#i'd love it if you join

[bugbugboy]

My first lesson is starting I one hour!!

I'll be attempting to teach you how to draw dynamic poses

I'd love to see you there, and if you miss this one don't worry - lessons are running weekly on any topic you can think off, just suggest the thing you want to learn and I'll teach it

Here's the link:

https://discord.com/invite/88BFQeeC

[elminstersapprentice]

[writemeverything]

Doksoo week DAY 1: gift giving(?)

“I think, the entire world is someone’s creation. Perhaps, it could be a Christmas present.”

[femmefeedist]

shameless self promo for my first ever livestream on my OF tonight May 20, 2023 at 7pm CST 💓

I'll be ready with some rosé & pink lingerie for the cutest flirtiest vibes - I'm so excited to chat in real time 🥰🥰🥰

[coldshrugs]

hi Azia! since I'll probably never play FFXIV but want to gobble up everything you've ever written or will write for Io and Estinien, I was wondering if you could kind of summarize or describe the context for their relationship in the canon universe. what do I need to understand about their history in order to better appreciate the way they fit? how do they meet and what brings them together? are there some universal truths for each WoL that heavily contribute to who Io is (kind of like how Hawke in DA2 loses half their family, or every Shepard in Mass Effect is deadish for two years)?

no pressure to answer if you don't have the time/energy or just plain don't want to! ok thanks love you bye 💙

🧍

Hi Ells. I am so sorry....

Understanding Estinio

General World Lore: The story of XIV begins five years after a Calamity (an event of large-scale devastation that leaves the land and people struggling to recover). This is the seventh Calamity over a period of 13,000 years. Other notable world happenings are:

the Dragonsong War: a war between man and dragon that has raged in and around Ishgard for one thousand years

the more recent advancement of the Garlean Empire: Garlemald is a technologically advanced nation seeking to "unite" the world under its rule

Warrior of Light Things: The player character is almost a completely blank slate. Their appearance and combat proclivities are entirely up to the player! Their backstory is not really mentioned, and the only thing we know about them from the start is that they're an Adventurer, which in this setting is someone who wanders here and there, helping with whatever odd jobs they can in hopes of earning a living and maybe some local fame too. A little network of unionized Hometown Heroes. But some things hold true for most WoLs (headcanons notwithstanding):

They have a gift called The Echo. A few other characters have the gift, but it can manifest differently from person to person. The WoL's Echo allows them to visit scenes from the past, sometimes through the eyes of another and sometimes as a kind of bodiless spectator, usually triggered by high emotion from a person or place. It also has a few other functions.

They join the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, an organization that's a bit of an open secret, determined to stop Primal summoning (Primals are replications of gods, the will of a people made manifest, and they are powerful and destructive. If most people venture too close, they become enthralled). Recruited for their prowess in combat (or healing, maybe, if you're not Io) and apparent inability to be tempered by Primals, they, of course, become the team's most powerful asset.

Io Laithe is my WoL, a viera born in the Garlean-occupied region of Dalmasca. When she was 19/20, her home village suffered a violent raid, and her family was lost. She managed to escape and flee far to the west. At the beginning, she's around 29 and an accomplished archer, among other things. Io endures more loss over her story, friends and lovers, and she blames herself over and over. She struggles to lay down her grief and represses her anger for so long that she almost loses herself to it at one point, but she claws her way back with the help of her friends. She's soft-spoken, and reserved, but is also deeply kind and surprisingly funny. (This paragraph is short but I feel like I talk about her so much lmao. Trying not to gush too hard)

Estinien Varlineau was born to a family of sheepherders, in a small farming community outside Ishgard. When he was 12, his village was razed to the ground in a dragon attack. He found the charred remains of his parents outside his home (his dad had tried to shield his mom from the dragon fire). His younger brother was inside, trapped under a collapsed beam but already gone. He was the only survivor, and was taken in by a man named Alberic who held the title of Azure Dragoon (the most powerful lance-wielder in the land, but I'll spare you the specifics. There's dragon-y magic and a literal dragon eye that gives them powers. This was supposed to be quick omfg). Estinien swore to avenge the deaths of his family and trained with Alberic, eventually becoming the next Azure Dragoon. Eventually, he gets his vengeance, but the cost is so much more than he expects. At the end of it, he is begging for his own death, but his friends (the WoL included) refuse to let him go out like that and save him. He's since been on a journey of self-discovery; who is he without the drive to avenge those he lost, without his duty or his post? In personality, Estinien is blunt and abrasive, he cannot read a room (but he would like to leave it). He has a sharp sense of humor and often teases his few friends, he's extremely sentimental, he's very protective of the people he cares for, and can't stop himself from helping a kid in need.

Relationship Summary

They overlook each other at first. Io finds Estinien too harsh and rude. He thinks (since she is seeing Haurchefant at the time, who is... affiliated with a noble house of Ishgard) that Io is another pretty girl grabbing at coattails--surely not the "great warrior" he's heard about. And it takes a journey into dragon country for them to warm up to each other, when he learns she can easily hold her own, and she sees how protective and kind he can be to their traveling companions. They become friends and it's easier than either of them expected. They don't talk about their loss with each other though, not for a long time. Both hear the other's story from someone else, and it endears them to each other, an unspoken, invisible bond in addition to what they've already faced together. Just as Io saved him at the end of the Dragonsong War, Estinien saves her when she faces off against the might of Garlemald and almost dies. It's a long time before she gets to thank him for that, but when she does, it's around the time he agrees to join the Scions too. They spend more time together, and they become almost inseparable. And as the world hangs on the brink of what seems to be another Calamity, they quietly fall in love and almost lose each other again. Neither confesses to the other until things have settled down. But once the confessions are out of the way, they easily fall into warm domesticity. They spend the better part of a year mostly in one place, living together, working together, making the smaller trips they need to but always returning to a home base. Now, there's the itch to travel again. They just pulled a stint of traveling separately but ended up in the same place. He very much wants to continue roaming, and Io does too, but part of her is starting to think about a family. I haven't decided when or if they talk about this lmao. They love each other so much, but both have a strong streak of wanderlust, and both are legendary heroes who belong to the world as much as they belong to each other.

Why they compel me:

I don't know if you guys know this about me but I love to think about grief :> It's the shared trauma, the love transformed into anger, and how new bonds can heal someone. I did not plan for Io's backstory to be so similar to Estinien's, and even before I shipped them, their friendship was a highlight for me. I love that they do most of their recovery on their own. I love that they always come back to each other. Big fan of people who might not appear outwardly soft all the time, but are just SO mushy for their partner.

They are both symbols of hope for their people, for better or worse. They understand that about each other, what it's like to have some of your personhood stripped away so you can embody an ideal.

Estinien is impulsive and straightforward, Io is cautious and thoughtful. He pushes her, and she grounds him. They both relish the peace the company of the other brings, and they are more certain of the other's ability and resolve than they are of themselves. They are best friends, they are family, and they admire each other.

Some key reads, chronologically:

close quarters | oh no, she's hot…

oblivious | a mutual friend notices io and estinien seem… different.

what i see in you, i hope you find in me | io realizes she is not in love with zenos

pang | estinien has his own realization

see you in the morning | the night before they depart towards unknown danger, estinien tries to soothe a worried io

in this state | io is unconscious, estinien keeps watch

mustering | estinien tells io about his brother, the first time he's talked about him in decades

take another step off the edge | FIRST KISS!!!!

And then their tag is filled with gposes I've made, art I've commissioned, writing prompt fills, fics from the two AUs I've written for them, and tons of quotes or poems that fit their vibe. I'd share a playlist but I don't have a playlist... there are five now T^T BYE!! 💗

[necrotic-nephilim]

jayroytim: *happens*

ollie: really roy of all ppl you picked the bats?? well ig it could be worse. could have been bruce

brudick: *immediately happens*

ollie: ...

olllie: oh come the fuck on!!!! see this is why we don't get involved with the bats roy !!!! and now can't even kill him bc he's "family", bullshit!

this is SO funny you get it anon. Oliver's hatred for Bruce is my favorite thing about him and i think it's so funny if Oliver now can't escape the Bats bc of Roy's relationship. i think Oliver would hold a serious chip on his shoulder for Roy dating Jason alone, bc of the whole Jason kidnapping Mia thing. Oliver believes everyone can change and deserves the chance to change, but *man* if he isn't a little pissed that Roy is now throwing that rhetoric in his face to dating *Jason Todd*.

i think Oliver would like Tim well enough, though he wouldn't love how unabashedly loyal to Bruce Tim is. and then whatever approval Oliver had for Dick goes down the drain as soon as Dick starts dating Bruce publically, which Oliver is *not* allowed to start arguments about at family dinner, as Roy has told him a dozen times. because sure Roy doesn't approve either but Dick is still his *best* friend and he won't let Oliver say shit about him. it's Roy's job to judge Dick for dating Bruce and no one else's <3 and he never gets very far bc Dick just has to remind Roy who *he's* dating and that Dick is being very kind in not pitching a fit being overprotective about it. the only reason Dick hasn't mentioned the concerning age gap between Roy and Tim is well. stones and glass houses and all.

i do think Dinah has to listen to Oliver rant for an hour anytime he sees one of the Bats in Star City. there's probably some sort of very tentative truce about who's allowed in whose city. (Jason breaks it all the time just to piss Oliver off) i think it's funny if Oliver tries to slowly poison Jason and Tim against Bruce bc if he has to deal with Bats in his house, the very least he can do is make them hate Bruce. how well would it work? who knows. Jason agrees with most of Oliver's critiques of Bruce, and Tim is caught between wanting to defend Bruce and having to admit Oliver has certain points. i think there would be a cold war of petty back and forth between Oliver and Bruce any time they're forced to see each other. Bruce, who doesn't even *like* PDA, would act up his PDA with Dick just to piss Oliver off. it works very well. and the rest of the Fab Five Titans are just sick of being in the middle of it and being expected to pick a side bc they refuse. they're just here for the free show.

[fightwing]

bruce immediately asking if he hurt dick after days spent infected yeah okay dc i see this and i raise you: 😭😭😭

[aworsening]

My alternative Inktober prompt list for all us poets who don't wanna write about dora the explorer :)

[saradiation]

Like you guys know I’m mostly a fanartist and very rarely post original works but this time I created this little guy to host a DTIYS challenge on insta :)

[theoldkyokodied]

DEE IN THE DOOR WAY OF YOUR LATEST MAC AND DENNIS ART DUMP IS FUCKING SENDING ME LMAOOOOOO

I already replied this to a comment on instagram but i don't think i'll write anything more cohesive about my thoughts on deandra 'doorway haunter' reynolds: she is serving carrie white with a side of regina george after she got hit by that bus. haunting the doorway while her loser brother is hanging out with his loser friend, making fun of old skin mags they found. it's not like she wants to be part of that, but she would have loved to shoot the invitation down.

[desultory-novice]

Idk if you've ever watch/read One Piece, but Adeleine and Noir's sibling dynamic reminds me of Luffy and Ace's. Noir really reminds of Ace /pos. It actually making watching the current arc I'm on harder to watch cause now I picture two characters I love going through it. MY HEART!

My ex was a huge One Piece fan who told me some of the highlights, although he was tight-lipped on the later stuff for spoiler reasons back when I was still trying to remember the names of all the Straw Hats. But I've also watched the live action, done several spoiler dives on certain characters, and just now started what will probably be a year+ long voyage to catch up with the manga, so I know a little.

In summary, if the arc in question is Marineford... You have my apologies... ^_-

Anyway, have this cheer up sketch!

(Noir you are 80 lbs too scrawny to be Ace, lolol)

[thisloveislikeabattle]

the fact that ray isn't intimidated by boeing's presence, not even for a second, might be my favorite thing ever regarding ray's personality

he's well aware of who he's dealing with, he knows what kind of person boeing is, so yes ray will play boeing's game but with his own rules

that's his boyfriend and he's not backing down anytime soon

[neapeaikea]

Seeing a lot of people mentioning how Buck and Tommy must've spent a fair amount of time making out and grabbing ass, seeing as the others are already finishing their cakes in Chim's room when they get there.

I think you misjudge how quickly a piece of cake can be eaten.

[macfrog]

if I said I loved u what would u say back

[bigcats-birds-and-books]

Books of 2024: FUGITIVE TELEMETRY by Martha Wells.

Keeping the murder mystery/thriller train going after KILLING FLOOR! It is ALWAYS time for a Bot Reread, honestly, and I love that Bot could Annihilate Reacher.

[starscreamingg]

Somebody stop letting me play minecraft I hopped on to plant a couple of trees last night and three hours later I'm trying to join two continents together using exclusively deepslate