#thal writes

[thal-ent]

(bit of an unreliable narrator here Eheh <3

Lycarn belongs to @hel-phoenyx, Ether to @noa-de-cajou and Circé, Morgane and Ai/Xingtzao to @corneille-but-not-the-author)

"Lets' fun away together !" she used to say, half joking when they were just kids. Chiho would never leave her grandmother alone, they both knew it.

"I'm leaving." She still said, a violin all she gave to the girl that loved her and she loved just as much. She never came back, not for Agathe, not for her grandmother. There was hope for two years. Then Yusuke came back alone, and even with her eyes closed, Agathe could picture the look of pity he gave her.

"Take care of him, please." She tells the old woman, now that her brother is asleep. Their parents are dead, and she can't stay here. He was the one to push her to do it, to leave and explore. The old woman still weeps and begs her to come back one day, and play at her tomb. Agathe promises.

"She likes you too, you know ?" It's been years. She's older, she has friends. They've been drinking, and when she tries to talk about something else, the alcohol makes her friend insist. She hates how he, who got her love first, seems to try so hard to make the second choice happy. But he's her friend, and she loves his wife.

"Take care love." It's the last words she tells her, when their paths diverge. It's a nickname they rarely use, only when it's only the three of them. Ogami hugs her, and she hugs him back. They're around as old as her parents were when they died. And she doesn't want to see that. Maybe they're still young for humans, but she doesn't want to take the risk. Her lips touch Shira's for the last time and they dont say goodbye.

"You're doing it again." He tells her, as perceptive as ever. They spent the last fifteen years together, she taugh her nephews and nieces what their fathers couldn't. But only him, her dear brother, could see how she was, alone fixing a grave she couldnt see. His husband was dead for a year, he knew he wouldn't last a lot younger. He knew his sister, immortal and still so young, was staying for him, for "his" family. He knew she had a hard time thinking it was hers, a fear so deeply rooted in her.

"Thank you." She tells him when she leaves again, and he tells her and she hugs him for the last time.

"What do you think ?" So many people ask her, when they warm her bed or her skin. She never stays long, always tells her the truth. It's rare she dislike those girls, rare they dislike her. Yet, she always knows she's not what they wanted. She knows had their initial love not rejected them, they wouldn't have though of her for a second. And yet, they're always her first choice, her first flirt of the night.

"I want to marry you." Irène tells her, figuratively looking in eyes that are never open. She doesn't have the words, doesn't know how to react. It's been ten years, is that a normal time to marry someone ? She does have her skin tattoed like the rest of the group, does feel the need to have her lover's name on her. She hopes her name stays on Irène's face, that when she touches her face she can feel her name on her skin and prouve to herself she's loved, she's her first choice.

"You dont get it ! You can't even see it !" They never fight. It's not in their nature, despite Irène's hot-headdedness, to get into shouting matches like now. But now they are, and Agathe wants to slap the woman she loves, the woman who fears her and loves her. She just expressed how she was afraid for their fight, the next day. How she proposed to Irène to use a Symphony so dangerous she somehow knows despite never learning it, like she does her Sister Symphony. Sins and Vertues. She doesn't know how it escaladed. But she knows how it ends.

"Maybe I'd see it, if you weren't so scared of me opening my eyes !" Is the last thing they say to each other. They didn't wake her up, Irène probably looking to stop her from playing her music. And now she's dead, in Agathe's arms, cold and her blood stains the white of Agathe's outfit and wings.

"Please allow me something." She did it in a moment of panic. She didn't know what was going to happen to them, now that Morgane and Circé were gone, as were the rest of the group. She wished she could have spoke with Lycarn before, but she kissed Ether and it felt right to ask her, even if the elf wanted the empress before she wanted Agathe.

"Do you want something ?" She asked Lycarn, who was looking so, so sad. She had seen Circé's aura leave the woman, and even if she wasn't the girl's first choice, she wanted to make her happy, let her have something at least. So she took her hand, kissed her, carressed her. She felt the subtle scars, the muscles. She wanted to give enough love that Lycarn would forget how she got rejected. But Lycarn would pursue a ghost, and she knew it very well.

"Come dance with us." A hand is stretched out to her, a stick in it. Ether is asking her to court her, to date her. And she doesn't need to see to know Xingtzao, the empress is surprised, but she says nothing. She takes the hand, ignoring the voice in her head, just for a night, and dances with two women she wants to stay alive with.

"Can you describe them to me ?" It's soft, barely audible to most ears, but they're both next to her, and they have better hearing than most. So they tell her. They take her hand. She smiles to herself.

"Can I ask you something...?" It's been so long, since their quest, and yet Ai is so timid with her still. Agathe is not sure how to take it, how to dance with the woman who made her First Concubine but seems almost perturbed by Agathe's presence in the palace. Or, that's how she sees it. And she can't blame the empress, who would be comfortable to live with the woman your wife is in love with ? Even if Agathe knows Ether would choose Ai over her, and she wouldn't blame her.

"Do you need something, my moon ?" It's soft, when she asks. Lycarn is no stranger to bad dreams, but Agathe knows when her love's really shaken by one. She also knows it usually mean Lycarn's chasing a ghost that Agathe could never compare to. She doesn't resent Lycarn for it, nor does she resent Ether when she misses her deceased wife. She knows that feeling too well, has known it for years.

"I feel so... Lonely." She says to herself, when centuries have past. She's back to a village that died when she wasn't here. Can't yet bear to go look at where her loves are burried. She didn't see the Immortal King to tell him about Lycarn yet. She cries, like a little girl.

"I miss you." She tells to no one in particular, maybe hoping Death would let someone, anyone, choose her and help her, see how pathetic she is.

"I love you." It's barely a whisper.

[trans-naldthal]

Thing for me, I've been having fun. Still consider them an Old God (in anything I toss them into), but also... void elf/dragon visage...

[noa-de-cajou]

The following text references religious imagery and abuse.

The unnamed organist belongs to @thal-chandra ;)

----------

When the house gets too loud

And the fists start to fly

I run to church

If I can't find God I’ll find shelter

No one will dare to hurt someone in His house

(I know this isn’t how it works)

(Leave me something to believe in)

Sometimes

When no one else is around

There’s organ music playing

I never see the musician from my hiding place

Too high up

Too far away

I don’t think it’s God though

God is not the musician nor the writer

Nor is he the paper

He’s the one who created the earth on which grows the trees that will be turned into partitions

So whoever is playing must be human

It calms me down, the organ

It covers my battered breath

Makes my heart stop

It’s soothing

Each time I come here I hope I'll be alone

So that they will play

Reminds me that I'm a musician too

Even when the skin of my fingers is all bloody and torn

It’s nice to be reminded of that

Maybe I should bring my flute next time.

(The Heretic)

They found out

They found out about him and me

I was too loud

They asked us to pack our things, anyway

We’re moving, again

Almost shoved us in the car

(A week after Bazyli came to the door)

Didn’t give my leg or my face time to heal

Didn't give me permission to tell anyone

Didn't give me time to go back to church

I wonder if the organ player knew they had a listener

I'll miss that music

It won't miss me.

(The Rapture)

I’m back

Two years later

Same town

Different home

(It’s not home)

I left cardboard boxes and screaming behind

It's still early and dark outside but my feet find the path on their own

The church is still where I left it

It just opened

I step in

And there it is

The organ

My fingers are tickling

But I don't have my flute

It’s at home

I haven’t played in a while now

But I'm a musician always

(Can I really call myself that anymore, I’m not sure)

The music stops

“Is someone there?”

The voice echoes through the church

I run to my old hideout

I hear footsteps down the stairs

(Don’t let them hear you)

There’s someone looking from above, with long hair and gentle eyes

They don't see me

They look relieved, they head back up

The music starts again

(You’re safe)

I might just stay here for a little while

And listen

It’s fine if I can't play

I know the organist’s face now

And they look just like their music.

(The Resurrection)

[hel-phoenyx]

Oli belongs to @thal-ent

This is the third time today she tries something.

I'm usually more tolerant, but I just got out from another bullshit session with them and I really don't need her to add to it. I like her a lot, really I do, but I have limits and today they've been passed.

So I do what I do usually when someone annoys me. I take them by the hand and to the ocean it is. It's clear enough of a signal to stop, and the ocean is not scary, it is my safe place, my domain, my world, the only place I truly feel safe in, and they know that while I'm here, nothing can come to harm them in the ocean, I could never, I will never-

Something's wrong.

She's not fighting the waves or even laughing in the foam like they do. she just sinks. I feel the water in her fathers, making her heavier, unable to fight, going right to drown, I can't, I can't let someone drown I can't let her drown I can't

I jump in the water, ignoring the others. They're probably worried too, but there's only water in my ears, water and the oppressing feeling of her defeat. She's sinking. No. She can't sink. I don't want her to.

My hand catches her wrist, I bring her to the surface, and everything in my power is done to make her breathe. Com'on, breathe, I don't want you to stop living, I didn't mean to hurt you, I don't want to feel your cold body in my arms while you were radiating heat on the shore, com'on, please, breathe, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry

She takes a huge breath after a few seconds and just smiles when I ask her to tell me why she didn't swim, there is so much more in that question. Why didn't you feel safe ? Did I make you feel unsafe ? I don't want to make you feel unsafe.

I know from her face I won't get an answer.

So I keep her close while swimming towards the shore.

I will make you feel safe.

[ssavinggrace]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Thalia Grace/Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano, Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano & Frank Zhang, Jason Grace & Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano Characters: Thalia Grace (Percy Jackson), Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano, Frank Zhang Additional Tags: PJO, HoO - Freeform, ToA - Freeform, i love them sm, Theyna - Freeform, queer, Gay, wlw Summary:

Reyna forgets a very important date, and her girlfriend isn't happy.

[mpjz03]

Hawkworld (1990) #18

[beebfreeb]

I have to be more annoying about fan characters. I have to draw Thal in little comics <3

[waterdroplet02]

"...And you're expecting me to... keep this just 'cause of that?!"

"Mmm... well, whatever it means to you, perhaps that decision is yours; but to me, Merix, it means I will not be accepting it. A gift must not be traded away."

"I- ugh."

Scoffing, they set down the dragon's gift on the coffee table near them, onto one of the softer parts of the covering. Then, they went to lean onto a bookshelf. "Y'know I'm not the careful type, right? Hell, needed a new phone after droppin' my last one. I'll drop this thing. I ain't takin' care of crap, Thal, let alone a-"

"That," the wizard interrupted, "is only what you think!" He stood suddenly, but calmly, from his chair. "See, you give yourself far less credit than you ought to, my friend.

"That cellphone you speak of; was that not only your previous one? Is your current model not one decade old?" He gave Merix a friendly questioning glance.

The gift victim looked away for a few moments, looking annoyed, then shook their head. "...Irrelevant. I ain't 'special'. Thal, just- just take this. Know you're obsessed with dragons, surely you're droolin' to have it. I don't want it, 'kay?"

Shaking his head, Thal cleverly tried to think of any way to get them to accept. "But what about the dragon? The dragon certainly wants you to have it. I would know, in fact, seeing its behavior when it met you up close."

"...god, I regret goin' with you to that exhibit."

"Why so? Come on, Merix, friend. Did you not forge a special bond with that beast?"

Merix cringed thinking back to that time last week. "I did. Regret it."

"You did, and the dragon evidently befriended you back. Well enough to give you this, of all things! It is truly special to receive such a thing, you know!"

"...just why the hell would it give me one?! Thought they'd be more protective about these?"

"Not this particular species, no; with how many they tend to earn themselves, you'll find they give these away more often with less of a criteria than one would think. But, of course, only to the most trusted of friends."

Merix just rolled their eyes in response. It would've helped if they knew this back in the exhibit before Thal had made them try to 'connect' with the nearest dragon they saw.

"Look," began Thal. He took a step toward Merix, laying a gentle hand on their supposed gift sitting on the coffee table. "You are a more careful and reliable person than you think. Merix, my friend, have you not always underestimated yourself like this?"

They snickered unenthusiastically. "More like the dragon overestimated me."

"Oh, these winged creatures are far more knowing than one would think, you know." He turned around and walked back toward his chair.

Thal then picked up one of the small figures of dragons from his desk, holding it up for both of them to see. "It knew you're capable of possessing such a priceless object, and thus, I know too. Must you dare doubt the judgement of such a being?"

He just receives an unamused glare from Merix.

Eventually, though, they say something in response, looking exasperated. "...God, Thal. Droppin' the act, bein' honest with you here. I don't care about this thing. Didn't ask for it, just saw it dropped in our garbage bin- you're the dragons guy. Me? Gonna get home, stuff this in a cupboard who the hell knows where in our kitchen, not givin' a crap if it falls apart in there. Don't care."

Thal snickered, and gave Merix a very sly look. "Do you, now?"

"Don't. I'll kick this to pieces now for all I care, and I don't."

"Do you?"

"No, I-"

Suddenly, Thal elbowed the bookshelf Merix is leaning on, and a book began to fall out, right above the dragon's gift. It tipped over before either of them could do anything, and...

...Merix quickly slapped it out of trajectory, protecting the gift. It tumbled over onto the floor nearby, and opened to a page about the early life of a growing dragon. "Wh- what the hell, dude?! Are you insane?!"

But Thal only smirked. "Heh, friend. That tome was easily within your range, and I know your reflexes wouldn't let it past-- and if that does not reassure you, I had already enabled a protective spell beforehand." He aptly tries to slap the gift, to Merix's evident horror, but only to hit an invisible forcefield around it.

Thal then somehow gently picked up the object straight through its protection spell, and presented it to Merix. "You do, in fact, care for this, my friend. In addition to my reasons earlier, I have seen it in your eyes since you walked in here with it, and have been noticing as you decisively set it down on specifically my cushioned coffee table."

Merix kept silent, gazing away from Thal and down over to his five coffee tables. They did, in fact, choose to put it on the only one with a cloth covering over it.

"...Do not worry," said Thal, after letting them process some thoughts. He continues, "I, out of anyone, would certainly know how to assist you in maintaining this gift. Contact me for whatever it is you're concerned about, okay, friend?" Thal nodded his head toward one of the books.

"...okay. Fine."

-----

Merix stepped down the porch, as Thal waved goodbye behind them, closing the door. "Can't be too bad, right," they thought to themself, before hearing a little 'crack' come from the gift in their hands.

"...Ah, crap." Having started jogging down the sidewalk, they tried to waste as little time possible finding a nice, suitable environment back home for their hatching dragon's egg.

Sometimes dragons are capable of making friends. To these friends, they give gifts. And these gifts act as messages to other dragons saying “don’t harm this one, they’re special.”

[tritoch]

the other thing I find very funny about trying to write a canon compliant wol is taking all the wolship hints extremely seriously.

I don't really wolship because I'm just fundamentally not that kind of fan. But I know for those who are, the sheer number of romance hints FFXIV throws at you can be overwhelming to parse in a context where you have a preferred/intended wolship, particularly if you're not attracted to the gender the hints are coming from in the first place (a particular tip of the hat to wlw fans navigating the g'raha of it all). I've seen plenty of people write around them or write them out or be like "no aymeric was for real inviting my wol to a nice platonic zero-subtext dinner," and God bless all of you.

But it's really funny to imagine them all as all-too-real but unreciprocated or perhaps unreciprocatable. The sheer scale of it is comedy. Spoilers for all of FFXIV follow.

Oh God, the Lord Speaker wants to have dinner, just the two of us, at his family estate and not a government building. I hope he doesn't bring up his crush on me. Thal's balls he's about to bring it up—oh thank God there's an emergency. Oh no someone got hurt! Oh no it's the teenage girl with a crush on me.

Your life is a cosmic joke. You watch the Sultana get poisoned and all your friends probably die to save your life and it's kind of all your fault in some ways, I mean at the very least you should've spoken up when they gave the teenager a private army, and then the teenage boy speaks up and is like, "hey, I guess we have at least one ally. What about if we go visit that guy who is really obviously down unbelievably bad for you and wants to lick the sweat off of you." and you have to be like, yeah, Alphinaud. Great idea. Let's do it. I'll call him.

(brief interlude: also haurchefant's DEATH hits so good if you don't reciprocate. It's okay. He gets it. You're going through a lot and even if you had time to sort through your feelings maybe you're just not into him. That would be okay! You can love someone, or the idea of someone, without needing it to be romantically reciprocated. That's chivalric, even. Knightly. So he won't ask you to lie to him and say you love him as he lies dying in your arms. He's not so low as all that. But could you smile for him as you used to? That true hero's smile of yours. And you do, and he dies. And you both know he died for a lie, in a way, or a flight of fancy. And he's okay with that. Are you? Should you be? Should he?)

Then you're into Stormblood and it's like wow, okay. That last part was all high fantasy, of course there were loyal knights and elegant princes. But this is war. Imperialism. Grim business, surely there's no way—oh no BOTH handsome young revolutionary leaders seem to have a special interest in you?! And so does the Crown Prince of the Empire? Come on, man. I should get to do the whole horrors of war thing without having to also deal with this. Gaius sucked and it was weird that he let his foster daughter run around being openly obsessed with him but at least he never made it my problem.

You can't even get away from it across dimensions. Shadowbringers is a horror story about going on a teambuilding camping trip with your work colleagues for some reason except they all suddenly got really hot and they keep touching you affectionately on the shoulder and being like "I care for you and your happiness. Truly." And also you're being stalked for the whole camping trip by two old men who are obsessed with you. The false climax of the story is that the one old man tries to betray you and give a dramatic monologue about how he loves you but the two of you are doomed by the narrative and then the other old man shoots him in the back like "no actually its MY turn to betray them and give a dramatic monologue about how our love is doomed by the narrative." Then the real climax is old man #1 backstabbing old man #2 in the middle of said monologue before old man #2 dies and gives ANOTHER wistful monologue about his doomed love. Then for the patches they're like okay so we have this even CRAZIER old man who's gonna strike when you're weak and give a dramatic monolo—

and that's without even getting into the literal soulmate ghost only you can see

my warrior of light never felt more betrayed than in that scene where Y'shtola is like "haha Alisaie and G'raha have crushes on the warrior of light." Like I thought we were COOL, Y'shtola! I work here! This situation is already in such a delicate balance! Right when I got here I met Alisaie's "friend from work" who was like oh haha so YOU'RE the one she can't stop talking about and we never followed up on that because the woman died horrifically like five minutes later right in front of us! Then when Vauthry got away and we had to do all that shit with the dwarves, G'raha kept pausing every ten minutes to be like oooooh I'm so old I'm gonna die soon...at least I got to spend some time with some people who are really important to me...in fact here's what I'd tell the person who's most important to me...actually u know them really well haha. And I just had to sit there and be like wow, dude, crazy.

even in the face of apocalypse you still gotta go back in time like 12,000 years and there's somewhere there who makes you sit and listen to his story which is that the purpose of his whole godlike immortal life was to be in a throuple with you and old man #2 from the camping trip. and you just gotta sit there the whole time knowing you/your past life is the one who broke up the throuple over politics. He's like come help me harangue the old man into streaking in public, he'll do it if you ask.

then you meet and fight and kill God and you gotta turn to the team and be like hey sorry guys can you give me a sec. I'm gonna call God by her real name because we met one time for like four days and after that the promise of meeting me again was one of the things that sustained her through her millennia of suffering. Not like that but like. Idk. Just gimme a sec!

It's a relief when you finally get to Lahabrea and he's like actually I still don't fuck with your vibe. Like thank GOD.

And my WoL is very obviously dad-shaped so Dawntrail had a very specific energy for me but I understand that for plenty of people your deepening rapport with Wuk Lamat had a romantic subtext (same for Koana depending on how you read a few of his lines). And personally I think it's the height of comedy to be like, noooo, babe, your highness, I know you and your brother the king are in love with me and want me to stick around and support you emotionally through this governmental transition haha. But it's just...the cursed wineglass, babe. I GOTTA go figure out what's up with this cursed wineglass.

It's a running gag in some of the more optional content that people are like "you have an unreasonable number of hobbies and side gigs" to the WoL from time to time. But if every time you tried picking up a new hobby some new elf started baring their soul to you, you too would be like Hey Jessie (or sometimes Krile or Tataru), my good friend who is one of the only people in my life who knows what professional ethics and work-life boundaries are, any chance you need muscle on a gig on the other side of the world? Ideally with only Cid and his ex so all libidinal energy in the room is directed towards machinery or someone who isn't me?

ironically one of the only places you get a break from psychosexual obsession is the nier content

[pallisia]

ffx has the greatest writing of any fantasy rpg. that i have played. but also probably of all time. no shut up listen to me.

"but the battles" i am only talking about the writing

"but the voice acting" i am only talking about the writing. but also a good portion of ffx's voice acting is of a much higher caliber than what we usually get in game dubs nowadays. forget wakka and "i need food" for one second and really think about this

"but the tidus laugh" you know that gets taken out of context for memes. you know it's a sweet scene where tidus makes yuna feel better by laughing stupid on purpose. you know this. come correct.

"but the dialogue is corny" i just had to endure twenty thousand people telling me "thal's balls" "goes hard" i do not want to hear this

where were you when the ronso recognized yuna's strength of will. where were you when tidus finally learned what the final summon was. where the fuck were you when braska said this!!!!

let's be serious here!!!!!!

[thal-ent]

[TW : mentionned childbirth, anxiety about being a mom and stuff. Ai belongs to the Allmighty GF, Ether to @noa-de-cajou , Lycarn to @hel-phoenyx and Daphne to @soupedepates ]

"Hey, Agi, how do you feel about becoming a mom ?"

She doesn't need to turn to know her friend is looking at her. She can feel the weak magic emanating from her, the feeling of her eyes on her.

"That's a weird question, Chiho." Agathe laughs, tilting her head. "I'm not courting anyone, much less pregnant."

"You know what I mean ! You're going to end up having a kid, we all do. I'm sure Yusuke would love to marry you later. You can't see how he looks at you, but it's sooooo annoying..."

"I.... I dont like Yusuke that way, you know that. Any boys. And I dont want to think about... Mariage. I'm too young."

"Oh, sorry miss angel~" Chiho laughs, elbowing Agathe who simply chuckles back. "Still a teen in her twenties... What a shame."

"Just because I age slower doesn't mean I'm any less mature than you, idiot." As to ponctuate her point, she sticks out her tongue to her friend, earning another elbow in her arm.

"No, but seriously. When you become a mom, what are you going to do ?"

".... I dont know." A hand goes to her stomach, silently. Chiho stays quiet. "I'm... Not sure if I want or... Can have one."

"What, because of your eyes ?" The silence is enough of an awnser. "C'mon, they're amazing !"

"I can't open them without hurting and... And mutating, Chiho. What if... What if that's a curse because of who my mom is ? To disuade me from doing like her ?"

"That sounds like you're expecting a lot from people who never bothered to come here except to give you up." She shrugs, jumping from the fence she was sitting on to face her friend, even with her eyes closed to the world. "I'm sure if you want kids, Agathe, you'll be the best mom possible. And if you dont, that's fine ! We'll run away together and live our perfect life away from boys and kids !"

"Liar, you know you'd keep coming back for your granny !"

"That's why I didn't say shit about her."

They laugh again, and Chiho takes Agathe's hand to get back to the village.

***

"Say, Agathe, what do you think of children ?"

They've established a campfire for the night, and the cold of the night is starting to be known, even so close to the fire her wings could almost burn. She's not alone, tho, and Ogami is standing in front of her. She doesn't know what he looks like, only feels the vague and shapeless aura of his inherent magic.

"That's a very specific question."

"I'm not planning on asking you to have some with me, if that's what you're worried about." He laughs and she just shakes her head, used to his shenanigans. "But Shira was starting to wonder about her."

"What do you mean ?"

"We're getting older, Agathe. I know you can't see it, but she... She really wants kids. And she wants to have them before being too old for it."

"Well, you're her husband, I-"

"And you're her girlfriend." She can feel his gaze on her, the piercing blue transpercing even her soul. "I know you're afraid of being less important to us because you met us later, Agathe, but you are my friend and she loves you. That's why I'm asking you about that."

"I..." She thinks back to her teens, to the last time she allowed herself to think of kids. Of her kids. "I... I think I would like that. Being... A mom... With you and Shira... But..."

"... You dont have to be afraid for them, Agathe." He stands up and puts his hand on hers, letting her feel the warmth he seems to emperson. "You dont even have to be the one pregnant if that's what scares you."

"But... But what if, because I'm an angel..."

They dont say more. She's young, and they're starting to not be anymore. She'll live for centuries at least. Them one at best.

She doesn't want to see her children die.

***

"Say, angel." The hand on her wings spreads its fingers through the white feathers. They've been groomed just before, while they were in the bath, and Agathe is still so tired from it. "D'you wanna have kids ?"

".... Irène, we're lesbians."

"I know that stupid !" Agathe laughs, letting Irène's other hand lightly hit her forehead. "I meant like.... Getting some guy to knock one of us up, or maybe just. Adopt some kid."

"I can't see you "get some guy to knock you up", to be honest, love... And I dont think it's a good idea for me to get pregnant." They dont mention why. They talked about it more than necessary. She scares her, and she doesn't want to scare her more than now.

"Adoption it is then."

"Wait for us to get married before wanting to tattoo more names on your skin !"

"We dont tattoo our kid's name, they tattoo ours ! You're the one with deereen writings on your skin, you should know !"

"Not that I would know what's on your skin, you scar too well for it to be seen with my hands."

They laugh and share a simple kiss, something they get to have less and less of.

***

"Agathe, can I ask something ? Feel free to decline."

She turns to face her.... Friend ? She's not really sure what she feels for Ai, but she knows she values her. And she must value her just as much to declare her first concubine of the empire, her who destroyed the harem before.

"Well, of course. Can I help you ?"

"It's... A rather complex issue." She doesn't need to see the empress' face to know she's nervous. "You're a.... Demon queen, right ?"

"Apparently, yes."

"Does that mean you can... Change your appearence ?"

There's a silence as Agathe thinks about it. She never tried, didn't even know she was a half demon before a few years ago, when they met... Well. No need to dwell on that. But it is true that direct children of the Aspects of Chaos like her have that ability. But does her angel part cancel it out ?

She's never felt she was anything but a woman, in her almost 120 years of living, maybe that is why she never though about it.

"Mmmh, I can... Certainly try to see if that is the case. But why are you asking ?"

"To be perfectly honest..." She knows her friend's face was getting redder by her voice alone and, to be honest as well, it did amuse her. "I... Need to have children, and I..."

All smiles vanished from Agathe's face, and maybe it was that more than the subtle shift in her wings that alerted the empress and made her speak faster.

"I dont want you to feel obligated to anything, really, you talked to us about your fears and it's just, I though, you know, you're someone I respect a lot and... And if I have children, I'd be glad for them to be yours."

"Ai, I'm... I'll think about it. I swear. But." Agathe took one of Ai's hands in hers. "I dont know if I can even be pregnant, even less... Making someone else be. And you're aware of what being a half demon half angel did to my magic. I dont want that for anyone else, especially not... Not kids."

"I know." Her other hand goes on top of Agathe's trembling ones, a soft smile on her face. "But I have faith."

***

The palace is rushing with life. Their empress is still in her room, still left with only doctors - including her dear wife. None is able to know how things are going, the painful wails of Ai echoing around the hallways.

Next to the room, wings puffed out by the stress, is Agathe. She can see the powerful magics emanating from Ai and the doctors, Ether's chaotic aura staying close to her, and for the first time in her life Agathe wishes she could be able to not see the magic around.

"Agathe you're making me crazy pacing around like that !" Daphne is sitting, silently playing with a doll. A gift for the baby soon to be born, but her gratting voice still betrays her anxiety. "You weren't that worried when Jezebel birthed Hallvard's kid !"

"To be fair, that wasn't her kid, that was being born." Lycarn is standing next to her partner, holding her hand and stopping her from wandering too far by accident. "And not Xingtzao's yells we could hear."

"I know you're stressed too Daphne, your magic is going everywhere."

"That's cheating to be able to see that !"

Agathe laughs, a small chuckle as she squeezes Lycarn's hand harder. It's been hours. She knows Ether has helped give birth before, but was it always so long ? What if it went wrong ? What if, in the end-

The door slams open, and a sweaty but smiling Ether faces her partners and friend. From the room, a small cry is able to be heared, the cry of a newborn.

"Everything's okay now." The adrenaline is still present in Ether's voice, but they dont linger on that as the three women get into the room where the doctors are still going from left to right, attending the empress and her baby.

"Hey." Her voice sounds almost similar to Daphne's, but her joy is just as present in it. "Sorry, tired..."

They understand, leaving Ai her space. But now, Agathe can't help but focus herself on the small, weak magic emanating from the newborn, the princess. Her... Her daughter.

Maybe it's obvious, with the way her head never turns from Ai's direction, but the woman tell her to get closer, and with a soft and slow mouvement, the baby is passed into Agathe's arms.

"She's so small..." Agathe smiles, feeling tears coming to her eyes. "She's... So cute..."

"And perfectly healthy !" Ether puts a hand on Agathe's back slowly, the other, colder one, wiping a tear from their love's cheek.

Agathe simply nods her head, holding her daughter in her arms, tears of joy on her face.

[sarcastic-sketches]

Kida reads all of the EDA's (mostly)

PART 1 #1 - #15

I started writing down my impressions of each of the books as I finished them, including the dates of when I finished them and any screencaps I took of my favroutie bits and then just ... kept doing it. I am not a fast reader by any means but these books have me hooked right now so I wanted to keep a record of my progress. [Part 2]

I'm using this EDA reccommendation list as a rough guide for which books I should absolutely not bother with and to brace myself for what I'm about to get into, so let's go~

#1 The Eight Doctors

25th November 2024 I honestly don't remember much of Eights shenanigans with his former selves since I'm writing this retroactively, and I vaguely put the timey whimey bullshit down to a metaphor for learning yourself over again. But I DO remember finding the events in 1997 funny. Not even 10 minutes since he landed in Totters lane and he'd incapacitated four drug dealers and then promptly got arrested for having said drugs in his possession (literally in his hand) just as the cops turned up. He does an excellent job driving the investigators around the fucking bend, once again proving to be the most annoying mf you will ever meet on any given planet he happens to be on at the time.

#2 Vampire Science

4th December 2024 This book is hysterical for a plot that has multiple people considering offing themselves at one point or other throughout the book. It also highlights that this incarnation is silmultaneously far more 'human' with his emotional availability as well how alien he is for Not Realising what he is doing.

Also shout out to these scenes in particular:

TARDIS gf confirmed

Fred the Eternal Snail we salute you

The idea that he has pet bats that he casually just grabs out of the air tickles me

Just this entire segment honestly. Eight is three years (?) into his new regen and has no idea his Charisma stat is that high. He used to have to actually do stuff before. Now he seems to do it by accident and honestly? That might just have worse consequences.

Really enjoyed the dialogue and characterisations, also the narrative had a personality too which I always enjoy.

#3 Bodysnatchers

25th December 2024 This was a bit of a slog to get through for me (as you can probably tell from the timestamp) as everything seemed to happen in the last 50 pages, but MAN Eight cannot catch a break even when they are trying to do the right thing for the right reasons. Very gorey scenes towards the end (not a complaint) but the environment descriptions were often oddly ... overly complex? I feel like it tried to give so much detail to describe the alien settings that often times it just became a jumbled mess. I struggled to actually picture the scene in my head most of the time.

#4 Genocide

27th December 2024 Despite the name, much more enjoyable read than the last one and kept a steady pace throughout. Bit disappointed they didn't lean more into the horror shit of finding Homo Sapien bones in an era far too early for them, only to find another has appeared retroactively since the last time the site was visited. But that just wasn't the story that was intended to be told, alas. Jo Grant appearance was nice though! I love former companions meeting later versions of The Doctor.

These can't possibly have any bearing on future events, right? Foreshadowing, what's that? -chuckles nervously-

#5 War of the Daleks

29th December 2024

I, ironically, forgor that this was mentioned as one to skip, but I got through it ok. The whole plotline of the Thals becoming warrior like because of the Doctor's interferance way back when he was One and more hands on (we don't talk about the Fire of Rome) was juicy.

This is Sams first encounter with the Daleks and man she is not having a good time between battling teenage hormones or the pepper pots tbh. Though, could do with less of clearly adult men eyeing up a seventeen year old as a viable target for flirting. I also got pretty sick of the 'yet another plot twist' pretty quick after the first 3... and we weren't done by a long shot.

(I can see why this was listed as a skip orz)

#6 Alien Bodies

2nd January 2025

Oooooh it's a biggy. I didn't go into this reading list completley blind and I knew this was a big hit and I can see why. This one kicks off with the Third Doctor giving Laika a funeral and burying her and WAAAAAAA - I immediately start crying whenever thinking about Laika.

The body horror in this one is superb, also I love seeing how shit scared the rest of the universe is of the Doctor - this is where the rumblings of war start and the hints of certain Sam related plot points I know will be coming up later get seeded.

(picturing the potential future of Time Lords as giant bat people is kinda cool ngl)

(Oh, Eight, buddy I am so sorry about what's lined up for you)

('hyperactive even as a corpse' shut up, I say, as I laugh to myself)

There's also bits in here that could tie in well with the Timeless Child backstory if you wanted to retroactively put them together which I just think is neat to consider:

#7 Kursaal

5th January 2024 Man oh man I loved this one. It had a fantastic start with a scene at the beginning right out of Dog Soldiers (one of my fave horror/sci-fi films of all time), only for the Doctor and Sam to stumble upon all the carnage and near immediately decide they need to get the fuck outta there. Do not investigate, do not pass Go, just hit the bricks. And it didn't stop there, the horror elements were played so well in my opinion and was all over a fun read. Was surprised more wasn't made of the green figure we see described in the mural of the central location this book is written around, seeing as Eight wears green all the time and later Sam gets given some green scrubs. Maybe it was implied somewhere and I just missed it (would not put it passed me).

The Doctor actually showing he can BE a Doctor with a medical degree and all apparently. Despite Eight's (reasonable) fear of Hospitals.

(Eight canonically being traumatised by his experience in American Healthcare hospital is such a good take. He's holding back the flashbacks by the skin of his teeth)

Also carrying on his tradition of Grand Theft Auto only this time he stole a cop car and then masterfully dodged said cops. Phenomenal.

(I want more bitchy Eight)

Sam was excellent in this book, still written believably as a teenager but still given the space to show initiative of her own.

#8 Option Lock

9th January 2025 Have I mentioned how funny Sam is? She's hysterical.

The two seemingly completely related plot lines running in parallel at the start reminded me of The Monks episode in Twelves era, flashing between the pyramid and the growing lab incident. Then it gave me vibes similar to the Apocalypse serial from American Horror Story what with the secret society all working behind the scenes though for very different reasons.

Also someone please help this autistic man, they are not thriving

(Honestly same)

#9 Longest Day

25th January 2024 Again, from the timestamp you can probably guess how this one is gonna go. This one wins the record of introducing a character within the opening pages of the first chapter that I quite happily saw die and Sam is once again subject to the rampant sexism that pervades the entire cosmos apparently?? Sci-Fi of the 90s I guess...

This was another book that took me an age to get through because it just didn't keep my attention that well. Characters doing actions. Characters I don't really feel emotionally invested in one way or another, which is just as well. Sam and The Doctor are now separated through no agency of their own.

There were some fun passages though:

Eight is such an asshole, I laughed so hard at this exchange, I love them

Wasn't The Doctor's tutor Borusa?

As introductions go, this one's fairly efficient

#10 Legacy of the Daleks

25th January 2025 From what I'd seen it was best to skip this one (especially since Susans family situation gets retconned in the audios, which I've already listened to) so I skimmed it for Susan and Eight interactions... of which there weren't any. It doesn't progress Eight's search for Sam either. He picks up a kitten at the end thats about it as far as continuity goes.

This section got me though, I can hear the sass that Nine will weild later to lethal effect

#11 Dreamstone

26th January 2025 This was a fun one, mostly for all the different characters and how interesting they all were. I kind of predicted where they were going with the crystals and thought they could have done more with them but, ultimately, this was a story about human nature not the stones really.

Sam really developed a lot in this story realising that making decisions isn't easy but making them for herself all the same. The Doctor is just good at making it look easy so people go with it. If you look confident about a decision people argue less and waste less time

#12 Seeing I

26th January 2025 Seeing I is here!! I'd heard good things about this one. I felt Sam was really trying to bite off more than she could chew but thats 17yr old pride for you. Only to fucking smash right out of the park and break through that barrier she'd been struggling with to become her own person. The Doctor once again weaponising his ability to be the most annoying mf on any given planet to get his way. At least, until his meddling came and bit him in the ass and bit him hard. The fact that he was still suffering from those consequences even after the event had passed was very good. Japser and Stewart mention <3

#13 Placebo Effect

Skipped.

#14 Vanderdekens Children

28th January 2025 I actually really liked this one. It turned into another sci-fi tropes I love to see but mostly the Messing With Gravity thing. It did remind me a little of Event Horizon, looking for faster than light travel by simply going from Point A to Point B without actually travelling anywhere only to not realise where the Point B might end up. Ships haunted as a result naturally. Then you find out why.

I do like The Doctor very obviously using hypnotism in this book to calm someone down and being utterly guileless about it too.

You can tell Sam's time away has done her the world of good, she's looking to The Doctor for direction less and less and trusting herself more.

Glad to see some things never change though

Ah yes, a scene familiar to anyone who has ever played or seen Alien: Isolation.

#15 Scarlette Empress

1st February 2025 Scarlette Empress is so far one of my favourites simply for the insights it gives us into each of the characters from their own mouths, right next to how they are perceived by the characters they are sharing space with. Actually, this whole book is kind of about challenging your perceptions of others and yourself. Huh.

These two sections were fascinating to me on how The Doctor perceives himself through the interactions of others. He's about 7 years into his current Eighth self and still working out who he is and I don't think that ever stops.

Old Empress who lived in a jar for thousands of years like a genie gets freed and, as my friend described it, 'Comes straight out of the jar hornier than god'

This guy has The Traumatic Experience With Spiders in one of his earlier lives and now needs back up. Sam is that person who gets the cup and a piece of card while The Doctor is standing on a chair - he doesn't want to kill it he just wants it away from him... Only to then befriend said Spider in the next few scenes because of course he does. Turns out it's half the size of Iris' double decker bus and bored as all hell.

[theamazingmaddyas]

I'm not sure how much the Starkid and Percy Jackson fandom intersect, but I was thinking about the different Starkid/TCB musicals, and which songs could alternatively be used to describe Riordanverse characters, and decided to share. This will probably end up being a part 1, since I'll probably end up thinking of more the second I post this, but maybe not. Anyways, here's my first list (and descriptions):

Not Your Seed (The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals) - Luke Castellan

This was the first one I thought of, and reason for this post. Alice is literally singing about how she's been possessed and is no longer her father's kid, and how he'd never noticed her.

Also the lines:Why does it hurt to love you, why am I in pain? Why does it hurt to know you, you let me down again. If I turned my insides out, would you even know that I was there. Why does it hurt to love you? Why does it hurt to love? Is literally Luke's motive in the series, he's resentful of his father, and it hurts to care for him. Also, And if you wonder what led your daughter astray? Well, daddy wasn't here to stay. Do I need to say more?

CaliforMIA (Black Friday) - Luke Castellan, Thalia Grace, and Annabeth Chase

Thalia: Dearest Gods,

It's been real, real bad. I'd say you tried your best, but I'm not a liar

Luke: It's L I E R, Thal

Thalia: We get it, Luke, you're a good speller

We're taking Annabeth as far away as we can get. I'd give you an address, but I don't want to. Don't write, don't IM, don't ask.

Sincerily,

Thalia

That's all I have to say. Also, that Beryl is, in fact, a bitch, an alcoholic, a meloncholic that Thalia kept afloat.

Black Friday (Black Friday) - Bianca di Angelo

This song is so Bianca-coded, as she reflects on her life and on her relationship with Nico in her final moments. The part that's most her, I think is At first I didn't know what she was to me, at first I didn't know why I cared, or why I wanted, to rock her and hold her to sleep. Did I need her more than she needed me? Maybe I'm wrong, she can go on her own, 'cause I'm leaving.

The way this was probably one of her last thoughts has kept me awake at night. Also, there's the toy store/junkyard similarities and that both Lex and Bianca's 'deaths' have to do with a toy.

The Coolest Girl (A Very Potter Sequel)- Annabeth Chase

The Coolest Girl and My Grand Plan are basically the same song, I have no other notes.

Tonight this School is Mine: Reyna Ramirez-Arellano and Octavian

Obviously, this song is Octavian, he has been trying to become praeter since the dawn of time. I wasn't sure who'd 'run' against him per se, but I chose Reyna solely because we know Jason was raised up to Praeter during war, so Octavian couldn't have tried to vie against him. Reyna, on the other hand, she's barely been at camp for a few years and already became praeter? Octavian definitely had something to say about that.

Guys Like Potter (A Very Potter Sequel)- Octavian and Bryce Lawrence

Instead of being about the want for a partner, change the meaning to be the want for power? This is them to the T. It was probably "Guys Like Jackson" because my man has been at camp for 4 days and is already praeter.

Get into My Mouth (A Very Potter Senior Year) - Literally every monster ever

Self-explanatory, I believe.

The Dragon Song (A Very Potter Musical) - Lester Papadoupalus (Apollo)

This is actually how Apollo beat the Python, he told me himself.

So level with me buddy I can't defeat thee So please don't eat me All I can do Is sing this song for you

Also, the Python never asked to be a snake, and Apollo never asked to be turned mortal. We just jumped on the bandwagon, but all we need is guitar jammin'

If I Fail You (Black Friday) - Hermes

This is Hermes to Luke.

If I fail you one more time, the punishment won't match the crime. 'Cause there's no pain that can ever explain how I let you down. If I fail you one more time, the mountain I would have to climb, is so high up that I would have to die. Oh, I. I failed you once, and I will fail again.

That is all.

Doing This (Spies are Forever) - Jason Grace, Piper McLean, and Hera

I had trouble deciding whether Curt's mom would be Hera or Aphrodite because Aphrodite's well, Aphrodite, but Hera literally changed Piper's memories so she thought they were dating, so she ended up getting the honor.

I mean, the plot of the song is literally two characters, one of whom is canonically gay, thinking they have to be in a relationship before realizing they were better off as friends. That's literally Piper and Jason in TOA?

I guess we're doing this, see that look in your eyes, how can I resist, (Piper)I'm a girl, (Jason)I'm a guy. It's meant to be, because we're both spies, time to move in for this kiss. Just go with it and don't ask why. I guess we're doing this... is Heroes of Olympus and It's great to know we don't have to pretend. (Piper)You're cool with me? (Jason)'Till the end. But let's never do this again. Is them in Trials of Apollo.

To Dance Again (A Very Potter Musical) - Lavinia Asimov

As a tap dancer, I can say with certainty that Lavinia did Voldemort's tap dance for the entire legion, and spent hours making sure the fifth cohort could do the kickline properly. I don't make the rules.

The Witch In The Web (Nightmare Time) - Georgina

The "witch" is Trophonius, obviously, guiding Georgie to the cave in the Dark Prophecy. I feel like this one doesn't need much more explanation.

Rogues Are We and Rogues Are We (Reprise): Kronos' Army

Rogues are we!

Luke is Sweet Tooth in the reprise, obviously.

Adore Me (Black Friday) - Octavian

Also self-explanatory I feel like. Specifically, in House of Hades and Blood of Olympus after Reyna leaves, and he tries to make himself praetor.

I will destroy everything And then I will destroy everything I'll guarantee I'll destroy everything In my path Unless I get what I -

Gerald calling is Reyna arriving.

The Web I Spin For You (Nightmare Time) - Arachne

Do I really need to explain this?

Status Quo (Starship) - Percy Jackson

Percy does push the limits a lot, and doesn't except everything at face value, as shown when he make the gods pay child support.

I kick down the walls around me They don't know how strong I am I'm not defined by boundaries

Yeah, that's Percy.

Beauty (Starship) - Grover Underwood

This song is literally about finding beauty in nature, Grover's whole speil.

If you’re preoccupied with what’s on the outside You get lost in the “how it can seem” But open your eyes and you’ll be surprised To find out how much more something different can mean

It's just wonderful, and so Grover.

Backfire (Firebringer)- Leo Valdez

Leo made a schwoopsie when he blew up New Rome.

That's a joke. I know he was possessed, but also I feel like Backfired is how Leo's brain is when he's trying something knew. I also can see Leo being Fire also from Firebringer, or the predecessor to Backfire, which is What if?

If I Believed (Twisted: The Untold Story of the Royal Vizier) - Nico di Angelo

Just like Jafar being in denial about Sherrazade's death, just as Nico is in denial about Bianca's, and is willing to ignore logic and reason in order to get them back.

Science says you’re dead and gone forever Reason says I’m talking to the air But something in my heart Some secret hidden part Illogically insists that you are there Somewhere

It's how King Minos was able to manipulate Nico so easily in Battle of the Labyrinth, and how the villains were able to get Ja'far to join the dark side so easily.

I Steal Everything (Twisted: The Untold Story of the Royal Vizier)- Travis and Connor Stoll

Want food, but got no money? I'm screwed, or so it would seem That's why I came up with this brilliant scheme

Just steal everything!

Okay, Connor and Travis aren't absolute assholes like Aladdan is in this song, but I found it humorous.

[hel-phoenyx]

2013. The first time his mother allowed him to wear a smoking. He isn't sure, still is searching for himself, but he knows he prefers he/him to she/her and that his name is not his name anymore.

Seeing that validated made him happy. Seeing his aunts kiss like everything was normal made him happy.

Only cloud in front of the sun was seeing his cousin cry. Why is he unhappy ? This is a happy day.

2014. He changed names, his mother accepted him but his father ? Not so much. It doesn't matter. None of them are really stopping him. He's thinking about taking hormones, but changes his mind every two mornings.

At the very least being called by his new name feels good.

2015. He was just going back home when that guy grabbed him. A punch went through his nose, followed by another, and slurs that he never heard in his lifetime.

Worst is that this voice was strangely familiar.

He got confirmation when he went hiding at his aunt. She was going through a rough patch, her wife's cheating finally revealed and the divorce getting messy, but she still took him in. That's where she confirmed him it was her wife's brother.

He was thirteen and already exposed to transphobia, his cousins silently staring at his wounds from the other side of the room.

He knows what it feels like to be hated. To discover the worst in people. But he is spiteful, he is resilient, and he survived another night.

The following day, he tells his parents he wants hormones. The same day, his aunt is single for good.

2017. He hardly sees his cousins anymore, lost in the divorce and so many other rough patches they went through. Puberty blockers did their job, and he is now on T, with the permission of his parents. His therapist helps him go through that puberty easier that he would with his assigned one.

He has friends, and his heart beats faster when he sees that man in the school grounds. Said man is a proud gay, taking under his wing the baby transgender he was. Looks are exchanged in-between classes, and he gifts him some drawings. The others are made of his face, more beautiful that he ever drew faces.

One day, a group of bullies took his notebook from his hands and saw the drawings he was hiding. They ripped them all, calling him a fag and a tranny, words that are now so familiar to him.

He drew them as he saw them. Ugly, exxagerated villains. Spite is still powering him.

When he's 18, he will have his top surgery. It's already planned. Nothing else has importance.

2019. When his cousin disappeared at the beginning of the year, he never thought he would find him on TV, in the most horrible telenovela there was. But he coudn't stop watching. Even after the end. The most awful end he ever sees.

He remembers the twisted smile, the cries, the shouts. He puts them on paper.

This would be his last act as a free man before long.

2020. He got out of hell only to get back in another one. Unable to get back to his home, to get his long-awaited top surgery, he stayed behind to survive. Alone.

He never was alone before. Even in hell.

He is still spiteful. His drawings get more and more depicting of an horrifying reality. He still survives.

His estranged half-brother asks him if he wants to come live with him in Norway. Norway is not the paradise it was anymore. It was taken over by devils. he can see the devils. He still goes, because he is tired of being alone.

He gets his top surgery on his brother's allowance. His sister-in-law hates that. He feels like he doesn't belong.

He still gets the letter.

The same letter his cousin got two years ago.

2021. He had no choice but to go to that school. Hope's Peak. Nobody really pays attention to him, a survivor among the survivors, and that suits him. His promotion is already considerably down. Apparently, this year's killing game almost exclusively captured new people.

He doesn't care. At least he's alive.

A statement that gets more and more weak.

2022. That new guy is suspiciously interested in him. It's not rare to see him in his vision field just watching over him with his piercing turquoise eyes. His own are always down.

Once he tried to call him. Something simple, a "why are you watching me" kind of call. The guy dissapeared instantly after realising he got spotted.

This is annoying. So he tries to get intel. A vampire hunter, says the other survivors of the 2022 promotion. He had difficulties learning english and speaks in Latin or Romanian most of the time, but it's not what made him the hardest to be integrated.

People think he's a cult survivor. Still is part of it, apparently, and tracks down vampires even here at Hope's Peak. People believe he found one.

He has the same turquoise eyes as a man from his past.

2023. He started talking to the weird guy, discovered he was not that weird after all, just lost. That he could relate. Both of them are survivors of something. This conversations started to make him believe the world was not that rotten after all.

Until he saw in the 2023 promotion his youngest cousin and the relative of the people who ruined his life. And realised he stopped being spiteful a long time ago.

Still, he could be at least for him. Him, who gets flustered around him for reasons he attributes to his supposed vampiric nature. He knows very well what he is, but can't believe people would love him, as his broken self and the sword of Damocles hung above his head.

At the very least this world is worth something. If there is still people ready to approach him.

2024. He is so tired.

The cute guy went in with a prosthetic arm.

He didn't get why he acted horrified at the sight.

That world took away something from him and he can't even realise it.

This world is so rotten.

2025. He didn't wake up at Hope's Peak.

He knows why. He knows what that means.

Ten years of murderous games and a cousin taking the first role do that to people.

He looks around him. There is shouts, complaints, screams and the tired face of a man that lost everything and is ready to retaliate.

Every one around him is rotten to the core. Everyone around him will die with him. He has no hope for a happy ending.

But next to all of these people he hates, there's him.

He doesn't know what he's doing here. He doesn't know what are his chances of survival. But he knows one thing.

If there is to be one survivor of the 2025 killing game, it would be Virgil Vânător.

Whatever he has to do.

[victorianasshole]

Thal stretching in the morning :}

I am currently trying to write out more in my oc universe, tho it often just ends up with me getting distracted and just drawing them instead. But they serve every time, so it's fine

[valdiis]

FFXIV Site Write #14: Telling

"Mind telling me where you got these?" the Lalafell asked his apprentice. The guilty shift of Vyth's eyes gave him away - or so Rianan thought. "You stole them?"

"I did not!" came the vehement and immediate defense of the sixteen-year-old boy.

Rianan made a skeptical noise. "You have three high quality faceted gems in your possession and you're expecting me to believe you didn't steal them." The stones had fallen out of Vyth's clothing as Rianan had been helping him pack for another caravan trip through Thanalan. A beautiful amethyst, citrine, and aquamarine - each cut by at least a journeyman gemcutter. They weren't perfect, but they were quite nice and Rianan could think of no other way but pilfering for the young boy to get his hands on them.

"I found them."

"A likely excuse." Rianan frowned.

"No, really. I found them in the dirt and I cleaned them up and made them pretty." Vy'thanis struggled with how to explain himself when his father's advice to never let anyone but family know about his talents butted heads with his desire to be honest with his mentor. "I..." His words failed him and he sighed. "If I tell you, you have to promise no one else will ever know," he said. "You're family, right?"

Having kept care of the Elezen for the past three years, Rianan had called him family more than once in order to win the distrusting youth over. It would ruin everything he'd built up to deny it now. "Aye," the Lalafell said, "family."

"Let me see the purple one," Vyth said, holding out one dark brown hand. He was pleasantly surprised when Rianan didn't fuss and just handed him the stone. "Okay. Watch this." He cradled the ilm-long gemstone in his palm and studied it for a moment, screwing up his courage. Then he ran his forefinger over the stone, smoothing its facets. Within moments, there was a little pile of amethyst dust in his palm and the faceted stone had become a cabochon.

Rianan stared in silence. On all his travels around the star, he'd never heard of someone who could shape stone with their bare fingers. He wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes. Thal's balls, if the Syndicate knew of such a talent, Vy'thanis would never know a moment's peace. He'd be a slave in a sweatshop, producing cuts for the rest of his life. Rianan was fond of the young Elezen - more fond of him than he was of gil (which was a good thing for Vyth's sake). The thought of turning him over to those greedy bastards for a small fortune made his stomach turn.

Vy'thanis cleared his throat nervously as he looked down at Rianan, waiting for a verdict.

"So when you say you found them in the dirt, you mean that you dug them up out of the dirt?" the Lalafell asked. Vyth nodded. "And when you made them pretty, you don't just mean you cleaned them off because you found them this way? You made them like this." The last part hadn't been a question.

Vyth nodded again. "Papa said to never tell anyone but family that I could do it."

The trust that came with that statement took Rianan's breath away. Sure, Vyth was also saving his own hide from an accusation of theft, but he still didn't have to show off his talents like that. He didn't have to believe in Rianan's innate goodness that much. Rianan reached up and put his much smaller hand over Vyth's. "Thank you for showing me," he said. "Your Papa was right. Let's keep this between us."

The youth gave him a shaky smile.

Rianan patted Vyth's hand before reaching up and handing the other two stones back to him. "When we get back to Ul'dah, I think an introduction to the Miners' Guild is in order." He smiled when Vyth gave an excited gasp. "You're a tolerable weaver now, but it's clearly not your passion. Let's get you trained to do this right, so when someone asks again, you can show them the tools you use instead."

The Elezen dropped to a knee and wrapped his arms around Rianan so fast the merchant didn't have time to blink. He grunted in surprise, but patted Vyth's shoulder. "Come now. No need to be so effusive."

"What's effusive mean?" Vy'thanis asked as he let go and stood back up.

Rianan could only laugh. "Let's finish packing."