#it is a good solid ending (I LOVED the choice I got to make it felt so good and in character- chef's kiss)

[moonveiltarot]

YES OR NO PICK A CARD TAROT READING

Think of your "yes or no" question and choose an image from above that you're drawn to. This is just a quick reading!

1 - 2 - 3

4 - 5 - 6

7 - 8 - 9

10-11-12

1. The Magician. I'm getting a yes from this card. You're currently manifesting whatever you asked about. Your practical and spiritual actions are in alignment with what you asked for. I'm assuming it's something you really want, in which case, you can absolutely achieve it.

2. Two of Wands. Yes. You're probably still in the planning stage or will be making a solid plan to move forward soon. You are on the right track, follow your intuition for each step. If you ever get nervous about making the wrong move, your guides are with you every step of the way. Mistakes are okay to make. They won't be detrimental to your plans or manifestations.

3. Seven of Wands. Not yet. Your defenses are up, but there are legitimate reasons for you to be guarded right now. Your spirit team want you to know that your struggles will be over soon and your blessing is right at the end of this difficult time. This is part of the manifestation. Inner work is being done now, as seven is the number of actively overcoming obstacles. You are going to succeed in this as long as you don't give up.

4. The Lovers Reversed. No. This decision is not in alignment with the path you want to go down. If you are having negative thoughts, they are not in alignment with your higher purpose and are throwing you off guard. If this is a potential love interest, avoid canoodling of any kind. Just because there is chemistry and a vibe that only you two feel does not make this person your soul mate or twin flame. They are likely not a good option for you right now or they may not be available. If you're inquiring about a person, you don't know enough about them to assume they'd be a good match. You need to avoid this for now. The Page of Pentacles popped up as well, so take your time and look at this practically. Get grounded and think about this choice or person realistically.

5. The Lovers. Yes. You can firmly make this decision. If you are of two minds, spirit is urging you to take the path you are most drawn to intuitively. I saw the Two of Swords a moment ago flip over with this card. Some of you need to make a decision now or spirit will assign you one to put you in alignment with your goals. Seriously make this choice and stick to it, don't doubt yourself. Your intuition is correct. Whichever path you take is going to lead you to where you want to go. (This deck has 4 lovers cards and I got the NB lovers for this pile, so you may be NB or it's just a gender neutral card for spirit's message to reach whoever it is intended to).

6. The Devil reversed. Yes, but there is some healing to do. You seem to be making the right choices and aligning with your true purpose, which is the life you choose to live. You are overcoming an addiction, bad habit, abusive behavior or completing a karmic cycle. Your path ahead is one of healing and recovery, but it's worth it. Good job making such a strong decision! Your spirit team is proud of you and happy for you.

7. 6 of Cups. Yes. Your inner child is happy about this, go for it! It may not seem very grown up to others, but if it brings you joy and delight, go for it. Everyone else can shove off, to be honest. This is for you and your happiness. Go ahead and indulge. If it's about love, yes, someone is coming back or reuniting with you and it will feel so good. It could also involve a childhood home, family or an inheritance. Regardless, whatever your question was … the answer is yes!

8. Strength. YES! You can handle whatever you inquired about or choose to take on here soon. You are able to do this with dignity and grace. I can see you making it look effortless, even if there were a lot of options or some confusing circumstances. You are going to get through whatever difficult times you are facing coming up, if there are any.

9. Justice. Yes!! Justice and balance are returning. Did you ask if you're pretty? The answer is yes, you are symmetrical or harmonious in terms of facial features and aesthetics. You look very pleasant. Your mannerisms and behaviors are enjoyable too. If you asked about a situation that needs to play out and you wonder if it will go in your favor, justice tells us that the scales will be karmically balanced. You saw what you saw, you heard what you heard. You aren't crazy, that really happened. I felt like that last part needed to be on here for some reason … were you gaslit a lot about something?

10. Eight of Wands. Yes. Whatever you asked about is moving along quickly or will arrive soon. I'm seeing someone on a motorcycle in my mind. Confirmation? It's arriving quickly and there's a sense of excitement. Are you waiting for a package? It's definitely going to arrive. If it's communication or something, it may be brief, but it will happen.

11. The Hanged Man. Not yet. You need to see things from a new perspective, most likely another person's. See from their point of view. After that, you can really think the situation through. Maybe turn to your crystals or tarot for more guidance. I felt like a couple of you might need to hear that to nudge you in the right direction. Meditation may help to clear your mind too. Try to be emotionally balanced in this situation as you view things from their perspective. Your guides love you and want you to be understanding of the other person. Eventually, this will be a yes.

12. King of Swords. Yes. Think logically and be decisive about this matter. You probably already are and just needed this nudge in the right direction. In which case, yes, you have a practical and logical response or person or thing in mind. Your strategy is working and will continue to do so. I heard “Keep your cards close to your chest.” Don't stray from your path, keep to your strategy and you will succeed. Just keep others out of it. No sharing details or being bold about it. Real Gangstas move in silence …

That's all for this reading! Thanks for checking in. Keep in mind that your own thoughts, beliefs, intentions and actions shift the energy surrounding you and your situation. Things may change moment to moment, so check back in from time to time to see how things have changed. Tarot is just an “energy-check-in” tool, it isn't meant to be set in stone. If you ever get a reading you don't like, it's an opportunity to reassess your current vibe and realign with your intentions.

[rivilu]

ok I think. ill make. my Mahariel and Hawke in the char creator. for funsies. before I have a crisis. Weeee

[strwberri-milk]

Hello 👋. May I request for our LADS men's reaction if we give them a mini plushie version of ourselves for company? (and maybe we have a mini plushie version of them). Like when Xavi runs off on his own or when Zayne is busy or when We're too busy to visit Rafa or when we can't meet Sylus. 🤭. Sorry I'm too sad that I can't get Zayne's card so I'm hunting all the fluff I can find and I don't know what type of finance ruining shenanigans are they throwing for his bday

good luck solider i was there during the rafayel apocalypse and thank god i got a job to pay back that hole in my wallet

Zayne didn't know what to make of the little plush that appeared on his desk after you visited him one day. He couldn't help but laugh as he realised how close it looked to you, smiling to himself when he sends you a picture of it.

You text back immediately, asking him if he likes the fact that he has a little version of you to keep him company. He's busy trying to figure out when you had the time do all of this when you send him another photo of yourself holding a tiny Zayne plushie, telling him that you didn't want to be left alone either for his overnights.

The entire ordeal has him admiring just how adorable you are. He can't believe how lucky he is to have found you, texting you a thank you as he makes sure the plush of you has a safe spot on his desk.

Xavier didn't quite know what to do when he was presented with a little plushie version of yourself. His first thought was to keep you safe in his pocket but he was worried you'd fall out while he was fighting.

He ends up finding a safe space in his home to keep it and when he goes to work he keeps it with a small bag of his other things for the office. He won't take it to the field in worries of losing the plush you gave to him. He protects it the way he does you which you find totally adorable.

Rafayel absolutely adores the little thing you give him. He loves it so much that he takes it everywhere with him. Whenever he gets bored from painting or inspired to he starts making new outfits for the plush. The plush ends up amassing a wardrobe you think is a little too intensive for a stuffed toy but Rafayel makes sure you don't miss out by buying you new clothes too. You have caught him dozing off with it on multiple occasions if you take too long to visit him and you never have the heart to take it away from him.

Sylus doesn't really know what to do with it. In his opinion he'd have a much better time with the real deal but you tell him that you can't always be by his side so this is a much better substitute. He tries to tell you again that he'd just come and find you but you aren't having any of it, telling him to consider the plush an extension of you.

When you say it like that he decides he has no choice but to make sure the plush of you is treated just as well as he treats you. He doesn't spoil it by any means but whenever you see it you find that it's tidy and pristine, sitting carefully on a higher shelf to avoid being knocked down but coincidentally at a perfect height for him to reach.

[shabbytigers]

good thing i didn’t know about the DLAB, the U.S. military foreign language aptitude test, till now. had i acquired that information at a plausible age, i might very well have ended up working for mfucking Defense because this is the greatest test in the world. look at it!

first of all this is gold. it’s hands down the funnest kind of question i’ve ever seen. are there prep books. does it have a name i can use to scour the internet for puzzles

but what’s amazing is that it’s authentically fucked up. janky, if you will. like, i think i can see what choices are the best of those provided, but they do not feel like great, lucid, this-is-so-obvious-now-that-i’ve-thought-it-through, rock solid answers. they feel more like, okay i’m def lost in the rain forest but yeah me and my machete are gonna head in this direction. this, uh, can you call four instances and two tentatives a corpus? this dataset is a goddamn mess. i love it. i said “authentically” because tbh that’s pretty much the flavor of the feeling i have wading chest deep into one of the trickier thickets in a real existing foreign language, albeit one with fewer actual cryptids

—

we’re dealing with wo/wohin/woher prepositions in German and it’s an overt swamp; there’s a desultory table but they obviously got demoralized and punted. drilling a lot of examples—gehen zum Arzt, sein beim Arzt, kommen vom Arzt—may be better than trying to decide rationally, in the middle of a sentence, whether the Kino is more of a building or an activity.

the feeling i get wondering why they chose a skull, specifically, for farkila in this DLAB sample question is very akin to the feeling i get about … look

if a German cat sits on a table, the table is in dative—die Katze springt auf dem Tisch—because the cat is immobile, so it’s answering a where question

if the cat jumps onto the table—auf den Tisch—it’s in accusative, because it’s answering a where-to question

but if the cat jumps off the table, that’s a where-from question, and requires dative. vom [= von dem] Tisch. this is true even though there’s motion involved, and I was told not a month ago that motion = accusative, no motion = dative, using wo and wohin examples. now that woher is here the entire fucking heuristic is broken and i feel gaslighted. how can it be that jumping onto X is accusative but jumping off X is dative?

well, they say, it’s von. von always takes dative.

ok great, two rules in conflict, i’m supposed to just know which one wins, this is like what if order of operations in arithmetic but worse

furthermoar, why vom and not aus dem? onto = auf. on = auf. off (of) = von. feels messy. also, the cat is literally still in midair, so why isn’t this like coming out of the supermarket (physically exiting it) vs coming (to some not immediately proximate place) from the supermarket? well, it’s just different, they say. it would be aus if the cat was jumping out of a container like a cardboard box. but this is a flat surface so it’s von. hope this helps

o yes thank u that helps. i am definitely going to vom

it’s not that much palpably better than farkilam jankov? it makes a kind of unsatisfactory spot sense, if you wrestle assiduously through each example and get to ask annoying questions, but like. The System Is Bad

[snowysosturn]

Allies or Affiliates? - Chris Sturniolo Part 3

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8

Pairing : Y/n x Chris Sturniolo

Summary : Law student Y/n’s life takes a turn when she reconnects with Chris, her brief teenage flame who is now a dealer for a dangerous Boston drug gang. As their bond reignites, Y/n is drawn into Chris’s tumultuous world, where rival gangs clash and loyalty is everything. Balancing her love for Chris with her own ambitions, can their connection survive the chaos that threatens to pull them apart?

Warnings : MDNI, mentions of drugs, mentions of court, mentions of shootings

Chris’s POV

It was early Saturday morning when Nate showed up at my place in Somerville, looking like he hadn’t slept a minute. He’d just been let go from the police station after being kept overnight. I could tell from the way his eyes darted around that he was still a little on edge. It wasn’t the first time Nate had found himself in trouble, but this was different. Getting arrested for carrying too much weed while being tied up with our crew was a whole new level of risky.

Nate and I were both part of the Crimson Cartel, a gang deeply embedded in Boston’s streets. His family had been involved for as long as I could remember, and his cousin Danny was one of the big players. I got pulled into it all because of Nate - our friendship was solid, and when he joined, it wasn’t long before I did too.��

“Got a joint, bro?”  Nate asked, his eyes already scanning the kitchen for one.

I laughed. “Seriously? You just got back from being arrested for possession, and you want to smoke up?”

“Hell yeah. What else am I gonna do?” He shrugged like it was no big deal.

I liked the occasional joint. It helped take the edge off, helped me relax when things got too hectic. But that was it - just weed, nothing harder. I knew where to draw the line. Sure, I sold drugs, but I didn’t get involved with any of the other shit. That was strictly for the older guys in the Crimson Cartel. Those were the ones who handled the hits, the intimidation, the gruesome work. They had been in the game for years, hardened by it. Nate and I, we were different.

We were the youngest in the gang - Me being 21, and Nate just 20, everyone else was 30+. We’d been involved since we were 16 & 17. Our job was simple: handle the drug runs, get the product from one place to another. No blood on our hands, no breaking bones or taking lives. It was a clean line, or at least that’s what I told myself. I wasn’t in this for the violence. Hell, I wasn’t even in this by choice, one bad decision snowballed, and now this was my life. My family freaked the fuck out when they found out. Kicked me out, didn’t want anything to do with me. That’s how I ended up living with my uncle Jerry, just trying to get by. I guess it helped having an uncle who liked to smoke too.

Just sell it – that’s what I kept reminding myself. I was good at it. I didn’t have to hurt anyone. I didn’t have to be like the older guys who let the gang swallow them whole. I wasn’t a thug, and I wasn’t going to become one. That’s how I stayed sane in all this.

The older guys in the cartel, though – they didn’t think like that. For them, it wasn’t just about the money. It was about power, about making a name for themselves on the streets of Boston. Nate and I didn’t fit into that. We were runners, sure, but we kept ourselves out of the violent shit. Nate had a reckless streak growing up, especially when he was with his cousin Danny, but even he didn’t want to cross that line.

Still, the older we got, the harder it became to stay in our lane. The more we were around, the more they expected from us. Every time I handed off a package, there was always this nagging feeling that eventually, they’d want more. Nate and I had managed to avoid that side of the cartel for now, but I knew it wouldn’t last forever. There’s only so long you can run drugs before they start pulling you deeper in.

The truth was, this life had a way of blurring those lines. Sure, I wasn’t involved in any hits, but I was part of the same machine that funded them. Every deal I made, every bag I handed off, it all contributed to something bigger, something more dangerous. As much as I tried to keep myself at arm’s length from the bloodshed, I was still part of the problem. And deep down, I knew it. But I had to keep telling myself that it was different. That I was different. As long as I stayed on the edges of it, as long as I kept my head down and just did the runs, I wouldn’t have to cross that line. I wouldn’t have to become like Vince or Danny or any of the others who’d let the cartel define them.

We headed out the side gate of my bungalow and settled into the backyard. It was chilly, but the kind of brisk Boston morning you get used to. I pulled out a joint, lit it up, and handed it over as Nate slouched back into one of the old chairs. As he took a deep drag, I asked, “So, what the hell happened?”

He exhaled slowly, the smoke curling up into the air. “Man, it was a mess. I was out helping Danny and Sully with a run. You know, just moving some weight, nothing crazy. But then Danny got a call, said one of the big guys from H Block was back in town, and he couldn’t let that slide.”

I nodded, knowing all too well how territorial things had gotten lately between us and H Block.

“So, next thing I know, we’re driving down Charles Street, street was silent as fuck not a sinner on the place. I’d just smoked a joint and was high as hell when Danny starts shooting. I panicked when the shots went off and I hopped out the car. The car took off, and I was stuck there like a damn fool.”

I couldn’t help but shake my head. “You didn’t try to get back in?”

“Nah, man. They were gone, and I freaked out. I didn’t want to stick around a crime scene, so I ran. Ended up at the Public Garden trying to blend in, but it’s October so I’m sat there freezing my ass off. Eventually, I had to leave, but cops were swarming everywhere and I’m still high as fuck so of course, I run into them.”

I laughed a little at the irony, but it quickly faded when he said, “They nailed me for carrying more than the legal amount of weed and suspicion of selling. And there’s already whispers about me being involved in the shooting. If that gets out, I’m screwed.”

“Jesus, Nate. So, what happens now?” I asked, taking the joint back from him.

“I’ve got until Monday to figure things out. That’s when my court appearance is.” Nate said, leaning back in his chair as though he wasn’t too worried.

I took a deep breath. “So, less than 48 hours?”

He nodded, eyes half lidded as the weed hit him. “Yeah, but my record’s clean. It’s the first time I’ve ever been caught with anything, so I should get off light. Worst case? A fine and some community service. I doubt they’ll throw me in jail.”

I passed the joint back to him. “And they don’t have anything solid linking you to the hit?”

“Not yet, I mean from what I remember no one else was around.” he said, exhaling smoke. “But you know how it is. If they start digging, anything could come up.”

I sat there, processing everything. Nate was right, he might be fine, but there was always the chance the cops would sniff out something worse. “You want me to do anything?”

“Yeah, actually” he said, rubbing his hands together. “I’m supposed to do a run in Roxbury tomorrow, but with the heat on me, I need to lay low. Can you cover it?”

I thought about it for a second. It wasn’t like I had anything better to do. “Yeah, I’ll take care of it.”

Nate nodded, looking relieved. He gave me the address, and I pulled out my phone to type it into my notes app. As I did, I noticed a drop down notification that made me freeze.

“@y/ny/l/n2 liked your photo.”

I blinked, staring at the screen. Y/n Y/l/n? It had been years since I’d heard that name. Curious, I clicked the notification, but by the time the app loaded, it was gone. There was no mention of her like, no new activity on the post. Weird.

Nate noticed I was distracted. “What’s up?”

“Nothing, just.. an old name popped up,” I said, pocketing my phone.

“Old girl?” he teased, a grin forming on his face.

“Something like that” I muttered, still thinking about Y/n. I hadn’t seen or talked to her in years, but I couldn’t deny that her name stirred something in me. We had a brief thing back in 2018, nothing too serious, but I always had a soft spot for her.

Nate eventually decided to head home, needing some rest after his long night in the station. I waved him off, but my thoughts kept drifting back to Y/n. What was she up to these days? Was she still in Boston? Why did she like my post after all this time? What made her look at my Instagram?

That night, I went over everything for the run tomorrow, making sure I had everything in place. But no matter how much I tried to focus, I couldn’t stop thinking about Y/n.

She was one of those girls who left a mark on you, no matter how brief things had been. And even though it had been years, I couldn’t help but wonder what seeing her again might be like.

Monday came faster than I expected, and I found myself standing outside the Boston Municipal Court with Nate. He looked calm, or at least as calm as he could be given the situation. But I knew better. Nate always tried to play it cool, even when he was freaking out on the inside.

We hadn’t talked much since Saturday, and I could tell the nerves were starting to hit him now. His foot tapped restlessly on the courthouse steps as we waited for his case to be called. The morning air was crisp, the fall chill creeping in, and it wasn’t helping either of us settle.

“You’ll be fine” I muttered, trying to reassure him.

He gave me a tight smile. “Yeah, let’s hope so. Just gotta get through this.”

When they finally called Nate’s name, we both stood, making our way inside. The courtroom was filled with the usual mix of people – lawyers, family members, defendants. Everyone there for one reason or another, all waiting for their fate to be decided. As much as Nate tried to shrug it off, this was serious. The rumors about the hit on Charles Street were swirling, and we both knew if they got any real evidence, he was screwed.

Nate’s lawyer made a decent argument – first-time offense, clean record, no solid evidence tying him to anything worse than possession. They dragged it out longer than I thought they would, but in the end, the judge gave his ruling.

“A charitable donation of $2,000 and 50 hours of community service” the judge announced, his voice echoing through the courtroom. “Additionally, Mr. Doe, you are expected to refrain from any drug-related activities for the next 12 months. Any violation of this order will result in harsher consequences.”

The words were like a weight being lifted off Nate’s shoulders. He was let off easy. I knew he’d be able to pay the fine without blinking, and the community service? It was nothing. But the whole “refrain from drug-related activities” part? That was funny. We both knew that wasn’t happening. Nate just had to make sure he didn’t get caught.

As soon as the court was adjourned, I felt the tension drain out of me. Nate’s future was safe, for now. I clapped him on the back as we left the courtroom. “See? Not so bad.”

Nate grinned, shaking his head. “Yeah, man, I guess I got lucky.”

But even though things had turned out okay, I needed to get out of there. The courtroom felt too small, too confined. I needed air, space to think, and to breathe. I left as fast as I could, practically jogging out of the courthouse doors and into the cool October breeze. It hit me like a wave, and I inhaled deeply, trying to clear my head.

That’s when I saw her.

The most strikingly beautiful girl I’d seen in years. A face that was hard to forget. Something in my chest tightened as I watched her walk across the courtyard, almost in slow motion. She was looking down at her phone, completely unaware of my presence.

And then it hit me. I knew that girl.

Wait–Y/n?

The same Y/n I hadn’t seen since 2018. The same Y/n who had been on my mind all weekend after that weird Instagram notification.

My feet were frozen in place, and for a second, I felt like time had stopped. There she was, standing just a few feet away, as if fate had decided to throw us back together after all these years.

Y/n.

What the hell were the odds?

I didn’t know if I should walk up to her or just keep my distance, but before I could make a decision, she looked up from her phone and our eyes locked. My heart skipped a beat.

There was no avoiding it now.

Y/n’s Pov

"Y/n?" His voice was deeper than I remembered, smooth yet surprised.

I blinked, still in awe of how good looking he still was. He had that same disheveled charm, the messy brown hair, sharp jawline, and those piercing eyes that always seemed to see right through me. Only now, he was taller, broader. He had grown into himself, and it was impossible to ignore.

"Chris" I breathed, trying to act casual but failing miserably. "Wow, it’s been a while."

"It really has" he said with that signature smirk of his. "It’s nice to see you. You look great."

I could feel my cheeks heating up. "Thanks. You too."

We stood there for a moment, just taking each other in. It was surreal, seeing him after all these years. I didn’t even know what to say or where to start.

"So.. what are you doing here?" I asked, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

He chuckled lightly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Nate got into a bit of trouble, as you probably saw in there. I’m just here to support him."

"Right" I nodded, still trying to wrap my head around everything. Chris and Nate, in court. A few years ago, I never would’ve pictured it, well maybe Nate but not so much Chris.

"How’s life treating you?" he said, eyes scanning me in that way that made my heart flutter. 

"It’s good, actually. Just finishing up a big project for college. Still getting used to all the work, but I like it."

He nodded, his gaze softening. "I’m glad to hear it. You always had your head on straight."

Before I could respond, Nate appeared, walking up to us with his usual nonchalance. He looked at Chris first, then at me, a flicker of recognition passing across his face.

"I’ll wait for you in the car, man" Nate said, slapping Chris on the back before giving me a nod. "Nice seeing you."

I returned the gesture, watching as Nate sauntered off. It was so strange, seeing both of them like this. Nate barely glanced back, disappearing down the steps toward the parking lot. My eyes flicked back to Chris, who was still watching me with that familiar intensity.

"We should hang out sometime" he said, almost casually, but there was something more to it.

My stomach did a flip. "Yeah, that would be nice."

Chris smiled, a genuine one that sent my pulse racing again. "You’re still living in Beacon Hill, right?"

I shook my head. "No, we moved once I started college. My parents wanted a bigger house in a quieter area, so we’re out in Brookline now."

He nodded, while giving me a soft smirk. "That’s cool. I’ve still got you on Instagram. I’ll shoot you a message, and we can figure something out."

The casual mention of Instagram made my face burn. He definitely saw the notification. I could feel the heat rising up my neck. But if he knew, he didn’t say anything. He just gave me that same charming smile, one that felt all too familiar.

"Yeah, sounds good" I mumbled, trying to keep my cool.

With one last glance, he gave me a quick nod before turning to leave. I watched as he walked away, feeling the blood rush to my face. The way he moved, the effortless confidence — it all hit me at once.

Chris was back in my life, just like that. And somehow, it felt like things were about to get a lot more complicated.

a/n: first chris povvvv

taglist: @mattybearnard @sturn-33 @ncm9696 @yourfavsturniologirl @crazy4jewel @sodakid1234 @stupendoustreewinner @lovealwayssturniolos @matthewsturniolosss @m4ttsmunch @loveexxx @ilusa @starkeyszn @wonnieeluvvr @dylnblue @valxrieq @maggot3647 @cigarettecemetary @ribread03 @chrisstvrns @bandasaruswrx @noplaceissafeanymore @amexiass @witchofthehour @mattssgf @jetaimevous @v33angel @ivysturnss @urmom69lol @ashlishes @watercolorskyy @sturnioloshottiekay @amelia-sturniolo3 @imjusthereforthesturniolosmut @pvssychicken @alizestvrnss @lvrsturniolo @slutniolo @spaghetti835928383 @marrykisskilled @sturnsxplr-25 @bxtchboy69

[thef1diary]

For Danny Ric! I'm so exited! Fluff 1, Promt 8. I think a debate over the music playing on the car radio would be great. I love Danny's roadtrip vibes.

Road Trip | D. Ricciardo

prompt: friendly debates that quickly end with them laughing at how ridiculous it was

wc: 700+

masterlist 3k celebration

© thef1diary 2024. all rights reserved. Do not copy, steal, translate, or repost any of my work

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You're on a road trip with Daniel, cruising down a scenic highway with the windows rolled down, the wind tousling your hair. Daniel's driving, one hand on the wheel and the other resting on your thigh. The sky is a perfect blue, dotted with fluffy white clouds, and the road ahead is open and inviting. The landscape rushes by in a blur of greens and browns as he drives a little over the speed limit, the hum of the wind providing a soothing background noise.

"Okay, music," you declare, reaching for your phone.

Daniel raises an eyebrow, a playful smirk tugging at his lips. "Wait a second, I'm the one driving. Driver gets to choose music right?"

You chuckle, shaking your head. "I know you're used to driving alone, but the unwritten rule of road trips is passenger has the aux control."

"Oh really?" he challenges, glancing at you with mock seriousness. "I think the driver needs the tunes to stay focused."

"Yeah, well, the passenger needs to keep the driver entertained," you retort, connecting your phone to the aux.

Daniel lets out a dramatic sigh, rolling his eyes in exaggerated exasperation. "I'm the one doing all the work here, steering us safely to our destination. That means I should choose the songs too."

You cross your arms, feigning stubbornness. "That makes no sense, Danny. I'm the one keeping you company, making sure you don't fall asleep at the wheel."

He scoffs, "with your choice of songs, I will definitely fall asleep at the wheel."

You gasp, holding your phone close to your chest. "I could say the same about your taste. You listen to country music."

"Don't disrespect good ol' tunes, darling. You just want to play that one song on repeat," he stated, glancing at you and flashing a grin.

"It's a great song!" you insist, mirroring his grin.

"Great for making me doze off," he teases, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Come on, you know my playlist is solid. It's got everything we need for a perfect road trip," he adds, slightly squeezing your thigh.

You become too aware of his hand resting on your thigh, and in the heat of your debate, you move it away, earning a frown from him.

"Sure, if we want to turn this into a country-western saga," you retorted, unable to suppress a smile. "Besides, variety is necessary. We can't be stuck listening to the same kind of songs for hours."

Daniel laughs, his hand finding his way back on your thigh as he gives in. "Fine, fine, let's settle this. Name a song that's a must for any road trip."

You both throw out suggestions, each defending your choices with increasing passion. The debate grows more animated as you argue over the best songs to keep you both entertained and awake. Daniel insists on the classics he loves, especially since it's a countryside road trip, while you disagreed, encouraging other artists. Back and forth you banter, poking fun at the other's taste in music, even though it wasn't a serious issue.

Finally, you realize how absurd the argument is and burst out laughing simultaneously.

"This is ridiculous," you manage to say between giggles. "We're debating over who plays the songs."

"Exactly," Daniel agrees, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye that slipped out while laughing. "We're wasting time when we could've been enjoying some good music."

"Alright, how about we compromise?" you suggest, still chuckling. "We alternate between our songs."

"Deal," he agrees, extending a hand for a shake while steering with the other.

You clasp his hand, nodding formally as you seal the agreement. Daniel takes the first pick, choosing a song he enjoys. As the familiar beats fill the car, you cover your ears playfully, but the smile on your face tells him it's all in jest. You both sing along, creating your own little concert on wheels.

When the song ends, you take your turn, choosing a track that's currently your favourite. Daniel groans, having heard the song too many times to count, but he can't resist singing along with you. The rest of the drive is filled with a perfect mix of your favorite songs. Even though you both complain every time the other picks a song, you still sing along to each one, enjoying every moment.

▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄

taglist: @nikfigueiredo @wonnou @jointhehunt67 @gxuh @67-angelofthelordme-67 @kigieri @lochnoch @llando4norris @monsieurbacteria6 @namgification @lilymurphy03 @sargeantdumbass @hiireadstuff @racingheartsposts @d3kstar @namjoonswaifu @thedecalcomania-blog @casperlikej @khaylin27 @mlioravanfleet @mehrmonga @wobblymug @bokutos-babyowl @chilling-seavey

[silent-sanctum]

Your last fics tearing my hearts apart😭😭Anyways may I request jotaro kujo with a pregnant s/o? He probably would be defensive like that time when Holly got the fever

Ah yes! We have another 2-for-1 special! But let's make it a list of headcanons to switch things up 😉This one's for @lolsandlmaos and anon, and let me just say, yes; I love writing wholesome dadtaro content and I'm glad the audience likes some wholesome dadtaro content too. So, hope you enjoy! ♡

Before I start, can we all just silently agree that Jotaro really just wanted a family of his own canonically?

Think about it, we know he isn't the type to sleep around at random. What if the man wanted what his grandparents had and live a life without the Stand bs? The fact he found somebody and had a kid with her tells us that he tried to make it work, but we know that it didn't as we see in the series.

"I've always cherished you"

He wanted that life. He wanted to be a good father to his daughter. But he couldn't because of the family curse.

Anyways! Let's forget the canon for a moment and delve into some wholesome headcanons!

When he first heard the news, he was pleasantly surprised that he couldn't speak for a solid minute. He simply stared at you with wide eyes and stunned silence.

Later that day, the man is glued to your side holding you in his arms and he's uncharacteristically showing affection: He's nuzzling your neck, planting kisses wherever he could, gently swaying you back and forth, and most importantly, he's often caressing your flat tummy.

Now that's done with, Jotaro's already gone into Papa Wolf mode as early as the first weeks

He knows he isn't the sunny Golden Retriever type of guy like his grandfather or great-grandfather, so he isn't naturally attuned to being a first-time dad. Lowkey, he's anxious he might end up as a shitty husband in the process.

But what he does know is that he loves to research, is adaptable, and is a quick learner

He begins to visit the nearby library and study "maternal and child care". Then proceeds to go over what to do for each trimester, he studies proper diet and eating patterns for pregnant partners, and studiously digests a whole book's worth of "How to be a Good Father".

Being in this mode also means he naturally becomes protective of you. He makes sure that he has time for you and your needs. Want to go anywhere out of the house? He'll be accompanying you there. No doubt.

If anyone even remotely makes a rude remark about you, Star Platinum has already punched their teeth out.

If you thought Jotaro couldn't cook, then think again because when his partner is pregnant, you bet your ass that he'll learn how to cook faster than you expected him to.

At first, he's still working on the basics like knowing what ingredients and kitchen paraphernalia should be used. He has a recipe book or two propped up for him to skim over and study. He even calls Holly for cooking tutorials when he feels like he's hit a learning slump. His mother has already booked a ticket to your place and immediately teaches her son numerous cooking lessons

Weeks later, you're surprised that Jotaro has become a natural in the kitchen, being able to dish out your favorites with seemingly no issue. It turns out that while Jotaro did most of the work, he had Star assist him with the "finer" stuff (i.e. measurements, cutting, etc.)

Suffice it to say, he takes pride in himself that he can now make you smile with his newfound talent.

Then there are the cravings. Of course, when you ask him to buy the most random food combinations, Jotaro would simply say "okay" and buy them anyway, as long as the food choices weren't harmful to you and the baby. He'd also give you food even if you asked him in the ass crack of morning.

Anything to make you happy after all

When it comes to building the nursery, Jotaro leaves you to do the interior designing and aesthetic choices since he's shit at that. But when the furniture arrives in their boxes, then it's time for him to step in and does all the arranging, moving, and assembling for you. Have a planned layout? He'll follow them. Want the walls painted a certain color? No problem.

After you planned everything out and he finished his tasks, the nursery ended up being marine-themed with all the pastel blues and aquatic decor like sea animal plushies, a shell lamp, glow-in-the-dark fish wall stickers, and more bringing life to the place.

Remember when I said he'd do work, yeah he'll do the work. House husband style. He'll do the chores and let you rest, grumpily insisting you sit and relax when you try to convince him that you can do the lighter tasks.

From time to time, when both of you aren't doing anything, Jotaro would occasionally turn to your round stomach and reach forward to caress it, blushing as he does so.

Then a kick happens and the man's fully attuned to you in awe. On the outside, he's still a calm dude but deep down, he's so excited that the baby responded to his touch. You ended up scooting closer to him, seeking cuddles while he reciprocates as he still continues to stroke your tummy.

Jotaro, at this point in his life, has the patience of a monk towards his loved ones, so when the mommy mood swings kick in, he is more than ready to adapt to your every emotional breakdown even if he's just going to be there to either take it, calm you, or comfort you in silence

That also includes the part where you become horny. Of course, he'll be gentler with you during this time of your pregnancy, but he can't help but include a few rough bucks of his hip when he's about to go off the edge.

Other times, just touching you can help ease that heightened libido

He'll immediately drive you to the hospital once your water breaks. He'll wait with you throughout labor, hoping his soft caresses are enough to make up for his lack of comforting words. At times, Star will come out to help him distract you from the contractions.

He'd pace around outside the delivery room, anxious with his mind already overthinking what bad could happen to you and the baby. It's a good thing Holly is there to help reassure her son that his wife and child would be okay.

When Jotaro finally gets to visit, his eyes land on the swaddled little one in her tiny crib stationed beside your bed. He beelines straight to it and pauses in complete awe at the tiny baby cooing before him.

You can't help but giggle as your husband's eyes start to water as he gingerly reaches down to pick up his newborn daughter. He's still in awe, completely fixated on baby Jolyne.

Then after he sits down on the chair by your bedside, he brings his index to touch her and his heart skips a beat when the baby grasps it with her whole hand.

And the waterworks are broken and he ends up leaning against your side while you nuzzle against him as he tries to regain composure from tearing up so much from seeing and feeling his bundle of joy.

Admittedly, Jotaro is scared about whether he'd do a good job being a father, but to both you and himself, he promises that he'll do his damn best.

[envy-of-the-apple]

I cant stop thinking about mafia boss suguru constantly changing plans for reader on the fly everytime he meets her since the DAY HE MET YOU IN PERSON

I just feel like he is because i kept thinking back on reader's fumble at suguru's meeting and making her sit on his lap, that's just an out of pocket thing to do to your employee(especially if youre turning a blind eye to him and his tame advancements) and my brain got out of hand with its assumptions every moment suguru decides what to do with reader

I mean it would be a cute (twisted)romance when he mentioned doing his background check with apathy then when he met you for real he never expected a barrage of feelings he felt for you, so originally he would pimp you out, but in you go to do office work instead because youre mine or rather ours now, and then proceeded to do an impressive feat of lightning quick decisions that luckily tips to his favor, like your confrontation with your father's aggrieved enemies and was presented with fool proof of an opportunity to have a solid future with you(im fuming he just let that dude go and let men from rivaling groups vex us!)

As much as premeditated machinations go, lucky bastard suguru is unironically funny and brushing with your father's enemy feels like a moment he never anticipated?? Idk, that part cemented what my brain is cooking of him

Would you ever consider dropping another part for suguru's pov? I really wanna know at what point he fell for reader(and i wanna know what hes thinking when reader said "just for one night 🥺")

omg seeing this in my inbox was such a treat! I love it when yall get analytical.

What can I say? Suguru is an opportunist, he's sadistic enough to let you get bullied and tossed around a little, just so you can plead and cry so prettily in his arms. If if makes you feel any better, Suguru was keeping a close eye on the men who crashed Miss Gem's apartment, and made sure you weren't there to get hurt. He just wanted to scare you enough to coax you into his arms lololol. So many people theorized that he was the one who orchestrated it, (he didn't, suguru hates getting his hands dirty). How could he have known that letting that man get away would cause this domino effect? If anything he and his husband are the good guys for giving you a refuge for such a low price.

Omg the love at first sight trope is so funny for Suguru. Buuut if you reread the fic again you might find that's not exactly what happened:).

I really like the way this ended so I probably wont be making a part two or anything in suguru's pov. buut to answer your last question suguru was definitely nodding along but in his head he was going 'right like we're ever letting you go after this'.

After all, it wasn't really a choice. But for your sake, he made you think you had one. See, he really does love you;)

[afro-hispwriter]

The French Mistake was a mistake

Dean Winchester/Jensen Ackles x reader

Soulless Sam x reader(brief mention)

Summary- Dean is starting to believe you and him aren't meant to be in any universe

Warnings- 6x15(doesn’t follow it completely), mentions of suicide, mentions of being admitted to a facility, break ups, so much angst, mentions of anna, lisa, and ben, dean is a asshole lowkey(in the situation at least)

Not edited

-

Sam and Dean burst through the window and landed on a blue mat but before they could stand up someones yelled,

"CUT!" Bells rang, clapping, and whole bunch of talking started. The brothers looked around, Balthazar was gone and that's when the confusion started.

 "Great solid fall." Someone slapped Deans ass making him jump.

"Jared, Jensen outstanding. That was just great!" Said a old man in a chair and from behind a kid started speaking nonsense.

"Supernatural, scene one, "Echo." Take one, tail slate. Marker." And closed one of those movie boxes.

"So no angels?" Sam says.

"No angels, I think."

"Should we be killing anybody?"

"I don't think so."

"Running?"

"Where?"

Sam and Dean looked at the group of guys sitting around tv screens all talking. Then one yells "Moving on" and lights start turning on.

"Thats a wrap on Jared and Jensen." 

"Who the hell are-?"

It went by quick after that. Dean got dragged up to makeup stations and got the makeup he didn't think he had on him. Sam got dragged into an interview he had no idea how to answer.

They met up again, settling on being sent to another universe where they are actors who play Sam and Dean. They walked out of the building and the sight of Baby gave Dean a huge smile. But he watched a guy throw stuff over it and saw a whole bunch of Baby's. 

"Im gonna be sick." Dean says and starts to back away.

"We need Cas." Sam says and Dean tries to do some sort of "prayer"  but that was short lived when they spotted the man. 

That ended up being fake too. Cas' name in this universe was Misha. Misha? They kept walking around the lot until they saw the trailer that said "J. Ackles." 

"Thats fake me." Dean says and pointed at himself.

"Yeah." 

"This mist be fake mine." They walked in and Dean was instantly in awe. The fish tank and the freaking helicopter. Dean looked around the trailer and noticed a framed picture on a table. It was of fake him and a woman with brownish red hair. Maybe his sister? But the picture looked a little too intimate to be that.

It made him think of you. You left the team after the showdown with Lucifer. But he couldn't blame you. He hurt you, deeply. From Lisa, all the way too Anna. He really did like you but his connection too Anna was too great. And Lisa, Lisa and him are good. He loves her and he loves Ben. But every once in a while his mind would drift off to you, wondering what you were up too.

It was a dick move. Sam called him out on it, as did Bobby and Ellen. 

All this thought of you made him want to see if you were in the universe. Sam was typing away on fake his computer.

"Hey Sammy, I want to check something." Dean says and takes the laptop and plops on the couch. He starts typing in your name.

Y/n L/n Supernatural 

Pictures of you popped up, along with a description of your character. And again the bottom in the little box there were drop down choices with answers.

Why did Y/n Carter leave Supernatural?

Why did Dean and Y/n break up?

Do Y/n and Sam get together? 

That made Deans eyebrows furrow. Why would you and Sam ever get together? But he immediately groaned. When Sam was still soulless he apparently went to go see you, wherever you were. Because apparently Sam and Bobby were the only one to know where you went. He then proceeded to heavily dropped hints that he slept with you. It had taken everything for Dean not to beat up his soulless baby brother. 

Y/n Carter must be your name in this universe. Ironic how fake you and real you share the same first name. He clicked on the option that said why you left the show.

It was released that she left the show due to personal reasons but fans speculate it has something to do with her ex of 7 years Jensen Ackles(who plays Dean Winchester aka her love interest), leaving her and marrying a now former mutual friend, Daneel Harris now Daneel Harris-Ackles. 

"Holy shit" Dean mumbled, "Im a dick here too." 

"Whats wrong?"

"I looked up Y/n, wanted too know what she was up to. Apparently im an asshole here too." He passed the computer to Sam and he started reading. 

“At least you’re aware.” Sam mumbled and Dean shot him a look. “Huh seems like you guys broke up in this universe just after dad died in ours and she left the show around the time our Y/n left us." 

"You know where she is and wont tell me." Dean says with a slight glare.

"She doesn't want you too know, and for good reasons." Sam says.

"We need to find a way to get back to our universe." Dean says and looks over at the framed picture of fake him and the woman. It gave him a great unease. 

-

After trying to drive fake Baby. Sam and Dean just settled on getting driven to 'Jared's place as they should say. Fake Sam had a huge house, a freaking mansion. Dean noticed a tanning bed and opened it. 

"What am I Dracula?" Sam asks and shakes his head. Dean walked over to the large curtains as he heard animals making noises.

"Dude you have a freaking camal in your backyard."

"It's an alpaca, dumbass." A familiar woman's voice made them whip around. A woman at the top of the stairs, wearing a short black dress. 

"Ruby?" Dean looks at the woman is shock and she scoffs. 

"Gen, who is it?" The next voice that popped up was so sweet but sounded tired. Another woman appeared behind fake Ruby, dean let his eyes trail over her figure before his breath hitched.

"Y/n." He breathed out and took a step forward. He watched you swallow harshly all the way from where he was. You looked so beautiful, beautiful in every universe it seems. 

"G-Gen." you shakily said and grabbed her hand. "You said he wasn't going to be here."

"I know honey, I told a certain someone not to let another certain someone into the house even though I thought I didn't have to worry about it." Fake Ruby said all of that while glaring at Sam which made him shrink back. 

"I can't be here." You let her go and start to rush down the stairs. 

"Y/n wait let me talk to Jared and I'll take you back to your hotel room."

"Y/n." Dean walked towards you as you made it to the bottom of the stairs. "Hey." It had been more than a year since he last saw you, at least the real you. 

"Hey? Thats all you had to say after you admitted me to a fucking psych ward!? Dean took a step back and you took a step forward. "Got me written off the rest of 5?" You shoved your finger into his chest "You didn't even bother to visit me!" You shoved him fully this time.

This must have been what the internet was talking about.

“I-I-.” Dean tried to think of something to say but he was blank.

“Oh now you don’t have anything to say. Nothing about this being good for me, that everything is going to go back to normal after I get it. News flash Jensen, nothing worked. Fuck! WHY DIDNT YOU JUST LET ME DIE?” You screamed and shoved him hard making him almost fall back. 

“Okay Y/n honey go wait in the car.” Gen grabbed you by your arms and guided you to the door. 

“Fuck you Jensen, I wish I never fucking met you.” Gen opened the door for you and the boys watched fake Ruby watch you go to the car. She took in a deep breath before whipping around to the two boys. 

“Seriously Jensen, nothing you couldn’t say anything too her? Do you know what this could do to her?” Dean bit his lip and wiped his eye with the back of his hand. “Crying, you’re crying? Jesus I don’t want to see you talking to her outside of work, you’ve ruined my friend for the rest of her life.” 

Dean looked down at his shoes in shame and it felt weird too. This wasn’t his life, so why was it affecting him this much?

“And you.” Fake Ruby looks at Sam. “We’ll talk later.” She walks up to him and wraps a hand around his neck and pulls him down to her lips. He didn’t kiss her back, the shock of the whole thing has Sam stumped. She pulled away and let out a disappointed sigh before walking about of the house. 

It was quite for a mom between them. 

“Sammy we need to go home now.” Dean says, it was so quite Sam almost didn’t catch it. He didn’t sound like Dean.

“Dean, you okay?” He watched his brother bring bath hands up and wipe his eyes before turning around.

“Im going too stop asking you about her from now on.” He says and Sam cocks his head.

“About Y/n? Dean what’s happening in this universe, is nothing compared to what was happening back home.” 

“No you don’t understand! This just proved that me and Y/n don’t work, in any universe.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Yes I do. Fake me left her first another woman after 7 years Sammy. And I left her for a woman who ended up wanting to ruin us. And them I didn’t even try to go after her after you disappeared, like you told me too. Im fucked up Sam, its better this way for her.” 

“Dean don’t say that-.”

“Sammy please, let’s just find a way back.”

-

A/n- if people want it, planning on making more about dean x reader, but the Jensen situation in this one… there is no coming back from that kinf of situation.  so no. But I have a big plan for Deans, I really hope people want more and want too know about it😁Feedback appreciated, I will love you forever

[felassan]

Snippets from shinobi602, cut for length.

Comment made after the character trailer, before the gameplay reveal:

"I know I sound like a broken record at this point but I'd really wait for the gameplay footage before writing it off. I agree that the tone of the trailer isn't how I would have personally revealed the game lol. But it's definitely a mature story...(with classic DA humor of course) I think people will come around when they see it in motion." [source]

Comment made before the gameplay reveal:

"I just got a sneak peak at the gameplay being shown on Tuesday. A small sample, but enough to get a good taste. It feels like a much better Inquisition to me. Absolutely not Fortnite or Overwatch." [source]

Comment made before the gameplay reveal:

User: "Maybe this gameplay showcase is going to show us all the character creator options, the RPG mechanics and skill trees, the expansive dialogue choices you can make, the minute to minute gameplay and how the world works." Shinobi: "You won't get all of that. But it's a solid chunk. This is just the first step in a long several months ahead. They have to save stuff for more beats down the road too or else you run out of gas lol." [source]

Comment made before the gameplay reveal:

User: "Very excited to see a glimpse into that for the gameplay reveal, hoping the game's beginning is as memorable as the other entries" Shinobi: "It is a massive boost in quality for the series. I'm not talking art style or anything, but just in terms of sheer quality and technical fidelity. Really hard to keep my tongue bitten lol, but I'm excited to see what everyone thinks tomorrow." [source]

Comment made after the gameplay reveal was teased:

"Yup, that's what it looks like, but there's so much more goodness. Looks amazing imo." [source]

Comment made before the gameplay reveal:

"it feels like the ME2 of Dragon Age." [source]

Comment made before the gameplay reveal:

"Oh just wait. The hair tech is phenomenal in this. Even I was thinking "aye is this a Bioware game!?" lol." [source]

Comment made before the gameplay reveal:

"They look different but to be honest the more you see them, the more you get used to it. I love the way Harding looks now. It's more stylized, but also a huge boost in technical fidelity in Frostbite." [source]

Comment made after the gameplay reveal, before the press who saw the demos at SGF shared about what they saw:

"Pretty much every person I've talked to across a dozen different media outlets, ~95%'ish, has walked out of the private demo sessions with glowing praise." [source]

-

"I don't mean there aren't any open ended areas to explore. But it's a tight game, with a focus on not wasting the player's time with bloat. They took a lot of that feedback from Inquisition." [source] [re: the game not being open world in design]

-

One preview from a large outlet basically boils down to 'Bioware is back'. [source]

-

"I'm optimistic. From conversations I've had, they are genuinely serious in trying to make a Bioware classic here. They do not want a repeat of Andromeda or Anthem. I can only go based off what I've heard obviously - haven't played it. We all have our opinions on the combat, but they learned a lot of hard lessons since Inquisition, taken a lot of feedback to heart, and want this to feel like that tight, structured high quality experience we used to get from them. Andromeda and Anthem came in hot at launch. I felt some warning signs before those came out, but here? Right now they're just polishing. It's all polish from here to release. I'm really hoping this is the start of their return to form. That team's been through a lot, I hope it works out for the best." [source]

-

User: "I think there certainly is a decent contingent of legitimate dissatisfaction or concern around the game, but I'm not sure that that's an overwhelming segment, but I do think it's something BioWare in EA should not and cannot ignore." Shinobi: "They've definitely taken notice. There's a lot more to show between now and launch." [source]

-

"One thing I'm particularly happy about and can't get over is how much better the hair rendering is. It might be a small thing to some but it looks incredible. It's in another stratosphere compared to DAI." [source]

-

"Everyone in the previews was gushing about how robust the CC is in Veilguard so there might be a decent chance to make some wild Qunari designs." [source]

On the Next Mass Effect:

"ME will look very, very good. Don't worry." [source]

[clarisse0o]

Camp Wiegman-Part 52

Lucy Bronze x Ona Batlle

Alternative Universe : Military School

Words : 6k

Masterlist

———————————————————————-

Saturday, February 13th; 5:00 PM - Hotel

When I challenged Lucy, I expected many things, but certainly not for her to let loose like she did. She’s usually so calm that she caught me completely off guard. Let’s just say I won’t be making the mistake of challenging her again, especially when it comes to vehicles. I’ve never felt so awful during a ride. The jolts along the way were so intense that I stumbled when I finally - finally - got back on solid ground. Lucy chuckled and grabbed my shoulders.

“Easy, babe. Are you okay?”

“Oh, misery…”

Nausea hit me, but I closed my eyes to push it away. I couldn’t even be mad at her for making fun of me because the scene must have been hilarious. I had been teasing her all afternoon about it, so I guess I deserved it. Lucy didn’t say anything, though. She waited for a moment for me to catch my breath before helping me take off my helmet. That gesture did me a world of good. I could finally take the breath of fresh air I’d been missing. I looked up at Lucy, who had a sly smile behind her helmet. Unlike me, she stayed on the snowmobile, waiting for Beth to return with the receptionist to open the hangar. I would have stayed on it too, but I was just too weak. I playfully hit her arm and replied:

“You’re making fun of me! That’s really mean,” I pouted.

“Sorry, baby, but you gave me free rein, remember?” she defended herself. “I expected you to handle some thrills if you were going to provoke me.”

“I can handle it!” I protested. “You were the one zigzagging the whole way down!”

“You’re exaggerating,” she teased. “Just admit you can’t handle anything.”

“That’s not true.”

Lucy laughed when I turned my head away and crossed my arms. I’m the first to love a good thrill, but this time, it was really too much for me. Between the speed, the turns, and the sheer drops… I thought we’d end up in the ravine more than once. I snapped out of my thoughts when Lucy brushed a few stray strands of hair behind my ear.

“I’m really sorry. I tend to lose myself when I’m driving,” she confessed with a small smile.

How could I be mad at her when she looked at me like that? I understood well that she loves all kinds of vehicles. Just look at her garage with her Audi and her motorcycle. I doubt the snowmobile is the only other thing she knows how to drive.

“No more snowmobiles for the week, huh?” she teased.

“I didn’t say that,” I mumbled, relaxing my arms.

“Then I’m saying it. I don’t want you getting sick because of me.”

“That’s not it. You just surprised me.”

“We’ll see. There are plenty of other activities here anyway. We’ll have other things to do.”

“Hmm… I’ll wait for you inside,” I said as I saw Beth return and the girls waiting for me.

They were clearly mocking me, laughing and pointing fingers. After all, I spent most of the return trip screaming and clinging desperately to Lucy.

“I’ll be quick,” Lucy said, catching my attention. “See you in a bit.”

“See you.”

She winked at me before revving the snowmobile’s engine. I smiled and shook my head as I watched her leave. I really need to remember that she loves anything with a motor. It would make a great gift one day. I didn’t linger and walked toward Alexia and Mapi, who had moved closer to the entrance. They teased me all the way inside, even though I had just managed to calm down. I’d like to see them in my place! They didn’t seem to realize how awful it was. The warmth of the lobby made me sigh with relief. It enveloped me immediately. I took off my gloves and jacket, which had started to feel cumbersome. I’m not used to wearing so many clothes. Since we spent the whole afternoon wandering around the village, I didn’t have much choice. We started with a café, then wandered around some souvenir shops and admired the architecture. It was a good day. We had a lot of fun, but I’m glad to be back. The cold was starting to freeze me, and truth be told, I’m exhausted from all the walking.

“Everything went well?” the young receptionist asked us as we arrived.

“Yeah, we had a blast,” Mapi replied. “Especially the return trip, right, Ona?” she giggled, nudging me.

“Ha, ha, ha!” I rolled my eyes.

This story is going to follow me for a long time, it seems. I had told Lucy she didn’t know how to let loose. She sure proved me wrong. She knows exactly how to do it. She even agreed to race the others on the way back. We won, arriving at least two full minutes ahead. No wonder I ended up in this state. The girls continued chatting with the young receptionist, recounting our day. He glanced at me a few times, while I kept an eye out for my girlfriend. He should have realized I’m taken by the way Lucy asserted herself last night. I had never seen her like that before. Speaking of her, I smiled when I saw her coming in with Jenni, laughing together. She stopped to smile at me when she noticed me.

“Did you finish putting everything away?” I asked when they reached us.

“Yeah. We’ve got some time before dinner, so I thought we could go for a swim.”

My eyes lit up, and I nodded immediately. She smiled, understanding. I had mentioned it this morning, but she wasn’t keen on going tonight. Either I was wrong, or she just wants to make me happy. If it’s the latter, I can only thank her. Given how sore my muscles are and my recent emotional rollercoaster, it’s exactly what I need to relax. I hope the pool is heated, though. I’m not a fan of cold water.

“Oh yes! Great idea,” Mapi chimed in.

“We didn’t say you were invited,” Lucy replied, raising an eyebrow.

“Well, I don’t need an invitation. As far as I know, the pool is open to all hotel guests,” she retorted proudly.

I groaned quietly and rolled my eyes at Lucy, who stood in front of me. What’s her problem today? Is she going to keep this up much longer, keeping me away from Lucy? Everyone understood that we wanted to spend time together during this trip, except her. That was the first thing I told Alexia back at school, and she wasn’t bothered at all. She intended to do the same with Jenni since they didn’t see each other much. I glanced at her, who seemed to be smirking discreetly. As if that wasn’t enough, Mapi started calling out to Ingrid and the others who had just walked in, announcing that we’d all meet at the pool in fifteen minutes. Lucy chuckled and finally put her arm around my shoulders.

“Well, I guess we’ll see you later.”

“Yeah, see you soon,” Jenni smiled.

I let Lucy guide me, completely frustrated with my best friend for ruining such a promising plan. I exploded as soon as the elevator doors closed on us.

“How dare she invite everyone? Didn’t she get that we wanted to be alone? Why aren’t you reacting? Doesn’t this bother you at all?” I ranted.

“Relax,” she said calmly.

“Relax?! How can you be so calm? We were already apart all afternoon because of her! I really wanted that moment alone to end the day…” I complained.

Lucy chuckled and pulled me closer to her. I sighed and snuggled into her. I don’t understand Mapi on this one. It was like she was doing it on purpose. She already dragged Alexia and me around all afternoon at every opportunity. It felt more like an afternoon with friends than with couples. It was great because the girls were finally getting to know each other face-to-face, which made me happy. I’m the first to want them to get along, and it looks like we’re off to a good start with all the laughter we shared this afternoon. However, all I’m dreaming of now is being in my girlfriend’s arms.

“Who said we’d stay with them?”

“Well, you heard her,” I mumbled. “She invited everyone!”

"I reserved a private jacuzzi for us, baby."

"What... a jacuzzi?" I repeated, a mix of confusion and excitement in my voice.

"Mmhmm," she smiled. "Jenni and Alexia teased me because they knew about it. I booked it this morning after you mentioned wanting one. Mapi won't find us if we head down before everyone else."

"Oh my God! You're amazing. What are you waiting for then? Let's not waste any time!"

She laughed as I pulled her towards the door of our room. I've never gotten ready so quickly. I put on my swimsuit and followed Lucy’s lead, slipping on a pair of flip-flops and the robe the hotel provided. We each grabbed a towel before heading back down to the basement. There, I discovered a spa and pool area I hadn’t seen before. We walked through the glass door, and I was thrilled not to see anyone from our group. We weren’t alone, of course, but there was no one we knew.

"It’s beautiful," I whispered.

The hotel had made sure the place felt incredibly relaxing, at least that’s how it felt to me. There were sounds of nature playing softly in the background. The floors and walls were covered in smooth stone, and I could even feel a slight warmth beneath my feet. I had no doubt the floor was heated, contributing to the cozy atmosphere of the hallway. I was almost tempted to touch the ground with my bare foot to check, but Lucy pulled me out of my thoughts before I could.

"Follow me," she murmured.

I took her hand as she led me down the long corridor. We stopped in front of a window overlooking the pool. It was surrounded by large windows that opened onto an outdoor terrace, now slowly being covered by snow. The staff member had warned us this morning that it would start snowing in the evening, and he was right. We had planned to go out into the city tonight, but I suppose those plans might change.

"Are you coming?" she whispered. "The jacuzzi is a little further."

"Do you know this place by heart?" I giggled.

"Let’s just say I’ve had the chance to explore it before."

It’s true, she had been here before. I wondered who she had been with... But before I could think further, she led me to a room a bit farther from the pool. A staff member warmly greeted us in front of this wooden door.

"Hello. One of you must be Lucy Bronze?"

"In the flesh," my girlfriend replied, showing our room key.

The young woman nodded kindly, I guess the key was proof of her identity.

"Great," she smiled. "Here’s your private room. There’s a button inside if you need anything."

"Thank you very much."

"Have a wonderful evening."

The woman discreetly disappeared after opening the door. I was the first to step into the room, which was just as soothing and cozy... We were welcomed by dimmed lights, creating an almost sensual ambiance. Lucy closed the door behind us as I walked toward the jacuzzi, which was partially sunk into the floor, emitting soft, changing colors. I smiled as Lucy gently pulled the robe off my shoulders. I untied the knot at the front to let her slide it off completely. When I turned around, I saw that hers was already hanging on a hook on the wall, and mine quickly joined it on the other. I took off my flip-flops and dipped my foot into the steaming hot water, suppressing a moan that almost escaped. I could already tell I was going to enjoy this moment if we had it all to ourselves.

"Do you think anyone will join us?"

"No. No one will know where we are."

"Yes. But you said Jenni and Ale know."

"True, but even though they know, they won’t know which door we’re behind. There are other rooms like this one," she explained. "I doubt they’ll go around opening all of them, and I don’t think they’ll tell the others."

I smiled and nodded. She really does think of everything. If there’s anyone I trust with keeping things discreet, it’s Alexia and Jenni. They must understand how precious privacy is. Besides, the jacuzzi is way too small. It could only fit one other couple at most.

"Who knows. Mapi might try. We should probably lock the door to be sure."

"Ingrid won’t let her," she reassured me. "So, are you going to get in, or are you just going to keep dipping your toes?" she teased.

I bit my lip as I felt her hands settle on my bare hips. I pulled my foot out to remove my other flip-flop, then decided to slip into the water with her support. The hot water immediately relaxed my muscles. I let myself fall heavily onto one of the seats. Lucy chuckled lightly as she got in beside me. Her goddess-like body disappeared beneath the water as she sat down, sighing in satisfaction as she stretched out her arms and leaned her head back. I smiled as I watched her. Finally, we were alone, in a completely unexpected setting. A moment passed before she broke the silence.

"What are you thinking about?"

Her words were barely a whisper. How could she know I was deep in thought when her eyes were still closed? A smile appeared on her lips as she lowered her head to meet my confused expression.

"You’re too quiet not to be thinking," she explained.

I tried to hide my blush by turning my head away. It’s disconcerting how well she knows me.

"Am I making you blush?" she teased.

"Idiot," I laughed, playfully hitting her arm.

I took a deep breath before straddling her in a sudden burst of confidence. I needed to feel her bare skin against mine. Her body tensed for a moment, clearly not expecting that. I’ve been pushing her away too much lately. She gently placed her hands on my waist, caressing me with her thumbs.

"Hey," she murmured.

"Hey..."

I buried my face in her neck, trying to hide. Bad idea, as the waves from the bubbles splashed onto my face. I groaned, wiping away the water. Lucy chuckled, wrapping her arms around me, pulling me closer. There wasn’t a mirror to see myself, but I could imagine my makeup must have run. I should have taken it off in our room like I had planned. I ran my fingers under my eyes, trying to remove what I could. I placed my hands on her shoulders, unsure where else to put them. We gazed at each other for a moment before she leaned in to kiss me softly. I closed my eyes, savoring this gesture that had been rare today. We had been together without really being together, so I missed her lips. The girls were wrong when they said I was addicted to Lucy a month ago. I was just starting to become so, and it’s been growing day by day since we’ve been together. I can’t deny it anymore. She’s become my new addiction, one I can’t do without. It’s much better than what I used to take. As if reading my mind, she gently teased my lips with her tongue, deepening the kiss. I granted her access, letting her take full control so she could convey all her passion. We regrettably parted when we ran out of breath. She smiled softly, letting one hand trace along the back of my neck. I was glad I had thought to tie my hair back earlier. Her touch sent a shiver through me from head to toe. The quiet made me realize that the music from the hallway had followed us here.

"Did you enjoy the day?"

"Yeah... It was really fun."

"Sorry for shaking you up a bit too much on the way back. I hope you’ve recovered."

"It was just... unexpected. I didn’t know you could be so... I don’t even know how to say it."

"So playful? So fun, or maybe so willing to accept a challenge?"

"Yeah. All of that, I suppose," I giggled. "I mean, you’re usually so serious. It’s almost like you scold me when I have too much fun."

"Hey, I’ve never lectured you about that."

"Yes, you have," I chuckled. "When I used to go to parties."

"That was different," she sighed. "Parties don’t mean ‘fun’ for everyone. They were dangerous, and I was worried about you. If I was harsh about it, it was because we were rarely on the same page."

"I’m sorry for bringing it up again..."

"No, you were right to mention it. We might as well clear the air."

"Well... in that case, I admit you were right. It was dangerous for me... And it’s cute that you cared about me."

Her expression softened as I spoke. She probably thought I was going to argue with her again, but I couldn’t do that. She was absolutely right. I was just a lost kid before I met her. I had nothing left to lose, so I was throwing my life away. That’s not the case anymore. I have her. She means everything to me. She smiled back, tightening her hold around me.

"I’ll always worry about you..."

"You’re really too sweet," I murmured, nuzzling into her neck.

I've never been someone who liked expressing my feelings. Yet, everything is different with Lucy. I intend to show her that she's the one and only, over and over again. I'd be willing to do a lot for those beautiful eyes of hers, especially after everything she's done for me. She makes me strong.

"Hey...?" I murmured.

"Hmm?"

"Can we talk about next week?" I asked nervously, playing with the elastic of her swimsuit.

"What do you want to talk about? What we can do with your brother?"

"No... Actually, I’ve changed my mind. But only if you agree, of course."

She looked at me curiously. I didn’t want to share my thoughts too late, so she’d have time to consider them. I wasn’t sure if she’d like the change, but I hoped deep down that she would accept it.

"What do you mean by 'changed your mind'? You don’t want your brother to come anymore?"

"No, I mean... actually, I’d prefer if we went back to Barcelona, rather than having him come here," I said, biting my lip.

She looked at me for a moment before taking a deep breath, her fingers gently tracing patterns on my back. She seemed to be considering my request, which was already a good sign. Finally, she smiled and tilted her head slightly.

"What’s going through your mind that makes you want that?" she asked with her adorable smile. "I thought you didn’t like going back home anymore."

I shrugged thoughtfully. The only weekend she had accompanied me was amazing. If we went back, it would be slightly different with my mother and Marcus there, but I didn’t doubt that it would still be great. My thoughts were interrupted when she surprised me with a kiss on the nose. I smiled at her shyly.

"Don’t be afraid to talk to me, Ona," she encouraged.

I took a deep breath and nodded. If there’s one thing I don’t feel anymore when confiding in her, it’s embarrassment—depending on the topic, of course. We’ve reached a point where I have nothing left to hide from her anyway. She knows everything about me, and yet she’s still here, as she’s always told me.

"I feel like my mom really likes you," I began. "It’s like, for once, I made the right decision for her... I think that... Actually, I’m sure that you’re the person who could help rebuild the bond between us."

"You’ve always wanted to reconcile with her, haven’t you?"

"I-I don’t really know, to be honest..."

"And if you explain to me what happened between you two? I know it’s been tense, but you never told me why."

"I couldn’t even tell you when it started," I sighed.

"I thought it was since you moved to Barcelona ?"

"No, it was long before that..."

"Really? I thought she was just absent when you were in Portugal ?"

"That was the problem. She wasn’t there, and my dad was. We became very close. Sometimes, I wonder if it was because of me that they separated."

"Why would they? You know, you were young, and kids often don’t understand adults' decisions at the time."

"I overheard them one night. I might have been a kid, but I understood the gist of their conversation. It was just a few weeks before they told me about their separation..."

I hate thinking back to that night. My parents never knew I had woken up and overheard them behind the door. Their conversation upset me for a long time. Lucy tightened her hold on me, reminding me of her presence and unwavering support.

"What were they saying?" she gently encouraged me to continue.

"They were arguing about me. I... I was really the center of their dispute. My mom was never around, and my dad let me do whatever I wanted when he got back from his missions because he was so happy to see me."

"I see... They disagreed on how to raise you, if I understand correctly."

"My dad always defended me. I was his little girl, after all. My mom thought he spoiled me too much..."

"And did he?"

"No. When we were alone and I messed up, he didn’t hesitate to be fair and give me advice afterward. It was a bit like with you when we first met, but my mom didn’t know that. I still don’t understand why my dad didn’t defend himself that night. He could have, but he didn’t even try to stop her when she talked about her job offer in Miami. It was like everything was already over between them."

"Sweetheart, you have no reason to feel guilty about this. Like I said before, your parents probably had their own issues that you weren’t aware of. It’s possible they no longer had feelings for each other, and you were the reason they stayed together as long as they did. That happens a lot in married couples."

"Maybe you’re right," I murmured. "In any case, going home after what happened with Feli was the only time I felt like I had my mom’s attention. I noticed how worried she was about me, but I couldn’t trust her. It was... I don’t know. There was so much history. I couldn’t just let her back into my life with a snap of my fingers, no matter what I had gone through and how much support I needed."

"That’s normal... You were never close, and she hurt you a lot. But she’s still your mom. You have every right to want to reconcile with her. From what I understand, all you ever really wanted was her attention, right?"

I sighed and cuddled up to Lucy, nodding. She was right, as always. There was a long time when I wanted to make her proud of me by becoming the daughter she wanted me to be. She wanted me to succeed like her. But starting our new life together, I quickly realized we didn’t know each other and had no affection for one another. She didn’t even know my food preferences. My motivation crumbled when I discovered Marcus’s identity at twelve years old. I was devastated that she could replace my dad. It felt like betrayal to me. I completely shut down. The only things that saved me were Sophia’s presence, who had just come into my life, and my stays with my dad. He was the first to tell me I should accept this new relationship. I’ve always wondered about his reaction. Did he know? Was that why my mom wanted to leave? After all, my mom was from Barcelona, just like Marcus. They must have known each other before. And he was in the military before joining the Police. For all I know, my dad might have known him too. He was always very friendly with him, the few times they met.

"What are you thinking about now?"

I looked up at Lucy. It seemed like she hadn’t missed a single thought of mine the entire time.

"It doesn’t matter," I murmured. "So, about my idea to go home?"

She looked at me for a moment, as if she was hesitating to say something. After thinking it over, she finally spoke.

"I’d love for us to go back to Barcelona next week, but I’ve already got something planned... An appointment, actually."

"Oh?"

"Do you remember what I told your mom about your future?"

"About the possibility of continuing my studies?"

"Yeah. The gallery director wants to meet you. I didn’t want to tell you so I could surprise you... But anyway... I managed to get you an appointment with him next Tuesday."

"Oh..."

"Yeah, 'oh'," she repeated, giggling.

"Is that why you insisted on hosting Joan only at the end of the week?"

"Yeah," she smiled. "But if you really want to go, we can. It just means canceling an appointment that you might not be able to reschedule. Otherwise, we could go at the end of the week instead of bringing Joan, but there's no guarantee."

"And why not?"

"Well... who’s to say this man wouldn’t want to see you again?"

"You think he’d want to see me again?"

"Who knows," she smiled. "If you make a good impression, he probably would."

"You’re right... And what if it doesn’t go well? There’s a good chance of that, right? Why would he be interested in a kid like me? I mean, I’m in a private school for troubled youth. If he finds out, I’m doomed."

"Hey, relax. Seriously, do you hear yourself?" she chuckled. "Troubled youth, really? »

- "Well, it's true! I had addiction problems. If I hadn't met you, who knows how I might have ended up."

- "See, that's exactly why I wanted to tell you at the last moment. If it were up to me, I wouldn’t have said anything until the meeting, just to avoid you panicking."

- "I’m not panicking," I pouted.

- "Yes, you are," she smiled. "You lack confidence, so you doubt everything. He knows where you are. If he didn’t want to meet you, you wouldn’t have gotten an appointment, trust me."

- "Really? I’m surprised. You told him!? You were in contact with him?"

- "I was in contact with him, and yes, I had to tell him. He wouldn’t waste his time if he wasn’t interested in you, baby, I assure you. It’s a big gallery, which is even more interesting for you."

- "Do you really think I have a chance...? I never considered enrolling in a higher school before today. In fact, I wanted to do the complete opposite of what my mother had planned for me."

She sighed heavily, running her hand along my neck. I bit my lip, thinking I probably shouldn’t have brought it up again. A small smile formed on her lips as she tilted her head.

- "Your mother always wanted the best for you. You’ll understand that one day when you have your own children. If she pushed you into medicine like her, it’s because she thought it was a safe career since she succeeded."

I was about to respond, but she stopped me by placing a finger on my lips.

- "I’m not saying she was right. I believe a parent shouldn’t force their child to do something they don’t want to. She should have advised and supported you, but certainly not forced you. It’s your life. Everyone has the right to live their dreams, even if it means they might fall on their face afterward. Remember that when you become a mother."

- "When that happens, you’ll be by my side to remind me."

- "I hope so," she smiled.

- "In any case, my father understood that. He did exactly what you just said. I think his death and my leaving home opened my mother’s eyes. She became different toward me after the incident with Feli. For the first time, she wanted to take care of me... It was so strange."

- "And you let her?"

- "I... Yes and no... I was in a bad state when I returned, Luce," I admitted to her. "I isolated myself most of the time. The only people I allowed into my room were my mother, Mapi, Joan, and Sophia. I didn’t even sleep at night. The only time I could sleep was when Mapi slept with me, and even then. She would come to see me every day and spend hours in my room because, for a long time, neither Marcus, Sam, nor any other person could get within five meters of me..."

Lucy, who usually hides her emotions so well, couldn’t do so at that moment. I wished she didn’t know about this, but if we were going to spend our lives together, she had a right to know what kind of person she was agreeing to live with.

- "I went through real trauma," I continued. "It took me three months to leave my room. Six months to accept the presence of an other person in the same room as me. The first one I was able to talk to was Sam, which is why our friendship became even stronger than before."

Once again, I could see the surprise in her eyes. No one outside the people who were around me at home knew about this. It was a real ordeal I had to overcome when I returned. Seeing where I am now, I wonder how I managed it in just one year. I still struggle to trust people, even though it’s much better now. I can see how pained Lucy is. She tries to speak, but I cut her off, continuing my monologue. If I don’t do it now, I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to say it again.

- "My mother wanted me to see someone, but I categorically refused. She granted me that, but in return, she forced me to go to rehab for six months, allowing me to come home every day. She wanted me to be in contact with people who had gone through similar stories, or even worse."

- "That was actually a good idea..." she murmured. "Did it help?"

- "I resisted the idea for a long time, but yes. Deep down, being in contact with others helped me open up again in a way. I managed to find my humanity, even though I remained cautious about everything."

- "You hid it very well. I mean, I pushed you so hard when we met. I saw you as a bold girl, though I quickly understood that you had a painful past... But even now, I didn’t think you were so deeply affected by it."

- "You were a woman, and I knew what I was getting into when I came to Camp Wiegman. I expected to meet someone like you, and I was prepared to resist you at all costs," I admitted to her.

- "Did your mother never force you to press charges against Feli?"

I bit my lip, lowering my head. Of course, she wanted me to press charges. However, I was too mentally and physically affected to do it. I stayed honest and nodded.

- "Yes... She built a case with lots of evidence, but I never had the courage to go through with it."

I dreaded her reaction to this new information. We had argued about it in Spain. I had even told her I would do it in the heat of the moment. She didn’t respond, but everything was clear from her expression.

- "Lucy..." I said apprehensively.

- "No, don’t talk to me like that. What’s holding you back, Ona? Really, I don’t understand you. You have everything you need to get revenge for all the harm she’s done to you, and you do nothing. So what? What are your reasons this time? Don’t tell me you still care for her or anything like that after everything you’ve just told me. You’re terrified of her ! I’ve seen it with my own eyes, countless times."

What was supposed to be a relaxed moment had turned into a nightmare. I wanted to flee, but she held me too firmly around the waist for me to slip off her lap. I hate arguing, but that’s what’s going to happen again if I don’t find a coherent answer. What can I possibly say to her? I’ve been living like this for more than a year and a half. I sighed, playing with a strand of her hair.

- "I... I don’t care about taking her to court, Luce. No matter how much she deserves it, all that matters to me is that this whole story ends."

With the utmost gentleness, she slid her fingers under my chin to lift my head. My tear-filled eyes met her emerald jewels. Surprisingly, there was no trace of anger in them.

- "Taking her to court is how you’ll close this chapter. She won’t stop until you do, believe me. He needs to understand that he means nothing to you anymore and that you’re capable of moving on."

And I know she’s right. Feli has been bolder than I expected since I left her. I didn’t expect her to keep harassing me again and again. Would she be capable of coming back ten years later if I don’t take action? A shiver ran down my spine. Yes, I think she would, unfortunately. As if Lucy knew what I was thinking, she pulled me closer to her.

- "Hey... You’re not alone anymore, remember?"

- "Would you do it with me...?"

My question seemed to surprise her, judging by her expression and the time it took her to respond.

- "Of course, baby. I’ve been by your side from the beginning, and that won’t ever change. You’ll have my support in everything you decide to do... within reason," she added with amusement.

- "Thank you..." I murmured. "We’ll review the case when we get back to Spain then if that’s okay with you."

- "Alright. We’ll go back soon."

- "You really want to?"

- "If the only thing that can make you happy is for me to go home with you, then I’ll do it."

- "I don’t want to impose it on you..."

- "Ona," she chuckled. "You’re not imposing anything on me. I’d love to learn more about your family."

- "Are you sure it doesn’t bother you?"

- "Why would it? We’re building our life together now, and our families are part of that. You’ll meet mine one day too."

I blushed at the thought of her wanting to introduce me to her parents. That would mean going back to Portugal. It would be a good opportunity to return after all this time. Maybe I’ll ask her then if we could take a detour to Lisbon to see my grandfather. I doubt she’d have a problem with that. I smiled just thinking about it. My grandfather is going to love her, just like my father would have.

- "Actually, I was planning to tell them about you after the trip."

- "Really?" I asked, surprised.

"Mm-hmm. I usually visit them in the summer, but it won’t be possible this year because of the gym. I was thinking of going in April and taking you with me... if you’re okay with that.

My heart races. I can't refuse, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't panicking. Having her meet my family is one thing, but meeting hers is entirely different.

"O-OK... We need to get to know each other outside, after all," I replied, making her smile.

"I wasn't asking for an answer right now," she teased. "Just think about it, OK?"

"I won’t have time to think about it with school."

"There you go again," she sighed.

"What? I still have three months left!"

"You're exaggerating," she teased. "You’ve got two and a half left. That’s half of the five months you've already completed."

"Seen that way..."

"They’re going to be tough because you need to prepare for your exam, but I’ll help you study."

"Hum..."

Too much information was shared in just a few seconds. The thought of what lies ahead makes me a bit depressed. I wrap my arms around her shoulders and rest my head there, keeping my face away from the splashes. I sigh with contentment, enjoying the closeness of our bodies. It's been so long since I've had this kind of intimacy with someone. I could stay here, with her, forever. I close my eyes and nestle my head a little deeper into my arms.

"Are you someone who celebrates month anniversaries?" I asked spontaneously, making Lucy laugh.

"Really, babe?"

"It’s an important question, I think," I said, reluctantly pulling back to see her face. "Not everyone celebrates that kind of thing."

"Well, I suppose, yes," she finally replied. "I'm a bit of a romantic at heart. Why do you ask?"

"I was just wondering. It's been ten days since we got together."

"And you? Do you want to celebrate our first month?"

"Of course! I’d love to plan something if that’s okay with you."

"And why should you do all the planning? I could just as easily do it."

"No," I shook my head. "I want to show you how grateful I am and how much..."

I stopped for a moment. I'm not ready to say it yet, no matter how intense my feelings are. She smiled and kissed my forehead.

"I know. And I'm not going to stop you if you want to plan a special evening for just the two of us. Just know that I’m not someone who likes overly fancy things."

"I’ll find something you'll like, then."

"A simple dinner or a movie is enough for me," she suggested. "All that matters is that we spend the evening together."

"You’ll see what it will be," I teased.

"Hmm... I’m already looking forward to it," she murmured against my lips.

I closed the distance to kiss her. I could do this all day. I'm not a natural romantic, as she might wish I were, but I'm willing to learn if that's what it takes. I want to be romantic for her if she likes that. She deserves all the love in the world, and I intend to give it to her. I pressed closer to her and closed my eyes. I love her, I’m sure of it. She knows it, and I’ll tell her when the time is right. I just hope she feels the same... I suppose she does; otherwise, she wouldn't have changed her mind about our relationship. She knows how broken I am inside, and giving me false hope would hurt more than anything. Lucy isn’t that kind of person, and that's why I love her. She’s fair, gentle, and caring. I couldn’t have dreamed of a better person to share my life with.

[bonefall]

did you already start planning squirrelstar's leader ceremony and if so who's giving her the 9 lives?

I'm still a bit concerned that the writers will pull something with her 9 lives, but I've got so many good choices for BB!Squilf that it's not an issue to start considering who's gonna turn up for her.

Plus, honestly, NOT totally interested in abiding by canon if they commit the dumbshit we're suspecting they might. Pre-emptively biting and killing it.

Here's the list of candidates so far. Everyone with a * is a definite yes;

Goldenflower Her mentor in BB, replacing Dustpelt! After everything Squilf has gone through with Bramblestar, and after Golfy took her son's side after the big reveal, it feels good for her to show up with a life for Judgement. To decide when to listen to her heart, but also, when to realize when it is leading her astray.

Sandstorm Mother choice is a solid one, though I'm leaning towards giving this life to Ferncloud for variety. Squilf's got 5 immediate relatives here to give her a life.

Hollylark* Her grandkit, and Sparkpelt's mate who sacrificed xeir life to take her illness away. Xey'd give her a life for Interdependence, for all of the connections that bind a Clan together. Love, friendship, convenience, family. Squilf is familiar with sacrifice in service of it... but it's more than that. To love is to BE loved-- she must accept reciprocity. And... xey'd make some kind of loaded comment about Nightheart, knowing that neither one of them want to talk badly about him. I might end up changing xeir life to something like "letting go," as foreshadowing for how I'm absolutely planning for Nightheart to NOT return to ThunderClan after his road trip with Frostpaw. BUT I don't decide arcs until they're done so we'll have to seeeeee

Firestar* Basically required. Squirrelstar is his daughter, the successor of his ideology, and the follow-up to a leader that Firestar considers a mistake. His chats at these sorts of ceremonies often get wistful, so I feel like they'd talk about second chances, wanting people to be better than they are, how to fix things that are broken and when they aren't worth the effort. He says it explicitly, "You're just like me. A spark of my flames, burning bright, long after I've become starlight..." His life would be for Progress. To continue to evolve and grow, to never be so stuck in the past that she can't see the future, to know when things can be fixed and when they must be broken.

Rosepetal I want to save her on one hand, but on the other, having her go out in a blaze of glory at some point in ASC or TBC is a good reason why Squilf didn't make her deputy. Rose was her first apprentice and has always been a dedicated, passionate warrior who would deeply want that spot. If she's here for the 9 lives ceremony, she'd give Squilf a life for Ferocity. "Give them twice the Hell you always do, so that it's like I'm right there next to you."

Shrewface* (Shrewpaw in life.) Her guardian angel. He helped her hide the secret of Leafpool's pregnancy, and has always stood over her, providing help secretly. Now he can finally stand before her and give her a life. He would actually stumble and chuckle, because he's wanted to do it for so long he's blanking on the life he wants to give her. On one paw, Squilf is a little annoyed. It's a super serious leader ceremony, holy moment in her life, but on the other... Shrewface is so HAPPY! His joy is infectious. He's standing before her as the adult he would have been, but under that, she sees the funny teenage best friend that she lost so long ago. It feels almost like being a kid again. So she picks her own life by saying, "How about one for Joy?" And he says, "Hey that's a great idea!"

Rainwhisker A ThunderClan cat who died in the WindClan Civil War, and someone she remembers fondly. The life he gives is a life for Collateral. He has no shame in how he died, and he believes Firestar's call was the right one. But he needs to remind Squirrelflight that beliefs are backed with blood. Every time she brings her Clan into war, there is a chance that someone will die because of her choice. He restates that he believes his death was noble; but his life will remind her of the cost that someone else might pay.

Sootfur If it's not Rainwhisker, I'd like his brother Soot to be here. I think his death was haunting, with how Squilf couldn't save him, watching him tumble down a rockface because of his broken leg and being brutally murdered by what-is-now a boar. She's carried guilt from how she couldn't save him her whole life, so in contrast to Rainwhisker, his life is for Acceptance. To remember that not everything is her fault, and she could NEVER be so perfect as to avoid all of life's misfortunes. Even if others pin blame onto her for something she couldn't control; no leader is powerful enough to save everyone. Thinking about it though, I might really try to slot BOTH of these guys in. I think the contrast of the two back to back is powerful; that actions have consequences, but not every tragedy is a consequence.

Ferncloud She just died very recently, taking both Graystripe's super edition AND his sacrifice in the Dark Forest. Graystripe is still alive, living at the tribe with his son Stormfur. She confronted Ashfur for Squilf, so it feels right that she also comes to support her here. Ferncloud, for the first time in so many years, looks at peace. She isn't gray and grizzled anymore, but sleek and vibrant. Her family surrounds her, Dustpelt, Elderberry, Brindleface, her many lost kits. So, the life that she gives Squilf is for Faith. In StarClan that she will always have Clanmates in the skies to watch out for her, in her Clan that there will always be future angels fighting by her side.

Longtail Her uncle, and Jayfeather's mentor who trained him into the full angel-punching cat he became. During the big trial she has in Squirrelflight's Horror, Longtail was one of her loudest supporters, and eventually nudged her backwards so her son could grab her ankle and drag her back down to the mortal plane. He's always been her wonderful uncle, so, he might end up taking that life for Faith from Ferncloud. Just depending.

Feathertail* I want her to show up in the ceremonies of every patrol cat who achieves power, as a given. If we get Crowstar, I also want her to be there. I just think it's nice that if Crow, Bramble, and Squilf ever did end up able to chat about this together, in spite of the TANGIBLE awkwardness of the three of them being in the same room, they'd be able to make a joke about Feathertail Gives You A Life and it would land a little TOO hard, be a little TOO funny, because they were hoping that SOMETHING would lighten the air and it did. But anyway, this incredibly specific desire aside, Feathertail Gives You A doobie life for Tranquility. That the once-impulsive Squirrelstar will be able to slow down and consider every action, to take a deep breath in stressful times and think about what she's about to do. That as leader she will be under immense pressure, yeah, but also immense power. She can always afford to take a moment before making a big decision.

Leafpool* MANDATORY. There's NO reality where I do not end off this ceremony with Leafpool. When she steps up, they can't look at each other without crying. It overwhelms them, to the point where Squilf can't even choke out her sister's name. Leafpool, meanwhile, has gotten used to controlling her body while her heart breaks into billions of little pieces. She'd done it for her whole life, and now, she does it again in death. "this life is for love," she touches her night-cold nose to Squirrelstar's, and the new leader's vision begins to fade into black, "you know why." From the darkness, memories burst forth. Of them as kits, their silly games and dreams, how they planned to one day be the cleric and leader of ThunderClan together. The terrible loneliness of being separated while Squirrelpaw was on the Sundrown Patrol. The ache in Leafpool's heart whenever she saw her sister mistreated; how she gave up on relationships with Crowfeather and, to some extent, with Mothwing as well so she could serve her Clan and stay with her family. The three kits, the anxiety as Squirrelflight took them, the way it felt like Leafpool was being flayed to give them up. Parenting, loyalty, betrayal as Hollyleaf snapped and revealed the secret Squirrelflight desperately didn't want to keep, the guilt that Leafpool felt watching her suffer for helping her. The way they always felt like, on some level, it was them against the world.

And then she wakes up, back on the shore of the Moonpool, with her Clerics beside her. Leafpool is gone. StarClan is, once again, very far away, and she's left with nothing but the cold feeling on her nose and the looming specter of war ahead of her.

12 candidates in total, but only 9 can take the spot. So I'll trim it down once we get there!

[twig-tea]

GL odds and ends 20 October 2024

Still feeling out how regularly it makes sense to do this; first one was 2 weeks ago on 6 October. If you're interested in GL older than that, check out my GL rec list through Feb 2024 and my update in July 2024. New series marked with an asterisk*.

Currently airing (with thoughts up to Oct 6):

Reverse 4 U 7/8 (Thai, Tuesdays 1:00 PM EDT, Netflix / YouTube) I'm disappointed by how this final arc has gone. We haven't really seen any growth for Wa, and the whole plot with Wa and Vivi's father didn't really make sense. I really don't understand why he had to stay away, or why the rules are so different for him than for Wa. The relationship between Wa and Four also feels flat because we've barely seen them together. I was rooting for this one but alas.

Unlock Your Love ep 6/8 (Thai, Wednesdays, GagaOOLala / YouTube [cut version]) The sequence where Rain and Love keep trying to have sex but getting interrupted/hurt was very funny; this show still drags but the core of it is pretty good. I mostly just wish it were tighter.

Chaser Game W s2 ep 5/8 (Japanese, Thursdays 12:30 PM EDT, GagaOOLala) @lurkingshan is already doing a great summary of this week to week in her JQL weekly round-up!

Affair the series ep 8/8 END (Thai, Fridays 11:15 AM EDT, iQIYI/ YouTube) Other than the jealousy in the last 10 minutes of the show, I really did like this ending for the series. I really liked Wan's decision to take time for herself after being disappointed by Pleng's decision again. The plot and melodramatic-ness of this show is not my favourite, but I enjoyed it week to week in spite of that. The acting was so solid, the women so gorgeous, the chemistry so fire, and the writing was great for the genre its in (the story was internally consistent and coherent, and the characters were complex and their motivations were clear. There was even a good plot reason for the 'they might be siblings' twist). If you don't mind melodrama, give this one a try!

*Pluto ep 1/12 NEW (Thai, Saturdays 9:30 AM EDT, YouTube) Starting off with a fantastic kiss and Namtan on a motorcycle is truly an incredible opening gambit. That being said, I don't buy the core premise of the plot and it is making it difficult for me to actually enjoy the show. I'll probably be mostly quiet about this one because the things I don't like about it aren't actually about its execution but rather my taste.

*Apple My Love ep 2/7 NEW (Thai, Saturdays 11:45 AM EDT, GagaOOLala and YouTube) I already shouted on main about ep1 here; so far I'm obsessed with this show. Kris is too gay to function, and the misunderstanding is perfectly executed. Very excited for this one, it's so far fantastic.

The Loyal Pin ep 12/16 (Thai, Sundays 12:15 PM EDT, YouTube) Anin's speech in this episode was fire. I feel for these girls, Anin and Pin are just so desperate to be together and their choices are limited. This show continues to be gorgeous and so well done, and I keep bracing for pain.

Red Whisper ep 4/8 (Korea, [schedule is kinda unpredictable; vaguely every 5 days??], YouTube) Cheating and taking advantage while your crush is heartbroken and drunk is not my fave but is par for the course with these SukFilm short series; my fave so far has been their first GL so if you haven't seen that yet I'd honestly recommend that instead.

Recent One-offs & Side Couples

We finally got the sapphic backstory in The Hidden Moon but it was (as expected) sad and mostly inferred.

We also got more of the Aim as a Lesbian plotline in the new Love Sick 2024 remake (this was not a plotline in the 2014 version and it's one of the changes I really like and that I think works really well)

Sastra film app YouTube channel has several short Cambodian GL series that come out weekly Honestly they are not to my taste but I don't like gatekeeping GL especially from smaller markets. I check in on these time to time and if there are any that I think are great I'll give them a shout-out

Ditto above with JPC media YouTube channel for Thai GL shorts if there are any that stand out to me I'll say so

Starting soon:

The Nipple Talk, [ensemble] Taiwanese, 1 November GagaOOLala

My Ex's Wedding [in theatres in Thailand 14 November]

Mom Ped Sawan, Thai, 17 November [international distribution uncertain; it should be on VIPA app with subs, but that is region-locked]

Petrichor, Thai, 23 November, TBD

[its-time-to-write]

I absolutely love your writing!! This is very self-indulgent, but could you write about the reader just starting at the gym,trying to be more healthy, and Jamie helping guide her with workouts and anxiety of going to the gym. If this doesn't speak to you, then no worries!

you asked, I obliged. thanks for requesting!

feel it burn

Hardly any of the other WAGs are fitness gurus. They watch what they eat sometimes, sure, but you’d flat-out heard Isaac’s girlfriend curse out going to the gym. 

And that’s great for her, really, it is, you hate the gym too; but she has a personal trainer and you, well- don’t. 

It’s not a problem. You just decide to make a few changes. 

For example, YouTube Pilates when Jamie’s out of the house. 

Clearing out your secret stash of snacks. 

Putting the ice cream in the freezer into the garbage so deep that Jamie wouldn’t see it. 

It’s not like you wouldn’t go to the gym, you just don’t even know where to begin there. You’d like to, but the idea of asking for help?

Mortifying. 

And Jamie (god bless him) doesn’t notice a thing, just grins and treats you like you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to him, and every day you bite back the urge to tell him that he’s got it wrong, that it’s the other way around.

But he won’t notice that you’re acting different and if he does, well, you’ll be in better shape. You’ll have a handle on this whole health and wellness thing, because that’s really what it’s about. Less losing weight and more of a lifestyle choice. 

You’ve gone a solid two and a half weeks without Jamie noticing a single thing, until-

“Where’re all the good snacks?” Jamie shouts from the cupboard. He’s practically all the way inside, rummaging around to where you typically hide your stash so Roy doesn’t fucking find it. 

“I dunno,” you call as you make your way to the kitchen. “Must’ve forgotten to restock.” 

It’s a lie, but it’s a lie you’re pretty sure you can get away with. 

Jamie turns around with an eyebrow raised. “Didn’t even notice the flakes were almost gone? That ain’t like you, babe.”

You lift a shoulder as you say, “Been busy, I guess.”

Jamie almost believes you, almost, but then your eye. Fucking. Twitches. 

“You’re lying,” he says, coming closer as if that’ll do anything. “You know where they are.”

“No I don’t,” you say as calmly as possible. 

Jamie places both hands on the side of your head so you can’t look away. “Say that again in a full sentence, looking straight in my fucking gorgeous baby blue eyes,” he says, and you realize that to him, this is just another funny anecdote in your life. A blip on the proverbial map, if you will. It’s not a big deal to him. 

But to you?

You’ll be goddamned before you’re embarrassed about your lack of athletic ability in front of Jamie fucking Tartt, young god on the pitch.

So in the end, you just look at him. There’s nothing to say that won’t end poorly, so you look into his fucking gorgeous baby blue eyes as they sweep across your face.

His grin slides away as he realizes that there’s something else going on here, something beyond the good packet of crisps being absent from their usual place.

“What?” he asks, still holding your face, and you shrug.

He shakes your head back and forth and says, “Nuh uh, what is it, love?”

You mumble something unintelligible, and Jamie squishes your cheeks together. 

“Try again,” he says. You sigh. Jamie’s giving you the puppy-dog look, and you cave. 

“I’m trying to be healthier,” you tell him. 

Jamie furrows his eyebrows. “So you threw out all our good snacks?”

“My good snacks that I sometimes let you borrow,” you correct. “And yes. I did. And I want to start going to the gym but I don’t even know what to do at the gym, and you’re there like all the time so there’s no fucking way I was ever going to ask you and-”

“I’m the best fucking person to ask,” Jamie interrupts. “I make it fun and sexy, like. We’d have a great time.”

“But I don’t know what I’m fucking doing,” you argue. “I’d look silly.”

Jamie makes a duh face. “That’s why you bring me. I do know what I’m fucking doing. We can go this weekend, yeah? But right now we’re going to Asda to get some more fucking crisps in this house. We’ll talk about fucking balanced eating tomorrow.”

Jamie says “balanced eating,” as if it disgusts him, but it’s mostly to make you laugh.

You do, and he kisses you once, short and sweet, before letting go of your face.

“You still won’t beat me at footie,” he says, “so if this is some sort of fucking… strategy it ain’t gonna work.”

“I’d never dream of it babe,” you reply as he grabs your hand and propels you to the car.

[piratecaptainscaptainpirates]

Genuinely, upon reflection, I think one of the reasons Izzy's arc in s2 didn't sit right with those of us who were hyper-aware of how the canyon folks would inerpret the show is, paradoxically, because the writers seem to have been working with the assumption that they would need to convince viewers to like Izzy.

When you consider how he was written, it makes a lot of sense that they were writing his arc with that in mind. We left off s1 with Izzy threatening Ed and making him feel so unsafe that he went hard into the Blackbeard persona and set himself down a self-destructive spiral - it was reasonable for them to assume viewers would need to be won over to considering him one of the "good guys." So they showed us the crew accepting him, helping him when he's down, and gave him lots of funny little lines and moments that could easily have gone to other characters. They wanted us to like him so his death would hit the way they wanted it to. It's a pretty solid writing choice, absent all other factors, I think, and given the end goal they had in mind it makes sense.

But the thing is, and the reason I think it felt weird for us - the canyon are very vocal about loving a version of Izzy that doesn't really exist in the show, so all the love Izzy got this season just felt like their interpretations were being validated, so it put us on edge. They overcorrected how much they needed to convince us to like Izzy and as a result it easily came across like his actions were just being excused until the finale. I don't think that was the intention at all, and I doubt I would've felt so weird about it if there hasn't been a year in between seasons filled with the most racist takes I've ever seen.

[alongtidesoflight]

so here's my honest thoughts on dragon age: the veilguard, after ~40 hours of playing. i finished the main quest after having finished all companion quests and major faction quests. just to clear up what content i saw, i played as an elven transmasc rook who is a member of the lords of fortune. he romanced lucanis (although after finishing the game i'm now leaning towards taash). i don't know what's happening in playthroughs that have a different race, gender identity, romance or faction going on.

full spoilers ahead, i mean it. don't read further if you want to avoid them. i don't want complaining about it in my asks.

oh and also, if you're worried because of a few negative reviews online i can comfort you by saying don't give a fuck about a certain big name youtuber who is very much tied to bethesda franchises giving this a negative review. i'll explain why.

i'm starting off with the things i liked

the game looks really pretty. i was worried it wouldn't feel like thedas anymore (with them trying to "focus on northern thedas only" i thought they'd make a clear cut in environmental design. they do and they don't. it's complicated. i'll elaborate on it when talking about the negative stuff). anyway it does. minrathous feels like kirkwall. treviso enchanted me like the winter palace did. the hossberg wetlands reminded me of the hinterlands and a couple other inquisition maps. arlathan looked like... arlathan. the crossroads were different, but familiar. overall i like the way it looks and feels. it's thedas, with a twist. it's a good one, and gives everything a solid but unique feel.

combat is top tier. if you're a hardcore dragon age player you WILL miss the tactical aspect of it for a bit, but i promise you, once you're used to the way the combat works, you will be lapping that shit up. and once you get to ability combos you'll mourn the control you used to have over your companions in battle a bit less

the MAIN quest and its story. i expected worse, way worse. and for a while the game even had me tricked (harr harr you'll get it in a second) it is Really That Much Worse. but holy shit was it good. i walked away satisfied ngl.

your choices have SOLID weight. there's consequences, good AND bad. i got minrathous blighted, ruled over by venatori, and the leader of the shadow dragons ultimately died because of my decisions. i made those at the beginning and throughout the game. he died at the end. DAVRIN died because i didn't expect what i was saying to have that much weight. i thought i was in the clear. he had hero status. well turns out, your choices can still get your companions killed even if you do everything right. i fucking love him. he shouldn't have made that sacrifice just because i told him to do everything it takes once.

the inquisitor, morrigan and dorian being there, surprisingly. there's also negatives to this though, see below.

speaking of companions dying and the inquisitor playing a bigger role: the final quest feels like me2's suicide mission. i was blown away by it and the fact that i got to see the results of all my efforts playing out in front of me.

bioware are NOT trying to redeem solas. they love him as a character yes, but i wasn't forced to see any good in him. he betrays you. he fucked my rook over twice. he fucked him over right back, for good this time (the veil wasn't torn down, i anchored it by binding him to it, he's doomed to uphold it). but solas really lives up to his name as the trickster elven god. rip to all the people who grew really attached to him over the years.

varric died. if you like him that's probably as hard reading it as it was watching it. varric died and the game lies about it until the very end. when the realisation hits, it hurts. but in the very best way.

the amount of care they put into gender expression and trans identities this time around. (i'll add onto this with negative points as well too).

rook feels very much ingrained in the world of thedas. he doesn't ask questions that expose the player to lore through dialogue as if he's stepped foot into thedas for the first time. those conversations feel very solid and good. i hope other faction players got as much joy out of this as i did.

and the things i didn't like and boy there's a lot unfortunately

the music. let's just get that out of the way holy shit. it doesn't feel like it belongs in this universe. it gets so incredibly sci-fi-y at times you'd think it's taken straight from mass effect andromeda. there's not a single song unique to veilguard that i really enjoyed. it broke my immersion, real bad. hearing a busker play the tavern songs from inquisition on a lute right after i killed some venatori with wobbly bass songs playing in the background is just odd. weird tonal shift. don't like it. it's made for people who like flashy light-weight cinema.

tevinter nights is required reading. the podcasts are required listening exercises. the game is so fast paced, especially at the start, that there's no time to introduce you to characters and how much weight their names carry in-game. i would not have known who half these people are if i hadn't skimmed over tevinter nights. i'd care even less about them than i already did. there is no time to get properly attached to them. people will act as if you're talking to a legend personified and you'll be thinking man goddamn which chapter of tevinter night were they in again and what did they do???

there's a weird mismatch with the animations. you'll have beautifully fluid ones, like emmrich casting spells. and then you'll have rook's face animating in the most unnatural manner that's sorta reminiscent of mass effect andromeda's "my face is tired" addison, when their emotions SHOULD be landing with the player rn instead.

i'm not vibing with the art style. sometimes it works. most of the time it doesn't. at points i felt like i was watching tangled.

that also brings me to some of the dialogue. same issue. i am watching frozen. i am watching tangled. someone on the writer's team really likes the adorkable trope. bellara is its victim.

for all the talk about identity, bioware sure doesn't like theirs. the grey warden armor got a redesign again and it just makes them look like a generic army. i hate it lol

in general, i don't like the armor design. the wardrobe/appearances system is fine, but it's just not helping if all the armors are just... kinda bland or downight bad looking? and don't get me started on the lords of fortune armor. that is orientalism personified.

the world states should have been carried over, full stop. i know they said they didn't because they want to separate what happens in the north from what happens in the south, which... i could have lived with that. but the inquisitor sends you letters that keep you up to date on... the south of thedas. you learn that there's a blight again, that people are standing strong but it's difficult, denerim's fallen, the rulers are taking care of it, orlais is fighting and they're successful for a while, etc etc. what's good bioware. i thought we don't care about the south this time around. why are you feeding me so much boring generic information. if you're not gonna show any of it and just write letters, then carrying the world state over should not have been an issue. i have a game dev background. those few lines of code would not have broken your budget or pushed your engine's limits. fuck right off.

this gripe of mine carries over to all the cameos. as a lord of fortune you have to deal with isabela a lot. it's fun. i missed her. you get to go drinking with her and taash and bellara! also my hawke romanced her. she's not mentioned once. they had the opportunity to put a sentence or two about her in there with not a lot of effort, trust me.

when varric dies, all she has is a single line about it. for gold, for fortune, for varric. she only says it if you interact with her on your way to the final push. that's not mandatory.

morrigan is there. kieran isn't. the old god soul that mythal and then solas absorbed? who cares at this point, the gods are dead now and solas is locked away for eternity. i suppose? why is morrigan there. she feels unneeded. i wish they'd just left her down south, at least that way i wouldn't have had to witness her god awful redesign.

dorian at least feels as if he belongs in this story. the shadow dragons are a crucial part to protecting minrathous. he's also weirdly underutilised. isabela and morrigan had more lines than him in my playthrough.

on the topic of romance: bro that was underwhelming. no, genuinely. you know when romance picked up a bit? after the point of no return. i heard maybe two lines of companion banter about it before that. maybe i missed something which i honestly doubt, but romance did not play much of a role in lucanis's storyline. i saved his grandmother as he wished me to (and if you read tevinter nights you know she was rather abusive and their relationship not the healthiest) and told him to focus on his family. a reunified family my rook wasn't even introduced to as a partner at the end of all that.

really, do not buy this game if you're only in it for the romances. others might be better, lucanis's basically gave me nothing. except for an outing (the second coffee date i had with him, it was getting repetitive) all of it played out once i committed to the final quest. the sex scene was a fade to black. annoyingly right after davrin died. if you're looking for well paced and good spice, pick up something else. the sweet talk and the final goodbye were nice though.

for all the good the ever-presence of gender identity does, it is brought up in such a disruptive manner too. it doesn't even play out naturally if you CHOOSE the lines that are meant to be said. hearing the words trans and non-binary in this setting doesn't feel right, and i'm saying this as a trans guy. i think it could have been handled more gracefully. the amount of times my rook went "i'm a MAN" as if he's about to start drumming on his chest and roaring any second now got super nerve-grating. "i'm so glad you're into me... the me who is trans. remember?" just. tell me one trans person who'd talk like that to a person they've grown close with and are trying to romance. this game doesn't handle sexuality well, so all this hey my body might not look like the way you're expecting it to look talk amounts to nothing anyway. i feel about this the way i feel about krem: this is partial exposition to trans experiences... packaged up for cis consumption. the ONLY exception to that is interacting with taash. holy shit was all of that heartwarming and bro did it feel good and natural to talk to them about theirs and rook's gender.

rivain and nevarra are new locations added by veilguard. they're also incredibly underwhelming, small and constricted maps. rivain is a coastline with a few ruins. the hall of valor is a partial ruin nestled into a cave on a beach, with a fighting pit. isabela is there in her skimpy outfit commentating your pit fights. that's it. i'm sorry if you were looking for a bustling pirate cove or whatever. you're not gonna get it. the nevarran crypts btw are a long ass dungeon crawl. that's it.

speaking of maps. i thought people were being dramatic when they said you're gonna be fighting the same enemies on them again and again. i thought they were figure of speeching it. they're not. you WILL fight the same amount of enemies. in the same spot. every time you reload the map. best to stay on a map and clear out the enemies and do as much questing on that map as you can before leaving, because you WILL have to do it all over again once you return.

the three choices i made for my inquisitor didn't matter lol she didn't have to face solas and therefore couldn't stop him at any cost as she had sworn (maybe because my rook tricked solas into binding himself to the veil, there was also an option to fight him. would she have stepped in? who knows). blackwall wasn't mentioned. and either her using a small amount of her forces in the final fight was the reason the civilians of minrathous fared so well..... or it just didn't matter. ultimately i think she had very little impact on anything