#but there was some like... fire emblem something or other last night i think i saw? | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

kraviolis · 6 months

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someone liked one of my TOH headcanon posts from earlier this year and it reminded me about the specific headcanons i have for exactly what types of games the hexsquad plays and how they play them.

luz is obv an RPG fantasy fan. anything with a juicy story and a character creator and complex lore she’ll love. she definitely plays series like elder scrolls and baldur’s gate and final fantasy. she also plays final fantasy 14 and has her character as the good witch luzura and she isnt good at playing it like an mmo is supposed to be played but she loves the story. when endwalker came out luz couldnt stop sobbing to the point that camila was actually worried about her. also enjoys roguelikes such as hades or binding of isaac even if she can only play for so long before getting too frustrated. she also 100% plays genshin impact and gets into arguments online with other genshin fans.

amity is a fighting game girl. she is highly competitive and practices combos with her eyes shut. she prefers the tekken series but when luz wants to play with her they play guilty gear bcus luz likes it’s art style the most. she also likes fantasy RPGs but is way more picky about which ones she plays. she likes fire emblem. she also plays ff14 with luz and is actually good at the game (she carries luz sometimes) but isnt a huge fan of MMOs. she also is the one in the friend group with the NASA ass PC rig with a custom case and the most organized wiring you’ve ever seen with the lcd screen on the liquid cooled cpu and the azura figurine inside the case. she also does custom wraps for all her consoles.

hunter likes games that are very much like, micromanagement sims. like civ5 or cities skylines or factorio (i dont know anything about it but ive been assured by my sister that hunter plays modded factorio) but he’s also a fan of like, old school FPS games like doom and half life. i can see him doing speedruns of those games. (also he 100% once got addicted to some game like fuckin. galactic pinball or something to the point where he was staying up all night and not sleeping so he could play more pinball. in order to get him to stop playing so much and actually get some sleep, gus used illusions to make hunter think he was hallucinating about pinball and scared him into not looking at a single screen or monitor for like three weeks.)

gus is a very chill gamer but he likes games that he can sink hours and hours into. instead of playing a wide variety of games he has a select few that he dedicates his time into learning every last mechanic, but there’s also some games he just plays casually. like with pokemon games he’ll put hundreds of hours into them and carefully curate his team and does like nuzlocke runs but when he plays on his and willow’s shared-custody new horizons island he’ll just walk around and catch bugs and shit and not really worry about upgrading his house and make matching fits with his favorite villager.

willow prefers cozy games, like slime rancher or stardew valley or the aforementioned shared new horizons island, but she’s also a fucking menace about them. like she goes HARD on the min-maxing and automation and shit. while gus is wandering around their island catching fish, willow’s busy rearranging her fully upgraded mansion up in the hills and harassing any villagers she doesnt like with nets and deciding what hybrids to plant in front of her bell trees (she only has bell trees for the aesthetic. gus isnt allowed to harvest them) she would also be running the most high profit slime ranch ever but the way she treats her slimes makes hunter upset whenever he sees her just fuckin throwing them off a cliff the second they arent useful to her anymore. (meanwhile hunter names each one of his slimes and always feeds them their favorite foods and cried over casey & beatrix)

vee enjoys survival/strategic horror games, like DBD, resident evil, deadspace, or even FNAF. she’s the type of person to see the goriest most violent death in a video game ever and just go “ew yucky” then carry on. masha and her are often playing DBD together while in a call and are the most annoying pair of suvivors ever. she also likes games such as original katamari and pikmin 1 and chulip. she's also the undefeated DDR champion of the friend group.

and of COURSE they all play video games together. they all have a terraria world they play on together where they all are focused on their own little projects while still working together and are slowly building up their own village/mansion/castle/fort but luz keeps rushing ahead of everyone just bcus she's so excited and she definitely somehow ends up summoning the wall of flesh accidentally

they DID have a modded minecraft world for a few months with both tech mods and magic mods but while hunter, amity, and vee all focused on their factories and computers and technology, gus, willow, and luz fucked around with all the crazy magic and accidentally found out by blowing up a factory. this is where heightened tension between the the warlocks & the scientists began. this spark eventually turned into a full fledged war that lasted two months before it ended in mutually assured destruction to the point where no one could actually load into the server without their game crashing.

bonus: camila isnt much of a gamer with one exception-- when she was in college manny introduced her to WoW and got her hooked. it was Their Game that they played together all the time. they made cosplays of their characters together. they had several dates in game. they optimized their characters to perfect compliment one another when they ran dungeons with their guild. even since manny passed camila still plays every so often and keeps in touch with their guild members. for the longest time luz has 0 idea that camila plays WoW at all and only finds out after the whole secret nerd confession.

#krav talks #the owl house #toh #luz noceda #amity blight #hunter noceda #willow park #gus porter #camila noceda #vee noceda #lumity #toh headcanons #headcanons #eda plays candy crush. also she and lilith have a 1800 day words with friends streak going

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athousandbyeol · 10 months

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discussion #6 (only friends): boyfriend, bed friend and friend with benefit— are these colours a possible 'spoiler' to their ending?

three couple posters were released, and i'm thrilled to see three primary colours representing each pair. after sanray's green bed friend and topmew's red boyfriend were shared, i speculated bostonnick's to be yellow. one of the reasons this prediction arise is because of the nature of their relationship/personality and also my personal opinion on these pairs' possible ending.

however, i saw this tweet last night and i thought it was very insightful. thanks to op for sharing their input. it's interesting to observe these colours associated with each pair from the viewpoint of the traffic light. :)

thus, in this post, i wish to highlight some core points and assumptions about the dynamic/nature of each pair that corresponds with their designated colours; red, green and yellow.

as always, this (and any) of my discussion post is a space to welcome a disparity of thoughts from everyone who watches this drama. please take it with a grain of salt. :)

[warning: a very long post ahead].

let's begin.

topmew | boyfriend [jealousy and manipulation]

first and foremost, when this poster dropped, i was surprised. i didn't expect topmew to get this colour. i was expecting red to represent sanray because of their passion and overall fieriness. even in the trailer, we can see how tense those two are, like fire on fire, one inciting the flame and the other just making it worse.

however, after watching the trailer again, i understand the purpose of red as topmew's colour.

before we jump into the assumption, let's dive into the meaning behind the colour.

red: an emblem of true love and revenge

red often symbolises strength, passion, action and energy. the simplest example i can use in this context is the red rose. usually, a red rose is given to glorify the profound love a person has for someone. it's ironic considering red is also the colour of blood— and blood is somewhat a sacred and eerily beautiful symbol of infatuation in many love, tragic, horror and sad stories.

despite its positive connotations, red also means danger, anger, revenge and aggression. as i've mentioned, red is another classic symbol/motif/metaphor of anger used in many stories or movies— the best example is also blood.

why red is topmew's colour?

jealousy

interestingly, aside from the poster, there's something else in the tweet that needs attention.

เราเล็งใครไว้ ไม่เคยพลาดนะ translates to whoever we aim for, we never miss. this is the line top says to mew when they are playing laser tag (which looks so fun).

i find it fascinating when top says this because it happens after top catches mew hugging ray;

why does this matter? well, i believe this is the start of top's jealousy.

the clenched jaw, his body tensing, and a tiny bit of sadness in those eyes— i have to say, this is one of the points that can potentially be top's moment of epiphany. this (or the kiss in the shower) might be when top realises he likes mew.

additionally, it's very ironic that topmew are playing laser tag; a game that focuses on strategising and 'killing' your opponent. this somehow makes me view topmew's relationship as a hunter hunting its prey. however, in their case, top believes he's the hunter (as explained in top's introduction post, top is the top of everything). yet, top has never met the best opponent. not until mew.

p'book explained that mew is helpful and generous with his friends. but one thing he despises the most is dishonesty. people who take advantage of him will face the greatest disaster. these are very strong representations of mew's character, already denoting mew's colour as red. my initial thought was mew was generally blue (calm and level-headed), but his colour will change when his trust on top falters.

furthermore, as i've mentioned in my previous discussion posts, mew is more than what we think he is. the introduction post is already giving so much of mew's personality and vibe. he doesn't smile that much, and his eyes are very dark and hollow. the smirk he wears is not really evident, but it promises a sinister and potent impact. (once again, kudos to p'book for portraying these nuances of mew so well even in the intro video. i still get goosebumps when i watch it.)

top thinks he can outsmart mew. i believe he's going to eat his words someday.

side note: boston displays lenience when he's with top. boston is more of the submissive type with top, proof is taken when they had sex in the car, boston does all the work. this illustrates the power top has over boston and his reluctance to lose. it's also likely that boston was the one who called top that night, even though he (might have) known top was with mew before.

when top knows he likes mew— genuinely likes him and experiences jealousy for the first time— this is why he (and mew) represents red; you're mine. don't be someone else's. just mine.

manipulation

next, in the shower scene, top says—

—and is followed by a kiss.

as p'force mentioned in his intro post, the word love that comes from top's mouth is never sincere.

side note: i'm a bit conflicted when i learned about this because it made me think of two possibilities, 1) top genuinely falls for mew after they become boyfriends or 2) top never likes mew and he's just playing with him (like his other boyfriends/casual hookups). i hope top will like mew for real because if he doesn't, it won't really add much to his character— or simply, it'll just make him a flat character at the end. also, it doesn't give significance to mew's character as well, given his transformation is deeply rooted in top's dishonesty.

in both scenes, top says things that i personally don't understand its significance, but it's his way of claiming ownership and setting foot in mew's life, an indication that mew is his and he wants mew (and everyone) to know that.

it's a form of subtle manipulation from top— masked with sweet promises and again, (faked) honesty. top knows it's the only way to gain mew's trust: by making mew believe that top only sees and wants mew.

top surprises me in this frame because is that jealousy and anger on his face? (i think it is).

it's the way he says it. the slight quiver of his voice, the quietness of it almost brings forth his insecurity about losing mew's trust. although he's certain mew likes him too, ray is mew's friend and they've known each other longer than mew knows top. in one way or another, mew will possibly believe ray more than top, given mew hates dishonesty in a friendship/relationship. mew will treasure anyone who treasures him, but top worships and bends mew's trust simultaneously. something painful will be the price top has to pay after the truth unfolds.

another act of manipulation i noticed from mew is when top hugs mew and cries.

i believe mew might want a break-up at this point, but top doesn't want to. the little smile mew wears is an indication that mew knows he won this fight— he successfully manipulated top into thinking yes, i'm wrong. yes, i lied to you. yes, i can't live without you. an honourable mention includes mew's little smirk when top hugs him on the bed.

mew has it in him— that instinct— the hey, this top guy is interesting. mew keeps his cards safely in his hands, and once he thinks it's best to use them, oh, he will.

it's going to be very fascinating if this is the shift of mew's transformation— if this will be the second mew starts kicking off his plans on destroying top.

topmew's possible ending

as red signifies revenge, i think topmew won't be the endgame.

i personally think it'll be silly/unrealistic if mew still gives top a chance even after discovering about him and boston. it also doesn't add up to mew's personality as someone who is determined, resolute and sticks to his virtues. them being together at the end isn't what i want. the ending i want from topmew is 1) top will learn from his mistakes and 2) mew doesn't rely on love and friendship to determine the route of his personal life (he should take charge and make decisions for himself).

i assume topmew's break-up will be the start of mew's character growth and a revelation of top's true personality. but them being the endgame? i hope they won't. hehe.

//it's funny to me considering i adore forcebook but i don't want topmew to end up together...//

sanray | bed friend [safety and envy]

previously, i correlated sanray with greed and gluttony (thoroughly explained in this post). i view sanray as the right person and right time, but ray is somewhat too afraid to admit it, and san is somehow 'weak' to make ray believe it's true.

however, despite the turmoils they face in this relationship, there's a strong feeling of positivity i get from these two (and also bostonnick). why?

do you notice: sanray and bostonnick have always been honest with each other?

ray says he just wants someone to keep him company. san wishes ray can just focus on him. boston says he doesn't love nick that way. nick wishes boston can only love him. from the start of their relationship, they always vocalise what they really want from each other.

side note: topmew is different because they aren't honest, to begin with. we can expect a painful downfall from a relationship that is based on deceit.

but what is green, and why does it symbolise sanray's relationship?

green: a token of hope and balance

the colour generally has a positive meaning. green often resembles nature, and nature encompasses home, balance and relaxation. yet, green also means envy and judgement, hence the saying, green with envy.

why green is sanray's colour?

safety

ray (and i assume, top) are battling with different mental health issues. possibly, ray suffers from depression (assumption made by the bathtub scene when mew hugs ray),

and top is insomniac (pills scattering near the sink).

(i can be wrong).

what i'm trying to say is ray might feel 'bare' and 'naked' as his feelings for mew aren't reciprocated. this also roots in his insecurity in knowing that this won't change— mew won't ever like him— especially after he likes top. ray knows he no longer has a chance with mew despite still liking mew. and that messes with his head.

what does ray want in his life? security. a home. a place to be and feel safe.

i don't know if i can explain this well, but there's always dread whenever something doesn't go how we want it to be? i think that's ray's major problem: he can't come to terms with his feelings. he sees the world as a solid entity. he doesn't possess the fluidity to 'shape' himself differently from that belief. thus, this is why ray is so afraid of the growing infatuation he has for san, because san isn't in that box— it has always been mew. but mew doesn't want to be in that box— san does.

ray is a ticking bomb in the sense that he's very unexpected and volatile. there are many instances in the trailer that shows ray's explosive reaction and approach when he confronts san. one of the examples is when ray says having san in his life won't make it better (it's the opposite. ray knows this too.)

all he wants is safety and assurance. ray also wants clarity and an end to the doubts in his head. befriending san, having this 'bed friend' relationship helps ray see that it's possible. but as i explained, ray doesn't know if he can have that with san. it's a very sad and (twisted) understanding of love. ray believes he's 'cheating' on mew by having romantic feelings for san. yet, i reckon, mew doesn't want ray to feel that way. mew also wants ray to find his happiness, even if it's not from/with him.

i do believe ray's perception of love will change. there's going to be a cathartic moment he experiences one day that gives him the certitude he needs. san has always been the door that ray can open anytime. it's only a matter of acceptance and forgiveness that will save ray from his own devils. it's only a matter of time for ray to accept his feelings as they are— to take san's hands and walk on this journey together.

envy

envy is a potent driving force between san and ray. even though it's mainly from ray, san also shows nuances of envy.

in one way or another, san knows ray likes mew. but san likes ray— ray (who isn't ready) to like san back.

the pattern i see in every couple is they're each other's reflection. they might not realise it now, but they will when they're about to lose their other half.

in sanray's case, san hasn't fully grasped ray's train of thought. although he assumes he knows what ray is thinking, his speculations aren't entirely true. it's also because san has his own ideas about ray and how this relationship should work.

san wants to fit ray into his mould and expects ray to abide by it, but he knows too well that ray is still bound to mew. this will frustrate san the most and further amplifies his anger/despair/jealousy.

(why must first cry in every role he acts in? my heart is breaking for him...)

i guess it has to do with san's personality as a survivor (extracted from san's intro post). he battles with himself every day to make ends meet. he isn't financially well-off while ray is rich.

furthermore, from this line included in the poster tweet;

เพื่อนกัน เค้าไม่คิดตังค์เว้ย = friends, they don't think about money, parallel this scene—

—which adds another layer to san's character as a faithful/sincere/kind person/lover. he doesn't blur the lines between friendship and love if his feelings aren't involved (making him a bit selfish, but it's a given when a person so strong-headed and passionate like san starts loving something/someone). from the beginning, san never wants ray's money even though that's the most important thing in his life.

different living status promises a different set of challenges. i don't mean to be biased, but the reality is, the poor will always endure the toughest battle. therefore, san's insecurity is valid, and his confusion is necessary. why?

as san's feelings for ray grow, he starts doubting his worth. he doesn't have much to offer, only his body, soul and time— that's all. san will make deductions— am i just only that to ray? just a bed friend? can he ever be more than that to ray?

sanray's possible ending

sanray is the pair that i hope (and somehow confident) will get a happy ending.

there's so much to them that fits the holes and gaps in each other. they do feel like two people finally finding one another after all the chaos and heartbreaks. they make me want to root for them because the pain they've endured is just so gut-wrenching that i insist they'll be the endgame no matter the circumstances.

i also believe since green is their colour, sanray will achieve that balance and harmony in the end. despite not knowing how and when they'll get to that stage, i'm quite certain they'll be together. these two incendiary characters can finally simmer down the rupturing fire in them by being together, taking and discarding the positive and negative, and also achieving the clarity they've always wanted— together.

bostonnick | friend with benefit [happiness and egoism]

from the two trailers, we get so little of boston and nick's dynamic. it touches on the core elements; lust and envy (further explained in this post). we're seeing only the gist of what and who they are to each other and other people, which attributes to a wonderful surprise awaiting us once only friends airs.

i expected bostonnick's colour will be either yellow or orange, and i'm happy my assumption hit the jackpot this time hehe. although boston's character is likely the antagonist of the story, nick balances his negativity really well. nick's brightness manages to dull boston's darkness.

yellow: a sign of happiness and egoism

yellow is generally a happy colour. it reminds me of the sun; bright and hot. yellow is often associated with cheerfulness and energy. it's a colour that incites many good emotions.

even though this colour shines with positivity, yellow can also represent cowardice and lies; it also acts as a precautionary sign; kind of like the traffic light; yellow— prepare to stop (not to speed up hahaha).

why yellow is bostonnick's colour?

happiness (light)

i see bostonnick as yellow because i think they're genuinely happy when they're together.

boston to me is very red, and nick is somewhat white. they're from two different ends of the colour spectrum, with nick being the bright sunshine while boston is the dark clouds. however, i see only positive influences nick has on boston, mainly when they meet outside of the bed and in the red (developing) room.

their relationship might begin because of boston's habit/obsession with capturing moments of sex with his partners. nick might be the tech-savvy guy that is coincidentally working on the day boston pays a visit. the universe really wants them to meet somehow.

i can't exactly picture how they go from this;

to this;

i guess the attraction is mutual from the first encounter (or one of them is very horny at that time [read: boston]), and they begin to confide in each other afterwards.

although we know the foundation of their relationship is mainly boston seeking nick's help (with his equipment (?) and urges), there are also moments of them spending time with each other like how lovers do. the wakeboarding date (?) and other possible meetings are just happy days spent together.

moreover, it's evident that nick is happy to be boston's favourite.

regardless of boston still having an on-and-off connection with top, boston will cave into nick more and more because nick can give him everything he wants fast. nick's availability appeals so much to boston. this makes nick his favourite because again— boston and his idea of controlling the things he likes— applies to nick too.

side note: i don't know if boston is a sex manic or he's insatiable, but i assume nick doesn't mind feeding boston's constant need for intimacy (even though it'll hurt him the most eventually).

ego

boston has a big ego, and he knows this. that ego is one of boston's strongest (and toxic) traits. like top, boston believes he can have everything and anything he wants. why? because of his brazenness, boston doesn't really have much fear in him as well as decency. he's the go-big-or-go-home type of person. this portion of boston is also one of his most appealing qualities, and nick clearly takes the bait.

however, boston's ego is also his greatest downfall. he thinks he won't be affected if someday, nick decides to leave him for good (and go to p'papang's character, which i honestly approve of). when that day comes, it will make boston realise (hopefully) that the truth is; he does love nick all along.

but this is the thing boston and top have in common: they don't understand what love is. the concept of love to them is vague and stupid. they don't know if true love exists, and i'm guessing it has to do with their (painful? embarrassing?) past experiences. they perceive love in the same manner; sex. they objectify their loved ones to benefit their pride and ego. if they don't get something in return, it'll be useless. they won't use them.

boston says he never loves nick because he knows he has never given nick anything but pain and pleasure. a part of boston is aware that he's unforgivingly mean, but it's a feature he can't discard easily; this ego. boston can't see himself falling to his knees and acknowledging his feelings for nick because that hurts his pride.

boston is a walking disaster, and he doesn't want to lose that title— he glorifies that label— because it makes him feel powerful and in control, a common trait of a narcissist.

and because boston clouds himself by believing nick is just an object, he gets angry when nick stops serving his purpose; to satisfy boston. it infuriates boston that nick found his voice and wants boston to listen to his needs. boston can't let that happen, mainly because of his ego. he's just too prideful to be at anyone's mercy.

it's not because nick can't get enough of boston— it's boston who never thinks nick is enough.

side note: let's be real— top chooses mew. top wants mew. top sees boston as an object of lust. that's all. what he does to nick is what top does to him. it's like boston's cry of protest— feeling unwanted by someone he (thinks) he wants.

yet, boston also uses his ego to control, play and manipulate nick's feelings.

sadly, nick's honesty gets the best of him because boston prefers to overlook that sincerity; nick's desire for love.

กูแค่อยากให้มึงรักกูคนเดียว = i just want you to love only me; boston can't. his ego doesn't let him.

bostonnick's possible ending

i'm inclined to bostonnick having an open/ambiguous ending. like the colour yellow, there's going to be a balance of optimism and cowardice. nick might still want to be with boston despite the hell boston brings into his life because he really loves boston. unlike mew, nick doesn't have malicious intent (i don't see this in him, really) in seeking revenge etc. he reminds me of the character that is truly broken by a person they love the most. nick somehow illustrates how pure love is and how painful it can be.

also, it'll be exciting if there's a redemption arc for boston as he's likely the antagonist of this story (honourable mention will be mew). he might realise nick's worth and start things over. there'll be hesitation and doubts— does nick still loves me?— but if boston is honest and willing to fix this, nick is always open to accepting him.

nick has a soft spot in my heart and i'm genuinely hoping better days will come to him (because mark shared in nick's intro post, nick cried so much. it's rare to get a smiling nick).

conclusion

colours play an important role in telling or showing intent, purpose and significance. it's a widely used symbol/motif/theme/metaphor to give the audience a better picture of the storyline, plot, characters, etc.

as always, i find it interesting that these primary colours are so basic but it gives so much depth to these three couples. all of them are distinctly unique with so many humane attributes. it's riveting almost to see three different dynamics in a series.

their red and green and yellow will bring forward so many colourful emotions from us. are we ready to be painted black at the end of the drama?

side note: do you know? the first step in making black is mixing red, green and yellow.

(i tried it with pencil colours and it's almost black. all it needs is a touch of blue.)

what awaits us? are these colours the possible spoiler to each pair's destiny? let's find out starting this saturday. surely, it'll be a hell of a ride.

[1 | 2 | 3 | 4 (i) | 4 (ii) | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12]

references:

only friends twitter page

only friends pilot trailer

only friends official trailer

colour meanings: red | green | yellow

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subzeroparade · 8 months

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Im playing my first NG+ and it’s striking to me how bustling and alive Yarnam is while the sun is still up. The people scoff at you, outsider. The residents of Cathedral Ward are grateful, so grateful, to the church. You’re known as a hunter, smelled through the grime of beasts and blood and incense. You talk to someone; they respond with sanity. It’s so striking, to be part of a breathing world again, after the loneliness of the endgame after everyone is either gone or lost their minds, and the silence oppresses with its emptiness. Anyways. I can’t stop thinking about that relationship between Yarnam, its people, its powers, and you — the hunter. One of many. A slice of society. So many details stick out: the hunter chief emblem shows that hunting is an old tradition. Gilbert mentions that Odeon Tomb is in a more colorful part of town, and while you’re there, you can see how it’s more charred, from the Old Yarnam fire. A new lore video on the archeology of Yarnam analyzed the previous religion of the city, on its focus on motherhood. How base, and material, and bodily, this whole idea of divine ascension is. I saw a post on how Yarnam was possibly attempted to be evacuated— luggage and bottles of blood left everywhere, as if in a hurry. How few houses are occupied, how few people there are left— and despite Eileen’s assertion, there are a few left. Who here is the list one?

I so want to write about this — the relationship of the city to all of what’s going on. The perspective of a resident on these new foreign hunters. The betrayal of the church, sequestering itself beyond the Great Bridge. The way that this is just another hunt, we know how to do this. But it isn’t. We all know it isn’t.

I don’t know if I will espouse on this, but I love love love how you get into this in your Cainhurst execution fic. The tension between plebeian living and aspirational authority — its fascinating, especially in a place as fucked as this city.

Anyways. It’s 3 am. I think I’ve put my thoughts on a page. I hope to maybe elaborate of them further. But I wanted someone else to see them too. Thank you, for reading.

I wanted to actually share and respond to this because you’ve hit on some juicy stuff that I absolutely agree with. I’d never thought about the passage between endgame Yharnam and dusk Yharnam - which seems appropriately cyclical, if you think about it - but the difference, as you said, is stark. Even then, dusk Yharnam is still bathed in this sepia hue. It’s bleak, and grimy, and the air is full of smoke and soot and the smell of singed fur and gunpowder; the cries of beasts and the sounds of men having their last mindless hurrah before they too succumb. It’s “bustling”, but it’s still hellish, and grim. One of the reasons I love writing pre-Church and Church heyday is because if you rewind enough, you may, with a bit of effort, picture Yharnam as something other than depressingly dried-blood brown - green, even, with new marble, and polished white and yellow cobblestones. Glass and iron and slate and avenues lined with flowering trees, and the sounds of market and the clatter of carriages and all these things that become the drone of a lively city rather than the prelude to something coming to kill you. Surely there were bleaker sides of Yharnam, even in its heyday, as with most major cities - but the threats are different. Night is different. The smells are different. Everything is a little less stained, in all possible senses of the word. It’s also such a fascinating contrast to wonder how long people sat idly with the Church’s assurances before they decided “okay, that’s it, we leave tonight.” It seems like there might have been an event or two that triggered an exodus, or attempted flight by the cityfolk - and most didn’t make it out, as you rightly note, based on the scattered remnants of objects clearly intended for travel. It’s interesting to mull over what event(s) might have triggered that tipping point, for the people to finally ignore the Church and its Hunters’ calls to calmly lock their doors, and instead try their luck on the road. It’s certainly good fodder for a fic.

Thanks for the kind words about my work - I’ll deal with some late-Church timeline soon enough, especially in two upcoming fics. But your point about the “perspective of a resident on new foreign hunters [and] the betrayal of the Church” is a really nice prompt, and you should write about it!

Hope you don’t mind me sharing your 3am rant lmao but I appreciated it. I don’t have any worthwhile WIPs to share atm, so please accept this Bloodborne-specific corner of a collaborative whiteboard session from a while ago (full disclosure idk why the elden ring crab is there but enjoy).

#ask #bloodborne #lore #back to the ask box sorry for the wait #the world's smallest depiction of rom #the world's most accurate depiction of Kos and the orphan

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teecupangel · 7 months

Note

I know we had a few Fire Emblem posts, but as I was playing Engage last night, I had a great idea; what if Desmond wound up being a ring and spirit in game? Alear and company would be so confused by him and Desmond would be so done with everything.

Alright, first of all:

The AC AU idea based on the Engage ring system

1 FE Three Hopes x AC crossover idea + 1 AC AU idea that uses a lot of Fire Emblem tropes

FE Fates x AC crossover idea where Desmond becomes Hoshidan royalty

“Is that… a bracelet?” Alear asked.

“It looks more like a gauntlet, Divine One.” Alfred commented as he rubbed his chin before asking Yunaka, “You say you heard it call to you?”

“That’s right!” Yunaka answered cheerfully, “I was just taking a stroll when I heard a man’s voice say…”

Yunaka cleared her throat before changing her voice into a deeper tone and said…

“Hey! Hey, you, yeah, you with that… uuhhh… colorful hair, I guess? Anyway, can you hear me?”

Yunaka’s voice returned to usual as she continued, “After I picked this up, he stopped talking. Do you think this could be another Emblem bracelet, Divine One?”

“I’m not sure.” Alear frowned at the ‘bracelet’ in Yunaka’s hands, “The other bracelets were from that world but we never saw something like this. Not to mention… Alfred is right, this looks more like a gauntlet than a bracelet.”

Alear reached out, their fingers grazing the stylized A embedded on the gauntlet.

Alear’s eyes widened and glowed a golden color, surprising Alfred and Yunaka, “Divine One?!”

The words left Alear as the gauntlet began to glow, “Pierce through the lies, Emblem of Creed!”

The gauntlet shone brightly before…

An Emblem spirit appeared before them, clad in clothes they had never seen before.

He opened his eyes and…

His eyes were gold.

Not the purple hues of the Emblems.

They were gold.

“Uuuhhh… where am I?”

Unorganized Notes:

They all agree Desmond is from another world which does not have rings.

If you want to make this a bit meta, Desmond could have played Fire Emblem before he got kidnapped. Of course, he only knows about the pre-2012 Fire Emblem that were localized in the US.

You guessed it, his Emblem Bracelet is a Hidden Blade.

From a gameplay perspective, he gives bonus stats on speed, dodge and attack. The skills he give are beneficial to the Thief class line.

His Engage form has his ‘user’ don the Assassin white robes that seemed to be a mix of Altaïr, Ezio and Ratonhnhaké:ton. His Engage weapon is primarily the Sword of Altaïr but he also has a Hidden Gun (Ezio) and a tomahawk (Ratonhnhaké:ton). His ‘ultimate’ though is done using the Hidden Blade that only appears whenever his user is Emblem Engaged. (Strangely enough, enemies seemed to become… dazed… when he’s near… Desmond believes that some kind of POE shit is happening but he can’t be sure)

In terms of story, he’d most definitely be closest to Yunaka because they understand each other. To be more exact, Desmond noticed early on that Yunaka is pretending to be cheerful all the time and he had guessed her past. Yunaka is the only one who realized that Desmond is an Assassin as most of them assumed he was some kind of ‘warrior’ like the other Emblems.

No one knows why Desmond’s eyes are not purple. Even as an Emblem, he’s a strange one.

Alear promised to help him find his way back to his world in exchange for helping them with their journey. Desmond doesn’t mind because he thinks they need all the help they can get. The fact that most of them are younger than him worries him to no end.

#i don’t necessarily like the chant used to awaken desmond #if you can think of anything better #let me know XD #ask and answer #assassin's creed #desmond miles #fic idea: assassin's creed #teecup writes/has a plot #fic idea: fire emblem #fic idea: crossover #fe alear #alear fire emblem #alfred fire emblem #yunaka #yunaka fire emblem #fire emblem engage

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silent-shanin · 7 months

Text

My Love For You Is Like A Balloon; You Deserve To Float

Fandom: Fire Emblem: Three Houses/Three Hopes (Modern au) Ship: Marianne/Hilda Rating: sfw (Also on Ao3)

"Come on, Mari...anne." She added the last part because you're not 'Mari' to her anymore. You're 'Marianne' now. Some distant habit that she's trying to stomp out, just like how you stomped on her heart after breaking up with her. "I just want to talk."

"I don't," you lie. You do. You do. You do. You've been wondering how she's been doing these past three months. You would like nothing more than to talk. To make up, make out, make love, and have everything be alright again. To have her in your arms and hug her so tightly, your chests mush together and her body heat finally warms up your cold hands and cold heart.

The only thing you can do is not talk lest your brain spills out of your mouth and your ugly feelings lay bare for Hilda to see. So you don't.

She's done waiting and throws up her hands. "Ugh, stop being stubborn. You never wanted to talk and only ever listened. Do you know how annoying that always was?" She loved how you were the listener. She preferred you that way because she was the talker, the chatterbox. You are━ were perfect for each other like that.

"I guess we just don't work together." Another lie. How many more do you need to commit before the Goddess will smite you and take you out of this situation.

Silence. Something you haven't heard a lot in your two year relationship with Hilda. And then she sighs again.

"... I guess we don't."

And that hurt more than not seeing her for three lonely months. Now she's the one lying. Right?

"Don't look at me like that, Marianne. What do you want me to do?" Chase you to the ends of the world. "You're the one who broke up with me." You didn't mean it. "Don't give me that kicked-puppy look." You can't help it.

"Then," you say, because you need to talk to keep the tears at bay. Change the subject. "What did you want from me?"

The sound of Hilda's jacket indicates a shrug. "Nothing, I guess. Nothing anymore anyways." You must've looked confused as Hilda starts to explain. "I just wanted to talk. Ask you how you've been. You straight up ghosted me after you━ after we broke up." She still holds it against you.

Should you tell her? How it's been hell. How you've finally managed to sleep one night without crying. How you want nothing more than to━ No. You don't deserve that. Not after breaking Hilda's heart and running away like some coward. You wonder if she can see it by the bags under your eyes, though those have always been there.

"And... I guess I wanted to ask why."

Why what?

"Why you dumped me. Did you really fall out of love? Was it something I said or did? I'm not asking you to take me back, but an explanation would be nice."

It wasn't any of those reasons. It wasn't Hilda. Or, well... it was in a way. It was her radiance, her happiness, her everything that you didn't━ couldn't taint. You saw how she struggled with your anxiety, with your panic attacks and your depressive episodes. She didn't understand. She couldn't understand a monster like you. You couldn't keep pulling her down with you, so instead you let her go. Like a balloon, she had to soar and go her own way.

"I'm sorry," is instead the only thing falling out of your mouth.

She waits for more, but nothing comes out. You don't want to cry again.

"Marianne... I'm trying. I really am, but sometimes you're just impossible. I wanted to be there for you, I still do but━" You think you hear a quiver in her voice, though you're not sure. You haven't been able to look at Hilda this whole time. You know you'll fall again if you do.

Always weak to her tears, fake or not, you never could say no to her.

"I don't know what you're thinking if you don't talk." And yet the fact that she's here makes you realize she suspects the true reason of your avoidance. "Tell me. Please?"

"I don't... want this." Is your weak excuse.

"Want what? Me?"

You shake your head and gesture at yourself.

"Oh, Mari..." There's that quiver again. She takes one step forward, hand grasping at nothing, right into your vision. You forgot how small she actually was. Her eyes meet yours by accident and...

There they are. And there you go. Falling for her as gently as the first time, as steadily as her tears. And soon your face matches hers.

Hilda has never been a pretty crier, not when she's actually hurt. Her face scrunches up, her eyes become red, and her throat closes up so much she can't even speak. You've seen it once, when Holst ended up in the infirmary for eating bad mushrooms. You were there with her, you were the one to catch her and drive her to the hospital. You were the one who she could lean on, because she allowed herself to lean.

And yet you still think she's the most radiant woman in your life.

"Ma-Marianne..." she croaks. "... Can I hug you?"

Without a thought you open your arms and she falls in them immediately. You hate that she's your puzzle piece. Fit together snugly, both physically and mentally.

You were made for each other.

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sansloii · 6 months

Text

Name: Hollis! ( though, i go by Marshy as well and have for about 6 years )

Pronouns: she/they

Preferred comms: discord because tumblr ims are questionable at best. i also uninstalled the app because of how often it would just randomly crash for little to no reason so.... if you want to reach me, disco is the safest bet

Name of muse(s): I have eight wonderful creatures of varying temperament. Batch 1 was Mikah. Batch 2 was Penelope, Wynn, Evan, Dakota, and Joseph. Batch 3 was Roderick and Andris. I also am working on fleshing out Vega properly but he's not quite done yet.

Experience in RP: in about 2012-ish, i was into f.andomstuck and i had an oc for that until like.... 2014-ish? it was baby's first blog and i didn't really know what I was doing. I had fun, while it lasted, but i also knew some of the people in this community ( like they went to the same high school as me ) so any issue we had on tumblr would translate into lunchroom confrontations. I didn't enjoy that part so much and my interest for it fizzled out by the time i graduated. then, i jumped over to the fire emblem fandom and made an oc for fire emblem awakening! i think i stayed in that rpc until 2016/2017 and i had two ocs, a mother and her son from the future, that i still very much adore. there were ups and downs and i feel like i was taught.... multiple frustrating lessons during my tenure there. it did help me develop my writing a lot and i have to say that i'm honestly better off having taken the chance to do it.

lastly, i ended up here in 2017 and i'm not leaving. i also have another massive oc blog i'm slowly reworking but i'm trying not to stress myself out lol.

Best experiences: it's very difficult to put specific experiences into words because most of it, for me, is vibes. my best experiences have been interactions and plots with people that I not only get along with but like... you know--we understand each other. like if i decide that i'm not going to rp on tumbles for a month and maybe just stick to headcanons, i can do so without fear that you think i'm wasting your time. or that we can pick up where we left off and it's okay if you respond to the months old thread you had with me. or! we can just stay up until the wee hours of the morning talking about ideas or blorbos or getting really into a discord rps. like it's the vibes that i can come to you like a fart in the night with a gifset or image like "hey this is our muses" and, likewise, you can do the same with me.

to those of you who i vibrate at the speed of light towards at any given moment, you know who you are. thank you for being patient with me and giving me the space to vibe with you :)

Pet peeves / dealbreakers: i feel like every time i open my mouth about pet peeves i have, i sound like a crotchety old person that always has something negative to say deep down ... but w/e. it's my soap box.

i've noticed that since i've come back, it feels like i have to be the one that's chasing some people for interactions or plots more often. or like. right out the gate, they wanna jump from A to Z and be best buds and whatever so we can speedrun everything. or... i'm expected to or have to do most of the work because they're quite literally doing none of it after expressing interest. and like some of that isn't inherently bad! i'll be the first to admit that if we're friendly enough and progress something enough to where it's like... an established thing? we can have something going faster than the speed of sound after that. we can have multiple ships, a dedicated au, a whole slew of worldbuilding shit together and i won't care because i know said person on some level. and that took time + a whole slew of back and forths.

however, it doesn't feel great to express that "hey i want to plot something but it'll take time and like... if we're shipping on top of that, it'll take double that amount" and watch, in real time, as that person just... eventually leaves you on read. and/or just doesn't interact with your content anymore. and i can tell the difference between being preoccupied/ having not great week/taking a break from tumblr entirely/being slow and being put on a shelf/ barely acknowledged very clearly. i shouldn't have to feel like i'm competing for a slot or something, which is the vibes i got sometimes and ( as you would expect ) didn't like.

this isn't directed at anyone i'm currently following, ofc. i know i am not perfect but i also know that i am an extremely patient person, which is how I want to be treated. It's very frustrating to try and try and try again only to get the bare minimum from people i genuinely wanted to interact with. but c'est la vie--such is life--and i move on. i, like many others, have limited time to be on here and if something doesn't bring me joy after a month, two months, three months, I'm more than willing to part with it. there has to be effort on both ends in some way and if you want me to pat your ass, pat my ass too.

Muse preference ( fluff, angst, smut ): you cannot make me choose. now, does that mean that I write them all in equal amounts? certainly not. but it really depends on my mood. sometimes, all i wanna do is talk about soft moments. other times, i want to put my muses in a blender and watch them process what's happening to them. occasionally, i'll let them roam free and be as horny as they like. the key is to always cycle through the three so you don't get burnt out on any one of them.

Plot or memes: uuuuuhhhh it depends? plots are my fucking jam and i like having a general storyline to follow when writing and then figuring out the little details when we get to them. it's a long process but i enjoy the wait and the buildup more than i enjoy air so djsfdvdfvd--

buuuuuut i also think memes are a valueable, valueable springboard into interactions. and plotting straight outta the gate can be intimidating for some. plus, if you want to plot but your head is empty atm, finding and sending memes with the same vibe as the plot point you wanted to discuss is helpful! i'll admit that i'm not great at sending in memes but it's not for lack of wanting to. it's more not knowing what to send and picking a muse to send along with it that trips me up. Plus, not being here most of the day tends to mean i miss a lot of meme reblogs orz

Long or short replies: long replies but i do trim them shorter or rewrite portions of them. sometimes, i will write what i deem to be "too much" for a reply ( e.g: my partner has like 350 words and i'm sitting at like 625 words ) and i'll go back and edit it down to 450-500 if i find stuff that doesn't really move anything along or is just needless padding.

Best time to write: it used to be late night but i pass out too often for that to be effective anymore ( because of my sleep schedule for work ), so i tend to favor late mornings and early afternoon. if i'm writing late at night, it's because i didn't have time during the day to do so.

Are you like your muse(s): n...not really in most cases. like we share some traits here and there but for the most part, my personality, sense of style, and morality deviates from most of them.

tagged by: @rexpyre tagging: @arcxnumvitae @gunrising @royaletiquette @nezumivc103221 @bonesofchaos and anyone else that wants to.

#ツ ┊ ⧼ catwalk talk ⧽ ⇹ ( ooc. )#.does a little dance :)#.thank you for the tag!

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cuddly-asexual · 9 months

Text

It's the middle of the night which means it's time for me to gush about the Fire Emblem Engage Fell Xenologue soundtrack.

I've very meh on the Engage soundtrack as a whole compared to other soundtracks in the series, but the tracks I do like are some of my favorites in the franchise. HOWEVER, literally the entire Fell Xenologue soundtrack is so fucking good.

First off, just from a general vibe standpoint I think it does a wonderful job at creating this very melancholic atmosphere that permeates this whole other world. There's also a distinct change in the instrumentation which differentiates this soundtrack from the rest of the Engage soundtrack.

Next, I just wanna talk about cool things I noticed in some of the tracks. Starting with the world map themes:

youtube

Both tracks start off very similar with the twinkling in the background and piano, but where Engage has a very consistent repeating phrase, the Xenologue has a more irregular thing going on where notes almost feel like they're missing or lagging playing on top of other notes. The both songs arrive at a transition (~0:30) where all the other instruments in the track come in. With Engage we have standard orchestral instruments like strings, winds, horns, etc, but for the Xenologue we get a sitar (something that sounds like one anyway) and another plucked string instrument that I can't quite place (I don't think it's a guitar because the timbre sounds different, but I could be wrong), with some electronic stuff in the background. After this transition both songs play their respective theme. In Engage's case it's a version of the main theme. In the Xenologue's case it's part of the Xenologue's theme. Then both tracks come back to a motif that is shared between them played with different instrumentation (Engage 1:24, Xenologue 1:22). At 2 minutes we get another melody change and this one is interesting, for Engage it's the main theme again, but for the Xenologue it's something else. I need to dive a little deeper for this one, but for now I can say that it's also a version of the main engage theme but likely reversed or otherwise changed in a way that makes it sound different.

youtube

Okay now I'd just like the shine some light on the Xenologue's main theme cuz holy shit it's gorgeous. I've been listening to this track on repeat since I beat the Xenologue earlier this year. I've been cracking my brain on this one for a while, but I think I can say for sure that it's not a version of the main engage theme. There's two main motifs that come up again and again. The first one right at the start (~0:07) and the second one at ~1:13, which is also in the world map theme above. I just aaaaaa idk what it is about this song but it pulls on my heart strings. I FEEL for Nel and Nil and their struggles as I listen to this song.

youtube

And the last track I will cover in this is the final boss theme from the Xenologue AND HOLY SHIT IF THIS ISN'T MY FAVORITE FIRE EMBLEM BOSS THEME FUCKING EVER. They squeezed not 1, not 2, not 3, BUT 4 THEMES IN THIS BAD BOY. We get this fun build up into the Fire Emblem series theme, much like the Engage final boss. Then, around 0:54 we get the fucking four hounds theme sprinkled in??? Y'all have no idea how much I POGGED when I heard that shit, especially with how they all join your team at that point AAAAAAA. THEN THE GRAND ENTRANCE FOR THE XENOLOGUE THEME AT 1:07, WHICH IS JUST AOUGHHH so tasty and beautifully arranged with the full orchestra. And of course we can't forget the Fire Emblem Engage theme sliding in there right behind the Xenologue theme at 2:06. Then back to the Xenologue theme once more with a small dash of vocals just for good measure. And then the masterpiece starts all over again. GOD, just the way this song is able to combine and overlay so many themes and motifs together in one song is amazing and I love this track SO MUCH.

Anyway please play the Fell Xenologue because all the music slaps. Thank you for reading my messy thoughts, I'm very passionate about this soundtrack.

#fire emblem #fire emblem engage #music #that's me!#fell xenologue

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kimium · 5 months

Text

I know I already answered some asks about my fics for 2023, but I wrote a review for my fics last year, so I'm doing it again this year. Let's get started! All the data comes from my AO3 statistics. All the rest is under a cut because it's long!

My Fic Review for 2023

Statistic Stuff

My "Top Five" fics by hits:

Just a Normal Citizen (Not a Dimension Traveler) - Twisted Wonderland

Daydreams - Twisted Wonderland

Stay where you are - Twisted Wonderland

Setting the Scene - Twisted Wonderland

Broken Kitchen - Twisted Wonderland

My most bookmarked fic: Just a Normal Citizen (Not a Dimension Traveler)

How many words I wrote in 2023: 235,377

Question Stuff

What was the most surprising thing about writing in 2023?

I think the most surprising thing about this year was the amount of Twisted Wonderland fics I wrote. While I got into the game in 2022, it wasn't until this year you can see it dominate my fanfics. Writing for a new fandom is always a gamble. Just because I get into a new fandom doesn't always mean I write fanfics for it, but Twisted Wonderland won the gamble ahaha.

2. What was the most enjoyable to write?

The most enjoyable thing to write this year was my Platonic Yandere AU. The idea of all the NRC cast deciding to silently keep Yuu from going home haunted my mind for months. Bringing it to life was fun and I'm so happy that others like this idea too.

3. Which fic is the most underrated?

I know I've already talked about my poor Fire Emblem fic Divine Intervention being underrated and I still stand by this answer. However, I'm adding another story to this answer. I also think that Energy Drinks (SDR2) is underrated and I'd love to see more love to that story.

4. Which fic(s) had something "cut" or had an idea that never happened?

-I had more violent scenes in mind for Just a Normal Citizen (Not a Dimension Traveler), particularly with Jade/Floyd as well as Leona, but those never happened. Mostly because all the cast decided to keep their illegal activities "secret" from Yuu. Those scenes may still happen later in the story.

-Yuu's reveal of coming from another dimension had other versions that just couldn't happen. All of them a little too dramatic so they were scrapped. I'm happy where it landed though.

-In Dorm Exchange I was also going to write some of the exchange part, but I never got around to it and focused on the deciding process.

-In Late Night Snack I originally wanted Yuu and Vil's conversation to be a little more confrontational. That didn't pan out and I'm happier for it.

5. Which fic did you want to write but didn't get around to?

-I wanted to write a fic where established Vil/Rook high key flirt with other characters that they're attracted to. The main candidate for this is Trey but other characters include: Jack, Cater, Deuce, Ace, and of course Yuu. Though I think I get enough Vil/Rook flirting with Yuu in other fics ahaha.

-For my Platonic Yandere AU I have ideas for where Grim falls on the scale of "Keep Yuu in Twisted Wonderland". I don't know if I'd write a full separate fic, but the idea could appear in another fic in Yuu's perspective. Also, I have more ideas for this AU so stay tuned.

-Said this in an ask before but I want to write another instalment in my Kitsune!Komaeda and Human Hajime fic series.

-Briefly thought about writing another Dr. Stone fic because of Season Three and rereading the manga.

-I still have a silly JJK/SK8 the Infinity fic sitting in my WIPs that I'd like to write for the laughs.

6. Any WIPs that never got published?

I have two main ones. First, I have a story about Malleus who normally eats lunch alone (if not accompanied by Lilia, Silver, or Sebek) and Kalim deciding that can't happen and Malleus needs to eat with him and his friends. I didn't finish this because at the time I was writing a LOT of food in my fics and felt it was very repetitive.

Next, I have a story of Lilia finding Silver and the process of raising Silver as his son. I didn't finish this mostly because that's when Book 7 dropped in Japan and my story would 100% contradict canon and I hate when I do that.

7. Share a snippet from a WIP fic?

Here is a snippet from Malleus eating lunch alone and Kalim deciding this cannot happen. Fic title in my WIPs is "Homemade Lunches".

"Deciding on his sandwich first, Malleus reached to pick it up when a blur of warm crème and red flashed towards him. A beat later and Kalim plopped down beside Malleus, angling himself so the trunk of the tree slightly hid him. Kalim warmly smiled before pressing a single finger to his lips, the universal sign of “be quiet”, and watched as a few Scarabia members ran past him, their footsteps frantic. When they passed and didn’t return Kalim exhaled audibly.

If Malleus were asked to describe Kalim, he’d say Kalim was like a desert breeze that morphed into human form so it could dance and sing with abandon. Wherever Kalim went warmth followed him, like the taste of chili powder, cinnamon, cloves, and other spices Malleus vaguely remembered from souvenirs Lilia had brought back. Kalim’s warmth always lingered on the tongue before dancing its way down into the heart."

8. Which fic was the one you were most "excited" to write?

I was most excited to write The smell of bleach for @m34gs as part of our Sort of Saw AU. At that point the story idea had only been scattered in ask answers, our DMs, and over phone calls. Bringing our conversations together into a single fic was so exciting! Honestly, this entire AU excites me so much!

Anyways, here is my little review. I hope you enjoyed reading it! And if you have anything you want me to expand on, feel free to send an ask!

#personal #writing #my fics #my fic review 2023 #just for fun

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particular-one · 1 year

Note

Hi! Can I have match up, please? From star rail, genshin and, fe3h?

As a name I can say Nat.

I'm she/her.

I would like match up with male chracters.

My mbti is INTP.

I'm rather quiet person, i don't like talking just for hearing my own voice. I think i'm a little bit pessimistic. I take long time to warm up to people but then when I decide that "yea, they are cool" i'm able to change my plans for them on spot. I really hate long term routines, they make me anxious. I'm night owl and really grumpy in the morning. I tend to be procrastinstor. Also my biggest weakness is being very pround person, asking for help or a break is hard for me most of the time.

My hobbies include writing, reading, taking trips around city, playing games and cooking.

In romantic partner I look mostly for independece. I have rather small social battery and I struggle with people who needs constant attention and affection.

As date ideas for misc I adore late night walks, i love looking at the light and breathing that characteristic night air. Also my love language includes gifts and quality time. From other random facts, I like cats and own one. I really dislike big parties and dancing.

Thank you in advance!

hello nat! and aaaa a star rail and fe3h request :] of course, i hope you enjoy your matchups!

HONKAI STAR RAIL ---- DAN HENG

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆ dan heng actually appreciates the change of pace whenever he's with you; for most of his day, he's usually with march 7th or trailblazer, who aren't exactly the quietest people. though most of the time the both of you are in the same room together in silence, dan heng finds this solace comforting. for the moments that you two share a conversation, dan heng finds your insights very fascinating. he respects your space and is the last person who would overstep his boundaries, but a small part of him deep down would love to get to know you even better. as a partner, dan heng is the protective type. though he is in no way controlling, he'd go out of his way to ensure your safety. also, dan heng is secretly a romantic in private 100%. during the trailblaze missions, he saves up a portion of the place's currency in order to get you something that he thinks you would like. when he finds out that you stay up really late at night, he invites you to spend time in the archives together where the both of you would pour through books that catch your interest together <3 dan heng is too embarrassed to admit this, but he likes having your presence around even if you two don't exchange much words.

GENSHIN IMPACT ---- AYATO KAMISATO

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆ ayato was really intrigued by you when he first met you. though you came off as a bit pessimistic, ayato actually found it quite amusing and wanted to get to know you better. though the both of you initially clashed - considering the fact that ayato is the type to stick through routines and careful planning, it became a gradual kind of respect mixed with appreciation that blossomed into the potential for something more. as a partner, ayato plays his cards really strategically - in essence, he didn't want to mess something up with you. though you still were rather pessimistic, he actually offered a lot of comforting words and advice that he hopes you would take to heart. ayato deeply values work and he understands how asking for a break or for help is difficult, but he is the type who would encourage you to take it easy; at times, he'd even plan out something on a whim just to make sure you get to relax. he also likes your cooking, ayato is usually off limits in the kitchen because of his unorthodox food choices. though it goes against his usual personality, at some point ayato becomes open to the idea of going on spontaneous hangouts or walks with you - he noticed that unplanned things that you do together was rather exhilarating and eventually opens himself to that more often.

FIRE EMBLEM: THREE HOUSES ---- FELIX FRALDARIUS

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆ felix usually found it difficult to hit it off with other people, but with you, it was rather different. though he didn't understand why you remained quiet most of the time, he didn't dig too much into that. however, the time that he actually was interested in you (or rather, when he fell for you even if he'd deny it) was when he saw you feeding the cats around garreg mach monastery. despite your seemingly stoic and pessimistic exterior, you seemed very at home with the cats. he actually had a different view of you ever since, hence why he gradually tries to make conversation with you. as a partner, felix is incredibly stubborn when it came to ensuring that you were taking care of yourself. even when you procrastinate, felix would be there to help you out on any task that you're dealing with, given that he knew how it works. felix doesn't beat around the bush with his words and actions, so when he sees that you are already struggling, he'd wordlessly help you with it even if you don't ask him first, knowing how you have a hard time asking for help often times. felix enjoys taking night walks with you, and there are even times that you stay outside in the courtyard just breathing the fresh air and sometimes feeding the cats roaming in that area.

#fe3h #fire emblem three houses #fire emblem three houses matchups #honkai star rail #honkai star rail matchups #genshin impact #genshin #genshin matchups #matchups #·˚ * 🔭 carlyle matchups

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comfort-questing · 7 months

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20 questions for writers

tagged by @therosefrontier :) thanks!

How many works do you have on AO3?

21, but one's a collection of fe3h drabbles and small fics totalling 13.

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

98,576 apparently! ...seems about right.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

uh. Genshin... Critrole... Fire Emblem Three Houses... also Fate Zero, finally, triumphantly, eventually. I've written bits of stuff here and there for other ones but most of it isn't published.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

night and death and the rain are given, 729, because Kaeya whump brings out the fans?? also I had a good update schedule for it, haha, which probably helped.

flame to dark, 393, my first Genshin fic. I guess Diluc whump is also popular. I remember being so chuffed that people liked it.

something which nobody may keep. 219, fain's dear angst art made into a Whumptober 2022 prompt... wait, that was just last year?

the sea, the storm, the stars, 217, right after. writing about Kazuha is hard because thinking about him hurts a little, but I do love this story so.

a gently welcoming darkestness, 186, which surprises me that it made the top 5 since that was where my regular update schedule went to die, and didn't take off as quickly. but I'm glad folk ended up liking it.

all Genshin, haha. and 4/5 ragbros.

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I do! although if someone comments on each chapter I may not respond to every single one. but I like to respond, because I like to be responded to on mine when I can be, and because it does make me so happy for them to comment.

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

oh boy. that's a toss-up between the last of my fe3h drabbles that I put up, "not glory nor goodness," and just about any of my fate zero pieces, but probably on these sands I built my fortresses. the horror of having to kill Felix at Arianhrod, because not killing him means other students die, vs. Saber's shame and self-hatred and having to kill one of her old associates too. maybe I should say the fe3h one because I don't like re-reading it but I will the other one.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

I... was going to say I usually did happy endings but that's not quite true. I write ambiguous, nervous, and hopeful-in-the-midst-of-confusion endings. I think the only uncomplicated happy endings I've done were the fluff fics for a couple exchanges. specially driftwood and light for Critrole, which is all about getting rescued!

8. Do you get hate on fics?

no, thankfully, though I did get someone once commenting that my snarky/dark humor author's notes on some whump fic ruined the mood. it stung a bit, but I kept doing it, and also deleted the comment.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

heh... I do not... I tend to think what characters do in the bedroom is their own business, although now and again I admit some amorphous spicy headcanon occurs to me. usually in regards to someone else's suggestion or a fic that I scroll past that I think brazenly mischaracterizes their sex lives...

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

usually don't, but I do have a funky little dialogue piece between RWBY characters and Morgaine and Vanye from the Morgaine Chronicles that I never posted. This is because I think I may be the only person in the universe who is familiar with both fandoms. if there are any others I really want to meet them though.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

hope not! ...though there was one that got published shortly after the author put kudos on one of mine, and it was a very similar concept and similar imagery at several points. but they did a totally different thing with it and went in a different direction! so even if it was borrowed it was Fair Use and I'm rather proud of them. :)

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

not that I know of!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

no, but I'd love to someday! I am not good at plots. I admire when folk are good at plots. I want to be part of their plots and fill in all the corners with conversations and angst and character stuff.

14. What's your all-time favourite ship?

I'm not really a shipper of anything particularly, but... I suppose the only ship tag I actually ever used is for Zen and Shirayuki from snow white with the red hair? and I do love their relationship, haha.

oh! that reminds me. I think my favorite ships are Hak/Yona from Yona of the Dawn and also Royai from FMA just like my tagger said.

15. What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

...of original works? oh so many. of fanfic? uh... I want to write a Fate/Stay Night AU where Saber saves Ilya, and I did start it. what's likelier to happen there is I write it as a bunch of short stories and they may just end up being bittersweet with a side of catharsis?

I want to write an Inazuma Rebellion AU for Genshin but that's more of a "literally never started" than any kind of "in progress."

16. What are your writing strengths?

I think it's fair to say description? people mention it a lot, and I like to write it. I love words. words are amazing. the things that people can do with words are amazing. I like to make words do cool things too.

I like writing dialogue a lot too, when I can.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

plots. pacing, sometimes. fight scenes, or used to be, but I think I'm getting better at them.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I never have, but if it came up I could try? though I certainly wouldn't trust google translate.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

in little bits and snipppets... the Chronicles of Narnia when I was a small kid, and then Warriors Cats like the rest of us (heh), and I think Redwall? I made stories up about the sci-fi series Dad read to us when I was very very young, but I don't think I'd call them writing per se.

and then I did a lot of mediocre heartfelt Lord of the Rings fic when I was 11-12ish, which I didn't post although my friend encouraged me to. that was the first fandom where I wrote anything more than, like, half a page. in fact, it was very many pages. I want to say there were like 4 separate OCs and concepts I was writing, and they never intersected, they were all just different twists I had.

20. Favourite fic you've ever written?

that's a tough one. I... actually really love my longer fe3h fic, the bright and the broken - which completely elided all ships in a very shippy fandom with an alacrity that was not my intent but my outcome. the conv I wrote there, about helping people being like dropping pebbles in a well, and never knowing which one is going to be the one that lifts them high enough to reach the light... I think about that still and I'm not sure where I got it but I think it's true. also encapsulates what I love the most about Three Houses. loving people is how you change the course of the narrative... you can't save everyone all the time but you can save almost everyone most of the time if you do what you can??

I think my fate/zero trilogy is the most uh... emotionally cathartic of them for me though. I hope it finds the approximately 2.9 people in the universe besides me that it makes sense to, wherever they are.

tagging @notfromcold, @erinaceina, @isnt-it-pretty, anyone else who wants to bc I'm sure I'm forgetting folk

#whump community #writing #crow says a thing

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oathkeeperoxas · 2 years

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Serie’s Battleship 2022 Fic Masterpost

Works have been revealed for this year’s round of Battleship, so I can now show off everything I wrote for this event! I ended up writing 24 fics over 5 fandoms, totalling up 40k words

Star Wars

every breath we drew | codywan | 2.6k

After winning the war, there's more waiting on the other side for Cody than he ever could have dreamed of. Including Obi-Wan.

alone together | codywan | 3k

Stranded on a distant planet, Cody and Obi-Wan find a way to use the time they've unexpectedly been given.

the knife and the wound | codywan | 3.2k

The child kicking in Obi-Wan's belly won't let him sleep. Cody gives him a distraction, and some reprieve.

to push through | Din & Grogu | 600 words

The Mandalorian has a mission to complete. No matter how well he's feeling.

trek | Din & Grogu | 1.2k

This journey still has a long way to go.

shooting stars | Din & Grogu | 1.7k

Din and the kid visit a planet overflowing with festive spirit.

the deep night | Din & Grogu | 900 words

A restless night on a distant moon prompts some reflection by the Mandalorian.

Kingdom Hearts

dressing up for a dressing down | sorikai | 1.2k

Kairi plans her dances for the evening as Sora and Riku take their time to appear at the ball.

long afternoons | sorikai | 600 words

Sora, Riku, and Kairi take care of a problem for the town.

just for the week | sorikai | 500 words

Kairi and Sora have a surprise for Riku.

belonging | sorikai | 1k

Kairi knows that she belongs with Sora and Riku.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

midnight | Marianne/Hilda | 900 words

Marianne and Hilda have a midnight chat after dancing the night away.

winter warmth / winter woes | Marianne/Leonie | 1.7k

Marianne reflects on what she's gained throughout the year she's spent at Garreg Mach, while anticipating what moving forward and losing those connections might mean.

thunderclap | Marianne/Ashe/Ingrid | 1.8k

Marianne has been waiting for her two wives to arrive for far too long now.

the aftermath | Marianne/Hilda | 1.8k

Marianne and Hilda recover after a hard battle.

time after time | Byleth/Edelgard | 4.5k

Petra and Dorothea's wedding is interrupted by a successful assassination. Using powers that Byleth no longer believed she possessed, she turns back the clock in order to save the person that she's beginning to think that she loves, and to save the wedding day of some of her closest friends.

there’s a blaze of light | Edelgard/Lysithea | 1.3k

Edelgard likes the Monastery at night; except for when she makes the unpleasant discovery of her partner collapsed under the moon.

Horizon: Zero Dawn

remember us | Vala/Aloy | 2.2k

Aloy and Vala investigate some old ruins, and find some old ghosts.

in your arms | Aloy/Ikrie | 1.7k

Ikrie and Aloy tend to each other's wounds after a particularly fierce encounter with a herd of machines.

lazy afternoons | Aloy/Petra | 700 words

Aloy and Petra relax, with a picnic lunch being everything Aloy needs.

Baby, I’ve been here before | Aloy/Talanah | 900 words

Aloy and Talanah reunite after they've finished their respective goals in the Forbidden West.

all I ever learned from love was | Aloy & Varl | 1.7k

“GAIA?” Aloy asks, sitting up in her bed. The room is dark, and she can’t see any bright lights from the common area, so it must still be night. “What’s wrong?” “I would not categorise this behaviour as something wrong,” GAIA says, her smooth voice coming out of the intercom near Aloy’s bed. Aloy picks her focus up and puts it on, and GAIA shifts to that easily. “Varl has left the Base, and without his focus. I thought you would prefer to know about it.”

Avatar: The Last Airbender

yes, even now | Gaang | 1.2k

Zuko is busy being sick and investigating an old ruin when his friends arrive to make sure that he's not pushing himself too far.

She broke your throne | Zuko & Toph | 2.7k

Zuko is kidnapped from his afternoon of paperwork by a well intentioned friend. There just so happens to be a festival on in town for them to attend instead of working...

#mine #my writing #battleship #codywan #marihilda #marileo #valaloy

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nowis-scales · 1 year

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Rating: Mature

Fandoms: Fire Emblem IF/Fire Emblem Fates

Relationships: M Corrin | Kamui / Flora

Additional Tags: Romantic Fluff, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Parenthood, Self-Esteem Issues, Childhood Friends, Invisible Kingdom | Revelation Route, Implied/Referenced Sex, Implied Referenced Pregnancy

Word Count: 3,944 words

Summary: There is nothing Corrin has wanted more than to be a father, but as he and his wife begin to try for their first child after the war, he finds that she is harbouring a few more anxieties about parenthood than she was ready to admit. Hearing her concerns, he realizes that it's up to him to make her see what an amazing mom she's going to be.

[Read the Flora/Corrin one-shot on AO3.]

If there is one thing that Corrin has bragging rights to in this world, it’s being able to cuddle with his wife in the summer. While everyone else he knows spends the late hours of the night pushed away from their partner, too determined to avoid the stickiness of the heat, Corrin can enjoy every moment curled up in bed with Flora. There is no absence of cuddles, even in weather that has brought lots of sun and humidity to their beautiful home in Valla… Which makes it all the more disappointing when he wakes up one fine August morning to an empty bed.

He supposes he can’t blame Flora for wanting to get up and at it. Their usual duties as King and Queen made them a bit more prone to early waking, lest they miss out on something important. Still, considering that there had been a bit of an impromptu, er… romp between the two of them last night, it would have been nice to snuggle up together for the morning. Romantic, intimate even. But, then again, Flora always was very pristine. She probably enjoyed spooning all night, but felt she needed her bath come daylight. He could respect that. She’d been trying to take extra good care of herself as of late, considering that last night’s activities were only one session of many. The two of them had recently decided that it was finally time to grow their family, and she wanted to be in her best shape to carry their child.

The thought of expanding their family still sends warmth through Corrin’s chest when he thinks about it. He used to think that he would never even get to kiss Flora, let alone marry and have a child with her! And yet here he is, laying in their bed after a night of passionate lovemaking, thinking about just how perfect their future is going to be. Fate is a funny thing sometimes. One can never know what the gods have in their designs, but he's glad that no matter what happens, he and Flora are meant to be together. Now he can only hope that the gods will choose to bless them with the sound of little feet on the castle floors as well.

“Are you still sleeping in here, Corrin?” A familiar voice – Flora’s voice – coos as she peeks her head through the door, her blue hair still damp from her recent bath. “I thought surely you’d be rising by now.”

“’m up,” Corrin slurs unconvincingly, propping himself up on his elbows as he tries to rub the sleep from his eyes. Even through his blurry vision, he can see Flora smiling at him and shaking her head. She always did like to tease him about being too much of a ‘slugabed,’ as she called it. To be honest, he’s still not entirely sure what it means.

If she truly minds that he is still in bed, though, she doesn’t show it. She merely slides confidently into the room, adorned in only a pale pink nightgown. She’s taken to wearing it when she moves back and forth between the baths and their room. It would be indecent by some standards, shorter than her old uniform’s skirt and featuring straps instead of sleeves, exposing much of her beautiful porcelain skin, but it’s better than just a towel. Besides, Corrin doesn’t really mind the sight. If Flora is not concerned with other people thinking of her strangely for wearing it, then neither is he. He… quite likes getting to drink in the sight of her form when she wears it, anyway.

“I should hope you are,” she snickers, “As cute as you are when you’re tired, you might want to get used to waking up with a start if you want to have a baby around. Contrary to the popular saying, they aren’t exactly known to be great sleepers.”

“I know, I know… but that’s why I’ll have you.”

Flora smiles softly at this, but doesn’t say much more. In fact, she doesn’t even seem to linger on him like she normally would. She simply ventures further into the room, preparing to put her night clothes aside for washing and pick a gown for the day.

It’s hard not to sigh at her dismissal. Even though she knows how deeply he loves her, she always shies away from his kind words — perhaps even more so now that they’re trying for a baby. She’s told him before of how undeserving she feels of the life they have. Her denial of discussion now is an avoidance tactic. She may look like she’s just looking at gowns, deciding that she wants to wear white more than she does blue, but he knows better than to think that she’s not trying to dodge him. He wishes she wouldn’t be so hard on herself. Nonetheless, he knows the best thing he can do right now is try not to take too much offence. Flora, like all others, will heal with time and a bit of love. Such are the best remedies for a poisoned mind.

“I think you’ll be a really good mother, Flora,” he says in a tone that is as soft and sweet as he can possibly muster – but it makes his wife’s shoulders tense a bit anyway, “One of the best a person could have.”

She hums in response, neglecting to provide a real answer. Instead, she starts to leaf through the dresses in her closet. Does she really think she’ll be getting away from this conversation so easily?

“Flora, you know you’re going to be great, right?”

Once again, she doesn’t answer.

“Flora-”

This last utterance of her name is, for whatever reason, the crack that breaks the egg. Within a matter of seconds she is spinning around, a deep frown etching itself into her expression. “Corrin,” she says his name all too sharply for his liking, “Can you please give it a rest?”

I could, he longs to say, But that wouldn’t help me comfort my wife, now would it?

Ah, better not to let that out. It’s unlikely those words would be met with anything but displeasure.

“I don’t mean to pry,” he tells her instead, voice careful, “But if there’s something you’re worried about, I don’t want you to have to go through it alone, either. I know you don’t always have the easiest time opening up to people, but I’m your husband. It’s natural for me to worry, isn’t it?”

Flora looks down, the shame of her snap searing into her face. He can see a blush rising in her cheeks and she bites her lip, quietly considering his words. As much as she hates it, he knows that she needs a bit of prying when she is feeling poorly. Growing up with a sensitive sister like Felicia, it was often Flora’s responsibility to be the brave and composed one, so bottling up her own hard feelings comes naturally to her. It took some time for her to improve. While Corrin is proud of the progress she’s made so far, he knows that sometimes she’s going to need a bit more help. This seems to be one of those times. That’s fine – she’s more than worth it to him.

“I…” She reaches up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “It’s complicated.”

Corrin swallows before asking, “Are you having second thoughts about growing our family?”

The mere thought makes a pit of guilt sprout in his stomach. Flora not wanting a family, it would be something he could try to live with. It might make the Vallite line of succession a bit harder, what with him having to pick one of his nieces or nephews from either side of the family – maybe even Azura’s kids, were she willing – but it would be doable. However, considering the events of last night, it would be a bit hard to go back on having a baby now. Granted, there is no guarantee that Flora will get pregnant, but there is also no guarantee that she won’t. What would they do if she ended up pregnant, but didn’t want a baby after all? Best case scenario, she would learn to love being a mom; worst case, it would totally destroy her sense of self and their relationship. Even if he wants to be a father more than anything in this world, he could never do that to her. He loves her too much to put her through that pain, so for her sake, he can’t help but pray for her to be saying something else. Surely she must be, right? She wouldn’t tease him about wanting a baby if she was uncomfortable with the idea?

He thanks the gods that she shakes her head as soon the words leave his mouth.

“It’s not the baby I’m worried about… Or maybe it is, but probably not the way you’re thinking.”

Corrin wiggles over and pats the spot next to him on the bed without another word. A whisper of a smile graces Flora’s face before she makes her way over, sitting down next to him with the elegance of a queen. It was only a few hours ago that she was this close to him, yet he finds himself taken with her presence nonetheless. He drinks in her scent, the smell of jasmine and gardenia, and admires how even with her shoulder-blade length hair hanging wet and limp from her bath, she still manages to look impossibly beautiful. He only wishes that her expression wasn’t still tinged with sadness. Her face has always looked best with a smile or a laugh.

“I guess I’ve just been worried about being a mother,” she begins to explain, slowly and carefully, as if each word needs its own moment of emphasis, “I don’t know if I have what it takes to do a good job.”

The idea of Flora being a bad mother is almost laughable to Corrin. He knows better than to actually laugh at it, of course, yet he wonders how she could have decided that that would be the case. The husband in him wants to eagerly deny that there is any way that she could be, but the friend in him knows that he hasn’t really stopped to consider her point of view. Of course he thinks she’ll be a good mom — she’s like a goddess of snowy winter sunshine to him – but she doesn’t see herself like that, and he needs to remember that.

So, instead of getting too far ahead of himself and blurting out a myriad of platitudes, he decides to just… ask. “What makes you think you’d be a bad mother?”

Flora’s head tilts downwards once again, and a few strands of her hair fall limp in front of her face as she does, as if to emphasize how desperately she wants to avoid his eyes. Corrin finds himself tucking it back behind her ear without thinking. He knows it cannot be easy for Flora to bear her soul to him like this. Gently tending to her needs is the best thing he can do right now.

“I’m not…” She begins, heaving a heavy sigh before she’s even a quarter of the way through the sentence. “I honestly don’t know if I’m all that maternal. I can do a good job caring for someone, sure, but I’m not motherly, and I’m not sure that I know how to be.”

Corrin nods thoughtfully.

“Mother died when Felicia and I were six, so it’s not like I have much to remember… And even if we had Grandmother and Auntie Cecilie, we were taken away far too early on to remember a maternal hand… I’ve never known a mother’s love that I can remember.”

And you’re scared that you can’t share that with someone else, Corrin has to stop himself from blurting out.

“Even for fathers, ours always liked Felicia better, and Gunter…”

A dark look crosses Flora’s face, and she squeezes her eyes shut. Corrin cannot help but echo the action. Gunter’s betrayal weighed heavily on much of the army, but none were more deeply affected than the Fortress Foursome. He and Flora had spent many a night discussing his betrayal, and how even if Corrin could forgive him for it, Flora would not. The memory of that now prompts him to place a comforting hand on hers, silently urging her forward. Dwelling on the pain will do them no good, especially when even despite their love, the couple is not inclined to agree.

“I just feel that I don’t know what it means to be a parent.” She lifts her head to look at him, her pewter eyes gleaming with sadness. Gods, he prays she won’t cry. “Sometimes I don’t even feel like I know what it’s like to be a person. We spent so long at the Fortress during the formative years of our lives, and then suddenly we were out in the world where everything was new.”

“And now we’re here,” Corrin adds, “King and Queen of Valla.”

Flora sighs. “Right…”

A small silence permeates the air between them, as if neither is sure of exactly what to say. Her eyes are still troubled, laced with doubt, but he knows that there has to be something he can do or say to steer her in a different direction. He squeezes her hand softly in comfort. Unfortunately, she gives no reaction.

“But you know, Flora, you’ve been a great queen so far. I mean, you’re twice as versed in any of this as I am, and you’ve already saved me from making potentially troublesome decisions at least three times.” He smiles. “Not to mention that based on the intel Kaze is bringing through the grapevine, you have a lot of admirers among the new Vallites. Just the other day a crowd of young women was telling him how much they envy your grace.”

The crease between her eyebrows only deepens, and her gaze lifts to look out the window, as if she longs to be somewhere other than here. “Grace and good leadership skills aren’t going to make me a good mother. My own upbringing has made me much too bitter, and I don’t think it’s easy to solve with the acknowledgement that I am a decent person from time to time.”

“An amazing person all the time,” Corrin scolds, poking her arm in a soft-disapproval, “Remember what I said about talking about yourself like that?”

She sighs once more, like this whole conversation is just painfully exasperating. He can’t blame her for not wanting to talk about this, but surely she must know that it won't get any better if they don’t?

“It reaffirms your negative thoughts, and that’s not healthy.” She repeats in a flat tone, as if the words have been rehearsed to her a dozen times. In retrospect, they probably have. Corrin is not ashamed to say so.

“Exactly.”

Nonetheless, Flora doesn’t seem cheered. Though her eyes are back on him now, her shoulders are still slumped in defeat, and her hands folded neatly in her lap. Everything about her seems all too still, including her lacking smile. “The fact that you even have to tell me that… I fear you’re still proving my point, Corrin.”

Corrin’s brows knit together before he can even think to control his expression. “You’re not going to be a bad mother just because you still have growing to do. Everyone still has growing to do. You do it your whole life.”

Flora says nothing. There’s a slight twitch of her lips, but nothing else, and he knows that that has to be a sign that there is hope for her yet. She’s just not willing to give in right now. Luckily for her, he’s not the type to give up.

“Being someone who is always improving and growing, it’s important. Who knows, maybe it will even give our child a proper role model to look up to.” He pushes a smile once more. “Besides, it’s not like you don’t know how to be kind and caring. Part of the reason why we fell in love was because you couldn’t stop fussing over me.”

Flora practically jolts to life, and her cheeks flush pink. It’s hard not to laugh at just how cute she is when she’s embarrassed — although he supposes he shouldn’t be all that surprised, considering he thinks she’s cute all the time. Even when she’s getting grumpy with him, she is still impossibly adorable. He loves looking at her. “I was not fussing!”

In the end, he just can’t resist, and a smirk plays at his lips. “Really? All of the brushing, the hair adjusting? That wasn’t fussing?”

His wife’s hands land on her hips and she pouts. “I was just doing my job!”

“And what was it you said, when I was confessing to you? ‘All I know is how to take care of others’?”

Her arms fold across her chest as she falls silent for a moment, her brows still furrowed together as she watches his face for a prompt. He’s caught her in a bit of a corner here, and she seems to know it, too. Honestly, Corrin feels a little proud of himself for that one — it makes one more point for him, and one less point for the mean little voices in Flora’s head.

“Something like that,” she murmurs. His hand slips across the side of her face without a moment’s hesitation, pressing his warm palm to her cheek. She melts into its presence like it’s the most natural thing in the world, even moving to hold his hand there with her own.

“Right, so even if you don’t directly know how to be a mom, you have a warm heart. I have no doubts that you’ll figure it out. After all, I don’t think anybody wakes up one day knowing how to be a parent. I know I certainly don’t feel like I know everything, but I still want to do it, because I know I’ll have you at my side.”

“Corrin…”

Her eyes flutter shut, drinking in the comfort of him. Even with only a minor moment’s touch, he is already feeling that same reassuring bliss that he experienced last night after they finished their lovemaking — that warm, safe sensation that spread through his body as he held his wife in his arms. She must be feeling the same. He doubts she would be holding his hand so intently if she didn’t.

“I know I keep saying it, but I think you’ll be an amazing mom. Nobody in this world has a bigger heart than you,” he purrs, leaning forward to plant a soft kiss on her forehead, “You really never give yourself enough credit. Your nurturing, your empathy, your leadership… all of these are treasures, and things about you that are good. I think you’ll be the perfect mom, Flora, if you would just believe in yourself. I know I believe in you.”

“You always have,” she mumbles.

“And I’m not going to stop now. Even if you’re not sure, I guess I’ll just have to have enough faith in you for the both of us, then.”

A hint of a smile sneaks across her lips as her eyes flutter open once more. The sight of those beautiful grey irises, now sparkling with newfound solace, fills his heart with more joy than he knows what to do with. Seeing her so sad before made him ache, but it is like every bruise he’s ever had has healed when he sees a hint of a smile start to sneak across her lips.

“You’re quite corny, you know that?”

She’s got him there, and she knows it by his snicker. “Is it corny if it’s the truth?”

“Only a little,” she sighs dreamily, “I just wish that was enough to fix everything. I believe that you love me, Corrin, but I still wonder if that love has made you blind to my faults.”

“I wonder the same thing about your self-deprecation and your strengths. When you look for the worst in yourself, it’s all that you can see… and even if you really are a bitter woman who cannot socialize with or nurture other human beings-” he points a finger at her, “- which you are not; I love you anyway, and I think you will be amazing. I feel like that should count for something. You trust my judgement, don’t you?”

“I do.”

He nods. “Good… and Felicia’s judgement. You trust that, too, right?”

Flora pauses, dubious. “A… little less than yours, but I suppose I do, yes. Where are you going with this?”

“Do you remember what she said, when we told her that we were trying for a baby?”

Flora’s cheeks burn once again, and Corrin has to avoid chuckling when the newfound heat radiates onto his palm. “... That we were going to be the best parents on the continent?”

“Exactly. And she would know, wouldn’t she? She spent every day with us for over a decade. You trust her judgement, don’t you?”

“Well, I guess that's… true. Felicia’s a handful, but she’s always been good with measuring people’s intentions.”

Corrin nods enthusiastically. “And that’s just your family. Azura was delighted when I told her that we were interested in having kids. She wanted to know if you were pregnant right then so she could dote on you.”

No further explanation would be needed on just how important that was. Felicia’s excitement is a given, considering that Flora is her beloved twin sister and Corrin one of her best friends, but Azura? The songstress often struggled to connect with others and preferred to keep to herself, so the fact that she had complete and total faith in Flora as a person and mother says a lot. Flora’s face even softens at the mention.

“When I told Camilla, she kept saying how lucky our children were going to be, growing up with us as parents. Takumi was certain that we’d have the most well-behaved and well-loved nephews and nieces for him. It’s the same for all of my siblings, and our other friends, too. Silas, Lilith, Xander, Leo, Elise, Hinoka, Sakura, Ryoma… they all think you’re perfect, Flora. I do too. Faults or no faults, I believe that there is no one in this world more suited to being a mother than you.”

A moment ago, it might have startled him to see that tears are beginning to well up in her eyes. Now, he can only grin as she starts to sniffle, certain that as a smile breaks onto her face, that these are happy tears. “Don’t make me cry,” she whimpers.

“I’m sorry,” he half-laughs, pulling her in close, “I don’t mean to do it. I just love you so much, Flora, and I want you to know it.”

“I love you too,” she sniffs, burying her face in his neck as she wraps her arms around him, “I’ll never know how I got so lucky as to have a real-life prince charming.”

“Because you deserve one.” He plants another soft kiss on her head. “And everything else you’ve always wanted. I’ll do everything I can to make your dreams come true, Flora.”

As she buries her face in the crook of his neck, their bodies united in love once more, true peace finds its way to his heart when he hears her say the words:

“You are my dream, Corrin.”

#(1/2 of a request! requests not open sorry 😅)#Koto writes FE Fates #fire emblem fates #fire emblem Corrin #fire emblem Flora #fire emblem fates revelation #fire emblem fanfiction

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card-queen · 10 months

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Characters: The Little Things

This will be a short one and mainly about dialogue but I've experienced so many bad adaptations of things that I thought I would add some thoughts and advice about keep characters consistent. What is fanfiction if not a form of adaptation?

Anyway, as promised...

Dialogue!

Dialogue-crafting is a 3-step process. You can do this all in one go once you really know your characters, but this kind of method works well for times when you're still figuring things out and for when you're blocked by MUST WRITE.

Step 1: Write what is being said.

"How are you doing today?" A simple, pleasant exchange that can be read many ways depending on the context. It could be an advertiser on the street, in which case the meaning is more "Are you busy?" or "Do you have a minute?" It could be a doctor or parent talking to an injured person, in which case the meaning is "Are you feeling better?" It could be a friend talking to someone with a broken heart, in which case the meaning is "Are you still upset?"

There's a lot to infer from a sentence like that, but what we're here for is the meaning. We want the absolute plainest, most exposition-y, no-misunderstanding-here sentence because that's what we transform.

Like I said earlier, this can really help if you're suffering from writer's block or you're plain stuck. You know what's meant to happen but you just can't find the words. Start with the initial flow of the conversation: what is being said and who has the power.

What is being said is easy, it ends up looking something like this:

A: Are you busy? B: Do you need something? A: Yes, but don't be angry.

A: Is she still angry at me? B: Yes.

A: I want to go home. B: I know.

Who has the power will be something you know going into writing a conversation. You know who has all the information, you know who keeps their cool and who loses their temper, you know who gets flustered and lets valuable information slip. What you'll want to plot out is if and when that power dynamic shifts. This will be something of a mini-story structure throughout the conversation, especially if it's a long one.

Step 2: Shape how things are said.

Dialogue is a strong way, perhaps even the strongest way, to really show who your characters are. To transform a plaintext sentence like "I want to go home" into something a human would actually say takes a lot of input for outside sources, many of them directly from the character.

Things we can draw from include:

Situational Context. This is anything that relates to the current situation, especially in a physical sense. Where they are, where they are going, what the weather is like, if they are on-time or running late, if this is a repeat occurrence. The kind of thing that would be clear in visuals or descriptions.

Character Want. This is the current desire of your character. While straightforward in nature, characters often get muddled and trip themselves up by wanting things and expressing that desire in roundabout or even counter-active ways.

Character Mood. This is the current mental state of your character. It's self-explanatory and is usually understood by everyone.

Character Hang-Ups. This is how you character would say things. I like to think of what they would avoid talking about or expressing as a way of helping shape their dialogue. Instead of thinking 'this character likes to act brave', I tend to think 'this character does NOT want to look or appear weak' and have that shape their dialogue. The first option tends to lead to characters speaking their gimmick, which is commonplace in things like Soul Eater or Fire Emblem Awakening/Fates. By thinking of what they want to avoid talking about or appearing as, it can branch out naturally and show other ways of showing their personality without hitting the same note over and over.

Let's take the "I want to go home" line from above.

The situation: it's cold & raining, both characters are tired and the last train of the night seems like it's late but there is that underlying fear that they've missed it.

Example 1: Character Want: To go home Character Mood: Very tired and very frustrated but trying to keep it in check and no lash out unexpectedly. Character Hang-Ups: Looking weak or pathetic. They want to look like none of this bothers them but it really, really does. This situation bothers them a great deal and makes them feel utterly powerless. "I want to go home" might become "This sucks..." This character wants to go home but doesn't want to outright say it. They instead attack the situation around them, expressing their frustration at an easy target.

Example 2: Character Want: To go home Character Mood: Very worried and anxious about the possibility they missed the final train but trying to distract themselves and keep hopeful. Character Hang-Ups: Being overly negative and especially inviting negative outcomes with dour thoughts, even if it means being in denial. They would rather look on the bright side no matter what. "I want to go home" might become "Will you want dinner when we get in?" This character is distracting from the now and looking all the way into the future when they've both arrived home, safe and sound.

Example 3: Character Want: To get out of the rain Character Mood: Very worried and anxious about the possibility they missed the final train but this character is trying to be more rational and logical. They've allowed worry to become a distinct possibility and want to move towards a new solution. Character Hang-Ups: They know they're a worrier and don't want to let others know that they're worried or scared, so they tend to deflect and defer to others. "I want to go home" might become "It's getting late, isn't it?" This character is trying to subtly put forward the idea that it's too late, they've missed the train and should look for a hotel to stay in. They have taken a very gentle approach, hoping the other person will be the one to make the decision to find them a hotel.

These are just some very basic examples but hopefully they get across how characters can experience the same situations and have the same ultimate goal but express them in very different ways.

Step 3: Fine-tuning the details

The final step in this magical dialogue tour is fine-tuning things based on your specific needs. You will look at a sentence and say "needs more anxiety" or "seems good but let's add some brooding", like you are a world-class chef.

This is always where you pepper in stronger interactions between characters with established relationships and histories. Familiarity can go a long way in terms of really getting characters across. You could also swap out dialogue chunks for gestures that embody the dialogue.

"I want to go home" > "It's getting late, isn't it?" + extra Anxiety might equal "What time is it?" "I want to go home" > "This sucks..." being transformed into the character being icy and silent, leaning against the wall their their arms tightly folded.

This is also where you chop words that feel unnecessary. "It's getting late, isn't it?" could easily be "late, isn't it?"

Overall

It's quite simple: 1) Write plain words that expression desires or thoughts plainly 2) Transform those words into dialogue based on the situation, general mood, particulars of the character and their relationship with any other characters in the scene 3) Fine-tune the dialogue to flow better, express the character's desires and conflicts more clearly and establish dynamics and context for better understanding.

Character Roles

Characters inhabit roles, either to get reactions, follow story lines and grow in certain ways, embody particular themes, etc. It's important to know the roles your characters will play. Perhaps not all of the roles at first, or even at all, but you must know fundamentally why they exist which typically relates to their role.

Characters can have similar roles to one another but must differentiate themselves in some way. Two characters expressing anxiety over the future can co-exist, as long as they express them in different ways, show different sides of worrying about the future, affect other characters or have different stories of growth or peril to follow. I think part of what makes stories fun it to take characters with similar mindsets, backstories, goals or fears and show how similar yet different they are. How two people can grow up on opposite ends of the world, with entirely different levels of understanding, compassion, intelligence and courage, and come together under the same banner. How to characters who grew up together, surrounded by pain and suffering, can move on from their past, with some becoming better, some being permanently scarred, and others using their pain as a weapon for vengeance.

What's important to keep in mind is that everyone has a place in the story. When characters begin to overlap, it's time to evaluate: are they different or too similar? Can I change one to embody something slightly different and new? Or would it be best to merge the characters and keep what's left as spare?

I have watched a few TV adaptions of books I like, and one thing that always stands out to me is when they give scenes and moments integral to one character to an entirely different character. The changes can be welcome, giving the spot to a character that fits the role and gets more time to shine. The changes can be disappointing and clearly done for budget reasons. You can grumble about it, I will join you. Then the changes can be done for insincere reasons, where a character is clearly given an advantage of some kind, getting more spots and moments that either belong to or would be better suited for another character. The reason often boils down to simple favouritism, and should be avoided.

If you have a favourite character, that's fine and well, but don't try and force that character to be everyone's favourite character. Let all of your character have the chance to be someone's favourite.

I think that's all I had on this subject, but let me know if you'd like to hear more or something else.

Happy creating!

Want more writing advice? Check out this post!

#story talk #character talk #about characters #dialogue #character dialogue #fanfiction #adaptation #writing talk

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