#i LOVE inquisition okay i do love the game. but i really cant stop thinking about how flat some of the companion arcs are

[misojohnist]

yknow i think one of my biggest problems with dragon age inquisition is that the companions like you too much. you meet companions in inquisition and without any qualifying experiences or interactions they’re all immediately like “woooow herald you’re so sexy and cool and powerful and smart please let me join your illegal army ❤️” except for like. maybe the iron bull and blackwall. meanwhile in origins morrigan spends the entire game negging you and infantilizing your intelligence, zevran literally tries to kill you and thinks you’re kind of stupid for saving him, sten hates everything you do simply because he wishes you would stop talking to him, wynne treats you like a valued co-worker, oghren is too drunk to give a shit about you (unless ur a female in which case he is here to make tasteless comments), and alistair and leliana’s affection is entirely because they are both the character equivalent of a kicked puppy and imprint on you like ducklings. in dragon age ii every single character is unable to decide if they’d rather fight you to the death or fuck you. anders doesn’t trust you, isabella doesn’t trust you, merrill is sweet but every 3rd word out of her mouth is a lie, aveline would probably behead you in your sleep if you pissed her off no matter how good your relationship is, fenris OBVIOUSLY doesn’t trust you. companions used to be like “ok creep i’ll join your merry band of fuckups but dont expect me to be nice” and you had to WORK for their affection. everyone in inquisition wants to know me carnally and will tell me so in our first meeting and it takes all the FUN out of it!!!

[absolutelyfizzing]

potions class confessions (james potter x reader)

description - Reader is a potions natural and she gets paired up with James in class. While trying to make conversation they both let it slip that they might have a crush on each other. oops?

word count - about 1800

warning - Fluff!! avoidance and awkwardness, James being maybe a little shy ooc. Reader is a badass. House not specified but non Gryffindor is implied. Some negative self talk. There is also wolfstar!

MASTERLIST

Potions was by far your favorite class. The professor loved you and you had it with Gryffindor. This meant that you got to see him. James Potter. The golden boy of his year. You knew he was probably out of your league but you were pretty badass as well if you did say so yourself. You had top marks and were the seeker of Y/H. You were also widely liked, even though you weren't as loud or outspoken as the troublesome group of four in Gryffindor house. Your attention was drawn to your professor when he began to call out partners for the next couple weeks of the course. Your heart nearly stopped when he said you would be partners with none other than James Potter. Your heart picked up speed. You had a crush on the boy but you knew he was deeply infatuated with the beautiful Lily Evans of his own house. You knew better than to try to compete.

You looked over to where he sat with his friends and they were all giving him looks and shoving his shoulders. You thought they might be making fun of him for having to be partnered with you. You felt heat rise to your cheeks. He looked over and you made eye contact. Both of you looked away as quickly as possible and your cheeks darkened in color.

By the middle of class you had all migrated into your potion pairs and your assignment was to make a very simple healing potion that you could make in your sleep. It was more for practice than anything else. You hadn't spoken a word to James and he seemed unusually quiet. You had a suspicion that he didn't like you. He got pretty quiet whenever you were around and he sometimes would even leave the room when you entered. You didn't know why he didn't like you but you pressed on. And your crush persisted nonetheless.

"Quit staring at me, you're making me nervous." You mumbled as you began pouring in ingredients but you could feel his gaze on the side of your head.

You didn't look up when you heard him mutter a small, "Sorry." It was a short response and your heart sped up a bit at even the sound of his voice. Oh you were whipped and he wouldn't even talk to you.

"Do you wanna do this next part? You should participate if you want full marks on the assignment but I can keep going if you want me to." You offered, finally looking up at him. He was taller than you but his eyes were piercing. You held the spoon out a bit for him to take if he wanted and he smiled a bit at you before grabbing it. His hand brushing against yours had your heart fluttering and you thought you might just throw up. You both stared at the potion as James began to stir and he counted his rotations. When he got to 20 you threw something else in and he began to stir again, counting to 20 again. It was a bit tedious and ridiculously quiet.

"So, are you looking forward to the match tomorrow?" you tried to find a common discussion topic. He smiled a bit and took the spoon out of the cauldron. You looked to the clock and began the countdown of 5 minutes for the potion to sit before the next step.

"I'm very much looking forward to it. We are for sure gonna beat Y/H" he looked over at you slyly. You gasped dramatically.

"How dare you! I will have you know that I have caught the snitch in every match this year but one and that was because your beater hit me early in the game. I will be beating you tomorrow." You smirked. He looked at you with amusement in his eyes and he giggled a bit. He wasn't nearly as cocky alone as he was in large crowds.

"You're probably right. Our seeker is a bloody dud and it's unfair that we have to deal with him while Y/H has you, you're the best seeker Hogwarts has had in 50 years." He smiled at you, his volume matching yours, louder than your previous murmurs. You blushed under his gaze and under the praise that you hadn't expected. You thought he would tease you back instead of showering you with compliments.

"Flattery wont make me go easier on you, Potter. I'm still going to beat Gryffindor." you smiled., trying to bring the teasing back before the conversation got too serious and you revealed something you weren't supposed to. His eyes sparked at you and he smiled for a second longer before breaking your eye contact and chuckling.

"It was worth a try." He grinned, "You know, Remus was jealous I got to be your potions partner cause you're such a genius in potions and he's got to deal with stumble-y over there. " he nodded over to where you could see Remus trying to corral Sirius away from their cauldron as Sirius was a bit notorious for dropping things that happened to cause explosions. You laughed and blushed at the compliment.

"You do just fine on your own but thank you." You tried to calm your heart rate a bit. "Are they dating?" you questioned genuinely, still gazing at the duo across the room. You had seen them in the halls standing a bit close for friends and you thought you saw them holding hands once. James smiled like he was remembering something fondly and shakes his head.

"Not yet." he said simply. You quirked an eyebrow at him questioningly. "They've both got massive crushes on each other but refuse to see it. They'll figure it out eventually but for now its just endless flirting and it is downright exhausting." He said but all with a smile on his face, never an ounce of annoyance in his voice. "Have you had anyone catch your eye yet? I cant believe you aren't dating anyone." He continued to make conversation.

"I've thought about a few guys but the ones I like aren't the ones that like me." You tried to say lightly, avoiding eye contact with James. "But thats no big deal, I've got bigger things to worry about than who wants to take me to Hogsmeade next weekend or who's going to pick me up on the quidditch pitch when I've won that match tomorrow." You joked but James didn't really laugh.

"I want to." He looked at you before the timer you had set went off. Before you could say anything he started asking questions about what was next and you quickly threw the right ingredient in and stirred it three times. You raised your hand to call the professor over and while you were explaining your work you could feel James fidgeting behind you. The professor told you to sit tight the rest of class as you had finished early and you nodded at him before turning back to James.

"Are you pranking me or something?" You questioned lightly, already slightly upset that he would joke about something that you didn't want to joke about. You saw him look up into your eyes and furrow his eyebrows at you.

"No I'm not pranking you, why would you ask me that?" he asked, concern filled his voice. You looked down again and felt your heart pick up, your eyes stinging.

"Its just that I know that you have a think for Evans and I didn't know if you were kidding a second ago." you relied honestly. You felt a hand on yours before your pinkie was linked with his.

"I'm not pranking you. And I don't actually like Evans. I mean she's one of my best friends but me being in love with her was a rumor Sirius started as revenge for me telling Remus he liked him. I've.." He sighed a bit, "I've had a crush on you for a few years now actually." he looked sad. You moved so you were fully holding his hand and you squeezed.

"Look, if you're serious then I would love to go to Hogsmeade with you, I've liked you for a significant amount of time, I just don't want you to feel like you have to cause you pity me or something." you mumbled the last part. James looked at you inquisitively.

"Why would I pity you? As I've said you're the best seeker I've ever seen at Hogwarts and you can properly kick my ass in any class we happen to be in. And I promise I'm only half trying to get you to go easy on the match tomorrow." you smiled at the end and you chuckled a bit.

"Okay then, will you go to Hogsmeade with me next weekend?" You questioned, a bit more sure of yourself.

"Of course I will. I was also hoping I could steal a tie or two so I can properly represent when i'm at your matches. When you aren't actively crushing my team, that is." he smiled and your heart soared.

"I guess we will have to make a trade." you smiled and as soon as class let out you walked hand in hand into the corridor.

"Finally! Took you long enough, mate." you heard the voice of the raven haired boy behind you as he stood rather close to his not-yet-boyfriend. He pushed James a bit in the shoulder and held his hand out to Remus. Remus sighed and handed him a galleon.

"You couldn't have waited to make it official until the Hogsmeade trip? You've just cost me a galleon." he teased and you both laughed a bit.

"You should have let me in on the bet before hand and I could have kept it professional for another week." you smiled and James pushed you a bit from the side and you all laughed.

You looked over at him and his smile was so wide it made his eyes nearly close. You took a deep breath as you finished laughing and you started to pull him toward the dining hall where you were planning on getting dinner. His hand left yours and instead snaked up to you head so he could push your hair to press a kiss to the side of your head and you blushed deeply. You couldn’t have cared less when you heard a gagging sound behind you from the best friends of the man you hoped to be with for a longtime.

[bluecanyonmoon]

title | honey you’re familiar (like my mirror years ago)

author | EastFromEden

summary | get closer to me. Ten years of push and pull. Or Five times Michael and Alex played games with each other and one time they finally stopped.

tags | 5+1 things, lost decade

i’m elbow deep into writing part 3 of this and thought i’d give y’all a little preview because i need some validation and a kick in the ass. here’s the first thing from the 5+1. it’s unbetaed and english is not my first language so please excuse any oddness. lemme know what you think. 

i. babe, there's something lonesome about you

Even at night the heat was sweltering and encompassing, it burned deep and bright all around him. His truck kept it locked tight within steel and aluminium, Michael could feel it soaking in from beneath him. Upon reflection, it probably wasn’t his best idea to sleep in his truck in the middle of a heat wave. He welcomed the uncomfortable, he’d always been used to it and it’d been the only constant in his life: feeling ill at ease, not quite right, other—unbelonging. Still, he could put up with the heat as long as he got this: the open wilderness of the desert, the infinite starry skies and time to lose himself in it.

“I knew I’d find you here,” a familiar voice called out from a few feet away. He’d recognize it anywhere. And if he wouldn’t, the jet black hair, nose piercing and black nail polish he could see from here would certainly clue him in.

Michael cocked his head in his direction, lips curled in a smirk. “Am I really that predictable?” he chuckled.

“Only about your favorite hideout spots,” Alex said, smiling softly, coming up to the bed of the truck.

Michael moved over to meet him, knees dangling off the edge, hooking his fingers through his belt loops and pulling him closer until he stood between his open legs. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” he whispered, letting his breath fan over Alex’s throat. He couldn’t keep his eyes (or his hands) away from him, everything about Alex inevitably drew him in until he drowned himself in everything that makes him him: the gentle curve of his jaw, his deep brooding eyes, the slant of his nose, the sharpness of his cheekbones, his intoxicating smell of apple and herbs.

“I’ve left my jacket in your truck,” Alex explained. “From the last time we—” he stammered and Michael could see the tips of his ears turn bright red. “The last time we hung out,” he finally decided on with a sheepish smile.

“I know you did,” Michael breathed. “Did you do it on purpose so you’ll have an excuse to see me again?”

Alex raised an eyebrow. “Do I need one?”

“Never,” Michael replied, wrapping his legs around Alex’s waist and pulling his face down for a kiss. Alex returned the kiss eagerly, his lips oh so soft and pliable under his. Their lips meeting was ground zero of blissful oblivion and he basked in the electricity he felt shooting up and down his body, making his mouth tingle pleasantly. “Come on up,” he said, pulling away after a few seconds, exercising a modicum of self control before he pinned Alex down and whatever this visit turned into another quickie.

Alex hauled himself into the bed of the truck finding his favorite spot, leaning his back against the stack of sleeping bags, pillows and blankets Michael kept there. “You weren’t at the Crashdown today,” Alex remarked once he’s situated.

“I wanted to be alone,” Michael shrugged. Truth was he couldn’t bear to see Liz there, feel her grief and her pain and then watch it make their way into the pit of his stomach, with a side of puke-inducing guilt thrown in for good measure.

“Can I stay for a little bit then?” he asked. “Be alone with you?”

Michael knew how terrible Alex’s home life was right now especially since his abusive dick of a father caught them together. He’d had trouble getting Alex to open up about this but he was pretty sure Jesse Manes had been making his son pay for his ‘misbehavior’ every day since it happened, tightening his hold over Alex and his future even further.

“Sure,” he agreed easily, sliding closer to where Alex was sitting until their lower halves were pressed against each other. His inner chaos always stopped when their bodies were touching, when he could feel Alex against him, his hands roaming his body, his mouth tasting and licking the sweet saltiness of his skin. He could no longer play music, he could no longer silence the noise—he only had Alex now.

“Can I ask you a question?” Alex asked after a beat, laying his head on Michael’s shoulder.

Michael put his hand on his thigh, rubbing up and down and squeezing softly. “And here I thought this was a booty call,” he snickered, nuzzling his chin on Alex’s forehead.

“A little conversation before sex never hurt anyone,” Alex smiled, raising his head and pressing his lips against Michael’s in another sloppy wet kiss.

“Shoot,” Michael said, lying their bodies down further into the pile of blankets.

Alex steeled himself up. “You like girls, right?”

Michael’s head turned so fast he was scared he might have given himself whiplash. This was the last thing he expected. “You mean in general or as in like like?”

Alex’s eyes darkened as he threw a glare at him and Michael couldn’t help but lick his lips in response. “You know exactly in which way I meant that.”

Michael sighed and looked away. “Yeah. I like girls.” He never even had this conversation with himself, he wasn’t looking forward to having it with Alex of all people.

“And you like boys?” Alex continued.

Michael turned his head back to look into Alex’s eyes, molten gold. “I like you.”

Alex’s blush spread to his cheeks and he looked away. “Only me?” he asked softly. “Or do you find other boys attractive too?”

Michael’s sigh got deeper and his hands got a lot more fidgety on Alex’s jeans. “What’s with the twenty questions?”

Alex laid a hand on top of Michael’s and inched it up to his forearm in a gentle stroke. “I just want to know more about you. I’m curious. I’ve seen you with a lot of girls over the years.”

Michael sighed again. “Not that many,” he muttered.

Alex glided his hand up further until he reached Michael’s chin and tilted it toward his, pulling his face close to his until he could feel his breath on his lips. “Come on baby,” he murmured. “Tell me.” Clearly, he wasn’t above a little seduction to get what he wanted.

Michael wasn’t going to pass up an opportunity to distract Alex from his inquisition and he cupped Alex’s face and crashed their mouths together, lips smashing, teeth clicking. “Baby?” he breathed, tongue darting out to lick Alex’s top lip as he briefly pulled away.

Alex groaned. “I’m trying it out to feel if I like how it rolls on my tongue,” he replied before going back to shoving his tongue in Michael’s mouth and burying his hands in his gorgeous curls.

“I can give you something else to roll your tongue on if you keep doing that,” Michael whispered in between heady kisses, letting his hand roam up to Alex’s crotch.

“This isn’t fair,” Alex panted, hips bucking into Michael’s hand for more friction.

“Life ain’t fair Manes,” Michael groaned into Alex’s mouth, hand still stroking him over the denim.

Alex shook his head. “Come on,” he pleaded.

Michael sighed and pulled away from the kiss, nuzzling his nose into the crook of Alex’s neck, inhaling his earthy smell. “Okay,” he relented. “What was the question again?”

“Do you find other boys attractive?” Alex asked again.

“Yeah, I guess so,” Michael said with a shrug and a smirk.

“So you like both?”

“Yeah, I like both. Girls and boys. I don’t really care either way to be honest.”

“So you’re bisexual?”

“Yeah I guess that makes me bisexual if you want to put a label on it. I told you, I never really thought about it too much. I like what I like. It’s not that complicated.”

“Do you have a preference?”

“Not really. I don’t see gender. I see people. If I vibe with someone whether they have a dick or a pussy doesn’t really factor in.”

“You’ve never been with a guy before, right? How did you know?”

“I don’t know. How did you know? I saw you around, I saw you playing that out of tune guitar, I liked you, you were nice to me, I wanted to be all over you so I kissed you. That’s it.”

“The guitar was not out of tune, you just wanted an excuse so I would talk to you,” Alex teased.

“Did I need one?” Michael echoed.

“No, but I did at the time,” Alex conceded. “I really like you, Guerin.”

“I really like you too Alex.”

Alex’s eyes wandered down to Michael’s splint laying carefully between them. “I’m sorry about your hand.”

“For someone who loves music as much as you do, you should really change your tune,” Michael said, a tiny smile on the corner of his lips. He knew Alex’s multiple apologies came from a good, kind place, but he wasn’t ready to have that conversation. Or to be further reminded of this day. Ever. “It wasn’t you.”

“Some days it feels like it was,” Alex muttered.

Michael brought a hand to his chin and tilted it toward his. “Stop that,” he said firmly. He didn’t want the images of his assault to replay endlessly in his mind’s eye. “No angst tonight,” he warned before crashing his lips against Alex’s, burying his tongue in his mouth and pressing his body against his.

Alex responded in kind, one hand snaking around Michael’s hip and one hand burrowing into his hair. The kisses grew heavier and headier, tongues slipping sloppily against each other, lips and chins red and swollen. Michael felt both of their cocks getting harder as they sought more friction, hips canting up and swivelling into a disorganized rhythm. And then Alex slid one hand between them and rubbed him over his jeans.

“Oh is this finally happening?” Michael breathed, arching into the press of Alex’s hand and brushing wet kisses down his throat—just the way he knew he liked.

“What d’you mean?” Alex asked.

“Sex,” Michael drawled, his own hand moving to palm Alex’s erection.

Alex jumped back, eyes wide and mouth semi-open. “Wait,” he said. “You mean now?”

Michael was taken aback by the sudden acceleration of his pulse he could feel beating like crazy against his tongue. “Well… yeah,” he replied, keeping his head down into Alex’s neck. “It’s not like we’ve been touching each other’s dicks for the past ten minutes,” he laughed.

“It’s just that we’ve never done this before,” Alex reminded him.

Michael finally managed to pull his face away from licking Alex, raising his head to catch his eyes. Confusion echoed in them. “Wait what?”

Alex’s eyes dropped to Michael’s lips. “You know, sex.”

Michael shook his head. “I don’t understand. We’ve been having sex for the past month.”

“No we haven’t.”

“Exactly what do you think we’ve been doing?”

“Foreplay. Hands and mouth stuff.”

Michael had to fake a cough to hide a burst of laughter. “Are you serious right now?”

“Yeah.”

“Blowjobs and handjobs are sex.”

“Sex is penetration and we haven’t… you know.”

“Wait, is that what you thought I was suggesting earlier? Anal?”

Alex’s blush turned scarlet. “Well, yeah.”

“Baby,” Michael whispered, burying his head back in Alex’s neck and licking a stripe of skin there. “I promise you that the day it happens it won’t be the way I bring it up.”

“Okay Mister I’ve slept with a hundred girls.”

“Come on now. I’ve slept with two girls. And you. I don’t have any clue how to go about anal.”

“Good,” Alex laughed. “Cause me either.”

“I just don’t want you to think that we’ve just been fooling around or some shit. Sex doesn’t have be penetrative to be sex. I love your mouth and your hands. It’s enough if we decide it is.”

“It’s enough. For now.”

“Now that that’s settled, can we go back to the entertaining part of the program?” Michael grinned, bringing his hand back to Alex’s crotch.

“Hey, do you want to go to the drive-in?” Alex asked out of the blue.

Michael groaned. “Are you purposefully trying to cockblock me?”

“When I’m cockblocking you, I’m cockblocking myself too, so no,” he chuckled.

“Aren’t we good right there?” Michael insisted, running his hand over Alex’s erection again and kissing his neck.

“Come on the drive-in will be fun. We never do this.”

“We never do this because you never want people to see us together, Alex,” Michael reminded him starkly. Michael could feel the onset of a migraine coming in and he knew his powers would be even more uncontrollable than usual if he didn’t chug down some acetone soon.

“We could park in the back,” Alex cajoled him. “And fool around in the dark.” He pressed his lips against his, cupping his face softly, running a thumb over his cheekbone.

Michael turned his head away. “In the back, in the dark. Like a dirty little secret.”

Alex looked at him sternly. “Okay what’s the real issue here? You’ve never had a problem about hiding this from everyone you know before.”

Michael groaned, reluctant to talk about it.

“Guerin, what’s going on?”

“Nothing’s going on,” he retreated.

Alex sighed deeply and Michael could see the realization hit him like a ton of brick. “Did you get banned from the drive-in?”

Michael stayed silent, jaw and fist clenched, and pulled away from Alex’s embrace.

“Guerin, answer me,” Alex demanded a little more forcefully. “Did you get drunk and got into another one of your stupid fights and get banned from the fucking drive-in?”

“Sarge, yes, sarge!” he said, saluting him mockingly.

Alex’s face twisted into a scowl. “This isn’t funny.”

“I never said it was.”

“Why are you acting like this? Like everything’s a joke?”

“Life is a joke. But maybe you can’t really see that from your little middle class comfort.”

“That’s not fair,” Alex said, his voice shaking. “You know perfectly well my home life sucks. You know how my dad is.”

“I do know. I even have a little souvenir to remember him by,” Michael said, gesturing to his broken hand.

Alex ground his teeth. “This is serious Guerin. At some point you’re gonna get into the kind of trouble you won’t be able to charm your way out.”

“If I wanted a sanctimonious lecture, I would hang out with Max.”

“If you insist on behaving like a dick, I’m leaving,” Alex said, sliding to the edge of the truck and getting off.

“Right,” Michael said, voice tight. “Leave. That’s all you want to do anyway.” He felt his eyes well but he’d be damned if he let Alex see it.

Alex’s voice sounded smaller and farther now. “You used to want to leave at one point too, Guerin.”

Michael hated himself for being such an asshole but it was almost like he couldn’t help it. All these emotions, all this chaos, it overwhelmed him. It needed an outlet. It needed someone to be mad at when being mad at himself got too much. “I did, but now I’m stuck here, and you’re just waiting for me to fuck up so you won’t feel guilty about wanting to leave.”

“You’re not stuck here. You’re just scared,” Alex flung at him without turning back, walking back to his car as Michael watched him walk away, helpless.

*

The day Alex left, Michael sat in prison.

The days after Alex was deployed Michael didn’t sleep for a week.

He tried to walk into his psyche like Isobel did. He always kind of made fun of her for her abilities; he didn’t think it would be hard to master. Add that to the growing list of things he was wrong about. He couldn’t do it. He closed his eyes and concentrated until his eyes were bloodshot; he tried to conjure Alex as if magic was real. As if hope wasn’t the most dangerous thing out there. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t do it. In his mind’s eye, the desert was the backdrop but Alex was all he saw. His hands, his face, his mouth, his shoulders, his hips. All of him and yet none of him. How fitting. He was everywhere in his mind but couldn't invade his. And he couldn’t stop thinking and spiralling. The noise never stopped. What if he got hurts; what if he died in combat; what if something—anything—happened; what if someone found out he was gay and beat him up; what if he found a boyfriend there; what if, what if, what if, what if...

What if he forgot about him.

[seduceme-lovestruck-thearcana]

@ma-serannas-vhenan

Daily update of me :))

WE GOT THE BREACH CLOSED :)). I wish Cassandra was like “move move” as in worried for Bloom (my character) but she still basically pushed everyone out the way so I consider that worried :))). BUT EVERYONES ALRIGHT AND IM HAPPY :))).

OH NVM ITS NOT ALL HAPPY :((. Somethings happening sOOO-

BROOO WOWOWOWO. ELDER ONE IS ANGRY BC I TOOK HIS MAGES >:(((.

Dragon age REALLY just pulled a Mulan-. Causing a landslide tO STOP THE ELDER ONE. EVEN THO IT DIDNT WORK THEY STILL DID THAT DHWBBSW.

I think I have to sacrifice myself to the elder one??? Not sure?? But SO MUCH IS HAPPENING AND I LOVE IT >:)))

WOW THE ELDER ONE RLLY JUST SAID HE DOING THIS BC HE CAN WOW OKAY.

I really tried to be nice to “understand” the elder one (bc why not) and apparently the mark is permanent. Makes me kinda happy >:)). BUT NOW WE GOTTA SEE IF HAVEN IS STILL ALIVE OR NOT IDK SJABW.

And I can now use this power wisdom or focus something. I read too fast so I can’t remember what it’s called but it’s really cool👀👀.

Wow I’m in the cold and she’s shivering and honestly I could NEVER.

Everyone is singing and I LOVE it.

We’re at sky hold and the music is INTENSE and I LOVE it.

I’m getting compliments from Cassandra and everyone from the inquisition and now I’m the inquisitor and I’m LIVING. And I chose faith and Solas disapproved bc I didn’t choose the mage option :’(.

Me: *starts the game wanting Solas*

Also me: *Starts to not feel it with Solas*

Oh no I don’t like tHISSSS.

AYEEE I GET TO KISS SOLAS LETS GET ITTTT.

WAIT I WAS ASLEEP?? HUH-

I suddenly have a wardrobe and I don’t have to pay?? Huh-

BLOOM REALLY JUST STRAIGHT UP SAID “You’re the one who started with tongue” AND THEN “Oh it doesn’t count if it’s fade-tongue” GOD I LOVE THE CHOICES HERE. I wish I made my characters voice a bit higher tho👀.

THIS MAN,,,TRIED TO ATTACK THE SKYHOLD WITH A GOAT HYDRA I CANT JDNABW. It even showed us a goat hitting the wall,,,Poor bby.

HNNNG I sentence Alexius to tranquility bc I don’t wanna kill him and hMMMM Solas greatly disapproved. That’s fun-

Apparently I can romance one of the guards?? Idk who she is but she’s just warning me about a poisonous place dnwnd.

BRO THERES SPIDERS THAT ARE BIGGER THAN AUSTRALIAS SPIDERS XJANBW.

I’m not gonna lie, I was doing this mission to find a mine,,,but I couldn’t find it and I was pissed off so I took a break and still can’t find it so I’m working on a different one,,,

OH,,,I found out I DID find it,,,I just didn’t find the right thing IN that mine,,,God I-

TIME TO UNDO SOME TIME MAGIC STUFF >:))).

Just learned that Orlais is pronounced like Orlay,,,like the Olay body wash,,,I’ve been pronouncing it Or-lay-is.....

[rogue-hummingbirb]

10 Characters I Would Kiss

I was tagged by the darling @pikapeppa. Thank you, my dear.

These are not in any ranking order, because YOU CANT MAKE ME CHOOSE A #1.

1. Loki (MCU)

If I start explaining how much I love him, or why, we will be here all day. So, I’ll just leave it at: I love him, he needs love, and I would volunteer as tribute to give him all the kisses (and hugs).

2. Lotor (Voltron Legendary Defender)

You may be noticing a theme already, and you wouldn’t be the first to call me out on it. Let me have my chaotic boys with family problems, long hair, and a love for sharp objects.

All joking aside, I adore Lotor. He’s dynamic, and my opinions on the later seasons have less to do with his character, and more to do with a dislike for the writing. He’s one of my favorite characters in that series (Up there with Keith and Shiro. Who I adore, but wouldn’t want to kiss.)

3.Alucard aka Adrian Tepes (Castlevania)

Aaaaand the theme continues. 😂

The first time I watched this series (I never played the games, admittedly) I loved him. Sassy but sweet is the way to my heart. I’d definitely kiss Alucard, but I think he probably needs hugs more.

4.Fenris (Dragon Age 2)

Bet no one saw that coming, not. Fenris is a given. Honestly, he was the reason I even continued playing DA2 instead of abandoning it halfway. In the beginning, the anger was off putting, I admit I do not do well with people being angry/yelling/lashing out, but luckily, since I went the Friendship route, I got to see the softer, less bristly side of him. I adore that he’s not perfect, but that with Hawke, he finds someone he can lean on and trust. So yes. Fen is definitely included.

5. Zevran Arainai (Dragon Age Origins)

ZEVRAN IS A GIFT, okay? I love him. I have to be vague so I don’t ruin anything for a friend, but goodness. I started out in my first playthrough with Amara flirting with Alistair, finding him adorable, like a puppy. I figured, “well, Ali is cute enough.” And then this beautiful man burst into my life and I was screwed. (*cough* sort of literally too *cough*). Half the time, I’d end up grinning ear to ear because from him, and since the entire reason I was playing was to keep my mind off of some very heavy things in life at the time....it was a welcome relief.

He was SO EASY for me to read, which is rare, I can have a hard time reading people, especially in games. I’m guessing my ability to read him is due to the fact that I have a tendency to deal with things in a somewhat similar way. (Laughing and joking about things is much easier). Then getting deeper into the romance, and getting to know his character, I honestly just loved him so much. I had never actually played a game where you got to romance a character, so Zev is my ‘first love’ in that respect. I’d continue....so I’m going to stop.

6.Sesshomaru (InuYasha)

Am I aware that I would die? Yes. Do I care? Not really.

7.Blackwall (Dragon Age Inquisition)

This beautiful and lovely bearded man (teddy bear) was a surprise. A wonderful surprise.

Inquisition was hard for me to ‘get into’, the same way DA2 was. Pika was lovely, and suggested Blackwall as a romance when I couldn’t decide, and so I trusted her judgement thank goodness I did, because he is a treasure. Normally, I hate facial hair. 😂 so much. But it was quickly something I came to adore about him. Blackwall’s beard makes him Blackwall, and I cannot imagine him without it.

He’s sweet, goodness, he’s so sweet. I remember playing and just getting the most stupid grin on my face when he’d call my Aerin ‘My Lady’.

8. Garrus Vakarian (Mass Effect Trilogy)

Garrus. I.....I am still not over Mass Effect. I just finished it a few months ago, and I still hurt. I don’t cry often, and ME3 had me bawling for a good half hour off and on.

I started playing after Pika’s recommendation, and then Garrus showed up. Him being an alien meant little to me, given my experience with other fandoms. What meant a lot what that he was ALWAYS there. That’s my kink, loyalty. I’m weak for it. And then he turned around and stole my heart with the sarcasm and jokes. The little fluttering of his mandibles when he gets embarrassed, or the way they flare when he’s pissed. I found myself able to read his body language despite it being COMPLETELY different in so many ways. And the better I got at it, the more I loved him. He was awkward, but considerate, floundering around just as Shep was in an alien relationship. I found him so endearing. So not. I’m still not over Garrus Vakarian.

9.Jaal Ama Darav (Mass Effect Andromeda)

Jaal came out of left field, I’ll give him that. I had planned to romance Vetra, and then he showed up and I was done for. I’m weak for voices, and I was hopeless. Add that he threatened my Ryder’s life and poof—Ryn was caught. (there may be an underlying ‘problem’ with me there, but I won’t think too hard on it. 😂)

Still haven’t finished Andromeda 😬 so I’m going to stop now.

10. Krolia (Voltron Legendary Defender)

Ah, Krolia. The first time I saw her I though: ‘pls step on me.” A pretty lady that throws knives and could literally chuck me across the room? Sign me up, please and thank you.

To finish: Yes, I have a type; no I am not ashamed of it. 😂

I’ll tag forward to: @anaranesindanarie @rhysgalenrigsby if you’d like. ❤️

[ghostandblog]

Talking about Movies

FF / AO3

Summary: Bored in the library, Hannah and Barbara play a small game thinking about their friends.

Pairing: Sucy/Akko, Hannah/Amanda, Barbara/Lotte ( all characters are mentioned but not all appear, this is mostly about H&B talking).

Word count: 1,890

“Alright, let’s start with…Diana.”

Hannah’s tone is low, almost like a whisper, despite the library being pretty much empty. She looks at her friend with an inquisitive look.

Barbara rests her hand on her chin, with a concentrated expression as she thinks of their overachieving roommate. She considers her proper body posture, aristocrat upbringing, and the way she always goes for the most complex words at the moment of talking, which Barbara was sure it was a conscious decision on her part. It reminds her of black and white films, stories of powerful yet vulnerable heroes, beautifully designed yet simple dresses, and a sense of elegance that is just absent in most modern movies. With a clear answer on her mind, she looks back at Hannah.

“Diana would be… Classic Hollywood.”

Hannah raises her eyebrow a little bit. “That’s an odd connection.”

“Not at all, it makes perfect sense. Think of her as…Gone with the Wind or Citizen Kane”. Once she figures that her redheaded friend is convinced, she clasps her fingers together with a small smirk. “Alright, my turn. Give me a movie genre for… Amanda.”

Hannah narrows her eyes for a moment. “Amanda…Amanda would be adventure films. Movies that provide an… exciting sense of wonder. Purposely throwing yourself to danger in order to find new experiences, marvelously choreographed action scenes. You know, stories about the discoveries of ancient secrets and hidden treasures that also would lead to the discovery of…new aspects of yourself.” Hannah feels her lips forming a smile, then looks at Barbara’s grinning expression and worries that she may have flattered their american classmate a bit too much. “B-but there would not be, like, anything meaningful in them! always B-rated flicks with zero substance, yeah! That’s Amanda.”

She looks around them, worried that maybe she spoke a little too loud, but finds the library as empty as it was when they came for their now-paused study session. Hoping that her blush isn’t too noticeable, Hannah points at Barbara.

“Your turn now! Constanze?”

Barbara giggles a little bit, this was definitely a no-brainer. “Well duh, science fiction movies!” Giant robots, scientists working on their laboratories creating complex machines. Barbara entertains the idea that the short girl’s birthplace and silent nature is reminiscent of german expressionism cinema, but she knows she may be reaching with that one. “Jasminka?”

Hannah lets out a mocking chuckle. “I dunno. The cooking channel?”. After both share a small laugh, she tries to give a more thoughtful response. “But like, seriously, there is a sort of…warmth in her, you know? Always offering a tiny bit of what she’s eating, always with that calm smile of hers, it kind of reminds me of those feel-good movies that you watch as a kid with your parents, the ones with happy endings no matter what, or no matter how cheesy. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, if you will.”

Barbara nods, not really having anything to add.

Hannah raises her eyebrow again, this time placing a hand under her chin. “Now what would Lotte be?”

Barbara’s mind goes back to the finnish girl and remembers how she got to know her better thanks to their shared interest in Nightfall. She thinks of impossible love stories, star-crossed lovers, and above all, stories of girls that at some point may have been perceived as plain-looking or invisible, but later prove themselves beautifully unique and irreplaceable to the eyes of the previously dismissive hero. Unlike Hannah, she is not ashamed of her blushing face neither tries to hide it. She lets out a sigh before speaking.

“Lotte would be romance. Definitely.”

“Hehe. Of course she would.”

“You now. How about…Kagari?”

Hannah blinks, not really sure what to say at first, then finds a clear answer just by looking at Barbara’s smirk, knowing for sure that she is thinking the same thing as her.

“Comedy!”, they both say almost in unison, covering the giggling with their hands, more like a habit than a genuine attempt at keeping it quiet.

Atsuko Kagari. Always tripping over something, always making a mistake in her potions that resulted in some kind of explosion and her face covered in ashes. It’s like she was born to make every situation around her funny, and her almost negative intellect didn’t help, either. Everything she did was a source of laughs. Comedy certainly suited her alright.

Hannah wipes a small tear from her eye after laughing maybe a little too much, remembering it was her turn to ask.

“Okay Barb, what about creepy Susie?”

“Yeah. What about me?”

The monotone tone of voice is familiar, but the surprise is still there when they turn around and see the figure of a pale girl with long purple hair, her only visible eye looking directly at them with a tired expression, bangs covering the other one.

Hannah tries to stand back almost instinctively, accidentally tripping with one of her feet and falling out of her chair in a very unflattering manner, not unlike the way of the clumsy girl they were laughing at recently.

Barbara remains sitting where she is, petrified, with her hands placed in front of her as if she were trying to stop a sudden attack coming from Sucy. She attempts to keep her cool, but still can feel the sweat on the back of her neck.

Sucy just stands there, her expression unfazed. Is only the slow, uninterested way she blinks that reminds Hannah and Barbara that the girl standing before them is still alive (as far as they know).

“S-sucy! Hannah and I were just, we-” Still doing her best to keep whatever remains of her composure, Barbara hopes that she can get them out of there alive by sweet-talking somehow.

“How long have you been just STANDING there!?” Hannah’s usual temper doesn’t make it easy for Barbara, though.

Sucy just gives her a quick, dismissive glance, before looking directly at Barbara, who is now wishing that her sweating isn’t as noticeable as she thinks it is.

“So? What movie genre I am?”

“Ah! Well, we- uhm, we thought that you, erm, obviously-”

As Barbara attempts to form a coherent lie, Sucy just gets closer to the point that their faces are mere inches to each other, as if to remind her that there would not be a way out of this unless she tells her what she wants to know.

“Answer the question. Which one I am?”

Barbara lets out a loud gulp. She can’t really think of a convincing lie, so she decides to just answer honestly, ready to face the lavender witch’s wrath.

“Horror. I…i was gonna say that you would be a horror movie.”

Her expression doesn’t change for the next seconds that to Barbara, felt like hours. Then a smile seems to form on her lips, just enough to let Barbara know that she was amused by her answer.

“Haha. Neat.”

“Yo, Sucy! Hurry up! I already found the book that Lotte asked us to get!”

Hearing the familiar, loud voice that doesn’t even try to pretend to be in a place meant for silence and studying, the three girls look at the other end of the library, where Akko is waving at them while holding an old, dusty book on her other hand. Sucy looks back at Hannah and Barbara, wearing the same uninterested expression as before.

“Gotta go now”.

Feeling like she dodged a mushroom-shaped bullet, Barbara tries to keep the tiny bit of composedness that she barely had, but lets out a deep breath the very moment Sucy turns back and goes to where Akko is. She keeps looking at their direction, though, if only to make sure that the creepy girl actually leaves and doesn’t have any kind of last card, snake or potion under her sleeve. While hearing them chat as they walk, Barbara can notice, once again, how Sucy’s body language changes just a little bit when walking alongside Akko.

“Hey Suz, what were you doing with Hannah and Barbara just now?”

“Eh. We were just talking.”

“About what?”

As they leave the library, the two blue team members can’t hear their conversation anymore. Hannah, still shaking due to their near-Sucy experience, tries to regain her collectedness and opens her books again without saying anything, willing to forget anything related to the game they were playing to slack off studying. Barbara’s attention is somewhere else, still looking at the door even after the two girls are no longer there.

If Barbara had to be honest, she didn’t particularly care for either of them… even if Lotte was still trying to get her to know them better. But despite her own indifference, she couldn’t deny that there was something…charming in how the weird, creepy, and off-putting girl with lavender hair managed to develop a soft spot for the clumsiest girl in school, and how it was hard to ignore given that she herself managed to notice certain patterns as she was looking for stuff to make fun of them. Back when she still found enjoyment in bullying the three red team members, she considered the idea to tease Sucy about her potential feelings towards her roommate, but even then her own sense of survival knew better than that.

The expression on her face softens up just a tiny bit, enough for Hannah to notice when she turns to talk to her again.

“Did you know, that despite how different and irreconcilable they may seem, the horror and comedy genres have a lot in common? Many film and literally critics agree on that.”

Hannah just looks at her with a confounded expression.

“Huh?”

“If you pay attention, you would notice how many of the most acclaimed horror movies have a little bit of comedy in them. Not even as a foil, mostly as…a small piece that you didn’t know it would be missing. Something that you never thought would fit, but it does amazingly so. Yes, comedy and horror movies can exist on their own and work perfectly fine alone…”, pausing her words for a moment, she looks for her notes scrapped on the table to resume her studies, “…But is only when placed alongside with comedy that the horror genre gets to truly shine to its full potential.”

“What the heck are you going on about now?”

As if taken back from a trance, Barbara blinks a little, then just shrugs.

“I guess I just thought it was interesting.” She says almost instantly forgetting why that particular comparison came to her mind. “What about us though?”

“Ah?”

“Yeah, what movie genre would we be?”

Hannah scratches her head. She considers the options left, even if at this point she is not really interested to keep playing the little game they both made up. “I dunno. Animation?”

Seemingly considering the answer for a moment, Barbara lets out a dismissive laugh while opening one of her books. “Ha! As if.”

“Yeah, you are right. I’m not a big fan of cartoons, in all honesty.” Hannah says as she thinks of repetitive Saturday-morning animated shows, the ones with talking animals wearing funny clothes, stock sound effects, and the same background scene over and over. “Is just stuff for little kids anyway. Like, who has time for that kind of crap?”

A/N:

Hannah and Barbara being named after Hanna-Barbera will never not be funny to me.

Has something like this been done before? at first i wanted to compare the characters to music genres and bands but besides picking Kraftwerk for Constanze i've got nothing. Kinda not very really convinced how this one turned out, but still, i think is better to just publish it instead of letting it accumulate metaphorical dust in my drafts forever lol. I think I also better look for some beta readers for my next fic, i have a couple of other unfinished ideas even if I am not really sure what do…writing-wise? Guess we’ll see.

Amanda being Hannah’s gay awakening is a really cute concept. Is really growing on me!

Still, thank you for reading! Hope you all enjoyed this.

[mshellbrat]

Hey guys! I know I’m a day late, but here is my submission for the @thebookjumper Olicity Hiatus Fic-A-Thon for the prompt: Ask. It’s also the second part of the “Here or There” Verse. I would love to hear what you think! 

Summary:  Oliver is concerned...and being avoidy...and has quite possibly missed something that he really needs to know about. Sara is fed up with Oliver's crap and decides to drop him a clue. Felicity is playing games with new friends and she's made total peace with that whole Oliver/Sara relationship thing.

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING!

Here goes!

Oliver honestly tried to focus on his sparring match with Digg and Sara, but his mind kept wandering. Or was it even considered wandering if it always landed in the same direction? His eyes flickered to the back of the blonde head and swishy ponytail. Pain exploded in his jaw and he stumbled back a step but managed to keep his feet. He cut his eyes back toward Sara.

The assassin only smirked and cocked a brow. “Avoid distractions.”

Digg snorted. “Let's call it for the night. Boy's head's not in the game.” He walked off.

Oliver's eyes once again strayed toward Felicity. Sara cleared her throat and stepped in front of his view. Oliver met her stare without reaction. Sara shook her head. “What are you doing, Ollie?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You know what I'm talking about,” Sara said. “You've barely spoken to the woman in weeks, but you're perfecting your brooding stare behind her back.”

Oliver huffed in frustration. He ran his hands over his face and carded them through his short hair. “I'm just...concerned. We still don't have many answers about her condition.”

“Well,” Sara looked back over her shoulder at the blonde in question, “the cocktail is working for the time being. S.T.A.R. Labs is still working on it. Unless you want Felicity to make another extended trip to Central City for more extensive testing...”

The cocktail, such a polite name for a nightly shot full of hormones and inhibitors and other scientific terms Oliver would never fully understand, was the only thing currently keeping Felicity from slipping away from them again. One night off the shot and she'd be 'there' again...wherever or whatever 'there' was. A sleep study performed at S.T.A.R. Labs had verified what Team Arrow already knew...Felicity wasn't crazy. Something was physically happening to her and pulling her mind/her consciousness/her soul to somewhere else when she attempted to sleep. It was as terrifying as it was unfathomable.

“No,” Oliver growled. “She belongs here. We can't protect her in Central City. She needs to be here.”

Sara's expression was knowing. “Right. Dr. Snow said they would call if they needed anything else from our end, but as long as the cocktail continues to work they see no reason she can't resume her normal schedule until they make a breakthrough.”

“I know,” Oliver ground his teeth and balled his hands into fists, “but the cocktail is not a permanent solution. We need a permanent solution.”

Sara cocked her head to the side. “And while that's undeniably true, it still doesn't explain why you're avoiding your girl.”

“Sara,” his growled a warning.

The assassin crossed her arms over her chest and held her ground. “I'm waiting, Ollie. What excuse do you have for barely speaking to the woman who we both know it would break you in half to lose?”

“I can't...” he took in a sharp breath and blew it out as he struggled for words, “I don't...know how to talk to her anymore. After...”

“After what?” Sara asked. “After finding out the version of you in this other place grew some balls and manned up enough to admit he's madly in love with that amazing blonde over there?” His glare, unsurprisingly, had no affect. Sara rolled her eyes. “What are you so afraid of, Oliver? Do you think she expects you to turn into that other man? That she expects you to grow up overnight and suddenly be functional and ready for a healthy relationship instead of the one-nighters and comfort sex you've been settling for so far?”

“Sara...” he tried to cut her off.

Sara waved him off. “Don't bother, Ollie. I have no illusions where we're concerned. I used you just as much as you used me and it was fucked up as usual.” He tried to object and she glared him silent. “We hurt Laurel, we hurt Felicity, and we hurt ourselves. We lived down to expectations and we both know better.”

And there really wasn't much he could say to that. She was right and they both knew it. Trying to turn a self-destructive relapse into a relationship wasn't fixing anything. It didn't take away any of the guilt. It was a band-aid over a bullet hole. But knowing that didn't help him with Felicity.

“I don't know what to say to her,” Oliver admitted.

“You're underestimating Felicity,” Sara said. “She knows you, Oliver. She isn't expecting some grand declaration of love and fidelity. You just have to talk to her. Act normal,” she rolled her eyes, “I know it's a stretch.” She turned and motioned with her head for him to follow.

Oliver walked behind Sara and felt his chest tighten the closer they came to Felicity. The assassin was right about one thing, he couldn't stand to leave things as they were between them. He had to fix this somehow. Even seeing Felicity every day and every night, Oliver missed her. He missed his friend, his confidante...his girl.

“Hey Felicity,” Sara called, “whatcha up to?”

“Hmm?” Felicity spun in her chair with a smile on her face. She was typing away on the phone in her hand, but pulled her attention up to Sara. When she noticed Oliver standing behind the assassin, her smile slipped for a moment, but then she shrugged and focused on the other blonde. “I'm enjoying my daily session of 'Ask Felicity', actually.” She canted her head to the side and lifted inquisitive brows. “What's your opinion, Sara? Best water Pokemon?”

Sara chuckled and shook her head. “Still at it with the questions, huh?”

Oliver frowned and tried to act normal. “What's 'Ask Felicity'?”

Felicity seemed stunned at the sound of his voice, but she quickly shook it off and answered. “It's just a game I'm playing with a friend...a new friend.”

“A male friend,” Sara teased the blonde and filled Oliver in at the same time, “who Felicity met through an online dating site that she hacked.”

Oliver felt a jolt of confusion and then panic. Felicity was online dating? Felicity was dating, period? When did this happen? Why was this happening?

Felicity pursed her lips. “Hacking is such a harsh term. I only might have tweaked their formula a bit.” She pointed at Sara. “I told you those results were entirely too broad. I wanted a few decent options, not every man that mentioned anything geek, or game, or sci-fi and fantasy related.”

Sara grinned even broader and pointed to her chest. “This isn't judgment. This is pride. I'm tempted to have you set up an account for me.”

Now Felicity looked entirely confused. She looked back and forth between Sara and Oliver as though trying to fit together the pieces of a new puzzle.

Oliver cleared his throat. He carefully chose his wording and tried to keep his voice calm and rational. “Felicity...with everything going on right now, do you really think this is the best time to try out online dating?” He paused and noticed Sara was now glaring at him. He rushed to explain. “I just mean...things are complicated and dangerous right now. Slade is still out there...”

“And that never stopped you from getting any,” Felicity said. Then she winced and looked at Sara. “No offense. I really like you now.”

Sara smiled and patted her on the shoulder. “None taken.”

Oliver tried to speak again, but Felicity waved him off. “Landon isn't Slade, Oliver. He has both eyes. He also isn't in any way related to our current problems. He's a normal guy. I checked him out.” She took in a deep breath and blew it out. “So, while I appreciate your concern, it isn't necessary. I'm a big girl and I can make my own dating decisions.”

“I...” but Oliver noticed Sara's eyes were throwing daggers at him and decided to retreat for the time being, “okay.”

Sara turned back to Felicity. “So, the questions are still going good?”

Oliver gritted his teeth and forced a smile onto his lips. “You never fully explained that.”

Both women turned to look at him as if mystified as to why he was still standing there. When he continued to refuse to disappear, Felicity sighed. “He sends me new texts every day asking me questions. Then he sends back his own answers. It's a fun way to play 'getting to know you'.”

Oliver snorted. Sara jabbed him in the side with her elbow. “I thought it was clever. Now they won't be super-awkward when they finally meet in person.” The vigilante could feel his blood pressure rising at just the thought.

“Of course,” Felicity told the other woman seriously, “yesterday I thought it was all over.” Sara leaned closer for an explanation. Felicity frowned. “He asked for my favorite hero and I answered him honestly. I told him I liked my heroes strong and complex, but also a little complicated and angsty,” she shrugged and made a cute 'duh' expression, “so obviously Buffy was the answer.”

Sara snorted. “Obviously.” But then she frowned concerned. “But he didn't agree? Does he have a problem with strong females? Need me to kick his ass?”

“Oh no!” Felicity shook her head. “He totally agreed with the Buffy part. He owns the box set. We might set up a Buffy marathon date. That wasn't the problem.”

Sara cocked a brow. “Well?”

“Oh,” Felicity grimaced, “we spent a solid hour debating Angel or Spike for best soulful vampire. It was a bloodbath. I thought we might have found our irreconcilable difference.”

Sara chuckled. “But somehow you pulled through?”

Felicity nodded with a smile. “We decided I could have Spike and he'd keep pulling for Angel and we both agreed that we really really hated Riley.” She sighed dreamily. “He sent me a three text rant about how lame Cardboard Boy was. It warmed my heart.”

The blond assassin smiled evilly at Oliver. “The joys of new love.”

Oliver glared back at her.

“Anyway,” Felicity pushed to her feet. She smiled tightly at Oliver before reaching over to grab her purse and coat. “I think I'm gonna head out for the night. I've got some searches running, but I doubt anything will pop up before tomorrow. You two kids have fun!” She pointed her finger at them like a gun and clicked her tongue. Then she spun and strutted toward the stairs.

Oliver watched her go completely baffled, his stomach churning with dread. Somehow this entire situation had spun even further out of his control and comfort zone. What was he supposed to do now?

“I told you, Ollie,” Sara said dryly as she patted him on the back, “Felicity knows you. She's not going to push you for anything you aren't ready and willing to give. She's also not going to beg you to love her. She's too strong for that.”

But was he strong enough to watch her walk away from him? Not just tonight but possibly forever? Was he strong enough to stand back and watch her move on with someone else? Would that even be strength or was it really his cowardice showing?

Oliver found the answer didn't really matter, because the truth was that he couldn't let her go. Maybe she would be better off without him, maybe she would be safer, but Oliver couldn't imagine his future without Felicity intimately entwined in it. He wasn't ready to write off happiness quite yet, and he knew that his happiness had just walked out that door. Felicity was his light in the darkness and he wasn't going to lose her to some random normal guy who happened to have the right answers to her questions.

Oliver looked to Sara. “What do I do?”

The blonde assassin snorted and rolled her eyes. “Well, first of all, you could actually tell the woman that you and I are no longer involved. And then?” She shrugged and grinned. “Unless you want her cozied up on the couch with Landon, I'd suggest you start looking up 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'.” She laughed and walked away.

Thank you so much for reading! :-)

@olicityhiatusficathon

[heartslogos]

the declassified texts of the inquisition’s elite [33]

(443): I really want to stop getting this drunk. I've got the Sunday scaries and it's only Saturday

(636):Dude I cant right now. Were talking about pickles.

“I am too old to be this drunk. I can’t keep up with you youngsters.”

“You’re only a year older than Bull. And look at him go,” Herah gestures to where the older Qunari is doing shots with his crew. “I mean, sure he’s going to be hurting in the morning. But you wouldn’t guess it from the way he insist on pissing everyone off by rubbing their faces into their own hangovers. I think he cures hang overs by making other peoples’ worse.”

“That’s different,” Edric says. “Also he’s on slightly more emotionally stable ground than me.”

“That’s…Edric, that’s fucking awful, you know that right?” Herah goes from entertained by Edric’s drunken dramatics to deeply concerned in no time flat. Josephine is rubbing off on her in very many ways. She’s not so sure if she likes this particular way. Herah would prefer to leave the kindness to Josephine’s more capable hands. Herah’s are blunt instruments that are best tooled for mockery, acts of wit and scathing retort, and on the rare occasion when there’s someone worth it, flirtation. “What’s up, you’re being more…you than usual.”

“I’m a terrible uncle and I don’t know why my sister put me in charge of her one and only child,” Edric says. “My anxiety has anxiety. It’s Saturday and I’m already dreading Monday. We literally just got off of work a little over twenty four hours ago. I’ve spent all of Saturday dreading Monday. I haven’t even gotten past Saturday.”

Herah glances at her phone. “Well. Good news? If you’re awake for another two hours you’ll definitely get to Sunday and then you can have the Sunday…what was it?”

“Sunday scaries.”

“Sunday scares for real. Man, you are definitely Malika’s blood. Sunday scaries. Only a Cadaash. What are you going on about, being a terrible uncle? You’re a great uncle. You’re here! You don’t give up on her or on any one of the other knuckleheads around you. You support her and whenever she gets too close to something truly stupid you reel her back in and make sure she’s level.”

“She got a her arm dislocated.”

“And because you’re helping to raise her well, like a complete champion, she didn’t throw a tantrum or a fuss when we had to pop it back in. Sure she threw up a little, but she powered through. There are some cadets here who I couldn’t trust to do that. Malika’s an impressive young woman, Edric. Cut yourself some credit.”

“If I were a good uncle she’d be in college right now,” Edric says.

“You know, a lot of people we know are actual college professors,” Herah points out. “I know my younger brother doesn’t act it, but he was a professor. First year professor, sure, but he has the degrees and shit to back it up. Evelyn and de Fer were also professors. Legit ones, too. Pretty sure Dorian had to do some teaching while doing his masters. You got her into the most prestigious school of life, Edric. Congratulations.”

“I don’t feel better about this. She knows how to hi-jack a car.”

“Alright, now that isn’t fair.” Herah stops him before he can down another drink. “Malika would’ve learned that anyway. One, no offense but you guys are Carta. Two, Malika’s curious enough to try and figure this stuff out just because it seems interesting. Three, she’s Malika. She’s got the brain to back it up. A brain like yours, Edric. I know you’ve tinkered in the past and present and you aren’t as flashy as Sera is about the results, but I’ve seen some of it at work and it’s impressive. I also know that you have a few patents floating around.”

Edric groans, “She couldn’t have gotten my stupid genes instead? She’d be so much safer.”

Herah rolls her eyes. “There’s no winning with you when you’re like this. Come on, come play cards instead of drinking. Josephine’s not coming, Leliana’s busy swindling Max and Kaaras at pool, Bull’s drinking, and the Lavellans are preoccupied. It’s a casual night. No worries about being caught in a high stakes game.”

“Then what’s the point?” Edric sighs as he follows her to the card table where Evelyn, Dorian, Cullen, and Blackwall are in the middle of a hand.

“The point is to relax, Edric,” Herah claps him on the shoulder. “Surely you’ve done that at least once.”

“Playing cards with Leliana, Bull, Josephine, and the Lavellans is relaxing. Compared to what I normally have to deal with losing a hand of cards to them is nothing.”

-

“Your cousin — “

“I disavow him,” Evelyn interrupts immediately. “Whatever it is I want no part of it. I’m not culpable for his…whatever he’s done to whomever. I am not party to it, Mahanon.”

“Your cousin,” Mahanon continues, undaunted as he slides one of his work phones to her over her table before dramatically collapsing into one of the chairs in front of her desk. “Cut me off for pickles.”

Evelyn is hesitant to look at the text.

“Is that a euphemism?”

“If it was I might be a little less annoyed.” Mahanon sneers at her ceiling. “I do not text your cousin for the sake of experiencing his wit in real time. I text him for business and only when mandated to by others and under extreme duress. And he has the gall to tell me that he doesn’t have the time of day because he’s discussing pickles.”

“Are you sure it isn’t a euphemism?”

“Evelyn.”

“Okay, okay!” Evelyn scrolls through the chat history. It’s very succinct. Most of it on Max’s side attempting to get Mahanon to talk to him. Most of Mahanon’s texts are work related, and not a single one is a response to any fo the more personal conversations Maxwell’s tried to start.

And then there’s the last text about pickles, to which Mahanon has not responded.

“Maybe…it’s for a mission?”

Mahanon slowly brings his gaze onto her.

“Do you recall assigning your cousin on a mission involving…pickles?”

Honestly? Evelyn’s not sure what she’s assigning people to anymore. She could’ve sworn she had Kaaras put on a project studying the continued effects of red lyrium post mortem but whenever she goes to check on the assigned laboratory space he’s never there and she’s told that he’s in the engineering labs working on some kind of alternative fuel. Which she thought she had Sera on, but whenever she goes there Sera’s in the chem labs working on some kind of anti-lyrium coating. Which Evelyn swears, hand to Andraste, she had Dagna on, but Dagna’s doing something in the fucking smithy involving melted down silverite.

But Evelyn’s not going to say any of this out loud.

“Sure,” Evelyn says instead. Mahanon has the grace to not call her out on the extremely long pause between his question and her answer. Instead he closes his eyes.

“Convince me why I shouldn’t instill a fear of pickles in your cousin so profound that he becomes conditioned to hearing the crunch of one and feeling it in his guts.”

“Because I love him.”

“Appeals to pathos will do nothing for you with me. I’m vaguely disappointed.”

“Yeah, so am I. I don’t have anything for you other than that he’s my cousin, I love him, and if you ruin pickles for him you might end up in a situation where he inconveniently has to deal with a pickle while you’re near him and not the direct cause of it.”

[blighted-cinda]

YAYYYYYYYY @sword-up-merediths-ass OKAY OKAY OKAY HERE WE GO 1: How did you get into DA? My best friend @gelabee got me into it! They loved the series, while I had pretty much never heard of it. So last year (I think) I decided to order a copy of Origins (with all the DLCs) and started playing! I am in love. ❤️ 2: Have you finished all three games? I have not! 😣 I'm close though! I've finished Origins twice and DA2 once, and have several unfinished playthroughs on the go, but I'm still on my first go of Inquisition. With my lovely Vehra Lavellan (whom I will tag at the end if you want to have a look at the smol bean). 8: Preferred class overall? Oohh, that's a tough one. It depends, I guess. 😂 I have lots of fun as a dual-wield rogue! 12: Do you prefer DAO, DA2, or DAI most? AHHHHH WHAT IS WITH THE HARD QUESTIONS I think I still have to go with Origins. I love Fenris in 2 and the graphics and some of the features in Inquisition, but Origins will always be precious to me. 35: Who do you want to return in the next game? Hmmmm. Solas, definitely. And Fenris. And Zevvy. And Alistair. Pretty much all my favorite characters. 😂 AND BODHAN AND SANDAL I CANT BELIEVE THEY DIDNT HAVE THEM IN INQUISITION THEY ARE PRECIOUS AND NEED TO BE PROTECTED AND I HAVE A LOT OF FEELINGS ABOUT THIS CAN YOU TELL 40: A moment/action you regret in-game? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Not really. Nothing that I could change anyway. I wish I could have saved the blind Templar in Origins. Oh! And the little boy in Lothering who runs off to find his mother if you fuck up the conversation. I've only saved him like once I think. AND I KILLED ZEVVY IN MY COUSLAND PLAYTHROUGH BC IT MADE SENSE FOR MY CHARACTER I DEFINITELY REGRET THAT 51: Favorite Warden/Hawke/Inquisitor headcanons? Hmm. Not really. I mean I daydream about stuff that doesn't happen on-screen but nothing I could really describe? Maybe my Duplicate Anders theory, but it's more theoretical than headcanon. 😂 (Here's the link if anyone wants it - https://blighted-cinda.tumblr.com/post/156595335816/okay-so-my-friend-and-i-were-discussing-the) I guess maybe my first Hawke, Tamara, being so scarred by the fighting in Kirkwall that afterwards she and Fenris just go into hiding and have a couple kids together and stop adventuring (except for the occasional local public service), because the thought of what happened in Kirkwall makes her physically ill and fighting reminds her too much of it. The only real exceptions being the whole Corypheus/Inquisition thing. 52: Favorite NPC headcanons? Hmmmm. Again, nothing really. I'm not very creative. :( 91: Do you have any friends who love DA too? Yep, like I said in #1! 😋 Other than them, nope. But then again I don't really have any other friends. 😂 93: Do you own any DA merchandise? NO AND I WANT TO SO BADLY I'll probably do what I did with Skyrim and Oblivion and just cut out the front of the instruction packet and make it a mini poster! 😋 101: If you could meet your Warden/Hawke/Inquisitor, what would you say? HMMMMMMMMMMMMMM. I'll go with my first of each at the point I left them. Cinda Tabris: You did the right thing with the Architect. I know you miss your family, but people need you. Alistair needs you. So ffs gO FIND HIM Tamara Hawke: It wasn't your fault. You couldn't have known how far Anders would go or what Meredith would do. Whatever you do next, try to be happy with your smol broody bean Vehra Lavellan: You might learn some disturbing things soon, about your people, your gods, and your vhenan. Just try to remember that knowledge can't hurt you unless you let it. It's your choice what to do with it, and it's your choice to give up on someone or keep fighting. Go kiss your smol egg while you can