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the-kaedageist · 1 year

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The inn is small and plain, the tables worn from years of patrons and the weight of beer steins. Essek touches his fingertips to the wood and thinks about how far his life has come. “Why are we here?” he asks after a long moment. Caleb looks up from where he had been spacing out, presumably lost in old memories as he glances around the room.

“Oh, ja,” he says, catching himself. “This is where we first met. The Mighty Nein, I mean.”

Essek’s eyes widen. The room takes on new hues, a history he hasn’t been able to read from the furniture and the beer spilt in the corner. He can see the ghosts of younger versions of his friends, set lightly upon this space like a memory - Jester laughing and carving a dick into one of the tables, Beau and Fjord drinking from steins and ribbing one another. Caleb sitting with Veth, who presumably would have been Nott then. Yasha by the bar, perhaps, with the infamous Mollymauk. They had started off with only seven, not having any idea that someday they would be the nine of their strange moniker.

“Ah,” says Essek, not sure how to put all of these impressions into words, especially not in Common. “An auspicious beginning, I see.”

Caleb shares a small grin with him. Essek knows that smile; it usually forecasts some statement that Caleb knows will horrify Essek’s delicate sensibilities, looking forward to how Essek will react.

“Yes, what is it, Caleb Widogast?” Essek asks, trying to keep the answering smile from his own lips and already planning to act as affronted as possible.

“I was covered in mud and shit, you know,” Caleb says conversationally, a gleam in his eye. “When we first met. You would not have come within five feet of me.”

Essek has heard tales of dirty Caleb, and privately been amused at the thought. “I would have Prestidigitated you clean long before you came close enough to be a problem,” he says confidently.

Caleb laughs openly; it’s good to see him comfortable and safe enough to do so. “Perhaps I should fall in the mud and see how cool you would act around me now,” he says with a straight face. His eyes gleam with mischief.

“We shall see then, who is faster on the draw,” says Essek smugly. “My Prestidigitation, or your determination to get dirt upon me first.”

Caleb laughs again and moves to the bar to order them trosts, while Essek sits at the table and waits for the others to arrive. It seems fitting, that Caleb chose this place for their first monthly reunion since Uk’otoa had been vanquished. A new beginning, in a place where a beginning had been forged once before.

Caleb returns, carrying two trosts and wearing a thoughtful smile. “Wishing you had been here to join us from the start?”

Essek is rarely surprised at how well Caleb knows him, these days. This comment still throws him, putting words to a yearning that Essek hadn’t even begun to understand himself. “Had I been here from the start,” Essek says, “the story would have turned out very different.”

Caleb hums and clinks their glasses together, sipping from his trost with a hum. “True,” he acknowledges. “And in the end, you found us assholes anyway.”

The door flies open. Beauregard and Yasha make their way inside, Fjord and Jester hot on their heels. “What did we miss?” Beau demands.

“Hey Trostenwald,” Jester shouts. “We’re back!” She proceeds to cast Thaumaturgy and blow out all the windows in the inn. The innkeeper glares at her in a way that implies she’s not at all surprised by this occurrence.

As the room fills with the shouts and laughter of the Mighty Nein, Essek sits back with a smile.

Yes, indeed. In the end, Essek found them all anyway.

#critical role #campaign 2 #shadowgast #essek thelyss #caleb widogast #the mighty nein #cr fics #cr ficlets #found a prompt in my notes from 6/2021 that was just 'they take essek to trostenwald'#turns out I never wrote it #so here it is!!!#not sure where this came from but ah #enjoy #there are nine of them #my fics #oh also essek is in disguise in this fic lol totally did NOT even mention that detail #it’s fine! presumably most of you assumed so

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cringefaecompilation · 9 months

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actually. if i could be a bit of a jerk for a second? i often see a lot of posts that describe dariax as a "comedic fat guy" in the vein of jack black but here's the thing. dariax isn't fat.

that is not a fat guy. he's not even chubby, he's stocky. even compared to orym he's not fat, orym is just slender. but it really does illustrate the backdoor butthole standards that fandoms have towards fat people.

gilmore is so very often drawn thin despite being stated to be fat and depicted as such in official art. yasha is stated to gain weight later on in the series and be extremely muscular but she's always drawn as thin as possible with only the bare minimum of musculature. pumat sol gets next to no art which people often brush off as him having a "silly voice" and a small role, but it's a little suspect given how often he's depicted in official art and matt's cosplay as being fat. veth is chubby and has a double chin in her official art and people insist it "makes no sense" to this day and draw her without it. even in fanart of the real life cast, travis and taliesin who have visible "dad bods" are slimmed down! and um. well. the only character people are actively comfortable drawing as fat on a regular basis is the one who stuffs her face full of donuts. yikes!

my point is that we gotta have more body diversity that isn't weirdly stereotypical or erases canonically fat people. draw essek fat now.

#🍃#cr meta #critrole #critical role #fatphobia #i could also complain about how it makes no sense for orym to look so slender because he's supposed to have muscles and works out a lot but #this ain't about him as the kids would say

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critter-genfic-events · 3 months

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Hurt/Comfort Fic Recs!

This week, we have thirteen hurt/comfort fics recced! Some emotional hurt/comfort, some physical whump, and sometimes combinations of the two. Check them out under the cut, and as ever, comment or kudos if you like them!

those that crawl and flutter towards the sun by vietbluecoeur (vietbluefic) (6163,Not Rated) Warnings: Major Character Death, Very Mild Insect Imagery, Mortality and Discussions Thereof, Sad & Gentle Ending Pairings: Jester Lavorre & Essek Thelyss

Essek has always been warned not to touch the creatures, called the in’luthin, "insects" with a lifespan of three days, but what harm is there in just looking? And anyways, when has Essek ever been one to listen?

Reccer says: From the very first words, this fic has such a luxurious weight to it. Some of the Mighty Nein appear, but this is definitively a story between AroAce Essek and AroAce Jester as bittersweet as the tags imply, only less bitter and more longing, and definitely, definitely sweet.

Spit, elbow grease, and a whole lot of gold by Multifandom_damnation (2006,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings: Ashton Greymoore & Milo Krook

The Nobodies dump Ashton off on Milo's table, and Milo does his best to fix him

Reccer says: Milo voices all of my rage at Ashton's treatment wonderfully. The fic also does a great job of managing the actual process of fixing him, along with all of the emotions involved as well

Philia, Is That You? by Professor_Rye (2034,General) Warnings: None Pairings: Yasha & Mollymauk

Yasha gets hurt protecting Mollymauk from assholes, and the Mollymauk helps Yasha make sure she's actually okay

Reccer says: QPRs my beloved

Crowned Teeth (or, An Offering Revoked) by fruitzbat (130570,Mature) Warnings: Frank depictions of PTSD/galley slavery Pairings: Kingsley Tealeaf/Original Character

Kingsley is mutinied against and sold into slavery halfway across the world. He breaks out, finds out the mutiny was the inside job to end all inside jobs, and makes his survival everyone else's problem.

Reccer says: I really, really like the way that this series explores different kinds of hurt and trauma, and how those kinds of hurt affect people's relationships and self-image. The first and second fics in the series are the most direct about the subject, but the third has a lot about what it means to lose a parental figure and complicated grief/trauma response stuff that I found really refreshing. Characters are messy and non-linear in their healing, and do their best to take care of each other. There's a lot of...I don't know how to say this, but a very no-bullshit look at the concept of the power of love that is this through-thread through the stories. Anyway, I really like them.

Trust by silversky (403,General) Warnings: None Pairings: Caleb & Nott

Nott is sick and delirious, but thankfully there is someone there to make sure she's okay.

Reccer says: the fic is very soft and warm

Scar Tissue by Belphegor (0,Teen) Warnings: scars, canon-typical violence, reference to main character death (and resurrection) Pairings: Scanlan Shorthalt/Pike Trickfoot

Sometimes surviving means learning to live with the scars that killed you. Pike knows a lot about that. Scanlan is still learning. (a little comics set a bit post-Campaign 1.)

Reccer says: Author here - sorry, I usually don't shamelessly self-plug like that, but I set out to write and draw post-campaign 1 hurt/comfort dealing with Pike's and Scanlan's different resurrection-related traumas, and I poured my entire heart into it. (turns out making comics is hard but totally worth it.)

I've Held You in the Plan by CitizenMocha (4015,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings: Vex & Vax

After all is said and done with the Apogee Solstice and its aftermath, Vox Machina free Vax from the Malleus Key. The twins are reunited. Rest, reflection, and a revelation about what happens next ensue.

Reccer says: Vex's grief is palpable throughout the entire fic, even as--especially as, actually--she's reunited with Vax. It's a heartaching yet triumphant look at what might happen when the events of C3 are all said and done. There's so many little details woven in that serve to make it pack even more of a punch ("Vax Speed" does so many things to my heart) and the dynamic between all of Vox Machina is wonderful as well.

The Night is Starting to Ache by CitizenMocha (3872,General) Warnings: None Pairings: Gwendolyn De Rolo & Vax De Rolo & Percy De Rolo

Set after episode 76 of campaign 3. It's the middle of the night and Gwendolyn is afraid to sleep.

Reccer says: I loved this glimpse of an older Percy as a loving, indulgent father doing his best to comfort his child.

maybe then my breath could embody by lunarblazes (1331,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings: Caduceus & Calliope Clay

Calliope and Caduceus have a fun bonding moment about the fucked up shit that happens when you leave home

Reccer says: There's so many little details I love in this, it's perfectly in character, and I love their sibling not-quite-comforting each other dynamic

a garden in the stars by wanderingBasilisk (2264,General) Warnings: None Pairings: Caduceus & Fjord

Caduceus stays back on the Nein's spaceship while the others run errands on a space station. When Fjord gets overstimulated from the crowds there, Jester brings him back to the ship and to Cad, who knows just what his friend needs.

Reccer says: It's very atmospheric (the description of the garden on board the Nein Heroez is So Evocative) and the familiarity and care between Cad and Fjord is so lovely and sweet. The time they've spent together and the comfort of a well-worn routine is apparent throughout the whole fic and comes together in the sweetest way.

Canities Subita: An Exploration of Self-Image by oversteepedearlgrey (1760,Teen) Warnings: Choose not to warn Pairings: Percy & Vox Machina

Percy hates looking in the mirror. He keeps his hair short and out of his face. He can’t wear his glasses during haircuts, and he certainly can’t be the one cutting it. It takes a creek, a bear, and a panic attack to find out why.

Reccer says: Percy is wonderful for hurt comfort, but I love the way that this is handling something that is more emotionally distressing than physically painful.

A Pirate's Bounty of Gold Doubloons by bluegreenamber (1823,Mature) Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence Pairings: Kingsley & Yussa

Kingsley hadn't been expecting any company today, especially not a powerful (and injured) elven wizard seeking refuge.

Reccer says: It's a really fun pairing!

Miles to Go by Crewe (3621,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings:

After a grueling battle, Vox Machina is hours away from the nearest cleric racing to get an unconscious Keyleth to Pike before poison takes its toll. Scanlan is hiding an injury to keep attention on Keyleth. It’s maybe a little worse than he expected.

Reccer says: Lovely fic where everyone is perfectly in-character, and the humour and tension are balanced just right, as are the worry and deflection (on both sides). Special mention to the Scanlan & Grog and Vex & Scanlan pairings, those add just the necessary acid-sweet icing on the h/c cake!

This is one of our weekly communally-generated gen rec lists. Every week we announce a new theme and allow anyone to submit a fic recommendation. Please note that the summary and content notes are provided by the reccer, and may be different than what the author has provided. Please assume good intentions all around. <3

And hey, anyone includes you!

Next week, we'll be featuring Yasha!

Then, it'll be clothes, time skip/future fics, and pranks!

Any fics coming to mind? Well, then use this form to submit!

If you're looking for some more, check out some fics written in the critter genfic bingo tag, or the older rec lists! Or you can request your own card and join in on the fun!

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saturdaysky · 1 year

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A post-TM9: Reuinited shadowgast ficlet. They were so happy, you guys 🥺🥰

Read on ao3 or continue on.

--- growing sunlight, no warnings, rated G-ish T, 718 words ---

Caleb shuts the door against the afternoon sun, sealing them into comfortable privacy. The curtains on his windows are likewise shut, but light seeps through them anyway, casting the room in a warm, muted glow. Dimmed daylight will gather here for hours; like a little bubble of sunset just for us, supplies his mind. He is too glad to resist whimsy. Essek's visits always make him so.

Behind him, there is a rustle of fabric. He turns to see.

"The beans outside are looking well," Essek states as he begins to unbuckle the fastenings of his coat. One nacre button of his collar loosens, then two, then three. A daring fourth slips open, revealing nothing but more fabric, but the sight warms Caleb anyway.

"So," Essek murmurs, mouth curling into a small grin, "it seems you are an accomplished mage, a slayer of god-serpents, and now a capable gardener. Impressive, as always." His eyes flick up. The warmth in his tease kindles the heat in Caleb's chest further. He is so very glad of this man's presence. It is a gift, each time.

"Well, they were your seeds," Caleb replies, watching the fifth button slip from its looped fastening. "I merely grew something from a base you gave me. A pattern for us, it seems."

A sixth and seventh button follow the fifth. Beneath them, Essek's next layer becomes clear: a pale cotton robe he often wears to warmer climes. It looks very good on him, Caleb remembers. Almost sheer, in the right light. He does not resist the urge to draw his eyes down Essek's form, half imagining the intimate drape of cotton, half marveling that such a regard is welcomed at all. It is new, what they have together. Still taking to the sunlight. Only beginning to flourish, Caleb hopes.

Essek spots the path of his gaze and raises his brow. He cants his chin to give Caleb a lovelier view, smugness playing around the edge of his mouth. Eight buttons, now.

"You give me much in return, but you are right. It is, ah, something of a pattern," he replies brightly, with such charming condescension that Caleb fights the urge to lean in and kiss it off his face — another new, precious indulgence he is allowed. After a moment, the smirk threatening Essek's expression makes itself known. "Though I confess your garden is among my favorite of our collaborations."

Nine buttons. The coat gap runs down to his navel, now, where fine, dark fingers have paused in its undoing. When Caleb drags his eyes back up, the smirk on Essek's face has transformed to something sweeter, hotter.

Caleb does lean in, then. Essek's mouth opens easily under his. They linger in the threshold of the doorway, drinking deeply of each other's company. Novelty and scarcity have ensured they are always a little parched of each other's presence.

"Mine, too," Caleb says when he pulls back. Essek has a freshly-kissed look about him, mussed in attractive places, flushed in others. The pale vee of his robe catches the glow of the room and blooms to gold, like Caleb has caught a bit of sunlight in his embrace. His fanciful heart decides it is true. "I did not always believe it, but...it is good to grow things. Even simple ones. To give them time, a little nourishment, care." He rests his head to Essek's, taking a moment to breathe him in. "To reap the harvest of patience. A worthy collaboration, I think."

Slim fingers fold gently around his hand, guiding it down until pearl and cloth greet his palm. The nacre buttons are cool and smooth, easily undone. He slips a tenth out of its fastening and counts: there are a dozen more below this one, waiting for his touch.

He lets out a shaky breath at the thought: Caleb has lived, again, and Essek is here, warm in his arms, basking in his touch. There is much for them to share, now that they have time to share it. Much to learn of each other; the air between them is ripe with the promise of golden hours, gathered just for them.

"Worthy?," Essek muses, quiet and close. His face is soft when leans up for another kiss, which Caleb is happy to give. "Yes, perhaps it is."

#my writing #shadowgast #essek thelyss #caleb widogast #critical role #cr spoilers #mighty nein reunited spoilers #thoroughly unbeta'd. enjoy!! back to work for sky now

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railroad-migraine · 2 years

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Nicknames for You

-> Mighty Nein (+Essek) x GN!Reader

Notes: A Campaign 2 version of my Bell's Hells post. Once again, no one requested this, I just love doing the last one and it seems you guys did too!! 💜

Crown Keepers version 💚 Bell's Hells version 💙

~ Poet

Beau 💜

"Toots"

Laughs when you give her a half-hearted smack on the shoulder when she calls you this, able to quickly overpower you and hold your wrists out of swatting range. There's a teasing lilt in her voice as she suggests you give her a kiss to make her stop.

"Babe/Baby"

It's casual, an arm draping itself over your shoulder or a hand reaching for your elbow. She draws you close, eyes flicking rapidly all over you, trying to assess the injuries received after battling some douchebag bandits.

Relieved that it's nothing too serious, she rasps your name before letting herself hug you in front of the others. It's her sentimentality - the vulnerability - that she so desperately wants to ignore she has, but she simply can't when you're standing before her, breathing and alive.

"Copper piece"

It started off as a joke, when it was early on in your friendship and career as the Mighty Nein. Tight for coin, you insisted on keeping your coppers just as close as you kept silver and gold.

It's becomes your go-to undercover name when pulling off not so legal shenanigans. It sounds like some trashy detective title, and she facepalms when she says so because Nott and Jester are already dragging you away to help in their latest scheme.

Some days she just says "Copper," a reminder of a time before you both were joined at the hip, broke and still learning to trust. What was an unassuming mineral and nickname, becomes something important that's too valuable to lose. A metallic taste left on your tongue as you part from a kiss.

Caleb 💜

"Liebling"

A classic and reliable petname when he doesn't want to simply call you by your name. He does a double take and blinks comically should you reply in Zemnian, the familiarity of the language reminding him of better days. Often with a hesitant reach for your hand, only to pause, suddenly shy before you grip his tight.

"Dove"

Heart soaring, exciting, and new. Not a morning goes by that he wakes up next to you without feeling butterflies in his tummy or his lips already forming a smile when he sees you laying beneath the sheets at his side.

The floor is scattered with parchment and books, and the room smells of paper and sleep. He mutters as he presses the heels of his hands to his eyes, grumbling at the fact it is still too early to get up ("It is 5:37 precisely.") So he settles for throwing an arm over you torso and drawing you closer to him, mumbling the word before drifting off again.

"Charming"

It genuinely was a slip of the tongue before you even became an item. He wanted to be open with you, about how much he respects you and values your contributions to the party. But his heart ached and his skin felt flush under your gaze, and ended up confessing how endearing your character was.

It took even longer for him to admit his feelings, but once you both found your footing in the new territory as lovers, it became second nature to refer to you as one of the traits he first associated you with.

Throws in a few "Beautiful" "Lovely" or "Handsome" nicknames for sure. This man has spent so much time denying himself simple affection, thinking it was not only for his sake but for the sake of others. With you, after everything that's happened, he's able to learn to be comfortable and soft again.

Fjord 💜

"Lovebug"

People would swear that you're married from the way he looks at you, the way he shields you in battle or when he seems less self conscious of his tusks when sharing a giddy smile with you from across the room like a secret. He's asked by a stranger what's got him in a good mood and he simply says the loving nickname.

"Darl"

It seemingly came from nowhere at a random point on the Nein's journey. Shortly after reuniting following the Iron Shepherds situation, with the party one member short, he made the decision to not take life for granted. He was softer with you, tender even.

His hand on your shoulder, a thumb brushing away a tear sliding down your face and his voice but a whisper. And instead of calling you by your name, he calls you Darl, easing your mourning heart enough to stop crying and look at him with bloodshot eyes. He'll stay by you - he made a promise to.

"Captain"

There's salt in your eyes and sand in your hair, your skin is windburned and your knuckles are skinned, and your shirt is frayed at the cuffs, but there's no where else you'd rather be than at the bow of the ship. You're loosely gripping onto a rope, swaying as the breeze takes you somewhere far away and new, with the promise of adventure.

You look over your shoulder at him, standing proudly at the helm, natural and comfortable and in his element. He catches your eye and you grin, returning the little mock salute he sends your way before he mirrors your expression.

It's the way in which he tips his hat to you, holding the Captain's Cabin door open like a gentleman for a nightcap before turning in for the night, the colour that floods his cheeks when you kiss him briefly with a sigh. He removes the hat from his head with a slow reverence, and nestles it comfortably on your own.

Jester 💜

"Sweetie"

Puts on an old grandma type voice when she says this, patting you on the head or arm when she links hers with yours, her skirts flowing behind you. When she's conversing with the Traveler, she realises it's the only name he knows you by.

"Cutie"

She just has the urge to reach out and pinch your cheeks and attack your face with flurries of affection. So she does, often in the presence of strangers without any shame.

She snuck up on you one day, freshly painted rouge lips at the ready. Before you could even comment on the lipstick, you were interrupted with smooches all across your chin, nose, forehead and mouth before she skipped away, cooing the name before you broke into a sprint after her.

"Cupcake"

There's an obvious theme here with tooth-rottingly sweet nicknames.

Whenever she partakes in the bakeries the Nein passes on their travels, you're often the one she drags along with her, oohing and ahhing at the muffin varieties and signature sweet recipes.

She shares every one she snacks on with you, offering a bite here, insisting you taste the frosting there, or keeping what's left for you in her pocket when you're busy somewhere else. She smears a bit on your nose, giggling with delight at your baffled expression.

Molly 💜

"Handsome"

Says it with a purr, a hand at your back when you least expect it. You can hear the smile in his voice, that shit-eating grin. Call him it back and his eyes light up, one of his sharper canines tugging into his bottom lip. His tail curls slightly, his fingers moving to tangle with your own.

"Darling"

Upon first meeting, he called many people both in and outside of his social circle this innocent nickname. But the closer he got to you, and the more the walls separating you began to crumble, it ended up being strictly assigned to you. In fact, many of his terms of endearment became reserved for you alone, often forgoing your real name and coming up with something else.

The tip of his nose is lightly pressed to your own. His hair is tangled, knotted where you thread your fingers through it, and his hands gently hold your waist. The only music to dance to is the distant thrum of the tavern downstairs, and his muttered lyrics of songs he didn't even know he knew. They're from another time, maybe one he'd rather forget.

"Angel" (x) (<- fic ref)

His body has lived through so much. He has been buried, crawled out from soil, found friends, fallen in love, fallen to his knees at the mercy of others, and now has woken up for the final time as Mollymauk Tealeaf, and will remain so for the rest of his days.

It's hard not to believe in some form of angel or personal valkyrie after the things he's endured, a lingering and comforting presence grounding him and helping him stand when he was bare, his tattooed flesh turned markless, and his thoughts confused.

He says it in the dark under the sheets when he dreams of you, when he takes his spot by your side at dinner, when you kiss his mouth and make his heart sing.

Nott/Veth 💜

"Treasure"

It's said in private, behind closed doors and when she's looking through the bits and bobs she's collected over the journey. She compares you to the shiny buttons and gemstones she keeps in her pockets, little riches she'll value above all else.

"Hottie"

There's bravado, a bit of holdness in her grin as she stares up at you, almost in a daze when you ask her what is she looking at. She sighs dreamily, resting her chin in her hands and acts like a swooning maiden.

Your face feels aflame when she gives your ass a playful smack before she charges into battle with her crossbow at the ready, but you settle for the encouragement with a laugh as you run after her.

"Peaches"

The best thing about being a travelling band of adventures is the vast lands and cities you come across and explore. There was one town in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nothing but farm land and fields of orchards - the origin of the nickname.

She's standing on your shoulders, hushing your worries as she swipes a couple of the juicy fruits from the branches overhead.

Of course, the moment you heard the farmer returning you bolted, holding her in your arms like a child. Back in town, she's feasting on the sweet fruit and holds up slices to your mouth, sharing the spoils with her partner (in crime).

Yasha 💜

"Goober"

Her face is flushed, and she's trying to not babble as you chuckle at her new attempt of a nickname. It ends up clumsy, childish, but so so endearing and you cannot help but reach up and kiss the tip of her nose and call her it back.

"My love"

A heart to heart moment, taking a long rest in a half burned down barn while it pours rain outside. The others are asleep and snoring, and she's a comforting, strong presence by the fire as the storm passes over you.

She's a bit nervous, agitated, hopeful that she's not reading into something that's not there. But when you take her hand in yours and lean into her toned arm, she lets out a sigh of relief, and perches her chin on the top of your head.

"Petal"

Soft and delicate, something she cherishes and keeps safe.

She's pressing flowers that you gave her into a new notebook, dating it and asking you to sign your name next to hers. Little things she wants to remember and to show her children, hold close to her heart and look after her long time spent wondering and wandering.

Her thumb brushes against your cheek, the setting sun's glare through the window highlighting your skin and the flora set to the side. The collection is forgotten the longer she looks at you.

Essek 💜

"Stranger"

It's reserved for after long periods of time spent apart, when you're wrapped up in his arms and cloak once more and he knows that you're safe. It's been too long, and a laugh is shared between you in a room with only a single candle to see.

"Heart"

He says it as a greeting when the Nein approach him, a simple flirtation when he addressed you for the first time, a hand on his chest in respect. You return the gesture, albeit mockingly, and it only sparks his curiosity further.

It soon developed to have a greater meaning as you got closer, combined with lingering looks and touches, a confessional letter you found in your pocket, and his attempt at remaining stoic when you confronted him about it later. You grip his collar, tugging him close and promise your affections already lie with him.

"Casanova"

It's classy, it's romantic, it's passionate~

He has your chin pinched between his fingers as you regard each other, huddled close in a quiet corner of the ballroom. His eyes are flicking to the side at your rejected suitors, but you bring his focus back to you with a purr of his name.

He calls you his smooth talker, the corners of his lips lifting into an all-knowing smirk. He leans in, suggesting a kiss, but intentionally moves past your lips and plants his own on your cheekbone instead. A tease. You'll get him back later.

Thanks for reading if you got this far, I hope you enjoyed 💜

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spottedenchants · 1 year

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fluffy lil 400 word bit inspired by this post @essekthelysssideblog :3

Essek has had many faces; between them, even more names.

Among his favorites are those wrapped in jests and in teases, in kind intent nevertheless.

‘Twinkle Toes’ dresses in a faint brogue, while ‘Essie’ stays in a softened shrill tone. ‘Man’, gruff enough in a way he can comfortably withstand, and ‘big guy’, gently rumbles from one twice him in dimension. ‘Best friend’, shortened to ‘bestie’, laced in bouncing vowels.

‘Friend’, ‘my friend’, shared between a placid drawl, a light sea-sway, and a thicker, now-sleepy lilt.

And now in the last, though not quite new, the newest:

“Dear.”

Continue below or on AO3

The word itself is a smile, the syllable of it nothing but sweet.

“Another to the list?”

Essek asks, unnecessarily, given the grin glinting in his dear friend’s pretty blue gaze.

A threaded blessing like the rest, Essek sets aside this title’s very own crafted space.

“It is you, hm?”

Fingertips trace along his cheek. The whisper, the planes of his face.

Pads follow warm to the well-worn homes of kisses, the different paths they all may take.

Greetings. Goodbyes.

The ‘do better’s, the ‘come back’s.

The very best in this moment: the ‘please stay’s.

“What do you think?”

A great many things, all tricky to phrase, so as always, Essek weaves in this one, too.

“Caleb Widogast…”

That suffices, a crystalline success as Essek draws out a simple chuckle; he catches it like a butterfly, a quieting brush betwixt.

By now, he needn’t say much else to convey this trickling depth of delight.

Even still, he does try, for Caleb is well worth every effort.

“Very well. Call me as you would like.”

But Caleb peers, clicks his tongue.

“So formal.”

A teasing curl to his mouth, like a taste isn’t quite enough to sate.

Well, certainly a challenge can’t stand.

“Caleb Widogast.”

His name honey, Essek glazes it to Caleb’s lips.

Smile toothy, Caleb backs.

“My friend?”

“Silly man.”

And again Essek leans, unresisted.

Caleb tuts.

“Needs must.”

“Ridiculous man.”

Once more, Essek meets him, and this Caleb parts with a laugh.

“But of course, my dear. And your thoughts?”

A little sigh, nuzzled close; Essek returns exactly to where they began.

In a silent reply, he gifts Caleb yet another kiss, this one up, soft between brows.

And he smiles, affection’s roots having grown ocean-deep in his chest.

“You know, given time… I think that it just might do.”

#essek thelyss #caleb widogast #shadowgast #cr spoilers #critical role spoilers #chanse writing #never made an actual post for this so! here it be xD #i just think essek and nicknames y'know?#people you love giving you a silver of themselves in what they call you #fun fact- i'm pretty sure thelyss no longer was originally titled this #before i switched that over to a scraped wip

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fortunesfavours · 9 months

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Self Rec Tag Game

tagged by @spottedenchants (thank you :])

Rules: Share five of your own fanworks (fic, art, etc.). Then, tag five more people to share the things they've made.

Something you absolutely adore

original post - blumendrei/photo study it's this one, because of course it's this one. even though there's things i would change (the lineart on the fabric especially), i'm ridiculously proud of this one and i adore it still. it's one of the pieces i'm most proud of creating.

2. Something that was challenging to create

original post - drawing of my sorcerer, iona, for an upcoming pathfinder game. i'm very proud of the fabric textures in this one (the pants took so long), and as tricky as it was to get right, i think it really works as an expression of her character.

3. Something that makes you laugh (or smile, if that fits more comfortably)

original post - essek outfit ref look at my little guy. look at him. this is the piece where i cracked how i wanted my lineart to look. since then, i've been able to expand and work off of what i did here but it brings me so much joy and i smile looking at it every time. i love his little outfit so much.

4. Something that surprised you (in how it turned out, how much other people liked it, etc.)

blown glass, bubbles - sg fic concerning realizations about love and exploration of demisexuality, from essek's pov.

this one was very personal to write, and was a big part in my own exploration of my demisexuality. the response i got for it surprised and delighted me in how many people related and enjoyed reading it. i'm really not very confident in my fiction writing, especially for fandom, and i'm quite pleased with both how i was able to stretch my writing skills and how other people received it.

5. Something you want other people to see

original post - book cover for @quinn-of-aebradore's fic, clockhands and butterfly wings i'm still in love with this cover and the fic slaps. everyone go read quinns fics. i love the intertwining, i love the magic circle, i love the colors, i love the damask

tagging: i'm afraid i'm terribly shy about tagging people as well as keeping track of who's already been tagged, so here's for anyone who wants to do it! really. consider this me directly tagging you

#tag game

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arcaneworms · 1 year

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I love your art style and particularly the way you draw Essek SO MUCH! It's so pretty!

Thank you so much! It makes me happy that so many people seem to enjoy the way I draw him. He’s easily one of my favorite NPCs. I hope at some point I’ll be comfortable drawing all of the M9, but until then, he is my special little guy that I obsess over. :-)

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daggersandarrows · 10 months

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CHOOSE VIOLENCE!!! 7, 8, 10

choosing violence!!

7. what character did you begin to hate not because of canon but because how how the fandom acts about them?

ok this is going to be a weird one but. fjord.

TO BE CLEAR i fucking love fjord and i think his arc is one of my favorites but there came a point sometime after he'd sort of settled into being a cleric of the wildmother when a certain meta writer--who i respect very much, they seem very smart--started to make meta posts after each episodes where i was nodding along enthusiastically, ready for them to draw me into the conclusion....where they inevitably went "which is why this was all about fjord and his journey."

i got...so...sick of this, especially as the story focused more on caleb and then on beau and yasha. and this person's meta is super popular, so i saw it EVERYWHERE even after i unfollowed. i just wanted to scream "not everything is about your blorbo oh my god". and i started to roll my eyes any time fjord said anything before i was like wait. what. i like fjord. and i realized it was just dread at the anticipation of looooong metas that were Just About Fjord.

in retrospect this is totally on me, i should've just blocked them, but their only crime was being slightly annoying so i chickened out.

8. common fandom opinion that everyone is wrong about

that jester is innocent and clueless, especially wrt sex. it is absolutely incredible to me how many people completely forget that she was given a pretty thorough private education and oh yeah that her mom is a sex worker?? who's VERY frank with her?

no--jester is inexperienced. jester is that one friend you know who has kinks you've never heard of and reads piles of smut and has never had sex. she knows Exactly what goes on, she just has very unrealistic ideas about the possibility of being railed by the pizza delivery man.

bringing me to my final point: why don't more people do an aspec or arospec of jester?? it's RIGHT there

10. worst part of fanon

i'm so incredibly bored by "and then they were happily into peaceful cottagecore domesticity for the rest of their days" type shipping (with ONE exception), espeeeecially with queer ships. y'all think yasha "i'll throw you under a bridge" nydoorin is gonna be a quiet, settled housewife with her adhd, violence prone, poison immune wife? caleb "i want to bend reality to my will" and essek literally started a war thelyss are going to find a nice place in rexxentrum and settle down? with KIDS? (i find it impossible to believe shadowgast would want kids. i Get the impulse and i will never yuck anyone's yum but i personally find it incredibly out of character). (conversely, i do find ridiculously sweet/cutesy/fluffy shipping of these characters to be generally kind of funny but really endearing. it's just the "settling down" bit--like. i just can't believe these guys would ever sit still.)

my one exception is of course percahlia, in part because their cottage is less a cottage and more local government, and more relevantly because i think the two of them getting a quiet comfortable existence is actually sort of a radical idea. "i was going to be a clockmaker once" just fucking kills me. for a character to be, as taliesin put it, karmically fated to have a bad ending, to get the typical fairy tale happily ever after treatment...for vex to gain both wealth and importance...it just feels right.

thanks tangereen :)

#answered #tangereendream

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esswulf-wednesday · 2 years

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Welcome to the Esswulf Wednesday Club!

Hello and welcome to the Esswulf Wednesday Club monthly Tag Fill event! On the last Wednesday of each month, we aim to fill out the Eadwulf Grieve/Essek Thelyss tag on ao3 and make our rarepair a little less rare. Submissions can be fic, art, songs, or whatever else you want to contribute.

You can write or draw whatever you want, but we'll provide themes and prompts for you to use or draw inspiration from.

Post your submission on Wednesday October 26th, 2022 and be sure to tag us or send us a link!

To join the Esswulf Wednesday Discord Server, send us an ask or a message. 18+ only!

October's Theme: Halloween

💜🐺Essek is a vampire and Caleb is his pet. Wulf comes to rescue Caleb but finds out actually it’s a totally hot situation. Spooky fucking ensues... Bonus points for size difference!

💜🐺Staying home to hand out candy to Trick or Treaters.

💜🐺Costume party or masquerade ball. How long does it take them to recognize each other?

💜🐺"After my werewolf boyfriend pulls out..."

💜🐺Couples' costumes

💜🐺Pumpkin Spice Lattes

💜🐺A date to a pumpkin patch, corn maze, or haunted house

💜🐺Watching a horror movie. One of them gets particularly unsettled or scared and the other comforts them.

💜🐺Essek puts together a Night of Ascension celebration for Eadwulf.

💜🐺e+other e are lost in a non-euclidean corn-maze of the Raven Queen's. Like lost souls between life+death type situation.

💜🐺There's a monster outside Blumenthal stealing the chickens. e² need to help.

💜🐺Neighborhood decoration contest! Essek takes very seriously and enlists Wulf's help to win. It turns out way too scary...

💜🐺Pumpkin Carving! What do they carve? Does one of them get way more into it than the other?

#esswulf #essek thelyss #eadwulf grieve #critical role #happy esswulf wednesday #esswulf wednesday club #essek thelyss/eadwulf grieve #essek/eadwulf #essek/wulf #eadwulf grieve/essek thelyss #eadwulf/essek #wulf/essek

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itisalwaysthursdayhere · 2 years

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ID: Digital sketch of Essek on a bench and Caleb on the floor, both comfortable in their library. Essek is tilting Caleb's head up and they are gazing into each other's eyes. End ID.

In-progress shadowgast sketch because I won't be able to work on this much more before the fall semester. I need to double down on my demo reel models...(also i dont draw clothes at first for Form but they will have Outfits later lol)

Click for better quality.

#image described #caleb does art.#shadowgast #cr2

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pumpkin-mush-and-seeds · 10 months

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Welcome to my fanfic tumblr

(Below this post are general trigger warnings for the fic)

This is a tumblr account dedicated to giving updates about my fanfic What Does Life Sound Like?, a critical role modren coffeeshop/roommate AU. Essek, the main pov, moves to a three bedroom apartment in Zadash for work, with three other roommates, Caleb, Veth, and Molly.

This fic is character driven and focused. It's about these assholes learning how to be less of an ass, growing together and strengthening the friendship and love.

I do my best to try to add trigger warnings to the chapters that need them, but I am not every person in the world so I know I'm going to miss something. Below here is a general trigger warning list of the things that tend to be in every or most chapters even if I don't warn about each chapter, along with warning that might come up in the future. Spoilers ahead.

Ablest language and self thought: Many of these characters do not have the greatest self worth and will often push themselves past there own comforts and ignore there needs or ridicule themselves for not meeting there own impossible standards. I do not condone these actions (nor any on this list), but I write about them as a way to explore my trauma through these characters. I do plan on them to grow and learn how to be kinder to themselves and others.

Addiction and substance abuse: Many character use alcohol and other drugs as an escape, to the point where it is not healthy.

Canon related trauma: Critical role canon trauma, if you are not fully caught up this will be a spoiler. I don't plan on going into too much detail as I'm trying to balance all the angst with double the fluff.

Scars and self harm: Again mostly canon related. I don't plan on being graphic with this, or writing about a character cutting themselves. Anything mentioned will be through context, or after the fact. There may be moments of characters doing self harm that doesn't draw blood, such as hitting, pinching, or scratching. I'll do my best to warn of these moments ahead of time

Generational trauma/Family trauma: Sometimes family fucking sucks. Besides Beau (since it's canon), I don't plan on writing actual abuse. There will be points where it might border on it (depending on the person) but much of the problems will be poor parenting, lack of support or emotional availability, or a general cultural thing.

Death and violence: Should be on the same par or less severe than canon critical role violence and death, and it shouldn't be too prevalent.

Panic attacks and meltdowns/mental health issues: These moments are often explored in this fic, I will try to put a warning on the chapters that deeply explore these topics or moments. Caleb is the one character that will probably be having the most panic attacks, and Essek will have some autistic meltdowns. In this fic I have written him as autistic (undiagnosed). I am autistic and many of these moments, whether autistic or depressive or anxiety, will be based off of stuff i have gone through

If there is something you think is missing on this list please let me know

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