featherstcnes

[featherstcnes]

" i see you enjoy putting words into my mouth, " nellie answered smoothly, tilting her head to the side. " why do you assume that every single person has something negative to say about you? ellarian ... well, is ellarian. " she figured that was explanation enough. she knew she couldn't defend or attack their teacher -- that was a different conversation entirely. " maybe you just have a very small circle of people. maybe you do truly only care for yourself. maybe you don't care about your friends or ellarian or half of the people in this grove. " the you don't care about me, either was left unsaid. she wasn't even sure of what lydian even thought of her half of the time.

she left it there for a moment, unsure of where she wanted to take this. absentmindedly, or maybe as a slightly nervous tick, she tucked some hair behind her ear. " it must get lonely though. " a beat. " keeping everyone so far away. " nellie had been trying to figure out lydian for a long time. what made her tick, what made her laugh. it wasn't easy.

" i'm not trying to fight, lydian. " nellie wasn't sure she really was even that good at fighting, though she'd learned quite a few ways to defend herself through words since living here. " i'm just trying to understand. "

Lydian's fingers tightened around the neck of her instrument. Something about Nellie's sudden retreat made her chest constrict. It was easier when Nellie pushed; it gave Lydian something to push against. This softening, this backing away—it left her unbalanced. "No, say what you mean," she challenged, her voice softer now but no less intense. The elf looked down towards the floor, meeting Nellie's eyes. "You started this conversation. Finish it."

A humorless laugh followed by the shaking of her head. "I'm sure you're going to say what Ellarian always says, that I'm cold or fake or too arrogant for my own good." The words came out bitter and practiced, like she'd heard them so many times they'd lost their sting. But her fingers betrayed her again, perfectly manicured and trembling slightly against the strings of her lute.

[featherstcnes]

the sharp return to her words had nellie looking away, feeling her cheeks heat slightly with something that felt like a mix of embarrassment and frustration all at the same time. she wasn't sure what she was trying to accomplish here, really she wasn't. the emotions welling up inside of her just went to the surface and she tried to ignore them, but... a sigh escaped her lips. " if you're not pretending, fine. " she doubted it. " but i'm far from... good. " she had her own struggles with things --- it wasn't like she was a saint.

she paused only for a few moments, trying to think of her words. " you know it's fine to care, right? " she wasn't really sure of the right thing to say. but was there a right thing to say when it came to this kind of conversation?

nellie looked up at lydian, crossing her arms slightly over her chest. " it doesn't make you... weak to care, if that's what you're worried about. " maybe she was digging herself in a deeper hole here, maybe making herself sound worse, but the words were out before she could stop them. " i mean, look, i'm just... forget i said anything. " she looked off to the side, brushing her hands over her dress.

@featherstcnes asked: ❛i guess it’s easier to pretend like you don’t care.❜ // critical role sentence starters;; open

The bard’s fingers hovered just above the strings, unsure. It was as if today they refused to settle into the expected rhythm, and she hated how her hand betrayed her.

Lydian felt the words like old knots slipping loose in her chest. She had been told this many times in her life. It was practically a family motto. But something about Nellie saying it blurred the edges of her practiced indifference, striking a nerve she didn’t understand. "And who says I’m pretending?" she shot back, more sharply than she intended. Her voice rebounded off the walls, echoing in the quiet room.

The truth was she had hoped the moment would never come. That Nellie would not be bold enough, or mean enough, or strong enough to say it and make it real. But Nellie was fearless in ways that Lydian was not.

She hated how transparent she felt, as if Nellie had adjusted the focus and seen her clearly. Lydian shifted her gaze to the floor, heat creeping up her neck. "Not everyone can be as… good as you," she muttered, trying to sound more flippant than bitter.

[featherstcnes]

i platinumed veilguard i can finally rest 😪

[featherstcnes]

✱˚｡⋆ ↪ 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐎𝐍'𝐒 𝐇𝐎𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐄 . ( a collection of fantasy - based dialogue prompts . adjust phrasing as necessary . )

strangers don't last very long around here .

lay down your sword , and i'll lay down mine .

whatever you do , do not stray from the path .

try not to get yourself killed .

the magic here is old and wild .

quiet ... do not wake it .

i thought i'd find you here . get up .

the tavern in [ location ] is known for its ale and its rumors .

you are starting the path towards your destiny .

is there no end to this accursed forest ?

my sword is yours .

the path to redemption is paved with trials and tribulations .

this forest feels ... sick . as if a disease lies upon it .

you are nothing but damned bones , and a damned soul .

have you ever seen the world beyond [ location ] ?

in the face of overwhelming odds , we must stand united .

please don't let them know that i'm here .

i've heard tales of your exploits . impressive , if they're true .

there's a town three miles east from here .

we have such history , you and i .

go carefully ... there's a camp nearby .

you will not die here , i forbid it .

your reputation precedes you .

i would rather die on my feet than on my knees .

there is no destiny . no born heroes .

you've got a fire in your eyes . use it , but don't let it consume you .

the spirits of this forest are restless .

there's more that you aren't telling me .

you have something that belongs to me .

you shouldn't be here , it's not safe in these parts .

all we can trust are the blades in our hands .

do you believe in fate ? destiny , prophecies ...

i don't think i'll ever get used to having blood on my hands .

wait ! there's traps here . lots of them .

i would die before helping in such a task .

there's an inn just another mile north .

have your blade at the ready .

if you can't already tell , i don't require saving .

have you drank your fill already ?

this isn't just some lark to me .

i'm headed to [ location ] . i could use some company .

your bravery is admirable , but it will also be your undoing .

you're exhausted , [ name ] . we're stopping here .

i will hunt you until the day i die .

i wish you a safe journey home .

as long as i can be of no help , i'm going to hide .

raise your sword . this should be a fair fight .

you're brave to show your face here again .

in this world , you can trust two things ; your intuition and your sword .

i've seen the way you look at the horizon . you're searching for something .

[ administers a healing potion / spell ] is that any better ?

you have no idea of the catastrophe you've set in motion .

there's an ambush ahead , stay quiet .

i want to know your story ... beginning to end .

in the end , we're all just stories waiting to be told .

i've heard tales of a dragon living high up in the mountains . some say it's just a myth , others swear it's real .

the line between friend and foe is often blurred .

try to stay quiet . is the wound deep ?

do not provoke them .

monster ? who's the monster here ?

i forbid you from telling anyone what you've seen here .

are you scared of witches ?

that's a beautiful [ weapon ] . may i ?

you are a valuable ally and a fearsome adversary .

do not tell me you've grown soft over the years .

if our enemy has returned , we must know .

you're a tough one to read , but i can see the kindness in your eyes .

the key to survival is knowing when to fight and when to flee .

i never expected to run into you in [ location ] .

last we spoke , you owed me some coin .

do not fear me ... everybody else fears me .

there is no magic or medicine that can cure this .

you keep questionable company .

every choice has a consequence .

the fate of the world lies in your hands .

so you're the great [ name ] .

remorse will get you nowhere .

you must stay on the path . do not leave it . if you do , you'll never find it again .

i once dreamed of this place . it's real ?

some secrets are best left buried .

the bridge is heavily guarded . we need a plan .

i thought you were returning home .

i would not do this unless i had to .

i need my horse .

it's real . all of the stories , the legends ... and it's real .

don't lose your wit . i believe you'll have need for it yet .

[featherstcnes]

The Saga of "You Bitch!"

[featherstcnes]

despite the pounding in her head, beau couldn't help but chuckle at caleb's words. immediately, she brought her hand to her forehead, rubbing it gently as she tried to relieve the pressure. " essek did seem a little bit more ... relaxed. good for him, though. he's always so uptight. " it did seem like he was enjoying beau and yasha's company a little bit more than he had, which beau was happy about. beau wasn't going anywhere when it came to caleb, and well, it was nice to have something that felt like family. after the nein all split off into their own adventures, caleb and beau included, things weren't quite the same. this was the closest thing she'd had to family, to a home, in a while. beau took a few bites of the food, sighing gently. her stomach wasn't exactly ready for food, but she knew she needed to eat. her and yasha did have plans today, and she was sure yasha would be pissed if beau was hungover the entire day.

" i think we need to remember for next time that we're drinking with people who aren't humans. if i'm this hungover next time, i don't know, you need to like, magically put me to sleep for a few hours or something so i wake up feeling normal afterwards. " beau leaned back in her chair after taking a few more bites of food, crossing her arms over her chest. " look at us, being all domestic. " she said with a slight grin, kicking caleb's leg under the table. " you have things to do with essek today? " she asked conversationally, her hand reaching for a piece of toast, still leaning back in her chair. " because yasha and i are doing something later, but if you don't feel like death in a few hours and want to get outside for a bit, i'm sure you can tag along. " she took a bite of toast, pointing the bread at him after tearing off a piece. " and no, we will not be all over each other the entire time. for your sake. "

Caleb chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Ja, I did see her leave. She said something about going for a walk to pick some flowers." He took a seat across from Beau at the table, gingerly reaching for a piece of toast. "And to answer your question, I feel like death warmed over. But I am trying to maintain some dignity and not let it show." He took a small bite of the toast, chewing slowly as his stomach protested. "You know, it is not a competition, Beauregard. Trying to outdrink Yasha, or anyone for that matter, is a fool's errand. She has the constitution of a… well, of an Aasimar." Caleb's blue eyes sparkled with mirth despite the pain in his head. "But I admire your tenacity. Even if it does lead to mornings like this one."

His thoughts drifted to the previous night, memories slowly piecing themselves together through the haze of his hangover. He remembered the laughter, the camaraderie, the warmth of being surrounded by those he cared for most. Even Essek, who had only recently begun to integrate himself into their little group, seemed to have enjoyed himself. It was a far cry from the solitary, guarded existence Caleb had once known—now a warm and open partner instead. "I have never seen Essek so tipsy before. He didn’t even trance, chose to sleep instead, like us wretched humans." Caleb mused, a hint of humor in his eyes. "But all in all, it was a good night. It is nice to let loose every once in a while, even if the consequences are… unpleasant."

[featherstcnes]

[ID: A digital illustration of Orym and Fearne Calloway from Critical Role. They're hugging each other enthusiastically, both grinning. A heart with an exclamation mark is drawn above them. End description.]

Hey best friend!!

[featherstcnes]

caleb's question was something he had thought about, but hadn't let himself dwell on too much. it was a train of thought that would bring his mind down too many paths to count. " well... sure. i can't help but think that all of us have thought about that at some point, " fjord started, looking over to caleb. the half-orc's hands gripped onto the railing, thumb moving over the smooth wood. " i probably would be letting out an ancient sea god and dooming the seas and... well, probably all of exandria, so i think i'm pretty happy with where we ended up. mostly. " he offered caleb a slightly amused expression before nudging him with his elbow ever so slightly. on fjord's face, a hint of a smile was seemingly permanently on his lips as he spoke to the wizard next to him.

" in the... grander scheme of things, i can't help but think that... that we were part of the reason all of what happened did happen. " the half-orc paused for a long moment, shaking his head. thinking of caleb with giving up the beacon, mollymauk dying, yasha getting controlled ... if they never had met, would they have avoided all of it? " i don't know. " he felt like he was overthinking it all - surely, if what had happened hadn't been because of them, someone else would have just caused the same bit of chain reactions, but the specific choices they made ... well, he wasn't sure if everything would have been quite the same. " have you thought about it? " the question was soft, matching caleb's softer tone from earlier. " all of it. "

Caleb chuckled softly, blue eyes crinkling at the corners as he looked at Fjord with fond amusement. "Ja, I suppose I am feeling nostalgic," he admitted, taking another sip of his ale. "It's hard not to when we've been through so much together. I never thought I would have family again, and now I do." He leaned back against the sturdy wooden railing, letting the cool salt air wash over him. His gaze drifted up to the twinkling stars above, their constellations shifting with the gentle sway of the ship. The vast sea expanse stretched before him, its deep blue waters reflecting the shimmering moonlight. Even Caleb could not help but feel a sense of tranquility and wonder as he took in the beauty surrounding him. It was something he had grown to appreciate through Fjord, though they did not see each other often. Once, he had found the ocean's constant motion annoying, but now he longed to go back to those days with his friends.

As he looked at Fjord, Caleb couldn't help but reflect on how far they had come since the day they first met. He vividly remembered the fear that clenched his stomach when the half-orc held a sword to his neck and the doubts Fjord held about him, all understandable doubts. And it felt good to reminisce, to remember the adventures and misadventures that had brought them all together. There had been plenty of close calls and near misses, but somehow they had always managed to come out on top. But as the night wore on, Caleb found himself growing pensive once more. "Do you ever wonder what would have happened if we hadn't met?" he asked quietly. "All of us, in Trostenwald."

[featherstcnes]

orym had no desire to face the outside world right now. he wanted to lay here with dorian and waste away the morning, just basking in the warmth of his embrace. to kiss him and pretend as if this was all they had to look forward to. to pretend that they would be safe from any battle that was on the horizon. orym knew there would be too many to count. still, for now, he could sit and enjoy the honeyed words that left the bard's lips, making the halfling's chest fill with warmth. " i've got your back, too. always. " he wanted to say more. he wanted to say so much about exactly how he felt. try to put into words exactly how much he cared for dorian. but he knew they had no time. no time.

a small smile tugged at his lips as he stayed resting there with dorian, their foreheads resting against each other's ever so gently. " wherever we end up at the other side of this, i'll be there with you. whether that's zephrah or the silken squall or anywhere else that we end up. i promise. " he leaned forward to kiss him one last time, orym pulling away fully from his embrace with a soft smile. " come on, let's go before we have fearne or someone bashing down our door. " the our part was a slip he hadn't quite intended, but as he said it, it surprised him by how right it felt. orym desperately wanted something that was just theirs. something that felt like home.

the cold that seeped into his bones as he got out of the bed felt all too consuming, but he quickly tried to replace that void by slipping on his armor, running a hand through his hair. " i can go down first and distract them if you want to slip back to where you were supposed to be staying, " he said with a slight teasing smile, looking back over his shoulder at dorian. orym hoped this was not the last time that they had this - a chance to just relax in each other's arms. for once, orym felt as if his body was more rested than it had been in what felt like months. and as much as he loved that feeling on its own, he loved that it was because of dorian that he was able to feel so much at all.

Dorian felt a warmth blossom in his chest at Orym's words, a sense of belonging and acceptance that he had rarely experienced before. The idea of staying by Orym's side, of being a part of his future, filled him with a sense of hope and excitement that he had never dared to dream of. And the thought of seeing Zephrah, of experiencing the beauty and tranquility of Orym's home, was an added bonus that made his heart sing. "I would love nothing more than to explore Zephrah with you," he murmured, his voice soft and sincere. "To see the places you love, to learn more about your life and your family. And if we end up somewhere else, that's okay too. Maybe you could even come with me to visit my home… I’ll have to go back eventually. I promised my father."

The bard sighed, his eyes drifting towards the door as the sounds of their friends' voices grew louder. He knew they had to get up, to face the challenges that lay ahead, but a part of him wanted to stay in this moment forever, wrapped in the warmth and safety of Orym's embrace. "I know we have to go," he said softly, his fingers tracing gentle patterns on Orym's back. "But before we do, I just want you to know… I've never felt this way about anyone before. You make me feel safe, and loved, and like I can be myself without fear of judgment. I don't know what the future holds, but I do know that I want to face it with you by my side."

With that, Dorian leaned in and captured Orym's lips in a final, lingering kiss, pouring all of his love and devotion into the gentle brush of their mouths. When he finally pulled away, he rested his forehead against Orym's, his eyes fluttering closed as he savored the moment. "We should probably get up before they come looking for us," he whispered, a hint of amusement in his voice. "But know that no matter what happens today, I’ve got your back, always."

[featherstcnes]

percy supposed that one day, he'd want to settle in whitestone. it wasn't worth thinking about now - they had too much on their plate, too much to explore. there were plenty of things that would take them far away from whitestone, and he knew that whitestone would always be there, if cassandra was taking care of it. she was strong, and the people trusted her. that was more than enough. he let his thoughts wander as he walked next to vex, ensuring that he kept his attention on her as much as possible as they walked. that attention was clear when he felt a small blush rise on his cheeks at her comment. that depends on what you count as relaxation. he cursed himself for the slip of his tongue before, because as much as he hadn't quite meant his words in the way they sounded, percy wasn't blind. and well, there was a part of him that did want vex'ahlia's company. though, he was sure he was quite horrible at ever voicing that.

" well, i suppose i can start working on some blueprints. perhaps you can come down to the workshop, and you can tell me exactly what you want. we can get some materials while we're out shopping, though. " he'd work night and day if vex'ahlia needed any sort of protection or armor, and as his mind drifted there, he began to think of other items he could work on for her. " i have some ideas for some new arrows for you, too. i need to have you test some, of course. but i think they could be useful. " percy paused his words for a moment, taking in a breath and looking over to her, finally fully looking at her bracers, reaching out for one. " do you mind? " he asked gently as he took her forearm in his gentle grasp, still walking with her as he looked at the fraying leather, the buckles that seemed to be hanging on by just mere threads.

" i mean, i could repair them. though, i think it would be better to just make you some new ones. i can see about using a forge here, maybe using some metal to reinforce them a bit more. but i'll try to... well, i don't know. " he pushed up at his glasses, furrowing his brows before he dropped her arm gently. " i'll see what i can do. " he knew he needed to work on a lot, and not just for vex - he was sure the rest of the team needed things as well. " i'll get stuff to work on what you need, though i suppose i should also ask if anyone else needs anything next time we're able to go to the market. " of course, his mind always drifted to vex'ahlia's needs first. it was almost like instinct, his subconscious always seemingly just moving to thoughts of her.

" i also need more materials for the weapons i'm working on. " he pulled out a piece of paper from his coat pocket, unfolding it and looking at the list he'd brought with him. " not too much, but i hope they have what we need while we're out. " he paused, folding it again and tucking it back into his pocket. " plus, i have not forgotten about my promise of food. if it were any later, i would suggest some ale, and well, wine for me, but i think that's an activity for another day. "

Walking away from their keep and towards the city, Vex'ahlia stretched her arms, breathing in the fresh air and feeling glad Percy decided to accompany her. Taking a rest was good for everyone, especially after all the chaos in Whitestone but down time made her mind wander some times. Similar to him, staying idle for too long made her restless and while there was no deep running guilt dragging her down, there were still thoughts she would rather shut down before they got too bad and there was only so much bow maintanance, bear cuddles and annoying older twins could do to keep her distracted.

Despite seeing Percy's worst in the form of a revenge demon that nearly managed to murder them, he always managed to bring a sense of calm to Vex. And when she managed to be honest with herself, she just enjoyed his company. Listening to his explanation, her eyebrow raised in sceptic understanding.

Liar, she thought. It wasn't that Vex didn't believe him, but the way the last couple of weeks had gone... the things they'd seen and learned about Percy as well as his very obvious restlessness gave an impression of the mental state she persumed he was in. Her shoulder gently bumped into his as they continued their way. "For being unsuited to lead, you did pretty well at your first rebellion, darling." Vex teased with a grin. "Just because your talents lie in different areas doesn't make you unfit to care for your home the same way Cass does. You'd have my support if you ever think about taking on the Lord of Whitestone mantel." Running a hand over a loose thread on the belts fastened over her tunic, Vex met his eyes with a shrug.

She didn't protest the switch of topic, imagining that it was difficult to talk about all that happened without ripping open still healing wounds. "I honestly don't know." Vex'ahlia confessed as he asked about her well being. Physically she was fine. Mentally, well, thought spirals weren't anything new to her. "It's strange to be stagnant like this. Vax and I never really had a home, at least not for a long time. Greyskull keep is a nice place to lay down a few roots I suppose. Trinket loves it of course, not too much walking, lots of space for him to explore, I do miss a little action though. I might need to head out to the forests for a few days." A sigh. Being honest was never easy appearently, but it felt right not to simply say 'I'm fine' this time.

Slowly, farmland started to lift itself off the well walked paths and kettle pastures as well as farmhouses came and went as the outskirts of Emon greeted the two of them. His invitation made her chuckle. "Well, that depends on what you count towards relaxation, Percy, dear." Her voice dipped low, flirtatious on instinct, though the way he backtracked clearly seemed to amused the huntress. "Honestly? I was meaning to ask you if you could make a pair of bracers for me. I thought about simply buying them, but your arrows always work a little better then the ones I buy or am able to make myself." She turned her hand, showing him a deep rip in the leather of her left brazer, as well as the fraying buckles. "I can propably just stitch them back together but it might be time to retire those. So if you don't mind the company? I would be happy to join your in your workshop."

[featherstcnes]

[featherstcnes]

if there was one thing she learned with traveling with caleb for so long, it was his different expressions as he was deep in thought. half of the time, she was sure that they both knew each other better than they knew themselves. " web of intrigue. fancy, " she commented, meeting his eyes as he turned back to her. " of course we'll figure it out. we'll spread out what we found on a table, open a bottle of lionett wine, and we'll start making up a bunch of theories. " she looked around at their surroundings, scrunching her face slightly. " because i'm definitely going to need some wine after this. " her body ached from the day, and she could feel her strength waning ever so slightly. truthfully, she could use an hour or two to just feel normal again, but she didn't want to stop here.

" i'll pull out the notebook i have and we can try cross referencing some stuff once we stop, " she said conversationally as they walked, attempting to keep her voice low just in case there was anyone that could overhear them. she doubted it, but she also doubted that they were the only people or creatures that could be traveling these sewers. at the thought, she looked behind them, attempting to listen for anything behind them. satisfied that they were safe for now, she turned back towards caleb, catching up the small bit she'd gotten behind. " there's always shady shit we have to work through. i mean, we knew this wasn't cut and dry. any of it. there's obviously more than what we know is happening, we just... need to piece it together. " she sighed. " i mean, i feel like we're literally staring at it in the face sometimes, but i don't know. we both knew it wasn't going to be easy, but still. "

Caleb nodded as Beau apologized, his expression softening. "Nein, I am not pissed at you. We are a team, Beauregard, and sometimes things do not go according to plan. But we adapt and we persevere." He reached out and gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze, a gesture of camaraderie and understanding. "And yes, I did find some potentially useful information. But let us discuss it once we are out of this foul-smelling place, ja?" He took the lead, his keen mind recalling the path they needed to take to reach their destination. The sewers were a labyrinthine network of tunnels and passages, but Caleb navigated them with a sense of purpose, his steps sure and steady despite the treacherous footing. Beau followed close behind, and he assumed, her own keen senses on high alert for any signs of danger.

As they walked, Caleb's thoughts drifted to the information he had gleaned during their mission. Snippets of overheard conversations, glimpses of documents hastily shoved out of sight, the nervous tics and tells of those they had interrogated. Individually, they might seem insignificant, but together they formed a larger picture, a tapestry of secrets and hidden agendas. It would take time to unravel it all, to fit the pieces together into a coherent whole, but Caleb was nothing if not patient and methodical. "I think," he began, his voice low and conspiratorial, "that there is more going on here than meets the eye. There are factions within factions, alliances and betrayals, a web of intrigue that extends far beyond what we initially suspected." He glanced back at Beau, his blue eyes glinting in the dim light. "But we will figure it out, you and I. We always do."

[featherstcnes]

laudna could understand the worry, the overthinking about every single thought that dorian was having. but if he was overthinking all of it, there had to be some part inside of him that had to know exactly what he was feeling. if he wasn't sure, surely, the bard would not be going through each and every thought the way that he was. " i think it's normal to be scared, " she said, her fingers picking at a thread on her dress. " i mean, there were plenty of times i thought imogen and i were definitely not very... " a sigh. " i mean, you know, having a dead lady in your chest kind of throws a wrench into things. " laudna paused, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. " just because something is going to kill us all doesn't mean you don't do anything. you're not silly, but that is silly. " she shrugged. " i mean, if i was going to die on the moon and imogen didn't know i loved her, i think i would probably go insane. "

laudna's gaze went over to find orym again, keeping her eyes there on him for a long moment. they had all been through so much - her and orym together, especially. they'd come... quite far, if she was being honest. and laudna knew of course that him and dorian had knew each other before all of this, adventures adding to all of their history. " plus, well, you know, orym does always throw himself into danger all of the time, so... " she paused, waving off her words with her hand. " i mean, he'll be fine, you both will. " she didn't shy away from using orym's actual name - who else, really, would the bard be talking about? and he hadn't commented on her almost letting it slip earlier. " but i don't see the harm in saying something. it's not like you're going to be two different people the second either of you says something. you're charming. mostly. i mean, you could definitely woo him if you wanted to. "

Dorian nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful as he considered Laudna's words. "Home," he repeated softly, his voice barely audible over the gentle rustling of leaves in the breeze. "I think I know what you mean.” It felt like... no matter what happened, no matter how bad things got, he knew that person would always be there for him. They're your safe place, your anchor in the storm. He glanced over at Orym again, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he watched the halfling work. "I've never had that before. Not really. I mean, I've had friends, and family, but it's different. This is…" He trailed off, shaking his head as he struggled to find the right words. This was different. This feeling was different.

"I'm a little scared, you know?" he admitted finally, his voice a bit sheepish, nervous. "I'm scared of what this means, of what could happen. We're about to face something that could very well kill us all, and I… don't want to leave things unsaid. But I also don't want to ruin what we have, do you understand what I mean?" What if Orym didn’t feel the same way? Well, Dorian had a strong feeling that Orym returned his feelings, but it was more so he wasn’t sure if the halfling wanted to pursue anything after Will. Dorian would never want him to feel pressured or forced, feelings or not. So what if they were both just setting themselves up for heartbreak? He sighed heavily, running a hand along the back of his neck as he looked back at Laudna, his eyes searching hers for some kind of guidance, some kind of reassurance that everything would be okay. Dorian shook his head, "I sound silly."

[featherstcnes]

@knife-like asked: ❛ i’m not saying it’s gonna be okay . i’m just saying … i’m here . ❜ (fjord to beau)

" dude, this is literally the furthest thing from okay. " yasha was gone, again, and it felt like this was... eerily final. jester screaming for yasha before the door had been closed was playing throughout her mind for ages now. it was hard to turn her head off, really. and it felt like every single time she started to open up her mind or her heart to anything, it all fell apart. a sigh escaped her lips, beau letting herself slump slightly more into the chair she was sitting in.

" i don't need anyone to tell me it's gonna be okay, " she began, looking over at fjord. " i need you to tell me that you're gonna be there to help me get her back. i don't care how hard it is. "

[featherstcnes]

@fenthrasandbluefeather asked: [ mistletoe ] a playful or romantic kiss under a mistletoe

the keep hadn't been decorated too much for winter's crest, but keyleth could feel the spirit of the long awaited holiday for much of tal'dorei. and it was where vox machina found themselves at a tavern deep in the city of emon, all of them enjoying some ale and some good conversation. grog was currently causing chaos with a few other larger statured creatures in part of the tavern, vax was currently deep in a drinking contest with pike and scanlan, and percy was sipping at his wine. ever the classy one, he was. keyleth shook her head adoringly at her friends before attempting to find vex. scanning the room, she didn't quite find her until she spotted her as the front door to the tavern opened, a flash of blue catching her eyes in the distance.

keyleth took one last look towards her friends before she excused herself, though she was sure her friends didn't even quite hear her as she slipped away and out the front door due to them breaking out into a fit of laughter as they put down their tankards. the front entrance to the tavern was under a small wooden awning, protecting them from the elements. " i wondered where you slipped off to, " keyleth said, pulling her cloak a bit further around herself to shield herself from the chill of the cool air that threatened to seep into her bones. " i missed you in there. " it didn't quite feel entirely right when they weren't fully together. keyleth offered vex a small smile, a blush ever present on her cheeks. she blamed the cool air making her cheeks turn red, and if that excuse didn't pan out, then she'd sooner blame the ale.

" look, vex. " it looked at first as if she was pointing to the falling snow, but she attempted to guide vex's line of vision to the mistletoe that was hanging right above them. " we can't break tradition, right? i heard it's bad luck, and ... we already have enough of that. " there was a shy, awkward laugh at the words, tucking some of her auburn hair behind her ear. " please don't kill me for this, " keyleth said with a small smile, turning more towards the ranger. the druid leaned in quickly and placed a small peck to vex's lips that was mostly pressed to the corner of vex's mouth than anything. it could be passed off as a kiss between friends - could be passed off as anything, really. but as she pulled away, the blush on her cheeks deepened and she chewed on her bottom lip nervously. " that was okay, right? sorry, i -- " keyleth paused. " i'm going to shut up now. "

* ― 𝑫𝑰𝑭𝑭𝑬𝑹𝑬𝑵𝑻 𝑾𝑨𝒀𝑺 𝑻𝑶 𝑲𝑰𝑺𝑺 𝑺𝑶𝑴𝑬𝑶𝑵𝑬. [ accepting ]

[featherstcnes]

@knife-like asked: ❛ i'm always here for you if you need me. ❜ (vex to keyleth)

keyleth had always admired vex'ahlia. the way she held herself, the perfect words she somehow always knew how to say. and this was no different. " i know, vex. " the druid's words were soft in return, a soft smile on her lips as she tucked a piece of hair behind her pointed ear, her hand moving to wrap around her quarterstaff. " and you know i'm always here for you, too. " keyleth paused for a moment. there was always so much on their plate, so much being thrown at them to deal with and... often, it did feel a bit hard to find someone to lean on.

"i know we don't really have time to take things slow. everything just is... wow. " there was a slightly awkward laugh at that, shaking her head. " i'm just... worried, i guess. about what comes next. it feels like we barely have control over anything, you know? "

[featherstcnes]

🐝  *  ―  𝑫𝑰𝑭𝑭𝑬𝑹𝑬𝑵𝑻 𝑾𝑨𝒀𝑺 𝑻𝑶 𝑲𝑰𝑺𝑺 𝑺𝑶𝑴𝑬𝑶𝑵𝑬.

[ peck ] a quick, light kiss on the partner's lips or cheek [ french ] a deep, passionate kiss with the use of tongue [ forehead ] a gentle kiss on the partner's forehead, conveying care and affection [ spiderman ] an upside-down kiss, just like in the movie [ mistletoe ] a playful or romantic kiss under a mistletoe [ hand ] a chivalrous kiss on the back of the partner's hand [ lingering ] a long, slow kiss filled with emotion and desire [ neck ] a kiss or gentle sucking on the partner's neck [ nape ] a kiss placed at the nape of the partner's neck [ teasing ] a light brushing of lips against a partner's skin without fully kissing [ earlobe ] a light nibble on the partner's earlobe [ tango dip ] a kiss shared while one partner is dipped backward [ celebration ] a joyful and exuberant kiss to celebrate an achievement or milestone [ stolen ] a quick, stealthy, and impromptu kiss snatched in secret [ bite ] a playful kiss that involves some light biting [ goodbye ] a heartfelt kiss when parting, showing affection and fondness [ rain ] a romantic kiss in the rain [ scars ] a gentle kiss on the partner's scar(s) [ injury ] a careful kiss on a partner's wound to make it all better [ wedding ] a romantic kiss shared during a wedding ceremony [ comfort ] a tender kiss to provide comfort or reassurance [ sunset ] a kiss shared during sunset, often romantic and serene [ butterfly ] a light fluttering of eyelashes against the partner's skin [ seductive ] a deep, slow, and deliberately intense kiss filled with passion and desire [ shoulder ] a tender kiss on the partner's shoulder [ knuckles ] a kiss on each individual knuckle of the partner [ slow motion ] a kiss in slow motion, accentuating every moment and sensation [ reunion ] a longing kiss shared after being apart for a while [ passionate ] an intense and fiery kiss, expressing raw desire and strong emotion [ underwater ] a kiss shared while submerged in water [ wrist ] a tender kiss on the inside of the partner's wrist [ wake up ] a loving kiss to wake the partner up [ apology ] a kiss offered as a way to apologize or make amends [ hummingbird ] a series of light, rapid, and fluttery kisses on a small area [ trail ] a trail of kisses along the partner's jawline or collarbone [ blowing ] a kiss in the air and send of the gesture towards the partner [ surprise ] a sudden kiss to catch the partner off guard [ hickey ] a kiss that's supposed to leave a mark on the partner's skin [ single lip ] a sucking or nibbling of one of the partner's lips [ nose ] an affectionate gesture where partners rub their noses together