#and with laslow like obviously the other two could feel the same but hes very much the most introspective of the three

[sieglinde-freud]

i love laslow and nyx’s supports and i love how they go from trauma dump central in the b support

to making fun of their angst in the a

like theyre soooo lame and it makes me emo and every time i watch this support i kick my feet and twirl my hair theyre SOOOOOOO SICKENING. WHO WROTE THIS. WHOOOOOOO

[someobscurereference]

I wonder, do you think Laslow, Odin, and Selena would have trouble holding back in spars sometimes? I mean thibk of where they come from, they literally first started fighting during the apocolypse and then went through wither multiple tiny wars or one humongous war that had the potential to bw equally as bloody and devastating and now here they are, fighting a third war and expected to spar with ppl who probly have never been in a truly life or death situation outside of horder skirmishes!!!

I’m not sure they’d have trouble holding back in spars naturally unless it’s a PTSD thing. Like, they’d be doing fine until something triggered them and their body reacts like it’s in fight or flight mode. Which could reasonably happen! But that’s ideally where the wooden/unsharpened practice blades come in. But if it’s not a PTSD reaction, I think they can at least do reasonably well in spars. I’m sure they practiced with other Future Kids in the Awakening timeline. Their Supports sometimes have spars happen, and they don’t seem to struggle with that at all canonically? But again, anything can happen! 

I do like the idea of the Trio being better at fighting in a real battle than just a spar though. In this (Xanlow, but you don’t have to read that far if you don’t want) fic “dark comes the night” by @redamantias, for example, Laslow has a difficult time fighting in a spar because if he could just kill the person he was fighting the way he kills Risen, that would be a much easier time. He’s used to killing. To fighting to the death. But because he has to ideally Not Kill/Maim a human being (not a monster) in a practice match, it’s way harder for him to fight. 

So I can see that happening for sure! It being harder for the Trio to win matches when they’re not meant to kill their partners, that is. I think they could find it difficult to hold back too, but I also think that would more likely be something triggering their PTSD or a trauma of their’s too. Keep in mind the Future Kids got their start killing monsters like Risen. Several of them (Owain and Inigo especially, iirc) note that killing real humans is very different and at one point in their lives they never thought they’d fight other human people. This seems to weigh on them too. So I think fighting humans in spars is actually easier than fighting humans in a real battle for them. They genuinely don’t want to hurt anybody, and I think they’d find it really regretful if they did.

(Again, this is not accounting for anything triggering them into Fight or Flight Mode during a spar on accident. But they’re probably usually good about that sort of thing? I get the feeling they’re good at compartmentalizing.) 

“…expected to spar with ppl who probly have never been in a truly life or death situation outside of border skirmishes!!!”

This is the part I’m not so sure about? Because Nohr and Hoshido have been building up to an all-out war for a long time. So a lot of the general army’s experience is from border skirmishes, yes. But Xander lost his original two retainers in a battle like this. None of the Royal Sibs except maybe Corrin (and Elise?) seem very green on the battlefield. Even if it’s just skirmishes, these skirmishes often end in the defeat of one side or another. And the royal sibs (presumably on both sides) have been fighting in them. Nohr has been a war-like nation for a long time. And most of the Nohr characters (and Hoshido characters too, though a little less frequently) have rather violence-filled backstories. (Ex: Keaton and Kaden kill human hunters regularly to protect their clans, Niles lost his eye while living a thief, Charlotte & Beruka & Benny were all mercenaries before joining the army, Peri has been killing from a young age, etc.) So while the war may be the first battle/war for people like Mozu, I want to give a lot of the Nohr characters a little more credit too! They probably have a lot of their own traumas and histories with death (and possibly war, though not to the same extent as the Trio, obviously). I just don’t tend to focus on them as much as I do on my favorite characters. But most of the Nohr characters have probably been in truly life or death situations more often than you think too!

[pathofemblems]

Ship bias Hapi and Beruka please!

✶ @blairscorned › send ❛ ship bias ❜ & i will share up to 5 ships i have a bias for for my muse!

somehow, this ask made me think hapi/beruka could be a thing if beruka was in fe3h… （´・｀ ）♡

◦ hapi ›

01.) hubert — similar to yuri, i also shipped hapi with hubert before i even shipped her with any of the ashen wolves, like a day after the cindered shadows dlc dropped. i think hapi finds his spookiness dumb in a charming kind of way, and i felt from the get-go like he’d be obsessed with trying to help her either get rid of the sighing spell or use it to her advantage. three hopes expanded on him wanting her to sigh more in combat because he thought it’s what she wanted, and he respected her decision not to, like the gentleman he is. also, coffee parties.

02.) yuri — i mentioned it in another ask about yuri’s ships, but their dynamic felt the most natural among the ashen wolves for me. a true friends-to-lovers dynamic that really clicked well and was satisfying.

03.) constance — they’re so stupid funny together, i love how they’re just always thinking of each other and hanging out in their free time. ugh, and the way coco just stands up for hapi to other nobles! it’s swoon-worthy, it’s beautiful, and obviously hapi would ruin anyone’s day if they messed with her coco. i do think they’d be prone to petty arguments, but that’s kind of fun, since they sound more like an old, bickering couple.

04.) hilda — i have no idea where this one came from, but i always liked the idea of the both of them immediately being interested in one another after balthus introduces them. the banter would be cute, and hilda fawning over dressing up hapi in pretty outfits is a super adorable thought.

05.) marianne — she believes she’s cursed, hapi actually is cursed, and it’s related to demonic beasts. there’s something soft and cathartic, and maybe a little tragic about the two of them together.

◦ beruka ›

01.) camilla — words cannot express how much i love these two together. the fact that beruka was assigned to kill camilla, but failed her mission simply because camilla asked her to work for her instead… shut up, it’s love! as asocial as beruka is, she does genuinely come to love and respect camilla, and it’s evident camilla feels the same, regardless of if those feelings are familial, platonic, or romantic.

02.) oboro — it’s hard to get the full extent of how tragic their connection is in their supports, but i imagine it must’ve taken so much more resolve for oboro to forgive beruka after her parents assassination, and for the two of them to build up an actual trusting friendship that could lead to something more. slowburn at its core, i love it.

03.) laslow — beruka? falling for laslow’s skirt-chasing shenanigans? still not very likely, but them slowly falling for each other while beruka was stalking someone and laslow interrupted each attempt with date suggestions is golden. top tier romantic-comedy material. i’d watch it if it was a movie, and i usually don’t like rom-coms!

04.) niles — he’s a fucking slime ball, but i do think he actually cared about beruka, and vice versa. they’d make each other worse instead of better, both intentionally and unintentionally, but it really just works so well.

05.) peri — another example of a duo who make each other worse instead of better, but somehow, i think their childhood traumas would bring them close. and i love the contrast of how stoic beruka is versus peri just being batshit insane. they’d be the most adorable pair of girlfriends.

[krystalreverb]

Crown Prince

here we go guys yet another let's do this

laslow's pissed you guys watch out because laslow is P I S S E D

this is a quick little implied sexy fic because I feel bad about not having wifi at home so I had to lug my computer to my boyfriend’s house to post my terrible fanfiction, my endings are crap, but here you go

CW: violence, blood, implied sexual content

Laslow had just sat down to eat. This was not what he needed this morning. It was 5:30 in the morning, and Laslow just wanted to eat. But here he was, listening to a group of obviously extremely stupid wyvern knights chattering back and forth simply inches from him at the next table over. A shadow passed, but did not alert Laslow.

“I'm just saying, for a guy who's supposed to be leading us, he doesn't do a whole lot of his own work, does he?”

“I mean, he's supposed to be the prince, but he's like, totally stiff and harsh. I don't think there's a person alive who's seen him smile. He's like one of those Hoshidan automatons, all lifeless and stern.”

“Ahem.” Laslow finally interrupted.

“Oh, great. It's the prince's little lapdog. What, gonna cite us for a little talk?”

“I may do more than cite you if you continue. Prince Xander is a bloody fucking saint, and you lot have no idea what he's been through.”

“I'm just saying, he could lighten up a little.”

“Could you, in his circumstances? He's responsible for hundreds of thousands of soldiers. You lot included. I have seen him hunched over his desk at 4 in the morning, reviewing troop orders. I have seen him at his worst, and you lot don't deserve the mercy of his smile.”

“Listen to this guy! What a load of shit. You're his personal retainer, of course you're obviously sleeping with him.”

“Excuse you!” Laslow stood. “I don't appreciate this attack on my character, or the attack on his! I suggest you smarten up and recant before you see exactly what I mean!”

“Come on, then! Tell us! What makes the high and mighty Prince Xander tick?”

“You lot have no idea what it's like. Do you have any idea how much a crown prince sacrifices? You sacrifice your happiness, your freedom, your very soul again and again, shielding pain, because without you the army would crumble, and your kingdom along with it. Do you know what it's like, coming back from a raid limping and bleeding, but having to put on a smile because showing weakness would be a death sentence?” Laslow was almost frothing at the mouth with anger. “Prince Xander sacrifices so much of his personal freedoms and liberties just so you lot all stay alive through the next day! Without him, I have no doubt you will all fall to some sniper's arrow in the middle of the night. Do you have any idea what he's been through? I don't think you do!”

“Alright, now you're just getting mouthy. He's a prince. He has all the money and power he could ever want. Who wouldn't be a little fucking happy with that? And he still shoves people away. You can't talk to the guy! He just brushes you off.”

“He doesn't have the opportunity to be happy about that! Don't you understand?”

“Name one person he hasn't shoved away and alienated because of his machismo fuckin' harshness.”

“He still has me!” Laslow roared. “I am by Lord Xander's side day after day. I haven't taken a bloody day off in months because this war is still raging. I, too, have stayed up far beyond a healthy bed time helping him. Lord Xander makes it a requirement that both of his retainers know how to sign his name properly. He simply is loaded with too much work to do it all himself.”

“Ha ha ha! Such a dutiful little lapdog! Tell us, does he reward you? Tickle your ivories, late at night?”

Laslow swore he felt a vein in his forehead threaten to burst from stress. He gritted his teeth.

“Alright, I'm going to give you to the count of three. If I don't see some recanting, I'm going to recant your fucking noses into your skulls. One.”

“Really? You're gonna fight all of us? In case you haven't noticed, numbnuts, there's ten of us and one of you.”

“Two.”

“He's really gonna do this. Alright, boys, form up. Let's show this little pampered poodle who the real men in this army are.”

“Three.” Laslow's fist launched into a soldier's nose, knocking him clean off his feet. Blood sprayed from his ruined nose. Laslow jabbed out an elbow, slamming one guy in the side with it, making him double over. He flipped his fist up, smashing him in the face and sending him reeling backwards.

One guy got behind Laslow and locked his arms above his head. To retaliate, Laslow jumped high, curled up, then slammed back down with enough force to throw the guy over his head and into the far wall, breaking both of the poor bastard's arms in the process.

The mess hall burst into chants of “Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!”

The knights started playing dirty, coming at Laslow two or even three at a time. One-by-one, Laslow knocked them all unconscious with well-placed punches to their heads, one after the other. It was almost a beautiful dance, the way he flipped and spun around the knights trying to hit him. Not a single hit was landed on Laslow. Soon, Laslow was surrounded by a squad of fallen wyvern knights, broken and bleeding. Laslow's fist dripped with blood, not all of it his own. Laslow looked up.

He locked eyes with Xander.

Laslow bolted, running out of the mess hall, abandoning his breakfast.

“Laslow!” Xander called, but it was too late. The mess hall quieted into a dull murmur of shame at their behavior.

Xander went running after Laslow. He found him, washing the blood off his hands in the kitchen's sink. “Laslow.”

“I'm terribly sorry you had to see that, milord. I didn't know you were there.” Laslow said quickly.

“Laslow, you were defending my honor. I'm not upset.”

“I just punched out ten Nohrian wyvern knights with my bare hands, and you're not upset?”

“I'm mildly annoyed it resorted to violence but they kind of had it coming. I suppose I should be grateful I have such a dutiful and strong retainer.”

Laslow chuckled. “It's strange, a bit. I have such intimate knowledge of what it takes to survive in wartime. It isn't easy. Those knights seemed to be under the impression that you're untouchable, infallible, like you're something more than human. You're a human being, milord, regardless of your status, we're all the same in the end, just a sack of bones and meat. And I saw many of my friends die in war. Every day I had to put on a smile, just so my dearest friends would keep up morale on the battlefield. Everyone looked up to me for strength. And here I am, a foreigner trying to make my way in Nohrian society.” he rambled on for a bit. “But I... I heard them, and I... just snapped. How dare they? You do everything for them. Your very soul is fractured, and you're doing everything you can to hold it together. If they can't see how much you do to ensure their survival... then maybe they don't deserve it. No.... no, I shouldn't say that.” Laslow shook his head and fished around in the kitchens for something he could use to dress his wounds.

Xander stepped forward, removed his gauntlets, put them on the counter, and gently took Laslow's hands in his, murmuring a healing spell as he ran his thumb over Laslow's wounds softly. The  glow of the magic washed over his flesh and his bloodied knuckles were slowly healed, skin and muscle knitting back together over the wounds.

Laslow breathed a sigh of relief. “I truly am sorry you had to hear that.”

“Shhh.” Xander hushed him gently. “You've shown great strength and conviction of character. You only hurt them to defend me. Those knights, when they wake up, will be subject to a court martial for insubordination.”

Laslow took a couple deep breaths, but couldn't hold it, and broke down sobbing. Xander rushed forward and gathered him in his arms, giving him an armored shoulder to cry on.

“I'm s-so-sorryyy.... I c-can't.... I'm such a fucking fraud....”

“What do you mean, Laslow?”

“You o-o-ought to k-know the truth.... can we speak somewhere more private?” Laslow sniffled.

“Of course. Come with me, we can speak in my study.” Xander took Laslow's hand gently and took him to his study, locking the door behind them.

“Okay.. Okay.... Okay. Here it is.” Laslow broke down and explained everything, from the origins of his birth, to the tremendous battle with Grima, to being sent to Nohr and fighting for Lord Xander. “So you see, m-milord... I know what it's like, to be the pillar of strength for an army. To give up my own freedoms and happiness so that others may live. It's not easy.”

Xander slowly processed what Laslow had just told him. He was a prince, working under another prince. “....It appears you do.”

“I'm sorry, milord. At first, coming here was a job. But over time, I've grown attached. I could never and never will abandon you, my lord.”

Xander nodded slowly, still processing everything. “You've had such a fraught life, and you are still choosing to defend mine?”

“Absolutely. Until my dying breath, milord. I don't care if I die tomorrow or live another hundred years. As long as you would have me, I would be by your side.”

“But you were once a crown prince yourself.”

“Please. I told you about the war. There's nothing left of my home country. It's a barren wasteland. I'm not the prince of anything anymore.” Laslow shook his head. “Gods.... I'm just so angry. How dare they insinuate that you're not doing everything you can to help them?”

“I like how it's my honor you're defending and not that they insinuated you were sleeping with me.”

Laslow snorted. “Ha! How little they know. They think themselves regular detectives, they do. But they've missed so many clues.” He stepped forward, and Xander pulled up his chin just enough to kiss him deeply, pulling him into his arms.

“Perhaps they know too much.” Xander murmured against Laslow's lips.

“Would you have me take care of them, my lord? I can make it clean. I can make it look like an accident. Assassination is sadly one of my numerous wartime life skills. I can even set Peri up to do it. Nobody will dare court-martial her. Not unless they're willing to be messily parted from their flesh.”

“No.... No, don't kill them. Let them wonder. Let them fester.” Xander said. “Wouldn't it be grand? And they still don't know a single thing for sure.”

“You're so devious, milord... it's quite stunning.”

“I would hope so.” Xander kissed him again, and Laslow melted in, double-checking that the door was locked behind them before climbing up onto Xander's lap in his study chair.

“Strip me bare before you, milord. I am yours, and only yours. Only you get to see the scars I bear.”

“Yes....” Xander breathed softly, hands reaching up to unbutton Laslow's uniform shirt with practiced, deft fingers and sliding it off his shoulders and onto the floor.

The next time Laslow caught those ten knights (now reduced in rank and confined to the castle for an indeterminate period of time), they couldn't even look at Laslow, quiet and ashamed of their defeat. Lucky for Laslow, as he was sporting a rather large hickey on the side of his neck just under his jaw, not quite fully covered by his disheveled uniform's high collar. Laslow looked satisfied and pleased with himself, and when Xander strode in for lunch, Laslow simply gave him a smug look, and Xander smiled.

[mirika]

Now it's my turn mwehehehe: Laslow, Niles, Camilla, Sakura and Leo?

The only downside to some of these is that you had already told me so much about them, that I could not create a true first impression.

This took ages.

First impression:

Laslow: I did not notice his existence at all in Birthright to be fair. I might have even killed him off while he is one of the four deaths that you can spare (sometimes this haunts me). When I started playing Conquest, I had the words of my former classmate in my head (”you’re going to like Laslow probably” and me thinking “you don’t know my taste in men!” and well here we are), so my first impression got blended in with a feeling of “well I do seem to be rather fond of this one” but it was merely attachment at that point.

Niles: I already knew he was a pervert cause of you, and honestly that was something that just ended up being confirmed. I couldn’t shape my own first impression.

Camilla: I’m going to have to dig in my memory, but I had not much of an opinion of her other than “okay she is behaving a little creepy towards Corrin” and it doesn’t help I played male Corrin most of the time.

Sakura: I was annoyed with her stuttering because I thought Fire Emblem pulled a “shy girl that stutters” anime trope. I know better now, but that was my first impression.

Leo: Of him too I could not form a true first impression, sadly.

Impression now:

Laslow: In the end my former classmate was right and I ended up liking the guy. Uh. A little too much, perhaps. I will always wonder how my former classmate knew as he is nothing like the other fictional character he knows I’m into. Xander may give him a lot of shit for flirting, but knowing his background as to why he flirts so much with other women, and especially with his attitude of “you never know when you see someone for the last time,” he’s simply a precious human being trying to get to know his fellow people. Over a cup of tea, if possible.

Niles: He’s still a perv, but he’s also hilarious. Not an Odin-kind of hilarious, but hilarious nonetheless. Also, he does the random meow thing like me, so I send love to this guy. Not too much love though, don’t want to give him wrong ideas.

Camilla: Strong fierce woman, do not mess with her! I still find her a bit creepy when you play male Corrin though. I don’t feel like they translated that very well. I am rather fond of her though.

Sakura: Protect her! PROTECT HER! I became rather fond of Sakura. She’s adorable.

Leo: Well… he’s… he’s a grumpy book nerd, what can I say? I did not name him Ugh Boy for nothing. I actually don’t have a strong impression of Leo, I feel like he fell a bit into the background for me.

Favourite moment:

Laslow: Gee. A favourite moment. It’s a bit rough with non-royals as light isn’t shone upon them as much (is shone proper English?). I mean, obviously I like any interaction of his with Corrin, especially when he gets serious for a moment, but uh… I cannot think of any moment other than specific supports, like the support between Laslow and Mozu.

Niles: Remember when Niles said meow? Good times. No, I actually really enjoyed the Felicia and Niles support (mostly C and B when Niles is messing around). I just love Felicia’s obliviousness towards Niles’ innuendos.

Camilla: Her fight over Corrin with Jakob, whenever Camilla threatens others showing that you can’t mess with her, her support with Elise where she tells Elise need not be like her.

Sakura: I can currently only think of her support with Kaden and Elise.

Leo: Honestly his cut scene is pretty darn cool.

Idea for a story:

Laslow: Honestly, I’m going to fall back on a headcanon post I once made. Laslow being drunk allowing Odin to mess with him as payback from the times Laslow has been reading Odin’s book as I believe Laslow would be the kind of guy to spill the beans on whatever when he’s drunk.

Niles: Niles and his daughter Nina being thieving outlaws, but for the greater good like Robin Hood, helping the poor and all that.

Camilla: I would love to see a story in which Camilla would have to be in a more realistic medieval situation where she has to be ladylike in a clean and virtuous way, especially as a royal, even though we all know that’s not who she is. Of course this story would lead to her desire to protect her family as a warrior of sorts.

Sakura: A story in (short) movie format of Elise and her having a tea party with stuffed animals would be adorable even though they are likely to be too old for that. Let the princesses be their younger selves.

Leo: Can we have a story in which Leo falls hopelessly in love with a book character? A quest to somehow turn this fictional character into something real. I’m sure Odin’s got some supportive ideas.

Unpopular opinion:

Laslow: Oh boy. Well, I hate Xanlow and I dislike Peri and Laslow as well, but these appear to be two of the biggest ships. I actually like Elise and Laslow, I feel that this isn’t very popular, but maybe that’s because of Elise’s age; I headcanon their relationship as innocent and pure so I guess it’s just the point of view I have. Also, I hate the very idea of Laslow in female dancer clothes because I hate how Laslow is always turned into ‘the feminine one’ in whatever gay ship they like to imagine as if gay relationships consist of ‘the masculine one’ and ‘the feminine one’, just let the characters be who they are without ‘straightening’ gay relationships. Sorry, we hit the pet peeve area as that is something that bothers me in general.

Niles: I do not think there are any unpopular opinions to be created about Niles. I think everyone loves Niles. I do am pooped he’s the only character you can have a gay relationship with, but I think everyone agrees with that.

Camilla: I don’t mind her oversexualized clothing like you said in your answer too, especially because her gear is still convincing of that it is heavy armour that is capable of protecting her. Besides, boobs are a weapon too. Do not underestimate medieval times and the ability to distract men with boobs in combat. Do not underestimate boobs. In all honesty though, I really do not mind armour showing skin so long it still looks like the armour is protecting them. That’s character design for ya. Of course it’s a typical anime trope and therefore many dislike it, but it works for Camilla.

Sakura: I do not know the opinions about Sakura cause the only person I follow reblogs Nohrians and not so much Birthright (looking at you evangeline). I cannot imagine anything I could disagree with.

Leo: The Leo and Takumi ship is something I don’t really understand, but then again, I am not far enough into Revelations yet.

Favourite relationship:

Laslow: Corrin, but only my Corrin. This one’s rough. I paired him with with Elise and Azura as I liked these combinations when I play the male avatar, but I haven’t tried all things out yet (but reading into Laslow and Effie I like that Effie allows him to still chat up with women so that gets my stamp of approval as well).

Niles: I have a sincere adoration towards Niles and Felicia, I can’t help it.

Camilla: I like that putting her and Jakob together is basically a contest as to who loves Corrin more.

Sakura: Kaden!!! Sakura and Kaden are terribly adorable together! They take naps together and stuff. 

Leo: I like to pair up Leo with Azura, because you forget that Leo’s a grumpy kid as he seems to enjoy Azura’s singing so much.

I just wanted to add that I am not too much of a shipper to be that invested in this section of the ask, and I simply don’t feel that strong about every character and I do not know many supports by heart.

Favourite headcanon:

Laslow: After the war, Laslow found that it is time to put down his sword and invests his time into what he truly loves: dancing and making people smile. He would still low-key keep himself fit for combat by implementing his skill with the sword in some of his dancing rituals in case any new war would break out or if his partner were to come to danger, but the last thing he would want for is his partner to worry for his life as he would do the same for them if they were to be sent into battle.

Niles: Despite the sadist that he is, he reveals to have a weak spot to those who seem ever so oblivious to his behaviour. He feels the need to protect these people at all costs while continuing to behave the way he is with others. No one knows this softer side of him, however, until they get close to him.

Camilla: For some reason I like to think that Camilla ends up as a cat lady, always surrounded by furry friends. And uh, don’t mess with her cats either.

Sakura: She becomes best friends with Elise. Together they would always visit peasants and offer them food and flowers whilst keeping the children entertained with toys. They are to be known the kindest princesses of their current age as they are absolutely selfless in all they do. Even whilst growing into adulthood and marrying off other men, their friendship never lost its strength.

Leo: I like to think Leo is aromantic. His love for knowledge and magic is greater than for other humans, other than the platonic love he carries for his friends and family. This is why he remains an unmarried prince and this has always worked out as Xander’s son Siegbert is to take over the throne when Xander passes. If for some reason he must marry, he would find political reasons for this much more than to marry for love.

These headcanons are not necessarily favourites, I was already happy I could come up with some whilst avoiding any headcanons that involve specific ships. Some characters already have such a strong canon that I find it hard to headcanon around it as well.

[someobscurereference]

How do you think Leo/Niles would react to meeting Brady? Do you think we might have a ot4 if Brady had came with the trio to Nohr? -✌︎('ω'✌︎ )

Initially, their reaction? Probably assume Brady is a thug like everyone else under the sun does, lol. Then after 0.2 seconds they realize this crybaby healer has a marshmallow heart, despite appearances. It’s a lesson not to judge a book by its cover. They might be a little off-put by how easily Brady cries and gets hurt on the regular until they realize he’s genuine and also a good healer though! Plus if Odin vouches for him, that can go a long way too. 

I’ve never thought about OT4 for Leo Trio + Brady before! I’m also not sure if Brady would be a retainer himself if he came to Nohr since everyone else seems to have the standard 2 per Royal. Hmm. He could probably work in the general infirmary though! He has the skills for it! Plus not much fighting skills, so that works out well. Again, I’ve never thought about Leo Trio + Brady before, and truthfully my gut reaction would be to say I honestly couldn’t see it working very much unless it was poly in the sense Odin dated Niles and Leo and also Brady (but it was only Odin dating Brady and nobody else). However! Now that I’m thinking about it, I’m actually kind of intrigued as to how Niles and Leo would interact with Brady? 

Because I feel like Niles would realize Brady came from someplace unknown with Odin, Selena, and Laslow, and even though he’s not a retainer himself, Niles would do some digging on Brady. Specifically wondering what part of the underground Brady used to work for, because his manner of speech is so distinctively unmannerly, and what would a man like that want to work as a healer for? In the castle, no less? Clearly something more is going on! Only to turn up nothing, obviously. When Niles spies on Brady, he quickly realizes there is no way Brady could ever have worked for any criminal organization. It’s possible Brady is pulling the longest con ever, but there is something about watching a grown man cry at the sight of a wilting flower on the side of the road that makes Niles realize, “OH. This guy really is Just Like That, huh?”

Niles likes suffering in people he thinks live privileged lives, but I don’t think he’d get anything out of Brady crying? To the point where it would be off-putting, I think, lol. Nobody needs to cry this much. Niles isn’t even trying. And even when Brady is upset, he’s making sure other people are still doing okay around him. But he keeps an attitude with Niles too! So that might be fun. I think Niles would quickly realize there’s no fun in making Brady upset because the man cries at thoughts of puppies and kittens even if he doesn’t cry at Niles’s taunts, but there might be a fun dynamic to explore there anyway.

My gut reaction for Leo is to say Leo has no interest in Brady? Beyond the professional, I mean. I feel like Leo would approach Brady the same analytical way he approaches Felicia. Except instead of telling Felicia she should work another job, Leo thinks it’s a good thing Brady is doing healing because that’s where his talents lay and Brady probably wouldn’t be good doing any actual fighting. But unless something pushed them together or Odin’s recommendations for Leo and Brady to meet were high enough (why? Idk. Friendship?), I don’t think these two would have much reason to interact with one another. But anything can happen! Maybe Leo hears Brady playing his violin and is impressed? Or Odin asks Brady to fill in for something for Leo when he’s too busy. Possibilities are endless!

My gut instinct without writing a full essay here would be to say OT4 (unless in the poly dynamic I described above) would be pretty unlikely. However!! I have thrived in the past off the most unlikely of relationships, and there’s no reason to say this could never happen! Because I haven’t thought about it too much before you sent this ask, I don’t have any concrete HCs in mind, sorry. But!! It’s possible and my heart is always open to suggestion!!

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(1/2) hng so this was a weird thing to take away from ur nsfw hcs (100/10 by the way, i love and theyre perf) but the one ab niles and the choking also made me think ab the diff ways l/n/o handle the trauma theyve been through. (in my personal hc) obvs theres overlap, but leo becomes kinda a workaholic/insomniac, niles is (as in canon)distrusting/often distant w/ def some triggers, and odin/the trio has a warped sense of priorities in regards to their own lives/injuries (listen i have a spiel ab

(2/2)how living a long period of their lives ready to die has shifted their outlooks and while they arent suicidal they have like? A very cavalier outlook on their own lives? ‘Dont do that, you could get hurt’ ‘its cool itd totally be worth it’ ‘not to US dipshit’ and im getting sidetracked and may ask u for hcs ab that later but my original ask was how do u think n/l/o reconcile/help each other w their diff types of trauma? I love ye olde comfort trope (happy holidays FYI! take ur time w this)

Firstly, I totally agree on your points about how these three handle trauma. I hadn’t thought about Leo’s methods too much, but overworking (being 8,000% over prepared for anything/needing that sense of “things are under control”) and insomnia make sense to me, as do Niles’ and Odin’s (which I may have also vaguely referred to before in other asks). (Also I’m glad you like my other hcs, lol).

In terms of how they comfort each other, I’ll start by initially referencing this ask , in which I mention that if Odin’s secret past were to come to light, he and Niles might benefit by discussing their traumas together, as actually verbalizing their experiences (rather than leaving things unsaid as Odin might with Selena and Laslow, who experienced the bad timeline firsthand) and getting fresh perspectives might help. Niles’ and Odin’s pasts aren’t the same (different settings, different monsters, etc), but they can still probably relate to each other in certain ways. (That ask, btw, sorta also references this longer, semi-related ask if you want a larger context, but that’s the gist of what it says). So in a world where Odin is able to discuss his past trauma without giving the time/dimensional travel away (or where it is an open secret), frank discussion would probably benefit him and Niles both. 

I get the feeling Niles’ past isn’t discussed with Leo a lot? In his and Niles’ support, Leo seems pretty uncomfortable hearing about Niles’ past (when Niles is describing it in unpleasant flashes, I mean) and he actually bails kinda early in their C-Support, to the point where Niles apologizes to Leo in their B-Support in case he burdened Leo in some way. (Niles also admits he doesn’t remember a lot of his time before meeting Leo anyway, so that’s something else to unpack altogether.) Leo assures Niles that isn’t true, so he definitely isn’t shutting down that kind of communication entirely. It’s not that he’s unnecessarily unwilling so much as that he’s kinda awkward, I think. He expresses interest in what Niles has to say by asking if he has any pleasant memories of his past at all, which allows Niles to continue talking without diving back into unpleasant material for both of them. Even though Leo’s uncomfortable, he’s probably a decent listener? In their exchange, Leo seems to have the lesser amount of dialogue, often offering two or three word answers. Part of that seems to be a search for words to say, however. He’s probably better when given a heads-up. He and Niles probably don’t talk the same way Odin and Niles do about their traumas though. Leo seems to discuss the present/future worries more than past ones.

That said, I feel like Leo is the type to help more through understanding/making the situation easier for the upset person. Like, if they had to cross a bridge, he might suggest they take the longer way around and would only explicitly ask “Odin, are you okay?” if they were absolutely going to cross the bridge and it was particularly intimidating. Granted, he might not even ask at all if he’s confident Odin will be fine and doesn’t want to draw attention to it. (Leo places a lot of faith in his retainers, which sometimes appears as giving them space and independence in times of stress.)

(Also, I’m not sure Odin would admit to his fear deterring him unless explicitly asked, so that’s probably another conversation altogether too.) Leo might offer slow down or do something more once the bridge had been crossed though. 

But in another example, like, if he were sitting in a room with Niles and Niles was clearly upset thinking about something (maybe the past or another trigger), if Leo asks “Do you want to talk” and Niles says “No,” Leo would sit there in silence with Niles until Niles was feeling better. 

It’s hard to explain, but while Leo is direct in his own way, I feel like if he has all the information on a situation already, he’s not direct/asking questions the same way Niles or Odin might be.

(I feel like I’ve strayed a bit from the “comfort” part of this ask, so let’s get back on track, lol.)

Niles is the first to recognize a panic attack in any of them, including himself, and when Leo has his first panic attack, he’s the one who tells Leo to put his head down and helps him breathe until it’s over and then explains what happened when Leo asks why

When Leo overworks himself, Odin and Niles both take notice and they go out of their way to do more themselves to lessen Leo’s burden. They also either remind him to slow down or try to guide him to bed when he works late into the night too. They take turns staying up with him when Leo can’t sleep; sometimes they both stay up, but one of them has to be functional in the morning, so they try to take turns.

Finding Leo asleep in the library or on top of a book or some other place that isn’t his bed isn’t unusual, but if so, either Niles or Odin usually aren’t far away

There are things Niles Doesn’t Like and places/ways he just doesn’t want to be touched (example: don’t touch his neck too much bc that activates a fight or flight response) and so Odin and Leo don’t do those things and/or back off when Niles seems to be getting oddly fidgety and give him his space when he needs it

that said Niles is pretty tactile in private, so they’re experts by now

His memories before Leo are in fragments (as said in his Supports) so any dreams/suddenly triggered memories of his past make him feel Off for a little while. He doesn’t always talk about it–– Odin and Leo alternate between listening when he wants to speak and giving him space to reminisce depending on his mood. He’ll more often speak to Odin and sit quietly with Leo. It can happen the other way around, but it’s more common the first way.

Odin tries to hide when he’s upset the most? (Niles is super guarded unless alone with Leo and eventually also Odin. Leo also hides it, and while he’s decent, he’s not the best and his retainers see right through him anyway, especially once they’ve been around Leo for a while.) 

Maybe that’s the wrong way to phrase it. That is, while Odin might say he’s not feeling well, he’s sometimes the least likely to say why, especially if it deals with pre-Nohr stuff. 

Odin has a tendency to be vague about what’s triggering or at the very least bothering him, especially since most of his trauma comes from his secret past which is… secret, obviously. The tendency to keep it quiet even if Niles and Leo have already found out about his past still persists.

The main signs that Odin is distressed is that he gets (a.) quiet and (b.) speaks normally and seems reluctant to talk. When the source is obvious (like they’re climbing a mountain and it’s the heights thing), Niles and Leo try to talk to him as a distraction, which usually helps. When the source is less obvious/talking doesn’t help, holding hands to keep Odin grounded in the moment usually works pretty well. 

Touch is pretty good for all three of them most of the time, actually.

Happy holidays to you too! I hope you’ve had a good December!