#anyway. please tell me your opinions and what you think I’d love to hear some other interpretations of this

[persona-brainrot-real]

Actually I think that what we see of Akechi in the third semester isn’t an entirely honest reflection of who he is. He’s not a ruthless bloodthirsty finds-power-arousing (pre-showtime dialogue) nor in most other aspects of the game does he mention how openly and explicitly fascinated by Joker he is, the way he does in the third semester. Yes he is fascinated by Joker yes he finds him attractive yes whether you ship them or not there is undeniable homoerotic subtext in their relationship and akechi is queercoded.

This might not be too coherent bcs it’s like 2;30am rn BUT I think one of the most important things to consider is that the Akechi that gets brought back isn’t the same level of Brought Back that Wakaba Isshiki was, or Haru’s father. You can bring back Wakaba because she had all of these connections, all of these people who knew her and loved her. She had a job, a reputation, a social life, and even if Futaba hadn’t wanted her back, Sojiro would have. Her other coworkers, her friends. The point I’m making is that Wakaba, much like Okumura, and on a smaller scale Madarame with the way his personality changed, were social people. To be brought back, Maruki could have used these different understandings of them to bring them back as they were perceived and understood. Wakaba is crafted out of Sojiro’s memories of her as a person, out of Futaba’s memories of her as a mother. Okumura by how he was to Haru as a father, turned into a polished version based on what she wanted him to be.

Those who were alive were changed by the people around them, too. Sae by Makoto, Madarame by Yusuke, Shiho by Ann, even the rude teacher whose name I can’t remember is likely changed because of the wishes of the students, who Maruki heard complain about how cruel or mean or rude he was.

And that brings me back to Akechi. The only person who got close to him for who he actually was, is Joker. The only person who got to peek past the walls he put up, even in a controlled way, is Joker. The only person he was honest with, chose to surround himself with, and opened up about his life with, is Joker. As such, it’s Joker who wants him back when he’s gone (shown by Joker staring wistfully at his ceiling after their fight in Shido’s palace and finding it hard to believe he’s gone) and it’s Jokers wish that brings him back.

And with Joker’s last experience with Akechi being this sudden reveal for what his capacity for violence is, with little time to process, probably spends the next while of his quiet grief trying to wrap his head around this sudden change and it warps his perception of Akechi. It’s not that he’s ruthless, unwaveringly bloodythirsty and takes sexual pleasure from killing people/shadows necessarily, but that as Maruki was pulling from people’s memories and experiences for this, he pulled a warped and slightly inaccurate version of Akechi from Joker’s mind.

And that’s how we end up with a version of Akechi who is attached to Joker at the hip, who is unwaveringly allied with him, who constantly says things like “jokers mad. I kind of like it, but it’s not you” or only gets the ability to throw himself in front of a fatal attack to protect joker/to endure a fatal hit because of his closeness to Joker AFTER he’s brought back in 3rd semester. He isn’t incapable of putting himself at risk for someone if he wanted to, but he has too much to do. He has his plans, his goals to become more powerful than Shido, and for that reason he can’t afford to risk dying.

But when Joker needs him to come back, to be his friend rather than his enemy, to use this tenacity and determination he has to aid the Phantom Thieves, he gets what he wanted and what he needed, and in doing so pulls out and exaggerates a worse side of Akechi because of how his own infallible memory has warped his memory of him.

So he gets the Akechi he wanted (passionate, dangerously loyal, allied to Joker and Joker alone, therefore connecting him with the Phantom Thieves too) while also getting the Akechi he never saw and never wanted to see (ruthless, bloodthirsty, capable of immense violence and capable of enjoying said violence) but being just submerged enough in Maruki’s reality not to properly question how or why he’s back, but indulging in his own feelings and choosing ignorance so he doesn’t have to doubt the one person who listens to, believes, and trusts him, when everyone else (even without knowing better)turns their back on him. That’s what I find so captivating about the third semester and their dynamic within it. I don’t think it’s accurate to Akechi, not even his own deepest and darkest desires, but those aspects of a personality are forced onto him as a result of Joker’s grief.

And that’s something I wish Atlus had been able to delve into in a little more detail.

[once-in-a-blood-moon]

It's All About Intention

Solomon x GN! reader

Summary: You ask Solomon's opinion on what color you should paint your nails, and learn something new along the way.

AN: This is dedicated to @nnnneeev for being such sweet friend to me. Love you!! 💜 Anyways, hope everyone enjoys! Mwah!

Warnings: None

The soft pads of socked feet march through Cocytus Hall in search of something – or someone. The ever perceptive sorcerer who lounges in the common room grins to himself, lazily licking the tip of his finger to help turn the page of the tome he’s reading. He knows you too well, and by the sound of your footsteps, you’ve got something on your mind.

“Hey, Solomon,” you say as you pass through the threshold, “I need your opinion on something.”

Just as he thought.

He marks his page before closing the book, focusing his attention on you as approach with a little box in your hands. He recognizes it as he’s seen that box in your room, yet the contents within are eluding him.

“I’d be happy to assist you in any way I can,” he says with a genuine smile. “What’s on your mind, my dear?”

You sit next to him on the couch with the box in your lap. With a soft sigh, you begin to explain your dilemma. “I can’t decide on what color to paint my nails...”

You peel the flap of the box back, opening it, as Solomon leans over and peeks inside to see many different bottles of nail polish in the ultimate ROYGBIV categorization. A soft whistle blows past his lips; he’s impressed by how pleasing it is to look at. He knew you painted your nails often, but it dawns on him just how many bottles you own. You’re like him with books, except for you, it’s nail polish.

“I’ve never realized you had quite the collection. I think you might give Asmo a run for his money.” he says with a chuckle.

Your eyebrows raise, obviously not believing that statement. With a quick shake of your head and a chuckle, you reply. “Oh, no. I don’t think anyone could beat him with his many shelves of high-end nail polish.”

Solomon hums. “You’re right,” he strokes his chin in thought, “you’re about two hundred bottles off.”

That earns him a light smack on the arm as you both laugh.

“Shut up.”

“If I shut up then I can’t give you my opinion, sweet apprentice of mine.” He’s got that shit-eating grin again, never missing an opportunity to tease you. It’s his favorite past-time.

You huff out in faux annoyance, even going so far as to roll your eyes. You’re lucky he finds you so cute when you do that, he thinks. Otherwise, he might’ve been offended.

“Fine, fine. Just tell me what you think.” You scoot the box further down, now resting it on your knee so he’s drawn to its focus once more.

Solomon’s eyes flick over each color with intensity. He’s really giving this some thought. “Well, is there anything you want to come out of this?”

Silence settles between you, and for a second he thinks you didn’t hear him. That is, until he glances up to see you with the most dumbfounded expression as you stare right back at him.

“Uh, yeah? My nails to be painted?”

It seems he wasn’t clear with his wording. Though he does get a hearty laugh out of your response. “No, no. That’s not what I meant. I mean...do you have something you want to manifest?”

Your expression stays the same, the only change is a few hard and confused blinks. “What does this have to do with painting my nails?”

“Well, everything really. Painting your nails using a certain color can attract that which you seek. I’ve taught you that using different colored candles in spells can aid in what you bring in, right? So, the same thing applies here.”

Solomon can see the wheels turning in your head now. He thinks this is a good lesson to be taught – that magic requires innovation and that magic is in everything.

“Really?” you ask.

“Really. So, if you wanted to strengthen your intuition, you might use a shade of blue. If you wanted to boost your creativity, you could use yellow,” he pauses before a grin curls on his lips again, “and you could use pink to attract love.” His eyebrows wiggle in a suggestive way, making you laugh a little.

“Okay, okay. I think I get it. Though I didn’t realize that I could incorporate magic into painting my nails.” He watches you look over your precious box with a certain glint in your eyes. He loves that look, that giddy sparkle when you learn something new. You’re too precious for your own good.

“My adorable apprentice, magic is in everything. All you have to do is show up with intention.”

“Intention,” you nod as you remember him saying that during one of your first lessons. “It’s all about intention, yes, I remember.”

Solomon chuckles. “Good.” He digs into the box, pulling out a little bottle filled with a deep indigo. “How about painting them indigo...to remind yourself you are capable of anything you put your mind to, especially within the realm of magic. You are more than capable of becoming a wonderful sorcerer someday.”

To your surprise, he leans over and places a soft kiss on your cheek before adding, “I am so proud of you.”

His eyes soften as he watches your cheeks heat up with one word coming to mind; precious.

“So, is there any chance I could get you to paint my nails while you’re at it?”

You clear your throat as you try to choke the fluster down. “Sure, but it’ll cost you.” you grin as you tease him back.

“You’ve been spending way too much time with Mammon, he’s rubbing off on you in the worst way.” Solomon rolls his eyes, chuckling again.

“I’m kidding!” you snicker. “Anyways, what color were you thinking for yourself?”

He pretends to think as he eyes a certain color in the box. “Hm, how about pink? I have something I want more of…” he wiggles his brows again, smirking widely, “your love.”

[hedghost]

Hedge’s Official Ranking of the 24/25 WSL Kits That Literally Nobody Asked For - Home Edition

please please tell me your thoughts in the reblogs or tags!!! i love hearing other people’s critiques. this is the one time the woso community can all come together and complain about the same thing!

1.Liverpool

potentially a controversial opinion but this is Nice As Hell! i know a lot of people said the collars are ugly but like idk it’s kinda giving if you ask me. it’s bold, it’s a statement. i love retro. this is just a good kit. it’s doing bits without doing too much. simple, tasteful, plus a little subtle pizzazz with those jaunty ass stripes - werk it ladies!

plus this kit is made from recycled plastic bottles, nice job! save those turtles liverpool!

apparently the pattern spells out ynwa, which i’m totally Not seeing (maybe i misunderstood this). i’m getting a Y, and then like an H in there maybe? and then i’m just lost, so not sure you hit the mark with that one, but love you for trying! it’s a cool pattern regardless, so i’d maybe just ditch the whole symbolism jargon and stick with that. overall nice job guys - 9/10

bonus points for that prematch shirt, love the detailing on it very sexy top marks

2. Arsenal

sorry arsenal fans, this shit is ugly as fuckkkkk - i’m not even being biased or trying to start fights (for once) it’s just like so hideous. i didn’t really like last season’s but compared to this that was a masterpiece. it’s so PLAIN! the weird red splodge is like not flattering at all and the blue? what’s that all about? also i fucking hate the back it looks like a used period pad, so hopefully the numbers fix that.

praying for your sakes you get a nice third kit or something bc this is ass.

also i’m a HATER for minimalist badge designs. this cannon logo makes the shirt look like a uniform for a museum volunteer. don’t get me wrong - arsenal is not the only culprit. what has a good old crest ever done to you? why do we hate maximalism? why do we hate fun? - 4/10

3. Manchester City

now this is fine. it’s just fine. it’s objectively nice, but it’s also objectively boring! as! fuck! the solid blue is clean but a little too flat. something looks off. it’s missing something. idk it’s nice ig, but it also seems identical to last season? if i saw these pics with no context i’d literally think it was from this year, but that’s the case with most top tier clubs it seems. have some fun guys! push the boat out! where’s the whimsy? but yeah anyway it’s alright.

at least they tried with the sleeves. allegedly they have the manchester dialling code 0161 on them but i mean - do they? do they really? because it looks like a bus seat to me. city fans decide for yourself i guess, because i for one won’t be getting close enough to a city shirt to look

it’s also made from recycled waste textiles so yay again! probably made from all the city shirts people threw out after they all but fucked the title 🤭 - 7/10

4. Tottenham Hotspur

wow spurs this is nice. it’s just so clean, so crisp. my normal issue with spurs kits is their absolute undying commitment to being plain as fuck. they picked one colour, white - arguably the most boring colour of all, arguably even the total absence of colour - and stuck to it. this however? it’s simplicity done well. it’s still plain and simple, but in a gorgeous sexy way. those navy retro colourblock sleeves? stunning! the crispest white you’ve ever seen? stunning! the tiniest of sleeve embellishments? stunning! simplicity done well. it’s just so crispy. pleases my eye.

also huge respect to them for not jumping of the band wagon with the whole ‘every shirt must have ugly details with symbolic meaning we grasped at straws to come up with in order to do something new and edgy’. spurs said no! they said ‘oh this? yeah this is a football shirt. what does it mean? it means football shirt.’ thanks spurs, good job - 9.5/10

5. Crystal Palace

ummmm. now. hmm. uhh. what? this is, um, what? give me a second to get my thoughts in order. i don’t know what is happening here and i’m at a loss for words.

right. crystal palace. inaugural season in the wsl. making a statement. making a splash. right. here’s the thing. i’m always saying wsl kits are too boring. i’m always saying we want fun patterns and whimsy. i’m looking at this in genuine confusion because i actually do not know what is going on here. do i like it? not sure? do i hate it? also not sure?

i think i kind of like it? but i also kind of hate it? it’s insanely busy, it’s probably the most garish kit i’ve ever seen in my life. i think part of the problem is that the club doesn’t have a great colour palette to work from. it’s very bright. i do love the pattern of the eagle crest in the blue, that’s a huge win from me. it’s just those spray paint red splatters that’s throwing me off. it looks like they spent ages making a lovely blue eagle pattern and then remembered they needed red in there so just used the funky spray tools on microsoft paint to draw over the top. it’s giving shit cgi blood splatter in a low budget zombie film. it’s like the barcelona shirts if they were designed by a gcse art student on an acid trip.

the more i’m looking at it however, i’m kind of loving it? kinda camp i guess. this one could be a grower. i’m still confused. at least they’ll make a splash in the wsl - 6/10

6. Manchester United

you’d think by now that i would have learnt to not get my hopes up with this club. remember the long long list of disappointments from yanited this season that i never shut up about? yeah, add this kit to that list.

listen it’s not awful. it’s not ugly, it’s not an eyesore. at the very least, it’s classic united. but it’s just so! bloody! dull! i’m literally falling asleep looking at it. it’s a t-shirt. its literally just a t-shirt. the problem is they set the bar too high last year, with that beautiful pattern and beautiful shade of red. and now, in proper united style, we’re straight back to mediocrity.

let’s talk details. oh wait, they aren’t ANY. there is nothing to say about this kit because there is nothing going ON with this kit. i like the white stripes. that’s it. theres the ombré red at the bottom, which is like- it’s okay. problem is - there’s like four too many shades of red on this shirt, and none of them are that nice. it needs a pattern or something! a pop! a little pizzazz! not a fan of the curved back panel, but it does look a whole lot better than arsenal’s at least.

this is absolutely nothing groundbreaking but it’s fine. it’s just so fucking plain. i know my girls will still serve in it, but i hoped for more. of course, in true united fashion: it’s the hope that kills you - 6/10

7. Chelsea

the tagline for this release is 'we burn blue', because 'the hottest part of the flame burns blue'. congrats on passing year seven chemistry guys. anyway, with that in mind, this kit is, naturally of course, patterned with a mystery blue LIQUID. im not seeing flames in any part of this kit. literally how is this meant to look like fire. this tagline is pure bollocks. it literally could not look more like water if it tried. aka, the opposite of fire.

the kit itself, i'm honestly struggling to form an opinion. i dont think i hate it, but i dont love it either. it may have been easier to figure out if i could actually SEE the kit in any of the release photos, instead of some stupid fucking slow motion blur effect. this pic makes mayra look like she's undergoing mitosis. poor girl's been through enough. it says a lot that in your official kit release you're actively preventing me from looking at the kit.

its not awful? i'm not a fan of these kind of realistic graphics on kits, just makes it look fake and cheap, but like, idk its kinda cool ig. the more i look the more i'm down with it. the colours are nice. its shiny. i'm glad we've gone for originality at least. patterns are fun. - 7.5/10

8. Brighton

i missed this release bc i saw the pictures and genuinely did not realise it was a different kit oops. i do feel bad for clubs who have committed to a striped kit because honestly there’s not really many ways you can play with that. but also that’s kind of their own fault. there’s really not much you can say about this. the sleeves are white this time… okay… there’s a faint pinstripe down each stripe… okayyy… yep that’s kind of it really.

it’s clean, it’s classic brighton, it’s a decent kit. there’s just genuinely nothing new about this. it’s fine. they just clearly couldn’t be bothered and i respect that. - 6/10

9. West Ham

okay we’re doing turtlenecks now apparently!! interesting choice!! i think it kinda looks fuckass silly but also i kind of like it actually. bit of fun innit. good stripes.

the rest of the kit is pretty mid. plainer than a toast sandwich. except for the sleeves! because this year, not only are they bringing in turtlenecks, west ham have decided to also bring in milkmaid sleeves! why is it like that? like is it just a weird bad fit or have they put a fucking elasticated band on? who’s idea was that? what is going on! also am i having a stroke or has the badge changed colour. because it looks fucking hideous. what did they do that for.

i do love the fact they did this shoot in a pub though. very funny. and the kit isn’t too bad. i like the stripes - 6/10

10. Leicester

this is the plainest most boring kit i have ever seen with my own two eyes. that is literally all i can say about this. boring. much like the city of leicester itself.

however - the women have a different kit sponsor to the men and i respect that so you can have one bonus point - 4/10

11. Everton

i’ll be totally honest - i wasn’t expecting everton to give me like the best kit of the bunch. this is the kit for me. i like this one a lot. castore may be mega shit quality but at least they don’t just copy paste all their kits.

i fucking love the pattern here. it’s subtle but it’s nice! and it’s different! we’re not doing any mad shit like chelsea, we’re not doing absolutely nothing at all like leicester. the perfect middle ground of the blue kits. the sponsor is hideous but i’m ignoring that. this is just lovely to look at. stylish, sleek. it’s giving high quality bus seats. this is no stagecoach, this is private hire only. i just love it. and then to top it all off, just the perfect amount of collar detailing. i would be a happy toffee if i was wearing this. gorgeous. loses half a point because the badge fell off during the game which is hysterical.- 9.5/10

12. Aston Villa

this is just the west ham kit if west ham were normal. it’s nothing to write home about, but i do like it. i like the block sleeves and the stripe colour. i like the subtle stripes down the side. i like the simplicity. i like the collar stripes. i even like the flat badge. also i’m assuming this is a betting sponsor which sucks but i do have to say that the sponsor looks great with this kit. it blends in, which is rare. this is a clean, classic kit, and i’m glad that at least one team could be normal. i don’t like that there’s pretty much nothing i can make fun of here. unfortunate for me, good for villa. good job - 8/10

note - all this was written as soon as each club released their kit, so some of my opinions have changed, and a lot have grown on me (looking at you united), but i’ve left the review untouched so you can get purely my honest first impression.

away, third and goalkeeper ratings are currently in progress so expect them once they've all been released! these posts literally never get any notes but i absolutely love doing them so i'm doing it anyway, but if you did wanna encourage me with some nice comments that wouldn't go amiss ;) xx

[quillandink22]

A dick winters imagine please

Like one where winters has loved the reader since tocoa and the two are best friends. The war is over and they are in Austria and he asks her to go for a morning swim. The two get close and he confess that he loves her and she loves him to. Like fluffy.

This has literally been on my mind all day since I read it. I hope my writing does it justice. Points is one of my favourite episodes. A girl can't help but appreciate Damien Lewis shirtless. Anyway, heres my take on your prompt :)

Treading Water

It was early morning. You had planned to sleep in, given that for the first time in what seemed like forever, you had nothing in particular to do. This should have been a relief, but the silence felt like a precursor to the screams for a medic you were hardwired to follow. Even now, in the tranquil embrace of Austria, your body hadn’t seemed to grasp the fact that it was finally safe. The men, for the most part, were safe too. Your job, at least for the moment, was done. But still, you couldn’t quite sleep in. You couldn’t allow yourself to relax.

You woke with the birds each morning, dressed in your uniform with the medic’s badge strapped to your arm, and headed to the lake. Clad for war, yet carrying only a sketchpad and pencil, you were a paradox. By the time the sun rose, you were nestled on the banks of the lake, sketching or attempting to sketch the world around you. You’d never seen such beauty. The way the lake stretched out almost endlessly, its crystal-clear waters reflecting the sky above. The alpine slopes rose in the distance, jagged rocks contrasting with the soft blanket of pine needles that covered the soil at the edge of the water.

It was peaceful, a state you’d grown to loathe but were trying to readjust to. There seemed to be plenty of adjustments to make. But jumping into the Pacific war zone had put a stop to any plans you’d started to make about going home. In truth, you had no idea what life would look like now. You had changed so much in the past three years. Was it even possible to go back to the way things were? To the person you once were?

"We seem to have the same idea."

You jumped slightly, too preoccupied with your drawing and thoughts to hear the approaching footsteps. "Sorry, I didn’t mean to sneak up on you," Dick spoke, slightly awkwardly. He stood just as awkwardly, back pin-straight, perhaps a habit ingrained in him.

"No, it’s my fault. I was miles away," you offered, settling yourself. You dropped your art supplies gently to the ground. "Going swimming?" you asked, gesturing to the towel draped over his shoulder. You couldn’t help but appreciate his outfit. It had been a while since you’d seen Dick in anything other than his uniform. His white T-shirt clung to him, highlighting the body he’d forged during training, though you could tell he’d lost weight. You all had these past few months. Still, he was nothing short of perfect in your eyes, though you had never told him that out loud.

"Thinking about it." He smiled before dropping down beside you. His long legs stretched out before him as he made himself comfortable on the blanket you’d laid out beneath you. "So this is where you’ve been hiding. It’s nice. Pretty," he said, his eyes watching you intently.

"I’ve just needed some time to think, I guess."

"About?"

"Everything," the word left your body almost as a sigh. "The last three years. The future. I don’t know, I feel like my mind’s going a mile a minute."

"I know the feeling," he spoke softly, leaning back to watch the lake, his mind clearly drifting away.

"Yeah?"

"Nix offered me a job."

"That’s good, right?" You smiled, genuinely excited that at least one of you seemed to be sorting their life out. Yet you could hear the apprehension in his voice.

"You think?" He tilted his head back to you. It struck you how close you’d become these last three years. How much he valued your opinion. "I’m not sure I’d be any good at it. I don’t know anything about fertilizer or business for that matter."

"You’re joking. All those people to boss around," you teased. "You’ll be in your element."

"Careful," he warned with no malice, the corners of his lips curling into a smile. You loved his smile. It was almost infectious. You’d long since made it your mission to make it a regular occurrence. To see his dimples or the little creases on the bridge of his nose when he laughed.

"I’m kidding. Well, not really." You nudged him with your elbow, an act of measured intimacy. "You should take it. Go settle down and leave all this war business behind you. I would."

"How many points are you short?" He looked more stoic now, the realization perhaps only now hitting him.

"Too many. I was never injured, and they don’t tend to award female medics medals." You shrugged it off like it didn’t matter. Like it wasn’t the thing that kept you awake most nights. "Tab offered to marry me for points, but I’d still be short." You joked, trying to lift the mood. There was nothing he could do about it. If you had to jump, you’d jump. You’d take up the mantle of medic again and watch over your boys.

He didn’t laugh; perhaps your demeanour didn’t match your tone. He was too good at reading you.

"Fancy a swim?" he suddenly offered.

"I'm not dressed for it," you replied with a laugh, your attire making it plainly obvious. "You go, I’ll still be brooding here when you get back." Another joke that seemed to fall flat, given the concerned look he sent your way.

You pulled out your sketchpad once more as he headed to the end of the pier. Pencil in hand, you intended to continue the landscape you’d begun, but it quickly became impossible when Dick pulled his shirt over his head. He looked over his shoulder, undoubtedly to make sure you hadn’t brooded yourself to death.

You offered a lopsided grin, praying he was far enough away not to see the blush rising in your cheeks. Your heart seemed to stop and speed up simultaneously. It was ridiculous—he was one of your best friends, had been since Toccoa. He was one of the first to accept you as you were, reassuring you endlessly when Sobel seemed hell-bent on kicking you to the curb. Even as he climbed the ranks throughout the war, he was always there for you. The men often thought him shy—he hadn’t earned the nickname "Frosty" for nothing—but you never saw him that way. He was, in many ways, your rock, never more so than in Bastogne.

In those frozen woods, you lost bits of yourself, lost men you regarded as family. Never before had you felt so useless as a medic, so helpless. There were times when the thought of lifting your body from your foxhole and running towards a scream terrified you so much you froze. You couldn’t face another body, another man begging to be saved when you knew you couldn’t help—that no medic could. In those dark days, you sought him out. He’d offer you coffee, or what passed for it, and just listened. He’d put an arm around your shoulders, pull you close, and tell you stories from home, of his family. You never told him how much that meant, how it had saved you. Fear held you back—fear that if you opened your mouth, you wouldn’t be able to stop yourself from telling him how you felt, from telling him you loved him. He was your best friend, and losing him, even now when you felt stronger, was too much to bear. It was too big a risk. So, you remained quiet.

----------------------------------------------------------

Dick turned for a split second to check on you. It hadn’t occurred to him that you wouldn't have enough points to go home. How foolish of him to assume. No wonder you’d been distant since the announcement that Easy Company was destined for another jump. It didn’t seem fair; he’d seen how hard you worked, how you pushed yourself to the bone to look after the company. The toll it often took on you. The thought of you jumping again without him there to watch out for you terrified him.

He dove off the pier, the cold water shocking his system. It was colder than it looked, and he liked that; it usually helped clear his mind. But you remained fixed in his thoughts. You always did. Ever since you stepped into Toccoa, you occupied his mind more than he cared to admit. He hadn’t had the courage to speak to you until the rumor spread that you were involved in a possible appendectomy on Sobel. He’d asked you straight out, equal parts curious and awed. He hated Sobel, still did, but he’d never have chanced something like that, as much as he might have wished to. You just smiled innocently, with a twinkle in your eye that said the opposite. He’d be lying if he said he hadn’t fallen for you in that moment. In truth, he’d been falling for you ever since. But he outranked you and worried that starting something more than friendship would risk your position in the company. He refused to lose you. Nix had called him out on his lack of action several times, joking that Dick was a coward where you were concerned. Maybe he was right. Perhaps it wasn’t just rank but fear of rejection. He didn’t fear much, but losing you was something he refused to allow.

He resurfaced for a breath, only to hear the sound of a splash. It drew him from the rhythm of swimming. His feet and arms now treaded water as he watched your head surface. Your hair was plastered to your head, making your face stand out more, highlighting your natural beauty. He knew he was turning red; he could feel the burn in his face, the heat rising to the tips of his ears. You had stripped down to your underwear. Though he couldn’t see you clearly, he couldn’t stop his mind from filling in the blanks. Worse still, you were swimming straight for him, effortlessly cutting through the water.

"I got sick of brooding," you said, beaming as you stopped a few feet from him, treading water to stay afloat.

"Right, well, swimming helps... you know, with brooding. Clears the mind." He rambled on, hoping you’d stop him before he drowned himself in embarrassment. "I..." he started, unsure of what to say as his brain blanked. Awkward silences were never something he’d associated with you. He saw how confused you were, watching him with that expression you reserved for wounded men. Perhaps you thought he was having a stroke. Instead of speaking, he raised his hand and flicked water at your face.

---------------------------------------------------------

Jumping into the lake half-dressed was probably a stupid idea. You didn’t know why you did it. Well, you did. God, it was a bad idea. He looked at you like you were crazy and splashed water in your face. When you finally regained your eyesight and saw his terrified expression, you laughed—laughed like you hadn’t in quite some time.

"If it’s a battle you want, Major, it’s a battle you’ll get," you teased confidently. You gave him no time to register it before blasting a wave of water in his direction and swimming away at speed. It took all your self-control not to laugh and inhale half the lake in the process.

You were just about to chance looking over your shoulder when a hand wrapped around your ankle, pulling you back towards him. His hand met your shoulder, dunking you momentarily under the water.

"Oy," you protested when you resurfaced, only to have more water thrown in your face.

"If you’re jumping, I’m jumping," he suddenly said as you wiped the water from your eyes.

"What?" you blurted breathlessly.

"The Pacific. If you jump, I jump."

You were still treading water, realizing just how close you both were. His red hair was a mess, beads of water trickling down his handsome face.

"I can’t ask you to do that."

"I’m not asking your opinion. I’m telling you my plans." He smiled, his mind set in stone. You knew it from the determination that shrouded his face.

"Dick..." you began, ready to tell him to go home, to take his points and get clear of the mess you’d be facing. You wanted him safe, even if that meant he wouldn’t be there with you.

"I love you."

You couldn’t quite believe what he’d just said. His hand moved slowly to rest on your bare waist. "I have for a while. You don’t have to say it back. I wouldn’t expect it. I just needed you to know."

Your eyes locked, and time stood still. Everything that held you back slipped away—all worries and doubts long forgotten as you swam forward. You gave him little warning before your lips met his. For a second, he didn’t move, too shocked. But then you felt his hand pull your waist closer to his. His lips, softer than you expected, moved against yours as your arms wrapped around his neck.

His hands roamed your back, leaving a trail of warmth despite the cold water surrounding you. You felt his heart pounding against your chest, matching the rapid beat of your own. Every touch, every sensation, was magnified in the quiet intimacy of the lake. You pulled back slightly, just enough to see his eyes, full of relief and passion. He smiled, a genuine, heartfelt smile and the words you needed found your lips.

"I love you," you replied, your voice confident and sure as you leaned in for another kiss, this one even more tender and filled with promise.

[letstrythisout4]

Hi, it’s me, slytherinboysappreciation. I wanted to send you this as an ask rather than a comment to make it easier for you to answer.

Do you have any thoughts about Blaise and his personal grooming habits? To me he seems like a very well put together person. Like, expensive tastes and classy outfits.

I don’t think he’s obsessed with his appearance like I think Draco is (my personal opinion), but I do think he takes pride in it. Maybe it’s a value his mother instilled in him?

My personal headcanon is that he gives fashion advice to the Slytherin gang. Like, Pansy goes to him for advice on which dress to wear to a party and Draco brings him along when he goes shopping because he values Blaise’s advice so much.

Idk what do you think? I’d love to hear any thoughts you have about this

fuck yeah absolutely

HP Masterlist

ok first i need to establish I think most - if not all- of Blaise's traits and values come from his mother in some way. So yeah in my mind his mother is someone who enjoys the finer things in life, she has expensive taste and isn't afraid to show it. She definitely raised him to believe that generally (there are always exceptions) the way you present yourself through your physical appearance is a large representation of who you are (enter parallel to black families putting value in dressing up whenever having a community event like church etc.). So Blaise likes to be put together. He prefers to be clean shaven, he's regularly at the barber to make sure his lineup is clean and his hair isn't crazy (don't ask too many questions about how he gets haircuts while at Hogwarts, he for sure has a guy in Hogsmeade), his uniform is perfect (he asks the elves to iron his laundry before delivering it) and he is always wearing some form of jewelry like a watch or a ring to complete the look. he is a beautiful man

As for what the other students think, I mean I've said it before and I'll say it again...everyone has a crush on him LOL. Ok not everyone but at the very least everyone can admit that he looks sharp 24/7. Not even people who hate him can deny that. I just know he gives Pansy the best advice on what to wear because he picked up his interest in fashion from his mother, he has perfected the balance of finding something classy yet comfortable for who you are as a person. This is where Draco comes in, I think of Draco as really really caring about his appearance but he isn't natural gifted in fashion in the same way Blaise is. While Blaise got to be around his mother and pick up on her way of perceiving clothing, Draco (in my mind) was focused on training to be the next head of the house (aka he just puts on whatever the elves and his mother tell him to). Draco doesn't really know how to dress himself. Which is okay when you wear a uniform but as he gets older he doesn't just want to wear a uniform he wants to wear a uniform. He wants to stand out in the way Blaise does. So he sucks up his pride and goes to Blaise for advice and slowly but surely Draco begins to personalize his clothes (both his uniform and his casual clothes). He's no Blaise that's for sure, he doesn't really get it. But by talking through things with Blaise, Blaise is able to style his clothes to be more Draco.

(Slytherins find out that Draco's dracoification of his clothes is because of Blaise and all of a sudden he's the slytherin house's personal stylist...Blaise has decided he's sooner or later going to find a way to make money off of this lmfao.)

ALSO VERY IMPORTANT:

this is who I imagine when I'm talking about Blaise

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just to provide a bit more perspective to what I'm saying

Authors note: ok ok thank you so much for the ask (moving forward if anyone who has a specific topic they want me to talk about could submit it as an ask I would love that), I loved talking about this! Anyway please like if you enjoy and comment if you have any thoughts thank you all sm!

[jaketsparrow]

I got some thoughts on my mind guys.

After being *slightly more* involved in this fandom, I just have noticed some things…

Instead of having real conversations with people, we seem to think it’s okay to assume someone is a terrible person from a mistake or misunderstanding. People fuck up, a lot. They have forever and ever fucked up. But now because we have social media we feel the need to point out something that someone did instead of trying to have a real conversation and explain why what they did might be wrong.

Now I’m not saying by ANY means that we should forget the behavior, or dismiss it as nothing, and any person at fault SHOULD admit that they were in the wrong. But we actually need to hear people when they apologize.

It is truly NOT okay to be sending people death threats or to say horrible things about them.

Another note, if you comment anonymously on gvftea and say some fucked shit about other fans kindly please do not interact with me :) you can have your opinions on people but to blatantly hate on people who are doing you (or others) no harm is kinda fucked up! Just sayin!!

Anyways. I’m all for holding people accountable for their actions, but I’m not for bringing out the pitch forks and making someone feel unsafe. Let’s remember some fuckin peace love and unity and be better members of this community!

Love you all, sorry if you don’t agree, I just know I’d much rather have a friend tell me how I can be better than to completely harass me into oblivion.

See you all in the new year 🤍🫶🏼

[leonsliga]

https://twitter.com/BayernNewsw/status/1762100914259648872?t=UVN8cg2KCTKBeOaVs0qNMQ&s=19 what do you think of this?❤

Hey anon! Thanks for sending me this ❤️ if I’m honest, I’m generally distrustful of bild as a news outlet. Even though they’re not always that way, they’ve just got this tabloid vibe that I find tough to swallow. Their articles always feel crafted in such a way as to pit fans and footballers against one another, and I don’t think that’s always fair.

That said, they did provide photographic evidence of them partying (supposedly). The guy in the first pic in the thread looks like Leon, but I’m not entirely sure. I couldn’t quite locate Phonzy in the pic either, but that’s not to say neither of them were there. I’ll be curious to see if other news outlets apart from bild report on it (as far as I can tell, they’re the only ones who have); maybe then we’ll get a bit more information and insight.

Now let’s talk about the party itself. Should they have gone? Probably not. Should they have stayed out that late, knowing they had training later that day? Definitely not. I understand wanting to blow off some steam (and wanting to meet up with the legendary David ‘Alaboom’ Alaba lol), but the problem with being in the public eye is that someone will inevitably find out you’re doing it. Bild’s business is quite literally finding out other people’s business, and if you want to have a party or go to one, they’ll be the first to know about it. Hell, they’ll probably invite themselves to it in some facet. Such are the perils of being in the public eye, I suppose.

I think I can understand why they went though. They were probably still buzzing off the adrenaline of their victory and wanted to celebrate. Couple that with the prospect of a reunion with an old teammate, and bam! You’ve got reason enough to party. Not only that, but Leon, Phonzy, and Serge are under scrutiny at Bayern, and maybe they thought they could escape the pressure for just one night. Besides, let’s think of football like a normal job. When you’re off the clock, that’s your time, and you can spend it how you like. Should football really be any different? Should bild or other news outlets really have the right to judge how they spend their time off? I guess the tricky thing is when you look at this event through the eyes of disgruntled Bayern fans. And that leads me to my next point:

Can I understand fan anger towards this? Of course I can. It was right after a match, and the way we’ve been playing this season doesn’t exactly scream “party time.” Far from it actually. But truth be told, if the rumors are true and they stayed out as late and partied as hard as bild seems to imply they did, the coaching staff will probably punish them accordingly; besides, if this is all true and not exaggerated in the slightest (because let’s face it, we can’t rule out bild exaggerating some details), TT actually has a chance to do something right for once and score some easy points with Bayern fans on his way out the door 😂

Quite honestly though, I’m sure showing up to training massively sleep-deprived and possibly hungover is quite the punishment in itself 😅 if they’re old enough to make their own choices, then they’re old enough to know the consequences of them ahead of time. Leon, Phonzy, and Serge aren’t the first to go out and party after a match, nor will they be the last, but that doesn’t mean it’s wise, but they’re still relatively young, and I’m guessing suffering through training while wishing for death that morning was lesson enough lmao. It would be for me anyway 😵

Now that I’ve said my piece though, I’d love to hear from you all. I know I’m biased when it comes to Leon and our Bayern squad as a whole, so I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on the matter. Do you feel the same way about it as me? Do you have a different take? Or is there something you noticed that I might’ve missed? I welcome any and all opinions—just please be respectful 🫶

[marvelgirl123]

Rating Hazbin Hotel songs

So a friend of mine recently got me into Hazbin Hotel and while I haven’t watched the whole series I love it. I love the designs of the characters, the voice acting is incredible, and the little theater kid in me loves the music. I think the soundtrack is filled with absolute BANGERS that had no reason to be as good as they are. I’ve seen a lot of people rating the songs so I thought I’d do the same and before I get started these are just my opinions that you are welcome to disagree with. As long as you respect my opinions I’ll respect yours. Anyway let’s get into it

Hell’s Greatest Dad - This is actually the first Hazbin song I listened to and I love it. I think the banter and fighting between Lucifer and Alastor is hilarious and I can’t hold back a smile whenever I hear it. The song really makes them look like two divorced dads who are fighting over their daughter who doesn’t want them to fight

Respectless - I won’t deny that Velvette is a bitch but she’s fun to watch and I love her song. I think her voice actor did an amazing job with it and Velvette actually is one of my favorite character designs. She kind of reminds me of Cersei from Game of Thrones in the aspect of she’s a bitch but she’s a great and entertaining character

Stayed Gone - I love the back and forth between Vox and Alastor here and I once again think the vocal talent is great. Vox makes me think of a teenage girl who’s obsessed with the boy that turned her down at prom. The song also makes me wonder what could have possibly happened between Vox and Alastor to make them absolutely hate each other now so I hope we get some insight on that in season two

You Didn’t Know - I love the part when Emily and Charlie sing together. That harmony just scratches my brain the right way and I love it. I was also definitely not expecting Vaggie to be a fallen angel and seeing Charlie’s reaction to it broke my heart. I also loved hearing Lute sing and even though she’s a bitch I think her voice actor is really talented

More Than Anything - I love Charlie and Lucifer’s relationship and kind of envy it (daddy issues if you can’t tell). I love the “I’m grateful you’re my father/daughter” part and it always hits close to home. I also really do think that Lucifer does his best to be a good dad to Charlie and I hope we get more of him in season two

Poison - Angel Dust is one of my favorite characters so hearing this song makes me feel so bad for him and makes me hate Valentino even more. I want to hug Angel so badly whenever this song finishes and I was definitely not ready for that episode

Loser Baby - I love Husk and Angel’s relationship so much and I need to see Husk battling Valentino for Angel is some way in season two

Hell is Forever - I hate Adam and his song had no right to be so good but it was. I also love Alex Brightman and think he did an amazing job throughout the entire show even though his character is an asshole

Out for Love - This one is usually higher on people’s lists but there are just songs I’d prefer to listen to before listening to this one but still think it’s really good

Happy Day in Hell - I think Charlie is adorable and I think this one is usually further down on people’s lists but I really like it. No hate pls 🥺

Ready for This - Honestly I think Alastor and Rosie carried this whole song. I adore their friendship and hope that we get a lot more of it in season two. I need to see them hanging out and talking shit about other demons and overlords

More Than Anything (reprise) - Really cute song and I love Charlie and Vaggie together

Finale - It was a nice way to end the show but there are just other ones I like better than it. Also someone please go help Alastor, my boy needs it

Whatever it Takes - It’s a good song but it’s not really my cup of tea but I do love Carmila’s voice actor and I think we need more of Vaggie singing because I love her singing voice

It Starts With Sorry - I think this song is cute but that’s about it. Other than that I don’t have much to say on it

Welcome to Heaven - I hate this song and I think it’s pretty much just the angels flexing the whole time

And there you have it, my ratings and opinions on the songs from Hazbin Hotel. Like I said before, if you disagree that’s totally fine all I ask is that you respect my opinions. Have a great day or night and hopefully I’ll post again soon (it’s the middle of the night for me and this is what I’m doing)

[preeningpisces]

you sound really fun!!

i've really enjoyed everything i've read from you before!

and honestly, i must confess – i think you're making me like kenjaku a little more xx <33

i honestly really liked that kenjaku one-shot! the dynamic was just so fun! i loved the build-up! and you know what? i can see the appeal in kenjaku! he's playful, clever, silly, willing to experiment (to a fault), but he's also... a little unattainable but in an attractive way?

anyway, i like your writing. and honestly? i think your smut is some of the best i've ever read because it reads as being authentic. like you know how to time things and how to build tension.

i also really love your art stuff!! i think it's super cool. i can't pick out your favourite drawings, but the ones that come to mind are the sketches of kenjaku, especially the diptych of one having kenjaku smirking and the other licking up his brain fluids, the one that you deleted but which i adore of kenjaku getting down and dirty with the kitty cat, and the pieta!!! which is so cool and which i keep on thinking about!

i hope i'll get to read more stuff by you!!

since you're slowly but surely converting me to the kenny love train, i would love to read more stuff about kenny xx BUT your characterisation of others is brilliant too xx i thought the overstimulation ones were pretty fun xx and the tinder one, too, was absolutely hilarious !! <33

Hihi!! Thank you :3 I certainly hope the people in my personal life consider me fun

This ask is dangerous. I’m about to be SO annoying - buckle up ‼️

If there is one thing you can say to unleash the menace within me, it’s to tell me I converted you into liking a character. Especially if they’re typically disliked

I know you said making, like in the process, but….

ONE OF US 🧠 ONE OF US 🧠 ONE OF US

YEAAA unattainable in an attractive way is such a good way to put it!! Your mind!!! I think that’s a large appeal for me - like you’ll never be on his level & he’ll never really love you (in my opinion). The toxic part of me really fucks with that. Striving for something you can never have is just MMMM degradation kink go brrrrr & they’re someone you can’t help but want to impress/seek the approval of (tho you should never tell them this; he’s already insufferable)

It kind of satisfies a personal philosophy of mine; that oftentimes yearning/wanting something is more pleasurable than actually having it. But maybe that’s just a pretentious way of saying I like the chase

(to a fault) TOOK ME OOOOUT - his curiosity really is his greatest strength and greatest weakness

Ugh that just makes me so pleased to hear—I really enjoy writing horny shit so the fact you enjoy my approach that much is just 🥺🥺🥺 I think they’ve all been similar thus far, so I hope to delve more into the spooky/yandere realm since I eat that shit up (and Kenjaku in particular just fits that genre so well)

AKSJDJHF F im glad you enjoyed the horny drawings. I posted it like 3 separate times with less and less pictures each repost (it’s like a whole comic - kind of) because I’d get too embarrassed LMFAO - I don’t think it’ll ever see the light of day

AND YES characters that aren’t kenjaku - after i finish the kenny one that was requested I have 2 posts in progress that include all of them!

One is 18+ (tho it’s pretty wholesome!), the other is lighthearted/silly and in the same vein as the Tinder headcanons. I also have a horny lil oneshot planned for satosugu x YN, but it hasn’t been started. Weirdly, I have a Mahito fic rolling around in my brain that is more plot centric. I’m pretty excited for it, but I’m still working out the details & whatnot

I swear I like other JJK characters 😭🙏 the brainrot is just intense it’s my Scorpio placements

It’s funny to me, but I also feel a bit bad, because I think a decent portion of followers came from my Nanami NSFW headcanons.

It’s like, you come for Nanami only to find endless kenjaku posting LMFAO like

(((if this applies to anyone i love yall & im sorry for being the way that I am 🥺💙🙏)))

BIG THANK YOU anon - this was like - i don’t even know how to describe it. You entertain my nonsense too much!!!! I’m indebted to you

I hope you have a lovely day <33

[yellowspiralbound]

Personal Breakdown of Swan Upon Leda, Stanza by Stanza

Disclaimer: this analysis is entirely personal opinion. If you have a different interpretation that's great! In fact, I'd love to hear your interpretations of the song. Anyway, analysis time:

A husband waits outside

A crying child pushes a child into the night

She was told he would come this time

Without leaving so much as a feather behind

To enact at last the perfect plan

One more sweet boy to be butchered by man

This tells the story of a child anywhere from 5 - 17 being forced to birth her rapists baby.

The first line mentions a husband, which can be interpreted as the child's husband - child brides are very common in a lot of places - or it could be the child's father, the husband of the child's mother. I personally think the first scenario is more likely.

The next lines mention that she was told she wouldn't be raped this time. Emphasis on the this time. The feather is a reference to the swan that raped Leda, which is how we know the child being born is a result of rape. In my opinion, this child bride was raped by her husband before they were married and, since her virtue was ruined, she was forced to marry him. Her family promised he would not rape her again, but he did and she became pregnant. This was the husband's "perfect plan." He would rape her, which forced her to marry him, and then rape her again to trap her in the marriage with a baby. The last line tells us that the baby was born male. He will grow up to be "butchered by men" likely meaning his father will be abusive or that he will grow up to be exactly like his father.

But the gateway to the world

Was still outside the reach of him

What never belonged to angels

Had never belonged to man

The swan upon Leda

Empire upon Jerusalem

The "gateway to the world," in my mind, refers to the female reproductive system. It has always been out of reach to this "him." He can't produce a child on his own so he rapes women to access the "gateway to the world."

The next bit, "what never belonged to angels had never belonged to man" is so personal to me. The bit about angels can be a reference to so many things. The angel can be Zeus raping Leda. The angel can be the Christian God forcing 13 year old Mary to carry Jesus. The angel is a representation of how women are treated mythologically. The thing that never belonged to these angels is, of course, the female body. The next line states that the female body has never belonged to men. To me, the greater implication is that men have taken their examples from the "angels." They think they're owed the female body because the gods took it as they pleased.

The next two lines are comparison lines. The swan is upon Leda like how the kingdom of Jerusalem has been historically and biblically conquered over and over and over again. This line does, however, imply that women are holy. We are sacred ground in the same way Jerusalem is - we are holy.

A grandmother smugglin' meds

Past where the god child-soldier

Setanta stood dead

A graceful turner of heads

Weaves through the checkpoints like a needle and the thread

Someone’s frightened boy waves her on

She offers a mother’s smile and soon she’s gone

The first line is pretty self explanatory: an old woman is smuggling medication, likely some sort of contraception or abortion pills. She could also be smuggling abortifacients - things that cause miscarriages such as mugwort.

The next part is more confusing to those of us who aren't Irish. Setanta is an Irish mythological figure, but his importance here doesn't come from his mythos. Setanta has been used by Irish nationalists ad a symbol for a unified Ireland. The knowledge that the grandmother is sneaking things past Setanta implies that she's bringing the medicine from Southern Ireland into Northern Ireland, where the abortion laws are stricter.

Hozier next describes the grandmother going through the checkpoints into Northern Ireland. She does this by being a graceful turner of heads. My impression is that she's using her beauty to distract the people checking her so she can get the medicine through. If you've ever read the Witcher books, there's a scene where Yennefer makes herself more beautiful so that people will look at her and not at Ciri, who is supposed to be dead. That was the first thing I associated with the "graceful turner of heads" line.

Beyond just beauty though, the grandmother is using her status as a weapon. She's just a sweet old lady, she wouldn't do anything wrong. To me, this is a reference to how women are often seen as too pure, too innocent, too submissive and obedient to cause issues. The grandmother knows she's viewed this way and uses it to her advantage.

The next line is a simple interaction. She has someone on the inside that helps with her smuggling operation. This boy, maybe one of the people working the checkpoints, maybe a police officer, or maybe just a young boy, helps the grandmother navigate to the people she needs to deliver the medication too.

The important thing about the boy is that he too is someone who is not suspected to be involved in the smuggling of abortifacients because he's a boy. Men as a societal class are rarely involved in the fight for women's rights. This boy will not be a main suspect if the smuggling is uncovered - and that is why he's doing it and not a young woman.

The gateway to the world

The gun in a trembling hand

Where nature unmakes the boundary

The pillar of myth still stands

The swan upon Leda

Occupier upon ancient land

This last verse is a slightly altered version of the chorus. The gateway to the world is, as we previously discussed, the female reproductive system. This time, however, there's a gun. This gun is likely the result of being denied an abortion. The woman has no way to stop the birth no - no way except an at home abortion. Perhaps she's horribly depressed, as people tend to be when they're pregnant with a rapists child. Whatever the reason, this woman has decided suicide is the answer. She will have an abortion by killing herself.

The next two lines, "where nature unmakes the boundary, the pillar of myth still stands," is about the fight for women's rights. We - women - are the "nature." We are unmaking the boundaries that men have placed upon us and our bodies. The pillar of myth, however, still stands in our way. This pillar of myth is, of course, the religious arguments that stop abortion access.

The last line of the song, "occupier upon ancient land" is very direct. Hozier is calling women an occupied nation, an oppressed people.

MUSICALITY ANALYSIS:

Swan Upon Leda is a very soft song, which doesn't seem to match the material. This is an incredibly angry song, but it's sung like a lullaby. To me, this is an incredibly important aspect of the song.

The first important thing about the softness is that it's a representation of female rage, in my opinion. Historically and still today, women are expected to carry themselves with dignity. Anger is not a dignified emotion. Angry women must often stay silent or soft to protect themselves. We don't have the privilege of a screaming match with men that hurt us because that might make them hurt us more. Our anger is, by necessity, a quiet affair.

The other important thing about the softness of the song is that it sounds like a lullaby. I think this has a few meanings. First of all, lullabies call babies to mind which is very fitting for a song about abortion. The second thing is that, to me, the lullaby implies that women inherit the grief of being occupied. Even the small, female baby listening to this lullaby understands the rage inside it. We are born with this quiet rage. It is our lullaby, the thing that lulls us to sleep.

[clericofshadows]

snippet from: feeling numb, lost in time

title is inspired by death - aether realm :)

anyway my kaidan/regis reunion fic is ballooning out to be another long-fic so here's a little snippet of a convo between regis and zaeed that I really liked.

Regis made himself more comfortable on the couch, laying down on Zaeed's lap. "Start staying with me in my quarters. I don't give a fuck about what anyone has to say about it." 

He glanced up and saw Zaeed's small smile.  Regis wanted to reach up, pull him down, and kiss that smile off his face.

But he wasn’t sure if he was ready to take that step.  Not before talking to Kaidan.

And yet, he was preparing his quarters so Zaeed could move in and share his bed.  What a fucking mess.  

Perhaps a small part of him worried about the rumors.  Word travels fast on a frigate.  In truth, he doesn't care for the opinions of anyone on this ship.  Only the man he's slowly bringing himself to love again.  

Though, he really didn't want to hear what Joker would have to say about it after their last argument.  All he knows is how devoted he and Kaidan were to each other and nothing else.

"And I'll be here to tell them to fuck off.  I'll move some of my stuff up here," he said. 

"Need a hand?" Regis asked, not making any sort of effort to move.

"Nah, not right now." Zaeed turned to look at the tank. "I'm surprised you haven't tried to drain that monstrosity."

"I've considered it," he admitted. "But I haven't had the time to figure out how I want to retrofit it with what we have."

“Hey, EDI,” Zaeed said.

“Yes, Massani?” she asked, waiting for his request.

“Can we drain the fish tank?” He asked.

“Next time we are docked, I can start the process of recycling the water.  Should I inform the crew to start the process of removing the tank entirely?" She asked. 

He wasn't entirely enthused at the idea of Cerberus crew in his cabin, but if on their next mission they were able to get rid of it, it was a small price to pay. 

"Please do," Regis replied. "And if they could rig something together to turn it into some shelving, that would be perfect."

"I'll inform the crew of your orders. They will get started on it immediately during your next mission."

“Thanks,” he said.

Again, Zaeed looked quite smug.  “Do I have to solve all your problems for you?”

“Fuck off,” Regis bit back with no real bite.  “I hate needing to rely on Cerberus for anything.”

Zaeed tangled his fingers in his hair, starting to toy with and massage his curls.  Regis closed his eyes and sighed, leaning into the touch.  “I know.  Trust me, you’ve made your opinion on everything very clear,” Zaeed said. 

“Good.  I’d hate for them to think I’ve started to accept any of them.”

Zaeed chuckled, the rumbling sound a comforting one.  “Keep up that attitude.  It’s very attractive.”

“Oh really?” Regis rose up from his lap, batting away his hands.  “You like me angry?”

“Well, yes,” Zaeed admitted, wrapping an arm around his shoulder, pulling him in closer.  “But what’s really attractive is you sticking to your goddamn convictions.”

Regis made a shocked sound as Zaeed pulled him in closer, their foreheads nearly touching.  They stayed in that position for a moment.  Regis didn’t quite meet Zaeed’s gaze, not wanting to find out what was waiting behind those mismatched eyes.

He wanted to lean in, to claim that mouth and to relearn each other after years apart.  To seek comfort in the only person he really trusts on the ship.

Zaeed leaned in and brushed a kiss against his lips, barely touching but enough all the same.  Regis parted his lips with a sigh, turning his head and chasing him for more.

“What do you want, Regis?” He asked, cupping Regis’s neck lightly.

“I want you,” Regis admitted, finally meeting his gaze.  “But I also want Kaidan, and I don’t know how we should even approach this.”

Wanted Kaidan?  Yes, of course he did.  

In reality, he needed Kaidan.  Ten years together torn away by some fucking assailant. 

And Regis wasn't going to waste the chance he had to try and get that back. 

“We can take it one step at a time.  Like I said before, I don’t think you’re ready for something heavy right now,” Zaeed replied.  “I can wait until we all talk, okay?  I think it will be better for all of us.”

He was right, once again.

Regis nodded, closing his eyes.  “I still want you here with me.  I don’t like sleeping alone.��

“I know,” he said softly.  Regis leaned in for another kiss, sighing into the embrace and allowing himself to take charge of the moment, parting Zaeed’s lips with his own and tasting the man he had wanted ever since that excursion on Omega all those years ago.

Regis climbed into his lap and pressed Zaeed against the back of the couch, tangling his fingers into his thinning hair and feeling that rough skin in his hands.  They fit together so well, as if no time had passed, and they were still in that dim-lit hotel room in the depths of Omega, enjoying exploring each other for the first time.

When they finally broke the kiss, Zaeed rested his hands on Regis’s hips, looking up at him with an open expression.  “You’re so goddamn beautiful, you know.”

“Even with all these scars?  The glowing eyes?  I’m no longer–”

Zaeed scoffed.  “You’re no longer, what?  You’re Regis goddamn Shepard, sitting here in front of me, alive.  Are you going to blast me across the room for daring to say that you look beautiful even with those scars?  They are a sign that you are here with us, again.  I’ll say it again, because clearly the first time wasn’t enough: You’re so goddamn beautiful.”

“I guess they do look pretty badass,” Regis admitted with a small smile, even if they were a stark reminder that he wasn’t the same Regis back during the Saren mission.  “Chakwas offered to look into healing them for me, but she said they would be triggered by stress.  If I had time, I would go back on my degree and see if I could design a better way for them to trigger rather than these scars all on my body.”

“Right, your cybernetics education.  Bet you had a lot to say after reading those reports about your resurrection,” Zaeed said, running his hands up and down his sides.

Regis leaned into the touch.  “Oh, yes.  Lots of inefficiencies.  Didn’t see a single mark of an actual specialist, just a bunch of fucking generalists.”

Zaeed was grinning at him.  “Not only are you the most dangerous motherfucker on the ship, but I’d also say you are one of the smartest.”

[justsomeoneintoomanyfandoms]

hi! may i request a romantic matchup for star rail, tears of themis, and bungou stray dogs please?

my name is twyla, i go by she/any pronouns, i’m acespec but im ok being matched with any gender. my mbti is intp or istp

appearance: i dye my hair pretty often throughout the year but right now it’s black with magenta pink highlights, exactly like draculaura but with a wolf/butterfly haircut and short/baby bangs. i have brown eyes and i’m quite curvy. i usually dress in a bold alternative style and occasionally academia, my style is really all over the place and depends on how im feeling but i’d say im pretty fashionable and often go out looking like a mall goth HAHA.

personality: im super chill and laid back, nothing really bothers me nor do i show it. im very patient with other people even when im annoyed by them. i come off as very monotone and stoic and i have really dry and sometimes offensive humor that would honestly get me cancelled by twitter in a matter of seconds. i joke around a lot and i usually have trouble taking things seriously. im kind of scatterbrained and get bored easily, and am always seeking some form of entertainment or mental stimulation. i’m definitely a realist too and i don’t expect much out of anything nor do i hold strong opinions or beliefs. im autistic+suspected adhd and that sometimes affects how i interact with others.

likes and dislikes: im honestly super nerdy and really interested in science and math like astrophysics, i love learning how things and the world works. im an astronomy nerd (not astrology/zodiacs im so sorry i kinda hate it with a burning passion) and i love astrophotography and stargazing. i read a lot of encyclopedias and watch documentaries about things i find interesting. im not really sure about the rest of my dislikes honestly, maybe just crowded spaces and rollercoasters

hobbies: a lot of things but i like to read and draw, research stuff, and sometimes cosplay. ive mentioned i liked stargazing and astrophotography too, and photo and video editing. i also play a lot of VN or rhythm games.

thank you!!

Hi Twyla! Your current hair sound awesome! I was a big Monster High kid so it's good to hear there are still fans out there. Thank you for your request! I hope you like your matchups!

In Honkai Star Rail, I match you with...

I'm not super familiar with Arlan's personality yet so hopefully this isn't too out of character!

Arlan's not super into science stuff but he does pick up on a few things working on the Herta Space Station. He'll also try his best to keep up with whatever you're telling him about whatever scientific field has caught you interest.

Would enjoy stargazing with you. The space station is the perfect place to do that anyway and Arlan knows all of the best spots to stargaze from.

His favourite part of stargazing with you though is watching you while you explain everything you know about each constellation. He can't help it. He just thinks your pretty while talking about things you're passionate in. Don't mention the soft smile or the blush on his face...

Your sense of humour balances out Arlan's more serious nature. He likes your jokes but often won't visibly react to them. Later, when he's alone in his room, he'll think back on what you've said thought the day and have a bit of a chuckle to himself.

In Tears of Themis, I match you with...

Marius pays close attention to your interests so he can make you artwork based on them. From paintings of your favourite constellations to sculptures of your favourite cosplays, there's a new art piece being gifted to you every couple of months.

Loves your sense of humour. He can't really make those sort of jokes due to his position (no need to make more scandal than there already is) but he loves it when you make them.

Marius absolutely plays rhythm games with you. He's fairly good at them so he might give you a run for your money. He will let you win on purpose sometimes...

Already has a fairly large collection of books so he's sure there are some on astronomy in there but he'll also buy you astronomy books and encyclopedias whenever he sees on you don't have when he's out.

Marius is definitely the type of person who has hired a observatory for the evening. With just the two of you there, it's nice and quiet and you have access to all of the telescopes.

You can look at the stars and he can watch you. He's happy when you're happy so seeing you enjoy yourself as a result of something he's done means a lot to him.

In Bungo Stray Dogs, I match you with...

Junichiro is another one who will listen to everything you have to say about your interests! He's hanging on every word.

He often feels like one of the less interesting members of the Armed Detective Agency so he's always on the look out for new hobbies and interests to pick up.

Stargazing dates! He'll pack a picnic with your favourite food and drinks and will take some blankets and pillows so you stay warm and comfortable for as long as you want to stay there.

I also see Junichiro as someone who would take you on carnival or arcade dates (avoiding the rollercoasters and the majority of the crowds of course). He'd try to win you some prizes but he'd also love to play the rhythm games with you.

Time spent with Junichiro is always guaranteed to be fun and mentally stimulating.

[thessalian]

Thess vs The Grind

No, not the employment-related one. I mean the grind that seems to come standard with so many video games these days. Because apparently the employment-related one isn’t enough for people.

When I first played Dragon Age: Inquisition, I was trying to do it spoiler-free, and ended up flailing so very hard that I missed out on a lot of stuff. Some people I needed to talk to didn’t get talked to, some side quests didn’t even trigger... Let’s just say it’s a really good thing that the Trespasser DLC wasn’t out at that point because I entirely missed Bull’s loyalty quest the first time through. (Though I am still annoyed that they sold us the actual ending as DLC later; so tired of shit like Legacy and Trespasser ripping out stuff we really need to understand future games and then selling it back to us for more money. It’s one thing when a game comes out in chapters; at least you know you’re buying the next installment when it’s chapters. But of course they’re not going to tell us, “Oh, by the way, we’re not giving you the real ending until you pay us more, and there’s a whole bunch of stuff you might need to know about for the next game to make any sense that you can only get if you pay us even more.” It’s ... kind of disgusting.)

Anyway. Point is that when I first started playing Inquisition on the very first run, I had no idea exactly how completionist you had to be to get the entire story. I didn’t realise how much I’d missed until I played a second playthrough with spoilers and walk-throughs and all manner of other shit. I don’t think that should be necessary, y’know? I don’t think you should have to go through the Wiki or be a completionist of the highest order just to get through a game, and I sure as hell don’t think you should have to hack through ninety-eight thousand miles of sweet fuck all in order to get through everything. And yet, that’s exactly what you have to do most of the time in Inquisition. A friend of mine put it best - I like the game that’s buried under the busywork. It just means I have to really be in the mood for the busywork before I can pick up a playthrough again, so it generally takes months to finish one, because I set it aside for weeks on end until I feel like pushing through.

Suffice to say that I finally finished most of a playthrough with an elven mage, something I haven’t really done since my nearly abortive first spoiler-free playthrough when it first came out. In that one, I didn’t get half the loyalty missions done, I never locked in the romance with Cullen I was after (which I think meant I was one of the first in my Tumblr circle to discover that Josephine turns up to offer a friendly shoulder if your Inquisitor’s single during that whole thing in the Winter Palace) ... and Trespasser wasn’t even a thing at that point. I’ve finished Jaws of Hakkon and Descent (I always do that before endgame, even if I don’t want to bring Solas, because I like being heavily overlevelled when I kick Corypheus’ ass - I KILLED HIM ONCE AS HAWKE AND REALLY RESENT HAVING TO DO IT AGAIN; FUCK’S SAKE, COULD WE PLEASE HAVE FINAL BOSSES STAY DEAD?!? DO NOT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE END OF ABSOLUTION), and I’ve only got Trespasser to go. I don’t know what the Fade sections of that look like for an elven Inquisitor ... and I hear rumours about a Cullen wedding before everything goes to the “Dead Qunari” place. I loved the Sera wedding, and I will admit to loving the whole thing where, at the end of the main game, the advisors bow and then Cullen is, “Okay, don’t care if we’re supposed to be dignified and official, I AM HUGGING YOU NOW”, so I’m looking forward to the culmination of that ... even as I hope he’s still surrounded by mabari puppies. (I may dislike Greg Ellis immensely, but I’m not taking that out on a very well-written character who Ellis just happens to voice.)

Honestly, I am still of the opinion that Dragon Age 2 should have been the open world free-for-all and Inquisition should have had a similar (if at least slightly less copy/pasted) structure to Dragon Age 2. I would have been happy to traverse ninety-eight thousand miles of sweet fuck all with Hawke because frankly that’s what Hawke was about, particularly in the first act - trying desperately to make ends meet in Kirkwall as a refugee. Hawke’s story was a sprawling thing where they ended up in the right (or wrong) place at the right (or wrong) time to be pivotal to changing the world, and wandering around doing random grindy shit is part of that. Whereas an Inquisitor should be getting letters at all hours telling them to go to a rather less huge area to fix a thing. Isn’t it funny how, while Dragon Age 2 was the rushed game of the two, Inquisition is the one that leaves you spending a lot of time poking through the turnip and wondering where the meat is, and being told you can’t  have your dessert until you eat at least most of said turnip? DA2 just has the higher story-to-faff ratio, when it feels like that should have gone the other way.

I have hopes for DA4. (No, I am not calling it that idiotic name; Dread Wolf is two words anyway.) I don’t know how high they are, but I have them. There’s the meat of a good game in the stew that is Inquisition, once you get through the turnip. I just hope they fix the story-to-faff ratio in DA4, is all.

[euphorial-docx]

anyway i could get any jewish regulus snipbits from literally any of ur work i gotta live up to my user somehow 😋 i love ur work btw reading fade into you made me cry actually

ok i have 2!!

these snippets are pretty simple, but if there’s anything at all to correct, or even elaborate on, please share it with me if you want! even if it’s to say “that’s not exactly accurate” or “my favorite part of this holiday is x,” i’d love to hear feedback!

opev:

Andromeda notices his presence first and sends him a smile, and he smiles back the best he can as he slides his way over to her.

“Ciao,” he greets, and his eyes immediately gravitate to the plate of latkes sitting beside her, his interest piqued. “Posso?”

“Certamente,” Andromeda says as she nudges the plate in his direction, and he doesn’t need to be told twice to take one. “Ah Freilichen Chanukah.”

“Anche a te.”

Regulus hooks an arm around her and places a firm kiss on her cheek. Andromeda hugs him back, of course, and pecks his cheek as they pull away.

diurne:

I’ve been thinking. About the baby, you know? About how we’re going to raise him.”

Regulus shifted on the couch. “Is this because of my mother? Don’t listen to her, okay? I know that’s easier said than done, but it’s not up to her and I won’t let it be up to her.”

“I know, I know. I’m definitely not taking her opinions into account. I only care about yours,” James told him. “I just wanted to tell you what I’ve been thinking about. About it.”

“Okay,” Regulus warily said.

“You know that I’m not really religious,” James started, and the pause went on for a little too long before Regulus realized he was supposed to say something.

“Yeah.”

“And you are.”

“I guess I am.”

“I think that, if you want to raise our kid in Judaism, then I’d be more than okay with that. Whatever you want to raise him in, I want that too.”

“Really?” asked Regulus.

It’s not that Regulus expected James to resent the idea or anything, but he didn’t expect James to actively seek this conversation out. He thought James would just shrug and say ‘sure’ if Regulus ever brought it up.

“Yeah,” James reconfirmed with the casual shrug Regulus had predicted. “I mean, maybe we could also do that multi-cultural thing, you know? Like maybe we could still do some Christmasy stuff, because you know I love Christmas, but also do all of your stuff too, if that’s what you want.”

Regulus couldn’t help but smile. “I’d like that.”

“Good. Great.” James smiled back.

[suugrbunz]

Hi! Can I request a MOTA ship please? I prefer they/them or she/her. I am probably grey aroace/demi but I don’t really like labels. Basically it takes me awhile to feel attracted to someone. I have to get to know them first.

(Enneagram 8w9, MBTI is supposedly INTJ but I’m not entirely sure on that one)

I like working out and being active (weightlifting, muay thai, hiking, etc). Im a historian and although I love all history I have a niche interest in things like arms and armour, military history and the Viking Age. I’ve got kinda an edgy style (all black all the time and tattoos) and I like horror movies and metal music. I’m sarcastic but people seem to like my dry humour. I can be very opinionated but I won’t really bother telling you my opinions unless I think it’s worth my time. Im pretty independent and don’t really like big parties or crowds. I’d rather just do my own thing or occasionally hang with a few friends. Although I may be slow to trust others I’m still polite and respectful to everyone until someone does something to earn my anger. And if you can get in my good books I’m extremely loyal and I will look out for you. I do have a softer side that likes to bake and cook for people or general acts of service/gift giving to show love.

I guess I need someone who is willing to put in a little effort to get to know me. I really appreciate when it becomes clear to me that someone pays attention and remembers the little things about me. (Not everyone puts in that kind of care and it’s a huge turn off.) I’d love to have someone who I can talk to for hours about all sorts of topics. I’m attracted to a different kinds of people and qualities but I’d prefer a male ship. Anyway thank you so much for this! I know ships can be fun but also kinda tiring so you’re a real one 🖤

hi!! so this took forever because my mother's chronic illness is worsening & I've been depressed. I am genuinely sorry for how long its taken me to get to this. I think I'll ship you with...

☆ Buck Clevens ☆

i feel like the easiest way you'd meet some would be through a mutual friend

he is curious of you solely because you're rough around the edges and he wants to figure out what's beneath that exterior

(Basically he's in it for the long haul)

slow burn !

probably takes several months before he feels like you'd accept him asking you on a date

I'd imagine it to be a calm date?

maybe going somewhere to pick out some records?

that sort of activity allows you to discuss anything you want to

whilst getting to know the other person's taste in music

he definitely won't mind your humour

(actually enjoys it)

first kiss?

again wait several months for this to occur!

but everything good is worth waiting for and he'll make sure it's one hell of a kiss

he kisses you after a really long day you've spent together (idk what you two were doing but you managed to spend the day together)

he kisses you right before he's about to leave because

"It just felt like the right time, didn't it?"

my friend keeps notes on things i do/do not like, he'd probably do the same for you

i feel like born to run by bruce springsteen would be a song you both might like?

you hear it on the radio and just sing together

[octerminal]

Avoiding the ME1 LI Romances

...And also what to do if you’ve already triggered them.

This is a post I’ve been wanting to remake forever, and with the remaster around the corner I thought now was a good time to finally get on it.

A few things first: I say “avoiding the ME1 LI romances”, but in reality this is mostly going to be about Kaidan and Ashley. While there are a few ways around Liara’s romance I’ve discovered, I have never been able to find a simple way to avoid triggering it. (I’ll get to that later.)

This post will be split into three sections: Kaidan, Ashley, and Liara. Kaidan and Ashley’s sections specifically will go over how to avoid triggering their romances entirely, and then the dialogue choices you need to take if you want to end the romance if it’s already been triggered. I have also included a few bonus things for the both of them, such as avoiding the flirting during the scenic view cutscene in the Citadel Wards. For Kaidan specifically, I have also included content about his mechanics in ME3.

Please note that most of these have been accomplished on console. I have gotten several PC users who do attest that, at the very least, Kaidan’s portion works for them. But on the off-chance that platform influences other parts of Kaidan’s, or Ashley and Liara’s, I thought it was worth mentioning. It should also be said that, obviously, these are all using the original games as a basis, though I am not expecting MELE to change any of this.

I will also be using both my Kaidan transcript and Ashley transcript as reference for their dialogue. I recommend following along there if you find Tumblr’s formatting confusing.

Final note before we begin: this post is not an open invitation to hate on any of these characters. ME1 is turning 14 this year and ME3 recently turned 9. Anything you have to say about these characters and their romance mechanics has already been beaten to death, brought back to life, and beaten to death again. No one wants to hear it, least of all me. Please keep your comments to yourself and be civil.

KAIDAN

“I WANT TO AVOID TRIGGERING IT ENTIRELY, WHAT DO I DO?”

Kaidan’s romance can be triggered after the first main mission has been completed. For many players, I imagine this is Therum, but it really doesn’t matter which mission it is.

Kaidan will prompt the conversation, as he will for every other post-main mission conversation so long as his romance remains active. This conversation will be about his time at Brain Camp. You can read the conversation in his transcript if you find it easier to follow along, though I have done my best to format this post as cleanly as possible.

KAIDAN: Commander, do you have a minute?

SHEPARD: (You can choose whatever dialogue option you want. It makes no difference yet.)

KAIDAN: Off the record, I think there’s something wrong here. This Saren is looking for records on some kind of galactic extinction, but we can’t get backup from the Council? Sorry, Commander. There’s writing on the wall here, but someone isn’t reading it.

SHEPARD: (Again, you may choose whatever dialogue option you want. It still makes no difference yet.)

>FIRST CHANCE TO AVOID THE ROMANCE<

KAIDAN: I hear ya. It - It just seems like a group that’s been around as long as the Council should see this coming. It’s funny. We finally get out here and the final frontier was already settled. And the residents don’t even seem impressed by the view...or the dangers.

SHEPARD (Renegade - Zip it, Lieutenant.): I’m sure your letters home are very poignant. Just keep this kind of sentimentality out of the CIC.

KAIDAN: Yes, ma’am. Sorry to have wasted your time. I’m right about the mission, though. I know it. (The conversation will end here and his romance will not trigger.)

>SECOND CHANCE TO AVOID THE ROMANCE<

SHEPARD (Paragon - Cute way to look at it./Neutral - An old-fashioned view.): Well, well. You’re a romantic. Did you sign on “for the dream,” Alenko? Secure man’s future in space?

KAIDAN: Heh, yeah, I read a lot of those books when I was a kid. Where the hero goes to space to prove himself worthy of a woman he loves. Or, you know. For justice. Maybe I was a romantic in the beginning. But I thought about it after Brain Camp - ah, sorry, “Biotic Acclimation and Temperance training.” I’m not looking for “the dream.” I just want to do some good. See what’s out here. Sorry if I got too informal. Protocol wasn’t a big focus back in BAaT.

SHEPARD (Renegade - Just be ready.): I trust you won’t have any questions when whatever’s coming hits the fan?

KAIDAN: None. I’m not questioning the mission. I’m just concerned. Sorry to have wasted your time, ma’am. It won’t happen again. (The conversation will end here and his romance will not trigger.)

The final chance to cut off Kaidan’s romance before it triggers happens after Shepard asks him about Brain Camp. This opens up a lot of investigation options and you may exhaust all of them. If you want to avoid hearing Kaidan imply that he thinks your Shepard is attractive, avoid the “Time to talk, then./Time to “get physical,” then.” investigation options. Once Kaidan is done speaking about Brain Camp, you will get one final chance to avoid his romance.

>THIRD CHANCE TO AVOID THE ROMANCE<

KAIDAN: Anyway. This was supposed to be a casual debrief, not a bull session about stuff that happened years ago.

SHEPARD (Renegade - You’re right.): I pretty much gave up waiting for the good part.

KAIDAN: Bad habit, ma’am. I do tend to run off at the mouth. I will work on it for my next review. Sorry to have wasted your time, ma’am. It won’t happen again. (The conversation ends and his romance does not trigger.)

You will notice all of these are renegade options. There is literally no way around this if you want to avoid triggering Kaidan’s romance. You don’t get any renegade points from them, and Kaidan does not treat you negatively in the ensuing post-main mission talks.

Here is an easy way to tell if Kaidan’s romance remains active. Conversations between him and Shepard will end like this:

SHEPARD: We’ll talk later, Kaidan.

KAIDAN: I’d like that.

“I’VE ALREADY TRIGGERED IT, HOW DO I GET OUT OF THIS?”

The good news is that getting out of the romance is fairly simple. The game gives you a lot of opportunities before it triggers the love triangle with Liara (assuming her romance has also been triggered, anyway).

If Kaidan’s romance was triggered, you will have an opportunity at the beginning of his second and third post-main mission talks. These are a bit more complex to transcribe, so I really recommend just reading them in my transcription if you need the exact dialogue options to understand.

But the gist: You can’t go wrong with choosing the renegade dialogue options. This is always the dialogue option that will end his romance. You are almost never going to end his romance with a paragon or neutral dialogue option. He will always prompt this conversation by wondering if he’s gotten his signals mixed up, if there’s someone else you’d rather spend time with, if he’s being too casual, etc. Once he does this, just shoot him down with a renegade dialogue option.

Again: you get no renegade points from this. He will not treat you negatively in the ensuing post-main mission talks.

Here is an example. This one occurs in his second post-main mission talk if Liara’s romance hasn’t been triggered:

KAIDAN: I’m just saying...try to leave yourself a way out. I’ve seen what cutting corners can do and I’d hate to have that happen to you, Shepard. Commander.

SHEPARD (Renegade - I don’t need approval.): I’m your commanding officer, Alenko. Are you questioning the way I handle things?

KAIDAN: No, Commander. Just concerned about the reception of the brass if things go sour. I apologize for bringing it up. I know we’re getting the job done.

SHEPARD: (You can choose whatever response you like; they all lead to the romance ending.)

If you have repeatedly not broken off the romance with Kaidan after a certain point and Liara’s romance is also active, it will trigger the love triangle scene. This is one of the last points you have to break off Kaidan’s romance, but it will lock you into Liara’s romance instead. If you are wanting a no-romance run, I recommend choosing one of the other options instead.

There is also a separate way to end the romance outside these three opportunities. In the third post-main mission talk, you must pick the dialogue option that triggers the argument that can “renegade” Kaidan’s opinion on the Council. You must not choose the charm or intimidate option here, and you must then pick the renegade dialogue options. The conversation should go like this:

KAIDAN: So yeah, I hated that turian. But he wasn’t “a turian” to me. He was Vyrnnus.

SHEPARD (Renegade - All turians are the same.): You can’t deny the turians are imperialists. And the asari, the salarians - they’re manipulators.

KAIDAN: Shepard, I outgrew the blame game years ago. If the Alliance is missing its chance, it’s because of men like Udina. Not the rest of the galaxy holding it back.

SHEPARD (Renegade - I’m not so sure.): When anyone out here listens to us, the Council starts up with their treaties and heel-dragging. We can only rely on ourselves.

KAIDAN: We’re not doing the galaxy any favors if we try to force our way into a seat at the grown-up table. They aren’t - malicious. They’re just slow to change. My story doesn’t get any better if Vyrnnus is a good guy.

SHEPARD (Renegade - Whose side are you on?): I don’t need you kissing the Council’s asses, too.

KAIDAN: Look, Shepard. You’re in command, and we’ll all follow your lead. But don’t ream me out for having an opinion. I thought we respected each other more than that.

SHEPARD (Renegade - I can’t respect this.): I can’t believe you’d side with aliens over your own kind. I think we’re done here.

KAIDAN: Yeah, I think we are. It’s--It’s too bad we...It’s just too bad, Commander.

This argument will end his romance. He will also not be renegaded. This is obviously a much more convoluted way to end his romance, but I’m throwing the option out there because it’s 1) hilarious, and 2) way more dramatic, if you want to roleplay ending the romance for whatever reason.

MISCELLANEOUS

Depending on the dialogue options you take for the scenic view on the Citadel, Kaidan will always flirt with you. This does not lock you into, or even trigger, his romance. It is entirely possible to not have him flirt with you at all in this scene, and still initiate the romance later. But if you do not want him to flirt with you, simply do this:

[image ID: ME1’s subtitles showing Ashley saying “Or maybe they just don’t like humans.” with the dialogue wheel below it giving the following dialogue choices, starting from the top: “What’s not to like?”, “Let’s move out.”, and “That’s enough, you two.” end ID]

When you get to this part of the scenic view cutscene, choose any dialogue option but the top “What’s not to like?” one.

Also, even if you’ve already avoided or shut down Kaidan’s romance, Liara will still ask if there’s something between the two of you if her romance is active. Tell her that there isn’t (because there isn’t). Her saying this does not re-trigger Kaidan’s romance.

Congratulations, you have now survived ME1’s romance mechanics. Enjoy experiencing unromanced Kaidan for the rest of the game.

ME3 BONUS: “OKAY, WHAT ABOUT HIM FLIRTING WITH ME IN THE HOSPITAL THOUGH?”

I have tested both of these personally multiple times and they have always worked for me, but again: see my warning about different platforms at the beginning of this post. If it doesn’t work for you, please let me know.

If you have not romanced Kaidan previously: don’t buy him the alcohol as a present. That’s it.

If you have romanced Kaidan previously: on Mars, tell him your relationship is over. It is a renegade dialogue option, but it is necessary to avoid the flirtation in the hospital. This route also means that you can buy him the alcohol and he will still not flirt with you.

Please note that going renegade on Mars does not lock you out of his romance. It merely prevents him from assuming you’re interested during your hospital visit.

ME3 BONUS: “OKAY, WHAT ABOUT HIS APOLLO’S PROPOSITION THOUGH?”

This only happens if you have not locked in your romance with your preferred love interest first. For Garrus, this is the bottle shooting date. For Tali and Traynor, it’s inviting her up to your cabin. For Liara and Miranda, it’s her Presidium date. So on and so forth.

This means there is no way around it if you romanced Jacob or Thane and do not want to pursue a different romance after them. If you do get this scene: again, just turn him down. It is never brought up again. He does not act like he’s in love with you going forth. You will get his unromanced date in the Citadel DLC, as well as his unromanced London goodbye.

ASHLEY

“I WANT TO AVOID TRIGGERING IT ENTIRELY, WHAT DO I DO?”

Ashley’s romance can be triggered after the first main mission has been completed. For many players, I imagine this is Therum, but it really doesn’t matter which mission it is.

Ashley will prompt the conversation, as she will for every other post-main mission conversation so long as her romance remains active. This conversation will be about her concerns about the aliens aboard the Normandy.

Note: Ashley has one less opportunity to avoid triggering her romance in the first post-main mission talk compared to Kaidan. You may also read the conversation in her transcript if you find it easier to follow along, though I have done my best to format this post as cleanly as possible.

ASHLEY: Commander. You have a minute to talk?

SHEPARD: (You can choose whatever dialogue option you want. It makes no difference yet.)

ASHLEY: I know things are different aboard the Normandy, but - I'm concerned about the aliens. Vakarian and Wrex. With all due respect, Commander, should they have full access to the ship?

SHEPARD: (Again, you can choose whatever dialogue option you want. It still makes no difference yet.)

>FIRST CHANCE TO AVOID THE ROMANCE<

ASHLEY: This is the most advanced ship in the Alliance Navy. I don't think we should give them free reign to poke around the vital systems. Engines. Sensors. Weapons.

SHEPARD (Side - You're out of line!): That's enough, Chief. You always second-guess your superiors?

ASHLEY: Sir! No, sir! I'm sorry. I was out of line. I'll get back to my duties, Commander. (The conversation will end and her romance will not trigger.)

If you do not pick the above option, Ashley will elaborate her stance further until you get to the dialogue wheel with the second (and final) chance to avoid her romance.

>SECOND CHANCE TO AVOID THE ROMANCE<

ASHLEY: My family's defended the Alliance since it was founded. My father, my grandfather, my great-grandmother - they all picked up a rifle and swore the Oath of Service. I guess we just tend to think of Earth's interests as our own.

SHEPARD (Renegade - Just shut up.): I expect you to keep your family politics to yourself, Chief. The mission will be difficult enough without you picking fights with aliens.

ASHLEY: Aye, aye, Commander. (The conversation will end and her romance will not trigger.)

Note: You can still pick the investigation dialogue options that discusses her service and family history. You just have to pick the renegade dialogue option outlined above afterward, instead of any other option.

Like with Kaidan, you do not get any renegade points for picking this option and Ashley does not treat you negatively in the ensuing post-main mission talks.

Here is an easy way to tell if Ashley’s romance remains active. Conversations between her and Shepard will end with the following:

SHEPARD: We'll talk later, Williams.

ASHLEY: Looking forward to it, sir.

“I’VE ALREADY TRIGGERED IT, HOW DO I GET OUT OF THIS?”

Admittedly, you have fewer easy opportunities to end Ashley’s romance than you do Kaidan’s, and most of the early game ones require Liara’s romance also being active. You are still offered multiple different opportunities out before the game ends, however.

If Ashley and Liara’s romances are both triggered, you will have an opportunity at the beginning of Ashley’s second and third post-main mission talks to end the romance. The gist is the same as Kaidan’s: You can’t go wrong with choosing the renegade dialogue options. This is always the dialogue option that will end her romance. You are almost never going to end her romance with a paragon or neutral dialogue option. She will always prompt this conversation by bringing up your relationship with Liara. Once she does this, just shoot her down.

Again: you get no renegade points from this. She will not treat you negatively in the ensuing post-main mission talks.

In both the second and third post-main mission talks, the conversation will go something like:

ASHLEY: Surprised to see you here, sir. Thought you’d be chatting up what’s-her-name. T’Soni.

SHEPARD: (Pick the neutral or renegade dialogue option here; they both lead to the same dialogue branch.)

ASHLEY: Scuttlebutt says you’ve got a bit of a thing for her. I could understand why. The crew’s off-limits, with the regs against fraternization. And at least she looks like a woman.

SHEPARD: (Pick the neutral or renegade dialogue option here. They both end the romance.)

One of the easier exceptions to this that doesn't require Liara’s romance being active is in the second post-main mission talk when Ashley gets Sarah’s vid-mail. It will go like this:

SARAH: - Oh, before I go. You said you’re serving with Commander Shepard now? We saw him on the news here. He’s cute! Later, sis.

ASHLEY: Tell me you didn’t hear that.

SHEPARD (Renegade - That’s unprofessional.): I don’t need to tell you it’s inappropriate to gossip about how “cute” your commanding officer is.

ASHLEY: No, sir. You don’t. Sorry about that. It won’t happen again. (Conversation and romance ends.)

Please note, however, that this will lock you out of the remainder of the conversation and you will not learn about Ashley’s family.

If you have repeatedly not broken off the romance with Ashley after a certain point and Liara’s romance is also active, it will trigger the love triangle scene. This is one of the last points you have to break off Ashley’s romance, but it will lock you into Liara’s romance instead. If you are wanting a no-romance run, I recommend choosing one of the other options instead.

There is also a separate way to end the romance outside these three opportunities. In the third post-main mission talk, you must pick the dialogue option that triggers the argument that can “paragon” Ashley’s opinion on the Council. You must not choose the charm or intimidate option here, and you must then pick the renegade dialogue options. The conversation should go something like this:

ASHLEY: But hey, once we save the galaxy, maybe the Alliance will get its act together. Start acting like an actual government.

SHEPARD (Paragon - The Alliance is all right.): The Alliance isn’t perfect, but it does well enough.

ASHLEY: Have to disagree with you there, skipper. Giving aliens the run of our most advanced ship? Kowtowing to the Council?

SHEPARD (Paragon - It’s not like that.): The Alliance should be able to stand on is own. We can’t. Yet. Why not learn from the races that have been standing for the last thousand years?

ASHLEY: How can you say that, given everything we’ve seen out here? They’re already acting like Saren is our problem. Already siccing us on the bear. The Council races will always think of themselves first. It’s - human nature. We can’t afford to trust them. Not if the survival of humanity is on the line.

SHEPARD (Renegade - I’ve heard enough.): Whatever feelings I might have for you, we have to work with the Council. I can’t let you second-guess our superiors.

ASHLEY: Shepard, I’m a soldier. You’re my commander. If you give me an order, I’ll follow it. I don’t expect you to treat me differently from anyone else under your command. And if you have been - quit it. I thought you knew me better than that.

SHEPARD (Renegade - Do I?): Seems like every time we run up against aliens, you whip out the “Earth first” card. I can’t have my authority undermined.

ASHLEY: I never intended to “undermine” you, Shepard. I believe in you. I wish you’d believe in anyone but yourself. With your permission, sir, I’ll return to my duties.

This argument will end her romance. She will also not be paragoned. This is obviously a much more convoluted way to end her romance, but I’m throwing the option out there because it’s 1) hilarious (that final line, oof), and 2) way more dramatic, if you want to roleplay ending the romance for whatever reason.

MISCELLANEOUS

Like with Kaidan, depending on the dialogue options you take for the scenic view on the Citadel, Ashley will always flirt with you. This does not lock you into, or even trigger, her romance. It is entirely possible to not have her flirt with you at all in this scene, and still initiate the romance later. But if you do not want her to flirt with you, simply do this:

[image ID: ME1’s subtitles showing Ashley saying “Or maybe they just don’t like humans.” with the dialogue wheel below it giving the following dialogue choices, starting from the top: “What’s not to like?”, “Let’s move out.”, and “That’s enough, you two.” end ID]

When you get to this part of the scenic view cutscene, choose any dialogue option but the top “What’s not to like?” one.

Also like with Kaidan, even if you’ve already avoided or shut down Ashley’s romance, Liara will still ask if there’s something between the two of you if her romance is active. Tell her that there isn’t (because there isn’t). Her saying this does not re-trigger Ashley’s romance.

Congratulations, you have now survived ME1’s romance mechanics. Enjoy experiencing unromanced Ashley for the rest of the game.

LIARA

“I WANT TO AVOID TRIGGERING IT ENTIRELY, WHAT DO I DO?”

As I mentioned in the beginning of this post, I have found no easy way around Liara’s romance. If anyone else has, I genuinely mean it when I say I would absolutely be open to you telling me, because I would love to know.

The only way to avoid triggering Liara’s romance that I have found are the following:

Simply not talking to her for most of the game (not ideal)

Completing Therum only after you’ve done at least two main missions (also not ideal since it will require Noveria being completed without her)

Completing Therum only after all the other main missions have been completed (again not ideal, though every player should at least do this once if only for the unique content you get from it)

Okay, so what if you want to complete Therum first but still avoid Liara’s romance? I have found one way to accomplish this, but it requires you to be in a romance with Kaidan (or presumably Ashley, but I have only tested this with Kaidan).

After you recruit Liara, you may check up on her in the med-bay but do not initiate conversation after that. If she prompts you by saying, “I get the feeling you want to ask me something, Commander,” do not pick the yellowed dialogue option:

[image ID: ME1′s subtitles showing Liara saying, “I get the feeling you want to ask me something, Commander.” with the dialogue wheel showing the following options: “Investigate”, a yellowed option above “Investigate” labeled “I’d like to talk about you.”, and “Goodbye.” end ID.]

After you complete another main mission, you can check back in with Liara and speak to her normally. This conversation should be the one you’d normally get after Therum, where you learn about why she likes archaeology and how she finds Shepard fascinating.

After you complete another main mission, you must talk to Kaidan or Ashley first. To clarify: at this point you should be at the post-third main mission mark. For Kaidan, you will be getting the “Vyrnnus and Rahna” talk that you can read in his transcript; for Ashley, you will be getting the “Williams Curse” talk that you can read in her transcript.

After you speak with Kaidan or Ashley, you may speak with Liara as normal. This conversation should be picking up on where you left off last time. Liara will talk about how she’s looked into Shepard’s history and Shepard can press her for why she’s so interested in them. Liara should then say something like the following lines:

LIARA: I admit, your connection to the Protheans had something to do with my initial interest. But it has grown beyond that. My interest in you, however, is strictly professional. I want to make that clear. It is obvious you and Lt. Alenko already have some type of relationship. I would not want to come between you.

Her romance will not trigger for the rest of the game.

Please note: Again, I have only tested this with Kaidan. But it should, in theory, work the exact same for Ashley considering many of hers and Kaidan’s other romance mechanics are identical.

“THAT’S NICE, BUT HOW DO I END HER ROMANCE IF IT’S ALREADY TRIGGERED?”

You will follow the same steps as in Kaidan and Ashley’s portions. When she prompts you with whether or not there’s anything between the two of you, you must turn her down. You can never go wrong with the renegade dialogue options here. Again: you get no renegade points for it, and Liara treats you no differently going forth.

She will also usually bring up Kaidan or Ashley depending on what Shepard you are playing, and mention that it seems like there’s something between the two of you even when you do not have their romance active. If you aren’t romancing the VS, just tell her that she’s got it wrong, because...she does. It does not re-trigger either of their romances.

YES I AM ALMOST DONE TALKING

The game really does give you ample opportunities to avoid or end the romances (which is only fair considering how easy they are to trip), so hopefully I have outlined at least one you are comfortable taking.

There are other ways to end both Kaidan and Ashley’s romance that I did not mention (such as during the locker scene, or if you try to un-paragon/renegade) - the point of no return you mainly have to worry about is en route to Ilos. I imagine most players will have their romances sorted out by then, though, so I’m not sure it’s worth mentioning unless you’re wanting to do it purely for roleplay reasons. (In which case: you may read those in their respective transcripts if you’re curious.)

I cannot say I have tested every single romance cut-off, but I have tested most of the important ones players are most likely to take. I am assuming the romances are cut off based on the fact Shepard and the VS’ farewells will change depending on their romanced status (as I outlined in their respective sections), which I do feel is a safe bet. But if you try one of these and find that it did not end the romance: I’m sorry, and please do let me know (and also what platform you play on).

If you read all of this: thank you for your time, and I hope you find this guide useful!