#they're the kind of couple that brutally fights over who gets to top

[mortifying-macaroni]

What's got you into the whole Tremere/Tzimisce dynamic? Just curious to know. I like them too

Well, anon, I'm glad you asked (btw you've got excellent taste). I'll try to keep it short and sweet with a few main bullet points *cracks fingers*

It's the perfect foundation for "somewhat acquaintances to enemies to lovers". Their first means of interaction stemmed from curiosity to potential cooperation laced with some form of trust as they partook in exchanging of knowledge and magic acumen, hell even some Tzimisce got embraced while carrying a Tremere name. Moreover, they lived in this brief unity until it all got squandered by the blood wizards' betrayal as we know.

Both clans are pretty much two enigmas wrapped in a mystery that battled on a tight rope throughout the ages. Despite the rocky road they're fiercely tangoing on, the fire from their mutual hatred keeps them on their feet as they're restlessly trying to take the lead in bringing the other party to their downfall. There are certain things that entwine them, things that establish a common ground for them to agree upon. Aside from the bit of blood they share by forceful means from the Tremere's side, both clans foster this penchant for torture in the name of academic pursuits. If melding their minds by combining their methods for causing destruction, then these two bloodlines could've been the most fearsome clan duo of educated executioners throughout kindred history.

I've already quoted this one part somewhere (*ahem* my fic), but they have the potential to work like scissors- the blades function to that of a married couple that carry out their tasks together in perfect synchronicity and unison, with equal toil put into it. They're two hands holding the gun, the hammer and firing pin pushing the bullet out. One example of that is their co-op dependant ability to create Blood Brothers. Think about it, A koldun fleshcrafter and a thaumaturgy sorcerer can mass produce walking weapons of annihilation, sort of like their "children" birthed for war through brutality and blood magic.

The whole kindred world may be cursing at them, deeming them as inhumane monsters and murderers and yet the Tzimisce and Tremere can only slow dance to the beat of chaos and pure pandemonium unfolding around them. Everything may as well be crumbling into ruin, but they'd still see an opportunity to salvage something from the suffering of others. What's more, I imagine if they were in a relationship they'd be partial to mutual inflictions of pain. All the pent up clan tension could provide an outlet to channel that (whether it be caused or sustained) hurt into a sort of gratification that nobody else could provide them.

A Tzimisce is an instrument of pain that a Tremere can learn to, not only appreciate, but study, even without applying force; just how a Tremere's knowledge can serve as a song for a Tzimisce to learn through guidance. Furthermore, if given the chance, either of them would kill or burn the whole world for their partner no questions asked. Even though they bring out the worst in each other, they'd remain where they are because nobody else can handle or keep up with all of their "ugly" aspects.

In other words, if only they weren't so stubborn about their clan beef, they could not only have the kinkiest sex imaginable, but also establish a Gomez/Morticia relationship if they'd just work everything out.

I have only one Tremere/Tzimisce ship, so I'm kinda going based on my own little headcanons regarding their own issues and how they can personally work together through them, in addition to some lore I've dug out on top of that.

Final verdict (in my humble, yet correct opinion): Best ship dynamic in VTM with Nosferatu/Toreador being the runner ups

[animezinglife]

Just a little anecdotal thought:

For milder-mannered, suffer-in-silence, or less obviously "passionate" women, the whole “intense feelings” thing can go one way or another--both being extreme.

You might think a guy’s attractive, shut down completely, and avoid him like the plague because it’s too much for you to handle at that point in time (for whatever reason).

You might also find yourself acting completely out of character and realize how difficult it can be to keep that behavioral anomaly reined in.

The first one’s a miserable, self-loathing experience.

The second one’s a massive headache to deal with.

But here’s the thing: both are often indicative of something being extremely intense, which a lot of these women aren’t used to feeling at all or have trained themselves so thoroughly to let their own wants slide that it never actually occurs to them to act.

They also don’t always know how to react and will drive themselves insane either fighting it or fighting everything that feels against what they know as their nature. Neither happens with lukewarm feelings or complete lack of interest.

Speaking as a completely third party objective with no personal interest or experience in the matter, I wouldn’t be so quick to rule Lucien out of Elain’s future.

No, she’s not in love with him at this point in the story—I’m not claiming that. He’s not in love with her, either. He’s taking that step forward to meet her halfway and trying to get to know her. He wants to see if it could work since the universe tied them together anyway.

If they could love each other.

Meanwhile, poor Elain who’s had everything she knows ripped out from under her gets a mating bond slapped onto her the second she emerges from the Cauldron in an entirely new body with entirely new, extreme senses.

The bond is strong. The bond isn't lukewarm at all, and she doesn't know how to handle it. She doesn't want to have this involuntary connection forced on her, especially when it's something potentially so intimate in nature.

She's not ready to confront it, so she avoids it. It's not Lucien personally she has an issue with--while she has been cold towards him, I have no doubt she hasn't enjoyed doing so and that when she's thought about it, she realizes how polite and respectful he's been throughout this jarring realization for them both.

She doesn't know him like we do: doesn't know his past, and doesn't know of his wonderful qualities, about Jesminda, the pain he's endured, and the warmth and kindness he still possesses despite it all.

Remember too the only real examples of mating bonds she has to go off of are Feyre and Rhys. Nesta and Cassian. To some extent (whether they're mates or not), Amren and Varian.

Feyre and Rhys's tension despite having been together for awhile now is always present and always palpable. It's hard not to be hit over the head with something like that as a regular human when a couple's connection is that strong and there's that much going on between them, and Elain--an already intuitive person--now has to be faced with that in all her heightened senses glory? About how public those things automatically are?

Then there's Nesta and Cassian, which she would've observed the rocky, stressful start of versus that development and where they are now. That too would be overwhelming (and likely, to a more reserved female like Elain in such capacities, a little embarrassing).

Top that all off with the man she thought she loved was taken from her by circumstances that weren't her choice and that his rejection of her was brutal. Think about how badly that must have stung and how any sense of security she might have had left was stolen away, too.

Now the universe has decided that she and Lucien of all males are mates.

Lucien, her sister's friend. That alone must imply to her he has some good qualities Feyre values.

Lucien, who her sister spends at least five minutes per internal monologue platonically thirsting over in her commentary.

Lucien, a trained courtier with a mix of elegance and mischief. A mix of refinement and masculine roughness.

Prythian can't seem to go five seconds without commenting on his attractiveness, including the villains.

The first thing he does amidst the chaos and horror is cover her with his jacket to protect her dignity and carry her gently out of the water. Someone who she, despite knowing it's not his fault, will forever to some degree associate with that terrible day (even if he was one of the few who offered her kindness).

He's kept his distance from her per her wishes. When they are around each other, he has always been polite, reserved, cautious, and respectful. He's merely offered his hand and given her every choice in terms of taking it.

Elain is overwhelmed and still healing. It's not in her nature as it was Feyre's or Nesta's to fall into whatever sort of relationship with men or males easily.

The one time she take that leap, she was hurt badly for it by a beta bitch man she thought loved her and whom she'd planned to spend the rest of her life with.

Even if everything else is overwhelming--even if a part of her may want to get to know Lucien at least a little--it wouldn't surprise me at all if she's every bit as afraid of where that might lead if she does end up feeling something beyond the bond for him.

And she very well may sense that as well: that once she takes that step, he's going to be the type she could fall in love with.

He's a chance she's not quite ready to take.

[hlficlibrary]

HL FIC LIBRARY ✤ AUTHOR REC

AO3:  green_feelings

Tumblr: @greenfeelings

STATS:

✤ Number of fics: 19

✤ Posting Since: 2013

TOP 5 FICS:

1️⃣ For As Long As I Can Remember (It's Been December) (E, 128k)

After recovering from a severe accident that causes Harry to lose his memory of three years, he moves to London to start his life over as a star chef. Little does he know that when he falls in love with Louis at first sight, it’s not the first time they meet.

Featuring an unintentional game of hot and cold, Harry chasing memories that won’t come back, Louis burying himself in work to try and forget what he can’t forget, Liam being torn between two of his best friends, Zayn as a moral compass and Niall saving the day with good music and brutal honesty.

2️⃣ Empty Skies (E, 134k)

For three years, Harry has been running from his past. Now, he is moving to London and pledges to fulfil his only dream -- making it big in the music industry. Not everyone has a place, though, and the competition is tough. As is his past catching up on him.

Louis is part of the biggest boy band of the world, and getting there had meant a lot of hard work, as well as sacrificing parts of his heart and soul. He's still happy. Maybe not as happy as he could be, but who is he to complain?

Featuring Perrie as Harry's adorable flatmate, Niall as his manager, and Liam and Zayn as Louis' bandmates.

3️⃣ Paint Me In A Million Dreams (M, 112k)

Harry's one of Hollywood's biggest actors, has made a name for himself in prestigious films and lives the life of a superstar. There's just one thing missing to make it picture-perfect, but the one Harry's in love with is completely out of reach for him. Enter Louis, one of Hollywood's biggest actors himself, who just came out of the closet and taps new genres in the industry. When Louis sacks the role Harry auditioned for in Scorsese's next big film, their irrational feud starts. Who could have guessed it would get even worse when for promo season, their teams decide to present them as a couple for publicity?

In short, Harry's in love with someone and doesn't care about dating anyone else, Louis never felt home in L.A., Liam writes love songs for someone he shouldn't write love songs to, and Niall makes everything better with good food.

4️⃣ Nameless Night (E, 155k)

For their 18th birthday, every person receives a letter that reads a simple date. That is the date you'll meet your soulmate. Harry and Louis have different beliefs, live in different worlds and have different dreams, hopes and fears. Yet, they're not so different from each other when it comes to love. When their paths cross, there is no doubt they belong together. Except for that one, essential difference: they didn't receive the same date.

Or, a fic about differences that make no difference at all: Harry and Louis are soulmates. In every way possible. Featuring Niall as a role model, and Liam and Zayn as a different kind of role models.

5️⃣ Your Best Line Ever (M, 55k)

University AU, in which Harry has a terrible job and lies about his name to drunk people, Louis is one of the drunk and has to move out of his flat, Liam shaves his hair because he fights with Zayn, Zayn protects Liam from creepy stalkers and Niall always has a solution, because he knows just about every person relevant!

HIDDEN GEM:

💎 You Are The Kind Of Thing (That I Could Love Forever) (E, 5k)

based on this prompt. I varied it a little, because Harry's a baker, after all.

[the-firebird69]

And we are currently suing these people all of them pretty much have lawsuits against all of them the money that was awarded to him has not moved it's still sitting in the lobby of the courthouse and we are suing more are suing for them to move it. They are reluctant to send it in the mail no they're refusing to and leave it there on purpose and they're quoting it's too dangerous and we are asking which party is doing and they're saying you don't know and they are planning to the ground and it's Tommy f and we concur it is Tommy f and the people who were sued but the majority of it is by Tommy f and we told them don't worry your son's working on it.

That's what we meant and I said he announced the locations of them in Florida and said oh great it'll be a war here I said you could have done that but you have to have him get a job that's what he does they nodded their heads. And now cookie is that those locations because he loves tanks he wants to take over from the higher-ups and they're fighting huge huge groups are at it. And fairly soon Tommy f will fall at one of them locations and he'll send the reinforcements and they'll fall as way too many top side is a huge huge contingent up in Jacksonville soon Tallahassee and it's Corky and he insists of attacking the southern shatteredome, and it's been doing it for a couple days well a day almost a day and a half. It's a huge Army gathered in Miami and that's why he's not moving around and yeah Corky would have surrounded him another Big miss by him. It's kind of laughing a little because our son says oh big surprise he missed it again so it is no it's cheap it's people are brutally cheap I always lose because of the big loss coming up and the Yeager are now engaging foreigners in Florida and all over either emerging and going to the blockade their emerging from the remaining Saturday in Pennsylvania Georgia Florida the Gulf California and Texas and the upper Midwest is emptied the last one is empty of Jager fully all three of the outstanding shatteredome have emptied of Yeager and tanks and other hardware is completely empty it's a matter of facts of monsters of an occupied them and iron ore is gone, and we're making safe.

The other shatteredome that were remaining in the USA are now emptying of Jager and going to the blockade the ships came from space and are gone

Max is scrambling and a building ships clones are exiting the tunnels and they are assisting. Huge nervous of them too her emerging and they're assisting defense and building ships it is astonishing how many are there also flowing out overseas and they are engaging foreigners to take ships it's a full-blown footwar now.

Thor Freya

This is finally happening and it's necessary everybody was stifled completely the max are building ships though they have some up and they're taking some from overseas about 20% and they have about 3 million built here and they range in size but most of them are one mile they're still formidable

Hera

That is correct the assessment is right on however there are so many clones that have come top side that they're overwhelming Corky in most areas of the United States. It was sound of the alarm for specially in Florida because if they come top side here they're going to bring tanks and everything else out and hold their son hostage

All of those are to evacuate to the central areas immediately if you're still in the perimeter of the United States if you do not you will be overrun by the clone Army and you will be held prisoner by them you must move now

Thor Freya

Please do it with all speed

Hera Zues

Olympus

[party-gilmore]

Okay so basic ghost!Eliot metaphysical mechanics would be like

After The Reveal or whatever like when we get the Leverage team for sure aware of him and actually interacting with and talking to him, and he wants to get involved on cons because he worries after them like he's ATTACHED now and doesn't like that he can only protect them at McRory's, right?

They're looking at his apparition after a blowout, like Quinn's good but shit happens, you know? Let's say at this point, it's been long enough to really get attached to them but also still fairly recent, so... OH HO HO HO, right after The Iceman Job. The fact that Hardison got taken. How scared Eliot was, overhearing on the comm frequency (because something something energy and electromagnetic waves, he can just pick up on the comms routing through the office). So he went full poltergeist a bit on the flat AND in the bar below, blowing lights, tossing shit around, fully manifesting, etc.

So looking at his full body apparition (for maybe even the first time? Maybe they'd got only glimpses of face or torso in mirrors or windows or watching protectively from half behind a doorframe) Nate sees whatever Eliot's 1400's equivalent of that guitar pick necklace is and suggests that if it was important enough to Eliot to manifest on his spirit, then he could attach himself to the physical chain too?

So they go on a mini treasure heart in the pub/basement/foundation to find the necklace that was torn from Eliots neck during the final scuffle with Moreau's men, and try having someone wear it on a con. Eliot learns to sort of "planeshift" his location between McRory's and to within a couple yards of the necklace, so now they've got a fucking poltergeist hitter on the crew.

Obviously there are limitations, being that he can only be within a certain amount of distance, only one person can have it on them at a time (for now - come Redemption era they actually have it smelted down and that's what Hardison and Parker's lock and key necklaces are made out of, so Eliot can watch over [and freely touch ;) ] both of them at once), and it takes a LOT of energy to manifest.

So he's typically just observing and murmuring advice over the comm frequency, until like The One Time per episode shit's real bad and he has to pop out for an emergency beatdown.

Bonus Points:

For EXTRA emotional/pivotal character growth episodes, there's the bonus plot point of Eliot having to struggle to manifest a second time, trying to pull extra energy out of desperation because he'd already popped his top earlier in the ep.

Like for instance, in this AU's version of The Big Bang Job, they're of COURSE gonna send him along with whoever's confronting Moreau (a descendent of the Moreau he used to work for maybe? Or since we're already in the realm of the supernatural, maybe Moreau committed some kind of fuckery to extend his life?).

So he manifests after Hardison gets kicked into the pool for some [handwavey magic explanation of the science] lifesaving but also sort of nervously romantic "first kiss but not really but kind of yeah really" ghost mouth-to-mouth underwater to keep him breathing as long as he needs for Quinn to finish negotiations.

But then later, he KNOWS Quinn can't handle this warehouse fight on his own, but a) he doesn't have enough energy left to take form and b) he's not really familiar enough with modern firearms even if he COULD, but he's desperate to not just take down this Moreau but also get these two members of his little family - the first people he's cared about in CENTURIES ‐ out of here safely.

So, in said fit of desperation, he's pushing so hard he accidently possesses Quinn (who's wearing the necklace ofc) and adds his supernatural skill and situational awareness to Quinn's own muscle memory and strategy.

And the result is brutal.

It does leave both hitters drained as fuck for the next few days though, which is why their role in the San Lorenzo job is so light.

[gocrazygostupidtheories]

I watched Enchanted Grom Fright and I have some things to say.

Firstly, I LOVED THAT DANCE SEQUENCE. I AM ABSOLUTE TRASH FOR THE GENRE AND IT WAS SO WELL ANIMATED I ALMOST DIED.

And here is the most legendary contribution and outfit for Grom.

Next, I’m sure we’re all wondering about who wrote the letters (clearly not Luz.)

But, then I noticed how the writer clearly doesn’t know how to spell her name and had to cross it out and rewrite it. Meanwhile, Amity’s letter knew how to spell her name first try, so if Amity did write it then she wrote it beforehand and sent it to her mother. Which is a bit far fetched, since Amity has a) never been to the human world and b) doesn’t know where Luz lives. Also, the writer doesn’t fill in their full stops/ top of the i’s while Amity does, and the o’s are written similarly, but differently. Since Amity is also her age, and how the letter seems a bit weirdly formal for a fourteen year old (especially talking about mortgages out of all things that Luz could have talked about at the camp,) how they address them as mother/daughter instead of the mamá and mija or the more loving like cariño we’ve seen them address eachother as, I don’t think it’s her. Despite Amity being the first student to protect her, I don't think it completely lines up.

If we want of a bit less sensical theory but more depressing, I have one.

Then, I realized, at the start of the episode, Luz and King were waiting for Eda to come back from the human realm for a seemingly long time. Luz was practicing plant magic, and the place was filled to the brim with different plants and flowers. There were piles of crumpled up paper used for magic that didn’t work, so she must have been a while. Luz’s first line is “Come on, work this time!” Meaning she must have been frustrated over how long she’s spent on this, or how much time and effort she’s wasted.

If we are sticking with my previous theory, it has something to do with this creepy Luz that link to one Luz going in, and another Luz going out, like Hemera and Nyx with the bronze threshold to create sunrises and sunsets. I'm not sure if it's an alter ego, an imposter demon/creature/witch, or if it's someone related to her in some way. However, if my theory is correct, then Luz has a big storm coming.

At first, I was thinking of Amity wanting Luz to stay as a way to escape from a rather toxic parental relationship by how similar the handwriting is.

And as far as we know, the only one who has seen where she lives is Owlbert, who is Eda's palisman.

Over the past couple of episodes, Eda has definitely warmed up to Luz. And, who shows up first when Luz is tracked down by the Grom?

Eda is. When Luz says she can't fight the Grom, Eda immediately says "That's okay." And I thought about it for a little bit, but Luz joining the two has made the dynamics and mood alot brighter than before. This human, who could be compared to Eda's situation when she was her age, wants to learn magic and still trusts and accompanies her after the curse, the fact that they're on the run, being offered much more greater things than living with two criminals who sells human junk for a living.

And maybe she wants to pay that back by avoiding suspicion that Luz is in another dimension. Who knows.

It could be the Emperor's Coven fucking something up (most likely,) but they don't know where she lives or comes from. Then again, the message from the titles "A WITCH LOSES A TRUE WAY" could suggest that Eda might join the Emperor's Coven, willingly or unwillingly.

Next Theory:

When I saw this scene, I knew something was/had been up.

King tells Eda that she was a bit harsh on Luz by telling her she shouldn't be Grom queen and take Amity's place because she was "fragile." In return, Eda says "Facing Grom means facing your worst fear, King. And I don't think Luz knows what that means yet." She stays silent for a bit until she changes the subject to red eyeshadow.

Like said, Eda already has a burning hatred for Hexside and the Emperor's Coven, but I think this could be a little thing as to why. Lilith was one of the best in Hexside that she ended up joining the Emperor's Coven. We don't know the exact logistics of why a person is chosen to fight Grom for Gromnight, but I think it's safe to say that the more powerful and dedicated students do (like Amity.) Lilith would seem like a likely choice for that year's Grom Queen, so it makes me wonder what her worst fear was. Whatever it was, it could of been about Eda or their parents, affected Eda and possibly the Clawthorne family.

But, possibly, it could of been Eda. Eda could of been a witch with great potential that was chosen for Grom, got over excited and over confident, or possibly wanted to fight it instead of Lilith and traded places (Lilith could of been scared of her worst fear, or out of spite and sibling rivalry.) When she ended up fighting it, it shapeshifted into her worst fear which I think could revolve around her family, her curse or her identity compared to Lilith.

This line may have just been for kicks and giggles, but when Eda says "Oh, King. Teenagers are brutal. They'll boo anyone, and that kind of humiliation can stick with you for life." Most likely, Eda did this, but it would be really guiltily angsty of me to assume she has been booed by teenagers before. But why? Maybe because she couldn't face her worst fears, or the adored popular student of the time (Lilith) had some sort of covered emotions she didn't want to tell upfront but got revealed during Grom.

Eda's exact becoming of "The Owl Lady" is unknown, but I've always wondered how people knew she was cursed. She looked pretty embarrassed when the Grom shifted into her temporarily.

But when it instead turns into Luz's mother, Eda realizes, "Oh shit. I was wrong."

When Luz was training with Edric, Emira and Amity, who made a version of Eda making fun of Luz for being fragile, Eda didn't know the context behind this. She could, but I don't think she heard Luz openly proclaim that she's afraid of Eda's rejection and not being good enough to be a witch, not Eda herself. When Eda goes outside, she doesn't know the actual fear, but she knows that she was there when Luz was training how to cope with her worst fears.

So it just may be me and my turning for more angstier content, but since the curse seems to be getting worse, Eda would probably seperate herself from Luz and King for a while (possibly.)

[mk-asks-and-headcannons]

Could you do the ship questions for CageBlade? Thank you

 Of course friend.

Who is the most affectionate?

Both show plenty of affection toward one another, however, Johnny is much gaudier when expressing his love. He is more likely to indulge in PDA or sweet talk Sonya by flattering her until she loses her composure (and that's regardless if they’re in public or not. But something tells me Johnny would get a kick out of embarrassing Sonya a bit.) Sonya is much more subtle but still loving as she’d be the type to have Johnny’s coffee made just the way he likes it and serves it with a peck on the cheek. There are also rare but meaningful compliments.

Big spoon/Little spoon?

I actually see Sonya being the big spoon. Yep. Johnny is a helpless little spoon who adores cuddles. He’s also a sucker for having his back rubbed and his hair tussled. This also kinda works since Sonya sometimes feels more dominant and she’s got much longer hair.

Most common argument?

For the most part, it starts about disagreements. This is since Sonya believes Johnny takes nothing seriously and Johnny doesn’t want to believe that Sonya is just a hardass. It becomes more serious and becomes an argument when one makes a dig about the others’ character, and things become personal quickly. These words cut deep like blades, but below the surface, their intents aren’t malicious.

Favorite non-sexual activity?

Four words: Johnny. Cage. Movie. Night! Now of course there will be hors d’ oeuvres and refreshments as these nights should be something to remember! Johnny is definitely one to playfully scold Sonya if she looked away at “The best part.” Sonya is also that friend who asks questions during the movie, but then the question is immediately answered, but they can't hear it because they're talking. They definitely talk about films after they watch, and Sonya has a got a helluva critique for ninja mime 4 and has Kabal on speed dial if Johnny has any objections (I know that kinda hated each other, but they made up and have a friendship built upon the foundation of how much they hate ninja mime 4! It’s cannon -- no kannon guys!).

Who is most likely to carry the other?

It should probably go without saying it’d be more likely for Johnny to carry Sonya (But Sonya is strong as hell nonetheless. We just want to save you the grief of imagining Sonya trying to lug around Johnny...) Sonya also secretly loves it when she’s swooped off her feet like you’d see in the movies. She gets a little flustered and usually hides her face in Johnny’s chest if she’s being carried bridal style. And Johnny knows this. And adores it.

What is their favorite feature of their partner’s?

When Sonya finds herself gazing into Johnny’s eyes, she is practically mesmerized. He has a nice pair of brown orbs (particularly in mk 11. imo his face was a bit more feminine due to his eyes? But that's just me) and she loves when he winks at her. It’s just so refreshing to take a gander at that face when a pair of $500 sunglasses aren’t shielding it. 

If we’re being honest? Johnny just thinking of Sonya’s legs makes him weak in this knees. She’s a strong woman with a nice pair of ‘em and she knows how to use them whether she is in kombat or she wants to woo Johnny.

What’s the first thing that changes when they realize they have feelings for the other?

This one applies for both of them. Both most definitely watch out for there personal hygiene more subtly primping themselves up for the others’ attention. Sonya would wear Johnny’s favorite scent while Johnny’s hair is much more gelled than usual. 

Johnny would also become more protective and would love to show off in front of Sonya (even though Johnny just isn’t a hypermasculine guy) and I also see Sonya doing this, but Sonya wouldn’t fail to impress unlike Johnny...he’s more clumsy. But I definitely see Soyna being more mild when it comes to showing off since she’s not that ready to risk sacrificing her pride.

Nicknames? & if so, how did they originate?

Nicknames for Sonya: Mrs. Cage, Baby/Babycakes, Moviestar, Sugarlips, other schmoozy nicknames. The only names with actual meaning are Mrs. Cage since he’s always joked about wifing Sonya up and having her as his) and Moviestar, since Sonya does things that takes Johnny’s breath away more than any action movie or star could. That woman blows him away.

Nicknames for Johnny: When she’s not addressing him as “asshole” Johnny adores it when Sonya uses his name since Sonya can be brutal with her teasing calling him anything but.

Who worries the most?

Definitely Sonya. She’s just much better at putting on a face and hiding it. Whenever it seems like she is barking unnecessary orders or is tedious, it comes from a place of worry if not anxiety. Sonya loves control. And she is willing to fight for that feeling.

Who remembers what the other one always orders at a restaurant?

Johnny has all of the hookups and knows waiters, waitresses, cooks, and managers by name in the swankiest eateries. If he can remember that then he can surely remember what Sonya wants when she’s craving some grub. It doesn’t fail to flatter Sonya when Johnny remembers these things.

Who tops?

Not sure if this specifically refers to who is more dominant in the bedroom or who is literally on top usually. Regardless, I see both applying to Sonya as she’s a lady who knows what she wants and her assertiveness makes Johnny flutter. This also goes back to Sonya’s desire or maybe need to be in control even during intimacy.

Who initiates kisses?

When it comes to pecks on the lips, cheek or forehead, Sonya has those in the bag. They’re short and sweet. Johnny is much more likely to initiate more longing kisses as he grazes his thumb onto Sonya’s chin. He’s even one to initiate steamy makeout sessions.

Who reaches for the other’s hand first?

Johnny being the sweetheart and romantic at heart he is. I also see Sonya taking a while to warm up to physical affection.

Who kisses the hardest?

Sonya. I see Johnny being much more tender. Sonya’s aggressiveness took Johnny aback the first time, but at this point, Johnny certainly doesn’t mind.

Who wakes up first?

Sonya. Her body is set on a particular timetable and she sticks to it. But she’s not one to force Johnny to be an early riser if he’s not cool with that. One of the first things she does when she gets up is cup Johnny’s snoozing face as she gazes down at him. If she’s feeling extra affectionate, she’ll plant a kiss on his face ever so slightly not to wake him. Hours later when Johnny wakes up, Sonya reverts to her old self as if none of that sappy mumbo jumbo in bed didn’t happen.

Who wants to stay in bed just a little longer?

If you’re one to sleep in until 1 pm, Johnny is your guy. With his love of sleep and spooning, it takes a lot of willpower from Sonya to not succumb to the temptation of Johnny as his offer. But she’d never admit that Cage makes her feel tempted.

Who says I love you first?

Who gets jealous easiest

Both can be possessive and protective of one another, but Johnny is definitely the jealous type. Once he has his eye on someone special, and they feel the same way about him, he doesn’t want to lose that person by any means, so he’ll be damned if one of those reasons is a pair of prying eyes.

Who leaves little notes in the other’s one lunch? (Bonus: what does it usually say?)

Johnny has more...creative methods of showing the people close to him that he loves them and this just may include silly notes in Sonya’s lunch. Sonya loves pasta with specific types of cheeses (she drools over Italian cuisine). One note that made her chuckle in particular, was a post-it note on top of a Tupperware dish with alfredo in it, the note reads, “This may sound cheesy, but I think you’re grate :)”

Who tells their family/friends about their relationship first?

Sonya. She’s closer to her family while Johnny isn’t. Johnny is also hesitant to share his dating status as his folks are extremely toxic and judgemental. They have opinions about who Johnny should be dating and would prefer that he settles down with a nice, more traditional rich girl. And the families judgment has only gotten worse since Johnny found fame.

What do their family/friends think of their relationship?

Each person family has a negative reaction to some degree. On Sonya’s side, it’s hard to hear, but Johnny is a grade a movie star! And Sonya? Just a military lady. Sonya’s family and friends are curious as to what Johnny sees in her, and what should convince them that this Hollywood sleazebag isn’t just toying with Sonya’s feelings?

Again with Johnny’s family, they are almost automatically disapproving as they see Sonya’s down to Earth nature and not richness offputting. 

Who is more likely to start dancing with the other?

Johnny. Can’t dance, but is silly enough to try and dance like no one is watching furthering making Sonya go red. Something they can do successfully is slow dancing and swaying. They both love being close to each other.

Who tries to do subtle things that they know drives the other crazy

Both do this, but it’s much more effective when Sonya does this since this behavior is expected of Johnny. And boy is he surprised when Sonya becomes a flirt all of a sudden.

Who cooks more/who is better at cooking?

Sonya somehow manages to still burn toast, and Johnny merely dabbles with food. Needless to say, they are much more of a take-out kind of couple.

Who comes up with cheesy pick up lines?

Is this even a question...? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) 

Who whispers inappropriate things in the other’s ear during inappropriate times?

Again - is this even a question...? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) 

Who needs more assurance?

Johnny is more likely to be vulnerable with his partner if the relationship is deep enough, and if his vulnerability is an 11 out of 10, he’ll need some comforting. It’s so different from Cage’s usual flashy persona, so when Sonya is faced with Johnny being a vulnerable mess, its awkward at first. But later when they understand each others’ needs as a couple, they handle these things much better creating emotional safe places practically.

What would be their theme song?

This one was really hard (forgive me for the lackluster answer), but I chose “Ridin round” by Kalis Uchis ft Tory Lanez (Oshi Redo) (Here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPYQMcM7q1MI ). I listened to this song recently, and tbh it’s a badass bop. Is it suitable for cageblade? Debateable. Is cageblade a badass ship? The answer is yes and that's not debatable.

Who brings up the idea of kids?

Surprisingly, the actor who has left a trail of broken hearts is the one who discusses the idea of settling down and starting a family. And originally, Sonya didn’t have that intent as she is driven by her career. This heavily shaped the relationship and Cassie’s upbringing due to Sonya’s headstrong way of looking at things.

Who would sing to their child back to sleep?

Johnny. And that man can’t even sing. The very first time he does this, Sonya watches in amusement wondering if he’ll calm or horrify that poor thing.

What do they do when they’re away from each other?

Both have lives and outside of each other and that’s totally normal and healthy. If either isn’t in kombat, you’ll find Johnny on one of his movie sets if he’s not playing video games with Cassie and wiping the floor with her in Mario Kart 8. Sonya will be doing her usually military drills if not training her troops. Johnny is more prone to talk about Sonya to others while Sonya likes to keep things professional while she is Major Blade.

one headcanon about this OTP that breaks your heart

Though being on again/ off again may be necessary for some couples, it may have caused some of their undoings (following the events of MKX). Particularly when Cassie was born and Sonya never played out as a central role in her childhood. Though the couple had their disagreements, it shouldn’t have affected Cassie in my opinion.

one headcanon about this OTP that mends it

They’re one of those polar opposite couples that helps the other grow in specific ways. Johnny teaches Sonya to face her fears and helps her kombat her stubbornness, while Sonya is filled with wisdom, as he hasn’t had the easiest life, providing Johnny with new perspectives in life, and also maturing him a bit, teaching him that not everything has to be a joke. There’s a time and place. And despite their differences, they have love for one another.

Now. This list was very tedious, but I’m still happy with the end result! Thank you for this ask! Johnny and Sonya have always been favorites of mine.

Oh, and by the way - I am officially back.

[itsbenedict]

Two-Faced Jewel: Session 6

A half-elf conwoman (and the moth tasked with keeping her out of trouble) travel the Jewel in search of, uh, whatever a fashionable accessory is pointing them at. [Campaign log]

Last time, the party, after making their way to the torture wizard's evil torture tower, made a sneaky entrance via the window... into the room full of traps. One would think going in through a window and being immediately attacked by torture robots would teach them to, say, not go in through another window again immediately- but Looseleaf had other ideas, and those ideas got her attacked by several flying knives on the fourth floor.

Does she survive?

Barely! She loses over half her health to the initial onslaught, but manages to drop back down and close the window behind her before the knives can give chase, thanks to her racial ability to have two extra arms- she can shimmy down a rope and close a window in the same turn.

They're not out of the woods yet, though- the knives, frustrated in their assault by a pane of glass, turn around and head down the chimney through the fireplace on each floor. The party's ready for them as they emerge, though, and a couple rounds of combat later, the animated knives meet their ends without doing any further damage.

There's still a couple of beefy animated armors up there, though- so the party spends a tense couple turns waiting at the bottom of the stairs for them to make their way downstairs to the trap room. And they do, but... the translucent barrier blocking the stairway seems to block the armor, too, and they just stand menacingly at the bottom of the stairs.

...Hey, where'd Vayen go?

Luckily, Looseleaf had the foresight to soul-link to the medical kit she provided him earlier, meaning she can detect where he is at all times by sensing its spirit. She notes that he's gone upstairs via the window, and Saelhen follows. She finds him... perusing the torture equipment on the tables on the fourth floor, suspiciously. Vayen's surprised to have been followed, but points out, on the table, a strange weapon with a cross-shaped guard and four thin blades spaced wide- almost certainly the murder weapon used to kill the Nicksickles. He rolls a nat 1 on... something, and then just sort of hands it over to Saelhen without making a fuss. Huh.

Meanwhile, downstairs, Looseleaf tries to knock down the barrier with magic, and we end up making the exact same joke:

They've managed to split the attentions of the torturebots, but they don't have any way to keep the remaining bot occupied- so the rest of the party makes the decision to hurry up the rope and rejoin Saelhen and Vayen before the enemy can regroup.

Saelhen, seeing the bot coming, heads up to the fifth floor to get some distance on it, leaving Vayen behind. When Looseleaf and the others come up through the window, Vayen is gone- but Looseleaf can still sense him in the room via the bugged medkit. It seems he's turned invisible...?

On their way up the stairs, the closest armor slashes at Orluthe with a spiky claw, and- while Orluthe smacks it with an opportunity attack- gets through. The attack hurts, moreso than it should, thanks to some sort of magical pain effect, and Orluthe's Concentration-based buffs immediately expire. The party unloads some attacks on it, but it's a sturdy bastard!

Looseleaf: 16 hits? Benedict I. (GM): It does not. This thing... its spirit is pretty resilient. Apparently its creation was a labor of love. Looseleaf: Damn. Everything in this tower is so resilient. Saelhen du Fishercrown: AC 17, maybe? something brutal Benedict I. (GM):It's a big suit of metal! You want to know its Armor Class? Its class is armor! Looseleaf: i mean, spikes are gauche as fuck it can't be that classy

As they're fending this thing off- and it takes a disturbing number of hits- a third painbot inexplicably pops into existence next to the one attacking Orluthe. As it technically just entered Orluthe's range, and he has the Polearm Master feat, it gets smacked with an opportunity attack... and immediately vanishes. Some kind of illusion- which it doesn't take long for the party to blame on the invisible Vayen.

They keep wailing on it, but it's pretty sturdy.

One of them eventually goes down:

Benedict I. (GM): That hits! You catch the thing's helmet and it goes clean off its nonexistent shoulders. The rest of the armor collapses to the floor. Saelhen du Fishercrown: "There, Yamatake-san! The brain." Oyobi Yamatake: "Wh- that wasn't its- don't be a dick!"

The other one keeps chasing, though, and it's joined by the slow lumbering of some giant coffin-like device that's waddling its way over to join the fray. The party opts to make a fighting retreat up the stairs to the fifth floor. Arrows pepper the thing as it pursues them- and Saelhen and Looseleaf have approximately the same idea.

Remember back in town, they purchased, collectively, six thousand ball bearings?

Well, short story shorter, the stairs are now covered in ball bearings, making it very difficult for the automaton to continue its pursuit. It makes its dex saves, though, and it keeps pursuing them- until the party reaches the top of the stairs, and Zero has Orluthe shove the thing as soon as it catches up.

I believe you can predict the outcome of this shove, considering you saw the image at the start of this post.

Benedict I. (GM): so it's sustained 25 damage now Looseleaf: and it's stuck all the way at the bottom of the stairs again. Looseleaf, now, is thinking that- well, Vayen's not invisible anymore, and now Vayen is pincered between a painbot and a deathcoffin. Maybe we should do something to save him. He could very well die otherwise. Saelhen du Fishercrown: "Vayen, how nice to have you back with us, and apparently invisible this entire time without telling anyone!" Vayen: "Gaaaaaagh," he replies. Saelhen du Fishercrown: "We will of course protect you from the results of the decision you made, think nothing of it." Oyobi Yamatake: "Naturally! Because we're a team, right?"

Orluthe- who's a kindhearted soul and has been giving Vayen the benefit of the doubt- rushes downstairs to his aid, and, uh, rolls a natural one on his attempt to not trip on the ball bearings.

After this little snafu, though, the party successfully dispatches the other animated armor- and the coffin thing approaching them is, uh, very slow. It doesn't have legs. And, in fact, it seems incapable of climbing the stairs after them- so they head up to the fifth floor, having more or less won the combat!

The room turns out to be a bedroom, and doesn't seem to feature any sadistic suits of armor or flying knives- so the party stops for a short rest to dress their wounds. During this downtime, they interrogate Vayen regarding his recent behavior. He denies casting the illusion, and claims the invisibility was just a self-defense measure against the torture robots. His sudden disappearance, he claims, was just an attempt to take advantage of the moment the painbots were on the stairs to get around and flank them without being seen- he didn't want to give away his movements by announcing them.

There's no solid proof he was responsible for the illusion, so the party backs off on that- but Saelhen brings up something else. I think I'll paste this whole exchange:

Saelhen du Fishercrown: "And while I would be willing to call this an isolated case of awkwardness..." "...Vayen, a lady's bedroom, in the middle of the night, is a place one should not enter without explicit permission." Vayen: He goes stiff for a second. "...I don't know what you mean." Oyobi Yamatake: "Oh, come on! I heard you in there!" Looseleaf: "Heard him in- what?" Oyobi Yamatake: "You banged your leg on something and went 'Ow'!" Vayen: "...Overactive imagination." "Didn't happen." Saelhen du Fishercrown: "You really weren't very subtle. Oyobi heard you open my door, and close your own. I never left my room that night. And I left a few ball bearings by the door, as insurance. Ball bearings which had moved in the morning." Looseleaf: "...Are you saying that Vayen did something to you overnight, while I was asleep?" Saelhen du Fishercrown: "Would you like to accuse me of sleepwalking?" Looseleaf: "Vayen, is this true?" Vayen: "I never opened your door." Oyobi Yamatake: "Wh- no, I guess not, but-" Vayen: "I never touched her." "Nothing happened that night. I tranced the whole time." Saelhen du Fishercrown: "I'm sure. As for the contents of my bags, and, ah, personal effects... who can say?" Vayen: "I touched nothing of yours. I have no business with you." Oyobi Yamatake: "Oh my god. Seriously?"

Saelhen du Fishercrown: Is he getting worked up at all, or is he maintaining his flat affect? Benedict I. (GM): He's staying calm.

Saelhen du Fishercrown: "And I imagine you wouldn't want any suspicion to fall on you, yes?" Orluthe Chokorov: "I, uh... I don't think Vayen would do something like that, yeah..." Vayen: "What he said."

Oyobi Yamatake: "I can't believe this." Saelhen du Fishercrown: "Having twice acted such that we suspect you, thanks to... let's call it something neutral, for now, like miscommunication?" Looseleaf: "I mean, it could legitimately be miscommunication, possibly," Looseleaf says somewhat lamely. Saelhen du Fishercrown: "Perhaps! We are calling it that for a reason." Vayen: "Yes." Looseleaf: "But... I doubt Oyobi and Noeru would both lie about this. Oyobi's convinced that someone opened your door and opened Noeru's door, and that she heard your voice coming from Noeru's room." Vayen: "So what you have is Oyobi's word?" Looseleaf: "What's the alternative explanation here? An unknown party opened both doors, then went into Noeru's room and made a convincing imitation of your voice?" Vayen: "Or Oyobi is lying to make you distrust me." "Pretty standard elf move." Oyobi Yamatake: "Oh, you are not playing that card!" Vayen: He shrugs. Looseleaf: Looseleaf looks at the two of them. She can already see where this is going. Saelhen du Fishercrown: "Ah, the happy topic of racial politics! Sure to lighten any conversation." Looseleaf: "Okay, yeah, no, we're not playing that card," she says. "If it's deception we're worried about, I invite you to... allow me to perform a soul-read of you. Both of you, that is; you too, Oyobi, just to be fair." Oyobi Yamatake: "What? No, why?" Vayen: "I decline." Looseleaf: "It's not thought reading, but I can read alignment and intentions, if you let me." Vayen: "I decline." Looseleaf: "I mean, the alternative is- it is not fun being in a party cleaved down the middle with two sides that mistrust each other!" "Well... okay, I mean. If you decline, I'm not going to do that on you against your will." Oyobi Yamatake: "But- I mean, we're roommates! Don't you trust me?" "Over him?" Looseleaf:"Yeah, but, like, it's not fair that I only check one side, if I'm checking at all." "Fairness is important." Oyobi Yamatake: "..." Vayen: "Don't you have something else to be doing?"

Saelhen du Fishercrown: "Vayen. I would like to believe that this is a misunderstanding. But you understand that as of yet, you have done nothing, at all, that indicates that you have any interest whatsoever in preserving our lives on this trip?" Vayen : "...Correct." Saelhen du Fishercrown: "Ah." Saelhen blinks... and then chuckles a little. "Ah, ahah, did not think I was going to get that one out of you. That's kind of admirable, honestly." Vayen: He shrugs. "Your well-being is not relevant to my mission statement." "Mine need not be to yours." "Just... pretend I'm not here." Oyobi Yamatake: [I like that, actually. Let's just ditch him in the middle of the night,] Oyobi signs to Saelhen. Looseleaf: "And, what, let you walk into being pinned between spiky magic armor guys again?" "I mean, it's your call, legitimately." Vayen: "I'm fine." Saelhen du Fishercrown: "So you scouted ahead to give us information... despite the fact that you have absolutely no interest in whether we live or die." Vayen: "I scouted ahead to obtain information." "Anything else is your assumption." Saelhen du Fishercrown: "Let's say this, for now. Vayen, if you'd like to scout ahead for information, feel free. If you scout ahead for information without telling anyone, and if you return without any information, I will assume you are up to no good. Does that sound fair? Fair-ish?" Vayen: "...Assume what you like." Looseleaf: "...And, if you want us to assume you're not there- well, then, if someone shows up in our rooms at random, that's going to be assumed as an invasion of personal privacy. If Vayen-the-contributing-member-of-the-party doesn't exist, then there's no good reason for you to be in someone else's rooms at night against their will."

Man, what's with this guy? Might as well be wearing a giant neon "I'M EVIL" sign over his head. What a creep-o!

Anyway, in between the interrogation and the wound-dressing, the party searches the bedroom for loot. And loot they find- Looseleaf locates a pillow in an armoire that seems ridiculously comfy. When she naps on it, she finds that she recovers as if taking a long rest during the span of this short rest. It seems too good to be true- so they make some Arcana rolls to see if they can determine the nature of its magic.

Cool! Great! Probably fine!

Looseleaf: well, in that case, i lavishly describe the powerful effects of the best pillow ever, while being all smug about how i got to use it. and then promise that everyone else will get to take turns because i am a good moth. Orluthe Chokorov: "Wow, that's... could I try that next time?" Saelhen du Fishercrown: "It was adorable, you realize." "You're like a cloud who's gotten attached to another, puffier cloud." Oyobi Yamatake: "I don't sleep, but that sounds great for you!"

Saelhen, meanwhile, finds in a drawer ~5gp worth of jewelry, and... a rug. Which jumps out, unfurls itself on the floor, and beckons with a tassel to stand on it. Saelhen is by no means willing to fall for whatever trap this is, but Looseleaf...

Looseleaf: If you're not stepping on the obvious flying carpet, Looseleaf will.

But... it's not a flying carpet. It seems to just be a normal carpet, which wants to be stood on more than usual. That's... probably fine, right? Yeah. They opt to take it with them as a pet, because why not?

Looseleaf: "I will name my new pillow Cloudberry, and our new carpet friend Tasselhoff," Looseleaf declares.

They also notice that there's a secret door in the room- it's in the central pillar of the tower, and opens up into a hollow chamber that seems to span the height of the tower. From the inside, with Looseleaf's darkvision, they can spot additional secret doors hidden on the landings to each of the other floors, which were simply missed earlier. There's no obvious way to traverse this shaft, but they keep it in mind. They also keep in mind that there appears to be a basement of the tower, which they didn't notice earlier.

That squared away, the party heads up to the sixth and final floor of the tower.

Benedict I. (GM): This room is... It's large and round, like you might expect, with vaulted ceilings held up by wooden beams built into the central pillar. Right by the stairs is what appears to be a large furnace, with multiple compartments for burning different things. Looseleaf: oh, this isn't the roof. for some reason i was imagining this was the roof itself. i guess the roof is just, like, generic wizard tower shingles? Benedict I. (GM): The roof is sloped and shingled- you can tell there wasn't much up there, and that this appears to be all there is to the interior- no undiscovered attic. There is a large table to the left, a work desk of some description. The main thing of note on that desk- besides a bunch of papers you can't read from here- is a collection of colorful glass bottles with little glowing motes of light inside. There is a very comfy-looking chair by the desk, between the two windows, with a humanoid figure slouched in it. Motionless. Looseleaf: looseleaf would immediately be convinced that these glowing jars are some form of soul-jar- ah, that's probably our wizard Saelhen du Fishercrown: does it look like a corpse? Benedict I. (GM): To the south of you, there's a sort of nice living-room-type area with a rug and two large sofas, which seem excited to have guests. Oh, yeah, looks like a corpse, though you can't tell from this distance for sure. Probably, though. Not visibly breathing. To the very south of the room seems to be... Some sort of sloped basin, sloped down towards drains set into the central pillar. The basin is splashed all over with bloodstains of varying sizes. There is, by the basin, a very large section of the wall and windows that has been smashed open, and rubble and glass has been swept to one side in a pile by the stairs.

The body, on closer inspection, is in fact a corpse. It's not hard to identify him as the wizard who owns the tower, by his age and attire- and it's not hard to identify how he died, by the characteristic pattern of stab wounds in his chest.

The papers on the desk, meanwhile, contain extensive notes on different humanoid nervous systems and their pain responses, much of which is kind of indecipherable just because no one in the party is a neurobiologist. Plus some stuff on various magical interventions and diagrams thereof, which are likewise kind of tough to make sense of. And they're all... about a year old, representing about a month's worth of research. Apparently the archived research is kept somewhere else.

The glowy bottles, as far as they can tell, do some sort of magic with colored light, but the party doesn't experiment with them- they conclude pretty quickly that they have something to do with the nightly magical lightshows visible from outside the tower.

Looseleaf: "So, yeah, this guy definitely died a year ago when he got stabbed with his own four-pronged petard, and since then someone else has been going around and using the petard to assassinate people in Barley," Looseleaf concludes.

Before they do anything else... the couches approach, menacingly. Saelhen volunteers Oyobi as a guinea pig for the "is it safe to sit on the couches", theory- and luckily, that does appear to be the case. The couch she sits on squirms in contentment, much like the rug from earlier.

The other couch flies into a jealous rage and charges.

Quickly enough, Saelhen jumps onto the other couch, sating its sitlust for the time being. So, that potential hazard is nipped in the bud.

Looseleaf gets a 20 on her investigation roll to look around the room, meanwhile. With that, she's able to note that the bloodstains in the basin vary in age, some of them as fresh as a couple weeks old. She also notices there's not much splatter- as if the sources of the bloodstains weren't killed here. Her animism, applied to the floor stones, tells her the same- no echoes of death in the basin.

Also...

Next time: clearing out the rest of the tower!