#these were all in different issues and in the same run!!

[girl-lostconnection]

Valentine’s Edition: Earl Grey&Creaky Floorboards

Warnings: Price x gn!Reader, plus size Reader, fluff, a lot of repetition, some love for the captain and some captain for you, suggestive themes, smut at the end

John is a hardworking man — the dedication in an army-issued fatigues, the ambition draped in rough fabrics and worked to the bone, the sacrifice on sacrifice.

He barely has time to be present for big holidays — too much work at the base and too much work in the field and a whole lot of trouble if he doesn’t finish up the report that was requested two weeks ago but drowned in the pile on his desk.

But somehow this year is different.

Rookies don’t act up, command doesn’t lose their shit, his whole team requests leave of absence from the base and practically runs to get on the bus as soon as he says “yes”.

A miracle all of them got partners in the same year, but from what John saw it had a positive effect on their morale and overall mood.

So he doesn’t press for details when his lieutenant spends forty minutes scrolling through movie recommendations on his phone.

Or when both his sergeants run in laps brainstorming ideas for this Valentine’s Day.

It’s a rare occurrence for things to go smoothly so when his own leave gets approved John is ready to say a quick prayer.

But he has enough energy only to get home back to you, wash up and crawl into the bed. Which is already a lot.

House is a little cold in February, he will need to turn up the heat in the morning, he will need to do a hundred different things in the morning, but right now he can relax.

John groans quietly when you open the covers for him to get in the comforting warmth, murmurs “you are angel, luv”, voice thick with gratitude and exhaustion.

He wraps himself around you — one palm resting on the soft flesh of your tummy, knee nudged between your plush thighs and nose nuzzled in your hair, his whole body melting into yours. He missed you badly.

He knows you missed him too. It’s way past your bedtime when he comes home and yet, you still waited up to welcome him to bed. You still fought sleep to finally doze off when he gets into bed.

Probably were out cold before he finished wrapping his body around yours — the weight of him, the radiating warmth and calloused palms lulling you to sleep better than any pill.

It’s one of the few rare nights no one wakes him up with an urgent call. No one rips him out of the soft feel of you in his hands and heat of multiple blankets you hide under.

Like a den. Just for the two of you. Safe and hidden from the world, slotted together like a proper little puzzle, his lips pressing to a soft spot behind your ear. This is bliss.

These moments are exactly what he needs when everything is gruelling and heavy.

John swears on one of these days he will actually sign his resignation letter and never leave again. It would be lovely to spend the rest of his life with you. Sleeping and waking up in hazy mornings, helping you get ready for work, getting a pet. Or a baby, if you’d feel like you two would like one.

The night is tender to John in a ways it rare is and he allowed himself to dream as he slowly dozed off.

Or he could save up some more so you both can retire. A quiet life in a countryside with a flock of chickens and you by his side. Maybe even some bees — you have a sweet tooth and he’d love to indulge it.

He’d love to keep you warm and fed and happy for the rest of your lives.

To give you the stability you deserve. The safe assurance that he will always come home for dinner.

But it all can wait for now. Nothing matters other than his lovely spouse in his hands and their limbs tangled under warm blankets.

John falls asleep shortly after you, pressed to your body, one hand holding you close to him — even if he doesn’t move, you have a tendency to move around the bed and well…floors are cold and hard.

Better safe than bruised.

Morning comes as soft as it could — sky is heavy with clouds, light seeping through curtains and colouring the floors in warm greys. It’s still too early to actually get up, everything outside the bed too cold for the comfort of tender pliant from sleep body.

You get up first, slinging feet in warm thick socks on the floors and pressing a gentle kiss to John’s cheek, giggling quietly when he grumbles — his limbs heavy with sleep, eye half-lidded and he’s so relaxed it makes your heart flutter.

Floorboards quietly creak under your steps, as you pull on John’s sweater and giggle again when he flips onto the stomach, watching you with eyes so soft he probably doesn’t even realise it.

Sometimes you aren’t even sure John knows how much it’s evident that he loves you. All of you, every breathing moment of his life, every moment he has to himself.

“Mornin’, husband”, you whisper for some reason and smile wider when he pulls your pillow closer, propping his chin on it.

“Mornin’, luv.”, he’s still sleep-drunk and soft, hoarse voice sending delicious shivers down your spine. It feels like he melts harder when you call him husband. When you wear his sweater, when you look at him like that.

“I’m gonna make us tea, I’ll come back”, you announce, still whispering, your hair messy and your smile wider when his eyes graze your knees, tongue licking his lips.

Someone’s in the good mood.

The kitchen is cold, but you feel so warm it’s almost hot. There are very few days you and John are awarded a morning like that.

A quiet one. A soft one. A domestic one.

Metal of the kettle softly clinks when you put it on the stove, fire sparkling to life, hungrily licking on red enamel. You hum to yourself, squinting when morning light hits your face.

John joins you after a little bit, his hands just coming out of nowhere — wrapping around your midsection and pulling back, earning himself a yelp that rewards you with a huffing laughter.

Price doesn’t say anything, but you can feel his smile when he kisses your cheek, palms groping at the soft swell of your belly. He is big and heavy in the most delicious way, wrapping himself around you as much as he physically can, pressing short tickling kisses all over.

You never want this moment to end.

“You’r beautiful”, he grumbles quietly and playfully bites your shoulder before nuzzling in you neck again. Still sleepy, aching to get you back in bed and back in his hands. Back in your den.

“And you are in a good mood”, you chuckle, turning off the stove when kettle starts whistling. John tenses up whenever he hears high or loud noises this early in the morning — brain not fully registering he’s home.

He’d never admit it but he doesn’t need to. You can see it.

John patiently waits for you to brew teas for both of you, mugs so different it’s almost comical, his brows quirking when he notices it, but he doesn’t say anything.

Like he doesn’t want to break the quiet peaceful silence stretching between you two. Like he wants to prolong it as much as possible.

“Le’s go back to bed”, his palms do not leave your belly, lips ghosting over your shoulders, pressing less than innocent kiss just below your ear.

“Still sleepy?”, there’s teasing lilt to your voice but he just hums, nodding, hugging you tighter. You aren’t even sure he cares much for tea right now.

“ ‘ve ought to give you proper Valentine’s Day present”, he mumbles, teeth pressing to the crook of your neck, his whole body leaning into yours when you gasp. “Fancy celebratin’ with your husband?”, his voice drips with satisfaction, pads of his fingers sinking into your soft flesh, his hips rolling to show just how much he missed you.

“When have I ever said no to gifts from my favourite husband?”, you murmur, laughing when he huffs out in your neck, his affection seeping into you, soaking through.

You can feel his grin when he kisses your neck again.

“ ‘m the only husband.”, John breathes out, pulling you out of the kitchen and back to the bedroom. Back under the heat and security of your heavy blankets.

“You tell yourself that.”, you giggle harder when he hoists you up, carrying you the last few feet to the bed, his touches less than innocent now.

“Cheeky li’le thing.”, there is adoration in his every word, his eyes dark and half-lidded, palms scorching on your skin when he pulls your legs over his shoulders.

“Your cheeky little thing”, you talk back, goosebumps raising on your skin when he pulls his sweater off you, slowly lowering himself under the covers. It’s hot to be under so many blankets.

It’s hot to be under him.

You never want to leave.

“Mine”, he agrees, voice dropping lower when he settles between your thighs properly and rubs his cheek on your inner thigh, eyes crinkling when you gasp, his beard scratching the thin skin there. “Always mine.”

And then he slides lower, his mouth on you — sinfully hot and slick, tongue leaving you gasping and whimpering. Sweetest sounds from his sweetest spouse.

Only his. Always his.

John drags his tongue up, looking up at you — the primordial hunger, the best sinner, the heat and the desire. Your husband.

“Happy Valentine’s Day.”, he breathes out before letting his drool drip down on your aching sex and using his thumb to rub it in. Filthy.

“Here’s to many more of ‘em”, John promises, looking you in the eyes, his thumb pulling out the neediest sounds out of you.

Yes, happy Valentines indeed. And good morning.

[imsofreakingtired]

I saw a request about anorexia comfort and I just wanted to ask could I possibly ask for sevika x reader bulimia comfort? That’s what I struggle with so I just wanted to request that.

If not that’s totally okay and thank you!

-🖤🖤🖤

all my love and support to you 💙 please let me know if any of this is inaccurate, offensive, or upsetting - i drew from a combination of my own past experiences with an ed and external research. and thank you for the request; i know struggling with an ed can be an isolating experience and i really hope this brings at least a little comfort 💙 💙 💙 💙

disclaimer: not meant to be an alternative to therapy obviously!! please reach out for support, i know it's hard but i believe you can do it loves <33 and as always if this content may be triggering to you, please scroll away and take care!!

breathe

content warning(s): depictions of an ed, body dysmorphia, heavy angst, hurt/comfort

"days pull you down just like a sinking ship memories swim and haunt you but look into the lake, shimmering like smoke rises the moon oh, close your weary eyes, i promise you that soon the autumn comes to darken fading summer skies breathe, breathe, breathe."

~~~

Sevika is not alarmed when you tell her about your eating disorder, which you reveal after you have been seeing her for nearly a month. she does not judge you. she has noticed the signs already, but didn’t want to assume anything, bring it up before you did. Sevika remembers the darkest period of her life: sixteen and feeling like the world played her like a marionette, when the stress of her environment triggered her binges. then the guilt. then the self-loathing. then the desperate need to erase what she had done. she remembers lifting for hours until her arms gave out. running 5 miles a day in a sweat suit. tracking calories. balancing food on scales. when you tell her you are going through the same thing, her heart sinks. she had been hoping her instincts were wrong. she had been hoping against hope, because she knows how hard it is.  

⟢🖤⟢ her fear for you, her worries about your health, sometimes manifests in ways she doesn’t mean to. she has never backed away from honest conversations. she asks you up front: have you eaten? have you thrown up? she can tell immediately if you lie to her about it, and it hurts her to think that you’re unwilling to tell her the truth, be open about it to her. sometimes her frustration at herself for being unable to help you causes her to be harsher. she tries sitting you down and telling you that what you’re doing will hurt you badly. she can’t stand being away from you for too long, she can barely sleep at night, wondering if you’re binging again, wondering if you’re punishing yourself again.   

⟢🖤⟢

she silently keeps track of the physical signs. she sees you sizing up every plate of food. she sees you obsessively reading the nutrition labels. she sees how you avoid going out to eat with people, how you always opt for something different for date nights, anything that isn’t eating together. she sees your exhaustion, the swelling in your face. you can hide it from everyone else—you can hide it from the world—but Sevika loves you too much to let a single detail escape her. 

⟢🖤⟢

beats herself up honestly, especially after realizing that sometimes she could be a trigger—an offhand word, a change in her tone, a spike of irritation. you don’t blame her for this: everyone has their bad days, and sometimes the two of you argue. she wishes she could do more for you, wishing she could take away the thoughts that cause you to spiral and hurt yourself. 

⟢🖤⟢

Sevika is confounded at first when you tell her candidly about your issues with body image, because to her you are the most beautiful perfect being who ever existed. it makes her furious at whatever caused you to think otherwise. maybe it was a history of bullying at school. maybe it was your mother’s thoughtless comments on your body. maybe it was the media, constantly telling you that your body is imperfect. maybe it is not your body at all, but the sense of control and discipline that comes from regulating the food, the erasure of food. Sevika’s first response is always to fight. she’s sworn to herself that she will protect you from the world, that she can keep you safe by the strength of her fists. but when the threat is something untouchable, something inside your head, she feels helpless. so she becomes more physically protective than ever. calling you several times a day just to hear your voice. kissing you, touching you, holding you more often, as if to reassure you of how much she adores you.   

⟢🖤⟢

she picks up on your triggers for b/p cycles and does her best to interfere with them. she notices that your routine is to restrict throughout the day, return home, where the stress and hunger of the day triggers a binge. so she shows up at your door around the same time you return home and asks if you want to go on a walk. if you’re too tired, she stays with you and makes you soup. if you say you can’t eat it, she will not pressure you. but she stays, thinking maybe if she’s there to watch over you, she can keep you from going into the cycle again.

⟢🖤⟢

there are stretches of time where you leave the cycle. Sevika marks the days on slips of paper to keep track of your progress and gives them to you with a proud look in her eyes. you don’t want to relapse for her sake, but you’re also terrified of recovering completely. you’re scared that if you let yourself recover, your body will change—it will gain back the weight you have been controlling, and you’re scared Sevika will not find you attractive anymore. one night you give into the thoughts. and when Sevika finds you on the bathroom floor, hovering over the toilet bowl, she says nothing but pulls you into her arms. 

i’m sorry, you whisper. 

shh. it’s okay, sweet thing. just breathe. 

she brings you water and rubs your back as you drink it. you wonder what you look like to her. you wonder if she is already planning to leave. another apology rises to your lips but you swallow it. Sevika doesn’t say anything for a long time, she just sits with you. then in a low voice, she speaks. 

i used to have the same habit. 

you look at her in surprise. 

yeah, she says, with a deep sigh. god, it was a million years ago, but i still remember those days. i’d sneak down into the kitchen when my parents were asleep. ate anything i could find. then punished myself the next day. 

her hand finds your knee, bent against your chest as you curl into yourself tightly. her warm grip grounds you. i’m telling you this because i want you to know… she pauses. …that i get it. 

you tell her, i’m scared. 

i know, baby. 

you say, i might change. you might not want me anymore. 

she looks you in the eyes. brushes the hair away from your face, leans forward, and gives you a long kiss on your forehead. you’re perfect, she says, her voice rough. you hear me? i will always, always want you. every shape. every side of you. 

a sob breaks from your lips. you lean into her, and she cradles your body with her own. kissing your hair, she gives you a promise. 

it’s not easy. but i’ll be with you the entire way. every damn step.

⟢🖤⟢

-thank you @hexthathoe for the req <3

-divider by @enchanthings-a

[weirdgenetic-fuckup]

PLEAAASE make a slash fic bookie like either the reader walking in on him jorking it or another on like that monster one it was so good thank youuu

Warnings: smut, masturbation, tit fucking??, shower sex, if you think I missed anything let me know otherwise enjoy!

I’m pretty sure I’ve used this picture before why am I running out of pictures of Slash this should not be an issue

You were stuck in a room with Slash throughout the tour. He was nice, quiet and kept things clean. Although it was weird to see everyone else bringing back groupies and he’d just crawl into bed.

You were laying in bed, it was late and Slash was still in the shower. He had been there for over and hour, which was odd considering he usually spent as little time in there as he could. He reeked.

Your bigger concern were the noises that were coming from him. You new he wasn’t exactly sober but you also hadn’t seen him taking anything on the tour, so you figured it must’ve had something to do with that.

“Slash?” You called out, knocking on the door. “Slash, are you ok?” You asked, leaning against the door.

The shower was running and you could hear Slash’s deep grunts and groans. “I’m-I’m fine.” He said through gritted teeth. “I’m fine, just-just fuck off.”

You were taken aback, Slash never spoke to you like that, he let you listen in on his calls with his mom and he’d always be smiling and sweet, that stupid giggle he had.

“Saul.” You started. “Saul, open the door.” You didn’t get a response, all you heard was his heavy breathing, that mixed with the grunts and groans. You were sure he was sick, and if it was withdrawal he was definitely going to need someone.

You swung the door open, using more force than you meant to because you assumed it would be locked. You were met with Slash standing in the shower, holding his hard cock in his hand.

He stared back at you with wide eyes, brows furrowed slightly and he held onto the wall for stability. A pout tugged at his plush lips and the way he twitched it was clear he’d already cum a few times.

You blinked a few times, you didn’t think this was the same man, you couldn’t believe it. Obviously he was a rocker, a guitarist in a big band at that, he was disgusting. That was Slash, Saul was different.

“What-what are you doing..?” You asked hesitantly, stepping further into the bathroom. His sputtered out an apology as he continued to stroke himself.

He looked so desperate, cock painfully red, cum still dripping from it. He used it as lube. You didn’t take a second to think and started pulling your clothes off before getting in with him.

You wrapped your arms around his neck and pulled him down to kiss you. It was passionate and full of need, his free hand finding your hip and holding you tight. You pushed his hand off, much to his dismay and he whined.

He huffed when you pulled away, watching you as you got on your knees in front of him. He reached for your cheek, swiping his thumb over your bottom lip.

You smiled, knowing where he thought this was going but you knew better than that. “You’ve such a good boy, haven’t you?” You asked. “Keeping your stuff together, keeping groupies out of our rooms… good boys get rewards~” You mused, pushing your tits together.

Slash’s eyes widened, a soft whimper leaving him. He grabbed onto your shoulders and eagerly pushed himself between your tits, quickly becoming overwhelmed.

[thebaldursmouthgazette]

Hello! I deeply enjoy your write-ups. Would you like to talk about the criticisms you have of DA:I that are not applicable to DA:TV (i.e. the issues DA:I had that DA:TV fixed/avoided running into)? I'm genuinely curious to hear your opinion because I've also been thinking that DA:TV fixed what it could of DA:I issues but my list is probably incomplete.

So, would love to hear what you think? Thank you in advance!

In no particular order and of varying severity (and also probably not exhaustive):

- much better stakes and pacing.

- no endless filler that you have to complete to move on

- companions feel like people who have a life outside of you instead of employees who only ever really talk to the player character

- the villains felt like actual villains who were doing stuff and had a plan. They felt like evil gods. Corypheus was like. Barely even there.

- characters are mostly voiced by VAs that represent them. Eg Maevaris is voiced by a trans woman, not a man putting on a high voice. Nb characters are voiced by nb actors. Asian characters are voiced by Asian characters. Etc. In inquisition, krem was voiced by a woman putting on a voice.

- Felt like thedas. Inquisition did not feel like thedas to me. I felt like I was being told I was in thedas, but nothing felt right. We even went to locations we visited in origins, but no effort was put into making them feel the same. In veilguard, I felt like I was in thedas. A thedas 20 years out from origins, but still thedas.

- better lighting in character creator. And eyebrows that weren’t shit. And hair that wasn’t shit.

- we didn’t have to do a massive fetch quest to specialise our class. We could just do it

- no endless fetch quests in general. The world is ending, why is the inquisitor collecting elfroot

- much better balance of background vs character creation. I think this is as close to origin quests as we were ever gonna get again and it worked great. The inquisitor felt like no matter their background you’d just been dropped into a one size fits all story. The only real difference in backgrounds was how racist people were to you. You had a handful of letters and war table missions with people related to your background, but that’s it. In veilguard each faction had a different way of meeting varric and getting to where they were. You directly meet people from your characters background, and the events that led you to meet Varric come up. You talk about your background with others, repeatedly.

- all companions get involved on important missions. In inquisition there were big battles and most of your team just chilled at skyhold. In veilguard, everyone joins you on the big quests.

[aliciavance4228]

Let's talk a little bit about the Labyrinth

There's no secret that a lot of people out there (rightfully) mock Theseus for his low intellectual skills and memory issues. However, one argument I've often seen being brought into discussion is the difference between a labyrinth and maze, oftenly used in order make fun of the idiot even more:

However, there are a few aspects to be taken into account:

a) The Labyrinth was supposed to be a prison for the Minotaur as well. Assuming that escaping from it would've been so easy then the Labyrinth would've no longer been a prison for him to begin with.

b) There were ten people sacrificed to him anually. You cannot tell me that at least one of them wouldn't have been smart enough to figure out how to get out if the Labyrinth in question would've been just a "long, guided path".

c) The Labyrinth was designed by Daedalus, who is supposed to be clever enough to come up with something puzzling and head-scratching.

Then I found this fragment written by Diodorus Siculus:

"After the death of this king the Egyptians regained the control of their government and placed on the throne a native king, Mendes, whom some call Marrus. 2 So far as war is concerned this ruler did not accomplish anything at all, but he did build himself a tomb known as the Labyrinth, which was not so remarkable for its size as it was impossible to imitate in respect to its ingenious design; for a man who enters it cannot easily find his way out, unless he gets a guide who is thoroughly acquainted with the structure. 3 And some say that Daedalus, visiting Egypt and admiring the skill shown in the building, also constructed for Minos, the king of Crete, a labyrinth like the one in Egypt, in which was kept, as the myth relates, the beast called Minotaur. 4 However, the labyrinth in Crete has entirely disappeared, whether it be that some ruler razed it to the ground or that time effaced the work, but the one in Egypt has stood intact in its entire structure down to our lifetime."

To resume everything, Daedalus' Labyrinth was inspired by the Labyrinth of Egypt, a complex labyrinthine structure that once stood near the foot of the Pyramid of Amenemhat III at Hawara. Now, that labyrinth was eventually destroyed and nowdays can be only partially reconstructed, but we still have have ancient descriptions of it:

Herodotus was the very first person to describe it in Histoires, Book II:

"It has twelve courts covered in, with gates facing one another, six upon the North side and six upon the South, joining on one to another, and the same wall surrounds them all outside; and there are in it two kinds of chambers, the one kind below the ground and the other above upon these, three thousand in number, of each kind fifteen hundred. The upper set of chambers we ourselves saw;… but the chambers underground we heard about only… For the passages through the chambers, and the goings this way and that way through the courts, which were admirably adorned, afforded endless matter for marvel, as we went through from a court to the chambers beyond it, and from the chambers to colonnades, and from the colonnades to other rooms, and then from the chambers again to other courts. Over the whole of these is a roof made of stone like the walls; and the walls are covered with figures carved upon them, each court being surrounded with pillars of white stone fitted together most perfectly; and at the end of the labyrinth, by the corner of it, there is a pyramid of forty fathoms, upon which large figures are carved, and to this there is a way made under ground. Such is this labyrinth."

Next we have Starbo's account:

"...Before the entrances there lie what might be called hidden chambers which are long and many in number and have paths running through one another which twist and turn, so that no one can enter or leave any court without a guide."

Finally, Pliny the Elder described it as a “bewildering maze of paths” in the Natural History Book.

Later in the 17th Century Athanasius Kircher tried to produce the very first pictoral reconstructions of the labyrinth, based of Herodotus' description:

While it is uncertain why was the temple called a Labyrinth, there's a high chance that it was considered one simply because it was huge and complex enough to get lost inside it, when in reality it could've been intentionally designed as a maze where one had to find their own way through it. And if Daedalus' own work was more-or-less a faithful copy of the Labyrinth of Egypt then in this case Theseus needing Ariadne's help wasn't plain stupidity but Daedalus' brilliant mind.

[themyscirah]

Ok game time which 3 series would you just DIE to get a run on ? I'm talking full creative control, can be as a writer or an artist + plotter if that suits your vibe best

My 3 are

Suicide Squad

Wonder Woman

Green Lantern Corps/Green Lanterns

(in that order)

[gifti3]

so yea running servers isnt like a cheap thing is what ive been learning these past couple weeks

[batsplat]

By that time Marcos Hirsch, Jorge's physical trainer, had also become an important figure in the young racer's life and they built up a particularly strong professional and personal relationship. Together, Dani and Marcos formed Jorge's strongest pillars of support during the worst of the conflict, but there had been happier times in the gym for both Lorenzos with Marcos. In fact, one of Jorge's more amusing anecdotes comes from those days: 'My dad used to say that Rossi was a clown. He said he was a great rider but that he always had the best bike and that was why he won. So when Rossi moved to Yamaha he said, "Pah! He's not even going to finish in the top six. There are too many factory Hondas and the Yamaha is nowhere near as good." Marcos and I said that Rossi would win races. Not only that, but that he would finish in the top three in the championship. So we made a bet. My dad had just come back from Thailand and he'd bought this ridiculous Thai hat, with little balls dangling from it on strings. We said that if Valentino finished in the top three at the end of the season, he'd have to wear the hat for a whole week. Of course, Valentino won the title and my dad turned up at the gym wearing the hat. He looked so stupid that we felt sorry for him and after a couple of days we told him he could take it off.'

Riveras Tobia's Jorge Lorenzo: My Story So Far

[mothercain]

i find it funny that conservatives try to paint me calling for the death and destruction of multi-billionaire CEOs as some radical "woke liberal" standpoint. as if that even has anything to do with politics, especially in this era of surface level circus politics. the same way they try to politicize the hurricanes or the wildfires destroying parts of america, as if climate change is somehow a red vs. blue issue. it's no secret i'm from a deeply conservative family in the sticks of florida and i still grew up hearing "i fought the law and the law won". the healthcare system has fucked each and every member of my family in a different way at one point or another, as is the case with pretty much every family in this scorched earth nation. remember when country music, the genre currently associated the heaviest with the most conservative faction of america, used to be staunchly anti-government and about sticking it to the man? remember when the coal miners, grandfathers to the "trump-er hillbillies" of appalachia that everyone loves to write off as ignorant, fought tooth and nail for unionization because the companies that were built off their labor didn't give a shit if they lived or died? since when has "upholding traditional values" gone hand in hand with... defending lawmakers and oil tycoons. my family and i complain about the same issues at the dinner table. the men in charge better hope they can keep their digital smokescreens running as long as they can because the moment the rednecks and the hippies lay down their swords long enough to realize they have the same enemy, all hell is gonna break loose.

[notebooks-and-laptops]

Why Fenris could Never Cameo in Dragon Age: The Veilguard

In the run up to Dragon age: The Veilguard, I was almost certain that Fenris would be our main legacy character from previous games. Not only has he been central in the comics released between DAI and DATV, he is an escaped Tevinter slave who's plot revolved around magisters, magic and the structural prejudices surrounding elves in Thedas. Not only that, but he's canonically in Tevinter killing slavers currently so he's geographically in the right place for us to meet him.

About halfway through the game though, it was clear to me: Fenris could never cameo in The Veilguard. Because he'd break it.

How the Veilguard treats Thedas is...odd to me, to say the least. I will be writing another post about how much I adored the expanded big lore in this game (the titans, ancient elves were spirits, where the blight came from etc.) and yet while these large lore expansions worked for me, the actual culture of modern Thedas is entirely softened, its sharp edges filed down until it's a sanitised fantasy world devoid of what made the franchise so vibrant and compelling in the first place.

So let's start with Fenris and slavery. In all three games, the reality of slavery is pushing at the corners of the world. In DAO Loghain allows Tevinter Magisters to enslave elves in order to raise money for his war effort. In DA2 Fenris is fighting to be free from slavers who will not leave him be, let alone the reminders that the city was built by slaves which are everywhere. In DAI one of the two possible mini-bosses is Calpurnia who was a slave, and characters such as Gatt and Dorian both show us how much slavery is tied into Tevinters culture and success.

But DATV the first game actually set in Tevinter where we get to see the famed Minrathous...it's like the game purposefully wants to avoid the issue. I can feel it tilting the camera away to not allow me to see. Slavery is mentioned, but never talked about in depth or as a specifically ELVEN problem in Tevinter. This might have been done to be less problematic, it feels ignored.

We are in DOCK TOWN. We are at the DOCKS. You would think that slaves from all over Thedas who are being smuggled and bought by various groups would be everywhere. You would think that the injustice in dock town would be partly built on the back of ships we've seen in the comics crammed with elves in chains. This is the world Dragon age set up for us. And yet...nothing. zilch. A tiny easily skippable side quest where we free a couple of venatori slaves, but only one of whom is an elf.

None of our Tevinter characters seem to have been influenced by their culture even a little bit when it comes to how they view elves; there is no moment when Neve fucks up and says something prejudiced, no moment when Bellara or Davrin are distrustful of her for being a Tevinter mage.

The same goes for Zevran; a character who epitomised the issues with the crows. The crows have consistently been characterised as very morally dubious assassins who kill for the highest bidder and who buy children on the slave market and torture them as they grow in order to assure that they reach maturity able to withstand torture without giving away a client's name. Zevran is very explicit about the fact that if you fail a contract your life is forefit.

Nobody responds particularly to you if you're an elf. Nobody trusts rook less for it in Tevinter. Nobody treats Rook any differently. Even DAI had better mechanics for this; with nobles in Orlais less likely to trust you as an elf.

Considering one of the main plot points of this game and what makes Solas sympathetic is the fact that he was fighting against the slavery of ancient elves...you'd think the game might want to mirror that in modern Thedas. It might want to show us how characters fighting to end slavery in Tevinter are similar to Solas and how the society Solas fought against was similar to the one that characters we love such as Fenris have fought against in modern Thedas. Maybe we'd want to explore how in a world of slavery like this, how could the answer NOT be to tear it all down? Maybe we should have that option at the end of the game so it really can chose whether we agree with Solas and his plans or not.

Adding Fenris to this game would entirely break the game because Fenris refuses to allow you to look away from this horror. He is a sympathetic character who had to learn to trust mages again because of course he didn't trust them. Of course he didn't. Fenris wouldn't allow the camera to shift focus because he's literally covered in the lyrium scars that show how slaves are used as experiments in Tevinter. Fenris WOULD question Neve on how she feels about elves and slaves. Fenris WOULD have things to say about Lucanis and the crows (let alone the fact Lucanis is an abomonation). So he could never be in this game; he'd drop a bomb on it's carefully constructed blinders to the very society its supposed to be set in.

And yet, in DATV, the crows are presented as...a found family of misfits and orphans? The politician who opposes the crows having absolute power in Antiva is framed as a comically evil idiot who doesn't understand that the crows are ontologically good. Yet...they're NOT. Crows in this game act more like a secret rebel group than an assassin organisation. We see no crow taking contracts with the VERY RICH venatori magisters despite being hired killers. We see crows just refuse to kill people despite having a contract because 'its crueler to leave them alive'. The crows don't feel like the crows here, they feel like a softened version of a cool assassin group who are cool because they wear black and purple.

Our pirate group are also sanitised; the Lords of Fortune are good pirates who only steal treasure that's not culturally significant. Theyve clearly read the modern critiques of the British Museum and have decided to explicitly stop anyone levelling similar critiques at them. There is no faction of the Lords of Fortune who aren't like this, no internal arguments about it. Everyone just. Agrees. And is able to accurately tell what a cultural artifact is vs. what treasure that you can have yourself is. Rather than showing us why a pirate stealing cultural artifacts might be bad (like in da2 where such a situation literally causes a coup and a war) it just tells us it's bad. But also pirates are cool so we still want them in our world.

This issue seaps into Thedas and drains it of any of the interesting complexity and ability to SAY anything that this franchise had before this game. It becomes a game about telling and not showing rather than the other way around. The games have ALWAYS asked questions about oppressive structural systems and their interplay with society, religion and culture and how these things can affect even the most well meaning character. Dragon age at its best IS a game about society and how society functions both for and against it's characters and what happens to societies built on cruelty and indifference. The best bad guys dragon age has given us are those who are bad because they embody these systems or have been shaped by them. Our main characters have had to wrestle with questions surrounding how to exist in these systems, fight against them, learn and grow.

Yet every group you come across in DATV is sanitised and cleaned up to the point of being as non problematic as humanly possible. None of our cast of characters have to wrestle with where they came from or the world that shaped them. None of them have to confront their own biases. They start the game perfectly non-problematic and end it that way too.

And this just...isn't what Dragon Age has been in the past. It isn't why I love the franchise. The whole game just felt, in a way, hollow. And this was a CHOICE and it is why the legacy characters are few and far between. Too many dragon age characters are just too...angry and complex for this game. You can feel them pulling their punches on this one. I have to imagine they did this because they didn't want to be criticised or have too much controversy? But I think it honestly goes far too much in the other direction and just makes it bland.

I can't imagine what I say here will be unique, but it is the basis for a LOT of my other thoughts on this game so I wanted to get it out of the way first. The softened Thedas and characters make this game by far the weakest in the franchise.

[nerdygaymormon]

The LGBTQ community has seen controversy regarding acceptance of different groups (bisexual and transgender individuals have sometimes been marginalized by the larger community), but the term LGBT has been a positive symbol of inclusion and reflects the embrace of different identities and that we’re stronger together and need each other. While there are differences, we all face many of the same challenges from broader society.

In the 1960′s, in wider society the meaning of the word gay transitioned from ‘happy’ or ‘carefree’ to predominantly mean ‘homosexual’ as they adopted the word as was used by homosexual men, except that society also used it as an umbrella term that meant anyone who wasn’t cisgender or heterosexual. The wider queer community embraced the word ‘gay’ as a mark of pride.

The modern fight for queer rights is considered to have begun with The Stonewall Riots in 1969 and was called the Gay Liberation Movement and the Gay Rights Movement.

The acronym GLB surfaced around this time to also include Lesbian and Bisexual people who felt “gay” wasn’t inclusive of their identities. 

Early in the gay rights movement, gay men were largely the ones running the show and there was a focus on men’s issues. Lesbians were unhappy that gay men dominated the leadership and ignored their needs and the feminist fight. As a result, lesbians tended to focus their attention on the Women’s Rights Movement which was happening at the same time. This dominance by gay men was seen as yet one more example of patriarchy and sexism. 

In the 1970′s, sexism and homophobia existed in more virulent forms and those biases against lesbians also made it hard for them to find their voices within women’s liberation movements. Betty Friedan, the founder of the National Organization for Women (NOW), commented that lesbians were a “lavender menace” that threatened the political efficacy of the organization and of feminism and many women felt including lesbians was a detriment.

In the 80s and 90s, a huge portion of gay men were suffering from AIDS while the lesbian community was largely unaffected. Lesbians helped gay men with medical care and were a massive part of the activism surrounding the gay community and AIDS. This willingness to support gay men in their time of need sparked a closer, more supportive relationship between both groups, and the gay community became more receptive to feminist ideals and goals. 

Approaching the 1990′s it was clear that GLB referred to sexual identity and wasn’t inclusive of gender identity and T should be added, especially since trans activist have long been at the forefront of the community’s fight for rights and acceptance, from Stonewall onward. Some argued that T should not be added, but many gay, lesbian and bisexual people pointed out that they also transgress established gender norms and therefore the GLB acronym should include gender identities and they pushed to include T in the acronym. 

GLBT became LGBT as a way to honor the tremendous work the lesbian community did during the AIDS crisis. 

Towards the end of the 1990s and into the 2000s, movements took place to add additional letters to the acronym to recognize Intersex, Asexual, Aromantic, Agender, and others. As the acronym grew to LGBTIQ, LGBTQIA, LGBTQIAA, many complained this was becoming unwieldy and started using a ‘+’ to show LGBT aren’t the only identities in the community and this became more common, whether as LGBT+ or LGBTQ+. 

In the 2010′s, the process of reclaiming the word “queer” that began in the 1980′s was largely accomplished. In the 2020′s the LGBTQ+ acronym is used less often as Queer is becoming the more common term to represent the community. 

[urstruly-ghst]

cool w you ?! - dorm leaders

in which you, the most nonchalant of all, turn out to be a big softie around them.

requested ask !

cw: established relationships

riddle rosehearts

riddle found that you were really not that expressive, quite quickly, in the first few months of knowing you. it was jarring, especially when you turned comfortable now, you were cooing and smiling. this felt like he had an alter ego for a partner, you were blushing and giggling as he enjoyed your company and affection. but, honestly, was he to complain?

the favorite moments he had with you were mixed, there were many moments he wished you showed more. riddle finds it cute whenever you "baby talk" him. showing affection as if he does deserve it amidst the horrible actions he had done and what had be done to him.

"heyyy there's my shining star. my roseeee" you drawl out your words as you laid on his bed, opening your arms for him. riddle smiled as you giggled once in a while, cooing random melodies and compliments.

leona kingscholar

leona deducted there was more to you the moment he started dating you. he wasn't quite sure what it was, but when he found out. he was proud. leona notes you're like a very untamed domestic animal, hostile or nonchalant. but throw in affection you turn to something even more adorable.

he is so smug with this discovery, leona cherishes every moment that you become so sweet and clingy. the favorite moments shared with you are when he would lay on your lap to sleep and you pamper him with kisses or head pats.

"i loveee you" you whisper as you kissed his nose then try to run your hands through his hair. leona smirks and nods in content, "say it baaack" you whine as you playfully tug his hair. leona shakes his head before rising a bit to kiss you on the lips. surely now you know?

azul ashengrotto

azul felt insecure at first, seeing as you sometimes parade no interest in him. however, the twins were very quick to note and allow him to observe the difference of your actions towards your friends then to him. later on, he'd witness a side he never knew existed.

the times you showed him your vulnerability made him feel so accomplished than any of his previous feats. after all, he was so happy that your trust in him was always present. azul's absolute favorite was when you both are vulnerable and showing off each other's flaws or imperfections.

azul sits in his pot with his tentacles overflowing. you smile and compliment him, a sparkle of vulnerability shining through as you tell him in full honesty how pretty he is to you. you reach out to him smiling softly. "my darling... you always make me feel loved, you deserve this as much as i deserve your love"

kalim al asim

kalim never understood why you were not expressive even if he was your friend, but that's fine, its nice to know that you were honest with him. however, when you were now dating, that nonchalance became endearing and even adorable for him.

it was however, his favorite thing to do to break it. especially when he first witnessed it in passing, you were out of character and he was blushing and smiling. how does anyone like you be this sweet and not show him? frankly, it was not good that you hid it because now he'll constantly try to break that layer of coolness on you.

"kalim, not here!" you yelped as you try to hide the smile creeping up on your lips. he was so happy, seeing that hint of a smile. you were in the dorm's lounge and kalim wanted to make you soft again.

"where then?!" kalim said excitedly because he'll drag you there. you giggle, and slowly ease into the persona he brought out of you. he felt his heart warm and all kalim can think is his luck really brought you to him.

vil schoenheit

vil understands that not everyone would have the same reaction and people would reciprocate emotion differently. he never saw the issue of your nonchalance, all vil can do is accept. however, when you two start dating, vil was pleasantly surprised at how affectionate you can be. he admits, he likes it, it makes all more sweeter.

there are many favorites memories. vil cannot narrow it down, however, there is one he favors the most. when you post him in a secret account and show off your collages of pictures. it was intimate and it was immortalizing, which was all he wanted.

"vil~ look, i got so many picturesss!" you say as you proudly show off the gallery that was filled to the brim of newer pictures from your date earlier. one picture caught his eye, the kiss picture.

"its my favorite! look at us!" you giggle as you try to send it to him. the small smile that vil poised turned softer and a bit wider, you keep winning him over.

idia shroud

idia thought you hated him, in all honesty, at first. sure, he wasn't the best guy or even the friendliest, but just a blank stare and no emotion whatsoever?! yeah, he may be all moody and avoidant but that doesn't mean anything! thankfully, you cleared it all up when you two started seeing each other more.

however, idia wasn't ready for when you were super super affectionate. idia thought that you were swapped or hit with a spell at first, but he got used to it. he actually liked it, it made him feel all warm and idia wasn't about to trade the sunshine you made him feel.

"hiii my number one, super awesome, super duper handsome future husband~" you coo as you enter his room. idia who just finished a fairly bad match frowned but gave a small frustrated smile at you.

"bad match? well, the game was probably rigged" you joke as you plopped on his bed. he sighed and jumped in hugging you. idia felt his heart melt when you giggle and tried to cheer him up.

malleus draconia

malleus knows that not all humans would be the same at expressing. he now knows also that nonchalance is very endearing, especially with you. he can easily tell that your nonchalance is a layer, and your friendship alongside courtship proved him right.

there is fondness that he shares for each moment you let your guard down with someone like him. it made malleus happy that you trust him this much to be this sweet. malleus' favorite time to see it is when you share these nightly walks.

"mal-mal! look a star just passed us by!" you giggle and close your eyes to make a wish, a tradition that malleus orchestrates. unknown to you, malleus makes an illusion a star passed so you can wish. as youu opened your eyes, you hugged him and kissed his cheek.

"im not gonna tell, but... hope you can guess what's my wish" malleus smiles as you insuiate he was the wish. you giggle and kissed him repeatedly as you both are under the stars

[sleepn0tfound]

That's MY Daughter

DC x Fem!Neglected!Batsis! Reader x Marvel [Just some midnight thoughts]

Bruce and Tim realised something odd about Stark Industries. Ever since a few months ago the technology being produced there had improved by an unbelievable amount. It was futuristic, nothing that this world has seen before. And the weirdest part of it is the fact that Tony Stark had offered to partner up with Wayne Enterprises. THE Tony Stark, Iron Man, the most egotisical man they knew had willingly offered to partner up with them? After years of being petty with Bruce and the JL?

Tim had been made to prepare to become the new CEO soon, thus he recently started taking up more work at Wayne Enterprises when the agreement was made. Though instead of Tony being the one to talk about ideas it was an unknown woman communicating with him about the ideas, the product, the marketing, etc. And the merge of the two companies was an absolute success, the marketing especially drawing in young adults. (courtesy of Tim and the mysterious women who seems to be around the same age as him)

Who was the mysterious women though? Well both Bruce and Tim could only come to one solution. The least known character to Bruce, to Batman, which says a lot considering the fact that he had made a contingency plan for every Avenger, every hero, including his own teammates, including himself, yet this one character was completely unknown, zero plans if she were to go rogue. And that drove Bruce crazy. Her file was blank. Every vital information was marked with the word 'unknown'. It had been making Bruce paranoid for years since she had appeared next to the Avengers.

The reassurance from the Avengers never helped. It was as if something was gnawing at him. After all how could he trust them anyways? (careful Bruce your trust issues are showing)

One of the only things they knew about her is that she is the main hacker/coder for the Avengers, hence the reason why the Avengers digital security was admittedly better than the Justice League's and how much faster they got, what should be, classified information. (no matter how much Bruce wants to deny it)

And her codename, Special Agent Reaper. No she wasn't originally an Avenger, she was crowned the most skilled assassin of this era, working under S.H.I.E.L.D and one of the sole reasons why all of the HYDRA agents that have sneaked into S.H.I.E.L.D have been successfully taken out, her name would pass by in the wind every so often, they might be rumours or the truth but no one truly knows. Hell even Ra's Al Ghul, The Demon’s Head, had acknowledged her once. Even Talia had admitted that Damian's fighting technique was made to mirror The Reaper's, the only difference is he used katanas while the Reaper, fittingly, uses a scythe.

But one thing was for sure. If you saw the shadow of a hooded figure you better run, though at that point it might be too late.

As the saying goes, "Beware of the Grim Reaper. Wherever it goes death follows closely behind.”

⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆

“Ah! Brucie! Here you are!” Tony said, wine in hand as he approached Bruce at the gala. Well that was a first. He usually never played into the Brucie persona. Well nonetheless the show must go on.

“Tony!” Bruce threw himself at the other billionaire, acting as if he was drunk, ignoring the way Tony’s expression turned into a grimace for a split second.

As usual, they were both around other pretentious socialites who never seemed to run out of questions.

“Ah! Tony, I heard Stark Industries have been bringing in more money than ever.”

“Oh yes! It’s all because of this prodigy i had found. She actually was the reason why Stark Industries and Wayne Enterprises had a collab. I might even give the company to her when I retire!" He let out a laugh that seems to emanate the word 'rich', a small smirk stayed on his lips as he heard the guests at the gala begin to whisper.

"Oh? Is that so? Then I would love to meet the person I have been working with this entire time." Tim Drake-Wayne said as he finally came out of the corner where he would usually stay in to observe rather than interact.

"Be my guest." A subtle challenge, as if Tony was daring him to go through with it as they locked eyes. A smirk on one face while a well practiced smile on the other.

Bruce let out a light hearted laugh as he tightened his grip around Tony, a subtle warning to stay away from his son, "Well then I wouldn't mind arranging a meeting! I'm sure you wouldn't mind the others joining." His tone had a slight change that even the most observant wouldn't realise.

Bruce could barely keep up the 'Brucie' act with Tony bragging about how Stark Enterprises profits have shot up with him finding a 'prodigy' and someone who will take over the company once he retires.

"Not at all. The more the merrier. I assume you wouldn't mind me inviting more people as well." Tony sipped his wine, he wasn't one to back out from a challenge, especially when he is so confident.

⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆

This certainly wasn't how the Justice League and the Avengers expected their next meeting to happen. A petty fight between the two men that singlehandedly funds their respective teams causing all of them to be in one room together.

"Well then, Stark. Where is this prodigy that you speak so highly of?" Bruce said as he sported his famous batglare.

"I assure you she is on her way. She should just be right about done with her mission." Tony replied with the same tone, shooting a glare as well.

Meanwhile the two teams were watching this as if it was the most entertaining show they have seen.

.

.

.

"Hey I'm here." Y/n entered the hall, still wearing her assassin suit, though her signature black hood was down, revealing her face.

Silence seemed to engulf the room.

"Kid... Your hood."

"...Fuck."

hi! i might have disappeared for a month :D To those who are waiting for more parts of DC x Super/Kent!Reader it will come... eventually. I'm having the biggest writer's block for that specific AU so uhm yeah! I wasn't really planning on making that AU a series since it was mostly just me being bored and writing for the lols but since it received so much attention [thank you guys so much!] I have to do it now. i was doing some worldbuilding and already know how I want the reader to be and allat but I cant really think of how to shape the story ukukuk. so yeah stay tuned for that! also this thing was also just a blurb. Might make somewhat of continuation parts if I feel like it. [Also the neglected!batsis! fanfics I've been reading is getting to me. i have a feral urge to create a diff AU series for that] Also would you guys be interested in me creating a twitter/insta account or like a tele channel to post random things

[something-like-air]

I feel like the way “spaces” is now a functional term for just like, “people with the same interests,” has more or less just become a weapon to use against anyone who is outside whatever the most prominent clique is

[retiredteabag]

The eyes of the beholder

my masterlist

Sukuna genuinely does not understand the concept of physical insecurity.

He has pride unrivaled by any, his assurity never wavers, and despite his unique appearance, he does not consider himself strange.

Additionally, Sukuna has a hard time putting himself in the shoes of others. He deems himself perfect. You are his favored one, so he attributes the same to you.

He sees you as the height of beauty and never entertains a different notion. It would never come to his mind.

What? You think he's wrong when he says your beauty is unparalleled? You think him a liar? You don't trust his judgment? Truly, he does not comprehend insecurity.

"Not everything is about you, Kuna." You spin around in one of the estate's halls of mirrors and run you hands over the subtle stretch marks that appear on your hips.

You had been trying on formal attire for one of the estate's events, something both you and Sukuna hated. He could likely feel any unhappy emotion that permeated your space.

You never enjoyed having to critique whether or not something was flattering on your body and Sukuna was no help as he wouldn’t allowed criticism of you.

He thought it was a waste of time because to him, it all looked appealing.

That, and you both hated events. Balls, Galas, Auctions, the whole gambit. None of it suited your interests, and The King thought them a disturbance.

You finally pulled on your original clothing, ruffling it this way and that so it would fall just right, and stepped out from behind the hall's flowing curtains.

"You wound me when you say things like that." Sukuna had his head leaned back against the wall with his eyes closed.

"I'll let everyone know just how well I can wound their King." You scoff and roll you eyes.

"Heavens, don’t they know?” He sits up. All four of his red eyes glower at you as if you've cast some kind of spell his way. "Why does this upset you so? Haven't I said that flaws hold no residence within you?"

Your lips are pulled into a frown. You know he couldn’t possibly understand, at first, it felt somewhat invalidating. His mindset was so far from yours, of course he would think it skewed.

"Don't you just think that because I have unfortunately found favor with you?" You begin to fold the options that the seamstresses had brought you as he huffs at your choice of words. "You were sculpted perfectly as you know, you and I are different."

He grumbles, having heard your complaints before. But you continue before he can take issue with it.

"My skin has these markings, and my thighs touch when I stand, my frame is far from ideal-" You turn to him now, "-and I cannot always love how things fit me as you do."

It's not that you're actually upset, just somewhat flummoxed by The King of Curses mindset.

Sukuna had sat up as you spoke, and now his posture bends toward you. He wears the silliest face you have ever possibly seen him produce and it almost makes you laugh.

His mouth is slightly open, lip arched, his eyes are wide but his brows are pulled together at your words and you could guess that he has never been so confused.

"What?" You almost giggle.

"By God, you care entirely too much."

You have to take a deep breath before he continues, "Your skin? What is it wrong with your skin? I quite like your skin. Would you rather I find you a furry pelt you can wear?"

It's moments like these that remind you of how silly this man is. You shake your head, but he continues, slowly, bewildered.

"Your... thighs touch? I see not how that could be an issue. Do not my thighs touch as well? How is it you are able to invent these things to be bothered by?"

Although you had been frustrated a moment before, you know he has a point. He had lived through many more centuries, it very well might have seemed strange to worry over such things.

Sukuna stands, coming closer without pause, and tugs on the draping of your garb. "What formula are you using to decide what looks good and what does not?" His hands find your body and squeeze over you in an almost ticklish way.

It was not sexual, it was not uncomfortable either. He was simply feeling you. He loved your being, whatever shell you presented in. Eventually, his palm came up and engulfed the top of your head, his fingers dangled by your eyes. "Hmmm, I cannot understand. Anything would be flattering if it was put on you."

A part of you wanted to murmur, "That's just what you're saying." But you knew Sukuna, and you knew he meant it. The concept that you might hold his same mindset was an impossibility at that moment in the hall of mirrors.

But you had many other moments to share with your King and believe me when I say, that man could be convincing.

[themyscirah]

Philippus? Wym philippus this is a wholeass other woman?????? She's white?????? Guys come on now

ALSO cursed white Euboea in this same sequence.... homeboy she's Asian please stop

Joe Phillips I'm sorry but this is some shitty ass guest pencilling how can you not know anything abt what these people look like thats literally your job... you also just needed to read the issue before this to know?

Editors should have caught this one these are major Amazon characters