#oc: nikolaos diamantis

[belorage]

I was tagged by @adelaidedrubman​ and @strafethesesinners​ to assassinate some boys in this quiz! Thank you, babes. It was nothing if not crushing. For them; I’m thriving!

Tagging: @florbelles @unholymilf (so thrilled to type this, you have no idea) @heroofpenamstan @multiverse-of-themind @confidentandgood @dihardys @jackiesarch @roofgeese @risingsh0t @shallow-gravy @indorilnerevarine @teamhawkeye @shellibisshe and anyone else who wants to torment their faves.

NIKOLAOS DIAMANTIS // behind the mask

you aren’t slick about whatever you think you’re hiding. glass shatters in your midst, blood spills, children scream. like some of your friends, your personality of choice is entirely artificial. the difference between you and them is that you can get away with it. you’re unknown, perhaps even to yourself, and your goals are complex. anyone stupid enough to fall for you is setting themselves up to be frustrated and confused, owing to your being ultimately unknowable. i hope you can find an identity that makes you comfortable.

RAFAEL ESTRADA // acerbic wit

you’re a mentor — an old scarred wolf, an injured soldier, a disgraced paladin. your teachings read as shamelessly pretentious, speaking in rhymes and biting down hard into anyone stupid enough to make the wrong move. this isn’t your first life, nor your second, nor your sixth — you’ll make the most of your time shackled to this world, no matter how many loops it takes to get it right. with every defeat, you reincarnate; a little smarter, a little quicker, crueler and nastier. will you choose to be brutal, equalizing, that final strike in the face of your enemies? will you go soft, become tender and domesticated? the choice is yours. it’s not like i can stop you.

WESLEY BROOKS // silent admission

in tarot, the fool is numbered 0 — the number of unlimited potential. as the protagonist, he is ever present, and therefore needs no introduction. the world revolves around you in ways that i can’t begin to describe, though you’d shrug it off if i were to begin to explain. i need you to know that time is running out. if you want to get this done, you need to start now. sloth is your greatest enemy in this world, and you can only run so far from the opposition when you start with such a disadvantage. keep your head high, yeah? the kid you were is still in there somewhere. you need to show him that it was worth it.

[heavensmark]

WESLEY BROOKS (FC5), RAFAEL ESTRADA (FC5) NIKOLAOS DIAMANTIS (UNCHARTED), LEON VALERO (CP2077)

doll maker sourced from here 🤍

[florbelles]

EIGHTH WONDER. NIKOLAOS DIAMANTIS x SAMUEL DRAKE. UNCHARTED 4.

destroy my desires, wipe out my ideals, show me something better, and i will follow you. (fyodor dostoevsky.)

— for @belorage, requested by @blissfulalchemist xx

[belorage]

I was tagged by @dihardys​ and @adelaidedrubman​ to take this hilarious little quiz for a few unfortunate boys. Thank you, my dears!

Tagging: @florbelles @blackreaches @heroofpenamstan @multiverse-of-themind @confidentandgood @roofgeese @indorilnerevarine @shellibisshe @shallow-gravy @strafethesesinners and anyone else who wants to get into it!

NIKOLAOS DIAMANTIS // the secret recipe

The perfect hero to whatever story they've been put in. This is a character who is unpredictable, hard for readers to pin down, and yet constant in who they are. They can be a perfect saint one moment, then making hard choices that can make them seem like the devil's spawn the next. Stuff probably weighs hard on their shoulders. In other words, they are human, and that's all you can ask for.

WESLEY BROOKS // the grapefruit

Probably they are crucial and healthy for the plot, but lets face it; you'll never find an angstier SOB anywhere else. World weary, spiteful, and perhaps even sadistic, their main goal is to make sure that everyone will taste the sourness that pervades every aspect of their own pathetic lives.

RAFAEL ESTRADA // garlic

Everyone's favorite who lightens up almost every situation they touch. While they might not be the most "interesting" character, the story wouldn't be the same without them. They are what it means to be baby and don't deserve a single bad thing that comes their way. Of course, that makes them the perfect target for angst. Go figure.

[belorage]

I was tagged by @confidentandgood to use this adorable Picrew to put my son in a situation. Thank you, dearest! 🤍

Tagging: @florbelles @blackreaches @adelaidedrubman @heroofpenamstan @multiverse-of-themind @statichvm @jackiesarch @shallow-gravy @indorilnerevarine @roofgeese @zakryah @teamhawkeye @astarkey @bluemojave @shellibisshe and anyone else who would like to play!

[belorage]

I was tagged by @dihardys​ @adelaidedrubman​ and @strafethesesinners​ to turn some children into mythical creatures via this quiz. Thank you, babes! 

Tagging: @florbelles @unholymilf @multiverse-of-themind @heroofpenamstan @jackiesarch @confidentandgood @risingsh0t @indorilnerevarine @shallow-gravy @shellibisshe and anyone else who wants to play!

NIKOLAOS DIAMANTIS / kitsune (fox spirit)

You are neither good nor evil, you play by your own rules. You are capable of living a great many years, and can accumulate plenty of wisdom throughout your lifetime. People might fear you because you may possess or seduce them, and are almost always likely to have the upper hand in a situation. This is fair, since you tend to be a trickster. Nonetheless, you are also honorable and will repay any debts and fulfill any promises you make.

LEVI XIAO / dragon

You have a hard exterior, but you’re really a softie inside. You can be very confrontational and might pick fights here and there, but you also know when to yield and find a compromise with your enemy. Fiercely protective, you keep your most treasured belongings, people and memories close to your heart. Nothing can stop you when you’re feeling protective. You’ll come with the full force of fire and skies against anyone who threatens your kingdom.

CRESSIDA FERRIS / pari (fairy)

Mischievous and cunning, you are a pretty-faced creature capable of deception, but ultimately good at heart. You cast love spells and weed your way into people’s lives, pulling strings. You are a lone wolf and a traveler, moving in and out of people’s lives seamlessly. But although you are ambivalent, your intentions are good. You may fall quickly in love with people but will be quick to leave them as your love may sting.

[belorage]

I was tagged by @unholymilf​ @adelaidedrubman​ and @strafethesesinners​ to boost some highly under-qualified nepotism deities via this quiz, so here we are! Thank you, babes! 🤍

Tagging: @florbelles​ @heroofpenamstan​ @multiverse-of-themind​ @confidentandgood​ @statichvm​ @jackiesarch​ @roofgeese​ @risingsh0t​ @indorilnerevarine​ @shellibisshe​ @shallow-gravy​ and anyone else who would like to play!

NIKOLAOS DIAMANTIS / labyrinths and confusion

a god for the lost souls. you can often find makeshift altars for you deep in forests, cave systems, and other uncharted territories. you guide those lost back onto the path. the souls of those who disrespect you are lost forever, trapped in a winding labyrinth, never to leave or see sunlight again.

CRESSIDA FERRIS / agriculture and the home

generous and nurturing, you represent and protect the home and family. those who pray to you are often blessed with calm and happy lives and a bountiful harvest. celebrations and festivals are held every fall in your honor and a candle burns for you through the winter, hoping no one goes hungry during the harsher months.

LEITH GILCHRIST / warfare and strategy

prideful and ambitious, your followers come to you for guidance and luck in battles they feel are too much for them. you embody the bravery and bloodlust of warfare and the battle intelligence for strategy and leadership. your patience tends to thin around those who don’t respect you or question your intelligence and strength.

[belorage]

I was tagged by @multiverse-of-themind @dihardys @adelaidedrubman and @strafethesesinners to take this quiz for some of the usual suspects (plus a bonus Jharon)! Thank you as always, babes!

Tagging: @florbelles @blackreaches @heroofpenamstan @jackiesarch @shallow-gravy @risingsh0t @roofgeese @indorilnerevarine @confidentandgood @teamhawkeye @shellibisshe and anyone else who wants to torment their progeny with godhood.

NIKOLAOS DIAMANTIS // poseidon

you somehow manage to balance perfectly fisherman vibes and i will pursue decades of vengeance for a single slight vibes, so that’s very cool! just keep doing your yoga or whatever it is that keeps you cool. and maybe warn the people in your life that your wrath is legendary and not to be messed with.

RAFAEL ESTRADA // dionysos

you literally invented wine, the theatre, and having cats. unfortunately you also invented madness and maybe sometimes encouraged your followers to tear people apart. well... anyway, you’re one of those mostly chill people who really know how to party. though everyone does very slightly worry about you. but it’s probably fine right?

WESLEY BROOKS // ares

ok i had to really search the myths for some positive ares rep... i did not find any. regardless, you are not some meathead or the embodiment of rage or whatever. you’ve just got your thing, which ok is a little bit to do with war/anger/wrath etc. but so do the rest of these guys. you’re just as good as the rest of them and you have an incredibly hot aura so congrats on that. there’s more to you than some people bother to see. fuck them if they don’t.

JHARON FALLGLADE // hekate (ft. valanthe)

double, double toil and trouble. yeah you don’t really get much facetime in the myths but you’re literally the god of magic and dogs so stay winning. mysterious goth energy. does she really do complete dark rituals or is that just her vibe. no one knows and you’re not telling.

[belorage]

RAFAEL ESTRADA (FC5), “SHE” (FREEFALL) NIKOLAOS DIAMANTIS (UNCHARTED), JHARON FALLGLADE (D&D)

[belorage]

I was tagged by @florbelles and @strafethesesinners to fill out this spooky meme for a few boys! Thank you so much, babes! ‘Tis the season!

Tagging: @blackreaches @heroofpenamstan @adelaidedrubman @multiverse-of-themind @confidentandgood @dihardys @jackiesarch @shallow-gravy @astarkey @roofgeese @indorilnerevarine @risingsh0t @zakryah @teamhawkeye @shellibisshe @foofygoldfish and anyone else who’d like to play!

NIKOLAOS DIAMANTIS

bloodied knuckles | tear stained cheeks | rust | a busted lip | claws | fangs | a bloody nose | chattering teeth | a dark space underneath the bed | scratching noises on a wall | creaking metal | dancing under moonlight | blood dripping lips | heavy breathing in the dark | a feeling of unexplained dread | a figure in a dark corner | dirty peeling wallpaper | a bloody handprint on the wall | sobbing in the dark | bite marks on the skin | eerie whispers | a hood covering a stranger’s eyes | the growl of a hidden animal | the sound of a blade being sharpened | a deep, dark forest | walking on the streets alone at night | a cobweb-filled, abandoned building | eyes darting in paranoia | a heavy beating pulse | the feeling of being trapped | struggling to get out a scream | boards covering broken windows | a quiet graveyard | a gas station in the middle of nowhere | a road that never ends | heavy fog rolling in | the scent of blood in the air | eerie old photographs | walking along traintracks at night | a chill going up the spine | gathering crows* | a dusty, dimly lit study | mist over a deserted cobblestone street | ghost towns | shadows around a campfire | the sound of chanting | church bells tolling | an orange harvest moon | a broken down carnival | a dirty stuffed animal abandoned | wiping bloody hands on fabric | nightmares | waking up in a panic | a power outage (thanks, nate) | heavy lightning storms | a secret trap door | the feeling of being watched | fear from trauma | a ouija board set out on a table | an eerie doll | a scream of anguish and pain | withered plants | a room that’s been forgotten and gathered dust | owl eyes in the dark | curled, dead tree branches | a ritual altar | flickering candles | a lantern held up in the dark | fear of being followed | creaking floorboards | repressed, horrible memories | clenched teeth | soft, echoing piano keys | an old book covered in dust | many pairs of glaring eyes | stumbling in pitch black darkness | being stranded in the middle of nowhere | tarot cards on a table | a trail of blood

*particularly in the rossi family corvus oculum corvi non eruit sort of way

WESLEY BROOKS

bloodied knuckles | tear stained cheeks | rust | a busted lip | claws | fangs | a bloody nose | chattering teeth | a dark space underneath the bed | scratching noises on a wall | creaking metal | dancing under moonlight | blood dripping lips | heavy breathing in the dark | a feeling of unexplained dread | a figure in a dark corner | dirty peeling wallpaper | a bloody handprint on the wall | sobbing in the dark | bite marks on the skin | eerie whispers | a hood covering a stranger’s eyes | the growl of a hidden animal | the sound of a blade being sharpened | a deep, dark forest | walking on the streets alone at night | a cobweb-filled, abandoned building | eyes darting in paranoia | a heavy beating pulse | the feeling of being trapped | struggling to get out a scream | boards covering broken windows | a quiet graveyard | a gas station in the middle of nowhere | a road that never ends | heavy fog rolling in | the scent of blood in the air | eerie old photographs | walking along traintracks at night | a chill going up the spine | gathering crows | a dusty, dimly lit study | mist over a deserted cobblestone street | ghost towns | shadows around a campfire | the sound of chanting | church bells tolling | an orange harvest moon | a broken down carnival | a dirty stuffed animal abandoned | wiping bloody hands on fabric | nightmares | waking up in a panic | a power outage | heavy lightning storms | a secret trap door | the feeling of being watched | fear from trauma | a ouija board set out on a table | an eerie doll | a scream of anguish and pain | withered plants | a room that’s been forgotten and gathered dust | owl eyes in the dark | curled, dead tree branches | a ritual altar | flickering candles | a lantern held up in the dark | fear of being followed | creaking floorboards | repressed, horrible memories | clenched teeth | soft, echoing piano keys | an old book covered in dust | many pairs of glaring eyes | stumbling in pitch black darkness | being stranded in the middle of nowhere | tarot cards on a table | a trail of blood

RAFAEL ESTRADA

bloodied knuckles | tear stained cheeks | rust | a busted lip | claws | fangs | a bloody nose | chattering teeth | a dark space underneath the bed | scratching noises on a wall | creaking metal | dancing under moonlight | blood dripping lips | heavy breathing in the dark | a feeling of unexplained dread | a figure in a dark corner | dirty peeling wallpaper | a bloody handprint on the wall | sobbing in the dark | bite marks on the skin | eerie whispers | a hood covering a stranger’s eyes | the growl of a hidden animal | the sound of a blade being sharpened | a deep, dark forest | walking on the streets alone at night | a cobweb-filled, abandoned building | eyes darting in paranoia | a heavy beating pulse | the feeling of being trapped | struggling to get out a scream | boards covering broken windows | a quiet graveyard | a gas station in the middle of nowhere | a road that never ends | heavy fog rolling in | the scent of blood in the air | eerie old photographs | walking along traintracks at night | a chill going up the spine | gathering crows | a dusty, dimly lit study | mist over a deserted cobblestone street | ghost towns | shadows around a campfire | the sound of chanting | church bells tolling | an orange harvest moon | a broken down carnival | a dirty stuffed animal abandoned | wiping bloody hands on fabric | nightmares | waking up in a panic | a power outage | heavy lightning storms | a secret trap door | the feeling of being watched | fear from trauma | a ouija board set out on a table | an eerie doll | a scream of anguish and pain | withered plants | a room that’s been forgotten and gathered dust | owl eyes in the dark | curled, dead tree branches | a ritual altar | flickering candles | a lantern held up in the dark | fear of being followed | creaking floorboards | repressed, horrible memories | clenched teeth | soft, echoing piano keys | an old book covered in dust | many pairs of glaring eyes | stumbling in pitch black darkness | being stranded in the middle of nowhere | tarot cards on a table | a trail of blood

LEVI XIAO

bloodied knuckles | tear stained cheeks | rust | a busted lip | claws | fangs | a bloody nose | chattering teeth | a dark space underneath the bed | scratching noises on a wall | creaking metal | dancing under moonlight | blood dripping lips | heavy breathing in the dark | a feeling of unexplained dread | a figure in a dark corner | dirty peeling wallpaper | a bloody handprint on the wall | sobbing in the dark | bite marks on the skin | eerie whispers | a hood covering a stranger’s eyes | the growl of a hidden animal | the sound of a blade being sharpened | a deep, dark forest | walking on the streets alone at night | a cobweb-filled, abandoned building | eyes darting in paranoia | a heavy beating pulse | the feeling of being trapped | struggling to get out a scream | boards covering broken windows | a quiet graveyard | a gas station in the middle of nowhere | a road that never ends | heavy fog rolling in | the scent of blood in the air | eerie old photographs | walking along traintracks at night | a chill going up the spine | gathering crows | a dusty, dimly lit study | mist over a deserted cobblestone street | ghost towns | shadows around a campfire | the sound of chanting | church bells tolling | an orange harvest moon | a broken down carnival | a dirty stuffed animal abandoned | wiping bloody hands on fabric | nightmares | waking up in a panic | a power outage | heavy lightning storms | a secret trap door | the feeling of being watched | fear from trauma | a ouija board set out on a table | an eerie doll | a scream of anguish and pain | withered plants | a room that’s been forgotten and gathered dust | owl eyes in the dark | curled, dead tree branches | a ritual altar | flickering candles | a lantern held up in the dark | fear of being followed | creaking floorboards | repressed, horrible memories | clenched teeth | soft, echoing piano keys | an old book covered in dust | many pairs of glaring eyes | stumbling in pitch black darkness | being stranded in the middle of nowhere | tarot cards on a table | a trail of blood

[belorage]

I was tagged by my beloveds @adelaidedrubman and @preachercuster to drag my sons to dirt via their rage languages. Thank you! If they don’t want to self-reflect, we can always do it for them. 🤍

Tagging: @florbelles @cameronburke @heroofpenamstan @blissfulalchemist @shallow-gravy @foofygoldfish @confidentandgood @feywildchild @jackiesarch @redroci @chyrstis @teamhawkeye @indorilnerevarine @strafethesesinners @bluemojave and anyone else who would like to play!

NIKOLAOS DIAMANTIS // the regina george

someone hurts you or pisses you off, and you don't do anything. at first. but you hold that feeling of rage in your chest for weeks after the fact, acting nice but silently hating their guts, pretending like all is forgiven until you can ruin their life and hurt them the way they hurt you. it's calculated. but when you've executed your revenge, will you be satisfied?

WESLEY BROOKS // men, raise the drawbridge

when you're angry, all your defenses go up. the unfortunate person or thing that managed to piss you off is suddenly talking to a wall. on the inside, you're screaming and crying and cussing them out, but somehow you can't express it. you're blank. emotionless. to anyone's knowledge, you could be zoning out of a lecture. because of this, it's hard to express how you're feeling when the person asks for your thoughts. you've choked your feelings down, and they won't come back up.

RAFAEL ESTRADA // the full read

whoever pisses you off is in for a rant that exposes every single one of their deepest insecurities and issues. your rage gives you the clarity to hunt for weak spots in a person's mind. your brain works fast, firing off insults at a rapid-fire pace that terrifies everyone within a ten mile radius. this is usually followed by buckets of guilt.

[belorage]

I was tagged by my wife my life @adelaidedrubman to assign some kids a jewel via this quiz! Thank you!

Tagging: @florbelles @unholymilf @heroofpenamstan @multiverse-of-themind @confidentandgood @dihardys @jackiesarch @shallow-gravy @risingsh0t @indorilnerevarine @roofgeese @shellibisshe @strafethesesinners and anyone else who wants to. Please drown me in blorbos!

LEON VALERO // star sapphire

well hello, beautiful. how does it feel to have their eyes on you all the time? do you like to perform? do you like the way their hands reach for you as you turn in the spotlight? do you wish they would stop? they won’t. they can’t help it. is that the reaction you wanted? you want them to laugh, to cry, to moan, to yell at you maybe. you only exist in the lines spreading across the faces of others, right? if nobody thinks of you, you aren’t. so you make yourself headline news and they won’t look away. attention won’t solidify you when the sun comes up and love won’t fill that hole inside. you might want to install an alarm system. just because they want you, doesn’t mean you have to give yourself.

NIKOLAOS DIAMANTIS // pearl

you are a bit of an open wound. the pain won’t kill you like you think it will, let yourself bear it and you’ll find you can. you might even find that the world is a lot more than your oyster. reticent (unwillingly so), passive, introverted. resilient, generative, adaptable. you hold the ability to create and recreate the world around yourself.

RAFAEL ESTRADA // amber

you hold in your heart fragments of everything that has ever passed through you. the good, the bad, the utterly mundane. you catch it all and keep it. you have a singular talent for holding on tight. collector, scavenger, hoarder, keeper. core: memory.

WESLEY BROOKS // onyx

reserved (by choice), decisive, self-sure and self-contained, selective, resolved, close-minded, intuitive, deliberate. opaque - my secrets are not for you. scrying - i can see more than you know. sharp - i know where to cut.

[belorage]

I was tagged by the always lovely @preachercuster to demolish the clowns in this quiz! Thank you, my dear! Always a pleasure to force them to look at themselves. 🤍

Tagging: @florbelles @cameronburke @adelaidedrubman @heroofpenamstan @blissfulalchemist @jackiesarch @confidentandgood @indorilnerevarine @astarkey @aceghosts @feywildchild @strafethesesinners @teamhawkeye @foofygoldfish and anyone else who would like to play!

NIKOLAOS DIAMANTIS // windy

you don’t know who you are, do you? when the lights go out tomorrow, who will you be? do you like that person? it might be easier to wear a mask, but be careful of it becoming all you are. who is the real you and why are you so afraid of them? you’ll never rid yourself of this loneliness if you refuse to let people really see you. you can start again, try again. it’s not too late for you.

WESLEY BROOKS // storm

anger is a double-edged sword, you know. be careful or you’ll cut yourself and everyone you love on it; or have you already? it’s okay to be soft. it’s not weak to let others see you as you are. you don’t have to be strong anymore. let go. you’ll never move on from what hurts you until you stop hiding from yourself. you are not who they said you are.

RAFAEL ESTRADA // snow

you’re either numb inside or you feel everything. you want to feel like a kid again rolling in the snow with your friend, but you’ve grown up. living in the past will do you no good anymore. remember that version of you and strive to make them proud. you’re not them anymore though; move on. make new memories.

[belorage]

I was tagged by @adelaidedrubman and @strafethesesinners to take this funky little quiz for some babies! Thank you, friends. Going to do three forever babies and one new baby this time. 🤍

Tagging: @florbelles @blackreaches @heroofpenamstan @blissfulalchemist @confidentandgood @indorilnerevarine @jackiesarch @ravenschampion @shallow-gravy @teamhawkeye @foofygoldfish and anyone else who would like to play!

WESLEY BROOKS // god across the pond

You often appear as a small green light, constant as the North Star in the eyes of longing souls. There you are across the bay that separates lovers. There you are, a faint green landmark on top of a mountain, inexplicably radiating a great ache for ‘home.’ Many have tried to find your source and all have failed. It saddens you that you must leave before they reach you, but you have yearnings of your own. You are looking for your lover, looking for your home, every night.

NIKOLAOS DIAMANTIS // force of flood

It’s torture. You feel every blade of grass, every kitchen tile, every little set of running feet as you consume the land. You don’t mean to! You’re so angry! Why do they treat you this way!? You were an ocean spirit once, calmly sending waves and rains inland. The people were happy; you were pristine. Now every summer they have only built more, dumped more, stole more from you. WHY COULDN'T THEY BE HAPPY WITH THE RAINS AND GRASSES? "I WILL WASH AWAY YOUR ROADS! I WILL SOONER WIPE YOU FROM THE EARTH THAN SUCCUMB TO YOUR SLOW POISONING!" you bellow from roiling brown flood plains.

LEON VALERO // god of the grocery

You are the God of the Grocery. It hasn’t always been this way. You used to be a stone marker on the road, calling back lost travelers. That road has become less wild in recent decades, populated by shops and densely packed houses. The people of this town mostly consider you a novel bakery decoration that separates breads from bagels. However, when dads leave on their forever milk errands, the young family might be found in your aisle praying for his safe return.

ELEUTHERIA // mirror god

You are a reflected god, trapped by a curse. Changing form as interesting things pass your little window into the world. You emulate the beautiful faces you see as they get made up and powdered before airing on television. You emulate the quaint little farms that run on commercials for cranberries. You copy these bits and pieces of media, these TV people, these ideals, into an identity. You know you are something quite different, but do not remember what you were or what you liked before becoming a reflection. You know one day you will leave this mirror and you will not look the way you wish to. It scares you. Why does it scare you?

[belorage]

and right back at YOU: for an oc of your choice, what food do they hate eating? how would they relax on a day off/rainy day?

I’m going to follow suit and represent my (premiere) Uncharted baby!

First, I like to think he’s not particularly fussy when it comes to flavor profiles and textures; theoretically he is an adventurous eater in that regard. Any complaints he had would likely be related to quality and preparation. (Think Gordon Ramsay, except he’s only screaming on the inside — you’re welcome.) He does, however, have a substantial approval complex, physical appearance included, so he obsesses over diet and exercise to a frankly unhealthy extent. That being the case, his (gastronomic) enemies of choice are anything arguably low quality and fatty, like fast food, fair fare, American hot dogs... Unfortunately for him, if he were ever convinced to sample any of the above, he would enjoy them, eat no less than six, make himself sick to his stomach, and attempt to maintain dignity while vomiting. Control is everything, you understand.

For the universe I share with @florbelles, the answer is simpler: Joss’s terrible mud-consistency coffee. :\

As for the second: day off? Never heard of her. Shout-out to that time Sam insinuated that Niko's never worked a day in his life and Niko (in an uncharacteristically surface-level display of anger) snapped back that he has "worked every day of [his] life." He’s committed the lion’s share of it to living up to (and exceeding) lofty expectations, learning (and executing) all the intricacies of running the Family Empire™ since he was young (horrors included — he understood the occasional necessity of murder well before he knew how to drive), burying divergent passions in order to maintain the high standards that duty and posture demand, etc. But wait, you might be thinking, this is unsustainable! You're right; it absolutely is. Niko is the most problematic “gifted child” you’ve ever had the misfortune to meet, and he would have snapped eventually if the Drakes hadn't been generous enough to expedite the process.

My long term goal for this man (canonically speaking) is for him to embrace being the family disappointment, gain ten pounds, and walk around wearing sweatpants in a crappy, low-rent apartment feeding his fish (@blissfulalchemist knows). He's got a long way to go.

Existential crises aside, his "rainy days" would look a lot like his normal days, except that he'd be directing additional energy and funds to growing his personal collection of the grossest mysticism- and occultism-related antiquities imaginable. You have to picture Hank Schrader's convalescence in Breaking Bad ("They're minerals, Marie!"), except instead of rocks it's pharaoh organs and hands of glory.

[belorage]

I was tagged by @confidentandgood to assign my beloved son a tarot card. Thank you, my dear! If Interpol won’t clock him, I will. 🤍

NIKOLAOS DIAMANTIS // the hanged man

The Hanged Man is one of the most mysterious cards in the tarot deck. It is simple, but complex. It attracts, but also disturbs. It contradicts itself in countless ways. The Hanged Man is unsettling because it symbolizes the action of paradox in our lives. It presents to us certain truths, but they are hidden in their opposites.

The main lesson of the Hanged Man is that we control by letting go, we win by surrendering. The figure on Card 12 has made the ultimate surrender, to die on the cross of his own travails, yet he shines with the glory of divine understanding. He has sacrificed himself, but he emerges the victor. The Hanged Man also tells us that we can move forward by standing still. By suspending time, we can have all the time in the world.

In readings, the Hanged Man reminds us that the best approach to a problem is not always the most obvious. When we most want to force our will on someone, that is when we should release. When we most want to have our own way, that is when we should sacrifice. When we most want to act, that is when we should wait. The irony is that by making these contradictory moves, we find what we are looking for.

UPRIGHT: surrender, release, letting go; new perspectives; wisdom, trials, intuition; circumspection; breaking old patterns; not fearing what’s inside you

REVERSED: it’s over and there’s no going back; selfishness; feeling like a victim; being framed, betrayal; indecision; missed opportunities; egotism