#lorelei's is my favorite so far

[theashenphoenix]

LORELEI AND THE LASER EYES • Simogo (2024)

[blacktabbygames]

Cant remember if you answered this already but do you guys have any personal favorite video games in 2024?

We've finished surprisingly few games this year, and I don't love weighing in on games I haven't finished, but here's some favorites we played (not all of them came out this year though!):

The demo for Perfect Tides Station to Station - I was lucky enough to get a sneak peak of the full first season in the sequel. The first Perfect Tides is one of my favorite interactive narratives of all time it really says something that the sequel so far blows the first game out of the water. Aspirationally good. Criminally underrated. League of its own. Thronefall - Great mix of tower defense hack and slash, and resource management.

South Scrimshaw, Part One - Phenomenal and imaginative visual novel styled as a documentary about the life cycle of a whale species on an alien planet.

1000xResist - Wildly complicated narrative that beautifully weaves together an astounding number of themes. What does it mean to yearn for a place that no longer exists? I would recommend going into it blind.

In Stars and Time - We're bad friends and didn't have the chance to finish it until this year. Really thoughtful time loop narrative. Made us cry.

Nine Sols - I'm breaking my "I haven't finished it" rule because I really like what I've played so far. It's also pretty hard so not something I want to pick up when I get tired. Brilliant metroidvania by Red Candle Games, who are one of our favorite developers. Quite a different direction than their previous titles though (Devotion and Detention.)

Thank Goodness You're Here - really funny slapstick adventure :)

Path of Exile 2 - Finally an ARPG with challenging gameplay that's deeper than spamming 4 buttons really fast.

Alan Wake II Welcome to Nightsprings DLC - SO clever and creative. Really loved the text-based adventure in the last one.

On my ever growing backlog: Animal Well, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes (I've heard people have needed physical notebooks for this one though so it might not be my speed), finish Indika, which is so stylish, finish Rise of the Golden Idol (loved the first game!) We've done so many things this year — Pristine Cut, move into a new place, get married, etc, so I've been too tired to engage with a lot of more difficult games.

[magic-is-something-we-create]

Writeblr Re(rere)intro that's a year late!

Hi! I'm Pax, and I write Big Books that keep getting darker and darker in subject matter 🎉🎉

Basics about me:

he/him or they/them, Mid 20s

Favorite genres: Fantasy, SciFi, Horror, Mystery

Favorite authors: N. K. Jemisin, Tamsyn Muir, Brandon Sanderson, Pierce Brown, Samantha Shannon

Other things I do: Digital art (including commissions!), Twitch streams (usually art or writing sprints, occasionally video games), digital art assets and fonts (PWYW on Ko-Fi!)

Basics about my WIPs:

THE MILLENNIUM SAGA

High fantasy/Steampunk epic, 8 books planned. Book one: Firebreathers (160k words; ~700 pages) Book two: Echoseers (148k words; ~600 pages) Book three: Goddess-Touched (15k as of posting; 3rd attempt at drafting) First person, Multi POV What starts as a simple rebellion against their local Citylord becomes a flight - and fight - for their lives, as Ember Timber, their family, and their newfound friends are forced to flee overseas from the vengeful general who will stop at nothing to earn her Eternal King's favor, and will in fact relish hunting her own son and grandchildren for sport. But along the way, the crew learns that the Eternal King's immortality was not granted in return for his success as the Chosen One long ago, as they have always been told - and the sacrifice for such a thing is not only paid dearly in blood, but on its way to being repeated.

WHISPERS

Dark fantasy Noir. Currently with beta readers. 172k words; ~750 pages. First person, Dual POV. Set in the same world as Millennium Saga, ~5 years after the series concludes. Marika Swiftfoot owes her life to the Shadow of Fowden, the sorceress leader of a terroristic crime syndicate based in the north pole. When the man she once loved finally comes to collect on that life debt ten years later, she plans to kill him the moment it's safe. Too soon, after all, and everyone else she's ever loved will join him beyond the Veil. But hate isn't the only feeling that lingers between them, and when they're offered another way out of their debts, the lives of a few innocents looks like a bargain compared to the life of cruelty ahead of them. Lorelei has been hunting the Shadow for twenty years, and looking for the sister who disappeared for thirty. And here, names are legacies: she wants to earn Hopebringer before her legs give out for good, to erase the stain her father's name has left with Vowbreaker. And for that, she sees one way forward: she must never break her vows, no matter how small. The Shadow must die, and the Whispers with her. Her sister must be found, even if all that's left to find is a story. She must find answers for every case she takes on, even if she doesn't know so much as the name of the man who's gone missing.

THE LOST

Space opera webcomic. First scene fully illustrated; will release once the first chapter is complete, a week after Patrons receive the final scene. In the far reaches of space, the term "Media Empire" is quite literal; the Watchers have extended their influence throughout their galaxy filament with the help of their beloved Coliseum, and the Champion therein. After all, having a shapeshifter capable of replicating anything leads to some gruesome, spectacular fights, made all the more heartrending when they are the last of their kind, trapped in the ship molded from their kin's corpse. But while the Watchers have total control over what happens in the pit, they cannot predict the audience. And they certainly cannot predict the malfunctioning psychic implant of an assassin in the front row, and the loss of both opponents and a long-time prisoner of war to the escape.

I also post art of all of these semi-regularly, including in-progress stuff, as well as excerpts and rambling braindumps!! I'm also a huge worldbuilding nerd, so if you ever want to learn more about the worlds I'm writing, don't be afraid to ask!! I love talking about them :D

Boosts are appreciated <3 tell me about your own WIPs in the tags/replies/wherever!! I love learning about what people are working on!

[oneknightstand-if]

Watching princess bride rn.

Which characters are the ROs Faves?

Will the MC get a chance for a hard ass like like Wesley's "To the pain" moment?

Who laughs at the Mawwaige scene?

Merlin: The one who could actually pull off the "To the pain..." Of course, Merlin prefers the sillier moments and characters like Miracle Max and Westley only being "mostly dead".

Adrian: His favorite character is the "editor" William Goldman who cut out large sections of the story in the novel and added in off-topic rants about his personal life instead and-- oh, wait, you mean the movie? ... well, they should've added that editor guy in there!

Arthur: There's absolutely no way he's ever seen this, but if the MC or the group in general started talking about it, he'd go out of his way to try and watch it. After he does the 12-hour Monty Python marathon with the Cloudcuckoolander MC.

Percy: He may or may not be continuously introducing himself with "Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die!" (He and serial killer MC can have that in common.) Of course that means his favorite character is Buttercup.

4̵0̵4̵ ̷E̵r̶r̴o̵r̸ ̴N̴o̷t̶ ̶F̵o̸u̷n̶d̴: Obviously the shrieking eels are their favorites. They needed way more screen time!

Cassandra: Yeah... she hasn't seen it and probably wouldn't mostly get it... and by that I mean she'd keep exclaiming that things would've gone far smoother if more poison was being used here.

Gwen: When asked what Camelot legend she wanted to be the reincarnation of, she CANONLY says "Princess Buttercup". Yes, that's making it into the actual game.

Vivian: Her favorite part of the movie is the section that takes place in the Fire Swamp, but the shrieking eels scene on the ship are also good, poor darlings going unfed.

Lorelei: Meh. This is really not her type of thing. But at least it's more a satire than playing the whole chivalrous one-true-love type thing, straight? Also, the Dread Pirate Roberts really needs a better mask to hide his identity.

Broderick: He's still traumatized from the time the Princess Bride was assigned for summer reading in high school and he just so happened to watch the movie instead *coughs* and oops, it seems there were some plot differences. Like who is this "editor" people keep talking about?

[plantyberry]

Planti's OKS musings: Imposter MC

So, I feel a bit weird doing that, but I have to start from somewhere, so here we go! Please take note that the data in this post comes from the game and code from the Public beta build (currently up to Chapter 2-2)

Welcome to Planti's OKS musings! yaaaaaaaay

For now I will focus on the MC's Imposter Secret, seeing as this will be the one thing to bite them in the butt later on if not handled correctly (looking at you here, Liar/Serial killer), this time featuring my observations on the Imposter, my personal favorite due to it being the most 'normal' one of the bunch as well as the potential hilarity of there being two imposters in this van if you add in the saboteur.

Chapter 1, Secret Pick:

Right off the bat, the Imposter Secret possesses some slight flavor text for the Amnesiac and Accident MCs due to their especially nonexistent/painful pasts and memories that they wish to escape. Picking the Imposter Secret gives +5 to the 'social' score, which is fitting seeing as, according to the narration, it was pulled off using exclusively the MC's social abilities and maintained that way.

Breaking down the choices and what they apparently give (since I remember the writer mentionning that they were lying somewhere, no doubt in part to obscure who the other Imposter here is) Here is what we have!

As far as I can tell, only the first two waves of questions have a mechanical impact.

Impactful choice 1:

-I don't even know what I'd been thinking : Bold -2 -I immediately knew exactly what I had to do : Bold +2 -I never intended this. It just sort of... happened : Bold -2, Sweet +2 -It was only meant for a short term lark in the beginning : N/A

Impactful choice 2:

-It's not as if I'm hurting anyone : Optimist +1, Sweet +1, Bold -1 -It's not as if it's possible to steal from the dead : Sass -1, Sweet -1, Bold -1 -It's not as if [The Original] ghost's haunting the world because of this : Optimist -1, Sass +1, Bold -1 -No excuses here. In the end, I wanted to be [Them] and so I became [Them] : Optimist -2, Sweet -2, Bold +5

Additionally, and rather tellingly at that, There are two further direct background interactions with this secret. If one picked the Amnesia Childhood and/or the News Reporter Job, both Lorelei and Gwyneth gain +1/+2 on their sus score.

Now, let us look at that particular data point from another angle: This doesn't trigger if the MC has an abused, abandoned, or accident (now that I think about it, all the childhoods come with an 'a', funny coincidence) childhood and/or stays clear of working as a reporter as an imposter.

This is relevant because of several things:

First, in the Amnesiac background, it is mentionned that there was a national/international media campaign when Amnesiac MC was first found and some more perceptive characters may very well suspect something. However, I find it odd that Cassandra, the literal police detective, isn't the one gaining the sus score here, meaning that even though this point could be a weighting factor, it isnt the determinant one.

Second, the fact that this only triggers in the Amnesiac MC's path as far as childhood goes means the forgotten past of the MC themselves is going to be a 'tell' of their Imposter secret for Lorelei and Gwyneth. Seeing as a bit of code diving gives us that delightful tidbit (set ensorceled true) when we look at the amnesia childhood is also quite interesting, considering Lorelei and Gwyneth aren't, in fact, supposed to be the most magic-sensitive characters.

Gwyneth I can handwave by saying that she's extremely social-specced and could detect that something's off where Cassandra couldn't, but Lorelei doesn't have this excuse, and her behavior of her being extremely prepared/already on the run (apparently there's a 'reason' she'll be one of the later catches?) on top of the very specific requirements for the sus triggers mean that she is the likelier one of the two to have actually known MC in the past.

Chapter 1-5-2:

Most of the flavor text involving the Imposter secret revolves around them taking advantage of situations or doesn't bear any mechanical effects that I can anticipate, except maybe this one:

-For the Smoking-addicted MC who went back to their apartment, it is revealed that the possess another, premium, lighter with what seems to be (unless I'm misreading the narration here) their 'Original' name written on it, the one they had every since they woke up in the desert with amnesia, which is likely to have some rather interesting in light of the Gwyneth/Lorelei possible situation going on.

Chapter 1-6:

Merlin, if they are who they say they are, almost certainly knows the character uses a fake name if a non-mute Imposter MC introduces themselves, though it seems his sus counter only rises when MC deliberately gives them a pseudonym instead. Seeing as they only seem to care about past names and Arthur, they are unlikely to cause trouble unless more people raise up objections (Looking at Gwyneth and lorelei here)

Chapter 2-2:

Imposter secret comes back to bite you in the butt! This time with those two options during the talk about your addiction:

-"Well actually..." I launch into a long retelling of my life story : Adrian Sus +1 If Amnesiac, Imposter and Merlin doesn't know who your past self is: Merlin Sus +1 If Abandoned, Imposter and Merlin doesn't know who your past self is: Merlin Sus +1

-I hand over a thick printed booklet of my life story that I carry around for times just like this. Adrian Sus +1

The reasons for this are fairly obvious, Adrian almost certainly looked into the MC's past, and the discrepancies are beginning to pop up. Beign an imposter is a secret that only really holds as long as people don't know enough about MC to be able to call them out on their lie. The more info MC gives, the weaker their secrecy becomes, as Adrian oh-so-suspiciously put it 'keep it simple' (so says the one most likely to be a fellow imposter secret holder). As for Merlin, the Amnesia incident reeks of magic interference, and the Abandoned one is also pretty suspicious, but seeing as those only trigger suspicion when MC is an Imposter mean that Merlin possesses some level of awareness of the nature of MC's lie.

It's the little things, but considering Book 1 lasts, what, two weeks? Those little things may very well begin to pile up.

The last thing is the TV incident in the shop if MC decides to go there early. If they are an imposter, the TV will show the 'real' owner of the name MC has lived with, which is pretty damning insofar that this means the demons are aware of MC's secret and in turn, so would the Saboteur, which is something they will definitely use against them.

Final thoughts:

As far as secrets go, by itself Imposter seems fairly benign. It looks pretty easy to at least mitigate the negative side effects by revealing your Camelot identity to Merlin and Arthur and having a good relationship with Adrian, and just not being a complete jerk as well as keeping the work on that high social, since this is likely to be the relevant stat checked when the secret is out.

A big thanks to @oneknightstand-if for creating this Interactive fiction that I can theorize my little heart out over. I can't wait to be completely wrong about all of it when more stuff comes out in the public beta!

[lemoncrushh]

Too Far From Texas | Eleven

STORY PAGE

Word Count: 7043

The room was dark when I woke up. For a moment I thought surely I had awaken from another one of my nightmares, but I couldn’t recall anything other than ecstasy. That was when I turned my head to the right and saw the silhouette lying on the pillow beside mine. He slept on his stomach, one arm wrapped around the pillow as though he was snuggling with it, the other stretched out, his hand nearly underneath my own pillow.

I smiled when I heard him snoring softly. I started to roll over onto my side when I realized my reason for waking up. I had to pee.

After cleaning up in the bathroom, I tiptoed back to bed, careful not to jostle him. I laid on my side facing him, catching a glimpse of his face in the moonlight that streamed through the blinds.

I couldn’t believe he was in my bed - that we’d made love just hours before. He was so beautiful, so unreal. I reached out to touch his arm, lightly grazing it with my fingertips. Though I told myself I didn’t want to wake him, my need and desire to touch him was overwhelming.

I caressed his arm, down to his hand where I covered it with mine. I felt him stir and I froze, watching and waiting for any more movement. I smiled to myself when he lifted his fingers so as to thread them with mine. Then he pulled them towards himself and kissed them, my fingertips warm at contact.

“C’mere,” I heard him say, shifting onto his side.

I shimmied closer to him, my head landing in the crook of his arm. He dropped his other arm around my waist, pulling me flush against his chest, kissing the top of my head. He tickled my lower back with his fingertips as I looked up to search his face, finding his bedroom eyes barely open, his plump lips parted and inviting.

He kissed me then, a sloppy, sleepy kiss that made me weak all over. He had a hold of me like he didn’t want to let go, and I’d never felt more safe and secure.

I let out a tiny little moan. Harry echoed it, kissing me deeper and harder, his hand cradling my neck. I didn’t push him back this time. I was ready and willing to give him whatever he wanted from me. But in the end, Harry only separated from the kiss to press his forehead to mine as he breathed heavily. Then he ran his hand down my shoulder and arm and grabbed my waist once more with a squeeze.

We fell asleep like that, Harry first, so I listened to the patterns of his breathing which eventually soothed me into my own slumber.

He was gone before the girls got up the next morning. Tod was arriving at ten, and Harry didn’t want there to be any weirdness or confusion, and I didn’t blame him. I kissed him at the door where he told me he’d be back that evening and we’d go to dinner before the concert.

After breakfast, Tod showed up to pick up the girls, and I kissed and hugged them goodbye. Then I made a beeline for my closet, pulling out anything I thought remotely looked like something I’d wear to a concert. Quickly I vetoed several shirts and a pair of skintight jeans that I knew I had worn to concerts years ago with Tod. They probably didn’t even fit me anymore. I had a pretty cool leather jacket, but even though it was November, it wasn’t cold enough in Houston yet for layers. In the end, the only items I deemed wearable were a pair of black boots and a so-so pair of jeans that had seen better days. Time to go shopping.

On a normal occasion such as this, I would have invited Lorelei to go with me, but since she had left for Australia, I was on my own. It was just as well. I loved my friend, but she’d no doubt be trying to get me to purchase some sort of leather bustier. No thanks. Besides, I enjoyed shopping by myself.

The mall was crowded, but I managed to find something I liked - a pretty flowing fabric top (a la Stevie) and a pair of jeans that made my butt look amazing. I knew I could add my black boots and some of my favorite jewelry and make it the perfect concert outfit.

I stopped at the food court to grab some lunch and check my phone. I already had a text from Harry saying he’d be at my place by five. I told him that was fine. I had no idea where we’d be going for dinner, but since I didn’t live all that close to the venue, I knew there would be traffic.

Before leaving the mall, I stopped at the lingerie store. I hadn’t originally planned on it, but somehow my legs took me there. I picked out a lovely matching bra and panty set to wear underneath my new outfit.

When I got home, I showered, making sure I shaved where needed and that my skin was baby soft when I finished. Wrapped in my towel, I chose my Stevie Nicks playlist on my phone to listen to while I got ready. Then I sprayed my favorite perfume and stepped into my new panties. I had to admit, I immediately thought of Harry’s hands removing them later and I got turned on. After completing my ensemble, I applied my makeup, a little heavier than I’d usually wear during the day, but not too much. I tousled my curls with a small amount of gel, letting it fall across my shoulders. Then stepping back to take a final look in the mirror, I smiled at myself. I looked pretty damn good.

My doorbell rang exactly at five. I almost wondered if Harry had sat in the car and waited until just the right moment. But none of it mattered once I opened the door.

“Wow,” Harry mouthed.

I blushed as I smiled at my feet and then back at him.

“You look beautiful, baby,” he said.

“Thanks. So do you.”

It was no lie. He wore a solid white shirt that probably cost more than my sofa, open to reveal his tattoos, his cross necklace displayed in the center of his chest, and his usual black jeans. This time, however, I noticed he wore a different pair of brown boots with fringe on the sides. He looked exquisite, and I wondered how I’d gotten so lucky to be going out with such a rockstar.

“You ready?” he held out his hand for me.

“Yep,” I nodded, grabbing my bag and following him out the door. I took his hand as we descended the stairs to the parking lot.

I saw the black car sticking out like a sore thumb, but fortunately my neighbors weren’t all that nosy. The driver opened the door for me, and I got in the back seat, Harry sliding in after me. He immediately took my hand again, and I smiled as he brought it to his lips and then set our joined hands in his lap.

“So where are we going for dinner?” I asked curiously.

“Just some place that came recommended,” he replied. “Near the Toyota Center.”

“Oh.” I didn’t bother to ask him who recommended it or what the name of it was. If it was good enough for Harry Styles, it was certainly good enough for me.

We drove up 45 North towards downtown, and as I watched the familiar scenery go by, I had to laugh to myself. But I hadn’t realized I’d done it out loud until Harry nudged me.

“What’s so funny?”

“It’s just…” I stared at him for a second, trying to string my thoughts together. “I’ve either driven or ridden as a passenger up and down this freeway for years. I know it like the back of my hand almost. Even been to the Toyota Center a few times. Saw Fleetwood Mac there, actually; they were the first concert after it opened. But I never would have thought…I’d be sitting here in the back of a car…with you. On our way to a restaurant I’m certain I’ve never been to.”

I was relieved when Harry echoed my laugh and squeezed my hand.

“It’s kinda weird, I guess,” I crinkled my nose.

“Doesn’t have to be,” he said. “Just think of it as a normal date.”

I blinked. “I suppose this is like our second date, huh?”

Harry pondered my question for a moment, then shrugged. “If you wanna think of it that way. But I don’t.”

“Why not?”

“Well, I’m not just considering the times I took you out as our only dates. Our first date was the night I came over and we had pizza and that amazing first kiss.”

“Oh,” I grinned slowly as I felt my cheeks grow pink.

“And I definitely consider last night one,” he continued. “Even if it was a surprise.”

I bit my lip as he leaned closer.

“And I slept in your bed, Stacey,” he murmured low. “That has to count for something.”

I nodded. “Definitely does.”

I focused on his mouth as he seemed to be doing the same with mine.

“And if you count all the phone calls,” he added before lifting my chin with his finger, his lips so close to mine they were almost touching, “and FaceTime calls…” he lightly kissed the corner of my mouth, “and texts…” then the other corner, “I’d say we’ve had a lot of dates.”

His eyelids were heavy before he shut them completely, his lips capturing mine. It was a very gentle, tender kiss, almost too quick, but lovely nonetheless.

“Thank you for tonight,” I said softly, our mouths separated but still so close I could feel his breath on my skin.

“No need to thank me yet,” he whispered with a lopsided grin. “The evening’s just begun.”

“Well…thank you anyway, in advance,” I smiled, tugging on the tail of his shirt. “I’m excited to see Stevie with you.”

“Me too, baby.”

The driver pulled up to the curb a few minutes later and opened the door for us. I recognized the downtown streets, but not the restaurant. When we stepped out onto the sidewalk, Harry lightly placed his hand on my back and opened the door for me. I felt a little flip in my stomach at the knowledge that I was about to be seen in public with a celebrity, but I made sure my face and demeanor didn’t show it. I remained cool as a cucumber when the Maitre D took us to a table, and a young waiter quickly appeared to greet us and take our drink orders.

Dinner was pleasant, with easy conversation and delicious food and wine. I did notice that Harry never made any physical contact with me, but I was fine with it. I wasn’t sure how many people were watching, even though our table was dark and somewhat private. I knew that the press and paparazzi would have a field day if they had any inkling that Harry Styles was out on a date. In Houston, Texas no less.

Before dessert, which Harry insisted we order, I excused myself to the ladies room. I smiled at a woman who was washing her hands as I walked past her to the stall. When I returned to wash my own hands, she was still there, slowly applying her lipstick and watching me like a hawk. I gave her a small smile again, feeling a bit uneasy. She didn’t return it. Instead, she dropped her lipstick into her bag and began fluffing her hair. I deliberately took out my own tube of lipstick, applying it in the same fashion she had hers, popping my lips together in a teenage-like kiss. Then I ran my fingers through my hair just like she had, letting the curls cascade down with a bounce. Our eyes met once more in the mirror as I grabbed the strap of my purse and slung it over my shoulder.

“Enjoy your evening,” I said, turning for the door.

Shaking my head as I walked down the alcove, I considered that perhaps I had been a little too smug to the stranger. She didn’t know me from Adam, and she might not have had any clue whom I was there with. It was just probably my own paranoia.

When I returned to the table, Harry beamed up at me, gesturing toward the decadent concoction in the middle of it.

“Oh, Jesus,” I groaned.

Harry handed me a spoon when I sat down, telling me to dig in. The fruit was fresh, the ice cream most definitely Haagen Dazs. The cake underneath was the most moist and delicious I’d probably ever eaten, and by the end, Harry and I were giggling as our spoons clinked together to get the last scoop.

“You take it,” I insisted, sitting back in my chair. “I’m stuffed.”

By the time we made it back to the car, the sky was dark, the streets lit up with excitement as though it anticipated the evening’s plans and surprises. My senses were on alert, the smell of cigarettes and cologne in the air. My skin tingled not just from the slightly cooler temperature, but from the rush I always got from going to a concert. Me entire body was turned on like a lamp, and Harry hadn’t even touched me yet.

Pulling up to the venue, once again the driver opened the door for me and helped me out of the car. I felt Harry’s hand on my back immediately, making me turn to look at him.

“Dunno if there’ll be cameras,” he whispered, “but just in case, stay close. If you see a flash, just keep walking. You don’t have to look at them if you don’t want to. I’ve got you. Alright?”

I stared at him for a second, swallowing hard. “Okay.”

To be honest, it hadn’t even dawned on me that there might be cameras around. I just thought of it as Houston, my turf. Other than the woman in the ladies room, nothing else had seemed suspicious.

We walked together briskly to the entrance, making it inside smoothly. I breathed a sigh of relief as Harry guided me to an area off to the right that was roped off, where a man in a suit stood with his hands folded in front of him. Harry pulled out his phone, holding it up for the man. I watched as he scanned it with a device, making a beeping sound, and then handing it back to Harry without so much as a flinch. Harry pocketed his phone again and grabbed my hand.

“Let’s go,” he wiggled his brows and pulled me through a black curtain that the man now held open.

The electricity surged right through to my toes when I saw the stage. It was closer than I’d imagined - not that I’d really imagined much. I didn’t want to assume that because Harry was, well, Harry, that we would be up close and personal. But this was definitely close. And we weren’t even at our seats yet.

Harry continued to hold my hand as we maneuvered through the crowd, finally stopping at the end of an aisle. It seemed to be some sort of VIP section, a little off to the side. Harry pointed at the seat next to where he stood and I sat down, taking in the view.

“Wow, this is great,” I commented, bouncing in my seat.

“Excited?” Harry nudged my shoulder.

“I always get excited before the show’s about to start. Just the energy in the room. I can feel it all throughout my body. The anticipation is so great.”

“Like Christmas morning?”

“Yeah,” I nodded, looking around at the audience.

“Or...that moment right before a kiss…” Harry continued.

I caught his expression out of the corner of my eye, quickly returning my gaze to the crowd.

“Exactly,” I mouthed.

I smiled when I spotted a girl on the front row in a layered dress, platform boots and a shawl. She twirled in front of her friends, giving her best Stevie and receiving a few claps and cheers.

“Honestly, I can’t believe you didn’t wear that,” I heard Harry whisper in my ear.

“Did that,” I smirked, turning to his face that was barely an inch from mine. “About fifteen years and twenty pounds ago.”

He returned my grin, his eyes traveling down my features and back up. “Bet you looked beautiful.”

I shrugged. “Not too bad. It was a black sparkly dress with spaghetti straps and a handkerchief hem. I had the boots and an old shawl that was my mother’s and-”

Three things happened then simultaneously that interrupted my thoughts. First, I could have sworn I heard someone scream “Haaaarrrryyyy!” really loud off in the distance. Second, the lights went out and the crowd went wild. Third, I was pretty sure Harry had been about to kiss me. Right there. In public.

I didn’t have time to really consider it when Stevie appeared on stage, walking up to her microphone adorned with ribbons and flowers. She opened with “Outside The Rain”, immediately going into “Dreams”, just as she had for many years. Then she did her greeting speech which made the audience erupt into cheers again.

Just like before when I’d seen Stevie, I was mesmerized by her. I’d almost forgotten I was there with Harry until I looked over at him. He was just as captivated. My heart flipped and my breath caught in my throat as I watched him watch her. It was a really beautiful moment, and for a second I wished I had a camera.

Harry didn’t peel his eyes away from Stevie, but somehow he knew I was looking at him. He lifted his hand and reached over to grab mine in my lap. He didn’t bother to bring it to his own lap, or even to let our joint hands dangle between us. He seemed content to let them remain in my lap, on my upper thigh. Taking a quick gander around, I concluded that there was no way anyone could see anyhow, especially since I could barely see them myself. Returning my attention to Stevie, I began dragging my thumb across the back of Harry’s hand and playing with his rings. I felt him squeeze my thigh, but instead of jumping out of my chair, I somehow sank deeper into it, wanting him to do it again. He began to draw circles on my leg with his finger tips, still intertwined with mine. I looked at him again, both of us mouthing the words to “Gypsy” as Stevie sang.

I have no fear...I have only love…

When the song was over, Harry finally released my hand to clap and whistle. I wanted to stand up and cheer, but I also wanted to grab him and kiss him. I couldn’t tell if I was really turned on, or if I had to pee. And the worst thing about concerts is missing something because you have to go to the bathroom. And because I was such a Stevie fan, I couldn’t find a song I was willing to miss.

Finally, halfway through “New Orleans”, I decided to suck it up and go. I nudged Harry to let him know. He smiled and nodded, lightly grazing his knuckles across mine as I rose from my chair. I thought I would have to wait in a line just like any other concert I’d been to, but I was surprised to see there wasn’t one when I turned the corner. In fact, there was a private little alcove right there next to the VIP section and I walked right in.

I almost stopped in my tracks when I saw a woman at the sink, putting on lipstick. For second, I thought it was the same woman from the restaurant, which would have been both spooky and awkward. But when I walked past her, I caught her smile as she dropped her lipstick tube into her bag. She indeed looked familiar, but not from the restaurant. She was some sort of celebrity, but I couldn’t seem to place her. I racked my brain trying to remember, hoping that getting another glimpse of her would jog my memory, but when I returned from the stall, she was gone.

As I made my way back to my seat, Stevie’s band was just starting “Stand Back”. I beamed a huge smile when I saw that Harry had risen from his chair, his arms above his head as he clapped to the beat, his hips swaying back and forth. I quickly joined him, singing along.

One man did not fall… He asked me for my love, that was all…

With childlike glee, Harry turned to me, took my hands and danced with me. There wasn’t much leg room, but we managed to dance the entire song, and I even did my best twirl, much to Harry’s delight. When Stevie began introducing the band, Harry still had a hold of my hands, his dimpled grin spreading from ear to ear, a lock of hair falling over his forehead. He was the cutest thing I’d ever seen. I wanted him to kiss me. Badly.

My chest still heaving, I released one of my hands to run it through my hair. That was when I heard the chords of the next song.

“Oh my God, I can’t believe she’s doing this song!” I exclaimed.

Harry wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him, our hips colliding. I sang along to “Crying in the Night” as I felt Harry rest his chin on my shoulder. When the harmony part came, he began to murmur the words in my ear, singing along with me like he had on the phone. Only this wasn’t just any duet. His voice vibrated in my eardrums, and I came so close to turning my head to find his lips. I managed to keep my restraint.

For the next couple of songs, Harry and I took our seats again. I never once looked behind me, though I wondered if anyone was watching us. I supposed I was afraid to find out.

When the “Edge of Seventeen” riff started up, Harry and I stood up once more, and we danced again. This time, he even turned around and danced with other people. I giggled at all of it, having the time of my life. By the time Stevie walked off stage, my cheeks hurt.

The lights went out on the stage then, but of course I knew it wasn’t over. Time for the encore of “Rhiannon” and “Landslide”. I was about to sit down and rest when Harry pulled me to him in a bear hug.

“You’re the best,” he breathed in my ear. “So much fun. Love being with you.”

As always, Harry said the perfect thing at the perfect moment. I had no words. When he released me from the hug, I let my hand slide down his cheek. When it dropped from his chin, he picked it back up, allowing his cheek to lean into it as he closed his eyes.

Stevie walked back out onto the stage then, the crowd all bounding to their feet when the intro to “Rhiannon” started. But Harry didn’t open his eyes. He remained in his spot, my hand cradling his face, his beautiful lips parted as he puffed out slow, even breaths. He looked completely content, like a baby that had been soothed and was ready for a nap.

“Harry…” I leaned in, hoping he could hear me. He shook his head.

“Stay here a minute.”

My chest shook as I chuckled, unsure what he was doing. But he was so darn adorable, I couldn’t resist. Stevie had already sung the first line, so I continued.

All your life you’ve never seen a woman, taken by the wind… Would you stay if she promised you heaven… Will you ever win…

The corners of Harry’s mouth curled up as I continued to sing, his dimple dipping deeper underneath my thumb. It was doubtful that he could even hear me over all the other people screaming off key, but his smile was all I needed to urge me forward. Finally, during the breakdown in the music, when Stevie would normally do her witchy twirl and start her ad libbing, Harry lifted his head and opened his eyes.

“Sorry,” he mouthed. “Had a moment.”

I just stared at him, my brows raised. He took my hand again and faced forward, and we watched the rest of Stevie’s “Rhiannon” exorcism like that, shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand.

Though I knew “Landslide” was the final song, and I had seen Stevie sing it many times over, I still wasn’t prepared. I wasn’t prepared to get choked up from the opening verse. I wasn’t prepared for Harry to notice and move to stand behind me and wrap his arms around me. I wasn’t prepared for him to sing it in my ear, his deep voice permeating throughout my body down to my toes. I wasn’t prepared to feel so weak and vulnerable. And I wasn’t prepared when he whispered in my ear.

“Shh, baby, it’s okay. Please don’t cry. I’ve got you.”

With a shaky breath, I leaned into him slightly, silently thanking him. I’d heard that song a million times, and though I felt like it spoke to me, I wasn’t sure it ever truly had until that moment.

I’ve been afraid of changing… Cause I’ve built my life around you… But time makes you bolder… Children get older… And I’m getting older too…

Harry swayed with me, rocking me from side to side. I felt safe. I felt cared for. I felt wanted.

When the song ended and Stevie was giving a farewell speech, Harry whispered in my ear once more.

“We should probably go. Beat the crowds.”

I nodded. I knew he didn’t mean just for traffic reasons.

We made it to the awaiting car in less than five minutes, much to my relief. I realized as I climbed inside that Harry still had a hold of my hand, and he didn’t let go as he climbed in behind me. I smiled at our joined hands between us on the seat, then up at him. He immediately leaned over, his other hand brushing my hair from my face.

“You okay?” he asked, his voice raspy.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I replied, wiping away a stray tear. “Just got emotional in there.”

Before I could add another syllable or breath, Harry pressed his mouth to mine. I kissed him back, opening my mouth and allowing our tongues to meet. I sighed as he leaned closer and I pulled him back with me, grabbing at his cross that dangled from his neck. We were already on the freeway when he finally separated from the kiss. He still hovered over me, his plump, wet lips and heavy breathing revealing his desire.

“Please tell me I get to make love to you again tonight.”

I raised my brows, slowly dragging my teeth across my bottom lip as I reached my arm around his waist. “Please tell me that was a given.”

He chuckled low, shaking his head slightly.

“Just didn’t wanna be presumptuous again.”

“Sugar,” I said, looking him in the eye, “I think...from now on...it’s safe to say my answer’s always yes.”

“This is very good information,” he declared with a grin, running a hand up my outer thigh.

“Yes,” I nodded. “But don’t get too cheeky with it.”

“Cheeky with it? Is that like gettin’ jiggy with it?”

I burst out laughing. “No. Not even close.”

“Oh.”

He continued to let his hands seduce the seam of my jeans. It was driving me crazy, but I wasn’t about to let him know. Not after his cheekiness.

“So, this yes answer…” he licked his lips. Dammit, Styles. “Does this apply to all questions or…”

“You’re pushing it, cowboy.”

“Cowboy?” he sat back slightly with a giggle. “I’m not a cowboy!”

“You’re not?”

“No. Not unless you’re ride-...wait!”

I laughed so hard I almost snorted. “You’re awful. I didn’t mean that at all.”

“Liar. Yes, you did!”

“I swear, I didn’t.”

My laughter was not convincing him. He narrowed his eyes at me and sat back in his seat with a pout. My leg missed his touch already.

“Stop it, Harry,” I said, giving my own pout.

“Stop what?”

“Being so damn cute. I can’t take it.”

He leaned his head back against the seat and turned it to look at me, his eyes dancing.

“Apparently you can...cowgirl.”

“Alright, I walked right into that one, didn’t I?”

“Yes, you did,” he chuckled.

I scooted closer to him, rising up on my knees, my face close enough to kiss his.

“Sorry,” I murmured.

“What for?”

“Being obnoxious.”

Harry’s eyes darted between mine and my lips that threatened to kiss his as he gave me his sexy smirk. “You weren’t, baby,” he said. “I was just teasing.”

“Okay. Good.”

I kissed him then, placing my hands on either side of his face. He moaned and wrapped his arms around me when my tongue asked for permission. I boldly swung my leg over his lap and straddled him, making him moan again, a sound I could never get tired of.

“Stacey...God, baby.”

My lips travelled down his neck, nibbling underneath his jawline. I loved tasting his skin and the little sounds he made as I did so.

“Mmm, baby...I like this.”

“Like what?” I asked, sitting up to look at him.

“This. You on top of me. Kissing me. Tasting me. I like it a lot.”

I licked my lips. “This is very good information.”

Harry scoffed with a grin before grabbing my hips and pulling me closer.

We made it through my front door after many attempts of unlocking it, my hands fumbling and Harry on my neck. I tossed my bag on the sofa as he shut the door behind me.

“Do you want something to drink?” I asked him, making my way around the kitchen counter. “I’m dying of thirst.”

“Um...just water.”

“Yeah, me too.”

I opened the refrigerator, grabbing two bottles of water. Spinning around to the sink, I caught a glimpse of Harry walking slowly and deliberately into the kitchen, his fingers grazing the counter.

“These bottles are always hard to open,” I commented with a scowl, holding the first bottle over the sink, “and they fill them to the rim so they sometimes spill out all over the place.”

I heard his breathing before I felt his body pressed up against my back, his hands following, grabbing my hips and gliding them up my sides. I nervously sighed, trying my best to open the first bottle, taking a long swig of water. Then I set it down and reached for the second bottle, opening it easily despite my shaky hands. With Harry’s close proximity, it was difficult to turn around, but I somehow did, nearly knocking noses with him.

“H-here’s yours,” I barely whispered.

Harry eyed the bottle in my hand, then looked back at me. His eyes on me, he took the water and drank almost half the bottle in two large gulps, then set it on the counter behind me. Pushing his hips harder against me, Harry slid his hand underneath my ear, tilted his head and pressed his lips to mine. His other hand slid around to my back as I threw my arms around his neck, falling into the kiss. As our tongues collided, the chill from the water filled my mouth, making me tingle from head to toe. Slipping his hand from my neck down to my chest, Harry cupped my breast, his touch igniting a deeper fire within me. A tiny moan escaped my throat and Harry grabbed my waist, lifting me up to sit on the counter. I eagerly opened my legs, needing to feel him as closely as possible. With his eyelids heavy, he looked so completely delicious. His fingers resumed their touch on my upper thighs, this time with the added pressure of his thumbs. He stroked my legs down to my knees and back up, dangerously close to where I ached. And boy, did I ache. I wanted him, needed him, with every fiber of my being.

I wrapped my legs around him then, capturing his mouth in another deep kiss. I felt the rumble in his chest as he groaned against my lips. Lifting a hand from my thigh, he raked his fingers through my hair and cradled the back of my head, leaning me back as his tongue tangled with mine. I felt his hips move against me, his inevitable erection apparent and aching as much as I was.

With one small shift, Harry hoisted me up off the counter, my arms and legs still tight around him. Stepping back, he turned toward the hallway and carried me to my bedroom. The room was dark, but he didn’t turn on the light. I’d left the blinds open, and the moonlight streamed enough through them to cast a simple shadow. Ever so gently as though I were a china doll, he laid me down on the bed, his body hovering over mine. He kissed me over and over, so much that I began to wonder what his plan was. I considered asking him when he finally rose, kicked off his boots and lifted the hem of my shirt. I sat up to help him remove it, quickly lying back down. With hungry eyes, he slid his body down, his hands travelling the length of my legs. Finding the zippers of my boots, he pulled them off, dropping them at the foot of the bed. Then he made his way back up my legs again to the button on my jeans. Feeling a bit helpless, I just watched him as he tugged them off, adding them to the clothes pile.

“Very pretty,” he murmured, complimenting my new lingerie.

“Thanks.” I bit my lip as he hovered over me again.

“I like…”

His mouth found my chest then, the soft mound of skin above my bra. He pushed the strap down delicately before finding the clasp. He licked and sucked on my bare nipple as I arched my back. My breaths quickened, needing to feel him.

“Harry…” I gasped.

He merely nodded, his eyes on me as he moved to the other nipple, giving it the same treatment, then dropping the bra on the floor.

I reached for him, grasping at his shirt, desperate to get it off. Understanding my request, he simply pulled it over his head, not bothering with the rest of the buttons. I pulled him to me by his necklace, wanting to feel skin on skin. The cross tapped on my chest as I shut my eyes, but then I began to feel it drag down the center of my body. I protested with a whine as I looked down to see Harry situated between my legs, his lips kissing the edge of my panties.

“Harry...please...where…” I swallowed hard, “where’s the condom?”

“In a minute, baby,” he cooed.

“No. Now. Please. You’re driving me crazy.”

Harry chuckled then, a devilish tone that only made me want him more. He continued to nip at my skin, his fingers looping around the sides of my underwear.

“Fuck.”

“Patience, my love. I wanna taste you.”

My mouth made the O shape, but no sound came out. I felt my toes curl as Harry pulled my panties down and off. Then lifting one thigh with his hand, he kissed the inside of it, slowly, ever so achingly slowly, making his way to the center. My eyes rolled back when I felt his tongue meet my clit. Then I just about came when he hummed against me, his mouth devouring me like his favorite dessert.

He lifted my other thigh then, and I held it open with as much strength as I could. It was a wonder I could even breathe. I turned my head to the side, biting the side of my finger as he licked me, slowly with deliberate motions.

“Mmmm,” I began to moan. “Oh God.”

“That feel good, baby?”

“Yes. Fuck.”

I felt him hum against me again, and I about lost it. I grinded myself against his mouth, needing to feel my release. He sped up his tongue, licking in circles and side to side. I cried out then, looking down and seeing his eyes were on me, his hands squeezing my thighs. I came hard, watching him watching me.

“Holy shit…” I gasped, trying to catch my breath. My legs shook on the bed as Harry released them and climbed up over me.

“You taste so good,” he said, his voice low with sex.

“No, I don’t,” I shook my head.

Harry chuckled again. “Yeah, you do.”

Resting his elbows on either side of my head, he let his fingers push the curls off my forehead before kissing me down to my nose and then my mouth. I could taste myself on his tongue, and even though I never had any issues with that sort of thing, it seemed even more of a turn on then than it ever had before.

“See?”

I let out a breath slowly, lightly grazing my fingertips down his back to the waistband of his jeans that he unfortunately was still wearing. I found the button and zipper in the front, and Harry generously lifted his hips so I could slip my hand inside. I palmed his erection, watching his eyelids flutter.

“Sugar…” I whispered, using the term of endearment he seemed to like.

“Yeah, baby. Tell me what you want.”

“You. I need to feel you inside me. Now.”

Harry licked his lips and swallowed, his eyelids closing softly as he nodded. “Yeah. I need it too.”

I watched as he rose again from the bed to remove his jeans and boxers. He produced a condom from his pocket - or wallet, I wasn’t sure - and slid it on with ease. Everything Harry did, it seemed, even making love, he did easily.

He kissed me again before entering me. I grabbed his hips, lifting my own to guide him where I needed him most. He let out a moan as he began to thrust harder and deeper. I lifted my legs, opening myself up to him completely.

“Jesus, Stacey…” he whined in my ear. “Fuck, you’re so sexy.”

I sucked on my bottom lip as I watched his face in the moonlight. Then I cupped it in my hands, capturing his lips. He cried in my kiss as I began to suck on his tongue. His hips moved slowly, and I could feel him, all of him. He was so hard, so good.

“Oh my God,” I moaned against his mouth.

“I know,” he breathed.

“Don’t stop. Please.”

“‘m not. But…’m so close, baby.”

“I need...I need to feel like this...forever…”

I was talking gibberish, I knew. The sensation was just overwhelming, and I couldn’t get enough. I wrapped my legs around him again, wanting to be as close as possible. Harry slid his hands down my hips and back up to my waist, finally winding them around me. We moved as one, rocking back and forth. Harry’s breaths were so loud in my ear, I worried that he was okay until he sat up on his knees, pulling me with him.

I watched his face again as I grabbed his shoulders and began riding him. His eyelids seemed to get too heavy to remain open, his lips parted and swollen. I ran my fingers through his hair, whispering his name.

“Feels so good…” he groaned. “Aaah fuck me, baby.”

I rode him faster, reaching my peak just as he let out another groan and expletive. Our bodies shook, wet with perspiration as we came. Harry didn’t open his eyes until our breaths evened out. Then he softly laid me back down and kissed me passionately.

When he rose again, he headed for the bathroom. I laid in darkness, the moonlight through the blinds reflecting on the mirror as I waited for his return.

I thought about what I’d said. Perhaps it hadn’t truly been gibberish. I wished I could feel the way I felt in that moment for the rest of my life. And not just because of the sex. Yes, it was amazing and felt incredible. But the feeling was much deeper than that.

I finally knew. I was in love with him.

I noticed the glow of light from the bathroom and turned my head to see Harry leaning against the door frame, a toothbrush in his mouth. I giggled at the image which was both sexy and adorable. He wiggled his brows, then quickly turned to spit in the sink.

“My turn,” I said, sitting up.

After I cleaned up, I returned to see that Harry had turned down the bed and was lying on his side. I smiled as I crawled in next to him, reaching over to give him a kiss, my hair falling around his glowing face.

“Hey, what was that?” he pouted when I pulled away.

“What was what?”

“That kiss. That was not an ‘I just had the best night’ kiss. That was an ‘I’ll call you, we should do this again sometime’ kiss.”

I smiled wider and sighed, trying not to reveal what was really on my mind. “Sorry, sugar. Didn’t mean that at all.”

I kissed him, really kissed him then.

“Mmm,” he sounded. “Much better.”

“Good. However...we should do this again.”

He grinned, his hands getting tangled in my curls. “Yes. We definitely should. And we definitely will.”

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[sexygayvampire]

13 + 21 for dorian?

character asks here

13. Your favorite friendship they have

okay i am biased because i had them together in my party the whole game but i absolutely adore dorian and sera’s friendship. they make me so so so happy and i think about them all the time. they start out arguing about magic and insulting each other and they end up teaching each other curse words and insulting each other. and insulting other people. it’s so beautiful. they also gave me my favorite joke in the whole game which was dorian flipping sera off in the subtitles because she told him he didn’t get to be a know-it-all. they push each other’s buttons and you can tell watching them over time that it comes to be out of love. this is what having gay friends is all about. i mean look at sera’s note in trespasser after dorian says he’s leaving for tevinter this broke me i love them so much

like what the hell man. ouch. ok anyway. ALSO his friendship with mae is everything but i’ve already talked so much. gestures at the second question

21. When do you think they were at their happiest?

NOW THIS IS A HARD ONE. considering that. well. gestures at dorian’s life. i have two possible slightly different answers though

the first one is the inquisition, especially with a romanced inq or bull. he has a group of close friends and, for the first time, a man he truly loves and can let himself love. well, he’s still working on the vulnerability, but he has a chance to work on it, and isn’t that something? and he’s doing something good. he’s making real change. he prevented the darkest timeline during in hushed whispers just using his abilities and knowledge, and he continues to fight for what’s right the whole way through. he learns new perspectives about the world and new things about himself. he thinks critically about the things he knew from his life in tevinter and changes his beliefs. it’s a time of a lot of growth on a personal level that might be difficult at the start but he comes out of it better than he’s ever been.

inquisition is a turning point for him, especially after the temple of mythal. he realizes that he’s been running away from his home and its problems when he could be fighting against them, and it’s the inquisitor who inspires him to do that. and it’s new! it’s exciting! he was a pariah, an outcast, with no real direction, but he’s saving the world with the inquisition, he’s really making a difference, and he resolves that he can work to improve tevinter, too. i think this revelation is really freeing for him. he feels that he’s been lost for a long time but finally has a direction. he finds new things to believe in—the inquisitor, the inquisition as a whole, love, justice, a better future for tevinter, himself. it’s invigorating. argh i have a few specific dialogue lines from the post-wphw cutscene and trespasser that are coming to mind but i don’t have them on hand so just trust me

my other thought is working with the shadow dragons. obviously the founding of the shadows doesn’t happen in the best of circumstances, what with mae losing her seat and the lucerni being dissolved, but it’s the same ethos. he’s a part of something bigger, one of its leaders even. he has friends at his side, mae and tarquin and ashur and lorelei and all the new people he meets every day. and this time the change he’s making, while on a smaller scale than closing a hole in the sky, is for the better of tevinter. it’s more of an uphill battle than cutting down red templars or venatori in the hinterlands, but it’s a different kind of fulfillment, one that helps countless individuals escape tevinter’s bloody jaws, and one that’s more personal to him. this is what he swore to do in inquisition. he won’t stop fighting in the magisterium even without the lucerni. the work is hard, but it’s worth it. he wouldn’t give it up for anything.

and even if his partner is far away, he still has someone dear to his heart, a love he once never thought possible for him to obtain. even if he hasn’t seen his inquisition friends in years, he knows there are people out there who would have his back in a heartbeat. it’s more of a simmering happiness than the adrenaline-addled explosion of inquisition, a sense of commitment and dedication and it all paying off. not every day feels like it has any happiness. the magisterium is fucking miserable and he can’t get shit passed. the venatori grow stronger by the day. but he’s doing everything he can to bring the light. and isn’t that something.

and then minrathous gets ultra blighted and he may or may not become the archon during a time of extreme upheaval and political unrest and never get a good night’s sleep again in his life but yknow hey there’s still work to be done and no one’s in a better position to do it

anyway i think inquisition is still the better answer considering he’s not an exhausted 40-year-old politician and he can kiss his boyfriend whenever he wants but i like to think about the parallels between inquisition dorian and shadow dragon dorian anyway. thankns for coming to me yelling about this fucking guy

[joannerowling]

when you say that Nina was one of your favorite strike girlfriends, does that imply an official ranking? i'm really curious about your opinions

ps: I'm surprised that Rachel Ledwell (Edie's younger cousin) didn't come up in your favorite characters for TIBH- I was so so fond of her during the scene with Robin.

Only in so far as my taste goes lmao

I like Nina best, she looks extremely cute in my head (i always kinda imagine her as Jenna Coleman), and i like her spunk. She's kind of gossipy, toxic blah blah blah, but i don't care. I loved how excited and immediately down she was to help Strike steal from her boss without even knowing him.

Next i would say, Lorelei. Self-assured businesswoman. For once, not upper class or haughty. She deserved better than Strike tbh.

Madeline, i know people don't like her, but i actually did, as dysfunctional as she was. Yeah i know, i know, she got drunk and attacked Strike on the street. God forbid women do anything.

Elin i couldn't care less about. Sounded like a less aggressive Charlotte. But, probably not as bad as Coco.

I barely count Ciara there, since they just have a one night stand. But she would probably be up the list if she counted, she was strangely sweet.

And of course Bijou is the worst. I dread her re-appearance in THM.

[coreene]

🧮, 💕, and 🔚 for the fic ask meme!!

Thank you so much for the ask! This is by far the most asks I got from one of these and I am very surprised. here are the rest of the questions

🧮 what are you working on? describe it in 20 words or less

Currently I am wrestling with a post-game fic for Lorelei and Astarion. It's my first try at fully finishing a fic before releasing it. Since it's for an event, sadly I can't say more than this.

💕 whats your favorite part of your writing process?

When I'm so lost into the story that all I can do is think about it, write it and then write some more. It's really a great feeling to completely lose yourself in a world that exists completely in your head but also put it into words so it's not an abstract anymore. It exists.

🔚 have you ever completely changed the direction a piece was going?

No. I know the endings when I start writing something and my style doesn't change. There may be surprising themes that appear while I'm writing but it doesn't go against the direction of the story but compliments it.

Sometimes chapters can change and I may delete a full chapter and start again because it doesn't feel right but I don't think I've ever changed the direction of a piece so radically. I never started something with a happy ending in mind and let everyone die in the end (so far).

all of my answers

[paranormals-of-ilvermorny]

Chapter 6

Awakening to the sound of birds chirping, Lorelei allowed her senses to slowly come back to her as she lay spread under the bedding before starting her day. She let out some grunts as she stretched, trying to move around the shared room quietly, making her way to the bathroom to ready herself for the first day of school. Her digital watch told her it was fairly early, still some time until breakfast, so Lorelei hopped in the shower then spent some time detangling and running product through her hair. After retwisting her strands, she felt good about her appearance, now dressed in the Ilvermorny uniform, heading down for some food.

The dining hall was its usual crowded noisy self, only this time with the bright light of morning seeping in through the windows. Due to the abundance of light, the ornate crystal chandelier was far dimmer than it normally is. Taking a seat at her usual table, Lorelei got a look at the breakfast spread. This morning the tables had an assortment of pastries, fruit, tea and coffee, and various condiments. Grabbing a bit of everything, Lorelei filled her plate with some fruit and pastries, and poured herself a cup full of orange juice. She made light conversation with Poppy, who sat beside her, and other students as she ate, enjoying the social environment that the school provided. Taking a bite of her pastry, a delicious explosion of raspberry jam and royal icing danced upon her taste buds. It was made all the more sweeter washed down with the perfectly tart orange juice that tasted like it was squeezed that morning.

While enjoying her meal and conversation a paper crane flew over the heads of other kids, acting like a real feather bird, until it landed right before Lorelei’s plate. Already having a feeling who sent the fowl, she opened the paper up and read the quick messy writing.

Meet in the front hall after b-fast?

-R

Lorelei wrote a simple ‘yep’ before carefully refolding the crane to send it on its way. Watching the bird make its way back, Lorelei swiveled her head to watch as the bird flew back to a nearby table, perching in the hands of one Robin Copper. She too unfolded the note then, looking over her shoulder, sent Lorelei a thumbs up and a smile that made her outer eyes crinkle.

It wasn’t too long after breakfast that all students were dismissed to start their day, leaving the girls to meet up for their classes. “How was your night?”

“Pretty good,” responded Robin, flipping a strand of hair over her shoulder, “breakfast was tough though.” Surprised by this, Lorelei pushed her friend further to explain.

“Why? You looked like you were having a good time?” Robin gave a look of embarrassment, a rare occurrence for her, “Yeah, but my tongue is so burned from last night everything tasted a little less delicious than usual.”

“That pickle still haunting you?” Lorelei asked with a laugh. “It’s not funny! I could barely taste the cheese in my danish!” Robin exclaimed, causing a disturbance to a group of chatting third years. “Plus, I still feel bad for drinking that poor second year boy’s milk. A boy needs calcium to grow, Lei!”

Still laughing, Lorelei huffed out, “You should have seen his face! He was so confused!” She recalled, giggling. The two went back and forth laughing and chatting all through the halls and stairways until as they made their way to the first of many classes.

Over the summer, thanks to Hawksley & Scarrow, the girls coordinated their schedules so they could join each other in most classes.

One of which was potions with Professor Teagarden, one of Lorelei’s favorite classes. The potions classroom was found on the second floor and filled with lots of natural light, vials containing bizarre specimens, plants of differing colors, and bookcases with different recipes. Like some of the castle, the room was made almost entirely of light sandstone with ornate carvings and pillars scattered throughout. Large windows gave the stone a golden appearance, and in the warmer months were opened to allow fresh air into the classroom. Thanks to the many ingredients upon the shelves the room always had the smell of herbs and spices, providing a comfort and freshness to the room.

Along with the subtle hint of smelly feet.

“Alrighty kids,” Professor Teagarden began, “for our first day I thought it would be a good idea to get to know our ingredients. So, why don’t you all find a cauldron and I’ll write on the board what ingredients do what so you can copy the ones onto your parchment.”

Naturally, Lorelei and Robin found cauldrons next to each other before writing down their notes.

Professor Teagarden was one of the younger professors of the school with the only wrinkles visible are those around her eyes, leading many students to take a liking to her. Despite her age, she was a very skilled witch and always made learning a fun endeavor for her classes. She wore her usual green patterned skirt, vest, and blouse accompanied by her brown laced boots that she wore every single day of the year. Ms. Teagarden was a very attractive woman, with brown eyes, full eyebrows, button nose and a megawatt smile. Not to mention, her happy-go-lucky attitude meant most everyone who met her enjoyed her company.

The rest of class went smoothly, taking notes and testing the potency of ingredients, with the only casualty coming from a Wampus who accidentally spilled some lacewing flies into his cauldron of abraxan hair and lupine, causing warts and boils to grow on his hand. Thankfully some skilled Pukwudgies were able to apply some meloi sheep leather and they went away.

Their next class was transfiguration, led by Professor Shrew. She was an older, less patient professor, but still had a soft spot that was sometimes hard to break through to. Donned in her usual brown robes and matching dress, she walked through the classroom like a ghoul, floating from desk to desk ensuring each student was turning their pinecone into a field mouse. Along with her usual attire, Professor Shrew always wore her infamous scowl, an unfortunate way her face looked when relaxed that made most first years fearful of the teacher. But, as shown when Holly Piper perfectly executed the assignment, the woman was very much capable of showing joy and pride through a smile that warmed her face and made her elvish features look beautiful. The rarity of these approvals made over achieving students, like Lorelei, try harder to seek her validation in their studies.

The last class of the morning was magizoology, taught by the eccentric Miss Azarola, who chose to wear trousers rather than a traditional skirt. Out of all of the classrooms, this one was by far the coolest; with skulls of varying sizes and lengths the room was filled with oddities and wonders the Horned Serpent’s Corvus corner could only dream of. There were glass displays of weird creatures taxidermied to look alive, relics from animals Lorelei couldn’t even begin to pronounce, and leathers and furs hung on the walls that looked like they were from another planet. One of the more interesting oddities was a stuffed bird with all of the colors of the rainbow. It was a beautiful cross between a crow and a macaw, iridescent colors that blended together into a vibrant display. It saddened Lorelei to see the beautiful creature’s lifeless body strung up to mimic what it looked like flying. But ever since seeing the bird, she has made it her one goal in life to see one, maybe a whole flock, in the wild so she could enjoy their beauty and grace where they should be.

Lunch was a rather uninteresting occasion, the only notable occurrence was when an unfortunate first year was not prepared to bite into their fisherman’s tuna sandwich and pull out a large piece of seaweed. Although Lorelei could sympathize with the boy and how wizarding food can take some getting used to, it didn’t stop the giggles from bubbling forth.

The afternoon consisted of charms, where the class practiced their drying spells by casting ‘sicco’ onto a wet cloth that Professor Dollee placed on their desks, and history of magic, which Lorelei found utterly fascinating.

If it wasn’t for the lack of practical magic usage and note taking, it would probably be Lorelei's favorite class, unlike Robin who despises the course. Maybe it was because she was still so new to the magical world, but the deep history and culture that has influenced modern spell casting was incredibly fascinating. Being the first day of class, Professor Starling took it easy on everyone and went over the basics of the history they already knew. From the British Settlers who taught Native Wizards wand magic, to the many pukwudgies, elves and gremlins who impacted history despite the discrimination, even touching upon the wizarding war currently happening in Britain.

“Can anyone describe to me what our brothers and sisters by wand across the pond are going through right now?” Professor Starling asked the room, students avoiding his gaze to get out of answering. If she wasn’t writing down notes on Drec Stugrub, the gremlin responsible for creating one of the first leaping potions in the 15th century. Professor Starling’s eyes landed next to Lorelei, “Robin,” he said quite jubilantly, causing her head to pop up, “why don’t you try?” The professor’s face smiled in glee.

It took a moment for Robin to register what he had asked, but after recalling the conversation the professor was going on about while she was dozing off she quickly came up with a response. “Well, there was this guy, right, no nose cause he sold too many parts of himself and lost his humanity. So, No-Nose is kind of a nasty dude, he thinks that only pureblood wizards should marry and have kids to keep the magic world ‘pure’, and he achieves these biased ideas by killing any and all half-blood or muggle born wizards.”

She takes a breath before continuing, while Professor Starling fondly twists his beloved mustache as he listens to Robin. “So a few years ago there was this baby he tried to kill, which is pretty low. But even worse is that the baby won, we still don’t really know how, but the killing curse inflicted upon him gave him a gnarly scar in the shape of a lightning bolt. Thus, ‘the boy who lived’ lived, and No-Nose was harmed so badly he went into hiding. Now, fast forward some years and No-Nose is back and meaner than ever, wanting revenge and gathering his army of unsavory wizards to regain the throne as the worst person alive by murdering a bunch of innocent civilians who have done nothing wrong and their only crime is being alive.” Lorelei was quite shocked with how much information her friend was able to retell, surprised she even stayed awake during class at all.

“The last I heard,” chimed in Alex Elphicke, a Wampus boy whose sister is studying at the Wizarding Academy of Dramatic Arts in England, “the boy and his friends skipped out on school and are on the run hiding and looking for Merlin-knows-what.” Suddenly, his face fell. “Things aren’t good, lots of half bloods going missing, some even being attacked in broad daylight. Lots of Muggles are getting harmed too.” The energy and joy within the classroom fell into a solemn silence, knowing the horrors of what was going on and not being able to do anything about it.

“Well,” the silence broken by Professor Starling, “I know we can feel pretty helpless, but remember that even showing your support to our allies can help boost their morale. And, if it helps any of you to know,” he added, hands hidden in the pockets of his dramatically patterned vest, “our wizarding government is doing its best to help and keep both Muggles and magic kind safe. Ah!” He said, looking at his pocket watch, “It appears we have run out of time for today. We'll continue our lessons next time. A’due children!”

Leaving the classroom the girls decided to work on some of their homework together in the library, hoping Ms. Belrose won’t be too much of a pain in their sides.

Throughout the afternoon Lorelei and Robin worked on their assignments, starting an essay on the benefits of moonwort and giving a glass jar a snout, in an attempt to turn it into a mole. By the time they finished the great owl clock, found in the courtyard above the dining hall entrance, chimed six alerting everyone that it was time for dinner.

Tonight the tables served seasoned fish with a side of rice and roasted potatoes and carrots. As everyone ate, the girls discussed what they had talked about in their classes, along with what they had tomorrow. Every now and then they would chime in to what others were chatting about at their table, making a joke here and there, everyone getting along and having a light laugh.

Towards the end of dinner, Headmaster Pope clinked a glass to gather the attention of the crowd. Wearing his usual blue robes he spoke to the mass of navy and cranberry dressed students. “Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to call your attention to a new announcement. It has been brought to my attention that many of you, as is understandable, are quite upset over the news of what is happening to our sister school and those in the UK.” The mention of the war brought a wave of sadness and anger to the hall.

“My good colleague Professor Starling,” at the mention of his name fluttered his hands around his curly hair and vest from the attention, “has brought up the idea of offering to you students the chance to provide them aid. We have found a very suitable charity that has witches and wizards directly helping the people, both magic and non, as harm is being done to those they care about. If you would like to donate or send letters of encouragement and support, there will be a chest outside of my office on the fifth floor. I encourage all of you to at the very least keep those suffering in your thoughts. Thank you, that is all.” The headmaster sat back down, next to a calmer Professor Starling, to the loud cheering and clapping of the student body.

After the announcement, and from the blackberry pie served as dessert, the dining hall’s atmosphere greatly improved for the students, feeling like they could help those in need in some small way. The prominent thought being how easily it could be them in harm's way.

The next day saw students going about their daily routine of waking up, getting dressed, and heading down for a hearty breakfast. Rather than keep the same schedule of classes for every day of the week, Ilvermorny sees students going to a new set of classes every other day.

For Robin and Lorelei, that meant this morning consisted of Arithmancy, Defence Against The Dark Arts and Astronomy.

Arithmancy was an interesting take on mathematics, according to Lorelei. The idea was to memorize numbers and their sequences in daily life to determine a possible outcome to a problem. Professor Aster claims that each number, no matter the number of digits, has its own meaning and personality so it is important to understand how they relate to their neighbors. Because it was the first day, Professor Aster went over the history of arithmancy, writing notes onto the board with an enchanted piece of chalk. It was all frustrating and extremely confusing, according to Robin.

“Arithmancy,” the older professor emphasized, walking around the classroom, “is a subcategory of divination. We use numbers, particularly the number of letters in names, to predict what might happen on a certain day if you have a certain number of letters in your name. The ancient Greeks…”

Next was Robin’s favorite class, DADA, which they were almost late for when the painting of Magnus the Mediocre said a certain stairwell acted as a shortcut to the classroom. Taught by the deputy headmistress, Professor Holly-Oaks was one of the most intelligent and experienced teachers the school had. Today they went over what they have learned previously, like how to counter a Knockback Jinx, and what to do if you find yourself face-to-face with a Manticore. Professor Holly-Oaks also explained what she hoped each student would be able to do at the end of the year, which included identifying a poisoned potion from a benign one, and effectively disarm an opponent if challenged to a duel. They ended the lesson by trying to hit one another with a Jelly-Legs Curse, only succeeding if you counter it.

The last class they had before lunch was Astrology with Professor Fontaine. Although not her favorite class, Lorelei couldn’t dream of a more beautiful classroom if she slept for one hundred years. With a giant domed roof that acted as the school’s observatory and several magically hanging diagrams and displays, the room had a certain appeal to any casual stargazer. Of course the entire room was bathed in dark blue and gold showing different constellations, planets, and stars painted on the roof and walls. In the middle sat a large table that depicted the core seven planets revolving around the sun, including the zodiac constellations within, so students had to sit around the table's edge. When she first entered the classroom years ago, Lorelei found herself struggling to concentrate on what a teacher was saying for the first time in her life. Thankfully, Professor Fontaine had such a love of the galaxies that her passionate lectures were enough to bring Lorelei back to what was being taught. Her irregular choice in clothing coupled with her natural Afro added to her allure.

After lunch, the girls headed to the third floor for Earth Magic with Professor Hilldebrook. This classroom was the runner up for prettiest in the castle. Like the title of the class, the room had several different plants, like the drying herbs hanging, while others sat in unused vials or beakers, crystals and geodes placed strategically, and a small pool of water surrounded by different sizes of rocks. Professor Hilldebrook explained that the purpose of Earth Magic is to, “Go back to our roots as witches and wizards, discovering our connection to our original mother, and what gifts she bestowed upon us to use for spellcasting.” The class and professor were every bit as hippie-ish as Lorelei expected.

The last class of the day saw the girls going to different classes. Because Lorelei grew up in a No-Maj household, despite her mom being a witch, the school didn’t require her to take Muggle Studies. So, to explore more of the wizarding world that she has grown to love, and after being pushed by her father to have a large diversity in classes for future jobs, Lorelei chose Foreign Spells in Spanish. Professor—Professora—Villarrubia was once a History of Magic professor in her home country of Nicaragua. On the very first day, just last year, she introduced herself to the class and told the students what the first day was like at the school she attended as a student, Encantería: Escuela de Magio found in the Isabella Mountains. Professor Villarrubia went on to explain, with the help of various cultural items displayed around the room, how the school has students from all over Central America and all of their cultural backgrounds are welcomed.

After yet another day of learning and casting, the girls once again got some homework done for their classes, until Robin had to leave for Thunderbird’s Quodpot practice. It was even more important to get in the extra hours for her because the first game of this year was next Wednesday, against Wampus, and Robin desperately wanted to win.

The rest of the week goes smoothly, that is until Transfiguration when Claire DeFlores said some unsavory words to Robin and Lorelei.

“Buy new robes this year, Robin?” She asked while Professor Shrew was busy helping a Horned Serpent boy catch his homework. “Someone must have bought an extra large book to prop their window open.” Her friends laughed at the poor attempt to make Robin feel bad, but the annoyance still had an effect on her. “Last time I was in your mom’s dumpy store there was a nasty smell of Flobberworms.” Claire stated with disdain, all while her and her friends pinched their noses and waved their hands, as if to get rid of an offending odor within the classroom. It took Lorelei to remind her of the consequences to keep Robin from turning Claire’s long brown hair into a bunch of grubs.

For some seemingly unknown reason, Claire DeFlores has taken it upon herself to make the lives of Robin and Lorelei incredibly difficult whilst at Ilvermorny. It boggles their minds because during first and second year all three girls were very close and the best of friends. The only thing that changed was one summer away from each other and Claire had developed from an unnoticed, pimple covered twelve year old into a beautiful young girl who got everyone’s attention.

It didn’t help that during that summer her mother got promoted to head of the Department of Magical Affairs and has since deemed herself more important than most, especially since her new friends only hang around her due to her mother’s position in power. Since then, the brown eyed girl and her posse have been belittling the girls for their appearance and lack of attention from others.

Aside from that one class, everything was right as rain at Ilvermorny. Nothing could stop the joy and safety that Lorelei and Robin both felt while studying there.

[ashenlavellan]

Answering some Fanfiction Q's

So, I saw this post reblogged by @vorchagirl about a series of questions that was posted awhile back... instead of answering a handful, I'm just gonna answer about 20 of them. This'll be fun ^.^

The first fandom that I ever got involved with was Attack on Titan when it came to writing fanfiction - I enjoyed writing self-insert pieces with Levi Ackerman, Eren Jaeger, and Mikasa Ackerman.

2. My most recent/latest fandom would have to be Solo Leveling - I'm delving deeper and deeper into the artwork, memes, and what-not because I sincerely enjoyed binging it with my fiancé.

3. The best fandom that I've ever been involved with has been a tie between two - the people I surrounded myself with when I wrote Tokyo Ghoul fanfiction and the current community of Mass Effect writers that I speak with on a daily basis. Both are very chill and I really appreciate that.

4. I regret joining the initial community I was part of that involved half of the Attack on Titan community and another because it devolved into severe arguments and I just want to enjoy reading other stories, writing them, and speaking with other authors. Most of my first fandom community were awesome and sweet, there was just a few I was never close with and they stirred some shit up.

5. I've written for many fandoms in the past, but I don't remember all of them: (the last three are the most recent ^.^)

Attack on Titan

Tokyo Ghoul

Final Fantasy

Fire Emblem

Dragon Age

Mass Effect

6. My OTP's from each fandom? Well, that's a bit awkward because the stories I wrote/read before the last two were self-inserts. But, I'll mention my favorite pairings... (I'll try to pick pairings where it's not a player-based character)

Eren Jaeger/Mikasa Ackerman

Ken Kaneki/Touka Kirishima

Cloud Strife/Tifa Lockhart & Tidus/Yuna

Robin/Chrom & Corrin/Kaze & Byleth/Claude

Carver Hawke/Merrill & Dorian Pauvus/Iron Bull

EDI/Joker

7. A list of my NOTPs from each fandom? Here's the list:

Eren Jaeger/Armin Arlert

Ken Kaneki/Tsukiyama Shuu

Tidus/Lulu

Cordelia/Lon'qu & Corrin/Xander

Nathaniel Howe/Anders

(I honestly can't think of a Mass Effect one at the top of my head)

8. How did I get involved in my latest fandom? I mean, I think I was noticed further by the Mass Effect community thanks to @vorchagirl seeing my first ever post that was Reyder related and I had a massive internal freakout since I've always been a fan of her writing - then I was invited into the community and I've loved it since! ^.^

9. The best things in my current fandom is how chill and funny the individuals I've spoken/met and they've also been great help when I've struggled with my fics - every single one of them is awesome and I'm glad to be part of this community! Mass Effect forever!

10. So far, I've read quite a bit of fic for Fire Emblem: Three Houses and it's solely Fem!Byleth/Claude. I love so many of the characters, but Claude just keeps sneaking in and sweeping my Byleth off of her feet before I can accept the proposals from other characters lmao

11. My current OTP is a tie between my Fem!Shep/Kaidan Alenko and Fem!Ryder/Reyes Vidal - specifically, Bellatrix Shepard/Kaidan Alenko and Lorelei Ryder/Reyes Vidal.

12. I don't have a personal favorite OT3 pairing since I don't usually read that sort of stuff, but I've been pushing myself out of my comfort zone and have enjoyed @vorchagirl Saints & Liars series where it's Cerys Ryder/Reyes Vidal/Harry Carlyle. I HIGHLY recommend the series! ^.^

13. Honestly, I have one that comes to mind, but I know that others may like this NOTP - I'm not really a fan of Fem!Shep/Kai Leng. I can't bring myself to read any fics involving him since it legitimately crushed me that he's usually the one that kills Thane... as time has passed, I deeply love Kaidan and Thane's romance, but I get incredibly depressed whenever Thane is killed in my playthroughs.

14. My favorite BroTP is definitely Garrus and James - the shit-talk and banter between the two of them has always made me cackle and I'm like, even if you're playing as Male!Shep and have a bromance with Garrus, it'll just become a BroT3 with Male!Shep, Garrus, and James.

15. I don't think it's too much of an obscure ship, but I genuinely think there's sexual tension of some sort between Miranda and Jack - there would definitely be hate-sex and the fact that both women are dominant in their own right, as well as biotics? Sheesh.

However, I do love the connection between Anderson and Kahlee - you can definitely sense that something is or was there, but I was genuinely hoping for something to develop because Anderson deserves to be happy too!

16. There aren't really any popular ships that I don't like within the fandom because most of the pairings are involving Fem!Shep/Bro!Shep... so, not really.

17. My first OTP was technically my first playthrough - Ásdís Shepard/Garrus Vakarian, my Spacer War-Hero... where would she be without her Vakarian?

18. As of this moment, I've wrote the most for my ME: Andromeda pairing which is Lorelei Ryder and Reyes Vidal. We're creeping further into their story and I'm hoping to push through because I love this series that I've worked so hard on.

19. I really wish I could get behind the Garrus/Tali pairing, but I think a part of me still deeply loves Garrus' romance and how he'll always be with Ásdís... I like it, but I don't love the pairing.

20. I think I was a bit surprised by how much I came to love the pairing of Wrex/Bakara - I liked the pairing at the start, but with how they interact with each other and their relationship actually forms, I came to love it.

so yeah, that was twenty questions and although my brain is a little fried from thinking a little too hard, I'm gonna get to writing my Reyder installment and hopefully post it soon! :D

[wyldblunt]

So, how's the gang doing in ibs? Seems like they had a great time at the rally :3

~🌸

they DID have a great time at the rally!!! glyn especially, social situations are usually Extremely Rough with him but he tends to get on very well with charr in general and cubs especially love him. alan was initially very miffed that what he thought was a fun party invitation ended up becoming More Diplomatic Work, Again, but still managed to enjoy himself in spite of that. viper squad + lorelei were having a lot of fun too.

However. Now We Are As Far As Drizzlewood Coast.

current status is as follows:

alan - NOT having fun!!!!!! NOT having a good time!!!! he was almorra's most darlingest specialest perfectest golden boy, was SUPER SUPER close to her, and her murder has left him absolutely devastated. also he got shot in the chest, which was not enjoyable either. working very VERY hard to keep it together and Do His Job but he's so tired and has barely had any time to grieve or catch his breath. also his boyfriend loves war which is grating

lorelei — NOT having fun!!!!!! their mentor got shot in the chest!!! very very good at managing the terrain in drizzlewood, very very bad at coping with the emotional stress everyone is going through. way too much empathy, absolutely devastated by seeing a people torn apart like this — feels a lot like what sylvari went through via mordremoth to them, which is super upsetting. wants this to be over Now. something about all this is making them miss rox a lot also

merrit — NOT having fun!!!!!! it's fucking scary out here and the constant power-grappling reminds him of the nightmare court. also coming to terms with the fact that her favorite band in the whole wide world was being leveraged as fascist propaganda. also his father loves war which is grating

glyndwr — okay sorry to everyone but this is istan/kourna all over again and he's having the time of his LIFE. glyndwr is thriving. he's moisturized he's in his element he's experiencing flow he's flourishing he's making moves. far be it from any of us to speculate that maybe all that errant balthazar juice he got blasted with has perhaps somehow Done Something To His Brain but, as previously mentioned, this guy fucking loves war. i will say smodur is driving him crazy but that's kind of because it's a taste of his own medicine — smodur is, frankly, just treating him almost the exact same way he normally treats everyone else and he cannot STAND it. on the other hand his boyfriend got shot in the chest, which is bad, and he is still extremely pissed off about that. (whatever unspecified amount of time the commander is meant to spend out of it/recovering in the eye of the north? glyn spent that entire time Grimly Pacing outside alan's infirmary tent, and maybe Occasionally sleeping at his bedside whenever he was too physically exhausted to keep pacing.) also he's stressed out by the whole ryland thing. he can one billion percent relate to "i will ignore all pragmatic choices and also reality in general in order to protect my son, no matter who gets hurt" and it is Not Comfortable to be an observer witnessing one of his closest friends engaging in that behavior bc he cannot reasonably argue against it given that (while nobody knows this) he himself has literally doomed an entire alternate timeline operating on that line. its cool though. it'll probably be fine

[acacia-may]

And y'know what? 27 and 45 for any ship you want to indulge. 😤💖 I'm happy to listen you gush about your faves

Thank you so much for this ask, Laura, and for playing the ship ask game! 🥰

I feel so spoiled, and I'm not sure which ship to pick, honestly. 😅💖 I was going to go with Rillmy (my OTP of Black Clover), but I have gotten a few asks about them for this game, so I think I ought to go with a different relationship here (it's only fair to give the others a chance too even if Rillmy is my favorite 😁). I also considered writing some headcanons about my CC x OC ship, Henry Legolant x (my OC) Lorelei Swallow, but since I don't talk about my OCs a lot and I've only written about them a little bit so far, I didn't think they'd fall under the "any ship" umbrella category as intended. 😅 So instead, I decided to write some headcanons about a ship between only canon characters, David Swallow x Letoile Becquerel. I (secretly) really, really love them and I don't think I have ever talked about them before so I will gladly take this opportunity. 😂💖 Thank you so much again for that and for the ask!

Answers are below the cut because the post is a bit lengthy.

Ship Ask: David Swallow x Letoile Becquerel

27. How do they say “I love you” non-verbally?

In my mind, neither David nor Letoile are particularly big on verbal expressions of love. Neither of them are against it, but I think they would both prefer to express their love through their actions rather than with their words. For Letoile, words feel very cheap and very empty if they don't have actions to back them up, and I think David (for all of his bravado and big personality) actually feels kind of awkward about expressing his feelings with the words "I love you" (even if he does express love verbally in other ways through compliments and encouragement).

David expresses his love non-verbally with his time. No matter how busy he is, he always makes a point to carve out time for him and Letoile to spend together. He loves planning activities for them to do, spontaneous little trips, and fun experiences they can share. Letoile isn't usually the biggest fan of surprises, so they sometimes have to compromise on that (i.e. he tells her that he's going to take her somewhere for the weekend and enough about the place & the weather so she'll know what to pack even if he doesn't tell her exactly where they are going 😁). As a couple, I think they both value their independence so they don't do everything together, but it's really important to David to get to share a lot of things with Letoile and, at least in my mind, a big moment for him in realizing that he loves her, is him first realizing that he wants to share so much of his life and all of these experiences with her. He really does just want to be with her all the time (or at least most of the time).

Letoile expresses her love non-verbally through acts of service. David can be a little proud and not ask for help all that often, but she can tell when he's struggling and will offer to lend a hand, which he'll often take her up on. He actually told her he loved her for the first time in a sleep deprived daze and frazzled relief when she stepped in and "saved him" from scrambling over a mission report for Golden Dawn he had forgotten about. Eventually when they marry and have a family, they tend to split the housework equally, but Letoile will often quietly surprise David by taking care of some of his laundry or helping out with some of the chores he was supposed to do (especially if he is exceptionally busy or rundown). She is also fantastic at taking care of him when he's sick (though she doesn't baby him or allow him to baby himself 😅).

45. How do they support each other? How do they rely on each others support?

Despite being so different in personality and not always seeing eye to eye, I like to think that David and Letoile actually do have a lot of respect for each other and are very supportive of each other (even if they do occasionally argue). I think David's support is very loud and exuberant--kind of like a cheerleader, whereas Letoile's support is more quiet but steady like a support beam or firm foundation where David can "safely land" when he tries to reach for the stars.

In some of my headcanons for the future, I imagine that Letoile eventually becomes the Golden Dawn's Captain (or whatever the squad will be called by then), and no matter what happens to them (if they end up together or just stay friends) David is so incredibly proud or her and goes around talking her up to everyone. I think this is especially true in a world where they're married--he's just telling anyone who will even so much as pretend to listen: "My wife is the Captain of the Golden Dawn! She's amazing!" I think he is very openly supportive of her dreams and incredibly proud of her accomplishments. In my mind, Letoile really has this forever cheerleader in him, and he really thinks she is just incredible and wants everyone to know how amazing she is.

On her side, Letoile is much more quiet and reserved just by nature and personality, and in that way, I think her support is much more steady and calm. It's less flashy but it's steadfast. She is always in his corner, and he knows that he can always turn to for advice or support when he needs it. I think David has a lot of these more wild, big ideas, and his big plans can sometimes get away from him so the support he needs is often having someone there to help him reign back in a little bit so he doesn't bite off more than he can chew and also to help him with the more practical side of how he can make his dreams reality, and I think Letoile is very good at that and he appreciates that in her.

Overall, I like to think that because they're such good friends with each other, communication comes a bit easier for them and they can be more open about their struggles with each other (despite both being a bit proud and independent at times and really wanting to default to that "Well I can take care of it myself" mentality). I think they can really learn to lean on each other and will really stick by one another in particularly rough times in their lives. I mean, say what you will about Letoile and David but they're both pretty stubborn (in true Golden Dawn fashion, of course). That can be bad things sometimes, but I also think it can be a good thing sometimes too. No matter what happens, neither one of them is really going anywhere. When they choose to share their lives with each other, they're not going to change their minds. They will stubbornly stick together through thick and thin. They might disagree sometimes, but I think those disagreements will be over mostly inconsequential things (like what color to paint the living room walls), and in a time of real trouble, they will come together and work through it together, falling back on the deep, mutual respect they have for each other.

[crystalelemental]

Zinfogel just recently posted a showcase of Variety Lance (he said Variety Lance is extremely good for Clair) and Variety Agatha, including his thoughts about Masters nowadays and Variety Scouts. I wanna know what you think about it.

Goddammit Zinfogel, this couldn't wait until tomorrow? I'm trying to save gems over here.

Oh wow, nevermind, that's depressing. The video itself is short, and having run Clair constantly, I'm content with her ability to off-type with just SS Kris/Lucas, Lance isn't necessary. Moreover, his discussing is exactly correct. Variety scouts are a known scam, they're far lower effort, and it seems wholly unnecessary in the era of 5/5. I actually agree with the 5/5, there's something to that. Not always, but it's a nice boost for older pairs, and brings in incentive for long-time players to try again for old favorites. The Variety thing is...odd. The Eevees all being copies of one another, Bruno and Lorelei being virtually identical pairs, they're just not doing much that's interesting. And we're in this odd space of a lot doing the same jobs as always, unless they're Master Fair, which the rats set the tempo at "unspeakably broken for the game we're in, to the point they're not fun to use."

I agree with him that the game is flatlining. I think the problem is an over-emphasis on too much at once. There are just too many sync pairs being thrown in each month, with like a whopping six in most situations. It's a lot of focus on developing the kit and the grid and doing something new without being broken, and it comes at the cost of everything else.

That said, one thing I will argue is the irrelevance of sync move animation. Bro, I'm sorry, but you watch those one (1) time and then skip forever to get back to the action. Even in showcases, that's how it's done. From a design perspective, why would you shell out the money for those animations that literally no one watches? That's not the problem. The problem is really more in the lack of unique designs, the unnecessary "limited" gimmick, and that the game hasn't done anything too novel in a while. I think it's at least trying with the rebuffs, but it's just not enough to be interesting when Zones are better.

And to argue with myself, I realize six sync pairs is a lot in a month, but also that if we didn't get that, a lot of characters just wouldn't get anything. The Variety scouts are a lame cash grab, but in the case of Lorelei, it was a lame cash grab for a sync pair I kinda like, that definitely wouldn't exist otherwise. So it's this awful space of recognizing yeah, this sucks, the game shouldn't be this way, but also if it wasn't it's not like all our dreams would come true either. There's a healthy middle ground between the two somewhere, but I don't think DeNA has a reason to pursue it.

The last thing I'll say, and I hate saying it but it's what happens to me...I wonder if Zinfogel isn't just burning out of the game. Doing the same things for so long wears on you regardless of enjoyment, and maybe he's just hitting that wall. There are times I feel like I'm hitting it. And to be frank, the explanation of "I gave in to my impulses" occurring multiple times in the last two months between variety and SC and tapu? From experience, that's the feeling of chasing a feeling no longer there. That's when you step back and make sure addiction isn't creeping in, because now you're pulling stuff you weren't that excited about to hope it's more fun than you thought. The insidious thing is sometimes it works. Sometimes you get SC Zinnia. Other times, you get Palentine's Mallow. It's unreliable and a bad habit to form. So I dunno. I'm kinda worried about him, honestly.

[bitty-books]

Our Ride to Forever

By Julie Olivia

Finished: 7.19.2023

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Julie Olivia you’re insane

Going into this book, I’m going to be honest, Theo and Orson were the couple that interested me the least. By the end? I think they’re close to being my favorite ( I’m so sorry Lorelei and Emory). The chemistry that Julie was able to give them is crazy. I don’t think I’ve read a book where the main couple meshes so we’ll together. You can tell they both care so deeply for one another even if they don’t want to admit it to themselves.

I see a lot of myself in Theo and her experience with living up to the high expectations that she puts on herself due to her family. Also I heavily relate to Orson’s tendency to give too much of himself away. Julie Olivia is so great at making characters that feel real. I think that’s what is so charming about this series.

PHEWWW the spice in this one is immaculate. Definitely the book with the most in this series so far.

I’m also learning through this series is that I’m a big fat sucker for the “he falls first trope”, so thanks for that lol.

God I don’t want this series to be over :(( I’ve only got the last one to go. But oh my god Ruby and Bennett’s story is about to go crazy I think. So still excited even if I’m sad about the end.

[antiiromanticx]

     (( @xbeautifulmonsters​ :: Cal ))

                            ۞  It has been a while since Lorelei had actually gone out and breathe fresh air. The witch had been consumed in her own things, and had gone MIA for a while. She often detached  herself that way from people as solitude seemed like such a comfortable thing for her. But tonight she was finally out, and it was no surprise that it was her friend and music that got her out.  “Cal... that was I think my favorite set I have seen so far. The progression on the bridge, and that build up was just so clean”