#victory delvin

[shinycorvidae]

A post?! Yes! Sorry Ive been so gone but I got this as a CHRISTMAS PRESENT commission from my LOVELY GF (@therealnightcity) done by Floofyaf

AND SHES FUCKING GORGEOUS BEAUTIFUL SO CUTE 😭😭😭😭

I LOVE HER SO MUCH 🥰😭❤️

[smilepal]

☕🌼 for Hiro!

Character asks for @dreamsevergreen 🥰

☕: Give us one (or more if you feel like it) of your OCs deep dark secrets! Why do they keep it hidden? Spill the tea!

Hiro’s more sentimental than he lets on. He holds onto a lot of mementos from his past--an old pair of boxing gloves, tiny, antique glass bottles, an ornately carved silver ring, his old mask from the Claws, ect. There aren’t a lot of relationships he still has from that time, so physical objects are what he has to hold onto. He also is accustomed to not having a lot of physical possessions, so gifts from others are not only appreciated from an emotional standpoint, but unexpected as well. There’s also the aesthetic part of him that simply enjoys pretty things for the sake of them. He’s careful to not let his space get overly cluttered, and spends a great deal of time making it look nice, even if the only audiance is him and his cats. 

🌼: Write a short drabble from your OCs POV meeting their LI (or if they don’t have a love interest, their best friend. If you don’t want to do a drabble, describe their first meeting instead!)

I’ll describe the first meeting with Victory Delvin, @shinycorvidae’s V, and one of his LI’s, depending on the AU. They met because the latter needed a roommate after cutting ties with Militech, and was a close friend of Jackie’s. Hiro had been sleeping on Viktor’s couch after leaving the Claws and needed a space of his own so Jackie thought it would be perfect. It did not go exactly as he had planned. Hiro was understandably wary of the other, and didn’t necessarily want to cohabit with someone, especially a person who he barely knew, and Vic was thrilled to have someone to live with again (started out as a nomad, and missed having a big family, and clan around her). It began as a relationship of necessity, and gradually smoothed into something more amicable as Hiro eventually trusted V more, enough to see her as a work partner, and later as a friend. They only grew closer after Jackie’s death, and he fell for her somewhat accidentally. He didn’t know when it started to happen, only that there was a point when he couldn’t imagine living apart from her, a calming, kind presence, and a trusted ally to watch his back. 

[therealnightcity]

Nine Six Ship Songs

Tagged by @ghostoffuturespast-thank you so much! <3

Hiro:

Kintsugi (OT3): Hiro, Victory Delvin and Johnny Silverhand

Chasing Cars-Snow Patrol

If I lay here If I just lay here Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

Forget what we're told Before we get too old Show me a garden that's bursting into life

Lots of longing and feelings that nobody realizes are reciprocated, and personal growth and figuring out how to heal and moving forward together.

Trouble Comes in Threes (OT3): Hiro, Ivarr, and Dagger

Beautiful is Boring-Bones UK

Do we make you sick? Do our imperfections make your blue breath run thick? Give me scars and stripes It does not please me to be easy on any of your eyes Any of your eyes

Grimy, sexy and a little harsh, unconventional, just like them. They're not trying to make the others into something they're not--just accepting as they are.

Tiger Lilies: Hiro and Ivarr:

Under your Skin-Aesthetic Perfection

Without thinking Take What I want My claws creeping down Where it's warm If I'm dreaming Is this wrong? I just can't wait to get under your skin

Where you're just a little addicted to the other person, finding your hands mutually reaching to message them, even as you're trying not to think about the other, under your skin and not going anywhere

Just Chooms: Hiro and Kit Salcedo:

Cheap Thrills-Sia

'Til I hit the dance floor, hit the dance floor I got all I need No, I ain't got cash, I ain't got cash But I got you, baby

Honorable mentions are Bamo and Muévelo--easy to dance to, and a good beat, something they might have listened to in the Coyote together, friendship blooming into something more, until it feels as natural as breathing

Ares:

Clockwork Heart: Ares/Ofelia

Devil's Backbone-The Civil Wars

Don't care if he's guilty, don't care if he's not He's good and he's bad and he's all that I've got Oh Lord, Oh Lord, I'm begging you please Don't take that sinner from me Oh don't take that sinner from me

Those two have the sort of love, where they don't care if the other has done bad things, nothing matters as long as they can be together, and nothing will get in their way, loving in spite of flaws

Avi:

The Devil You Know: Avi/Mr. Blue Eyes

Main Theme--LA Noire Soundtrack

(No vocals this time)

There's a vibe that fits, looking over the city at night, the cherry of a cigarette glowing, whiskey on the table, and reaching over to brush a hand across their cheek--something private and intimate

Tagging: @shinycorvidae, @dreamskug, @wraithsoutlaws, @a-pirate, @chevvy-yates, @afterdark-vp, @dustymagpie, @wanderingaldecaldo, @gloryride, @breezypunk, @jaymber, @humberg, and anyone else who sees it and wants to do it ❤️❤️

Victory Delvin belongs to @shinycorvidae, Ivarr belongs to @dreamskug, Kit belongs to @a-pirate, and Dagger belongs to @wraithsoutlaws 🥰

[katarvitz]

The Maclnir Commonwealth - History

So, a few years ago I go back into Battletech, and was irked to find that ComStar had had the proverbial bridge dropped on them. Dead? Fine. Dead by very stupid and rushed means? Very irked. So, what was an effort to excuse them being in the ilClan era turned into a very long document. This is just the history, you can find part 2 right here.

Regional Information:

Period: 3087 - Present

Classification: Deep Periphery State

Systems Controlled: 4

National Motto: “Morte solum vincula fidelitatis solvuntur.” (Official)

“The warrior serves the worker.” (Unofficial)

Governmental Information:

Organisation Type: Crusader State

Head of State: Princeps

Commander-in-Chief: High Marshal

Executive Branch: Council Primaris

Legislative Branch: Council Secundus

Military Branch: The Commonwealth Guard

Secret Service: The Stormwatch Institute

Societal Information:

Capital: Telisgrad (city) Khigan (planet)

Official languages: German (dominant), Hungarian, French, English, Irish

Average Life Expectancy: 36.5

History:

Emigration:

The first whispers of what would become the Maclnir Commonwealth were born in the aftermath of Tukayyid. Between the failure of Operation SCORPION and the vast amounts of Clantech in the Inner Sphere, ComStar’s original ambitions lay in ruins. Many privately questioned if the battle had been worth it, and this would only steadily increase as one disaster after another dominated the following decades. 

The loss of Terra. The sundering of ComStar and the rise of the Blakists. The death of the Second Star League. The failure of Victor Steiner Davion’s leadership and Case White. The Jihad. The White-Out. Any loss would have been enough, reducing ComStar as a shadow of its former self. Together they all but broke the organisation. As what remained of the Com Guards fought on in their wars, whispers gradually became discussions. What would happen if they survived the Jihad?

In every plan, every possibility of victory, the answer was always the same: ComStar would be a remnant. Made subservient to another government if not outright disbanded, they would never again be allowed any true power of any form. In the worst of situations, they would be tarred with the same brush as the Word of Blake. Even in the most optimistic of outcomes, if a new Star League emerged triumphant, few held any hope for its long-term success. Too vast to be ruled through any merciful means, the Inner Sphere did not need a wise and fair king on its throne but a hanging sword of Damocles to keep the Successor States in line. Anything short of this would see history’s mistakes repeated. Questions and discussions became a conspiracy to escape the Inner Sphere entirely.

Individuals slowly slipped away, going missing in action or simply fading into obscurity. Some would regroup on the fringes of galactic civilisation, yet most would depart in a moment of sheer fortune. As Delvin Stone’s coalition fought its way to Terra, an ad-hoc remnant group of the Sixth, Seventh, and Twelfth Com Guards armies was tasked with scouting then securing a supposedly lightly defended world. As their DropShips departed from the main battlegroup to scout the planet, they met with a trio of JumpShips attempting to escape the system.

In a series of vicious boarding actions, the Com Guards engaged and then captured the ships before their crews could scuttle them. It was only in the aftermath that they realised the value of their new prize: Enough supplies and materiel to outfit a small army, clearly stripped from whatever base had once been on the planet below. Seeing this as an opportunity to disappear once and for all, the conspirators dominating the group made their move. The few not openly supporting them were silenced and, with two of the groups’ DropShips sacrificed to indicate a pitched battle. With their deaths faked, the group departed from the war.

Only fleeting sightings would follow, as on remote battlefields and backwater worlds, unmarked ships would briefly emerge to scavenge supplies before departing once more. For nearly two years, they would lurk about the fringes of known space, gathering other conspirators, information, and mechs, until eventually disappearing into the Deep Periphery.

Liberation:

After spending some weeks making erratic and random jumps to avoid possible pursuit, the ComStar flotilla focused on trying to find a world to claim. With enough former members of the Explorer Corps among their number, they benefited from a sizable map of the Deep Periphery. Nevertheless, a substantial amount of the information proved to be either out of date or inaccurate. Plans to refuel and potentially gain further support at Columbus were dashed when they found it in ruins, with Blakist fleets having levelled the entire facility. Remaining only for a few days to scavenge what little of worth was left, they soon departed rather than risk discovery. Other governments had been conquered in the Clan Invasion, leaving them with both the Word of Blake and Clan activities to avoid.

With no desire to spend the arduous decades of colonising a world from scratch, the ComStar flotilla’s thoughts instead turned to conquest. This action was spurred on by information gained about the Nilgaard Fiefdom, an insular bandit kingdom that had occupied an area of space rife with navigational hazards. Supposedly the remnants of a colony abandoned during the Star League era, their society had devolved into near barbarism. Mechwarriors and their engineers ruling the worlds as kings, while a vast slave caste lived in squalor to support their masters. Information about the world was limited, but what they gathered appeared ideal to their needs. The Fiefdom offered substantial industrial infrastructure capable of supporting naval assets and even several JumpShips.

The ComStar flotilla spent a full year gaining any information about the planet and seeding several worlds selected for slave tithes with their agents. Their orders were simple: Inspire rebellion and await the signal. Other investigations painted a bleak image of the neo-feudal government. Potentially rich in resources but hampered by a botched terraforming effort, their society had descended into an obscene emulation of ancient Sparta, with warriors granted the only true rights among their kind. Their society had become geared purely toward the support of mechwarriors in all things, relying upon fear, brainwashing, and mutilation to enforce their will. With each new revelation, the flotilla became increasingly disgusted until what was once an act of pragmatism became a genuine desire to liberate the world. 

The first strike finally came in early 3085, as ComStar JumpShips ambushed a Nilgaard vessel visiting a world for its slave tithe. Utilising Star League era codes to initiate a mass shutdown of its systems, they broke the ship before the crew realised they were under attack. The following boarding action succeeded with few casualties but only confirmed their views of the Fiefdom. Through a combination of interrogating captives and navigation log information, came to understand the Fiefdom’s scale. It wasn’t a single world but a network of six planets. This knowledge almost swayed the flotilla into abandoning its assault. Yet each soon realised there was no other choice left to them.

On the 16th of September 3085, ComStar ships emerged above the capital world of the Nilgaard Fiefdom: Khigan. Broadcasting the same shutdown codes as before, the flotilla disabled their navy in a single strike. As DropShips burned their way down through Khigan’s atmosphere, countless enslaved people took up arms in a vast act of rebellion. The flotilla’s agents had done their work to the letter. Months of sabotage came to fruition as mechanics were covertly assassinated, barriers limited the Fifedom’s response, and mechwarriors were murdered in their sleep. Steadily disabling the Fiefdom’s support network and bogging down their mechwarriors in pitch battles, the Com Guards systematically tore apart the planet’s rulers. The Fiefdom had thrived upon hunting easy prey. ComStar’s cold fury exposed them to a way of war they had never imagined possible. Within three hours of planetfall, the capital city of Telisgrad was liberated. Within sixteen hours, the planet was theirs.

The attack was repeated throughout the system with similar results. The Com Guards swiftly decapitated the ruling class without hesitation or mercy. A single message was broadcast to the remaining planets under the Fiefdom’s control, demanding their unconditional surrender. The Com Guards slaughtered all that opposed. Those who surrendered were publicly tried and executed on the worlds they ruled.

Fortification:

What the ComStar flotilla had accomplished had been a triumph by many standards. A relatively minor and unsupported force had claimed territory several times its size, with a navy and industry to support them. Yet this conquest brought with it only greater problems. ComStar lacked the sheer numbers needed to hold the territory, and much of each world’s industrial base was either crude or badly in need of maintenance. What’s more, the slave uprisings had succeeded with the promise of freedom and better standards of living. The Com Guards would have struggled to garrison a single world against the masses they had unchained. With the choice between playing the hero and attempting to find another world suitable to their needs, the flotilla’s leaders opted for the former.

ComStar introduced slow but gradual reforms, several settlements at a time. The barren state of wach planet made these efforts more tolerable, as most communities were gathered in a handful of large factory-metropolises. The nature of the surrounding space offered some security against intrusion. Nevertheless, such efforts were both extremely time consuming and costly. Many required mass urban restructuring, from installing sewer systems to power grids for those long denied basic amenities. The problem was only further exacerbated on worlds that had favoured subterranean settlements over the unforgiving surface. This was, however, helped by the willingness of former slaves to serve as a workforce in such ventures. Rights had been refused even the best treated of their kind. Those born into slavery had been denied even names. The genuine promise of an improved standard of living galvanised most into action, granting ComStar the labour it needed to fulfil its promises.

Small groups of Com Guards were garrisoned on each world as they sought to maintain order, and ComStar took control. Embracing the freed people’s view of the Guards as knightly protectors, more archaic terms supplanted existing ranks.  The choice was made to dub their authority as a “crusader state” rather than a military dictatorship, just as garrisons became Keeps. While intended to appease the populace and disguise their history, this would have a long-term impact upon successive rulers. Forced to recruit from within their new holdings, ComStar improved schooling and tutorship of the populace, making way for those who took the organisation’s guise at face value. Within two generations, what was intended as a mask was accepted as their true nature, even by those that came to command the region.

As the last of the Nilgaard Fiefdom burned away, and the Maclnir Commonwealth rose in its place, its rulers began to look outward. The sizable number of vessels in its navy gave it a natural advantage compared with other minor powers within the territory. These were employed as trading ships, and quickly brokered agreements with several resource-starved worlds. Along with kickstarting their economy, it granted new opportunities to plant spies among rival worlds, gathering intelligence upon their status and weaknesses. The Commonwealth levered this knowledge in their favour, using it to broker any deal from an advantageous position. Those in the nearest systems, primitive societies whose economies had been supported by slave tithes to the Fiefdom, found themselves facing new agreements. Most were made to accept these, while one requested outright annexation when faced with the alternatives.

Save for the occasional extended pirate war and raid against hostile groups, the Commonwealth emerged in an era of relative peace to rebuild and expand. Favouring trade and espionage over military might, its campaigns were rare and short-lived events for its Guards. Instead, combat experience was more commonly found among groups disguised as mercenary battalions or Knights Errant tasked with recovering lost SLDF assets. With these successes, the current administration has moved to loose some control over its assets, and begin the long transformation to a more democratic system of rule.

Yet all is far from well within the Commonwealth’s borders. Word has reached them of the HPG network’s destruction and a renewed series of wars across the Inner Sphere, with some believing that they should take advantage of the chaos. Conflicts between Clan Goliath Scorpion’s Seekers and Knights Errant have become worryingly frequent following the emergence of the Scorpion Empire. Combined with the steady expansion of Clan interests in the Deep Periphery, many strategists predict an eventual war with one group or another is inevitable. Those same voices claim that unless they vastly increase their power base, it is a war they will almost certainly lose.

[kc22invesmentsblog]

Embrace the Weekend with Positivity and Motivation!

Written by Delvin As the week draws to a close, it’s time to celebrate your resilience and perseverance. Whether this week was a rollercoaster of challenges or a smooth ride to success, remember that you made it to Friday! Each obstacle you faced was a chance to grow, a stepping stone towards your future victories. Take a moment to reflect on your accomplishments, no matter how big or small.…

[elohim61]

Delvin, the instruction to cling to and obey God comes with promises of victory and salvation (Deuteronomy 11:22-23).

 

More than clinging to God, we can become one with Him through Yeshua!

 

It is our desire that the Jewish People experience this oneness with God in a personal and intimate way through the Messiah that they long for.

[frontproofmedia]

Emmanuel "Salserito" Rodriguez Takes on Sharone Carter Jr. in Main Event This Saturday, February 11th at The Showboat Hotel in Atlantic City

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Published: February 07, 2023

Atlantic City, New Jersey (February 6, 2023)--Popular bantamweight Emmanuel "Salserito" Rodriguez will take on Sharone Carter Jr. in the eight-round main event that will headline a big night of boxing this Saturday, February 11th, at The Showboat Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

The card is promoted by R&B Promotions.

Rodriguez, 29 years old from Quebradillas, Puerto Rico, has a record of 12-0 with seven knockouts. Rodriguez is a six-year professional who has racked up quality wins over Bryan Alvarez (4-0-1), Delvin Gonzalez (4-1-1), and his thrilling first round stoppage over Frank Gonzalez (9-2-1) to capture the WBO Latino Bantamweight Title on August 20th. Rodriguez is coming off a no-contest with Manuel Manzo on November 12, 2022, at The Showboat Hotel.

Carter of Saint Louis, Missouri, is 13-5 with three knockouts. The 32-year-old Carter is a nine-year veteran who has standout wins over John Franklin (9-1-1), Ahmed Majed Mahmoud (7-0), and former world champion McJoe Arroyo (18-3). In his last bout, Carter won a unanimous decision over David Michael Paz on June 11, 2022, in Saint Louis.

A packed undercard is being assembled, but already scheduled to appear will be:

In an eight-round welterweight bout, undefeated Tahmir Smalls (9-0, 6 KOs) of Philadelphia takes on Paulo Galdino (12-6, 8 KOs) of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Smalls has stopped his last three opponents in the opening round, which includes his last outing when he took out Joel Guevara on August 28, 2022, in Camden, New Jersey.

Galdino has some solid victories on his resume as he has defeated Jose Maciel Rodrigues Costa (1-0), Enerson Braz (4-1-1), and Daniel Gonzalez (20-3-1).

In six round bouts:

John Leonardo (9-1-1, 4 KOs) of Englishtown, NJ, takes on an opponent to be named in a super bantamweight.

Feargal McCrory (12-0, 5 KOs) of Northern Ireland will take on an opponent to be named in a junior lightweight.

In Four-Round Bouts:

Cali Box of Brick, NJ will make his pro debut against Tyler Jacques (0-5-1) of Burlington, Vermont in a super middleweight fight.

Justin Figueroa (2-0, 2 KOs) of Atlantic City, NJ squares off with Rahiem Cooke (1-3) of Philadelphia in a junior middleweight tilt.

In a battle of pro debuting lightweights, Miguel Garcia of Atlantic City will take on Christian Castro of Red Bank, NJ

Francisco Rodriguez of Atlantic City takes on Kyle Massoth (0-3) of Irvington, NJ, in a junior lightweight contest.

John Vallejo (1-0, 1 KO) of Newark, NJ, takes on Angelo Thompson (0-5) of Irvington, NJ, in a welterweight fight.

Pro debuting Daniel Bean fights Terrick Maven (0-1) of Vineland, NJ, in a heavyweight battle.

Sir Robert Lee Ellenburg of Vacaville, California, makes his pro debut against John Birdsong (0-1) of Detroit in a lightweight bout.

(Featured Photo: Team Rodriguez)

[jrsechelon]

Half Way Through The Season Thoughts

Half Way Through The Season Thoughts

Golden State:

Rice-A-Roni is a complete team from top to bottom. Sitting at 4-1, they look like a Super Bowl contender but will have their toughest test to date this weekend against LilShupeScoresBIGPoints, the only remaining undefeated team. Rice-A-Roni looks poised to be a true contender as the season carries on. At the halfway point, they are one of the better teams in the league.

Black Mambas went from 0-2 to 3-2. Capturing a big win over Straight Edge Society last week in a tight contest helps position them in a fight for the Golden State division. Black Mambas have a big win over Rice-A-Roni already. At 3-2, Black Mambas look like they are finding their feet at the halfway mark.

Hyrule Empire has now fallen three-straight weeks. After starting 2-0, they look like the same old team every season. We have yet to see them defeat anybody to dominate at the halfway point. Week 1 doesn't count because everyone is 0-0. Three-straight blowout losses don't give your fanbase confidence as we advance.

Balls Deep has endured injury after injury. We thought they were finally on their way to their first win on the season in a 1-point victory over The Canadian Cripplers. Some say the refs looked to have dropped the ball on this one, where The Canadian Cripplers got a controversial victory. At the halfway mark of the season, Balls Deep seems to be on point, falling victim to injuries early and losing tight games in controversy. Being 0-5, Balls Deep has got to feel cheated after last week's loss. However, they cannot allow it to bury them. Usually, Balls Deep turns it around after the halfway mark, so now it is the time to turn the tide. Let's see what they got in store for us.

Cascadia-Sunbelt:

Black Hole Son fell victim to their first defeat of the season last week. Now at 4-1, they have a date against the defending Super Bowl Champions and division rival. Black Hole Son has looked promising, but last week's defeat was a punch to the gut. Black Hole Son has a 2-0 division record, so with a win this Sunday, they can almost secure a division title at the halfway point of the season, bearing a free fall.

Ultimate Savages held on for their second division win of the season last week as we reached the halfway mark. At 2-3, they should hold their head high on having an almost .500 record when they didn't draft until the 6th round. Ultimate Savages' big win of the season was trading for Delvin Cook, who has been a great weapon thus far and most certainly will be with them for the foreseeable future.

The Busy Killers have yet to be able to defeat the elite teams thus far this season, and now at the halfway mark, they lost to a team who they probably should have defeated last week. 2-3, The Busy Killers will look to continue to get Dak Prescott healthy in hopes for him to start sooner than later; in the meantime acquiring Geno Smith for Delvin Cook hasn't looked like too big of a mistake the way Tony Pollard has handled the rock. The Busy Killers will need Dak back to compete because their schedule remains one of the more difficult.

Rainelo Hawks got their first win this season in the Super Bowl rematch. They needed a big win, and they got it. At 1-4, they will now look to right the ship. The first half of the season was supposed to be easy, and the next two weeks should truly make or break this team. Rainelo Hawks has the capability to right the ship. Now that the first half of the season is over and they finally got their first win, they can focus on each week and not worry about repeating as champions or winning in general. One week at a time!

Northern-Midwest

LilShupeScoresBIGPoints is again the dominant team we have known them to be. The last remaining undefeated team, LilShupeScoresBIGPoints, has not trailed once this season. Through five games, they have scored first and never looked back. For LilShupeScoresBIGPoints, it is never about the regular season, but the postseason-the real test will be whether they can defeat their old quarterback, Josh Allen, in the Game of The Week.

Crocs used their draft capital to stockpile their roster to a position where they are now a true contender. Last season's woes have been forgotten and in a division that is being called the toughest division in the EFL, Crocs, the second-year team, is looking poised for at least a wildcard spot. Going forward, Crocs have the toughest remaining schedule, so the question is can this young franchise withstand the onslaught they are about to endure?

Straight Edge Society, halfway through, has defeated the teams they should have and lost to the teams realistically they should have. Now at 3-2, Straight Edge Society has one of the easiest remaining schedules. They will need to figure out a way to stretch the ball downfield to Chase if they want to find themselves in another top seed come the postseason.

VanillaGorillas drafted in the top five and have yet to be able to transition the talent from the draft board to the field. At 1-4, they look lowly and unlikely to compete for the postseason this year. They have found themselves in the most difficult division, so it may be tough sledding as the season progresses.

Atlantic-Southeast

Yuba City Sultans continues to pull away from the rest of the Atlantic-Southeast teams. 3-0 in the division, their 3 out of 4 wins are within the division, which gives them a big edge over the other teams. At the halfway mark, these Sultans look to be once again capable of another Super Bowl title. They have a true test this Thursday night when they face one of the tougher teams in a short week.

Evolution has fallen to 2-3 and has lost three straight. It has been a very long time since Evolution has been under .500. In The next two weeks, they have divisional games and will need to win those if they hope to continue to contend.

The Canadian Cripplers won a wild game against Balls Deep and pushed their record to 2-3. Many believed this team had one of the better rosters in the league. Now at 2-3 going into the second half of the season, The Canadian Cripplers have one of the easier schedules remaining. Still, they need help getting Justin Herbert to look like Justin Herbert. Is it the Canadien cold? What is it? The Cripplers have multiple players that can produce and get dubs, but if they are still looking for chemistry to happen through osmosis on the field, they will again be picking in the top five in 2023.

Hahn's Hitters falls again in a division battle. Now at 0-2 in the division, 1-4 overall. They are having a challenging time starting their Elite Fantasy League career. 5 of the last 8 games from now on are divisional games, so they still have a shot at winning the division. Still, it has to start with a turnaround non-division game this week. For Hahn's Hitters, it is growing pains so far through the first half of the season - can they find some silver lining? Well, usually, all franchises struggle in their first season unless they are fortunate.

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[missternarrator]

Entwined Paths

Fem!Reader!Dragonborn x Brynjolf (can be found on Wattpad “Entwined Paths” by my account Mrs. Narrator. LMK if you guys want to read more!)

My throat felt like sandpaper, as I broke through the barrier. I gasped for air and frantically clawed at the rock walls, "Gah!" I choked out some water, its almost as if my Armour was trying to drag me back down. "(Y/n)!" Karliah's voice bounced off the small entrances walls, she knelt down and reached for me. I pulled myself along the side and grabbed her hand, "By the eight- I didn't think I would make it." Water rose fast during our fight with Mercer Frey, hell our victory was short lived as the water began to rise above our knees. There was no way out down there and at that point we all had to escape through the roof entrance...

we...

"Brynjolf?!" I drug myself onto the mud, turning on my back and looking to the water filled hole. Water began to splash onto my boots as it continued to rise. Karliah's hand fell atop my shoulder, "We should go-" "-No," I took off my hood and mask, letting it hang lazily to the side of my face, "BRYNJOLF!" Almost in response to my calls, his face came up and we could hear him gasp for air, only choking as water filled his mask. I reached in and grabbed the shoulder of his Nightingale Armour,  pulling hard in order to bring him to shore. He was so heavy, I assumed it was from all the water. Karliah dropped down and tried taking off his mask but stopped, "Did you-?!"  That's when I looked to his side and noticed he was holding onto something, SOMEONE. I let go of him as he dug his hand into the soil, "Trying to kill yourself?!" Brynjolf threw Mercers lifeless corpse onto the ground next to me, pushing his mask out of the way, "I couldn't just..." he caught his breath, "just... leave him there..." My heart pounded as I got to my feet, taking another look at Mercer, his eyes laid peacefully closed and part of me forgot the evil that once stared at me.

"He deserved death but not a watery grave," he looked up at us, eyes squinting from the dim light, "Mercer was a brother once, and I'll be damned if I let a dwarven ruin hold him." My eyes softened as I looked to Brynjolf, he was right. While yes the man tried to kill me and the others, he wasn't always this way. Maybe this was his way of coping, Mercer was his best friend and guild master before all of this. I sighed and held out my hand, he took it and stood up, eyes not leaving mine, "Lass.. I am sorry if you don't understand but-"

"-I request we give him to Nocturnal."

Karliahs voice interrupted him and we both looked to her, she crossed her arms, "I hate you brought him back up, we should've left his soul to drown for eternity." He did kill Gallus, her lover, after all. I found myself feeling conflicted, there was nothing more in me that wanted to kick him back into the ruins he wished to leave us in, but he also had a point. Yet there is no use burring someone in the name of their former self, "May not be a watery grave but I feel Nocturnal would give enough punishment to his body as she already has on his soul." His hand dropped from mine as I continued, "It's the least we could do Brynjolf, seeing as how you already brought him up." His bright green eyes dropped to the corpse that laid between us, water now played with his hair, "Fine." "Well," I pursed my lips, "on a brighter note..." They watched with brows raised as I dug into the large pouch on my side, "At least we got something to bring back to the guild if not Mercer~" Two large opal-like jewels laid in my hand as I took them out, "You didn't," Karliah covered her mouth almost to hold back a laugh, "oh god-" I chuckled and held both of them out, "Don't be shy now, Gallus would've wanted us to at least gawk before handing them over to Delvin." Brynjolf smiled softly and took one of them in his hands, "Eye of the Falmer..." _________________________________ "It's quite an interesting tale... really," I folded my arms as a dark elf walked next to me, "but maybe not one for right now." He nodded, "I should've known this is where the Dragonborn was holed up." I looked away from the shelves behind my desk, "Hm?" "I mean-" Elwin nervously smiled, "-people have been asking. Riverwood Trader gained business because people heard you stopped by but suddenly you vanished."

Damn... it didn't feel like long but it's actually been months since Mercers death. All this time I have been stuck in the Cairn trying to handle guild business and cleaning up his mess. It's taken my time from adventuring and the sun.

Part of me felt like the sudden realization was his fault. I kind of regretted taking over Runes training but I wanted to be hands on with the Guild. The new recruits needed to see their Guildmaster at work and know that I was involved. Mercer was distant so not only was he stealing from the vault but any new recruit they brought in with him weren't too honest with their findings. Nothing was going to pass me. My stomach felt sick, it really has been months since I have been up top hasn't it?

"Rune- ah," I rubbed the back of my neck, "Show him to his bed and chest." The man nodded from his seat and ran over, long brown hair swaying over his shoulders, "Of course m'lady." "So formal," I pat his arm and smiled. Rune smiled, "I only learned from the best." I felt redness crawl over my face as he reminded me, back when I first joined I got so nervous speaking to Mercer I accidentally called him 'sir'. It wouldn't have been so embarrassing if it wasn't in front of the entire guild, and I audibly made a squeak. Yea... my early Dragonborn days weren't so intimidating. Am I intimidating? ____ I stepped into Whiteruns tavern, The Bannered Mare, and stepped up to the bar. "What have you got for sale?" "Food for the hungry," she looked up at me from the mug, "drink for the-" her eyes widened, "(L/n)..." I raised a brow but was suddenly deafened by silence, the bards music coming to a hault and the chatter dropping. Looking to my left, I noticed Lydia... my housecarl. "My lady," she looked over to the people and back to me, "everybody has been eager of your return from the Grey Beards." ____

I actually hoped that maybe people weren't so intimidated anymore. Then maybe my visits in town would be a bit quieter. I found nothing wrong with questions but causing a scene every time? Not a fan... One thing I did miss was the adventure. Maybe I could do a job... I should speak to Delvin. "Lass," my attention was brought up from my thoughts, "looks like you could use a drink." I smiled at the green eyes that peered at me, "Brynjolf~" Red peppered his cheeks, "you already look like you've indulged." He shook his head, "It feels like a celebration is in order. The Thieves Guild is thriving and we have Nocturnal at our sides." I sat down on one of the beds and he took a spot next to me, "Celebration... Yes but maybe not in the Ragged Flagon." "Where?" he rubbed his face, it looked as if he has been 'celebrating' since early noon. I crossed my arms, "You are in no shape to go. Not today. Lets set out tomorrow morning for some celebration." "Ah, women... can't be satisfied with a simple bit of mead~" I rolled my eyes knowing he was only joking, "Off to bed with you. Or I'll make sure to share that comment with Vex." Brynjolfs eyes slightly widened, "Ah.. yes we wouldn't want that." Vex has grown quite haughty towards Delvin so both of us knew she wouldn't hesitate to take Bryns joke seriously. The womans a little uptight but she is a great theif. I got up and began to step away, "Lass?" "Yes?" turning back I noticed he has begun to follow me, "You alright?" "Of course," I continued to pass our statue to Nocturnal and went to one of the free beds. A few of the members wished me goodnight as we all began to turn in. I guess at this point, me not seeing the daylight was my fault. Since I have became Guildmaster, Maven Black-Briar has given me ownership of Mercers home. I have yet to make it mine or even really take a good look at it since I broke in last time. Months stuck in constant work but it felt like some sort of stability, I loved it at first but now that I was taking a moment to really think about it...

Laying down, I looked and noticed that my dominant hands fingers were stained in ink, this was a new low for me.  It was something Niruin said to me a month ago, "Might as well attach a bucket to your desk." Since then I have found myself being self conscious on how long I stay behind and work on damaged business ledgers, instead I will go for a walk and help others in our training room. Last thing I wanted was for the guild to think of me as a desk warmer, I wanted to be involved. I'll have to start participating in actual jobs, show these new comers who is boss. Maybe stability was the opposite of what I wanted. Turning to my side, I could see others asleep... Brynjolf was a few beds away. Nothing was predictable with that man, last thing I thought he would do was bring up Mercers corpse with us. Something in me loved that about him. Loved? I chuckled to myself, yes loved. He was my best friend in this place and was the only one who REALLY took the time to know me. Especially when he hand picked me out of the many in town square. I only had a few friends in Skyrim, they seemed to be the only ones that didn't mention my Dragonborn status any given opportunity.

My heart raced just thinking about my loved ones, none biological but all family. How was I supposed to go to sleep thinking about them? I turned to my other side, Ralof, Lydia, Madesi, Arneir, even Paarthernax. God, the old dragon that was lonely and wouldn't want to do anything but talk all day. I wasn't complaining, before the Thieves Guild took up my time, I would take the 7,000+ steps to meditate on words with him. _______________ "Dovahkiin," his hot breath, smelt like old stockings might I add, fanned over my cold face as the wind whipped around us, "which word would you like to meditate on today?" I rolled my eyes and reached up, my hand stroking alongside of his large scales. Some were chipped and cracked, cold from the climate up here... I felt bad that he wasn't comfortable leaving the mountain. "No meditating today~" he puffed out as I continued to pet the side of his face, "Just wanted to visit." ________________

I would have loved to take Paarthurnax to the small mountains outside Solitude and Markarth... My eyes drifted shut at the thought of my old friend. Maybe that would be my "adventure" tomorrow... It would be a little hard of a trip on Brynjolf though. There were plenty of potion ingredients in the Cairn, maybe I could brew some stamina potions for him. With that, even my eternal voice died out as sleep overtook me.

[argisthebulwark]

Fuck man I just love a Brynjolf who's just head over heels for tld. Like, she returns from a mission and his entire face lights up. She'll call his name and he's instantly by her side. She laughs at something and there are hearts practically floating over his head. She hands him something and their fingers brush and he's smiling and giddy all day. No smut here, just pure fluff, I just love the idea of him just being so damn in love with his new guild master that it's embarrassing

just a man in love. u love to see it.

"Brynjolf?" "Yes, my beloved and beautiful Guild Master?" "You don't have to call me that every time, you know." "Oh, but I do."

"Can you sign this, please?" She asks, handing the paper to Brynjolf. His fingers brush hers and he's grinning, savoring her touch. It only lasts a moment but he can be seen all day with that smirk on his face, fingers flexing carefully at his side.

The Guild Master is having a few drinks with the rest of the Master Thieves in the Flagon. Brynjolf watches her from his seat near Delvin. Her cheeks are flushed and she's doubled over laughing at something Vex said that sent them both into a fit of giggles. It feels like his heart is going to burst out of his chest at the sight. Her eyes find his in the crowd and her smile feels more personal, like it's just for him. He wishes he could capture this moment forever.

Everyone else seems to know that Brynjolf is in love with her before she realizes it. He doesn't mind. She'll figure out that he's serious when she's ready. For now, he's content to make her laugh and bask in her smile, to buy her dinner just to hear her complain about her day, to walk her to her doorway purely for the chance of her fingers brushing against his while they walk. He won't push her.

"Get down!" The Guild Master instructs, her hands grabbing at Brynjolf's arm to drag him below the shrubbery. The lantern holder wanders closer before moving away again. Brynjolf grins when he feels her fingers tighten around his while she peeks through the bushes. She tugs on his hand, not letting go of him as they sneak through the shadows. He's fairly sure that his heart is going to get them caught.

"Thanks for keeping me company tonight." She stops before entering the mausoleum. "And all the time." "No need to thank me, it is my pleasure." Brynjolf feels her fingers to slide into his again. He doesn't question it, doesn't push her to talk about it. She'd been doing it ever since that night she dragged him into the shadows. Each time it makes his heart jump into his throat. "You're always there for me." She comments, swinging their hands a bit. "Thank you." "Whatever you need." He answers, watching her stare up at him. He feels like he's being studied. His face flushes bright red under her gaze. Before he knows how to respond she's up on her toes, pressing a quick kiss to his lips. There isn't enough time to process what happened before she's pulled away, grinning at him. The Guild Master kissed him.

"I think I'm in love." The new recruit is seated at the table next to Brynjolf, gazing dreamily at the Guild Master. She's practicing archery across the Cistern and not paying any attention to them. "Get in line, lad." Brynjolf answers, watching as her arrow goes wide. Her nose wrinkles and he feels his stomach doing backflips at the sight. "Being in love with the Guild Master is kind of my whole thing."

Brynjolf is staked outside of the manor, tucked into the shadow of a large tree. The candles had been burning for days but they hadn't seen any movement. She'd snuck in the back door, slipping through an open window after instructing him to watch for anyone coming up the driveway. He sees her outline as she pops into view, gifting him with a victorious smile and a thumbs up. She must've found the book the old man was paying to retrieve. She waves in the direction she knows he's hiding before disappearing again. Brynjolf can't help but smiling in return, hoping to burn the sight of her into his memory forever.

The Guild Master gets back from her own job. She's been on the road for a few weeks. It's the middle of the night and no one else seems to be awake. As soon as she drops down from the ladder, she's swept into a strong pair of arms. His lips are on her temple as he not so sneakily takes the bags from her shoulder. "I missed you," he murmurs, allowing her to curl into his touch. "I'm glad you're home."

[egyptroyal]

updated muse list

will be updated for future additions and/or regenerations. [if having this emoji 🔴 beside it, these are comic relief events and i count them as such]

Timeless Child 0 TBA Actress

Timeless Child 1 TBA Actress.

Timeless Child 2 TBA Actress

Timeless Child 3 Grace Nettle.

Timeless Child 4 Leo Tang.

Timeless Child 5 Jac Jones.

Timeless Child 6 TBA Actress.

Timeless Child 7 Jess Deyi.

Theta Sigma Michael Jones

Doctor Mobius 1 Christopher Barry

Doctor Mobius 2 Robert Banks Stewart

Doctor Mobius 3 Christopher Baker

Doctor Mobius 4 Philip Hinchcliffe

Doctor Mobius 5 Douglas Camfield

Doctor Mobius 6 Graeme Harper

Doctor Mobius 7 Robert Holmes

Doctor Mobius 8 George Gallacci

First Doctor William Hartnell

First Doctor Richard Hurndall

First Doctor Peter Cushing 

First Doctor David Bradley 

Second Doctor Patrick Troughton

Renegade Doctor Jo Martin

Third Doctor Jon Pertwee

Fourth Doctor Tom Baker

The Watcher Adrian Gibbs

Fifth Doctor Peter Davison

Sixth Doctor Colin Baker

Seventh Doctor Lenny Henry 🔴

Seventh Doctor Sylvester McCoy

Eighth Doctor Paul McGann

Eighth Doctor David Tennant 🔴

War Doctor John Hurt

Ninth Doctor Richard E. Grant

Ninth Doctor Christopher Eccleston

Tenth Doctor David Tennant

Tentoo David Tennant

DoctorDonna Catherine Tate

Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith

Mr. Clever Matt Smith

Twelfth Doctor Peter Capaldi

Thirteenth Doctor Jodie Whittaker 🛸

Master Doctor Sacha Dhawan

Fourteenth Doctor David Tennant

Fifteenth Doctor Ncuti Gatwa

The Valeyard Michael Jayson

The Curator Tom Baker

The Other Matt Smith

The Dream Lord Toby Jones

The Emperor Paul McGann

Ninth Doctor Rowan Atkinson 🔴

Tenth Doctor Richard E. Grant 🔴

Eleventh Doctor Jim Broadbent 🔴

Twelfth Doctor Hugh Grant 🔴

Thirteenth Doctor Joanna Lumley 🔴

Time Lord Victorious David Tennant

Tenth Doctor (RMT) David Tennant 

The Herald Jodie Whittaker 💾

The Moment Billie Piper (et. al.) 💣

Rose ‘RMT’ Tyler Nia Long 💐

Dr. Martha Jones Freema Agyeman ⚕️

Donna Noble Catherine Tate 🌋

Astrid Peth Kylie Minogue 🌠

Bill Potts Pearl Mackie 😢

Heather Stephanie Hyam 💧

Zezanne Dawkins Zazie Beetz 🧵

Time Jodie Whittaker & Sam Spruell

Oksana Astankova Jodie Comer 🗡

Velma Dinkley Linda Cardinelli 🔎

BAU Chief SSA Emily Prentiss Paget Brewster 💷

Patient 4479/Joker Scott McClure 🃏

Lena Luthor Katie McGrath 💵

Carrietta White Sissy Spacek 🧠

Mercy Louis Garrel 🐕‍🦺

The Government Macaulay Culkin/Thomas Doherty 🕴

Izzy Antonia Thomas 🦇

Lymph Tim Minchin 🎹

Aunt Mama Florence Welch (et. al)

Eve Daniella Alonso 🔥

Delvin Heath Ledger

Cecil Michael Jackson 📿

Merriben "Jane" Django Ricmod Tatiana Maslany 🗣

Wanda Django Maximoff Alina Serban 💃🏽

more to be added.

please specify whom

[shinycorvidae]

Horror Tag Game 💕

Got tagged by @therealnightcity 💖

Creator is here and here

A very rare image of V with her hair down 🥰. She was feeling very at ease until she had to break the knife out 🔪

The result very much fits Vic, who starts canon having lost everything and the sole survivor. She is very much willing to sacrifice everything she has for the people she loves, giving easy too much and yet seems to always outlive them in a cruel twist of fate.

And she's very willing to stab people if it means not being the last one standing this time 🔪🔪🔪🩸💀

Tagging whoever wants to play 💕

[smilepal]

Wanted to share this absolutely amazing piece by @shinycorvidae

H: "It's a nice night, I guess even with the tapeworm. In spite of him?"

V: "Hiro."

H: Fine, yeah guess he's good company too--even if he's a pain in the ass. Our pain in the ass now though."

[eeveevie]

ambush

Our favorite thieving pair are attacked on their way to Rorickstead by vampires. While they are lucky to get away with their lives, Brynjolf is gravely injured. Fiona faces overwhelming guilt, and other emotions of the heart, while tending to him.

*So nobody prompted me for this, but @glaiveulric kind of asked for treating injuries SO I’m going with that. Otherwise this is just me being self-indulgent as always. Nothing to see here except the usual pre-relationship/ ambiguous relationship flirtatious fun that Bryn and Fiona get up to before the events of “Betrayal and Forgiveness” (where things get more serious). 

Other tags: Mild violence, blood, vampires? 

Brynjolf x F!Dragonborn (Fiona)

4133 words (under a cut) | Ao3

The grassy plains of Whiterun were idyllic—open fields of tundra cotton, wildflowers and lavender for as long as the eye could see. While pretty, it wasn’t the most ideal location for two thieves to be traveling across. No shadows or dark corners to hide along or caves to quickly seek shelter within. With the moonlight shining bright in the evening sky, it didn’t matter how dark Fiona and Brynjolf’s armor and cloaks were—they stuck out like two black dots on a map, just waiting to be preyed upon.

It wasn’t that Fiona was scared or insecure of her abilities in case they were attacked, it was more about the anxiety she felt about what could find them out here in the open. Specifically, what could swoop down from the skies and immediately sense that she was Dovahkiin. Certainly, she would be able to defeat a dragon with her Dovahzul, but she would have a lot of explaining to do to her witness, especially after she absorbed its soul.

She had been living a lie for months now, holding back her true nature from the Guild. It was only growing more difficult to hide the longer she stayed with them in Riften. Yes, she would occasionally slip away to attend to “personal business”, but even she knew the paths she walked were bound to intersect eventually—she couldn’t hide and lie forever. Still, she would fight divulging that part of her until it was absolutely necessary. She hadn’t even fully come to terms with what being Dragonborn meant, or what was being asked of her from the Greybeards—how was she supposed to admit that to the people she had come to care about? The family who had, for the first time in what felt like a lifetime, made her feel like she belonged?

There was something especially painful about hiding it all from Brynjolf, her constant companion as she travelled from city to city completing jobs for Vex, Delvin and Mercer. Their friendship was something she cherished. Sure, it was an unconventional friendship that included far more flirting with the occasional kiss—something she didn’t share with anyone else she knew. What would he think of her powers? That she was to be the one to defeat Alduin and bring peace to Skyrim? What would Brynjolf think about being lied to after all this time?

Fiona pushed away the ache radiating through her chest as best as she could and concentrated instead on the path they walked. It wasn’t the main road, obviously, the two rounding the large mountain along a southern route on their way towards Rorickstead to pick up a shipment for their Guildmaster. It would put them close to the river, closer to safer camping sites. As they continued to crunch through the dried grasslands and heavy thickets of flowers, she heard Brynjolf grumble from behind her.

“When we return to Riften, I am giving Mercer a piece of my—” Brynjolf was interrupted by his own sneeze and sniffle. Fiona glanced over her shoulder to look at him wiping at his already irritated nose with the handkerchief she had lent him, not that she really wanted it back now. “I am suffering.”  

While she felt guilty about it all the same, his miserable expression slightly amused her, lifting her from her previous mood. She smiled, shaking her head as he made a disgusted noise in the general direction of the offending purple flowers. “Remind me to brew you something for your allergies.”

“Aye,” he agreed, nodding. “You just want an excuse to take care of me,” he teased with a wink. Fiona had long grown used to these lines of his, had even taken the time to flirt back and indulge in this game of theirs but in that moment she felt different—the slightest warmth prickled at her ears and she bit her tongue when no words formed. “Awe, have I made you—”

They both turned towards a sudden rustling noise in alarm. Before Brynjolf could finish his sentence he had shoved the two of them aside, Fiona startled by the sudden feeling of his hands on her body until she realized just why he had done so. As quickly as he rolled them to the ground he had sprung up again, withdrawing his daggers from his belt and crouching into a fighting stance as their enemies made themselves known.

The red glow on their hands had Fiona instantly on the defensive—vampires—five of them, quickly surrounding the two thieves. She pushed herself from the ground before the one closest to her could ensnare her with the magic of his vampiric drain, swiftly arming her bow with a quiver that she shot just as she rolled up from the bed of flowers. While her arrow found her target, Fiona cursed as it did little to slow the enemy down. The vampire scurried away, rushing back up the small hill they had come from as it clutched its injured arm. As she notched another arrow she searched for Brynjolf on the field, finding him engaged with two fledglings that were wildly flailing at him. She meant to shoot to kill, but at the last moment her aim was disrupted, the sharp sting of a blade slicing across the back of her right shoulder. A larger vampire had attacked her from behind, the shimmer of his stealth disappearing as his blade made contact with her armor and leathers.

Even so, her ebony arrow sliced through one of Brynjolf’s attackers allowing him the opportunity to shove his blades deep within the gut of the other fledgling. It was easy to kill off the one she had injured after that. He turned his attention towards her—only then did she realize she had foolishly cried out when attacked. Frustrated, she dropped her bow and pulled her daggers from their hilts, gripping them tightly as she whipped around to slice at the vampire’s neck. Her blade made contact with his arm instead, the vampire gripping her wrist tightly and wrenching her sideways, painfully twisting her arm until she could feel her bones spraining under the pressure. As the pain radiated up her arm she twisted the other blade in her free hand, finding enough purchase between them to plunge the dagger into her captor’s side. She held it there—gripping the handle so tightly her hand was shaking—until she felt the body beside her go limp.

Fiona pushed the vampire away and quickly turned to find Brynjolf already finishing off another enemy, looking up at her with a satisfied, winded grin. She paused to catch her breath, blinking a few times before counting—one, two, three, four— Brynjolf’s eyes widened just as five entered her mind, and just as before, his hands reached out for her, except this time he was pushing her aside without him. The vampire she had injured before was clearly more resilient than the others, focusing all his rage on Brynjolf. He slashed a long glass dagger at his thigh and torso, moving in ways that didn’t give the thief much time to think, let along dodge.

From the ground, Fiona struggled to find her footing, realizing her own injuries were fast catching up to her. She couldn’t shoot an arrow from her bow, and her right hand couldn’t exactly wield a dagger effectively in that moment. Still, she wasn’t about to let Brynjolf be overpowered. Her adrenaline kicked into overdrive when she heard the sound of his agonizing groan, the vampire laughing as he stabbed at Brynjolf’s side. It felt like the world slowed at that moment, Fiona inhaling deeply and ignoring all the pain that radiated within her body as she stood up. The vampire shoved Brynjolf away as he noticed her approaching, but any plan to harm her that he might have been formulating didn’t matter as Fiona charged in a blind fury, tackling the enemy to the ground as she sunk one blade through his chest, the other in his eye.

She stayed straddled across the dead vampire’s body for a long moment, struggling to regain her composure. It wasn’t until she heard the straggled breathing nearby that she was reminded this was far from over, and hardly a victory. In an instant she was at Brynjolf’s side, eyes darting across his body as she tried to assess the damage—a split lip, a bloody nose, a large gash across his thigh, and perhaps the worst injury and the reason for the amount of blood coating his armor—the stab wound to torso. Fiona was thankful to every Divine she could think of that he was alive. Now it was up to her to keep him that way and she needed to act fast.

For starters, they needed to get the hell out of the open field, and away from anymore potential threats. Fiona reluctantly left his side, whispering to him to hold on before she quickly gathered their scattered belongings, wrenching their weapons from various dead vampires but deciding to leave her bow when she discovered it had been snapped in two in the scuffle. She pulled a strip of clean cloth from her pack, wrapping it tightly around his leg to stem off the bleeding. It would have to do for now. Without getting a closer look she couldn’t be sure, but it didn’t seem to be too harsh, and nowhere near an artery.

“Come on,” Fiona encouraged, gripping both of Brynjolf’s hands as she helped him to sit up, using all of her strength despite the fact her shoulder was screaming at her. He was far worse off—she could wait. “We need to move somewhere safer.”

He regarded her with a pained but knowing expression and nodded. “Aye, you’ll have to help me.”

She stood up first, carefully hiding her discomfort as she pulled him up from the ground. He nearly fell, threatening to topple them over as he struggled to find his balance, unable to put much weight on his left leg. Fiona could tell he was frustrated as he leaned against her, adjusting his arm across her shoulder as she carefully began to move them away from the bloody scene. She led them further south along the river, knowing they’d need fresh water immediately. What she also remembered was an abandoned fishery hut, just a few clicks southwest—if they could make it.

When the cabin was in sight, Brynjolf had almost completely slumped in her arms. By then, Fiona’s earlier thoughts had also caught up to her—why hadn’t she just shouted at the vampire threat and been done with it? What if either of them had been injured far worse? Or died? Dread bubbled in her gut—they weren’t out of the woods yet. She would never be able to forgive herself if Brynjolf didn’t recover, especially if it could’ve all been prevented.

Inside the fishery hut, Fiona could tell it had remained untouched since the last time she discovered it a few months prior. There was a small bed in the corner, a kitchen and not much else except fishing equipment. Brynjolf roused as she steadied their bodies against the closed door, pausing if only to catch her breathing after the long walk. She moved them again, this time towards the bed where she hoped to get a better inventory of his injuries and take the time to properly dress them.

Brynjolf hummed as she placed him on the edge. “Oh look, there’s only one bed.”

In her cumulated frustration of everything that had happened and her current emotions, she huffed at him. “Oh, for once just shut up with the jokes!”

A pang of guilt flashed through her when he widened his eyes, clearly not expecting her to react in such a way. He fell silent, resolving to watch her every movement as she eased him further up the bed, propping him against the headboard and the few pillows for comfort. She could tell his eyes stayed on her as she moved away again, disappearing outside for a moment with two buckets to fetch some fresh water before reappearing to study the room. Fiona wedged a spare chair beneath the door’s handle for added security and shuttered the windows in case there was a storm. She whispered a silent prayer to whatever Gods were listening that they wouldn’t be disturbed.

Finally, she returned to the bedside with the water buckets and her pack, practically dumping the contents across the nightstand. The first thing she grabbed was a small glass bottle, uncorking it and pushing it into Brynjolf’s hands. He drank it without question, obviously trusting her alchemist’s skill but sputtered the moment the liquid touched his lips.

“What in—” he grimaced when she silently encouraged him to continue drinking the contents as she found another one for herself. “Argh, this tastes foul.”

Fiona bit back the harsh taste as she swallowed down the thick syrup. “It’s a mixture of charred skeever hide and mudcrab chitin,” she explained. “Should counter any effects those vampires may have tried to spread to us.”

“Of course,” Brynjolf groaned, leaning his head back against the headboard, closing his eyes. “The last thing I need is to become a bloodthirsty vampire.” One of his eyes peeked open to watch as she carefully laid out what first-aid supplies they hand—strips of linen, bandages and wraps, some salves and a few more potions—she would need to make them last.

“Vex and Tonilia read these filthy boudoir novels where vampires are charming sparkling heroes who bed woman after woman,” he explained with a hazy smile, it increasing when Fiona’s hands went to undo the buckles of his armor to remove his coat, if only to get a better look at his injuries. “Perhaps it would benefit me.”

Fiona stopped, exhaling in a disgruntled way as she looked at him flatly. He sighed. “Right, no jokes.”

A somewhat awkward silence fell over them as she helped him remove his armored coat and then his blood-soaked undershirt. Only then did she realize that the wound was far worse than she initially observed in the field. The vampire had stabbed him low between the ribs on his right side, and his labored breathing was enough to know that his lung had been impacted. Of course, Brynjolf had been deflecting as he always did with humor, downplaying the seriousness of the situation.

She gave him another bottle, this time he did not overreact as he drank it—she made sure healing potions didn’t taste as bitter—and ignored the way she could feel her cheeks burning as she worked to remove his pants, whispering more prayers to more Gods that he had the decency to wear underwear (yes, thank Mara). She wasn’t a prude, but this was neither the time or place for her to confront the unresolved feelings that were suddenly brewing and spiraling in her mind and heart. She flicked her eyes up, expecting to find a smirk on his lips but for once found him simply studying her every move as she discarded his soiled clothing to the floor.

She worked quickly and effectively, dipping the sheets of linen into the water to clean at the wounds before focusing on dressing the gash at his thigh, correct in her earlier assumption that it wasn’t as serious—it would heal within weeks, and if he saw a actual healer, there wouldn’t be much scaring. The wound to his chest, however, was a different story. Fiona tried desperately to hide her emotions but found herself raked with guilt and frustration. He had pushed her out of harm’s way like she was incapable of defending herself in a fight, if only to take the brunt of the damage and for what? A hole in the chest?

“You stupid, foolish man,” she whispered, not realizing she had said it until he softly laughed.

“You can stop scolding me, Fiona,” Brynjolf said, grunting as her fingers made contact with the wound to continue wiping the caked blood away.

She frowned, knowing he was right. She was tense and it wasn’t making the situation any better. She focused, trying not to look at the other slivers of scars that littered his torso and shoulders amongst the darkened amber chest hair. An irrational thought that perhaps she should run her fingers through it had her closing her eyes tightly, only snapping them open when Brynjolf made a small sound of discomfort. Focus, she reminded herself. The majority of the bleeding had stopped, but without it closed, it risked infection. She needed to change tactics.

If there was one thing Fiona was great at, it was thievery. Alchemy was a close second. She was handy with a bow and could sneak up on a man to cut their purse without them ever knowing. What she wasn’t good at in the slightest was any form of magic. While she had attempted to study the spell-books gifted to her by the various Skyrim citizens she had performed favors for, it had been of little use. Even Farengar had struggled to teach her one simple restoration spell so she wouldn’t kill herself trying to save Whiterun from that first dragon attack.

Still, it was somewhat of a last resort now, the two of them sitting in that fishery hut in the middle of nowhere with limited supplies. It was the hardest thing trying to recall the warmth to her hands in that moment so she could try to better heal Brynjolf. Finally, the smallest glow of yellow came to her palm and she sighed, pressing her hand to the wound as she coaxed enough healing magic necessary to knit the flesh back together.

Brynjolf relaxed against her touch, looking up at her in bewilderment. “You can use magic, lass?”

“I can’t,” Fiona said, her brows furrowed in concentration. “That’s all you’ll get from me,” she explained in a huff, the expenditure of mana exhausting her more than she expected. Even with the magic, she needed to dress the wound to ensure it wasn’t exposed to the elements and practically used almost all they had wrapping bandages around his torso. “There’s a Stormcloak camp nearby, I believe, if I check my maps. We’ll go there in the morning for proper healing, after you’ve rested.” They were bound to have actual healers, Nords who were better suited to magic than her. Brynjolf nodded and before soon, his eyes began to droop as exhaustion caught up with him.

Fiona adjusted him against the pillows, tucking his cloak across his body to keep him warm before she turned away from him to sit on the edge of the bed. For what felt like the first time that evening she exhaled, her lips shaking as she let the reality of what occurred crash down upon her. Simultaneously, the harsh reminder that she too had been injured radiated from the tips of her right fingers straight up to the middle of her back. Tears prickled the corners of her eyes, threatening to spill but she kept them at bay. She clenched her teeth as she carefully peeled her coat from her body, discarding it to the floor with the rest of their bloodied garments. She dipped her hands into the second clean bucket of water, grumbling under her breath at how she couldn’t wait until she was in a place where she could take a proper bath and clean herself of all the dirt, grime and blood. She wrenched the lose water from one of the remaining cloth strips, preparing to shrug her undershirt lose when she felt the bed shift.

“You aren’t about to do that yourself, now are you lass?” Brynjolf’s breathless question had her glancing over her shoulder to see him peering at her though half-lidded eyes, lips skewed up in a lazy attempt at one of his signature smirks.

Fiona reached out to stop Brynjolf as he tried to lift himself from the headboard closer to where she sat, resolving to scoot closer to him instead. She sighed at him, offering a sympathetic smile. “And you would help me in your state?”

“At least let me try.”

She realized she wasn’t going to get far with protesting and reluctantly handed over the washcloth before turning away from him again, this time shrugging her undershirt off her shoulders just enough so he could attend to the wound on her back. Fiona closed her eyes as his fingers swept over the gash, pleasantly surprised by his gentle touch as he cleaned the injury. He dressed the wound slowly, wrapping it around her shoulder and arm until it was secure. His hand lingered along her back, but his touch wasn’t inappropriate, it was comforting, fingers rubbing small circles along her spine before finally pulling away. Fiona almost asked him to continue before remembering herself and where they were.

She slowly shifted, turning to face him once again as she handed off the last of the bandages, this time motioning towards her right wrist. “One of them dislocated it,” she explained in a soft voice.

Brynjolf nodded, coaxing her to scoot closer towards him before he pushed up the sleeve of her shirt and just as carefully as before he began wrapping her wrist.

“Tighter, or it won’t set—”

“Fiona,” he softly chuckled, interrupting her. She flicked her gaze up to find his eyes already locked on her face. “I know what I’m doing, lass. Now let me take care of you.”

She went quiet, a strange kind of warmth spreading across her body, no doubt a flush was appearing across her cheeks. Fiona focused on his face, on his deep green eyes—what a shame that he would have to sport a black eye for some time—he was staring at her with some sort of dreamy focused expression that was so different than any look he had ever flashed her way that it had her heart skipping a beat. Within seconds, some sense of rationality came back to her and she decided that Brynjolf had to be suffering from some kind of blood-loss, his actions likely the cause of a delusionary nursemaid situation—he’d be back to his usual lecherous self in no time. Her mind wavered…is that what she truly wanted?  

When he was finished bandaging her wrist she flexed her fingers, testing his work. Brynjolf wasn’t done touching her, however, and reached out to tuck the lose strands of her hair back into place behind her ears. His fingers lingered along her cheek and neck, flashing that sly smile of his, but it was different with the way his eyes shined.

Fiona found herself lost in the quiet serenity of the moment and she reached up with her bandaged hand to cup his face, brushing a thumb over his bruised, split lip. “I hope this doesn’t scar.”

“Oh?”

“It’s your most valuable asset,” she whispered with a cheeky smile. He grinned at her words, twisting his chin ever-so-slightly to press a soft kiss to the inside of her wrist. “It would be a shame.”

This was certainly far softer, closer than any of their previous flirtations—it felt almost real.

Brynjolf hummed against her hand, eyes glimmering with the faintest traces of deviousness that she treasured. “Tell me, don’t they say that kissing an injury makes it better?”

“That’s an old wives’ tale, I’m afraid,” Fiona snickered, amusement increasing as he flashed an overly dramatic pout. “But I’ll kiss you anyways if it will make you feel better.”

Brynjolf’s eyebrows perked up. “Oh, it will make me feel—”

She rolled her eyes, leaning in to cut him off before he could say something foolish to ruin the mood or joke. She kissed him softly, mindful of his injuries but also for the sake of not wanting to get swept into anything serious. Not that her mind was already abuzz with dangerous emotions that she would have to deal with sooner or later. Brynjolf didn’t make any moves to deepen the kiss—for once—his fingers twitched along her neck and he sighed when she reluctantly pulled away. He was quick to tuck her into a lose hug, careful of both their injuries as he adjusted her close to his chest as he leaned further against the headboard.

In the far distance, she heard a dragon’s roar, but Brynjolf didn’t react, seemingly only focused on their holding her in an embrace. For a split moment she thought about telling him about her true identity, but pushed the thought away, not wanting to ruin the moment of comfort with him. Damn her if it made her selfish. Telling the truth could wait, for now. 

[christoplack]

NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool II Thoughts:

NXT UK is arguably the most underappreciated promotion within the professional wrestling landscape as their shows and events always deliver. NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool II presented great potential with a stellar card and I’m happy to confirm it lived up to expectations.

- The Undisputed Era's appearance to attack Imperium at the conclusion of the event was incredibly excited and unexpected. This was an excellent way to promote their match at WWE Worlds Collide.

- I'm always anxious to witness a straight forward brawl with high stakes and Walter vs Joe Coffey delivered in a big way. The nearfalls were unbelievable.

- I've never seen a Walter match that wasn't enjoyable. He's such a joy to witness compete.

- Every time Walter chops an opponent, I grab my own chest in pain. God, they are thunderous.

- The conclusion of the tag-team match saw me legitimately jumping out of my seat. As advertised, it was chaotic and unforgiving as Gallus retain their NXT UK Tag Team titles.

- Gibson protecting Drake while he ascends to the top of the ladder is the psychology I can get behind.

- NXT UK's tag-team division is arguably the most underappreciated in the world. I've been stating this for 6 months and the division is only growing stronger.

- Tom Phillips and Nigel McGuinness remain my favourite commentary duo in all of professional wrestling. Why do Tom Phillips and Nigel McGunniness work so well together?

Nigel questioned why Andrews would dive off the ladder while Tom rationalized the decision. In the end, Nigel acknowledged his point.

This felt incredibly natural and highlighted their chemistry.

- Tyler Bate vs Jordan Devlin was easily Match of the Night. Delvin kicking out of the Tyler Driver 97, Bate IMMEDIATELY leaped to the top rope and landed the Twisting Corkscrew Splash. I loved this sense of urgency.

- Goosebump moment of the evening: Triple H, William Regal and Johnny Saint giving Tyler Bate a standing ovation as a sign of respect.

- Ever since his Match of the Year caliber battle against Walter, Tyler Bate has proven to be one of the best professional wrestlers on the planet.

- Shawn Michaels once proclaimed that Jordan Devlin is "the one to watch" from the NXT UK promotion.

An incredible endorsement for an individual who still hasn't reached his full potential. Scary.

- The opportunistic Kay Lee Ray superkicks Toni Storm following the frog splash and pins Piper to retain her NXT UK Women's Championship. A perfect finish.

A solid triple threat match that leaves me wondering if we will see Toni featured more prominently on NXT on USA.

- Out of desperation, Toni Storm displayed some heel tendencies throughout this match and is now visibility frustrated.

- Eddie Dennis defeated Trent Seven following a Razor's Edge to the outside of the ring on a crew member then brought Trent back in and dropped him on his neck for the pinfall victory.

Not to be overly critical, but it was an underwhelming start to a great event. Dennis is still such an unproven commodity and while pairing him with Trent was certainly a wise move for the rub, it felt more like a match that belonged on their weekly television program.

- It never ceases to amaze me that the majestic and historic Empress Ballroom opened in 1896.

I'm sure it would be an absolute honour to compete there.

Overall Grade: A

[kc22invesmentsblog]

Embrace the Power of Fridays: Your Gateway to a Victorious Weekend

Written by Delvin Ah, Friday, the sweet symphony that resonates with joy and anticipation. It marks the end of the workweek and heralds the arrival of the glorious weekend. As we bid farewell to deadlines and meetings, let us seize this moment to revitalize our spirits, fuel our motivation, and set the tone for an exceptional weekend ahead. In this blog post, we will explore the art of making…