#the fame game spoilers

[merinelsa]

The way the 7th ep of fame game is the most gayest ep I've ever seen on indian tv . Like when Avi finally comes to terms with himself and confesses to his bestfriend and crush that he reciprocates his feelings . And then they get to have their first date and be intimate with each other . And then the lesbian moms decide to fight for the custody of their son against one of the moms ex husband . And then there's the cute domestic scene between them where they cuddle on the couch . And then the scene where Shobha becomes a lesbian mom guiding her little gay son Avi through his confessions . Like she held out her hand for him and takes care of him during the search . All in one ep .

[hoshizoralone]

a series of comics about the time where flora is left alone with clive

[lavendorii]

long-term nuclear waste warning messages/subnautica

[affectionatecorpse]

Spoilers for Finding Frankie below the cut!

Okay I'm sorry but I actually really dislike how some people are saying the announcer cares about the player and calling him "Good Frankie" cause... bestie... I REALLY don't think that's true at ALL--

He's a psychopathic power hungry monster. He doesn't see you as a person, he just sees you as another meat bag that's going to rake in more money. He doesn't even give you the courtesy of your name, just "Contestant". He tries to play to your heart by saying this was his last resort, that he's going bankrupt, that he basically has no choice, but Henry straight up confirms that's total bullshit. He explains that's not true at all. They keep doing this. Once you die, they'll just find another 4 victims to drag in, over and over. They have season after season of this. This isn't a new thing that started out of desperation, this has been going on for a WHILE now.

He wants you to die. He wants to make it a gorey, spectacular mess, and he wants the attention to skyrocket because of it. He wants the audience to be on the edge of their seats, so they'll keep being invested, like any good TV show creator. If every episode is the same, just having everyone die in mere moments and in the exact same way, there's no mystery or excitement. It becomes predictable, and boring. He's not sympathising with you. He just wants to prevent his show becoming mundane. After all, the horror and surprise of it is what gets his money.

They did this exact thing with Henry. He claims the energy you bring inspired them to spare him, but the second he returns the loveable sidekick and delivers some Tumblr Sexyman vibes, he's suddenly and brutally killed. Because it's surprising. Killing him offscreen? Boring! Catching the audience off guard with a loud and sudden kill to the character they've grown attached to? Now that's good television!

In the moments when the announcer even does spare you, such as telling Frankie not to kill you in the vent and preventing you from attracting attention in the sewer, that's not because he cares.

The only times he actively stops you from being killed is in places with no cameras.

There's no cameras in the vent or in the water. But the moment you enter a room with a camera somewhere in it, the threat returns. Because the viewers can see it now, and it better be glorious.

And in the moment you think he's going to help you, just before the final boss, he completely disregards you, instead slamming the door shut. You'd better give him a good ending.

When you survive, he's not even happy. He's stunned. He never thought there'd be a flaw in his grand design. So his immediate response is to compromise. He can't have you going out there, soiling his name! Giving people hope! If you did that, he'd actually have to start giving people prize money! And your strength is so admired by the fans... He'd be a fool not to take that opportunity.

The announcer is not a good guy. He is not your friend. He isn't some tragic soul just trying to save his company. He's sadistic and greedy, and incredibly selfish. He is the CEO of a giant corporation, after all. He's not the "good Frankie". He's just the announcer. He's not special, no matter how much he wants to be.

[mrs-gauche]

I got the latest issue of the "GameStar" magazine (the article itself was already published online two months ago apparently, but the hard copy came out three weeks ago), which had a few pages about Veilguard (and a review of the whole series), and while it didn't include any new information, I thought the final "personal opinion" piece by the author was really sweet, so I wanted to share it on here, too. (The author is this magazine's editor-in-chief, who was one of the journalists who got to see the full one-hour presentation of Veilguard at Summer Game Fest. I tried to translate it as best as I could. :3)

"Dragon Age means the world to a lot of my colleagues. To my co-worker Alex Schneider, the artbooks are pretty much part of his office equipment, Heiko's boss Rae can basically quote the prequel novels from memory — backwards —, and my co-worker Steffi rushes through the hallways like a vacuum cleaner every time there is the tiniest new piece of rumor about Dragon Age to "absorb". I am more lukewarm about it. Yes, I've played Dragon Age Origins multiple times and enjoyed it very much, but Thedas was always too theatrical and not believable enough of a world for me to really get immersed in it. So the fact that even I walked out after the one-hour presentation thinking: "Damn, when is my flight back home, I need to (re)play the whole trilogy again!" - that's saying something. Again: The Veilguard still has a lot to prove. That it knows how to fill its world in a meaningful way, that its mechanics offer enough depth and most of all: That it tells a good story. But during my conversation with Corinne, every second felt like I was talking with people that understand exactly what made Dragon Age so good. The kick-off to Veilguard is as brilliant as it is intense, sparks curiosity for its world and amidst all the action, it doesn't forget to show a bit of heart. Whatever comes out of it after its release: For years Bioware hasn't looked as promising as it does now."

I also got the "PC Games" magazine, but that one had even less information than GameStar, even though they put it on the cover? :/ (Had to buy it anyway of course, because it has Dragon Age on it 🤡❤️)

[sugarfortia]

((Sonic Prime Spoilers Ahead))

Ok so like. Was nobody gonna tell me about “Kickass Sonic”??? That’s literally what he called himself in the show and I still don’t believe it.

[thelaurenshippen]

ONE WEEK!!

in honor of BW returning, here is one of two playlists I made for this season (season 1 playlist here) to get you prepared...

it's time...next week, re-enter the mysterious woods of the Bridgewater Triangle and uncover the answers that Jeremy Bradshaw has been searching for his whole life...

[diettwistup]

HALF OF YOU

PAIRINGS: tashi duncan x f!oc, art donaldson x f!oc, patrick zweig x f!oc

SUMMARY: No matter how bright Tashi Duncan shined, her best friend, Milan Mikaelson, wasn’t far behind. Though seeming second best, Milan would never let that define her career. Holding as much fame as Tashi, Milan encountered Patrick Zweig and Art Donaldson. Would this encounter change the trajectory of her life, and would it completely alter her relationship with Tashi Duncan?

WARNINGS: challengers spoilers, reader is milan mikaelson, sexual situations, language, angst, plot alterations.

WC: 5.1K

NOTES: hiiii!!! hope y’all enjoy this next chapter cuz it’s not my fave thing ever LOL. was also too lazy to proofread so sorry if there's errors. i’m also gonna be going on vacation with no internet for a little over a week so next update will be after that! thanks for reading luv u 💋

READ BEFORE THIS: INTRO and ONE

CHAPTER 2: DOUBLE TROUBLE

CHALLENGERS TOURNAMENT, NEW ROCHELLE - 2019, 1:00 PM

Gnawing on my bottom lip, I gripped my dress as Tashi got up and cursed before walking off, disappointed with Art’s performance. 

“Where the hell do you think you’re going.” I shot and grabbed her wrist, eyeing her up as I took my sunglasses off. 

Shaking my grasp off of her, she bent down and spoke dangerously close to my face. 

“If he’s not gonna play tennis, then I don’t wanna see shit.” She seethed and walked off, brushing off her dress with each stride. 

As I watched her go, I could feel a pair of eyes on me. Darting my attention back to the match, Art was already looking my way. 

Shooting him a sad expression, I put my sunglasses back on, huffed, and sat back in my seat. 

All he did was shake his head and rub the sweat off his face while Patrick smirked proudly. 

He sure seems to love this. 

Sighing, I raised one hand to my mouth to bite my nails, the nerves of the match taking over my entire being. 

At the next serve, I carefully watched the strategic movements behind the boy’s every motion. They have always been outstanding players, and I furrowed my brows as I thought back to the first time I saw them play against each other. 

The stupidity of Tashi and I, dumb enough to pin two best friends against each other. We should have never stepped foot in that godforsaken hotel room. 

Shaking my head, I closed my eyes. The crowd's roar echoed around me as I thought back to the night that started it all. 

The night that ruined it all. 

THE BOY’S HOTEL- 2006, 12:00 AM

“What the actual fuck is wrong with you?!” I exclaimed to Tashi as we made our way to the boy's hotel room. “Why the fuck would you let them come down when you knew I was there?” I shot at her as I smacked her arm. 

Tashi smacked me right back, making me let out a hiss and shoot a cold glare at her. 

“I don’t know why you're acting like you don’t have a game. You’re the best at playing hard to get.” Tashi responded and shrugged as if it was as simple as adding two plus two. 

“You’re a bitch.” I muttered and rolled my eyes as the hotel came into view. “What do you even plan on doing with these two.” I raised my brow at her and studied her expression to gauge what was going through her mind. 

“What we usually do,” she responded, smiling at me. Hypnotize them with our charm and have a good time, of course,” She said proudly as if this was second nature for us. 

I won’t say that Tash and I haven’t had our fair share of fun with boys, but something like this, with two boys who knew their way around the game themselves, was certainly daunting. 

“Fine, but you should have heard how they talked about us at your match. It was disgusting.” I pretended to gag and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Perfect, we already have them locked in then.” She nudged my arm before leading the way to the room.

Rolling my eyes, I smacked her again before following behind her.

On the way to the room, I got lost in my thoughts. How did we get ourselves into such a situation? I hope Tashi doesn’t expect us to have a foursome of any sort because I don’t have the patience to deal with a whole ordeal like that. 

Approaching the door, Tashi stopped to let me walk ahead of her. 

“Perfect, Mila, you can see your ass poking out of your shorts.” She smirked and gently patted it until I swatted at her hand with a laugh. 

“Fuck off, let’s go,” I scolded, waiting for her to catch up, as she knew which room to go to. 

Once we reached the door, Tashi knocked and softly bit her lip. Scuffling was immediately heard behind the door, signifying that the boys were startled by our appearance. 

I moved to press my ear to the door with a slight smirk which Tashi returned as she did the same. 

“They’re crazy…” I whispered to Tashi, to which she responded with a nod and a soft hum. 

When we removed our ears from the door, it swung open so quickly I couldn’t make out the motion. 

The boys stood at the door, looking extremely disheveled. Patrick wore boxers and an unbuttoned linen shirt that looked like it had been shoved in his tennis bag and forgotten. Also wearing boxers, Art wore a beater t-shirt that looked like it had never been in the wash and dryer a day in his life. Both of their hair was ruffled and unkempt, making it look like they had just gotten out of bed. 

Raising an eyebrow, I was the first to speak. “What, did you two just get done fucking?” I questioned as I looked between them and placed my hands on my hips. 

Patrick just burst out into laughter while Art spoke up. 

“No…fuck no…” He muttered with a laugh as he patted Patrick on the back. 

Drunk as sailors. 

I nodded at this before resting my eyes and glancing at Tashi, who smiled fondly at the two, but I knew she was plotting. 

“So, hi,” Tashi spoke calmly with a smile that immediately brought the boys back to Earth as they moved aside to let us in the room. 

I had to stop myself from covering my nose as we entered the room. 

Reeks of beer and cigarettes…typical boys.

Two beds pushed together were messily made. Beer cans, cigarette buds, and clothes were everywhere, though it looked like someone had tried to tidy up a bit. 

That explains all the noise. 

Patrick mindlessly spoke to Tashi as I continued to scan the room, not noticing that Art was eyeing me up. Turning my head, I caught his stare, which didn’t make him falter. He only continued to stare before coming up to me and handing me a beer. 

“Didn’t know you were gonna come.” He spoke as he looked down at me through lidded eyes. Tipsy eyes. And, of course, he had a smirk, but it spoke I’m glad you came, really. 

I continued to study his expression as I let my guard down a pinch. I shrugged nonchalantly as I took a long swig of the beer, knowing I would need it to get through the night. 

“Had nothing else to do. Figured why not.” I spoke calmly as I let my eyes rake over his entire figure, drinking up his messy look which he really really pulled off. Never would I ever admit that for him to hear. 

Or me. 

“Well, glad you’re here.” Art said as he took the beer can from my lips and sipped it while he stared into my eyes, flickering to my lips for a moment.

I kept my eyes trained on his as I refused to back down in this staredown, showing that I couldn’t be swayed that quickly just because he was extremely attractive. 

“You two, come sit,” Patrick spoke up from the ground by the bed where he sat with Tashi. 

Nodding at this, I waited for Art to take his eyes off mine before I made any movement to sit. After a few seconds, he nodded and placed a hand on my lower back to walk me to where everyone was sitting. 

I shivered slightly at this as I softly bit my bottom lip, hiding this motion from him, but I knew Tashi saw it by her smug little smile that said I told you so. 

We haven’t even done anything, and I suddenly feel like I’m in the trenches. 

The next couple minutes were used to discuss how Patrick and Art met each other and how Patrick, predictable enough, taught Art how to masturbate, all while we all took sips from the beer can that Art had given me when we first got here. 

“Y’all are weird as fuck.” I snorted, a bit tipsy, wiping my mouth from my last gulp as I looked between the two boys who had red cheeks from a mix of alcohol and embarrassment, and can’t forget, two big smirks. 

“No, Mila. I think it's a cute story.” Tashi nodded with a smile in an attempt to reassure the boys jokingly—a tactic she used to fully reel them in. 

I rolled my eyes at this and fake glared at Tashi. “Only if you’re fucked in the head!” I laughed again while the rest of them laughed with me. 

“Don’t tell me you two haven’t done anything weird like that,” Patrick said, making me whip my head to him before glancing back at Tashi.

“Yeah, you two have known each other since the womb. There’s no way you haven’t done nothing.” Art added and took a long swig of the beer can before passing it to Patrick, eyes trained on me for longer than I would have liked. 

I shook my head with a small laugh before looking back to Tashi, who gave me an eyebrow in return, signaling something.

You ready?

…

I’m ready.

We nodded at each other before standing up and looking down at the boys. 

“You guys aren’t leaving-“ Patrick started but stopped when he saw the two of us moving to sit on the edge of the bed. 

My eyes locked with both of them briefly as I flashed the most innocent smile I could muster. 

Here we go. 

“Patrick, come sit by me…” Tashi spoke and patted the space to her left. 

You didn’t have to tell him twice. He sprung up so fast he spilled the beer can everywhere on the carpet, but he couldn’t give a fuck. 

As he sat down next to Tashi, my eyes locked onto Art’s. I did not need any words to tell him to sit by me. 

He took the hint immediately, got up almost as fast as his best friend, and sat beside me, thigh already touching mine.

I turned to face him with lidded eyes and a small smile. I could hear his breath hitch as Adam’s apple bobbed, signifying that he took a small gulp. I softened my eyes to let him know it was okay to relax and that he could be comfortable around me. 

Even though Tashi wanted to play with these boys like putty, I felt a little different about the situation. 

As I tilted my head at Art slowly, I saw his face contort into a grin that radiated his comfort and need. 

Leaning in slightly, I placed my hand on Art’s chest, noting how firm it felt through his thin shirt. Art mirrored my leaning in but instead placed a hand on my thigh. As I neared his lips, I teasingly pulled away as I felt Tashi pat my back. I smirked slightly at this and turned around as my lips met hers instead of Art’s.

It was an innocent kiss, a tactic to get these boys right where we wanted them. This action certainly answered their questions about us, and I hope it was worthwhile.

Once again, I could feel Art’s eyes piercing the back of my head, so I moved my hair off my shoulder and tapped the side of my neck so he would know what to do. 

Almost immediately, his lips were latched onto my neck. I wondered for a moment if he was a vampire because of the way he was sucking on my neck. I figured he was searching for a blood vessel. Poor baby must have been deprived of any female touch, but the way his lips sucked profusely on my pulse point, I could tell this wasn’t his first rodeo.

Tashi and I pulled away from our innocent kiss and shot each other small smirks when we noticed that Patrick and Art were too lost in our necks to give a damn. 

I tapped Art’s thigh so he would know to stop, which he reluctantly did. His lips were a bit swollen, and I couldn’t keep my eyes off them. Biting my lip, I reached up and brushed a finger across his bottom lip. As I did this, Art grabbed my hand and studied it before gently kissing my finger where my nail had broken. My eyes widened at this as my heart threatened to beat out of my chest. 

Keep. your. composure. 

Shaking out of my daze at his action, I smiled softly once again and leaned in slowly to connect our lips, hands on the back of his neck, threatening to tangle in his blonde curls.

Pillows. His lips feel like pillows.

The kiss was soft until his hand moved from my thigh to my waist. He pushed forward a bit until my back fully hit Tashi and tried to part my lips by biting my bottom one, but I pulled away before he could get that far. 

Too easy.

Licking my lips to taste him, I turned back to Tashi, who placed her hand on my cheek to kiss me lightly again. As her lips melded with mine, I gingerly placed a hand on the base of Art’s jaw and slowly pulled him towards Tashi and me’s kiss. Immediately, I could feel Art’s lips meld with Tashi's, mine, and then Patrick’s, knowing that Tashi had done the same with him. 

Now, the four of us were all kissing, making me slightly clench my thighs. Only slightly. 

After about five seconds, I felt Tashi tap my back to signal me to pull away slowly. 

As we both pulled away, Art and Patrick were full-on making out, not noticing that the two of us had abandoned the kiss. I glanced at Tashi with a smirk as she watched them in satisfaction. 

It took everything in me not to giggle as I watched the two continue to eat each other's faces fervently. 

Specifically Art.

After a beat, Tashi spoke up. 

“Okay.” She said, which made the boys freeze and pull away from each other. 

Immediately, they both looked at us in shock. 

Got ‘em. 

I tilted my head at Art as I gently reached my hand out to trace shapes on his thigh while he looked down at me like I had three heads. 

“That was cute…” I mouthed to him with a soft smile as he continued to eye me up in shock mixed with a bit of awe. 

“Well, we should get going before our parents freak out and wonder where we are,” Tashi says. I sit up as I follow suit, cutting any tension in the room.

Standing up from the bed, I chuckled to myself as I brushed off my clothes and fixed my hair. “It’s been fun,” I said, aiming my comment at Art. Thank you for having us,” I finished with a small, innocent smile as Tashi and I left. 

“Wait!” Patrick said which stopped us in our tracks. 

Turning around, Tashi and I shared matching grins that we quickly hid when we faced the boys. 

Art spoke up next as he looked right at me. “What about your numbers?” He asked as he stared at me like a puppy deprived of dinner. 

I crossed my arms and shrugged. “If you win tomorrow, I’ll give you my number,” I said plainly, as if it were the simplest thing in the world. 

“And I’ll give you my number if you win tomorrow,” Tashi said to Patrick just as plainly as I did. 

Both boys shot each other smirks before nodding in agreement. 

Tashi and I said our goodbyes before leaving the hotel room. When we were out of earshot, we both started laughing. 

“We have them wrapped around our pretty little fingers!” Tashi exclaimed as she wrapped an arm around my shoulder. 

I laughed at this and wrapped an arm around her waist. “I really hope Art wins,” I said in a dreamy tone of voice as I thought back to his face, lips, chest, everything, really. 

Tashi shook me back and forth with a smile as she exclaimed, “I’m just ready to watch some good  fucking tennis!” She laughed, knowing that the two boys were really going to battle it out with this new prize put into motion. 

STANFORD UNIVERSITY - 2007 5:00 PM

As I slowly trudged from the tennis court to the dining hall, I felt my arms giving out. 

“Fuck this damn bag,” I whined and went to a nearby bench to take a breather and bask in the California sun. 

Today’s practice was by far the worst of the semester. I worked with my coach on my serve to prepare for my upcoming match, where I would face an opponent ranked decently high in the state. 

Closing my eyes and throwing my head back to catch the rays of the warm sun, I let out a groan. I probably looked like a corpse to every passerby, but just like Tashi, they knew me, so hopefully, they would just smile and wave. 

“Rough practice?” An extremely familiar and captivating voice snapped me back to reality. 

Opening my eyes, I was met with my favorite pair of light blue eyes—something he would never know. Of course, a smirk adorned his features, and his blonde curls were tucked into a backward red cap, most certainly saying “Stanford�� on the flip side. 

“Art…” I spoke almost breathlessly as I sat up, brushed a piece of hair out of my face, and used my other hand to block the sun that Art’s head almost blocked. 

“Hey, can I sit?” he asked, shoving his hands into his pockets, and nodded to where my bag was on the bench. 

Quickly moving it to sit in front of my feet, I patted the empty seat next to me. “Sure.” I smiled at him and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. 

Over the summer, I would never allow myself to be so forward with Art Donaldson. I couldn’t speak for my present self, though. Since Patrick won the match, he and Tashi started dating after he scored her number. I, of course, was too upset to act like I didn’t give a damn about not being able to give Art my number. Tashi insisted that to keep their passion and drive for tennis alive, I keep up my end of the deal and don’t give Art my number. Hesitantly, I agreed as I knew how easily a stimulus like that can create great results. Since the match, Art and I have never spoken except for the occasional hello when passing by each other on the tennis court or dining hall. This moment was the first time I could speak with him since everything, and since I may have developed a slight…crush. 

“So,” He started and turned his body on the bench to face me fully. “How have you been?” He tilted his head and tapped the back of the bench while studying my face. 

Inhaling a sharp breath, I turned my body to face him fully, bringing one leg up and letting the other drape off the side of the bench. 

“Do you want an honest answer?” I chuckled softly as I moved my hands to remove my hair from its braids. 

In turn, Art laughed gently while smirking at me. His stare narrowed as he studied my face, acting like I was an old friend he had known for years. 

“Well, if the honest answer is terrible and cruel, then I’m not so sure.” He responded and immediately matched my energy. 

Damn you, Donaldson. 

“Hey.” I softly laughed as I moved my dangling leg to kick his gently while I finished taking my hair out. 

I wondered for a beat how I wanted to summarize months of memories, feelings, and experiences into one sentence, and this made me sigh. 

“It’s been rough. Majoring in biology and the grueling tennis schedule makes me wanna rip my hair out.” I spoke in a low tone as I ironically and subconsciously began to play with a strand of my hair. 

“I feel smothered.” I finished and silently cursed myself for acting so vulnerable. 

That was three sentences, Milan. Not one. 

As I stared at Art almost helplessly, his eyes softened. 

“I feel the same way, trust me.” He chuckled softly before removing his hat and running a hand through his hair. “It really sucks, but it’s gonna be worth it,” He ended his thought before putting his hat back on. 

“Fuck, and I thought I was the only one. Quite naive of me.” I laughed before looking back up at the sun. “It’s whatever, though. You’re right, and everything will come into place and be worth it.” I continued as I looked anywhere but at Art’s piercing stare. 

Silence. He didn’t respond. He didn’t laugh. He did nothing except stare. Stare in a heavy silence that brought me back to the night in that damn hotel room. 

After a few beats, I returned to my senses, slowly stood up from the bench, and brushed my skirt off. 

“Well, I didn’t mean to stay here for long, so I’m gonna head off.” I went to pick up my bag as I spoke disappointedly. 

I couldn’t allow myself to fall into the trenches. I needed to focus on my studies and tennis. Hard work makes everything worthwhile, and a boy isn’t part of that everything right now.

“Wait, Milan,” Art spoke up and grabbed my wrist, his grip as firm as it would be if he held his racket. 

This made me freeze in my tracks. What the hell did he think he was doing? 

My eyes slowly met Art’s as I parted my lips to speak, but nothing came out, so he spoke for me.

“It’s been months, Milan,” he started, his grip on my wrist still firm, his eyes scanning my face for any hints of discomfort.  

“I know we only really talked with each other that one night and had no time to get to know each other, but I would like to get to know you better.” He didn’t falter. Not once. I don’t even think he blinked. 

My lips had gone dry, and my voice, for some reason, grew hoarse. 

“Art…” I slowly began as I looked down at his hand, gripping my wrists. “The four of us had a deal…” I made sure to tread lightly with a severe tone. 

Two feet and ten toes on the ground. Don’t falter. Don’t give in. 

“They’re a happy fucking couple, Milan. I doubt they give two shits.” He stated matter-of-factly as I felt his thumb rub up and down on my wrist. 

How naive. 

Biting my lip in thought, I began an internal battle with myself. I wanted this so bad. And I could tell Art wanted it just as bad as I did—possibly more. 

I deserve a win other than tennis. 

Sighing, I removed my arm from his grasp and moved to my tennis bag to look for a piece of paper. Instead, I found a piece of muscle tape and a small pencil. Quickly scribbling down my number, I could feel Art trying to see what I was doing. 

“Here,” I said with slightly red cheeks as I stood back up and handed him the piece of muscle tape. “Don’t go blowing up my phone now,” I playfully scolded before picking up my bag and walking past him, glancing at the triumphant smile playing on his perfect features. 

Perfect? …yeah. 

Before I began my trek to the dining hall, I touched Art’s shoulder and whispered in his ear. 

“I didn’t want to admit it, but I really wanna get to know you more, too.” 

NEXT DAY, STANFORD DORMS 11:00 AM

MEET ME IN THE DINING HALL FOR LUNCH?

My eyes stared at the text in utter disbelief. Art certainly didn’t take any time once he got what he’d been craving all summer. 

“Why do you look so shocked?” Tashi laughed from the foot of my bed as she hit my leg. 

Fuck. 

My eyes looked to her as I shut my phone, put it next to me, and picked my computer back up to pretend to look at my study guide for an upcoming biology quiz. 

“My mom sent me a weird text,” I laughed awkwardly before covering my face with my computer. 

“Are you fucking with me?” Tashi laughed as I heard her moving up towards my side of the bed. 

She shut my computer to look at my face, which was for sure red as a tomato. 

“You’re lying,” she smirked before sitting on her knees and clapping her hands. What is it? A boy? A girl?” She persisted as she grabbed my leg and widely smiled at me.

I rolled my eyes at this before clicking my tongue. “Why are you so dead set on the fact that I was texting someone romantically?” I crossed my arms and bit the inside of my cheek, probably a dead giveaway. 

Tashi’s face fell as her brows furrowed, and she crossed her arms, mimicking me. 

“You’re joking, right?” She started before studying my stern expression. “We’ve known each other for what, eighteen fucking years?” She used this as a tactic to crack me. “I know your every expression and what it means. I could write a thesaurus on you if I wanted to.” She stated as she sucked on her teeth, brows still furrowed. 

I stared at her sternly for a few beats before sighing and turning my head to look anywhere but at her. 

“Fine, you got me…” I trailed before uncrossing my arms to fumble with my fingers. “but this is the first time I’ve received a text, so it’s not important.” I put my hands up and looked at her as an explanation as to why she shouldn’t ask questions. 

I should know better. 

Tashi’s annoyed face instantly turned into a happy one as she bounced on the bed and continuously hit my leg. 

“Who is the lucky guy? or girl…” She tilted her head with a goofy smile, which she would only show me. 

“It’s a boy…” I sighed before turning my head to look at my closest, as it suddenly looked very interesting. 

No matter how long I had known Tashi, I couldn’t gauge how she would react to this. She’s a very pushy person who likes everything to go her way, but I’m hoping that since it’s me, she will react differently. 

She shrieked and shook my legs back and forth with a giggle. 

She’ll be so disappointed. 

“Who is it? Is it that cute boy I caught you practicing with the other week? Or that one boy that you sometimes study with from your Chemistry class? Or maybe it's that random guy from the baseball team I saw you talking within the dining hall last week?” She fired off in a millisecond as I stared at her in utter disbelief. 

“Okay, first of all, how did you know about all of those? And second of all, the first guy is gay, the second guy has a girlfriend, and the last one was giving my pencil back to me after using it for a quiz we took in statistics.” I responded as I rolled my eyes so hard I thought the whites of them would turn permanent. 

“I’m your best friend. I know everything.” She spoke eerily with wide eyes before breaking into a smirk. “So, come on! Tell me who it is!” She bounced repeatedly on the bed and shook me back and forth until I finally had enough. 

“Fine!” I exclaimed and threw my hands up in the air.

Fuck it. 

“It was Art, alright.” I threw my hands up as I bit the bullet and came clean. 

Tashi’s face dropped almost instantly as his name fell off my lips. She wasn’t happy. Not at all. 

“What the fuck do you mean?” She laughed in disbelief as she shook her head and moved her hands from my legs. 

I immediately sat up more and moved towards her. 

“I saw him after practice yesterday, and we got to talk,” I explained as I bit the inside of my cheek in anticipation. “He asked for my number, and I figured since everything happened months ago, there would be no issue…” I trailed off and looked her straight in the eyes with a pleading expression. 

Tashi just stared at me and shook her head slowly. 

“We had a deal with them…” She stared at me with an accusatory face. 

“Tash, I know,” I exclaimed and grabbed her hands. ���But you knew I liked him more than what happened in that hotel room. Plus, you and Patrick are happy, so why should it matter?” I asked and shook my head as I gripped her hands. 

She stared at me as if I kicked her puppy and gasped in her throat. “Um, to keep their passion alive? To ensure they both strive for better and strengthen their relationship with tennis?” She spoke as if it was plain as day. 

Furrowing my brows, I slowly shook my head and parted my lips, shocked. 

“Is tennis all you care about?” 

I shouldn’t have said that. 

My words echoed in my mind as I retracted my hands from Tashi’s and bit my lip, feeling defeated. Her stare pierced into my soul as she looked away from me and placed her hands on her thighs. 

“If this is what you want, go ahead. I can’t and won’t stop you.” She spoke slowly before eyeing me. 

Fuck, I messed up. 

“But never think for a second that I care about tennis more than you.” She choked out as she looked at the picture of us in fifth grade sitting on my bedside table. 

At this, my eyes widened, and I nodded slowly as a single tear slid down my cheek. Moving towards Tashi, I wrapped my arms around her waist and hugged her. 

“Pinky promise?” I whispered into her neck while she returned the hug. 

“Pinky promise.” She responded and grabbed my hand to interlock our pinkies.

[v-anrouge]

Verryyy long ranting under this about vil and how this fandom treats him for absolutely no reason pls excuse any mistakes and feel free to correct me with any accidental misinfo i passed <3

Mentions of racism, fatphobia, eating disorders, elitism & ableism and also SPOILERS for Vil's character story (eng only)

Ever since this game started getting super famous in tiktok and twitter it seems that people just love to butcher literally every character in Twst and sometimes it's genuinely baffling how wrong some of the takes are, it really does make me wonder if some people just don't read the story and just skip every character who isn't their fave, and if they really do that, what makes them think they know enough about the rest of the cast to post in the character's main tag the most rancid read on a character, often accompanied by some accusations of literal crimes of bigotry that really should be taken more seriously instead of being terms thrown around.

I'm gonna be talking about Vil specifically but characters like Leona, Jamil, Sebek and a few others have it exceptionally bad as well (especially Leo and Jamil who's haters can even be quite racist)

I've been playing for a very long time (in eng) i remember being there to watch the Heartslabyul final release and the release of Savanaclaw's chapter and through these years ive seen the most horrific takes on Vil's characters, ranging from the accusations of racism (which have been debunked again and again especially by JP players) to accusations of supporting eds, fatphobia, elitism and ableism. The funny thing is that even with a very quick read of any of Vil's story you'll find out there is no support for any of such claims. They like to use the incident with Epel's accent when for years JP players have pointed out how this was strictly an error of localization since they couldn't find a situation similar to the one that is portrayed in the original game to put in eng twst, they went with the one we have where Vil asks Epel to "hide his accent" (he really doesn't he was talking about the way Epel is rude and disrespectful which would definitely end with him being beat up and then expelled bringing a bad fame to Pomefiore and also making Vil look bad for not properly guiding his dorm students) which is a terrible choice but alas it seems people prefer to ignore facts to stick with their claim that Vil is some sort of monster when this man is literally a teen. He's 18 years old and has to constantly look out for his image in and out of school since he grew up in front of the cameras.

Vil's character is all about beauty and self care and self acceptance yet for some people this seems to translate to "starve yourself if you don't want to be a disgusting fat pig" which is very weird to say the least considering all mentions Vil makes about diets he is talking about keeping a balanced diet to nurture your body and even has a voice line pointing out the importance of eating. Vil himself may be coded to have an ED in his overblot and Lab vignette but he has never and would never encourage one, he literally goes out of his way to annoy students to take care of themselves what makes anyone think he'd encourage them anyways? It's such a weird thing to assume of a character.

A lot of people seem to think that Vil is also the "beauty standart" king which doesn't even make sense considering vil is a gnc man, he already doesn't follow beauty standards and would definitely be against it, Vil's vision of beauty for himself may be twisted due to his traumas and troubles yet his vision of beauty for others is always exclusively on the person being their best version, this includes dressing how they want to and feel comfortable in, using whatever makeup they want (or just not using it at all) etc.

The way Vil speaks is often misunderstood as he tends to be strict and can be read as mean (I've already shared my theory on what may have caused this behavior here before so i won't be getting into too many details) but Vil is a famous and respected housewarden because if you actually stop and think about his advice the end result is always an effort to make the person's desires come true. (a good example is how Vil made Epel clean the windows and although Epel was displeased with the hard labor in the end he notices how the task may help with muscle growth and gets happy)

Vil's way of caring for others is often misunderstood and obviously that's understandable, not everybody may get his "rougher" way of handling advice, but also it's a bit weird how people react to it when in game all of the characters seem to be okay with it, Pomefiore has a lot of students and if they considered Vil to be a bad leader he would've been voted out a long time ago, no? And if i remember correctly wasn't it said in game they had very few transfers? (as in characters moving out of Pomefiore and into other dorms) That wouldn't make sense if Vil was really the cruel leader some people make him out to be. The truth is Vil is a nice caring person and his students recognize that which is why he is respected all across the school and not simply on his dorm (because ive seen people say Vil has brainwashed the Pomefiore students into thinking he is a good housewarden 💀)

Vil surely has issues he needs to work through, after all this game is literally about that, dealing with troubled teenagers and their internal struggles and the importance of asking for help (omg friendship is magic...) but Vil is also a teenager, and he is one of the characters that show the most desire to get better, immediately showing regret and apologizing to Yuu and his classmates for the danger he put them in, that is because Vil genuinely does care for them.

Another accusation people make is ableism, i remember seeing many posts saying Vil wouldn't respect disabled people and/or mentally ill people which is 1- extremely fucking rude to say? 2- absolutely wrong. Again just a quick read on Vil's character will tell you everything you need to know about how he'd feel about disabled people, he'd treat them like everyone else, and would adjust his handling accordingly to their needs, i really don't get where this claim comes from but it's quite ironic because a lot of Vil haters tend to be ableist themselves by claiming that Vil is a bad person mentioning traits that are often caused by mental illness and the effect of traumas, failing to analyze how their treatment of a character that displays common mental illness symptoms may affect people in real life who displays the same symptoms, and often being ableist themselves by judging these actions irredeemable and inherently evil/heartless, once again dehumanizing people with mental illness in real life who deal with the same symptoms.

Another common thing is the constant invalidation of Vil's trauma. A lot of people seem to read book 5 with their eyes closed and take away from the story that the reason Vil "got pissy and almost killed a guy" (wording of a terrible post i saw a few days ago<333) is because he's a "spoiled brat who couldn't handle getting the paper he wanted in a movie boo hoo" which is kind of funny with how terribly wrong it is, i really don't know what your thought process has to be to get his backstory this wrong but sure, let's start; The start of Vil's problems with being cast as a villain starts from when he was very very young, he was just a child when after being cast as a villain for a movie he was almost beat up by a group of boys for being an "evil guy" and by his reaction it wouldn't be impossible that this wasn't his first time dealing with that kind of thing. Vil also tells jack (who scared away the group) that he had trained so he would be able to deal with them on his own which again, could be a hint that this wasn't that uncommon in his life. In Vil's overblot dialogue is all we really need to know to debunk this claim.

What Vil wanted wasn't just to be a hero in a movie, he wanted to be seen, to be heard and cherished, he wanted to be more than a pretty prop they could put on the front to get attention only to be taken out of stage when he was no longer necessary in the next scene, do you get it? He wanted to be able to see his hard work pay off, to see his efforts of years being rewarded, to for once not be exchangeable for someone more favorable. Vil wanted to feel like all his pain was worth it in the end because finally he could shine in the stage, being himself instead of just another persona to attract people. In his overblot it's shown clearer than ever that Vil does not have a stable view of his own image unlike what he has trained himself to show, even calling himself ugly and begging them to not look at him. I don't think Vil is used to be being vulnerable, which would explain why he was so freaked out when the overblot happened, and why he cried when his beauty (the one thing about himself that was always recognized by others and therefore the thing he'd always been the most desperate to nurture) was taken away by aging in book 6 (note; the fact Vil sacrificed it for his classmates also just debunks the people saying he only cares for himself, if he did he wouldn't be who he is.)

I said i wouldn't give my thoughts again but i will, just briefly, i believe an easy explanation to Vil's behavior (the tough love he gives and his strictness) might be because of the industries he grew up in, we can't know for sure how similar twst's version of the movie and modeling industry is when compared to the real life one but considering the way Vil is, my guess it's that it's pretty similar, especially in the regard of their treatment towards children, in Vil's overblot he hears two staff members talking about how he'd never be able to pull off a relatable role because he is too perfect, and sure those may not look like insults, but to Vil who's only dream his entire life was to be seen in good light, those words stuck to him so deeply they'd come back to him during his overblot. (note; i have not seen a jp translation of the overblot scenes so i don't know if they also suffered from localization issues, if anyone has a link to one i could see id really like to see what the staff said to Vil)

The general point of Vil's overblot was how his efforts and hard work were always overlooked and ignored in favor of someone else, this happens with quite a lot of characters and happens as well with another overblot (Leona, who happens to be quite similar to Vil in many ways) and although i don't expect anyone to read it and think of analysing it more deeply even with a shallow vision of his overblot it's still incredibly insensitive to call it a "non-problem" especially considering the fact this is Vil's ENTIRE life, he's been working hard and failing for years again and again and that does get to you. I remember when i posted my first rant on Vil quite a lot of people who reported to be skilled at something (say for example music or dancing) as a child that any failures absolutely destroyed you inside, and that people who haven't passed through the same tend to call them dramatic and say they're overreacting to situations that can be classified as trauma depending on how much it mentally impacted said child. (and in Vil's case it's clear it had a massive one, after all he wouldn't have overblotted if he didn't have issues that had been bottled up until they finally exploded)

Mentioning Leona again, he and Vil share the same sentiment of anguish for being discarded and having their hard work be thrown away, the difference in them is the way they reacted to it, while Leona ended up not seeing any value in attempting to do anything because he assumes the outcome is always going to be the same, Vil overworks himself and forces himself to do things he might hate clinging to the hope that this time it'll work out.

Since we're talking about trauma ill already answer some things that may or may not come with this post (because in my first one i got this response a lot) "Vil's a fictional character it doesn't matter" and sure if you think like that cool, personally, when im talking about a fictional character that tackles real life traumas and issues, i talk about it as if referring to a real person because the character has been written with one (or multiple) in mind.

Twst may have issues but the character writing is undeniably about real life traumas and experiences, and the characters are quite accurate and good representation of the issues they tackle, so when you invalidate them, you are by result invalidating real life issues. Of course this won't stop anyone and i know that a few people will probably scoff at this and brush it off as being too sensitive but personally if you wouldn't dare invalidate say for example Riddle's traumas because you know it's a representation of mommy issues, which is a very real problem, to not go against your own morals you should also respect the issues of all the other characters, even if you personally think some are more "serious" than the other.

[twstgarden]

❀ ❝ 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 ❞

━ general! lilia vanrouge x human! gn! reader ━ living as a human in a fae-dominated country during the war probably isn't your best idea, but you love the land of briar so much as you were born and raised in that nation. who knew that your little activity of picking berries in the forest would make you meet the famed fae general? will he think you're a spy and deem you as a threat or will he realize you're just an innocent human living in the forest? (f/n means first name)

requested by: anonymous request type: oneshot requester's message: Can I request a General Lilia and Human Reader one-shot? Something fluffy (wasn't sure if you were up to date with the game so didn't want to get too specific) florist's note: omg a general lilia request. don't worry, i'm up to date w the jp version of the game. thank you for the request, little one.

this work contains spoilers for chapter 7, diasomnia's arc.

do not steal or translate without my permission.

“what are you doing out here, human?”

you flinched in surprise as a voice startled you from behind. you stood up and turned around with your basket on your arm, looking at the person who disturbed your little time. you were about to respond until you noticed the semi-familiar mask and the long dark hair with red highlights peeking out of this person’s hood.

it was the famed fae general.

“i was… just picking berries, sir.”

you responded as soon as you regained your thoughts. you continued to hold your basket as your eyes trailed all over his figure, taking in the details of his clothing and the mask covering his face. the eye holes glowed red, giving you the impression that it could be his eye colour. 

he was silent for a while as you responded, making you stay silent before looking down at your half-filled basket, tilting it a little to show him the contents.

“here… if you don’t believe me…”

the general looked at the basket for a quick second then looked back at you, speaking in a stern tone as he was still a little suspicious of you, “why pick berries all the way to this forest? you might be one of those pesky silver owl spies for all i know.”

silver owl? ah, that must be the human knights wearing iron armour and stealing the resources of the land of briar. 

what a disappointment… your own kind seemed to have never learned not to steal other’s resources. 

“ah… no… i’m not a spy nor am i a part of the silver owls… i’m just a human living in the forest and this spot is the closest area for berry picking to my cottage,” you tried to explain yourself to the general as the red glow in the mask’s eyeholes stared back at you with extreme intensity. 

when he did not respond for a while, you bowed a little to show respect and asked, “am i free to go, general?” 

he let out a short hum and held onto his weapon as he replied, “go. avoid the forest as much as possible, human. it’s not safe here. evacuate while you can.” you gave him a small smile and bowed your head again, “thank you, general, but i’ll be fine in this forest. have a great evening, sir.”

you held onto your basket and smiled for a quick second before turning around and walking away from the general, heading back to your lovely little cottage settled just a few meters away from the berry-picking spot. 

so that was the fae general. you finally had the chance to meet him face-to-face. his aura made him quite intimidating, especially when he holds that magical lithic. still, you didn’t want that to scare you. you knew you did nothing wrong, so there was no reason to fear him coming after you. 

that aside, the berries you picked were to your expectations, and you grabbed enough to bake your pie for dinner. with that in mind, you got to work, prepping the ingredients and baking your pie. the scent of the pie flooded your kitchen and the surrounding area of your cottage.

lucky for you, your little neighbourhood was safe and rarely do you ever find any threatening creatures, just a bunch of adorable woodland creatures. by the time your pie was finished baking, you had dinner by yourself on a picnic bench right outside your cottage, enjoying the greenery despite the darkness of the forest. 

it was going well until you felt another presence with you sitting right in front of you on the picnic bench. you glanced at the person and saw a soldier wearing armour with the palace guards’ coat of arms and a mask covering their face looking at you ━ or rather, the pie. it seems they’ve smelt it from wherever they were staying and came over. 

the soldier started screeching and you knew it was speaking to you in their language. unfortunately, being human meant it was hard for you to pick up and understand what they were saying, so you had to rely on the soldier’s body language. 

noticing how they were eyeing the single slice of pie in your hand, you thought the soldier wanted to have some, making you extend your hand a little as you spoke, “you want a pie? wait here.”

you then entered your cottage to grab the remaining slices of pie on your table and went out, placing it on the picnic table right in front of the soldier, “here, have this! you can share it with the rest of the soldiers, there’s plenty left!” 

the soldier stared at the pie for a while before looking up at you as if they were checking for any signs of hesitation or whatnot. you merely smiled to show no ill will, but another screech was heard from behind the soldier and your eyes immediately noticed the general standing right there. 

the soldier turned around and saluted at the general before screeching back, making it evident to you that they are conversing in their own language. moments later, the soldier disappeared into the dark forest, leaving you with the general as you looked at him, “did you tell him to leave?”

“no, i told him not to take food from others even if they try to offer it.”

you sighed as you sat on the picnic bench, “are you still wary of me?” 

“yes.”

oh, how straightforward. very admirable.

“i see… well, i’m not sure what i should say to make you think i’m just a regular forest resident and not a spy, but at least have a pie. there’s plenty left to share. it’s not poisoned if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“i am not interested in eating human food.”

those were the last things he said before disappearing into the night somewhere in the forest, presumably heading back to where his soldiers were camping out. you blinked your eyes for a moment before shrugging your shoulders and mumbling under your breath, “alright, general…” 

days have passed and you’ve occasionally seen the general around the forest as you did your usual activities. he had warned you not to dilly-dally around the forest, while other times, he just ignored you and let you do your thing as well as informing his troops not to harm you. 

soon, it escalated to some of the soldiers even paying you a visit just to check on you. you appreciated their gestures, but at the back of your mind, you wondered if the general grew to accept you as a regular citizen of their country. you even got to meet one of the soldiers called baul zigvolt as he paid your cottage a visit once to see if you were well or not. in return, you gave him one of your pastries or meals that he can share with the rest of his comrades. it certainly has become sort of a routine to you at this point.

one day, none of the soldiers paid you a little visit, which made you wonder if they were alright or if they’d moved their camp somewhere else further away from your cottage. you sat on the picnic bench right outside your cottage as you sipped on some beverage you made yourself, watching the surrounding areas for any signs of life, watching the moon and the stars up in the sky shining down on you, listening to the crickets in the distance, and feeling the cold breeze in the air as it made the trees sway a little. 

you were about to head back inside until you heard a familiar voice a few steps behind you. 

“waiting for something?”

you turned around and smiled as you saw the same old mask as the familiar figure stood there, “well… someone, rather.” 

a chuckle was heard from the general before walking towards you and sitting on the picnic bench before you. your smile was still present on your face as you spoke, “i’m doing alright if you’re here to check on me. i appreciate all your efforts, general.”

it was silent for a bit, but you remained smiling at him. a few seconds later, his hands hovered over his mask before grabbing it, revealing his features as his red eyes looked right at you.

your eyes widened slightly. he was really good-looking. you couldn’t find the right words to say, but you remained smiling as he spoke to you, “...that’s a relief, then. you need to know how dangerous this place is. it isn’t safe for you to stay here, human.”

“f/n.”

“what?”

“my name’s f/n…” 

the general smiled a little and continued to speak, “i see…” you smiled and proceeded to reply to his words earlier, “i’ll be alright here, general. this is my home… i was raised in this cottage by my parents. now that i’m alone, i still wish to stay here.” he nodded a little as you added, “...thank you, general, for looking out and considering me as the land of briar’s citizen…”

he didn’t say anything for a moment as you handed him a little flower from your garden and a few cookies with a sheepish smile, “i didn’t get to cook or bake much today, so… please accept this..”

the general grabbed the cookies and the flower from you as he placed the flower safely by the belt of his armour while grabbing a cookie and taking a bite. a few moments later, you conversed with the general until he had to head back to his camp. 

you stood before him and spoke as you went to see him off, “thank you for visiting, general. be safe out there.” he nodded his head and placed a rose on your hair, already wearing a mask as he did so, “... there… you look beautiful… and you’re the one who needs to be safe out here, f/n. i’ll see you again tomorrow.” he then disappeared into the night, but his words were still in your mind. 

beautiful.

beautiful.

beautiful…

the general thinks you look beautiful. 

“oh dear me, my heart can’t take this…” you whispered as you hovered a hand above your chest, right where your heart was. you smiled to yourself as you entered your cottage and went to your room, laying on your bed as you hugged your pillow.

“i hope i’ll see him again tomorrow…”

© twstgarden 2023 || please do not steal, translate without my permission, or use this to train a.i.

[instantpansies]

crowdsourcing a 200k @hellsite-hall-of-fame x perry the platypus fanfic: part 8

at long last, i'm back to writing The Fic!! however, being an Internet Funnyman is difficult sometimes and i can't decide what should be written above the Capital Building doors!! oh golly goodness!! here's what i have right now:

this is a spoiler, sort of, but i think it's worth it for some audience participation. (also, ideally, the chapter will be out before this poll ends. i just want to scope out the general vibe.)

@hellsite-hall-of-fame @hellsite-hungergames @hellsite-hall-of-girlfriend

[atsadi-shenanigans]

Thinking thoughts. In a lot of popular books, usually YA, I’ve noticed that when the mc (usually a girl) goes through Some Shit, at the end of the series or whatever to show healing and growth, the authors often have her married off and possibly with a kid. The ~normal ideal~ and all.

But for me, that don’t resonate. I appreciate to hell that Animorphs author K. A. Applegate said, “Sometimes the wounds left really fuck you up” and, like, spoilers for a 30 year old book series:Jake’s life collapses, Rachel fucking DIES, Tobias fucks off from society completely, Marco is sitting pretty on fame and fortune but that boy had a 50/50 chance of completely cracking and collapsing his own life, and Ax went back to his militaristic, authoritarian by the sound of it war-mongering society of holier-than-thou xenophobes. Cassie is the ONLY one who got out and stayed out, and she had major issues about the whole thing from the start.

I’m so glad that was one of my formative media obsessions. I didn’t really grow up with, in my very personal opinion, was this idea of “A bad thing happened but you just need to get married and have a baby or two and all better!”

And expanding on this (insert Tom Cardy as JRR Tolkien ripping off his sweater), “I’m not even HALFWAY started!”

Astarion. Some of y’all really love papastarion and you go, Glenn Coco. I ain’t trying to shame you or say you’re doing it wrong. Y’all seem really happy and that’s genuinely awesome. I love some of y’all’s work myself.

But for me, I LOVE the idea that, even romanced, Astarion doesn’t “settle down” in the aforementioned traditional context. That man has been through A Lot, and after the events of the game, so has his LI. I am feral over the idea that he alone, or with LI if he has one, just fuck off. Never married. No kids. Just spending decades and decades figuring out who he even is and what he wants to do with that. That’s comforting in the extreme, to me. You don’t have to be married and with kids to be happy and fulfilled, and I just really appreciate that.

(For those of you creating absolute gremlin children of his, I do salute you, that shit is amazing and hysterical).

[bearw-me]

Greetings, I'd love to see some Verosika x male reader headcannons, with them wanting a serious relationship with her and actually caring about her, seeing how she reacts. Bonus idea if she gets a little bit possessive.

Hello! I would like to see that too! lol + spoiler alert: verosika is always possessive of her boyfriend

𝐘𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬?

𐐒 includes : verosika mayday x male!reader 𐐒 cw : swearing, fluff, possessiveness, slight angst 𐐒 summary : general hcs + verosika in a serious relationship 𐐒 note : new love interest unlocked guys

you want a serious relationship with her, and she doesn't take you seriously at first (its all fun and games until you fall in love right?)

in the beginning, i don't think she'd trust you entirely (past relationships have made her doubt new ones) maybe look through your phone or worry constantly about what you say to her

she flirts with you like everyone else, and when you start to show genuine interest in her she's surprised (and quiet literally blushing)

verosika is prone to be very dismissive and even a little distant

like when you try to hold her hand or wrap your arm around her she feels uncertain about it or pulls away completely

it doesn't happen often though, just when the doubt starts to get to her and she needs a drink to cool down

maybe you'd just want her for the usual things: her fame, fortune, looks. . .

definitely needs a little reassurance (when you give it to her she just pouts, pretending like its stupid, or your stupid)

yes, she's defensive but also: a bad bitch, she'd try not to let you see her think otherwise

verosika's weakness is definitely words of affirmation

in a serious relationship verosika is all over you all the time (she's a succubus; she loves touching you)

sitting on your lap, draping her arms around your shoulders or being wrapped up underneath your arm. Hell, even when she 'lets go of you' to talk shit to someone she'll still have her tail wrapped around your ankle

likes biting you/giving you hickeys when she's jealous (everyone has to know your HER boyfriend)

or even leaving obvious lipstick stains on your jaw

ughhh and if your really committed to her, she's committed to you

calls you babe or baby in the most seductive voice she can muster (especially when she wants something from you in particular)

be ready to be spoiled fucking rotten with gifts and unnecessary shit (verosika loves buying you stuff, especially if it looks fucking good on you, like gold. . . or a 'stupid' phone case)

the kind of girl to get a tattoo for you

really super proud of her boyfriend + she likes to flaunt you shamelessly (especially to other 'bitches' who think they can have you instead)

she's so in love with you; and can you imagine the weight of that statement considering she's a succubus with a broken heart

she still pretends like you'll leave in a heartbeat- she's still a little defensive and prepares her heart for it- but every time you prove her wrong, she can let herself be more comfortable with you

'lovebombs' do something to her physically and she can't stand it

but also: do it again

can i just say thank you for requesting this! it was so much fun to write!

[felassan]

DA:TV spoilers under cut.

The infamous Spooky Tree, of EA Play Live 2020 DA4 teaser "can we romance the tree?" fame

it was thrilling to find it in-game hhh

[calisources]

𝐓𝐇𝐄   𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐃   𝐎𝐅   𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐃𝐒   𝐀𝐍𝐃   𝐒𝐍𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐒   𝐐𝐔𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐒.   all   sentences   have   been   taken   from   the   hunger   games:   the   ballad   of   songbirds   and   snakes   book   and   some   from   the   movie   trailers.   might   include   spoilers   for   the   movie   and   book.   change   pronouns   and   locations   and   names   as   you   see   fit.

“Nothing you can take from me was ever worth keeping.”

“Being from the Capitol doesn’t give you that right. Nothing does.”

“Well, as they said, it's not over until the mockingjay sings.”

“People aren’t so bad, really, It’s what the world does to them.”

“That is the thing with giving your heart. You never wait for someone to ask. You hold it out and hope they want it.”

“Snow lands on top.”

“I think there’s a natural goodness built into human beings. You know when you’ve stepped across the line into evil, and it’s your life’s challenge to try and stay on the right side of that line.”

“Before need, before love, came trust.”

“And try not to look down on people who had to choose between death and disgrace.”

“What are lies but attempts to conceal some sort of weakness?”

“The strain of being a full-fledged adult every day had grown tiresome.”

“You can blame it on the circumstances, the environment, but you made the choices you made, no one else.”

“Wars are won by heads not hearts.”

“There is a point to everything or nothing at all, depending on your worldview.”

“You're mine and I'm yours. It's written in the stars.”

“But better off sad than dead.”

“What young brains lack in experience they sometimes make up for in idealism. Nothing seems impossible to them.”

“I think it’s more important than love. I mean, I love all kinds of things I don’t trust.”

“I’m planning to build a whole new beautiful life here. One where, in my own small way, I can make the world a better place.”

“If the war’s impossible to end, then we have to control it indefinitely. Just as we do now.”

“What was there to aspire to once wealth, fame, and power had been eliminated? Was the goal of survival further survival and nothing more?”

“They were both after all, still children whose lives were dictated by powers above them.”

“Star-crossed lovers meeting their fate.”

“I’m bad news, all right.”

“The ability to control things. Yes, that was what he’d loved best of all.”

“What happened in the arena? That’s humanity undressed. The tributes. And you, too.”

How quickly civilization disappears. All your fine manners, education, family background, everything you pride yourself on, stripped away in the blink of an eye, revealing everything you actually are.”

“A boy with a club who beats another boy to death. That’s mankind in its natural state”

“Please, Coriolanus, I would never forget the favor.”

“Who are human beings? Because who we are determines the type of governing we need.”

“What sort of agreement is necessary if we’re to live in peace? What sort of social contract is required for survival?”

“It’s just the kind of story that catches fire.”

“And last but least, District Twelve girl . . . she belongs to Coriolanus Snow.”

“Man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains.”

“If history teaches you anything, it’s how to make the unwilling comply.”

“You know what I won’t miss? People. Except for a handful. They’re mostly awful, if you think about it.”

“And to erase me, they must erase the Games.”

“Why did these people think that all they needed to start a rebellion was anger?”

“And if even the most innocent among us turn into killers in the Hunger Games, what does that say? That our essential nature is violent.”

“It's the things we love most, that destroy us.”

“We all did things we’re not proud of.”

“What are the Hunger Games for?”

"If you want to protect people, then it's essential to accept what human beings are and what it takes to control them."

“Hope is the only thing stronger than fear."

“If the cause wasn’t honorable, how could it be an honor to participate in it?”

“He’s a Capitol boy and clearly I got the cake with the cream, ’cause nobody else’s mentor even bothered to show up to welcome them.”

“To dine with her suggests that you consider her your equal. But she isn’t.”

“The endless dance with hunger had defined his life.”

"In nature, things that are prey, that are weak, are marked"

"The world is not kind to those who don't fit in"

"We all wear masquerades in this Capitol"

, "There's a price for everything, Lucy. Sometimes you pay it willingly, sometimes it's taken from you,"

"Freedom is not given, it is taken"

“I’m not convinced that we are all as inherently violent as you say, but it takes very little to bring the beast to the surface, at least under the cover of darkness.”

[creative-frequency]

Lucanis x Rook: Two Crows in the Pantry

⚜ Rook and Lucanis have a lot of history to unpack. What would be a better way to do it than a game of questions right after recruiting him to the Veilguard. ⚜ Or: Lucanis would've really liked for Rook to see a wyvern. → Unresolved romantic tension, Crow!Rook (she/her), spoilers for the Lucanis recruitment mission and events right after, Series: Spellblade of House de Riva Word count: 3.5k

A Crow in the pantry.

There was surely a joke to be made somewhere in there, but Rook couldn’t find it in the quiet, unassuming spot.

Her head and feet were aching, and she didn’t know what the correct protocol in approaching a senior Crow’s private quarters was even under normal circumstances. They were not in Treviso, so it was probably safe to forego some formalities. She was also going to meet just Lucanis Dellamorte; a master assassin, grandson of the esteemed First Talon, the Demon of Vyrantium, famed mage-killer, Rook’s rival turned enemy turned… begrudging, contract-bound ally?

Mierda, she really needed sleep or caffeine. Or both. Rook rubbed the spot between her eyebrows and the headache just pulsed more intensely. It was just one of those days, she told herself. Those days just seemed to come in abundance now.

Rook allowed a moment for hesitation before she rapped her knuckles against the wooden pantry door. Lucanis would already know she was there.

Someone had lit the fireplace in the dining hall and the sweet scent of coffee tickled Rook’s nose pleasantly. The coffee Neve made didn’t smell this delicious. Hers had the definite aroma of burnt stove in it, which was now missing. The only blessing Neve’s coffee provided was that it was so hot it burned the taste buds off your tongue.

Rook’s attention was pulled by the familiar voice of condemnation from the pantry:

“Come in.”

She huffed out the air in her lungs and yanked the door open. Lucanis, who was sitting on what could be called a bed if one was liberal with the definition, folded his arms as soon as Rook stepped into the room.

He was brooding already. Perfect. They needed to discuss whatever it was that had happened earlier with Spite punching Lucanis’ nose bloody.

Also, Rook wanted to clear the air on a couple of things since they were expected to work together.

“Glad to see you’re settling in,” Rook chimed in rhythm with the headache.

She settled to lean on the wall by the door, a safe distance away from Lucanis, just in case. The man cocked his head.

“You’re the last person I expected to stage a rescue,” he said in a deceivingly calm voice.

Rook smirked. “I hope the surprise was a pleasant one.”

Lucanis scoffed, but not without humour. “The Spellblade of house de Riva rescues the mage-killer. They will never let me live this down.”

It was difficult to imagine they had trained and run contracts together in their youth. It seemed like it had happened in another lifetime, in another reality. It had been a good run, for a time. When Rook decided to join the Inquisition in the South, all ties had been cut to ribbons with the Antivan Crows. She made enemies of them that day, but Caterina had the courtesy of accepting her will to make a difference and chose to ignore her getaway. Rook was still grateful to her for that.

Regrettably, she had never had the chance to thank her in person.

Too much had happened during the last day. Finally going back to Treviso, seeing Teia, Viago and Illario, meeting Caterina’s disapproval, the Ossuary, saving Lucanis and helping him finish his contract on Calivan. And now Caterina was gone. Illario was pissed at Rook. Lucanis was possessed by a demon. All of it made Rook’s head hurt more. At least Teia and Viago had seemed to be doing well.

“It’s been a while,” Lucanis said.

“That it has,” Rook agreed.

An uncanny, almost curious silence fell. Rook took the opportunity to really look at the state of her old rival Lucanis Dellamorte. Lucanis did the same to her, unabashedly.

Rook had a million questions and things to say that had accumulated over the years into a messy tangle. Lucanis looked so much more mature, more handsome and just somehow more like the master assassin he was. His posture was straight, but not rigorous. His body was lean and ready to dash into action if need be. Rook had seen him stretching those muscles so many times. The way Lucanis rolled his neck and shoulders had always been her weak spot.

“A question for a question?” Lucanis suggested.

Rook narrowed her eyes. This was a game they had played in the past for exchanging information. “Only if I get to start.”

“Ladies first.” Lucanis motioned for her to ask away.

Rook took a deep breath. “I was disappointed that the Crows never sent anyone for me,” she started. “Why?”

‘Why’ was always a good start. Lucanis and his logical line of thinking could never resist a why.

“Viago deemed it a waste of time and resources. Since we don’t really work in Ferelden anymore,” Lucanis replied, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips.

Rook huffed in amusement and rolled her eyes. She should’ve guessed. Viago had his own agenda, as always, and the infamous story of house Arainai had been beaten into the heads of all Crow trainees at one point. 

“How did the Inquisition treat you?” Lucanis continued.

Linear and straight to the point, but he hadn’t asked why she had left.

Rook pushed off the wall and took steps closer to him. She felt like she needed the proximity to explain, to make him understand. Especially after the night in the wind and rain, which still haunted her.

“I like to think I made a difference,” Rook replied and inhaled to continue, but Lucanis stopped her by raising his hand.

“You don’t have to explain it to me.”

“But I want to.”

Rook’s own words halted her in the middle of the pantry. It was true enough, but she had not intended to say it so forcefully. Mierda, the sleep deprivation was getting to her.

“That’s not part of the game,” Lucanis said softly.

Rook shook her head.

“Please,” he motioned for her to continue with a question.

Rook sighed, leaned on the wall again and examined the face of the Crow before her. It was difficult to pull single questions from the messy tangle inside her head. Each pulse of the headache just scrambled it more.

“Are you hurt?” Lucanis inquired in that same soft and infuriating tone.

“No and it's my turn,” Rook protested and realised she was favouring her left leg which made her whole body lean to the side. Lucanis would notice a weakness like that easily.

“Here.” Lucanis tossed an apple at her. She bit into it without a thought. The sweet juice on her tongue eased the throbbing of her temples.

“Why did you accept the job?” Rook asked.

“When the First Talon of the Crows gives you a job, you do it. Especially if she’s your grandmother,” Lucanis said matter-of-factly.

“You’re still letting Caterina boss you around?”

The words were an echo from the past. Lucanis knew he didn’t have to answer, but he decided to humour Rook with the same answer as back then.

“You and I both know death may be the only thing that stops her.”

And Rook supposed it had. A silence fell. She took another bite of the apple. It was difficult to believe the First Talon was gone. Rook had already offered her condolences to Lucanis and Illario.

“Well.” Her face scrunched up and Lucanis lifted a brow in question. “I was going to ask how everyone is back in Treviso, but I suppose you wouldn’t know any better than I would.”

He shrugged. “Illario seemed to be in good health.”

“Yes, I exchanged a few words with him, Teia and Viago,” Rook replied in thought.

“You’re breaking the game rules, Rook.”

“I know. You don’t have to answer the next question of your choosing.”

This was why he always humoured her. A free pass. His head always stayed in the game. She was just using it as a means to an end. The apple had only a couple of bites left, but it had done its job and woken up her appetite.

“Thank you. So when did you return?” Lucanis asked.

“Two years ago with Varric and Harding. How did you get caught by the Venatori?”

Lucanis’ eyes went dark and restrained anger contorted his face. “Someone set me up. I boarded a ship from Treviso to Minrathous, and they were waiting for me. I woke up in the Ossuary with Zara gloating about it.”

Rook swallowed. Mierda. This was bad. There was a traitor amongst the Crows.

“Why did you never return to Antiva?” Lucanis continued and the ire slipped off his face like a shadow.

Rook hesitated. Of course she had wanted to go back. Even risking the attention of the Crows with a potential target on her back would’ve been worth it. Treviso was her city. She loved it dearly and wept at seeing the city under Antaam occupation.

There was no real, honest answer. The apple was down to its core and Rook tossed it aside.

“I needed to help Varric track Solas. And I didn't know if it would be safe and didn’t want to risk it,” Rook said after a moment.

“You should have sent word to me,” Lucanis replied like it was the most obvious and logical course of action.

And she had thought about doing just that. She had probably thought about it even more than she should have. Even though they had always competed in everything from cooking to training exercises, Lucanis had been there for her when she needed someone. Even for something that should never have happened. The same could not be said about any of the other Crows.

For the record, Rook had always been happy to initiate and lose a cooking competition with Lucanis. The man could make a mean paella.

Rook leaned her head back to the wall and looked at the ceiling. “Maybe. I think you were a little busy being tortured and forced to inhabit a demon.”

Lucanis’ head jerked to the side as if just mentioning the demon was a summons. The shadows in the corner were deeper than a moment ago.

“Spite, not now,” he hissed.

“Are you okay?” Rook tilted her head to look at him. It was eerily to watch Lucanis frown at the wall, his eyes focused on something she couldn’t see. Even though she was a mage, she had no idea what to do if Spite started to throw punches again.

Lucanis got up from the bed, watchful eyes lingering on the side until his attention turned back to Rook.

“Spite is throwing a tantrum,” he said.

“Right. How did you–”

Lucanis held up a finger in the air. “A-aah. It’s my turn. You just asked if I was okay.”

Rook pursed her lips together. It was just like Lucanis to be persnickety about the game rules to his own advantage. “Fine. Ask.”

He held her gaze. “Why didn’t you come with me to watch the wyverns that day?”

“What?” Rook blurted and instantly remembered:

Lucanis had invited her and Illario to go wyvern-watching with him because he knew the best spots and what food to use in order to lure the beasts into the open. Rook still regretted laughing and declining the offer, but at the time it had seemed more important to follow the example of the ‘cool cousin’.

To this day, Rook had not seen a real wyvern.

She chuckled a little at the memory. “I think I’m old enough now to confess that I regret it. I really would’ve liked to see a wyvern.”

Rook ventured a smile to which Lucanis answered with one of his own, but it was wistful, almost sad, and constricted her heartstrings painfully. She had disappointed him, despite how silly the notion was.

“Now that you brought it up, why did you ask me to go with you?” Rook inquired quietly.

“I really would’ve liked for you to see a wyvern,” Lucanis uttered. His smile took a turn warmer.

“That answer is against the rules, Lucanis,” Rook protested, but her heart fluttered.

“You haven’t asked about Spite,” Lucanis said.

“Is that your question?”

He just silently watched her. Rook tried to find the middle ground between the roles of what she thought she was to him, what she wanted to be to him and being the team leader. Her mind was lingering on wyverns and their implications, and there really was no room for Spite.

“Unless you’re going trotting around as a demon and causing havoc, it’s not really my business,” Rook finally mustered.

Lucanis still didn’t say anything. He had said he would handle it and that had to be good enough for her.

“I trust you. I know you’ll handle it.”

Lucanis looked relieved, if a bit bashful. “Thank you, Rook.”

“Were you…” Lucanis paused mid-sentence, looked down and shook his head. “Nevermind. I don’t have any more questions so you win this round.”

Rook frowned. There was a lot to unpack in there. Lucanis was hesitating and giving up. He seemed distracted, too. Maybe Spite was accosting him again, but it seemed different from what had happened in the dining room. He was also implying this had been just the first round of the questions game.

“Were I what?” Rook pushed.

Lucanis took a few steps closer to her, right to the edge of what would be considered a polite conversing distance. Rook’s pulse quickened as her instincts assessed the threat. Or maybe it was just him and his proximity that made her swallow in vain and her blood warm up.

Lucanis kept their eyes locked and Rook was scared to read too much into the pensive expression.

“We both know what it was like to grow up with the Crows,” Lucanis said quietly. His gaze explored every inch of her reaction like his life depended on it. “Still, you left to do the right thing.”

Rook pushed off the wall and straightened her spine – to do what, she had no idea. There was something in Lucanis’ tone and words that warranted action. Her heart was aching and not just because he had praised her for the one, life-altering decision she hadn’t quite made peace with yet.

“I didn’t hear a question,” she murmured.

“It was brave of you,” Lucanis continued. “Foolish, but also brave. Risking it all for something you believed in.”

Rook didn’t know what to say. How and why Lucanis had come to such conclusions was beyond her, but it didn’t stop the warmth spreading up to her cheeks. Maybe he had influenced Caterina’s decision to let Rook run away more than he let on.

“I… thank you, Lucanis,” she replied softly.

“Sometimes… I wanted to be as brave as you.” He took a tentative step closer.

Rook huffed. “At least one of us grew a spine. It’s to be decided which one.”

“Don’t argue with me over this, Rook.”

The yearning and unspoken words in those dark eyes. It was enough to steal the breath from her lungs. Whose turn was it again? Two Crows in the pantry, so lost in their little heart-to-heart that she had completely forgotten.

Rook reached out to straighten the lapels of Lucanis’ shirt. They were impeccable, but she needed to touch him. To somehow reassure them both that the moment was real. Lucanis’ expression softened and his posture relaxed slightly. His arm twitched, but he stayed still.

Rook had no idea what this was; a moment between two lost acquaintances reacquainting themselves? She felt heavy and warm.

“Did you miss me?” she murmured.

Lucanis smiled. “Pass.”

Rook’s mouth opened to inhale a shaky, surprised breath. Her hands fell down, touched his chest briefly and struggled to settle within her person.

She knew she should go already and have that nap or a cup of strong coffee or both. Leaving was proving to be extremely difficult. Breathing the cleared up air in the same space as Lucanis was all sorts of tingling and heady and intriguing. He was standing within a touching distance and Rook should have really just left, but her aching feet were glued to the stone floor.

Two Crows in the pantry was entirely too much tension.

There had always been some degree of this between them. Looking back, Rook could see it more clearly now. How many times had they stood on the line of propriety and never acted on their desires? How very un-Antivanese of them. Passionate trysts and backstabbing were the national sports in Treviso. Maybe the rivalry and competitiveness had been what prevented them. It felt silly in hindsight.

Except for that one night in the wind and rain. Viago’s words had left her shaken and emotionally vulnerable. She felt a sting of regret at having preyed on Lucanis to soothe her own pain.

Rook glanced at Lucanis’ mouth. It had felt so good, though. The afterthought of their steamy kiss from years ago lingered.

Heat followed Rook’s thoughts and memories. It pooled, trickled down and started an altogether different kind of ache. She was back from working with the Inquisition now and while they had a couple of gods to kill, Lucanis was there too. The realisation of these facts was like a permission that had not existed ever before. They had been orbiting each from such a close distance that after this time apart, a crash was imminent.

“In any case, I’m glad we get to work together again,” Rook said to fill the heavy silence, “Despite the circumstances.”

“These circumstances saved me from the Ossuary, so they can’t be all bad,” Lucanis reminded her.

He was really handsome, there was no denying it. Surely very dexterous with his fingers, too. Rook noticed she had clasped her lower lip between her teeth and Lucanis was definitely staring, his expression dreamy. Could he also be thinking about the midnight song and dance, the touches in the wind and rain?

“Let me know when you want to show your gratitude by cooking something for me,” Rook quipped, a bit shaky.

Or by any other means, she couldn’t help thinking.

She batted her eyelashes and Lucanis was looking at her as if he knew exactly what kind of dirty thoughts she had just been thinking. She squirmed at the thought, but couldn’t help the pleasurable pulsating in her core.

“I… I like that we had this talk,” Rook continued to fight the tension.

Lucanis’ dark eyes never left hers as he stepped closer. Close enough to lay his palm on the wall beside her head. He smiled wickedly as if he had just caught her red-handed from doing something naughty.

“So you’re saying you missed my cooking?” he practically purred and the tone liquified Rook’s insides.

Mierda, the man was too much of a hot mess for his own good.

Rook placed a finger on his chest and fought to prevent her own smile from blooming.

“I did not say that.”

Lucanis’ smile was devastatingly charming. “Hm. Must’ve been the demon over my shoulder.”

Whatever that meant, Rook had no time to unpack. She just remembered how Spite had punched Lucanis earlier.

“But I… Well, I’m still not comfortable with leaving you alone with a demon.”

“You don’t have to worry about me.”

“You were always… stubborn…”

Rook’s voice trailed off. Lucanis was not listening anymore. He was leaning in, inch by inch, and she was gravitating towards him like a magnet to its counterpart. Tingling, heady, intriguing. Would it be too much, too soon to kiss him? Lucanis looked like he really, really wanted to be kissed. That dreamy smile, half-hooded eyes; they were doing things to her she hadn’t thought possible with Lucanis Dellamorte. Rook didn’t know how she should feel after all this time, but her body urged her to go for it.

Lucanis paused as if he had just caught himself trying to go for a stolen kiss with his old rival, previous enemy and current… colleague.

Rook’s breaths were heavy, waiting. Her eyes were fluttering closed and open again, but he had stopped moving.

She reached out to touch the arm on his side. Her fingertips left goosebumps in their wake. Like frozen in place, neither moved to relieve them of the tension in one way or another. That one night had been a mistake and Rook wasn’t sure if she was up for testing it again.

Two Crows in the pantry, hesitant to act on their messy feelings.

“You still have some blood on your face,” Rook finally murmured absent-mindedly.

“Hm.” Lucanis pulled away slightly. Some of the tension dissipated, but he still leaned over Rook, preventing her from making a quick escape. Maybe he had learned something after all.

Rook placed a palm over his chest and closed her eyes, letting Lucanis’ presence soothe the aching in her body. Her stomach rumbled audibly and he chuckled. She gently pushed him away and he let her.

Yes, it would be better to stay just friends. From rivals to enemies to friends. She liked the sound of that. It was clean and simple. She stepped away from him and as if a spell was broken, the tension snapped. Everything, well almost everything, was clear.

“I was going to make some coffee,” Rook said.

“Coffee sounds great.”