#so he removes himself from the equation to force her to do it

[senseandaccountability]

the healer has the bloodiest hands

I wrote some thoughts after the finale of Veilguard. Solavellan heavy.

This is just me, parsing through some feelings. "My people had a saying long ago -'The healer has the bloodiest hands'. You cannot treat a wound without knowing how deep it goes. You cannot heal pain by hiding it. You must accept. Accept the blood to make things better."  Solas to Thom Rainer in DAI.  ***

One can wonder, of course, what Mythal has to do with a Solavellan reunion and Solas’s choice to become the Veil’s protector, but hear me out. 

It is significant that it’s Mythal because she is the embodiment of his terrible past, the epitome of their brilliance and boldness and good intentions turned to terrible truths. The horrors they did, they did together. It is significant that it’s Mythal that sets him on this new course by removing the chains of his guilt and regret. Lavellan can’t do that, she didn’t forge them. Solas’s journey as the Dread Wolf begins and ends with Mythal. 

Mythal literally pulls Solas out of the Fade to use his wisdom, first to not lose herself to the other gods' vanity and brutality, then to gain advantage against them in an endless power struggle that breaks them both, I’d argue, though most significantly it breaks Solas. Retribution and revenge has no room for understanding, there is no wisdom in conquering. And Solas, for all his faults, isn’t brutal or cruel, doesn’t want power for his own gain. Instead he’s wise and creative, doomed to see the faults of his actions even as he carries them out, arguing in vain that the Evanuris too must see it - don’t cross these lines, don’t do it like this, don’t warp and twist your powers to forces of destruction. You must know this is madness! He objects to the creation of the bodies for the ancient elves, objects his own People’s physical creation. Did the earth not shake? It did, it was horrific and it was wrong and he knows this and it doesn’t matter. What he wants has never been part of the equation. 

Even when he breaks free from Mythal, when he burns her mark off his face, he never stops fighting for the world she once wanted. Because otherwise? Should he stop? Then all that he has done, all that he has given up, all that has been demanded of him both as Mythal’s lapdog and the Dread Wolf, leader of the rebel armies for centuries, cloaked in a persona of strategy and battle orders - all of that has been for nothing. He has made a ruin of himself, of the world, for nothing.  So he begins again, he picks up the pieces, he swears to make it right, to fix what he broke. That’s how he perceives healing, that’s what he thinks he is doing. But you cannot heal pain by hiding it. That’s why the Crossroads are falling apart with the manifestations of Solas’s greatest regrets, that’s why he needs Rook to escape his own prison, that’s why a Regret demon burns through Skyhold.

Solas traps the Evanuris as a final act of the ancient times, the creation of the Veil an embodiment of everything he and Mythal ever were - protection, benevolence, retribution, wisdom, pride. He ties it to the blood of the Firstborn out of spite and anger and it wrecks the world in ways he could not foresee. In ways he cannot fix because you cannot fix what has already happened.

You must accept. Accept the blood to make things better. He holds himself like a broken thing in front of Mythal and you can see it as submissive or as a man finally letting his grief out. There, at long last, he stands beaten and bloodied and blighted and he cries for all that was lost, all that he did and all that was done to him, all the things he cannot, cannot undo. And then: a new way forward.

In willingly binding himself to the Veil he embodies the best of those old myths, the All-Mother and the Breaker of Chains, as he breaks the cycle of punishment and grief and protects the sun and the moon. This oath, as opposed to the oaths of the empire that made him, is not to someone but to everyone, to all the innocents of the world. Instead of being the one who makes the terrible sacrifices of other people - the things I have done - he becomes the protector of the world that his people broke once upon a time. Instead of being the Creator of a new world without the Veil - the god he vehemently does not want to be, that he arguably thinks nobody should be - he becomes a caretaker, a guardian. A healer with bloody hands. And yes, it takes Mythal to break Mythal’s hold over him. You cannot treat a wound without knowing how deep it goes. And this one goes deep.  But it’s Lavellan who brings him the light in this story. It’s Lavellan who breaks through the dark, transforms it into something hopeful. 

His prison construct in the Fade was terrible, an abyss of regret made to hold a god. An ancient punishment for ancient crimes but times change, people change, the People change for better and for worse and here Lavellan stands in all her mortal imperfection, offering him not a way to change the past - where all these ancient beings are stuck - but a way to mend the future. It will be a terrible place, he tells her, saying I am terrible because the Fade shifts around our beings. It won’t be terrible, Lavellan argues. Because I’m there with you, walking the dinan’shiral with you, all the way. He doesn't have to fix anything first, he doesn't have to change for her, he just needs to stop hurting the world, hurting himself. Because she loves him, despite all the terrible mistakes he has made. Because she knows all his names, from Dread Wolf to Vhenan, she knows the power of his mind and the fires of his love and she saw more than most of the man he is. The man he wants to be. For a little slice of time there in Skyhold he was that man, he was seen and he saw. He saw the world filtered through her and could forgive it, he saw her through his own ancient, tired eyes and he fell in love no matter how much he thought he did not deserve it. You don't have to deserve love, or mercy, it doesn't demand anything in return, holds you to no oath. It is a gift, freely given. That's what Lavellan offers him by holding out her hand there, at the edge of everything. That's where the light slips in.

She’s real, which means everyone is real and she changes everything, because she can.  Ar lasa mala revas. 

[pisoprano]

Thinking about the symmetry of Catwalker and Loveybug.

Yes, they’re both just a version of their civilian selves, but those versions have been pushed to extremes. For Catwalker, he’s the embodiment of perfection and doing what he’s told, but Adrien the civilian often pushes back against being controlled. For Loveybug, she the embodiment of daydreams and affection, but Marinette the civilian is often gets in her own way of fulfilling her romantic dreams.

But these two aren’t just mirroring their own civilian selves, they’re also mirroring their superhero partner. Like Ladybug, Catwalker is focused on the mission above all else and tries to be professional. Like Chat Noir, Loveybug wears her heart on her sleeve and indulges in grand romantic gestures at inappropriate moments.

And this new version of the heroes is simultaneously all their partner thinks they want, and yet not at all what they truly need. Catwalker can help her carry her burdens, but he can’t be the partner who knows Ladybug well enough to be her best friend. Loveybug can shower him with affection, but she can’t be the partner Chat Noir knows well enough to love him for the real him.

And even when you remove the partner they know from the equation and just have it be Catwalker and Loveybug, they still find themselves drawn to each other. Loveybug knows from prior experience that Catwalker is a total sweetheart and is exactly the sort of boy she’d drool over if she didn’t have Chat Noir and/or Adrien. Catwalker knows from prior experience that Loveybug is totally lovey-dovey and is exactly the sort of girl he’d want to have close to him if he didn’t have Ladybug and/or Marinette.

And both are internally screaming just being transformed like this. Catwalker is stressed over having to force himself to conform to a strict standard for Ladybug’s approval, but he thought that having this clean slate would let him be by her side after facing rejection. Loveybug is stressed that letting loose on her emotions so much will be lead to a mortifyingly embarrassing rejection, but she thought that having this clean slate would let her act on her feelings for once without having to worry about long term consequences.

And in our scenario where Catwalker and Loveybug have become partners, it’s only a matter of time before they both crack from pushing their identities to their limits (her from showing a boy more love than her comfort zone has ever allowed, him from restraining himself from reciprocating the love he desperately wants). And once those cracks finally show? Then they’ll be able to see—just a bit more fully—who their partner has been hiding under the mask all this time.

[alexiethymia]

Boiling Hot Iron vs Lukewarm Water

Maomao's Way of Affection Part 2

[LN 12 spoilers]

I AM ACTUALLY FOAMING AT THE MOUTH. I mean I read it somewhere, but apparently yes, Maomao does initiate the kiss in the light novel. Even if she did accept his feelings, I always thought that it might have been too fast the way she was ready for a night visit already, but I always chalked it up to her upbringing in the pleasure district and her being fifty-fifty that Jinshi wouldn't actually try anything. But the fact that she is the one to actually instigate a kiss, and quite a sweet one at that, while Jinshi was sleeping. This scene in LN 12 really is in contrast to the scene in LN 5 where it was Jinshi who forced the kiss, and even to later on when Maomao ends up falling asleep and Jinshi restrains himself to a kiss on the forehead for replenishment.

It's hard to be coherent with my ramblings but one of the reasons why I love this series is the slow burn on Maomao's part which is really fulfilling, and the slight angst we get because of that, and not just on Jinshi's part.

Below is a translation from the Spanish translation of LN 12:

She just doesn't get it. He wants to step down from his position near the top of the country for a purpose. If that purpose was MaoMao himself, he would definitely have gone mad.

It's as hot as cast iron.

Maomao is not interested in such blazing heat. The only thing she can give back is a warm temperature.

Slowly puts his hand on Mr. Jinshi's cheek and feels his body temperature, which is the same as warm water. Her cheek was slightly colder. His eyelids were completely closed and he rubbed his cheek against my hand like a kitten to be pet. Looks like he sleeps, like he feels safe.

Maomao seems to struggle with the inequality of Jinshi's feelings and hers. She compares Jinshi's feelings to hot cast iron, and hers to warm water. And no wonder, to her, Jinshi willing to give up everything, including his position, for her, seems to be such a passionate love. As much as she snarks and would rather say that she could just do without all of Jinshi's gestures (*cough branding himself for example, this damn masochist cough*), she recognizes how much Jinshi has given up and is willing to give up for her, not to mention all that he has in fact given her.

She even goes to say, "I don't even have anything in return for you." When she says this line, I think that she isn't just referring to being unable to return the depth of Jinshi's feelings, but even their difference in position. As Suiren observes, despite Maomao's forthrightness, perhaps because of the environment they're in, she is very much aware of her station.

It's such a melancholic line coming from her. It seems to me as if she really is afraid of hurting Jinshi. She already doesn't like the thought of Jinshi being hurt like Luomen, but now she also doesn't want to be the one to hurt him. On top of that, for the normally aloof Maomao, it may be that she's starting to feel unconfident precisely because of the difference in position.

Maomao strikes me as a person who wants to be used. Even when she wasn't in love with Jinshi yet, she always seemed to want to be praised for doing a good job. So for her to think that it's just her who keeps receiving and receiving, while not being able to give anything back, the inequality (this time going in the reverse direction) must bother her a lot. She never used to care so for her to feel different from how she usually does because of Jinshi - caring about him, being unsure of herself because of him - oh she must hate how that feels so no wonder she wants to remove herself from the equation. But alas, it's too late.

Unlike Maomao though, I don't think that there's such a disparity between her feelings and Jinshi's despite that she describes his feelings as boiling hot and hers as warm. Yes definitely I feel that Jinshi's feelings may be stronger, but I feel that Maomao's is actually closer to his than she thinks. I think it may be because the nature of their feelings may be strongly influenced by their past.

Jinshi has always had the things he's loved taken from him. He wasn't allowed to prioritize a single thing or a single person because of the responsibilities he's had to assume from such a young age. Sure he's childish now but that may be because he had to grow up fast. Of course he would be desperate and slightly bit manic when it comes finally falling in love. He'll always feel that Maomao will be taken away from him unless he does something about it with his own hands.

Meanwhile, because of Maomao's complicated past with her birth parents, it's no wonder that Jinshi's passion unnerves her. Remember it was that same passion that caused her mother to hurt her. No wonder she doesn't want it. But when it comes to that feeling called love, that's the only version she recognizes because that's what she's been surrounded with in the pleasure district and even in the rear palace - lust imitating love, or even if it was love, a passionate and all-consuming love that destroys everything in its path.

But what does Jinshi make her feel? Trust. Safety. Even if her rational mind tells her that people's feelings change, Jinshi's constant proclamations that he will make everything be ok so that the both of them can be together may in fact actually reassure her. Heck, perhaps that was why Maomao goaded him to make that verbal confession a while back, precisely so she could have that assurance. She doesn't recognize it because she's never seen or had it, but perhaps this stability is something she's wanted her whole life. And I would say her feelings for Jinshi are nearly as strong as his for her, precisely because she feels for him the same way he makes her feel. Nothing passionate but also uncertain. But rather something warm and can be relied on. It's a feeling that pushes her to want to see him safe and healthy. It's a comforting and homey feeling that allows her to relax. And for Maomao who's always considered herself frigid, for her frozen heart to feel that warmth is also a tiny miracle in a way.

Jinshi is childish. Maomao is weird. But apart from their extremes, they're actually a lot alike - engrossed in their work, willful, but ultimately just. Apart from anything else, they're at ease when they can talk to each other. It's actually interesting for me to see how those emotions develop from Maomao's side since Jinshi is giving her space to take things at her own pace, another slow burn in a way. But while Jinshi's love is loud, Maomao's love is quiet. Even before this admission, it was always there, in the soft touches to the hair or cheeks, in being a refuge for rest and sleep, in her worry when he was overworking himself. The moment I would pinpoint that Maomao had actually already fallen in love with Jinshi was when she was contemplating Enen and Yao's relationship. She thinks to herself, "the more you cared for someone, the more you wanted a say in how they behaved - especially if that behavior involved hurting themselves." Now doesn't that sound familiar?

*Note - because I loved it and I'm impatient I'll share the translations for that particular scene in LN 12 in the comments section. One is translated from the Spanish version, while the other is translated from the Korean version. I got all of this from facebook. I'm quite interested to see how it'll come out in the English version.

[grimesgirll]

there’s something about the way your bodysuit rides up that makes rick lose his better judgment - and do things like pull down your pants and drag you to the bedroom.

“rick,” you breathe.

“this is how it opens, right?” he undoes the snaps between your legs.

“yes, but what abou-,”

“no one cares about the laundry right now.”

yeah, you wouldn’t, you think as he unceremoniously hikes your gray bodysuit up. the bodysuit you thought would pair well with the cargo pants you’d been wearing until the man flipping you over had stripped you of them.

stomach to the duvet, you hear footsteps on the stairs.

fuck! it better not be carl. you’re praying whoever it is walks away or rick separates himself from you for just long enough to shut the door.

“help me take off her top.” rick instructs and swift on his feet, daryl is in front of you.

“arms.”

you oblige and extend your limbs to allow him to peel the now inside out garment off of you.

“ouch!” you yelp when you feel a sudden sting on your bottom. “what-,” you turn around to see rick with a hand poised on top of your reddening flesh and a finger working towards your cunt.

rick forces another yelp out of you when the next slap lands on your pussy. this is not how you saw your tuesday afternoon going.

you crane your head enough to lock eyes with daryl. your doe eyes are all he needs to unbuckle his pants. frowning, you bring yourself upright enough to help him.

“not even a how was your day?” you jest through parted lips.

“sorry, can’t think straight when you’re just laying like this with the door open.”

“thanks for shuttin’ it,” the older man says and daryl nods.

“well, you owe me a nap after this.” you insist, breath becoming uneven again as rick curls two fingers into you.

“you want a nap, you say?” rick questions, adding his tongue into the equation.

you arch into him. “yes-, i-,” you gasp. “fuck.”

“can’t believe you got ‘er like that already.” daryl remarks, removing himself from his underwear.

you’re sure you can feel the shape of rick’s smirk beneath you as he speeds up both his fingers and tongue. it’s perfect timing because right as your mouth is opening to exhale nice and wide, daryl takes his opportunity to slot into your mouth.

rick has been building you up just to knock you down. every time his tongue drags across your core you can’t help but clamp your thighs down around him, unable to withstand the way he puckers his lips and downright teases your sopping entrance.

three fingers and a twisting tongue is what it takes to turn teasing to total annihilation as you start to fall forward on daryl. your shuddering legs keep on until rick is bracing them open.

“fuck,” you whimper with a mouth full of cock.

above you, daryl gets a front row seat to observe as rick licks your first orgasm of the day out of you. watching your eyes roll back with his dick in your mouth has to be one of the best parts of the redneck’s day so far.

“damn, baby, you needed rick to lick you stupid, huh?”

you can only nod and bob down on daryl. he’s more than happy to guide you and enjoy all the little noises rick is maneuvering out of you with his fingers on daryl’s cock in the form of mewling vibrations.

thoroughly opened up, your legs are still shaking when you feel rick behind you. so preoccupied with daryl, rick’s girth knocking into you comes as a surprise. not for either of the men above though. daryl in particular relishes in every thrust that sends you further down his length.

four blue eyes are fixed on you throughout it all. fixated on how eagerly you swallow daryl, how wet you’ve been this entire time, and the filthy wet squelch echoing.

“you can’t be comin’ already?” daryl questions incredulously when he notices your telltale signs.

hollowing your cheeks, you just try to focus on not choking on the thick cock in your mouth. it’s hard to focus at all with the older man behind you ramming into you at top speeds. not when he’s so deep that he’s brushing your cervix. the feeling of how full you are with him inside of you is enough to have slick running down your thighs again and tears welling in your eyes.

you don’t expect the jolt - the joint sensation on your bottom and inside your molten hot core as you clench around rick, seeing spots as he spears you on top of him through it.

rick maintains a hand on your ass; occasionally, lifting the other just to rain it down on your soft rear. “love seein’ you in that bodysuit, honey,” he’s panting, rocking into you while you tighten around him. “you’re so perfect. so fuckin’ tight for me. fuck.”

you feel daryl twitch inside of you first. then it’s one rough gag that has his hands in your hair while he coats your throat.

daryl is bringing a tissue to your mouth and rick is already on fetching a towel for the mess he made between your legs.

“so, you’ll take a nap with me?” you look from rick between your legs to daryl beside you, both whom seem to be crafting a rebuttal. “nope!” you shake your head, not letting them deny you this. “never mind, no room for arguing. just room for you guys, in this bed.” you plop back and pull them with you, hand in hand.

rick usually has some huffing about patrol or duties to do but instead he’s settling onto the soft mattress next to you. daryl’s on your other side, a hand in your hand and on your thigh.

“mhm, c’mere, darlin’,” rick clutches you closer to land a kiss on your temple. as he ruffles your hair, daryl is pressed against your heartbeat with a hand skirting dangerously close to your inner thighs again.

what a perfect way to spend your tuesday afternoon.

[colourstreakgryffin]

Could I request separate yandere headcanons for Tengen and Giyuu in which reader is like Carmen Sandiego?

Hmm! So like the spy chick with the gorgeous red coat? Okay! She seems pretty cool! I’ll do her!

Yandere! Uzui Tengen

You’re selfless and a passionate humanitarian, those amazing traits won over Tengen’s heart quickly. He simply loves women like you and he doesn’t want to lose you to his competition, no matter how confident he is

Tengen knows about your thieving sidecareer and he could care less. Do you think he is any better than you? No, he is truly rotten, a horribly sick man that is ready to pull twisted means to get what he wants. To get the wives he wants, and that includes you

Tengen follows you around, everywhere you go so he make sure no thievery task your profession gives you will end up with your death. He loves you too much to let you get hurt in any form so he has you his eyes on you 24/7

Proposes daily to you, it’s horrifying as he never can take the hint from you. Tengen refuses to accept your rejection since his delusional mind cannot process it. Rather he does it himself or forces his kidnapped wives to give you the ring, it just gets worse since he won’t stop

Yandere! Tomioka Giyuu

Giyuu is very attracted to your intelligence and knowledge, he loves a woman who can take care of herself and understand everything around her in both a brilliant and strong way. His obsession with you and your character grows and grows until it takes over him, it turns him into a mindless zombie thinking only of you

Overprotective, because of your occasional missslips in your side-career of thieving could easily take your life away… that scares him to an earlier death. Giyuu can’t stand that idea at all so he will take charge and defend you from the people before you, rather you like it or not

Giyuu may adore your empathetic nature but he doesn’t believe anything you do shouldn’t be wasted on literally any of those useless beings. He would rather remove them from the equation all to together since they are still a threat to him, everybody in Japan can take you away from him

Seriously, he will do whatever you want so when you want to go donate to needed buildings like orphanages and mental health institutions. Giyuu may not like the fact you give those people and/or children your care and attention but your happiness is very important to him

[astronomical-bagel]

I wanna hear you talk about chilchuck the most that sure is a guy ever

YAY I GET TO TALK ABOUT MY GUY THANK YOU BELOVED MUTUAL KYSOOT 

(Warning for lots of spoilers from chapter 30 of the manga (right after the red dragon))

Anyways fun fact! The thing that made chilchuck my favorite character was actually when he was trying to convince senshi to lie to the Laios and Marcille in order to get them to turn back and give up on finding falin. I made a whole post about it too, i LOVE cowards. I was reading in my car waiting my twin to get off work and i was screaming my head off the whole time because it was such a good revelation about his character.

And it’s not that i love scared guys (i do, absolutely, but chilchuck doesnt apply here), and its not that i love disloyal people (i also do, but once again, not the point), its the whole character arc where it goes:

1. Once he reaches a limit for how much danger he is willing to be in he will break any moral code of his to keep himself safe. He will lie, he will abandon his friends, whatever, so long as he makes it out alive. 

2. But THEN, he realizes that his want for safety isn’t just for himself, this time. He realizes that he wants his friends to survive as well. (and that he has gotten way more attached than what was in his job description)

(look how fond he is!!!! Look how fond he is!!!!!! Im banging my head on the wall AWUGHH!!!!)

So 3. He is forced to go against his own nature of secrecy and being reserved and has to tell the team outright that he doesn’t want them to die.there is just something sooo *vague waving of hands* about a guy who absolutely hates talking about his feelings being forced to do so auughhhh. And he did it to convince Laios to not be reckless and get himself killed!!!!

That entire chapter had such a good journey through chilchuck’s emotional state. From him beign 100% ready to trick them in order to turn around (even contemplating breaking marcille’s staff!), then reminiscing on the fun or brave moments that theyd just had, then remembering that he was mad at them for being idiots and doubling down on his decision. When talking to that orc woman (Leed), he was trying to convince himself that his actions were justified, not just her. 

And I also quite like the moment when Leed realizes that Chilchuck isn’t angry at the others for putting him in danger, but for putting themselves in danger. Chilchuck didn’t realize this himself yet! Him saying that he wished the others would give up, even when he was removed from the equation, makes Leed realize that he is unselfishly wanting them to turn back so that they would be safe.

And when she points this out, Chilchuck is absolutely gobsmacked and barely even talks for the rest of the trip because he’s too busy thinking over this revelation. Love a guy who keeps to himself being forced to reconcile with the fact that he has actual friends he cares about now. Look at him!! Hes so shocked he doesn't even know what do to with himself !!! I love him!!!

And also, another part i really liked abt this chapter is when chilchuck is trying to convince Laios to go back and he’s like “LISTEN i know you are absolutely terrified for your sister but I have THREE PEOPLE TO WORRY ABOUT AND IM NOT USED TO THAT IM GOING TO VOMIT” its just so silly and endearing to me because he really isn’t used to caring about so many people at once – he’s a reserved guy who has been living alone for multiple years! – and its just so important to me because he’s been forced to acknowledge that he cares about his team so hes like “if you guys put yourself in mORE danger im going to scream and cry and throw up SO YOU BETTER TURN BACK NOW PLEEEAASEE”

Anyways, chapter 30 was so well done and was an absolutely fascinating insight into his character and I was instantly obsessed. There’s a lot of other reasons why I like Chilchuck, but this chapter is the definitive reason why he’s my favorite. (I also just like seeing a guy when he’s terrified, sue me.)

[aevallare]

what's up. i'm aevallare. you might know me as an idiot. here are some of my links.

ao3 || patreon || carrd

here are my bg3 fics beneath the read more. these are all available on my ao3, linked above. sorry about the white boy of the century.

look at the gold; call it a flex (conscript 38/astarion)

gossamer (ongoing) - post-game. previously unromanced ascendant astarion. changeling tav.

Her eyes flicker from brown to blue.

"Oh, Astarion. Why do you feel the need to control something you already own?"

commitment (complete, 1634 words) - fluff (?) one-shot. astarion overindulges.

38 denies Astarion nothing. Why would she want to? He freed her, made her a crown jewel— he gave her a home and he gives her chances to let blood with reckless abandon. What more could she ask for?

we can live forever if you've got the time (auri/astarion)

kindred (ongoing) - the og. the flagship. bg3, the remix.

auri knows people, and that's how she can tell; astarion is deeply, deeply fucked up.

pour one out (ongoing) - modern reincarnation au.

astarion's immortal. auri is decidedly not. but she's always had a way of doing the impossible.

inevitable (complete, 2102 words) - pwp two-shot. tadpole phone sex.

if she closes her eyes, she’s almost sitting in his lap again.

vow (complete, 5217 words) - pwp one-shot. menstruation kink.

when she’d helped astarion ascend, it had seemed like the right choice for a multitude of reasons.

excuses (complete, 4424 words) - pwp one-shot. sex pollen.

“Astarion, please.” Again, Auri begs. “Something was wrong with that meat I ate. It feels infernal. Everything’s so warm. I can't–”

infinite duress (complete, 2572 words) - pwp one-shot. bratty switch fic.

Astarion’s often the one in charge, but he’s been known to press his luck on occasion. If the tadpole still connected them, he knows exactly what Auri would say as he steps closer to Halsin.

Brat.

the art of scraping through (complete, 2579 words) - pwp one-shot. ascended astarion and auri have a very messy breakup. she has rebound sex with haarlep.

Astarion hates that she’s doing this, but he doesn’t get a say. He lost the right when he became the Vampire Ascendant, when he ended things after Auri refused to become a spawn.

honeysuckle and fresh meat (shadowheart/auri/astarion)

oneiric (complete, 7866 words) - pwp one-shot. sub!shadowheart + sub!astarion.

Shadowheart snorts. Auri can't stop thinking about what Astarion said in bed the other night. She says, “The problem is that I have trouble letting go of control with people that I don't trust. And people that I trust are few and far between.”

Astarion smirks. “Yes, I can see how that would be difficult. I tend to be the one doing the controlling, if we can call it that, but letting it go can be just as…” Astarion trails off as if searching for the perfect word. “Fulfilling.”

green-eyed (complete, 2427 words) - pwp one-shot. valentine's day cuckfic.

All sex before was mediocre compared to this. Shadowheart wants for nothing.

Well. Almost nothing.

verdant (aeva/halsin)

impractical (complete, 1200 words) - one-shot.

His savior was a half-drow, as he’d later learn, but there hadn’t been time to reprimand himself for his prejudices. She’d slain his captors with relative ease, assisted by a human warlock, a half-elf Sharran, and a raging tiefling, and when he’d said he couldn’t possibly leave this place without removing the goblin leaders from the equation, she’d tilted her head to the side.

“We disposed of them before we found you.”

adjustments (complete, 1011 words) - one-shot.

The Underdark is beautiful in its own way, but it’s difficult for Aeva to divorce its aesthetic from the realities of living there. She’d been forced to claw her way out from destitution so often that it might as well have torn the nails from her fingers, and if desperation was currency, she would have wanted for nothing.

vital (complete, 1384 words) - one-shot.

Halsin’s dangerous in an unusual way. Being near him makes Aeva feel secure, and that’s never ended pleasantly. A tenday ago, she would have ignored his question outright.

He doesn’t press her for anything else, and for some reason, that loosens Aeva’s lips more.

old habits (complete, 1545 words) - one-shot.

Death to slavers always. That much will never change.

faithless (wyll/nora/astarion)

acumen (complete, 984 words) - one-shot.

Wyll likes to believe that everyone is doing the best they can.

bluster (wisp/gale)

tailwind (complete, 1670 words) - one-shot.

Wisp is loud, obnoxious, and concerned with little but joy and adventure. Stealth eludes her entirely, she’s constantly talking about how she’d feel better if they were on a ship, she never stops talking about how much she misses sailing and the sea, and she’s purported to be a cleric, but Gale has yet to see anything holy about her.

assorted other stuff

hearth (complete, 602 words) - shadowheart/karlach one-shot.

It’s cold tonight. Baldur’s Gate buzzes in the distance, and it’s hard to say what waits for them there. They’ve all still got parasites in their heads, there are two Chosen left, and Shadowheart’s renounced the only thing she knows.

cursed (complete, 1124 words) - gale/astarion one-shot.

When Gale Dekarios was born, there were whispers that he was cursed.

hypotheticals (complete, 542 words) - wyll/astarion one-shot.

in another life, a lot of things could have been different.

the devil in the details (complete, 1241 words) - wyll/astarion one-shot.

“Self-pity is a strange look on the Blade of Frontiers.”

all of your flaws are aligned with this mood of mine (ongoing) - 1/2 chapters. nevestarion modern au for @again-please.

Astarion’s mass of white curls retreats; Neve can just make them out in the darkness, courtesy of the street lamps. The scowl on her face sits firmly. She can’t throw the milk frother at him. But if he’s going to make this a miserable experience for her, then she can certainly give as good as she gets.

[youunravelme]

jealousy jealousy

author’s note: hi...remember that time i wrote 2 fics and then disappeared? yeah me neither. i promise i’m still here, just trying to figure out life and force myself to write rather than just consume. this is already way too personal for strangers on the internet...anyway, here’s wonderwall (aka the jack x figure skater fic that no one asked for, this takes place in the figure skater universe that i have not written yet).

(oh and if you’re wondering, andrew is your figure skating partner)

jack hughes x figure skater!reader

warnings: nhl violence, cursing

him

it’s not that he hated andrew, it was just he wished he was the only one leaving bruises on your thighs. or the only one who got to kiss your cheek. jack watched from the stands as you two glided across the ice. he’d come to appreciate figure skating in the months you’d been dating ever since you’d forced him to try some of the basics of your sport and he’d fallen on his ass more times than he could count.

so it didn’t bother him, going to your performances, and watching you skate. he just hated how in love you looked when you gazed at andrew. or the way your legs would wrap around his head when just the night before--

he was getting ahead of himself.

at the end of the performance, when your smile was wider than the equator, an older woman to his left said, quite loudly if you asked him, to her friend. “i’m so glad they kept skating together after the break up, it would’ve been a shame to lose such chemistry.”

i’m sorry. 

what?

to say he was pissed when he saw you was an understatement. andrew’s arm around your waist just added fuel to the fire simmering in his chest. it made him want to throw away the bouquet of tulips he got you.

“what’d ya think?” you asked him with the biggest smile on your face, the silver medal dangling from your neck.

“you did great,” he stated, handing the flowers off to you. “can i talk to you?” he glanced at andrew and then the hand that still had not removed itself from your waist. “alone?”

you furrowed your brows but nodded anyway. you squeezed andrew’s arm and mumbled a thank you with a bright smile before following jack into a secluded part of the rink.

“what’s up, baby?”

“were you ever planning on telling me you dated andrew? or were you gonna just keep me in the dark about that?” your face dropped. guess he got his answer. “right. i’ll see you later.” jack moved around you, but your hand grabbed his arm gently.

“jack please, listen i didn’t think it was a big deal--”

“you didn’t think it was important for me to know that the person you spend the most time with, aside from me, is your ex?”

“you didn’t disclose all your exes either!”

“i’m not shoving my crotch in my ex’s face every day, nor am i making goo goo eyes at them for the entire world to see!” you didn’t say anything to that, so he took it as his cue to leave. “you did great tonight,” he said. “but i got to get home. i have a game tomorrow to prepare for.”

he walked away from you, and didn’t bother turning back, not even when andrew passed him and presumably went to your comfort. he didn’t get to see you reject andrew’s hug in favor of pressing the tulips closer to your chest.

when he got home, jack immediately called quinn. “do you have time to talk?”

“would you care if i said no?”

jack paused. “no. look this is an emergency.”

“shoot.”

“so you know the figure skater i’ve been dating?”

quinn hummed. “nice girl.”

“and you know how she has a male partner that she performs with, right?” quinn hummed again. “well apparently they used to date for like two years.”

“she told you that?”

“no, i found out through some random lady’s comment at her performance today. and then i got on the internet and well, i found out they dated for two years.”

“oh.”

“yeah, ‘oh’ is right. i mean why would she keep something like this from me? i’ve been honest, i’ve been working on myself because i thought i was crazy for thinking they had feelings for each other but they used to and hey, maybe they still do--”

“jack, you’re getting ahead of yourself. she’s with you, she likes you.”

“but what if he likes her? they spend all their time together, how am i gonna compete with that?”

quinn sighed into the receiver. “look, i’m by no means saying she should’ve kept this from you, because that’s a shitty thing to do. but as far as i can see? there’s no competition. you’ve already won. you got the girl, okay? he didn’t.”

jack wanted to agree, that at the end of the day, they chose each other. but he still couldn’t get over the thought of andrew’s hands and where they’ve been.

you

okay so you fucked up.

big time.

to be honest, you completely forgot about your past with andrew, seeing as most of it was overshadowed by over a decade of close friendship. but seeing the betrayal on jack’s face made everything ten times worse.

which is why you hesitated on going to his game that night only because you couldn’t decide if not showing up would make things worse or better. you came with andrew, which in hindsight was not the best decision you could’ve ever made, but when the new jersey devils asked you and your partner do to the ceremonial puck drop, your agent made it clear saying no would be a bad idea.

so you texted jack to give him a heads up that the both of you would be there and dropping the puck on orders of your agent but that you would still be watching the game afterward if he wanted you there.

he didn’t reply.

a knock on your door alerted you to andrew’s presence. so you scooped up your purse and put your platform high tops on before grabbing your keys and heading out.

“still nothing?” andrew asked. you shook your head. “do you think he’s being a little dramatic? i mean, he never shared all his exploits with his exes--”

“but he didn’t date a teammate, andrew.” you cut him off. “look, i get you’re trying to be supportive, but i’m in the wrong here.” andrew followed you down the stairs and out to his car.

“would it help if i told him i’m gay?”

“you mean would lying help? absolutely not.” andrew unlocked his car and you both hopped in. “do you need directions?”

andrew laughed. “i think i know where prudential is.”

you held up your hands and looked out the window as you tried to think of ways to somehow make the situation better.

or rather, keep from making it worse.

by the time you arrived at the arena, you were a basket case of nerves, suddenly second guessing every decision you made up to this point. “should i have just worn a t-shirt like you instead of his jersey? i’m wondering if i’m overstepping here.”

“look, there are few things that men love more than seeing their significant others in their clothes.”

“but does that rule apply to when you’re arguing?”

“it could!” andrew stopped you in your tracks, right before entering the arena, with his hands on your shoulders. “look, it’ll be okay. after tonight, if you only wanna hang out when we have practice until it all settles down, that’s fine by me.”

you looked at andrew and then back at the arena.

“okay.”

him

“hughesy, is there a reason your girlfriend asked me who is doing the puck drop?” nico asked him once jack walked into the locker room.

“she texted me earlier, i just haven’t replied. she’s doing it along with andrew,” he grumbled.

“trouble in paradise?”

“it’s a long story. and i don’t really want to talk about it,” he said as he pulled his gear on.

“you sure? might help to clear your head. if you’d like, you can do the puck drop if you want to see her--”

“--nope, i’m fine.” he sat down to put his skates on and stayed silent.

it wasn’t until they got onto the ice that jack started to calm down a little. the rink was his home, a place he could let go. he wasn’t worried about the problems in your relationship at the moment, not when he was playing one of the devils’ biggest rivals: the philadelphia flyers.

the team took a break from the warm ups to have the carpets rolled out for you and andrew. he couldn’t even look at you as you walked out, the announcer sharing all the accomplishments you share with andrew.

he stood to the side, ignoring the jabs from his teammates at the sight of you smiling and laughing. the thought alone had him consider forgiving you, until he glanced up right as andrew nudged you and the jealousy came back with a fiery vengeance. 

it only got worse when he saw nico give you a bear hug and in return you gave him an award winning smile.

honestly.

were you not even torn up about the situation you were in?

you

god, even looking at him hurt.

he didn’t even do you the courtesy of making eye contact, you would know, your eyes had only left his figure to smile at cameras or greet nico or the flyers’ alternate captain. maybe, if jack decided he actually wanted to be with you still, you could ask him who the hell that guy was.

when you and andrew turned around, he held the puck out for you. “you want it?” he asked.

you shook your head. “i’d rather have one that jack gave me, than remember the night he ignored me the entire time.”

him

was that his jersey you were wearing?

honestly he spent so much time trying not to look at you that the 86 on your sleeve didn’t pop out at him until you turned around and his teammates started catcalling at the sight of his last name on your back.

“that your girl, hughes? or just a fan?” mercer teased.

“shut up,” jack grumbled, but the heat in his cheeks was telling enough. he watched as you made your way back to the stands before he had to focus on getting his mind ready for the game, and much of that included forgetting what happened the day prior.

which he would love nothing more than to do.

you

“is this your first game wearing his jersey?” andrew asked as you took your seats.

you nodded, nervously wringing your hands as you watched him sit on the bench cheering on his teammates. there was no reason for you to be that nervous, but you couldn’t help but feel antsy anyway.

“hey,” andrew started. “what’s wrong?”

“i don’t know, maybe i’m still upset at myself? or scared he’ll break things off with me?”

your partner laughed. “that boy is too in love with you to break up after one incident. besides, you didn’t cheat you just--”

“forgot to tell him a key piece of information.”

“look, it’s not like you kept it from him maliciously. and given time, he’ll understand that.”

“i guess you’re--” you cut yourself off when jack got on the ice, your nerves shooting up tenfold. you watched him like a hawk, even if he didn’t have the puck.

hell, you weren’t even sure if andrew was talking to you because of how dialed in you were.

you didn’t move, you weren’t even sure you were breathing, until he scored, not even two minutes into being on the ice. you jumped from your seat and screamed, probably looking like a maniac or a fangirl.

you would consider yourself both at that point.

you watched as his teammates came up to hug him and slap his helmet. he spared a glance in your direction, giving you enough time to smile and give him a little wave. you fully expected him to ignore you like he’d done all night, but when his hand lifted up and waved back, you were on cloud nine.

the game started back up again and so did your excitement. 

until jack was slammed against the boards across the rink from you. if it weren’t for andrew’s hand holding your forearm in your seat, you would’ve jumped and yelled at the refs to do something.

“that’s not fair!” you shouted.

“it’s hockey,” andrew said like that was explanation enough.

“and? he just body checked him! jack is like 115 pounds soaking wet and that man--”

“--farabee--”

“--has like fifty pounds on him!”

“he actually doesn’t.” you whipped your head at andrew, ready to yell at him. “look, jack is fine. that’s why they wear pads. it’d be concerning if he was wearing a leotard like you and getting bodychecked, okay? this is the nature of the game.”

you crossed your arms. “i think it’s bullshit.”

him

he really hated farabee. and maybe hate was a strong word, but it felt like every two seconds he was getting checked into the boards which would’ve been fine if you weren’t there to see it happen.

“c’mon hughes, this is getting embarrassing.” was farabee’s latest quip of the night. and while he was no stranger to trash talk, something about the glint in farabee’s eyes was getting under jack’s skin. “that your girl right there?” he pointed to you while your brows were furrowed and head tilted. it would’ve been cute had farabee’s sudden interest in you not sent a cold chill down jack’s spine.

“shut up,” he grumbled before shoving his way past farabee in pursuit of the puck. but joel kept after him.

“she’s a looker, don’t ya think? how’d you manage to hit that?” jack’s fists clenched. “be honest, did you have to bribe her to go out with you? how much it cost? she looks like she’d be a good time--”

jack shoved him up against the boards. “shut the fuck up,” he all but growled before skating off.

keep your cool, jack. he’s just an asshole, you’ve dealt with assholes before.

he had the puck and was about to shoot before he was checked again, this time the wind being knocked from his lungs as joel stood over him. “go sit on the bench, hughes, while i go show your puck bunny a good time.”

that was it.

jack stood as quickly as he could and shucked his gloves off. 

you

horror was the only word you could use to describe the feeling that came over you as jack threw the first punch. you’d seen many of his games, often going back and watching clips on youtube, and never once have you seen him fight.

until today.

you were on your feet, clutching andrew’s arm, your fingernails digging into his arm. “oh my god,” you breathed.

you weren’t sure your jaw could drop any more than it already was. jack’s helmet came off first, but the other guy, “farabee” according to andrew, hit the ground first. jack was yanked down a second later.

if you were strong enough to break the glass, you would’ve just to get to him. because the punches didn’t stop, there was red on the ice, and you weren’t sure who was bleeding.

you hoped it was the other guy.

the refs split them up pretty quickly after farabee hit the ground. jack got up with blood trickling from his nose and lip, but looked otherwise unharmed. you didn’t care enough to look at the other guy.

“and keep her name out your mouth,” jack yelled across the ice as a ref ushered him to the penalty box.

your brow furrowed. surely he wouldn’t be dumb enough to...

you glanced at andrew who looked just as flabbergasted. “was that over...?” you trailed off.

“you or his mom,” andrew shrugged. a beat passed. “told you that toothpick loves you.”

him

his head felt ready to explode. though he wasn’t sure if it was because of the blood pumping from his nose or the rage he felt just a few seconds ago. but as the metaphorical dust settled, he searched the crowd for you only to find your eyes already on him.

you okay? you mouthed.

he nodded and drew his attention back to the game. he couldn’t look at you too long before getting angry again, this time, not at you but at the reminder of what farabee had said about you.

you might scold him for it later, in fact, if he was a betting man, he would’ve put money on the fact that you would, but it didn’t matter to him. normal trash talk was fine but involving you? poking an already open wound?

but he didn’t have time to worry about it, he’d figure it out after the game when he could touch your skin and assure himself that you wouldn’t leave him for someone else.

the second he was released back into the game, he came back with a vengeance. the fight wasn’t enough, he was going to score as many points as he could to beat their asses into the ground.

he was going to do it.

you

there was no way jack was human. or at least, not a superhero of some kind. there had to be some higher power that possessed your boyfriend’s body because he was a very good hockey player?

but that night? he was next level.

by the end of the game, he’d scored 4 points alone, and assisted nico in the one other point made by someone who wasn’t him. when the final buzzer blew, the score was 5-2, with new jersey taking the win.

“your boyfriend is insane!” andrew yelled over the cheers.

you smiled. “i know.”

the both of you walked towards the locker rooms, flashing your lanyard at security to let you through. 

“do you want me to wait for you?” andrew asked.

you shook your head. “i’ll get jack to take me home.”

“and if he doesn’t?”

“he will. especially when he finds out you left me.” andrew hugged you goodbye and departed towards the parking lot while you waited for jack to walk by. nico was first, smiling and hugging you quickly before heading back to the locker rooms. jack’s other teammates file out and wave, some stopping to give you a fist bump. 

unsurprisingly because fate was funny like that, jack was one of the last to head your direction. part of you seized up with fear, wondering if he was still mad about andrew, but the smile he gave you relaxed your shoulders.

jack dropped his helmet and stick in favor of holding you close. he held you tighter than normal, an arm around your waist, a hand in your hair, his face in your neck. 

“you okay?” you asked, trying to pull back to get a look at his face, but he only squeezed you tighter.

“i’m fine. just glad you’re here,” he mumbled into your neck. a beat passed before he pulled away and just stared at you. “did you drive here?”

you hesitated on telling him the truth, not wanting to ruin the moment but ultimately deciding lying would ruin things further. “i rode with andrew. he went home.” jack’s gaze darkened just a hair. “but i was hoping i could ride home with you.”

he nodded before leaning in to kiss you, pouting when you pulled out of reach. “baby--”

“your lip is split, hughes.”

“so?”

“i don’t wanna hurt you.”

“you’re hurting me now by not kissing me.” you sighed and gave in, your lips meeting his gently. 

“there, you happy?”

“nope,” he said, leaning back in.

“easy there, cowboy,” you laughed into his lips and placed a hand on his chest. “you need to shower.” you wrinkled your nose as the smell hit you finally.

“you mean you don’t love me as i am?” he teased.

you froze. you had yet to say those words but he didn’t seem to notice before someone was calling him away. “go,” you pushed him lightly towards the locker room. “i’ll be here.”

he kissed you one last time before running down the hall with his things.

you patiently waited for the thirty or so minutes it took for jack to get ready and speak with his teammates. he came out freshly showered and smiling despite the split lip.

“you ready?” he asked.

“i was waiting on you,” you replied.

jack rolled his eyes but tossed his arm over your shoulder and pressed a kiss to the side of your head anyway. the both of you stayed silent until you got in the car.

“do you wanna tell me what the fight was about?”

jack’s hand paused over the keys in the ignition before he turned the car on and shifted gears into reverse. “it’s nothing.”

you rolled your eyes. “you mean to tell me you got a split lip over nothing? i thought you valued honesty.”

jack sighed and put the car into drive. “he was making comments about you and i couldn’t stand to listen to them anymore.”

“what did he say?”

jack’s jaw clenched, as did his hands on the steering wheel. “it doesn’t matter. it’s over with.”

“if it bothered you, it matters, jack.”

“i’m not comfortable repeating it,” he said. “it’s over now, let’s just go home.”

you paused. “your home or mine?”

he reached over the center console and held your hand. “mine, if that’s alright.”

you nodded, words failing you for a moment. the air still felt tense, though you weren’t sure if it was from the argument you had or the game itself.

but it was the lack of communication that got you here in the first place, so you spoke up. “are you still mad at me? because i don’t blame you if you are, i just thought i’d ask.”

jack was quiet for a moment, letting your words permeate the air. “not really, but i’m still confused as to why you didn’t tell me you’d dated andrew before.”

some deep-seated part of you wanted to shrug it off, but you knew you might view it as casual, he might take it as being flippant. “it was so long ago,” you started. “and when i look at him, i don’t see my ex, i just see my friend who’s grown up with me.”

he nodded, hand still clutching yours. “what do you see when you look at me?”

you swallowed down the fear building in your chest. you hadn’t said those three words yet, but maybe now was the time? andrew’s words kept repeating in your head. told you that toothpick is in love with you.

you breathed.

“i see the love of my life.”

[inkspiredwriting]

The Final Paradox

Five Hargreeves

A/N: I'm still unsure about my stories. I hope you like it

Warnings: drama, sad , sacrifice

The sky above the Academy was dark, roiling with storm clouds that mirrored the turmoil in Number Five’s heart. He stood alone in the courtyard, the wind tugging at his clothes, his eyes fixed on the house where his family was gathered. Tonight, the paradox would end. One way or another.

Inside, the Hargreeves siblings were oblivious to the impending danger. Luther and Diego were arguing about strategy, Klaus was attempting to mediate with his usual mix of humor and exasperation, Viktor was playing his violin softly, and Allison was reading a bedtime story to her daughter. It was a rare moment of peace, and Five found himself hesitating. Could he really go through with it? Could he sacrifice himself to ensure their safety?

He closed his eyes, memories flooding his mind: the lonely years spent in the apocalypse, the ceaseless hunt for a way back, the countless battles fought side by side with his siblings. They had faced so much together, and yet, this time, he knew he had to face the threat alone.

The Handler's plan was cruelly brilliant. A temporal paradox that threatened to unravel reality itself, centered around Five. If he didn’t act, his family would be caught in the crossfire. Their lives would be obliterated in the blink of an eye. But if he removed himself from the equation, the timeline would stabilize, and they would be safe.

Five’s decision was made. He had to confront the Handler and put an end to her schemes once and for all. Taking a deep breath, he stepped into the house, bracing himself for the last goodbye.

“Hey, little brother,” Luther greeted him with a smile. “We were just talking about how to take down the Commission.”

Five forced a smile. “Yeah, about that. I have a plan.”

The room fell silent as everyone turned to look at him. “What is it?” Allison asked, concern in her voice.

Five hesitated, searching their faces. “I’m going to confront the Handler alone. It’s the only way to stop her and save all of you.”

“No,” Diego protested immediately. “We do this together, like always.”

“This time it’s different,” Five said, his voice steady. “It has to be me. If I don’t go, the paradox will destroy everything.”

“Don’t talk like that,” Viktor pleaded. “There has to be another way.”

“There isn’t,” Five replied, his tone softening. “You all mean the world to me. I’ve spent so long fighting to keep you safe. This is the only way I can ensure you get to live your lives, free from the Commission, free from danger.”

Klaus, usually so quick with a joke, looked uncharacteristically serious. “We’ll come with you,” he offered. “Even if it’s dangerous, we’re stronger together.”

“I know,” Five said, his heart aching. “But this time, I need you to trust me. Stay here, and let me finish this.”

Tears welled up in Allison’s eyes as she hugged him tightly. “Be careful,” she whispered.

One by one, his siblings embraced him, their unspoken love and support giving him the strength to face what lay ahead. As he stepped out of the house, he turned to look at them one last time. “I love you all,” he said, his voice breaking.

He didn’t wait for their response. In an instant, he blinked out of existence, reappearing in the cold, sterile corridors of the Commission. The Handler was waiting for him, a smug smile on her face.

“Come to surrender?” she taunted.

“Not quite,” Five replied, determination blazing in his eyes. “I’ve come to end this.”

The battle was fierce, a whirlwind of temporal energy and brutal combat. Five fought with everything he had, knowing there was no turning back. Finally, with a decisive blow, he destabilized the Handler’s device, absorbing the paradox into himself.

As the energy coursed through him, Five felt his existence beginning to unravel. He thought of his family, their faces, their laughter, their love. A sense of peace washed over him. He had done it. They would be safe.

In his final moments, as his form began to fade, he whispered a farewell to the universe. “I love you guys. Be happy.”

And then, Number Five was no more.

Back at the Academy, the storm clouds cleared, giving way to a tranquil night. The Hargreeves siblings felt a profound sense of loss, but also a strange sense of peace. They didn’t know how, but they knew Five had saved them.

Under the starlit sky, they gathered together, holding on to each other, determined to honor his sacrifice by living the lives he had given everything to protect.

[sweet-hearts-and-destiny-knots]

What was the big ‘Oh I’m in love with this person’ moment? For both sides of the equation.

Since there are so many pairings within Sisterhood, I'll simply select three in particular for this response:

🤎Conflictingshipping🤎

It's rather difficult to pinpoint exactly when the realization occurred, but Leaf has loved Green for a very long time - ever since they were children dreaming of travel.

He was a different boy back then, or rather he was far less obnoxious. Dare I say perhaps sweet? He gave Leaf all his time, attention, and an assortment of promises he intended to keep.

Green vowed that, once the two of them received their first partner Pokémon, they would journey across Kanto together, and someday the world, as husband and wife.

Unfortunately, his ego grew to a detrimental degree sometime after reaching his teens, and Green doesn't realize he loves Leaf until he's lost her. It requires a great deal of apology and pleading to convince Leaf to leave Mt. Silver.

Once she's returned to his life, Green makes every effort to amend for his previous behavior and broken promises. When a mysterious map falls into their possession, perhaps this will be the adventure the two can finally embark on together as partners.

🤎HoennChampionshipping🤎

Steven develops feelings for Haruka and recognizes them relatively swiftly. He's far too polite to ever complain outwardly on the matter, but he's become accustomed to women fawning over him because of his wealth, status, and attractive appearance.

However, Haruka is different. When in her company, he isn't heir to the Devon Corporation, the Hoenn League Champion, and the region's most eligible bachelor. He's simply Steven, the young man with an interest in collecting stones.

It takes Haruka a while longer to fall for this stunning male specimen. Their relationship is rather platonic from her point of view, as she manages to frequently misinterpret his various attempts at making his affections known. Steven suddenly traveling to another region without giving her the opportunity to say goodbye following the Delta Episode did not do him any favors.

He also refrains from calling her during this time since he fears her reaction to his letter, earning appalled ones from Wallace and Lisia. With their assistance, he learns how best to reconcile with Haruka. And it takes a little more than a Poké Doll or a few.

Steven offers to go on an adventure with her, to investigate the undersea ruins past Pacifidlog Town. When he proves to her this isn't simply a gesture to pacify her frustration but an activity he's enjoying alongside her, Haruka finally begins to see what's so special about Hoenn's silver-haired dreamboat, Steven Stone.

🤎Wieldershipping🤎

From the first meeting, Volo knows he loves Akari. Anyone who would wish to remove all suffering from the world must be at least somewhat of a romantic. But his justification for these abrupt feelings is possibly surprisingly poignant: If Akari is hated for no discernible reason, why can he not love?

However, her first impression does leave a strong impact. From the way her head remains held high in defiance even when surrounded by the whispers of the villagers to her pleasantly plump figure, she captures Volo's intrigue and his heart. Then as the two of them speak, that sharp gaze of hers softens ever so slightly.

Akari also acquires his Togepi's attention. She hides her face against his chest when in the presence of others, but Akari's aura coaxes the Spike Ball Pokémon to turn around in her Wielder's arms. Were Volo not already awed, he certainly would be following this feat.

It takes Akari considerably longer to return his affections. Nearly no one, and not excluding Volo himself, believes she could do so after what occurs on Mount Coronet's summit. But Volo experiences an epiphany: Akari is the greatest force of good he's ever encountered, and by dedicating his life to her happiness, he can aid in the creation of a better, kinder world.

Volo's sentiments towards Arceus have shifted to indifference and his devotion to her runs deeper. With persistence, Volo leaves little room for doubt in Akari's mind the tender moments they shared prior to his betrayal weren't mere fabrications.

She's eventually forced to acknowledge that, due to them originating from different time periods, Akari may have been in denial of her own feelings of fondness all along.

[eremin0109]

listen im so fucking over the misogynistic trope of the lead woman dying for excruciating amounts of ✨️ m a n p a i n ✨️ BUT hear me out.

at this point in the story, Euijeong and her safety is probably the only thing tethering Junmo to continue on with this undercover mission. he started it off with a selfish intent, to get promoted and rub it in the faces of his ever disapproving in-laws. to prove to them, once and for all, how he deserves to sit at that table with them. how he's worthy of their daughter.

but then he took things too far and got too entangled into this dangerous business. and in turn, it gave him everything that he ever wanted. in the short amount of time he's been with the Gangnam Union, he quickly shot through the ranks, became Gicheol's Number 2, earned the respect of some of the most notorious criminals this side of Asia.

here, in this lawless world, no one cares what his father did. he and his boss have had similar childhoods, so Gicheol understands what it's like to live in the shadows of having a druggie parent, more than anyone–more than even Euijeong.

and Junmo can't help but get a little addicted to how powerful it all makes him feel. how easy it would be to cross over to this side in finality, stay at Gicheol's side who he knows would give him the world and beyond, who's already given him so much against the wishes of his officers, if he just stuck to it. it's so wrong, and that's why it's so fucking alluring.

and Gicheol? he too is on the cusp of everything he's ever wanted, or at least that's what he'd like to believe. he finally is reunited with Euijeong, his dream construction project will soon start commencement and he'd get to have that white picket fence with her. he has his man by his side, ready to protect him...them with his life. just a few loose ends, just the finalization of this deal, just those last few steps and then he could just leave this life behind altogether. for better one. for a happier one.

so euijeong is the catalyst to both of their goals right now. but what if she's removed from the equation? right now, she's in a more vulnerable position than she's ever been in. there will be forces gunning for her and there's only so much Gicheol and Junmo can do to prevent the other shoe from falling.

if she died, as a direct or indirect consequence of both Gicheol and Junmo's actions, what becomes of them? what would Junmo do, without his tether, without his anchor to the "good" side of the world? what would Gicheol do after having his dream decimated, after losing her yet again, this time permanently?

what would that mean for Junmo and Gicheol's relationship with each other? Would Junmo kill Gicheol and take over the organization for himself, justifying it as an act of revenge for Euijeong? Or would he come clean and take whatever punishment Gicheol sees fit for him because what else has he left to lose anyway. It would be fitting for him to die at the hands of the person who loved his Euijeong just as much as he did.

and what would Gicheol do? would he kill junmo? would he kill himself? or would he ask junmo to stay by his side and see everything to the end with him. for Euijeong. for each other.

[foxykatie425]

No one asked, but here are my hopes for a third and final Jedi game…

Things I want:

• A reason for the characters not to be involved in the OT. My prediction is that Cal will be forced to destroy the compass to keep the colony on Tanalorr safe from the Empire, leaving them stranded with no way out of the Abyss, but having a small but thriving settlement with everything they need to survive. And then some day, after the Empire falls, some other Jedi (whether it be Luke, Ahsoka, Ezra, whoever!) will have to go on a mission to reach them and reconnect them with the galaxy.

• Kata training with the Force. Most likely she’ll be trained by Cal as a Jedi, but there’s a chance Merrin could also be teaching her some Nightsister magick. I’m looking forward to Kata being a fully fleshed out character.

• Declarations of love. I guess technically we got a little of that in Survivor, but both of them have yet to actually use the L-word! And I think we’d all scream at an “I love you” “I know” moment!

Things I don’t want:

• A Merrical baby. As much as it would make my shipper heart happy, there are two reasons I don’t want this. Firstly, introducing another kid would take the attention (and by that I mean the audience’s attention) away from Kata, who has yet to really have her time to shine. And secondly, it would probably contribute to the next thing in this list I don’t want…

• Threats on his family pushing Cal to the dark side. At least in a super blatant way. I’m fine with Cal struggling with the dark side, and given the way Survivor ended I’d say it’s almost necessary. (Although, I can’t see him falling completely, that would not be a very satisfying ending to his arc.) What I don’t want is Cal dabbling in the darkness in the name of protecting his family. First of all, let’s not prove the Jedi Order right! Second of all, we’ve had that story in Star Wars before! More than once! Of course, that was one of the big reasons for Anakin’s fall, but we even had that in Survivor with Bode! And while comparisons between Cal and Bode might seem poetic, they would be a lot more poetic if Bode was still alive. Obviously everything that happened still affects Cal, but from a storytelling perspective, you can’t really expect the audience to draw parallels between two characters if one never appears on screen. Case in point: Cal and Trilla shared a lot of interesting parallels in Fallen Order, but Trilla is only mentioned in Survivor once, and it’s in passing. But if Cal started doing unscrupulous things to protect his family, he would very quickly be reminded of Bode and stop himself from making the same mistakes. (Besides, lest we forget, Merrin doesn’t need protecting!)

• Cal dying. (And not just because I want him and Merrin to have the first true happily ever after in Star Wars.) It’s always the looming threat in anything set before the OT, especially with Jedi. I mean, never mind Yoda’s declaration to Luke in ROTJ that “the last of the Jedi will you be” because that’s already been proven false in pretty much every way; I’m fine with assuming that, believe it or not, Yoda may not have known everything! However, Cal has made himself a pretty high-profile Jedi in the eyes of the Empire, and one would logically assume that if he was around during the OT, Luke would have sought him out. Thus we once again run into the question of “doomed prequelitis.” Rogue One played this trope completely straight. Rebels mostly did not, but notably the two major Jedi characters were both removed from the equation. One in the form of death, and the other in the form of semi-voluntary intergalactic exile! (Of course there’s the loose thread that is Ahsoka, but there are lots of plausible ways to keep her out of the OT, so we’ll save that discussion for another day.) My point is the status quo that is established at the end of Survivor would not keep Cal and company off of Luke’s radar. They are still involved with the Hidden Path, which presumably would have ties with the larger Rebellion, and they would surely keep doing that as long as they are able. However, killing off Cal would be the easy way out in terms of storytelling. Even if his death was some kind of heroic sacrifice, it would once again be a story we have already seen many times in Star Wars. It would be lazy, repetitive writing, and with the time capsule that is Tanalorr, it does not need to be that way. All we need is a reason that they can’t leave Tanalorr and a reason no one can go in after them. Hence why I think the last compass will be destroyed!

Obviously these are just some overarching ideas for what I think the third game should look like and have little to do with gameplay or any kind of specific plot. I’ll leave that to Respawn! 😉

[youareinacomawakeup]

I’m too tired to go too deep into detail on this one but here’s my Kingdom Hearts 4 theory that I want to put out into the world.

The nameless star and the girl we see in the Verum Rex trailer aren’t actually the same person. It’s a red herring.

Yozora takes clear inspiration from Noctis from FFXV (e.g. the scene of Yozora in the car that’s shot-for-shot a scene from an early trailer with Yozora replacing Noctis).

And while many think that’s because Nomura is using ideas he never got to bring to life when he worked on Versus XIII, aka “Beta FFXV”, before the project moved on without him, I think it’s less that and more to do with Nomura’s feelings in letting go of his characters and letting someone else write their story.

I think Yozora is the answer to the question “What if Noctis knew that his story was so far removed from what was originally planned? What if he knew his fate was changed?” (Put a pin in that, because there’s more to this question.)

Anyway, we all saw the nameless star for the first time and... Okay, well, a lot of us thought it was Strelitzia at first and that Square Enix North America (henceforth SENA) had just put romantic dialogue somewhere that wasn’t supposed to be romantic and accidentally made Marluxia sound like Strelitzia’s love interest. (Wouldn’t be the first time that happened in KH3. Thank you SENA.) But once we saw more of her and Yozora in Melody of Memory and Re:Mind respectively, we all realized she was from the same place Yozora was from, and we all thought about the only girl we know who’s from Verum Rex and we all just...

...assumed.

But we haven’t seen the nameless star’s face. And we haven’t heard Verum Rex girl’s voice. So we don’t actually have any confirmation that they’re the same person.

So here’s my suggestion.

Verum Rex girl is Luna in this equation.

And Nameless Star is Stella, the girl who was originally going to be Noct’s love interest back when FFXV was Versus XIII.

We meet Nameless Star in what is essentially Kingdom Hearts Purgatory. But she’s from a fictional world. Fictional characters can’t die. Not in the way we know it. I can pop Into the Spider-Verse into my DVD player, hit play, and boom, there’s Uncle Aaron, alive. You can’t do that with real people.

But if a character is written out of a story, they’re gone forever. That, I propose to you, is true death for a fictional character, which is why Nameless Star is hanging out with dead people. And she’s lost everything. Her whole identity. Her name. And the person she loves doesn’t remember her. Because she’s not part of his story anymore.

Yozora also says that the way he looks isn’t what he really looks like. A lot of people have taken that to be the start of an explanation for why he looks like Riku, and it still might be in some roundabout way, but I propose to you that he’s been redesigned, and he’s aware of it.

So here’s the core of what this all means, why it’s relevant.

Kingdom Hearts loves its parallels, yeah?

So here’s what I propose to you.

Sora’s story is also, as we speak, being rewritten. At least in a sense.

Sora sees Riku’s light, and twenty minutes later, it’s apparently Kairi’s light.

Sora saves seven hearts, including Riku’s, and three hours later, he’s only saved six, and Kairi’s heart is the seventh.

Somehow or another, Yozora found out about what happened to him, and, due to some trial or another, also found out what is currently happening to Sora. And he wants to save Sora from suffering his fate.

I don’t think there’s any hope for Yozora himself. He is, after all, the night sky, what could have happened if Sora’s story got the “bad end”, so to speak.

But I do think he can “save Sora.”

So here’s the rest of that question.

What if Noctis knew that his story was so far removed from what was originally planned? What if he knew his fate was changed?

And what if he saw the same thing happening to Sora, a kid destined to have a queer love story but forced into a romance with a girl by a greater power instead, and refused to let that slide?

[goddessofroyalty]

watching all your obianidala content has made me have the biggest idea.

obianidala omegaverse with omega obi and padme and alpha anakin, padme is pregnant and so is obi, the only difference is that padme is several months ahead and no one knows of obi wan's pregnancy except himself.

palpatine causes an accident that causes padme to get hurt but not die and due to a misunderstanding making everyone think that was obi the one that caused the accident.

So obi runs away, pregnant with twin boys ( cal kestis and ezra bridger, i need them as luke and leia's simblings )

Obi Wan and Padme are both probably the biggest obstacles to Palpatine getting and maintaining control over anakinn. And there's really only two ways to deal with them - either infantalise them to the point in Anakin's head where he stops listening to them and effectively cages them n oder to 'protect' them or remove them from the equation through death or turning Anakin against them.

I do think he starts with planning to kill them both annd then falls back on others when that doesn't work.

So Padme was supposed to die and Palpatine probalby planned for Anakin to kill Obi Wan in response to that. So the piecse are already in place for it to look like Obi Wan is the cause.

So when Padme's only severely injured not killed Palpatine goes to Plan B of getting Anakin protective of her past the point of listening to her. He still probably planned on getting Anakin to kill Obi Wan but Obi wan flees before he ets the chance for Anakin to really think of anything other than getting Padme (and the babies in her) safe and stable.

Honestly though two sets of twins born at a very similar time would have been A Lot for them, even with three parents involved. Which, I mean, one set of twins is going to be A Lot for Obi Wan to handle by himself. Especially a set of force-sensative twisn (whcih is the same even in verses where he raises Luke and Leia by himself).

I wonder where Obi Wan would go. They're still Anakin's kids he's carrying so he could go to Tatooine and the Lars. But he also has other connections and honestly I like the idea of the boys getting their surnames because of the people Obi Wan turned to for support (Bridger possibly being a reference to Brigadier - a military rank). So maybe he doesn't go to Tatooine or maybe he does but brings with him some people who don't believe he would harm Padme and are petty sure this is all a frame up.

[glitchinginthegarden]

I'm slowly starting to compile tidbits of lore for Vince. He's been around since Vaye came into being, but I never took as much time to flesh him out as I have for her.

Rambles under the cut.

His backstory is still the same.

His parents were Nomads and close friends with Vaye's parents. (If you didn't know they aren't blood siblings, now you do.) The kids grew up together even before his folks and her mom died. So adopting Vince was a no-brainer for her dad.

Vince is 31 at the start of Vaye's canon 2077 timeline.

He's always been the quiet one. The observer. The guy everyone thinks is well adjusted and just vibing but really it's that he's good at hiding his issues.

Vince took a shine to the medical field young and never wavered from it. I consider him the group's field medic to a degree. He may not be carrying around an emergency kit but his apartment is as close to a clinic as you can get without having all the fancy equipment. He's training under Viktor to be a ripperdoc one day (and he eventually does take over Vik's clinic when the old man retires - no, we aren't looking at PL endings here). He considered Trauma Team for a while but ultimately decided he didn't want to be bound to helping only the upper echelon with their fancy trauma cards. Why should he dedicate his life to helping the people who shit on his?

On that note: he's staunchly anti-corp just like Vaye.

He comes off as prickly and detached at first; often considered cold, blunt, and a stick in the mud. It's all armor. He keeps himself guarded. It allows him to keep a distance between his work and his feelings, and he also just does not care what people think of him. He's very much an actions over words kinda of guy. Don't talk about it if you aren't going to back it up.

Outside of ripper training, he earns income via street fights and the occasional smash and grab gig.

Fighting is both income and "free therapy" for him. In the same vein as Gil, Vince likes the adrenaline rush. And it doesn't hurt that it helps him stay fit.

When it comes to merc work, he tends to avoid hit jobs. He would rather help sabotage someone or steal valuables. It's not that he has qualms about taking lives, he doesn't, it's that he's of the mindset that doing so rarely pushes anything toward a resolution. Kill one roach, one more will take it's place mentality. That said, if someone gets in his way during a gig and poses a risk to the operation, he won't hesitate to remove the problem. He's very good at boiling things down to equations. Turning people and situations into a game of odds allows him that detachment he so prefers.

Beneath the crunchy outside, though, he's all heart.

He cares deeply. Maybe too much sometimes. And getting him to show that can be like pulling teeth.

Vince does not open up easily. He's like a shelter dog.

You have to earn his trust over time before he'll show his vulnerable parts and if you break that trust, especially early on, it's incredibly difficult to get it back. He is not a three strikes you're out man, he's a two if you're lucky.

Combat style:

Brute force. Vince thrives up close and personal with his enemies.

He can manage a modicum of stealth, but he's not out there using throwing knives or silenced anything.

He likes shotguns and revolvers. Power weapons > Tech weapons > Smart weapons.

He can't netrun but he does have a nugget of techie know-how and can hack his way past most locks. That's where it ends though.

He has a reputation with fixers for being ruthless. Ironic for someone they also enlist to patch up their solos from time to time.

Regarding his cyberware (bear with me this is all loose and not following canon anything really):

In game, he's got the mantis blades but that's really just for aesthetics. His forearms/wrists/hands are actually chipped with hydraulics. Think impact wrenches in his arms (ugga dugga).

To compensate for that, his rotator cuffs/shoulder sockets are reinforced with synth tendons and buffers.

EMP threading on the right side of his face feeds into his Kiroshis for more in-depth scans. He used to have threading on both sides, but the implant on the left was damaged in a nasty scuffle while on a job in his younger years and he opted to just have it removed.

He has synth-lungs specifically meant to filter not only NC's nasty air, but also a slew of aerosolized chemicals such as anesthetic agents and toxins (like gas grenades).

His other basic chrome includes: reinforced joints, a biomonitor, standard holo and interface ports, synthetic intercostal webbing (the muscles between your ribs), and an inner-ear gyroscope because he got tired of having motion sickness in cars or on the metro (yes, baby boy gets upset tummy).

Okay... that's all I have for now. I think. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk. I'm sure I'll have more to dump later... he's brewing.

[kanos]

— wip wednesday

i haven’t done much lately so here’s some wips or something to keep myself kinda active lmao.

tagged by the lovelys @leviiackrman @phillipsgraves @unholymilf a long time ago and i’m finally doing something lmao

tagging uuuh @jendoe @aartyom @pheedraws @visenyatargaryn @ardberts @indorilnerevarine @detectivelokis @strangefable @marivenah @queennymeria @chuckhansen @beemot @red-nightskies @nightbloodraelle @nuclearstorms to post wips - doesn’t have to be writing can be whatever idk

——

Maxi x Ghost

Shadow Company are stopping them from going forward and Ghost looks ahead to see a commotion stirring. He nearly throws himself out of the truck when he sees Graves drag Maxine from the vehicle and up against the door. He holds her there, face close to hers as he speaks. The woman glares at him, blood on her lip and chest heaving as she tries to catch her breath. 

Graves notices them and there’s a small smile as he pulls her towards him as he takes a step back. She attempts to fight off his grip and he quickly dismisses her as he drops her to the ground, placing his knee firmly on her chest and pointing at her. 

“Graves!” Soap yells, taking a step forward. “What the hell are you doing?” 

“Remodeling.” He stands up and his men replace him, pulling the medic up onto her feet. “Step away from the gate.”

Alejandro glares at him, his brows furrowed. “You’re crazy, this is my base.”

Ghost watches Maxine carefully - her tired and defeated expression caused his gut to churn. “Maxi.” He calls for her attention and her brown eyes searches his. “Are you alright?” 

"Worried, Ghost?” Graves taunts. “Our dear Maxine is just fine. We’re just having a little fun. What’s important is that you are all relieved, so go home.” 

——

Jacob x Theo x Sawyer

Sawyer kept a close eye on Jacob, his thoughts whirling as he couldn’t focus on Joseph’s speech. Any time their disenchanted deputy was mentioned, there was a small and almost unnoticeable twitch from the eldest brother. Some could call it disdain or annoyance with just hearing the name of the woman set on breaking down the cult, but he knew.

The plans were simple; force the deputy into the cult or remove her from the equation all together. Hard to believe there were two of them who didn’t agree with that situation at all.

At the end of the meeting, Sawyer stands outside the church waiting for the other to leave and when Jacob walks past him, he follows close behind.

“She’s mine, you know that right?”

Jacob stops walking and turns around, narrowed blue eyes examining him. “Who?”

Sawyer glowers at his feigning ignorance. “Theo. The deputy.”

There it was again, that small and now blaringly obvious twitch. Sawyer was sure he’d say something along the lines of ‘I don’t want her, you can have her’ to save face, but that wasn’t what came out of his mouth.

“I already have her.” Jacob smirks for only a second before he turns back around and climbs up into his truck.