#I'd love it you joined in!

[elminstersapprentice]

[femmefeedist]

shameless self promo for my first ever livestream on my OF tonight May 20, 2023 at 7pm CST 💓

I'll be ready with some rosé & pink lingerie for the cutest flirtiest vibes - I'm so excited to chat in real time 🥰🥰🥰

[coldshrugs]

hi Azia! since I'll probably never play FFXIV but want to gobble up everything you've ever written or will write for Io and Estinien, I was wondering if you could kind of summarize or describe the context for their relationship in the canon universe. what do I need to understand about their history in order to better appreciate the way they fit? how do they meet and what brings them together? are there some universal truths for each WoL that heavily contribute to who Io is (kind of like how Hawke in DA2 loses half their family, or every Shepard in Mass Effect is deadish for two years)?

no pressure to answer if you don't have the time/energy or just plain don't want to! ok thanks love you bye 💙

🧍

Hi Ells. I am so sorry....

Understanding Estinio

General World Lore: The story of XIV begins five years after a Calamity (an event of large-scale devastation that leaves the land and people struggling to recover). This is the seventh Calamity over a period of 13,000 years. Other notable world happenings are:

the Dragonsong War: a war between man and dragon that has raged in and around Ishgard for one thousand years

the more recent advancement of the Garlean Empire: Garlemald is a technologically advanced nation seeking to "unite" the world under its rule

Warrior of Light Things: The player character is almost a completely blank slate. Their appearance and combat proclivities are entirely up to the player! Their backstory is not really mentioned, and the only thing we know about them from the start is that they're an Adventurer, which in this setting is someone who wanders here and there, helping with whatever odd jobs they can in hopes of earning a living and maybe some local fame too. A little network of unionized Hometown Heroes. But some things hold true for most WoLs (headcanons notwithstanding):

They have a gift called The Echo. A few other characters have the gift, but it can manifest differently from person to person. The WoL's Echo allows them to visit scenes from the past, sometimes through the eyes of another and sometimes as a kind of bodiless spectator, usually triggered by high emotion from a person or place. It also has a few other functions.

They join the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, an organization that's a bit of an open secret, determined to stop Primal summoning (Primals are replications of gods, the will of a people made manifest, and they are powerful and destructive. If most people venture too close, they become enthralled). Recruited for their prowess in combat (or healing, maybe, if you're not Io) and apparent inability to be tempered by Primals, they, of course, become the team's most powerful asset.

Io Laithe is my WoL, a viera born in the Garlean-occupied region of Dalmasca. When she was 19/20, her home village suffered a violent raid, and her family was lost. She managed to escape and flee far to the west. At the beginning, she's around 29 and an accomplished archer, among other things. Io endures more loss over her story, friends and lovers, and she blames herself over and over. She struggles to lay down her grief and represses her anger for so long that she almost loses herself to it at one point, but she claws her way back with the help of her friends. She's soft-spoken, and reserved, but is also deeply kind and surprisingly funny. (This paragraph is short but I feel like I talk about her so much lmao. Trying not to gush too hard)

Estinien Varlineau was born to a family of sheepherders, in a small farming community outside Ishgard. When he was 12, his village was razed to the ground in a dragon attack. He found the charred remains of his parents outside his home (his dad had tried to shield his mom from the dragon fire). His younger brother was inside, trapped under a collapsed beam but already gone. He was the only survivor, and was taken in by a man named Alberic who held the title of Azure Dragoon (the most powerful lance-wielder in the land, but I'll spare you the specifics. There's dragon-y magic and a literal dragon eye that gives them powers. This was supposed to be quick omfg). Estinien swore to avenge the deaths of his family and trained with Alberic, eventually becoming the next Azure Dragoon. Eventually, he gets his vengeance, but the cost is so much more than he expects. At the end of it, he is begging for his own death, but his friends (the WoL included) refuse to let him go out like that and save him. He's since been on a journey of self-discovery; who is he without the drive to avenge those he lost, without his duty or his post? In personality, Estinien is blunt and abrasive, he cannot read a room (but he would like to leave it). He has a sharp sense of humor and often teases his few friends, he's extremely sentimental, he's very protective of the people he cares for, and can't stop himself from helping a kid in need.

Relationship Summary

They overlook each other at first. Io finds Estinien too harsh and rude. He thinks (since she is seeing Haurchefant at the time, who is... affiliated with a noble house of Ishgard) that Io is another pretty girl grabbing at coattails--surely not the "great warrior" he's heard about. And it takes a journey into dragon country for them to warm up to each other, when he learns she can easily hold her own, and she sees how protective and kind he can be to their traveling companions. They become friends and it's easier than either of them expected. They don't talk about their loss with each other though, not for a long time. Both hear the other's story from someone else, and it endears them to each other, an unspoken, invisible bond in addition to what they've already faced together. Just as Io saved him at the end of the Dragonsong War, Estinien saves her when she faces off against the might of Garlemald and almost dies. It's a long time before she gets to thank him for that, but when she does, it's around the time he agrees to join the Scions too. They spend more time together, and they become almost inseparable. And as the world hangs on the brink of what seems to be another Calamity, they quietly fall in love and almost lose each other again. Neither confesses to the other until things have settled down. But once the confessions are out of the way, they easily fall into warm domesticity. They spend the better part of a year mostly in one place, living together, working together, making the smaller trips they need to but always returning to a home base. Now, there's the itch to travel again. They just pulled a stint of traveling separately but ended up in the same place. He very much wants to continue roaming, and Io does too, but part of her is starting to think about a family. I haven't decided when or if they talk about this lmao. They love each other so much, but both have a strong streak of wanderlust, and both are legendary heroes who belong to the world as much as they belong to each other.

Why they compel me:

I don't know if you guys know this about me but I love to think about grief :> It's the shared trauma, the love transformed into anger, and how new bonds can heal someone. I did not plan for Io's backstory to be so similar to Estinien's, and even before I shipped them, their friendship was a highlight for me. I love that they do most of their recovery on their own. I love that they always come back to each other. Big fan of people who might not appear outwardly soft all the time, but are just SO mushy for their partner.

They are both symbols of hope for their people, for better or worse. They understand that about each other, what it's like to have some of your personhood stripped away so you can embody an ideal.

Estinien is impulsive and straightforward, Io is cautious and thoughtful. He pushes her, and she grounds him. They both relish the peace the company of the other brings, and they are more certain of the other's ability and resolve than they are of themselves. They are best friends, they are family, and they admire each other.

Some key reads, chronologically:

close quarters | oh no, she's hot…

oblivious | a mutual friend notices io and estinien seem… different.

what i see in you, i hope you find in me | io realizes she is not in love with zenos

pang | estinien has his own realization

see you in the morning | the night before they depart towards unknown danger, estinien tries to soothe a worried io

in this state | io is unconscious, estinien keeps watch

mustering | estinien tells io about his brother, the first time he's talked about him in decades

take another step off the edge | FIRST KISS!!!!

And then their tag is filled with gposes I've made, art I've commissioned, writing prompt fills, fics from the two AUs I've written for them, and tons of quotes or poems that fit their vibe. I'd share a playlist but I don't have a playlist... there are five now T^T BYE!! 💗

[fightwing]

bruce immediately asking if he hurt dick after days spent infected yeah okay dc i see this and i raise you: 😭😭😭

[saradiation]

Like you guys know I’m mostly a fanartist and very rarely post original works but this time I created this little guy to host a DTIYS challenge on insta :)

[theoldkyokodied]

DEE IN THE DOOR WAY OF YOUR LATEST MAC AND DENNIS ART DUMP IS FUCKING SENDING ME LMAOOOOOO

I already replied this to a comment on instagram but i don't think i'll write anything more cohesive about my thoughts on deandra 'doorway haunter' reynolds: she is serving carrie white with a side of regina george after she got hit by that bus. haunting the doorway while her loser brother is hanging out with his loser friend, making fun of old skin mags they found. it's not like she wants to be part of that, but she would have loved to shoot the invitation down.

[desultory-novice]

Idk if you've ever watch/read One Piece, but Adeleine and Noir's sibling dynamic reminds me of Luffy and Ace's. Noir really reminds of Ace /pos. It actually making watching the current arc I'm on harder to watch cause now I picture two characters I love going through it. MY HEART!

My ex was a huge One Piece fan who told me some of the highlights, although he was tight-lipped on the later stuff for spoiler reasons back when I was still trying to remember the names of all the Straw Hats. But I've also watched the live action, done several spoiler dives on certain characters, and just now started what will probably be a year+ long voyage to catch up with the manga, so I know a little.

In summary, if the arc in question is Marineford... You have my apologies... ^_-

Anyway, have this cheer up sketch!

(Noir you are 80 lbs too scrawny to be Ace, lolol)

[thisloveislikeabattle]

the fact that ray isn't intimidated by boeing's presence, not even for a second, might be my favorite thing ever regarding ray's personality

he's well aware of who he's dealing with, he knows what kind of person boeing is, so yes ray will play boeing's game but with his own rules

that's his boyfriend and he's not backing down anytime soon

[neapeaikea]

Seeing a lot of people mentioning how Buck and Tommy must've spent a fair amount of time making out and grabbing ass, seeing as the others are already finishing their cakes in Chim's room when they get there.

I think you misjudge how quickly a piece of cake can be eaten.

[macfrog]

if I said I loved u what would u say back

[bigcats-birds-and-books]

Books of 2024: FUGITIVE TELEMETRY by Martha Wells.

Keeping the murder mystery/thriller train going after KILLING FLOOR! It is ALWAYS time for a Bot Reread, honestly, and I love that Bot could Annihilate Reacher.

[cherrymoonvol6]

ok nvm i'll elaborate right now

i think one of the many weird choices in the finale was to make belos possess raine out of all people. one, because it really comes out of the blue. when has belos ever shown any interest of raine? like, i'm sure he must be aware of raine's record of plotting against the establishment, but he never deals with them himself. instead he sends a plethora of other people to do it for him (darius, eberwolf, kikimora, terra). if anything, it is terra that has a bone to pick with them. and in a parallel work where raine got more to do, i believe terra and raine's dynamic would've been something really interesting to explore. kinda like the relationship between atreus and odin in GOW ragnarok, like this "okay i know you hate me and all that i stand for, but i see potential in you so i'll take you under my wing and prove to you that i am worth of your time and loyalty" kinda thing, which is a banger dynamic btw.

but the second part is that there are two way more attractive options. the first one, immediately on demand, is darius. ofc it would take some canon time of developing that dynamic between belos and darius (it pains me that it doesn't exist), but it would make sense that belos would keep a close eye on darius. after all, he was mentored and was a good friend of the previous golden guard, and it's implied in various scenes (mostly ASIAS) that he knows enough about hunter's "ancestors" to praise him when he doesn't follow orders, and ultimately play the long-con to betray belos. he may even be aware in some sense of belos killing the previous golden guard, or even the existence of the grimwalkers. in that case, it would make sense that belos would have built some resentment towards him that ultimately shows in the choice to possess, corrupt and kill his puppeteer-ed body. but then, there's an even better option here, and a character that belos has hide a long-time resentment against: lilith.

look, if belos remembers luz from all those years ago, then he abso-fucking-lutely remembers lilith as well. and in a sense you can interpret the actions in canon as him trying to exert his personal vendetta against her: keep her close in the emperor's coven, trying to get her sister to join and get branded with a sigil with the promise that he'll cure her from her curse, all this while knowing that she would eventually betray him and join luz's side. we know belos kept her close for a reason and he knows the extent of her abilities, her history and relationship with eda, and her weaknesses as well. belos possessing lilith, then, would not only be the definitive "fuck you" to her, but could've also been an effective way to provoke eda emotionally and lead her to abandon her hideout to confront him. and honestly, from the way belos acts in that scene in FTF, his reaction to finding the best candidate to possess would make so much more sense if it was lilith and not raine.

but like, aren't lilith and raine just... insanely similar characters in the show's narrative? both are figures of eda's past, who loved each other sincerely back in simpler times, and through plot-related actions (raine's reason is much better narratively though, IMO) abandoned eda and joined the opposing side, climbing the ranks through their powerful abilities until becoming important figures in the coven circle. trying to think about the things i'd change in canon to make raeda a better couple involve making them go through similar plot beats that eda and lilith have gone through: an emotional, powerful moment where raine has to choose between their position of power and eda's wellbeing, actual tension between them (resentment and guilt from eda's side, frustration and confusion from raine's side), situations where they are forced to colaborate and their chemistry can still come through but still their dynamic is permeated by those lingering wounds... like, all of those things are stuff that already happened in canon, between eda and lilith. there's even that moment in king's tide where eda has the same somber moment with raine and lilith before executing their sabotage:

to me, it event seems like lilith got a lot of attention and development with eda in S1 and early S2 and then her character got sidelined when raine started to appear, and simultaneously: how raine's backstory and conflict of interest with eda are pretty much an afterthought but they still get to be a key player in the plot through late S2 and S3. i'm really sorry that economic character construction has to work this way, but that's how it is: you don't get to give eda a sister and a significant other and then make those two characters the same one. you have to commit to just one and integrate all aspects onto them.

[stormyblue90]

Seeing folks on my dash gush about their OCs they pair up with clones, or their clone OCs, and writing fantastic fics with said OCs, and wanting to join in on the fun buuuuut....having no ideas, inspiration, nada...

[bisupergirl]

something that's funny about kara's character is that she has a lot of consistent traits and interests seemingly by coincidence, if that makes any sense?

like for the most part i think people (who read her comics) can agree that kara is a hot-tempered person, and that her rage is an important character trait. and while a lot of people attribute her anger as being a trait that was introduced during her new 52 run, you can actually go back to her comics in the 70s and 80s and see that she was equally as (if not moreso!) hot-tempered as she is today. she has always had an incredibly strong sense of morality that she's not willing to waver on, as well as a high standard for how she's treated by others. and a lot of the time that has led her to lash out in anger at criminals, her employers/coworkers, her love interests, the police, and even clark.

and my point being that while you can trace kara's anger back to pre crisis continuity, i don't think the writers of her new 52 series were reading 70s adventure comics issues and the superman family series from the 70s/80s to inform their personal characterization of kara. in modern comics her rage is specifically tied to the destruction of krypton, whereas pre crisis kara was just Like That. she was occasionally allowed to feel sad and lonely about what happened to krypton/argo city, but her anger didn't really stem from that.

anyway! i was just thinking about this because kara's been in three separate bar fights and i thought that was funny.

[withoutzeuzey]

Your art style is really bad. Why don't you try making it better? You can hate me for saying this fact as harsh and kind of rude as this but if you are wise enough you can see I am not a double-faced guy like others to praise you but laugh at your back

Try to change your art style to something better this current style of yours is for 10 years old kids

But i am 10 years old 🥺

[yeonban]

Since my dash brought up the idea of dual promos for intertwined blogs... you know what else we should bring back. Verses made with other people's portrayals in mind in which the other person's muse is mentioned or alluded to in asks/threads/narration/etc no matter whose blog you interact with since that person's portrayal is deeply intertwined with yours & became canon to your muse's verse (ex: a Pacific Rim verse where your muse is a pilot and the other person's muse is their copilot & because drift compatibility is so rare they're a staple in each other's verses so they're brought up in threads even with unrelated muns when it contextually makes sense to talk about them; or a Psycho Pass verse where your muse is an inspector/enforcer and the other muse is their designated enforcer/inspector who gets mentioned in your verse bio/page and sometimes even in ic conversations/narrations ETC ETC ETC)!

Relationships that expand even outside of the og 2 people's interactions & become 'canon' to a verse even while interacting with third parties are just SOSOSO nice to write and experience!! I already have this going on for my romances since I'm singleship so the romantic r/s are canon across all verses, but I think we should expand this to even more types of dynamics. Friendships! (Found) Families! Coworkers! Enemies! I want my muses and you guys' muses (<-ofc, where applicable) to talk about each other even outside of our own interactions! (ex. My Shuusei sometimes talks/thinks about Red's Seven during threads because they're childhood best friends and you can't separate them entirely. My Ezekiel has Kaya's Chihiro as his 'canon' younger sister and regularly mentions her in various threads. My Aha 'canonly' chose Blu's Mya as their Emanator and if an interaction ever asks them about their Emanators, she will get a mention no matter what. My Langris and Kim's Kimiko are 'canon' coworkers who can't stand each other and he will talk about her in interactions where the Golden Dawn squad is mentioned. So on and so forth!!)