#But Regis doesn't need to know that

[gurugirl]

DEVIL DICK | a preview

Full one-shot posted on Patreon only!

devil dick: a man who doesn't have much to offer, but he gives it his all between the sheets and keeps 'em coming back for more.

. . .

"That's devil dick," Regi said. "Dick so good it gets you hooked and coming back for more but that's all he has, ya know? So, of course, he's giving it a hundred in bed. He's got nothing else. No job or money…"

.

The sticky sweet, electric blue cocktail you were sipping on was doing its job. Ethanol molecules passing through the barrier of your bloodstream and the area of your brain responsible for controlling your central nervous system caused that familiar feeling of intoxication to take over.

In other words, your normally high-functioning brain, along with its good judgment was being temporarily impaired.

But that's exactly what you wanted.

It was Friday night at one of the many popular bars downtown. You had no rhyme or reason for choosing this one. You just did. And when you found yourself a spot at the end of the bar all you knew was that you were going to have three, or maybe four, cocktails and then call it a night.

The bartender suggested their Friday night $6 special, the name of which you had already forgotten. But it was tasty; a little tart and a lot sweet. Coconutty. You could pretend you were somewhere in the Caribbean on vacation. Maybe an island off of Cartagena somewhere, basking in the sun and watching the ocean lap into the white sands.

But actually, you'd rather be right where you were in the big city sipping your shitty drink on your uncomfortable stool with terrible music pumping from the speakers.

Why? Because of the curly-haired man that was a few people down and catty-corner to you at the bar. The one who kept looking at you like he wanted the same thing you did. He was drinking a brown liquor. Whisky, brandy, or rum perhaps. Neat.

His big hand wrapped around the glass as he eyed you from his spot and he sipped up the intoxicant in much the same way you were nursing your own.

No words needed to be spoken as you emptied your third cocktail. He raised his tattooed arm to call the bartender to close out his tab. And then he pointed at you, pink lips moving, curving around his vowels slowly as he spoke.

You already knew what this was. You and the man had been communicating with your eyes and body language for the past hour and now he was paying your tab and that meant you were about to leave with him.

It was a good thing that your inhibitions were lowered. The ethanol effectively neutralizing your brain's don't-do-that switch.

Your card was returned and you stepped off the stool just as Mr. Pink Lips approached, giving you a hand to steady yourself before he followed you out of the bar, hand at your low back.

The night air did nothing to sober you up when you finally turned to speak, "Thank you for getting my drinks in there."

He grinned, "You're welcome. I'm Harry."

You slid your palm against his and introduced yourself, "What now, Harry?"

"Got a place we can go to?"

"Um… yeah. We can go to mine."

Harry bought your drinks so you got the taxi. Normally you wouldn't bring strangers back to yours but, again, your neurotransmitters weren't firing off as quickly as they normally did. And you were horny and he was fine as hell.

Sitting with your thigh glued to his in the backseat of the car he wrapped his palm around your neck ever so gently and tilted your head back before sliding his lips against yours. The gesture was dominant, forceful, but he wasn't rough. It felt like he knew what he wanted and you'd let him have it for the night.

. . .

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[starboyjun]

batfam as types of isekai romance male leads

in this post: bruce wayne, dick grayson, jason todd, tim drake, cassandra cain, stephanie brown, and damian wayne

bruce wayne as rudiger winterwald (i will change the genre)

bruce is definitely the cold and "i make misunderstandings for a job" type of male lead. he's the one people in the comments bash or defend for their life. bruce in his past life is the one that the female lead thinks hates them so they die thinking that he won't care but plot twist: he does care... a lot. he's the one to destroy the entire world after their death (regis floyen core) and he's the one who turned back time for her.

dick grayson as isidor visconti (isn't being a wicked woman much better?)

dick grayson is the childhood lover, the one you don't think would be interested in you because of his bright personality. you think he's doing all these things out of pure kindness until after 100+ chapters he likes you. dick grayson is the one to stick by your side and in both lives, was devoted to you.

jason todd as izek van omerta (how to get my husband on my side)

jason todd is the one who unintentionally is cold to you (another idea is he's your killer in your first life) and probably causes your death... unintentionally... maybe. he's the slow burn type of romance where you fix past misunderstandings that have been building up for the past years you've known each other/been together. after a lot of years you've spent together, he's the greenest green flag you've ever met.

tim drake as schdermel raft (my dear aster)

tim drake is the male lead who takes a while to own the reader's hearts lowkey. timmy is a duke that rose to power in the female lead's previous life and is the one that could help her/protect her from her family/problems. timmy is such a sweetheart and i think it'll take a while before romance starts to come in the story (and has reader's asking novel readers who's the male lead).

cassandra cain as dorothea millanair (the tyrant wants to be good)

cassandra cain is the ultimate "i didn't want to be this, my surroundings made me be this." cassandra had a hard childhood because of her father and her "home" similar to many manhwa female leads. cassandra is the type to regret her past life and change for the better. she's not a brainless female lead, she knows a lot of things and will want to change (similar to dorothea).

stephanie brown as athanasia de alger obelia (wmmap)

stephanie is a female lead who is kinda stupid ("why did the plot change" type things) but overall is a strong female lead. she's one to go down in history (like athy). she's one who doesn't need a male lead to back her up and overall chases the plot to chang people's lives. steph is a happy girl and deserves a happy ending.

damian wayne as maximilian kasin ashet (father i dont want to get married)

damian is the one who (unintentionally/intentionally) killed you in your past life. damain grew up as a stuck up brat kid, though he is less of a brat, he's a trained killer for gods sake. damian is one who isn't familiar with love and being gentle. he probably grew up on the battlefield and is labelled "mad dog" or "cold blooded killer" or something along those lines. once you show damian you're not like the other girls afraid of him, he starts to fall... hard.

bonus: alfred pennyworth

the reliable butler of the family who's been serving the family for ages. he's the first one who trusts you and gets to know you on a personal level. he's always there to talk to the waynes and convince them you're a good person.

idk what to do next so lmk lol

[lunarlegend]

Notable Differences in Ignis' Characterization

as some may know, the English localization of Final Fantasy XV had a whole different director - not Hajime Tabata, but Dan Inoue - who essentially overhauled the characters' original personalities around familiar archetypes in order to encourage sales of the game in the west.

one of the characters hit hardest by these changes was Ignis. the following are some key differences between the original character of Ignis and his localized persona.

1. Ignis has no unique accent.

in the original Japanese version of Final Fantasy XV, Ignis is voiced by famous seiyuu (and singer!) Mamoru Miyano. he does not have a different accent from any of the other characters, and there is nothing to suggest he is from a different location. he also does not speak formally except with certain individuals, using casual Japanese around the other bros and around those he is comfortable with.

2. Ignis is Lucian.

unlike in the English dub, where they needed to explain his new accent, Ignis' official Japanese profile states that he is, in fact, from the Kingdom of Lucis. Hajime Tabata even mentioned in an interview at the Square Enix Cafe that Ignis' parents were alive and well at the time of his departure from the city, suggesting that they also lived in Insomnia.

3. Ignis is not sarcastic.

the original character of Ignis is very soft-spoken and serious. he has a gentle demeanor, and rarely ever jokes around. rather than use snark or make puns in conversation, JP Ignis instead states things plainly and clearly. he is very much the voice of reason, and there is often a comforting warmth to his voice.

4. Ignis is humble and doesn't tease others.

in the English dub of FFXV, Ignis has a few lines, particularly towards Prompto, that border on coming across as mean rather than innocent joking. these lines don't exist in the original Japanese version, where Ignis is kind and respectful towards Prompto. likewise, JP Ignis, even with all of his skills, is a very modest person and never brags about his abilities or acts as though he is superior to anyone else.

5. Ignis' familial bond with Noctis is obvious.

the Official Works refers to Ignis as a family member to Noctis, more specifically an older brother and mother figure. Regis echoes this sentiment in the Japanese version of Episode Ignis, where he asks Ignis to be Noct's ani during the initial flashback scene. the composer of Episode Ignis, Yasunori Mitsuda, even stated that he was imagining Ignis as Noct's mom while creating the music for his DLC.

6. Ignis is from a Japanese city.

Insomnia is a city based on real life Shinjuku, and Japanese culture affects the character of Ignis in several ways. in early development of FFXV, Ignis' main weapon was supposed to be a katana. his pompadour hairstyle when he is older was once very popular in Japan and carries a lot of cultural lore behind it. and Ebony, Ignis' favorite drink, is a form of canned coffee based on many brands commonly found in Japanese vending machines. some of Ignis' physical characteristics even seem to have been based on his original voice actor, who once did an Ignis-inspired photoshoot (along with Noct's seiyuu, Tatsuhisa Suzuki) promoting Final Fantasy XV.

[manicpixiefelix]

head, heart, hand. {Felix Catton/Reader/Oliver Quick}

Part 23.

Summary: A conversation between you and Oliver as you both try to distract yourselves from thinking about the day behind, and the night ahead.

{ masterpost }

Need to Know: They/Them. Explicitly NB Reader. FWB!Reader/Felix. Reader is from a well off family but has pretty much been adopted by the Cattons.

A/N: 2957 words. i split the henrys dinner into two parts because the dinner itself was very different tonally to the conversation with oliver that needed to be had i think. this part is sfw but the next part Will Definitely Not Be :) also im putting more gratuitous shakespeare mentions because i love characters pointing out their own narrative parallels. i feed off of the lovely comments y'all leave, so if you have any thoughts you'd like to share, i always love to hear them!

TAGLIST IN COMMENTS!! // TAGLIST ALWAYS OPEN ! (just message or comment to be added)

----

No matter what you wore, these formal events made you feel like you were choking.

Oliver finds you in the shared bathroom a few hours before dinner began, already dressed and agitatedly fussing with your collar in the mirror. Spotting him in the reflection, your scowl doesn't clear, but you do start vocalising the thoughts that had been running through your head.

"Lady Daphne has three children, all under fifteen."

"What?" Oliver, still looking entirely casual in sharp contrast to you, leans against the sink, watching you with interest.

"Tonight; the woman next to you who isn't Ven, she has three children under fifteen, their names are -" squeezing your eyes closed tightly, willing yourself to remember, you swear with frustration as the children's names elude you. You'd managed to find and memorise Henry of Suffolk's children's names - Henry Jr and Charlotte - but you're again feeling like it's not enough. Your collar feels too tight.

Unbuttoning your top button for what must be the fifth time in the past half hour of your indecision, you groan with frustration.

"Are you okay?" Oliver asks carefully, to which you try and waive off his concern. Clearly, it doesn't work, considering he's making his way over to you to rest a gentle hand on your shoulder.

"I'm fine, it's fine," you tried again, though it still comes out with clear irritation. Closing your eyes again you try and calm yourself enough to focus, "I saw their names the other night in my notes, I know this," you hissed under your breath, "Lady Daphne and Lord Henry; he's Sir James' godson and his own sons are named..." you wrinkled your nose, braced against the counter, "they're fucking French names, I know this!"

"Are Lady Daphne and Lord Henry French?" Oliver asks.

"No, they're just pretentious," you bit out, though suddenly it came to you, "Regis, Gabriel, and Louis." A grin lights up your face at that; the tension leaves you for the moment in the wake of your small victory. You feel like you can breathe again. Oliver gives you a hesitant smile, at least glad to see you're feeling better for having finally remembered. Breathing a relief sigh, you turn to him properly, "how are you, Ollie?"

"Should I remember Regis, Gabriel, and Louis at dinner?" He asks with faint hesitancy. You shrugged.

"I'm sure it couldn't hurt," logically you knew your own anxious preparations were often too detailed for what the night would actually require, but if you had information that could help ease Oliver into this world to which he was unaccustomed, you'd offer whatever you could to make him feel prepared.

But when he asks if you want to stay with him while he gets himself ready for the evening, you still find yourself hesitating.

Farleigh had found you that afternoon as you'd been coming back in from your gardening; he looked more than a little irritated, but refused to explain his mood. There was something unusually guarded about him at the time, something almost bordering on reproachful in the way he looked at you.

As your heart sank with realisation, you tried to find a way to explain to him everything that had happened between you, Felix, and Oliver. The tricky part of it all would most certainly be reassuring him that you believed him entirely, while also figuring out a way to explain why you'd given Oliver another chance despite knowing he was lying to you and Felix. There was no way you'd be able to explain yourself in this moment, and Farleigh seemed to realise this too.

"If you have something to say to me," Farleigh told you tersely, glancing over his shoulder where you could both hear Felix chattering loudly to Oliver down another corridor, "if you can bare to tear yourself away from your darling, little Iago," he spits, and you sighed deeply, expression clearly showing your disappointment, which Farleigh paid no mind to, standing to his full height and fixing his cool gaze upon you, "you know where I'll be."

So now, here you were, after almost an hour trying and failing to distract yourself by skimming through Shakespeare's Othello since Farleigh's latest cruel nickname for Oliver had reminded you of it, you'd decided to bite the bullet and get yourself ready. Really you should head over to Farleigh's room and sort things out with him, talk everything through and smooth it all over, but Oliver looks so helpless at the mere thought of what tonight would require. You tell yourself you can always talk to Farleigh later.

The afternoon eases itself into early evening with far less tension than the middle of the day had brought with it. Simply being in Oliver's company does wonders for your nerves. Even if talk between you is limited, the silence is not uncomfortable; Oliver gets himself ready, and you continue to skim the play while splayed out on Oliver's bed, and the duvet that used to be yours, easing each other's anxieties in quiet parallel.

You're looking for a quote you half remember from when you'd studied the play back in high school, a line that would be all too fitting of an offer to Farleigh when you saw him next, picking up on his allusion while trying to assure him you weren't just blindly believing Oliver over him - there.

I am not merry; but I do beguile The thing I am, by seeming otherwise.

You keep the text open on the bedspread before you as Oliver asks you questions about the unspoken scripts that you all must follow throughout the night. There's something like vindication that wells up within you when you realise how easy you find it to talk him through them.

"Do you always wear suits to these things?" Oliver asks carefully in the intimate moment in which you stand before him, doing up the cuffs of his dress shirt.

"The Henrys dinners? Yes," you nod, nimble fingers dancing against the fabric by his wrist. An amused smile makes it's way across your lips as you explain without even really thinking, "the first and last time I wore a cocktail dress to a Henrys dinner I made one of them, Henry Rochester I think, very uncomfortable," you smirked at the memory, and though Oliver's glad to see you're more smug rather than uncomfortable about the memory, he still doesn't quite seem to understand why.

"Because you're...?"

"Technically yes," you huffed a laugh, letting go of the first cuff to do the second, "because he now gets hard thinking about me in a dress and he doesn't know how to feel about it, and I don't want to deal with that." For a moment, the words simmer in the air between you both, and you finish up with the second cuff, stepping back with a pleased little smile. Oliver, however, still seems to be confused, and finally you acquiesce, giving him the final piece of the story;

"It was a very nice dress, Henry was just so bloody wasted he forgot I was the one wearing it when he couldn't see my face when he walked in on Fi and I in the wine cellar decided to stick around and watch with his dick in his hand," you shook your head dismissively at the memory, rolling your eyes but still grinning, "which isn't our fault, it's our wine cellar, he's the one getting drunk and going for a roam on someone else's estate."

It startles a laugh out of Oliver, the sound bright and sharp as his hand comes up reflexively to cover his mouth. Your expression scrunches up, pleased at the sound. In the few moments that follow, you straighten out Oliver's collar as he's giggling to himself, watching you from behind his hand with warmth and something almost adoring.

"I should show you some time," you wet your lips, crossing your arms as you gave him a leering look over, your intentions obvious. Oliver flushes a little, smiling under your gaze.

"The dress?"

"The wine cellar," you corrected, making Oliver laugh once more.

"You sure you're not going to get me drunk and brick me in down there?" He asked, and your eyebrows rose at the unexpected reference to Poe's Cask of Amontillado. At your obvious surprise, Oliver gives a half smile, reminding you that you'd left a book of Poe's work in the drawer by his bed. He'd read it? You're not sure why you're so touched by that, but you are.

"If we end up drunk in the wine cellar, I promise I won't be leaving you alone down there," there's a surprising amount of affection in your voice for what is ultimately some pretty on the nose flirting, but Oliver seems to appreciate it nonetheless.

When you return from your own room with a pair of cufflinks for him, however, his expression is pensive as he's sitting on the edge of the bed, flicking through the copy of Othello you'd left there.

"Thought my party had something to do with the Midsummer Night's Dream one," he says with faint confusion. You've already got the line you'd found earlier memorised, so you're not concerned that he's flicking through, losing your page in the process.

"No, it is, it's just Farleigh -" except you really don't want to tell Oliver exactly what Farleigh had called him, had implied about him with a single, derisive nickname alone. Iago. You shrugged, "he just said something earlier that reminded me of it is all." Then, sitting down beside him, you shoot for a smile, "what are you up to now; tie?"

For a long few moments, Oliver gives you this utterly unreadable expression. You wonder if he knows the play; if he did, he could almost definitely make an educated guess about what Farleigh's comment may have been, especially given the very recent circumstances. Even if you don't know exactly how Oliver would react to something like that, you're not exactly eager to find out.

The moment thankfully does pass without further comment on the play, with Oliver instead standing and heading to the full length mirror by the wardrobe.

"Is your family helping Felix's with paying for Farleigh's uni and stuff?" Oliver asks with genuine curiosity in his voice as he glances at you in the mirror's reflection.

"What?" The question seems to come out of nowhere, and your reaction is entirely genuine.

"I just wondered if that was, you know, part of the reason he was so loyal to you," Oliver shrugged, though there's something almost apologetic in his eyes, "and, I guess, why you knew you could trust him to be so loyal?"

How did he even know the Cattons were helping with Farleigh's education? Your suspicions were with Elspeth, whom you loved despite how much of a gossip she always was, but Oliver admits that Felix had told him about how he and Farleigh were cousins, and Sir James' guilt over his semi-estranged sister, all the way back at Oxford. Ah, makes sense. Part of it was probably to explain why Farleigh was always hanging around them despite his obvious distaste for Oliver. It takes you a beat to compose your thoughts; knowing both Oliver, and Farleigh, you had to be deliberately sure of whatever information you shared in this moment.

"I'd give Farleigh anything if he asked," you admitted, wearing a faint, sad little smile as you recall how coldly he'd looked at you earlier that day, "but he never has," you shook your head, "not about something like that at least. Why?"

Looking over at the mirror, you see Oliver with his tie done up, looking at you in the reflection as though you're a puzzle he's desperately attempting to solve. But, when you smile, he returns the look in kind.

"I think this might just be one of those times where I have to remember you telling me there's more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in my philosophy," Oliver says with a wry smile, and you can't help but laugh at the memory of your first proper conversation with him about your friendship with Farleigh on one of Oxford's many rooves.

"Farleigh is simply one of my best friends; I don't begrudge him his pride, it's part of who he is, and I love who he is," with your warm laughter, the mood in the room has lightened considerably, and you finally stand. Wrapping your arms around Oliver from behind, perching your chin on his shoulder, you take in the sight of you both in the mirror.

"You know, I think you'd look so beautiful in a dress if you ever wanted to wear one," you tell Oliver idly, handing over the box with the little, golden cufflinks that you'd been fidgeting with on the bed.

"Beautiful enough to give an old man a sexuality crisis?" He asked with a blithe grin, pulling out of your grip if only to make his way to the cupboard where his jacket had been hung.

"Oh, undoubtably," you don't even hesitate, sitting yourself in the arm chair by the window, watching him once more.

"Don't know if I could start with a cocktail dress," he says, gazing at himself in the mirror with a pleasantly thoughtful look in his eyes as he genuinely considers the idea. Then, "I think I trust you with this more than I trust me," he gives a suddenly self conscious chuckle, ducking his gaze, fidgeting with the collar of the jacket he was still holding.

"You don't have to start anywhere if you don't want," you assured him faintly, but Oliver's smile is so damn affectionate.

"It's fuckin' impossible to describe the kind of effect you have," he tells you, shaking his head, "if you say I'd look beautiful, all I know is that I think I want to look beautiful, just so long as it's you who's looking at me."

"I feel very lucky sometimes," you give an endeared hum at his words, grinning to yourself, "my beautiful boys." Oliver, jacket now on, freezes. He's turning a delightful shade of red at that, looking like he was trying and failing to fight off a pleased grin. Finally, he meets your gaze in the mirror, "would you let me put together a costume for you, for your birthday?"

"What?"

"It's a costume party after all, could I put together a costume for you? Not a cocktail dress, I promise," you teased, and Oliver finally turned back to you, regarding you with nothing but love and affection.

"You know, sometimes I still can't believe you give me the time of day," the words almost seem to surprise him as they leave his lips. Something in your chest tightens, and you pause, once again caught off guard by Oliver Quick. There's a sweetness to the way he speaks that has butterflies fluttering so strangely in your stomach, "you're so..." he turns the words over in his mind, looking for the correct one, before he finally settles, "you're a dream," he says simply, "I don't think you don't get enough credit."

His words fill the sudden silence of the early evening as he steps towards you, cufflinks in hand, offering them as a silent request for assistance. You agree without even thinking.

In the back of your mind, you hear Farleigh calling Oliver Iago, but you can't bring yourself to care. Yes, Oliver spent enough time around you, observing you, talking to you, being in your space, that he knows exactly what to say and how to say it to endear himself to you. Clearly he's genuinely fond of you, but it's not often he gives you a compliment like this. Everything always so deliberate.

But it feels so fucking good to have someone put in the effort for you, someone other than Felix. Felix had always known how you worked, what songs to sing to make you dance if the whim ever struck him. It almost overwhelms you to realise that Oliver had learned how to hum along to the quiet song your heart sings too.

You wonder if you should tell Oliver that he doesn't need to try and manipulate his way into your life, that you'd already made a place for him here, all he had to do was ask to stay.

"I keep giving you the time of day because I'm very, very vain," you can't bring yourself to face his sincerity with any of your own, or you think you may either start crying, or possibly jump his bones, and it's too close to dinner for either. Instead, you grin from ear to ear, teasing tone letting him know how clearly you were joking, as you fixed the first cufflink to his jacket's sleeve, "and you keep saying lovely things about me."

"Lucky for me then that I don't think I'll ever run out of lovely things to say about you," you'd forgotten just how well Oliver could flirt when he really wanted to. Eyes bright and smile brighter, you can see mischief sparkling in his eyes when you look up, meeting his gaze. You love this boy so much it feels like it hurts at times like this.

"Think that means I should keep you very close by, at all times."

"Very few places I'd rather be, sweetheart."

That beautiful bastard knew exactly what he was doing to you.

Later, out of this space, out of this moment, out of Oliver's arms, you could go back to worrying about the night, about all the lies oscillating around your whole situation, about Felix and Farleigh and Venetia. Later, you'll find yourself thinking that Farleigh may have had far more of a point with Othello than you'd first realised when you read 'one that loved not too wisely, but too well' before you put the text back on the shelf.

Later.

Right now, you let Oliver pull you in for a kiss.

[idontknowmyownmind]

Father I don't want to Get Married RokCale version using Jubel and Regis story

Duke Roksu

In their first life, they had backstreet relationship

No one, and I mean not a single soul, know about their relationship

Despite their intimate and warm relationship, there are underline doubt, insecurities, and misunderstanding they harbor alone without telling their partner

Cale was accused of poisoning the Crown Prince

Roksu pulled Cale quite roughly, unintentionaly, toward a dungeon and gave him dagger without actually telling anything

Paired with his cold eyes and harsh tone, it's not a surprise that Cale misunderstood

Like Jubel who choose to end her life, so is Cale who rather take his own life than let Roksu did it

Everyone was shocked when they found Roksu, the cold, stoic and rarely smile Duke, pour his heart out while holding the corpse of the 'traitor'

The way he cry and holding him tight yet gentle

Unlike Regis who lost his mind and killed everyone, Roksu grief by locking himself with Cale's corpse

He become colder, always staying inside his chamber where Cale is

His family are worried, but everything they did doesn't seems like reaching him

They keep a close eye on him, fearing he will do something drastic

But they were careless for a moment and the next thing they found is Roksu cold, bloody, body beside Cale, hugging him close

In their second life, Roksu decided to let his closed companion aware of their relationship

So if something happened to Cale, he know they will protected him

Everything is fine, with Roksu hovering over Cale quite protectively

But, again, Cale died by his hand this time

Roksu doesn't mean it to happen, he meant to kill an enemy but why it's Cale who stand in front of him with his sword gone through his heart

This time, he completely lost his mind, he went rampage and killed everyone with cold and blank eyes with tears streaming down silently

His family need to stop him

Until he is at the brink of death, he crawl toward his beloved corpse, ignoring his bloody and broken body

His family want to heal him, but they know that it will only torture him so they let him go with heavy heart

In their third, current, life

Roksu went back way further and pursue Cale earlier and openly

He doesn't even hide his intention and make it clear that Cale is his and whoever dare to touch him will face him directly

He is a bit unhigine here, more protective and possessive toward the confuse red head, a bit much yandere and obssessive

[swampmanticore]

I finished reading the second trilogy about Drizzt, and it was almost agony. / Я дочитала вторую трилогию про Дзирта, и это было почти мучение.

And how are we going to get out? / А как мы будем выбираться?

I don't remember the events of the Crystal Shard very well, because I read it two years ago, but I remember that I liked it as a whole. Light reading without a special plot, with a simple villain and uncomplicated motivation, funny moments and a perfectly prescribed atmosphere of racism towards Drizzt - it was delicious. I even drew a couple of doodles at one time.

Streams of Silver were boring. It was a road fantasy with an incomprehensible purpose, when the characters go one way, then the other, oh no, they're being chased, how come. And the only thing that calms you down is Entreri's first appearance. I even dropped the book in the middle and returned to it only two years later. But thank you so much for the romance with nemesis, I perfectly understood why Chancellor Gui wrote "The only enemy" at the time. "...beloved rival, I'm waiting for you..."

And in the Halfling’s Gem, the dynamics of the last book have been preserved - boooring. They're going somewhere, Salvatore is jumping between storylines like a rabbit (it was very difficult for me with my adhd to read when the character changes every page or two), and most of the action NOTHING happens. The only things I liked (SPOILER) were the battle at sea with the pirates and Entreri's hunched-over moments: how he chopped off Regis's fingers, how he schemed, and his and Drizzt's battle at the end of the book. I read the last hundred pages diagonally. Chapters 22-24 can be rewritten by cutting out the entire journey through the portal, nothing will change.

At the same time, there is a general problem throughout the trilogy: evil characters are just evil, and good ones are just good. Evil races are just evil, and therefore we will destroy them like dummies, which was natural in the 80s at the dawn of the DnD, but it looks terrible now.

I'm talking specifically about the duergars and Bruenor's hatred. Yes, it's personal. Yes, he doesn't know that the duergars were instigated by the dragon, which he has already destroyed. Isn't that a reason to hate the whole race?? I think he wrote it down in the book of grievances.

When I read Bruenor's pov, I felt really bad. Because I played Out of the Abyss, and there we can visit the city of the duergars - Gracklstugh. Or in bg3, we can also chat with them. A complex, cursed race, with a violent culture, but they can be adequate when needed.

But a kind character. Who doesn't try to hide or get around, but goes straight ahead and cuts out the intelligent being, and then counts how many he has cut out... Although I probably look through the prism of morality in the 2025, and then, in 80s, it was the norm?

I definitely won't reread this trilogy. Just maybe some moments with Drizzt and Entreri. Imagine my face when I saw yaoi nemesis romance in an 80s book. *surprised Pikachu*

━─━─━─━─━─━─━─━─━─

Я плохо помню события Магического Кристалла, потому что читала его два года назад, но помню, что он в целом мне понравился. Лёгкое чтиво без особого сюжета, с простым злодеем и несложной мотивацией, забавными моментами и отлично прописанной атмосферой расизма по отношению к Дзирту - это было вкусно. Я даже пару дудлов рисовала в своё время.

Серебряные Стрелы были скучными. Это было роуд фэнтези с непонятной целью, когда герои идут в одну сторону, потом в другую, о нет, их преследуют, как же так. И единственное, что тебя успокаивает - первое появление Энтрери. Я даже бросила книгу на середине и вернулась к ней только спустя два года. Но огромное спасибо за романс с немезисом, я отлично поняла, почему в своё время Канцлер Ги написала Мой единственный враг. "...я жду тебя, о мой возлюбленный враг..."

И в Проклятии Рубина динамика прошлой книги сохранилась - ску-ко-та. Гг куда-то идут, Сальваторе прыгает между сюжетными линиями аки кролик (мне с моим сдвг было очень сложно читать, когда персонаж меняется каждую страницу-две), а большую часть действа не происходит НИЧЕГО. Единственное, мне понравились (СПОЙЛЕР) сражение в море с пиратами и моменты ссученности Энтрери - как он рубил Реджису пальцы, как он строил интриги, их с Дзиртом сражение в конце книги. Последние страниц сто я читала по диагонали. Главы 22-24 можно переписать, вырезав всё путешествие через портал, ничего не поменяется. Ни-че-го.

При этом во всей трилогии видна повальная проблема: злые персонажи просто злые, а добрые - просто добрые. Злые расы просто злые, и потому мы их уничтожим как болванчиков, что было естественным в 80е на заре днд, но смотрится ужасно сейчас.

Я говорю конкретно про двергаров и ненависти Бренора. Да, там личное. Да, он не знает, что двергаров науськивал дракон, которого он уже уничтожил. Это не повод ненавидеть всю расу?? Не дать ни взять в книжечку обид записал.

Я когда читала пов Бренора, мне было очень плохо. Потому что я водила Из Бездны, и там мы можем посетить город двергаров - Грэклстью. Или в бг3, мы тоже можем пообщаться с двергарами. Сложная проклятая раса, с жестокой культурой, но они могут быть адекватными, когда надо.

Но добрый персонаж. Который не пытается спрятаться или обойти, а идет напрямик, и вырезает разумных, а потом считает, сколько их вырезал... ��отя я, наверное, смотрю через призму морали 25го года, а тогда это было норма?

Я определенно не буду перечитывать эту трилогию. Только, возможно, некоторые моменты с Дзиртом и Энтрери.

Только поглядите на эту динамику и какой Энтрери сука, уххххх. Представьте моё лицо, когда я увидела яой немезис романс в книге 80х. *удивлённый пикачу*

[eskel-loves-lilbleater]

Geralt/Triss or Eskel/Triss?

If I have to chose between those two and ONLY those two, then I definitely go with Eskel/Triss. I feel like Triss & Geralt's relationship, both from the books and the games, has SO many issues that it's rather toxic. I don't hate it, I just think they can do better.

That being said, my actual preferred pairings?

Yennefer/Triss:

Completely fan-based, I know, but I feel they meet on a more even level, have comparable life experience, understandings etc. I think they are better for each other and make each other better, than most of the alternatives.

Geralt/Jaskier:

I mean, it's really Geralt and ANYBODY else BUT Triss or Yen but I understand why him and Jaskier are such a popular pair. Again, they make each other better, for the most part.

I also like Geralt/Eskel and Geralt/Regis however, if I had to pick faves?

Eskel/Regis:

Bloody absolute rare-pair and I don't get it. Lots of people adore Geralt & Regis together (which I get) but I think Eskel would be an even better match. The love of books and philosophy, animals and simple pleasures. And we KNOW Eskel would not have the slightest issue with Regis' species affiliation. Big, brawny Eskel would LOVE someone who can take and give back like a Higher Vampire. Feral Eskel getting all protective and Regis finding it adorable because he REALLY doesn't need it. They would be so sweet together.

Lambert/?:

But what about the youngest, surliest wolf? I mean, any combo of Lambert/Aiden/Voltehre/Milena, I just eat that shit right up. Absolute GIVE ME MORE and I will be happy. (Big thank you to @inexplicifics for creating so much of this and inventing Milena. Big happy spot in my heart!!)

Or Lambert/Eskel lol

Other fave pairings:

Letho/Gaetan

Vesemir/Guxart

Ivar/Keldar

And why is there so very little love for Arnaghad? I need giant bear love!

<3

[sparklecryptid]

All the Bastards verse but it includes Fleur as bio-mom of one of the kids.

Maybe she and Regis had to have a quick wedding on the road, or maybe they split and she wandered off before she realised she's having a kid. I'm just here for Fleur Vs Ardyn custody battle over the Bastards.

(Regis: don't I get any say in this?

Fleur and Ardyn: No!

Random Bastard: if you wanted any say, you should've left mom with your phone number)

You know I was debating whether or not to make Persephone or Jules Fleur's kid in this prompt and then I figured that since I don't really have a backstory for Persephone LET'S MAKE HER FLEUR'S DAUGHTER.

(rip regis you will be missed)

It doesn't take long for Fleur to wind up back at the Citadel, seething with anger. She knows that if she still had her more cat-like features her ears would be pinned back and her tail would be swaying. As it is, Fleur is having a hard enough time attempting not to snarl at Regis and Ardyn.

Fucking Lucis Caelum's. Fleur wonders why she was ever fond of them.

"Why," Fleur begins and takes a terrible pleasure in how Regis stiffens. Good, he remembers her wrath at least. "Is my daughter of interest to you two?"

"She's my daughter as well." Regis presents an argument and Fleur wonders if Phoenix will still answer her calls. "She deserves to know her father."

"She is 15, even if she had made the choice to get to know you, I would have thought you'd be mature enough to tell me."

"Come now," Ardyn croons and Fleur makes a face that makes Regis snicker, "She needs teachers. Your daughter is one of ours, which means someone needs to teach her how to wield that terrible power she has."

"I've been teaching her myself just fine," Fleur hisses at Ardyn, "I don't appreciate you questioning my knowledge." She turns back to Regis then. "I won't keep you from her, but if a single hair on her head is threatened I will burn this city to the ground.")

[phlurrii]

So this > https://www.tumblr.com/phlurrii/766607949152043008/ok-so-we-know-how-meau-responds-to-humans-but?source=share

got me thinkin a bit, what if the pokemon ran too far in, past meau so the trainer doesn't have their pokemon back? The human has no intention of disobeying meau, didn't even know this was a thing, that's a terrifying cat, but they don't want to leave without their pokemon and are clearly worried about the fella? What would happen do you think? Like the human steps back, (fear and terror of the murder cat), but they're clearly hesitating, maybe looking past meau like they're looking for their pokemon. Sorry if the questions are maybe a bit much, it's all just really interesting to me and I like hearing your thought process on these silly what ifs >.<

As long as they obeyed her first demand they would be fine! It’s exactly why everyone gets that 1 chance because she’s aware this may happen.

But if they still go in to look for it, she will obliterate them. The Pokémon is likely to be helped and returned by the regi’s, the local Pokémon going “bro you need to GTFO ASAP” because they would know well about Meau’s rules XD

And IF. if Meau is in a good mood and the human obeys ASAP, she may find their Pokémon and teleport them out or return them to the edge of her territory. Unlikely, but if it’s a positive and respectful experience she might help return the Pokémon, but she would still avoid the human.

[just-french-me-up]

hey hi i'm buzzing with the need for dreamling fic recs if you would be so kind as to point me in your favorite direction pls pls pls

Oh friend, you asked and I shall ✨ deliver ✨

DREAMLING FIC RECS 🌻✨

of my misery make thy use by @qqueenofhades (Explicit - WIP - 129k so far - In Universe, but with some tweaks, Rescue fic) Dream is Roderick Burgess' prisoner, in all his silent, sullen, naked glory, and has given up on the thought of anyone ever helping him out of there. Even Hob Gadling. Especially Hob Gadling. In fact, he's quite sure the man never wants to speak to him ever again, regardless of his current predicament. A bummer, really, because he also happens to be married to him. (Listen that fic has slain me EVERY WHICH WAY, it has EVERYTHING, it will take you PLACES (literally), it's rewarding as fuck, has OCs to die for, just... just read it, ignore the WIP status, what's there is absolutely chef's kiss)

the unknown and static strange by @qqueenofhades (yes, again, listen, if i loved you less i might be able to talk about it more bla bla bla) (Mature - WIP - 69K so far (nice) - Dubious AU status, Memento mets Academia, Modern day with a twist) Professor Robert Gadling, under cut rocking, weird dreams having, and trauma suffering, discovers a strange piece of undocumented art that seems to follow him everywhere he goes. The Regis Somnorum won't leave him alone, and as he tries to follow that thread, a whole mysterious tapestry unfolds, putting everything he knows, or thought he knew, into question. (This fic is a fucking delight, it's just KEEPS feeding you "oh shit" moments and suspense and revelations and the pacing just keeps you on the edge of your SEAT. Again, IGNORE the WIP status I BEG OF YOU, read it, devour it)

This Rough Magic by @avelera (Mature - WIP - 36k so far - Rescue fic with a twist) Hob Gadling never fancied himself a mage or a warlock, but dabbled enough in the occult to pick up a few tricks over the years, all in the hope to communicate with his Stranger. A stranger, he later discovers, who is trapped under Roderick The Fucking Magus Burgess's manor. Now, he may not be the best magic wielder there is.... but Burgess doesn't know that, does he? (There are some VERY clever things in this fic, everyone is written to a T, I love a fic where my loathing of Burgess can burn from the brightest flame and at the same time have him not like a cartoon villain but a full human being! Can't wait to see where that goes!)

if you just let me (have you, love you) by Lost_Elf (Explicit - 25k - Human AU - Adult Film Actors AU (I see you tumblr, restricting words these days, I see you) Both very prominent in their own niches of the Internet, Dom-BDSM-oriented Dream and Vanilla-centered Hob cross paths and plan what could be (or so their managers hope) the collab of the century. And they might learn a thing or two along the way. (Listen, I read this on a whim, I wasn't too into Human AUs at the time, I was up for some smut that day, and this fic is a LOT more wholesome than the subject lets on and really gripped me! Lots of very nice details in there! And also, you know.... smut)

by the minute by @issylra (Explicit - 11K - Human AU, Sex Phone Operator Dream) Dream has a bet with Desire : he has to manage a phone sex line for some time. He's not thrilled by it. Callers are... unimaginative and unoriginal, to say the least. Except one. He has a very nice voice. He's funny. And he sounds just about as lost as he is, in life. (The tags make it sound super raunchy but it's more about developping attraction through someone's voice and getting to know someone through the phone and falling in love and.... it's just lovely, it's very sweet, it's like a little blanket with a warm cup of tea, really)

Now I KNOW this is not what you EXPLICITELY asked for but.... dare I suggest..... something with an OC thrown in the mix? Cause that's just adding a fun player to the game, with added stakes, really!

as heart for heart, for loving me by @kittttycakes (hello darling) (Explicit - WIP but soon to be finished - 151k so far - Canon compliant - OT3 if there ever was one - How to polyamory, a guide for Dream of the Endless, a primordial being who needs to use his goddamn words) When Dream finds Hob at the New Inn, he's ready to open up a little. Be a friend. Be a little more than that, though he can't quite articulate it. The only issue with that is that Hob has a girlfriend. A live-in girlfriend. A very much serious girlfriend. Dream tries his darnest to hate her, and finds he can't quite bring himself to. (It's soft, it's lovely, it has angst, it has smut, it has fluff for days, it has developping relationships GALORE (plural) and it's just a nice read to switch up your rotation, cause the potential for situations is tripled now!)

[kob131]

So heard of the Teraleaks for Pokemon? NGL Feel really bad about that employee that got phished to have this released. The leak itself was whatever but the hacker outright doxxing them was shitty.

On another note, highlights include Cyrus of Team Galactic being confirmed autistic in his character bio (IIRC they flat out use that exact word too), Beta Lickylicky's full design finally being uncovered, a TON of unreleased Pokemon lore and background being unearthed especially around Arceus, scrapped GameFreak games, and possibly leaks for Pokemon Legends ZA

Also, apparently there's some Pokemon Concept art that's drawn in a very different style than what we know, a lot darker and realistic looking imo. It looks like Gen 3 or 4 was gonna have a different vibe than what we got initially it looks like.

I saw this in passing, let's actually delve into this.-

-Hulk Hogan is partially the inspiration for Drayden

... Not since James being a partial reference point for Homer Simpson have I ever taken such psychic damage in this manner.

-Huh, so Cyrus just might be autistic. Maybe. There seems to have been a community note but it got removed. I dunno. Assuming he is-

I'll take it. He's not a fucking moron like Archie/Maxie, he's not contradictory and boring like Lysandre and he's got some level of depth unlike Giovanni. And yeah, I get it. The conflict of thinking in an excessively logical way but feeling such intense emotions. This is a win.

-I guess those Fakemon designs aren't that bad, considering so many just look like Beta Pokemon.

-That uh...that creation myth was something. Someone in Game Freak is a HUGE mythology nerd cuz that whole thing had the same feeling as learning about the creation myth of Chaos. ALso somewhat implies the pseudo-Legendaries ARE in fact 'pseudo-Legendaries'

Though note- No Giritina mentioned. So this likely isn't canon.

-Yeah, those are some realistic looking concepts. Especially that beta Cacturne. Kinda glad they didn't go this route because A. looks good but doesn't fit Pokemon's style. B. The style we did get was far more cohesive with older Pokemon. And C. Would work better as an independent monster collector built around this concept. As in- Pokemon did NOT need to dominant ANOTHER aspect of monster collecting.

Also not surprising- Gen 4 had a lot of sharper, more adult-like designs like Gallade or Electrivire.

-'A game about raising and fighting bugs. You can also fuse them' Cool concept, Game Freak. If you do this, please do it without using Pokemon. Again, we don't need Pokemon consuming MORE of it's genre. ... Look, I value the distinction between Pokemon and SMT VERY heavily.

-So looks like Pokemon has been eyeing cutting the Pokedex since Gen 3. Reminds me of the Foxacade video where he said something similar (that their best bet to do this was back in Gen 3). Also shows ideas for what would become Mega Evolution, Dynamax and Gholdengo back in 2000.

P.S. 'They tried to make a game simple but included the REGIS?!' Dude, we went from themes of letting go of past glory and moving on to two dunderheads who failed fourth grade biology.

-So they knew people were gonna go crazy for Skyla. Always thought she was...specially made. Also explains why I keep seeing Shadow in my research.

-... And yet these stories are still better implementation of adult themes than Palworld.

On a serious note- What is up with that fucking Slaking story?

-I don't see any ZA info other than some passing info on Gen 10. Which really sucks for the developers- they're likely getting crunched still and now their hard work that they could deliver with maximum impact using good marketing is now just laid bare for everyone to mock them over.

-Lastly: It's not bad enough some poor grunt accidentally leaked a massive amount of info, likely getting him blacklisted from Japan's video gaming industry but they also had to get their info released so they can get blacklisted everywhere else AND mocked for it?

I don't care much for or against leaks but come on, have some decorum.

[mothdustfellows]

1, 2, 12/13 and maaaybe 19

For Regis, Geralt, Yennefer and Ciri. And maaaybe Roche and/or Iorveth too. There's too many good characters for me to just pick one or two YOU DO THE ONES YOU FEEL LIKE DOING. I'm kicking my legs waitinggg

Oh geez I’m sorry this took so long! As you will see in a moment I got SO CARRIED AWAY!

I’ve just done the first 4 characters because they’re my favourites and I have too many thoughts about them. For question 1 I’ve written tiny scenarios with spellings and mannerisms, and then for the rest of the questions I just rambled. This is game versions so Ciri is an adult obviously!

-----

How do they sneeze?

2. Allergies or other sensitivities?

12. Are they good at taking care of people?

13. Are they good at being cared for?

19. Any weird beliefs or superstitions about illness?

-----

G/eralt-

Geralt rode down a remote dirt path, squinting up at the sun to check his trajectory. Something about the bright light started a buzz in his sinuses that quickly flared into an itch. His nose twitched and his golden eyes fell to half mast.

 “-Huh-!” Geralt tightened his grip on the reins lest his horse spook from the oncoming explosion. After a shuddering inhale, his stomach contracted, his shoulders hunched, and his thighs squeezed against Roach’s strong back as he sneezed down at his chest.

“--hHHH’RRSSSCHHH’hUH!” A drizzle of spray misted the back of the mare’s neck. 

Roach shook her head with a gentle whinny.

“Snf… Sorry.”

-----

Our man is loud unless he really needs to not be. He can stifle in tense situations but it messes with his witcher sense so it's not ideal. I think he covers most of the time, but it's to muffle the sound more than anything. He doesn't really worry about spreading disease since it's really difficult for witchers to transmit them.

No allergies per se, but certain scents and irritants absolutely set him off. I’m also fascinated by the thought of overactive Witcher immunity actually using sneezing as the mechanism to keep disease away. It’s kind of gross but I have this one image in my head of Geralt riding through a field of corpses killing necrophages, just sneezing freely as his body rejects the pathogens in the air. Inconvenient, but effective in terms of protection.

As much as he’s a good dad and protector, his bedside manner is just awful. I think when he does look after people they make fun of how awkward he is. Like I know he’s incredibly agile and everything but I just imagine him spilling a cup of tea he made for someone and getting so pissed about it. And they just laugh at him because he’s so flustered.

 I think that he refuses to be taken care of until he knows he absolutely needs it, but he won’t work himself to death. He’s survived for centuries, I think he’s at least got a bit of self preservation. But when he lets someone look after him it’s fully an admission that he’s not well, and he really trusts them.  He's still a stubborn patient though, and will question their methods.

In terms of superstitions I think he's lived long enough to have most disproven, but sometimes he forgets he's not actually immune to all illness and gets reckless, because he's a bit of a dumbass.

Y/ennefer-

It had taken her decades, but Yennefer has finally tracked down the journal of an elusive elven mage. She quivers with anticipation, preparing to read her fill of it's forbidden knowledge. With a whispered incantation and the flick of a finger, Yennefer cracks the spine of the ancient tome. Its massive cover thuds onto the table with a puff of dust, the swirling motes illuminated by the light of her candles. The tiny particles flurry around her face, catching in her eyelashes and riding a sharp inhale inside her nose.

Shit shit shit. This was simply not the time. The sorceress’ violet eyes water as she frantically rubs a knuckle underneath her twitching nostrils. Stupid dust.

Her breath catches and her head rears back. She fans a hand in front of her face, urging herself to get it over with.

“hiH-iH-! ITCH'SShOO-! ISCHHH’iEW! Hh- hEH-! EHHH-! EHHr'SHxngt-! ghh..." She blinks her glistening eyes with a hand still cupped around her nose and mouth.

That blasted book had better be worth it.

-----

Let’s be real. Yen is kinky as hell and definitely has the fetish. Both giving and receiving ends too. She fucking LOVES bringing Geralt to his knees with something so insignificant (and he would do anything to please her). When she sneezes herself she makes the most of it, indulges in it, unless she has something important to do in which case it makes her incredibly frustrated.

I think she's allergic to dust because a mage with dust allergies is the best :) Someone locked in a dusty room studying old books while sneezing? Fuck Yeah. She can keep them at bay with remedies she makes, but obviously that doesn't last forever.

Yennefer will deny she has a cold to the bitter end, even when it's obvious. She hates being bored or laid up and will make any excuse to keep working, even after she's discovered. I think she’s a BRAT of a patient like “If you want me to stay in bed you better give me a reason to.” ;)

When she is the caretaker the dom comes back out to play and she will not back down until her patient does what she says. She means well though she is just really confident in her methods so she won’t take no for an answer.

As a fellow snz enjoyer she loves all kinds of superstitions even if she doesn't exactly believe them. Like if Geralt has been out in a storm or diving for sunken treasure in cold weather she will absolutely be fantasizing about him catching a cold. I think she might actually be one of those people that sneezes when they're cold so she knows there's at least a bit of truth to it.

R/egis-

Regis sniffled wetly and his brow knit together. His lips contorted into a small snarl that flashed his sharp canines as he gasped a hitching breath. The vampire gripped the strap that hung across his chest as he pitched forward. 

“-IHhgt’shUE! Snf… Pardon.” He ran a clawed finger under his protesting nose. "Snnfff... It's my hayfever. Toussaint is positively teeming with pollen this tuh-time of yea- huh-! HUHnxt'cHOO-!"

-----

I hope I do your fav justice dear vampsniffles!

This is a particularly rambling response because Regis is the type of character that brings up more questions than headcanons. He’s just so mysterious. I love this ancient freak. He’s also just whump incarnate.

He literally has a voiced and animated coughing fit and rubs at his nose in-game. It’s adorable. He’s got a flair for the dramatic. The man loves a crypt and laughs at the irony. A chilly dusty crypt hmmm >:) He probably loves handkerchiefs because they’re practical and always in style.

He’s had his share of misery in many forms, but I think he's especially susceptible to certain things while regenerating and like, getting familiar with having a body again. The fact that higher vampires can exist as a consciousness with no form is SO WILD and I imagine that's an intense adjustment. Dettlaff definitely had his hands full with this guy.

As much as vampires are ancient and powerful, I can still see them being affected by things like colds. He can also remember the original realm he came from before the conjunction of the spheres, so what does a vampire’s body do when confronted with an entirely new environment. I assume sneeze from unfamiliar irritants and germs >:)

Also Toussaint is literally rendered to be full of pollen. There's little particles in the air across the entire map and it makes me FERAL.

For the caretaking side of things, I think Regis is mostly calm and docile when he's being taken care of, especially when he's sick or weak. He'll take medical advice from others, but he's by no means a pushover, he is an ancient being who knows what's best for himself.

I think when Dettlaff was nursing him back to health there may have been some... intense moments considering there was a lot of blood involved in his regeneration. Regis would have obviously still been weak, but it's interesting to think about him flying off the handle while he has a cold.

Regis is a gentle and patient caregiver, the kind of person to sit silently at someone’s side as they rest or make light conversation to distract them. He'll make tea and He’s also an accomplished alchemist so he can make all sorts of herbal remedies (although he might accidentally get his patient a bit tipsy.)

Being from another world entirely, I think higher vampires may have some of their own superstitions around illness. Something outlandish like 'if you get your head cut off you'll sneeze for a hundred days after it grows back.'

Haha I don't know...

Or maybe some vampires are actually allergic to garlic and holy water and that's where the legend comes from.

C/iri-

Ciri paused and her eyebrows furrowed slightly . She could feel the pressure behind her eyes starting to build, and send small tickles into her nostrils. She raised a hand in front of her face with her index finger slightly extended as she felt her breath begin to hitch. 

“Snf…heH-hhhh-!” She quickly turned towards her left shoulder as she felt the sensation overwhelm her.

“hEH-! Eh’HNgxt’schOO!” The ashen haired woman crushed her irritated nose into her forearm as her body jolted.  “Snff… excuse me.” Ciri murmured as she scrubbed at her tingling nostrils with the back of her hand.

-----

I think growing up Ciri had a bit of shame around sneezing from her youth in court. Someone like Calanthe would not have wanted her heir showing any potential weakness, so I feel like she would have been scolded. After that she probably got very shy and good at hiding when she was unwell. 

In her early twenties she’s still polite about it but less shy after living with witchers and everything she’s been through. She’s the kind of person to apologize or excuse herself after she sneezes. She always covers and turns away from other people if they’re around. I feel like she usually covers in ways that aren’t really sanitary like into her wrist or steepled hands. And I want to say she has some minor allergies to dust or pollen, her nose would be so cute when it's itchy! >////<

But like… what about after being on the path for a decade? I’m so obsessed with the previews of W4 Ciri I need to talk about her.

Supposing she’s undergone the trials of the grasses like it seems she has in the cinematic, that comes with a lot of new territory. New sensitivities and resistances, but also physiological changes that might completely change how she reacts. She’s lived with normal human senses for decades so I expect the sense of smell would be overwhelming at first. Maybe the mutations make her sneezes stronger or make it harder for her to stifle, since the mechanical purpose of sneezing is to clear your airways and the mutations are sort of an evolutionary boost?

Let’s just say it’s her destiny to take after Geralt and the mutations make her louder >:) I see her sneezing sort of harshly when she’s alone, but she still tries to be polite around others. She has absolutely inherited that Witcher pride, and will 100% push through a cold if she’s by herself. However I think that she's quick to accept help from others when it's offered. She's a feisty but cooperative patient and a very sweet caretaker. Probably a little awkward at times but she doesn't let that stop her from being as helpful as she can. She would definitely lay a hand on the sick person's forehead or cheek and fuss about how warm/cold they are.

-----

Anyways those are some of my thoughts! I'd love to hear yours and I welcome any discussion because I love this series with a burning passion and these characters are fucking hot! <3

[lunarlegend]

oh wow and i just realized (three hours later 🙃) i almost forgot one of Ignis' most significant autistic traits: his sense of justice, his need to follow the rules, and (in part) his loyalty (which are all related, i think)

when Regis asked him to be Noct's older brother, Ignis took it to heart and he took it seriously. then later, when Regis asked him to take care of Noctis in his place, Ignis took that seriously too. to him there is no other path he could have followed, and he has no regrets. (that's actually something i'm surprised to see debated about Ignis as a character. does he resent Regis or Noctis for the things he goes through for them? does he resent his parents for giving him away, or even the structure of the monarchy itself for putting him in that position? NO! it's not even a question. Ignis truly, fully dedicated his life to this. i'm not sure he himself is even aware that anything could have gone differently for him. which is actually one of the major differences between Ignis and Gladio and how they view their roles, but ANYWAY)

continuing on, Ignis always follows the rules. he does what he's asked, he believes in the duties that were assigned to him, and he literally never strays from that. his whole life. ever. number one rule follower, Ignis Scientia. even in Versus XIII Ignis was the ONLY one who didn't betray Noctis (and also the only one who didn't die at the end). straightforward and predictable; he says what he means and he means what he says, and you can always count on him to do what's right.

which brings me to his sense of justice: Ignis knows where to place his anger, and when. the only person he's known to truly despise in canon is Ardyn, and sure enough Ardyn remains Ignis' focus every time he shows up and is the reason Ignis finally broke a rule (used the Ring). Ignis knows the prophecy is wrong and unfair, and he sacrifices everything he can to try and stop it. he is more hellbent on saving Noctis and setting things right than anyone else in the game, which is why i think it's fitting that he's the only one with an alternate ending (regardless of whether or not i personally enjoy it).

it is common amongst autistic people to seek justice, to follow the rules, and to try and do what is right, even sometimes to a fault. this can unfortunately be used to take advantage of us, but it's also an incredible strength. and it fits my autistic headcanon for Ignis perfectly.

i am not saying he's ONLY loyal because he's autistic, btw (that's why i specified 'in part'), because it would be a HUGE disservice to Ignis to suggest he doesn't genuinely love Noctis (that's his baby brother and child). but i think the reason Ignis specifically goes so hard at his job and never even thinks to stray from that path has a lot to do with him being autistic. in other words, Regis really could not have chosen a better caretaker for Noctis, lol.

[clericofshadows]

Shepard aaaaaask!

3, 14, 21 (give me details! hehe), and 33 😉

thanks for the ask :D

fifty shepard questions

3. What’s their relationship with Anderson?

For Regis it's... not great. I've written some fic on it, but the TL;DR is that Hannah wanted Regis to have a good mentor, and he said fuck that to any sort of meddling and mostly just respects the man for his skills alone and keeps him at a far distance. He doesn't quite like that he was blindsided about being evalutated for Spectre status nor does he appreciate his visions being brought up in front of the Council.

He does nominate him for Council since he doesn't really trust Udina either, and in his mind it's a lesser of two evils. Their relationship never really goes beyond, in Regis's mind, "coworkers I have to tolerate."

For Nyx, it's cordial. He doesn't have much of an opinion on Anderson and sees him as a decent ally to have. Nyx, however, nominates Udina as the Council rep since he doesn't like the idea of putting a military man on the seat despite being a First Contact War veteran. Or maybe because he's a FCW vet... :)

14. Any good at flirting?

Regis is pretty good at it and can even ramp up the charm as needed for missions. And he also managed to get Zaeed in his and Kaidan's bed while on Omega during vorcha mafia nonsense and a pissed off merc who's mad that his target was now focused on two alliance idiots...

Bonus gif from same gender romance mod's flirt option for Hock lmao

Nyx is extremely good at flirting and can charm the pants off of anyone (or rather any man). He's very confident and into himself, which can be pretty attractive. He's also quite observant and has a good feel for what a person might like. And he was able to get Kaidan in his bed pre-ME1 for a one night stand, and I typically headcanon Kaidan as not being into that sooooo yeah :)

21. Do you have any AUs for your shepard?

I have a few :)

Regis's canon is technically one big AU in the sense that I get rid of canon things I don't like (Liara as Shadowbroker, for one, Virmire being a no win scenario... etc), but in Nyx's canon, Regis is actually a doctor on Omega with his uncle, Vikram, and leads a bit of a merc life with Zaeed. On the other hand, Nyx in Regis's canon never rejoined the Alliance after an extended time after the FCW and stays as a civilian engineer, who also stays in his relationship with Hackett. In Nyx's canon, he breaks up with Hackett, later enters a relationship with Kaidan pre-ME1, and then later the three of them become a triad.

There's also the fact that Nyx's canon is a sort of No Reapers AU... in the sense that the Protheans failed to fully extinguish most Reapers and a few still remain, but not enough to be a galaxy ending one.

Regis as a doctor/merc also exists in a Kaidan/Hackett fic I've been slowly writing as well. But other than that, I don't really have any modern AUs or anything of the sort since I see my Shepards already existing as big ol' AUs.

33. What skills do they have that are a surprise to the people around them?

Regis is good with metalworking and making jewelry, and he is quite skilled with making custom weapon mods. Not as good as Zaeed, which he gloats about, but it's something he learned on the side. And despite his degree being public, it's always a shock that he knows his way around cybernetics and can talk real technical when it comes to biotic amps and VI and AI...

Plus he can make really good desserts.

Nyx moonlights as a hacker and is well known on many extranet forums as Phoenix, which should be obvious given his callsign in the war being Phoenix, but to the greater 'net it's a mystery. Like, yeah, he's an engineer who is good with tech and is good with cybersecurity, but a hacker who posts tricks and takes down shit in his free time? Not so obvious.

He's also really good with intricate braids and loves braiding his hair and beard and offering his skills to the other long-haired folks on the ship.

[pupintransit]

Hey folks! My little corner of the internet has been getting a lot of attention lately, so I'll start by saying I appreciate everyone who is leaving comments across here and Bluesky, and to the folks who have been asking me about my experiences. It's rewarding to be able to chat with folks about a trans experience they aren't familiar with, and even to help others on their own journeys. So, thanks <3

I do get a handful of questions more than others though, and I know that not everybody is going to feel comfortable reaching out privately to ask stuff, or will have the time to go through my archive of blog posts to find an answer to what they may be curious about it. To that end, I've decided to write a FAQ about my experience with my gender identity and with my gender affirming surgery. This is a living document and will be updated as we go.

1: WHAT SURGERY DID YOU GET?

I opted for penile-inversion full-depth vaginoplasty, and saw Dr. Brassard at GRS Montreal for the procedure. My care at their site was suberb, and I have absolutely no regrets!

2: ARE YOU ON ANY HORMONES?

Yup! I take testosterone injections once a week. I have no plans to begin estrogen or any other feminizing hormones. The testosterone is to maintain my masculine gender presentation and keep my bones healthy.

3: WHAT IS YOUR BMI?

At the time of surgery my BMI was 37. GRS Montreal had a cap of 40, although most other places hover around 35. Check with your surgical team if they have any BMI or weight restrictions!

4: ARE YOU A TRANS MAN?

Nope! I was assigned male at birth. I used to call myself an AMAB trans masc, and while I think it's still a useful label to describe my experiences, it is (ahem) a touch controversial. I try to avoid introducing myself that way now and opt for simply nonbinary instead.

5: WHY DID YOU GET BOTTOM SURGERY?

For as long as I can remember I hated my penis and testes. They were in the way, they looked so strange being affixed to me, and having/seeing the buldge they created in my pants made me feel like such a creep. Growing up girls made me jealous because they had vulvas, and when I learned what trans men were in my late teens that envy intensified because they essentially had my dream body; a man with a pussy. I was well on my way to thirty before I realized what I was experiencing was dysphoria, and learning that I could do something about it without being femme was an incredible relief. It's easily been the best decision I've ever made.

6: WHAT DOES SEX AND MASTURBATION FEEL LIKE?

I dunno about sex just yet, but I can tell you with confidence that being penetrated with a dildo feels amazing! And don't even get me started on clitoral stimulation, holy shit. It's like everything that isn't your body just vanishes. You become a vessel for sexual pleasure. My penis never made me feel like that, and I don't miss it.

7: CAN YOU ORGASM?

Yup! I feel the same muscles contract that I did when I had a penis, only now it's focused on a smaller area due to how those muscles were rearranged during the surgery. I don't always cum, but when I do it's much thinner than it was with my penis, and doesn't rocket out of me like it used it. Instead it kind of flows out like a river.

8: WHAT WERE THE STEPS TO GET BOOKED FOR SURGERY?

I had to obtain a single surgical readiness assessment (basic informed consent stuff) in addition to getting everything okayed health-wise by my general practitioner and my surgery team. Once the assessment was sent in, my surgical team got in touch and a few back and forth phone calls later I was booked!

Some countries and clinics have different requirements, so this might be universal to your experience. Double check what you need to acquire before making any appointments!

9: WERE YOU ON HORMONES BEFORE SURGERY?

Nope! The new WPATH standards indicate that it's no longer a strict requirement, but having said that some countries and clinics are still picky about it. Double check what those requirements may be for your region before booking anything!

10: WHAT WAS RECOVERY LIKE?

Sucked! A lot! People heal in different ways and I am not remotely qualified to tell people how to avoid or mitigate pain. If you've ever had an invasive surgery before I'd wager it'd be comparable, but that's a question better geared toward your regular doctor.

11: DO YOU STILL DILATE?

Not only do I still dilate, I will have to dilate for the rest of my life. It's not comfortable per se, but the more you heal the easier it gets and the less often you have to do it. It genuinely isn't as big a downside as people think.

12: WHAT KIND OF BOTTOM SURGERY SHOULD I GET?

If you have to ask that means you're not sure if you want this, so the answer is none of them. At least for now. Take the time to unpack why you're considering lower surgery, and see a gender-affirming therapist who can help guide you. While the regret rate for gender affirming care is miniscule at best, it can still happen and you need to be prepared for what you're getting into. This is not an easy decision to make even when it's the correct one, and it's certainly not an easy recovery. "I don't know" isn't good enough.

13. HOW IS PEEING?

It's normal. I was fortunate enough not to experience any complications with urination or my urethra. Apart from being more prone to UTI's than I was with my penis (and having to get using to wiping after peeing) everything went according to plan. Don't take my experience as a given though, because complications can and do happen!

[ertrunkenerwassergeist]

How many people know who is Crowe's mother? If Regis asked discreetly about any daughter Kraja might have had, would people know who he was talking about or would they be confused because since when the Witch of Galahd has kids?

Everyone in the Altius Clan but the children know. Nyx and Libertus know, obviously. As does Murus and some of Libertus's closer relatives.

(Murus doesn't like Crowe because she's Nameless, but he would never dare to actively do something against her for fear of retribution from the Wise One.)

Basically everyone in the Glaive knows and some other people who figured it out on their own. There's also quite the number who suspect but don't ask because they Don't Need to Know, Thanks.

So it's kind of an open secret no one talks about.

Everyone but maybe Crowe herself, Nyx, Libertus and (only when really preassured) Aerugo Altius, would admit to it, when asked directly.

So yeah, if Regis were to make decrete enquiries through a third party, he would hit a road block real fucking fast.