#he’s like a little raccoon

[britcision]

Anyway. This is why I finally put up the Heralds masterpost.

Because this whole idea was conceived and written at various 3ams, and it shows

Cole is just a sweet and creepy little man who likes to share his hobbies with his friends. Hobbies like watching you sleep

**

Sleepers

The first time, Lavellan was already standing over Solas’ sleeping form when Cole wandered into the elf’s bedroom.

Cole wasn’t specifically looking for either elf (although he’d been expecting to find Solas in one form or another), but it didn’t deter him. Not much did, even a direct instruction.

Lluciano glanced over at him for a moment, an acknowledgment that still sat warm and happy in Cole’s chest like sunlight. Then the elf’s bright green eyes returned to Solas’ sleeping form.

Solas liked sleeping. It let him wander into the Fade, travel secret roads and find old mysteries. Cole had always wondered if there was any way to see that in the body left behind.

Moving up beside Lavellan, the two regarded the sleeping elf together.

Maybe that was what Lluciano was doing here too. Lluciano didn’t like Solas as much as Cole did, but for once Cole almost understood that.

Solas didn’t like elves. Didn’t like the Dalish, who clutched at traditions he thought were all wrong, and didn’t like the city elves who’d become too close to human. And he wasn’t shy about showing it.

Solas did like Lluciano though; Luci challenged him, made him think about why he’d given up on all the Dalish. And Lluciano liked the spirits, which was pretty much Solas’ favourite thing about any person.

They’d gotten on much better once Solas stopped trying to speak down to him, but Lluciano hadn’t forgotten. And while he hadn’t been angry, or overly offended, or started a fight over it, there was something in him that was always cold to Solas.

That remembered having to prove against resistance that he was his own person, and should be treated like one.

Cole wondered what that would feel like too. Being so sure in your personhood, being able to put your foot down and demand to be treated in the way you wanted.

Of course, Lluciano wasn’t much good at the latter part yet either, but being around Cadash was a learning experience for both of them. Corin Cadash could put their foot down hard enough to shake Skyhold.

Cole had wandered the bedrooms plenty of times before. He didn’t sleep, and when that was what everyone else was doing, he didn’t have much else to occupy him.

He’d drift around, find the places where people were still up, some of them hot and wanting, others shaking and scared. Some reading, little snatches of stolen time by candle light.

Some just sleeping, lying there completely unaware of anything else in the world. Even less aware of his presence than everyone else, although sometimes they would react to him.

Some peoples’ faces would twitch if he watched them. Some people turned away. Buried themselves in covers, like even if he could hide from their waking selves, he couldn’t sneak past that little sleeping part.

That was interesting too, and Cole very much liked to watch the sleeping part. To see what disturbed them, wonder if it was himself or only their own dreams.

He could hear dreams, sometimes. Mostly the bad ones, the ones that came with shaking, shivering, screaming sounds strangled to silence.

Not Solas’ though. And Cole wasn’t sure if that was because Solas dreamed his way into the Fade, or just the sheer volume of the other hurts Solas always carried inside.

Solas was sleeping deeply tonight. Some nights, his face would twitch too, even in his Fade walking. Some nights he’d almost respond to Cole’s presence.

Cole knew he was much harder to notice than anyone else, than any of the real people who were flesh and not spirits pretending.

Harder than anyone except Lluciano Lavellan. Because the Fade magic in his hand and the sickness in his head had gotten all tangled together, and sometimes even Cole couldn’t see Lluciano.

Sometimes Lluciano didn’t even know he’d disappeared. He would just be invisible, or teleported away by the sudden spasms of a seizure.

So it made sense, really, that Solas hadn’t noticed him. Cole certainly hadn’t, and he didn’t know how long Lavellan had been there before he’d arrived. They could have almost been walking together.

Cole didn’t ask. That wasn’t nice; talking where other people were trying to sleep. He’d been told off for that a lot, now that he was travelling with other people.

He didn’t need to sleep, and could quite happily sit up for most of the night talking to Solas, Lavellan, Cadash, or Varric. Even the Iron Bull talked to him on watches, which was nice even if he was scared.

It made the scared smaller, and Cole was happy with that.

Until someone else would yell at them from the tents and tell them to shut up.

It wasn’t nice to talk when other people were sleeping, or to make noise, so Lavellan and Cole stood in comfortable, companionable silence side by side, both watching Solas sleep.

Neither of them wanted to disturb him. Solas probably needed to sleep more; that seemed inevitable. Most of Skyhold spent a lot of time complaining that they hadn’t slept enough, or longing for their beds.

You might think they would therefore appreciate having Cole’s presence there to watch them sleep, and ward away any loud noises or talking that would disturb them. Most of them didn’t though, so usually Cole made sure they couldn’t notice him.

Tonight, Lavellan was fully visible though, standing at Solas’ bedside as real as could be, so Cole copied him. Lavellan might not have known he was visible, but he usually wanted to be except in battle.

If he’d wanted to be unseen, Cole seeing him would have told him he’d failed. He’d had time to be less seen and hide, and he hadn’t.

So that meant it was probably okay. Solas didn’t like Cole to hide himself anyway; not from him. Solas always said that Cole was a good and gentle spirit, and anything he offered Solas would be grateful for.

It wasn’t what Cole knew was true about himself, but Solas was very sure, and it was nice to believe. Solas would notice if he were becoming a monster, although a deep down part of Cole knew that Solas would never stop Cole from hurting anyone else.

Solas didn’t think other people were worth as much as spirits. Cole couldn’t argue with him; Solas just wouldn’t listen, so there was no point.

Lavellan would. And if he wouldn’t kill Cole himself, he could get Cadash, and Cadash would kill anyone and anything they needed to. Especially if it would hurt Lavellan.

Cole didn’t know if he would hurt Lluciano, but he wasn’t going to assume he wouldn’t. He didn’t know how he’d think if he became a monster again.

But Cadash would stop him, even if they did call him self destructive and dramatic every time he asked, so it was alright. Nothing in the world could hurt Lluciano if Corin was around.

They had a very big shield with a special spring loaded part to make it even bigger just to be sure.

Lluciano wasn’t hurting tonight either. He did sometimes, when his body woke up without him in it and wandered the keep. Cole tried to follow him when that happened, just like when the seizures left him empty.

Tonight though, he was definitely all inside his body. Cole could feel the gentle hum beside him, knew his thoughts were buzzing around, but none of it was hurting.

Cole being there too was helping, which was nice. Just his presence being able to help without talking, or doing anything, or even touching was still a little new.

People knowing him, knowing he was there, and liking that he was there was warm too, soft and sweet like honey left in the sun. Not just the presence of another, the presence of Cole.

He was valued.

Lluciano wanted to touch Solas’ face.

The thought slipped in so softly, so gently that Cole might almost have mistaken it for one of his own, because… well, he did sometimes.

People didn’t like being touched when they were awake, not most of the time. And Cole always wanted to make people comfortable, so he listened solemnly to Josephine’s lectures and always let people touch him first, or tell him how they liked touching.

They didn’t mind when they were asleep though, and all the little skin hungers could be soothed so long as he was gentle enough not to wake them.

Faces especially fascinated Cole. They held onto expressions they weren’t making anymore, all the different lines and wrinkles from smiles and frowns.

He liked to trace them with his fingers, all the marks of past joys and sorrows. To feel them while they were flat and empty. And sometimes to feel the frowns deepen under his touch, lines becoming ridges.

People didn’t like him touching their faces most of all while they were awake, but most of them also needed the closeness of contact. They didn’t touch each other enough either, so touching them while they were asleep worked out best for everyone.

That way they could have the touch and feel better, and not be upset with him.

It was nice to know Lluciano felt the urge to touch too. He glanced over at Cole from the corner of his eye, and that small happy thing in Cole’s chest grew brighter as he realised.

Lavellan knew that Cole knew what he wanted to do. Talking without words, sharing just the feeling and knowing that Cole understood.

If only Cole could send a feeling back. To let Lavellan feel the way he felt, and know that Cole knew about the touching feeling too.

Solas definitely needed to be touched more.

It wasn’t the biggest ache that lingered, hungered under his skin, but it was worse than almost anyone else Cole had ever met.

He didn’t let himself touch anyone, and didn’t let them touch him either if he could help it. He didn’t want to get attached. Cole could understand that; when you got attached to people and they left, that hurt was the worst of all.

There was nothing that could fix it, or help. Just time to make the ache less.

But bodies had needs whether their owners liked them or not, and skin hungered to be touched no matter how much you wanted it not to.

He usually wound up touching Solas when he watched him sleep. Traced the long points of his ears. The harsh lines of his face.

The smooth, shiny skin on top of his head. Like the shell of a boiled egg, Sera said, but Cole had touched lots of eggs and they weren’t as soft. As smooth and with the same gentle give of flesh.

Solas liked Lavellan. He probably would like for Lluciano to touch his face, while he was asleep. Then he wouldn’t have to ask while he was awake.

He would have liked for Adaar to touch his face a lot more, and with her own face, but she wasn’t here. She couldn’t see well enough to watch people in the dark. Solas would have to ask her.

Lluciano was here now though.

Looking back at Lavellan for a moment, Cole did his best to convey his thoughts in his own face.

It didn’t have a lot of lines yet, because he hadn’t been living in it for very long. Varric told him his face was sad, all on its own, and Cole wasn’t quite sure what to do about it.

Lluciano looked at him, then back down at Solas. Back to Cole.

He really wanted to touch Solas’ face.

Cole tried a nod. Because yes, that was for agreeing. Lluciano should touch Solas’ face.

Lluciano grinned, teeth bright and white in the dark, and Cole felt himself smiling back. That was still strange too, the urge to smile when one of the heralds smiled at him.

When Varric smiled at him. Smiles were what happened when the warmth in his chest came up into his face, when he was happy and people were happy with him.

Lluciano was very happy with him, and with him being here. He nodded back, looked down at Cole’s hands.

Oh.

They could touch Solas’ face together. That would probably be even better than them touching his face separately, although they might get in each others’ way.

But then they could be touching each other too, and Cole could show Lavellan the way he liked to stroke along all the lines and wrinkles, and Lavellan would like it too.

Cole knew he would. Lluciano always liked learning about how people worked. And he liked faces, especially pretty ones like Dorian’s and Cullen’s.

They would have to get closer. Kneel down beside the bed together. Very close, shoulder to shoulder, or chest to chest, air warmed between them and sharing the sleeping time.

It was nice, not being alone.

**

A sudden, unshakeable feeling of wrongness snapped Solas abruptly from a deep sleep. Eyes jerking open, it took a moment for them to refocus on the real world, instead of the paths he’d been walking.

He was in his room, at the base of tower. Tucked away from his study. Dark, only the light from a brazier in the hall flickering.

He’d closed the door when he came to bed.

Someone had opened it.

Someone was still there.

Eyes darting about the room, Solas was about to sigh in resignation when he realised that there were two shadowy figures standing over his bed, not just the one.

Eyes narrowing, he pushed himself up on one shoulder and frowned up at the pair. Cole’s long, lanky limbs, as expected. And…

Lavellan.

Lluciano Lavellan was standing with Cole, both of them watching him sleep.

Because of course they were. Why wouldn’t that be another thing for the two of them to bond over. They already liked sneaking around.

Letting out the sigh, suddenly with infinitely more weight and feeling infinitely more tired, Solas flopped back onto his bed, eyes resolutely closed.

“This is not going to be my problem,” he declared firmly, and even his senses, strained in the dark and otherwise silent room at the base of the tower, barely picked up the sounds of the two moving away.

He would have asked Josephine about a lock for his door, if he didn’t already know Lavellan enjoyed lock picking.

Maybe a bucket trap instead.

“The bucket will only fall if I want it to. I don’t want it to disturb you.”

Solas’ eyes snapped open again at Cole’s simple, slightly confused sentence, and Lluciano’s cackling laughter.

He lay in the dark for a long time, but he didn’t sleep again that night.

**

You know it’s a good fic when someone has to keep putting it down because they’re laughing to hard to read it… or maybe that’s the 3am talking, right @ekwolfwood?

I warned you I would be insufferable about Cole

Behold! The master post!

[raccoonnutella13]

its so weird to me personally that some people think that it doesnt make sense for craig to be nice to wildernessa but still hate jason (up until scout guest), but to me the worst thing wildernessa has done is say that craig doesnt know shit about nature vs jason whos basically like "ok tony now hit the second tower" for the majority of his screentime, and people wonder why craig doesnt trust him most of the time huh

[fallenclan]

can we see levi's top relationships now that he's deputy? curious to see if he's close with/even likes anyone in the clan besides ravenstar LMAOOOOOOOOOO

-🦝

if ravenstar finds out that levi (much older than littleleaf) has a crush on littleleaf. well. i dont think he'll be deputy any more. or breathing

[jay-arts-t]

Jaskier, wearing an uncommon outfit for the time: what do you think, Geralt? I’m hoping to start a new trend!

Geralt: It’s…interesting??

Jaskier: in a good way??

Geralt: it’s a little too weird for my taste.

Jaskier: dude, you have white hair and dress cowboy goth. YOU are weird.

Geralt: EXCUSE ME

[moeblob]

AU where Brent is a drone to help out at crime scenes and offer input after Right finds the drone. And basically he befriends the really weird guy possibly controlling the drone but has his doubts as to how human the drone's source can be. So Right and Brent just go around trying to solve crimes while Right just calls the drone "Fuckwad (affectionate)".

[just-a-random-raccoon]

Guys guys this is important I swear I got.the urges

The hair privileges it's the only thing that he has left, and it's not even his OWN hair

[phantastragoria]

That one shot in the Vol. 3 trailer.

[aaxooli]

errmmm he’s right behind me isn’t he

[ccstiles]

So, I don't know if you guys have a name for the little raccoon that Charlie and Casper adopted, but I have a silly idea

Any animators wanna animate Charlie with the little guy with that new 'stick it up I'm robbing the place' trend with pets? I think that would be adorable and super funny

[drksnctury]

i wanna rip it off like a bandaid

[theflyingfeeling]

he's been such a mood lately

[blkkizzat]

So @ryomens-vixen has introduced me to the Tiktok meme of Toji and his raccoons. Does anyone else know what this is?! I know there’s some with Toji and rats but the raccoons are funnier to me.

I guess the tea is the nigga is such a homeless hobo that he’s trained like a legion of raccoons to like steal shit and dig through garbage for him.

But now we have a whole world of headcanons on what coexisting with Toji and his raccoons would be like. Like how they live with us and we get them to do chores, help raise Megumi and how I have to fight his raccoon baby momma who is trying to get Toji back (thank you @littlemochabunni for that one 😭).

Also how Gojo accidentally ran one over and it’s been beef ever since.

Now I really want to write out a list of headcanons or a fic for this but I want to know if anyone else knows wtf this is 🤣🤣.

[flopbftheo]

tbz ig update with sunwoo (240412)

[quatregats]

I feel like there is a definite uptick in wanting to see Hornblower suffer for people who've read past Beat To Quarters/The Happy Return. Like I think you can't get past the original trilogy without thinking that he should squirm a little bit for his crimes

[genderlesssinner]

I keep forgetting they're in a temple and I don't know how to feel about it

Marisha having not been present for the Planning because of makeup and then being first while Orym is last in initiative is kind of funny kind of terrifying

Laudna, Chet, Braius, Snowdinus, Ashton, Fearne, Dorian, Gloamglut, Unseelie Emissary, Imogen, Orym

Oo new form of dread hell yes

Ooh yes I do remember the Spooktacular nice nice

Ludinus's notes???

Fucking Travis with the cpop brand. The rocking horse is good too though

Samuel holy shit with the art

Oh shit Laudy get this fucken counterspell please

Power Word spells are fucken nasty man

Travis said if Fearne is stunned their plan is fucked and I'm so curious about what they're trying to do

🤞🤞🤞🤞

YAAASSS

Okay okay okay Ash going for seige damage hell yes

"I can swing my hammer underground, right?" I love him

LET'S FUCKING GOOOO FEARNE

Yet another accidental phrase Matt will never live down. Spreading her legs

Uppies!! 🤣

Whatcha got Dorian

Ooooo force cage okay okay okay

Two witches in a hole and one in a box - Liam 🤣

This dragon mini is too big one wing fucken blocks Marisha's whole face holy fuck

"He doesn't care."

DUSK HUNGER? Did I hear that right? That's a badass name

I'm so curious about Zathuda but also want him far away from the party (or like dead but I'm not sure they can take him rn)

I forgot this fucker has legendaries ugh

Laudna, Chet, Braius, Snowdinus, Ashton, Fearne, Dorian, Gloamglut, Unseelie Emissary, Unseelie Gaurdians, Imogen, Orym, Ira

Hell I forgot to add Zathuda now I'm not sure where he's supposed to be (I never remembered to pay attention enough to when his turn was whoops)

Ooo Imogen on Gloamgut interesting. The vibes.

Combat with this many people is such a pain sometimes and takes so long.. Orym's turn is the end of the first round man. Fuck. Well. Ira actually maybe

I FORGOT THEY BROUGHT IRA FUCK YEAH

Oh shiiitt Zathuda being like "Fuck!" at Ira showing up oooohhhh

"He has advantage against magic because fey."

"Annoying, okay." Mood Marisha.

The forcecage 'if yo know, you know' is one of the few references they make that I don't know and it makes me a lil sad

(about Snowdinus) "He's not even a real wizard." TALIESIN I mean it's true but like damn

(Bonus for Matt's "That's not nice.")

Weird name for a flail, Sam.

Oh shit also totally forgot Ira gets legendaries, fuck yeah

Love a good counterspell train

I love when Tal gets excited about rage effects

"Bold of you to assume you have advantage. Nah you totally can." Maaaatt

Get it Ash fuck yes natty 20

I both love and hate the vague DM comments that has the whole party like wait what what do you mean. "yeah use all your stuff." *panic around the table*

Get fucked Snowdinus, fuck your Dimension Door

This motherfucker 'sploded

The 20s tonight

After this, Braius being like, 'welp my mission is done, Ludinus got exploded. Bye guys good luck' would be hilarious to me

"oops, a murder"

Laudna, Chet, Braius, Snowdinus, Ashton, Fearne, Dorian, Gloamglut, Unseelie Emissary, Unseelie Gaurdians, Imogen, Orym, Ira

YES FEARNE GET IT GIRRRRL Nat 20 for a fucken 33 yessss girrrl

I love Ashley so much "I have a defenses box?"

I would love to see how Zathuda v. Ira showdown would turn out honestly

Okay okay okay Sorrowlord wants to chat

Nat 1 with a -3 goddamn. The latest reaction time

Is this actually gonna fucken work? What's about it happen akdbfjchf

The whole building is about to come down too

Yes talk to the dragon Imogen

Okay but knowing the Fey dragon has a negative wisdom mod could come in handy

Okay baby boy defending the Emissary makes sense I think

Ira no we don't trust you either my guy

Aah his journal and the stuff about the funnel okay okay

Well I don't like the sound of that. Except the uh taking out Ludinus part but um yeah no

WHISPERS!

Yep okay he wants Fearnie to become the vessel for Predathos no thank you

Okay look I'm not saying this is the right line of thinking but I love this whole exchange

"It's a tomorrow problem."

"What if there is no tomorrow?"

"Well then it's not a problem, is it?"

So the Unseelie want to be free of the gods? Am I understanding this right

Seems the Emissary is also disappointed in the Zathuda heir

I do not like the way Zathuda talks about Fearne

I'm not against fighting them right now but Gloamglut at the very least would fuck them up and I don't think we know too much about what Zathuda is capable of and literally nothing about the Emissary or guards.

Yeah I guess the better shot is to let them go I don't know man ugh

Oh shit okay Imogen

Shadow daddy 🤣

New initiative okay

Orym, Zathuda, Emissary, Imogen, Gloamglut, Fearne, Braius, Chet, Ash, Dorian, Ira, Laudna

Okay Emissary out immediately

Aaand the pillar okay well that gives us a bit of a time table eh

The guards are like aw hell no

FEARNE. ASHLEY. AAAAAAAA

Fuck me man. Get out guys.

He really just Fastball Special'd Fearne with thunder wave didn't he

It's bad we're running guys

Motherfucken Nightmare King got spookier damn

Breaking out the big guns okay damn Laudy. Fucking Disintegrate

And empowering it fuuuuccckk

Stress math. It was almost enough

You know. I'm not sure I would have reminded Matt about the wing attack. (I probably would have but like. Sjxbhch)

This damn dragon man.

Love Imogen for throwing the Shadowlord to Braius

The whole thing is coming down

So Gloamglut being the only one to make it away from this (assuming BH kills the Emissary and Zathuda) isn't terrible, I think. But I suppose that depends on how intelligent it is and maybe on the abilities of whoever it goes to.

SAMUEL stop trying to piss off literally all of the gods

I'm here for this but what the hell are you doing Ash. Aaaaah forced movement coolcoolcool

Holy fucking shit

This is what the Tweet was about isn't it

I knew someone would get caught inside fuuuccck

Break time..

WolfChet being a garbage disposal

Whaaaaat the fuuuuccckkk

Let the dice decide, that *always* goes well. Sure.

TRAVIS. You gotta stop with the fake outs man

Though I would be very curious to see what abilities they got from either of these two high ranking Fey

Oooo shit MATT WHAT

ABU?? What the fuck

That fucking smile though holy shit

"We're gonna have words" -Travis

Ashley with the Mister plush in her head is absolutely a mood

What is even happening right now

I'm loving Braius / Sam being singled out so far

Did they just get yoinked by the Arch Heart? And now he's pulling the join me or die, fun stuff

Ooooo heartbeat in the audio nice

I absolutely adore Abu's portrayal of the Arch Heart, gods

Did he yoink them through the Gate????

Yes flatter the god of art, I'm sure that'll go well (this is only sort of sarcastic)

THE TITAN FIRE oh shit

Heeee does not seem happy about the presence of titan powers which uh tracks though

Oh no Ashton baby uhoh

"I feel like I've met you before" UH WELL YOU SEE

This could be such a big info gain opportunity

I really want to know who the other god is who wants to leave exandria

I'm having so much trouble processing all of this right now shit man

UM hi Asmodeus???? Fuuuuck

Okay okay okay wild

So many big high stakes decisions that need to be decided oooooff

✨Flattery✨ 🤣

The star is the woman who made the wish to spread the knowledge of how to build the weapon in Aeor holy shit

Robbie's grabby hands as Abu left though man

"Braius doesn't wake up." this is why you don't fuck with the dm yall, one day it won't be a joke 🤣

Holy fucking shit man.

That ring! Damn.

Since I'm just watching 107, I'll obviously not be watching 108 live tonight which means another weekend of no tumblr until Monday afternoon at least.

See yall again then ♥️

Remember to be kind to one another

[kozzax]

Birds chirp in the distance. A music disc plays, its familiar tune echoing out over the hills. Fields of wheat sway in the gentle summer breeze. The sun sets on the horizon.

There is a home built into the landscape. A mound of dirt dug out into a comfortable living space. Its windows are lit, a warm glow coming from within. A long overgrown path sits next to it. The original planks only barely visible after so many long years.

It's been years since this home was first built. It's been so many years since the wars that destroyed this world. And yet, a young man steps out of the building with laughter and a smile on his face. He's tall, with broad shoulders and long brown hair that covers his eyes. The rams horns that adorn his head knock against the door frame as he exits, but he pays it no mind.

He drags a group of young adults out of the mound-house behind him. Their conversation is private, too private for us to know. All we need to know is that they're happy. They're happy, and at peace, and despite the faded scars that cover each of them and tell the stories of danger and destruction-- they're okay.

The boy whose hair never grew back in, whose eyes are forever burning with the flames that he fell into. The half-enderman, their crown askew and their posture hunched not in fear but to better accommodate the arm thrown over their shoulder. The boisterous demon, laughing and roughhousing without a care in the world. The young piglin child, held in the arms of a man wearing a blue cardigan and a party hat that's only barely staying put in his hair.

They walk down the overgrown path together, no worries about danger or concerns about those that might want to bring them harm. Every time they pass someone else, they pause for a moment to greet them. Every person they pass gives the tall blonde man a hug, and a smile, but the seven are left to continue their journey on their own.

And then, just as the sun finally disappears beyond the horizon, they reach their destination. The music disk finishes its song as they arrive at the tree, at the bench that they've met at so many times before, and at the night-time picnic that's been set there.

We don't need to see the celebration they hold. It is not our place, just as their conversations are theirs and theirs alone. But what we do see is this:

The demon pulls the cardigan-wearer into a tight hug and a noogie. The enderman takes their son into their arms and gestures for their friend to take his seat on the bench. The burly leader, covered in burn scars, leans over the back of the bench to have his head next to his friend's. The hell-raiser lights the candles on the cake that's been left here.

They sing, for their friend.

And then, eventually, the music disc starts again.

And they are home.