#you can just outright steal an idea from me if you want. be free.

[winteriron-trash]

pinned faq

hi, my name is roman. i used to be a semi-popular winteriron blog, but now this blog is mostly dead. so. rip, gone but not forgotten. but i still get some pretty common questions so here's a one-stop shop for most of them as well as links to the important things.

My Tumblr Fic Masterlist

My Ao3

My (dead) WinterIron Discord Server

Did you write the Tony Stark wifi tower fic?

yes, i wrote that fic! it is by far the most popular thing i've ever written and it will probably outlive me.

I found that fic on [insert site here], do they have your permission?

probably not, no. i have found that fic everywhere. and i mean everywhere. pinterest, wattpad, facebook, instagram, tiktok, mediachomp, and so on. honestly, it's been years and i can't control or chase down every single copy and i have no interest in doing so. i don't love that it was stolen from me (especially on for-profit sites) but it just is what it is. it's a fanfic rite of passage to have your stuff stolen, honestly.

can i do a translation/podfic/write something inspired by one of your fics/posts?

yes! there is always a blanket permission to do any sort of transformative work with my work, especially my older stuff. if it sparks joy and creativity in you, run wild with it. i prefer to be credited, but honestly, i'm just happy to see my stuff still inspiring people.

will you ever write winteriron/mcu fanfic again?

well, you should never say never. but in this case, you might want to say never. i have very little interest in winteriron or the mcu in general outside of nostalgia, and i likely will never write anything substantial for them again. it's sad, i miss it too, but i just don't have that spark for marvel these days. mostly i write dc comics fanfiction.

did you write [insert winteriron fic/post here]?

idk. maybe. probably. i wrote and posted a lot of things. you can scroll the tag on this blog to find all my old posts, some more popular than others. if you think it was me, chances are, it probably was. i got around a lot from like 2018 to 2020.

do you have a tagging system?

i used to but lord if i'm going to use it now. i don't even remember it, so your guess is as good as mine. tbh i just use tags as a place to ramble these days so navigating my blog is about as easy for you as it is for me. which is to say, it's not easy at all. because tumblr's search function is ass. i do know one of my old tags has my deadname in it. you'll probably find it if you look hard enough, but that is what it is.

are you going to revive this blog?

probably not consistently, no. if i have something i really want to say here, i'll say it, but i don't have much interest in maintaining this like i used to. i want to be able to, i miss posting here a lot, i just don't think it'll spark joy for me the way it used to, which sucks but that's just the way things go.

why did you leave this blog?

idk. life happened. i was an 18-year-old fighting chronic health conditions and mental health issues that led to me dropping out of high school so, tumblr sort of fell to the back burner, then got forgotten about entirely. eventually, i lost interest in the mcu as i felt the quality of it took a turn for the worst and i went back to dc, which i'm still into. i read some marvel comics, enjoy an occasional mcu project, but largely i just don't have the interest i used to. it sucks and i miss it, this blog probably kept me alive as a teenager. but now it's mostly just an archive of my past, and i'm okay with that.

can i talk to you/send you an ask/befriend you anyway?

sure, if you want, don't know if i'm good company though. but i'm always open to making friends and reminiscing about winteriron, marvel, and all that good stuff. i've gotta warn you though, tumblr fucking eats my DMs on this blog like no fucking business. i'm regularly fighting it. my discord is devilbonesofmetal if you wanna yell at me there, just say you're from tumblr.

[shizuturnspages]

hi!! if ur requests are open can be i have a yandere Xiao and kinich or ororon (I'm so indecisive so uhh choose one u think fit most) with a darling who's not from Teyvat? just say they're from another world and doesn't know how Teyvat works! optional but if u want can u make the darling use another name so they just hide their real names like the traveler? tysm!! love ur writings!

Oh, requests for an outsider darling? Hell yes—throwing a clueless darling into Teyvat is like tossing a spark into dry brush. This is such a fascinating idea. Dw about being indecisive. I'll write for all three.

Xiao: The Haunted Protector

Xiao’s attachment starts as reluctant guardianship. You’re so painfully out of place in Teyvat—every move you make screams, “I don’t belong here,” and it tugs at something deep in him. He’s already burdened by his karmic debt, but the thought of leaving you defenseless in a world you barely understand? Unthinkable.

❥ Overwhelming Vigilance: Xiao’s always nearby, even when you don’t know it. You might think you’re safe exploring Liyue, but every Hilichurl you scare off or trap you narrowly avoid? Yeah, that’s Xiao, silently taking out threats before they reach you. And if you wander somewhere truly dangerous? He’ll materialize in front of you, golden eyes blazing with frustration. “What were you thinking? You don’t belong here—it’s not safe.”

❥ Fixation on Your Name: You’ve introduced yourself with a fake name, and Xiao knows it. He doesn’t ask outright, but he obsesses over the mystery of your true identity. Why are you hiding it? Is it shame? Fear? Whenever he’s alone, he finds himself whispering the name you’ve given him, hoping it’ll somehow unravel your secrets.

❥ Territorial Devotion: Xiao can’t stand seeing you bond with others. It’s not jealousy—it’s fear. What if they manipulate your naivety? What if they steal you away from him? He becomes cold and distant whenever you get close to someone, warning you cryptically about trusting others. “People here will lie to you,” he’ll say, his voice sharp but tinged with worry.

How He Snaps: If you ever try to leave Teyvat, Xiao won’t let you go. He’ll argue, beg, and even threaten to bind you to this world with Adeptus magic. “You don’t understand the dangers out there. You’re safer here—with me.” And when he says “with me,” it’s clear he means forever.

Kinich: The Calculating Schemer

Kinich is not the kind of yandere to burst into a room and immediately start causing a scene. He’s a master manipulator who knows how to play the long game. With Ajaw by his side, he’s even more dangerous. His cool, collected demeanor hides a mind that’s always working, always planning.

❥ Patient Manipulation: Kinich’s patience is his greatest weapon. He’ll let you get used to his presence in your life, slowly drawing you in with his charisma and calculated charm. He’s aware that your trust is the key to getting closer to you, so he’ll wait for that moment when you can’t imagine your life without him. “You’re fascinating. I want to know everything about you… all in good time.”

❥ Ajaw’s Influence: Ajaw is not a typical partner for Kinich. Where Kinich is cool-headed and manipulative, Ajaw is impulsive, fiery, and more than willing to be the muscle to back up his companion’s plans. Kinich has carefully cultivated Ajaw’s loyalty, using the power and strength of the Ajaw to keep others in line. Ajaw, for his part, is drawn to Kinich’s vision and power, willingly carrying out orders that Kinich knows will push you closer into his grasp.

❥ The Steady Hand of Control: In terms of the relationship with you, Kinich knows that the best way to control you is to make you believe you have free will. He’ll approach you with an offer, something that seems like it’s your choice to accept. “I’ve been thinking. Perhaps you should stay close to me for a while… we could work together. I can offer you things no one else can.” It’s never truly a question���he’s just making sure you think it is.

How He Snaps: If he feels like he’s losing you—whether to another person or your desire to leave Teyvat—Kinich’s sunny charm darkens. He’ll corner you, his usual smile replaced by a steely intensity. “You think you can just walk away? From me? You’re mine, [Fake Name]. You always have been.”

Ororon: The Brooding Warrior

Ororon’s attachment to you is rooted in a mix of curiosity and protectiveness. You’re so alien to him, so out of place, and yet you’ve managed to survive in Teyvat. It frustrates and fascinates him in equal measure.

❥ Overbearing Protection: Ororon doesn’t trust anyone—not you, not the people around you, and especially not himself. His way of protecting you is blunt and harsh, often scolding you for your ignorance. “How are you still alive?” he’ll growl after pulling you out of yet another dangerous situation. But his rough words betray his concern.

❥ Guard Dog Behavior: Ororon doesn’t care if you’re stronger than him. He still insists on watching your back, even if it means standing in your shadow while you fend off enemies. And if someone so much as looks at you wrong? He’s ready to fight, glaring daggers at anyone who dares approach.

❥ Fixation on Your Mystery: Your otherworldly origins and fake name are a constant source of frustration for him. He doesn’t pry—he’s not the type—but his eyes narrow whenever you dodge his questions. “You’re hiding something,” he’ll say bluntly, his voice low and gruff. “I don’t care what it is, but don’t think you can fool me.”

How He Snaps: Ororon’s breaking point comes when you try to push him away. His voice rises, uncharacteristically emotional. “You think you can survive without me? You barely understand this world. Don’t be stupid—I’m the only one who can keep you safe.” And in his mind, that’s the truth. You need him, whether you realize it or not.

[edennill]

Analysis/thoughts on Finrod's Duel with Sauron in the Finrod Rock Opera:

(I take the English translation of the lyrics from here — it's the 11th song)

Sauron, classically makes the first move, and in a very Sauron-typical manner. "How dare you come here — the world is dark and horrible — loyalty doesn't exist — et cetera as nauseum". I just really want to know what has he got against Fëanor specifically ("Into the world has come a curse, whose name is Fëanor!") He's the only person mentioned by name in the fragment too.

(I'm also fascinated by the costuming choices in the version I usually watch — the newest one? — that seemingly have Sauron steal Morgoth's fashion style. The crown specifically, it's even got three jewels. I know Morgoth doesn't really have much focus in this version, so they may have wanted to use the visual, but still. As for the rest, it's a very standard phobso-influenced design, ginger hair and all. Someone has definitely been on Tumblr, or at least very active on Pinterest.)

Finrod's first response starts off frustratingly vague, in my opinion, and at the same time, mixes together too many images in one stanza. As for "The poison of lies is harsh/But in this world there is no poison greater than love" — I don't think Finrod would say that, not the second part at least. Oh, well, Amarië — but Finrod is not a Romantic, and his view of what Love is would be far wider.

Then we get to the good stuff, however. "The crossbow has been twined with ivy/Harpstrings replaced the bowstring/Blossoms will turn the bloody trail white/The sound of a song will replace curses..." There is a definite echo of "swords into plowshares" with this one that feels at least semi-conscious — and thus makes me wonder... the biblical passage where that comes from is a strongly eschatological one, and I wonder if this does not imply Finrod is now singing about his "dream" or vision.

Well, Sauron's only reply to that is to say: It's too late, "the thread has been twisted too far and too terribly" and denounce Finrod's ideas as "a pitful likeness of the Creator's original designs". (By the way, Sauron is one of the characters to reference Eru most often here (that is two times), only he never calls him by that name. I don't know what to make of that)

Finrod's second verse: "Where there is no oblivion/Runes weave over the stone/And the strings of the lyre/Do not speak of the power of time/Behind me, the youth of the unmarred world has risen like the dawn/et cetera" and "But darkness and slander/Have vanished, like a dream/Such is the law/As long as the firmament is full of imperishable light". I'm quoting in full because my thoughts basically boil down to: this is a lot of words, and I'm not sure what they all mean in this arrangement, or what they call back to — although I think you can interpret them in accordance with my vague ideas about his previous lines. Lastly, Finrod seems to invoke the Day of Valinor in an explicit attempt to match powers with Sauron.

(Also, the phrase "i struny liry" is just honey on the tongue when set to music, I don't know why)

Enter Sauron with "Strength in this world belongs only to the one/who will doubtlessly break the shackles of slavery." Given later context, it seems pretty clear this is to refer to a general promise of "freedom", not to Morgoth and Sauron merely. Which — I don't think is far off from how they would like to be seen, but I wonder what gave the writers this intuition. I don't think the theme is particularly outright expressed in the book, is it? Hmm, or could it be an idea from the Black Book of Arda (which I'm pretty sure goes down that path), or a reaction thereto... I'm never sure just how much influence I should assume the 90s/00s Russian fandom madness (wank and wars included) had on local works. Concluded with "I am free to do whatever I want to you."

Finrod: "My choice is made/And fate is in the power of Eru" — direct refutal, great. "Both light and shadows/Are gifts in his hands." — He would not freaking say that, unless it's supposed to translate into "Your power is not innate either", that I can get behind. And the famous "I do not believe in endless losses." — people have written full essays on that so I will remain silent. Of course Finrod speaks of eucatastrophe though 😊.

Then we get to one of my favourite exchanges. Sauron (after an obligatory segue into how he sees in Finrod a fear that befits only cowards and slaves, because he's like that) calls out Finrod for being "guilty before the Creator". And my darling, dearest Finrod (oopsie, this was meant to be a serious post — I'm afraid I've gotten too deep into blorbo territory) immediately has a riposte: "But the greater guilt is on the one, who in a dark hour, and with open eyes, taught us pride."

Which naturally does not really make him innocent of the blood-guilt, but as a "And you're the one asking about it?" it works very well. Sauron's comeback is "That was done to set you free" which is lame and contradictory with his just preceding attempt to guilt Finrod and I love this. I feel like this inconsistency is something that Tolkien would have agreed with very well in terms of "how evil works" — again, I feel like the people behind this are so strongly either hit or miss in terms of themes that I wonder if the text wasn't written by more than one person.

Finrod tells Sauron that he may at most kill him, Sauron is... enraged and, it seems, instigated, and then we have one of Finrod's best moments in the show, in which he genuinely feels like he almost pities his opponent for wasting himself like that, especially with the right intonation on the part of the actor. "First answer me/Why does the dark throne/So draw your eyes, o Sauron?/As if the dead glitter of crowns/Will save one who was not born?" indeed

As for: "If by such is Light defended, Darkness will triumph" — I hate Sauron for that insult; even more since it's "kicking a fallen opponent" — but it works. He would say that.

And of course he finishes off with "—and me with it!" because Dark Lords are nothing if not preoccupied with self. It's childish really, when not sung in a strong voice — but that's the point, or should be.

[zoloteh-volossya]

I love your reblog on that Astarion post! What do you think is the best way to recruit Minthara while aiming for a more positive outcome for her? Personally, my favorite approach is "accidentally" destroying the grove by stealing the idol and then reluctantly aligning with Minthara. It feels like the character is acting out of confusion or desperation, not malice. This way, you still get that pivotal moment where she feels safe with your character and begins to break free from the Absolute. (and when you rescue her later she still hoped you would save her)

I'm basic - I personally prefer the knockout method. It's a pity that you miss the discussion after the sex scene and the romanced version of the conversation at Moonrise - it was a gifset of that conversation (see my pinned post) that grabbed me by the heart and dragged me into this fandom, after all.

But to me, it's important that Minthara isn't special. Her life isn't worth more than Alfira's or Dammon's or Mol's, ultimately. I personally care about her more, am more invested in her character, but struggle to justify the deaths of the refugees in the stories I want to tell. It's a different story, the act 1 scene, but to me the meat of the Minthmance happens once she gets her mind back so it's an acceptable loss.

(Of course, in my personal Mintharamance playthrough, I did commit Grovicide. My Dark Urge Krov was largely uninterested in getting involved in other people’s business, so I engineered the Worst Possible Grove Visit. She entered the grove, got robbed, didn’t step up for Arabella so she died, got poisoned by (then killed) Nettie, got arrested for trespassing in the kids’ hideout to get her stuff back, broke out, talked to Sazza and freed her, got the hell out of town, and then ended up murdering Alfira that night anyway. When Minthy told her to help raid it she was like, might as well, fuck that place, the only person I liked there is already dead by my hand.)

I think that triggering the Grove's violence via following Mol's request makes a lot of sense! It's definitely the way I'd go in a fic if I were writing a scenario where Tav/Durge romances Minthara in act 1.

In my fic ideas, I 'justify' the nonsense knockout option in different ways.

With my good bard Tav, she infiltrates the goblin camp for several days, slowly pitting Dror Razglin against Minthara (using Gut's death to stoke tensions between them). She was hoping to have the two sides fight it out and then have her team sweep in and clean up the survivors. However, all the goblins side with Dror. So then she just focuses on buffing and healing Minthara, figuring that the more goblins she kills the fewer the Tadfools will need to deal with. To her surprise, Minthara both wins and is genuinely grateful, tending to Tav's own wounds. In return for this unexpected kindness, she helps Minthara escape when 'adventurers' attack the camp, promising to distract them and then meet up with her at Moonrise later. (This fic idea began before the knockout method was added to the game, so you can tell I've been on my bullshit for a while.)

With my neutral ranger Tav, she doesn't infiltrate the camp at all. She sneaks into the camp via the other bridge, gets to high ground, and starts an outright assault. By the time Minthara is informed that the camp is under attack, everyone outside the shattered sanctum is dead. The bulk of the battle happens in the throne room, with all of the goblins and True Souls mounting a desperate defense against a two-pronged attack by Team Tadpole. They lose, but Minthara is able to overwhelm my Tav (mechanically much weaker than her) and make an escape, and the team is too exhausted to give chase.

Both of these have a very different dynamic with Minthy than a Tav/Durge who romanced her in act 1, of course. With my bard Tav, there's a preexisting connection, but also a betrayal - Minthara was used by this person, unknowingly danced on her strings. Regaining trust after that is a key plot point. With my ranger Tav, the arc is more one of coming to trust a former enemy (and dealing with the repercussions of becoming a drider, but that's unrelated.)

Thanks for the ask! That was... a very long answer. Hope you enjoyed it, at least.

[xaytheloser]

the lengths the beasts and elder would go for benign oh my god

we already know the beasts are fucked up but oh little do we know elder faerie is probably just as fucked up as them, that man wouldn't even think to hesitate to do some horribly drastic shit for benign

if benign were to somehow get hurt to a near crumbling state, elder would not even hesitate to make a deal with shadow milk, no hesitation to use dark magic to aid in her recovery

"Help me, I'll free you from your prison."

"Why should I believe you?! You're the one who locked us in this stupid tree in the first place!!"

"Benign Butter is hurt." "Help me and I will set you free."

shadow milk wouldn't hesitate either now knowing the reason for elder faerie making a deal with him, because if they were in opposite positions, he'd likely do the same

elder faerie knows he shouldn't be selfish, shouldn't be freeing the beasts period, but he already lost white lily, he refuses to lose benign butter

the beasts refuse to lose her too

and the most surprising part? everyone is completely civil with each other, because this is benign they're worrying about, they all share a common goal in the moment, and lord knows benign would hate for them to be fighting in a moment where they should be working together, so they're being as polite with each other as they can be

"love makes you do stupid things" is a quote that has never applied anywhere more than it applies here, because it's completely foolish and stupid idea to free literal evil incarnate just to save your wife from death that isn't even guaranteed

and something to make that quote even truer? elder willingly breaks into the home of one of the witches to acquire more life powder for benign's recovery, with shadow milk and eternal sugar's help!!! he strictly goes against the rule of the witches and steals from them just to help her because he is not losing his wife!! THEY are not losing THEIR wife!!!

poor benign is probably mortified when she's fully recovered because elder specifically went against his duties as the guardian of the silver tree and outright freed her former comrades to save her, and he has absolutely no explanation for it!! but low and behold- the beasts actually stay civil after she's recovered!

why do they stay civil? because they learned just how deeply elder faerie cares for her, and actually them too, because he went to some fucking cracked ass lengths to get them all free to help him with her recovery, entirely took it upon himself to fight tooth and nail to keep THEM safe while they regained enough strength to fight on their own and travel back to the silver kingdom

they learned he cared about them just as much as he cared about benign when he rushed to their sides to protect them from a severely mutated yeast spore more than likely caused by dark enchantress's bullshit somewhere on beast-yeast, shielded them from all sorts of attacks while they recovered and still fought to protect them when they were back on their feet and beating the absolute shit of the massive bastard of a spore

when benign wakes up, she's greeted by the faces of her former comrades huddled around her, all quietly checking on her and a sleeping elder who had been crying just hours before until he passed out, and the moment they realize she's awake, their expressions erupt into pure joy, burning spice goes to yell but eternal sugar smacks a hand over his mouth and reminds him the fae king is sleeping, to which burning spice sheepishly shrinks back before practically tackle hugging benign, nearly jostling elder from his place draped over her lap, causing eternal to shake her head as she and mystic go to join the hug

silent is miraculously without most of his armor, at least the heavy duty stuff, instead wearing a severely modified robe from elder's closet with just his gauntlets and boots, plus the joint coverage pieces like shoulder pads and knee pads, and shadow milk is surprisingly back in a set of scholar's robes (he wanted to look the part for going into dark magic again but also the robes were just fuckin' comfy man)

mystic is, well, being mystic, they're in tears, but they've sucked it up and are keeping their voice as even as they can as they nuzzle up to benign, whispering about how glad they are that she's okay as they hold her hand, gently rubbing her fingers and humming softly

eternal's expression is the softest of the beasts, she knows benign is probably still exhausted, but she's genuinely delighted that their dear companion is okay, that she's alive, and she can't help herself from coiling her tail around benign's arm, if only to feel her pulse just a bit better, to make sure she's alive

burning is trying so hard not to jump around and shout in joy because elder is sleeping, but it's still very clear just how happy the spicy boy is about her recovery, he hugs her so tightly but so gently at the same time that it's almost disorienting

when elder wakes up, lifts his head from benign's lap, benign can see his face, can see his puffy red eyes from crying and staying up so late worrying about her, shadow would tap elder's shoulder, making him start to turn his head, only to realize benign is awake, and actually properly wake up from there in an instant, and he's in tears for the fourth time that night

elder has the biggest loving grin in his face as he hugs her, sobbing joyfully into her dough as he laughs in a way that seems like he's absolutely lost it, and truthfully he probably has given the lengths he went for her safety, but nonetheless he's laugh-crying and he hugs her and everyone joins in on the hug, even silent who i imagine wouldn't have been the biggest on hug unless it's a really important or special moment

i can't imagine benign being anything but confused about the situation, the outfit changes of some of her former comrades, the fact her former comrades are like legitimately free and moving around, the fact they seem to be getting along surprisingly well with elder like they've learned something about the fae king that makes them respect him

but screw it, who's she to complain if her spouses are getting along?

of course, elder has a mountain of things to explain to her, and he is not going to get away with sweeping it under the rug, but for the moment explanations can wait

anyways resurrection through considered highly unethical means is the greatest show of love in existence nobody is allowed to fight me on that /silly WOOOOOO I LOVE MORALLY FUCKED UP AND COMPLEX RELATIONSHIPS AND CHARACTERS AISNHDUAHWEIAHWEIAWEIHAW

oh my god wait here me out guy oh my god Elder Faerie corruption arc Elder Faerie corruption arc Elder Faerie corruption arc-

'elder faerie is probably just as fucked up as them, that man wouldn't even think to hesitate to do some horribly drastic shit for benign' what if this man just fucking snaps- GOD EVIL AND FUCKED UP ELDER FAERIE BRAINROT

[talesfromsiteredacted]

The Garden of Inter-Site Tranquility

Everyone here has a side project, it seems. Dr. Gears builds robots, Dr. Clef tortures people via ukulele, Dr. Iceberg is a very good archer. Me? I like playing in the dirt, planting stuff. And, thanks to a little help from my friends... hard work is paying off handsomely. We have the only rooftop park/zen garden/flower garden in the Foundation, so far.

It took years, and tons of wheeling, dealing, and in one memorable case, outright stealing, but... it is finished. The Garden of Inter-Site Tranquility. A quaint little rooftop slice of heaven. Pretty sure Granddad would love it. He ought to, he inspired it in a way.

It's no Shangri-la, nor will it ever be anything as grand as Eden, but it's ours. A modest little gazebo with seating, surrounded by roses and other delightful flora. A brick path to a Zen garden, a small tea area, and the tool shed. There's even a small koi pond, with a stone fountain. There's a bonsai pine in the corner, this Hogswatch I'll decorate it.

First though... I need to plan a bit more. If I want this to be something everyone enjoys, I need ground rules. But... I can't resist the urge to show off the hard work. I get an idea. 166 never gets to do anything outside. Since technically neither of us are leaving Foundation grounds, maybe Meri would like a bit of fresh air?

I head to her quarters, and knock on her door.

"Hi, Meri? I'm Dr. Snow, and I'd like to ask a tiny, harmless favor, if I may."

"Dr. Snow? Ah, I think I remember you. The Hoodoo doll lady, right?" I could listen to Meri all day, there's just something about an Irish accent that sits right in the ear, Nan says. I have to agree.

"Yep, that I am. Only today I have something different in mind. I kind of did a thing, a rooftop oasis in this depressing concrete labyrinth. I'd like your honest informal opinion on it, if you're willing?"

"Absolutely, my dear Dr. Snow. Any excuse to breathe nonrecyled air. Lay on, good Doctor." The door opens, and we head to the roof. I open the access door, and Meri laughs.

"Dr. Snow, this is incredible. It's a little miracle from God. Sister Agnes, rest her soul, would love this. There's even a rose garden! I love roses. You didn't do all this by yourself, did ye?"

"I had a lot of help, from 343 and Cain helping plan the layout, the boys in Procurement getting me supplies and plants, had tips on koi pond management from Agent Arrisoka's granddad, I even bribed a few D-Class with free beer and pizza to help with planting and labor. It was a huge project, but worth it." I ran a hand through my messy hair. "Since you don't get out a lot, I thought you'd like a sneak peak before the grand public unveiling."

"Rather sweet of you, Dr. Snow. I have to say, this is lovely." So is the smile on Meri.

"Once I open it to everyone, I'll have to schedule some time blocks so that you and some of our other residents can enjoy it too. After all, it's nice to see the flowers, hear the bees and birds flying about, and get away for a bit even if we never actually leave the grounds."

"Aye, that it is." We take a stroll along the path leading to the koi pond. "Dr. Snow... do the other doctors know about this? I'd hate for you to get into trouble."

"They know. Dr. Gears even sent up the gravel for the Zen garden. Dr. Clef helped too, just don't ask where those koi came from."

"I'm more worried about how he got them here."

"Very carefully, was the answer I got. I didn't want to know more."

"Probably best not to look gift koi too deeply in the mouth anyhow." We have a good chuckle over Clef. I love him, but he does tend to be a bit of a kleptomaniac. He's certainly always stealing kisses from me, at least.

After a while, the daylight begins to fade.

"We should head back, they'll miss me at head count if I'm not there."

"Good idea. I did promise Dr. Gears first rake of the Zen garden, there's just enough light left by the time we get you home."

Speaking of Dr. Gears, I ran into him once I got Meri in her quarters. I just wordlessly handed him the gravel rake, and headed back up to the roof with him in tow. I must have outdid even my expectations, I never heard Dr. Gears whistle before. Yet, here he is, whistling as he rakes. 343 help me, I think I might be on to something here.

[tabletopmonsteroftheweek]

do you have any ideas for a game where the mission is to sneak in and steal a silkies fur coat back from someone?

Hmm, the best I can think of honestly depends on what goes on for the sneaking mission. The four big rolls i can think of for it would be Act Under Pressure, Read a Bad Situation, Investigate a Mystery (general questions version), and Manipulate Someone if they run into any guards.

Act Under Pressure for general sneaking past points that seem well guarded or breaking locks, Investigate a Mystery to figure out exactly where to go, and Read a Bad Situation if they start to feel like this is going way too easy.

For me, personally, I would make it be a "one strike and you're out!" type of situation. What I mean is if they roll a miss, unless they use a luck point, the missions busted. They get caught or they get lost. With that too, its not like its fully ended- they just have security on their tail or they cant tell if they just passed that facility before or not. I would say they would get a -1 forward for the rest of the encounter.

But that also doesn't mean they can't use their own player moves too. I'd say if the move does not have anything listed for what happens if they miss, you can free ball it and the missions not comprimised. Let them get creative! Anothing thing I'd suggest is that they prepare for the sneaking mission- do research on it, get equipment that might help, etc. But like, don't outright state "prepare for it" ya know- just say "alright, you guys have the option to do some preparations and research if you want. Otherwise, lets do this." That way it gives them the freedom of choice.

I'd also say that, as the keeper, make a general list of what can help with mission so you can check them off. Maybe even a certain number listed they have to reach to be set as 'prepared.' If they get the right stuff related to the mission, then congrats they get +1 forward for the duration of the mission! If they get compromised during it, then the +1 goes away and just leaves the rolls without a bonus, not giving them the negative previously stated. They're still prepared, they're just caught.

That's all I can think of after waking up at 9am lol. If other folks have more ideas, feel free to give em! I hope this helps either way!

[chaseyesterdays]

For the commentary ask game:

So he led the charge in this, assuming a leadership role Keyleth knows he would have rather avoided. Convinced the others this was a worthwhile endeavor. Appealed to Vax and Scanlan and Grog’s (and Pike’s) love of pranks and mischief, nudged them towards roles in the heist they would all enjoy the most. He gave Keyleth the position of lookout so she wouldn’t have to get her hands dirty if this whole debacle went tits up. Didn’t ask Vex to shield him, just to watch the machine and report back to him on what it was doing. He’d taken on the bulk of the responsibility himself, the bulk of the work, but he’d done it willingly for the happiness of a friend.

Percy’s not as bad a man as he believes he is, Keyleth thinks. Meanders another loop around the arcade. Given to anger, yes; haunted by things he refuses to speak of, sure. But bad men don’t lie awake at night worrying if they’re bad. Bad men don’t fix their best friend’s car free of charge and teach her how to handle the issue herself if she needs to.

Bad men don’t pop out of the guts of a claw machine with glasses knocked askew, glancing up at the girl they admire and handing her a token with a half-grunted “Try it now” as they hold together some monstrous amalgamation of wiring and circuitry only they can understand.

BLESS YOU TIA I LOVE YOU I HAVE SO MANY THINGS I WANNA SCREAM ABOUT

(Placing under a cut because when I said "DVD commentary" I, uh. Wasn't fuckin' kidding)

So when I started writing Secret I knew that I wanted to focus on aspects of Percy and Vex's characters that wouldn't come up in idle conversation. Since neither of them are prone to introspection while actively focusing on a task, it evolved to Keyleth being the one to observe their interactions from afar, and given her high wisdom stats mechanically, it gave me a way to delve into character intricacies that sometimes aren't explicitly laid out in fic.

I knew going in that I wanted to focus on two things in Percy's character. One: the idea that he defends and protects those he loves by arming them rather than interposing himself; and two, which I believe is the crux of Percy's character: "bad men don't lie awake at night wondering if they're bad." For Vex, I wanted to juxtapose her outward confidence and capability with the small part of her that was a child in an emotionally neglectful, if not outright abusive, parental relationship, because that explains a lot of her behavior in most aspects of her life.

For Percy, the part with fixing Keyleth's car was important to include in my mind, because it's both a real world example of something he would do and a perfect prelude to the claw machine heist shenanigans he winds up inciting in the fic (also, breaking into a machine to fix it and make it fair rather than just... steal the toy is such a Percy thing to me -- he wants to win, but only if it's enough of a victory to rub it in somebody's smug face). In both instances, two people he cares about very deeply are in a bind. In both instances, he has more of the know-how to address the issue than they do. However, it's clear that Percy has issues with autonomy and is very, very concerned with chivalry and respect and other customs of court that I'm sure he was steeped in growing up, so his default is to address the immediate issue but arm his loved ones with the knowledge they need to get themselves out of said issue. For Keyleth, that's fixing her car and showing her exactly how he did it so she can do it herself. For Vex, it's fixing the machine so she can win the toy through her own skill, because he knows she's capable and intelligent but also knows her father's disapproval means she questions her own worth and capability at times.

And, going along with that, Percy is an excellent leader -- his plans are sometimes... well (lookin' at you, murdering Draconians to piss off Vorugal), but despite his distaste for it, he's good at knowing where people are best used and placing them in those positions. He might not like leadership, and he might defer to the group more often than not, but he is good at it, and I think he'd be more than willing to step into the role if it benefited Vex or Keyleth (but especially Vex).

As far as the second bit of focus on Percy's character goes, I think the quote is pretty self explanatory. "Bad men don't lie awake at night wondering if they're bad." This is the line I constantly go back to when trying to describe Percy's character -- he's done some awful things, he has great capability for cruelty and violence, but he acknowledges those things about himself and shoulders his flaws, though he obviously wants to be redeemed in some way (Osysa's speech in TLOVM and his own admission of "I don't want to die who I am. I would like to live long enough to be someone else" prove this point). Percy has a conscience, and for that reason he wrestles with the darkness in himself and hates it as much as he owns his own failings and commits to his mistakes. I wanted that to come up in this fic, and it really felt organic for it to occur in this moment where Keyleth's watching him and recalling the things he does for the people he cares about -- he has issues, yes, but it's the little things like this that prove he isn't a bad man. Just a damaged one.

For Vex, I knew I needed an inciting incident to kick off the claw machine heist, and the image of a little Trinket plush in a skill game would not leave me. Vex likes material things in canon but they feed in to her years of starvation and barely scraping by as a child/young adult; the only way she would be this drawn to a cheap toy is if she either wanted one badly as a child and never got it or she had one and was forced to leave it behind. My personal headcanon is that it was her favorite toy as a child, one of the very few things Elaina was ever able to buy her children to play with, and Vex was forced by Syldor to leave it behind when he took her and Vax to live with him (stuffed toys don't tend to survive house fires very well, so she never saw it again). And I think that sudden spike of grief and longing and nostalgia coupled with the childish instinct to just... grab something you love dearly and run would leave her off balance enough to admit her past association with the toy to her friends, because we all know Vex plays things close to the vest when it comes to vulnerability.

So. All of those things together culminated in Keyleth (me. read: me) rambling for like six thousand words about my blorbos, and I'm so glad Tumblr doesn't give an ask response word count because dear fucking Jesus I don't even wanna know how long I've been droning on

THANK YOU AGAIN TIA I LOVE YOU FEEL FREE TO ASK ME ANYTHING ABOUT ANYTHING IVE EVER WRITTEN IM NOT SLIGHTLY MANIC ABOUT THIS NOPE NOT ME

[ragnarokhound]

18 + 20 for the ask game!

<33

18. Do you use any tools, like worksheets or outlines?

I have tried to use proper outlining before, writing something out in full before I start really writing the prose, and honestly it sometimes sucks the idea out of me prematurely @_@ It tricks my brain into thinking 'ah, yes, good job you have told the story. We're Done Now' and the rest of me goes 'wait what' - so a full outline of the story usually doesn't get written lol

But I will drop notes for a scene idea as they come to me when I'm in the middle of writing, so that I don't lose the idea and can flesh them out later as needed. I like being able to move them around in the continuity like little notecards, but still be grounded in my word doc. I tend to jump around (the morning of the sex scene in Sit, Stay, Speak was one of the first scenes I wrote for it lol) so I'm often bridging from Point A to Point G with my little [Jason finds something else in the apartment] notes helping pick up the slack in between. Can't just go from [Jason finds the photos] to [Jason wakes up with Tim naked (EXCEPT THE COLLAR OwO)] straight away lol we GOTTA WORK FOR IT

I also write notes about the story at the end of the word doc for myself to reference if I'm stuck; when I needed to know why Tim was mad in my latest fic "sigh no more", I worked out some key notes on his emotional timeline during the two and half weeks that Jason went missing, and it helped a lot with pinning down his dialogue and emotional state!

So tldr - sort of? It's been kind of fun discovering my own writing process and how trying to force myself into a mold of how I ""should"" be writing doesn't really work lol

20. Describe your perfect writing conditions.

Anything that gets the hyperfocus to trigger lol - when I get stuck on a scene I have to find a way to trick myself into finding it interesting which usually means framing it as a puzzle to be solved, and also cutting off my brain's usual distraction shortcuts. Like, no girl, I know you're conflict averse but we don't need another cup of tea just because you don't want to write the girls fighting.

(side tangent: there was this guy I knew in college who I found Awful - but who i was also attracted to against my will. He was funny and smart and a little bit sad (! the bait), but also wore a shirt that said "ayn rand is my home girl" and was a poli sci major. He was the definition of "i can fix him". Two of my friends quietly fought over him and I think it damaged their friendship irreparably, if not outright killed it. He had evil charisma and I never understood wanting to punch someone in the mouth yet also wanting to dick them down until I met him. When I write Tim and Jason's early relationship like, right after Titan's Tower, this is the energy I seek to capture)

ANYWAY Usually the coffeeshop down the road does the trick: temperature controlled, wearing a light layer I can take off or put on but hopefully don't even need so I stop being distracted by it. Music playlist that becomes white noise. Ready access to tea & food. Sitting upright in a chair and, unfortunately, not curled up on anything too comfy :') Blinds open so I can stare outside rather than at tumblr when I'm trying to think something through - tumblr steals my problem-solving brain from me, and I need that program to be running uninterrupted when I'm stuck lol

And apparently the ability to pick up my laptop and walk around with it - ever since my laptop battery busted and I need to be plugged into a wall to use it, my ability to write from home TANKED. It doesn't help that my roommate uses the dining table (the preferred spot) when they're working from home, and my laptop can only barely make it to the coffee table in the living room (the next runner up) from the outlet. Also it's a pure brain trick - my laptop is fettered. Therefore I am fettered. I must be FREE OTL

That got really long Thanks for the questions! <33

[the-haunted-office]

Experiencing anxiety and being triggered like this, panic attacks, being flustered and embarrassed, all of these lovely side effects of being back in a living body... these are all things Doom did not miss about being alive. All things that she didn't have to even think about when she was a ghost. She experienced some of these feelings, yes, but she didn't feel them, because she didn't have a physical body to feel them with. Having a body and having a heart to feel racing, a pair of lungs to feel breathing rapidly, and a brain to feel melting with intrusive thoughts - all a completely different experience than being a wad of energy and essence with the outline of these feelings.

Not to mention the guilt, and the lack of control, the feeling that nothing makes sense anymore, missing half of herself, and all the anxiety that comes with that. It's all something she's learning to live with all over again, and in a living body again, and it's... overwhelming, to say the least. Even though she does not like admitting it, even to herself. She's Doomsday, the one who does what she wants, the one who says "fuck the Narrative". Well. The Narrative just fucked her. Killed her sister. Took her sister. Her sister just gave herself to Them. Became a part of Them. She is the Narrative now.

So what now...? What does any of this mean for her, Doomsday, the one who's supposed to be in control?

Tea. Right. Ed's making tea. She can see that he is, but for some reason he brain didn't want to process it until it heard him say it. She doesn't respond to his answer, just watches. She doesn't respond to what he says about Colossus either. Maybe some other time. She's a little too embarrassed by the whole ordeal. Doesn't know how to explain any of it, or even where to start. Seems easier to just not bother explaining any of it at all and skip straight to what threw her into it all this in the first place, to make sure it doesn't happen again.

Quietly, she nods at what he says about the separate pantry and utensils and everything. None of that will be too hard to do, not by her estimate. Clearing her throat she says, "I can get all that. All of those things. Just make a list."

She doesn't bother explaining that all of the medicines and medical equipment, she's going to outright steal. While she can spawn in almost anything from her own energy, medicines she does not trust herself with - it's all too easy to mess it up and get it wrong and end up causing more harm than help.

"As for keeping your eating utensils and everything separate, I have an idea for that. This building has an employee lounge on each floor, and each one of them is the same. This one used to look just like the others, it was just made over to look like this because it's the most popular. We could very easily pick another floor and have that one renovated too, and you could have that one, you know... to use especially for you. Allergen free, or- whatever it's called," she says, waving her hand vaguely, because she isn't sure of the proper terminology.

It takes her a couple of seconds, because what she really wants to do is pretend that none of this happened, but finally she decides to come over to where Ed is fiddling with the teapot. She does her best to arrange her expression into one of... not quite indifference, but one of a carefully measured gaze, as if to say None of this has bothered me, nothing out of the ordinary happened here, I've been in control of myself the entire time and anything you saw to the contrary was your imagination or was ordained by me and everything is fine.

"Look, I can understand why you might want to avoid talking about this sort of thing, Ed, but if there is anything else like this going on... I think we ought to talk about it, because like I said, I'd really hate to be surprised by it - for your own good as much as it is for mine. I'd like for there to be an open rapport between us," she says, knowing that she is nowhere near as good at this as Thursday was, even though she's trying her best, but she doesn't know how to do this. "So... Yeah... Anything else like this I need to know about? So I don't accidentally kill you with-.. I don't know, a piece of latex or essential oils or something?"

"Alright," Ed said quietly. He'd offer to have to have Colossus lay down on her since that was another of the dog's Tasks, if he knew how to ask, as it is, he wasn't sure what else to do, so he turned back to the tea.

He washed his hands, thoroughly scrubbing for a full minute before rinsing and drying. "Colossus," he called, holding his hands down for the dog to sniff. "Check." The dog sniffed his hands, and then looked up at him. His hands were clean, he could continue. "Good boy," he murmured to the dog.

He picked up the electric kettle, held it out for Colossus, and repeated the command. Once the dog confirmed the kettle hadn't been in contact with gluten or any of his allergens, he filled it with water, then put it back on its stand and switched it on.

"Hmm?" he responded when Doomsday asked. "Making tea. It helps when I'm stressed or anxious, though I also just like it." He'd wouldn't usually admit to the stress or anxiety, but given Doom's reaction... perhaps it's something they share.

He held down the tea pot for Colossus to check, this time letting Doom see what he was doing.

"Yeah, gotcha. Nothing weird. But maybe when you feel up to it, let me know what I can do to make sure that doesn't happen again, and maybe if there's anything I can do to help if it does. Colossus is also trained to be a living weighted blanket, if you need that. He likes that job."

He held down the tea pot, and then a tin of jasmine tea for Colossus to check. The tea in general was safe, unless whatever had been used to put it in a pot or steeping basket had been in contact with anything else. He set both back down on the counter once confirmed safe, then retrieved a spoon from a drawer.

"Anyway, I'm sorry to scare you like that. It didn't occur to me that I should have told you. I try to avoid talking about it."

Ed held the spoon down for Colossus to check. Instead of looking back up at Ed, the dog poked Ed's thigh with his nose. He washed the spoon and his hands in the sink with hot water and dish soap, then had Colossus check both again.

"But, to answer your question... yes, a separate pantry would help, as would separate dishes, utensils... particularly wooden or plastic cutting boards. The only other thing that you can really do is stock up on epinephrine, and we'll probably need quite a bit, considering I can't just go to the emergency room."

Ed turned back to the tea. The last time he'd been to a hospital for anaphylactic shock, he had been twelve, and it had been miserable and lonely. He would rather not think about it, about the school bully who had shoved a fistful of peanuts down his throat and then claimed Ed had done it to himself for attention, or that his father, when he finally arrived at the hospital, had been more upset about the bill than Ed's condition.

He scooped up a heaping spoonful of tea leaves and dumped it into the pot. "The only other thing I can think of is in worst case scenarios, I might need to be put on oxygen or something to help with low blood pressure, though I don't know how easily we could get the equipment for that."

[classpect-navelgazing]

taking classpect, flippin it turnways

Hello. My name is Arcturus. I am here to talk about classpect. Why? Hard to say.

I've been percolating this for quite a while now, and I feel I have finally settled on a unified theory of classpect. But I feel I have to do a few disclaimers up front, so if you don't vibe with what I'm laying out, you can hit that back button and be free to go about your day.

Disclaimer One: I am an archive reader of Homestuck, and only consider "canon" to be the actual comic from page one up to the Act 7/Credits flashes. Nothing from friendsim, pesterquest, or any of the """Post Canon""" content will be taken into account here. This also includes the "official" quiz that WP finally put up, because I find it lacking in several metrics.

Disclaimer Two: I strongly consider everyone in HS to be an Unreliable Narrator, and I heavily doubt anything that is outright 'told' to the reader by specific characters. My profiles of each aspect and class come from observation of actions. More specifically: I think Calliope's infodumps in Act 6 are interesting theorycraft but nothing more. Meaning…

Disclaimer Three: I don't give much stock to inversion theory, to gendering the classes, to passive/active classes (and outright disagree with some of Calliope's assessments), and frankly to a lot of the sort of Assumed Truths of classpect. Going into this, you can expect to see some ideas that I think go against the popular fanon.

If any of these are dealbreakers for you, then smash that back button and have a lovely day!

Let's get started! How do you explore this project?

My preferred method of figuring out classpect is the self-doxxing method. I have written some pretty thorough (but hopefully not overlong) descriptions of the common traits of each class and aspect. I would recommend starting with the Classes and begin to navigate through and read them.

This project has been pretty thoroughly beta tested at this point, and the common refrain is someone finding something that feels like a person attack. That would be the correct selection for you, the one that makes you feel particularly seen and observed.

Now, personally, I think its extremely hard to test for classpect. I think Aspect is slightly more feasible but Class is impossible. This is because I believe Class should be understood as what role you play in the narrative. When the audience is handed a playbill with the Dramatis Personae, what is the little descriptor next to your name? That is your class.

As such, it's hard for someone else to tell you what it is; it's about your personal journey and how you interact with the world. In the end, the person who is best going to understand what class you are is you. not me.

Aspect is slightly easier to assign from the outside. For that, I am currently working on a quiz for the people who truly have no idea or who just like quizzes. But for the time being, I would suggest figuring out your Class first, then moving onto Aspect. There have been a handful of people who found it easier to work the other way around, though, so don't feel like you're not allowed to look at Aspect if you want.

That's enough from me! Get started!

CLASSES (tagged here)

MAID: "Burdened by the aspect"

SLYPH: "Heals their aspect in others"

WITCH: "Sponsored by their aspect"

PAGE: "Served by their aspect"

KNIGHT: "Guardian of their aspect"

ROGUE: "Distributing their aspect to others"

SEER: "Knowledge of their aspect to serve others"

THIEF: "Steals aspect for self"

MAGE: "Knowledge of their aspect to serve self"

PRINCE: "In service to their aspect"

HEIR: "Avatar of their aspect"

BARD: "The Facilitator of the narrative"

ASPECTS (tagged here)

BLOOD: the aspect of obligation

DOOM: the aspect of inevitability

LIGHT: the aspect of relevance

SPACE: the aspect of the concrete

HOPE: the aspect of imagination

VOID: the aspect of obsession

LIFE: the aspect of affluence

BREATH: the aspect of freedom

RAGE: the aspect of impulse

TIME: the aspect of opportunity

HEART: the aspect of identity

MIND: the aspect of skepticism

Hey, what about Prospit vs Derse?

Sure, that one's easy. I got a quiz for that here.

Where are Muse and Lord?

Nah. I don't think I can extrapolate the similarities of the class from a single example. The games of Sburb seems to only use Muse/Lord in the event of a two player game, as they don't appear naturally in any of the four other sessions we get to look at. So nope.

Hey this is a lot of information and I'm still struggling to decide my class/aspect.

I'll make a post outlining some similarities and delineations to help you out later.

Final Thoughts

This was a metric fuckton of work. I have struggled with a lot of other analyses of classpect, and every time I go to HS wiki and look at their page on in, I see red, because none of it makes sense! None of it has internal logic! This project has been me throwing out everything I've seen on the topic and trying to create something that makes sense.

If you enjoyed it and want to give me a tip, I have a ko-fi over here.

Thanks to everyone who tolerated me working on this project, especially my Whomstve server. If it were for all y'all going "GASP I'VE BEEN DOXXED" and "WHY IS THIS SO ACCURATE" I would've quit.

For the curious, the hardest class to nail down was Prince. Trying to fucking unify Dirk, Eridan, and Kurloz was a nightmare, but I actually am very happy with the final product. Though admitting that shit about myself wasn't fun.

The hardest class to write was, hilariously, Heart, for the same reason. Unifying the experiences of the characters was difficult.

I am a Prince of Heart, but my favorite class is Page. My favorite aspect is Blood.

[makwandis]

The teutonic order was incredibly fucked up and an evil genociding land stealing freak group, and committed horrific atrocities. I think if you make Gil a baltic and he isn't like outright a little child or something, I think making him forget the baltic stuff is....just strange. Why would he. Teutonics didn't suppress prussian culture fully nor successfully, nor did they really give a shit to. Prussian paganism was practiced among their ranks. Teutonic knights, particularly the prussian nobles who were baptised and then fought along side the knights and had their own groups within the order of the knights of speared warriors and such, did cremation, sooth saying, animal sacrifice etc. There was nearly a century of prussian peasant rebellions against the order, and then the century after that the order was just basically fighting the Lithuanians, who said they weren't Christian enough. The crusades only used Christianity as a justification for what they did, but many even at the time criticised this as it was obvious they didn't give a fuck about Christianity beyond the power using it gave them militarily and economically in the process of their land thieving.

If you want a sad story...it is a sad story. You could perhaps have a conflict where Prussia doesn't know if he stands with the prussian nobles or the prussian peasants. You can have him angry that his land has been stolen from under him and many forces in the baltic region wanted and assisted this in order to gain control of the valuable land he was on. You can have him fighting other balts for the changed interests of the prussian nobility. You can have him do many many things. I have him doing many many things. Cause it's like a period of 300 or so years, a lot happens and there were many internal struggles and a lot of politics going on.

And for me as an indigenous person, the story is similar to what happened to my people and what happened in the crusades ofc had lasting effects and gave the Catholic Church a lot of power and understanding in how to continue using Christianity as justification for horrific crimes and land theft. As the order left Prussia, the new frontier opened up in what is now Latin America. And it's similar stories. I think just having him get brain washed and then be enthusiastically killing other balts is lazy and weird...... colonialism doesn't work that way. You could say any tribe that tried to make things work for their people and allied with colonial powers, they were brain washed and happy to kill other tribes. But no man. It doesn't work that way. And leans into weird ideas about indigenous peoples struggles with colonialism.

If he's a German that's different lol. While I think giving a nation rep to the teutonic order is fucking weird haha they weren't a proper country and were a complete mishmash of culture and we don't really see any national identity or anything or whatever they were just a violent militaristic religious group who seized land (imagine giving a rep to other militaristic religious groups who seized land ya know??), it's also hetalia I am not pressed lol

Making him a balt who gets colonized I think requires a lot of sensitivity. And thought. If you wanna be accurate and sensitive to the material. You definitely don't have to be, free country or whatever. But if you want to be...it's not so cut and dry imo. The prussians may no longer exist but it's still a real story with present world effects, we are talking horrific genocide and land disposession and brutality, but it's more complicated than it seems.

[luvyanfei]

with a short & insecure s/o (hcs)

ft. xiao, kaeya, zhongli, & xingqiu requested by anon

this,,, this is me

xiao. 

he’s appalled when he finds out people actually tease you for your height. xiao has always known how terrible humans can be, but to think they would attempt to tear someone down, specifically his lover, just because they’re considered small irate him to no end. you might want to hold on to him tightly before he can storm off and declare war on the bullies who dared to torment you in any way. 

he honestly doesn’t care if you’re short or tall, ugly or pretty - your appearance isn’t what’s important here. he fell in love with you for what’s inside of you, don’t forget that, okay? xiao may not outright say all that because he’s embarrassed of showing his soft side to you, but if your insecurity gets the better of you, he’ll at least lend an ear to you as you rant to him while stargazing together. 

however, what xiao despises more than others treating you poorly is you belittling yourself. he has zero tolerance for that kind of attitude and will react quite aggressively, gripping you by the shoulders and shaking you. he can’t help himself. it hurts him deeply, dare he say more than a stab to his heart, seeing you wallowing in self-hatred. he’s harsh, but he means well. xiao would much rather see a content smile on your face than having you look disconsolate. 

“have you finally stopped your wailing yet?” xiao peers at your face drenched in tears in disinterest, but really, he’s pretty concerned on the inside. your sobs have been reduced to quiet sniffles, but your body won’t stop trembling. he looks away for a minute, sighs heavily, and pulls you into his arms, a blush coating his cheeks. 

he stays silent the whole time, too nervous to do anything really, as your palms press against his chest lightly and will yourself to calm down. xiao clears his throat and brings a finger down to brush away the glistening tears from your eyes. 

“look, just because you’re short, it doesn’t mean i don’t like you any less,” he whispers only for you to hear, and presses his lips to your forehead, letting it linger there for a few seconds. “even if you, or anybody else, don’t think you’re worthy enough, i at lease still care about you, so don’t let others’ opinions get to you.”

kaeya.

not to be blunt or anything, but kaeya being, well kaeya, he’s probably going to relentlessly tease you. he doesn’t do it because he harbors any ill-intent towards you. it’s just, kaeya is very fond of your flustered expression. if you happen to end up crying from his words, he’ll immediately stop and apologize guiltily. the last thing he needs is for you to abandon him too because of a fault on his end. 

kaeya really does love you a lot, despite your flaws and silently admires you for your empathy and altruism. one good thing about being shorter than your boyfriend is that you can wear his clothing on and he’ll be a gushing mess in no time. he’ll purposefully place his jacket somewhere for you to find in hopes you’ll put it on. he may be doing this just for the purpose of having fun, but he likes knowing that it means you're comfortable and accepting in your relationship with him. 

he likes patting you on the head when you pass by each other at random times, his lips curling in a knowing smirk. if you ever need help obtaining items that are out of your reach, kaeya will conveniently be there to lend a hand. it fuels his confidence how you always go to him for help instead of seeking support from someone who might be more reliable. it goes to show that your trust in him is deep. 

“having difficulties, [name]?” kaeya hollers to gain your attention as you look down from the ladder to glance at the knight, your hand outreached to grab at the material you need with failed attempts. “allow me to be of service~” 

he gestures for you to climb down and gets up the ladder himself, easily grasping the object in his fingers. once his feet has touched the ground, he lowers his hand to give it to you, but before your fingertips can make contact with it, he pulls it away from you. "ah ah ah~ shouldn’t i get some kind of a compensation for helping my dearest?” you stare at him in confusion before an idea plants itself in your head. ah. so that’s what he wants. with a roll of your eyes, you stride up the ladder till your eyes meet and kisses him on the lips. 

as you push your body away from him, he gives a closed-eye grin and nods in satisfaction. “that wasn’t too bad, now was it?” kaeya finally hands you the item, but he grips your free hand in his and guides it to press against his warm cheek. “you should realize by now what you’re capable of doing, stealing my heart like this. you’re so cruel [name], but perhaps that’s why i’ve grown to love you.” 

zhongli.

zhongli is an honest and good-natured man. he’ll immediately tell you that he doesn’t think to care about your height, so there’s no reason for you to worry about it either. he’s not an idiot though. he’s aware that your self-deprecating thoughts won’t disappear so easily with his consoling words alone. actions speak louder than words, after all. 

if anyone ends up insulting you for your size, zhongli won’t hesitate to politely stand up for you. although, if they stubbornly persist in demeaning you, it’ll push him to the brink of indignation, but he’ll still attempt to keep up a courteous manner for your sake as he calmly tells them to back off. like kaeya, he loves it when you wear his clothing! he’s lived for a long time to see many things, but witnessing you cuddling him while his jacket is draped snugly over your body has got to be the cutest thing he’s seen yet. 

ever the supportive individual, zhongli will help you come out of your shell and build up on your self-esteem. he’s there with you every step of the day, so if you ever slip and feel like you’re about to fall into an abyss of despair, he’ll take your out-stretched hands in his and guide you back into the light. 

“[name], is something the matter? you look as if you’re bothered by something.” zhongli questions innocently, studying your face carefully. your eyes droop slightly, but you reassure him that you were pondering how it would feel like if you were as tall as him. he nods in understanding and brings a hand up to his chin in thought. 

before you know it, he’s turned his back towards you and kneeled down. perplexed, you stare at him, unsure of what he’s doing. “you said you desired to know what it’s like to be around my height, so this is the only thing i can think of.” hesitantly, you place your hands on his shoulder blades to balance yourself and he makes sure to hold onto you tightly as he stands up slowly. you smile in appreciation at zhongli’s consideration over your feelings and presses your body closer to his. 

he beams back at you, sealing a kiss to your lips. “if you ever feel down, remember that there’s at least one person in the world that loves you - one of them being me, of course.” 

xingqiu.

he also reacts similar to kaeya, although his teasing is slightly toned down and less vocal. like, if you wanted to give him a kiss on the cheek, he might lean away from you and probably use a stool to make himself taller, but he’ll stop after a bit of fun and laughter. it’s not funny unless both of you are smiling, right?

he finds your short stature to be one of your charm points and will compliment you for that, calling you adorable and such. it’s kind of perfect for him because he likes being the big spoon, embracing you from behind and nuzzling his face against the back of your neck. if you’re around the same age as him, it’s alright! there’s still time for you to grow. he’s sure the both of you will be tall soon. there’s no judgement when you’re with him, so don’t be afraid of being yourself around xingqiu, alright? 

if he finds out your confidence is still lacking, he’ll scribble down a list of all the things he loves about you for you to read to lift your spirits up! although, that might prove to be a challenge considering his handwriting is infamously known for being illegible. 

“hmm... isn’t that the picture we took at liyue harbor together?” xingqiu observes the photo in your hand, reminiscing the fond memories. his honey irises flicker to you. “hey, what’s with the frown?” 

you shake your head and tries to change the subject, but he presses on to persuade you into explaining. when you finally do, he bursts into a fit of laughter, wiping away the tears pricking the edge of his eyes. “i apologize for my behavior, but [name], you shouldn’t have to concern yourself with such a trivial matter.” he tucks away a stray strand of your hair behind your ear, his index finger ghosting over your lips. 

“have i ever told you that you’re cute?” xingqiu murmurs, a sense of genuine compassion laced in his tone. “don’t stare at me like that, please. i’m quite serious, so there’s no need to compare yourself with me. no matter the height difference, i’ll always love you - if you’ll allow me too. 

tagging. @liliisacutieowo, @scarymoosh

[thatfoolsophie]

AHHHH i have many many thoughts, i’m going to pretend you asked me to collect all the ones i’ve voiced before!! in my (somewhat canon-divergent) fic i have loved the stars too fondly i had them get married impulsively after a teasing argument about which surname the flower shop carries:

They closed the shop early that day and married in the field of flowers. Martha brought a cake from Cesari’s and Lettie picked flowers for Sophie’s hair. Howl produced a pair of rings, which did not match and were both too big for Sophie’s fingers, but with a few words one shrank to fit. Afterwards, Michael earnestly told them that they had given the worst vows he had ever heard, which likely had to do with the way Howl had caught Sophie’s eye halfway through his and botched it entirely. Sophie was ludicrously happy.

then they marry again in wales to satisfy megan and return a book sophie accidentally stole from the library there:

Howl held the train of Sophie's wedding dress as she stepped off the bus in front of the library. They had snuck out the back ten minutes after the reception started, but Sophie figured she might as well return Advanced Quilting Patterns while they were in this world. "I love weddings," said Howl. "We should make a tradition of them. I think these were your best vows yet." She had forgotten what she was saying and started reciting the price list for flower arrangements at their shop. It was a cheap shot; Howl, after all, had been the one that drove them to the wrong chapel. "No, darling, don't go inside. Turn it in through the slot so they can't charge you for stealing it." "Next wedding and I'll bribe Martha to object to the union," said Sophie, dropping the book into the slot. "I think she would do it for free," Howl said cheerfully. "But I'll win her over yet." "I'm sure you will," said Sophie. "You can be rather charming, when one doesn't know better." "Mrs. Nose," he said, smiling, "that was almost romantic."

but for In Which Michael and Martha Seek a Stolen Castle, castle-in-the-air era martha mentions that sophie lived with howl for a few years before marrying him, which i think is fun because fanny would find it scandalous when really 50% of the reason for the delay would be arguments and miscommunication (of the chaotic, funny, and smitten variety)

that’s the route that In Which Lettie Makes Demands takes (i didn’t write this or any of the other fics i mention below but i do wholeheartedly recommend them!), a lettie-centric one-shot i adore that mentions that howl and sophie are living together as if they’re married

in Cleaning Lady, on the other hand, we have sophie propose very awkwardly to howl soon after the events of hmc--the awkwardness resulting from her having her usual trouble articulating her feelings about howl and howl smugly waiting until she says it as payback for her doing the same thing abt his previous attempts to imply he loves her without working up the courage to say it outright. it’s very in-character and cute!

It Takes Two To Tango, But First You Have To Learn The Steps puts a different and equally funny spin on it by having sophie get an invitation  addressed to ‘the Wizard Howl Pendragon and the presumptive Madame Pendragon’ and howl’s like, “i mean yeah since we’re engaged--” and sophie’s like “we’re WHAT??” and howl’s like “wait do you not want to??” and sophie’s like “yes but you didn’t ASK??” and howl’s like “FINE DO YOU WANT TO GET MARRIED” and she’s like “YES AND NOW YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO KISS ME”

in Second Time Lucky we see howl & sophie’s wedding part 2 electric boogaloo, where they already married in ingary but now have to get married in wales as well so it’s all in the clear. i like the idea of them having multiple weddings because they just can’t manage to sort out everything properly in one!

i could even see them having more than two--maybe they elope first and get married, then sophie’s family finds out and insists they have a proper wedding, and then they have a third wedding in wales and howl’s like “omg we’re on a roll want to get married in porthaven next?? what about kingsbury, i think the people there need to know too!“

as far as fics focused on weddings go, though, my favorite is A Certain Sort of Magic which has them getting married in ingary shortly after the events of hmc, but between odd ingarian wedding traditions, the struggle to keep howl’s attending family from realizing that they’ve been magicked to a different world, and sophie and howl’s nerves it becomes absolute chaos that resolves very sweetly!!

but moving away from fics, as i mentioned in this post i treasure the concept of howl wanting to marry sophie but he has to win the approval of martha and lettie first so he spends six months trying to bribe two shameless teenage girls while sophie refuses to intercede

and this headcanon is more about surnames but as an alternative to a welsh wedding or megan’s family coming to ingary, “next time he’s in wales, howl tells megan that he’s marrying a woman named sophie pendragon and he’s taking her last name, and then it’s settled in both worlds”!

guys can we start a howl and sophie wedding brainstorming session bc i am patiently waiting for my copy of cita and somewhere in between that and hmc they got married. what was it like?? did he bring her back to wales??? how did he propose??? or how did SHE i guess????? I NEED THE DETAILS RAHHH

WHAT IS THE IDEA HERE GUYS

[wellfine]

hey, I love fanfic, big props to everyone who writes it, but uhh... fanfic authors, please know that not everything exists on the Internet to be fodder for your writing

I have had multiple uncomfortable experiences of people either implying or outright stating that they wanted to/planned to take the concepts I explored in my art or my comics and reuse them for fics. not as in they were inspired by me, or that they were going to ask me to collab with them, but just... “I am going to take this idea and turn it into a fic”

That’s. That’s plagiarism? and you shouldn’t do it lmao?

I know the line between being inspired by another person’s content and straight up just reproducing it in written form can be a fine one, and you may ask “but how can you tell if something is inspired by someone else’s work?” and to that I say, well, the AUTHOR knows, lmao. if you KNOW you have been inspired by someone’s fanart, fan designs, or especially fan-comics, then the LEAST you can do is credit that someone, and what you really SHOULD be doing is asking them permission first. And accepting it if they say no, because, again, creators don’t share their content with you just to serve as your next story idea.

Like, if I took your fanfiction and turned it into fanart or a comic without asking you, and oftentimes without even crediting you, just presenting it as something “inspired by some story I read”... that would be stealing. And you could rightfully be pissed off with me (whether you personally think you would be or not), even though the medium/genre has changed. Because it’s still your idea that I took from you without any acknowledgment.

If I wanted something to be a written story then I would write it that way. Comics in particular take a lot of work, and are... I mean, they’re already a written work. Just because I’ve executed an idea in a different medium doesn’t mean it’s free real estate for you to reproduce and present as if it were your own idea, your own baby.

Again, the line here is very blurry, and I’m not saying you’re never allowed to spring-board off of someone else’s fan-content to create something several degrees removed just because they share one common idea. Everyone borrows from someone, and I don’t think anything I’ve ever made has been unique. But what I am talking about here is the sentiment of “this very specific, intricate concept is now Mine” that reproduces my work so closely it’s basically a transcription, not its own work, or even a transformative work.

I’ll also say that I HAVE had people reach out to me to say they’ve written things based on/inspired by my work, and asked if they could share it, and each time I’ve said yes! And I love reading those things!! But a big part of it is that they acknowledged they were taking something from me, and that my content wasn’t just free for them to pick over and use for themselves. It became sharing instead of stealing, which I wish I saw more of, instead of tags/reblogs/replies saying “I’m totally using this for my next fic!” as if the idea just fell out of the sky from some prompt generator and into their lap and wasn’t, you know, a concept someone already put their time and feeling and work into.

Anyway. Love fics. Love to stay up til 3 AM on my phone reading them when I should be sleeping as much as the next guy. And I have nothing but respect for the amount of work, skill, and effort that goes into them. But I wouldn’t steal from you, so please don’t steal from me just because we both choose to communicate our ideas through different mediums. Please!!!!!

[nowis-scales]

Hey Koto!

For the Awakening Ask Game, how about 7, 30 and... rolls random rumber

...16?

This post is in regards to this ask set.

I took forever to answer this, I’m sorry I blame my education stealing all my free time in November

7. “What stuck with you after finishing this game?”

There is no way of saying this without making myself sound corny as hell, but what stuck with me after enjoying Awakening was that it was just dripping with love. I’ve heard people call it “lazy” in the past, and while I won’t lie and say it’s always elegant, I think conveying that they didn’t care about the game is just plain ignorant. I find it incredibly easy to tell when a work has been loved, and the people who made Awakening loved what they were working on. It’s honestly part of the reason why I think it can get away with some of the things it does with less elegance. For example, some aren’t so fond of its three-act structure. Personally, I actually found I quite liked it, because it gave a sense of really being involved with the world. The conflicts were unique, but still managed to build off each other, as did the characters that we met as we moved further through the story. They don’t just do away with Plegia the first time you’re done with them and just bring them back later; they keep a hold on them the whole time around to keep the threads pulled together. Chrom and Robin’s relationship is another great example of this because it never has to deteriorate for the sake of a plot point. Hell, Robin and Lucina’s relationship never loses anything for the sake of a plot point, either. Even when Chrom’s demise seems as if it’s written in the stars, they never give up on each other. The importance of those relationships carries throughout the game.

I think that the fact that it’s the entire game that’s loved is something that really sticks with me, too. The three games that succeeded it are all games I love, but their deepest passions don’t necessarily attach to the story equally. Fates, Echoes, and Three Houses each rather obviously proclaim a special love for a particular character or place, for example. While I won’t deny that Awakening is more so biased towards Ylisse, it can be easily seen as more of a perspective issue. We really aren’t let in on Valm or Plegia that much beyond the conflict, but I think that’s purposeful. The game wants you to think for yourself about what Chrom’s doing and how this influences the places around him, rather than just dismissing everything he does as right because he’s the hero. After all, his flaws are very front and centre, and Gangrel and Walhart both get dialogue with him confronting his perspective.

Compared to all of the dialogue surrounding Three Houses where we act like there’s more moral greyness than there is to conform to bias, Awakening is much more pleasant. I actually like the idea of Chrom being permitted to not always be in the right in regards to moral conflict, but I think it’s good for us to have to think about it for ourselves. The story doesn’t attempt to send mixed messages about who’s right based on who they think will be the most marketable. They could just tell their story and let things progress from there. Yes, Chrom is right to be angry that Plegia is trying to steal the Emblem and killed Emmeryn. Yes, Plegia is right to be angry about Chrom’s father’s crusades, and about him offering little connecting support after taking out Gangrel (Hoshido and Nohr, per the end of BR/CQ, show even less animosity than this, and they have thousands of years of feuds). The game isn’t outright hammering you over the head with whatever the characters themselves might want you to think, but they are presenting it as is for you to form the idea. In essence, we know that Chrom is a good guy, but he can still be a good guy who does some bad things. 

That’s not all I have to say, of course, but those are just a few things that I love about it. It’s by no means a perfect game, but so much of Awakening seems to have been done just for the love of it, and that’s a power that should not be underestimated.

30. “Freebie! Talk about anything Awakening-related that's on your mind🔮”

There are not really characters in Awakening that I actually dislike, which I would consider a win, but there are a larger handful that I am just… indifferent to, I guess? I try to be a very positive person, so if I had to sway either way I would probably say that I like them, but I must admit… some of them just don’t speak to me? It’s probably not the most profound of thoughts, but my indifference to them always makes me surprised because others aren’t.

Take Cherche for example. I don’t inherently dislike Cherche — she’s pretty, she’s a good unit (as far as my casual derrière knows), and her personality is nice as far as I know. She just… doesn’t quite speak to me! It could be just from my own indifference, but I did not find her to be intriguing enough for me to want to learn more. She felt quite attached to Virion at first, and I didn’t really feel like I got much from her to lure me in to make me want more. It’s a similar case with Virion as well, and even Miriel, too. I know it’s definitely a product of the game only having so much time to focus on certain characters and wanting to devote energy to the ones that matter to the story, but I find that the lures we are given to try and attach us to them don’t always work for me. For some, like Virion, it’s a nuisance to unlock their support conversations because he’s practically made of a single stick of spaghetti, and for others it’s just not feeling like you would get the most of your efforts. None of these characters are bad by any means, but I always do wonder... what is it about them that attracts other people to them? Is there a way for me to get some of that flavour?

After all, as I said, I don’t actually dislike anyone in Awakening’s playable cast. I would love the opportunity to find a place in my heart for characters like Cherche, Virion, and Miriel. I just don’t quite know how to do that yet.

16. “Favorite platonic relationship?”

You see, the problem with me is that I’m one of those people who is usually concerned with character dynamics first and foremost. If I ship something, I usually like their platonic relationship first, and then it becomes a struggle for me to think of ones I like purely platonically because... well, they can be good in so many iterations! It’s a problem. Seriously. Chrom and Robin? Maribelle and Lissa? Nowi and Ricken? Cordelia and Sumia? The characters are just a little too shippable in Awakening, and that’s a problem. 

In the interest of fairness, I think one I could say that I truly do like as non-romantic is Inigo and Owain. The fact that their support conversation can just be described as “two losers arguing over who the biggest loser is” is hilarious, but I like that you can see the genuineness in their interactions as well. At first Inigo cements himself as a bit of a bully, but it turns out to be part of his own vain attempt to be cool. After all, by the end of the support conversation, he’s agreed that named weapons do really move cooler, that Owain’s personal skill (game-style) would be useful, and that his categorization system for weapon names is actually kind of fun. You kind of get the sense of their relationship being a mutual, “he’s an idiot but he’s my idiot” kind of thing, and I really like that. The fact that we get to see even more of that in Fates is great, too!