#thread: cassia.

[cassiasalas]

❛ OPEN & CASSIA. — ANYWHERE THEY COULD BE HAVING A BITE TO EAT.

"What's with dating these days?" Not that she had done much of it because she was afraid of getting attached and getting her heart broken again. Cassia leaned back comfortably and looked at her company curiously. "I mean, I haven't really dipped my toes in the water all that much, but... it seems people only want situationships these days." Which the idea of that made her shrug, an act that displayed non-committal, even though there was something in her she'd call old fashioned. Why didn't she date? The dating scene sounded awful.

[dhampiravidi]

Caleb was taking her to meet the rest of the Sons of Ipswich AKA his best friends, and Jayn was extremely nervous. It wasn’t like she made a point of staying away from people (especially guys), but...she didn’t exactly go out much. Add that to the fact that she was doing college online for the foreseeable future and her social skills were pretty damn weak. What scared her the most, though, was that the guys would be the ones in charge of her magic tutoring. If they didn’t like her, the next few months were going to be horrible.

“They’re going to like you. I promise.”

“Hm?” She looked over at Caleb, who she’d only known for two days. He was surprisingly welcoming, for a guy who had suddenly had a random girl shoved into his home. Pretty people like him could always turn out to be assholes, but something about him told her that he wasn’t like that.

“Be yourself. Now c’mon, California girl, let’s get in before you freeze.” With all the fear, she hadn’t even noticed that her bundled-up self was shivering. She matched his smile and followed him into the bar. Immediately, the noise put her on edge. Thankfully, Caleb noticed and guided her to the back, where three guys were sitting at a table laughing. The noise died down as Jayn and Caleb approached. “This is Jayn.” 

She awkwardly waved and nodded to each boy as he introduced himself. Reid, Tyler, and Pogue were in all of Caleb’s stories, not to mention the pictures in his room. And dear gods, Pogue was making her wish she’d worn something a bit cuter than biker boots and layers. Her eyeliner and earrings sat at home, forlorn. Jayn was grateful when Caleb started talking again, because she needed something to distract her from his friend’s soft-looking hair and toned body (she’d never seen a leather jacket that was tight around anyone’s arms before).

“Tyler, what happened to your friend? The girl from DnD?” Caleb asked, once they’d all sat down. He was curious, but he hoped it wasn’t Reid just trying to set him up with someone else. Unlike Pogue, Caleb had continued to date after his breakup months ago. Well, “get fucked” was probably a more accurate description. He never led anyone on, but he struggled to have more than a one-and-done kind of relationship. No one he met was real enough for him.

@abrushwithdeath

[swtsours-archived]

“   i   had   a   feeling   you’d   come   see   me   .   don’t   think   i   didn’t   notice   the   way   you   were   staring   at   me   today   .   you   shouldn’t   do   that   .   ”   it   was   completely   inappropriate   ,   although   it   wasn’t   the   first   time   a   student   tried   to   undress   her   with   their   eyes   mid-lecture   .   she   sighs   ,   “   what   can   i   do   for   you   ?   ”

[teohcndricks]

LOCATION: Beach Tennis Tournament

WITH: @cassiasalas

Teo had never been one for crowds of people, he enjoyed his own company too much, and the silence that followed. After his several stints in prison, the rumbled murmur of a crowd sometimes set his hairs standing on edge, leaving him with a dishevelled sense of unease. But, he was here to support his friends, and he needed to at least show face.

Even after watching a couple of games, Teo still had no clue what the rules of tennis were, and so from then on he spent most of his time idly people watching. It was mostly a flurry of rainbows and wide grins, but he almost felt his stomach plummet to the floor as his eyes set on her. The last time he had seen her was... Well, years ago. She had been his everything, and the next morning he woke up, she had become his nothing.

That thought alone flashed red hot anger across his features as he forced himself up onto his feet. Teo had never prided himself on his rationality or his ability to see through his emotions, and right now he could think of very little besides demanding answers. He had spent days - weeks - isolated in prison, thinking about what he would say to her if they were to ever meet again. Part of him had hoped he would never find Catalina again and that he could be done with that part of his life, but nights he had spent wondering what or who they could have become if she had just given him a chance.

He slowed as he approached her, wolf whistling loudly to catch her attention. "Well fuck me, look who we got here." Teo stopped in front of her, a knowing smirk proud upon his lips. "What? Cat got your tongue? Or did you just think I was still rottin' away in some prison cell, huh?"

[seydaseven]

❛ AMOS & CASSIA. — at Sinful Ink in South Hills.

Likely headed to grab a bite and a drink somewhere, Cassia stopped her stroll along the street with @amosdeleon and a half grin crept onto her expression when he turned back to look at her. "I dare you —" She knew that wouldn't be much. To dare someone often as reckless as she was to get a random tattoo. But that wasn't what her smirk was for. "...to get either my name, initials, or some kind of tramp stamp tattooed on you right now." Too often they were getting up to no good together, a bad influence on one another even though they were each trying to fly the straight and narrow. It never seemed to stop them in getting together with knowing it was generally always shenanigans that ensued. Let's be bad together fate had said whenever they locked eyes. "You do it and I'll agree that you're the best tennis player ever."

[talestold-a]

closed starter for cassia upcliff on day one, @milkhoncys.

perhaps it is the feeling of having strangers lurking within one's home that puts her on edge, perhaps it is news of her betrothal - or perhaps she finds it silly to be seeking treasure during celebrations in which she should be congratulating her mother, not the entirety of westeros on their keen observation skills. regardless of reasoning, she holds the clue tightly in her hand with irritation, not caring about what impression is to be had on lady cassia. knowing casterly rock and lannisport like the back of her hand will only be an advantage to winning... and there is certainly some fun in success. " no doubt it is talking about the gardens, " cerenna says, not knowing any other green sanctuary. " i know where it is referring to, but would you like to figure it out, my lady ? "

[khozmoh]

❝  you  can’t  be  mad  at  me,  ❞  as  far  as  conversation  starters,  cosmo  figured  he  could  have  chosen  something  a  little  less  anxiety  inducing  but  considering  the  fact  that  he  and  cassia  were  currently  hiding  in  a  back  alley  that  reeked  of  trash,  rat  shit,  and  other  less  than  savory  bodily  liquids,  things  could  only  really  get  better  from  there.  cosmo  offered  cassia  a  somewhat  sheepish  look,  dark  eyes  studying  her  face,  then  sweeping  their  surroundings  the  way  that  he  always  did.  seemingly  unable  not  to  check  and  double  check  that  they  were  in  fact  alone.

          ❝  it’s  not  my  fault,  ❞  he  added,  ❝  i  didn’t  know  this  was  your  case,  if  i  knew  that  it  was  your  case  i  would’ve  brought  the  information  to  you  as  soon  as  i  got  it  but  i  didn’t  know,  so  you  can’t  be  mad  at  me  for  not  telling  you,  ❞    //    @soulvalor​  ♡’d  for  a  starter  for  cassia  watson .

[aethergate]

@synnrrgy , continued from x !

That hand is gladly taken and shaken, a smile being returned - one that's quite anxious in comparison, but returned regardless. He’s been sorta anxious about actually trying to be friendly with coworkers. It’s kind of hard to when the “job” you’re working goes against every moral you’ve had in your life, but he’s gotten as adjusted as he can imagine getting. Better to try now rather than never, right?

So far, it actually hasn’t been too bad. Until he realizes he’d gotten caught up in talking and totally forgot they were mid restoration base assault, that is! He briefly looks rather spooked, fur standing on end until the shock subsides. Quicker than one might expect, considering both current and past history. Projectiles were all too common for him, both fighting against and with the Empire.

“Cass - got it! Easy enough to remember, so I don’t think I’ll forget it anytime soon. I’m not really new, just.. don’t get out much. But ducking and dodging is a specialty as well! Cool as ruby is, it’s not exactly my speed - you can call me Mari! Probably got the first idea from the eyes, right?”

[jvstmyluck]

LOCATION: near the edge of the woods TAGGING: @cassiawinters

"hey..." logan attempted, walking up to the person pacing back and forth. "are you okay?" logan understands feeling restless, or maybe a little mad, especially here. nothing felt... right. it was like you could pull your hair out, endure all that pain, and still do it again just to feel something besides all this calamity.

[tinycoded360]

Sterling Household-Sick Giant

"I'm going to help Sterling." Cassia declared at the table in their tiny kitchen, hidden within the walls of the human’s home.

Milton jerked back in surprise, choking on his tea. “Wh…what do you mean?”

“He’s been sick for the past day. Throwing up and bedridden. I think it would be good for us to help somehow.” Cassia explained. “He already knows about us and has saved Emma and our kids. I think this would be good for our relations.”

“Relations?! There are no relations with a human!” Milton looked shocked and confused.

“It can’t be helped. We have relations with him now. We either make them good, or we move. What if he gets annoyed with us? Hmmm?” Cassia challenged her husband.

Milton sighed. Cassia grinned, knowing she had won.

“See? Relations can’t be helped now. We might as well take advantage of a tame bean.”

“What do we suggest we do?” Milton asked.

***** “This is insane!” Emma grumbled as she helped Cassia gather supplies- a thimble for carrying water, thread for rope, an upturned metal cap for a pot, and other gear that would be useful for their task.

“Well, we don’t want to seem ungrateful; he did help you, after all.” Cassia pointed out.

“I know, I know. But I don’t have to like it.”

“Did you get what I asked for?” Cassia asked her friend.

“Of course! It was easy, I’m a pro at fishing, I know all the best spots.” Emma said with pride. She pulled off her backpack and opened it showing three big fish. Or big fish compared to the borrowers, to a human the fish would be more like small guppies.

“Perfect! Milton’s gonna use those to lure Whiskers out of the way!”

Cassia took a deep breath and stepped out from the walls, exposed on the giant's countertop.

Milton stood at the bottom with their children. He threw a grappling hook to the counter, which Cassia helped latch. Then, they worked together to get their children to climb up. Next, Cassia lowered the fish down.

“Why can’t I stay with Papa? I can help!” Agnes protested with a pout.

“You stay with your mother; I don’t want you near his cat! It’s better if I do this alone. Now you be good for her. She’ll need all the help she can get for this,” Milton shouted up to his family and disgruntled daughter.

Cassia shot her husband a grateful smile. "It'll be alright, dear. We'll look out for each other," she said gently. “Now, you be careful!”

Milton nodded. Leaving to find the giant feline.

"Here, kitty-kitty..." Milton called in a sing-song voice, watching Whiskers' ears perk up from her dozing spot by the hearth. With a flick of her tail, she rose, her movements graceful and silent—a stark contrast to the frantic beating of Milton's heart. Milton had tied the fish together to a string. He broke out in a run, pulling the treat with him.

Leading her through the open back door, Milton danced just beyond her reach, the string pulling a fat, yummy fish, enticing the cat. Whiskers pounced, playful yet deadly. He darted left, then right, his small size an advantage in the game of cat and mouse they played. He spun around as Whiskers took hold of the fish. Whiskers started purring up a storm as she ate the treat. Giving Milton time to move around her and push the door closed, using all his might.

On top of the counter, the borrowers paused to catch their breath, the vast kitchen spreading out before them. Cassia took charge, pointing out the locations of knives, cutting boards, and ingredients.

"We'll need to work together to manage these giant tools," she said. Emma and her children voiced their agreement.

They slowly dragged the knife across the counter to a potato, then worked in unison to slice off chunks of the hearty vegetable. Their tiny arms strained from the effort.

Emma and Cassia worked together to push one of the pots still on the stovetop onto the burner. They then turned on the stove and filled the pot with water, using their buckets. This took a long time, and they only managed to fill it about ¼ of the way.

Soon, aromatic steam rose from their pot as the broth simmered. Cassia gave an approving nod, heart swelling with pride for her family and friends. By working together, they could achieve the impossible.

Emma turned off the giant stove, the dial clicking loudly in the silence of the kitchen. The rich scent of herbs permeated the air as the borrowers peered into the steaming pot.

"It's ready," Emma declared. "Let's fill up our containers and get this to Sterling."

The group worked efficiently, ladling the fragrant broth into thimble-sized buckets. The tiny containers looked almost comical next to the giant pot, but the borrowers knew every drop could aid in Sterling's recovery. Or, at the very least, Sterling would be flattered they went to all this work for him.

The borrowers entered Sterling's room. The giant bed loomed before them, its great expanse of fabric forming rolling hills and valleys from their minuscule perspective.

Cassia secured her rope and began scaling the bedspread, gripping the fibers like climbing holds. Emma followed close behind until they reached the summit.

Carefully, Cassia slid the bucket off her back and gazed at Sterling. His chest rose and fell rhythmically, face flushed with fever. She felt a pang of sympathy for the ailing man.

Cassia looked over the edge of the bed; she sighed in relief to see that her husband Milton had returned. Cassia tugged on the rope, helping Milton haul up the soaked cloth they had prepared. Though thin as gauze to Sterling, it took all their strength to shift the giant fabric.

Soon, the other borrowers joined them on the bed. Together, they took up positions around the cloth and heaved, maneuvering it towards Sterling's head. Their tiny hands strained against the weight, muscles burning with effort.

Finally, they aligned the cloth over Sterling's forehead. The man sighed, his body relaxing subtly as the cool fabric soothed him. The borrowers released their grip, allowing themselves a moment of rest before moving to administer the broth.

Cassia took a deep breath to steady her nerves as she approached Sterling's head, a thimble of broth in hand. She was struck by how vulnerable the human looked in repose, his usually lively features now slackened by fever. Gingerly, she climbed onto his pillow, boots denting the fabric. At this proximity, she was dwarfed by his enormous size, barely the length of his ear. Still, she felt no malice from the gentle man.

Joining Cassia, the other borrowers followed suit, tiny feet padding over Sterling's blanketed form. Their movements were cautious but purposeful as they positioned themselves around the giant's head.

Lila bounced excitedly.

Pippin looked nervous but determined.

Finn was clinging onto his father’s back in a piggyback ride. He was too small to carry the thimbles by himself. But he was happy to watch from the safety of his papa’s back as they fed the giant.

Agnes stood by Emma with her own thimble. She shifted with nervousness. While Sterling had been gentle with her when he had caught her, she was still scared of his massive presence.

Emma nodded at Cassia, signaling they were ready. Cassia tipped the thimble to Sterling's parted lips with great care, letting the broth trickle in. His throat bobbed reflexively. They continued taking turns, administering the medicine thimble by tiny thimbleful.

Suddenly, Sterling stirred, his eyelids fluttering open. The borrowers froze as his gaze found them, crowded on his pillow. Confusion clouded his expression. Then, awareness lit his eyes.

Cassia met his look unflinchingly. To her surprise, his lips curved into a tired smile.

"Wha….What are you doing?" he rasped, voice hoarse and confused.

Sterling's deep voice rumbled around the tiny borrowers gathered on his pillow.

Cassia steadied herself, pushing down her instinctive fear. This was the first time she had revealed herself to a human, but her family owed him a debt for protecting her children.

"We made you broth with medicine and herbs, so you're welcome," she said, her voice clear and strong. "I'm Cassia. My family and I want to help you get well."

Sterling's gaze shifted to her. Though she barely reached the height of his chin, the look in his eyes was one of respect.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Cassia," he replied. "I wish I wasn’t sick to meet you. You didn’t have to do this; I don’t want you guys to get sick.”

"You've kept my children from harm. I wanted to say Thank you." She smiled up at him. "Now rest. You need your strength back."

Sterling's eyes crinkled happily. He struggled to keep his eyes open, wanting to drink in the tiny people gathered around him. He tried not to shift too much, noticing how his movements caused the little people to stumble on his pillow to catch their balance. His eyes were alight with awe and affection. He found it cute to see them with their tiny thimbles, trying to nurse him back to health. He ponders on how this must have taken so much of their time. Sterling’s heart fills with a warm feeling at the thought.

Sterling froze when a tiny hand patted him on his cheek. He shifted his gaze and landed on the tiny woman, Cassia. She smiled at him. He could only really see her from the corner of his eye. “You need to rest; we can talk more when you’re better.” Sterling was fixated on the feel of such a tiny, delicate hand resting on his cheekbone. Each finger was so tiny. He could hardly see them, and certainly not at this angle, but he could feel the tiny twitches of the tiny hand.

Sterling’s smile softened, his features relaxing into lines of gentle amusement. "I'm glad you feel safe enough to speak to me." With that, Sterling closed his eyes and let sleep take him. 

Chapter 8

[cassiasalas]

❛ AMOS & CASSIA. — ANYWHERE FOLLOWING THE PLOT DROP.

"So, you really still don't want to believe me..." With her brow lifted and a smirking expression Cassia's green eyes peered at her friend. Expectation sat in her gaze, waiting upon @amosdeleon to claim another point in her victory tally on being right. "Remember that day," whenever it was not long after they'd initially met, "I'd told you that chaos follows me." As if to confirm the premonition come true she shrugged her shoulders. Though, neither fear nor worry sat on her brow. Cassia was amused. "I warned ya back then to get out while ya can and now it's too late."

[dhampiravidi]

in--somnium:

To be honest, at the start of all of this, Pogue had nearly given up. He’d thought that he’d done something wrong, or that maybe Jayn simply didn’t like him. It had been disheartening, at first. But things had, thankfully, worked out fairly soon after. A relationship that began with all but making out in the backseat of Tyler’s car… until their friends had returned from grabbing the pizza, anyway.

Things had started kinda fast, but Pogue was trying not to rush it too much from there, even though it was a little difficult sometimes to keep his hands to himself. He was very affectionate, most of all physically, and there were times he had to stop himself from getting a little too handsy with her. But, in general, Jayn didn’t seem to mind how physical he was- all the kisses, all the times he just wanted to hold her or keep his hands on her hips or her waist. He loved touching her…

During the phone call, though, he was going to try to act a little more restrained. The last thing he needed was her parents thinking that he was trying to rush their daughter into… less innocent things. He wanted them to like him. He hoped they would like him. Pogue fidgeted just a little bit as he waited for her parents to answer the call, then he did so a little more when he finally heard her father’s voice, followed by the sounds of him and her mother getting situated. He kept quiet, though, waiting for Jayn to introduce him and hoping that her parents would be as happy to speak with him as he was to speak to them. So when they seemed to be pretty pleased that he was on the line, Pogue couldn’t help but grin wide, an arm firmly wrapped around Jayn’s waist to hug her to his side. “Hi! It’s nice to finally meet you both. Well… talk to you both, at least,” He chuckled, then turned to give Jayn a little kiss atop her head when he noticed she was getting embarrassed to let her know it was nothing to be embarrassed about. Really, her parents seemed great. “Been doing well, how about you two?” He asked, totally content to make a bit of small talk for this first conversation. Nothing too intense or that might catch him off guard was good to start with. “School’s been alright. Jayn’s been a major help this semester, though. Dunno how I’d get through history class without her,” He meant that quite sincerely, actually. He and Cass studied together a lot, but it was always easiest to understand things when Jayn explained it to them. “Jayn’s been telling me a bit about you both. I’d especially love to hear more about the software engineering, when we’ve got more time,” He didn’t know much about publishing and all of that… but anything in STEM usually caught his interest pretty well. He was also really, really, hoping that they’d have more opportunities to speak after this, and that maybe he and Jayn’s dad could talk cars and tech and stuff.

Cassia remained oblivious to Caleb’s intentions to speak to her dad before their date. In fact, how her dad was gonna react when Caleb came to get her for it was still proving a small point of concern for her. Her dad seemed to like him without ever having met him… but would he feel a little differently when they finally met? Or what if Caleb didn’t like her dad? What if things were super awkward and uncomfortable and Caleb decided that he had to break up with her just so he wouldn’t ever have to go through that again? Okay, that last thought was totally off, she was sure. Even if things were awkward, she doubted Caleb would break up with her because of it. And it’s not like her dad was a jerk or anything, and neither was Caleb, so that wasn’t an issue. She was just… thinking worst case scenarios.

Before she could pick back up the conversation, that scream drew her attention. She didn’t feel all that startled by it- she’d spent plenty of time around her younger cousins and such and she recognized the scream as belonging to a kid pretty quickly… and on a night like this with people dressed scarily for Halloween? Well, there were bound to be plenty of kids screaming from time to time- both out of fear and just out of excitement. But Caleb’s attention had been drawn by the scream, too, and his own reaction was very different from hers. Cass was caught by surprise when Caleb quickly moved to shield her, the sound clearly triggering something in him- protective. Fearful, even? It made her wonder what, in his past, she didn’t know about. Something upsetting, no doubt. Caleb, from the outside, seemed damn near perfect- handsome, smart, kind, thoughtful. Hell, he was even rich… which wasn’t something Cass cared about, but which plenty of other people admired, anyway. But there were times she’d caught little flashes of… something else. This wasn’t the first time she’d caught a glimpse at a different side of Caleb, but it was certainly the most obvious. Usually it was just her picking up on less-than-genuine smiles or catching him with his brows furrowed in worry when he thought no one was looking. Had something happened to him that he had yet to tell her about? She wouldn’t ask. If he wanted to tell her someday, then he would. But she had a feeling it was something heavy…

She smiled softly when Caleb calmed back down and took her hand in his again. “You don’t have to apologize,” She assured him. “You were just protecting me.” Which was… actually kind of nice because, despite her stature and the way she acted, Cass was used to being the one doing the protecting (even when others were perfectly capable of protecting themselves). Of course she knew that smile of his was a cover, but she smiled back a little more anyway, hoping to draw a more genuine one from him as he asked his question. “Yup!” She insisted, even despite what had just happened. “But it looks like I’m gonna have some competition in the business of protecting. So… who’s really gonna be keeping whom safe?” She joked. If there had ever been a question before about whether or not Caleb was going to protect her, well, it certainly wasn’t a question anymore. She’d already thought, without a shadow of a doubt, that he would, but he’d only just solidified that thought by jumping to protect her without hesitation from what ended up not even being a threat, but just some kid who had gotten scared by Reid.  She gently pressed against Caleb’s arm, looking up at him. “Ya know, maybe you should have dressed as a knight in shining armor,” She grinned, referencing the other couples costume they had considered. “It would have suited you nicely.” Then again, Caleb didn’t have to dress like a knight to look like one. With a stature like his, and that handsome face… actually, he might as well be a prince. And her? well, she felt less like a princess and more like a kitchen girl who fell in love with the heir to the throne.

Tyler laughed at Aaron’s reason for letting go of his hand though, really, he agreed that it was probably for the best. These haunted houses could get absolutely terrifying, and Tyler knew he was the kinda guy who let himself get real into. Chances were he’d come out of there laughing hard from all the screaming and jump scares he’d endured. Now that it was their turn, Tyler spared a quick glance back at the rest of his friends (well, minus Pogue and Jayn who were off somewhere else) and gave them a thumbs up as if attempting at some sort of reassurance that they’d all make it out unscathed. Then he turned back to his boyfriend. “Alright, let’s do this.” And into the darkness of the haunted house they went, followed closely by Caleb, Cassia, and Reid (whom he hoped wasn’t planning to go through the haunted house with a mouthful of candy lest he should scream with a mouthful of chocolate and end up choking).

Jayn was thankful that Pogue didn't react negatively to her dad's...enthusiasm. (Though, in hindsight, she was just glad that her father seemed perfectly okay with the idea of her being alone with a guy her age.) When Pogue surprised her with a kiss, Jayn used her free hand to muffle her giggles. She snuggled into his side, hoping her parents would grow to love her boyfriend as much as she already did. He always kept a smile on her face, giving her compliments, physical affection, and anything she needed to make her feel special. Her mom had warned her about getting too close to him, since the virtual learning period the university had allowed her ended in a couple of months. But Jayn couldn't stay away from Pogue, any more than she could stop being friends with the group who'd taken her in. They'd given her their hearts, and she hers.

Her smile only grew as Pogue spoke. From the first moment they'd met, he'd been interested in learning (not that she'd realized it). That was probably what she liked most about him, aside from how good he was at loving her in general (and okay, yeah, he was hot). Like her, he was a nerd, a natural sponge soaking up everything the people he cared about wanted to explain. So, it'd been really awesome to blab about her love of ancient history while he and Cass sat as Jayn's active listeners. She got to help them, and they sort of helped her.

"He's a fast learner," she told her parents, not wanting them to think that Pogue was just using her for his grades. And then he asked about software engineering, bless him. She could practically see her dad beaming in his office chair.

"Are you more into data analytics or just writing code? They're both interrelated, but I started with the data," her dad said excitedly.

Caleb tried his best to let the tension out of his shoulders once he knew Cassia was okay. At least it wasn't like a year ago when a honking horn or a barking dog would be enough to make him anxious. That, along with everything else that'd happened the night his father died, was probably what had led Sarah to break up with him. He wasn't mad at her, and he was glad to be with Cassia, but he still felt that the breakup was his fault somehow. He'd hate to lose Cass over something similar. Still, occasionally, he wondered what would happen when he told her he was a witch.

Her question made him chuckle, even though he was still working on slowing his racing heartbeat. I'll protect you, but you'll keep me whole, he thought in response. It sounded cheesy in his head, but it was the first thing that came to mind.

"Maybe we'll end up helping Reid," Caleb joked, staring back down into her lovely dark eyes, "I feel like we might have to help him find his candy after he drops it and runs off screaming." He chose not to mention the time that the blond had freaked out and punched one of the haunted house actors in the face. That hadn't been the best Halloween, and just speaking of that catastrophe would probably jinx things. When Cassia mentioned the knight costume that he'd foregone in favor of his current one, he smiled, feeling himself get a little more comfortable in his body again. "So, I guess you're my warrior princess, then?" he asked. They stepped up to the conveniently creaky doors of the haunted house, hand in hand. "I'm ready when you are, milady."

Before they entered the haunted house, Aaron took an (unfortunate) break from holding Tyler's hand to take his fake bottom row of teeth out. Not only were they starting to make kissing difficult (he liked how creative he and his boyfriend had been getting, but he'd like some full-on kisses more), but he had a feeling that he'd lose the teeth when he started screaming. He carefully took them out and put them in his plastic bag. It was kind of gross since they'd been doused in his saliva for a while, but it was a necessary evil. Thankfully, he'd only used two fingers to grab the teeth, holding them by a long fang. He also had used his bag hand, so even when he'd wiped his fingers off, he could still hold Tyler's hand.

The next thing he knew, they were walking into a dark mansion. The place had been decorated to look as if some terrible accident had taken place like a murder had been committed in an abandoned house. Cobwebs, light mist, and caution tape were strewn everywhere as decorations. There was low ambient music playing, almost as an ominous afterthought. Aaron wasn't sure if it was part of the haunted house or not, but the floorboards of the house were groaning with each step he took. And then, it seemed like a dead end (no pun intended).

"Which way do you--" Suddenly, a detective who'd had his heart ripped out from his chest lunged out from the shadows, screaming bloody murder (again, no pun intended)! Aaron screamed back and instinctively jumped back, barely brushing what seemed to be a curtain. "Tyler-!" He tugged his boyfriend with him, running through the curtain to a hidden room.

Reid was getting very excited (or maybe that was just his usual demeanor, hyped up by the sugar he was consuming). He chose to wear his plastic bag of (remaining) candy like a tight-fitting backpack during his haunted house experience. When it came to be his turn, Reid proudly stepped up to the threshold and peered inside. It was dark, which was to be expected, but he'd always been a curious child. Once he got the signal to go in, he simply traipsed inside like Dora the Explorer (or her cousin, Diego), eager to see everything that the place had to offer.

@in--somnium

[celticbotanart]

the other day on bluesky I made one of those "1 like / 1 song" sort of post, and I decided to make all songs BR music to celebrate our BR community in there, and I decided to also put a brief description on each song to give non-BRs some context [LINK to the post on bsky!] Well, I got like 64 likes lmao so I made a playlist out of the post - here it is!

and to those curious, I'll also paste the context I gave behind each song, down the cut. BR music is SO incredible and so full of colors and variety, you guys should really give it a try 💚💛💙 I hope you like it!!

commission info | patreon | Ko-fi | VGen | bluesky

1. Caxangá - Elis Regina and Milton Nascimento Opening the thread with two of the biggest singers in our BR history, Milton Nascimento & Elis Regina (who has passed already years ago, unfortunately). They were best friends when she was still alive, and their synergy is out of this world, both with super unique voices <3

2. Domingo no Parque or "Sunday at the Park" - Gilberto Gil & Os Mutantes BR used to have these big music festivals back in the 60s, this is one of these performances. Gil is this larger than life singer, and Rita Lee,lead singer of Mutantes (RIP) was so full of energy too <3 This is a song about love and jealousy that ends in a tragic murder 👀 3. Construção or "Construction" - Chibo Buarque I'm only bringing the big guns to this thread lmao this song is NOTORIOUS for the way it was written, musically and lyrically. It's a protest song commenting about the BR dictatorship (1964-1985) in many layers. The orchestra here is insane, mimicking the sound of a busy traffic!

4. Faraó or "Pharao" - Margareth Menezes this song is iconic AF in so many levels!! Lots of African-BR influences, and Margareth sings about the golden era of Egyptian gods as a way to celebrate the black community <3 (pretty much a fast course on Egyptian mythology in the lyrics, no joke!) 🚨🚨🚨EU FALEI FARAÓOOOOOOO!!!🚨🚨🚨

5. A Vingança de Cunhã, or "Maiden's Revenge" - Pietá this one's about the boto(river dolphin)myth we have here(river dolphin turns into a man to seduce young women and leaves them after). Here the dolphin seduces this girl but she reverse-uno-cards him and he cant shapeshift anymore. Very pretty song full of BR folk instruments!💛

6. Malandragem or "Trickery"(???I guess??) - Cássia Eller time to show what BR music is widely known for:LESBIAN / BISEXUAL / WLW SINGERS lmao (I'm so serious!!) Cassia Eller (RIP!) had the most unique voice, and had such a great stage energy! This one is one of her most well-known performances in an MTV Acoustic <3

7. Nós or "Us" - Cássia Eller bc I can't get enough of Cassia, I'll add in another one from her, legit MY FAVORITE- a torch song with this flamenco-like sound???? It's just so cool!! And she showcases her voice skills even further here, she was incredible!

8. Vamos Comer Caetano or "Let's Eat Caetano" - Adriana Calcanhotto I love this performance bc this song is so fucking weird but also such a bop (and hard to explain, if anyone wants to try, be my guest lmao)

9. Veleiros or "Sailboats" - Ney Matogrosso singing Heitor Villa-Lobos this is a 2 for 1 situation, the song is performed by ICONIC BR singer Ney Matogrosso in an album of songs written by BR conductor and classic composer Heitor Villa-Lobos! I'm crazy about the entire album this song is in for real, it's called "O Cair da Tarde", I highly recommend it!

10. Bachianas Brasileiras n5: Aria (Cantilena) - Heitor Villa-Lobos and since we are at it, here's the most famous song by Heitor Villa-Lobos (I'm a Villa-Lobos stan ngl) Full on opera mode!! It's a beautiful aria, sang in BR-Portuguese <3

11. Choros no 10 - Heitor Villa-Lobos Another Villa-L just to showcase his range - last 2 I mentioned were very romantic / operatic w/ solo vocals,etc. This is an instrumental orchestral movement and here you can see how he mixed in classic European orchestra with our identity, using folk/indigenous instruments on the 2nd half!

12. Miragem do Porto or "Harbor's Mirage" - Lenine Perfect segue into this performance of Lenine my beloved <3 <3 He sings as if he's a castaway, dreaming of going back home. This version has a full orchestra, also full of folk instruments and influences. It's so full of energy even the conductor can't help but sing along! EASTER EGG TIME cause this version I described on bsky is not on Spotify, I had to use the album version on the playlist. So if you are A TRUE CHAD reading this, here is the version I described!

13. Preciso Me Encontrar or "[I] Need to Find Myself" - Cartola Cartola was the most important samba composer from the early 1900's <3 And YES! Using the Cowboy Bebop AMV someone made w/ it, bc it's so beautiful and I think it's so AWESOME how this song echoes through all culture and ages! And it matches CB's aesthetics so well!

14. Preciso Me Encontrar, Liniker cover I have to throw in this AMAZING cover of "Preciso Me Encontrar"; it's sung by Liniker, an incredible BR trans singer! Again, I think it's beautiful how this song resonates so much after so many years (it was originally released by Cartola in the 70s), and this video is just gorgeous overall <3 - ALSO NOT AVAILABLE ON SPOTIFY, here's the link!

15. Floral Fury - Cuphead OST Thread intermission - Cheating a little bit here, since this isnt composed by a Brazilian person afaik, but!!! I have to include Floral Fury here bc it's literally early 1900's samba! IT EVEN HAS A CUÍCA (the "straw through plastic cup sound" lmao), it's very accurate and ngl, it's FUN AF!

16. Um Girassol da Cor de Seu Cabelo or "A Sunflower in the Color of Your Hair" - Lô Borges / Clube da Esquina Clube da Esquina is formed by this group of singers from Minas Gerais (including Milton Nascimento from the first song in this thread!) Vocals by Lô Borges, it really has a melancholic, storytelling vibe to it,especially through the arrangement <3

17. Cantiga Por Luciana or "Song for Luciana" - Evinha Another oldie from the 60s I love so much, she has such a pretty voice ahhh<3 She's one of the "voiceclaims" for an OC I have (AME from my drizzle/LAND OCs!) Fun fact! Evinha was the one who sang the BR versions of the songs in Disney's "The Rescuers" (I'll link one next so you can hear it)!

Brazilian dub version of "The Journey" from "The Rescuers", performed by Evinha, from the previous post! Here, the movie was titles "Bernardo e Bianca", after the protagonists I legit think this is one of the best BR versions, and this animated intro in general is a freaking masterpiece. THIS BR VERSION ISNT IN SPOTIFY, HERE'S THE LINK!

Favo de Mel or "Honeycomb" - Milton Nascimento Speaking of BR singers in animations, I HAVE to link this one from no other than freaking Rio 2. It's "Real in Rio", that intro song from Rio 1, but a "sad version" of it performed BEAUTIFULLY by Milton Nascimento my beloved <3 I legit teared up watching the movie when this song came up. NOT ON FUCKING SPOTIFY, HERE IS THE LINK!

"Only a Dream in Rio - Milton Nascimento and James Taylor On Milton Songs That Makes Me Teary Eyed, this one which he collabed with James Taylor?? It's such a random, unexpected feat, but it turned out so beautiful! I think it's a good one to share in here, bc the song is sung half PT-BR, half ENG, I think it's rather appropriate for this thread <3

21. Fairy Tale - Shaman LEGENDARY live performance from metal band Shaman from the early 2000's, when their original vocalist Andre Matos (song writer, pianist, conductor; RIP) was still in the band. Here you can see why Andre was so, so beloved, guy was skilled AF and this song SLAPS SO HARD. BR IS SO AMAZING, GUYS (the version I mentioned above is the one on the playlist, HOWEVER I encourage you to actually watch the video of him performing!!

22. Carolina IV - ANGRA Still on Andre Matos, this is a song from his previous band, ANGRA. This song is part of a concept album where ANGRA mixed in metal+BR elements, you can say this is BR folk metal! The album Holy Land was all around the concept of Brazil, its culture, the colonization and so on. SO COOL!

23. Dança das Borboletas or "Dance of the Butterflies" - Sepultura and Zé Ramalho I can't talk about BR metal without mentioning Sepultura! So here's their cover of Zé Ramalho's song, featuring Zé in the vocals. This was used as soundtrack in the BR movie "Lisbela e o Prisioneiro" (a fave)(Don't be fooled by the butterflies in the title lmao)

24. O Matador or "The Killer" - Sepultura another Sepultura song for the soundtrack of "Lisbela e o Prisioneiro", I like that movie a lot. This is the theme song of Frederico Evandro, a character who's a badass gun for hire. I love how it sounds so metal but still so Brazilian!

25. O Encontro de Lampião & Eike Batista or "The Meeting of Lampião & Eike Batista" - El Efecto More BR folk metal! This is hard to explain w/word limit but TL;DR this song criticizes capitalism and colonization by corporations using the images of Lampião (BR historical figure) and Eike Batista (a real BR CEO); it uses lots of northeast BR influences!

26. Cílio or "Eyelash" - Casa de Caba YOU KNOW WHAT TIME IS IT ITS TIME FOR LUSO-BR PIRATE SHANTIES OK not really but this is how I see this song! Again northeastern BR influences + mention of Yemanjá (yoruba orisha of the seas, she's a big deity in afro-br religions!). If this isn't BR pirate enough idk what it is hehe

27. Arueira - Geraldo Vandré Another one in the "BR pirate shanties" list, which is kinda funny - is a protest song from the 60s and it in fact has elements in common with some sea shanties - CALL/ANSWER singing, it mentions how workers are suffering under hard work / a master,it even has nautical themes (sailors,sea,etc)

28. Canção do Mar or "Song of the Sea" - Dulce Pontes cheating a little again cause Dulce Pontes is a Portuguese singer, but mentioning all the "Luso-BR Sea Shanties", I had to mention this ICONIC performance! This is "fado", a melancholic Portuguese genre of music; I like to parallel it a bit with Irish keening style of singing

29. Canto de Oxum / Inscrição or "Oxum's Song" - Maria Bethânia still in the theme of waters! Iconic Maria Bethânia sings to Oxum, the orisha of fresh waters and beauty! Here in BR, we have afro-based religions that worships such yoruba deities, and we often hear songs praising them like this. The second half praises Yemanjá, deity of the seas!

30. Deixa a Gira Girar - Ana Mametto This one is a cover of Ana Mametto (og song by The Tincoãs released in the 70s), praising Iansã the orisha of the lightning and storms! This performance is so cool cause there's a dancer there with Ana, as Iansã herself dancing onstage + lightning sound effects. ITS JUST INCREDIBLE [LINK TO THE VIDEO!]

31. Vapor Barato or "Cheap Vapor" - Gal Costa and Zeca Baleiro this version of Vapor Barato/A FLor da Pele is everything. Gal and Zeca being fucking iconic for 6mins straight, this song is so melancholic, almost theatrical <3

32. Garoto de Aluguel or "Rentboy"- Belchior and Zé Ramalho it's easy to say Belchior (RIP) is like. Pivotal BR music icon. And here with Zé Ramalho they perform together in this song that's lowkey my favorite lmao, the tango vibes ARE STRONG and I love it so much!

33. Na Hora do Almoço or "At Lunchtime" - Belchior Another Belchior banger-it describes this young person talking about their family at lunchtime, and how everyone is so disconnected from another, "I'm still too young to be this sad", damn </3

34. Trem das Onze or "Eleven's Train" - Adoniran Barbosa ADONIRAN BARBOSA, PORRA <3 another super important samba composer~ In this one, the protagonist laments he can't stay with his love a bit longer, bc he has to go home and he can't miss the train that leaves at 11. The way the choir ends with a train-like sound, SO GOOD!

35. O Rei do Gatilho or "Cowboy / Old West King" losely translated - Moreira da Silva THIS ONE I SWEAR. It is a SAMBA THAT MIMICS A COWBOY/WESTERN MOVIE. But like, in a BR way of course. It's a pretty hilarious song with Moreira making different voices, it has sound effects of shots, horses running, applauses and so on, it's so fun!

36. O Vira or loosely translated as "Shapeshifting" - Ney Matogrosso Going back to Ney Matogrosso, I have to mention this one, the title kind of means "Shapeshifting"(as in werewolves)but it goes beyond that,it's hard to explain lol Ney has always been very out & about on genderfuckery and being gay so this song plays with that. a true icon Also THAT OUTFIT! 👌👌👌 [Link to the video so you can see his cunty looks!]

37. Rosa de Hiroshima or "Rose of Hiroshima" - Secos & Molhados / Ney Matogrosso on a more serious note,this is another famous song from Ney/Secos & Molhados (his former band). It's a tragic song where he lists the victms of the bombings in Japan, but in a very poetic manner BR and JP have history, so this is in a way our tribute to that sad event

38. Hinamatsuri / Se Essa Rua Fosse Minha or "Doll's Festival/If This Lane Was Mine" - Iuri Salvagnini speaking of BR/JP ties,this is one I found totally by chance and I'm SO HAPPY I did.This album has medleys of both JP and BR nursery rhymes. Se Essa Rua Fosse Minha is a very famous BR folk song and so ominous in a way, this version really reflects that!

39. Pegasus Fantasy - Edu Falaschi And speaking of which - ANIME TIME! Edu Falaschi, the vocalist from ANGRA that came after Andre Matos, was the iconic voice of Saint Seiya's first opening theme, "Pegasus Fantasy"! Saint Seiya was HUGE here in BR/Latin America in the 90s!

40. Descobridor dos Sete Mares or "Seeker of the Seven Seas" - Tim Maia Tim Maia (RIP) was like, a BR soul singer, his performances were all like this, full of energy with a big band and everything! (There's also this meme where ppl say this was supposed to be a Jojo's opening song, lmao)

41. Mania de Você or "Crazy About You"- Rita Lee and Milton Nascimento LEGENDARY performance of Rita Lee (RIP) and Milton Nascimento! A very sexy song, and their performing energy just brings everything to whole other level. It gets even better when we see Rita teasing Milton (around 5:33) haha <3 so cute!

42. Chuva or "Rain" - Gaby Amaranthos This one is kind of funny, but also kinda moving??? The lyrics are about the cycle of water -literal, textbook information about the cycle of water and how rains are formed At the same time she also sings "Water cycle is an eternal dance" which is such a beautiful way of putting it??

43. Ela Disse Adeus or "She Said Goodbye" - Os Paralamas do Sucesso I remember watching this music video as a kid and I loved it. It stars the incredible BR actress Fernanda Torres & the members of the band, all of them mistreating her character so badly until she just decides to kill them one by one lmao this song/mv still is so good!

44.Segue o Seco or "Draught Goes On" - Marisa Monte I also remember watching this one as a kid and being just fascinated by the video, it's legit a fucking masterpiece, the aesthetics and everything are very dramatic and theatrical. Marisa has such a GORGEOUS voice hnggg Still a favorite to this day [LINK TO THE MV!]

45. Ainda Bem or "Thank Goodness" - Marisa Monte another one by Marisão that I thinnk is so cool, especially the video, I love that's pretty much her just dancing with no one other than MMA wrestler Anderson Silva??? lmao so random but so cool!

46. O Céu é Muito or "The Sky is [Too] Much" - Lenine Lenine's heavy metal phase dkjfhskdjf jokes aside, I freaking love this one bc it's a bit different from his usual stuff (which I also really love). I think it's so cool when singers are so versatile and their voice will fit into any genre!

47. Matheus Embaixador or "Matheus, the Embassador" - Antonio Nóbrega Antonio Nobrega is an actor/folk musician that I really like. He plays rabeca (that folk violin he's holding) in his music as well! This goes into the BR Pirates Playlist thing for sure! hehe

48. Abrição de Portas or "Opening the Doors" - Antônio Nóbrega is a folk song / adaptation from Cantigas de Santa Maria, a compilation of medieval Portuguese poetry/songs! This one goes way back haha. And it really has the Royal Castle vibes to it, it's very Brazilian High Fantasy 👀

49. Bandolins - Oswaldo Montenegro This one is another mix of kind of funny with brilliant - Oswaldo wrote this song based on a friend of his, the song is really heartfelt and the last portion really GOES HARD with the vocals and harmonies holy fuck; but is also has some weird word choices lmao overal, it's a true bop, so dramatic!

50. Admirável Chip Novo or "Brave New Chip" - Pitty more BRmetal! This one was popular in the early 2000's and now I look at the lyrics like DAMN.She didnt have to go this hard-it has the obv ref to Brave New World on the title and she heavily criticizes consumerism and the lack of critical thought thats encouraged by capitalism??

51. Garganta or "Throat" - Ana Carolina Ana Carolina, BI ICON from my teenage years fr fr, I was obsessed. She has a very unique, deep voice, and her guitar skills are pretty insane, this one really shows all of that!! [The version in the playlist is the same as the video, BUT linking the video bc SHE'S SO BADASS!]

52. Eu Comi a Madona or "I Fucked Madona" - Ana Carolina lmao this song is what is says on the tin, Ana came out of the closed in the early 2000s as bi and ever since she has been VERY UNABASHEDLY BI and honestly good for her Iconic song for real kdjfhdkjfh [LINKING THE VIDEO OF HER LIVE PERFORMANCE. BECAUSE OF REASONS.]

53. Auroras Flamboyans - Sofia Freire I don't even know how to explain this one, Sofia has such a dream-like songwriting - she keeps saying things, listing them as if to paint an imagery, it's kinda abstract and so beautiful tbh. She also layers her vocals and plays piano for it, honestly just give it a listen, it's legit so good <3

54." Valsa Pra Lua or Waltz to the Moon" - Vítor Araújo absolutely gorgeous piano instrumental that's soundtrack to the BR movie Elena. I never saw the movie, but this song is soooo good <3

55. Espumas Ao Vento or "[Like] Foam in the Wind" - Elza Soares another version done for the Lisbela e o Prisioneiro movie (srsly that movie has SO MANY BANGERS in the soundtrack it's ridiculous). Elza (RIP) was another huge name in BR music, here you'll hear her iconic voice and singing style!! <3

56. Fixação or "Obsession" - Kid Abelha a song that's super relevant even nowadays lmao she describes the PoV of someone obsessing over a celebrity 24/7, how they keeps making up scenarios in their head featuring their fave. It really contrasts w the way she sings/the arrangement! I really like this version a lot ngl

Ragatanga - Rouge BRAZILIAN Y2K GIRL BAND TIME. Rouge was a girlband formed in a reality show, designed to discover "the next pop stars and form a pop group". Rouge was MASSIVELY successful, at least for a while. This one is their master hit (which is actually a cover from pop Spanish trio Las Ketchup)

58. Lua de Cristal or "Crystal Moon" by Xuxa and the Paquitas PERFECT SEGUE INTO XUXA'S MASTERPIECE lmao Xuxa ("SHOO-SHAH") is a former kid's show host and in the 90s she starred the Cinderella retelling movie Lua de Cristal. Big bop song, the movie not really,its kind of a cult for meme reasons lol the song is very Sailor Moon-coded too ngl

59. A Lenda or "Legend" - Sandy & Junior speaking of kid-oriented 90s pop music, I HAVE to mention Sandy & Junior, a duo of siblings that were super famous back then. A Lenda is definitely their best song, I non ironically still listen to it, cheesy-ness and all, it'ss dramatic AF dkjfhdkfjh

60. Sete Vidas or "Seven Lives" - Marcus Viana & Adriana Mezzadri this one was soundtrack to a historical period BR miniseries in the 2000s. It was composed by musician Marcus Viana (the guy playing violin in the Shaman video from before!) and it's sung by AMAZING Adriana Mezzadri, (actually Peruvian and not BR!) I LOVE this song, it's so good!

61. Sob o Sol or "Under the Sun" - Marcus Viana Marcus Viana also composed the ost for the absofucking popular 2000's telenovela O Clone! The songs were so iconic; the version in the playlist is the og version, but I linked this version in the thread, a version that's in Arabic! Lebanese singer Raya Hilal also sings the PT-BR version on the second half <3

62. Romance de Duas Caveiras or "A Skeleton's Romance" - Alvarenga & Ranchinho this is like. Old BR country/folk music and still hilarious AF lmao They are describing the romance of two skeletons in a cementery,how they go on with their...lives...death...?Until the day one of the skeletons ditches her skeleton bf over another guy(a fresh corpse lol). The video of them performing seems straight out of the Pixar movie Coco in every sense lmao

63. O Bêbado e a Equilibrista or "The Drunkard and the Tightrope Walker" - Elis Regina second to last song has to be Elis again! This one is a notorious protest song, really about hope and just waiting for things to finally be better

64. Evidências or "Evidences" - Chitãozinho & Xororó AAAAAAND LAST SONG IS, IN THE GREAT BR SPIRIT, EVIDÊNCIAS LMAO, it's a widely cherished song, but also kind of a meme, and everything in between. It's a cheesy love song in the classic sertanejo style (BR country genre), sung by Chitãozinho e Xororó, a duo of brothers!

[arinbelle]

Inevitable - Part II

Summary: Nesta and Cassian mated on the night of Winter Solstice. But before they could mate properly, Cassian left soon after, leaving Nesta reeling and Cassian wanting more. When they mate under an official ceremony, with ancient magic, that mating call is renewed, and Nesta and Cassian are going to be in a frenzy. I.e. I wrote 20k fic full of smut.

Part I  | Part II  | Part III  | Part IV

~*~

Nesta awoke alone and cold, something she had already become unaccustomed to since she’d begun sharing a bed with Cassian. His body heat alone made nights and mornings warm and comfortable enough that sometimes she didn’t even need a blanket. And his presence alone was enough to ward off that stifling loneliness she’d grown up with inside of her. 

Yet here she was, enveloped in a light, fluffy blanket that smelled like Cassian, with the real Cassian nowhere to be found. That and a tray heaping with food on the desk beside her. A small card lay beside the cut up fruit and buttered toast, and Nesta took it while grabbing a small piece of cake. 

Lady Death,

I’m in the room down the hall. Do not come find me before eating. I will know.

Love,

Cassian

Nesta rolled her eyes at the nickname but got to work on breakfast. Delicious as it was, she was left wanting for company. Cassian’s company, but she’d sent a tendril of warmth down the bond and felt nothing back. Perhaps he was still sleeping. 

Shame that considering that Nesta was beginning to feel the effects of the bond chafing on her. 

Oh she’d been warned in advance by Feyre, by Emerie, and even Amren. How the vows and the ceremony would likely renew the mating bond’s initial frenzy in full force, maybe even stronger. And considering the fact that Cassian had opted for distance immediately after Solstice night, and she’d been left to weakly deal with the bond’s after effects without him, it would indeed be very strong.

Rhys had told Feyre, who’d passed on the message with a red face and far too much humor. That they didn’t understand how it worked, or why it even happened, just that if they missed that window of opportunity immediately after a mating to…well, mate properly, it would renew again when the time was right. Especially after Nesta had willingly accepted the bond and the old magic had been invoked by the ancient priestesses at their ceremony. 

When Cassian had returned from Illyria, their joinings had been wild and passionate and far more frequent, so she could only wonder how they may become now. 

With her breakfast finished and a new invisible thrum going on underneath her skin, her thoughts quickly eddied from speculation to downright imagination. Vivid images and flashbacks to all their raw, heated couplings filled her mind and Nesta bit down on her lip to hold in a moan.

Gods but they hadn’t fucked in days either since the planning of their mating ceremony had already been chaotic and rushed. The days leading up to it had gone into fixing up last minute arrangements and finalizing any loose ends. 

She hadn’t meant to do it, but when she heard the sound of stirring from the room down the hall, Nesta couldn’t resist. She didn’t use the mating bond for this purpose, nor had they had it for very long, but it seemed appropriate given the situation. If anything, she only sometimes widened that thread between them to assure him that she was alright if she wasn’t home. 

She let her thoughts flow down the bond untethered, unbound by any sense or propriety. There was no answering reply nor any sound. In fact, she found that the entire house had gone silent, as if it breathed and moved in example of Cassian. And Cassian, it would seem, had gone still. 

It didn’t take long to wash her face and hands and run her fingers through her slightly sleep-mussed hair before going to look for Cassian.

She didn’t knock, didn’t even bother with speaking as she turned the doorknob and let herself in.

Nesta just barely held in her gasp as she surveyed the scene before her.

Cassian lay on his bed, head thrown back, his naked body on full display, wings spread out against the mattress as he fisted his cock.

Nesta must have made some noise, some indication of her presence because Cassian’s eyes flared open and his hand stilled as he met her eyes with his own lust-addled hazel ones.

Nesta forced herself to move. Forced herself to look away and close the door behind her, even though it was just them in the house. Something about it, about how she’d shut herself in with him, seemed to capture his interest. That and probably her slow walk towards the bed.

His hand had lowered to the base of his cock, and the tightness in his body had begun to dissolve, loosening the taut muscles.

“Starting without me?,” she murmured thoughtfully as she came to sit down at the foot of the bed. 

He grunted, lowering his slightly raised his head back against the pillow, while still holding her gaze in that snare he’d caught her in.

“Don’t stop on my account then,” she tried again. She didn’t touch him, didn’t dare spoil her fun. 

In all the times they’d fucked, she’d never seen him pleasure himself in front of her. Of course she knew he did it, especially if he was away or it was one of those nights they didn’t sleep together. But while she’d laid herself bare before him once, dipping her fingers into herself while he’d watched, she’d never been blessed with the same opportunity.

Cassian huffed a laugh finally, the tense look on his face dissipating as his hand circled around himself again, and he started anew. Working his way up the long member, only to twist harshly at the head, and quickly graze his thumb over the sensitive tip.

Gods but she wanted to taste him. Especially as a bead of moisture gathered at his head and he let it stay there, watching her knowingly as her eyes darted between his cock and his face.

Her breasts tightened, hell, everything tightened, and all she could hear was her own thudding heart and Cassian’s sharp intakes of breath with each pass of his hand. Cassian noticed that too. Her hardened nipples peaking through the thin nightgown. The press of her thighs tightly together as she sat on her knees, trying and failing to ignore the pooling wetness between her legs.

“Enjoying yourself?,” Cassian asked huskily, a wicked smile dancing on his face as he bucked into his hand again, moaning louder this time.

“Yes,” she answered without thought. Not a care in the world or any sense of shame between them. She would never tire of seeing his body, nor he her- especially not in the throes of pleasure. And they’d never been the type to shy away from that.

“Harder,” she pleaded with a whisper. He had been dragging this out, dragging his own pleasure out just to torture her. “Do it harder.”

Cassian didn’t. 

“Is that what you want, sweetheart?,” he grunted. Always in control, even in the process of losing it.

She could only nod her head expectantly, leaning closer, noting the muscles in his thigh begin to shift, the muscles of his abdomen flexing as his breath began to saw out of him.

“Harder,” she commanded this time. She fought to keep the plea out of her voice. “I want to see you come all over yourself, Cassian.”

He moaned. “You’d enjoy that wouldn’t you, you little witch. Why not just fuck me yourself?”

She smirked, meeting his narrowed eyes. “I will. Soon enough. Right now though, I want to watch you come.” And then, just to win whatever game they’d begun, she added,”And then I want to taste you.”

Cassian’s breaths stuttered at her words but he finally listened, twisting and working himself harder, groaning with each pass.

Harder and louder just like she’d asked for.

Beautiful. 

Nesta leaned forward, steadying one hand on his thigh, and the other on the side of his free hand. She couldn’t help herself as she slid her hand up his thigh, letting her nails scratch against his skin. It seemed to do the trick.

Cassian shouted her name as he came in thick, forceful waves, spurting all over his muscled stomach. 

Watching Cassian come apart was always one of her favorite things to witness. More often than not though, it was on her knees or with him pounding into her. This unfettered access to his entire body, tensing and collapsing into his orgasm was so much more. She’d never grown up inclined to a religion. But watching Cassian come so beautifully, with her name on his lips? It was the sort of prayer she could willingly fall into worship. 

He had gone slack, eyes shut as the last waves of his climax ebbed away. Nesta was still leaning over him, still pressing down a good amount of her weight on him, not that he seemed to care or notice. 

Another breath shuddered out of him and the release still painting his stomach glistened from the movement.

Nesta just…moved. 

Licking against his heated skin, feeling the shift of muscles underneath her tongue as she tasted the salty release. Cassian was watching her, she could feel it, but she ignored it as she finished cleaning off what he’d spilled onto his beautiful brown skin. The taste of his release in her mouth only renewed the fervor she’d entered the room with. She made sure to meet Cassian’s gaze as she swallowed, and watch the desire pool in the liquid hazel of his eyes.

She expected him to pounce on her. To pull her off of him and trap her under his strong arms, ravishing her till they were both exhausted. What she didn't see coming was the hand he raised to stroke her cheek gently. She couldn't help but melt into it, into that loving touch of his.  

“You’re going to be the death of me, Nesta Archeron,” he uttered softly. As if it were a wish. A prayer.

She huffed a laugh against his palm, stretching languorously over his naked body, relishing the feel of him underneath her. Her peace didn’t last long as Cassian lifted the leg she’d been straddling, and pressed his thigh against her core.

He stopped suddenly, looking at her curiously, only to smirk with what she could only assume was cruel humor. She wasn’t wearing any underwear.

“Bold.”

Nesta bit her lip, refusing to give into his snark.

He chuckled as he moved slowly, pressing against her in the most delicious way possible. She couldn’t do anything except gasp as she felt his naked skin touch her unclothed core, grinding up against her clit and sex.

“Fuck, you’re so wet, Nesta,” he breathed. 

Her hips moved of their own volition, grinding on his thigh as he met her each and every movement with his own. She didn’t care how debauched this had become. She cried out with every flex of Cassian’s hips as she chased her own pleasure against him. That need, that thrumming, beckoning need had risen so violently in her, she didn’t know what she’d do if she didn’t come soon.

Her hands slipped and Cassian quickly caught them at the wrists, steadying her without stopping. She ground herself harder against him, practically tasting her soon to be climax.

“That’s it, Nesta,” Cassian encouraged. “Use me just like that. Come all over me sweetheart.”

“Cassian, Cassian, I-oh,” she gasped as a bow snapped inside of her and blinding pleasure burst out. She might have screamed, might have even blacked out. Cassian held her through it all, through the crest and the fall until all that was left was the two of them, faces so close they were sharing the air.

It was Nesta who moved first. She climbed off of him, trying and failing not to blush as she saw the wetness she’d left on his thigh.

Cassian followed her gaze and his eyes darkened with appreciation. Of course he’d love the sight of it, the mess she’d made on him. His face promised all things dark and sinful as he appraised her. 

“Take it off,” he commanded, pointing at her gown.

Nesta moved back. “You and your orders, Commander. Sometimes I think you forget who I am,” she said with the same lazy disregard he’d just given her.

Cassian pulled himself upright then.

“You’re my mate,” he snarled softly. Nesta’s heart thundered in her chest and if it were somehow possible, she felt herself get wetter. “I haven’t forgotten that. Maybe you’ve forgotten who makes you come, Nesta.”

Mother help her, this male. 

His hand darted out quickly, moving between her legs, and testing the slide with her wetness. Nesta bit back a moan.

“You want to come again, mate?,” he taunted with a snap of his teeth. 

She did. So much so that she had to force herself to not press her thighs closer together if only to ignore the building sensation between them. Cassian paid her no mind. A lazy smile was all he gave her as he slid two fingers inside of her.

Nesta whimpered, catching his wrist as he leaned forward to kiss at her neck.

“Take it off then,” he whispered against her heated skin, right before licking up from her pulse point to her jaw. “Take it off and I’m going to make you come on my hands, my face, and my cock until you can’t come anymore.” She shuddered, letting go of his hand, letting him do as he pleased between her legs, while she pulled down the straps of the gown, exposing her breasts.

Cassian was on them immediately, sucking and kissing, biting and pulling with so much zeal, she wondered if that’s all he’d been working towards this entire time.

It was also Cassian who rucked up the nightgown at her hips impatiently, reminding her of his earlier request. She pulled the nightgown up over her head, balling it up and throwing it to some corner of the room. 

Cassian murmured appreciatively at her new nakedness, skimming his hands over her breasts, her stomach, until finally hauling her under him.

Nesta pulled him closer, kissing him fiercely in a way that made her blood sing. She had wanted to do that from the moment she’d woken up, before she’d come to his bed and he’d made her come. Had been dying for a taste of his lips, dying to feel them move against her own as his hard body pressed tighter onto her.

Cassian only broke away to kiss a path down her neck, her breasts, and lower still. When she figured out his intent, just as he’d begun to spread her thighs, Nesta pulled him back.

“No,” she spoke impatiently. “I need you. Just you.” There would be time for all of that later. To touch more, to feast leisurely. For now, she just needed him inside her.

He understood just as he always did, and Cassian was on her immediately, adjusting his already hard cock at her entrance before spearing forward. She almost screamed at the intrusion, at the burning pleasure he had awoken in her.

“So long,” Cassian murmured against her lips. Yes, it had been too long for them since their last joining.

Nesta could only greedily kiss back as he began to move. What began as slow, soft strokes quickly fell into quick, rough thrusts that had Nesta aching for more.

The noises she was making were almost mortifying but Cassian didn’t seem to mind. He swallowed one of her breathy, high-pitched whines with a kiss, darting his tongue around her own as he fucked her harder, deeper. 

Nesta’s nails sliced into Cassian’s back as she began to feel her orgasm build, the scent of their sex and his blood filling the heady air in the room. She felt around for a moment, blindly grasping for something to hold onto or she feared she’d unravel completely. Her hands briefly fell onto his wing just as she began to fall, and Nesta held onto his shoulders as her back arched of its own accord. 

Cassian came undone at her touch, crying out with her as he came too.

Time didn’t exist. The world didn’t exist. It was just them. 

Just Cassian and Nesta. She could stay like that forever. Would have willingly had she not felt a sudden surge in her heart of hearts.

Cassian’s head, which had been pressed into her neck, rose with alarm. 

She felt it again, that beautiful golden thread that had connected them always, only strengthened by Solstice night. And it tugged.

“Did you feel-,” she started, cutting herself off.

“I did,” he answered jaggedly. 

“I can feel you,” she admitted. “More than…before.”

Cassian hummed, dropping a soft kiss to where her heart beat. “It’s the bond. It’s strengthening.” Something darkened in his gaze. Sharpened.

“I should warn you-,” he started, but Nesta cut him off.

“I know. It’s alright.”

Cassian didn’t seem convinced. “I don’t want to hurt you, Nesta. If it gets to be too much you let me know. Males tend to lose themselves a little in the frenzy.”

Nesta only kissed the underside of his jaw. “I trust you. Always.”

Cassian’s answering grin shouldn’t have made her laugh as much as it did. But it was the hardened, thick weight she felt fall between her thighs that stole her breath away. 

“Already?,” she teased, slipping a hand down to stroke him gently.

Cassian cursed, thrusting into her hands, looking down between them to the open cradle of her thighs. He beheld her hand around his cock for a few more passes before moving it away. Instead, Nesta was tossed around onto her stomach while Cassian pulled her hips up.

He sheathed himself in one breath, effectively stealing hers in the process and Nesta could only moan incoherently as he began a new onslaught on her.

Surely, there had to be an end to the pleasure. To the burning desire. But even after making her come twice, there didn’t seem to be enough, for either of them. Nesta couldn't describe this clawing, hissing thing that had arisen in her. It begged to be fucked, to be touched and filled until sated exhaustion, which didn’t seem to be coming anytime soon. Never had she felt such a burning need for Cassian, nor he her she imagined. The bond was a thing of wonder, as was the frenzy, and Nesta gripped the sheets tighter as another climax ripped through her.

She couldn't scream anymore. Couldn’t make much sound at all as Cassian continued to fuck her from behind. She lifted her head slightly wanting to see just how undone he was. If he was anywhere near oblivion like she was. 

Sure enough as she peered behind, Cassian’s face was enraptured. He met her gaze knowingly, pausing only for a moment to press a kiss to the back of her neck, her shoulders, before starting again. He slipped a hand down her back, before dropping it between her legs, teasing the apex of her thighs and that bundle of nerves so very slowly.

Nesta could only whimper, muffling her cry into the pillow as Cassian leaned forward, pushing himself deeper. She managed to raise a hand behind herself, spearing it into Cassian’s hair as he kissed a heated path down her neck.

“I know, Nes,” he whispered in her ear. “I know.”

She came with a silent scream and the world exploding in black and white. 

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[jtavington]

So, I finished Rogue Trader, and here are my thoughts. TLDR: what a mess.

Let’s start with the good: the first half of the game might be the strongest in any Owlcat game to date. Opening immediately grabs you and sets up the world. There’s a lot of mission variety, especially if you bother to go to the side. Companion quests are promising in how you can push people down various paths and there seems to be an overall thread of good people stuck in a grimdark world. Though for a long time it seems as if there might be a chance for nobledark where you go through hell but give the world a chance to maybe be better. I have no previous experience with Warhammer 40k, so I am setting myself up for a battle against a cult and an Aeldari/Drukhari conflict.

And then act three hits. It’s actually fine in and of itself as a better version of the trip to the Abyss in WOTR but it’s the start of “and then” plotting for the rest of the game where events seem to just happen rather than being connected to the larger plot. Escape the BDSM elves. Come back to find your fellow Rogue Traders have gone crazy. Finish off the cult. Find out the closest thing you have to a boss is the bad guy. Oh wait, maybe not. Here come the Necrons. Oh wait, maybe it is our boss. Nope, he’s just a prelude to the eldritch abomination he was trying to control, a species we’d never even heard of to this point. And I found out later that driving mysteries like who killed Theodora are hidden behind bringing a specific companion to a specific encounter without any prior warning. The mess continued into the epilogue where I was told simultaneously that my protectorate had a chance to build something new and that it was wiped out by the Imperium. Owlcat’s games have always been buggy on release and filled with the developers biting off more than they can chew, but this was the first time I feel like it affected the main plot and my ability to understand what was going on.

Romanced Cassia via Toybox, picked up her handkerchief and kissed it and generally acted as I thought I knighted a fairytale would, but I still didn’t get her true ending, so if anybody can tell me where I might’ve messed up I appreciate it.

Overall score 6/10. If history is any guide this will be an amazing game in a year or so, but for now it feels hollow even by the standards of initial release Owlcat.

[the--grin--reaper]

Ship Names !! (Symbolic edition)

Voidblade - Lindon/Yerin (Canon)

Dreamlight - Kelsa/Jai Long (Canon)

Soulcane - Seisha/Jaran (Canon)

Frostedge (MINTIM) - Min Shuei/Timias Adama (Canon)

Swordwing - Cassias/Jing (Canon)

Puredragon - Lindon/Chen (Uh? Partially canon? Alternatively thread of fate canon? I guess?)

Lifearmour - Meira/Kiro (Canon? Idk?)

Graceflame - Grace/Lindon (One sided/Unrequited)

Ghostmalice - Lindon/Malice (Malice has canonically flirted with Lindon multiple times but he rightfully finds it yucky)

Puremercy - Lindon/Mercy (Pride thinks this one is canon but also one sided/unrequited on Mercy's side. I think)

Prideflame - Pride/Lindon (I find gay pride jokes funny)

Mindice - Min Shuei/Charity (Old lady yuri)

Thundereyes - Yushi/Cladia (Idk anymore. Lovers to enemies yuri)