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#out n about again!
grumpy-beetle · 4 months
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Hi Romeo
Rosey legged millipede
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himbo-in-limbo · 7 months
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Theirs kid souls in there….kids like Bluey right??? 😭
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mblue-art · 4 months
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BAD SANSUARY // [14] tears for owl-bones's event !
"...Killer, it just looks like I have running mascara."
"it's such a look though."
messy kisses and post-nuzzles
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kiisaes · 9 months
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two idiots talk about their siblings (catholic school au)
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sanjifucker42069 · 5 months
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Sanji x Reader drabble
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Word count: 1.5k
I am so in love with this man. I have so many feelings about Sanji, about his past, about him hiding his anxiety. And yeah this is based on a scene from Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries lol.
Sanji sees someone associated with his past, you calm him down. (Mild comfort, fluff, pre-timeskip, pre-relationship, no one is aware Sanji's a Vinsmoke by birth yet. Gender neutral reader)
It was a lazy day, the kind that makes Sanji's face stretch into a languid catlike grin. There were no pressing issues, no captain getting into the worst trouble imaginable, no swordsman annoying the shit out of him. Life was good. To top it all off, here he was, enjoying a drink in a small island pub with his favourite straw hat. 
Life was so good.
You had chuckled when he'd offered to buy you a drink as a thank you for joining him today. The sound was like wedding bells to him; loud, low, and one that made his heart race. He'd beamed at you when you'd agreed, pulling you into the nearby bar.
The two of you had been chatting for hours,  beyond comfortable with each other. It had been so good to be away from the others, just having your complete undivided attention. And soon enough, the sun was setting, the two of you too wrapped up in having fun to even notice.
You sighed. “I suppose it's time we got back, last thing we need is a search party looking for us.”
It was regrettable, but Sanji agreed. He'd s get the walk back with you, so win-win, really. With a flourish that made you smile, Sanji offered his hand, gently helping you out of the booth.
Life was good.
Or it would have been, had Sanji not seen it. A man. No, not just a man.
A Germa66 soldier
His blood ran cold. It couldn't be like this. No one knew his true lineage, and he was not about to ruin his whole life by telling you all! No. He couldn't let you know. Sanji could practically see how hurt you'd be, how he'd lied to you by omission. 
He'd finally gotten another family, he was not going to let some random soldier ruin it!
And besides, what was someone from Germa even doing here!? The implications made anxiety try to claw its way out of Sanji's chest.
You, unbeknownst to Sanji, were studying him. One second the two of you were giggling like lovestruck teenagers, the next he was frozen, eyes trained across the bar.
“Ji? You okay?”
Nothing. Sanji was still.
“Sanji!” You clicked your fingers in front of him. “Eyes on me. Nothing to worry about, ‘kay?”
The cook didn't move, still staring at the man across the room with palpable fear. You could practically taste the anxiety rolling off him in waves. 
“Just…someone from my past.” He managed to breathe out.
“And you're safe. Eyes on me. If you keep looking at him he's going to see you. Look at me.”
His shaking eyes regarded you for a second before wandering back to the soldier. You had no idea where they were from, or how they knew Sanji, but right now you didn't care. Based on how badly he was trying to cover up his fear, you were certain this was big. 
He didn't budge when you tried to direct him to you.
“Sanji!” You bit as quietly as you could. 
Sanji looked so scared, so helpless. It hurt your heart. Running out of ideas you cringed. You had one, but it wasn't exactly the best. But Sanji needed his crew right now. He needed someone to ground him.
With a speed you didn't often muster, you forced the tall man to look at you, hand cradling his chin. The fear was still apparent in his eyes, but ever the agreeable boy he stared in your eyes. You felt him startle when you wrapped your free arm around his neck. 
A small apology left your lips.
Before he could turn his attention back to panicking you pulled him down to meet you, kissing him softly. Using Sanji's shock to your advantage you spun the two of you so you could keep an eye on the man that had your friend so desperately afraid. 
Sanji gasped into the kiss, and for a moment you were worried he was going to push you back. His hands were thrust towards you, palms splayed. You braced yourself for the impact.
But it never came.
Instead you felt his strong arms encircle your waist, one travelling to clutch at your back, the other snaking to hold you closer against him. Sanji melted against your lips, a small noise of appreciation slipping out. 
Shit, he was a really good kisser. You fought the urge to close your eyes, to just give in and kiss the man silly, but you had a job to do. It felt wrong to kiss Sanji with your eyes open, but you trained your eyes on the man he was scared of. The soldier was exiting the pub with a beautiful woman, him eagerly leading her by the hand while she giggled.
Once they had left and the coast was clear you began to relax. You'd love to say you did the right thing and gently pulled back, but you didn't. Your eyes slipped closed as you kissed him with a passion that scared you, after all, when would you get another opportunity to kiss the man? Sanji clearly wasn't expecting it, if the cute little noise he made was anything to go off. You relished the feeling of his lips against yours. They weren't chapped, which surprised you, both living on the sea. But, you supposed, if anyone was going to take care to make sure his lips were soft and kissable, it'd be Sanji. 
You wish you could convey all your thoughts and feelings in the kiss; you're safe, you're loved, I'll follow you wherever.
I love you.
Regretfully you pulled back, both for air and out of guilt, you'd certainly taken advantage of the situation. Sanji chased your lips for a second before coming to and straightening. His beautiful eyes on yours in a moment, you watched him sigh, a more relaxed air about him. His eyes swept across the pub floor, anxiety rising when he couldn't find the soldier. You grabbed one of his hands, rubbing soothing circles into the top of his palm. Sanji's eyes snapped down to yours.
“He's gone.” You smiled warmly up at him. Sanji looked dazed, making you smile stretch to a grin. “He left about two minutes ago. It's okay Ji.”
Sanji wanted to say a thousand things, to thank you, to sing you praises, to cry and hold you close, thankful of your protection. Instead all he managed out was;
“You kissed me.”
You felt a light blush stain your cheeks, pointedly looking away from him. Sanji wanted to scoop you up and kiss you silly, you looked so cute when bashful.
“I needed to distract you, you were panicking.” You pouted dropping his hand, with narrowed eyes you snapped your gaze back to him. “Besides, you kissed me back.”
Staring up at Sanji took your breath away, he was regarding you with such genuine warmth. The intensity of his stare made you uncomfortable, and you made a move to excuse yourself. Sanji gently scooped your hand up, and held it against his chest between his hands. You blushed, looking up at him completely dazed.
“Love.” He paused. “(Name), I- thank you. You're so good to me.” Another pause, before he hammed it up. “And to experience a kiss from such a beauty? You're truly an angel fell from the heavens.”
He shot you such a cheeky smirk, his eyes sparkling, but you knew better. Sanji was a sweetheart, and yeah he could be a pervert, and a ladies’ man, and just a tad overdramatic, but he definitely played it up to protect himself. The feelings were hanging in the air unspoken; love, dedication, thankfulness. But it wasn't the time for that, neither of you wanted to have your hearts broken, brave on the battlefield does not always mean brave in love. But still, that stupid charming grin had you, hook, line, and sinker.
“Well my dear, if you ever need to distract me again...” He relished the laugh that escaped you. You pat his chest and moved your hand to delicately cradle his cheek.
“I'll make sure to keep that in mind. You might wanna watch yourself though, or you'll never pry me off you.”
Sanji chuckled, lovestruck. “Oh no, what a shame! You know I'm feeling kinda-”
You lightly swatted him on the cheek before he could finish, flustered but on cloud nine. “Alright loverboy, c'mon.”
“One more kiss?” He pouted, that boyish charm captivating you. He grinned when you pulled him down for a kiss.
You had aimed for a quick peck, but Sanji held you in place, peppering you in kisses as you giggled. He placed a last kiss on your lips, melting as you crushed him against you and kissed back with fervor. You pulled back with an audible smack.
“Wow.” He whispered, relishing in the love in your eyes.
“Now, c'mon, for real this time, handsome.”
You two didn't need to audibly say it right now, it was obvious you to regarded each other highly. The right day would come. 
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judasisgayriot · 3 months
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Pole Out Boy and their missed calling in life (x) (Pete: (The new record's) definitely a lot sexier than the last one. Patrick: There's a lot more slinky outfits, and, you know, garter belts.)
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brittlebutch · 4 months
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Jay's hypocrisy is a little bit endearing to me ngl; he'll go on twitter to bitch about how much totheark stalking/filming him is causing life-ruining paranoia & then turn around and post video footage of himself stalking Alex for months and reading Tim's medical records out loud to an audience with seemingly no conscious thought connecting the two actions as The Same Thing
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nebuladreamz · 1 year
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Part 1: Here
THIS TOOK SO FUCKING LONG MAN IM SORRY FOR TAKING DAYS
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nc-vb · 9 months
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𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐬, 𝐢 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐞 & 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐞
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sfw, the boy's definitely an over-thinker. not beta-ed oops.
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Dan Heng's starting to think you have a staring problem.
This is... a new discovery of his, or, at the very least, a new habit of yours. Who knows how long it's been going on? Certainly, not him. But now that he just so happened to catch you looking his way, a little more focused, a little more intensely, he's... a little self-conscious.
For one, why him? Surely, there isn't anything on his face, not for any of the time he'd caught you. You or one of the others would have mentioned it, anyhow, especially March 7th.
Is it because... he looks different now? Is it because he dons the appearance of another? Is it unsightly to you? Are you upset that he didn't tell any of you, but especially you?
At least you aren't glaring at him, or even completely looking in the other direction away from him whenever your eyes met (unlike a certain grey-haired someone). At this point in your acquaintanceship with each other, he's not sure he can handle the anxiety that would come out of both of you ignoring him.
It unnerves him, and whether it's a good or a bad type of unnerving, he's not quite sure yet. It makes him sweat a little beneath his already-lightened clothing, though, and on his neck behind his long hair; makes his heart race a little faster.
Why? He wishes you'd tell him first, so he wouldn't have to approach you for an answer. Why? He wishes you weren't looking for an excuse to walk away from him when you see him approaching, like you aren't internally panicking (and quite too obviously, externally) when he stops before you. Why?
"So?" he says. You barely flinch, but your expression twists into a bit of a grimace, and he frowns.
Please.
"So... what?" you mumble, gaze firmly averted toward your own feet.
Please. Be on my side.
"The... looks... you've been giving me this whole time," he starts. "It's just... I'd like to know why."
Don't you avoid me, too.
"O-Oh." You clear your throat and press your shoulders back to raise your head, but you still don't meet his eye. "I... well... I-It's nothing bad, if that's what you're worried about."
"Then, can you tell me what it is?" he asks, barely a second away from pleading with you if you decline.
You huff, not irritably, but as if nervous, or inconvenienced, and it makes Dan Heng's heart palpitate.
"It's... it's difficult to look at you and speak to you at the same time," you lowly admit. His eyes widen in surprise, and almost immediately, his thoughts begin to race again.
"I-I'm sorry," he tells you. Now, you somehow have no problem looking at him, lips parted in shock.
"What? Why are you apologizing?" you say with a disbelieving shake of your head. But then it clicks, and you realize your mistake. "Dan Heng, it's not because of that, I-I promise."
Now, he's confused. It's not? Then, what else?
"I-It's..." Why are you stammering? Is it so hard to just... tell me? "Y-You're just--"
"Just what?" Dan Heng begs.
You swallow harshly, and under his intense and saddened gaze, you feel yourself growing warmer and warmer, almost boiling like a kettle atop a fire until you could hold yourself back no longer.
"I just didn't think it was possible for you to look even prettier than you already are, okay?!" you hiss at him. "I-I was embarrassed! Don't ask me about it anymore, alright?!" And you stalk off towards March 7th and Welt Yang, hands covering your face and stuttering out a loud, "S-So, we're leaving now, right?!"
Dan Heng can barely bring himself to react. Standing there amidst the rubble of the Scalegorge Waterscape, his eyebrows have shot so high up toward his forehead that he manages to jokingly wonder if they've flown away.
His skin flushes, his cheeks rosy and lips parted in shock.
"... p-prettier?" He blinks. Several times. The shock doesn't dissipate. "You... You think I'm pretty?"
What floods his veins is a confusing, concentrated mixture of relief and, surprisingly, adoration. For your lack of frustration for him, for the fact that you weren't ignoring him for omitting such a huge fact about himself, for so many silly thoughts and concerns that you managed to invalidate by shouting a simple compliment at him. You weren't ignoring him, after all.
That's all it took to shake him from his funk. That's all it takes for him to step forward, his toes barely touching the floor when he floats across the floor of the Dragonvista Rain Hall after you.
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© nc-vb 2023 please don’t repost! reblogs & comments are always appreciated.
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caeslxys · 1 month
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I’ve mentioned this elsewhere but it feels relevant again in light of the most recent episode. Something that’s really fascinating to me about Orym’s grief in comparison to the rest of the hells’ grief is that his is the youngest/most fresh and because of that tends to be the most volatile when it is triggered (aside from FCG, who was two and obviously The Most volatile when triggered.)
As in: prior to the attack on Zephrah, Orym was leading a normal, happy, casual life! with family who loved him and still do! Grief was something that was inflicted upon him via Ludinus’ machinations, whereas with characters like Imogen or Ashton, grief has been the background tapestry of their entire lives. And I think that shows in how the rest of them are largely able to, if not see past completely (Imogen/Laudna/Chetney) then at least temper/direct their vitriol or grief (Ashton/Fearne/Chetney again) to where it is most effective. (There is a glaring reason, for example, that Imogen scolded Orym for the way he reacted to Liliana and not Ashton. Because Ashton’s anger was directed in a way that was ultimately protective of Imogen—most effective—and Orym’s was founded solely in his personal grief.)
He wants Imogen to have her mom and he wants Lilliana to be salvageable for Imogen because he loves Imogen. But his love for the people in his present actively and consistently tend to conflict with the love he has for the people in his past. They are in a constant battle and Orym—he cannot fathom losing either of them.
(Or, to that point, recognize that allowing empathy to take root in him for the enemy isn't losing one of them.)
It is deeply poignant, then, that Orym’s grief is symbolized by both a sword and shield. It is something he wields as a blade when he feels his philosophy being threatened by certain conversational threads (as he believes it is one of the only things he has left of Will and Derrig, and is therefore desperately clinging onto with both bloody hands even if it makes him, occasionally, a hypocrite), but also something he can use in defense of the people he presently loves—if that provocative, blade-grief side of him does not push them—or himself—away first.
(it won’t—he is as loved by the hells as he loves them. he just needs to—as laudna so beautifully said—say and hear it more often.)
#critical role#cr spoilers#bells hells#orym of the air ashari#cr meta#imogen temult#ashton greymoore#liliana temult#this is genuinely completely written in good faith as someone who loves orym#but is also about orym and so will inevitably end up being completely misconstrued and made into discourse. alas#I could talk about how Orym’s unwillingness to allow the hells to actually finish/come to a solid conclusion on Philosophy Talk#is directly connected to one of the largest criticisms of c3 (that they are constantly having these conversations)#all day. alas. engaging with orym’s flaws tends to make people upset#it is ESP prevelant when he walks off after exclaiming ‘they (vangaurd) are NOT right’#which was not only never said but wasn’t even what they were talking about#he even admits as much to imogen like ten minutes later! that he is incapable of viewing it objectively#which is 100% justifiable and understandable but simultaneously does not make his grief alone the most important perspective in the world#also bc i fear ppl will play semantics on my tags yes the line ‘i hope she’s right’ was said but it was from ASHTON#who does not believe they are at all and wasn’t saying they actively WERE right. orym just heard something to latch onto and ran with it#ultimately there is a reason orym only admitted that he was struggling when he had stepped away to talk to dorian#who has not been around and thusly has not changed once n orym's eyes#and it isn't that the hells never check in or care. they do. they have several times over#it is dishonest to say they haven't#the actual reason is that all of this is something He Is Aware Of. he doesn't mention it bc he KNOWS it's hypocritical and selfish#he says as much!#EXHALES. @ MY OWN BRAIN CAN WE THINK ABT MOG AGAIN. FYRA RAI EVEN. FOR ME.#posting this literally at 8 in the morning so I can get my thoughts out of my brain but also attempt to immediately make this post invisibl
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sluckythewizard · 1 month
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YOU JUST HƎARD IT FROM [HIS MOUTH] FOR SURƎ!!!
#cw gore#cw blood#jrwi fanart#jrwi suckening spoilers#jrwi suckening#BEEN VEHEMENTLY SCRIBBLING THIS THING ALL DAY#IM SO FUCKING IN LVOE W THE NEW EPISODE#VIV N VEX ARE LITERALLY EVERYTHING I COULDVE EVER WANTED. I LOVE BLOOD AND MEAT AND BLOOD AND MEAT#THE SCRIBBLE IS KINDA ROUGH SO DONT LOOK AT IT TOO HARD BUT EHEHEHEEEE THE FACE THAT I CREATED UNNERVES ME#AND IM VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT. I LOVE CREATING SOMETHING AND HAVING IT EVEN SLIGHTLY PHASE ME#I LOVED ALL THE TOOTH RIPPING NOISES IN THIS EPISODE. AHVE U EVER HAD A TOOTH REMOVED?#SHE USED A BLUNT METAL TOOL TO PUNCH IT OUT. IT REMINDED ME OF THE SPLINTERING OF A TREE. THE WAY IT TORE.#SUCH A SPECIFIC SORT OF CRUNCHING AND SPLINTERING AS A MOLAR WAS RRRRIPPPEEDD FROM THE SOCKET. OHH I LOVE IT.#GOING IN FOR A ROOT CANAL NEXT WEEK AND IM VERY EXCITED. ALL THE DENTISTS LOVE ME N ARE SO NICE TO ME#WHAT A GREAT EPISODE. I HOPE THE URGE TO DRAW MORE STRIKES ME LIKE THIS AGAIN. WEEEE!!#I WANNA ANIMATE EMIZEL GETTIN HIS EYE RRIPPED OUT. BUT. IM ALREADY COOKING 3 OTHER VIV N VEX ANIMATIONS#THERES NO WAY THEY WILL ALL BE FINISHED HELP!! HELP MEE!!!! I HAVE TO MANY IDEAS AND NOT ENOUGH HANDS. DO U GUYS REMEMBER HTF?#OR HAPPY TREE FRIENDS. THE CUTE ANIMAL SHOW W ALL THE BLOOD AND GORE AND TERRIBLE TERRIBLE THINGS HAPPENING TO THE CUTE ANIMALS#in elementary school i would show the 'eyes cold lemonade' to other kids and tell em thats how they make pink lemonade.#hope that helps you undertsand. i wish i could make a lil cartoon w just viv n vex doing what they do best#LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT. IM GOING BACK TO MY LAB. DONT EXPECT TO HEAR FROM ME IN A MILLION YEARS
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samarecharm · 1 month
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I wish the thieves had SOME kind of reaction to the Satanael awakening. Kinda wish we at least had RYUJI react to it….
I think its sooooo compelling to have Ryuji be the only person to witness BOTH awakenings; to see how much Akira and his will has grown since they first met. There was a raw, burning fury in Akiras core that recoiled at the injustice before him, and when given the tools to punish said injustice, eagerly accepted it with a wild, almost manic kind of intensity. I think it would be difficult for the others to truly grasp just how scary that was; that for a short moment, Ryuji couldnt pinpoint the cause of that rage, and the target of it. Akiras mellowed out alot since then, but its always in the back of Ryujis head; theres a side of their leader literally none of the thieves have or will ever see, and he doesnt really know how hes supposed to feel about that.
And now the airs charged in the same way he felt back in Kamoshidas palace; right as Akiras eyes widened at seeing him slammed against the wall. The blazing, untamed ferocity in his eyes from back then is replaced with a cool, calm, steely conviction. He knows his purpose; understands completely what his will screamed at him to understand back when it first started. This is the Akira the team knows, and its definitely the one Ryuji is used to now, but its insane to see the shift; insane to see the kind of power that simmered in Akiras core, literally too big and too overwhelming for past Akira to grapple with and set free.
Satanael comes down, and theres a moment, through all the excited screaming and hollering, where Ryuji can see it look right at him, and Ryuji is taken back to the floor of Kamoshidas Palace; not to the fear he felt when Arsene came forth incinerating everything, but immediately after, when Akira comes to with wide eyes and an outstretched hand- that bizarre feeling of safety, of knowing that this kid would have his back, and that hed never have to worry about where his place would be (its right beside him, obviously.)
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toasteaa · 4 months
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Neuvillette is in love with the concept of love; he just never thought he'd experience the complexity of it himself. Or rather, he'd never thought you'd make him experience it like this.
Of course, that in itself is a rather broad concept. He's not unfeeling; he knows what certain aspects of love feel like, or at least, what humans around him have described as love. If you were to ask anyone that observes him with a human's eye, they'd tell you "Monsieur Neuvillette loves a lot of things".
"Monsieur Neuvillette loves the melusines, I always see him talking to them!" - not untrue, but not so much love as it is a general appreciation in his eyes. And much less the kind of love he has in mind. "Monsieur Neuvillette loves water the most! He has cabinets full of imported bottles in his office!" - elements of truth and fancy. A necessary (if a bit self indulgent) requirement for his continued health. You wouldn't go as far as to say you love air, would you? The concept is the same.
No, when Neuvillette thinks of love it's the kind he sees in couples on the streets of Fontaine. Hands held fast together, or a guiding hand in the small of one's back. Shy smiles and ruddy cheeks. Parted lips and gleaming eyes; a hopeful and expectant look before a kiss. The very image of romance that Lady Furina's novels would outline - novels that he's sure at this point, were left in his office by the former Archon in order to...guide him in a way.
And what poor guides those proved to be when it came to these...affections he has for you.
In those stories, it was simple. Understandable to an extent. The numerous versions and retellings of the same themes and tropes created a kind of cadence in his mind; an easy to digest pattern where one act of courting follows another in a beat-by-beat fashion. It's formulaic. An art perfected by years of practiced and perfected behaviors only menially guided by instinct.
Then why, Neuvillette often finds himself wondering, is it so difficult when it comes to applying that same formula to you?
Is it his tone? His behavior? Or has he made a general mistake with his leaps in assuming you might feel the same way as him? Your relationship with him is far less professional than when it started, yes, but that is the nature of working with someone long term. The expectation of professionality can only last so long, even with someone of his standing. This is something he's accustomed to. These developing feelings are not.
Even his attempts at more directly physical advances have proved unfruitful. If anything, the way you startled and stammered before returning to your work after he'd merely brushed a stray hair from your temple dissuaded him from ever attempting such a thing again.
And yet...the hint of heat in your cheeks at the action made him curious. Makes him...hopeful. If he was reading this correctly (and on his name as the Sovereign did he hope he was reading this correctly) then that could mean...well, it could imply mutual attraction.
Which has lead him to his current dilemma. He's spent days debating with himself, weighing his options, and attempting to reason that this warmth he feels around you is enough to allow him a brief break in his impartiality.
But then if he breaks here, where else would he break?
And would it be so wrong if he did? To pursue you, to court you, love you -
It stirs other emotions in him. Ones of excitement, of rage, of something deep and primal in his chest that has been buried deep after centuries of solitude - even amongst the people of Fontaine.
He wants this. He wants to experience this budding love in all its confusing facets. Wants to test the waters he's grown so accustomed to guarding and let himself feel something so innately alien to him. So...human.
Perhaps this is a trial left in place specifically for himself. To love and to be loved in return...it's almost enough to make him cry.
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actual-changeling · 1 year
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"Joel?"
Ellie shifts slightly so she can look up at him, cheek squished against his biceps. The movie is long over, but the best part of the night is dozing off pressed against Joel while he reads or whittles away at something. Sometimes he even reads out-loud, voice rhythmic and soft, lulling her to sleep. He glances down at her and lowers his book, arm coming up to wrap around her.
"Yeah, baby?"
She chews on her lip, trying to find the words in her tired mind, and Joel's thumb gently rubbing her shoulder is the opposite of helpful, her eyelids fluttering shut.
"What's Tommy, like, to me? He's your brother but I don't. I don't know where I fit."
Joel stays silent for a litlte bit, seemingly properly thinking about her question, and she curls up tighter against his chest, pressing her face into his shirt somewhere below his neck. She's tired enough to fall asleep like this even with the lights on, and she chose this moment exactly because of that, knowing that the fatigue will prevent her from freaking out too much; so far, it's doing its job.
"Tommy is whatever you want him to be, babygirl, there's no pressure."
"I know", she sighs, answer kind in his typical Joel-fashion, but useless.
"I just don't know what to call him, to other people, I mean."
Explaining her relationship with Joel to the other children and teachers at school was already a task, and while the latter didn't question her answers, she's given up on trying to convince her classmates that Joel isn't her actual dad. The spark for this conversation had been an encounter with one of the newer arrivals, whom Tommy had introduced her to as 'my brother's kid', which, sure, probably the easiest way of putting it. But-
"Someone called him my uncle, and he didn't correct them. I don't know if-"
"If he's okay with everyone calling him that?"
Ellie nods, glad that he understands what she is getting at, and he holds her a little tighter as he pulls her further into his lap. Joel presses a kiss to her temple, her forehead, then her hair before settling with his chin resting on the top of her head, his hands rubbing soft circles into her back.
"You're my kid," he says plainly, "which makes you a part of his family, and since he's my brother, yeah, I guess uncle is accurate. I don't think he minds."
"You sure?"
The last thing she wants to do is upset either of them, and she and Tommy have actually been getting along quite well, bullying Joel and doing all the things he doesn't want either of them to do - in short, making him go grey twice as fast as before.
"Very sure."
(He doesn't want to tell her just yet that Tommy has been calling himself her uncle since day one, introducing Ellie as his niece in turn.)
"Alright."
Ellie wraps her arms around his waist when Joel lowers them onto the couch, safely trapped between him and the backrest, and she holds on tight even while she drifts off, sleep coming easily and gently, closing their eyes with a gentle touch. He will carry her to bed later, enjoying the opportunity to simply feel her breathing and alive against him for now.
"G'night, Joel." (Saying it doesn't sound right, but she doesn't have to, they can both sense it. Her friends calling him that no longer sounds quite as wrong.)
"Sleep tight, baby." (They all know, and Tommy is intentionally driving the point home, but he doesn't need to tell her; she knows. They both do.)
That's my niece, Ellie.
Oh, she's my brother's daughter.
Joel is her dad, idiot.
Must run in the Miller family.
Family, they all know, is way more than just shared DNA. It's the people you trust, who will keep you safe.
It's everyone you come home to at the end of a long, long day.
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rebouks · 3 months
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Ivan: He didn’t come home again last night. Oscar: Well.. he ain’t gonna be cheating on you, is he? Ivan: I dunno… Oscar: C’mon, he can barely strike up a conversation with a tree. Who’s he gonna be cheating on you with? Ivan: A lumberjack? Oscar: Pfha-.. right. Byrd: Daddy look! I’m a dancerina! Oscar: An amazing one at that! He wants a tutu... Ivan: Wren too? Oscar: [cackles] God, no.. she’d probably clog the shitter with it. Ivan: He can have one of Pixie’s-.. I’ll bring it next time. Oscar: Alright. Ivan: I gotta drop Jude off, anyway… Oscar: Try not to stress about it, eh? Ivan: Jude, Jessie, or Bruno? Oscar: All of it, man.. I dunno. [Ivan snorted, rolling his eyes at Oscar and ruffling Byrd’s hair as he headed outside to fetch Jude] ... [Robin idly twirled a daisy between his fingertips, his and Jude’s legs sprawled beside each other as they lay in the long grass] Robin: It might not be so bad; you’ll probably make loads of new friends n’ stuff. Jude: Maybe, but I wanted us to go to big school together. Robin: Why, so I could sit around not talking to you? [Jude scoffed a half-hearted laugh] Jude: I’d still prefer-… Ivan: Jude! Jude: Gotta go! See you next week. Robin: You’re not sticking around for the weekend? Jude: Mom n’ Gavin are having some sorta party they want me there for on Saturday. Robin: Sucks to be you. Ivan: How y’doin’, bud.. enjoyin’ the treehouse? Robin: Uh-huh. Jude: No grown-ups allowed though! Ivan: Rude. [Ivan chuckled as he threw his arms around Robin and squeezed him farewell; he gave the best bear hugs] Ivan: I’m gonna bring y’brother a tutu next time, fancy one? Robin: I’m good, thanks. Ivan: How ‘bout you? Jude: Only if it’s blue. Ivan: I’ll see what I can do. Robin: You’re both poets-… Jude: And we didn’t know it!
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