#i like to think of them as having a bit of banter

[abyssal-ilk]

A thing that people always forget when chastising vivienne for being so apathetic to cole is the fact that she is a circle mage. People whom are forced to learn that you should not trust demons nor spirits or else they’ll put you down AS A RITE OF PASSAGE. Think back to what Mouse says in DAO. “Keep your wits about you, mage; true challenges never end.” She knows that for the rest of her life, demons will tempt her and try to possess her. She has seen mages turn into abominations, knows how they get them- of course she will support templars who have the skills to subdue them. And now to have a spirit scurrying around without supervision what is the last bastion against a Tevinter Sidereal… I too would be worried as hell if i were a circle mage.

EXACTLY!

not only is vivienne a circle mage, but there are also a few other factors that play into it that make cole so untrustworthy to her. vivienne underwent her harrowing when she was young– in fact, she was the youngest mage to have ever gone through a harrowing and survived it. we don't get to learn much about what she went through during her harrowing, but we DO have this banter between her and cole:

harrowings on their own are already traumatic enough, and with the added insistence from the circles that all spirits and demons are dangerous (which we see vivienne repeat above, "all it can do is harm."), it makes complete sense on why vivienne would be so put-off by cole! especially given how kind he is! she thinks that kindness is a ploy, and why wouldn't she if her harrowing was anything like the warden's in DAO?

and then that's not even acknowledging the fact that cole isn't just ANY spirit. he's the ghost of the spire. he's killed mages before and admits to doing so. and even though he was wrong to do so and realizes that what he did was wrong, that does not mean that vivienne automatically has to suddenly be okay with what cole did. of course vivienne takes cole being the ghost of the spire harder than everyone else in the inner circle. she is the only circle mage there. it is entirely plausible that she sees cole as a threat and views herself as being the person most able to recognize that threat because of what she was taught. it's why she struggles so much to empathize with cole on any level.

ive already talked about this briefly on another post, but cole is also fairly antagonistic to vivienne as well. it's easy to look at their dynamic and think that, well, cole is just trying to help vivienne but he... isn't? his version of helping her is prying into her thoughts without permission and continuing to do so even after she has shown clear discomfort with it.

cole drags her worst memories and thoughts out publicly in front of not just vivienne, but the rest of the party and anyone else who may happen to be standing near them. it's DANGEROUS, what he does, because vivienne is a player of the game. her position at court is a precarious one, and to have someone like cole who can just pick into her brain whenever he wants with no repercussions? it's scary! it's scary because vivienne has no defense against it, especially if the player supports cole and downplays the harm he does. and what can vivienne do about it? she's an ally of the inquisitor, and that makes her cole's ally by proxy. telling cole to stop doesn't work, insulting him doesn't work, trying to get the inquisitor to intervine doesn't work– nothing seems to deter cole.

which is why THIS piece of dialogue is so important to me:

despite everything i've said above, vivienne still cannot help but care about cole. no matter how dangerous he is, no matter what she was raised to believe, she still cares about him and worries for him. their dynamic is SO interesting to me and i really wish people dug into it a bit more rather than just dismiss it as vivienne being needlessly cruel to cole. it's so much more than that.

[littlelamy]

the press tour: drew starkey x actress!reader

the press room is abuzz with energy as you and drew starkey take your seats for the latest interview on your movie better than friends. the film has been receiving rave reviews, and the chemistry between you and drew has sparked a whirlwind of speculation among fans. you’ve been fielding questions about your on-screen romance, but the real intrigue has been about your off-screen relationship.

the interviewer, a charismatic woman with a playful smile, wraps up the standard questions about the film. then, with a glint in her eye, she leans forward, clearly ready to stir the pot.

“so, better than friends,” she begins, her tone taking on a teasing edge. “it’s been quite a ride with you two on this press tour. the fans have been making all kinds of edits and posts, convinced there’s more going on between you two than just acting. care to address the rumors?”

you glance over at drew, who meets your gaze with a confident, almost challenging look. his arm is casually draped over the back of your chair, a touch that feels both intimate and reassuring.

“well,” you say, playing along with a mischievous grin, “there’s certainly a lot of chemistry between us. we’ve enjoyed working together, and that definitely translates on screen.”

drew chuckles, the sound low and warm. “yeah, the fans are pretty perceptive. they’ve been picking up on something we’ve been trying to keep under wraps.”

the interviewer’s eyes twinkle with curiosity as she leans in closer. “so, are you saying that there might be more to this relationship than meets the eye? the fans seem pretty convinced there’s a bit of reality behind those on-screen sparks.”

you give drew a sidelong glance, your fingers brushing lightly against his. it’s clear the interviewer is enjoying the flirtatious undercurrent of the conversation, and you can feel the excitement in the air.

“well, it’s true that there’s been some chemistry,” you say, allowing your voice to carry a hint of warmth. “and, you know, sometimes reality mirrors art in unexpected ways.”

drew’s hand finds yours under the table, and he gives it a gentle squeeze, his eyes never leaving yours. “i’d say the fans have been pretty spot on,” he adds, his voice low and filled with a playful tone. “there’s definitely been something going on between us that’s a little bit beyond just friends.”

the interviewer’s smile widens, clearly delighted by the admission. “so, is it safe to say that what we’re seeing on screen is just a hint of what’s actually happening off-screen?”

you laugh softly, the sound light and teasing. “i think it’s fair to say that the chemistry isn’t all just for show. we’ve got something pretty special going on.”

drew nods, his expression both tender and confident. “yeah, we’ve been keeping things private, but there’s definitely more to our relationship than just what you see in the film.”

the press room seems to hum with excitement as the news sinks in. cameras flash, and you can feel the buzz of anticipation from the fans who are watching this unfold. it’s a revelation that will have them talking for days.

the interviewer chuckles, clearly pleased with the direction the conversation has taken. “well, it sounds like the fans were right. it’s always nice to see that real-life connections can be even more compelling than what we see on screen.”

you and drew exchange a look of mutual understanding and satisfaction. the playful banter has brought your relationship into the spotlight, and you’re both ready to embrace this new chapter.

as the interview wraps up, the room is alive with the sound of flashing cameras and excited murmurs. you and drew stand up, his hand still lightly clasping yours. there’s a shared sense of exhilaration between you, and the moment feels electric.

the interviewer’s final words drift behind you as you and drew make your way out of the press room. the anticipation from the fans and the buzz of the press make the air feel charged, and you can’t help but glance at drew with a grin.

“that was quite the reveal,” you say, your voice a mix of excitement and satisfaction.

drew returns your smile, his eyes twinkling with warmth. “yeah, it was. i think we made a lot of fans very happy today.”

you step out into the quieter hallway, away from the clamor of the press. the adrenaline from the interview still buzzes in your veins, and you can feel the intensity of the moment lingering between you. drew pulls you gently towards him, the playful smile on his face softening into something more sincere.

“i’ve been wanting to do this for a while,” drew murmurs, his voice low and filled with affection.

you tilt your head, meeting his gaze. the hallway is dimly lit, the quiet atmosphere contrasting sharply with the energy of the press room. drew’s hand slides to the back of your neck, his touch gentle but possessive.

“do what?” you ask, your voice barely a whisper as you take in the closeness of his presence.

drew leans in, his eyes never leaving yours. “this.”

he closes the distance between you, his lips brushing softly against yours. the kiss starts gentle, a tender exploration of the feelings that have been simmering beneath the surface. it’s a kiss that speaks of all the moments you’ve shared, the connection that goes beyond words.

as the kiss deepens, drew’s hands find their way to your waist, pulling you closer. your fingers tangle in his hair, and the world outside the hallway fades away. it’s just the two of you, savoring the intimacy of the moment.

when you finally pull back, both of you are breathless, your foreheads resting gently against each other. there’s a shared smile, an unspoken understanding that this moment is special and perfectly timed.

“i guess the fans weren’t wrong,” you say softly, your fingers tracing along his jawline.

drew chuckles, his eyes shining with affection. “no, they definitely weren’t.”

[aceologist]

Ace: The lag on this game is so bad.

Tegan: I think you just suck.

Ace: I’ll fucking kill you.

[cobaltfluff]

so i started playing persona 4

where are the QoL features

[froschli96]

you know, i always find it really funny when dudebros complain about syndicate and odyssey being too "jokey" or not "taking its characters seriously" or whatever…

like, did y'all collectively sleep through "it's-a me, mario!", "i meant besides vaginas", ezio inventing the latte, bartolomeo's... just... *gestures vaguely* entire character, etc?

like, it's fine to have preferences of course, i myself prefer a more serious and grounded tone, but these are usually the same people who tout the ezio trilogy as "peak assassin's creed", call ac1 a glorified tech demo and hate on connor for being "too serious and boring", like? make it make sense!

[cerealbishh]

"Maria and Rhett knew each other way back when, they went to high school together. (...)Yeah, I think the spark is immediate because I think they maybe, secretly, always wanted to be together."

"I think that it's one of those relationships that never happened and never was but it was almost. And, I think, spending so much time apart, one can tend to fantasize what could be. (...) All of that ease of them seeing each other again is right there and it's almost as if they never left each other's side." - Isa and Lew on Maria and Rhett in an interview with Down and Nerdy(x)

"I also love that I get to tell a story about love in this really crazy, scary world(...) and we really want to root for them!" - Isa in an interview with SciFi Vision(x)

[hella1975]

all hate to tiktok for taking 'having a space to more openly and actively talk about different cultures' to mean 'cultures are NOT to be shared and we must be vigilantly defensive of our cultures for fear of appropriation, a word that can be applied to any multicultural interaction'. like of course cultural appropriation is a very real problem but ive seen with the access to global multicultural conversation that tiktok provides it's made people TERRIFIED to even interact with cultures other than their own for fear of 'doing it wrong'. like at some point you have to acknowledge that in the real world of the great outdoors, the majority of people are eager to SHARE their cultures. yes there are ignorant questions and biases but also... how do you think those things get unlearnt? i dont understand how deciding that multiculturalism is an elephant in the room instead of a normal thing that should just be talked about and lived with is supposed to benefit anyone? and kids on tiktok are CONVINCED that it's a time bomb of a conversation to have and therefore must be avoided at all costs but like. people generally LOVE their home and their culture and are PROUD of it and want to share it. how have we made it so that showing genuine interest and a desire to understand something so integral to a person's identity is now feared and borderline demonised?

[found--family]

am i the only one who sensed some jilted lover vibes from jensen? 

[bumblingbabooshka]

A Klingon and a half Vulcan participate in a myriad of rituals.

[nikki-tine]

Just oooone more thing to add before I get some sleep:

My Deitysonas are not exempt from being ticklish.~

If you want to utterly destroy a god with tickles, then my Deitysonas are very much fitting that criteria :3

[youngpettyqueen]

once again thinking about the post-canon dynamics on DS9

[dennisboobs]

i will say i am extremely glad we got the ghouls vs goblins back and forth in this podcast ep because it's SUCH a good look inside glenn and charlie's ideas/writing process, and it was. silly 😋

[cerealmonster15]

jesus christ like i only finished the sumeru story like a few months ago but i already forgot your literal first intro to kaveh is a scene of several minutes of him and alhaitham fully bitching at each other

[haunthouse]

i've been listening to offbway hadestown while i work lately + obviously there's a lot of things i feel work better in the off broadway version than the changes they made for the bway version, but the one that's really jumping out at me today is "come home with me". because like.

having hermes there coaching orpheus ("don't come on too strong") makes it super clear that this is meant to actually be orpheus and eurydices' first time meeting. whereas in the off broadway version hermes isn't there and imo nabiyah and damon absolutely played it as them already knowing each other, already loving each other, and the whole "come home with me" "who are you?" thing is like, a game they're playing. a little inside joke. i may be reading too much into the recording but to me it sounds like they've had a fight and this is them making up (which is also good because it sets the stage for the tension between them in chant i later!!!)

and i think that makes orpheus replying to who are you with "the man who's gonna marry you" way more sweet and way less weird!! i mean obviously it's a musical and it's also a myth so we aren't meant to take that as like, a normal thing a person would say to someone upon first meeting them anyways, i'm not saying that's what we're meant to get from the broadway version lmao, but i still think it's better when the implication is that they already know each other. i think it's fun!

(also as i was typing this i realized since come home with me isn't on the official offbway recording maybe ppl haven't heard nabiyah and damon's version of it so: here you go, tossed it in a private post, am i reading too much into this, almost certainly yeah)

[ajdrawshq]

8 days until the 8 game ................

[dutybcrne]

What if Diluc actually picked up a little Khaenri’ahn, enough to even discern things from context clues should he have enough key words, bc Kaeya kept slipping up and forgetting words in common and would instinctively replace them with Khaenri’ahn until he and Diluc figured out what he wanted to say. Then kept it up like a game bc it was plus Diluc was always super intrigued by Kaeya’s birth language up until Kae realized he was risking Compromising himself if Diluc or Crepus ever realizes Exactly what it was and abruptly stopped altogether-