#The Bat-Mancer

[yewsoup]

The Bat-Mancer. And one of Atomus' horses! :) Still from League of Justice, and I still recommend that comic series.

[ramonag-if]

skdjdjd finding out rana has a crush on irus is so funny to me cause i can just see her going in for like a group hug between my irus-mancer mc and irus, and my mc just lightly batting her away like a cat while still hugging irus. she’d be like “no, no… not you.” and like turning rana around with one hand and shooing her in another direction. all while still hugging irus skdjsnd i just find it so funny to picture

So cruel 😆 Irus will likely give Rana a sly, side-hug 😅

[crqstalite]

9, 26, 27, 29, 14, 12 :) <3 and a rose for Kodelyn as well 🌹

So I don't actually know whether you wanted me to answer these questions from the mass effect list or the tumblr headcanon list (since I reblogged them in pretty quick succession). So we're doing all of them because I got bored. Thank you Bry!!

9: What squad member do you bring along the most?

Kaidan. I'd say "that's too easy of an answer!" but he's so versatile! Biotic abilities! Tech abilities! The two things I'm always in need of. There's not a single situation I regret bringing him to game-wise. Take him everywhere in 1, agonize about not having him around in 2, take him everywhere in 3. Except for when I thought him, Liara and my weakling of a infiltrator could take the Luna mission. They could not. Not nearly as easily or without as many deaths as I thought they could.

12: Favorite non-combatant?

Probably Anderson! I love his character, will never not be sad about the ending to three because of it. I just think they did his character really well throughout the trilogy.

Or Chakwas. I love Chakwas a lot because of her personality. She screams space aunt to me.

14: Who did your most recent Shepard romance?

Ceres was the last Shepard I played through ME1 with back in July, so Liara! Honestly I was just curious, I'm slowly working through all the options (though unfortunately, don't have anyone lined up for Thane yet). Not sure about how I like them together just yet.

26: Who do you wish was available as a romance option?

Joker. If you had any idea what my bookmark list looked liked...

27: How many Shepards do you have?

Counting technically Daphne? Nine. Probably too many because I haven't actually written anything with the "B Team" (Nia, Danny, Ceres and AJ) just yet.

Kodelyn - Soldier, Kaidanmancer Citlali - Adept, Jokermancer Brione - Infiltrator, Garrusmancer Annika - Vanguard, Ashleymancer Nia - Sentinel, Kaidan/Ashley-mancer. Daniel - Engineer, Kaidanmancer Ceres - Vanguard, Liaramancer Alexandra June - Sentinel, Mirandamancer Daphne - Engineer

29: If you primarily play Paragon or Renegade, is there a dialogue/interrupt/action of the opposite alignment you always take?

Yes! I always choose the renegade option for the Batarian recruiter in ME2. That and the one on Thane's mission to push one of the mercs out of the window. And the one at the end of three.

-

9. Makeup?

I think at some point Koda's hands get a little too shaky to apply it correctly herself. It wasn't that big of a deal, after all it'd just take a little longer, but more often than not she'd sweat it off. Typically would go with anything subtle, eyeliner, dark red lipstick and maybe a little concealer for the smaller scars.

12. Favorite book genre?

Romance, as well as anything escapist. The fluffier and more ridiculous, the better. However, she is still a terrible flirt. Rectifying that is not high on her list of priorities. Kaidan still loves her all the same.

14. Physical abnormalities? (Both visible and not, including injuries/disabilities, long-term illnesses, food-intolerances, etc.)

Just one, since I haven't completely ironed them all out yet. Pre-Lazarus resurrection, Kodelyn had some nerve damage from Elysium and other missions that caused her hands and feet to go numb sometimes. It wasn't severe enough to hinder her work, just annoying enough to bother her, and she tended to wear compression gloves. Post-Lazarus, Miranda had managed to mitigate most of it, but she is still subject to tingling extremities every now and then.

26. Do they have any plans for the future? Any contingency plans if things don’t workout?

I'm paraphrasing from an earlier conversation with a mutual, but her and Kaidan settle down in Vancouver after the war. She pretty much skirts around the Councilor position offered to her afterwards, and mostly just...gets a chance to enjoy life with her boyfriend. Visits to the Orchard, visits home to her family, she learns to swim eventually. She's pretty much the "cool" aunt to Esme.

(And honestly, her only aunt.)

27. What is their biggest regret?

I think it's tied between Virmire (knowing she should've been able to save Ashley, and let her personal ties blind her) and Jump Zero (knowing she should've said or done something to prevent what happened to her sister). Koda hates losing people, and she struggles with accepting the fact that sometimes it happens, and there's nothing she can do about it -- no matter how controlling she gets.

29. Reaction to sudden extrapersonal disaster (eg The house is on fire! What do they do?)

Control. Koda wants to control the situation right off the bat. Where is everyone, how can she get them out as quickly and as safely as possible? Then comes gathering everything important, she'll retrieve those things herself. She prefers things to fall to her in the event of a disaster, and make them manageable. It stresses her out though, but if she doesn't have direct control over anything, it also stresses her out. There's no win-win situation here.

[dailydccomics]

Bat-Mancer vs Loblo in League of Justice (1996), an Elseworlds story

[qceensofkings-a]

SEEING RED (DRABBLE)

Isabelle had booked it out of the cabin as fast as she could, not even bothering to look over her shoulder to see if Mael was following her. When she got to the infirmary, she came to a sudden stop outside the door, able to see that Karter and Sophia were working on Rayne. It felt as though the breath had been knocked out of her from a punch to the gut. She could hardly stand straight as she felt her knees start to buckle. 

Isabelle trembled as she tried to support herself against the door. A quiet strangled cry escaped her as her free hand moved to cover her mouth. She wasn't sure anyone had noticed her but she couldn't stand there all day. She knew this was Rayne and not Felicity, however and that she could still do something about the person that had done this to her friend. 

The daughter of Hades quickly pushed herself up off the support of the door frame. She felt her legs carrying her deliberately toward the Ares cabin.

That's when Sabine stepped in, having seen Peter and Acelin bring Rayne to the infirmary. She had watched from a safe distance but now she knew she needed to step in. She could feel the earth starting to tremble the closer Isabelle drew toward the Ares cabin and she jumped in. Peter had felt it as well and promised Acelin he'd be back before running off to help Sabine.

"Isabelle," Sabine called as she approached her.

Isabelle couldn't hear her, however, she was numb to everything and could only picture where she was going. Peter and Sabine moved quickly and grabbed her, pulling her between two cabins and pushing her firmly against a wall. Isabelle tried to bat them away and move around them but Sabine was much stronger.

"Get off me!"

"Isabelle, you need to stop," Sabine said calmly as Isabelle tried to fight her off of her, "Isabelle." Suddenly Sabine pulled Isabelle from the wall and wrapped her arms around her and Isabelle's murderous rage quickly dissolved into hot tears and sobs. The ground stopped shaking as she practically fell into Sabine's embrace, clinging to her.

"I know, sweetheart, I've got you." Sabine murmured as she moved a hand to gently run through Isabelle's hair.

@ghostofaformerself @fridge-o-mancer

[nualie]

8-11 for the ask game! :3

8. What’s your favorite country?

Inverse!

9. Do you own any merchandise/books?

yesss i got. the highest tier kickstarter. i have the blanket >:3

10. What’s your favorite piece of lore or world-building?

i have MANY i love but uhh maybe the mancers? we dont know a lot but theyre super neat i wanna know more

11. Have you created any OCs? If yes, who are they?

yea! Rec who you can meet over at @ask-an-emotional-rec​ (tho that blog’s kinda inactive bcoz ive got Other Projects, and like... not set in the gloomverse canon we just be chilling with the few other semi active askblogs)

they’re an autistic nb inversian refugee who is very kind and clearly has an attachment problem and also a baseball bat

i’ve used them to rp a lot outside of gv but that’s who they were originally :3

[brckencrownss--a]

fridge-o-mancer replied to your post “Constance intimidates Zander so much that he still doesn’t know...”

Bekah calls her mom right off the bat, the first time she meets her.

I love how easily and fast she settles in. It’d be a first for Constance so for a second she’d be “ what was that?” ( to herself ) but quickly sees ( so to speak )  Bekah so she ends okay with it. 

[dietaku]

Amazing Quest 1: Chapter 5

Chapter 5: My Little Sister can't be this Rig Vedic! (Before we go on, I got this from PalsOwnFire: "The Kimyawa minigame is actually the harder of the two options open to the AQ1 This is because, while it doesn't allow for later paths opened with the griffohump, it does grant Kimyawa massive stat bonuses, and also gives her the "KitsnCllr" an item which not only grants her even LARGER bonuses, but also reveals her darkest secret: That she too is a Chimera. Kimyawa: Since you have spent so much time to help me, I wanted you to know this... Hiro: Eh? Kimyawa: (Produces a fluffy tail) I'm actually a Chimera. My family doesn't like me showing it off. They say I should be a human. Hiro: I don't think much about it. Heck,I don't think there's a true human on our team... Kimyawa: Aaaaaw, Hiro-kun! (The two hug, as Ozma glares from a corner, with "The True Human" flaring over her) "So, yeah. It's kinda cute, not the "Monstrous misogynistic exercise in subjugation" that Amelia Sardinian, that Feminist e-celebrity, posits. Of course, this is also the minigame where Hiro dresses up in a jogging suit and quotes Rocky, so..." (We then get a cut-scene with Zoddon and Jaydea) Jaydea: So, brother. It seems that the Light Pudding dreck has gathered quite the army. He's captured two of the Talismans, and proceeds to trek towards Us even now. He seems quite driven. Zoddon: No matter. We still have the ace in the hole. How goes the Work to sway Toneland to our cause? Jaydea: (Cough) I'm working on it... Voice: GYAHAHAHAHA! Working it, you mean! Jaydea: Kodas! Show yourself! Kodas: Not just me! (Three shadows appear) Zoddon: Ah, your Four Heavenly Kings. Shadow: Four Kings and One Queen. Kodas: Then it removes the entire motif! Just roll with it, Ceuri! Ceuri: (Pouts) Jaydea: No matter, go take care of them! I'll be along in a moment. Zoddon: What exactly are you doing in Toneland? Jaydea: Ehehehe...Well... We then assume control of the party, at the far end of the racign bridge from Chapter 4. There, we're in a large desert. You'll note that the desert saps health slowly so long as you're on the sand. The trick is to go towards a cave to the southeast. Loyroll: This heat is oppressive! My hair is going to go limp! Kimyawa: Aaaaan! Hiro-kun, can't we do something? Ozma: Just suck it up, all of you, we can do this! Hiro: Ozma, you're beet red. Are you okay? Ozma: Erm... Hiro: Anyways, we need something to help us... Mancala: I KNOW! Hiro: You do? Mancala: Yes! It's a great treasure! But one thing. Only I can go to get it. The lands I'd be going to are secret! Loyroll: Ok. Ozma: Go ahead. We'll be here. Kimyawa: Hai! Resty-resty~. Hiro: I guess we're staying here. Mancala: (Pouts) Fine! You then control only Mancala. Proceed to the left, to a pool of water, which connects to the Oceans you were in before. Return to Mermania, and back to the Guild house. There, an elderly merman is crying. Talk to him to proceed. Merman: A bloo bloo bloo! Mancala: Guild Patriarch! What's the matter! Patriarch: Ah, Mancala. You're like a tax hike on my assets on top of this insane revenue cut that already has struck! Mancala: Oh no! Is there anything I can do? Patriarch: I'm not sure how, but my assets are being attacked. The Stone Lord Kord has summoned the Grim Reaper to slay all of my assets and plummet Mer Culture's economy into the Deep Trench! Mancala: OH NO! I must stop it! Patriarch: Psh. I don't see a conniving woman like you acting altruistically. Mancala: Hey! Eh, well, okay. But, I know someone who WILL! And you need me to get them!  Patriarch: I'll give you one hundred gold to get them to fight! (You then get a choice between accepting the money or haggling) Mancala: One hundred ? Pocket change. I'd have to swim aaaaall the way back, and that's hard. Patriarch: TWO hundred! (Another accept or haggle choice) Mancala: Two Hundred? Geez, that's hardly an improvement. I could make that setting up a lemonade stand. Patriarch: FOUR Hundred! (Yet another prompt) Mancala: Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeh... Patriarch: You're a giant, colossal bitch. EIGHT Hundred! Mancala: Mmmmm, deal! You then have to return the cave. You'll probably notice at this point, that Mancala on her own is pretty terrible in battle, but that's neither here nor there. Talk to Hiro to proceed. Mancala: Well, I have good news! Hiro: You found the item to let us travel across the Desert? Mancala: What? NO! I got us a job! Hiro: Wait, what were you doing? Mancala: Relax, I needed to grease some palms! If we do this, it'll be easier! Loyroll: And whose palms needed greasing? Mmmm? Mancala: Shut up, you greaser reject and help me! (Mancala returns to the party) Enter the pool that Mancala left from and return to Mermania. Talk to the Patriarch. Patriarch: These are your soldiers? They don't look so tough. Mancala: Relax. Where's this reaper? Patriarch: I last heard he was going to slay a Miner in Dun Falafel to the northeast. That miner owes me sixty trillion!  Mancala: We got this! Be sure to have the cash ready! Patriarch: Yeah, whatever. Go north, to the ridges north of Mermania. Follow those, and then go east when you can't go north any longer. You ought to find a cave by the coast. Welcome to Dun Falafel, City of Chimerae. --Dun Falafel-- Dun Falafel has an impressive upgrade set for everyone. Grab a OrichSbr for Hiro, KnklDst for Ozma, NOdhi for Kimyawa and FlSHST for Hiro and Loyroll. To find the Miner, he's in the west house. Chimera Doctor: There's no use. He's going to die in an hour. Chimera Nurse: But, doctor, all you did was check his pulse. Doctor: I think HIS presence makes it a foregone conclusion. Reaper: Hello. Miner Moore: Tell my ma I love her, wouldya? Doctor: Um, yeah, sure, kid. Reaper: Can you guys get this out of the way? I gotta reap this sumbitch. Doctor: By all means, Mr. Reaper. Mancala: STOP RIGHT THERE! Reaper: Mm? You'll try to stop me? But, why? Why stop a natural course? All die within time. Mancala: Why? WHY? FOR MONEY, OF COURSE! --Boss Battle!-- Grim Reaper x1 LP:12000 MP: 6000 Grim Reaper is an annoying jerk, because he spams DEATH, KILL and BREAK, all of which have chances to instantly kill people. Also, don't use any weapons that inflict death, such as the Decap Shuriken from Mermania, as they instantly restore him to full health. Just stock up on Smelling Salts, and he's no trouble. --Boss Battle!-- Reaper: Fine, fine, you crazy people can have him. I'm going to reap some old cat. Moore: Ah, shucks, thanks, folks! Kimyawa: Yatta~! Hiro: Okay, so we did what you asked. How does this get us an item to travel across the desert? Moore: Hello? Y'all listenin'? Mancala: Watch and learn, Hiro! Moore: Oh, y'all are leavin'. Okay, I'll be here...I'll just take a nap. (Return back to the Patriarch) Patriarch: I just heard! Congratulations, you she-devil, here's your cash. Mancala: Ah, here's the thing. I did so much work, so, now, the deal is the money AND the Magic Fan. Patriarch: Wait, what? Mancala: Oh, we can go back and kill that miner if you want? Patriarch: Fine, fine! Here's your fan! Now get the hell out! Hiro: Wow, Mancala. That was...decidedly mercenary. Mancala: Let's go, goons! Hiro: ... You then return to the desert, and entering it, Hiro holds the fan aloft and then switches it on. You now don't take damage, but there's now a large dust cloud flying around the desert. If you encounter it, you'll discover its source: the giant Dark Pudding motorized army. Dark Pudding Soldier: Sir! We found the Light Pudding Army! Praetorian Faa (A woman in oversized silver armor): Splendid! Inform Lord Kord. Dark Pudding Sir! Hiro: So, are they gonna come closer, or... (The Dark Puddings begin firing on the Party) Hiro: BACK TO THE CAVE! You're then returned to the cave from before. Hiro: We can't go back now. Where do we go? Go deeper into the cave. After dropping to the second floor, you'll find a hole. Drop into it to enter the Aero Spire. --Aero Spire-- The Aero Spire is a large cavern with small plateaus the party can walk on. Yu'll get prompts to jump over from one to another. The problem is the swinging blades that damage you should you get hit. On top of that, the enemies shift from the Giant Bats and Cave Trolls to Magik Munchkins and Ghost-o-mancers, magical enemies who love to attack you with party-wide spells. After reaching the end, you'll find a flashing phantom. Phantom: Halt, you cannot pass. Past here is the Ancient Sage. Ozma: Wait, like Ancient Sage that crafted the Talismans in the Long-ago Days? Phantom: Yes. However, to get to her, you need to get past me. Hiro: Seems fair, I guess. Phantom: R-really? Kimyawa: Pretty much, Dead-san. Loyroll: True! Phantom: O-okay, then. --Boss Battle!-- Phantom x1 LP: 18000 MP: 1000 Phantom is nothing new. He enjoys blasting you with light and earth spells, while occasionally striking you with Eghitr, a multi-hit physical skill which also has a high critical chance. Fight as you normally will --Boss Battle!-- Phantom: (Cough) You have proven your worthiness. You may proceed. (Inside is a large bed where a chimera woman is sleeping peacefully) Phantom: Oh, dear. She still hasn't awakened.  (He pokes her, claps his hands, and then smacks her with a pot. Nothign rouses her) Phantom: One second. GHOST! (A palette swap of Phantom appears) Ghost: Yes, Phantom? Phantom: We have Worthy Ones here. Help me wake her up. Ghost: You mean? Phantom: Yes. (The two then assume positions around her, and then blast her with electricity. The Woman jumps up.) Chimera: WHAT! WHO? Phantom: Mistress Deima, we have Worthy Ones here. Deima: Worthy, huh? (Peers at Hiro) Whaddya want, hot stuff? Hiro: Yes, well, um, we were stuck down here because of the Dark pudding Army, and... Deima: Dark Puddings. So, the time has come at last. I assume you're Light Puddings, then? Hiro: Well, I am, yes. Deima: Well, that settles it, then. I'm going to help. What we need is a Lava Worm. Hiro: ANOTHER fetch mission? Deima: Relax! I got it right here! (She produces a brown orb from behind her back) All we need to do is put it in a volcano! Now, the normal thing to do is to return to the surface and go south. NOT, go back to the volcanoes near Zaius and Heston, although that does merit a surfing minigame in the remake, where Hiro and company surf a stone slab over lava back towards the Desert. There, you'll enter Mt. Metalgi. --Mt. Metalgi-- The mountain is home to a good number of fire-themed enemies, including Flame Munchkins, Toasties, and Hella Goodbyes. From the start point, proceed east and north, as you work your way into the heart of the volcano. From there, Deima will drop the egg in. With that, walk out. Hiro: So, how do we know that it worked? Deima: Relax! It totally worked! (The Dark Pudding Army drives up) Faa: Ah, you just don't learn, do you? (The Volcano explodes, and a large writhing worm made of fire descends on the Army) Hiro: I suppose an apology is in order. Deima: Apology accepted. Soldier: OH GOD, IT'S EATING ME! Faa: (ICE SABERs the Volcano Worm, which explodes into steamy chunks) Soldier: I'M OKAY! Faa: GRRRR! MY ARMY! --Boss Battle!-- Praetorian Faa x1 LP: 22000 MP: 15000 Faa abuses Ice Armor and Ice Saber, skills which counterattack with Water-1 and a heavy physical water-themed attack. The best option to counter her is to throw up Kimyawa's Aqua Veil to lessen the oomph of her skills and abuse Loyroll's Whirl form with Hiro. Nothing too bad. --Boss Battle!-- Faa: AAAH! BROTHERS! I WILL JOIN YOU! (Explodes) Hiro: ... Ozma: Nothing? Hiro: No, I'm over it. Kimyawa: Sourpuss. Deima: Well, that's that. If you need anything else, feel free to call. Buh-bye! (Deima then leaves) Now, without any other obstacles, you can then go west across the desert. There, the terrain shifts into greenlands, with farms here and there. If you talk to the villagers, you'll learn that the Dark Puddings were using their technology to restore the desert to arable land, and there was a Dark Pudding Noble in the Hell Garden Keep further on. --Hell Garden Keep-- The overgrown castle is filled with plant monsters, making Kimyawa useful here with her many fire-themed attacks. Once you reach the second floor, you get to a large plaza, where four robed figures were line dancing with Jaydea. Hiro: Jaydea! Where's my sister? Jaydea: Four, five, six, seven, eight! Okay, guys. Looks like they finally came in.  (The four figures take off their robes, revealing a short, fat man in blue robes and a turban, a tall, blonde woman with long razoe nails, a chiseled man without a shirt, and a short, blue man with a monocle) Short, blue man: Biomancer Kodas! Short, beturbanaed man: Dream Magister Modt. Blonde Woman: Star Lady Ceuri. Chiseled Man: Stone Lord Kord. Jaydea: And me, Piedmon! Erm, Jaydea! I've been waiting, Light Pudding! Show us, what progress have you made? Kord: All on you, Boss. Modt: Yes, um, I'm not big on physical confrontation. Ceuri: Yeah, I just painted my nails? So, no. Kodas: I'LL HELP! Jaydea: Yeah, no. (Sigh) Fine, you four... --Boss Battle!-- Jaydea x1 LP: Infinite MP: Infinite Better late than never, this is Jeffcom's obligatory forced loss battle. She'll engage Figgy Pudding, and destroy you with ease. --Boss Battle!-- Kodas: Ooh! Ooh! Jaydea: (Sigh) Yes, you can have them, Kodas. (The party is then seen in a lab, tied to slabs, where Kodas putters about) Kodas: I wonder what would happen if I feed you this shrinking potion? Mm. Whatever, well, it takes a while to take effect. See you in thirty! (He then leaves, as the party begins to shrink) You then fall onto the floor, free. Go north, to a crack in the wall. Inside is a village of mice, who reveal to be escapees from Kodas' experiments. They have an inn and an item shop. Also, in the back, is a mouse who mourns his Panacesean, cheese so good, it cures any illness. He then mentions that the cockroaches took it, who live above them on the next level of the castle. You then need to exit the village, and go east, into another crack in the wall. Continue up, going up the insulation in the wall, until you enter a large, pink room. Follow around the discarded vinyls, books and clothing items, until you see the resident. Hiro: This room seems pretty girly, is this.. (Jaydea walks in. In the US version, she's wearing pajamas, and in the Japanese, she's in a t-shirt and her panties.) Jaydea: Gods above, those idiots. Oh, well. Time to crank the tunes. (She turns on her stereo, and begins to do a dance) Hiro: !!!! You now need to avoid the flailing dance moves of Jaydea, If you get hit, it's an instant game over. Thank goodness for the save point that drops immediately after the cut-scene. The worst, is the fact that, if you take too long, it becomes impossible to exit, as Jaydea plops down, her butt blocking where you need to go. Thus, go as fast as you can, to find another village, of cockroaches. Cockroach leader: Attention all! The Goddess of Destruction has resumed her dance! We will now sacrifice the cheese stolen from those foul mammals to appease her! Hiro: NOT SO FAST! Ozma: WOW! Mancala: My heart! So manly! Kimyawa: YECH! Cockroach cheese? Cockroach Leader: Cockroach Knights! To action! --Boss Battle!-- Cockroach Knights x6 Cockroach knight LP: 4500 Cockroach Knight MP: 2000 By themselves, they're not hard, but together, they tend to run ragged on people. The best option is to whirl with Ozma and smash each knight in turn. If you keep them all alive, they will use "Swarm" on you which inflicts heavy magic damage and a random status.  --Boss Battle!-- Cockroach Leader: Um, let's not get so hasty! Take the cheese! Hiro: Thank you! (The party all eats the cheese, as they grow in size, producing a bang, which gives pause to Jaydea's gyrations, as the party falls onto the floor below) Kodas: Where did they go? (The party falls on him) Kodas: YOOOU! --Boss Battle!-- Heavenly King Kodas x1 LP: 27000 MP: 9600 Kodas isn't so hard at first, casting second tier magic. When you take off half his LP, he then uses the "Kodas drinks the POITON" action and mutates into a horrible, leafy plant monster. This raises all his attacks, and gives him the obnoxious "Viney Winey" attack which hits all targets for earth damage, and also the "Spore" Attack, which causes Red. Smack him down, as you would any other plant-type monster --Boss Battle!-- Kodas: ACK! (falls over and dies) Ozma: So, what do we do now? Hiro: Um, I hadn't thought that far ahead. So, uh... WE JUMP! (The party then jumps out the window)

[generalmajorlieutenant]

Another Trespasser Pavellan vent fic

Title: ??? Unnamed right now Words: 2.4k Part: 1/??? (Maybe more? I’ll leave it open for more in case I want to)

Basically I finally started playing Trespasser and, as a Dorian-mancer, of course I was upset with the turn out. So I’ve taken the romance into my own hands, a year or so late lmao. No structure or goal to what I’ve written, I just let it happen for once without ripping my hair out of my head. The roughest of rough drafts.

“I was going to tell you—”

Were you?

“—I’ve been dreading this conversation. I would not have had you find out this way given the choice—”

You had the choice. What stopped you?

On and on the excuses went. Would have, wanted to, I, I, I; Dorian, Dorian, Dorian. Arahaelon could only stare, hearing Dorian’s voice tinged with desperation but unable to comprehend. He’d been stabbed in the gut with a blade doused in salt and vinegar, soured by lemons.

His father is dead, Arahaelon told himself. Assassinated. Family.

Who cares?

Not a charitable thought. Not fair.

Why now?

The threat of the Inquisition’s erasure had been no concern of Arahaelon’s. His time, its time, was long over. Corypheus and the Breach were defeated, a Titan soothed, Gods appeased. Arahaelon had nurtured and grown his burden and now stood ready to be rid of it.

But this firm resolve had only been firm because Dorian stood by his side. He’d have a place with Dorian if he didn’t have the Inquisition, if he didn’t have Skyhold.

Now… Arahaelon wasn’t so sure. He stared at the face of a man who, a month ago, he’d known so well—like the back of his hand—but now seemed distorted in its sorrow and desperation. Like Arahaelon was the cause of such emotions.

Anger is deserved.

“Say something,” Dorian pleaded, reached out to place a hand on Arahaelon’s arm. Arahaelon shied away just slightly, avoiding the contact. He couldn’t even take a moments pleasure in the stricken look that put on his lover’s face.

“I can go with you.” The words came unbidden and entirely too desperate, and he knew it showed on his face as well. If he were any other man, and how he wished he were any other man right then, he’d be really and truly angry, throwing wine in Dorian’s face and remaining strong in the face of future solitude.

He remembered the first time Dorian had mentioned leaving to reform Tevinter—almost four years ago. The mere idea of Dorian really leaving seemed impossible, even with Dorian’s visits to his homeland increasing in frequency and length in the last two years. Arahaelon remembered being told his position and power as Inquisitor would stand in the way.

Soon he wouldn’t be Inquisitor. The realization eased him, somewhat. Until Dorian responded.

“Not this time, Amatus.”

“You’ll need help.” Arahaelon pushed, pointlessly. He could see Dorian’s own resolve in his eyes, no matter how pained the expression.

A wry smile that cut Arahaelon to the bone. “I’ll have Maevaris—and she’s gathered a whole slew of junior magisters crying for reform. I’ll get to teach them manners, take them shopping, and soon enough they won’t be nugs crying incoherently, but as fierce as wyverns.”

“And will your idealistic junior magisters be by your side when someone sends assassins for you in the middle of the night?”

Arahaelon put another step of space between them. He knew his emotions showed too plainly on his face when Dorian hurried to close the distance and placed his hands on his neck, firmly enough so Arahaelon couldn’t shrug them away.

“Now, now, don’t pout. They’ll put that face on a statue and then you’ll really be sorry.” Dorian wielded humor and sarcasm as a defense mechanism, making light of the situation to ease the cruel reality.

Arahaelon had been forgiving and understanding of this part of Dorian’s nature, but now it stoked a growing, raging, fire he couldn’t ignore.

“You think this is funny?” he hissed the words and batted Dorian’s hands away, enforcing the larger space between them now with a glare when Dorian sought to follow.

The twisted humor dropped, replaced again by sorrow and apologetic preening. “No, nothing about this is funny. I am sorry… for what its worth.”

It’s worth nothing.

Arahaelon swallowed the mounting scream and worked to patch up the growing hole in his chest. He was not prone to outbursts, to pointless anger, to responses and emotions that solved or served nothing.

“I wish you luck and safe travels then,” he said, exercising no small amount of control over a voice that wanted so badly to shake, and school a strong, fearless, expression that needed to fall and shatter.

And in ten minutes he’d have to face a crowd of self-serving politicians seeking to exile or destroy the very thing they’d forced upon him. No time to recover or process.

As he turned to leave, Dorian caught his hand and pulled him back, simultaneously pushing something hard and jagged into his palm as they stood chest to chest.

He tried for happy, for lighthearted, hopeful and reckless abandon. “I don’t plan on leaving you wanting, of course. A gift, a sending crystal. For when I’m in over my head and you’re overwhelmed with sorrow for missing my velvety voice—” Dorian leaned down so that their noses were mere inches apart, “—Magic.”

Arahaelon wasn’t allowed another word. Dorian moved to kiss him, and kiss him he did. Without the energy to fight and with the blasted sending crystal burning in his palm, Arahaelon could only give into this effort to distract with minimal protest.

Dorian kissed him with the urgency of a man trying to erase what had just transpired between them, as if he could remove Arahaelon’s memory and kiss away his despair.

Or maybe, he’s just as heartbroken. Arahaelon was not inclined to give life to more logical thoughts.

Despite himself, Arahaelon clung to Dorian, but quickly averted his gaze when Dorian pulled away and said, “You are the man I love—there will always be an us, Amatus. We’ll just be… farther apart, for a time.”

Arahaelon closed his eyes tight against a promise that was inherently contradictory. “And when will that time be over? You cannot reform an entire nation within the span of a year, or two, or several. If you are unwilling to have me now, you will be unwilling to have me in time.”

Dorian pulled away as if the accusation had been a blow. Though it surely paled in comparison to the one he’d dealt Arahaelon.

“If you’ll excuse me, I have a cause to disband.” He’d barely managed to speak the words above a whisper and still couldn’t bare to meet Dorian’s eyes, though he felt Dorian’s hurt give way to surprise.

“You’re letting the Inquisition go?” The shock and surprise, maybe even disappointment, Arahaelon detected in his voice forced the anger out of him—only a little.

“The Inquisition is long past its due, Dorian! I have an army, spies and agents as large as Orlais and Fereldan’s combined, splitting at the seams, with nothing apocalyptic to excuse it any longer. Corypheus is gone and the Breach is sealed and yet I still wield and exercise a title I never wanted!” Arahaelon inhaled sharply and turned to glare, realizing that these were feelings he’d been harboring for years now and had neglected to tell Dorian.

Though it seemed just another omission that could be added to Dorian’s growing pile.

Lowering his voice, Arahaelon said, “The Inquisition is over. Now, if you will excuse me, I must begin a week-long argument that, in reality, should last no more than ten minutes. I’ll strive to speed things up so that you may return to your cause as quickly as possible.”

“Arahaelon, please—“

Though he pleaded, Dorian did not follow as Arahaelon made his way to the council, and he didn’t throw a teasing remark to drag things out so that they may spend more time together.

Arahaelon would need time so that he could begin to make plans for any and all possibilities before he could speak to Dorian more calmly. With a new job in line, a new purpose, the prospect of meeting with Dorian infrequently for the foreseeable future would be more palatable. Ideally.

He recalled Cassandra’s words, her awkward encouragement and support, and snarled as his eyes burned with the threat of tears. How foolish he had been to even think of marriage. Vivienne’s gallantly veiled care and concern seemed more pointed now—had she known Dorian’s plans?

Arahaelon wondered how quickly his entire life could fall apart. Surely no faster than the week.

He sat among frozen Qunari, the pain in his arm unbearable but the ache in his chest consuming. Sweat or blood, most likely both, plastered knotted hair to his face, but the irritation that should cause, and the movement to be rid of it, was beyond him.

Another war. Stopped. He had a knack for it.

Arahaelon felt movement next to him, he didn’t turn to watch Solas sit beside him.

“You know.” Spoken as fact, though it seemed like it should have been phrased as a question.

“Did you know that I have technically stopped a war for every year I’ve been Inquisitor?” Arahaelon winced as his voice seemed to rip from his throat. Shredded, maybe, because of screaming. He couldn’t remember.

“You have been thanked poorly,” Solas responded. “With a mark that is killing you, and nations that would sooner see you leashed or exiled.”

“A dead clan, and friends who have lives separate from my own though I have nothing separate from them.” He choked the words out and finally turned to meet Solas’ bleak gaze. “I know the entire foundation of my faith, my culture, is a lie. I know that I wear the markings of a slave, and once a point of pride, now every time I look in a mirror I will be reminded of this day and what I’m not. I know I have no energy to prevent you from destroying the world.”

“I am sure if anyone could stop me, it would be you.”

Arahaelon supposed Solas meant the words to be comforting. Instead, it was mildly condescending.

“Just this morning, I wondered how quickly my life could fall apart. I thought it would take the week. I didn’t realize it would be completely destroyed within twelve hours.”

“I hoped to give you some years in peace, lethallin.”

“I will return to the Emerald Graves to clans so isolated I can only hope they don’t know who I am, who I have been friends with, and who I have loved.” He paused, watching shame and sorrow play across Solas’ sharp features. “But if they do, I will be shot down on sight. And they likely do, for news of my clan’s involvement with the Conclave spread very, very, quickly and is the reason they ended up dead in Wycome. I never should have left the Graves.”

“Dorian—”

“Is returning to Tevinter and insists I remain. And if you tell me you are sorry, I will likely kill you right here. God or fake, mortal or not, I will drive my blades into your chest.”

As Solas stood and took Arahaelon’s hand, he was at least unable to hear the whispered apology over his own agonizing screams.

His arm didn’t hurt anymore, the amputation had been clean, but everything else hurt. Aches and pains from battle; several wounds from relentless Qunari had required stitching, while some self-inflicted wounds would scar. Another lifelong reminder of the day—of the look on Dorian’s face when he realized Arahaelon had never specialized three years ago because he’d already made a deal with his blood.

The overall resolution, successful despite Arahaelon’s feelings, allowed him the time to reflect. On how resilient and irritating Qunari were, how Dorian still hadn’t shown any sign of changing his mind, and how Sera and Bull seemed to have retracted their offers to join the Chargers and Red Jennys, respectively.

Arahaelon knew what they were thinking. What use could he be with one arm. No more daggers, no more staves. At least, not with the previous ease he’d had just days before. Hours before. Sera had assured him Dagna would work on a prosthetic, but without Inquisition resources he wasn’t optimistic.

He nearly threw up when he felt the straw filled mattress dip beneath Dorian’s weight and his hand fell between his shoulder blades. There would have been nothing to lose this time, however, only bile and acid.

“I’m leaving tomorrow… Maevaris needs—” Dorian’s teeth clicked together as he halted the words, feeling Arahaelon tense beneath his hand. But then he found some resolve, hand moving to clench around his shoulder and force Arahaelon onto his back, demanding his attention with a glare he didn’t really mean. “I will not leave us like this, Amatus.”

A frustrated shout escaped Arahaelon as he realized he needed both arms to successfully knock Dorian away. He only had the strength of one, and it worked uselessly against Dorian’s chest. Solid and larger than Arahaelon by at least half, and now he was at a true disadvantage, pinned by his shoulders against the thin mattress.

“You keep saying us,” Arahaelon hissed, nearly baring teeth, and felt the familiar sting of tears he refused to let fall. “But you’re leaving me. You say Maevaris needs. Here I am without family, clan, a home. Bull and Sera’s offers retracted now that I am without use. Could Maevaris at least not postpone her needs?”

“You seem to have forgotten you are a Comte now. Varric’s offer is as strong as ever.”

Humor. Again.

“You would have me waste away in Kirkwall?” Arahaelon’s voice came out louder than he’d hoped, nearly shrill in his outrage. Dorian’s surprise was understandable; Arahaelon had a long fuse to his temper, but while it had blown several times before he hadn’t been half mad and delirious as it had exploded.

Dorian seemed stronger than before, though Arahaelon’s balance was shot and movements flailing and awkward as he tried to work free with an arm and a half.

“I’d rather you waste in Kirkwall knowing where you are, safe, than lose you in Tevinter so long as slavery exists!”

Arahaelon froze, jaw working and forcing himself to swallow around the lump in his throat. The vallaslin seemed to burn across his face. “But if I were human…?”

“Human, dwarf, Qunari—you would be, you are, a weakness I cannot allow my enemies to have such easy access to, Amatus,” Dorian answered, expression and grip softening though suspicion kept his hold on Arahaelon firm. “Go to Kirkwall with Varric. Enjoy your retirement.”

Arahaelon responded only by instinct when Dorian pressed a kiss to his lips—his mind was miles away, remembering old trails and recalling Graves protocol.

I only need to survive the hunters to make it to the Keeper...

“I’ll visit as often as I can,” Dorian whispered against his cheek. His smile wavered slightly as he teased, “We can have a blood magic argument on my third visit.”

Later that night, curled against Dorian’s side as he slept, Arahaelon pressed a kiss to his shoulder before moving away as he did in battle; silent and quick.

He was a mile away from the Winter Palace by midnight.

[undercovermcdfan]

you make loving fun | travlyn

title: you make loving fun

summary: love is a complex feeling, but when it comes to her, only poetry seems to flow. Travlyn. Starlight.

a/n: AAAAAA. About time I write a fic based off the fake dating duo—man I’m so excited for their romantic plot line as I am about Travis’s entire set up for whatever role he might take. I had to indulge in the good feelings okay.

warning(s): travis being lovestruck, confession, spoilers (sort’ve), smooch smooch

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He isn’t much of a waxing poet, despite her reflections about him would insist otherwise.

When in comfort and thoughtful, he always has the right thing to say—and she would laugh, sweetly, genuinely, admitting to him with a softer tone “Sometimes it makes me almost nervous how convincing you are. Are you sure you don’t want to be an actor?”

He huffs a breath, batting at her and she laughs again, tipping her chair against the railing of open air balcony; the darkness sea met with the inky abyss of the sky, a bright and white moon large in the sky as more stars than he could even comprehend populating the atmosphere. And she, existing against this backdrop, looks like what his love for her feels.

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She never lets her playfulness die down, narrowing when she teases and growing wide momentarily when she finds something of interest. How she fits comfortably against him, wiggling as she doesn’t think twice with invading his space to show him some nice photos she takes of their recent excursion or something funny she seen online. She hums in acknowledgement as he complains about long lines and she berates when he skimps on lotion when they laze. Attentive and busying, she would sometimes excuse her forwardness: I told you I nag. She advises and critiques, pushing but in the right direction, sometimes him resulting in childishly sticking his tongue, a sign of defeat because… she is right, again.

(Which is why he savors the moments when he catches her off kilter, because though her reactions weren’t over the top, she never got away with it. Arms raising in defeat, she snorts with an affectionate eye roll and pursing her lips as she watches him cheers in the small victory.)

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“You know,” she stretches, letting her chair fall forward to its proper position with a clunk against the floor. Some of her hair falls forward, the temptation to tuck it back as she grins, her blue eyes watching him with delight of the words she will say next. “Us dating since high school is a rather… long time.”

He clicks his tongue, groaning immediately as he sinks down in his seat and taking a pouty sip from his fruity tropic drink. “Katelyn. Please.” He feels his face flushing hot with his mumble, but he can’t even bring himself to mockingly glare. She’s taking it better now than before, coming down from the stressed plane she tends to visit—and mainly, he adds to this fact guiltily, because of him.

Now it’s a topic within her arsenal to fluster Travis, the smooth talker, into stuttering mess and jamming his system.

“Please what, love of my life?” she leans forward, “Am I testing your patience, darling?”

“…maybe. Makes me question if I’m really the annoying one of the couple.”

“I humbly accept the title if it means you become the responsible one.”

He makes a face, after taking a thought sip. “You barely trust me with the suite key.”

“You nearly lost it twice—and locked yourself out once already.”

“And then you bought me this oh so fashionable lanyard, so I won’t lose it,” he hums, patting his chest—and sits up straighter, patting his pockets. She gestures to the floral-patterned lanyard on the table. He grabs it, returning to its trusty place, “I’m fully ready to be the Responsible one.”

She laughs, a small snort as she pushes back her hair.

A smile grows… warm but he frowns at the twinge of sadness to it, as her fingers lock together and she taps her thumbs, looking down in thought. “Hey Travis…” she looks up then, still smiling though he feels her guard starts to be let down. “Can I be honest?”

“Of course. What’s on your mind, Katie?”

“Well,” Katelyn says, “You.”

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He admits it hurts, the barriers she sets. After every hurdle, another wall seems to erect and leaves him always with two options: to trek on or to give up.

He can sing until the sunset that his feelings weren’t superficial, but others, especially Katelyn herself, were still skeptical of them.

The resident flirt, skirt chaser and dude-mancer (clever nickname, brought to him by Laurance), Travis isn’t the type one would look at and think “Oh, he’s the settling sort.”

But maybe it’s because his standards set to one bar, he never felt the will to really think about it until she gives him the chance.

The irony, though, is as he scales her walls of blocks after blocks, surpassing what her friends know, then close friends, then what KC and Aphmau knows, closer and closer, she opens—she’s doing the same to him. And he doesn’t notice, until he catches her studying gaze, laying on her side as he slowly rises from their nap on the pull-out couch in their suite.

She notices.

Soon enough, it almost scares him how she quickly and accurately deciphers his fleeting expressions between masks. “You’re an open book,” she comments, sliding over and resting her head on his shoulder, after bout of loneliness overcomes him and she quickly supplies him with her own, quiet form of comfort. She pauses, her nose wrinkling in thought, “I wanted to say, ‘you’re lucky I love reading so much.’ I hate that. Irene.”

Of course, he laughs, people don’t understand how no-nonsense Katelyn, distant and cold Katelyn, could make him but in their quieter moments, he melts—but what hurts is she’s only starting to. She isn’t there yet.

Terrifying to think, as he lets his guards down quicker and quicker, he can’t blame her for not whole-heartedly trusting him with the situation he places them in… and helpless not knowing, as his love only dips deeper for her, where she lies in feelings. His guess is as good as anybody’s.

(But nobody knows the truth of their arrangement. This is a struggle he takes on alone, not even able to confide in the one person he should be able to.)

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Me? He thinks, trying hard to school his surprise but her expression only saddens, she must’ve notice his worry and guilt.

A pause settles in between them, she bites her lip as she ponders—her ‘Give me a moment, I’m trying to see if I can phrase this right’. So, he keeps his mouth shut, both out of knowing the habit she possesses and knowing it’s quicker if he lets her speak.

And when she finally breaks the silence, she begins slowly, looking away from him. “You… are really something special.”

…What.

“No, really,” she glances at him, already losing steam as she… blushes, “I’m serious. Not just special, Travis, you’re something else entirely. And you know, I always think to myself ‘Well I got him figured out’, that you’re this or you’re that. But…” she makes a gesture he doesn’t understand, “You always throw a curve ball, and I just don’t get you, as much I want to.” She almost sounds frustrated but… there’s something else to her voice. She pushes her bangs back, letting out a dragged-out sigh, “Believe me. I want to.”

“To be a better pretend girlfriend?” He says lightly but that earns him a glare.

“No,” she chides, “to be a better friend. To… be… Irene, why can’t I be you? Just say the right thing in an emotional way.”

He blinks.

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They have a game, over the course of their pretend dating career, to sometimes quiz each other about each other.

He thought he would ace this game—but she soon proves to be some sort of savant at memorizing facts and quirks of Travis Valkrum.

Not to say, he isn’t as good or even better; but he had years of an undying high school crush turn into neighbor into close friends under his belt. Maybe she’s just perceptive. Maybe, with his hopefulness shining through, she feels the same and over the years notice him like how he notices her.

(She hasn’t beat his score yet.)

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“I… what?” he laughs, almost incredulously, “Katelyn… Katie, I don’t… You don’t wanna be me. Maybe you’re overthinking it—I’m not that complex.”

She points her finger at him, squinting with condemning look, “No. No modesty, no lies.” She continues to assert, “You hide way too damn much. You zone out, you don’t always say what you want to say, and…. You know, I’m the first to let somebody’s business be their business. Travis, I’m being honest right now—“she leans from her seat, putting her elbow on the table, and her expression still serious, “this long since stopped being about the stuff.”

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For the first time, in a long time, he sees her completely drop her guard.

While she doesn’t press her face against the window, she intensely stares at the puppy in the window—white and puffy, it tilts its head at her and she whispers, almost reverently, “Oh my Irene.”

He never seen her care for pets before; neither hate or dislike, ironically enough, she always seems indifferent to animals. Aphmau and KC were wild enough, and they always brought in strays when they can. She always shrugs, Dogs, cats, parrots— they never stay for long.

So, this is a surprise.

“He’s… so small,” she whispers to him, tugging on his sleeve to get him to look closer, “I bet you he’s really soft.”

He shoots her a glance. But… seeing the look of awe, he can’t help the smile to come on. “We could go inside and see?”

“…Isn’t Dante waiting for you though?” she glances away for a moment, before her eyes return to the white pup, “We should get going, shouldn’t we?”

“Don’t want to get attached?”

She doesn’t answer.

He starts to pull her towards the door of the pet shop. Her whispered protests die the moment the shop keep lets her hold the wiggling ball of fur.

(She doesn’t take the dog home. But the way she smiles at him, her arm looping his as they walk out of the store, he wonders if he should call back later and ask about the dog—maybe the breed at least. He might’ve found his birthday present to her.)

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Her eyes soften, and she scoots her chair closer, grabbing at his hand. “Travis. Tell me what we are, what you think we are.”

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He wants to ask her often if there is anybody who catches her fancy. Or if she has a type.

She avoids the question smoother than she does the moon walk—though she could honestly just hyper focus on the game at hand.

(She ends up beating Laurance’s score. She never ends up answering his throwaway question.)

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Travis feels his mouth dries, his heart thudding in his chest—he couldn’t just avoid her gaze, it’s too obvious but he does. Silence is uncomfortable.

“Do you want to know what I think we are?”

He nods.

“We’re two people,” she starts, her chair scoots closer as she leans forward and squeezes his hand, “who come off across as selfish but it’s really them having terrible luck and always doubting themselves. Hearts in the right place at the wrong time. Jumping at the wrong chances…” he could feel the small smile in her voice, she continuing as she takes his hand and runs her thumb over his knuckles, “but unlike me, you know how to make the best of it.”

He looks up her, his face is burning. His mouth is sealed and she takes it as a sign to continue.

“We’re remarkable idiots.”

He snorts at this. And she chuckles, shaking her head.

“Maybe that’s why I like you so much,” she quietly says.

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She cradles the green package in her hands, her face flushing from ear to ear. She all but shoves the present into his arms, stuffing her hands into her pocket.

It isn’t his birthday, nor a holiday that celebrates gift giving.

Frankly, he’s expecting the pizza man to be at his door, not a flustered Katelyn who shoves whatever it is in this box and now bolting across the street back to her home.

“…Thank you?” He calls out questioningly but the door is slammed from across the street, so he just shrugs.

He rips open the present, letting the letter drop to the ground—and nearly the box, but luckily, he caught it in his surprise fumble.

The letter read:

You have pretty expensive taste. Please don’t break it— but there’s a warranty to it if you do. I know this is nothing to the places you and Terry take me to.

Thanks for being a pretty cool dude,

Katelyn.

(The present is a graphic tablet—the very same one he put on his wishlist and slowly saving up for on the side. He wonders when she saw it—or if she asks Dante to snoop for her. He remembers wishing he could run over to give her a kiss—he settle with a hug the next time he did.)

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He opens his mouth. Then shuts it. Then stares at their hands, before looking at her face again.

“You… mean that in a…”

“Yes.”

“So you…”

“Yes.”

“Romantically?”

“And in a friend sort of a way too, but yes.”

“….no,” he says in disbelief, “you… like me… For how long?”

She grins. “I’m still trying to figure out when I started.”

He grows quiet, but as reassurance, he interlock their fingers, their knees touching as he leans forward. His heart races, she is glowing in this light; a grin on her face, conveying relief but also excitement.

Oh boy. “So you like me… but…”

Her falls a little, softness stop as her breath hitches. Panic.

“You know I don’t just like you?” he asks quietly. Her eyes is wide. “Katie—nobody keeps up a lie like you being my girlfriend for over ten years just for a like.”

“I…”

He licks his lips nervously, cracking a sheepish smile, though in his ears his heart is now thundering. “Maybe a love?”

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She stands at the shoreline, dusk has already came and went and it’s just the two of them right now at this particular part of the beach.

“Ah,” she says, stretching her arms out and feel the breeze—her hair is pull into a low ponytail, and with her swim suit, she looks… He flushes, looking away as if the scene he’s witnessing is private. He looks up when she turns to him, grabbing his hand as she pulls into the tide with her.

“You’re sulking way too much,” she says with a grin, “enjoy this with me. Not every day you get to go on an expensive trip like this.”

Especially just the two of us… and my dad.

“Hey.” She stands in the waves, her face dropping into something touch concern, as she studies his face and she reaches up to pinch his cheek, “Travis, it’s just the two of us. No pretending, okay? So don’t feel guilty—I came to help you out, I’m completely fine with this. Now show me that doofus smile.”

He smiles a little.

“Nah—I know you can do better, Travis.” She laughs a little and he laughs as well, shaking his head.

“You’re so pushy.”

“I’m a demanding fake girlfriend as well as a bossy friend,” she pats his shoulder, “Now that we have our feet wet, you up for a night swim?”

He shrugs, “We might as well put our suits to use.”

“Exactly my thoughts.”

(She ends up winning. He doesn’t mind.)

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He kissed her before—or rather, she kissed him before.

But this… is different.

Though her shoulders are tense, the kiss is light and nervous, soft and warm. She relaxes the grip on his hand, as if she expects him to pull away despite he just confess his love for her. It’s cute how her eyes are squeezed shut and she didn’t take a breath or release one.

Their kisses before were always a heat in the moment type thing, like her, it’s a flash of warmth then her running off before they could do anything about what happened.

His hands slide up her arms, and he shuts his eyes, returning the kiss with a soft hum. She lets out a content sigh, relaxing her shoulders as she reaches up and wrapping her arms around.

Their kiss is fruity, like the drinks they had, delightful and refreshing as they deepen it for a moment before pulling away.

“…Heh.”

He flushes, beaming brightly as he leans his forehead against hers. “What’s so funny?”

“Pineapples. Doesn’t taste as bad as I thought.”

“Is that so?” he chuckles, “I’m willing to give you another taste.”

“Terrible line,” she gives him a small peck, slowly closing her eyes again as she lets herself be pulled onto his lap, “But yes, please.”

He isn’t a waxing poet—because poets could go on and on how magical a kiss like this is.

Only thought that came to his mind? Hot damn.

[gamexplained-blog]

First Impressions of Gaige: Pretty Dang Positive So Far

In my first week with this new playthrough of Borderlands 2, I have reached Chapter 7 after likely a total of 10 hours of gameplay (granted a great deal of that gameplay was grinding for really rare loot early game but I got this beauty right here!)

Because I had played the game before, and I was playing the Handsome Collection version of Borderlands 2, I was able to deck out my Gaige to look pretty dang cool. Here’s how she looked initially!

Now some people will be a bit freaked out to think “What?! A game that has some problematic elements allows female characters to look and feel customizable badass?!” While this is a minor detail, one of the things I love about the Borderlands series is that regardless of gender and what character you play as, Gearbox studios focuses on you as the player to be immersed in a self-aggrandizing mode of feeling like an amazing warrior. Gaige is no different!

Within the very first hours of the game, I was greatly invested in Gaige as a character. “But Will! None of the characters actually physically talk directly to any of the other characters in the game. How can you be invested in a character that doesn’t show interactions?” I hear you saying. The purpose of this is to make the character interchangeable regardless of which one you pick. So none of the characters directly talk to any other characters (except for DLC; more to come later) but each one has they’re own personality and back story they give during gameplay so that you project your own personality and mesh it with theirs.

For example, a brief summary of Gaige’s back story is that she is a punk teenage mechanic bounty hunter that is on the lamb after building a robot that accidentally murdered one of her classmates at a high school science fair. She escapes to the planet Pandora, accepting her new murderous lifestyle, and finds work with as a vault hunter. This is where the story of Borderlands 2 begins for her. Because of her punk and dark back story, the designers reflected this through the customization options of her clothes, her companion Death Trap (the summonable robot character), and the amazing dialogue she gives.

A huge tenant in the design of Borderlands, regardless of gender lines, is that it promotes aggressive gameplay. Being that not only is it heavily a first-person shooter first, it also has a wide variety of alien monsters to kill. It is in the process of killing these ugly monsters where the personality of each character sticks out the most. Each character interacts with the world, and somewhat the player for that matter, by uttering different phrases from a pool of randomized dialogue. For Gaige she’d say badass and hilarious phrases like the following (WARNING: EXPLICIT)

“Lay off, douche!”

“Oh God! It smells like piss and nachos”

“Yeah, I’m pretty good” (snarky)

“I say mechro you say mancer. MECHRO!” *silence* “you guys suck!”

“It’s cool everybody! I’m here!”

*beatboxing*

“I AM A BADASS!”

“I AM THE STRONGEST GIRL ALIIIIIVE” (super dramatic)

Gaige is made to be this epic, rockstar, punk, and sassy character that just exudes self-confidence and badassery. None of her interactions, as far as I can tell, are dependent on men at all. just like all the other characters, she goes about her own way of being self-empowering, and she might even become my favorite in personality by the end of the play through. In response to some of the perks within the Best Friends Forever skill tree that were considered controversial, like “cooking up trouble,” knowing how satirical this game is, they just seemed like jokes. You can debate whether they were in good taste or not, but consider this: Gaige is a teenage girl that does literally everything to break stereotypes. She’s aggressive, punk, and sassy. To make a skill tree that describes the antithesis of her personality (but of course with useful perks) is ironically hilarious at best and only slightly problematic at worst. I mean, one of the first skills I maxed out was “cooking up trouble” because it gave me health back when my guns were fully reloaded! (Which, by the way, is extremely useful because off the bat, earning health back in the game is a huge struggle). Borderlands 2 does so many things to explore many different subjects across gender lines in minute and grand ways both with Gaige and main characters. However, I’ll describe more of those story elements in the next post! ;)

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Bruce/Bat-Mancer in League of Justice (1996), an Elseworlds story

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Bruce/Bat-Mancer in League of Justice (1996), an Elseworlds story

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Bat-Mancer vs Sovereign in League of Justice (1996), an Elseworlds story