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skyward-floored · 3 months

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Here’s my (very late) birthday fic for @kikker-oma, it’s based off her art for day 17 of whumptober!

(Which at least one other person has already written a fic for but I didn’t realize until after I’d already started writing it so any similarities are pure coincidence 😅)

https://www.tumblr.com/kikker-oma/731400216730828800?source=share

I hope you like it Oma, happy (very belated) birthday!!!

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Something was wrong with Legend.

Time could see it in the way the teenager walked, his steps heavy and dragging. How he lingered at the back of the group and barely spoke, mostly just nodding along to whatever it was Wind was telling him, and didn’t go out of his way to speak to anyone, his words sharp and vicious when he did.

Normally Time wouldn’t think twice about Legend being a little extra antisocial and standoffish. He was often grumpy (though Time had seen his soft interior once or twice in the brief time they’d been traveling together), and it wasn’t surprising his mood would get a little more severe now and then.

No, the worrying thing was that it had been several days since the behavior began, and it hadn’t gone away yet.

If anything, it had gotten worse.

Legend seemed to get more lethargic and snappish as they traveled across the wilderness of Wild’s Hyrule, keeping to himself even more intensely, and largely ignoring the rest of them. He’d gotten paler too, in just the few days of whatever this was, and Time was only growing more concerned.

It was worrying. Incredibly so.

Time had been keeping a closer eye on Legend ever since he’d realized something was up, and most of the others seemed to catch on that something was wrong as well, but nobody had confronted Legend about it yet. Or if they had, hadn’t succeeded at all in fixing the problem. Twilight had tried to tactfully approach the subject just that morning, and Legend had nearly bitten his head off in response.

Time wasn’t sure what to do, and he wasn’t the only one.

After all, none of them liked to admit something was wrong with themselves— Time himself was certainly guilty of that— but Legend, prickly as he was, was one of the worst. Confronting him head-on about whatever the issue was would only make him more likely to deny anything was wrong at all, as Twilight had already demonstrated earlier.

But someone needed to get through to him, before something snapped.

And later that day, Time finally got a chance.

They’d reached a good spot to stop for the night, Time watching Legend like a hawk the entire trip there. The veteran had nearly tripped on nothing a few times, but had covered it up so quickly nobody could call him out on it.

They had eaten dinner fairly quietly for once, Wild roasting some mushrooms and meat of some kind. Legend kept to himself during the meal, barely picking at his food, and staying out of the conversation. Everyone pretended not to watch, but it was almost laughable how obvious it was that they were all keeping an eye on him, the worry hanging like a cloud over the group.

And Legend seemed to have noticed the increased scrutiny, as later when the heroes were all settling down for the night— cleaning up dinner, getting out bed rolls— Legend stood and told them all he was going to patrol around.

“Really? Are you sure?” Hyrule piped up, and Four frowned from next to him when Legend nodded.

“...By yourself?” the smithy asked.

A very slight edge of concern lay in his voice, and Legend’s shoulders immediately hiked up to his ears.

“What, you think I can’t handle myself?” he shot back in a sharper tone than normal, and Four quickly raised his hands in a peaceful gesture.

“Of course not Vet, I know you can,” he reassured, and Warriors stepped in.

“Exactly. It’s just dark, and we’re in unfamiliar territory, that’s all,” Warriors put in, and Legend turned to glare at him.

“Yet that’s never an issue when Twilight goes off by himself,” Legend snapped. “Shove off Captain. I’m the veteran, remember? I’ll be fine.”

Then before anyone could stop him, he disappeared into the trees.

All of them watched in an uncomfortable silence as Legend stomped away, and Time stopped Twilight when he went to follow him, placing a hand on his arm.

“Best we wait until he’s calmer,” he said, and Twilight exhaled, then sat down. “...And probably best someone who hasn’t made him mad yet go.”

“I think that’s just you at this point,” Sky pointed out, and Time paused, then sighed as he realized Sky was right. Every single one of the rest of the group had been the target of Legend’s ire in the past few days. Time somehow was the only one who had escaped unscathed... which made him the perfect candidate to follow Legend now.

“All right,” he agreed somewhat reluctantly, and settled down to wait.

“Hylia be with you,” Wild muttered as he cleaned his cooking pot. “You’re gonna need her.”

(...)

Half an hour later, as the others either went to bed or tried to busy themselves, Time got up and headed in the direction that Legend had stormed off in.

The moon was large and bright in the sky, and Time almost didn’t need the lantern he’d brought to find Legend’s trail. Though despite the moonlight lighting his path and the assistance of the lantern, it took Time much longer to find the hunched-over figure of Legend then he’d thought it would.

Legend had gone a fair distance from camp, and plunked himself down on a large fallen tree, his head bowed as he stared at the ground. He didn’t react when Time stepped a bit closer, and Time frowned as he watched him for a moment.

Were his shoulders shaking?

Time purposely crunched a few leaves to signal his presence, and Legend’s ear twitched in response. He didn’t do anything else though, and didn’t look at Time when he carefully sat down beside him on the log and set down the lantern.

An owl hooted nearby, and Time listened to it a moment before letting out a quiet sigh.

“They can be an overbearing bunch, can’t they?” he remarked in the silence, the owl going quiet.

Legend flicked an ear, and didn’t respond.

“...They mean well, though,” Time continued when the silence stretched between them. ”They’re not trying to be overwhelming, or even nuisances. They’re... just concerned about you, Vet.”

Legend let out a little huff of air that almost sounded amused.

“Right,” he said flatly. “Well they shouldn’t bother, there’s nothing to be concerned about.”

His hand tightened where it was held around his waist, and Time couldn’t help but notice when it did. Legend’s face seemed paler in the moonlight shining down on it as well, but when he saw Time staring at him, he scowled.

“Go back to camp old man, I’m fine,” he muttered.

Time took a deep breath. Nayru grant me wisdom, here’s where it gets tricky.

“The way you’ve been acting the past few days seems to speak towards a different answer,” he said in a level voice.

“Well whatever it is you think you’ve noticed is all in your imagination,” Legend shot back, clutching his middle even tighter.

Time looked at it again, and paused in what he was about to say as a thought suddenly dawned on him. He couldn’t remember for sure, not everything at least, but if he was right... would Legend really do something so detrimental to his health like that?

“Legend... when was the last time you ate anything?”

Legend’s mouth turned into a thin, hard line.

Ah-ha.

“That’s none of your business.”

“It is if you’re pushing yourself not to for some reason,” Time said, firmness creeping into his tone as he watched the boy. “We have plenty of supplies Legend, why aren’t you eating?”

“I never said I wasn’t,” Legend snapped back, glaring at him. “And even if I am, maybe I’m just not hungry.”

“Not hungry at all?” Time asked with a raised eyebrow, thinking back to the past several days. “Legend, I don’t seem to recall you actually eating anything recently, you can’t just starve yourself.”

“Oh yeah? Well maybe it would be better for everyone if I did!”

Time blinked in surprise, and Legend’s anger seemed to falter a moment, something horribly vulnerable cracking through the prickly mask he’d thrown on. But he quickly tossed it back over himself, despite the tears trying to gather in his eyes, and his expression reverted back to the anger he’d possessed a few moments ago.

“Link,” Time said quietly, and Legend looked away. “What’s the matter?”

“Nothing. Okay? Would you shove off?”

“Legend,” Time said imploringly, and Legend’s ears pinned back against his head.

“Look I’ve handled it alone before, I can handle it now,” Legend suddenly bit out, his voice thick with emotion. “It’s just— nothing!”

“Nothing wouldn’t make you raise your voice like this,” Time pointed out.

“Well it is!” Legend said in a slightly quieter tone, though it still shook in anger.

Something in Time’s chest ached at the rawness in his voice and the tears that had returned to his eyes. Legend’s lip was trembling, but he was firmly biting down on it to stop it from doing so, and he looked like he was close to losing what control he had left.

Time studied him more intently, trailing carefully over skin flushed with anger, over shaking fists and shoulders, at the hand still held close to his middle.

The shakiness, refusing to eat, the paleness of his face...

Time’s eye widened as a new thought crossed his mind, and he exhaled, reaching a careful hand towards Legend.

“Link, you’re sick, aren’t you?” Time asked in a soft voice, and Legend’s eyes widened, then narrowed. “That’s at least part of this, isn’t it?”

Legend slapped away his extended hand.

“Go away,” he bit out, something truly dangerous in his voice, but Time was nearing the eye of the storm and he wasn’t prepared to back out now. “Go back to camp, wander in the woods or whatever, I don’t care. Just leave.”

“Legend,” Time said, shifting closer. “You can’t keep ignoring this. You nearly fell over earlier, how long have you been feeling ill?”

“There’s nothing to ignore,” Legend snarled. “Just— just leave me alone.”

“I can’t do that,” Time said, his voice soft, but firm. “You need help, and I won’t—”

“I don’t!” Legend shouted, his voice hoarse. He tried to get to his feet, but Time quickly caught him by the wrists, stopping him from leaving. “Just— let go!”

Time shook his head, and Legend tried to jerk out of his hold with no success.

The teenager’s wrists were warm in his grasp, and Time could feel them shaking, though he wasn’t sure if it was from anger or the illness Legend was fighting. Either way, he wasn’t making any headway in escaping, even though Time was sure Legend would have normally been halfway across the forest by now.

Legend tried to swing a fist at Time, but he didn’t succeed in the slightest, the older hero still holding him tight.

“What’s wrong, Link?” he asked, and Legend only struggled harder in his grip.

“Let go!”

Time shook his head, and Legend let out a cry of frustration.

His eyes were glassy with tears as he glared, and his breath came in short pants as he tried desperately to free himself. Legend’s facade of being perfectly fine had dropped in his anger and panic, and Time was now wondering how on earth any of them had missed just how bad things had gotten.

“Leave me ALONE old man!” Legend shouted.

But Time kept holding him, equally gentle and firm as he tried to lurch away. He met Legend’s eyes, stormy and swirling with emotion, and gave his hands a soft squeeze.

“Legend, son, please let me help you,” he said softly.

Legend’s face twisted with rage.

“Don’t call me that!” he nearly screamed, and tried one last time to pull Time’s arms out of his grip.

But he was too weak to free himself, the sickness affecting his strength. Legend couldn’t do anything but struggle, his breath coming in quick gasps, wrists trembling in Time’s hold as he tried to free himself with one last burst of desperation.

Then he crumpled forward, a sob wracking his body.

Time’s eye widened, and he caught Legend, immediately running a hand through his bangs. His forehead was hot where Time’s fingers brushed it, and Legend was shaking so hard he felt like he would fall apart, Time soothing him as he sobbed again.

“Legend, easy,” Time whispered, panic trying to burrow into his chest. He’d never seen Legend like this, screaming and crying and showing his emotions in such a blatantly un-Legend way. And he didn’t exactly have experience with soothing sobbing, feverish teenagers, but Legend was acting so strange...

There’s something else at play here then just a virus, Time thought worriedly, Legend letting out an unsightly hiccup.

All of Legend’s strength seemed to have been used up by their argument, and he lay nearly limp against Time’s arm, shivering, with tears still escaping the corners of his eyes.

“What’s wrong, Link?” Time asked again, careful and soft.

This time Legend didn’t try to pull away or scream at him. He merely let out a quiet breath, one that shuddered on the exhale.

“I... I don’t...” Legend croaked, his eyes squeezed shut. “I can’t... again.”

“You can’t what?” Time asked, and Legend swallowed, tears trickling down his cheeks. Time shifted his grip a little so that Legend’s head rested more comfortably on his shoulder, and waited for him to continue.

“...Care,” Legend whispered finally. His hand tightened where it was fisted in Time’s shirt. “Every time I-I care, someone gets... hurt. I get hurt, I... I can’t again, not...”

He let out a shuddering breath, and his eyes squeezed more tightly shut.

“I don’t want you all to care,” he whispered.

Time looked down at the boy in his arms, shivering and feverish and trying so desperately to fight through it himself, and exhaled.

Oh.

Legend curled into himself at the admission, tears still falling down his cheeks, and Time suddenly saw himself, trying to keep a safe distance from everyone who tried to care for him, afraid of anyone slipping past his barriers and finding the scared little boy hiding behind so desperate for love.

Time swallowed.

We’re all horribly similar, are we not?

“...Being known is a terrifying thing,” Time said after several moments of silence drifted past, voice barely a whisper.

Legend shuddered again.

“I used to think it impossible,” Time whispered. “To be known, but not hurt. Drifting along and staying unattached seemed best, safer. Even when I was in desperate need of help, taking care of myself... seemed like it would hurt less. Without Malon, I have no doubts I would still be that way.”

Time sighed, and looked down at Legend, not even sure if the words were getting through his fever.

“Legend... you don’t have to tell us everything. But we are a team. Brothers, in spirit if not by blood. By merit of those things alone... we care for you,” he said simply. “I have no doubt that if any one of us were in the condition you’re currently in, you would be caring for them as fiercely as anything.“

Time shifted, and met Legend’s eyes, puffy and red, and bright with fever and exhaustion.

“Let us do the same for you.”

Legend closed his eyes and let his head fall back against Time’s shoulder, face scrunched slightly with pain. Several long moments went by, and then Legend let out an exhausted exhale, and gave Time the smallest nod he’d ever seen.

“...Sure. Fine,” he muttered, almost so quietly Time didn’t hear him. “...But only because my head is pounding so hard I can’t... think of anything better at the moment.”

“Trying is half the battle,” Time said with a faint smile, and Legend sighed again, heavy and exhausted.

Time pulled Legend up into his arms, and noted with a bit of worry that Legend was rather frail in his hold, still shivering. And normally the veteran would protest up and down about being carried, but Legend was completely silent, only a few leftover sniffles coming from him as Time hooked the lantern he’d brought to his belt so his hands would be free.

It truly was a miracle Legend had lasted this long without collapsing in front of them all— but Time knew the power of stubbornness when it came to this sort of thing. Malon was still mad at him for that time he’d tried to milk the cows when he’d had that broken wrist.

It was still impressive, though.

I wonder how long he’s had a fever, he wondered as Legend shifted in his arms. One this intense wouldn’t just appear... it must have been at least a day or two.

“...Don’t tell the others,” Legend suddenly whispered as Time began to walk back to camp, and Time looked down at him. “About... you know.”

Time nodded. “The only thing they get to know about is you being sick,” he promised, and Legend relaxed a bit further in his arms.

When they got back to camp, everyone stared, but nobody commented on Legend’s tear-streaked face, or the fact that he was shivering and being carried. Twilight made eye contact with Time, looking at Legend in concern, and Time mouthed the word ‘fever’.

Twilight’s face softened with understanding, and he quickly put out Legend’s bedroll so Time could get Legend into it.

Legend didn’t resist, and the others didn’t directly address the fact that he had obviously been hiding the fact that he was sick from them all. They merely went about their business, occasionally drifting by where Legend was lying in his bedroll, offering a few words, or some food, or just quiet company that offered to place a wet cloth on his forehead.

And when Legend finally fell asleep, he looked more relaxed then Time had seen him in weeks.

#happy birthday again Oma <3 #linkeduniverse #linked universe #lu legend #lu time #linked universe fanfic #fic #hurt/comfort #writing from the floor #this took way too long and there’s parts I’m still not totally happy with but I’ve been holding onto this too long #I write so many fics with Legend being carried I just realized??#XD

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unganseylike · 2 months

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“Love Like Ghosts" // The Raven Cycle

When your true love is destined to die, is already dead, or will always be leaving. And other moments of ghostliness.

#finally this post that has been in the working for so long is up. Not perfect but its up #yes we have now escalated to full songs #a song about ghosts for which i have used no quotes about the canon ghosts #overall goal here was a section for each relationship #which made me realize blue has had a canonical thing with everyone but ronan lol #ignore the fact that i could only get good angsty pynch quotes from greywaren i was struggling to find what i wanted in trc #last part is intentional repetition of different versions of blue kiss me like we have the vision of the first hurt me baby and the actual #obviously huge bias here toward bluesey but thats bc. Well. its all for them <3 #overall happy with this because i feel like it actually encapsulates song and vice versa in terms of the love and ghost metaphor #anyway bluesey car scene said absent presence #lordhuroncycle #perhaps my last lordhuroncycle unless they release new song or i get inspired lol #long post #web weaving

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demon-of-the-ancient-world · 23 days

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I know this is a long shot, and I have no idea how Messiah is even going to be handled onscreen in regards to the time jump, but I'd love a scene of Paul wrapping up his own wounds from the end of Part 2. Because one, you can't just injure your main character That Much and then never follow up on it in any way.

But more importantly I want that emphasis on how alone he is. I need the narrative to keep acknowledging that. Despite being so important *in theory*, he isn't protected, he isn't cared about. He's a thing to be in awe of and be terrified of. So having him alone, injured, taking care of himself in private with nobody watching him or following him...and then having him drag himself back to his feet to go commit more war crimes immediately after showing him in a deeply vulnerable and lonesome position would be. hm. something.

#dune #paul atreides #i know the likelihood of part 3 starting straight after part 2 is low but #i need some indication that like. he's not being taken care of by anybody. he has everything but he has nothing. everyone and no one.#he is dragging himself through this existence as a religious leader/warlord inch by inch not because he enjoys it but bc it Has To Be Done #idk something on my mind #also i like whump and hurt-no-comfort???? whatever

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capricioussun · 1 month

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Style shift pt 1: Edge

ft the stylings of @decafguy00 • @phenom-lemon • @bonetrousledbones • @alsojnpie • @save-star • @owl-bones

#happy uf papyrus monday #will be making a follow up post w/ commentary soon but I have to take a break my eyes hurt lol #and then part 2 next week <3 #snow and hail #uf edge #underfell papyrus #uf papyrus monday

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oathkeeper-of-tarth · 5 days

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So, I'm curious: What's your take on Aylin's experience after/if she kills Lorroakan?

Allegedly, there's some information floating around somewhere that said Aylin was angry with Selune after she killed Lorroakan, but I can't find where this info is.

If you saw posts about that here on tumblr it was probably posted by @justanotherignot! I've actually been meaning to gather up all the devnote tidbits about Selûne from Aylin and Isobel for a while now, so thank you for the excuse to do so and ramble a bit.

Player: I was just wondering what it was like in that cage of Balthazar's. Aylin: Let us not dwell on those dark days. Their memory is a vortex within my heart that leads directly to the Hells.

What is happening is, well, it's the century of unthinkable horror catching up to her. It's the Trauma(TM) - in one of the conversation options she's literally triggered by the mention of someone being run through repeatedly! It's the growing awareness that although she's been freed (and possibly reunited with her love), the secret is out and there are always going to be assholes gunning for her, aiming to use her as an "artefact" and power source to fuel their ambitions, without any regard for her, you know... basic personhood and well-being. Also, Lorroakan was blatantly lying. He didn't find any super special way to siphon her immortality with "no harm, no pain of any kind", he was just replicating Balthazar's soul cage (you can even find a letter from Ketheric to him, showing Lorroakan was pestering them).

On to the stuff from the game files! First, the conversation with Aylin directly after the Lorroakan fight in the tower. I'm going to be putting the context notes in square brackets next to the lines they apply to. I also plucked some audio out from the files for some of these because I love the delivery.

Aylin: The fire-haired fool is dead. Yet as I stare upon his corpse, I feel… sadness. Why? [Slow and curious, angry and confused by all that has happened.] Player: What kind of sadness is it? / I know something of sadness - or at least the ballads do. What does it feel like? Aylin: A gripping in the chest. As though I'd lost someone, something. [Lost in thought for a moment; confused.] Aylin: A paladin's fatigue, no doubt. You were excellent in battle, as is your way. And I am proud to fight at your side. [Remembering herself. She is Dame Aylin.] Aylin: I will catch my breath, then to camp I will bring my bones. Moonmaiden be with you. Player: Smiting is a weighty duty - sometimes it can be tiring. / Perhaps smiting has lost its pleasures. Aylin: Say it can't be so. For I am Selûne's sword. And ever must be. [She means it, but on the periphery of her consciousness is a tiny crack. Wondering about her fate.]

The above never fails to get me - she is Dame Aylin! Sword of the Moonmaiden! Glorious immortal paladin, champion of a righteous cause! She smites evil-doers for breakfast, that's, like, her whole thing! What do you mean she can't just pick up where she left off and go about her merry smitey way? What do you mean the thing that is supposed to be the literal core of her entire being (forever) doesn't feel good and glorious anymore, but just makes her feel sad and empty? No, no, no, we can't have that.

Player: One of the greatest tragedies of revenge is that it can only be taken once. / Because you won't get to kill him again? Aylin: Perhaps. Yet if I could run him through a thousand times, I wonder-- [Lost in thought, she's been triggered to remember her own fate being run through over and over.] Aylin: Battle has tired my mind, made me susceptible to flights of fancy. You were excellent in battle, as is your way. And I am proud to fight at your side.

Aylin: I will return to camp shortly. I just need a moment to… to… [Lost in thought.]

She so very desperately needs some rest and a chance to come to terms with everything that happened and that was done to her. And it's clear it's going to be hard because she is defaulting to trying to deny anything is wrong, is clearly trying (and failing) to just be her old self immediately, has blatantly internalised a lot of that classic I Am A Sword stuff on top of everything (even though her mother is huge on free will and choice!), and is just really not well-equipped to handle any of this at all.

Next, this is the post-Lorroakan convo you get if you have both Aylin and Isobel in camp.

Aylin: Ah. Ally mine. We are reunited once more. [Warm, but drained. She's not feeling like herself.] Aylin: I was just regaling sweet Isobel with tales of our prowess. Isobel: Very impressive. Thank you for helping Aylin - that wizard sounded absolutely dastardly. [Good humored. Soft in tone. A little uncertain - she's not sure why Aylin isn't herself.] Player: My pleasure. He had it coming. Aylin: He did, and it came. Now, my friend: bask in your victory. I will do the same. Aylin: But fear not: when the time comes for you to face the foe of foes, Isobel and I will stand by your side. [Rallying her soldierly spirit, but still a little drained.] Isobel: We wouldn't miss it. Not for anything. Aylin: Go well, friend. We will see you soon. And with our great powers combined, this city will be saved. Player: Hopefully he'll be the last. Aylin: There are always more bastards behind bastards. But we will run through them all, each by each.

Player: I hope you can rest easy now, Dame Aylin. Aylin: I always do, with darling Isobel by my side. Aylin: Enjoy the spoils of your victory. Spin memories of Lorroakan's death in your mind like silkfloss.

If Isobel isn't there (meaning she died in Act 2), you get this version:

Aylin: Ah. Ally mine. We are reunited once more. [Warm, but drained. She's not feeling like herself.] Aylin: I was just reviewing our fight against foul Lorroakan; your moves and mine. The victory was soundly won. Aylin: Don't you think? [Uncharacteristically, Aylin is seeking input. She's usually so confident about everything, but killing Lorroakan has not had the intended effect on her.] Player: Indeed I do. Let his demise serve as a warning to anyone else who'd seek you out. Aylin: Let him be the last. If my dear mother has any mercy, she will ensure it. [Trying to stay her usual self, but her mask is cracking a tiny bit here. Privately, Aylin is dealing with a great deal of anger toward her mother, the goddess Selûne, But she's not yet willing to face it. How could her powerful mother let all this happen to her?]

Player: We fought well - though I was a little worried about you afterward, in truth. Aylin: Set your mind at ease, my friend. Dame Aylin is more well now than she has been this past century. [Good humored. Soft in tone. A little uncertain - it's true she's better now than she has been, but why does she feel so shitty, then? (She's in the beginning of reckoning with the trauma of what happened to her).]

Player: I hope you can rest easy now, Dame Aylin. Aylin: Yes. I wish for the very same. Aylin: Enjoy the spoils of your victory. Spin memories of our prowess in your mind like silkfloss.

So, a few things pop out for me here. First, you get the more explicit anger at Selûne if Isobel isn't there, as opposed to the "hahah, I will smite all the bastards who dare come after me, no matter how many there are" line. "How could her powerful mother let all this happen to her?" just... damn, hits hard, even if you subscribe to the theory that Selûne simply could not intervene in the Shadowfell imprisonment beyond sending those poor people whose graves you find in front of the mausoleum.

And here Aylin really lays it on thick with the denial that there's anything wrong at all. Combined with the letter you get from her in the epilogue if Isobel is dead, it just paints such a bleak, sad picture. I can just see her going all out on the Sword of Selûne duty-bound paladin side of things, no rest, no healing, no stopping even for a moment, no dealing with anything at all, from the trauma to the bitterness towards mum. Until whatever horrible breaking point comes, a year or a century from now. The need for Isobel's humanising influence is so clear. I've touched on Isobel's side of things here.

Speaking of having a bone to pick with Selûne, if you're playing as a cleric/paladin of Selûne, you can get some extra very honest dialogue with Isobel in Last Light:

Player: Why has the Moonmaiden waited until now to take an interest in this curse? Isobel: Maybe she was waiting for one of us to find this place ourselves. Free will, and all that.

Isobel: Though if it were my place to ask why she let Ketheric turn; why she allowed this village to rot at his hands - believe me, I would. [A cold edge in her voice]

Player: Are you faring all right? It can't be easy holding a lone candle in such darkness. Isobel: All things with her strength. You know the litany. [A little sarcastically. She's got a bone to pick with Selûne but isn't being too overt.]

Side note: the amount of devnotes for Isobel's lines that say she's delivering them "with swagger" and being "cheeky" makes me smile every time. Love her. Love her snark.

Also, to get it out of the way: no, I'm fairly sure Aylin did not break her oath. I see this brought up a ton and I just see no way for it to be the case. There is nothing to suggest this outside of a wording similarity and it just makes no sense. Girl is clearly some flavour of Oath of Vengeance (she uses Abjure Enemy, so this is the case even mechanically, even though she's obviously an NPC and not a standard player-build paladin) and she killed a very shitty guy who was also explicitly after her in godawful ways. You can do far worse things in the game than her dramatic speech and backbreaker and not break you OoV.

#sorry this took so long!#baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #dame aylin #isobel thorm #lorroakan #datamine #voice lines #audio #i'm stopping myself here but i could go on about this FOREVER #time for the comfort part of the hurt/comfort let's goooooooooo #oathkeeper replies to things

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myymi · 2 months

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“C’mon, kid.” Sonic sighed heavily from his spot below the tree branch, paws on his hips with his foot tapping impatiently as he craned his neck up in search for his newly acquired little brother. “What do I gotta say to get you to c’mere?”

The kid in question hummed in thought at that, taking this opportunity very seriously. He didn't stay up late on purpose, he didn't even really enjoy doing it, but it had its perks.

“Can we go get candy tomorrow?” The fox asked, peeking his head over the thick tree branch just enough to look down at the hedgehog.

“Seriously, keed?” Sonic frowned up at him, which meant Tails had no other choice. He had to play the card.

Taking a breath to prepare himself, the cub made his eyes as big and as wet as he possibly could. His ears flattened against his head as his twin tails fell limp. He made his bottom lip tremble for safe measure, shrinking into himself as much as he could.

He wasn't sure what the science behind doing this specific tactic was, but it always seemed to work out for him. He'd first learned it by watching the kids in his old village.

He only tried it a handful of times while on Westside, but the grown ups seemed to at least pity him when he did pull this expression.

Tails had suspected The Look™ wouldn't work on the teen, but it seems even the Blue Blur himself wasn't immune. It was interesting.

Sonic groaned when he realized what the kid was doing, quickly looking away. “Don't do that to me, buddy.” Tails thinks he's gotten pretty good at telling the hedgehog’s tone of voice. It was a strange learning process, but now that he knew what it was, he found sarcasm funny.

He did his best to suppress his giggle, deciding to turn it into a pitiful whine instead. His ears flicked at the sound of a defeated sigh, causing him to perk up slightly.

“Fine.” The twin tails began twirling at the answer, pleased that the sad expression worked once again. Sonic rolled his eyes fondly, gesturing for the kid to come down from his perch. “Now c’mere. Bedtime.”

“Okay!” Much more willing to listen to his brother now, Tails spun his namesakes just fast enough so he could lift into the air. As he lowered to the ground, Sonic sat down with his back resting against the tree.

Tails couldn't understand why Sonic liked leaning against things so much. It had to hurt his back quills or be uncomfortable at the very least.

The hedgehog smiled at the younger, gently patting his thigh to call the fox over.

Tails listened to the call, satisfied enough with the promise of candy. He crawled onto the older’s lap, snuggling against his chest as he settled down for the night.

Sonic grunted quietly when the kit’s elbow jabbed into his side accidentally, but he quickly scratched Tails’ ear to keep him from apologizing for it.

“You're a little menace, you know that?” The teen mumbled quietly as the fox finally stopped moving. The younger hummed in response, nestling his head underneath the hedgehog’s chin. “What's your deal with staying up, anyways?”

Tails shrugged, unsure of how to answer. He really didn't know why, but he felt like he needed to give Sonic some sort of answer. “I’unno. Maybe I wanna make sure you stay?”

“Make sure I stay, huh?” The hedgehog huffed, relaxing into the tree trunk. “You think I'm gonna run off on ya?” He asked, a trace of teasing humor lingering in his tired voice.

Tails shrugged again. The answer was no, he knew Sonic wouldn't leave him all alone. But this was the explanation he gave, so he's sticking with it.

“Well, I'm not. So you can go to bed without worrying now.” Sonic informed, carefully adjusting his position. The fox in his lap shifted with him, not wanting to be an uncomfortable weight in the older.

“But–” Tails tried, but his brother quickly shushed him.

“Go to bed, kid.” He mumbled, noticeably much more tired than earlier, “I'll be right here when you wake up, promise.” Tails decided against responding verbally this time, noticing that the teen was teetering on the edge of falling asleep.

He instead snuggled further into his chest, wrapping his two tails around them to fight off the nightly chills.

—

He was so cold.

It wasn't entirely unusual for Sonic to be cold while he slept. If Tails kept ignoring the rest of the world for another five minutes, he could convince himself that the hedgehog was simply hibernating.

Just a quick winter-long nap and then they'd be back to exploring the world again. Right at each other's side, where they belonged.

Back to being the best duo to ever touch Mobius. Defeating Dr. Eggman as he failed to gloat about his latest ‘master plan.’ Celebrating afterwards by sitting together on the wing of the Tornado under a sky full of stars, hot chili dogs in the paws.

But it was nothing more than a desperate fantasy. Tails knew that.

Another tear rolled down his cheeks as his eyes opened halfway. He was so tired, but he needed to find Knuckles. He promised.

Nuzzling the cold, dead corpse one last time, Tails crawled out of his brother's lap. He tried to ignore the way his mind hyper-focused on it being the last time he'd ever hug his big brother.

Wiping away his tears, Tails glanced down at his communicator. Knuckles wasn't far, but he had to figure out how to get out of town.

He'd need to make another stop before meeting Knuckles, too. Sonic wasn't the only one the fox needed to lay to rest.

Tails shook away the memory of Vector’s stumbling corpse. He'd see it again soon enough, he didn't need his mind to remind him of all the gory details right now.

He purposefully ignored the gun discarded on the ground. He hadn't looked at it since throwing it away, unable to hold it after having used it on his own brother. His own family.

Tails paused as his paw wrapped around the handle of the back door, hesitating to open it. He took a deep breath and looked back over to Sonic's body, trying his best to not crumble in tears again.

“I love you too, big bro.” He whispered. He looked away almost immediately, the sight too overwhelming for him to bear any longer.

With another deep breath, he pushed the door open as quietly as he could. His ears perked up as much as they could, swiveling all sorts of ways as he checked the alleyway for any walkers.

Noticing the area was clear, he stepped out fully to look above him. He'd be able to fly out of this mess.

He turned back to the door, turning the locks on it before letting it close. He didn't think there'd be anyone coming through this city anytime soon, but he wanted to be sure nobody would disturb his brother's rest.

His paw lingered on the doorknob for a few long seconds before he managed to convince himself to let it go with a silent goodbye. He spun his tails and flew above the buildings, wanting to get away from the building before he could convince himself to fall asleep in his brother's cold arms for the rest of his life.

#im just gonna say; blame nixoon lmao #i mean. i was gonna write something like this anyway #but they forced me to make it hurt so much more because of the little thing they posted earlier #so enjoy <3 #miles tails prower #sonic the hedgehog #sth #tails the fox #sonic #unbreakable bond #dynamic duo #sonic and tails #apocalypse au #major character death #child death #wip fic #this will be part of a different fic lol #if you see any mistakes no you don't

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actual-changeling · 4 months

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part 1 part 2 part 3 // richard siken

#alex talks good omens #good omens #ineffable husbands #crowley #aziraphale #good omens season 2 #go2 #aziracrow #crowley x aziraphale #ineffable divorce #the final fifteen #told ya part 3 was gonna hurt #it's siken what did you expect #a happy ending? HA. ha. ha. never. i am losing my soul to this poetry collection #and inflicting the damage on everyone else too

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scalacaelumx · 7 months

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Ever since I was little, I could sense what was in people's hearts...but believed I was safe with you because there was nothing but light.

Day 10 of KHtober

#kh #kingdom hearts #khdr #khtober #khtober2023 #this took WAY longer than I had originally planned!#which is why it didn't get posted yesterday; all I managed to finish was the background #full disclosure; the scala part of the bg is from the world intro in 3 #but it was worth it because I'm really happy with how it came out!!#these two hurt my heart so badly; I love their dynamic and how it was used against them #baldr #hoder #scala art

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dailypearldoodles · 7 months

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h10 fistfight with god dl!pearl? im still thinking about her...

Day 481

Im aware that this is like, barely an expressions but hey i really liked the idea of it

#daily pearl doodles #pearlescentmoon #pearl faces #double life smp #traffic life smp #mod morph #my favorite part of this is #using the blood to frame her face #when i saw that this was the expression requested i was like #squealing actually hehe #a little bit of bloodshed never hurt nobody :3

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quirkle2 · 3 months

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[zombie au] when ur.when ur brotherturns into a z.when ur brother turns into a zombie and u spend the next several years of ur childhood braving the most fucked up shit ever so u can find a cure and it gets to the point where ur killing parts of urself just to pick up the pieces of ur brother with shaking, cut up hands and glue him back together but at that point ur just going to end up bringing him back to a world that's not worth living in

#qkdraws #id in alt #mob psycho 100 #mob psycho #mp100 #zombie au #ritsu kageyama #mp100 ritsu #shigeo kageyama #mp100 shigeo #mp100 mob #btw even tho i like to draw mob snarling and being a bit feral i do wanna make it clear that he's Very rarely like that #i just enjoy it when he Is so i draw it <3 hope thishelps #he's usually more like the top right. chill as fuck. not a single thought in that head #mob only gets aggressive when ritsu's in trouble #in the top left one he's actually snarling at tome. bc of uhm.reasons <3 #dw she didn't hurt ritsu. mob just Thinks she did and he's going mad abt it #wanna write that part eventually. maybe. some day perhaps #anyway yeah.uhm. i think im cookin w this au #im cookin Smth. might not be edible but im cookin and u can't take that away from me #mob doesn't just have eye bags cuz he's a zombie and owahh zombies gotta look scary #he has them cuz in this au it's REALLY hard to fall asleep when ur zombie #but ur stillhuman and u still require sleep to live. which is why sleep deprivation is like the leading cause of zombie death in this world #and that means ritsu has to be Super careful not to let mob go too long without sleep #he's always tryin to get the poor guy to Rest. even when ur exhausted beyond belief it's Rly hard to sleep when ur a zombie #ur brain's been rewired n shit man. it fucks up a lot of systems #ritsu has eye bags bc he's .tormented.by the entire earth #quite literally everything is against him.for a very long time #and he's fuckin exhausted man.he's fuckin tired #fun fact if u raid my inbox about this au ill kiss u on the mouth

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icycoldninja · 4 months

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Fluffcember #29 (Astarion x Reader)

I'll protect you

It was a chilly, quiet night; the stars twinkled dimly in the night sky, the cool nighttime air was quiet, save for the faint hooting of an owl somewhere in the distance. You were curled up on your bedroll, in your tent, blankets wrapped tightly around your figure in an attempt to stave off the cold outside. You rolled over in your sleep, but soon jolted awake. Someone was approaching your tent. You opened one eye and stared at the curtains, waiting to see who would enter. Pretty soon, the silhouette of a man was visible outside the curtains; that man slid a slender, pale hand through the gap and pushed the curtains aside. "Darling, are you awake?" Sighing, you sat up, rubbing your eyes. "I am now. Jesus, Astarion, for a rogue, you suck at sneaking. I could hear you from a mile away." Astarion smiled, a low, rumbling chuckle resounding from his throat. "My apologies, darling. I just..." He sighed, clasping his hands behind his back. "I was wondering if I could stay with you tonight." Your eyes widened; eyebrows nearly shot off your head. "Stay with me...? Uhh...sure. But why?" Astarion sighed softly, crossing over and taking a seat by your side. You tossed part of your blanket over his lap so he wouldn't feel cold in that thin cotton tunic he was always wearing at camp. "I...I had a nightmare." He finally confessed, pulling his knees up to his chest. You nodded, sympathetic to his problem. "I'm sorry. Want to talk about it?" Astarion flashed you a fake smile, one he was accustomed to putting on whenever he felt upset or sad, one that soon dropped as soon as he looked at you and saw his sincere you were. "There's not really much to talk about," He admitted, sighing. "I dreamed of Cazador finding me...of Cazador..." He sucked in a long breath and let it out slowly. "Of him capturing me and dragging me back." He turned to you, an expression of terror and sadness painted across his face. You could see the fear in his eyes; how they shimmered with unshed tears.

It would have been beautiful, had it not been so heartbreaking.

You hooked an arm around his shoulder, gently pulling him close to you. Your grip was firm, solid, reassuring, but not painfully so. Astarion had been so used to forceful yanks and painful clutches; this was a welcome change of pace. He leaned into you, resting his head on your chest. "Don't worry about Cazador," You finally ventured, rubbing comforting circles into his back. "He can't hurt you anymore. Not now that I'm here." Astarion shook his head, curling his arms around himself. "He can hurt me, darling. He's everywhere. Even in my dreams." You pressed a soft kiss to his forehead, shifting your position so he was now in your lap. "He can't hurt you. I'm here. I'll protect you." This seemed to relieve Astarion, as he began to relax; tensed up muscles no longer wound so tightly. "You...you promise?" You nodded, delicately carding your fingers through his hair, feeling a strange, protective urge wash over you. "I swear it on my life. I will protect you." Astarion looked up at you, a genuine smile on his face. "Oh darling," He exclaimed, hugging you tightly. "Thank you. Thank you so much." You grinned, kissing his cheek. "You're welcome." Noticably feeling much better, Astarion slid off your lap and laid next to you, taking your hand and twining it in his. With your free hand, you adjusted the blankets so both of you were covered, then kissed his forehead one last time. "Goodnight, Astarion. I love you." Astarion smiled, squeezing your hand in response. "Love you too, darling. Now get some sleep." You shook your head, rolling over to one side so you could see him better. "You get some sleep, or meditation, or whatever it is elves do. I'll watch over you. I did just swear to protect you, you know." Astarion blinked, looking shocked for a moment. But then his expression evaporated into that dangerous little smirk and he shut his eyes compliantly. As you watched his resting figure, drowsiness began to overtake you as well. "Maybe I'll take a little nap," You reasoned with yourself, sliding into a comfortable position while keeping an arm hooked around Astarion's waist, so you could monitor him. "Just for 5 minutes..."

#Bg3 #baulders gate 3 #Astarion #astarion ancunin #astarion fluff #astarion fanfic #Astarion x reader #Astarion x reader hurt/comfort #hurt/comfort #Fluff #Angst #Angst/fluff #fluffcember 2023 #Fluffcember #Icycoldninja writes #Part 29 of 31 #Cute #Astarion deserves this

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the--short--one · 2 years

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Find Part 1 and Part 2 here

Part 3! I’m sorry in advance; I’ve been told this one also hurts

Again, I’m sorry if the quality tanked. Can you tell I have a hand fixation?

Just one more part to go :))

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swordheld · 6 months

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hi! your blog is one of my favourites and i absolutely adore reading your thoughts. my grandfather recently passed away and it feels like i lost myself with him. how do i continue living after this? there is this constant weight on my chest and it feels like an emptiness has made a home inside of me. how do i go on when it feels like the world crashed on my shoulders?

hello, love! this is so very sweet and kind of you, and i hope you're treating yourself gently and kindly right now - there aren't words for a loss like this. that heaviness is difficult, and hard, and painful. it's okay if things don't feel okay, right now, or even soon - i think that's something that a lot of the people i know that have gone through similar grief feel: like they should be able to get back to a relative 'normal' in a [insert far too short period of time].

but it's okay if it hurts. that's where i'd like to start. you're allowed to feel that emptiness, that world-crashed feeling that goes beyond words, beyond time. don't feel like you have to rush this to feel some sort of better. things get easier with time, i promise you this, but sometimes painful feelings are important to feel, too. cry, scream, feel your emotions. they're a part of you. grieve.

it's perhaps a little silly, but when i think about death i always think about a couple of space songs: mainly drops of jupiter by train and saturn by sleeping at last. there are perhaps others that speak to the emotions better, but these two have always hit something a little deeper for me, and are popular for a wide-reaching reason.

and while personally i don't know much about grief like this, i do know a lot about love; and i think they're a lot of the same thing.

the people we love are a part of us, and this is why it takes from us so deeply when we lose them, because it does feel like we've lost a part of ourselves in the wake of it. but it's because they were so central to our experiences of living - our lives, that the separation introduces a hollowness - a place where they used to be. a home that now goes unlived in.

an emptiness, like you said.

but just because they're not here physically, doesn't mean he's not still there, in your heart, in your life, your memory. you can hold him close in smaller ways, as well: steal a sweater, or cologne/scent for something a little more physical and long lasting for remembering. hold onto the memories you cherish, the things that made you laugh, the ease of slow mornings and gentle nights. write them all down, slide a few photographs in there, go through it and add more when you miss him. keep them all close, keep them in your heart.

you're not alone, in this. he's still there, with you, it's just - in the little things.

he's with you in the way you see and go about your daily life, in doing what he liked to do, in the ways he interacted with the world that you shared with him. the memories you recall fondly when the night is late or the moment is right and something calls it into you like a melody, an old bell, laughter you'd recognize anywhere.

but i think, perhaps most importantly above all others - talk about him. with your family, your friends, his friends, strangers; stories are how we keep the people we love alive. the connections they've made, the legacies and experiences they've left behind, and so, so many stories.

how lucky, we are - to love so much it takes a piece of us when they go. grief is the other side of the coin, but it does not mean our love goes away. it lives in you. it lives in everyone who knew him, in the smallest pieces of our lives.

the people we love never really leave us, like this: they're in how we cook and the way we fold our newspapers, our laundry, in the radio stations we tune in to and the way we decorate our walls, our photo albums. they're in the way we store our mail, organize our closets, the scribbled notes in the indexes of our books. the meals we love and the drinks we mix, the way we spend time with one another. they've been passed down for generations, for longer than history - and we are all the luckier for it.

think about what you shared with him, and do it intentionally. bring him into your life, like this, again. whether it's crosswords or poetry or sports or anything else. if one doesn't help, try another. something might click.

i hope things feel a little easier for you, as they tend to do only with time. i hope you find joy in your grief, even if it is small and hard to grasp at first. know that your hurt stems from so much love that there isn't a place to put it properly, and that it is something so meaningful and hurting poets and storytellers have been struggling to put it into words and sounds that feel like the fit right for eons, and that it is also just simply yours. sometimes things don't have to make sense. sometimes they just are - unable to be put into words or neat little sentiments, as unfair and tragic as they come.

but i promise it will not feel like this forever. your love is real. and perhaps, on where to begin on from here - i think it's less on finding where to begin and just beginning. and you've already started. you've taken the most important and crucial step: the first one. wherever you go, after that, from here? you'll figure it out. you always have, and you always do. it'll come, as things always do. love leads us, as does light - and you're never alone in your hurt. in your grief, your missing something dear to you. i think if you talk about it with others, you'll find they have ways of helping you cope as well - and they have so much love of their own to spare, too.

as an aside, here is the song (northern star by dom fera) i was listening to when i wrote this, for no other reason more than it makes me think of connections, and love, and how we hold onto the people we love and how they change us, wonderfully and intrinsically. it's a little more joyous than the others i've mentioned, and plays like a story, and it made me think of what is at the core of this, love and stories and i am here with you, and maybe it'll bring you some joy, if you'd like it. wishing you all my love and ease 💛

#q&a.#birdsong.#wishing u gentle ease; the death of a loved one is near inexplicable to put into words and i hope you take care of yourself gently <3 #i hope this will make u laugh: when i was a tiny child in middle school there were times i would go outside in my tiny suburban cul de sac-#in the rain and sing along to my lil ipod nano and i only remember doing this to drops of jupiter. can you imagine going out to get the mai #after a long day of work and you just hear this kid singing train in the streets. in the RAIN.... it makes me laugh like i really.#i really thought i was so cool and deep and emotional ghjkd but i find it v funny that i only remember it w/ that one train track.#and saturn just. it's my fav s.a.l. song for a reason. that slow violin opening? the piano coming in gentle and easy?#it feels like light. like hope. like something new - a dawn after the long dark. that beautiful things can begin again even where #it hurts. and there is nothing more human than a sentiment like that.#how rare and beautiful it is to truly exist. what it is to be alive and get to be here and live with other people. with those we love.#i think your grandfather was so lucky to be able to know you. to have you in his life for the time you had together.#i'm no spiritual person; but i like to believe when you're thinking about him? he's thinking about you too.#the second law of thermodynamics (physics nerd mode) is that no energy has ever been created/destroyed since the beginning of the universe.#so it has to go somewhere - it's that carl sagan quote of 'we're all made of stardust'. because we are. we used to be stars; planets; etc.#i think it's why i think of these space songs - because they're a part of everything; once more; when they go. us and everything else.

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