#✦ aster winton || headcanon ✦ a kind act can sometimes be as powerful as a sword

[unlockthestars]

50 Dialogue Prompts // Accepting

@damnbrosius asked: “I’ve been waiting a long time.” Ambrosius to Aster. He's also lying, he was summoned as recently as a week ago, but lucky Aster for being the one to find the staff in the sand, right?

The fall of Atlas had displaced thousands of citizens. Some of them were handling things a lot better than others, and Aster knew he was going to have his work cut out for him. It was going to be a lot of long days and nights, talking through the trauma of what had happened, but right now, this was where he was most needed.

He was taking a little bit of a break after talking to a family who had had to evacuate after generations had lived in the kingdom, going back as far as when the Academy had been known as Alsius. It was all they had ever known, and all of them were having trouble adjusting.

Aster had listened, letting each family member (they'd requested to talk to him as a group) talk, express the complex emotions they were feeling about….everything. He'd recommended a few exercises, reassuring them that what they were feeling was perfectly natural, that they weren't broken; they were just going through a lot right now.

And they weren't the only ones. There were a lot of heightened emotions right now, and Aster needed to take a walk, to clear his head, so he could continue being of service.

He filled a canteen and slung it over his shoulder, walking the relatively short distance to where the portal had appeared in Vacuo. So many people had come here from Atlas and Mantle through that single portal…., and they would never be able to return home.

Aster surveyed the area, though there were few signs of the turmoil that had happened here only recently; the sands shifted quickly here, covering any trace that might have been left or uncovering previously hidden ruins seemingly at random.

He knows he's not going to find much out here, that he should head back to the city, to talk to more people. But as he turns to head back, something catches his eye, mostly buried in the sand. Aster heads towards what appears to be some sort of gem, glittering in the sand. Had someone dropped this after coming through the portal?

Intrigued, he quickly digs the gem out of the sand…, only to discover that it's attached to a staff, which started to glow the moment he touched it.

And then suddenly, floating before him is a tall, very muscular, very naked blue man who had just declared that he'd been waiting a long time.

Aster's eyes widen, and he almost drops the staff he'd found, but something tells him to hold onto it.

His tail twitches, angled slightly upward, but otherwise very still. "I'm…..sorry to have kept you waiting," is all Aster can think to reply.

[stardustedstories]

Do not let Aster’s almost perpetual smiles fool you: there is so much more going on behind that grin than he ever lets on.

He suffers from depression himself, so he’s always working to make sure he takes care of it, that he doesn’t get too bad that he can’t help out other people. And sometimes that does involve just kind of shoving it down and dealing with it later, which he knows isn’t healthy, but…., he doesn’t always have time to deal with his own issues.

Sometimes, he does end up needing to take some time off so he can actually process his own emotions, but he tries to make it so that it’s at a good time, when people don’t need him. But emotions don’t only happen at convenient times.

He’s also desperately lonely. He may meet and talk to a lot of people, but a lot of people tend to hold him at arm’s length when they find out he’s a therapist, which makes it harder just to make friends, let alone any deeper connection.

That smile also hides a core of absolute steel. He’s perfectly capable of protecting himself and others. Aster is not afraid to fight and get his hands dirty if he needs to, either; he just prefers to help people in a different way, most of the time.

[storiedhistories]

Aster has a very rich, musical voice. One of the things he fell in love with at a young age and still very much enjoys is music. He’s primarily a singer, though he can also play a few instruments. He's also dabbled in writing his own songs in the past.

It kind of started out as a way to process his own emotions, but he found he was actually decent at setting those words to music. He has a notebook of songs he carries around with him, and if you get close to him, he might sing something just for you.

(And for an actual reference, I picture him sounding like P.eter H.ollens:

[storiedhistories]

Do not let Aster’s almost perpetual smiles fool you: there is so much more going on behind that grin than he ever lets on.

He suffers from depression himself, so he’s always working to make sure he takes care of it, that he doesn’t get too bad that he can’t help out other people. And sometimes that does involve just kind of shoving it down and dealing with it later, which he knows isn’t healthy, but…., he doesn’t always have time to deal with his own issues.

Sometimes, he does end up needing to take some time off so he can actually process his own emotions, but he tries to make it so that it’s at a good time, when people don’t need him. But emotions don’t only happen at convenient times.

He’s also desperately lonely. He may meet and talk to a lot of people, but a lot of people tend to hold him at arm's length when they find out he's a therapist, which makes it harder just to make friends, let alone any deeper connection.

That smile also hides a core of absolute steel. He's perfectly capable of protecting himself and others. Aster is not afraid to fight and get his hands dirty if he needs to, either; he just prefers to help people in a different way, most of the time.

[storiedhistories]

Aster has a very rich, musical voice. One of the things he fell in love with at a young age and still very much enjoys (though he doesn't have as many opportunities, these days, though maybe that will change) is music. He's primarily a singer, though he can also play the piano. It's been a little while so his playing would be a little bit rusty, but he has dabbled in writing his own songs in the past.

It kind of started out as a way to process his own emotions, but he found he was actually decent at setting those words to music. He has a notebook of songs he carries around with him, though he hasn't really done much with them at this point.

(And for an actual reference, I picture him sounding like P.eter H.ollens:

[unlockthestars]

I mentioned a little bit about his semblance in this post (where you can find many more references to Dionysus; there are a lot), but like I also mentioned in that post, there's more to it.

Aster’s semblance is the ability to force his opponents into an apparent state of intoxication, which can result in clumsiness, breaking out into dance, or simply passing out, depending on how much he’s concentrating on a single person. If he spreads it over a group, it’s not as potent, but if focused on one person, he can simply cause that person to seemingly become so inebriated that they fall unconscious.

While the person may seem intoxicated, it's more of an approximation than actual intoxication. Which is why the results aren't as varied as it can be with how people actually react to alcohol and is more tied to the aforementioned affects.

However, if someone has any alcohol in their system, he’s able to pinpoint that and enhance the effects and it requires a lot less effort. It also works the other direction: if someone is intoxicated, he can concentrate on that and essentially sober them up.

He very very rarely uses his semblance outside of combat or helping people because he is fully aware of the dangers and potential moral implications of his semblance.

It also means that he's very aware of his own tolerance (and to some extent, others') for alcohol.

[unlockthestars]

QUESTIONS FOR 🏳️‍🌈GAY AF MUSES🏳️‍🌈 // Accepting

@flightofaqrow asked: 🍇 Aster, 🍒🍆 Qrow, 🍑Robyn and Glynda

🍇Do they hang out with a lot of other LGBT people? Is this a conscious decision?

The few actual friends that Aster has had tended to be part of the LGBTQ+ community. He gravitates towards people that love other people, regardless of who they might love or how they might express themselves, and that frequently tends to be other queer folks.

He's definitely aware of it, and it is a conscious decision. Because community is important, being able to connect with others who share at least some of your life experiences helps build and foster that sense of community.

🍆 Do they maintain an active sex life?

When he has the time. He definitely enjoys sex, and it can be a great release, but sometimes work has to come first.

🍒 Would they ever want to get married?

That….is an interesting question. I think there's part of him that very much wants family, home, all of the things that come with the idea of being married. But he can't really picture himself as married, really. Because a) who would put up with him that long? b) he's terrified of hurting the people he loves, c) he wouldn't want to drag another person into his mess of a life, not if they had a choice not to be there.

🍑 For research purposes, do they top or bottom? Exclusively, or preferentially?

Glynda:

When Glynda's with another woman, she definitely tends to be the more dominant partner. Partly because she feels like it's expected of her, and partly because she just naturally sort of falls into that role. She's very good at being in control, and not quite as good when she doesn't have it.

That being said, if her partner is interested in switching things up, she'll go along with it. It's honestly a good way to tell how much she trusts someone, if she's willing to let them top.

Robyn:

Robyn tends to be pretty flexible when she's with another woman. She's been both top and bottom, and she enjoys both. Her preference, though, is service top. She enjoys being able to take care of her partners.

[unlockthestars]

Aster has a very rich, musical voice. One of the things he fell in love with at a young age and still very much enjoys (though he doesn't have as many opportunities, these days, though maybe that will change) is music. He's primarily a singer, though he can also play the piano. It's been a little while so his playing would be a little bit rusty, but he has dabbled in writing his own songs in the past.

It kind of started out as a way to process his own emotions, but he found he was actually decent at setting those words to music. He has a notebook of songs he carries around with him, though he hasn't really done much with them at this point.

(And for an actual reference, I picture him sounding like P.eter H.ollens:

[unlockthestars]

Aster is pretty much the definition of a service switch. Whatever his partner's preferences, he will focus on their pleasure first and foremost, and he is very good at listening and adjusting as needed. He's also pretty open to trying new things, though he does have some limits.

However, he's equally as content simply spending time with a partner, as well. Aster loves to take care of the people he cares about, whatever form that might take.

[unlockthestars]

If you've seen any of my Aster posts, you've likely noticed that I use his tail movements a lot to convey his state of mind. I figured I should probably actually include some reference so there's less guesswork for people who aren't as familiar with cats. (It's me; I'm people who aren't as familiar with cats, having a dog; I legitimately have a chart I've been using for reference.)

Here are some of the basics:

[unlockthestars]

Send a 🍁, ask a question // Accepting

@flightofaqrow asked: (Aster) 🍁 + How does he feel about being a faunus?

Aster's tail swishes slowly behind him, a fact he's much more aware of, considering the question. How did he feel about being a faunus?

"Well, I've been a faunus all my life, so I don't exactly know anything different," he laugh. But he has a feeling that's not really the question that's being asked. They're curious about other things.

"It can be hard, sometimes," Aster says, his voice soft as he looks down at his hands. "Having people hate you, not for anything you've done, but simply for the circumstances of your birth, for something you can't control." A little sigh. "It can get tiring, always having to fight to be recognized as a person, and I don't exactly have the 'privilege' of being able to 'pass,'" the words are said with quotes because to some, it is a privilege not to be seen as faunus…., but….there are a lot of complicated feelings there.

"I wouldn't change that part of myself, if that's what you're asking, even if I could. I'm me, and if I weren't a faunus, I would be someone else."

[unlockthestars]

Send a 🍁, ask a question // Accepting

@eiiskonigin asked: 🍁 + Aster, who in Remnant would you most like to help, among the people you've met?

"Yes," he's tempted to respond, because he's met a lot of people, and he's wanted to be able to help everyone, if they wanted or needed him. But it's not that simple. He can't just go up to someone and be like "Ah, yes, you have problems; I'm going to help you today;" it was much more nuanced than that.

While Aster did his best to help as many people as possible, he can't help someone that doesn't want his help. Which makes the question difficult.

"I want to help anyone I can," he replies. "While there are plenty of people in Remnant who need some sort of help, not everyone wants what I can offer. And that's okay; some people aren't ready to accept help, some people can't ask for it, and sometimes, there's trauma that's stopping someone. And whatever the reason…., it doesn't matter. Because people aren't broken; they're not some vase that needs to be put back together. But sometimes people hurt…., and it's that that I might be able to help with."

A soft laugh as he sits back in his chair. "I guess the answer to your question is…., whoever decides that they need me."

[unlockthestars]

Send a 🍁, ask a question // Accepting

Anonymous asked: 🍁 Aster, do you feel lonely sometimes? How do you deal with it?

Normally, Aster had answers to all sorts of different questions, and if he didn't, he usually wasn't worried about admitting that. But a question like this…., well, it's one of the things he's struggled with for a while. He gets to know a lot of people, some of them quite well, but he doesn't have many friends. And even fewer relationships throughout his life.

"I'm still just a person," he says with a slightly lopsided smile. "I'm not immune to feeling lonely." But how did he deal with it? He frequently just…..didn't.

"There's nothing wrong with having a few drinks and getting to know someone much better for an evening," is what he says, offering a wink. Sometimes that helped him feel more of a sense of connection, but other times…., it just made it worse.

He's very good at helping other people, but sometimes, he still has trouble with himself.

[unlockthestars]

Do not let Aster's almost perpetual smiles fool you: there is so much more going on behind that grin than he ever lets on.

He suffers from depression himself, so he's always working to make sure he takes care of it, that he doesn't get too bad that he can't help out other people. And sometimes that does involve just kind of shoving it down and dealing with it later, which he knows isn't healthy, but…., he doesn't always have time to deal with his own issues.

Sometimes, he does end up needing to take some time off so he can actually process his own emotions, but he tries to make it so that it's at a good time, when people don't need him. But emotions don't only happen at convenient times.

He's also desperately lonely. He may meet and talk to a lot of people, but a lot of people around Remnant instantaneously don't trust him if they find out he's a therapist, and even more because he's a faunus, which can make his work harder, but it also makes it harder just to make friends, let alone any deeper connection.

That smile also hides a core of absolute steel. He is a licensed Huntsman, and he knows how to fight very well when he needs to. His semblance literally drives people insane, at least temporarily, and he is well aware how potentially devastating that is. He's not afraid to get his hands dirty if he needs to, either; he just prefers to help people in a different way, most of the time.

[unlockthestars]

Learn about my muses' physical features! // Accepting

@flightofaqrow asked: [mouth] for Val; [skin] for Robyn; [chest] for Glynda bc qrow would like to know and is possibly about to find out; [eyes] for Aster, aaaand one freebie to talk about whatever for whichever muse that we should know.

This is gonna be long, so BUCKLE UP, BUTTERCUP.

[mouth]: are their lips always drawn thin or are they plump and kissable, what’s their “default expression”/resting face, do they have all their own teeth, do they use their teeth to smile, etc.

One of the great things about Val is, regardless of if they're presenting male or female or anywhere in between, a lot of their facial features remain the same, just a more masculine or feminine presentation.

They always have full lips, which is one of the things that does not change. And they take good care of them, too: lip scrubs are not an uncommon thing to find in their toiletry kit, along with balm and other products to make sure they're always properly taken care of and ready to be kissed at any moment.

When using Valentina and presenting more feminine, there is almost always purple lipstick on her lips, because she knows she looks good in it. They're well-versed in using only makeup to present more femme if they need to, as well.

The default expression on their face (usually when they know someone is watching them) is a mischievous smirk, like they're up to no good. But if they're unaware if anyone is watching them, their resting face is more thoughtful, as though considering the world around them and their place in it.

While they do have all their own teeth, they don't usually use them to smile; they got used to keeping their true feelings close to the chest very early on, so if you get a full, genuine smile from Val, you know you're doing something right.

[skin]: obviously colour, but also if they’re inclined to run hot or cold, do they have any blemishes or unusual markings, are they inclined to blush, are they freckled, do they tan, what does their skin feel like, etc.

One of the first things someone might notice about Robyn are the two beauty marks she has on her face: under her right eye and on the left side of her chin. They're not large, but they definitely stand out.

While she doesn't run hot, Robyn is definitely a little warmer than average, which is great in the winter, but not so much in the summer. There's a reason she wears a layer that has absolutely no sleeves, after all.

She takes care of her skin as much as she has the time to do; usually that only amounts to washing and moisturizing, but when she has more time, she'll do a full skincare routine. This is partly because she spends a lot of time outside, sometimes in the elements, and it's important to take care of yourself. Which means that her skin is very soft, underneath all those layers.

While her skin is not exactly pale, it is obvious when she flushes because it's not that common.

She has a scar on her stomach from a time she was stabbed in an attempted mugging that didn't heal as well as it could have.

[chest]: (potentially nsfw) what size are their breasts if they have them, nipple colour and shape and size, do they have visible muscle definition/abs, etc.

I am not putting this part under a readmore because breasts are not inherently sexual, damn it, and I have some asks about man-boobs in my inbox and I'm not putting them under a readmore either.

I legitimately attempted to do math for this, and after research and looking at many many screencaps of Glynda, she is a 34E, which makes shopping fun. There's a reason she has a specific style and sticks to it.

As for shape, her breasts are pretty even, with the right one a touch bigger than the other, but that's mostly only noticeable if you're really studying them or handling them. She only really notices when she's looking in a mirror; it doesn't make much of a difference for clothes, thankfully.

Her nipples are pretty small, with slightly bigger areola, and both nipples and areola are a very light blush pink.

Her abs are toned and there's just a hint of muscle definition. She keeps herself in good, fighting shape.

[eyes]: not just the colour, but the shape, the length of their eyelashes, whether they’re alert or usually half-closed, large or small, sunken into the face, ringed by bags, etc.

The picrews that I used to generate Aster didn't have hazel as an option so I ended up going with brown most of the time, but his eyes change colour depending on the light and sometimes with his emotions. Sometimes they're more brown, absolutely, but there are times they appear almost green. Most of the time, they're a mix of brown and green, with gold flecks if they catch the light just right.

His eyes are actually shaped almost like a leopard's, almost round, very open and wide. His eyelashes aren't overly long, but they definitely take mascara well, if/when he wears it. They also do shine at night if you turn a light on him, like a leopard's would.

For the most part, he doesn't appear to have bags under his eyes, but if he does, he's very good at concealing that fact.

He's usually pretty alert, with his eyes fairly open, looking around to see if he can do anything to help, regardless of where he is.

If eyes are windows into the soul, then Aster is an open book.

For the freebie, we're going back to Val/entina!

[groin]: (potentially nsfw) any information pertaining to genitals - length, girth, shape, colour, “unusual features”, also includes the rear and its general appearance, etc.

OKAY, so. When using "Val" and presenting as more traditionally 'masculine,' they have a penis and scrotum. Length is between 7 and 8 inches, since they were able to choose, and matches their regular skin tone. Girth is fairly average, head isn't too bulbous. Overall, a very nice-looking package.

When using "Valentina" and presenting as more traditionally feminine, they have vulva, vagina, and clitoris. Because they were able to design it, they were able to ensure that it is uniform, with the colour a bit pinker than their regular skintone.

Regardless of presentation, they keep any hair fairly well trimmed, though there is definitely a happy trail when presenting more masculine physically.

And they've got a rockin' booty, no matter what, with firm, round cheeks that look good in whatever they choose to wear.

[unlockthestars]

In order to make his services more accessible, Aster frequently doesn't charge beyond what he needs to live. He is perfectly willing to accept food or other necessities as payment, especially if the person seeing him has no other way to pay. If he's in a city and someone is capable of providing payment, he'll accept it, but he's more focused on helping people. Which means that he also definitely does talk to people without charging anything, if that is what is needed at that time.