#if Rhea still isn't released

[kissforyouu]

Would you ever write a little drabble or something of oc having a huge reaction & going off at jk & how he responds? Or how he just crumbles lmao like you said he would 😭😂

"but then it didn't make sense, noh? i asked rhea about the theme and it was beach. the clothes they've provided us with are nowhere near beach? i don't know how we're gonna come up with a beachy look with those. i mean, kook, it's literally a long dress. even worse, it's fucking formal! who wears formal to the beach? nobody! but you know what the worst part is? they said we weren't allowed to use the given clothes to make new ones. like, what? that doesn't make sense at all", you continued with your rant, "it's unfair, to be honest. it was just our time and like 2 more out of the entire competition who got these non beachy looking clothes. it doesn't make sense. but we're all thinking of making a complaint. i have to win, you know." you nod, body slanted against the table.

"what do you think—" pause.

"you're not even listening are you?" you glare at your boyfriend, who's been glued to his phone for the past 20 minutes. he's watching some football match. a fucking football match.

he mindlessly nods, pretending to listen. he doesn't even know what you're saying!

"you're not listening to me."

once he just nods again, you groan and then just slap his arm. jungkook jolts at the sudden hit from you, looking up from his phone.

"what?"

"you're not listening to me." you whine.

"hm, no, i was." liar.

"quit lying, jungkook."

"nah, nah, i was." he looks back at his phone again. you hate when he acted like this. makes you feel ignored.

"see! again! you're not listening to me!" you shout, throwing your hands in the air.

jungkook groans, rolling his eyes at you. you gasp, looking at your boyfriend with pure shock. did he just roll his eyes at you? oh no, he didn't!

"my bad."

the short careless responds were annoying you to the core.

"okay." your voice is stern. you get up, stomping your way around his room. he still doesn't bother to look at you or anything, eagerly watching his match. and just because you're such a dramatic spoiled bitch, you grab your bag and put on your shoes. your boyfriend, who was playing with his lower lip, drifts his eyes away from his stupid football match for a moment. and suddenly, he starts panicking.

nah, you were gonna leave. oh he messed up.

"baby, where you going?" his lazy ass finally gets up from his bed, brushing his hands on his sweats as he walked towards you.

you scoff, looking away dramatically.

"home."

"nah, come on, stay." he grips onto your arm tightly.

"no. because my boyfriend who invited ME over isn't paying me any attention because of some stupid fucking football game!"

"baby, i'm so sorry, okay? i didn't realise. now come on, don't go."

you squint your eyes and look at your boyfriend with a glare. and because you love the game, you decline again.

"y/n, i'll be better, come onnn. you can't just leave. i'm sorry i was being an ass to you earlier. please stay. let's cuddle and watch a movie or something. i'll rub your feet and give you a massage too." you try not to break into a laugh at the rubbing your feet part and somehow manage to keep an expressionless face.

"you need to be put on timeout."

"okay, say less."

jungkook walks back to his bed, sits on and faces his wall. he stares at it blankly as if he was a toddler who had just gotten scolded by their parent. the sight was hilarious. god, the things he does because of you. i mean, you didn't mean it literally, but he just accepted it.

"am i good now?" your boyfriend peaks at you slowly. you scowl. he slightly finds it funny and cute at the same time. everything you do is cute for him.

"come on, sweetheart. don't look at me like that." you kiss your teeth at his slightly flirty comment.

"okay. i'll stay." jungkook releases a loud sigh, falling back onto the bed.

"you're so dramatic sometimes."

"I'M LEAVING!"

(okay ik this isn't a major argument but i js thought this would be cute😭😭)

taglist:

@fungie2332 @wintertxt @wheexine @hyunjinswifeee @ohsweetmimosa @canyon-txt @kooreo @rrosiitas @goldenjeonkoo

[wackyharpy]

Eventually (Part 1)

Modern! Aemond x Fem! Reader

Summary: Aemond has been in love with Helaena's best friend but hasn't confessed yet. Everything changes when he meets her at Dragonstone.

Part 2

Part 3 (maybe, not sure)

A/N: English isn't my native language. I'd be very glad for your comments and reblogs. Thank you in advance! Enjoy the story :)

For the atmosphere: Agnes Obel — Familiär

Warnings ⚠️

NSFW 18+, m masturbation, mentioning of sex, swearing, in this story Helaena is the youngest, she/her pronouns.

MINORS DO NOT INTERACT

Two years.

Aemond Targaryen has been madly in love for two years. And if it weren't his lifestyle and business, he would confess. His family is another reason why it is so complicated. Although, the main reason is his fucking father and his delusional idea of Aemond's marriage with that Baratheon girl, God only knows her name.

One more issue. Who is she? A girl from a plain family without wealth that the Baratheon, oh Lord how Aemond is fed up with hearing that name, has. That's all. She is just a student. She is just the best friend of Halaena. She just sometimes appears at their mansion for a movie night with his sister. She is just a girl who Aemond has been madly in love with for two years.

***

Ragged breathing. The sound of the turned on shower. He has only half an hour to get to work. But Aemond can't stop. Can't stop thinking about her. Hair, eyes, lips, neck, collarbone, breasts, literally everything. All of her. He wants to devour her. Aemond's hand goes back and forth on his firm shaft. All thoughts swirling in the mind are of her. He shuts his eye tight making movements of the hand faster and harder. He desires it to be not his fingers and palm but her warm mouth or wet pussy. He wants to hear the sounds of their shared juices but not of the shower. Breathes are heavy. It seems as something has stuck in his chest, it wishes to break free, to burst with loud groans.

"Fuck!" he exclaims.

Aemond starts moving his hips roughly thrusting into his hand seeking for the relief. Still it would feel better if it were her hot insides.

"Fuck! Ah!" he moans.

There. It's there. Soon. He is going to come. Finally. He fucking wants her. Desires more than everything.

"Aahh!"

Aemond's cock starts twisting releasing his semen on the floor of the shower. He breathes heavily feeling huge relief. Aemond leans his head back opening his mouth slightly and licks his lips. The last exhalation is deep and long. Somewhat his mind has cleared and cooled being ready for another working day. Though, Aemond knows it won't last long. Sooner or later his only thought is going to be her.

***

"I don't fucking care, Viserys! She's a bitch!" Daemon shouts squeezing a crystal tumbler in his hand.

Aemond is sitting in his father's office at their family's mansion, silently looking at the mahogany desk. He is waiting for the ending of another spectacle that has uncovered after several minutes when Daemon and he have entered the room. Rhea Royce has been a topic of conversations between two brothers recently as the rogue one possesses no wish to be married to her anymore.

Aemond exhales heavily and keeps on sipping his Knappogue Castle Irish Whiskey.

They have come to discuss new reports from the financial department but, as Aemond has noticed, currently Daemon's concern isn't connected with Targaryen's company. Instead of working, he argues with Viserys due to his wish to divorce that Royce bitch and to marry his new passion — Laena Velaryon.

All responsibilities and work at the financial department are on Aemond's shoulders. Again. It happened once several years ago when Daemon suddenly realised he got tired signing papers, sitting at meetings, deciding matters, so he just bought two tickets to Essos and went on a journey with his lover, nobody remembers her name now.

Only Aemond remembers. He remembers everything. He remembers the huge fight that happened within the family right after his uncle's airplane took off. He remembers how he had been working day and night reviewing all transactions, conducting all operations, leading all meetings, everything... When Daemon, the head of the department, was sipping a cocktail lying on the beach, sunbathing in pleasant rays while his lover was making a slobbery blow job. Aemond has always been a scapegoat, especially after that incident when he lost his eye. That was the moment when he realised that his father didn't care about him and his brothers, and sister.

"I said everything! I'll marry Laena and nobody will stop me!"

With these words, Daemon shuts the door leaving Viserys and Aemond alone.

The elder Targaryen exhales heavily:

"He's going to be the death of me," mutters Viserys and turns towards his son.

"How's work?"

Aemond mentally curses his father for this fake caring. In one gulp he drinks the remainings of 12-year-old whiskey and places the glass on the small table next to the armchair.

"Work is fine," dryly answers. He wishes promptly to discuss the matter and leave the office. Aemond can't stand his father at all.

"Then let's see what we have," Viserys sits in his working armchair wrapped in dusty brown leather and takes the folder with the reports.

***

"Aegon!" Aemond knocks at the door of his brother's bedroom. He hears moans and sweet gibberish that Aegon, perhaps, is telling a girl who is now below him. Or on top. Aemond doesn't care.

"Oh, yes! Yes!" exclaims the girl and releases a load groan that, as Aemond considers, the whole mansion has heard.

"Aegon!" Aemond knocks one more time feeling impatient, "we have to go! Open the door! Now!"

"You like it?" He hears his brother's chuckling and moaning — Aegon has always been loud in bed.

"Yeah!" The girl laughs; the bed continues squeaking.

Aemond exasperatedly runs the hand on his face and tsks. He turns on his heels and goes downstairs right to the rooms of the staff. There, he borrows a key that a maid uses to unlock Aegon's bedroom for cleaning.

The moment Aemond enters the room, he sees a red haired girl bouncing on his brother's hips. So... she's on top.

"Oh, hi, brother," Aegon smiles still keeping one hand on the lean leg of his guest and another one on her heavy breast.

"Meet Angelica," the elder goes on completely undeterred by the situation he is caught in.

"I don't care," Aemond dryly answers casting a quick glance at the girl that is grinning at him, "just get your things and come on. We're going to Dragonstone."

"What's it now?" Aegon rolls his eyes.

"We're to meet Corlys there and arrange something. I'm waiting in the car."

"Is the issue arised because our dear uncle wants to divorce that bitch?" Aegon laughs.

"No," Aemond answers coldly turning to the doorway, "five minutes, Aegon. Hurry up!"

At long last, the door of the car is opened, and Aegon gets into sitting next to Aemond. The picture is hilarious, mostly for the elder of two brothers: inside, the car smells of tobacco, citrus, and something woody — Aemond's perfume, which he adores. He is wearing a classy black suit of the English cut with a matching dark grey tie. And Aegon sprawls on the leather seat only in jeans and a T-shirt, luckily, a clean one.

"Always a good little boy?" He snickers examining his brother's outfit. Aemond ignores the insult and keeps on looking in the window. The gloomy expression is on his face.

"I heard Daemon doesn't appear at office, fucks Laena instead of that bitch, so... again all work is on you, little good boy?"

"Will you shut the fuck up?" Aemond hisses turning the head towards his brother.

"What?! Isn't that true?!"

"Maybe you'd better start doing your part of the work as well?"

"I don't give a shit," Aegon puts on a resentful face, "if our father doesn't give a shit about us, why should I care?"

"The matter isn't in..."

"The matter is exactly in this! Rheanyra is CEO, not me, not you. You're not even given a position of the head of the financial department. During all these years, as you've been working hard, not Daemon. But, as I said, they don't give a fuck."

Then, there is long silence between both of them. Aemond is looking in the window at changing landscapes: from King's Landing's houses with red roofs to the views of the calm sea as the car has been driven on the bridge that leads to Dragonstone.

"There's going to be Halaena and her," Aemond hears how his brother's mood changes abruptly. Only several seconds ago, he was upset because of the family issues, and now he's grinning looking at Aemond pointedly. He doesn't condemn Aegon for quick mood alterations, in some way, it's his method of hiding the resentment and living among crazy relatives. Still, at times, Aemond finds this Aegon's feature to be very annoying.

"Her?" Aemond raises one brow.

The Cheshire cat's grin becomes bigger on his brother's face.

"Oh, come on, don't pretend like you're an idiot! Her, Aemond. You know who I'm talking about."

"Halaena's best friend," Aemond responds feeling as if something is swirling uncomfortably in his stomach when mentioning her.

"Yes," a satisfied expression appears on Aegon's face, "Daeron texted me. Their summer holidays started at university and they decided to come to Dragonstone, like for a week, I guess. You know, to have parties, to sunbathe in bikinis, to swim."

Aemond gulps nervously. His pupils have dilated. He feels hot.

"If you could only see yourself!" Aegon bursts out laughing unable to control himself, "I know you wanna fuck her!"

"I don't!" Aemond cuts off immediately indignantly looking at his brother's face possessing a sole desire to smack him hard.

"Yes, you do! I notice how you look at her. Do you love her?"

One more time, the loud laughing can be heard in the car — Aegon isn't able to stop. Aemond just exhales heavily and turns his face away from his idiot brother towards the window.

He is exhausted. Because of everything. Aegon, Daemon, his father, all this abnormality the Targaryen family possesses, probably, for decades. He wishes to rest, at least, a little. Isolate himself from others and just sit in his room alone for several days like a mad man. However, there's no going back; his life is predestined, and he has been working in the family business for so long. Somehow, Aemond has got used to this lifestyle. Though, the only silver lining of his life remains to be Halaena's best friend. The girl who he has been madly in love with. The girl who he is going to meet again in an hour.

[tfemluna]

i was rewatching stuff and it got me thinking of the saturn's moons episode ;_; i need to yap so long post incoming. apologies in advanced o7

i feel like this fandom has a tendency to switch up/see things in black and white a lot (very noticeable in the moon club episodes -- which i'll talk about eventually) because the amount of backlash the saturnian moons got whilst Saturn got cradled like a baby. Hm. It's just puzzling to me.

I like both the moons AND Saturn so it was hard to like... dislike either of them? Both of them are doing hurtful things to each other. I don't like when people use the excuse of "he has 146 moons! how could he possibly remember that many!" which, to a degree is fair, but you also have to think about the fact that Saturn has had billions of years to at least memorize his main 7 moons. It's the least he could've done if he cares for them as much as he claims. It's obvious he has clear favoritism and people tend to gloss over that when bashing the other saturnian moons when they get reasonably upset? Saturn is not innocent (in more ways than one), and that's okay. You can still feel bad for him without failing to acknowledge he isn't perfect either.

Not saying the moons are innocent either. They were desperate and rushing the whole ordeal. It's obvious they already have resentment towards Saturn and they honestly could've done that out of desperation and frustration just to get him to listen. The saturnian moons are mean, yeah. (With the exception of Rhea, Tethys and debatably Titan) And I definitely think they should've given Saturn some breathing room but I also don't like... blame them for being as upset as they were? They've been basically neglected/overshadowed for billions of years. I'd be pretty pissed too!

Their relationship with their parent planet is complicated, messy and dysfunctional -- and both sides are flawed, but neither are more bad than the other methinks. When the episode initially released the amount of hate the moons got and babying for Saturn just irked me. While I felt bad for Saturn I could see why the moons were upset but to me I just don't think people got that >_>

Don't get me wrong I love Saturn but he's not perfect and I LOVE that for him. He's a sweetheart but ultimately flawed and his clear favoritism and overall denseness is so good... I cannot wait to see him more of him in the upcoming arcs bcuz you KNOW what's being built up and ugh. so excited I hope he's fucked up even more

[south-of-heaven]

Can I request a Rhea Ripley x Fem! Reader in which reader isn't accepted as neurodivergent by her mother and Rhea comforts her? I just fighted with my mom to buy a sunflower badge which neurodivergent people use for their hidden disability (such as ADHD, autism, OCP etc.) And she told me it's useless and I don't think she still accepted the fact I was diagnosed with ADHD and it hurts because nobody is supporting me through this.

- Lilith 🩰

Valid || Rhea Ripley x Reader

Summary: Rhea comforts you after a fight with your mother.

The argument with your mother still echoes in your mind, the hurtful words she said cutting deep into your heart. Tears stream down your face, and your chest feels heavy with the weight of the conflict. You've always known that your neurodivergence sets you apart, but your family's lack of acceptance has made it even harder to bear.

In the midst of your distress, the door creaks open, and you look up to see Rhea's concerned face. She takes in your tear-streaked cheeks and puffy eyes, immediately crossing the room to kneel in front of you. Without a word, she opens her arms, and you gratefully collapse into her embrace.

Her strong arms encircle you, holding you close as you let out the sobs that have been building inside you. She doesn't rush you, simply holding you as you release the pent-up emotions that have been plaguing you. Her touch is grounding, her presence a calming force in the midst of your storm.

Eventually, your tears subside, and you find yourself clinging to Rhea, your head resting on her shoulder. She begins to softly stroke your back, her touch a soothing rhythm that matches the beating of your heart.

"You know," she starts, her voice gentle, "you are so incredibly valid, no matter what anyone else thinks or says. Your neurodivergence is a part of who you are, and it's something to be celebrated."

You lift your head, meeting her sincere gaze, and for the first time in a while, you feel seen and understood. Rhea's words resonate with you, and a glimmer of hope starts to replace the despair that had been consuming you.

She smiles softly, brushing a tear away from your cheek. "You're strong, and you're brave, and you don't have to prove anything to anyone. Your feelings are valid, your experiences are valid, and I'm here for you every step of the way."

Her words wrap around you like a warm blanket, and you find yourself nodding, a small smile tugging at the corners of your lips. In this moment, with Rhea by your side, you begin to believe in your own worth, regardless of the challenges you face.

As she continues to hold you, her comforting presence becomes a lifeline, grounding you and reminding you that you are loved, accepted, and cherished just as you are.

[call-me-a-simp]

Heal My Wounds

Thank You Reah (Part 15)

Rhea Ripley x Reader

Tw: physical and sexual abuse, toxic relationship, selfharm, eating disorder

Summary: You are in a toxic relationship with an abusive man but manage to run away. A tall, black haired woman picks you up from the streets just in time so your ex doesn't get you. But who is she and why does she seem so familiar to you? As you get to know each other you start to notice weird feelings you never had before whenever she's around.

You smirk and kiss him. "God baby I want you so bad" he growls and gently bites your neck. "I want you too" you moan and tuck on his shirt so he removes it.

"You feel that? That's all just because of looking at you" he moans and you smile a little. "Come on, let me take off the rest of your clothes" he says in a low, lust filled voice.

He takes it off, together with his pants so he's only wearing boxer shorts now. You can see his hardened cock and he takes your hand and moves it down so you graze the tip of it slightly.

You sit up a little and he unclips your bra. You try to take your panties off by yourself but he stops you. "Let me do this for you" she grins and bites down on the hem.

He slowly pulls them down keeping eye contact the whole time. It makes you a little uncomfortable but you thought maybe it was just the nervousness.

Once he got your panties off he kisses up your legs, moving on to your clit and sucking and licking on it. You moan a little making him grin.

"You think you can take daddy?" "Idk" you breathe out. "Guess we'll find out then" he groans and removes his boxer shorts. "Please be carefu- AHH GOD"

You scream as he pushes into you with full force. Tears run down your face, you cry out for him to stop but he ignores it.

"Don't cry babygirl" he tries to hush you "Daddy's making you feel good, you have to appreciate it and thank him" he says with a disgusting grin.

"No please, stop. You're hurting me" you cry out. He grabs your throat and applies pressure, making you gasp for air and looking at him frightened.

"Thank. Daddy." he growls again. You're too scared to disobey him so you just give in, hoping it would be over soon.

"Th- thank you d- daddy for making m- me feel good" you press out. "That's it, good girl" he smirks and keeps thrusting in and out of you.

He keeps going for a few minutes, the longer he takes the more tears keep flowing. "Oh God" he says between moans "I think I'm gonna cum"

He squeezes his eyes shut and releases. You feel his cum filling you in. It just makes you cry even more. You weren't ready to get pregnant.

"Oohh yes" he moans loudly and collapses on top of you. He's so heavy you're having difficulty breathing. You try to push him off of you.

"Hey hey what are you doing" he says angrily and gets up to hover over you. "Aww you want more of me? I'll give you more!" the second sentence is full of hate.

"NO NOOO-AHHAAA" you scream crying as he, again, pushes into you with all his force. "Why do you cry huh?! You have to likes this, I'm making you feel good!" she shouts at you.

Suddenly you feel someone shaking you, calling your name, but it sounds so far away.. You feel someone touch your arm but it isn't him..

"TELL ME YOU LIKE THIS YOU LITTLE FUCKING WHORE" he yells, but it gets quieter with every word as you slowly awake from your dream..

You sit in bed crying and shivering from the nightmare you just had. Rhea had woken you up because you were punching around wildly and screaming.

Tears are still running down your face, you're fidgeting with your hands and try to calm down. Rhea is next to you, holding you close and gently stroking your arm.

"Shh it's okay, it was just a dream" she says, her voice low and calming. "I've got you, everything's alright" she kisses you on your head and you feel yourself relaxing a little into her touch.

You snuggle closer to her and take one of her hands in yours. You sit like this for a while until your breathing steadied again.

"Thank you Demi, I wouldn't know what to do without you" you whisper. She chuckles and kisses your head again. "I love you and I'll always be there whenever you need me. Even if I have to fly across the whole world to get to you.."

You smile and wrap your arms around her. "I love you too" you reply and kiss her on the lips. It's one of the most gentle kisses you ever experienced.

You both lay back down, your head resting on Rhea's chest, listening to her heartbeat until you fall asleep again. This time without being woken due to another terrible nightmare.

---------------------------------------------------

Part 15 :)

Taglist:@babybatlover @legit9thlunaticwarrior @thatonepansexual2000

[selfproclaimedunicorn]

rhaella, evelyne westerling has a crush on you! rhea 2, aurynn mormont has a crush on you!

-noeverse

Smacking our bisexual girlies together like Barbies 💕

"Your lady?" Ella asked, sitting up a little straighter as she eyed her friend curiously.

"No, the other Evelyne Westerling we're both acquainted with." Laena teased, unable to fight back the grin on her face. Ella scowled and playfully shoved her, releasing the fit of laughter that had been building up within Laena Velaryon.

"I've only met her once." The words felt like a silly excuse. She'd been infatuated with people under similar circumstances, and she'd be lying if she said Lady Evelyne was not comely. She was married now though, and barely to terms with how she'd felt about Laena when they were younger.

Laena leaned against her as she responded, still giggling. "So? There is quite a bit to draw her in, maybe she only needed one meeting." Ella elbowed her, heat rising to her cheeks. That only egged Laena on, and she hugged onto her arm now as she grinned and shook with her barely held back snickering.

"Do you want me to ask her to join us?"

"Actually, I think I do. It would be fun to have all three of us. And it will prove how silly you're being."

"Oh, one of us is certainly being silly."

"Is that why she followed us around when she was younger?" Rhea asked, giggling as Mya helped her get the laces at the back of her dress done.

"Maybe. I don't know how long she's had her little infatuation, I just know she has it now."

"Well, I think it's sweet. Even if this probably isn't what anyone intended when they sent Aunt Lara's cousin to be one of the girls we keep around to see if Helaena or one of the boys likes her."

"Or you and Abby. They could join one of your households too," Mya paused briefly as she straightened Rhea's skirts, "of course, that assumes you get married and don't just stay here forever."

"I could have a household here! And maybe I'll have Aurynn be part of it. I can kiss her instead of some silly boy who only sees my dragon or my family or...whatever else he's gotten into his head. Aurynn has at least been around long enough she knows what she getting and likes me anyway."

Mya was quiet for a moment, a contemplative look on her face until she spoke again. "Your tits. That's probably the whatever else the 'silly boys' are thinking about instead of how they aren't man enough to handle you."

Rhea snorted, a tight-lipped grin on her face as she grabbed Mya's shoulders and steered her towards the door. "You would know. Now come on, let's go find Abby. And Aurynn."

[lena-in-a-red-dress]

Hansel & Gretel Witch Hunters AU

So, Lena as Gretel is the daughter of a grand white witch, right? Which means the grand dark witch is hunting her heart for the ritual. The grand dark witch being Rhea, of course.

I like the idea of Mon-el being the asshole sheriff who tries to turn the town against Lena, Lex, and even Kara. Sowing violence and mistrust so that his mother can act with impunity. He's totally human tho, like his dad. Rhea barely tolerates him but for the role he serves.

When Lena and Lex are separated following the witches' raid on the town, they eventually find their way back to each other by stumbling upon their old childhood home. They barely recognize it, but they know that's a witch's lair in the cellar. And Lena, who has been putting the pieces together, tries to tell him what she suspects, but before she can Rhea arrives, reveals Lena's nature as a witch, and knocks them both senseless. When Lex regains consciousness, Lena is gone.

When Kara offers her knowledge and help to stop Rhea (and save Lena), Lex isn't in a position to refuse. With her help, and the book of light spells they find in the lair, they gain just enough of an edge that Lex stands a chance of getting his sister back.

At the ritual site, Lena is tied up for the slaughter. Rhea monologues in front of the other witches who have congregated, waiting for the blood moon eclipse to begin. As the eclipse draws closer, Lena starts to feel a new power build within her-- her own magic swells, itching to be released.

Lex arrives and starts blasting witches' heads off. In the commotion, Kara scurries through the fray to cut Lena loose. But the ropes are thick, and Kara's knife is small. As she saws through the ropes, Lena spots Rhea marching towards them with murder in her eyes.

"Must hurry, must hurry--" Lena mutters, trying to keep her cool.

"I'm almost-- there!" Kara cries, ducking aside as the ropes split apart and Lena surges from the altar to meet Rhea on her feet. Kara tosses her the knife as she goes, and Lena catches it deftly before swiping at Rhea with the blade.

Rhea easily dodges, snarling. Even after Lex flips her a weapon (her favorite crossbow), though, landing single scratch on Rhea proves difficult. She is a grand witch, after all.

Knocking Lena to one side, Rhea looks up to find the blood moon has passed. Her chance to complete the ritual is gone, and won't return for another generation. With Lena still recovering from the last blow, Rhea whirls towards Lex, and slashes her wand through the air between them.

Lena looks up just in time to see the spell gather on the tip of Rhea's gnarled wand, aimed straight for her brother. She screams.

"NO!"

At her cry, a snarled mess of roots pulls from the ground as though bidden, twisting themselves into a savage point that pierces through the back of Rhea's head to protrude through her mouth, widening until the constraint of her gaping teeth halts its growth.

It's too late. Even as Rhea falls limp, hanging lifelessly from the giant thorn of twisted vines, her spell leaves her wand and blasts into Lex's chest. He drops to the ground like a marionette whose strings have been cut.

"Lex!" Lena scrambles to her feet, dashing towards her brother, skidding to her knees beside him. She cradles Lex to her chest, looking to Kara for help. "Please!" she begs. "Please save him!"

Kara can only shake her head. "I can't. He-- He's already gone..."

Horror washes over Lena as reality sets in. After so many years of having only her brother, of protecting him, loving him-- he's gone. She's lost the one person in the world who never left her.

She's alone.

Grief rises sharp and hot within her. Tears fill her eyes as her ears roar. Emotion overcomes her, blinding them both to the unnatural sounds of bony joints clicking out of place behind them as Rhea's limbs begin to bend the wrong way, gripping the roots piercing her skull and climbing off them like a beetle.

By the time Rhea stands her skull has rebuilt itself. Instead of reaching for her wand, her fingers close around the ritual dagger, intent on taking advantage of the distraction of Lex's death to finish the last remaining Luthor sibling.

Just as she draws the knife back to strike, Lena's power surges through, amplified and made unstoppable by Lena's heartbreak as she sobs.

"No!" she screams to the void, sobbing. "NO!"

Her power blasts out of her in every direction, a bright white light that blinds Kara and saturates their surroundings with warmth and love. The force of Lena's magic halts Rhea in her tracks, and ultimately eats her away to nothing. The dagger drops harmlessly to the ground with no one the wiser.

When the light fades and Lena sags, suddenly spent, hopelessness nearly overcomes her. But then Lex sucks in a lungful of air, audibly gasping as he jerks back to life. Kara can only stare as Lena cries out in joy and relief, wrapping her brother in a fierce hug while Lex reels.

Kara has never seen anything like it. Somehow, Lena's power was enough to pull a life back after death had already claimed it. Truly, Lena is a grand white witch.

In the aftermath, Lex and Lena receive their payment and head off to their next adventure. Kara doesn't see them off from the village-- after all, the townsfolk had nearly murdered her. But her heart is still heavy as she sits in the forest outside her lonely cottage. The woods suddenly feel much smaller than they had before she'd met Lena...

"Hey."

Kara looks up to see Lena leaning against a tree, her crossbow slung over one shoulder. Lex stands with a horse and cart just a bit beyond, his features largely unreadable but not nearly so distrustful as they had been a few days ago.

Kara looks back at Lena in time to see a lazy smirk curl the woman's features.

"You coming?"

[randomnameless]

The phrase “we have been aware of the high levels of competency from KT's writers, especially with their work for 3H” is worrying; i'm not going to shit-talk them just for thinking that 3H has a good story, especially when someone's standards for what makes a story good or not is subjective and could be different from ours, but KT's story-telling skills are never going to improve if people keep only telling them that Three Houses' deeply-flawed story was actually a narrative masterpiece, instead of a self-contradicting mess with plot points it introduces solely as gotchas and has no intention of ever following up on in any meaningful way, characters getting assassinated left and right to try and argue that female Ashnard might actually be right and not so different from them in terms of morality and goals (while they're in the middle of fighting for their lives and watching their friends die in battle because she decided to invade their home unprovoked and solely for a landgrab), and an over-powered villain group that should have ended the story long before it even started because the writers decided to give them a stockpile of magic nukes they can launch at anywhere in the world, which was also introduced solely for shock value and without them realizing how much of the story is ruined by making it so that the villains who want to kill everyone and take over the world can just nuke anyone they want (that isn't inside Garreg Mach when they launch it) with no consequences.

I just don't like what it means for the future of FE stories if the worst story in the series keeps getting praised as one of the best, even by separate developers, is all.

Wait and see anon!

For what it's worth, while Engage's sales are apparently not as stellar as Houses in the same timeframe (like House after month 1 and Engage after month 1?), Nopes totally crashed.

Amazon isn't the only market in the world, but in some places in the world (tfw not for amazon.fr) Nopes is now sold at around 15 bucks, which is ridiculous considering older games released on consoles still being in circulation are more expensive than this thing that is barely 1 year old(even the first FEW?).

Also, Engage was supposed to have been released earlier but Covid and Houses being released later than planned meant it was delayed, but Engage was supposed to be Fodlan's antithesis, at least writing wise - you'd think IS would have tried to retrofit more Fodlan themes (maybe more uwu maybe some villains aren't BaD and earl grey because they luf u) but they didn't.

Imo, fwiw, while KT apparently loved how Fodlan was received, IS is aghast and doesn't want to touch it within a 10 meters radius, only if it means selling units in FEH and even there, they sometimes retcon Fodlan units (hello F!Billy/Sothis) or challenge them in various FB (Brave!Supreme Leader, but also in the most recent one, Sylvain harping on his Crust being BaD...) clearly showing how they don't really want to follow KT's direction regarding those units - at times, it's almost as if the CoS receives more development in Heroes than in both Fodlan games!

So I'd like to see what IS has in store for the next FE games (or the next non remake FE game), even if in my opinion, given how Heroes has to retcon/finish the writing (Mercedes reveals more about her Adrestian family in FEH than in two of her games!) for characters just to sell them in the gacha game ffs, speaks volumes on what they think of Fodlan's writing.

On top of that, FE16 was the first game where people received surveys/mails from Nintendo/IS asking them if they understood the game... - so despite Fodlan selling well (better than expected?), imo it's clear the writing isn't to praise, at least for IS, and they don't want anything to do with it (Nopes' DLC was scrapped, when shiny!Rhea's sprite was datamined, so either they made an useless sprite, either this sprite might have been used in a future DLC?)

They can still butcher a future remake (plz no jugdral) by adding pointless supports between units and trying to uwu more than needed the red emperor - or add an OC waifu du jour who will sell merchs and try to uwu her if she is on the side of the red emperor - but I feel like we will see where they will go with a brand new game (since Heroes's writing is... as consistent as a fog and basically circles around "women sad'n'lonely*, men evyl", female playable OC simps after the avatar and is useless in the resolution of the plot because Alfonse will finally find a mc guffin way to defeat the villain of the year).

*i truly hope Vero isn't any indication to what the writing of the future games will be, like heavy retcons from her first apparition to "i was brainwashed and akshually everyone supports me from my home even if i send them to death against askr because the voice in my head told me to do it" because that'd suck, but vero is a young woman, thus she could be monetised for alts, figurines and even DLC content in a main game!

[aurheatum]

👹

Sitri isn't a particularly mischievous child, but surely it's alright to play now and again, especially on a day like this. Lady Rhea is giving out candy to all the children who ask, after all. Of course, that's very kind of her, and it's not that Sitri is jealous. It's just that she doesn't think she should stand in line for candy with everyone else. She's special, her mother herself always says so.

So Sitri sneaks away from the other orphans and all the way to the Archbishop's office, with a brief stop by the kitchens. She crouches behind the desk, peering out now and again to see if her mother is coming (hopefully without the clergy in tow).

When the door opens and she sees the tip of Rhea's witch hat, she covers her mouth to keep from giggling. It's only once her mother is almost beside the desk that she leaps out from her hiding place, roaring like a fearsome wyvern with her hands fashioned into claws.

"RAAAWRRRRR!" The roar devolves into a fit of laughter as she rushes to throw her arms around her mother's waist, smushing her face into Rhea's legs and nuzzling her. "Well? Did I scare you, Mama? Did I?" She asks between giggles, pulling back just enough to look up at her mother. "I practiced a whole lot with Val," she adds, breathless with exertion and joy.

"Oh, and I got you muffins! They're still over there," she points towards the desk with one hand before going back to hugging her mother, "because I couldn't make claws holding them and all. Anyway, you deserve to get treats too, Mama." Despite this, she makes no move to let go of her mother and allow her to go near the desk. It's just too nice to hold onto her like this.

"Oh, but I'm not releasing you," Sitri adds in a sudden burst of inspiration, grinning as she tightens her hold. "That's part of the prank, you see. The witch will be trapped without treats until she defeats the dragon guarding them."

The way to "defeat" her is, of course, to simply pick her up and carry her. She doesn't say it so as not to ruin the game, but she does look up at Rhea expectantly. "I'm a baby dragon, though, so this should be easy for a powerful witch like you!"

The last equinox on the close of the Horsebow Moon has long held meaning for the people of Fodlan and Rhea has found it fascinating to watch the rituals and celebrations they invent for times of transition such as these, even without the church’s guiding hand.

"Festivals” particularly ones involving what can best be translated to their language as spirits seem to hail from Brigid, and have grown in popularity since Adrestria’s west coastal towns also started celebrating in a similar manner.

Rhea had been worried about this at first, particularly as the Empire had so recently seemed to shy away from the church, but looking out over the castle town now with children and adults alike dancing cheerily around a bonfire she feels confident she has made the right decision.

The Horsebow Moon is a time of bounty, and as all beautiful and good things come from the Goddess it had been simple enough to introduce her teachings to the holiday.

Rhea has in fact just come back from speaking on Her behalf, though in a different garb than usual; rather than the archbishop’s head piece she now wore what was apparently a “witch” hat, one that she claimed gave her the Goddess-appointed power on this day of all days to deliver candy to any child who might be deserving of some.

(Let it not be said that Seteth’s absence hadn’t led to some good. Garreg Mach’s younger populace, orphans of the church and children from the town alike had been delighted with her performance).

She had given the rest of the candy (and hats, logically) to the more willing nuns and started back to her chambers, wondering, as she did so about one child in particular; when she finds her door open a jar, and shut again in a very certain way she cannot help the smile that comes to her face, that she covers over at once with her usual mien.

“Oh my!” And it comes out loudly, but with a burst of true laughter; “you certainly startled me,” she says, honestly, and adds with a twinkle in her eye: “the Dagdan diginitaries told me to be wary of tricksters and shape shifters this time of year but I obviously did not heed them. Whatever am I to do with this one who has stolen into the church’s innermost chambers?”

She bends down to listen closely to her captors instructions; craning her head only for a moment to look at the basket of muffins she had first missed on her desk, and she is sure when she can give them a closer look they will be as perfect as Sitri is in this moment.

"I get both a trick and a treat then? My, being a witch is certainly a busy life," she laughs as Sitri pulls her closer. "And it will be even busier… once I capture the baby dragon in turn!"

Rhea sweeps Sitri up in her arms then and though the girl had made her intent clear as any of her most heartfelt emotions the expression on her face is the sweetest of things Rhea has, or will, experience today she is sure (muffins included).

"Now that I have you I do not think I shall defeat you or give you up… what do you say we start our own hoard of sweets? Your wonderful muffins and these candied apples I have saved just for a certain dragon child were she to fly near enough to catch. Ah, and something for Val too of course. It would not do to forget such a wonderful mentor and friend in such a day of celebration."

[princessmacedon]

{ OOC: TOA Anniversary Munday

Celebrating TOA and the people who contribute to make our group what it is.

Repost, don't reblog. Only fill in what you feel comfortable sharing!

Happy anniversary, TOA! Here's to many more years spent together.

tagging: anyone who needs a nudge ~

---

Name: Red or Reddo

Pronouns: they/she/he, with a preference toward they/them

Birthday (no year): December 28

Where are you from? What is your time zone? Kentucky; EST (toa o'clock)

Roleplay experience: mmm, tumblr wise, about 11 years? i think?

Got any pets? a very smiley dog named Tobin (named after he of Valentia fame) who hasn't got a thought in his head

Favorite time of year: whatever time of year it isn't right now (no strong feelings, but i miss the heat when it's winter and the cold when it's summer, and the lack of storms when it's tornado season DSHFHSDFHS)

Some interests and things you like: drawing, music................. uh.. g..gaming?? hum.. i really enjoy reading people's thoughts on characterization both in terms of (the muse's) self and relationship with others, though i tend to just read and enjoy unless i feel like. qualified to talk about the character hahaha

Some fun facts & trivia about you: uhh... hrmm... ?? i'm a chronic level grinder in fire emblem, usually to my own detriment, and i lurk in the server far more than i speak in it ^^;; i have way too many stuffed animals on my bed (including a minccino as tall as i am who cannot fits and so must sits on the floor)

What non-Fire Emblem games do you play? FFXIV, Honkai: Star Rail, Pokemon, Genshin Impact, Dragon Age, Story of Seasons.. the more games release though the less i keep up with them HAHA

Favorite Pokemon type & Pokemon: dark & dragon; lucario, appletun, zorua/zoroark, yamper, eevee+ (fun and incredibly unforeseen fact: i struggle with decisions)

How did you get into Fire Emblem? when i was still in high school some friends of mine kept gushing about some weird guy who had gloves, puffy pants, a singular full length sleeve, and his shoulder out. i didn't get the hype about him at all SDFHDSFHSDF but i liked the art and they liked the game, so i bought it to try it out

What Fire Emblem games have you played? awakening, fe7, fe11/12, fe4, fates (birthright & conquest), engage; i've started and need to restart shadows of valentia, fe6, fe8, and fe9, but i aim to play all of them one day!

First Fire Emblem game: Awakening

Favorite Fire Emblem game: in the end it's probably still Awakening! i have over a thousand hours in that game :softsmile:

Any Fire Emblem crushes? ough,, cordelia, chrom, lady rhea, uhhh. surely there's more but i've blanked HAHA

If you’ve played the following games, who was your first S support? - Awakening: Chrom (on purpose because he got my ass with the ground cutscene immediately, fool that i am) - Fates: Takumi - Three Houses: Dimitri - Engage: haven't finished yet but it's probably going to be Diamant

Favorite Fire Emblem class: mages, dark fliers, horsemen.. i enjoy a good hero as well :]

If you were a Fire Emblem character, what would be your class? i would be the merlinus of my class probably SDFSDSDGSDG definitely a magic user, probably a dark flier or maligknight, maybe a valkyrie? magic and staves, lower end of attack but higher speed + skill, glass bones and paper skin

If you were a Three Houses character, what would be your affiliation? Blue Lions, i think!

If you were an Engage character, which Emblem would you Engage with? hmm... i don't know anything about the dlc emblems, so i'd probably pick byleth for the dance/support, or maybe leif or lyn :thinking:

How did you find TOA? i heard about it from key for a good while, but i avoided joining at first since i was pretty burnt out in general. eventually zyra brought up the two of us writing macedonks again (we wrote together in an old group!) and i succumbed, hahaha. i was so terrified to join the server back then and she kept sending me screenshots trying to lure me in SDFFFSD

Current TOA muses: Maria & Katarina

Who was your first TOA muse? If you don’t have them anymore, could you see yourself picking them up again? Maria! she's the mainstay muse for me, even if she isn't so deeply thrilling hahaha

Have you had any other TOA muses? Cordelia! I still love her greatly ^^

Do you think you have a type of character you gravitate towards? for muses, i tend to gravitate towards the soft-hearted type and the generally good-aligned, but i've been thinking about branching out more/again sometimes

What do you believe you enjoy writing the most? in terms of tenses, i used to favor past tense but i usually flip-flop now depending on what makes my starter post sound nicest HAHA i tend to write event posts in present tense however, and sometimes change to match my partner. for threads in general, i'm drawn to emotional scenes and discussions and character bonding, though in general i like all kinds of threads ^^ and just as a general extra, i really love writing maria specifically. the way she puts in her full effort to love other people and the world itself is honestly really soothing to write sometimes!

Favorite TOA-related memory: i love watching everyone lose their minds when something Wild and Zany happens in an event, to be honest DSFDSFSD i haven't got a great memory myself, so nothing specific from me, but it's lots of fun to see :]

How do you pronounce TOA?: noah with a t (toah)

Got any delusions that didn’t see the light of day in TOA that you’d like to share? 😉 i am genuinely so close at all times to picking up wolf, though a preference for capping at 2 muses and general nervousness keep me from it :pensive: other than that, i've come really close to apping sothis before, and i have partially formed blogs for ced, citrinne, boucheron, among others

[horizon-verizon]

"GRRM said Nettles is Karma and Redemption to Daemon. She frees him from his obsession with his blood cause she debunks his beliefs."

Wtf?! When did George say that?! Never to my knowledge. And stop with this delirium of blood obsession from Daemon! It comes out of nowhere! He was never obsessed with it! He was going to recognize his child with Mysaria! The simple fact that he had a long-lasting relationship with Mysaria proves it! He accepted the children of Rhaenyra who are not pure Targaryen! He avenged Lucerys' death himself twice! He was never a blood purist! NETTLES NEVER RELEASED HIM FROM THAT! I've had it up to here !

This is the first time I ever heard anyone claim GRRM say this.

However, I will say that Daemon absolutely would have had pride in his Targ/dragonrider/aristocratic/royal "blood". It's part of the reason why he doesn't want Rhea Royce and was fine with marrying Laena. And him in HotD, him saying to Viserys that he wishes to bring the house to its former glory by marrying Rhaenyra? Rhaenyra is also very much a Targaryen/Targ princess with the fire of the ideal Targ/dragonrider. That's a big reason why Daemon is attracted to her and vice versa. And yes, most of the Targs before Daenerys have the similar class-based ideologies (or developed mindsets much more inspired by such after the Targs assimilated into Andal culture) as other Andal/FM descent lords. Rhaenyra is not an exception (Twitter), and since I already told how Daemon figures into that, Daemon also has his own notions.

You are also correct in that Daemon was very much willing to take Mysaria's child as his own. Though Mysaria was from Lys (a Valyrian settlement-turned-Free City), their child was going to be a bastard. Concerning his stepsons, they are Rhaenyra's sons and all proved to be dragonriders -- that would have helped Daemon accept and then love them until it was only love.

So I still wouldn't call Daemon's concern with blood an "obsession" so much as him being passionate about Targ power resting in their ability to ride and control dragons, which itself is proven to be a trait passed down through reproduction. Nettles is a glaring exception (if we cannot prove she somehow isn't a bastard from a random Velaryon or Targaryen, or him).

Rather there are two dominant theories as to how Daemon ever came to care for Nettles:

she is is his bastard daughter from his trysts before marrying Rhaenyra or Laena (Nettles was 17, and Daemon was married to Rhaenyra for about 10 years; he was married to Laena for 5-6 years before his marriage to Rhaneyra...plenty of time for him to have sired Nettles w/o cheating on either woman, but yes on Rhea Royce)

in the beginning, her being a not so "obvious" Targ, he wanted to find out about her ancestry if she was really a Targ bastard, and if not try to see how she bonded with Sheepstealer enough and thus learn one way how his own ancestors bonded FIRST approached dragons (the ones who had no bond at all with them), him being disconnected from that history with the Doom and the hundreds of years between that and the true beginning of Valyria; then him being impressed with her bravery and loyalty (she cried tears over Jace's death and could have been close with Addam and Alyn)

could be both -- the second leading to the discovery of the first

There are other theories as to why: she reminds him of his own daughters, especially Baela (even in the book) for her character and determination and bravery; the infamous romantic/sexual/sexing up "maidens" angle.

Daemon is a family-is-power/power-is-family man and love is also a huge factor in how he values family. They are interwoven inside his psychology. He gets some of his validation from their belief in his skills and his willingness to protect them from competitors and enemies (which in turn defines his perception of them and their ruling capabilities). Very much a Brynden Rivers, Visenya, Baelon the Spring Prince, Viserys II, Aemon the Dragonknight.

[usaigi]

Nxdia release She Likes A Boy and it will fuel me into writing this next chapter. I promise. "She likes a boy, I'm not a boy." Yeah mood.

While what Rhea feels isn't truly romantic, I still want to touch on the sadness, jealousy, and how it can feel like you were dumped when your best friend get a partner and suddenly youre not the most important person in their life. Theyre still yours but youre not theirs. how theyre still in your life and they still love you just the same but it will never be the same. how you have no right to be upset because duh of course a romantic partner trumps best friend.

but also im seeing my girlfriends tonight to do christmas present and eat soup :) hopefully ill get the chance to write tomorrow

[loregoddess]

6,11,12,26 and 35? :D

6. Who's your favorite lord/protagonist? Hnngh, technically Alear bc I think they were handled really well as a protagonist character and I adore their characterization and personality, and also as an "avatar-esque" character they fix a lot of issues I personally have with "avatar" and "avatar-esque" characters and also offer the solution to a very specific bone I have to pick w/ an entirely unrelated series that I won't get into bc it's not FE. But mostly I just, adore Alear, what a kind and sweet character, despite all the horrors.

Also I don't talk about it ever, but I really like Ike as a protagonist bc he's. Just some guy. Not royalty, not nobility, not secretly anyone special or of some sort of crazy bloodline (and we all know Tellius has some weird stuff going on with bloodlines), he's just a guy who gets caught up in things, and does his damned best to keep his friends alive through it all.

11. A character that deserved better? Answered here!

But for some more characters, I've got so many thoughts about Subaki (there are a lot of interesting implications about his past, but lack of any proper characterization beyond his joke trait of being a snooty perfectionist means I am literally grasping at straws; fandom likewise ignores him which is wild bc he's our first canonical male pegasus knight, but I mean, large cast so I get it), and Izana having a paired ending with Corrin for Revelations (in both the Japanese and localized versions) despite dying will haunt me forever (also rip that localization, I swear my love for this character isn't as random as it seems, I just happened to follow all the Japanese-release stuff before the localization dropped a year later, and have a really confusing impression of all the Fates characters as a result).

For Echoes, despite my ignoring him every run bc Sonya pretty, I think Deen should have had more...just more everything, I guess. In the actual game, since all his backstory is hidden in the artbook/records book project. He's actually a really cool character overall, but Sonya feels like she has so much more narrative relevance bc of Jedah and Marla and Hestia.

For 3H bc I have a whole lot of thoughts about all sorts of characters, I actually really wanted Sothis to get more...I dunno, narrative relevance as well. I wanna know what her regained memories were, her thoughts about Fodlan as it is. About Rhea and Seteth and Flayn. Three Hopes doesn't count bc the writers kinda butchered Sothis's characterization to the point of hardly being recognizable, and she deserved better than that.

12. A game that deserved better? Hmmmmmmmm, Engage and Fates for sure, at least as far as fan reception goes. Engage's was at least a bit better, but I still see people recycling the old arguments over Fates even all these years later and it's like, listen it was Fine, it was a good game, leave it be. (Also wildly unpopular opinion, but I think 3H--both Houses and Hopes--deserved better writing. What we got was okay, but it could have been so much better. For all the complaints it gets, at least Fates has consistent and completed worldbuilding with little to no questions about lore things at the end of all the routes and DLC. Like I love 3H, I really do, which is why I wish I got More and also Higher Quality writing and worldbuilding and lore and everything).

26. Come up with a pitch for a new FE title, no matter how silly it is! Let's blend fantasy with horror bc it's spooky season. Two nations are fighting each other over [insert some stupid excuse for a war to get people to enlist, but it's actually a scheme to get the people in power more power], and each nation has access to various weapons and things that seem normal at first, but slowly become more sinister and horrific the more the protagonist learns about them (i.e. maybe one of the armies has access to seemingly humane homunculi soldiers as an alternate to sending citizens to war, but it's later revealed that they can only be manufactured with parts of the dead, and the nation using them harvested their own population to make the homunculi army).

I dunno who this protagonist is, but I want them to be just some random person who gets caught up in things bc I love random people who get caught up in things. Anyhow, eventually the protagonist and friends figure out that both nations are harvesting their "technologies" from some sort of eldritch horror buried deep beneath the earth (which is NOT an evil entity, I feel this is important to note, but like I think it should be how the nations are using the being that's malicious, and the being is just a thing that exists), and I dunno, instead of fighting god or the being (which can be a dragon of sorts for the purposes of this being FE, and also be we don't have enough weird dragons in fiction), the protagonist and friends have to find a way to root out the corruption in both nations' rulers or something, although how balancing taking out two different final bosses would work who are also very much trying to kill each other, without doing split routes (which I'd like to avoid if possible) would be a task. (Maybe have the protagonist start off as part of an uprising/rebellion in one nation and then after throwing out the corrupt rulers, have to turn around and somehow fend off invasion from the other nation? I dunno, I'd have to think on this plot point a bit).

Oh but, hm...I've written all this, and now I kinda like the idea. Might let it stew in the back of my head for an original project later on.........

35. What's something you wish IntSys would just stop doing? I will sound like a broken record, but I think gender-locked classes are stupid, I want them vanished. Fates had it right (although I think I should have been allowed to stick men in maid dresses and women in butler suits. As a treat). If I can have nothing else, I want the gender-locked classes removed forever.

I'm also not a fan of split-routes (although again, Fates handled them better than 3H, in my opinion, but they're still a lot of work to get through). I was so relieved Engage was just one route. It's not like they're bad per se, it's just that FE has been kinda messy with the narrative trying to span that many routes. I'd rather have solid, consistent characterization and worldbuilding in a single route, than a flimsy attempt to explore various "what ifs".

EXCEPT for whatever the fresh hell FE Heroes is doing--the multiverse can continue to exist in that with all its weird "characters from this alternate universe you didn't even know existed now exist and can be summoned to fight alongside you in this incomprehensible Norse-themed story". Whatever FEH is doing is hilarious, I will never play it ever in my life, but I love seeing all the character art and pretty animated cutscenes. (And sometimes we get tidbits of interesting characterization for wildly underdeveloped characters. Sometimes).

[littlesparklight]

Hi! I have some questions, before the castration of Uranus, were the titans trapped inside Gaia or was it only the cyclops and hekatonkheires? It was unclear to me while reading the theogony. And also the fact that Oceanus didn't want to participate in the plan, which I guess means that he wasn't lock up? I thought Cronus castrated his father because his mother was suffering, but then he doesn't release his siblings, so the pain continues for Gaia until Zeus arrives?

Hello, anon! c:

Parts of the Theogony is definitely rather confusingly phrased! I think it's intended to be all of them;

"And he used to hide them all away in a secret place of Earth so soon as each was born"

Yes, the line before is about the Hekatoncheires and how much Uranus hates them, specifically, but that line is probably intended to be for each and every one, from the Titans to the Cyclopes and the Hekatoncheires.

And no; it was actually all of the children, aside from Kronos, who didn't dare attack their father when Gaia asks;

"So she said; but fear seized them all, and none of them uttered a word."

You might be mixing that up with the Olympians' (and their Titan allies') fight against their father and the Titans who stay on his side? Because that fight Oceanus (and presumably Tethys?) stayed out of, aiding neither side. (This is in the Bibliotheke, not the Theogony, though.)

As for the pain thing - I think you could go either way on this. Gaia's pain isn't mentioned again after it's initially brought up/after Kronos chops off his father's genitals, so maybe the Titans being freed is enough to lighten the burden enough she isn't in pain, but still angry the other children haven't been freed. On the other hand, maybe she is, and either of these two could easily be motivations for why she aids Rhea and later the Olympians in their fight against their father.

(And then immediately apparently changes her mind when at least some of the Titans who fought against Zeus and the rest are imprisoned in Tartaros lol)

[rookie-critic]

Linoleum (2023, dir. Colin West) - review by Rookie-Critic

I love it when a movie surprises me. Some of my favorite moviegoing experiences from the last few years have been going into something relatively blind, and coming out with something I will absolutely never forget. It gave me C'mon C'mon, my top film from 2021, it gave me The Worst Person in the World, my #3 film 2021, and it has now given me Linoleum. The film follows Jim Gaffigan's Cameron Edwin, an astronomer who hosts a declining children's science show à la Bill Nye the Science Guy who, due to the said decline of his show as well as his marriage, which is on the brink of divorce, is in the middle of a well-earned mid-life crisis. Also, a car with an award-winning astronaut in it falls from the sky next to his mailbox and he is the only person who witnesses the "accident," and nobody believes it really happened. The film invokes a lot of magical realism and, from the opening scene, evokes a Gondry-esque dream-like quality not too far removed from the French director's films Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Science of Sleep.

The film is mean to it's protagonist, but not in a malicious way: his daughter Nora (portrayed by Katelyn Nacon in a fantastic performance) is disrespectful to him in a way that teenagers often are, but clearly has a love for him as she watches and seems to genuinely enjoy his children's show, his wife (portrayed by a fresh-off Better Call Saul Rhea Seehorn in an equally fantastic performance), who is in the process of falling out of love with him, still shows the hallmark signs of lingering care for this person she'd built a life with. Everything feels very domestic and real in it's dreaminess, but still, something about the full picture isn't quite right. That is, until the third act, when the film slams all of its individual, seemingly disjointed and mysterious pieces together to form a complete 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle of a moving and incredible story about how we live our lives and how, looking back, it is a beautiful and wondrous miracle that we all get to spend any amount of time on this small, blue rock we call planet Earth with one another. It shows us that, between despair and hope, between love and hate, that ultimately, hope prevails, love wins, and our intrinsic curiosity about the universe drives us forward towards something fantastic. What that is will be different for everyone, but there is beauty in that unknown, and we should all strive to close our eyes and let the universe form that fantastic something around us and guide us through it.

Normally, I'd take a handful of sentences here to talk about things I didn't like about the film. I could say that the film's final act takes big, artistic swings that will most likely not please all viewers. I could say that elements of the story don't mesh well with the answers to the film's mysteries. These are things that I can see people complaining about with Linoleum, but I would urge those people to watch it again, and really open your mind up to what the film is doing with that third act. Don't be the person telling Cameron to be more practical and that the answer is "not that simple," because the truth is, much like we're told in the film, it probably is. I used to not cry at films at all, and I would tell people that something would have to be truly, uniquely moving to draw tears out of me. Over the past few years I've realized that is no longer the case (maybe it never was), and I openly and proudly cry frequently during movies and shows. I genuinely believe that, had I seen this back when I didn't shed the frequent tear, that I would still have done so while watching Linoleum. It ticked all the right boxes and did all the right things to make it an instant classic in my eyes, and I can't recommend it highly enough.

Score: 10/10

Only in theaters as a limited release. Check your local listing to see if it's playing in a theater near you.

[joannasteez]

the sex life of evie moore - “are you still in love with me?”

summary: after a tumultuous relationship, with a more than cordial ending, evie moore seeks to spend the rest of her college experience having a bit of fun

authors notes & warnings: this is purely indulgent. contains explicit descriptions of sex and talks of relationships, romantic or otherwise. super big shoutout to @harmshake , she is inactive but has been an immense collaborator in terms of plot points and ideas.

word count: a chill 2,000. if you look through my masterlist this is baby food. can't promise that for the later parts.

genre: alternative universe - college

mentioned characters include but are not limited to, cm punk, damian priest, roman reigns, cody rhodes, rhea ripley... so on and so forth. aforementioned characters are not owned by myself.

evie—the formality of yvette is a little too wiry for this sort of thing isn't it?—knows punk—he goes real stiff when he hears "phil"—pretty well. well enough. maybe a little too much. like an overconsumption that dampens the taste of a thing almost. almost. she knows his blonde box dyed hair, the forever chipped polish coating his nails and that metal labret hanging off his lip that gives his face more personality than he needs. because he's a fucking well of that shit already. an obnoxious pepsi logo tattoo taking up residence on his arm, bags under the eyes that make him look more teasing than unwell, and this growing 'turn all my shirts into tanktops' obsession she can't quite understand just yet. 

vanilla on his skin. warm. like autumn. and mint on his tongue. always. evie knows punk, not enough for it to be banal, but like it's routine. the sun rises, the earth rotates, and unless some God level event stops that meticulous flow then it'll always be that way won't it? but what about the unknowns. the new. the different. the must be found. 

other fishes in the sea, other stars in the galaxy, that sort of thing.

cm punk's queen sized bed has an evie sized dent in it. 

the break up was a year ago. 

"are you still in love with me?'"

he's mid-kiss, shirtless and already half-hard. tucked intimately into her neck. mint lingering on the skin from his mouth. but he's huffing now. the sort of emptiness that comes from interruption. releasing the sure-to-bite—the kind she likes— grip on her thigh he'd have if he held on any longer. "don't do this please". 

"i'm being—"

"serious...", eyes rolling with the rest of him to splay out. "i know. that's the problem". 

and evie scoffs, because never has her delusions about their...relationship...taken her so boldly as to be wrong this bad. there has to be something there. a deep infatuation lingering maybe. a full year removed from calling it quits but scheduling sessions for sex still and saying things that sound a little like 'i love you'. he had to be caught up somewhere in that terrible storm of affection, even after all this time. right? turning over to reach for a used up sketch book. and if he wasn't then why did he— 

"you still draw sketches of my pussy".  

the pages sound with a quick whipping slap. like the memory of seeing her vagina drawn in such meticulous detail—shadows, highlights and the like—is too much of an unusual thing to forget or be regular about. 

the part of his lip where his labret sits, lifts. a lopsided smirk thats all arrogance. the type that tends to bleed off talent. the type that goes on unashamed and blemish-less, even when evie shoves the sketch in his face for some faux disturbed dramatic effect. "you're gettin' up in arms about grade A georgia o'keeffe inspiration babe". 

and she just has to laugh. a snort that works a bit dirty, because even his seriousness is so damn unserious. pulling up to kneel next to the casual way he lays against the bed. sinking into that evie-shaped-dip like he's comfortable. thats the problem. too comfortable. "this is the birthmark on my vulva dumbass". 

"that you didn't even know existed till i told you". snatching up the book to a close. access to vagina portraits suddenly denied. a scowl etching just enough to be seen, and just enough to make those natural bags beneath the eyes less teasing and more full of brooding. like maybe there was a life of pride living for those little drawings. for the musings and bits of details that took a particular sort of painstaking effort, considering it all must've been from memory. a life—at the hands and words of evie moore—that so abruptly faced a deep erasing. "y'know how many chicks would dig me sketchin' their pussy?"

"you mean you're $25 pop up shop, vertical ID, groupies?" 

"you were 19 when we met at a pop—"

the fluff of a pillow snatching up in her hand before its smushing against his face. hushing those lies that aren't lies really. her thighs drawing up over him to straddle for a better angling. "a month, i was a month from 20, and you were salivating for crumbs of attention...", she jokes. whacking him with the pillow before he's rolling to get over on her. a smirk fighting not to pull it's way across his mouth. "...practically begged for my number".  

his fingers pull against her thigh for a pinch. the tease of the act making her jump before he's easing up along the bed and her body again, assuming a similar position to where he began before the dropping of that fully loaded question. hooking into the band of her underwear for a short tease of a tug against the cotton. "you were thumbin' down your miniskirt for a hip tattoo just so i could see the color of your thong", that sure smell of mint curling closer till it lingers in her nose. the metal hooking his lip, a cool ghost of a sensation as it makes to touch. a test of a kiss. shy and fresh tasting. 

her eyes roll, knowingly even. "what color was the thong punk?"

and this smile can't be helped much. the sort that breaks even and eager from memory. toothy and unrelenting. the sort he attempts to hide in the safety of placing a deeper kiss at her lips. a simple slotting pull. because if he's sketching her vulva and all the intricacies thereof from memory, then surely he'll remember this. 

punk's teeth snag at her mouth, the slight of it playing at something prickly, for his own amusement, before he's slipping tongue and curling it over for a short languid kiss. mumbling, "that's not the point...", settling into his own satisfaction with a moaning hum. evie's body warm and so naturally ready. eager. her legs moving under his touch to wrap about him and her fingers this gentle file through his hair. "...it was baby green, but thats not the point...", chuckling as he moves to kiss elsewhere. a wet trail to her pulse. tugging with those hooked fingers again at her panties. pressing and sweeping between her legs till he's pushing and prodding at the seat of them with a circling thumb. 

but evie hates this. her inabilities anyways. never able to be quiet. because any suggestive touch is met by breathy little nothings that urge him forward into something more sure and exacting. and never able to stick to her guns either. or at least as far as punk is concerned. the many off again-on again periods of their romance, and then the post-called it quits rendezvous', serving as bittersweet proof. tender noise strumming up her throat even now, from the steady touching and petting and amorous maneuvers. surely to quiet her questions. a lax press into where the blood is beating at her neck, wet and smooth and rolling enough till she's squirming and squeezing him closer. 

"...salivating implies a ton of shit that sums up to lies...", he hums. amused. pushing off to bring himself further down the bed and between the heat of her thighs. pressing gentle to spread. the cool metal hooking over his bottom lip playing at the tempered skin. "...because if i remember correctly, not too long after, i was the one changing pillow cases and sheets, 'cause a certain somebody couldn't keep her mouth shut long enough to stop the drool from comin' out".

a sharp breath cuts. a heavy exhale that almost feels like relief, if not for the inhale to follow. her hips hitching as punk lets his tongue run warm at her inner thigh. 

her words breathy and unstable. "you want me to apologize for enjoying dick?" 

"you could actually stand to sing my praises more often". 

a huff.  evie coming up to lean against her elbows. brows pulling in. a dissatisfaction coloring her eyes that clues punk in on an undesirable outcome of blue balls. "s'not like im singin' anyone else's".

theres no use in rousing her up is there? inspiring a pleasure she won't enjoy much, not when she's in her head and picking at her thoughts to the bone. but that somber streak about her face does the same to ill him a bit as much as the possibility of blue balls. does even more maybe. "this isn't a 'lets get back together' talk is it?", he asks, moving from between her legs and off the bed to grab a t-shirt. 

it isn't at all some mortifying ordeal, but it is a terrible one, given past instances. the lovers quarrels were interesting to put it lightly, and endless to put it plainly. 

evie's legs pull in to cross. "no". 

"ok, good...", plopping down to lay beside her. a run of something under his skin, inklings gathering from that far away, thoughtful look to her that she can't shake. "...talk then. what's goin on?"  

and maybe, this is why, despite the numbered futile efforts at a deeper romance, punk would never truly leave evie. because to leave, would mean forsaking these moments; pitfalls into an uncovering of some long time introspection. thinking so harshly that her over-thoughts are overthought. his hand reaching to her arm with this pulling sort of caress. an invitation. intimacy with no complicated elements to follow. her body shifting into him in such a way that her head lays to tuck into his neck. warm breaths that stick sweetly to his skin. a leg thrown over his waist that waits for the comfort of his hand. 

they were at their best this way. in the quiet of some uncategorized affection. 

punk gives in rather easily. melts into the her-shaped dent of his bed, an arm coming around to hug her in and the other letting his fingers take to that leg falling over his waist. a simple touch that finds her hip. thumbing to draw beneath her panty line at the shape of a tattoo. 

a small, thin lined, bunny etched into the skin, done up from way back during the first try of their relationship. 

"you're my first for a number of things", she gives. pulling up to look him in the eyes. 

"i am...", his thumb falling away to hook into her knee. pulling her closer. "...for most things". 

"i don't know, i just—", the words attempting to form at an uneven pace. "i feel like i'm lacking in experience. like the only person i know in this way is you and i'm missin' out on other people because we—"

"you feel like i'm forcing you to have sex with me?" 

"no! no", rushing in to salvage her thoughts. or trying to at least. her forehead falling to rest at his chest. a heavy exhaustion coming from all the inner over-scrutinizing. "thats not what i'm saying". 

but if punk were to say that he's completely clueless about the matter, that'd be a lie. caught in this liminal space for quiet a while. a year to be exact. months of a stagnant comfort they'd made into a resting place. functioning like the couple they'd always hoped to be, but formed like something else. never able to shape and mesh just right enough to make the work of it long lasting. 

the arm he's got hugging her in drops to let his palm run a course along her back. "we might've blurred the lines a little".

evie snorts. 

"a little bit yeah". 

because no shit. 

"listen eve...", stitching sentiment together with the delicate pull of a needle. and the tenderness as he begins here catches her up so well till they're stuck at the eyes. "...you know i got a lot of love for you, considering all the sketches of your eyes and your nose and your vulva...", the both of them smiling at his choice of inspiration. "...but we both know how terrible it gets when we try making sense of anything past this...", his finger motioning about the bedroom. "...the sparks always fly a little too hot for our own good before somebody is left burnt. you find yourself wanting to roll around with someone else, don't stop on my account thinkin' it'll hurt me". 

"it won't?"

punk brings his mouth to place a kiss against her forehead. the warmth lingering as he makes to answer. "no".