#they can survive without these skills and they can even be happy without them imagine that

[bigcryptiddies]

Wishing you had a skill and wanting to sit down and learn that skill are not the same things

[tyrantisterror]

A couple months ago, one of the kids at the daycare brought in a D&D starter set and asked me to DM a game for him and some of the other kids in my class. Now, I had considered doing this in the past, but written it off for a variety of reasons, mainly asusming it'd be a couple days of chaos before the kids get sick of all the math involved and lose interest. But if a kid broaches an idea and others seem on board, I feel it's kind of my duty to at least try it.

So far my assumptions have been... mostly correct? Like, 70% of my predictions have come true, it is chaos, ten-years olds are the most murder-happy murder hobo PCs you could possibly imagine, and they've really been pushing my improv skills to their absolute limits with the choices they've made (and the constrictions I have on me as a daycare teacher). But they haven't gotten bored with the math, and they absolutely love playing the game still, which is nice. I like it when my students are passionate about something.

Anyway, I bring this up because seeing how children play with D&D canon has made me realize one critical fact:

D&D needs a Mons Game spinoff.

Kids love monsters. This is not my bias, it is something that has been categorically proven to me in my four years of working at a daycare. Every kid loves the idea of weird, impossible creatures, and they love the idea of befriending a whole horde of those creatures even more so. One of my kids in the daycare D&D campaign is making it his goal to find and tame every monster he can find in the kid-friendly monster manuals I bought for the class. He wants a Tarasque and a Bullete and an Owlbear and on and on and on, and keeps proposing tactics for capturing them based on his time playing Ark: Survival Evolved, a game where you can tame dinosaurs and mythic beasts while trying to survive a wild world full of danger and obstacles.

And it turns out that, while the mechanics of D&D don't support this, the philosophy of how its settings are structured according to those mechanics does. D&D is filled with hundreds of wild and imaginative monsters, all with distinct appearances, habits, adaptations, and environmental needs. The need to make the "dungeons" part of D&D interesting has required it to build really interesting monster ecosystems, and, much like mons games, the need to keep players buying new content has resulted in them building a vast library of creatures, because selling $50 books containing a slew of new monsters is a pretty guaranteed way to get money. D&D may not be a mons game, but it's accidentally made its setting perfectly suited to be one.

And what a money-maker that would be! Skew it more towards a child audience in tone, use simpler mechanics so kids can hop into it without spending, say, three solid weeks of afterschool daycare time crafting character sheets more or less one on one, and you'd have a game that would easily hook a younger audience while planting seeds of interest into the bigger game.

Of course, there are already indie TTRPG mons games, and I imagine some of them are actually good, but unfortunately they're not exactly easily obtainable on a daycare teacher's budget. And, you know, they wouldn't let you make a team of a bulette, an otyugh, a gray render, and an owlbear.

But then again, Wizards of the Coast continues to be absolute bastards, so maybe this idea is too good for them. Which makes it a good thing they're never going to read this blog post.

[thisisnottheblogyourelookingfor]

My Little Sun

Rating: NSFW

Relationship: Pierro x Fem!Reader / Pierro x You

Fandom: Genshin Impact

Tags: smut without plot (maybe a little), reader is Pierro’s fiancée (arranged marriage), softdom!Pierro, mutual respect, mutual pining (alexa play ‘I won’t say I’m in love’), making love for the first time, LAP RIDING!, mentions of Il Dottore and the Tsaritsa, inexperienced reader when it comes to intimacy or relationships in general, big dick Pierro (both in energy and physically), blink and you’d miss edging, kinda rough sex, overstimulation, russian terms of endearment

Summary: Takes place in Pierro's office. Takes place on a chair iykwim.

A/N: I’ve never played the game before so please ignore if I got the details wrong. Keeping this as a one-shot at least for now. Hope you enjoy this little fic! Did not intend for it to be this long. Shoutout to @jinseinomerry-go-round spending the time explaining so much about the game and encouraging me to write this (my inner whore thank thee)!! <3

Sorry if the terms are used wrongly and is cringe.

Word Count: 2209

[AO3 Link]

Minor backstory (feel free to ignore this and imagine reader however you like): Reader has the skillset of a rogue/spy but it was out of the need to survive their harsh homeland rather than using them as a profession. Still, it doesn’t stop the other harbingers and the Tsaritsa from keeping them under constant surveillance and they can never leave the harbinger’s headquarters. They are currently engaged to Pierro for political alliance reasons and is always either in his company or nearby his office, which he spends most his time in. Reader could try and figure a way to escape the place but it doesn’t help when you’re the fiancée of the First Lord Harbinger who happens to have a variety of skills right at his fingertips. No…you’d have to approach things differently.

Terms used:

Милая (Milaya) – dear/darling

Лапочка (Lapochka) – sweetheart

моё маленькое солнышко/солнышко (Moye malen'koye solnyshko/Solnyshko) – my little sun/little sun

Жизнь моя (Zhizn’ moya) – my life

It was just like any other night at the harbinger’s headquarters. Pierro busy at his desk, sorting through paperwork, dishing out the last few remaining tasks of the day, and already planning ahead for tomorrow's briefing. You were in the office mindlessly browsing through the bookshelves. At some point you wondered if you've already passed that row of books and does he notice? Does he think you're acting strange? you shake away those thoughts and picked a random book, making your way to sit on the chair across his desk, trying your best to not do anything that may disrupt his focus. Then again, he never seems to be distracted by you. You're pretty sure that you're just as much of a presence as the wind when the doors to his office opens and closes. It doesn't bother you… right? Still, you insist on staying up with him for as long as you can. It wasn't always like this. Initially, you were always in the same room as him as a show of respect that even though you may not have necessarily agreed to be his intended, you would respect the alliance. But now? Now you find yourself willingly spending more time just being there, with him. There may not be much of a conversation going on but it felt strangely comforting to be in the same room together and you weren’t alone in thinking that. Of course, the two of you would never admit it out loud.

In the midst of your thoughts, he suddenly spoke to you.

"I-I'm sorry my lord, I'm afraid I hadn't catch what you've said" he was reading something, not even bothered by your response before simply repeating himself, "you've spent time in Liyue, I asked if you could take a look at this and tell me what you see".

"Yes, I'd be happy too, my lo-" "Pierro." "I'm sorry?" "Please, call me Pierro. It would hardly seem fitting that a lady in your position should address her soon-to-be husband in such an unfamiliar manner, especially behind closed doors." "....of course....Pierro. I would be happy to take a look at that report for you."

You got up and stood next to him, slightly bending down to read the report. You held onto the paper with one hand while he held the other side. A soft smile started to form on your face, "hmm....glaze lilies...pop's teas...this is Qingce Village! Oh it's such a beautiful place in the Bishui Plains. Did. You. Know. They've got terraced fields of flowers? AND! They were believed to be the scales of a mighty dragon!" You excitedly continued talking about the things you’ve seen and places you’ve been during your time in Liyue.

You hadn't noticed but with how close you were standing next to him, Pierro couldn’t help but look at you, studying your features quietly, eyes wandering to how a smile slowly formed on your face. Eventually, the silence and lack of response from him has you looking at him and… there. Both of you locked eyes and it's almost as if time stopped for a moment. Breaths hitched; hearts skipped a beat. It's not as if you both hadn't made eye contact before so why does this time feel...different?

It felt like forever and suddenly, Pierro reached a hand out to caress your cheek and slowly bringing you into a gentle kiss. It surprised you and you start to lose your footing falling forward, hands hitting his chest. He caught you, lips never leaving yours, he sat you on his lap and deepened the kiss. As soon as the kiss ended, two of you were now breathing heavily and looking at each other, unsure what just happened.

"Apologies. That was..." "No... it's.... it's alright. Really, Pierro. It's...." you didn't even finish your sentence and you just went in to kiss him again. You're not sure why you did that but it felt nice, it felt right.

You shifted your leg to sit more comfortably on his lap not breaking the kiss and accidentally bit his lower lip. Immediately pulling back you started apologising profusely, "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" "It's alright, my dear" "I shouldn't have gone in like that, I didn't think it would-" "I'm fine, milaya. Hey..." he cups your face and continues, "you have done nothing wrong. You have nothing to apologise for." "I'm sorry... it's just... I've never..." 

"We don't have to do this, milaya." "No, it's not that... it's.... I don't know how."

His smile softens at that, "if you'll have me, I can help you. If it gets too much, you only have to say the word and we'll stop. But whatever it is, we do it together. So....tell me. What do you want, milaya?"

"I.....I want....you. I want you, Pierro. I....I want us to be more than the small conversations, the courteous gestures we perform in front of the others to show that we're merely an alliance. I want more than the silence we're constantly dancing around with, more than the passing glances we give each other when we walk the halls, more than the promise that comes with these....rings. More than just you or me. I just.... I want us."

You were both quiet now as your words ring throughout the room, reverberating off the walls as if a spell has just been casted and the effects made stronger with each echo.

His gaze darkened just then and with a low voice, "take off your clothes" "w-what?" "Do you trust me?" You hesitated if only for a moment before nodding softly. "Then take off your clothes." You stood up and slowly removed your blouse and trousers, leaving only your undergarments. The cold air hitting you now and making you slightly shiver. He then pointed at your undergarments "those too" "but Pier-" he merely looks up at you and it sent a chill colder than the air through your spine. So, you removed them and this time, you were really shivering. See, you're not used to the weather here in Snezhnaya, you'd much prefer the warm sun and the light breeze. How anyone survives the harsh cold here is beyond you. You’ve even heard that some people die if they weren't constantly moving outdoors to keep their body temperatures up. Now here you were completely naked standing in front of Pierro, hugging yourself and trying to brush off the cold to no avail.

"Come here," he pats his lap. No hesitations there, you were freezing. Any excuse to snuggle close to that lush fur coat of his is nothing short of appealing right now. You quickly shuffled forward and sat on his lap facing him, legs unintentionally straddling his thighs as you try to quickly curl up against him. While it doesn't help much, it does feel better being closer to a warm body. Pierro notices your slight relief and couldn't help but to lightly smirk at your reaction. Using his thighs, he pushed your legs apart to allow him space to unbuckle his trousers. The sudden spread of your legs left you slightly jolted as a cold wind hits your folds. Seeing his length free now, hard, you forgot about the cold for a second and just stared. Oh. Well, this would be a challenge. "Touch yourself" huh? Oh. It didn’t quite register in your mind if he just said what you think he said and you were about to say something but the way he said it gave you the sense that maybe… don’t test his patience. Reaching down, you slowly but skilfully circled your clit. As cold as it is, somehow this whole situation has managed to arouse you and you were wet.

Pierro watches you with lust-filled gaze and starts pumping his cock. Never once breaking eye contact as he watches the way you try to hide your moans and whimpers. By the gods is this truly happening before his very eyes? He's not felt such an intense emotion since the fall of his homeland and certainly not for a person, besides the Tsaritsa but that's different. Yet here you are now making an absolute mess of yourself and dripping on his lap. This has got to be some sort of trick. Did he accidentally fall asleep and is now living some kind of illusory experiment conjured up by Dottore? Perhaps this is just a dream. Whatever it is, he doesn't want to wake up from it. Not when you're giving yourself to him so willingly, following his every command. And certainly not when he can clearly see you coming undone, your breath getting heavier and more ragged, indicating you're close.

He stills your wrist just as you were about to cum and stops his own motion. You whined ever so sweetly, music to his ears. "Shh, lapochka." He places both your hands around his neck and lifts you up a little closer to his cock. You were still sensitive from that interrupted high and the months of longing hadn't exactly made you any less sexually frustrated at the lack of touch. You'd never tell him but Pierro has always been easy on the eyes. You do find him handsome and it helps that he's got the physique of someone who can either take you in a fight or take you in well... this. So, it didn't take much to set your nerves on fire and Pierro knows this. Oh yes. He's seen the ways you'd pretend not to walk past a little slower when he changes into his armour, he's noticed the blush on your cheeks when he greets you in the morning with a peck on your hands, or the way you lingered in his office to stay up late with him until you eventually pass out on the seat across his desk with the book still in your hands. What was the book you were reading earlier? Ah yes, ‘Shipping Manifest: Logbook #3’ an interesting read. Seeing you slowly unravelling and for him nonetheless, makes him so proud and very excited. Oh the things he wants to do to you.

He teases your entrance with the tip of his cock. You gasped a little. Sensing your nervousness, he asks softly "do you want to stop, lapochka?" You let out a quiet no and with that he lifts you up gently, lining you to the tip before slowly guiding you down on his length. Inch by inch, giving you time to adjust to his girth. The last thing he wants is to hurt you.

You held onto him tighter, arms still around his neck as you steady yourself down. He's big and it is your first time. The moment you were almost halfway through, you realise you've been holding your breath. You let it out shakily and closed your eyes. Pierro began rubbing the nub of your clit to ease away the discomfort. It was starting to sting and your eyes were watering now but the way he was playing with your clit kind of offset the pain. It was overwhelming. It was pain. It was pleasure. It's too much and it's not enough. You let out a cry as Pierro suddenly shifted his hips and thrusted into you hard while slamming you down to the base. Your vision turned white and you swear you could see stars swirling about. The shock cutting off your yelp and your mouth was just left open, no words or sound coming out. The impact pushed you so close to the edge that when you finally came to, the air left your lungs in a loud and uncontrollable moan. He made shallow thrusts until you cum for the first time that night. But he did not stop there. He continued riding you through the high and this time with deep long thrusts. Holding your waist up and letting gravity slam you back down. The sensations were making you hazy. You buried your face in the crook of his neck as he continued to thrust harder and faster into you. Before you know it, you were calling out his name and cumming all over his cock again.

Your whole body slumped against his chest, exhausted. He's going slower now, giving you time to catch your breath. Then, he slowly picks up the pace, and you can't help but to moan into his neck, the sound vibrating against his skin. Your eyes were still closed and sleepiness were weighing on your eyelids. He coaxes you to open your eyes and directed your sight towards him going in and out of you. Something about it makes you feel warm. The sounds of the sloppy wetness like a symphony. With his free hand, he gently turns your face to look at him "Moye malen'koye solnyshko... My little sun...zhizn' moya…do you see it? How we fit together? How we are made for each other?" He brings his forehead against yours while softly rubbing his thumb against your flushed cheeks as you start to feel your climax building again and as you go over the edge, breath hot and heavy against his skin, he runs his hand behind your back soothing you. Softly whispering in your ear "shh... I've got you solnyshko... I've got you."

[nevermorgue]

Hii :3

Do you have any headcanons for misfits if they were in steampunk/fantasy au?

I love your headcanons so much <3

Hi anon! Thank you sooo much, you don’t know how happy it makes me that people actually like my stuff LOL

Fantasy time? Fantasy time. Imagine your standard DND world with steampunk technology. Let’s see…

- Lenore is a human artificer. And in this universe we can actually KEEP her family’s influence with the railroad.

- Her family’s trains and steam powered machinery are more than just that- they use magical components to be more effective and better than competition.

- Lenore and Theo were still very musically gifted here. Can’t take away that sibling bond

- maybe in this universe Theo died under more mysterious/foul play circumstances? Giving Lenore a motive to go and form a party and all that

- maybe Lenore was present and got injured/lost consciousness and can’t remember what occurred that day. got her hip injury from it

- then her father keeps her locked inside not only to protect her from whoever did this to her and Theo, but because with her hip now permanently injured he doesn’t really see her as useful anymore (asshole)

- Speaking of which, she still sets fire to the mansion and ditches at night.

- Steals a prototype of a very fancy gun that her father was planning to make to her sold. Magic, of course.

- Also still resumes the identity of the fictional Leo Vandernacht.

- She fled on horseback from the house and to a small town. This is where the story of the party begins

- Lenore has a kinda shitty cane right now, forced to use a large stick until she can actually find a store that has canes.

- She comes across a small crowd watching a bard perform. A tall, elvan man using illusion magic to entertain while also somehow playing a floating lute without touching it.

- As she stops to peer over, she feels a hand poke at her “cane” with a clicking tongue sound

- “Goodness, how is this supposed to support you at all?”

- Lenore sees- the same man. Turns out he has his illusionary self performing while he goes around to loot the crowd for anything that looks valuable. A very shifty bard indeed.

- This is how Lenore meets Duke, an elf bard that uses his charisma and many skills to draw crowds and hopefully people careless enough to leave valuables unattended.

- oh speaking of Duke. So I can keep his French. French = Elvish here. Let’s pretend.

- Lenore makes a lot of jabs at him for what he does, but he insists that the performing is his main thing and that’s what he loves. He only does the ‘look around for things to take’ deal in richer areas where they won’t notice losing a few things. Think like…a better Robin Hood.

- He gives her exactly 5 gold pieces and tells her to get an actual cane. After some more banter and light hearted jabs, he just decides to go with her. They’re fast friends.

- Lenore ends up getting a nice cane that supports her hip far better than an oversized stick could ever do. She vaguely explains her circumstances in half truths to Duke, who then decides to take her to the tavern.

- The walk between the store and the tavern is where they meet Pluto…because he tries to pickpocket Duke.

- Duke doesn’t even seem phased. He just shakes his head in fake disappointment, lifting Pluto up by the scruff of his cape.

“Again, mon minou? How many times must we go through this?”

- turns out they know each other. Pluto is a human rogue who has lived underneath this town his whole life, using theft to barely scrape by. He tried to rob Duke once and now it’s like a little game. Duke finds it amusing, and Pluto honestly keeps trying just to see him again.

- Now the three are a trio!! Lenore keeps jabbing at them both for being thieves, even revealing that she stole most of the items on her person as well.

- Pluto and Duke doing the same thing for different reasons: listen. Pluto using theft to survive, barely holding on. Duke doing it to make a statement, someone who has plenty but takes anyway to very slowly make an influence on the world both through performance and helping others. Nice little “doing the same thing for very different reasons” thing.

- Tavern time. They meet an adorable Eladrin girl who is working there as a waitress named Morella (Paladin of course). She’s a student in town and this is her part time job.

- They also meet Berenice and Eulalie here. Berenice is a tiefling fighter, Eulalie an aasimar sorcerer. They’re actually part of the local adventurers guild and are celebrating a recent victory in which they took back a village from a raid.

- Lenore takes interest in the guild, which leads to them all sitting together with Morella frequently coming by to chat.

- Oh yeah Pluto definitely has met them before too. He made eye contact once with Eulalie while he was sitting on a roof and he nearly fell off.

- He’s seen Berenice underground. He doesn’t know what she does, especially watching her go between the dangerous underground and to the surface, but he watches her wrap her bleeding knuckles with concern.

- This is the start of something new for her, something she can tell is worthwhile. All of the people she’s met since coming to town have already started to mean something special to her.

I did WAY more than I expected i’m so sorry anon-

[neuroprincess]

Star Trek - Cooking Together

Classification: Fluff

Pairing: B'Elanna Torres, Christine Chapel, Deanna Troi, Kathryn Janeway, Kira Nerys and Number One

Warnings: None

Word count: +500

B'Elanna Torres

The half-Klingon is passionate about cuisine in general, but that doesn't mean she's a good cook. B'Elanna loves experimenting flavors and daring spices, the same goes for unlikely combinations, some of which can be compared to pregnant cravings. Cooking with her can be great fun, with gentle jokes, exchanging smiles, sharing tasks, ironically it's safer to let her chop the ingredients than to use the stove, there's a big risk of setting the room on fire. In short, it's enjoyable in every respect and results in abundant dishes of dubious quality.  

Christine Chapel  

This woman can do many things with skill, but cooking has never been one of them. It's not even one of her interests. However, if you want to try a recipe, Christine will attempt it without hesitation, dedicating herself more to organization than to the preparation itself, making sure that all the necessary ingredients and equipment are available and that everything is clean. Over time, she creates a little more interest, specifically in baking, and it won't be long before you're tasting the best brownie in your life. 

Deanna Troi  

She knows how to cook, it's nothing extraordinary, extravagant or fancy, when inspired she can risk doing something different and intimate. A candlelit dinner made from scratch between sips of wine and caresses exchanged, Deanna touches your waist lightly as you move around the kitchen, fingers brushing across the arm in conversations that end in genuine smiles, admiring each other passionately, plus she likes to steal a few kisses. The betazed enjoys the whole process and romantic aura that is built up. Of course, you can't go without some chocolate dessert, which will be shared late at night.  

Kathryn Janeway  

Janeway is a minimally competent person who believes to be an expert in the art of cooking, which comes from her upbringing with a mother who prefers and values traditionally prepared food, teaching her a dozen things while growing up. The moment you decide to cook together, she naturally tries to take charge, very proactively, only to end up having to improvise to save a simple recipe that the captain swore she knew by heart. You may have to end up replicating something to eat, but the moments spent together make the scorched pots worth it.  

Kira Nerys  

Growing up in the context in which she grew up, cooking is a survival skill and Kira learned it easily. It's basic and nutritious, nothing fancy, but still tasty, believe me, she has a kind of gift. Little by little she learns that this is also a hobby that can be done for pleasure and as a couple, enjoying time, preparation, company, trying different things and, her favorite, watching your reaction when tasting what she cooks. The bajoran will be proud if you approve and expect her to repeat the dish several times just to please you. She also introduces you to various traditional dishes from her planet. 

Una Chin-Riley   

Maybe she's the best cook of them all. You can hardly imagine it until you get to the quarters and find her preparing a warm three-course meal, a cute apron with a cheesy phrase you picked up on a trip, smiling smugly and the delicious smell permeating every corner of the room. If you don't know how to cook, Una will be more than happy and excited to teach you. The brunette is a great baker too, her strength advantage is perfect for kneading bread and opening pasta, making homemade spaghetti has never been so easy. 

taglist: @evattude

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[armynoonas]

Namjoon Instagram stories

Don’t Be Fooled by Your Brain As It Is Everyone thinks they want to be happy, but there’s nothing more difficult. That’s because the brain itself is an organ optimized for predicting and detecting danger. It was not made to fully enjoy happiness from the beginning. Therefore, we must tenaciously and intentionally feel happiness. This is the beginning and the end of today’s discussion. Across all cultures and histories, there are six basic emotions that humans universally feel: happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, disgust, and fear. Among them, happiness is the only positive emotion. Negative emotions not only outnumber positive ones, but their intensity is also far greater. That’s why it’s hard for us to feel happiness, yet we can easily feel sadness or self-loathing over minor things. For the brain, which is always mindful of threats and negative events for survival, enjoyable and positive things are not a priority. Thirty years ago, John Cacioppo, a psychologist and the founder of social neuroscience, revealed through brainwave research the brain’s pattern of giving disproportionate weight to negative information. Since then, numerous studies have repeatedly confirmed this. Survival shapes negative emotional patterns Everyone struggles with their own sorrows Cultivate habits of savoring the moment and seeking joy So don’t be fooled by your brain as it is now. That friend has spent seven million years being tense, cautious, and fully committed to survival. Even if things feel desolate right now, you can pave a new path for yourself with a more evolved and refined method. Here are two things to try today: savoring and finding enjoyment. Savor the moment. At first, this will feel challenging. Make it a habit. Simply experiencing something and understanding or feeling grateful for its meaning are processed by different parts of the brain. When you continuously try to perform these separate tasks together, new connections form in the brain. Neurons that used to function independently begin, without realizing it, to team up and work together. They form a "team of experiencing, savoring, and appreciating." If the warmth of a fire was comforting, savor it. If the warmth of your meal felt pleasant, or the weather was clear, savor it without missing it. If you spent a peaceful day thanks to someone, savor it and feel grateful. Spend just a few minutes each day meditating on your daily life, expressing gratitude, and practicing mindfulness to build inner strength. You might dismiss savoring as just mental consolation, but the position of neurotransmitters in your brain is clear. As demonstrated in a study published in Nature last month, when we experience something pleasant, dopamine—a neurotransmitter that encourages us to anticipate and explore the future—is released as if in a competition. If you imagine the concentration of such neurotransmitters gradually increasing each time you feel grateful or happy, there’s no reason not to savor those moments. Number 2: find the fun and enjoyment in your life, no matter what. Albert Ellis (1913–2007), a clinical psychologist known as the father of cognitive-behavioral therapy, identified one of humanity’s most irrational beliefs: the idea that happiness will come to you without effort. It’s as absurd as expecting a YouTube channel to gain subscribers without uploading content, a foreign language skill to improve without studying, or customers to flock to a restaurant without serving any food. Your happiness must be something you consciously decide to discover. Find it in your favorite music, in someone’s voice, in a hobby you spend time on, in physical activity, or in the rounded contours of a child’s cheek. Discover yourself in these moments, saying, "Ah, I really liked this." All these little things are the small and lovely mechanisms that help us overcome the emptiness and despair of life.

If you ask whether we really need to live this way, the answer is yes. That is what it means to be human. We are finite beings who fear disease, disaster, poverty, and isolation, and if we’re unlucky, we might suddenly find ourselves falling under the blade of misfortune. Life is so difficult that, unless we actively search for small moments of fun, we will eventually view our lives through the irrational and distorted lens of depression and anxiety, making them unbearable. Left alone, your brain will carry you along the current of negative emotions and thoughts, straight into the hell of helplessness. So don’t let your brain take you wherever it pleases. On nights when I can’t fall asleep, I quietly think about how countless others are also unable to sleep, struggling with their own depression and anxiety. Sometimes, I feel connected to nameless people through this shared sorrow, thinking, "Everyone is struggling because they’re human." Then, I close the door on rumination, savor the texture of the blanket touching my arm, and rediscover unexpected joy in the familiar sound of my family’s breathing. In this way, I live again—not in the past, not in the future, but in this present moment. Heo Ji-won, Professor of Psychology, Korea University

[250117]

[lottiesnotebook]

Seeing as you're ill and want more prompts have another one 😝

7. Rook being taught an important skill.

I have a feeling that she would not be the most... patient or receptive of students 🤣 but happy to be proven wrong

Thank you so much for the prompt! This is definitely cheering me up, and I am having a lot of fun rotating our parallel-universe-Rook-Siblings in my mind! Cara is indeed neither patient nor receptive but here she is, trying her best:

From Rook Storytime Prompts (previously 6, 15, 17, 18) - Rook being taught an important skill (inspired by this)

"I don't like shaming people," Bellara says, from her perch on the counter, "but I do think you should be at least a little embarrassed about not being able to cook even a little bit!"

Cara blew a raspberry. "Why would I have had to cook?" she retorted. "We had servants, and then, when I was shipside, I was more use on deck than shut up in the galley." She narrowed her eyes at Lucanis, who had, treacherously, allied with Bellara in this argument. "If you think about it, it's weirder that you know how to cook. I've seen the villa you grew up in - I know you had servants."

"Servants," Lucanis agreed, "not cooks. The Crow who can't cook for himself starves or is poisoned very quickly."

"Besides," Bellara said, brightly, "you might enjoy it."

"Slaving away over a hot stove?" She wrinkled her nose. "I doubt it. Besides, do you really want to risk eating whatever I cook?"

"You've survived my cooking, and that has killed men before," Lucanis retorted.

"And we all got through Neve's attempt at deep-frying fish!" Bellara added.

"Barely. My eyebrows are still growing back." Cara sighed, surveying the ingredients laid out on the counter. "You're really not going to let me talk my way out of this, are you?"

"Nope!" Bellara said, and Lucanis added: "Unless, of course, you think you are unteachable."

She knew she was being baited, and that it was working, so she huffed and folded her arms. "Where do we start, then?"

Bellara and Lucanis exchanged a victorious glance, and she briefly imagined pulling a Neve to convince them that letting her in the kitchen was a horrible idea, but she'd already accepted the bet.

"Bread dough," Bellara decided. "Bread is always fun."

Bread was, it turned out, sticky and unpleasant, even without Bellara's helpful commentary of No, you have to knead it like you're really mad at it, like it's that ex who took your favourite novels in the breakup.

"Can I knead it like it's the madwoman forcing me to learn to cook?" she muttered, under her breath, and Lucanis- no, Spite- sniggered, which was a little comforting.

"Try like this," he offered, covering her hands with his own - callused, exerting a gentle pressure to manipulate her own fingers, like he was teaching her the precise movements required to pick a lock or cast a spell. "It requires a little more force than you're using - yes, like that, excellent."

Cara knew that vanity was one of her many besetting sins, but she still couldn't help preening when, for dinner that night, they served up the flatbreads she'd kneaded herself, and they were as light and fluffy as Bellara's ever were.

(Later, she'd discover that her dough had turned out like rubber, and that they'd made a second batch fresh, but the praise she got for the first batch was at least enough to stop her complaining the next time she was added to the cooking rota.)

[befuddledcinnamonroll]

Heart Killers, woot woot! I want some good smooches today. I need some good smooches today.

Bison is totally a puppy. Who is very good at murder.

Though I do love the way this scene shows how much the walls have come down between them now. Bison is being so emotionally open, which he really wasn't before, even without knowing for sure that Kant was lying.

Aw, and Kant giving back the same. This is so sweet.

Oh geez, just thinking about how all these men have traumatic parental loss in common from a young age. And how that set them up to be vulnerable to exploitation. How Style still having his father was the thing that kept him safe, but the other three had no one. How this made them fodder for predators, and they are still suffering for it into adulthood. Going to go cry in a corner for a minute.

Lolol, daddy kink unlocked!

Um, this is exactly what I wanted, but also I may not survive it.

They're finding that safe space, that found family, that shelter that they've been seeking in one another. I am not crying!

Ha, Fadel now taking full on lying down naps in the back while Style drives. You truuuuust him.

Oh - was that a picture of the ex? Will we get the full story?

Style: I am so worried about Kant! I hope he's not dead!

Also Style: I have gone too many days without a crop top, can we please go shopping?

Never change, bebe.

Fadel will never be able to say no to this man in his entire life.

You can posture all you want Fadel, but we all see that white shirt under the black.

You are so soft for him again already.

Oh this fucker is so in love.

You are so whipped, just accept it!

That poor store clerk must be so confused right now.

Not me being happy Style got shot, so we can see Fadel get upset about it.

And the black shirt is off completely!

Interrupting this important scene to say - holy shit, Khaotung looks so good in purple!!

This man needs to wear this color much more often! Take notes, showrunners!

The hands, people, this is not a drill!

I love this shit, just pump it directly into my veins.

Oh with no anesthetic, that's gotta suuuuck.

God, Joong is so fucking hot.

Also enjoying Bison calling him out, he's not as hard to read as he'd like to think.

The problem with all of these actors having so much chemistry is I keep wanting them to kiss each other in totally inappropriate moments.

Oh Style, your chances are 100%, he is so fucking gone for you.

I do like that we see a rare moment of non-confidence from Style though. He's good at the swagger, but some of it is a facade. Not all of it, but some of it.

Ha, oh he's so happy Fadel was worried. This is adorable.

First is such a good actor. The difference between lying Kant and truthful Kant is so fascinating.

I really hope more people realize their complicated feelings about Kant were on purpose, and that First was nailing his portrayal to deliberately pull those feelings out of us.

Oh my heart. I like that we get to see how much Kant and Style do really love each other. I would imagine they both have a really hard time making real friendships, and their relationship is truly important to them.

And Fadel just casually being all, ok, not gonna murder anyone, who's hungry?

My cuties.

Ooh, are they going to start some romcom shenanigans to get Fadel to forgive Style?

This backstory is interesting. So Keen came along with them, also lost his parents, but they don't seem to consider him a brother?

I mean, she's not wrong.

Also, adore how well Joong & Khaotung are playing younger versions of Fadel & Bison. You can see the freshness and naivete with them.

And you can see with the first kill, how Bison shows everything he's feeling, while Fadel is already locking it away.

I do feel for Keen. He feels very neglected middle child here. He didn't have the same skills as Fadel & Bison, and so was made to feel unimportant, making him desperate for Mother's approval. I hope we can resolve this without having to kill him. I want him to run off with Thanon.

Is this the first scene we've gotten with just Style & Bison? I love their dynamic.

Oh, Fadel wants you on your knees, Style, but not for that reason.

I do love that Fadel probably thinks he hides his feelings well from Bison

but Bison has never been fooled.

Jojo, we thank you for your service.

Just gonna pause here for a bit...

Not the Let It Be shirt! Oh perfection.

Of course Style gotta do this in the most dramatic way possible. And Fadel immediately panics and folds.

My smooches!!!

The way Style keeps checking Fadel's face while kissing...

More cuteness!

I guess they fixed the hammock, lol.

Ahhh, KantBison romance era is so sweet!

Damn, Fadel dated someone for two years without Bison knowing? That's rather impressive.

Oh, he told Mother... that was not a good move.

Ok, 1) this guy seems way too sweet, he wouldn't have been able to accept Fadel for his real past. And 2) Mother totally did something to him.

See, it requires a special kind of crazy for someone to be all "you may have murdered a bunch of people, but I know your heart is in the right place".

It's all about finding who matches your freak, not hiding parts of yourself that you worry they would find unlovable.

And there it is, Fadel has just found his home.

I'M FINE.

Ooh, they are already messing around!

Oh god, is Mother going to do something to Thanon?

Aww, they're all so happy. Which means the shit is definitely going to hit next episode.

Just gonna live here for a while.

[eldritch-alicedoll]

10 years

Wow

Well it’ll be 9 and a month case for me cuz I was able to access Toukenranbu when they come out until 4th December when my sister installed everything in my laptop….during that time I had zero skill on hacking to play jp games but here I am……….

I’m just turning 20 when I start the game. My sister bait be with Yama-tan cuz I was into Hakuoki then the next moment later Bam! I fall for Mikazuki san so hard that I never did to anyone before. He start me on my Yumejoshi lifestyle and it’s carry on since then. People even start to call me and my sister ‘Ane-Gumi’ cuz we were the big sisters in the fandom that time. Mikazuki san take care of me during my recovering from mental health issue and he even become the reason why I start drawing again. Even now we are like a old couple that stay together for a very long time haha. I inherited lot from him especially what the f laugh 😂 can’t believe I become what I always jest about. Well without any of that I probably won’t survive the past few years. I turn 30 in a blink of his eyes isn’t it. I always wonder if I still love him after ten years? And now that I am……I found that I still do. Love just aged. It’s no longer that Doki Doki feeling anymore but I do care a lot about him.

My parents are couple. It’s like two people that secretly hate each other but stay together just to save their face. So I can’t imagine what it’s like to love someone for a long time. It’s uncertain and scared cuz I see Dad insulting my mum behind her back all the time. I’m afraid I’ll be the same cuz I have dark sense of humour and not so cute tongue—— well after 10 year I realise I can be different. I’m happy with this slow burn feeling having Mikazuki san next to me and stay in my journey. Yes no more Doki Doki but I come to like this new feeling when I saw him as well.

Well the last 5 year he is robe the Kinji title away hahaha

My father committed unforgivable crimes to me. He left me on my death bed and scolded me for something nonsense. Never ever think it’s his fault even now. I grow up meetingmy parents only once a year but my mum have bad temper. My dad was my hero to try safe the day and get me out of mum temper. I had been denied his ugliness behaviour and thought for years until the day I suffer from vaccine that I see how he ditched me. And before that a lot happen between me and my family so I throw the last affectiom I have left to Kogarasumaru and hw’s now my dad instead since then. Papa-maru become my one and only Kinji. Ao-chan sorry…..

Every night I open Touken ranbu and let Papa-maru watch over me to sleep. That’s how I use the game now a day more like a relaxing music for sleep. I wonder if I introduce him to Lilia…. What will the two of them going to talk about. They kinda similar but Papa-maru is more strict. My Touken Yume chan is a bitchy brat that’s needs a lot of discipline while TWST Yume chan is more polite. They going to be a bad influence to each other and the two dad (different meaning) will have to seperate them for sure.

I miss Honmaru life but I’m not ready to go back yet. I’m sorry I fly away but I know they’ll understand. They probably bonk me a lot before give me a welcome feast. Mit chan food so nice the anime make it’s mouth watering all the time. Lilia isn’t that strict to me so I turn lazy and needy XD

I want to see you again Mikazuki san. I’ll save up and go to visit you again before I turn into granny . See you again soon okay

And stop haunting my dream it’s creepy……Hana say you a yandere now

[tar-maitime]

initiate the heart within me

Rating: T Characters: Maedhros | Maitimo, Fingon | Findekano, Ereinion Gil-galad, OCs Relationships: Maedhros/Fingon, fem!Maedhros/Fingon Additional: Long Peace, Gil-galad son of plot hole, also Gil-galad Russingonion, Adoption WC: 3.2k

The others of the scouting party are still picking through the settlement, but Maedhros already knows it won’t avail them anything. Orcish destruction on this scale doesn’t leave survivors.

Once, this was a relatively happy and peaceful place, with a mix of Noldor and Sindar and a few Avari all mingled together. Maedhros last rode through it only a few months ago, and there was as little foreboding of trouble as if they’d all been in Valinor. It just goes to show that none of them are ever safe here, not really.

Her second approaches her, looking grim. “My lady,” he says, “what would you have us do?”

They’ve already dispatched the band of orcs that did this. There won’t be anything useful to salvage; such raiding parties destroy or befoul anything they don’t take. “Bury the dead,” she says shortly. “We should have time and safety enough for that, at least - to give these people some dignity.”

He nods, and goes to relay the order to the others. This business should not take long. Even in this long peace, they have grown skilled in making graves for large numbers of people quickly.

Maedhros moves to join them, falling into the rhythm of searching half-destroyed houses for bodies and bringing them out to be arranged. It’s not until the fourth such house that something breaks her out of it, something she almost doesn’t recognize at first because it’s so out of place here.

There’s a baby crying quietly.

She freezes, momentarily sure she’s imagining it - but no, there it is again.

It takes her agonizingly long to search, scrambling, for the source, pulling open cupboards and drawers, checking increasingly unlikely spots. At last - it can’t have been more than a few minutes, but feels longer - she traces the cry to the bedroom, and a heavy wooden chest shoved under the bed. Somehow, someone had managed to bundle an infant, only a handful of months old, into the chest and the orcs hadn’t found it. Perhaps the child had somehow slept through it all; perhaps the attack had been so riotous that it was impossible to hear one small cry in all the din. However it happened, the child’s survival is nothing short of a miracle, of the kind Maedhros scarcely believes in anymore. 

Carefully, she cradles the baby against her chest, all too aware of her armor and the black and scarlet blood smearing her. It - he, she discovers after a brief investigation - ceases wailing in her hold, blinking up at her uncertainly.

He’s so small, so fragile. Nothing in her life has been allowed to be fragile in so long, no since she ceased to be so herself. And yet, once upon a time, wasn’t she so sure she would have this? A child in her arms, one of her own, hers and --

The bond is usually quiet these days, not from any lack of love but simply for the need to avoid distraction, but now it opens up without her conscious decision, letting her banked fire flare in Fingon’s mind leagues away. He answers instantly in starlight. Russë? Is everything all right?

Maedhros struggles to master herself. This is nothing she needs to involve him in. It is not anything at all, not to her, not beyond her duty to see the child into safety and care the way she would for anyone under her protection.

I’m fine, Finno, she replies. Don’t worry.

He retreats, leaving the faintest trace of skepticism behind. Maedhros is left to stare at the slightly squirming baby, until at last she makes herself get up and go outside.

The revelation of the baby prompts a second, more thorough scouring of the village, but no other survivors are found. They make shift to bury the dead as best they can. At the last minute, Maedhros gathers a few things that look like they might have sentimental value someday from the house where she discovered the child. Through it all, she can’t quite bring herself to pass him along to anyone else. 

When they ride away, back to Himring, the baby is lashed to her chest in a sling.

- - -

Himring is neither designed nor supplied with the needs of an infant in mind. Most places in Beleriand, so far as Maedhros knows, aren’t; elves don’t pour themselves into bringing a new life into the world lightly, and few have felt safe enough to do so since the Darkening. The folk of that destroyed village must have believed themselves very secure indeed, right up until they didn’t.

But despite this and despite the eventful centuries since her brothers were this small, Maedhros has not forgotten the basics of care. As soon as she can amidst the chaos of the scouting party’s return, of getting cleaned up and jotting down notes for a later report on the attack, she makes arrangements. For an improvised cradle to be brought to her chambers, for rags to be donated to serve as catchcloths, for their softest blankets available to be rounded up as stand-ins until she can figure out proper clothes, for someone to inquire among the Edain of Himring if any women are nursing - Men cannot seem to stop having children, and when some of them joined Maedhros’ forces, they brought or started families, to general elven bewilderment.

It does occur to Maedhros, at one point, that she could hand the baby off to someone else, and make all this their responsibility. She is the commander of Himring; she has the authority, and arguably better things to do. But she doesn’t. The baby stays in her arms, or within her sight, or lashed to her chest, through all the rest of the day. It has never been her way to trust anyone but herself with the really important things, and there can be nothing more important than this.

The corollary to this, which had not occurred to her, comes early the next morning when the Edain wet nurse, a sweet-natured woman called Aelfwynn, stifles a cry as the baby nurses. Maedhros, alert to every detail occurring in that corner of the room, frowns and leans forward sharply. “Is something wrong?”

“No, my lady,” Aelfwynn says quickly. “It’s only - I could’ve sworn I felt something tug at me, here,” she rubs at her breastbone, “but...deeper inside, somehow. Like it was yanking at my soul.”

Of course. Maedhros should’ve thought. Elven children need nourishment of the fëa as well as the body, and in the normal course of things, would receive both at the same time from the mother. But with an adaneth...things are different, for them. there is no way of knowing whether such a thing would hurt both Aelfwynn and the baby, but Maedhros thinks it likely.

“Give him to me; I can amend it,” she says, reaching out her arms, and when Aelfwynn passes the baby over Maedhros holds him against her shoulder, stroking his back with her hand, and hums quietly, reaching out with her fëa to the child’s. As poor an offering as it is, he accepts it eagerly - clearly, the day or so since his parents were slain has left him desperate. Maedhros pours into his spirit until he is satisfied, then continues to hold him, swaying slightly back and forth.

A flare of starlight in her mind. Russë, what’s going on? I thought I felt...

Briefly, Maedhros curses whatever prevented her from foreseeing this. She and Fingon are bound soul to soul; of course he would feel it when she touched her soul to another. Nothing. There is no need to be concerned; don’t worry about it.

I’m not worried, but I am increasingly curious. Fingon’s thought turns almost hesitatnt. Russë...do you have a child there with you?

Lying to one’s bonded husband is impossible, and Maedhros has carried a distaste for untruths since Angband. Yes, she admits, an infant I found in the ruins of a village near here that was sacked. There is no need to make a fuss, though, she adds swiftly, for she can feel Fingon about to do just that. As soon as I can work out a better solution than this, he will go there posthaste.

And yet, Fingon says far too knowingly, it is you and not another appointed for the task who is nurturing his fëa.

Maedhros doesn’t know how to explain that she hadn’t thought of anyone else, had simply seen the trouble and moved to fix it herself, in a way that doesn’t undermine her side of the argument she can see on the horizon.

Not that I blame you, Fingon continues, he’s wonderful, I can already tell. I’m coming to you as soon as I can, love.

There’s no need -- Maedhros protests, but receives no acknowledgment. This is exactly why she wasn’t going to tell him until it was all over. She wants to see him, of course; she always does. But there’s no point in him acting like...like this is a child they’re adopting together.

She passes the baby back to Aelfwynn to finish nursing, and makes herself leave to find something to do - but not before giving instructions to come find her when the baby is done.

- - -

It doesn’t matter, she tells herself, that the child’s dark hair curls almost like Fingon’s, that his soft skin is just a few shades lighter, that he looks like the child they can never have. It doesn’t matter that he laughs like sunshine, that his soul nestles trustingly against her battered one, that he watches her with serious eyes as his tiny hands reach to brush curiously over the scars on her face. It doesn’t matter that she’s started to remember the old lullabies she used in Valinor, to soothe him when he fusses. It doesn’t matter that she almost thinks she hears him sleepily call her “ammë” one night as she puts him down - she probably imagined it anyway.

It doesn’t matter that he’s the first entirely soft, pure, innocent thing in her life in too long --

No. That does matter. It’s why she absolutely cannot keep him.

- - -

Fingon arrives withing another week, clearly having come at top speed, and as always his mere presence is enough to make Maedhros start half-believing in impossible dreams. He greets her warmly with a kiss - their marriage is an open secret at this point; after his behavior at Mithrim there is little point in pretending - and at first trades pleasantries and news with her as if this is an ordinary visit, but once they have more privacy, he looks around and asks, “Where is he?”

Maedhros can just catch the edge of his thought - I would have expected him to be with you. In truth, she has kept the child with her at almost all times these past days, some reason or another always seeming to arise why she cannot pass him off to someone else, but today she had given him over to Aelfwynn as soon as the sentries reported Fingon’s approach. She cannot let him think she is attached.

(She cannot be attached.)

“He is with the wet nurse, around here somewhere,” she says, trying to sound vague and not as thought she gave Aelfwynn specific instructions so she would know where they were at all times. “I can try and find them if you want to see him.”

Fingon’s arm goes around her waist as he leans against her. “Love, I don’t think you’re fooling anyone but yourself,” he says gently. “If even that.”

Maedhros does not allow herself to bend. “There is nothing to fool anyone about,” she says firmly, leading Fingon towards the room wehre she knows Aelfwynn and the baby will be. “I would, however, be endlessly grateful if you could take the child with you when you return west, if you think you can manage it. “Dor-lomin and Hithlum should have a better selection of possible adoptive families than the March.”

Before Fingon has the chance to answer, they’ve reached the door, and Maedhros strides inside, her eyes automatically scanning the room. Aelfwynn is not immediately visible, and neither is the baby, and for one brief moment instinctive panic rises in Maedhros’ throat --

-- and then Aelfwynn comes around a corner - the room is shaped like a knight’s move - and the baby in her arms babbles happily at the sight of them, and Maedhros breathes again.

She feels Fingon’s I-thought-so as clearly as if he said it in her ear, but that doesn’t stop her from crossing to take the baby in her own arms, balancing him on her hip so she can see him properly. “There you are,” she murmurs, and then, remembering herself, “The wet nurse I spoke of, Aelfwynn. Aelfwynn, my guest Crown Prince Fingon Fingolfinion.”

Aelfwynn executes a deep curtsy. “I’m honored, my lord.” She moves past them towards the door. “Let me know if you need me again, my lady.”

Only once she’s gone does Maedhros fully register the sheer love and joy on Fingon’s face and pouring over their bond. He can’t seem to take his eyes off her and the baby she’s holding.

“Russë, he’s perfect,” Fingon breathes, coming closer. “He’s wonderful. I see now --”

“There’s nothing to see,” Maedhros cuts him off. “He’s not mine, I’m not keeping him, I can’t. There’s no way around it and you’re not going to change my mind, so just...leave it.”

Sorrow and something uncomfortably close to pity flit across Fingon’s face. “Why can’t you, exactly?” he asks quietly. “Don’t try to tell me you don’t want to; I can see that you do - I can feel it.”

The words won’t come, for a moment. “I - there’s no way to take care of him here, not long-term,” she gets out. “It’s a wonder we’ve been able to manage at all for this long. If it weren’t for Aelfwynn, I don’t know what I’d have done. And the next time there’s an attack, or I need to ride out, what happens then? Or when Morgoth finally does break out and this place is on the front lines, where I wanted it to be? How am I supposed to keep him safe, give him any semblance of a normal childhood?”

The way Fingon is looking at her drags more words out of her, ones she hadn’t meant to let loose. “How - how would I be able to be a mother to him? I’m not gentle or nurturing anymore, Finno, you know that. I’m hard and dangerous, I’m not completely sane, I’m Oathbound and doomed, I wake up every morning and practically dare the Dark Vala to come at me. What part of that sounds like someone who should be keeping a child?”

Fingon just looks at her for a long moment, then carefully pulls her into a hug, baby and all. The baby takes advantage of this development to paw at Fingon’s braids.

“The part you left out, love,” he says, muffled against her shoulder. “The part where you clearly already love him and would do anything for him, where you would protect him from anything including yourself.”

“That isn’t enough,” Maedhros protests. “It can’t be.”

“It can,” Fingon promises. “You can let yourself love him, and I can help you and love him right alongside you, and he can have family and love and care from us. Everyone wins. Anything else is just logistical details.”

Maedhros almost, almost lets herself relax into the embrace. “How can you love him, though?” she protests. “You’ve known about him for a handful of days; you met him just now --”

Fingon pulls back, and carefully takes the baby from her. “For one thing,” he says, holding the child close and rubbing soothing circles on his bac, “he is manifestly lovable; it would be more surprising if I did not. For another - he is your child, Russë, that much is clear. If we were Edain and you surprised me with a baby in their fashion, I would love him at once if only for that, and I can do no less even if the child in question is not ours by blood.”

That, finally, makes Maedhros break down. She begins to weep, and they end up in each other’s arms again, the baby held carefully between them.

“Ssh, there, Russë,” Fingon murmurs, his thumb stroking across her spine as he holds her. “It’ll be all right. It will.”

- - -

In the plan they eventually end up working out, Fingon will take the child back with him to Barad Either - eventually. For now, they deem it best for the baby to continue with Aelfwynn as a wet nurse until such time as he can be weaned, and since it would be impossible and ridiculous to ask her to relocate to Barad Eithel, the baby has to remain at Himring as well, for the time being.

This, Fingon declares, means that he will be staying for a while, too.

“Won’t you be needed in Hithlum?” Maedhros asks, trying to be practical despite how much the idea raises a thrill in her.

“I can be spared away for some months, for something like this,” Fingon assures. “Since Dor-lomin was given to Men, there has been much less for me to do. And my father will understand if it is for the sake of a new grandchild.”

Particularly one that hasn’t vanished into wherever Nevrast’s people went.

Maedhros hums, thinking. “You could probably tell everyone that he’s our child by blood,” she points out. “Everyone who doesn’t already know better, I mean.” The news of Sauron leaving her unable to bear children had only been shared with a few, thought her brothers and Fingolfin were among them.

“Perhaps,” Fingon says noncommitally. “I can think on it. We have time to decide.”

He lifts his head. “And you know this means you must come west to visit more frequently, of course. A few months out of every year, at least. Maglor can hold Himring at need, and he will for this, you know it.”

Maedhros does know it. “I will work out a schedule with him,” she promises. “First I must work out how to tell him that I have acquired a child in the first place.” A thought occurs to her. “And he should have names. We can’t just keep calling him ‘the baby’; it’ll get ridiculous.” She had held off on any naming so far in an attempt to not get attached, but that’s not really a concern now.

Fingon hums, thinking. “Ereinion,” he says at last. “Scion of kings - and I do mean scion, not son, for I dearly hope there is never a circumstance where I must become king.”

“You would do well with it,” Maedhros says, because Fingon does well with everything.

“It would not be worth it, to have inherited it from my father,” Fingon says quietly. Then, “But Ereinion, I stand by it. Have you thought at all of an amilessë?”

Maedhros has, for all her trying not to. “Gil-galad,” she murmurs. “Starlight. He looks so much like you, and --” She can’t say it, but even when she was trying her hardest to keep her distance, some tiny corner of her had dreamed of Fingon taking him as his own, letting him be hers at least by proxy.

“A good name,” Fingon says, nestling closer against her side. “A beautiful name. Ereinion Gil-galad. Ours.”

They stay curled up there together with their son between them until evening is well on its way.

[allforone-appreciation]

I like that everyone sees Afo in their own way. Someone thinks that he understood, family is what Afo always wanted and decided to leave the evil empire. Someone thinks that he knows little about feelings, but wanted to be loved, so this led to the creation of a family, but in the end he left her due to the fact that she prevented him from becoming the “demon king” as his love for his wife and son began to grow. Someone believes that an event simply happened in the Midoriya family because of which Afo left, perhaps he couldn’t stand the fact that All Might had taken over his life and when Izuku wanted to play heroes in the All Might costume, he accidentally got a slap in the face, so Hisashi left so as not to harm the family. I have already asked this question to others. I want to hear your version)😊

AFO is the kind of character that will always have a huge range of interpretations to him. Just because of how dishonest he is in nature we can never truly know his feelings or true intentions. So we can only piece what his actions say and the few thoughts he has.

I note how you are mentioning a lot of DFO so I'm assuming you want my opinion on that too? Because as you know I'm a big fan so will be super happy to give you my interpretation on AFO especially in relation to that.

When it comes to AFO, I always imagined him with no empathy even as a child. This is NOT a born evil thing or anything as just having a lack of empathy doesn't mean you are automatically evil. As there are ways to teach people like that how to get along and have Logical empathy, basically a skill where you can logic out how said people can feel which he clearly learned later in life. But I digress. Basically because of his lack of empathy growing up in a survival of the most violent era would shape his personality. It honestly more a miracle that despite doing anything to survive he kept Yoichi around. Likely Yoichi agrees with this as in the end Yoichi was not benefitting AFO as he had to provide for two while Yoichi couldn't do anything.

Just this fact shows that AFO didn't really care that Yoichi didn't provide any actual benefits. This throws a point that he can be 'caring' to those he deems as company he enjoys. However his lack of empathy makes it so he always ignores Yoichi's input especially after struggling to survive for so long with never being cared for or loved. Without any idea of love or affection in his background, is it any surprise all he equated this illogical attachment too is just not wanting to lose his possession? His first gift? Especially as it been shown he is very envious of everyone having thing that he never had. Like a home, cars, and that includes a happy family. The last one he ends up losing after basically throwing his little brother in a vault for being unruly then seeing red when he leaves with the rebels. Accidentally killing his brother.

All this fact is important as we see he never process or got over losing his brother. Pursuing OFA just for his brothers vestige but likely after over a 100 years he got lonely. Desperate but he would never be honest or claim such a thing, but would allow a 'family' to occur to try and fill the void in his own heart.

I do not believe AFO would hurt his own son directly. Even in a rage after what happened to Yoichi, likely if he realized was becoming blinded by anger that would be a signal for him to leave. As likely he wouldn't be able to live with the idea of murdering his only family again because of rage. BUT making the excuse it because was holding them back.

However, I don't believe that's why he left. I legit imagined he kept up his double life for a long ass time almost shamelessly. Acting like a normal man using the fact he says he 'works over seas' as an excuse to not be around often. While still enjoying the benefits of a family whenever he does come by to visit, hell he was still kidnapping kids you see Tomura and Touya up till Izuku's birth.

And with his lack of empathy sees nothing wrong with a double life as long as he keeps the normal family happy and content. Then they would remain his family forever.

....Then during one of those visits All Might found him. It implied AFO was caught off guard which is what gave All Might the edge likely because AFO was trying to pretend to be a normal guy. But after getting caught was forced to fight and likely was trying to evacuate, only to get his head smashed in and technically killed.

Without his face there was no reasonable explanation he could give that would allow him to see his family. I imagine the quirks to 'change' appearance still required there to be a FACE to be changed. And that is what he's referring too when he claims AFO stole something precious from him. He stole his family away just like Kudou did, hence his hatred being quite strong.

Any interaction with the family likely is by email, mail and with checks just so they are alive. But he can't talk or interact with them at all in the state he is in. Still believing they are his but unable to interact with them like he used to with his face utterly destroyed. Hence his small pestering about being fixed likely was not actually meant in playful jest and something he hounded the doctor several times about.

He left his family not because he wanted too, because he NEVER gives up what he believes is his, but because he was forced too. Unless wished to get another Detroit smash to the face by showing he's alive or reveal to his family his actual job and get them running away like Yoichi.

So basically I see him as a man who lives a double life, an actual legit monster and yet also casually a normal man with said family. What would cause dissonance in others he saw no issue with since his family are his while other people are only useful or not. Until was suddenly crippled and could no longer have the joy of family he had craved, becoming more submerged in his hatred of All Might. Because while didn't care about such a tiny part of his empire falling.

His family is something he will destroy the earth and even the family itself if he must to keep them safe and at his side. And that's how I enjoy him to be in my interpretation.

[buglord-isaac]

Price Gaz fic

(Gift for @vic-draws-sometimes based off his recent art)

The private 141 celebratory dinner that Lazwell had organised was going even better than Gaz had imagined. The combination of many glasses genuinely good wine, the suits that everyone was wearing, and the relaxed and happy conversations they were having over food was proving to make them all forget about their recent missions.

Soap was patched up from his beating, but appeared to be enjoying himself as he chatted to Ghost, who had a full black suit and a simple black mask on. Alejandro and Rodolfo had been invited too, and were busy singing whatever song would come on in loud and obnoxious voices that would make everyone laugh. Price and Gaz had spent most of the night bantering with Lazwell, who seemed to genuinely be enjoying herself. However, when her wife finally arrived, her focus shifted away from Price and Gaz.

John had been complimenting Kyle on how he handled the mission since they got back, but alcohol turned his praise into overdrive. While Kyle didn’t much enjoy being praised by others, John’s praise always made him soft and filled him with a certain type of ecstasy. They were both into each other. They both knew it. But John had always seemed uncomfortable with the power imbalance they had with Kyle being a Sergeant and John being a Captain. Kyle didn’t care. He enjoyed it. He wanted his captain to take control, but whenever they would get close to kissing, Kyle would make the mistake of calling him ‘sir’ and messing everything up.

They had been dancing around each other like this for months now. Getting painfully close to each other and not being able to follow through. They were close to that part of the cycle again, where they were insanely close. John was speaking his praises about Kyle’s sniper skills close to his ear, in his deep raspy voice that sent tingles down his spine. Their legs were pressed against each other, Kyle looking down at John’s hand as the fingers tapped against the wine glass he was holding.

It was insane, the amount he wanted his captain. As the whispering continued in his ear, his mind wandered to thinking about how good it would be for him to whisper that to him in bed, their bodies touching, John holding him down as he used him how he wanted. No self doubt. No power imbalance. Just them.

“You say all this praise to me, and yet you fail to remember that you survived a helicopter crash.” His voice was soft, betraying his feelings. His chest was so very tight. “Big strong man…”

He had to remember not to say Captain… don’t say it… don’t say ‘sir’. No matter how much he wanted to. It would ruin the mood. He was so close.

“You’re walking a fine line, Kyle.”

“And what is that line?”

John leaned more into Kyle, his hand moving down to his lower back and slipping his fingers ever so slightly under his suit jacket.

“A line I am far too tipsy to care about… a line I wouldn’t want to cross without your permission…”

“And what if I want to break that line? Demolish it. Make it so that line doesn’t exist at all anymore?”

“Don’t tempt me, Kyle…”

Kyle could feel his breath down the back of his neck. He was so close that he could feel the hairs on his face tickling his neck and cheek.

Don’t call him sir…

“I’ll tempt you all I want, John.”

He moved his head so he could speak more into his ear. “And I want you.”

He heard a click as John gritted his teeth, and a little guttural groan. That must’ve done it.

“Fucking hell, Kyle…”

“How about we get some air? Outside. Somewhere where no one can see us?”

John groaned again, but sat up properly and sighed through his gritted teeth.

“Fine. I need a cigar anyways.”

“I’ll join you in a few minutes. Go enjoy that cigar.”

John looked him up and down for half a second, then stood. Kyle watched him leave the room and shuddered, his heart racing beyond comprehension. He wanted him so badly…

Kyle waited exactly three minutes before going to join John outside. He was down the side of the building, well away from the main thoroughfare of the walkways. He was sucking the end of his cigar with his eyes closed, taking in every molecule of smoke. It seemed to relax him. When he touched his captain’s arm, he whipped around and grabbed his wrists, the cigar still between two of his fingers.

This took Kyle by surprise, but it wasn’t an unwelcome surprise by any stretch of the imagination. He looked up at John, who had a soft, thoughtful expression on his face.

“Open your mouth, Kyle. Tongue out.”

Kyle obeyed, and watched as John came close, breathing the smoke currently in his lungs into his mouth in a thin but powerful stream. He could see it escaping his mouth and floating up, clouding his vision slightly, but he didn’t care. He felt the moustache brushing against his lips, then felt John’s lips on his, pushing his tongue back into his mouth and following it with his own. The taste of smoke and wine mixed so perfectly in their mouths.

He was so professional with his kisses. His body pressed Kyle’s against the wall just as his legs started to falter, catching him. When he separated from the kiss, they both breathed out smoke and watched it dissipate in the air. John took another breath of the cigar, then put out the fire by pressing it into the wall near Kyle’s ear. He heard the sizzle on the brick. Somehow it just added to the tightness in his chest and stomach. He was so enamoured with his captain… the kiss put him on cloud nine.

John breathed out the smoke again and watched it dissipate again, then his eyes focussed back onto Kyle. One hand made its way around Kyle’s waist once more, and he saw absolute adoration in the older man’s eyes. He was just as in love with him. He knew it. His hands moved up and rested gently on the fabric on John’s chest. He could feel his heartbeat under the fabric, very faintly, but he could feel it.

“Are you sure about this, Kyle?”

So caring… that’s one of the reasons he loved him so much.

“As sure as I’ll ever be.”

John didn’t seem to need any more reassurance. He kissed Kyle again with even more force than last time, grabbing hard onto his waist as if he’d try to get away. Finally, Kyle let himself relax and revel in the moment. He wrapped his arms around John’s neck, feeling the lifting of his arms lift up his suit jacket. John took this opportunity to untuck his undershirt and slip his hands fully up underneath it, making his back tingle with the skin-to-skin touch. He was in heaven.

John’s lips left Kyle’s own, moving to the side and kissing from his cheeks to his jaw to his neck, making him groan a little “sir~”. He wanted to hit himself for that… it just slipped out. But his Captain didn’t stop. He kissed his neck, bit it, sucked it. The whole time, his hands were running up and down Kyle’s back, grabbing his waist. He seemed to be losing himself.

“Tell me…” John kissed his neck again, not even able to finish a full sentence. “Tell me to stop…”

Kyle closed his eyes and leaned his head back. “Don’t! Don’t even think about stopping.”

Price growled and bit down on his neck, taking the skin between his teeth and leaving a mark there when he released it. He moved up next to Kyle’s ear and bit his earlobe before whispering in a raspy, growling voice.

“I want you too, Kyle.”

[dirtytransmasc]

The lyle and mansk get captured by the metkayina ask lives rent free on my mind and i've just been imagining this little human kid who is appsrently very VERY traumatized walking around with two giant recom ex (maybe?with time????) Rda guys bodyguards who play and mess with him but also don't let anyone (Jake and neytiri, anyone else are kinda ok bc they are like....prisoners still but they don't get away without a few growls ) get close to him. Also i think it would be funny Jake recognizing any of the two

jake knew them, not well, but still, he knew enough that he didn't fucking want them around. lyle was quaritch's lap dog, mansk was supposedly a fucking psycho, black ops type psycho, and now they're playing all buddy-buddy with 'his kid'. neytiri only see's demons when she looks at them, they disgust her, she wants to kill them, and she would if it weren't for ronal and tonowari and ronal insisting they be left alive.

ronal feels something, eywa telling her to keep them alive, to give them a chance, if only for this little boy's sake (I totally believe that if someone told her she was 16-17, almost an adult by human standards, despite looking so tiny and young and broken, she would lose it. he's just a baby, truly, after everything he's been through, and she see's it). so she protects the remaining recoms because they protect the boy in a way she can't; they have built up months of trust and understanding, they know this boy inside and out, and he allows them to get close. tonowari trusts his wife, though a bit wearily as they are trained military goons in advanced na'vi bodies, not something to mess around with. but the look in the boys face as he clings close to them, the few and far apart smile he shines at them when they tell a stupid joke or begin to ever so gently rough house with him, its worth the risk.

spider is, to put it bluntly, is not doing well. he still has no home, not that he knows of (ronal and tonowari are desperate to take him in, but he can't see that), and his family went from group of ragtag recoms to just two, the three of them barely surviving the loss of everyone they had left to love, to cling to. he's tired, everything hurts, he's tired of being watched like a fucking ticking time bomb, tired of having the two people he has left being treated like glorified lap dogs. but he has lyle, who can always make him smile, even when its hard, and mansk who makes him good food and gives him moments of joined solace.

the boys are just happy to be given this second chance, a chance to be more then just RDA dogs, but were they even really that anymore? sure, in their human lives they were dogs, taught to sit and heel and bark, taught to bite on command, but now? now they were just tools, their lives had no meaning, no value. but now they have the boy, they have a soon-to-be home, if their well-trained observation skills are anything to go off of, and for the first time in forever, they feel like they can breathe.

they never let jake and neytiri even think about approaching the boy, only allowing ronal and tonowari, the kids, and with some hesitancy the other villagers. they don't want to isolate him, he's had more then enough of that, but they need him to be safe. spider spends most of his time with them anyway, finding ways to annoy them, climbing all over them, telling stories by the fire, curling up in their laps to catch what little shut eye he can manage. they manage to be a little family, to some extent, and that's ok, they make it work.

[sukifoof]

I was thinking about Asriel as the Royal Scientist, and I remember in one post you said in the tags, how you considered drawing him as one for your Asriel survives AU, before saying you can't imagine him holding down any job without freaking out

Now, I'm not asking you to draw him anyway, I'll be fine either way. It is just important context cuz that's what gave me my personal thoughts right now about him, and I wanted to spread them because I think they're optimistic in the end, if cliché and generic (warning, I'm really bad at sympathizing with other people, so I might be just, completely wrong about what I say next)

I have little doubt Asriel would be very lost at first about what he is going to do with his life now that The Barrier is gone. Typical confusion after exiting a time loop, compounded by the years of untouched trauma and other mental health issues. Maybe spiralling further as he may consider himself a burden for all those problems he can't handle on his own

He would try resuming being The Prince, go back to what he thinks people want of him, but it's not going to work, he distrusts himself too much after everything he has done. When he inevitably fails, he hits a new low. But eventually, perhaps with Frisk's encouragement, he finds it in himself to open up about it, talk to other people, seek help

Alphys, who in a very real sense is his creator (slightly more metaphorical in this AU, but she's still the one who woke him up from his coma), and one of the few people who know how he works, might be one of the first people that Asriel speaks to about his problems, feeling that she'd understand. They talk to each other about the regrets that they have, bonding over similar troubles, and maybe shared interests (bonding as friends. Alphys is faithful to her wife, and Asriel is on the aspec, so it doesn't go further)

At some point one of them might just naturally suggest that Asriel help out around the lab, and while he's helping, and they're talking with each other, Alphys realizes just how much knowledge about all sorts of things Asriel has, and one day she offers that he become a full-time assistant at her lab. This freaks him out, and in the moment he rejects it and runs away, which both of them later despair over, in a sense of "oh god I was to hard on him/her, now I destroyed our friendship, I'm the worst, I can't do anything right"

But eventually they talk to each other about it (encouraged by their friends) and they realize that neither is harboring any resentment towards the other, and they make amends. Asriel starts out working with her part-time, and while it's initially very scary for him, and he probably has several other freakouts along the way, I think Alphys, being prone to freakouts herself, would be more than understanding. Eventually he becomes her full-time assistant after all

Hopefully combined with therapy which he really, really should receive, he eventually starts feeling good about himself again, even if it takes years to get there. And he realizes, yes, this is the job he wants to do. He can help people without actually having to be there, with a much more manageable amount of responsibility to handle. He's finally happy, as the Assistant Royal* Scientist (* although at this point it is possible that Asgore and Toriel would abdicate, seeing as their son won't take over from them, it might just be easier to end the monarchist government right then and there)

Of course, while Asriel is immortal, Alphys is not, and as the decades pass, she will get older, weaker, less able to do her job. The day when she resigns from her post to let the (physically) younger Asriel become the next Royal Scientist will be a difficult one for both of them, and even more so when she finally turns to dust, although I hope that by this point he would be better equipped to handle the loss of those close to him. It will still hurt, but I hope with new experiences and skills he's learned over the years, he'll be able to deal with that pain, or the pain when his parents or his other friends die, better than he did with the pain of Chara's death

Frankly, not being seen as royalty anymore, especially by the younger generations who won't remember monarchist rule, he might find life easier as he's no longer so isolated as he was as a prince, no longer has to reach the same standards as before

The trauma, and other pain that follows, they will never fully leave him, but he's got a quite literal eternity to learn how to live with them and not let them control his life. And if mortals can do it, then I think he too can, over the course of several years, or even decades, figure it out. I think, as fucked up as he is, at the end of this nightmare road there is happiness waiting for him, however long it takes him to get there. I just want him to be happy goddammit. And I think that a 30-or-40-something Asriel will be happy

Thanks you for listening to my TED talk, and have a magical day

HI IVE BEEN MEANING TO ANSWER THIS FOR SO LONG CUZ ITS SO GOOD AND IN CHARACTER!!! u are so right for this i LOVE this i dont have much to add on cuz ur points are all so good. asriel has so many issues and i think he would probably feel a Bit Better if he was able to put his knowledge to use to help people and it might help him come to terms with death a little better..... anyway they are siblings and they occasionally bother each other. extremely kind mayor who took over after papyrus and local freak scientist who is seemingly some kind of sludge <3 i may draw more of this when i get the chance cuz the idea of these middle aged freaks is so funny to me i love them dearly

[avirael]

FFxivWrite 2024

Day 08 - Intervention (Free Day)

Some days Rael began to understand why A’viloh thought himself cursed.

Their luck in the last months had certainly been miserable and the worst of it was that usually the next gut punch always came just when you thought things were finally going better again.

Their stay at Camp Cloudtop hadn’t been without issues but it had over all been a nice trip. The place had been marvellous even despite having to take care of Emmanellain. Of course he had gotten himself in trouble but with Lord Haurchefant’s help they had managed to save him.

Rael had enjoyed finally having some nature around again and A’viloh had seemed so fascinated and happy with everything. In the end both of them had a nice time at Camp Cloudtop were most of their worries had seemed far away for a short while.

The whole flight back A’vi and Haurchefant had happily chattered but strangely this time Rael had not minded it at all.

But then they had returned to Fortemp manor and bad luck had caught up to them again - in form of a messenger that had brought grave tidings.

Tataru and Alphinaud had been arrested. Someone had raised accusations about them, the gravest there were here in Ishgard. Heresy.

Whatever that is supposed to mean, Rael wondered, but it didn’t matter since clearly everybody else was taking this seriously and the two of them were soon to face trial.

And a trial regarding heresy was almost never decided in favour of the accused. So their only way of survival was said to be trial by combat.

If it hadn’t been so horrible Rael would have laughed about the absurdity of it all. Alphinaud, still more a boy than a man, and Tataru, the sweetest and most unthreatening Lalafell you could imagine, not only accused of plotting against Ishgard but also expected to fight for their lives. Alphinaud at least possessed basic fighting skills in form of his magic but the two of them against two veteran knights of the Heavens‘ Ward certainly didn’t seem like a fair fight.

The worst of it all was that no one seemed to care about it because they believed that if the two were truly innocent the goddes Halones would certainly intervene and save them herself. As Rael had sharply asked about how often such a thing had actually occurred, everybody got suspiciously silent though. It was absolutely ludicrous. And it made Rael unspeakably angry.

A’viloh however only seemed to be shocked and deeply shaken by the news, almost as if the trial was already lost and together with it their friends lifes.

“Please don’t worry, A‘viloh… I am sure there is something we can still do!”, Haurchefant tried to reassure him.

“Indeed there is something…”, Ser Aymeric, who fortunately was on their side, added thoughtfully. “Under Ishgardian law someone unfit to fit has the right to name a champion to fight in their stead. Master Alphinaud‘s magical talents will not have gone unnoticed, but Mistress Tataru on the other hand…”

He didn’t need to finish that sentence, Rael had already picked up on where this was going. “Let me fight in her stead. I will make these cowards regret they ever opened their lying mouths! They will never dare to -”

“No!”, A‘viloh interrupted. “I will fight.”

Everybody stared at him. He still looked miserable but there was something in his eyes except fear.

“I want to fight.”, he repeated a little more clearly. “Let me help for once! And after all Alphinaud already fights with magic. The knights however mostly fight with swords or lances right? Both of you would get issues with casting any spells at all if no one keeps them off of your backs….”

Rael wanted to argue. They theoretically knew that A‘viloh could do this, after all he wasn’t as weak as he sometimes thought he was and he had prevailed under stressful situations before.

But there was so much that could go wrong, although Rael had to admit that his reasoning made sense. Nonetheless they opened their mouth to protest -

“Please!”, the Miqo’te insisted before Rael could even speak. “Let me do this. I can’t bear seeing all of you in danger and just stand by doing nothing once again.”

Rael knew this never had been the case but for A‘viloh it had seemed that way, more often than once maybe. Of course he still blamed himself for not being able to do anything for their friends in Ul’dah.

Rael just hoped his nerves were strong enough to do this. “Are you sure? This is our only chance, A‘vi…”

He nodded and Haurchefant as well as Aymeric also seemed to believe in him. Maybe Rael would just have to believe in him too…

“Fine.”, they said but bit their tongue to say more. They didn’t want to make him think they doubted him but even if he failed Rael didn’t plan to sit by idly. They didn’t care about Halone or the church or some holy law. If anyone wanted to hurt their friends they would burn it all down.

“Thank you.”, A’viloh replied smiling weakly and Aymeric immediately focused on explaining the details of the trial.

The whole way to the tribunal Haurchefant explained what A‘viloh had to except of his enemies and together the three of them made a plan. It was a good one and still Rael worried.

In front of the building they stopped. Haurchefant patted the Miqo’te on the back and exclaimed, “Oh! And if you should begin to lose heart, look to me in the stands, and I shall cheer so loud, you will wonder how you could ever have contrived to doubt yourself!“

A’viloh smiled amused and then turned to Rael. It was good that he seemed determined to do this and still Rael couldn’t force themself to smile back at him. Instead they hugged him tightly and whispered, “Stay careful, A‘vi.”

For a moment he returned the Viera’s hug. Then he nodded determined, “I will! Don’t worry!”

He could do this, Rael decided. No, not just could, he would. He had faced more terrible foes than this already.

If the Ishgardians wanted to see this trial decided by divine intervention, they would get that. However no goddess would deliver this judgment but a small, brave Miqo’te with the heart of a lion.

[theelvenhaven]

Dating Maedhros

Having PTSD

A/N: This won't pertain to a specific trauma and shouldn't have any triggers in it. I have portrayed PTSD from my personal experience of having it, and I know it will not resemble everyone's experience. So please be mindful of that, and since I didn't choose a specific trauma it will be on the vaguer side of things. The setting is in Valinor post Beleriand and Oath.

* * *

❂ When it comes to dealing with trauma, there is no one more understanding than Maedhros about the whole ordeal and what comes with living with PTSD.

❂ While Maedhros' own previous experience with PTSD may look different than your current experience, it doesn't mean that he's going to be unempathetic or have the inability to understand what you are going through.

❂ He is incredibly supportive when you come out with your diagnosis to him, and is essentially asks you how can he best support you.

❂ If you are unsure about how you can best be supported, Maedhros tells you that he will help you find ways through it.

❂ The first thing that he starts with is making sure that you are seeing Healers, since you are in Valinor you have the best care imaginable.

❂ He knows what it is like to be without the help and having to muddle through survival skills to be able to make it through the day, he doesn't want you to deal with the same thing.

❂ Maedhros is happy to attend those long therapy sessions with you as he wants to know what are the healthiest ways to help you through things like flashbacks and disassociation.

❂ When you disassociate, Maedhros can tell by the far off look in your eyes and how distracted you seem to be and takes the time to help reground you.

❂ Going through the five sense grounding technique with you, he walks you through it gently and is very supportive in these moments as he tries to help you get back to yourself.

❂ He knows he can only do so much, but very much still supports and walks you through how to ground yourself.

❂ Maedhros encourages you to talk about how you're feeling with him, and will take the time to relate with you about the things he went through.

❂ It is probably no secret in Valinor post Beleriand that Maedhros went through some horrible scarring things, things that gave him PTSD at the time.

❂ He just wants you to know that even though he has healed from it, that you aren't alone in this struggle.

❂ When it comes to dealing with panic attacks that come with your PTSD, Maedhros is always coaching you through them.

❂ He helps you with numerous different measures until he find one that works for you and being able to regulate yourself again.

❂ Some of those methods may include him walking you through the 4-7-8 breathing technique- inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, exhale for 8 seconds until you feel like you can breathe easy and not as panicked.

❂ If that doesn't work then he will try things like pressure- that may come in the form of a firm hug or a weighted vest/blanket.

❂ Things like a quiet place to sit and a way to talk through what you're feeling in a calm manner is a given and Maedhros won't hesitate to employ that tactic as soon as he can feel you panicking.

❂ When it comes to dealing with your flashbacks, Maedhros is quick to stop whatever it is he is doing that may have triggered it.

❂ No matter what it is, he finds you a safe place to sit and talk to you through it in hopes that it will help you come out of it.

❂ One big thing that Maedhros is adamant that you are honest with him about is your triggers so he knows what to avoid.

❂ Whether its a topic, or a word, a certain smell or place, Maedhros wants to know so you two can avoid it at all costs to prevent triggering you into a spiral.

❂ While he may know how to help you through a lot of the things when it comes to dealing and living with PTSD he encourages that you work with your healers.

❂ He won't really accept no as an answer since it is available to you, and on your lowest days when you feel the worst, Maedhros sees to a Healer coming to you when you can't go to them.

❂ Regardless you will have a very mental health savvy partner who is more than willing to help you learn to cope with the trauma you've experienced.

* * *

Tags: @saviorsong @lilmelily @dicksoutformtl @fandomhoe101 @celebrimbor-telperinquar @red-riding @miriel-estelwen @ta-ka-shi-ma @nerdysimpy @thegirlwithoutaname87 @anunexpectedsideblog @spidergirla5 @eunoiaastralwings @eternalabysss @noldorinpainter