#otp: unexpected splendor

[leopardmuffinxo]

entombed passion

[thievinghippo]

I'm never getting over Emmrich's face here, just after Rook has flirted with him over a dead body. This is a man who has dreamed of love, has yearned for it for years and never truly expected to find it at his age

I think it's very telling how in the garden date he says it's been years since he's had company, not that it's been years since he's been in a relationship. My guess is he's mostly had very discreet liaisons with fellow Mourn Watchers over the years, maybe the occasional noble when he's helped with their problems. But that he has very limited experience with actual relationships (because of his first partner, Hezenkoss, a hill I will die on)

And then Rook

At first, I'm sure he brushed it off. I have to imagine that flirting with Professor Volkarin is a rite of passage for young students of necromancy, which would explain how he didn't miss a beat the first time Rook flirts with him

But then Rook keeps showing up. And keeps flirting. Rook compliments his necromancy, his looks, his kindness, all things that are important to him as a person. (We know he's a bit vain. A gentleman is never without a brush and a razor, after all)

This, I think, is the moment that he actually lets himself hope. That he starts to wonder 'what if?' And eventually, those hopes will lead him to a love that he could have only imagined in his dreams

[sasorikigai]

4 + 7 + 22 (for Hanryou, any verse plz)

30 Ways For Your OTP To Say “I Love You” Through Actions || @sonxflight || selectively accepting!

4. Looking out for them to make sure they’re okay.

7. Covering them with a blanket when they fall asleep.

22. Kissing a scar that they got from something traumatic. 

▬▬ι═══════ﺤ 🔥 || Ryou Sakai manifests himself as a beautiful, deep, still lake in the middle of a concrete world; and Hanzo Hasashi, amidst the brutal, implacable in-between realm of his attentiveness and throes of obsidian dreams, he remains being tested. Tested by the nightmares that he is seeing in reality, tested by the cage that locked him behind the bars of reality, tested by the unthinkable horrors of an unexpected knock on his doors of chimerical fantasies, and tested by all of the supernatural abilities of his unfamiliar self still, as he continues to be tested by the dualistic beauty and destructiveness of him that crushes and wrings him out into no one. No Hanzo Hasashi, the once formidable, greatest warrior ever known in Earthrealm living vicariously through Satoshi and Koharu, as a dedicated father of two, along with his most beloved, Harumi, exists even as Scorpion, whose presence may terrify even those who have faced their absolute worst nadir. How the seemingly indomitable pillars of his foundation has crumbled, as his diminishing resolve would fade into the most gentlest wind possible, as walls are melting, and the once verdant trees of the Hasashi Compound are flickering with sound of a strange music.  

Hanzo Hasashi knows, by his crumbled heart and by his damaged soul, one of the most courageous decisions he will ever make is to finally let go of what is hurting his heart and soul. In the end - life is all about to have been afforded every opportunity to find beauty in that which seems mundane. For allowing myself to love the world and all of its inhabitants with reckless abandon. Although he may struggle to see through scalding magma of his tears, unspilled, and yet rendering the scope of his world blurred in wavering obfuscation, ‘tis better to have lived in vain than to hold the world and all it has to offer at arm’s length. Time would never heal all of his wounds; they will perpetually remain, and in time, Hanzo Hasashi’s mind will protect its sanity, cover them with scar tissue and the pain would eventually lessen, but as the misty fields of withered flowers stir beneath the torrential firestorm as the blackened floating ash suffocates his throat and throbs the dilated depth of his bloodshot eyes, he would retrace the unfettered, unconditional love he used to have for his family as he would become a roaming animal. It knows him, follows him until the Earth memorizes his footprints, burying them under their ancient embrace. 

How he traces the shape of home, amidst the neglected expanse of overgrown lands once constituted Hanzo Hasashi’s entirety, as only moribund stretch of hollow, voidlike air remain stagnant as he continues to ache. How Hanzo Hasashi aches; unbearably so, intolerably. Fatigue settles in, pulls heavily at his eyes, at his bones. And the pit of his stomach burns so scorching hot that it’s blistering. Nothing feeds him anymore, nothing fills him. Stale, nothing with flavor, nothing with meat, nothing with substance. Knowing the eternal echoes of love which still values and respects him mitigates the excruciating despair, as the richness of Ryou Sakai’s loving impression blossoms radiant blush over the paled raised flesh over Hanzo’s right pectoral, where Bi-Han’s fatalistic stroke plunged deep into his aorta. Surrender had come naturally, to his chagrin and steeled resolve to gaze deep into the supernatural unfathomable depth of glacier ocean, as the surging magma of his flooding sanguine dripped, as crimson-streaked path would mark the plunging spiral of his inevitable, irreversible death. 

He may still mourn the loss of an ideal he never got to have in fruition, and yet, the deep hole in his heart had been mended with the golden joinery of Hanzo Hasashi’s effulgent, magnanimous warmth, along with Ryou Sakai’s potent, self-effacing sacrifice as the splendor immaculate light fused and bonded to his own Arcana. Without those nightly visitations of nightmares and night terrors, dreams that trail him without hope as the pulse of his irregular heartbeat seemingly were out to collect his heart and soul’s penumbra, as already phantom and faded recollections of his halcyon past would become stickly sweet, rot, and decay into the realm of something dying. 

All the smells, the feel, and the even greater feeling of belonging in the arms of his beloved, as Hanzo’s own remain secured around the contours of Ryou’s shoulder as they wind around and gently lain on the chiseled belly as the planes of their existence continues to blur and merge without distinguishable lines, Hanzo Hasashi lets himself drown further as he kisses Ryou like he doesn’t need air, as his hold grows taut and possessive as he couldn’t ever let this moment go. as corporeal and bodily warmth enfolds atop Hanzo’s broad torso and expanse, the brushstroke of their pristine love buries the portrait of hurt as Ryou Sakai’s ravishing body and soul becomes the balmy repose in which Hanzo Hasashi will let himself be lost in the depth of the fragrant night. ▬▬ι═══════ﺤ 🔥 ||

[rockislandadultreads]

2020 Contemporary Romances: a reading list

Love Your Life by Sophie Kinsella

Call Ava romantic, but she thinks love should be found in the real world, not on apps that filter men by height, job, or astrological sign. She believes in feelings, not algorithms. So after a recent breakup and dating app debacle, she decides to put love on hold and escapes to a remote writers' retreat in coastal Italy. She's determined to finish writing the novel she's been fantasizing about, even though it means leaving her close-knit group of friends and her precious dog, Harold, behind. At the retreat, she's not allowed to use her real name or reveal any personal information. When the neighboring martial arts retreat is canceled and a few of its attendees join their small writing community, Ava, now going by "Aria," meets "Dutch," a man who seems too good to be true. The two embark on a baggage-free, whirlwind love affair, cliff-jumping into gem-colored Mediterranean waters and exploring the splendor of the Italian coast. Things seem to be perfect for Aria and Dutch. But then their real identities--Ava and Matt--must return to London. As their fantasy starts to fade, they discover just how different their personal worlds are. From food choices to annoying habits to sauna etiquette . . . are they compatible in anything? And then there's the prickly situation with Matt's ex-girlfriend, who isn't too eager to let him go. As one mishap follows another, it seems while they love each other, they just can't love each other's lives. Can they reconcile their differences to find one life together?

The Business of Lovers by Eric Jerome Dickey

Unlike their younger brother, Andre, whose star as a comedian is rising, neither Dwayne nor Brick Duquesne is having luck with his career--and they're unluckier still in love. Former child star Dwayne has just been fired from his latest acting role and barely has enough money to get by after paying child support to his spiteful former lover, while Brick struggles to return to his uninspiring white-collar job after suffering the dual blows of a health emergency and a nasty breakup with the woman he still loves. Neither brother is looking to get entangled with a woman anytime soon, but love--and lust--has a way of twisting the best-laid plans. When Dwayne tries to reconnect with his teenage son, he finds himself fighting to separate his animosity from his attraction for his son's mother, Frenchie. And Brick's latest source of income--chauffeur and bodyguard to three smart, independent women temporarily working as escorts in order to get back on their feet--opens a world of possibility in both love and money. Penny, Christiana, and Mocha Latte know plenty of female johns who would pay top dollar for a few hours with a man like Brick... if he can let go of his past, embrace his unconventional new family, and allow strangers to become lovers. Eric Jerome Dickey paints a powerful portrait of the family we have, the families we create, and every sexy moment in between.

Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade

Marcus Caster-Rupp has a secret. While the world knows him as Aeneas, the star of the biggest show on TV, Gods of the Gates, he's known to fanfiction readers as Book!AeneasWouldNever, an anonymous and popular poster.  Marcus is able to get out his own frustrations with his character through his stories, especially the ones that feature the internet’s favorite couple to ship, Aeneas and Lavinia. But if anyone ever found out about his online persona, he’d be fired. Immediately. April Whittier has secrets of her own. A hardcore Lavinia fan, she’s hidden her fanfiction and cosplay hobby from her “real life” for years—but not anymore. When she decides to post her latest Lavinia creation on Twitter, her photo goes viral. Trolls and supporters alike are commenting on her plus-size take, but when Marcus, one half of her OTP, sees her pic and asks her out on a date to spite her critics, she realizes life is really stranger than fanfiction. Even though their first date is a disaster, Marcus quickly realizes that he wants much more from April than a one-time publicity stunt. And when he discovers she’s actually Unapologetic Lavinia Stan, his closest fandom friend, he has one more huge secret to hide from her. With love and Marcus’s career on the line, can the two of them stop hiding once and for all, or will a match made in fandom end up prematurely cancelled?

No Offense by Meg Cabot

A broken engagement only gave Molly Montgomery additional incentive to follow her dream job from the Colorado Rockies to the Florida Keys. Now, as Little Bridge Island Public Library’s head of children’s services, Molly hopes the messiest thing in her life will be her sticky-note covered desk. But fate—in the form of a newborn left in the restroom—has other ideas. So does the sheriff who comes to investigate the “abandonment”. The man’s arrogance is almost as distracting as his blue eyes. Almost… Recently divorced, John has been having trouble adjusting to single life as well as single parenthood. But something in Molly’s beautiful smile gives John hope that his old life on Little Bridge might suddenly hold new promise—if only they can get over their differences.

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord

Meet Pepper, swim team captain, chronic overachiever, and all-around perfectionist. Her family may be falling apart, but their massive fast-food chain is booming ― mainly thanks to Pepper, who is barely managing to juggle real life while secretly running Big League Burger’s massive Twitter account. Enter Jack, class clown and constant thorn in Pepper’s side. When he isn’t trying to duck out of his obscenely popular twin’s shadow, he’s busy working in his family’s deli. His relationship with the business that holds his future might be love/hate, but when Big League Burger steals his grandma’s iconic grilled cheese recipe, he’ll do whatever it takes to take them down, one tweet at a time. All’s fair in love and cheese ― that is, until Pepper and Jack’s spat turns into a viral Twitter war. Little do they know, while they’re publicly duking it out with snarky memes and retweet battles, they’re also falling for each other in real life ― on an anonymous chat app Jack built. As their relationship deepens and their online shenanigans escalate ― people on the internet are shipping them?? ― their battle gets more and more personal, until even these two rivals can’t ignore they were destined for the most unexpected, awkward, all-the-feels romance that neither of them expected.

Just Like You by Nick Hornby

Lucy used to handle her adult romantic life according to the script she'd been handed. She met a guy just like herself: same age, same background, same hopes and dreams; they got married and started a family. Too bad he made her miserable. Now, two decades later, she's a nearly-divorced, forty-one-year-old schoolteacher with two school-aged sons, and there is no script anymore. So when she meets Joseph, she isn't exactly looking for love--she's more in the market for a babysitter. Joseph is twenty-two, living at home with his mother, and working several jobs, including the butcher counter where he and Lucy meet. It's not a match anyone one could have predicted. He's of a different class, a different culture, and a different generation. But sometimes it turns out that the person who can make you happiest is the one you least expect, though it can take some maneuvering to see it through.

[thievinghippo]

The fact that there is Grey Warden specific romance fight banter during a side quest absolutely astounds me (in a good way!)

This is during the side quest 'Something's Coming' when you first go see the Blight eruption

--

Mysterious Sounds: (Ominous whispers) Rook: Ah! I can hear that eruption. Spreading blight…we need to stop this! Rook: Argh! Emmrich: Rook! Tell me what's happening! Rook: The eruption is like an echo in my head. Emmrich: Not for much longer, darling! We'll make it through this!

[thievinghippo]

Dawned on me that I've done a horrible job the last couple of days of sharing screenshots. Probably because I've been playing every spare minute cause I want to see what happens next!

Have some Emmrich romance quest screenshots. Alas. the curse of the dwarf OC has struck again. He kisses her nose lol. And so many invisible boxes around Thedas...

[thievinghippo]

New Fic: Chiromancy

Title: Chiromancy Fandom: Dragon Age: The Veilguard Pairing: Emmrich/Rook Rating: Teen

#

“I would not mind the chance to engage the text,” he says, moving his hand with the book just out of reach. He flips to a page. “Practical, hands-on demonstration has always been my preferred method of learning.” “Hands on? For palm reading?” “An unintended pun, but appreciated, now that you’ve pointed it out,” Emmrich says with a hint of a smile. “May I read your palm? See how the past and future are etched into your skin?”

Read the fic on Ao3!

(Spoilers for act 2!)

[thievinghippo]

Oh interesting. When I got this banter last playthrough, Emmrich and Edda were already together. I don't really remember what was said though

But this time? Sonnet hasn't even had the romance interest conversation yet, let alone the commitment scene. So for him to look at Sonnet and say that, then actually take her there later on? I love it! He's so far gone already

[thievinghippo]

Found this screenshot and I've been laughing for the last five minutes. Her face!

This is what happens when anyone mentions their age gap...