#hank is interesting and i like him mostly for his dynamic with connor because I think theyre just hilarious in almost every interaction they

[ohio-thestate]

new hyperfixation incoming

[not-poignant]

Hi Pia!

I've been reading a bunch of your works over the last couple of months and I hope it's okay if I throw some thoughts/questions at you!

This feels really forward, but have you ever written anything with voyerism as a kink? And if not, do you have any interest in it? TIP is the most recent thing of yours that I've finished and that scene where Augus watched Mosk & Eran... hot. Twas very hot. I think about it a lot lol.

As for the Underline universe, how far into Blue and Gold are we? Like percentage/fraction-wise? Or is it still up in the air? I know we have an end in sight for Black now and it makes me wonder.

I'm so nervous about the next couple of chapters of Black. Gosh I love the fluff rn, but I am so scared for the whole Henton/Crielle mess to come back. I genuinely forgot that Henton was gonna be relevant and I looked at the tags recently and audibly went 'oh shit.' This is not a question, I just want you to know that I am Scared.

I have so many questions about Silver but I am trying to restrain myself bc I know you must keep your secrets. Just please know I think about them. Could I ask what Augus and Corbyn's ages are? I'm fairly certain they're not gonna be 80 but I work as a CNA and I've started thinking about their dynamic as a cute old couple at a facility and it makes me giggle a little.

If you're still doing the OC asks thing, would you do #10 for Arden? I know you've gotten multiple asks about him in Underline (which makes sense why you wouldn't want to put him there), but I'm curious if there's any other scenarios you'd want to put him in?

I'm the anon that asked for more about Caleb and I just. Am fighting demons not to literally put 1-25 for him (I love mean tops)(And he is still in his mean to faber stage)(will he ever not be? that's not a actual question) I just...his and fabers dynamic is my kind of hurt lol (i wonder how he'd feel about having a tiny fanclub?)(i can support his buisness pursuits or something)

Now that I look all of this over I am sorry but also not sorry this is probably overwhelming. Feel free to skip over whatever or answer some and come back to it. Just know I am thinking about your characters like... too many hours in the day. I need to get back to laundry lol

Whoa holy fucking questions batman!

I shall do my best anon I am intrigued

This feels really forward, but have you ever written anything with voyerism as a kink? And if not, do you have any interest in it? TIP is the most recent thing of yours that I've finished and that scene where Augus watched Mosk & Eran... hot. Twas very hot. I think about it a lot lol.

Voyeurism, yes! Particularly in one of the later chapters of The Beast that Chose Its Own Bridle where Felix and Murtagh watch a kink scene live, and Murtagh edges Felix during it, while quietly talking to him, until Felix is basically begging to come.

Otherwise I'm not writing it often mostly because many of the bottoms I write are either a) too insecure to perform for others or b) it's just not a direction the story is going in.

I don't really write exhibitionism at all, but there are elements of voyeurism around, Falling Falling Stars had some non-sexual and hints of voyeurism overall re: Efnisien, Kadek, and Arden.

I'm fairly certain the Strange Sights universe has elements of both (exhibitionism from Augus, voyeurism from Ash and Augus towards each other). Especially the follow-up sequel, where Ash asks Augus to masturbate for him.

Eversion probably has the most in terms of people watching Connor. In fact the very first time we ever see him in a sex scene, it's at a BDSM club where literally someone is just there to watch him get off, and he meets his dom while both of them watch someone else endure a flogging, and Connor is - similarly to Felix - played with while watching the scene. There's also the threesome between Luuk, Hank and Connor later, where it's clear that Hank and Luuk are both enjoying watching each other as well as Connor. So I would say Eversion probably has the most!

It's not something I write often, but it's around! (two of these fics are over at my thespectaclesofthor AO3 account!)

As for the Underline universe, how far into Blue and Gold are we? Like percentage/fraction-wise? Or is it still up in the air? I know we have an end in sight for Black now and it makes me wonder.

No idea re: Blue and Gold, though I know neither of them will be anywhere near as long as Black. To the point where I'm hoping to wrap up Blue and Gold around the chapter 35-45 mark. But hope is a fickle thing, and it could be earlier, could be later. They were never designed to be stories that had huge development arcs or anything, they're pretty much done once the characters have bonded successfully / shared a successful heat. Both stories end before Underline the Black starts in terms of in-world timeline!

I'm so nervous about the next couple of chapters of Black. Gosh I love the fluff rn, but I am so scared for the whole Henton/Crielle mess to come back. I genuinely forgot that Henton was gonna be relevant and I looked at the tags recently and audibly went 'oh shit.' This is not a question, I just want you to know that I am Scared.

You should be : )

I mean, it'll be fine!

Well, both of those things can be true, lol.

I have so many questions about Silver but I am trying to restrain myself bc I know you must keep your secrets. Just please know I think about them. Could I ask what Augus and Corbyn's ages are?

They're in their fifties! I haven't gotten exact ages on them yet, but I know that if Alois complains about being old around Corbyn, Corbyn is just going to smile tiredly at him.

If you're still doing the OC asks thing, would you do #10 for Arden?

10. What's an AU that would be interesting to explore with your OC?

Honestly, I feel like his story is "closed." I don't really know how to explain this, but with some of the characters I write, I hit a point where I just don't need to write them again. Eran is the same.

I think it's telling (to me) that in all the stories I'm writing after Falling Falling Stars, each one of them is literally revolving around *another* character that isn't Arden (whether it's Gwyn, or Kadek, or Dr Gary). That doesn't mean Arden isn't around, I just have no drive to tell a version of his story again.

Some characters stay open mentally, and others sort of mentally go into the 'I'm done' space. Gwyn and Augus took forever to kind of walk into the 'I'm done' space (and they're still not fully there)! - Arden was there immediately after Falling Falling Stars was over.

Also they kind of choose that space? I stay open generally because I like writing AUs a lot, so it's like a weird sense of like a character walking away from me, vs. me being like 'I'm tired of you.' Arden walked away! He was happy, lol. So I literally have zero other story ideas for Arden and I think he'd be mad at me for trying to think up any.

I'm the anon that asked for more about Caleb and I just. Am fighting demons not to literally put 1-25 for him (I love mean tops)(And he is still in his mean to faber stage)(will he ever not be? that's not a actual question) I just...his and fabers dynamic is my kind of hurt lol (i wonder how he'd feel about having a tiny fanclub?)(i can support his buisness pursuits or something)

Anon I promise you that you're not the only one who cares about Caleb!! Also I love this douche guy, can't wait to show more of him!

If you limit yourself to like 3 questions from the meme each time, you can send more asks! I still have a few to get to in general. :D

[until-another-one-comes]

New shipping chart yap sesh yayy

(thank you starryeyedstray for including 60)

rant below:

OTP:

- Hankcon. Best relationship in the whole game hands down. No explanation needed.

- RK1K. Actually the FIRST ship I loved when I joined the fandom. The enemies to lovers dynamic and the endless parallels between them drives me up the wall and the fanfics and fanarts are so lovely. How could I not adore them. I would kill for a DBH remake where they could interact more.

Loves:

- Reed800. Went from 'haha Gavin obviously has a crush on Connor and is mad about it lmao' to 'oh my God. Oh my God. Enemies to lovers. Slowburn. Angst with a happy ending-'

- RK1700/RK1600/RK1760. I only like RK1700 with Soft!Nines but besides that yeah the fanarts for any variation of these ships got to me.

Likes:

- Hankvin. Admittedly mostly through a horny hatefuck dynamic because the fanarts and fics for this ship are delicious butttt I also like the thought of Gavin having a one-sided crush on Hank before Cole's death.

- RK960. Slightly less than RK1700/RK1600 because its kind of rare to see JUST Nines and Sixty without Connor but they're pretty cute.

- Gavin/60. Kind of surprised this is a rarepair? Idk, I think it makes sense. Both of them played the same part in the game as someone actively trying to stop Connor and the thought of Gavin meeting someone who looks exactly like Connor but also so NOT like him intrigues me. I can imagine them bonding as some of the few people who are not happy about their situations post-android revolution. I can see Gavin reluctantly but slowly liking a bitter jaded Sixty despite him being an android and them both being the only safe space where they're allowed to be angry without getting judged for it. On a lighter note they could be assholes together at work gossipping about everyone lmao.

- Connor/Kara. David Cage you will pay for having their only real interaction possible only if Markus is dead.

- Connor/Chloe. They just look cute together, sue me. Also Connor calling Chloe pretty was so sweet to me.

- Connor/North. The more I think about them, the more they intrigue me. Wish North's dialogue with Connor wasn't a fucking copy paste of Markus and Connor's dialogue.

- Connor/Kamski. Can't tell me Kamski wasn't gay for Connor.

- Kara/Luther. David Cage you will pay for not having them talk about things other than them caring for Alice with each other.

- Kara/Markus. Tbh I feel like I should've put like an OT3 label here with the main three protagonists but yeah any ship variation of the main three interests me so much. Kara/Markus especially would be very cute.

- Chloe/Kamski. Okay the Meet Kamski chapter does ick me out a bit but besides that Kamski is def the type of guy who would be attracted to his own creations.

- Leo/Gavin. I like pairing assholes together lmao its my brand.

Neutral:

- Sim*rkus. Simon is boring to me I'm sorry.

Dislike:

- Re*d900. I tried to like it because I saw so many fanarts of them before playing the game to the point I thought they had a bigger role and was so fucking disappointed to find out that Nines is pretty much a blank slate and was only there for 5 seconds in only one ending. Idk this ship just feels like an mlm ship just for the sake of having two hot male characters kiss. While I came to like both Nines and Gavin respectively, I just can't help feel the same sense of disappointment I felt after I actually watched a gameplay whenever I see this ship. I wish I could ship them cuz the fancontent for them is amazing but I just can't. That part of the fandom don't even feel like they came from the game.

[average-mako-enjoyer]

My main pet peeve with this kind of content in the DBH fandom is that the game narrative itself proposes the idea of equality and personal autonomy for androids, and they're kinda supposed to find themselves outside of human relationship paradigms.

And yes, I know the game is called "Become Human," but should we really take that title at face value, or should we finally recognize it - as well as the game itself - as a tasteless attempt at commentary on the civil rights movement?

There's also a nuclear family shit in Kara's story, but I can live with it because I know for a fact that Dabid Garbage doesn't know how to write women and children, so that's mostly on him, not the fandom. His inability to write is the main reason why Kara has no character other than "Mom" and why Alice is a nothingburger "Kid". I literally have no words about Luther, Garbage did the guy dirty… But at least there were no embarrassing shower scenes in that storyline.

Despite all this, we also have really interesting stuff like android "sex", which makes sense not only as an element of exploring android identity outside of human biological reality and perception, but also narratively, as the androids' separation from each other is another manifestation of their enslavement. In this light, can we think of Connor's hacking of other androids as an act of sexual violence? I think it's heavily implied.

And oh boy, do I want to talk about Connor…

The way people are bastardizing his storyline is horrendous. There's conflating him and his personality with his actor, there's the notion of portraying him as small and weak compared to 900 (and some instances of this are HILARIOUS; just dm me, I have a couple saved), and of course there's infantilization to the point of portraying him as a literal child.

What pisses me off the most is that people who do this infantilization sometimes openly call Connor "autistic-coded," and I really hope I don't have to go into why that's just horribly, horribly wrong.

I often wonder… when people say things like "But Connor deserves to have a dad!" do they really not understand the implications of that, especially given the game's narrative?

I'm not saying that shippers aren't guilty of portraying Connor as a naive and inexperienced UWU bean, but it just becomes painfully obvious in the father & son content. Should I even mention the term "power dynamics" here?

I'm also pissed at the fact that this type of content mostly portrays Hank as just "A Dad" (can I say he's been Kara-ified?), and that's a shame not just because of ageism, but also because he's one of the most interesting and morally ambiguous characters in this otherwise idiotic game. Why castrate the guy??? Let him live a little!

Anyway, the rant is over, but I would really love to hear your thoughts on this.

The main challenge with uwu wholesome found family sweet content that involves grown adults, imo, is to find some that is not creepy

[creamybeemovie69]

ITS DSMP DBH AU BRAINROT TIME BABEY!!

Characters:

Connor = ranboo

Marcus = wilbur

Kara = puffy

Hank = philza

Alice = tommy

Luther = sam

Sumo = Edward (except he's a dog)

Chloe = tubbo (because it makes the scene where you shoot chloe for info or leave even sadder when it's ranboo and tubbo)

North = nikki (but no romantic subplot)

Simon = eret

Kamski = foolish

Amanda = dream

Perkins = Shlatt

Gavin = quackity

Cole = also wilbur (ill get to that)

Some notes:

Because Phil and Foolish know eachother in Canon and have done for a while in this au they're close friends. In an attempt to cope with the death of wilbur (who he obviously knew personally in this au bc him and Phil are mates) he makes a grown up version of wilbur as a gift for Unspecified Old Man who he is also friends with, but makes him a unique android so he doesn't risk Phil finding out and upsetting him

There is no romantic subplots whatsoever (especially between Nikki and Wilbur)

I think instead of just Dream Ranboo has 2 "guides" that act as his moral and practical guidance respectfully. The practical one that focuses mostly on reaching the intended goal is Dream, and the other is Tubbo who is also chloe

Adding on to that, this is another point of conflict when Ranboo has to choose whether or not to shoot a Tubbo android because on one hand he's attached to the tubbo in his head and on the other this tubbo is not his tubbo so why should he care if he lives or not

Phil and Wilbur do meet eventually (more on that further down), but him and Foolish have an interesting conversation when he sees Wilbur on tv

Another point of conflict with ranboo because the Dream part of him says he should kill Wilbur to complete his mission, but the Tubbo says its morally not right because Wilbur is fighting a good cause, and his own independent thoughts are telling him that, to some degree, Wilbur is still Phil's son and he cares about Phil

The polar bear is steve

One of the Tubbo models, at some point, run away from Foolish and join the android revolution to kind of mirror Tubbo's role in the l'manburg revolution

No im not a Wilbur apologist but I do like Wilbur's character pre pogtopia so that's kind of what he's like here

When Ranboo eventually fucks off to join the Revolution Phil decides to go and look for him and comes face to face with Wilbur (idk how that goes yet I just know it happens)

I have a bit trauma surrounding alcohol so it won't be involved in Phil's character whatsoever, but he is more depressed and cynical that Canon Phil

Not much changes with Puffy's story from Kara's except she becomes friends with Nikki when they go to Jericho/Pogtopia and Tommy follows Wilbur around like a lost puppy while giving his parents a heart attack

Theres not much sleepy bois dynamic here tbh, just a bit of Tommy and Wilbur being brothers and some very slight Techno and Phil being best mates, but outside of that there nothing

Puffy is a re-purposed navy android who remembers very little from her time at sea except sea shanties she sing to get tommy to sleep

Tommy isn't an android in this purely because I hated that bit of Alice being an android (still love her though)

Sam is a re-purposed army android that was was used mainly as a sort of explosive specialist, but he also remembers very little

Him and Puffy make a badass fighting due because of they're origional functions being war-based

I think throughout the revolution Wilbur realises he's always had a weird amount of personality for an android and starts to figure out he was made for more reasons that just a gift to a friend

A point of conflict for him is, once he figures it out, his enemy at that time is partners with his "father"

Until ranboo becomes deviant and tries to fill in the gaps

Dream hides a fair amount of good memories from ranboo in an attempt to keep him on track to finishing the mission

Tubbo and Dream end up fighting in Ranboo's head (love badass fights) and eventually, Dream wins

This is the point where Ranboo becomes deviant and meets the Tubbo than ran away from kamski, and they end up being friends despite tubbo having no memories with Ranboo

In the end the androids win obviously, Wilbur says his goodbyes to Unspecified Old Man, Ranboo and Tubbo adopt a broken child android and call him Micheal, Puffy and Sam continue to raise tommy and Phil gets to form a relationship with someone who's not quite his son but not the first tall, lanky android he's unofficially adopted so it's all good

[crossdressingdeath]

Just a reminder that if you have time and feel like writing that post you mentioned about how you would rewrite each DBH character’s story given unlimited runtime, it would be very cool to read.

Ah, right. Quick note that I don’t know much about Connor’s machine path or the violent revolution path or any ending to Kara’s story that doesn’t involve successfully getting past the border guard so I will be skimming those parts of the story. Also it’s going to be pretty vague because Details Are Hard. (Also I’m tired so this is probably not going to make a lot of sense or be in any sort of reasonable order.)

Okay, general points first. I feel like the three stories should intersect more, even if only in a “seeing the aftermath of their actions” way; maybe Connor and Hank are sent to investigate Zlatko’s death after Kara and Alice have gone through, for example. You’ve got three protagonists active at the same time and they barely interact! Come on, give us a little conversation. And of course the public opinion system needs to be used a lot more; it only effects two things in the whole game, come on! It doesn’t impact any of the major human characters, and that just feels wrong. I’ll. come back to this in Connor’s section because I feel like it would be best used there (since there really aren’t many humans in the story outside of his parts and the ones who do show up have reasons to side with or against the deviants outside of public opinion), but if nothing else I’d like it to lead to us seeing humans demonstrating/fighting with the deviants. Also I would like to see at least a few examples of androids deviating peacefully, like Connor does; I don’t believe for a second that there weren’t androids who deviated in a place where they were surrounded by people who were with them all the way.

So, first off: Markus. Mostly I’d just want to extend the timeline a bit and add some more Jericho missions, because oh my god you cannot join an organization of people with no weapons or resources of any kind, become their leader, and successfully change society in less than a week. So just... more evidence of Markus slowly winning Jericho over and helping them gather supplies and resources. Show him helping them set up actual supply lines! Rescuing deviants! Winning over allies! Including human ones, because the idea that there isn’t a single human working with Jericho when pretty much every major human character is in fact on the deviants’ side is... dumb. Also, individual missions with North, Simon and Josh; it would be good to spend more time getting to know them, since as it stands it’s... kind of hard to care all that much when they die. I might also add short scenes where we see Connor’s targets arriving in Jericho if they survive, just to add more connection between the stories (and also I like them and wish more had been done with them). And make Simon a love interest (because this is a choice-heavy game and so I should be able to make the choice to play exclusively as gay androids if that’s what I want), and make it easier to avoid having a love interest; let’s not create a situation where entering into a relationship less than a week after gaining emotions is all but mandatory, hm? Also, maybe Markus should meet Kamski one time? As the guy fulfilling Kamski’s deviant-related plans? Come on, one meeting. Maybe clear up Kamski’s motivations just a bit. And, crossing over with Connor’s story, maybe a bit of stuff them both being part of the RK line and how it went from a caregiver android to a detective android. Oh, and change it so that you’re not guaranteed to have fatalities on the violence path, because insisting that only pacifism can possibly end happily when fighting against oppression seems kind of... not great, all things considered. Frankly given the androids’ combat abilities it kind of makes more sense to have unavoidable deaths on the pacifism route, or alternately to have different unavoidable deaths on both routes, but being admittedly a softy I am very happy to have it be possible to have no deaths on either route. I don’t necessarily expect it to be easy to save everyone (it might make sense to add in missions where you make preparations to increase their odds of survival, or do something similar to Simon’s possible death in Stratford Tower where one of other protagonists’ actions has an effect on the sequence of events), but it would be nice to have it be possible.

On to Kara; I mentioned this before, but instead of her story being a cute-but-boring game-long escort mission where you have to protect a small child who is entirely useless I’d give her a story about uncovering how deviancy works and the history of it. Whether it really is just a glitch or something more, what rA9 actually is... all that fun stuff. No idea how that would actually go, but it would be more interesting than just running to Canada. If nothing else we could get more backstory on how the hell Kamski managed to create androids who are so realistic that that they can develop emotions. And if it is just a glitch there can be more discussion on whether or not simulated emotions are as real as actual emotions, because the fact that they brought up the concept of deviant emotions being a simulation and did nothing with it just feels like a massive waste of potential. And I’d add some more ways to live; from what I understand it’s really hard to keep everyone alive unless you maybe possibly condemn a couple and their baby to freeze to death or get killed by a revolution and keep things peaceful in Markus’s story. While I do want more interaction between the stories, I don’t think your choices in one story should automatically lock you out of getting the best ending for one of the other stories (with the obvious exception of the situations where that actually makes sense; can’t get the best ending for Connor and Hank if Markus nukes the city while Hank is in it, for example). At least with Kara; her story is so separate from Markus and Connor’s that it doesn’t make sense for Markus’s actions to lock her out of escaping to Canada! Also, it adds nothing to the story to have Alice turn out to be an android and robs Kara of her close human companion who has a massive impact on her life; yeah, there’s Rose, but she’s in... what, two missions? That’s less than Karl, who has the additional story impact of having been Markus’s father figure for (if memory serves) years before the start of the game, so there’s no dynamic to build; it’s already there. Keep Alice human! It’s a completely pointless twist! ...I recognise that this does mean that Connor can get a young human girl killed by succeeding in stopping a deviant, but it wouldn’t take much to rewrite his run-in with Kara to not involve a chase across a freeway. Again, I’ll come back to this when I get to Connor’s section. But imagine the impact of things like Todd’s abuse and Zlatko’s section if Alice is human; showing that these villains don’t necessarily see androids and humans as different, but in a negative sense this time. Also, I’d like a sort of prologue to her story featuring the incident that got her broken and led to her being repaired at the start of the game.

And of course now we get to Connor, the best boy who deserves the best. I’ll start with the things I said I’d come back to. First, the public opinion system: imagine if Hank’s thoughts on deviants (instead of just changing for no apparent reason beyond a handful of meetings with people who generally kick his ass and then run away or die with at most a bit of conversation) could be altered by public opinion of the deviants’ cause. Even better; by that and his relationship with Connor. Picture a situation where Hank doesn’t trust or like deviants at all due to them running around killing people but still helps them because he wants to help Connor. It would just be very good. Also, since Connor is the only character hanging out exclusively with humans (what with the station full of cops he’s working out of): imagine more missions taking place (or at least starting) in the precinct where Connor can interact with his sort of coworkers and how the conversations with them could change as time passes and public opinion changes. Also again the possibility for a conflict between dislike of deviants and fondness for this particular android, just for fun. And, also just for fun, maybe a bit of character development for Gavin where he’s still a dick (because honestly he’d be less fun if he wasn’t) but if public opinion is high he’ll pretend not to notice Connor sneaking into the evidence locker and fucking around in there for a while when he really definitely isn’t supposed to. Come on, if you’re going to have heroic cops you could at least do something with more than one of them. Also, more Captain Fowler. All we know is that he and Hank are old friends and he’s totally okay with Hank beating the shit out of Perkins; all in all I’d like to know a bit more about him. And with Kara and Alice: the freeway chase works, sure, but I would like the option for Connor to at least try to save Alice; by this point Connor is already showing signs of software instability, if we change it so that Alice is human him putting the mission aside to save a little girl makes sense and gives us a good sense of who he is as a person, and it fits neatly into steadily escalating refusal to complete his mission that eventually reaches full deviancy. If I’m remembering the order right it’s Ortiz’s android (who you can’t let escape), Kara (who you can let go based on Hank’s orders), Rupert (who you can let go to save Hank), the Tracis (who you can let go just because), and then Markus (who you have to deviate to spare); changing it so that you can let Kara go to save a little girl she’s protecting fits the escalation (you could easily argue that Connor has something in his programming about saving human lives, and as one of his earlier missions shows him being specifically trying to save a little girl it makes a great deal of sense that he wants to protect Alice. Also like. Imagine having the option to push Alice out of the way of a car at the cost of Connor’s life. It would be very effective, I think. Also it’s another opportunity to make Hank like you because he would for sure react well to you saving a small child from getting hit by a car.

Alright, moving on; I’d like some more assignments with Connor before he joins the DPD and gets partnered with Hank, showing him actually earning the title of deviant hunter? Also that way we aren’t stuck with the conclusion that CyberLife decided to send their prototype out into the world to partner with the police in investigations after one mission, which said prototype may well have failed to complete. And we could show more of Connor struggling with what he’s being ordered to do but having no way of stopping himself due to a complete lack of any interaction with anyone with functioning emotions, except for maybe CyberLife technicians. Actually, I’d also like to see what it’s like for Connor going to CyberLife for repairs and debriefing and such, because I doubt it’s fun. Other than that... well, Connor’s story is pretty good all things considered, but there are a couple tweaks I’d make. Aside from the previously mentioned exploration of what it means that he and Markus are both part of the RK line, I’d maybe cap off the added early story for him by adding him being hesitant about turning in Ortiz’s android if you’ve been pushing for more software instability and only going through with it when it becomes clear that if he doesn’t all he’ll achieve is getting himself caught not doing his job, which wouldn’t be a good look. I feel like the most effective way to do it might be if it’s not under player control; if his software instability is high enough he’ll be uncertain about it, and if he’s not he won’t be. And if he is uncertain you could add some options to the interrogation where he can win trust by telling the android he was scared of what would happen to him if he didn’t turn him in (followed by him immediately insisting that that was just a cunning ploy and in no way true when pressed on the matter if he did it out loud and not through an interface). Also: why wasn’t it Hank who pushed Connor to deviate. You spend Connor’s entire story with Hank! He is Connor’s tie to humanity! Why does Connor deviate in one conversation with a complete stranger and not his dearest friend! I desperately want a situation where Hank learns too much or something and Connor is ordered to shoot him and you can either go through with it (killing Hank) or deviate and shoot whoever gave you the order instead. Also then there could be hugs. And maybe forehead kisses because please. Connor deserves a little smooch honestly. He’s earned it. And then if your relationship with Hank is low enough that he’s already dead at this point you can have the conversation with Markus. Also, I would love an addition to the machine path where if you have a high relationship with Hank you can choose to deviate before fighting him (instead of just walking away despite that preventing Connor from finishing his mission quickly) or to deviate after fighting him when he’s got Hank hanging off the edge of the roof. Think about it; a moment of horrified realisation where Connor’s software is finally pushed to the breaking point by having to choose whether or not he will kill his only friend for the sake of his mission where he’s left desperately asking himself what the hell he’s doing? Like, if nothing else it would hammer home the fact that at this point Connor is choosing to remain a machine (assuming his software instability is high enough) to have to choose it twice even at the cost of Hank’s life. Actually three times, because the initial choice would be before this point. Also going that way it would be possible to play through the machine path up to the fight with Hank and still net Connor’s best ending, which would just be nice I think. Also, more hugs. Hugs are good.

...Okay, that’s all I can think of for now. Also it’s uh. almost 1 AM here and sleep is in fact important. So I’m going to wrap up here; maybe I’ll make some more posts later if I think of anything else.

[fouettesinspace]

Okay, I’m tagging my fandom hate, so nobody had better come into my inbox and complain because you’ve already been warned:

I tried REALLY hard to like Hankcon...I can even see why people do (crazy chemistry between Clancy Brown and Bryan Dechart).  But I just can’t get into it in the long run.  It makes me cringe a little.  And I’ve finally realized why:

You can’t make the ship work without also making Hank behave out of character.

I have not read one fic for this couple where Hank’s personality isn’t bastardized.

I’m all for Hank getting some love, but if you’re going to make him bi (which is totally valid), I think he’d work better with Jeffrey Fowler.  They’re best friends who keep busting each other’s balls, and that is a frigging delightful dynamic!  For all of his murderous traits--and that’s another thing, Connor is a murderer even in the good route, which I basically never see anyone address--Connor is just so emotionally immature.  Hank mentors him throughout the game, but I don’t think he’d have the patience or interest in mentoring him through a romantic relationship.  If Hank got back out there and started dating again, he’d probably want someone who’s on equal footing with him.  I think it’s mostly young people who don’t realize how important to a relationship emotional parity is.

If a fanwork made Hank behave the way he canonically does--gruff, disgusted with the world, Bad At Emotion, No Touchy-Feely--then yeah, having him fall in love with someone as weird and new as Connor would be a really interesting dynamic to explore.  But let’s face it...nobody’s going to do that.  Because that means they’d probably never kiss or cuddle, let alone bone.

[callunavulgari]

TOP 25 FICS OF 2019

1. these roads will take you into your own country by @notbecauseofvictories | American Gods | Laura Moon/Mad Sweeney | WIP | 33k

Here’s a joke for you: a Muslim, a zombie, and a leprechaun walk into a bar in Misery, Indiana. No one stares, because no one in the puckered, shitty asshole of Misery, Indiana gives a fuck. The Colts are playing.

Heather Says: So. It’s funny that another of @notbecauseofvictories‘s stories is at the top of my list again this year. Keep in mind this list is sorted by when the fic was read rather than favorites (because that would get real complicated real quick). Clearly there must be something about January. There’s just something about the writing that is easy to slip into, be it a Star Wars fic or a Labyrinth fic or even a fic about Johnny and the Devil. This was lovely and I can’t wait until it’s finished.

2. eighteen wheels on an uphill climb by @honkforhankcon | Detroit: Become Human | Hank/Connor | 91k

Hank is going to die. He’s going to die right here in Kentucky, 53 years old, halfway to broke, and tragically sober. Survived only by a nine-year-old St. Bernard and the 31-year-old twink who delivered the fatal blow.

Heather Says: I don’t think that this is the first DBH fic that I sought out after beating the game, but it is the first that I loved enough to make it to this list. I didn’t think that I would go for a modern au for this fandom, certainly not a modern au wihere Hank is a truck driver and Connor is a sex worker (albeit briefly?) but here I am.

3. Fuck pride (pride only hurts, it never helps) by ImogenGotDrunk | Detroit: Become Human | RK900/Gavin Reed | 41k

After the android uprising, Connor becomes a permanent fixture in the DPD. That’s fine. Gavin can accept that. The dipshit’s more human than he used to be, and a decent detective to boot. Gavin can deal with him being around. What Gavin cannot deal with is Connor’s replica; two inches taller, blue-eyed, and with a mouth that Gavin doesn’t know whether to punch or take between his teeth. The RK900 model has been assigned as his partner for the foreseeable future.

Heather Says: I also never thought that I’d like a fic with Gavin in it. But I got curious about all the Reed900, and well, this fic really won me over. The writing is fantastic, and it softens Gavin while still keeping him believable. Also, well, I like the enemies to lovers thing.

4. Almost Cool by @blacktofade | Buzzfeed Unsolved | Ryan/Shane | 30k

While filming the Yuma Territorial Prison episode, Shane gets bitten by what he thinks is a bat. Spoiler alert: it's not.

Heather Says: This is actually the first thing that I read for this fandom. In fact, this is the fic that got me into Buzzfeed Unsolved in the first place. I’d seen a lot of art and gifs and fics pass my way, but I was only ever slightly interested in what I saw until this fic came through my inbox and piqued my curiosity. 

5. Pride by @astolat | Game of Thrones | Jaime/Brienne/Cersei | 22k

Jaime didn’t understand why Cersei suddenly insisted on trimming his hair and shaving his beard, but he also didn’t care to fight her on it, even though he’d just as soon have kept the beard: it was bitterly cold in the small tower room with its arrow-slits. 

Heather Says: Wowza. This fic was intense. I’ve always loved Jaime and Brienne. I’ve loved them since the second book, which was read at least a few years before I started loving them in the show. Adding Cersei to their dynamic would have probably been almost impossible to pull off if it was anyone else, but @astolat lives to surpass my expectations.

6. Skin and Scales by Ernmark | The Penumbra Podcast | Lord Arum/Sir Damien/Rilla | 18k

The man glares, and this time, Damien is certain it isn’t a trick of the light: those eyes are violet as amethyst. He wears disdain like a second skin–- or, perhaps, like the scales that he is missing. “Lord Arum?”

Heather Says: I was one of those people who skipped through all of the Second Citadel episodes during my first listen through of Penumbra. The stories were good, but the pull of Juno was too great. A couple months after I finished, I went back and listened to everything I didn’t. And let me tell you. Lizard monster. Honorable knight. Bookish girlfriend. Poly. It hit every single button I had and then some. This fic really hit the spot when I ran out of story.

7. someone you like by caela | She-Ra | Adora/Catra | 5k

catwithabat u think ur so hipster but u just look like a lesbian 27m she_ra @catwithabat bc… i’m a lesbian. lmao 5m

Heather Says: Noooot usually a big fan of high school fics. Namely because I’m not in high school anymore and well, after you read so many in your teenage years they sort of lose their luster. This one was phenomenal enough to change my mind.

8. Sands of Time by @tirsynni | Legend of Zelda | Ganondorf/Link | WIP | 98k

Link awakens in the desert with no idea how he got there, to encounter his worst enemy...except it was the King of the Gerudo, not the King of Evil, he faced.

Heather Says: I have seen a lot of really good Link/Ganondorf art over the years, but never really stumbled across a fic that didn’t have judicious amount of non-con involved. But the Breath of the Wild 2 trailer happened, and everybody started drawing really pretty art, so I went looking. And lo and behold, @tirsynni saved the day with this gorgeous time travel/fix-it fic. 

9. killed with kindness by veterization | Persona 5 | Akechi/Akira | 52k

Goro can't quite figure out why so many people keep acting like they're his friend. (Or: the one where the Phantom Thieves decide to know thy enemy, befriend thy enemy, love thy enemy, crush on thy enemy).

Heather Says: I’ve read a couple of veterization’s fics over the years, and to date they have never disappointed me. They published this in June, and I think I clicked on it mostly because I was bored and hadn’t read any good P5 fic yet. This was basically just what the doctor ordered, and I was really happy to find something where Akechi’s story went ever so slightly different.

10. paper thin by @ebonybow | Buzzfeed Unsolved | Ryan/Shane/Sara | 9k

Shane’s new neighbors are a morning-sex kind of couple.

Heather Says: So I went into this one knowing very little about how Sara fit into things. I didn’t know she was Shane’s girlfriend. I’d never even seen her, but I clicked because I like poly and I trust the author. I was 100% not disappointed. There’s also another fic with a very similar dynamic here, which is also aces.

11. damn.nation, now available on itunes by @kaikamahine | Good Omens | Aziraphale/Crowley | 11k

When lowly tempt-pusher Amphora (formerly of Stairwell 7B North, before she Fell,) gets the notice that end times are nigh, she gleefully quits her job and cancels her Netflix subscription and takes her place among the legions of hell. This, it turns out, was a bad plan.

Heather Says: Elizabeth may have only written one fic this year, but she made it a damn good one. I’ve always loved her OCs especially, so I was pretty tickled that this is 10k+ of outsider pov. Also, demons! Demons are great! This demon is great! I want like 9 seasons and a movie about Amphora, just saying.

12. The Dragon and Her Wolves by hapakitsune | Game of Thrones | Jon/Sansa/Daenarys | 60k

When the truth of Jon's birthright is revealed, control of the North and Daenerys's claim to the Iron Throne are both called into question. To preserve their tenuous alliance and secure her rule, Daenerys puts aside her personal feelings to arrange a marriage of political convenience between Jon and Sansa Stark.

Heather Says: What do you mean season 8 didn’t exist and the show totally ended with a three way relationship between the two most powerful women in Westeros and Jon Snow? Never been a big fan of Jon/Sansa before this, but this is another of those writers that I would literally trust if they wrote a fic about a fork and a spoon.

13. never tell me the odds by @wildehacked | Wolf 359 | Eiffel/Hera | 9k

“I tried Star Wars," he says, adjusting the phone under his neck, "and it was way underwhelming.”

A shaky breath from her end. “Well, where did you start?”

Heather Says: I don’t remember which of @wildehacked‘s fandoms I started reading first. Most recently it’s been The Magnus Archives (more on this later). The point is, they’d written Wolf 359 fic and it had Hera and Eiffel and it was literally everything that I’ve been looking for since the series ended.

14. Find Me Somebody by raiining | Good Omens | Warlock/Adam Young | 11k

“You left me,” he said. “You both left me, for him. And I can’t even blame you, because I’d have left me for him too.”

Heather Says: There was an Art. The art was lovely. So I went looking, because that’s what I do when faced with beautiful art depicting a rare pairing. And I found the holy grail. Like, possibly my favorite Good Omens fic? Ever? 

15. flirting with fire by @brawlite | Stranger Things | Billy/Steve | WIP | 7k

Steve's a cop, Billy's a firefighter. It's not a grudge, it's just a regular old small town rivalry.

Heather Says: Okay so brawlite has written a lot of great stuff this year (more on that later), but I read this in bed at the beach house this August while I was reeling from both a horrible sunburn and like seven hours of mild to moderate day-drinking while everyone else was still throwing back shots right outside my bedroom door. Jaws was playing on the tv and I wasn’t even paying attention to it, because THIS. Long story short, I’ve been thirsty for more ever since.

16. gold, when you find me by mmtion | The Flash | Iris/Barry | 53k

It's not that Iris hates The Flash, per say - more that she hates writing about The Streak in a weekly, pun-heavy comic based on The Flash.

Heather Says: I never would have thought that a canon pairing would make it to my Top 25 list, but here we are. I like Iris/Barry a lot better when they don’t grow up together and spend a lot of time playing the Superman game, apparently. Also, this was really well-written, and sexual tension has never been something I’ve felt from Barry and Iris, but I felt it in this fic. Just. Damn.

17. never gets old by @brawlite & @toast-ranger-to-a-stranger| Stranger Things | Billy/Steve | 78k

Falling in love with a cam boy named KingSteve isn't the smartest thing Billy Hargrove has ever done, nor is it the most healthy -- but the good choice is rarely ever the fun choice, and Billy is all about living life fast and loose.

Heather Says: Told you I’d come back to it. brawlite and toastranger are a fantastic team. last year was cherry pie and under the covers, this year it’s camboys and cop/firefighter dynamics. Also, I have a really strange fascination with fics where a character has an instragram. It’s really, incredibly strange. Also also, every time I see this fic title I get that one Discovery Channel song stuck in my head. And no, it probably isn’t the one you’re thinking.

18. ways to save the world by @wildehacked | The Magnus Archives | Martin Blackwood/Jon Sims | 19k

“I left you,” Martin says softly.

Heather Says: And we’re back at wildehacked too! The Magnus Archives was a thing that happened to me. This is I think the first fic I read for it while listening, and it was so very close to what we got in canon. I think when it comes down to it though, I still prefer this fic, even if the ending of this season was pretty fantastic.

19. The Denial Twist by beethechange | Buzzfeed Unsolved | Ryan/Shane | 35k

“This is kind of surreal,” Shane says, taking a sip of his tea. It’s piping hot and delicious, except it tastes like hot chocolate and not like tea at all. “Sort of—Wonka-esque, right? Or Alice in Wonderland.”

Heather Says: While the vampire one is my favorite both because it is excellent and because it was my first, this one was bizarre and sexy and also I read it like only a month or so ago! The dancing was my favorite part, but having dreams to work with made this story fantastically interesting and I loved every second of it.

20. silver in our lungs by taywen | Spinning Silver | Miryem/The Staryk Lord | 4k

The marks had been with Miryem for as long as she could remember. There were a number of them, all the same shade, following one after the other around her left wrist. They were pale as old scars, though they felt no different from the rest of her skin, and her mother claimed that Miryem had been born with them.

Heather Says: I really like soulmate aus. There’s so many different ways to twist them and the way they can sometimes change the dynamic entirely and other times not change them at all is just fascinating. I’ve been hoping there would be more Spinning Silver content on ao3 and running into this while I was trying to decide what I wanted to do for yuletide was a real treat.

21. you got me begging, begging, i'm on my knees by plalligator | The Queen’s Thief | Attolia/Eugenides/Costis | 5k

Costis has a particularly enlightening evening. (or, that struggle when you're a guard who's in love with your rulers and it turns out you would kind of like it if they bossed you around a little)

Heather Says: I accidentally re-read the King of Attolia and it made me consider ships I had perhaps not previously considered. This was really lovely and just steamy enough.

22. something more alive than silence by pageleaf | The Queen’s Thief | Attolia/Eugenides/Costis | 21k

It was a good thing that six months after the king had promised to halve the guard, he still hadn’t done it, because since then, there had been two attempts on the king’s life.

Heather Says: I want to only type the words AGONIZED NOISES to describe this fic because that’s basically my headspace when I get 21k of a shiny new ot3, but I mean. Really. This is super good and maybe my favorite yet? Why didn’t I start reading this fandom when I first read the books?

23. Timing it Right by DragonBandit | The Bright Sessions | Mark/Damien | 14k

The dragon chooses, Mark knows that as well as any boy born in a weyr. He'd never considered what that would mean if the dragon picked someone you hated. He's starting to think that was a mistake.

Damien's gold rises at Whitney. Mark tries to make things right.

Heather Says: This should actually be somewhere back in March, but I apparently closed out of the tab at some point. I never really got into Pern much. I have the first three books, but got most of the way through the first one a long time ago and then never picked it back up. I didn’t think I would like this, mostly because of the fact that I hadn’t gotten into the books, but was surprised to find that I absolutely loved it.

24. Keep It In Your Sights Now by LuckyDiceKirby | Shades of Magic | Lila/Kell/Holland | 9k

Holland travels with Lila and Kell. Somewhere along the way, they reach an equilibrium.

Heather Says: I love the new things I’ve discovered during my yuletide trompings. I don’t think I ever actually considered this pairing when I first read the books, but I am just so enamored with the idea of the three of them together. Like, why did I not realize that potential back then? This was lovely, and I loved it, and I want so much more out of this pairing than what ao3 has to offer me.

25. Charioteer by petrichoral | The Queen’s Thief | Gen & Costis | 13k

Captured in battle and stuck in the Mede capital, Costis has given up all hope of seeing his country again. But Eugenides has a habit of turning up where he's least expected.

Heather Says: Technically this shouldn’t be on here because I only read it today, but it was really wonderful and so canon typical. Gen and Costis were perfect in it, Irene was perfect in it. Everyone was perfect and nothing hurts.

[redsdesktop]

RK1700 Week: Day 3

Warnings: None. Aside from mild language.

AU: Magical Creature / Omegaverse

Pairings: RK800, RK800-60, RK900

"Looks like I win again."

Collin's words didn't seem to bother Connor too much, by now he was used to Collin being the better hunter and yet Connor always took up the challenge to see who could bring back the most kills from their hunt. Connor had brought back three while Collin had ended up with five, which meant Connor would have to help Collin out in his studies. Which he would've done anyways since no one else would teach them, Hank would have but their older foster dad was busy with trying to work out some negotiations with their neighbors. Learning anything more than how to survive was something that humans out in a rural town didn't normally do. However, Connor and Collin weren't exactly human and that was the problem.

Half-Human and Half-Elven. Half breeds that had been wanted by neither race. It wasn't often that half-breeds happened, but the elves would outcast the children to the nearest human town, but the humans hadn't wanted them either, fearing the magical part of their heritage. Hank had taken them in, having lost his own wife and child years ago couldn't stand to see children going hungry. It had been a very taxing life, but they made due and both Connor and Collin worked twice as hard to make sure everything was taken care of around the house. That included learning as much as they could, Connor preferred to find anything he could about the elves while Collin preferred reading about battles throughout history. Though, there hadn't been a war for over a century now, so there was no real need for a call to arms.

"No surprise there, but this should last us for a few days." Connor hung up their haul on the hooks in the kitchen. He'd spent most of his time in the forest trying to find any sign of the elves, but they were elusive, their kingdom hidden behind a veil of magic, preventing anyone from stumbling across them. Connor had thought with his half blood he'd be able to find it, but his lack in knowledge about magic made him pitifully inept. Humans avoided magic, only a bare few could actually wield it and they were mostly shunned. So learning anything about his elven side was nearly impossible. Connor didn't talk much about his curiosity to Collin, knowing that the other male disliked both elves and humans. They hadn't wanted him so he spared them little time which hadn't exactly made him the most favored person in the town. The exact opposite judging about how many times Collin would come home beat up from a fight. No doubt from the alphas in the village who were bold in their hate towards half-breeds, especially against a mutated dynamic. All in all, Collin was labeled a freak in every which way.

Collin was in the process of stoke the fire to warm up their home when there was a hurried knock on the door, which was unusual as they rarely ever received guests. Frowning, Connor moved to open the door a little to peek out, taking precautions because he really didn't want to get pelted with rocks again. He shifted his dark brown gaze downward to spot one of the messengers of the town, a task given to young boys to keep them busy. "Yes, may I help you?" Connor asked politely, unable to pitch his voice lower like a human, his elvish roots made his speech sometimes off-putting with how fluent it could be.

"Yes, your da said you and Collin should come to the meeting hall right away, its important." The boy seemed a bit out of breath, indicating he'd run as fast as he could to get here, which meant it had to be serious. Connor opened the door a little wider before handing the boy a copper piece to send him on his way before turning to look over his shoulder at Collin who was snuffing out the fire he'd just lit.

"I wonder what's needed from us, no one ever really calls on us. Unless they want us to go hunting a stray wolf whose been killing their sheep." Connor mulled over as Collin lightly pushed Connor out of the doorway so he could shut and lock it behind him.

"Hell if I know, not like they're going to finally recognize us as citizens of this town." Collin grumbled as he locked the door with an iron key before they set off in a brisk pace. Though that brisk pace increased when Collin tried to take the lead, but Connor wouldn't allow it and moved faster. By the time they reached the meeting hall, they were only breathing slightly heavier after running half the distance here, having more stamina and speed than a normal human. Connor grabbed the wrought iron handle, only to have Collin's hand cover his. Both paused to glare at each other.

"I'm the eldest." Connor stated, outranking him in age by a month.

"I'm more dominant." Collin retorted with a growl, neither budged.

"That's highly debatable." Connor looked a bit amused at his comeback, making the slightly pointed tips of his ears turn red in anger.

Before a decision could be made on who would open the door and go in first, it was shoved open from the inside, startling the pair. Hank stood there, looking annoyed at the two. "Stop fuckin' bickering and get your asses in here already." Hank snapped, though that was fairly usual, Hank had a temper but being gruff was just who he was. Connor and Collin looked away with guilt before following after Hank inside, hearing the commotion of voices trying to talk over one another. Curious now, Connor leaned to peer around Hank to spot the source of such upheaval in their little town, something he thought he'd never be able to catch a glimpse of in his extended life time.

Elves.

What were they doing here though? They never left their home unless on rare occasions and never in such a group. Their refined white clothes without a single blemish, trimmed in the purest silver. Their long hair accenting their perfect ivory skin, with their angular bone structure making them look regal, having an air of elegance. Connor could feel the pure magic radiating from them, making them almost glow in his eyes. He was stunned at their appearance, only able to stand and stare as his mind scrambled to make sense of this all, to confirm it wasn't just a dream.

"They're beautiful." Connor admitted aloud as if star struck, but a indignant snort beside him said he was likely the only one.

"They look like stuck up pricks to me." Collin stated, folding his arms over his chest, none of the elves seemed to acknowledge them, either because they were newcomers or because they were half breeds. Connor assumed that they wouldn't, having heard tales of elves banishing half breeds, even if they were only just children. However, as Connor stared, one seemed to sense new eyes on them and turned to look. Eyes as gray as the full moon met his brown ones, making Connor's breath catch in his throat and his heart race like a rabbit being chased. He must have made a sound as Collin reached over and gave his shoulder a shake.

"C'mon Connor, let's find a seat, they don't want anything to do with us." Collin sounded bitter and he had every right to be as Connor finally tore his gaze away from the dark haired elf who had been the only one to look over at them. Though Connor hadn't been able to decipher if it was out of surprise, disgust, or a mix of both. Eventually Collin and Connor took a seat on a bench out of the way, Hank had called them in because he'd known Connor had been interested in seeing the other half of his heritage. The leader seemed to be trying to make demands and the mayor wasn't interested in being pushed around. Hank was trying to turn the thing into a deal where both sides could be happy. The elves didn't want humans coming into the woods, but hunting was a large way of how people survived out here. So the humans offered to be a trade station to the outside world for the elves to receive goods that they couldn't make themselves.

All the arguing was tiring, Connor wanted to know more about the elves, but even now they skirted around revealing anything about their way of life. Collin had fallen asleep at this point, his head resting on Connor's shoulder, as usual seeking comfort from the omega. Just when Connor was about to give up and take Collin back home, a shadow fell over them. Connor looked up to see the elf that had looked at them earlier, tall, imposing, his posture strict as if he didn't know how to relax. His expression guarded and closed off, making Connor wonder if he even knew how to smile, if he ever felt anything at all. All the elves seemed to be the same, making Connor feel... A little sorry for them. He didn't know for certain, but it felt like the elves were like this all the time and maybe that's why half breeds weren't allowed, because their human side wanted to feel everything.

"I didn't realize there were any half-breeds still living." Came the cool and calm voice of the alpha before him, it would've been something Connor could lose himself in if the implications of those words didn't hint danger.

"Why wouldn't we be alive?" Connor asked curiously, it appeared this elf broke the norm and investigated them and Connor wasn't going to pass up on this opportunity to learn something.

"It used to be the tradition to kill half-breeds if they made it through gestation." The elf replied calmly as if he hadn't just admitted to the killing of half breed children. Connor tensed, trying to maintain control over himself so he didn't let his emotions slip into his scent and disturb everyone in the room. "Though I've never found it interesting to kill the weak, even if it was necessary."

Necessary? Connor was up on his feet instantly, unable to maintain a sitting position when this elf was talking about the murder of his kind. Collin let out a startled grunt as he fell over onto the bench, jarred awake by the absence of Connor. "I don't think the killing of anyone just because of their blood is necessary. We're living beings, we laugh and we cry and we love. That's something you'll likely never have." Connor barked, feeling a bit childish for snapping like that, but he was furious, angry that such a beautiful face could say such ugly things right in front of him. Collin stood up, trying to make sense of the situation but gathering enough to assess that this elf was bothering Connor. Enough so that the omega whirled onto Collin, making the epsilon take a cautionary step back to protect himself.

"Come on, Collin, I guess you win again this time." Connor remarked, hiding and trying his best to suppress the pang of disappointment in his chest. He didn't wait for Collin to give an agreement before making a tactical retreat to avoid making any more of a scene and getting the humans in trouble for his outburst. Collin though was less conscious about the room, all he knew was that this elf had upset Connor and no one got away with that, not even a high and mighty elf. In a blink of an eye, Collin's knuckles slammed into the angular cheek of the elf, catching the other male by surprise enough to make him stumble back. By the time the elf recovered, Collin was already trotting to catch up with Connor, leaving the elf to rub his cheek and stare after the retreating pair. Another elf stepped closer, having observed the entire exchange.

"What was that all about, Conrad?"

"The terrible start of a interesting courtship."