#Though not much in this snippet

[ciderjacks]

thinking again about how much trust he had to have in Laios to recommend his own daughter in case he dies

[awriternamedart]

Narukami Yu wasn't the touchy type. He wasn't against it or anything, it just wasn't really his vibe most of the time.

That was, until Hanamura Yosuke came into his life.

Yosuke wasn't a big touchy person by any means— he was actually pretty distanced from a lot of the people around him. Chie, Yukiko— he rarely came into physical contact with them. Even when Kanji, Teddie, Rise, and Naoto came into the picture, his gestures never went beyond fistbumps or the occasional handshake.

In fact, the most he had really noticed was that he was okay with giving Nanako a piggyback ride.

Which is why, when Naoto came up to him as they were finishing up preparations with that simple observation, it threw Yu for a loop.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that Hanamura is far closer to you then the rest of the group." They said, rather plainly. It was if they were stating just simple fact, like 'you can breathe air.' "You and him often exist in each others personal space. I'm surprised you two don't have a duel tactic like Amagi and Satonaka, or him and Teddie."

Yu had kind of blanked on them, admittedly, humming noncommittally before Naoto turned the subject back to their tactics for battle. But it had circulated around in his mind, suddenly becoming far more aware of his partner's antics.

Like whenever they were idling at Junes' for some reason, Yosuke would be leaning towards him, if not on him if Yu was sitting down. Or he'd sidle right next to him and elbow him in the side to get his attention, or constantly be next to him whenever they were resting or sitting or in preparation phases. It was a little embarrassing as he became so aware of how close Yosuke simply just resided near him— but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle.

Until he realized Yosuke had stopped.

It was strange. There was this chill that seemed to permeate when he first noticed it. It began not long after Naoto had brought it up to him, when Yosuke seemed to suddenly disappear from his side. It wasn't that far away, he was still nearby, but now there was this distance. It was unfamiliar, chilling.

He didn't like it. Not one bit.

Yosuke seemed surprised when Yu divvied up the exploration team into pairs this time around, and took Yosuke with him. It wasn't meant to be any sort of serious mission, he was just looking for some items for some people, but when even Rise and Teddie were paired up to scope out the place, it was a little concerning.

Especially when Yu took Yosuke as his partner for this investigation.

They were barely a few rooms in when Yu suddenly pulled them to a stop for a break. Yosuke had barely even broken a sweat from the two fights they had gotten into, wiping his blades clean as he looked to his partner, who had sheathed his own blade and set it aside.

"You good, partner? If I didn't know better, I'd say you made up a ruse for us to hang out!" He had to poke fun a little, but genuine concern colored his voice. Yu cracked a faint smile at that before he set his sword down. "Seriously, Yu— whats going on-!?"

His voice taped off into a small squeak when Yu suddenly collapsed on top of him, arms loosely wrapped around Yosuke's waist. A small sigh escaped him as he shoved his face into Yosuke's shoulder with a faint murmured apology.

"Sorry."

"Woah-hahah- a little close there, Yu— the others, they could— you uh- you— whats going on-?" Yosuke scrambled to gather his words, idly pushing on Yu's body to no avail. He gave up after a few seconds, stiffly just standing still, "Seriously, whats with you??"

Yu seemed to pause for a second, though he didn't budge much. If anything, his embrace got tighter.

"You've been avoiding me."

Yosuke flinched immediately, and Yu knew he had hit the nail on the head. So it had been purposeful.

"Geez, you- you noticed that..?" Yosuke murmured, ears turning a vibrant red. before his voice got a little bit louder. "Whaddya mean, partner? I haven't— been avoiding you. I'm right here!"

Yu stood up just enough to give Yosuke an unimpressed look, he had heard him clear as day, and Yosuke took all but two seconds to crumble, sheepishly folding his arms as Yu finally stepped away.

"Sorry, partner— I thought you wouldn't notice.."

"So you were avoiding me." Yu put his hands in his pockets, bangs drifting as he tilted his head to the side.

"I wasn't avoiding. I was just— putting more distance so you weren't uncomfortable!" He stumbled over his words, trying to brush his hair out of his face. "Naoto asked me about it so I figured you must look uncomfortable or something, so I just—"

"Did I ever say I was?"

Yosuke's face got redder.

"N-no, but—.. no. No, you never said anything." He gave up trying to defend himself under Yu's pointblank stare, hanging his head. Yu at least chuckled a little, getting Yosuke to glare at him— which only got amusement in return.

"What did Naoto say? They only mentioned that you were closer to me then the rest of the group when they talked to me." Yu had to admit he was a little curious. While Naoto was a valuable asset to the team and was only attempting to connect by sharing their examinations, Yu knew Yosuke would probably overthink it just that little bit.

"Sh- they only said somethin about me only really bein touchy with you. Or something like that." He looked to the side, pushing his headphones up a little. "It was a- wait, they said something to you as well?"

Yu nodded.

"They had mentioned to me their surprise that we didn't have a joint attack, and that you and Teddie instead had one instead of me and you." He rolled his neck a little, before looking bacl to Yosuke with some sort of forlorn look on his face. "Can I hug you again?"

"Wh— dude, seriously?!"

"You haven't been near me in a week and a half. I miss you." Yu's plainspoken nature never failed to throw Yosuke off guard. He said whatever he wanted to, with this same sort of smoothness that made it seem like no matter what the words were, he was going to be right. Yosuke could only stare at him blankly, cheeks burning a brighter red by the second, before he relented under Yu's stare, groaning.

"…you can't say stuff like that, partner." He put his arms out, Yu's face lighting up with the barest shift in his calm expression. Almost immediately he was melting back into Yosuke, this time his face nearing Yosuke's neck, arms tighter as Yosuke hesitantly put his hands on Yu's back. "Not to me.."

"Why not? Its the truth. Why would I deny you the truth?" Yu was genuine, but he couldn't see the scarlet that drowned Yosuke's face and neck, the tips of his ears matching the rosy red as his heart raced, faster then he had even at the riverbank. He didn't respond to Yu's question, instead just curling his hands into fists and holding onto Yu's school uniform jacket.

Hate it as he may, he had missed their casual intimacy too.

-

Casual Touch - awriternamedart

p4g has gripped me so tight im about to pop its not funny anymore

[larkwinged]

𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐒 𝐅. 、𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐊𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓

PROFILE. a self-righteous knight who is too willing to throw their life away, and too eager to charge into battle. underneath their stubborn exterior, they are riddled with the pressure of upholding a family title that has long been lost to time.

FULL NAME. artemis elise fröhlich

PRONOUNS. they / them

GENDER. fem-presenting non-binary

AGE. early twenties

HEIGHT. 5”1

BIRTHDAY. november 12th

OCCUPATION. knight

AFFILIATION. knights of favonius

ELEMENT. pyro

CONSTELLATION. columba bellicosi

WEAPON TYPE. sword — “herald of the dawn”

Now stripped of its original purpose as a vessel to store all the memories of an ancient god king, this sword has been passed down in the Fröhlich family since the dawn of time.

Once wielded by the god of memories herself, this sword was blessed by the winds and presented as a gift to her youngest child upon the morn of their knighting ceremony.

“You, who represent the grace and bravery of humanity,” said the Queen, “take this and go. Become a pillar of hope to those wallowing in the darkness, and guide the lost onto a chivalrous path. You, the Dovewing Knight.”

And so, the first Dovewing Knight set out, protecting the people of Cairnfelle and standing tall as a beacon of hope, just as they were requested.

At the edge of the world, when the brilliance of Cairnfelle collapsed and the mountains crumbled, the sword found its way tumbling back into the hands of its previous owner to defend her honor, and upkeep her legacy until the final trumpet sang … announcing her defeat.

With no definite home, the sword lay in the ruins of its kin, preserved well by the Anemo Archon and his will — until the day it found its way into the waiting hands of the inheritor of an ancient title.

• demo music concepts. one two three

• ENG voice claim : keath ósk as cole seymour from yaelokre’s “meadowlark” project

• JP voice claim : marina inoue as armin arlert from attack on titan

CHARACTER STORY 1: eastward of eden

It is true that Artemis has long held resentment towards their older sister and past caretaker, Lilith. As a child, Artemis was refused of many things — including choosing their own clothes, partaking in certain activities, and having their own privacy. There wasn’t much they were allowed to do, and even the hobbies they enjoyed ended up ruined by Lilith’s excitement and pushy nature.

To this day, Lilith is unaware of the mental anguish she caused her siblings over the course of their entire childhood. However, in her own eyes, she has done no such thing, and has succeeded at being a “mother.”

Many citizens have told her, “My, you exercise much control over them,” and yet, she has failed to see the error in her ways. It is not entirely her fault, as she was forced into the role of a mother when she wasn’t ready for such a task. Even though she failed in many aspects of her parenting skills, there was one thing she has always truly succeeded at: caring deeply for her family.

However, no amount of love could undo the years of fighting and hurtful words thrown around between the siblings.

CHARACTER STORY 2: legacy

Long ago, in the days of yore, the archaic land of Mondstadt had been ruled by a monarch older than Decarabian. Her rule was rumored to last longer than his, and her birth is now nothing but scattered fragments along the wind.

When the Queen of the North Wind descended and claimed Mondstadt as her home, a mighty kingdom formed under her feet. Small huts grew to larger, firmer homes, and gargantuan cathedrals made of marble were erected in her honor. Trumpets blew, the wind howled, snow fell, and mountains as high as the heavens towered above humanity.

In later years, the prospering kingdom of Cairnfelle was officially born. Serving as a haven for travelers and poets alike, the kingdom sang with energy as it thrived under Queen Catalina’s guiding hand. The god of memories was exceptionally gentle, with a kind and compassionate heart that moved even the most stoic-faced men to tears. Her words were wise, her complexion glowing, and her promises true.

Cairnfelle, as much as it prospered, gained an enemy from a distant land. With no choice but to face the beast she prodded, the Queen set out to befriend the raging phoenix that had enough of her games. Ever the charming soul, the Queen did not have to do much to make the phoenix bow to her every whim, and before the citizens of Cairnfelle had the chance to acclimate to the visitor, the two were to be wed.

There is not much to say for the years in between the joining of two god kings and the fall of Cairnfelle, but this: Four inexplicably brave and virtuous souls were born from the two gods — four demigod knights who carved the way for the future of Mondstadt: The Four Archangels.

The Blair Family — the origin of the Fröhlichs, is no longer the raging flame of life it had once been, but a snuffed out ember of its former glory.

Only in passing on the titles of the Four Archangel Knights can the present day Fröhlich family hold tight to what was once a name feared and adored by all.

CHARACTER STORY 3: composition

Many questions have arisen over the years; all pertaining to a certain facet of Artemis’ composition.

“Is it a curse?” They’ve inquired, only to wind up receiving a simple, “I’m not even sure myself!”

However, that it is a small white lie they’ve grown to tell. In fact, Artemis is very much aware of the reason why they consistently find themselves on the brink of death and luckily make it out alive. It is because of the unique composition their ancestor, Lowen, was made of: pure and unbridled wrath.

The story goes as such: In the days of yore, when gods and monsters still yet walked the earth, a beast born of flame and rage took flight. They seared their enemies and allies alike, and roused the hearts of warriors all across Natlan. They utterly refused to lay their past life to rest. In doing so, they made a promise to their newfound family. The wrath that lived inside them was nothing but a blessing, and deserved to be passed on through their children, and future generations. And so, the endless wrath that boiled in their veins was passed on — consuming the lives of their children, and overtaking the brilliant flames that became their descendants.

To be a god’s descendant has always been an honor in the Fröhlich family line… Yet, Artemis — like the direct children of the god of wrath — see it as naught but a curse; For what blessing could bring about destruction and the devastation of any living being in one’s wake.

VISION STORY:

The blistering pyro vision attached to Artemis’ belt was said to be a gift from the gods, and maybe even a gift from the long gone god of wrath themselves.

What else are visions besides gifts from the gods? A tool to wield, and yet another curse Artemis must deal with.

At the young age of eleven, Artemis was sent out on their first escorting mission. It was their first mission given to them by Grand Master Varka, who was elated to test their strength and endurance. Not many were willing to accept an escort from a child — as was the case with the Fontainian aristocrat Artemis was talking their ear off to. However, the man said nothing, as the child’s directional skills were second to none. It was only when they hit a bump in the road that the man questioned Artemis’ capabilities as a knight.

“I should’ve known better than to trust a child!” He yelled, waving his fist in the air as he pushed them aside and ran off ahead by himself in the rain, leaving the young Artemis to fend for themselves amidst a hoard of abyssal monsters.

Although panic was steadily rising throughout their body, they forced themself forward — slashing at every monster with a shaky grip on their sword. The rain poured, sagging their clothes, and dragging their arms down to the dirt. The grip on their sword slipped, as did their footing, and they tumbled to the hard ground with a rough clash.

Their shoulder-piece scratched the bridge of their nose on the way down, and a thick line of blood began to spill from the open wound. A rifthound drew closer, baring its teeth and snapping its jaw as its claws outstretched, striking Artemis across the head. A clap of thunder sounded, and amidst the ringing in their ears, Artemis felt the weight of ten large wooden planks collapse on their back.

Even so, they shakily grabbed their sword, their nails digging into the wet earth, and began to stand. Their blood boiled as a wrath they were only warned about once crept up to the surface, prickling along their skin until it caved inwards, tugging at their ribcage and burning against their racing heart.

In a flash of white and gold, the hoard of rifthounds lay motionless on the grass, their bodies turning to dust as Artemis panted heavily. The wrath inside their veins bubbled, and their vision turned red. It was all consuming. It was destructive, and it was total annihilation. They struck down every monster seeping from an abyssal pylon until finally, they tore the pylon in half with nothing but their blade and their bare hands.

The rain continued to fall as they dropped their sword and collapsed to the ground in a heap of sore limbs and bloodied grass. Their eyes fell close for a moment — at least, what felt like a moment — and when they opened, a shining vision sat amongst the pool of blood left behind by their foes.

Indeed. The god of wrath, whose curse ran rampant in their veins, rewarded them with yet another “gift.”

𝐕𝐎𝐈𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒

𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐀

• hobbies: When they are home in Dornman Port enjoying their days off, they like to wind down by practicing the art of crochet. Not only is it soothing to sit by a windowsill while the afternoon breeze filters into their bedroom, it is also a hobby their late mother held dear. By partaking in this hobby, they feel closer to their mother, and can preserve her memory longer. Another hobby is sports. Artemis can often be found playing with the kids in the port during vacations.

• beliefs: The Fröhlich family have always dedicated their lives to the protection of Mondstadt, and hold a firm worship to a god king who has long been dead. Although they have accepted Barbatos as their new savior, they still hold their original god close to their hearts. Artemis has naturally followed this belief and considers their worship of the god of memories their religion. During rough times, they find solace in a temple far north and meditate there for as long as they deem necessary. Once a month, they offer up a few of their most important memories— a ritual that has been passed down in the Fröhlich family for over 3000 years.

(This act of offering up memories is akin to the way some worshippers will offer animal sacrifices to the god they serve.)

• about — fate: Artemis is a firm believer that fate will guide the worthy and ultimately lead everyone onto the path they are destined to walk. However, they do not include the meddling of gods and higher beings into this equation. They believe that fate is its own entity and not dictated by the Archons nor Celestia. It acts of its own accord, and the gods are mere victims of fate, as well. Not even Celestia will be spared.

• about — death: Artemis believes that death is a stepping stone to a greater afterlife. Akin to their many family members, they believe that life is temporary, and death is eternal. When one dies, they are not truly dead; for they are shedding their mortal shell and accepting their true form, which is the soul. The soul will live on forever in the afterlife, while the physical body is nothing more than a temporary shell to house said soul. With this belief, the Fröhlich family does not fear death, but welcomes it with open arms— greeting it like an old friend.

[solalunar-eclipse]

Sonadow Snippets #2

In which Sonic returns the favor.

| One |

Shadow’s eyes were carefully trained on Sonic as the blue hedgehog raced through the forest, jumping over roots that sprouted out from the ground and spin-dashing whenever he could in an effort to gain momentum. Of course, Shadow was right by his side, the jets of his skates hissing in rhythm with his strides…but this particular time, the more serious of the two never pulled ahead.

For once, this wasn’t a race.

Instead, Shadow was following Sonic on a path only he knew, waiting to see exactly what lay at the end. After the time when Shadow had invited Sonic to come watch him skate atop a lake out in the middle of nowhere, it hadn’t taken long at all for him to receive an offer in return. Sonic had come up to him one day while he was out picking up some odds and ends for Omega as a favor (apparently his friend had gotten himself temporarily banned from his favorite hardware store but couldn’t handle going without his usual supply of materials to tear apart). Sonic had been his usual direct self, just asking “Hey, do you want to go somewhere with me this Friday?”.

Of course, Shadow had requested a few more details, preferring to know such things as “When, exactly?” and “Why?” before he agreed. Sonic’s response to the latter had more or less made up his mind, however.

“I really appreciated you showing me your skating spot the other day, and…I wanted to show you something too.”

After that, how could he say no?

Of course, this had all come after Sonic offered (seemingly out of nowhere, at the time) to take part of the massive stack of various wooden boards, pieces of plastic, and a strange number of PVC pipes currently threatening to fall out of Shadow’s arms. As an artificially engineered lifeform, he might have been stronger than most, but even he couldn’t hope to win a fight against gravity with a haul that unwieldy.

After that, Shadow had agreed to show up to Sonic’s proposed meeting place, but insisted that “you’d better not be late”, which of course set off a lighthearted argument over whether or not the famously titled “fastest thing alive” was in fact ever late to anything. (Sonic said no to preserve his pride, Shadow said yes based on testimonials he’d heard secondhand through Rouge.)

But Sonic certainly hadn’t been late for this. He’d shown up at the appointed meeting spot even before Shadow had, something that was quite impressive considering the alien hedgehog’s tendency to be almost frighteningly punctual.

And now, the two were running through the forest together, as Shadow awaited the place Sonic considered so important.

All of a sudden, Shadow saw brighter sunlight up ahead—and then burst out of the tree line just behind Sonic into an open field. His momentum sent him tearing past Sonic, as a matter of fact, who had stopped in the middle of the field, apparently having reached his final destination. Shadow quickly turned into a wide arc, slowly decreasing his speed as he looped out, around, and back towards Sonic, before finally kicking his skates forward and coming to a stop himself.

“Pff, show-off.” Sonic teased, smirking.

“I just needed to find a way to burn off my speed,” Shadow insisted, not mentioning that he did generally prefer to do so in an artistic way when possible. “It’s not my fault you stopped without saying anything.”

“I did so say something, you must not have heard me.”

Shadow sighed, before letting it go for once. “So, what did you want to show me, anyway?”

Sonic gestured out to the field, which Shadow hadn’t looked at properly yet, first blinded by the sun and then focused on stopping himself. He turned in the direction Sonic had moved, and…

…it really was a special place.

This was the kind of field he’d begun to suspect only existed in storybooks and paintings of days gone by, after several years getting used to life down here on the planet. Most fields were filled with grass so tall he could barely see, or were patchy with dirt and mud amongst the green. This one, however, was covered in lush green grass, among which grew a veritable bounty of wildflowers.

It took him a long moment to think of what to say, and even then, it didn’t feel like much. “It’s beautiful.” he said, and then tried to add something more. “I…appreciate you bringing me here.”

Sonic beamed at him, leaning forward eagerly. “And this is just the beginning! Come on, we gotta get further out!”

Shadow followed Sonic as he walked further into the field, occasionally spinning around and walking backwards just to get a better view of everything. He’d always shoot Shadow a smile whenever he did that, too, and Shadow would dip his head slightly in response. It became almost comforting after the first couple of times, a silent little call-and-response.

You still liking it?

Yes.

Hey there!

Hello.

Glad you came.

I am too.

Eventually, they found one particular spot (Shadow knew it was specific because he saw Sonic lining up his position with a couple of landmark hills and rocks), and both stopped right there, at the top of one of the low, rolling curves in the earth. Sonic sat down cross-legged, before falling backwards and lying down, kicking his legs out as he did so. After a moment where he looked expectantly upwards at Shadow, the alien hedgehog lay down delicately, easing himself into it a little more than his companion.

For a while, they just lay there together in silence, staring up at the vibrantly blue, cloudless sky. Shadow sighed, feeling the warmth of the sun as it rapidly soaked into his dark fur.

Soon enough, he closed his eyes, just basking in the heat and letting his breathing slow down. It was sometimes difficult for him to stay grounded in the present moment, always ruminating on the past or trying to plan ahead for the future. Whenever he could feel his thoughts starting to wind up, though, he would just open his eyes again, tilt his head to the side, and try to count all the different colors and flowers that he could see in the field.

After a few more moments, Sonic spoke up. “I knew you’d be the perfect guy to do this with.”

“Did you?” Shadow asked, his voice hushed. He didn’t want to disturb the stillness of the moment.

“Yeah. I know we hang out a lot because we can keep up with each other…but that goes for the slow times as well as the fast ones.” Sonic answered.

Shadow let out a slow exhale. “Indeed. It’s more difficult to slow down mentally rather than physically, but when I can, it’s very much appreciated.”

“Is now one of those times?” He heard a shifting over to his right, and turned to see Sonic’s eyes looking at him, somehow a more vibrant green than the grass beside him.

“I’m doing my best. It’s a lovely place.” Shadow said softly.

Sonic smiled, much more peacefully than his usual grins. “One of the best parts of saving the world is getting to enjoy it after. You made this place possible, just as much as I ever have. I appreciate that.”

Shadow felt his face soften and relax slightly, and though he wasn’t sure what it looked like, the way Sonic’s eyes widened told him that it was a rare sight. “Thank you, Sonic. For bringing me here, and for your words.”

“Anytime, Shadow. Anytime at all.”

[shearingsheeps]

science team-tober day 8: misfire

(you can read the accompanying fic for today's prompt here!)

prompt list | science team-tober sideblog

[little-mouse-adventures]

Currently thinking about Artemis's will in the code at the bottom of TLG and how it really kinda shows how strained his relationship with his dad still is. Everyone else gets something they're interested in or that Arty thinks they'd like (sound system for Juliet, frozen chicken for Mulch, ethical investments for his mother, etc) and yet for his father he leaves only bearer bonds, despite Artemis I trying to move away from a money-focused enterprise and lifestyle as of TEC. Not to mention it's Butler who would know how to disengage all the booby traps protecting said bearer bonds, further highlighting the difference in trust & familiarity Artemis has with everyone but his father.

[vaultureculture]

October kickstarter update info in the tags <3

[zillychu]

PLEASE tell me you are writing a fic on your vampire au, I am already hooked 🙏🏻

I'm VERY sorry to tell you that I'm unfortunately so chronically ADHD that I've never finished anything more than a little one-shot.

So no, most likely not. HOWEVER. if anyone else wants to 👀 by all means feel free 👀

[wackywatchdotcom]

Rewatching episode one, I noticed that when Ragatha and Jax are talking to each other about Jax having a key, Pomni flinches away from, and lifts her arms to protect her face and head, when Jax toys with the key and catches it near her.

I wonder if she is that jumpy around others normally or if it's just when she's in a stressful situation (like suddenly being trapped in the circus) what do you think?

OK. ok. you mention this. and ive never said anything about it but i have genuinely noticed this almost every time ive seen that scene. i think about it a LOT but i havent been able to figure out my thoughts on it. but i think about it genuinely a LOT...

(i went on a huge tangent abt her thats like. only sporadically related to this specific moment SORRY. it was hard to address this moment without discussing a LOT about her i feel)

for the sake of clarity in the event someone reading this is unfamiliar, what this ask is referring to is this:

with the way that she so quickly dissociates and HARD (not that most people Never experience dissociation or smth, but its the intensity of it and how quick into this situation she starts dissociating is like. it makes it seem like its smth her body and mind are Used To Doing) she REALLY gives off the feeling that she had pre-existing mental health problems (i struggle to place anything TOO specific with the limited information we have but i feel like theres definitely a few things she has going on) before she even got to the circus, and like she COULD just be a naturally jumpy person, but with the dissociation thing and general distrust towards others, it feels like her jumpiness is also related to these issues

while her being naturally nervous is sort of implied and clear (though i think the extent of it is exaggerated by the circumstances of the pilot in particular) there ARE a few other examples that stand out to me

i THINK this can largely be passed off as her just being on edge from the horror adventure, but i this is IS notable that she reacts genuinely pretty strongly to what is a relatively minor 'jumpscare.' it happens later too w kinger pressing the tape recorder

in general she seems VERY easily startled by people, and frankly it reads a lot like it stems more from people being near her than just things happening abruptly. she notably doesnt jump hard when the angel arrives- she DOES get scared, but she isnt necessarily startled. she DOES react very strongly to ghostly, but i think its notable that she seems to find his visual appearance frightening and debatably not necessarily startling, but thats not really 100%. the times she reacts the strongest have to do with people, which imo ties HARD into her not trusting people

episode 2 breaks down her distrust of people well, and i dont think its a self consciousness thing. it seems more that she just doesnt tend to find people trustworthy- if something bad was happening to her, she would sooner assume theyd let it happen rather than help her. it could be argued that its partially a guilt or projection thing with ragatha, but im not actually so sure. pomni seems to be ashamed of leaving her behind, but particularly through ep 2 she doesnt seemed Plagued With Guilt by the way she acts towards ragatha, which implies that the dream didnt have to do with her projecting that shame in a way shed assume ragatha would turn back on her, too

it instead seems to be that she doesnt trust ragatha just... in general. the 'im not a child' thing, while a legitimate problem for pomni to have with ragatha (i love ragatha, and from my place in the audience i know her concern is genuine, and that she truly wants to encourage pomni, and is trying, but from the perspective of people around ragatha, its not an unreasonable assumption that shes JUST being infantilizing and belittling), does illuminate how pomni is seeing ragathas attempts at cheering her up- that it comes from a place of seeing pomni as immature or generally unstable. that pomni is incapable of managing herself and needs to be coaxed. it implies pomni doesnt see ragathas attempts at help as genuine. combined with her dream, that ragatha would allow the worst to happen to her even when she was asking for help, makes it very clear that, even with the 'nicest' person in the circus, pomni just... doesnt really trust her

(it is worth noting that pomni DOES seem to genuinely want to help ragatha in the pilot. she DID try to find caine. but she bolts at the first opportunity. she does care about people, but when stressed, she operates on keeping herself safe first and foremost, that she needs to do anything to get out of a bad situation even if that means leaving someone behind- and with her dream, it does seem that she generally assumes other people operate similarly, or otherwise in their own best interest)

this does, of course, improve by the end of eps 2 and 3. the funeral, and ragatha offering to include her, and how the others talk about abstracted players (combined with her conversation with gummigoo, someone who she has to assure has genuine friendships with those around him despite the lack of a true reality for them to be based upon), are able to convey that oh, these people do actually care about the people around them. theyre being genuine. they arent just looking out for themselves and thats it- they care when bad things happen to each other. and theres no true reason for me to be an exception. which is ALSO why i dont think its a self consciousness thing, she seems able to reason that shes not an exception to the intents of others, so much that when she cant assure herself that others' intents hold her safety as any sort of priority as well, any trust goes out the window. she WANTS to help if she can, but esp in the pilot, as far as shes concerned, its everyone for themself when shit gets bad, including herself

ep 3, she seems more trusting of ragatha- she has neutral and positive interactions w her, rather than assuming a lack of sincerity in it. but its not just ragatha, actually, because even before her talk with him, you can see it in how she interacts with kinger as well

she initially tries to help him run, which isnt too out there- with how she genuinely DID initially try to help ragatha, it doesnt require her to go out of her way to grab him and RUN. she can run AND take him with her. she can help without putting herself in extra danger. but then she DOES go back, which is one of my favorite and imo underrated pomni moments. because THIS is what i think actually highlights an improvement in how she sees the others before her apologizing to ragatha or taking kingers hand. because she puts herself BACK into (percieved, since its not actual sure WHAT the angels intentions were her) danger in order to get kinger away too

(theres probably a case to be made that ragatha didnt seem to be in immediate danger- she was in pain, that much was clear, but kaufmo had ran away by then. but even still, pomni couldnt have known kaufmo would shift gears and start chasing her instead of ragatha that first time. and i dont know if she actually knew death wasnt possible here yet. which isnt very flattering for pomni but also people do not act in flattering ways under extreme stress, esp given a predisposition to not trusting others, which ill elaborate more on in a second here- not that pomnis abandonment was ok OR that it was like evil of her or smth. shes just a person. there is no way she was prepared to know how to act correctly in this situation, and she didnt)

theres also this

which is SUBTLE but highlights a genuine increase in trust even before their heart to heart. now that she knows the cast (save for jax, who she seems to react to the harshest, which is worth noting imo) are not acting solely in their own best interest, that they WILL consider the wellbeing of those around them including her, that their concern for one another is genuine (which is concerning that she even assumes that to begin with, which ill circle back to momentarily), she very clearly has way more faith in them and the idea that she should stick around the others for safety

and of course, ive said it before, but her taking kingers hand has little to do with her enjoying holding hands. its her knowing that, if kingers wrong, this is going to end very, very badly. if holding their breath isnt the solution theyre BOTH going to get possessed, and who knows how theyd get out of that situation. but she decides in that moment that her trust in the others isnt ONLY about looking out for them and believing that theyre sincere in their concern for her. but that she is willing to let the others put her at a potential massive risk. getting possessed was a blatantly immediately traumatic experience- and she lets kinger put her at risk of it happening again. THATS why she holds his hand, at least symbolically. she doesnt like contact. but she can brave something that she doesnt like, she can let him lead her into and through something potentially horrific, because shes deciding to trust him and the others, that theyre not just people she can interact with without fear of ill intentions, but that theyre people who she is going to coexist with. the best thing she can do for herself and the others is trust them and work with them actively

anyway that got off-track, the point being that her having to have these ideas instilled in her at all through shared experiences and trauma implies that, while these issues with distrust may have been exacerbated by the stress of everything, they didnt come from nowhere. these are problems she likely already had to some degree. its great that theres been improvement but that improvement directly implies thesse were improvements that needed to be made to begin with. and the fact that the person she gets repeatedly most startled by is jax. who, even with episode 2, she explicitly doesnt trust. in the pilot, at least, her distrust is more vague (i think the dream sequence in ep 2 IS what highlights it best) so her flinching from jax can be passed off as related to a general lack of adjustment to the new environment and situation shes in. but it happens again with jax in episode 3 (and, notably, she pauses afterwards but it takes a moment for her to relax even knowing its just jax), after shes adjusted somewhat, and after shes gained some trust with everyone except for jax (given his absence from the scene at the end of ep 2). it also happens when barons voice plays abruptly next to her

point being that imo, she IS naturally jumpy. she says herself that she doesnt handle jumpscares well, which somewhat implies this even outside of the circumstances of the circus. but with how she reacts to things, it feels like her general jumpiness is far, far worse when it comes to people she doesnt trust (be it because jax is Like That, or because shes not familiar with baron). the way i see it, then, her distrust extends to perceiving physical threats easily around people she hasnt ensured are safe to be around. she IS able to gain this trust in people, but she seems to automatically place the intents of others as being Potentially Unsafe from the jump, especially under stress. she can jump back from it fairly quickly for what its worth, but to be honest, it seems more like she operates on some general, everpresent level of hypervigilance thats just sometimes worse based on the situation

and frankly i dont think we know enough about her as of ep 4 to fully determine if there IS a reason for this. because someone can have a reason to be this jumpy around others, or they can just... be nervous and dislike people moving suddenly near them. combined with the dissociation thing, though, im inclined to think the circus did not cause this, just made it more extreme with more unpleasant stakes. there is hardly any time between her entering the circus and this happening. she hadnt even seen kaufmo yet in that very first example, but she was already on alert for a physical threat, and i just. i think about it all the time...

i think the main takeaway from all of this is that i think she isnt necessarily jumpy like that all the time, but i think trust is not a given with pomni, and her jumpiness massively depends on how much she trusts people near her and the situation shes in to not be a physical threat to her. its definitely worse in the circus, but i think it was probably still something present in a different context in the real world, too

[ammonitetheseaserpent]

Fck you, Andrew! If you’re dumb enough to play Rainworld this weekend, you’re a big enough schmut to check out Sofanthiel’s Gamer Hell! Bad gravity! Shelter failures every cycle! Train lizards!

If you think you’ll have an easy time in Gamer Hell, you can kiss my ass! It’s our belief that you’re such a bored motherfcker, you’ll play this campaign - guaranteed! If you find a better campaign, shove it up your ugly ass! You heard us right - shove it up your ugly ass!

Bring your pets! Bring your spears! Bring your slugpup - we’ll punt them! That’s right; we’ll punt your slugpup! Because in Paincat’s Gamer Hell, you’re fcked 6 ways from Cycle 20!

Take a hike - to Gorbo’s Gamer Hell! Home of challenge dating - that’s right, challenge dating! How does it work? If you can date all 5 Downpour scugs and not get dumped, you get no toll requirements! Don’t wait, don’t delay, don’t fck with us - or we’ll rip your nuts off! Only in Gamer’s Gamer Hell; the only campaign that tells you to fck off!

Hurry up, asshole! This event ends the moment that you download the DLC - and it better not crash or you’re a dead motherfcker! Go to hell - Invenot’s Gamer Hell! Rainworld’s filthiest, and exclusive home of the meanest sons-a-bitches this side of Outskirts! Guaranteed!

(this is all very /j btw. probably a given but jic)

[formalmess]

i rly want halloween to come sooner so ive been thinking abt spooky stuff these last few days and i thought: i might as well post my vampire and vampire hunter au... lord luigi (turned by antasma) and vampire “hunter” peasley

[jessicas-pi]

For the au ask game! Sabezra in a *flips through my au ideas list* private detectives au

so. yeah. this. this is egregiously late. But it's HERE! At long last!

....to be entirely honest I don't even know what this is. it's sabezra. they're private detectives. let's just leave it at that.

---

"Ezra, what are you doing?"

Her partner in preventing crime (and occasional partner in actual crime---they may or may not have broken into a house once; no one could prove anything) had stopped in the middle of the grim alleyway, staring at nothing in particular.

"Sabine..." he said slowly. "I think this is where I met you."

Sabine did a double-take, looking around with keen eyes. The place didn't seem familiar, but she'd been so distracted on that day, she probably wouldn't know it if she was there.

"Is it?" she asked, strolling back to him, hiking up her long skirt and stepping cautiously around the filth on the ground. "You think so?"

"Mm-hm." A nostalgic smile twitched at the corner of his mouth. "You know, I've still got the handkerchief you gave me."

Sabine grinned at him. "Of course you do. You were in the throes of violent yearning. You couldn't bear to part with it."

"And my nose was still bleeding."

"That too."

"And if you recall, I did try to give it back to you---later." His smile grew proud. "Tracked you down with just your monogram and a glimpse at your face. First bit of detecting I ever did."

Sabine slipped her arm through his, hopping lightly over something that could have been a filthy rag or maybe the carcass of a large rat, as they continued on their trek towards home. The streets cleared up when they got to the main roads, but there was still the inevitable splash of mud.

Mud was everywhere in London.

"I thought you might have been a princess when I saw you on the stairs then," he blurted out, and she tilted her head up to look at him from beneath the brim of her large flowered hat. He gave her a sweetly bashful smile and a shrug. "With those big white puffs in your hair---"

"Ostrich feathers," she filled in automatically, turning her attention back to the pavement and nodding politely to a gentleman and lady who passed by them.

"---and that white dress, too." Ezra laughed to himself. "Golly, you're lucky you kept it. Your old lady wasn't gonna give you a nickel for another one."

Sabine squeezed his arm affectionately. "I could have worn any dress."

"Well, no one would have thought it was a proper wedding if we hadn't got you in white."

"No one thought it was a proper wedding when we did," she retorted. "They thought I was degrading myself."

"Then the joke is on them, because I hit the big time pretty well, didn't I?"

Sabine arched an eyebrow. "You wouldn't have amounted to anything if I hadn't got us into the illustrated papers."

Ezra paused on the pavement as they reached the steps of their lodgings, looking thoughtful.

"You're right. I wouldn't have."

"Then it seems you're lucky you've got me."

He looked right into her eyes and grinned boyishly, slipping into his most intolerably trans-Atlantic accent. "We do make a pretty bang-up team, don't we?"

"A jolly good one," she nodded in prim agreement, adopting an obnoxiously posh tone, and they both giggled, smiling at each other for a moment more before a distant clock chimed the quarter of the hour, reminding them that they were on a schedule.

"Well, I suppose we had best go on in. Our client will be here any minute now."

"I guess so."

And with that, the unstoppable team of Bridger and Bridger ascended the steps of their home at 221b Spectre Street, arm-in-arm.

[heartbreakfeelsogood-moved]

wrote the line “can you guys all stop saying horsey?” in the fic i’m writing and taylor keeps quoting it at random times and giggling. am i getting a good grade in fanfiction (normal to want and possible to achieve)

[saessenach]

WIP Word Game

Rules: you will be given a word. Then you share one sentence/excerpt from your wip(s) that starts with each letter of your word.

Lovely @rookamell gave me WOUND, so we're gonna attempt to do that haha! Thank you for the tag 🫶

I have 5 Dragon Age WIPs as of right now, which is frankly insane for someone who hasn't written any fanfic in over 6 years:

.rook takes crow - moments in the Rook/Lucanis romance, modelled after phases of a chess game. Mostly just a lot of pining between the man himself and my Bryn Ingellvar, who's in way over her head. (one chapter of this is already out here)

golden brown, finer temptress - a Teia character study, in which we delve into what her story and rise through the Crows might have looked like - aka my love letter to this character.

your heart has teeth - 5 times Teia and Viago fight throughout the years, and 1 time their fight takes a different turn. This is exactly what it says on the tin, with their arguments both before and during Veilguard, and tbh one of the more complicated things I'm attempting, since we're doing conflict, pain, and non-linear storytelling.

on pride, freedom and Treviso - set before the events of the game, Teia and Viago figure out strategic means of defence against the upcoming invasion.

give me to the road - the WIP I've been abusing on many Wednesdays this past month, aka Viago returning home from the Hossberg Wetlands. I've been trying to not give too much of it away, because oh my god, I dearly hope it will hit for for y'all the way it hits for me as I write it.

So, without any further ado-

WOUND

---

"What did you just call me, child?"

In for a penny, in for a pound, Teia thought, and raised her dirty face up to the old woman with a brazen grin, "Your earrings were pretty, Nonna, but the bracelet was easier to reach."

(golden brown)

---

"On one account, you are wrong,” she countered, voice low and mean. “Let me remind you that we are not in Salle, and we are not in your house, de Riva.”

He looked like she slapped him. Good.

(your heart has teeth)

---

Under her hand, Lucanis’ head remained bowed, as if he didn’t dare to look at her, when it was all Rook wanted him to do –would have begged and pleaded for him to do, if she could have just found her voice– to look up at her so she could see him, tired eyes and hooked nose and soft lips. 

(.rook takes crow)

---

Nothing seemed to move, an interminable moment stretching out to swallow the world whole - there was nothing else left, no evening sun, no humming gardens, nothing but the two of them in this room, and a terrible truth between them. His eyes bore into her, pleading.

“You mean to rule.” Her voice rang hollow and quiet. It was not a question.

(on pride, freedom and Treviso)

---

Despite the late hour, in lieu of simply disappearing down the canal after receiving his coin, the gondolier raised the gold piece to his forehead in a practiced salute; it gleamed like the gold ring in his pointed ear as he proclaimed with a smile, “Long live House Cantori!”

Something twisted up inside his ribcage – a nondescript Crow entering the Diamond made for an easy assumption. Instead of correcting him then, Viago contented himself to nod. 

“Long live,” he answered quietly, to which the boy grinned before setting off into the night.

(give me to the road)

---

PHEW, this was a wild ride ksksk. (Goddamn, I have a lot to write)

Tagging @shivunin @athenasdragon and @say-lene if this sounds like fun? (No pressure though, of course!!) Thinking of LYRE for the word, because Orpheus and his instrument have been on my mind lately ♥️

[aroaessidhe]

2024 reads / storygraph

Outdrawn

f/f contemporary romance

two cartoonist who’ve been rivals since uni, and now have competing webcomics online, have to work together on the relaunch of a cult classic at the comic press they both work at

they both struggle with art-related physical and mental health issues, and complicated families

[madbalalaika]

Last line written

Thank you so much for tagging me @okthisway!! Sorry it took this long to respond, but I did see your tag right away and didn't forget!

I've recently decided to brush up on my long-forgotten writing skills, but even all the storytelling knowledge I'd been passively accumulating throughout the years couldn't make it any easier to put the words on proverbial paper.

Aghghggh turns out to get better at something, you have to actually do it. Turns out the only way out is through. Unbelievable.

Anyway, speaking of Zukka--

Warning: disgusting tooth-rotting fluff (before this, they were laughing like love-struck madmen in the dead of night)

"Eugh, get a room, you two, I'm gonna puke," they suddenly heard from an open window closest to them, and both flinched so hard they nearly jumped, breaking the hug abruptly. Deep red flush crept up both their cheeks and necks and ears, and after a minute of awkward silence they snickered again, not being able to hold it together. Zuko'd forgotten Toph could normally hear their heartbeats, let alone any louder noises happening almost right behind the wall. He couldn't see her but whispered apologies in her direction anyway, face ready to burst, as Sokka was giggling silently at the side, trying not to wake up the others. Once they'd stopped and caught their breaths, Zuko came closer, still smiling, and traced the outline of Sokka's hot red cheek, planting a quick peck on his lips and making his flush stay and eyes flutter closed. The sight of that made Zuko's guts twist into a tight knot. "The night is lovely," Sokka said, looking only into his eyes. "Wanna stay outside a while?" And Zuko smiled and pressed another, longer kiss to his lips in response.

Tagging (no pressure, of course) @boltlightning, @bluerose5, @beepbeepsan. I'm actually not sure who else to tag, so anybody who sees this is welcome to join! ❤