#she commands the army and I'm like 'did you not want my kisses????'

[catcatb0y]

Oh I am fucked. The only thing(s) that I think would count are my figures and they're all in my room.

Add the approximate number in the tags!! If you're wondering if something counts, drop a comment!

[hikarimiyanaga]

Her biggest regret

Warnings : Cheating. Angst.

A one-shot I needed to get out of myself as I try to navigate my life-work-games balance. Lmao. Chapter 4 of the Queen's Bride should be released within the month.

You freeze as you see them kiss. The wind in your lungs taken away by the sight.

You knew it.

You knew from the way she looked at him. From the way she spoke of him. The way she touched his arm.

Because all the things she did to him were once yours.

She used to look at you like you make the sun go up.

She used to speak like you were the only thing that mattered besides her children.

She used to touch you every night and revere you.

You let out a strangled noise and they both look at you.

You step inside and get your bracelet. What once held her promise of forever. But now it just burned you. Burned your heart.

"I'm giving this back." You say as you take it off your wrist and you see pain cross her eyes. "My apologies on disturbing you, Your grace." You quickly slip away after that. You run and run as you get to your tent. So much so that you don't hear her call your name. You don't hear her reject Jon's touch as she watched you run. You don't hear her anguish scream as she held the bracelet that once promised what you wanted.

-

You spent your days training. This was your life. This should just be it. You shouldn't have fallen for her. For the queen that you served. But here you are anyways.

You pant as Grey Worm looks at something behind you with silent anger in his eyes. He's always been a big brother to you. Always there and always guiding. There was a reason you are the only woman in the unsullied. Too strong to become a slave so you became a soldier instead.

You don't dare look behind for you knew whom his silent anger is for. You can feel it though. Her burning stare. You cover his eyes.

"Stop looking at her like that. You won't be marching in front if everyone thinks you want to kill her." You whisper then drink water.

"But she-"

"No buts, Grey Worm. She's still our queen." You can see the defeat in his eyes. The gratitude winning over the want to protect you.

"Go run. So she can't see you. That is the one thing I will refuse her of." You chuckle at the vindication in his voice.

"Thank you." You say then you slip away from his presence.

-

You've been avoiding her.

Daenerys could tell. What once was your spot was always given to different people each day.

What once was your voice greeting her as she checked on her army was always replaced with Grey Worm's.

And she knew of it. But there was nothing she can do. She betrayed you. She didn't keep her promise.

She stared at the bracelet she gave you. The one you gave back to her.

She can still see it, the pain in your eyes. The unshed tears as you took it off. The way you always ran away from her whenever she wanted to find you.

She can't help the sob that escaped her as she held it.

She wished she could take it back.

She wished she never felt attracted to him. Because that once fleeting attraction only made it worse when she saw the hurt in your eyes.

"Your grace." Jon calls out as he slips inside her office. The one thing that you always did whenever it was this time of the day. She longed to see you do it again. To come get her whenever it got too late. To bring her food once you knew that she skipped dinner in order to work more.

"You should eat, your grace." Jon further opens the door and she sees the servants he brought with him.

"Do not let them in." She says and the dothraki who was stationed to her quickly made a cross with their spears as to not let the servants in. And she marveled at how you always did that even if she never said it. How you were so attuned to what she wanted that even if she never voices them out, you always just know and you always do it. "Lord Commander. This is my office. No servant is allowed to enter here even if you came with good intentions."

"My apologies. Then I can-"

"No. I will get out of here myself. I do not trust your servants to not poison me." And it seemed paranoid but she had too many assassination attempts made by so-called servants to not consider such thing.

"My apologies again. Then I will leave you to it." She watches as the dothraki close the door and go back to their original position.

'What a stark difference.' She thinks to herself. 'She never once did that. Not even made others help her when she always brought me food.' And she also remembered the bandages on your hands as you held the food. And the confession from Grey Worm that you learned how to cook just so you can give her food when she overworked herself.

"I'm such an idiot." She cried once again as she gently held the bracelet.

-

It was a silent night, you realize as you got stationed in front of her chambers. Grey Worm figured that it's been two months since then and you also insisted on the position. Besides, you were only here as she slept, so you figured that you won't even see her.

"Y/N." You flinch as you hear Missandei.

"My lady." You call out and she slaps your arm.

"I thought I told you to stop calling me that already."

"You did but-"

"No buts." You groan as you silently curse your brother. What a loudmouth.

"My apologies then. Missandei." She grins then takes your arm.

"Come."

"What! But my station."

"I can cover, Y/N." You glare at your comrade as Missandei pulls you to another room.

"Grey Worm might be my brother but he can get jealous too, you know?" You speak as Missandei stripped you of your uniform.

"Shut it." You chuckle as she gets annoyed.

"What are you trying-" You stop as she shoves some clothes onto you.

"Wear those."

"What-"

"Wear them." That was the final thing she says as she slips out of the room.

You look at the trousers and pants. It was a fancy version of what you usually wore.

'What could it be for?' You think but you wear them anyways. You know how Missandei can be if she isn't obeyed. Besides, you just know that Grey Worm will give you spartan training if you even thought about disobeying your essentially sister-in-law.

-

You arrive at her office and look at the basket and jar of wine in your hands.

Apparently, Daenerys have been missing all her meals for the past few days. Only opting for the bread to munch on as she toured and saw progress in her plans.

"She's punishing herself." Missandei says to you as she drags you. "Her guard always say that she cries at least once while she held your bracelet."

"It's not my bracelet anymore." You say with such pain in your voice that Missandei hugs you.

"It's yours. Even if you don't want it to be anymore." You sob into her shoulder as she comforts you. It's been months but you still haven't moved on. You never will, you knew that. Your fragile and broken heart will always be hers even if her heart wasn't yours anymore. "Just bring dinner to her, please. How will any of us see her ascend to her throne if she starves herself in the process?"

And so here you are. A bundle of nerves, just anxious.

"Get in, give her food then get out. Easy enough, right? It should be! Damn it!"

"Just get in." You look at Tyrion and frown.

"Even you?"

"I know what she did is unforgivable but you should-"

"I know what lies beyond. I know their atrocities." You say in resolution and open the door. The two dothrakis on her station sees you and slips out of the office as Daenerys continues working.

"Missandei? Can you just give me a glass of wine? One that can fi-"

"You should eat properly." You speak and you see as her hand stops writing. As she slowly looks at you. You smile sadly at her as you walk up to her desk. "Here." You clear her desk of her documents, bringing them over to the table in her office then bring out the contents of your basket. The ones you cooked with your own hands. She silently watches as you do all these. You don't forget to give her a glass of wine then smile at her. "Eat."

She looks at the food and wine then she tears up. Gods, how she missed this. How she missed you.

"Is this a dream?" You can hear the yearning in her voice for this to be her reality. And you know it is, the hurt and pain in your heart right now is the proof.

"It's not." You say as you pour yourself a glass of wine. You never liked the thing, always sobering through celebrations and such. And so, dream you will never drink this, you and her know that so you drink the glass in one go. You grunt as you put the glass down. You never liked it's effects before until now. The alcohol in you seemingly giving you courage to face her. "It really isn't. So eat, please." Daenerys nods and begins to help herself to the food. She watches as you pour yourself another glass.

"Do you-" She tries to stop you but you didn't want to remember this night. You didn't want this pain anymore.

-

You were drunk by the time Daenerys finishes her food. The entire jug of wine was almost emptied by you if she didn't stop you by your sixth glass.

"You know." You begin as you felt yourself get dizzy. "I knew there was a reason why I don't like wine. My self-control is slipping out of me. I can feel it." You giggle and laugh.

"Y/N-"

"And you! The love of my life!" You smile as you look at her and Daenerys felt like she travelled to the past where you looked at her like she was a goddess walking on the ground.

"Such a tragedy. I knew you would find someone better. I knew it in my head but I just- I still gambled my heart." You sigh wistfully as the pain squeezed her heart. "And I never got it back." She stares at you as you walk to her.

"Tell me, your grace." She felt another squeeze at the unfamiliar address. You stopped calling her that when the two of you made love for the first time.

"Was it fun?" She froze at that. "Was it good when you kissed him? Or when you fucked him?" You refuse to believe that any sane man would be able to resist her charm. Hell, even you couldn't resist it.

"Did it feel good when you broke my heart?" You couldn't stop the tears now as they flowed freely onto her lap. She looks as you give her a defeated smile. The same one she always sees when you decide to sacrifice yourself for a comrade, but this time, combined with your tears, was more painful than every other defeated smile you ever gave. Because after those defeated smiles. After the battle is over, you always walk over to her and give her the brightest grin and the most gentle kiss. But now, she knows she won't have that anymore. "Did you laugh when you heard it shatter? Was it- was it worth it?" You sob as you kneel. You can't think anymore. If you were sober, none of this would be spoken to her. None of this would ever known to anyone. You are an unsullied. Bottling your feelings and not showing any emotions was what you were trained for. But alcohol brought everything out. Your every self-deprecating thought, every pain and every sorrow. Because as much as you were known for your smile, no one knows how you looked when you are in grief. No one until Daenerys came. She can only watch as you sobbed until you fall asleep. She can only shed silent tears as she whispered her apologies to you.

-

You wake with a massive headache. One that makes you groan as you sit on the familiar yet unfamiliar bed. You haven't been here in a while.

"Fuck. I'm never drinking alcohol again." You grunt as the pain hits you again.

"That would be for the best." You freeze as you hear her voice. You hear her shuffle around then a cup appears in your vision. "Drink up. The maester said this would help with the pain." You shakily accepts the cup and drink it one go. The pain now concentrated at your tounge as the hot tea travels through your body. You look at her face and you can't help but voice out the first word that gets in your head.

"Dilaw." Daenerys tilts her head and you blush as you facepalm for yourself.

"Di- what?" She asks and you cover your face.

"Literally, it means yellow. But another meaning means happiness. Or source of it." Daenerys blushes as she hears your explanation. In any other day, you would grin then kiss and hug her but instead pain grips your heart instead. "I should go." You stand and avoid touching her. "Thank you for letting me sleep here. Farewell, your grace." Daenerys stops you before you can even open the door.

"I'm sorry." She says as tears flow through her face. "I'm so sorry. I took you for granted. I took everything we ever had for granted. But please, Y/N. Please give me another chance. Give me the chance to make everything right. Give me the chance to pick up your heart's broken pieces. Give me the chance to make it whole again."

"Your grace." The title makes her grip tighter on your wrist. "I have no more right. No more fight. And no more courage in me. You have taken all of those away." You shake as you finally let everything out. "You have always owned the heart you broke with your own hands. I never got it back."

"Then let me earn your trust again. Let me by your side again. I'm begging you, Y/N. Without you, everything feels wrong. Everything I'm fighting for felt empty. Every promise and plans I make felt futile."

"I can't. Not yet, at least. Please give me more time. More moments to myself. Then maybe, I can ease myself into your side again."

"Then I'll wait for that day." She finally lets go and you look at her. Look at her tear-stricken and wipe her tears away.

"Thank you, Dany." The familiar address gives her hope in her heart even as you slip away from her room.

You don't run anymore. You walk as you go outside the castle.

You knew that eventually, the inevitable will happen. That you will be hers again. Because your heart that you always protected was now guarded and owned by a dragon.

-

PS.

I will hit myself if I don't get chapter 4 out. I swear.

I need more hours in the day, to be honest. I hate working 9 am to 6 pm 😭😭.

[georgeweasleyslostearhq]

THAT'S MY GIRLFRIEND?!

Pairings: George Weasley x Fem!reader Summary: you and George found Ron jerking off to you Warning: mention of jerking off. Note: requested by @lillisummers BASED IN OOTP

you sat between Fred and George at dinner as George poured you a cup of juice, he sat down and kissed your head before taking a sip of your cup

"ay, use your own cup" you whispered, trying to be quiet as the room fell silent

he smiled and looked forward, at harry, who's now holding the daily prophet

"he's been attacking dumbledore as well...fudge is using all his power, including his influence of the daily prophet to..smear anyone who claims the dark lord has returned" Sirius stated

your hold George's hand at the mention of the dark lord by instinct.

"why?" Harry asked

"the minister thinks dumbledore is after his job" Remus interjected, sitting in front of Harry

"but that's insane, no one in their right mind could believe that would of..." Harry began, being cut off by Remus

"exactly the point! fudge isn't in his right mind, it's been twisted and warped by fear" Remus nodded "now fear makes people do terrible things, Harry, the last time voldemort gained power, he almost destroyed everything we hold most dear..."

you looked over and George smiled sadly as he gave your hand a squeeze

you leaned into his side and closed your eyes, feeling his warmth

"now he's returned, and i'm afraid the minister will do almost everything to avoid facing that terrifying truth" Remus trailed off

"we think voldemort wants to build up his army again..fourteen years ago we had huge numbers at his command, and not just witches and wizards, but all manner of dark creatures. he's been recruiting heavily and we've been attempting to do the same, but gathering followers isn't the only thing interested in" Sirius explains

mad eye clears his throat, trying to make sirius stop talking, to which he doesn't

"we believe.." Sirius starts again, making Molly stop cutting the vegetables at the end of the table. you opened your eyes, feeling goosebumps form on your arms, having a chilling feeling

"voldemort may be after something" the long haired man said

"sirius" mad eye warned

"something he didn't have last time"

"you mean..like a weapon?" Harry questioned

Sirius opens his mouth to say more but Molly buts it

"no. that's enough, he's just a boy!" she exclaims, coming over to harry, taking the prophet away "say more and you might as well induct him into the oder straight away"

"good! i want to join. if voldemort's raising an army, then i want to fight!" Harry fought, making sirius clap his hands and lean back in his chair

"no, no, you've encouraged this sirius! it's not safe for him!" Molly scolded the Black

"is it just me or are you hungry too?" George whispered, taking your attention away from the adults

you looked at him and smiled "starving, what about you Fred? you hungry?" you looked over at Fred, who snickered

"why did mum bring us down for dinner when it wasn't even ready?" he wondered

"i was thinking the exact same thing" George huffed with a smile, throwing his arm over your shoulder before starting a conversation.

you looked at Fred but noticed Ron, sitting on the other side of him, staring at you.

though he didn't seem to notice you saw, as his eyes were focused a little lower. looking down at your chest.

you wouldn't say you were wearing a revealing shirt, but it did show a bit of cleavage

you raised your eyebrows at the boy as he finally looked up at your face

his eyes went wide as he realised you caught him and looked away, his face beet red

you shook your head and lifted the shirt up ever so slightly

Molly got fed up with Sirius and walked back to the food, ignoring him before angrily chopping the vegetables

"what did the broccoli do to her?" Fred joked quietly, making you and George snicker

George picked up your cup of juice and drank from it again making you sigh before slapping his chest

"drink from your own cup!" you sighed before leaning over taking his cup that has been left untouched but filled with juice and drinking from his cup

"oi don't drink from my cup" he huffed, trying to take it off you

"no, shove off, that's yours now, this is mine" you smile, moving the cup away, leaning away from him

"Fred get the juice off her" George pled, making Fred shake his head

"i'm not getting involved in your juice stealing" Fred leaned away

"ha!" you stuck your tongue out at George

"oh yeah? how about i pour the juice on you" he raised his eyebrow

you gasped and glared at him "you wouldn't!"

he smirked "i would"

he teasingly tipped his cup slightly, making you squeal

"shove off!" you giggled, leaning away, now leaning on Fred

"Fred help me!" you begged

"i'm not getting involved, but please don't get the juice on me" he chuckled

George leaned forward and teasingly tipped it again, messing with you "George, i swear to Merlin if you pour that on me" you squirmed as he wrapped his arm around you

"oh? what would you do?" he grinned

"i'll leave you" you stared at him warningy, but he didn't buy it one bit

"no you won't, you love me" he smiled innocently

"i do, but not right now" you whined

George gasped, faking hurt "wow"

"George, don't pour juice on her" Ron interjected

George leaned away from you and looked at his younger brother, sitting 3 down from him "aw, how sweet Y/n. ronikins here is looking out for you, he's on your side" George pouted at his brother, teasing him

you looked back at ron and found him staring at you again, making you feel weird, his eyes said something that made you feel a little..gross

--

you walked up the stairs hand in hand with George to talk to Harry, who had left the dinner table with Hermione ten minutes ago, probably to find Ron, who had left the dinner table well before them

"i think we just need to warn him s'all" George shrugged

"George, i think he already knows how dangerous it is, he's faced him before" you sighed, feeling sorry for Harry

"i know but he's still a kid" George huffed, walking to the first door to the left, Harry and Ron's room

"so are we" you tilted your head, not understanding his point

"but we're older, wiser" he smiled down at you

"oh you are anything but wise, George" you rolled your eyes, amused

"you're the best girlfriend, aren't you?"

"i like to think so" you grinned happily

George shook his head and opened the door, still holding your hand.

you looked up as George go ready to greet Harry- although, Harry wasn't there at all.

instead of the Potter boy, the youngest Weasley boy was sat on his bed, pants down to the knees as he pumped his cock at a fast pace, moaning as his head was thrown back in pleasure, clearly not noticing your presence

you quickly let go of George's hand and covered your eyes, turning around, trying to leave the room

"o-oh Y/n.." you heard Ron grunt, the sound of squelching getting louder

"what the hell?" George cursed in shock as you walked in to a wall on your way out, trying to get the image of a half naked Ron, jerking off

you heard Ron scream and shuffling of the covers

"what the hell! get out!?" ron yelled

you groaned in pain from headbutting a wall and turned around, reaching one hand for George, eyes still closed

George saw you reaching out and grabbed onto your waist, pulling you close to him

"were you seriously just jerking off to Y/n?" George asked, just as shocked as you were

"n-no" Ron stuttered

you peeked, seeing Ron fully covered by his blankets, his face as red as his hair

"We clearly heard you say her name" George frowned

"Whatever! Just leave!" Ron begged.

"You were wanking off to my girlfriend! That's your future sister in law dude! That's disgusting!" George exclaimed. Still in horror

Ron stayed silent. Feeling beyond embarrassed

"I mean come on. That's my girlfriend!" George scoffed

"I'm sorry!" Ron cried out.

You stood there in George's arms, Feeling a little uncomfortable

"Don't say sorry to me. Say sorry to her!"

Ron looked down. Not wanting to make eye contact with you

"I'm sorry" he sighed

"Now you're going to treat her with respect and if I catch you even looking at her the wrong way. Out come the spiders. Everywhere. I'm talking in your draws. Bed. Trunk, and on your face" George said sternly, making Ron nod vigorously. Still looking down

"Good" George scoffed before letting you go and taking you hand

"C'mon babe" he walks towards the door. Leading you out of the room

Once he shut the door. You looked at him and raised an eyebrow

"Future sister in law? What are you insinuating there, Weasley?" You smirked

"I think you know" he grins

"Oh yeah? It sounds like someone is planning on marrying me" you hugged him

"Oh shush. Now. Do you wanna go bleach your eyes?" He asked

"Oh yes please" you nodded happily

‐‐---------------------------------------------------------

[ilikedetectives]

I romance Minthara as Tav and in both occasions where my Tav: (1) refused illithid power and saved the city and (2) accepted illithid power and saved the city, Minthara does mourn the fact that Tav refused the power to literally become a god, but understands and quickly looks forward to future conquests. And not only that, she chooses to take Tav's name (huge deal for a matriarch society like drow, let alone the Baenre family name). Minthara is also willing to die along with Tav during the final battle!?!?!? She cares for Tav ok.

So it makes no sense for her to breakup with Durge on the spot for refusing to be a god's slave, when she doesn't break up w/ Tav for refusing to be a god altogether. And this is shown in the Elfsong Tavern ending and the epilogue. Being a god sounds wayyyy more powerful than a god's slave. Not to mention commanding an army of illithids and the power to create more fighters for yourself??? Did I also mention the ability to control dragons if you seize the brain? lol

Minthara: there is nothing we can not do together...But despite everything we gave up when we destroyed the brain, it is good to be here with you.

And even if Durge didn't seize the Netherbrain, her attitude is more of "the past is in the past, I look forward to future conquests."

Given that Larian brought back the writers for the epilogue, they must have looked into the ending with redeemed Durge to write the epilogue, so tbh I'd go with that instead.

Also not to mention if Durge rejects Bhaal, Bhaal instakill Durge but Withers revives Durge, which frees Durge from Bhaal. I feel like that should be celebrated?

TLDR: It is in character for Minthara to be mad Durge gave up their power as a knee-jerk reaction for the first few mins (also Emma Gregory's performance is *chef kiss*), but it is ooc for Minthara to refuse to see the reason why and not give Durge a chance to explain.

Oh and this is if you ignore Minthara's entire character arc with Orin (Bhaal) and her relationship with Lolth and the Absolute. After Lolth and the Absolute, Minthara would never want to be under another god's control again (She explicitly states she prefers to die than be under the Absolute's control again if Tav kicks her out of the party). So if anything she would want to be "The Absolute" herself. The whole point of starting a new house is being free from constraints and obey no god.

Minthara in other words: it sucks you didn't seize the brain as an illithid, because the brain sex we could've had.

Minthara's disdain for the gods and the idea of serving/sacrificing for them is explicitly stated throughout the game. She craves power, but never at the expense of one's freedom/life.

Even with Vlaakith, the only reason Minthara doesn't wanna anger Vlaakith is because Vlaakith can and will floor your entire party instantly. Not because she wants to serve any fickle god. And let's not forget where Minthara wants to go spit on Lolth's statue in Baldur's Gate lower city.

TBH I don't think Larian would add a persuasion check simply because that requires new dialogue and voice lines, as datamine dialogue doesn't show any additional content besides this abrupt breakup. So Larian would need to bring writers and Emma back if they want to do this. Or the cheaper solution is remove it? Either way there's a mod for it already so hail modders XD

Anyway, I'm glad what I have for my Durge and Minthara deviates from the game almost entirely.

[kotemf]

Codywan week - day 6

I'm posting this late but I hope y'all can still enjoy reading! It's my fill for day 6 of the @codywanweek. You can read the story here, on Wattpad or Ao3. Thanks to the all of you who give it a try!

  Prompt: créchemaster Obi-Wan, quiet love, touch starved

Cody never dared to plan what he was going to do after the war. He never dared to hope that he will survive until the very end. So, when the war ended abruptly and he actually had a choice, he had no idea what he wanted to do.

  He ended up working as a security guard in some gallery. He didn't like it there all that much, it was boring, but it was the best he could find. He didn't have any education besides military training. And he needed money.

  Sometimes, Cody wished he stayed in the army. Rex had and he got to guard the Jedi temple sometimes. Maybe if Cody chose the same path, he could still see his general sometimes. Just a glimpse of the man would be enough. Or maybe it wouldn't.

  Obi-Wan was still a topic that Cody wasn't able to figure out. He wanted. He wanted to see his former general, wanted to touch him, to kiss him, to undress him and so on. Just like he did during their shore leave. Only it wasn't real. It was just a way to distract themselves, just a way to keep their minds busy when not on the front lines. Because forgetting about the casualties of the last battle was so much easier with his general on top of him. That's how it started.

  Now, months later, Cody was still in love with his general. Obi-Wan probably already forgot Cody still existed. He made it pretty clear that there was nothing between them, no attachment. That all their relationship was about was some entertainment. And Cody, in his foolish, so, so, foolish mind, made it something more. Even if he had the guts to go visit his general, he was too afraid that the Jedi would pick up on his emotions.

  So he didn't. He built himself a routine, he couldn't live any other way. Wake up from his dreams about Obi-Wan. Workout, while imagining his general being next to him, doing the same. Think about Obi-Wan while eating breakfast. Go to work. Still think about Obi-Wan. Wander the halls of the building, keeping his eyes open. Still with clear pictures of his very naked general in his mind. Going back from work. Still dreaming about coppery hair and pale skin. Going out with brothers. Finally forgetting the damned Jedi after his eleventh drink.

  This day was no different. Until it was. Because hey, his daydreams were never this real. There was no way his imagination was so good. Because the Obi-Wan he was looking at right now was perfect, more perfect than any of his imaginations. 

  This Obi-Wan was real, showing something on an abstract painting of an ocean to a bunch of tubies - no, not tubies, children. Why the actual kriff was Cody's former Jedi general in a gallery with a bunch of children? And why was Boil there too, catching a Pantoran boy before he could get lost among the crowds of people?

  Cody's time to think about it and order his thoughts was cut short. Boil noticed him, of course he did. He waved at Cody. It would be far too awkward if Cody ignored him. This left Cody with no choice but to join the group.

  "Uh... hello?"

  "Hey, Codes, it's been a while." Boil greeted Cody with a half hug. It's been exactly eight days since they saw each other the last time. Cody wouldn't exactly call it long but whatever. "Ad'ike, this is Cody, my annoying big brother."

  "Cody? Like commander Cody?" a Mikkian girl asked. How would she even know that? She looked to be five standard years old at most, there was no way the Jedi taught her about the war and much less the clones.

  "I used to be a commander, yes." Cody nodded, because there wasn't much else he could do.

  "Master Obi told us a lot about you," a Rhodian boy told him. Now that was interesting. Obi-Wan told a bunch of random Jedi - at least Cody assumed they were Jedi - tubies about him. Why?

  Boil gave Cody a look. Cody didn't like it all that much but before he could really think about what that particular look meant, Boil was already talking to the tubies. "I know Cody is fun and all, but did you know there is a play area for children somewhere? Do you want me to take you there? Cody can wait."

  Apparently, Boil was good with children now. He left with all of the tubies. And that meant... Cody was alone with Obi-Wan. So that was what Boil's look meant.

  "Hello, Cody."

  "General." Cody nodded to Obi-Wan who rolled his eyes.

  "Drop that. I'm not even a general anymore."

  "So you take Jedi tubies to galleries now?"

  "Sometimes." Obi-Wan shrugged. "The council was looking for a créchemaster and I took the job. They are sweet."

  "And you told them about me?" That probably wasn't the right thing to say.

  Cody's question made Obi-Wan blush. It was adorable. Cody wanted to kiss him. It was like one of the fake scenarios he imagined before falling asleep, the one where he bumped into Obi-Wan while walking the halls of the gallery, like in some sappy novel, and Obi-Wan blushed and then they kissed and then they magically teleported to Cody's bedroom. It could still happen, if Cody took a step forward, leaned closer-

  "Well, of course I told them about you." Obi-Wan's words cut through Cody's so very professional day dreams. "They like to hear stories about heroes. Besides... I missed you."

  To say Cody missed Obi-Wan would be an understatement. Cody said it anyway.

  Obi-Wan blushed even more at that and his pale skin did exactly nothing to hide it. Cody loved it. "Is that so?" Obi-Wan looked like he wanted to touch Cody for a moment but then he pulled his hand back and firmly clasped his hands in front of him.

  Cody just wished Obi-Wan touched him.

[chrispypapas]

Chris, I need to know what you think would happen in a Xander spin-off. Because, unless I am remembering wrong, Xander was one hell of a tool.

im kissing you on the lips for asking me about btvs

season 3 ep 13 'the zeppo' is a Xander POV episode of btvs and tbh that's one of my favorite episodes of btvs. its the gang leaving Xander out of the apocalypse of the week due to him being "too weak", just for Xander to get involved in his own dangerous adventure where a group of zombies try to get him to join their gang. i think a Xander series would have been better than the angel series bc the Angel series did not know what its purpose was. its such a bad show. the only saving grace of that show is Cordelia is there, and when she leaves the show it becomes complete trash. Cordelia needed to be there to balance out the stupid shit Angel is doing. If you like the Angel series I'm so incredibly happy for you and my opinion on it should not diminish how you feel about it. I'm just some guy lol i think a POV from the 'normie' of the group would have been more interesting in terms of story telling. You would be able to put yourself in Xander's shoes and it could have been following the aftermath of season 7 of btvs; where everyone who could ever be the slayer was awakened thanks to willow unlocking everyone's potential. btvs continued its story through the comics after the show ended and the plot of the comics was Buffy running a slayer organization where ander worked as support for slayers out on missions (ala Kazuhira Miller in MGS peacewalker and MGSV). now i enter my unhinged rambling of Xander's character

Alexander LaVelle "Xander" Harris has many, as you put it, "one hell of a tool" moments in the show that I'm going to get into. A lot of them I can see as "this is a teenage boy saying stupid teenage boy shit" but a lot of it is also unwarranted and inherently selfish. Early series "tool" moments are

Xander's attitude towards Buffy for not returning his feelings and his haterid of Buffy having feelings for Angel (Season 1)

Xander blaming Buffy for Ms Calendar being killed by Angel (Season 2)

Xander exploding at Buffy for leaving Sunnydale after Joyce (Buffys mom) told her she better never return to their house after Buffy told her mom that shes the slayer (Season 3)

Xander being upset with Willow and Buffy for going to college (Season 4)

Xander yelling at Buffy for letting Riley (a good guy in his own words) "get away" when Riley gives Buffy an ultimatum (Season 5)

when Xander says hes disgusted by Buffy and can't even look at her after finding out she's been sleeping with Spike (Season 6)

and finally when Xander thought Buffy was being a terrible leader in season 7 bc she had to be a commander of an army of potential slayers (Season 7)

However on the flip side, Xander has multiple moments of being incredibly loyal and willing to do anything in his power for his friends, and that he really is the heart of the group reminding everyone of their humanity. Xander, much like the rest of the Buffy cast, is a complex character who has good and bad qualities and I think it's important to take the good with the bad. I don't agree with most things he says/does, but I also recognize that inherently he is a good person. Wanting the best for those around him even if his perception of what "the best" for his friends isn't necessarily what they "need".

BTVS is a hard series to defend. A lot of the actions of the characters are uncomfortable due to the creator of the IP, but when you create a piece of media those characters start to also belong to the fans. A lot of what Joss Whedon wrote for the characters at times felt incredibly OOC and just "we're going to torture the afab characters bc I hate women" kind of writing, but it's important to remember that there were other writers on the show and how actors wanted to portray their characters too.

That being said, I like Xander, and I like a lot of what others have done to explore his character bc im gay and like to analyze media. I think a spin off buddy cop Xander and Spike show would have been leagues better than Angel. One of the spin off Buffy comics I really like have Xander and Spike being friends from the beginning and exploring more of what their dynamic could be. I think it's an interesting alternative universe from Buffy canon and its work checking out <3

anyway ty for reading i hope ur having a good day xoxo

[sunnysidevans]

a lil blurb I've had in my head for quite a few days and so I'm putting it out there.

warnings: none.

Evelyn is breaking the news to her dads she wants to join the Navy.

this is part of the "nothing else matters" universe.

-

The living room sat with photos around the young girl, she was 17 now. She reaches over to pick up the photo sticking out the most. A photo of you and Jake, both in uniform as you recieved your pin for Admiral. She couldn't believe her mom was an Admiral in the Navy. She smiles and runs her finger over the photo as the door opens.

Jake and Bradley walk through the door, smiles on their faces. "Hey eves" she looks up at Jake with a smile. "Whatcha doin?" Bradley asks, setting the bag down, moving towards her.

"Looking at photos" she smiles, holding the one in her hand out to Jake.

He smiles, taking the photo. "The day your mom got Admiral" he sits down on the couch beside the two on the floor. He hands the photo back to her and browses the photos infront of her. She reaches out, picking up a photo of her and Rooster. "Me and dad" she grins, looking at Bradley as he kisses the top of her head.

She grabs another photo, it was a photo of you and Phoenix, smiles on your faces. It was from your wedding day. "I like that mom and Aunt Phoenix are friends" she admits as Jake chuckles, "they werent for a long time" Bradley chuckles from his spot, "because of you".

The photos surrounded her and the thoughts going through her head. there was one constant in her whole life, the Navy.

Every photo was something to do with the Navy from her wearing Jake's helmet as a child to when she attended Bradley's pinning for becoming Commander. "Something on your mind?" Jake reaches down, his fingers running through her hair, a habit he picked up when he noticed her anxiety. "How did you guys know you wanted to be aviators?" she asks, looking between her fathers.

The two of them look at eachother then back at her. "I wanted to because of your grandpa and uncle mav, I thought they were so cool when I was your age" Bradley speaks first, running his hand along her back soothingly. "I wanted to because I wanted to do something with my life, plus, your grandpa Seresin was a big Army guy wanted the best for his only son" Jake smiles, watching over her face as she nods slowly. "How about mom?" she asks, looking between them. "You'd have to ask your momma that one" Jake chuckles, squeezing her shoulder.

"Where is this coming from Eves?" Bradley asks, leaning back onto the couch, his elbow on the cushion. She couldn't answer his question, she was more letting her thoughts continue to circle. She looks between the two men who raised her. She takes a deep breath, the two sets of eyes watched her intently.

"I think, I think I want to join the Navy" she whispers, looking at them.

Jake grins as Bradley looks at her then Jake and back at her. "Honey, you don't have to do anything you don't want too" she shakes her head, standing up and began pacing. Jake chuckles mostly to himself, it was something she got from you.

"I-I want to help people and-and I want to be a badass just like my family" she spits, her words flowing like word vomit. She doesn't notice you sliding in the front door and closing the door gently.

"I want to be like mom, I want to help people, I want to prove to people I can be something" you grin, setting your bag down and making your way into the living room. "Whats goin on here?" you ask, hands on your hips. Evelyn's eyes jump to you, tears in her eyes as she has her hands on her own hips, position mirroring your own.

"Mom, I want to join the Navy".

Your eyes widen, looking between the two men on the floor then back at your daughter. "Evelyn" she shakes her head walking to you. "I want to keep up the Seresin-Bradshaw name" she whispers, smiling between the three of you. "Grandpa Bradshaw was an aviator, uncle mav, you, daddy and dad" you smile cupping her cheek.

"Honey" reaching up you cup both of her cheeks. "I paved my way for you, if you want to be an aviator, I support you" the smile spreads on her face as she looks back at the two men who sat with proud smiles.

"Daddy, I-" Jake stands, shaking his head as he wraps her in his arms, pulling her into his chest. "I want you to carry on the Seresin name babygirl, I will support you" he whispers, "I love you". She grins, looking up at the man who meant the world to her. "I love you daddy" she sniffles, looking over at Bradley who couldn't hold back his tears.

"Dad" she moves to his awaiting arms as he hugs her tighter. "I know how grandma felt when I decided to go in the Navy, it was scary and it will be hard" he cups her cheeks. "It's going to be hard knowing you have two Seresin's to live up to but, you also have two Bradshaw's and I know you are going to be an amazing aviator Eves" she sniffles, nodding eagerly as she moves to hold her arms out, the four of you wrapping arms around the other.

"We're all so proud of you Eve girl" You whisper, smiling as her eyes look between the three of you. "I can't wait to be one of the best aviators the Navy has seen since you mom" she grins, as you laugh.

"sorry daddy and dad" the two shake their heads laughing. "We know your mother is the cooler one out of all of us".

[jennyandvastraflint]

Xena Reactions S1Ep20!

I hate this guy, but omfg this woman is gorgeous...

NOOO DON'T LOCK WOMEN UP >:O

Is this Ares? Yup.

His one dangly earring XDD

He's gonna try to give the army to Xena

"Sometimes the best man for a job is a woman" diversity win I guess?

GABRIELLE MY LOVE

Who is this old man? Just some dude I guess

Xena beating up people yayyy

"I'm your father" WHAT

Them leavingggg

"Hey boys" Hehe

YESSS, GABRIELLE FREES THEMMM

He helped.

Also is her name Rhea? Did I hear correctly

Does Xena have daddy issues

Ares, what are you lying there for, all seductive

NOHHHH, BUTTERFLY 😭🦋

Gosh the grinning the dramatics... 😂

She's very pretty

"I volunteered" oooh...

XENA HUMMING???

Sharing childhood stories <3

Dude shows up and there's chaos

WHOOOP

Damn she caught that axe, hu

Is he REALLY her father?

Gabrielle is really bonding with Rhea

Awww, she kept her sister safe

"Anything about your life you'd like to tell me?" "No. :|"

Oop.

OH SHHHH*T Gabrielle saw him murder that guy...... She does NOT approve

YEA HE WAS SURRENDERING HELLOO???

"And you should be [together]" 👀🏳️‍🌈

Oh is he gonna drive them apart by guilt tripping Gabrielle

Xena smells something is offfff...

They're gonna be ambushed.

Yeah the split up...

Xena and father beating up guysss

Xena is pISSEDDDD

Mmmm, the father's gonna die isn't he

Ares is back again... 😂 He's like Babygirl u ain't got shittt

Gosh Ares is so proud...

Uh oh. Did Atrius... Yup

"How do you want to die? Slow and painful, or fast and even more painful"

She caught the knife sjdjdhs

Man with too big an ego vs lesbian warrior princess

She KICK

UH OH. Did she just kill him?

Hmmmm... Xena's way?

Oh the dude yet lives. And Ares is here to taunt him.

FONDLY STROKES HIS FACE??? Kiss him sjfhshs

"You used me" that's what war generally does

Uh yikes, they strung him up.

IS SHE COMMANDING THE ARMY TO TAKE THE VILLAGE???

Is she relapsing!?

THEY NICKED GABRIELLE!

Oh Xena is pissedddd...

Oop, he deid... Poor Xena. Please don't give ibto war

GABRIELLE BRING HER BACK TO HERSELF

"I'm standing up to a murderous warlord" 👀

AAAAAAAAAAH!

Gabrielle hit her.

Oh he's still alive.

Oh ffs he wants to murder, and Xena is like. No???

HE WAS ARES ALL ALONG????

"Then it came to me. DADDY." ajdhdhshfhe PLEASE

I hate Aressss

"I'd rather be dead than come back to you"

Oh Ares doesn't want her to dieee... XD

"We both have families we were born into."

"FOR ME OUR FRIENDSHIP BINDS US CLOSER THAN BLOOD EVER COULD" Hhuuuuaaah!

I love gay people

[funjidae]

~Eruhan oneshot~

┌──── • ─── ◆ ──── • ────┐

Title: Enemies

// NSFW //

~

The high command had handed down sentences on them, they were the enemies and they had to be executed after completing their work, but, for a man with a serious face now, the dutiful plan did not seem good, because the one who was the leader of that army to which they wanted to errocate was the one that brought him insane, and, exalted to his nerves, the one he had begun to see as a piece of meat without merits and rights when he met her for the first time, but when he got to know her after times of sharing talks, lunches and projects, and when the image of her had gotten so much into his head, he could do nothing more than have wet dreams and wish to have her for himself, that woman had finished him...on his knees imploring everything of her.

Above all, she was like a hostage and could take advantage of it, that thought invaded him sometimes, but he did not count on the fact that this woman with a kind face but a rude character was also interested in him in an intense way.

~

One day, being left alone after spending hours working on an important plan, they both looked at each other out of the corner of their eyes. Some would have thought that it was a sign of hate, hatred or rancor, but, this was the complete opposite of that...

A tug on his shirt, a squeeze of neck on the female, a rubbing of the legs and the closeness had them lying on the desk where they had been working before, she only had her shirt completely open and he was no longer wearing his suit. A push from her legs forward indicated how much effort the man was putting into her, and with more intensity, at the end the moans turned into a dry plea, the same anguish was heard invading the walls, but she and both him, they were enjoying what they where doing in that office with the low chandelier lights.

She gasped not to do it, she didn't want to put everything at risk, but the more she refused, the more her body urged for him and he just enjoyed her hard nipples just for him and his tongue.

-Erwin stop... Erwin...- Gasped without being able to breathe properly.

She caressed the blond hair making him do more of what she supposedly didn't want... the blond's wet fingers danced on the intimacy that trembled of the nerves of her body. He was wanting for her, wanting no more power.

He raised his face to hers and kissed her, while he did so he played with her body.

-I've been wanting to know how you would moan my name for a while- He brushed his right cheek against hers and came to gently bite a part of her ear.

She went numb at the contact. She couldn't deny at all what those long, thick fingers were making her feel on her. She kept moaning under her breath, wanting to know now how something else would feel inside her.

Was agile and took the man from his arms placing his legs by his hips.

-If you want to know how I'm going to moan your name so much, make me do it." She gave him that look that lets you know that the maximum point of madness and desire have already been broken.

Erwin knew exactly what she was referring to, so he caressed her hard legs from the exercise and took his own member, caressing her first and after a few seconds both were united as one meat. She arched her back, clinging hard to the desk. He started with the biggest game, he wanted to know more than anything else how she was in that state and he was going to achieve it.

The desk creaked every time Erwin entered her, Hange reveled in the blond's first and last name and again; name, surname and position, she moaned loudly and so the sweat ran down her medium-sized breasts. The nails were buried in the wood, the back curved even more, the hair of both bathed in sweat that at the moment that their bodies joined and disjoined they danced... their eyes remained closed with a frown, the veins sagged. they jumped at the blond by force, if someone could be present apart from them, they would know that the forces they were making were too much and all to be able to feel each other again and again.

They murmured when they felt the heat embracing their bodies, the sound of the wood from the desk, her breathing and the sweat bathing them both. It was the perfect scene for their persons, better than the ones he ever dreamed of before, while he caressed himself. pronouncing the name of the chestnut hair.

Reaching the limit, when he began to ejaculate and wanting to take his member inside her, she stopped him with an indecipherable look. Before the arrest he ran inside her, sweating without measure and making him moan along with her, embraced, without pity, they just let themselves be carried away by their nature.

When that had elapsed a few days, they did not say many words to each other and more on Hange's part, she did not want to get involved with him anymore, despite the fact that she left him in a hurry, he for his part acted serene without forgetting what had happened. passed between them, but, just as it began, they would do it again, finding themselves in the same situation, imploring for their actions and the warmth of their bodies.

There was denial and acceptance, doubt and a kind of wild treatment when it came to loving each other alone in that same room with low light lamps or in some moments in their respective bedrooms.

└──── • ─── ◆ ──── • ────┘

[xiv-wolfram]

Raubahn's Path - Comic Script

Stormblood - Patch 4.1

Raubahn finally confesses his love for Wolfram. This is sad. Don't read it.

Wolfram Saga Comics (Chronological)

This is the script for a future comic. Posting for those who don’t want to wait to get the story. Numbers indicate frame number. A/B mean a frame is split.

The Royal Menagerie, right after the 4.1 cutscene. Nanamo walking away from Raubahn. Wolf standing a way down the path, watching them. Narrator - "After liberating Ala Mhigo - Sultana Nanamo, knowing Raubahn wanted to stay with his people in Ala Mhigo, removed him from the Syndicate and his position as leader of the Immortal Flames. She did what she thought was best for him without giving him a choice in the matter. Wolfram, Raubahn's former partner, and current close friend,  witnesses the exchange and returns to comfort him."

Nanamo passes Wolf and nods as he’s walking back toward Rau.

Wolf, standing behind Rau, worried expression. Thought - 'I can't believe she did it this way. There must have been a more kind option.' Says - "Rau… would you like some company?"

Rau looks over, wiping a stray tear from his eye and smiling sadly as Wolf stands beside him - "Aye, thank you, my friend." Thought - 'There is no face I'd rather see right now.'

Rau looks down, sad expression. Wolf places a hand on his shoulder.

Wolf, comforting expression - "I'm so sorry. I know you love her as a daughter. It is her love for you that made her do this. She believed it to be the only way you would stay."

Rau still looking down, sad - "I knew there would come a day when she didn't need me anymore. Yet I didn't expect it to be so soon."

Rau looks over at Wolf, worried expression - "More than anything - I wish for her to be safe. I could never forgive myself if ill befell her because I wasn't there."

Light tears pool in Rau's eyes as he turns towards Wolfram - "… And if the Monetarists should attack her again?" 

Wolf smiles sadly and pulls Rau in for a hug - "In addition to a daughter you have a son - One whom you have raised to be just as fearsome a warrior as yourself. She will not want for protection." 

Wolf moves back a bit, arms down, to look Rau in the eye and smiles - "Pray think of the positives. You can carve a new path. You are free to follow your heart." Wolf Thought - 'If Ala Mhigo were to return to a monarchy I’d do everything in my power to see him sit on that throne. There is no one better to lead this nation.'

Rau looks confused. Thought - 'Follow my heart? Could he mean…' 

A) Rau leans closer, placing his hand on the side of Wolf’s face, staring into his eyes with a hopeful expression. B) Rau places his hand behind Wolf's head. Wolf looks confused. 

Rau kisses Wolf hesitantly.

Focus on Wolf’s face - frozen with shock, eyes wide. Dark Thought - 'He doesn't mean this - just emotional right now. He knows what you are. He’d never want you again.' 

Rau kissing Wolf, more passionately, desperately. Thought - 'Surely he feels the same. He *has to*. I can’t have imagined it all.'

Rau is still kissing Wolf, but lightly, pulling away, dropping his hand. Wolf thought "… perhaps he truly does love me? I always have. Is it not possible he feels the same?" Wolf begins to relax and starts moving his right hand up to touch Rau, stopping short. 

 A) Rau separates a bit, light tears, staring into Wolf’s eyes. Apologetic smile. Thought - 'I suppose that’s not what he meant... Gods, I've just made an arse of myself again.' Wolf drops his hand, looking confused.

Rau further pulls away, looking miserable - "Sorry, I know not what came over me." Thought - ‘Yes I do…and I’m getting tired of apologizing to him for it.’

Wolf smiles sadly - "Worry not - it's alright. I know this isn't what you want. You're simply upset."

Rau annoyed  - "Praytell - why does everyone insist on telling me what I want instead of simply asking me? Am I only fit to command armies? To lead nations? Is my own godsdamned path, not mine to decide?!"

Wolf confused - "That's a fair point. I shouldn’t assume. Alright then - What is it you want, Raubahn?" Rau, annoyed. Thought - 'Can he truly not know?! Still?! Aww, thrice damn me but I've embarrassed myself enough - may as well keep going.'

Rau gestures frustratedly, sad expression - "I want *you* of course! I have for ages now - at least since you spoke with me after uncovering Roaille's betrayal." Thought - 'He was the only one who understood how much she hurt me. He was so kind.'

A) Rau stares into Wolf’s eyes with desperate yearning, light tears - "If I'm being honest with myself - far longer. I made space for you in my heart fifteen years ago and you never truly left." B) Wolf surprised thought - 'Me?! Really?! …I suppose I did sense something, yet couldn't believe he’d ever…'

Rau with a worried expression, grasps Wolf’s shoulder firmly - "One choice was just made for me without my say. Pray - let me make this one. For us! I cannot believe you feel nothing for me. Not after everything we've been through together. Not with how you act towards me. Give us another chance! Wolfram, *I love you*." 

Wolf surprised - "You... All this time? W-why me? I'm not good enough for you. Never have been. You’re the best man I know. You deserve the world. Surely there is someone worthy of you out there if you look…" Dark Thought - 'He really does deserve so much better. You have nothing to offer him. You're too broken.'

Rau backs away, gesturing with frustration, eyes watering - "SEVEN HELLS WOLFRAM! I TRIED! I've tried to move on and all fall short of you. Of what we had. A true partner. Who loved me for who I was - not what I could do for him. Who cared for my soul as much as my body. Someone I could confide in without judgment. Someone I could *TRUST*. As much a partner in life as he was in battle. Wolfram, you wanted me before I was a legend. You *see me*. The *real me*. And you celebrate what others would be intimidated by or envy. Have you any idea how rare that is? You ask me to quantify love - Why not you? Pray, give me *your* reason!"

Tumblr Mandated Break -.-

Wolf stares at Rau in complete shock. Thought - ‘He… He truly does feel the same…but does it change anything? No - I can’t feel this… can’t let myself feel this. Not yet. Not in front of him. If he knows surely it’ll make this worse.’

Wolf worried expression, head down, barely meeting Raubahn’s eyes - "Well… one massive reason. The thing that tore us apart to begin with. Do you truly wish to have a partner who is the vessel of a voidsent?" Dark Thought - 'That's right, just remind him what you are. Don’t tell him how you really feel. Make him reject you again. It's easier this way.'

Rau frustrated, eyes closed, turns away and pinches the bridge of his nose - "That wasn't why…" Thought - 'How can he still not understand why we broke up?'

Wolf frowns sadly looking into Rau’s eyes - "Aye, I’ve learned more ways to keep it at bay - like booze or that potion - both with risks. My struggle will never be over. You must know the nightmares didn’t stop. Aye, sometimes I wake up screaming or bent over a basin scrubbing my arms raw... I assume in an attempt to wash away their blood. As if I could ever be clean after what I did. Raubahn - I am a man who killed his own family and refuses to take accountability for it. Hells if anyone knew what I did I’d be in prison, but that is nothing compared to being a living prison myself. I can’t have a life…" 

Rau scoffs - “You think yourself the only man in Eorzea with death on his conscience?” Thought - ‘I lived with his nightmares for two years…why is talking about them now?’

A) Wolf sighs, pleading expression - "No but… do you know of the constant pressure I feel? As if I'm suffocating while it's trying to claw its way out of my chest. Having to control my emotions so carefully that I can barely let myself feel anything at all. Not for more than a moment anyroad." B) Rau still annoyed, raises an eyebrow. Thought - 'I'm supposed to believe he feels nothing? He certainly doesn't act restrained.'

Wolf miserable expression, looking away - "I cannot mourn lost friends too deeply or it's there. I cannot unleash my full fury onto my enemies no matter how much they deserve it. The one time I did I was drunk or lucky enough that the hellhound didn’t take over. Daily life even…I must put on a charming face. Make jokes so that no one can see how broken I am. Clench my jaw and nod to stop myself from speaking my mind else they see the rage inside. I have to pretend to be a stoic beacon of hope and light when I'm truly this twisted, dark thing."

Rau looks at him, confused. Thought - 'Dark and twisted? I cannot deny he wears a mask, yet I've witnessed him drop it around me on several occasions now. Why can't he see himself the way I see him?'

A) Wolf smiles sadly,  touching Rau's arm in a comforting gesture - "...and I cannot love. Not as completely as you deserve. Because if I let my guard down for but a moment it's waiting and it wants to burn this world down."  B) Rau annoyed, thought - 'He's had it in control this long. Why would being with me change that? Surely he's not been alone all these years either. At the very least there was that woman he lost in Azys La. So how am I different?'

Rau's brow furrows. Thought - 'Godsdammit…Is he making excuses to try and spare my feelings? I don't care what I deserve. I don't care about the danger. I want *him*.' 

Rau smiles hopefully. Tears pooling in his eyes  - "Wolfram ...I care not about the voidsent. I don't see you as a monster. I never have. I have no reservations despite your condition. We can find a way to handle any obstacle together. Please just say you love me, please. I accept all of you. Everything. *Please.*"

Wolf shocked. Eyes watering. Thought - 'I…thought for sure he’d reject me again…instead he said the very thing I've wanted to hear for 13 years. I have to tell him...' Dark Thought - 'That's right - think only of yourself. It doesn't matter how much worse the nightmares were when you were happy with him. How much harder you had to fight. Be with him like you want to. And when you lose control he'll be right next to you. My first victim in a new era of bloodshed.'

Wolf steps back and looks away. Serious face. - "Rau… *I don't accept myself*. I can't. Accepting what I am means lowering my guard and putting those important to me at risk." Thought - ‘I can't tell him how I really feel about him. How much I love him. I never stopped loving him…I never will. Telling him would make this more painful for the both of us.' 

Rau silent, staring at the ground, blank stare, his eyes filling with tears. Wolf looking guilty. Thought - ‘Keep it in. Don’t cry yet.’ Say - "Rau, I… I should not have been so flirtatious with you recently. Pray forgive me. I was caught up in the nostalgia and excitement of liberating our homeland. I wouldn't have acted that way if I'd thought you could ever love me. I did not intend to be careless with your feelings. It will not happen again."

Wolf looks at Rau, with a pained expression. Thought - 'I can bear this suffering. This longing… so long as I know I'm not putting him in harm's way. These voidsent are clever. I'm no more capable of protecting him than I was of protecting Arya.' 

Rau looks at Wolf, tears flowing freely down his face, hurt expression. 

Wolf worried. Thought - ‘He’s in so much pain…am I making it worse by being here?’ Says - "I…I'll go. I’m so sorry…for everything."

Zoom out shot. Wolf walking away as Rau cries.

Shot facing Wolf, tears running down his face, finally letting himself cry as he walks away.

Rau leans against a large planter glancing at his left shoulder as he cries. Thought  - 'I don't understand. If he truly has no love for me…the voidsent cannot be the reason. It was always there… What has changed between then and now? Could it be… he thinks me weak?! My damned arm?! He did mention the woman was young…perhaps this old broken man is no longer attractive to him…”

Rau puts a hand over his mouth, tears landing on his hand. *muffled sobbing* Thought - ‘Raubahn, you fool. Why did I say anything? Now I've lost him too.’

Wolfram Saga Comics (Chronological)

[theprodigypenguin]

Good morning it's raining I'm gonna scream about my other new OC! :D thank you to picrew for literally just existing so I can make references of characters 😩❤️

OC #2, Sys' best friend, is Jade. He has pale, sometimes sickly looking skin (explanation for this coming), pale grey eyes, jade green hair and a splash of freckles across his nose and cheeks.

As far as Jade knows, he was born into slavery. As far back as he can remember, he'd been shackled on Marie Jois and used mainly for hard labor, entertainment, or experiments (one such example, reminiscent of the Boa sisters, is when the Celestial Dragon who controlled him forced him to eat a Devil Fruit just to see what would happen).

He's enslaved until he's brought to Sabaody by the Celestial Dragon (a very controlling and possessive monster who dragged Jade everywhere he went because he was paranoid about him escaping). This is where Sys witnesses the Celestial Dragon doling out "punishment" for something. She breaks Jade from shackles he'd worn for the majority of his life (she stole the key of course) grabbed him around the wrist and ran.

They traveled alone for a while before joining the Revolutionary Army together. Like Sys, Jade currently works under Sabo’s command.

He seems to be the exact opposite of Sys in personality and how he carries himself. He's very quiet, cautious, thoughtful, and jaded. He carries immense trauma from his past, but is unquestionably a kind person who just wants to help people, live his life, and change the world so no one else has to suffer like he did.

Unexpectedly quick witted and terribly sarcastic, has a deep, dark gallows humor that will shock people if they aren't already used to him. It surprises people when he makes jokes because he looks so serious all the time and doesn't talk a lot if he doesn't have to.

As a young child, he was forced to eat the Tetsu Tetsu no Mi: Model Blood, classified as a Paramecia. With this unusual ability, he's able to manipulate the iron particles in his own and other people's blood. Over the years, he taught himself to weaponize the ability. With a cut on his hand, he can make weapons like swords or long sticks similar to Sabo’s pipes. Utilizing Armament haki, he can transform his own blood into bullets and shoot them at targets or enemies.

However, this ability has limits, in that he can only use it so long as he has blood in his own body. If he uses it carelessly, indiscriminately, he can end up fainting or passing out from blood loss mid battle. Occasionally he'll collapse from anemia and fatigue during daily tasks (fucking sucks at taking care if himself).

In addition to weaponizing his ability, he can also use it for medical purposes by stemming the blood loss of injured comrades. Dragon has more than once suggested that Jade step back from the frontline to act as a medic rather than a soldier since it's less taxing on his body, but Jade has refused every time.

In addition to this ability, he has Armament and Observation haki, which was taught to him by Sys.

Bonus: In the future, when Ruan joins to revs, they end up in a relationship (i want them to kiss okay okay okay).

[quohotos]

I'm assuming you've played some ttrpgs based on your posts so what are some of the characters you've played?

It is true, I have played a lot of TTRPGs, however most often I was the forever DM, so a lot of times the characters I was playing were NPCs or villains.

Here's a set of some villains from from one of my first campaigns. They are a species called "Nocturns" and are based on bats. These ones have all had their wings amputated which sure as heck made it easier to draw them. I don't post a lot of these guys because, again, they're part of unpublished works that will get a big art drop if I ever manage to find a publishing solution.

In order from top to bottom:

Commander Symeraks is a flamboyant diva who writes and directs plays when he's not busy leading armies. He's incredibly skilled and incredibly dangerous, but easily distracted. Commander Glyph is cunning, ruthless, pragmatic, and not actually that skilled. He's a mediocre commander, but he attaches himself to Symeraks and keeps him out of trouble as his handler. He hopes that he can ride Symeraks' coat tails into a higer ranking position. Don't ship them, Symeraks is gay for someone else and Glyph would rather die than kiss anyone. Lomedia is a burning spirit of chaos who everyone hates, including herself. She's been demoted a million times but always finds some way to cling on and make everyone's lives a little bit worse. She's constantly betraying, backstabbing, and lying and yet somehow the rest of them always give her another chance.

Those are some memorable villains from one of my campaigns, but here are some more memorable characters I've played, in order of most favorite to least favorite.

Bradly Arbor is a 19 year old who's just out of highschool. He was captain of the football team, but also got all the lead roles in the play by virtue of being one of the few guys who enrolled in the school plays (he was not a good actor). He did that all to get closer to a girl who he was infatuated with... unfortunately she came out as a lesbian and his heart was crushed. Rather than go to college he got a deadend job at a little emporium that reopened in town and accidentally got embroiled in the supernatrual.

It was a monster of the week game, and his class was "Professional", interpreted very sarcastically and very loosely. That sword he carries is The Phoenix King (a perk of the job). It can speak and has deep lore implication that he's just too much of a dumb himbo to really grasp or care about. What's important is that it lights ablaze when he says "Hey, do the thing where you're on fire".

Other notable parts of his character design are his Marry Poppins briefcase (another perk of the job), and his cracked iphone 5 (not a perk of the job). He's dumb as rocks, but his heart is in the right place, specifically in his rib-cage

Morgan is a Dragonborn barbarian that I made for a friend's campaign set in a homebrew setting. I was feeling lazy with character designs that day so I adapted the character of Morgan from my unreleased serial to the 5e setting, thus she has hair instead of a frill.

Same backstory though, an exhiled princess who refuses to work out her feelings and instead cuts people's heads off while moralistically spouting about a religion that basically no one but her believes in. She has some cool homebrew heart-eating mechanics that my DM gave me because no one wanted to play a healer in that game, so this interpretation of Morgan also gets up to some Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom shenanigans.

Of notable importance, I was basically done with the drawing and then asked my DM "Hey, where do you stand on the lizard boob debate?" after a hilarious conversation in which they lost all respect for me, my DM decided that, yes, lizards have boobs in his setting, so I haphazardly added some cloth to her chest to be compliant with his lore.

Lastly is Rythian, an elf Monk that I threw together for an ill-fated game that only lasted like one session. He's an elf monk, named after a yogscast member because I really struggle with originality sometimes. His body was horribly burned in an incident so he wears these cool wraps to cover it up... why he doesn't wear just regular clothes is beyond me. He's special like that I guess.

It's been a while so I don't remember much more of his lore, but I do remember how much I miss adobe illustrator draw... fuck that was a good app. Why the fuck did they have to shut it down? Is there anything else like it?

Some of my coolest characters for ttrpgs were from games that I played with a close group of friends who never want to speak to me ever again... so out of respect for them I'll omit all the cool art I made for those games.

Thank you for the ask!

[arctrooper69]

NIGHTMARES

Warnings: bad dreams, war, violence, normal clone wars stuff

"WE NEED TO MOVE!" the captain shouted. I choked on the air thick with smoke and tried to reorient myself to my surroundings. "Breathe" I could almost hear my Master's voice cutting through the chaos, "Let the force guide your way." I squeezed my eyes shut, desperately trying to reach whatever calm lay within me. Blaster fire lit up the sky doing nothing but adding the to sudden panic blooming in my chest. I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. Something was wrong, I could feel it. "Commander! What are your orders?" The clone captain's voice came over the coms. I tried to respond, to tell them to retreat, but nothing came out. An army of tanks and battle droids were advancing closer and closer. "Commander!? Commander respond! What are your orders?" The telltale thunder of Separatist tanks shook the ground alerting that they were suddenly upon us. "Commander!?" screamed the coms. "Do something!" the voice of another padawan shouted as she was cut down by a blade-wielding droid, spraying hot, sticky spatters of blood on my plastoid armor. Waves of clones fell with each onslaught of enemy forces. I could name each of them. Fives. Jesse. Hardcase. Echo. Kix. Their faces flooded my mind as the droids shot them down - their panicked eyes turning to anger that seemed to scream "You were our Commander! How could you let this happen to us!?" Their words echoed through the smoke that was once again forcing and burning itself into my lungs.

"Oh little padawan" a mocking voice called. My breath caught in my throat. I felt sick. The voice was different this time. The anguished cries of fallen clones turned to a cruel, cold, voice was that I knew all too well. I looked up, staring straight into the eyes of my former master, General Krell. I felt my throat close painfully as he pulled me closer into his yellow traitorous gaze. I felt my something in my neck snap and the cries of war melted away into my own gasping sobs.

"Hey! You're safe. You're safe now, Mesh'la." My throat ached. I still couldn't breathe. "Come on Mesh'la, breathe with me." A hand grasped my own and I recoiled sharply but the grip was strong and held on as he brought it slowly to his own chest. "Breathe with me. In...and out". The hand was not cold and brittle like a droid's. It was warm, gentle, grounding. I could feel my lungs open up and almost unconsciously start to breathe in sync with him. "That's good Mesh'la. That's good. Just breathe, I got you. You're safe." Mesh'la - the Mando'a word drew me out of the darkness and into the dimly lit bedroom. "Kix..." I whimpered. He still held my hand in his firm grip. I leaned, shaking and exhausted, into his chest and he wrapped his arms around me tightly. His familiar scent filled my nose, further drawing me home. "I'm here."

There was a small knock at the bedroom door. "Mama?" a young voice full of concern called from the other side.

A pang of guilt speared my chest and more tears threatened to fall. I squeezed my eyes shut in frustration. "Shit...I'm sorry," I sniffed quietly. I hadn't meant to wake him. "It's alright." Kix said, softly placing his lips to my forehead, "I'll get him back to bed." I looked up at the handsome face belonging to the strong arms around me, his eyes were full of concern, yet understanding. "I'll be right back," he kissed me again and I fell back into the pillows as he gently got up and headed to the door.

"Come on kid, let's get you back to bed. Mama's alright, she just had a bad dream." There was a small commotion in the hall and suddenly two small, freezing hands and feet scrambled their way under the covers. A smile tugged at my cheeks, slowly melting away the terror in my chest. I closed my eyes, "Jesse, I thought Daddy told you to go to bed," I mumbled. "He did," piped the small voice, "but I wanted to make sure you were ok first." He pressed his face into my chest. "Kriff, you're freezing!" I gasped, then cringed hoping that the four year old didn't pick up on the kind of language that occasionally slipped out. He only snuggled deeper into the covers as Kix came back into the room chuckling at the sight of his wife and son cocooned in the blankets. "Come on, kid. Let's get you back to bed." I shook my head and sighed contently, slowly exhaling the remaining traces of panic. "Nah, it's alright. He can stay." I looked down at the little boy who was already beginning to fall back asleep. Kix smiled as he turned off the lights and crawled into bed on the other side, sandwiching me between himself and our son. His breath fell lightly on my neck as I closed my eyes and for the first time that night I felt safe.

[i-have-a-wonky-eye-too]

A Princess. A Queen. A Wife. A Mother.

Medieval au

Princess Y/N Stark of York New must marry a man chosen by her brother, by the time she is 21. Her brother's council have the perfect man in mind, one that is terrifying and hell bent on having his Queen. But Princess Y/N's heart belongs to another, and luckily so does her hand in marriage.

'A princess is far more powerful than a king, my love. You have the power of merging families and kingdoms. You have the power of carrying hopeful heirs to the throne. You have more power than you know...'

Bold italics are flashbacks.

Series warnings: swearing, medieval views on women, arranged marriage, smut, bloodshed, violence, 18+ readers only

Part warnings: none

<Part 17<

Part 18

"May I speak to you, King Steven?" Came the sweet voice of Princess Morgana from behind Steve and Bucky.

Steve turned around and faced the little princess with a smile before lowering himself onto his left knee. "Of course, Princess. What would you like to talk about?"

Morgana looked over her shoulder down the hall before looking back up to Steve and stepping closer to him.

"I'm worried about Y/N." She whispered. "Every night this week, she's woken up in the middle of the night screaming and crying. I can hear her from my room and I don't like it, so I get into bed with her to stop her from being sad." She pouted. "Did, I do wrong telling you? I promised I wouldn't say anything but, I thought you could make Y/N happy. You always do. I don't want her to cry anymore."

Both men stared down at the little princess as she stared up at them, her bottom lip trembling.

"Of course you didn't, Morgana." Steve smiled softly at her as he reached up and gently wiped her small tears from her cheek. "Thank you for telling me."

"Are you going to make her happy again?" She asked with a hopeful look.

Steve nodded, "Of course I am." Steve straightened up as he looked over his shoulder to make sure they were still alone as he slipped his hand into his pocket. "Look at what I'm going to give her." Steve grinned as he watched the little princess' face light up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I'm sorry we can't go any further, my love." Steve frowned before jumping down from his horse.

You smiled at him, "No need to apologize, Steven. I'm just happy you were able to convince my brother to allow us leave from the castle." You placed your hands on his shoulders as he helped you down from your horse. "Thank you," You blushed, your body pressed against Steve's as he rested his hands on your waist.

"You're welcome," He smiled down at you.

The pair of you stared at each other with silly smiles, like a couple of love sick teens and you would have kept staring one another if it wasn't for Happy clearing his throat from beside you. You quickly moved away from Steve, blushing with embarrassment as Steve sent Happy and the other knights that were with you a death glare as they chuckled.

"Let's find somewhere good for the picnic, hmm?" Steve held his arm out for you to take.

Slowly the two of you and the small army that was protecting you as per Tony's command, made your way through the trees until Steve found the 'perfect' spot. You knew Steve had already been out to scope the area earlier. You let out a frustrated sigh as you sat down on the large blanket as the servants set out the picnic for you whilst the knights stood guard around you.

Steve frowned as he sat opposite you resting his back against the large tree. "I'm sorry, my love." He frowned with his own sigh. "I wish it didn't have to be like this."

You shook your head, "It's fine. I know it has to be like this."

Steve took your hand in his, "It won't be like this forever, my love. Once we have these threats dealt with, security can be loosened and it won't feel like we have no privacy." He pressed a kiss to your knuckles.

You smiled at him, "It's fine, I promise. I'm just happy you got Tony to agree to this." You looked around you with a bigger smile. "I've felt so cooped up over the last few days." You frowned at the thought.

You'd hardly seen Steve because he'd been in meeting after meeting with your brother to discuss the Hydra threats. Plus, you'd been with the seamstress working on your ball gown, and then there was the curfew you'd been put under as protection. You felt like a child and you felt alone.

"I had an interesting talk with Morgana today." Steve smiled at you as he leaned back against the tree.

"You did?"

Steve nodded, "She knows more than we think, doesn't she?" He chuckled.

You nodded laughing. "Oh yes. I've taught her well."

Steve raised his eyebrow. "You have? How so?"

You smirked at him, "Now, if I told you that, I'd be sharing secrets only for princess ears."

"Oh, I see." He shook his head with a smirk. Steve stayed quiet, watching you as you ate before clearing his throat. "She's worried about you. As am I."

You looked up with a furrowed brow, "Worried about me?"

Steve nodded, "She said she can hear you wake in the middle of the night, crying and screaming. She doesn't like you being sad." Steve let out a heavy sigh as he watched your face for your reaction.

You averted your gaze to the floor as you began to fiddle with your dress. "Oh, hmm, that's nothing. I-"

"You don't lie to me, Y/N, remember? Like I don't lie to you." Steve spoke sternly making you meet his gaze.

You nodded, taking a deep breath. "I've been having nightmares." You whispered. "They're nothing serious." You lowered your gaze back to the floor.

Steve frowned at you, he could see you weren't being truthful. "Why don't you tell me about them? Maybe I can help."

"You'll think I'm nothing more than a pathetic and weak girl." You pouted. "I'm sure no prince or king has stupid dreams that scare them." You huffed.

"I have different nightmares, Princess, but I still have them." Steve said. "My nightmares are almost like I'm reliving the war. I wake up after hearing the screaming of dieing men on the battlefield. I hear the sound my sword made as it pierced a man's body. I see all the blood and dismembered limbs as if I was back in the mud fighting for my life." Steve's voice broke. He closed his eyes and dropped his head back against the tree.

Your eyes widened with fear as you listened to Steve speak. "Oh, Steve," You quickly crawled across the blanket to his side. You knelt beside him as you cupped his face in your hands. "Have you been having these dreams long?" You asked him.

Steve nodded, "For as long as I can remember. Although, whenever you visit, they never seem as... Scary. You've always brought a sense of calm to my life, even when you were young."

Steve gave you a lazy smile as you ran your thumb over his cheek.

"You have this, calming nature about you.... Promise me, if you have anymore dreams, now or in the future, never feel like you can't wake me or come find me. I promise, I'll hold you for as long as you need, my love. And, if you fell like you need to tell me, anything, I'll listen. I'll always protect you." Steve pressed his lips against yours hoping to stop your tears that had formed.

You pulled back with a soft smiled, resting your forehead against his. "I wish I had said something to you, but I was worried. I was scared." You admitted. "I'm always scared."

Steve pressed his lisp against the top of your head. "You never need to be scared again, my love."

There was a moment of silence as you worked up the courage  ut eventually you cleared your throat.

"They're always different, but they're the same. I'm either being kidnapped or beaten... Sometimes I'm being chased and I'm running towards you but you get further and further away from me." You snuggled closer to him, melting into his arms as he kissed your forehead. "But last night, it was different. The worst one... It felt, real." You took a deep breath and began to tell him about your dream.

"Hello, Princess." King Brock hovered over you with a sinister smile. He reached out and gently ran his fingers down your naked stomach until he came to the patch of hair between your legs, your muffled words of protest ignored as he chuckled. "All mine to play with." He groan before forcing two of his fingers-

Your voice hitched in your throat with a sob. You hid your face as you tried to forget the memories of your nightmare.

"It's okay, my love. You're safe." Steve reassured you.

You shook your head, "But I'm not. As long as where no married, something could still happen. That's why I was scared to tell you, incase you thought I was weak and not worth all this hassle. I'm scared I'm going to let you down and your love for me will fade." You cried, curling yourself up closer to Steve.

"Look at me," Steve whispered. "Look at me!" He raised your face so you'd look at him. "I love you... You never need to worry about me never loving you. You've had my heart for as long as I can remember. A princess is far more powerful than a king, my love. You have the power of merging families and kingdoms. You have the power of carrying hopeful heirs to the throne. You have more power than you know..." He kissed you hard and passionately, his tongue licking its way into your mouth and pulling a deep moan from you.

The sound of someone clearing their throat (again) pulled the two of you out of your little daydream.

"Sorry to interrupt, Your Majesty." Sam smirked.

"What is it, Sam?" Steve huffed making you hiding your smile behind your hand.

"It seems there's a storm coming and fast. We should make tracks back." Sam explained looking a little more serious.

Steve nodded. "Thank you, Sam. Have the servants begin to clean things away, please."

Sam bowed to the pair of you before leaving.

Steve carefully slipped his hand into the satchel that sat beside him and pulled something out. "I wanted to give this to you when I returned, but I had to wait for it to be collected from my safe place." He sighed.

You sat back as Steve held a small box out to you.

"My mother gave me this, it was her mother's. I was to give it to the woman I loved when I decided I was going to marry her." He smiled, opening the small box to reveal a beautiful engagement ring.

Your eyes widened and although it was a beautiful ring, you couldn't help but worry it had once been on Margaret's finger.

"It's always belonged to you, YN... I think that's why she waited to give it to me after Margaret's death." He admitted causing your head to shoot up.

"She what?" You whispered.

Steve smiled, "No one has ever wore this, other than my grandmother." He pulled the ring out. "Now, it's yours."

Tears fell as you held your hand out for him to slip the ring on. A perfect fit. "Oh, Steve!" You jumped up and wrapped your arms around his neck as you crashed your lips against his. "I love you."

The heavens opened with a flash of lightning before the crash thunder echoed around you. But neither you or Steve seemed to care as you shared a loving kiss still sat at the base of the tree as it rained.

"Your Majesty, we must be leaving." Bucky called out as he walked up to you. "So stop with the kissing would you." He teased and held his hand out for you to take as he stood before you.

Steve grumbled something under his breath about kicking a certain part of Bucky once they were back at the castle as the pair of them helped you to your feet.

"Will you ride with me? Not ready to let you go yet." Steve whispered as you made your way back to the horses.

You nodded with a smile. "Of course. You can warm me up." You giggled, feeling yourself begin to shiver.

With the help of Bucky you were sat in front of Steve, his cloak pulled around himself and you, his hood keep the rain from hitting you in the face as you began to make your way back to the castle. You didn't care that you were soaking, or chilly. You had Steven to protect you, and with his arms wrapped around you, you were safe.

Your eyes began to grow heavy as you snuggled into Steve's chest but before they closed you admired your ring one last time with a smile.

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Taglist: @fckdeusername @vxidnik @coffeebooksandfandom @flowery-mess @inumorph @heavenhatesme @andineversawyoucoming @jayhargrove @luckyladycreator2 @dontbescaredtosingalong

[serpenteve]

I'm having the horrible realization that Aleksander never actually did any serious wooing of Alina in the books. It's all just Alina her self being horny attracted to him. But this is supposedly???? His grand scheme???? Of manipulation???? Implications! It seems like the girls in these books wasn't the only one slut shamed. I'm- ☠

Leigh wrote a man sexy and captivating and said "it's his fault, actually, that Alina got a crush on him. He shouldn't of.... uh.." Flips through papers. "Ah, had such pretty eyes."

Okay! 👀Yes, we are finally doing this!

I'm flipping through my copy of Shadow & Bone and noting down all the interactions between the Darkling and Alina which I've put in chronological order beneath the cut.

First of all, the Darkling and Alina are only alone together in about a handful of scenes. Most of the time, the are surrounded by other Grisha or Baghra or are in a public place. A lot of the Darkling's actions and words are clouded by Alina's own insecurities. She constantly voices how she feels like she's not good enough, not pretty enough, not strong enough and he takes it in stride and gently encourages and placates her. There are a few lies he does tell her (that the Black Heretic was his ancestor, that he wants to destroy the Fold, and he doesn't know what Baghra's power is, etc) but if we extrapolate the trajectory of her ill-fated romance arc, I think even book!Darkling would have told Alina about his real plans if she seemed like she'd accept them.

A lot of speculation has been made about the Darkling's seduction of Alina and honestly???? Aleksander literally just exists and Alina is thirsting for him because she's desperately looking for validation and re-assurance. I initially head-canoned his first kiss by the lake as being pure calculation and the kiss at the Winter Fete being 100% accidental (because Dark Lord Sasha played himself lmao) but on this re-read, I don't even know anymore. He already came close to almost kissing her after they have a tender moment, catches himself and then immediately leaves before he can catch feelings. Then when they share another tender moment at the lake, he kisses her and then is surprised by it and before he can really process it, Ivan comes by to cockblock.

Like, even Leigh (as much as she has shit on this ship) said at one point that the Darkling has strong feelings for Alina, even if he may not necessarily quantify them as love. So looking back, I don't read anything the Darkling did as manipulative seduction. He obviously lied about some stuff and wasn't transparent about his real plans for the Fold, but as a military commander who sees Alina as an opportunity for a coup, it makes sense that he'd play that a little close to the chest---especially when Alina has proved to be wary of his powers and has a very black-and-white sense of morality. If anything, this is less "the Darkling seduced Alina to manipulate her into being used!!11" and more "local dark lord tried to encourage his protege and accidentally caught feelings and it was a mASSIVE FUCKING INCONVENIENCE TO HIS EVIL PLANS"

But you know who does slut-shame Alina a lot? Baghra. Seriously, Baghra makes Alina feel like shit for her crush on the Darkling numerous times. She has all these lines:

"You want to be [his pet]...Don’t bother lying to me. You’re like all the rest. I saw the way you looked at him."

"Dreaming of dancing with your dark prince?"

"Foolish girl." (After Alina shamefully admits the Darkling might come to her that night)

At one point Baghra creeps on Alina and the Darkling's interactions and even though literally nothing happens between them and when the Darkling leaves, Alina catches Baghra giving her a snooty look. ("For no reason at all, I blushed")

She is determined to shame Alina for her feelings and make her feel like a lovesick idiot for daring to crush on him and this is in addition to all the slut-shaming Mal does. The narrative revealing the Darkling is the bad guy all along while leaving Alina no compelling arc to discover this on her own feels very much like Leigh hitting us all with Baghra's stick, like "Foolish girls! You thought he cared about Alina just because he has a sexy jawline??? HAHA HE LIED YOU SLUTS"

Scenes with Alina and the Darkling in Book 1

Their first scene together is in the Grisha tent. Based on Alina's description of him, she already thinks he's hot as barely any other character in this godforsaken series gets so many descriptions of their grey/smoke/slate/quartz eyes as Aleksander does 😏

The next time they're together he saves her life. Alina is traumatized from seeing a man sliced in half and the Darkling instructs her to keep her eyes on him instead. She is disturbed that he killed the person about to murder her and this aversion seems incredibly contrived and arbitrary on behalf of the author. It's almost like she wants Alina to be vindicated and shamed for not trusting her initial bigotry against him or something 🤔The Darkling admits even he can make mistakes and then he touches the back of Alina's neck (with some secret Heartrender/Healer abilities?) and she falls asleep riding on his horse.

They spend the next few days traveling. Alina notes that the Darkling hasn't spoken to her (probably because he's focused on getting her to the Little Palace without any more assassination attempts) but Alina is a paranoid she's offended him somehow. Again, this is just Alina's insecurity painting a narrative that simply doesn't exist based on what actually happened so far.

They exchange a few words by the stream and Alina fishes for pity points by saying she's ugly and can't possibly be Grisha. Aleksander appears 100% done with her stupidity and says she doesn't understand but he's not in the mood to explain at the moment and walks off ☠️

Alina joins the Darkling and his men for a meal. She notes that the grouse they've killed is meager shared meal but that the Darkling doesn't want to put his men in danger by sending them out to hunt in the forest at night 😌He also sits on the floor to eat like they do and he doesn't take more than the regular portion than they do 😌. Sorry, how is this man the most ~evil~ wizard on the planet? He is obviously a good and fair commander and beloved by the Grisha.

Alina has been checking Aleksander out the entire time so when he catches her, he walks over to talk. He fishes around for information on what Alina has heard about him. He seems sad when Alina mentions she has heard that Darklings are born without souls, though not surprised. He then spins the story about the Black Heretic being his ancestor and how the Fold was a mistake and how every Darkling since then has tried to undo it and how Alina is "the first glimmer of hope" he's had in a long time.

Because Alina is still on that "Grisha are unnatural monsters" agenda, she asks him about the Cut and he explains it but she's still distrubed. He asks her if it would have been better if he used a sword and she replies: "I don't know". The Darkling gets offended and leaves. Alina tries to convince herself she can't have possibly hurt his feelings (because Darklings don't have souls or feelings?) and then feels paranoid that she's failed some secret test. Yeah, the test you failed is called "empathy", Alina 🙄

Two days later, they arrive at Os Alta. Aleksander roasts the Grand Palace as the ugliest effing building he's ever seen. He leaves immediately after dumping Alina at the Little Palace and Alina actually seethes that he isn't paying more attention to her? I understand that it's overwhelming to go to a brand new place, but Alina expecting him to constantly hold her hand and explain everything to her after she basically insulted him is a bit strange.

The next time Alina sees the Darkling, they are scheduled to appear before the King and Queen. The demonstration is a surprise for Alina and Aleksander's lack of transparency of what's expected of her means she's forced to rely on him and trust his instincts. This might be his underhanded way of getting Alina to see that she can trust him; that he will not make her look like a failure or humiliate her; that they are in this together and it will only work if she trusts him.

After the demonstration, Genya and the Darkling trash the monarchy for a bit (Alina is horrified) and then the Darkling orders Genya to get a black kefta for Alina, to which Alina infamously wants a blue one. The Darkling doesn't really put up much of a fight, merely wanting to know why. Alina decides he doesn't approve of her choosing blue and wonders to Genya if he's angry.

After Alina's first day, the Darkling calls her to his quarters to ask her how her day was. Alina is surprised that this is all he wanted to know because she was paranoid he was going to torture her??? She says: "Why shouldn't I be afraid of you?...You can cut people in half. I think it's fair to be a little intimidated." If the Darkling is offended or angry about this, he doesn't show it and merely indulges her. He notes that she has a habit of running her hand across a scar on her palm and asks her about it, tracing the scar himself. Alina gets distracted by his touch but manages to answer his questions: she got the scar at Keramzin, Mal is also an orphan, he is good at tracking. He shows her a secret passage back to her rooms to avoid the main hall.

Alina starts her training and at one point laments that the Darkling is rarely at the Little Palace and when he is, he never speaks to her or barely looks her way and she is convinced it's because she's a failure and can't summon light on her own. It could also be because, you know, he's the commander of the Second Army and is usually seen in talks with other military advisors and the fact that Alina kinda lowkey insulted him with her wariness about his powers???

The next time they are together, Alina interrupts him and Baghra arguing. He politely asks her how she is. Baghra antagonizes her. The Darkling defends her. They talk about amplifiers and because Baghra is being a snarky little shit about it, they take their conversation outside.

Aleksander complains about how annoying his mom is and then asks Alina what stories she's heard about Morozova's herd. At one point he laughs for the first time and Alina practically creams her pants at the sound. Alina expresses her concerns that she can't summon any light and the Darkling says he's not worried and it will happen when it happens and worse case scenario, it will happen once she has the stag. They have a quiet intimate moment, gazing softly into each other's eyes and then suddenly Aleksander realizes he's catching feelings and steps back suddenly like "GoodLuckWithYourLessonsOKayBYE". Baghra watches this interaction from her hut and gives Alina a slut-shaming look.

Alina eventually does learn to summon light on her own. Baghra gives her grief about how it's not enough. The Darkling shows up during one of these lessons and says as much. Alina says she's useless. The Darkling corrects her (“I don't think you're useless, Alina....No Grisha is powerful enough to face the Fold. Not even me”) and then he apologizes for letting her down ("I've asked you to trust me and I haven't delivered"). He wonders if his mother is right and he's crazy to hunt the stag. They have a nice bonding moment, Aleksander lies about Baghra's power, and then he asks if Alina would think him crazy for still wanting to find the stag. She asks why he cares what she thinks, he seems genuinely surprised himself that he cares. Then he kisses her. He seems not to have meant to kiss her because then Ivan shows up for his 5 o'clock shift of cockblocking and the Darkling immediately pretends like nothing happened and walks away with him. Like dude is acting like a fucking dork who's allergic to feelings at this point. I should note here that Alina practically has an orgasm from how giddy she is about this moment. She can barely think of anything else.

The next time they're together, it's at the Winter Fete. They do their demonstration and Alina accidentally reveals her insecurities about how he had kissed her and then disappeared. He responds, "Did you really think I was done with you?" and then they enjoy some steamy kisses and thigh grabbing in an empty room before a random round of Grisha show up for their 6 o'clock shift of cockblocking. Aleksander is annoyed at his own attraction to Alina. He asks if he can come to her that night but Alina doesn't get a chance to respond.

and then the Darklina romance arc falls off a giant cliff and dies a terrible death 😭😭😭

[cadmusfly]

Ooh questions

Does Junot only let Laure ride him because Napoleon told him he needed to pick another rider other than Napoleon? Is Lannes in a same situation with the Lovely Louise? Sounds about right! I was hesitating whether to say that Louise is Lannes' rider because she doesn't seem like the type, but maybe in this AU she's a sort of assigned rider-

I had this idea where the myth of St Martha taming the tarrasque was more of a cultural thing, and now I'm thinking of this idea where the idea of a beautiful woman "taming" a dragon and being an official representative "rider", especially for high ranked dragons who don't have official riders, as a sort of standin for arranged marriages

It's kind of awful! The fun part is that there are definitely young ladies who are assigned to dragons as show-riders, and then they actually end up as good dragon-soldiers

though Louise is probably not that.

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What would dragon Oudinot be like? Are Mortier and Lefebvre dragons, and is Mortier enormous? Oudinot Dragon is full of scars and holes! Watch this space -winks at someone-

Mortier is the largest dragon. He's like a big shaggy black dog of a dragon. I don't know if I want to quantify a size because I'm awful at spatial reasoning, and I don't want to say that he's as big as the big Temeraire or Pern dragons, but he needs a warehouse to sleep in. The bigger the dragon, the longer their dragon-stupor tends to be, so he needs to be careful about his strength. But he is big!

Lefebvre is also a dragon and he has black feathery wings because I'm kinda getting inspiration for dragon forms from the awarded coat of arms and there's just black wings on there. He's an older dragon

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What roles do artillerists play in this AU? Do they direct dragons? Not entirely sure yet! From the list I just made the following started out as Artillery

Victor (as a musician), Marmont, Grouchy (yeah I was surprised, it was for one year before he went to Cavalryland forever)

Now that I've actually made the list of what marshals did what, it might make more sense to designate the Cavalry and Artillery as dragons and leave the Infantry as human, but I've already committed to this - maybe we should leave half of the Infantry marshals as human?

I don't want dragons to completely obsolete the existing napoleonic army infrastructure, so I think cannons and artillery does still exist, but maybe dragons help out a lot with moving them and

ooh, dragons help with igniting them! There are ways to fire them without dragon help, but having a dragon cough into a cannon - i am not sure of how this would work mechanically - would help

Should the artillery marshals also be dragons? hmmmmm

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Are any irl naval commanders sea serpents? Hell yeah they are, my knowledge on this front is more British Royal Navy centered, I think Nelson should still be human (unless we want. sea serpent menage a trois) but Hardy of Kiss Me Hardy fame could be a dragon buddy

Lets have Cochrane as another serpent, he can also go and help other countries fight for independence as a big snakey boy

and (this is for @marryat92) a babby Frederick Marryat as a babby sea serpent following Cochrane

one day that babby sea dragon will grow up to write novels

On the French side, I do have a soft spot for Villeneuve, I mean it wouldn't go any better if he was a giant sea serpent because he did kinda hesitate too hard on certain things - to my memory I think he did predict Nelson's moves but ended up doing what he did anyway because his job was in danger lol - but sure let's have him be a sad sea serpent

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What is dragon Duroc like? What is his role? He's still in charge of Napoleon's household and safety! It's great if his role does not change but he's now the size of a bus with pale gold scales.

Napoleon rides him more than Lannes and Junot. Lannes doesn't really care though he admits it's fun to ride with his bestie, Junot is jealous.

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"Like Ney." You can't just drop two words about this and walk away!!!! Ney would make a really good dragon! That's why it's funnier if he isn't

Let's say when a dragon officer and a human officer of the same rank work together, it's expected for the human to ride the dragon in order to coordinate stuff - the dragon is usually focused on working out their flight plan because none of the dragons here can actually hover in midair they're not hummingbirds, some of the smaller ones can get close though, so the human is the one taking advantage of the view

though honestly as @josefavomjaaga pointed out, Dragon!Ney being ridden by Human!Soult is also extremely funny

honestly both combinations are just very funny

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Other comments: dragon Berthier is very powerful. Very beautiful, very powerful. Yes I agree.

what if he dips his claw in ink to write

Help I drove to work and while doing that sketched out Napoleonic Dragons AU That Isn’t Temeraire in my head, just jotting it down because I'm unlikely to work on this more than tiny snippets for the moment

Cavalry Dragons AU or Every Infantry Marshal Has Scales Now, The Worldbuilding

Baseline points:

If Temeraire is "dragons as navy" worldbuilding, this can slot into "dragons as cavalry" - things may be stolen from Temeraire though

I don't feel like doing a lot of logical extrapolations to make a coherent alternate history, so I want to restrict the abilities and capabilities of dragons enough so that their existence is still cool but things like Ships Made Of Wood and Napoleon not flying over the ocean to conquer Britain make sense

I like to do things systematically, so I want to have a reason for which marshals are dragons and which ones aren't - I've decided on "all marshals who started out as infantry" which unfortunately means Murat, Bessieres, Ney and Davout aren't dragons, but maybe in the alternate universe next door only the cavalrymen are dragons but

Also, I have decided that many naval ships are bonded with/accompanied by a giant sea serpent dragon who can spit water, because that means that dragons cant burn the ships down and also. friendly sea serpent friends. insert aubreyad/hornblower thoughts here

Anyway, dragons! A lot of rambly worldbuilding thoughts under the cut, followed by brief text descriptions of Dragon Lannes and Dragon Soult and Dragon Junot and a bonus

They range in size from as big as a car to as big as a suburban house - sea serpents tend to be a lot bigger but are constrained to the sea

They have human intelligence and pretty much human minds, though there's room for some quirks and nonhuman POVs

They speak telepathically into people's minds, it sounds like audible speech that bypasses the ears, it doesn't bypass language so a French dragon will be speaking French

They don't really breathe fire - some spit sparks, others spit bursts of flames, but no sustained fire laserbeams

Except for some techniques that involve the dragon eating some special foods, which allow for fireballs/sustained flame, but they can't be flying and they have to be still and prepared

a certain artillery officer didnt invent this but he did work out new and exciting ways to use this

Maybe some dragons have acid sprays instead, others have a very chilly breath

Smaller dragons can fly longer than larger dragons

Dragons come in many different colours and shapes and tend to be categorised into something along the lines of Temeraire's lightweight/mediumweight/heavyweight categorisations but they don't have breeds for reasons I'll get into later

When a dragon likes collecting stuff, that's stereotyped as a hoard lol - yes this means Dragon!Soult has an art hoard, Dragon!Massena has… a pile of gold, Dragon!Lannes has his Armagnac collection and sheep

Dragons don't have a specific magical or psychological bond with a single person or rider, but they do get very strongly attached to people, they do prefer these people to ride them but can be persuaded to take others, and because of the next point, it’s strongly incentivised for dragon-bonded (need a better term) to accompany dragons

The Dragon Stupor:

The big thing about dragons, why they havent taken over the world, is that for all their might and grandeur, they are susceptable to the dragon-stupor.

Basically, when a dragon pushes themselves, when they exert themselves physically to the upper bounds of their ability - during a battle or a prolonged flight - after everything is done, they just fucking go to sleep.

Well it's more like a coma. Smaller dragons fall into the stupor for days to weeks, while larger ones can go up to months or even years

there's rumours about big mountains being Really Big dragons in the dragon-stupor for centuries!

This means that dragons are really good at sort of singular and short term attacks and operations, and they can walk around and push themselves a tiny bit, but they can't do long extended trips or long extended fights without needing long naps

However-

The dragon-stupor can be shortened and the effects lessened by the presence of things they like and feel comfortable with like their "hoard" and their favourite people

For example, Dragon!Soult usually has a stupor of, say, six months because he’s a pretty big dragon, but let him curl up in his Gallery Of Murillos and it’s shortened to about three to four months

Let Louise visit him and chat to him and he’ll wake up in a low energy state, but he’ll be conscious and this state is reduced to 1-2 months

Because Soult even as a dragon is a workaholic, he brings Louise with him and does planning and strategy stuff while low-energy

Napoleon is the bonded for. quite a few dragons. I mean one dragon can have multiple bonded to different extents but Dragon!Junot and Dragon!Lannes both consider him theirs

This is an excuse for cute moments I will admit. It does also solve some questions but it’s cute!

Sea serpents, who are bonded with naval captains and ships, also have the dragon-stupor but slightly less long and also they’re more conscious during it, but this means that naval ships with serpent friends have a cute setup where they harness the serpent to the ship and give their serpent a wind-assisted ride, with the serpent paddling a tiny bit

The reason that dragons and humans work together is that dragons are very vulnerable during the dragon-stupor, dragons don’t have opposable thumbs and good fine motor skills and it’s generally helpful for the dragons to have human help, like an extra pair of eyes in the sky because the dragon is likely looking at where they’re flying

But humans also still need horses for longer journeys that need more consistency - I guess there could be something where a human courier changes dragons on their trip but you’d need to set that up beforehand too

Dragons don’t have physical binary sexes. They do have gender that they identify with, but physically they’re weird magic alien reptiles. Any two dragons can make a clutch of eggs together, and doing this sends both dragons to a low energy stupor state where they’re cuddled up on top of the eggs and will bite anyone who is a threat but won’t leave.

They don’t have breeds because dragon genes are weird and actually kinda environment based sometimes

Many dragons have feathery quills or fluffy manes because I love feathered dinosaurs

Berthier is a small dragon who has actually, unlike other dragons, mastered telepathy to the point of directing it and with an immense range, able to whisper things into people s minds. Along with his dexterous claws that can grip a quill, he uses both letters and telepathic messages to direct the operations of the Grand Armee. But unfortunately, this is not a skill that can be learned easily and quickly.

Technically a dragon could have another dragon as a bonded and if they are bonded with each other they can have sleepy half awake naps together

Dragon People!

The marshals who are dragons are still marshals because even if dragons were not given titles back in the day, the Revolution and Napoleon’s reign shook things up.

Dragon Lannes

On the medium to small side of things, the dragon Lannes is a loud energetic dragon that’s mostly shiny green. His dragon-stupor is unusually short for his size, with him jumping up after a few days of lightly conscious rest. Scars mark his hide and there’s a few places where scales are misshapen and crooked but he doesn’t give a shit.

His first bonded was Paulette but then Something Happened. I’m not sure what his relation to the Lovely Louise is, but it’s something. He does consider Napoleon to be one of his favourite people.

Dragon Soult

Soult of Saint-Amans is a large dark maroon dragon with crimson markings. He really should have been born a human, and he enjoys things like reading and looking at nice art. He limps on one of his legs and one wing is a little ragged, but he can still fly- but it does send him into the stupor very easily.

His favourite person is of course Louise Berg. Unfortunately he can’t have her as a rider because misogyny and also he wants to keep her safe so he wouldn’t accept her as a full time rider anyway, stupid chauvinist dragon, so he has to take other riders.

Like Ney.

He likes strategising and planning more than actually fighting, but he will begrudingly go and Do Dragon Stuff

Dragon Junot

La Tempete is named not just for his ferocious style but for his elongated breath of sparks that resembles lightning in manner. He's either a medium or small dragon with black and navy scales, maybe a white mane/quills?

His favourite bonded person is Napoleon. He sometimes argues with Lannes and Duroc over who gets to carry Napoleon. Lannes and Duroc are chill and usually drop the matter, and then Napoleon picks Duroc anyway.

His rider is Laure Permont who will not shut up.

hmmm. either murat or bessieres..?

there's a myth of those people called melusines who can shift between dragon and human form

but they can only do so for so long

and then they are trapped in one form or the other