#also she reminds me of Crystal in a lot of ways both in and out of drag | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

sluttsumu · 2 years ago

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˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆ CASE OF THE EX

ೃ࿐ feat. gojo satoru

in which: you run into your ex husband just when he realizes he needs you back.

contains: nsfw, smut, exhusband!gojo, dubcon, infidelity, intoxicated sex (alcohol), breeding, gojo calls reader wifey, exhibitionism if you squint. wc: 1.3k

ೃ࿐ ki’s note: this was supposedly to be a drabble and ended up being way longer than expected. i’m also trying out a diff writing style lmk whatcha think!

it’s freezing, as it normally is in december, but this was a different type of cold.

the standing on your ex husband’s porch, four glasses of wine deep, kind of cold. you’ve been standing outside for borderline five minutes, but you know he’s home.

“satoru..” the door creaks open to a very tipsy gojo standing on the other side. he’s quick to pull you in without another word because, “it’s freezing, why are you here this late?”

locking the door behind you he winces, rubbing his eyes trying to remember what day of the week it is. “is it my weekend to have her?”

her being your daughter, satoru’s beloved angel — the only other girl he’s ever loved besides you.

loved. past tense.

he swears he’s still inlove with you but you never believed it. you hated gojo satoru, but that’s just what you wanted yourself to think. he’s been trying to break down this wall of resentment for months, after all it’s been almost a year since you two split.

“she’s at your mothers house, i dropped her off last night.”

gojo could breathe easy knowing his daughter isn’t here, he didn’t want her to him like this; drunk, that is.

you watched as he disappears into the kitchen, taking your coat and shoes off, leaving them in familiar places.

you don’t why you’re here, back in this house, with him. it’s almost as if you were on autopilot directing yourself to a common place with no intention just…there.

he comes back with a bottle in one hand and two crystal glasses in the other, staring blankly before asking again, “why are you here?”

the silence was loud enough, it was actually the most you two have spoken in the past year.

—

“do you miss me?” smirking with the tilt of his head he rests his head in his palm, eyes flickering between you and the full shot in front of you. the two of you playing a variation of truth or drink.

“satoru…don’t do this to me.” you face palm.

“i know you do, but if your ego is too big to admit it then take it.” slender fingers slide the glass your way, you could see your reflection in the liquid, and god, you look guilty.

speaking of looks, if they could kill you’d be a dead woman. the way he looks back at you across the table reminds you of all of the reasons you crave gojo satoru.

you took the shot, quickly too. it burned going down almost lighting your body on fire in a self-sabotaging way. he found pleasure in watching you not admitting the blatant fact.

“you deny it but it’s true,” standing, he downs the contents of his glass mid-sentence, making you both somewhat even in intoxication.

the ‘clink’ of him setting his glass down next to yours echos as he’s now moved from sitting across to standing in front of you.

“ ‘m sure there a lot you miss about me, hmm?” his hands slide between your hair and skin, four out of five digits resting on the nape of your neck, his thumbs brushing against your cheek.

from gojo’s pov he couldn’t have you in a better place, literally in the palm of his hand. as crazy as it sounds he had to do this, he loves you, and love makes you do some…not nice things.

to be fair, manipulation and persuasion are not the same to him. he never told you to come over, but then again he could’ve called you an uber and sent you back home…that would’ve been the ‘right’ thing to do.

unfortunately for you everything that comes to mind in the head of gojo satoru is right.

you nod shyly, listening to each saccharine word that leaves his lips.

“c’mon wifey, it’s been so long” the nickname filled your chest, heavy. suddenly it was impossible to move from where you sat. “i’m seeing someone..” a hand, on his chest as a half-assed attempt to defy him.

—

“s-satoru!” you sound so cute under him, clawing at his sheets. that little confession did something to him, made him want to punish you in the most primal way.

seeing someone? oh that’s not happening, not as long as he’s breathing will you ever be with another man. you’ll always be his pretty, little, obedient wife, who spreads her legs for him any time he pleases.

after all you’re still legally married. gojo refused to sign the divorce papers you sent him and eventually you stopped trying.

you could feel a vibrating pulse within the sheets, it was your phone ringing at a time like this.

“hello?” he answers the phone mid-fuck. “oh well if it isn’t your little boyfriend? i’m in the middle of fucking your girl silly, clearly you haven’t been doing it right..”

his pace increases to a gruelling speed, each thrust clapping against your ass, and it was fucking loud. “fuck! satoru please—! hang uuuuuup.” your begging only fuelled the fire, you needed to know who you belong to and so did your boy toy on the other line.

gojo can’t help but chuckle pridefully, watching you impaled on his cock, but he needed to hear it. no, the sounds of you practically crying while he fucked you wasn’t enough. he wants to hear you beg for him, praise him even. like a god.

“let him hear it wifey ♡︎” he frees a hand by placing the phone next to your head.

“tell him how much,” thrust. “you need your husband’s cock.” thrust. “i fuck so much better than him don’t i ?” thrust. “awe.. you cryin’?”

“need it—! want it satoru! you’re so— hahh! —good!” he was made to torture you like this, fucking you dumb into his mattress while making you spew naughty things for him.

you could feel his speed getting aggressive. beads of sweat falling down his toned tummy to his v-line, the two of you making a sticky mess from being skin to skin. you couldn’t think, mind hazy and full of him.

“fuuuuuck, how about i stuff you full? maybe i should give you another baby, ‘nother reason to be attached to me.” the hypnosis in his voice casts you further under his spell as he grunts sweet nothings into you ear while he pounded your pussy.

“love it,” you growl into his pillows. “i love you satoru! cumming…i’m cumming, please let me cum��” you could only focus on the high washing over your body as your legs begin trembling, muscles spazzing at your arousal tipping over the edge.

your desperation is music to his ears, his lust turning uncontrollable as he assaults your cunt fucking you hard, and deep. at this rate he’ll get you pregnant.

“cum for me, cum with me— shit!” he drawls, gritted through his teeth, bottoming out in his favourite fucking pussy. this feeling will never get old, fucking you will never not be his favourite pastime.

meanwhile the overstimulation teasing your cunt made you that much wetter, and tighter for him. you couldn’t take it anymore, you need it — need his seed sopping out of you. you didn’t even care about your boyfriend who was still listening to this live porn. gojo’s rewired that wondering brain of yours. back to him, in this house, on his bed, fucking his cock.

you might just even take him back.

his pleasure builds as he pumps into your cunt a few more times, before emptying inside of you. you could feel it, cunt full of him. his body collapses on top of yours, fingers intertwining on your hands while you both catch your breath.

“she’s not coming home.” the line cuts.

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evelyn-is-eccedentesiasts · 2 months ago

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Ninjago Characters (Grief)

In this post, I'll discuss how the Ninjas handle grief as seen in the show. Using mainly the Season 4 Tournament of Elements as an example. Crystalize and Hunted are mentioned for both Zane and Nya.

Kai

Kai's, in my opinion, is the most obvious. He's physically fighting his grief. He's also showing some self-destructive tendencies. A fighting ring isn't the safest, and he's also consuming a lot of "juice," which I think we all know was actually an alcoholic beverage. Not only that, but Kai makes the distinction of distancing himself from his old image as a Ninja. By insisting he is the Red Shogun, he even surrounds himself with people he normally would be allied against. He's also literally says it should have been him to die instead of Zane.

Cole

Cole's is the most interesting because of the way he handled his grief about Zane. It is similar to how he handled it when his Mother passed. He retreated into nature. I view it as more of him trying to distance himself from his grief. Even more so, also trying to distance himself from another thing that drew him closer to Zane. His elemental powers. He's actively putting a physical barrier between himself and his powers by putting himself in a tree. Unlike how he handled his mother's death. Where he sought out the element his mother was known for, by rock climbing. In both, Cole is shown to still be avoidant of his grief and feelings. Which is interesting because Cole's father also is shown to avoid his own grief, as Cole stated. That he would throw himself into singing and dancing after his wife died.

Jay

Jay is distracting himself from his grief. I also think he's doing his best to make the most of his feelings. By running and promoting a Game Show that represents the Ninja's Ideals. He's actively shown to still use his powers, yet only for show business. He's also shown to be the most sentimental out of the Ninja. He kept a framed photo by his vanity table after all. I find it interesting that Jay, while not entirely comfortable with his grief. It is still out of the others, more capable of sitting down, and besides, a reminder of it. I lean more toward the fact that he can do this more than the others. Because he had an emotional support system growing up. Especially in his formative years. Something Kai and Cole didn't.

Lloyd

Lloyd seems to have accepted his grief and even made some sort of peace with it. While also doing his best to continue on the path Zane supported when alive. Such as wanting to continue his work as a ninja and wanting to continue the team. And as sad as it sounds, I think this is because Lloyd is familiar with the feeling of grief. With the fact that his father was missing from his life. And when he was in it, he would routinely leave and or distance himself from his son. So it would be familiar to grieve someone in some way, and he's probably learned how to manage it.

Pixal

Pixal is shown trying to try and reconnect and look for a solution to her grief. She seems to lean more toward wanting to fix the issue at hand and working toward solution. Overall seems to be somewhat able to handle her grief well enough. She doesn't let it set her back if there is a way to fix it. (We Love Women in STEM)

Spoilers for The Hunted and Seasons After

Nya

Nya's grief is shown in the Hunted when it is believed that the other ninja have died. She is shown to be focused on what they can do to better their situation. Seems to be more devoted to a cause. She gives her pain meaning. Which kind of reminds me a little bit of Kai's way he handles grief.

Zane

Zane's grief is really highlighted in the first few episodes of Crystalized. It is revealed that he chose to shut off his emotions to improve his productivity. Because his grief was keeping him from finishing or starting tasks. Which is interesting because it shows in depth what Zane would actually do with his grief. He would be paralyzed. When given the chance, he takes desperate measures to not process or feel his intense feelings. Which is really sad when you remember this was also his father's solution, for Zane's grief the first time around.

I like that it shows that everyone handles grief differently, and while there are better ways than others. It shows that Grief is a very powerful emotion.

#ninjago #lego ninjago #ninjago fandom #kai smith #lloyd garmadon #cole brookstone #jay walker #dealing with grief #zane julien #ninjago zane #ninjago cole #kai ninjago #ninjago lloyd #ninjago nya #nya smith #pixal borg #ninjago pixal #character description

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galadrieljones · 6 months ago

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Possession (Rook x Emmrich)

❤️ Dragon Age | Emmrook | Solavellan | one-shot | Mature ❤️

word count: 7,460 Summary: In the Lighthouse, Rook and Emmrich hunt through some of Solas's old records from his time with the Inquisition. What they find brings them closer together, as they embark on a romantic scavenger hunt through memories of the past.

Read here, or at AO3 💫

Possession

JOLENE MERCAR, also known as Rook, was stalemated outside the door of a certain generous and compassionate necromancer. It was late at night. Though time seemed to pass strangely here in the Fade, whenever she was inside the Lighthouse, she could always sort of tell what part of the day it was. Like an enchantment, or an illusion. She knocked on the door.

Emmrich answered. He was very tall, and when he saw her in all of her tiny elven glory, he smiled. He was genuinely surprised to see her, but seemingly very pleased. "Rook," he said. "What a nice surprise."

"Hello, Emmrich," she said, feeling a little stupid. She had her hands behind her back, rocking back on her heels as she spoke. "I was just...popping by. I discovered something, here in the Lighthouse, a hidden room. It belonged to Solas. It's filled with a bunch of notebooks. Diaries and things. Records, lots of them dated back to when he was in the Inquisition. I was going to go through them on my own, see if we could learn anything, but I suddenly felt the urge for company. I thought you might find it all interesting, as an expert on the Fade. You know, like he is."

Emmrich considered. Rook had long, dark hair, which she sometimes wore in a loose braid over her shoulder, but that night, it just fell to the small of her back, like a curtain. Her eyes were light as candles, and he liked her. Something about her forward nature truly intrigued him, and though he did not entirely understand what she might see in him, she came by often, looking for wisdom. She was young, and he could tell that she felt...out of place in all this. In any case, she had never come to him so late at night before. This was new. The promise of what lie ahead, it was very tempting, despite his prevailing sense of discipline and stoicism. He said to her, "I believe I would find that interesting. Thank you, Rook, for thinking of me. Please, come in. Just let me grab some things, and let's be on our way."

As she stood there, demurely, taking stock of Emmrich's vast and detailed inventory, the books and the skulls and the bizarre crystals, she felt excited, happy for the first time since all this began. It was a pretty picture, this place, so strange and haunted, and yet the whimsy, it was like wrapping herself in a warm scarf. Rook was not a mage, and she had not grown up with such displays of magical possibility. Magic was utilitarian where she was from, or else it was devious. But Emmrich, in all of his sparkling oddity, could make even the littlest, most mundane things feel new and awake. Rook often tried to remind herself that, no matter how bad things get, it's the little things in life that truly set you free.

In the music room, Emmrich was delighted by the presence of a piano in the Lighthouse. He honed through a couple of chords, but it sounded like the gloomier depths of the Necropolis. "It's woefully out of tune," he said. "I can come back in the morning, perhaps, make it sing once more."

"You play the piano?" said Rook, feeling wistful. She had picked the lid up off a wooden box, which she had stacked earlier near the high window. Light seemed to flood in, even though it was after ten.

"My skills are a bit lapsed," said Emmrich. "But I trained for many years in my youth. Music is a language all its own. I've found that certain spirits communicate more readily through the wonders of melody."

"Perhaps that's why Solas plays?"

He smiled. "Perhaps."

Rook sat down on a dusty old hope chest. It seemed made of both wood and gold at the same time, and this weirdness with textiles was something that Solas seemed drawn to. Metals that looked like wood, woods that looked like metal. She watched the little particles floating around in the bars of light from the window as she gathered a stack of leather bound notebooks. There were many books and records and things that looked sort of official, like things you might need at some sort of tribunal, but these ones were filled, front to back with what seemed like poetry, math, journal entries, all in Solas's handwriting. It was elegant but rushed. "Some of these notebooks are just filled with what look like complicated arithmetic."

"May I?" said Emmrich. He pulled up the bench from the piano, sat beside Rook at the window. Rook handed him a notebook. He studied the markings, which were strange, but some oddly familiar. "As the maker of the Veil, it would make sense for Solas to be adept at theoretical and applied physics. Some of these formulas are familiar to me and my studies. Others are...well. They are like nothing I've ever seen before."

"He doodles a lot. See?" She showed him the pages of another notebook. This one was more of a sketchbook, she gathered. There were a great many drawings. Mostly faces and animals, sketched out in pencil, loose with an absentminded touch. "This one is cute. Look. A nug."

"That is very amusing."

"If we don't find anything good here, we can always go back to the office," she said. "It's through the door, but it's sort of gloomy. I just brought some of the boxes out here so that we could sit in the light."

"Yes, the light," said Emmrich, studying the windows. "I wonder if the enchantment lives inside, outside, or in the glass itself?"

"In any case, it's pretty," said Rook.

"I agree."

She showed him another sketch, this one more detailed than the others. "Look at this one. Do you recognize this place?"

It was a castle, or a fortress, misty, and planted deep in a glorious mountain scape. Emmrich studied it closely. He did recognize it, but he was having a difficult time placing it in his memory. "It says right here, Terasylan'Telas. Do you speak elven, Rook?"

"Nope," she said. "My knowledge ends at Andaran Atishan. Mostly."

"Hmm. You know, now that I think of it, I believe this might be Skyhold," he said.

"Skyhold?"

"The legendary fortress of the Inquisition. It's located somewhere in the Frostback Mountain range, which forms the natural border between the southern Kingdoms of Ferelden and Orlais."

"Ferelden and Orlais," said Rook. "Geez. That's far. Have you ever been?"

"Never," he said. "Until I met you, I never once left Nevarra. Now, here I am, living in an ancient elven sanctuary in the Fade. Such intrigue you bring to my life, Rook."

She blushed a little, or perhaps it was just a trick of the light. "He seems attached to this place," said Rook, turning the pages of the notebook, slowly. There were several more sketches of the castle, from multiple angles, the insides and outsides. "He seems to know it well."

"Who is this?" said Emmrich. He pointed to a figure, sketched out in the doorway to what appeared to be some sort of rotunda. The form was female, somewhat tall, created with great care, but it was unfinished.

"Who knows," said Rook. "A mystery woman? After this, it's just tons and tons of butterfly sketches. All kinds of them. Guess he's a fan of bugs."

"Let's delegate a little," he said. "Hand me one of those notebooks, if you please."

She obliged. He straightened up and opened the notebook in his lap. "You continue with the sketchbook, and I will investigate this here."

"What is that one?"

"It looks to be some sort of diary," said Emmrich. "Entries, with dates from twelve years back. I'll let you know if I find anything of interest."

"Same here."

They sat for a while, reading. At some point, Rook got antsy and scooched off the hope chest to sit on the floor. She flipped through the pages of the sketchbook, taken with the minute and lovely details of Solas's drawings. After the butterflies, the pages began to fill with the shapes of people, actual people with detailed, unique faces and expressions, which led Rook to believe that they were real. His friends, perhaps? There was a study of a young man with an enormous hat, a tall elven woman with short hair eating a cookie, a human shield maiden reading a book beneath a tree, and a great, Qunari warrior playing chess. At some point, she came across somebody familiar, but the hair had changed. She recognized him from Minrathous. It was Dorian Pavus, holding a skull near a candle. This awakened something strange inside her, like an eclipse. Late in the book, there was a sketch of Varric, situated from the side. He was holding a flagon, sitting in a tavern somewhere, and he looked pensive. Rook almost said something to Emmrich about it, but she kept it inside. She wasn't sure why. It just felt like opening a can of big, fat worms, which she wasn't ready to open yet.

But then. "Very interesting," said Emmrich. "Very interesting indeed."

"Did you find something?"

"I'm not entirely sure," said Emmrich. "There's a fair bit of elven in here, which I do not understand. But not all of it. This, here, it is written mostly in the common language. It appears to be a prose poem? A ballad of some sort."

"What's it about?"

"Well, as it is a ballad, which means it is about love."

"A love poem? By the Dread Wolf?"

"Come here, Rook. Have a look at this."

She got up from the hardwood floor and went and sat down next to Emmrich on the piano bench. He was big beside her, and she was temporarily taken by his scent. Like rosemary, subtle. His clothing was simple tonight, she thought, unadorned. Just a cream collared shirt, seemed made of cotton, very soft, well-tailored, and expensive. He opened the notebook between them, so that she could follow along. "Listen," he said. He pointed to the page in question and read aloud, solemnly and with great care. As he spoke, with such a soft gravitas, the world around her seemed to change:

Light gathers on the sea, where we sit on the pier. It approaches and folds beside you like an envelope. I do not know how it folds, but it seems to anyway. It disregards me entirely. On this day in Val Royeaux, as we watch the seamen mooring their ships, you whisper, "What is that, vhenan?" You speak of a white bird, which has landed on a barrel. "Some sort of egret," I say. I can tell that you already knew that. You just like to ask questions, and you think it's funny. The word "egret," you say, sounds funny in my mouth. The light finds you here. It finds your eyes here. It disregards me entirely, The light. I could not have made it any more beautiful myself. It has a mind of its own as it touches you. And you find me, ara avise'ain.

The room was silent, but for the tense ticking of a clock somewhere.

"What a wonderful, if not monumental relic," said Emmrich, his heart stayed. "I am taken aback by this. I should like to read it again and again. What do you think, Rook?"

Rook shook herself out of a deep but ethereal trance then. It felt like something was wrong with her. She realized right then that she had leaned in a little close, the whole time he'd been reading. Her cheek, it brushed against the soft fabric at his shoulder. He did not seem bothered. He seemed very comfortable there beside her.

"I think..." she said, trailing off. "I think...it's just...so erotic."

This seemed to intrigue him greatly. "Erotic?" he said. "Quite the interpretation, Rook. You speak of his use of light, perhaps?"

"Yeah," she said. "How it's always folding and...touching the water, touching her. The mention, too, of the word egret, and how it sounds in his mouth. It just calls to mind their...intimacy. Something was going on here."

"Very good," said Emmrich. "I do agree. It seems that perhaps the Dread Wolf may have taken a secret lover during his time with Inquisition."

"Perhaps the woman that he drew? The one in the doorway of the rotunda?"

"Perhaps."

"Ara avise'ain," she said. "Are there any other uses of this word?"

"Hmm," said Emmrich. He flipped forward a few pages. There was a great deal of elven here. It was sort of like fishing for diamonds through a deft and elegant swamp. But he caught on something, quickly, then studied. He gave her the notebook. "Here. Read this, Rook."

She stared at the poem. She tried to concentrate, but then, she felt him nudge her gently in the shoulder with his own.

She sort of jumped. "What's wrong?"

"Read it aloud, if you please," he said, softly. "I'd like to hear it in your voice. It is so much more meaningful that way."

"Oh," she said. "Sure. Here goes." She cleared her throat.

I knocked, wondering if you had forgotten. You had not. You were braiding your hair. You said, "I was worried." Vhenan, who worries. Sometimes I feel like a star, which has already died. You say to me, "Sleep here." You invite me inside. Where it is safe. A nest. Maybe here? You bring me in with both hands. I take off your dress. Why can't I go home, avise'ain? Where the candles flicker to death, withholding, and there are only teeth.

"Shit," said Rook.

"I echo the sentiment," said Emmrich.

"This is really...wow. I wasn't expecting this," she said. "Only teeth? Fuck."

"I am concerned about the metaphor," said Emmrich. "It does not bode well for the Dread Wolf."

"I wish I knew what that word meant," she said. " Avise'ain. I know what vhenan means. It's like, an elven term of endearment. It means my heart. Or something."

"I wonder if, perhaps, Bellara, or Davrin could help us with the elven."

"That's a good idea," she said. "But Bellara's asleep. She was up late last night, tweaking the eluvian. Told me she wanted to turn in early."

"Then Davrin it is," said Emmrich. They set off.

When they found Davrin, he was lying flat on his back, on the hardwood floor, staring up at the ceiling while Assan, confused, licked his palm.

"Davrin?"

"Hello, Rook."

"What the hell are you doing on the floor?"

He turned his head to see them. They stood just inside the entryway. There were stacks of old books on the table, the wooden carvings lined up. Davrin kept a very nice space. He was neat and discerning, but he was not a minimalist.

"Emmrich?" he said. It was like a light turning on. "Wait. Is everything okay?"

"Everything is just fine," reassured Emmrich. "But, we are wondering the same of you. Are you often taken with lying on the floor, Davrin?"

"Not at all," said Davrin. He got to his feet, slowly, like he was drunk. He wasn't drunk. He was just...exhausted? "Assan won't sleep. I thought, maybe if I lie here on the floor, he'd doze off next to me. But. No dice."

"Aw, poor Assan," said Rook, patting the sweet creature on his feathered head.

"Poor Assan?" said Davrin. "How about poor me?"

"Poor you," said Rook.

He smiled. Assan squawked. "What are you guys doing here? Isn't it kind of late?"

"A little," said Rook.

"We require your assistance with the elven language. How are you with translation, Davrin?"

"Pretty good," he said. "What's going on?"

"We found some of Solas's old records, in a secret room, next to the library," Emmrich continued. "They are from his time with the Inquisition. It's quite interesting. A good deal of it is written in elven, however, and neither Rook nor I speak the language."

"Solas is an ancient elf," said Davrin. "I never really learned that dialect. I know a little, but it's rare."

"Can you try?" said Rook.

Davrin sighed. He scratched at the back of his head and then plopped down into the armchair by the fire. "Have a seat," he said. "Let me see."

Emmrich handed Davrin the open notebook, the one with the poetry, and then he and Rook sat down on the floor, like children. Assan watched the whole interaction, rapt and wide awake as Davrin took to studying the elven.

"These poems here are written in the common tongue," said Emmrich. "But there is an elven word used multiple times. Avise'ain. It perplexes us."

"Can you tell us what it means?" said Rook.

"Holy shit," said Davrin, reading the poem about the pier, and the egret. He read it multiple times. Then he looked at Rook, his face screwed up like he'd seen a ghost. "Do you know who he wrote this for?"

"No, we don't," said Rook.

He made a low whistle. "This shit is deep."

"What does it mean?" said Rook, urging him back to the task at hand. " Avise'ain?"

"Right," said Davrin. "Well, this word isn't something I've seen before. But it's not ancient elven. It's contemporary. See this? The suffix, -ain , is a diminutive. It means little, or petite. Avise is a form of the word ise, which means fire. Avise means flame. Avise'ain means—"

"Little flame," said Rook. "Like, a pet name maybe?"

"That's exactly what it is," said Davrin. "And see this here? Here, he uses the possessive, ara, which means my. My little flame. Whoever this was, they were definitely...well, I think you know."

"I believe the correct term is intimate, Davrin. No need to be coy."

Davrin almost started laughing. "Touche. Does seem a little strange though, speculating about the sex life of an ancient elven god."

"Solas didn't present himself as a god to the Inquisition," said Rook. "He didn't even tell them he was an ancient elf. According to Varric, he just presented as an apostate. He said he was a fade mage, same as you, Emmrich."

"That inspires my curiosity, to be sure," he said.

Davrin flipped through the book some more, studying the handwriting. "All this other stuff is ancient," said Davrin. "Except for this one word, avise'ain, which is in common elven. Why?"

"Perhaps the woman to whom he assigned his pet name is not an ancient elf," said Emmrich. "If she doesn't speak the dialect, it would make little sense for him to use it."

"So she's a regular elf? Or...a new elf? Like me and Davrin?" said Rook.

"Yes, and it's also likely that she speaks the common dialect."

"So, she's Dalish," said Davrin.

"Are you sure you can't read any of this other stuff?" said Rook. "These poems and entries. You can't read the ancient elven? Even a little?"

Davrin squinted at the pages in deep concentration, which seemed to lure Assan closer to his side. He sidled up to Davrin's chair and placed his head in his lap. Davrin stroked the beast's neck absentmindedly, a darling display. "Hmm," he said.

"Hmm?" said Rook.

"I can't translate this word for word," he said. "That's for sure. I just don't know the vocabulary. But elven, it's more than just a language. It's like a feeling. If you're an elf, that is. Especially this old stuff. Shit, it's a little like music. Rook, even though you don't know how to speak it, I bet if you read this, and you focused really hard, like really hard, you would understand what I'm talking about."

"What exactly are you talking about?"

"You can sense the story," he said. "Solas, in his words, is telling a story. I can see it in my mind's eye, like...ancestral memory."

"I don't know how I feel about sharing ancestral memories with Solas," said Rook.

"Well, I think we do. Whether we like it or not." He handed her the book. "Here. Just take a look."

She looked at Davrin, a little apprehensive. She had never been very elfy. Sort of like self-preservation in Tevinter. In fact, in her quotidian life, before all this, it was typical for her to simply forget what she was half the time. When it struck her, and she remembered, it was always in these horrible moments of existential unease. On the street corners. On the docks. She had considered leaving Minrathous thousands of times before her twenty-fifth birthday, for thousands of reasons. But she never had anywhere to go. Until now, of course.

Suddenly she felt Emmrich's hand, big and soft on her shoulder. He squeezed once, then lowered his mouth, close to her ear. He said, "You can do it, Rook. I believe in you. Just give it a whirl."

She felt very hot all of a sudden, in her cheeks, and it zinged straight back to her eartips. But still, it was comforting. He was such a comforting presence, calming all her stupid bullshit with one single, casual touch. She said, "Okay. I'll try."

She picked up the book. The words made little sense. As Davrin had said, even for elven, it was out of whack, bizarrely tuned, as if invented on the spot. But then, after a moment, she felt a kind of warm, snowy sensation in the back of her brain. It was like fuzz, and then it spread, and it came into focus. Like a crystal. It spun there, at the center of her brain. She looked up at Emmrich, and she said, "I felt something."

"Wonderful," said Emmrich. "What did you feel?"

"This is a story," she said, tapping her finger to the words. "It's about rooftops, am I right?" She looked to Davrin.

"Yes," he said. "Rooftops, mountains. Her hair, like, it's everywhere, right? Did you get that?"

"I did. Maybe that means it's windy?"

"Good call. Also, there's a tear in the sky. He compares it to an eye, watching them. Like they're never alone. But he wants her. Bad. He wants to be free, to be with her."

"Emmrich," said Rook, serious now.

"Yes? I must say. This is quite entertaining, you two."

"You've read the Inquisition folklore. Are you sure you never saw any references to a romance?"

"I have only read the canonical texts," he said, "which, beyond names and basic formalities, in no way addresses any interpersonal aspect of the people involved. So, no."

"You should go talk to Harding," said Davrin. "She was in the Inquisition. She might know."

"Oh my gosh," said Rook. "You're right."

"You're also in luck," said Emmrich, voice low, his hands clasped in front of him, very debonair. He nodded toward Assan, who had fallen asleep, his head heavy in Davrin's lap, very still, eyes closed, breathing even. "It seems our discussion of ancient elven poetry lulled your young griffon here right to sleep."

Davrin surveyed the situation, dropped his head back and blinked up at the ceiling. "Guess I should get comfortable."

"We'll see you in the morning," said Rook, very eager. Emmrich had got to his feet first, extended a hand to her. She took it, stood tall, and dusted herself off. "Thank you for your help, Davrin. That was...interesting."

"Any time," he said.

As they crossed the great courtyard in the middle of the night, they both looked up to the deep, dark Fade sky at the same exact time. There was a shooting star, or, that's what it looked like. It was big and molten, like a long column of light which then simply disappeared from existence. This dazzled Rook, but it also unnerved her. She had never really been outside before when the Lighthouse went dark. She'd had no idea that there were stars here.

"This place shall never cease to amaze me," said Emmrich, in wonderment. "Stars and night. The chattering sounds of inexplicable nature. We are floating on a cloud, it seems, and yet, there are butterflies and opossums. I can sense them in the underbrush. Solas made this place comfortable many years ago. He wanted his people to feel at home here."

"When we first arrived," said Rook, "the place was falling apart. I think Solas was living here, before the ritual, but it feels like there are parts of the castle he never went to, like he lived in two, maybe three of the rooms tops. Everywhere else, he just left it sealed away. Like a tomb."

"The bachelor pad of a god is sad indeed," said Emmrich. "Particularly if he is on the wrong side of love. Let us continue our scavenger hunt, Rook. I am enjoying this evening immensely. Thank you for asking me to accompany you on your search tonight."

"You're welcome," she said, smiling like an idiot. He held out his arm to her then, an unexpected gesture, but she took it anyway. Even though she was not afraid of the dark, she was hesitant, walking through the Fade like this. She was not used to such big, cold, and cosmic magic.

Emmrich sensed this, as he so often did. "Do not fear this place, dear Rook," he said. "Allow it to become familiar, and it will embrace you, as a home."

They started toward Harding's. They could see the light from her lantern, a long, golden bar at the bottom of the door. "Is that what you do?" said Rook.

"Yes, it is," he said. "Like a scent on the breeze. I will not forget it for all my years."

When they got to Harding's door, it was like she had seen them coming. She stayed up late.

"Rook?" she said. "Is that you?"

"It is," she said. "It's me, and Emmrich. Are you decent?"

"Sure am," said Lace. She opened the door, seeming delighted. She was wearing red pajamas with her hair in a braid and holding a cup of tea. "What brings you two around so late at night?"

Emmrich smiled, his face going a little crinkly. "We won't take up much of your time, Lace. We just have a few questions for you, concerning your time in the Inquisition. May we come in?"

"Definitely," she said, holding the door wide open and standing back to give them room. As she shut the door behind them, Rook noticed the remnants of some sort of art project. There were what appeared to be curtains, draped over a table, and several spools of colorful thread. Harding seemed to be practicing her embroidery.

"I love the curtains," said Rook.

"Oh, thank you. I'm just trying to make this place feel a little more like home. You know?"

Emmrich glanced at Rook, very knowing.

"So," said Lace. "You guys wanna talk about the Inquisition? What did you wanna know?"

"We have been scouring some of Solas's old records," said Emmrich. "Rook found a secret room inside, near the library. It's full of old notebooks and things. Much of it dated back to Solas's time with the Inquisition."

"Interesting," said Harding. "Find anything good?"

"Yes," said Rook, a little anxious. "We found love poems."

"Love poems?" said Harding, sort of giggling. "Really? Wow. I mean, I knew Solas was an artist, but a writer, too? Wow."

"Wow, indeed," said Emmrich. "We came here tonight to ask whether you know anything about a woman that Solas might have been seeing at the time. Someone in the Inquisition, perhaps? She was likely a Dalish elf."

There was a long pause then, in which Lace stared at them both as if she thought they might be on drugs. "You're kidding me, right?"

"No, we aren't," said Rook. "The stuff he wrote. It was really...passionate. Do you know anything about it?"

"Uh, yeah. I do," said Lace.

"Really?" said Emmrich. "Who was it? The woman, we mean?"

"Inquisitor Lavellan."

It was like a boulder, falling off a cliff.

"The Inquisitor?" said Rook.

"Oh, my dear," said Emmrich. "This is a surprise."

Lace shrugged, like it was just any other factoid. "I'm surprised you guys don't know. I guess I just assumed that everybody did. It was all over the tabloids, at least down south. People can't get enough of that shit. Sene's love life has been under scrutiny for years. It really pisses her off, but I mean, what can you do? Idle minds, am I right?"

Rook opened the notebook, which she'd had tucked under her arm. She showed Lace the poems. She said, "He loved her. A lot. We're pretty sure that everything in here, at least in this notebook, is all about her. It's full of poems and stories. What happened between them?"

"Solas and Sene were crazy in love," said Lace, sipping her tea, reminiscing. "Like I said, it was no secret. They were great together. Inseparable. They used to have picnics on the battlements at Skyhold, talk for hours on the rooftops at Haven. He would braid her hair before they went out into the field. It was just...romantic. I used to talk to them all the time, when we would deploy to different regions, trying to bring people and their factions into the Inquisition. She would sit and watch him paint his frescoes, and he made her these butterflies out of his magic, like little presents. Hundreds of them, green and glowy, all the time. Everywhere. They would just fly around the rotunda, and the garden, like part of the decor. It was so dreamy and romantic."

"Green, glowy butterflies?" said Rook. "There's a bunch of them here, flitting about in the bushes. I've seen tons of them, flying around the Crossroads, too."

"Yup," said Lace. "Those are them. I'm not surprised that she's left her mark here. The way Solas looked at her, it was so...intense. I thought he was gonna ask her to marry him. It was really serious. And, like I said, everybody knew. They were just...Sene and Solas. Solas and Sene. The tabloids used to refer to Sene as the Tall Red Elf and Solas as the Tall Elven Warrior at her Side. Anyway, be careful, Rook. This is...kind of a long story, and Sene is a close friend of mine. She practically lived at my house for like a year once, down in the Hinterlands. I'll tell you stuff, but like, keep it clean. I'm not getting into the weeds here, okay?"

Rook fell silent. She did not really know much about Inquisitor Lavellan, or the Inquisition at all. It was not a common topic of discussion in Tevinter. And yet, even still, she was a bit of a celebrity, mainly with the Chantry, as the Herald of Andraste. They talked about her all the time in the holy newsletters and things like that. Debates over whether her claims to prophesy were legitimate, or whether she even believed them herself, seeing as she was an elf. Rook knew that she was Dalish, but she hadn't really put it together, until now.

"We promise to be civilized in our questioning," said Emmrich, taking over. "We will of course respect your loyalties to Inquisitor Lavellan. But please forgive me, as I must ask. You make it sound like he was over the moon for her, and yet, you said he left? Why?"

"At the time," she said, "Sene didn't know. None of us did. Nobody knew that he was the Dread Wolf. We just thought he was some really powerful apostate. After we killed Corypheus, he just...left. She was devastated, but at some point, she moved on. Or, she tried to. She was in another pretty serious relationship when Solas finally showed himself again two years later, during the Exalted Council in Halamshiral. He explained everything, that he was the Dread Wolf, that he wanted to bring down the Veil, that he still loved her, but that he had to go, and he would not take her with him. That was important. Anyway, based on what Sene told me, I think he originally intended to just use the Inquisition, like a pawn, to help him further his plans. But it didn't go so hot. He accidentally fell in love. He made friends, too. Kind of a huge, fantastic failure...I guess."

"So it was after the Exalted Council," said Rook. "That's when they last saw each other?

"In person, yeah," said Lace.

"What do you mean in person?" said Emmrich.

"Solas is a dreamer," said Lace, taken with the thought. "Rook knows. He can walk in peoples' dreams. As far as I know, he's visited her, quite a lot, over the past ten years. Where they stood at any given time, it was sort of on and off, but it was consistent, to some degree."

"Does he still love her?" said Emmrich, seeming desperately curious. Too tall, he was nearly hunched in half, trying to lean into their conversation.

"Probably," said Lace, her voice soft all of a sudden. She became wistful. She looked away, toward the window. "They were special. They meant everything to one another. It was the kind of love that you aspire to, you know? And I mean, she still loves him. That, I know for sure. Sene went through a couple different men, trying to move on. But despite both of them being great guys, neither of them stuck, not like he did."

"Which men?"

Lace sighed, setting down her mug on the table next to the curtains. "This is where I call it a night. I'm not getting into all that. You're gonna have to read about it in the tabloids like everyone else."

Emmrich seemed to be thinking about this in a practical manner. "We can probably find them in the Magisterial Library of Minrathous. I'm sure they keep records of every tabloid and newspaper in Thedas, going back at least 100 years."

"Or, you know," said Lace. "I guess you could just ask Inquisitor Lavellan, herself. I'm sure you'll meet her. Soon."

"I will?" said Rook.

Lace shrugged again. She was doing that a lot. Like it was all just old hat to her. "Sene is close to Morrigan," she said. "And she also has Lady Nightingale, the best Spymaster in all of Thedas. I guarantee that she knows all about this by now, everything that's happened. And she'll also know, too, that you're the one leading the charge here, Rook. She'll know that Solas is trapped in the Fade, and that you're the only one who can talk to him. So, of course, she's gonna wanna meet you. Probably soon. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if, when you go to meet Morrigan at the Cobbled Swan in a couple days, she'll be there, too. Then again, who knows? She's got her hands full. Given everything my ma said in her last letter, the south is...under siege. There's a bad fight there, and lots of Blight. All hands on deck." Harding looked down into her tea, pensive, and then she looked at the floor. "I'm okay," she said, to no one.

"Is your mother safe?" said Emmrich, placing his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, like she was terribly relieved that he asked.

"I think so," she said. "She went to Skyhold, with a lot of other people. I'm pretty sure that's where Sene is. Or, she goes back and forth a lot, with her Commander. Cullen. It's become like, a sanctuary. Like what this place used to be."

"Harding," said Rook. "I'm sorry. I didn't...I should have asked you about this earlier."

"It's okay, Rook," she said, smiling once more. "I get it. We have our hands full up here, too."

Emmrich straightened up then, and something about his massive height seemed to change the atmosphere. He seemed to know it, too. He clasped his hands behind his back and said, "Well, we should take our leave. Thank you, Lace. This has been most educational."

"Now that you know," she said to Rook, "what will you do? Are you gonna mention it, next time you see Solas?"

Rook thought about it. She could not picture it. Whenever she thought about him, about Solas, her mind twisted into a riddle, and she could no longer tell what was real. She had only ever seen him from far away, up on a huge pedestal, or in the Fade, where everything was grim, and he was removed from her grasp, as cold and hard as steel. He was a total stranger, and yet, she relied on him. In this moment, she felt hugely young, raw, spilled open, her guts all over the floor. She did not want to hurt the Dread Wolf. He was like a music box, rusted shut, and there was just something so strange about it. So pretty, this idea that he held inside of him this intense history. Love, sex, all the things that made him a man and not a god. "I don't know," she said to Harding. "I need to think on it."

"Well, goodnight," said Lace. "See you in the morning. Lucanis is making breakfast so, don't miss it."

Outside, Rook and Emmrich stood at the center of the midnight courtyard and stared up at the enormous idol of Fen'Harel. Oddly now, standing here in front of this enormous statue, her thoughts turned away from Solas and instead settled with the man by her side. It was so strange, she thought. From the very first day she met him, he disarmed her. He took her guard completely down, and he told her to light brassieres and they fought demons, and they were talking to spirits. She said hello to a little wisp, and it had made her heart beat strangely. He told her he had never been out of Nevarra, and he seemed starved for adventure, and yet, it had been him who'd swept her off her feet, took her on a grand field trip through the Necropolis, this well of magic, everywhere, all the time, living and breathing with a mind of its own. He had opened her eyes that day.

He was older, but she didn't much care. He did not treat her like a child. Sometimes, he did treat her like a student. But he did that to everyone, and in any case, it was never condescending. It's just who he was. The professor. He was not steel, nor was he even terribly guarded. He did not give in to her easily though, that was for sure. He moved slowly, deliberately, all those times she would go to talk to him, ask him questions about what he thought about all of this, about the Veil. He kept his distance until it really mattered, as if every choice he made would determine who they were, together, and in this, she knew that she could trust him.

"What do you think of all this, Rook?" he said then, smiling at her. "Have your opinions of Solas changed in any way?"

"A little," she said. "I need to sleep on it. I just...I realize that I don't know him at all. He barely even seems like a person sometimes, let alone a man who could...well, you know."

Emmrich held out his hand then, and from his palm, he snapped a little wisp, white and pure. It buzzed around her nose and landed in her hair like a bug, and she laughed. "Do you like it?" he said, very debonair.

"Yes," she said.

"You know, Inquisitor Lavellan is not a mage either," he said, growing pensive, his brow furrowed. "She was at the Conclave, sent as a representative for her clan, which, as I recall, is fairly important in the Free Marches. They own a great deal of land there. Even still, she was one lowly elf among an entire Chantry. She was certainly judged, and certainly alone. There are records, which state that, after the explosion at the temple, which resulted in the death of Divine Justinia, the Seekers of Truth wanted to arrest her for apostasy, for treason, for murder. You name it. She was ostracized far before she was ever beloved. And she was young when the Inquisition began, only twenty, if I recall from the literature, and the Chantry experts distrusted her immensely, even after she was named Inquisitor. Many were especially critical of her as the prophetic Herald of Andraste . But others believed, and among them, I imagine, Solas. He followed her. He loved her. Just like with this place, he desired to warm her heart, to make her feel comfortable, at home in an icy, mean, judgmental landscape. Perhaps because he understood what that meant? To be so ostracized, so fantastically alone. Part of that was the butterflies, I imagine, and that is why they linger still. That little wisp I just conjured up, you said you like it. Does it bring you warmth, Rook? Joy?"

Rook held it in her hand now, like a little poof of cool, calm energy. It seemed to vibrate with admiration, glowing up at her, like it was alive. "It does," she said. She set it free then, and it disappeared. "Thank you, Emmrich."

"Whatever the Dread Wolf is or isn't," he went on, "I think it is clear by now that he is, ultimately, just a man. He has desires, needs, and she fulfilled them, as he fulfilled hers. These were needs that had either not been fulfilled before, or not in some time. She thawed his heart, and he kept her safe, and they found a home in one another. Even if it was short-lived, it is more than most will possess in their lifetimes."

Rook felt impulsive then. She could hear the words that he was saying, and she knew that he was right, but she was lost in the feeling and the sound. She wanted to express herself. She wasn't shiny or particularly eloquent like he was. Definitely not a poet. She didn't have beautiful things to say or magical creatures she could conjure into the air. But she did have action. She had always been good at just...doing things. No fear. She slid her hand into his then. He looked down right away, at their fingers mingled together, like he was startled, and then he looked at her, laid bare.

She said, "Is it okay? I don't know what to say. I just...I want to show you how I feel."

He was very soft then, his eyes dark and filled with a hidden sadness, which tempted her. What was it? Where did it live? What did it see? He picked up her hand, and he closed his eyes and brought her knuckles to his lips. It disarmed her and made her weak, and she sort of shivered. Their eyes met. He said, quietly, "Language can be superfluous in times like these, dear Rook. But, please, know that I feel it, too."

So, she kissed him, in front of the Dread Wolf statue at midnight, in the Fade. She had to stand on her tallest tiptoes to do it. At first, just like with the handhold, he was taken aback, but he quickly molded to her, his other hand on her jaw, as he touched her ear with tenderness. It was not devouring. It was pure. Tallest mage, so full of compassion. He seemed to unlock for her that night, a click and release.

Rook did not have much to hide. She didn't understand people who did. But she could try. That night, Emmrich walked her back to her room, and they shared one more kiss before parting until morning. She sat down on the couch in the blue, aqueous light of her quarters, vibrating and giddy, and watched the fish do their little immortal dancing. She thought about Inquisitor Lavellan, twenty years old, a Dalish elf in the Chantry, and how lonely that must have felt for her. How scary, how out of place she was and the deep, impending desire to return to the home that she knew, somehow, she would never really see again. Not as it once was, as a child. But then, there was a man who came along and made it feel okay to just be alive, no matter how you did it, or how new you were to the world. A man who seemed to know everything, who could stand so tall, and yet, who nursed inside of him a heart so true that it could not be contained. And so they were consumed by possession, discovery, desire.

*This story, though it stands alone, is also a part of my Solavellan fic Riptide.

#emmrook #emmrich x rook #emmrich volkarin #dragon age rook #solavellan #solas #sene lavellan #emmrook fanfic #datv #dragon age the veilguard #dragon age inquisition #dragon age

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elliespeach · 2 years ago

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tear you apart mini chapter | ellie williams

˗ˏˋ"because you need me." ´ˎ˗

pairing ellie williams x fem reader synopsis ellie owns her own vinyl store and the day you wander in changes both of your lives forever. she quickly becomes infatuated with you, desperate for your love that she believes is meant to be. when things in your life begin to spiral, ellie is there to catch you, but you'd never suspect she was the reason you fell in the first place. wordcount: 1k warnings: ellie manipulates reader a bit, readers depressed, other than that nothing. this is lowkey soft. an: so sorry to do this to yall, but have this while i take my leave! short but sweet :)

a week had passed, and ellie’s plan had worked better than she expected. being with you that night had formed some sort of bond between you and ellie. you never wanted to leave her side, and ellie had to keep reminding herself to not show that she was over-the-moon about it. ellie mostly stayed at your place, allowing herself to finally tidying up the small apartment. she also got you blinds.

you didn’t protest to any of it, you didn’t do much of anything actually. you slept, a lot, ellie waking you up for meals and to stretch your legs. but you’d always find yourself back in bed within the hour. you spoke a few words at a time, slowly like you were trying not to sob with every movement of your mouth. if ellie hadn’t known the extent of your relationship with suzanna, she’d be more concerned.

you have barely reached out to shauna, who has been texting you every day, each text sounding more condescending than the last. ellie usually deleted them while you slept. you didn’t need to be bombarded while you grieved, and ellie knew you were in no position to talk with anyone but her. last night, you even said as much.

ellie was finally curling into the soft sheets, after finishing the dishes from the dinner she had made for you both, which you barely pecked at. you turned over from the endless stare to the wall and looked into her crystaling green eyes, “why?”

it was so soft, so innocently spoken that ellie choked back the lump building in her throat. her callosed hands reached up, softly brushing back hair from your face, “because you need me. because i want to.”

the lines have been blurred, as to what ellie felt was appropriate. if it was up to her, she would kiss you until she stopped breathing but she knew it wasn’t the time. that you’d likely stop her advances and finally tell her to leave. but now that she knew what is was like to kiss you, to taste you on her tongue, to feel your hands rustling through her hair, it was torture. her own specially devised torment, one that she would endure for you.

anything, for you.

you nuzzled into her, as you did every night. this is as far as you’ve gone with her since that night in the bar. allowing ellie to feel the warmth of your skin, but nothing further. she relished in it in, fearing that after your grief subsided, you’d discard her. no. no, you wouldn’t.

ellie pondered in your silence, your head resting lightly on her chest, likely feeling her heart beating for you just under her skin. ellie knew she shouldn’t know about suzanna, and what she meant to you, maybe it was in her best interest to ask. casting a line out, and she hoped you’d latch onto it.

“what was she like?” ellie said into the darkness of your room, brushing a hand over your back for comfort. you sighed, and ellie opened her mouth to apologize for bringing her up, for shattering whatever walls you had spent the last week building up. you beat her to it, and ellie was relieved when your voice was still soft, warm even.

“motherly, in all the ways that mattered. my own mom was a wreck, cared for my siblings more but suzanna, she always made me feel like i mattered–”

“you do matter,”

“i know. but, to be told and to believe it is different. she made me believe it.” your hands resting atop ellie’s stomach started to fiddle with her shirt.

“you two must have been close, then.”

“more than you know,” you exhaled with a quick chuckle. one that ellie had not heard in days, a smile tugged at her lips. “can i tell you a secret?”

ellie prepared herself, of course she already knew your secret but hearing it come from your sweet mouth was different. you explained everything, how you and suzanna came to be the way you were, how she had made you fall in love and then discarded you when once she was done. how she toyed with your emotions but still, you loved her. ellie bit back anything she really wanted to say.

she tricked you. she knew you felt abandoned and still pursed you, only to leave and come back as she pleased. used you for your body, your kindness.

“i could never tell shauna, and i think hiding it from her was part of it. the fun. it sounds horrible, i know. but i really did love her.”

ellie chose her words wisely, “i’m sure you did.” and then, an idea. “what would shauna do, if she found out?”

“i’m never telling her–” you started, a little defensive. ellie knew she was pushing it, this conversation, but she was hopeful you’d forget it in the morning and only remember that she held you till you fell asleep.

“no, i know. but, if she did, i mean how would she even react?”

“she’d likely never speak to me again. i don’t think any of my friends would. i mean, i’m a homewrecker.” your voice cracked and ellie pulled you closer to her.

“technically, you’re not. no home was wrecked by you.” because it was me, i’ll happily carry that burden for you. a yawn escaped you, and ellie pondered how you could be tired after laying in bed all day, but instead of questioning it, instead of pushing further, she nuzzled down into the bed with you. “don’t worry, your friends will never find out. get some rest,”

so you did, feeling safe in ellie’s embrace. while you slept, ellie formulated her plan. your friends would indeed find out, if ellie had anything to do with it. your friends, especially shauna, had to go. they didn’t care about you, not in the way ellie did, not in the way you needed someone to care about you. she knew the risks, the fallout of you losing all your friends, but she’d be here for you. she would be enough for you, she’d make herself enough.

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taglist: @aouiaa @kissmxcheek @spaceshipellie @strgrlxox @machetegirl109 @uraesthete @mousymaven @ucannotcompare @imahallucination11 @thatgiraffefromtlou @cjrights @sc0ttstre3ted @nicolicht @p1llowthoughtss @ellabsmasc

#ellie williams #ellie williams x reader #ellie williams x you #ellie williams fic #ellie williams tlou #ellie williams fanfiction #modern!ellie williams #modern! ellie fanfic

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ashascoven · 1 year ago

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☽ ✯ venture x witch! reader pt. 1! ✯ ☾

✯ welcome to my first venture fanfic ever!! ╰(*´︶`*)╯

✯ my venture fixation and endless fanfic reading of them has led me here, hours deep into writing my own...

✯ now that im typing this at 4 am on a school night.. i might have to post this in multiple parts..... 23 pages of fanfic that's still a wip uh oh!!

✯ ahem, i hope theres some fellow venture lovers out there who'll enjoy this! happy reading! :D

☆ FANFIC DEETS! venturexreader ☆

reader is a female who practices witchcraft! i wrote her that way because i also am a witch irl! :,)

VERY lengthy build-up fanfic (LOTS of reading.. i type a lot i think?)

venture is referred to as sloan <3

lifeweaver is besties with the reader, referred to as niran!

everything related to witchcraft here may be exaggerated / inaccurate for fanfic purposes.. but i tried writing it all into an experience > just reading!!

eventual ritual smut....

feel free to hmu, hope u enjoy :D

For every night that the full moon showed her face, the couple would be outside to accompany her. •°. *࿐

They'd bask in her glow to the grounds below, cherishing the energy of grace that she brings with her starry companions and practicing gratitude with her.

Both of them would dance around in the grass with bare feet, laughing away at each other's joys until they're so dizzy that they land into the planet’s arms, hand in hand, heart to heart. 𓆩♡𓆪

Gazing at the shapes of the misty clouds above their heads, they'd point out whichever ones reminded them of each other with giddy smiles on their faces.

Sloan would roll over with that sweet, chipped grin of theirs, facing you and holding your face gently.

Their thumb would run along the corner of your lips, eyes sparkling at how much they could just take you under the skies right now.

“ah, mi cariño, you're so.. beautiful. no crystal in the world could ever compare to your beauty.”

You'd turn to face them, putting your hand above theirs with a blush on your face.

“oh, sloan! you're too kind, my charming agate..”

“anything for the gem that makes my heart race.”

The two lovers would giggle at their silly rock jokes, holding each other close under the night’s gentle breeze.

Never wanting their time together to end, they'd lean into one another, eyes fluttering shut as their lips meet once again.

The natural softness of your lips pressed against theirs sent shockwaves through their body, none that their drill could ever replicate on a battlefield.

You made them feel so warm and loved inside, especially with the way your hands made it to their hair every time you two kissed.

It felt like the world had stopped, and all they could process was how needingly their hands moved all over your body in response, taking their time with each mark, crease, and even speckle of hair.

They loved everything about you after all.. each “flaw” of yours was just another spot that they had the honor of touching and kissing. <3

They'd pull back for a breath, but really it was just to take you in once more.

“you’re so special to me, mi vida, you know that?”

The moon was going to show herself at her fullest tomorrow, but curses, you were dreading her appearance..

“something's brewing.. tomorrow won't be a good day, i can feel it.” You mumbled to yourself, glaring down at the black candle you held with its own silver plate.

The flame that once stood still flickered at your words in response, emitting up to you in what felt like commiseration.

“mm, something's gonna happen, right? go on, you can tell me~..”

You poked your index finger at its flame in a petting motion, watching as the flickering intensified. The shape of the fire leaned away from your touch in shame.

“don't be sorry, it's not your fault.. shh..”

You tilted your head at it and cooed with a comforting tone, holding the candle closer.

The flickering stopped and the size of the once spirited flame dimmed down into a ball of burning light.

Moving your gaze back to the rain outside of the window you stood in front of, you sighed.

“just, please protect them for me, okay? i know you can do it, take this and keep them safe..”

You held the candle steadily in front of your face, careful not to drop it with one hand.

The other hand reached down into the drawer of your altar’s nightstand, pulling out an old, used incense stick.

With the edge of it, you used the dripping wax to draw out a sigil onto the body of the candle, whispering an affirmation in hopes that it reaches the universe in time.

Then, you placed the candle down, thanking it for letting you borrow its energy.

You looked back at your sleeping lover, resting peacefully in the bed you two shared.

They hugged a pillow that you had nudged in place of where you were laying, already drooling all over it. Their hair was a mess and their body already took over most of the bed.

Yeah, they were just in a grey T-shirt and purple boxers with lightning bolts patterned onto them, but god, they were such a sight to take in.

You smiled, before looking back at the window and its altar, your heart feeling a little lighter for the night.

“yeahh.. they'll be alright.”

“moorningg sunshiinee~! (っ˘з(˘⌣˘ )”

“mmhh.. whehh..”

“i mean, it IS raining.. but i made you sunny eggs anyway!”

“actually, i dunno if they're.. exactly.. sunny? they're all nice and poached up for you though! (๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ”

You felt a plate nudge at your side, earning a groan out of you.

“c’mon mi corazon! you gotta eat something!!”

“por favoorr!!! pleaasee wake up, i wanna hug you before i go! (っ´ω`)っ”

“whuh- huh??”

You finally budged at the gloved hands that were lightly shaking at your shoulders, pushing them away.

Squinting at their blurry face, you rubbed your eyes to get a better view of the person in front of you.

“before you.. go? you don't normally leave this early, sloannnn..” You yawned, looking up and down at their work clothes in confusion.

They had a different color jacket on today, but your tired mind didn't think to question it, figuring it was because of their job.

“yeahh I knooww my love, but there's some.. new ruins that my buddies found at work..! r-really important duty calls, and history awaits!”

“here, eat this for me! please?” They grinned, holding the plate in front of you as you sat up.

“mmh, promise me you'll stay safe baby.” You shoved a piece of burnt toast in your mouth without really looking at it.

“of couurrssee, y/n! don't you worry your little pretty head about me, i'll be fiiinee~ (つω`｡)” They sat the plate down next to you, wrapping their arms around you and snuggling their cheek on top of your head.

“mmhmmm, you better be, or i’ll keep every mirror and glass in this house covered when you're dead!” You reached up, playfully smacking the top of their head.

“nooo!! :( how am i gonna talk to you when i’m a cool mummified spirit thennn?ヾ( ￣O￣)ツ"

“no matter how much your ghost bangs on my crystal ball, screaming ‘y/nnn!! mi amooorr.. my priiinceeessss!!! myy woorlldd!!’.. you'll be talking to yourself.”

“baby nooooo :((, pleeaaase don't abandon me like thaatt, really! don't worry about me, i’ll bring back goodies for you n’ everything! (っ˘̩╭╮˘̩)っ” They pecked your lips, holding your face with the cutest puppy eyes ever.

“awwe, fiinnee. i believe in you, sloan.. i won't curse you with being a lonely spirit.. yet. (´-.-`)” You joked, your hands making it on top of theirs.

They rolled their eyes, continuing to make a mess of your face with their honey-coconut chapstick.

You happily absorbed all of their pouty kisses like a crystal soaking up a person’s energy.

You could've sat there and let them kiss you awake forever..

..but unfortunately, the excavator had a job to do.

With one last kiss on your lips, they hurried over to the bedroom’s closet, snatching up a backpack and their signature drill from it, and they waved their way out of the door.

“alright baby, i gotta go now! i love you, i miss you already! (´ ε ` )”

“oh-! i love you more! thanks for the food! ( ´ ∀ `)ノ～ ♡” You blew them a kiss.

“nonono, thank YOU for leaving those drinks by the window for me! :D” They peeped their head out of the doorway one last time before rushing through the house.

“don't forget to tell the bugs goodby- WHAT.”

“LOVE YOU MOST!! (o^ ^o)ﾉ”

“SLOAN!!????”

“IMSTEPPINGOUTTHEDOORNOW,BYEBABYCAKES!MUAHMUA-”

You watched them scurry down the road from the window, familiar looking jars clutched in their arms with a grin on their face..

They just took your jars of moon water to work.

You've been carefully curing those jars with salt under the moon light for literal years.

What the fuck.

With your palm now on your face, you sighed.

“there's no way they just- okay.”

You pressed your hands together and closed your eyes.

“i won't sacrifice them to the gods in their sleep tonight i won't sacrifice them to the gods in their sleep tonight i won-”

The smell of egg and toast hit your nose, making you look down at your side.

The plate of breakfast was still sitting there.

“oh, hm.” You picked up the fork and sliced an egg open with it, watching how the yolk oozed out slowly, inviting you to enjoy it.

‘chef sloan, huh?’ You raised a brow, bringing a piece of it to your mouth.

‘did they.. try poaching eggs this time? weird, i thought they were in a hurry.. it’s cooked wel-’

You immediately stopped chewing, the slight taste of metallic water failing to compliment the wetness of the actual egg.

You felt your right eye twitch, hoping that the egg wasn't boiled with what you thought it was.

It was then that the adventurous Sloan Cameron was destined to die by the hands of their own lover.

They jogged through the rain in a hurry, abruptly halting at the bus stop they almost just ran past.

They knew you would've gotten onto them for not taking an umbrella, even more for snatching up their water jugs, but they figured they'll make up for it by kissing you all over later.

With their bags strapped on, drill in their hands, and their girlfriend’s jars now burrowed in their pockets, they were amped for their own little mission awaiting them at a site reserved for the Wayfinder society.

See, they weren't actually called for any “important duties” at work, nor were any new ruins discovered.

Rather, they had their own plans for today's solo expedition, and that included secretly taking a trip down an untouched mine.

It was near one of the less active dig sites at their main workplace, hidden under old, giant tires that probably haven't been moved for years.

How did they find it? More like, how didn't they?

Their bus arrived, and they climbed on, paying for themselves and the one other person behind them with a ‘oh, don’t sweat it!’

They casually sat down towards the front of the bus, careful not to bang their filled pockets against anything, and sighed in relief. ( ´ ▽ ` )

Them and their drill both took up four seats, all dripping wet from the rain outside.

Some people gave them looks, but they were oblivious to it, one hand patting their drill while the other held the edge of their seat.

They looked to the front window of the bus with a smile, bopping their head side to side while thinking of you. (b ᵔ▽ᵔ)b

Any worries about being found or getting in trouble for working on a site alone was out of the window; today was a paid day off for workers in the society.

But Sloan? Oh, Sloan Cameron was the most committed and daring worker that the Wayfinders had.

If they weren't invited to anything for the holidays, they'd gladly spend their days putting in more time at work, not caring whether it was even meant to be a work day or not.

If they felt like digging, they could dig that!!!!

No one else at work ever minded anyway, their proven ability to work efficiently and optimistically is what earned their reputation of being reliable enough to be left alone.

Uncovering stories of the past cost them nothing more than physically getting active until they felt like bugging their girlfriend to cuddle them to bed.

..Sloan only ever really took their days off if it meant staying home with their beloved now.

Otherwise? They essentially were paid really well just to do what they love; collecting pretty rocks and bones for their lover, going on fun expeditions for their love of archaeology, and building big muscles in the process.

It was a triple-win in their eyes, they wouldn't have life any other way. No bad day or sudden curse could ever change that..

(TELL ME THEY WOULDN'T CALL IT A TRIPLE WHAMMY!!!!!!)

Oh, how they felt themselves warm up at the thought of their goddess at home, but quickly shook their head, reminding themselves why they were here at this specific site.

To think that such a cave with so many marvelous finds was right under everyone's noses was bizarre to them.

Sloan was so happy that they were the only one to know about it, gushing to themselves about all the crystals they'll bring home for their witchy wife to work with.

They let their mind wander again, imagining the smile you usually have on your face from their grand returns home.

Σ>―(〃°ω°〃)♡→ Σ>―(〃°ω°〃)♡→

You'd rush out of your little sanctuary shack that was on the side of the house to the sound of the doorbell, nearly breaking through the wall to wrap yourselves around them, kissing their dirt-covered face without a care in the world.

‘welcome homee babyy, i’ve missed you soo much, muah muah!! how was work? anyone i need to curse today? are you hungry?? thirsty?’

They chuckled to themselves at the thought of your voice, unconsciously rubbing a hand on the side of their face with a ‘shucks.. (ง ื▿ ื)ว..’

They thought about how you'd take quick notice of the extra bag they've come back with, panicking and offering to help them carry their things inside.

Then, they'd shush you, shuffling over to the living room mat to empty said mystery bag, revealing an endless galore of a crystal witch’s dream.

From that point on, you'd probably tackle them down and they'd laugh, laying there to suffer the wrath of your kisses with no complaints.

Their imagination strayed towards admiring you.. how kissable your neck always is, how holdable your waist was… how much they wanted to take in the view of you on top of them and absolutely devour-

Nonono, they had a mission right now, and that was to acquire stones for their magical wife!!! ⸜(*ˊᗜˋ*)⸝

Sloan eagerly lowered themselves down into the tunnel of the cave, rope in one hand and flashlight in the other.

Their mining goggles were on, their backpack was on their back, and their jackets were off, leaving them in a white tank top. The jars they stole borrowed from you were now in the pockets of their pants.

Water and sweat dripped all over their arms and neck from how humid it was, but they were too excited to care.

They quickly scouted the place out like a sailor, the grin on their face growing at the sight of all of the crystals already visible to the surface.

It was like this mine was carved out for them, each colorful gem crying out ‘take me home to your lover!!! (」°ロ°)」 take me home to her!!! (」°ロ°)」’

Oh, did Sloan listen to their pleas alright, setting their bag and jars down near the entrance, instantly getting to work with their handy pickaxe.

They would've used their drill, but they stuck to pickaxes for these types of missions, wanting to bring home actual clusters of gemstones for you and not.. pellets.

Besides, whole rocks would be easier to preserve in water than crumbs, right?

Everytime they brought their pick down to the deposits of stones, the grin on their face widened in joy.. It was probably bright enough to start emitting light in the darkness of the mine.

The sound of the axe hitting the ores was music to their ears, so they kept swinging and chucking each one of your gifts into their bag, not a single worry in the world to bother them.

“ooohh, myy y/nnn! i can't waaiitt to bringg these homee to youuu~!!◝(⁰▿⁰)"

“i can't wait until they get home so i can kick their ass.”

You crossed your arms with a huff, staring in disbelief at the jars of moon water that were, in fact, missing.

Only one jar remained, and it was in the sink, empty.

Your eyes made way to the pan left on the stove, some pieces of egg still floating in the foggy water.

Your right one was probably still twitching, but you were just too distraught to notice.

“is this what i was having those feelings about?”

You clenched your fist, bringing it down to the counter.

“today was feeling off because my own partner decided to.. snatch ALL of my jars on the way to work.. as if that's something they normally do!?”

You looked at your flytrap plant pet that sat nearby, shrugging in a ‘wtf’ kind of way.

One of the plant’s traps closed themselves in response, slightly seeping downwards.

“ugh, i know, right?! it beats me why they'd just.. DO that, ya know?”

Another trap closed themselves, joining the first one in silently chiming in and sagging down.

“see, i really want to trust in sloan, i love them with my entire life! anndd afterlife! but.. also, who the fuck just steals a witch’s water?! not even a burglar would do that!”

“like, i was curing those for years, man! if sloan lets sunlight touch any one of those jars, i'll curse them for eterni-”

Both of the closed traps opened quickly in unison.

“..you're saying i.. shouldn't? curse them?” You raised a brow, a hand now on your hip.

The plant pods closed themselves back, not dipping their heads downwards this time.

“hm. i guuueeess that's true.. i was considering the voodoo doll approach to really teach em’ a lesson but.. you're right.“

“i can just sacrifice them another day.. today can be ass-kicking, tomorrow will be their downfall.”

You finished with a grin, starting to put some plates away as the flytraps reopened their mouths, sitting as if nothing had changed.

After a couple minutes of washing and drying used dishes from the night before, you felt something soft rub against your leg.

“wha- oh my gosh!! hii squuiishhyy!!” You squealed, lifting up the fat, fluffy creature that nudged its head on the back of your calves.

It wasn't exactly a cat.. or a dog..

Actually, it was a raccoon, a big albino one, and he was here to distract you from the bones you had to pick with your partner.

“myyy fluuffyy companionn, how aare youu?? :D”

You snuggled him, rubbing his face against yours.

He kind of just.. didn't react, cutely letting you hold him with a neutral •ᴥ• on his face.

Then, another soft creature rubbed against your ankles.

“aahh, spaaarkkyy!! my other fluffy companion!! what about you? how aree youu doingg todaay?? >:0”

You smiled, lifting it up to rub the other side of your face.

It wasn't a raccoon this time, but a black possum, and he had a white patch of fur in the shape of a star on his back!

He curled himself into your grasp with what seemed like his own little smile :0)

Both of the pets were adopted and well taken care of by you and Sloan.

Your partner found the possum on the way to work one day, insisting they kept him and named him Sparky because of the way his pointy teeth sparkled.

They couldn't stop running their fingers along his teeth for weeks, having to be dragged away by you for the possum to find some peace.

‘look at how razor sharp they are!! do you think his teeth could bite my fingers off?! id pay him with food, then i could get cool omnic prosthetics-’

‘sloan! that'd be-! ..messy actually, if you're gonna get blood everywhere, at least let me hire a vampire first.’

‘mi amor.. :( vampires only really existed centuries ago! how would you even find one for me right now? are you gonna make one of those cool pacts or something??’

‘id sacrifice you to one from the pas- nevermind, ‘cause you'd probaablyy want that, so i’ll just.. pretend to sacrifice you and not actually do it. (っ˘ω˘ς )’

‘nooOOO!!!! >:((((‘

As for the raccoon, you had found him while having a cleansing session in the woods, luring him with fruits and veggies that you had originally brought along for any wandering fae.

(You also made sure to come back later that day with more goodies as an apology to said spirits, leaving them with fruits, nuts, and honey.)

When you brought him home, you named him squishy, simply because he was fat and.. well.. squishy.

Sloan tried to play with his teeth, followed with their failed attempt at getting the two new pets to play a game..

‘y/n, look! they both have the cuuteestt baby hands!! that gives me an idea..’

‘you hold sparky like that ʕ •̀ o •́ ʔ, i’ll hold squishy like.. this! ʕ •̀ ω •́ ʔ we can play rock-paper-scissors! here, this'll be rock..’

And with that, you two now lived with Squishy and Sparky (and other pets being your plants & their bugs too).

A doorbell going off ended up interrupting your moment with your companions, earning a startled jolt from you.

‘oh? who could that- oh my stars-!’

“i forgot niran was coming over! Σ(O_O)”

✯ if you've made it this far, thank you for reading! <33

✯ here is the link to part 2!!, also on my profile.. here are the borders used!

✯ enjoy your day/night, stay hydrated, and keep loving venture <3

#sloan cameron #venture ow2 #venture overwatch #venture x reader #overwatch x reader #overwatch #ow2 #fanfic #fanfiction #save me sloan cameron

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blaiddfailcam · 1 year ago

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Thoughts on the Shadow of the Erdtree's first trailer

You know I have to, lol.

I'm going to avoid anything that's likely well-trodden territory, so a lot of this will pertain to past theories of mine, or just general ramblings. It's not going to be all that organized, but here goes.

The "Ring of Miquella"

A loooong long time ago, I settled on a theory that the Great Rune of the Unborn was actually Miquella's rightful Great Rune, but given to Rennala in the form of the Amber Egg by Radagon before he was even born. The Great Rune itself matches the shape of his twin sister, Malenia's, albeit smaller and of pure gold, akin to Miquella's traits as an eternally youthful demigod of Unalloyed Gold. Miquella's role in the base game as a comatose Empyrean who failed to be reborn further relates to the Great Rune of the Unborn, as it is required to perfect the process, otherwise the reborn loses their memory as if to a deepening slumber.

I take this as a damning vindication, lol.

Possible insight into the Cuckoo

Some have pointed out this character's evident relation to Raya Lucaria. Already, many have jumped to the conclusion that she must be a Carian based on the crystals and bird cages strewn about their chamber, but I don't actually think this is certain. These could also pertain to the Cuckoo, the original headmasters of Raya Lucaria. (After all, some of the cages in Raya Lucaria even contain warbling cuckoo birds.)

The Cuckoo are a somewhat overlooked dynasty, but there are slight hints that they may be related to the Nox in some way. It would be very interesting if we got to see some semblence of their former glory, before Rennala descended from the Mountaintops and overtook the academy. Perhaps then we might glean more on the primordial current so coveted by Lusat, Azur, and Sellen?

Messmer the Impaler

Where to even begin with this latest addition to Miyazaki's divine freakshow.

The first thing that jumps out to me is their name, "Messmer." Given the context of Miquella, St. Trina, and the yet underexplored concept of dreams, I'm reminded of 18th century physician Franz Mesmer, the pioneer of hypnotism. Mesmer dabbled in astronomy, and believed all beings were connected to the inanimate world through "animal magnetism." In his practice, he developed the first inklings of hypnotic suggestion, then known as Mesmerism.

The use of serpents in Messmer's designs could relate him to the Eternal Serpent that wished to devour the Erdtree and the world, which later became Rykard's obsession. In fact, the red flame Messmer channels bears a striking chromatic resemblance to the Taker's Flames. Perhaps he could be related to the ancient heretical cult of Mt. Gelmir...? (I still wonder what the hell is going on with the volcano's peak, as it does resemble a gnarled tree.)

The red hair would relate this figure to the Fire Giants and/or the Fire Monks, which is particularly strange. Then again, we do find the Fire Giants impaled on briars, though these supposedly pertain to Radagon himself.

The most enthralling detail to me, however, is Messmer's sealed eye.

Eyes are diegetically symbolic, and thus far we've met two characters with sealed eyes: Melina and Lunar Princess Ranni. It's likely that both of these characters are Empyreans, and as we've never seen any other Empyreans' eyes (Malenia's are covered by rotten scales, and there's no official depiction of Marika with her eyes open or intact), I take it to be a cosmological signifier of their divine status. If so, might Messmer be yet another Empyrean...? Their open eye is golden and draconic, though I'm not sure what this could entail.

I'm sure I'll be mulling it over for a while, lol.

Other random thoughts

The wolf-lion-mage thing is frickin' sweet, but I like that it appears to be a puppet of sorts, and that whatever puppeteers it is relatively human.

HIGH MONK

CRUCIBLE WINGS

SPECIAL DUAL-WIELDED WEAPONS??

BUTTERFLY MAGIC (purple....)

That definitely looks like Deathroot crawling across the landscape

RUNEBEAR INCANT (so probably even crazier runebears lmao)

Just kind of gesturing at everything because what the hell how is this even the same game it looks insane and fuckin JUICY

June isn't all that far off...

#elden ring #my ramblings #shadow of the erdtree #miquella #messmer

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wisdom-devotee · 2 months ago

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Hi! I apologize for sending in another question so soon, I was the anon who asked why you worship both Ares and Athena. Fascinating answer and thank you for indulging my curiosity! You seem very knowledgeable and I was hoping I could get your opinion on a couple other things? If you’re willing!

1. I am someone who my entire life has been fascinated by astrology/reading birthcharts and it’s come to my attention I very much want to deepen my knowledge on this subject and even possibly make a career out of it. I am a fairly new worshipper of the hellenic pantheon but I am considering worshiping/working with a deity that aligns with my goal of becoming more knowledgeable in and connected to this area. In your opinion, would you consider Asteria or Hecate to be a good fit? Perhaps even Apollo? Do you think one over the others would be more connected to this domain? Or possibly even another deity in the hellenic pantheon? I’ve considered Astraeus whom I would assume would be the most notable deity for astrology but I don’t feel personally called to him for whatever reason that is.

2. When it comes to physical offerings, such as crystals or statuary or etc., what do you do with them if you no longer have a relationship with the particular deity you gave them to? I’ve heard you’re never supposed to remove the items given to them from their altar, however, if you no longer interact with them is it disrespectful to use those items elsewhere (not to offer to another deity) after they’ve already been offered but the connection to the deity is no longer present? Do you keep the altar there? Do you just remove everything altogether and don’t display anything that was previously offered?

I apologize if these are silly questions but thank you for your time and knowledge! It’s very much appreciated. I’m also quite new so if these questions are disrespectful or ignorant it is not my intention.

Have a good day!

Putting these both here so I can answer them together. Hello again! And don’t worry, none of your questions are disrespectful.

Okay so, astrology deities:

Hecate and Asteria for sure. Additionally:

Hera as goddess of stars

Zeus as god of the sky

Urania, muse of astronomy

Nyx as goddess of the night

@royal-wren has informed me that Hermes is an astronomy and astrology god too

Artemis or Selene as moon goddesses

Apollo or Helios as sun gods

Also, several deities have planetary associations. These are pretty easy to find since it’s just the Roman name correspondence usually (ie: Aphrodite = Venus)

For the second question:

Tbh in my experience, even after I stop actively worshiping and maintaining kharis with a god I do still find myself holding them very dear to myself. Like, I don’t worship Nemesis or Philotes anymore, but I’m always filled with an incredible amount of affection when they’re brought up, and I still hold them in high regard. In those cases I do think it’s really fine to leave up the altar or keep the offerings, to be reminded of the deity whenever you use or see it

However, taking an altar down is so fine. I’d suggest doing a prayer first, thanking the deity for everything and letting them know you’re taking down the altar before you do it, but I do think it’s okay. I wouldn’t throw anything away personally — I’d find a way to repurpose/keep using it or I’d sell it, but it depends on what it is too.

On Melinoë:

I first discovered her by hearing about Hades II (I’ve never played either game and have mixed feelings based on what I’ve seen of them but that’s not a new experience for me with adaptations of Greek myth and it’s a story for another day) and I was really surprised because I never knew Hades had children, so I researched her more deeply.

There’s a lot of myths about her birth, I still see Hades as an infertile deity as to me this makes the most sense as god of the dead. So I subscribe more to Zeus as her father, especially as this makes sense for her dual nature of ouranic and chthonic. She’s in orphic tradition, but we don’t see mention of her outside of an orphic hymn and usually she is equated with just being an epithet of Hecate. But to me the two of them feel entirely separate with just some overlapping domains

That was more of an infodump than explaining why I worship her but like, just to provide context as to how I found her I guess.

In terms of why I worship, there’s a few reasons. The first and biggest is just how much I was drawn to her. I’m not entirely sure why, but I really was. The second thing is that I really wanted to get into worshipping a chthonic deity because it felt important to me and it would help me develop my own understanding of my practice. Her domains over ghosts and as a psychopomp also made her fit super well into my hero worship practice and I think part of why I was drawn to her was in knowing she could support me with that. As I built kharis I also realised she very much feels connected to my inner child and that’s been something quite healing.

The last thing I can think of right now is that I am commonly drawn to lesser known deities. This is both really cool and really annoying for me

Also, thank you for the kind words! And do feel free to come back whenever! It means so much to me that this blog has become so helpful to so many people and that you all trust me. You’re all so incredibly sweet

#hellenic polytheism #asks #🐺🌙anon #astrology #melinoë #melinoë worship #offerings #hellenic deity worship

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amelikos · 3 months ago

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Some character notes and episode notes for HZ088, writing them down for future reference.

The episode starts with the residents of Kumuri Town watching over Kumuri mountain worriedly as they notice a pink smoke around it, while the RVT worry about not being able to contact Liko and the others.

In Rakua, Liko, Roy, Dot and Amethio start the battle against Gibeon's Zygarde. They slowly get used to working together, and try to think of strategies to counter Zygarde. Nyarote evolves into Masquernya during the battle, and she lands the decisive blow against Zygarde.

After the battle, Zygarde disassembles himself and leaves. Lucius tells Gibeon that Zygarde acknowledged Liko and everyone, and that he may have been trying to show Gibeon the possibilities that bonds between humans and Pokemon can create, which causes Gibeon to contemplate Zygarde's Pokeball. At the end, Pagogo transforms into Stellar Form and flies up to the top of the Rakurium crystals, ready to purify them.

Lots of things to cover. I'll go out of order.

Amethio and Soublades. Really liked the scene when Soublades toughed it out so Amethio wouldn't feel sad (ie, not being defeated and surviving a move out of pure affection towards his trainer). I feel like the more Amethio opens up and asserts himself, Soublades does as well? Soublades conveyed to Amethio his desire to keep going on for him during the battle, and I thought it was nice.. Amethio thanked him for it too, and I think it was the first time Amethio said ありがとうin the series? He's expressed gratitude to others a few times before, but he used other words to convey that sentiment. So, hearing Amethio say a simple "thank you" while smiling felt meaningful. Also, Amethio usually asks Soublades for his opinion and always checks on him before making an important decision so they are equals as partners, but I felt like the scene with Soublades asserting his desire to keep going felt a bit different since the initiative came from Soublades. It showcased his personality, too. I feel like Soublades was probably influenced by the other Pokemon, and particularly Liko and Nyarote/Masquernya's bond during the battle? It reminded me a bit of HZ065. In that episode, Nyarote took the initiative to gather grass to keep Liko warm. Upon seeing that, Soublades had the idea to warm up Amethio by using his own blades. Soublades is changing bit by bit as well, through watching Liko and her Pokemon. The fact they played a bit with the knight motif in Soublades during the battle too.. Amethio and Soublades covering for Liko and Masquernya, Amethio wanting to protect (which goes in line with his desire to protect his grandfather) and making way for Liko was great. It doesn't feel diminishing towards Liko either, since they are both portrayed as equals, and Amethio is trusting her to handle the rest. I feel like it also makes him similar to Liko, in the way that both of them grow stronger when they fight to protect others?

Liko and Nyarote.. When Nyahoja evolved last year, I thought that Nyarote would reach her final evolution towards the end of the second year and that Amethio would be there to witness that again. So all requirements were met w Something about Liko's main partner evolving to respond to Liko's feelings and to protect others. The first time Nyahoja evolved, it was in a battle against Lucius's Rayquaza, and this time it was against Gibeon's Zygarde. It's always in a setting related to the Explorers. Amethio being so linked to Liko's growth as a trainer has been a recurrent pattern from the beginning of the series (being her motivation to become stronger after feeling frustrated for not being able to do much in her first battle against him, coming back into the plot precisely in the episode when Liko decided the kind of trainer she wanted to become after catching Mibrim, etc), and I'm glad he was there to witness Nyarote's final evolution. In both battles (Rayquaza in HZ045 and this one), Amethio was acting as an ally as well, so there is something about both Liko and Amethio growing stronger when they join forces.. Also, liking how fierce Liko and Nyarote both are. Liko has her reckless moments and she wanted to stand by Nyarote's side during the battle to support her (really liked that Liko looked at Friede and that they both mutually nodded at each other before she ran next to Nyarote, like she wanted Friede's approval and acknowledgment before doing it). I like that they have similar sources of strength and that they are both motivated to protect others. Liko wanted to protect everyone's feelings, and Nyarote wanted to protect those fighting alongside her.. Soublades included, he was part of those Nyarote wanted to protect and I thought that was nice? Nyarote is so loyal, and I think she was becoming closer to Soublades during the battle itself.

Noting that everyone reacted to Nyarote evolving. I particularly liked that Friede was the first person whose reaction was shown.. He's watched over Liko from the beginning and he is a huge inspiration for her, so I am sure he was proud of her. Amethio didn't react like the others, but this is also unique in itself and sets him apart from the others. Other than that, I loved Nyarote's evolution sequence. It felt like a magical girl transformation scene in how beautiful it was. Masquernya slays severely too, she was really the coolest and I hope to see more of Trick Flower in the future. Now that Nyarote has evolved into Masquernya, it also means that Liko has a cat with dark type as a partner.. just like Spinel. Liko and Spinel both have cunning sides to them, and their main partners share similarities.

Gibeon and Zygarde.. Really liked the visuals when Zygarde slowly disappeared. The cells raining on Gibeon as he is begging Zygarde not to leave, but he is powerless to do anything. The metaphorical rain made it look like Zygarde was crying too.. I think they managed to convey lots of emotional weight through Zygarde, despite the fact that he can't speak or emote. Zygarde really fought for Gibeon's sake, just as his trainer asked him to, but it wasn't necessarily in the way Gibeon wanted. Zygarde genuinely wanted to stop Gibeon this whole time and wanted him to realize what's truly important.. He stayed by Gibeon's side out of loyalty and love for him. I think it demonstrates a lot of agency on the Pokemon's side? In general, I like the relationships between the Explorers and their main partners because there is a lot of care and trust involved in each one of them. Zygarde chose Gibeon and willingly followed him. He could have left anytime, but he didn't because he wanted to be with Gibeon. I think that part of Zygarde may have probably been a bit desperate and pained seeing Gibeon like this for such a long time.. And probably hoped that he would come back to his senses, which is why he set up an elaborate plan to gather the Six Heroes and everyone again, etc. I feel like Zygarde leaving was probably his way of saying that this is the most he could do/muster for Gibeon, and that it's up to him from now on? Maybe Zygarde wants Gibeon to be the one to come to him this time? It does make me wonder if this will be the end for Zygarde and Gibeon. And what will happen to the cell that stays by Hamber's side? Actually a bit worried about this because as things stand, Gibeon probably feels like everyone he's ever loved and trusted left him, and it is miserable for him. I think Zygarde's intentions reached his heart at the end, and I liked that he contemplated his Pokeball. I think he is starting to realize what Zygarde was trying to tell him this whole time, so I wonder if Gibeon will want to meet him again..? Or will this end just like that? I don't know. But I really like the nuance in Gibeon and Zygarde's relationship. Zygarde wanted to save Gibeon from himself and remind him of the value of bonds.. It's interesting seeing a trainer and Pokemon bond with the Pokemon who is more put together than the trainer (a bit like Dot and Kuwassu in early Horizons).

Lucius and Gibeon.. It connects to my thoughts on Gibeon and Zygarde, but I thought it was interesting that Lucius "translated" Zygarde's thoughts and intentions to Gibeon and that he understood Zygarde so well? Something about Lucius's relentless kindness towards Gibeon and the tender way he explained everything to him at the end (ie, that Zygarde was trying to show Gibeon the bonds between humans and Pokemon and the possibilities they bear).. Lucius bears no ill will towards Gibeon and still considers him as a friend he wants to save. On Gibeon's side.. his breakdown was glorious yet infinitely poignant. Something about the way he slowly shifted his gaze Lucius to Liko and realizing her presence, and then absolutely losing it upon realizing that Lucius and those connected to him will always stand in his way and interfere with him? The previous ep confirmed that Gibeon genuinely thought that Lucius was dead this whole time and he was shocked to find out he was alive. Yet we've seen during the series that Gibeon talked about/to Lucius as if he were still alive (when he mentioned the adventure not being over yet in HZ045).. I wonder if he feels like Lucius is just bound to haunt him his whole life.. Something about the mix of love, resentment and feelings of betrayal he can't shake off. Gibeon desperately wanting to understand what makes him different from the rest of them also means that he wants to be understood and that he wants to be part of "the rest of them" in a way.

Also, Lucius' speech about the value of bonds felt sad to me because Gibeon was someone who believed in those concepts once upon a time. His first meeting with Lucius and Rystal comes to mind. Lucius suggested that they all travel together to find Rakua because if they joined forces, they would definitely reach their goal. And Gibeon accepted. Which means he also thought that bonds would make them stronger and more efficient in their quest for Rakua. Which emphasizes the tragedy of it all, because Gibeon lost sight of something he believed in. It wasn't a foreign concept to him, it's just that Lucius and Rystal's betrayal left him heartbroken to the point that his view of trust and bonds became distorted and that he closed off his heart. If they betrayed him and couldn't understand his ideals, then no one else could.. Which speaks of how highly he considered both of them. Also, I liked the scene when Lucius approached Gibeon at the end and got close to him.. I thought he'd either put his hand on Zygarde's Pokeball or hug him or something. It's not too late for this, Horizons.

Liko and Amethio.. Liko protecting Amethio's Pokemon during the battle (just like how he protected her back in HZ045), Liko and Amethio exchanging looks, and Amethio smiling at her. All very important things.

I thought it was interesting that Amethio wasn't exactly in sync with everyone else towards the beginning of the battle. Liko called him out on it too, and he actually listened to her and everyone else. He seemed surprised and taken aback by their comments, but he adjusted to them. He is humble and willing to cooperate.. Also, I couldn't help but compare this teamup with Amethio and Friede working together in HZ045. The setting was much more different back then, but I felt like Friede and Amethio were more used to each other and had no issues adjusting to each other. Their teamwork was smooth. Which makes sense because both Friede and Amethio know each other's styles thoroughly since they battled many times. Amethio is closer to Liko but he doesn't really know Roy and Dot much, so maybe a part of him wasn't as quick to rely on them initially, compared to when he teamed up with Friede. This current situation with Gibeon feels more desperate and personal for Amethio as well, since he wants to stop and save him, so his tendancy to charge in had a reason to it. I have to point out that Amethio talked back to Friede when the latter gave him orders (and still followed them anyway), yet listened to Liko and had no retort.. Again, different settings etc, but this one is cute to me, because I love how Amethio allows himself to show his bratty sides around Friede and banters for the sake of it, but doesn't do the same with others. He doesn't act the same way with everyone, and it shows in the way he interacts with both Friede and Liko. I wonder how Friede felt and what he thought seeing Liko and Amethio battle together, too.. He was an observer this time around and couldn't act.

Either way, I loved that Liko and Amethio finished the battle together. Definitely feels earned and rewarding, especially since they started off the series on opposite sides and couldn't trust each other. Both Liko and Amethio were fighting to protect others and their motivations are similar in that sense. Liko wanted to protect everyone's feelings, and Amethio wanted to protect Gibeon. When they are together, they manage to protect "everyone". Amethio trusting Liko to end the battle also felt meaningful. Amethio has a wish that others don't necessarily share (protecting/saving Gibeon), yet he is leaving it to Liko and putting this much trust in her. He knows that Liko won't trample on that wish and will be able to protect it, and he also respects her strength by trusting her to land the final attack on Zygarde. Amethio saying he'd carve out a path for Liko feels moving, since "path" is such a significant theme in Amethio's story.. He sticks to his own path, looks for his own path and for answers, and then paves the way for someone else (that person being Liko specifically).. Amethio considered that his and Liko's paths were different and couldn't intersect in HZ065, but now their feelings became aligned and they walked the same path, if only for a moment. Which is too poetic it makes me sick tbh.

Other stuff I liked. The Explorers reacting to Zygarde leaving.. I thought Spinel's expression was interesting? I'm not sure what to make of it, but it wasn't something we often see from him.

Something I noticed is that Gibeon's Zygarde has three moves of the same type (Ground) and one move of another type (Dragon). Which is similar to Lucius's Rayquaza (three Dragon type moves, one Flying type move).

During the battle itself: when Dot said "let's run support" so they could both support Roy.. Dot didn't address Amethio at that moment. It made me think that Dot was probably hesitant and didn't know how to include him. She isn't used to working together with him, so she only addressed Liko.

Gibeon saying "don't approach me" to Liko and Amethio during the battle. This specific line stood out to me. It's like he is closing off his heart to everyone, and won't let them get close because he can't afford doing that.

Amethio and Gibeon.. I liked when Amethio told Gibeon that he felt the moment his and Soublades's wishes united. He used "watashi" in this scene too (which reframes a bit the moment he used "ore" in front of Gibeon in the previous episode, like he was talking more earnestly than usual, etc). Gibeon didn't dismiss him, and listened to his words, so it seems like Amethio is finally getting through him.

The voice acting was great. Particularly enjoyed Gibeon, Liko and Amethio's VAs in this ep. Gibeon commanding the moves so calmly and sounding so composed during the battle was great, and he sounds hot ok. I could listen to him saying "Core Punisher", "Ground Force", "Thousand Wave/Arrows" forever. His breakdown sounded so vivid, too. Liko's VA puts a lot of heart into her acting, and it definitely shows. Liko sounds so fierce, and I love that she is becoming like Friede, someone who can give courage to those around her. Amethio's VA was great, and hearing him get deeply invested in the battle felt different.. I feel like he was definitely influenced by Liko and everyone else.

Anyway, this was just a great episode. The magical girl vibes were strong ("we become stronger thanks to our bonds and feelings" is such a magical girl thing to do). AmeLiko and LuciGibe are very good. I really appreciate how even things feel on both Liko and Amethio's ends? Liko suggested working together once in HZ065, and Amethio refused. She didn't have to push it again, or ask another time. This time, the teamup was Amethio's initiative and it was his choice to join forces. They can both protect each other and trust each other's abilities. They really feel like equals.

A bit nervous about Gibeon's future as a character, but at least, I'm satisfied that his heart was reached a little bit in this episode. The way he is continuously depicted as this sad, isolated old man also gets to me..? They don't turn their backs on Gibeon, because it would mean ignoring a century of suffering and not giving closure to heartbreak. The situation escalated to such a degree because Gibeon's feelings festered all this time and he had no one to tell him otherwise. He lived in an echo chamber of his own thoughts and was convinced that Lucius and Rystal meant to betray him and the misunderstanding couldn't be cleared up. The previous ep showed it too. Gibeon showed signs of hesitation just after talking and listening to Lucius a little bit, to the point Spinel had to push him to focus on their plan. In this episode, Lucius calmly talking to him again was enough to make him contemplate the situation.. Which really emphasizes the themes of communication conveyed through this story.

A highlight from the ep from PR account (gif of Liko and Amethio). The twt mentions Liko being Lucius's descendent and Amethio being Gibeon's grandson. In case the Romeo and Juliet vibes weren't clear enough. Just in case.

#hz088 #character notes #episode notes

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