#i should make one with my favorite npcs...

[jaxs-girl]

Hii, can I request some general headcanons about Jax having a crush on reader and trying to hide it but failing really badly?

Notes: Alright, my first go at headcanons. I read them all the time so… should be easy, right? … *writes the headcanons* Actually, that was incredibly easy and fun!

Author's Ramblings: Everyone, please send me more requests! I know I don’t post every day, but I am having fun writing out these little requests for you guys! There are only 2 left in my inbox at this point, so I need more!

~Jax's Girl

JAX SECRETLY CRUSHING ON YOU

Tags: Jax has a crush on you, worst kept secret, headcanons, she/her reader but can be read as gender neutral

Words: 621

ღ This is the worst kept secret in all of the Digital Circus. Everyone knows about Jax’s crush on you, even you. You find it kind of sweet actually. The others will actually have quiet little conversations about whether or not the two of you will finally get together at some point. Zooble actually has a betting pool going on about it and everyone is in on it. Even Kinger.

ღ Jax is much nicer to you than any of the others in the circus. Sure, he still pranks you, you’re not immune to these pranks, but they’re more harmless, something you’ll laugh at when they happen. And somehow, they always benefit you. Once such prank is the air freshener bomb prank. You complained about a smell in your room one day. That night while you were laying in bed, your door suddenly opened and closed as something clattered to the ground. Pretty soon, your room smelled like your favorite scent and the bad smell was gone.

ღ Jax notices the little things about you. Like which adventures you like most, or how you tend to stick to a schedule to keep yourself sane. He’ll also notice when certain adventures get to you and when those adventures get to you he’ll pull his harmless pranks just to make you smile again. For example, he might hide a million tiny plastic ducks (or your favorite animal) in your room and around the tent just for the chance you might find one and laugh. And in the end, you’ll have a little collection for your room.

ღ During the tense, high-stakes adventures, Jax will try to protect you if he can. But he’ll do it in such a way that protects his horribly kept secret. Maybe there’s an adventure with a bunch of dangerous criminals running around and an NPC comes up to talk to you. He doesn’t even think, he immediately clocks it as a threat and shoots whoever it is. It was the sheriff.

- “What? I thought we were supposed to catch all the bad guys?” - “Yeah, catch. Not shoot the sheriff!” - “Oh, that was the sheriff?” *smirks* “Oops.” *shrugs*

Everyone will roll their eyes at this, but they all knew what he was really doing. That split second of fear that you could potentially get hurt was visible on his face. Everyone saw it.

ღ Gangle hardcore ships you two. She’s like your biggest shipper. You’re her OTP. I’m saying she makes ship art, maybe even some manga comics about it as well. And she will show you, asking when the two of you will finally get together for real. You always tell her you’re waiting for Jax to admit it.

ღ Sometimes, you’ll catch Jax looking at you, but he always looks away before you can call him out on it. He’ll even walk in the opposite direction on occasion, suddenly getting really interested in something else before you can talk to him. One time he walked into a wall.

ღ If it isn’t clear by now, Jax is down bad for you. He’s constantly thinking about you, your smile and the way you light up a room. He can even be caught daydreaming about you sometimes, like he’s totally spaced out while the others are having a conversation around him. When they catch him, he’ll cover it up by saying the topic was too boring to care about and didn’t deserve his attention.

ღ You’re actually kind of scared to bring up his crush on you. You don’t want things to change just because you know about his secret. But it’s so obvious that sometimes you really, really want to bring it up. Just so you can stop pretending that you don’t notice.

[sha-brytols]

DAI Cosmetic Mods

ok so since apparently i have so many mods for inquisition im not sure you could even fairly call it inquisition anymore i guess i'm separating them all into different posts so . here's all my purely cosmetic mods (character creator + armor primarily)

some of these WILL conflict with each other. this isn't my modlist but specifically mod recommendations so i highly suggest reading the descs carefully

bolded are personal must haves. italicized are daimods (ergo frosty manager users should probably write them down somewhere in case they fuck up their game and daimm users can finally have a W for once) * italicized w/ an asterisk means there's separate DAIMM and Frosty downloads

F ALL = Compatible w/ women of all races M ALL = Compatible w/ men of all races ALL = compatible for all races :) HF = Human Female HM = Human Male EF = Elven Female EM = Elven Male DF = Dwarven Female DM = Dwarven Male QF = Qunari Female QM = Qunari Male

CHARACTER CREATOR

Enhanced Character Creation (be VERY careful with this one, it's huuuuuge. make sure to screenshot your sliders before exiting the character creator as well - you'll have to create your character from scratch if you use the black emporium)

Stay Still in CC

No Ash In Face

The Dwarven Warmaiden - Tarot Card Preset (DF)

COMPLEXIONS

* Andreja Complexion

* Ascendia's Ciri Complexion (no brows/scars/makeup vers / Frosty version)

* Katherine Face Texture

femshepping's 4k Female Inquisitor Face Textures for Frosty

Josie Skin

* Female Complexions (frosty)

* Kala's Complexions

* Kitten's Inquisitor Complexions

* Tess Complexion

* GH Real Complexion - Burn Scar

The Nine Muses (Qunari Vers) (F ALL)

femshepping's Remade Male Inquisitor Complexions

Battle-Hardened Complexions

EYES & EYELASHES

* HD Eye Textures (frosty version) last time i downloaded this it was causing horrifying eye glitches in my game despite not using literally any new mods so YMMV

* Vibrant Eyes with Limbal Rings

* SOS Lashes

Shadowed Eyes for Frosty (personal favorite eye retexture)

* Brown-Friendly Eye Texture

EYEBROWS

Eyebrows 4 Men

Settrah's Brows 4k (Frosty)

* SOS Brows on Fleek (i deeply apologize for the name .)

Tropelicious' Eyebrow Mods

* Eyebrows 4 Women

FACIAL HAIR

Handful of Facial Hair Replacements

Dwarven Beard Into Braid

BEARDS

DAO and DA2 Beards

Braided Beard

Stubble Pack

Cullen's Stubble for Inquisitor

Bringing Sexy Back - Body Hair

HAIRSTYLES

obligatory Anto Hairstyles mod (ALL)

Assorted Hairstyles (ALL except qunari im sorry.)

NPC Hairstyles for Inquisitor (HF, HM, EF, EM)

* Crown Braid (HF/EF, Frosty)

Fluffy Bob Styles For Elves (EF)

Braided Mid-Length Hair w/ Fringe (ALL)

* Hair Retexture

* Black Hair for Everyone

Isabela Hair and Piercings (ALL)

Robin's Hair (HM, EM)

Josephine Hair Pack (HF)

Masked Marth Hair (EF)

Lavellan Hair Pack (EF/EM)

Lion's Mane (ALL) (looks SUPER good on dwarf girls. if you care.)

Long Braid w/ Messy Hair (HF, EF, DF)

* Long Hair w/ Side Bangs (ALL but qunari sorry.)

Long Pulled-Back Hair Variants (HF, EF, EM, DF idk why the only male version is for elves)

Long Waves w/ Fringe (HF, EF, DF)

Messy Shag Hair (HF, EF, DF)

Misc Hairstyles for Frosty

Ponytail Twisted Curls (HF, EF, DF)

* Relaxed Hairstyles (HF/HM, EF/EM, DF dwarven men get fucked i guess)

Shaelyn-Ehlenna's Hair (HF, EF)

Side Braid w/ Bun (HF, EF)

Straight Long Hair (HF, EM)

Three Hairstyles (HF)

Windswept Sidecurls (HF/HM, DF)

Ciri Hairstyle (F ALL)

DAI Hair Recolor Utility

SK Hair Re-texture (Now Trespasser Compatible)

Mohawk Braid (ALL but qunari)

Curls for Lady Inquisitors (F ALL)

Tweaked Bun (HF, EF, DF)

Alistair and Anders Hairstyles (ALL)

Cal Kestis Hairstyles (M ALL)

Hairstyle Options for Inquisitor (ALL)

MAKEUP

* New and Improved Makeup For All

* Sid's Personal Remake of Inquisition's Makeup

Tears Makeup for FROSTY

[risingsunresistance]

stolen from skyblocktoday on twitter

[mizuribbons]

from my time being in many different fandoms and encountering countless more i have seen a surprising amount of "flower shop with an extremely mentally ill florist who falls in love with a customer" aus. i mean, i see why. it's amazing, and i love this concept, it's just perfect. but also it's pretty fucking specific and there's way more of these than expected.

[scopophobia-polaris]

first female loz director and the gerudo seem to be written fine enough? wow... there ain't no way I thought we were in the worst timeline after totk

Yeah got through the main quest with the gerudo, it wasn't painful! It wasn't even bad! Still got them outfits but for the most part it was like oh cool!

I would say a lot of that oh cool is from the fact they didn't do a lot to even fuck it up to begin with, I'm gonna be real with yall this game is NOT worth $60USD

Edit: lemme say one thing, you know when people were being like damn totk story wasn't dark or mature at all why was this compared to Majora's mask again? And then all the zeldatwt people came out and said zelda is just a kid series domt expect good writing uH

This one feels like a kid's game. That ain't to say it's terrible I would say, hell I'm not far in it if I get something crazy that's like OH FUCK I'll reblog this post and say something but uh.....game for babies I'm gonna be shocked if anyone struggles with any puzzles cuz you CAN CHEESE THEM EASY ITS 🫢🤭

EDIT EDIT: I SWEAR IM NOT EVEN TRYING TO BE A DOWNER..... @ezlo-x HAS BEEN THERE THE WHOLE TIME IVE BEEN PLAYING....THEY KNOW I HAVENT BEEN A PARTY POOPER.....

[devdozes]

♥ SELF AWARE PHAINON

self aware phainon shit cuz uh hwy not :3 and I am ON FIRE I wrote like 3 fics already

You weren’t sure when it started. Maybe it was the way his dialogue felt too personal, too real, as if the game was reaching out to you through the screen. Maybe it was the way Phainon’s voice, sharp and playful, sometimes felt like it was responding to things you thought rather than what was programmed.

It was ridiculous. A fictional character? A game? And yet, when you logged into Honkai: Star Rail after a long, exhausting day, it was Phainon’s voice that greeted you, always teasing, always knowing.

“Did you eat today?”

Your hands froze over your keyboard. That was new. There was no voice line like that—no pre-recorded dialogue that should say something so specific. You swallowed, brushing it off as a coincidence.

But then it happened again.

“You should take a break, y’know. Staring at the screen too long isn’t good for you.”

Your chest tightened. It was a joke, probably. A funny little immersion trick by the developers. But something about it felt... different. Intentional.

And the more you played, the more you noticed it.

Phainon, ever the charming and carefree figure, always had something to say—sometimes a quip, sometimes a challenge, but always something that made you pause.

“Hey, don’t look so down. You’ve got this.”

“You’re my favorite player, you know? Don’t tell the others.”

When your heart ached from the weight of the real world, when exhaustion pressed against your bones, he was there. An NPC, a character built from lines of code, and yet he felt more present than most people around you.

One night, after a particularly hard day, you booted up the game just to hear his voice. Just to escape for a little while. Phainon greeted you with a grin, resting his hands on his hips like he was ready to scold you for something ridiculous. But then—

“Hey, you’re not alone.”

You sucked in a sharp breath. Your hands trembled over the keyboard.

“I mean, sure, I’m just some guy in a game,” he continued, a chuckle laced in his voice, “but I still care. So don’t give up on yourself, alright?”

A lump formed in your throat. You laughed, barely above a whisper. “You really are something else, huh?”

He winked. “Of course. I have to be. Someone’s gotta remind you to take care of yourself.”

You didn’t know if he could really hear you. If he could really know you. But as long as he was there, a voice beyond the screen, you didn’t feel so alone anymore. But to your surprise, you logged in one day to find your inventory overflowing with rare items—materials you needed, weapons you had been grinding for but never seemed to get. Your in-game currency had skyrocketed, and your favorite character skins were suddenly unlocked.

Your eyes widened. “What the—?”

Phainon’s character popped up on the screen, his usual smirk in place. “Oh? What’s this? Someone’s having a lucky day.”

You squinted at him. “Phainon. Did you do this?”

He chuckled, tilting his head. “Me? No way. That would be cheating.” A pause. “Buuuut... if someone happened to bug the system a little for you, would you really complain?”

Your jaw dropped. “You hacked the game for me?!”

“‘Hacked’ is a strong word,” he mused, crossing his arms. “I prefer ‘selective redistribution of game resources.’”

You couldn’t believe it. You laughed, shaking your head as warmth bloomed in your chest. “You’re insane.”

Phainon grinned. “Nah, I just like seeing you happy.”

From then on, every time you logged in, there was something new waiting for you. A message scrawled in the background of the game’s environment—Remember to drink water. An in-game gift placed mysteriously in your mailbox—A little something to make your grind easier ;). And, without fail, Phainon was always there, cracking jokes, making sure you smiled, ensuring that no matter how hard the real world was, you had a reason to log in and feel just a little lighter. ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

But as time passed, Aglaea and Mydei started noticing something off.

Phainon had been disappearing from his usual spots, sneaking away from scripted events, lingering in places he had no reason to be in. Worse, he had started talking—not in his usual, carefree, dialogue-loop way, but actually speaking... to nothing.

At least, to them, it looked like nothing.

One day, Mydei crossed his arms, leaning against a wall as he watched Phainon gesture animatedly in an empty alleyway. “Alright, what is he doing?”

Aglaea, seated elegantly nearby, sighed and rubbed her temple. “It appears Phainon has developed the habit of speaking to ghosts.”

“I knew something was weird about him,” Mydei muttered, narrowing his eyes. “Talking to himself like that? He’s losing it.”

Aglaea hummed, watching Phainon laugh—laugh—at absolutely nothing. “Or perhaps,” she mused, “he knows something we do not.”

Meanwhile, Phainon continued chatting away to you, completely unaware of his friends’ intense judgment.

“Anyway, I made sure you got those extra rewards today. You should really go for that new banner—you deserve that five-star.” He grinned at your silence, then added cheekily, “Oh, what? No ‘thank you, Phainon, you’re the best character ever’?”

Mydei groaned, watching in horror. “Oh, he’s gone. He’s completely lost it.”

Aglaea just sipped her tea. “It is rather endearing, in a concerning way.”

Phainon, as usual, didn’t care. As long as he could reach you, make you laugh, make sure you were okay—even if nobody else in the game understood—he was happy.

Even if everyone around him thought he was insane.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[writer-freak]

Twst birthday headcanons

Characters: Leona, Vil, Idia, Lilia and Cater

A/n: So today is my birthday!!!! And I wrote some headcanons for my favorite twst boys and how they celebrate with you <3

Leona Kingscholar

You wake up with Leona's arms around you, sunlight barely shining through the curtains because he made sure they were drawn shut the night before. He’s not a morning person, and if it were up to him, you wouldn’t get out of bed at all.

"Tch. You’re already awake? Go back to sleep, it’s your birthday. No one’s expectin’ you to be up this early." He grumbles, pulling you closer.

Eventually, after lots of coaxing (and maybe a few bribes in the form of kisses), you are able get out of bed.

Leona’s not the type for big parties, but he does something thoughtful in his own way, like making Ruggie organize you a romantic picnic in the botanical garden. He doesn’t even complain when you take loads of pictures with him.

The day ends with you lying in bed the same as that morning, Leona holding you in his arms, muttering one last “Happy birthday, herbivore,” before drifting off to sleep.

Vil Schoenheit

Vil insists that you start your birthday right, which means waking up in silk sheets, with a a perfect breakfast that is perfect in taste, aesthetic and nutrition because you only deserve the best.

He personally supervises every step of your morning routine, making sure your skin is flawless and that you’re as radiant as ever. "It’s your day, and I won’t have you looking anything less than perfect."

You’re going to to be pampered the entire day (even more than usual). A shopping trip? A spa day? A private dinner with an exclusive menu? He’s thought of everything.

His gift is something incredibly personalized, maybe a fragrance he designed just for you, or a limited edition item from your favorite brand.

At the end of the night, he sits with you on the balcony, sharing a quiet toast to another year together. "My darling, every day with you is a gift. But today, the world itself should celebrate you."

Idia Shroud

The morning starts with you waking up alone, only to find that Idia technically never slept. Instead, he was up all night setting up the ultimate birthday gaming experience for you.

"G-Good morning! Uh—sorry if I woke your up, but look! I made a whole list of games that fit your tastes, and we can play all day, no interruptions."

He isn't the type for regular parties but maybe he set up a virtual surprise where NPCs from your favorite games wish you happy birthday.

His gift? Probably something like a customized controller, or even him buying you any game skin you want. He tries to act nonchalant about it, but his ears are burning red when he gives it to you.

At the end of the night he shyly offers you to lean against his shoulder while you continue gaming. "I-It’s fine if you wanna sleep here. I mean it’s your birthday, so… whatever makes you happy."

Lilia Vanrouge

You wake up not because of an alarm, but because Lilia is already hovering over you, grinning mischievously. "Rise and shine, birthday star~!"

He’s so excited. Probably already made breakfast especially for you (though whether it’s edible is another story).

The whole day is a bit of chaos and fun, he drags you to some kind of adventure, even if it’s just sneaking into different parts of the campus for fun.

His gift is maybe something sentimental like a charm with protective magic or a handwritten letter filled with reasons why he loves you.

The night ends with him humming a soft melody for you, coaxing you to relax. "Another year older, another year more wonderful. You’ll always have me by your side, my dear."

Cater Diamond

You wake up to your phone blowing up, Cater’s already posted a barrage of cute birthday messages and pictures for you. "Gotta make sure everyone knows it’s your special day, y’know?"

He wanted to really make your day special for you so he hid little gifts all over for you to find. Each one has a cute note attached, making you feel extra appreciated.

His actual gift? A scrapbook filled with memories, photos, little doodles, messages from your friends. He loves seeing you smile while you look at each of the pages .

At the end of the day, he insists on a sunset selfie, just the two of you, with the golden light making everything look unreal. "This one’s for the memories, babe. Here’s to another year of being iconic together!"

Divider by: @saradika-graphics

[corvessa]

A Camera Light, A Soft Laugh, and the Look That Gave Everything Away

Summary: You’re a streamer thrown into a joint interview with your movie-star boyfriend, Theo. Nervous and out of your element, you brace for the spotlight — but his calm presence keeps you grounded. Despite the cameras, it’s just the two of you, sharing quiet moments and unspoken support. Because no matter what anyone thinks, you’re his favorite part of the night.

“You didn’t say it was on camera,” you whispered, tugging at the edge of your blazer — like it had lost a fight with your nerves in the car.

Theo leaned back in his chair, calm like he belonged there. “I told you.”

You turned sharply. “No. You said, ‘By the way, we’re doing an interview together tomorrow.’ That is not the same.”

“They asked, I said yes. It’s short. Nothing dramatic,” he quoted smoothly, like it was a reasonable argument.

“I complimented a boom mic yesterday.”

He laughed softly, brushing a crumb off your sleeve. “It was also very cute.”

A red tally light clicked on above the camera. Showtime.

The host smiled warmly. “Alright — we are joined today by Theodore Nott and his plus-one to The Arcadian Crown premiere, who may or may not have broken the internet last night.”

You made a face. “In my defense, I didn’t mean to go viral for standing like a confused NPC.”

Theo, smooth as always, leaned slightly toward the camera. “She was the best part of the premiere.”

You groaned softly. “And he lies professionally now.”

That earned a laugh from the host. “Okay, let’s start with something easy: was there a moment where you realized, oh, this is serious?”

You glanced at Theo. “Do you want to—?”

He nodded once, then said, “Yeah. It was when she paused her stream mid-raid to answer my text about whether I should dye my hair for a role.”

You blinked. “Wait, that’s the moment?”

“You called me shallow for even asking,” Theo added, grinning. “I don’t know. It just hit me — no one else would be honest like that. Or funny. Or pick up the phone in the middle of a fight with a fantasy spider boss.”

The host turned to you. “Same question?”

You hesitated. “Probably the first time he sat through one of my eight-hour streams and didn’t complain once. Just listened. He was in chat under a fake name, but he didn’t miss a single message. I think that’s when I realized — oh, this guy pays attention.”

Theo didn’t say anything, but his hand found yours beneath the table.

The next question came gently. “What do you admire most about each other’s work?”

You looked at him first. “He’s not afraid to take up space. That’s something I really struggle with — being loud or proud about what I do. But Theo walks into a room and owns it, not because he’s trying to, but because he’s not pretending to be anyone else. He makes people believe what he says. That’s kind of magic.”

Theo let the silence hang for a second before answering. “She builds entire worlds from a bedroom office. Makes people feel less alone in real time. I rehearse lines in front of mirrors for weeks — she logs on and handles chaos as it happens.”

Your heart did a weird flip at that.

“Do your worlds ever clash?” the host asked.

You both laughed.

“Yes,” you said at the same time Theo said, “Constantly.”

You gestured vaguely. “He lives in trailers with no Wi-Fi. I live online. It’s... a logistical nightmare sometimes.”

“She talks to people in real time,” Theo added. “I have to shut myself off for days to get into character. But we’ve figured out how to not make that feel like distance.”

“Plus we both get weirdly intense about fictional characters,” you added, grinning.

“Who spirals more before big events?”

You didn’t even hesitate. “Me.”

Theo nodded. “Absolutely her.”

You gasped. “Betrayal.”

“You took six photos of your dress,” he said mildly, “on the hanger.”

“I was making sure it didn’t have weird hanger dents!”

“I had to tell her five times that she couldn’t bring a comfort hoodie on the carpet,” Theo told the host, deadpan.

“It had embroidery,” you mumbled. “It was fancy.”

The host smiled. “What’s something about your relationship people don’t see online?”

You and Theo glanced at each other, and this time it was you who answered first.

“She’s quiet,” Theo said. “People think she’s always talking, always streaming, always cracking jokes. But when it’s just us? She’s quiet. I like that the most.”

You swallowed. “And he’s... soft. Not just nice or polite. He really sees people. Makes space for them. He does that for me every single day.”

The host gave them a beat before the final question. “Theo — why say yes to doing this interview together?”

Theo smiled — not the actor-smile, not the press smile. The real one. The one you knew better than your own reflection.

“Because I wanted people to see her,” he said. “Not just a headline or a tag in a photo. Her. And I wanted to do it next to her. Because that’s where I always want to be.”

You couldn’t look at him right away. Your face felt like it was on fire.

Back in the car, the silence wasn’t cozy.

It was tight. Flickering. You were chewing your thumbnail — a dead giveaway.

Theo watched you for a long beat before saying, “What are you spiraling about?”

“I’m not spiraling,” you said quickly. Too quickly.

He just raised a brow.

You looked out the window. “I don’t know what I sounded like. What if it came off wrong? Too much? Or too dependent? Or just... weird? I said I was scared of being perceived — and then I let them perceive me.”

Theo was quiet for a few seconds.

Then: “You didn’t sound weird. You sounded honest. Brave. You sounded like someone who’s not trying to play a part.”

You didn’t respond right away.

So he added, softly, “You sounded like you. That’s what people are going to love.”

You looked over at him, finally. “And what if they don’t?”

“Then they’re not listening properly.”

When the interview went live on YouTube later that night, the comments started rolling in fast:

“she’s so real for being nervous. and still nailed it??”

“never seen Theo this soft. someone get me a paper bag to breathe into.”

“the way they look at each other like they’ve already survived a lifetime together???”

“i want whatever they have. exactly that. no notes.”

You scrolled for a while in silence, curled against Theo on the couch, phone glowing between you. After a minute, you muttered, “Okay, so... not a complete disaster.”

He bumped your foot with his. “Told you.”

You rolled your eyes. “You’re annoying when you’re right.”

“And yet,” he said, leaning in to kiss your cheek, “you keep agreeing to interviews with me.”

You made a noise of protest, but didn’t pull away.

Eventually, you closed the app, buried your face in his hoodie, and let yourself breathe again.

Maybe being seen — really seen — wasn’t so scary after all.

Not with him beside you.

[nerevar-quote-and-star]

May I present for your artistic pleasure...the 2025 TES Pinup Challenge! Coming to you August 2025!

My ask box is open for prompt suggestions through Saturday, July 12! The official prompt list will go up Sunday, July 13!

Please like, reblog, and share this post so everyone can see! If this challenge has a good turnout, I may put together other challenges for October and December! Doing that completely depends on participation and feedback, though, so if that's something y'all are interested in, I need y'all to amp this up!

(Challenge and guidelines text below the cut)

TES Pinup Challenge 2025

Happy summer, kwamafetchers! On August 1, the second TES Pinup Challenge will make its way to your dashboards! “A TES Pinup Challenge?” you ask, “What’s that about?” You see, the TES Pinup Challenge was a month-long art challenge that I originally ran back in June 2023. Now, due to popular demand, the challenge is returning this August! The main theme will be drawing our favorite NPCs and OCs in a pinup art style reminiscent of the 1940s and ’50s! Once drawn, we’ll post our work here on Tumblr to share with our friends and fellow fans! 

Everyone participating in the challenge should use the #tes pinup challenge 2025 tag so I can reblog your work here for everyone to enjoy!

Guidelines:

All characters of every race qualify, so long as they are adults! This is a suggestive challenge, so depictions of minors are a big no-no.

This time, rather than limit the “art” side of the challenge to traditional or digital art, I’m opening it to other mediums! If you can write, sculpt, bake, bead, cosplay, etc., a prompt for the pinup challenge, be my guest! Just keep it within the Tumblr community guidelines! Be sexy but sensitive, if you catch my drift. 

No character claiming! If you and your friend both want to do Serana, that is totally fine! The point is to have fun and express ourselves artistically! If that means having five different portraits of Brynjolf from five different people, then we’re all the richer for it! 

For example: The 2023 challenge produced SO MANY Sotha Sil pieces and I am thankful for EVERY ONE of them! 

The month is divided into ten groups of three days (e.g. 1-3, 4-6, 7-9, etc.). Each group has a primary and secondary prompt, so if you don’t like one, you can do the other! Or, if you’re feeling particularly creative, you can combine them or do both! How you fulfill each challenge is entirely up to you.

Because August has 31 days, August 16 will be an open “Freestyle!” day! Want to take a break before tackling the back half of the month? Go for it! Want to come up with your own prompt? I can’t wait to see it! Want to revisit a prompt from the first two weeks? Say more! Point being—do whatever you want that day! 

Participation in the entire event is NOT mandatory! Whether you want to fill every prompt or choose just one, the goal is always to be safe and have fun! 

[cancel-me-daddy]

The older sibling trope is shitty and lazy, and there is no excuse for it to be this prevalent in 2025, point blank period.

(SPOILERS AHEAD for One Piece. Don't read unless you're fully caught up or don't mind. One of them is a thing that hasn't happened yet, at least not where I'm at, it's just really obvious that it will. Also spoilers for OG Fullmetal Alchemist maybe.)

This has been coming for some time, it was really just a matter of when the next time this stereotype shows up and ruins/turns me off from something before I put up this rant.

The Elbaph arc of One Piece has just become my least favorite arc in the series, and has ruined Shanks for me.

As if it wasn't bad enough how obvious it is that Loki is gonna turn out to be the good guy (writing this on May 5th 2025, I am on chapter 1140. Loki being the youngest gave it away.) and it's gonna be like Bruno from Encanto or something, but now Shanks has an evil older twin out of nowhere and this cool character is ruined.

Constantly making the older sibling in media evil and making the younger sibling the underdog/odd one out is such a dull overdone trope.

I have had a huge problem with it for years because it completely alienates me and invalidates me and the fact that I'm the only one who even notices or cares about this just adds to it. Like, I am actually mad when I see this.

In media, the older sibling can either be evil or a prissy overachiever who follows the rules (or both) and that is it. This is not fair and when it's the only thing you're shown throughout art and media it has an effect on real life.

And yeah, there are definitely more important/pressing issues than this but I can still be mad about this while also caring about more important stuff.

This is very personal to me because growing up, I was a complete inverse of this stereotype. I am the oldest of my siblings, and when we were kids I was the one getting mistreated. I was an undiagnosed neurodivergent child and grew up with a neurotypical and perfect younger sister.

My issues with this trope falls on deaf ears CONSTANTLY and I'm sick of it so l'm sorry but I have to bring up old family stuff. We’re good now and as long as that’s over I have nothing against them. But okay; I'm the oldest. I'M the one who was bullied. I'M the one who was "weird." I was the black sheep. I'M the one who did poorly in school. I'M the one who got the "why can't you be more like your sister?" talk. IT IS NOT FAIR.

It's like writers don't think older siblings are going to be watching or reading anything. We were all kids at one point. We were the same age our younger siblings are now and it's not okay to teach us that we're some horrible monster or a lame NPC for being conceived first.

Of course there are going to be situations where this stereotype really does happen. People exist. There are mean older sisters and brothers. But the fact that I can conjure up this giant ass list (80 examples as now) while I can count the number of good older sibling characters on one hand is fucking appalling. At this point they are really just demonizing older siblings and ass kissing younger siblings because we fetishize the shit out of youth.

Movies and books are supposed to be my escape from real life. It's really harmful that even my escapes tell me l'm not valid and there's no room for me in stories because I'm supposed to be the big bad evil one or the "obey your parents" prissy wet blanket while the younger sibling is always the good, rebellious cool one.

And I get why; younger = less life experience = underdog = root for the underdog. That mixed in with everyone’s subconscious younger = better. I know the reason but like?? It’s not a good reason? It should be defied and challenged once in a while.

This trope is lazy. Like flat out. There are better ways to write an underdog than this. We all know deep down that younger means better. It doesn't work. 

Being younger means you have less experience so of course an older sibling will be better than you at some stuff. It doesn't make for a good "oooo poor lil underdog" story. Imagine being the oldest AND having your younger siblings be better than you at everything and finding success faster than you. It would get the underdog message across even moreso, and that would be a way worse position to be in. Almost no piece of media has ever explored this.

Also if an older sibling is jealous of a younger sibling, they must be wicked and cruel. But if a younger sibling is jealous of an older sibling, we're supposed to feel sorry for them.

I have actually refused to watch shows or movies because of this. It makes me genuinely mad. Especially when I’m so far along in a series or if I have a strong love for a franchise just for it to pull this.

And it wouldn’t be making me this mad if people at least knew it as a trope. Like if it became as much of a thing as the middle child being invisible and people just recognized it as a trope it wouldn't piss me off this much. If it became an eye roll ‘oop here we go again’ that the audience groans about it wouldn't have driven me to this.

But the fact that I have EIGHTY AND COUNTING examples so clearly authors are doing it with intent and are consciously aware and it still falls on deaf ears where everyone I mention it to is all ‘huh what are you talking about?’ or change the subject or try their absolute hardest NOT to understand is what makes me want to scream. Like, FUCKING 80+!!! There has got to be some real intent behind this and when I call it out no one understands or wants to.

Fiction does have an impact on reality. Constantly putting firtborns under this light affects the way firsborns are treated in real life.

Their struggles aren't taken as seriously, people are quick to side with the younger sibling when there is conflict no matter what, and they'll be considered a failure or a loser if they can't live up to the 'perfection responsible leader' role they never signed up for.

Of all the media I've consumed, I could only find 5 positive examples of good older sibling characters that defy the stereotype in some way (13 if I'm being extremely generous)

To have just 5 - 13 well written good older siblings and over 80 bad ones, that's not okay.

If everything in my life was exactly the same but I was the youngest instead, if I was still the lonely fuckup black sheep who was bullied but I was younger, I would have been able to feel heard and have dozens of characters to relate to. But instead I'm isolated and invalidated even more and can neither have the cake or eat it.

No one ever talks about this, and when I try to everyone will cover their ears and change the subject or misunderstand it.

I’m probably going to blaze this because I will be heard. This current One Piece arc has deeply upset me and I already dedicated so much time and money to the series. Even if I have to keep shouting and posting about this over and over, I will be heard. 

I will delete comments that trivialize, invalidate, miss the point, say something like “technically (insert character) isn’t evil,” or otherwise miss the forest for the trees. I will be heard no matter how many times it takes.

EDIT: Tumblr seems to be deleting all the rude comments before I can get to them or read the whole thing, but I caught two comments (rudely) telling me I should have tagged for spoilers.

I would never intentionally try to spoil people, but you are on the internet and this is such a small part of the story, a single panel that tells us the obligatory evil older twin is here. And the other thing I said was a prediction. A really obvious prediction that I know is going to happen but it still hasn’t happened yet? (At least not where I’m at)

One of them also said that because they’re the youngest and was abused, that this trope is good and accurate. And then invalidated my own trauma and experiences, gaslit me that the trope isn’t happening (so the trope is good AND it’s not real) and attempted a smear campaign on me.

I match energies on here. Give me respect and I will give you respect. I am under no obligation to be life’s bottom bitch all the time. This essay subject is THE most triggering and touchy personal thing of mine and I will not be discredited here. You attack me on this subject and I will slap the same right back in your face.

Anyone who was actually concerned about the spoiler could have messaged me with, “Hello, I noticed you blazed a One Piece spoiler about one of the characters and it is potentially going to reach a lot of fans that haven’t read this far yet. Could you cover up the spoiler and tag it as such?” And I would have said “Omg, I wasn’t even thinking about that. Yes, I will put a spoiler warning in. Thank you for telling me.”

That being said, if anyone genuinely has an issue with the top panel being shown and isn’t a dick, let me know and I can figure something out in a way that still gets the point across.

Tumblr seems to be deleting all my replies to people so I’m gonna address comments on here (the ones that Tumblr is showing)

@ the Edward Elric comment: Yes I love Ed so much, he is one of my favorite fictional characters if not my favorite. I only count Brotherhood Ed though, because in the original anime they shoehorn in a secret third older brother to Ed and Al who is evil.

@ Lin from Korra wasn’t the parent’s favorite: No, but she was the hardass ‘follow the rules’ one who tried to follow Toph’s footsteps, while Suyin got to be the rebel going against the grain. It doesn't mean Lin is a bad character, she just meets some of the annoying stereotypes. You can like any of these characters. I even like some of the characters on this list too, but I'm still gonna call it out.

@ not the sofia the first mention: …kay. There’s also one from the Kung Fu Panda TV series on Nickelodeon. This new Shanks/Shamrock brother dynamic is so old and it has on par writing with the Kung Fu Panda TV show.

@ blazing this post is some real older sibling behavior: If you actually read the whole thing and said this, I am jealous of your lack of empathy. I think I would be happier if I was more like you.

@ what about all these good older siblings in One Piece: Ace and Sabo are good but still have some issues. You also have to understand like, Luffy’s not an actual fascist nazi foiled up against poor Ace. I love Ace, but their dynamic is not exactly reverse to Shanks and Shamrock. Nojiko wasn't bad list worthy but she did still have some 'good girl' vibes and she hated Nami when it was frustratingly obvious she wasn't working for Arlong because she wanted to. And she's still the NPC status quo and main character role always goes to the younger one. This isn’t really a problem, like Nojiko’s fine and there’s nothing wrong with having characters like her, but I would say she’s not really a good subversion either. And for Katakuri I'm really talking about oldest, not second oldest or middle. And I only count same-sex/same-gender siblings. That's why I didn't have Zuko as a hard <3 example and have him under more of an honorable mention because he's just such a perfect subversion otherwise. If we're going by boy and girl siblings then there's plenty of good older ones and plenty more bad ones I could have used. Hancock is pretty good.

@ why do you think Tina is a bad one: I know a lot of people do like her, and I knew someone would question her on here. I put her in because I feel like they let the younger sister be the “cool” kind of weird and gave Tina the unflattering kind of weird. But I get that a lot of people actually like her. I might remove her.

For some of the rude comments that got deleted before I could read, I might blaze this again out of spite

EDIT 2:

Blazing again. Good job. You are proving my point that it's not always this way in real life. A good person wouldn't invalidate someone's trauma and make them feel like their experiences didn't matter.

Younger siblings absolutely do get mistreated by older siblings and it's BS that they have to go through that. But you're gross and a total bigot if you think it can never be the other way around.

A normal good person could have just gone, "I am the youngest and I did get bullied by an older sibling. I didn't realize this was such a huge trope, and I'm thankful I can feel heard but I'm sorry it's not like that for everyone. My experiences are valid and so are yours."

It's also just ageist?? You literally can't control when you were born? What happened to Franky's "EXISTING IS NOT A CRIME" speech.

For a pirate show about love and friendship and empathy, it has some of the nastiest unkind people as fans.

[solxamber]

If you haven’t gotten this already, maybe a part 2 to Idia x sentient npc reader?

Maybe they somehow find themselves in twst? Maybe isekai style (I’m stuck on you villainess fics lol)? Or if you had other ideas that’s totally fine too. (I’m not used to requesting 😭)

I really like your stuff so honestly I wanna give you as much creative freedom. Or if you feel like that fic is over/you don’t have inspo for it anymore that’s understandable too 😊

Keep up the amazing work!! 💖💖

Idia Shroud x Sentient NPC Part 2

Part 1 : here

Thank you for the request, and I'm glad you like my isekai fics <3

The moment you blink into existence in Twisted Wonderland, you’re not sure if this is real life or another game glitch. One minute you were comfortably breaking the fourth wall and wooing a gamer, and the next? You’re standing in front of an overgrown haunted house with a big “Night Raven College” sign. And a certain blue-haired, fire-topped guy is gaping at you like you’ve just sprouted another head.

“W-WAIT,” Idia stammers, eyes wide behind his tablet as he stares at you. “This—This isn’t happening. There’s no way. Did I… did I actually summon an NPC?!”

You take one look at him—tousled hair, dark circles under his eyes, and the way his fingers hover over his tablet like it’s some sort of lifeline—and a grin tugs at your lips. Oh, this is gonna be good.

“Well, well, well,” you say, casually strolling over to him. “If it isn’t my favorite player. Miss me?”

Idia makes a noise somewhere between a squeak and a strangled gasp, his whole body freezing up. “Y-You—! You’re here! How are you here?! Did I—is this some cursed DLC? Am I in a nightmare? Oh my god, is this another event?!”

You lean in, narrowing your eyes playfully. “Nightmare? Babe, I thought you were happy to see me.”

Idia’s face flushes a deep red, and he yanks his hoodie up over his head, mumbling something incoherent into the fabric. “H-Happy? Who said anything about happy?! I didn’t sign up for a ‘real-life NPC invading my world’ edition!”

You raise an eyebrow. “Oh? You weren’t just thinking about how much you’d like me if I were in the real world?”

He stiffens so hard it’s like his entire spine turned into a steel rod. “HOW DID YOU—NO. I didn’t—this isn’t—this is a glitch, it has to be! Or a fever dream. Or maybe I finally lost it after all those sleepless nights grinding for rare drops—"

"You're cute when you ramble," you interrupt with a smirk, enjoying watching him implode. "So, are you going to show me around this place, or should I just assume you’re too flustered to handle me?"

Idia stares at you like you’ve grown two extra heads. “Y-You’re just… okay with this? You’re literally… in a different dimension, and you’re fine?!”

You shrug. “Eh, it’s a step up from my last gig. Besides,” you add, leaning in closer, “I kinda like having you as my guide.”

His brain short-circuits for a full ten seconds. “G-GUIDE?! L-Like an actual dating sim?! Do you think this is a game?!”

You pause dramatically. “Isn’t everything a game?”

There’s an audible groan from behind you, and you turn to find Grim, your new furry audience member, smacking his face with his paw. “Great, just what we needed—another weirdo.”

Idia, still staring at you like you’re some kind of unholy glitch in his life’s code, manages to stammer out, “I—I can’t believe this is real. There’s no way this is real.”

You smirk. “It’s real, all right. And don’t pretend you’re not thrilled. I can practically hear your heart racing.”

His face flushes even deeper, and he clutches his tablet like it’s his last connection to sanity. “Okay, okay. You’re in Twisted Wonderland, fine. But this doesn’t mean you get to start… start messing with the plot!”

You grin. “Who says I’m here to follow the plot?”

Idia lets out a strangled noise, burying his face deeper in his hoodie. “This… this is too much. I’m not ready for this level of immersion. This is like, hardcore VR, but real! And with you here, it’s… it’s… OH MY GOD, WHAT DO I DO?!”

You put a hand on his shoulder, forcing him to look at you. “Easy. You play the game, Idia. And let me show you how fun it can get when I’m the one writing the script.”

The look of sheer panic—and excitement—on his face is priceless. "Y-You're serious?!" he squeaks, not sure whether to pass out or burst into flames from sheer embarrassment. "But, like—what if this is a permanent event?! What if I never—"

"Oh, relax," you say, poking his chest lightly. "I'll make sure we both enjoy this little 'quest.'"

There’s another groan from Grim, but you ignore him, keeping your eyes locked on the flustered mess in front of you. Idia’s practically a puddle at this point, cheeks redder than Riddle’s roses, but you know he’s loving every second of it.

“Okay,” he mutters, glancing between you and his tablet. “Okay, I can work with this. Maybe it’s not a total catastrophe. I mean, you’re here, so—wait, does that mean you’re, like… my NPC now?”

You flash him a rogue grin. “If that’s what you want, I’m all yours.”

Idia blinks. Then, with the kind of realization that only a true gamer would have, he straightens up slightly. “I-Is this… the ultimate secret route?!”

"Could be," you say, leaning in closer. "You think you can handle it?"

He stares at you, wide-eyed and flustered beyond belief, but finally, he nods—though it's more of a nervous twitch than anything. "Y-Yeah. Yeah, I-I can handle it. This is fine. Totally fine. Just… don’t, uh, don’t go rogue too much? I-I don’t think I can survive if you start rewriting my entire life!”

You laugh. “No promises, player.”

The panic in his eyes is real, but so is the smile slowly creeping onto his face. And as you stand there, facing him in this strange new world, you realize you’re both about to have a lot of fun.

"Welcome to the real game," you whisper, before pulling him into a kiss.

Idia promptly drops his tablet.

Masterlist

[mayormimii]

Wanted to make my own Pathologic ask game with questions I love directing at my mutuals:

Favorite flaw of Pathologic?

Wildest theory you’d defend?

Favorite nameless/minor NPC?

What made you giggle hardest?

How did you pick your first ending?

Which character surprised you most?

Headcanons you forget aren’t canon?

How did you react to the Powers that Be?

Who/what do you think the Rat Prophet is?

What do you think the Changeling’s story was really about?

What do you think the Haruspex’s story was really about?

What do you think the Bachelor’s story was really about?

Niche trivia everyone & their grandma should know?

Give a character who could use more love a shout-out.

Any character who reminds you of someone in real life?

Have you ever tried to explain Pathologic to the uninitiated?

Which character do you see yourself befriending IRL?

Dearest in-game friendship/platonic relationship?

Do you think Pathologic is worth adapting into other mediums?

How did you feel about the depiction of older characters/children?

Favorite niche, obscure character? (ie named characters outside the Healers and Bound)

How much of the story were you able to piece together on the first run?

Character you love in Pathologic you wouldn’t stand in another story/real life?

What was your craziest misconception/funniest misunderstanding while figuring out the lore?

If you could play a role in any part of the development (besides narrative), what would it be?

If you played more than one route/series entry, how do you think the order shaped your experience & feelings?

What other media (plays, novels, films, shows, games, et cetera) does Pathologic remind you of? This can be personal and subjective.

What was Pathologic like in your first language? If it isn’t available in that, how do you imagine it would turn out? What did/might it add to the story?

[danieyells]

Thank you for sharing the tdb affinity lines! I know I won't be naturally getting any of these for ten years (if the games even still around by then) lol.

I was wondering if you could share any interesting lines of Taiga's? No pressure tho! It's just after seeing some of his lines from other people, he seems to have a bigger role in the story and I'm curious if any of his lines give any more clues to the situation on hand. Also would be interesting to see if he genuinely starts caring for mc besides wanting to like. Eat her for lunch lol.

It's no problem! And yeah that's part of why I wanna share them--getting the units to high enough affinity is a pain and to even see any of the home screen dialogues you need an SR or SSR, which means good luck with the gacha buckaroo.

YES TAIGA MY BELOVED. he's my favorite behind maybe Towa. Chances are if you've seen the one line you've seen the only one referring to that, although there is one more that may be related? But it might be general. As for caring for the PC, this is a joseimuke so. The characters will always love you more and more with time. And Taiga most certainly does haha doesn't prevent the hunger from rising up though. friendly reminder to feed your Taiga!

Hello: (the first time the game is opened after that character is set as home screen NPC. Only happens once per day, unless the character is switched out and back.)

"...Who're you? Don't pop up out of nowhere like that.  Wouldn't want me to shoot you by mistake, would you?"

You've Got Mail: (whenever there's something in the inbox, usually Arena rewards)

"Huh? You got a letter. If it's for me just reply for me, yeah?"

Default: (requires no affinity, has no time constraints)

"What are you again? A middle school student? A transfer student? Got it, an honor student! Gyahaha! I'm never gonna remember that!"

"Heads or tails, even or odd, on or off... It's all so fucking tedious!"

"Playing with these morons is exhausting... Lulu gets all mad if I win too much..."

"Don't talk to me. I feel like shit."

"That smells amazing... Shit, where's it coming from?"

please feed your taiga.

Affinity 1: (between 5am and 11am)

"It's too early for your bleating. Shut your trap unless you wanna get abducted."

once again, welcome to sinostra's house of human trafficking--

Affinity 2: (between 11am and 4pm)

"That dealer sucks. He's been here the longest? Why should I give a shit? Fire him."

what the fuck is tenure?

Affinity 3: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"You wanna know what kinda meat this is? Anomaly meat. What else would it be? ...Who the fuck're you again?"

he recognizes you enough to ask 'again'! progress! also I guess he almost exclusively eats anomaly meat.

Affinity 4: (between 8pm and 5am)

"Oops. I lost all the money Lulu gave me. Better make a run for it before he notices."

Affinity 5: (between 8pm and 5am)

"I'm bored... Hey, you over there. Come play five finger filet with me. Gimme your left hand."

five finger fillet, also called the knife game, is when you put your hand on a table and stab the gaps between your fingers with a knife in a sequence! Of course, you can also play it with someone else's hand, as Taiga is suggesting. Obviously stabbing the hand being played with means you lose. Taiga's chibi plays it when he's idle!

Affinity 6: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"They nabbed one of ours? You guys aren't toddlers. Deal with it yourselves."

it's fascinating that there's such a faction divide within Sinostra that members of Taiga's side get abducted by Romeo's, and probably vice versa. And I bet Taiga doesn't care about any of this. Or at the very least it's not that serious to him.

Affinity 7: (between 11am and 4pm)

"Gambling and shoot-outs are pretty much the same thing. Morons who panic mess up and get dead. Gyahaha!"

Affinity 8: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"None of you morons have any flair for the table. Lulu needs to raise the minimum bet already."

isn't it your casino too. . .or even specifically it's in your name. . .can't you raise the minimum bet too. . . .

Affinity 9: (between 8pm and 5am)

"You're a real smooth talker, huh? Don't remember anything you said though. Ciao!"

your seduction attempt didn't fail because of a bad roll, it failed because taiga failed a perception check lmao. . . .

Affinity 10: (between 10pm and midnight)

"Can't sleep? Sit over there. I'll deal the cards."

He'll play with you until you fall asleep. . .or maybe he'll sit around making ASMR card shuffling noises until you doze off.

Affinity 11: (between 5am and 11am)

"...I'm not gonna play today. I'm sleeping. I don't care if the place is burning down— don't wake me up."

fun fact, he's making this face when he says this lol

Affinity 12: (between 11am and 4pm)

"What's that guy's name again? You know, the one who's gonna become a judge or a cop or something. ...Whatever, I'll just forget it again."

at least he was interested in knowing for a second! maybe he'll give him a nickname.

Affinity 13: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"I spy, with my little eye, a tasty-looking kitty-cat.... Come over here so I can pat you. ...Nah, changed my mind. Scram."

maybe it's just my interpretation but I like to think he's hungry and he saw you and he mindlessly tried to lure you closer because he wanted to eat you, then came to his senses and told you to go away so he wouldn't do something stupid like trying to eat a human. . . .

Affinity 14: (between 5am and 11am)

"I'm starving... You, get my usual. It's breakfast time."

i wonder what his usual is. what's a good breakfast anomaly? Dagravnen? Latte? Pompillar to keep the doctor away?

Affinity 15: (between 5am and 11am)

"How does Lulu always have so much energy this early in the morning? It it 'cause of all that expensive water he drinks?"

Affinity 16: (between 11am and 4pm)

"Stop talking. I don't care."

Affinity 17: (between 10pm and midnight)

"You going to bed already? Aren't you a good little kitty-cat. Whatever, do what you want."

he'd rather you stay up with him but he's not attached enough to try and make you stay up. . .yet.

Affinity 18: (between 8pm and 5am)

"You want a surefire way to win at the table? Doesn't exist. You just gotta keep playing."

Affinity 19: (between 10pm and midnight)

"Hey, go warm up my bed for me. What do you mean how? Get in there, dumbass."

either you're gonna get fucked or you're gonna get disappointed when he really just wanted a warm spot that smells nice to lie in and he makes you leave after he gets in bed. Or maybe he'll let you sleep in the bed with him and use you as a little body pillow!

I'd also like to add that he's using the "adult" expression so uh. leaning more towards you're gonna get fucked here.

Affinity 20: (between 5am and 11am)

"Where you going, kitty-cat? Class? You don't need to go there. I got something more fun in mind for us."

the expression used here is once again simply labelled "adult" so. . . . No going to class and no going to sleep.

Affinity 21: (between 11am and 4pm)

"That's it, kitty-cat. I feel like my luck'll change if you're around."

Affinity 22: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"I'm starving... This isn't enough... I want more... More..."

they've gotta stop letting him go so long without eating because he clearly loses his mind if he doesn't eat enough meat.

Affinity 23: (between 8pm and 5am)

"I'm the only one who sees how fucked we are. But he won't believe me. So just let it all burn down—I don't give a shit anymore."

if Taiga sees the future or knows the future because of timeline/loop shit, then that Taiga doesn't seem to actively care much about being Captain or doing his job makes sense. He knows that if nothing changes everything's going to fall apart anyway so there's no point in trying. We don't really know what his stigma does either--in fact, his "good luck" could be that he can see and react to future events, so he knows things like what cards will be drawn and such. But he's getting tired of everything always going so bad no mater what he does in response to what he sees. And Romeo(? it doesn't say who he's telling about how bad things are getting) isn't helping to make changes. . .so he's just giving up. But now you're here, maybe you're different somehow. Maybe somehow you're an outlier in this timeline. Maybe injuring you was on purpose to change something in the future he saw. Maybe that's why he's telling you about the spy. . . .of course this is all speculation. Until we learn what his stigma does or what he means by 'ditch this future' then. . .all speculation. But there is a wickhive post that someone can see the future. And the more I think about it the more I wonder if it's Taiga. (also because i'm sure someone will point this out, the wording 'let it all burn down' is specific to the English dialogue, so it's not a callback to the pre-prequel sequence where the school is on fire.)

Affinity 24: (between 10pm and midnight)

"If you don't like pain then quit flailing around. I'm getting a taste of you, so close your eyes and shut up."

welcome back to the torture chair! You're probably getting cut like a piece of good meat before he just sinks his teeth into you! Your hands and legs are bound and he's not going to let you get away without eating at least a little of your flesh, so suck it up. That or scream and hope somebody comes to rescue you. . .but the desire to eat the pc never goes away. Most likely because he just wants to eat fresh meat in general and the more he likes someone and the more they hang around him the more he wants to eat them. . .although I assume he unlearned it and now you're here and he just can't help himself. . .if they did consume demons to become ghouls, I bet you're the only thing short of maybe Romeo that'll taste anywhere near as good as that demon did.

Affinity 25(max): (no time constraints)

"You're not getting away from me, kitten. You're here till death do us part, whether you like it or not."

oh and also you're married. y'know in case you wanted to do that. or even if you didn't. you don't have a choice in the matter.

Spring: (March-May) (between 5am and 11am)

"(Yawn) Man, why am I so tired today... Someone spike my food?"

'hey did someone drug the anomaly they brought me to eat so that i would get sleepy if i ate it' baby the weather's just getting warm you're sleepy because spring is cozy

(between 11am and 4pm)

"What? Cherry blossoms? Is it that time of year already? Man, that snuck up on me."

(between 4pm and 8pm)

"Fuck it, I'm taking a nap. Come over here and be my pillow."

(between 8pm and 5am)

"What's with that vacant look on your face? You need more excitement in your life? Come over here, I'll play with you."

Summer: (June-August) (between 5am and 11am)

"Too hot... Hey, I want my breakfast on ice. They got tons of it over on Jin's turf, go nab some."

hey uh why do you remember Jin by name. like i know Jin's short enough of a name to not need a nickname but also you remember not only Jin but where he lives and how cold it is? Then again you started in the same year, maybe Taiga remembers all the third years since he's known them for two years?

(between 11am and 4pm)

"Why don't we make a giant pool in Sinostra? It's so hot here. I'll put up the cash... Wait no, I used it all yesterday."

YOU COULD HAVE A NICE POOL IF YOU WERE MORE RESPONSIBLE WITH YOUR MONEY.

(between 4pm and 8pm)

"Quiz time—where's Lulu going all dolled up on a stinking hot day like this? Answer— he's cheating on me! Gyahaha!"

THEY ARE FEEDING MY SHIP WHAT DO YOU MEAN TAIGA JOKES THAT THEY'RE DATING. they have such awful married couple who hate each other but also love each other energy.

(between 8pm and 5am)

"Shower? I don't wanna... Shut up and strip me already then."

man he has no fucks to give that you'd be taking his clothes off and seeing him naked huh. . . .

Autumn: (September-November) (between 5am and 11am)

"Good weather for sports? You get a lot more exercise fighting to the death. Gyahaha!"

how frequently do you think he fights to the death. . .probably a lot less than he used to. poor baby needs his deadly enrichment. Also the fact that he finds the idea of fighting to the death fun explains why he smiles when he takes damage in combat lol

(between 11am and 4pm)

"That looks tasty. Gimme a bite."

so given one of the most common autumn foods in japan is like sweet potatoes(and also the pc probably doesn't eat raw anomaly meat) I assume this means he does eat normal food, just prefers to eat raw meat especially from anomalies? Either way, i am once again remind you to feed your Taiga.

(between 4pm and 8pm)

"We're going out. I've been eating more lately and these guys are too slow. Gonna go stock up."

you've been eating more lately? because it's autumn? what are you, a bear about to go into hibernation?? also he's taking you grocery shopping i guess. or anomaly hunting. . . .

(between 8pm and 5am)

"Watch your back. Way easier to jump people when it gets dark so early. Gyahaha!"

i'd like to think he stuck his gun under your chin and snuck up behind you from in the dark here lol

Winter: (December-February) (between 5am and 11am)

"You trying to pull my covers off? Wanna die?"

my boy does NOT like being cold. Or getting up in the morning. So winter mornings? just leave him in bed.

(between 11am and 4pm)

"I wanna go nab some food from Harry's place, but it's too cold for that shit..."

(between 4pm and 8pm)

"Oh, I got an idea. I just gotta use someone as a punching bag to warm up. Hey you guys, stand over there."

Taiga beating the shit out of his own men because the exercise will keep him warm. . .why do people side with you again?

(between 8pm and 5am)

"I don't like the cold... Come on, come be my hot water bottle! Let me cuddle up to you!"

Getting all tangled up with Taiga under his blankets while he shivers because Sinostra is in a desert and deserts in the winter can be FUCKING COLD especially at night. It gets cold and he's just the whiniest little meow-meow. Until he gets hungry.

His birthday: (October 16th)

"Huh? Whose birthday? Mine? Gyahaha! Totally forgot about it! Grazie!"

it's okay Taiga, I forget my birthday too most of the time.

Your birthday:

"Is it your birthday today? That little twerp told me. Okay, you can take one thing from my room."

Ritsu fuckin doxed you? is that legal? Doesn't Taiga's room have like a pile of coins in it. . .is one coin 'one thing' or is 'the pile of coins' one thing. . .then again the background is AI generated so. not really sensible and doesn't say much about him sadly. considering taiga's described as spending his money wastefully I assume he buys a lot of random things he doesn't need or use--then again he probably spends most of it on gambling. But considering he's offering you anything out of his room, I assume there's a lot of nice stuff in there.

New Years: (January 1st)

"You gonna go skipping off to a shrine together just to get your fortune told? That's dumb. Here, let me guess what it'll say—you'll have an okay year."

the fact that he guesses your fortune is a tiny piece on the 'taiga can see the future' evidence pile but it's a piece nonetheless

Valentine's Day: (February 14th)

"Is that for me? Sure I'll take it, but it better be edible."

i was gonna say 'has he never gotten valentine's day chocolates before?' but i remembered that he probably doesn't really remember if he has so. this is probably his general reaction to gifts lol 'is it money and if not can i eat it'

White Day: (March 14th)

"What's that expectant look on your face? Lulu was harping on about mimosas or something before. That what you want?"

of course he doesn't know what white day is lol but he does remember that Romeo had something tasty!

April Fool's Day: (April 1st)

"I'm gonna die soon, you know? And I'm taking Lulu with me. ...Gotcha! Gyahaha!"

wait you didn't remember white day but you remembered april fool's day? maybe someone tried to prank him first lol remember guys, suicide is not an appropriate april fool's prank!

Halloween: (October 31st)

"Trick or treat. Where you gonna put your chips, kitty-cat?"

I think if you're trick or treating then they're supposed to decide if you get the trick or the treat. . .but it seems more like Taiga to give you something that could be a trick or a treat lolol russian roulette is a totally acceptable halloween party game right? of course!

Christmas: (December 25th)

"Come on Santa kitty, tie a ribbon 'round yourself and get over here. Gyahaha!"

at least he knows what gift he wants! unfortunately you don't know what for but based on his expression you may not get eaten. . .depending on your definition--

Idle: (about 20 seconds without interacting with the game) (below 13 affinity)

"...This is boring. I'm outta here."

(13 affinity and above)

"Are you done yet? I'm hungry over here."

Absent: (logging in for the first time in 2 or more days?)

"Long time no see! You decide to ditch this future too? Sorry I'm not dead yet."

AND HERE"S THE LINE THAT'S CAUSING SO MUCH SPECULATION. . .what does that even mean Taiga. . .what do you know, what have you seen. . .and can we fix this future instead of leaving it to rot--

UH. YEAH. I THINK I'VE SAID ENOUGH HAHA. . .everything Taiga says is so. . . ./gestures weakly) IT REALLY DOES SEEM LIKE MORE IS HAPPENING THAN YOU REALIZE RIGHT??? The game's still so early on we probably won't learn for a very long time lol. . . . But, yeah. Taiga definitely loves you--and lusts after you. As his affinity goes up, he asks "who are you" a lot less, did you notice? He starts to remember and just say "kitty cat" and "kitten", because that's who you are and he can remember that. So far the only people he remembers are Romeo, Hyde, and Jin it seems. And you.

[lvl109]

raison d'être.

a caleb xia summer fic. rule one: no unnecessary touching.

summary.ᐟ university au. all the lis are friends. no evol au. featuring some npcs (ex: tara, yvonne, etc.) fake dating at a beach house to get over an ex that isn't even yours? much more likely than you think. don't forget your sunscreen and sandals.

tee says.ᐟ and they were roommates... oh my god, they were roommates.

content ahead: non!mc reader, loser caleb shenanigans, yvonne as the inner voice of reason, and the realization that this summer might just be the most insane thing you've gotten yourself into. much to sylus' well known delight. wc: 3.3k.

day one of the holidays and you’re already off to a terrible start.

you sleep through all your alarms, waking up solely to the blaring sound of your phone ringing and a few notifications from your beloved other half reminding you to pack accordingly. you groan and turn over in your sheets, batting at your phone uselessly before managing to grab it and press it to your ear.

“hello…?”

“i’m outside,” a cheerful voice answers, and you pull your phone away from your ear to glare at the screen offendedly. no one should be this happy at… 

you squint your phone more closely and huff. nine in the morning.

“who is this,” you mumble, turning around to bury your face in your pillow. “and why are you so happy so early in the morning. are you even human.”

“that’s no way to greet your loving boyfriend so early in the morning. do you want me to cry?”

you flop over in your sheets and send a deadpan glare to your poor ceiling.

“we have rules, caleb.” you frown when he laughs and eventually kick your blanket off to patter around and get ready. “stick to them.”

“just teasing,” he hums and you roll your eyes. “did sylus text you at ass in the morning, too? i swear he doesn’t sleep yet always looks like he snatches a full eight hours. don’t know how he does it.”

“never mind how he does it, why are you outside my apartment so early?” you peek through your curtains like a disgruntled housewife and squint against the sunlight. true to his word, he’s leaning against his car with his phone to his ear. “i was gonna carpool with sy.”

“but we’re dating now, remember? wouldn’t it be weird if we arrived separately?” 

you frown and move from the window. you hate to admit it, but he’s right.

“also… sylus knows about the situation,” caleb adds with a disturbing amount of calmness, and you trip over air on your way to the bathroom. it makes you cuss up a furious storm, and you can faintly hair his surprise as you pick your phone up from where it fell. 

“you what?!”

“i caved! he’s so… you know that thing he does when he knows you’re hiding something and squeezes it out of you? it’s so scary,” he whines, and you can see the pout on his lips without seeing him. you storm into the bathroom to brush your teeth and glare at your reflection in the mirror. “please don’t be mad… i’ll take the blame for everything if it goes south—”

you spit out toothpaste and frown. “this entire thing was your idea to begin with!”

how could you face your best friend now? you can practically see the shit-eating grin on his face, the gears in his head spinning meticulously, and it’s all you can do to not bang your head on the countertop.

“i bought breakfast in hopes of winning you over,” caleb continues sheepishly, making you squint at your phone incredulously. “it’s your favorite, too…”

you frown once again, grumbling to yourself petulantly. “bet that idiot told you just so you could bribe me out of bed even faster.”

“what? no, i remembered your order from that time we all went cafe hopping.” a short pause. “is that creepy?”

you purse your lips in thought. “yes. you're a creep. hang up, i’m gonna shower.”

“can i come with?”

you hang up before he backtracks and embarrasses himself any further. within the next few hours, you've changed, lugged your suitcases out front, and set out on the road towards impending doom.

the drive to the beach shaves ten years off your lifespan.

breakfast was great, though. he truly had remembered your order down to the amount of milk and sugar in your coffee, and you hum appreciatively as you take a sip. out of the corner of your eye, you see him smile at your response, to which you’re quick to remind him to keep his eyes on the damn road.

four hours and three terrible karaoke sessions from your driver later, and the beach house finally comes into view. you can’t stop the look of awe on your face.

it’s right near the water, beautiful white and baby blue paint reflecting the easy sunlight. it looks straight out of a house hunting magazine, and if you squint, you notice a few others exactly like it and a couple shops further down the shoreline. it’s a property brothers’ dream, you can’t help but think, momentarily forgetting your wiles as you take in the view.

“our lovebirds have arrived!”

your smile drops and you sigh. short lived and curt. typical of your best friend, of course.

he’s quick to make his way over your side as caleb puts the car in park, rushing over to your side with the giant grin you knew he’d be sporting. it’s almost sinister in real life, knowing he could be plotting anything for your evident demise, and you scowl as he throws an arm around your shoulders in greeting.

“sweetheart,” he says easily, and you groan and rest your head on his shoulder. “good for you to make it safely. how was the trip? tara and vonnie?”

“they're coming later.” you think of tara’s excited babbling and yvonne’s list of pre planned beach-related activities at the mention of your two friends—until you see the smug smile on his own lips.

“just out with it already,” you grumble, pinching his side when you hear him laugh. “i know he already told you. don’t make this harder than it already is.”

the both you glance back at caleb, who busies himself with unloading the trunk. you can hear the cogs turning in sylus’ head, thoughtful tapping against your skin giving him away, and you cross your arms to wait for his verdict in silence.

“i’m just curious as to how he managed to convince you,” he finally says, and you deadpan glare at the ground in response. “i thought you hated him?”

“i don’t even know him that well to hate him,” you counter through a hushed hiss, glancing back at the car in case he heard anything. “but he was going to grovel on his knees and probably would never leave me alone if i said no, so—”

“so you’re into begging,” sylus raises a brow, and promptly cackles as he steps back to avoid your slap. “kidding! just kidding. mostly. but i’m just saying this now, none of this works out in your favor.”

“i know,” you grumble, sighing when the trunk slams close and you hear footsteps approaching from being you. “that’s why we have a contract.”

in an attempt to regain some control, you'd drafted the weakest contract you'd ever seen with barely any time to spare. just thinking about it makes you want to bury your head six feet into the sand. caleb had looked at you like you were crazy when you'd brought it up, violet hues narrowing in confusion at why he'd need to sign a piece of paper to date someone, and you'd just glared at him until he'd grumbled his assent and sloppily signed the bottom of the paper. 

fake date, you'd reminded him testily. ground rules needed to be set if you were going to spend your summer attached to the hip of someone who didn't know how to move on. 

sylus raises his brows so high you swear they nearly reach his hairline. “so they do teach you things in that place after all,” he says incredulously, now earning him a smack to his shoulder. “a contract. that's so cute. i'm placing a bet that it'll be broken within the first month.”

“your faith in me is much appreciated,” you utter dryly. sylus snickers and squeezes your shoulder affectionately.

you'd missed this. missed him, even if it meant being clowned relentlessly. his presence is a familiar sense of grounding even on shifting sand. at least if this blew up in your face, he had a funny story to tell of his ridiculous best friend to his grandchildren. you let yourself burrow into his arms and breathe in the salty air. you wouldn't let caleb ruin your vacation. you were here to enjoy yourself. 

a voice clears his throat behind the two of you and you resist the urge to complain. “hope i’m not interrupting anything, but these bags won't carry themselves.”

the two of you look back to caleb staring already, his brows slightly furrowed with a suitcase in both hands. sylus just grins easily, directing you to the front door with a final squeeze to your shoulder before going over to help him. before you leave the two of them, your grip tightens around your shoulder bag as she's all yours, no one's taking her from you in the unmistakable cadence of mirth is the last thing you hear before you stalk off, the sound of sylus laughing wafting out behind you.

the interior is almost enough to make you forget your troubles. it's more hotel than beach house on the inside with its mix of coastal decor and open beam structure, white and blue accents littering couches that looked soft to the touch. white linens part for floor to ceiling windows that filter everything in a warm glow, opening the vast living and dining space to a peek of the ocean just in view. out of the corner of your eye, you spot a grand staircase leading up towards what you assume were the bedrooms.

your breath leaves you in an awed rush as excitement fills you up once again, a smile tugging at the corner of your lips. when you blink back into focus, the sound of voices pull you further into the house.

the kitchen space is just as warmly decorated, but your attention is drawn to its current inhabitants sitting at the island. one of them notices your presence mid conversation, a smile tugging at her lips as she lights up and waves you over.

“hi!” her smile is warm as she gets up to greet you, brown eyes shining over clear frames. she's tall when she hops off the high chair, her sandals quiet against the tiled floor as she offers her hand to shake. “you must be the mysterious best friend.”

you blink nervously and shake her hand, the sound of her bracelets clinking under your embarrassed laugh. “yes. that's me, i guess—sorry we haven't met, university and all—”

“uni’s a massive bitch, don't apologize on its behalf.” she waves off any apologies, guiding you further into the kitchen. “we just got here a few minutes ago and sy said that his surprise guest was here, so i figured if it had to be anyone—it had to be you.”

her smile is sweet, genuinely interested as she looks you over. “wait, introductions. super sorry.” she points to herself, “theo. theodosia if you're my mother, teddy if we're cool, but any other variation of my name is alright. tee is the current one i've grown fond of. short and sweet.” theo inclines her head with a even sweeter smile, “and that's zayne. not short, but definitely the sweetest.”

their faces are familiar. you recall them from the rare times sylus would post on instagram in photos that were too cute to have been taken just by himself. you recognize her smile and the quiet fondness zayne held for the both of them, fully on display as theo does the introductions for them. you'd truly vomit if you didn't already think they were cute.

“he talks about you a lot,” zayne offers up his own conversation. wire frames settle on the bridge of his nose as well, pushed up before he continues to speak. “amongst other things. it's good to finally meet you in person.”

you nod with a weaker smile. “all good things, i hope. it's good to finally meet you both.” adding wryly, “thank you for ensuring he doesn't die alone. now he'll stop meddling with my love life.”

theo cackles, utterly delighted at your dry humor, and zayne does his best to tamp down a laugh of his own. it makes you let out a breath, though. they don't know. you don't know whether to laugh or cry about sylus keeping your dilemma a secret. probably in prolonging your suffering. maybe it'd make for good bedside laughter.

the front door bangs open with a loud shout, clamoring and bickering immediately breaking the good atmosphere. you jump in surprise, head whipping towards the commotion. sylus’ laughter is loud, ducking past caleb struggling between keeping the door open, pushing your suitcases through the foyer, and probably strangling the life out of your best friend. 

“stop it—i swear to god—hold the door open, you asshole!”

“that's no way to treat your beloved host now, is it?” sylus looks up to find the three of you mingling in the kitchen and brightens significantly, promptly abandoning the suitcases entirely to flit over much to caleb’s immediate dismay. 

“introductions were made? great, wonderful.” he leans over for a kiss, to which is happily delivered from both partners. “i hope no embarrassing stories were shared.”

theo brightens almost immediately, turning to face you. “remind me to tell you how he asked me to be his girlfriend. remind me.” she ignores sylus’ instant complaints and just smiles innocently. “it was so cute. he was so nervous.”

this is what you'd come here for. your smile is genuine now in the face of gaining dirt on your usually collected friend, opening your mouth to begin to pry for more information when the sound of a tired groan emits from the living room.

the four of you pause to look at caleb sprawled on the floor, a heap of sweat and exhaustion surrounded by your suitcases. being the closest to him, you force down your disgruntlement and walk towards him with sylus’ gaze boring holes into the back of your head, crouching down and poking his cheek.

“hey.” you clear your throat. no response. “caleb. get off the floor.”

he lays motionless on the ground save for the rise and fall of his chest. his eyes are closed, lashes settling on his cheeks, and you swear you see the faintest splash of freckles across his skin. if you were a weaker person, you'd call it cute. but you're not. 

mustering up your courage and letting your dignity pool on the ground at your feet, you let your brows furrow in what you hope is a convincing show of concern. your thumb brushes against his cheek with uncharacteristic softness. 

“caleb?” your voice is gentle. caring. his eyelids flutter a bit, his lips just barely keeping a smile at bay. murderous rage flares up inside of you but you keep it classy. one of you has to. “baby, get off the floor. you're blocking the door.”

caleb’s eyes blink open immediately. sylus’ chokes on a poorly hidden laugh. and as if your luck couldn't get any worse, two more figures stand at the open entry.

“aw, cute! why didn't you say anything about getting a boyfriend?”

more than anything, you wish for the ground to swallow you whole.

it's a full house now. with caleb moved (pushed, more like it) out of the way, three additional cars in the driveway bring tara and yvonne, rafayel—another face you recognize from social media, with xavier and emcee being the last to trickle in through the doors. greetings and hugs are exchanged as old friends are introduced to new ones, chatter flitting above your heads.

yvonne stares at you the entire time, her expression a clear sign that she wants to talk. your smile wavers slightly. there was little in this world you feared like the wrath of a medical student. 

offering something of a parting smile to caleb, who you'd been in conversation with alongside rafayel, you grab tara from where she'd been examining the decor and lead them both into what you hope is a secluded area far away from the living and dining area. the faint smell of laundry detergent and linen spray hits your nose as you pry a random door open. without thinking twice, you usher them both in and shut the door, leaning against its surface with a sigh.

tara blinks slowly. yvonne continues to stare. so you crumble.

“i can explain—”

“you're dating caleb?” yvonne sputters out over your weak attempt, her eyes widening in disbelief. “caleb? the same caleb who you couldn't even sit next to without immediately moving? the same caleb you swore had it out for you? that caleb?”

at the same time you open your mouth to explain again, tara’s expression grows comically horrified. “you're dating cal—mph?!”

you press your hand against her mouth as her exclamation gets a bit too loud for your liking, wincing at the volume. “...yes. i… i am. but it's new, alright? it hasn't been for long.”

yvonne narrows her eyes. “you said you couldn't fathom how someone could ever want to date someone like him. you called him weird and creepy.”

tara nods. “heavy on the creepy part. plus, like, isn't he in love with his best friend? how in the world did he land you?”

you resist the urge to bang your head against a hard surface for what seems like the nth time. “sylus wanted us to get to know each other,” you lie weakly. “and we just… started talking. and then he asked me to be his girlfriend, and…”

i almost killed him. “i said yes,” you finish lamely. “nothing special happened. we're just figuring things out. that's all.”

“wow.” tara’s expression is torn between looking impressed and a bit confused. “well. you know what they say about boys and beaches!”

your heart lurches. “what do they say—”

“you called him baby in the foyer earlier.” yvonne’s nose wrinkles slightly. “blink twice if you're being held hostage.”

you nearly burst into tears. she had no idea. “i'm not being held hostage,” you grumble petulantly. “i was mostly talking out of my ass. he's not that.. bad once you get to know him.”

that was an hour ago. now, after watching caleb haul your suitcases up to your designated room, you close the door behind you and whirl around to face him, spitting out completely contrary words before he can even speak.

“i'm going to kill you and then throw your body parts into the ocean. that is not a threat, that is a iminent promise.”

caleb doesn't even blink. much to your steadily increasing disbelief, he smiles, settling his hands on his hips. “do you think it worked?”

you want to smack him so bad. because the stunt he'd pulled an hour ago worked better than you thought it did. meeting the girl who had been the object of his (previous? past? you didn't even know anymore) desire had been one of the most nerve wracking experiences of your entire life. at least she was sweet and seemed genuinely happy for the two of you. it was her boyfriend that kind of made you uncomfortable, but you had chalked it up to him not really being a people person.

“fuck you,” you seethe in response, snatching your carryon from off the floor to turn on your heel and storm into the bathroom. “i'm using all the hot water.”

“don't be cruel, c’mon, i'm sorryyy—”

he grabs your wrist before you slam the door in his face, his expression softening into one of true concern. “i didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. i just saw their car and… just acted. no more stunts after this. scout’s honor.”

you look down at where his larger hand nearly engulfs your entire hand. caleb looks down as well before inhaling sharply and letting out an awkward laugh. “right. rule number one. sorry.”

no unnecessary touching. you roll your eyes, turning your back to him. “i don't care what you do. if you're going to embarrass me, i'd just like a warning. my friends are here, too.”

you slam the door shut before he can say anything else.

previous: teaser 𑁍 up next: rule two 𑁍 full masterlist

[gods-favorite-autistic]

My personal favorite moments from the most recent cloho ep (under the cut for spoilers)

Silly moments:

Wealwell’s insistence on Goldbeards treasure

Daisuke’s insistence on murdering Wealwell

Kocka and Ghost dog latte art

Majoring in standing

Little robot girl Olethra

Daisuke’s flashbacks with Goldbeard (he’s lost at air :((((()

Mouse with big hands and black and white suspenders and shoes that is public domain, excuse you, back off Disney

You have to be more normal

The way Wealwell says “everyone knows the seventh Gotch son is cursed”

Everyone instantly dismantling the rumors system while Siobhan solves Brennans super secret code episode 3 interjected with Brennans increasingly loud plot noises

Silkworm goddess Marya Junkovic and her silk shirt making silkworms

Maxwell accidentally making the crew murderous against Wealwell

Marya, Olethra, and Daisuke all curling up in or next to Comfrey’s bed <3

“My real enemy was my own mind…” “…people are shooting torpedos at us”

This is more of a general note on the season as a whole but what the FUCK are they putting in the zephyr crew npcs like that one enby npc that Maxwell talked to this ep was so fucking cool????

Serious moments:

Siobhan’s sick as hell puzzle solving

The scene with what everyone thought was in Zood (esp Maxwell not having a clue what might be there but knowing it might be out there is enough for him)

Maxwell just immediately accepting he can’t go home and just casually mentioning that his dad straight up doesn’t like him (me when youngest and least favorite child who doesn’t feel like they can fit in anywhere i mean whatttt who said that)

Van’s past with the sea and her staying up all night so she doesn’t have to deal with whatever it is that’s haunting her

Marya’s fugue state when she thinks she might be even close to encountering the Straka again

The live drawing of the nocturnal zebra

Marya saying Olethra was like Comfrey really got me idk why

Olethra comforting Marya and Kocka approving

This is again more of a note on the entire season I think Marya and Van should kiss

In conclusion Ghost Dog best dog

[mumms-the-word]

I'm not sure when I'll get to play DAO, but if you don't mind sharing your mod list, I would love to save it for when I get to play 🥹

And THANK YOU for the detailed instructions!!

Of course!!

For those catching up, I posted a quick guide to how to fix DAO so that it is playable on PC (it crashes otherwise). If you need a detailed explanation for how to mod on DAO, then I have a doc here that goes into detail, since modding in DAO is confusing and no one explains it well.

My DAO modlist is below the cut!

Essentials

4GB LAA patch compatible DAorigins.exe - Unencrypted .exe file (for the 4GB patch)

4GB Patch - to fix the game

Make CONSOLE commands visible - makes console commands visible

DAO-Modmanager - mod manager that I mostly use if I'm not using override mods

CharGenMorph Compiler - compiler tool for appearance mods (see my guide for how this works)

Bug Fixes/QoL Stuff

Qwinn's Ultimate DAO Fixpack v3.52 - massive bug fix overhaul

Dain's Fixes - caveat, I only use some of these fixes, since some class with Qwinn's pack and others I just don't care about

FtG UI Mod - More Readable Fonts and UI - this plus the next mod helps for when your fancy not-2009-era resolution makes the UI unreasonably small

Nathanael's 4K Resolution Mod - fixes the UI to be bigger

FtG Quickbar - Center and Multi Rows - allows you to customize the UI a little more

Clear Dreams - no blur in the Fade - This plus the next mod if the Fade swirly effects triggers headache/migraine stuff like it does for me (totally optional though, it doesn't bother most people)

Fade Away (Fade Colour Curves) - cuts down on more Fade swirly

No Helmet Hack 1_6 - all and I mean ALL of the hats and helmets in DAO are ugly or annoying, so hide them with this mod

Bug Fixes for Awakening DLC (Optional)

DLC Transfer To Awakening Patch (UPDATED) - fixes the game so that DLC items like weapons transfer into the Awakening DLC

Awakening Silverite Mines Bugfix - fixes a pretty big game-breaking bug in the Awakening DLC

Awakening Blackblade Armor Dragon Drop Fix - super minor Awakening bug fix

Awakening endgame cutscene fixes - another minor Awakening bug fix

Awakening Riot Scene Persuade Fix - another minor Awakening bug fix (someone should bundle these)

Updated Textures/Graphics

Environment Overhaul - cannot recommend enough, it's my favorite texture overhaul

Dragon Age Origins Unofficial Remaster - Updates a lot of items and textures to use DA2 and DAI assets, as a longtime player I love it

Fine Dwarven Craftsmanship - Adds better dwarven textures that the other two mods don't necessarily add

Ultra HD Reshade for Dragon Age... - The reshade/recolors I like (your mileage may vary)

Armors/Clothes

Grey Wardens of Ferelden - dresses all Warden characters in updated warden armor, lets you spawn updated Warden armor

Grey Wardens of Ferelden Retexture - retexture of the Warden armors if you want them

Goblet De-Gobbler - a Joining chalice fix and more - fixes the goblet glitching out if you are wearing modded clothes during your Joining ceremony

Surana Circle Mage Robe - the mage robe I love so much

Surana Mage Robe Retexture - Updates the texture of the Surana mage robe I love

Crow Assassin's Armor for Zevran - cool Crow armor for Zevran

Crow Assassin's Armor Retexture - better textures for the crow armor!

Practical Morrigan Robe - An outfit for Morrigan I really like

Morrigan's Robes Collection - retextures for the Morrigan outfit

Leliana Item Pack - New clothes for Leliana

Leliana Item Pack Fixes - fixes/retextures for those clothes

Loincloth Fashion - more clothes if you want them

RLs Swan Song - Even more clothes (pick and choose individual files, there are WAY too many in here)

Noble Dress Overhaul - If you want the NPC dresses to look nicer (or you get a dress yourself that you want to wear)

Female Noble Clothing Overhaul - totally different NPC dress overhaul

Female Noble Clothing and Noble Dress Overhaul Compatibility Patch - patches the last two mods into one overhaul (it basically reassigns who wears what lmao)

Wynne's Aequitarian Robes - Unique mage robes for Wynne, if you're into that

Male Circle Robe Replacers ( Robes of the void ) - updated mage robes! Guys-only tho

Female Circle Robe Replacers (Bethany Robe Replacer) - updated mage robes, girls only

Hair (So Many Hairs)

DAO - Anto Hairstyles - various hairs

HAIRSTYLE DAY - more various hairs

HAIRSTYLE DAY VOL.2 - even more various hairs

Hairald of Andraste Hairs - individual hairs that you have to add via chargenmorph (I explain how to do this in my mod guide)

Companion/Player/NPC Retextures

Unique Face Textures for Companions DAO Edition - probably my favorite retexture set, but I'll admit, I mess with companion textures myself in the Toolset soooo you may find others you like

Sten of the Beresaad - fave Sten retexture, makes Sten look like a mix of his DAO texture and an updated DA2 texture

Sten - no clothes - if you want a shirtless Sten (goes with the Sten of the Beresaad mod specifically)

Pineappletree s Vibrant Colors - more eye colors for you

Alternative Default Eyes - my favorite eye texture

Lovely Tints - adds more hair colors

Natural Freckle Tattoos and Tints - more skin tones/hair colors plus freckles, but I think you can only use them in the Toolset

Sun's Tints - more eye colors and such!

Mabari Recolours - Origins - recolors your mabari dog!

Tranquil Brand 2.0 - Adds Tranquil brands to Tranquil NPCs

Fun Additions

***Not Recommended for First Playthrough!

Skip the Fade - ***let's you skip a quest that many find annoying

Extra Dog Slot - Let's you summon your dog as a fourth companion

Improved Atmosphere - DO NOT use the whole mod as it will break your game/mess with too much. I only use ONE file and that is the More Party Barks (party_barks.dlg) since it adds more location-specific banter

The Rescue at Ishal - ***adds a cutscene to an early quest, but I only recommend it after finishing the game once since it can be spoilery to later game events

CHANGE YOUR HERO HAIR AND FACE ANYWHERE IN THE GAME - let's you update your warden appearance but, warning, it's kinda a complicated process

Universal Voices - lets any race have any voice

ZevranASAP - ***makes it so that Zevran's encounter with the Warden happens way sooner

Fare ye well Duncan - ***a little minor cutscene added early in the game

DahliaLynn's Sleep Until Dawn - Let's you go to sleep in camp for RP reasons

Alistair's Dark Ritual - ***replaces a late-game cutscene with a new cutscene, Alistair-Romance specific, don't recommend for a first playthrough

DahliaLynn's - Alistair's Nightmare - ***adds a little cutscene to the game, totally extra content

DahliaLynn's - Alistair's First Night Love Scene - ***swaps Alistair's canon romance cutscene for a modded one (your mileage may vary on how much you might like it lol)

Alistair Romance Eavesdropping - ***adds a bench to camp where if you sit on it, you can "overhear" companion banters that are turned into full cutscenes now (it's very cute I won't lie)

I haven't yet dived into Zevran romance mods lol there are some though! And there's plenty more where this comes from, this just happens to be the mod list I use as someone who has played the game a ton and wanted a sort of "overhaul-but-still-true-to-the-heart-of-the-game" modded game.

Anyways enjoy all you modders out there <3