aterlupus

[aterlupus]

will post my league of legends AU properly one day, but simply put (and most obvious answer...) Gaius is a defected Noxian general who is believed to have died in combat. He now roams the world freely, seeking an end to the Black Rose after his *very* personal dealings with them turned sour.

#he's coming to get vladimir #hgjhkjkl; #ooc #ignore me #league au #league stuff

[aterlupus]

#this song slaps #audio #music #ffxiv

[aterlupus]

Edit: Completely forgot commentary LMAO. I wanted to have fun today, if the three comix I drew today are any proof! Here’s one to illustrate how mundane Gaius and Miqo truly are, despite uhh other stuff I’ve drawn.

Gaius: Meet me in my room at noon.

Miqo: Oh… (heart)

[Old Man Afternoon Nap]

#Gaius #art by op #mood

[aterlupus]

“Teucer, Brother of Ajax”, c.1881 by Sir William Haro Thornycroft (1850–1925). English sculptor. Art Institute of Chicago. bronze

#aes

[aterlupus]

#Gaius

[aterlupus]

Photo Studies in Blue

Some recent photo studies from photos I saw on Pinterest :)

#art by op #aes

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Garleans and their vernacular...

#Gaius #art by op

[aterlupus]

hopelessly in love with Nero tol Scaeva favorite antagonist 10/10

#Nero

[aterlupus]

i miss writing valens

#he is so batshit #and the new quest from tataru? #solidified so many other batshit things i think he would do #i can't even believe #and by that i mean i can believe #i just #god i wish there was more of that story #need a whole expansion on it gjhkjlk #ooc #ignore me #mun speaks

[aterlupus]

“Gaius,” the elderly man struggles to speak. His days are numbered. He knows it, and so does everyone else. But, both he and all around him pretend that is not the case, as the emperor’s mortality is a taboo subject, only spoken of by the enemies of the empire, who wish to see him fail. Thus, despite the ticking clock overhead, and lack of an heir apparent, none dared bring the issue up, forced to silently wait for the old man to kick the bucket.

Frankly, Solus found the situation quite amusing.

Every man related to this body of his was dreaming of taking his place, but none would dare show it, lest they be seen as vultures that they were.

“You will leave Eorzia to van Darnus.” The emperor’s voice was still commanding, although the grip of his bony fingers on the legate’s wrist, was a frail one. “You will return to Ala Mhigo and resume your duties.”

Gaius and Varis had attempted to oppose the approval of the meteor project, but Solus refused to hear it. Van Darnus held the key to a powerful weapon of the Allag and Solus had granted him permission to detonate it over the heads of their enemies. The blighted land could burn, for all he cared, just as Bozja had beforehand.

They would submit or they would be annihilated. Solus was almost saddened he would not be presenting the ultimatum himself. He did so miss seeing defiance give way to terror in their eyes.

“I need someone loyal.” He breathed. “Someone that is not awaiting my demise.” A bitter chuckle turned into a cough and the emperor had to rest his head upon the pillow, breathing in and closing his eyes for a moment. “My son, my grandchildren, cousins and nephews, they are all the same.”

He waved dismissively at a servant offering him water, gesturing for her to leave the two of them, and turning back to Gaius as the door closed behind the girl.

“I know you and Titus are not the best of friends. He is hardly fit for the throne; decadent and disloyal as he is. But, don’t let Varis fool you. He is not a benevolent ruler in the making. He is merely a coward.” He chuckled. “He lives only in the name of my Lucius. Men like him make us weak. He will make you weak, if you follow him.” The emperor warned, his golden gaze fixed on Gaius. “Return to Ala Mhigo, reign as I have taught you. Take my place, if you must, for the empire.”

"I will be blunt with you." Gaius doesn't deign to waste Solus's time -- he usually did not before, but Gaius at least recognized respect and formalities. Now? There was simply no time left.

"If Nael succeeds, there will be no Eorzea left to claim. If Nael fails -- and in this, I have no doubt -- then we will only have a nation of those stirred up and angry at us for our incompetence and violence."

"I will return to Ala Mhigo but if you are not alive to see the results of Nael's actions -- and sh-- he will fail, then I will take Eorzea for our country. I will not let our efforts go to waste for one bad Legatus." He speaks bitter and sharp, enough for Solus to have enough reason to call for him to be executed or dismissed.

"I watched you. When I was only a child, I watched you conquer nations... but as more and more came our way, as our fight became one of expansion and not of survival... I saw you, settle in your ways, and grow soft and complacent in the throne of the Emperor." Gaius holds his hand up when Solus opens his mouth, urging him to shut up. He wouldn't do this in any other situation. "Do not interrupt me anymore. You don't have time."

"I don't want to end up like you. Understand? I am not, no... I never will be, the Emperor. I know it to be foolish to resign myself to the fate of another. But if you want civil war -- and let me be clear, that it what you are leading us to -- I will have no part in it. Do you understand me?"

"Whatever man or woman settles the score, they will be the Emperor, and I will call them Zos as they deserve. I will take my place beneath them, and kiss their cheek as I have kissed yours. I will place my trust in those deserving -- the one strong enough to survive. But I will not be mistaken."

"No matter what of your kin or otherwise takes the throne -- you, and nobody else will forget -- the one who is really in charge, is the one with power, absolute." Gaius looked over Solus, and for a moment, almost, it looked like he could kill the Emperor himself, so assured was he in this moment. In these final days, no, final hours, of Solus's life, Gaius made clear to the man he called Emperor -- it was he who was always in charge.

"If the XIVth Legion split from Garlemald, your nation would crumble. I am your best bet. I am your best leader. I am your best soldier. What I say is true, none alive have what it takes to stop me."

"... But I don't want the throne. I don't want the cushion that softened you into what I see you as now. I will sharpen my blade, and keep myself ever to my goal, and ever to your goal -- even if you, and everyone else, has lost sight of it."

Gaius leans forward, despite his thrashing of a speech he gave to his Emperor, and he kisses him, softly, pressed to his lips, like a lover. His forehead presses to Solus's wrinkled brow.

"No matter how many emperor's come after you... I will only ever serve one." He hissed against Solus's mouth. "... Only one."

#rp #ic #love u mwah #now go die old man #hgjhkjlk #long post #contemptim

[aterlupus]

Eyes, once vibrant and full of life, now a dull and tarnished gold, stared at the figure before him. The haze that usually clouded them was unusually clear today; no signs of delirium nor false memories that was forcibly implanted into his soul. A hand reached out to Gaius' coat, brown skin paling as they gripped hard onto the red fabric. "... D... Dad?" It was a softer voice, crackled; not the one that would spew out the grandiose echoes of Gaius' past. It was Rex's voice, the one that would call out for his father in the night, fearful of the nightmares that plague him. It was Rex's voice, who would be the loudest to cheer when his father visited home. It was Rex's voice, unusually soft and timid, instead of the loud and boisterous man he once was, before everything fell. It was just Rex - no oversoul of Gaius looming over his memories, eating away at his personality.

His mind is focused at the moment. Shattered glass creates long spidering marks all over the window, somehow it didn't shatter to pieces this time, and instead of the usual thrashing, Milisandia only thought to deliver one swift punch to the window instead of repeatedly doing so. Yet Gaius takes it with no real response, stopping her, calming her, but of course, he doesn't punish her. Nael's delirium infects her brain worse than any other.

He's finished installing the new window, the third one this month, hopefully with even better shatterproof tinting than the last one, but he wonders if he should change it entirely. Or perhaps something in the glare is what scares her? She handles mirrors just fine, so its unclear...

Gaius's mind is thinking on those things when the hand grabs his coat. He blinks a few times, turning to look at his son, not surprised but not particularly thinking anything either. His voice... is different. Gaius takes a second to register that.

He looks Rex in the eyes. He touches his arm in response.

"... Rex." He speaks quietly. "Rex?"

The second time, Gaius almost doesn't seem to believe it. He drops the tool in his hand, and turns to face his son fully, cupping his face in both hands, holding his cheeks and feeling the dry scales that scrape his palm, knowing he should chastise Rex for not maintaining his scales -- but he can't think of it.

"Is that you?" He whispers, almost, he doesn't want to get his hopes up, but that feeling is already rising in his chest. "... Can you hear me?"

#rp #ic #moonlitdelirium #my boy ;w;

[aterlupus]

BLOODBORNE SENTENCE MEME.

The morning always comes.

This will be your home, for now.

Look at you, you sorry drunk.

Don’t you worry. This will help you forget.

I’ve never been use to anyone.

I only wanted to help…

Your blood is tainted.

You shall not abscond your crimes!

Is it the blood, or are you just raving mad?

This can’t be the real you. …Please, stop.

I have no time for your petty lies.

I will never leave your side.

Your presence somehow soothes.

I only wanted…to be your….friend

Would you ever think to love me?

You let the blood get the best of you.

Remember yourself. You are not a beast.

You are no more than a beast. I should’ve known.

Too proud to show your true face, eh?

I don’t seem apt for this life anymore.

Please, just stop. Stop, please!

Of course…I do love you.

We are born of the blood, made men by the blood, undone by the blood.

My eyes grow heavy…Let me rest a while. I’ll be fine, just wait.

Whatever can be gained from this place, it will do more harm than good.

We must find a way to surpass our own stupidity. 

Isn’t it time someone put you out of your misery?

I’d like to tender my thanks, but I haven’t much to offer.

Just think about what you’re doing. It’s utter madness.

What good is your immortality now!

You’ll be one of them, sooner or later.

May you find your worth in the waking world.

Have you got a screw loose? Or is it your…animal intuition?

You hunters have got more blood on your hands.

Hunters are killers, nothing less!

You call me a beast? A beast? What would you know? I didn’t ask for this!

Without fear in our hearts, we’re little different from the beasts themselves.

You can’t bottle everything up inside. You mustn’t be afraid to share.

Rancid beasts, every last one of us.

I should think you still have dreams?

But…do the gods love their creations?

May the good blood guide your way.

You know not the value you posses. 

The things you hunt, they’re not beasts. They’re people.

If you insist on hunting them, then I will hunt you first. You understand me?

What is the meaning of this? Why turn your blade on me?

Oh don’t you worry. Whatever happens, you may think it all a mere bad dream.

#askmeme

[aterlupus]

♦

Useless Details Ask Meme II

♦ any tattoos? where? what’s the story behind them?

Gaius isn't exactly interested in tattoos, because they don't really spark his interest, and he has no intention to cover up the scars on his body that he has. Now however, a good amount of his body has burned tissue, and he isn't exactly keen on looking at it, so he just keeps it bandaged.

There is one tattoo, however, on his ankle, that Severa helped him put there, of a flower. Just a single flower, pale white petals, and a blackish-green stem. It's small, painted in white ink since they only had pure white ash mixed with water. Both Severa and Gaius know what the imagery means to them, and what it means as a whole to them as Garleans.

As the three of them walked the Burn some time ago, Severa spotted a single white flower growing in the dust. Nothing else surrounded it. Nothing else beside it. No plants grow. No animals buzz or chitter or walk. Just a lone flower in the dirt.

They didn't want to pick it, but Gaius looked at it for a long time, and Severa did as well. Valdeaulin didn't care either way, but he didn't want to hurt it either.

Who knows how long that flower had to fight to grow there? Who knows how long the Burn tried to push forward any type of life?

Who knows how long that flower will last until it finally dies?

Gaius ended up stopping there for a long time, with no real reason to pause. That nameless flower in the Burn haunts him for some reason he couldn't articulate, and he wasn't the type to explain himself. Severa took the needle like tip of her lance and asked if Gaius wanted to preserve some memory of it.

So, using the slow poke and stick method of tattooing, Severa drew the thing on Gaius's body.

There is some hope in him. That the world can change. That he can change. That they can survive, even in the Burn, with nothing around them. He and Severa both hope that maybe Garleans can still live on, and have some place, that maybe they can evolve, and change, and survive. So, in the end, the memory of that lone flower remains.

#headcanon #about gaius #basically gaius got emo over a flower #naturally

[aterlupus]

"❅ what do they usually wear when they’re not working?" and "⌘ do they rather shower or take a bath?"

Useless Details Ask Meme II

Answered here! But, to answer it some more, back in Garlemald, he really preferred to wear a big coat, and often didn't show his face very often, wearing the cap with a mouth and nose mask over the front. His face wasn't anything secret to him, but he did tend to wear his helmet when not in public, and he got used to feeling a bit more secure when his face isn't showing.

Now that he's turning over a new leaf, he is trying to be more open, and recognize himself as he is.

⌘ do they rather shower or take a bath?

Considering that showering really only became a thing due to the invention of Indoor Plumbing and water heaters, Gaius doesn't actually use a shower very often since he was not back home in Garlemald most times. He spent most of his time in Ala Mhigo, and spent most of his time bathing at the hammam, or the Ala Mhigan bath houses. These were more social as well, and allowed him to relax around civilians in the territory. He preferred going to a bath house and does miss that among many other things from his time spent in Ala Mhigo.

As for how he does shower, he does what Garlean military calls a 3 min shower, typically. 1 minute of rinsing his body by filling a container (usually his helmet) with hot water, 1 minute of lathering soap, and 1 minute of rinsing.

He's not a fan of it but that's how he typically had to shower as a soldier so he can adjust to it.

#headcanon #about gaius

[aterlupus]

❅ what do they usually wear when they’re not working?

Useless Details Ask Meme II

Considering when he's not working, he typically is at events, Gaius is often seen wearing formal clothing, decorative Garlean uniforms, or Garlean royal attire, if Emperor Solus ever demanded such a thing. This isn't considered to be him 'working' but it still feels like work to him, as he's not a fan of entertaining nobility.

When none of this applies, and he's just at free time, he usually is only in a loose, sometimes stained, t-shirt, and pants. Gaius doesn't like to be idle in his free time, he spends his time working on things, in the military he would exercise and then invest time in checking on the civilians stationed in Castrum Meridianum (civilians in castrums was pretty common in old Rome after all) and also taking time to visit the wine makers.

Now that he is in Terncliff, he has turned a lot of his knowledge of Garlean technology into helping fix and repair electrical damage around town. He helps build new housing, repairing things like toasters and ceiling fans, fixing doors, replacing windows, things of that nature. Again, he does all this wearing usually pretty ratty clothing as he has no need to put on something nice for this. His shirts are now stained with globs of paint, black component grease, electrical glues, and so on. He's just fine with that, he's just happy to be busy, and his clothes show it.

Of course, before all that, during his time travelling with Valdeaulin, he really only had the shirt on his back, and that clothing is now very tattered, but he still puts it on. Until it's literally unwearable, he keeps using things.

#headcanon #about gaius

[aterlupus]

I put the new fat cat set on him because I saw people doing that to other characters. There is something funny about how serious he looks in it...

#just remembered this #hgjhkjl #Gaius

[aterlupus]

i always miss my aunties this time of year…

#Maslenitsa #aes #garlemald