#i'm doing studies of gale right now and. man.

[nomouthtospeakof]

they really gave this sad, middle-aged dork an 8 pack, an hourglass figure, and yaoi hands

[gale-force-storm]

You know, I think my favorite thing about Gale's whole "watching you in battle makes me horny" scene is like. He's not wrong. A brush with danger does in fact increase one's desire for "other forms of stimulation". Studies have shown that being in situations that cause a rush of adrenaline, be that going on a roller coaster, seeing a scary movie, walking across a swinging suspension bridge, or something else, increase feelings of attraction. It's literally a Known Thing that adventurous stuff is great to do on a date because it will most likely make you more into each other.

Idk, I just love that his come-on is not only extremely nerdy, but also scientifically accurate. Feels correct and I'm glad they did it lol

[basilone]

I wasn't about to let @blind-dates-fest pass me by, and I'm very excited to get to share this next piece! We're off to a racetrack in Wyoming this time, as we sneak a little peek at Gale Cleven's childhood... and get to know someone new!

It’s one of those slow business days. There’s no big race on today, even though it’s the weekend and there ought to be. It seems to Sally as though the whole of Wyoming is holding its breath for a little while. Waiting for next weekend, when the best horses and finest families will come out for a time on the track. That’s when the season really starts and the money begins to flow.

Well, at least, all of this is according to Mister Danvers from the ticketing booth. Sally doesn’t put a whole lot of stock in the opinion of a man who doesn’t know the difference between a cravat and a bow tie, especially not after he’d said Sally wouldn’t have to add any big numbers because hot dogs are cheap. But then Erica Post of the Post Winery had said the same, minus the snippy comment about Sally’s hot dogs, and so had Susan Rugatti, with the additional comment that Sally’s hair needs fixing.

There’s nothing wrong with her hair.

Sally puffs an exhale and swipes her unruly fringe off her forehead as she takes stock of her stand. Lunch rush has come and gone, insofar as one can call it a rush when it’s just fifteen people and three screaming kids, and the time of afternoon snacks isn’t quite reality yet. If she hurries just a little more than she is right now, she could finish that chapter on how to set broken bones and get a head’s start on next week’s studying.

She could do all of that, even though Miss Audrey’s currently gliding over to her stand with all the air of the faux French aristocracy in her countenance. She’s guiding a young boy not older than ten or eleven by the shoulder. Leaning on the kid, actually, as though she’s quite concerned he’s going to bolt sooner rather than later.

“Good afternoon, Miss Audrey!”

“Sally, ma chérie,” booms the woman, heavily-lidded eyes sparkling with good humor, “you are like an angel’s appearance to me!”

Sally can’t help but laugh at such nonsense. Miss Audrey’s always complimentary like that, often making a whole lot of hubbub about something. She works with hats and hair and harlots, darling – Miss Audrey’s words, not Sally’s – and is to the Wyoming racetrack as the President is to the White House.

“You flatter me,” she says, smiling as the woman draws close to her stand. “How’re the girls? And business?”

“One and the same, one and the same,” waves Miss Audrey, rolling her eyes for good measure. “They ought to be ashamed of themselves for putting us up in that tent right there. I told Mister Barbieri that I can’t cut hair like that, and oh Sally what that awful man told me next cannot be repeated in polite company...”

“They’re expecting some gusts of wind to roll in on Wednesday. You’ll be out of your tent by next weekend, then,” winks Sally, knowing everyone on the track would help foil Mister Barbieri’s best-laid plans any day of the week even though he owns the place. One tent won’t be a match for that kind of determination. “You got any clients coming in today, Miss Audrey?”

“Sure do. Next week’s gonna be a big hubbub, but can’t complain about today neither. I told the little mister here that we’re always happy to see him, but he shouldn’t stick around too long this time.”

Sally gives the kid a quick once-over. “Good of you,” she says, taking in the boy’s small shuffle and his apparent refusal to so much as look at her. “He ain’t one of yours, I know that much”– it’s just Miss Audrey’s Lola who’s got a kid, and that one’s as dark as this one’s fair –“so who’s the kid, anyway?”

“I’m not a kid!” says the boy, before Miss Audrey can even open her mouth to answer for him. His rather fierce glare flashes up at her from beneath his tousled blond hair. “My name is Gale”– there’s demand in the emphasis, a don’t you dare call me otherwise lurking in his tone –“and I’m nine!”

Sally only just manages to hide the largest portion of her smile. “Nice to meet ya, Mister Gale,” she says, resting her chin on her hand as she makes a show of studying him. Collar on a too-neat shirt tugged a little askew, trousers that have been patched up at least twice, some scrapes on his knuckles, and a pair of battered-looking shoes. “My name’s Sally,” she offers, “and I’m nineteen.”

The kid – Gale – nods at her with the tiniest incline of his head. He didn’t object to being called mister, which should not feel like a won battle as much as it does right now. It’s kid he’s got problems with, then, and Sally can hardly blame him for that.

“Gale hasn’t yet had lunch. Or breakfast.” Miss Audrey manages to make it sound like an everyday sort of thing to be told at three in the afternoon, even though her mouth does that funny little disapproving thing that Sally’s never quite been able to mimic. “We had no idea about that until Candy heard that belly rumble, lemme tell ya that!”

Hides hunger, thinks Sally, already busying her hands with a warm bun and a knife. Miss Audrey lets him sit with her girls. A quiet kid, then, if even hard-shelled Candy manages to look out for him. She’s seen the like of him before, usually lurking in a group of rowdier kids, eyes roving everywhere but mouth refusing to show weakness.

“What d’ya want on your hot dogs, Gale?” she asks, making a show of adding one very hot sausage to the bun. “I’m getting two for you and one for me. Mine’s gonna have a whole lot of mustard and some red onions. And you look like the kinda man who knows exactly what to put on his.”

She’s not sure if it’s her wink or the promise of food that’s got him stepping out of Miss Audrey’s shadow. “D’you have ketchup, Miss Sally?” he wonders, blue eyes going wide as she nods in reply. “A-And… uh… I want cheese on one of them.”

“So that’s one ketchup dog and one ketchup-and-cheese dog?” she checks, showing him exactly what she’s doing to make his food. “Yeah?” She laughs as his nod turns rather vigorous. “All right, Mister Gale, I’m gonna add the ketchup now and I’m gonna need you to tell me stop, okay?”

“Okay!”

“I’ll leave you both to it, Sal,” says Miss Audrey, patting a few crisp dollars into Sally’s apron’s pocket that Sally already knows better than to protest against. Her multi-ringed hand ruffles Gale’s hair as his first stop! rings out. “Enjoy your late lunch, and be good to Miss Sally.”

“Yes ma’am,” nods Gale, fingers already carefully rearranging his hair and smoothing its back while he leans over to see the ketchup progress on the second hot dog. “Stop! More cheese than ketchup, please,” he directs, sounding very sure of himself indeed. “They’re better with cheese.”

“D’you want cheese on both? You can, you know, it’s no trouble. Look,” she says, slightly overdoing it on the mustard for hers, “you can get as much as you want on these. Not a lot o’ people have been wanting cheese today, so you’re extra lucky!”

“Only if it’s no trouble…”

“None,” she smiles, putting more cheese than ketchup on both of his. “Now, c’mere, grab yourself a plate,” she directs, “and – oh, thank you!” She blinks in surprise as he holds another plate out to her. “That’s gonna make these onions a little easier to eat. They would’ve spilled all over my apron like yesterday otherwise!”

His you’re welcome, miss is rather soft-voiced. Almost shy, really, in comparison to some of the more loudly demanding nine-year-olds she’s seen out and about at the track. He’s got that look about him of someone who’s going to grow tall – all limbs and careful posture – even though he just sat down and made himself small as can be.

Sally brushes her apron and skirt down. Settles on the grass just outside her hot dog stand, next to her small pile of books and notes. Folds herself around her plate the same way Gale does – arm around it to shield it from view, hunched over the food just to be sure nobody takes it – and tucks into her own food with no small degree of relish.

“Oh, that’s the ticket,” she sighs, having only had a single coffee and an orange early this morning before she was almost late for her bus. She smiles as she peers up at the kid, who’s practically wolfing his food down. “You like ’em, Gale?”

His nod is accompanied by him licking his fingers clean and wiping them on his trousers. Sally finds she’s learning fast the longer she studies him. He’s somebody’s kid all right, because his clothes got patched up and he’s got manners some of the orphan kids don’t. Nobody objects to him spending time with Miss Audrey’s girls, even though Miss Audrey’s girls are scantily clad loudmouths who rake in more cash in two hours than Sally does in a week’s work.

“Does your daddy know how to find you?” she asks, deducing several things just from watching him polish his plate clean. “Is he expectin’ you at Miss Audrey’s?”

There it is. The small freeze. That little line to his shoulders that goes rigid and defensive all at once. “I know where to find him,” says Gale, biting the words out like the very syllables have their hackles raised at her. “It’s not time yet.”

“All right,” she agrees, setting her plate aside and leaning back a little. “You tell me when it’s time now. There’s a big clock out on th–”

“The pavilion.” His hands are a flurry of motion, dragging a chewed-on pencil and rather battered little notepad out of his shirt pocket. He doesn’t look at her. Flips the notepad open and sets his pencil to paper instead. “I been here before, you know.”

Sally almost winces at his tone. “All right, Buckaroo,” she sighs, propping her own book up on her knees, perfectly aware that she’s conceding defeat to a rather headstrong nine-year-old. She smiles as she catches his tiny grimace at the nickname. Gotcha, kid. “I’m here almost every day in summer. So are the hot dogs.”

She’s not surprised when he stays silent. Kids like him often do when something starts to sound too much like an invitation or expectation. It’s what she would’ve done, too, back in the time her mother was dreaming about winning big money instead of buying something to put on the dinner table.

Nine-year-old Sally would’ve killed for a hot dog.

“And your homework.”

Sally blinks away her furious stare at the differences between fibula and tibia. “Sorry,” she says, attempting to smile, “what was that?”

Gale’s half-moon smile flickers up at her. “Your homework, Miss. That’s here too.”

“So’s yours, by the look of that,” she nods, indicating his notes.

“It’s just some stuff.”

“Some stuff, huh? Me, I’m learning about bones.” Sally raises her book to show him, seeing how his arm has already come up to curl around his notepad to shield it from view. “See? I need to learn how to help fix them when they’re broken. So I need to learn what they look like when they’re normal, first.”

Gale peers at the pages more closely than she’d have imagined him to do. “That’s Latin.”

“A little! The bone names are like that,” she agrees, nodding, “and I think it makes them sound as important as they are. D’you know Latin?”

He shrugs. “Only if it’s got to do with calculating things. Like ad infinitum means that the operation is to be carried out endlessly.” His nose wrinkles a little at his explanation. “Infinity’s still really tricky, though, so I’m trying to work on limits rather than infinitesmals right now. I think infinity’s one of those things I’ll know once I’m as old as you.”

“Yeah?” Sally grins at him over the top of her book. “Are you going to be a scientist, then, Buckaroo?”

“No, I’m going to be a pilot! And they have to do loads of math!” He doesn’t grimace at the nickname this time. Scoots closer until he’s seated beside her, even, just so he can show her a sliver of his notepad that’s filled up with numbers and crude little graphs. “I’m practicin’ heaps of it.”

“Getting a good start!”

Gale nods vigorously. “I’m gonna be the bestest pilot ever, Miss Sally.”

“Yes, you are,” she agrees as his knee knocks against hers. “I’m gonna be a good nurse, too. It’s all in the work.”

“You’re gonna be the bestest.”

“Not if I don’t know the difference between a fibula and a tibia,” she snorts, tapping the page. “Just like you won’t be a pilot unless you know fancy things like trajectories and calculus. But we’re gonna learn all of that just fine out here.”

And may the good Lord please stop your daddy from clipping your wings before you got a chance to fly.

[amiserableseriesofevents]

I've been on a roadtrip today to go on ✨vacation✨ and I had a lot of time to spare so I'm here to bring yiy,

Clegan roadtrip headcanons 🚘

Gale plans. He studies the itinerary, when and where to make the pit-stops, he even divides the trip in equal sections so him and John can alternate at the wheel and not get too tired

Still, John drives most of the way because he loves to drive. He loves the speed, and the sight of the endless road in front of him – something about the freedom of an open road speaks to his very soul – but he also likes to simply be driving Gale around, his lovely passenger princess

He often drives like a madman, too fast and coming a little too close to other cars, but Gale is so used to it that most of the times he falls asleep right in his seat – he works too hard, is always tired, and the familiar drone of John's yapping and the rumble of the engine lull him perfectly to sleep

John's job is also to create the shared playlist for the trip. He goes for the perfect vibe every time, perfectly balanced between songs to belt to and calmer ones. Gale always adds the same songs without caring about the vibe, 'cause he's a man of habit, but John never complains, he even turns the volume up when his songs come up

Gale has a terrible road rage. John blares his horn to drivers who cut him off, maybe curses loudly at them, but Gale is somehow worst. He starts spewing the worst curses known to men under his breath and then speeds up until he's head to head with the other unfortunate driver and just stares at them, menacingly, like he's daring them to say something to him or cut him off again. They usually slow down and let him pass. John giggles the whole time

When they stop to eat or to refuel John isn't allowed to get anything to drink while on the road because then he'll have to pee and they'll have to make additional stops that Gale didn't plan for. Still, since he's not immune to John's puppy eyes (they're worst than Meatball's), he actually makes room for one or two possible additional stops so if John really wants a travel soda he can have it

They also buy a shit ton of sweet and savory snacks, sweet for Gale and savory for John

When John isn't driving (or sleeping) he turns into a menace, hitting on Gale with the most ridicule phrases he can come up with, teasing him, touching him, stealing kisses and murmuring in his ear what he can't wait to do once they stop for the night

Sometimes Gale has to find a secluded spot near the road to placate him

Prior the trip, when they're still deciding what to go see when they're on the road, Gale always sends John an email with details about every single interesting thing they said could be seen during the roadtrip, with opening times, links to reviews, and personal opinions. And then another mail with possible accommodations, of course

John usually says yes to everything Gale proposes to see, but he's picky with the accommodation. He needs the bed to be a certain size, he wants breakfast to be included or at least a diner/café not too far from the place, and he wants a minibar in the room. Gale always checks for cleanliness, and combining their searches they always find places they're satisfied with and they recommend them to their friends

Sometimes when it's not too hot Gale likes to lower his window and let the wind mess up his hair and sting his face, he just stays there with his eyes closed, one hand on John's leg as he listens to him talk about whatever weird stuff he's into now – for him, nothing spells peace more clearly than this

[fuzybby]

Punishment

Gale x F!Reader

Synopsis: You haven't been doing the best in your classes, and Mr. Dekarios needs a better way to punish you.

CW: spanking, fingering(?), no penetrative sex, Gale is a Professor, student and teacher relationship! (not healthy in real life but this is fiction)

1.4k words, enjoy!

The sun peaking through the window is what woke me up from slumber. The bright rays felt warm against my face, and I instinctively tried to swat them away.

Fuck.

Another day of class. Not that the class is horrible, it's actually quite thrilling learning of the adventures from my Professor, the problem is how hot my Professor is.

Professor Dekarios. The man that he is. He keeps his hair in a half bun everyday. His beard is scruffy and I wonder what it would feel like against my neck, my chest, in between my thighs..

I can feel the wetness between my legs already. Another day where I go to class soaking wet for my teacher. The teacher.

If my friends had known I had the hots for him, they'd never let me live it down. Or, they'd agree to also wanting to fuck him, but I doubt that's the case. Many people don't actually enjoy Professor Dekarios's class, they say he rambles too much. The study of Arcana can be difficult at times, especially when the teacher is watching your every move with his sultry brown eyes..

Stop thinking!

I groan and finally get out of bed, rubbing the bridge of my nose with my pointer finger and thumb as I try to calm myself down. There's no need to work myself up before every class thinking of him.

I dress and eat, going about my morning routine as if I'm not insanely horny, before finally grabbing my books and making my way to The Study of Magic building on campus.

I find my regular seat, not right in front but not right in the middle of the rows. The closer to the front, the closer I am to the writing on the chalkboard so I can take notes. That part is real, I need to get better at focusing for class, because as of right now, my assignments I have been handing in are only getting average marks in return.

Class ticks on and on, and I study my Professor's movements methodically. His teaching robes are dark with stripes of red going down on his shoulders. They reach the floor, which leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination. He wore his glasses today, round lenses that don't sit on his nose well, making him constantly have to push the glasses up higher on his face. His hair is messy, small grey streaks sneak into his brown locks. He is so handsome.

At the end of class, when all is dismissed, I haven't taken any notes. All I've done is watch Professor Dekarios's hands as he swung them around, his lips as he spoke, his eyes as he went through the emotions of telling his story.

Everyone in the class packs up their books in their bags, chatting freely as they leave their seats to leave. I'm slower packing up, waiting for people to leave the row first before I start shoving my books into my own bag.

I look up to find Professor Dekarios's gaze on me, I can't tell the emotion in his eyes. He makes a ‘come here' motion with his finger, to which my heart rate spikes. Am I in trouble? I think to myself.

I finish packing quickly and make my way over to him and his desk, every other classmate now out of the room.

“We need to talk.” He says with a sigh, leaning against the front of his desk and crossing his arms.

“I have threatened suspension, called your parents, I have given you so much time and leeway for you to finish assignments, and yet you refuse to get your act together.” He continues, taking off his glasses and setting them down on his desk.

“I'm sorry, I-” I try to say, trying to come up with some sort of excuse that isn't ‘all I think about is you. you're the cause of my bad grades.’

“I am running out of appropriate punishments. At this point, I'll need to spank you like a child to get my point across.” He spits out. His face has contorted to anger.

I open my mouth to speak and nothing comes out, I'm at a loss for words. Spanking? Does he mean that? My face feels hot, and I try to forget the constant throbbing that comes from my clit.

“Maybe you should then.” Is what I say. I meet his eyes to convey my seriousness. “Spank me, I mean.”

He raises an eyebrow, his jaw clenched as he looks at me.

“Fine. Set your bag down, and bend over the desk.”

I stand frozen for a minute, realising that this is happening. He moves slightly to give me more room on the desk, his anger still evident.

I slowly set my bag down on the floor and stepped up to the desk, leaning over it slightly. Placing my hands to lay flat against the mahogany. I hear my Professor before I feel him, he stands behind me and quickly lands a sharp slap to my behind. I gasp and lean forwards more, my elbows now against the table.

The sting from his hand hit me hard, even though my clothes were still on, the roughness of his hands were evident.

“Mr. Dekarios!-” I gasp out, to which he replies “Call me Gale.”

“Gale” I breathe his name. It feels good against my tongue, comfortable.

He hits me again, on the other cheek this time. I crumble forwards again, my chest hitting the desk now as I'm fully bent over. My nails claw against the wood, and my breathing becomes ragged.

“Have you learnt your lesson yet?” Gale asks me, his hand comes to lay on my ass gently, hoping to bring some sort of comfort to the situation. He presses his crotch against me, and I can feel how hard he is. I whine out a quiet “yes” as I try to push myself against him.

The friction, for even just half a second, feels so good it makes me want to cry. I've wanted this for so long, I could probably cum from just the friction.

His hand on my ass moves to cup my cunt, bringing a whimper out of me. “Please” I beg, trying to move my hips against his hand.

“Can I take these off?” He asks, his other hand moving to snap the waistband of my trousers against my skin. I nod quickly, spewing more “please”s.

Gale takes them off quickly, only pushing them down to wrap around my ankles, his fingers coming back up to my uncovered folds. spreading them open with his thumbs, my slick already coating his digits.

“How long have you been wet for?” He breathes.

“All day.”

He groans. A gutteral sound that sends shivers down my spine as his fingers move again, this time to prod at my clit. Flicking it back and forth agonisingly slowly. His other hand moves to press against my lower back, keeping me grounded against the table.

A very gentle slap is sent to my cunt, the sound of flesh slapping against wetness filled the air for only a second. I whine again, biting my lip to stop the tears that threaten to spill. I have wanted him to touch me for so long, and how here he is, teasing me as I wriggle in his grasp.

He moves back to flick my clit again, this time harder and faster. Every once in a while circling it. My hips back on their own trying to get more pleasure, more friction from him.

It doesn't take long for me to scream out that I'm cumming. My body feels on fire as ecstasy courses through my veins. My legs shake from the pleasure as Gale tuts at me. My mouth opens in a silent scream as I try to control my emotions, tears have spilled from my eyes and landed onto the desk. Remnants of the filthy things we have done.

Gale removes his hand and pulls my pants back up, tapping my ass again gently.

I turn around on wobbly legs and try to move his robes up to get to him, but he grabs my wrists and stops me in my tracks. He smirks devilishly, his next words make my legs threaten to collapse even more than before.

“Only good girls who pay attention in class get my cock.”

Before long he's sending me on my way, not even a kiss on the lips goodbye. By the time I make it back to my dorm room I'm collapsing on the bed with a squeal. I will definitely be paying better attention now.

[vinnypotaoe]

The Wizard in his Tower

Part 1 of my Elanor x Gale Fanfiction

~

It didn't take long for Elanor to find out about the fall of the Wizard's Prodigy "Gale of Waterdeep", Mystra's chosen that she had exiled for his foolish attempts at dark magic consumption. It was the talk of the town for months!

The rumor had it, that he consumed an item that was one of the forbidden objects of dark magic, no one was allowed to use. The very magic Elanor had been casting all her life and was in the hunt of getting more knowledge about.

Naturally, she would try to find that Man called Gale of Waterdeep and squeeze every bit of information out of him, potentially whatever he consumed too. But... The Wizard somehow disappeared from the Earth's surface.

Elanor spent weeks trying to find even the slightest trace of the famous Wizard, but it seemed almost as if he vanished, maybe even died... No one knew where he went, or what he was doing.

The wizard had made sure he was impossible to be found. Elanor had gone as far as seeking out his relatives, only to be met with even more questions and no answers.

That was, until she found a strange cat in the woods. Or better said, a "Tressym" on the hunt for magical artifacts.

One evening Elanor was strolling through the woods, as a strange winged cat had come out of the bushes and circled the Elven woman curiously. Her tiny whiskers twitched, as her little nose followed the smell of Elanor's amulet around her neck.

"What do you want, weird cat?" Elanor scoffed at the creature, who hissed back in response, before making weird gestures, trying to... talk?

Elanor rolled her eyes annoyed and cast a speak of animals spell, before crossing her arms and looking down upon the cat.

"Ah finally dear, thank you, now then... First of all I AM NOT A CAT! I AM A TRESSYM!" The 'cat' scolded before sitting down and licking her right paw rather aroused.

"I have noticed, the smell of that amulet around your neck is quite.... extraordinary" she continued her talk and self cleaning.

"where did you get that from? And by any chance, does yours have a selling price? I am in dire need of... Such magic" the cat finished and looked up to the red haired elf.

"No way!" Elanor simply replied and turned her back, what a waste of time and magic, she thought. Just another creature hunting for rare artifacts.

"Wait dear!" The cat jumped after Elanor and tried to convince her. "It truly is a life or death situation! My friend could heal with that dark magic inside of it!"

Elanor stopped her tracks and looked at the cat that desperately circled around the woman wearing the amulet.

"What dark magic?" She asked, now curious about what the cat seemed to know. "The amulet dear, I can feel it's dark magic emitting from it. Do you not?" The cat sat down next to the woman's feet and looked up to her.

"My best friend is suffering under a certain... Condition let's call it... And he needs to consume magic in order to survive. That amulet of yours... It's from the same 'condition' my friend suffers from. I thought that maybe by giving him your amulet, he may feel better! Or at least study it to find a cure"

The cat explained and somewhere through the middle, Elanor became suspicious about who the cat was referring to. Could it be....

"Can I meet that friend of yours first?" She asked in response and the cat shook her head. "I'm afraid he won't allow that"

"So you're asking me to give up my amulet just like that? To a cat that pops out of nowhere and asks for it? For what?" Elanor snickered. She was not going to give it up that quickly, that cat may be the key to finding that lost Wizard.

"Dear... Firstly I have explained you, I am a Tressym...not A CAT. Secondly, I have been out for weeks, finding artifacts for my friend and I am fully aware of what I am asking of you... Could you not help a stranger in need out of pure kindness? I'm not asking for it for free, tell me your price!" The cat bargained, eyes locked on the amulet around the woman's neck.

"My price is meeting that friend of yours" Elanor replied and the cat hissed, before jumping backwards.

"I have told you that he won't approve of this!" She growled and met Elanor's fierce stare. "I am searching for a Wizard called Gale of Waterdeep, is that your friend by any chance? I have a few very important questions for him"

For just a moment the eyes of the cat widened, before she jumped back and shook her head. "No, no I have never heard of such a name! But I will ask my friend if he may want to...meet. I'll be back tomorrow by sundown dear, come back by then" the cat said and jumped away into the bushes quickly.

"Wait! Where are you going? And why would I listen to you?!" Elanor called after the cat, but she was already gone. It didn't matter to her either way, she would find the 'friend' on her own, following the poorly covered up tracks of the strangely winged cat. Elanor already knew all she needed to know, that friend of her can only be the Wizard she was trying to find.

It was hard to keep on the tracks, as the cat flew parts of the way, but a few hours later into the night, Elanor had finally found the tower far out into the woods.

A place so isolated and seemingly forgotten, the air itself felt strangely different. The brick walls that the towers was build of, were overgrown and the garden surrounding it was wild and untouched for decades.

If it weren't for the small light, that was lit behind one of the windows, Elanor would have judged this place a ghost tower, a place long forgotten in history.

But someone, or something, lived there, together with that weird cat.

Elanor made her way across the overgrown path to the entrance, which to her surprise was open. Whoever was resident here, was not expecting anyone to visit soon.

She slipped inside and cast an invisibility spell on herself, before sneaking the stairs up leading higher into the tower, towards where the light was coming from.

"But mister Dekarios! If you were to meet that woman, you could eventually find a cure to it all!" The same voice of the cat echoed through the almost shut closed door.

Elanor stopped and gently pushed the wood door to sneak a peak into the room behind it.

"No! Whoever that person is, I do not wish to meet them. Not a single living soul is supposed to find out where I am Tara! Especially not someone so keen to find out about me..."

The voice of a man spoke, but Elanor could not see him at first, he was somewhere out of the view angle from where she was standing behind the door. She could only see the winged cat sit on a carpet, looking towards the man who she spoke to.

"It is a glimpse of hope sir, much more worth taking instead of staying miserable inside of this tower. Do it Mister Dekarios, do it for your good old Tara at least... I can't keep seeing you this hopeless, giving up on everything. Isolated from the world and slowly dying from loneliness, that neither all of these books can fill, or I can"

Footsteps came closer and a brown haired man dressed in a purple Wizards robe appeared a few feet in front of the door. "Oh Tara..." He spoke while walking up to the cat sitting on the carpet, before getting into his knees and gently petting her tiny head.

"I know you are worried about me, but if one person finds me, another will too and soon all of Waterdeep knows where I am at... It's too risky. I am here so no one gets hurt, you know that" he spoke softly and the cat laid down, rolling on her back, enjoying the petting.

"I just wish for you to be cured sir" she replied, closing her eyes purring. "Now you are manipulating me with cuddles, that's not right at all"

The Wizard laughed and continued to gently pet the soft fur of his dear companion.

"We will work it out Tara, I promise you, but not by inviting strangers into this tower"

Elanor watched the whole scene before her and to her own surprise she almost felt bad for him?

She wasn't sure what she would find in this tower, or what type of person this chosen of Mystra would be. Seeing a normal looking human, or a rather depressed looking one, was not what she had expected.

"We have survived for almost a year already, I am sure I can survive another until we find a cure! What is another silly year in your company?" The wizard spoke and chuckled.

"If Mystra allows me, I will live to the day I can be cured"

~

I'm unsure how long you're supposed to make your posts... Some recommendations in the comments would be nice :D I'm new to this!

Anyways now... I hope you enjoyed part 1!

[lunabo17]

To Live

Part 2 of "Yours" series

After Elminster informs Gale of Mystra's orders, the relationship between Gale and Astarion becomes a bit strained. However, Gale is determined to live.

Warnings: Astarion's piss-poor ability to actually talk (he gets better). Intersex Gale. Sex at the end.

And after a long day at work, ta da!

M'tired.

For just a moment, as Gale simply stared at his old mentor, he wondered if his life was perhaps simply a cosmic joke. The relief of having the hunger of thd Orb sated, even for a little while, didn't seem to outweigh the new orders flung onto his back.

"Are you shitting me?" Karlach said, breaking the silence in the camp.

"Mystra's orders are quite clear. Find the heart of the Absolute, and destroy it."

"Over a year of silence, and this is what she has to say?" Astarion asked waspishly.

Elminster patted Gale's hand, the one holding the enchanted knife. "I'm sure you'll do the right thing, m'boy. Anyway, I'm off to run more errands."

"Of course," he said, sounding just a little lifeless. Ha! "A...pleasure..."

He turned away, only to look at the vampire, glaring at him.

"Youre going to do it, aren't you? A chance to grovel at her feet, be a good little martyr! The great Gale of Waterdeep, hero of the land! Bah!"

'Now wait just a moment..."

"Why should I wait for a dead man?"

The words made his stomach clench and he watched silently as Astarion stormed off.

"Fuck, I'll go talk to the idiot," Karlach huffed. "Fucking dramatic shithead."

Gale allowed just a little smile.

"You aren't...going to do it, are you?" Shadowheart whispered, almost as if afraid to voice the question. "Even...even if...it's an order."

He didn't answer. She knew the weight of a goddess' order.

Gale sat down to think. Of course, a few months ago, he would have flung himself into thd abyss if Mystra had told him to, and yet now...

There were pieces to this puzzle he didn't understand, something beyond this world, just as the Orb still remained a mystery. Something was missing, and he couldn't figure it out if he simply died. And why would Mystra give him such an order? For forgiveness? Wasn't this interfering in mortal affairs, in a sense?

"We have prevailed through much already," Lae'zel said, breaking his thoughts. "Together, we will destroy the Absolute."

So they kept moving, even when Gale didn't give an answer one way or the other. They had little time to talk when they first entered the Shadow-Cursed lands, the darkness seeping their strength, corrupted creatures attacking as they moved.

Only when they reached Last Light Inn did they have a moment to breath. Gale took the opportunity to sit near the docks, watching the waves of thd blackened waters.

"Thinking of your glorious death, Dekarios?"

He startled a little as he looked up to see Astarion nearly him, his mouth in a tight line.

"I'm actually leaning more towards living," he replied, satisfied to watch ruby eyes widen.

"You're...I thought for sure you'd jump at the chance."

He sighed. "Don't misunderstand me...the notion is tempting, to regain favour of the goddess of magic. My whole life revolves around it, after all, and yet I would die, unable to explore what this world has to offer...to help those I care about. There is so much uncertainty here, and I hate it. I want to understand, and I want to live."

Astarion took a step back. "I'm...surprised."

"I suppose when people keep saying they want me to live, it does begin to stick in the head. Also, I've always been a bit of a rebel, finding new ways to manipulate magic. It would be a waste to simply discard the Orb instead of studying it, and with my powers regrowing...well, I think we have a fighting chance. We destroyed the goblin hoard, and that was quite an undertaking!"

"True..." Astarion studied him. "Is magic so amazing?"

Gale stood up abruptly. "Need you ask? Come! Let me show you! Elves have a natural bond with magic, so I imagine with a little training, you could be quite proficient. Now, watch what I do. Magic is the union of movement and sound." He waved his hands in a motion. "Now you."

For a moment, he thought Astarion would simply shake his head and walk away, shoulders tense. Then, not quite as gracefully, the vampire repeated the motion. His shoulders hunched, as if expecting a reprimand or a strike. It was another reason to live, to make sure Cazador died.

"Excellent," he said instead. "Now repeat after me." Carefully, he said the words to the spell, and was pleased when Astarion repeated them perfectly. A circle appeared around them, the scent of rosewater filling the air, along with warmth.

Astarion gave a small gasp, clearly surprised that the spell worked, then looked at him.

"How does it feel?" Gale asked softly. He saw the vampire's eyes flicker down to his lips, and then he felt it in his mind. It was the heat of lust, the ache of longing, and then images joined. He saw them walking together, hands held tightly; and Astarion leaned into him for a gentle kiss.

Then a flood of ice cold water seemed to drench him: fear.

"I need to go!" Astarion said quickly, the magic bursting like a bubble. The elf ran before he could say a word, but Gale understood from the brief connection some of Astarion's fear; the vampire never loved, never had the opportunity. Yet now, sharing not only battles, but many evenings together, even before the tiefling party, they were becoming close.

Gale believed it might be love. To die now would mean to never know for sure.

He gave Astarion space, to decide when to approach him alone. It was near Moonrise Towers that they took a break, and Gale wandered off a bit to think. He sat down, taking a breath, and then began to weave his powers.

In his illusion, he brought thd land back to life, trees growing around him, the green grass blowing gentle in the wind. Above him, the night sky shown with thousands of stars, a reminder that this world was only one of many, that there was still so much to learn.

He heard the deliberate sound of twigs snapping, and looked up to find Astarion beside him, before sitting down. Their hands nearly touched.

"This is a welcome change from the darkness," Astarion said.

"Isn't it?" Gale leaned back. "This is one of my favorite times of night, when there is a silence in the world, the light of the star caressing us. There is a magic that sings, and the realm between ours and thd Fae seems to open."

"You feel that? Truly? Or is this simply poetry?"

Gale laughed. "I have been known to dabble in poetry, but I do mean it. There is much in the world I don't undersrand, so much I haven't learned yet."

"So much you won't know if you die," whispered Astarion.

"I know." He looked at Astarion. "And a lot to lose."

Without another word, they leaned closer, their lips meeting. "I'm in love with you," came from his lips as they parted, and he feared he said too much, would push the vampire away.

"Mystra..."

"Was different. I see that now. She held the power, and indulged me as long as I remained complacent. The moment I made a mistake, she discarded me. Now that I may be useful once more, she asks for my destruction. How can I love someone who wishes for my death when I'm just starting to live again? That can't be love."

"But I...don't know how to love. I couldn't, not under Cazador. Gale..." He heard the tremor in the elf's voice, the yearning for something so close, and the fear it would disappear.

"Can't we learn to live together?" Their lips met again, and then he stood up, reaching his hand to help the elf to his feet. With a gentle caress, the world around them disappeared, only to become replaced by his library in Waterdeep. Astarion turned, astonished.

"My library at home, filled with books and trinkets. I left research notes on the table." With a flick of his wrist, the doors to his balcony opened, the sun just beginning to set over sea. "I want...I want to show you everything."

"Everything?" Astarion asked, his lips curling up in a gentle smile.

"Everything." He stepped closer. "Do...?" His face felt warm. "Do you wish to see how the deities make love?" His hand gently cupped the elf's face, fearful Astarion may flee.

For a moment, the vampire just studied his face, then slowly took his hand, kissing his palm. "Maybe one day. Now...I want you, just as you are."

Gale smiled, first removing Mystra's earring and tossing it somewhere, before they returned back into the peaceful clearing, the stars still shimmering above them. "Then you shall have me."

Astarion grabbed him, pulling him as close as possible, their lips meeting once more, but this time their kiss wasn't chaste, but devouring, lips and teeth and tongue. He moaned as Astarion explored his mouth, just as hands wandered down, cupping his ass.

When they pulled apart, Gale was gasping, but he still managed to conjure a bed. Astarion laughed, before lifting him by the waist, causing him to yelp in surprise, even as he wrapped his legs around his lover, his shoes falling to thd ground.

"I can't stop thinking of that night together," Astarion said against his neck, walking them to the bed. "How lovely you looked beneath me, the sounds you made as I took you, how sweet when I carried you back to camp."

Gale gasped as he was practically dropped onto the bed, bouncing just a little. He had little time to voice his protest as Astarion crawled on top of him. Hands caressed upwards, rucking his tunic upwards, before traveling to the collar. Then, quickly, Astarion yanked, tearing the thing in half. His mouth fell open, his body heating at the show of strength.

"I rather liked that shirt," he breathed, even as his body tingled with arousal, his length hard, painful in it's prison.

"I hated it. The robes you wore before were far nicer."

"Only...only for you."

Astarion sat up to yank his shirt off and throw it backwards. He then kissed his collarbone, before sucking bruises downwards to his waistband. Gale bit his fist to stiffle the slight whimper he released, and thd vampire looked up against him. "I want to hear you. Each sound you make, each cry of pleasure. Let me hear you."

Gale lifted his hips as his trousers received a better fate, thrown to the ground. Astarion pressed his fingers against the wizard's cock through his briefs. "Please, Astarion! Take me!"

"Take you how? In your mouth?" Gale watched as the vampire slipped his pants off. "Show me."

Biting his lip, he spread his legs. He already felt slick, but he still caressed his cock, spreading the precome along the length, before moving below, spreading the lips, his fingers plunging into the moist hole.

"Fuck," came the single word, Astarion's voice deeper. His fingers joined Gale's, plunging deeper into the soft channel.

The wizard shuddered as each push inside caused an electric shock, his hips meeting each push inside.

"You're so wet, dripping onto the bed. I almost want to eat you, but I need to feel you wrapped around my cock."

Gale grabbed his own prick, squeezing hard at the base to stop from coming. He gave a kick as the vampire chuckled.

"Now, now, beautiful. I'll give you what you want, no matter how many times you come." Astarion yanked him up so they were both kneeling, Astarion sitting back on his heels, slotting his cock inside Gale, and pulling the wizard down.

A strangled sound fell from Gale's mouth, feeling his hole mould around Astarion's cock. He panted against the vampire's neck, his length trapped against their stomachs. He only had a moment, before Astarion rolled his hips.

"F-fuck!" He clung harder, biting his lip in hopes to stave his orgasm. "A-Astarion! I can't...!" Fingers trailed to his ass, before slipping between, circling his other hole. He threw his head back, giving a wordless shout as he came, his toes curling.

Carefully, Astarion helped him move off, then repositondd onto his hands and knees. He shuddered at the touch along his sides.

"Shit," Astarion growled, spreading Gale's legs, before setting a faster pace, the bed shaking with each plunge inside. He fell to his elbows, but still rocked back. Slick was sliding down his thighs whenever Astarion pushed inside. He could feel the vampire's teeth at his neck, wanted to feel them pierce his skin, even if he knew his blood tasted horrible with the Orb.

"Come," came the command, and he pushed back hard, his whole body tensing, shooting his load onto the bed, his hole become wetter. It took less than a handful of thrusts before Astarion filled him, the excess joining the mess on his thighs.

As his heartbeat slowed, Gale continued to stare at a space beside their bed, but not really seeing. Instead, he was more focused on the feel of his body, the tingling pleasure in his limbs and where they were joined, the full feeling of Astarion's cock still in him. With surprising gentleness, the elf maneuvered them so they lay on their sides, his prick still inside.

"All right, Gale?"

"Mmmhmmm. S'good..." He squeezed his muscles, earning a soft curse.

"Just warm my cock, you little brat."

"Not that little," he murmured, still slightly slurring. A hand rubbed at his stomach, and he settled, closing his eyes, relaxed at the feel of their bodies joined and tangled. For this, he would keep fighting for the chance to remain by the vampire's side.

As, he felt himself drifting into a half doze, he heard softly, "I think I love you, too."

[spockandthings]

TheMoonIsMyLover's Baldur's Gate 3 Fic Masterlist

All of my BG3 pieces, now in one place!

Astarion x Tav

You hold me in your hands

1k words ; Teen ; No Archive Warnings Apply ; Established Relationship, Weight Issues, Self Confidence Issues, Body Image Issues, Eating Disorder

« Astarion noticed that his clothes had grown tighter, his form filling them out more fully than he had before - a diet of rats never were as fulfilling as humanoid's blood, even more so when combined with proper, albeit sometimes simple, meals. Astarion had moved on with his day, but the thought had lingered in the back of his mind for a while after the fact, so much that Tav had picked it up, days later. » or An exploration of Chubby!Astarion

Enver Gortash x Tav/Durge

I went away 'cause I missed you or maybe / You are not me and am I truly you?

4k words ; Teen ; No Archive Warnings Apply ; Masquerade Ball, Past Relationship, Amnesia, Dubious Consent, Dubious Morality, Sexual Tension, Ambiguous/Open Ending [more CWs in tags]

« You are solemnly invited to Lord Enver Gortash’s Coronation Ball, held, thereby, the day after aforementioned Coronation, inside Wyrm’s Rock Fortress. Formal dress code required. This invite includes all applicable retinue. » Surely everything would go well, right? Right?

·

You've crawled into my skin

1.2k words ; Explicit ; No Archive Warnings Apply ; Modern!AU, Office Sex, Oral Sex, Vaginal Sex, Established Relationship

You receive a memo late at night, just as you were about to call it a day and get back home. It's from Gortash, urging you to get to his office so you two can discuss important matters. What in the hells could this mean? You'll soon find out...

·

under the cover of night

2k words ; Teen ; No Archive Warnings Apply ; Panic Attack, Mental Breakdown, Mental Health Issues, Hurt/Comfort, Ambiguous/Open Ending

Gortash finds you in a darkened alley, crumbled on the cobblestone and completely sogged from the heavy rain. Oh, and in the middle of a panic attack, what else could possibly go wrong

·

good mornings

1.4k words ; Mature ; No Archive Warnings Apply ; Established Relationship, Domestic Fluff, Implied Sexual Content

You wake up in Gortash's room, but the man is nowhere to be seen. Fortunately, he is just outside and has something to ask of you

·

Not telling what I'd do / With my hands stuck on you 

792 words ; Explicit ; Rape/Non-Con ; Trans Character, P in V Sex, Alley Sex, Magic Restraints, Rough Sex, Choking, Barebacking, Sexual Assault, PWP, Named Tav

Azrael is caught in the middle of a chase by none other than Lord Enver Gortash. What will the Lordling do and just how much is Azrael going to enjoy it?

Raphael x Tav

Doctor can you help me 'cause something don't feel right?

1.8k words ; Teen ; No Archive Warnings Apply ; Suicidial Thoughts, Derealisation, Mental Health Trauma, Deal with a Devil, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Implied Sex, Sad with a Happy Ending

When you are at your wit's end, tired and weary, you come knocking on the Devil's door and he, unlike any other, help you mend yourself back together.

·

You don't know it yet, but I'm the cupid of things

819 words ; Gen ; No Archive Warnings Apply ; Breaking the fourth wall, Kidnapping, Vilain Monologue

Tav wakes up tied to a chair in the House of Hope. Soon enough, the Master of the House comes and starts monologuing. What could it possibly mean.

Gale x Tav

Impaling

470 words ; Teen ; No Archive Warnings Apply ; Implied/Referenced Suicide, Angst with a happy ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort

When Gale is about to heed's Mystra's commands, what will you do?

Enver Gortash

Here at long last

837 words ; Mature ; No Archive Warnings Apply ; Character Study, Past Violence and Abuse, Mental Health Trauma

Gortash is so close to having the ultimate power over Baldur's Gate, he can practically taste it. However, one's mind can wander, especially in moments of waiting. What does the future Archduke of Baldurs Gate think about as he awaits his coronation?

[emmy-and-the-tieflings]

(So there were a couple chapters of part 3 I haven't posted yet, but I'm too excited about writing part 4, so I'm going to skip those last chapters and start on this one 😂 I'm slowly posting part 3 on AO3, which you can find here)

HEART OF THE WEAVE: PART 4

CHAPTER 1 - Therran's Perspective

Therran babysits Fanden's baby.

(Fanden on the left, Therran on the right)

“Alright, Therran. Halsin and I are headed out on our date night. Finally, we can go back to Waterdeep at last, we sure missed it! Here’s Onyx’s schedule.” My brother hands me the paper with instructions covering the page, and my eyeballs become a little overwhelmed. Fanden tilts his head at me as I study the piece of paper that also has some instructions on the back as well. 

“Therran? Is something the matter?”

“Nope! All is good. I'll definitely follow these instructions to the T. So, a bottle, bath, story time, cuddles, bed. Got it.”

“Put him in the indigo onesie after his bath that I have laid out, he likes that one best. It's super soft and makes him feel safe. Check his diaper frequently. Make sure to use Darcy’s special ointment on him right after his bath and after every change, put the lavender balm on his skin–”

“Fanden, I love you, but Bane on a goddamn bicycle, brother. Sorry, sorry. Your baby, your rules. I've got it, you two have fun.” Man, even Emmy isn't this strict with her kids, but I'm trying not to give him too much shit for it. Onyx is his only child and the absolute light of his life, so I can understand him feeling this way. Halsin places his hands on Fanden’s shoulders and releases a little laugh. 

“Everything will be fine, my love.. Trust your brother.”

“I do! You know how I get… I was even like this when my own parents watched Onyx. But I do trust him.”

“Good. Now hand him the baby.” 

“This is always the hard part…” Fanden gently hands the baby to me, who I take from his arms with care. I smile down at my tiny nephew, who seems perfectly content and most certainly not ready to cause mayhem. He's a newborn, I really don't think anything will go wrong. Unfortunately, my sister, Neeve, Gale, and their littles went out on a short vacation so if I need help, I'll have to walk over to my parents’ house. 

“Okay, guys. I've got this. Enjoy your date.” Fanden and Halsin turn around and close the door behind them as they walk out. Onyx coos as me as I hold him close and stare into his glistening crimson eyes. “Alright, little guy. What shall we do first? Play time on the–” And he immediately spits up all over my shirt. Yum. 

I close my eyes and chuckle, realizing this is off to a great start. 

I grab a warm, wet cloth to  clean him off, as well as my clothes, then place him delicately on the quilt so I can play with his little feet. 

“Well, you're almost due for a bottle little man, and it looks like your daddy has one already set up for you. Good job Fanden.” I won't lie, my brother is on top of it and I couldn't be more proud of him. I grab the warm bottle and hold on to it for a moment, watching  Onyx stare at me with a gummy smile on his face. 

No. Therran, do not let this baby manipulate you into wanting one of your own. Stay strong. 

I pick Onyx up and begin to feed him. He is going to town on that bottle, maybe a little too fast. Oh shit, oh shit. Instinctively, somehow, I delicately remove the bottle from his mouth so he doesn't vomit. I peek down at the paper next to me: Burp him before putting the bottle back in his mouth. Therran, you've got this. Yeah, you're definitely dad material. 

I place the baby just a little over my shoulder and pat his back in a very gentle fashion. It wasn't long before a rancid-smelling burp escaped his lips. After he finishes his bottle, I hold him close and observe him as he seems to be focused on something, but I can't tell what exactly. 

“Well, I want to enjoy your sweet self before I give you a warm bath. Let your stomach settle, and Uncle Therran will play with your little feetsies.” I lean down to kiss the baby’s forehead, and he reaches for my finger. My long orange claws catch his attention; he's used to Fanden’s, which are raven-black. He coos loudly as he continues to stare. I can't help but laugh at how easily entertained he is by my claw, but then again, it is rather vibrant. 

“You know, I love you. Sweet little guy.” I place Onyx on the quilt to play with his feet and watch him smile. I lift his legs up toward his face, which causes him to smile, but I wasn't aware this would trigger something within him. I tilt my head as his face looks rather focused, and he begins to grunt viciously, which leads to him crying. Oh no, what did I do?! Did I break the baby?!

“Oh shit! Therran, you dummy, what did you do?!” I look down at the paper, which I should have read thoroughly: 

He has been a little constipated, so he might act like he's in pain. 

Okay, so, I should have actually read the entire thing before they left for the evening, because what do I do in this scenario? Onyx then looks somewhat relieved, so I continue playing with him. However, this second time ended up a horrible mess. I hear gas escape from his bottom, which then led to a loud, wet, nasty sound… I close my eyes and sigh. I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't this. Maybe I can go over to my parents’ and trick them into handling it. 

NO, THERRAN. Don't listen to your impulsive thoughts. 

Onyx is smiling so sweetly at me and looking innocent, as if he didn't commit an atrocity in his pants. I roll my eyes and smile back, picking him up in my arms. It's a good thing it's bath time, so I guess we could say the baby has good timing. 

I start the bath water, then proceed to take him to the changing table in his room, removing his onesie and dirty nappy and cleaning him off thoroughly.  This time, I didn't throw it out the window. I wrap it up, then toss it in the trash like intended. Good job, Therran, you deserve a gold star. 

Once he's in the bath, he seems beyond relaxed to the point he's ready to sleep. I watch him as I clean him off with his special baby soap – once again, good job Fanden – and brush my fingers through his snowy white hair. As he lies here relaxed, with sleepy eyes, I go ahead and tell him a bed time story; but one from my childhood my adoptive mum would always read to me every single night. Several years later and I still have it memorized. 

Once he's out of the bath, I dry him off, place him in a diaper, and get him dressed in that very particular onesie Fanden mentioned. Okay so, I know I gave him shit but he's such a good dad. I sit down in the rocking chair and watch him fall asleep ever-so sweetly in my arms. As I rock him, I can't help but admire how precious he looks while asleep, and I don't have it in me to put him down. 

“Now I see why you are the way you are Fanden,” I murmur to myself as a smile grows on my face. I stand up and instead of placing him in the crib, I head over to my bed and lie down with him on my chest, listening to him breathe so softly. 

Moments later, I hear the front door open and here walks in Fanden and Halsin, both looking rather ecstatic after a wonderful date. They observe me as I lie on the bed, holding the sleeping baby. 

“Aw, look at you. How did it go?” Fanden asks as he stands in the doorway, crossing his arms as he watches us lie here. I smile at him, feeling content and not ready to move. 

“He was perfect. Also, everything went well. I'm sorry I gave you so much shit before, I know you have a reason for it. You're a good father, Fanden, and you're doing a fantastic job.” He chuckles and makes his way toward me, and I can tell he's dying to pick the baby up. 

“Thank you. And I appreciate you greatly for being here for me. And you followed the schedule, instructions, all of it. He didn't give you any trouble?”

“Nope! I even managed to get him to poop. He saved it just for me.” Fanden fights laughter as he reaches for his baby, then holds him close as he prepares to take him to his crib. 

 “Well, thank you for saving me the trouble for changing that dirty diaper. I'm sure it wasn't…pleasant. You would be a good dad, you know.”

 “Don't give me any ideas, Fanden Matthew.” 

[jezawitha-z]

Every episode ata ng When Life Gives You Tangerines, umiiyak ako. It feels like buhay din namin yung pinapanood ko.

Life has been tough to my parents. When adulting hits me, mas naiintindihan ko na sila na they are also trying the best they can for their children.

Si tatay nakapag college while si nanay ko naman hanggang grade 1 or grade 2 lang dahil hindi talaga binavalue ng magulang nya yung education. Kaya pinapaalala lagi sa'min ni nanay nun na ayusin ang pag-aaral.

Si tatay galing sa pamilya ng mga photographers mga legend na film pa ang gamit so sa panahon na yun okay naman kahit papaano pamumuhay nila. Simula binata sya hanggang lumaki na kami, photographer na talaga and at the same time nagffarming.

Tuyo, asin, toyo't mantika, gatas or kape gawing sabaw, rice coffee, mais na bigas, kanin na hahaluan ng kamote para lang dumami, lahat yun dinanas namin. Dadaan pa kami ng ilog at almost 1 hour na walking papunta ng school.

Blessed parin naman kapag sagana pananim sa farm namin so marami parin options sa pagkain to survive everyday. I can see their struggles, yung pagpupursige nila for us, na gusto rin naman nila na may marating kami.

Kinuha ako ng tita ko nun para ituloy yung highschool ko sa city. Hanggang sa nakapag college dahil yung isang tita ko naman kumuha sakin. I am now working, able to provide, and to give back. Mahirap, mabigat dahil bilang panganay ka din, parang di ka dapat mapagod at sumuko basta basta dahil maraming nakasalalay sayo.

I also want my siblings to learn and understand na lahat pinaghihirapan. Ayoko dumating sa point na aasa nalang sila ng aasa. So far, I can see that they're doing their best, nagsisikap na kahit pa konte konte atleast hard earned money nila while studying. I love my siblings, and I want them to succeed in life as well.

One more thing kung bakit iyak ako ng iyak while watching, because i remember how much Ey loves me. Sabi nga nila, love should makes life easier, a blessing and not a battle. That's when I realized that I'm not really asking for too much, I also deserve this kind of love. The way he care, love, pati kapag nagiging emotional ako lalo na due to hormones, he's really my comfort and happy pill. The way he always initiate to do this, do that, the always "ako na", kahit alam nyang kaya ko. Lagi nya lang sinasabi "ayaw kong mapagod ka ng sobra, oo nga kaya mo pero andito na ako". Tiklop yung pagiging independent ko.

Unlike dati na kapag nagpapatulong ako sa bagay na medj di keri, sabihan lang ako ng "paano ka nalang kapag wala ako?". Kaya simula nun, ayaw ko na manghingi ng tulong kahit kanino. Kaya nung friends palang kami ni Ey, when he's offering help and I refused it, feeling ko nafifeel nya na parang nirereject sya as a person. That's when I come to my senses na mas nangingibabaw na yung masculine energy ko noon and I've been searching how to restore my feminine energy. I'm glad that I was able to restore it lalo na nung nakilala ko si Ey.

He is also family oriented at kung gaano ako kamahal ng pamilya nya, ganun din sya kamahal ng pamilya ko. I cried nung nagpost ako ng picture/adventure namin ni Ey sa fb at nag comment si tatay ng "basta masaya anak ko, masaya na rin ako".

"Choose the man who makes life feel like a blessing, not a battle. Because when you marry the right one, love won’t feel like a struggle. It will feel like home." ©

[lighthailstorm]

hater hours #1 :

i feel like it's time for me to show my true form and be a hater. the real ones will stick with me. if i ever have anything pop-culture or k-pop to complain about i will call it "hater hours #" followed by smth random i talked about. and the hashtag will be #everyone is bothering me. cool, ok. let's begin.

since this is my first time being a hater on this here application/website, i will just do some general things/people i dislike.

Taylor Swift

I will give the woman this, she knows how to write a good little tune. And no, I'm not gonna talk about her taking up screen time during football games bcs I don't really care cuz that's not her fault. Where she pisses me off is the nazi shirt incident of 2009, the pollution incident of 2024 & 2025, dating Mat Healy (affectionately known as Mat Healy Rat) who is in fact a racist and then breaking up with him and making a (bad) song with Ice Spice (which is the first time she's collabed with a black female artist) who was coincidentally the one that Mat Healy Rat was being racist to during a podcast. What a gal. So if you're a Taylor Swift fan or a Swifty or whatever, feel free to stick around but I will likely be roasting your queen occasionally.

Chris Rock

I rejoiced when Will Smith slapped this man on that fateful day in 2022. Like why are we booing Will, he was right? Well, maybe he slapped him for the wrong reasons (i couldn't care less about miss. entanglement) but either way it was a good deed. I know we didn't just all forget about the time where he was encouraging Louis CK and Ricky Gervais to say the N-word and the only person who had a problem with it was Jerry Seinfield???? Yeah, I want Will to finish what he started.

Most K-Pop Fans

Some of y'all actually need to touch grass. Like there is no reason for you to know like 9 grown mens heights, full names, birthdays, and weight. Like WHY do you know this and HOW do you know this?? Also, when Felix (of Stray Kids fame) broke his arm, the way some of yall were acting had me thinking that he was like 8 and not a grown 20-smth ur old man. Are they paying you??? I must know.

Most Taylor Swift Fans

Once again, is she paying you??? The songs are catchy, yes - but I remember when you tried to compare that womans performance skills to THE BEYONCÉ. Some of y'all were real silly for that. You know Taylor can't dance and you know she's a better song-writer than she is a singer. Please end this madness. Also the way you guys want to crucify every single man she's ever dated needs to be studied. WHY DO YOU CARE? Y'all should be thanking them really, without them you wouldn't be getting those albums.

Beyoncé Haters

Now this one simply confuses me. I get not vibing with her music or not liking her personality (although I don't know her personality) but you cannot deny that she is talented. You know how I know some of y'all are just racist? Because y'all were sitting there and saying other artists deserved album of the year at the Grammys this year. I don't even like country that much and Cowboy Carter is not my favorite Beyoncé album, but it was definitely miles better than every other nominee (no shade to the other nominees, they were good just not as good). Anyways, I will never understand the hate this woman gets.

The Summer I Turned Pretty (the show)

This show did nothing but piss me off. No one was likeable, especially not Conrad or Belly (btw what stupid names). I think the only one I kinda liked was the brother and even he was annoying. Y'all will really love anyone who is mildly attractive and white (yes, i'm talking to the conrad girls).

Gale Hawthorne of the Hunger Games

Ooooo, when I catch you Gale. He just pisses me off, he did in the books and casting Thor's brother did nothing to help him (that mans face just looks punchable). Oh and also the obvious reason of him being responsible for Prim's death.

Mark Wahlberg

He knows what he did. Literally just look up Mark Wahlberg hate crimes, and I don't even have to explain myself.

High School Musical: The Musical: The Series

Strike one for the name. I unfortunately watched skimmed through the first 2 seasons of this show. And as a true fan of the HSM franchise, I was greatly offended by what I saw. I decided to let it go for a while, but what I cannot forgive is Joshua Bassett butchering every Troy solo he is given. How dare you sing the hit single Scream like that? You disappoint me, Joshua. Also the fact that they decided to anything but sing songs from HSM in this show. Like why are we doing Beauty and the Beast right now??? Don't piss me off. For my own sanity, I'm gonna go back to pretending this show never happened.

Star Wars Movies

Have I seen all of them? No, but I've seen enough. I saw the third one (or not the third one bcs there's so many prequels I have no idea) from the original trilogy, i think? who cares? what i do know is that it was not worth the hype. i would say it's bad cuz it's the 80s but that's not true. there are plenty of 80s movies that are good, some are my favorite movies of all time (ferris bueller's day off, the princess bride, back to the future, etc). this was just straight bad and i think i know why. because NO ONE CAN ACT. mark hammil and harrison ford, i'm looking at you. my dude mark, was trying his hardest to show some ounce of emotion and failed miserably. Harrison, on the other hand, fumbled every single comedic moment he was given. What are y'all star wars fans seeing that i'm not?

[punchratt]

Indulging in my brainrot again, heres that longer bg3 character design post i was talking about! (@dragonageshitpostingelves, i didnt forget you <3) Also, Spoiler Warning, i talk a lot about the companions backstory and quests, so don't read if you haven't finished those. Or do, I don't care.

Im gonna be honest and admit right now that I am sadly NOT a professional character designer, but instead just a nerd who likes to draw. I think the bg3 designs are amazing as they are and deserve a hell of a lot more praise then their already getting. That being said, i have many opinions about these funny little tadpole people. The first of them being that Gale, Wyll, and Astarion should not look like that. I mean, they all literally have the same body model, just give or take few scars and some hair, then swap the head. Which i think is a little shocking considering that the girls have much more diverse body types. Normally its the other way around.

First, Astarion. I love him, but i should not be able to grate cheese on his abs. Dude was a slave surviving off rats and living in the shadows for over 200 years, he's a rouge with 8 strength and no work out plan other then squatting so he can hide better. The last thing he should have is a six pack. I am a firm believer in scrawny Astarion, that man is wet noodle, he is malnourished and it should show. I should be able to see that mans ribs. Play that boy like a xylophone. This twink is not twinking right now and its driving me insane!

Im not saying he cant be sexy, in fact i think its very important that he is sexy. A big chunk of his story has to do with his relationship with sex and how he views romance as a whole. The whole point of his story is that he seems like the sexy vampier stereotype, but is actually a much more in depth character with a very complicated relationship to sex and romance. He needs to look sexy for that to work. But you don't gotta have a six pack to look sexy! Whenever i see him without a shirt all i can think of is that abs just don't look right on him. Everything else i think they've gotten perfect, he really does look like the character he's supposed to be and i can only applaud Larian for getting it so right, just.. lose the abs.

Second, Gale. I feel like I've already summed up how i feel about his design in my last post, but i like talking so i'm gonna say more! Gale should be chubby!! All he likes to do is ponder his orb, talk to his cat, and study magic. I firmly believe that he also has a side passion for food. After all, what is cooking if not potion brewing but different? Gale can appreciate a good meal and it should show! After all, eating and food is integral to his character with the whole arcane hunger thing he has going on. Give me my dad bod Gale and all wrongs in this world will be righted.

But to be a little more serious about this, i think his story becomes all the more poetic and tragic if you view him as someone who loves food. Because just imagine that you have three things you love, magic, food, and your goddess girlfriend. Now imagine that one day, to impress your goddess girlfriend, you do something kinda really stupid and end up with a magic nuke in your chest. But wait, it gets worse! Because of this failed grand gesture your goddess girlfriend breaks up with and banishes you. She leaves you to deal with this whole thing by yourself, all you have now is your cat and cooking. But wait, it gets even worse!! No matter how much you eat, yu arent ful, so you're constantly starvinng now, and thats how you find out that the bomb in your chest feeds on magic! Which means that now Gale has to ether find a way to keep it fed or he's gonna kamikaze half the swords coast. Meaning he has to eat any magical artifacts he gets his hands on while also dealing with the emotional damage of everything else. Food, one of the only things he had left, is now a stressful reminder of the fucked up situation he's in.

Now I don't think that means Gale starts to hate food, or resent it in some way, I still think he's the adorable little foodie goofball dork who insisted on being the camp cook. But i do think it makes his whole relationship with food something much more bittersweet, which is very interesting and something i feel could be reflected better in his already amazing design.

Third, Wyll. Wyll, I believe, is the most likely to be buff out of these three. Though, I don't think he'd show it as much as he does. We know he likes to dance, and that he enjoys a good sword fight more then anything! He used to fence with his father and overall is a very active guy. He is probably the character that most matches his body, there aren't many things I'd change. That being said, he is still a warlock with less strength then a hamster. He wouldn't be that muscly.

My dude is the son of a Grand Duke, he's had a relatively cushy life that didnt really get all that much harder after his dad gave him the boot (dick move btw). He's struggled, defiantly! But i don't think it'd be a reach to say that Wyll might have a little fat on him. I dont really have much to say other then i think he'd benefit from taking those abs away and putting that bulk somewhere else. When I imagine Wyll I imagine a man with some arm game and a pudgy belly. Maybe some calf muscle too, but overall nothing too defined since he doesn't really use strength in combat. I mean, why does Wyll have more defined abs then Lae'zel? Of all the origin characters she should have the most defined abs of the group. Not these three clowns(affectionate).

Wyll is a softie with a heart of gold, he should get to have a soft body to go with it. Plus it'd add more contrast between what parts are devil and what aren't. Sharp rough horns, a scarred face, and striking but intimidating eyes juxtaposed against a soft but somewhat built frame, quick whit, and a generally nice attitude make for a very interesting design! One that i think would be much more compelling then the kinda default muscly hero build he has now.

Now compare those to the secrete fourth option i didnt tell you about! Halsin! I think Halsin is designed perfectly and there is nothing i would change. He uses a unique body model from the other three and his design perfectly captures who he is as a character. He's big, appropriately buff, and looks kind. I look at that man and i think "yeah, thats a guy who occasionally turns into a bear", and he does! He looks like a natural born leader who knows how to make those tough decisions, he looks as inviting as he acts, and he looks like he gives amazing hugs. Bear hugs if you will! That man is a bear in every sense of the word, and whats more druid then that?

I only really brought him up to set him as sort of a standard for the designs of this game, because almost every single design is just as perfect and well thought out as his. I could go on for several more paragraphs about other characters and why their also perfect, or what other small little changes id make to their designs (cough cough, Lae'zel abs, cough) but this thing is getting long enough as is.

So to conclude. Fuck abs, and get them off my boys! If you've actually read this whole monstrosity, thank you. It took me over half a day to write and i still feel like i haven't touched on everything. Like, i didn't get to praise their designs nearly as much as i wanted to, but oh well. Maybe I'll make another post about the girls, maybe ill ramble about what i do like about the boys designs, i don't know. Depends on if anyone wants that, or if i still got gas left in the tank after this. Finally, please excuse any spelling errors and the inconsistent capitals. Its late, i have dyslexia, and i'll probably go back and fix it later. Thanks again for reading!

[winxonmy]

5th of February. 2:17 am — to my dearest Marcus.

I'm sorry idk what I am thinking or doing it's like I wanna cry, so bad. I love you too much, that it hurts, napaka deep ng nararamdaman ko sayo yung lagi akong may takot na mawala ka. Hays idk pinipigilan ko umiyak. Maybe ganto yung first time ko na magganito sayo. Sobrang lungkot ko, namimiss kita nang sobra. Ik na natutulog ka na right now, how I wish nasa tabi mo ako, yung binabantayan kita. Gusto kong hinahalikan kita sa forehead while tulog ka aaa loveee please, please don't leave me ha. Ang sakit, sobrang sakit, wag mo'ko iiwan please? Pasensya ka na sa mga nagawa ko sa past po love ha? Alam kong ang bigat nun para sa'yo, para sa atin, like ganito, hindi ako makatulog. Ang bigat, pangangamba, at takot na mawala ka sa'kin, di ko maiwasang isipin kasi totoong duwag ako, duwag ako na mawala ka, yung iwan mo'ko, yan lang naman yung rason para tawagin kong duwag sarili ko. Sorry ang hina ko rin, pero kung alam mo lang na ikaw yung dahilan na mas nabibigyan ako ng lakas ng loob na iface yung lahat ng problems o bagay, kasi nakita ko na ganoong tao ka, I admire you a lot, I really do. Sobrang proud ako sayo, di ko nga maintindihan bakit nagakaroon ako ng isang taong kagaya mo, sobrang galing e, bf talaga kita:) I'm literally ugly crying rn aaaaa ang oa ko pero love loveee sobrang mahal kita:( gusto ko rin talaga na tinatadtad kita ng messages hays sana mabasa mo 'to love, kahit mabasa mo lang muna yung nararamdaman ko para sa'yo. Pasensya na love malayo ako sayo, di kita mayakap, esp sa mga oras na you feel blue, na down ka about some stuff na di mo sinasabi sa'kin. Alam mo, madali lang talaga ako lapitan kahit nag away man tayo, lalo na if you're having a hard time o kahit hindi man tayo mag away, lagi naman ako nandito para sayo. I'll always be more understanding sayo, more than sa pagkakakilala sakin ng mga tao. Wag na wag mong isipin na wala kang kakampi, dahil andito naman ako lagi, kahit baliktarin mo man ang mundo, kakampi mo parin ako. Never ka magiging kalaban sa mga mata ko love, please always remember that. I sincerely care so much about you, natatakot lang ako kadalasan na dagdagan ang stress mo, ayaw ko na nasstress ka lalo sakin love e:(. I'm sorry kung napakaselosa ko, takot lang din ako na mawala ka, pasensya po talaga love kung nasasabi kong di ako expressive lagi, maybe I am more than that lng, somehow like a thousand unspoken thoughts swirling within me, that have been pressing to be heard. But if words fail me, let this embrace tell u the depth of my devotion. I fear losing you, and this hug is all I have to hold on to, to make u feel the ferocity of my love.

Di ko inexpect na makakaya kong magmahal ulit, higit pa sa naramdaman ko dati. I'm still studying you parin, gusto ko parin matuto kung paano ka dapat mahalin sa bawat dumadaang araw, kung paano kita dapat mas ingatan. Pasensya ka na love kung ang gulo ko, kung maraming bagay na ang uncertain sa akin na nakikita mo, ang confusing pero naiintindihan ko, kahit ako nga rin di ko maintintindihan sarili ko. Pero hayaan mo na, klaro namn sa akin na mahal talaga kita, na higit pa sa mga salita, ginawa na kitang mundo ko e:( kaya wag mo ako iwan love please?iiyak ako talaga nang sobra pag ginawa mo, alam mo namn na iyakin ako diba? Wag mo gawin ha, di ako titigil kakaiyak nyan:( Di ako makatulog, gusto kita makayakap, pagod na parang bibigay na yung katawan ko pero di ko maramdamn yung antok. Yung dilim at katahimikan ng gabi dito ang mas nagpaparamdam na totoong naglolong ako nang sobra sayo. Also sa mga binili mo ba, o kung ano man yan, never ako magdedemand love, hindi namn talaga ako materialistic na kung sa tingin mo, pero sa totoo lang nmn sobrang na appreciate ko lahat ng efforts mo. Thank you for helping me sa acads love, for listening sa mga random chikas ko (yapper e), also for helping me move on from some random stuff that happened sa school, something that drained me entirely and esp for helping me na ifigure out yung mga bagay na alam kong hindi ako kagalingan, sa mga bagay na sa tingin ko ang hina ko para ihandle yun, u never failed to make me feel loved. Alam mo kulang pa namn talaga to sa mga gusto ko pa talaga sabihin. Kung iniisip mo na never ko na appreciate efforts mo, lagi kaya kita sinastudy, I love to do that. I'm not one to ask questions; I prefer the language of observation kaya nasasabi kong di ako expressive. It's how I've come to understand you better. It is as if the very quietude itself. That's how I know what makes a person tick. Your silence says a lot, and I'm listening. Every simple gestures na nagagawa mo, has the greatest significance to me.

Yung nagrereply ka kahit busy ka, nasa call ka parin kahit may ginagawa. Yung kahit antok ka na, pinipilit mo pring magising para makausap parin ako, I really love how respectful you are for asking me na magsleep ka muna at magrereply ka bukas, it's just cute, yk, super:) Whenever ure being that patient person sa akin, when nagsasabi ako ng wait or like I have something to do muna. Yung kinantahan mo ako sa vm kasi yk na gusto ko talaga marinig voice mo na kinakantahan ako, kay pinipin ko e, kasi tuwing malungkot ako, yun yung pinapakinggan ko pero di ko na dapat to sinasabi kasi nahihiya ako. Whenever u remind me to bring an umbrella kasi mainit para di ako mainitan. Yung nag aask ka kung gusto ko magpagrab, aaa idk that's just so perfect of you na dapat safe ako lagi.

Yung pag nag-ooffer ka ng help sa mga assignments ko or mga ppt kahit alam mong busy ka at may mga gagawin pa. Yung sinasama mo ako sa paggawa mo with ur groupmates sa mga ppts nyo. Kahit nga yung chinecheck mo messages ko sa tiktok, yung nirereact mo post ko sa tumblr like u really are updated, ang cuteee. Di ko rin malimutan nung I spent too much na prng I feel like nakukulangan ako sa hawak ko, di ka nagdalawang isip na mag-offer sakin kahit alam kong mas need mo yun, sobrang na appreciate ko yun. When u said na u sang for me on stage, I was hurt in shock na I felt that I am the worst for betraying u in the past. But never ko makakalimutan yan. Hays sige na nga, yung naglearn ka ng hiligaynon for me, paanong hindi ko maappreciate yun kung napakahopless romantic ko. When u begged for me to stay kahit ako nakagawa ng mali sayo nung gabing yun kaya sobrang bigat sa pakiramdam na naiiyak talaga ako nun. Pero hindi lang yan, when u said na u really gonna book a flight for me, just so makasama mo ako this year, it's the best thing that ever happened to me, yung effort na di ko naranasan dati at alam kong di ko yan mararanasan sa iba. The small things really matter most to me pero I see them so big. I love and love and love and love you so much. So whenever I listen to a song na entitled 'Those eyes', lagi kitang iniisip ksi lahat ng ginagawa mo, naaalala ko yun kung bakit mas minahal kita. Pero yk, all the love songs were about you. If you only knew how much I love you. I don't think there's anything that shines brighter than your eyes. Even in uncertain times, gazing into them makes me feel secure and at peace. You're the only person who brings me peace sa tuwing nagugulohan ako. My go-to person when I need to unwind and share my thoughts, nagiging yapper kahit hindi mo nmn maintindihan kasi walang context. I feel alive and understood pag alam ko sa sarili ko na ikaw lang yung ganoon sa akin. Sana wag mo ako iwan kahit anong mangyari love:( gusto ko talaga magpakasal tayo at magkafam soon. Sana maging reality na yung mga pangarap natin para natutulog na ako katabi mo. Gustong gusto na kita makasama sa iisang bahay at asawa na kita. Super wish. Please stay with me lang lagi love please? Even when the storms of life rage on and we lose our way, I promise to hold on to u. I'll hold u close thru every moment. Thru every tear, every scream, and every silence, I'll be here. I'll love you when you're broken, when you're lost, and when you're at ur worst. Because it's in those moments that I'll remind u of ur strength, ur beauty, and ur worth, and how my soul feels at home when I know your arms are the only ones I'll always run to.

Mahal na mahal kita, lampas sa anumang sukatan, sakit, kaguluhan, kawalan ng katiyakan, beyond trepidation o sa hindi mapaniwalaang ikalawang buhay. Pero sana kasama parin kita. What if soul mates tayo talaga? Hehe. Ang lagi kong sinasabi na ang layo ng distansya natin pero ramdamn ko na ang lapit lapit ko sa'yo. Ang lapit mo sakin, parang kayakap lang kita sa tuwing nag uusap tayo, like yung genuine deep talks. I miss you so much:( I hope natutulog ang mahal ko nang mahimbing. Can't wait na magkasama na tayo matulog sa iisang bahay sa sunod;)

[happyocelot]

I'm still not that familiar with the sequel, but I think Inuyasha and Moroha would be like Genma and Ranma...you know? I just get that feeling.

For InuKag Fluff Week, Day 1: Comfort! Let me know what you think! :)

@inukagfluffweek

In the modern era, she would have woken up to the sound of her alarm clock.

With a robotic beep-beep-beep, it would signal the end of sweet, blissful sleep and plunge her into the nightmare world of studying for tests she hadn't prepared for because she hadn't been to school because she had to face off against a murderous spider demon five hundred years in the past and her grandpa had told everyone in school that she had a debilitating case of maple syrup urine disease (what even was that, jii-chan?) and she also needed an emergency kidney transplant for some reason he never really explained and even through all these wild and ludicrous excuses, no one had yet asked them to produce certifications proving these illnesses because the school administration clearly wasn't that bright and for SOME reason they still required her to take all those tests ANYWAY (after her grandpa told people she needed a kidney transplant) and maybe life in the modern era wasn't all that it was cracked up to be and maybe...

Maybe...

"C'MON! I COULD BLOCK THAT IN MY SLEEP, MOROHA! YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT!"

And there it was.

Kagome pulled the covers up to her ears. After years of living in the feudal era, she had trained herself to finally wake up to the roosters crowing at dawn and to go to sleep by the time the sun would set, which was around...7 pm. This would have been difficult for her eighteen-year-old self in the year 2000, at the turn of the millennium, with electricity long since introduced into every single home and wreaking havoc on her circadian rhythm.

She had struggled against that background to accomplish a 4 am wake-up and 7 pm bedtime. That was her achievement, a monumental one she would have thought laughable in the year 1996 or 15-whatever, when she had met Inuyasha for the first time.

Against all odds, Kagome had become an early bird.

"OH, YEAH? THEN TAKE THIS, OLD MAN!"

A gale-force blow sliced through the air. Kagome heard something break in the distance.

She groaned.

It was two in the morning.

Against all odds, she had become an early bird. Against all odds.

Now Inuyasha and Moroha had apparently decided that this wasn't enough, and resolved to punish her circadian rhythm yet again, pushing it to limits she had never known existed.

Why were they practicing swordfights at two in the morning?

She needed her beauty sleep, dammit.

She flattened a hand over the smooth skin of her eyes, which were definitely going to have dark circles in the morning because her husband and daughter had gotten hyper and –

"KAZE NO KIZU!"

Something broke again.

What the hell was wrong with her family.

Kagome decided that checking right now wasn't worth it. She could inspect the mass destruction tomorrow.

"DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH! ARE YOU MY DAD OR MY GRANDPA?"

So original, Moroha.

"WE'LL SEE WHO'S LAUGHING AFTER THIS! HIJIN KESSHO!"

Why did they all have to shout out their attack names? Did they all live in Sailor Moon? Showing Inuyasha that manga all those years ago in 1997 was a terrible mistake. Now he was going to shout out attack names for eternity and she would never get her beauty sleep.

"I WAS HOPING YOU'D BE USING MEIDO ZANGETSUHA!"

That was never going to happen and both of them knew it.

They knew that her wrath would be legendary if they ever tried.

Kagome was, in fact, the one who ruled this household with an iron fist. These late night/early morning shenanigans were only possible because she allowed them, however grudgingly. They would come to an end fast if some fool decided to bust out Meido Zangetsuha.

"DO YOU WANT TO DIE, MOROHA? YOUR MOM WOULD KILL US!"

She smirked and rolled onto her side.

Against all odds, she somehow drifted off to sleep.

She woke up long past the time roosters would crow at the dawn, cocooned on both sides by Inuyasha and Moroha, her little girl's leg wrapped around her belly and Inuyasha drooling onto her shoulder.

Evidently they'd grown tired and come back into the house at some point last night, or perhaps they had run out of things to blow up. Both seemed plausible.

Ah, well. She'd inspect the mass destruction later.

She had beauty sleep to get back to.

Waking up to the sound of her dear husband and darling daughter duking it out, flattening valleys, and creating massive craters at the edge of the forest in the feudal era wasn't so bad.

At least she didn't have to worry about math tests anymore.

[msommers]

☠☮♦ + riya and auretta!

thank youuuu mwah (had to rewrite half of this after tumblr erased it somebody end my suffering) // headcanon meme

☠ - angry/violent headcanon

RIYA — her first handful of attempts to cast fireball were failures where the magic fizzled out and she got angrier and angrier until that fury and determination built up enough to properly fuel the first successful cast. fantastic news progression wise, terrible news for her mama's nearby tapestry that caught the very edge of the blast radius and went up in flames. mid-teens Riya had the emotional comedown of the decade after feeling such intense frustration and anger that abruptly shifted to panic and tears once she saw the fire catching on Priscilla's things. (it's fine i'm sure Loren and/or some college mage was there to help douse the flames and mend the tapestry but yikes)

AURETTA — prime candidate for magic user whose power starts to flare up alongside her anger. kinda hot of her to snap at someone and they have to succeed a wisdom save right quick because the glare she leveled at them came along with some cute ✨ miniature sparks of lightning and a minor gust of wind to their chest to shove 'em back. she deserves that trope, especially the extreme of it where there's nearly a full ass thunderstorm brewing around her once she's reached furious or vengeful status. having divine magic from a deity of storms is kinda sexy and fun, i think

☮ - friendship headcanon

RIYA — god it must have been incredible to be one of Riya’s socialite friends back in Nevarra. can you imagine winning the ye olde fantasy party person game that hard? to be friends with the daughter of the richest woman in Cumberland who often hosts or funds others to arrange parties and have an invitation to them, and if she’s attending parties that aren’t hosted by her own family then you’re still welcome to accompany her to wherever she’s going because everybody knows she’ll be able to bat her eyelashes and be let into whatever event she wants?? with any size entourage she wants??? crazy. you won the lottery there with endless open invitations and the knowledge you could get down with one of the most fun ladies of the age’s social scene.

AURETTA — she and Gale become fast friends because he reminded her of some of the other wizards back on Taltempla. a well-studied man who isn’t afraid to start rambling on about the topics he’s knowledgeable on, equally as verbose as the elves but perhaps a bit quicker in speed on his delivery. he even has their ego and sheer audacity! truly makes her feel right at home just hanging with him for a few minutes lmao

♦ - quirks/hobbies headcanon

RIYA — just brought up being an ancient party girl so it’s as good a time as any to throw out the predictable fact of Riya’s favorite hobby being dancing. she was obsessed with the paint the town red lifestyle for many reasons, but attending events was the most fun way to guarantee a night of dancing to and enjoying musical performances. she misses dancing so much let her actually have fun at a fucking party for once they keep going so bad

AURETTA — it’s too boring and easy to bring up reading as one of her hobbies so i’m gonna not do that. i’m gonna come up w something else right now. on the spot. and that something else, that i know of for sure as i type, is board games. that actually sounds right, i think she’d enjoy a good game of chess or tric-trac (i’m deciding Faerun has it idc) with some playful taunting back and forth.

[blackjackkent]

The battle to free Halsin went quite well! We intercepted the goblins who were trying to escape the area, which would have lit up the whole temple against us, and no one took a ton of damage.

My favorite part was when Halsin slipped and completely ate shit on the ice left by Gale's Ray of Frost and Gale kind of stood there and stared at him:

Everyone's making super tired noises, so the plan is to get Halsin out as quickly and quietly as possible and then make camp on the road.

Time to have a chat with Mr. Bear.

As Hector approaches him, the bear's form shifts and twists, resolving itself slowly into the most massive elf Hector has ever seen.

Halsin stands at least a head over Hector's six feet, a broad-shouldered and thick-muscled stone wall of a man. His face is scarred, bearing the record of a thousand fights, but he looks down at the group of his rescuers with an air of benevolence, and his voice is kind as he dusts himself off.

"Pardon the viscera. One should cherish all of nature's bounty...but goblin guts are quite far down on the list." He grins crookedly at Hector. "You aided a bear without knowing if it would savage you? A true friend of nature - or perhaps a lunatic." He inclines his head slowly. "Either way, I owe thanks. I am the druid Halsin."

Hector squints at him. "You're Halsin - the Master Halsin of the Emerald Grove?"

Halsin smiles. "Yes, but just Halsin will suffice. Unbecoming to demand honorifics from the one who saved my hide."

"I've been to the Emerald Grove. It's in danger." The words spill out of Hector perhaps a little too quickly. He desperately wants to be gone from this place, to impress upon Halsin the urgency of leaving as soon as possible.

His words elicit a frown from Halsin, but no surprise. "I am aware," he says sadly. "I foolishly left it vulnerable to this rabble. There's work to be done." He hesitates, then looks more closely at Hector and the others. His frown deepens sharply. "Hrm. That look in your eyes. I've seen it before. Are you feeling all right?"

Without waiting for an answer, he lifts a hand and sends a burst of golden energy surging over Hector, closing his eyes as if listening for something only he can hear.

When he lets his hand fall and the light fade, he looks grim.

"Oak Father preserve you, child... You're infected, aren't you? The mind flayers' spawn..."

It has been, at the very least, twenty years since anyone referred to Hector as 'child' - but it reminds him of the elders at the monastery, the affection and concern of those who were not his parents and yet were his family. Hector feels something loosen in his chest with relief, and he nods wearily.

Halsin is still watching him thoughtfully. "But...something's different. You're aware of the monster inside you. You don't bow to the Absolute, like the True Souls do. How is this possible...?"

He begins to circle the group slowly, examining them from all sides.

"I escaped from an illithid ship after being infected," Hector says. "Maybe the process was interrupted."

Halsin grunts pensively. "Perhaps. But I wouldn't want to place all my faith in blind luck. It's no coincidence that you found me here, I'll wager? You're after a cure for the parasite."

Again a silent nod from Hector, and this time he can't hide the plea for assistance in his eyes. Halsin sighs. "I've been studying these parasites for a while now. Ever since I discovered these so-called True Souls are infected with them. Someone is using very powerful magic to modify these tadpoles. They are using them to exert control over the infected." He shakes his head. "I'm sorry to say, I can't undo that magic, which means I can't cure you." He sees Hector's gaze sink, and adds gently, "But that doesn't mean I can't help."

He looks around at the battered bodies of the dead goblins. "I didn't find what I came here for - a way to remove the tadpoles - but I found the next best thing. I found out where they come from. That must be where these enchantments are placed on them, and it's where you'll find your cure."

Hector straightens a little, hope flaring in him again. So far, Halsin seems to know the most of anyone they've talked to about exactly what they're up against. "Tell me what you've learned about the tadpoles' origins."

"I overheard that the cultists are sending all of their captives to Moonrise Towers. Innocents go in, True Souls come out. Given that all of these True Souls are infected, it has to be the source of this magic." Halsin snuffs out a breath in a manner reminiscent of the bear he just was, and looks at Hector intently. "If you want to find a cure, you must head there and discover how the tadpoles are being manipulated."

Hector nods slowly. This tracks with what he heard from the Zhent trader outside, and it's a plan, the clearest they've had so far. "You seem to know a lot about this," he says hopefully. "Will you come with me to Moonrise?"

Halsin shakes his head. "I wish I could, but there's still work I"ve yet to finish." His eyes harden, a flicker of the beast behind the placid exterior. "Blood I've yet to spill." He hesitates, then goes on, looking between his four rescuers. "I've no right to ask more of you, but if you could help me...I'd be free to join your journey to Moonrise. I cannot allow these butchers to threaten my grove. The natural order must be preserved."

Hector seizes on this eagerly. He wanted to help the grove anyway and wasn't really interested in leaving until that situation was dealt with - and Halsin is seeming like a more useful traveling companion all the time. "All right," he says. "How do I help?"

Halsin seems to relax, and a smile flicks across his face. "My thanks. If you prevail, I'll owe you the debt of a lifetime." He glances towards the door leading to the upper floors. "Rare is the beast that survives decapitation. Help me eliminate the drow Minthara, the hobgoblin Dror Ragzlin, and that perversion of a priestess, Gut. They are the ones holding these parasites together. Remove them and nature will cure itself."

Hector grimaces thoughtfully. He has seen all three of these people, but none of them are alone in a scenario where killing them individually seems likely. For all their caution earlier, it feels like open battle may be the only option, if destroying those three is the goal. "Having a shapeshifting bear-druid at my side might make things easier."

Halsin smiles ruefully. "Be warned. My presence could make things much more difficult. I can only restrain my bear form so much. I won't be able to help but attack goblins." He shakes his head. "If I join you, we'll likely have to slaughter this entire place. You may want to use discretion when approaching the goblin leaders."

That gives Hector some pause. He doesn't relish the idea of fighting the whole place, and maybe there is a chance of tricking all three leaders individually. On the other hand...he has neither skill nor inclination for deception (particularly trickery with the parasite, which seems the most effective option, but his skin is still crawling from the last attempt with Ragzlin), and it's just as likely to lead to a straight fight anyway if he fails - and Halsin would be a strong asset to have in that case.

And...this is a temple of Selune. A place so like his home. These blasphemous things should be driven out of it.

He draws a slow breath and lets it out. "Come with me," he says firmly.

Halsin inclines his head, moments before the bear transformation begins to take hold of him again.

"So be it. May Silvanus lend us nature's fury."