#mals reads worm

[ewingstan]

Is there any parahumans character who would have gotten into crypto? Besides Uber and Leet I mean.

Lisa's probably run a few investment scams promising blockchain-backed play-to-earn game development but she prolly wouldn't have touched the actual tech.

I could imagine Rain being weirdly credulous about crypto having non-speculative uses. Being raised in an apocalypse cult might prime you for the whole "this can be an actually usable currency without government backing" pitch. But even that wouldn't be the same as being "into" crypto in the post-boom investor way.

Krouse and Cody both seem like valid options here but both of them had too much going on to cultivate an OpenSeas wallet.

I feel like there's an obvious pick here I'm missing.

#mals says #parahumans #wormblr #lisa wilbourn #rain o'fire frazier #mals reads worm #wildbow #francis krouse

[techs-ass]

Shark Sundays: Epaulette Shark

Hello, hello! Welcome to my Shark Sundays post where every week I let people pick a shark that I then just kind of info dump about on Sundays. This week's shark winner is the Epaulette shark!

Now, please remain seated for the whole ride and try not to throw popcorn at the narrator, they're very sensitive.

Conservation Status: Least Concerned

This adorable little sea pup is the Epaulette shark or Hemiscyllium ocellatum! Their base body color is a creamy or slightly brownish hue and marked with widely spaced dark brown spots. The Epaulette shark gets its name from the very large, white-margined black spot behind each pectoral fin, which kinda looks like decorative military epaulettes. These little guys are one of the smaller species of sharks growing at a maximum of 27 to 35 inches long (70-90 cm) and living for around 20 to 25 years. They can be found in shallow tropical water at around the depth of 131 ft. (40 m) in the western Pacific Ocean usually near New Guinea and Australia.

The Epaulette shark feeds at low tide and is most active during dusk and dawn. They hunt for food by pushing their snout into the sand and shuffling around, once the prey is located they will thrash their body around to catch it. The way they chew their food is actually kinda cute as they'll chew it with little bits sticking out of their mouth. Speaking of prey and eating, these guys eat things that are somehow tinier than they are, mostly feeding on crustaceans, small fish, and polychaete worms. The adults will usually eat shrimp and crabs while the juveniles will mostly eat worms and fish. Though both of them use suction feeding!

Now because these little cuties are usually found in warm, shallow waters they regularly interact with humans. If you happen to see one in the water, don't panic! The most these guys might do is nip at your toes if you wiggle 'em too much but otherwise, they're completely harmless and have no recorded attacks on humans.

Fun Fact: Some Epaulettes are actually kept as pets. They thrive pretty well in smaller environments and are relatively docile besides the occasional little bite to their caretakers.

Now that we've gotten past the basics now I can tell you about the most fascinating thing about Epaulettes. Are you ready? Cause you gotta be ready for this fact. It's a really cool fact. Are you sitting down? Not drinking anything? Ok, ok here it is:

Epaulette sharks can walk on dry land for up to 98 ft. (30 m) and survive hypoxia - a deficiency of oxygen- for two. whole. hours.

Yeah, you read that correctly. The Epaulette SHARK can walk!!! on land!!! Look at this gif and tell me it's not the coolest shit you've ever seen.

Look at him go!! AHH!! *shakes you aggressively* WE ARE LITERALLY WATCHING A MARINE ANIMAL GO THROUGH THE EVOLUTION OF LEARNING TO WALK ON LAND!!! IT COULD POSSIBLY EVOLVE TO BE A FULL LAND ANIMAL WITHIN 30 TO 40 YEARS!!!!

*ahem* Now you may be asking, "But Mal, why are they walking on land?" Well, there are multiple answers to this question. The main one is that they do this to get from tide pool to tide pool allowing them to access new pools to forage for food, or tidepools with better-oxygenated water. They also use this little talent to evade predators! As y'know, other sharks and large fish can't walk on land like this absolute Chad. Scientists believe that with the effects of climate change, this ability will help them to survive drastic changes to their environments.

Speaking of survival, let's talk about the Epaulette's conservation status. Thankfully for these little guys, the IUCN Red List has them as a species under "least concern" This means that there's nothing that really poses any major risk to their species and they're relatively abundant. They do, of course, have natural predators but because it has no value as a commercial food fish and is not considered a sport fish, the Epaulette isn't really targeted by humans except for the aquarium trade. So if you're favorite shark is the Epaulette then you've got pretty much nothing to worry about as the Epaulette's are happy and thriving!

This doesn't mean that humans pose no threat to the Epaulette. Our actions still have a huge impact on their lives! From overfishing to reef destruction, and how toxic the exotic trade can be, we still have to be careful. It's important that we recognize our actions have consequences and not just on us. It's our job to spread awareness and hold each other accountable (especially big corporations who cause most of the damage.)

Aaaand this concludes this week, Shark Sundays! I do hope you enjoyed reading about this cute shark and I hope you learned something new! Thank you so much for stopping by <3 If you want to be put on the tag list for Shark Sundays (including the polls to vote for which shark you want to read about next!) then just let me know in the comments or reblogs!

Tgalist:

#sharks #shark facts #shark conservation #epaulette shark #shark sundays #sea puppies with very sharp teeth #marine life #marine biology #sea life #sharks are just neat little guys #science #conservation

[crowns-of-violets-and-roses]

What your favourite Pale ship says about you

Avery/Nora: You are a firm believer in canon ships and are a lesbian.

Verona/Anselm: You are heterosexual.

Verona/Jeremy: You are extremely heterosexual.

Lucy/Wallace: You just want good things for Lucy. And really, who wouldn’t?

Anthem/Grayson Hennigar: You are a firm believer in the inherent eroticism of constructing intricate rituals that allow you to touch the skin of other men.

Bitter St. Witch/Nicolette: You are a firm believer in the inherent eroticism of age gaps.

The Carmine Beast/The Carmine Doe: You are into vore.

Verona/McCauleigh: Your ideal relationship dynamic is friends with benefits.

Avery/Liberty/Nora: You don’t understand why people argue over rival ships when they could all date each other.

Avery/Liberty/Nora/Fernanda/Raquel/Pamela: When Verona said Avery should have five girlfriends you instantly agreed.

Verona/Mal/Oakham/McCauleigh/Tashlit/Lucy: When Verona said Avery should have five girlfriends you instantly thought that actually Verona should have five girlfriends.

Anthem/Jasmine: You just want good things for Jasmine. And really, who wouldn’t? 

Lucy/Tymon: You have a thing for bad boys.

John/Grandfather: You have a daddy kink.

Alexander/America: You have a daddy kink (heterosexual edition).

Avery/Lucy/Verona: You have crushes on all of your close friends or you are polyamorous.

Lucy/Verona: You firmly disagree that Wildbow has finally figured out how to write convincingly heterosexual women.

Matthew/John: You have gotten into arguments in several different fandoms about how you don’t just ship any two white guys.

Tashlit’s dad/Tashlit‘s mother: You are a monster fucker.

Marie Durocher/anyone: You want Durocher to step on you.

Ann Wint/Deb Cloutier: You are a firm believer in the inherent eroticism of arguing PTA moms.

Avery/Jeannie: You love watching drama and probably love causing it too.

Avery/Raquel: You have a twenty page essay saved about Raquel and compulsory heterosexuality in case anyone ever asks you why you ship this.

Blake/Green Eyes: You are a lost Pact fan.

Ulysse/Eloise: You are a Pact fan making an effort to blend in.

Toadswallow/Bubbleyum: Your favourite Wildbow serial is Poke.

Charles/Maricica: Your favourite Wildbow serial is Worm and you unironically believe Taylor did nothing wrong.

Clementine/Cory: You just want good things for Clem. And really, who wouldn’t?

Avery/Olivia: Your favourite romance trope is reunited childhood friends.

Alexander/Scarlet (the hangmaiden): You are either a monsterfucker or just want Alexander to die painfully.

Nibble/Chloe/Faith: You read Wildbow for the cute cannibal girls.

Avery/Liberty: You’re just happy that Wildbow didn’t reveal Liberty was straight after all that subtext.

#pale #wildbow #what your favorite ship says about you #with apologies to doubleca5t

[stromuprisahat]

I find this blog and its thorough breakdown of S&B to be an absolute blessing. Especially since this is one of the few books that started out with so much promise and by the latter half went to absolute shite. I agree that the Darkling was nothing but a respectful gentleman for a vast majority, while Mal was disgustingly cruel to his 'best friend' and Alina was a doormat who in the end shows very little positive growth. It's like LB is saying, "if a dude treats you respectfully, it's all a sham!" I couldn't even bring myself to read past book one I was so upset.

There are other "controversial" wisdoms to learn from these books:

Accept oppression and genocide, because if you can fight back, you deserve to be slaughtered.

All wars and social injustices will stop, if you say pretty please...

Killing and maiming are inexcusable, unless you have a nice cry about it, or you're POV's gf's Nazi dad...

... sorry, I got carried away. This was RoW. Slightly different can of worms.

#reply #Grishaverse #Shadow and Bone (book) #grishanalyticritical #The Darkling #Malyen Oretsev #Alina Starkov #Grisha #Jarl Brum #anti Leigh Bardugo #anti Malina #anti Mal

[twistedwonderlandboiimagines]

hello!! could i please request a romantic twst matchup? i dont want to be match with the first years.

my pronouns are they/them, my mbti is intp-t, virgo.

personality: im really shy and kind of awkward when socializing others bcos im not really good interacting with them so i just stay in the sideline where i observe people and their behavior and thats the reason why people depict me as intimidating and hard to approach and also bcos of my stoic expression too but when im with my close friends, im really bubbly and more comfortable with them. im really quite moody sometimes and i also tend to overthink things. i always listen to my friends whenever they're having a problem and just be there for them sometimes pitching in some advice now and then. im also the type of person to run away from their problems and tend to push people away bcos i dont want to burden them, i also laugh at small things, im also the type of person to read a body language very well bcos of my observant nature. i also get insecure with my appearance too. im also blunt with my words i do not sugarcoat things

my hobbies/likes: writing stories and reading books, poetry composition, learning about stars and outer space, watching horror videos on yt, staying up all night writing down my ideas about my next stories, sleeping, i also have a fascination to ocean and i tend to stare at it, dark academia, i also like abandoned places especially if its haunted, i also love matcha green tea, i also like dark clothes, i really love a meadow full of lavenders.

my dislikes: loud people including loud places too, vegetables (depends on my mood), cheaters and playboys, worms, hot weather, arrogant people.

what i look for in a partner: someone loyal and just be with me through thick and thin

that's all and thank you!!

- 🌾 anon

.

.

For you anon, I've picked a certain crown prince..

MALLEUS DRACONIA

You and Malleus share an interest in abandoned places. He would extend an invitation for you to join him in exploring a few quiet, long since deserted spots he likes visiting and just taking in the atmosphere.

He relates to you in others being intimidated by him for his expression or really no reason at all and can be a bit awkward socializing. The fae also loves your bubbly side though, feeling rewarding to see for getting close to you and knowing you're comfortable around him

Mal would be the one to reassure you when you are insecure or overthinking, giving his opinion on the matter at times. Sometimes he can be a bit blunt, but he tries to be as gentle as he can

The fae prince would appreciate your bluntness and even finds it amusing at times

All of your hobbies would be something he is interested in doing with you; especially watching the horror videos and reading. He likes being in the same room with you in comfortable silence with the two of you just reading, whether the same book or different.

Malleus is about as loyal as it gets. Even someone making a passive insult at you is enough to rile him up. If he feels someone is dishonoring you he'll be the first to do something about it. He tries to spend as much time with you as possible because of his abandonment issues and is dependable when you need him.

Your zodiac sign Virgo also has high compatibility with Capricorns, Malleus' sign.

#twst #malleus x reader #malleus draconia #malleus draconia x reader #twst x reader #twst matchup

[081314]

Vil Schoenheit (Vignette) - Outdoor Wear

Following is a summarized translation of the vignette from Vil Schoenheit’s Outdoor Wear card. This card is part of the Vargas Camp Returns event. Spoilers are ahead. 

The vignette starts with Vil and some Film Studies Club members having just arrived at the lake. Vil announces it’s time to get started fishing, and one of the club members mutters that’s it’s probably going to be quite the challenge trying to secure enough provisions for the entire club. Vil scoffs at him for complaining even before they’ve started, and says he needs to show some enthusiasm.

Just then, the group notices Malleus by the lake. Vil sees that he’s fishing, and asks him how things are going. Mal says he’s not caught anything yet, and Vil gets the idea to challenge him to a fishing competition. Whoever is the first to catch a fish wins. He says it will be more fun that way if they make it into a competition. Malleus smiles and says finishing will be a cinch for him, and accepts the challenge.

The other Film Studies Club members are astounded by what they are witnessing: a competition between Vil Schonheit and Malleus Draconia! But one of them questions if Vil has ever fished before. Vil admits that he hasn’t, but that he gathers the same goes for Malleus. Malleus confirms this is also his first time, as he didn’t get to leave the castle very often back in Briar Valley.

Vil says he suspected as much, and this way it will be a fair challenge for them both. Vil goes on to explain that prior to camp, he had studied up on fishing by reading books and researching online. He feels confident he can win this. The Film Studies Club members smile and say, “Just what you’d expect of Vil-san!”. Vil then goes to prepare his bait, but he’s a bit surprised how it feels to handle the live worm.

Malleus asks if Vil is about to give up before he’s even cast his line, and Vil scoffs, saying he had just hesitated because he’s not used to handling something like that. He manages to secure the bait, checks that everything looks good with his equipment, and gets ready to cast his line. He does an overhead cast and manages to land the hook right where he was aiming for.

Malleus is pleasantly surprised, remarking that he wouldn’t have thought such a smooth cast could have come from a beginner like Vil. But he also adds that he shan’t be losing this battle.

Vil says he might just sit back and relax now, as all he has to do is reel in his line once a fish takes the bait. The other Film Studies Club members gasp at the beauty of Vil Schonheit as he fishes. With his gaze directed at the lake surface, and his hair blowing in the wind, the view before them looks like it belongs in an advertisement.

Vil declares that though his opponent may be the Malleus Draconia, he has no intentions of losing this battle.

An hour has passed, and Vil shouts in frustration that he’s not caught a single thing. 

He wonders what on earth is going on, and Malleus smirks, saying that Vil was just all talk this whole time. Vil fires back that Mal hasn’t caught anything, either, and that he shouldn’t be acting all triumphant. Vil quickly realizes he’s lost his temper, and focuses on regaining his composure. Vil says he needs to keep cool and win this thing with smarts and beauty.

Vil decides to take some time to compose himself and think back on the research he had done prior to camp. He remembers that the most important part of fishing is to remain quiet. If you talk loudly, the fish can hear you underwater and will scatter away.

Mal smirks again and points out that Vil was just yammering at him a moment ago. Vil glares back and says that that was just a mistake which he now regrets, and he tells Malleus he won’t speak to him again until he’s caught something.

Vil decides his best bet is to change location and try casting his lure in another part of the lake. After a while, he still hasn’t caught anything, so next he tries changing out his bait for a lure.

Some more time passes, and he still hasn’t caught anything. Vil wonders if there maybe just aren’t any fish in this lake, but they hear some splashing and Malleus says he can see some fish jumping out of the water on the other side of the lake. Vil admits there are indeed fish in the lake, but he won’t be able to cast his line far out enough where Mal saw them jumping out the water. 

He considers if he should try changing locations or his bait again, but decides the best plan of action is to go into the lake and fish while standing in the water (cue the Groovy).

The Film Studies Club members watch in astonishment from the shore, bemoaning that Vil’s new outfit will get all wet. Vil says it’s nothing to fuss over, as he didn’t really have another choice but to get closer to where the fish are this way. He explains to them this is called wading, when you fish from within the water like that, and that it’s common for fisherman to do. He says if this doesn’t work, he’ll just have to figure out another gameplan.

Vil realizes he was looking at this whole thing the wrong way. This was never a fight between him and Malleus, it’s a battle between him and the fish. He laughs, thinking how he’s the dorm leader of Pomefiore at Night Raven College, the leader of the Film Studies Club, and a well-known model, but none of those titles matter to these fish. He’s just plain ‘ol Vil Schoenheit right now, and it’s been a while since he could duke it out like that, with no one’s preconceived notions of him getting in the way. It’s exciting for him to feel like a beginner again.

At long last, Vil catches a fish, and he declares that with this he has won the competition against Malleus. A Film Studies Club member points out that wasn’t Vil just saying this was a battle between him and the fish, and not him and Malleus? Vil replies that he never said it wasn’t a “fishing competition” with Malleus. Vil laughs and goes over to Malleus to show him his catch.

However, once Vil shows Malleus his fish, Malleus says he also just caught one a moment ago. Malleus says he caught his first, so he’s the winner.

Vil says no, he caught his first! A Film Studies Club member tries in vain to get the two to calm down, but his words fall on deaf ears.

Vil says that the fish that Mal caught is so small that it doesn’t even count. Mal smiles and says it’s still bigger than the one that Vil caught. The two continue to bicker about whose fish is bigger, and the Film Studies Club member watching the argument remark amongst themselves that neither fish is even big enough to bother eating :/

The scene transitions and it shows that several months have passed. We see Epel in his room at the Pomefiore dorm. He’s got some magazine that just came out, and there’s supposed to be an interview with Vil in it where he talks about his experiences at Vargas Camp. He looks for the interview and is surprised to learn that Vil is also apparently good at fishing. He reads aloud a quote from Vil from the article: “When I’m fishing, I can go back to being just Vil Schoenheit.” Epel shakes his head in bewilderment, not quite understanding what he means. But he figures it’s something deep.

Next, the scene changes again and we see Vil in his room. He’s chatting on the phone with his manager and has just accepted an offer to do a commercial. The commercial is for fishing supplies of all things. He thinks the company’s fishing outfits look pretty darn snazzy, so he’s looking forward to it. The company reached out to him after reading his interview where he talked about fishing at camp. 

Vil says that the whole camp experience was a real pain in the butt, but considers if he should offer his thanks to Vargas and Malleus since they helped him land the deal, in away. After a moment’s consideration, he changes his mind. He decides if anyone, he should be thankful to the fish.

#vil schoenheit #twisted wonderland #twst #vargas camp #vargas camp returns #my tl #malleus draconia #epel felmier

[apfel07]

Let me assign each Joker Out member a Tonbandgerät song, because I can and because I am very normal about both of those bands 👍

Let me start with Jure, because I have the strongest opinions about him:

As with all these songs it's mainly vibes, but specifically the lines:

Wir haben uns mal geschworen, wir werden nie Erwachsen, wir werden einfach älter und den Rest werden wir lassen und ich glaube, das kriegen wir auch sehr gut hin.

We once swore to never become adults, to just grow older but not do the rest and I think we are doing pretty well

Aus Träumen wurden Dinge die wir einfach machten

Dreams became things that we just did

really remind me of Jure.

Next up, Jan:

For some reason Jan gives me nostalgic vibes and this song is about nostalgia so yeah

Die Angst und die Chancen verschoben auf morgen, wie der eine Moment, den ich niemals fand

The fear and the chances, postponed to tomorrow, like the one moment I never found

Moving on to Bojan:

I have no explanation for this at all

Kris time!

Again, a very nostalgic song

Zwischen monoton und Wahnsinn, die Stille wird zu laut. Und die Nächte sind warm und schwer vom Sommer

Between monotone and insanity, silence turns to loud. And the nights are worm and heavy from summer

This line is just very Kris to me for some reason

Lastly, Nace:

The beginning weirdly reminds me of ASTP even though they don't sound alike at all...

Also, this vibe of kinda trying to find your place, feeling a bit lost, really makes me think of Nace :)

Ich hät gern wieder eine Ahnung, oder zumindest einen Platz, an dem ich meinen müden Körper, abends hinlegen darf.

I would like to have and idea again, or at least a place, where I am alowed to lay down my tired body in the evening

Was this all just propaganda to make you listen to Tonbandgerät? Maybe, but it's on you if you read this far.

#joker out #jan peteh #nace jordan #kris guštin #jure maček #bojan cvjetićanin

[llondonfog]

16 and 48 for the fic writers ask game!

questions for fic writers: 16. What’s an AU you would love to read (or have read and loved)?

The AU possibilities with Diasomnia are ENDLESS but I think if I had to pick one that I would love to expand upon or see someone else's take, I'm so partial to my General Vanrouge stumbles across this abandoned human child in the woods during the middle of the fae-human war and having this boy that smiles like the shy flowers of spring slowly worm his way under his armored heart that's known bloodshed and violence for far too long. There's so much potential for slow burn found family, and inevitably, the fun panic when the fae royal court finds out just what he's done aaaaaa

As far as an AU that I've read and loved, @whitenoface's kindergarten/no magic AU is honestly one of the most wholesome things on AO3?? I will fully go back to that fic time and time again if I need a pick me up (SPECIFICALLY THE CHAPTER SILVER STANDS UP FOR HIS FATHER I CRIED ; A;) there's just?? something so wonderful about seeing Lilia and Silver become a family in each and every universe— their bond is really special when you start looking at the complexities shaping their circumstances :')

48. What’s the last fic you read? Do you recommend it?

prelude to the end of the world - lovebrd

i read it as my 'bedtime story' last night and tHIS ONE SHOOK ME, silver having visions while dreaming of mal overblotting, of LILIA DYING, and it's like this anastasia thing where he was actually sort of sleep-walking aND ALMOST JUMPED OUT OF THE WINDOW OF HIS DORM ROOM AND SEBEK ENDS UP SAVING HIM??? SILVER FEELING LIKE HE MAY NOT BE STRONG ENOUGH TO PROTECT HIS FATHER AND MAL, BUT MAYBE HE'LL BE ENOUGH TO PROTECT SEBEK AGAINST WHAT'S COMING???? I AM DISTRAUGHT, I AM INCONSOLABLE, I—

#lettie's asks #twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland silver #twst silver #lilia vanrouge #twst lilia #twst malleus #malleus draconia #twst sebek #sebek zigvolt #diasomnia #ABSOLUTELY IN LOVE WITH ALL THE DIASOMNIA FAMILY CONTENT THIS FANDOM CREATES #YES GIVE ME MORE OF THE WORLDS MOST TRAGIC FOUND FAMILY #I'LL HAVE THEM IN EVERY FLAVOR

[night-market-if]

THOUGHTS AND RAMBLING:

Hazle's sweetness ugh! what a good egg we don't deserve her! I hope if possible in the future books we can help her more often around the shop, or have free time within the story to explore or hangout with a ro or friend. Because having to pick between the two is difficult everyone is great!

What's Milo up too... kinda sus.

B needs to be told it's okay from now 🥺

The banter of insults between kavatti and B LOL could listen for days very funny! Must have been fun to write.

Bella's name. I remember when I first read it and I thought how dangerous, and now knowing the reason behind it how fitting!

I did not enjoy seeing B like that it felt so wrong... her submitting to kavatti like that.

LOL was not expecting that at the end of the meeting

👁👄👁 It was deserved!

When mc passed out I couldn't help but laugh it was kinda funny 🤭

I almost regret asking about G's and B's past shouldn't have opened that can of worms! All that bickering. Maybe it was necessary they were so dammed up a release was needed. I'm curious in how their future interactions will go.

Bells is a real cute nickname.

The Albright reunion... I wasn't expecting it happening so soon! but nice nevertheless. Sweet hazel needed this. On another note I really cant wait to see what happens next!!But I can't help but think there is a connection between Mal and mc 👀 I have some theories!

FAVORITE LINES:

"wearing a dress of shadow. It shifted with each fluid movement of her body. Her lips were stained crimson and her hair was a bright shock down her back."

- ☝️☝️THIS JUST STUNNING I really loved how you described her 👏

"Turns out Kavatti is just as dumb as she always was, distracted by the simplest of baubles."

- HA! I cackled at this lol just HILLARIOUS.

"Agreed. Nicole , you need to rest, sweetling."

- *Swoons hard core*

QUESTION:

Now that B has the baron power will B being a baron be beneficial to the night market?

As always thanks for sharing your story it's a real gem!! I truly do love reading your work.

Oh I love all of this! I adore when you guys send me in your chapter observations. They make me downright giddy.

As for Bella's position being beneficial to the Night Market... it remains to be seen. Now, this could change, but I think if you are in a romance with her, then you kind of are able to help her in the next book and guide what kind of Baron she could potentially be. That is the plan that I have for now, however. We'll see if when I start writing book 2 if it pans out that way but I think it would be a lot of fun to be able to kind of tip the Bella in one direction or the other. Granted, given who she is, she's going to do whatever you are suggesting in a much different way, but the thought is still there.

🪷✨🪷✨ If you want to support me 🪷 ✨🪷✨

        Demo 🌿 Patreon 🌿 Ko-fi 🌿Discord

#the night market #belladonna malady #chapter ten

[everythingseasoning]

I started rewatching S2 of AOT and here is a little brain dump (for my own archive purposes)

I finished 3.5 episodes, E26-29 and into E30.

Wow. We see that Eren is such an acts of service kind of guy. He will do anything to save the people he loves… He was willing to die in a snowstorm to retrieve a lost Historia during their winter training. Eren is NOT OKAY with seeing people he cares for get hurt— he turns into an impassioned human whenever he witnesses something unjust. It’s really cool to see that somebody else cares that much for you. Eren will risk his life, do whatever he needs to do, for the people he cares about. And well. It adds up for what happens in S4 and the end of the manga. I fr want an Eren in my life (minus the genocide!!!)

I have a worm making its way thru my heart and that worm is Reiner. Reiner is so brave and manly and it is making me feel some typa way. Couple that with Eren, and the AOT guys are making me not 100% gay. Anyways. Then we have Ymir, who is fiercely caring, insightful, and super tall for Historia. Ymir who I like a lot more this time around, who would take care of who she loves and protects them with all her attention. I feel like Ymir and I share the same level of care for people we love. I like her a lot, I want a Ymir in my life too. She and Historia deserved a happy ending. They all did. (I am also traumatized by Miche and Nanaba’s death — no — I’m not kidding, I just, had a mini trauma episode— which happens everytime I witness something violent, even if fictional).

I’ve been taking notes on the plot (as usual, #mal’s endeavors), and I have to say there is sooo much going on within every character, for all characters, all at the same time. Idk how isayama made this all coherent as one story in one timeline — like how do you do that? for how complicated it is — but like yup. He did that.

(I.e. we get a glimpse of Sasha’s backstory and her journey of being a scaredy-cat girl who only thinks about her own wants, to becoming a courageous soldier—like I’m so proud of her — We’re just starting to see Reiner’s bravery and amazing way of taking action to help the scouts, and then also his split personality disorder— We’re learning about Ymir and Historia’s past.

And it all happens in one damn day).

/// the question is do I squeal about their characters and read fanfiction and adore them — or do I keep watching the show — or do I do my own ff???

#mal is random asf #mal’s archives #mal decided to share her thoughts #attack on titan #aot #aot analysis #snk #snk analysis #attack on Titan analysis

[madnessiseverything]

like a true survivor (feeling like a little kid)

in which alina climbs into the car trunk of three strangers, and the crows gain a road trip buddy.

“I’m Inej,” the woman says eventually, turning to face her more fully. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Something must show on Alina’s face because she winces. “Uh, despite the circumstances?” She nudges the tub of gummy worms that’s been resting between them.  Alina is so damn tired. Inej is looking at her with kindness. “Alina,” she responds, “but I assume you knew that.” Inej lets out a small disbelieving laugh.  “Yeah. I’m sorry about all of this,” she says. Alina believes her. She twists her sleeve around her fingers. “In your defence, I did climb into your trunk.” “A fascinating move, by the way,” the driver says cheerfully over the muted tune of a classics radio station. “Couldn’t believe my eyes.”  “You saw?” Alina asks, mortified. Fuck, she has got to get better at keeping an eye out. Mal would be so disappointed.  “Sure did,” the driver says, “I’m Jesper.”  The man with the cane leans forward to thump his head against the dashboard. So he’d clearly been arguing against them telling her their names, then. Alina can’t help but grin. 

read full fic on ao3

#shadow and bone #six of crows #alina starkov #inej ghafa #jesper fahey #kaz brekker #grishaverse #atlaswriting #sometimes an idea gets a grip of you and wont let you rest

[ewingstan]

Worm and other media that won't just let you shoot the Joker, part 1:

Worm comments on the structure of stories, especially superhero stories, in some interesting ways. There's a lot of stuff that happen in superhero comics for no real reason than that it needs to happen for the story to be interesting; a huge amount of Worm's worldbuilding is devoted to taking these things and making the fact that they have to happen an explicit in-setting constraint. For instance, superhero stories tend to have more powerful heroes face off against much more powerful villains than their less-powerful allies, to the point where it seems like super-powerful threats are coming to earth every few weeks just because it wouldn't be interesting to read that comic otherwise. It gets weirder when you compare what villains end up visiting the cities of uber-powerful heroes vs the cities of less powerful heroes: Gotham mostly just has to deal with serial killers while Metropolis is a magnet for evil gods. Worm plays with this by having the Endbringers exist only because the big hero needed something to fight in-text: it changes "powerful heroes need powerful villains or else it wouldn't be interesting" from a Doylist justification to a Watsonian one. Then there's the fact that so much of the horrible conflict in Earth Bet is explicitly caused by Gods making sure the powers they grant people lead to increased conflict, the fact that one of the most powerful characters does what she does because the plot path to victory says she needs to, etc.

But the big one is Jack Slash, and how he's only able to get away with his bullshit because he has plot armor as a secondary power. As WB says here, "Jack's a reconstruction of the Joker type character in the sense that you can't have such a character take such a high profile position in the setting, without having there be a cheat." The Joker and similar characters are only able to keep being relevant threats in their stories because the narrative bends to let them win and stops them from being killed. Jack Slash is only able to keep being a relevant threat because his power makes the universe bend to let him win in the same way. Not only does this make for an interesting obstacle (its almost like they're fighting an authorial mandate!), but it skewers the use of similar character's plot armor and how unrealistic and unsatisfying it makes their stories.

But wait, what does it mean for a story to be "unrealistic" in the context of superpowers? Is being unrealistic in those contexts actually a problem? For that matter, what does it mean for a narrative to bend to let someone win? Its not like there's an objective way fighting the Joker would go, which the author is deviating from by letting him survive.

[Stuff under readbelow contains spoilers fo, the movie Funny Games and the book Anybody Home?]

Maybe we could say that if characters like the Joker were real, and put in the situations they are in their stories, they would end up being killed really quickly. But is that a reasonable way to judge stories? A narrative where such a character is killed unceremoniously to satisfy a need for realism isn't any less an expression of the author's deliberate choices than a story where the character keeps showing back up to satisfy a desire for fan-favorite characters. And while Jack Slash's arcs help show why deviating from "realistic consequences" in the service of keeping a character alive can make a story exhausting and screw with an audiences' appreciation of stakes, it doesn't make a strong case against the concept of villains having plot armor in general. A story isn't necessarily worse just for being constructed to keep the villains alive—all stories are constructed, and sometimes being constructed that way makes for the best story.

That becomes more clear when you take the premise of Jack Slash as "killer who wins because the mechanics of the universe says so" and make clear just how much "the mechanics of the universe" really just means "the story". Which is how you get Peter and Paul from Funny Games.

I'd highly recommend watching Funny Games (though for the love of god check content warnings), as well as Patricia Taxxon's review of it that I'm cribbing a lot from here. But to summarize, Funny Games is a movie written and directed by Michael Haneke about a family's lakeside vacation being interrupted by the appearance of two murderous young men, who capture them in their own house and slowly torture and kill them off. At least, that's what it seems to be about initially. It marketed itself as a somewhat standard entry in the genres of torture porn and home invasion thrillers, and played itself straight as one for the majority of its runtime. But then one of the two villains of the pair, "Paul," starts talking to the audience.

It starts small: after crippling the family's father and revealing that he killed their dog, Paul has the wife look for its corpse outside. While giving her hints, he slowly turns back towards the camera and smirks, before turning back. In isolation, maybe it could be interpreted as Paul smirking at Peter, seeming to look out at the audience only because of clumsy blocking. But then it happens again. Paul tells the family, who are completely at their mercy at this point, that they're gonna bet that they'll all be dead within twelve hours. When the family refuses to take the bet, asking how they could hope to win it when he can clearly off them all whenever they wish, Paul turns towards the audience and asks "what do you think? Do you think they stand a chance? Well you're on their side aren't you. Who you betting on, eh?" The audience is being acknowledged; their role as someone invested in the story is being examined by the ones introducing the stakes.

But the biggest moment comes near the end, when the mother grabs the shotgun she's being threatened with and blasts Peter. Paul startles, grins, and then hurredly grabs a tv remote and presses rewind. The movie itself suddenly rewinds to right before the mother grabs the gun, and plays again with Paul grabbing the shotgun right before the mother reaches for it.

Its a truly incredible moment, in that its the perfect way to forcibly take away the audience's suspension of disbelief. It forces the audience to acknowledge that they're viewing a story, not something happening to a real family. After their moment of catharsis against the villains, Paul makes the confront the fact that the movie will end however the creators want it to, and if they want the villains to win they'll will regardless of how little sense it makes. Fuck you, we can go from being set in the normal world with normal rules to the villains traveling back in time with a tv remote, because a story does whatever its creators want. Haneke just decided to make that obvious in the most jarring way imaginable.

But maybe the best way to illustrate Funny Games effectiveness at this type of artful unveiling is comparing it to its less-effective imitators. I've recently finished Anybody Home?, a recently-published book by Michael J. Seidlinger. It has the conceit of being narrated by an unnamed mass-murderer, guiding a new killer in their first home invasion. I started reading it before I watched Funny Games, and even afterwards took a while to realize the unnamed narrator wasn’t just a pastiche of a Paul-like character but was actually supposed to be read as Paul himself. Seidlinger was having his book be a sort of unofficial sequel to Funny Games, narrated by its star. Once I realized, a lot of the books details suddenly clicked. The big one was the constant references to “the camera" and the idea of murder being a performance for an audience, one that needed to be fresh and original to make “the cults” enjoy it. Take these passages from page 77:

If it happened, it would perturb. It would create suspicion. It wouldn’t end up ruining the performance, and yet, it could have derailed our casing. The camera can have all it wants; either way, it’ll make it look better than it really was. It’ll strip away the cues and other planned orchestrations and it’ll show the action—the actuality of each scene, each suggestion…

This is a spectacle, above all. The craft pertains to keeping and maintaining a captive audience; behind the camera, you’ll never know how it happened—the trickery that made the impossible possible, the insanity so close to home. It is spectacle.

Through online activity, the son made it clear that something is happening at home, yet we cannot be certain if he has noticed the camera.

These all point to the idea that the murders are being viewed by an audience rather than just by intruders, that this is a performance for said audience's benefit more than anything else. But notably, it also reinforces the idea of these characters having an existence outside of the camera: the camera shows the action and "strips away" the cues behind it, the victims have a life outside the camera such that they could plausibly sense that the camera is now here. The victims are sometimes described as playing into their role, but always metaphorically; always as if normal people start acting like characters when put in certain circumstances. Whereas Funny Games posits that characters will behave however the author wants them to, denying the claim that stories are realistic simulations of hypothetical scenarios.

The whole thing is predicated on the idea that there needs to be a guide, that the villain of a home invader movie is really in danger of something going wrong. Paul/The narrator keeps giving directions on what needs to be double checked, what needs to X, and its completely against the spirit of the role Paul served in Funny Games. If something goes wrong for the villain they should just be able to rewind and do it over, because the story was written for them to succeed. Anybody Home? throws out Funny Games theme of the story being on rails, of the winner being whoever the author wants it to be and the events following whatever the author wanted rather than what would "really" happen. It throws out the whole idea that it’s all just a story, by supporting the idea that the characters have lives not captured by the camera—or more relevantly, not captured on-page.

Because Seidlinger using the language of film in a book leads to different things going on with the fourth wall. The way Funny Games and Anybody Home? make the camera explicit are just different, and the former does it much more interestingly than the latter. Seildinger’s characters aren’t looking back at the reader, the fourth wall is never actually breached. Funny Games has Paul look into the camera to address the audience, making clear how it’s a story being set up for the audience's benefit. Anybody Home? invokes the idea of a camera tracking everything home invaders do in general, having it be a third-party force that’s itself an unseen character contained within the story, observing the intruder's crime rather than the reader. Why is it still a camera, if we're in a book rather than a movie? A character in a book talking about a camera watching them does not convey any of the same meaning as a character in a movie suddenly looking into a camera and smirking at the audience!

By the end, you realize that this is caused in part by the book's bizarro take on how horror movies exist in this world. It reveals that in its setting, all horror movies are adaptations of real home invasions, which get recorded by unseen mysterious forces. Killers enter a home and enact violence, are filmed by some supernatural camera, the footage gets leaked to the public, and then the killers sell the rights to the work to studios. The events of SAW really happened, but the movie was just an adaptation. Funny Games really happened, but the Paul in the movies was just an actor playing the Paul narrating this book. The killer's victims eventually realize that they're "victims," but not in the sense that they realize their characters in a story, only in a sense that they realize they got sucked into their world's magical realism bullshit.

Ultimately, while the book does the same trick of being all about how horror stories are “for” us, it gets rid of all the tricks that made it work for Funny Games. It even strips it's in-universe version of what made it special; Funny Games is just another adaptation of a real home invasion. All the meta stuff that makes it interesting in its genre are just gestured at as aesthetics.

So what makes Jack Slash in Worm succeed where the killers in Anybody Home? fail? Both are constructed to be entertaining for a 3rd party who stand-in for but aren't actually the audience; the entities in Worm, the cults in Anybody Home?. But Jack Slash doesn't mix his metaphors. Worm may turn various real-life factors affecting a work into in-story mechanisms of the world in the same way Anybody Home? does. But it doesn't also base itself off a text that takes in-story mechanisms and breaks them to force the audience to see the various real-life factors affecting the work. In effect, WB pulls off a trick Seidlinger tries and fails because WB wasn't taking another metatexual story and stripping it of what made it interesting.

Though that introduces the question: can such meta-moves be mixed? Can you have a text where story conceits become explicit plot mechanics the characters are aware of, while also having characters really look at the camera and tell the audience that its all just a story? Can you actually sell it and make it something interesting?

There is one story that tries this. I don't know if it pulls it off, but it certainly makes a lot of interesting moves that create a fascinating whole. It even comments on the Joker in the same way Worm does, having a character who seemingly cant die because the roll they play in the story is too impor—

Ah fuck.

Continued in part 2.

#wormblr #wildbow #jack slash #parahumans #metafiction #funny games #michael haneke #anybody home? #michael j seidlinger #mals says #mals reads worm #Youtube

[where-theres-smoak-2]

I was listening to this one podcaster. And she said that she hated how Episode 8 was. She’s read all the books btw. She liked the rest of the season but not the last episode. She said that Mal going off on his own and Alina staying at the palace with Nikolai was something they would never do because they’d never abandon each other. I thought to myself—its something that they never did in the books yes but not something that they would never do. In fact, in the books, Mal leaves Alina—a lot. He’s terrible towards her…A LOT. Anyway, that’s a whole other can of worms. Then the podcaster said that Alina deciding to stay is something she’d never do. Again, I feel like they need to realize that what they mean is something she never DID in the books vs something she would never do. Finally, they were leaning heavily into the idea that Alina having the shadow powers is because the darkling is in her. They were saying that she’d never smirk like that from getting those powers. First, did they not watch the show or even read the books properly, there are peeks and instances, especially in the show, where Alina does get seduced by the darkness (literally and figuratively), where she wants power, where she gets this euphoric look on her face from the power! So I don’t think it’s fair to say that the reason she got those shadow powers and reacted the way she did has to be because of the darkling and because Alina would never do that. I think the show, if anything, was trying to show the complete opposite, that she did lean into the power because she always had an inclination for it anyway. Even in the books!

Idk, there were some things as a book reader, that I didn’t like in the show but I think some people are missing the point of an adaptation and all the baggage and restrictions AND liberties that come with it. I think that ending was brilliant

PS. I have to agree with the podcaster about how the dresses Alina, Genya and Zoya were wearing just was not it. Especially Zoya’s. Jessie in that crown though—as Ben said, she looks gorgeous and looks right in a crown.

A lot of the time when someone says that a character would never do that, what they actually mean is I don't like the way things have turned out and so instead of admitting that I don't like that things didn't go my way I am going to project my feelings onto this character and claim that it was ooc for them to do this.

As you said there were plenty of instances in the books and the show where Alina showed that she liked power and was curious about the cut. In the books she nearly slices Sergei in half with the cut before redirecting it at the ceiling, she then asked the fabrikators who repaired the ceiling to make sure there was still a mark left as scars can be useful reminders, she wanted the grisha to have some fear towards her so that they would think twice before defying or betraying her. In 1x02 when Aleks was talking about the cut Alina looked intrigued and looked down at her own hand like she was wondering what it would be like to use it herself. When she got the sea whip amplifier she looked euphoric as the power was pouring out of her. She also looked pleased when she was practising the cut at the spinning wheel with Nadia and Tamar and she destroyed the practise dummy and put a crack in the wall. So its not new for Alina to react to her powers, especially when her powers are destructive, with joy or pleasure.

I also them saying her using the cut and looking pleased must be because of the darkling does make me glad that they cut that scene where Aleks gives Alina his powers and instead made it a consequence of her using merzost because this shows that antis would have used it as an excuse to blame Aleks for it.

As you said at the end of day this is an adaption of the books, everything isn't going to be the same, they are going to change things and go where they want to go creatively, they are not trying to make an exact copy of the books and honestly thank god for that. I am with you the ending was brilliant.

#shadow and bone #anti malina #s&b season 2 spoilers #answered

[morpheus-7]

BG3 minor act 3 spoilers!! you've been warned!

I'm just starting act 2 and something gave me my own (hopefully less fatal) brain worm. featuring my main tav, Mal! (a draconic sorcerer tiefling) and his hubby Astarion. Summary under cut! *not beta read, and done in entirely one sitting, be warned. also technically the first fic I've posted since I was like, 12 so...yeah.*

Astarion has been acting different ever since Mal took the astral parasite, Mal finally confronts his lover on it.

Astarion's been avoiding him.

He knows why, knows his lover's stomach churns whenever he sees the dark veins covering Mal's face, the deep bags that have formed around his red eyes. He knows. But it isn't easier to stomach the fact that Astarion can barely look at him.

They're a days walk from Baldur's Gate, but a wicked storm has slowed their progress and trapped them in camp for at least another day before the water clears from the roads. Meaning they've all been left to stew in Mal's decision. He can take the scorn, the worried monologues and sideways glances from his friends, but watching Astarion's eyes flicker away from him sends a jolt of ice through his heart each time. He knows Astarion doesn't understand why he's done this, and he'd honestly prefer to keep it a secret, but the last thing he wants is to strain their relationship. The love they've carefully cultivated since Astarion held a dagger to his throat and Mal burned the hells out of his hand on that beach. He can't risk that. Especially now that they're so close to the city, so close to him. He can't risk Astarion being left vulnerable, he can't. And he can't stomach watching him pull away, avoiding his gaze, never seeking him out for company anymore. It makes him feel sicker than the parasite ever has.

Cloud's blanket the sky, leaving everything a dull gray and rain patters down in a light drizzle. Mal stands at the edge of his tent, holding his palm out and watching the rain gather in the concave before dripping through his fingers to the dirt below. He swears every other drop is stained red with blood, but when he blinks it's gone. At least the shimmering gold of his ring looks enchanting under the water, Astarion's looks the best soaked in blood.

He doesn't know how long he stands there, burning red eyes watching the water pool and spill over-again and again, before he pulls his hand back under the safe canopy of his tent and prepares to depart. It's always been difficult to pull a hood adequately over his head due to his horns, but he manages just enough to hopefully keep his hair dry, he hates the way rain makes his black hair curl around his face. Mal summons heat to his palm and the water evaporates as he steps out into the rain, and just as luck would have it the light drizzle becomes a downpour. Cursing his ancestors for being fire dragons and leaving him in a world intent to constantly rain, he marches off towards Astarion's tent.

He finds his lover lounged against his pillows, reading a tome he must've picked up in their travels, tucked safely under the canopy of his tent. The elf perks up when he approaches and raises head to flash a dazzling smile at him for a moment Mal's soul feels soothed again, before something in his lover's face fractures. He can feel crimson eyes trailing over the black veins sprouting across his face, and while he doesn't regret his choice-even now, he very desperately wishes his appearance could escape unmarred, if only to keep the frown off of Astarion's face.

Despite the flicker there, his lover still greets him with a sweet sounding. "Ah, hello darling. What are you doing out in the rain? That desperate to see me?"

The teasing at least brings a small smile to his face, even if he knows it's hollow. Lacking the ease it usually does. Mal steps under the canopy when Astarion shifts to invite him closer, careful not to place his muddy boots on his lover's fine rug. "Always."

He murmurs in response, and the honesty seems to catch Astarion off guard for a moment, a flicker of surprise crossing his face before he melts back into that all to casual smile. And Mal hates it, while exploring the Shadowed Cursed Lands and preparing to fight Ketheric-Astarion had finally stopped hiding his emotions from him. Positive and negative, he'd finally relaxed, but now he feels the need to hide again around Mal and it hurts and makes him furious all at the same time. He knows his lover doesn't hate him, but something's between them has changed just as he has, he only hopes he can fix it. Still, he bites his tongue and only offers a soft chuckle as Astarion closes his book to do a dramatic flourish. "Of course! I'm such a prize after all, now what did you need my dear?"

Mal lowers his hood and faces him, baring his face-dark veins and all to his lover. "You... You've been avoiding me. I feel, I feel we need to talk."

Astarion doesn't seem to realize that Mal can tell he's not looking at him, his crimson gaze carefully pointed to the scarlet of Mal's ear. His lover scoffs softly and tries to wave him off. "Oh don't be silly, I'd never avoid you."

"Astarion." Mal's voice rises slightly from the soft murmur it was before, a bit firmer and having the intended affect of truly gaining his lover's attention. The vampire heaves a deep sigh and Mal watches as his carefully maintained walls crumble. "Alright, fine fine. Yes I've been avoiding you-But just a little bit, alright? I-I have a lot to process. Prepare for. We grow ever nearer Cazador and you-you" He falters, and those beautiful eyes finally drift to Mal's face. He can feel his gaze fluttering about, taking in each and every dark vein across his face. "I... I have become part Mindflayer." "Yes, that." Astarion murmurs as he crosses his arms and finally tears his gaze away from Mal's face to stare at the muddy ground. He shifts slightly where he stands, like he's physically weighing his words with his body. Mal gives him a moment to collect his thoughts, and his patience is rewarded by an almost meek murmur of- "I just, can't understand why."

Astarion continues before Mal can respond, his head raising and fixing the tiefling with a confused glare. "I just-I don't understand why. Why you trusted him so easily with your life, your fate, all our fates. You were always so cautious of the parasite and it's powers-only using your powers every now and then, worried you'd sprout tentacles! But now? Now? You-You had one genuine conversation with this-this Emperor and immediately caved to 'evolve!' Became half Mindflayer! Now if it was me, that'd I'd understand. Vampires always hunger for power! But you? It makes no sense!"

Astarion's worked himself into a bit of a frenzy as he rants, waving his arms about and Mal has to carefully duck under an overzealous swing a few times. It's easy to forget Astarion doesn't actually need to breathe, but it's made clear with his long winded rants-not a breath wasted on nourishing his body but every ounce instead used for his frustrated ramblings. Mal watches him, slightly wide eyed as he heaves with his confused fury after his rant, and gives him a moment to ensure he's done before he responds. "Astarion.."

He'll freely admit his lover's flurry of emotions has caught him a bit off guard, but with a deep breath he composes himself. "I did consider my life. Our lives. That... Honestly that's all I considered." Astarion's brow furrows, and he can't seem to decide if he's angry or confused. He watches his lover squeeze his eyes shut and take a deep breath, hands folded in front of him as if in prayer, but Mal knows he prays to no God.

"Mal, why did you do this?" "To protect you." His answer comes easily, as if written in his very marrow. Astarion's shoulders tense, and Mal watches fury twist his expression. "Protect me?! You became a Mindflayer hybrid to protect me? I don't need protection Mal!" The scolding nearly makes him retreat in on himself, but he stands firm and meets his lover head on. "Yes you do! And what about that deal we made? Huh? We watch each other's backs. We agreed when You first told me of Cazador, and agreed again when we put on these rings!" Mal holds up his hand for emphasis, the gold band around his finger catching the little sunlight breaking through the clouds. The magic in the metal shifts and glistens in the rain. Astarion's eyes soften slightly as he sees it, and Mal can just about see him stroking his own ring out of the corner of his eye.

Mal continues on with his own speech. "I made the choice I did for you, for all of you. We'll need all the strength we can get to defeat Gortash and Orin, we both know that. And if having even just one hybrid on our team turns the tide in our favor, than I'd rather it be me than any of you. I promised to protect you Astarion, and I-I... I need to be strong to do that." His voice cracks with emotion, the terror he's been struggling to bury ever since Astarion told him about his former master bubbling to the surface. Astarion, like a shark smelling blood in the water-or a vampire smelling blood in the air, narrows in on it. "You didn't do this for everyone. You did it for me, didn't you?" Astarion's voice is softer than before, subdued. His tone not accusatory, but certainly it's not a true question. They both know the answer, even if it feels like the realization that Astarion has figured him out so easily makes it feel like someone tugged the rug out from under Mal. He swallows around a dry throat and steps back slightly, letting the rain pelt his back. "I-..." He sighs and huffs a soft, bitter laugh. "Damn you for knowing me so well." Mal murmurs as he shakes his head. "Yes. I did it for you. To protect you. I'd do anything to protect everyone here, you know that. But you... You were the only one on my mind." Astarion hasn't taken his eyes off him for a full minute now, his gaze criticizing and face carefully neutral as he softly asks. "It's not the Absolute you want to protect me from... Isn't it?" Caught out again, Mal sighs and lowers his gaze. He rubs his face, hand covering his eyes as he nods softly. "Not... Not only the Absolute. No." "I promised to help you kill Cazador, but... I was afraid. Afraid I wouldn't be strong enough to stop him, afraid that'd you'd be lost to me forever... I couldn't bare that Astarion. Couldn't bare the thought that I failed you. That night, when I promised to help kill him, stop the ritual and truly free you, I made another promise. To myself, that I'd become as strong as I possibly can to help you." Astarion is quiet for a long few moments, processing Mal's words and leaving his lover to nervously fidget. Finally, a soft laugh breaks through the patter of rain and Mal's head snaps up to see the exhausted smile stretching across his lover's face. "You're a fool, you know that?" Mal can't help his own soft laugh as he nods. "Yeah, yeah I know. But I'm your fool, if... if you'd still have me." Astarion huffs and lightly punches his arm, before his palm flattens against his bicep and slips gently down his dark cloak before reaching his hand and intertwining their fingers. "I'd be a fool to turn you away. I mean, seriously. The rings are one thing, but becoming half Mindlfayer just to help me is a whole new level of devotion. It'd be a waste to toss you aside." Mal chuckles weakly and sways forward until he can plant his head on Astarion's shoulder, letting the exhaustion and relief wash through his body and leave him slumping against his lover. Astarion slinks an arm over his shoulder and tugs him in close with a soft laugh, melting into the embrace and letting Mal wrap his arms around his waist. "And here I was afraid you'd been corrupted by power, that you'd try to enslave the world and spread your infections!"

His grandiose tone is enough to reveal his teasing, yet Mal can sense some truth in it. Why he'd been wary of him since his return, it's a valid fear when facing the ilithid and the Absolute, even if now the idea leaves them both amused. He squeezes his waist gently and presses his face into his shoulder with a breathless laugh. "Please, I'd be a terrible tyrant. I can barely scold the owlbear." Astarion's next words are fully broken by laughter as he tugs Mal even closer, swaying with him. "Oh do not tell me they're still eating your boots!" Mal pulls back to fix Astarion with the most pathetic pout he can muster. "Have you seen their little face? How can anyone scold such a thing? Not to mention their voice-If only you could hear it! Tugs my heartstrings everytime!" Astarion giggles and presses their foreheads together. "You and your damn bleeding heart." "Hey, last I remember you like this bleeding heart of mine. Particularly, when it bleeds." Mal pinches his side as he teases him in return.

Hells, he's missed this. His lover laughs, bright and joyful for the first time in days. It makes Mal's chest feel light like no other. "Yes yes, I've grown quite fond of your heart and your blood, namely your blood, even if you are quite a fool." "But I'm your fool." "Yes, you are." Astarion's voice is soft and sweet, and Mal is all to happy to return the kiss suddenly pressed against his lips. They embrace for a long while, too lost in each other's arms to notice the rain has come to a stop. A long journey awaits them, but for now, they have this.

#astarion #baldur's gate 3 #fanfic #bg3 astarion #tav x astarion #bg3 spoilers #oc x canon

[give-soup-please]

hi soup! do you have any ocs? if so, do you wanna tell us about them? :-D

buddy, you don't know the can of worms you've opened/pos

Here's a brief overview:

(unnamed) - Big shot lawyer who specializes in contract negotiations during business mergers. Sharp, angular man. Very tall, very thin, wears expensive suits. In his mid 50s- early 60s. Chain smoker, but really wishes he could settle down with a nice cigar once in a while. Very bitter and sarcastic. He has, after all, spent almost twenty years dealing with capitalism and all its ills up close. Highly prized in the world I've created, because a large portion of the magic world involves similar contracts and deals. Suspicious of magic users and does his best to stay away from them. Unfortunately, he didn't expect to start nursing a crush on Theophilus, nor did he intend to start viewing Io as his kid as well.

Theophilus (Call him Phil, or he gets mad) - Bootleg potion maker. You need a potion that will let you stay awake for a week, or will make you feel like you've gotten a full night's rest, but can't afford the real thing? Talk to him. His potions are good - he knows all the right, cheaper substitutes and 'generics'. Hard worker, spends almost all his free time down in the lab filling orders for people, when he isn't teaching magic. Had his potion making licence revoked because he wouldn't stop trying to cut deals with people and get people their medications for cheap. His stuff is safe, he tests batches on himself, but it is technically illegal so you don't want to be caught with his goods. Early to mid thirties. Wears cheap and loose fitting clothes, hoodies are his favorite. His clothes are permanently stained with ingredients and splattered liquid from his cauldrons. Casual attitude, fairly easy going unless it's about the safety of his potions or the safety of his adopted kid. Has a very obvious crush on (unnamed), and flirts with him constantly.

Io (Not her real name. She's looking for her birth certificate) - Around twelve years old. Very quiet, studious, and suspicious of other people. Phil's adopted kid. She's got a lot of magic ability, but her control is limited due to her young age and upbringing. Before she was adopted by Phil, she was apprenticed to a demon lord. Still in recovery from this in many ways. She was trained by this demon lord to be a perfect apprentice- obedient, silent, intensely focused. It came at a high cost. Learning to be a kid again, but it's quite difficult. She wears the same clothes every day. A purple hoodie that's been enchanted with various protective runes, inscribed in gold all over the front and back. Her special ability is her empathic powers. This is less of a "I sense sadness." while someone is hysterically crying one room over, and more a keen sense of intuition and and understanding of the worst parts of human nature. She senses other people's emotions as if they were her own, and has a really hard time balancing her own personality and not integrating other personalities into her head. In this world, empaths are not born, they are made by experimentation.

'Mal' (Short for Malkieck) - Demon lord. Very tall, very buff, red skin, the whole package. Not all demons in this world are bad news, but he definitely is. Trains magic users up to be obedient soldiers, then sells them off to the highest bidder. Part of a big chain to create soldiers for armies in wars that never end. Experimented on Io to turn her into an empath because they are very good at picking up on the next attack an enemy is going to make and therefore have a high survival rate. Raised Io until she was about eight, before she escaped with Phil's help. Very upset that one of his 'prized possessions' got away. Continually looking for her and Phil, meaning they have to move around a lot.

A bit more detail for those who've read this far.

Everyone's Flaw

(unnamed) - Thinks things he doesn't understand are gross and weird.

Theophilus - toxic positivity, wants everyone to be happy to everyone's detriment.

Io - Trusts absolutely no one, even when it would be better or easier to trust them.

Mal - Will never, ever understand what he's doing is wrong, no matter how many times someone explains it to him.

These are my 'core four', of the big story I want to tell.

#personal #not tsp related

[jhoudiey]

Bb Mido, please tell me: What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?

PLAY! I LIKE TO PLAY WITH MY PAPA AND MY MAMA AND DIG FOR SQUIRMY WORMS AND GO SWIMMING AND FLY AROUND AND STAND ON PAPA TO BE TALL EVEN TALLER THAN GRANDPAPA LILIA AND SOMETIMES UNCLE MAL LETS ME STAND ON HIM TOO AND THEN I'M EVEN TALLER THAN PAPA BUT THEN PAPA GETS SAD AND I BRING HIM THINGS TO CHEER HIM UP HAVE YOU EVER FOUND A REALLY SHINY ROCK THEY'RE SO PRETTY SO I GIVE THOSE TO PAPA AND THEN IF MAMA ISN'T HOME ME AND PAPA MAKE THINGS FOR HER BUT SOMETIMES SHE THINKS IT'S GROSS BUT IT'S REALLY FUNNY AND WE LAUGH A LOT SO I LIKE LAUGHING AND WHEN MAMA AND PAPA READ ME STORIES AND DO THE VOICES

#mido hasn't learned the art of a comma or period yet #twst oc #twisted wonderland oc #midori leech #chaos fam #mido my sweet bab i love yo #u