#i'm sick of pretending this game isn't amazing

[hrtiu]

You know what? I am done equivocating. Dragon Age the Veilguard is really freaking good. I don't feel the need to qualify that. There is so much juicy lore, I love the characters, the combat is fun, the environments are amazing... I love it. Especially if you have immersed yourself in deeper lore and other Dragon Age media, there is so much payoff.

[dreamwritesimagines]

I think they would see each other again because of Jamie, actually!

Like Logan rescues some mutants that are hell bent on not going to the hospital because the anti mutant sentiment either gets them mistreated or reported so he just gruffly tells the team, "I know a doctor that can help."

And he does. Sure, he hates Jamie, is still pissed off he thought he was hurting Sunshine and still believes Jamie is a predator playing the long game with her (Jamie had not come out to anyone by the time he and Logan met) but he's lived long enough to see a person's motives- and Jamie's reasons for hating were never about him being a mutant.

So that's how Jamie gets kidnapped after his long shift by the cage fighter he was convinced he would never see again. To his credit, he doesn't back down.

"It's you. I thought pest control had handled you already."

"Something like that happened. I need your help."

Jamie goes, because he's a good doctor who took an oath and also because he's sleep deprived- he patches the kids up and ignores the team's stares as he stitches a girl's open wound.

"I didn't know Logan could make friends," Scott says whispers.

Jamie snorts, "I'm not his fucking friend."

(I think this is when Scott decides he likes Dr James, actually.)

"Then how do you-"

"Mind your business," Logan gruffs.

When it's the last kid being reviewed, Logan has finally worked up the nerve to ask. "How is she?"

Jamie clenches his jaw. "Fine."

"... I didn't- it wasn't my choice to leave. I didn't want to leave without talking to her first."

"But you did. I always knew that's what you were going to do, i don't care what your excuse is."

"Can you tell her something for me?"

"Cornell. If you want to tell her something say it to her face, otherwise I'd rather not hear it."

"... so is she seeing anyone or-"

"Jesus Christ."

Logan seriously thinks there's no way she isn't already dating someone. And he's kinda right lol

I think he sort of lurks at the edge of her university whenever he comes and goes, maybe hoping to see her again. It's not like the good doctor is very forthcoming about anything regarding her either- the most information Logan has been able to gather whenever Jamie is called in is that she is 1) very successfully going through her veterinary program in a high profile school

2) Has stopped working at the diner Logan used to pretend was convenient and on his way home so he'd have an excuse to talk to her

3) Still wants a cabin in the woods. Logan hears Jamie says this to one of the kids as a distraction while he sets a few bones to their right place. 'a cabin in the woods is like, begging to get murdered' 'that's what I said! Does this hurt?'

I just picture Logan as a very angsty sort of ex (situationship) this dude has not gotten over anything in his life. And Jamie could not give a fuck about his broken heart- he likes most people at the X Mansion; the idea that Charles can read his mind creeps him out so he stays away, he has a soft spot for all the kids he's helped and he would call Scott a friend on a good day- he even comes to respect Logan. He's sweet in a gruff way with the kids and hasn't threatened his life nearly as much as he once did.

And I think Logan is lowkey scared of seeing her again, like one time Jamie's phone was ringing and Logan grabs it because the sound is annoying as fuck but nearly drops it like its hot when he sees it's her name. He can't help it- he picks up just to hear her voice.

"Jamie, thank god. Where are you- Nik is worried sick here and we're gonna be late-"

"It isn't- I'm not Jamie. This is-"

"Logan?"

Darling omg omg I LOVE THIS, YOU'RE AMAZING! ❤️ Thank you so much! ❤️

Adfghjkl Logan not knowing Jamie is gay and convincing himself that he wants to date Sunshine😂

"It's you. I thought pest control had handled you already." I am giggling😂 I love that Jamie hates Logan but in the end they go from enemies to reluctant allies to actual friends, it will be hilarious❤️

Jamie snorts, "I'm not his fucking friend." Oh he would not hesitate😂

Logan has finally worked up the nerve to ask. "How is she?"

Jamie clenches his jaw. "Fine."

"... I didn't- it wasn't my choice to leave. I didn't want to leave without talking to her first." Omg Logan trying to explain himself and HE DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE WITHOUT TALKING TO HER FIRST AND-

This is so good! ❤️ I think like, after he left, he wanted to call her or find her but he convinced himself it was good for her that he was away ❤️

Sunshine got into Cornell?! 🥰

I think he sort of lurks at the edge of her university whenever he comes and goes, maybe hoping to see her again. Oh he would definitely do that! ❤️

Still wants a cabin in the woods aaaaaa Sunshine wanting that cabin in the woods in every universe❤️

I just picture Logan as a very angsty sort of ex (situationship) this dude has not gotten over anything in his life. FACTS! 🥰

Oh Sunshine would definitely hang up on him because of the sudden panic 😂❤️ And that would lead him to go show up at the campus to talk to her, and the minute she saw him and walked up to him, Logan would be like,

"I'm sorry."

"Strong start there."

"And congratulations. Cornell is very-"

"How long has Jamie known about you being around? Like, what are you, friends now?"

"Not at all."

"But you picked up his phone."

"No we...we work together sometimes."

"What?"

"It's a long story. Listen, I wanted to let you know before I left-"

"No reason for you to let me know. We weren't together, and you made yourself very clear about how you felt about my silly crush."

"That's not what happened-"

"And apparently you're hanging out with my friend now so..."

"I'm not hanging out with him. He hates me and the feeling is mutual."

"Right."

"I wouldn't have left without telling you if it were up to me."

"And afterwards, you couldn't even be bothered to send a text I guess?"

"It was for your own good."

"Some things don't change I guess."

[rinrinx2]

Can you do smut Rindou x reader when she teased him so much when he was on work that he just called her pretending that he is sick so she went to see is he okey and he just wanted to fuck her. And Ran, Koko and Sanzu came into room while they were making out.

Hope you like it <3

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Fake sick

Rindou x Reader

Warnings: Smut, Inappropriate language, Mature themes, orgasm, creampie, teasing, Ran, Sanzu, koko

Rindou and you had this ongoing game where you would accidentally drop pens and have to pick bend over with your short skirt to pick them up, or accidentally wear white shirts and have water spill all over the front revealing your lacey bra, an ongoing game of how much you could sexually frustrate Rindou.

And thus far you were winning this game, Rindou would always be leaving the office much earlier with a tent pitched I his trousers, but these games didn't just exist within in the office.

There would be nights you would accidentally send him pictures of you splayed out in lingerie that left little to the imagination. Teasing him on, just to see his reaction.

This game you enjoyed so much, loving the power you had over Rindou all from him seeing you semi nude. The feeling of how easily he got hard for you excited you immensely.

So, when Ran had told you that today his younger brother was not going to be in work due to him being ill a feeling of sadness.

"His really that sick?" You asked Ran for must of been the 10th time that day.

"He really isn't coming in (Y/N)-chan"

"But if you're feeling lonely you can always accompany me" Ran said with a smirk, eyeing your physique up and down.

"I think I hear my phone ringing actually" you replied walking away from the awkwardly turned conversation you were having with Ran.

You quickly walked over towards your desk, sitting down with a sigh. You looked over the papers on your desk deciding that you would have a productive day since Rindoubwas not there, but the more you tried your best to focus the more your mind wondered.

With every page of work you completed another wave of thoughts of Rindou flooded your head.

Finally after an hour of this torture you had enough. Grabbing your bag and keys you headed out of the office.

"Where are you going (Y/N)- chan?" Kakuchou asked as he watched you hurriedly walk down the office corridors.

"I think I'm going to check up on Rindou, Ran said his very ill today"

"Oh well tell him I send him my regards" Kakucho said with a smile.

You were always amazed with how sweet and understanding Kakucho was with you, and you were so grateful that he allowed you to just leave in situations like these without much questions.

You patiently sat in the cab, trying your best not to ask the driver to pick up his speed but thankfully your prays where answered when you arrived at the familiar house of Rindou Haitani.

You stood by the door adjusting your pencil skirt about to ring the doorbell when the door already flew open.

Rindou stood before you, not looking sick at all, with the biggest smirk on his face.

"I was expecting you" Rindou said moving out the way allowing you to enter his home.

"I thought you were sick" you said walking into Rindous living room.

"I was sick" he replied nonchalantly, taking a seat on the couch you sat on.

"I was sick of your teasing" Rindou said leaning I'm closer to your face, so close that you could smell the mint on his breathe.

"So I've decided to get my revenge, and you fell for my trap" Rindou said with a snicker, his handing sliding up towards your cheek, now holding your face as he peered deep into your eyes.

You held your breath so hypnotized by Rindou's actions.

"You must really care deeply for me to come all this way..." Rindou said coming closer the gap between the two of you nearly being closed.

You felt as your heart race was beginning to speed up and your hands felt clamy.

"Or you must really be missing seeing my dick hard"

"So, which one is it (Y/N)-chan" Rindou said as you felt his free hand grab yours and guide it over the massive bulge in his Grey sweat pants.

Rindou tilted his head slightly to the side watching as your facial expression, how you eyes became darker with lust yet your body remained hesitant.

You watched that snarky smirk on Rindous face deepen while you remained like a deer in the headlights.

'Is this how Rindou feels' you thought, as your felt your core slicken from Rindous actions.

"You want me to choose which one?" Rindou asked, but before you could answer his lips were on yours.

Feeling his soft lips against yours, molding to yours. Feeling as the hand that had guided yours was on your waist while the other that was on your cheek, gripped your face in place while his lips devoured you.

Rindou slipped his tongue into your mouth with ease, feeling how you hungrily accepted him. Rindou could sense the need within you, how you craved to have his erect cock push against your plush walls.

Rindou pulled away, eyes quickly flickering down to the string of saliva that still connected the two of you.

"So are we going to fuck are do you want to still play dumb?" Rindou asked.

You quickly stood up from the couch, as Rindou watched.

Leaning his head back against the couch, Rindou watched as you bent forward pulling your panties down.

"Mmm yummy" Rindou commented as he noted the massive wet spot on your panties.

You watched as Rindou pulled his hard cock out of his sweat pants. Your eyes went big taking in Rindou's size, he was massive with a thick vein on his underside that traveled to his tip that was leaking pre-cum.

"You gonna stare at it you jump on it?"

The more you looked at Rindou with that snarky smirk the more you liked it.

You quickly want back to the couch, but instead of sitting on the spot you were, you were now hovering over Rindou's cock, as his hands came to your waist.

You patiently waited for him to sink his cock into you.

You felt helpless, needing to feel Rindou inside you, so close yet so far. Maybe this was his punishment from you always teasing him, he was going to make you wait until he felt like fucking you.

Then you felt it, Rindou's thick cock head slide in-between your puffy pussy lips. Feeling as he slipped into your tight pussy hole, as he let out a sigh of pleasure.

You watched as Rindou's face scrunched with pleasure. Rindou kept his cock inside you for a moment, savoring the way your pussy hugged his cock so perfectly.

"Promise me you'll stop teasing me at work, and I'll fuck this pussy so good"

You let out moans of pleasure as Rindou's arms wrapped around your waist, swaying the two of your back and forth while his cock was still buried inside you. Feeling the way his cock barely nudged inside you was driving you wild while Rindou patiently awaited your answer.

"I pro-omise" you stuttered as Rindou's cock massaged your inside, with every sway back and forth.

Just as the words left your mouth, Rindou stopped his swaying, and gave a hard thrust straight into your cunt.

"Ah" you hiccuped out.

Rindou's cock pulled out of you only to be shoved deep inside of you. Over and over Rindou fucked you, until all you could feel was his cock rubbing against your walls and his cock head nudging that spot deep inside you.

"Rindou" you moaned out.

Rindou laughed out at your reaction. Rindou's laughs were cut short as your pussy clamped down hard on his cock.

"Shit" Rindou said under his breath.

Rindou began to pick up his pace, bow rutting into your pussy like a madman. The only noises being heard throughout Rindou's massive house was your moans and the sound of his balls hitting your wet pussy.

Rindou wasn't sure how much longer he could last in your clamping cunt, as he could feel the semen in shaft just aching to spill out into your cunt.

Rindou began massaging your breast through your shirt. The sensation of Rindou's rough hands man handling your chest was making you go insane, along with the way his pelvis with rubbing against your cunt was bringing you closer and closer.

"I'm gon-na cum" you moaned out.

"Good let go and cum for me" Rindou said encouraging you to release your orgasm on his cock.

Rindou thrusts were becoming sloppy until finally you felt hot semen shoot into you, Rindou's hips stuttered, causing them to rub vigorously against your cunt causing your own release to occur.

As Rindou was releasing the last of his cum, you cunt clamped down on him causing Rindou to cum more as your cunt milked him.

"Rinnie" you moaned out letting your orgasm wash over you, while Rindou held your back for support burying his face in your chest as his high came down.

You and Rindou remained like that until you finally caught your breath. You looked at Rindou and he looked back at you, the now snarky smirk was a soft smile. You leaned forward placing a soft kiss on Rindou's lips.

Just as you pulled away from Rindou you heard the front door swing open.

"Hey Rinnie we brought you a little get well basket. It has apples, a little water bottle and those cookies you like" Ran said pointing to the various items in the basket not even noting that you were there.

"Ran" Koko said nudging him, as he walked behind the older Haitani but was quick to realize the situation.

"What?" Ran said looking up to see you and Rindou.

"Why we all standing by the door way, what's happening?" Sanzu said as he finally entered.

"Oh shit! Your brother fucked (Y/N)" Sanzu laughed out.

"You owe me a 100 Rannie boy"

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All rights reserved to @rinrinx2

[alvivaarts]

About Separate Ways (Spoilers)

Wow, guys. I was super excited to get gameplay footage/input from friends about Separate Ways (too broke to own the base game myself) to put into my longfic, but aside from some super cute Luis/Ada moments, I am... dissapointed.

Capcom hire me, at least I can keep the plot consistent because what the actual fuck.

Will discuss below to avoid spoilers (much more story than gameplay, but gameplay wasn't great either), but I'm not going into insane detail save for some things. READERS BE WARNED!

I'm also specifically looking at this through the lens of my own fanfic, Simulation Swarm, which is my take on how Las Plagas works and infected!Leon (in addition, infected!Ashley and a lot of Leon's unacknowledged trauma and relationship issues throughout the game series). I was majorly excited about Separate Ways because it implied that Ada also gets infected- which I really want to still implement even if it changes a LOT of major things about the fic.

I'll go over the good stuff first. AKA, stuff I'm keeping, and not retconning.

1- Luis' characterization was still amazing. It was really nice to see his character balance out Ada's, how he's still as chipper as he can be. Additionally, it's VERY clear how much he cares for Leon and Ashley alike, and he goes out of his way to get Ada the suppressant and still respects her throughout that process. 2- Pesanta/IT/U-3's design with slightly more of a scorpion shape. That was sick! 3- The fact that Ada was aware of most of Leon's movements and a lot of what happened, and in a way was following him around and handling things he couldn't/wasn't aware of. * 4- Ada didn't help Leon into the chair, Ashley did. But that scene isn't even shown. 5- Luis and Ada def had chemistry, and it was so cute!

Well! Short list. Now for the bad stuff. AKA, shit I'm retconning/ignoring/pretending never happened (most of the DLC).

1- Ada's infection is weird as fuck. She got... shot? And infected? And then, infuriatingly (because I've spent WAY too much time thinking about the physiology of Las Plagas and researching w/ the help of others how the infection would work) PUKES UP her plagas?!?!? HELLO!? This in particular drives me insane because like. Las Plagas nests and develops behind the sternum, between the lungs, where it can attach to the nervous system along the spine. It is TOO BIG for a human body to fight against, it's growth shoving lungs out of the way is why people cough up blood. It's nowhere near the throat or stomach and clearly it's extremely well engineered/evolved for human hosts not to end up in conveniently the wrong location. And if she did puke it up, at that point, miraculously, after two days? Her intestines are fucked. She's dying of internal bleeding. I don't fucking care how much of a bad bitch Ada is because at that point Wesker wasn't gonna help her. The fuck? Capcom, know your own lore challenge. 2- We got NO backstory, not even HINTS about Ada's past and origins. Again. 3- * Seriously made Ada's character into a very flat character and removed a lot of the urgency/clear want for her to help Leon from the original DLC. Seriously, she does not gaf about anything but her mission and making it more convenient for herself. Everything she does to help Leon is sheerly coincedence- which, honest to fuck, does not line up. Especially considering she appears to completely lack empathy until... uh oh, Wesker wants to kill a bunch of people? Like sure, she has that BRIEF conversation with Leon in the boat but like... what happened to the people she has history with, the people she could've ABSOLUTELY been saving to spite Wesker and allow her to have her own motives until whoop-de-doo, uh oh, gotta stop a genocide! Be so for real. 4- Bonus: After Luis helped her and she'd made the deal to get him out, he, still dying, calls her with a warning about Krauser. It took a long time for him to die. She SHOWED UP after witnessing the fight and pretty much just... left him. Despite all of that. Which I get from a 'not fucking with canon' standpoint, but seriously. 0 effort. 5- Krauser literally fucking gets away when she fights him???? 6- Wesker keeps making appearances. For some reason. It's not even clear why, he literally just shows up to be intimidating and to threaten Ada into doing the job but like. At that point, honest to fuck, he could've done it himself? Also it was majorly hard to empathize with Ada considering we STILL KNOW NOTHING ABOUT HER OR HER MOTIVATIONS. 7- Luis has no distinct fire trauma. (Okay. Revoking this after the discussion, I just had a no media literacy moment after everything I was taking in. Luis' response was actually pretty good and honestly? Should be appreciated. Though it does bring up another point- while I love Luis, I guess I was walking in with it more being an expectation for it to be 'Ada's Story'. We didn't get that, though the Luis background was great!) 8- Ashley's interaction with Ada was a single line asking for help and Ada just. Walks off.

Anyway, everything I've seen first hand and have discussed with others has left a sour taste in my mouth. Boo, @Capcom. Good thing I can make up my own stupid little stories and pretend that none of that happened.

[kookygranger]

Hi!

I'm so late!

But I'd love to know about HF!E

for the wip game!

Thank you, Betty! ✨

HF!E stands for High Fidelity!Eddie. It isn't a HF au it just takes place in a record store and I didn't have a name for it. It was an idea for a one-shot inspired by this playlist featuring gothic/spooky songs before goth was a genre.

It made me think about Eddie who just moved to Chicago with Corroded Coffin and is slowly being accepted by the scene. Reader works at a record store and is playing this mixtape over the speakers and Eddie very much falls in love.

I started writing it and then didn't really like it but here's a lil' snippet:

“What the fuck are you listening to anyway?”

“I made a pre-Halloween mix. Music that lead to goth before goth was a thing.” You frown as you try to unstick a bright red sticker from the price gun you’d been tapping on the pile of vinyl.

Eddie smiles to himself as he continues to pretend he’s browsing and not tuning into your conversation.

“Are you going to The Allied tonight? There’s some new band from Indiana or something playing, apparently they do a sick cover of Master of Puppets.”

Eddie pauses in his faux perusing for a second as he awaits your reply.

“I wasn’t really planning on it, no.”

The guy huffs, “No? What was your plan, going home to sulk to The Velvet Underground?”

“I don’t sulk–“

“You do when you listen to The Velvet Underground.”

“What do you want me to do? Pogo to Heroin? Anyway, I was gonna work on an article actually.”

“Why don’t you write about this band tonight? Tim says they’re pretty good. He saw them a couple of weeks ago at the Metro.”

“Tim said that about that god awful noise band that played at De Salle’s. It was the worst four hours of my life. I thought my ears were actually going to bleed.”

“Whatever, you say that like you’re not currently playing the most depressing German synth music that nobody in their right mind would listen to.” He points out the new song playing from the speakers behind you.

“First of all, this is David Bowie’s Low. And if you knew as much about music as you claim to, you’d know that this was his seminal work in his Berlin era and an ambient soundscape masterpiece. Secondly–“

“I like it.”

Both of your heads shoot up at Eddie’s interruption. He blushes and clears his throat as you catch his eye and the corner of your mouth quirks up. “Sorry, I just–it’s a good mixtape. I like the theme.” He frowns and shakes his head at himself, he doesn’t know what came over him. Who is this guy that’s bothering you, anyway? You have amazing taste and he’s pretty sure you’re the most angelic thing he’s ever seen. You gesture in his direction and look back at the guy that’s teasing you.

“The customer is always right, Simon.”

Eddie moves quickly to the B section and finds the album you were talking about before heading over to you.

“Did you find everything you need?” You smile at him sweetly as you hop off the counter and take the record from him. “I’m sorry, I should’ve asked before. Customer service isn’t exactly my strongest skill.”

The guy, Simon, snorted. Eddie couldn’t take his eyes off the way your face lit up quietly when you realised what album he picked.

“What are your strongest skills?” That was such a weird question Munson, what the hell?

You looked up at him a little taken aback, before a small smile crept up on your face.

“Talking about music…or” you shake your head in contemplation, “writing about it actually.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Maybe it’s not so much a skill, more like an obsession.”

“She’s actually kind of good.” Simon butts in with a shrug and you roll your eyes.

“Such a high compliment cuz.”

You were cousins. He still had a shot.

“You write for magazines?” Eddie asks.

“Zines mostly,” you point to a stack of xeroxed pamphlets on the counter, “but I’ve published a few reviews with Spin and The Face.”

Eddie raises his eyebrows, “That’s pretty cool.”

You breathe out a laugh and take the cash he hands you, collecting his change. “Thanks.”

“Wait, you're Eddie, right?” He turns to Simon, almost forgetting he was there. “Your band’s playing at The Allied tonight? I met your drummer Gareth at a show last week.”

“Uh yeah that’s me. We’re called Corroded Coffin.”

“Cool name.” You smirk and hand him his record wrapped in paper. Eddie tucks it under his arm, his dimples showing as he smiles back at you.

“Thanks.”

“You’re from Indiana then?” You call back to Simon’s earlier statement, as Eddie doesn’t make a move to immediately leave.

He rubs the back of his neck as he nods, “Yeah. Just moved here a couple of months ago with my band.”

“Welcome to Chicago, Eddie.” You smile and introduce yourself, “Let me know if there’s ever anything I can do for you…vinyl wise I mean.”

“Thanks,” he scratches the stubble on his jaw before stepping away from the counter. “Maybe I’ll see you tonight at the show?” He tries to keep his voice casual, but there’s a hint of hope in there.

You bite your lip and shrug, “Yeah, maybe you will.”

Eddie nods and takes his queue to leave, the bell jingling again as he steps back out into the cold.

“Yeah, maybe you will.” Simon mocks you in a breathy imitation and you roll your eyes. “So now that you know the singer is cute are you coming?”

“Obviously! You better get me on the door list, or I swear to god I’m telling Aunt Carol about the stash in your underwear drawer.”

Okay, there were a lot more High Fidelity references than I remembered. Fun fact: I have read the book and watched the film and HBO reboot so many times I could quote word-for-word. I also dressed up as Zoe Kravitz's Rob for an office Halloween party once, complete with the Wings Over America live album that she talks about in that scene with the misogynistic cheater. Only one girl got it because she was a fan of Zoe Kravitz lol.

[isnt-it-pretty]

My Cyno/Tighnari Hurt!Cyno fic rec list (no MCD)

If you don't know me, I've written several fics centered around Hurt!Cyno since it's my favourite trope. I decided to make a fic rec list for the ones I've read and enjoyed the most! There's plenty more great ones than what I've listed, but these are my favourites. (Also yes, shameless plug for the fics I beta read.)

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Alone in the sand by TFOA

Like a grain of sand in the ocean, he feels more than ever alone in the world.

The moonlight seems to watch over him, and listen to his sorrows.

Or: the consequences of Taj's death in the Court of Desolation.

A wonderful fic centered around Cyno's grief following Taj's death, and the people who support him. In progress.

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Memories of Flickering Sun by @bluepastelcat

“If you want, child, I shall tell you a tale of our old days. The tale of how wisdom opened our eyes and blinded us all.”

The boy closed his eyes and listened to the spirit’s words. Though Hermanubis knew it wasn’t just a fairytale or fable….it was his own story.

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An assassination attempt against Cyno turned out to be much more than just a plot to eliminate Akademiya's General Mahamatra. Now Tighnari must find a way to bring his lover back or lose him to a conflict thousands of years in the making.

Lovely work about Cyno's relationships with those he loves, centered around his divine spirit. Plus a fun twist to the game's lore! Has the Sumeru Archon Quest characters too. In progress.

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as the scarlet sands by @shyjinks

Cyno does not know much.

His memory is a fractured mosaic, scattered across scarlet sands, with only a faint impression of what it might once have been.

He does not think any deeper on it. The consequences will be dire, he knows—

Nothing could be worth the risk.

[aka: cyno has only ever had one thing to protect.]

Amazing AU where Cyno is the guardian of desert ruins and Tighnari is a scholar sent to investigate them. In progress.

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a safe place to fall by eiiven

Cyno was all gunmetal bones and sharp wolf teeth. The Akademya made him a hero, a warrior, something to be feared—something to be respected.

Murder and mercy rolled into one boy, they said. He was destined to be a one-man army. The reputation that stemmed from that alone was a long and lonely shadow. It never cast over Tighnari.

Even when his hands were scarred from murder, when his skin was tainted with blood, Tighnari didn't see Cyno as a monster. He trusted him—perhaps more than anyone in the world.

Cyno could never hurt Tighnari. Not truly. He always knew that. They always knew that. It was why he could stare at Cyno's weapon without fear.

Even if it was pointed straight at him.

A simple one-shot about Cyno, injured and vulnerable, going to Tighnari for help.

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we can pretend there is silence here by lao_you_tiao

// Major spoilers for Cyno story quest, 3.2 Archon Quest.

Dreams return to Sumeru. After years of emptiness, nightmares come for Cyno once more.

With the help of the one closest to him, the General Mahamatra stops running away.

If you didn't know, I'm weak for Cyno with PTSD, which is what this fic is about!

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lightning's glow by yongz

Cyno, the General Mahamatra, has long been known for his ability as a beta to have such an intimidating presence known to even cow alphas.

Imagine Tighnari’s surprise when he shows up on his doorstep in heat.

Non-sexual ABO fic with hurt & sick Cyno seeking out the one place he feels safe.

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home is where the heart is by jumyouboshi

After getting seriously injured on an assignment, Cyno finds himself at Tighnari's doorstep.

A nice getting-together fic.

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washing machine heart by wisforia

“It looks pretty nice as far as scars go. What do you think?”

“You always look nice.”

“That's not what I asked,” Tighnari teases.

-

On the first night of peace in Sumeru, Cyno dreams of lightning.

Cyno's fears and emotions after Tighnari was struck by lightning. Includes none explicit sex.

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Honourable Mention because this one is a favourite, but it isn't Cyno/Tighnari. Instead it's gen for all the people who care about Cyno.

in the desert by nauticalwarrior

Cyno goes out into the desert. Alone. Which, in and of itself, isn't unusual, and wouldn't be a problem. He is the General Mahamatra, after all.

Except he's a bit careless, and doesn't bring as much water as he should. His only waterskin springs a leak.

--

In the desert

I saw a creature, naked, bestial,

Who, squatting upon the ground,

Held his heart in his hands,

And ate of it.

I said, “Is it good, friend?”

“It is bitter—bitter,” he answered;

“But I like it

“Because it is bitter,

“And because it is my heart.”

- Stephen Crane

[venusdamenace]

Apparently there are a bunch of people saying that the last of us "broke the curse" of bad videogame adaptations, and the Last of Us 2 was an amazing game. So I'm going to correct the first point, and address the second

1) The last year us didn't break shit, Castlevania was better and came out first

2)TLoU2 was fucking awful centrist wank full of needless trans suffering to appease a cis liberal audience (remember kids, if a trans person is depicted as happy then it's considered unbelievable to the centre left. Our existence is suffering and we're to be pitied, don't ya know). Seriously if I wanted to watch a trans person be narratively tortured, I'd out myself at a terf rally.

That second one was unpopular with my editors when I wrote for checkpoint, and got me labelled a "bad trans" by one of the writers (who was schtupping one of the editors btw). But fuck it, I'm right, and I'm sick of pretending that trans suffering being the only acceptable narrative is okay. Why does every trans character have to be some tortured soul. Why can't we just be happy? Why isn't that allowed in literature?

Tl;Dr the last of us 1 and 2 are garbage, fuck you, fight me

Signed

That angry trans bitch

[ssemicharmedlivingg]

Who am I?

(I wrote this yesterday, 5/9/2024, while dealing with some interruptions so it’s unfinished. For some reason I still wanted to post though so here we are.)

I've never really known. I don't mean it to sound like the stereotypical “Millennial Lost Girl.” Even though I guess that's exactly what I am. Part of it is my generation, sure; of course I’m going to be shaped by 9/11 and The Great Recession and so on—just like other generations are shaped by The Great Depression, Cold War, Civil Rights Movement, you get it. So yes, part of my aimlessness and anxiety are related to those things. Blah blah blah millennial nonsense.

Beyond that though, I just truly have no idea who I am... I was never part of a sports team growing up. I did things here and there—a couple years of guitar, gymnastics, dance, yoga, acting—you get the picture. I liked a lot of things, but nothing so much that I was interested in committing fully to. When my parents tried to force me to join the middle school basketball team (which is part of a whole other story), the coach said something during conditioning that stuck with me. It was something basically to the effect of, “ We have either practice or a game or both six days a week. The only reason it isn't seven is we're required by law to give you a break." Now, I already didn't want to join the team for other reasons, but even if I had wanted to that line would've ruined it. I still remember thinking to my 11 year old self, “Uhhh… This is *middle school* basketball. It’s not that serious.” So naturally I tanked tryouts by pretending to think they only lasted one day, not three. Come to think of it, I'm not sure I ever told my parents about that. Well guys, if you’re reading this, now you know.

I digress. I've never had a "look” of my own—I have zero idea how to put together an outfit to begin with, but I also like a lot of different styles (and let’s not even get started on finding clothes that fit well); my makeup skills are limited to mascara and sloppy eyeshadow; I am lucky in that I have a lovely shade of red hair, but it's thinning and always frizzy with baby hairs and doesn't like to cooperate. I end up wearing the same kind of combo of tank top/shorts/flipflops during warmer months and hoodie/sweater/leggings with either boots or sneakers. For a a while I had my extensions in and did things other than a messy bun (and these days it’s not a cute messy bun. Ever.) but the depression and then the big sick kicked in and well. I'm wearing a lot of hats these days.

And my friends. I am so blessed to have so many beautiful, supportive, funny, amazing friends—many of whom are more like family. Really I could go on and on forever about the truly fantastic people I'm surrounded by. And I am lucky enough to make friends wherever I go. None of that is lost on me so I don't mean this to sound ungrateful by any means ever. But like I'm also just a bit of an outsider in any friend group I’m in. Family too. I know that they love me, but I'm not as close to everyone as they they are to each other. It's changing a bit with everything going on; and since I’ve been able to join family Zoom more regularly. But it's still there in my head. I still sometimes feel like a bumblebee buzzing around, trying to bop my way into being fully accepted as part of the group. Again, I know that no one does this on purpose and I really am loved. Sometimes there’s just history and bonds and whatever else that you just can’t compete with.

There's work too. I know I'm a good bartender. And people like me as one. But why am I doing it? I went to college but I was a complete mess with zero clue who fell for a boy and never even thought about the future. So I dropped out. I could have been somebody. Like my cousins.

I've always just kind of felt l’m floating along in life. Just sort of hovering around, never really having a place in life. Just. Always slightly unsure. Slightly on the outside.

[storyofmychoices]

@aria-ashryver @thosehallowedhalls @noesapphic and @jerzwriter I know I'm late to replying but I wanted to still reply.

I am so grateful to all of you for being here and sharing your stories. Like Aria said in the comments, I agree, I wish there was more to say than "I'm sorry that this happened to you". Those words or any like it will never be enough because it shouldn't have happened. But I agree, that the love to each of you and the heartbreak I feel reading your stories and wishing there was something more to do or say to make it better—that love is what matters. You matter, You are amazing. Your strength and courage in being brave and taking the risk to share something so personal is inspiring.

I am so grateful to have so many incredible individuals to admire and be friends with. You are the very best and I adore you all! If I could give you all the biggest hugs I would never let go because you deserve nothing but love and kindness and healing. I hope that somehow spreading awareness can change things for others in the future, especially children/minors as it seems we were all survivors of.

The following just builds on my first post kind of and it's more for me as something I feel like I had to "get out". Feel free to stop reading here.

Initially when I posted, I felt anxious and thought about deleting it a number of times but was ultimately glad I shared, but then when I went to bed that night, something changed and I felt this overwhelming guilt and shame. And I literally couldn't get out of bed the next day. I had some very seriously concerning dark thoughts. I know I'm not okay with what happened but I didn't think I felt like this about it still so I was caught off guard. I realized I never forgave myself for what happened, especially in the part I didn't share because in retrospect, I feel like I should have did something and I've punished myself for that ever since (without realizing it).

In the spirit of trying to raise awareness, this is what happened with the other family member. My male cousin and I are about the same age (he is 1 year older). I was very naive and innocent and he wasn't. It started when I was 8 (a few months later from the first story) and continued for a couple of years. It started with "playing doctor" which I thought was fun. I loved playing pretend. I loved my pediatrician. He always made me feel comfortable even when I was sick so I loved playing doctor because I wanted to be one. [My pediatrician turned out to not be the greatest role model... he is in jail and a sex offender (with minors).] Anyway, as I'm sure you can imagine the game quickly went from normal play doctor stuff to much more sexual (not to the extent of rape). I told him I didn't feel comfortable, and he told me he'd tell all my friends what I "let" him do. I was already shy and had a few friends so I was scared. I agreed not to tell. As an adult (and even when I was a teenager looking back), I see this and am like how could I be so stupid to agree because it didn't stop at that one time (where my guilt and shame begins). It continued and I said I was going to tell if he didn't stop (hoping to call his bluff) but before I could tell, he told one of his friends and then that friend said some horrible things that made me feel so ashamed and worthless that I didn't feel I could tell anyone (so I didn't). I've never told anyone about this until right now. It only stopped because, he got "bored" of me.

I know there are so, so many worse stories and experiences out there and I don't know how you survived them. You are so much stronger than I am. I feel like I barely survived these and that has been something I have been ashamed of for a long long time. It truly wasn't until this thread of stories, that I realized that I'm not alone and even if my experience isn't the worse, it's not a competition. I have tried to forget all of this and never think about it, but this made me acknowledge that I'm not okay and that is okay. I think about what I would say to one of my 10 year old students if they shared a similar story with me. I would be devastated and I would reassure them that it wasn't their fault, they have nothing to be ashamed of, all the things you could imagine, but it's only now I realize I never gave that talk or grace to myself. I blamed myself for not telling (though telling didn't work in the first situation).

I'm sure that I am not alone in this blame and self imposed guilt and shame. So to anyone reading this, if something happened to you and you know in retrospect (as an adult, or even as a teenager) you should have done better, you did the best you could with what you knew at the time. Please give yourself permission to let go of the guilt and the shame and the fear.

I know this is so long and rambling and if you read this far, I'm sorry you had to navigate all of that, but I feel like me telling myself to forgive myself in private is not the same as publicly declaring it especially since I've never admitted this before. I felt I had to do it to let myself heal. I hope that if anyone reading this that had something happened and feels like I've felt for all these years, they try to forgive themself because I didn't realize how much I was still holding onto until this thread began.

SAAM2024 - SA Awareness Month

TW: SA, discussions around rape and sexual violence

Listen, I’m going to talk about something it isn’t easy or fun to talk about. I’m going to try and get a point across, and hopefully have it amount to something legible, because I am already feeling my body physically reacting with symptoms of stress.

I want to talk about sexual assault.

Did you know that April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month? And has been, for the last 23 years? Because I sure didn’t! Which is wild, considering I am a survivor of six separate incidents of sexual assault, two of which were penetrative rape.

I looked up the SAAM2024 hashtag and found crickets. Because who the hell wants to talk about sexual violence and rape on a random Thursday, right?

The thing is, we need to be having these conversations.

Of course, the onus isn’t on survivors to start the conversation — who would ask someone who is horrifically traumatised to open those scars again and talk about their trauma? I couldn’t even say the word “rape” for years.

[note: I have chosen not to censor the word rape here as a part of my own recovery process. Its just a word. I refuse to let it incite terror. Its just a word. ]

So who, then? If we could all talk about sex and sexual assault —if these were topics of conversation that weren’t so taboo to discuss— we could begin to take steps to make things safer for ourselves and for others.

So here I am, talking.

I feel it is important to destigmatise sex as this hush hush topic; it’s important to be able to discuss safe sex, consent, to differentiate what is just “bad sex” from what is assault. People are often quick to brush off encounters that give them the ick as just “bad sex”.

I was no different.

At sixteen, I didn’t have the terminology to describe what happened to me as rape. In a culture that glamorises illicit affairs and drunken hook-ups at parties, I didn’t have the comprehension to realise that what happened to me was not some sexy, drunken, desirable thing.

[trigger warning for more context around the first of my rapes]

I had been at a party, celebrating the wrap of my high school’s theatre production. I had been drinking underage and was extremely drunk*.

(*which in no way excuses what happened to me — it is important to take steps to dismantle rape culture and victim-blaming.)

There was a classmate I had been on a few dates with, and though we had been handsy during makeout sessions a few times, we had never discussed having sex. He offered to pick me up from the party, to give me a place to stay for the night. He had not been in attendance at the party, and was completely sober. By the time he drove us both home, I was already intermittently blacking out.

I have only a few memories of that night. One, crystal clear even to this day — a concerned classmate, grabbing my arm as I was heading out of the venue. The look of alarm on his face as he asked if I had a safe means of transport home. I lied to him. I have no idea why. I told him my mother was waiting in the vehicle that had just pulled up, and he let me go.

The next memory that I have is of his bedroom ceiling. A vague, blurred outline of his unclothed body over mine, as he was raping me.

Yes, we had been at that tentative, early stage of a potential relationship. Yes, I had taken him up on the offer to go to sleep at his house.

But, in the state I was in, there is no possible way I could have consented to sex.

I knew something was wrong, afterwards. I knew I spent the next night curled in a ball, sobbing in the shower for a reason. I knew there was a reason I froze up when a friend side-eyed me at school the following Monday, and said “you had sex with him, didn’t you?”. What I didn’t understand was that the reason was because I had been raped.

Because I didn’t have the vocabulary to describe my experience as such.

Because people don’t like to talk about sexual assault.

But we need to talk about sexual assault.

Conversations about sex can and should be removed from the concept of arousal. You can and should talk about sex without it being labelled as horny, or flirty, or suggestive — because it is just another topic to learn about.

Sex is an intricately nuanced thing that can mean so many different things to so many different people. There are elements of shame and embarrassment around sexual encounters sometimes; young and naive as I was, I was ready to take my crawling feelings of shame, self-blame, disgust, and put them down to “it was just bad sex”.

It wasn’t until long after the horror of my second, more violent rape, that I was able to pinpoint some of the trauma responses as being the same as that first time. There were patterns there, feelings that, had I been in a position of knowing more about safe sex and consent, I would have recognised sooner for what they were.

Its all well and good to go “hey! Don’t rape people!” and pat yourself on the back for your activism.

But the thing is, that kind of does sweet fuck all to actually help people who are at risk of experiencing sexual violence. What we really need is to take actionable steps toward improving people’s sexual safety and practises around consent and safe sex.

So what does that look like?

We talk about sex and consent without stigma.

We believe survivors and do not victim-blame

We practice respecting other people’s bodily autonomy in everyday scenarios, before it ever reaches a sexual context — if someone doesn’t want to hug you, respect their autonomy! If someone tells you to stop tickling them, even though they are laughing, hey, guess what? Respect their autonomy!

We remember what consent looks like, and take steps to inform others — consent is always clear, continuous, coercion-free, and conscious.

We make it second nature to take basic steps toward safety — never leave a drink unattended at a party! Stick to a buddy system to ensure people get home safe! Not because you suspect something will happen, it's just a default behaviour!

Be that classmate that tries to stop a drunk person walking out into the night alone.

The more we do these kinds of things, the less mystical and nebulous this whole “safe sex and healthy consent” thing becomes, and the safer we all are for it.

I’m gonna cut myself off here for my own wellbeing, as this has been extremely taxing, but let me provide a few links that I think are relevant. I hope this might be in some way helpful, and encourages others to continue the conversation offline. (or online, even -- reblogs are totally fine, and please feel free to add other stories or links if you have resources to share)

Be safe, and to any SA survivors who happen to be reading this, please know that you will always be yours, and what happened to you was not your fault. 💖

What is Consent (VeryWellMind)

History of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (NSVRC)

Sexual Violence Prevention: Beginning the Dialogue (NSVRC)

How to Support a Survivor (CRCC)

Finding Help If You’ve Been Sexually Abused (Crisis Text Line)