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numptypylon · 4 years

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NumptyPylon Fanfic Masterpost

It’s all under the read-more, since it got long. I’ll edit this post to update it periodically, so it’s up to date as a reference. Everything is currently rated G or T, I’ll mention it specifically if something is rated higher in the future.

They’re ordered in sections according to continuity. My longer stories are generally illustrated, with chapter headers, and a lot of them have additional art. You can find all related artworks and fic posts here on tumblr by clicking on the tags of this post.

Canonverse

Multichapter stories

Downtime in Wartime: S1-3 between canon episodes oneshots from Callum’s pov, 31 chapters, one per night, adding more lowkey character moments, banter and romance. Mix of humor, drama, mild angst, hurt-comfort and romance, trying to strike a similar tone to the show itself. Featuring mainly Callum, Rayla and Ezran. 54K, complete.

Upside Downtime: S1-3 between canon episodes oneshots, companion fic to Downtime in Wartime from Rayla’s pov. Genre and vibe same as DiW, but a slightly darker tone. 60K, complete.

Down to Earth/Down Below the Ocean: Speculative S4: Down to Earth (chapter 1-17) and S5: Down Below the Ocean. Picking up 18 months post-S3, this follows the characters through new challenges. Adventure, friendship, romance, hurt-comfort, a bit a everything, trying to mimic seasons of the show. Features basically everyone - rayllum, janaya, Soren, Ezran, Claudia, Ethari, Corvus and more. 150K+, ongoing.

Mess of Things: Rayllum character and relationship focused angst/hurt-comfort, dealing with the emotional fall-out of Through the Moon. 30K, complete

Purity: The story of Sarai’s spear, from bright symbol of protection, to corrupted tool of destruction, to Callum’s mage staff. Family drama about Sarai’s legact, focused on Callum and Amaya, rayllum and janaya. Set 2 years post-S3. 7K, ongoing.

Oneshots/twoshots

Reunion and Intersection: Angsty post-ttm twoshot, wherein Callum and Rayla reunite but not really, talking past each other in a cruel twist of fever dreams and astral projection. 6K, complete.

Between You And Me: Combined screenshot edits and drabbles, showing Callum and Rayla meeting and finding their way back to each other, in S4. 2K, complete.

Instant: Collection of Rayllum-centered oneshots, written for Rayllum Birthday Bash 2020, elaborating on the character and relationship development that happened during the S3-S4 timeskip. It’s not mandatory reading to read Down to Earth, just a rayllum bonus feature. Fluff, angst, humor. 23K, complete.

Sweet 16: Callum’s 16th birthday, wherein he changes his mind on the subject of alcohol... multiple times. Rayllum, Soren, Ezran. 5K, complete.

Colors: Rayllum-focused oneshot, playing with the concept of an eidetic memory and colors as memory cues. 1K, complete.

Intentional: Humorous one-shot, wherein Callum continually fails to intentionally flirt with Rayla. 1K, complete.

Upwards Trajectory: Lighthearted one-shot, rayllum friendship/pre-romance and Villads wisdom onboard the Ruthless. There’s a podfic of this you can listen to here. 1K, complete

Crash and Burn: Humorous two-shot wherein Nyx crashes rayllum wedding and trolls everyone (or tries and fails to, in some cases). Features most of the cast. Rayllum, Ezris. 6K, complete.

In Sickness: Fluffy sickfic, wherein Rayla catches a mean human bug, but the human sky mage she caught earlier is there to make it better. 2K, complete.

Last Words: Angsty oneshot, Callum pov of the morning immediately following the end of Through the Moon. 1K, complete.

Fluff: Aanya centric challenge fill. Fluffy and character-focused. Features Aanya and Ellis. 1K, complete.

------

In the Middle (Rayllum 1990s grade school au)

In the Middle: Cringy humor, nostalgia, fluff and adolescent low-stakes angst. Features Callum, Rayla and Ezran. Rayllum-focused, awkward middle school romance. 11K, complete.

Drawn Out: Callum’s drawings for Rayla, one a year grades 2nd through 7th. Slice of life, humor, fluff, hurt/comfort 5K, ongoing.

———

Cottage Cuddles AU (Rayllum housemates-to-lovers, set in current day rural Scotland)

Homeward Bound: From pub meet-cute to a couple in all but words, this story follows the oblivious love bugs through 2+ years of cohabitation. Housemates-to-almost-lovers, extreme slowburn, pre-relationship. Indie-romcom with more existential angst. 20K, ongoing.

Home Free: The tail end of a year-long slowburn, follows housemates Callum and Rayla through the ordinary week of their lives where they realize who they really are to each other. Humor and fluff and pomegranate-liquorize liqueur abound! 10K, complete.

Eurail 2021: Our Track Record (Callum named his travel journal that, HE can show himself out!): Callum and Rayla travel through Europe by train their first summer as a couple. Combines Callum’s journal spreads with written chapters. Frolicking and arguments and growing together and 2 years of gooey pent-up feelings spilling over. 23K, complete.

#numpty fic tag #fanfiction #rayllum #rayla #callum #ezran #writing #the dragon prince #tdp

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needsmorewlw · 4 years

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runaan and lain are 100% those friends who probably wouldnt get along if they met today but because theyve known eachother since they were kids the friendship just works

lains the chatty friend that runaan finds to be a (secretly endearing) annoyance.

of course at the end of the day they care deeply for eachother

lains been trying to get runaan to "lighten up" for years to no avail, then ethari shows up and all of a sudden runaan has something akin to positive emotions and lain doesnt know whether to be irritated or amused or both

it took so long to convince runaan to confess. ethari was either oblivious (due to runaans non existant charisma) or was trying to not get distracted and focus on his work.

lain wasnt sure if ethari felt the same way or not he just knew runaan needed an answer to his pining.

lain absolutely started inviting ethari out with him runaan and tiadrin in an attempt to coax runaan into confessing which failed over and over.

they just ended up becoming pals with ethari which was good outcome regardless. especially when being friends with the blacksmith comes with cool custom weapons.

when lain and tiadrin disappeared, runaan cast the ghost spell like everyone else but he (and ethari) never believed for a second that they ran. but since he had no proof otherwise, his duty to his people and rayla came first.

#tdp #the dragon prince #lain tdp #tiadrin tdp #runaan #ethari #ruthari #headcanon #runaari

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beautifulterriblequeen · 4 years

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Notes from the Deluxe Elf Interview, pt 3 (HBMP podcast)

I like to process important stuff more thoroughly to help me retain it, so I take notes when I listen to shows and podcasts and stuff. And the best episode of Hot Brown Morning Potion Podcast just came out–the Deluxe Elf Interview with Devon Giehl and Iain Hendry–so you know I was all over that. This is just my personal notes, nothing super detailed or organized, and not delved into yet at all.

If I have a direct quote, it’s in double quotes. Sometimes my notes are paraphrasing or getting only most of the words, and sometimes it’s just me rambling, but if I “quote” something, it’s a proper direct quote that I went back and listened to. Also, sometimes I noted who was talking, just because I loved how they played off each other and offered different perspectives. I is for Iain and D is for Devon.

________

Wedding: Devon loves cute dances. Prince of Egypt dance with the ribbon, song = Through Heaven’s Eyes, is what she thinks of, Runaan and Ethari had a moment in their wedding like that. Everybody dances with them. There are wedding rituals that celebrate life just as hard as other rituals embrace death. The opposite feel to the “’let’s go murder someone’ party” from S1E1.

Courtship: D: some formality to it, because Moonshadows are so purposeful and thoughtful with how they express their feelings if at all. Exchange of gifts, small favors, making your purpose known in a way that starts small but meaningfully. Ethari putting extra detail into the work he does for Runaan as a sign of affection. Runaan asking Ethari to work on his weapons or metalcraft stuff a little bit more than was necessary. It’s a bit stiff and difficult at first but once there is clear reciprocation there can be more of an open discussion about it. Runaan probably struggled with this a whole lot. Runaan had a really hard time even with the first simple offerings of affection, because he takes that aspect of Moonshadow culture to the extreme.

I: ‘“Runaan is the most Moonshadow elf of all Moonshadow elves”. He’s trying to pick up on the tiniest possible hints through professional exchanges with Ethari, and so on, trying to read Ethari’s actions without reacting overtly to them and still somehow hoping he gets it right. He’d want to be 100% sure and then discuss it in the most private situation possible with no possible spies to see him get it wrong bc he would die of embarrassment. “I’m gonna assassinate myself because I confessed love and it didn’t get reciprocated.” Lots of awkward advances.

D: Ethari has a playful side we didn’t get to see because he was so sad. Ethari played oblivious to Runaan’s awkward advances, and doesn’t give the signal back that he is fully interested, so he’s playing a bit with Runaan even though he’s very much interested in him.

I: Rayla sees Callum being open and honest with his feelings and to her that means “love connection” so she kisses him, and then he wasn’t expecting that so she panicked and said they’d never speak of it again.

Check out the podcast, guys!

#HBMP podcast #devon giehl #iain hendry #tdp interview #moonshadow elves #runaan #ethari #moonshadow weddings #moonshadow courtship #moonshadow dancing #rayla #callum

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lairofsentinel · 4 years

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Detailed Info from the TDP Podcast - Episode 5

Startouch elves Sunfire elves Tidebound elves

Moonshadow culture ❘༻༺❘ Weeding and courtship ❘༻༺❘Goshting spell details Silvergrove Goverment ❘༻༺❘Money ❘༻༺❘Horn cuffs symbolism

Ethari

Ethari regrets the ghosting spell ❘༻༺❘Ethari is playful

Runaan

Runaan’s feelings while being trapped in the coin ❘༻༺❘Runaan and Ethari’s reaction to Rayla-Callum relationship

Rayla

Transition to live with Runaan and Ethari and her relationship with her parents

Rayla in School ❘༻༺❘ Rayla’s parents personalities

Different scenarios for characters

Summary list

They never came with a strong lore concept when they did this stuff.

Silvergrove and Moonshadows:

Moonshadows live in small communities.

Silvergrove is not the only Moonshadow community. Maybe the rest are hidden from one another since entering to them it’s needed a particular dancing-key.

Government in Silvergrove is apparently through a Council of different groups via consensus [They don't have a strong idea about this]

Silvergrove is in permanent dusk. It was based on Ashenvale from Wow (I loved Ashenvale so much, always!)

Main values: honor, loyalty, commitment, strictness that comes from valuing a close community.

They work to support each other. They work for the good of the community. (They are communist xD)

Because they are an isolated community, any small betrayal is magnified. It's a double edged sword. Having a community so close, supportive and isolated resents your ability to perform all of yourself for the good of that community, and sometimes misunderstanding can be understood as big betrayals [Rayla’s case].

Horn cuffs can be extremely meaningful relationship-status gifts between couples but they don’t always mean marriage.

“Ethari definitely thinks Runaan has cute horns though. Fact.”

Sunfire:

Singular authority. Monarchy.

Heavily militarized.

Too focused in might and demonstration of strength.

Xadia looks at them as protectors, but also as violent. They are a dual edged sword.

They patrol the border.

Tidebound:

different in each part of the ocean.

The concept of the flow allows them to communicate all over the planet through water, rivers and lakes.

Not too much lore done about them for now. They need to work on it.

There is no Startouch elves society since they are not numerous.

Ghost spell:

Ethari regrets 100% having accepted the ghost spell, but he has no power to reverse it. He can do a quick charm to null it in the moment only.

Rayla’s ghost may be undone, but it needs a collective decision. It’s hard to believe that Ethari would convince the whole village about that.

They never thought if it has been a precedent of this spell being broken before. They think it's a good story to think about.

Rayla and her parents:

(They are still thinking about this, and there are many versions, and this may change in the future. )

Honor is a key part of Moonshadow culture, so Rayla was sad because their parents were leaving but at the same time it was a huge honour because they were going to be part of an elite force defending the King and the Queen. That's why she was so hurt when she knew her parents had run away, putting aside her sadness and the honour that such duty represented.

She also found honour in living with Runaan, the leader of the assassins.

Because Runaan and Ethari were close friends of Rayla's parents, she didn't feel it as a big shock to go to live with them. They had been taking care of her before anyways.

Lian is like the ultimate Bro. A very positive person, who wants his friends to succeed and be happy.

He is the most friendly elf among the Moonshadows. And more impulsive.

Tiadrin is the cold one, the one who does more calculations.

Rayla as a child

Rayla was feisty.

In the school she got general education, gardening, weapons, basics to everything and enough to contribute to the community in many ways.

Ecology of Moonshadow forest or history, were not her fave subjects.

She was good in general subjects but excelled in PE.

She may have friends in her childhood but not many, since she appreciates her lonely time.

“Fitting in is overrated” for her

Ethari and Runaan [characters and relationship]

Their wedding involves dancing with a ribbon.

Dating should have a degree of formality since it's the moment where they express their emotions. Exchange of gifts and small favours as mutual hints: Ethari would put extra details in objects to Runaan. Runaan would ask Ethari too many checks on his weapons, more than it's necessary.

The process is stiff and difficult [especially for Runaan], but once it's surpassed that time, there must be an open discussion about it.

Runaan struggled a lot more about this.

Runaan is the most moonshadow elf of all moonshadow elves xD. Runaan probably would do the exchange of emotions in the most private way possible.

Runaan doesn’t stop to consider the emotional motivations for anything as his first course of thought. He jumps right to a very strategic and almost militaristic belief in the way people operate.

Ethari has a playful side, but in episode 3 it is opaque due to the grief.

Ethari is more clear with his display of emotions and apparently that's something that Rayla learnt from him, so that's why she was so confused about Callum when he did a display of emotions that she thought it was romantic and failed.

Rayla took her soft heart from Ethari.

Runaan in the coin.

Runaan certainly has a lot of time to think now.

He wanted Rayla to succeed deeply, to redeem from the weight of her parent's sin and free her from her shame.

He has a small crisis thinking this is his fault, that he failed. “I did not train her well enough. Ethari was right.”

He pushed her so much to put her into a position to fix her shame, that he ended up putting her in a position that she could not succeed at all. He regrets this.

He took her to this mission because he wanted her to succeed even if it meant their death, but he wanted to make Rayla to survive. He believed that she being alive was better than everyone dead.

He feels guilty because he projected on her more what kind of person he wanted her to be, than what she truly is. But also a bit of anger, because he gave her all the opportunities and tools to take them and redeem herself, but she rejected them. However, the guilt will prevail during the introspection. “Maybe it was me who stepped too far.”

Runaan and Ethari relationships with Callum

Ethari will get that Rayla and Callum are a thing without needing too much time. And Ethari would be the one to talk about that with Runaan first, in order to soften his ideas.

Runaan probably will not want to show his emotions about the bad feelings that Callum inspires him but Ethari will sense that Runaan is not taking this well

Callum will live on the edge of “I'm going to die tonight” every time there is a family meeting XD

Ethari and Callum will get along quickly. Callum would do the dad jokes, Ethari would humour him, and Runaan would be completely oblivious to the meanings.

#fic: The Many Phases of the Moon #im glad I had only to fix the concept of the ghost spell in the fic #since I believed Rayla was unable to see her parents #The dragon prince lore #the dragon prince #rayla #runaan #ethari #moonshadow elves #sunfire #this is for personal use in this blog #you can access to almost transcript that #beautifulterriblequeen did

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thenerdyalchemist · 4 years

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For the Hogwarts AU: how did Ruthari realise they were in love with each other?

Ethari figures out in their second year. After hanging out a lot it was not until he saw Runaan helping him take care of Shadowpaw that Ethari realizes he loves him.

Ethari just loves seeing Runaans soft side so when he sees Runaan playing with Shadowpaw one day he just knows

Ethari however is much better dealing with emotions than Runaan so it goes very diffrently

Ethari has feelings yes but he does not act out on them because he thinks it unrequited for a long time.

Runaan has kinda slowly started falling for Ethari for a while because of little acts Ethari does.

Lain and Tiadrin one day in their 4th year decide to play a prank. One dealing with love potions.

They hide a little bit on the potion in Runaan and Etharis drinks and then spy on them for a while.

Runaan is so taken aback he gets really freaked out like woah he thought Ethari was cool but not like this wow wow wow

For Ethari however everything kinda stays the same because he’s already been in love for a long time so nothing changes.

Runaan admits his feelings and runs but they don’t start dating. Ethari thought his whole confession was just a love potion thing after he figured out what Lain and Tiadrin did.

They don’t start dating for a few months and during this time Runaan avoids Ethari because of how embarrassed he was.

One day another person who’s taken interest in Ethari asks Ethari to meet in the forest and Etharis a little oblivious so he says yes. However afterward he asks Runaan to come with to make sure he stays safe because again he’s oblivious

Runaan figures out what this is and leaves feeling sad but happy Ethari has found someone else. When the other person confessed to Ethari he politely declines and realizes Runaan left and goes to find him

That is the day they start dating. Ethari finds Runaan in the woods. They talk for the whole night. Both explain their feelings. When they come back to Hogwarts they are hand in hand so basically Lain and Tiadrin are so so happy because jeez finally.

#moonshadow marauders au #thank you for the ask #mine #an alchemist rambles #ruthari hogwarts au #ruthari #runaan #ethari #the dragon price #tdp au

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viravosmonarchy · 4 years

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High school AU The Dragon Prince || Ruthari

Runaan is that really pretty quiet guy that all the straight girls are in love with. He plays piano or a brass instrument and is really strict when it comes to achieving his goals. He is loyal to his band.

Ethari loves working with his hands. He is the student you'll find in the workshop at the end of the day. He also works part-time at a repair shop for musical instruments.

Ethari has seen Runaan around but he never payed him any mind. They did not run in the same circles, after all.

Runaan has seen Ethari around. Runaan thinks this guy is cute but he does not talk to him because he is shy too busy.

Then a horrifying accident occurs with an instrument. Runaan does not know who to turn to... Until his band mates point him in the right direction.

Runaan stoically gets his instrument fixed at the repair place.

After that, Runaan knows just the place to go if he needs anything fixed or adjusted.

Ethari flirts all the time.

Runaan is oblivious, all the time.

Eventually, Runaan gets the hint and asks Ethari out. Runaan seems cute and relaxed but he's actually having a mini heart attack.

Thankfully, Ethari says yes.

This leads to lots of oh so proper courting before the first kiss. The kiss is.... The kiss is just wow.

High-school sweethearts 💖

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bowsie22 · 4 years

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Ruthari Collection 13

Prompt from ShiranaiAtsune on AO3: Have you done a "overprotective Runaan, cinnamon roll husband Ethari, embarrassed Rayla, and oblivious boyfriend Callum" yet?

“I don’t like it.”

“Runaan, you don’t like anything.”

“I like you and Rayla.”

Laughing, Ethari pulled his husband into his arms kissing the base of the other’s horns.

“Stop glaring at him! You think Rayla is going to care if you don’t like Callum? Of course not. She loves him.”

“She deserves better.”

“Better than a prince who risked his life to save everyone? More than once.”

Sighing, Runaan relaxed into his husband’s arms. He knew the other was right, he just hated admitting it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Callum tried to ignore the eyes on his back, but it was hard. It felt like the person (elf) was trying to kill him with his glare alone. Rayla giggled at her boyfriend as he made sure to stand straight and keep an arm’s length away from Rayla.

“You’re being ridiculous.”

“No, I’m being safe. I don’t want Runaan to kill me.”

“Oh Runaan wouldn’t hurt you. It’s Ethari everyone is scared of.”

Callum laughed, following Rayla into the dining room.

“That’s funny Rayla. Scared of Ethari? What a joke.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dinner was awkward. Technically Callum was in The Silvergrove for an official visit, as ambassador from the kingdom of Katolis. He asked for one night off that he could spend with Rayla and her family, but hadn’t expected the tension. Which in hindsight, kind of stupid. Once again, he wished he was camping with Soren and the other soldiers. Ethari entered the room, moonberry surprise in his hand. Seeing that Callum was uncomfortable, Ethari glared at his husband. Slamming the dessert onto the table, he hauled Runaan from his chair and pulled him out of the room.

“Leave the poor boy alone Runaan! Honestly, it’s like you don’t want Rayla to be happy. That’s it, you are spending all day tomorrow with Callum and if you come back and still don’t want him with Rayla, I am giving her permission to move to Katolis and ignore you! And you’ll be sleeping on the couch. No moonberry surprise for you!”

Runaan allowed himself to be pulled away, stammering, trying to respond to his husband. Laughing, Rayla moved her chair closer to Callum, giving him a large portion of her favourite dessert. Callum sat frozen in his chair, shocked. Rayla held the spoon of moonberry surprise in front of his face.

“See? I told you, everyone’s scared of Ethari.”

#runaari #ruthari

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mimosaeyes · 4 years

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Partial transcript of Hot Brown Morning Potion Podcast episode 5, specifically the Ruthari bit around 34:49... This is mostly verbatim but I skipped most of the um’s and like’s. Posting publicly for ease of reference, and per @kuno-chan’s request. I have another Ruthari fic in the works at the moment, and this interview really helped me with characterisation!

As detailed as possible, can you describe courtship customs for Moonshadow elves?

Iain: Devon is deep in thought.

Devon: I’ve never — like, for some reason, the headcanons that I’ve thought about are more specific to Runaan and Ethari, than I’ve really sort of branched out into thinking about how Moonshadow elves do this in general. But I imagine — there’s some formality to it, I would imagine. Because they’re so purposeful and thoughtful with how they express their feelings, if at all. I think it would be, you know, exchange of gifts, like small favours, and… making your purpose known in a way that starts small, but has purpose.

So I think there’s versions where, you know, Ethari would put extra detail into the work he was doing for Runaan — which, you know, could be perceived as a sign of affection. Or Runaan was coming to Ethari, asking him to work on his weapons or metal craft stuff, a little bit more than was necessary. Stuff like that, where it��s a bit stiff, and difficult, but I think once there is clear reciprocation, I think there could be more of an open discussion about it. Does that make sense?

But I think, like, Runaan probably struggled with this a whole lot. ‘Cause he’s — it might have been you that I responded to on Twitter, ‘cause someone asked me something along these lines. And I think Runaan had a really hard time, even with these first sort of, like, simple offerings of affection. Because that’s just him. He sort of takes that aspect to an extreme. Like he has a hard time being like, ‘Here is the way I wish to express myself,’ in a soft way and not with a sharp object. I think Ethari had an easier time, ‘cause he’s just more naturally… soft.

Iain: Yeah, I sometimes think that Runaan is the most Moonshadow elf of all Moonshadow elves. You know, when they have such a hard time showing their feelings, and they sometimes feel like they’re not supposed to, and so on. So Runaan is trying to pick up on the tiniest possible hints through professional exchanges, and so on. And I think when it’s actually time to confess that there’s a feeling there, he would — I think especially Runaan would have to be 100% sure, then would do it entirely in private, most private situation possible, where there could be no possible spies who could see this if it was going to go wrong, ‘cause that would just be the end of his entire life, obviously.

Devon: Yeah, he would bind himself to his own death.

Iain: Yeah. ‘That’s it, gonna assassinate myself because I confessed love, and it didn’t get reciprocated. That’s that.’

Devon: ‘It’s over.’

Iain: So yeah, lots of awkward advances where they’re trying to have the escape hatch of, ‘Oh, I didn’t really try to suggest that I liked you, this was just me asking you for a professional favour. Bye, let’s never speak again.’

Devon: Yeah, and then he comes back the next day. […] I do think [Ethari] had a much easier time, and probably picked up on stuff. To me, there’s a side of Ethari that you don’t really get to see in the episode, because he’s very sad. I think he does have a playful side, and I like to imagine that while Runaan was doing his, like, really just not the best attempts to display affection early on, Ethari would pick up on them, but not necessarily give the full signal back, and he played a little bit oblivious. He’s just more emotionally in tune, so I think: ‘Oh hey, you’re back! Again! Wow, I thought I did fantastic work on your blades last time. I cannot believe they’re already dull…’ And he’s just sort of like — he knows, he knows there’s something there.

Iain: I think this kind of gets echoed in Rayla, right, where Callum, in an effort to pick her up and be honest about how he feels that she’s just an incredible person. Like to her, that’s like, ‘Person being entirely open with their feelings in a positive way? That’s a love connection!’

#the dragon prince #runaan #ethari

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just-a-madderslife · 4 years

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Rayla : I know you are angry with me

Ethari : Rayla I am not angry, just disappointed

Rayla : Come On!! Everybody knows thts worse!

#tdp #the dragon prince #tdp headcanon #tdp callum #tdp ezran #tdp rayla #tdp rayllum #tdp runnan #ethari #oblivious ethari #tinker #runaari #ruthari #moonshadow elves #tdp incorrect quotes

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ask-ethari-anything · 4 years

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How did you and Runaan get together? Who confessed first? Did you kiss? Was it romantic? Awkward? Please tell us the story!

Well, we had a nice subtle courtship period, as all Moonshadows tend to--subtle to Runaan, anyway. I knew what he was about pretty early on, because he’s honestly terrible at flirting. But it was really cute to watch this self-assured assassin fumble his way through what he thought were stealthy romantic cues! Ahh, it was all very flattering! It makes my heart flip just remembering those days. I didn’t want it to end too soon, so I pretended I didn’t know what he was doing, hoping he’d be persistent, and boy was he! When Runaan decides something, that elf Decides. The Moon has surely blessed me with this elf who loves me.

I was very content to enjoy his fine attentions as long as he wanted to give them. I’m a master of the Long Look, the Gentle Accidental Brush of Fingers, the Double Entendre Compliment, and the Leaving Obliviously Just After Dropping A Comment Bomb. I absolutely kept his attention riveted on me while pretending I was doing nothing of the sort. But Moonshadows understand balance deep in our souls, so I knew that for all the dancing I was doing, keeping Runaan fixated on me, I’d have to let him take that first big step and say something. I owed him that much. And I really, really wanted to know how he’d say it!

How does a masterful assassin, a dealer in death, confess to the lightest thing in his life? What does that sound like? I needed to know. And I wanted him to feel that moment with his whole heart, because balance. Every chance I get to drag Runaan into a light and sweet moment, I do it. Because it’s good for him, and I want nothing more than for him to be his best, most beautiful, most balanced self. One foot in the light and one in the dark, bridging everything that being Moonshadow means. He’s exactly that dramatic, don’t deny it. So, I help him out with the light and soft things, like playing ignorant until he can’t handle it anymore and blurts out his true feelings for the first time!

We made a Moonshadow date of it, that day. I made a picnic because Runaan invited me outside the village, where no one else could overhear us if things didn’t go the way he hoped. I made way too much food, because I was so excited. I was finally going to hear Runaan speak his secret truth to me, I could feel it. And I knew that I loved him, too, that his secret would be very safe in my heart. But I had to play along, to give Runaan that one perfect moment.

We headed to a nice hollow a ways out, with a tumbling waterfall and an old understump ruin--an underground meeting hall for Moonshadows, long abandoned. And I brought the picnic and some weapon designs--we must be practical about these things, after all! Runaan picked the spot, and I really appreciated the waterfall touch. See, it was pretty loud, so we had to sit close together as I showed him my sketches and we talked them over. I wasn’t quite in his lap, but it was pretty close. I did take every opportunity to brush up against his knee, his hand, his arm, too! Oh, the little hitches in his breath were delightful. He had it so bad that day, because he knew what he was going to tell me. And I pretended I didn’t notice--because he hadn’t confessed yet, and that’s just polite. But it really fueled my soul.

You know the feeling when a cat chooses you to curl up with and fall asleep? When it trusts you despite its stabby ways, and graces you with its soft flexible beauty? Having Runaan fall in love with me was like that, but a thousand times better.

Eventually we got around to the picnic, and I made sure to brush against his hands every time I handed him things from my pretty basket. One time, he even glared at me as if I were purposely tormenting him--which I absolutely was--but then he caught himself and blushed, and aahh my heart leaped! I love Runaan’s blushes. Each one is a soft little gift, and I treasure them all. Because even now, he still does it.

I made Moonberry Surprise for dessert, with a special little twist in the recipe just so I could insist on feeding him a bite for his opinion of it. Yes, I absolutely bustled right over his objections and held out a spoonful of it for him, cupping my hand underneath, waiting expectantly for him to taste it. He blushed again at the very idea of opening his mouth for me, and I very nearly lost it. So close, I was so close to just kissing him. But I’d been planning to give Runaan his confession moment for a really long time, and I dared not mess up when we were so close to it. I begged the Moon for strength and managed to wait him out.

He took that bite for me, and his eyebrows shot up. I can make a perfectly delicious treat when I want to. But then, see, he had a little moonberry syrup on his bottom lip. What could I do but thumb it off for him? So I did, and he blushed harder. And then I licked it off my thumb while holding eye contact with him and asking him what he thought of the treat. He literally stopped breathing.

It was time to push the poor elf. I was having such a hard time keeping my cool. But I had faith in him. He’d planned this trip, and I needed him to complete that mission he’d given himself.

He stared at me, wide-eyed, for a few seconds, and then blurted, “Let’s go see those ruins. They seem very interesting.”

Doing anything with Runaan at that moment was well and truly fascinating, so I agreed immediately. We abandoned the food and my sketches and hunted for the entrance tunnel to the understump. And this is how off-balance Runaan was feeling: I found it first! I reached over and grabbed Runaan by the hand so I could tug him down through the overhanging vines and into the dimness. I babbled the whole way down to the hall about the glowing mushrooms and what sort of rituals they must’ve performed down here, and literally any thought that came into my head that had nothing to do with the fact that Runaan was about to confess his true feelings to me.

I thought I’d be okay, that I’d keep my head together, but I was suddenly really nervous, too. I’d been planning this whole thing out, and then it caught me up. Because I was in love, too. Just because I was more comfy with my feelings didn’t mean they didn’t overwhelm me sometimes! And they sure started to right then. My hand got sweaty in Runaan’s grip, and I started sounding breathless even to my own ears. Surely Runaan noticed, right?

I pulled him out to the middle of the hall, under the rooty roof, and took his other hand so I could spin with him for a moment in the light of the glowing mushrooms. “The magic here is deep and old, Runaan. Can’t you feel it?”

He tugged me to a stop. “I can, Ethari. But I also feel something new. And I hope that you do, too. But whether you do or not... I can’t keep it to myself anymore. It’s too strong, I can’t hide it, and... I don’t want to hide it anymore. I want you to know.”

I wasn’t playing anymore when I breathlessly begged him, “What do you feel, Runaan?”

He stepped closer, and his eyes roamed across my face. That soft smile of his broke out, and his eyebrows lifted. He rested one hand along my cheek and thumbed my cheekbone, and my eyes went wide. Runaan’s so careful about touching. But there he was, reaching out, being vulnerable. So I leaned into his touch and closed my eyes. I needed him to know that I was very very okay with him touching me softly.

When I opened my eyes again, he was staring at me so intensely, and his lips had parted, but he hadn’t quite said those words I needed to hear. So I cupped his hand with mine, turned my head without breaking eye contact, and pressed a quick kiss to his palm.

Oh, that did the trick.

“Ethari... Ethari, I’m in love with you.” His words came out uncertain but determined to exist, to be real. “Truly, deeply, and most ardently in love with you.” His voice shook a little, but his eyes were on fire. He took my face in both hands and looked up at me, breathless, his chest heaving, eyes clinging to my face.

And there it was. The moment he needed. He’d done it. He’d said the words, and they rang true.

And I realized that, for all my planning, I’d never once considered what my reply would be! Oh dear.

“Truly?” I echoed.

“Yes,” he murmured.

“Deeply?”

“Very deeply,” he assured me.

“Ardently too, huh?” I teased.

That got him to smile again. “Yes. Definitely.”

Something loosened in my chest, and I just let it open up. I didn’t need to plan my words. They’d come when I let my feelings out. “That’s such a relief to know, Runaan. I didn’t want to be the only one of us in love with the other.”

His eyes darted up and down, reading me, making sure all of me was saying the same thing. And then he threw his arms around me and melted into a full body hug.

He’d been holding back, too. Holding back so very much. And now, we both got to let it out. I held him close, nice and tight, and we took a long moment to just be together in the sacred silence. To be truly together, for the first time, with our hearts.

But I had a really pressing question I needed to ask. “Does this mean I can kiss you now?” I murmured in his ear. “Because I’ve been wanting to for a long time.”

Mmmm, that soft little gasp he made. “Please do.”

I took that sweet face in my hands then, slowly and gently, didn’t want to startle the assassin, and kissed him softly. When I looked into his eyes again, something much hotter was sparking there, and he kissed me then. Not gently, not slowly.

We danced together when we entered the village, held hands walking across the green, and Lain and Tiadrin came running up to give us their congratulations. And I’ve spent all my days kissing and dancing with Runaan ever since.

#ethari #runaan #runaan x ethari #runaari #ruthari #first kiss #story time #elf husbands

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