#they fall into the ball of sunshine/grumpy bitch trope

[sinsbymanka]

Thank you @tevivinter for the beautiful commission 🥰🥰 I love them so much.

This is a portrait of the lovely Marguerite Cadash-Tethras all grown up, star of the on-hiatus The Herald’s Gambit. The brunette is Petra of Clan Halvor - a warrior caste exile from Orzammar (was Mags involved in that debacle? Possibly. Most likely. It’s a hell of a story I haven’t written yet) known as an undefeated Proving Champion. 

This commission did inspire me to finish this little snipped about them and those pretty dwarf braids. Enjoy!

Mine, Petra thought dizzily. Mine.

Petra would never admit it, but this was her favorite part of sharing a watch with Mags. 

The two of them sat facing the fire, Mags perched herself on a damp log behind Petra with deft fingers tangled in Petra's dark hair. She tried not to lean into Mags's touch, sitting cross legged between her splayed knees. If she moved just an  inch to the right, she could lean against the soft cotton of Mags’s breeches, rest her cheek on her pillowy thigh. Like an exiled casteless with no family or fortune had a right to be there, or really anywhere near someone like Marguerite Cadash-Tethras.

“Pin.” Mags demanded, thrusting her hand over Petra’s shoulder. Petra held up a fistful and she snatched one from between her fingers immediately, used it to secure the last of the intricate braids woven up the side of Petra’s scalp. Then Mags picked up the long leather tie she’d removed when she began and wove together the rest of the loose hair into a much simpler braid, one that she flipped over the opposite shoulder when she finished. Petra reached up to run her fingers over the elegant work, done as neatly as any deep lord’s wife could want. 

“Satisfied?” Mags teased, leaning too far in so her breath puffed gently across the earrings in Petra's ear.

“Will it keep my hair out of my eyes while I’m slaying our enemies?” Petra huffed, impatient and irritated at her own distraction. 

“And you’ll look beautiful at the same time. Who says you have to sacrifice form for function?” Mags’s smooth voice ended in a  laugh. She nudged Petra’s shoulder with her knee. “My turn?” 

No, maybe this was her favorite part. 

Petra stood from the dust, wiping the assorted leaves and debris from her pants as Mags jumped to her own feet, settling where she’d been. The firelight bounced off her curls, turned them to copper instead of gold. Petra spared a wary glance around them, their companions stretched out on bedrolls, the darkness kept at bay by their small fire. Nothing stirred in the shadows. 

They weren’t really alone, but they were the only two awake, which was as close as they could be to being alone. 

For these shining, star studded hours, Petra had the sun all to herself. 

When she settled on the log, Mags leaned into the space between her thighs, warm and so blessedly assured of herself. Her nimble fingers reached up to start pulling her own pins from the braids decorating her golden locks. 

“Stop.” Petra ordered, slowly moving Mags hands away, mouth dry as she smoothed the mostly loose curls tangling from her high ponytail. She tugged the leather tie loose and let them fall into her ungentle hands. 

Petra never had anything to herself, not growing up in a clan just scraping by, not learning to fight with a dozen others, but she was the only one who spun gold beneath her fingers every night. So she cherished these hours, pulled them selfishly closer to her every evening. 

In the daylight, the woman between her knees would be their brilliant and bright Magpie again, but here…

Mags's smile came slower, softer, in the shadows. Her eyes weren’t quite as steely. The fire and starlight softened all the hard edges of her tongue, made her melt into Petra’s touch as she freed the rest of the braids, ran her fingers through them as softly as she could to untangle them. Mags produced her wide toothed comb and tossed it over her shoulder with a sunny, amused grin. 

Petra fought the urge to wind those curls around her fingers, slowly dragging the comb through them instead. Mags almost immediately began to fiddle with the necklace she wore, the bright blaze of sapphires sparkling in the light. 

“Hey, tell me a secret.” She demanded, like secrets were easy to buy and trade. Perhaps, to her, they were. 

“I don’t have any secrets.” Petra lied, not willing to admit that this, perhaps, was her darkest secret. That these moments were a treasure, a deshyr’s daughter between her thighs, the sun spilling between her fingers. She wasn’t supposed to want the daylight, after all. She belonged to the shadows of the stone. Mags belonged to silk and wealth. That was the way of things. “How do you want your hair?” 

“Dealer’s choice.” She said easily, looking over her shoulder and spearing Petra with a chagrined glance. “Everyone has secrets.” 

“What’s yours then?” Petra asked, secretly gleeful that she got to decide. Petra would leave as much of the golden curls loose as she could so she could follow their sway as they hiked across bleeding Thedas.

Mags looked away, back towards the fire, her fingers still on the pendant she wore, her mother’s pendant. Petra would never see her mother again, but at least Petra knew where she was. Knew she was safe. Mags may never find the answer. 

“I’m afraid.” Mags admitted quietly. 

In the dark, she could be. With Petra, perhaps, more than anyone. Unable to help herself, Petra brushed one thumb down the smooth line of skin behind Mags’s ear, a touch she hoped was soothing. 

“Of what?” Petra asked, but she already knew. Mags was frightened of small spaces, being alone too long, going home empty handed, and failing her family. Mags never said any of those things, of course, but Petra knew. Petra watched her, after all, far more than she should. 

“Spiders.” Mags grinned, lighthearted again. Petra saw just the slightest curve of her smile, uncertain and raw. “Your turn. What are you frightened of?” 

Petra said the word before she thought about it. “You.” 

Beneath her, Mags stiffened, and Petra immediately began cursing. Mags tugged free of her gentle grip and turned, spearing her with a bewildered and hurt look. “Me? Why are you afraid of me? Is it because I’m…” 

Different. Because she had magic she could barely use, more likely to implode on them at any moment than to actually be helpful. Petra watched her struggle with the word before discarding it, a flush rising to her face, temper beginning to eclipse pain. 

She never meant to hurt her. Petra would never harm her. If she had her way, she’d become the knight from the stories Mags’s father once weaved, the ones Mags kept hidden in her pack. Tales for a precocious child in a dangerous world, one who needed a bulwark against the storm, a safe place for a Magpie to rest her wings. 

If the choice was between hurting Mags or hurting herself, the choice was obvious. 

“Fuck.” Petra swore, looking away from those beloved eyes and into the darkness. “I’m scared of losing you because you’re reckless, you’re mad. You think you’re invincible and nothing will ever hurt you. I’m less afraid of dying myself than I am of losing you and that’s terrifying.” 

“What?” Not much shocked Mags, but this did. Petra watched her recoil, alarmed by the intensity of emotions. 

Alarmed by the confession, more like. Petra could not have the sun, it did not belong to her. She knew it, but if she was going to ruin everything she was going to do it properly. “Since the first day I saw you, I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind. I know you. I know the way you walk, the way your hair curls, the way you smile when you lie, and I could still spend the rest of my days learning more about you. If I lost my sodding eyes, my hearing, all my limbs I would still know you. I would know you anywhere, Marguerite.” 

Mags was in her blood, engraved in the stone that lined her heart. She always would be. The same way this memory would haunt her, Mags eyes wide with shock, pulling away to…

Petra stood, nearly tripped over the damn log as she took several steps into the circle of dark surrounding them. She needed to get away from that look, away from the disgust she swore would come next. This was not allowed, this…

“Wait.” Mags whispered plaintively, scrambling up from the ground. “This is where you kiss me, right? You can’t say all of that and not kiss me. It’s not allowed.” 

It was Petra’s turn to be shocked. She stared in stunned disbelief as Mags took one slow step forward, a tentative smile curling her lips. Her hair fell loose in waves down her back, turned to a halo of light by the flames behind her. She extended her hand slowly, like she was afraid of startling a nug. 

“What?” Petra asked, unsure of the turn this had taken. Mags giggled.

“This is the part of the story where you kiss me. Trust me, I know what I’m talking about.” She was teasing again, her expression lighter, softer than Petra had ever seen it. She couldn’t tell in the shadows, but she swore a blush was creeping up Mags’s fair skin. 

The sun was throwing herself at her feet. And Petra was too weak to say no. 

She crossed back to Mags, tangling her steady hands into those loose curls, and brought her lips crashing against Mags’s own. Petra swore she could feel the stone inside her softening, melting into a core of lava, blazing and bright as Mags’s lips under hers. 

[hayleysstark]

Broppy and Branch for the ask meme?!

sdgbhytrfgbhgfrdfgbfv yOU ASKED,,,,,,,,,, ABOUT MY OTP,,,,,,,, AND MY LOVELY SASSY SULKY SON,,,,,,,,,,,, I CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH,,,,,,, FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY,,,,,,,,, TO SCREAM,,,,,,,,,,,

dfggfvbvb okay okay 

When I started shipping it if I did: I kind of knew they’d be endgame from the trailers alone ((Brooding Boy/Gentle Girl trope vibe was STRONG w/ them. like. come on. i saw it coming a hundred goddamn miles away. y’all saw it coming a hundred miles away. King Peppy himself saw it coming a hundred miles away.)) and that was admittedly kind of ://// for me at first but I gave it a shot anyway because hey, the character designs were fun, eighties’ music, which is Objectively the Best Era for Music Ever, don’t fight me on this, and Dreamworks usually puts out cute stuff, so I was like whatever, obvious ship is obvious. i was kinda prepared to hate, i admit, bUT THE SKATING RINK SCENE HAPPENED AND I LOST MY GODDAMN SHIT. LIKE BRANCH???????? RECITING LOVE POETRY AND SMILING AT POPPY?????? VERY GOOD. I’LL TAKE 1000000000+. GIVE ME THAT PINING!BRANCH JUICE ALL DAY EVERY DAY.

My thoughts: fuckin,,,,,,,,,, really adorable, but also so much potential for angst, too??? I also like their friendship just as much as I like their romance, if not more, which is definitely a first for me with a romantic ship. I like that they’re really snarky and sassy and just generally assholes to each other, but also support each other unconditionally and aren’t afraid to be affectionate with each other and look out for each other. I like the balance of the gentler and quieter side to their relationship vs. their constant banter and teasing, and how both are portrayed as genuine ways of showing affection. Would die for the way they bring out the “best” in each other - e.g. Poppy lifts Branch up when he gets too down, but he helps her bring her down to earth when she lets her optimism and imagination run away with her. Love how they’re shown to be complete, unyielding opposites from the outset, and they learn, right alongside the viewer, that this isn’t the case at all. After the first touch of common ground has been established, they become a lot more tolerant of the other, and slowly uncover more and more similarities. Also like that they both get to save each other multiple times. good shit. 

What makes me happy about them: They’re so cute and flirty and bouncy??? and just good in general???? love how well they play off each other whenever they’re put on-screen together.

What makes me sad about them: w h e r e was the mutual pining. w h e r e.  the entire MOVIE was a solid hour and thirty of Branch pining. poppy? the popster??? the goodest girl???? practically nothing. i am a SLUT for mutual pining and i THOUGHT thats what i was signing up for with Trolls, damn it!!!!

Things done in fanfic that annoys me: o o f this fandom is very small, I feel like I’ll be targeting someone specific if I say anything, but I’m seriously not trying to??? I guess I just don’t like,,,,,,,,,, the “Soft Kids” trope some fics do??? like. these fuckers will ruthlessly, mercilessly destroy each other. don’t. don’t take that away from me. aLSO WHERE IS MY MUTUAL PINING A G A I N GOD THEY ARE SO RIPE FOR IT WHY DOES NO ONE BUT ME THINK THAT

Things I look for in fanfic: fhjtrfthfhfgv i,,,,,,, am,,,,,,,,, GARBAGE but any and all fics where Branch is Irreversibly Convinced that Poppy Will Never Love Him and he Does Not Deserve Her and he Must Never Tell Her. Never Let It Show. Conceal Don’t Feel. g o o d s h i t omg. also fics where Poppy falls in love w/ Branch before the film!!!!!!! very extremely good content right there!!!

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: anyone for Poppy, tbh. she is Too Beautiful and could have literally anyone. oh, wait, no, not Smidge. she and Smidge are SISTERS and that is BEAUTIFUL and i will NOT let anyone take their friendship away from me. but yeaH. Queen Poppy could have her pick. she is the biggest catch in Troll Village and you can fight me on that. but tbh Branch,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, it’s Poppy or nothing. who else would want to date this dude anyway. he drinks his own sweat. literally. who would date that guy besides Poppy

My happily ever after for them: give me old-ass Branch and Poppy with wrinkles and streaks of grey in their hair just like,,,,,,, sipping tea by the fire in a cottage by the sea. done with all the adventure. done with all the fighting. all the quests. all of it. give me older Branch and Poppy just. chilling. a quiet life. they deserve it. after all the excitement of their youth, they more than welcome it. Branch more so than Poppy, but Poppy’s kind of an adventure all her own, and life itself is enough for her nowadays.

Who is the big spoon/little spoon: listen,,,,,,,,,,, liSTEN,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,it’s branch. branch is the little spoon. y’all know this. Poppy likes him to be the little spoon because it lets her give him the affection she feels he didn’t get when he was alone and grey. he says he doesn’t need it. says he doesn’t even like it. he does. he really, really does.

What is their favorite non-sexual activity: dancing tbh!!! intimate, but not overly so. 

fhjtrftghbfdfgb im SO SORRY THAT BECAME,,,,,,,,, A GODDAMN NOVEL DHFRGFDFGV ONTO BRANCH!!!!!

How I feel about this character: y’ALL FUCKIN???????? KNOW HOWI FEEL????? WHY YOU DRAGGIN ME LIKE THIS ANON. WHY YOU DRAGGIN ME LIKE THIS. BRANCH IS,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, SUNSHINE,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, IN A PERSON,,,,,, AND I WOULD FIGHT AND DIE FOR HIS RUDE SNARKY GRUMPY PARANOID ANXIOUS ASS.

All the people I ship romantically with this character: Just Poppy!!! im a basic bitch

My non-romantic OTP for this character: GIVE ME BRANCH AND GUY DIAMOND BEIN BROS AND JUST BROIN’ IT UP IN BRO TOWN. oooh also really likin Branch and Smidge, Branch and Bridget, and Branch and Gristle as friends, too!!!! Branch and Smidge would bond b/c they’re both tough and touchy and quick to anger, Branch and Bridget because they’re both hopelessly in love with royalty lmao, and Gristle because he’s just. he’s just a fun guy. he’s got a wicked sense of humor, and he’s not as affectionate or demonstrative as a troll, so Branch feels more comfortable around him than some of his own kind. once they get past the ‘one nearly ate the other’ issue ofc r i p 

My unpopular opinion about this character: why does everyone want to fuck him i dont understand

One thing I wish would happen/had happened with this character in canon: can i get some uhhhhhh more info about his family maybe???? also just his past in general like how’d he slip through the cracks so bad when trolls look out for each other so much??? why did literally every adult in his life drop the ball??? wHY WASNT HE PUT WITH A PROPER FAMILY AND LIKE ALSO MAYBE GIVEN SOME THERAPY THIS DOESN’T MAKE ANY SENSE PLS. 

My OTP: P O P S T E R 

My crossover ship: dfhgdgfdgffb i feel,,,,,,,,,,,,,, weird abt interspecies shipping so im gonna have to say no one????

A headcanon fact: really really into science. esp meteorology. 

sdfghgfrghgfg thank you,,,,,,,,,,, for asking,,,,,,,,,,, ‘tis fun to scream abt my faves.

send me a character/ship