#i finally wrote something :D

[heavenslapse]

@heartsaligned akechi comes back after being static

Back once again in the somberness of Leblanc. Goro didn't think he'd ever return to the tucked away coffee shop by Yongen's station. He'd made the decision the last time he was here to remove Kurusu from his life. Cutting all contact with the other boy when he discovered the truth. A thief and a detective weren't meant to be acquainted, much less anything else.

It was disheartening. But it was better this way. No more distractions to come between him and his goal. The Phantom Thieves were becoming a thorn in his side as well. Reputation with the media had already begun its steady decline since Kaneshiro's sudden change of heart. Yet there were worse things than losing his polished status. The noose around neck felt like it'd had grown tighter, the leash shorter. It wasn't his fault the thieves had gotten to Kaneshiro before him. How was he to predict that specifically when there'd be no news regarding them since the Madarame incident. They'd fallen off the air and dramatically struck their return before anyone could act.

���I felt like a child who'd been scolded by his parent.❞ What IRONY. Goro couldn't help the bittersweet note of his laugh that escaped past his lips. It was sickeningly hilarious. He'd made himself sound SO cheerful on the phone after leaving Shido's office. He didn't want to be alone after that and going back to his quiet and empty apartment left like walking into a gaping maw that'd swallow him whole with the deafening silence encased with white walls and too little belongings.

❝My boss is an incredibly powerful man, you know. If he asks for something he can always seem to get it. So when I failed to measure up to his impossible standards, he let me know. I told him plainly there was nothing I could have done. I expected him to throw his stapler at me. I've never disappointment him with results before, I still feel I haven't. But we don't see eye-to-eye with that.❞

It wasn't as though he could do anything without Goro either. His mental shutdown business would go belly up and so would all of the backers who would inevitably pull out of his fixed election. He was nothing without Goro. Even with other persona users popping up, he'd never find another so quick to work for him. The thieves--Kurusu--wouldn't agree with his tactics, Goro was certain of that. And no amount of money or threats would deter him. Goro envied Kurusu for that freedom. He'd been Shido's attack dog for years. He was in too deep and had done too much to back out of the only thing that made him live for.

❝You must be painfully bored listening to me like this.❞ Each word felt like chewing glass to keep up the pleasant prince facade. He balled his hands in his lap, felt the pinch of his nails bite into his palms. ❝We haven't seen much of each other lately and I come in bothering you with insipid troubles from my busy schedule.❞

He hated confiding in Kurusu with his problems. He hated relying on his care and understanding. Hell, Goro hated him too. But he always seemed to rely on him regardless. He felt disgusted with himself, now knowing the truth. He was confiding in someone who was his enemy.

[crybaby-bkg]

Is it rude to say that you hadn’t expected Dabi to have had his own car? Not because of money issues, but because of a few reasons being: 1) he walks everywhere he goes, and 2) he’s quite literally never mentioned having a car nor a license before.

But you sit with him, in his old beat up bucket that jerks every time he hits a bump in the road, fighting for dear life. Your window doesn’t roll all the way up and bugs keep flying in, and it doesn’t help that Dabi is going 80 in a 55. You would hold onto the little life support grip thing above the window, but it looks like there hasn’t been one on the passengers side since he received the car.

You know he’s going this fast because, not only does it scare you, but it makes him hit the potholes a little harder. Which in turn makes your thighs and stomach and boobs jiggle more than usual. You should’ve known he had another motive when he insisted you ride with him to the convenience store, especially the one across town when there was 7 others he’d passed in the meantime.

But you’re too busy trying to keep your head from hitting the roof of the car, and your tits from falling out of your low cut shirt. Oh, this fucker must’ve had everything planned out the moment you walked through the door.

“Can you slow down a little?” You yell over the bass of his too loud rock music, one hand gripping his that rests on your thigh, the other holding your chest tightly. “My boobs are gonna fall outta my goddamn bra by the next pothole!”

But that only encourages Dabi, makes him throw a grin your way as he glances to how your chest jiggles again with another bump in the road. He laughs at your screech for him to look at the road, turning his eyes to comply with your request, his chin still turned in your direction.

“Well, sounds to me like I’m not going fast enough.” He teases, softly steering his wheel to the nearest pothole, a deep one. He snaps his eyes over to you the moment he hits it, smirking at your squeak when he sees your chest bounce out of your grip before you regain it again quickly.

He glances up to you, grinning even wider when you’re already glaring at him. He can’t help the squeeze of your thigh, blue eyes already zoning in on the next dip in the road for him to hit. He’s not stopping until your complaint becomes reality, and only then, he’ll find a convenience store.

[avirael]

How to hold a grudge (on behalf of someone else)

“Oh! Hello Rael!”

The audacity of this man!, was all Rael thought as they opened the door to their house and found Thancred standing on the other side. They felt horribly tempted to just slam the door right back shut into his stupidly grinning face.

Certainly they could say that it had just been one of these intrusive Lalafell who tried to sell their useless and overpriced goods to gullible people (like A’viloh) or one of their neighbours asking to borrow sugar again. Anyone who was not Thancred Waters.

What did he even want here? Had all of the women in Revenant’s Toll finally realised how much of a fraud he was and fled town? Or maybe they had chased him away with brooms and pitchforks. Yes, the later was absolutely Rael’s preferred explanation for his unwelcome presence here.

They still glowered at the man, trying really hard not to greet him with an insult, when A’vi returned from the kitchen. “Who’s there?”, he asked gloomily on his way back to the couch. Just as Thancred appeared in his field of view, the Hyur raised an arm and waved lightly. “Hello to you too, A’viloh.”

“Oh!”, the Miqo’te exclaimed surprised and almost dropped the bowl of ice cream he held in his hands. And there was that expression again, Rael noted in frustration. The same one he had made the last time they had visited the Rising Stones. It was a strange mix of feelings and Rael thought it difficult to find a fitting word for it. He looked like he had mistaken some dangerous animal for a harmless pet and was now horrified by the bloodshed it caused but still couldn’t stop himself from liking that creature anyway despite its nature. Maybe the comparison was unnecessarily gruesome but Rael just hoped that A’viloh was at least clever enough not to get himself torn to pieces by the metaphorical sharp teeth.

***

It wasn’t all that difficult to understand how the Viera got this rather extreme opinion about Thancred Waters. He had always had a certain reputation around Vesper Bay and Ul’dah, Rael had quickly learned as they had asked around about the Scions before choosing to work with them. On top of that the man hadn’t exactly left a good first impression when they had met in person for the first time. Maybe he had honestly just been curious about meeting a Viera for the first time but Rael had already heard a few pretty stupid pick-up lines during their journey and this man had seemed right in line with that. A raised eyebrow and disgusted look on their face at least had quickly disheartened him to try any further.

But then there was A’viloh! Kind, yet so self-sabotaging A’viloh! Rael had long stopped wondering what it was that he found interesting about Thancred and instead decided to just blame it on a severe case of mental confusion. They had warned him about Thancred back when A'viloh had told them about the invitation but it really wasn’t their place to tell A’vi what to do or, in this case, not to do. So at first the Viera had simply intended for him to either be clever (which seemed unlikely) or learn that lesson on his own and the hard way if necessary. But this had been many months ago and in the meantime a lot had happened. By now the idea that the poor Miqo’te could get his feelings hurt by that vile man was giving Rael a headache.

Sure, Rael occasionally liked to tease him about the way he acted around Thancred and at first all of his infatuation had almost seemed to Rael like a good sign, but that assessment had changed shortly after. Finally Rael had managed to convince A’viloh that it would be a good idea to return to the Rising Stones and speak to Thancred about how the Miqo’te felt responsible for what had happened to him (and only about that, mind you!) but in the meantime Thancred had seemingly recovered very well and immediately reverted back to his old ways. Just worse. Both, concerning the quantity of alcohol and women.

In a surprisingly short span of time Thancred had managed to be seen with more women than Rael could count on their fingers, some of them just shamelessly flirting with but enough of them in more or less obvious situations. And that were just the ones he had no qualms to be seen with, Rael assumed. It was unnecessary to mention that A’viloh’s resolution to speak to him had died down abruptly.

Rael had observed this tragedy for as long and as peacefully as they could tolerate. They hadn’t wanted to interfere in something that actually wasn’t any of their business, so they had hoped that A’vi would soon get angry enough to stop moping. But they should have known that anger wasn’t exactly one of A’vi’s standard solutions for his problem and so of course it only seemed to get worse over time. Rael on the other hand had quickly developed a habit of getting angry on his behalf, to their own frustration.

One day Rael was speaking with Papalymo and Y'shtola about a book they were studying, when they noticed A'viloh gloomily staring down the counter of F‘lhaminn’s bar. After a moment F‘lhaminn, like the good barkeep she was, put a glass of liquor in front of him, raised an eyebrow and expected him to talk.

“What’s up with you?” she asked but A’viloh just grimaced and nodded to the glass in front of him. “That’s not a good idea. Alcohol and me don’t seem to go so well together.”

F‘lhlaminn had chuckled and made a peculiar face. “Oh, just like Thancred I guess…”, she said leaving it up to his interpretation if she meant alcohol and Thancred or him and Thancred, while she eyed him for a reaction.

A desperate sigh was all she got for an answer, but that was more than enough.

“Ha! So I rightfully thought this was about him. You know, I saw you eyeing him and Higiri…”

Avi snapped to attention, ears going up, face turning red. “What?! That ain’t true! Why would I??”

“If you say so…”, F’lhaminn chuckled again and returned her attention to the glass she was cleaning.

Seemingly unaware of the fact that he was proving her right, A’vi turned his head the other way and kept on sadly watching Thancred flirt with one of the doman girls from afar.

At that point Rael had decided to do something and stepped closer. “If you don't stop looking like this, I will go over there and I will punch him in his stupid face.”, they annouced sitting down beside A'vi.

Startled the Miqo’te turned around. “What?”

“It’s excuse me!”, Rael corrected and then repeated their words. “I said I am going to punch him in the face if you don’t!”

A’viloh was either truly unaware about his lovesick staring or had decided to play very very dumb. “Who?”

“Please! Don’t pretend to be more stupid than you actually are. Thancred of course!”, the Viera grumbled.

A’viloh still pretended to be oblivious. “Why should you do that??”

“You know why!”, sternly Rael glowered at him and finally the Miqo’te gave up this charade. “Alright! Fine! But how is he supposed to know that it bothers me?”, he retorted and Rael seriously wondered if he was this oblivious about how he was behaving.

“By the Twelve, A’vi!”, they exclaimed, a saying they had quickly picked up along with another few curses. “He can’t have that much brain damage to not notice that! Everybody in this building must by now have noticed that you are in love with him. I wouldn’t even be surprised if everybody in this whole town knows!”

A’viloh wanted to object at first but quickly gave up.. “I am not-... No… Please! Don’t tell me it is really that obvious?”

Rael rolled their eyes and slightly shook their head. “No, don’t worry! You just longingly stare at him every chance you get and sigh sadly every time he talks to someone. I guess your secret is safe!”

“That’s not funny…”, he muttered quietly with drooping ears. Rael just shrugged. It was only the truth.

Then A’vi added: “The idea that someone like Rowena knows something like that is kinda scary…”

“Careful! She’ll find a way to make money out of that. Blackmail or something…”, Rael couldn’t help but tease. At least the Miqo’te spent the rest of the day brooding over something that wasn’t Thancred Waters.

But then a few days later Rael had reached the point where they had enough.

One late afternoon they had found A’vi picking at his food while once again staring across the room, where Thancred sat at the bar with one arm around the shoulders of an annoyingly giggling Miqo’te girl. It was painful to watch, both Thancred and his conquest being so obliviously obnoxious as well as A’viloh’s reaction to it, but apart from this it was mostly infuriating. Rael wasn’t even sure who they wanted to yell at the most. So after wordlessly watching for a minute or another they lost their temper and growled at A’viloh.

“Are you mad!? You can’t seriously tell me that this -“, they hissed, silently enough not to catch any attention, gesturing towards the bar. “THIS is what you want? To be stupid! And replaceable! And forgotten before morning!?”

Slightly shocked A’viloh had stared at them for a moment, like he just realised it was the truth, before he wordlessly shook his head and sighed. It wasn’t fair that Rael had lashed out at him, they knew that, but seemingly he needed someone to tell him how ridiculous all of this was. Nonetheless he still looked sad of course, so this time it had been Rael, who had decided to take A’viloh and flee as far away as possible, seeking refuge in their house near Limsa again.

Of course this wouldn’t solve anything and they couldn’t avoid that bastard forever, but there was nothing else Rael could do about it. (Unless you counted maiming or murder a reasonable approach of course.) They simply hoped that A’viloh would soon come to his senses and realise how stupid it was to care about someone as ruthless as Thancred Waters.

***

And now this impossible man had the nerve to show up at their door! Obliviously grinning at that! They really wanted to strangle him. “What are you doing here, Thancred?”, they asked with a way too sweet tone and a strained smile, that somehow looked threatening.

“Ah! Very good question!”, he answered and laughed obliviously. “The two of you haven’t shown me your house yet! So I thought I‘d visit and see for myself!”

The carefully put together smile on Rael’s face faded as quickly as it had appeared. There was no way they would be able to remain friendly towards him even one second longer. “Well, now that you‘ve seen it, why don’t you go and—”

A’viloh, who until then was silently observing the contents of his ice cream bowl in concentration, at once snapped to attention. Alarmed he stared at the Viera while loudly proclaiming. “That’s so nice of you! Why don’t you come in first and we‘ll get you something to drink?”

He left it to Thancred to let himself in and instead grabbed Rael‘s arm to pull them into the kitchen.

“You can’t say something like this, Rael!”, he argued quietly.

“I can’t say what?”, they raised their eyebrows and didn’t bother very much to speak quietly. What bothered them though, was that A‘viloh still was so disgustingly friendly to him. Rael had thought he had understood by now, that on this man all kindness was wasted. “That, for all I care about, he can go and fuck himself?”

“Rael!”, A’viloh hissed and nervously eyed the door.

“Why?”, they simply retorted angrily, while picking up the bowl A’vi had put down on the counter and putting a light ice spell on it. They would rather have put that spell elsewhere.

“Because it‘s rude!”, the Miqo’te exclaimed. „Also, I don‘t think that would be very accurate to say considering… you know…”

“Please!”, Rael interrupted. “It’s very appalling how much thought you seem to have spared to that topic!”

A’viloh gasped. “What?! You started this! I didn’t!”

So much for gratitude!, Rael thought as they opened their mouth to retort something maybe a little bit too snarky. But just in that moment Thancred’s voice echoed from the living rooms. “You two have such a wonderful house. I already thought the garden was beautiful but in here? What a pretty place!”, he said as he pranced into the kitchen and confidently leaned onto the counter like he owned the whole place. To Thancred’s luck and Rael’s disappointment the knife block was out of the Viera‘s reach.

“Thank you…”, A‘viloh answered while still keeping an eye on Rael. The Hyur looked at them innocently smiling as if he didn’t notice at all in what a dangerous situation he had put himself. Nonchalantly he looked around and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “But don’t you think something is missing?”

“Missing??”, Rael echoed and wondered if they should break his nose and see if some of his own blood on the kitchen tiles would suit his taste more. But no! That would just give A‘viloh an opportunity to get unnecessarily worried about him again…

“What do you mean, missing?”, A‘vi asked confused and let his gaze wander through the room as well.

Thancred shrugged. “I don’t know, just a feeling… Are you already completely done with the house or is there anything left you wanted to do?”

“We are more or less done.”, replied the Miqo’te and then added. “Well, Rael still wanted a proper work desk but we didn’t have time for that yet. And maybe something to sit down in the garden or an orchestrion but that would be too much work I‘m afraid…”

Thancred nodded. “Mh, that’s a shame! I think some music would make this place even more cozy…”

(If by cozy he meant the untidy chaos A’viloh had turned their house into these last few days…)

“Right?”, the Miqo’te agreed excitedly. It was disgusting.

Rael had enough of this nonsense. They knew that it would get ugly if they had to hear only a single more word of this conversation. But just as they were about to leave with an inappropriate remark, telling themselves not to care about Thancred being a horrible person and A’viloh being an idiot, all of their linkpearls started to chime at once.

Surprised they stared at each other and then answered the call more or less simultaneously. Minfilia was on the other end of the connection asking if they all could come to the Rising Stones. Then she shortly explained that there had been new information and that all of them were to meet as soon as possible to plan their next move.

Her tone had been serious and all of them knew that this could only either mean one threat or another. While Rael went to the living room table to pick up their grimoire from beneath a heap of papers, Thancred excused himself saying that he would check a few of his own sources before meeting them later.

Rael threw a few things into a bag and went upstairs to change clothes. When they returned some minutes later A’viloh was wandering through the living room with a puzzled expression on his face, ice cream bowl in one hand (of course he wouldn’t let that go to waste!) and lifting the sofa cushions one by one with the other.

Rael sighed. “What are you doing??”

“Please tell me you’ve seen any of my weapons somewhere…”

[messy-nyks]

The Fernweh Saga by @lacunafiction - Agnes edition

Who would have thought? 🤭

Agnes "Nes" Sigrún 🌑RO: James Corvin

Personality: sincerity // cautious // friendly // merciful Traits: heart // compliance // believer Past affinity: writing [horror stories] Primary ability: empathetic impressions Past susceptibility: receptive

☀️Fernweh: She never really thought about leaving Fernweh… It was her place, near her family and friend(s). She felt good there and assumed she’s gonna spend her whole life happily in this little town. Even if Fernweh brings back devastating memories, she’s curious about what’s happening in Fernweh now, in her true home. It’s always been her dream to work in Turn The Page, and during her ‘short’ stay in Fernweh, she started thinking about it again. Why not stay for longer…? She would love to carry on her grandfather’s work and bring his legacy justice. 

☀️Grandpa Jóhann: When she was young, she had an amazing relationship with her grandpa. They were completely honest with each other, and she loved him wholeheartedly. Some people thought that making her grandpa proud was her main hobby. She used to tell him all about her dreams that she had, which were always wild... and also about the nightmares… It took her by surprise when her grandpa, one of the most important people in her life, started being less involved. She was hurt and began to wonder if she had done something to cause the distance between them. His decision to move her out of Fernweh so quickly after this tragic event made a huge impact on her mental state. She needed time to cope and be with her closest ones, especially her grandpa...but after all she didn't blame him. She often heard that she looked exactly like her mother…like her grandpa's daughter... She assumed he could not look at her, without thinking about her... And she could not blame him for wanting to escape that pain. Agnes knew it was the best thing that her grandpa could do for him, and she accepted it, too eagerly. She always too eagerly took the blame for everything.

☀️Beckett Warrick: After what happened in Fernweh after James she had even more trouble interacting with other people and making new friends… However, Beckett was an exception. He was the first person who got to truly know her after the events in Fernweh. When she got the letter about her Grandpa, she considered hiding the truth from him, because she knew deep down that he would be there for her if she needed him… even if he would not particularly enjoy it. It's a good thing she’s such a bad liar… Her main concern is about Beckett’s well-being. She noticed that this 'little' trip made a huge impact on him. He wasn’t supposed to be here, and it’s because of her that he–... She needs to make sure that nothing happens to her friend. And she will somehow manage to bring him back to his home.

☀️Reese Verner: They had an unconventional relationship. Reese saw her as a rival, while Agnes thought of him as a friend. She was confused about why Verner, someone of great importance, would even look at her see her as a rival. She knew there were better candidates for his games. She had only one question on her mind - “why?”. Despite Verner's playful teasing, Agnes always remained polite and friendly towards him, even when he attempted to push her boundaries. Girl knew how to keep her true feelings behind a warm smile she still does. If I can be completely honest… Agnes was rather shocked that Reese still remembered her… and was actually looking for her, which sounded so unbelievably. His concern for Milton's well-being made her see him in a slightly different light. Of course, she already knew Reese had a good heart, but his behaviour really touched her. Additionally, Agnes noticed that Reese and James’ relationship became stronger and deeper… It’s for the best. James deserves someone as dependable as Reese. He will always be there for James. 

☀️Sofia Dorran: Their bond was formed over a shared admiration for books and... the color blue. It may sound funny now, but these things became central to their lives and deepened their friendship. Sofia was the first person Agnes entrusted with her writing, and valued her honest feedback, knowing that Sofia would not make her feel bad if something needed improvement. They frequently borrowed books from each other's collections. Agnes yearned for the days when she and Sofia had reading sessions together, sipping on their favorite beverage. The only issue back then was when the book ended poorly or their library didn't have any new positions for them to read. She's willing to know how Sofia's taste toward books shifted (if shifted) and how she changed as a person. She's also extremely grateful because her grandfather received constant care from Sofia and her mother.

🌑James Corvin: …Do I really need to tell you that James was her first crush? And that she never found the courage to tell him so? maybe now will be the time? Agnes and James were always together, wherever one went the other followed. They were inseparable. Agnes even used to bake oatmeal cookies for James with her mother's help. They dreamed of their idyllic life together. As friends, obviously. Seeing him again after all those years was much harder than she anticipated. Agnes felt overwhelmed with stress from the moment she stepped out of her car. Every time she heard his surname, she unknowingly flinched. Her mind was full of questions about his well-being, life, and changes. She couldn't help but wonder if he would be happy to see her. …she did manage to hold his hand for a moment, I can consider it as a success

☀️Alex Corvin: Agnes has always looked up to Alex for their adventurous spirit and their willingness to embrace life to the fullest. She has always wanted to adopt a bit of Alex' wild side. Whenever they are around, boredom and dullness seem to disappear. They both share similar values and support each other's life goals. If I would say which person Agnes was the most willing to meet during her stay in Fernweh that would be Alex. She was confident in their friendliness towards everybody and was sure that their kindness had not wavered. Agnes was touched when she heard that Alex was looking after her grandfather's bookstore… It appears that Beckett has a new admirer, which Agnes wholeheartedly approves of.

☀️Mal: Agnes has a sense that Mal might be suspicious, but she is quite naive and doesn't believe that he could mean trouble. Although she is wary of him and finds him a little untrustworthy, Agnes believes in being kind to everyone, and she is willing to give Mal a chance, not judging him by her own impressions of him.

☀️Goldie: Agnes is grateful that her grandfather had a furry companion like Goldie, who probably managed to brighten his spirits. She fondly recalls how her grandfather would tell her stories when he once had a dog, when he was younger and how his eyes would light up with joy as he shared his story. Agnes is committed to taking excellent care of Goldie and ensuring her safety.

[fire-but-ashes-too]

guess who just finished translating their short story!!!!

ME!!! *cue little dance*

[writingsboring]

Prompt: 1. it's not too late, lets go

Fan fiction: Twisted wonderland pet au, by twst drabbles, this is not cannon!

Rating: G for general

Warnings: small mentions of blood and burned possessions

Yuu sat there, the entire house was burned to a crisp. They felt tears rush down their cheeks and a buzzing sensation on their shins. They assumed the burnt wood and metal were digging in their skin leaving splinters and bruises, but their brain hadn't registered..or maybe they simply ignored it. “...everything, they took everything” Yuu whispered to themselves as if trying to understand the horrific scene in front of them, they sat there for what felt like years just staring, they hadn’t even felt Crowley's hand on their shoulder until he gave it a light shake. When they turned around they were faced with a familiar bucket, the said bucket had thousands of scratches and bite marks, Yuu felt the need to throw up. “It's not too late..lets go” Crowley whispered helping them up, their knees now bruised and bloody. Crowley threw his arm over their shoulder helping them walk, yet Yuu’s eyes never left the rubble.

@twst-drabbles

[britishchick09]

rewrite christine knows the best way to kiss erik! ;D

[dirtyoldmanhole]

gunter slowburn fic excerpt, right after they've had a good span of time for bedroom shenanigans before going to the bottomless canyon again.

[tivalon]

In need for a break

--

Author's note: It's been 14 years since I last wrote a fanfic, but sometimes things just have to get out of your system. Please be kind, I'm neither a native speaker nor a proificient writer. <3 I hope you enjoy it!

--

It was a calm and snowy day in Ishgard. Tivalon enjoyed his rare visits in his old home city. Melancholy filled his heart with every step, as he had so many bitter memories of this place. He leaned against a stone pillar and closed his eyes, when a familiar voice caught his attention.

„You have lost weight again, haven’t you?“

„Uncle!“

Tivalon stared angrily at the elder Elezen who appeared behind a building, then looked away unnerved. What a welcome.

„I shouldn’t be surprised. Your constant meddling with world affairs takes its toll after all. Look at you. You look like your own father!“ Though Tivalon’s uncle was not wrong, his brusque way of lecturing him upset him more than it should have. „Uncle Etienne, this is none of your business! Shall I leave the world in shambles, shall I look away when there are people in need?“ But inside he knew his uncle was right. Tivalon looked way more worn out than an Elezen his age should. Hells, his uncle looked way younger than him, and he was twenty years older!

Etienne started his ramblings again. „What would your parents think …“ he couldn’t finish his sentence. As rare as it was, Tivalon snapped at his elder. „What would they think, yes. If they were still here. If you had not left them to die!“

That was a unfair, and Tivalon knew that. „Uncle, I … I’m sorry. I know you were not to blame.“ He looked desperate, shocked by his own words. Slowly he turned his head at the elder Elezen. Etienne could not be mad at his nephew. Guilt was his companion since the day his sister and her husband died. And he knew all too well how much the children must have suffered from their loss. Etienne had been young and unexperienced at that time, freshly recruited to the city guards. There was not much he could have done when the attack hit the city. „It’s okay. I also feel your loss.” Awkward silence filled the air between the two men. The uncle broke the silence again. “I … I am proud of you. I really am. How could I not, we all owe you our lives. But I can’t say that I approve of you constantly straining yourself. Or of your company. It seems you have found a new family, isn’t that so? That boisterous samurai catboy and his assembly of misfits.“

„They are my friends, my family even! Ahtares might be a flamboyant good for nothing poser, but he has a good heart. And an exceptional skill when it comes to find good people. Sure, they are a bit special, but all of them are trustworthy friends.“ Well, they surely had a habit of getting into trouble frequently, especially after long party nights. He had to bail most of them out of jail a few times this month, the Maelstrom officers knew his face and his purse quite well now. But Tivalon loved all of those lunatics dearly.

Etienne smirked. „I see. You found a flock to tend to. But since when have you followed that red mage catboy’s beliefs? Have you not been a truthful paladin? You have made a habit of following stray cats it seems.“ That was more than enough fot Tivalon to lose his temper. „Don’t you dare say ill about master X’rhun! He has a pure heart, an unwavering will, and is a master of his trait! And I will not tolerate anyone who crosses my friends and family. When did you last care about anyone but yourself? Besides, a have more than one profession, as you should know.“

The fire was lit again in Tivalon’s eyes. Good. The sly Elezen laughed, finally the gloom that had surrounded his nephew was gone. „That’s more like you. I do not intend to throw dirt on your master. Or your guild, call them what you like. But look at you. You are so unnerved. When did you last lose your composure so fast? Grant yourself a break. You deserve it. And you need it.“ 

Tivalon paused. He was right. And though his uncle was a stubborn, arrogant, high and mighty Ishgardian brat sometimes, his heart was at the right spot.

„I  … I’ll do.“ Tivalon looked away, he didn’t need to see the smug grin on his uncle’s face. „Very well. I shall take my leave. Greet your sister from me. And your cousins, should you be so lucky to run into them. You are always welcome at my house. All of you.“

Etienne smiled. He was proud of his sister’s children, even if he had a hard time showing it. Tivalon bowed, and returned the smile. He loved his family, after all. All of them.

[canary-prince]

If you catch me posting Bible memes I'm not turning into a Christian or whatever the fuck I was before my intense spiritual crisis 2 years ago (or was it three)? I went to school for academic theological studies (analysis of religion from an exterior view point) and recent books have me nostalgic and hyperfixating.

[mycological-mariner]

“We’ve had to resort to the water guns” had to be one of the Most Sentences I’ve ever written regarding someone about to blow up a steam engine

[skitskatdacat63]

have you ever…. taken your placement exam (sorry bud just checkin in bc i saw your tags earlier)

Hello!! Sorry, I didn't want to answer this until I actually did it! Thank you for encouraging me and checking up on me, I really appreciate it :DDD

[sysig]

I thought I was done being feral about Tamagotchis but no, it was just a lull

[avirael]

FFxivWrite 2023

Day 19 - Weal

It had been the fourteenth summer of Rael‘s life when one morning they woke up, looked at themself in the mirror and realised that something needed to change or they would end up unhappy for the rest of their very long life.

It had been almost a year now since two of their best childhood friends had been taken away. Taken away sounded crueler than it had been, they had left willingly and in anticipation of the new life as Wood-Warders that awaited them, but from Rael’s perspective they had been ripped out of their life from one day to the other.

A long time Rael had spent wishing that they could join their friends but they knew that their role was meant to be a different one. A role they started to fear more with every moon that passed.

It‘s not like Rael hated the Rava‘s way of life or their village. They loved the Golmore Jungle and their home town but sometimes it all felt like it was going to suffocate them. Rael dreamt about what may lie beneath the borders of the forest and the adventures that waited there, while the days in their hometown were mostly uneventful, one like the other. But the idea of leaving all of this behind scared them all the same.

When their friends had left there hadn’t been much difference between them and Rael yet, but slowly Rael‘s body was starting to change, and they began to feel like none of this was right.

They did certainly not dream of being a boy, that idea seemed equally repulsive as the imagination of what Rael’s body would look like in a few years. Rael didn’t know what to want or how to feel, but wanting nothing at all couldn’t be an option, right?

Rael had tried to talk to their mother about how they felt and to their closest remaining friends too, but while most of them had been kind and patient, Rael was afraid that none of them really understood. Slowly Rael had started to turn away from the other Rava children and instead found peace in the forest and company in the creatures that lived there.

That particular morning though as they looked into the mirror while tying a cloth tightly around their chest, hoping desperately that it would keep their breasts from growing, Rael made a decision.

Just as they had finished putting on their clothes a raven landed on their windowsill and announced it’s presence by loudly pecking at the wood. For the first time it had appeared a few months ago as Rael had once again spent the afternoon in the forest and since then it returned quite frequently to keep Rael company on their walks through the forest or watched them from a nearby roof while they went through their tasks and training at the village. It had become a dear companion for Rael by now and they had named it Frelsi - Freedom - because the bird was free to fly where it wanted to while Rael themselves was sentenced to remain in this village for the rest of their life and grow into a person, into a duty, they hadn’t chosen for themself.

As Rael greeted the bird it fluttered over to the dresser and cawed at them before looking into the mirror. It blinked and turned its black feathery head this way and that. Rael wondered what it was thinking. Then it looked at Rael, cawed again and took flight back out of the window and into the forest. As they watched Frelsi vanish into endless green of the trees Rael suddenly knew what they had to do.

Usually every morning they trained with the other young Rava girls. The women taught them in the use of all kinds of different weapons and also how to hunt. But Rael’s main talent had always been magic, a trait they had learned from their mother. From an early age Rael had been naturally gifted in the manipulation of aether and sometimes even thought they could hear whispers in the rustling of the leaves or words in the chirping of the birds.

That morning Rael skipped the weapon training and went straight to the little clinic where their mother was tending to the wounded and sick. She had been surprised to see her child and scolded them for skipping their lessons but Rael ignored her words.

Instead they announced with unwavering determination in their voice: "I want to go to the Forest Sanctuary and learn from the Green Oracle."

It was said that in the middle of Golmore Jungle, where the forest was so thick that sometimes even the light of the sun couldn’t reach the earth, lay an ancient holy place with roofs of leaves and halls carved into giant trunks and stairs that reached up to highest treetops of the jungle. Only the strongest of the Rava woman were allowed to guard this sanctuary and apart from them people only visited it in the most dire emergencies.

Rael had heard rumours of the place and it‘s extraordinary mages, above all of them a person that was called the Green Oracle. It was said that the Green Oracle was a Rava much older than any woman in Rael’s village but with the appearance of a young child and their magic was so powerful that they could hear the will of the forest itself and sometimes even predict the future.

"Don‘t be silly, Rael.", their mother had said. "The way to the sanctuary is very long and they would turn you away anyway. Your magic is strong, I agree, but you’re too young and inexperienced to be chosen as a guardian of the sanctuary."

"I don’t want to be a guardian.", Rael had answered before finally revealing the truth. "I can hear the voice of the forest and it is calling for me."

The bowl Rael‘s mother held in her hands had landed clattering on the floor. For a moment she just stared at her child with wide eyes before slowly nodding. "I see… The way you sometimes look at the trees and the creek and the birds, like you understand them better than you do the other children. I feared it might come to this…"

"Feared? Why?", Rael asked surprised.

Their mother sighed. "The Green Oracle is the only one of their kind and it is said that they live at least twice as long as a normal Rava would. Only once or twice every millennium a child with their gifts is born to take the place of the former oracle. I don’t want such a lonely, long life for you."

Rael had just tilted their head and said: "But alone is not the same as lonely and I don’t mind being alone."

For a moment she stared at Rael but then their mother sighed and went to speak with the oldest and wisest of the other women. The rest of the day their village had been in turmoil. No matter where Rael went suddenly everybody seemed to eye them and whisper in hushed voices when they walked by. But in the evening their mother returned to their home and announced that they would leave together at dawn.

She hugged her child and handed Rael a small backpack. „I thought that maybe those will suit you more.“ Rael peaked inside and found the clothes they usually gave to the boys leaving town to become Wood-Warders. Rael wondered if their mother had misunderstood who they wanted to be but the gift made them inexplicably happy nonetheless.

The journey to the Forest Sanctuary took several days and for a while the forest was so thick Rael couldn’t tell anymore if it was day or night. Without their mother’s guidance they would have been hopelessly lost. But at some point the jungle started to feel different, more ancient and more powerful. From there onwards it was like something called Rael, guiding them into the right direction, and only an hour or two later they stepped into a glade filled with flowers more beautiful than Rael had ever seen.

On the other side of the glade the trees curled into impossible shapes and formed a gateway leading into the heart of the forest. On silent wing Frelsi emerged from the trees, flew a little curve and landed on Rael’s left shoulder. Suddenly a strong gust rolled through the wood and seemed to urge Rael to keep going.

As they stepped across the glade towards the entry to the sanctuary, two awe-inspiring Viera women stepped out of the shadows. They had without doubt been there the whole time but had remained impossible to be seen until then.

"We awaited you, Rael Hyskaris.", one of them said. "Please follow us.", the other added and led them through the wooden gateway.

The sanctuary unmistakably belonged to the Golmore Jungle, or maybe the Jungle to it? They looked similar but at the same time the sanctuary felt like a mystical dream version of reality. Nature and architecture went hand in hand here and it seemed impossible to tell where one stopped and the other started. Rael could feel the air sizzle with magic and ancient secrets.

For a while they followed a leafy hallway to both sides framed by identical trees like the pillars of a temple. Their branches formed a roof of deep green leaves through which the light filtered in warm beams. At the end of this hallway was a small creek, that meandered through a handful of tall willow trees and all kinds of forest creatures eyed them curiously. Sturdy roots grew out of the forest floor and were artistically woven together to small bridges leading into various directions.

Finally they reached the entrance to a cave veiled by vines with blue and white flowers. The entrance was pitch black but the further they stepped into the cave more and more luminous plants and fungi started to grow and illuminated the tunnels.

After a few minutes a bright light appeared ahead of them and as they came closer Rael realised that they had reached an exit leading onto another glade. The meadow was perfectly circular and surrounded by ancient looking, broad trees with snow-white bark and leaves in every color one could imagine.

In the middle of the meadow, placed in a small pond, stood a delicate pavilion elaborately crafted out of the same white wood and under this pavilion sat a small Viera. They had long white hair, sun-tanned skin and were dressed in a dark green robe streaked with white and golden patterns. It seemed impossible to tell wether they were male or female, they looked about Rael’s age but at the same time something about their posture and the gaze of their milky white eyes seemed ancient and omniscient.

"Are you the one the wind told me about? Are you Rael Hyskaris?", the Green Oracle asked with a voice that sounded very young and incredibly old at the same time.

Rael nodded firmly. "I am."

"And you think you can hear the voice of the wood?", the Viera questioned further.

"I do.", Rael confirmed.

The oracle smiled serenely. "Step closer, my child, and we will see about that."

Rael looked at their mother who stood beside them. She nodded encouragingly. Slowly Rael climbed up the three stairs leading onto the pavilion and the raven on their shoulder hopped down to the floorboards with a small caw. For a moment Frelsi looked at the viera sitting on the floor and the viera looked back at it. Then the bird almost seemed to make a little bow before it fluttered away and sat down on a colorful branch at the side of the glade.

“Sit.”, the oracle spoke quietly and made a gesture towards a light green cushion beside them. Rael did as commanded, their gaze reverently lowered.

A warm hand tilted up their chin and the milky white eyes of the oracle stared deeply into Rael‘s soul. "You came here for your own good.", they finally spoke and Rael felt caught by their words. "But as an oracle your focus will have to be the well-being of the entire forest and all the creatures living in it. Do you think you can do this?"

Rael shivered and answered honestly. "I hope I can learn how to fulfill this task."

The Green Oracle nodded. Slowly they turned around and then presented Rael with a small crystal bowl filled with an orange liquid.

"What is this?", Rael asked.

"It is the nectar of the blossoms of the most sacred tree in this forest.", they explained calmy. "If you drink from it and you truly are what you claim to be it will strengthen your gifts. But if you are not, it will drive you mad and my guardians will have to kill you for your own good."

Rael nervously glanced from the liquid to the oracle, who observed them and asked: "Does this scare you?"

"No.", Rael answered and shook their head. "I will drink it."

"But I have to warn you of one more thing.", the oracle explained. "The powers this nectar grants come at a prize. The moment you drink this, you will stop to age and never grow a single day older ever again for the rest of your life. You will never be able to have a normal life like any other Rava woman. Are you sure that this is what you want?"

For a last time Rael imagined themself - herself - as a grown woman of her mothers age, a fierce warrior defending her village or a healer just like her mother, maybe with a bunch of little Viera children and a lover she will only be allowed to see once a year.

Rael shuddered.

This was a possible future but they were certain that it wasn’t their future.

"You are the Green Oracle.", Rael said firmly. "Don‘t you already know the answer to this question?"

The oracle smiled. "I do. But I have to hear the words from your mouth and make sure that you know you had a choice."

Rael glanced back to their mother one last time and thought about the wishes she had for her child but their mother just smiled at Rael despite all of her worries. Rael nodded: "I am aware of my options and I choose the path of the oracle on my own free will."

"So be it.", the Green Oracle said and offered the crystal bowl to Rael, who carefully took it, raised it to their lips and then without hesitation swallowed the nectar in one go. It tastes almost like honey, just a little spicier, Rael thought, as the oracle carefully took the empty bowl from their hands.

Then suddenly a burning pain shot through their head and made Rael gasp for air. They convulsed and collapsed to the floorboards of the pavilion clawing at their head with both hands, their usual amber eyes glowing bright white.

For a moment Rael could hear their mothers voice screaming their name and the nervous caws of a raven mixed with the sound of fluttering wings. Then they heard nothing at all and every sound of the forest at once and dozens of images quickly flared up in front of their eyes before lingering on fire and flames raining down onto the Golmore Jungle.

After a moment Rael felt a hand on their forehead and suddenly everything stopped. They blinked and saw the Green Oracle leaning over them, Frelsi on their left shoulder curiously tilting it’s head. "What was that?!", Rael exclaimed and tried not to flinch away.

"I have to admit that I did not expect such a strong reaction.", the oracle stated thoughtfully. "What you saw was a vision."

Rael picked themself off of the floor, still shivering, and gasped: "I saw the forest burn!"

"Indeed.", the oracle nodded sadly. "I saw the same vision you did when I touched you. Just a little clearer than you I assume. It was a vision of the future. A future in which not only the Golmore Jungle, but all of this world will be destroyed."

"Wh-what?", Rael stammered fearfully. "What do we do now?"

"It was only a possible future.", the oracle explained trying to calm the young Viera down. "One that can still be prevented."

"But how?", Rael asked. "What can we do to stop such a catastrophe?!"

"All I can do is teach you the most important skills to control your powers." the Green Oracle answered. "Stopping your vision from becoming reality is something only you can do."

"Me??", Rael shrieked in panic.

"Yes, you, Rael.", the oracle put a hand on Rael shoulder and immediately Rael started to feel calmer again. "But to stop this fate, you will have to leave the forest."

"Leave!? But if I leave I won’t be allowed to ever return!", Rael said with another wave of panic flaring up inside them.

"Calm down, child. Fear is a bad advisor. It will only cloud your judgement and make you hesitate when you need to act.", the oracle took both of Rael’s hands in their own. "You are to become an oracle of the forest and the forest commands you to leave in order to save it. You will not be exiled. One day, if you can fulfill your task, you will be able to return and resume your training with me."

Rael let the information sink in and then slowly nodded. "I understand."

"You will have to learn as much as you can, so hopefully, when the time comes, you will know what to do. It will not be easy. There will be times of pain and sorrow and sacrifice, but you will have to endure them. For the well-being of all of us and to save every single living thing on this star."

"I will do my best.", Rael offered.

"May your best be enough... ", the Green Oracle said. "Say goodbye to your mother and then we will begin your training at once. There is no time to waste."

[kachimera]

Alright here's the very short piece I made of my dnd oc, Sutekh "Juste" of Azaleus Chenzira, made in april 2021

Warning for a shot mention of vomiting

"He should have thought twice before giving his trust so freely to the rebelion, daring to believe that they hadn't been infiltrated. Or that they wouldn't betray him so quickly. Or that no matter what they would still prefer a dead prince than honoring the saviour who rescued their leaders. Or that Belzarem wouldn't-

A sudden flash of pain took him out of his musings as he sat up in the bed and heaved heavily into the bucket nearby. At least this time all that came out was drool and some bile, instead of rotten blood and who knows what else. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and drank some water to alliviate the burning in his throat, and laid down on his back staring at ceiling, sweaty skin and hair sticking to the sheets.

Rest wasn't coming to him, distracted by the odd smell lingering in the small room and the thoughts boiling in his head. He had somewhat lost track of time by now, hadn't he ?. It had been...4 days since that dinner that ended with him like this and five other rebels dead, it was a miracle that he survived. And that the rebel leader was unharmed? That miracle could be debated. Ahh, mighty Sutekh of Azaleus, the prince and war executioner of Sedoria, reduced to a wimpering, dying man out of his refusal to spill the blood of the innocent in the name of the crown and it's sins. He sighed as the solitude of his condition settled in, seeing how in the treacherous waters he lost his family and friends for allies who'd never fully welcome him for his blood. ...But surrender was no option, as the future of Sedoria, of his people and the misery they had gone through, was pressing on his shoulders. Gods be dammed if he went back on his own resolve, he would see his home bathed in joy and virtue even if it costed everything...which just might. He sighed again and closed his eyes, hoping sleep swept his laments away."

Context: He was one of the princes of his kingdom, Sedoria, but heavily disagreed with the way the royal family treated the land and subjects. Unable to change things from the inside, he ended freeing a group of republican rebels and helping them escape in exchange for joining them. However, his half brother and heir to the crown Belzarem knew something like this would happen and ordered to killl them using an spy and poisoned food.

[galateaknife]

Hey, remember when a bunch of assholes who forgot one of the cardinal rules of fandom (i.e. keep your ship nonsense away from the creators of the source material) maliciously misinterpreted an actor from their show when he grouped together the two most popular ships in the fandom in order to gently say that the assholes’ preferred pairing was also not canon?

I’m assuming this is badly referencing that incident, as this was posted without any evidence or clarifying details.