#it brings me joy to know i'm taller than him

[omnipotent-omnicube]

i always think it's funny when ppl make fun of ppoiyo's height. the korean fans on twitter who are calling him "167" are doing a service lmao i'm glad that making fun of his height is universal

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

OKAY HEAR ME OUT HEAR ME OUT.

Grandma cat!reader. Who was a old women who got experimented on and turned into a smiling critter but like the caretaker of the smiling critters.

Often seen walking around with a scruffed smiling critter hanging from her mouth(somehow-) and overfeeding the smiling critters or children.

How would a saved dogday and (maybe) good catnap react to the player bringing them to readers containment room. (She was locked in before the Hour of Joy due to something and just stayed there)?

I just want to see them get some sort of parental love 🥹😖

- Marshmellow🤍

I swear ya'll are gonna make me cry with these requests /nm <3

.....

Dogday

In your old age, you didn't wanna retire from Playtime Co. and spend the remainder of your life laying around, waiting for your body and mind to deteriorate.

So instead you became one of the few willing volunteers for the Bigger Bodies Initiative, being turned into a Smiling Critter (which made you especially happy since your grandkids adored the toyline and cartoon show).

In the show, the gang mentioned a grandma character several times (albeit she was unseen) and with Catnap being recalled from all promo materials, Playtime Co. took creative liberties and made you the newest feline replacement, fitted with a cinnamon scent and pie necklace.

Your tagline was something like "The Smiling Critters take care of our orphans, but who takes care of them? Why, their Grandma [Y/n], of course! She's full of love and wisdom!"

True to that, you became the caretaker of the Critters and children, ensuring everyone's fed well and staying out of trouble.

The incident with Bron (Thomas/Experiment 1199) had scientists rethinking how they'd introduce willing experiments to those...well..less-than-willing.

So you had a supervised introduction to the SCs (with children also present to discourage them from reacting violently). You were even given a containment cell you could retreat to in case of emergencies.

Luckily, you never had to use that room--as they accepted you and began calling you "grandma" since day one.

Dogday, especially, got attached to you.

You called him "DD" and "Doggy-Dearie".

Being a bit taller than the rest of them allows you to pick them up by the scuff of their necks if they're being too rowdy (Kickin and Hoppy, especially).

Even so, you're very sweet to all of them, letting them snuggle up to you as you shared stories and made them food so they could keep up with the little ones.

All was well in the Playhouse up until the Hour of Joy of course.

But you were unaware of it since Catnap sabotaged your room's lock, keeping you trapped to lower the Smiling Critters' morale.

Dogday was 100% convinced you were dead.

However you survived long enough for the Employee's arrival years later, never knowing what happened to the factory..

After rescuing Dogday, they find your door and powered it up, allowing the two entry into the perfectly intact space within.

Your fur was matted and you looked sickly, but you still jump up upon seeing the state your dear "grandson" was in.

It devastated you.

"My word..Dog-Dearie.." Your heart shatters. "Your legs..where are they? Where is everyone?"

Something inside of him ultimately breaks as he realizes you were alive...and you were here all along.

"G-Grandma...! Oh...god..I-I thought you were--" He crawls away from the Employee and towards you, sobbing into your lap. "You were h-here..this whole time! I-I wanted to see you, but..C-Catnap..he.."

"Shh, shhh..I'm here now, my sweet pup. It's alright." You hush, stroking his ears and resting a paw on his back, before looking to the Employee. "You must be terribly confused..as am I.."

After explaining your role--and calming Dogday down--the two tell you about what's happened to the factory, and at first you can't believe it...

Until you all wander through the Playhouse and see the horrid state it's in, but they're confused as to why none of the mini Critters attack you.

Only then do you mention feeding them over the years through little vents and holes in the walls, keeping their hunger moderately satiated.

Dogday feels awful, and even more upset at Catnap for lying about your fate.

But still, you don't show any ill-will towards any of the Smiling Critters, even if one of them had betrayed you all.

Instead you just let Dogday cling to you as you escape together and try your best to keep up.

Catnap

Like the rest of the Smiling Critters, Catnap considered you family and often went to you for snacks and such.

Or if he needs a break from trying to put all the rowdy orphans to bed in Home Sweet Home. Only then is he given permission to see you.

He always liked curling up in your lap, purring while you stroke his fur and tell him a story (which is sometimes an event from your old human life, albeit you do accidentally confuse yourself since ofc you're not supposed to remember any details of your old life).

The Prototype sees this as a problem, as Theodore Catnap was getting a bit too comfortable with his life here and needed a reminder of his mission....and so he tells him the truth.

About how you not only worked at the factory until you reached retirement age...but you were also a willing participant in the experiments.

And suddenly, he couldn't look at you the same way anymore. Only with resentment.

It wasn't fair.

You got to lead a long and fulfilling life. Theodore barely got the chance to grow up and be a normal kid.

You had the procedure and associated risks explained to you clear as day. Theodore never had the luxury of being warned ahead of time before he was grabbed and put under the knife after recovering from the incident with the green grabpack hand.

All he wanted was to free the others, but he ended up becoming their warden instead.

He almost forgot all of that because of you.

He refuses your food now, and you worry for him when you see how skinny he becomes as the months pass.

But he's very cryptic in the way he talks to you, the other SCs, and the staff...so you didn't know for sure what you did to upset him so much.

"Catnap, dearie..you're skin and bones. Let me-"

"I know what you were, and what you've become...the Prototype told me so."

You don't know what to say. What could you say when he kept talking about this "Prototype" person?

Despite his hatred, the SCs were conditioned to love you regardless, and so before the Hour of Joy Catnap decided to sabotage the locks of your containment room.

That way, he wouldn't be tempted to kill you...and he'd spare you from the grief of what he ends up doing to the other SCs, including Dogday.

Years later, when the Employee finally knocks some sense into him after saving him from being sacrificed to the Prototype, he takes them to your room, believing you to be dead from starvation.

Instead, though, they break you out and he discovers you're very much alive.

And Catnap just breaks down, groveling and begging for your forgiveness.

You were the one who always tried to reach out and comfort him, giving him some relief from the misery of being trapped in this factory....and he pushed you away.

But you don't hate him for locking you up, realizing that he still cared about you after all this time. Even when the Prototype told him about your past.

He wanted to keep you safe.

That alone proves he had a heart, and you reassure him of that as he cuddles up to you for a little while.

Once he's calmer, you go with him, Dogday (assuming he was saved), and the Employee to meet with Poppy and Kissy--both of whom are relieved to see you alive

[fictoculus]

Dunno if you've done this before, but characters with tall reader!

This is mostly me being sick and having OC obsession brain rot, but the majority of my OCs are 5'9–6'0+ for reference by what I mean for "tall".

Love your writing, by the way! Keep yourself safe and make sure to treat yourself for all the joy you bring your viewers with your writing<3. Also, this is my first request:D

(Thinking about characters like: Venti, Diluc, Zhongli, Traveller, and whoever else you want to write/if you don't write for some of these characters, that's fine!)

౨ৎ them w a tall partner...

send a request!┊masterlist┊taglist applications

FEAT... aether, venti, itto, alhaitham, diluc

A/N... hiiii anon tysm for the request!! i loveee this idea it's so cute so i'm more than happy to write it ^^ unfortunatelyyy i wasn't able to write anything for zhongli as i js couldn't think of anything, i hope that's ok!!! also thank youuuu! i'm so glad you like my stuff, nd please make sure you take care of yourself too!! hope to see you again soon, enjoy ♡ alsooo i tried out some new colouring!! i hope you guys like ittt i think it's prettyy :3 oh and disclaimer these heights may not be accurate!!! i got them from this website but it seems pretty reliable to meee

✧ aether. - 5'4"

the traveller, the honorary knight, the swordfish II captain, the first sage of buer: just a few of the multitude of titles aether has earned from the many battles he's fought for teyvat. he's always fighting for people, protecting people, blindly jumping head-first into danger; he needs someone to protect him for a change, and that someone is you.

he always feels safe with you, and the way you stand behind him when he's chatting with friends or purchasing items from vendors makes him feel untouchable; evident by the way he practically melts under your touch.

one of the first things people tend to notice about you is your height, and although it doesn't really bother you, aether thinks it's ignorant and unfair. don't get him wrong, he loves your height, but there's so much more to you than that. he wishes people would notice your style, or your personality, maybe even your smile, anything. as long as nobody tries to steal you from him, he doesn't mind.

he'll often find himself being the little spoon while cuddling, and honestly, it's the thing he most looks forward to after a long day of completing commissions and collecting resources.

he loves how tall you are, how gentle you are, how loving you are; he loves all of you, and he hopes you love all of him too...

✧ venti. - 5'5"

venti loves the way you tower over him, and finds your subsequent protectiveness rather endearing.

your height sometimes intimidates people, and discourages them from wanting to strike up conversation with you. venti, however, was never bothered by it, and had no problem shamelessly flirting with you the very second you entered angel's share that fateful day.

the bard struggles to understand how people could possibly be afraid of you. of course, he knows how strong you are, and is aware of the lengths you'd go to in order to protect him, but nothing about your personality was something to be scared of.

the more he got to know you, the quicker he came to the realisation that you're really just a big softie - a gentle giant, if you will.

your impressive stature also means that you can carry him around. venti loves nothing more than being in your arms, face nuzzled into your chest as you take him to bed after a long day, or resting his head on your shoulder and forcing you to lift him up when he 'falls asleep''.

all in all, your boyfriend views your height is anything but negative. he loves you the way you are, and, as cliché as it sounds, wouldn't change anything about you for the world...

✧ itto. - 6'1"

no matter how tall you are, itto will give you piggyback rides. and you will enjoy them. to put it quite frankly, you don't have a choice.

even though you're taller than him, he still loves to have you in his arms, whether that means cuddling, carrying you around, or simply just hugging you from behind. something about having you in his hold makes him feel stronger and more confident than he ever has before.

the members of the arataki gang were shocked when they first met you, genta mistaking you for itto when he caught sight of your silhouette. nonetheless, they have all grown to be quite fond of you, and often leave small gifts on your doorstep which never fail to bring a smile to your face.

your height was something you sometimes felt ashamed of, however, itto always makes sure you feel happy within yourself, and will do everything in his power to wash the insecurities away; showering you in kisses and telling you just how perfect you are...

✧ alhaitham. - 5'10"

at first, alhaitham was slightly embarrassed that you were taller than him, not because of your appearance, but because of how he'd been relentlessly teasing his roommate for his height while having a partner who stands at an impressive 6'5"...

nevertheless, the scribe truly admires everything about you, and will often just stare. even though he wants nothing more than to have you in his arms, he's more than happy to admire you from afar, to watch you go about your day or make idle chit-chat with the local vendors so that he can just take you in; "archons, they're beautiful".

even though he stands shorter than you, he is extremely protective over you; intertwining his fingers with yours whenever he has the chance, and staring down anyone who 'looks at you wrong'. you often tease him for this, poking fun at his pout before kissing it away with a smile, only for it to return as you pinch his rosy cheeks.

the love alhaitham has for you is immeasurable, and the (not so) little things like your height only make him fall harder for you. his heart skips a beat when he feels your arms snake around his waist from behind, being pulled into your chest as you rest your head on his shoulder. yes, you could still do this even if you were shorter, but for him, nothing compares to being able to sink into you; he rather enjoys feeling smaller when he's with you...

✧ diluc. - 6'1"

you and your husband, diluc, stand at a similar height, him just slightly taller than you at 6'1". people often stare when you walk into a room hand-in-hand, but the darknight hero couldn't be more proud.

he never misses the chance to show you off, introducing you to everyone he knows while making sure to subtly flash the wedding ring he oh so gently slides onto your finger every morning. however, as soon as someone dares to make a rude remark about you, your husband has no problem stepping in front of you and handling the situation himself. yes, you're capable of looking out for yourself, but the redhead always feels the need to protect the ones he loves most.

the two of you are a package deal, and are rarely seen apart from each other unless absolutely necessary. diluc can't stand being away from you, and often finds his mind flooded with thoughts of you when he should be focused on the financial papers spread out on the desk before him.

being the taller ragnvindr, diluc often takes it upon himself to hand you items from higher up shelves, knowing full well you can reach them just fine by yourself. "given my stature, wouldn't it be rude not to hand my partner the things they couldn't possibly reach?", he always asks, pressing a loving kiss on your forehead and handing you whatever you were reaching for. such a tease...

thanks for reading ♡ want to read more? my requests are OPEN, so please feel free to let me know what you’d like me to write next!

TAGLIST... @maopll . @nyxmainex apply here

© FICTOCULUS 2024; please do not steal, translate, or repost my works as your own

[hjparisian]

ready baby- harry j potter x reader

p: harry j potter x fem! reader w: just fluff, not fully proofread summary: after the wizarding war, (y/n) and harry spend time healing from the past. harry is ready to move forward and start a family, but is (y/n) ready? a/n: a request from one of my lovely followers! kinda short but i hope its good

The end of the Second Wizarding War came as a relief to everyone, but it brought many deaths to love ones. From Fred, Lavender, Remus, Tonks and many more, both Harry and (Y/N) had to face a lot of coping and healing. Because of this, they couldn't really progress on what they desired in the future.

Since Harry was deemed as the godfather to Remus and Tonks' baby, Teddy Lupin, he and (Y/N) would often visit Andromeda to help raise him. (Y/N) had absolutely adored the little Metamorphmagus and was often the one coddling the boy. She'd always have Teddy wrapped snuggly in her arms. This sight was always a dream to Harry.

You see, Harry has always thought about having children, especially with (Y/N). He's always known that she was the one for him. He had proposed to her prior to the Battle of Hogwarts, promising that even if he had to die, he will always be hers. Thankfully, he had survived and defeated Voldemort, having their wedding a little bit after to bring cheer to a dark era.

Even though he really wanted children, he never expressed the thought towards (Y/N). He didn't want to bring this up when they were both healing from the war and didn't to put pressure on (Y/N) if she didn't want children. At least they had Teddy to help raise.

The two Potters returned home after celebrating little Teddy's fifth birthday with Andromeda and the Weasleys. The two had always spoiled Teddy a little too much when it came to birthdays and Christmas, giving him a pile full of gifts ranging from different toys to pictures of the boy's late parents.

After the two had changed into more comfortable clothes, (Y/N) had went to make tea for the two of them. Harry sat at the table, staring at his lovely wife.

"Teddy is growing up pretty fast, don't you think?" (Y/N) says to Harry as she brought him his tea.

"He is. Soon he'll be taller than you," Harry said, a faint "hey!" coming from (Y/N).

"Maybe he'll be taller than you."

Harry laughed. "Yeah right."

A comfort silence laid in the room before (Y/N) began speaking.

"Hey Harry?"

"Yes, love?"

"I've been thinking," (Y/N) started. "After spending so much time helping Andromeda with Teddy, I think I'm ready."

Harry was slightly confused. "Ready? For what?"

A shaky (Y/N) took a deep breath. "I think I'm ready to start a family with you."

"Really?" Harry asked.

"Yes. Caring for Teddy made me think of what it'd be like to raise a child of our own. And you know, maybe give Teddy a young sibling," she said.

To say Harry was happy was an understatement. The man had stood up and wrapped his arms around his wife, picking her up and spinning around in joy.

"I can't believe it," Harry said as he sets her back on the ground. "Are you sure you want to do this? With me?"

"Yes Harry, there's no one else I'd rather have a child with than you." (Y/N) told him. "Besides, I think it's time we move forward in our lives. I know we will never truly get over the war, but we can focus on our future, bring more little wizards around."

"We should have three little Harrys," he said jokingly.

(Y/N) laughed. "If they're anything like your sassy self, you're handling that catastrophe."

"I'm not sassy!"

"Joking! Maybe."

Harry cupped (Y/N)'s cheek before leaning forward to kiss her, (Y/N) meeting his lips at the middle.

"I love you, darling," Harry said to (Y/N).

"I love you too, Harry."

"So," Harry began. "When can we start this family?"

[agentstarkid]

REDAMANCY ✦ DR3

“The essence of "redamancy", when loving someone, resides in finding oneself wholeheartedly committed to another person. It involves investing time, effort, and emotions to build a relationship based on trust, empathy, and understanding. Redamancy emphasizes the idea of love in its purest form, where both individuals feel valued, supported, and cherished by one another. In this context, loving someone through redamancy means having an unwavering appreciation and admiration for their unique qualities and accepting them as they are, flaws and all. It entails fostering a deep emotional bond that brings joy, warmth, and fulfillment to both individuals involved. Love, translated through redamancy, is an enriching experience that nourishes and uplifts the lives of those involved, creating a sense of security, happiness, and contentment.”

✦ pairing: daniel ricciardo x famous!latina!reader

✦ type: social media au

✦ fc: becky g

✦ warnings: female!reader, covid-19 & quarantine mentions, age gap, language, slight mention of mature themes.

✦ pit wall live: holi babes! WE'RE OFFICIALLY DONE WITH 2020! 🥳 Tomorrow is my birthday and I'm feeling festive so this is a gift from me to you guys! Thank you for all the love and support 💖 if you haven't already left me one, please consider leaving me a comment to let me know if this whole thing at least makes a bit of sense (I crave validation, guys lmao) and my inbox is always open! I'm super excited for you to get to know Girlie a little bit better! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter because I sure did enjoy making those edits, don't they look so fucking cuteeeeee??? 😩💕

p.s.: keep an eye out for a name that could be important in the future 👀

─── The Joker & The Queen (Masterlist)

SEPTEMBER 9, 2020

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SEPTEMBER 13, 2020

f1gossipofficial

♡ 2,345 likes

f1gossipofficial NEW WAG ALERT 🚨 After months of speculations, we can finally see them together! Daniel and Y/N arrived at the paddock for the Tuscan GP today and it's fair to say, she knows how to make an entrance 🔥 It's the first time Ricciardo introduces a WAG to the paddock 🥰

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user she's wearing heels and he's still a head taller than her 🥺 THEIR HEIGHT DIFFERENCE IS TOO FUCKING CUTE 😭❤️

user she's just a smol 🤏🏻 cinnamon roll ❤️

user2 🐍🐍🐍🐍

user3 what the fuck is she wearing? 😂 she needs to hire a stylist because she looks like a fucking clown. This reflects badly on Daniel 🤮

user she's serving Y2K style 🔥🔥🔥 also why tf would it reflect badly on him the way she dresses??? 🙄 I think she looks gorgeous!

user4 They have been together since January, but the picture of them walking next to each other is like they don't even know each other 😂

user5 can't believe Daniel hasn't dump her unfaithful ass yet 🙄 she must be really good at the things that she does on the mattress 🤮

user the only thing she's probably worth for, he might as well take advantage of it Imao

user6 The amount of hate this girl receives when all she does is just appear, no one knows her personally but ends up throwing opinions based on her looks and a couple of tabloids. Lol. Fangirls are crazy! 😂

user7 noone does it like her 😘

user8 lol he deserves so much better 🤢🐍

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OCTOBER 6, 2020

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OCTOBER 11, 2020

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yourinstagram

♡ liked by rubendias, iamcardib, danielricciardo and 8,452,325 others

yourinstagram When your birthday gift includes a podium finish you know it's gonna be an unforgettable experience! 🤩 Every year I grow I'm reminded of how precious this life is, thank you all for helping me fill it up with so much love. Your kind words and constant support means everything to me. Thank you so so so much 💕

Don't say it, don't say it, OKAY I'm saying it: I'M FEELING 22!! 😘

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salmahayek Happy birthday hermosa ❤️

danielricciardo Who needs a four-leaf clover when I've got you by my side? Just call me Danny Ricc, the luckiest bloke around! 😎

taylorswift Everything will be alright if we just keep dancing like we're 22! 🥳 Happy happy birthday my angel! There was happiness because of you 🥰

user stop acting all innocent we all know you are a fucking slut

userA yourinstagram we can tell by all the guys you let into your bed 👀

florencepugh Happy birthday to a special soul ❤️

fioamato Happiest 22nd year babe! Wish we could be together to celebrate. Te amo un mundo ❤️

sofiareyes Feliz vida reinotaaaa! 🥳🥰

user2 sos una gran ridícula 🐍

user3 stop shoving it in our faces every 5 minutes jesus christ, we already know the only way you can stay relevant is fucking your way through talented people

reesewhiterspoon Happy birthday to my favorite resident loud persona!

jvn Happiest birthday babe! Becoming friends with you has shown me a strength & kindness that is v rare. You're brave, smart AF, and the talent is next level & quite literally iconic. Grateful to know you & call you a frand!! Love you to pieces Queen! xx

llane Feliz cumpleaños hermanita 🎂 te deseo muchas bendiciones! ❤️

lilymhe as a wise woman once said: It seems like one of those nights, we ditched the whole scene and end up dreaming, instead of sleeping 💘✨

user4 Oh I didn't know it was international snakes day 🐍😂

lewishamilton happy birthday sis 💜 hope you had lots of fun x

instagram birthdays and F1 races make a winning combo

user5 I hope you are aware you're just a bed-warmer until he finds something better 😂

user6 Those who are throwing her hate, is everything okay at home? You must all be excellent people and role models 😂

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NOVEMBER 01, 2020

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NOVEMBER 16, 2020

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DECEMBER 25, 2020

danielricciardo

📍Los Angeles, California

♡ liked by yourinstagram, natalie_pinkham, pierregasly and 5,242 others

danielricciardo Merry christmas to all, ya filthy animals! From me and my snuggle buddy 🎄 We've been good... mostly! 😝

Tagged: yourinstagram, corey_wilson, lukerockhold

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yourinstagram Merry Christmas from our reindeer crew! ❤️🎄

danielricciardo Santa's got it easy this year, because I've already found the perfect gift 😘

natalie_pinkham Cuties ❤️ Merry christmas guys! Sending you all the love ❤️🎄

user THEY LOOK SO FUCKING GOOD UGHH 😍

user1 she's gonna be his downfall 🤢

f1 Merry Christmas to our favorite honey badger 🦨🍯❤️

user2 please Daniel check your eyesight 😭 I mean what did you even see in Y/N

kristenanniebell Merry christmas, guys! Sending lots of love from ours to yours ❤️

user3 La pareja más bonita 😍😍 Merry christmas to us with that first photo

scottyjames31 this got me cheesing hard... I'm a bit worried for Santa if those are his reindeers though 😳

user4 Daniel!! RUN!! Don't get too close to her... she's fucking poison!! Everything she touches rots away 🐍🐍🐍

user5 MERRY CHRISTMAS GUYS!! Santa should be delivering my adoption papers to you any moment now ❤️🙈

fabioquartararo20 Merry christmas brother! 🥂❤️

user6 who else lives through celebrities holiday posts? Buon Natale, Daniel and Y/N 💚

user7 dude, based on the recent news lately popping up on my feed (that I did not even care to know about), I hope you get yourself to an std clinic to get tested. I see you are in your russian roulet phase- no judgement. sincerely, I wish you the best

user8 this comment section reeks of jealousy it does not pass the vibe check at. all. 😤😤😤 it's fucking christmas guys, what the fuck is wrong with y'all leave them the fuck alone!

user9 they are so many wonderful and interesting people in the world, but you chose Y/N... disappointing. You could sincerely do so much better

user10 Love it or hate it, they are living their best life. Haters can keep commenting, but they're just a bunch of jealous basic bitches lmao ANYWAYS, MERRY CHRISTMAS GUYS! Keep being fucking iconic! ❤️

user11 To all the haters out there, keep commenting. Love knows no bounds and Daniel deserves exactly who he's chosen 😘

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DECEMBER 31, 2020

yourinstagram

♡ liked by lilymhe, rubendias, greeicy and 10,652,485 others

yourinstagram Moving towards 2021 with a better mindset. Keep practicing kindness every day, guys! 💖🤗🤭

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itsvittoriasousa Queen of positivity 💁🏻‍♀️💗😘

user lmao omg love this video 🤭 such good vibes

blakelively ❤️❤️❤️

zendaya the vibes are immaculate 💅🏻

lali Y QUE SE CALLE EL DECORADO 😝 Te adoro nena ❤️

user1 No me canso de verlo 😂

iamdannaschwarz A lot of palo santo to cleanse, purify and remove all negativity 🪔🧿😌🤍

user2 Por qué tan hermosaaaaaa 😍😍😍

user3 It's the palo santo and the big echeveria for me lol

user4 Love your attitude

karolg Positively divinaaa! Toda una BICHOTA 💁🏻‍♀️💗

user5 Keep it up, Queen!! Let your light blind all those negative nellies 😌 You're shinning brighter than the sun ☀✨

user6 you can't tell me her and Dan are not meant to be 😂 I bet they are so much fun to be around 🤭

─── Please don't forget to reblog and comment! ♡

[thevoidscreams]

Room for growth

Chapter: 1 Warnings: none so far (Lorgar might get a bit clingy in the future)

"Do you have more of this series here?" The voice, buttery, rich and warm, washed over me, and I hummed into my tea. Turning, I saw Lorgar holding the first book in a series I had enjoyed as a teen.

"Finished already?" It had taken me days to get through the first book, but Lorgar had only had it since that morning. It was just getting to early evening.

His cheeks tinged red, and he set the book down on the end table by the comfortable recliner I'd gotten for him off Craigslist.

"It was quite a good read, I will admit. Perhaps a tad bit predictable... but I can see why you enjoyed the story so far."

That made me smile. I got up to go to my room, the books were all in boxes in the back of my closet.

The apartment wasn't very big, especially with two people now. But with the new position I'd taken at work. The idea of actually owning a house was looking like a really good idea.

Especially with all the financial aid the government had recently rolled out to families with Astartes and Primarchs in their homes. I had loved having him in my home. Even before the financial aid. Bringing him into my home had made my life fuller. It had made me wonder if maybe Lorgar would enjoy having one or two of his sons to keep him company when I was away. And as I understood it, primarchs were meant to be with their astartes.

I brought out the second volume and went back to the living room.

"So Lorgar.. can I ask you something?"

The short, tan warrior looked up from the place he'd settled and smiled at me. "Of course."

I fought the urge to go to him and scoop him up in a hug. Gosh, he was cute. I mean, if he'd been a normal man, I... I shook my head clear off that notion quickly.

Lorgar waited patiently for me to continue, his vibrant violet eyes watching me.

"You know how I recently got that promotion? Well, with it came a significant bump in my pay, and I was doing the budget yesterday. I think we could stand to have a few more house members. And if we're going to be looking for a proper house here in the near future, I thought that having more rooms might mean we could bring home some of your sons. If you're alright with the idea. I think it'd be nice for you to have some of your gene sons with you."

Lorgar all but leaped out of the chair to bowl into me. Nearly knocking me from my feet.

"That would be wonderful! My hearts have been so heavy without my beloved sons. This would bring me no end of joy." He exclaimed, his face buried in my stomach.

I wrapped my arms around him and froze slightly. As an odd sensation of what I dared to call wrongness rolled over me.

Lorgars' face was buried in my stomach. Just above the highest point of my ilium.

Lorgar sensed something immediately and retracted. "My apologies, I did not mean to cause you discomfort."

I felt a deep need to rectify the situation and did so, taking Lorgar by the shoulder. "Hey, no, I was just startled is all.. are you.. taller?"

Lorgar looked at me quizzically, then down at himself and seemed just as confused as I was.

"I am.. unsure."

I ran the tip of my tongue over the back of my teeth and sank deep into thought.

It was obvious he was, now that I really looked at him. When he'd first come to live with me, his head only reached up to the bottom of my hips. The top of his head had been just a hair above where my leg connected.

"Well. I'm sure it's nothing. I'm gonna get dinner going."

Lorgar nodded, and he gently took the book I'd been holding. He seemed equally lost in thought.

Dinner was quieter than usual, and I spent the time on my phone, googling.

'My primarch is taller than I remember?'

The search came up with multiple results of other adoptive families worried that their Astartes had suddenly shot up a few inches in height.

So I wasn't the only one.

I scrolled till I saw a blog posted by someone I had been following for a few months.

[Hey yall, I gotta say I think Sanguinius and his sons are getting taller!!?!?! And I know I'm not tripping cause the beds I had made for him and his three sons (even if they hardly use them) are actually a bit cramped for them now. Am I the only one having this problem? If he gets any taller I might be looking at having to buy a new house. I don't have the space for three full sized astartes and ESPECIALLY not a full sized primarch. 😑 😰

But I won't give up on my family. I love them so much even if I have to buy a mansion to keep them with me. Please does anyone know what's going on?]

I went to the message tab and found a ton of replies of concerned astartes families sharing much the same sentiment.

I looked over to Lorgar, who was eagerly consuming his second plate of dinner. He ate a lot for someone his size already. I bit my lip.

I'd already offered to bring one of his gene sons into my home. I couldn't take that away from him now.

The next tab I opened was my email and began one to my social worker, Tabitha.

[Hey Tabitha,

I recently found myself with a new position at work in a decent pay increase. I know Lorgar has been lonely while I'm away, and my boss has been cracking down on people bringing astartes (and primarchs) into the office during our busy season. I wanted to know if you could connect me with a potential WordBearer who is in need of a placement. I can provide any financial documents you need just as I did before.] I sent it and got up to put my dishes in the sink. "How's the dinner Gar?" Lorgar hummed around a mouthful of food, nodding his delight of the dish. His violet eyes glittered in appreciation. "Glad you like it."

"May I have the rest?" He asked, always polite when asking more of anything, as if he understood just how much mire he required and felt guilty about it. "Of course you can." And I for my part found it impossible to deny him. After dinner I decided to head to bed early. In the shower I thought about all the posts, that I'd seen and began to worry. After toweling off and getting dressed in something comfortable I got into bed and opened the realtor app on my phone.

I needed a better house, something that Lorgar would be comfortable in, I scrolled for what felt like an hour, ruling places out as I looked for the perfect spot. The door creaked open and I lifted the corner of the blanket, Lorgar got into bed and got comfortable next to me. He rarely used his own bed anymore.

"I emailed Tabitha. I asked her about any of your sons that might need a placement."

Lorgar wrapped one arm around my chest and hugged me as best as he could. "Thank you."

I kissed the top of his head gently. "Of course. You don't need to thank me Gar."

"But I wish to, so I shall." He peaked at my screen. "What are you looking for?" "A new place. If we're expanding our family we may need more space."

He nodded. "That is true. I know you will find us the best space for our family." He yawned and rested his head on my chest getting ready to nod off. "Our sons will need plenty of room." It took me a minute to register his words. As I inspecting the land size of one property that looked promising. "What was that?" I asked. But as usual he was asleep almost immediately. I envied that ability of his. "Must have been a slip of the tongue." I reasoned, it happened occasionally.

I set my phone down and plugged it in. I had the next day off and wanted to take Lorgar out to mingle with his brother. Magnus and his placement family lived nearby and Magnus's placement person had called, asking if we could meet up as his brother was missing him. It was going to be a surprise, but I also wanted to ask If they'd noticed anything about Magnus that was unusual as of late. Yawning I turned into Lorgar, hugging him close. It would be a tomorrow problem.

[illuminatedquill]

Sabine leaned against the wall, arms crossed, taking in the ambience of her surroundings. The sights and sounds of Capital City were still a soothing sound to her after all these years. Closing her eyes, she soaked in the sounds of children laughing, the banter and light teasing of a young couple nearby, the quiet murmur of officials, senators, and other heads of state from planets whose name she couldn't remember - all of them had come to attend the memorial.

Once upon a time, she would have avoided a crowd just like this. It would have rankled at her senses, even without being attuned to the Force.

But not anymore, however. She had come to the realization long ago that it wasn't the crowds she was avoiding - it was the vibrance contained within them, the sense of life that beat fiercely inside all the individuals encircling her now.

Life was not meant to be avoided. It was meant to be experienced. All of it: from the highest of joys, to the deepest of sorrows.

A tap on her shoulder broke the reverie. She turned to find her oldest daughter, Mira. She was dressed in Jedi robes of sea blue and midnight black, her favorite color pairing. The younger woman brushed a stray curl of dark blue hair from her forehead - a gift from her father - and gave her mother an amused look.

"Thinking deep thoughts?" Mira asked.

Sabine enveloped her in a fierce hug. "Not at all. Just feeling a little bored, waiting for you to show up."

Mira snorted. "I'm sure Dad would love to hear that."

Sabine released her from the hug and gave Mira a stern look. "Your father knew better than to keep me waiting. Anyway, where are your siblings?"

"They'll be here any moment. Traffic is intense, as you know. A lot of people are coming for . . . coming to see Dad."

Sabine caught the quick pause in her daughter's words but didn't say anything.

Pivoting away from the subject of her husband, Sabine asked, "I see you dressed up."

Mira blinked and glanced down at her robes. "These? Not really."

Sabine grinned. "Grabbed the first outfit that wasn't dirty?"

Her daughter flushed. "The Academy's been really busy lately. I haven't had time . . . anyway, I see you didn't dress up at all! What's with that?"

Sabine arched an eyebrow at her. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're not wearing your armor! These are your regular civilian clothes."

She shrugged. "I'm not on Mandalore, or doing any official Mand'alor business. I can dress however I want."

Mira waved a hand at the assembled crowd around them. "This is kind of important, Mom."

"I'm seeing your father," Sabine countered. "I don't think he'll mind. He actually liked this outfit, you know. Said it accentuated my figure."

Mira rolled her eyes. "Dad would say that if you were wearing a pile of rags."

She poked her daughter sharply in the chest, annoyed. "And he'd still be right."

"Duchess Wren?"

Sabine turned to find her old friend, Governor Jai Kell, coming towards her. He was dressed in somber tones of gray and green, the colors of his office.

Sabine shushed him. "I'm trying to be discreet here, Jai. No need to use my official title. Don't need the press gawking at the Mand'alor, hogging all the air."

Jai blinked at her, then eased into a familiar, easy-going smile. "Of course, Sabine. My mistake."

He turned to Mira and gave a bow. She returned it in kind. "You keep growing up on me, Mira," he teased. "You'll be taller than your mother soon."

"That was never a hard task to achieve, Governor Kell," the younger Wren replied smugly. "I mean, look at her."

Sabine narrowed her eyes at Mira. "I could sweep the feet out from under you in a heartbeat, kid. Then we'll see who's taller."

Jai chuckled, looking at each of them with an amused expression. "Hard to see who she takes after the most, Sabine."

Mira stuck out a tongue at her mother. Sabine glared at her for a moment, then let it go with a snort. "What brings you over here, Kai? Shouldn't you be rubbing shoulders with the important people?"

The Governor gave her a patient look. "You are one of those important people, Sabine. As a personal friend, and as a head of state."

"Oh. Right."

Mira grinned. "It's the old age, Governor. It's getting to her."

Sabine felt her eye twitch, but held in her annoyance. Something approximating a smile twitched on Jai's face, but his face remained serious as he said, "He's ready for you now."

Mira went silent beside her. Sabine glanced at her daughter, but the younger Wren's face had smoothed into an expressionless mask.

Sabine smoothed down the front of her outfit in a nervous gesture. "How do I look?"

Jai gave her a puzzled expression. "That's what you're wearing? You're not going to get changed?"

Rolling her eyes, Sabine muttered, "Everyone's a critic."

The turbolift ride up to the viewing area was quiet, Sabine noted. Whatever vestiges of humor Mira had shown up with had evaporated quickly.

They reached the top level and stepped out of the turbolift doors. Jai waited silently, standing off to the side, giving the two of them privacy.

Lothal's Wall of Heroes. Sabine's eyes traced the familiar lines and colors, remembering the long days and nights of work that had gone into crafting them. The figures on the mural gazed back at her solemnly, their faces filled with a thousand memories from a time long, long ago. To this day, she still made the yearly trek out here, incognito, to oversee maintenance on the mural. She wanted to ensure that the work never faded from the public eye.

She found the center most face; handsome, strong, with serious blue eyes that, if you looked at from the right angle when the sun was at the perfect height in the sky, seemed to sparkle with a sense of humor.

Sabine stood in front of the image of her late husband, Ezra Bridger.

"Hey, goober," she said. "Long time, no see."

Sabine mentally ran down the list of things she wanted to say.

"Kids are doing fine. Mira's helping out at the new Academy, along with Jonah and Rona. This new girl, Rey, has some interesting ideas for the New Jedi Order. I think you would have really liked her."

"Jacen's doing great. Brand new Jedi Knight. He looks so much like Kanan now, it's crazy. He's out and about, still flying the Ghost, doing solo missions with some of the older Jedi padawans for training. You'd be so proud of him."

"Mandalore's boring now, since no one's trying to kill each other anymore. I guess that's a good thing. I almost miss the old days of how it used to be. Bo would kick me if she heard that though, so that stays between us, cyar'ika."

Sabine blinked away tears. Even after all this time . . . Ezra was one of the few people who could make her cry. He had promised to do his best not to.

You broke your promise, goober, Sabine thought. I forgive you, always, but it still hurts.

There was no body. Nothing to recover. The fire had seen to that. The enemy had come in the dead of night, in an attempt to snuff out the growing light of Luke's new Jedi Order. They almost succeeded - if it were not for the actions of Ezra.

The call had gone out. He had answered, as always. Stood and made his stand against a never-ending army of troopers, until the final evacuation ship had fled to safety.

Sabine closed her eyes, remembering the terrible memories of that night. Ezra's last words to her . . .

She felt her daughter come stand beside her. Opening her eyes, she turned to find tears streaming down the younger Wren's cheeks.

"I don't know how you do it," Mira confessed.

"Do what?"

Mira sniffed. "Not hate the people who did this."

Sabine gently grabbed Mira by the shoulders and turned her so that they were facing each other. She looked into her daughter's eyes: one bright blue and one warm hazel.

"It's not what your father would have wanted," Sabine said gently.

"He would have wanted to stay alive," Mira countered. "He would have wanted to be with us!"

Sabine tightened her grip. "It's not easy, I know. I have my moments. I know what it feels like to let the anger and despair get to you."

Mira looked down at her feet, taking a deep breath. "I know you do. I'm sorry. I just . . . I miss him, so much."

"Hating the people who did this won't bring him back."

"I know."

She hugged her daughter. "I miss him, too," she whispered. "Every day."

"When does it stop? The grief? When does it begin to heal?" Mira asked, voice trembling.

"I'll let you know," Sabine replied. "But, for me, it gets easier when I see you and your siblings. I see your father in all of you."

"Sometimes . . . sometimes, I reach out to the Force and - and look for him. Ask for him. I try so hard, Mom. I never hear anything."

Oh, my little girl, Sabine thought. Her heart was shattering, hearing her oldest in so much pain.

"I try some nights, and he never answers back, and it hits me again that he's really gone. Dad's never coming back."

Sabine said quietly, "No one's ever really gone, Mira. Your father's still around, I promise. You're just looking for him in all the wrong places."

"Where is he, then?"

Gently, Sabine led her daughter to the balcony and swept an arm towards the Lothal skyline.

"Listen to the wind and the life of the people below. Listen the scurrying of the loth-cats, and the howling of loth-wolves in the twilight. That's your father, Mira. He's there, if you listen."

Mira cocked her head, listening to the sounds of Lothal. "What's he saying now?"

"He's saying you need to be more respectful towards your mother and to stop making fun of her height," Sabine replied.

That elicited a laugh from the younger Wren. Sabine's heart lifted at the sound. "Okay, sure. Whatever you say, Mom."

Sabine frowned. "What's so funny? You should listen to your father."

"Uh-huh. Of course." Mira looked at her then, and said quietly, "Thanks."

Jai came up behind him. "Sabine, it's time. The guests are waiting below."

She sighed. "Time to go make an appearance, I guess."

"You're really not going to get changed?" asked Mira.

Sabine poked her daughter in the cheek. "What did your father just say?"

"Right. Sorry, Dad."

Heading to the turbolift together, Mira asked, "You never really answered my question, though."

"About the hate?"

"You said that Dad wouldn't want that. What did he say that convinced you to . . ." Mira trailed off, unable to find the words.

"To be better?" Sabine suggested. Her daughter nodded.

Smiling, Sabine reached into her jacket pocket and took out a neatly folded note. She gestured for Mira to take it.

Unfolding it carefully, Mira read the words scribbled there. Her eyes widened with recognition at the handwriting.

Dear Sabine,

Love always

- Ezra

Mira looked up at her mother, eyes wet. Sabine smiled back.

"Love always," Sabine said. "It's a choice, Mira. Never an easy one. But your father did it every day, for all his life."

"He loved you so much," Mira said in awe.

"And you as well, kid," Sabine replied. "Along with your siblings. He knew that all of you were the answer to the hate."

The turbolift doors began to close. Sabine looked out at the mural one last time and waved good-bye to the image of Ezra. Mira followed suit.

A cool breeze suddenly swept through the mural room, filling the turbolift with the bright scents of Lothal. Sabine could feel it brush against her, almost feeling like an invisible hand affectionately running through her hair.

Mira stared at her. "Was that what I think it was?"

Sabine looked at Mira. "Listen to your heart, Mira. What does it say?"

Mira looked down at the folded note. "Love always," she murmured.

She nodded at her daughter. "Love always," she agreed.

Jai coughed politely behind them. "You know, Sabine, it's supposed to be getting colder tonight. There's still time for you to - "

"Jai. I will cause an interplanetary incident in front of everyone if you bring up my choice of attire one more time."

Mira laughed, a lovely twinkling sound that reminded her so much of Ezra. Sabine grinned and reached out to take her eldest daughter's hand.

I see you, goober.

Love you always.

[moldwood]

okay chatgpt if youre so great then locate me a gay bear in my area who's half a foot taller than me, is kind, is genuine, spends his free time wisely doing things that bring him joy instead of misery, is into nothing i'm into so that we can have new conversations we've never had before, thinks i'm really smart and is impressed with everything i do and who will go to the gym with me and walk in the woods and picnic and who will be the one to remember the minicooler with ice for the koolaid since i've got everything else covered and who dresses well and has back dimples and has a hog like his politics (hangs on the left side of the fence) and who cooks alright and who thinks my neuroses are not endearing or cutesy but actually amazing and who uses flashdrives to back up his data instead of the cloud and who hasn't seen all the same movies as me so we have stuff to watch on our nights in and who sharpens his pencils when he's done with them before putting them away so they're ready for next time and who would be into a man with the presence of a domineering white borzoi in a red collar with gold spikes and who refills the water pitcher and has an air fryer and who is always looking for something that i know where it is. and make him freakyyyyy

[throughtrialbyfire]

Friday Kiss Tag Game ♥

wooooo!! thank you so much for tagging me @boethiahspillowbook !! <3 this was so much fun to write and i'm delighted to share this piece!!

i'm tagging @totally-not-deacon @trickstarbrave @your-talos-is-problematic @skyrim-forever @orfeoarte @v1ctory-or-sovngarde @umbracirrus and anyone who wants to do it, if you're not tagged, feel free to hop in!! and no pressure as always!!

Rules: post a smooch between your OCs for Friday. It can be as light as a peck or as intense as a makeout. It can be romantic or platonic or familial. As long as a smooch takes place it’s free reign!

decided to bring a little treat, this features my very first LDB oc, Hyron Aedther! he's such a challenge and a joy to write. this is fresh out of the brain, and i hope you enjoy it!!

Hyron was not a very tactful man, but he was good at what he did. Stealing seemed to run in the family, as whispers of his grandfather's history with the Thieves Guild of Cyrodiil echoed down the branches of his lineage like a harsh and hollow wind. Still, wind nonetheless, and he tended not to reflect on the dead too long. The Altmer wound his way through the streets of Riften, noon sunlight dripping along the mountains like cupped hands desperately dragging water from a stream, in hopes this would quench the thirst. He had found himself doing this more than he liked. His silver hair tied behind him, the world at his back, he wondered if this would all come to a peaceful end. No, he chastised himself, don't be so dramatic, Hyron. It's only a crush. He seldom found himself in these positions, heart bent over backwards for the attentions of someone who he didn't know if would or could return his feelings. But he'd found himself watching the other man in the Ragged Flagon with increasing interest over the past few weeks, the way the ginger joked with Vekel and Delvin, the way he laughed at Vex's dry humor, the sound of his laugh, gods, the sound of his laugh. It battered Hyron open entirely, the sound of that thief's laugh. Brynjolf. Gods, his name even felt right in his mouth. Brynjolf, his friend, Brynjolf, his fellow thief, Bryn… Gods. Gods, he was utterly pathetic.

Pathetic. Like a soggy, sopping wet hound back from a hunt with nothing to show for it, to a master who would only feed him half the scraps he'd saved that night as punishment for his effort. His stomach churned with the weight of it. The thought of Brynjolf rejecting him made him want to tear his hair out, the image of the man's mouth moving in such a way to say, 'I'm sorry, lad, I just don't feel the same.' Or worse, what if he laughed at him? What if he thought Hyron was a lovesick fool, unfit to handle being in the same room as him? What if he hated Hyron for this, solely on the basis that Hyron had shown one fleck of weakness in the wild portrait of his life, the intensity of the color so rotten and bare it turned all away with it? What if… "Ah, there you are, lad. I've been looking for you."

The sound of his voice made the Altmer jump. He turned, the other thief rushing to catch up to him, his guild boots - mismatched with his regular dayclothes, his blue coat wrapped around his arms - thudding the wooden boards of the bridge over the canal. "Oh." Brynjolf furrowed his brow, slowing his pace as he approached the taller man. "Something on your mind?" Hyron shook his head. "No." A moment passed between them, before the other shrugged his shoulders, taking in their surroundings with familiarity, a boredom passing into his face. "What'd'you say we head to the Bee and Barb, get something to drink?" Hyron scoffed with a frail smirk, "why not the Flagon?" Brynjolf returned the smirk with a shrug. "Need a change of scenery, of course." Much to Keerava and Talen-Jei's displeasure, they found the two thieves in their tavern, keeping a distance from the bar, choosing instead to sit by the stairs. After a couple of small drinks and a paltry meal, Brynjolf turned to Hyron, his sharp gaze not missing the slight flinch of the elf's shoulders. "Alright, come on," he said in a quiet voice, "what's on your mind, lad?" Hyron knit his brow, and Brynjolf rolled his eyes. "You've been quieter than usual, and that's saying something."

Hyron's pulse quickened. "Nothing." He paused, and before Brynjolf could interject, he piped up, "I'm adjusting to my new life. It's hard." Brynjolf thought this over, rubbing at his chin, the bristle of it against his hand making a noise that Hyron only wished could be caused by his hand in the same place on the man's face, only wished he could rub his cheek, thumb his cheekbone, run his fingers though his fire-red hair, look into his eyes so intensely it was as though staring into a chasm of ice back in Winterhold- "You seem to be doing a lot of adjusting lately. I'm guessing this has something to do with that whole Dragonborn business." Hyron nodded. A lie. It worked. "I see." Brynjolf didn't seem satisfied, leaning back in his chair, arms folded over his barrel chest. He looked towards the bar, flitting his gaze between Hyron and Keerava, before rising. A few moments passed of him exchanging quiet words with the Argonian woman, before she handed him a key. Approaching Hyron, he cocked his head quickly to the stairs. "Come on, let's talk somewhere private." His heart hammered against his chest. In his throat. No way out. Mouse. Mouse in a trap. Hyron stood there with the door behind him and the bed before and Brynjolf opening the window to let some fresh air in - as fresh as it got here - and turned back to him, noon sun golden on his skin. "Come on, out with it, lad. I know it can't just be this Dragonborn mess that's got you all worked up." Hyron swallowed hard. His chest hurt. He sat on the edge of the bed and released a loud, exasperated sigh, cradling his face in his hands. The pressure next to him told him that Brynjolf was seated right there, right there, next to him, gods, he could feel his body heat, it made Hyron dizzy. Intoxicating, the feel of the other's presence. "Maybe it is. Maybe it isn't," he grunted in his typical manner, cursing himself internally for it. He was never one for words. Never found them useful. So, instead, he remained quiet most often, but here and now with Brynjolf beside him…

"I may be in over my head with something." He finally decided that this was a conclusive enough answer. He looked through his long, golden fingers to Brynjolf, who appeared taken aback. "It's not something I'm used to." "Well, if it's debts you need settling, that's your own business, I'm afraid. We look out for each other in the Guild, but we pay our own ways." Hyron waited, then shook his head, silver eyes latched to the other. Brynjolf relaxed only momentarily, before leaning closer, intrigued. "…Oh, lad," he grinned now, a waggle of his brow catching Hyron off-guard, "is it perhaps a lady you're in trouble with?" Hyron waited. Shook his head. Brynjolf, this time, cocked his head to the side for a second before it hit him, and he nodded slow, almost sagely. "A man." Hyron nodded. "I see." The silence threw Hyron under the weight of the entire lake, an entire mountain's worth of pressure in his spine, his stomach tying furious knots, a sailor afraid of falling overboard. Before too long could pass, before the moment could fall apart, Brynjolf raked his fingers through his hair and rested his elbows against his knees, leaning forward, something bitter crossing his eyes. "I understand." What?

Hyron removed his hands from his face as the other began to speak, picking his words carefully. "I've had relationships that have gone… Well, for lack of better words to describe it, terribly. But I've also had some lovely ones. Sometimes someone comes along and everything about them tears you open like a ragged purse, reminds you of all the things you once wanted when you were a young man. I don't really chase these sorts of urges, to spill open for people, but…" Neither spoke a while. The noon crept closer to evening. Hyron watched Brynjolf and Brynjolf watched Hyron and before the Altmer could find the words for it, he cradled the other's face in his long, spindly hand, and when Brynjolf pressed his own palm against it, terror seized him that it was to push his hand away and to tell him to leave and to never come back and to forever fade from Brynjolf's memory, but now, no, he did not do that, instead the Nord ran his fingers along Hyron's and seemed to grow closer to him, closer in a way that made Hyron's stomach ache and his chest burn and bleed open with his pulse, so loud he swore the Nord heard it. It was a soft kiss, much softer than the Altmer anticipated. Brynjolf's lips were rough, not unexpected, but warm, and he was so tender with the other, so unexpectedly comforting. Hyron swore he glimpsed the gods a moment there, and he found his arms around Brynjolf's neck, deepening their kiss until he thought he might break his own nose against the other. When Brynjolf pulled away, he laughed, heartfelt and soothing. Worry turned away from Hyron's mind, no longer interested in haunting him, his eyes locked on the Nord. "The night's still young. There's loose coin for the taking, and plenty of room in this bed afterwards." The promise of more tore Hyron open with light, a burning, a brightness that he hadn't felt in so many years. All he could do was nod, and together, the pair departed, off to fill the Guild coffers with gold and their time with each other.

[righteousness-and-tea]

For the 200 follower event, could I ask to have reader (gender neutral works) duel Peko and Fuyuhiko please? One shot or headcanons are both fine, whichever is easiest for you, I just think duels are neat and have potential. Oh, also, I ADORE your writing and am so happy you're here, so even if you don't get to this one, I wanna say that I'm really happy you're writing more now! Just seeing you on my dashboard brings me joy!

Thank you so much for the kind words! You and everyone else who frequent my blog are the reason I write, so I'm incredibly grateful. This is such a fun pair of characters to write for. Please enjoy, and have a lovely night!

-Mod Celeste

200+ Followers Event: Dueling with Peko and Fuyuhiko!

Peko:

-You may have just signed your death warrant.

-It was a simple request on your part-- you just wanted to test her skills. But Peko does NOT mess around.

-Swift as an arrow and merciless as a soldier, her moves are deliberate, with not a swing out of turn.

-The expression on her face is incredible, really-- you've never seen her like this before. A determination that could never be compromised.

-Even if it was a bamboo sword she wielded, Peko could handle it like a deadly force. It's a little terrifying!

-Depending on your skill level, she would adjust her style. Not to say she's taking it easy on you-- quite the opposite. She's just sizing you up.

-It wouldn't take long for her sword to shatter your own. And yes, you read that right... not slice, or break, but shatter. You tumble to the ground, surprise evident on your face.

-No hard feelings. She'd laugh a little, and respond to your shock. "Did this answer your question? There wasn't ever a doubt in my mind what the outcome would be."

-Peko extends a hand to you and lifts you up. She'd never just leave you be.

Fuyuhiko:

-Clearly, it doesn't take a lot to provoke him. Sometimes, it seems like he's WAITING for a fight.

-Fair warning: Fuyuhiko would bring a gun to a knife fight. Would he use it? Well... that depends on if he's feeling nice.

-Now, since it's you we're talking about, it's all in good fun. He duels his ride-or-dies pretty often, just for fun.

-Is it wrong of me to imagine he'd fight like a West Side Story character?

-Kidding, obviously.

-He's all about surprises. What he lacks in stature he makes up for in pure skill. Honestly, you never see him coming.

-Fuyuhiko likes to tease and talk big, especially in situations like this.

-"Must feel pretty good to take on a fuckin yakuza boss, huh? Better watch your back."

-He's an expert in getting people into chokeholds. Again, don't doubt him for his height!

-Speaking of which, if you're taller than him, he DEFINITELY has something to prove. Hopefully he comes to terms with it, haha.

-He knows you well, as do you know him. Essentially, you're evenly matched... which means it's a toss-up each time.

-He loves the thrill you give him.

[orionsangel86]

About the twinklify the twink? That's why I don't go full Dreamling. I have nothing against it, but they way they get twisted 90% of the times is just "uhh that not my Dream" for me. And same with all the Dark Morpheus x f/m reader. "That's not my Morpheus" and it's ok, because a) fanfiction keeps the media alive until the next piece we can get and b) fanfiction keeps people alive too, no matter what they picture. So, it's ok to feel like this, I guess.

I think that's the main takeaway from this. YKINMK after all. I'm a firm believer of "do what you want always" though of course, that doesn't mean you should be free from criticism, it just means maybe don't take criticism to heart ya know? This doesn't mean people should go onto others posts and fanfics and complain! God no! But people should be allowed to complain in their own posts - so long as anything particularly harsh isn't put in the main tags or is tagged accordingly. Like of course people aren't always gonna love everything you do, and sometimes when certain headcanons and ideas get bastardised by fanon echo chambers they become so far removed from canon that you are basically writing an OC with your fave characters face, but that's okay if it brings you joy. Just don't expect everyone to love and adore it ya know?

The problem I have with the extra twinkification of characters in ship dynamics is that I have a problem with m/m ships being twisted so far away from their canon counterparts that one party becomes obviously "feminine" and the other obviously "masculine". By which I mean one character is made extra skinny frail and delicate, submissive, virginal, pure, and always ALWAYS the bottom. The other character becomes huge and muscular and hairy and masculine, and take the role of protector and dominating and experienced and is ALWAYS the top.

Do you see what I mean? This has been prevailent in fandom culture since day 1 of course, and its a huge pet peeve of mine. I do view it as somewhat problematic because it feels like trying to fit a mlm ship into a heternormative box. Its a layered mess of misogyny and homophobia wrapped up in a fandom bow. It was worse years ago, during the SuperWhoLock days, and I will forever be grateful to Misha Collins for beefing up so much he enabled Cas to beat the effeminate twink allegations (knowing Mollins he probably came across a particularly bad fanfic or fanart and then spent several hours staring at himself in a mirror before throwing himself into an intensive gym routine).

I don't think its too prevailent in Dreamling fics, though I guess when you have a whole episode devoted to showing how Dream is pale, thin, beautiful, ethereal, completely hairless, and trapped, its easy to see why fandoms minds went to "twink" and then to "we need to find him a saviour". But I do wish the power dynamic would be a bit more balanced. Dream is no wilting flower. He is all pure lean muscle. He is no frail delicate thing. He has the body of a long distance marathon runner. He is power and self righteousness and fury and control. Yeah, he may be submissive with his lovers, but he's hardly inexperienced.

Hob is also in no way a macho man. He's hairy sure, but that's basically it. He actually isn't all that more muscular than Dream, he's only slightly broader, and he's not taller - I think they are the same height? Again, to stress, people can do what they want always. But please do take time to branch outside of the fandom echo chambers and refamiliarise yourself with canon once in a while. Especially when those echo chambers are leaning towards problematic dynamics like those mentioned above.

This is by no means a dig at any individuals, at any creative works I have come across or anything else of the sort. I just sometimes find the fanon echo chambers and widely accepted headcanons a bit irritating, especially when they don't fit with canon. It's fine on a small scale. I am not the person who is gonna comment "he would not fucking say that" because its mean and those posts are mean. It's when the whole fandom seems to adopt certain ideas, and suddenly any deviation from those ideas seems wrong to fandom at large. It becomes difficult to counter those ideas without suddenly being labelled a hater. Look at all the ridiculous discourse in Good Omens fandom because of how deeply far removed from the original source material the fandom took the characters over the 4 year gap between seasons? They were literally going into Neil Gaimans inbox complaining when season 2 deviated from widely accepted fanon headcanons! To the point that Neil had to clarify that what they were complaining about was never canon to begin with!!

Anyway, this post is probably controversial enough without me prattling on any further. Let me stress one last time that you can do what you want always, and everyone should be able to play in the sandbox however they want - just please check yourselves and your prejudices and do consider if the tropes you are encouraging have any harmful implications before throwing yourself into them.

[everlastiingiimmortals]

"Andreas, how far do you think that sea is?"

A girl, barely more than a few years stands before him as she so often did. Voice light, with an abundance of wonder that most her age perhaps should have grown out of and yet the dream like quality never fails to be childlike. There are so many things she could pursue, the love she has to oceans and tides of there homeworld is undeniable and the need to know more is always there. Many take the path beneath the shore as their chosen field of science, one would have believed this girl would have sought it too.

That is, if she had never looked upwards while her feet remained planted firmly in shore, the waters lapping against her knees and the skirt of her dress. Like she did now this night, like the many nights before him. "I've calculated, measured each in every unit we have to offer and yet I stand no closer fo the true answer I'm looking for."

So many questions lie on her tongue yet when she turns there exists no anger nor frustration in her eyes. Haloed by the light of the lunar celestial, Himeko Murata shines like a dream in her endless wonder and the joy it brings her within this murky vision reproduced by the sleeping mind.

Perhaps the knowledge of who had accepted the invitation is a source of his nostalgia for a girl that he saw fade in her own selfishborne madness?

Unprompted. Always accepting! | @chasersglow

You of all people needn't have me tell you the answer to your question.

The comment remains unspoken, left to leave Andreas' lungs in nothing but a silent and wordless exhale as he stands and watches her, knee-deep in the sea kissing the shore, from where he stands on drier sands.

The ocean is calm. Andreas' eyes turn up to where he can see -- not much farther above the horizon, past Himeko's head -- the moon, casting a silver path on the remarkably still sea. It turns her red hair silver, too. It turns her into something else.

He knows the sea she's standing in is not the sea she is asking about.

When she turns to him, he sighs, not quite fondness, not quite exasperation.

"Himeko, you are asking the wrong question."

The words come as easily as his approach, sand shifting beneath his feet and slipping into his sandals with every step until his toes touch water, then his ankles, shins, until he is standing beside her, the sea soaking into his pants.

"You will never find the answer you seek here. Surely someone of our capacity would know that by now."

He studies her, maroon and yellow boring into golden irises. His own face stares back at him, a reflection in her eyes. He huffs.

"Turn around."

Grabbing her shoulders, he spins her back around, angling her chin up -- not at the moon, but above it, so that she is looking once more towards the stars.

"Your question, Himeko, is not how far the astral sea is. I know it. You know it." It is 'how do I get there? How do I get to the ends of the universe from where we are?' "If you don't start asking the real question within your mind, you will only find the same non-answer over and over again. Try again, and maybe I can offer my assistance."

---

There is silence in his studio. The passing of years do not show in the impeccable cleanliness of his workspace, aside from the debris of his latest work, half finished. Rather, it shows in the growth of the countless statues that fill his space, more elaborate, more refined, more alive. He spins the chisel in his hand, staring at the face emerging from the stone.

"...Strange..." he murmurs absently. A hand rises up to brush the cool marble cheek he'd refined to lifelike smoothness, coming away with fine dust. "Even in my sculptures of you, you only look up towards the stars."

---

When they meet again, it is loud. Loud, bright, too many different sounds and colors and flashing lights and smells mingling around. He is taller now, shoulders broader, eyes sharper. The deep blue suit of his is pressed to perfection, gilded embroidery winding down his shoulders and back. It is only out of courtesy that he is here without his alabaster headpiece, enduring the laughter of drunken and wayward fools chasing dreams and delusions.

His eyes only fall upon her by chance. A lesser man might have found her unrecognizable from the girl he once knew, but to him, there was no mistaking her, dressed in a pure white gown that shone. It doesn't take him long to approach her, despite the deliberate slowness of his every step. He realizes, then, how much time has passed since their eyes last met. How much they've both changed. He stares into her eyes, the piercing inner rings of his irises unchanging even with the darkness and flashing lights of the ballroom. His reflection does not stare back, replaced after all these years by stars.

Millions and millions of stars, as if those golden eyes were a window into the very universe itself.

"Have you found what you've been looking for," he murmurs,

"...Himeko?"

[mamamittens]

Why did I attach myself to a character with so little backstory to him? I don't even know how old this man is lmao

When did he join Whitebeard???? Why????

I can only assume he's around the same age as Marco but it's genuinely hard to say since we don't see him often as is, let alone in canon flashbacks.

He gives off... Fun uncle vibes that lives in a penthouse and genuinely doesn't get what "the kids" are into but manages to have a blast with the "youth" anyway.

Ambiguous Himbo Vibes. Not quite Dad Vibes but definitely something five steps left and one down of it. Wholesome bear hugs but absolutely tells dirty ass jokes at every opportunity.

I like to imagine Whitebeard picked him up by the scruff from a cook line in a dive bar too young to drink and bitey as all hell. Really mellowed out with age and realized he liked this whole "friends and family" thing.

You know, when I'm not being mean and headcanoning him as coming from a stuffy noble family with a disgustingly pretentious name he immediately abandoned to pursue his passion of cooking until he ran into Whitebeard and never left. (Got a plot bunny OC niece for that backstory with all the tragic feels, still brings me joy to occasionally workshop it)

Idk, it just seems funny to me that way and explains why he only goes by "Thatch" and prefers cooking to fighting.

Anyway, all this to say that it feels weird shipping my OC with him but not even knowing how bad the age gap is (⁠;⁠ŏ⁠﹏⁠ŏ⁠)

Is older men my type or goofballs with tragedy and mystery, preferably taller than me??? Or at least stronger than me??? Totally not looking at the other fictional characters I've strongly liked...

I feel better sliding the timeline so I'm not working so presently in canon. But it's still weird not going to lie...

[annas-hair-donut]

WIP ask Chapter 15:Boxes

Chapter 15: Boxes is the next chapter of The Refugees.

This is *the* chapter.

This is the chapter where Anna finds out what's in her boxes, which I know I've been promising for the last 3 chapters. But there's really no escaping it this time. And it's the whole reason I wanted to write this fic in the first place.

Also exciting: I'm introducing a new character in this chapter (see below the cut)

Thanks for the ask, Biblio!

See below the cut for a little preview

“Anna, please,” he pleaded with shimmering eyes, “please, let me help you unpack.”

The words lingered in Anna’s ears; they lulled her to sleep at night; they kept her company when she was alone.

She was so lost in them and the way Kristoff meant them. She hadn’t even come close to deflating after the high of finally touching Kristoff. She couldn’t believe that no one noticed how much her skin glowed. It was like Ahtohallan was so pleased that she finally learned the truth about Kristoff. He was hers. He was for her. And she was for him.

But when Sven plopped down at the lunch table across from her, Anna blinked. She looked around until she got her berrings.

Sven gave her a tiny wave before he came into focus. “Hey, Anna. Is it ok if I sit here?”

“Yeah! Of course!”

She swept her lunchbag to the side so he could put his entire tray on the table.

There was no Kristoff, no Rapunzel, which meant no Eugene. And Anna had never sat with Sven without the others around.

“How are you?” she asked.

He flashed her the sweetest smile and she couldn’t help returning it.

“I’m good. You know, just trying not to let Eugene and Kristoff get me into trouble.”

Anna sat up a little taller. She didn’t want to ask Sven about him because she didn’t want him to think she didn’t want to talk to him. Because she did. But her world centered around the absence of Kristoff, and nothing else really seemed to matter.

Sven chuckled as though he knew what she was thinking. “Speaking of.”

Anna felt her cheeks burn. How could she have been so selfish?

“He’s doing good. He actually asked me to give this to you.”

He dropped a folded up piece of notebook paper in front of her, and she felt a surge of good feelings. She had to stop herself from smelling the paper in case it smelled like Kristoff.

“Yeah, so I’ll just give you a moment to read it.”

Anna dropped her hand with the note and said, “No, that’s ok. I’ll read it later.”

Then she put it in her back pocket and it burned like stardust. She didn’t mind sitting on it, but she was probably going to spend her next class period in a maintenance closet reading and rereading Kristoff’s words. She could give Sven a few moments of her time.

After all, he was Kristoff’s best friend, and she wanted to know him better.

He dug into his carrots and shrugged. “You know, I’ve been doing my best with him, but apparently you’re a much better Coronan teacher.”

Anna giggled, almost snorting the apple juice she was sipping from a straw.

“Don’t get me wrong. You’re not a better teacher than me or anything.”

“Of course not!” Anna agreed.

“It’s just that he’s not as motivated with me. I know it’s because of the sandwiches.”

Anna’s giggle twinkled, and a ray of sun came into the cafeteria, and Anna realized that Ahtohallan’s love shined on his smile. It filled her heart with joy that Kristoff had a friend like him.

“What’s your secret anyway? How do you make such a good sandwich that Kristoff brings it up at least once a day.”

Eugene plopped down next to Sven and Rapunzel sat on the table next to him. “What does Kristoff say once a day?”

“That Anna is really good at making sandwiches.”

“Oh yeah, he does bring that up like way more than necessary.”

As obnoxious as Eugene was, Anna was extremely grateful that at least he was still in her gym class. Of course, they had to listen to the taunts about how they were cheating on Rapunzel and how Eugene needed to watch out or Kristoff was going to punch him.

Anna knew the idea hadn’t even entered his mind. And Rapunzel was completely oblivious to anything anyone said about her. And a lot had been said when she started dating Eugene. Mostly people saying that he wasn’t good enough or she was “slumming it.” But from where Anna stood, Eugene was a wonderful person and he was completely smitten with Rapunzel. Eugene had a golden heart, just like her cousin, and they deserved each other.

“So!” Eugene slammed a flyer down on the table so the four of them could see. 

Kegger in the woods.

“We all know what Saturday is, yes?”

“Eugene!” Rapunzel said and tucked her pink cheeks into her hands.

He took her hand and looked into her eyes, “It’s this pretty lady’s birthday!”

Anna gushed internally at the way he said it. It was just so intimate and personal, and she was overwhelmed with happiness that Rapunzel had someone in her life that loved her as much as Anna loved Kristoff.

“Oh, hey!” Rapunzel said, jumping off the table.

She caught up with a girl wearing a wispy black sweater that grazed the ankles of her platform black boots. Anna smiled at the black bandana flopping over her bright purple pixie cut.

“Ok, guys!” Rapunzel announced. She had her arm hooked into the girl’s elbow. The girl’s expression was so stoic that Anna couldn’t even guess what she was thinking. But her eyes were adorned with a beautiful mix of green and purple that reminded her of the Northern Lights. And her face was sprinkled with tiny silver studs, the kinds of piercings that would easily overtake Anna’s face and make her look more awkward than she already felt in her own skin, but they were so neat and artistic on her. Anna was immediately in awe of the girl.

“So, this is Maleficent. She just got here from Arendelle yesterday.”

Anna’s eyebrows raised, but she forced her smile because she didn’t want Maleficent to feel unwelcome. But it was just a reminder to her that she hadn’t been to the refugee center in months, and she hadn’t seen her father for just as long.

“Maleficent,” Rapunzel said, “This is my cousin Anna, the one I was telling you about.”

Anna greeted her in Arendellian and invited her to over. Then Rapunzel made Eugene move so Maleficent could sit.

“Really?” he asked incredulously.

Rapunzel looked over her shoulder at him and said, “Be nice.”

He huffed and stepped onto a seat, placed his dirty combat boot in the middle of their table before jumping off and sitting next to Anna.

She looked at him slack-jawed and he suddenly looked up. “What?”

Then he sniffed and stole the bag of chips Rapunzel had just opened.

“Nothing,” they all said together.

“That’s my boyfriend!” Rapunzel said with a dramatic hair flip. Anna thought it was an odd moment to be proud of him, but Rapunzel was an odd duck.

Maleficent cackled in a way Anna could only describe as smoky.

“And this is Sven,” Anna gestured.

Sven held out her hand and she picked it up like a tissue she didn’t want to touch, but Sven went back to his carrots, unfazed.

“There’s one more of us, but he’s in time out right now.”

“Eugene!” Rapunzel and Sven shouted.

“What? We all know he’s a god-damn hero so I can make a joke.”

Anna blushed deeply. It was one thing for her to see him that way—because she did—but it moved her beyond words that his friends thought the same. Especially when everyone else took Hans’ side.

[whimper-whumpee]

I Loved You Like The Sun 2 - Training

When the order came down that she was being assigned to him, Achilles protested. It had been 2 months since he had rescued her and, while she was thankful to him, she was still absolutely terrified of what he was capable of and knew that she'd be nothing but a burden to him.

That didn't matter.

She moved barracks and ended up in a room on her own as there were no other women in this particular group. That also did nothing to assuage her anxiety. After unpacking her duffel and familiarizing herself with the room, she was to meet Holy and some others in the training yard. The hallways were twisting and long but she found her way there by following a pair of others on their way out.

One of them, a Scotsman by the sound of his accent, seemed to be talking about her to the tall quiet man beside him. “Aye, d’ya think Holy will go easy on ‘er? I know they have history…”

“Have you ever known that man to go easy on anyone?” The taller man replied in heavily accented English. “Besides, I wouldn't call it history. He merely did his job.”

“Sure, sure. It'll be interestin’ ta see how she holds up anyhow.”

—--

In the yard, there's several men gathered and chatting softly. She picks out Holy immediately. He's off to the side slightly, conversing with his head bowed to a man she actually recognizes. Captain Delphi. They both turn their heads as she joins the group and Achilles can feel the weight of those steely cool eyes on her.

“There she is. 4182s, this is Achilles. She'll be working with us for a while so be good to her. Achilles, welcome.” Delphi smiles lightly at her as the others nod their heads and introduce themselves. The captain proceeds to explain that they will be working in pairs today. ‘To brush up on hand-to-hand combat techniques’ and to get a feel for each other's strengths and weaknesses.

‘Oh joy…’ Achilles thought. Teams are made and Holy stands across from her a minute later, looming even in less gear than before. Without the carrier and the assault weapon, he is down to a black long sleeve shirt, dark tactical pants, and boots. The mask remained.

“Achilles.” He rumbles through the mask, eyes like winter tracking down her form and back up. “You recovered well.” He refers to the head injury. The woman nods back.

“Yeah mild concussion. No big deal… sir.”

“Not ‘sir’. Just Holy.”

She straightens her posture and waits. Holy cocks his head and his own posture loosens, hands flexing at his sides.

“You have much hand-to-hand experience?” He knows the answer. He read her file after he had extracted her. The woman frowns and shakes her head.

“Only the most basic. I wanted to learn more but haven't had the opportunity.”

“Lucky you.” Achilles stares at the man across from her, unable to read his tone but she doesn't miss the crinkling at the corners of his eyes. Smiling? Humor, at the very least.

“Why am I lucky?” She asks, copying his softer body language. In response, Holy crouches and brings his hands up towards his chest. His hands are loose and open but his gaze is focused.

“Cuz I'm one of the best.”

—---

Damn, he seriously was one of the best.

Achilles tries to control her breathing as she steps away from an attempted grab by the man. He doesn't even seem to be tired as he moves again, another heavy step forward with a fist aiming for her stomach. She moves to the side, but damn if he doesn't prove again that he is quicker than she thinks is possible. He meets her sidestep and pulls her to him by the front of her shirt, hooking a leg behind hers and dropping her to the floor.

The breath is driven from her lungs as the hit stuns her momentarily but she rolls away before Holy has a chance to drive a blow down and take the match. She stands shakily, fists coming back up but her body feels sluggish as she fights to breathe past the tightness in her chest.

“Good. Good! Keep moving. Your only advantage against me is your size. Use that.” Holy encourages, bolting forward and driving a kick at her knee. Achilles steps back, then moves into his space, hoping to set him off balance. Her shoulder brushes his ribs and she acts, wrapping her arms around his middle and trying to take him to the ground. For a second or two she can hear his heartbeat in her ears and it is so loud it almost distracts her.

“Do it.” The voice from the mask growls and she listens, slamming him back until he meets the ground. She holds him there, still trying to breathe deeper than the pattern of hyperventilation she is managing, and she feels rather than hears Holy laugh.

“Damn good, soldier. You're getting the hang of it.” Around them, cheers erupt and Achilles realizes that the rest of the unit was watching them. She unwinds her arms from around Holy's torso and slowly peels herself away from him. His hands catch her biceps, holding her and forcing her to look down at him. His eyes are gleaming and bright like fresh snow.

“Can you breathe?” He asks. The woman freezes, unsure how to answer. She takes a deep experimental breath and blows it out loudly.

“Think so.”

Holy holds a second or two longer, heat pouring off him in waves, before releasing her and sitting up. He stands before she can and once again offers a gloved hand to her. She takes it and he pulls her to her feet.

Achilles holds his gaze, trying to read the expression behind the dark mask, but he gives her nothing. If anything, his half-lidded eyes look bored. Not at all like they did while they sparred. It takes another full moment for Achilles to realize he's speaking.

“Soldier?”

“I'm sorry. What did you say?”

Now he does chuckle, a gritty harsh sound that makes his shoulders shake.

“I was saying we should work on this more another time. You have potential.”

She nods, realizing with a start that he is still holding her hand. She slides it from his and smiles.

“Thank you, Holy. I'd like that.”

She does not miss the way his pupils dilate just a bit as she says that. She tries not to think too much about it.

[waterfall-ambience]

You're too kind! I love hearing you talk about stuff, especially with Perpetua! xD

I was reading through Act 2 and the part in chapter seventeen was too cute, they are such dorks! Love their friendship! :]

If It's okay I want to ask some questions not from the prompt, feel free to ignore this if you don't want to because this will be a lot coming from me...

With Avery when did he know he was trans and how did he struggle with his gender? I know in the doc you wrote about him using they/them for a period and then going by he/him. In terms of gender and identity, how's Perpetua about it world-wise? (Hopefully, I worded that right I just mean in a worldbuilding sense if the place is accepting about people's identity and orientation though considering its literal captain is bi, I'd say yes? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

Question about Cap Luna and Damien, is there anything they do similarity-wise with habits and mannerisms? Also if anyone compared the two to each other, how would they react?

Hehe thank you for your kind message! I'm so glad Perpetua, in the form it's currently in, managed to bring at least one person some amount of joy :] Please, feel free to ask me any questions, give comments, feedback- anything! :D

Yeah, Perpetua is quite accepting of people’s identities! It’s been that way for most of its history, especially compared to the ‘outside world’. That’s not to say it never had any work to do or boundaries to push, but the guiding principles of being accepting and kind to others has served it well in the long-term.

(This was mostly a thing that emerged from Luna’s leadership and the circumstances that led to it. Edward was ambition and power before all else- Perpetua would’ve been very different had he remained as captain.)

With Avery, I imagine that he started feeling uncomfortable with the idea of growing up into a woman around the time he was going to hit/just hit puberty (so like, 8-9). Minerva hit puberty at around that age, so she was already preparing to give him the Talk about growing up and what that means. Other people started noticing that he was getting taller, but all-around he was getting more comments of how he was going to grow into ‘a fine young lady’ and he didn't know how to feel about it.

At the time, he was already considered to be ‘a bit of a tomboy’ but he hadn’t thought much about it. As far as anyone was concerned, he was just a little girl who liked swords and knights and ninjas and stuff. Minerva just assumed his discomfort was from a general fear of growing up, and she assured him that there wasn’t anything wrong with not doing ‘girly’ things.

He didn’t know how to resolve this for a while. After talking about his anxieties to his mother, some of Perpetua’s doctors and queer members, the Tan’s decided course of action was to give Avery puberty blockers until he was prepared to go through with it, with the option of giving him HRT once he’s older if he turned out to be trans. Perpetua was a safe space to experiment with gender identity, and with its resources, social and medical transition could be easy enough.

Avery spent some time as a GNC girl (‘maybe I’m just a tomboy!’, effectively changing nothing) and a nonbinary kid (‘maybe I like being seen as something else?’) until eventually realising that he just liked being seen as a boy. This was around the time Chapter 2 took place, though he didn’t start using he/him until a bit after the reading scene.

In regards to the medical transition side of things, I’m honestly not sure where Avery would be in the current arc. I want to say that he’s either just started HRT or will start in the next year or two. Perpetua plays by different rules than our world in that it’s much smaller + Avery can bypass the bureaucratic aspects of the modern healthcare system + transphobia is nowhere near as prevalent. However, from a meta perspective, there’s not a lot of information on starting HRT before the age of 16 (if anyone could link me to a study I would love to read it!), so I’m keeping that part ambiguous for now.

Similar Habits between Luna and Damien:

With these two, I don’t actually have a written-out list of habits that they share. Part of this is because despite what they believe, Damien isn’t really a clone of Luna. He was, at some point, now he’s much closer to being a copy of Augustin.

I try to treat them more like foils or parallel characters rather than extensions of each other. Because of drastic differences in age & circumstances, most of the similarities between them are more internal & personality-based than anything else (they’re kind, introspective, tend to blame themselves for things, feel their emotions very strongly, etc.).

From the habits and mannerisms that they do share, a lot of it is quite minor. They’re liable to pace back and forth / leg bounce when they’re nervous, they sit up straight around other people and hardly ever break eye contact in conversation. They roll their eyes like 🔄 rather than ↕️. When they find something they like (eg a product, an ice cream flavour, a specific way of doing things), they will stick to it, and are unlikely to try something different. They would listen to the same song / 2-3 songs on repeat for hours. They regularly crack their fingers, bathe every day, and have a tendency to smile whenever they’re uncomfortable.

However, since comparisons between both of them are inevitable, Luna’s reactions are rooted in a personal ‘goal’ to not get defensive about stuff. He’ll take the information calmly, perhaps laugh it off, ask for clarification and evaluate any new information + introspection before accepting/ politely rejecting the comment.

With Damien, his overall reactions aren’t too different, but he’s not great at remaining stoic so you WILL see it on his face. He probably won’t take offence (or, if he does, he plays it more as a joke), but he’s definitely going to internalise it for a while regardless if it’s a positive or negative comment.