#usually i give scar more rugged features like facial hair and well. the scars.

[time-slink]

obligatory hotguy art

[nervousmendes]

Drunken Haze | Shawn Mendes

Shawn x reader (smut)

a/n: this was a failed attempt at writing smut for the first time. (it's very mild, mostly just sexual tension and making out) do check out more of my work on my masterlist right here

summary: Shawn sees the reader at a bar and makes a move.

warnings: mild smut (making out) and very little swearing

Cez does his fair share of research when it comes to choosing a bar to spend the night at, and when you're in Paris (yes, with a French accent) it's totally worth it. Brian walked in first, Shawn and Cez not far behind. "Man I'm so getting shit-faced in here." he sighed as the three of them observed the fancy lights, furniture and wall hangings, taking in the scent of alcohol and cigerettes suspended in in the warm air of the closed space. Cez being the only bright one in the three, quickly spotted an empty booth in the lounge but Shawn's eyes fell straight on a blond haired women, her black dress hugging her hips so well and her toned legs crossed one over the other while she tipped her head back, letting the expensive wine in the glass she was holding flow into her system.

There was something about her that intrigued him. Maybe it was the confidence she radiated, the way she sat with her back poised, the way her silky hair flowed down her shoulders or maybe it had something to do with how her skin glowed in the dim lighting. He felt the urge to approach her, like she pulled him towards her. And it was as if his legs knew what his heart wanted when they started making calculated steps towards the bar counter that she was facing. His thoughts went every which way trying to figure out what to say as he took the stool exactly beside her's, completely ignoring the five (or more) empty stools on his other side.

"Hey." He internally patted himself on the back for sounding a lot more confident than he actually was.

"Do I know you?" Her face broke into a polite smile, and her thick french accent dripped with the words she spoke out of her red stained lips.

"Maybe?"

Too cocky.

"You don't give me a businessman vibe." She said looking at him from head to toe. Looking. She saw the black denim that covered his toned legs, his satin, white shirt that hugged his broad shoulders and the little scar on his cheek that gave his soft facial features a more rugged look. Shawn watched her keenly. His hand went to his hair, fingers pushing a stray curl out of his eye.

"What makes you think I'm a businessman?" He turned in his stool and rested his arm on the bar counter to make her shift her vision from his face to his forearm that flexed under the thin fabric.

"They're usually the cocky ones." He was searching for what to say slightly taken aback by the fact that someone found him cocky, considering that no one has ever called him that before, not in a bad way. He wasn't offended, just surprised. In fact he liked that the whole 'be confident' thing was working.

"But you seem nice, I'll give you that." She chuckled while twirling the empty wine glass in her small hand.

"Will you let me buy you your next drink?"

She considered it, and almost nodded yes for affirmation but then her brows drew in an L shape. "I think I've already had too much to drink." She was mentally trying to count how many times the bartender filled her glass with Chartreuse.

"So why don't you tell me your name, mysterious, handsome, American man?" She said leaning close to him. The already deep cut neck line of her dress plunged down even further, dangerously low, making Shawn draw in a sharp breath through his mouth.

"I love mysterious and handsome, but I'm actually Canadian." He narrowed his eyes at her with a smirk and she couldn't help but smile.

"And nice to meet you, I'm Shawn. Et toi?"

"I can tell you skipped your french classes often back in school." She broke into a chuckle, making Shawn grin right back at her, his face very close to hers.

"You know nothing about me, but I'm afraid this one's true." He whispered, his minty breath fanning her face. She laughed again while placing her hand on Shawn's toned bicep that was rested on the countertop.

"You're funny." Her gaze burned into him.

"I wasn't even trying." Liar.

"I'm guessing that's a lie." They never broke eye contact.

"For someone that guesses a lot, you're pretty accurate."

"You know nothing about me." She said just like he did a minute ago, her lips almost grazing his making sure to not touch them. What a tease.

"How about," the tips of his calloused fingers went to her bare shoulder, "I start with knowing what those pretty lips of yours taste like?" and stroked the soft, supple skin on her arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps behind.

"That's a good start." She inched closer.

"So is that a yes?"

Instead of giving him an answer, she touched his lips with hers, hands going to either side of his neck. He covered her mouth with his, tasting the expensive alcohol she had been drinking all night. He nudged closer to get a better angle, his large hands taking purchase on her waist. Their tongues danced with each other's, deepening the kiss. He moaned under his breath when she licked the roof of his mouth, and he used that as an opportunity to suck on her lower lip. Her nails scratched his scalp, tangling her fingers in his long, soft curls and she quickly figured how much he liked it from the way he kissed her harder in response to tugging his hair. She broke the kiss for air, he assumed but then when he pulled her in again, she opened her mouth to speak.

"I live only ten minutes away, let's get out of here." She was breathing heavily. He nodded and gave her a quick kiss on the lips before getting off the stool and helping her down shortly after. He left a quick text to Brian asking them to carry on with whatever they were upto and rolled his eyes at Brian's response telling him to "not bust that nut too quick". They got in an Uber and sat beside each other, lips red and swollen, breath heavy, and their thoughts everywhere. They didn't say a word to each other. They didn't know what to say but they were both trying to reach out for some sort of connection. She cleared her throat in an attempt to gather the right words before she spoke. Her eyes were set on her hands that played with the hem of her dress.

"Is now a good time to tell you.." He looked up at her, signalling for her to go on. She gulped, "that I actually know who you are, and I acted like I didn't because I didn't want you think of me as someone who would see you as an object just because you're a celebrity." She made air quotes on the word 'celebrity', like it was such a weird thing to say, a word that gives a human, with a little fame they never knew was coming their way, the title of an object.

"That is the best decision you ever made. If I knew you knew I'm sure I wouldn't even have made a move. You have no idea how glad I am that you did that."

She finally dropped the hem of her dress and looked back at him through her long eyelashes. That was it, there was no holding back anymore. Shawn's lips crashed into hers and she kissed his mouth back with that much force, curling her fingers into the collar of his shirt. His one hand went around her waist, palm flat against the small of her back, and the other was tangled in her beautiful, blond locks.

Their lips didn't leave other's even while unlocking the door, and just like you see in the movies, they kissed their way into her bedroom until Shawn's legs hit the cot and his butt landed on the soft spring mattress of her bed. She kicked off her heels and threw one leg to his other side, her knees on either side of his legs, straddling him. His hands slid down from her waist to fill his palms with the flesh of her toned bum. He cooed as he kneaded them with every movement she made sitting right on top his hard-on that strained his tight denims. Shawn drew his lips away from her mouth to leave wet kisses down her jawline and along the expanse of her throat. He attached his lips to the spot under her ear and sucked on the skin there, causing a shivering moan to tumble down her plump lips. He explored her neck and her chest with his hungry lips, tasting the lavender flavour of the soap she lathered on herself earlier that evening. Somewhere along kissing and a lot of exploring later, all the clothing they helped each other get rid of were scattered on the floor, sweat covered bodies moulding and crashing to give each other the climax they longed for.

(I cannot write smut for shit so I cut the crap out and got to the point.)

She woke up to the warmth of the sun shining on her golden skin through the half drawn blinds, feeling a mild headache from all that she had to drink the previous night. That's when she remembered him. She jutted her head out of her pillow to see that his clothes weren't on the floor anymore. She shifted under the sheets to find an empty bed beside her and a post it note neatly placed in the centre, exactly where he slept. She took it in her hand, squinting until she could read what it said.

Sorry, I left without saying goodbye. I'm playing a show today and I have to be there early. Last night was really fun. x

- S.M

Her lips formed a shy smile and her cheeks were tinged a shade of red as she recollected the events of last night. She folded the piece of paper in her hand contemplating whether she had to throw it or save it. She looked down at it one more time, and that's when she noticed that something was written on the other side. She turned the post-it around, to find a phone number written on it and under it he'd written, "maybe I'm glad I didn't say goodbye".

She laughed to herself, carefully placing the paper in her journal, already excited by the idea of seeing him again. She met Shawn less than twenty four hours ago and hardly knew anything about him, but there something about him that drew her in, made her want to get to know him better and of course feel that pretty mouth of his between her legs once again.

_______________________________________________

I'm thinking maybe I'll do a part 2 to this so let me know what you think. Hope you liked this one. Reply to this or leave me a message if you want to get added to my taglist!!

[razorblade180]

OC test: Flex

[Not in the literal term. All the boys here will simply show off their style and charm in an attempt to steal some hearts and blush some faces.]

Kovu:So in other words...

Sparrow:Eye candy. Crank up that testosterone the best way you know.

Jael:A bunch of shirtless guys sounds boring.

Eliza:You heard the woman. Be bold and unbuckle those pants!

Jael:No! Not at all what I meant!

Jacquelyn: *turning away* (Probably for the best if I don’t witness this.)

Carmine and Valerie:....

Yujin:*red* Doesn’t this seem shameful?

Summer and Veronica:Shhhhhh

Veronica:Oh yeah, should we get the guy out of tree then?

Carmine:What guy?

Veronica:The guy I smell in the tree. He’s been there awhile. He has the scent of a bird.

An eerie silence falls amongst the group. Carmine slowly turns towards the tree, shooting a death glare. She takes a massive lunge towards it. Aero immediately emerged from the top, flying out of reach from Carmine’s very lethal hands.

Carmine:Who told you that you can be here, huh Aero!?

Aero:Oh quit with the theatrics. I know you’re happy to see me.

Carmine:Say that within arms reach!

Aero:No...

Nick:Who that?

Summer:And what’s his number?

Kovu:That would be Aero. He probably snuck in when I was let inside. His semblance has a way of catching people off gaurd, making it easy to pull a fast one on them. Hi Aero.

Aero:Hey goodie goodie. Mind doing some good and pulling the thorns off of this rose.

Kovu:Carmine, he’s not gonna leave. Might as well suck it up and let him be.

Carmine:I’ll let him be injured and begging for mercy. That’s what I’ll let him be.

Yujin:Wasn’t there supposed to be a test going on?

Eliza:Well one guy has already started.

Yujin:What? Who-oh my goodness! Tenzen! *red*

The street performer had removed his shirt when nobody was looking, then out on an opened hoodie. Tenzen’s abs were on full display with his broad, strong chest. His pants were replaced with shorts that showed off his toned calves. He put up the fox ear hood and casually drunk a water bottle. As usual, Tenzen looked playful, yet overwhelming attractive. It didn’t help that his shorts hung a little lower than they should’ve.

Tenzen:What?! Too stupid?

Eliza:The only stupid thing here is how your body looks like a mannequin. I know dancing makes you fit but sheesh.

Tenzen:It’s the martial arts.

Veronica:Nice.

Sparrow:Oh we’re starting? I guess I can show a bit of skin. After all, a sailor isn’t a sailor if he isn’t drenched and showing off.

Under these rules, Sparrow felt a little bad for the others. He was the guy here that could be considered truly grown. That maturity came with knowledge in many things. Charm was one of them. His hands pulled off his shirt fluidly. A stroke of his hand running through his hair not only showed off his trained body, it flexed his biceps. Unlike Tenzen, Sparrow had a body that was bulked up. Muscles were beefed up and made to form a temple that was hard as stone. His diabolical brown scruff and brown tanned skin gave Sparrow a rugged look that Jacquelyn sneak a peak and Eliza gulp the moment his other hand casually hung from his right pocket. Even Carmine was surprised by the older man.

Carmine:Wow, a shirt hid all that? You bench logs or something?

Sparrow:The military doesn’t train weaklings you know?

Eliza:(Eight years. Just give about eight years Sparrow.)

Kovu:My, my, that looks fun. But not as fun as that white haired cutie.

Summer:M-Me!?

Kovu:*flies down* I know a face like that anywhere. Who would’ve thought a Schnee would have such kind eyes? Not an icy glare at all. *rubs her face* You got a name?

Summer:I, uhh, yeah! I mean who doesn’t. Hehe wow you’re really umm close. Wait, my name! You’re probably still waiting for-

Nick:It’s Summer; and if you’re looking for the Schnee icy glare then look my way.

The chill of a glare sharper than any sword pierced right through Aero as he saw the white haired boy. Yeah, he’s definitely a Schnee. He respectfully stopped touching Summer and stood before Nick.

Aero:Cold, dagger like glare, white hair, and short. Yeah, you’re Weiss’s kid alright. How cute...

Nick:Call me short again and I’ll cut you down.

Carmine:As much as I would love to see that, Aero might be a little much for ya unprepared. Case in point, he’s not in front of you.

Nick raised an eyebrow and blinked. In that moment, Aero was gone. The boy was standing by Eliza, pinching her cheeks.

Eliza:Ow! How did you-

Aero:You’re a familiar looking face. Between your hair color and skin tone I almost thought Mona was here. I bet-

Carmine:No.

Aero:Well that’s the end of that I guess.

Eliza:Stop pinching me!!!!

Sienna:He’s a bit of a weird one.

Jael:The word is rude. He’s giving me a headache. Not to mention dragging out this test.

Aero:Hmm? What, the sexy thing. I thought that was over. I mean I’m here and everything. Y’all fighting for second place?

Sparrow:Hmph.

Veronica:That’s confidence you don’t see regularly.

Valerie:Call it like it is. He just shit talked every guy here into bringing their A-game.

Kovu:Oh Aero, you dummy. If you wanted me to play with you so badly then you just had to ask nicely...

The air in the room quickly changed. The two boys faced each other and smirked playfully. Kovu dragged his sharp finger nail down his shirt, tearing it. Aero laughed and proceeded to remove his own. Apparently this was a normal thing between the two. The tall boys got closer until Kovu was able to push Aero gently against a wall, wings spread out. Kovu was taller by an inch and buffer. His torso was well defined along with his chest, but the main focus was his arms on each side of Aero. Not only were they big, but each muscle group was blatantly visible. The boys eager eyes were focused in on his cocky younger friend.

Aero casually propped up his foot on the wall and put his hands in his pockets. Aero was no where near as bulky as the beast before him, but he cut to perfection in more ways then one. Faded scar ran across is toned body. The small black gages and wind swept hair only elevated his attitude. Everyone but Carmine were confused about what they were watching.

Valerie:Ummm are they about to make out?

Eliza:*red* I don’t know....but I want to.

Veronica:I think they might do more than make out.

Summer:(I’d pay to be in the middle of this beef sandwich.)

Yujin:Carmine, please explain.

Carmine:Nothing to explain. This happens sometimes. I don’t know why.

Tenzen:KISS!!!

Aero:They’re totally looking more at me than you.

Kovu:Bitch you wish you were this sexy. Don’t let those little girls in Vacou hype you up too much. They’re easy.

Aero:Don’t talk about your cousin like that.

Carmine:....

Everyone:....

Carmine:.....

Sienna:Y’all fu-

Carmine:YES, MOVING ON NOW. Lucas, take off your pants or something!

Lucas:Nobody wants that.

Sienna and Summer:Well...

Lucas:I am not taking my pants off.

Jael:Wet t-shirt. Then we can put everything behind us.

Jacquelyn:You can try and enjoy this a little sweetie.

Jael:Make this a women challenge and I’d be-... wait, I’d have to participate in that. God this sucks.

Lucas.Tenzen, pass me a water bottle.

Eager to please, Tenzen tosses two. Lucas caught both midair and poured them right onto his face; his white tank becoming completely drenched in the process. The fabric clung to his body, pressing against every crease, every conceivable worked out muscle. The others looked amazing, but Lucs might as well be photoshopped. Was fat even on his body! His back looked strong and legs even more so. Lucas’s hair stuck to his face and he let out a agitated groan. Despite that, it actually made him more appealing to Eliza. Others were admittedly distracted by his body to even notice his face. A xylophone could be played on a body like that.

Tenzen:Damn, I thought I was in shape before today.

Carmine:Aren’t you a shit in?

Lucas:I can still work out, and no. I just don’t deal with people or feel bad about staying in indefinitely.

Jael:A shut in!

Jacquelyn:That’s like...the definition.

Aero:Eh, not bad I guess.

Lucas:Little boy, I can snap you like a twig. Don’t get snippy with me.

Aero:Oooo feisty. Well if we’re done here-

Yujin:Hold on. Nick hasn’t gone yet.

Nick:Can you shut up!!!!

Yujin:Oh, hehe, my bad. I thought you’d be excited?

Nick:Why? I mean...sigh what’s the point? Not in the mood to embarrass myself.

Kovu:What?

Aero:Yeah that’s a smart move. I mean look at him compared to the rest of us. It’s like night and day in here.

Carmine:Aero!

Nick:He’s right. No real muscles, strong features, facial hair, scars, height... just a shrimpy sixteen year old with cash. *Smiles* Honestly I never really seen much good about m-

Valerie:Oh give me break. Do you really think any guy could hold a candle to you!? You’re caring, quirky, driven, and humble to a fault. Nick you’re so-

Nick:*wide eyed*....

Valerie:*red*Ummm y-you get the point. So don’t even think about discrediting yourself.

Nick:I uhhh appreciate the compliments, but those traits are exactly a flex or considered sexy.

Veronica:Lies!!! What’s sexier than a caring young man!

Nick:Abs.

Eliza:Oh for the love of-you’re all ridiculous.

She marches over to Nick and grabs him by the collar. Her hand rises to slick his hair back to clearly show of his beautifully tired eyes and gentle face, unmarked by anything but except self inflicted stress. It’s a shame he wasn’t feeling competitive. He may not know it, but that always captured a room. Eliza took off his vest and unbuttoned the top two buttons of his dress shirt. The crowd was left stunned by the simple transformation. He looked more regal than usual, yet casual.

Eliza:Sexy doesn’t mean naked dummy. And as far as physical traits go...*red* there’s a reason all the girls flock to you. You’re...annoyingly handsome. Some might even say pretty.

Nick:*blushes*

Eliza:And then you do that! Can we agree Nick wins and move on!?

Everyone:Yeah.

Aero:I guess I’ll take second.

Lucas:You mean third.

Kovu:He actually meant fourth.

Aero:Rude.

Carmine:Good.

[shepherds-of-haven]

What would each ROs spirit animal be, and why?

Hi there, I’ve answered this before here, here, and here!

(However, it was recently brought to my attention by a kind person that use of the phrase “spirit animal” by non-Native people could be offensive or appropriating, so I won’t be using it anymore. I think guardian animal or patronus is better, so that’s what I’ll be using in my tags and whatnot from now on!)

I took this quiz for each of the ROs to see if their answers differed from what I’d put for them before, so here are their results:

Blade: Sable. Cool and confident - if not a little over-polished - sables are the most graceful of the herbivore personalities. With their outstanding physical presence and successful work ethic, they enjoy the universal admiration from colleagues and friends. Dapper in dress and noble in bearing, their tastes and lifestyle are refined and restrained and they disapprove of flashy or ostentatious behavior in any form.

Trouble: Zebra. Loyal and strong .Those that come into contact with the zebra find it to be a powerfully loyal and intelligent friend. Its black and white nature shuns the gray zones of compromise, and its decided idealism is incapable of accepting defeat in an argument. Zebras find it difficult to be punctual when it comes to meeting commitments that have little value to them, and close examination of this trait reveals the subtle arrogance that pervades the zebra's personality.

Tallys: Owl.  A creature of great integrity, the owl’s quiet demeanor accords it an air of mystery and diffidence, and it is widely recognized as a serene, wise observer of human society. Always well-groomed, it is a noble individual with elegantly chiseled features that border on the fine edge of beauty and homeliness. Owls have developed quite a reputation for intelligence, but it's really their calm, insightful natures that give this impression. Instead of an intellectual approach to life, they employ their deeper spiritual senses to guide them and -- like their nocturnal cohorts the bats -- have a deeply philosophical bent. Owls are not without their assertive side, however, and won't hesitate to use their razor-sharp tongues to settle arguments. 

Shery: Mole. Physically, moles are not awe-inspiring individuals. Their pale skin and plump physique are usually accompanied by thick glasses or contacts that compensate for poor eyesight. However, they are comfortable with their flaccid bodies and seek companionship with others who appreciate their more philosophical qualities. Passive and unassertive, they prefer to retreat at the first sign of confrontation and would rather run than take physical action. (Okay, this one seems meaner than the others?! Dead-on about the poor eyesight though gfdkjgfdlg??)

Riel: Penguin. Aggressive yet gentle, outgoing but shy, stable yet flighty - everyone sees the penguin in a different way. It's that black and white thing: the penguin only reveals the side that it wants to you to see. So whether you like this darling-devil or not, you have to concede that it's a fascinating and enigmatic individual. Penguins are birds condemned to live out their days on the ground. Unable to fly, their excess energy has no outlet save their creative talents and emotional outbursts. Penguins are poetic, artistic, and intellectually gifted, and as writers penguins have no equal. But, if unable to channel their impulses in a positive way, the resulting turmoil proves damaging to their relationships and careers. Penguins are deceptively intelligent and are particularly animated when intellectually challenged. They excel at word games and puzzles but are modest about their abilities and are generally underestimated by others.

Chase: Deer. Gorgeous yet capricious. This beautiful and delicate creature is a classic example of a prey species, and with few defenses other than its nimble mind and agile body it must be constantly on the lookout for danger. Deer are active and lithe creatures with little excess body fat, and enjoy and excel at most athletic pursuits. Their athleticism and grace may well create a fine first impression; it often masks a scatterbrained and emotionally taxing inner core. Best known for their highly-strung and skittish behavior, deer personalities are shy and demure. With a propensity to withdraw emotionally for fear of getting hurt, deer often struggle to settle down, and their motivations are certainly difficult to predict. Because their coquettish behavior is rooted in deeply buried insecurities, deer are drawn to the entertainment industry as actors and models, where -- by hiding behind the mask of characters --they find temporary refuge from the painful elements in their own lives.

Red: Fox. Astute and flirtatious. These agile-minded personalities are always active and -- although they never go out of their way to harm others -- have developed an unfair reputation for slyness and manipulation. Appealing, cerebral and of average size, the fox displays the typical canine qualities of loyalty, passion and creativity. Largely misunderstood to be a shy, retreating individual, it's the fox's stature as a small carnivore that defines its survival strategy. Because it cannot succeed using brute force alone, the fox must rely on its sharp mind and engaging personality to garner resources. Because it spends so much time in its head -- giving the impression that it's trying to outsmart everyone – the fox isn’t surprised that others find its intellectual pursuits quite intimidating (and often annoying). Foxes are fussy eaters and, with an appreciation for the finer things in life, demand quality in entertainment, food, and friends. Their love of exploration dovetails with their passion for overcoming challenges, which is why foxes are often found mountain climbing or journeying to exotic, forbidden places.

Ayla: Crocodile. Crocodiles are lean, leathery individuals with air of wariness that comes from living on the edge, which is why their skins are often decorated with scars or tattoos. Crocodiles are not always easy to identify because their survival strategy is based on misdirection and camouflage. As natural predators, crocs will attack without subtlety or intelligence and use any weapon at their disposal.Crocodiles prefer docile prey and will not hesitate to employ dirty tricks to gain an advantage. They have little sense of honor and, the more unwary their victim, the better. Crocs have little conscience, compassion, or guiding philosophy except that of survival and self-interest.

Briony: Wolf. The rugged wolf is athletic, good-looking and brimming with self-confidence. A close relative of the domestic dog, it is stronger and more aggressive, managing to generate notoriety wherever it marks its territory. The wolf's dark reputation is mainly due to jealousy of its consistent success in work and romance. With an innate understanding of the value of teamwork, it’s always ready to take its place in the chain of command either as leader or as simply a member of the pack. When a wolf decides to innovate, it makes sure that it has the backing of a capable team, for the wolf is clear-headed and strong-minded, and always willing to compromise in the interests of getting a job done. Wolves are facially expressive and readily communicate their emotional states with body language. They work hard at developing their social relationships, although -- unlike their cousin the dog -- they are quick to anger when they sense threats to the social order. When confrontations occur, they sometimes react suddenly and violently, barking displeasure at offending subordinates. Close companions know to avoid their biting tongue until they resume their normal gregarious behavior.

Lavinet: Dolphin. Dolphins are those tanned, beautiful people who populate background scenes in shows like Baywatch, and somehow remain annoyingly healthy while eating and drinking with abandon. You’ll rarely encounter an overweight dolphin.Perhaps it's their active lifestyles that keep them so trim, but their good genes have something to do with it too, for even though many dolphins subsist on junk food, their hair is shiny and their skin always glossy. Though the dolphin’s large brain is capable of solving almost any problem, its reputation for intelligence is overrated, for dolphins place little value in cerebral pursuits and avoid mental challenges.  They are nonetheless able to hold their own in debates, but prefer cavorting and surfing to discussing weighty philosophical issues. Dolphins demand little from life other than the time to enjoy it. As highly sexual individuals, they spend a great deal of time in the pursuit of bodily pleasure, and their aggressive quest for sex sometimes dominates social interactions. Dolphins are not designed for manual labor. Their bodies lack the skilled hand-eye coordination found in land mammal personalities, but their intelligence and social abilities bestow the special advantage in people-oriented careers.

What do you think? Some of these are fairly accurate, but the others...

If you take one for your MC, the results tell you which animals are compatible to your own!

[omgwatchmewritestuff]

The Tower of Locke

There’s a tower that drives people to kill themselves if they’re ever imprisoned inside it.

Sae watched the silhouette of the dragon soar over the horizon. After realizing her best chance of escape was well and truly gone, she cast her eyes about the luxurious room; it truly looked fit for a priestess.

Centered along the wall opposite the grand window was a four poster bed with a canopy of gold silk, and cream bedding accented with the same gold. Flanking the bed were two nightstands made of the same rich mahogany as the bed. The walls were lined with fine art and tapestries, and the floor with finely woven rugs that felt spring grass underfoot.

In fact, Sae would be her sword and shield this room was the finest she had been in, a loft achievement consider her noble status.

As she looked about more she found the bookshelves in a sitting area to be filled with rare tomes and books bound with dyed and etched leather, along with other rarities. There was a fireplace crackling merrily and a store of logs to keep the fire burning throughout the night, which was fast approaching.

Locking the fire and logs in her mind Sae continued her exploration and found, much to her delight, a bathroom stocked with rose oils, soaps, lotions, and anything her heart could ever desire to clean herself. Towels were stacked on a lower shelf than the toiletries and a long robe hung on the side of the shelf.

Deciding to stoke the fire to drive off the night’s coolness Sae went back to the main room and did just that, stacking up a healthy pile of logs and then turning back to the bathroom. As she did, she noticed a privacy screen and a wardrobe, which, upon opening was revealed to hold an astounding selection of fine clothing, all of it too small to accommodate her wide frame and undeniably designed for a man of small stature.

This was...a little too perfect. She expected to be thrown in a dingy cell, however, the only complaint she could raise about the room was it’s openness to the sky, and the too small clothing. Everything else was fit for any of the Daughters of Herkte. But, it had been a long day and Sae decided she could figure out the whole escaping situation tomorrow. For now it was time to wash the work and grime from herself and go to sleep.

Settling into the cream covers Sae closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep soon after, thoroughly exhausted from the day’s work.

Not an hour later she awoke, scanning the room. Even in her groggy half asleep state she was sure voices in hushed tones had been the thing to awaken her. Now though, the only sound was the leaves being tossed about in the night’s breeze far below. Now though, the only sound was the leaves being tossed about in the night’s breeze far below. Still Sae kicked off the blankets and retrieved her dagger from the night table and searched the room, but turned up empty handed. She searched anywhere someone could reasonably be hiding, and most places no adult would be able to squeeze themselves into.

Deciding she may have mistaken the wind on the leaves as a voice she returned to bed and started to doze off.

“Why are you here?”

Sae leapt out of bed, “Show yourself!” she ordered as she whipped her head towards the direction of the voice brandishing her dagger.

“What if I don’t want to?”

“Don’t be childish,” Sae said narrowing her eyes towards the sound.

“Why’d they put you here?”

Deciding to play nice, for now, she answered in a stately voice, “I’m Sae and hail from Veryp. My company was ambushed. I stayed to fend the bastards off and allowed the others to escape, but in the process got captured myself. Why are you here?”

“I’ve always been here, I don’t remember a time I wasn’t here.”

“Surely you remember something. What is your name? where are you from?”

“My name is Locke, but I gave that to myself. From one of the books. I don’t know where I’m from.”

“Show yourself.”

“You’ll be frightened.”

“I’ve undoubtedly seen creatures more fearsome than you, no matter what you look like.”

Scanning the room once more Sae was surprised to see a gaunt looking man, a head shorter than herself and terribly thin, as if he’s been starved. He wrung his bony hands, shuffled his feet, and stared at the ground. His stringy, het black hair hung in matts down to his waist. Altogether, not a very frightening figure. Sae cleared her throat, “I don’t mean to insult, but you are the most unfrightening creature I’ve ever laid eyes upon.”

“I’m a vampire, you should be scared of me.” He had looked up at her and his mouth fell open slightly as he stared. Sae stood six foot even, with broad shoulders, strong facial features, and a thick head of hair. Her skin, tanned and scarred from her years as a warrior, stretched from the corded muscle tightening. Legs, arms, and torso hardy and muscled she posed a much more imposing figure than he ever would.

“It’s rude to stare.” Sae drew herself up and looked down at him, shifting her weight to her right leg and crossing her arms. Immediately, Locke diverted his eyes, his shuffling picking up again as he scuffed his shoe on the cold wood floor, “Sorry..”

“Mind telling me why I should be frightened of you?”

“Because I’m starving. They keep me up here without food, leave me to be weakened by the sun, make me wear this-this thing,” He jabbed his wrists towards her, they were bound together by what looked like handcuffs, though made of a metal she had never seen before. “Then they throw people in here, I have no choice but to eat. I don’t want to die.” His voice had trailed off to a barely audible whisper and whatever confidence he had gained was lost just as quickly.

“So you kill people?”

“No! I don’t want to kill them! They hate me and they’re scared of me and they kill themselves. They jump from the tower anD I ALWAYS TRY TO STOP THEM AN-”

Sae had closed the distance between them and grabbed his shoulders as he let out heaving sobs. She pulled him against her chest and let him calm down, petting his hair softly and whispered to him. It only took a couple minutes for him to come out of his panic, “I’m sorry,” he whispered, squirming to get away.

“Calm down. Continue your story.” He was still held fast against her and he flushed from ears to chest.

He pressed his face into her neck, took a deep breath, and continued in a calmer voice “They put some kind of curse on me. Usually a vampire can feed off someone without causing any harm, but whenever I feed it drives my host into insanity. I try to stave off my hunger for as long as I can, but I can never hold myself back long enough. I can’t get out of the tower on my own, I down know how to climb, the handcuffs stop me from using most of my powers. Even if I did know how to climb the cuffs would stop me. And without someone who knows magic to help me I can’t get the handcuffs off and to find someone that knows magic to help me I have to get out of this tower, which I can’t do. See my dilemma?”

“Are there any barriers that would stop you from leaving the tower? Magical, I mean.”

“No, I just can’t climb. And the cuffs prevent me from flying or transforming into anything that could.”

Sae nodded, then scooped on arm under his legs and while the other supported his torso, “We’re going to sleep, tomorrow you’re going to get on my back and cling to me for dear life, and we’re going to leave this tower.”

She put him on the bed and scooched him over “Wha-”

“Shush” she climbed under the blankets, rolled onto her stomach and stretched along the length of the bed before passing out.

The next morning Sae dusted her hands with power she had found in the bathroom, then took off her leather chest armor and tied it to her belt, along with her sword, dagger, shield, and helmet. She opted to keep her boots on, deciding they’d give her much needed support.

While all this was happening Locke stood near the window, shuffling his feet nervously. “We’ll be fine Locke, put your trust in me,” Sae reassured him, again, while double checking all her gear was secure. Then strode over to Locke, turned around, and crouched down. “Put your legs between me and the top of my gear, you don’t want to have your legs all cup up. Loop you arms loosely around my neck and lean forwards as much as you can once we start climbing down, okay?”

His voice was barely a whisper as he choked out, “Okay.” and got on her back, quickly burying his face in the crook of her neck. She grabbed his thighs and maneuvered him how she liked, then patted his right thigh, “I’m going to get us down Locke, but you need to calm down.”

He squeezed tighter and nodded, screwing his eyes shut when he felt her drop her legs out the window and start descending.

The climb down was, all in all, uneventful besides a few slips, and Locke choking Sae once of twice when he got too nervous. Once they were on solid ground again Locke collapsed on the ground to kiss it. Sae gave a belly laugh, “You weren’t even the one climbing and you look more tired than me.”

Locke leaped up, face red, and scratched at the back of his neck. “Where are we going to go?”

“I’m going home to Veryp, hopefully to meet up with my company. I could probably find someone to bust those cuffs off and break your curse. Or, I could drop you off somewhere else if you’d like?”

“I’d...like to go with you. Please?”

Sae nodded and pointed to their left, “While we were coming down I saw a trail that way, could lead to a village. We’ll buy horses and provisions, then head on towards Veryp.”

Locke took a deep breath, “I’m ready.”

Pronunciations:

Sae: Sah-ay

Herkte: Hair-kuh-tay

Veryp: Ver (Like “there” but with a V instead of Th)-ip

Locke: Lock (Lol)

[s4lmonsk1n]

bedridden w/ food poisoning and thinking abt Andromeda nonstop so time to Meme

30 DAY RYDER COUNTDOWN MEME: days 30-24 under the cut

30 Days: Will you play SisRyder or BroRyder first? Why? How does your Ryder define their gender?

i always play as a female on my first playthrough bc that’s the gender im most comfortable with -- plus, y’know, fem!shep was a goddess. The only bioware game I’ve managed to play FULLY as a male PC was da:o, and I think that was mostly bc they didn’t actually speak,,,,,

my Ryder is gonna be cis female too so she/her pronouns I guess!! this may change in time tho as I develop them bc I’m partial to they/them pronouns myself so haha

29 Days: What is your Ryder’s name? Why did you pick this name - is there a meaning or origin story behind it? Do they go by any nicknames? What would you name their sibling, father and mother if you were able to choose?

My Ryder’s name is Emerson! She usually goes by Emery, and her brother calls her Em/Emmy/Emma (altho he’s the only one who can get away with calling her Emma tbh). I didn’t want anything TOO outlandish seeing as we can’t change the twin’s name, so I wanted something that would fit with Scott. Plus I’ve always loved unisex names for females, especially names that can be shortened into  a million nicknames like my own :3c

You know when your searching for a name and you read one and that’s just IT? even if you find one that might be prettier, or nicer, or suit them more, but nope, its just THAT one? Yeah. Once I started calling her Emerson that was her name for life. it feels weird thinking of her by any other name at this point.

i usually don’t bother with developing parents/parents names, so Alec and Ellen are fine for me. If I could rename Scott though, for some reason Lawrence seems to stick with me for him?? hmm.

28 Days: Are you going to use the default appearance or create a custom Ryder? If custom, describe your Ryder’s physical appearance (hair color, eye color, skin color, height, weight, facial features, any scars or tattoos, racial origin, etc). If you have art and/or a face-claim, feel free to add them here.

custom Ryder alllll the way. I have an entire pinterest board decked out for inspo just for ideas!! check it out here --> https://www.pinterest.com/charlottemonton/ryder-inspo/

I don’t have EXACT details planned out like hair style, face shape, etc, but I know that (right now at least) I want her to have long red hair (messy bun look ya feel me,,), hazel eyes, and a MESS of dark freckles. like freckles everywhere. she’s gonna be gr8. She’ll probably have her arms/hands riddled with tiny scars from being on dig sites and such, and from her long history of accidentally blowing stuff up when she tinkers with tech (and.... maybe an eyebrow scar. Just bc im a sucker for eyebrow scars wowowo)

as for tattoos, she won’t have any downright visible ones, but she will have a space/planet themed one down her spine like some of the examples in her inspo board !!

27 Days: Are you going to use the default appearance for Ryder’s sibling or customize them? Describe your ideas for their sibling’s and father’s physical appearance.

don’t care much about dad Ryder’s look, but ive always had a thing for identical twins. So, Scott and Emery will looks eerily similar and be really close to boot. Ofc, even identical twins can grow up to look vastly different depending on different outside factors, esp with the twins different personalities, hobbies, career, etc.

He’ll have the matching freckles, red hair, and hazel eyes, but as far as that.... it’s all up in the air! I’ll have to wait and see what kind of options there are in the CC before fully deciding on Scott’s look. Maybe a bit more rugged than her due to his more military-esque background? short hair? maybe some facial hair or smth? WHO KNOWS!!

(as a note, if we can give them heterochromia, I might give them blue/hazel eyes bc im a sucker for twins with opposite heterochromia whoops)

26 Days: Do you have a specific class profile or mix of class profiles in mind for Ryder?

Em is a full-blown tech junkie. PURE TECH. She’s always had a knack for tinkering even in her youth, and she prefers working with stuff she’s made herself and KNOWS will work over anything else (moving stuff with an implant in your mind??? unless she made the implant herself, no thanks, she’s good with her good ol’ reliable drone)

I’ve played both pure soldier class and vanguard in the original mass effect, and never touched any tech abilities whatsoever. But seeing all the cool stuff classing into Tech gets you in andromeda..... BOI. Apparently you get “something special” for staying faithful and only specing into one class too, so that got me awful curious as well,,,,,

so yeah. Tech goddess over here. with a HAMMER.

25 Days: Describe Ryder’s favorite combat style. Bioware call Peebee a “gunslinger” and describe Liam as a “close-range fighter” - how would you describe Ryder’s combat role/strengths? What are some of their favorite biotic/tech/other abilities?

Emery would probably be described as something like “tech firestarter” or “elemental engineer” (Emery the Elemental Engineer what a tongue twister gg). She specializes purely in tech offense, all of which she’s either built from scratch herself (like her drone) or tweaked gear she’s been given to give it her own little dramatic ‘flare” (like the flame/cryo omni-tool). What she lacks in biotic and combat prowess she more than makes up for in strategy and cleverness and plain ol’ fightin dirty.

I can already tell tactical cloak is going to be a personal favorite of mine, as well as a goddamn FLAMETHROWER. Freezing solid with Cyro + smashing to bits with a Krogan Hammer also seems,,,,, very coool,,,,,,,

and a lil drone buddy :3 def gonna be Emery’s little robo pet that causes all sorts of mayhem around the Tempest omg

24 Days: Which squadmates do you think will best compliment Ryder’s combat style? Alternatively, who do you plan to take out most in the field?

mmmmm this one is really hard seeing as I have no personal experience with how the Tech build works offensively/defensively, and we have next to no info on what the Squad’s abilities are like yet. Not that,,,, I really pay attention to that ANYWAYS I just take the people I like the most HAHA

Vetra is a definite must (*cough* spacewife *COUGH*), esp with her heavy armor that seems like it’ll soak up a lot of damage compared to the glass canon that Emery will most likely turn out to be. Drack is another obvious choice, and those two will probably be the ones I drag around most bc hey, you can NEVER have too many tanks. plus those are the two squadmates who interest me personally the most so far so !!