least considered. By the time of his expected return, details were being finalized (just in case). After a short leeway after his expected return, for travel time and unforeseen complications, the contingency would be set in motion.

All that to say that the fruitless search party Hubert expected was just being rallied was really more of a well chosen team that had been anticipating such a necessary mission for a while and had already set out. The days he could not track had been put to use by his beloved.

There was an unspoken part to what Ferdinand had made Hubert promise before he left.

"Promise me you will return home." He had said. But in his heart, Ferdinand added, "I promise that if you cannot return on your own, I will bring you home myself."

-

Hubert had observed that it would take someone rather bulky to rip the metal grate of his cell off its hinges. Perhaps bulky was not perfectly accurate. At least that is the thought that drifted through his mind watching one of the guards being used as a battering ram against the grate, slammed against and through it by the force of nature that had come calling.

In what was likely the delirious wishful thinking of a man close to death, Hubert could swear he was seeing a vision in blood red and honey gold come to save him. He had drifted to sleep before and lost track of the guards, but there seemed to be less of them now, and the one holding Hubert's bloody dagger was collapsed in a heap from where the cell was forced open.

A glorious god of battle worthy of a painting was soon kneeling before Hubert, cradling his face with tender hands, searching his body for injuries and trying to fuss over him in every way possible at once. The fury for enemies, the competent command to allies, and the sweet but frantic way Hubert was addressed, all in a series of moments. He wondered if Death should be so sweet to a person like him, who lied to his partner about coming home to him.

It was only when soft lips met his own, to give him water and healing draughts he could not otherwise drink unassisted, that Hubert started to doubt if his imagination was quite this powerful. If he were dreaming it, for one thing, Hubert hoped he would remember kissing Ferdinand as beautifully as their best times, rather than realistically as disgusting as he felt at that moment. The rescue was unbelievable enough, he didn't need the realism in this.

"I can tell you are coming back to me. You are overthinking and look annoyed about it."

Ferdinand's voice sounded broken and a bit wet, as if he had been shouting and sobbing in equal measure. But there was a beauty even in that, and in the quiet laughter of helpless relief as he held Hubert to him, touch as careful as it was desperate.

It took a few more unpleasant drinks before Hubert was in a state more able to breathe and move without being in further danger. A few familiar faces reported to Ferdinand on the state of the mission and were given orders Hubert didn't bother caring about. In any other state, his pride would have demanded he not be witnessed in this condition by anyone other than Ferdinand, and preferably not even him. But right now he was hanging on by a thread and the person he loved and trusted most was cradling him in his arms, as if Hubert were more precious than anything else in the world, and nothing else mattered to him but that embrace.

Vaguely, as he felt Ferdinand lift him to carry away, Hubert tried to apologize. He was a wreck just now but he felt the words needed to be spoken.

"I'm sorry for lying to you." His words were barely above a breath but he hoped Ferdinand understood.

He seemed to, as he moved Hubert in his arms and pressed a kiss to his temple.

"I have made an honest man of you yet."

Hubert couldn't quite manage a laugh, but he nuzzled closer as best he could. Yes, somehow, one way or another, his promise to return home would become true.

FERDIBERT

Again? Okay, but it's some hurt. and no comfort.

Sand. Metal. Bile. As his body swayed over the floor, Hubert felt the blistering dryness of his tongue swollen in his throat. The cuffs around his wrists burned into his skin any time he attempted a spell. After the first three days, he'd given up trying to focus on his surroundings. They were the same. Mold growing on rotting vines curling around and up the stone walls. The metal grate of the cell was rusted, but still thick and study. You would need to be rather bulky to rip them off the hinges. Or just know a decent incantation to cause an explosion.

But such an explosion wasn't possible. Not with the guards around him. Not with these damned cuffs. He looked over at the guards, one of them showing off the blood stained dagger in his hand. It was the one from Hubert's boot. The very same one that had given him a lovely souvenir on his side just moments ago.

He'd been there for weeks, not long after a failed mission where his target somehow managed to get the better of him. And he'd come to the conclusion not long after, that he would probably die in here.

Still, better he than her Majesty, he figured. Better he than....

Closing his eyes, he imagined warm, honey gold eyes watching him from across the table. A vibrant smile as they laughed over tea. The shine of the sunset on those long, silken locks. As his mind faded to slumber, all he could hear the final words they'd said to each other.

"Return home swiftly and safely, Hubert. Promise me."

"I will certainly try."

"No. You must promise. Otherwise, you may not step out of this room. Or warp away. Promise me you will return home."

"....Very well. I promise."

He'd lost count of how many days he'd been locked away. He should have been home already. No doubt they were beginning to worry. He was probably sick with it. Knowing him, Ferdinand would be trying to rally a search party by now. A fruitless endeavor, to be sure.

I'm sorry, Hubert thought. I'm sorry for lying to you.