#there’s probably some inconsistency here

[kiwriteswords]

And then I go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like, "I love you."

AN: Since you guys seem to like the Shy!Reader drabbles!

Other Writing | Ao3

Pairing: Aaron Hotchner x Shy!Fem!Reader!

Word Count: 5.2k

Rating: Everyone

TW: shy!reader, alcohol mention

Five times you were shy around Aaron Hotchner because of your underlying feelings for him + one time, Aaron Hotchner was shy around you because of his underlying feelings for you.

one.

The office was unusually quiet, save for the occasional rustle of papers and the soft hum of computers. The rest of the team was out in the field, leaving just you and Aaron Hotchner behind to finish reviewing the case files for the next briefing.

You glanced at the clock. It was just after 6 p.m. Most people would be winding down their day, but for the BAU, the hours always seemed to blend together. Of course, you didn’t mind—working with the best agents in the FBI was an honor, but working directly under Aaron Hotchner, your team leader and a respected figure in the bureau? That was something else entirely.

And today, you were supposed to help him with the case files for the recent kidnapping case. Alone.

“Ready?” His deep voice pulled you from your thoughts, and you nearly jumped. You didn’t have the time to dissect why this man--your boss, made you feel this way. As if every time he looked at you, it felt like he could see things differently--more than anyone else. You felt a level of exposure you were not quite used to. It wasn’t bad, no. Just made you feel sort of funny inside. 

“Uh, yes, yes, sir. Just—just a second.” You scrambled to gather your papers, your hands suddenly clammy as you fumbled with the file in front of you. Great start, you mentally scolded yourself.

You could feel his eyes on you, calm and patient, as you tried to compose yourself. Hotch, with his sharp features and intense gaze, sat down beside you at the long conference table, his presence commanding even though he said nothing. As usual, he was dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, tie still impeccably knotted despite the long day.

He always looked so put together, so composed, and here you were, barely able to keep from dropping the entire file on the floor.

And that was the thing about Aaron Hotchner’s microscope; it was never him purposefully looking at you--through you with judgment. Just through a different lens, you could feel it. 

“Okay,” you breathed out, finally opening the folder and staring at the first page, willing yourself to focus. But of course, all you could focus on was him sitting beside you, his arm brushing ever so slightly against yours as he leaned in to review the documents.

Hotch’s voice broke the silence again. “I noticed some inconsistencies in the witness statements,” he said, pointing at a section in the report. You could feel the heat radiating off him, the proximity making your heartbeat quicken.

“Right, um, inconsistencies. Yes, I—I saw those too,” you stammered, your voice just a little higher than usual. You could feel your cheeks burning. Pull it together.

As you reached to turn the page, your fingers trembled slightly, and the edges of the papers crinkled under your grip. You cursed yourself internally. He’s going to think I don’t know what I’m doing.

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Hotch glance at you. His brow furrowed, not in frustration, but in something softer—concern, maybe? Before you could stop yourself, you began speaking too fast, trying to fill the silence.

“I mean, the statements are definitely off, like you said. I was just thinking, you know, we could um, cross-check them against the surveillance footage from the convenience store and maybe, uh, match the timestamps, because—well, um, obviously, you’ve probably already thought of that, but I just thought…”

You trailed off when you realized Hotch wasn’t looking at the file anymore. He was looking at you. And oh god, that made things so much worse. You felt the tips of your ears burning now, and you quickly looked down at the paper in front of you, pretending to reread the same line over and over just to avoid his gaze.

“You’re doing fine,” Hotch said softly, his voice cutting through your spiraling thoughts.

You looked up, blinking in surprise. His expression was calm, reassuring even, as though he could sense how flustered you were. For a moment, you thought you saw the tiniest hint of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

“I—thanks,” you managed to say, your voice barely a whisper. You bit your lip, cursing yourself for sounding so meek. This was Aaron Hotchner—your boss, your colleague. And yet, here you were, acting like a nervous schoolgirl with a crush.

Well, because you did have a crush. A big one. A ridiculous, all-consuming crush that you had been battling for months now. And being this close to him, feeling his presence so close—it was like your brain short-circuited every time. His cologne, his energy--everything that surrounded your senses was just like a drug making your brain work in ways it really shouldn’t be when you have a job to do.

Hotch nodded, his attention returning to the file in front of you, but the moment didn’t pass unnoticed. The air between you felt different now--lighter. As if he understood, on some level, that your nerves weren’t because of the case, but because of him. 

You worked in silence after that, the tension slowly ebbing away. But every now and then, you caught him glancing at you out of the corner of his eye, as if he was still watching, still noticing.

And for the first time, you let yourself wonder if maybe, just maybe, Aaron Hotchner noticed you too.

two.

It had already been a morning and a half. The team had gathered for a debrief, with everyone scattered around their desks reviewing the latest case notes. You felt the weight of exhaustion after the last long night, and from the looks of it, so did everyone else. It was natural for these long hours to catch up to you all eventually. 

“Coffee run?” you asked, glancing around at the others. JJ and Spencer immediately nodded, followed by Morgan flashing you a grateful smile.

“I could use about three cups,” Emily quipped, massaging her temples.

You smiled back and quickly made your way to the break room. As you stood by the machine, the familiar hum of it brewing filled the room. You glanced at the lineup of mugs in your arms, including the one you had specifically set aside for Hotch. His was easy to pick out—simple, just like the man himself.

For some reason, even the simple act of grabbing coffee for him made you feel jittery. Maybe it was because of the way he always carried himself—calm, collected, completely in control. Or maybe it was the way he looked at you, like he was always assessing, always paying attention.

Or maybe it was because you had the world’s most inconvenient crush on your boss.

You sighed and shook your head. It's just coffee. Be normal.

When the machine finally finished, you loaded the cups and returned to the bullpen. As you handed the team their drinks, your nerves started to build as you approached Hotch’s office. His door was slightly ajar, and through the gap, you could see him typing away on his computer, his brow furrowed in concentration.

You knocked softly, pushing the door open a little wider. “Coffee?”

Hotch glanced up, his eyes softening for a brief moment as he saw you standing there, juggling the last two mugs. “Thank you,” he said, his voice warm but as professional as always.

You stepped forward, holding out his cup. “Uh, here,” you said, your voice coming out a little I quickly. As he reached for it, your fingers accidentally brushed against his.

The contact was fleeting but sent a jolt through your whole body. Your breath hitched, and suddenly, you were hyper-aware of how close he was. Your heart thudded against your ribcage, and you swore he must have heard it. You tried to ignore how your hand trembled slightly, but it was impossible with Hotch standing right there.

For a second, he didn’t move. His gaze flickered down to your hand, then back up to meet your eyes, and you could have sworn there was a flicker of amusement in his expression as if he was beginning to catch on to the hold he had over you. He took the cup from you carefully, his touch deliberate and slow. 

“Thank you,” he repeated, but this time, there was something softer in his tone. His lips curved ever so slightly—a small smile, barely noticeable if you weren’t paying attention, but you were. You always were.

You felt heat rise to your cheeks. Why am I such a mess around him?

“Oh—uh, no problem,” you managed to stammer, suddenly unable to look him in the eye. You took a step back, desperate to escape before you embarrassed yourself further. “Enjoy your coffee, Hotch.”

You turned to leave, feeling your face burn with embarrassment. Behind you, you heard him chuckle softly—a rare sound, one that sent another rush of heat through you. You could only hope he didn’t notice how flustered you were. But then again, judging by that tiny smile, he already had.

three.

A grueling case with long hours and high tension called for alcohol and camaraderie. When Rossi suggested they all unwind at a nearby bar after wrapping things up, no one argued. The idea of a drink and a few hours of normalcy was too tempting to pass up--and much needed.

You found yourself sitting at a long table with the rest of the team, squeezed between JJ and Hotch. Normally, that would have sent your nerves into overdrive, but after the first glass of wine—and then the second—you felt your anxiety loosen just a bit. Just enough to breathe without overthinking every little move you made next to him.

The conversation flowed easily around you, with Morgan and Garcia trading playful banter while Spencer tried to argue some statistic about criminal behavior. You laughed along, but every time Hotch spoke, your focus snapped to him. You couldn’t help it. It was like your mind was on high alert every time he addressed the group, or worse—you directly.

“Good work on the case,” he said at one point, turning to you with that intense gaze of his. “You managed the witness interviews really well. I think it made a difference.”

Your heart lurched. He was complimenting you—praising your work in front of the whole team. The sudden attention made your pulse quicken, and you could feel your face heating up despite the buzz from the drinks.

Before you could stop yourself, the words just spilled out.

With a slightly bolder tone than you usually used around him, you turned to face him fully, giving him a playful smile. “Well, maybe I just wanted to impress you, Hotch.”

The second the words left your mouth, you realized how bold they sounded. You raised your glass slightly, locking eyes with him for a moment longer than necessary. You’d just flirted with your boss. There was no going back now.

Hotch blinked, momentarily caught off guard, but then a slow smile—rare but devastating—appeared on his face. “Is that right?” he replied, his voice low and most definitely amused. 

Your heart practically stopped, but before you could spiral too much, JJ leaned over with a laugh. “Well, someone’s confident tonight.” 

You hadn’t even realized that not only did you flirt with Hotch, but you happened to do it in front of your coworkers--your profiling coworkers. Ones that were well-trained and versed in all sorts of fucked up psychology that “having an apparent crush on your older boss” would fall under. 

The moment passed quickly, and the conversation shifted again, but your head was spinning. The buzz from the drinks had officially worn off, leaving you hyper-aware of everything. You spent the rest of the night trying to avoid looking directly at Hotch, hoping that maybe—just maybe—he hadn’t taken your words too seriously.

By the time you walked into work the next morning, the weight of what happened at the dinner hit you full force. I flirted with Hotch. The realization felt like a brick sinking in your stomach.

You avoided his office all morning, burying yourself in paperwork and case files. Every time someone walked past your desk, you jumped, paranoid that it would be him coming to say something—anything—about last night.

Why did I have to say that? What was I thinking?

By midday, you were a ball of nerves. Every interaction with Hotch now felt loaded, as if you were walking on a tightrope. When he passed by your desk and gave you a small nod of acknowledgment, you nearly knocked your coffee over, your hands trembling as you tried to act casual.

You could still feel the burn of embarrassment every time you remembered how easy the words had slipped out. And the worst part? He hadn’t seemed uncomfortable at all. If anything, he had smiled. That tiny, knowing smile that you couldn’t get out of your head.

Later, when you were both in the conference room, going over case files, the tension felt unbearable. You barely managed to string together coherent answers every time he asked you a question, your brain too busy screaming Don’t be awkward.

But even in your shyness, you couldn’t help but wonder if he remembered what you said. If maybe, somewhere behind that calm, professional exterior, Aaron Hotchner had actually been flustered, too?

four. 

Everyone else had left hours ago, but you were still there, finishing up some paperwork that seemed never-ending. The only sound was the soft clicking of your keyboard and the occasional creak of your chair as you shifted positions. Being the newest member on the team, you often double- or even triple-check everything, afraid it would be wrong. This cost you a lot of your spare time, but in fairness, what else did you have going on? 

You weren’t surprised that Aaron Hotchner was still there, too. He was always the last to leave, always pushing himself past his limits. It was one of the things you admired about him—and maybe one of the reasons you found it so hard to concentrate whenever you were alone with him.

You glanced at the clock. It was well past 9 p.m., and the fatigue from the long day was starting to settle into your bones. You leaned back in your chair, rubbing your eyes when you heard footsteps approaching. Before you could turn around, Hotch’s calm, steady voice cut through the silence.

“You’ve been at this for hours,” he said softly, standing just behind your desk. “Maybe it’s time for a break.”

Your breath caught in your throat for a moment. You hadn’t realized how quiet it was until his voice filled the space. His tone almost vibrating against your ears. 

You quickly straightened up, trying to act casual, though you could already feel your pulse quickening.

“Oh, uh, yeah… probably a good idea,” you said, a bit too quickly. You glanced up at him, and for a split second, you wished you hadn’t. He was standing close—too close—and the sight of him with his tie slightly loosened, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, sent a fresh wave of nervousness through you. Why did he always have to look so effortlessly composed?

Hotch tilted his head slightly, as if considering something. “I was about to make some tea,” he said, his voice low and calming. “Would you like some?”

Tea. Something about the simplicity of the offer made your heart flutter. “Sure,” you replied, smiling faintly. “Tea sounds nice.”

A few minutes later, Hotch returned with two steaming mugs. He set one down beside your stack of papers and took a seat in the chair next to yours. 

You quickly pulled your hand back, hoping he hadn’t noticed the way your breath caught in your throat. But of course, he noticed everything. That’s who he was.

“Long day,” he said quietly, sipping his tea and glancing over at you.

You nodded, trying to keep your thoughts from spiraling. “Yeah. Feels like the days are getting longer.”

Hotch smiled softly, a rare but welcome sight. “I’d say you handled it well.”

Your heart skipped a beat. Compliments from Aaron Hotchner were few and far between, and when they came, they always seemed to hit harder than you expected. You swallowed nervously, feeling the familiar heat rising to your cheeks.

“T-Thanks,” you stammered, looking down at your tea and willing yourself not to blush. But it was no use. You were hyper-aware of how close he was, the faint scent of his cologne lingering in the air. Every word you could have said stuck in your throat, as if your mind had gone blank.

There was a brief silence, the kind that felt charged with something unspoken. Hotch leaned back in his chair slightly, his gaze steady on you. You could feel it—his calm presence, his quiet strength—and it only made your nerves worse. How did he manage to make small talk feel so intense?

“You don’t have to push yourself so hard, you know,” he said, his voice softer now, almost gentle. “You’re already doing more than enough. There’s nothing you need to prove--you deserve to be here.”

Your breath caught again. Was he worried about you? The thought made your heart race even faster. You tried to find the right words, but they felt stuck. All you could manage was a small, awkward laugh. “I guess I’m just trying to keep up with you.”

Hotch’s expression softened further, and for a moment, you swore there was something in his eyes—something warmer, more personal. He didn’t respond right away, just held your gaze for a beat longer than necessary.

Your cheeks felt like they were on fire now, and you quickly took a sip of your tea, hoping it would calm your racing heart. But the silence that followed wasn’t uncomfortable. If anything, it felt like a quiet understanding had passed between the two of you, something unspoken but undeniably there.

Maybe he put together all of the pieces and realized you were hopelessly crushing on him, so he had pity and let you be. Maybe he thought men made you nervous--but then again, he’d seen you all buddy-buddy with Reid or even Morgan.

As the minutes passed, the tension slowly ebbed away, but the closeness remained. Hotch’s presence beside you felt reassuring, yet it kept your pulse thrumming in a way that made you wish you could stay like this just a little longer. Even if it meant fumbling over your words, you wouldn’t mind.

five.

The overhead lights buzzed softly, and the air was thick with the smell of coffee. You were sitting at the round table in the conference room, papers spread out in front of you, piecing together a presentation for the case debrief tomorrow. Your focus was sharp, and for once, you weren’t thinking about how close Hotch was sitting. Well, almost.

Aaron Hotchner was seated at the head of the table, reviewing files and notes from his section of the case, his brow furrowed in concentration. The silence between you felt comfortable—until it wasn’t.

Out of nowhere, Hotch spoke up, breaking the quiet. “Your organizational skills are impressive,” he said, his tone casual but sincere. “I don’t know how you keep all of this together so efficiently.”

You froze, your pen hovering above the notebook in front of you. He complimented you--again. The words sunk in slowly, and you could feel your face start to burn. Why did he always catch you off guard like this?

“I—uh, thanks,” you stammered, suddenly feeling the need to escape. Your heart raced as you realized how flustered you must look, your cheeks burning under his calm gaze. You barely managed to glance up at him, but his expression wasn’t teasing. It was soft, warm even.

“I just try to stay on top of things,” you mumbled, pushing your chair back too quickly. The sound echoed through the room, making you cringe. You could feel your face turning crimson as you gathered up your papers in a rush, trying to hide your embarrassment.

Why did he have to say something so nice? Why did you have to react like this every time?

You gave him a brief, awkward smile and practically bolted for the door. “I-I need to get this to JJ,” you blurted out, even though you had no intention of doing so.

As you reached the doorway, your hand on the handle, you heard him call your name—soft but unmistakable. You froze in place, half-turned, not daring to look back fully.

“By the way,” he said, his voice still calm but a touch more serious. “You don’t need to rush out every time I give you a compliment.”

Your breath caught, and for a split second, you weren’t sure if you could move. There was no teasing in his tone, no sharpness—just a quiet, sincere warmth. And for the first time, you allowed yourself to believe that maybe, just maybe, Hotch noticed more than you thought.

You finally turned slightly toward him, meeting his gaze briefly. “I… I’ll try not to,” you whispered, your voice shaky but honest. Without waiting for a response, you slipped out of the room, your heart pounding in your chest.

And as you left the room, you heard Hotch chuckle softly to himself. It wasn’t cruel; it was amused, affectionate even. That only made things worse.

As you walked down the hall, the sound of his words still echoed in your mind, replaying over and over. You didn’t need to rush out every time he complimented you. And for the first time, you wondered what might happen if you didn’t.

+one

It had been weeks since the last case that left you fleeing the conference room after Aaron Hotchner’s casual compliment about your organizational skills. You’d spent every day since trying to keep your interactions with him as short and as professional as possible, but avoiding him entirely wasn’t exactly an option. You were part of the team, and your role often required working closely with him. That only made your constant nervousness more exhausting.

Every time he passed by your desk, every time he said your name in that calm, authoritative tone, your heart would skip a beat. The nerves were always there, simmering just under the surface. You weren’t sure if he noticed how flustered you got around him or if he simply chalked it up to work stress. Either way, it made every interaction with him feel like walking on a tightrope.

And today was no different after another intense case had finally been closed. You were finishing paperwork at your desk when you saw Hotch step out of his office, his eyes scanning the bullpen. The moment his gaze landed on you, your stomach twisted.

He started walking over, his strides purposeful. You tried to keep your face neutral, even as the heat rushed to your cheeks. Stay calm. It’s just work.

You looked up at him when he stopped before your desk, forcing a smile. “Do you need something?”

Hotch’s expression was unreadable, but something in his eyes seemed different today. Less intense, more… hesitant? “Can I see you in my office for a moment?”

Your heart thudded in your chest, and you quickly nodded, not trusting your voice. You grabbed your notepad, assuming it was something case-related, and followed him back into his office.

As you stepped inside, he closed the door behind you. The click of the latch made the room feel suddenly smaller--more intimate. You turned to face him, clutching your notepad like a shield.

“Is everything okay?” you asked, trying to keep the nervousness out of your voice.

Hotch didn’t immediately respond. Instead, he walked over to his desk, leaning against it, his arms crossed. His posture was relaxed, but there was something in the way he looked at you—something that made your pulse quicken.

“I’ve noticed,” he began, his voice measured but quieter than usual, “that you’ve been avoiding me.”

Your stomach dropped. He noticed. You hadn’t thought it was that obvious, but of course, this was Aaron Hotchner. He noticed everything.

“I… I h-haven’t been avoiding you,” you stammered, though you knew it was a lie. “I’ve just been busy. Lots of cases lately, you know.”

Hotch’s gaze didn’t waver. “That’s not what it feels like.”

You swallowed hard, your nerves threatening to overwhelm you. He wasn’t angry; his tone wasn’t harsh or accusatory, but there was a weight to his words that made your throat go dry. He uncrossed his arms and took a small step toward you, closing the gap between you just enough to make your breath hitch.

“I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable,” he continued, his voice softer now. “But I’ve noticed how you’ve been acting around me. And I have to admit, it’s been difficult to ignore.”

Your heart was pounding in your chest, your mind racing. Was he going to reprimand you for being unprofessional? Did he think you couldn’t handle your job because of the way you acted around him? Would he send you off to report to someone different? You felt the familiar heat rising in your cheeks and wished you could disappear.

“I’m sorry if I’ve been… awkward,” you said, your voice barely above a whisper. At this moment, you felt like a small child, “It’s just—”

Before you could finish, Hotch interrupted, his expression softening in a way you hadn’t seen before. “You don’t have to explain. I think I know why.”

His words hung in the air between you, and suddenly, everything felt different. You blinked, your breath catching in your throat. “You do?”

Hotch took another small step forward, his gaze never leaving yours. He was so close now that you could feel the warmth radiating from him. For the first time, you noticed the way his usually composed features seemed more vulnerable—like he was grappling with something inside himself.

“I’ve noticed because I’ve been feeling the same way,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Your heart stopped. He feels the same way? Your mind struggled to process what he was saying. Aaron Hotchner, your boss—the man who was always in control, always so composed—was confessing that he had feelings for you?

You opened your mouth to say something, but the words wouldn’t come. Your thoughts were a tangled mess, and all you could do was stare at him in stunned silence.

Hotch ran a hand through his hair, an uncharacteristically nervous gesture that sent a ripple of shock through you. He seemed just as uneasy as you were, as though he wasn’t used to being in this position—being vulnerable. “I’ve been trying to ignore it for a while,” he continued, his eyes searching yours for some kind of reaction. “But…but I can’t anymore.”

The silence between you felt thick with unspoken words, with all the tension and longing that had been building for weeks, maybe even months. And now it was all out in the open.

“I don’t know what to say,” you whispered, your voice barely audible.

Hotch smiled—just a small, almost shy smile that you’d never seen from him before. He let out a soft chuckle, “Neither do I. This is… new for me.”

Your mind was still racing, but somewhere amidst the chaos, you realized that he wasn’t just confessing to you. He was just as nervous, just as unsure. For the first time, Aaron Hotchner—the man who always seemed unshakable—was standing in front of you, vulnerable and open.

You felt a surge of courage then, maybe fueled by the realization that this wasn’t one-sided. He was just as affected by you as you were by him. Slowly, you took a step closer, closing the remaining distance between you.

“I didn’t think you’d ever notice,” you admitted, your voice trembling slightly, though steadier than before. You took a breath, forcing yourself to keep eye contact, despite the fluttering nerves in your stomach. “I thought I was just… making a fool of myself. That you’d think I was unprofessional.”

Hotch’s expression softened, his gaze never leaving yours. He shook his head gently, his eyes filled with something you couldn’t quite name, something more tender than you’d ever seen from him before. “You haven’t,” he said softly. “Believe me… I’ve noticed everything.”

The weight of his words hit you, and for the first time, you realized how closely he’d been watching, how much attention he’d been paying to all the little moments you thought were only one-sided. A warmth spread through you, melting away some of the nervous tension that had been building for months.

The silence between you wasn’t awkward anymore—it was charged, yes, but it was also full of something else. Understanding. Relief. The unspoken truth you’d both been dancing around finally laid bare.

For a long moment, neither of you spoke, just stood there, the distance between you feeling impossibly small. You took a deep breath, your heart still pounding but lighter now, and offered him a small, hesitant smile. “So… what happens now?” you asked, your voice quieter, as if you weren’t sure you wanted the spell to break.

Hotch’s smile was subtle, but it reached his eyes this time, easing some of the tension in his shoulders. “I’m not sure,” he admitted, his tone uncharacteristically gentle. “But I do know this… whatever we decide, we don’t need to rush.”

His words were steady and reassuring, and for the first time in a long while, you felt like you could breathe. The uncertainty was still there, yes, but so was the certainty that you weren’t alone in this anymore. That the feelings you’d been so afraid of had been mirrored all along.

You nodded slowly, a smile tugging at your lips. “Together, then?”

“Together,” he echoed, his voice quiet but firm.

And just as you turned to leave, feeling the tension melt away, Hotch called your name again. This time, his tone was softer, almost hesitant. You turned back to face him, your breath catching in your throat.

“One more thing,” he said, his eyes meeting yours with an intensity that sent a shiver down your spine. “I’ve spent a lot of time noticing you. Maybe now… we don’t have to hide it anymore?”

His words lingered in the air between you, heavy with meaning. You swallowed hard, your heart racing again, but it wasn’t from nerves this time. It was from the hope that maybe, just maybe, this was the start of something real.

You smiled a genuine smile this time. “I’d like that.”

With that, you left his office feeling lighter than you had in months. And for the first time, the uncertainty ahead didn’t feel so daunting.

tag list:

@zaddyhotchzaddyhotch

@estragos

@todorokishoe24

@looking1016

[oscconfessions]

OKAY II16 THEORY.

i dont know if mephone ACTUALLY made the contestants or what. this is kinds halfbaked as it doesnt have an explanation on why nobody can remember pre-show

but, in this theory, mphone didnt make the contestants. cobs is a lying liarface and says this to turn the final two against him. knife isnt really gonna believe him, but suitcase- she already hates mephone, she's been growing more and more leaderlike since standing up to nickel way back when, BUT she's consistently been shown to have a lack of confidence in her reality. sees things that arent real, yadda yadda.

cobs SAYS he's been watching the show. presuming how we watch it is how he did, he's seen suitcase's hallucinations. At least, he's seen suitcase TALK about it. overall, heres the theory in a nutshell

cobs is trying to use her derealization/psychosis/unreality issues against her.

this is where things turn into a prediction: she's going to go back (possibly without knife), warn the others, and tell them about the s3 time inconsistency. she's probably going to be freaking out/breaking down in some way too, cause telling someone with unreality struggles that theyre not real is, yk, bad. but shes going to tell the others and baseball is likely going to rally behind her too, cause shes his friend. the others see baseball, previous leader of the group, agree with the time inconsistency AND stick with suitcase, and theyre gonna be like "maybe mephone IS a bad guy" and boom. mephone hated by contestants. I dont think suitcase or the others are gonna bring him to cobs, because cobs is ALSO bad, but my main idea is that theyre gonna distrust him until he does something to get the trust back/save the day.

note here: im not saying mephone or suitcase are bad people! i love both of them and think highly, im just theorizing out here

EVIDENCE:

i dont got any ASIDE FROM the fact that suitcase is shown before/on screen in every noticable case of glitching.

and from todays episode:

i ALSO noticed that, in the ii16 act 1 episode, theres a strong emphasis on suitcase's thoughts about things "not being real", or otherwise conveyed such a thing

anyway um. build on this if you like. im so obsessed woth my girl suitcase i hope she she gets like. closure in some way. i also hope she gets meds for those hallucinations <3 goodbye

wish i could be on anon for this, but im 🧭 so hello!!!

.

[kaitaiga]

— OC SPEECH MANNERISMS

thanks for the tag, @cloudofbutterflies92 ! this was fun!

NO. OF SPOKEN LANGUAGES: 1 / 2 / 3+ (english, indonesian and arabic)

TONE OF VOICE: high / average / deep

ACCENT: yes / no (strong aussie accent)

DEMEANOR: confident / shy / approachable / hostile / other (super relaxed. very easy to approach)

POSTURE: slumped / straight / stiff / relaxed (usually very relaxed but in a military setting, he fixes that haha)

HABITS: head tilting / swaying / fidgeting / stuttering / gesturing / arm crossing / strokes chin / er, um, or other interjections / plays with hair or clothing / hands at hips / inconsistent eye contact / maintains eye contact / frequent pausing / stands close / stands at a distance

— COMPLEXITY

VOCABULARY: ⚫️⚫️⚫️⚪️⚪️

EMOTION: ⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️⚪️

SENTENCE STRUCTURE: ⚫️⚫️⚪️⚪️⚪️

— PROFANITY

FREQUENCY: ⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️ (cannot go a sentence without it lol)

CREATIVITY (in regards to profanity): ⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️⚪️

BOLD ALL THAT APPLY: arse. ass. asshole. bastard. bitch. bloody. bugger. bollocks. chicken shit. crap. cunt. dick. frick. fuck. horseshit. motherfucker. piss. prick. screw. shit. shitass. son of a bitch. twat. wanker. pussy. (very heavy on c-word. what did you expect? he's aussie. honestly the list goes on.)

— THIS OR THAT

straightforward or cryptic? (damo doesn't hold back)/ finding the right word or using the first word that comes to mind? / masculinity / neutrality / or femininity? / formalities or with abrasiveness? / praise or equivocation? / frankness or lies? / excessive or minimal hand gestures? / name-calling (affectionate) or magnanimity? / friendly or blunt?

— IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

DO PEOPLE HAVE A HARD TIME HEARING OR UNDERSTANDING YOUR CHARACTER? - almost always / frequently / rarely / never. (he has a very strong accent and tends to use a lot of slang that others might not know if they're not aussie.)

DOES YOUR CHARACTER’S POINT COME ACROSS EASILY WHEN THEY SPEAK?- almost always / frequently/ sometimes / rarely / never.

WOULD YOUR CHARACTER INITIATE CONVERSATIONS? - almost always / frequently / sometimes / never. (he's a sarg, so, yes to give out orders and such)

WOULD YOUR CHARACTER BE THE ONE TO END CONVERSATIONS? - almost always / frequently / sometimes / rarely / never. (when talking casually with someone, he has a tendancy to yap...)

WOULD YOUR CHARACTER USE ‘WHOM’ IN A SENTENCE? - yes / no / only ironically (probably to piss lachlan or archie off)

YOUR CHARACTER WANTS TO MAKE A COUNTERPOINT. WHAT WORD DO THEY USE? - but / though / although / however / perhaps / mayhaps. ("yeah? but..." is how damo would do it)

HOW DOES YOUR CHARACTER END CONVERSATIONS? - walk away / ask if that’s everything / say that’s everything / give a proper goodbye / tell their company they’re done here / remain quiet / they don’t. (either that or tell them to "fuck off / piss off / get outta my face" jokingly)

WHAT SOCIAL CLASS WOULD OTHERS ASSUME YOUR CHARACTER BELONGS TO, HEARING THEM SPEAK? - upper / middle / lower. (some might assume he's a bogan but most can tell he's a country boy.)

IN WHAT WAYS DOES THE WAY YOUR CHARACTER SPEAK STAND OUT TO OTHERS? - accent / vocabulary / tone / level / politeness / brusqueness / it doesn’t. (depends. in Australia it doesn't, but elsewhere it does)

Tagging: @alypink @revnah1406 @efingart @sleepyconfusedpotato @welldonekhushi

@islandtarochips @imagoddamnonionmason

@justasmolbard @piouswolf @applbottmjeens @eccentrcks and whoever else wants to join!

[meganooooooooooooooo]

Dragon Age: The Veilguard warrior armour sets, ranked

The warrior sets are probably about as inconsistent as the mage sets, however, I did find some pleasant surprises here. There are definitely some very unexpected looks here, especially for a class that typically plays it pretty safe.

Image credit: Shinobi602 on Twitter.

Unranked - starting armour

CLEARLY warrior Rook does not have a squire.

6. Grey Warden

Sorry Warden players you still get the most boring armour sets in the game.

5. Shadow Dragons

This should be heavy plate with a dragon on it and it isn't, so I simply cannot rate it any higher. Also this reads way more rogue to me than warrior - rogues need all those pockets, what's a warrior want with them? Update on this: I am 99% sure I saw someone playing rogue (a saboteur even!) wearing this armour so is it a mistake? I AM CONFUSION.

4. Mourn Watch

It's solid but across all the classes Mourn Watch is by far the least consistent in terms of having a defined look - they're not even in the same shades of the same colours. If you put them on a runway as a collection it would be called inconsistent because they don't look like they go together. It's disappointing because if we went by Emmrich's fits I would have expected something MUCH different.

3. Veil Jumpers

I do really like this even if it's giving dwarven made more than Elvhenan made, which is what they're going for with all the Veil Jumpers sets. Could still use some colour though.

2. Lords of Fortune

I'm not going to lie to you: after my temporary blindness wore off this look filled me with glee. Even looking at it now makes me incredibly happy. It's not because it's good, necessarily, in fact it's one of the most hilarious armour sets I've ever seen, but it does make me happy. But intellectually I cannot rate it number one, no matter how happy it makes me and how much that inexplicable bull head on the crotch makes me laugh.

1. Antivan Crows

I am obsessed with this. It has it ALL - impeccable goth vibes, dramah, beautiful feathers, bits of draped fabric for no reason, absolutely dripping with crow motifs. If someone came running at me in this I would be scared but also delighted.

Another armour update: I've been watching a lot of in-game footage of quests and have noticed that being a particular faction does not necessarily seem to lock you into that faction's armour styles - for example I saw a Crow wearing the rogue set for Veil Jumpers. I don't think I was mistaken but definitely take this as a grain of salt if it doesn't turn out to be the case in the release.

If you're interested in the rankings for the casual sets, you can find that here. Mage is here, and rogue can be found here.

[selsieeeo]

Give Me back my Son

Based/Inspired off of @llondonfog potion!au because I wail on the inside every time I think about it 🥲 I also can’t think of a good title rn. It’s 11pm rn I can’t think and wrote this quick out to get it out of my head. Probably some grammar mistakes

Lilia watched from the stands as Vargas introduced the start of the tournament that Night Raven College and Royal Sword Academy held each year, switching the stadium from school to school each year. He would have watched with anticipation this year as Sebek was in the tournament this year but he couldn’t bring the heart to be excited at all.

Not without his son Silver…

No less than three months ago, everything was fine. He was happy, his son was doing well. Sebek still argued with Silver. Malleus talked to the Ramshackle Perfect about Gargoyles. It was all perfect and he was happy. Then his son disappeared.

It was the evening, he had been in the lounge, patiently waiting for his son to come back. He had assumed Silver must have fallen asleep again. No worries there, Silver usually managed to wake up and come back before it struck midnight.

It was past 11pm now. Silver wasn’t back. Strange. Lilia frowns and goes to search for his son.

He searches all over the places where Silver would most likely be at. He found nothing. It was as if Silver disappeared without a trace…

Lilia felt his stomach drop. How could Silver have just disappeared just like that? He alerts Malleus and Sebek about Silver’s disappearance and they assist Lilia in trying to find Silver.

It’s nearly 1am now. They still haven’t found a trace of Silver at all.

“Lilia…it isn’t like Silver to just disappear.” Malleus says. “He could have been…”

“Kidnapped?” Lilia finishes miserably. Malleus nods. Lilia didn’t want to believe it, but he knew it was the only possible option left. Who dares try to steal the former general’s precious son from him?

A week had passed by, news of Silver’s disappearance had spread like wildfire. Crowley had given Lilia, Malleus and Sebek permission to leave school grounds to search for Silver.

After going through the magic mirror they agreed to go to the Shaftlands first to search for Silver. They had searched for quite some time. Then Lilia managed to secure a clue. Fragments of an old kingdom were found in the north of the Shaftlands. They headed to the north.

Lilia had seen a brown haired human confronting them as the human asked what they’re purpose was so far in the north. Lilia took note of the insignia. The same insignia of the kingdom Lilia helped destroy…

Malleus had explained to the human that they were simply trying to find someone. A person named Silver. Something inside Lilia suddenly snapped. This guard…he remembered taking him down but not killing him before he found…Silver…

The brown haired guard was the one to take Silver.

Lilia remembered suddenly shouting at the guard in rage. Demanding him to give him his son back. He would have gone even farther to killing the guard if it weren’t for Malleus telling him to calm down as they needed the information. The sly guard had slipped away during the commotion.

Eventually, Queen Maleficia ordered Lilia to go back to Night Raven College as this kidnapping had happened close to her grandson. Though upset, he complied and returned to the college. He did know the queen did have a soft spot for his son and took a guess that perhaps she would help in one way or another to find his missing son.

Two months had passed since Silver’s disappearance. It was as if it disappeared from thin air without a trace.

Now here they were again. At the tournament. Lilia sat besides Malleus who placed his hand on his caretaker. “We will find him.” Malleus says to Lilia.

The tournament begins. The representatives for Royal Sword Academy come out. One of them made Lilia’s heart drop in an instant.

A 17 year old boy comes out of the tent fitted in Royal Sword’s uniform as if he always belonged there. He had silver hair tied up in a low ponytail and auroral eyes.

It was as if the world decided to drop his son back to the world.

His son…Silver…

Lilia wanted to get up and just fly over to Silver but his bats did it before him. They suddenly flew over to the RSA’s representatives, many of them shrieking and taking cover. He heard them muttering about this being a sabotage. He doesn’t care, all he sees is his son. His son with his bats who are happy to see him again.

It takes all of Malleus’s strength to hold Lilia back from jumping over the railing to join his bats. Malleus told Lilia that they can wait once intermission arrives upon them to see Silver. Lilia nods absentmindedly. All he can think about is that his son was back. His most precious son. The one thing that lights up his world. He hears about Sebek confronting Silver and that Silver didn’t seem to remember Sebek at all.

Lilia frowns at that.

What did they do to you, Silver? He wonders.

Intermission arrives and Lilia immediately leaves the stands to find his son. What a coincidence for him to run into him soon after.

“Ah, you must be the student that owns the bats.” Silver says. “I just want to help return them to you.”

Lilia smiles warmly. How thoughtful of his son!

“What is your name?” Silver asks.

“Lilia. Lilia Vanrouge.” Lilia replies. From what he can tell, Silver seems to have his memories wiped clean. Who would do this to him?

“It’s nice to meet you Vanrouge-San.” Silver says as he gives back the bats.

“Please call me Lilia, no need for honorifics.” Lilia says as he pats one of his bats on their head. The bats were sad that they had to leave Silver. He understood their feelings.

“Silver. There you are.” Lilia’s blood freezes. He knows that voice…

Silver turns around and greets a certain brown haired guard. “Ah hello Andrei.”

Him.

Andrei looks at Lilia. “Who is he?” He asks Silver.

“Ah that’s Vanrouge-I mean Lilia. I met him when returning his bats to him.”

“I see…” Andrei’s eyes lingered on Lilia as he placed his hand on Silver’s shoulder.

“Uh-Andrei is my guardian, ever since my parents died.” Silver explained trying to ease up the sudden awkward silence.

“Guardian…? I See.” Lilia says, trying not to sound angry. How dare Andrei. How dare he take his son and claim him as his guardian. He did this. The vampire fae restrained himself from attacking the guard and kept his cool. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Andrei” he says.

Andrei looks at him stiffly. “Pleasure is all mine. Come Silver, you must have your daily tea now.”

Tea, huh. Lilia could see the grimace coming from Silver but he nods and bides goodbye to the old fae.

Lilia stands there utterly shocked and angry. He’s angry at Andrei for taking his son away. He’s shocked that his amnesiac son now attends RSA.

But that doesn’t matter right now. No matter what, he’s fueled with a new mission. He’s going to get his son back no matter the cost. Getting his memories back? Not a problem. All it costs is Andrei's blood…

[krysmcscience]

Call this the Whoopsie AU (it's barely an AU)

I mean. Narinder never explicitly SAID the Lamb would stay dead... :3c He probably should have been more specific. >:3c

Part Two:

Well. The Lamb tried, but...sorry, Nari, the crown hates you now. Shouldn't have been so quick to lend it out, I guess. :D

Aaaand Part Three:

'Isn't he just adorable?' -The Lamb, probably, while their followers smile and nod and internally scream at the brand new hellcat they now have to share living space with...

Anyway, nothing says 'Dead To Me' like following a person around to loudly remind them of how dead they are to you. Right? Right. Narinder's got this all figured out. <:]

[medi-bee]

isat pokemon au, my liege?

my rambling in tags

[dinoserious]

sending ori to hisui. for funsies

[twinsoftriumph]

SHOCKING: i still haven't finished this sky nightly arrangement from forever ago (the procrastinatorrrrr) but here is what i have (mostly) finished so far and i adjusted some of the instrument volumes etc etc. here's the original song for comparison

[sysig]

I can’t stop drawing tiny Watchdogs (Patreon)

[icewindandboringhorror]

Recent game related things .. hrmm...

[legendary-alliance-stance]

finally posting this after procrastinating for days and at this point i'm just giving up waiting to post this during the day and will just queue reblogs of it for later

A relationship chart / semi-family tree chart for @legendary-assassin-stance's and I's Cantha Crew. (AKA the Rev Family and other characters associated with them + will be part of a plot thing with them at...... some point)

(Canon characters featured on this chart: Shiro, Viktor, Archemorus, Vizu, Nika, Mai, Ihn, Petrov, Danika, Rama, Valeria, and Hao Luen.)

Brief descriptions of Important Folks + rambling under the cut!

Im Hana - One of the Heroes of Cantha. Childhood best friends with Yūma, and wife of Nika.

Im Min-Seo - Daughter of Hana and Nika.

Im Nari - Present day descendant of Hana and Nika. Serves the Empire as a Willbender, and bodyguard of Princess Jié Yuèlóng.

Chén Yánglóng - An ancient dragon God of Cantha, true ruler of the Celestials, and husband of Lǐ Bǎofèng. Father of Jié Yuèlóng, and Empress Ihn's secret lover.

Lǐ Bǎofèng - An ancient phoenix God of Cantha, true ruler of the Celestials, and husband of Chén Yánglóng.

Jié Yuèlóng - Imperial Princess of Cantha, daughter of Empress Ihn and Chén Yánglóng.

Yuán Zhēnjīng - An ancient fox spirit revered by the Miyajima family.

Shion Miyajima - A Priestess of Grenth born in Kryta who went to Cantha in search of her family's history. Currently trying to restore the abandoned Miyajima estate off the coast of Shing Jea.

Yūma Miyajima - One of the Heroes of Cantha. Childhood best friends with Hana, and - more infamously - the man who bore a ghostly Shiro Tagachi a child.

Yūki Hashimoto - Son of Yūma and Shiro.

Noriaki Hashimoto - Present day descendant of Yūma and Shiro. A revenant that channels the power of Shiro, after accidentally summoning his spirit. Dating Orion.

Orion zu Heltzer - Present day descendant of Saint Viktor and Archemorus. A revenant who channels the power of his famous ancestors, after an incident bound them to him. Dating Noriaki.

[aroaessidhe]

2024 reads / storygraph

Masquerade

historical fiction set in 15th century West Africa

follows a young woman from Timbuktu, recently conquered by the the warrior king of Yorùbáland

her guild of blacksmiths were already shunned as witches, and their conditions worsen under Yorùbá rule - so when she’s kidnapped by the king to be his wife, she decides to accept that it’ll be a better life for her, as long as she can get her mother’s blessing

but as months go by without her mother being found, and political tensions rise, she must decide what she wants

[lanatusnebula]

Well clearly I am confused.

[kyistell]

This was just a random idea I had. In my brain Central Jersey is the Jersey that shows the most, problem is is since CJ is so...let's go with disconnected, with the rest of the country he gets overwhelmed, and sure North could just switch in and South could do the same if they all wanted to scare the others with a southern accent that has the slang of the California coast, but watching a place that doesn't exist (it totally does btw) is way funnier.

Besides, by now all the other states that aren't the OG13 think that New Jersey has brown-looks red in certain light-eyes and it would scare the devil out of 'em if they see the red eyes that North actually has (and considering it's HIS body, it is far to tempting).

Also is it obvious that I love the idea that it's the Jersey's and not just Jersey, like I live here, if it's one singular state then I'm from Pennsylvania (I may have been born there but I sure as heaven ain't from there). Jersey would be three different states if we wanted to be associated with the rest of the country more than we already are, that and we may not agree on things but we don't HATE each other, we leave that for the rest of the country (plus let's be real, central wouldn't exist and then what would north and south argue about?)

Anyway as a proud Centralian looking at the news of the rest of the country is overwhelming, I just want to go skating, to the arcade, and continue lovin our favorite Devil, and down the shore when it's nice (and no, down don't mean literally down, though normally we are going down).

[darlin-djarin]

Hi I’m back (<- never left)

So did Emilian’s whole covert know Galactic Sign Language (GSL?)? Or is it a bigger population where the learning of the language would taper out the farther removed from Emilians circle? Or is it just something most already knew?

And Ahmed. Where is his planet? Is there a specific planet where Arabs From Space (other than Lothal) live? Or is it just widespread?

Also. Where were they the night mandalore went bye. How did Emilian feel.

Okay I’m done now sorryyyy bye! (Again sorry I just need 2 digest somethjng Mandalorian that isn’t touched by Favroni or Traviss. Love mandalorians. Hate the people who write them)

(u changed the “traumatise me” thing does this mean I’m not allowed to anymore)

okay so not all the covert knows galactic sign language, but most of the leaders and the armorer know. most of the covert does know tusken sign though, since the armorer teaches a lot of the foundlings as they're younger (i am a tusken armorer truther). emilian is more reserved, kept to himself, so he doesn't communicate much with anyone anyway. he uses tusken with the covert though, and galactic with anyone else who knows it.

i'mma be real, idk ahmed's planet. i'd like to think he was a foundling, but grew up away from mandalore with his buire, and on the planet where he learned his native tongue (space arabic ??? sparabic. SPARABIC???). while he never settled anywhere for long, he did teach nablus sparabic so they talk in that with each other mostly. not a lot of people know sparabic so it's more of just a him and her thing.

ahmed and nablus weren't near mandalore when it got glassed, so hearing the news was. well. idk. ahmed never had a real connection to mandalore anyway, but it was still freaky to comprehend. emilian was on concordia or one of mandalore's moons or something. he fled with the rest of the mandos, and joined the covert later. really fucking devastating for him. doesn't like talking about it.

(i changed the "traumatize me" bc tumblr's new update doesn't let me have more than 26 letters on the button </3 rip)