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oktopiasscarletqueen · 27 days ago

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Neurotic Erotic (Bloodweave Fic) playlist

Alright, so, heres the playlist I made for the fic and unreasonable analysis I made relating the songs to Gale and Astarion.

I know writing all this is a touch cringe, but I’m at peace with that; BG3 is a special interest of mine, and so is musical/literary analysis. That being said, I’m not trying to write any kind of groundbreaking, profound interpretations here. Moreso, I’m yelling my funny words at you because I like to yap. And, sometimes this is what me and my little sister do for fun; J and I put on music and go, “ [insert character would like this sound in a Modern AU” or, “this song is incredibly [insert character]-core because…”

Before you jump in, I’m gonna warn you, the transition between ‘Francis Forever’ and ‘Cancer’ (track 6 & 7 respectively) is a touch jarring, as is the inclusion of ‘Cancer’ in the middle of the playlist in general, lol. Second, I’ll warn you this list is bound to get updated here and there eventually. Also, I may update/add to these in future.

I have put the songs “in order”, or as best “order” as my brain can think of right now.

Oh, and of course, spoilers ahead for essentially the whole game.

Fic Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/56262295/chapters/142934368

Youtube Link: https://www.youtube.com/@Oktopiasscarletqueen/playlists

Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3BIufG9W5783HUh3OvDboD?si=675313ddfbbe4664

Song list, and correlation (with my interpretation and justification, if that interest you at all, lol):

INTRODUCTION:

¡Aikido! (Neurotic/Erotic) – Everything is a Lot by Will Wood & The Tapeworms

This song is about being obsessed with death, or the idea of dying; Theres something very Gale & Astarion about it (one being asked to die and the other literally being dead). Astarion being dead is a sort of representation (within this fic) of Gale’s later focus and near idolisation of dying, which really reminds me of the song. It’s title and the general idea behind it inspired me to write this fic. Mostly the title, its catchy and interpretive whether you know the song or not.

2. Maya the Psychic – Hesitant Alien by Gerard Way

So, y’know the tadpoles, right?

3. Starman – The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders from Mars (2012 Remaster) by David Bowie

So, y’know the “Dream Guardian”, right?

GALE:

4. Cover This Song (A Little Bit Mine) – Everything is a Lot by Will Wood & The Tapeworms

Early game, Gale’s caught up on Mystra, and that’s an objective fact. That’s what this song is in relation to him. Wishing to have her back, or at least her grace and favour. Like, imagine being cast aside by a god. A god who was your previous lover and kinda decides your fate.

5. First Love/Late Spring – Bury Me at Makeout Creek by Mitski

More Gale “pining” songs (you’re gonna see a lot of this). In the case of this one, the song is a sort of ‘love, life and duty is painful’. After the Mystra heartbreak, I can imagine Gale’s not exactly keen on letting anyone in else they abandon him again (Gale has a big ego, but he feels he’s not enough—he’s scared he’s not enough). Also, a few lines stick out for interpretation in regards to Gale. ‘One word from you and I would jump of this cliff I’m on, baby’ is very fitting for Mystra being like “lmao, kys” and how Gale is fully ready to do that as a show of faith. Another line that I wanna note, ‘And I was so young when I behaved 25…’ reminds me of not only Gale’s early magical prowess, but the fact Gale being only 8 when he met Mystra for the first time; Gale had big shoes to fill, extremely high expectations to live up to and also an omnipotent, ever-present god leaning over his shoulder. This is where I’m gonna put a link to this Tumblr post because the OP does a fantastic job at dissecting all that (TW: mentions of grooming): https://www.tumblr.com/kirain/739521230081851392/i-want-to-take-a-moment-to-talk-about-gales

6. Francis Forever - Bury Me at Makeout Creek by Mitski

Kinda similar to above, but more “romantic” in a really twisted way. Gale really did love Mystra, I think; In the case of this song, it’s less about him as a character but more his past feelings and the grief there (obviously this isn’t what the songs exactly about, but we’re running on interpreting them into fictional characters, so… lol.

7. Cancer – The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance

So, y’know the Nether Brain fight and Gale’s Orb, right?

8. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (Remastered) by Elton John

Acceptance and a return to the “average”. If you don’t let him ascend, Gale has the option to just live life at his own pace, and for me that’s his canon ending. My boy deserves a rest, and this song just remind me of that.

BLOODWEAVE (songs that just scream them)

9. Cannibal Queen – Tell It to the Volcano by Miniature Tigers

I just feel like the lyrics suit Gale’s feeling for Astarion in a really fun way, idk man. It’s just weirdly them-core.

10. Baby You’re a Haunted House – Single (no album) by Gerard Way

Another ‘Gale to Astarion’ song. ‘…you’re a haunted house’ as a lyric reads as someone who has a lot of metaphorical ghosts in them (closet full of skeletons). Shout-out to the versus: ‘In the dark, we dance together…’ ‘In the dark we laugh together, because the misery’s funny to you’ ‘Sometimes you scare me, but I’ll come around to you… And I’ll find a way to scare you too’.

That’s just them (you’ll hear this from this section a lot).

11. Red Moon – Everything is a Lot by Will Wood & The Tapeworms

First and foremost, this song is SO underappreciated (as is the album). It’s one of my favourites. This so in particular just sounds like the embodiment of Bloodweave. I take a lot of inspiration from this song when it comes to Neurotic Erotic (the fic). This song analysis would be paragraphs upon paragraphs long, so I’ll sum this up as simply as I can:

- Astarion is kinda ethereal looking (moon-elf-core) - Gales heart go doki-doki later in fic (referring to the 5th verse: 'Waxing to the rhythm writhing my chest’) - Gale and Astarion are drawn together by circumstance - They remain in each others orbit regardless of circumstance - Night is their time

Theres so much more, but I’ll leave some of the linking to you, lol

12. The Rhumba of Death – Camp Here & There: Campfire Songs Edition by Will Wood

*see to every other comment in this section*

13. We’ll Never have Sex - Single (no album) by Leith Ross

I think it’s not necessarily an argument that Astarion has issues around intimacy, particularly sexual intimacy. That’s what this is; this is why the song is here.

TRANSITION (A heads up to Astarion Territory, lol. Plus, I just like the song :P)

14. Interlude – Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge by My Chemical Romance

Every playlist needs a good intermission, and this one has an Astarion-vibe to it. Serves as a good heads-up for whats to come and as a cool down from the previous song instead of just jumping right into a different tone. Plus, I’ve not gotten over my emo days, so…

ASTARION

15. The End – The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance

The end. The end of Astarions mortal life, the end of being under Cazador’s thumb while tadpoled.

16. Dead! – The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance

You can’t put ‘The End.’ without ‘Dead!’ and vice-versa. But, the lyrics do speak to me in encapsulating some surface-level Astarion plot, especially when it comes to his mortal, Magistrate days. Did Astarion get what he deserved? (referring to the versus: ‘I’ll be here waiting, babe; Did you get what you deserve?’). The BG3 artbook tells us Astarion was a corrupt magistrate, so this feel fitting. It’s speculative, but I think Astarion wasn’t too popular when he was alive, lol.

17. The Sharpest Lives – The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance

‘I’ve really been on a bender and it shows’Astarion doesn’t have the best coping mechanisms and skills, and this song is that. Plus, it’s another vampire-related song so it fits in well. And the lines below feel like they were written for him (y’know what I mean?): ‘You can take off your skin in the cannibal glow, Juilet loves the beat, and the lust it commands, Drop the dagger and lather the blood on your hands, Romeo’

18. Brand New City - Lush by Mitski

I feel like Astarion has a lot of issues around control, like specifically in regard to needing to be in control in some small way. He’s emotionally withering away with his destructive ways, but it’s the only way he knows how to grasp onto some semblance of control over his life. ‘I think my ways are wearing me down, But if I gave up on being pretty, I wouldn’t know how to be alive,’

19. The Jetset Life is Gonna Kill You – Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge by My Chemical Romance

This song is about Gerard Ways substance abuse and struggles with it, his addiction personified as a woman. In a similar vein, I’m using this song as a representation of Astarion’s own addiction (or obsession) to power and revenge. Its fuelling him, but its also slowly him a dark, toxic (and even dangerous) path.

20. Hand Me My Shovel, I’m Going In! – SELF-iSH by Will Wood & The Tapeworms

Another case of a song about self-destructive behaviours that just really fits Astarions own trauma and his response to it. Will Wood is a genius lyricist, don’t @ me, and this is a prime example of his work capturing addiction and other self-destructive behaviours, feeling powerless in stopping/not being able to stop, even though you could (with a lot of effort of therapy, mind you).

21. Kill All Your Friends – Famous Last Words by My Chemical Romance

The opening lines capture more Astarion plot: ‘Well, you can hide a lot about yourself, But honey, what’re you gonna do?’ Mainly, this song just feels like it fits him, especially with ‘I was killing before killing was cool,’.

22. Laplace’s Angel (Hurt People? Hurt People!) – The Normal Album by Will Wood

Another vampire song, so naturally its here. A number of the lines in this song feel like inner turmoil within Astarion, but I can’t just copy paste the whole thing here, lol. Side note, this song has been in my private Astarion playlist for the past 2-ish years and I’ve always been like, ‘man, I wish I had the time to make an animatic to this (or Hand Me My Shovel) for Astarion’, and recently I stumbled upon an Astarion animatic someone made to this song and was SO SHOOK. So, I’m going to link it, because its fantastic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWKObQgHaGg

23. Your Body, My Temple - Camp Here & There: Campfire Songs Edition by Will Wood

POV: Astarion’s manipulating you.

24. Vampire Reference in a Minor Key – “In case I make it,” by Will Wood

Very Astarion-core song, but specifically in regards to his softer side (in the case of this fic, his feelings down the line for Gale). Obviously the vampire song is gonna remind me of the twink vampire.

25. The Chain (2004 Remaster) – Rumours by Fleetwood Mac

So, y’know Cazador and Astarions “siblings”, right?

26. Against the Kitchen Floor – “In case I make it,” by Will Wood

So, yknow the confession Astarion has in act 2, right? My canon ending for Astarion is him healing, finally. He’s a spawn, yes, but he’s making the most of that his immortal life as he can. I’ll say it again, Will Wood is a GENUIS and (most definitely because it comes from his own experiences) he captures the process of healing but not being fully there in this song. In relation to Astarion, this is him trying—genuinely trying to be better and work out what he’s going through. He’s not there, he won’t be for a long time, but he’s willing to try. Trying is the first step.

#bg3 #bg3 fanfiction #bloodweave #astarion #gale of waterdeep #astarion x gale #astarion/gale #fanfic #gale dekarios #fic playlist #baldur’s gate 3

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halamanbercerita · 7 months ago

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Kirain ga akan ngerasain kehilangan yang sebegitunya lagi, ternyata harus kehilangan yang sebegitunya lagi.

Padahal udah berusaha pegang prinsip segala sesuatunya punya Allah, kapanpun Allah mau ambil, ya akan kembali.

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cassafra5 · 11 months ago

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When @kirain describes Gale:

“He’s such a sweet intellectual wizard who just wants to be loved 🥰 “

When I describe Gale:

But also he has Tara too ❤️

#bg3 #minsc and boo #gale dekarios

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juliarpratiwi · 6 months ago

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Menempa Value

Suatu hari, baru beberapa bulan mengajar saya dimintai tolong untuk membuat design bon yang mirip dengan bon dari salah satu toko ATK.

"Bu Julia kalau bikin design bon gt bisa?"

"Design bon? Bon dari toko gt bu?"

"Iyaa, buat nyamain ke laporannya."

Engga, ini gak bener. Ayo tolak ju. Meskipun niatnya baik, tapi ini termasuk tolong menolong yang tidak boleh ju.

"Oh buat kapan bu? Saya lagi ada tugas dari MK persiapan projek anak-anak. Belum lagi masih perlu nyiapin gambaran LPA buat rapat besok bu di yayasan. Kayanya gak bisa bu, gapapa kan?"

"Oh gapapa-gapapa, kirain lagi gak banyak tugas."

Buu, saya bisa saja memaksakan diri untuk menyanggupi permintaan itu. Bisa diulik, asal mau. Tapi nurani saya tidak mau, bahkan hanya sekadar untuk menyetujuinya. Ini tidak benar!

Kala PTI pertama ada seorang wali murid menitipkan bingkisan sebagai ucapan terima kasih karena telah mendampingi anaknya. Lalu ada perasaan gusar di dalam hati

Ini harta ghulul ju, tidak boleh.

Lalu saya menghubungi kepsek bertanya tentang aturan di sekolah terkait ini. Masih tidak tenang juga, memberanikan bertanya pada pihak yayasan. Mereka mengizinkan untuk menerima berbagai bentuk apresiasi wali murid terhadap guru anak-anaknya.

Engga, aturan agama yang saya yakini tidak membolehkan selama masih ada interaksi kedepannya sebagai murid dan guru. Engga, ini tidak boleh. Semoga Allah mengampuni apa-apa yang baru bisa saya ingkari dengan hati.

Puncak.

Setelah lelah rapat sore itu, saya banyak melamun di dalam angkutan umum. Bingung, apa yang harus saya lakukan. Saya menghubungi Ai

"Ai, aku mau resign aja. Gapapa?"

"Kenapa? Kecapean?"

"Aku diajukan oleh satuan pendidikan ke yayasan sebagai bendahara sekolah. Setelah mengamati satu semester ini, aku tahu betul jobdesk bendahara ini seperti apa. Terlalu rawan dengan hal-hal yang kotor. Aku takut."

"Ya udah resign aja, kalau itu gak baik buat kamu, hidup kamu dan urusan agama kamu. Rezeki akan Allah datangkan. Tapi cara kita menjemputnya kalau gak baik juga malah jadi gak berkah. Hidup di dunia sementara, jangan membebani diri dengan hal-hal yang berat pertanggung jawabannya nanti. Lagian Ai perhatiin jobdesk kamu tuh banyak banget sih, kamu malah jadi sering sakit dan gak ada waktu buat diri kamu sendiri."

"Aku mau istikharah dulu sembari nunggu keputusan yayasan. Kalau sampai minggu depan gak ada follow up. Aku fix resign yaa."

Saya pernah ada disituasi seperti ini, bahkan dulu mau tidak mau, suka tidak suka harus tetap dijalankan. Karena alasan tugas. Lalu Allah hadirkan ujian yang serupa. Ah, ini remidi. Karena yang lalu saya belum mampu meninggalkan, hanya bisa terus ngedumel sembari mengingkari. Kini harus dibuktikan.

Saya mengajukan resign, diam-diam tanpa diketahui orang-orang disatuan pendidikan. Sebulan kemudian di panggil oleh pihak yayasan, dilobi agar tidak jadi resign. Diberikan beberapa penawaran agar bisa bertahan. Tapi fitrah sebagai manusia yang belajar sudah merasa tidak nyaman. Keputusan telah dibuat, tekad telah bulat.

Paginya di panggil yayasan, sorenya dihubungi satuan pendidikan.

"Bu Julia, pihak yayasan sudah oke katanya terkait pengajuan menjadi bendahara."

"Lho, Pak X belum mengabarkan gt bu? Saya jadi untuk resign bu. Tadi pagi malah sudah wawancara dengan HRD, tapi pak X sudah tahu rencana saya ini. InsyaAllah minggu depan justru wawancara dengan petinggi yayasan bu."

"Nah itu Pak X dan Bu Y ngabarin, siapa tahu kalau jadi bendahara bisa bikin Bu Julia mau bertahan."

"Buu, keputusan ini insyaAllah bukan keputusan yang didorong karena semata-mata materi. Saya semakin cinta dengan mengajar sejak bertemu anak-anak dan guru-guru hebat disini. Cuma saya merasa tempat ini sudah cukup untuk menjadi tempat saya belajar. Saya menerima banyak kebaikan disini. Tapi pada beberapa persimpangan kita bisa memilih jalan yang akan kita lanjutkan untuk melakukan perjalanan kan bu?"

"Gak mau dipikirin lagi? Kalau Bu Julia gak nyaman sama lingkungannya, saya bisa ajukan untuk pindah satuan. Saya butuh teman yang sejalan. Jujur, saya butuh Bu Julia buat nemenin saya memperbaiki hal-hal yang bersifat prinsip disatuan ini. Kita bangun bareng-bareng."

"Bu, saya orang baru disini. Saya sadar kapasitas dan posisi saya. Kadang ketika kita gak bisa mengubah sesuatu hal, mungkin bukan lingkungannya yang salah. Tapi mungkin kita gak tepat aja, kitanya yang gak cocok. Jadi saya rasa mungkin saya perlu mencari wadah lain yang sejalan dengan value yang saya yakini. Itu saja bu."

"Pokoknya sebelum ketok palu dari yayasan, kesempatan itu selalu terbuka ya buat Bu Julia. Jadi sebelum ada pernyataan resmi dari yayasan, saya gak akan bilang ke temen-temen yang lain kalau Bu Julia akan resign."

Mengambil pilihan yang tidak umum bagi kebanyakan orang mungkin akan dicap idealis, gak realistis, cuma nyusah-nyusahin diri sendiri. Tapi, kalau dengan menjalani apa yang umum bagi kebanyakan orang lalu kita tidak bahagia, merasa tertekan, merasa bersalah. Kayanya terlalu sia-sia untuk menghabiskan sebagian hidup pada hal-hal yang sudah jelas bertentangan dengan value hidup yang kita pegang. Iya, kan?

Wadah yang saya tempati saat ini mungkin banyak disayangkan oleh orang-orang disekitar, tapi saya bahagia menjalaninya. Boleh, kan?

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arwasimiya · 5 months ago

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Bercerita Tanpa Membandingkan

Malam ini, rebah di atas matras olahraga sambil menelpon orang rumah. Mengabarkan masalah laptop yang sudah selesai dan mengingatkan latihan beban yang sudah pasti lalai. Begitu baiknya Allah atas nikmat sehat yang diberikan untuk kita. Sehat jiwa dan badan, luar dan dalam. Alhamdulillah.

Cerita mengalir seperlunya, tak perlu lagi mengada-ada. Perkembangan beberapa murid yang aku selalu suka mendengarnya. Kabar terbaru adik-adik yang kini sudah saling berjauhan semuanya.

Umi bercerita, kemarin adik bungsu kami ditanya sudah sampai mana hafalannya. Katanya, sampai surah Al-Buruuj.

"Ohhh sama kayak kelasnya umi, le. Ada juga yang sudah sampai Al-Muthaffifiin. Tak kirain kamu sudah sampai Al-Muthaffifiin atau Al-Insyiqaq," Kata Umi menimpali.

Tak disangka, kalimat selanjutnya meluncur tanpa aba. Menyeruak penyangkalan atas kesadaran yang seharusnya ada.

"Umi itu lo, sukanya membanding-bandingkan."

Jleb. Aku spontan tertawa saja. Lega pesan itu tersampaikan langsung dari objeknya. Mana pernah terpikir, anak umur 8 tahun mengerti dan bisa menyampaikan hal semacam itu.

🤣🤣

Aku segera menanggapi cerita ini seolah gayung bersambut. Sudah lama ingin menyampaikan, tapi khawatir menggurui dan ingin meminimalisir saja gesekan yang sudah terlalu banyak ini.

"Wkwkwkw wiihh kerenn kok bisa ngomong gitu sihh?? Tapi dia benerr loh, mi, jangan membandingkan 🤣"

"Iyoo tapi kan tak jawab, maksud umi ki cerita aja lo, le ...."

"Berarti kalau mau cerita jangan sampai dia merasa dibandingkan, mi. Kalau dia bisa bilang gitu kan artinya dia merasa dibandingkan lohh."

"Laiyo maksudku kan yo memotivasi ngono lho ..."

Percakapan itu berakhir dengan menertawakan kebolehan si bungsu dalam pilihan kata dan pengambilan momentumnya. Selama ini, mungkin aku lebih biasa saja menerima banyak cerita dari murid-murid umi karena aku tidak merasa terlalu rendah dari mereka. Cerita-cerita itu memang benar jadi motivasi untukku. Lain halnya jika cerita itu dibawakan pada ia yang belum sampai pada titik membanggakan yang umi ceritakan.

Belum sampai bukanlah sebuah kesalahan. Setiap orang memiliki waktu masing-masing dalam berbagai ahwal, tidak terkekang hanya dalam satu hal.

Cukup lama aku mengamati dan menyadari bahwa apa-apa yang sedikit aku pelajari terkait kesalahan dalam pengasuhan, ada di rumah ini. Jadi konsumsi sehari-hari.

Aku dulu adalah anak penuntut. Seharusnya orang tua begini dan begitu. Harus persis seperti mauku. Mengabaikan segala kebaikan yang berlimpah tak terhitung dibanding kesalahan yang bisa jadi sumbernya ketidaktahuan.

Sekarang sudah tidak lagi. Setelah banyak error terjadi dan terkadang masih terjadi, ada hal penting yang aku pelajari.

Bahwa saat kita menemukan satu kesalahan, carilah sebanyak-banyaknya toleransi dari kebaikan orang tua agar kita bisa menerimanya dan dengan tulus mendoakannya.

Selama ini aku tahan untuk tidak menyampaikan, ternyata Allah sampaikan juga dengan cara yang lebih baik dan sopan. Tak perlu adu argumen yang menyakitkan. Melalui cara ini, perbaikan akan lebih mudah dilakukan, semoga.

Kutipan dars hari ini,

وإن الصبر من أسباب الظفر

Wiraguna, 27-08-2024 // 23.50

#home #parenting #rumah

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yzeltia · 5 months ago

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WOL/Raha Week Day 7 I Love You

Rating: T for Teen Characters: G'raha Tia, Keith Summers, Kirian Summers Notes: Happens before DT, just a few months after Keith and Raha adopt Kirian

“NO! I HATE YOU! You’re not my real dads! You’re just a dumb coeurl!”

G’raha recoiled as Kirian finished screaming at him before going into his room and slammed the door. He dropped the book of storytales he was carrying to read to the boy. His ears drooped along with his tail as he slumped to the ground on his knees, tears beading in his eyes. Crueler things had been said before, but he could not recall where or when. In his shock, he’d barely noticed that Keith had come and knelt down to hug him from behind.

“You okay?” Keith asked, kissing softly into his husband’s ear.

“I am a bit shaken…like I might not easily recover though they were but mere words,” G’raha said, clinging lightly to Keith as he leaned back into him. “He is not like G’khenna was.”

Keith tilted his head, resting his cheek between his love’s ears. “Well, yeah. She’s so much like you and we’ve been with her since birth. All of the stuff that we messed up, we did ourselves. And when she was upset, she found other ways to hurt us…but she never meant it. We’ve only had Kirian for a few months and still don’t know much about what his life was like before we adopted him. We gotta make up for all that love he felt he’d lost, y’know. It only stings cause we do love him.”

G’raha nodded, trying to steel himself as he lingered in his husband’s embrace. “Yes. I shouldn’t let it get to me. Lyna, too, had her fits. Let me breathe and I shall endeavor to set things right.”

The two sat in silence, embraced on the floor. With a small exhale, G’raha picked up his book then moved to stand, helping Keith up with him. Stepping to Kirian’s door, he gave a gentle wrap on the door. “Kirian…I’m going to come in.”

“GO AWAY,” the boy yelled from inside.

Keith grimaced then pushed G’raha to the side to open the door. “There’s no need for yelling,” he said, dropping his voice a bit.

Kirian glowered from his bed, hugging onto a gryphon plush that was about as big as him. “You said this is my room! I don’t want you in here.”

Crossing his arms, Keith stood in the frame and raised his brow. “I’m not in your room, I’m in the frame,” he responded with a grin. “We’ll leave you be but we need to talk first. What you said really hurt our feelings. Especially your dad’s. You know it’s not okay to call a Miqo’te a coeurl, right?”

The boy continued to glower, narrowing his brow more at his dad’s joke. Turning, he hugged into his toy. “I don’t care. I don’t want to read his stupid book…,” he said before pulling his covers over his head. “I didn’t mean to call him a coeurl though…sorry.”

“You said you hate us because you didn’t want him to read you a storytale before bed? You love it when we do that,” Keith asked, voice softening as he opened the door a bit more so that G’raha could peek in now too.

“It’s okay Kirian. I’m not mad,” G’raha added calmly. “Though, why do you not want to read with me?”

Kirian stayed coiled in his blanket, not answering for a moment. “‘Cause you’ll make me try to read it myself.”

G’raha blinked. “Well of course. It’s no fun if I have to do all the voices myself,” he said, wandering forward to sit on the edge of his son’s bed, Keith following his lead.

“I can’t do it,” Kirian responded, muffled under his covers.

“Sure you can! You just gotta just make a silly tone in your voice,” Keith said, inflecting his voice higher for emphasis.

Kirain turned, peeking his head out from under his blankets, looking between them then away. “I can’t read,” the boy huffed. “I can’t do it…so go ahead and send me back so you can find someone else who can,” he whined before returning to his cocoon.

Keith and G’raha blinked at each other, having not realized the boy had not yet learned the skill. Crossing his arms, Keith thought for a moment. “But, your teacher says you know your letters and keep up with the class just fine…Still, Kirian. Even if you could never read a single word, we wouldn’t give you up. You’re our son no matter what,” he said before reaching out to rub the boy’s shoulder.

“Why would you think that? It is perfectly normal for a boy your age to still be learning to read,” G’raha pressed, opening up the storytale book to find something simple for them to practice.

“‘Cause G’k said she was reading lots of books by the time she was my age. She’s really really smart and so are you…I don’t fit in,” Kirian said, turning back over to look up at his dads.

“Keith? Smart?” G’raha asked, trying to stifle a laughter.

“Yeah! Pa answers all my questions cause he knows everything…and whatever he doesn’t you do,” he said.

G’raha was unable to contain his laughter, earring a small glare from Keith, the latter turning to his son to pat his shoulder again. “Ah, yes. That might be the tiniest exaggeration on my part. Heck, when I was your age I struggled really hard with my letters cause…well, ‘cause,” he started before looking at G’raha then lowering down to whisper in his son’s ear. “I needed glasses. Don’t tell, it’s my biggest secret.”

Kirian nodded, brow raised before sitting up a little. “So you were doing worse than me?”

“Mhmm. And look at me now. I married the actual smartest guy in the world and have two very bright children that I would not trade for anything in the world.”

“Not even front court bomball tickets?”

“Not even those,” Keith assured the boy.

“Well, that seems to have cleared everything up,” G’raha sighed, relief washing over him as he smiled at Kirian. “I won’t make you, but I would like it if you'd try with me. Is that okay?”

Kirian nodded, sniffling a bit as he made room for G’raha to sit on the other side of him. The book put in his lap, he flipped it to the first page then hunkered down between his dads. “Ah…um…Upon an era long ago, there was a nice pi…pi…”

“Pirate,” G’raha helped.

“Pirate. Upon an era long ago, there was a pirate. He want-eed…wanted to find trees..treasure. The treasure was called the one pi..pie-...piece,” the boy read, sounding out the words before stopping.

“That was very good. Why did you stop?” G’raha asked, petting on Kiran’s shoulder.

“Um…I um…I love you. I’m sorry I yelled…you are my real dads,” he said quietly.

Keith and G’raha looked at one another then smiled before hugging the boy tight between them, letting him squirm about, G’raha affectionately nuzzling over his head. “We love you too,” G’raha sighed happily.

“You’re messin’ up the hawk! You’re messin’ up the hawk! I take it back,” the boy fussed, trying to push them away as he started to laugh. Once they relented, he calmed down together they read until falling asleep together in the small bed.

#final fantasy 14 #ff14 #final fantasy xiv #ffxiv #ffxiv oc #ffxiv miqo'te #ff xiv #g'raha/wol #g'raha tia #keith summers #wolraha #wolraha week 2024

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