#feelings without words

[feral4fiktion]

Just a little fluff and Rookanis unable to express feelings through words.

Cioccolata Calda (914 words) by Feral4Fiktion Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Dragon Age: The Veilguard (Video Game) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Lucanis Dellamorte/Rook Characters: Lucanis Dellamorte, Emmrich Volkarin, Davrin (Dragon Age), Rook (Dragon Age), Evka, Antoine (Dragon Age) Additional Tags: can't verbalize feelings Summary: Set after that one comment from Mila where she tells her dad "Rook's Crow Friend" gifted her some of her fav drink.

914 words

nogender!Rook x Lucanis

Cioccolata Calda

Rook nearly ran through the Eluvian, pausing only long enough to let Evka know they were leaving, but would check in soon in a huff of breath so fast the poor woman hardly had time to look up upon hearing it before the elf was gone. Her companions were a few more steps behind, but not in near as much of a rush as Rook had seemed to be in.

“What’s that about? Did something happen?” She questioned Davrin, who had already stopped to give a full report before he realized Rook had left him and Emmrich already.

“No idea…everything was normal when we walked up, right?” He glanced at an equally confused Emmrich.

“Yes…nothing out of the ordinary, I don’t think. Although…” He glanced behind him, “They did pause a half step when Mila spoke with her father…something about cioccolata calda?”

The two held a gaze for a moment, analyzing what was said before a clear understanding reached them both at once.

Davrin chuckled dryly as he shrugged. “All he has to do is open his eyes, much less do something nice for someone.”

“Indeed. The hearts strings tug tighter when pulled by a kind hand, though.” Emmrich replied, his eyes shimmering with something like wistfullness as he gazed in the direction their leader had gone.

“Well, since we didn’t get any, how about I treat you to some gingerwort truffle tea? I hear good things.” Davrin lightly nudged the tall man’s arm and started heading toward the Eluvian.

“Perhaps a taste, purely for academia, but I’m afraid Rook has quite frightened me off the drink.” Emmrich chuckled but followed.

“What was that about truffle tea?” Antoine finally turned from what he’d been fiddling on the table with after a slight pause.

“No idea. At this point I’ve stopped trying to make sense of that group, and just go with whatever.” Evka shrugged with a rueful grin, but paused when Antoine looked at her thoughtfully.

“I borrowed a recipe book from the professor recently…it had a truffle tea in it that sounded…interesting.”

“Oh…If you want we could try it?” Evka looked at him uncertainly, but Antoine met her with a sly grin.

“Of course, perhaps tonight, in the Sheltered Glade?”

Back in the Lighthouse, most of the companions were off doing other things, or working diligently on their own projects, which was fine for Rook because there was only one person they wanted to see.

Before opening the doors to the kitchen Rook could already smell a fresh batch of coffee, stronger than most people might like, but lately everyone had started to appreciate it. And right now, Rook was appreciating the man hovered around the fireplace, steaming cup already in hand.

“Rook! You’re back early…I made this pot strong, I can make another more…drinkable…if you like.” He turned just enough to gift Rook a small smile, while also checking them over for any injuries sustained while he wasn’t around to protect them. His smile widened when he found them completely unharmed.

“Thank you, Lucanis. But I came for something stronger than coffee.” This earned Rook a full turn with a furrowed brow. His eyes flickered to a spot just over Rook’s shoulder for a moment, but apparently Spite hadn’t offered anything helpful.

“What could be stronger than coffee?” He finally asked. Rook grinned at the edge of disbelief in his voice that anything could be stronger than his precious bean water.

They approached calmly, not hurrying anymore now that the assassin’s eyes followed their every movement, maybe slightly on edge, but much less so than he used to be when someone got close.

If he looked overly wary as Rook stopped before him, neither said anything as Rook slowly raised their arms just high enough to wrap around his waist and pull their body closer to his. With a deep breath and their head pressed gently into his shoulder, still moving slowly enough to give him time to move away if he wanted, the two stayed there for a long moment before Rook pulled away just enough to meet his suddenly impossibly wide brown eyes.

“There. That should keep me going for a while.” Rook smirked. “Thanks Lucanis.” Then they stepped away fully, turning to see what he’d already set out for dinner.

Lucanis had frozen with one arm slightly raised…maybe he’d been working up the courage to pull Rook closer into the hug? He wasn’t sure himself as he watched them grab a slice of toast, still reeling from what they’d said.

“Mila liked the cioccolata calda, by the way,” Rook stated before sitting in their usual seat at the head of the table. Lucanis sputtered for a moment, not sure where that comment had come from, and unable to stop a small flush from heating his cheeks. He hadn’t told anyone about his gift to the girl, but the warmth in Rook’s voice (with just an edge of that teasing lilt they’d picked up from Neve), obviously made him want to deny anything.

“She’s been through a lot.” He turned back to the little kitchen, wanting to busy his hands, and not notice the smile that was following him. “And she saved our lives. It’s nothing.”

There was a beat of silence as he stirred the pasta currently cooking in the pot. Just over the sound of the sauce starting to boil came an almost whispered: “It’s everything, to me.”

[milkamel]

I don't think this guy is good at handling any kind of affection let's be real 🙏

[lilyflxwers]

sources: ophelia, act IV, scene V // traci brimhall, dear eros // unknown // suzanne scanlone, promising young women // destiny, fieldplates gauntlets // camille rankine, emergency management // fatima aamer bilal, being unwanted is a language // unknown

[starry-bi-sky]

on a completely separate note; shizun luo binghe with a disciple shen yuan who fell into the abyss??? *thinks about LBH canonically stealing SQQ's corpse for 5 years* he'd hallucinate i think. like, like visual and audial hallucinations.

Keeps thinking he's seeing SQQ in the corner of his eyes, or wandering between the trees, amongst a group of disciples. Thinks he hears him calling for him, but its just the wind or another disciple.

Gets Xiu Ya reforged but patently fucking refuses to make a sword mound. Because his disciple Is Not Dead :))) There was No Body. He's Not Dead. And If You keep Insisting That He Is, He's Gonna Skewer You :). He's holding onto Xiu Ya so he can return his most favored disciple's sword when he returns. It's on his hip right next to Zheng Yang where it's supposed to be.

Also this motherfucker?? does not sleep btw. He has the image of SQQ, wide eyed and hysterical and standing at the mouth of the abyss burned into his fucking eyelids. Can't use the dreamscape to escape it either because he keeps trying to save him and either he does and it's an incredibly cruel trick to wake up to, or he doesn't and he gets his heart broken in several different pieces again.

There is no convincing this man that Shen Qingqiu is dead. Absolutely nothing at all. He is buried so deep in denial that moles would be jealous of how deep he is. He keeps making tea for two in the bamboo house only to remember that it's just him. SQQ's fans are hiding everywhere, little reminders of his presence. He goes to wake up SQQ on the mornings he sleeps in-- only to find the room empty.

[dramaism]

S05E14 Crush S06E15 As You Were Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)

[lucabyte]

Different standards

[readingandbooking]

No one understands Jiang Cheng like I do except that’s the point. Jiang Cheng’s character is only truly understandable by the reader. And you have to make an effort. The narration fights you at every turn. The characters themselves aren’t interested in doing any heavy lifting. Wei Wuxian is too tired and hurt. Lan Wangji can’t let himself see anything but the mirror of his failure. There is no convenient Wen Ning to blurt out the truth for him. None see him clearly. There is only Jiang Cheng, his words, and his actions.

[clumsypuppy]

horrible truth bomb dropped on my head 20 min ago

[windydrawallday]

NOT OKAY TODAY / WORTHY

The comic I wanted to post was the last art of 2024, but because of a sudden power outage, it is now a hybrid that started the "past year" and finished on New Year's Day. The text is not mine! This beautiful poem belongs to the author Jarod K. Anderson, who writes about themes such as mental illness and how one can cope with the aid of nature's lessons. I found this poem on Pinterest when I was trying to distract myself from recent awful moments, and it resonated with me deeply. It reminded me how GOOD I felt when helping people I care about by listening to their doubts, when I treated them well, or when we shared ideas together etc. And it became MORE meaningful when I was the one in need of that help... and these people reached without hesitation 💝. You really get what you give! This poem reminded me my kindness is always worthy to be shared. I wished to portray it in the form of art for everyone who needed to read it too!

I hope this New Year brings more kindness to everyone 💞

Special mention to these peeps who brought me so many sweet moments, who let me be silly, who let me babble about art or vent together about adulting stuff: LUV U ALL TO THE MOON AND BACK AAA 🐾

@grinningghoulie @novalizinpeace @sildrae @ghostbulb @skullydrawsstuff @sug4r-melon @emisatea @frosty-tian @cometchasinglove @mariequitecontrary @spashahoney @nepetacataria-art @spiritshaydra @goobygnarp @ballpitbee @soothedcerberus @ninjakarkki @electricpez @akapen011 @lecanel @joonisstrange @tundra-tiger @lets-try-some-writing @myrablurple @ivycorp @confluencechimera @cerebrocentric-bullet @gelu-the-babosa-multiversal

IF I FORGOT SOMEONE SORRY! (... At which moment did this list grow? Life is made of many surprises)

[bepisode]

[baldursghaik]

"The greatest thing you ever saved me from was myself."

Like the companions, Thyneron was also "saved" by infection with an illithid tadpole. However, instead of a master or explosive orb, he was rescued from a life of mediocrity and depressive stagnation. Thyneron is a dreamer, but has always been much too afraid to act--at least until he was forced to. Growth is growth, right?

[snowcoming]

i love when people try to make bruce and jason's relationship cuter by making it sound like dick does NOT exist AT ALL like "batman's first son and he loved him" and "he would rather lose everybody than lose jason" like im pretty sure that bruce would prefer to lose neither dick nor jason but you know what you do you 💀😂

[egophiliac]

he's coming

I'M NOT READY

[allamaiqbaloo]

the untamed (2019) // sophocles, jean anouilh, trans. lewis galantiére: antigone

[inkprilled]

I'm going to be honest, I'm not happy. Instead I just am. Just here. Just there. I'm, just. I spent way too long picking the colours for this blog instead of cleaning my house, I spent way too long worrying over my poems instead of worrying over the bills, I spent way too long writing about things that have happened and not about what could. I reply with flowers under comments because I'm worried I'll sound too blunt without them, but sometimes it feels fake, because I'm not that person alone, I don't think in pretty colours, happiness doesn't bloom behind my eyelids in pinks and yellows. Instead my thoughts are blunt and apathy stuffs itself into my ears and covers my eyes. It encases me in a womb, and I'm just waiting to be reborn. Into what exactly I don't know, just more awake I hope, less rotting in bed and more laughing in a field somewhere.

[ao3commentoftheday]

While looking for something else, I found an old ask I answered about "ideal chapter length" in terms of word count.

I've been asked this probably a dozen or more times, and each time I need to take a moment and adjust my thinking to take the asker's point of view into account. Because the thing is? The only time I ever try to factor the word count into how I write a story is when I'm aiming for a true drabble.

For whatever reason, this difference in thinking stuck with me today and I actually considered why that might be. And I think it's because I'm in my 40s and the first 25-30 years of my life, any stories I was reading were printed on paper and bound into physical books.

When I imagine a novel, I still think of a mass market paperback on my bookshelf. An average one would be maybe an inch thick, probably in the neighbourhood of 300 pages. A long one would be maybe as much as two inches thick and 500 or more pages long. A short one was always nice to have because it filled in the gaps in the shelf because 200 page books were so much narrower. Or so it seemed.

When I started posting my fic online, I still thought in terms of pages. I'd type them out in whatever word processing software I was using at the time, and I'd usually get a chapter's worth of ideas into 3 or 4 pages. Turns out that's about 1000 words, which makes sense with the number of 1000 word essays I wrote in high school. I'd been trained to encapsulate an idea into approximately that length.

And that's what it comes down to. The thing that always made that question seem weird to me. A chapter isn't about how many words there are in it, just like a cake isn't about how many cups of flour exist in each slice. A chapter is a an idea that helps make up a bigger idea called a story, and it needs to be however many words that idea needs to be to get it out.