#looking for the druid's missing brother

[mik-arts]

when the guy you lowkey have a crush on has been arguing with his best friend who just so happens to be an archfey bird and said best friend keeps coming to hang out with you when your crush annoys him and you're honestly flattered but also worried about them

[gatheredfates]

On the Topic of Plagiarism:

I decided to make my own post rather that co-oping @thefreelanceangel's because, despite having her full and enthusiastic permission to do so, what I'm talking about is somewhat adjacent to her point and entirely inspired BY the fact she tagged @riftdancing—particularly Blink—and I wanted to demonstrate examples of incidence were coincidence and consent do not immediately equate to plagiarism; it's ultimately about intent, and you do not need to tear yourself up on the inside if you find someone with a similar idea to yours, provided neither of you have gone out of your way to copy each other.

First, please meet the troops:

On the left is Miss Koret Swan. On the right is Miss Blink Vaniro. As I so delicately summed up:

It would be easy to surmise, based on this alone, that one of us copied the other person. However, both of these are old characters, written in a time and space where neither of us knew each other, and the similarities have always been a cause for laughter and playful teasing rather than competition and spite. I made Koret in WoW as a sister to a wolf and lamb concept, and Pepper made Blink as a character to an overarching D&D campaign set in a sci-fi universe.

What I'm trying to say is that, whilst plagiarism is absolutely a bad thing, as someone with anxiety over this sort of thing, you do not need a wholly 100% original idea in order to write and roleplay publicly, and many ideas share overt similarities to others that deviate the moment you peel back the veneer.

Koret and Blink are both 'pirates'. Koret is a privateer (said with all the sarcasm a privateer entails; a pirate with the proper papers) and Blink is a sky pirate. All of Kor's theming is around the ocean, particularly the deep ocean, and Blink's is all about the sky and the freedom it gives. But they both have wolf motifs. Kor has had a sister, Blink has had a brother.

What makes these characters different is the way that we explore them and how these broad ideas become niche based on the concepts we want to expand on as writers. What makes them different is that neither was written despite (or even in spite) of the other, nor did one of us look at the other and go 'oh, i want to do x with y because i think it'll be better'.

There are dozens of femme fatal concepts out there. There are heaps of bad-ass men. If I had a dollar for every knight character that was in xiv alone, I'd still be a rich woman. Hell, I know for a fact that my star-gazing viera is certainly not the first of her kind, nor will she be the last. I can coexist in spaces with people who have these similar concepts because I know there's enough deviation between those characters, as I have spent the time cultivating a niche story for mine where broad concepts are more set-dressing than the actual meat and potatoes of the character.

If you have the ick about someone copying you, especially if you have a negative history with them or the person is being weird, you're probably right on the money. I have had characters of mine blatantly ripped off for the former. But this is more for the reassurance of people who are like 'I don't want a pink-themed miqo'te because I know one already exists' or 'I don't want to play with a spore druid concept because I know one exists' (i'm using my own miqo'te here as an example, LMAO). You can have a primadonna, pink miqo'te who lives in Ishgard and is clawing her way to the tippy top of the high houses and I wouldn't stress because my primadonna, pink miqo'te is currently knee-deep in a bog because she heard she can find peat mummies there. They're not the same. They share similarities, but they're not the same.

Write it because you think it's fun. Not because you've seen x's concept be popular and you want a slice of it. Not because you want a ship similar to y's and you're going to gush about how much you love it and try to mosey in with a knock-off (no, this has never happened to me, what do you mean?). You're not going to have the same amount of fun!! It won't be the same!!

But also, at the same time, don't rob yourself of an opportunity to play with a concept because someone else is already doing it, especially if it's just a trope. People can tell the difference and they will embrace it if you're earnest.

You may even find someone like I found Pepper. We laughed at it. Then we made an AU and shipped them. They're kissing. They are stabbing. They are kissing and stabbing each other.

[hopelessromantic5]

Love in All Its Forms

Merlin liked to think he knew quite a bit. He's all of twenty and four, now. He's learned so much information in the last three years, his head feels it might explode. Only the magic of the Earth itself still holding him together.

But there were always reasons to keep going. Camelot, her people, that needed protection. His family, his friends, Hunith, Gwen, Lance, Gwaine, Leon, Elyan. They've all become a part of him now.

Merlin also liked to think he knew a lot about love. He was easily capable of feeling a love that passes between two people. Each different than the last.

For example, the love between Gwen and her brother Elyan was that of a comrade, a brother in arms. They teased and poked and worried feircly. As opposed to the love that Merlin can see slowly growing between Gwen and Lancelot. Theirs is a quiet feeling. But no less intense. They communicate with silent looks and soft touches. When they are together, their eyes never dim.

In his mind, Merlin considers this oddity as just another power in his arsenal. He can see love before the lover's even notice. Like Gwaine and Percival, for instance.

Gwaine is…a complicated person. That may be the understatement of the century, but there are many things that Gwaine never lets see the light of day. A brave knight in the face of his own memories, out of neccesity. Merlin would try his damndest at the beginning to get any information out of him at all, about his past, or his hurt. But Gwaine insisted he was fine, and Merlin wouldn't want to hear it. That was, until Percival came along with Lancelot, and Gwaine bloomed like a flower in spring.

Percival was shy, something that Gwaine latched onto immidiately. He always had a thing for the quiet ones. The gentle giant favored hanging around the stables or the royal kennels, looking after dogs and brushing down the horses in his down time. Merlin has caught Gwaine watching Percival on more than one occasion, but said nothing. Never bringing attention to the unspoken connection they seem to have. After all, Merlin couldn't judge either of them a bit.

In a group setting, Gwaine was still his boistorous, frankly blunt self, and in turn, he pulled Percival out of his shell. They would huddle together in council meeting, or close in the tavern, whipsering about training, or gambling, or just their days. Merlin does try not to eavesdrop, but its nearly impossible when he can feel the waves of affection rolling off of them and out into the room, making everyone around them, unknowingly, softer.

Even Arthur.

Oh, god.

Arthur. King Arthur. The Once and Future King of Albion.

A royal, supercillois prat with a heart of gold and hair to match.

Anywhere he went, he arrived like the sun each morning. Beautiful and regal and breathtaking. Merlin nearly choked on it.

Morgana would call him a hypocrite, if she were here. She went to stay with the druids shortly following the death of Uther. After Arthur was settled into Kingship, she said her tearful goodbyes and promised to return in the winter for Yule.

Before leaving, she hugged Merlin fiercly and whispered into his shoulder "Take care of yourself. And him." He did not need to ask who 'he' was. "You're the only person in the world that makes him truly happy."

With that, she took her leave. Stepping away from a sad, shell-shocked Merlin.

"She will return soon, Merlin." The King's voice pulled him out of his thoughts and back into the royal chambers. How had he known what Merlin was thinking of?

"I know, sire." He nodded, resolute to not look at the King in his private, sleepy state. "I just miss her, is all."

"As do I." Came a quiet response. "She was always better at this part." He shuffled parchments on the desk. "The paperwork and the delegating."

"She would vehemenately disagree." Merlin chuckled lowly, still staring at the pile of clean clothes he has yet to sort.

"That she would." Arthur's voice sounds far away, which caused Merlin to look up at him, only to find the King watching him do absolutely nothing. He almost couldn’t breathe. His magic rising up in his throat any time Arthur looks his way, these days.

"Are you…" the golden King began, unsure. Merlin's eyebrows pinched slightly. "Do you and Morgana-"

"No!" He practically shouted into a very quiet room, causing him to flinch at his own blunder. "I mean… no." He tried again, calmer. "She is very beautiful and kind, but it's not like that. It's just that…" he sighed, looking down at that same pile of clothes, trying to find the right words.

"She's a high preistess. Extremely, naturally, powerful. While there are other magical users now in residence here, it's not quite the same. The druids and everyone, they all look to me as some kind of…" He trailed off.

"God." Arthur finished for him. "They see you as a god."

"Well, yes." To busy his hands, he finally began sorting different piles. "Morgana was someone with magic who understood that I am not, completely, the immortal of legend. She's been to Ealdor, she's seen where I used to put my hands into the Earth and grow vegetables in the winter so that we would not starve." He shrugged. "She was a nice collaborator to have, a friend."

"I'm sorry." Merlin snapped his neck to look over at Arthur, still behind his desk, but work long abandoned.

"Whatever for?"

"That you must seperate peices of yourself in order to exist in a certain place. That there are those who make you feel as if you aren't human, but some savior sent to magically fix every problem we have." Arthur shook his head slightly. "You are more than that."

This. This is what Merlin can never find the words for.

He knew what he felt for Arthur was love. But it seemed so above and beyond any love he's ever felt, he hesitated to label it such.

Yes, he would die for Arthur without ever thinking, he would throw himself down at Arthur's mercy should he ever fail him. But that was only one peice of it. That was the love he feels for his King, that was the loyalty attatched to his affection.

Another part of him, the part that sits quietly with Arthur in his chambers, the one that wakes a sleepy man every morning with much more fondness than is appropriate. It was just Merlin, that fell in love with just Arthur. His heart, his kindness.

That part of Merlin would destroy anything and everything to see Arthur happy. He would burn down the world.

This was what scared him.

"Am I?" Is all he can manage to get out, in a cottonmouth whisper.

"Of course, Merlin. You are what keeps this kingdom afloat. Not just because you defend Camelot from grave dangers, or keep the grain stores stocked for winter. But because your light seems to bleed onto others and make us all unbearably happy. We would all be miserable without you."

"We?" Merlin can't help but point out with a small, shying smile. "Including you, sire?"

Merlin saw, in the candlelight, as the King's cheeks turned a bright pink and he tore his eyes back down to his scattered desk. "Well I would certainly be miserable with George all the time."

The well put-together man only did half of the usual tasks given to a manservant of the King. Merlin woke Arthur, dressed him, served him breakfast. He attended him at feasts and every night, he readied the King for bed. No one was taking that from him, as far as he was concerned. Unless Arthur told him to go, he would be here, always by his side.

"Have no fear, your highness, I will always be here to save you from manservants with no personality."

"Thank the gods for that." Arthur said, all too serious.

Merlin tried to lighten the mood, with a small chuckle he asked "Did you honestly think that Morgana and I-"

The King cut him off, scrunching his eyes closed in embarasment. "Gods, I didn't know, okay? I knew you cared for her but I didn't know if it was more than-"

"It's not. I care for her as a sister. I care for her as you do."

Arthur smiled at him. "That is good to know." He tapped on the wooden surface of his desk with a finger, staring at the motion in thought. Merlin just watched him.

"So, you don't have your eye on anyone, at present?"

Merlin's brain froze still. How was he supposed to answer that? "I…wouldn't say that." He responded quietly, not looking away from Arthur's stark blue eyes.

Arthur seemed almost disappointed, but not surprised. "I thought as much." he said with smile that did not reach his eyes.

At Merlin's questioning look he said, "You're often daydreaming when I find you alone. With some dopey looking smile on your face." He tried to sound offhand when he asked, "Who's the lucky lady?"

Merlin decided, for once in his life, to be honest when asked a question. Looking at his feet once more, he responded. "Not a lady at all, actually." the man sighed, bereft. "A complete idiot that they somehow allowed to be King though he can't even dress himself most days. I don't know how the kingdom hasn't-"

His rambling was cut off once again by the King. But this time a completely different tactic was used.

The kiss was hungry, while Arthur's hold on him was gentle. As if he were afraid to break something precious.

They come up for air some minutes later, now grasping onto each other for dear life. "We should've done that ages ago." Arthur whispers into the air between them, causing a giddy laugh to ride up out of both of them.

Their love is like flowers growing up out of the frozen solid ground. Or a gust of cold air in the dessert.

[three-of-crows]

(either Katya and Lann or Kadee and Katya!)

3) casually linking arms, holding-hands, sharing hugs that lasts a teensy tiny bit longer. AHHHHH

One million years later...

IT’S GIRLS TIME!

"Ok, everybody, let's do it from the beginning."

The weather around the Wound was as weird as the landscape and everything that lived there. But it didn’t mean the local Ulfen community would let the approaching equinox pass without a celebration. If the endless winter back in their motherland never stopped any of their ancestors, neither a Witch's trickery would do that.

The group of people was in the square of the citadel, laughing and talking to each other. There were not only the Irisseni folk, but Mendevian people as well, and even some mongrels joined the rehearsal.

Bjorn clapped two times, and everybody made a circle again. Kadira reached her hand for the girl by her side, but she refused politely, saying she was tired. Before the tiefling could say anything, a familiar light shone in her peripherical vision.

"May I join you?"

Ekaterina was there. Bjorn, the 'dance master', scoffed, "Look at who decided to leave the burrow".

"Can you love me less, dear brother?"

He gave a playful smile. "I just can’t. Ok, let's do it! One, two, three and..."

The people followed his instructions, though many of them already had understood the coreograph movements. Some still bumped at each other and giggled, but the circular dance kept going on.

Kadira was self-aware of her hooves all the time, but couldn’t help and stayed there. That dance reminded her of her grandparents and the small parties her family used to organize. And when Ekaterina appeared and asked for her hand — literally —, she felt more nervous e made her best to concentrate.

Though she was not free of mistakes as anybody, and bumped at the druid by accident.

"I'm sorry," that was her first reaction.

Ekaterina laughed. "You are ok. Phew... I lost the ability to do this."

"No, you are good at this," Kadira disagreed.

Two lines were formed and they had to leave each other's hands. Kadira felt slightly weird when the warm palm of the druid left her alone.

"Clap your hands, clap your hands!" Bjorn walked through the lines.

The lines mixed and Ekaterina and Kadira was apart. The tiefling craned her neck and spotted the woman smiling at her mother in the meantime.

Her heart got small.

The bards kept playing, and the dance kept its flow. It seemed a decade until the sequence of the circle was restored.

"I got you," Kadira said as her arm reached Katya's.

The redhead smiled. "Did you miss me? Because I did."

Kadira thanked the destiniy for her skin didn’t blush easily. Though her tail could be too much talkative, and she coiled it immediately.

"And we are done!" Bjorn cheered the people up. "Good job, everybody!"

Some were so relieved that they finally made it that started to hug each other. Kadira and Ekaterina stayed in the same place, with linked arms for a long time.

Annya approached behind them, passing her arms around their waists. "My beautiful girls."

Her gesture made them get closer. Pressed against Katya, Kadee closed her eyes, afraid that her expression could be as talkative as her tail.

But when she noticed, Annya has gone for a long time, and she simply was attached at the other.

"Shelyn, help me," pleaded quietly.

Though, deep down, she was not sure if she did need help.

[treesandwords]

I MISSED MY BOY'S BIRTHDAY !!! DXXX So three days late, here are some fun (and not so fun) facts about my small son Jerod Dalion:

He collects stuff A LOt, like, any small easy to conceal object that doesn't *obviously* belong to anybody he is picking it up and putting it in its own little designated spot

Also sometimes is not quite as thoughtful about it...he doesn't *steal* things ofc but he kind of has a bad habit of just picking up small things without thinking about it if they're left lying around

Has an irrational fear of being poisoned

Fan of bugs

Has central & segmental heterochromia -- both eyes are somewhere between brown and green, but one has significantly more brown while the other has "eye freckles"

Surprisingly his favrouite colour isn't green, it's probably purple

Everyone who is old enough to remember his father's family says he looks exactly like his "dead" uncle did when he was young

Messy handwriting

He and Ciaran came up with their own kind of shorthand that they used to write about "secret" stuff when they were kids

After he starts prominently using his walking stick, he ties the necklace his sisters made for him in one of the earliest chapters to it

Learns to make his own clothes (sort of)

Which starts off as a sort of coping mechanism after his brother dies -- he always had patches on his clothes and Jerod now learns to do that too

In general I have this idea that he incorporates different signature elements of the ways his loved ones dress into his own clothes as time goes on, as a way to keep them with him

Eventually maps out all the places where he's seen evidence of Woodwife* rituals and scouts them out at the right times of year, hoping to run into his sister

*essentially lady druids

Taglist: @kaatiba @on-noon @writingmoth @faithfire-writes (lmk if you want to be added/removed)

[pebblethestone]

The Paladin and druid

Zevlor x druid reader

Summary - You go out looking for herbs and someone saves you from a goblin.

Masterlist

Paladin And Druid Masterlist

Next

Words - 1435

A/n - hello so uh Zevlor definitely needs more love and more story's for him so I thought why not make one foe him so here it is. Happy with took one day and bot 4 lol, I'll probably come back to this to fix bits and bobs

─────────⊹⊱✫⊰⊹─────────

Your eyes scan the area as you walk along the dirt path looking for herbs as well as berries to pick to help back at the grove, your eyes land on a gooseberry bush with some light green round berries on it as you grab a container from your basket you hold in one hand, opening it and then start plucking out some berries that looked good.

As you were busy you didn't hear the sound of footsteps approaching you from behind as you heard a voice shout out to you.

"Watch out!" You hear from behind you and turn around to see a goblin running straight at you with its sword raised, your eyes widen you don't have enough time to react, feeling someone push you to the side as you land on the ground, hearing two swords clashing against each other looking up to who save you from being stabbed by a goblin.

You see a tiefling whose skin is a deep red, his horns dark He is tall and looks strong as he fights the goblin, watching as they move away slightly from where you where as you continue hitting their swords together you see as the goblin grows weak as the tiefling strong blows weaken it, the goblin realises that it didn't have a chance as you drop it sword and run away. The tifling turns back to you.

"I do apologise for pushing you over miss/sir/mx," he says as he exchanges his hand to

rds you to help you up, you reach up and take it, giving him a little smile.

"No, no it's quite alright you did save me from being impaired by a goblin, Sir," you say looking at him as you look back where you were on the ground you see that your basket had broken and the herbs and berries that you have collected had all spilled out, making you sigh a little.

Bending down as you try and pick it all you and put it back into your broken basket, seeing the tifling bend down to also help you pick up the container of gooseberries as he hands it over to you.

"I am Zevlor, by the way," he says as you both stand up straight, you now holding your basket in both arms.

"Am Y/n, you are quite far from home no?" You ask, eyes watching him.

"Our home Elturel has fallen, we are refugees and we are looking for somewhere to stay, while we get ready to travel to Baldur's gate" he explains to you, your eyes filled with sadness as you frown a little.

"Well am sure my people will be happy to take you in for a while, until you are ready to travel again, but I'll have to talk to them about it," you say with a small smile.

"Actually, how about you come with me to the grove, so you can talk to the first druid and no need to worry he is very nice" you say as you grab Zevlor's hand and drag him with yours as take turns, left and right following the dirt path coming to a place with a huge wooden gate.

As they open you're welcomed by Halsin who is your brother as well as the first druid, looking a little crossed with you with his arms crossed over his chest, as you were actually not allowed to be out of the grove because of the goblins roaming around, give him a little sheepish smile as he raised his eyebrow at you then looking over at Zevlor, the tifling becoming a little nervous.

“Brother, I have come with someone seeking shelter as well as his people, I think we should let them stay with us until they are ready to head on their way to Baldur's gate” You walk to your brother as well as see Kagha standing nearby, as she watches the tifling.

“Y/n I told you to stay in the grove, or go out with someone not yourself,” he says with a sigh.

“I know, but I did get some of the herbs we needed,” you say, as he gives you a look.

“The tifling and his people need somewhere to stay for a while?” Halsin says as his eyes move to look at Zevlor, as you nod.

“I am Halsin, First druid and you may be?“ he asks as he holds his hand out to shake.

“Am Zevlor, I am leading my people to Baldur's gate for a better life, am asking if we can seek Refuge here until we start travelling again,” He says explaining to Halsin the elf nodding.

“well am more than happy to let you stay until you are ready to set off again you may stay here as long as you need, Y/n will go with you to go back to your people and help guide you back here” looking back at you giving a little nod, and you give him you basket.

“it will be getting dark soon we should go get your people,” you say as you turn your head to Zevlor having to look up a little.

“You right we shall return before it becomes too dark” he says to your brother as the elf nods, as you take the lead on heading out the grove watching the big wooden open again letting you and Zevlor out.

After walking in silence for 20 minutes following Zevlor he speaks up.

“So what do you do at the grove?” he asked with curiosity.

“oh am a healer and study animals, and what role is it that you are?” you ask looking at him.

“I tend to think that am a leader to these people helping them find a better life,” he says to you, making you feel warm that it seems he cares deeply for his people.

“it's nice to see you care so much about your own it's hard to find now a days,” you say

“Thank you, we're almost there just around that corner and our small camp is there,” he says pointing to where it is as you nod.

Once you get around the corner you see tiflings crowded around each other some look tired, some are in need of food and some ill children are running around playing seeing them makes you smile a little.

“well then let's get you people to the grove, they need better shelter,” you say looking back at Zevlor.

“yes I'll tell everyone what's going on and then we will travel back to the grove,” he says as he walks off to tell his people about what's happening. You look around until you feel a tug on your sleeve, looking down you see a little girl tifling looking up at you with curious eyes.

“Hello, miss/sir/mx why are you here?” she asks, she has orange-ish hair her skin grey and purple and bright orange eyes. As she stares at you.

“I am here to help you until you are ready to set off to adventure to Baldur's gate,” you say as you crouch down

“What's your name, am Y/n” you say as she still looks at you with big eyes.

“I'm Arabella, I like your bracelet” she says as you look at your bracelet made up of different greens, browns and tans, that you made in your spare time when you were bored. You untie it with your other hand as you look back at her.

“Hold out your hand, small one” you say as you tie the bracelet onto her wrist as she takes her hand back looking at it.

“thank you, I got to tell my parents,” she says as she runs off making you smile as you feel eyes watching you, you turn around and see Zevlor leaning on a tree his arms crossed but a smile dances on his face. Deciding you get up from the crouch you are in and stand up straight watching him as he pushes himself off the tree and heads towards you.

“It seems that everything is ready and we will head back to your grove once we're done packing” You nod your head as his eyes watch every movement you make.

“It was very kind of you to give that bracelet away to the child,” he says to you, as you hum a little before replying.

“Yes, but she seems very interested in it and they are easy to make so I might as well give it away” you say turning to look at him and seeing something in his eyes, not knowing what it is.

[transkingcobra]

Okay I got this idea while trying to sleep last night and then proceeded to write most of it until 3am instead of just noting it rip

Finished this scenario and I actually mostly like it for not having written in ages and I never feel like I capture others’ characters correctly

Halsin x m!named!Tav

(x2 but mainly focusing on one in this)

Diex finds himself jealous and then proceeds to panic about it. Halsin snaps him out of it and talks him through it.

Mainly angst I guess, ‘tis sfw, moment of jealousy not aimed at other current partner if that matters to anyone, anxiety/panic attack, going nonverbal for a bit, I think that is everything?

A little background/explanation before the lil fic because I know I’ve shared not a damn thing about these two but it should be completely skippable, just know that Diex is a changeling in his tiefling persona to start this. If you’re confused you can always go back to read it after and/or send asks, was trying to keep it short I’m already rambling

Background info:

First and foremost, Nix and Diex are changeling brothers who both fell for Halsin. I want to emphasize there is nothing between the brothers other than being brothers, no incest, they do not share Halsin in those moments.

Nix (ranger) is mute and solely communicates via signs or writing (I think I wrote it understandably but the quotes that are italicized are signed). Diex (druid) is with him 99% of the time so he’ll translate signing to spoken language for ease/speed of communication to others.

They’re technically not “Tavs” as in neither of them is the leader and they’re not worm-wielders, another bean is in the “Tav position” but I didn’t even mention him in this. They were hanging out to help out with the tieflings in the grove (as their tiefling personas) before joining the group.

Context for slight mention of their past, Diex was on the run for 10 years where both brothers were completely alone before finally finding each other again.

The brothers usually use their tiefling personas to travel with the group since that is the one the party knows and met them in, and drop it at camp since they prefer to just be themselves.

I think that is all but let me know if something feels missing?

————

Today was a prep day, everybody gathering potions and ammunitions, sharpening weapons, preparing spells. Halsin and Diex wandered vendor stalls together in the city, looking for anything the others had need of. The two became lost in their own worlds and drifted a few stalls apart before the changeling started to notice a woman’s obnoxious flirting.

“I’ll bet those strong hands of yours can do far more than that.” The woman’s advances earned an amused hum from the man she had her sights on. Wait. Diex lifted his gaze and turned to where the voices had come from and, sure enough, there she was standing and staring at Halsin. He didn’t hear anything else that was said; his feet took him over to his bear immediately. Arms wrapped around Halsin’s waist, Diex flashed the woman a dirty look, made worse by his morphing face but angled so the much taller druid couldn’t see.

“Well, I should uh, be getting home!” The woman grew visibly uncomfortable at his show and left in a hurry. He didn’t move, just watched her leave as his tiefling tail swayed behind him.

“Diex?” Halsin’s voice is all it takes to snap the clingy changeling out of it. He’s suddenly out of his head and in the market again, clung to his large elf. Embarrassment and shame hit him like a tidal wave. Halsin isn’t only his.

His arms fell away from the other druid and he took a step back, not sure he wanted to look Halsin in the face.

“I- I am so sorry- …Halsin I-“

“Calm, my heart. I am not angry.” A gentle hand found Diex’s chin and lifted his gaze. Halsin’s face was that of gentle concern, not anger, although Diex wasn’t sure if that was better at the moment. “Are you alright?”

“I…” He couldn’t hold the eye contact anymore, couldn’t form words, and suddenly he realized his heart felt like it was ready to escape his chest. He wanted to run, but he knew he couldn’t. Or well, shouldn’t. Not this time. He wasn’t doing that again. Not again…

The caress on his chin left only to take his hand with a gentle squeeze.

“Let us go back to the tavern.”

Diex nodded silently in response, letting Halsin guide him through the city. His mind spun like a hurricane only to crash and fall completely blank, then spin again.

Halsin was being calm, gentle, concerned even. Yet, Diex had just gone against what he had agreed to, to let the bear roam. He acted a clingy, possessive teen to their first love. Well… Halsin was his first, but he’s no kid. He should’ve known better. Been better. Halsin didn’t deserve to deal with this. Diex should’ve just said no before. Let Nix lie with Halsin in camp alone. The quiet brother was more level-headed. Mature. He thought before he acted, didn’t make stupid mistakes. Some days Diex still wasn’t quite used to living around so many people, but Nix adapted well. He lived the way he hunted, patiently with no missteps. Yes, he should’ve just said no. The minor ache of losing a crush would’ve been far more manageable than what was going to happen when they made it back to the tavern.

The Elfsong… Diex’s stomach twisted as they entered the establishment. The noise of the tavern’s crowd barely felt like it reached his ears. The stairs felt like far too many to climb yet not nearly enough to keep him away from what was to come. The common area around the main fireplace and hallway felt like he had only taken two steps before they made it to the room Halsin was using. The one he usually shared with one or both of the changelings. Diex heard the door close and felt it in his heart. He dropped his tiefling persona and stood feeling bare in front of Halsin.

The room felt suffocating. The first moments felt like hours. Every fiber of his being wanted to run again. To leave the room, the tavern, the city, the people behind. Instead, two strong hands found his shoulders, gentle but steady, and a low voice brought him back to himself.

“My love, you’re shaking…”

Halsin was right; Diex had been so wrapped up in his own thoughts he didn’t notice how unsteady he was. Did the others see? Was anybody even there as they passed the common area to get to the room? Was Nix there? Although the shaking wouldn’t have made a difference for Nix, the two knew each other far too well. The elder brother would have known something was wrong anyway.

Halsin gently sat them both down, holding Diex close but gently enough he could pull away easily. They had fought countless foes on this journey and had more than a few terrifying encounters. Diex had never flinched at those dangers yet here he was a near mess and panicked.

“My love, speak to me…” Hands left Diex as Halsin signed a broken “Please, what are you thinking?”

Bless Halsin, the man had taken up learning as many signs as he could during their travels and the brokenness pulled Diex a little more out of his own head.

“I’m stupid.” Diex couldn’t remember teaching that sign, Halsin is far too kind to need use of it, but maybe Nix did for whatever reason. The larger druid wiped a newly fallen tear from the changeling’s cheek before signing a request for Diex to spell the word he signed. “…stupid.” His voice cracked and was barely a whisper.

“I disagree.” A warm kiss graced the pale man’s head. “But you do have yourself worked up terribly, so when you are able I hope we can talk about where your mind is right now.”

By the gods, how can a man be so gentle? Diex leaned into Halsin’s chest, letting himself be held once more.

“I just… sorry I chased her off.” A low hum rumbled in Halsin’s chest.

“I am not angry, my heart. And I was not returning her advances.” A chuckle lightly shook them. “You and Nix keep me very occupied in that regard.” Diex couldn’t help the faintest hint of a smile start to form on his lips, but it quickly faded.

“…but if you did? Want to…return them? And I ruined it…” As much as he was certain it was over, Halsin felt safe. He curled himself into the bear, wrapping his arms around Halsin’s waist.

“I would still not be angry.” Halsin’s answer was soft, steady. Patient.

“But I-! We agreed that-“ Calloused fingertips hushed Diex’s onslaught of worry. He finally lifted his gaze to meet Halsin’s, those hazel eyes obviously choosing his next words.

“Nix told me I was his first in every way, and that I was more than likely yours as well. I do not expect either of you to know exactly how you are going to feel and react to a new lover. Nor do I expect you to hold yourself to that agreement should you discover it doesn’t work for you. But, I do, however, expect and ask you to be honest with yourself and with me.” Halsin’s hand lowered to caress the changeling’s cheek. “I do not wish to see you so worried. I would not want to lose you as a partner, but I would hate to see you go against your nature for me. If you ever find this does not work for you, please say so.”

“I…” For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Diex’s mind was calm. Halsin’s words comforted him but those eyes soothed his very soul. He was allowed the space to just be. Love and learn, wherever that took him. “Thank you.” He realized he’d honestly not put much thought into sharing Halsin beyond his brother, or even beyond the tadpole party just outside the door. Gods know they’d each bed him in the right situation. Though, now he’d really need to consider Halsin with a complete stranger, however odd a thought that felt to him at the moment. But he didn’t have to figure it all out immediately.

Diex stared into those gorgeous eyes a moment longer before pressing his lips to Halsin’s, soft and knowing, a promise he’d keep. Halsin gently rubbed a thumb over the pale cheek.

“Your eyes are beautiful.” Halsin spoke with a sense of gentle awe, and the comment caught Diex so off guard that he felt a blush rise to his cheeks. His eyes were beautiful? They were but a blank slate; Halsin’s eyes were beautiful. The way they glimmered as he chuckled only proved the point even more.

“What?” Diex huffed half a laugh, not seeing what his bear found funny now.

“Your eyes turned hazel. Mine, I presume?” Oh. Well, if he wasn’t visibly blushing before, his face was red now, quickly turning away and actively dismissing his unintended eye color.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to.” It’s been a long time since he’s morphed unintentionally, and never had he mimicked someone, even purposefully.

“You’ve nothing to apologize for, my heart.”

“Gods… that’s twice today I’ve felt like a child.”

“Perhaps I could read you a bedtime story and tuck you in tonight?” Halsin chuckled as he teased, although something in Diex said the bear would do so if he genuinely asked.

“No! If you must read someone to sleep with bedtime stories, I’ll sleep alone and let Nix have you to himself tonight.”

They laughed and held each other close. Halsin was content Diex had settled back into himself, reassured in his arms.

There was a knock at the door, a pattern familiar only to Diex. He returned it tapping on the wooden floor, loud enough for Nix to hear outside. The ranger walked in, closing the door behind him before sitting next to the druid pretzel.

“I didn’t interrupt, did I? Are you alright? The expressions the two of you had got Karlach pacing.” Ah, so they did see. Diex habitually released Halsin to sign his response.

“Yeah, I’m good now. Do I have to let Karlach squeeze me so she doesn’t burn down the Elfsong?” The younger changeling’s smile and soft chuckle at the thought seemed to relieve Nix of some concern.

“It wouldn’t hurt. Well, maybe a little for you. Maybe wildshape first.” The two druids laughed at Nix’s idea, who let out his own amused breath.

The three of them eventually joined the rest of the party for dinner. Karlach got her hug, of course, after much assurance that Diex was fine. Most of them were confused about what she was even concerned over, much to his relief. He knew Shadowheart and Astarion could be nosy, but even they let it drop when he said it was between him and Halsin. Although, Nix’s blank stare from behind his younger brother may have pushed them to stay quiet.

The three would talk more later, if not just the brothers. Nix might have advice for how he’s been navigating the relationship. Then again, he may not know what he’s doing either. But that was for later. Right now, he had good food to enjoy and even better company to enjoy it with.

————

I hope Halsin felt like Halsin, I never feel like I write characters correctly anyway and trying to write about a relationship where one of them literally says that word is “unfamiliar to [his] lips” feels weird, but also a friendship is a relationship so 🤷‍♂️ and some shit just felt weird using any words, fanfic wiggle room I guess. Hope I did him justice in any case lol.

I do wanna write/draw more about these guys, funny enough I have more ideas about Nix with Halsin than Diex, but the writing demons possessed me for this specific idea last night lmao. Their dynamics are fun in my head plus the idea of exploring the brothers running into another changeling who is very not nice and everything they avoid being is something I wanna do as well cough even if orin has bs abilities for a changeling cough Nix was my first dnd character I made without help and a few years later played his brother, while now bringing them into bg3 has been living in my head rent free lol

[mumms-the-word]

Starstruck

Day 3 of the BG3 Fic February challenge. A new day, a new Tav!

I have too many Tavs. But also, now I have pictures.

---

3. First encounter with their love interest

---

Ardynn notched another arrow, aiming carefully but swiftly for the throat of the last remaining goblin. The others were handling a rabid worg, but this goblin thought it could take on a massive cave bear. Typical goblin stupidity, she guessed. Ardynn let the arrow fly right as the cave bear reared onto his hind legs with a roar. The arrow thunked into the goblin’s neck at nearly the same the bear’s claws came crashing down. Ardynn didn’t know which attack killed it, and at this point, she didn’t care.

She turned just in time to see Wyll sink his blade into the downed worg’s side, ending it for good. A quick glance around the room told her there was nothing left to fight. The only ones left alive in that room were them and the bear.

Ardynn took a deep breath and lowered her bow, hoping that she hadn’t just saved a completely random bear and not the person she suspected the bear would be. Not that she regretted saving random bears, either, but…all leads for the missing druid pointed here.

To her faint relief, she heard the tell-tale signs of shifter magic just behind her. She latched her bow onto the little hook strapped to her armor and turned to face—

Oh gods. 

She was not prepared.

The man before her was a towering beast of a elf, made of pure muscle and sinew. He bore a distinctive red tattoo on one side of his face and several deep scars that stretched from hairline to eyebrow, like the claws of some great animal. A bear, she thought distantly, distractedly. He wore the distinctive robes of a druid of high rank, the symbol of the Emerald Grove front and center on his broad chest. There was no mistaking who this was, then.

This was Halsin. The Halsin. She’d heard stories about him long before she’d visited the Emerald Grove, back when her brother was training to become a druid and was seeking Circles to join up with. No one had warned her that he would look like this. He was all leather and white fabric and tree bark and blood. Of all things, she found herself staring at the leather bands around his biceps, the belts pulled taut and semi-straining against his skin as he moved toward her.

“Pardon the viscera,” he said, rolling his broad shoulders and shaking a bit of blood from his hands. “One should cherish all of nature’s bounty…but goblin guts are quite far down the list.”

Ardynn could only blink as he neared, placing himself almost within arm’s reach. Even then, she had to lift her chin to look up at him. Hells, he had to be, what, six and a half feet tall? Seven feet? She suddenly felt very small in comparison. 

She realized too late that he was still speaking, and she hadn’t been listening. She only caught the last words he said as he placed a hand on his chest, gesturing to himself. “I am the druid Halsin.”

Ardynn finally found her tongue and closed her mouth with a quick snap of her teeth. Gods, she was worse than a human schoolgirl. She desperately hoped the dim torchlight of the room obscured how red her face must be by now.

“I…forgive me, but…you’re Halsin? The Master Halsin of the Emerald Grove?” She felt stupid saying it when it was as obvious as day. But this all felt like a dream. Halsin was a legend, to hear her brother talk of him, and his legend only seemed to grow when she thought back on all the things the druids back at the grove had said about him. She knew he would be here somewhere and she knew she would meet him eventually, but…

But seven feet of pure, muscled druid with biceps bigger than her head was something of a surprise. 

Halsin gave a self-deprecating sort of chuckle. “Yes—but just Halsin will suffice. Unbecoming to demand honorifics from the one who saved my hide.”

Ardynn tried to ignore the butterflies that started to flutter in her stomach at the first hint of his laughter. And he told her could just call him Halsin. No titles or honorifics. Oh she could never.

She ignored the butterflies. Get it together, ranger! She gave a short nod. “Glad I could be of help.”

“I must admit, I didn’t expect anyone would come to my aid,” he said, seemingly unaware of her internal struggle with her own silly mind. “Who in their right mind would infiltrate a goblin infested temple. Unless…” Something in his expression shifted, and he stepped closer, his eyebrows furrowing with concern. Her heart skipped a beat, wondering what he was looking for. Scared of what he might see.

“Hmm…that look in your eyes. I’ve seen it before.” He frowned. “Are you feeling all right?”

Before she could respond, he lifted a hand, hovering it just over her head, and summoned a brilliantly golden aura of magic. Suddenly the scent of blood and mildew gave way to that of oakwood, lemongrass, fresh loam, and honeysuckle, a strange flourish of scents that seemed to shift and change before she could fully register them. This was nature magic, made obvious by the swirl of spectral leaves that flickered and flew about in the golden light, but it was more powerful than anything Ardynn had ever seen or tried to cast herself.

By the light of the spell, she could see more details in Haslin that she had missed—the deep smile lines around his mouth, the little pinched line between his eyebrows as he concentrated on the spell, his eyelashes dark against his tanned cheek. She noticed other little scars, too, on his lip and his chin. He had thin braids in his tousled, nut-brown hair, she realized, and his ears had a strange curve to them as they tapered into points, a shape that was unlike those of her mother or the other wood elves she had known and grown up around. Some wilder lineage, perhaps. 

The spell, whatever it was, imbued her with a gentle warmth, calming her racing heart and clearing her mind. But as the spell sank deeper into her skin, she could feel the squirm in her skull. The tadpole was awake.

Halsin jolted, his spell flaring out and then dying completely, taking the warmth and the scent of fresh wood with it. He looked at her with even deeper concern than before. “Oak Father preserve you, child,” he said, pressing a hand to his chest. “You’re infected, aren’t you? The mind flayers’ spawn. But…something’s different.”

Ardynn didn’t reply. She had already suspected this was the case, based on other leads she had pursued on her way over to the goblin camp. But if anyone knew anything more, surely it would be Halsin?

He frowned again, and when he next spoke, it was as though he were murmuring to himself more than to her. “You’re aware of the monster inside you. You don’t bow to the Absolute, like the True Souls do…How is this possible?”

Ardynn shook her head. “I wish I could tell you. I was hoping you would know a cure.”

“Hmm.” His expression shifted again. This time he looked serious, but thoughtful, his eyes studying her face. She wondered what color his eyes were. It was hard to tell down here in the depths of the temple. His eyes had been closed during his nature spell, so she didn’t get a chance to see them in that beautiful, golden light.

“I’ve been studying these parasites for a while now,” he said, and she snapped out of her staring again. Gods, what was she thinking? She wasn’t here to drool, she was here to save a druid, and then a grove, and then hopefully find a cure. She forced herself to focus on his words as he continued to explain what he knew. Parasites, altered magic, a lead toward a place called Moonrise Towers…the more he spoke the more she settled back to reality and her place in it, asking questions to try to understand the situation, given all this new context.

Eventually she took a deep breath and nodded. “I suppose we should head to Moonrise Towers next, then.” She glanced up at him. “Thank you for your help. You should get out of here as soon as you can.”

She needed to leave now, before she let the druid distract her anymore than he already did. But to her surprise, as she was turning to go, he held out a hand, as if to stop her by touching her shoulder.

“Wait,” he said. His hand hovered for a moment in the air before he let it fall again. Was there something uncertain in his gaze? Ardynn tilted her head, studying him, but in a blink the uncertainty was gone. He was back to his steadfast, confident self again. 

“I could help you find a cure,” he said. “But I need to settle matters here, first.” 

Was it just her imagination or did he sound…interested in going with her? No, she must be imagining it. He was just being helpful, because he needed help in return. She mentally shook herself of such thoughts and focused once more on the task at hand, listening to his request to kill the goblin camp leaders.

“What about you?” she asked. “Having a shapeshifting bear-druid at my side might make things easier.”

“Perhaps,” he said. “Perhaps not. My presence could make things more difficult. If I join you, we’ll likely have to slaughter this entire place.”

Ardynn glanced over her shoulder at the rest of her companions, Wyll, Karlach, and Shadowheart, each of whom seemed up for the challenge. Besides…there was only one leader left: the hobgoblin, Dror Ragzlin. Ardynn had already seen what he was capable of. With Halsin at their side, it could swing the battle in their favor. Wyll caught her eye and gave her a subtle nod of encouragement.

She turned back to Halsin. “Two of the leaders are already dead. I could use your help with the third.”

“Truly?” Halsin grinned, a somewhat crooked smile that threatened to send butterflies back into Ardynn’s stomach. “You work quickly.”

She shrugged, not sure what to say. It hadn’t been easy, but she couldn’t let these goblins threaten the grove and everyone inside. Druids or tieflings, they all deserved a change to survive. 

“Very well, then,” Halsin said. “My claws are yours.”

He took a few steps back and rolled his shoulders. Ardynn watched with interest as he began the movements that came with wild-shaping, like a ritual dance, fluid and done with practiced ease. Sooner than she could blink, he had shifted from giant man to giant bear, shaking his whole body. He met her gaze with his own and nodded his big, ursine head. It was time to take on Dror Ragzlin. 

It was time to see what the great Archdruid of the Emerald Grove was capable of. 

[mastcrmiind]

better late than never, but here is all of my muses event jobs / whether they're aware of the fact they aren't actually from medieval dc !!

atticus lincoln | unaware | physician

link thinks he's been in medieval dc forever, and he definitely goes by atticus in this time period. he's working as a doctor.

bash de poitiers | aware | druid (open to arranged marriage)

bash knows he's not from medieval dc, but he doesn't care. he's slotted back into his previous life, roaming around helping people.

bonnie bennett | unaware | apothecary owner (open to memory change)

bonnie knows she's a witch, but she doesn't exactly want to get burned at the stake, so she's selling magical things in an apothecary to help people and keep her cover.

cleo sertori | unaware | diver

cleo is using her mermaid powers to the best of her ability. you drop something in the bottom of a lake? she's your girl, just go away while she's looking for it, because nobody can find out about her tail.

corin volturi | aware | unemployed

corin knows she's not from medieval dc, and she's not happy about being dragged here. she was just getting used to building a life, and now she's stuck in a time she doesn't want to be in. she's not going to be pleasant about it.

edmund bridgerton | aware | landlord

edmund might know he isn't from medieval dc, but it is a lot closer to what he's familiar with than modern day dc. at least there's horses! he's a landowner & landlord in this time.

enola holmes | unaware | sherrif (open to memory change)

though enola is unaware of who she really is, she's working as a sheriff in medieval dc, and she's rather good at it.

henri beckford | unaware | inn keeper

nobody better question why half the people who check into the local inn go missing, henri has no idea.

jo laughlin | unaware | midwife

jo is living her best life in medieval dc. she's no longer somebody who got murdered by her twin brother at her own wedding, she's a medieval midwife and she's good at it.

laurent da revin | aware | unemployed

laurent just wants life to stay normal for a few months, that's all. please.

lexie grey | aware | surgeon

lexie is trying her hardest to work as a surgeon and help people, but the cleaning practices leave a lot to the imagination, so she's a lot less help than she'd like to be!

lola fleming narcisse | unaware | lady in waiting

lola is slotting back into where she was destined to be, serving a noblewoman. it's what she loves to do, and she's good at it.

lydia bennet | unaware | ladies maid (open to arranged marriage)

lydia is working as a ladies maid to a rich noble woman, but she would much rather be the rich noble woman herself.

noel kahn | aware | tavern employee

noel had no idea how he was meant to get a job in medieval dc, but he wandered into a tavern one day and nobody asked questions, so here he's stayed. he'd like to go home though.

penelope park | aware | herbalist

penelope just wants to make it home, but she's spending her time making potions and whatnot to sell at a local market.

rebekah mikaelson | unaware | nurse (open to arranged marriage)

rebekah believes that medieval dc is where she's been since she became a vampire. she doesn't know she's over 1000 years old, but a recently turned vampire who has taken up a job as a nurse to cover her tracks, and also try and help people.

riley biers | unaware | assassin

riley is very good at his job, that's all. (nobody is left partially alive to turn into a vampire. never.)

simon basset | aware | nobleman

simon is a duke, and he's very glad to be able to be a duke here in dc. he's back to living his life, and is just glad that daphne and auggie are okay.

valerie tulle | unaware | scribe (open to arranged marriage & memory change)

valerie is a scribe for a local lord, writing down his every thought. it's mind numbing work, but it pays decently & she has a roof over her head.

vic hughes | unaware | thespian (open to arranged marriage)

vic is generally seen putting on performances for local nobility, whether she is singing or acting, or perhaps a little both.

[feelin-lo]

The sleeping Giant.

BP X Big!Riley.

Happy birthday, BP.

Essentially, I came up with a thought, what if Riley was a Giant, And BP stumbled upon his home. And Riley immediately became clingy. :)

Ft, Some of my Moots and OCs. Credits;

BP - @boiling-potato

Ace and Meztli - @aesopsbaby

Rin - @alcohol1maid

Jane - @mystique-flowers-and-sibling-duo

_____________________________

BP had many names. One of them, Was the Spud Sorcerer. As they were a Magical person with an affinity for the root. There had been legends... Of a Giant, Living deep within the valley of The Fallen Castle. The reason the Valley was named this way, was because a castle, once belonging to a wealthy family had fallen off of a cliff due to tremors in the earth... The main tower fell... Creating a crater, opening a cave and leaving behind a beautiful arrangement of rocks...

BP, The Spud Sorcerer, Decided to take a look... Legend of the Sleeping Giant had gotten the better of them... They took a Team; A Cleric, that will talk of deep and meaningful things, dark as the night and as emotional as a sonnet. However, in actual fact, theyre a Golden Retriever in a humanoid form - Rin. A Paladin, who swears by the oath of Love, as seen by the many people in their life... Such as a Demon called Tsukiyomi... And who struggles to wear their clunky armour - Ace. A Druid, Who Loves spending time with animals and wants to keep all the ones they come across, even a Mountain lion if they had their way - Jane. And, A Ranger, Who's the Eye Candy has the rizz of a bard, though deep down he's compensating because he's actually really insecure so seeing people think he's attractive, really helps his self esteem, and because of a missing eye, can barely aim - Lo. The lot of them are close friends.

And the legend intrigued them all... The journey was long, with ups and downs. But eventually... They had arrived. The ruins... Ace and Rin, Who both have an affinity for shiny things, immediately run off, followed by an annoyed Lo, trying to keep everyone together. BP turned to Jane, A solemn look upon their face..."What do you think... We'll find..?" They asked, tilting their pointy hat to see Jane's eyes better.

"I'm not too sure... It could be anything... No one else has come down here, as people told tales of the Giant in bad ways ... I don't think the giant will be bad, They could be really sweet!" Jane smiled, BP chuckled, Jane could always see the good in things.

After a moment, Lo was able to wrangle Ace and Rin back under control after giving them some gold. "Huh... A cave... BP, Should we investigate?" Lo suggested, turning to meet the sorcerer. "I'd say so! I wanna see if we can meet this giant..."

The party nodded, making their way into the cave...The cave was large... Very large... At least 100 feet... At *Least*. Once they were inside... They all split up and looked around...

Jane came across some old technology... It looked like a robot... Holding an old kite... It was still living, though barely... "Hello there, Little one.."She smiled softly, Kneeling down and taking the automation into her arms... "I think I'll Call you... Monsieur Cloudy!" She smiled proudly, Looking at the cloud carvings across its arms... "I should take you to Winter... He's a good friend of mine, an Artificer too. He can help you..."

Meanwhile, Rin found a deep water pocket, inside, a Sleeping merman, Hair and tail as blue as the ocean... Glasses on his face... A few scars on his tail. The merman woke up with a shock and tried to call for help, but his voice was damaged... Rin crouched down, Brushing his hair out of his face... "Hey... Hey don't be scared, I'm here to help."

In a separate room, Ace came across a giant, when Ace tried to call for their Party, The giant lifted them and put a finger over their mouth as it covered most of their face. "Hush, Small creature. You'll wake my brother..."He spoke, his voice velvety and soothing... He's at least 100 feet tall...he has long black hair. His eyes and black and yellow,His skin is red and he has red horns and tail, the tail is adorned with bangles and piercings... His pointed ears are also pierced... Ace was in love.

Lo came across a treasury. Before he could pick anything up, was pinned to the wall he looked up to meet the gaze of a Demon... "Ah~ what do we have here~?" He chuckled, Running a finger under Lo's chin... "A new plaything~? Or... A new pet to call my own~?" Lo grunted and grabbed the Demon, Flipping their positions, The demon against the wall. "I'm not a pet."

The demon blushed, Licking his lips. "Yes sir..."

While all of this was going on, BP came across one final room... Inside .. a sleeping giant. With blue skin and dark hair... He had horns and a tail, His eyelashes white... Even a third eye... The giant woke and saw BP, And immediately started to cry... "A human! I've not seen one in so long!!" He cried, Grabbing BP and nuzzling them into his cheek as tears fell from his white eyes. After some crashing, The red giant came in. Holding ace. "Riley!" The red one said, Shuffling over, Ace smiled at BP with a blush on their cheeks "Look what I found" The blue one... Riley, Looked at the red one and pulled a face with puppy dog eyes."Can I stay with Them!? Please Jasper! Pleaseeeee!!" He cried, showing BP to the red one, Called Jasper. "Riley, I know. I know you miss the humans but... You can just keep all of the ones you find."

"But this is the first one in 100 years!!" "I know but-" "Pleaseeeee?!" "Okay! Okay... Calm down... You can keep them-" "Wait, Wait wait wait! Keep me?" BP Interjected, looking at the two giants. "Oh- sorry... I didn't mean to be rude..." Riley whimpered, immediately getting sad again for potentially offending BP. Jasper glared at BP with nothing short of malice... How dare they make his sweet angel brother cry?!

"hey, Hey... It's ok... But, you can't just keep humans. I'd be happy to come back, to see you again... But you have to be gentle. I'm BP. It's lovely to meet you." They smiled, which seemed to calm the Giant. Jane came in, Holding the robot remains. Rin came in, The Merman on their back. And Lo, With a demon cuddling him, walked in too.

"Hi." Lo said, Looking at his friends, The demon giggling as he snuggled against him.

"Seems we all found something. Mine's called Meztli."

"Mine's called Logan!"

"Hehe Jasper"

"I called him Monsieur Cloudy!"

"And I've found... Riley."

_____________________

(End of part 1)

[dungeonsdragonsandlawyers]

The inner sanctum was, as usual, filled with druids chanting their Rite. Andromeda paid them no mind as she made her way to the stone doors, gesturing silently for her brothers to wait for them outside. Karlach pushed the heavy stone to the side, and Shadowheart and Astarion - both of whom we familiar with the area - led the group down the winding staircase. Andromeda peered around, catching sight of magnificent murals painted on each wall. To their right, she spotted vines leading up to a raised platform and quickly tugged on Gale's robe, gesturing quietly for him and Astarion to position themselves in the shadows above. If it did some to a fight, Astarion's arrows and Gale's magic would benefit from the vantage point. 

She slid into place alongside Wyll, each flanking Shadowheart, with Lae'zel and Karlach taking up the rear. Khaga was standing to the side, overlooking a cavernous drop, surrounded by several scurrying rats. A quick look to the side and Andromeda knew the numbers. Khaga, Raff, and three others. Another druid, who she could only assume was Nettie, was tending to a cauldron further into the cave. There was also a large wolf prowling the perimeter of the area. Shadowheart stiffened at the sight, freezing for a moment and allowing Wyll to step forward to entreat Khaga. 

The woman would no be swayed, no matter how convincing Andromeda thought Wyll's impassioned plea to be, and so Andromeda whistled the three notes the group had settled on and drew her blades. Arrows and magic surged through the air around her. Only 2 of the other druids had sided with Khaga - Raff, Nettie, and another, along with the wolf, had all turned on the Shadow druid. Unfortunately, the rats that had been crawling at Khaga's feet were three of her co-conspirators. She had escorted them into the Grove in the hours after Master Halsin had left, and the four had been quietly working to undermine everything the Grove stood for. 

The fight was brutal but, thankfully, quick. Karlach had taken several claws to her arms and chest, but was grinning as she wiped the blood from her axe in the aftermath. Lae'zel, too, had been injured = there was a long slice to her thigh, a badger's claw by the look of it. Andromeda ducked her head in Lae'zel direction, silently imploring Shadowheart to help the fighter who still, even as the group plotted their assault, had not spoken a word. Andromeda knew that she would need to corner the Gith that evening in camp and rubbed at her brow - the beginnings of a stress headache gnawing away at her. 

"Miss Vaas?" Andromeda turned, sheathing her blades, to see Raff walking towards her. She hadn't had the pleasure of meeting him before the fight, but her brothers and Zevlor had informed her that he was sympathetic to their plight and had tried to advocate for them after Khaga's insurrection. She reached out a hand, accepting the firm hand shake he offered.

"General, actually."

[maria021015]

SPOILERS AHEAD!

Zaida heard keys twisting in the lock as she pulled on her pajamas, hair still wet from her bath. Twisting her locks into a bun, she rushed out of her bedroom and into the main area, running to envelope Xander in a hug as he walked into the entry hall. “You’re back!” She exclaimed in relief.

“Woah, yeah, I’m back. It took me hours to convince Raphael not to press charges against Allison for that smoke bomb stunt she pulled.” Her brother wrapped his arms around her, inspecting her face when she pulled away.

“Raphael?” Her brows furrowed in confusion, not recognising the name.

“Agent McCall.” He corrected himself. Ah, Scott’s dad. “What happened? What’s wrong?”

“No, everything worked out. Everyone’s safe and relatively unharmed - except for Jennifer and Deucalion, who are both badly injured but free. Nothing’s wrong - just, I tried calling you and you didn’t answer. I was worried.” She admitted.

“I’m sorry, my phone died. I didn’t think…” He shook his head, cursing himself for not checking in on her. “You weren’t supposed to be in danger. You were supposed to find out where Jennifer was keeping Noah and Melissa, and Chris was supposed to handle it.”

“Well, Chris got himself kidnapped and then we had to ritualistically sacrifice Scott, Allison, and Stiles to find the Nemeton - which is where we figured out she was keeping them. Then everything kind of went to shit, but we got there in the end.” She recapped the events of the night in the shortest way possible, not wanting to go over it all when she knew he would simply freak out and then blame himself for not being there to help. “How are things on the police-side of it?”

“Agent McCall can’t figure out what’s been going on because he’s missing almost all of the pieces of the puzzle, and he’s taking it out on everyone he can, throwing blame left right and centre. We found Jennifer’s body by this huge tree stump - an anonymous caller left a tip. She’s dead - they called it an animal attack, like they always do.”

“That’s the Nemeton. Maybe Deucalion went back to finish her off.” Zaida offered an explanation. At least one of them was for sure dead and gone.

“Maybe - but it makes it pretty hard to pin a string of murders on a dead person.” Xander grumbled. “We should just get out of this town, Zaida. Trouble always seems to find itself here.”

“What?!” Zaida blurted, paling at his words. And she hadn’t even told him about how they had awakened a supernatural Beacon with their surrogate sacrifices. “No! No, I don’t want to move. We have a life here now, Xander. You’ve got the position of your dreams and I’ve got school and my friends. I’ve found who I am here - I don’t want to go someplace new and start all over again with people who have no clue what I am or what I’ve been through. These people - these people are my family now.”

“They’re not your family. I’m your family - one of the only family members you have left.” He shook his head, doubling down.

“If they’re not my family, then they’re my pack.” She snapped and he winced at her use of the word. Pack.

“I’m not going to lose you the same way we lost Mom and Dad.” Her brother croaked out and she stilled. “All of this - the werewolves, the hunters, the kanima, the dark druids and sacrifices and pack wars…it’s all too dangerous.”

“I know that this time I wasn’t strong enough, but I’m working on my powers and I’m getting better-” Zaida argued, getting defensive as her insecurities reared their heads.

“It’s not about that, Zay. I saw the way you fought that night in the hospital - I know you’re powerful and I know you can look after yourself.” He interrupted her, gripping her arms and leaning down to her eye-level. Despite it all, Xander wore an expression of pride when he looked at her.

“Then what is it about? My friends? I thought you said that you were wrong about them?” She didn’t understand what the problem was.

“It’s not about them. It’s this life. You kids all got out alive this time - next time you might not be so lucky.” He explained. “There are some things that all the power in the world can’t stop. Fate. Chance. Mom and Dad knew the risks and ultimately, they walked away because they didn’t want you getting involved in this.”

“What about what I want?” The girl pleaded with him. “Mom and Dad walked away and look where it got them. Maybe if they weren’t running, they would have seen Deucalion coming before he stabbed them in the back. I’m not going to make that same mistake. If he comes after me, I’m going to be ready for him.”

“Zay-” He began but she was having none of it.

“No, I’m not moving. You can’t do this to me.” Zaida insisted and Xander faltered at the desperation behind her glassy eyes.

“...If we stay, the next time something like this happens we are leaving. You’re not going to change my mind about that.” He locked his jaw stubbornly.

“So you’re saying that we can stay?” Zaida’s face brightened, focusing on the positives of his compromise.

“We can stay, but-” Before Xander could finish, Zaida hugged him once more. “But, the moment something else starts happening, we’re as good as gone. Okay?”

“Okay,” Zaida agreed, but she knew that if it came down to it, she’d do everything in her power to fight Xander on it. She wasn’t going anywhere if she could help it.

“Yeah, my dad and I had a similar conversation. He wanted to pack the hunting gear into storage and run. The only reason we stayed in Beacon Hills after everything happened with Gerard was because we promised each other we wouldn’t get involved in the supernatural, and…well, you know how that turned out.” Allison scoffed as she leaned back against Zaida’s bedhead. The naiad was right beside her, with Lydia sprawled across the end of the mattress.

“What convinced him to let you stay?” The redhead questioned, propping her head up on her hands, lying on her stomach.

“I told him about how Beacon Hills might turn into a supernatural Beacon again.” Allison answered and Zaida gawked at the girl.

“You told him that? I specifically didn’t tell Xander about it because I knew it would send him dragging us toward the hills.” Zaida shook her head.

“I asked him to finish my training. If things are going to start coming for us, I want to be ready. We have a new code now - Nous protegéons ceux qui ne peuvent pas se protéger eux-mêmes.” The huntress explained.

“We protect those who cannot protect themselves,” Lydia translated instantly. “That’s beautiful, Ali.”

“If your dad’s going to be training you…I want in on it.” Zaida took in a deep breath as both girls looked at her in surprise. “Like you said, if something is coming for me I want to be able to fight.”

“You mean Deucalion,” Lydia pointed out what the brunette was actually talking about.

“I know Scott believes that he’ll change, but Scott always sees the good in people. Sometimes, you have to look at the worst too.” Zaida justified her worries. “It’s not like I’m going to go hunting him down, I just want to be prepared.”

“We’re starting training next week. I’ll text you the details.” Allison agreed to Zaida’s request.

“Have the twins left town yet?” Zaida asked Lydia. The two were still recovering from what Jennifer had done to them, and with their reputation…it was expected they would have people coming after them too.

“I don’t know. I haven’t seen either of them since I left the clinic the other night.” The redhead shrugged and a broad smile spread across Zaida’s face.

“I’m proud of you,” She encouraged the girl, glad that she wasn’t putting her heart on the line once more.

“I still can’t believe Scott’s an alpha now,” Allison shook her head at the thought. “And not just any alpha, some sort of special, super alpha.”

“I guess that officially makes us a pack now, huh?” Lydia mused, rolling over onto her back to stare at the roof.

“We should get matching wolf tattoos,” Zaida waggled her eyebrows jokingly.

“Pass,” The redhead snorted, wrinkling her nose in distaste.

“Oh, I don’t know, I think a big, growling wolf right on our left butt cheeks would look great.” Allison joined in on the teasing.

“Oh yes, definitely. Specifically on the left,” The naiad hummed and Lydia threw a pillow at them as the two brunettes howled with laughter at her reaction.

Zaida hugged herself, wrapping her cardigan around her body to fight off the chill of the cool night’s air as she waited on the Stilinskis’ front door step. Every few moments she was checking over her shoulder to make sure nothing - or no-one - was sneaking up behind her as she walked her way through downtown into the suburbs. The front of the house looked decidedly empty with the absence of the Jeep, which was undergoing repairs following the car accident the week before. It had taken her a good half hour at a decent speed to arrive from the time that Stiles had called her in a panic. It was the third time this week, and whilst she knew it was against her best interests to come running every time he needed her, she couldn’t help herself. The boy was clearly struggling - all of them were. Not a single one of them was a stranger to the demons that came knocking at night to haunt them. It had only gotten worse recently - even Allison had woken up the other night gasping for breath during their sleepover. But Allison didn’t call her. Neither did Scott. Or Lydia. Stiles did. It didn’t take him long to answer the door in his flannel pajamas, ushering her inside silently.

They had fallen into somewhat of a routine - he’d call, she’d text him when she arrived, he’d open the door for her, and they’d silently go up to his bedroom where he would tell her about his nightmares and she would assure him they weren’t real. It’s okay, Stiles, your dad is alive. That’s not what happened, Stiles, Scott’s okay. It’s going to be alright, Jennifer is dead. She wondered what it would be tonight as she climbed the staircase, following him into his room and taking a seat on the end of his bed.

“I’m sorry, I just- I…I had to see you.” He paced back and forth, twisting his fingers as he stuttered anxiously. “I had to make sure you were okay.”

“Stiles, we’ve talked about this. It didn’t happen - they’re just nightmares.” She cooed and reached out as he walked past her, grabbing his hand and pulling him down onto the mattress beside her to stop his fidgeting.

“I know…I- I know, but they just - they feel so real.” He mumbled, his hold on her hand tightening as played with the rings that adorned her fingers. “You went through the windshield a-and…you weren’t healing…”

“Shh, Stiles, I’m right here. I didn’t go through the windshield because you held me back - you protected me.” She assured him, untangling her hands from his and running them soothingly up and down his arms. It was something she had learned was calming to him in these past few nights.

“I was driving recklessly - I should have been more careful with you in the car and maybe then we never would have crashed-” He began to ramble about the what if’s and Zaida cut him off sternly.

“Stop. Don’t think about what could have happened, okay? It’s behind us, you can’t change anything. We’re both okay. Everything is okay.” Zaida insisted in a low and slow voice. “Now you’re going to count with me, alright?”

“Y-yeah, okay,” The boy nodded, taking in a deep breath through his nose as his eyes locked onto hers. “Uh…five things…”

“Your shirt is red,” She started them off, mimicking the same deep breathing exercise he had already started. Two in through the nose, one out through the mouth.

“Your socks and jacket match,” He continued, gaze tracing the material that encased her calves up to her knees and also shrouded around her torso. Two in through the nose, one out through the mouth. “A-and your shoes don’t.”

“Well excuse me, but I don’t usually have to match my sneakers to my pajamas,” She rolled her eyes exaggeratedly, smirking at his playfulness returning. That was always a good sign. Two in through the nose, one out through the mouth. “You have a hole in your pants, just above your knee.”

“You have the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen.” He whispered lowly and her grin instantly faded as her stomach twisted uncomfortably. Something like that should make her swoon, but it didn’t. Instead it simply reminded her of that day in the locker room. In fact, they were even sitting similarly, both so close together. Was he imagining Lydia when he was looking at her?

Not enough. Not enough. Never enough. Back-up. Placeholder. Second choice.

“...Um, four things.” Zaida cleared her throat, folding a leg beneath her so it wouldn’t be too obvious that she was shuffling backwards. Two in through the nose, one out through the mouth. “Your sheets are warm, but the air is chilly.”

“My pants are kind of itchy, and your hands are really warm.” Stiles continued. Two in through the nose, one out through the mouth.

“Three things…The air conditioner is humming.” She pointed out the loudest noise in the room. Two in through the nose, one out through the mouth.

“Those cicadas outside always stop me from falling asleep,” He chuckled lightly. Two in through the nose, one out through the mouth. “But the wind is nice - calming.”

“Two things,” This time when she took in a deep breath through her nose, Zaida registered the scents in the air. She could smell his cologne and his body wash and the way it lingered around the room - on his clothes and sheets but she didn’t want to admit to it. “I think I need to wash this jacket because it’s starting to stink.”

“It doesn’t, it just smells like your perfume. You know, the one that smells like candy?” He grinned at her and once again the intensity behind his whiskey-eyes as they locked on to her made her skin flush.

“It’s honeysuckle,” Zaida explained in a small voice, pulling her hands away from him and rising her to her feet as she took a step back. “I should probably get going before Xander gets up from work and sees I’m missing. We’re only just getting our relationship back to normal and something like that would throw things back into a spin.”

“Right, yeah,” The boy shook his head, as if clearing it. “Wouldn’t want that. Sorry, again, for this. I just…I don’t…When I get like this…nothing else really helps. But you do. You always find a way to make things better.”

That’s right. That was her - little miss helpful. Always coming running when people needed her, always there for everyone else. But never for herself. She couldn’t stay away from Stiles even if she tried. Even though she wanted to. The moment he needed her she was there, and maybe that was her problem. Maybe it wasn’t really his fault that he’d learned to always rely on her when his first choice wasn’t available. Maybe it was her fault for being there.

"I can't believe we're actually doing this," Zaida jittered with nervous energy as she sat on one of the slightly uncomfortable beds, Allison and Lydia both sitting either side of her.

"Come on, it'll be fine!" Lydia encouraged her, grinning excitedly as they waited for their tattoo artist to return with their stencils given they had already agreed upon their designs. When Zaida had come in the day before to book three small fine-line tattoos, the young artist from last time had recognised her. They were lucky that he brushed off the fact that their parent permission slips were obvious forgeries.

“Yeah, it’s not like it’s anywhere that anyone is going to see.” Allison shrugged - ever so the calm and confident one of the group. “It’s just for us.”

“Oh, I don’t know, I might let that cute tattoo artist see it.” Lydia winked at them mischievously.

“Lyds, he’s the one who’s going to be tattooing us. Of course he’s going to see it.” Zaida rolled her eyes exaggeratedly.

“I meant later,” She clarified unnecessarily. “He’s not my usual type, but maybe that’s a good thing.”

“It’s definitely a good thing,” Allison snorted and Zaida nodded fervently in agreement.

“All right ladies, here’s the stencil. We’ll get it on you and see what you think,” Carlos re-entered the room with three stencils in hand. “Who’s going first?”

“Me!” Lydia’s painted lips spread into a broad smile, lifting the hem of her shirt to expose her side where they had all agreed upon the tattoo’s placement. Once the dark-haired young man applied the stencil, he guided her over to the full length mirror in the corner to admire the details along with the full picture of the image on her body. Her green eyes narrowed analytically as she took in the sight. “I don’t know about you girls, but I’m thinking it needs to be slightly higher.”

“Really?” Allison frowned, and hopped off the seat to get a closer look. “...Actually, I think Lydia is right. Come have a look, Zay.”

Following both girls over, Zaida inspected the placement of the tattoo closely, nodding slowly as she understood what her two friends were talking about. “Yeah, it does look a little bit off. Definitely needs to be higher - right about…here.” The shorter brunette indicated a different positioning.

“Yeah, I think so too.” Lydia agreed, turning to the side to imagine the new placement.

“You’re the boss,” Carlos winked at Zaida with a smirk and moved back to the office to print off another stencil. Both Allison and Lydia grinned at the girl suggestively.

“Okay, he might not be coming home with me later, but he would totally leave with you,” The redhead giggled, dropping her tone into a whisper.

“Yeah, he was hardcore flirting.” Allison waggled her eyebrows.

“Come on guys, you know I’m not interested,” Zaida sighed, her mood suddenly skydiving at the thought of Stiles entering her mind.

“It doesn’t have to be anything serious!” The redhead sang, but Zaida shook her head instantly. “I’m just saying, you’ve got options girl.”

Thankfully Carlos’ return meant the abrupt end of that conversation, and all three girls decided the new placement was perfect, meaning it was time to get started on the actual tattooing. Lydia lay back on the black leather bed and Zaida and Allison took the chairs by her side. Lydia used one of her hands to prop her shirt up, and the other was tightly gripping Zaida’s in apprehension for what was to come. As the needle took its first stab into her skin, she hissed and squeezed her eyes shut. This would quite possibly be the longest hour of her life.

“What’s the final verdict, ladies?” Carlos asked, watching them all line up in front of the mirror as he cleaned and packed away his tools.

“We love it!” They all replied in unison and then broke into a fit of laughter, broad smiles across all of their faces as they admired the artist’s work.

He’d done splendidly, and though they were still sore and a bit red, their fresh ink looked amazing. It was almost the exact same design - flowers with vines and leaves crawling up the side of their right rib cages. However each of them had gotten the flower of their birth month in place of the blooms. For Lydia, that was daffodils. For Allison, it was violets. Zaida had chosen marigolds. The design itself wasn’t exactly all too meaningful, but it was what the matching tattoos represented that had more weight. It was a symbol of solidarity between them - a promise that no matter what came next, they wouldn’t allow anything to get in between their friendship. It was an oath to each other that the transgressions of the past were forgiven, and would never be repeated. Through it all, they had finally found each other again. Though they were all vastly different to the girls they had been before, they still had each other and, dare they say, they were all the better for it.

“Hello?” Zaida’s voice was scratchy as she answered her ringing phone, her throat dry from sleep.

“Who is it?” Lydia grumbled from beside her on the mattress, rolling over in the dark so the light of the screen wouldn’t bother her. They had only just fallen asleep again after comforting Allison so any other disturbances were entirely unwelcome.

“Okay, I’ll see you soon. Stop it, you know I'm coming whether you tell me to stay here or not,” Zaida hung up with a long sigh, dragging herself out of bed. Her side was still sore from the tattoo and so her movements were stiff and short as she located her shoes and slipped them on. Carefully stepping over Allison on the floor so as to not wake her, she crept towards her bedroom door.

“Where are you going?” Lydia whispered, propping herself up to squint through the blackness at the brunette.

“To Stiles’ place. He had a nightmare… again.” She huffed, annoyance creeping into her tone, but not towards him.

It was aimed purely at herself for going out of her way to support him when she knew she was just continuing the same pattern of behaviour that had gotten herself into this mess in the first place. She knew she needed to stop, but she couldn’t allow herself to be selfish with him when she couldn’t shake the thought that the reason he was struggling so much was because of her. These nightmares had only really started since the three had died, and she had been the one to kill him. And maybe…maybe when she had pulled him back, their connection hadn’t been strong enough. Logically, Allison and Scott were both struggling as well, so maybe it hadn’t been her fault. But the guilt still gnawed on her insides.

“I’ll drive you,” Lydia offered, swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

“No, you really don’t have to. I’m used to the walk now, and it’s kind of therapeutic, in a strange way.” Zaida immediately protested but the redhead shot her a stern stare that very clearly communicated she wouldn’t be letting Zaida walk the streets alone.

That was something that Stiles always protested against as well, however he’d always been grateful when she had shown up anyway. Until two night’s before, when he had specifically requested to see her, only for her to then find out it was because he’d dreamed that he had killed her in that car crash. The car crash that he had almost died in to protect her. So in a way she felt like she owed him this. It was a very complicated cocktail of emotions.

When Lydia pulled up outside of the Stilinski household, she waited in the car whilst Zaida got out, texting Stiles that she was waiting outside. Like clockwork, he opened the door, ushered her inside silently, led her upstairs, and began pacing back and forth.

“Stiles, that’s not helping,” The brunette called to him from her spot on the end of his bed, patting the space across from her. “Come. Sit. Talk.”

“It-it was just…I s-saw my Mom,” He stuttered, eyes swimming with tears as he followed her instructions, and her heart shattered for him. It was clear that this time he was less so panicking and more so breaking down emotionally.

“You don’t have to tell me about it if it’s too much,” Zaida shook her head, but made the conscious decision not to touch him. She had to draw the line somewhere and maybe this was a good start. Stiles simply nodded, his tears welling and catching on his long lashes before dropping down his face. It was almost physically painful to hold herself back from pulling him into her arms, but she managed it. Barely.

“I just miss her so much. I mean…it’s great now that Dad knows what’s going on. We had a talk about it and it’s brought us closer, in a way. But almost losing Dad just made Mom being gone hurt all over again.” He opened up and Zaida knew exactly what he meant.

“Yeah, I get it. Finding out who Deucalion was and then almost losing Xander felt like my parents were dying for the second time.” She let out a small puff of air through her nose - not quite a dry laugh, but also not really a sigh.

“She was disappointed in me,” His head hung low as he revealed more of his dream to her. “Said that I was letting her down for not doing enough. If Isaac and Allison hadn’t gotten there in time, the root cellar would have collapsed and Dad and Melissa and Chris would be-”

“But they did get there in time. Everyone is okay and your Mom isn’t disappointed in you. No one blames you, except yourself. You’re having these dreams because you’re putting too much pressure on yourself.” Zaida interjected, not wanting him to spiral too far, pulling him back from the edge.

“But I’m not doing enough. I didn’t stop my dad from getting taken. I didn’t get to the Nemeton fast enough because I was driving recklessly. I didn’t get you there to finish Deucalion. I didn’t figure anything out fast enough to make any kind of difference. Everyone was always steps ahead of me. I just…you all can do all of these amazing things a-and…I’m only human. It’s not enough. I’m not enough.”

“Hey! Don’t say that,” His words were like a knife twisting in her guts. She knew exactly what it was like to not feel enough and it was hell. “Yes you’re human, but you’re one of the best of us even without any super powers. Everyone struggled. I almost got my brother killed. Allison and Isaac messed up Chris’ shot at killing the Darach. Lydia got used by Aiden. Derek was literally sleeping with the enemy and it almost got his sister killed. We lost Erica and Boyd. We were up against the worst of the worst, and we survived. Your Mom would be proud of you. Okay?”

“Okay,” He nodded, gazing at her gratefully and taking in the sight of her before him.

He hadn’t seen her much this past week, what with school keeping them busy with mid-term exam prep and her spending so much time with Allison and Lydia. They were all coping with what had happened in different ways. For Allison that meant distracting herself with her friends’ company. For Scott and Stiles, it meant gaming sessions and studying. But at night when it was impossible to ignore the haunting dreams, this was how he coped - talking to Zaida. She always seemed to know what to say to make everything better, but even if she weren’t to say anything, the fact that she was willing to drop everything in the middle of the night to rush to him meant more than anything else ever could. It made his heart swell and his stomach flutter. How had he been so lucky to have met a girl like her? He wasn’t sure, but he thanked whatever higher power had brought her into his life.

[theherdofturtles]

Fandom: Hetalia Prompt: Kidnapped Rating: G Word Count: 2532 Decided to make a thing that could fit into When Men Weren't Present between chapters 1 & 2 but isn't plot important. I tried to make this fic complimentary to On Pol and the Eng also just for fun. England gets mixed up in Fae shenanigans. @badthingshappenbingo

In a turn of events England should've seen, England got picked up from the earth in the arms of his brother in the aftermath of their first victory against the Norman foes.

Alba had yanked him up from the earth and immediately went to work dropping his fresh-won ego into the dirt. England kicked and squirmed until letting loose, giving up. The hug forced on him was inescapable.

The words, though, he was determined to offset. Alba accused him of the most offensive shortcomings with his smile and stupid tease.

"Wha- no!" England said, offended, "I can use magic just fine!"

"Kinye?" Alba challenged him. "I don't think you ken a simple pixie summoning spell since thu a' gabhail Éire's fancy new religion."

"Yes I do! I can prove it! I could do one here and now!"

Alba tilted his head in mock thought, pretending to think hard about his claim. England impatiently wriggled. He knew his brother would let up and make him try for his own entertainment--and England would show him wrong!

"Ye'll try?" Alba finally said.

"I will!" 

Alba let him drop back to his feet and England popped back up like a daisy.

"Here, Cymru, our wee brother's gaun to put on a show for us!" He shouted and waved over another pair of eyes to add to England's pressure. Several humans looked up from their business looting fallen men, but dropped their interest once they realised it concerned the oddest of them.

His other sibling came wandering, and he came wandering while still wearing the blood of their enemies on his clothes. England wrinkled his nose with distaste. Cymru was still Druid... fully, as the past had decreed it. No other brother prayed to the earth anymore as Éire had brought a new faith to their land, and as eldest, led them alongside him. Cymru held out. Alba skirt the edges. It showed how Cymru refused to scrub his clothes, and blood was sacred, life, it was to be respected. A black, dried smear of gore was left stained on his brother's sleeves even though the rest of his armor and cloths and all his fellows had scrubbed themselves clean. 'The battle isn't over, William is on his way,' Cymru had said right after they won. It was a 'trophy and a promise for the next batch.' Alba conceded that it was profane. England agreed, because England wanted to bask in the feeling of having won without thinking about the next battle.

"A show? What's he going to do in his show?" Cymru immediately picked up on Alba's game, albeit with a lighter laugh and encouraging tone.

It almost annoyed him, but he knew he'd prove to them how well-practiced he'd became. He'd lived alone for a while after the Romans and Danes, he'd had much time to sharpen his magic on his own.

"He's gaun to summon some fairy." 

"I hope he remembers what they look like? He never goes with me to Calan Mai celebrations anymore," Cymru said.

"Of course I recall them!" England had seen many and they knew it!

"Aye but you've never been to the Otherworld."

His brothers grinned. England stiffened.

Deus vous guarde. Fireplaces that hissed and sparked like fireflies, red pelted fangs with glittering stag-eyes, deep, cold, wormed earth.

Some intuition stopped him from claiming his adventures had, indeed, brought him to the Otherworld.

Fireglow, damp soil and the grin of fangs, deep Otherworld, stumbling through a mushroom ring further than he had ever intended. The mist gates he had missed... England hadn't entered the way he ought to have entered. Snared in Fae traps.

Memory of that fae lord came sneaking back into his mind.

That Fox... England had his weaved gift safely looped onto a thick cord of a necklace.

He'd nearly forgotten.

His fingers subconsciously reached to his waist-pouch where he believed he'd put the coarse cord...

"Sasann?" 

His reverie broke.

"It's England," he complained. He'd worked hard for the name, his brothers still refused it.

"Oh? And you haven't any second thoughts about showing us how rusty your magic's gotten?" Came the immediate tease.

"No! I was just thinking to myself!"

England took his stick of a wand from his cloak. No brother ever went anywhere without mum's last gift, a piece of her fading magic which had rested in her people's sacred yew tree, cut neatly into a concise point. Never a mother ever died who had a family.

Bracing himself, he angled his foot forward, raised his wand-hand back, and pulled his own magic to curl warmly along the wand. 

A pixie summoning spell took barely any focus at all.

He almost paid too little attention-- it flicked with a whizz-zip and a little dust-like gold-snow shooting from the star of the end. 

It hit the dirt in a snuffed plume of smoke.

Visually, the display hadn't been pretty or controlled by any means, but luckily that didn't negate the workings of magic. England felt something had changed. There was a heavier static in the air.

"Hahah! Ah, that daedna go a snip!" Scotland bellowed. Cymru merely shook his head with a small smile.

His brows furrowed. 

Laughter?

But... the air--he felt it, it was magic full, he'd summoned something? Surely? A fae--a brownie or a pixie--he knew he'd done something!

His brothers didn't seem to feel it. England frantically turned a circle to look for what he'd summoned. His brothers renewed their laughter.

"I swear I summoned something I..."

His sight met a glittering dark gaze.

England's breath caught.

A paw-digit, slowly, lifted to its lips to shush him. Its eyes were granite, its head tilt uneven, its smile balanced on the verge of fangs.

Behind his brothers.

"Salute," it said low and delighted, "I see you've painted yourself in blood. Red suits you well." He spoke lowly.

England had scrubbed himself of battle. There was no blood, he didn't know what the fae was talking about. He started to speak to correct the Fox, but he never made a sound. The fox hushed him again.

"This is between us, us good friends. Did you forget your brothers are here to hear you? They do not have the sight for me. They wouldn't understand, no, no if you give your friend up you might have to explain your stumble in the woods. How embarrassing to fall into a mushroom ring."

England shut up.

His brothers had quieted as well.

"It's okay, we'll practice your magic and you'll get better again." Cymru mistook his paleness for humiliation.

No, no, that wasn't true--

"Let them believe what they will." Reynard circled around his brothers, coming closer before turning off to walk to the woods. "Follow. You should run, make it fast. Then we will talk, for I know enemies well. When you leave your brothers, they will think your flight their own fault. They might even shower you with their attentions and apologies later... wouldn't you like that?"

His tail circled a beckoning.

England wrung his hands around his wand. Dare he trust a fox of a Fae... the even if the Fae hadn't harmed him before, the Fae wasn't in obligation to leave him untouched again. But the Fae had favoured him, some Fae gave men secrets and tips, Reynard seemed to sympathise with his struggle against the Normans?

Yet Reynard was a Fae, something mysterious and twisting. Something powerful.

How well did this Fae know his enemies?

"Your choice. Run."

England let his conflict continue to war even as he began to move. He didn't think about running. His foot rolled to his toes, he leaned, falling quick into a dash that he barely registered. 

A string tugged him gently as he moved to run, but, Reynard, strolling ahead, remained always ahead.

Then, in a blink, England was under the thick forest shade.

He couldn't hear his brothers anymore. The forest arms wrapped silent around him, all else stagnated. Not a bird, not a fly. Reynard was the only movement he saw out of the corner of his eye--for even the sky had taken a break for Reynard.

Not a single gust of wind.

"Good choice," the fox praised with dark eyes, "I understood you to be fox-clever, which you have not failed."

"When will I go back to my brothers?" He asked to cut the fox from speaking further. Praise was warm, it was a fluffing of his feathers he liked, especially so soon after his accompanying victory, but he wanted praise most from another set of mouths. The words of a Fae were less than the words of a brother.

"Soon, do not fret." Its body stood stretched on twos, pulling itself into his own child-sized hight range. Its feet enjoyed a stage of a log which put it higher than him. The stage seemed to make Reynard particularly imposing with straight held shoulders and narrow nose. "I came to offer my fair hand to council, for I'd hate for such a clever kit to fall dead before his worth is known."

Its paw held out as a human hand, a royal hand to be kissed.

"Why? What importance am I to you? Why did you of all fae answer me?" 

"I offered a valuable possession unto you, my name, one I lent for wise use. Do not mock my gift! Did you not expect loyalty? And here you aimlessly beckoned, je écoutait. To gift words is my only desire... for one like you so..." it rolled its paw, flexing each toe before settling.

"Close," Reynard said wistfully.

His tone became fond once more. England shifted where he stood.

"Close...?"

"Indeed. Return your mind, let us learn of the legion which tramples English way."

Legion reminded him of Rome. Rome who had given him much--roads and architecture and words and walls--but the rebellions buried in his earth had been savage and the years degrading. His land had always been barren of rare resources, the Romans had concluded that humans were the only resource worth exploiting.

He'd lost much in exchange for his gains.

Normans could be less than Romans, Rome had been the greatest to ever live. And England had driven out the greatest, he could drive out the Normans.

"I don't need your help, my brothers standing with me are enough."

The fox hummed a tone of soft demean.

"I see," the Fae sighed. "I see. Yes." He shook his head and his ears folded backwards. "Waste, I will let you discover this yourself. Little will to realign or alter your allies and foes." The fox paw raised and tapped two thorn-claws together. 

It took England a moment to notice that the forest had suddenly resumed moving. It took him moments longer to see it was moving wrong, not how forests aught to move. 

The leaves began to crawl, faster, colours taking on the texture of wax, a grim, melting forest of greens and browns and blacks. The smudging fire orange of Reynard's visage dripped, dripped, dripped dizzy into the muddy mix till all merged into muddy black. 

The forest died as a candle did, drooping, dripping, melting.

England lost control of his arms and legs. To his silent horror, his hands began to drip, too. He couldn't move, his heart pounded a heavy thump of fear as he was swallowed into nothing.

And for a moment everything washed away...

England half-woke to soft, gentle, swaying trees.

He groggily wondered if he still dreamt. 

Where...? 

Had he woken?

England drifted on the edge of his dreams. The trees were navy in the night, visible as he swam between sleep and awareness. Imagining his body crawling off for the tree-line fooled his head, but never moving, he remained.

Between sleep he fell as his mind grew tired.

England woke.

He was warm. 

Lulls of heat were in the air.... England found his body mobile and curled into soft pelts and blankets. Crackling pops of wood drying in a fire bloomed near, washing shadows and a glow on the unrealised shapes around him. The forest was gone, the sky was still dark. He shifted, rolling to reorient his confusion.

"Sasann?" 

 Home. Where was mother? 

A hand came to his shoulder. England let himself be guided to lift from his nest. He clutched the blankets close to keep their warmth. 

Stars glittered navy overhead.

Seeing the open stars... there, no shelter overhead. No roof. There was no mother to wonder about. No... she was a memory.

England pulled the blankets closer. 

Alba... his brother was next to him, carefully and silently checking him.

His brothers were camped in a cove of rocks, he saw. Éire was missing, Cymru and Alba were the only ones left by his side.

England barely remembered his dream... fae-like. It should've been real. It had been midday when he'd... left, right? Or after? Had he gone at all? The fae might've warped time, slowing their meeting had lasted longer than it had seemed. The memory of it was slipping unnaturally... replacing the memory was a cotton-stuffed spiderweb that reeked of fairy magic.

That made him frightened.

"What happened?" England leaned against Alba. Scotland's face was shrouded by the glow of the fire.

"... Ah dinnae ken. You ran aa we dinnae find you 'til late... you were sleeping ablow a Hawthorn."

England took a deep breath. 

Hawthorn, the wood home of fae. Those who slept below would rarely wake again.

"What were you doin' ablo a Hawthorn?" His brother spoke in such a resigned, pained voice.

"I don't know I... I-I didn't go to the Otherworld."

 The fox had taken him into the forest, the place that had melted. But? Had he? Had the forest been made of otherworld tree?

England wrung his hands.

It had been odd tree-kind, mute and dead. No bug, no bird, no living he had heard. The forest had been wrong... warped as otherword things were. It could have been fae forest, for even the sky had been unmoving. Only the Fox had been alive as living things should be.

But how could Reynard have taken him to the Otherworld without permission?

England got colder than he was already cold as he realised.

He had inadvertently agreed to go with a fae. To go anywhere. The fae had offered to take him somewhere away from his brothers, it had asked him to follow, England had taken the offer. He had given himself up fully to the fae's will and Otherworld realm.

"I made a mistake," England whispered. 

"Tell me you hivna' made a promise..." His brother's brows drew together. "Tell me it wisna' longer than a day?"

"I don't think... I think-I think I turned something down. I can't remember.... I know it was short, so short, I was just... I was just with you and...then..." England couldn't say anything else. 

"That's good," Scotland said. He embraced England in a tight hug, one hand carding into his tangled hair guiding his head to rest on his shoulder. "I think you'd've remembered it if you'd've made a promise."

"M' sorry..."

"No apologies, you're nae gone." 

England realised his wand was no longer with him. 

[a1t-alt]

LONG PERSONAL POST - BG3 AND HOW I PLAY IT (SPOILERS /gen)

Hi okay so I'm fucking insane and I NEED to tell SOMEONE because I'm being bullied to hell (deserved) by my close friends over this- I am an incredibly slow gamer and I’m very particular about how I play. Save scumming? I don’t know what you mean. Romancing literally anyone that isn't Astarion? I'm pretty sure that isn't real but a lie made up by Larian Studios to convince more people to play the game (/j). It's literally the only thing I play ever anymore.. besides Minecraft, but I digress.

I got BG3 in the middle of September (2023) through game share, and started by playing with my brother and his boyfriend with mods! I didn't get to play much of that character, but that's not the point okay. Okay the point is- a few things actually. Let me start with- 

My first time playing BG3 was modded. I played MAYBE 3 hours on that character. They were gorgeous and unfortunately they no longer exist. I spent more than half of that time making them. They were a dragonborn and I don't remember for certain? But I Think they were just a Tav, not Durge. Unfortunately their name is also lost to the cosmos :( Here are a couple of the very few pictures I have of them!

I made a few characters at first, let's say like.. 5? Two were Durge, the others Tavs. 3 of those 5 got maybe a maximum of 6 hours each, never made it into the Emerald Grove. I think.. I'm pretty sure all but 1 went through the ruins and got Withers. The 4th one, my main and New Very Cool And Awesome Black Dragonborn Barbarian Durge™ got up to!! I believe it was up to 38 hours? I had done only a few things though! I had taken care of Kagha (no kill, I convinced her to not side with the shadow druids, she didn't hurt Arabella), I had gone through and done pretty much everything in the Emerald Grove? I saved Mirkon, I saved Arabella, I played it up with Volo, I killed the squirrel, I saved the tiefling from being assassinated and got a coin out of it (sick, was completely unintentional, I didn't like her much), bought stuff from the kids and all kinds of other things- you get it. I had gone through the blighted village, went through Waukeen’s Rest (but idk if I saw the Zhentarim with this character), killed the big spider, looted so many things, killed Ethal, revived Mayrina’s husband, found infernal iron, saved Karlach after save scumming her death and getting the fire armour for Wyll but it's okay because she was Fine After- *gasp* I got her engine upgraded once, and the very very last things I did was defeat the gobbo camp then kill Minthara and Dror Ragzlin (and Gut ofc, but I killed her first). I was in the middle of the party with the tieflings! I saved before anything happened, so I didn't see the fun stuff, but uh.. yeah, I ended up resetting my game, deleting all my mods and such to play with my partner. So went the days with my darling Melaqyn :’))) I miss them all of the everyday actually. Unfortunately I can't find any pictures of them :(( so here's some pictures of another of my early dragonborns, Sesaphael (name graciously yoinked from my partner's OC).

After I lost Melaqyn (which if I'm honest, I didn't actually lose them. I just didn't have the mods anymore and really didn't want to corrupt the file) I ended up making a few random characters- by a few I mean.. like 10, but only 2 or 3 survived. I made a couple also for playing with people, which were based on my own characters, so they were a little bit special? I started a game with a DND character I had made a year or two ago, who has the Haunted One background lmao- their name is Skulk- I'd show pictures but I'm really not that proud of how they look anymore >< I kinda floated for a bit in between games- I was playing all the time, but never settling- I was genuinely mourning Melaqyn.

Determined to get back on my feet with a character for real, I made a tiefling, named them “Ammarir”. They were supposed to look a bit like me, sort of like playing myself? Just a Tav though, which I regret to be honest but! There's always more time- I've been playing Ammarir since October 4th! They’re vanilla, so it was nice to not have to worry about corrupting their file. I started playing them slow at first, in between other campaigns, but I did keep coming back to them. Here are some early game pictures!

I was very quickly falling in love with them, and as soon as the mirror got added holy SHIT- I'VE CHANGED THEIR APPEARANCE SO MUCH OVER TIME NOW- Here are a couple early pictures from right after the mirror was introduced!

As I've made progress in the storyline with them, I've been having vitiligo spread slowly over their body- they don't have it here but will in upcoming pictures. I played and played and played and I'd done a ton of completionist type shit with their campaign (futile I know) until I finally got to the same amount of hours. It was insane, I wasn't as far into the game as I was with Melaqyn- I hadn't even made it to the gobbo camp yet. It took me 47 hours to make it there, and I knew this time around that Minthara was a companion. However, I did kill her, and I did keep her body in my camp, and It Is Still in my traveller's chest. 

I started getting anxious about playing, about the idea of making progress, of missing anything, of saying something wrong or fighting when I shouldn't have. I didn't want to look anything up because I wanted it to be fun and a surprise.. but I also made myself look things up because I couldn't handle the thought of getting things wrong. I had heard Astarion was hard to romance, so I used a guide for So Many interactions, with him and with him around. He's been a permanent party member (save for when I'm working on the others and have to trade people out for a moment, but even then I usually keep him in the party). Pictures from before the party! (They're taken a small time apart, and I only know because you can't see vitiligo on the first one.)

The prospect of playing the game became so daunting, I ended up spending a lot of time just mucking about and sorting my inventory and collecting items and finding nothingness so I didn't have to move on. I finally got a push from my partner to talk with Zevlor about the party, and we did it! And it was awesome! And Astarion was very pleased with me! Alfira was there! I really liked the party. Even after that though, I didn't really.. move on. I ended up going through the underdark and at ~70 hours, I finished everything down there, everything else in the main Act 1 space, and finally ventured to the crèche. I didn't spend a lot of time there to be honest, jumping back and forth between it and the Emerald Grove to sell things, buy things, the likes. I managed to sneak out the back of the crèche and not fight anyone (except the guys waiting in the room where Vlakith was) so I moved on and got out of there because those guys are tough, and I'm not good at combat lmao. I made a lot of changes between the tiefling party and just after the crèche, so here's a little run down! (Gotta love the zaith'isk)

I've only recently made it into Act 2, early December I think. I've hardly done anything as far as I know. I saved Isobel (reloaded a couple times bc I am NOT hurting Dammon <3), talked to He-Who-Was (I've not done his quest yet but I agreed to), I've taken care of the tollhouse (literally like not even a week ago), spoke with Raphael in the Inn, as well as now just past the House of Healing, I did some dark justiciar stuff with Shart, killed Kar'niss (sadge u-u), saved Arabella again, a couple other things I'm sure and I'm currently going through the House of Healing-

Real quick I want to add- I had a few weeks where I couldn't bring myself to play Ammarir. I didn't (and still don't) know what lies ahead in the story and I just. Couldn't. I decided one night, a week or two ago now, that I want mods again. Mostly just visual stuff, I love the customization in this game, and I wanted a little more freedom. I also discovered the beautiful basket full of equipment mod and I've been very much enjoying the sick as fuck armour B) I didn't want to load up their game at first, since I made them to be! A vanilla campaign! But I thought.. “I'm not having fun and this feels like a chore. We can play with the mods and see how it goes!” And holy SHIT I've been having so much more fun :’)

As of writing this, I'm at 114+ hours on Ammarir's playthrough. I've had the scenes with Gale and Wyll, didn't uhh.. I wasn't interested in Gale (but I'd be lying if I said I didn't go through with it and reload-) but I went through with the kiss with Wyll! Which finally sparked the single neuron that's still alive in Astarion's soiled pants (/a) of a brain to bring up the nature of our relationship. Here's some pictures from some of my most recent gameplay (in order of oldest to newest, over the span of like 9 days).

This all got away from me- I really did just mean to say that I am a very slow player. My brother’s boyfriend has beaten the game, got farther than I am in less than 24 hours which is insane to me. I suppose now at the bottom of this all, I should tell you how many hours I have in the game in total. Mind you, where Ammarir is now, is as far as I've seen the game.

(Everything prior to this text was written on January 21st, 2024. The latter has written on February 12th, 2024)

Having mistakenly left this to simmer a little too long, I now have 431.2 hours in the game. Ammarir is now in early Act 3, with 158+ hours, and boy do I have some things to add since I wrote all of that.

Picking up where I left off, I did most everything in Act 2! I’ve realised that in doing the Last Light Inn quest things early in Act 2, I missed some interactions :( One, I didn’t get to play chess with Mol and Raphael (I actually don’t know what happens in that interaction at all- I haven’t seen it anywhere and I don’t really want to seek it out. I’ll see it eventually). Two, I think I spoke to Rolan at Last Light about his siblings, but I never saw him again after that. I didn’t know I should’ve looked for him until after I did the Nightsong quest. He wasn’t where he was supposed to be, and I had a broken quest which sucks, but it’s okay.

I saved all the tiefs and dwarves from Moonlight Towers- but let me go back a little. I did pretty much every single thing possible in the Shadow Cursed Lands, and! I went back to the Creche and destroyed everyone (bc I’m a loot goblin and I couldn’t leave all those goodies behind ToT). With the Creche cleared out, I sort of just went between the Emerald Grove, Last Light Inn and the Thorm family businesses™ for a handful of reasons. 

There were two things in particular that I really wanted to do with Ammarir’s playthrough, which were collecting every single skull and head I could get my hands on, and unlocking every edge of the map, everywhere I went. I’m sure I’ve missed many a head, and some spots on the maps were impossible to get to, but I’ve done my best.

It’s been a minute since I’ve added pictures, and my babe changed a lot through the Shadow Cursed Lands, so here’s a few pics!

By this point I’d finished everything in Moonrise and got myself prepared for Act 3- well sort of. I knew that I was reaching the end of Act 2, but I didn’t know anything about the transition in between? So I was wrapping all of my quests up, trying to find Rolan, looking for anything I could- realising too late that I didn’t and couldn’t bring my brain jars from the Nautiloid into Moonrise with me- after killing Ketherik. But it’s okay, I have them both neatly set aside on another campaign. Anyhow, I saved Dame Aylin, and she and Isobel are in my camp now, happily by one another’s side again. Shart has her snowy hair, and a very pretty white and gold makeup look to match, and I went to the road to Baldur’s Gate.

In camp, I was going through some of the clothes I had picked up- found a pair of pants, that are just.. pants? No shirt? I thought it would be funny if I had Ammarir wear those as camp clothes and uh.. Immediately went into the cutscene to start Act 3 ToT. So I have some pictures of them just.. topless, looking out over the city. I reloaded, changed them into something more comfortable and appropriate, and went through the cutscene again. These are pictures from leaving the Shadow Cursed Lands, entering the Act 3 intro, and the beginning of the scene in the Astral Prism.

I had no idea what to expect!! I didn’t know that Gith came after us at camp, I didn’t know that I had to go into the prism and fight, I didn’t know that I was going to meet The Emperor yet! It had been kind of a long fucking time since the last time I saw my gaurdian, so I genuinely wasn’t sure when it was going to happen. I did figure out that my guardian was The Emperor early on in playing the game- not entirely spoiled for me by stuff online or by friends, but genuinely just.. Finding out that The Emperor exists in the Astral Plane kind of tickled my brain an odd way lmao.

Now, I had been waiting a long, long time for this event- I knew nothing about how it happened, but talking with The Emperor and getting the astral-touched parasite was something I was Very Excited to have happen. I didn’t know it happened at the beginning of Act 3- though I didn’t know when it was going to happen at all, so it’s not saying much to be honest. Like I said, I was waiting for this, and I very graciously accepted this gift. Quite hastily perhaps even- when I started Ammarir’s game, I had no intention of using the Mindflayer abilities At All! But how could I turn down the offer? I’d begun using the abilities rather frequently by the time I entered Act 2, and by the end I was pretty juiced up on worms frankly. Here’s Ammarir after using the parasite!

I wasn’t alone in my venture either, I wanted to share this with my companions- of course- but I wasn’t going to Make Anyone do something they didn’t want to do. I spoke with Astarion first, considering he and Ammarir are together, what he thought. He was heavily against it for himself, and y’know what? Fair! I don’t plan on having him “evolve” at all, not past normal parasites. Gale I spoke to and he wasn’t opposed, but wasn’t for it. I convinced him pretty easy peasy and now he’s joined in on the fun! Skipping to Lae’zel, I did convince her to use the astral-touched parasite as well, and I’m not even a little sorry. She looks fucking awesome, and she’s so powerful TwT Gonna put just a couple pics of them in here, as a treat~ (before And after)

Considering I didn't evolve Astarion and don't plan to, I wasn't planning on posting pictures of him here- and I've reached my image limit, or I would 10000% show him here. Unfortunately though, I can't, but if anyone wants to see him, I'll post some pictures of him and Ammarir separately <3

As of writing this, I’ve not gotten very far into Act 3. In Rivington now- donated to the Flaming Fist for the refugees, spoken to a handful of folks around, was granted access to the circus (but I’ve not gone in yet) and I traded with the shady fucker who trades “antiques”. I’ve also run into Orin! The blacksmith’s shop is really cute, I’m absolutely in love with Exxvikyap 🥺 Seeing all the Baldurians who absentmindedly look up to Gortash is giving me whiplash (I’ve hated the guy since BEFORE I started playing ToT Fuck him).

Anyway, I could go on and on and on forever, but I think.. I think I will finish this off here, for now. If I end up updating this in the future, I’ll be more timely about it- After all, I did just pick up a Durge OC campaign that I’ve been wanting to do for months.

[wolfboy88]

i think u told me everything jfkvjvkb but, hey, if it has new stuff, i would love to know!!!

Yeah, I think you know about more about my ideas than anybody else right now ;) but these two are recent additions to my ever growing WIPs list.

Tension (Liam x Aiden x Ethan)

AU in which Liam is bitten by Derek in S2 (along w Isaac, Erica & Boyd) and finds himself attracted to the omega Steiner Twins in a S3B setting. Nothing is written just yet, just another idea I’ve added to my ever growing rare pair lists. It’s gonna be a short fic where the tension brewing between snaps in the locker room after practice.

Dirty Snapshots of a Horny Wolf Pup

AU in which Derek owns a gym and Liam works at the front counter. It will be endgame Thiam but basically this is just my excuse to write Liam as slutty puppy and pair him up with lots of different characters such as Aiden, Gabe, Derek and Jordan. I am open to including other rare pairs too.

Opening snippet:

Ever since becoming a werewolf, Liam’s thirst for sex was stronger than ever, the need undeniable. He’d asked Scott about it once, the sex drive of a werewolf. It had been embarrassing and rather uncomfortable conversation to have but Scott being the good alpha that he was smiled and explained that yes werewolves do tend to have a higher sex drive and needs than most humans, especially around and during the full moon. Liam had nodded along, blushing but thankful, and Scott had directed him to talk to Deaton if had any further questions that the druid slash veterinary would be more knowledgeable to answer.

But being a teenage boy and a werewolf, Liam was horny like all the time and his hand became his best friend. Hayden was great but she never seemed to satisfy his needs and it wasn’t like he wasn’t interested in her, something just didn’t feel right. He’d been glad when she had moved away and they subsequential broke up soon after. And Liam quickly became frustrated again, his hand not being enough anymore.

Of course, being a teenage boy Liam had experimented, evening trying it with Mason, his best friend since they were like four. They’d kissed and jerked off together but once again it felt wrong. Mason was more of a brother too him. It was just too weird. It was then that Mason suggested trying it with someone else, maybe another werewolf to be sure in case anything went wrong. Brett had been a total douchebag, not to mention his sworn enemy from Devenford Prep but like Mason said, totally Liam’s type – aggressive hot-headed frenemy, just like Hayden had been in the beginning. It had been a total disaster with Brett pissing Liam off more than turning him on and Liam ended up almost biting his dick off. Like Liam said, a total disaster.

In the end Liam snuck off to a random bar in the neighbouring Hill Valley and hooked up with a random dude, some guy called Josh, and Liam had a great time, quickly realising what he and his wolf had been missing and what they had been craving all this time – dick. Mason had been smug, saying he total knew but was happy for him and that’s how it went for a while, Liam slinking off to the bar in Hill Valley to get his rocks off.

It wasn’t until Stiles and Scott’s former friend, Theo Raeken returned to Beacon Hills looking for Scott and a pack that everything began change. Liam and Theo quickly got off on the wrong start and quickly became enemies before realising how similar they were and quickly became best friends, thick as thieves. Mason had said they were the edger version of Scott and Stiles, nicknaming them Thiam with the pair having a reputation of getting themselves up to all sorts of trouble, not to mention each other’s pants.  

[dwarfsized]

Omg I missed you posting the first chapter of Eldath's Mercy on AO3! I'm so happy and excited to see the angy vampire elf surrounded by druids and the way his escape here was as much the result of a terrible accident as the mindflayers one is so funny. Elf can't win for shit lol.

I'll say it again your Astarion is perfect and Kira is such an amazing character I'd read original stories just about her and her brother lol.

Hope you're doing great and so looking forward to what comes next!!! (No rush obvs, just excited).

I THOUGHT I ANSWERED THIS ALREADY....... IM SORRY!

Yes!!! Astarion can never win in his escape from Cazador, this is so important to me. it will always suck and be bad.

I'm really touched that you like my Astarion!! in eldath's mercy especially he's going to be. different. you'll see. chapter 2 is going to be a lot, but i think its going to be very fun. ;) And aww I!! i dont even know what to say to original stories about Kira and Vilryn (that you like them that much makes me a little weepy) except that I adore the concept only, well, lmao, while they DO love each other very much, I think if they tried to adventure together, they might kill each other <3 Vilryn is a classic "lives in a wizard tower and is allergic to sunlight" sort of wizard and this would not vibe with Kira's whole deal. She has other siblings who would be better suited to Travel.

I am doing well, thank you! I hope you are also!! I am working on a bunch of stuff but probably something for Wyllstravaganza2024 is coming out next? my wip list is (checks notes) oh actually kill me, ive got 16 wips now.

luckily this is all very fun. but. god. 16 wips. did you know i never had wips before bg3. i just did not do this? anyway i should get back to that and try to finish something huh.

thank you i love you byeeee