#i love you smuggy au..

[tiredassmage]

i'm being so fucking normal about it (smuggler campaign as a post-imperial intelligence life for cipher nine). (no i'm not.)

not even nine, but it's easy to make that extra assumption when it's tyr i'm playing au barbie dolls with.

(this is your fair warning that this is a ramble + naturally agent & smuggler spoilers)

because there's something in tyr's relationship with ardun kothe i'm not sure i ever quite expounded on or explored, so brief sidetrack from the original thought i guess: tyr and ardun only work the way they do because they don't push in the utterly critical confrontation that is when kothe finds him on corellia. tyr is only allowed his fairly substantial amount of faith and trust in the man because kothe listens when tyr tells him about the star cabal, and doesn't try to arrest him anyway.

because as deep down as tyr's ideals go, as much as he wants that path to work for them, that 'job' of stopping the star cabal, of stopping hunter, was far, far too important to get sidetracked from breaking himself out of republic custody. if ardun kothe had insisted on taking him in, tyr would have been obligated to resist - not out of loyalty to the empire, exactly. he's well past that. but because he has a job to finish, and... it was too important to let anyone - anyone - stand in his way. which is that... depth to tyr's loyalty i don't think a lot of people get to see. because the ones that oppose him? one way or another, he usually finds his way through. and the ones that have stuck around to support him? tend to bring out the best in him. they haven't tended to put him in scenarios where he has to push against arguably long or even near-impossible odds.

but he will. because tyr doesn't know how to quit, really. he doesn't have a 'give up' bone in his body.

so, anyway. before i entirely lose my own plot. i bring up corellia then to point out, with myself and with tyr, tbh, that ardun kothe's offer of keeping legate 'on the team' over the black codex decision never is exactly... in writing. it's not an 'i'll pull you out of this' promise. it is very much ardun asking tyr to stay put in the empire. and maybe a career intelligence operative like himself should mistrust that, but he doesn't. someone that isn't tyr in that scenario might argue it's just a long game leaving nine in place as someone to take the fall when the sis inevitably needs the convenient scapegoat. hell, tyr might've made that argument for someone else if he was the outsider looking in. but he's not the outsider. he was there, and that's coloring his judgement of the situation. and the situation at the time is that tyr doesn't need ardun to promise him explicitly that this is a way out of the imperial noose. it's enough to be fighting for a cause he actually believes in again, even if the banner colors are still a bit unsettling.

but in the long run? nine's not exactly wanted in either side. i love interpreting the makeb mission with tyr at its head as a 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' borderline suicide assignment. the empire's there to be interested in makeb because of intelligence gathered by the last dregs of imperial intelligence before it was gutted like a fish and scrapped for parts, so send one of the ex-ciphers you still have a close eye on, that you think is still under the dark council's thumb, if need be. if he fails, if the team fails, yes the empire loses a critically needed edge in the war, but it's also an incredibly convenient way to get rid of an operative that's been testing the limits of their displeasure for several years now, that the dark council already once threatened to eliminate. if he succeeds, great, the empire benefits, he lives by the slim mercy of marr's continued tolerance of his service.

but ardun kothe's sis team didn't act with a lot of oversight. it's a safety risk to have 'cipher nine' attached to anything that benefited the republic. it's the reason the ruse of double agent can still stick and be useful, but it also means nine's reputation to the republic is still one of the empire's top agents, one of the republic's most wanted enemies.

in the long run of things, does cipher nine have a place on either side of this war? what the hell's a cipher without the imperial intelligence that made them?

so every so often i still marinate in how delightful it was to play with all of that as sort of background context dropping him in the smuggler campaign. tyr was once nearly a trained pilot of the imperial navy before he was tapped for intelligence, after all. flying's one of his secret joys in life, if you will. and, sure, the titular smuggler ends up in a republic-leaning alliance anyway, but the smuggler can afford to answer to themselves first and foremost, if they so choose. there's a kind of agency of your own fate there that's absolutely breathtaking for an ex-agent. it would be a little liberating to say you're not in it for a side, wouldn't it? and what's so entirely different about making calls on these kinds of jobs as it was as an agent?

it's... out. at least for a little while. what if, for once... he allowed himself 'out' being as 'simple' as taking on another job? scrub the kaasi accent for a rainy day, fall back to something a little more roaming and pockmarked with blaster fire that served him well as the red blade on hutta, or a prison breaker on belsavis? pick a new name and just. go. an agent like him has a fair amount of skills that'd benefit a smuggler to begin with.

and then the republic's eventual encroaching involvement and alliances adds something even more deep and complex. this is the kind of freedom he personally fought for. he knows what the ideals look like on paper. he's not blind; every system has its flaws, but he still believes it's lightyears improved than tangling with the fickle whims of sith every day. at least when he gambles with his life as a smuggler, it's more or less on terms he himself designated with his own information on the table.

but then it turns out the senator that orchestrated a lot of these more republic-aligned jobs sold out to the empire. and that 'old friend' you and one of your long-time companions trusted was also an imperial agent playing at double.

and you didn't see it coming. the problem was right underneath your nose, and you still danced to their music. everything you told yourself you'd given up, everything you'd promised yourself you'd get away from - that determination not to just be a cog in the machine again.

and you didn't see it. how painfully obvious in hindsight. you should've known better. you know how this game is played. why weren't you looking? why'd you ever let yourself fall for the sense of security that maybe, just maybe, this was all working?

sure, not without its own misadventures, but you were prepared. you know how to take care of yourself, after all.

and so the betrayal cuts all the deeper. not that it seems your new enemies know (thank the stars they don't know, else this would-be sanctuary would be all the more a house of cards, ready to be swept away from you again). it's personal. maybe even more than it is about those ideals on paper republic senators spend their careers debating about.

and it's so delicious! god... and managing to hold onto that? managing to keep fighting for it? to keep it, after such a near fall? because tyr oliver (now, that's who you are now. just as genuine as the first) doesn't know how to quit. especially not when things count.

[saphirafoxgirlspost1]

(Open Rp) Vampire Au, Spring, romance, Horror, and Drama in "Masquerade Of The Undead"

During The Highschool times, Saphira Saw her Boyfriend Whom He's a Jock of the Football team was Walking with Her Arch Bully.. She comes to him and Confronted him, Telling him How Hurt she is, Cheating on Saphira with an arch Bully. Her Bully made a Sickest grinned while rubbing her pregnant belly..But then.. The Jock Began to Dump Saphira and Left with her arch Bully with a Smuggy look on his face. Now She was left alone as the Storms came in and raining on her Like The Devil Itself was Laughing at her and made a Fool out of her Broken heart. Time Pass After the Graduation, She has a Strange Invitation From the Stranger of the Beautiful Place called Transylvania. She Truely Love the place where she read her favorite Book like "FrankenStine, Dracula, and the Wolfman". But this Invitation Looks like base Of the 17th Century and the writing is very Beautiful and unique. She is Invited to Come to the Beautiful Masquerade Ball On the Night of the blue Moon, She is interesting going to it..But She Needs to Find a good and beautiful dress... So She head to the closet full of beautiful dresses that she can wear it for the ball, After all it must be more special and Unique and base of the 17th century as well..Then She Found a beautiful Dress..

 It was White as Snow and Has a beautiful Silver on the part of the dress and so does the Shoulder thing. She smiles Sweetly and thought it was a beautiful thing..and Luckily She got the Fox mask 

that has white Diamonds and a Silver lining as well.. Then, She travel from the Spirit world to the Place Where all the creatures of the night lives....Transylvania, The most beautiful but yet the grimmed place known to man. She Sees the Beautiful castle that has Full of Old Ruins and a bit of covered in vines. Rumor has it that this is the Castle Of Dracula, The King of all Vampires and Saphira.....well She was Terrified of Vampires,,Why? Because Her kitsune Blood was So rare..So Rare that the vampire will taste the blood and become more Indestructable than no man will ever Slay...ever...But then Saphira hears the Storm coming in as she went inside and saw Alot of The Highschool Graduates from her School was all here, even her ex-boyfriend and the arch bully herself.  Saphira Huffs at those two..but then She remove her beautiful white Cloak and reveal to her Beautiful 17th century White Dress as she smiles sweely along with a Fox mask..And then She sees other people wearing the Same Century dresses like saphira, except in different color like Red, black, gold, white, Ect..But then She sees the Host of the Ball..He was a tall and well built.. but He wears the armor and a cape, he wore a Mask of the Red Wolf and He Looked at them but then he saw Saphira with a beautiful White Dress with a beautiful Silver and White Fox Mask....Then He Said To Them,

????:” Welcome My Fellow People, Welcome to The Castle Of Dracula. I Am your Humble Host For this Lovely and Elegant Party, I am Most Pleased To Have you Come to celebrate Of the Anniversary For The Time of Dracula Became The King Of All Vampires...Now...Before.. I Commence The Lovely Ball To Start, I Will Choose One of you Most *Looked at Saphira* Beautiful, Exoctic, And Eligible Maiden For my Hands To Waltz With The Host of this Party.”

All the girls giggles and smiles as they wear more Modern and Elegant as well.. But Her arch bully was So interesting of Dancing with this Mystery Host. Saphira wasn't Endure Such Gossips and more likely Hearing, saying, and asking about who was that Mystery Man in the mask. If Saphira was Choosen, She will be happy to Dance with the Host while Others Dancing with a Strange Pale skinned People all dressed up like hers..And then..She sees the Mystery man Coming Toward her. Saphira's Face was Turns Crimson red while wearing a Beautiful Silver Fox mask, She was A bit Curious about him.. even the Smelt of Evil was on him, Then She hears the Organ Song began called "The Vampire Masquerade" and the dance with the host has begun.

 She waltz with him and she sees his Eyes Burn in firey red..Something strange going on...Then one by one, The pale people grabbed the people each..and then took 10 of them while the dance is Happening..Until Saphira sees the fangs on the pale persons face as she gasp..and then The blood began to rain gently as the people was Shocked after hearing the others Screaming and People 

realized..those Pale people is a "Vampire". Then The vampires was Killing off the People Including her ex and her Bully..and then the final phrase of the Song..and She is the Only Survivor..and She stopped and her skin went pale like a ghost, Seeing alot of people being killed by the fangs of the vampire.. She turns around and said "Who are you?...Reveal Thy Name Demon!" She said out of fear..And then..the Strange Man remove the red Wolf Mask..and it reveal His handsome face..his hair is Black as Night, he has a Slight beard and a Small Mustasch..She was Shocked and She knew who it is..and then She said.."You.....Your..Dracula...the Third..are you not?..Why me?" She asked him...and then he answers...

[marypsue]

Would you ever kill off a character just because the story was getting boring? Would you ever write a love triangle just for the drama? Would you ever give a villain are redemption arc even if they didn't *deserve* it? (haha, sorry, these are horrible)

I would say they’re wonderful, thank you!

Would you ever kill off a character just because the story was getting boring?

Personally, I think that if your story is getting boring, there’s something deeper wrong that won’t be fixed with cheap shock tactics like killing characters off. If I’m going to kill somebody permanently, it’s going to be done with forethought and meaning, otherwise it feels kind of cheap.

I have, however, dealt painful injuries and mental trauma to characters when I wasn’t sure what to do next or how to make a scene ‘count’. A note that I picked up while writing Raising Stakes and still go back to when I get stuck is ‘do something terrible to a character you like’.

Would you ever write a love triangle just for the drama?

I don’t think there’s really a reason to write a love triangle other than for the drama. Sometimes love triangles are good, actually - they can be sources of quality pining and yearning and meaty misunderstandings and angst - but I have to actually like all the characters involved and feel like there’s a real reason for them to be conflicted. Also, I need more than just ‘two boys like me and I can’t decide which one I like better!’ Give me Extenuating Circumstances. Give me complicated attraction on all sides. Give me respect from all the options for their potential partner’s choices. Give me conflict but grudging respect between the ‘rivals’. Give me an ending in happy - or complicated! - polyamory. Do not give me Smuggy McSmirkerpants “oh, I know you actually want to be with me and I’ll stalk you until you admit it” as one of the love interests.

I’ve actually got a love triangle in a nominally-original romance novel WIP that totally definitely isn’t based on the the Gravity Falls Mystery Trio AU. Totally.

Would you ever give a villain a redemption arc even if they don’t ‘deserve’ it?

That’s a complicated question! Everybody’s mileage is going to vary on what ‘deserve it’ means and who they would even want to see given a sympathetic treatment and an opportunity to make amends (personally, I’m not going to read anything that tries to make a case for the redemption of pretty much any character who has a canonical “______’s A+ Parenting” tag on AO3). However, I feel like the whole point of redemption arcs is that the subject starts the arc not deserving the sympathy they’re going to get, because they have done something objectively, obviously wrong that has caused harm to others. For me, the story is in their coming to understand and accept where they went wrong, their journey to work their way back to a place where they’re not hurting others, and their attempts to make some kind of amends for the harm they’ve caused in the past. Something has to catalyse that, and it seems to me the story always starts with someone offering some kind of sympathy and help - even if it’s ‘tough love’ - to someone who doesn’t ‘deserve’ it. (ETA: even if that 'someone' is the writer.)

I’m not interested in big showy gestures - especially self-sacrificing ones - being framed as ‘redemptive’ unless the long, slow, hard work of understanding where the character went wrong and why and how they figure out not to do it again is also shown. Otherwise it just feels like a cheat and a cop-out. 

So, maybe a better way to say it is: I’m interested in fics where villainous characters get therapy.

[tiredassmage]

You mentioned slugging Darmas (with enthusiasm!) on Tyr's playthrough as a post-Imp smuggler. Given that Darmas was part of Imperial Intelligence like Tyr, how did that whole dynamic between Tyr, the smuggler he worked for, and Darmas work?

This is DELICIOUS, thank you so, so much for finally giving me the nudge to go off about this on main, lol.

This is truly part of what made the Imperial Agent to Smuggler pipeline hit me like a speeding semi-truck on the interstate highway, for real. It was an incredibly cathartic experience, lol.

I'm still rotating an idea or two or three about the exact specifics because each of them have their own merits, but the universal beat is Cee lets Tyr make the choice here; Darmas and Dodonna used them both, ultimately, but she gets that it's far more personal for Tyr given his history with Intelligence.

(Also, I'd like to shake Bioware by the shoulders. Give me a consistent timeline on Intelligence challenge! Its in the process of being cut at the knees according to the Agent's trip to Corellia!!! But that's... for another time, lol).

There'd definitely be something very crunchy about keeping a lid on Tyr's history as an ex-Cipher for Darmas to let the cat out of the bag as a part of the bit to throw the Smuggler off, but since I've started to develop Cee as his Captain for want of a consistent trail of events to follow and they ultimately end up catching feelings for each other... and also partially because Dorne's deal with her defection during her companion quest series is also one of my favorites, I've been leaning towards it coming up beforehand - though, again, I haven't quite hammered out specifically how or when.

Being manipulated and sort of falling into things by circumstance is something Cee and him ultimately share experience in, so it's kind of important to me and to them that they're able to share that on their terms - or as much of their own terms as possible. It's still more by accident and situationally that his history comes up at all - I imagine its not even something the SIS readily passes around as part of operational security, but as of the moment, I imagine Tyr just figures it's easier (and better) to explain it himself rather than let her try to piece it together from whatever opinionated tales begin to unravel it in the first place. (She'd figure it out either way and he'd prefer someone he cares about not feel lied to, y'know?)

He comes to respect Cee a great deal rather quickly because she's trying her best to hold her own ground in the midst of... everything she's kinda stumbled into from the reputation chasing down Nok Drayen's treasure to a deal with the Republic, so it's quite important to him that he maintains open communication with her.

But, yes, Darmas, whether he recognizes the ex-Cipher or not, is an incredibly personal encounter for Tyr. While he's not Cipher Nine in this particular tale, his reasons for leaving Imperial Intelligence and the Empire behind are largely consistent with those he chooses as Nine: he's not interested in being a statistic, the battered instrument and disposable cog in some Sith's machinery. And beneath under all of that calculation, beneath the facade of realism tempered by an agent's experience and training, ideals are important to Tyr and they always have been, even if he hasn't exactly realized it. To find out he traded the Empire for the Republic (that was meant to be an improvement on the ideals front) and still fell into those trappings, that he was so close to the problem and didn't even see any warning signs, that this threatened the very real unexpected found family and belonging he found in Cee and the crew... It's a lot. And he knows Darmas's type too well to trust that the snake wouldn't slip away given half the chance.

I imagine he does take a swing first, emotions getting the better of him for a moment, at least, before he deferred to Cee's judgement. She was the one they really sent after the pair, after all. But, in the end, Cee left the decision up to him, so Darmas got no deals that day. xD Just a very angry swinging SIS operative and ultimately a blaster bolt to that pretty face of his.

For Cee's part, she was never particularly interested in Darmas's charms from the beginning, though I imagine she trusted him enough as an ally by the time this all comes out. Her main wound in all of this is having found out the opportunity to genuinely work for the greater good for once was all an orchestration to actually serve the enemy. In broad strokes, Cee ended up smuggling in an attempt to pay off inherited debts from her father, so very little of being a starship captain smuggling goods had ever been her choice, let alone her ideal choice. She's not particularly pleased that her wariness of the offer to privateer in the first place was perhaps not entirely misplaced given the company, but she doesn't hesitate to take the offer again from Sumalee. She's far more confident in the authenticity of the arrangement and its truly what she'd generally prefer to put her acquired talents to use for.

Truly though. This gave being able to clock Saresh a run for credits as far as satisfying decisions, lol! It's very important to me and my cause (this au) xD

[tiredassmage]

18,19, and 23 from the ship asks for the lovely Oliver and Cee for some smuggy au love 👀

wwwww, yesss, yesssss, I could give them my entire heart. ;_;

from a list of ship asks

18. How do they care for each other when one of them is wounded/sick?

Oliver tends to be stubborn about such “mild inconveniences” as a little cold, but Cee is the type to want to curl up in his lap with the tissues and make him watch holofilms with her for hours until she falls asleep on him. Or inevitably suffers because now she’s added someone else’s body heat to her already-existant troubles. She tends to stubbornly suffer through it anyway because she wants his company, and how could he tell her no when she's like this?

She’s the one that fusses over him in return over the little things because the big things can hit hard. She hasn’t exactly had anyone to fuss over prior to bonding with her crew in the smuggler story, so she’s very protective of their hodgepodge found family. Thankfully for her, Oli generally has good enough sense to admit defeat to her care when things are more serious (though once he's feeling better, he's still probably a bit eager to be back on his feet). And some of his care in return is to simply be there for her. She doesn’t like to say that she’s in over her head, but she’s thought it for a very long time. Even becoming a smuggler in the first place hadn’t been her ideal - more so the consequence of circumstances - so she wasn’t particularly keen to do this whole… take over the underworld bit. They can get into some very hairy situations and it can be rightly terrifying. Sticking together is a good reminder that they made it and they can rely on one another.

Both of them have had to do a lot of dealing with things on their own in their lives, so they do what they can to be the reminder that things aren’t like that anymore when the other needs it.

19. Do they wear each other's clothes/jewelry?

Cee is absolutely not above getting draped in Oli’s jackets. They’re definitely a bit big on her given that she maybe only comes to his shoulders when they’re standing level together, but that’s part of the charm. She’s absolutely comandeered one of his older tees as pajamas. Neither of them are complaining. And neither of them are particularly keen on jewelry given the amount of time they spend on the Prancer and often finding themselves in the thick of a blaster fire, but I think they would still do wedding bands. Anything dangly they’d probably worry about getting caught somewhere.

23. What are the defining characteristics of their relationship?

I think my favorite is their very casual intimacy. They really don’t think twice about holding hands or trading a quick kiss as they pass down the hallway. It’s very easy for Cee to lean back against his chest with his arms draped around her when they’re hanging with the crew or waiting in line somewhere. Cee also absolutely adores when he picks her up and spins her for a kiss. Sometimes its just being in the same room - Cee usually reading and Oliver often continuing to plot for work.

They put a lot of effort into being able to trust each other and it pays off.

Both of them come to the table with their own reservations about getting close with people. Oli, of course, defected to the SIS from Imperial Intelligence and that comes with its own whole set of issues that ultimately does cause a brief tension between them when it tumbles out because Cee’s also not really had much in the way of ability to trust and rely on others.

She didn’t want any of this trouble with Rogun. She wasn’t really that interested in becoming famous on some old treasure. So, when all of that happens anyway and she finds herself in a sort of precarious “benefits really take out the choice” matter in accepting Senator Dodonna’s initial privateering deal and one of her contacts for the job is a Republic spy, you can imagine how that might feel unnerving. While she accepts him on the crew with minimal circling around the issue, it does still linger on her mind.

The thing is - he was right. Neither of them particularly had a choice about Dodonna pulling the right strings to have him reassigned. And they realize both of them don’t really have a whole lot going for them outside of each other. They balance each other out well because they can share in that experience. They understand it. Neither of them likes to be pulled around by the nose and used as a gear in the greater machine, but they’ve been there, been through it nonetheless. It’s why Corellia hits them both as hard as it does.

But they also don’t want to spend the rest of their lives worrying about all of those very real consequences that might shorten their time. Honestly, the fact that they go through so much relatively early on I think just reaffirms things that much stronger and faster. They’re something tangible they want to fight for and protect - not just an ideal or orders or whatever else it might’ve been.

More nights curled up together on the couch watching holoflims with Cee falling asleep against his shoulder or Oliver nodding off halfway through because it’s comforting with her under his arm.

[tiredassmage]

What gifts do they Love? Like? What would they say when you gave them a gift?

Oooohh, let's talk about smuggy!comp au for this one. Tyr's preferences don't change a lot when I plug him into the Smuggler crew, but his life as Oliver is definitely a different path, so we've got some different preferences!

Weapons remain a sound bet with Oli for your highest influence gains with Technology and Military Gear sort of jostling for that last spot in favorites - or maybe they share, who are we to make a man choose, right? xD

I think my only other alteration from Tyr's levels is I'd swap Republic Memorabilia and Maintenance goods to put Maintenance in Likes and Republic items in Loves. You'll also get a higher bonus on Courting items if you follow his romance. ;) [He'd just melt for swapping small items with his Captain.]

And you'll probably just about always kind of surprise him with it. Your higher influence items probably trigger something like, "You don't have to... Thanks, Captain." / "This is... great! Where'd you get this?"

I don't make the rules but I do, but... picking up Oli on your crew is basically adopting a touch-starved Lab puppy from the shelter. He wants to make the most of working with you. He appreciates you thinking of him! Even if you give him something he's not particularly interested in, the worst you'd be given is a mild "You're the boss." / "I suppose I might find some use for this, if you're sure."