#this camp's not big enough for two rogues i see

[revvethasmythh]

thank god I found lae'zel when I did tbh, because we were getting into fights and I was staring around at my party comp (rogue, wizard, cleric) like "oh so we're fucked fucked without a melee fighter aren't we?"

[dreamdragonkadia]

Daughter of Hades!Reader

To say this was bullshit would be the understatement of the century. Who the hell gets sick the day before camp? It had to be some kind of cosmic joke, right? Maybe it was your "mortal curse" for being the daughter of Hades, because breaking the Big Three Oath just wasn’t enough trouble.

“You’re so dramatic,” your mom mutters, giving you a side-eye as she checked the thermometer for what feels like the millionth time. Your mind felt fuzzy, like it was wrapped in fog, and it’s a struggle just to focus on her outline. You’re pretty sure there was some vomiting involved last night, but the memory’s hazy at best.

“101.2,” she announces, her voice final. “You’re not going to camp.”

It takes longer than a second for the words to sink in as the fever burns under your skin, but a wave of cold washed over you, leaving you shivering. You feel the bone-deep exhaustion settle in, like someone’s draped a heavy shroud over your body. Gods, if sleep claimed your mind right now, you’re not sure you’d even protest.

“Mom,” you manage to croak out, your voice barely a whisper. “I have to go. I haven’t seen Percy since—” You trail off, realizing you don’t even know how long it’s been. This was the downside to long-distance relationships, even with shadow travel practically at your fingertips. It must have been winter break, when the winter solstice rolled around, and classes went on pause. Everything since then has been a blur of school, monsters, and the daily grind of pretending you’re a normal person.

Her expression softens, and for a split second, you think you’ve gotten through to her. But then she shook her head, resolute as ever. “You need to rest. You’re not going anywhere until you’re better.”

You bite back a frustrated groan, slumping further into the mattress. It felt like you were being held captive by the Fates themselves. You can almost picture Percy’s disappointed face when he realizes you won’t be there. Some part of you wants to believe he’d shrug it off, try to play it cool—but you know him better than that. The poor guy would probably freak out, imagining the worst. He’d think something happened, that you were attacked by a monster or ambushed by a rogue demigod.

But then again, Percy’s smarter than he lets on. You’d mentioned on your late-night Iris messages that you hadn’t been feeling your best lately, and last night you told him you were going to bed early because of it. Maybe he’d put two and two together. Or at the very least, he’d mention it to Annabeth, who’d immediately make the connection and reassure him before he went full Poseidon-mode and tried to charge into the Underworld to find you.

“This isn’t fair,” you mutter, voice hoarse. “I fought monsters with worse than this.”

“Exactly,” your mom says, “You’ve pushed yourself too hard already. You need to take a break.”

“But Camp Half-Blood is my break!” you protest weakly, even as your eyelids start to droop. It’s kind of a lie. Sure, you loved seeing your friends, training with your half-brother, and joining in on the chaotic games. The strawberry fields, the walks on the beach, the bonfires—they all felt like home. But the real break, the thing you looked forward to most, was seeing Percy. Two whole months of getting to see him every day, sneaking into each other’s cabins at night for stolen moments together. It’s why you stopped visiting the Underworld as often during the summer.

She sits down on the edge of your bed, brushing a hand through your sweat-damp hair. “I know,” she says softly, almost like she was sorry. “But you have to take care of yourself too, honey.”

The familiar comfort of her hand against your head made it harder to stay mad. You close your eyes, exhaustion finally tugging at you, pulling you down like the Underworld’s currents. Maybe she’s right. Maybe you really do need a break. Your father would lecture you for shadow traveling while sick. So would Percy, Nico, and probably even Mrs. Jackson once she found out.

It didn't make it any easier to swallow, though. You’d been looking forward to this for months. You missed your friends, your cabin, but most of all—you missed your boyfriend.

The room fades into a dim blur as sleep pulls you down. You drift in and out of consciousness, fever-dreams flickering through your mind: flashes of Camp Half-Blood’s sparkling lake, the laughter of the Apollo cabin, the comforting feeling of the celestial bronze weapon at your side. And then, always, Percy. His lopsided grin, the way he looks at you like you’re the most precious thing in the world. It’s the first real summer you’ve planned to spend together without interruptions—no quests, no urgent prophecies, just you, him, and the warmth of the campfire.

The next time you open your eyes, it’s to a stuffy nose, making it impossible to catch a full breath. You let out a weak, congested groan, your head throbbing as you stare into the semi-dark room and you can just barely make out the murmur of voices in the hallway—your mom’s concerned whisper and someone else’s low, muffled response.

You think for a moment about trying to listen in, but your body feels heavy, like you’re sinking deeper into the mattress. Exhaustion pulls at you again, tugging you back under, and you let your eyes flutter shut, ready to fall back into restless sleep.

But just before you drift off, you could swear you hear the voice that’s been haunting your dreams.

“Is she okay?” it whispers, filled with worry. It sounds like Percy. Or maybe that’s just your fever messing with you, giving you a glimpse of what you wish could be real. You want to call out to him, but sleep was already wrapping its tendrils around you again, dragging you under before you can even try.

When you next wake, it’s slow, like dragging yourself through syrup. Your body feels like lead, heavy and achy, and the pounding in your head hasn’t let up. The room was dim, the sunlight filtering in through the curtains. It’s quiet—eerily so.

For a moment, you wonder if you dreamt it all: the fever, your mom’s worry, the strange sense of someone else’s presence. Maybe you’re still caught in the grip of some fever-dream, your mind playing tricks on you. But then you hear it—a voice, gentle and oh-so-familiar.

“Hey,” it says softly. “You’re awake.”

You turn your head, blinking to clear the blurriness from your eyes, and there he is, sitting by your bedside. Percy. His hair is messy, like he’s been running his hands through it, and his sea-green eyes are filled with relief and something deeper—something like worry.

“Perce?” Your voice comes out hoarse, barely more than a croak. You swallow thickly, trying to sit up, but he’s already there, a hand on your shoulder, guiding you back down.

“Easy,” he murmurs. “Don’t push yourself.”

“What… what are you doing here?” You can’t quite believe it, staring at him like he might vanish if you blink too hard. He’s supposed to be at camp, leading capture the flag, lounging by the lake—not sitting here, looking at you like you’re the most fragile thing in the world.

“You really think I’d stay at camp when I heard you were sick?” He tries for a smile, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Nico found out first. He came by to check on you and told me you probably wouldn’t be coming. And—well, I kind of freaked out a little.”

You can’t help it; a laugh bubbles up in your chest, raspy, but real. “You? Freak out? No way.”

His smile softens, and he takes your hand, his thumb brushing over your knuckles. “You scared me, you know,” he admits quietly. “I didn’t want to leave you alone like this.”

“Percy,” you sigh, feeling the guilt and warmth mix together in a messy knot inside you. “You didn’t have to come. I’m fine, really. It’s just a fever.”

He gives you a look, the kind that says he knows you’re lying. “You’re burning up, and you look like you’ve been run over by a chariot. Don’t try to downplay it.”

You huff, but it’s more out of fondness than annoyance. “You’re stubborn.”

“And you’re impossible,” he counters, but there’s a smile tugging at his lips now. He squeezes your hand gently, his expression turning serious. “I’d rather be here with you, anyway. We have the whole summer, remember? I’d rather spend it taking care of you than worrying about you from a hundred miles away.”

You open your mouth to protest, but the words die on your tongue. The look in his eyes, the way he’s holding your hand like he’s afraid to let go—it melts away any argument you might have had.

“Okay,” you whisper, your voice small. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“Me too,” he says, and for the first time since you woke up, you feel a little bit lighter. Maybe it’s the fever breaking, or maybe it’s just the way he’s looking at you, like he’s already made up his mind to stay by your side no matter what.

You squeeze his hand back, feeling the exhaustion pull at you again, but this time, it’s different. It’s softer, gentler, like the pull of a tide, and you let it take you, comforted by the warmth of his hand in yours and the soft sound of his voice as he hums a tune you can’t quite place.

When you fall back asleep, you do so knowing he’ll be there when you wake.

[justporo]

Dumb Ideas

"Staeve's arm was around the vampire’s shoulder who - like every night - acted like he was disgusted by all the affection but leaned into it as soon as one of you tangled their limbs with him. You had one arm slung around the pale elf’s mid with your head on Astarion's shoulder. Which also had the advantage of Staeve being able to caress your cheek and play with your reddish-brown hair - or pinch your ear. Meanwhile you were in the perfect position to nudge the half-drow's side whenever he got too feisty."

Staeve and you decide it's a good idea to pierce each other - while Astarion can't stop commenting on how idiotic that is...

MASTERLIST | AO3

Author's Note: So uhm, @velnna has allowed barbies being smashed with his Staeve and... my brain started to think of a sweet polycule with Staeve, Astarion and my own girl, Tav (the hero to almost all my fics)... how could I resist? And you might be saying "Poro, isn't this very self-indulgent?" to which I would agree, but have you considered that I am down bad for this half-drow? So, @velnna, big thankies again for letting me borrow Staeve again, he's wonderful as are you! <3

Pairing: Astarion/Staeve/Fem!Tav (You) Warnings: well, they pierce each other, so don't do this at home, kids? Wordcount: 4,5k

In today's spoils from taking out the occasional bad guys on your way to bigger fish you had to fry in Baldur's Gate, there was something a bit peculiar.

Quite obviously just before you had gotten to these bandits they must've relieved someone else of a lot of jewellery: beautiful golden necklaces, amulets adorned with shimmering stones of all colours under the sun, delicate silver bracelets - and a surprising amount of piercings.

Back in camp now after a full day of adventuring, the party had started sorting through the valuables.

Staeve was just inspecting the pieces when you came over to him and the vampire. He was turning them around in his fingers while Astarion was captivated by a collier with rubies that matched the colours of his eyes very nicely.

When the half-drow saw you coming out of the corner of his black and teal eyes he looked up and threw you a grin: “Looks like I got myself an upgrade for my ears.”

He winked and immediately pocketed a few golden earrings - just to be sure to have them. You raised an eyebrow at the rogue: “Who says it's only you getting some new ones, eh?”

Stepping closer you grabbed Staeve's hand which still had some more gold rings and bars in it. And then while getting so up close and personal with him that the tips of his forest green hair almost tickled your face you wrung the remaining pieces out of his hand. He let you. And grinned benevolently at your audacity - thieves among each other.

“Sharing is caring, love,” you whispered and mimicked his wink from before exaggeratedly and stood on your tiptoes to press a quick peck onto the half-drow's lips. You felt the corner’s of his mouth curl up more as you kissed him. 

“Oh, don't worry, there is plenty to go around!” Staeve declared cheerfully and opened up his other hand with much more loot.

You narrowed your eyes at him while he rewarded you with a shit-eating grin. “There should be enough for all of us, even for Karlach. Although I'm not quite sure how many she might have,” Staeve mused and looked around to find the barbarian enthralled by Gale explaining to her in excruciating detail how to recognise a real diamond over a fake one.

“Or maybe we could do new ones. Especially since I don't know what these are for,” he held up some half-moon shaped pieces with a bar connecting the curve.

You just shrugged.

Unbeknownst to the two of you, Astarion had snuck up behind you in the meantime. Having - just like Staeve - secured his more than fair share of the spoils already.

“If you're intending to pierce your nipples, darling, I'd be more than interested to see that. Because that's what those are for,” he explained and pointed one of his long fingers at the thing Staeve was still turning around in his hands.

“Or maybe our sweetheart Tav would like to try that out?” Astarion teased as he stepped up even closer  behind you and you felt his hands suddenly cupping your breasts for a short moment and squeezing them upwards - making you yelp. “I'm sure it would suit you terribly well and would make for some extra fun for Staeve and me,” he haughtily whispered close to one of your pointy ears while he tried to make eye contact with Staeve. But the half-drow was too mesmerised by the sight of long elegant fingers presenting a quite alluring view of you exactly in front of his face.

And before you could swat the vampire’s naughty hands away he had already disappeared again with roguish quickness, just laughing. But you wouldn't let yourself be treated like that - not in public anyway. So you went after him, trying to get some revenge.

Meanwhile Staeve held the supposed jewellery for a nipple in front of his chest and looked at it curiously, his lips pursed. Then he simply shrugged and went after his two lovers who were hissing and swearing at each other somewhere at the back of today's campsite.

***

The rest of the party had split up the loot with everyone humming contentedly about the sudden wealth you had fallen into. Astarion had put on the ruby collier to everyone’s entertainment and Karlach had been happy about the still huge amount of new piercings she could take her pick from. Quite some more jokes about how other companions could adorn different parts of their body were made over a generous dinner. The wizard had thrown in a little extra effort and ingredients to celebrate the unexpected financial triumph for it to everyone’s delight.

And once everyone had had their fill of food, laughter, amiable companionship and the sun had set, everyone had retired to their tents - or each other’s for some.

Astarion was languidly laying on the pillows in front of his tent reading, one leg casually angled, the other splayed. He hadn't stayed solitary for long.

Staeve and you had bundled up with him like it had become second nature for all of you: Astarion in the middle, all smothered by you, the other rogue and your joint, multiplied love for him.

Staeve's arm was around the vampire’s shoulder who - like every night - acted like he was disgusted by all the affection but leaned into it as soon as one of you tangled their limbs with him. You had one arm slung around the pale elf’s mid with your head on Astarion's shoulder. Which also had the advantage of Staeve also being able to caress your cheek and play with your reddish-brown hair - or pinch your ear. Meanwhile you were in the perfect position to nudge the half-drow's side whenever he got too feisty.

On top of that you had hooked one leg around the vampire's while Staeve had one of his threaded through the angled one. Effectively you had all immobilised each other as you lay there all knotted.

You were talking about and presenting each other the pieces of jewellery you had saved for yourself, talking about which fit whom better. Or, Staeve and you did. Passing the delicate golden earrings between you, just over where the vampire held his book.

Astarion just occasionally threw in some teasing commentary and eyed the glinting ornate pieces - more than once trying to swat them out of your hands when he got too annoyed with the two of you disturbing his peaceful reading.

Having two lovers so eager and physically affectionate was surely a blessing for the tortured soul and body of the vampire - but it still took him some getting used to. So his usual coping mechanism was to be sassy about everything. Staeve and you knew that by now and usually took it as a hint to give your third a bit more space - however that may look like in the moment.

Right now you had each picked out several pieces and were getting bored anyway. The conversation drifted off. Peaceful silence spread between the three of you.You were toying around with the laces on Astarion’s shirt while Staeve had stuck his nose in the vampire's curls and pressed soft kisses to his scalp.

With your other hand you fidgeted with one of the piercings, letting it wander around your fingers. And while it made another turn around them, a thought slowly formed in your mind. But before you could voice it, someone else broke the quiet moment.

“You two are terribly silent - it's disturbing,” Astarion burst out after a while of neither you or the half-drow saying anything. Sassy, just like you were used to.

“First you're annoyed by us talking and now of the opposite. Make up your mind, darling,” Staeve muttered flatly and softly bit into one of the vampire's pointy ears.

Astarion hissed and snapped his face around to his insolent lover. Pushing him away with his long fingers splayed over the half-drow’s face, his pale skin contrasting with Staeve’s darker skin.

“I was annoyed at you for passing things right in front of my face while I am trying to read,” Astarion snapped back. “Also usually when the two of you are silent like this one of you is about to come up with a really dumb idea that will come back to bite us all,” he snarled in response to the other rogue’s complaint and Staeve grabbed his hand off his face - but not without a small kiss to it.

“You're one to talk Mr ‘I-am-not-a-details-person’,” Staeve gave back, unwilling to be called out by someone with so little talent for coming up with plans himself.

“Rich coming from someone who repeatedly almost got himself killed with his stupid need to throw himself at every blade pointed at Tav or me, my love,” Astarion snapped back again.

The two of them kept bickering and teasing each other playfully until Astarion rolled his crimson eyes and decided to end the argument by grabbing Staeve's face and kissing him. Up until both men were merely softly humming and moaning, content with being wrapped up in each other.

This so far had always ended any dissonance between the three of you for good. No opportunity for arguing when mouths were occupied otherwise.

You observed the scene as those two turned more to each other, laying on their sides. You moved so you were basically spooning the vampire, your head still on his shoulder but now from behind. You let your hand wander from Astarion’s waist to Staeve’s hand that was cupping the vampire’s cheek along with the kiss. Letting your fingers softly trace down his freckled arm and eliciting a light shiver from him. His eyes flew open, gaze softening at you and your soft caress. The three of you stayed like that for a long time, making you almost forget your idea.

“But what if we actually got some new piercings?” you posed as a question when the two rogues finally broke their kiss and stared tenderly at each other after.

Staeve's gaze immediately snapped to you and he began grinning, face lighting up with some radiant energy. You could always count on him for a quick and probably somewhat stupid idea.

“Absolutely not,” Astarion exclaimed though and huddled around so he lay as before, picking his book up again and forcing both you and Staeve to readjust positions again. Well, his standpoint on the whole thing was clear.

But Staeve and you were still grinning at each other in agreement.

“You do whatever you imbeciles want but no one is touching me with a needle!” the vampire reiterated and shimmied himself around deeper into his pillows. A steep wrinkle formed between his furrowed brows as he made a show of focusing on his book again, basically making the pages snap as he opened it up at his bookmark. But Staeve was already up and about to grab supplies for your endeavour.

“Your loss then,” you whispered to Astarion and leaned over for a quick kiss to take the frown of his face. It worked quite nicely.

“Don't let Staeve poke your eye out, darling,” Astarion purred when you pulled away again, raising one of his eyebrows.

You stuck your tongue out at him and made to get up. But the remaining rogue quickly grabbed for your wrist and pulled you back onto him for a longer, deeper kiss - arm around your waist so you couldn’t so easily escape.

“Don't poke out his either, sweetheart,” Astarion mumbled when you withdrew “I like my lovers each with both their pretty eyes.”

You gave him a peck onto the tip of his nose.

“Well, who says I'm not doing the nipple piercings after all?” you retorted and jumped up to go after the half-drow while Astarion offered you a fiendish grin at the proposition.

Shortly after, you and Staeve had returned with supplies: needles out of your packs, strong liquor from the camp supplies and of course some suiting gold rings.

Despite the expressed interest for something else, you had decided to let Staeve pierce your bottom lip so you could put a ring through it. And now after he had poured some alcohol over the needle you were sitting in front of each other with crossed legs - while Astarion watched from the back with a perpetually raised eyebrow.

“Have you done this before?” you asked the half-drow as he bit his lip and obviously didn't know how to get going.

“Of course! I've done all my piercings myself. Also pierced others before,” he answered and kept inspecting your lips as if there was something new to see. As if he wasn’t staring enough at them every single day already.

You eyed Staeve's ears and the rings dangling from them. Some of the spots had healed a little roughly it seemed. “And all your victims so far still live?” you asked sceptically and grabbed the bottle of liquor that Staeve still had beside him to take a good swig from it. Staeve pressed his lips into a thin line as he watched you drink, clearly not even thinking the question worth an answer.

“Having second thoughts, darling?” Astarion threw in sarcastically, staring at you from under his brows when he had seen your questioning glance at Staeve's answer.

“I'm surprised you'd let him put a needle into you. Some days I'm surprised he remembers to use the pointy end of his dagger,” the vampire continued while letting his eyes drop to his book again and pointedly turned over to the next page.

Staeve puckered his lips and stared down Astarion who must've felt it and lifted his gaze again to stare right back. “Just leave me something to kiss,” the pale elf concluded and went back to reading.

The half-drow sighed and grabbed the bottle of liquor from you and also downed a fair amount - not exactly adding to your trust in him. But with some liquid courage within him he cracked his neck and made to get to work.

He softly grabbed your bottom lip between his index and thumb, softly tugging. His teal eyes flitted over it while he hesitantly brought up the needle to it. Meanwhile your silver eyes remained firmly on your partner, watching as his lips slightly parted and a light frown formed on his face. Silence spread for a few long heartbeats.

“Your hands are trembling, love,” you muttered, with as much clarity as your caught bottom lip allowed for.

Staeve's eyes jumped to yours, a hint of desperation lit up in his eyes.

“How am I supposed to do this with you staring at me like that, sweetie, hm?”

One of your eyebrows jumped up, lips curling into a smirk.

“So what you're saying is I am distracting you with my piercing eyes?” you teased.

Staeve rolled his eyes at you but smiled. And both of you heard how Astarion clicked his tongue at you.

“I don't want to hurt you,” the half-drow whispered once he had shaken off your stupid joke.

“Surprisingly this doesn't seem to be a common problem with you,” you gave back slightly breathy and watched a soft shade of pink colour Staeve's cheeks.

Then he tugged harder on your lip, making you whimper slightly in the process. “Well, if you say so, Tav,” your lover teased in a low tone, leaning ever closer to you with a mischievous glint in his eyes, biting his own lip now.

“Please, don't have too much fun without me,” Astarion commented from the back in a mockingly dry and bored tone.

Your eyes jumped to the vampire who wasn't even looking at you.

And suddenly you felt a sharp sting that caught you off guard. A single yelp left you, then you looked back at Staeve and - blinking a few times to manage the pain - realised that he had pushed the needle cleanly through. He grinned triumphantly at you.

Without letting go of the needle he grabbed the golden ring you had picked out and carefully threaded it around your bottom lip once he had pulled the needle out. Then he softly dabbed off some blood with some clean cloth.

You didn't even further react to all of it until he finished his job with a very delicate kiss on your lips (that still sent another sting of pain through the wound but you barely minded).

“There you go,” Staeve grinned at you. “Looks hot!”

You grinned back and flinched only a little when you felt some pain from the movement.

“Turn your head for me, darling?” Astarion demanded back from his vantage point. You obeyed and underlined your new accessory by adding a playful wink. The vampire rewarded you with his signature smirk and hummed approvingly: “I have to agree with you, Staeve darling, it does suit her.”

The half-drow puffed out his chest in pride, extremely satisfied with himself and his work. He kept looking at you, eyes wandering over your new piece of jewellery again and again.

Then, while pain began to slowly throb through your lip you got up from your cross-legged position.

“Now your turn,” you said as you got up and grabbed a fresh needle. Staeve's mouth moved silently as you quickly poured some of the alcohol over the needle and were already reaching for one of his ears. He had opted for another earring for a longer row down his pointy ears.

What he had not opted for was how fast and eager you were to get to it now that you were already dealt with. He lifted his hands defensively and leaned away from you.

“Don't you just want to take a break first, see how you are with the pa-” “Don't chicken out on me, darling,” you immediately interrupted him and grabbed for his ear with a wicked grin and glint in your eyes.

Staeve yelped and still tried to lean away from you despite you already having a grip on him. This went on until he lost balance and toppled over. You had no problem with this and quickly followed him, climbing onto him until you were straddling him - his ear still in your grasp and in your other hand the needle.

“Love, I'd really appreciate some of the restraint I showed towards you,” the half-drow pleaded, one hand still held up to guard himself and with the other holding himself slightly upward to not fully lose control of the situation.

“Looks like someone delights a lot more in pain than you do, Staeve love,” the vampire once more threw in. This time he had actually lowered his book. This was all way too entertaining now.

You answered your vampire with another fiendish grin, then looked at the rogue beneath you once more.

“Have mercy, darling!” Staeve pleaded once more but you saw now how he could barely contain a grin himself. The twitching corners of his mouth gave him away.

“This is going to be it, Staeve? This is how you'd beg when she basically has you by the balls? Pathetic,” Astarion teased ruthlessly and then clicked his tongue again. Staeve and you shared a glance. Both of you knew the vampire would make much more of a fuss would he be in the half-drow’s position now.

The rogue beneath you made a slightly despaired noise, then took another breath and looked you straight in the eyes: “Alright, you know what. Tav, ge- wait a second!” He interrupted himself and grabbed the bottle of liquor again, downing the rest of it with impressive speed.

“Get it over with,” he finished and then turned his head slightly to give you better access to the side of his head. He was still eyeing you cautiously.

And as you moved in until the needle was almost touching his ear, his free hand snapped up and grabbed your hand: “Count to three? Please?”

His eyes were genuine this time when he asked that of you. Your gaze softened, your hand with the needle dropped slightly. And with your other you softly let your thumb wander over your lover's much darker skin.

“You don't have to do this, Staeve,” you whispered and let go of his ear to softly cup his cheek and turn his face around to you. You softly pressed a kiss to his lips, biting through the pain immediately shooting through your lip doing this. Staeve let go of your hand to mirror you, the pad of his thumb softly stroking over your cheek as you kissed.

But when you lifted your head up again you saw the determined glint in his eyes, being sure he wouldn't pull out of this, no matter what.

“Hells no, I want to do this. Just - count to three,” he asked of you. You simply smirked and grabbed his chin to turn his head back to the former position.

“Ready?” you asked and felt how some nervousness welled up inside you too as you carefully aligned the needle with your partner's ear.

Staeve slightly nodded as he looked at you. He trusted you after all. Even Astarion was still watching right now.

You took a deep breath - as did he. Your eyes were firmly on him.

“One,” you said - and pushed the needle through the half-drow’s ear.

Naturally, you took him fully by surprise. His mouth opened, ready to let out a yowl of pain but then realised it wasn’t nearly as bad as he thought. “Oww?” he made, more question than exclamation of pain, while you already pulled the needle through and fiddled with his new earring.

“Well, I could do that again anytime,” Staeve boasted afterwards and leaned forward - until he had to wrap his arms around you to stop you from falling off his lap. You grabbed a cloth and cleaned up his ear while he kept grinning at you insufferably and you pouted at him for how easily he swatted away his hesitancy from before.

“You like it, darling?” he shouted towards Astarion fishing for a compliment like you had gotten and meanwhile fully ignored your attitude.

The vampire rolled his eyes then nodded in exaggeration at Staeve, putting on some massive histrionics. Then he rolled his eyes again and went back to reading.

“Are you guys done now? Can I finally read in peace again?” Astarion spat towards you as Staeve let his hand wander up your back and rubbed the tip of his nose against yours.

“Still no nipple piercings for you?” the half-drow suggested cheekily and threw his other lover a glance. But the addressed vampire just stared at him in annoyance for his insolent proposition and shook his head - moving up his book to block both of you out of his view while he muttered something under his breath. Something about what he must have done to end up in this situation.

And while he kept softly muttering to himself, Staeve looked back at you, softly motioning towards Astarion with his head and a slight grin on his lips. You immediately fully understood his intention.

Without further need for communication the two of you dashed back towards your third and smothered him in between you: showering him with kisses while wrapping all of your limbs around him. Basically giving him not a single chance to escape your joint affection. The book was quickly wrestled out of his hand and discarded to the side.

Of course the vampire took it with hissing and many very verbal complaints but he simply couldn’t resist his partners showering him with the love he deserved. In the end he let himself be happily swept up between the two of you. All of the affection making him almost forget that it hadn’t always been like that.

It took a while before the tangle of limbs calmed down again. By the end you were almost in the same position again as you had started the whole night with, neatly wrapped up in each other.

Astarion looked at the two of you softly since you had seemingly used up all of your chaotic energy for the day.

When he took in your face, one of his eyebrows jumped up as he looked down to your freshly pierced lip. By now you could certainly feel it swell up and how it began to throb in pain.

Before you could question his intention, Astarion leaned towards you and softly licked up a fresh trickle of blood from the wound. All while retaining eye contact with you and sending shivers down your spine. Afterwards his lips stayed for a kiss - cautious of course, to not cause you more pain. You would have loved to deepen the kiss more and see where it could possibly lead. But you knew the pain would make you regret it and so it remained quite chaste.

When the kiss ended, Staeve immediately inserted himself back into the situation: “And are you taking care of my ear too, or…”

“I’m definitely not going to lick your godsdamned ear, Staeve!” Astarion answered with a snarl.

The other rogue pouted.

And that surprisingly was all that had been needed for Astarion to give in despite himself. With a loud sigh, he turned over and softly pressed some light kisses to his lover’s new earring. Staeve grinned at him contentedly and drew him back in for another open-mouthed kiss that went on until all of you slowly felt the exhaustion of the day finally catch up with you.

Slowly the three of you settled into serene silence: only the campfire still crackling, soft breaths drifting off into the aether and the sound of two hearts beating for three filled the night now.

It would have been perfect to just drift into your dreams now - if only it hadn’t been for the pain that now really kept bothering you.

You caught Staeve’s gaze and saw the same agony mirrored on his face - especially since he was laying on the side of his freshly pierced ear. You made a face towards your half-drow partner. He answered you in like.

But neither of you would have bothered to get up and do something about it. Especially not if it meant letting go of your vampire for only a second.

But Astarion noticed anyway.

“Regretting the consequences of your actions, darlings?” he teased with a bit of bite in his tone. But when both you and Staeve made big eyes at him, he simply sighed. Then he tried to detangle himself with quite some effort and got up.

“Where are you going, Astarion? You can’t just leave us here, not if we’re hurting!” you exclaimed and immediately shimmied over into Staeve’s open arms since the spot between you was empty now.

“I’m going to get the druid to fix you up. I can’t have you die of an infection because of this. Not before either the tadpole or I get to you,” Astarion responded with some annoyance masking his actual care for the two of you as he was already stomping away.

“Or do you rather want me to get Shadowheart?” the vampire teased you.

Staeve and you looked at each other. Both of you could imagine the amount of judgement you’d receive from the cleric.

“Halsin,” you exclaimed in unison and heard Astarion laugh slightly in response. And then you waited until your temporary missing piece returned to make the three of you whole again.

Taglist (DM if you want to be added please): @spacebarbarianweird @sunfire-ancunin @tragedybunny @dependsonthedream @tallymonster @magazzne @micropoe10 @aoirohi @my-bunny-prince @lumienyx @fayeriess @darlingxdragon @hereliesblackdragon @ayselluna @ajokeformur-ray @i-cant-get-into-my-other-account @rikuyrk06 @marina-and-the-memes

[iwantjaketosullyme]

𝐢𝐟 𝐢 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝, 𝐢'𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞

…but, big spoon, you have so much to do and i have nothing ahead of me.

➺ pairing: jake sully x omatikaya!reader (fluff/angst) ➺ summary: seeing jake was easy, seeing toruk makto not so much. (w/c: 2.8k) ➺ warnings: minor mentions of war & death a/n: inspired by mitski's 'your best american girl' nd dedicated to our fav all-american boy <33 na'vi dictionary at the end !! gif credit goes to @/worldofpandora

─────── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───────

Seeing Jake was easy.

It was shirking clan chores in favour of being held in the safe cocoon of his capable arms on a lazy afternoon, the two of you splayed out on the forest floor as it welcomed you into its clutch, soft grass embracing you, gentle breeze lulling him to sleep. As he slumbers you trace his features gently, eyes first, then nose.

You coast over the worry line that creases just like that when he senses a formidable threat, like the rogue palulukan that strayed a little too close to camp the previous week (or the persistent Omatikaya child that insists on having you braid his hair exactly when Jake’s sat down for you to rebraid his, meaning a rushed job and less scalp scratches for him).

Cautious fingertips are guided by the smattering of tanhi that litter his face, a map provided by Eywa, tiny stars aligning to lead you to your final destination - your favourite destination – his lips.

Being Seen by Jake was even easier.

- flashback -

Two weeks have passed since the fateful day your people reclaimed your ancestral home from the Sky People. The injured have been treated and deceased loved ones have been mourned and committed to Eywa. Now, the clan must celebrate.

Young ones chase after each other's tails (knowing the mood is good enough for them to escape chastisement from their parents), potential lovers dance around their feelings as they dance around the communal fire and elders thank the Great Mother for the privilege of witnessing another night like this – too many eclipses have passed since the clan could revel in shared joy like this.

The evening’s jubilations wind down as eclipse approaches, but the air is still charged with a sense of collective anticipation; you are yet to do what you do best. Gathered clan members form a blue sea, bioluminescent tanhi a mirror image of the stars in the skies above as they seat themselves on fallen logs. 

Deep inhale, shoulders rolled back, head held high and gaze cast over young and old alike, you open your mouth and sing. Entranced, Jake looks up from where he was refilling his cup of pongu pongu (after falling victim to a particularly wily adolescent Na’vi bartering for the drink reserved for adults of the clan) and his amber gaze settles on you as he listens to the legend of a valiant Omatikaya warrior made song. His legend.

His song rolls off your tongue, volume ebbing and flowing like the waters of the Eastern Sea, reaching ‘ahhs’ and throaty ‘oohs’ conveying the highs and lows of his Pandoran alterlife. Sweeping peaks and troughs in the notes you belt out paint the picture in his mind of the mountains climbed and valleys traversed on his quest to find his humanity in a Na’vi body. Dulcet tones undulate from the soft pillows of your lips into the attentive ears of every clan member gathered around the fire, demanding the rapt attention of all that can and will listen.

Your voice betrays you, wavering slightly when you make sudden eye contact with Jake. He gawks at you unashamedly, his expression reminding you of the awe and excitement of a child watching kenten unfurl their luminous fans for the first time. Inwardly, you curse the power that this vrrtep has over you; you never get distracted! No doubt Ninat would be teasing you about this mishap til Eywa calls you home. That skxawng always liked to argue that she’s the better vocalist.

Final note lingering in the air and resonating in the hearts of those around you, you graciously accept the compliments offered. Soon after, you make a swift break for your marui, unaware of your newly acquired shadow following after your hurried steps as if still woefully caught in the spell your voice had cast upon him.

You flit about the marui, humming under your breath as you search for the herb and nectar concoction Tsahik gave you after overhearing you complaining to Neytiri about putting your vocal cords under too much pressure. An appreciative hum leaves your parted lips as the mixture soothes your throat, before a male, gravelly and obnoxious “Ah, shit!” cuts through your minute of peace, followed by the clang of a pot falling.

A stunned squeak escapes you before you have the chance to stop it, eyes widening as your ears fold back and your brow muscles raise in shock before furrowing in confusion. A moment passes. 

You slowly crane your neck to look behind you, chancing a glance at whatever, whoever it is that managed to sneak into your marui and elicit such an embarrassing reaction from you. The fallen pot is still rattling on the floor as you lock eyes with the perpetrator and your upper lip raises into a sneer. Of course, you think to yourself, as if the vrrtep has not bothered me enough tonight he has come back for more!

“Oel ngati kameie,” Jake greets awkwardly, eyes shifting between your defensive posture and the offensive pot that he had tripped over in his dazed stupor. He brings his fingertips to his forehead before extending them towards you in a gesture of respect, and for a moment you are pulled from your derisive train of thoughts as your eyes follow the raised veins on his hands and you feel an unfamiliar feeling flutter in the pit of your stomach – much like the kindling of a new flame. Your examination of his anatomy comes to an abrupt stop when your eyes hone in on his outstretched fingers. Four fingers. Alien fingers.

“What is it that you want?” You throw the words at him, eyeing him up and down in an admittedly pathetic attempt to intimidate him. You are well aware of his prowess as a warrior; you’d only spent the latter part of the evening waxing poetic about it. Despite this, you cannot help but feel as if you must prove yourself to be a formidable threat to him, to this man who was once a tawtute imposter in a Na’vi body and has now made himself an imposter in your home.

He inches towards you cautiously, arms outstretched by his sides and palms open, intending to  communicate his lack of malintention as he clears his throat and opens his mouth to answer you. Your eyes remain vigilant, ears pointing up, alert and awaiting his response. A series of unintelligible noises is all you hear, his mouth opening and closing in such a stupid way that you almost find it endearing. Almost.

Further incensed by the lack of answer, you jerk your head towards him, tail lashing behind you, impatient, “What is it then? Speak!” You begin to pace in front of him, agitated and expectant of an explanation. “Or do you only know how to stare?”

As if jolted back to reality, Jake blinks blankly before retorting “Damn, you sound just as good when you talk, pretty girl”. Astounded, your pacing comes to a halt, allowing you to baulk at his insolence – there is a notable pause as you compose yourself once more. His lips pull back into a self-satisfied smirk as he greedily absorbs your reaction, and there is a dangerous glint in his eyes, eyes too small to belong to a native Na’vi, that calls to you. You decline the call decisively.

“You still have not answered my question, Jakesully,” you attempt to regain control of this odd interaction, remaining firm in your affronted demeanour. “Speak!”

He lets out a huff of laughter under his breath, made bashful by the reminder of his inexplicable attraction towards you. “Well…I guess I heard ya singin’ out there and I-” he shakes his head, looks down and brushes a hand over his face, lips puckering to blow a gentle whoosh of air as he exhales. You feel his breath waft over your face and refuse to register the way it stokes the flame within you.

“I knew I gotta tell ya that you sound amazing, heavenly, even, unlike anything I’ve ever hea-” his reverent rambling is cut short by your cackle that pierces his ears that had perked up in delight while he sang your praises. He looks up to observe you doubling over in sarcastic laughter and waits, confused as ever, for you to explain yourself.

“Skxawng,” you rebuke, “do not insult my intelligence by suggesting you understood a single word other than your name. Neytiri has told me of your incompetence,” you lower your voice and let the venom seep into your tone, “Jakesully.”

He meets your narrowed eyes with a challenge in his stare, his right eyebrow, yet another tawtute feature, quirking up. “You’re wrong y’know,” he tilts his head to the right and nods as if still contemplating your rude interjection. In spite of his shock, he does not appear deterred in any way and for a moment you fear that your attempt at resistance is futile. Perhaps you have grossly underestimated his proficiency at your native language and have embarrassed yourself.

He continues, “I understood you calling me a skxawng just now.” A cheeky smile creeps onto his face as he basks in his ability to rile you up. “But I figure that might as well be my name with how many times Neytiri’s called me that”.

Insistent on finding a fault in his words, you give him an incredulous look and respond, “Now you dare to criticise the tsakarem?” A disbelieving scoff leaves your lips. “Impertinence!” Your words, however, do not have their desired effect as he remains unbothered by your jabs, seeing through them completely. 

“C’mon pretty girl,” Jake tries to reason with you, “y’know that’s not what I meant.” Encouraged by the involuntary huff of defeat that leaves your body that has grown weary from the night’s activities and this back and forth that is honestly fraying your nerves, Jake perseveres with the determination of the Marine that he is. “Now stop deflecting ‘nd take the compliment.” You relent, albeit reluctantly. “Call me crazy but the way you sang out there…it felt like I knew exactly what you were sayin’, even with my thick Jarhead skull.”

He takes a breath before more words tumble out of his mouth. “I know you were singin’ about me. I never thought I would mean enough to the Omatikaya people for someone to write a song about me.” He surprises you by laughing self-deprecatingly – in the short time you have interacted with him you have become used to his natural bravado. “I never thought I would be enough for anyone to write a song about me.”

Jake wants to tell you more. He yearns to speak of the cosmic force, the pull he felt towards you the moment he heard your voice for the first time. The pull he feels tugging at his heartstrings now, plucking away at them, composing a tune to accompany the siren song of your voice. For a moment he thinks he might just really believe this Eywa shit now.

But he doesn’t tell you. For once in his life he holds back. Instead, he moves even closer to you, every inch of his eight foot figure towering over you as he encroaches on your personal space. Your eyes widen, pupils dilating as you take him in. All of him. 

Spurred on by your favourable change in expression, Jake reaches forward to place a warm hand on the snug of your neck. His other hand’s forefinger and thumb frame your dazed face as he caresses your cheek with a reverential tenderness you would have never attributed to him. He shifts his grip down to your chin and tilts your face upwards, so that eye meets eye. 

As your steely resolve weakens into something soft, something pliable, you are rendered boneless against your own will, putty in his hands – carbon fiber-reinforced bones be damned. He is held captive by the unexpected, soft trill of your laughter, spirited away by the light breeze that has entered like the melody of a windchime. Eyes of molten gold bore into your soul and he sees you. He Sees you.

- end of flashback -

Seeing Toruk Makto, however, was anything but easy.

You smile to yourself as you recount how you and Jake met, but are quickly sobered by the realisation that no other clan member would even fathom speaking to Jake so disrespectfully – speaking to Toruk Makto so disrespectfully. And so you are forced to confront the reason why you could not stand the man, even if he ensured your clan’s survival by bringing an end to The Great Sorrow.

You fiddle with the purple tassels of your breast covering, made up of the fallen strands of a tawtsngal plant that you had painstakingly braided to be in likeness to the whispering tendrils of the Utraya Mokri. The Tree of Voices.

To the ignorant tawtute that threatened to populate your beloved Eywa’eveng like pests it was simply one of the many flux vortex hubs that rendered their alien inventions useless, stripping them of their ill-perceived superiority and reminding them that they do not belong here. But to you, it was an awe-inspiring wonder that was the source of many a song composed by you and crooned into the ear of a fussy baby, sung to soothe an ill elder or belted out to relay the ballad of a beloved fallen warrior.

With the stories whispered in your ears by the ancestors, you weave the tapestry of the clan in song form. It is for this reason that Jake had taken to affectionately calling you ‘parrot’, explaining to you that they were birds that once lived on Earth and repeated what was said by others.

Your garment was not only of totemic value, symbolising your role in the clan as an esteemed singer, but was also a love letter to the sacred place that birthed your passion for the art of song - and in doing so established your roots in the intricate network of the clan.

If only you had known of what was to come, you lament. That a day would come when the very roots of the tree that planted you firmly within the clan would be so easily uprooted by the wretched Sky People and their demon machines. On that day, you felt as if your place in the clan was uprooted with it; you had lost your communication channel with the ancestors, and therefore your muse. 

You sit up and detach Jake’s arm, limp with sleep, from your waist. As you look upon his face you try to reconcile all the affection he has extended to you with the fact that he once was a Sky Person, working for their destructive cause.

Before you can stop it, the familiar feeling of resentment stirs within your belly as you question why the Great Mother would choose to allow  your life’s joy to be so mercilessly taken from you and yet bestow the revered title of Toruk Makto on such a man as Jake.

How could she turn her back on you? Strip your pride from you? Replace you with a man born not of Na’vi, but of the immoral tawtute? You cannot help but feel that Jake is more Omatikaya than you ever will be now, as you think of what you long to be. 

His mate.

Mate to Toruk Makto, rider of last shadow, yet unworthy to stand with him, even in his shadow. The honour of being under this dark, ominous, yet protective shroud was reserved for a select few - the chosen ones. Proven warriors who have sacrificed their lives, their existence on this terrestrial plane for Toruk Makto, like Tsu’tey, or dutiful daughters who have overcome prejudices born from murder for Toruk Makto, like Neytiri. Not for glorified parrots. Not for you.

You heave a gentle sigh, banishing those thoughts with a soft shake of your head and rest your head back on Jake’s shoulder. Tense shoulders loosen as you shuffle back into the warm comfort of his body. Your finger begins tracing again, up, up, up his arm before a tentative hand opens up to grasp one of his larger ones.

Curious eyes explore the network of veins that branch out along his hand like the roots of a tree, like the roots of the Utraya Mokri. You feel the heat rush to your cheeks as you reminisce the first time you had been in such proximity to the veins on his hand and the feelings they aroused in you back then.

Perhaps, you muse, you could find solace in him the same way you once did in your sacred trees. You lean in, pursed lips relaxing to place a tender kiss on each of Jake's fingers, all four of them. The same fingers that once instilled a deep rage within you. The same fingers that held you with a love that can only be Eywa-given. The same fingers used to tame the mighty Toruk. A part of you, no matter how distant or small, knows that in these capable hands you can rest easy.

So yes, your struggle to See Toruk Makto may yet prevail, but Jake? Jake you would always See. It is with this conclusion that your hold on his arm slackens, and half-lidded eyes flutter close. You slot yourself into the space within his body that is made for you. Two bodies mould into one. Little spoon into big spoon.

─────── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───────

na’vi dictionary

palulukan - thanator // tanhi - na’vi bioluminescent freckles // pongu pongu - na’vi alcoholic beverage // kenten - fan lizards // marui - tent // oel ngati kameie - I see you // skxawng - idiot // tsakarem - tsahik-in-training // tawtsngal - purple pandoran flower // tawtute - sky person, sky people // eywa’eveng - na’vi word for pandora

© iwantjaketosullyme tumblr 2023

[ofliterarynature]

TBR TAKEDOWN: Week 12 (Aug 18)

TLDR: I have too many unread books, and I’m asking tumblr to help me downsize. Pick one or none, and comment if you can - a convincing sentence is worth a dozen votes! You’re also welcome to just choose the one that sounds the worst :D Book descriptions below the cut, see my pinned post for more info.

The Rector and the Rogue by W. A. Swanberg

It began quietly enough one morning in February 1880, with a mutton-chopped Acme Safe Company salesman knocking on the door of Reverend Morgan Dix, the starchiest clergyman in Manhattan's most respectable church. The salesman was surely misdirected, Reverend Dix explained--he had no need for a safe, and he had not made an appointment. But soon after, used clothes dealers arrived, followed by heavy machinery salesmen, and soon the street filled riotously with wave after wave of solicitor-tormentors--hundreds of funeral directors, horse traders, wigmakers, fellow clergymen, doctors--all insisting they'd been summoned by the bewildered Reverend Dix. And for weeks, it continued in this manner. Reporters from every newspaper in New York camped out to watch the fun, and as the story gained national attention, police and postal officers raced to capture the gleeful prankster-cum-performance artist who was making a mockery of the esteemed Trinity Church.

A fascinating tale of detection and revenge, The Rector and the Rogue uncovers for the first time the trail of celebrated Victorian trickster "Gentleman Joe"--the mysterious con-man whose innumerable identities, wild fabrications, baffling motives, and international trail of chaos would lead to one of the most bizarre criminal cases of the 19th century.

The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl by Melissa Kiel

Alba wants to stop time so she can stay in her small town forever - but the end of the world might just force her to confront her future.

Alba loves her life just as it is. She loves living behind the bakery and waking up in a cloud of sugar and cinnamon. She loves drawing comics and watching bad TV with her friends. The only problem is she's overlooked a few teeny details. Like, the guy she thought long gone has unexpectedly reappeared. And the boy who has been her best friend since forever has suddenly gone off the rails. Even her latest comic book creation is misbehaving. On top of all that, the world might be ending - which is proving to be awkward.

As doomsday enthusiasts flock to idyllic Eden Valley, Alba's life is thrown into chaos. Whatever happens next, it's the end of the world as she knows it. But when it comes to figuring out her heart, Armageddon might turn out to be the least of her problems.

Full of Keil's trademark quirky characters and witty dialogue, readers will be hooked by Alba's romantic dilemma and the hilarious plot that links the end of high school with the end of the world.

Moth and Spark by Anne Leonard

A prince with a quest. A commoner with mysterious powers. And dragons that demand to be freed—at any cost.

Prince Corin has been chosen to free the dragons from their bondage to the Empire, but dragons aren’t big on directions. They have given him some of their power, but none of their knowledge. No one, not the dragons nor their riders, is even sure what keeps the dragons in the Empire’s control.

Tam, sensible daughter of a well-respected doctor, had no idea before she arrived in the capital that she is a Seer, gifted with visions. When the two run into each other (quite literally) in the library, sparks fly and Corin impulsively asks Tam to dinner. But it’s not all happily ever after. Never mind that the prince isn’t allowed to marry a commoner: war is coming to Caithen.

Torn between Corin’s quest to free the dragons and his duty to his country, the lovers must both figure out how to master their powers in order to save Caithen. With a little help from a village of secret wizards and a rogue dragonrider, they just might pull it off.

[ransprang]

thank you to @astarionbbg for your support <3 we hope you like your match up

if anyone else wants a match up this is our ko-fi

your match up is....

ASTARION!!!

SFW

How you met: You felt a light brush against your thigh as you were walking down the street. Boxing had honed your reflexes, so you quickly grabbed whatever it was which brushed against you. You found yourself holding hands with a pale haired elven man. “Oh dear, I really can explain,” Astarion drawled. Although annoyed, at being pickpocketed, you decided to hear him out. Astarion went on to complain about how he desperately needed nicer clothes, since his although fashionable were looking a bit worn out. He talked about how this never happened to him and that he usually was usually very skillful but everyone rolls a critical failure somtimes. You found his personality charming enough and understood the pain of not being able to dress how you wanted to. You decided to help him out and take him to a shop which you knew sold good clothing at lower prices. By the end of your little impromptu adventure, Astarion had already set his mind on seducing you.

Weightlift Astarion as much as you like, he loves it. He loves watching your muscles flex as you lift him up and off of his feet. It sure is an easy way to get his attention. You know those tiktoks where the gf and bf try different exercises using the other person? Like squats and hip thrusts. He’d be down to try, “Come darling, let’s have a bit of a competition shall we, hm? Just to pass the time?” 

The SECOND y’all get to the city, Astarion would drag your cute ass to the Facemaker’s Boutique and get you both matching, tailored gothic fits. Because who said you can’t get rid of tadpoles in style? And of course, he pays for everything (with stolen money). 

When you both are cuddling with your back against his naked chest, he runs his hand through your hair and lightly brushes against your ear piercings, admiring them. 

Astarion’s secretly a big reader (he’s the only one in camp apart from Gale who owns a book). You both would start an intimate book club together, and enjoy each other’s cutting remarks about sub-par books as well as the rare appreciative comments.

Although Astarion prefers being protected than being super protective himself, once he recognises how precious you are to him he would be very protective of you. He doesn’t have many people in his lives who he cares for and who in turn care for him.

Astarion’s a pretty insecure fella, and would always be concerned about doing something wrong or driving you away. His heart is fragile and he has many issues about relationships. Your love language being affirmations, would help soothe his worries.

He would be supremely pleased if you ever asked to draw him and capture his likeness. He can never see himself in a mirror, but would be overjoyed to see himself reflected in your eyes and eternally captured in your art. He would heavily suggest you draw him in the nude.

Astarion would eventually ask to join your DnD group. Although not immediately understanding the appeal at first would warm up to it once he realised he could cause all kinds of havoc. He would strictly play as power-hungry elvish rogues.

Astarion, being assertive and passionate himself, is drawn to your energy. He admires your wit and sarcasm, and the banter between you two would be a form of playful courtship.

NSFW 

Whether you are bulking or cutting, Astarion enjoys feeling up your muscles and softer parts. As a man who has been with people of all shapes and sizes, he would enjoy your body no matter what you look like. He cares about who you are on the inside, just as you love him for more than just his body. 

Astarion enjoys getting you to sit on his face with your muscular thighs enveloping his face, he first licks his tongue up and down your labia. Then he parts your lips, sucking on your labia, and moving to your clit. Each flick of his tongue on your sensitive bud makes your thighs push closer onto the side of his face. He groans as he feels you squirm above him. 

Watching you shadow box makes him horny. He’ll come up behind you as you finish a set of punches and snake his arms around your waist, pulling you into his chest. You gasp as you can feel his hard clothed cock push into your ass. 

Astarion loves biting for obvious reasons. He will kiss, suck and bite on your skin. He loves it when you moan because of him.

Fashion? Astarion has the sexiest lingerie known to mankind. He satin cock warmers, and rubs it on his dick before taking them off, to get himself extra hard before fucking you.

Astarion likes to carry you and have sex with you against a wall, he’s strong and has toned muscles. When he wraps your legs around your waist you can feel them flex as he pumps you.

He really likes your angel fangs and when he kisses you he bites your lower lip softly with his fangs. Just to remind you who the real vampire is.

Astarion asks to drink your blood before sex sometimes, after drinking he penis begins throbbing and becomes extra sensitive. Just waiting to be buried in your soft warm pussy. 

He uses his finger to take his precum and asks you to taste it. “I want you to know that I am delicious, darling.”

Astarion would always remind you that he loves you and he’s all yours as you are his, after sex. He can get a little poetic about it but it’s hard to pay attention to his words as his dick flops around has he makes his little speech of love.

your angel fangs,

admins sar, san & sav

[smolgloves]

The Perfect Crime

Summary: The group makes their way to the Zhentarim basement, putting Tav on edge.

Tw: Sexual innuendos

“We are not taking things from the Zhentarim.” Tav hissed out to the borrower within their hood. 

“But some of their stuff looks useful.” Freya protested. “Besides, weren't they trading with the goblins? It sounds like they deserve to lose a trinket or two.” 

Astarion let out a giggle as he walked alongside them. “I think dear Freya has a point, we're running low on gold, you know.” 

A deep sigh erupted from Tav, it was nice to see Freya and Astarion starting to get along, but had they known that the two of them would spark some questionable ideas, Tav would have left one or both of them in camp while they ventured into the Zhentarim hideout. “You know exactly why you don't want to make enemies with the Zhents.” 

“We'll only make enemies if we get caught.” A smirk flickered onto his lips. “And I'm good with my fingers, darling.” 

Years of monk training had never prepared Tav for the suave words of Astarion. Their cheeks quickly flushed and Tav was too preoccupied with trying to keep those late night trysts at bay to notice a stone that was wedged in the dirt path. Their worn boot caught on the jagged rock and nearly tumbled forward. Wyll shot his hand out and grabbed onto Tav's arm to save them from eating dirt. 

“Gods!” Freya shrieked out, clutching onto the robes to keep from falling. 

“Freya, sorry I-” 

“Focus k'chakhi, do you wish fumble into one of their poorly disguised traps?” Lae'zel snapped. 

Embarrassment snuffed out the elation in Tav, which was quickly replaced with annoyance. Astarion was relishing in the chaos he made with just a couple sultry words. If they weren't in the hideout of black market dealers, they would forgive his jests. 

“You four!” Shouted the guard. “Quit pissing around and get over here! Zarys doesn't like waiting.” 

“We'll be right there!” Wyll called out. 

Tav dusted themselves off, ready to ignore the vampire's antics when Freya tapped on their neck, the light touch was enough to make Tav's stomach flutter. 

“I don't think I should be around these guys if they're as bad as you say they are.” She spoke in a hushed voice.

“I agree, what do you suggest?”

“She'll come with me.” Astarion said. 

“Are you serious?” They hissed out. “Not after what you two just suggested.” 

“But wouldn't it be better if I am given to the rogue in case there's some trouble?” Her lips pouted as she stared up at them with big gray eyes. “That's what you always suggest when we do something especially dangerous.” 

Gods damn it, if there wasn't a pissed off guard waiting for them to get down, Tav would absolutely sit them both down to explain why they can't go off together like children since they want to play dumb. “Fine, but don't do anything stupid.” 

“We'll behave.” With a smile, Astarion's slender hand clapped down on Tav's shoulder, coaxing the borrower to slip out of their hood and get snatched up by him in a fluid motion. 

“I mean it, you two!” Tav shot them both a final glare before heading deeper into the hideout. They could already hear them whispering some sort of scheme. Tav turned towards Wyll. “Keep an eye on them, will you.”

“I won't let them out of my sight.” 

Tav nodded, but a pit formed in their stomach. They wouldn't be surprised if Astarion found a way to slip away from Wyll. A plan already began forming in their head in case the worst happened. Perhaps one day when their lives weren't in danger, Tav would be about to sit down and admire this newfound relationship budding between the two and maybe one day, be a part of it too.

[egooppidum]

I found old notes from 2 years ago with my favorite devnotes for Astarion’s phrases (a couple are still in the game)

Finally. Let's have some fun. "You've been bored, now you're ready to rip someone's throat out."

Please, it's no challenge. Just a friendly little murder between chums. "Reassuring, then very chipper"

(if you play as a rogue and robbed Mirkon on the shore) You villain! I didn't know you had it in you. "Shocked at first, then a little coy/even flirty."

No! Stop it! Stop it, you wretched worm! "Distressed, furious, maybe banging a hand against his head." "Starts off scolding, but is very angry by the third line. This thing has invaded his head - Astarion has no tolerence for that."

Yes! And I thought you weren't any fun. "Excited, slightly feral \"yes!\" as Astarion starts to let the animal out." (😏)

They're devoted to this Absolute. Whatever it is. / Seems like a popular little deity, whoever they are. / Oh I like these two. All zeal and no brains. "Nearly hungry tone. He's ready to take advantage of their belief in him."

It's almost enough to make you feel sorry for gnomes! "He's trying to joke \"haha, you'd even feel sorry for a gnome!\" but it's a transparent attempt to cover up how uncomfortable slavery makes him feel." Slavers, torturers, and hells' knows what else. "Muttered with disgust." (I've never heard this dialogue in early access and in the full release either)

I must see this. Don't you dare say no. "Excited to see your companion beaten bloody by a flaggellant priest. " It was a fine strike. Excellent form! "Calling out - as if cheering on the priest." I mean, I had my hopes. "response to 'would you have joined up with them if you knew they were into being whipped?'" Oh, bravo! Encore! "Clapping, thrilled to see your companion take a lash from a whip" My my. Who knew our friend had so much blood in them? "To Shadowheart. You're both standing there, casually watching your friend being whipped."

(conversation after the third Daisy dream, early access thing) I'm glad someone is using their power. We need every advantage, after all. "stress 'someone'. He's saying 'At least Gale's using it, unlike you.'" What's the harm? We had a bad dream - nothing more. "You think everyone's making a big deal over nothing. They think you're playing with fire." Someone here' is trying to make sure we survive this debacle. I traded power for a bad dream, forgive me. "'Someone here = he's talking about himself. Sarcastic 'Forgive me' - he believes he did the right thing"

I want to wake up beside a handsome virgin every morning, but life doesn't give us what we want. Can we kill this 'god' now? "Tired of this conversation. A 'God' (who's clearly some mouthy git pretending to be a god) has just told the player he wants them to sacrifice you. You're not impressed."

(Omeluum's ring reaction from early access) A pretty thing. And at least it offers us some protection from the tadpole. "stress on 'some' - you'd prefer more protection." (Daisy dream reaction once again not in the game) Darling, I'd like to see you try. "Coldly. Someone's just threatened to kill you if you use a particular power again." I traded power for a bad dream, forgive me. "He doesn't believe he did anything wrong. 'So sue me' energy." And I reckon someone's trying to help us survive this debacle. "responding to 'I reckon I know who used the tadpole'. Astarion used it and thinks he was justified."

"The player protected Astarion from Gur Hunter either by killing the Hunter or by not revealing the location of the camp. Gale is being rather sarcastic about protecting Astarion." Is anyone else feeling parched all of a sudden? "He wants to drink Gale's blood then and there." I'll help you remember. "Threatening."

[jacobsbigmelons]

Jacob x male reader who is Emma's brother and reader has had a crush on him since they showed up

Jacob Custos x Male Reader

Sibling Beauty

cw: fluff, playful sibling teasing, Emma peer pressuring reader to a degree but nothing crazy. Emma being a big sister (reader was born like 2 minutes after Emma so she’s taking the big sister role lmao) and we love her for it. Jacob being the dumb himbo he is but we love him, and Emma and Jacob not being a thing as well el oh el.

“So when we’re you going to tell me you like Jacob hm?” Emma said as she playfully nudged herself into you as you guys were walking back from the trail, the rest of the councilors more up ahead so no worries about anyone overhearing you guys. “I have no clue what you’re talking about, besides even if I did like Jacob he’s so out of my league.” You said kicking a few rogue pebbles away from you.

“Oh please it’s so obvious you like him, you literally offered to carry his hydration bag knowing you would struggle. No offense but long walks even back home weren’t your strong suit.” Emma glared at you, her statement coming off not hurtful, I mean she was right you kinda outdid yourself offering to hold something so heavy for such a long walk but she didn’t need to know that.

“Well excuse me, didn’t think i’d be getting flamed by my own sibling, you’re a bitch y’know that, and for the record I was doing it out of the kindness of my heart, you should learn a thing or two about that.” You replied back, your poker face keeping Emma’s accusations (which weren’t wrong) at bay for at least a little bit.

“Everything I do for you and I get called a bitch?!” You scoffed at Emma’s hurt comment knowing she doesn’t care in the slightest, you’ve called each other worse things after all. “If I didn’t know better you sound adamant on defending the fact you don’t like Jacob, you must like having his name in your mouth huh?” Emma knew exactly what she was doing and as good as your facade was able to keep up, the heat in your cheeks and the rare drop of sweat was blowing your cover.

“It’s not like I talk about him 24/7 geez.” You rolled your eyes realizing last second you left yourself open to an obvious comeback. “But you do talk about him…maybe not everyday no but you seem to like talking about him, if not to me maybe Dylan, or Abby.” Emma giggled at her words as you annoyingly sighed as you picked up the pace, you knew your sister was just gonna keep bringing up every little thing until you break your defenses.

At least you thought you’d be safe before a familiar ear jerking voice caught your attention as he was calling you, it was Jacob. You looked back as Emma slowly but surely caught up as you stopped so Jacob could walk with you. “Hey man, look thanks again for holding onto my bag, never got to actually thank you for that.” He patted his hand on your back as a sign of gratitude but to Emma it was all the evidence she needed.

You didn’t care at this point, she was already seeing everything and your very clear change in personality was more then enough to prove her point. “Uh…ye-yeah, anytime Jake…anytime.” You fidgeted with your hands as they patted your thighs, a way to try and ignore the man you’ve been crushing on since you’ve arrived at this camp. Thought he was making it very hard. “Look uh, how long until we get back to the cabins? My legs hurt so mu-“ You were cut off by the feeling of an arm pulling you closer to the big jock next to you.

“Y’know my brother would be down to hike with you, he loved going on walks and such back home.” You couldn’t believe what your sister was telling your crush, you didn’t want to subject yourself to all that pain in your legs but if it meant you had more of a chance you’ll let her do her thing. “Hell yeah bro, you and your sis can come hiking with me after summers done or something like that” Jacob said, his smile imprinting itself in your head, god you’re a mess. “Oh sorry I don’t really do hikes, it was already tough for today but-“ Emma tried to remove herself from the invitation before Jacob interrupted her “Oh nah nah it’s cool, we can just go on a smaller hike or maybe just a walk” You glared at your sister as she stared right back “Don’t act like you’re the one who doesn’t do the hiking” you whispered as you nudged her right back from earlier, yet all she did was scoff.

Eventually the group returned to the cabins as all the kids were separated into their own cabins as the counselors returned to their own places to rest. Though Emma pulled you aside before you got close to your own cabin. “Hey hold up” she said calling out to you before you stepped away to your cabin. “You gonna make a move or something? Guy is an absolute beefcake.” you both stood in front of each other, arms crossed thinking what to do, or at least you were. At this point all you could do was agree instead of play the fool, you didn’t deny anything after your run in with Jacob.

“I don’t know dude, what if he’s straight? What if he’s homophobic dude? think of that hm?” A slight sassy tone lacing your words. “Y/N, he’s not homophobic. If he was he would’ve probably been shit talking Dylan from day one, it’s obvious he enjoys a good man and Jacob hasn’t done anything so you should just go and do it. Even if he says no you at least sent your shot” She rested her hand on your shoulder, there weren’t many times when she would be super serious about this stuff but now is one of those times.

“it’s just-“ you tried to speak before Emma stopped you once more, “if you don’t take your shot, someone else will then you’ll be all up in your head about how you regret what you did.” Emma spoke up as her hands cupped your cheeks, if she wasn’t being 100% she definitely was now, and all you could do was rest one of your hands on top of hers. “So go get him before you miss out” You didn’t think about that, you didn’t think how you might have no chance if someone else goes for Jacob.

You left each other with a genuine hug before you entered the cabins which Jacob was also staying in, and you were greeted with the stunning sight of him with his shirt off as he was goofing off with the other boys. “Yo dude catch!” Nick practically ran in front of you as he caught the incoming football, you sidestepped carefully as to not get hit by any incoming sports ball.

You watched the boys play as you thought on what Emma said, it was only Jacob and Nick playing but you couldn’t help but think who might take a shot with Jacob. But the only person might be Dylan, Ryan seemed to just be in his own world most of the time and Nick seemed more interested in Abby. You didn’t linger on the thought to long as some time passed and you decided to go for it. You walked over to Jacobs bunk as you took a seat next to him, he was just spinning around his sport balls or just throwing it up and catching it himself. “Sup dude” Jacobs casual demeanor was always welcome, a comfort even.

“Hey…um I got some stuff to talk with you about, if that’s cool with you.” You softly spoke, as you patted your hands on your legs to fidget a bit. “Yeah- yeah go ahead man” Jacob straightened out his back to listen to what you have to say. “Look, i’ll be blunt because if i’m not first off my sister is gonna beat my ass but also because I don’t wanna stall longer then i need to, Jacob you’re really nice and cool and I really like that about you and I think I like you a lot, but not as a friend…y’know?” Jacobs silence was more then loud enough, you wanted him to say something but you didn’t want him to rush his answer, you did just drop this on him after all.

“So…You’re like- crushing on me?” He questioned as he looked at you, you didn’t want to stare back at him in fear he may be disgusted with what you just said. “Yeah…about a month now, better to get it out when I can right?” You shrugged as your heart was racing, as much as you wanted to just forget about doing this your sister proved too much of a point to let this chance slip away.

“Respect dude, I mean shit, you beat me to making a move” He flipped his football in the air before catching it once more before he saw your eyes connect with his quicker then ever. “Wait what?!” You said with shock in your voice, the other boys looking over slightly to see what’s happening. “You’re serious right now? Not fucking with me or anything?” Jacob nodded in disagreement as he covered his mouth to yawn. “Look, i’d love to get this squared away but i’ve tired myself out, let’s talk tomorrow when i’m not completely exhausted” Jacob said with a sluggish tone, but not before he let you go with a cheeky move as he gave you a kiss on the cheek.

All you could do was stand up and hold your cheek, Jacob clearly has his priorities set on sleep as he was already laying back down with his arm over his eyes.

Tomorrow aught to be fun.

[tarithenurse]

I see fire - 11

Fandom: D&D 5E/homebrew campaign. Word count: 2229. Contents: Friendly sneak attack A/N: I know no one reads this story but I want to share something and this lives in my head anyways - so there you go. Any questions are welcome. Please comment and like and reblog. Let me know if you want a tag. Divider by @firefly-graphics

XI

Continuing eastish on yet another sunny day, it’s as though Morella has forgotten the discomfort of the night before too. She’s smiling and happy, her skin a lovely shade of green and tiny pink flowers blooming in her hair as she almost skips down the road. She’s a sight to behold and it’s no wonder that the few passersby make big eyes and return her bright smile – though perhaps with a tad of concern of their own.

By evening, the three make camp not far from the road but it’s not long before the girls spy a cart with two people heading westwards towards the city. The cart appears empty and the guy next to the driver wears a red bandana that seems eerily familiar, causing at least Zilvra to tense up where she’s hiding in the bushes.

“I’m telling you, if we don’t stop and get some food soon I’ll eat you,” the non-driver complains.

“And I’m telling you...in your dreams will you get to do that,” his friend chuckles.

Watching them trundle past, Zilvra relaxes the hand that’d grabbed the hilt of her rapier.

Too soon though.

There’s a soft “pop” or “poof” and then Morella is no longer next to the drow but standing right in front of the cart, spooking not only the poor horse but also the two people. And while the driver simply swears loudly, trying to get the horse under control, the other guy draws two daggers that the rogue instantly recognizes as being the same kind the grape thief used: old military issue of Stouvania.

“Hi!” the druid grins, “heard you needed a place to rest and figured you could share with us. I’ll make berries!”

A beat of silence follows during which the humans have to take in what just happened.

“Us?” the guy with the daggers asks with concern in his voice.

“Berries?” the other guys whimpers, collapsing slightly against the back of the bench as he lets out a deflating sound after having been scared.

Deciding there’s no immediate danger, Zilvra exits the shrubbery and walks closer. “Pardon my friend, she can be a bit...enthusiastic at times.”

“You say?! Damn, girl, don’t go jumping out on people like that you’ll scare them to death!” the guys with the daggers complain, but he sheathes his weapons anyways and pulls down the bandana, revealing a fairly handsome face for a mature human.

Following the women’s advice, the newcomers get the cart off the road and make their way to the shade of the big tree where Anvindr has been tending a small fire and whittling away. Introductions are made, revealing that the driver is called Elmer and he’s a good friend of the other guy called Harris.

Taking their seats, it’s Elmer who does most of the talking to begin with, explaining how they are heading south to buy grain for the production of beer and spirits.

“And you?” he asks as a manner of keeping the conversation going.

“We’ve promised to check in with the tanner to see what’s up,” Anvindr explains, “apparently, goods aren’t making their way to Stouvania anymore.”

The two men share a brief glance, brows furrowed.

“Think anything happened?” Elmer worries.

Harris shakes his head. “They know how to fend for themselves.”

“Thank gods,” Morella beams, “cause there is always something to watch out for.”

“You can say that twice, lady,” Harris nods. “To the south at the abandoned quarry past the village there are ogres and some of them are even smart enough to use magic!” When he talks, he motions a great deal with his arms. “And there’s the wolf-beast, not quite a good description but it’s the best we can because it’s just...different. And if you cross the road further south towards the jungle then there’s the Terror which snatches people at night and there’s never any sign of them again.”

Zilvra can’t help but be happy they aren’t going that way. “What about east?”

“Then you get to Silver Keep. Now that’s an independent city with it’s own watch corps,” Harris explains. “And east of that are the swamps.”

Elmer nods. “Don’t know much about them, though. But north...”

“Yeah, to the north once you’re through the orc territory you’ll get to the elves,” Harris finishes his friend’s sentence.

“What sort of elf?” Morella asks sweetly.

“High elves.” Harris adds a few branches to the fire, eventually content with how they burn. “So tell us...why’d you decide to adventure?”

The trio looks at each other.

“It kinda just...happened?” Anvindr admits.

“Wow, that’s some bad luck right there then,” Harris mumbles, earning a small nod from his partner. “Started with coming to Stouvania, to be fucking honest. Place’s corrupt as they come.” He sighs. “I used to think better of this country but...now I just keep my head down and stay out of the way. Maybe do a bit of overbidding to bother some of the nobles in the city.”

Zilvra watches him as he speaks: though he’s past his prime, he isn’t ugly, she supposes – for a human. But what strikes her is the way he carries himself and the callouses on his hands both of which points to some sort of martial arts and weapons training. Quietly, she rubs a thumb along her own callouses in her right palm. Then there’s the weapons he carries and the bandana.

“Tell you what,” Harris smiles jovially, “if you get tired of being pawns in Stouvania then go to Silver Keep and find the smith Lawrence there. Tell him ‘Harris sent you’.”

Bandana. Old military issued gear. Overbidding means some sort of backer or the money would dry up too soon. Smiling discreetly to herself, the drow decides that they have created contact with the Masons although it hasn’t been said out loud...and she’s more than happy to play ignorant for a while longer.

Zoning back in on the conversation, she listens to how the tanners and loggers at the Lockett Logging Camp have a sort of symbiosis ensuring they are well enough off to even run a sort of inn for the traders who come calling.

---

It had felt odd to bid Elmer and Harris goodbye in the morning but after another few days on the road, the trio is more focused on what’s ahead of them:

A great clearing with a long, two story house on an angle to a sort of barrack is placed among the stumps and piles of logs. There’s also another open structure which emits a cacophony of sounds. Around the open space are trees that clearly are tended to, growing in sections according to their age and thus size. On the left side is a smaller house and several hides have been strung out tightly in wooden frames and someone’s tending to them but the trio has little time to take any of that in before they’re faced with a burly fellow.

Curly blond hair and tan skin, he pauses from ordering the loggers about to face the visitors. “What can I do for you?” he asks more brusquely than they had anticipated.

“Been sent to see if everything’s alright with the tanner,” Anvindr answers. “Apparently the leathers and such aren’t coming through anymore.”

“What? That sounds like a lot of bullshit but go talk with her yourself,” the man answers, pointing to the figure tending to the hides by the edge of the forest.

Following the directions, the trio heads over and sees a woman who introduces herself as Amelia Manos.

“No, nothing’s wrong as such,” she says upon hearing why the adventurers have come, “just that the pay was too low.” Leaning against a tree, she pushes the auburn hair out of her face. “Sue Thao...she should have been told, I’m sorry to hear the message never reached her. I have nothing against her.” Picking some dirt from under a nail, Amelia shrugs. “I was approached by a merchant, quite a fancy one too, and not only does he pay more than Thao...he pays up front.”

“Well, business is business,” Anvindr nods sagely.

“Yeah and this guy was good at it. Seth Reed. He originally came for the timber, even brought several carts and men along right off the bat!” It must have impressed Amelia because she seems to be in awe. “When he saw my work, he offered a deal to me and I’d have been stupid not to accept. Both for the money but also to avoid the hassle as any merchant in Stouvania pays through the guild and they’re difficult to work with, honestly.” Then she shrugs again. “He said he’d inform the guild.”

“Mama!” That’s the only intelligible word in the stream of babbles from a small boy that comes trundling over, hugging his mother’s leg as he looks at the strangers.

Bending down, Amelia picks him up. “Hey, Billy baby. Where’s your daddy?”

The kid doesn’t answer, just stares at the three with a finger stuck in his mouth.

“Bill-oh good!” another voice joins, followed by the owner who presumably is mister Manos, clad in the gear of a hunter.

“Got away from you, huh, Frasier?” the tanner smiles softly. But then she grows stern again and turns back to the visitors. “I’m sorry you’ve come all this way for nothing.”

“Not at all,” Zilvra insists, “though I’ll probably be amiss not to ask what Thao would have to pay to regain the good supply.”

Amelia smiles crookedly. “You’re not from around here. Every deal is brokered by the guild, she can’t just decide on her own to price match. And frankly, I’m not sure anyone would meet this new price. But please, tell her I’m sorry she wasn’t notified as she should have been.”

“We’ll do that,” Morella smiles, waving her fingers at the little boy who joyously waves back.

Turning to leave, Amelia stops them by saying: “The merchant...he did tell us not to worry about where the money comes from.”

The trio exchanges glances and especially Zilvra recognizes that phrase as a sign that maybe not all is completely clean about this guy.

“Oh by the way,” Morella asks, “do you happen to have some strips of scrap leather?”

“Uh, sure...”

The friends walk off a bit later with two nice strips that Morella explain they’ll use for the goggles Anvindr is making to secure them on Zilvra’s head.

“Can I just...?” Anvindr asks the two girls, pointing towards the building where the whining and whirring noise is coming from.

Of course they let him. Keeping half an eye on the genasi but 1½ eyes on the surroundings, Zilvra begins to pick up on some details other than the obvious: there’s a row of carts, clearly repurposed and with a surprisingly narrow wheelbase...narrow enough to fit the tracks that led through the forest by the vineyard in Heartwell Shire. These must be the wagons Amelia was talking about that had been provided by this Seth Reed guy. And the workers...burly men as would be expected but fiddling more with their tools than anyone used to them would not to mention their strikes with the axes are less clean than the other men’s. And more on one occasion does the drow notice a man trying to pick up something with one hand only to have to resort to two in the end.

“As if they’re used to working with things that can be moved with just one hand,” Morella mumbles, having followed Zilvra’s gaze.

They shut up as Anvindr and the guy from earlier comes over, apparently on friendlier terms now.

“This is Orick Lockett,” the genasi explains with a polite gesture towards the man who must then also be the foreman and owner of the place, “we got to talk and he has a bit of an issue that I’ve promised we could help with.”

“Oh?”

“The lumber mill has a little graveyard out by the lake but visiting it lately has come with a risk, some monster comes and drags people in the water,” Anvindr continues, pointedly ignoring the fact that the women might be miffed that they hadn’t been consulted before accepting the task.

Said girls exchange glances and Zilvra understands that of course they’ll see to it but... “What’s in it for us?” she asks.

Orick has already gotten distracted, gone to help a few of the new men with something so it’s up to Anvindr to explain.

“I get to see the schematics!” he grins excitedly.

Throwing himself into a brief description of what he’d seen in the noisy building, he refers to something called a “saw mill”: a large machinery built a little over five years ago by a bunch of little people, no larger than gnomes, with black leather outfits and masks who seemed to know everything about machines and technology like the kind Anvindr is interested in.

“It took them only four months to come up with it and build it!” he gushes.

“Sounds like you’re a fan of them?” Morella smiles gently.

The blue man nods. “I need to find them...maybe they can help me and my people.”

His gaze grows distant and despite the curiosity, neither of the girls push him on the subject but just get up and allow him to take the lead northeast when he’s back in the real world once more.

[hurlingsupport]

Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous (Gender Neutral Reader Insert)

Chapter 13: Salvation

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Running through the forest at night wasn't something you planned to do, nor would you ever want to do. But after seeing that fire in the distance, you all wasted little to no time in running towards the campfire.

One after another, you each would take turns climbing up the trees to make sure you all were still heading in the right direction. Still, you had your doubts.

What if the fire was started by some dinosaurs? Of course, you don't think a dinosaur is going to pick up a match anytime soon, but maybe they knocked something flammable into a rogue spark? But even on the offset chance that's what happened, it would have made some noise. This was quiet, and quiet meant that the fire had a purpose.

So you ran, and you ran, your heart beating faster each time one of you climbed up that tree. Were you scared that the fire would disappear? Yes, definitely. Were you also scared of what you'd see if you made it to the fire? Also, yes.

The stick in your hand rubbed against your palm as you ran. Sure, a stick probably wouldn't do much against the predators on this island, but the false feeling of safety was enough for you. Plus, they took down mammoths with sticks back in the ice age, granted they were sharpened, longer, and more stable. Either way, you just held hope that you all would make it to the campfire before any predators found you. Darius's smile was bright as he climbed up the closest tree, but as he came back down, he held an expression of fear.

“The bonfire, it's gone.” He mutters, his brows pinched in dread.

“What if they left?” Sammy worries. “What if-”

“No one could have left the island that fast.” You interrupt.

“But what if they did?” She asks, clutching the stick in her hands like a lifeline.

“If we weren't able to leave the island in an hour, I doubt these people could do it in under a minute.” The words came out rather rudely, but they were meant to be reassuring.

“Alright,” Darius started. “We can't give up now. Let's try to keep going in the direction the campfire was, and-”

A growl among the dark of the jungle intercepted the boy's words. Your heart skyrocketed, and in an instant, everyone was huddling together. Briefly, you wonder how you had forgotten that you were on a dinosaur-filled island, but it didn't help to think about that now of all times. Your grip on the stick grew unsteady, your hands growing clammy with sweat.

“Could be a really big Compy, right?” Kenji whispers optimistically. “Darius, didn't you say they were creepo skylarks?”

“I said they were crepuscular.” Darius corrects him.

A snarl from behind your group has you all screaming as a Ceratosaurus pounces on you all from behind some shrubs. Some of you stumble on your feet getting away, but you all manage to get upright in time to make a run for it either way.

The roar that the carnivore emits causes your ears to ring; whether that's because of the actual power of the roar or the proximity between you and the creature, you don't really care. All that matters to you at the moment is getting away from this two meter tall dinosaur.

The green foliage leaves an itchy feeling across your face as you push through it, face hot from how fast you were running. You could feel the ground shake as the sound of thumping got closer. On one hand, you were glad you could hear the sound of the Ceratosaurus's footsteps, and on the other hand, it just made it all the more scary to hear it get closer and closer.

A different sort of thump, and a yelp following it, has you turning around from the direction you were running. Your heart skips a beat when you see Kenji hit the ground, the culprit of his fall being an outstretched branch.

A fight occurs within yourself. Would you rather live, or would you risk yourself for a rich boy? The answer comes to you when Kenji lets out a pained groan as Sammy trips over him, and the heavy footsteps of the carnivore grow closer.

Taking a sharp turn, you make a grab for the boy's shoulders, but when he stays balled up in fear, you curse.

“Kenji get up!” You order, heart pumping faster as the Ceratosaurus appears from behind the dense forest.

Instead of doing what you had in mind, the boy throws himself onto you, taking the both of you down. What he thought that would do, you had no idea. Luckily, the two of you aren't dinosaur chow just yet, as Brooklynn, Darius, and Yasmina take a stand against the dinosaur.

“Okay, come on!” Brooklynn pumps herself up, baseball bat held tightly in her hands.

As the Ceratosaurus closes in on your group, all you can hear is your own heartbeat, along with Kenji's hurried breathing against your neck. But when a red light soars across the air above the large carnivore, drawing its attention with the addition of your own, your heart beats fast for a different reason. When the red light explodes, the single-horned dinosaur growls in a mixture of pain and shock.

“Get down!” An unfamiliar voice shouts, forcefully pushing Brooklynn to the ground.

You yelp when someone grabs you, shoving you along with the boy clinging onto you behind a tree trunk. Despite your initial annoyance, you watch in wonder as multiple flares go off, exploding into an array of red sparks. The Ceratosaurus continues to whine before making a break for it, disappearing into the dense jungle it had originally appeared from.

Once the threat is gone, your eyes focus on three figures standing in front of your group. Though, it's hard to see with the smoke filling the air. Coughs rip from some of you, the smoke infiltrating your lungs. A gasp from Darius has two of the figures turning to your group on the ground.

“Oh, thank goodness. You're okay.” A woman sighs. Her mostly white clothing has you arching a brow, and her blonde hair and lipstick stained lips have you even more confused. A professional looking camera hangs from a thick strap around her neck as well. As the silence goes on, from utter shock and confusion, the random adults grow concerned.

“You are okay, aren't you?” The man next to the woman questions. His appearance is less poise, a similar white hat being worn with a half unbuttoned blue shirt. He wears a thick strap around his neck as well, an identical camera hanging from said strap.

The third member of their group, an older looking man with a ruggish appearance, walks closer. His unshaven beard and hard stare give you a sense of normalcy for whatever reason. Although having the eyes of all three adults on your group does put you on edge no matter how they look.

“Who… who are you?” Darius finally spits out.

“Well, after all that, maybe you should call us your salvation.” The bright pink sash tied around her neck draws your attention for a moment, and now you're truly wondering what these people are doing here.

With the growing daylight putting you all at ease, the ruggish man from before walks ahead of you all, cutting down the foliage to carve a path for your little clique.

“We could not believe it when we saw your campfire!” Brooklynn told the cleaner looking adults.

“Did you get left behind, too?” Yasmina asks.

Kenji barks out a laugh, shaking his head at the black-haired girl. “Not looking like that, they didn't.”

“Yeah.” Sammy agrees with a smile. “Are you, like, some super stylish rescue squad?”

“Guys, take a breath.” Darius holds his hands out to calm everyone. “We don't even know your names.”

“I'm Mitch,” the man introduces himself before gesturing towards the woman walking beside him. “and my better half here is Tiff. We're eco-tourists.”

“That's a fancy way of saying we travel to exotic places and photograph rare animals.” The woman you now know as Tiff explains.

“I know Simon Masrani.” Kenji brags. “Or… knew.”

“When we heard what happened here, we were, like, zoop!” Mitch goes on, ignoring Kenji.

“Zoop! Gotta get down here.” Tiff adds.

You watch their little display quietly, frustration growing the longer you stare at the couple.

“I was fine taking snaps of lions and tigers, but –”

“Pics of dinosaurs in the wild?” Mitch continues Tiff's thoughts. “You don't pass that up, do you, babe?”

“I guess you don't, babe.” Tiff smiles, leaning into the man.

You grimace, before asking something that had been on your mind for a bit. “So, who do you work for? Do you have an agency or something?”

The couple stared back at you in surprise, as if they had forgotten you were behind them.

“Oh,” Tiff laughs. “I mean, we do it for ourselves mostly. Seeing the world is a nice thing, isn't it?”

“Yeah.” You answer curtly, a frown tugging at your lips.

Tiff engages in an awkward staring contest with you until Brooklynn draws her attention.

“I travel, too!” Brooklynn grins. “Before we got stuck here, obvi. You've seen my videos, Brooklynn unboxes the world?”

The confused glances the couple exchanges with each other puts a strain on Brooklynn's smile.

“The web channel?”

Tiff hums before they move on from the topic without any further words. Brooklynn lets out an annoyed scoff.

“When we activated the emergency distress beacon, we hoped someone would get our signal.” Darius smiles brightly, walking backward in front of the pair. “I kind of can't believe it worked!”

“Oh, yes, the signal.” Tiff gasps, grabbing Mitch's arm. “Honey, remember when we got that? It was right after the boat dropped us off.”

A pit grows in your stomach, and you cross your arms in an attempt to stabilize yourself.

“Really?” You ask, if only to get their attention. Once their eyes are on you, you continue. “I thought 150 miles was farther than that. You must have a really bad system.”

There's a tense silence after that. Until Tiff laughs.

“Yeah, our EPIRB’s on the older side!” She smiles.

“Such a shame.” Mitch agrees.

When the aggression from the man leading you all through the jungle is finally noticed, the couple introduces the rough man as Hap, and everyone moves on from the previous conversation. Much to your annoyance.

You continue to glare at the back of their heads. Suspicion running through your veins. Their story wasn't adding up. An old EPIRB with those clothes? No way. Plus, having an old radiobeacon didn't mean their system could be that bad. They were lying. But why?

“Our camp's not much, but hopefully, you'll be okay with roughing it up with us.” Tiff's voice snaps you out of your irritated state.

Pushing past some stray leaves from where Hap had cut through, a luxurious camp greets your eyes. Not much? You can't stop yourself from rolling your eyes. You're already sick and tired of their humbleness. But to your displeasure, your peers are ever generous.

“Outta my way!” Yasmina warns before she takes off running further into the camp.

Soon after, everyone follows in her footsteps. Bursting into different tents, exploring every nook and cranny, and other things of that nature. You only follow after them because you don't want to be left alone with the suspicious adults.

Peeking into one of the tents, the sight that greets you is more lavish than you'd like to admit.

“Even the mosquito net is luxurious!” Sammy smiles.

“This is what I imagined Kenji's penthouse would be like.” Yaz comments. “But better because we aren't locked out.”

Brooklynn squeals, “I see brand names!”

“It's fine, I guess.” Kenji mutters, hands in his pockets.

You eye him for a second, still a little annoyed by his actions back when you saved him. Or, well, tried to. He doesn't seem to have any survival instincts, which would've killed the two of you if luck wasn't on your guys’ sides. You ultimately end up tuning him out once he starts going on about the formation of the yurts or something.

Soon after, Sammy discovers a stray can opener laying on the wooden table, gushing over it to Tiff. The woman takes off her hat gingerly. And with a kind smile, she directs a gaze full of pity towards your group.

“My goodness, I can't imagine how hungry you all must be! Would you like some breakfast?”

Well, one meal with these people wouldn't hurt.

“Oh, man, that's good!” Sammy says with a mouth full of toast and bacon.

Swallowing down some of his own toast, Darius continues recounting each and every tale he can think of. “After that, we escaped another dinosaur attack, and another one!”

You chew on a piece of bacon, brows furrowed in disgust as you watch Kenji lick the remains of his meal off his plate. With a sigh, you push your plate towards him. There were only eggs left on your plate, but he seemed grateful either way.

“And then we saw your bonfire…” Darius's words trail off as he shoves more toast into his mouth.

“This is like cooking back home!” Sammy compliments.

“... and you saved us from a dinosaur attack!” Darius finishes.

“So many attacks.” Yasmina mumbles.

“And here you are, after all you've been through.” Tiff says, placing her mug of coffee onto the table. “Camp destroyed, being abandoned, losing your friend…”

You go rigid for a second, nails digging into your arms. It doesn't matter. It shouldn't matter–not anymore.

“Oh!” Tiff begins fanning herself with her hand, tears brimming at her eyes.

Her display is met with surprised stares that eventually change into pitiful expressions. Perhaps it hadn't really registered in everyones’ mind just how much you all had gone through. Still, it shouldn't matter anymore. Not with these people here.

“Don't be a downer, babe.” Mitch places a hand on her shoulder, glancing towards your group with a smile. “They're with us now, and they're safe.”

With his words in mind, your group shares exhilarated smiles.

“And when our boat comes back in a couple of days–”

“After it refuels in Papagayo.” Tiff reminds her husband.

“After it refuels in Papagayo, we'll get you back to the mainland.” Mitch finishes.

“We're leaving in two days?!” Darius shouts in disbelief.

“Is this really happening?” Sammy asks, hands balled into fists from the overwhelmed anticipation.

“It is, sweetie. You're going home.”

Those words break the dam that is your guys’ excitement, and screams of glee ring out across the camp.

“Yes! Home!”

“Yeah!”

Once the laughter dies down, Mitch captures Darius's attention with some animal pictures on his camera. You watch as Kenji leans back in his chair, gazing at the two.

“The camera does the work for you.” The rich boy jabs. “I've also got a JC-1000.”

When his words are completely ignored by the pair, Kenji raises a brow in perplexity.

“Actually, I've got a JC-3000. Prototype, never been on the market–”

Kenji's jealous rant is interrupted when Darius starts asking Mitch about dinosaur shots and such. Rolling his eyes, Kenji crosses his arms in front of his chest with a frown.

“Kenji.”

The boy in question jumps, head whipping towards you.

“Do you actually have those cameras?” You ask, not really because you're interested, but because he's acting just pitiful right now.

“Uh, yeah, duh. Of course I do!” He grins.

You stare at him with a deadpan expression.

“I mean, well, they're not mine. But… they basically are.” He corrects, wiping his hands on his shirt as they grow sweaty. “My dad has a company share with these camera dudes, so he gets first pick on some stuff.”

You hum, fingers tapping against your arm awkwardly.

“Are you… into cameras?” Kenji's eyes gaze at you questioningly.

“What?” Your brows furrow together at his weird suggestion.

“Wait, no, like–” Kenji stutters, eyes widening. “Do you like doing that photo stuff?”

“Oh,” you pause, taking a moment to think about it. “I used to. I did a lot of research on it and what it took to be a photographer. But I lost interest soon after.”

Kenji nods his head, hands folding in front of him. “Right. Also, thanks.”

Your eyes fall onto him, squinting as you catch an unfamiliar tint falling across his face. “You're welcome, I guess.”

Laughter from Darius and Mitch draws Kenji's attention elsewhere, and his sour mood returns.

“Looks like your dino-buddy is having fun.” He remarks.

“Yup.” You answer.

“You gonna join him?” He points a finger towards the boy.

“Nope.” You tap your plate, already missing the meal you finished not too long ago.

“So… that's a new look.” He eyes your sweater.

“Uh huh.” Your eyes wander towards Brooklynn, who holds a one-sided conversation with Hap.

“It's kinda cool.” He compliments.

“Huh?” You mutter, watching as Hap loses his temper with Brooklynn. Not that you can blame him. She can get pretty invasive. “Sorry, what'd you say, Kenji?”

His eyes are wide when you redirect your gaze towards him. “Uh, nothing.”

“...okay?” You stare at him in confusion.

“All right,” Tiff draws everyone's attention. “why don't you kids freshen up while we clear the table?” The woman gestures towards one of the yurts strewn about the camp. “It's a little primitive, sorry. In the bathroom yurt, you'll find a solar-powered shower and a heated toilet.”

Quickly chugging down her drink, Sammy grabs hold of Tiff's arm. “I love you! It's fine if you don't say it back.” Sammy then walks off before going back to grab Tiff's arm again. “Love you!”

With a giggle, Sammy waves her arms to get your guys’ attention before diving behind the yurt’s curtain.

As soon as you're all gathered with the bathroom yurt, Sammy's going on about the luxuries of the camp again.

“Pre-pasted toothbrushes? What are we, royalty?” She gasps. “Four kinds of hand cream? Eeh! Little soap peacocks!”

“Please, this is all so basic.” Kenji complains from his seat on the heated toilet. The plate with eggs resting on his legs. “If you guys had seen my penthouse–”

Brooklynn quickly shushes him, arm outstretched to further communicate the urgency she feels. “I can't prove it yet, but I think…”

She pauses, pulling the yurt curtain back just enough to peek outside. And whatever she sees obviously doesn't please her, as she forces you all into the toilet area. With yet another curtain pulled for more privacy, you all crowd around the toilet.

“...there's something going on with Hap.” Brooklynn explains, sitting on the toilet with her elbows resting on her legs. “He dodged all my questions and was really weird about the key card I found in Wu's lab.”

When Kenji prepares to dig into the eggs, Yasmina snatches the plate from his hands, placing it on a nearby ledge. Brooklynn spares an irritated glance towards the boy but ultimately continues with her theories.

“Mitch and Tiff are clueless. She's too ‘golly goodness’ to notice anything, and all he thinks about is dinosaurs!”

“What's wrong with that?” Darius asks the pink-haired girl.

“No, I…” she sighs. “I'm just saying Hap's suspicious. He's gruff, and unsmiling, and–”

“What's wrong with that?” Yasmina asks with down-turned brows.

“I don't mean…” She scoffs, regaining her composure. “Look, could Hap be involved with Mantah Corp? Am I crazy?”

Darius and Kenji share a look that screams ‘yes!’. Meanwhile, you hold a look of contemplation. You did agree that Hap was suspicious, but she was wrong about Mitch and Tiff being unaware. They obviously had a part to play, given how they downplayed every concern you threw at them. But, you're not sure if you want to speak on it.

“I mean, the Mantah Corp folks who sent me were like corporate spies, not action-man, secret-identity, pew-pew spies.” Sammy adds.

“Look, I know you've got conspiracy on the brain, Brooklynn, but forget Hap.” Darius spoke gently towards the girl. “In two days, we're going home. Let's focus on that.” He then turns towards you unexpectedly. “You too.”

“Huh?”

“You're obviously suspicious about Mitch and Tiff. You were interrogating them on the way here!” He places his hands on his hips like a scolding mother.

“No I wasn't. Those were genuine questions.” You argue, crossing your arms over your chest.

“Well keep the questions to a minimum until we're on the boat home.” He orders.

You huff, but relent either way. You didn't want to fight with Darius just because you had a bad feeling about the first adults you've seen in… What? Weeks?

“Don't worry, guys. Just in case, we'll keep our eyes open.” Sammy reassures the two of you.

And quite ironically, Sammy's eyes were currently closed as she enjoyed the massage Tiff was giving her. You quickly avert your eyes, grossed out by their actions. Sitting across from Kenji (because you refused to sit near Mitch despite Darius's orders), you lay your head in your hands.

Your group had gone a full day without sleep, and you're surprised that only you seem to be affected by it. Granted, Yasmina was lying on top of two chairs pushed together, but you didn't know if she was sleeping or resting her eyes. In your opinion, there's no true distinction between the two.

Your arm is poked once or twice, whether it's by Kenji's hand or his plate full of food, you don't really care. Especially not when your eyes are fluttering shut and the world around you is going dark.

The area around you is dark, plants and trees surrounding you from all sides. The grass is long, thin blades scratching against your pants. And you can't even see the stars with the mixture of leaves and branches hanging above you. There's the faint chirping of unknown insects, and your skin crawls as you come to the conclusion that you're all alone.

Until you're not. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps appears in the air. The unmistakable noise of grass crunching underneath shoes. And then you see him. He's all that he should be, unlike how you saw him in your last dream.

He calls your name hesitantly, as if he couldn't believe that you were present in your own dream. And despite this, you smile. You smile because his hair is brown, and his hands fidget with each other, and his fanny pack is buckled around his waist. You smile because he's looking at you, and he's alive.

“Ben.” You say softly, overcome with a sense of sorrow. “Ben, why did you leave?”

His fidgeting pauses, and his brows furrow. Mouth pulling into a grimace before turning into a smile. It's concerning, but it's Ben, so you ignore it.

“I didn't leave.” He states simply, and the crunching of grass hits your ears again. It's hard to see in the dark, but when his hands grab hold of your arms, you feel as if you can see everything. “I died.”

Your heart stops for a second before resuming its rhythm with a new speed. Clenching your fists, you shake your head. Ben's hands move from your arms to your wrists, trailing down until he's holding your hands. Gently, as if his touch was nothing but a breeze of air, he pulls your fingers away from your palms, caressing the bleeding crescents they left behind.

“I died, you know that. At least you should.” His voice is a sweet thing to hear.

“I do know.” You whisper, afraid to wake up. Afraid to open your eyes and face the reality of Ben being gone.

“Yeah, I thought so.” He brings your shaking hands to his face, breathing hot air against your icy knuckles. “Do you miss us? Me and Bumpy?”

You can't answer, not with the sobs now racking your body. His touch is so warm, so real. Why isn't it real? You try to ask, but the words die in your throat as you choke. Your face is drenched in tears, shivers falling down your spine as you try and clear your vision. You want to see him. Even if it's in a dream, you want to see him. Look in his eyes and pretend he'll be there when you wake.

The warmth spreads as his arms wrap around your taller frame, and you'd laugh if it wasn't so sad. Will you continue to grow as his body rots? Maggots eating at his flesh somewhere on this island, whilst the rest of you leave on a luxury boat? And what about Bumpy? The small little dinosaur with the big, round eyes? Will those too rot on this island? Will bugs eat her flesh, uncaring of what a sweet little thing she used to be? Why is that? How can that happen?

The tears don't stop, and you cry in misery. You cry because you can't see Ben, and you can't see Bumpy. And you know it isn't right, but you wish it was someone else. It's so selfish, but anyone else would've been better. Even if it was you. Oh god, you wish it was you. Ben was loved, and Bumpy was loved. It would've been okay if it were you. But it wasn't, and a new round of sobs escapes you as you think of that.

Your name falls from Ben's lips, and you look at him despite the tears blurring your vision. He's smiling, you realize. He's smiling, and his hands are rubbing your back in a comforting manner.

“Do you want to lay down?” He asks, as if it's the most normal thing in the world.

And, despite your initial confusion, you nod. And gentle as ever, he pulls you downwards. First, into a sitting position, before you're both laying in the grass. The green blades tickle your cheek, and you're weary of the bugs hiding within the green mass. However, one look at Ben's smile, and your mind is pulled away from those thoughts.

“Are we friends?” He asks quietly, eyes half-lidded in relaxation. Is that how he felt in reality, too? Was he relieved now that he didn't have to worry about dinosaurs anymore?

“Of course.” You answer, clasping his hands in your own. They're not cold like last time. You hope they're never cold again. His legs are tangled in yours, and you find it all so wonderful. Even though your skin is growing clammy.

“Then, can I tell you something?” His smile widens, and you find yourself following his actions. It's so cold, but his warmth makes it bearable.

“Yeah.” You murmur, leaning in close as he cups a hand around his mouth. You feel something crawling within your skin, eating away at the flesh within. But despite that, you keep your gaze locked on his smile.

“You're selfish.” He whispers.

A maggot escapes your fleshy prison, and then there's another, and another. Your hands no longer hold onto his, and now his warmth can do nothing to help you. And you smile, as does he. His brown hair intertwined with the green grass, eyes swirling with an emotion you don't have the words to describe. And throughout all of this, something resembling a smile stays stuck on your torn flesh.

“I know.”

[silkclan-gossip]

SilkClan – Moon 1 By Snakepaw 🐾

Hey there, it’s Snakepaw climbing my way up to the top—literally and figuratively! I’ve been keeping my ears open and paws busy, and trust me, there’s a lot going on in SilkClan that no one’s talking about. Good thing I’m here to break the silence. Let’s get into it, because things are getting interesting.

🌕 Major Events:

Twoleg Nonsense: While I was up in my favorite tree (don’t ask how high), I spotted a Twoleg playing with a kittypet near our border. I swear, it looked like they were trying to teach it to pounce. Good luck with that! The warriors brushed it off like no big deal, but something feels off to me. Twolegs and kittypets don’t just “hang out” for no reason.

Duskkit’s Breaking Point: Look, I get it—being treated like a helpless kit can be a real thorn in the paw. Duskkit is fed up with being babied, and I’m here for it. He’s especially tired of Minkpelt hovering over him like a hawk. Not sure if he’s got a plan to deal with it yet, but knowing him, he’ll blow up eventually. Can’t wait to see how that plays out.

🌿 Warrior Drama:

Larkweb Scares Off a Rogue: So get this: Larkweb basically scared a rogue out of our territory with just his words. Yeah, no claws, no bloodshed—just a stare and some threats. It was pretty epic. But what’s up with Basilstar? She looked like she was annoyed by the whole thing. Maybe she wanted some action? Who knows, but something tells me she’s not exactly Larkweb’s biggest fan.

Wisteriaspeckle and the Chicken: Wisteriaspeckle strutted into camp with a Twoleg’s chicken dangling from his jaws. I gotta say, it was a bold move. But he’s been acting kind of… distracted? I heard him mumbling about Saplingstar and StarClan. Maybe he’s feeling guilty about taking from the Twolegs, or maybe he’s just trying to impress someone. Either way, that chicken didn’t last long—tasted great!

Burrowfleck’s StarClan Musings: Speaking of StarClan, Burrowfleck has been off in his own little world lately. He had another dream, but surprise, surprise—he’s not talking. I saw him staring at the sky like he’s waiting for something. Whatever it is, it’s got him all riled up. And he’s still holding a grudge against Pondquill. Can’t say I blame him after last moon’s fiasco.

🐾 Snakepaw’s Gossip Corner:

"You know what’s been bugging me? I keep feeling like I should be doing more around here. Yeah, I might be young, but I’m not useless. At least Posyclaw is cool enough to listen when I talk about it on patrol."

"Oh, and did you see the way Duskkit snapped at Minkpelt? I swear, he’s going to lose it one of these days. Bet you a mouse he makes a scene soon."

"I overheard Wisteriaspeckle, Burrowfleck, and Posyclaw having a pretty tight conversation by the stream. They’re getting really close, but what are they planning? Makes me wonder if they’re up to something big."

Relationships Rundown:

Crush Alert: Word around camp is Minkpelt has a thing for Pondquill. Seriously? That guy? Well, Minkpelt’s always been a stickler for rules, so I guess they’d balance each other out. Whatever happens, I’m keeping an eye on this one.

Posyclaw, Wisteriaspeckle, and Burrowfleck: This trio is tighter than a thornbush. They’re always whispering about something, and I don’t trust it. Either they’re planning something, or they’re just best friends who love a secret. We’ll see.

Basilstar vs. Larkweb: Tensions are still thick between these two. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a showdown soon. Just saying.

That’s it for now, clanmates! Stay on your toes, because things are only going to get crazier. Until next moon, keep your claws sharp and your secrets sharper.

– Snakepaw 🐾

[ladysupport]

weapon — for the single-word drive!

Look at me, trying to get the hang of Tumblr lol, ty for the prompt Sea! <3 Major Endwalker spoilers in bound, for a rather significant solo duty which I absolutely loved, but most seemed to hate at the time it released sadly enough.

Cold. The shock of it makes him inhale, his own chest rising as he sucks in a breath. His hand twitches and then curls in, taking snow with it. He can feel it against his bare palm. Was he truly back in his own body? Zenos- no, Fandaniel, had swapped his soul into the body of some poor Garlean soldier. Zenos had been inside his own. The horror of seeing his own face twist into a cold smile had chilled him beyond anything he’d ever thought possible. But more than that, was the fear of knowing how much power Zenos had at his disposal. Not only the Warrior of Light’s power, but the power of his Voice….he could kill his friends before they had even realized what had happened. He could level the tiny camp they had, and cause his own body such severe damage that he would never speak again, or worse. The flare of rationality knew that it was unlikely, if it was truly soulbound like he suspected. Only he could ever use it, but that was of little comfort. What had followed was a desperate race against time. The body he had been shoved into felt so much weaker than his own. So big, and so heavy, every motion was effort. He had never had to wield a sword before, and with every machine he hacked away crudely at, he could feel his entire arm burn with the strain. But even for the short time he had inhabited the body, it had grown stronger. People had rallied with him despite seeing the enemy’s body, and hearing its voice. His soul had been undimmed, still shining with his hope. “...Lúcio?” He turns to G’raha’s wavering voice, a very timid yellow in his mind’s eye, and smiles. At once, G’raha seems to be relieved. His friend is back for good this time. Another person, Alisaie, pushes something into his hands. Something *familiar*. His bow, handcrafted with the greatest smith in Eorzea, has splintered. The draw had to be very specific for what he had wanted, and even then, most of its power came from him. Zenos, so used to brute strength, had snapped the string and both limbs trying to draw it. A wave of fury and grief floods him, and his knuckles go white. “...weapon!” His raspy voice cracks with anger as he winces. It is completely shot. He knows it will recover with time, but his poor bow will take time they do not have. He wipes a tear from his eye, and strides back to the camp, leaving the others behind. He knows they are concerned, he can feel it like an ache in his heart. But he has to press on, and he must arm himself. Laying the bow near his bag like it was made of glass, he retrieves two knives. At a glance, they looked like a rogue’s weapons, and indeed, they were like it. But they were made from a land far from this one, “across the salt”, as they would say. He feels the smooth wood under his hands, and takes a shaky breath. He had hoped never to use these seriously, and he wasn’t sure if he still could. Not that it mattered much, the true strength of his art was through the power of his legs, not the knives. His name is called, and he glances back to see Thancred looking at him. “Do you need anything?” As much time as you can give me, he signs back. With a nod, the other leaves as silently as he had appeared, and Lúcio rises to his feet. He had to become the weapon now, for the sake of everyone he knew.

[writteninlunarlight-years]

Uh hello!!! I found your blog and I absolutely adore it!! If it's not too much trouble, may I please have a match up from either Baldurs Gate 3 and/or Hazbin hotel? (If I missed that match ups are closed, just tell me to bug off lol)

Gender: Femme AFAB nonbinary

Age: 25 (26 at the end of this month!)

Pronouns: she/her and they/them

Sexuality: Bisexual, panromantic

Appearance: 5’4” femme-presenting with chest-length light brown hair. I’ve got hazel eyes with hella eyebags, but I wear glasses with frames thick enough to hide them. I’m white but you can tell I go outside a lot lol. I’m pretty small, most people could pick me up like a sack of potatoes tbh

MBTI: INFP as far as I understand??

Personality: Oh man this part is kinda hard… I’m pretty energetic and quiet all at the same time. I consider myself fairly optimistic and friendly. I’m defs naïve as hell though, and it doesn’t help that I’m autistic so a lot of things go over my head. I’m a really bad people pleaser and have a hard time sharing my true thoughts and feelings. I’m ride or die for my loved ones though, almost to a fault I think. I’m a pretty hard worker once I get past the executive dysfunction lmao.

Likes: Space/astronomy, horror/urban legends, snakes, avians (particularly corvids and vultures!), exploring, flowers (I’m a sucker for colorful ones), seeing other people do things I don’t know how to do.

Dislikes: sudden loud noises, feeling/being trapped, being yelled at (I WILL cry lol), passive aggressiveness, being patronized or talked down to.

Extra fun fact: I’m a teacher and I’ve been told I’m good with kids? I don’t have a lot of patience for very young kids though, unfortunately.

For Baldurs:

Race: I’m pretty boring irl, so I think I’d just be a happy ol’ human!

Class: Rogues are fun, but I might also be a Cleric.

D&D alignment: Neutral good (I’m a very by the book person, but don’t mind bending the rules if I think they’re stupid ones)

I hope I got everything?? Thank you so so much!!!!

~~~~~ MATCHUPS ~~~~~

Bauldrs Gate 3

Gale Dekarios

~~~~~ HEADCANONS ~~~~~

He loved how bubbly and kind you were to everyone when you met that fateful day after the crash.

He appreciated your intelligence and willingness to learn more about things very dear to the Wizard's heart.

When he opened up to you about Mystra, and you showed him genuine compassion about his circumstances, he was overwhelmed with a sincere sense of loyalty.

Soon, though, as you traversed through the goblin camp and shadow fell, that loyalty turned to love.

When he was tasked with dying, he was so afraid you would be willing to sacrifice him for the greater good; however, when you stopped him, he was so happy.

He shares the astral plane with you whenever you ask from that day forth.

He eventually teaches you how to project as well.

When the dangers of the illithids are gone, he happily takes you back to Waterdeep.

He was worried about how Tara would handle you, but you two became fast friends, sharing stories and knowledge.

It was a random day walking through Waterdeep when he realized he had never actually asked you to be his partner; it was just assumed.

When he finally does ask you, he makes a big grand show of it in the privacy of the tower

Once officially together, he will not stop telling everyone how much he loves you and is lucky to have you.

~~~~~ BLURB ~~~~~

You had just entered the Underdark with your group. The terrain was challenging to maneuver, and there was a threat almost everywhere with the mushrooms. However, once you found a safe place to camp, you all agreed it would be much needed. It was your night for watch duty, so as everyone went to bed, you began looking around the camp's perimeter. It was dark, cold, and damp here but not unbearable, to say the least. The fire nearby kept you warm enough, and you loved an opportunity to learn more.

As you looked at all the flora around you, you came into contact with a fascinating flower. A light blue glow surrounded the petals, and it smelled sweet. Smiling, you picked the three closest flowers and brought them to the camp to be examined. You had never seen anything like them, and they were beautiful. As the night progressed and you noted these attractive flowers, a groggy Gale woke for his turn on guard duty.

You heard him from his tent as he cursed because he couldn't conjure his cup of tea. You laughed at his antic and continued your writings. However, his cursing and voice grew more irritated by the minute. Standing, you walked over to him to ask what was wrong with the flowers in hand. As soon as you crossed the threshold of his tent, you could see the man's disarray. When his eyes met yours, the flowers in your hand seemed to fall into place. Gently, he took the flowers and began explaining how these flowers would, in fact, prohibit any magical use for anyone in its radius.

You laughed sheepishly and took the flower back from him. You left quickly and disposed of the new flower, sad to see something so pretty be detrimental to your friends. As you came back, Gale was observing your drawings. When you sat next to him, he smiled and began to tell you everything he knew about the flower, hoping to make up for it having to be sent away. With a smile on your face and a spring in your step, you wrote all you could leaning against Gales's shoulder the whole time.

Hazbin Hotel

Vaggie

~~~~~ HEADCANONS ~~~~~

At first, she is overwhelmed by your energy. Where you are bubbly and kind, she is loud and in charge.

She grew used to it over time and found your caring nature very refreshing.

She is fiercely loyal to all your ideas and passions, even going as far as to research them with you so she can make sure you have everything you need

She loves listening to you read or gush about topics that interest you the most.

Hell doesn't have stars, but she does her best to replicate the stars you tell her about from your mortal life.

She loves to be cuddly with you in the privacy of your rooms.

Out in the open, though, she is a big guard dog, making sure no one makes you uncomfortable.

She teaches you primary self-defense, so if she isn't around, you can protect yourself until she arrives.

When you learn of her past and accept her for who she is, she is overwhelmed with intense emotions.

It takes her a couple days to figure out how to properly thank you for being the best to her.

Your happiness is more significant than all to her, so expect her to never be too far away if you need something.

~~~~~ BLURB ~~~~~

After a particularly long day helping around the hotel, you were exhausted, to say the least. From Angel's antics to Alastor's creepiness, you didn't have much more steam in you. Even though you were the resident chipper person, only being surpassed by Charlie, you felt your patience grow thin, especially today. Changing into a comfortable set of PJs, you made your way to the lounge.

Curling up on the sofa, you flipped the TV on in hopes of finding something interesting. After minutes of flipping, you finally find a horror channel. It is interesting for hell that they only have one horror channel, but you would take it. After getting repositioned, you began watching the show and enjoying all the details. As engrossed as you were, you didn't notice your partner, Vaggie, joining you on the couch. Her thigh brushed your leg as she sat down, causing you to yelp.

Vaggie laughed gently at your reaction, holding her hands up in defense. As soon as you realized who it was, you calmed down and smiled at her. Now, this was a far better way to end the day. Your beautiful partner and a good horror flick. Repositioning on the sofa where your head lay in Vaggie's lap, you retrain your eyes on the TV. As you both grew more engrossed in the horrors on the screen, you didn't happen to notice the smiling demon standing in the dark corner, ready to pounce for his own amusement.

[lutethebodies]

LTB Tav Tuesdays: Farago Heli, the Elven Exile

My fifth Tav is a work in progress, because unlike last week's ranger, this ranger has only existed in my homebrew 5e as an NPC, and in this case as the right-hand man of another more plot-important NPC at that. However, expanding on his backstory helped me worldbuild an entire conflict in which he was also a bit player, and I found that compelling to revisit if he were placed front and center. More so than that of the NPC he supported, even.

His name "Farago" (one R) is an obvious nod to the word "farrago" (two Rs): "a confused mixture, hodgepodge or medley." His background is a bit cliché—the taciturn ex-soldier who's "seen some shit"—but that also helps his personality suit his name: a farrago, as it were, of doubts, fears, hopes, and wishes. He's probably the most "man's man" type I'll ever play, but as a modest, competent expert instead of a beefy blowhard, because I have no time for macho crap (and neither does he). The "standard stoic Tav" expressions actually suit him well.

In 5e Farago is a Rogue Scout with the Soldier background, built that way to complement his party leader, a Hunter Ranger. His backstory was all about surviving a major regional conflict—the short but destructive Exiles' War where he'd joined the losing side as a picket—to become a freelance wilderness adventurer "exiled" from any official loyalties. He maintains a calm personality (not emotionless but not volatile) and is haunted by his battlefield experiences.

Farago is committed to people (friends and family, not nations or causes), and will never leave a comrade behind. He remembers every insult and nurses resentment against those who've wronged him, but he made a terrible battlefield mistake that cost many lives, which he cannot forget. Farago looks like an ordinary wood elf aside from his most prominent feature, a deep pink strawberry birthmark covering half his face, which he obscures behind greasy dark hair and wide-brimmed hats.

In BG3 (where of course Scout isn't a subclass) I went with Hunter Ranger with the Archery fighting style, which gets him close enough mechanically (though I do miss that ranged sneak attack). I'm not sure how that would square well with the BG3 story, but as a wood elf maybe he could have been part of the Grove's war against Thorm, and he simply doesn't talk about it much. Halsin is welcome to share those stories, but Farago ain't into it. His solo playthrough sits in Act 3 after finishing the House of Grief, but he's also part of my current multiplayer/multi-Tav current run—a "guys and dolls" raid-the-grove romp with only Cannor, Minthara, and Shadowheart.

Farago's romance is with Shadowheart, because he's patient and slow burns are worth it. In his solo run Minthara chased him at the end of Act 2, but he didn't forget the drow slurring him as "darthirr" during Act 1. Making sand castles with the charmingly awkward neo-Selunite Shadowheart (whom he suspects, but won't say out loud, sees her elven father in him) is much more his jam than any of the other companions. He's currently camped in the Lower City (a great source of new hats), so a big farm or small ranch with this young lady when all the tadpole shit is finished sounds just fine.

[larrysficlibrary]

Angst

Fics with the tag 'Angst'

❥ all we can do is keep breathing [310k] ♡ thealmightyavocado

"Harry, I- I'm so sorry..." Louis stutters out, trying to keep his voice level and even, to portray a depiction of strength, but with the way Harry is looking at him, staring at him like he has a personal passage way straight to Louis' soul, it's so hard, nearly impossible. That simple opening phrase, that short introductory acknowledgement that is often rushed out so easily, painlessly, at a safe distance. Giving a doctor the ability to portray empathy without true emotion, without feeling the full brunt and sheer force of the underlying pain itself. But Louis feels it, he feels the crushing agony laced behind the phrase, he feels the weight of the painful words, slipping from his lips, the cause and effect that the three-word expression holds. The distantly empty "I'm so sorry" that doctors through out in self-preservation, isn't at all empty for him. Louis recognizes it, he understands it, he feels it. ✚☤✚ a fated story of two broken and battered boys who barely survived the unimaginable and how the love of one little brave girl defies all the odds and somehow puts them back together.

❥ one breath at a time [427k WIP] ♡ thealmightyavocado

"Louis, I know it's hard, but I need you to focus and tell me exactly what happened, ok?" Louis is shaking uncontrollably, his hands, his heart, his mind, nothing is stable, nothing is ok. He feels untethered, boundless in time, yet paradoxically his entire life is torturously bound to this very moment. Absolutely nothing he tells his mind serves to calm his racing thoughts, he commands his body to move and his body betrays him, commands lips to speak, but no words form. All Louis can do is blindly stare at the sickeningly heavy blood coating his arms, dripping to his trembling fingers. Tears ceaselessly pour down his cheeks despite how hard he squeezes his eyes shut, trying desperately to calm himself enough to utter a sound. An he can't breathe, despite all of his failed efforts to catch his wandering breath and gasp a much-needed lungful of oxygen, his diaphragm constricts further still, suffocating him from the inside out. breathe, breathe, breathe Louis forces a sharp inhale that hurts as the breath expands his stilted lungs, god it hurts. Like stabbing his chest with a serrated knife, dragging the jagged blade through his heart over and over and over again until there is nothing left.

❥ These Hallowed Woods [36k] ♡ snowcaplou

Before he can allow himself to feel bad for himself, Harry is coming back into the cave. He's changed into his wolf form and hanging from his bloody maw is the largest bear pelt that Louis has ever seen. The first thought that enters his mind is how. How did Harry manage to kill something so big when his best trackers can barely find scraps in these woods. The second thought the flies through his mind is: Oh fuck. Because Harry has just laid a pelt at his feet. There's no mistaking what is happening any longer. Harry has just presented Louis with an invitation for courtship. OR Louis becomes Luna of the Tomlinson Pack after the untimely death of his father, the Pack Alpha. Saddled with his newfound responsibility and an unpleasantly demanding pack council, he finds secret respite in the arms of a rogue wold that camps out just outside his territory. The only problem? The rogue has no idea who Louis actually is, and as Louis falls harder and harder for the man he escapes to every night, the weight of his lies steers him along a path of certain misery.

❥ Back to the Beginning [857k] ♡ LHStylinson

Prequel to All About Us. After Harry and Louis share some of their story with the boy that stole their daughter's heart we go back to where it all started. From the very beginning they fall in love and we see their lives without their kids and watch as their relationship is tested. The struggle of becoming teen parents and then turning their lives into what they have in All About Us.

❥ When You Least Expect It [182k] ♡ LHStylinson

Harry and Louis' son is on a journey of self discovery and figuring out his own sexuality, with some very unexpected turns for the Tomlinson family along the way.

❥ Take Your Time [247k] ♡ LHStylinson

Rosie Tomlinson is the third oldest of the Tomlinson kids and seems to have broken the tradition of falling in love by 18. It's her first year of uni and she still hasn't held a boy's hand, hasn't had a real first kiss. When she does meet a boy though she knows bringing him home won't be easy. Her dad (Louis) will be even more overprotective than he was over her older sister, Alexis. But at least Rosie has her pop (Harry) as help to somewhat keep her dad from losing his head.

❥ A Darker Shade of Love [751k] ♡ LittleSpoonStyles94

Louis is a 30 year old multi-billionaire with a very dark past. He is violent and is a sadist with a taste for pain. Harry Styles is a 19 year old student who sets out to London after being kicked out by his homophobic father to follow his dreams. He wants to go to the best University to study but he needs a lot of money so he starts to work as a part time stripper at a gay club to support his studies and his life. The club he works at, Garland's, is part owned by Louis Tomlinson. When they meet, its life changing for the both of them.

❥ Compass to my Soul [31k] ♡ LadyLondonderry ♡ Espanol

Harry Styles, alpha, is 1/4 of the perfect pack, and 1/5 of world famous boy band One Direction. He spends his time touring the world with his best friends and family. Louis Tomlinson, omega, is 1/5 of world famous boy band One Direction. He spends his time hoping his bandmates don't notice him.