#lyn writes ☆

[angelst4rs]

☆. . . butterflies.

☆. . . how could he say no to you?

☆. . . gn reader, real short because. yeah.

☆. . . various characters !!!!!! i had luke pearce in my head as i was writing this but then i thought. hm. no.

he is truly the living proof of the saying "looks could kill"—for a single glance from his sharp eyes would send shivers down anybody's spines. but here he was, sitting in front of you as you decorate his hair with colorful butterfly hairclips.

at first, he was opposed to the idea when you offered to style his hair with the small clips. but after seeing you smile so brightly, how could he ever refuse? with a defeated sigh, he merely nodded, instantly getting dragged to the nearby chair.

as soon as he sat down, he could feel your fingers comb through his hair. it was soothing, but of course he wouldn't admit it. his ego was too high for that! so he resorted to letting out a quiet sigh, before a small clip! was heard.

not long after, the tiny sounds multiplied, accompanied with small chuckles from you. he knew he looked silly, but at least you're the only one who's going to see him look like this. "are you done yet?"

"just a bit more!" he could hear your smile even if he wasn't facing you at all. suddenly, he saw you walk in front of him with a smile brighter than the sun itself, feeling proud of the work you just finished.

you handed him a mirror, and his hunch was true—he did look silly. however, he couldn't help but let a soft smile paint his face as he looked up to meet your gaze, the sides of your eyes crinkling in delight.

the pure joy and love emitted from your being was worth it. now, he didn't care how ridiculous he looked, he was just happy that you're having a great time making him look silly.

— luke pearce, artem wing, vyn richter, dan heng (+ imbibitor lunae), sunday, xiao, scaramouche, cyno, jiyan + your favs.

likes & reblogs are greatly appreciated.

[e-rated-beardo]

Oh guys, oh guys oh guys ohguysohguys

I found out a thing yesterday that's making me so very very very excited

And just in case you're the type who'd get excited too and like me two days ago you also don't know this important fact:

The Organization for @transformativeworks (OTW; the parent org of AO3) publishes a peer-reviewed academic journal, completely open-access, i.e. free for you to read

Cancel all my appointments forever this is where I'm going to be for the foreseeable lifetime gfasdafdhfgadgd

This post brought to you by "beardo needs to write a literature review about a certain number of a certain type of peer-reviewed paper, on otherwise whatever topics he likes, vaguely contained inside the concept of of 'library or information services', and yesterday he Found His Topic"

I'm so happy everyone, I'm going to write so many academic papers about fanfiction my lecturers are going to get sick of me 🥹🤩

I am Aziraphale rn

Relatedly, I've also just learnt that Dr Lyn Robinson, co-author of a book that's mandatory reading for like 80% of the courses in the academic programme I'm enrolled in, has published research about AO3. Not only does she seem to be into the same sort of information science stuff that I am, she's also researched fanfiction. She's my new idol

[kiose]

D6 - Pride

OR, the OG lesbians for me feeling the winds across the plains! Seeing their paired ending as a teen really changed something in me, abstract as it was. It felt like something I had always wanted but didn't know I could have, it filled me with hope, and maybe a bit of pride. And for that they will always be iconic to me, no matter how many canon gays we get 🌈.

Tomorrow's the last day of the @fe-pride-week so stay tuned for the last entry!

[larissa-the-scribe]

Tell Me About This Time Loop, Again?

And so it begins... @inklings-challenge

Day 12

In Zo's mind, it never felt like the day was properly begun until Lyn woke up, looked around at the room they'd been staying in, frowned, and said—

Day 13

"Where are we? And why does it feel so... familiar?"

"Well you see," Zo replied, as he always did, peeking at the underside of the egg he was frying, "we're stuck in a time loop."

Day 14

"A time loop?" Lyn swung her feet over the side of the bed, seeming to realize for the first time that she was in one.

"Don't worry, it's clean." After confirming they were, indeed, in a time loop, one of the first things he had suggested was finding a comfortable place to set up camp. Somehow it had worked, and they had ended up there every time things reset. "And there doesn't seem to be anyone around, so I don't think we're stealing or trespassing." 

Lyn raised an eyebrow. 

Day 15

"Well, we might be, but no one minds. It's a ghost town. Everyone seems to have disappeared." And since it was a time loop, they never ran out of cooking gas. Or food supplies. That, at least, was convenient. 

"Disappeared?" Lyn stood up, adjusting her shirt from how it had gotten scrunched up in the night. Despite her attempts to look bright-eyed and alert, he could see the sleepiness that still hung from her eyes. 

Day 16

"Our best guess so far is that it's connected to the time loop." Zo flipped the eggs. If this all persisted, he could open up a fried-egg restaurant once they got out; he was getting an absurd amount of practice flipping eggs.

"That makes sense." Lyn padded over to the window, still barefoot, and pushed the shutters open. "Do we have any evidence, or is that just, well, a guess?" 

Her gaze swept the view, which he knew without looking was nothing more than the empty lines of blocky, one-story buildings and the too-smooth black-top of the streets. The neighborhood was pressed together as if sheltering from the plains beyond the town, with such a veneer of newness covering it all that each house might have been churned out of a factory yesterday. They hadn't been, though, considering the subtle signs of wear and tear inside the houses. 

"Eh, a bit of both. Something weird is clearly going on with the area, and we know time is affected, too, so it's a logical guess that the two are connected. Whether that means some psycho wiped the town out before setting up their experiment, or just that their timey-wimey dealybob messed up physics in general is still up for debate. Do you want toast?"

"Yes, please."

Day 17

"Good. We have to finish the bread before it goes stale." Zo left the 'in case we get to the next day' implicit.

"I'm surprised we still have butter. I thought it would have gone bad in your pack."

"It smells a bit odd, but so far we haven't been affected by it."

Day 18

"Okay, but how do you know we're in a time loop?" Lyn asked, setting the table. 

They were in a ground-level studio apartment, so the dining room, kitchen, and bed were all in the same space. No couch, which Zo took to mean that the owner was either poor or a cheapskate. Either way, it was disappointing. Still, the carpet wasn't bad. He'd slept on worse.

"Because you've asked me that so many times I've lost track of the number," Zo said, "and you seem thoughtful every time, like you're not as surprised as you thought you'd be." 

She nodded and set a fork down carefully, wearing the expression she always did just then, brows squeezing down over far-away eyes.

"In all fairness, though," Zo clarified, "I mostly lost track because I wasn't really counting, and then it seemed pointless to start. It's been over two weeks, though, I'm fairly certain."

Day 19

She smiled, and the tension in her brows eased a bit. "This all does feels familiar. Like, I don't remember the other days, but all of this feels like I should, somehow, know what happens next. But I don't."

"I do know," Zo replied, "and it's getting a bit tiresome."

"Fair."

Zo nodded, slotting toast into the toaster. "Very. Whoever owned this place pretty much only had eggs in their fridge. I'm not sure how many more days in a row I can eat those without losing my mind."

Lyn looked up sharply.

Day 20

"Relax," he said, waving his spatula, "they respawn every day, so I don't think it's even technically stealing. If it is, we can pay them back later. There's a fully-stocked but unmanned convenience store down the road, one which we have very nobly not taken anything from, every single day."

"Good," Lyn sighed. "After all, if we get out today, we wouldn't want to be rewarded by jail for petty theft." She tacked on a fierce look at the end of the sentence.

Zo shrugged, and let Lyn interpret the gesture as she would. "Eggs are almost done."

Day 21

"Good. I'm weirdly hungry. Also, thank you for breakfast."

"Don't mention it," Zo smiled. "It's nothing I haven't done many times before."

[ikuramachi]

╰┈➤ A Pact of Blood; the Angel and Demon of Hell.

⟢ Two Blades and a Single Promise.

• Contents: One Piece x original character. A scenario between Roronoa Zoro and his crewmate, Umi, where they promise each other to live and die by each other’s hands; a drabble.

The sun had just begun to dip below the edge of the sea, casting the deck of the Merry in soft amber hues. A warm breeze blew over the ship as the crew gathered for a rare moment of calm. Dinner was done, the waves were gentle, and the energy on board had mellowed into the kind of stillness only found in true camaraderie.

Robin leaned lazily against the railing, a book in her hand but forgotten in her lap, whilst Nami was sunbathing as usual, with some fresh, cold orange juice in her grasp. Usopp and Chopper sat cross-legged on the deck, munching on snacks. Luffy lay sprawled across a barrel, hat covering his face, though his ears were clearly tuned in. Sanji was cleaning his knives nearby, but his eyes often wandered, losing focus too often for his own comfort, but not that it was unwarranted.

Zoro sat cross-armed on the edge of the deck, swords lined beside him, back resting against the rails as he stared out at the sea.

Across from him, Umi sat in her usual style—legs folded underneath her, pipe resting delicately between her fingers, a small wisp of smoke curling from its tip. She had her katana laid across her knees, the sheath gleaming dully under the light. A IV pole stood tall beside her, with a couple bags full of blood attached and connected to her hand, an unusual sight that's become all too familiar for the Straw Hats by now. Her blindfold, as always, masked her eyes, but her expression was relaxed.

A rare silence hung between them. Not awkward. Not uncomfortable. Just charged—like flint waiting to spark.

“Oi,” Zoro muttered finally, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. From the way his eyes looked at her, Umi clearly senses that there must've been thousands of unanswered questions running wild in his hollow mind. “That sword of yours... why keep it sheathed all the time?”

The rest of the crew subtly perked up. Even Luffy tilted his hat just enough to see.

Umi smiled faintly, pipe still balanced between her fingers. “Because it hurts when I draw it.”

Zoro grunted. “Tch. That’s a lame excuse if I've ever heard one.”

Her smile curled wider. “And here I thought you’d be one to understand. What a shame." She exhaled smoke. Suddenly, the pipe was thrown to the ground as Umi straightened up, holding up her bandaged hand to her chest. Her voice roared dramatically, like her very soul was on fire. “It’s not pain I’m afraid of. It’s what the pain brings out!”

Zoro’s gaze lingered on her for a long moment. “...That sword. It’s just steel, isn't t?”

She tilted her head. “No. It’s a part of me. My blood. My fire. When I draw it, it’s like unsheathing my very soul. And souls, Zoro, aren’t always clean.”

There was a silence, broken only by the soft creak of the ship and the ocean’s lull.

Usopp leaned toward Chopper, whispering, “Woah. That’s like... some deep samurai metaphor stuff.”

“Shhh!” Nami hissed, slapping a hand over Usopp's mouth.

Zoro’s arms unfolded. He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. “And yet... you keep training. Keep swinging it. Even if it puts you down.”

“Of course,” Umi said, as if it were obvious. Her previous whimsical, dramatic demeanor replaced with one much more serious. A gaze that, although he couldn't see, Zoro felt the intensity of which. “Because one day, you’ll have to cut me down.”

The silence that followed was thunderous. The tension was palpable, thick enough it could be cut with a knife. Or a sword... in a situation like this.

Sanji stopped polishing his blade. Robin looked up from her book. Luffy's eyes were almost sparkling, although he wasn't entirely understanding what was going on.

Zoro didn’t react, nor say anything. But his jaw tightened.

“I don’t fight for glory,” Umi continued. “I don’t fight to be the strongest. My dream is... different.” Her tone softened, yet it held the edge of conviction. “I want to make sure the people I love achieve their dreams. Luffy’s. Yours. Sanji’s. All of you. That’s enough for me.”

She turned her face toward Zoro. “And your dream... is to be the strongest swordsman in the world. To surpass even the man who taught me everything I know.”

Zoro’s knuckles twitched.

“So,” she said, tapping the hilt of her sheathed katana. “You’ll have to get through me to get to him.”

Zoro's scoffed, smirking to hide the nervousness that hid beneath the facade. Not because he was scared that he'd lose, but because he feared the weight of new, upcoming promise that he felt. “You planning to stop me?”

“No,” she said, lips curling slightly. “I’m planning to push you.”

He stared at her. Not with defiance. Not with hostility. But with something more potent. Respect.

Umi exhaled smoke and looked toward the never-ending blue horizons. “One day, you and I will fight. No interruptions. No distractions. Just blades and conviction.”

Zoro’s mouth quirked upward into something resembling a smirk. “And when I win?”

“Then you become the world’s strongest,” she said, tone calm and proud. “And I get to say I helped you get there.”

“...And if you win?”

“Then you’ll have to try harder,” Umi said with a shrug.

Luffy let out a low whistle. “That’s cool...”

Nami crossed her arms with a thoughtful look. “So their dreams actually... overlap.”

Robin closed her book slowly. “No. They intertwine. Like parallel blades crossing the same path.”

Chopper and Usopp were in a state that could be only described as being on the verge of tears out of sheer admiration.

Zoro stood up and walked slowly toward her. Umi rose in turn, unslinging her katana from her knees and letting it rest against her shoulder.

"So, we're rivals now." Umi smiled.

“We're allies before anything else.” Zoro replied as he stopped just a feet away from her, his cocky smirk replaced with a softer look now. He let out a sigh, like he was annoyed, but Umi knew that was far from the case. "So... I'd have to achieve my dream to fulfill yours, and to do that, I have to defeat you? Well, I’d be damned. What an odd, twist of fate." He chuckled.

Then, Zoro held out his fist.

“Took the words right out of my mouth.” Umi grinned, soft and content. She raised her fist, too. Their fists collided with a satisfying crack, the sound echoing like a drawn blade in the quiet dusk.

And somehow, the ship felt still. Not just calm, but aligned. Like something in the universe had clicked into place.

A promise was made.

Usopp blinked. “Okay but like—are they gonna fight now or make a blood pact or...?”

Chopper wiped a tear. “That was... that was beautiful...”

Before, Sanji was scowling. Now, he was staring at the sight ahead of him like the whole world just came crashing down on him. His face was scrunched and squeezed like his soul was sucked out of him, steam coming out from him. ”Wh... WHAT?!"

Luffy grinned, wide and bright. “Zoro’s gonna fight Umi someday. That’s gonna be so cool!”

Nami sighed in exasperation, rolling her eyes ever so slightly. Not that she was annoyed, per-say, just that her crewmates never ceased to surprise her. Not that she was complaining, really. “So, are they flirting, or what?”

Sanji practically hollered in objection at Nami’s words, still fuming, so much that he could’ve caught on fire. “IT’S CALLED UNNECESSARY CONTACT!”

Umi grinned, a low chuckle emitting from her. "Until then, let's get stronger. Yeah?"

"Yeah."

[boatsthatfly-art]

what if recon 54 and master chief were girls and in love

[425599167]

Tumblr is being weird and I can't add a link to the story like I usually do, but Chapter 2 of Double-Edged Doubt is up. It has Barriss running through all her anti-inquisitor techniques, including nerve-racking psychological warfare and making herself look as adorably sad as possible.

“Where did she go?” Fifth Brother asked. “Steady. Don’t let her take you by surprise.” Nothing happened. “Barriss?” The inquisitors stood there for at least a minute, and nothing happened. “Barriss!” Standing together, they watched and waited for an attack, but saw nothing approach either from around the room or from any of the long, bright hallways. Knowing better than to rely on her eyes, Fourth Sister searched for Barriss, and felt she was close. Under the structural damage left behind by the intruders, lights began flickering, and when the storage room turned dark, Barriss stood a meter in front of Fourth Sister lit only by the glow of the red saber. Not approaching, not doing anything. The cool-colored clothing absorbed the red light, leaving only a vague, dark shape. Under the outline of the hood, a void watched them. The light returned, and Barriss vanished. Once the latest shock wore off, Fifth Brother swung his staff wildly at where Barriss stood, hitting nothing. “How?” Fourth Sister asked through grit teeth. “HOW?!”

I also drew Barriss's mask.

[autumnslance]

The Thancred Anthology is Live! Free PDF!

The Thancred Anthology, a free PDF zine celebrating everything Thancred Waters, is now LIVE! Featuring 60 talented artists and writers, we hope you'll enjoy this exciting collection.

READ FOR FREE HERE.

(Image and text by the zine mods, I am just spreading the word!)

[lynsburner]

Popping in to say now why the fuck are you publishing what is very much a fic without even the serial numbers filed off like blatant likeness the bRAVERY the DELUSION babe

[lyn-ne]

something something vbs main story

original image for those who want it<3

[every-character-ever-poll]

GOOP LYN - veryextraincorrectfegbaquotes.tumblr.com

PROPAGANDA:

Lyn from Fire Emblem but evil and also if her lover was herself but not made of goop

[angelst4rs]

☆. . . prettiest on you.

☆. . . the way they admire you and your birthmarks.

☆. . . gn reader, birthmarks (obv), yeah that's it

☆. . . scratches head hey guys uhhhhhh yeah, there are various characters (female chrs too i love girls!!!!11!!!111!!11!1) so. have fun!!!!! btw this is very self indulgent

They absolutely adore kissing your birthmarks randomly. Whether if it's on your face, neck, arms, or wherever, they think of it as a guide by the universe on where to kiss you. And they grin the brightest when they hear the surprised gasp you make every time they kiss your birthmarks.

"They say that your birthmarks are where your past lover kissed you the most, so I guess you'll be keeping these birthmarks on your next life!"

— SHIKANOIN HEIZOU, MARIUS VON HAGEN, arattaki itto, kamisato ayato, venti, CHILDE, kaveh, wriothesley, sampo, caelus, beidou, YAE MIKO, march 7th, amber, stelle + your favs.

𖤐⭒๋࣭ ⭑ .ᐟ ᡣ𐭩

Every time you two are together, they always count the birthmarks you have. Staring at you with a gentle gaze, they look at your birthmarks as if they're priceless treasure or pieces of art scattered around you. And if you ever feel insecure about them, they will always say that your birthmarks are beautiful and makes you unique. They can and will tell you that countless of times since they truly do believe they're enchanting.

"I've heard that the more birthmarks you have, the sweeter you are. I guess that applies to you as well?"

— ALBEDO, zhongli, neuvilette, THOMA, tighnari, VYN RICHTER, luke pearce, gepard, JING YUAN, blade, ningguang, jean, ei, nilou, serval, KAFKA, black swan + your favs.

𖤐⭒๋࣭ ⭑ .ᐟ ᡣ𐭩

On quiet days, lazy mornings or sleepless nights, they trace around your birthmarks ever so softly, sending shivers down your spine. Adoring eyes gaze over you as they connect each birthmark with their fingers, a gentle smile painted across their face. Oftentimes, they wonder if the heavens had kissed you and put the stars on you instead of the sky.

"Perhaps the universe was sorrowful when you left the sky to be on this earth, so they gave you the very stars that adorn the night sky as a reminder that you were once one of them."

— KAEDEHARA KAZUHA, xiao, aether, cyno, DAN HENG (+ imbibitor lunae), luocha, artem wing, sangonomiya kokomi, kamisato ayaka, lumine + your favs.

likes & reblogs are greatly appreciated.

[lindalofbroome]

12 - Relationship

In the midst of the confusion, a bent old woman [...] was secretly passing a medallion to a younger woman in one of the cages. Rowan raised his fingers to the medallion hanging heavy around his neck. [...] It was the same, passed down through the generations of wise men and women who had followed her, until it came into Sehba's hands. And now Sheba has given it to me, Rowan thought. [...] 'Take it. Wear it. Learn what it is to be what I am.' ROWAN OF RIN Rowan of the Bukshah Ch 4 One to Dream

probably didnt need to be so dramatic on this one lmao but couldnt help it

i reckon rowan would be less bitter as the village wiseman but not without some of that 'oh my god do you really think like this? bestie what are you talking about? buddy use your brain??' because there's still ingrained prejudice and stuck in tradition even if they are more aware of their history now. it's going to be tough and he's got trauma <3

so theoretically i think the next gen might be a nice wiseperson lol bit more patient maybe even jolly. rin gandalf mayhaps. since the village next gen would be learning to embrace both sides of the story etc

honestly i think sheba is so tired of the village's bullshit by the time rowan is walking around. she's had enough!!!! she probably was also a black sheep bukshah, very observant, scared, open mind. the hardheaded no scared only courage!!! arts pathetic sport admirable!!! hardwork is all muscle not in brain!! would have been at its peak due to time by sheba and she wouldve known it was wrong. might have been mentored by her predecessor to show her the way. but the knowledge and standing on the outskirts literally and socially would have been really isolating and harrowing to the point no wonder she is pissed off about every little thing alsdkfjhas

[scariusaquarius]

take the bait.

Thorin Oakenshield x Fem! Selkie! Reader

A/n: and so let the event begin!!! First up, it's the king <3

Week one: Mythology, May 1st - Selkie

-

Genre: Folklore, Mystery

Rated: Everyone

Warning: none, maybe nudity?

-

Author: ScariusAquarius

-

Blue eyes were stern as they watched over the river. Calloused hands worn from battle and smithing were holding a fishing rod, trousers rolled up to his ankles as he stood in the creek just beyond the drop-off into the river.

This area had been well-known for salmon and trout, which were his favorite fish to eat, and though Thorin seldom fished, it was his favorite pass-time. Standing in nature, listening to the forest and the animals as they chirped and gobbled and squeaked, to the water as it ran through the rocks within the riverbed; it brought a certain peace to his soul that the clanking of hammers and the heat of the forges within Erebor ever could.

Usually, Thorin never would come out here, but certain nights, he would find himself standing within the light of the full moon under the guise of night fishing just to listen to her sing.

Her voice reminded him of his mother; the way she would rock him as he wept into her shoulder after a nightmare. The day his brother had been born and the chanting chorus from the celebration that followed. The hymns for his father after he had been brutally slain by Azog.

Tonight, she was upon a rock in the middle of the lake, fingers playing through her hair as she sang so the fish would be more likely to bite for him.

Brilliant (e/c) eyes were on him, her skin seeming to absorb the light and glow, and Thorin was almost entranced as he looked upon her divine presence.

He was sure he hadn't taken a breath the whole time she had appeared. Her singing paused, and Thorin's gaze turned stern, almost as if he was upset that she had stopped.

"Are they not biting for you, Thorin?"

His name sounded like a melody from her wet lips; a chant that echoed through the corridors and tunnels of his mind as she smiled at him teasingly, and he muttered.

"They are bewitched by you and much too busy to bite, (Y/n)."

The woman's eyes lit up in mischief, and Thorin watched her as she dipped down beneath the water. Suddenly, the water began to bubble, and fish began to jump, the surface turning into a rippling hurricane as the fish went crazy. Within seconds, Thorin had a bite, and he was quick to reel, capture, bait, and cast again.

He did this seven more times until his basket had become full, and Thorin was almost in awe when the water calmed. (Y/n)'s head suddenly poked out from the water.

"Are you satisfied now, my lord?"

Her tone was almost condescending, and Thorin huffed.

"I did not need help from you, witch."

(Y/n) chuckled as Thorin took his fishing rod apart, packing it away almost angrily as if he was frustrated that he couldn't catch one without any help.

"Ah, quite contrary. Without me, you would have been here for hours. What will you do for me now that I've helped you?"

Thorin replied, crossing his arms.

"Perhaps, a long and quiet time beside the waters was what I wanted. I did not ask for your help, so I am not required to give you anything."

(Y/n) chuckled, resting on the bank with her chin in the palm of her hand as she relaxed.

"True, but generosity is an admired luxury. If I tell you my price, will you consider?"

Thorin was silent, and (Y/n)'s eyes glowed with mischievous curiosity.

"I would like to see Erebor. I've heard only stories of the great Kingdom under the Mountains; of the smell of iron and gold, and though I am bound to this oasis, my soul yearns to explore. Will you allow me one day and night to see your beautiful kingdom?"

Thorin huffed. While it was a harmless request, Thorin knew that the Selkie was anything but. Her eyes were expectant, nails tapping against the dirt in anticipation, and Thorin replied.

"On one condition."

"What is your condition?"

Thorin sighed, stating firmly.

"You are not to touch a single thing. Your body will not leave my side for a moment. And for the love of Mahal, put clothes on."

(Y/n) giggled, sitting up and making Thorin turn away respectfully.

"Are you....embarrassed by me?"

"I would rather keep half my kingdom alive than for my people to faint if they laid eyes upon your bosom."

(Y/n) laughed before sinking beneath the waters slowly, disappearing before his very eyes as the sun slowly started to rise.

"Until the next full moon's approach, King under the Mountain."

The only thing left to indicate the woman had ever been there was a quiet little ripple on the surface, and Thorin was suddenly aware of the weight of the fish on the basket attached to his hip. Shaking his head, Thorin sighed.

What a strange little creature that (Y/n) was.

[END DAY 1]

[saijspellhart]

We Danced Anyway

Written by: me (Saij Spellhart)

Rating: Explicit

Relationships: Uther x Lyn (Hector’s older brother and Lyndis)

Fandoms: Fire Emblem the Blazing Sword (Blade)

Summary: Lyn travels to Ostia to negotiate a political marriage to Hector. They’re friends, comrades, and their union will strengthen both Caelin and Ostia. The union made sense. Uther couldn’t be happier for his younger brother. That is, until Uther meets Lady Lyndis.

As a mutual attraction blossoms, they both find it increasingly more difficult to stay away from each other.

(Uther falls for his younger brother’s fiancée, and equally Lyn has it bad for Hector’s older brother.)

Warnings: forbidden romance, age difference, infidelity, mature content, sickness. (Uther has TB, and Lyn is not repulsed by it.)

I wrote this first and foremost for my husband. He gave me the idea through a conversation we had about Uther, and was supportive throughout the process of writing it. As of posting this, I’ve already written out the entire fic aside from the last chapter. So updates will be frequent and timely.

[dexjarxenoengage]

Have you ever noticed that Alear and the Four Royals acts as a Five Man Band? The story may not show that well, but their gameplay, nations and represented Emblems demonstrate that they are this trope perfectly. Veyle acts as the Sixth Ranger (actually 11th Hour Ranger). They best represent this trope as well because Alear, the Royals and Veyle are the only playable characters that can’t die on Classic Mode (oh and Vander too, but he’s just a mentor kind of guy).

The Five Man Band is among one my favorite tropes in media. Why? IDK why, it just is. I used to be a Power Rangers fan, five is usually among the highest these teams get to. In which case it becomes a Three plus two scenario where a Power Trio becomes a Five Man Band (Ninja Storm, Dino Thunder, and Jungle Fury come to mind).

I bring up this trope to talk about Fire Emblem Engage specifically, Alear, and the Four Primary Royals fit this trope. And it’s not just in team composition, IMO, the Emblems they are best known for (specifically in the Prologue cutscene) best give idea on why they fit the role in the team.

Alear the The Hero/Leader of the team; because obviously they are the Fire Emblem Lord, they are the Divine Dragon: the only one who can summon the Emblems who can save the world from the Fell Dragon. And just like any other Fire Emblem Lord in the franchise, if they are defeated, it’s a game over. Pretty typical Fire Emblem knowledge.

Alear’s most common Emblem is Marth. Marth is the first ever Fire Emblem Lord in the franchise, the idealistic leader that his loved ones trust and follows. Marth is the first of many sword wielding heroes in the franchise. Swords are a very common weapon type for heroes (Micaiah is the only Emblem in the main game that canonically never uses swords).

Alfred is the Lancer. Who usually acts a foil to the Hero/Leader, usually is their first/best friend/companion, and/or is the first to question any decision the leader/hero makes. Not every character of the archetype has to be a rival or a jerk (or in most cases both), Alfred is one of those examples. Alfred is the first Royal to join. Firene has the closest ties with Lumera, and Alfred appears in more cutscenes than any other Royal in the game. (Double points for having Lances as his primary weapon type).

The Emblem he uses in the Prologue is Lucina. Lucina is the not the central protagonist of Awakening, Chrom is. Even still, Lucina is a character who acts as an emotional foil to Chrom. More importantly, Lucina is the descendant of Marth, who happens to be Alear’s most associated Emblem.

Diamant is the big guy/muscle of Alear’s team. Brodia is the Kingdom of Might after all. Diamant is the most physically imposing with his main stats being his HP, Strength and Defense. Diamant is also the tallest and oldest member of the team (age being 25, Alfred is 21, Ivy is 20, Timerra is 18 and Alear is physically 17).

Diamant’s national Emblem is Roy, who gives Sword Power as an inheritance skill that allows Diamant to hit harder with a sword, but at the cost of avoid. Rise Above (Emblem Roy’s Engage skill) increases his level and stats along with them. Ironically, Roy was 15 years old in his games, Diamant is the oldest Royal, yet Roy is one of the younger FE lords next to Leif.

Next is Ivy, befitting of Elusia’s title of the Kingdom of Knowledge, she is the smart girl. Ivy has gone to school and was at the top of her class. (Studying is also one of her hobbies and likes items regarding them) Ivy is the most level headed of the Royals. Ivy is the only member of this main team that uses magic, and her ability to fly and heal is invaluable in a Fire Emblem game.

Ivy is associated with two Emblems rather than one. Lyn (the Emblem entrusted to Elusia) has the ability to summon doubles that can be used to distract the enemy. While Leif is an Emblem that switches between your current weapons it best suit the situation (often for the worst, unfortunately). It’s also worth noting that Soren is the DLC Emblem entrusted to Alt. Elusia. Soren is the Tactician of the Greil Mercenaries.

Finally, Timerra acts the emotional core to the team as the heart. Despite being far more politically savvy than what her peppy personality might suggest, she still is a genuine mood-maker in her supports where she attempts to get Ivy to open up and give perspective to Diamant on their ways of leading their countries. Her Queendom represents Freedom and is a very accepting person.

Her Emblem is Ike, and even if people mainly see him as a snarky guy, Ike is a very compassionate person. I mean, Ike would have to be a nice guy if he is the only person Soren is unfailingly kind to and is devoted to above everyone else. Ike’s Resolve (pun intended) is the thing that keeps the Greil Mercenaries from falling apart after his father’s death. Gameplay wise, Timerra with Ike act as a Critical Hit fighter with Wrath and Sandstorm. It takes a lot of effort and a bit of luck to make the most of her.

And finally, Veyle rounds out the team as the Sixth Ranger (doubles as 11th Hour Ranger, she is the last recruit in the main game). Sixth Rangers often comes joining in the team after a rivalry dispute and or brainwashing (Tommy Oliver (trope namer) and Zuko from Avatar comes to mind), Veyle is no exception. Veyle is the only other Non DLC Dragon units in the game. Most Sixth Rangers often (like the Red Ranger) have a power no other Ranger does.

Veyle doesn’t have a designated Emblem outside of Marth (who her evil self used, and she has boss dialogue with Emblem Marth in his Paralogue), but I consider Emblem Alear to be the closest thing Veyle will get to a designated Emblem. Her evil self also wears Alear’s Ring in the bad ending.

The major difference between Alear’s team, and the Four Hounds led by EVeyle is that the Hounds were already formed long before the story began. Alear and the Four Royals don’t officially form until more than halfway through Engage’s main story chapters. And yet these guys became a real team where the Hounds failed.