#wooo another one

[kays-artstuff]

The stages of grief.

[neon-virus]

Festivities pt 4 END

Even if they fight, lamb can never stay mad long.

First/Prev

[demi-pixellated]

Veil Jumper Bellara

[meamiiikiii]

wanted to do a proper lineup of everyone with the shades i usually use :]

and also partially so i can also just grab the img from here in a pinch as a ref instead of looking for the file LMAO

regular bw and some extra tests under the cut! (expect below to be sporadically edited if i test more palettes out LOL)

^ literally just a test to lean more grey lol.

[segatoys]

home running

[generalsdiary]

the amethyst siren

Dr. Ratio x Aventurine

warnings: mention of blood, one (1) curse word

word count: 3.3k

a/n: the making of this series was, truly, inspired by my wonderful mutual @kimeoshi and their amazing artwork of siren ratio here

description: siren!ratio x human!aventurine strangers/enemies to lovers, a ship crash forces them to work together for the best outcome for both sides (in this chpt)

Chapter 1: The Crash

Despite the current events the man blessed with luck still had hope, he’d somehow swim up and reach the surface, have his lungs fill with oxygen. Hope is a fragile flower, an anemone, the petals which bruise and break at the lightest touch. and the hope began wilting as Aventurine felt fear. Goosebumps rose on his skin, and if he wasn’t wet already, he’d be covered in a cold sweat. His eyes widened, trying to take in more information upon the sight opposing him. a merman…? a beautiful merman had his gaze set on Aventurine. with a long thick violet tail, his arms and lower torso trailed with small purple scales, and long dark nails, his hair was wet hence too dark to distinguish the color. the merman was a majestic, otherworldly view. The end of his tail was a royal ocean blue and he had many accessories decorating his appearance… along with a piercing glare. Except, Aventurine had human eyes and his vision underwater could only allow him to recognize the tail. Not human. Not a human, nope. The gun left his hand, floating beside him before it started slowly sinking. trembling upon the sight, an unnatural amount of fear kept him frozen and terrified. No escape, no running, no exit. this creature stared down at him and Aventurine’s vision grew dark… finally feeling the sensations in his body again only to sense the burn of his lungs and weakly attempt to swim up before it all went dark.

Dark clouds in the distance covered the horizon, forewarning rain, and the flashes of white, an oncoming storm. Aventurine stepped out on the deck to confirm this information the captain of the cruise told him, he didn’t want the rain. it hadn’t come when he needed it, when his people needed it. the betrayal sits deeply in his bones. the easy line that falls off his tongue “I don’t like getting my clothes wet, they’re too expensive” a superstitious lie that also makes him look shallow which works in his favor. Better than people asking why he dislikes the rain.

thinking about it now, he regrets going onto the deck. The waves were looming high, sending a warning. The ship nearby that had the intention to raid them ended up crashing into them and Aventurine took out his gun in an attempt to defend himself. the water made the floor slick and the ship he was on slowly tilted… crashing, sinking. The pirates weren’t without damage, but Aventurine fell off board. With a scream that died in his throat and a gun that was now useless, he sank under the waves.

the sea was calm below the waves… quiet, not pushing, rushing. Yet the serene peace did not reach Aventurine, the slow burn of his lungs like timber slowly getting stronger and the helplessness isn’t allowing him to appreciate it. although he’d never appreciate it, the ocean is still a form of water. Betrayal runs deep.

Veritas could hear everything. The rumble of the clouds in the distance, the wail of the waves getting stronger, the man on the front deck mumbling and lighting a cigar, the captain laughing, clinking his cup, loading his gun. The sea glided across the sides of the ship, the distant people casually chatting on the ship while the men here were about to raid it. Soft mumbling of a man hoping it won’t rain. with all the noise so diluted in the sea, his hearing outside of it was turned up a whole notch, overwhelmingly so. Veritas tried to meditate, something to not think of the dirty algae-covered glass box he was in, the ropes around his body, the future that was stolen from him and where he may be taken- simply worse than death. So, when the sea whispered to him of the ships crashing, he fought tooth and nail to get out. the sharp sting in his side from the shards of glass, the burn of the ropes on his arms, splinters of the dirty wooden floor, and cuts and bruises as he fell back into the sea- none of it mattered, as long as he got free again. The sea welcomed him in its cold embrace, like a protective parent, pushing him deeper and deeper making sure he was out of anyone’s grasp. Salt on his lips and oxygen in his gills, safe, quiet. If only he didn’t give his voice away. Veritas could’ve sung his way out of this. he didn’t expect to regret his lack of singing ability to bite him back that hard. Back then, what he got in exchange for his song was worth much more. His hazy thoughts were interrupted when he saw glowing blue and pink eyes staring at him. extraordinary… they are shining… Veritas swam closer, this human- how is he human? Is it not another of his species? those eyes are not ones of a human. Impossible. Another train of thought stopped when the human’s eyes closed and Veritas saw the slow rise of his chest, his hand immediately pressed against the human’s mouth and pinched his nose. A line of rose prickly curses fell from his lips as he swam to the surface. Damn you, Veritas. Always helping. Always saving. From his knowledge of humans, inhaling water will kill them, and choking will make them lose consciousness for a few minutes but will keep them alive. Finally reaching the surface, a shiver runs down his spine, he could be captured again. Maybe he could throw this human onto a ship? Yet his captor’s ship ran away and the other one was slowly sinking. Veritas kept the human’s head out of the water and kept himself hidden underneath the small body. watching the ribcage. Come on… contract, expand, come on. you can breathe. I was fast, I was fast enough. Veritas finds the lack of patience getting to him and he lists the information he knows in his mind. Humans cannot stand the pressure of the water and it may also push on their ribs… could that be… with his other hand, he pushes the human’s chest above the surface. Breathe. It is oxygen, you should be able to inhale- and he feels the contraction of the muscles. A sigh of relief.

After a few minutes of swimming, he fails to find a surface to leave the human upon. Turning it into his problem, or a death on his hands. He is a healer among other things, he will not have more blood on them. Veritas spends the next hour or so learning the pattern of the blond’s breathing, also noting the fact the human is still out cold. After the learned pattern he waits for the next inhale and- dives under. His hand covers the mouth and pinches the nose once more, he refuses to jump out like a dolphin- someone could see. but for each duration of a breath, he’d dive under and swim at a great speed in the direction he hoped the waves sounded right. A cave. The way they swished and kissed the walls, it had to be a cave.

Aventurine awoke to a dark area, the sun barely rising to light it up, covered in greenery and small waves splashing his clothes. He sat up, a strange tug around his fingers. a thin green weed. He quickly shook it off and tried to make sense of his surroundings, with a coughing fit scrubbing at his lungs. And a pair of eyes. They weren’t there a moment ago. There it was again. The fear. His breathing sped up, one of the hunted prey and he quickly met the wall behind him with his back, cornered and lost. No pretty words could salvage this, is this a person? Can he communicate? His luck has to be good for something- how did he get here, is it-

“you have awoken.” Frozen. Aventurine couldn’t move, his limbs stilled, and muscles stiffened. Where is his façade? why can’t he…

“I have tied a piece of grass to your finger and connected it to a shell, were you to tug it you would have opened the shell and it would’ve screamed. Which you did and then it, also did. How is your comprehension? I lack in experience of treating humans post accidents. I’m not particularly familiar with… ones that look like you. legs and… lungs only. I, uh. I brought food, it is beside you.” Veritas pointed to a couple of figs. Aventurine had so many questions, and he wanted to take control of the situation yet his mind remained empty with all but paralyzing fear and he takes a bite out of the fig, and only then does the fear loosen its grip on him.

“hello, friend~” he flashes his usual smile, a hand coming to rest behind his back, “I am Aventurine”

“that is a lie. I know of human names, and that isn’t a common one.” Veritas narrows his eyes. Aventurine in hopes of not angering the creature quickly corrects himself, “Kakavasha. I am Kakavasha. Aventurine is my title. Sort of. Anyways, and you, my dear merman are…?”

Veritas glared. A quirk of his eyebrow revealed he was insulted. “I am not a merman. Veritas.”

Aventurine ate more of the fruit. Not a merman… a mermaid? Perhaps he was wrong? It seemed impolite to intrude- but he had to play the cards he was given. “in that case, what is a beautiful creature such as you, my friend?”

An unamused expression Veritas usually had around the little ones came to shine upon the human. “a siren.” Aventurine quickly hid his reaction of shock. He nods as he processes this information- it makes sense. The fear. He is lucky this siren didn’t sing to him. drown him. kill him. jump him off the top deck and drag him under with a sweet, lovely lullaby.

“this was the… closest land I could bring you to. I assume you’re familiar with these waters?” Veritas quickly got to the point, he didn’t want to spend a moment longer in the presence of a human. In the presence of the kind that kidnapped him.

Aventurine slowly snaps out of his thoughts, his eyes meeting the siren’s. “I am not. I… I was here on a business trip, I can’t say that I know the surroundings. Thank you for… saving me.” He came upon the conclusion, it must have been the siren, who else would have it been? The ship surely crashed and sank. And since the siren has an uncanny glare, making Aventurine feel uneasy with shivers down his spine, he decided not to lie.

“I do not need your gratitude, I am a healer after all, and all lives matter.” Veritas says the ever-practiced line, spoken often, falling easily off his tongue. But the underlying edge to it doesn’t escape Aventurine’s ears. The blond tries to switch the power dynamic and make the air light with a flashy smile, “ah, so you’re a doctor~ how lucky for me”

“so, you don’t live here? Like… you can’t just swim back home- I mean dive?” Aventurine inquires.

Veritas shakes his head slightly, a hand reaching out of the water to facepalm. The sharp long nails, a dark purple shade which lightens and turns to scales the higher it goes up to his biceps. Veritas uses the motion to also scrunch his face into the palm, to ease his breath and not wince from the constant pain burning in the various cuts over his body. the cost of his escape was not high, and if he were at his home, or at least in the area he was familiar with he could have… gathered the necessary medicinal plants to treat them. the water around him slowly turned darker while one of his injuries, still filled with glass shards, slowly bled into the sea. In and out. breathe. breathe. The end of his tail, a brilliant blue shade, flicked, Veritas thanked the sea for hiding it- he was in pain, a lot of pain sending white flashes behind his closed eyes. And the density of the oxygen out of the water was much lower, upon the fact he usually uses his gills and not his lungs, adding to the lightheadedness he was feeling. Or is the blood loss? Or mayhaps the fact he struggled to eat anything? Paler in face by the moment.

Veritas removes the hand, a neutral expression again, everything hidden, like a perfect clay mask, one of the sculptures that he swims by in the depths. “a doctor? I- actually, it doesn’t matter, you have no information to give me, yet I cannot leave you here, for you would die. And the nearest land to here is something you wouldn’t be able to swim to.” The dawn eyes meet the watercolor ones.

“do you know every corner of the land, Kakavasha?” Veritas smoothly countered back. and Aventurine hangs his head a bit with a nod, understanding why the siren is still sticking around, and his eyes notice the shade of the water changing, the bruises on the siren’s body; different shades of purple than the ones of his scales and tail, various of red blotches and cuts. “what happened to you? how did you get here?”

“why does it matter to you?” Veritas cautioned.

“well, doc~” another one of those brilliant smiles, “it seems you need to find out where you are and I need help getting to the shore, perhaps we can make a truce? Work together?”

“I don’t trust you” the siren voiced firmly, and sighed. Veritas had no other options. He needed more healing factors, he needed to get home and away from the ship. The pirates. The humans. “I will check if there is any nearby.” And he dived off. Veritas couldn’t speak a word longer, wailing in pain as soon as the water covered his head, desperately he sought for any weeds that had the capacity of healing- anything, I will take anything. Mumbled words, exhausted body, barely holding himself above the sand, searching for a trace of hope.

Now alone again the smile fell off. Aventurine was stuck with the stoic siren, far away, if he wanted him dead that would’ve happened already. All the facts proved to work in his favor, as they always do. Such is his luck. The fresh fruit tasted sweet on his tongue and satiated his thirst. Would the siren value gold? He could give his jewelry in turn for guaranteed protection. The day turned to night, the cave turning dark. It was a chunk of covered rock, with not much room to walk around, Aventurine laid down to sleep, hoping Veritas would show up in the morning.

His pale lips trembled, a metallic taste rested on his tongue, pushing himself closer to a possible shore. Long mossy vines, which were wrapped around his body, swished as he swam. A weak attempt at helping himself. bright lights, noise, little boats, lighthouse. There is a shore. Quite far away. It will have to do. Veritas swam back swiftly to get away from the population and once far enough he slowed down, painfully dragging himself back to the cave. The sting of the incorrectly treated wounds made themselves excruciatingly present in his body.

At dawn, he observed the sleeping human. Seemingly harmless. But his kind did enough harm to him already. “Kakavasha.” The blond stirred, rubbing his eyes, acting relaxed and failing in Veritas’ trained eyes, the flex of the muscles showing obvious tension. The same one the little ones have when he tests their knowledge. “there is a fishing village nearby. It is far away for you, I can take you there the same way I got you here. Might be easier now that you’re awake and conscious.”

“good morning to you too, doc~ no figs today? Awh, how am I supposed to go into the sea on an empty stomach?” Aventurine chirped a melodic tone, wishing he didn’t have to be inside the water. Rain echoing its patterns on his skin. He didn’t want this.

“You can eat amongst your own kind, we shall go. in turn, the truce you mentioned, you can provide me the location of where we are. save your strength I will not go near the shallow water, you will have to swim alone at the part. Now I hope you are ready, we will go now, the small boats always leave early in the day and we should have a clear way to where I can drop you off.” A silence envelops the cave. Thick with tension, the one between predator and prey, yet they were both scared like prey. What will the other do? Who will harm the other one first?

“what happened to you?” Aventurine can’t stop himself from asking, damn his luck, this siren isn’t here because of his luck and to act as his savior, something fucking happened. a simmer of oncoming anger bubbling inside him.

“must you keep pushing that?” Veritas shook his head, the blue gills moving with his indigo hair. “I..” he swallowed hard, will he tell him? should he tell him? Kakavasha could easily do the same thing, take him away, hurt him, treat him like an object to be looked at. “Your kind took me, kept me chained, tied, in a small glass box with dirty water.” Veritas says coldly, an ice knife cutting the tension. “I am not interested in seeing any more ships or people for that matter. I want to do my part here and be on my way. Are you capable of respecting the truce, or do you plan on lying to me again, Aventurine?” Veritas glared, using the man’s title on purpose. if he still had his voice… the things he could do. He would never have to worry about having to trust a frail being which could easily end his life as he knows it. a being capable of crushing the fragile petals of his future days and nights. immortality is a curse if he is taken, experimented on. trust is an expensive thing.

“hold onto me, eyes closed, and breathe only above the surface.”

Aventurine swallowed, he hated it, the simmering anger rising, bubbles popping up on the surface, “I am sorry that that happened to you. humans...” he spat his words, “humans can be disgusting creatures.” Aventurine’s gaze was distant. Veritas quickly caught on, eyes linger on the strange mark on the human’s neck. Ink. Dark, liquid substance. Humans make permanent markings with it. Veritas decided not to push for information, a rare occasion on his side. He recognized that Kakavasha was speaking from a place of pain, darkness and honesty. Trust is becoming less of an expensive thing. “shall we get going?” Veritas softly asked, offering his hand to him.

with a shaky breath, half of his mask off- both of them with half of their masks off, such are the circumstances to establish a crumble of trust, he takes the hand and jumps into the deep water, eyes closed shut at the feeling he despised.

Aventurine nodded, embracing the muscular body of the siren, strangely not cool to the touch as he expected. A gentle warmth, a mixture of smooth skin, silky scales, and a heart beating… he could hear it as he leaned onto him. “I can’t hold my breath for long-“ “I know. I brought you here, remember? I know your breathing pattern.” Veritas adds softly and with a firm grip around the human they dive under.

Sirens, or mermaids for that matter, have the capability of super swimming at great speeds. With a keen hearing and carefully paying attention to the rise and fall of the smaller man’s ribcage, Veritas swam below and above the water level. The small village slowly appeared in his line of sight.

a/n: took a bit longer to write than I planned to, I was busy working on my bacc., chpt 2 should be posted rly soon- within a few days I think. lmk know what you think! and any predictions for the next chapter maybe? <2

[chaorappa]

I'VE BEEN ON A ROOL WITH ART, SO HERE'S YA GIRL CHERRYBOMB!!! BETTER QUALITY ON THE SILLY BIRD APP: https://x.com/ChaoRappa/status/1796621064275210333

[lunabug2004]

I watched Only Friends... and It Was Definitely An Experience! **SPOILERS**

I knew going into it that SandRay was the most popular Only Friends couple, at least that's what it seems like based on how many posts/edits there are about them over all of the internet, but it's so rightfully deserved!!!

I couldn't care less about TopMew, they were just pretty boring to me and I did not like Top at all. Mew was alright, though I will say I loved his petty revenge arc. BostonNick I thought was doomed from the start so I kinda made myself not get too into them? Nick is a sweetheart while also being a conniving little spy so I thought he was pretty fun and liked him a lot but, like Top, I hated Boston (basic of me, I know). But SandRay??? Loved every second! I think Ray is such an interesting character with so many layers and it's so fun to explore his life, and I absolutely fell in love with Sand. I love everything about him and he deserves nothing but to be able to attend all the music festivals in the world. Also quick shout out to Sand & Nick's friendship, it's so refreshing in this messy tree of relationships lol.

It's crazy to me that some people didn't enjoy SandRay as much, but some complaints I've seen are pretty valid tbh. I've seen people complain that the only reason people loved them so much more than the other couples is because they had the most screentime, and that's fair, but they also had the most to cover with their stories: both individually and together. I know this is fully on the writers, I've also seen people complain about SandRay being way more developed than the other characters. These complaints are extremely valid I feel, and I honestly believe they would've been better off doing either a show made up of three short series focusing on one pairing at a time or a show focusing on SandRay as the main couple (they have enough to their stories/story that alone it could take up a whole 12 episodes easily) with BostonNick and TopMew as sides with the possibility of getting their own series after (kinda like UWMA with BU even tho I know it's a different company). Either way, we got what we got with SandRay, and I, for one, enjoyed it thoroughly! I personally don't really understand what's not to like about their relationship, I thought it was at least mostly realistic and they suit each other so well it's insane.

Back to my complaints, I really hated the pool scene with Sand, Ray, and Boeing. Like, really hated it. Also the fact that Ray tried to say Sand was still in love with Boeing after the huge difference b/t the two kisses... was insane. I also disliked the scene with Ray and the therapist because no matter how sweet and also heartbreaking it is the second-hand embarrassment is the actual worst.

Now onto what I enjoyed: obv SandRay and Sand & Nick's friendship since I already mentioned those. I also enjoyed the way all the characters were connected in different ways, it was so much fun to untangle all the relationships! I like the way the show tackled alcoholism and made it realistic, as well as the way it tackled betrayal within the friend group (looking at you, 'Ton) in a realistic way.

Now, I have to mention the acting and chemistry between the couples. ForceBook was meh to me. This is the first thing I've seen them in it and they didn't really blow me away with their chemistry but I did enjoy their acting! I do think this is because I didn't really like the couple, so I'm not really holding it against them and I do plan to watch A Boss and A Babe at some point. NeoMark was very good! Both the chemistry and the acting. Neo has never been my favorite actor, (sorry if this is controversial) I like him fine but he never really blew me out of the water, he's just always done good, but this series he was insane! He played Boston so well he made most people hate him and that's always impressive when it's done by such a well-liked actor. I knew Mark was gonna kill it and he did. I love Mark. The chemistry b/t these two was surprising but enjoyable (speaking purely on what I saw as someone who skips through most saucy scenes). Now... FirstKhao. I expected everything from them and I got everything. I 1000% know that they are joining OffGun and GemFourth as one of my favorite pairings ever (who am I kidding they did that after I watched The Eclipse). Just the pure talent these two have is unreal and the chemistry is off the charts. The fight scenes broke me and the bonding scenes made me feel butterflies, just everything about them is perfection. Also wanna make a special comment on First b/c he has climbed my ranks as one of my favorite actors ever extremely quickly but I mostly see people talk about Khao, (which is so valid; man is insane as well, I just prefer First for whatever reason), but the way First plays all of his characters is so hypnotizing to me. Like the emotions he portrays and the way he completely transforms into his characters with his body language just impresses me so much. I'm def rambling now so it's time to wrap this up!

Anyways, putting aside others' complaints over the best couple SandRay, as well as my own complaints and compliments, I think overall it's a really good show and the drama is fun! So so messy but since it's all fiction it's fun to get sucked into! I'd tell anyone to give it a try at least!

Also wanna end this by saying if you disagree with me on any of this that's totally okay! All opinions are valid! Plus, I went into this with extreme actor bias towards FirstKhao (esp First), so that definitely tied towards my instant love for SandRay.

[thatgirlwithasquid]

billy and chrissy are out having fun <3

[izuizzy]

I’m cooking (writing another au fic lol)

[cosmos-fudge]

I'm eepy

[lunathrix]

has doctor ghost reached a diagnosis for the smol radiance?

That's actually going to be the topic of the next 2 dr ghost episodes but that might still be a while so have this in the meantime!

[vampvannie]

sneak peek 01/05

[seahdalune]

dawg get off the grass you’re going to get ticks

[martyrbat]

detective comics #370

(ID in alt!)

[mercymaker]

pairing: astarion x tav rating: nsfw-ish notes: non-native speaker behind the wheel; a study on the main character, intimacy, and their relation to power. summary: when you try to manipulate a vampire spawn into believing he can easily manipulate you, but you forget to assess how it all might backfire.

She tensed against him, nails instinctively digging into his shoulder where her hand had caressed his skin before. He knows. Fuck, he knows. As calm and relaxed as Maleane tried to play it, her body betrayed every plan she'd set up for the night. Use it. Be the damsel, the morsel, the fly trapped in his web. Make him think you're innocent, weak, pathetic. Frantic thoughts darted through her mind like crossbow bolts, one faster than the other, panic almost dulling the ache that every move sent through her body. Mal opened her eyes to peer at his, assessing the situation, trying to look past that perfectly polished facade. A glimmer of something she could not recognize danced across his blood-red irises and it made her heart race faster. No, too pathetic. He would never believe it. He would never trust it. He could never use it. As the pieces on the board started falling into place, Astarion opened his mouth. To mock her? To tease her? To bite?

"Harder." A rushed whisper escaped through her lips as she pulled him in, hand grasping the back of his neck, pushing those sharp teeth towards her delicate throat.

One desperation for another. A leverage. A distraction. Yes, that will distract him. The rapid volley of her thoughts came crashing in waves, trying to squeeze in between every sensation that was consuming her body. The dry sticks digging into her back, the suffocating feeling of being pinned down, his lips at her neck, the discomfort of it all. How did she end up like this?

Before being infected, Maleane rarely thought of this moment, preferring to take advantage of whatever opportunity would eventually come her way. She was well aware of how this world worked, however, witnessed plenty to grasp the essence of what urges most living, breathing creatures possessed. But all of them seemed so distant, in her periphery at best, for Mal had different things to worry about, survival being at the forefront of her mind. Yet, even those who think themselves high above such mortal indulgences can’t lie for too long.

The first time it became apparent was at a tavern. From time to time, Maleane would wander into one village or another, bringing game or furs to trade. It wasn’t the easiest interacting with people, as most feared drow like the devils from hells, a sentiment she could, unfortunately, relate to. But goods were goods and coin was coin, so once the sense of threat had subsided, many were at least accepting of her being around. Some went as far as growing to like her, for Mal was good at molding herself to whatever person she needed to be for the occasion.

She sat at the corner of the room, sipping on the mead that the dwarf lady who owned the place had offered, her pale lilac eyes scanning the evening crowd. Travelers resting after a long journey, a bard belting a song about doomed lovers, four ladies dressed in revealing outfits leaning over the tables, sweet-talking their way into the men’s purses, and some urchins scurrying around between the tables. Maleane found herself gazing at one of the wenches, her ample bosom almost spilling out of the top of the laced dress. The woman’s skin glistened in the hazy lantern light, tiny droplets of sweat strewn across her chest like a dozen tiny gems. Something stirred in Mal’s core, as if a hand was slithering inside her, reaching down and down to where her thighs met. She wanted the woman to be at her table instead, leaning close, whispering what she could only assume were profanities into her ear. The whore would only want me for my coin. Maleane’s gaze returned back to the half-empty mug nestled between her hands, the soft tingling in her belly dissipating as quickly as it first emerged. She didn’t want to buy something she could take, that was beneath her.

One day she decided that she would do it. Instead of passively waiting for the opportunity to run into her, Mal would take the matters into her own hands and be done with it. For as much as she tried to deny it, the wench haunted her sleepless nights, pulling up memories that the drow had never paid much attention to before. A peek between the boards of a shed, where a maid was wedged between two men, all three engaging in carnal pleasures. A conversation she overheard between an innkeeper and a miller over how the former had found a patron bound and gagged in a room after a particularly rowdy night. A shepherd she had once observed burying his head down the pants of another boy in a field not far from her camp.

It wasn’t long before Maleane was in the village again, looking to replace the tools that had worn off from years of use. While waiting for the blacksmith to return from the market, the elf found herself wandering between the haystacks, away from the busy street and into the backyard. There, an orange tabby rolled in the dirt, soaking up the sun with its big cream belly. As Mal watched the animal play, she noticed that there was another spectator. Unlike Maleane, he wasn’t interested in the playful feline, his eyes were fixed on her.

Pretty, for a human. The youth froze in his tracks the moment the drow moved towards him, eyes widening in surprise. He tried to step back and retreat, however, it was too late and soon he found himself trapped between the elf and the wall.

Maleane examined him from head to toe, lingering on the lean yet muscled arms, the hints of hair peeking at the neckline of his shirt, the faintest outline of the curve beneath the linen pants. He wants me. Like those wenches at the inn. Like the maids bathing in the pool. And yet, his eyes are streaked with fear. She shoved the boy against the wall and pressed her lips against his, hand sliding up his chest to grip his shoulder, while the other slithered to undo the laces of his breeches. The human didn’t protest, surrendering to her advances, yet he didn’t respond in turn. Nothing. It was exactly what was happening, what she was feeling. Nothing stirred, nothing awakened, nothing ignited. She left the backyard, the man still frozen, his pants awkwardly sliding down to his ankles.

It was all before the tadpole, before the nautiloid, before running into the pale elf. With the notion of impending doom breathing down her neck, Maleane was thrown into a swirling pit of chaos. It was a time to take advantage of every favorable circumstance, to risk everything, at every turn, she’d realized. And he was one hell of a risk. The flirt, with words so honeyed it betrayed him. Mal knew better than to trust him, but she also recognized the importance of keeping him in the fold, for a ticking time bomb waiting to stab them in the back was the last thing the group needed. So, she went along with his flirtations, the overt courting, the flattery. All in hopes to keep him on her side.

Astarion wanted her blood, her body, the vulnerability that he’d been prying out of her with every sweet word. Leverage. How transactional. And yet, despite that knowledge, it wasn’t nothing. He made her feel something, a part that she’d hushed, pushed down, locked behind a gilded door in her mind. Mal wanted him, in some strange way she didn’t recognize. In a way that she could never have. She knew better than that.