#these are fun its like playing never have i ever

[elizabeth-holland24]

Snow In at the Country Inn-Chapter 2

The snowstorm howled outside, a relentless wind battering against the hotel windows as Jake and the woman stood frozen in the doorway of their suite. It was a massive, luxurious room, complete with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a view of the white-blanketed wilderness. But their attention wasn’t on the grandeur. No, their focus was on the sheer romance of the setup: a king-sized bed dressed in plush white linens, rose petals scattered across it, and a bottle of champagne chilling on ice by the window.

“Uh…” Jake said, his lips twitching as he suppressed a smirk. “This is… something.”

She crossed her arms, trying to mask her discomfort. “This has to be a mistake. Maybe they gave us the wrong room.”

Jake leaned against the doorway, his frame casual but his green eyes alight with amusement. “Might wanna call and check. Although, I have to say, honeymoon vibes really suit us.”

She shot him a sharp glance but pulled out her phone and dialled the front desk. Ten minutes later, after a frustrating call and a resigned sigh, she hung up. “No mistake. And no other rooms. They’re fully booked because of the storm.”

Jake gestured to the bed with a dramatic sweep of his arm, a grin tugging at his lips. “So, what you’re saying is… we’re stuck with this. Romantic, huh?”

Ignoring him, she set her suitcase on the chaise lounge, muttering under her breath. "This is so ridiculous."

Jake gave her a look of mock sympathy, his smirk widening. “Guess we’ll have to make the best of it. You don’t snore, do you?”

She shot him a glare that could’ve melted ice. “You’re sleeping on the floor.”

“That’s… negotiable,” he replied, plopping his bag down near the bed.

Ignoring him, she set her suitcase on the chaise lounge and began unpacking. The suite truly was beautiful, with its elegant décor, a bottle of champagne chilling on ice, and even rose petals scattered across the bed. Romantic honeymoon vibes indeed. She cringed inwardly at how absurd the situation was.

“You know,” Jake started, his tone light but laced with mischief, “if we’re gonna share a room, maybe we should get to know each other. You know, break the ice. Make this less… awkward.”

She glanced over her shoulder, eyebrow raised. “And how do you propose we do that?”

He shrugged, his grin never faltering. “We play twenty questions. Or we share some fun facts. Or I can just guess everything about you because I’m exceptionally good at reading people.”

She rolled her eyes and continued organizing her things. “I’m fine with awkward silence.”

“See?” he quipped. “That right there. You’re uptight. You gotta loosen up. It’s the holidays, Snowflake. Enjoy yourself for once.”

Her hands froze, and she turned to glare at him. “‘Uptight’?”

Jake grinned, unrepentant. “I said what I said.”

Her lips twitched, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of a smile. Instead, she perched on the chaise, arms crossed. “Fine. One question. Make it good.”

Jake’s eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. He sprawled on the bed, propped up on one elbow. “Alright. What’s the most reckless thing you’ve ever done?”

She blinked, caught off guard. “That’s personal.”

“Exactly the point,” he countered, his gaze steady. “Come on, it’s just us here. Safe space and all that.”

She hesitated, then relented with a sigh. “When I was sixteen, I went bungee jumping off a bridge in Costa Rica. Didn’t tell my parents. They would’ve killed me.”

Jake’s grin widened. “See? That wasn’t so hard. Reckless and adventurous. I like it.”

“Your turn,” she said quickly, eager to shift the focus. “Same question.”

“Easy,” he replied, his tone suddenly more serious. “I joined the Navy at eighteen. No backup plan. Just jumped in, sink or swim.”

Her gaze softened for a moment. “And you swam.”

“Still swimming,” he said with a wink, though there was a flicker of something deeper in his eyes. “Alright, your turn again.”

They went back and forth, the questions growing more personal until Jake asked softly, "What about your mom? Is she proud of all the places you've been?"

Her expression shifted, a shadow crossing her features as she stiffened. "She passed away when I was eighteen," she said, her tone clipped. The warmth that had been building between them evaporated instantly. "It’s late. We should rest."

Jake leaned back slightly, reading the sudden tension in her body language. "I didn’t mean to—"

"It’s fine," she cut him off, her voice tight. She turned away, busying herself with her suitcase. "Goodnight."

Jake exhaled slowly, guilt evident in his expression. "Goodnight," he murmured. The air between them was heavy, the earlier camaraderie frayed by the unintentional wound his question had reopened.

She stood abruptly. "I’m tired. I’m going to shower and change."

Jake watched her retreat to the bathroom, resisting the urge to call after her. She was a puzzle, and for the first time that evening, he wondered if she wanted to be pieced together at all.

Inside the bathroom, she cursed herself. Her pajamas were far from appropriate for this situation—a tank top and shorts that left little to the imagination. She grabbed them anyway, determined to make it work. When she stepped out, she held her bundle of clothes close to her chest. “Cover your eyes while I get to the bed.”

Jake’s laugh was low and teasing. “Seriously?”

“Yes. Seriously.”

He sighed dramatically but covered his eyes with one hand. “Scout’s honor.”

She darted to the bed, quick as a rabbit, but caught the glint of his green eyes peeking through his fingers. “Jake!”

“What?” he said, feigning innocence. “I’m just making sure you didn’t trip.”

Her glare was withering. “You’re impossible.”

“And you’re adorable when you’re flustered,” he shot back, grabbing his own clothes. He changed quickly, stripping down to joggers. She couldn’t help the way her eyes lingered on his broad chest, the defined muscles stark against his tan skin.

“See something you like?” he teased, catching her stare.

She turned crimson. “I was looking at the floor.”

“Sure you were,” he said with a chuckle, moving toward the bed.

“Nope,” she said, holding up a hand. “You’re sleeping on the floor.”

He groaned but relented, grabbing a spare blanket and pillow. “This is cruel and unusual punishment.”

“Goodnight, Jake.”

The room fell silent, save for the storm outside. She lay in the bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind racing. She’d never liked storms, the howling wind and icy isolation unnerving her. She pulled the blankets tighter, trying to shake the unease.

Jake, lying on the floor, wasn’t oblivious. He’d spent years reading people, and he could feel her tension radiating in waves. “Hey,” he said softly, his voice cutting through the darkness. “You okay?”

She hesitated. “I’m fine.”

He didn’t buy it. “Listen, if you’re scared, you can just say so. I’ll come up there. For my sake, of course. Can’t have you being scared and keeping me up all night.”

She rolled her eyes but shifted over, making room. “Fine. Just… don’t hog the covers.”

Jake climbed into bed, lying on his back. “You’re welcome,” he said, his voice laced with amusement.

She didn’t respond, but the steady rhythm of his breathing soon lulled her into an uneasy sleep. When morning came, she woke to find herself curled against him, her head on his chest, his arm draped protectively around her. Mortified, she carefully untangled herself and slipped out of bed.

Jake’s lips twitched as he watched her tiptoe away, his eyes cracking open. He’d been awake for hours, but he didn’t mind. Letting her think she’d escaped unnoticed was all part of the fun.

The morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow on the snow-covered town below. She wrapped herself in a thick cardigan, the chill in the air still lingering from the storm the night before. After a restless night, she decided that breakfast might help clear her head and shake off the lingering awkwardness from the night spent in Jake's company.

The inn’s dining area smelled of freshly brewed coffee and baked pastries. She scanned the room, spotting an open table near the fireplace. As she moved to claim it, a pair of voices caught her attention.

“You have got to be kidding me, Rooster. Who eats pancakes like that?”

“What’s wrong with syrup on the side?” the man—Rooster—shot back, a teasing grin on his face.

She hesitated, intrigued by their banter. Deciding she didn’t want to eat alone, she approached their table. “Mind if I join?” she asked, her tone friendly but tentative.

The woman, Natasha, looked up and smiled. “Of course not. You’ll be a welcome distraction from his terrible eating habits.”

Rooster scoffed, offering a hand as she sat down. “Bradley Bradshaw. Everyone calls me Rooster.”

“Natasha Trace,” the woman added. “And you are?”

She introduced herself, explaining she was stranded in town due to the snowstorm. Rooster nodded, launching into a story about how he and Natasha had detoured here during a cross-country trip. Their easy camaraderie made her feel instantly at ease.

As the conversation flowed, the dining area door creaked open, and Jake’s unmistakable presence filled the room. He sauntered in, looking infuriatingly relaxed, his hair slightly tousled from sleep. Spotting her, he grinned and made a beeline for their table.

“Morning, Snowflake,” he greeted, sliding into the seat beside her without waiting for an invitation.

Rooster raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Snowflake? That’s cute. You two married or just engaged?”

She choked on her coffee, her cheeks burning. “What? No! We’re not—”

Jake cut her off, a slow smirk spreading across his face. “Aw, Snowflake, don’t deny our love story. You’ll break my heart.”

Her glare could have melted the snow outside. “Jake.”

Natasha and Rooster exchanged amused looks, clearly enjoying the show. “Newlyweds, huh? Explains the chemistry,” Natasha teased.

“No!” she and Jake said in unison, though his tone carried more mock offence than denial. The laughter that followed set the tone for the rest of breakfast, with Rooster and Natasha’s playful teasing making her simultaneously flustered and amused.

After breakfast, she decided to explore the town. The storm had turned the streets into a picturesque winter wonderland, with snow-covered rooftops and icicles glinting in the sun. Her wanderings led her to a small café, where she spotted Penny and a man she instantly recognized as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell. They were standing outside, deep in conversation, their expressions tense.

Curiosity got the better of her, and she approached. “Is everything alright?” she asked.

Penny looked up, a mix of surprise and relief on her face. “Oh, hi! Not exactly. The town’s big Christmas Eve festival is in trouble. The storm’s blocked all the roads, so no deliveries, no performers, no decorations. It’s a mess.”

Pete sighed, running a hand through his hair. “We’ve tried calling around, but it’s looking like we’ll have to cancel. Everyone’s pretty heartbroken.”

She frowned, thinking back to the events she’d planned in the past. “Cancelling isn’t the only option. Maybe we can work with what’s here. I have some experience planning events. I’d be happy to help.”

Penny’s eyes lit up. “Are you serious? You’d do that?”

“Of course. I’m stranded here anyway. Might as well put myself to use.”

Pete and Penny exchanged hopeful looks before Penny nodded. “Alright. Let’s do it.”

Jake found her later in the town square, where she was sketching out ideas with Penny and Pete. A small group of locals had already gathered, taking her directions as she began organizing tasks. He leaned against a lamppost, watching with an amused expression.

“Snowflake, you never cease to surprise me,” he called out.

She didn’t look up from her notes. “Jake, either help or stop standing there smirking.”

“Alright, boss,” he said, pushing off the post. “Put me to work.”

Despite his usual cheekiness, Jake proved to be a valuable asset. Whether it was lifting heavy decorations or charming the locals into donating supplies, he threw himself into the tasks with surprising enthusiasm. She couldn’t help but admire how he managed to bring levity to the chaotic planning process.

By evening, the square was a flurry of activity. Though far from finished, the progress was undeniable. Strings of fairy lights twinkled against the snow, and a few makeshift booths were already taking shape. The sense of community was palpable, with townsfolk pitching in wherever they could.

Jake found her standing near the centre of the square, surveying the scene with a mix of pride and exhaustion. “Not bad, Snowflake,” he said, handing her a cup of hot chocolate. “Think you’ll save Christmas?”

She took the cup, her fingers brushing his briefly. “One step at a time,” she replied. “There’s still a lot to do.”

“Good thing we’re stuck here together, then,” he said, his tone softer than usual.

For a moment, they stood in companionable silence, watching the townsfolk work together to transform the square. The snow continued to fall lightly, adding a touch of magic to the scene. Though they had a long way to go, she couldn’t help but feel hopeful—not just for the festival, but for the unexpected connections she’d found in this snowbound town. Maybe Santa was right after all, this place does feel magical. 

A/N: This is my gift to all of you for youre support and love to this idea of mine. It is a pretty long chapter but yeah, I love it so much. Did I stayed till 4 am writting this chapter as well as the other two chapters for The Beast Within, I pledge the fifth. It also funny to me how I have two completly diffrent vibes. In this one is all fun and love and the other one I left you hanging with Jake dying. I propably wont write anything till after new year so happy new year to all of you and thank you so much for youre support. Don't forget to comment, like and reblog, so I know if you are enjoying it. Please do tell me your thoughts on the story.  Love you guys and thanks for reading  <3

[hamsterbellbelle]

Hello🐹Now that is near the end of the year, it’s time for the personal top-5 list of my builds and CCs that I’m most proud of😤also a little bit of self-promotion…_(:з」∠)_  

I've said I'd build the Mass Effect Normandy and hopefully finished the sim-shape hologram but it didn't happen _(:з」∠)_ (a new idea came up with the hologram thingy I will have to test it out before making anything...) hopefully a more productive year in 2025 (´･ω･`)

Anyway…to the list! ⬇️⬇️⬇️

5. Underground City - Kabuki (No CC)🎦|| Just realized although I've made only a few builds this year I actually like all of them...I really really really want to build an underground city, and honestly I'm quite surprised with what I could do with no CCs xD I really need to build one with CCs ( •̀ ω •́ )✧

4. Post-Apocalyptic Bridge Town (No CC)🎦 || I don't usually build builds that doesn't match its surroundings, but I really love this bridge-town ( •̀ ω •́ )✧ My favorite part is the functional beach lounge in the concrete tunnel xD

3. The Columbarium🎦 || I play my sims in generations, so I've always wanted a nice cemetery for my save. And now my sims could finally have a place to visit their loved ones :)

2. Kowloon Tong Lau (No CC)🎦 || I love all the signs and neon lights I placed on the outside ( •̀ ω •́ )✧ I actually lived in a Tong Lau before with my grandmother. I miss her 🧡🐹

1. Shady Ripperdoc Center🎦 || I love the build, I love the CCs I made for this build. I am proud of myself for this build😤 xD

To the CC List! ⬇️⬇️⬇️

5. This is Still a Door || This may appears to be a simple door, but to me this is the toilet door in my grandparents house, and it means a lot to me (´･ω･`)🧡 xD It might be broken and it has stains, but it doesn't mean it isn't functional and dirty (well maybe a bit...) xD

4. It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas || This is actually kind of a last minute set, and I'm actually meaning to make a nicer digital wall fireplace thiny (^^)"

3. Simple Columbarium Niche || I thought making this would be easy, turns out no it wasn't ._. It originally had a function to store the urn, but when I finally tested it out on a community lot turns out storage is not possible...

2. Ripperdoc Set || I'm surprised at myself for actually making a set xD it was a lot of work but also a lot of fun, therefore it's worth it ( •̀ ω •́ )✧

1. Cyberpunk 2077 Sliding Doors and Frames || This has the best cover photo ever...look at all the colors!! (≧∇≦)ﾉ p.s. just to be clear if I ever label any sim-thing as "cyberpunk 2077" that means those objects/build designs are originally from the game Cyberpunk 2077. any other thing else are "inspired by" ( •̀ ω •́ )✧

Summery of 2024:

I didn't make much builds and CCs this year since I got that 2-months only hiatus _(:з」∠)_ It was a hot season with my computer heating up due to JUST playing the Sims 4 only - which really frustrated me, along with the sudden increase of Sims 4 glitches and bugs��� I remember browsing through the EA Sims 4 Bug Report Forum and seeing all those reports really made me felt disappointed in the game (I know I'm kinda in the creator network thingy but that does not mean I have to praise the game blindly...) but thankfully somehow the crashes stopped and the switching to DX11 seems to have solved a lot of lagging issues🤔

Oh and yea this year I got into the Sims 4 Creator Program (EA Creator Network) (≧∇≦)/ xD I actually applied for it a very long time ago when it was called something else...I applied it for Mass Effect xD then I think I saw someone talking about the program recently and I was like "hmm...I think I had submitted my name to a program like that..." but I never got a reply...so I renewed my application and added Sims 4 and Dragon Age to it...and then it happened ( •̀ ω •́ )✧ the thing I'm most happy about is my creator code is "hamster" xD just - 🐹🐹🐹 xD

anyway hoping for a better year for 2025. hope everyone stay safe, stay cozy, be happy :)

[mrs-gauche]

Hey guys! 🙂 It's the end of 2024 and I realized today I haven't posted on here since finishing Veilguard.

Well, to make it short.. since then, I've spent a lot of time thinking about it, replaying it, watching my friends who are DA casuals and not into fandom play it (which was very enlightening but also hilarious 😂), so now.. I feel like I'm at a point where I know exactly what my issues with this game are and I've made peace with it. I still love Dragon Age! And I love parts of Veilguard and I had a ton of fun playing it (though probably for all the wrong reasons 🥲). When I first finished the game, I cried tears of happiness that after ten years my favorite character actually somehow got a beautiful Happy Ending and closure, but also tears of sorrow that this marks the end of the story that was set up back in 2009.. and tears of mourning that this story had all the potential to be so so SO much more.

Dragon Age is a very weird franchise in that all the games have been, in many ways, vastly different from each other and to be a fan of the whole series means to recognize all its flaws and changes, but still loving it because of its unique core elements that glue it together and make it so special. I could sit here for hours trying to put into words what I think went wrong with Veilguard, but I know many people have already done so far more eloquently than I ever could. This blog was always meant to be just a positive little corner to share my love for these games and silly VA stuff with other people and I'm sure I will eventually reblog all the two million posts I've liked over the past month, both positive and critical. But for now and the new year, I want to focus my time and energy on just being creative, getting back to drawing and trying to realize ideas about DA I've had for a looong time and that's my way of "emotionally recovering" (that sounds so dramatic 😂). 💜

With that being said... What a crazy decade year it has been for me personally in this fandom... So I want to look back at it, just some rambling under the cut, 'cause I'm a little sentimental now, I guess. 🥲

Before I created this blog, I was mostly just a lurker on here for many years, despite being a fan of BioWare games since.. uh.. forever? lol But I was always waaay too insecure about my English, let alone my own art. I also have social anxiety, so maybe that was part of the reason why I decided to finally create this blog at a time when the fandom was at its most dormant? lol (There is also a whole separate post for another day about how Mass Effect influenced me personally and how it made my biggest dream come true, the enormous honor to voice a few NPCs in (the German version of) Andromeda. Still the craziest thing to ever happen to me. lol)

So, seeing all the crazy excitement and the fandom fully revived this year and all these months leading up to Veilguard was both incredibly overwhelming, but also the most fun I've ever had as being part of a fandom! This year also marked the first time I posted my own art online and I can't even put into words how crazy it was seeing the response to that and I still can't believe that Trick Weekes not only commented on but also reposted it, that is still f*cking insane to me and I'll never forget the morning I woke up to see that. lmao

So yeah.. THAT happened. Followed by what I think has to be one of the weirdest, craziest marketing campaigns I've ever seen. lol Going back to 2022, we truly had it all...

A title announcement on a random Thursday that was probably done so that it would not be confused with the Netflix series announced a few days later. A tie-in comic more than a year before release that was... a little pointless? lol A vinyl collection that spoiled the composers a year before release. A title change literally two days before the first trailer. A reveal trailer that left many in shock because of its tone shift and complete lack of the former title character. A line of Game Informer articles that left us often times with more questions than answers. Every single article being deleted the very next month due to GI shutting down. An actor panel at SDCC happening right as Sag Aftra went on strike. A "fandom" party that had nothing to do with Dragon Age. Jason Derulo. An artbook that accidentally revealed the release date with its pre-order, which was then deleted. Twice. Memes about roadmaps. A second trailer that in hindsight probably should've been the first one. An audio drama by a different writing team with some baffling (but funny) lore mistakes. A combat showcase starting off with a disclaimer that "footage had been edited due to spoilers"... followed by THE biggest spoiler in literally the first ten seconds. The first IGN video with super spoilery dev commentary. A hand-on preview event with 140 people leading to spoilers galore... Did I mention spoilers? lol

That was when I stopped looking at stuff online, so I don't know what happened after that, but WOW, what a crazy ride that was. 🥲 Truly a DA4 Summer to remember and I'm unironically so grateful to have witnessed it in real time with all of you. 😂

Then finally, after ten flippin years of tinfoiling, speculating, reading crazy development stories and clowning around at every gaming live event, Veilguard was finally released and it will probably go down as the most emotionally charged Halloween of my life. lmao

Then it was time to actually play The Veilguard. Which took me about a month.

A month filled with what I can only describe as a crazy rollercoaster of conflicting emotions. Aside from everything having to do with Solas, I'd say my personal highlights of the entire experience was seeing Felassan (I screamed), the PHOTO MODE and even one hilarious "breaking the fourth wall" moment, where I would frantically run around in Elgar'nan's trap in "Blood of Arlathan", to a point where I would yell at the screen "SOLAS, I COULD USE SOME HELP NOW, HELLO???" and hearing his flippin voice literally two seconds later going "Yes, you called?" and I freaked out so hard I dropped the controller. 😂😂😂 Also, as someone who romanced Alistair in my first playthrough of DAO and brought him to the final battle not knowing he would sacrifice himself, you can imagine my flashbacks when I saw Davrin dying at Tearstone.. who I had romanced. 💀 Or the Dark Ritual flashbacks when I saw Morrigan wanting to talk to me right before the final mission. lol Getting the Felassan rune actually made me tear up a little. There are many little moments like that that I loved or that made me emotional, but ultimately.. Veilguard is a game that, for all the amazing graphics and cutscenes and flashy combat.. the more I think about the story and the lore (or lack thereof), the more I end up confused and trying to figure out what it is that's breaking the immersion to me in a way that the previous games didn't.

But anyway... I finished Veilguard, though the DA craziness of 2024 wasn't over just yet and I didn't know that the best was yet to come in December. lol

So.. Years ago, one of the main reasons I created this blog was to make silly "appreciation posts" about Solas' German VA and ramble on about my love for his performance.. I even remember making a post on here like three years ago talking about how I would sadly never EVER get a chance to meet his VA personally, because that man never ever goes to any fan conventions or public events. lol

Well... GUESS WHO I MET AT THE GERMAN COMIC CON EARLIER THIS MONTH!!!

YES GUYS, without sounding like a weirdo (because despite my obsession with voice acting, I don't care for VAs social accounts or anything beyond their work as a VA), but after years of jokingly referring to this blog as the "Ozan Ünal Appreciation Blog", and kinda the reason I made this blog in the first place, I finally met the man himself and it was probably the best friggin fan experience I could've wished for. 🥲🥲🥲

See, I've met a lot of different VAs at Cons before, who were all super nice and awesome to talk to.. but let me tell you, this guy has such an incredibly contagious positive attitude and charm!! lol Me and my friend were literally the last to stand in line at his booth before the event closed, there were TONS of people (there were quite a few VAs at the Con, but his booth had BY FAR the most people in line the whole day lol) and yet he made sure to take the time to talk with every single person, asking questions, was genuinely interested in our opinions, joking around and just generally SO FRIGGIN NICE. And he's just a very chill and funny dude? lol

And it was so funny, because there were SO many people and yet apparently I was the only person that day to talk to him about DA and Solas and he was SO excited about it 😂😂😂 (I bet like 90% of the fans talked to him about his VA work on Vampire Diaries, The Big Bang Theory, Gravity Falls and Nicholas Hoult lol).

And of course, because DA4 happened so recently, it was still fresh in his memory. He told us that he even watched some Let's Plays and asked what we thought of the game and I'm still laughing so hard, because he was literally like "Oh yeah, the lore is MASSIVE and it was so overwhelming and I could barely keep up with it, the whole time I had no idea what I was talking about.. like, what exactly IS Mythal??" LMAOOO His performance for Solas was so good and so convincing and now I'll always have to picture him standing in the recording booth, no flippin clue what he's actually talking about. lmaoo And then my friend was pointing at me like "She's actually a walking lore encyclopedia" and then he was like "Oh, you should've been in the booth then!" lol

And I'm actually quite upset on his behalf now, because he also told us how, when the English VAs were officially announced, he had actually made a post on social media about how he was returning for Solas in DA4 and how he got in so much trouble for that because EA told him they were going to make an official announcement.... AND THEN THEY NEVER DID??? Like, I was desperately waiting for an announcement about the German voice cast and they simply never made one, we literally had to wait for the credits to be published? (Also, the German and French version have only one female and one male voice for Rook and no one knows what happened there, we tried to contact them about it, but no response so far?? It's like they don't even care.) That's EA for you...

Anyway, we then chatted a bit more about his other work and stuff and he recorded an audio for me (I actually got him to say the "Vir shiral malasa, bellanaris" GUYS AND IT SOUNDS SO GOOD, like I was so nervous, asking "Could you do elven..?" and he was like "Sure, it's been a year, might be a bit rusty" and then he just knocked it out of the park?? lmao So I have both Lavellan's AND Solas' WEDDING VOWS NOW. 😭😭😭❤❤❤❤❤)

So yeah, that was my meeting with Ozan flippin Ünal and what an awesome guy and amazing VA and what an "epic conclusion" of this year of the Dragon (Age) 2024. lol And the timing feels so strange now, because, in a way, it feels kinda like coming full circle?

Like I said in the beginning, for years I was always mainly a lurker in the fandom and the reason why I created this blog was to join in on the hype/speculation train for DA4 and to talk about Solas' German and French voices and share my silly edits and gifs. And now I've played Veilguard AND I've met Ozan Ünal.. both things that, at some point, I wasn't sure were ever going to happen.....

So.. In terms of my fandom experience, this year was crazy and whatever 2025 brings and whatever happens with this blog or DA in general... I love this fandom (especially my little Solasmancer bubble <3) and I love Dragon Age and whoever's reading this, here's to 2025 and I hope you have a Happy New Year!! 💜💜💜💜💜

[kay-elle-cee]

In Search of Something More Ch. 7 Supersized Snippet!

Well, despite my efforts, Chapter 7 of ISOSM will not be out by the end of the year. Between work and IRL commitments, the last 2 months have been really non-stop for me—I'm hoping things slow down just a bit in the early part of next year!

I'm going to stop promising dates for this chapter, but I will tell you I'm already about 3.3k into it, it will probably be over 5k, and other than a gift exchange fic that will go live on Jan 10 (that I've already written, just need to edit), this is my main priority writing-wise at the moment.

Thank you so much for your patience and kind words for this fic in 2024—it's truly more than I ever could have fathomed. I'm very excited for you to see what I have planned for Chapter 7...but for now, a little sneak peek :)

———

On Samantha’s third visit, she arrives with a few broadsides in hand—various ballads and folk songs that had been stashed away over the years—and the two scour through these and the Stinchcombe books until they land on a piece that’s upbeat enough for Samantha’s liking. Lily works her fingers over the keys and misses a few notes here and there, much to her friend’s delight.

“And here I was beginning to think you were perfect!” she laughs, leaning against the pianoforte.

Lily scoffs. “I told you at the start I was out of practice!”

“False modesty is real and a plague amongst our contemporaries, dear Lily. How was I to know you’d be truthfully modest?”

A small grin tugs at the corners of Lily’s mouth as eyes stay focused on the sheet music and her fingers begin playing the song again. “I suppose someone must be, to give the others cover.” It takes a moment for Samantha to catch her breath from laughing so hard and she’s only able to come in halfway through the song.

The two spend significant time around the instrument that day, and are well into their fourth tune, tears of laughter pooling in the corners of Lily’s eyes as Samantha makes her voice impossibly deep to sing in a more masculine voice, when they hear a chuckle from the doorway. Lily hits a wrong note and Samantha’s voice cracks on its lowest note while spinning around in surprise to find James leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed, an amused smile on his face as he watches the scene before him.

“Christ!” Samantha swears, hand flying to her chest as Lily’s fingers abruptly stop playing. “How long have you just been standing there? Whatever happened to announcing yourself?”

A brow raises, and Lily can see the mirth shining in his eyes behind the glasses. “Last I checked, it’s my house. Quite a likely place for me to be.” He strides into the room and takes a seat next to Lily on the piano bench, plucking a random key with a grin. “And as for how long I’ve been here, somewhere around ‘nor tarry for one bottle more’.” His eyes travel over to Lily, and she feels that warmth humming once more beneath her skin. “It seems you were having such fun I wasn’t noticed.”

“I cannot believe you hid her from us for so long, James,” Samantha reprimands. “Graham never plays pianoforte with me anymore!”

“I hope I’m not being relegated to simply an accompanist,” Lily chides playfully. “If so, I suppose I’ll just go back to wasting my days away in the library.”

“Well before you lock yourself away forever, the reason I came up here in the first place was to let you two know that I had Mrs. Jenkins setup tea in the garden. It’s turned into a beautiful day and I thought the two of you might like a change of scenery.”

“Oh,” Lily says, blinking in surprise. “Thank you, that’s very thoughtful.”

“He’s just tired of us monopolizing the breakfast room,” Samantha declares while donning her bonnet and tying it beneath the chin. “He’s just too polite to say it. It’s one of his favorite rooms.” 

Lily’s attention turns from Samantha to James, a slight frown creasing her brow. “You know you’re always welcome to join us.”

A warm hand slides gently over hers, not disturbing the instrument’s keys. “I know you’d have no objection to that,” he assures her. “But I’ve been enjoying watching the two of you becoming fast friends and I would hate to intrude. It is not”—here he throws a playful glare up at their guest—“about you monopolizing a single room in this massive house.”

Her eyes linger on the profile of his face—the strength of his jaw, the slant of his nose—and she feels inexplicably caught when he turns his attention back to her. The hand that still rests on hers is heavy and warm, and the swipe of his thumb as he looks into her eyes jolts her enough that she accidentally plays a note.

[ratatatastic]

"ive played in a canadian market ive been in st louis in the summer they won—ive never seen buzz like this" "we're really lucky we get to play hockey in such a nice place" the C and A clocking in on their Praise South Florida as a Hockeytown shift

2024-25 Media Day | 9.18.24 (x)(x)

[simplydnp]

Sometimes I think Dan and Phil are totally platonic besties and then other times I’m convinced they fuck on the daily. I think they do it on purpose and it’s honestly iconic.

kind of the best thing is that they are that and everything in between. you can tell they just like being around each other. they've made content together for 15 years and the large majority of it was done in the strictly platonic sense for their audience. and they were still having so much fun with it. we're in the 'we know you know' era now so we get to see flashes of different dynamics they have, but they absolutely have more we Don't get to see bc they're not for us.

they like each other. stupidly fond of each other. spending time together doesn't feel exhausting. they're best friends and each others' harshest critics while being the biggest hypeman and also safe space.

dnp's relationship with us, their audience, always has been and always will be different than any other content creators. part of it is how they accumulated it, but another part is just the massive history we have with them. they Get us. they Know us. they're silly goofy sarcastic guys who love us and hate us sometimes. theyre grateful but careful too. they like to rile us up, just like they do each other. it's a love language, teasing, and we've shown positive responses to it over the years. i like to say that my relationship with dnp is antagonistic sometimes--cause i know they're pushing my buttons on purpose. and ykw? it's fun! it's fun for us and it's fun for them because they have the control. i know anything they let out is cause they chose to let it out because they Know how we are. so yes they absolutely adore messing with us. we're a funny bunch.

[britneyshakespeare]

can you imagine being a little twee simon and garfunkel fan in the late 60s and then buying your new vinyl at the record store and hearing mrs. robinson for the first time in your own home. i would’ve fallen over backwards

[kelocitta]

Tangentially related to some of the discussion i posted earlier but quiet literally the first RW Art Month i participated I did it completely on whim like, one day before it started. And I mostly did it because I hadn't drawn a ton of rain world and wanted to draw more. Fandom presence was a lot smaller than and I was one of a handful of artists who did the entire thing. Fast forward and I still do Art Month and I've gotten to work with VC directly. But it was quite literally something I decided to do completely on whim that set the ball rolling, and for something a lil more niche and certainly with a lot more dev/fandom art involvement than most. It's really random how and why you might get noticed more than usual, especially with the "toss it into the search and hope it pays out' mechanism of Socmed

[creatively-cosmic]

girlies be so ":D i am so niceys" in the pokemon canon and in missing numbers theyre insane (this is about lyra heartgolf)

[crescentfool]

happy birthday to my favorite horseboy 🥳

[sammygender]

wrt dean hitting sam and how its obviously something with an established history of happening from the way sam acts about it (‘you satisfied?.. guess not’ ‘take a swing’ etc). i personally think this has been a pattern in their life pretty much forever. wait i ended up saying way more in the tags im gonan make another post i think

[indi-glo-archive]

this is a good time for all of us to remember when I said I would be ready to sing the show's praises if it got better at the things i disliked it for

[kipperlillyforpresident]

i do think it's really funny how a majority of the fandom is developing/headcanoning like. a post-canon kipperlilly storyline where she gets brought out of hell and/or becomes a demon. which i think is really awesome btw this is not judgemental. but it's the idea of like. forcefully bringing her BACK into the narrative. refusing to let her die.

whereas my cope of choice/basically just my own damn OC universe at this point is to otome isekai her. i do not trust the world of spyre to treat her right anymore. i fundamentally cannot envision a world where kipperlilly still has to interact with Fan Favorite Characters Jawbone and Kristen and Riz and Fig and Adaine and it goes well for anybody involved LOL.

[19871997]

.

[soft-cheek]

I got screenshots of our two characters at the beginning and end of the game and it's fun seeing the glow up haha

I kind of miss this hat on pax actually but I got rid of it awhile ago in favor of very good helmets and then also once we both had good armor we needed to match

This was by the end at the little party but I'm glad you could still put your armor on cause we looked rad as hell and I forgot to get a screenshot sooner

I'm glad I also got screenshots during conversations because you can't even see his fun little ponytail in these otherwise