#they are near and dear to my heart and there is genuinely something magical that happens when i write it

[storiesoflilies]

i got past the scene i was stuck on!!!!

you shall all be pleased to know that i am now flyinggggg again heheh :3

[lynnlovesthestars]

What do you think each companions’ favorite flower would be? Other than Shadowheart’s being night orchid

Ohh, i love this question..

Characters: Astarion, Wyll, Gale, Lae'zel, Karlach, Halsin. (+ minthara, Jaheira and minsc at the end)

Astarion wisteria: he never noticed it grows in the cemetery where he was buried. The night he died and came back to life, the wisteria was not in bloom yet, so he didn't notice, but after the absolute ordeal he came back a few times and in one of them, the wisteria was beautifully in bloom. It was magical to walk underneath the cascading pinks and purples, and in a way it felt like one of Tav's hugs. After seeing it, he finds a book about wisteria in Gale's stack of books, and it took him a second to steal it.

Every time he'd read more about this flower, his interest in it only grew, and along with it, he found himself growing pretty fond of the flower.

He could see himself in the delicate white petals: wisteria has different meanings in each region of Faerun and all of them were, in a way, parts of him.

Longevity, immortality, but also melancholy and a life cut short. It's new beginnings and self-reflection over the past.

♡♡

Wyll likes poppies. Maybe it's the simplicity that catches his eye right away, or maybe the beautiful vibrant colors, nevertheless he makes sure that there's always a pot of poppies at home. He mostly takes care of it, cause he doesn't want to put the responsibility on someone else, but you bet he will water his poppies with a precision worth of the blade of avernus.

His first memory of poppies, he holds it very dear, cause it was one of the last truly happy memories with his father.

Wyll worked with his father briefly before Ulder had to depart for Elturel. They took their horses and traversed along the Chionthar to make sure it would be safe for Ulder and the fists to cross. Tough as they were riding, they stumbled upon a stunning yellow and red poppy field. It reminded them of the flaming fists, of their home, of their mission, but lastly of the sunset that would await them after Elturel was safe. Though they didn't actually say it out loud, they knew Wyll was going to treasure the moment.

♡♡

Lae'zel loves snapdragons. First because they remind her of the might of githyanki's, then because she found them particularly relatable. Snapdragons can survive in the harshest temperatures, just like she was able to endure her whole life being turned upside down.

It's not easy to make her smile genuinely, but if you show up with Snapdragons, she will melt inside. (Though she'd never admit it)

♡♡

Gale likes hyacinths. He's mesmerized by their structure, their colors, their smell. They are just so intriguing. He started growing hyacinths to practice his weave control, but over time he really grew fond of them.

Gale definitely has a name for his pots, and refers to them as his children. One time he was rambling about the flowers, and everyone believed he was a father and forgot to let them know.

"I cannot believe you all" Gale exclaimed, throwing his hands up. "do you think i'd really choose to be stuck here with you, rather than at home with literally my children?!"

"Yes" everyone answered in unison.

♡♡

Karlach LOVES SUNFLOWERS. They just make her smile. She is a naturally outgoing and sunflowers just remind her of herself. Also she spent so long in Avernus, away from the sun, that when she came back to the surface, she followed it like a sunflower.

It wasn't easy to find them near Baldur's Gate, in fact the closest she's ever gotten to one was near Rosymorn monastery. The field was clearly blesses by Lathander, cause those sunflowers were breathtaking, even if she had to see them from her horse.

♡♡

Halsin loved every flower, of course. But one that always made his heart swell was the four o'clock flower. It was something so unique: a flower that would bloom only at dawn. It was like a secret only for those eyes that stayed vigilant in the dark. It was a flower for those lonely souls that couldn't sleep. Although he always had nature by his side, he did feel lonely at the end of the day. Through the decades he had many lovers, but no one could fill that emptiness, and that flower passed unnoticed until everyone went to sleep, just like he would pass unnoticed as he guised as a butterfly.

♡♡

Jaheira peony

Minsc marigold

Minthara black dahlia.

[loisfreakinglane]

Top 5 things/people you love about the buffyverse?

oh THIS is a fun retrospective. i haven't yet started buffyverse rewatch 2k24- but it's happening SOON. i've given myself a new edict to scrub away 27 years of btvs/ats opinions, loves, hates, fandom histories, annoyances, EVERYTHING- and go into this rewatch totally fresh, to let opinions form as organically as they can for a universe so near and dear to my heart since i was. god lol 6 years old. i'm personally hoping characters, ships, and plots that i've found hopelessly aggravating before, i find blazing passionate love for now. WOULDN'T THAT BE FUN THO??? i'm sick of negativity, i wanna embrace joy.

before i scrub myself clean, it's nice to remember why i was invested for so many years in the first place. SO. TOP 5 THINGS/PEOPLE I LOVE ABOUT THE BUFFYVERSE!!!!!!!!! not exactly my favorite 5 EVER about the buffyverse, but an assortment of 5. 5 separate top favorite things.

cordelia chase- my love my life my soul my queen c. the thing is. i adore her. i adore her as a bitchy mean girl, using her wealth and her beauty and her status to squash down our heroes. i adore her as a broke struggling actress, using a vampire detective agency as a stepping stone for international stardom. i adore her as a genuine hero, embracing her destiny, choosing to be a demon, and fully throwing herself into fighting the good fight because it fills her soul with purpose, belonging, and fulfillment. she has an utterly flawless character arc, one that parallels buffy's own in so many ways. (and fyi as a sidenote i am ENTIRELY POSITIVE that in ats s4 amnesiac cordy was 100% cordy, jasmine did not take over her body until she had the vision of the beasts eyes, and then it was real cordelia again in you're welcome. there's not question or ambiguity about it for me personally, not anymore.) my love for cordelia is all encompassing. i love her more than anything.

buffy&dawn, angel&connor- probably my favorite plot for both buffy and angel was when they each gained a kid who automatically became the most important part of their life (while my ultimate buffyverse otp is angel/cordy, i am very fond of bangel- and my biggest proponent for a postseries reconciliation revolves around this shared life experience) there is so much i love about both characters getting an auto-grown, magically created, blue eyed brown haired impossible teenager dumped in their lap (with bonus world-altering magical memories making their existence assimilated and accepted). giving them both not just another person to love, but another human being that is entirely reliant upon them specifically for love, protection. one person with the power to uplift or destroy them, through their own actions or the actions of another. buffy and angel both went through phases of being willing to destroy the whole world just to keep them safe- buffy in the gift, angel in forgiving. i just think it's NEAT. i probably spend more time thinking about angel & connor bc i do remain frustrated with a lot of choices made wrt them in s4 (the decision to lean far harder into whiney ungrateful teenager and less into feral hellchild raise by ultrareligious 18th century man in a barren wasteland of demons was in fact frustrating to me!) but hey, i still love connor in all his messy angsty ways. and origin/not fade away put a pin in that conversation in ways i will adore FOREVER.

the concept/importance of families of choice. for as much as i've waxed poetic over two of the series core biological relationships lol, the real center of both shows is always that love between a group of unrelated misfits. i've gone back and forth over the years on my opinion of many of the relationships within the buffyverse, and how successful those families can be- but it is still something i really love. and it's especially at the heart of what has been my 2 favorite seasons- buffy s5, and angel s3- which, only hitting me now, is also when dawn & connor are introduced, which brings the group much closer together. it's unfortunate tho, that in this world of two separate families of choice, with an assortment of characters from a large variety of backgrounds, that we only got one main that's not white. forever the biggest problem with both shows. and also why i won't shut up about how kendra should have been brought back. SHE ONLY DIED A LITTLE!

wolfram&hart as a main baddie. lawyers are evil. we know this. LOL BUT RLY THO. god! a perfect PERFECT villain, perfect way to use the fuckery of the legal world to impose your will upon broke private detectives. lawyers are everywhere, i'm p sure there's more lawyers in california than in any other state. we are very litigious. the mystery behind ~the senior partners~ that is always hanging over our heads, the horror that can be inflicted by these very human lawyers engaging in blood sacrifice, murder, every evil thing under the sun- and the fact our heroes can't exactly run around killing them because a. human and b. there's way fucking more where they came from. of course they were never defeated, of course they are a main villain from beginning to end. i have less fond memories about the state of wr&h in s5, but that's less about them and more about how our heroes try to utilize their resources (badly, it's badly). lilah morgan, one of the best antagonists EVER. holland manners, linwood murrow, gavin park. they come at angel investigations from every angle- sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. but they. never. stop. 10000% perfection.

okay this one is more...... idk. this is a random thing i've been thinking about. and it's set design. lmfao. maybe it's because these shows have been part of my life for so many decades, because i grew up watching and rewatching and rewatching, but there's so much i love about their main sets. the hyperion hotel is one of my favorite locations on tv ever. the magic box! the sunnydale high library! i feel like i too lived in these locations. and i wanna go BACK!!!!!!!

[gxbtx]

How Tyler, The Creator Continues to Infiltrate our Childhoods and Hearts

Austin, Tx, October 7th

Three years ago I attended Austin City Limits for the first time in my life. ACL was a tradition with my parents semi-annually growing up, with some of my earliest memories seeing The Eagles at Zilker park around age four. In 2021, there was an undeniable plethora of great artists, such as Miley Cyrus, 070 Shake, Greta Van Fleet, and Tyler, The Creator. ACL in 2021 was one of my first musical experiences as a teenager that I genuinely connected with, leaving a lasting impact on how I spend my time and money.

Tyler was an eye-opening experience to what a live setting of music has to offer. Tyler’s energy and dedication to his craft was shown on the grand Ladybird Stage with an extension of his Call Me If You Get Lost tour. Tyler played several tracks of Call Me If You Get Lost to perfectly pair with his stage props of expensive trunks and a speedboat. It was an honor to be properly introduced to his most recent album, as I didn’t fully understand the emphasized hip-hop elements near and dear to Tyler that made it such a great project. Tyler’s presentation of luxury and success leave him in a clear position to convey his lack of care to others who may have doubted his ability, which is heard throughout his boastful yet admirable confidence in CMIYGL. Even with the hundreds of thousands of people cheering him on he still managed to get away with poking fun at many demographics of his audience, with his charm and fame making the remarks go right over their heads.

A crucial aspect of the musicianship and the importance of performance was found in my first pit experience. Tyler’s shows are so great because he considers the live performance a core aspect of how he intends his music to be perceived. Such as one of his favorites, “NEW MAGIC WAND” from IGOR, the song took a few years to catch mainstream attention as he specifically curated the song to be enjoyed in a pit experience. Additionally, being so close to the artists removes the awkward unspoken barriers with others surrounding, connecting sweaty people together through the common denominator of love for his songs. Rarely do I see so many people singing the same songs with so much heart and passion, one after the other, representing the impact Tyler has on my generation. Ever since seeing Tyler up close, I’ve come to understand and appreciate the aspect of supporting musicians by going to Live shows, giving them a chance to present their life’s work to the audience the way they intend.

With all of this in mind, you could imagine my excitement to revisit Tyler’s catalog at the same stage three years later. Nearing the end of my teenage years, seeing Tyler for a second time brought me a sense of nuanced conceptualization of how Tyler has brought super star status to his career. Tyler started off his desert themed set with some bars unfamiliar to the crowd, ‘“what’s that gun name,” showing me Tyler’s contribution to the alive and well hip-hop resurgence within the past year. He returned with his classic stage presence utilizing his last decade of experience to show how a true professional does a festival set. At this point of his career, he was able to turn his numerous hits into a fresh DJ set in a sense, showing refinement and improvement from one track to the next. Along with this he brought his same moshing and intense energy to the pit that was insulting yet funny years prior. It was humorous to again see individuals who were not ready for the chaotic running around and moshing, with many people remaining from the previous set of Chappell Roan. He joked that he’s now at the age (~30) where something aches, reminding the crowd that he’s been himself in the public eye for the past 14 years or so, cementing him as an integral part in our generation’s music taste.

I really enjoyed seeing Tyler again as he serves as a subtle reminder that despite the ever increasing subdivisions of internet culture, there are still huge artists bringing entire generations of people together. I genuinely at this point in my life feel like I’ve grown up listening to Tyler, which can be said for millions of fans around the country. It feels full circle that my sibling is now eagerly awaiting the new Tyler project coming out soon, illustrating the recurring theme of the obsession with Tyler’s experiences he creates in music. Revisiting the screaming crowds hashing out every lyric in some of his most influential songs is a testament to the power music has, as Tyler’s anti-hero persona towards his fans who treat him like messiah himself still manages to bring out hundreds of thousands diverse souls to flock to what he has to show. His hard work and envelopment of becoming a music nerd is something I think is so inspiring, to me and others alike, fostering the energy to keep creativity alive and well.

[yurigalactica]

would you mayhaps infodump about LC! lyrics? 👀👀 /nf

(I saw you on the anon game and am incredibly interested)

OOOOOOOOOH YESYESYESYES I WOULD LOVE TO INFODUMP ABOUT LOS CAMP LYRICS

okay okay so first of all. this band is so good. they have so many banger ass songs and that cannot be denied. HOWEVER in my heart To Tundra will always reign supreme. like holy shit. it's got lyrics like "meet me at st. nicholas among the oaks, behind the church that sway like pig-tailed girls as summer wind whistles around your bare-skin knees and the forsythia leaves" and "we take on the burden of all these sad-eyed children with lilies bunched in our hands" like. those lyrics are so visceral and potent they literally leave me with my mouth hanging wide open after i hear them. oh my GOD that song is magical

some of my other favorite songs lyrically is OBVIOUSLY tiptoe through the true bits. that's the song that whenever i hear it i have to stop literally everything i'm doing, turn up the volume as loud as it will go, close my eyes and just absorb the Vibes. it's so gorgeous AHHHHHH. the bit that makes my heart go !!!!!! is the part where it goes "the bed-spread decked in suns and moons and symbols of the star-signs, how you read how mine applied to how I would be sex-wise." like that paired with the little guitar picking up in the back and the drums kicking in are SO GOOD AHHHHHHHHHHHHH

AND. IN MEDIA RES. that song changed my life genuinely. like WOW. the whole vibe of it, especially the end when the trumpets (i think they're trumpets at least) kick in and gareth goes "if you were given the option of dying painlessly in peace at 45 with a lover at your side, after a full and happy life, is this something that would interest you? would this interest you at all?" like WOW what an existential crisis moment while you feel like you're running through a rainy field. man that hits yknow

ALSO i am emotionally attached to Documented Minor Emotional Breakdown #4. i dont know why but the first time i ever heard it my brain latched its claws onto it and now it wont fucking let go. so whenever i hear the guitar at the beginning i am Legally Obligated to belt out at the top of my lungs "I RESTORED YOUR MOTHER'S FAITH IN MEN WHILST BORING YOU TO DEATH LEFT NOTHING MORE THAN A CIRCLE OF STUBBLE RASH AROUND YOUR CHEST--"

AND!!!!!!!!! for flotsam also has a very special place in my heart. i love the lyrics in that one, particularly "summer of odd-numbered year" like. MY GUYS YOU ARE SO CREATIVE???? all of your football metaphors to describe your boredom and emotions. like i don't watch football but you go guys i think its so kickass. i love you los campesinos. also the bit where they go "flotsam, jetsam, and spindrift, all the girls i have loved, dumped to earth by a spendthrift, gilt angels from above" with the "aaaahhh" in the back and the very faint piano in the background that i can only hear when i'm listening to it with my gaming headphones on bc my gaming headphones have really good mid range. just AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH

AND WHAT DEATH LEAVES BEHIND TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 fun little fact this was the first song that i listened to when i first decided to listen to their discography all the way through. and let's just say that was a VERY good start because i was very impressed right off the bat. like "i was the first match struck at the first cremation, you are my shallow grave, I'll tend you as a sexton, if you're the casket door that's being slammed upon me, i'll be a plague cross painted on your naked body" LIKE HOLY SHIT. THATS SO EVOCATIVE. HOW DO YOU USE SO MANY METAPHORS AND BIG WORDS. THEYRE SO GOOD AT WORDS. i love listening to this one because it is so lyrically complex and yet it all goes together so well auuugghhhhhhhh

also since i started university recently, hung empty rings very near and dear to my heart. like the bit in the bridge that goes "my vision is fading, it's blurry, there are fingerprints all over the sun, we're glad to be loved but we're lonely and we feel like we're the only ones." like. that's the experience of moving out right there!!! i don't know where the fuck i am and i'm so lonely but it feels so bright and new and cinematic. this song Gets me on the most fundemental level it feels so very College-Esque

ALSOOOOOOO she crows!!!!!!!!!!!11 i LOVE she crows. someone inject this song into my veins Right This Fucking Instant. i need to live and breathe this song right now. just the instrumentals combined with the anthemic feel of the song really seals the feeling of looking back on your life and all of your mistakes and acknowledging that all of them brought you to where you are now. especially the end bit, i don't know why, but when it goes "big tip for the pretty girl waiting the IHOP, these blank napkins/unwritten suicide notes, it's dark inside these eyelids, blacker than the ink (squid)" it really feels like the end of the day. these are the lyrics that buzz like caffiene in your veins as you sit outside a dutchbros at eleven pm surrounded by the only people you feel like you can be yourself around. it's the feeling of cold biting at your skin while your heart feels warm and full. it feels like an open finale, the first time you smile in a long time, an acceptance of the complex beauty of life, that unforgettable moment when you realize that you wouldn't trade who you've become for the world

and CODA A BURN SCAR IN THE SHAPE OF THE SOONER STATE. I LOVE CODA SO MUCH AGH. PERFECT CRYING IN THE SHOWER SONG. like the lyric "an artist's impression of the manhattan skyline" will get me fucking SOBBING immediately. it feels like watching the world move on without you, the world a blur as you crumple inward under the weight of your emotions, a collapsing star in an endless void. and then obviously "i can't believe i chose the mountains every time you chose the sea" WOAH the SYMBOLISM i will just pass away right here in my dormitory with my headphones on. no sorry professor i can't write my essay i am unwell about the romance is boring album again. sorry yeah i'll be unavailable for 3-5 buisness weeks

but uh. yeah. los campesinos amirite???????????

[soup-of-the-daisies]

What are your favorite harry ships??

I am SO glad you asked. Harry is my fandom bicycle and the reason I count myself as a multi-shipper.

In general, I like my Harry-ships to be relatively ‘equal’, if that makes sense. Harry or the other character should be capable of holding their own; big power differences are not my cup of tea (though they can be intriguing and, dare I say it, hot). They can kick each other’s arses, is what I mean by that.

I also don’t mind a male Harry, female Harry, or NB Harry. I like ‘em all, just for clarification.

For the basics: both Drarry and Harmione are near and dear to my heart. Rivals-to-lovers and friends-to-lovers, my beloved. These ships feel comfortable and familiar, and they’re usually my go-to for post-canon fluff or hurt/comfort. (I also like Dramione and Romione btw. I know that’s not what you asked about but I’m just putting it out there.)

I’m also known to have indulged in Ronarry and Sirry (Sirius/Harry) on occasion. And with smaller characters: Harry/Theo Nott, Harry/Blaise Zabini, Harry/Daphne Greengrass, Harry/Viktor Krum, Harry/Cedric Diggory… yeah. Harry/Cho and Hinny are fine, but not ones I’d purposefully seek out. In time travel AUs, I genuinely, really like Harry/Orion Black—possibly because it reminds me of Prongsfoot.

Most importantly: my absolute favourite at the moment is Tomarry/Harrymort. I don’t know why—it just appeals to me. Harry’s my boy, and I actually quite like Voldemort’s character as a fully-rounded villain or annoying, emotionally constipated teenager. Christian Coulson as Tom Riddle had me (like many others) in a chokehold when I was little so Diary!Tom is Voldy-version I absolutely adore, but Silver Fox!Voldemort and Snakeymort I love as well. And again, this is as long as the power dynamics aren’t too fucked up (purely for my personal taste): other aspects can be Morally Wrong or Really Fucked Up and I’ll lick the plate clean lmao. I like it when Voldemort becomes ‘better’, I like it when Harry becomes ‘worse’… cleansing or corruption, both are good.

It’s something something soulmates, I suppose!! Their inherent connection, their similarities. Harry has the potential (!!!) to become an ‘equal’ in power to Voldemort eventually (provided he trains and studies) (the detail that Voldemort canonically has more magical power is why a lot of fix-it fics add that Harry had a ‘binding’ on his ‘magical core’ which limits the power he can put into something; either to prevent the horcrux from holding on too tightly or to make him easier to kill). Harry has, canonically, power over Voldemort in the way that he’s part of Voldemort. Their wand cores match as much as they can possibly match (feathers given by the same phoenix at the same time). Voldemort accidentally damned Harry to have a similar childhood as he did. They both see Hogwarts as their first home; they’re both half-bloods; they both didn’t feel like they truly belonged in both the muggle and magical world, though for varying reasons. Harry can understand Voldemort on a level that lies the latter bare and open, which is not something that Voldemort would ever want or appreciate. And the dichotomy between core parts of their personalities — Harry’s kindness, Voldemort’s cruelty — is delicious.

[zee-rambles]

I hope you're doing well, and thank you again or all you do to support Rise. It's so near and dear to me, and I've actually cried over it so many times now it's embarrassing... I really wish we were given the same treatment as other TMNT shows and not cut after just one and a half seasons...

I can’t tell you how much Rise means to me and how much it helped me without getting deeply personal. It’s been a long time since I genuinely enjoyed something to this degree. After Kingdom Hearts 3 ended, and disappointingly so, I didn’t think I’d find anything I’d enjoy, more then an “It’s all right,” feeling.

Sometimes you find something that was just plain magic, and that is Rise of the TMNT for me. So I definitely understand what you mean. I don’t think I’ve ever fought so hard for something before, tried to rally and scream and support as much as I can.

I can only hope that all my efforts make a difference. I can only hope that I inspired some people.

Thanks for your words. I often feels like I’m a part of a dwindling army. I can only hope that a bunch of new voices join us, that Mutant Mayhem will inspire fandoms to come together. To prove that new and old fans can stand together, to make up for what the older TMNT fans did to Rise fans. To bring Rise back against the haters, against all odds.

Who knows?

Hope is a ninja’s greatest weapon.

[darkmatter-nebula]

Colli and Baba moments

Hello, my dear @importantnightwerewolf! 👋😊

Thanks for the request!

This takes place between the events of O' Titan Where Art Thou and the events of my "Lost But Now Found" AU One-Shot for Watching And Dreaming "Belos' Demise And A New Era Of Peace".

Drabble: Baba And Their Little Songbird

To say that Raine Whispers, the Bard Coven Head, was excited to properly engage in a conversation with a certain small starboy with otherwordly fluffy lavender hair and a heart as pure as freshly fallen snow would be a massive understatement!

Colli already was incredible dear to them! Colli's voice was absolutely lovely! Raine, who secretly witnessed Colli singing to himself some time ago, had a nickname for the kindhearted eternal little boy. He was their Little Songbird.

.

.

.

The Day of Unity was near. Only a few days until Raine's precious Little Songbird had something important to do. Only Colli was powerful enough to stop the Draining Spell. The Emporer found this wretched spell in a very ancient scroll many centuries ago.

Speaking of Colli, the cosmic little boy was floating around in the CATTS hideout. He had a concerned expression on his adorable multi-colored face. "Everything is going to be alright, Colli." Raine said softly as they put tenderly their hand on the blue side of Colli's sweet face.

"Are you sure, Baba?" Raine.EXE had stopped working as Colli referred to them for the first time as his Baba. The bard needed a little moment to recover. Then, they caressed lovingly their son's freckled cheek. "Yes, Little Songbird."

.

.

.

Raine knew that Colli would succeed! They were relieved as the Draining Spell finally came to an end. They were sure that it was Colli who moved the moon. What they didn't know yet was, that Colli's heart was broken after being separated from a certain young Grimwalker...

.

.

.

Colli, who was working on a new Portal to the Human Realm, was exhausted. He overworked himself and he had many sleepless nights. Raine used their bard magic to gently put him to sleep. Raine carried their son to bed and tucked him in.

.

.

.

Colli was finally genuinely happy again after being reunited with his beloved big brother. Raine felt their heart swell upon noticing the bright smile on Colli's adorable multi-colored face. 'Titan, he is getting cuter every single day!' Raine thought.

.

.

.

The former Emporer finally met his demise! This man couldn't hurt Colli ever again! Raine decided to write a song about their brave son. The immortal celestial boy helped to defeat the goopy puritan. Colli had used his magic to tie up Kaiju!Belos' mouth with pink bindings, to protect everyone from the hyperbeams, after all.

To the Boiling Isles citizens, Colli was a hero, whom they all wanted as their new Emporer. Raine couldn't blame these people. The bard knew that Colli would rule with love, compassion and kindness. His heart was pure, despite everything he had gone through.

The End

[ariannadi]

Return and Proceed (1/2)

Can also be read on Ao3

ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻ੈ✩‧₊˚

Being that she was too enthralled with the building she’d happened upon in the middle of the Lower City, Sitri didn’t notice Astarion approaching. When she didn’t respond to his greeting, the vampire’s eyes curiously shifted between the woman and her fixation.

"Is everything alright, dear?" he asked of his lover, and though his voice was low, it still managed to jolt the half-elf from her reverie.

"Huh, what?" Sitri answered, holding a hand to her chest as she eyed him. Astarion just tutted, and came to stand beside her.

"You certainly were lost in thought just now," the elf commented, and peered upon the building in front of them once again. "Something to do with this place?"

"It's..." Sitri started, then sighed. "This is my home. Where I resided before all of… this."

"Your school?" Astarion questioned in slight surprise, as she had briefly covered her origins to him and the others one evening near the campfire when they were all still getting acquainted with one another. That conversation felt like a lifetime ago at this point.

"It wasn't just a school," Sitri snorted. "Mankar, my mentor, took me in from the streets as a child and raised me here - teaching me about magic in the process. I had other colleagues and aspiring roommates over the years, yes, but at the end of it all it was just me and him. I was his daughter, for all intents and purposes. He's the one that taught me that there is still good in this world." Her eyes moved to Astarion as she said this, knowing he himself was still unconvinced on the matter.

Other people don't have a heart like you. You're you. No one is like that.

"So... what's holding you back from going inside?" Astarion asked, sounding genuinely perplexed by whatever it was that had her hesitating. 

"I... I'm not sure honestly," Sitri answered, kicking at the gravel beneath her feet. "I'm not the same person I was when I lived here—you know, the quiet, studious one who kept to herself most days. Not by a longshot. I suppose I'm... afraid of what they'll think of me now."

Astarion nearly scoffed at that, and turned to look at her with a stern expression. "You're afraid of them learning what an absolutely amazing individual you are? Come now, darling. Anyone would be proud to know someone like you, believe me. When they hear of all you've done for complete strangers... for me..."

"Astarion..." Sitri breathed, stepping into him when he reached for her and smiling when he left a soft kiss to her forehead. 

"You can do this,” he said in encouragement, cupping her warm cheek in his hand. "I'll accompany you the entire time, if you'd like. And fill in the blanks when you don't feel like answering."

"Will you be the one to tell my mentor and the others about the tadpoles still wriggling around in our skulls, then?" she teased, and Astarion just huffed.

"As soon as we get the 'your apprentice slash colleague just-so-happens to be in a relationship with me, a vampire,' part out of the way," he contested with a smirk, to which Sitri laughed, finally relaxing her shoulders.

-------------------------------------------------------

Her home had always been open to those who had the desire to study the intricacies of the Weave - Mankar had made sure of that. She and Astarion were able to enter the building without incident, with not a soul around to intervene.

"Well... the security could use some improvement," Astarion commented in an unimpressed tone, and Sitri rolled her eyes. 

"Everyone's likely in their rooms, studying. You should know by now that us wizard types don't generally socialize unless we're comparing notes."

"Ha! Yes, I do recall practically begging you to come have a drink and chitter-chat in those early days. Though... the quiet, relaxed evenings filled with nothing but the sound of turning pages... well, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't beginning to grow fond of that, as well."

Sitri smiled at that, only to stop dead in her tracks as she came to stand in front of an expansive archway blocked only by heavy curtains. 

“This… is my mentor’s study,” she explained, swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat. 

“Well, go on, then,” Astarion gently nudged, and Sitri nodded. Taking a deep breath, she went to push at the curtains before proceeding inside.

Everything looked just as it had before she’d been whisked away; the same bookshelves lining the walls, the same velvet chaises basking in the sunlight coming in through the glass windowpanes (perfect for afternoon reading), the same smell of aging paper and dust. The only difference was that the space felt a lot… smaller, than it had before. 

And there at his desk sat Mankar, hunched over his scrolls in a manner she had berated him about thousands of times, looking older despite already having been. Just how much had her disappearance worn on him?

“Master Mankar?” she called out, and even though her voice was quiet, it still managed to give the man a start. He looked up towards where she and Astarion stood in the entryway, and his face went through fifteen different emotions at once.

"It can't be..." he choked out, then shakily rose from his desk. "Sitri? Is that really you?”

"Yes, it's me," Sitri, suddenly feeling tears in her eyes, replied. She took a cautious step forward, then another.

“But… I saw you get snatched up by that nautiloid that came barreling through the city,” Mankar attempted to reason with her, or perhaps himself. “How is it you’re standing here? Have I finally lost my senses?”

“I certainly hope not,” Sitri laughed wetly. “My survival… it’s a long and very complex story. You’ll definitely want to sit down.”

“I… yes, of course,” her mentor answered, and heavily plopped himself down on the nearest chaise - encouraging Sitri to do the same. Though he’d been standing behind her the entire time, Mankar finally noticed Astarion in the doorway, and raised a brow. “Who’s this pale fellow?”

“This is Astarion. He’s um… well, he’s actually my partner,” Sitri replied, turning towards the elf in question. She reached out to him with a smile, which he reciprocated as he gingerly took her hand. “I met him shortly after escaping the nautiloid… which, I suppose is where the tale begins…”

Sitri recounted to her mentor all that had occurred since being abducted; from the dormant tadpoles in her and her companion’s skulls to saving the Grove and its tiefling refugees from a fortress full of goblins. The encounter with Auntie Ethel (and subsequent re-encounter), meeting Jaheira and the Harpers at Last Light Inn, discovering who exactly The Emperor was, storming Moonrise Towers and revealing the extent of the Absolute plot; Sitri didn’t leave out a single detail.

Mankar absorbed it all in stride - only asking the occasional question when he needed clarification. When Sitri had finished explaining it all, he simply sat in thought for a time.

“My gods, girl. You quite literally have been to hells and back, haven’t you?” he finally muttered with a huff of laughter - though pity was laced in between each word. “In some cases it sounds like ceremorphosis would’ve been a kinder fate. Though, I am relieved you've managed to avoid it all the same.”

"Yes, the thought of sprouting tentacles still doesn't sit well with me," Sitri responded through a smirk. "Anyhow... I knew I needed to come and see you once I had the chance - just so you knew I was at the very least still alive."

"A gesture I appreciate more than you can possibly fathom," Mankar sighed, and leaned forward, taking Sitri's hands in his. "I was beside myself with worry - and then, dread. When you were snatched up, I immediately took to my books and attempted to see if there was by any chance a reverse to becoming a mind flayer, but found nothing. Then suddenly I was hearing word about an elder brain roaming just outside the city and wondered when I would inevitably come face to face with you as an illithid."

"I can't say that particular outcome isn't still a possibility, but I fully intend to avoid it all the same," Sitri replied, her expression completely serious. Looking back towards the entryway, she twisted her lips just the slightest bit. "I suppose I had better go see everyone else. Catch them up on everything as well."

"Shall I join you, darling?" Astarion butted in, not subtle whatsoever in his not wanting to be left alone with her parental figure.

"Actually, lad; I would speak with you, if you don't mind." Mankar insisted. When Astarion was about to protest, he continued, "I am rather curious about the individual who's managed to steal my Sitri's heart, you see."

"I... well... uh," Astarion stuttered, and looked at Sitri pleadingly. 

"Mankar, don't push him," the half-elf said to her mentor with a look. "Astarion, if you'd rather join me you can tag along. I don't mind."

Astarion blinked and pursed his lips, before settling back into the chaise with a sigh. "No, I... I actually think it would do good to speak with him. Go on and mingle with your cohorts."

Sitri rose a brow at that, half-expecting Astarion to bolt out of the building. But she didn't press. "Alright. I shouldn't be too long."

----------------------------------------------------------

Her colleagues were, understandably, confused at her sudden appearance, but otherwise they had taken Sitri's return well. A majority wanted to (enthusiastically) run tests on her to see just what kind of specimen it was that took up residence in her skull, but she had quickly nipped that in the bud.

Gods was I that insufferable once?

She descended the staircase leading back down towards Mankar's study, only to catch the tail-end of the conversation he was having with Astarion. Instead of interrupting, she took pause to listen in, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"My heart broke when I saw her sitting there on the cold, dank street, trying to conjure just the tiniest flame from the scroll she had likely stolen. She was badly bruised and dressed in rags. She had to have been no more than eight years. I knelt to her level and asked her if she would like me to show her how to cast the spell, and she nodded. The way her eyes lit up as the magic unfurled is a sight I will never forget. I asked her if she would like to come home with me, where I could teach her magic of all kinds, and she agreed. Since then, she's lived here, taking care of this old fool and providing a sort of mentorship to anyone who stumbles through our door."

"You really did show her a kindness that most wouldn't even consider," she heard Astarion comment thoughtfully. "I can see why she is the way she is; wanting to help every soul who has fallen into misfortune."

"Ah, but, I wouldn't have known just how much of a hero I had raised had she not been whisked away," Mankar rebutted, and Sitri could hear the smile in his voice. "She was perfectly content to keep to herself before any of this nonsense. Though I'd rather it never happened, it does make my heart happy to see how much she's flourished."

Sitri chose then to re-enter Mankar's study, before he delved a little too far into her personal history. The last thing she needed was him revealing to Astarion that she occasionally still wet the bed up until she was about ten years old.

”Ah, Sitri. How did the catching up go?” Mankar asked. The half-elf shrugged, and took her spot next to Astarion once again.

“They were more interested in my affliction than my being alive, I think. But, I suppose that’s to be expected.” Turning to Astarion, she said, “I hope my dear mentor didn’t leave you too scandalized with his interrogation.”

"On the contrary; he's a rather pleasant fellow," Astarion replied. One who I owe for someone as incredible as you, he then voiced to Sitri through the tadpole's connection. The way his eyes carefully drew her in had Sitri drowning in their depths; she wouldn't be surprised if her pale elf insisted on stealing her away after their visit.

"Ah, but I'm afraid this pleasant fellow is about to be slightly melancholy," Mankar sighed out of the blue, getting his guests' attention with his change in demeanor. "I don't suppose you'll be returning here once all is said and done, will you, Sitri?"

"No. I don't think so," the rose-haired woman answered without hesitation. "I've seen so much of this world now that I don't think I can go back to simply perusing it in books. I know I wouldn't be content. Besides," she breathed, and squeezed Astarion's hand, "I think we'll be setting off again after all of this is over, should we survive."

We will? Astarion asked telepathically.

I fully intend on finding a way for you to walk in the sun again, once the tadpole is gone.

Sitri...

Mankar nodded, staring towards the floor with a dejected expression he attempted (and failed) to conceal. “Well. I suppose I shouldn’t have expected anything else. Even so, part of me selfishly hoped.” 

“I’m sorry,” Sitri told him sorrowfully, but her mentor just sighed, and put on his best smile for her—the very one he would use when she, back in the day as both a child and aspiring wizard, grew frustrated with herself and the pace of her studies.

”You have nothing to apologize for, my dear,” Mankar said sincerely. “I just hope you’ll come and visit whenever you have the chance. And you, lad,” he directed to Astarion, “Take good care of her. She’s quite special, you know.”

”I do,” Astarion answered, gazing fondly at his beloved, who couldn’t help but smile. “And I will. I swear it.”

”Good,” replied Mankar, satisfied with the elf’s response. “Now, go and save the city, and make this old man proud, hm?”

[saltylittlecreature]

Okay, the inspirations of the Copper and gunpowder idea

I have some ideas stirring in my head for a little while listening to some videos. So I'm contemplating how certain people work in the setting, alongside inspirations and sources I primarily used. So while those ideas are cooking, I'm Gonna list out my inspirations for this setting, so if anyone wants to do something with it, they'll know some places to draw from if they're interested (This List may expand in the future, please keep this in mind).

Insperations

The Bronze Age: The basis of the setting with many of its technologies embedded in it. It is quite blatant in some of the setting's areas. Although I see it as early into it, I do often pull from it's later histories.

The Copper Age: It was the transition between the Neolithic and Bronze Ages. I dare say it holds some of the primary foundations for many towns.

The Pirates of the Caribbean: Although not by any means traditional, curses and magic in general in this setting are the primary focuses on deals or magic items. There's always a price. For those reading this in an RPG community, think of it like a warlock pack, or artificer. if you want to run this in a system that doesn't work like that, it could be possible more stereotypical magic like wizards or bards will possibly be Trail Blazers, people who are exploring new ways of magic.

Shadow Runer: This could be a bit out of left field, but it's largely from the fact that magic came back and is slowly growing. The very presence of magic is coming back to the world. With enchantment, spirits, and god-kings just being the most recent results. The magic will only grow as time goes on.

Ancient Greek Mythology: This is Cleshay, I know, but it just has so much to pull from. Granted, this is more jumping up points and inspiration of certain elements. I also pull upon Greek mythology because Mikanain Greece is wrapped in here, including bits and pieces of what we know about their mythology. For Example, how Posiden was both king of the earth and underworld and leader of the pantheon (Hadies didn't exist, but Persephone did. Or how Arimiss is present, but Apolo isn't. Or for more recent Greek mythology, how Apollo and Artemis weren't associated with the sun and moon, they had their own gods and myths about them. It's genuinely cool to study to me).

Epic the musical: Yes yes, clearly. But the music of the Epic albums has earned their name ten times over in my opinion. Not to mention has a really good story, and is based on the oddisy. Which as a mythology nerd, is near and dear to my heart. Alongside the songs being a vibe. (The inspiration is both the toll of war on soldiers, the gods having personality, and monsters having one hell of a vibe).

OverlySarcasticProductions: They have so much to draw from, that it be a waste not to include them. The humor and writing advice are very fun to look over and listen to as these are written. At the very least they're worth a good listen.

American Gods: It is something a little strange, but I really enjoy the idea that the more faith a deity has, the more power they get. So even though it is largely animistic, the more faith they get, the more power they get as a result, this doubles for epithets.

[whimsyswastry]

Snippet Sunday (on a Sunday!!!)

Tagged by the prolific @satashiiwrites 💛

Here's a (rather long) snippet from the first chapter of my Dragon Age Inquisition prequel, Unharrowed. A story near and dear to my heart. I didn't do it justice the first time through and after a five year hiatus, finally started drafting my next attempt.

The streets of Kirkwall were rarely a pleasant experience, but whenever the caravan of traveling merchants came through, it became a slog just to move from one end of the street to the other. Ellaria weaved her way through the crowd, gently pushing past the nobles willing to debase themselves by shopping in Lowtown. She scratched at her neck when she saw her. 

Atheneril. 

Ellaria batted the irritation away when the elven smuggler rolled her eyes when they alighted on Ellaria breaking through the crowd.

"I don't have any," Atheneril said by way of greeting.

"I haven't even asked!"

Ellaria's cheeks heated when the smuggler's eyes raked up and down her form.  Her tone softened, "I can tell by the look of you that you've been out for a while; sorry, girl. I don't have any."

"You don't have any like you didn't have any jobs last week? Or you genuinely don't have any?" Ellaria failed at keeping the bite out of her question. They'd had a similar discussion last week when Ellaria came looking for magebane. Of course, the smuggler had had the rare powder then, but Ellaria was strapped for cash. She was always strapped for cash. They'd agreed that she would do smuggling jobs each week for a small amount of the red powdered plant. But without a job in need of doing, Ellaria had nothing to offer Atheneril.

"I didn't have any jobs last week," Atheneril insisted, crossing her arms over her chest.

Ellaria knew better than to open that argument back up, even though she'd heard the woman give a job to some guy she called Hawke just seconds after she walked away. "There's gotta be something you can do." She pressed her lips together as her mind raced. "I know! Tell me where the plant grows and I'll get get it myself. I'll keep what I need, and everything else I'll give to you. Free of charge."

Atheneril laughed, a humorless and cruel sound. "One, you're my most consistent customer. I'm not about to give away trade secrets that will lose me money in the end. And two, it's deep in elven territory. You won't get within five kilometers of it without being turned into a human pincushion." 

Ellaria opened her mouth to argue, but Atheneril lifted her hand to silence her. "Sorry, kid. Nothing I can do. Check back next week." The smuggler melted into the crowd. Ellaria had no hope of following her. 

She swore colorfully as she turned away from the crowd and kicked at crumbling stone wall nearby.

"Never heard a lady say anything like that before!"

Ellaria turned toward the voice to find a tall, blond man with a charming smile standing with...with Hawke!

"You stole my job!"

Hawke gaped at her, confusion clear on his face. He easily dodged the small brunette as she lunged twoard him. 

The blond man with the charming smile grabbed her around the waist, quick to let her go when she stopped struggling. "You stole her job?"

Ellaria explained the mishap with Athenril and Hawke tipped his head back, letting out a rumbling laugh. "What?" she asked, seething at his disregard for her situation.

"You wanted what? Dust? I was providing for my family."

The blond stepped between them again, holding a hand up at Hawke. "I don't--"

"Dust? Lyrium?" Ellaria's eyes flashed. "I was not looking for lyrium!" She gestured angrily at Hawke who's lips were quirked in an irritating smile. Lightening wreathed her wrists, drawing shocked looks from both men before she shoved them deep in her pockets. She inhaled slowly, resisting the urge to look around, desperate to know if anyone else had seen her magic slip.

"Interesting..." Hawke murmured, his attention turning to the blond. "Anders?"

Anders's face looked like a child's on Satinalia. "You! Oh, you!" He rushed to Ellaria, taking her hand in his face, and pressing a chaste kiss to the top of her head. 

Ellaria shoved him as she snarled. "What is wrong with you?"

He ignored the fiery question, instead saying, "You went to Athenril for magebane, didn't you?"

She leaned back on her heels, arms folded across her chest. She said nothing, only waiting for the man to explain himself. She raised her eyebrows, cold silver eyes boring into him. 

"Come inside," he said, reaching toward her with one arm and gesturing toward a nearby tavern. The Hanged Man. "Fewer ears to overhear."

"Fine." She stepped away from the hand that ghosted over her back but followed Anders and Hawke into the tavern.

She'd seen The Hanged Man; knew all about it. But the reputation it held for a dirty bar with few options for drink and even fewer for food had kept her from visiting on the rare event she had coin to spare. Not to mention the frequent stories she heard about the brawls involving the whole establishment. She'd barely passed through the door when she realized everything she'd heard about the tavern hadn't only been correct but had been underselling the seediness of the locale. 

"It's...lovely," she said, her nose crinkling at the smell of stale beer and unwashed patrons.

"It's home," Anders said, that charming smile returned.

[shrimpmandan]

I honestly don’t talk enough about being a lit RPer on here enough, especially considering it’s such a large part of my identity / contributed to me discovering my identity. Roleplaying is the reason I got into writing. Roleplaying is the reason I got into art. Roleplaying is the reason I met my closest friend group. Roleplaying is how I realized I was LGBT, mentally ill, and how I processed my trauma.

My oldest character-- Zach, who I’ve posted and talked about on a few occasions-- is near and dear to my heart. He literally predicted everything about me-- or more accurately, I subconsciously projected myself into him before realizing consciously who I was. I was like 11 or 12 when I made him. I had no idea that I was bisexual, or a man, or that I held sadistic tendencies due to my trauma. But Zach gave me an outlet to just... express that. Even though he’s his own character, I do genuinely consider him to be an extension of myself in some way. A representation of my soul, even if I don’t believe in those kinds of things. I’ve made other characters since that I’ve grown attached to or who I project onto in other ways, definitely, but none of them capture the magic Zach did for me, nor can I play them as naturally and as immersed.

One of the RPs I’m doing with him takes place in a Pokemon Mystery Dungeon AU (yes, he’s a Pokemon character) wherein he helps fake the death of a wanted criminal and sociopath/narcissist in exchange for sexual favors and companionship. And this obviously toxic and contractual relationship eventually grows into them both being better people. I’ve woken up in the morning thinking about them, genuinely ECSTATIC to continue their plotline, and I don’t think I’ve been this invested in an RP... ever. Maybe even a story in general. I just get so engrossed in it, staying up late at night, and that’s how we get here, with me rambling my heart out at 4 in the morning to people who are likely completely oblivious to the whole online roleplay scene.

Roleplay allows me to be vulnerable. To explore dark, taboo concepts and express my most emotionally broken facets. It’s about unleashing my creativity and creating something with someone that goes above and beyond what I can write just on my own time, by myself. It’s improv. Real-time brainstorming. Gushing about what’s going on to someone who shares the same enthusiasm, bouncing ideas off of each other and creating something that feels real and human because it both is and it isn’t. There’s been times I’ve tried to translate Zach to a more isolated medium like fanfiction, but he really, really is not a fanfiction character. It’s not the same experience. There’s no authenticity to the reactions to this eccentric, mentally unstable character when I already know him inside and out. I cannot write a character being genuinely offput by him when his behavior is so normal to me. But someone else can. He needs another person to thrive-- both in an IC context, and OOC. He’s dependent by design. And by my hand he could end up alone like he fears.

[tiffanyrandallstuff]

Building Lasting Connections: The Power of Events in Nurturing Relationships

Hey there, fellow relationship builders! Let’s talk about something near and dear to my heart – the magic of events. Whether it's a conference, workshop, seminar, or even a casual networking meetup, events have this incredible ability to foster genuine c

Hey there, fellow relationship builders! Let’s talk about something near and dear to my heart – the magic of events. Whether it’s a conference, workshop, seminar, or even a casual networking meetup, events have this incredible ability to foster genuine connections among attendees. And you know what that means, right? Yep, you guessed it – long-term relationships and juicy business…

[mysticmusingg]

Embracing Change: The Magic of Home and Shared Moments

Once again, I found myself at his house, a place that holds countless memories of our time together. It was here that we forged a deep connection, sharing intimate conversations, laughter, and tears. This house became our sanctuary, a home away from home, where we experienced the joys and challenges of life side by side. As I sat there, a rush of nostalgia washed over me, knowing that our time in this place was coming to an end. During our meeting today, we engaged in open and honest conversations about our feelings. I expressed my emotions, sharing my sadness and anticipation of missing him.  While he may not readily express his emotions, I know deep down that he will miss me too. We reminisced about the day we met, our first conversations, and how our connection gradually grew into a beautiful relationship. Each moment we discussed held profound significance, further reinforcing the depth of our bond.

As we sat near the window, with the rain pouring outside, we shared a cigarette and engaged in a heartfelt conversation. In that moment, I realized the immense comfort he brought to my life. Despite the impending separation, being by his side felt like home. We discussed our hopes, fears, and dreams, and the genuine connection we shared. किसी ने सही ही कहा है "कुछ लोगों के साथ सिर्फ वक्त बिताने से सब कुछ सही हो जाता", and this conversation actually made everything feel right.

In an unexpected twist, we found ourselves driving in the rain, an experience neither of us particularly enjoyed. We laughed and embraced the simplicity of the situation, finding joy even in something we typically disliked. It was a testament to the magic of our friendship, how we could create beautiful memories even in unexpected circumstances. As our meeting neared its end, a mix of emotions overwhelmed us. We both understood that change and distance awaited us the following day. The thought of leaving him and the familiarity of his house left an ache in my heart. Yet, I also recognized that love knows no boundaries. Our connection is strong enough to withstand the physical separation, and I am committed to nurturing our friendship despite the miles that will soon separate us.

Today's meeting served as a bittersweet reminder of the beauty and impermanence of life. We shared laughter, tears, and expressed our hopes and fears. In the face of imminent change, I deeply appreciate the memories we have created and the friendship we have cultivated.Our time together in this house holds a special place in my heart. It was here that we came close, sharing numerous conversations, cooking for each other, finding solace in each other's embrace, shedding tears, and sharing laughter. This house became a home, a sanctuary where our friendship blossomed. Though challenges may lie ahead, I choose to embrace change with an open heart and trust that our paths will cross again someday.

Our friendship has taught me that farewells mark new beginnings. As I bid farewell to my dear friend and boyfriend, I will hold onto the cherished memories we have shared and the love that binds us. In this journey called life, friendships are the threads that weave a tapestry of beautiful moments and valuable lessons. So, as I embark on this new chapter, I will continue to embrace change, treasure the memories, and foster meaningful friendships that transcend time and distance. 

[necrosin]

❝ naturally, ❞ y'shtola says easily because she is awe-inspiring, herself, one can hardly say that she's especially MODEST in regards to her talents and whatnot. she's always been quite content with her own easy confidence, even when it verges on outright arrogance. life is far too trying to have lack of confidence, and it's hardly as though she would have survived a whole childhood and adolescence in master matoya's care if she had been a wilting flower. she rather doubts that matoya would have had the patience to deal with her were she anything but naturally inclined to her own assuredness. ❝ the pair of us being awe-inspiring is hardly mutually exclusive, minfilia, ❞ still, she can't help but grin beneath the flattery, because for as boldly intrepid as she may be, who doesn't appreciate a kind word every now and then? ❝ still, this sharlyan vision is in good company with the ul'dahn beauty. ❞

to y'shtola, minfilia is practically a wellspring in the midst of a desert. wise and wholly lovely to a fault and idealistic enough that to many it may seem ABSURD, and certainly was to the narrowminded at large, though to y'shtola it was simply glorious. perhaps it was a consequence of her upbringing, or perhaps it was instead a side effect of her general displeasure with how so many conducted themselves once when returned to general society and henceforth became an archon —— people were terribly dull, and even worse : excessively stubborn and incapable of seeing any opinion but the one that they had been fed all of their lives. MINFILIA WAS DIFFERENT, headstrong and genuinely goodhearted and wondrous to behold. y'shtola catches minfilia's thumb beneath her own teasingly, pleased despite herself that she had been correct in what would make minfilia frown, though fleetingly disappointed to see that easy joy depart for all but a moment. ❝ you know, i've always thought you've hardly enough protection here, ❞ it's not a constant anxiety by any means, but it occurred to her every now and then, that should an enemy descend and none of them be near, what would become of their leader? ❝ especially since you play your role excellently. ❞

there's hardly enough of them to constantly protect her, however. one day, perhaps, but there's simply no feasible way to manage a constant and powerful guard with their numbers. ❝ we shall have to tread onwards, then, if you wish to see me at my leisure quite as much as i wish to see you in such a state, ❞ how so very optimistic, to think that they'll see such a day —— but life cannot be eternally this way, can it? there must be an end, one day. minfilia must be able to rest, eventually. y'shtola knows she will continue on until such a time comes, sure as the beat of her heart, sure as the magic in her veins, sure as the way that she softens in response to the shift of minfilia's tone / she feels an almost hopeless fondness stir in her chest, tucked beside her heart, something that felt warm as the sun, gently aglow. ❝ oh, it is, isn't it? ❞ she says around a sigh / drops her own lofty tone in response and she covers minfilia's hand with her other, hold sure and steady, and for all that she's unsure of her own capability to reveal the whole of herself to anyone at all ( ... ) well. ❝ fret not, dear minfilia. you are one of the very few who is so honored as to be considered in my confidence. ❞

Y'shtola may not get her exact wish, but she does get a reaction from the Antecedent: A playfully bashful glance aside as the smile on her lips tugs a bit wider, her free hand raising so she can push some of her bangs behind her ear. It's so silly, she thinks, dreaming of being old. Minfilia has seen so many lives cut short before her very eyes that it may, indeed, be a truly foolish hope. But with a friend so wholly consumed by care so close by, she finds that she can't be bothered to dwell on her far-off future beyond the honeyed compliments that she feels so instinctually called to refute. "Awe-inspiring is much more fitting to yourself, think you not?" A sly sparkle lights in her eyes as she suppresses a proper cackle that desires nothing more than to accompany her teasing words. "The wise and glorious Sharlayan vision who so graciously accepts visits from her oldest acquaintances."

Her brow does furrow once more, too, as she smooths her thumb over Y'shtola's knuckles gently, matching the softness there with care. Minfilia knows how she appears to others: A small woman, a talented speaker, but unrealistically inclined leader, an overgrown Ul'dahn waif. Next to her others, Minfilia often feels like a blemish. A Blessing alone has given her the power she has and she must not waste it. But Y'shtola, she — she — "I'd rather you not agonize. I'm hardly in any danger here, unlike the rest of you. I must play my part the best I can." She tries to smile once more, her limitless hope propping it up. "But I should like to see you that way," she chuckles under her breath, leaning forward to hold Y'shtola's elegant hand in both of her own, "in your element, searching for another revelation in texts rather than being forced to weather the flames of conflict."

The Archon has always reminded Minfilia of desert roses, the kind that blossom far from paths of commerce and hide away, their hardy roots and resilient stems giving life to the most delicate of blossoms — Beauty and strength intertwined to thrive in the harshest of climes. Oft she's admired them while mining, never daring to approach them as she has her dearest friend. But Minfilia also fears that this idea may have made her blind before to Y'shtola's struggles. No strength is boundless, not even that of one she so regards and reveres. "As a confidant of mine," she begins tenderly, quiet, taking on the tone of one admitting a secret, "I hope I am also one of yours. Agonizing on one's own is an exhausting business." Please let me care for you.

[shotorozu]

you like their hands

character(s) : shinsou hitoshi, kirishima eijirou, monoma neito (2/?)

legend : [Y/N = your name] they/them pronouns, quirk left unmentioned

post type : headcanons + small scenario [fluff, the mildest of spice] not even nsfw

note(s) : i was gonna put denki in this but i had a hard time thinking about what kinda hands he’d have, so i’m putting him in the next post

»»————-　♡　————-��«

shinsou hitoshi

his hands are big, and his fingers are quite thick.

really likes wearing rings and bracelets, but he usually doesn’t wear them when he’s working (i’d say that bc wearing jewelry while doing physical activity HURTS)

regarding texture, his hands were initially soft— but due to transferring in the hero course, they roughened up over time

he’ll use hand cream if you want, but he doesn’t go the extra mile. and his nails are trimmed at all times. painting his nails a black color would be great once in a while.

lol i forgot to mention nails in the last post

he notices right away that you like his hands when he catches you staring at them when he’s cracking his knuckles

like.. people have said that his hands are nice, but he doesn’t really say much about them bc they’re not you

scenario

a crack sound is briefly heard in the rather silent room. the scrolling on your phone halts, and your eyes follow the sound of the crack.

ah, he’s cracking his knuckles. you think to yourself, and you’re left just simply admiring the way he applies pressure on a knuckle. who knew that his rather— large hand would look appealing, even while cracking his knuckles.

you snap out of your observation, but instead of just simply going back to whatever you were doing, you’re met with lilac eyes. “you were staring again.”

your cheeks heat up, and you opt to just turn your head to the opposite direction. “sorry,” you apologize. however— that’s not what hitoshi was looking for apparantly.

“if you like my hands alot,” he scoots next to you, hands sliding up and down your arms— his firm grip practically making the pre existing butterflies in your stomach act up again. “then you should’ve said so, kitty.”

is he conscious of his actions? hm. you could say that

he’ll purposely play with his capture tool right in front of you— the material wrapping around his hand. and he can only laugh when you immediately get absorbed into it

the back of his hand will brush against your cheek. then, when he comes in to kiss you, he’ll cup your cheek— kissing you with his other hand resting at your nape

under the table, his hand will start to slide against yours, interlocking hands with you. he’ll act like nothing is happening, but on the inside— he’s taking in your reaction

a little spicy, but when he wants you to look at him— he’ll do that thing where his thumb brushed against your bottom lip, as it almost dips right into your mouth

if he feels a little extra, his hand will also be tugging on your hair (if you’re fine with that. otherwise, he’s sticking to the one above)

oh and he also does that thing where he rests his hand on your neck, thick fingers squeezing your throat lightly.

overall— THIS MAN omg, he’ll entertain your interest in his hand nicely, just for you. and every single thing he does is memorable

kirishima eijirou

his hands are quite normal regarding size, they are almost always veiny, a lot more than bakugou’s actually. i think at some point he was concerned about them

his hands are rather flushed in color, but that’s because of his quirk. his fingers have a few tiny scars here and there,

he occasionally has pen marks on his wrists due to bad penmanship, and his nails.. don’t look the best, but they’re not the worst it’s bc of his quirk

the palms of his hands are ridden with callouses. but he wears them with pride because it’s the pure evidence of his hard work with his training.

but he starts to get worried about them when he goes to hold your hand.

you always had a thing for kirishima’s hands, but you just never had the chance to tell him that. i guess asking you did it for him

scenario

did you even realize how hard you were staring at his hands right now? it happened every single time he enlaced his arms around you, his hands resting at the sides of your arms

at first, he thought it might’ve been because his hands are too rough, or you might’ve been in discomfort— because maybe, just maybe, he accidentally activated his quirk?

the fact that he can’t exactly tell what it is worried him, maybe he should just ask you.

but his worry washed off when you told him upfront that you ‘liked his hands’

“wait so.. you’re staring at my hands because you like them?” kirishima wants to confirm your words, and— so casually, by the way— nod in agreement.

tracing the veins on his hands, you elaborate “your hands are really nice, i can tell how hard you must’ve worked.” pressing your smaller hand against his, you smile.

eijirou takes a moment to process it, but it’s surprisingly quick. “oh t-thanks!” he sheepishly took the compliment, a small blush sporting on his cheeks. “i’m glad it wasn’t because you thought they were weird.”

kirishima unintentionally feeds your interest with his hands. like sometimes.. he’s just not aware of it, but yes— he is feeding your interest well

will always make you compare hand sizes with him, chuckling softly at the dazed look on your face when your palms touch

if you allow him, he’ll fix your hair for you. doesn’t matter what hair type you have, he’ll do LOTS of research to know how to style it

those hands are magical

if you get a papercut, or a wound from cooking— he’ll patch you up, then he’ll press a kiss on the bandaid.

he’ll do this thing where he’ll squeeze your sides when you pull in for a hug. but if you’re not okay with that, he’ll opt to just rubbing your back with his hand— rocking you softly as he hugs you

a little spicy, but his hands do wander a lot. you might need to even hold them in place to make sure they don’t go too wild

in addition to that, he’ll just SLIGHTLY, activate his quirk to make sure you’re conscious of his touch. his finger tips gliding against your back, sending shivers down your spine.

but of course, he’s careful. he doesn’t activate it to the point it causes scratch marks, nor will his actions draw blood. he doesn’t wanna do that

in short— kirishima’s a little clueless at first. he wouldn’t really tease you in public, but he’s surprisingly attentive to your interest.

monoma neito

his hands are on the tipping edge of slightly above average. he doesn’t have a lot of veins on his hands, but they do pop out depending on what quirk he’s using

monoma’s hands are pretty spotless of any scars (from cuts, abrasions, etc.) because he gets REALLY annoyed with wounds pretty easily

to the point he’d want to attend to the wound immediately, he doesn’t let them sit— it’s just a personal preference

his nails are at the perfect length. not too long and not too short to the point it hurts, you don’t know how he does it.

wears watches on his wrists, and not the digital type— he sorta acts like he can read it easily, but it takes him a few seconds to even get to know the time

you know this because kendo snitched on him and told you LOL

you secretly hate yourself for this, but you really like his hands because of how he takes care of them. you’d never tell monoma even though you’re dating him

scenario

you’re unsure of yourself on how your boyfriend— monoma, found out about your fascination with his hands. it was supposed to be a secret for the rest of your life, and you only remember talking about it once out loud

which you assumed was a close call, considering that you thought he didn’t hear it at all— but he did.

“so i heard you like my hands, huh Y/N?” monoma’s teasing tone does not aid the situation. your cheeks heat up with embarassment, and you can’t get yourself to answer his question— without sounding like a fool anyway.

you fake annoyance, “where’d that come from?” you ask, and monoma doesn’t seem to want to switch the topic

“i’m asking you a question, dear Y/N— i heard you like my hands,” his tone would’ve sounded condescending to any other person, but you can tell that he’s either genuinely curious

or just teasing you, because that’s how he is.

to aid his question, he brushes his fingers along your neck— near your pulse. you jolt, stunned by the sudden action— heart beating rapidly against your chest.

“see,” monoma presses his hand against your chest, where your heart is palpitating, grinning in a way that’s teasing you “it’s true, isn’t it? sweet Y/N has a thing for my hands, hm?”

you furrow your eyebrows, and flick his forehead— and he hisses in reaction, “fine then, i do like your hands.” you finally give in, admitting final defeat.

ever since then, you haven’t heard the end of it

definitely that person that’ll just randomly bring it up to you, no matter what hour of the day it is.

“oh Y/N, you were totally fawning over my hands earlier—”

“i will castrate you.”

you know he means well most of the time, but sometimes he just loves teasing the heck out of you.

but that doesn’t mean he neglects your obvious interest in his hands.

he’ll compliment you, he’s a snarky person in general— but to you, he’s totally smooth with it.

slides his hand from your forearm to your hands, only to bring them up to his lips, pressing a kiss against your hand

squeezes your hand everytime he sees you, it’s kind of a nonverbal greeting at this point

similar to kirishima, he likes comparing hand sizes— teasing you about the size difference (even if it’s not even a big of a difference, he’ll take that chance.)

does this thing where he rubs his thumb against his palm. does it a lot when he’s concentrated about something, or just out of the blue

a little spicy, but he’ll make you tell him what you like about his hands, and what you like about the things he does with those hands of his. if that makes sense

he wants all of the details, doesn’t care if it’s mundane, or things he does when he’s feeling a certain way.

he wants to know, because as soon as you’re done with your spewl, he’ll do exactly what you like, teasing you while he’s at it. and so he can start incorporating those habits whenever he’s around you.

totally someone that’ll make you suck on those fingers. oh, but he’ll purposely get some dessert on them— asking you to suck them off

“good grief, i got some dessert on my fingers again. Y/N, come suck them off”

sometimes he’s serious, sometimes he’s just teasing.

overall— it’s pretty adventurous. he starts to act on it as soon as the revelation is revealed to him.

but i’d say he does just fine.

»»————-　♡　————-««

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