#which are sometimes a bit far-fetched I admit

[berlingotesque]

What are your ships for Batim? :D

VERY GOOD QUESTION- I know my answer should be rather straightforward but I feel I have to put some context to my answers since they may seem contradictory/paradoxical otherwise, so bear with me-

Sammy x Norman : Well. I think that one was pretty obvious, anyone who's seen more than 3 of my posts knows that I'd die for these two. They're just so PERFECT for each other, from their complementary personalities to the fact that their relationship allows us to delve deeper into batim's historical and social context. Sammy and Norman have one of the few relationships that develop the most during the game's lore : Norman originally complains vehemently about Sammy's frenetic behavior, only to end up lamenting to Buddy and Dot how 'Sammy isn't the same anymore'. What's interesting about this statement is that he says it in relation to Sammy's strange behavior : clearly, the two men have grown close enough for Norman to differentiate Sammy's extravagant habits from his ink-influenced behavior.

Furthermore, Sammy is a very gray character morally, a perfectionist who is extremely socially maladjusted (surely due to the fact that he's coded on the spectrum and autism wasn't properly diagnosed at the time), naturally ostracizing him. For his part, Norman comes from a rural background (which surely earns him the animosity of the people at the studio, given the historical context and the fact that he could very well be poc) and also seems ill at ease socially : to me, it's fascinating to see two characters excluded from their peers because of differences they can't change (being autistic or poc and gay) getting closer to each other, to the point where Sammy, who is deeply misanthropic, naturally compliments Norman by describing him as very bright. To me, Norman is the perfect partner for Sammy : ready to apprehend him as he is, since he's completely free of social conventions, without taking any shits from him.

I think Sammy and Norman can really get the best out of each other, during a historical period when being different was strongly proscribed. I think I'd have trouble enjoying Batim as much without their dynamic at its heart (considering how narratively rich it is) : Norman is Henry's confidant, Sammy is Joey's, both remain morally gray deuteragonists fundamentally opposed to the ink machine, while remaining fascinated by its powers. And who wouldn't love a good old enemies to lovers ending tragically with the unwitting murder of one by the other ? After all, Norman's main flaw is that he's too curious for his own good, and it was Sammy who inevitably led him to his doom..

Allison x Tom : what more can I add. She's everything. He's just Tom. I've always been drawn to characters/ships with a vibe completely opposite to the vibe of the work they originally came from, and the 'turning poison into positivity' energy that Tom and Allison bring to Batim has always fascinated me. In a world as tragic as their own, I find it touching to see these two find beauty in all the ugliness and manage to ask themselves 'what if we were happy after all ?' It's really striking and brings a narrative richness to the work, since they directly mirror what failed with Sammy and Susie : Allison is perfect, but that was never what was at stake in Tom's eyes. Tom was looking for humanity, not perfection, and he managed to go beyond the image of the muse to discover a friend, unlike Sammy with Susie. They're literally Romeo and Juliet but, well... Not dead.

Joey x Henry/Henry x Linda : oh boy. These three... Let me get it straight right away : Henry and Linda are perfect for each other. She's exactly what he needs to be happy : she's present, patient. There's no denying that he loves her immensely. But Joey... oh Joey is undoubtedly Henry's soul mate. The subtlety is that Joey can't bring him the stable happiness Linda can : Joey tugs at him, pushes him over the edge. He knows exactly what to do to push him beyond his own limits. The love Joey offers Henry is an uncomfortable but unconditional one, one that would allow Henry to go beyond what he thinks he's capable of achieving because no one knows Henry better than Joey ! And let's be honest, Batim only exists because Joey refuses to move on, to live his dream without Henry in it. He's stuck in unrequited love and refuses to learn to live with it. And that's the tragedy of this trio : Henry sincerely loves Linda but is truly himself with Joey, which prevents him from hating OR loving him (And Joey exploits this information by remaining extremely toxic and convincing himself that he can wear him down lmao). Henry is stuck with this dilemma : Existing peacefully with Linda or living painfully with Joey. And that's why I love the dynamic of this love triangle : because there are no solutions that will satisfy everyone.

Joey x Sammy : okay, don’t get me wrong : these two are HORRIBLE for each other. Does Sammy periodically want to quit just to piss Joey off? Yes. Isn't Joey's fascination with Sammy intimately tied to his refusal to forget Henry, who was a genius like Sammy? Yes. Nevertheless, it's impossible for me to read The Illusion of Living without feeling embarrassed and like I'm reading Joey's diary : whether you ship them or not, Joey is practically canonically smitten with Sammy. I sincerely don't think Joey and Sammy can sustain a healthy relationship with each other, but oh boy, surely that won't stop me from exploiting their bizarre obsessive love-hate relationship, where it's hard to determine whether they're going to throw hands or make out.

#oh god the normmy one I’M SO SORRY ANONS #I just love this ship so much I got carried away #anyway that’s just my own personal analysis #which are sometimes a bit far-fetched I admit #BUT STILL it’s so fun to over analyze batim when you know the creators really don’t give a shit about their own lore lmao #thank you so much for the asks anons :)) #I hope my answer has enlightened you #sammy lawrence #norman polk #normmy #allison pendle #thomas connor #thomson #joey drew #henry stein #linda stein #creatorship #how do you call Sammy x Joey ?? #jammy ? or is that the name for Sammy x Jack ? #god i dont know #susie campbell #(mentioned) #samsie #(derogatory) #batim #batdr #bendy and the ink machine #bendy and the dark revival #ask response #berlingot’s asks

[therantingsage]

Because I promised this, and I really wanted to do it anyway, here's a really really long-winded rambling dissertation on:

Why N and Uzi secretly dating since before episode 5 is genuinely super plausible and also stupidly hilarious /pos

Under the cut cuz it got obscenely long oops-

Idk where to start, so I'll just cover my bases: why people think they've been in a relationship already in the first place.

We all saw this scene:

And legit it can only be implying one of two things. Either A: this is his confession of feelings for her. Or B: this is him admitting that they've been dating for a while at this point. With the hearts it's pretty clear that this statement is meant to be romantically interpreted, and Nori's aghast reaction confirms that that's how it's being interpreted.

Obviously no matter the interpretation, N only writes that because he can't think of anything else to snap Uzi out of it and thereby stop this confrontation from ending poorly. And it works obviously so good on him for the quick thinking.

Two things that make me lean towards the 'we're dating' interpretation over 'confession' interpretation, though: firstly, he's not writing this to tell Uzi something, he specifically calls out to Nori before writing it. "Hey btw I'm dating your daughter" makes more sense than "Hey btw I like your daughter romantically" because if it was the latter, Nori has far less reason to be mad at Uzi about it rather than N. It's not like Uzi can control how N feels. But if they're dating, that means Uzi is partially to blame for that and Nori can get upset at HER.

Secondly, the awkward wording. Like it's really vague and without the hearts you'd have no reason to assume anything but platonic meaning. But these are words we, and him, have heard before:

...from Uzi, in response to a question about who she is and, by proxy, the nature of their relationship. She says it defensively, follows it up by telling N to shut up. N repeating her wording which, again, is a description of the nature of their relationship....but this time implying something romantic with it, it suggests the idea that it had romantic implications the first time.

I don't think it's far-fetched to say Uzi at least has feelings for N at this point in the story. I don't think anyone's arguing that that's not true. But the idea that 'hang out' means the exact same thing both times is what I'm arguing here. They're dating, but this version of N is a stranger to her. A cute stranger, as she says, but a stranger nonetheless who she isn't comfortable admitting to that she's dating him in the future to his face.

Backing up a bit, Uzi's reaction to Nori's reaction:

This is a clear and obvious parallel to the previous episode, when 'Tessa' says "Don't date my robot, please."

In both instances, someone gets on her case about the idea of them dating, and in both cases she doesn't deny it but instead defends both his and her own agency in the matter. No one is allowed to tell them what to do and Uzi refuses to let anyone try.

When Nori says it, though, she does seem to try and deny it for a moment. "I'm not-" She cuts herself off so we can't say for certain what she was going to say (if anything. it's entirely possible she started that sentence with no plan how to finish it, I do that a lot personally). But that's also because, like, she's Uzi. If this was meant to be a secret relationship, it would probably be her who made that decision. And like with butler N, she has no reason to disclose that kind of information to a stranger. She'd probably try and deny it whether its true or not.

As for when it would've started, after camp is the only big timeskip where we don't have much clue went on during. Cabin Fever is a big episode for them, and the three episodes that come after it are all back-to-back-to-back. The only time it makes sense to have started is sometime between eps 4 and 5.

And guys. Guys.

This, more than anything to me, paired with the idea that they've been dating for a while by the time the most recent couple episodes happen.....doesn't this seem so, so romantic? You could easily call this a love confession! So easily! It sounds like one much more than 'we just kinda are hanging out a lot idk' at least.

Like, rephrase that even a little: "Being with you makes scary things fun. Being with you makes me feel brave. It makes me feel safe. So I want to keep being with you."

And Uzi agrees with that sentiment. He promises to stick with her. And she laughs and smiles with him as he makes the scary thing she's been dealing with into something fun, something they can laugh about. The together line gets repeated in the most recent episode, directly calling back to this scene as well.

Like, just...AGH. In Cabin Fever he says it once as they're falling and a second time once they're grounded. The second time its a question, and one she eagerly answers with physical affection, which is super rare for her. In Mass Destruction its a statement, because he already knows her answer. Its a repeated promise. A vow.

Backing up again. Let's assess some interactions under this context. Assuming they're dating in secret. Because it paints so many things in a different light and basically nothing contradicts it which is fricken wild. This:

Isn't a sheepish Uzi trying to hold her crush's hand in a moment of fear. This is an Uzi who wants to keep their relationship a secret but is so in need of comfort right now she's willing to risk exposing them to get it.

This:

Her being so relieved because she almost watched him die but he's alive he's ok and she doesn't care who sees it because she needs to hug her boyfriend rIGHT NOW GUYS I DON'T CARE I'M HUGGING MY BOYFRIEND-

This whole scene. Uzi interacts with him so gently here. She's not gentle with anybody else at all. She sees him stressed and uses his own "you good?" on him and it's just so dang tender when you think about it. Because no one else can hear them talking to each other. It's just these two sending face texts and everyone else's focus is on the Sentinal so they can afford to be as couple-y in this conversation as they want.

And after:

Blushing because they like each other so so dang much.......sweating bullets because the other two can see them do this. Suddenly without either of them really thinking about it they're being romantic around other people and wow! That's nerve-wracking! Peak young love early-in-the-relationship behavior they ain't slick.

His tone of voice in this scene is gentler I think than we've ever heard from him before (Michael Kovach you are so damn good at your job). His loss-filled fury is cooled in an instant when he realizes how close he came to hurting his girlfriend. It's heartbreakingly gentle before 'Tessa' cuts him off.

And when she cuts Uzi off:

He looks like genuinely pissed at her. "Did you really just interrupt my gf while she was talking?? She's scared and you're disrespecting her tf is wrong with u??"

And like- the fact he was genuinely willing to off Tessa for her. Like he realizes there's a possibility she tried to get his gf killed for no reason and upon her not even trying to deny it he just kills her instantly. Because it's no longer a question of the universe or Uzi. It's a question of Tessa or Uzi, and its a choice his heart has already made before this point.

But here's like. The thing about all this that gets me. This is meant to be a secret relationship, right? Like nobody but them is supposed to know about this. And the fact that we the audience didn't have any reason to assume them to be an established relationship without heavy headcanoning means they did a decent job at that, right?

Guys. Guys.

N is terrible at keeping secrets. Like. Horrendously bad at keeping things on the down-low. Every single time in the series he's supposed to not spill info he like. Fails. It's wild. And because the relationship happens after "Inclusive reflexes!" that means that Uzi damn well knows this and still trusts him to try.

But based on V's reaction to the handholding in Dead End:

I'm honestly willing to bet she knew. She doesn't sound surprised, just annoyed that she has to see it. Which means N probably like, heard her badmouthing Uzi or something and got like way too defensive about it and she clocked him instantly. Because he's bad at keeping secrets. And she doesn't bother mentioning it during any of these episodes out loud because she doesn't care what these idiots do in their free time.

Can you imagine how many hundred close calls they must've had? How many times Uzi must've had to aggressively shush him or cover his mouth because he was going to say something slightly too sappy in public? The only reason we don't get to see the time period between eps 4 and 5 is because it would've been painfully obvious that these two dating is the worst kept secret in the entire bunker. I'm going insane.

Uzi fell in love with a proud himbo and they both know it. It's genuinely a miracle they didn't clue the audience in sooner.

#Murder Drones #Murder Drones Spoilers #md N #md Uzi #Uzi Doorman #Nuzi #Biscuitbites #Listen!! I'm feral and I site my sources!!! #This is a hill I'm willing to die on. And then I will rise to keep talking #I miss doing posts like this. I have so so much to say always #Me when I hyperfixate to the point of essays. Oops. Glad I can read

[ddlcbrainrot]

Monika, as we all know, has a Twitter that we can actually follow and stuff. But she is definitely also a Pinterest girlie 100% i will not be taking any notes on this thank you very much

Sayori used Instagram the most, its great for socialising with your friends ect. Then Tiktok came out, which is basically the social media for people with no attention span, aka Sayori's one weakness. You cant really blame her for getting just a tad bit too into it

Yuri ive never really though would use any kind of social media, at least not excessively. Maybe she'd watch book reviews on Youtube, but thats the most i thought she would use social media. And then @heartbeatbookclub made a post sometime back abt Yuri being a discord mod and i cannot believe i didnt think of this sooner. She canonically plays DND, i could definitely see her having a discord server for it and everything + she mentions having online friends and in my experience most online friends talk through discord

Natsuki uses Tumblr. Or, she did back in middle school. Then her friends started to make fun of her for it and she switched to Insta. She also mentions having online friends so her having a discord account isn't that far fetched. Maybe she watches Tiktoks from time to time, not that she would admit that however

MC is a Redditor.

#ddlc #ddlc monika #ddlc sayori #ddlc yuri #ddlc natsuki #ddlc mc #ddlc headcanons

[microwave-core]

Carmine Fluff Alphabet Thing

For all intents and purposes, this is pre-Kieran Joker Arc.

Activities- What does she like to do? How does she spend her free time?

Carmine’s favorite thing to do with you is just laze around. She likes to splay out on the couch, tangling her limbs in yours, as you chat mindlessly. Makes Kieran bring in food and drinks from the kitchen or the drug store down the road. He grumbles about it, but he gets to hang out with you for a bit after doing so (he looks up to you a lot). Other than that, she likes showing you the many sights and scenes of Kitakami, especially the Festival of Masks. She’s very proud of her home (except for the whole casting out Ogrepon when she did nothing wrong thing, but I digress).

Beauty- What does she admire physically and mentally?

Physically, she likes your eyes. It’s not in a “eyes are the window to the soul” poetic type of way, though. She just appreciates their color and shape. Also really likes thighs. In terms of personality, Carmine really values courage. Even if you’re on the shy side, you’ve got at least some in you to stand toe to toe with her. She also really admires the ability to admit when you’re wrong, as it’s something she struggles with herself.

Comfort- How would she help when you’re feeling down, having a panic attack, etc.?

To be honest, Carmine’s style of comfort is a bit unconventional. She helps you settle down normally enough-instructing you to take deep breaths, to talk things out, and to let her hold you closely-but then she starts threatening whoever did this to you. She will make sure these bastards never see the light of day for hurting you, regardless if they hurt you on purpose or not. It’s up to you to reel her in if you think she’s going too far, because her threats are far from empty.

Dreams- How does she picture her future?

Hmm… Honestly, I don’t know. I could see her wanting to stay in Kitakami, continuing to live in her hometown out of habit, but I could also see her branching out and going on a journey to bigger regions and cities. She’s very prideful, though. She won’t easily admit that she likes a certain town or city or region, instead playing up how things are back at home. She wants you to come with her, obviously. What’s the point of going on a journey alone when she has you to do things for her to rely on?

Equal- Is she more dominant or passive in the relationship?

Definitely on the dominant side. She’s used to dealing with Kieran, who’s too shy to stand up for himself. Taking the reins comes naturally to her. She wouldn’t try to order you around all the time or speak on your behalf, but it’s obvious that she seems in control. She’s very vocal about what she does and does not like, and has a hard time dealing with push back. That being said, she does try to think about your needs and wants and changes to accommodate them, but that does not come easily to her.

Fight- What’s it like to fight her? How easily does she forgive? 

Carmine is easily agitated, but she tries to keep her temper under wraps for your sake. She tends to get snippy with other people over small things, but she doesn’t want to be mad at her lovely girlfriend for something petty. That being said, when it’s a big fight, she’s a nightmare to deal with. She needs at least a week of space before she’s even willing to be on speaking terms again, and she complains about what happened during most of that time. Also has a hard time admitting her faults, which doesn’t make things any easier. She’ll come around eventually. 

Gratitude- How grateful is she in general? Is she aware of what you do for her?

She’s very grateful for all you do, but doesn’t always vocalize that fact. Carmine doesn’t outright order you around, but she does ask you to do things sometimes. Can you bring me this, could you run to the store and grab that, would you be able to fetch Kiki for me, stuff like that. She’ll thank you after the fact, but it doesn’t show the depths of her gratitude. 

Honesty- Does she keep secrets or hide things, or does she share everything?

Doesn’t usually hide things. You’re her closest confidant, so she has to reason to lie… Okay, there are certain things she doesn’t vocalize, like just how grateful she is for all you do, but she’s not normally going to lie. Unless she thought hiding something for the moment would be the best for you (just like how she hides meeting Ogrepon from Kieran), she’s going to be pretty honest.

Inspiration- Did you inspire her to change in some way?

You make Carmine want to be a nicer person, in a sense. She’s a bit prickly and snippy with people she doesn’t know or doesn’t like, but she doesn’t want to be like that with you. She really cares about you, and really wants to keep you around, so she tries her best to be kinder and softer with you, but not with anyone else… except maybe with Kieran. She also tries to boss him around less.

Jealousy- Does she get jealous easily? How does she deal with it?

Yes. Absolutely yes. She doesn’t like most other people, so she obviously doesn’t like when they’re around you. How dare they have the audacity to think they know you better then she does? Carmine knows you better than anyone, no questions asked! She also doesn’t really deal with it, she just holds you close and glares at her opposition. Doesn’t really acknowledge her jealous streak, but she doesn’t try to deny it, either.

Kiss- What’s she like as a kisser?

She’s above average, I guess. A bit rough with them, but puts just enough passion in to leave you wanting more. She tends to soften up a bit when you kiss her, pouting until you give her another, then another, the another, so on and so forth. She’s a bit greedy with your affection, honestly. She wants to be showered in your love.

Love Confession- How does she confess?

Carmine doesn’t confess. Or rather, she doesn’t want to. She’d much rather be confessed to. She’ll drop hints constantly, hoping that you’ll pick up on her feelings and just spill yours already. The more hints she drops, the more obvious they get. Should you take too long, she’ll confess in a rather aggressive manner, basically just telling you to kiss her already.

Marriage- Does she want to get married? Does she want kids?

I think Carmine wants to be married, but I don’t see her as a person who’d want kids. She’s more of an aunt figure in my mind, in a “when your double-income, no-kids, lesbian aunts show up to unleash the gift reckoning on christmas” way. Of course, she waits for you to propose, but will begrudgingly take up that mantle if you take too long. Her ideal wedding is a small one, just being surrounded by family. Listen, she’s a sap but she doesn’t want anyone to know.

Nicknames- What kinds of pet names does she use?

Typically just sticks with babe or baby. If she’s in a teasing mood, she’ll use an overly sweet nickname that makes other people cringe. Could also use a short form of your name if that’s applicable.

On Cloud Nine- What’s she like when in love? Is it obvious to others? How does she express her love?

She’s noticeably happier and softer when she sees, or even just thinks, about you, but she only smiles smugly when asked why she’s in such high spirits. Her main love language is acts of service. She usually just orders people around to do her bidding, so going out of her way to do things on your behalf means a lot coming from her.

PDA- Is she upfront about your relationship and affection? 

Very upfront. Carmine wants everyone around to know that you’re her girl, just so they know not to mess with you unless they want to deal with her wrath. Has no issue with being affectionate with other people around, but tries to hold back with Kieran. She’ll tease him if he thinks her affection towards you is embarrassing, telling him off for still believing in cooties, but she does tone things down. She cares about him, really, she’s just an older sister. It’s how it be.

Quirk- What’s an ability she has that’s beneficial in a relationship?

She won’t hesitate to fuck someone up. Now, I’m not saying you should indulge in her violent tendencies and sick her on those you don’t like as if she’s a vapid dog, but you could if you really wanted to. Just know that you’ll likely have to take some of the responsibility if she clocks someone unprovoked.

Romance- How romantic is she? What does she do to make you happy?

As previously stated, she tries to do things for you. Again, it’s not much, but it means a lot coming from her. She’s not super romantic, but she is pretty passionate. As much as she likes sitting back and basking in your love, she will at times turn the tables and instead shower you in affection, peppering you with light pecks, telling you how much she loves you after each and every one.

Support- How does she help you achieve your goals?

Carmine can, and will, weed out anyone standing in your way. Is someone harassing you, or scaring you off, or in general just bringing your spirit down and making your job harder? Sit down babe, Carmine’s just gonna have a little chat with them real quick. She doesn’t always resort to violence, sometimes threats are enough to scare them off, but she will use force if she has to. Again, you might need to step in before she takes things too far.

Thrill- Does she feel the need to try new things out to spice up your relationship, or does she prefer stability?

Honestly, I’m a bit conflicted here. I think she does spice things up in, um, plenty of ways if you catch my drift, but she doesn’t do anything too extreme to your relationship as a whole.

Understanding- How well does she know you?

Carmine knows a lot about you. It’s like she’s got a little memory bank in her brain just for you. She’s pretty perspective, too, and tries to keep them in mind. She’ll do normal things like pick up your favorite snacks and plan dates at your favorite locals, but then she’ll do things like claim no one can sit in a specific spot because that’s your favorite seat and you deserve to have it. 

Value- How important is your relationship to her?

Incredibly important. Honestly, Carmine doesn’t have too many close relationships outside of her family, so you mean so much to her. When she knows that things between you are getting serious, she genuinely sees you as a part of her family, and they think the same. Her grandparents love you and think you’re a great influence, and Kieran thinks you’re ridiculously cool. So don’t break her heart.

Wild Card- A random headcanon.

She absentmindedly plays with your hair when she’s not doing anything else. She’ll twirl it and untangle it and wrap it around her fingers. If it’s too short to play with, or if you’ve styled it in a way where she can’t, or shouldn’t, mess with it easily, she’ll settle for scratching gently at your scalp.

XOXO- Is she affectionate? 

Pretty affectionate. She likes to hold you closer, or lay her legs across your lap, or vice versa, or… or anything, really. Carmine just likes to be close, both in public and behind closed doors.

Yearning- How does she cope when missing you?

Perfectly fine, then not at all. If you’re gone for a while, she can deal with it. You can’t be around all the time, she gets that. She still has Kieran to hang around with, so she’s not lonely or anything. But when days turn to weeks, she suddenly breaks. She becomes incredibly dramatic, lamenting about how much she misses you, about how you’ve been gone for so long. Practically jumps you the next time you meet.

Zeal- Is she willing to go to great lengths for your relationship? If so, in what ways?

I already stated that she would deck a man for you in a heartbeat so I’d say she’s willing to do a lot. If someone is clearly bothering you, she won’t ask any questions, nor will she hesitate. If you're not uncomfortable or in distress when asking her to do something, though, she might complain about it. She’ll still do it, even if she doesn’t really want to, but she does ask to be compensated in affection.

#pokemon x reader #carmine x reader #fem reader #the gif looks scrunged because i had to scrunch it #twas too big :*< #i have no idea why im on a writing kick but i am i guess #anyways carmine and klara are very similar me thinks #the difference is that carmine would murder you whereas klara would frame you for murder #differences people differences #also tweaked the prompts a bit bc formatting purposes

[reikunrei]

I didn't talk about this at all in my last doctor who post because there was so much else going on that I wanted to touch on, but after @mikesbasementbeets mentioned one of the closing lines of the episode in the tags, I kinda wanted to just talk about it a bit.

So, this is one of the rare episodes of dw where everyone lives at the end, including all of the victims who outright or technically died. Throughout basically the whole show, but especially the early seasons, and especially s1 with the 9th Doctor, there's an incredible emphasis on "we cannot interfere or else everything will fall apart." The episode right before these ("Father's Day") actually tackles this very idea, which I hope to explore sometime in another post. In short, the Doctor doesn't save people. Doing so often results in more harm than good (unless it wasn't meant to happen, but we don't have time to get into that here lol).

However, at the end of this episode, he does something completely different.

He says everybody lives. He sends out a mass of nanogenes, now reprogrammed, toward the gas mask soldiers surrounding the bomb site and they rewrite and "fix" their DNA, making them all normal humans again without the injuries of dead little Jamie. As I showed in the initial post, even Jamie winds up coming back to life, despite the fact that he was already dead when the nanogenes found his body and used him as a blueprint. Realistically, Jamie should still be dead because he wasn't technically "changed" by the nanogenes, simply brought back to life, which the Doctor earlier says is easy.

It's an extremely profound ending to a dw episode, and it's one that sticks with a lot of people.

Now bear with me because I'm sick with a cold as I write this so it might not be very coherent, but in conjunction with all of the other connections/similarities/parallels between these episodes and Stranger Things, this feels startlingly fitting for (at least part of) the conclusion to st.

Throughout all of st, we've seen time and again that knocking things down with violence doesn't really work. It's especially evident in st4 when Nancy, Steve, and Robin flambée Vecna, blast away a few chunks of flesh, and knock him out of the third story of a house. You'd think that would turn him into a pile of smoldering mulch, but it doesn't! Frankly, he gets up and walks away very quickly. We're shown and told time and again that killing outright does not work.

In these dw episodes, they could have tried killing any of the victims to keep them at bay (at one point the Doctor even pick-pockets Jack's sonic blaster so he won't use it on the victims). However, with the nanogenes present, they simply would have been "fixed" again and brought back to life. Much like Vecna, they would've just kept coming back.

And what winds up saving the day in dw? Love and understanding. When Nancy finally admits to Jamie that she's his mother, not his sister, and apologizes for everything that's happened and comes into contact with the nanogenes, it makes them fix their misunderstanding.

A lot of people talk about how Will said "we have to kill him" irt Vecna/One at the end of 4.09. However, again, we've seen that it literally does not work. And along with everything else surrounding the weirdness with identities in st, specifically with the distinctions between Henry/Edward, Vecna, and One (and Brenner) (check out the original post I linked at the top for links to other folk's posts about this), it's not far-fetched at all to assume that untangling the uncertainty left here will be what brings them closer to "saving the day," much closer than anymore fighting ever would.

We spend a lot of these dw episodes being scared of Jamie. Even Nancy is constantly visibly fearful of him and won't go near him, but in the end, she takes him into her arms despite the risk of her becoming infected. They don't brute force the nanogenes into understanding, they don't try to reprogram them, and they don't physically fight them off. They constantly run away, use words, or even sing them to sleep. There is very little violence in these dw episodes, and most of it comes from the victims themselves and is very tame.

Stranger Things, at its core, is about love, and that extends to the (supposed) villains. The way things have been presented thus far are very unreliable, but we have enough information from the show itself (aided by things like TFS and even bits of the VR game) to prove that there's something else going on, and maybe, just like with little Jamie, someone just needs a little bit of helpful truth.

As Joyce Maldonado once said, "Can love defeat fear?"

#st dw #i say things

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

Regarding how Jimin tells stories like the rainy day fight, I don't think Jimin is comfortable going deep into stories in a public settings. He revealed a lot of rawness in his EP and yet when he had to discuss it on that live that was scheduled, he just skipped a lot of it or left it vague. I wouldn't mind it if it was just him being naturally bad at public speaking but I have a suspicion its probably a result of prior experiences. That he spoke about being better about how he handles his diet, and armys gave him an ed. That he talked about how he's changed and learned how to become a strong man and armys used that characterize his younger self as an insecure mess. He probably learnt to limit his emotional musings to his art.

Yes, I perceive it the same way. Of course his reasons are for him to know, but we also can't help but draw some sensible conclusions. As long as we keep in mind that this is just how we interpret it.

I do understand being wary and taking a step back. And the changes happened mostly during the height of the pandemic and currently. I remember watching some of his vlives from 2019 when he used to mention his friends. He wasn't giving personal details which is understandable, but he was telling stories. Now there's none of that. And it happened at the same time or perhaps when he was becoming very very private. More than he used to be. I'm not trying to say there's something bad in particular with this, it's just an observation. To me it looks like a conscious decision and in that case, I can't complain that I want more from Jimin just so I can be entertained.

Did I get a bit frustrated of how evasive he is even whilst talking about his album? Yes, I admit that. It's because I like to hear about the process, of the artist trying to explain in depth the concept, the themes, if/how personal experiences shape that. A lot of them do and they are opening themselves up and they show vulnerability in a way. Sometimes it's not that deep and other times it's painful. But what I have to remind myself is that ultimately, it's a choice. Just as I as a private, regular individual have trouble sometimes talking about my life with certain people, then the same can be available for artists.

On the other hand, being able to talk about one's art without revealing personal "secrets" it's also possible. You just have to know how to do it. Jimin has been active in the industry for more than 10 years and he's an experienced idol, but talking about group concepts and then having to do that about your own album that encapsulates personal experience is a different game. Which is why I can understand that as well and I think that I should cut him some slack because this was the first time he had to do it on his own. He'll get better and better as the years go by.

I'll add a little observation here. Kidergarden teacher is mostly a joke and he put on that role even while watching his Like Crazy mv. Jimin from 5-7 years ago would've probably had a completely different attitude. I believe that what current Jimin is doing is an active calculated choice in how he wants to be perceived. This is the side that he wants to show for now in some specific contexts (an important observation), whether I personally like or agree with it. My two cents, not some definitive verdict.

Lastly, allowing the art to speak for itself is an understandable choice and a good one as well. In his case, the work Jimin does can actually speak for itself because there's something of value there. It leads to multiple interpretations which I think it's amazing. Once the music is out there, it belongs to the listener as well. We add meaning to it. We also add layers over layers of meaning to music videos and photofolio shoots and teaser images. Some may be far fetched, others outrageous and others sensible. We can agree or disagree with them. What's important is that they exist, without the artist having to give a 5k words explanation of each piece. Jimin's interpretation is one thing, but it's not the only correct one. That's not how art works. And that's why expecting him to talk in detail might seem redundant. As I said, it's a choice. If an artist wants to add more, then that's great. If they let mostly their art to do that, then that's fine too.

#m thoughts #jimin #jimin livestreams #jimin album

[lake-archive]

A Game Of Pretend

AO3 Link - The Love Antics Of Dark Mages Masterlist

Fandom: Puyo Puyo

Characters: Schezo Wegey, Minako (OC), Nyeli (by @watersofcamelot) (mentined)

Words: 1,381

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A knight… The little fella sure has an interesting take on what a knight is. Honestly, the first few seconds Schezo could not believe his ears. A knight… He and a knight… That could not be further from the truth. Such imagery is not something befitting for him! Well, that and it just was not true in any way. Someone chivalrous, of good nature, sweeping in when people are in need… This is not something anyone would describe him as. And he himself would also not make such a bold claim. After all, he was not like a certain justice seeking fool and will never be… 

It was just too far–fetched. He was anything but a knight! He was a dark mage first and foremost, a man practiced in the dark arts and always seeking for more and more power! Hunting for more, day by day! So hearing anyone call him that… It had put him off a little, he had to admit. He didn’t even know how to respond to it. Then again, maybe he would have said something with less hesitation if it had literally been anyone else. But disappoint a cute, little guy like this? No, he couldn’t. 

Not when seeing him so insistent. Not when seeing him so eager. Not when seeing his utmost desire. It was hard to resist because one wrong word and his world might have come crumbling down right then and there. And at the end Schezo just couldn’t bring it over himself. He should have but he couldn’t. Because the next image flashing into his head was the tiny one, with drooping ears and eyes filled with tears, the look of shattering disappointment. So in the end he had first said it without thinking, promising to teach the tiny cat–like creature. 

But once it had kicked all in he was hit with a wave of regret, wondering just what he had gotten himself into. A knight… Him, having to teach someone the ways of a knight. How could he do that if he wasn’t one? After all, he had been robbed from this opportunity for ages now. Having once been naive, claiming to ‘ become a man to achieve great things ’ and promising to never use dark magic ever again after escaping that dreaded place he had been trapped in…

And yet, it had not come to this. And it was eating him up, also literally. Bit by bit, piece by piece. He could feel how it was all devouring him to no end, all on the inside. It was sometimes hard to keep a straight face, to not just fall into other habits, habits he swore off some time ago. Even if it slowed it all down, it was better than succumbing. 

Oh where has this all gone? “ I won’t use dark magic ever again after I escape! ” Shallow words nowadays, more than shallow. A false promise… Preventing him from ever achieving more. This is not what a knight should be doing after all… Let alone a hero.

And yet, the lie had carried on. Which one? All of them. Schezo was doing nothing but playing a game of pretend. But if it was for the little one… He had to endure. He swore himself to endure the pain, all of it. It should be fine. It will all be fine. Besides, he was no stranger to regular training. And such training was one every knight had to go through. Or had he been wrong about that?

Honestly, he was just taking a wild guess at this point. How was he supposed to know any of this to begin with? He had never been there and he will never be there. But that was beside the point, was it not? Yeah, besides the point… But good luck explaining that to his ‘big sister’ at least that was what he assumed she was.

The white haired woman he had found in his cave, having collapsed from hunger weeks ago by then. Apparently she had caught wind of Schezo’s current actions and honestly it may not even be a surprise. And even then, she was glaring at him that time, her red gaze sharp. Usually it would leave him unfazed and he would have told her off… But her question cut deep, even if she didn’t know.

“What’s this about a ‘knight’ I hear!?” She asked, raising her voice a little bit. She was clearly not pleased, at all. “What nonsense were you telling Nyeli!?”

“I wasn’t telling him anything!” Schezo responded, almost defensive sounding. 

“Right, telling him nothing! What are you up to!?”

“I’m being serious here! I was not telling him anything at all! No fairytales, no stories, no lies! He came to me!”

“That…” She went silent for a short moment, as if considering his words for a moment before sighing, though agreement audible. “Alright, fair. That does sound like Nyeli after all. But that still won’t explain why you were lying to him.”

“Are you asking me to make a child cry?” He countered, slightly annoyed. “Are you asking to be punished by my sword!?”

“P… Punished by your—” She was close to repeating before becoming silent for a very short moment, only staring… Staring and staring… That was until he saw her face turning completely red, matching her eyes even, and she suddenly raised her hand, pointing a finger right at him, then continuing to shout. “Excuse me!? Watch your mouth or I will teach you myself what actual dark magic tastes like! Creeper!”

For a moment he wondered why she was so upset… Until he noticed, quickly correcting himself. “Hold on, no! That’s not what I meant at all!”

“How else am I supposed to understand your—”

“What I meant was that I will handle you myself if—! Wait…”

“That doesn’t sound any better!” She only became louder.

All he could do was sigh by then. It was best to not try correcting himself or the third time might become the worst. He was not about to have the conversation derail into that, far from it. “Nevermind… In any case, I’m not going to crush his hopes like that.”

Finally, the woman in front of him was calming down. She lowered her arm and her expression became a little calmer and her volume decreased when she spoke up next, though she seemed a little confused. “Not crush his hopes? Nyeli’s?”

“I told you before, didn’t I? I won’t make him cry. And if he wants to learn, then so be it. I’m not going to disappoint him now.”

“Dis… appoint? So… You are doing that for his sake?”

“For who else’s?” His own? She shouldn’t make him nearly laugh like that… If he could, that is. “So, will you keep your mouth shut or do I have to beg you on my knees?”

“B.. Beg? As if—”

“I will if I have to if it means you shut your yap and don’t tell him about anything.” He said, ever so serious. He probably shouldn’t and having to live with this title is going to crush him one way or another… But he was not going to crush a young one’s dreams like that. He couldn’t bring himself to do that. And if he had to do anything to get her to be quiet… Then so be it. “Don’t tell him about this conversation we just had, ever. Just let me train him, alright?”

A moment of silence, he could feel her gaze one way or another. And yet, his own did not change. He meant every word he just said. Every single one. So… In the end… Could he get her to agree? The answer was obvious…

“Fine, I won’t. But it’s also just for Nyeli’s sake. Not to entertain whatever game you want to play.”

Of course she would phrase it like that… “I’m not playing any games here!” He corrected for a moment, though at the end added a little more softly: “And… Thank you.”

Assuming a role he will never be… And yet, this was going to be something Schezo has to learn how to handle… He should be fine however, shouldn’t he? Yeah… He’ll learn how to deal with it, one way or another.

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#Nimue's Lake #fanfiction #fanfic #fic #selfship fanfiction #self ship fanfic #self ship fanfiction #selfship fic #selfship fanfic #yumejoshi #yumeship #self ship #selfship #self ship community #selfship community #f/o x s/i #romantic f/o #schezo wegey #puyo puyo schezo #My Dark Mage Loser Bf #Schezina

[idiopath-fic-smile]

having a quiet afternoon in; feeling like doing that "choose a WIP and i'll write a bit of it" meme that's been going around but I only have 2 WIPs so it's really just a binary choice:

"e/R 1970's" (sequel to this)

"the patron saint of all-night diners" (sideways spin-off of this feat. Julie the waitress and the Reagan-hating fry cook falling in love)

(i don't think you're supposed to give that much context to the WIPs but *sunglasses emoji* sometimes you gotta break the rules.)

snippets under the cut. both of them are set in restaurants in the American midwest, which i mention only because it might be distracting otherwise. throw me an ask about one or the other and i'll write three more sentences. i will do this until i get tired.

e/R 1970's

Grantaire frowns down at her menu. “Suppose I’ll have to get used to lentils eventually,” she says, “if it’s bound to become part of the lifestyle. Only, remember when all you had to do to be a lesbian was want to make love to women?”

“And live entirely submerged in fear and shame?” Enjolras replies, without heat. New York’s Stonewall Riot seven years earlier—and the bolder, more confrontational movement that followed it—have changed her. With a suitable outlet for her particular magnificent energy, she is more focused than ever in work, and a little calmer in repose.

“True,” Grantaire replies. “But I worry that any day now, we’ll be issued a box of cats.” She shakes her head theatrically. “You know I can barely keep houseplants alive.”

“Houseplants don’t meow until you remember to water them,” says Enjolras. “And I admit, I have a morbid curiosity for what you’d name a pet.” She raises her eyebrows.

“Skinny Bones, if we fed him the food of our people,” says Grantaire. “Did you see they sell vegetable ice cream?”

Enjolras shrugs serenely. “We’d give him meat,” she says. “Cats are carnivores. And as far as human food goes, the spinach and black olive enchiladas aren’t half bad.”

They’re sharing a table at Viv’s Vegetarian Spot, the best lesbian-owned cafe in all of Boystown and likely all of Chicago. “Best” being perhaps a little generous, in Grantaire’s meatloaf-and-potatoes-loving book.

“You know I admire your devotion to supporting our sisters-in-arms—our sisters-in-amour, let’s say,” Grantaire counters, “but in this one particular case, I’ll never grasp why you—”

Enjolras reaches over and squeezes her hand; their waitress has swooped in, the numerous political pins rattling on her denim jacket like chainmail. “WE HAVE BEEN TOO NICE TOO LONG” reads one. “OUT OF THE CLOSET, INTO THE STREETS” reads another.

“Hi there, I’m Sandy. Can I get you two anything?” she asks.

“I’ll have the enchiladas,” says Enjolras. She hasn’t moved her hand on top of Grantaire’s. And then she beams up at Sandy and adds, deliberately, “And my date will have…”

“The enchiladas also,” Grantaire fills in, swallowing hard as Sandy nods and retreats to fetch them waters like this is the most normal and natural thing in the world. “Alright,” Grantaire says. “I think I can grasp it now.”

the patron saint of all-night diners

The first thing to know about Al’s 24-Hour Eats is that it didn’t start as a haven for the queers and deviants of the greater Indianapolis area.

The second is that the transformation was no accident.

“Julie Williams,” says Lloyd, the night manager.

Julie nods, smiles blandly. She does not adjust her unfashionable brown turtleneck or her equally out-of-date khaki maxi skirt, both chosen with care at Goodwill in an effort to look as staid and buttoned-up and employable as possible.

Lloyd’s eyes scan down her resume. She presses her lips together. Given that he’d kept her waiting in the narrow, dingy outside his office twenty minutes into their scheduled 10 o’clock appointment, it feels like he could’ve at least already read a single sheet of paper. A bead of sweat slides down her spine.

There are six lies on her resume, and seven truths. The lies: previous places of employment, mostly, retroactively fitting her with a past where she has always been known as she. The provided contact numbers belong to sympathetic friends who have been told to answer the phone cautiously over the next couple of days. The truths: her name, first of all, truer now for years than whatever might be printed on her birth certificate. Her list of relevant skills; even in her previous life, she knew her way around a tray of plates, a table full of rowdy drunks.

Also this: Julie Williams is a people person.

This will be important later.

“You ever done this before?” Lloyd says suddenly.

Julie blinks. He’s still holding the paper in his hand. The paper which says that she has a combined fifteen years of experience working as a waitress in dining establishments across the Midwest. This is not strictly true, but that’s not the point.

“Yes, I have,” she says, in her most pleasant voice. “Most recently, six years at Sunrise.”

“Sunrise in…?” Lloyd trails off.

“Lafayette. Up way past Lebanon.”

“Were you any good at it?”

“Very,” says Julie without hesitation.

Lloyd lets out a long sigh. “That’s good, that’s good. Between you and me, we’ve been having a tough time filling the night shift lately. Nobody wants to work anymore. And this part of town going the way it’s been going, we’ve been getting a lot of weirdos applying.” He raises his eyebrows.

“I’m real sorry to hear that,” she says. A second bead of sweat is slipping down to join the first one, right at the start of her asscrack. Charming.

“Yeah.” He pulls himself to his feet and shakes his head. “This place is headed downhill fast. Has been since that seedy little rathole across the street opened.” He must be talking about Hey Sailor, the windowless establishment Julie passed on her way here. Mentally, Julie updates the little dot on her mental map from probably a gar bar to almost certainly a gay bar.

“I should warn you,” he adds, “the crowd gets a little wild at night. Our last waitress quit because she couldn’t hack it. Think you can stand up to the freaks and perverts?”

She can feel her smile go sharp-edged. “I don’t let anyone push me around, sir.”

Provided the patron saint of all-night diners comes through for her and she gets the job, Julie makes a solemn vow to herself just then, regarding said freaks and perverts.

This, too, will be important later.

#wip meme #e/R 1970s #the patron saint of all-night diners #cw some mention of period typical homophobia #(ETA re: the 1970s story no slander against vegetarians; i was one for like six years. i just think it's an interesting like cultural shift

[myxtiny]

Out on the Town

This fic is part of the “Enchanter’s Emporium” series

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Glynn was midway through wrapping the fish pie in cheesecloth when a knock rang out through the apartment. He wiped his hands on a dishtowel and hurried to answer the door.

Elijah, who was wrapped in furs and frosted with bits of snow, beamed at him as soon as the old wood had swung open on its hinges. He made a sound deep in his chest, and moved to greet Glynn with open arms.

“Elijah! It’s so good to see you!” Glynn chuckled and leaned into his friend’s warm bulk as they embraced. “Come in, come in! Put down your things and warm yourself by the hearth.”

Elijah squeezed him tightly, then straightened up with another low sound, before, “It’s good to see you too.” He was carrying a pack on his shoulders, which he let slide to the floor just inside the doorway with a grateful nod. He moved towards the fire, snow melting in his hair, and looked to Glynn with friendly eyes above his smile. “I'm glad to have made it into the city before too late in the day. I think luck was with me since I arrived alongside a merchant’s cart. Sometimes it seems the Solitude guard could give the Emperor himself a lesson in paranoia.”

“Ha! Kai would certainly agree with that sentiment.” Glynn held out an arm to take Elijah’s fur cloak. “The poor man has got another double shift today, so he won’t be home until tonight. But he told me to give you his warmest greetings when you arrived.”

“Mmm,” Elijah rumbled, “That’s a shame. Though I’ll look forward to seeing him this evening.”

“In the meantime, I thought we could go on a little tour of Solitude, if you’re interested. Kai doesn’t mind missing out; he sees enough of the streets as it is. And I’ve got a little list of places I’d love to show you.”

Elijah’s brow quirked, and he smiled again. “I wouldn’t mind an outing. To be honest, I haven’t seen much of the inside of the city other than where I’ve gone to trade and sell wares in the past. I’d almost certainly get lost if I tried to navigate the streets myself.”

“Excellent!” Glynn felt a little prickle of excitement. He would’ve been shy to admit it, but he’d been looking forward to this ever since Elijah had written to say that he’d be in the area for a few days. “Solitude is a marvelous city – so much to see! We can go as soon as you’re warmed up. All I have to do is put this pie in the icebox.”

“Mm.” Elijah hummed his agreement, but as Glynn moved to do as he said, he gave a curious tilt of his head. “You’ve already cooked something?”

“Not me.” Glynn grinned as he picked up the pie and carried it over to the enchanted icebox, where it would stay fresh until that evening. “I have a friend down at the marketplace who’s a fishmonger. When I was out shopping yesterday, I mentioned to her that I would soon have a visitor who’s partial to seafood and asked if she had any recommendations. She told me that she knew just the thing and that I should come back the next day. This morning, I dropped by her stall and she handed me the most beautiful fish pie. It’ll make a lovely supper later, I think.”

Elijah chuckled deeply. “I’m a bit honored. Supper seems very far away now, though.”

“If you’re hungry, we certainly don’t have to wait until supper to solve that,” said Glynn with a smile. “We’ll make a snack the first stop on our tour.”

It wasn’t long before the two of them were leaving the shop behind for the afternoon and making their way into the busy city streets outside of the emporium. Elijah had assured Glynn he was plenty warm after only a short while by the fire, and he’d donned his furs again as Glynn had gone to fetch his own cloak. The cobbled roads were loud with the noise of crowds and horses, and Elijah seemed to want to stick close to Glynn, but they made it easily to the section of the market where the food stalls were located as Glynn happily detailed all the sights he intended to show his friend that day.

“...we have to stop by the Blue Palace, of course. I’m sure it’ll be packed with sightseers, but it’s still worth a visit. There are some more out-of-the-way places I can show you in the Blue Quarter, too. The architecture is quite spectacular! But all that’s for later.” Glynn came to a stop, gesturing to a stall with a large painted sign depicting a lofty round pastry. “I thought this would be the perfect place for a snack.”

Elijah read the carefully crafted sign with a small smile on his face. “Sweet rolls?”

“Not just sweet rolls. The proprietor, Marianne, was once a merchant on an Imperial trading ship. She makes rolls with spices and flavorings from all over the world, as well as some more exotic ingredients from right here in Skyrim. The cinnamon one is my favorite, but there’s also jazbay and juniper, spiced trama root, Cyrodiil citrus, lavender and fire apple… oh, the date and honey is incredible as well! Plenty to choose from.”

Elijah blinked, looking faintly awed. Given all Glynn’s endorsements of the city’s cosmopolitan perks, ones he repeated often to Elijah as a sort of running joke between them, he couldn’t help feeling just a tiny tug of satisfaction.

“I suppose I would like to try the cinnamon roll.” Elijah said after a moment, fishing in his pocket for a few septims. “I have always been a bit curious as to what it might taste like.”

“Good choice! You’re in for a real treat.” Glynn led the way up to the stall’s proprietor. “Good morning, Marianne! The biggest and stickiest cinnamon roll you have for my friend Elijah, please.”

Marianne laughed when she saw who it was. “A cinnamon roll for your friend and none for yourself, Glynn? Are you sure?” 

“Hmm… alright, you’re very persuasive.” Glynn took a few coins out of a pouch on this belt. “Two of your biggest and stickiest cinnamon rolls, then.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Glynn manage to walk by my stall without stopping for one of these.” Marianne winked at Elijah as she took his payment and handed him a warm bun, wrapped in a small scrap of waxed parchment paper for ease of eating. “I hope you’ll find them just as irresistible. Elijah, is it? Are you new to Solitude, or just passing through?” 

“Just passing through,” Elijah replied conversationally with a twinkle in his eyes. “Glynn and Kai are good friends of mine, and I come by for occasional visits. I haven’t yet spent much time inside the walls however.”

“I’m showing him around,” Glynn added proudly. “Trying to convince him that the big city has its charms.”

As Glynn chatted, Elijah dug into his treat, and the first bite was evidently so delightful that Elijah’s appreciative hum was enough to draw a proud smile from Marianne.

“Good?” Glynn couldn’t help but grin too. “It’s a very unique flavor, isn’t it?”

“It is delicious.” Elijah agreed, licking sweet frosting from the corner of his mouth. “I never imagined a spice could taste so pleasantly warm.”

“The perfect thing for a cold day.” Glynn took his own cinnamon roll from Marianne, his mouth watering as he caught a whiff of the invigorating cinnamon. “Well, we’d better keep moving. Thank you, Marianne! Until next time.”

Elijah nodded amiably at the woman and followed Glynn onto the cobbled path, clearly enjoying the treat in his hands. They joined the throngs of people crowding the streets, moving deeper into the heart of Solitude. “I was thinking we could head down to the docks first,” Glynn explained as he led the way down a street packed with slow-moving merchant carts. “I think a tradesman like you might find them interesting. The size of the ships that come into port here is like nothing you’d have seen before, I imagine.”

“I don’t doubt it.” Elijah paused to swallow another bite of pastry. “I have seen the ships in Windhelm, though much less trade passes through there now with the war in progress.”

“Ah. Yes, that makes sense.” Glynn felt troubled for a moment, so troubled that the cinnamon lingering on his tongue briefly tasted like ash. “Solitude certainly hasn’t been untouched by the war, but it hasn’t stifled our trade. If anything, more ships come in – ships bearing Imperial soldiers and sometimes Thalmor. I suppose it’s for the best. If the Stormcloaks were to assault us, the city guard would not be able to hold them off for long alone.” He pushed the thought resolutely away – no sense tainting a nice visit from a friend with such dark thoughts! – and took another bite of his cinnamon roll. “You’ve got a boat yourself, don’t you? Would you ever sail it up this way?”

Elijah abruptly looked a touch uncomfortable, and reached up to dust a streak of sugar from his beard. “Probably not. The East Empire Trading Company does not welcome competition, even from individual tradesmen.” He glanced at Glynn, and his expression brightened as he smiled reassuringly. “That doesn’t mean however that I would not be interested in seeing their ships. I can certainly appreciate good craftsmanship, even in the service of those I might otherwise steer clear of.”

As it turned out, there were plenty of ships at port for Elijah to admire. Glynn didn’t know enough about seafaring to have anything knowledgeable to say about them, and instead wound up listening fondly as Elijah pointed out a few different types of sails and explained their purposes, from the cutter sails made for long cruises to the catsails made for small, swift craft. Glynn did, however, know a few of the docks’ hidden secrets.

“See that little ramshackle stand on the end of the pier?” he said, pointing. “They serve up fresh fish for the sailors and dockworkers. It doesn’t look like much, but there’s no better seafood in town. We can stop if you want.”

As hoped, Elijah’s expression took on an immediate interest, and with a chuckle, he nodded. “I am not one to judge a freshly cooked fish by the shine of the pot.”

They made their way over to the stand, where a small crowd of laborers had already gathered for lunch. Some of them nursed bowls of fish stew, while others traded coins for the house special – chunks of fresh salmon skewered on a wooden stick, lightly battered and fried golden in a pot of boiling oil.

Glynn still had a few bites of his cinnamon roll left to finish, so he hung back while Elijah went up to make a purchase. He was delighted when his friend came back with a big grin and a piping hot salmon skewer. “Oh, good choice.”

“Mhmm.” Elijah was already digging in, the cut of fish flaking away from the skewer as he bit into it. He swallowed the mouthful and paused to admire the tender pink meat underneath the golden crispy outside. “I cannot count how many times I have had salmon, but there always seems to be new ways to try it no matter where I go.” He took another bite, then pulled off a shred of meat from the other side of the skewer, offering it to Glynn. 

“Oh, thank you!” Glynn popped the chunk of hot, juicy fish into his mouth, savoring the way the flavor burst across his tongue. “Mmm! Delicious as always. But not quite as good as the fish pie we’ve got for later.”

Elijah was smiling as he continued enjoying his salmon. “You seem very sure of this fish pie,” he teased gently.

“Of course I am! Only the finest fish pie in the land for my friends. Just wait til you taste it, I’m sure you’ll agree.” Glynn shivered and drew his cloak more tightly as a chill wind blew in across the slate-gray Sea of Ghosts. “Speaking of the finest in the land – shall we head up to the Blue Palace? It shouldn’t be too busy this time of day, and it’ll be warmer within the city walls.”

A light snow started up as they made their way back into the shelter of the streets. The weather didn’t do anything to dampen the crowds that moved in the streets of Solitude’s wealthiest neighborhood. Well-dressed nobles mixed with clamoring sightseers as they neared the palace, and soon, the first glimpse of a blue-tiled spire appeared above the rooftops.

Elijah, despite the fact that Glynn was sure he was used to seeing many great sights in his travels, gazed upon the blue and gold turrets of the palace with an almost childlike wonder as they drew closer. Once they had crossed the threshold into the garden out front, Elijah hung back with Glynn from the other tourists and listened with interest as Glynn talked about the traditions of the royal family and the generations that had lived within the castle’s hallowed halls.

“In the past, visitors have been allowed inside to see the grandeur of the entrance hall. But of course, security has tightened since the war began.” Glynn allowed himself a small sigh, but brightened as he caught the sound of a loud voice cutting through the sounds of the crowd. “There are benefits to staying out in the garden though! It sounds like a snack vendor is coming around.”

The man with the booming voice came into view moments later. His brightly-colored cloak swirled around him as he rolled his cart over the slushy cobblestones, shouting, “Apple fritters and mulled mead! Hot and fresh! Warm your belly with apple fritters and mulled mead!”

Elijah made a little sound of curiosity and then murmured to Glynn, “What is an apple fritter?”

“Oh, they’re wonderful little things! Bits of fried dough with a filling of apples and cinnamon, and covered with a sweet, sticky glaze. The perfect treat for a cold autumn day.”

“Mmm.” Elijah hummed in response. And when the vendor came close, he bought a cup of mead when Glynn did, and then after a moment of hesitation, picked out a gooey apple fritter as well. He took a big bite, and a pleased look crossed his face, and he licked cinnamon from his lips before taking another. 

“Perhaps some day in the future,” Elijah said softly, pausing to dust crumbs from his mouth, “when the war is over, I can make a visit when the weather is good and we can come again to see the entrance hall.”

Glynn tried to keep the sadness from his smile, despite his private fears as to whether the entrance hall would still be there to see if the war ended on Ulfric Stormcloak’s terms. “I think that’s a wonderful idea.”

By the time the two of them had finished their mead, the palace courtyard was becoming overburdened with foot traffic, and so Glynn beckoned Elijah out of the gate and back to the exquisitely beautiful paths of the Blue Quarter. Their walk was slow and leisurely, as Glynn paused every so often to point out a particularly beautiful bit of stonework here or a garden overflowing with flowers there and Elijah responded with warm sounds of appreciation and awe.

“Oh my.” Glynn paused at one corner and Elijah nearly bumped into him. “I was very much hoping to show you the Bard’s College – they are excellent conversationalists and the building is jam-packed with history – but well, it seems they are having a bit of a festival.”

Indeed, it was hard to miss. The stone yard outside of the College was filled with milling visitors, performing acts of many kinds, and a few different vendors selling food and trinkets. Glynn had wondered what the music was for a few blocks away, but hadn’t realized there was a festival at the other end of it. He must have missed the memo on the town square’s noticeboard.

Glynn shook his head and looked up to Elijah. “The College will be closed for the festivities today. We could always come back tomorrow though, if you don’t think you’ll be leaving town too early.”

“I should have time tomorrow for more visiting.” Elijah’s twinkling smile appeared again, and he teased gently, “I don’t suppose you know many people here at the College? They seem your type.”

“My type?” Glynn’s mock offense was somewhat ruined by the fact that he couldn’t keep himself from laughing. “I’ll have you know that I don’t stand for bards. If I’m not the biggest personality in the room at all times, I become highly uncomfortable.” He paused mid-jest as he spotted a white-aproned cook carrying a loaded platter towards the refreshment table. “Oh Divines, would you look at those boiled cream treats! The College itself may be closed, but maybe we should stop by the festival just long enough for a snack?”

And so the two of them listened to a nearby bard-in-training sing a riveting ballad of a battle long past while they indulged in a pair of richly garnished boiled cream treats; thick custard dusted with a hint of ginger and crystalized honey. After he’d finished his treat, Elijah admitted to Glynn that he’d not had so many sweets so close together in quite a while, which led to Glynn seeking out a savory snack for him, a beautifully cooked meat pie in the shape of a large dumpling that Elijah clearly thoroughly enjoyed.

They sat in the College yard for a short while after finishing their snacks, listening to the mingled sounds of lutes, harps, drums, and voices raised in both shout and song. Glynn could’ve stayed longer, but he noticed Elijah’s big frame had begun to hunch up a little, and mused that so much noise and commotion had to be quite a change from the peace and solitude of Skyrim’s roads.

He reached over and put a hand on his friend’s knee. “Ready to press on? I was thinking we could swing by Castle Dour next. Watching the Imperial army train can be quite a sight. And then after that, we’d have just enough time to pop into the Winking Skeever for a drink before heading home for dinner.”

Elijah slid him a grateful smile. “I would be interested in seeing the fort, certainly. And it might be nice to see the soldiers doing something other than crowding taverns and pestering villagers.” He gave a little chuckle, half amused, half rueful.

He wasn’t disappointed; the soldiers outside the castle walls were undergoing a rigorous training exercise that involved flaming arrows and flammable targets. Bright bursts of fire danced around the courtyard, and it seemed there were even a couple of frost mages in attendance to control any wayward sparks.

“What do you think?” Glynn asked with a little grin. “Good enough to roast a few Stormcloaks?”

“I should think so.” Elijah wore a smile as well, the air about him undeniably impressed. A soldier just ahead of them hit a bullseye and the target went up in a blaze. Elijah let out an appreciative whistle.

“It’s quite a bustling place, isn’t it?” Glynn glanced around at the whirlwind of activity happening on the fringes of the training session – smiths hammering away at their anvils, cart drivers maneuvering their wagonloads of goods up to the castle, messengers scampering to and fro. “And it’s not just the Legion that uses this area. The city guards have their barracks here as well. I come down here fairly regularly to see Kai.”

Elijah perked up a little and glanced Glynn’s way. “I don’t suppose there would be any chance of running into him here?”

“He’s manning one of the guard stations on the city wall today, so unfortunately not. But I can show you one of his local secrets.” Glynn motioned for Elijah to follow him. He led the way around the edge of the training yard and through a narrow archway, beyond which there were fewer soldiers and more craftspeople. At a ramshackle stand, squeezed between a fletcher’s stall and a man mending boots, a heavyset woman stirred an enormous stew pot with a ponderous wooden spoon.

“They say that Hildur has been tending that very same pot for as long as anyone can remember,” Glynn said. “That every morning, she throws in new ingredients to replace what she ladled out the day before, and every night, she banks the fire so that the leftovers can simmer and become even more delicious. Now, I don’t know if that’s true, but I do know that her stew has got the tenderest meat and the softest vegetables you’ll ever taste. All the guards love it. It’s hot, cheap, and fills your belly right up.”

“Mmm.” Elijah shifted a little next to Glynn. “I have to agree that the best stew is often cooked long and slow by a familiar hand.”

“Would you like to try some?” Glynn reached for the purse on his belt. “I had some just yesterday when I came to meet Kai for lunch, so I’ll refrain myself, but I’d be happy to treat you.”

Elijah shook his head with a smile. “No need to spend your gold on me, I certainly have a few septims to spare.” And he fished in his pocket for a couple gold pieces, making his way to the stall and coming back with a warm bowl that smelled heavenly.

“I think I would believe that story.” Elijah said to Glynn after he’d taken his first richly steaming bite. He made a sound of deep appreciation and scooped up another, the thick broth dripping from his spoon. “This is incredible.”

“Hildur says she’d rather die than tell anyone her secret ingredient. I don’t think there’s a soul in the city who doesn’t believe her.” Glynn chuckled at the way Elijah was clearly savoring each bite. It was a quality that he deeply appreciated in Elijah – the man liked good food just as much as Glynn did. “Here, there are some benches over this way where we can sit while you eat. And then to the inn, perhaps. It’s certainly getting chilly now that the sun is going down.”

“Stars above. Is it that late already?” Elijah glanced up at the twilight sky. Glynn guessed that with the thick furs draped around his shoulders, he might not have noticed the drop in the air. He turned and followed Glynn’s lead after a moment, giving a nod. “To the inn it is, then.”

Elijah ate his stew at a steady pace; still enjoying each bite but keeping the growing evening shadows in the corner of his eye. By the time he was scraping dregs from the bottom of his bowl, the sky was mostly dark and the torches around town were being lit. Elijah left his bowl and spoon in a provided trough at the edge of the courtyard and trailed after Glynn as they ducked into the alleyway that led down the hill and back towards the main square. 

With the workday over, all the cart drivers and day laborers and other folks who preferred drinking environments a little rowdier than the average inn had begun to gather in Solitude’s nooks and crannies. A large group of them had already congregated in the alley between Castle Dour and the inn – and already gotten well into their bottles, by the sounds of it. They whooped and shouted from the glow of their unsanctioned fires as Glynn and Elijah passed.

“Evening, boys!” Glynn called to a little knot of them that seemed particularly enthusiastic. He’d grown up around this kind of thing, and knew that these folks were loud but harmless, so he was only mildly alarmed when one of the men peeled away from the fire and staggered over to grip his arm.

“Evening, my fine good sir!” he cried, his words a bit slurred, as his buddies roared with laughter. “S’a beautiful evening to be here in the finest city in Skyrim, eh?”

“It certainly is.” Glynn patted the man on the back, gently easing him back over his own feet. “I hope you and friends enjoy it thoroughly.”

“You’re too kind, sir, too kind! Here, have a drink on me.” He thrust a bottle of mead into Glynn’s hands, and then turned to Elijah and held out another. “Your big friend, too! All of Skyrim ought to be drunk on a night as fine as this one.”

“Well, I won’t refuse hospitality.” Elijah’s huge demeanor held a bit of his quiet shyness that Glynn was sure only he noticed, but he clearly didn’t want to spoil the fun. He gave a nod and a smile of thanks as a bottle was pushed into his hand as well, then took a big swig that seemed to please the revelers around them.

“Get them some grub too!” someone by the fire yelled, and a moment later, another drunken man came stumbling up with a pair of small bread loaves in his hand.

“Something to sate your bellies,” the man said with a gap-toothed grin, thrusting the loaves out invitingly. “Made ‘em myself.”

Glynn took the bread, grinning as he saw that it had been sliced open lengthways and filled with shreds of roasted meat and grilled leek. “A little local custom,” he explained quietly in response to Elijah’s quizzical look. “They put their meat and vegetables inside bread, so that it’s easier to hold around a fire. No plates or forks necessary.”

Elijah’s brow raised with interest and he brought the loaf to his mouth, taking a curious bite and chewing thoughtfully. He swallowed and smiled, “It’s good,” then he parted the halves of his bread to peer at the roasted ingredients inside. The sheen of juices in the meat caught the firelight and a waft of steam rose from the vegetables. “Immensely clever, I must admit.” Then he pressed the loaf back together and continued to enjoy it. 

It took them a few minutes to extricate themselves from the other men and nod their farewells, but by the time their loaves were finished and their bottles were empty, they were headed down the road to the inn’s warm, welcoming hearth.

The Winking Skeever had drawn the quieter but still lively crowd of Solitude’s merchant class; the front door was propped open for guests and the entryway was golden with candlelight and filled with the melody of the bard’s lute. A roaring fire kept out the chill of the outdoors and chatter swirled around them from residents and visitors alike. 

Wonderful smells swirled around them too, no doubt from the kitchens, and Glynn felt water gather in his mouth. That boiled cream treat at the Bard’s College felt like a distant memory, and the revelers’ meat and bread had only served to whet his appetite. There was the fish pie waiting for them at home, of course, but that would take at least an hour to bake.

He flagged down the first barmaid he saw and ordered two tankards of ale. Then he asked about the dinner specials.

“We’re in luck!” he said, turning towards Elijah so he could hear him over the noise. “They’re serving roast pheasant tonight! The Winking Skeever is known city-wide for the way they do their roast pheasant – it’s served with a sauce that’s both tart and sweet! Made of snowberries, I believe. I don’t think you can find it anywhere else. I think I’ll get myself a plate – would you like one?”

Elijah made a sound – an oddly amused one. But before Glynn could ask what was so funny, his friend added, “Well, snowberries are a favorite of mine. I’m certain I would be remiss to miss out.”

So Glynn turned back to the barmaid and asked for two plates. Minutes later, they were sitting together at an old wooden table by the fire, ale in their cups and pheasant breasts smothered in thick red sauce on tin plates before them.

“So, what did you think of Solitude?” Glynn asked. “Did it live up to your imaginings?”

Elijah was leaning back in his chair, his gaze roaming over the cheerfully crowded inn. He smiled at Glynn’s question and said, “Surpassed them, in fact. I suppose I have always thought Solitude must be a city of imposing stone and majestic roads, and that much is true, but I was surprised and happy to find that many community charms are tucked away here, just as many as any other city in Skyrim.” He paused to lift his pheasant roast to his mouth to take a bite, licking snowberry sauce from his lips a moment later.

“I’m delighted you think so.” Glynn paused for a moment to tuck into his own pheasant. It was so good that he had to close his eyes and savor it for a moment – the meat tender and juicy and savory, a perfect complement to the tang of the snowberry sauce. “You know, for all I talk of Solitude’s unparalleled splendors… I’ve spent my whole life inside its walls. Never ventured further than Katla’s farm, and only that far once or twice. So it’s good to hear that perhaps all my raving has some actual merit.”

Elijah chuckled and drank from his mug of ale before adding, “One of these days I will have to take you on a trip – somewhere you can see the beauty of the wilds of Skyrim. I’m quite sure I could find somewhere calm and pleasant enough that the journey would not be a burden to you. Perhaps we could follow the shore east, to Dawnstar, and I could even sail you along the bay’s waters.”

“I would like that very much! I’ve never been on a boat before. I can only imagine how it must feel, with the salt spray on your face and the wind at your back…. Oh, and you know what else I would love to see? A barrow. Not the inside, of course – I’m not adventurous enough for that! Just the structure. It must be fascinating to see carvings done by ancient hands.”

“Well, there are at least a couple of less-impressive barrows on the way there.” Elijah’s eyes twinkled. “But if you were up for a carriage ride and an afternoon’s hike another time, we could travel to Whiterun, and from there, to Riverwood. One of the most well-preserved barrow sites in all of Skyrim overlooks the village of Riverwood. It is striking to lay eyes on it for the first time.”

“Really?” Glynn sipped at his ale thoughtfully. “You know, I think I could handle a carriage ride. I’m sure Whiterun itself is also a sight to see.”

“Absolutely. In fact, Micah and I might be able to give you a tour of our own around Whiterun. The locals there are very familiar with us as he often visits the apothecary there, and it is a common stop for me when trading and traveling.” Elijah pulled the last bite of meat from his pheasant breast and set the plate down for a barmaid to collect. After he’d savored the mouthful he leaned back in his chair once more, mug in hand, and blinked at the firelight contentedly. “Thank you, for showing me your home. I truly enjoyed getting to see the city through your eyes.”

A warm feeling settled in Glynn’s chest. “Thank you for humoring me,” he said with a chuckle. “I really enjoyed getting to show it off to you.” He scraped the last morsels from his plate and washed them down with his final sip of ale. “Mmm, that really hit the spot. Would you care for another round of drinks before we head home? Or maybe dessert? The sweet rolls they serve here can’t hold a candle to Marianne’s, but they aren’t half bad either.”

“Glynn,” Elijah started, and then broke off with a slight laugh.

Glynn turned to look at Elijah, curious, just as his friend groaned softly and slid a hand over the crest of his belly, which Glynn noticed for the first time was much rounder than usual.

“Glynn, I am so full. I don’t believe you can expect me to keep eating and still partake in fish pie this evening.” Elijah hiccupped and rubbed his palm over the curve of his middle. It was barely audible over the din of the tavern, but a moment later, a low gurgling found its way to Glynn’s ears.

Glynn clapped a hand to his forehead, laughing. “Oh Divines! I suppose you have been sampling things all day, haven’t you?” Since they hadn’t left each other’s sides, Glynn had been operating under the assumption that Elijah would be as hungry and as full as he himself was. But now that he was thinking about it, they’d made plenty of stops where Elijah had eaten and he hadn’t. The fish down at the docks, the apple fritter at the palace, the meat dumpling at the Bard’s College, the stew at Castle Dour…. “I’m so sorry, Elijah, I didn’t even realize! I hope you’re not uncomfortable?”

“No no, I’m alright.” Elijah was quick to reassure, offering a warm smile. “But I do think I will need a bit of a break to digest before supper.”

“Well, the pie will need a good while to bake anyway.” Glynn reached over the table and patted the hand that Elijah didn’t have resting on his belly. “Let’s get home so you can rest. Are you feeling up for a short walk? My shop is practically across the street.”

“Crossing the street shouldn’t be too difficult,” Elijah agreed with another chuckle, then braced his hands on the arms of his chair and pushed himself to his feet. Once there, the barest crease tugged at his brow, but vanished a moment later as he lifted his hand again to support his heavy middle. He rubbed soothingly at the tightest part of the swell as they made their way from the inn to the chilly marketplace outside, and then on to the front door of the Enchanter’s Emporium.

“Sorry about the stairs,” said Glynn as they wound their way up the tight coil of steps that led from the shop to the apartment. “I know they’re not easy on a very full stomach.”

Elijah groaned quietly in response, sounding more amused than uncomfortable. “Indeed not. But I suppose stairs may simply be an inevitability when sleeping indoors most places.”

Once they reached the living quarters, Glynn led Elijah over to the tower room, where a big round table and cushioned benches awaited. “You sit and relax,” he said as he made a circuit of the room, lighting torches with little spurts of fire magic. “I’m going to go stoke up the hearth. Would you like some tea?”

“Hmm… tea would be quite nice, yes. Thank you.”

“Coming right up. I’ll also get the pie started – that is, if you still want to have supper at all?” Glynn smiled wryly as he took in the way Elijah was reclining on the bench, both hands on the crest of his round belly. “There’s no pressure. I can always get some bread and cheese if you’ve had enough for the evening.”

Elijah tilted his head, considering. He hummed softly again, then said, “I think I would still like to have supper. I’ve been quite eager for the taste of fish pie just about all evening.”

Glynn beamed. He hadn’t wanted Elijah to feel obligated to eat more, but privately he was quite pleased, because he was certain his friend was going to love this pie. “Wonderful! I’ll be right back.”

He ducked into the kitchen and built the fire up to a merry crackle. Within ten minutes, he had the kettle whistling and the pie sitting on a bed of hot coals to bake. He poured some steaming water into two mugs full of mountain flowers and carried them back over to the table.

Elijah thanked him for the mug and brought the tea to his lips, letting out a sigh of relaxation after he’d taken his first swallow. He made a pleased sound when Glynn sat close to his side, cuddly as ever, and spent the next several minutes taking slow sips of tea and working the other hand over the front of his belly, rubbing little circles over places Glynn knew from experience would encourage digestion and perhaps free up a little room.

“You know,” Glynn said warmly as he sipped his own tea, “it’s nice to have a friend who appreciates the pleasure of eating well. I love Kai with all my heart, but the man drives me up the wall with his insistence that a slice of dry bread counts as a meal. Sometimes it feels so good to just eat delicious things until you’re heavy and sleepy, you know?”

“I very much agree.” Elijah replied with a big smile. “Making a living from the wilds is hard work, and the reward for doing so is often the simple pleasures of a warm fire and a good meal. Getting the chance to truly indulge is a luxury, and even more so in the safety and company of friends.”

Glynn chuckled. “Well, good meals, warm fires, and safe walls are in abundance here, and you’re always welcome.”

Elijah’s gaze rested fondly on him. “For which I am very grateful.”

They sat companionably together on the bench for the rest of the hour that the pie was baking, nursing their mugs of tea and occasionally talking about what they’d been up to recently, what life had brought their way, and other quiet, easy things. Elijah was starting to look rather sleepy by the time mouth-watering smells began wafting from the direction of the hearth, but perked up considerably after Glynn had gone to check on it and poked his head back in the dining room with a, “Pie’s ready!”

The pie had been made for Glynn in a long, deep dish, with a layered filling and a sheet of dough tucked down and crimped over the edges. Once he’d pulled the pie from the coals, its crust had bubbled up with gravy and the top of it was browned to perfection. It looked rich and hearty and delicious.

Glynn brought the pie to the table along with a couple of plates and chuckled when he saw Elijah’s eager expression. “My original plan was to cut this three ways and serve it up – I know Kai wouldn’t eat a whole third, but I figured you and I might. But you just let me know how much of it you want – no need to push yourself if you want to take it easy.”

Elijah contemplated the pie for a long moment, took a deep breath, and made a sound of appreciation for the rich scent of the pie. “I could eat a third.”

Glynn tried to be discreet as he glanced at Elijah’s middle, which was still visibly rounded out beneath his shirt. “You’re sure?” he asked, careful to make sure his tone didn’t hold the slightest shred of judgment.

Elijah nodded with another smile. “I think I’ve had long enough to digest.”

“Very good.” Glynn let his knife drop through the golden crust. He eased the resultant large rectangle of pie out onto a plate and passed it Elijah’s way. Then he cut a big piece for himself and poured out two mugs of ale before sliding back into the bench to sit next to Elijah with their plates and mugs.

Elijah dug his fork into the flaky golden crust and scooped up a bite of tender fish, cushioned with potato and gravy and dotted with small, tender greens. He made a sound of absolute decadence once it was past his lips, chewed and swallowed, then cut another.

“This is incredible.” He mumbled after his second bite, already digging for a third and mopping up sauce from his plate with his fork. “Quite honestly one of the best dishes I have ever had.”

“I hoped you might say that!” Glynn said, beaming. “Truly, the first thing I thought when you told me that you’re partial to fish was that I had to get you one of these pies. A lot of fish pies wind up masking the seafood with potatoes and gravy, but this one really celebrates the flavor of fish.”

“Mmhm.” Elijah agreed emphatically, without pausing his indulgence to say more than that, spending a few moments longer chewing the next bite he took. He paused for a drink of ale, then dug back in, carefully selecting each forkful for big bites of fish.

The pie truly was incredible, so delicious that Glynn suspected his fishmonger friend might have been showing off a little. Each bite was packed with flavor – rich potato, bright greens, salty fish – all wrapped in a perfect buttery crust. Even with the edge of his own appetite dulled by the roast pheasant, Glynn was so drawn into the meal that for the first dozen bites or so, he was scarcely aware of what was going on around him.

It was a soft sound at his side that drew him out of the haze of indulgence. He glanced over to see Elijah squirming a little in his seat, one hand pressing gently into his bulging stomach. As Glynn watched, he raised his other hand to cover a little burp and then sighed with relief.

“How are you doing over there?” Glynn asked with a little laugh.

“Mmgh…” Elijah took a moment to lean back a little and pressed his other hand to the swell of his belly. “I’m not ready to admit defeat yet, but I’m certain I must have more room than this.”

“I know the feeling.” Unthinkingly, Glynn reached over and put a hand against the rounded side of Elijah’s stomach. It grumbled laboriously as he did, and the sensation of something so visceral happening under his fingertips filled Glynn with a brief pulse of self-consciousness. Elijah was a good friend, but they had not known each other all that long, really. Maybe that was too personal a touch? 

His doubts vanished as quickly as they’d come. Elijah groaned softly with relief and arched into the touch just slightly, settling a little closer to Glynn’s side.

Glynn smiled and swept his hand from the side of Elijah’s belly to its crest, pressing in gently against the tightness. “How do you feel about belly rubs? Perhaps I can help you find some more of that room you’re looking for.”

“Mmmgh…” Elijah’s hand held at the tightest part of the curve on his other side and he nodded warmly. “Yes please. Mmm… feels good.”

A wave of fondness swept over Glynn. It was so endearing, the way that Elijah clearly felt no shyness around him. With an affectionate chuckle, he began to rub, resolving to try out a few different motions to see what would feel best to his friend. Smoothing long strokes down the front of Elijah’s belly prompted some contented sighs, but didn’t seem to provide much relief. So Glynn switched to firm circles, moving slowly from the firm swell where Elijah’s stomach was tight with pie down to where the heaviness of overindulgence had been building up all day.

That seemed to do the trick, because Elijah was soon murmuring softly in relief, going slack under Glynn’s ministrations even as his belly began grumbling in earnest; quite a bit more loudly than it had before. The tight places Glynn could feel as he rubbed eased up, and the more of them he felt out and soothed, the less often he felt his friend squirm beside him on the bench.

Once it seemed his overburdened stomach was more relaxed, Elijah blinked sleepily and patted Glynn’s hand warmly. “Thank you. That’s so much better.”

“I’m so glad.” Glynn grinned as he gave Elijah’s belly one last little stroke before returning to his own plate. “You just let me know if you need any more help, alright? Wouldn’t want any discomfort getting in the way of a good meal.”

“Mmm. I will.” Elijah’s reply was full of affection, and he leaned over his pie once more and took another big bite.

The meal continued quietly but comfortably, as Elijah was clearly on a mission to get as much of his serving into his belly as he could, and Glynn was enjoying his own pie enough that it didn’t seem necessary to stop and think of things to talk about. They both paused once when Glynn noticed that a light snow had begun to fall outside and pointed it out to Elijah, who looked towards the window, smiled broadly, and made a remark about how nice it was to be indoors with a warm fire, good food, and a good friend. Glynn couldn’t have agreed more.

Before long, Glynn was scraping the final morsels of gravy-sodden pie crust from his plate. He had saved a nice tender chunk of fish for his very last bite, and he spent a few extra moments chewing it, savoring the flavor and the comfortable, satisfying weight of his full stomach. As he swallowed the last of his meal, he glanced over to see that Elijah was still working on the last fourth or so of his piece. As he watched however, his friend lifted another bite on his fork, paused halfway to his mouth, then lowered his fork to his plate again. A moment later, a deeply strained gurgle worked its way through Elijah’s very swollen belly and his brow knitted just a little.

“Divines,” Glynn said with a warm laugh, “you look absolutely stuffed! How are you feeling?”

“Mmghh…” Elijah rubbed one hand over the front of his stomach and leaned back in his seat, as if to take some of the pressure off his middle. His insides grumbled sharply at the movement and he gave another little groan. “Rather stuffed, I suppose.”

“Need a little more help, perhaps?” Without waiting for an answer, Glynn scooted in closer and pressed a hand just above where Elijah was holding. Elijah’s stomach pressed back, round and full, and Glynn felt its contents rumble yet again as he rubbed a gentle yet firm circle. “Is there any particular spot that would feel especially nice?”

“Mmmhh…” Elijah leaned into Glynn’s hand and seemed to consider for a moment. He took a deep breath and winced as if the pressure of his lungs was a bit too much for his straining belly. “Mmm… my sides, I think.”

Glynn obligingly shifted his attention to his friend’s sides. As soon as he moved his hands, it was clear to him why Elijah needed attention there – his sides were bowed out with fullness and clearly carrying a lot of tension from the bloat of his belly. There was barely any give when Glynn pressed in. He used a gentle firmness at first, not wanting to cause any pain, but when Elijah let out a deep groan of relief and squirmed into the touch, he deepened the pressure. Elijah’s response – a shiver of pure pleasure – convinced him to keep going the same way.

“You’ve really eaten so much,” Glynn remarked as he worked. Deep affection was creeping over him again, and his voice came out low and warm. “I’m quite impressed.”

A rather delighted smile touched the corner of Elijah’s mouth and he hummed, clearly feeling complimented. “Well,” he started, then huffed breathlessly after a hiccup squeezed his belly, “I’ve been enjoying myself. Sampling the local culture through local dishes is not something I have ever thought to do before, but I found it immensely worthwhile. A bit of brilliance on your part, you know.”

“I don’t know if I could claim brilliance so much as instinct,” Glynn chuckled. “I’ve been eating my way around Solitude my whole life. Honestly, it’s so nice to have someone to enjoy it with.” He pressed his thumb more firmly into a particularly tight spot in Elijah’s side, smiling at the little catch of breath it prompted. “I’m very glad we’re friends.”

Elijah made a sound of deep fondness and slipped an arm around Glynn’s shoulders, giving him a warm squeeze. His cheek came to rest for just a moment over Glynn’s hair and he said, “I’m very glad we are, too.”

His stomach gurgled again, but this time, it sounded less like a complaint and more like an industrious sound, and Glynn realized that Elijah’s sides had loosened up quite a bit. Somehow, Elijah looked even rounder than he had before, but he seemed much more comfortable. “What do you think?” he asked, his voice just a touch teasing as he patted just above Elijah’s navel. “Do you have enough room left in here for the rest of that pie?”

“I believe I can give it my best effort.” Elijah said with another amused smile, and started to sit up, only to hiccup laboriously as the contents of his swollen stomach sloshed and burbled in response. He grunted faintly and pressed one hand to the rounded curve to steady it, and searched for his fork with his other hand.

It was clear that Elijah’s best effort wasn’t going to get him far without some help. Glynn cuddled in even closer, tucking one arm behind Elijah’s back and moving his other hand back up to the top of his belly. He focused his attention just below Elijah’s ribs as his friend dug back into his pie, rubbing broad, steady circles to keep his stomach settled and relaxed enough to stretch.

Despite everything that Elijah had crammed into his belly over the course of the day, and despite how much effort it seemed for him to put each new forkful past his lips, it was clear his appreciation for the fish on his plate hadn’t lessened in the slightest. Even with his stomach gurgling slightly with every swallow, and an occasional groan slipping out as Glynn’s fingers pressed over the swell of his middle, he hummed with enjoyment after every other bite, and paused frequently to scrape sauce from his plate.

As he neared the last few crumbles of pie, Elijah hummed softly and shifted in his seat, reaching for his mug of ale and taking a few tentative sips. He picked up his fork again and chuckled as he explained, “As much as I like the saltiness of fish, I’m realizing it’s catching up to me a bit.”

“Shall I get you some water?” Glynn offered. At Elijah’s grateful nod, he patted his friend’s belly before slipping out of the bench to fetch him a tankard of fresh water. He placed it beside Elijah’s plate, within easy reach.

Elijah seemed to have had the same idea as Glynn. The last bits of food on his plate were mostly chunks of tender fish, and he was selecting each one with slow deliberateness and chewing long and slow to savor them. He groaned in appreciation when Glynn slid his hand back over the crest of his stomach, and pressed into the touch, squinting in relief under the rub, then forked up another bite, chewed, and swallowed it down. 

Elijah paused again with about two bites of his pie left, breathing shallowly and rubbing the side of his belly that Glynn couldn’t reach with his other hand. “M’so full.” He murmured after a moment, smiling faintly, which meant it wasn’t a complaint, necessarily. “Need a minute.”

“Take your time.” Glynn mirrored Elijah’s motion, so that both of his taut sides were being rubbed at once, and smiled softly as his friend hiccuped and groaned. “There’s only a little left. Two swallows, that’s all.”

A whining gurgle squeezed through Elijah’s belly, as though to remind Glynn that two more swallows were not nothing when it was already packed so full. He smoothed his hand soothingly over it, pausing to massage helpfully into any strained digestive rumblings he felt beneath his fingers. Then he swept upwards to rub the sharp curve just beneath the ribs, where he could feel Elijah’s stomach cramping a little from how much it was holding. He pressed the palm of his hand over the tightest part of the swell, working his thumb encouragingly into the tight line of tension he could feel there.

Elijah shivered and stretched out a little more, giving himself as much room as he possibly could. After a few more gentle presses over the tightest part of his stomach, he scooped up another bite, chewed and swallowed. The last bite went down much the same way, then Elijah put down his fork and reached for his water.

He raised the tankard as if to only take a brief sip, but seemed to realize his thirst more intensely once the water hit his tongue. Without pausing, he drank down several big, urgent swallows, each one swelling and tightening his stomach, filling any remaining crevices of room. As soon as he lowered his cup, it seemed to hit him all at once, and it was clearly very uncomfortable.

Elijah groaned softly, then winced deeply and groaned again, more sharply and with an edge of pain to the sound. He squirmed and shifted in his seat, gripping his stomach with both hands. He tried to take a breath but it came up short; his belly was so round and taut and stuffed that there was no give anywhere where Glynn could feel.

“Oh dear,” Glynn murmured sympathetically, circling over the obviously aching swell with light, soothing strokes. “Poor thing. That was a little too much, wasn’t it? It’s alright, you’ll feel better in just a moment… here, maybe this will help.” He summoned the tiniest trickle of fire magic into his palm, just enough to create a little warmth, and rested his hand at the top of Elijah’s distended stomach.

Elijah moaned softly with faint relief, turning his stomach up into the touch to feel as much of the warmth as possible. A moment later, a tight hiccup jolted through him and his belly quivered with an angry, creaking gurgle. No slight shift in position as he squirmed around seemed to ease any discomfort, and he rubbed over and over his own stomach with one hand, clutching at the folds of his tunic as if desperate to relieve some kind of pressure in his belly.

Oh Divines, Glynn thought with deep concern, he looks like he’s about to explode. Worriedly, he moved his hand a little lower, to where he thought that gurgle had come from. Yes, there it was again – a slight rumbling, caught in the crevices between all that heavy pie. He positioned the heel of his hand over it and pressed, inwards and up.

A sharp sound of pain left Elijah’s lips, only to deepen into a rumbling belch, which he muffled into the back of one hand just in time. Once it was out, two more burps followed, then he was slumping back against the bench in utter relief. He gave a deep sigh, groaned again, and mumbled, “Mmghh… thank you.” 

“I’ll bet that feels better, doesn’t it?” Glynn rubbed broad, comforting strokes over Elijah’s belly as it gave a few quiet, pacified rumbles. Elijah was still unbelievably round, his stomach swollen out in front of him to the point that his usually-loose tunic was fitting quite snugly. “Are you feeling alright? Everything starting to settle?”

“Mmhmm…” Elijah pressed up into Glynn’s hands a little, wordlessly asking for more pressure over his stuffed stomach. “S’heavy… but good. Mmgh…” Something half-sigh, half-groan slipped from him as Glynn kneaded more deeply over the roundness of his belly. “That feels so good.” His insides echoed the sentiment a moment later with a squeeze of grumbling, the sounds moving under Glynn’s hands in the direction of his touch.

“I’m so glad it feels good.” Glynn felt the spot he was rubbing loosen under his fingers, prompting another breathy groan from Elijah, and he let his hands move a little, searching for the next tense spot. It wasn’t hard to find one – Elijah’s belly was full from top to bottom, so absolutely stuffed that every touch provided relief. “It would’ve been such a shame if your enjoyment of that pie had been marred by a stomachache. Obviously, tasting the delicious food is the best part of a good meal, but….” He hesitated, wondering if he was going to sound a little silly. But the shyness evaporated as quickly as it had come, because he was pressed right up against his friend, who was groaning and breathless with overindulgence, and everything felt so safe and warm that there was simply no room for self-consciousness. “...Sometimes it’s almost as good, just lying back and feeling your belly digest.”

“I agree.” Elijah sighed out the words and squirmed a little again – luxuriously this time, instead of in pain. The mound of his stomach gave a low gurgle with every tiny movement, and he hummed happily when Glynn pressed another warming spell over his rounded sides. “Mmghh… think there’s… something nice about… being so full that it leads you to think about your body in ways you might not typically notice.”

“There’s something grounding about it,” Glynn agreed as he kept up his slow, rhythmic strokes. “Like… a little bit of reassurance that we are still creatures of flesh. No matter what petty conflicts of man the world throws our way, we are still as animal as a wolf or a sabre cat when it comes to a full stomach.”

Elijah was going utterly slack under the rubs Glynn was still smoothing over his belly, occasionally lifting his own hand and stroking over the swell above his navel. At one point he started to shift, then paused at a pointed grumbling from his insides. He made a little incredulous sound, then tried again, and his belly rebelled more harshly, tightening under both their hands with an agitated gurgle that trickled from top to bottom, starting with a whine and ending with a rather fearsome growl. “Nghh… I don’t think I can move...mmghh.”

“Then don’t!” Glynn laughed and tucked one of the cushions on the bench behind him, trying to help prop him up so that he could stay comfortably slumped. “Your stomach has got quite a lot to handle there, let the poor thing rest!” He began rubbing some quick, firm circles over the top of the swell, trying to help it relax again. “Divines, you’re very rumbly when you’re full, aren’t you?”

“Mmhm. Only when I’ve eaten too much, usually.” Elijah sounded amused, even as he sank back into the cushion gratefully and took the pressure off his protesting stomach. “Micah teases me often for it. Mmghh…”

“Does it feel like too much?” Glynn asked with empathetic concern. “The amount in your stomach, I mean? I’m sure I have a potion to aid digestion somewhere, if you need it.”

Elijah let out a breath, and smiled, blinking sleepily. “No, I’m alright. Especially–” He groaned happily when Glynn pressed another circle over the tightest part of his belly. “Mmm. Especially when you’re doing that.” He arched into the rub a little more, his stomach tight under Glynn’s hands and a flush of happiness to his cheeks. “Hmm… maybe it does feel like too much… but oddly, in a good way. The same way a good day’s work might leave you a little sore before sundown.”

“I think I understand what you mean,” Glynn said, even though he couldn’t say he himself had ever felt the same way about aches in his muscles. He gave Elijah’s belly an affectionate little pat. “I’m glad the rubs feel good. I’ll keep going with them, shall I?”

Elijah made a low, pleased sound of assent, which tapered off into a sighing groan as Glynn resumed the steady circles he had been rubbing over the tight swell beneath Elijah’s ribs. His upper belly was still extremely heavy, but the more Glynn rubbed, pressing away cramps and working out strenuous grumbles, the more he began to feel just a little bit of give there. Eventually, a particularly firm stroke caused a wave of gurgling to loosen beneath Glynn’s fingers. Elijah groaned with sharp relief and Glynn’s instincts told him that it was time to move on. He let his focus shift a little lower, rubbing over the firm places around Elijah’s navel. There was less grumbling here, but each circle of his hand prompted happy, breathy sighs, as well as deep hums of appreciation whenever Glynn took a longer sweep over his friend’s bloated sides. Finally, Glynn moved to Elijah’s lower belly, working away all the tension that had built up in the day’s settled indulgences and chuckling to himself at the way Elijah’s groans were growing sleepier. 

Eventually, Elijah seemed to drop off into a light doze, and Glynn slowed his hands to rhythmic strokes back and forth over the crest of his friend’s swollen stomach until his breaths became deeper and even. Glynn turned to hunt for the blanket he usually kept folded up at the end of the dining bench, when he heard the door to the shop downstairs open and close, then a pair of boots climbing the steps to the apartment.

Glynn considered getting up and meeting Kai at the door to give him some forewarning of the situation. But in his dozing, Elijah had let his arm drape across Glynn’s lap, and Glynn was worried that moving it would disturb Elijah’s slumber (or even worse, his tummy.) So he stayed put, even when he heard the door open and Kai’s cheerful voice say, “Hello? Anyone home?”

“We’re in here,” Glynn called softly. Moments later, Kai appeared in the doorway, snow-frosted and tired-looking but wearing a warm smile.

“Oh, is he tired from the journey?” he asked, his voice dropping to a whisper as he spotted Elijah. “In this cold, I bet it was–” He broke off, his eyes widening as he took in the full scene. “Shor’s bones! What did you do to him?”

Glynn raised his hands helplessly. “I took him around town, that’s all! And then we, um, had dinner.”

“Yeah? How much dinner?” Kai came into the room, taking a moment to thoroughly brush the frost from himself before sitting down on Elijah’s other side. He rubbed his hands together to warm them before placing one against the curve of Elijah’s belly, as though to check if it were really that big. “Divines, his stomach is massive.”

Elijah made a soft sound in his sleep at Kai’s touch, and began to stir, blinking groggily a moment later as if it was hard to get his bearings. When his eyes locked onto Kai’s face however, he made another sound, a delighted one, a smile tugging at his lips as he began to struggle to sit up. As soon as his abdominal muscles engaged, there was the sound of his stomach sloshing, followed by a long and laborious gurgle.

“Whoa there,” Kai laughed as he quickly leaned in to give Elijah his hug. “Take it easy, take it easy. I’m really happy to see you too.”

“S’been a while.” Elijah squeezed him warmly and slumped back onto the bench a moment later, his brow knitting faintly just before his heavy belly squeezed with a strained hiccup. “How’ve you been?” His hand cradled over the swell of his middle to steady the newly unsettled gurgles under his palm.

“Not bad. The guardhouse has been keeping me busy.” Kai smoothed his hand down Elijah’s rounded side, and then added with obvious affection, “I’d ask how you’ve been, but I’m not sure you’re in a fit state for a long conversation.” He rubbed over the top of Elijah’s belly, working his fingers into the tense places where ribs and distended stomach met. “What in Oblivion did my boyfriend feed you?”

“I told you, I didn’t do anything,” said Glynn with exaggerated affront. He resumed his rubs as well, focusing on the lower part of the swell, where he thought he could feel heaviness accumulating as Elijah digested. “During our tour of the city, Elijah may have picked up a few choice snacks, that’s all.”

Elijah was beginning to squirm again, somewhere between relief and bliss as both their hands worked circles over his engorged stomach and soothed the grumbly pressure of overburdened digestion. His breathing hitched and he appeared to muffle a sound of pleasure, but as he leaned into the attention, he didn’t try as hard to hide his groans.

“Mmghh… I did.” Elijah huffed plaintively when a press of Kai’s hand eased up another strained burp. “But, I– mmghh –picked up these choice snacks– nnghh –on Glynn’s recommendations.”

Kai shot Glynn an accusatory yet amused look. “Kinda thought that might be the case,” he said dryly. “Seriously, what did you get him?”

“Well, first thing after he arrived this afternoon was a sweet roll. Then there was a salmon skewer at the docks, and an apple fritter and some mead at the Blue Palace. Then we stopped by the Bard’s College for boiled cream treats – oh, and I suppose he had a meat pie while we were there, too.”

“Divines, all that before dinner?”

“That’s not even everything.” Glynn paused to give Elijah’s overburdened stomach an apologetic pat, prompting a little burp and a relieved groan. “He also ate a bowl of Hildur’s stew. And one of those meat-in-bread concoctions that the folks who gather in alleys like to eat, along with another ale. And then a roast pheasant breast and some ale at the Winking Skeever. And then dinner, which was one third of a fish pie.”

Kai’s jaw was hanging open. He turned to scrutinize Elijah, who seemed to be sinking deeper into an overindulged stupor with each circle rubbed into his belly, this time with considerable concern. “You can’t be serious. Nobody could eat all that in one day! Even a guy as big as Elijah only has so much room in his belly.”

“Mmmhh…” Elijah seemed at least vaguely aware he was being discussed on incredulous terms, and he began to open his mouth a couple of times, but obviously couldn’t get enough of a breath to speak with his groans and sighs catching in his chest after every stroke and press of Glynn’s and Kai’s hands. He gave up after a moment and simply arched up again into their tending, pressing his swollen stomach against their palms.

Glynn chuckled weakly as he obligingly kneaded into a particularly tight spot. “Well, I think he’s filled up every bit of room he has. He was fit to burst after squeezing in the last of the pie. I think the rubbing has helped loosen things up a bit since then.”

Elijah agreed with merely a grunt, a sound that they both understood perfectly. Then a gurgling started at the top of his belly and swelled through the bulge of his dinner, leaving him groaning as Glynn and Kai rubbed and massaged over the indulgence his stomach was stuffed with. Under their hands, the sound twisted deep in his middle and tapered off into bubbling behind his navel until finally settling with a whining grumble. Elijah groaned again and tried to stretch, exposing as much of the bloated curve of his belly for rubs as he possibly could. His swollen sides heaved with his short breaths and his slight squirming was tugging through every choice treat he’d crammed in.

Kai seemed to take what Glynn had said about rubs to heart. While Glynn kept things settled, he worked his strong hands into the tensest parts of Elijah’s belly, leaving trails of eased digestion and loosened muscle in his wake. Soon, the strained sounds of Elijah’s stomach had settled to a low, productive rumble. With the most intense feelings of overindulgence relieved, Elijah began to slip back into a doze.

“Maybe we should move him upstairs?” Kai asked in a low murmur as Elijah’s soft groans began to give way to sleepy sighs. “Get him in bed?”

“He’s not going to be able to get up into the loft,” Glynn murmured back. “I mean, look at him. He’s completely helpless.”

As if to illustrate his point, at that moment Elijah roused just a little bit to adjust his position on the bench. He tried to scoot backwards, apparently to get more support for his back, but even this small movement was beyond him – he gave up almost immediately with a little groan, one arm curling towards his heavy belly. Kai acknowledged Glynn’s point with a little tip of his head as he rubbed broad circles to help any disturbed digestion settle, while Glynn grabbed a spare cushion and pressed it behind Elijah’s back.

As the minutes passed, Glynn felt the rise and fall of his belly under his hand grow slower and steadier, until at last Elijah seemed to be completely asleep.

Kai seemed to notice too. He leaned forward to look across their snoozing friend, catching Glynn’s eye. “What now?” he whispered. “Does he just stay here?”

“Well, we certainly can’t move him,” Glynn whispered back. “So I suppose he’ll have to, until his belly goes down a little.” He gave Elijah’s stomach one last gentle pat before carefully extricating himself from the cuddle. “I’ll get a blanket.”

Kai, apparently quite content up against Elijah’s side, snuggled in closer as Glynn draped a blanket over the both of them. “You know,” he mused, “we should push the two beds together when we go upstairs to sleep.”

“And share all three of them?” Glynn asked as he gathered up his and Elijah’s crumb-covered plates. “You’re in a cuddly mood tonight, hmm?”

“Definitely.” Kai’s lips quirked as he glanced fondly from Glynn to his sleeping friend. “Plus, the guest bed is going to be way too small for him.”

“Good point,” said Glynn with a chuckle. “And he’s going to need a good night’s sleep, I imagine. He’s got a lot of digesting to do.”

“I still can’t believe how much you’re saying he ate while the two of you walked around town.” Kai’s eyes flicked down to Elijah’s extremely round belly. “And then he still had pie afterwards!”

“Well, he really enjoyed the pie.” Glynn picked up the stack of dishes. “Speaking of which – I’m going to take these dishes to the kitchen, and then I’m going to bring you a mug of hot tea and your own supper. We saved a third of the pie for you. How much do you want?”

Kai grinned impishly. “You know what? Bring me all of it. I didn’t have time for lunch today, I’m hungry. And besides….” He patted Elijah’s shoulder, gently enough not to wake him. “If this guy’s gonna be sleeping off a heavy meal, I might as well too.”

“Suit yourself,” Glynn chuckled as he headed off to the kitchen. “But you know, even if you finish every last bite of pie, I don’t think you’ll be quite in competition with him.”

“Oh, don’t worry. I would never try to be.”

When Glynn returned to the dining room with a plate of pie in one hand and a mug of tea in the other, it was just in time to catch a briefly-roused Elijah murmuring something in Kai’s ear, planting a kiss on his head, and immediately slipping back into sleep. He’d wound an arm around Kai and was dozing soundly once more as Glynn placed the food in front of his boyfriend and smiled curiously.

“What did he say?”

“Just that he’d been looking forward to seeing me and he hopes I enjoy the pie.” Kai chuckled as he tugged the plate over to himself and dug his fork in. “I do think I’m gonna finish every last bite.” He grinned. “Think it’d be fun to be able to tell him in the morning that I did.”

“Well, I’m sure he’ll be very proud of you, and I’m certainly not going to complain about it either.” Glynn laughed and sank onto the bench next to Kai to get a few of his own cuddles in. As his boyfriend started working his way through his meal, he couldn’t help reaching over and giving Kai’s stomach a little pat. “And I suppose if you need any help, I’ve gotten a lot of practice in tonight.”

Kai just gave him a wry little look before taking another bite.

#fic #stuffing #stomachache #belly rubs #caretaking #cuddling #tummy noises #EE

[littlemissagere]

Hii ! Can I request CG! Bennett and Regressor! Razor from Genshin Impact short or headcanons ? Thank you, have a wonderful day ! 🌷

Thanks for your request ! <3 I hope you enjoy !

———🐾🔥 Cg!Bennett and Regressor!Razor

)———🔥 cg!Bennett Head canons !

🩹He is a bit overprotective, in a sense he’s worried his bad luck will affect his little one. Despite this, he still stays optimistic for his little!

☘️ I think Bennett is a caregiver for regressor!Fischl and regressor!Razor , and he gave a nickname to both! Razor's nickname is little guy or pup, and Fischl's is Princess, or whatever correction Fischl gives him .

🩹 Bennett will spend LOTS of time outside, unless it’s late of course. He plays hide and seek with them! Razor acts like a puppy when he’s little, so they usually play games that let them run around and get dirty, just like a dog!

☘️ Due to his own unfortunate bad luck, he always has first aid equipment on hand, just to make sure everyone is accounted for in the case of an accident?

🩹Bennett sometimes takes Razor to see Lisa to get advice or help when taking care of a fussy little Razor -!

)———🐾 Regressor!Razor head canons !

🐺 Razor is a pet and age regressor ! He regresses to a puppy/dog and his little age is around 2-5 .

💜 This puppy isn’t very good with his words, usually little “yip”s and “arf”s , or other gibberish !

🐺 He enjoys playing outside with Bennett, and even if he does get rather dirty afterwards—(which leads to an unfortunate bath), he seems to be very happy

💜 He likes to nap curled up in a ball, or sprawled out like a kiddo after a sugar crash!

🐺 He can get fussy during bath time, or bed time… he likes play time very much

💜 “papa” or “Benny” is his nicknames for Bennett, when little

🐺 He regresses involuntarily !

💜 Lisa sometimes offers him picture books that Bennett can read to him later !

🐺 Him and Fischl sometimes bicker, but she has knighted him in her little kingdom .

)———🪶 Bonus : Regressor!Fischl ;D

⚡️Fischl regresses to around 4-7, making her Razors big-ish sister

📖 She LOVES playing pretend , especially princesses or royalty !

⚡️ She’s made Razor fetch more times than she'll admit

📖 Not too naughty… but has gotten time out before

⚡️ She likes telling gibberish stories to Razor and Bennett, about her journeys as the Prinzessin !

📖 “Benny” or “Papa” as well for Bennett !

⚡️ Oz helps translate her babbles and gibberish

🐺 ————+ Short ! +———— 🔥

Bennett, Fischl, and Razor are in Lisa's Library together—seated around one of the tables on the bottom floor. Fischl was drawing a princess like character, that seemed to look like her, and Bennett was leaning forward on the table, smiling to himself. They had, had a pretty good day so far, though, Razor looked a little frazzled. Razor was swaying a little, unable to stay still. Maybe hyper? Bennett noticed the hyperness of Razor, he knew it all too well by now.

“Razor? Are you okay?” Bennett gently asked Razor, Razor can get easily overwhelmed by conversation—and people in general. Razor looked to Bennett, and seemed to process the question. Razor gave a little nod, and then pointed at the window. “…You… wanna play outside?” Bennett asked, trying to understand the gestures. Razor nodded, but then pointed at the story book he had picked out.

“Book, read, there” Razor said, in a whisper-yelly voice, pointed to the outdoors. Fischl looked up from her drawing by now, listening.

“Can I play too?” Fischl had been regressed for a while now, but it wasn’t obvious until she started to speak up. Bennett leaned back in his chair a bit, stretching, and then sitting normally again.

“Sure, why not?” He suggested, with his usual optimistic grin. Bennett picked up Razor's book, and Fischl's coloring supplies, stuffing it in his bag, and then offered his hand to Razor. Razor held Bennett's hand, staying at his side, looking at everything around him. Whenever he regresses, his attention is grabbed by the things around him much more.

The three had walked outside, and sat by the tree at windrise—Razor's favorite spot. They spent the next few hours hanging out there, playing, and reading their story books. By the end of it, the little ones had already wore them selves out. Razor asleep curled up by Bennett, Fischl, asleep on her stomach, around her coloring supplies. And Oz, making sure everyone was alright… even Bennett had fallen asleep…

—🔥🐺🪶

#fandom agere #age regression #agere community #genshin agere #genshin age regression #sfw little stuff

[ask-the-clergy-bc]

I heard your requests were open, and I thought: Video Games!

How would the Era 4 ghouls react to playing the Resident Evil saga for the first time?

Have a good one, and thank you 💕

WHAT A GREAT CHOICE! <3 Horror survival/Action is my favorite genre! And I know you said Era 4, but I couldn't leave Sunshine out. Hope you like!

Era 5 Ghouls Playing Through Resident Evil

The ghouls collectively splurged for a PlayStation once Impera hit! Tour buses got bigger and so did allowances! Especially with more rituals being added. So they all decided to get a few game systems to play between shows. When they found out about HORROR games however, it completely changes!

Rain Was the first to discover the popular human franchise of Resident Evil! Rain loves video games so actually started doing his research into them to find more to play! Sometimes the other ghouls didn't want to play multiplayer with him so he decided to branch out to single player. Resident Evil Village looked good so he picked it up! Fortunately (or unfortunately) the salesperson asked him if he knew about the originals... and that's how he came home with the Origins Collection and 3!

Rain: He was really surprised with how atmospheric the games could be! Rain wasn't expecting all of the puzzles though! They weren't hard, but he's luckily used to video game logic. To him it's just so funny a game about Zombies would have so many minor tasks and fetch quests! Absolutely hates hunters and whines about how they eat up all of his ammo! Rain prefers the older games because they feel more challenging and take more time. But the newer games are way more fun to play with the rest of the band and watch everyone's reaction! His favorite character is Jill and he feels like it's not a game without her.

Ember(Sodo): It started with the guitar ghoul claiming he DIDN'T like video games. And then he kept circling back asking Rain why he kept playing this game, it's just a stupid human toy, and... he is that a zombie? Ember ended upon the couch next to Rain after that. Running over every time he heard the title screen. Ember is the one who always shouts unsolicited advice for how to play the game, despite not playing it himself. He's tried a few times but he always dies or uses up all of the ammo!! Despite Rain trying to teach him that this is a series you need to CONSERVE! Which Ember finds so stupid! Why have a game about killing zombies if YOU CAN'T KILL THINGS? Also refuses to admit the jumpscares get him.

Cirrus: When Ember keeps fucking up and dying she gets sick of listening to him and swipes the controller. Which pisses him off because SHE'S SO GOOD AT RESIDENT EVIL! She gets very far without dying. Usually a Boss will either go down the first time or she only has one or two deaths before slaying it. The only problem is Cirrus doesn't care enough to finish games, and gets bored after an hour or two. She rather go do something else. But video games are a way to bond with the pack when there really isn't anything else to do on the tour bus. Her favorite is three because it's more open world and she thinks Nemesis is the better enemy of the franchise. It's a better challenge. She finds games like village a bit too boring.

Cumulus: She's more interested in hanging out with everyone than getting a turn. She finds human horror more funny than scary, so the zombies just make her laugh. Likes to say how none of the characters would survive living in Hell! But this changes when they are watching Rain play and reach Castle Dimistrescu in Resident Evil Village. Cumulus goes from admiring the story and graphics to squealing and pointing. 'OH WHO'S SHE? I like her!! Rainy, can you play as her??' She'll only ever play the Castle level, but she's more of the player that just looks around to find every secret and graphic. After that she passes the controller back to whoever wants it.

Sunshine: Despite being more used to the human world by now, technology still amazes them! Sunshine likes to watch in awe that funny little weird people move around in this screen! She more likes to ask about HOW video games work than she does about the game itself. Sunshine will sit next to Rain and ask how the enemy AI works. Does the tyrant only appear in this game? Why is it harder to beat? What's a hit box? Rain is very patient and happy to answer! Sunshine actually finds the hunters funny and thinks they are too silly to actually be scary. They can't believe that humans would find the game scary! The original first game, when the ghouls get a copy, is her absolute favorite. She finds old Ps1 graphics utterly delightful.

Swiss: Low key creeped out by the enemies, no matter which version of the game it is. Insists that it doesn't matter if he's seen weirder in Hell, it doesn't make it less creepy! Won't play unless coerced, but he will stop to watch. Jump scares accidently get him every time. Specifically whenever Nemesis jumps out in 3! Swiss tries to cut down the tension by making voices for all of the enemies and characters, or singing theme songs he made up for them. He gets REALLY good at imitating the Nemesis 'STARS' growl. Hates every gross final boss giant monster. Refuses to watch the fight when they happen.

Aether: HIGH KEY creeped out by all of the enemies. The first time he saw a Licker he just shouted 'NOOO!!!'. No amount of jokes from Swiss could make the rhythm guitarist be ok with them! He's the type of ghoul who points at the screen and goes 'GET IT! KILL IT!' when he sees an enemy! Absolutely refuses to watch anyone play during the giant baby sequence in Village. The only game that doesn't get him is Resident Evil 7, which he will happily play. Mainly because the mold monsters look like 'silly putty' and make him laugh more than creep him out. He also finds the dialogue really funny for some reason. Like a horror movie!

Mountain: Is such a badass when he plays the games, and he barely blinks during any of the jump scares. He once binged Village in a single night before doing a second play through to get a full completion play. Likes finding all of the secrets and easter eggs. Everyone so shocked with how GOOD he was despite not playing games as much as Rain. Rain is just happy to FINALLY have a gaming buddy in the band! Mountain makes the same comment every time a boss appears. Very quietly he goes, "haha wow look at this one" before destroying the boss in record time. When he finishes the game he smiles and asks for the next one. His favorite is RE2 because the split story makes him happy.

SURPRISE COPIA: He didn't intend to watch or play. Like Ember he just walked by checking in all of the ghouls and started watching. Likes to ask Dad like questions about it. What is this game? What kind of game is it? Oh, is that girl a cop? Will sit down and get super absorbed into the gameplay and story... however gets too into it. Ends up hugging a pillow and jumping with noise ques. The quick time events stress him out and he'll shout button commands to whoever is playing. Unfortunately, he's terrible at video games so he never plays!

#the band ghost #ghost bc #ghost headcanons #ghoul headcanons #nameless ghouls #era 5 #aether #ember #rain #mountain #cumulus #cirrus #sunshine #swiss #resident evil #papa emeritus iv #cardinal copia #copia

[subtlehysteria]

My prediction (re: deep dark wish) of how GOmens S2 Episode 1 is gonna go down

Okay so

From the season 2 sneak peak audio clip with Muriel, Aziraphale and Crowley, we hear Crowley barge through the book store’s doors carrying what sounds like shopping bags, complaining about having to drive all the way to get whatever it is he got when Aziraphale could have taken the train because “You like trains.”

And people are saying Crowley and Aziraphale are already living together by the start of season 2 which I love

BUT, what if instead these two idiots are caught in some miscommunication nonsense in which Crowley is practically living with Aziraphale already but is unwilling to admit it to himself (cough cough commit). He’s got more than half his plants there, the spare room is basically his by now with almost all his closet and personal belongings there. They eat dinner and drink wine and chat late into the night in Aziraphale’s study and Crowley always uses the excuse of not wanting to sober up to drive back to his apartment to stay the night and Aziraphale always goes along with it. But when Crowley fears he’s taking up too much of Aziraphale’s space or time or he’s just overwhelmed with the love he has for his angel and has nowhere to direct it without giving his full feelings away, he escapes to his now very barren flat and complains to his remaining plants that he’s yet to move.

On the other hand, Aziraphale thinks Crowley’s already moved in and is not-so-secretly very happy with this new arrangement with his friend. They’ve never been closer, are truly creating their own side, and it is rather wonderful having company most nights. Aziraphale figures the reason Crowley still has his old flat is because sometimes he needs space away from Aziraphale. Aziraphale knows he can be a bit much sometimes, all the other angels have said so more times than he can count. So if Crowley needs a break from him from time to time that’s perfectly alright. And he figures by now the little “don’t want to drink and drive” routine is simply a fun little inside joke between them, nothing more.

And these two idiots have been living together under these presumptions about the other’s feelings about it for MONTHS until a certain bright eyed not-a-real-copper Muriel comes knocking on their door. And of course they’re confused by this arrangement Crowley and Aziraphale have going on and so ask rather bluntly, “Sorry, but, are you two living here… together?”

Aziraphale replies a very confident “Yes,” the same time Crowley gives a more wishy-washy, “Kind of.” To which they both stare at the other in shock because You think what???

And I can imagine you know other plot things happening in the episode that stops them from talking it out right away but at the end when things are more settled and it’s late in the evening and they’re both indulging in some wine, Aziraphale asks rather quietly, “What did you mean by ‘kind of’?”

And Crowley, who is far too sober for this but can’t stand the kicked puppy look his angel is giving him tries to explain how he doesn’t want to intrude on Aziraphale’s little safe haven, that he appreciates being let in but understands that obviously this is first and foremost Aziraphale’s home.

And Aziraphale’s sitting there shocked and also totally enamored because how stupid can his dear demon be?

“Crowley, I told you when we first started this arrangement that my home is your home. You are always welcome here, in whatever capacity you’re most comfortable with.”

And Crowley can’t not be at least a little vulnerable right now. “I like living here. With you.”

“I like it too,” Aziraphale agrees. “Immensely so.”

“My, uh, my flat’s lease ends in a week,” Crowley coughs nervously.

“What perfect timing,” Aziraphale remarks. “I’m sure that’s plenty of time to fetch the last of the plants.”

And the music rises as they share knowing looks and they’re leaning in and then—KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Crowley grumbles as Aziraphale, ever polite, rises to answer the door. He saunters closely behind him to give some dirty dagger eyes to whoever decided to interrupt whatever the hell it was that was happening

Aaaand it’s amnesia-Gabriel looking totally confused asking if this is where he can find an Aziraphale

END ON CLIFFHANGER

#yes I know I’m terrible #but I couldn’t get this out of my head #so now it’s you’re problem too #good omens #good omens s2 #good omens season 2 #good omens headcanons #Crowley #aziraphale #ineffable husbands #muriel

[sunflower-butch]

Werewolf Robin content 4 u. Mostly werewolf lore for the au

Specifically sapphic senate monster hunter au werewolf Robin because she’s a little different then “somehow i’d be doing alright” werewolf Robin

In this au, lycanthropy is considered a disease. It isn’t curable with modern medicine, however. Once lycanthropy is contracted, it is permanent. It is spread through the bite of other werewolves on the full moon, but there isn’t a 100% chance of turning. It’s closer to about 10%. Robin got unlucky.

Robin was bit when she was 14. She was sitting on her back porch and heard something in the woods, which she investigated and soon found out was a werewolf. She nearly died, but was near enough to home that she got help in time.

Robin’s parents know she’s a werewolf, and they honestly don’t really care. Her mom finds it to be another annoying quirk of her daughter’s.

Shifting really sucks. It usually begins sometime around 10 pm and then she is a wolf until 6 am. It’s not an exact science, but she has learned when to get out somewhere safe. It’s painful and loud, but Chrissy’s magic helps soothe the ache so it’s much easier for Robin.

The level of control that a werewolf has varies. Most simply revert to natural wolf instincts. A decent chunk are docile unless threatened, while others may be driven to hunt. Strong emotions make control a lot harder. Again, Chrissy’s magic comes in clutch and helps Robin keep control in most instances. She still has to fight her instincts, but she’s been lucky so far.

Robin can actually make her fangs and claws appear or make her eyes turn gold at will. Both things will also happen when strong emotions are felt, against her will. She can also still make convincing wolf noises because I think it’s fun that she can growl and grumble and whine. She cannot otherwise shift at will.

In the days leading up to the full moon, a werewolf’s senses become heightened, as do their strength and stamina. Anxiety and general restless feelings are very common, and it’s harder to keep control of emotions and the appearance of claws, fangs, and eyes.

Werewolves in this au can switch between being bipedal or quadrupedal. Their longer limbs and massive size are dead giveaways that this is not a normal wolf.

Werewolves are fuzzy. Lycanthropy causes a little extra hair growth, so werewolves like Robin will have a little extra peach fuzz and have to get haircuts more often.

It’s a lot darker in this fic than “somehow i’d be doing alright.” It’s seen as a grotesque thing and werewolves are actual creepy monsters. However, Robin with her limited control does still tend to lean golden retriever some nights, or even while human. She is embarrassed to admit she has chased things that friends have thrown like playing fetch.

Robin has a routine down for the full moon after so many years. (Everyone is 21-23ish, so a good 7-8 years of being a werewolf). She leaves her house by 8 and meets Chrissy, sometimes at the tattoo shop, sometimes her apartment. Chrissy works her magic and Robin spends most of the night lounging on a couch or in the tattoo parlor’s back room. If there hasn’t been trouble for a while, she may opt to roam the woods and let the wolf run free a bit, but this is a rare occurrence. If she’s particularly stressed, she’ll take a lethal (for humans) amount of melatonin and knock herself out for the night as a preventative. Chrissy is a doll and makes sure Robin has clean clothes, tea, and tylenol when she wakes back up.

Also, werewolves are pack animals. They tend to form “packs” with close friends. Usually other werewolves. Robin is a strange one because she never had a “werewolf mentor.” She never joined a pack—but she has the same pack bonding with all of her friends.

It clicks when Max shifts for the first time. The two become near inseparable after that. Robin never had a werewolf mentor, but she can sure as hell he Mayfield’s. Chrissy helps Max just as much as Robin. It’s a lot more chaotic with two werewolves instead of one, and sometimes Chrissy has to make them stop play wrestling so they don’t break stuff—or escalate into a full fight.

Oh, and most people don’t know about werewolves or other monsters either. There’s local legends, but as far as the average citizen is concerned, they’re just legends.

#sapphic senate monster hunter au #werewolf robin buckley #lo rambles #I just love werewolves #and picking and choosing what lore I want to use is fun

[a-luran]

Alasdair and Arthur making a desire path from their home down to inside a forest where there's a small clearing and there's flowers growing from every inch?

It took me a moment to catch on to what you meant with desire path but one I caught on YES!

I think long and hard about gardening and home-keeping headcanons for ships because i think they can be some of the best ways to explore a relationship. A desire path though, that's genius! something built out of unconscious habit is so truly honest.

If I may run with your headcanon for a bit, I would like to imagine that one of the first times Arthur ever takes that path into the forest it is out of anger. Maybe he has been trying to make an effort but the first few months living under one roof after a couple of centuries avoiding being in the same room for more than an hour at a time are rough. They have grown into themselves but are still, at their core, the exact same as they have always been; that immutable truth of character and personality. And they Piss. Each. Other. OFF.

So Arthur trudges off into the forest in a temper, leaving Alasdair behind also in a temper, and every other member of the household keeps clear. Eventually Arthur comes back and they neither apologise nor speak a word of it to each other. The next time a fight like that happens, it's the same. And the next, and the next, and the next.

Then one day it rains.

And they are no strangers to rain, none of them are. Sure, the centuries have seen them grow a bit softer, a little more fond of hearth and home, but they're not so far removed from their history. If Arthur wants to stew out in the rain let him, Alasdair might figure. See if that washes some of the shit off him. But the hours tick by and Arthur does not return and despite himself Alasdair starts to feel uncomfortable. He would not admit that it is concern and would probably mask it with annoyance at the absolute childish pettiness of staying out in the rain when there is a perfectly good house to get lost in, standing two stories high and with plenty of doors to lock. He'd go out to fetch him with put on reluctance, and that is the first time he walks down the exact same path as Arthur does, chasing his lead into the forest.

This becomes a familiar scene. it plays out over and over tinged with different arguments and justifications. Eventually some of those fall to the wayside and the routine is just a walk after tea. Sometimes it is one of them knowing the other has to cool off from a fight with Wales or Ireland instead of between them; sometimes it's phone calls which harken ill-news. Arthur might notice the patterns in which the wildflowers grow and encourage that, green-thumbed and easy in this clearing they have carved by their presence alone. Maybe something in nature recognises what they are, who they are, and it conjures something into the air. No one else ever seems to come across the clearing so it becomes only theirs, undisturbed.

#freagradh #i love this actually thank you so much anon #hetalia headcanons #hws england #hws scotland

[kquil]

Hello!! Can I have a 🧁? Thnx!

Soo I haven't done this in a while, lol..

I'm shortish at 163cm, curvy and have long auburn curls and amber eyes. You could say I'm a bit cute, but I'm very insecure about my weight, so yeah. Gods this sounds a bit like My Immortal. Moving on.

I'm an extroverted introvert? Like I prefer being alone, but can enjoy good company every once in a while, and sometimes you'd think I like the sound of my own voice a bit too much? I'm all about knowledge and loveeee socio-economic politics etc. I'm a bit stuck up like that I suppose, kinda snobbish tbh. What can I say, I like good quality stuff, like not cheap and think and awfully stitched synthetic fabrics, it doesn't have to be bloody 100% hand spun and made alpaca wool, but cmon, yk? I grew up with a very strict the-curtains-are-never-just-blue kind of mother (french and flute and ballet, and learning the savoir-vivre front-to-back, the whole she-bang, you know the drill). I'm like her more than I'd like to admit, in more ways than one.

I'm a very autonomous person, and hatehatehate depending on others even for the simplest things. I have a lot of patience usually, but improper behaviour and lack of manners will get a rise out of em pretty quickly. I'm a cat person too.

When it comes to PDA, not a fan. I'm shy when it comes to intimacy, but also think it kinda improper.

Love books, hate how most ppl teach stuff- you could call me an independent researcher at soul, but have quite a bit of biases. (Eg, with barely knowing anything about evolutionary psychology, I essentially called it a useless waste to my mentor the other day. I think my exact words were "it seems a bit far fetched to be truthful")

Yea, did I mention I use a lot of brittishisms? I'm not even a brit, English is my second language, idk what the deal is with that.

Also I'm a slytherin, if that wasn't obvious so far. When i first took a test and it said so, I retook it feeding it the proper answers to make me a raven, because, and I quote, "being ambitious is just being smart about how you wanna live your life". Yeah. Still stand by that statement, just have rejected the hp canon and jkr as a whole in the meantime (her horrid ideas too).

I drink my tea an dmy coffee strong and with no sugar nor milk. I love books, and bodies of water (esp the sea!!!), and thunderstorms and greenery. Also ostentatious rose gardens and glass and wrought iron greenhouses and glass domes on indoor gardens etc. Yes, I have my dream mansion sketched out for when I'm rich ever since I was 9ish. I'll just say I need to be filthy rich because it includes a private groove AND lake. I think the word you're searching for by now is "delusional"

I'm a stereotypical Slytherin I think. Even my all-time fave music genre is a tie between classical and jazz (though I do love rock and punk too)

This is getting too long, so I hope it's enough! Thanks in advance!!!

PS I have two names, the first of which is horrid, but means Sapphire One, and I go by my second, Alexandra. Much too ostentatious to have both of these, I know, but I quite like "Alexandra".

wow! truly a slytherin through and through haha! thank you so much for requesting darling, im sorry it took so long for me to deliver on and i don't know if this is up to your standards but i did my best!

I ship you with sirius black 

i. in actuality, you two started off as enemies and eventually became lovers, growing up together since young from very prominent slytherin families only to be sorted in rival houses instead. it didn’t take until 6th year for the two of you to blossom a romance with each other, it was after reaching an understanding of each other’s personal difficulties growing up that the two of you grew close, slowly growing closer until you made it official. sirius became the person to balance you out and him, you. you both learned to be better people through each other. 

ii. sirius loved how independent you were but also loved getting a rise out of you by being annoying, he loved getting your attention through that, knowing that you loved him too much to really sink your teeth into him, unlike the unlucky people he’s seen get a tongue lashing from you — he is not envious of them. he likes knowing that he can get away with things around you whereas other couldn’t, it made him feel special and, although you knew what he was up to, you always indulged him anyway. one thing you loved about him was that he made you feel so confident and loved, to the point where the insecurities you had of your body and appearance just disappeared because he loved everything about you, every good point, every star quality, every flaw…he loved those about you the best. 

iii. he’s the one who slowly eases you into soft PDA, he knows you aren’t going to be the type to make out in front of people or sit in his lap blatantly when in a group setting but he wants to always be holding your hand or have his hand on your waist or play with your beautiful auburn hair. he loves whispering his admiration for you into your ear when you least expect it as well, some times he’d speak it in french just to add that additional touch of romance to it. 

iv. he understands your love for ostentatious things, the two of you are common in that regard. and, being someone who took pride in everything he did, he was sure to shower you in all the opulence you were willing to receive. at some point in your relationship, he had acquired the perfect balance of gift giving to keep things special between you two without it being too in-the-face of others. he would take you on these really grand dates, get-aways, if you will, where the two of you indulge in all your favourite things as well as his, sharing and making memories together. He wants you to always be surrounded by beauty, because that’s what you deserve and you appreciate him so much for it. 

v. he knows how to make you your tea and coffee and you know how to make his, he knows what books you like to read and the music you enjoy and you know the same for him — the two of you are equal in that you share your interests and act on them for each other. in the beginning, you felt as though your ideal life one day were just delusions but he promises and made those delusions a reality for you. he loved that you knew exactly what you wanted and he delivered on every wish as best he could because he would do anything for his princess

1K MILESTONE EVENT : CLOSED | NAVI.

#☀︎ : 1k milestone #☀︎ : 1k #🧁 : cupcake 1k #sirius black #sirius black x reader #sirius black imagine

[no-gorms]

I just reread HAHH again last night (how is it possible that the fic gets better every time I read it?? <3) and I have two questions: 1) how does the moving in conversation go the next morning after Steve's nightmare and 2) do stevetony end up getting married in this 'verse and if they do, who proposes given the tricky history they have in this area? ty!!

----

AHh thank you, that is awesome! <33 Okay I'm gonna answer your first question here, but the second one will have to wait for a bit, I'll do that tomorrow. Set after the Half Agony, Half Hope timestamp, established relationship Steve/Tony.

----

When Steve goes to his room to fetch his jacket, Tony is there.

Now, Tony being in Steve’s room isn’t cause for comment these days – he spends more time in the main building now anyways – but what’s unusual is that Tony is carrying a handful of his shirts, still with their hangers in, and is standing in front of Steve’s wardrobe.

“What?” Steve says.

“We’re going to have to do something about this.” Tony tosses his shirts at the bed, and waves a hand expansively at the wardrobe. “It’s nice, I like it, but can I break a wall somewhere? No one’s on this side, right?” He suddenly registers Steve’s befuddled expression, and says, “You asked me to move in.”

“I did?” Steve adds quickly, “Wait, yes, I want that, I’d love for you to move in, but… I asked you? When?”

“Last night. Did we not…?” Tony scratches his chin. “Right, I slept in. Anyway, yes. You, um. You said it feels more like home when I’m here.” He looks uncertain for a brief, awful second, but it disappears the moment Steve smiles and starts walking towards him. “Okay, that’s good to know.”

“That’s great, thank you.” Steve takes Tony’s hand and presses a quick kiss by the thumb, which makes Tony clear his throat self-consciously, as though he isn’t well used to that. “Wish I could remember – oh. I had a nightmare, didn’t I?”

“Yeah. That happen a lot?”

“Sometimes,” Steve admits. “Doesn’t happen often, but when it does it’s really intense. It feels so real.”

Tony nods sympathetically. “Like a flashback?”

“No, it’s…” Steve trails off, just as the sleep-hazy memory completes itself. “The nightmare’s about you.”

“Me?” Tony says, surprised. “You dream that I get hurt?”

“No, I dream that you’re not there.” A shiver moves up Steve’s spine, though the nightmare feels far less urgent in broad daylight. “It’s as though by pretending that you don’t exist, I made it that you don’t exist, so by the time I wanted to look for you… there’s nothing to find. I’d search and search and search, but no one’s ever heard of you.” Steve realizes that Tony’s stepped a little closer, their arms brushing. “It’s awful.”

Tony hums thoughtfully. “Is it awful because you can’t find me, or because you are the one who made me disappear?”

Steve’s breath catches. “Both. Both are – it’s…” The sentence can’t complete itself, lodged in the thick of Steve’s throat.

But Tony’s moving again, coming to plant his feet in front of Steve and wind both arms around Steve’s waist. Tony’s hold is usually lazy and gentle, but right now his touch is firm, as though he’s trying to lift Steve right off the ground. But the purpose is clear – he’s providing a grounding sensation. Evidence through touch that Tony is right here.

Of course Tony would know to do that. Steve returns his gaze, marvels all over again that through their years apart, his memory could never properly recall the intensity of Tony’s dark brown eyes.

“I’m real,” Tony says. “I’m here.”

Steve exhales. “Thank you.”

“So that’s what you meant,” Tony says slowly. “Thought it would be something I could make fun of you for. Oh well.”

“I’m sure I’ll give you more material for that,” Steve says.

“True.” Tony squints up at Steve. “Want to make out for a bit?”

“I actually need to leave, Sam’s waiting for me,” Steve says, eye catching the jacket that he came for. “But uh. Can I hold you for a moment?”

“We’re already holding—” Tony exhales when Steve pulls him into a hug, complete with burying his face into Tony’s neck. Tony relaxes right into it, with a small sigh that sends tingles down to Steve’s toes. “That kind of holding. Yep, this is awesome, too.”

#scaramouche answers asks #anonymous #scaramouche writes superhusbands fic #verse: half agony half hope