kissofthemis

[kissofthemis]

Ace in the Hole

“Can I push my luck a little further this time?”

The words were heavy on his flushed lips and still hovered in the air long after he’d spoken them. Perhaps the heat emanating from his body and hers alike had created a dense atmosphere, thickly laden with the warmth of their bodies, their breaths, and their hearts.

This heat did not dissipate after she had thrown her arms around his neck, and following her touch as a guide, his lips found their way to her neck. This was the logical next step, was it not? Although logic was not at the forefront of Artem’s brain right now, as he tried to follow instinct instead to determine his next course of action. Every step, every touch, every word… they were all supposed to flow naturally from his gut feelings, were they not?

“Are you… still feeling uneasy?”

Her gentle question caught him off guard–the last thing he needed in this moment.

But perhaps… it was also exactly what he needed.

He was silent for a moment as he pondered how to respond. 

“Can I push my luck a little further this time?”

The words were heavy on his flushed lips and still hovered in the air long after he’d spoken them. Perhaps the heat emanating from his body and hers alike had created a dense atmosphere, thickly laden with the warmth of their bodies, their breaths, and their hearts.

This heat did not dissipate after she had thrown her arms around his neck, and following her touch as a guide, his lips found their way to her neck. This was the logical next step, was it not? Although logic was not at the forefront of Artem’s brain right now, as he tried to follow instinct instead to determine his next course of action. Every step, every touch, every word… they were all supposed to flow naturally from his gut feelings, were they not?

“Are you… still feeling uneasy?”

Her gentle question caught him off guard–the last thing he needed in this moment. But perhaps… it was also exactly what he needed.

He was silent for a moment as he pondered how to respond. 

Don’t think too much , he had been told over and over again in his life. You overthink everything. You overanalyze. You worry too much. You’re wasting your life away by thinking.

A trait which had served him well in his academics, his career, and even his hobbies: Mockingjay would not be such a well-renowned film reviewer without the effortful analysis and pensive perspective that Artem used when watching various films.

But this attribute of his, to think before acting, to always be thinking, planning, strategizing, analyzing, had rendered his social life and romantic life to be… virtually nonexistent.

Until now.

Read the remainder on ao3, here!

#tears of themis #tot #artem wing #Artem x Rosa #asexual #asexuality #I'm sorry to have to send y'all to ao3 but the fic is too long to post here apparently #Happy birthday Artem!!!!

[kissofthemis]

so this official merch bothers me

Disclaimer: It's ADORABLE, and I love when Hoyo includes references and Easter eggs to their other games. These tidbits really emphasize the Hoyo-VERSE as one integrated whole. (Don't get me started on my theory on the TOT characters' pupils.)

But... why is Marius given a Cryo slime? He's purple, first of all, which makes Electro make more sense. Aside from color coordination, however... Electro is ruled by the archon of ETERNITY. Marius' symbol is the Ouroborous in an INFINITY shape. Infinity goes on forever... or, you could say, for an ETERNITY.

Doesn't that just make more sense??

I understand if they didn't want to repeat elements, and there is a morbid irony in giving Luke the Electro slime and its associations with eternity. I just think Luke could have easily been Geo instead.

These are the things I think about. Sorry LOL

#tears of themis #tot #luke pearce #marius von hagen #genshin impact #rosa rambles #at least Vyn and Artem are on point #Vyn as Freedom hits like a TRUCK

[kissofthemis]

Artem (from Tears of Themis) + Grim Reaper Halloween Costume commission for @doridoripawaa! ⚖️☠️

#did I tell y'all about the time I commissioned Reaper Artem because I was so disappointed in Android Artem? #Anyway stop making autistic and asexual-coded characters be robots 2k24 #artem wing #tears of themis #tot #sapphireicecream is an art GODDESS!!! She's very into genshin and mystic messenger if u ever wanna comm her #rosa reblogs

[kissofthemis]

me: I should write more fluffy things. Most of my Themis stuff is angst.

also me: (decides to write some more gut-wrenching angst)

#Please send fluffy or silly prompts I'm begging #rosa rambles

[kissofthemis]

itching to write but I have a trial next week... sorry for inactivity 😓

#I'm not in charge of the case but I'm helping with a lot of prep stuff and it's. Aaaaaaaaaa. #rosa rambles

[kissofthemis]

artem was born in april because he is autistic. hope this helps.

#tears of themis #tot #artem wing #rosa rambles #respectfully if you can't see it... we are not playing the same game

[kissofthemis]

working from home if anyone wants to send quick headcanon or drabble requests for 1-2 boys

[kissofthemis]

drops my ocs (and my Rosa; her pfp is by chipupuni) and RUNS

#tot #tears of themis #oc #cmc #rosa rambles #Ena is lying about her age btw

[kissofthemis]

lifting the shorter one up so they can be seen in photos w/ highschool lukerosa!

This photographer really needed to work on visualization skills.

"I understand the reasoning putting us in alphabetical order," Rosa murmured, "but is it really necessary for a group this small?"

The school's ordinary photographer, who had been serving the school for ages, had finally retired. However, he did so at the worst possible time-- right before the yearbook committee needed to send in all their final photos to have the yearbook bound! The school had been scrambling to find a replacement on short notice, and only by a stroke of luck had they managed to book someone before the deadline. Now, all of the clubs and organizations in school had to get their photos taken in a single day, which had caused utter chaos on campus.

And perhaps because everyone, including the photographer, was struggling with the time crunch, some decisions had been made that were...

Well, in Rosa's blunt opinion, inadequate. Bad, even. (She would never say that aloud, however. She always strove to be polite, and she would choose words such as "curious," "interesting," "not quite optimal," or even "rough around the edges.")

Luke whistled softly as he surveyed the group. "I mean, there are enough of us that we can't all fit in one line, so..."

"That's exactly the problem!"

Rosa had always prided herself on her academic prowess and her intellect. When she was nominated to join the school's academic team, she glowed with joy for a solid week. Even in the modern era, many academics could be snobby about women who aspired to great heights. They would dismiss women as merely being good at maybe one or two subjects, but never worthy of being a scholar.

As if every famed male scientist could write compelling essays, or every prestigious male historian could do mental math.

So Rosa had been the only girl selected for the academic team, as she in fact was well-rounded in all subjects. She studied a wide breadth of topics in order to represent not only her school or herself, but all the girls whose brilliant minds were overlooked solely because stuck-up, conservative old farts couldn't look past their manicures or their makeup.

Her hard work had paid off; she had been the second highest point scorer in competitions for the entire season! Second to none other than Luke Pearce, her dearest companion and constant thorn in her side.

"But my name puts me in the back," Rosa went on, urging Luke (who did not seem worthy of that first place accolade right now) to see the issue. "I'm the only girl, and I am also--"

"Oh, no! Rosa, you're short!"

That was a bit too direct. Rosa clutched her chest and tried to ignore the blow to her self-esteem. "N-not short! Just... shorter than most of the team!"

Luke was not listening to her indignant mumbling. He waved towards the photographer, but unfortunately the photographer and staff were too absorbed in their work. They hardly had time to waste, after all. "Mmm... that's no good."

Rosa sighed and leaned onto Luke's shoulder in defeat. "Maybe I'll raise my hand so some part of me shows. Oh, but I'll probably get yelled at. I would have packed heels if I had expected th--"

All at once, Rosa shot up in height.

She suppressed a startled screech as her feet left the ground and she dangled loosely in midair.

No, not loosely. In fact, she almost felt... secure, as she felt two large, warm, comforting hands gripping onto her waist.

"L-Luke?"

"Problem solved! Ta-dah!"

"P-problem not solved! How long can you hold me?!"

"As long as it takes!"

"This isn't sustainable!"

"Should you get on my shoulders instead?"

"Luke Pearce!!!"

#tears of themis #tot #luke pearce #Rosa #luke x rosa #thanks for the ask! #go shatter those glass ceilings queen!!! but that might be hard because you're small --

[kissofthemis]

AU where Giann returns and mc falls in love on sight, (poor Marius)

A clean, composed canvas. Every brushstroke carefully measured, every color meticulously selected.

Marius von Hagen was the sort of person who prepared every aspect of his existence in advance. In his position, he could not afford to not be over-prepared, as he was painfully aware that he had more enemies than friends. Whether the target was Pax, Z, or even just Marius himself, the amount of targets on his back required the young man to anticipate every possible situation, every possible outcome, and every possible next step... and to plan accordingly.

Of course, even the Pax Group's CEO was a mere mortal, and he could not account for the occasional obstacles or stumbles in his path. Even Marius von Hagen, of all people, could be taken by surprise. Usually he was able to fix those sudden little splatters and jagged strokes, covering them with his own colors and incorporating them into his greater picture.

Today, however?

Buckets and buckets, mismatched colors and hues, shades of all kinds, drowning the once sensible, orderly painting.

A torrential downpour of chaos descended onto Marius' precisely curated canvas, throwing his mind and his world into disarray.

When the door to the NXX meeting room cracked open, Marius had fully expected it to be Vyn trudging in late. As haughty as the psychiatrist could be, he was notoriously not a morning person, and Marius had made it his personal mission to give Vyn grief every time he was not exactly on time. (Perhaps more accurately, when he was not at least 3 minutes early. Was that unfair? Perhaps. Did Vyn deserve it? Absolutely.)

But the man who stumbled into the room was significantly taller, with hair significantly darker, and a face that was significantly less punchable.

Everything around him faded and dimmed, to backgrounds not fully developed as he focused on the person taking center stage in his painting. He thought Rosa might have jumped up behind him, but her startled words as she clung to Luke were not discernible. Luke's voice was mere static in Marius' brain, but he sounded angry and accusatory.

A figure moved out of the corner of his eye; judging from the size and colors, Artem. Of course, Artem would know who had just intruded on what was supposed to be a private meeting, for a top-secret group.

But Marius was not going to allow anyone to make a move before him.

All of the young heir's senses returned at once, and he darted forward, pushing his long legs to their limit so he would be the first one to the newcomer's side.

Much to his relief, Artem did not stop him.

"Giann!" Marius cursed himself internally for the way his voice cracked, for showing an ounce of weakness, but he would just hope that the other three people here would extend some mercy. "Giann, you're home!"

After all, his beloved older brother had been off the grid for so long, and now... and now he was in Marius' arms again!

Marius flung his arms around his brother, causing the older von Hagen to wince slightly. But Giann did not retreat; instead he leaned into Marius' shoulders and returned the embrace, albeit weakly.

What a funny scene, for Marius to be holding his taller, older brother like this.

"Sorry for making you wait."

"I'll tell you how to pay me back later."

Now that he was grounded, now that he knew for a fact that the person in front of him was his dear brother, now that he knew he was not dreaming or fantasizing or hallucinating or reminiscing, the rest of the background began to seep more fully into Marius' mind. He was able to transform the mismatched buckets of colors, weave them and brush them and mix them into something new. It was not what he had envisioned, these hues or shapes or patterns, but it was his. He could handle this again.

He would be stronger with Giann here, after all.

"Giann?" Rosa's voice was clearer now in his head. "Mister Giann von Hagen, sir?"

"How do we know it's actually him?" Luke's wary words came out in a low growl, and Marius whipped his head around immediately to provide a stinging retort.

"I also know Giann, as I worked with him on the NXX cases prior to your arrival," Artem reminded the others calmly, "and while I appreciate your caution, I do not believe it is necessary, Luke. That man is undoubtedly the real one."

Marius made a mental note that he owed Artem for speaking up on his brother's behalf.

"Mister Giann von Hagen, sir!" When had Rosa approached? Her footsteps were so quiet, despite the way her eyes were glowing with wonder and her body was practically quivering with excitement. "Ah, I mean... please pardon my interruption!"

"No need to apologize. If you're here, then I know you are a person who both Artem Wing and my brother trust." Giann straightened up to his full height (much to Marius' chagrin), giving Rosa a polite but feeble smile.

The way Rosa began bouncing on her tiptoes did not escape Marius' notice.

"Jiejie..." Marius whined as he adjusted his position, still standing (nearly) shoulder to shoulder with his brother. "You never address me so politely... I'm just Marius to you... just the brat... You don't even call me King...."

"King?" Giann echoed. "Is that the codename you chose for yourself?"

A deep flush illuminated Marius' face, stretching from ear to ear and covering him in a faint red glow. "I... For the Pax Group and our family name, obviously! I had to do them justice, you know!"

"Obviously. I know."

Still reeling as he tried to recover from being mortified by his brother in front of the woman he had a massive crush on, not to mention the other two dorks on the other side of the room, Marius averted his gaze.

But even without looking at Rosa, he could hear the excited lilt in her voice and imagine the way she was beaming as she continued to speak. "Marius has spoken so highly of you! I have had no doubt in my mind that you must be a wonderful person, and it is such an honor to meet you, sir!"

A gentle laugh left his brother's lips. "No need to be so formal. Clearly you and Marius are good friends, so you are already a friend of mine."

Good friends. Marius felt as though a paint scraper had been stabbed into his chest. "Let's sit down, Giann," he urged. "You seem really exhausted."

Giann did not argue, instead allowing Marius to guide him to the couches and seats further in the room.

"I am so sorry!" Rosa piped up as soon as they sat down. "You clearly need time to recover! Any of my questions can wait for a later time!"

Giann waved his hand dismissively. "I don't mind. Really." He smiled, with soft glow like that of a sunrise about to brighten up the world. "I want to learn about you. And about this young man, too." He nodded to Luke.

Whether Luke ever got to speak to Giann that day, Marius could not recall. He was too focused on the way in which Rosa's eyes sparkled, in the way in which she leaned forward when Giann spoke, in the way in which her hands fiddled nervously with the edges of her sleeves, in the way in which her left foot tapped with a mix of eagerness and anxiety, in the way in which her voice hummed when she responded to his questions, in the way in which her chest seemed to tremble as her rapid heartbeat burst against her ribcage.

She did not only bask in the glow of Giann's warmth and glory, but she returned it in full force.

Oh. Of course.

Giann was the true genius. Giann was the true leader. Giann was the go-getter, the organizer, the one who people loved. Marius was only ever a substitute, an inferior stand-in. Whether as president of Pax, or as a member of the NXX... Marius was never meant to stay. Marius' job was simply to ensure that nothing fell apart, and to keep Giann's name in good standing. To ease Giann's transition back into his rightful role when he returned. Marius was just... a child, a dreamer, an idealistic fool.

No wonder Rosa was enamored with Giann. Maybe she even loved him, or would love him soon.

A blank canvas, devoid of color, light, or life.

In all fairness, Marius preferred Giann von Hagen to Marius von Hagen, too.

#tears of themis #tot #marius von hagen #giann von hagen #angst #unrequited feelings #thank you for the ask! #I know I spent a lot of time on Marius' thoughts rather than Rosa but... I like exploring Marius' pain :'D #I AM ALSO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG... posting consistency? don't know her #skynapple

[kissofthemis]

LARGE

#rosa rambles #Sorry for inactivity mental health has been silly goofy (bad) #but I am getting help at work to lighten the load! :)

[kissofthemis]

now bear with me but i think:

the funniest way for luke to realize hes bisexual is late in the game once hes already in a relationship with mc and mc is trying her darndest to wrangle the other nxx boys into their relationship as well, polycule style, and luke is like "huh i wonder why that doesnt bother me? well, i love the team the same way i love her too and—WAIT i LOVE THE TEAM the SAME WAY i LOVE HER TOO???" like he figures it out by the time hes already got feelings, skipped right past even being aware of the attraction, the oblivious dolt (affectionate), and hes much too deep into the whole thing by this point to argue with himself against it. it simply never occurred to him before because he had mc tunnel vision and so the realization hits him like an unannounced brick to the face

the funniest way for artem to realize hes bisexual is through watching Pride and Prejudice (2005) and getting a crush on both lizzy and darcy

the funniest way for vyn to realize hes bisexual is that hes known all along and he lords that fact over the others any chance he can get. like, "psh, you didnt figure out early? is this what the kids these days call a 'skill issue'?"

the funniest way for marius to realize hes bisexual is getting a crush on vyn during their first tutoring session and promptly wanting to jump out of the room through the window about it

the funniest way for mc to realize shes bisexual is meeting ingrid rosworth

#rosa reblogs #These are all amazing

[kissofthemis]

hii can you write boyfriend head canons of luke? specifically him being protective and being our golden retriever man (although if you want to be really technical he’s more german shepherd…) love your writing!!!

Thank you for your kind words, Anon! ;u; And yes, Luke is like a combination... A German Retriever? Golden Shepherd? 🤔

💛 Luke as Your Boyfriend 💛

Luke is easy-going when it comes to making plans. Whatever you want, he will happily oblige. Want to see a movie?Bowling? Aquarium? Whatever makes you happy!

Luke has mastered the death glare when someone looks at you the wrong way. He doesn't want to make a scene in public places, but if someone looks at you with a lascivious or scornful eye? His arm goes around your waist, he will pull you tight, he will gush over you and dote on you in a manner that seems very natural... but the glare he gives those scum? Icy enough to chill your bones, sharper than the cruelest knife.

He loves trying new things with you. He doesn't know how much time he has left, so he wants to give you every possible experience and memory that he can. (Plus he just loves challenging himself! Bring on the recipe! The resin crafts! The Renaissance fair!)

Luke simultaneously will chide you if you don't finish your meal and then devour your leftovers. Luke, do you want me to clean my plate or not??

Sometimes needs to be reined in. While in public he keeps a low profile, if you get catcalled on the street or in a more private place (e.g. parking lot, small store)? He has dislocated a few shoulders and caused his fair share of bruises and scrapes. A fired-up Luke will listen to you. But if he dips into Raven mode? Then you have to be proactive and physically stop him. Sometimes you have to grab and pull at his hand or arm, but sometimes a simple touch on the shoulder will do. He needs you to ground him.

Luke's love language is 100% acts of service. He's also big on physical touch (let's be real, our tough secret agent is so lonely & touch-starved), but when he can do something to make you smile? That's worth more than gold to him.

When he wakes up from nightmares, he seeks you out. He wants to feel safe and secure, and holding you (or if you're lucky, he'll let you be the big spoon) helps calm him down. He likes to hear your heartbeat when he's stressed out. (If you aren't living together yet, he will probably call you... or listen to a recording of your voice. You know he has several.)

Luke can be overbearing. It's a combination of alpha male complex (thanks, NSB) and worrying about anything happening to you. You sometimes have to stand your ground and set boundaries. "If I need help, I will ask. I promise I can handle taking a pan out of the oven, Luke!"

Luke may or may not have bitten a guy once. He doesn't want to talk about it.

#tears of themis #tot #luke pearce #Luke x reader #gn!reader #Headcanon #Thanks for the ask! #Anon

[kissofthemis]

nothing worse than having a fic done and just needing to TITLE IT

[kissofthemis]

quiet acts of love that make me cry 🫂

prompt list by @novelbear

always giving the other the first bite of their food

^ or the last bite

gently resting their head on their shoulder when taking a picture/peeking at something

kisses. on. the. tip. of. the. nose.

zipping or buttoning their jacket for them

when they follow the sidewalk rule :(

^ like imagine realizing it as they gently take the other's wrist and guide them to the other side...omg

waiting until they safely reach the front of the door or get inside before driving off

"did you eat today?"

softly dusting crumbs from their cheeks when eating

^ or even better: kissing it off

"wear a jacket, it's cold out."

watching a movie or show that they know they're interested in.

^ not because they asked them to, but to be able to engage in more conversation related to it when they adorably ramble on and on.

doing their makeup for them

"i brought you flowers." "for what?" "there has to be a reason?"

keeping a few of their favorite snacks in the house for when they visit.

opening the door for them or pulling their seat out before they sit down

lifting the shorter one up so they can be seen in photos

absentmindedly playing with their hair at all times

fixing their clothes a little for them when noticing something is off

#Ask prompts #Pls....

[kissofthemis]

Sorry for delays. I'm alive but barely LOL. March was supposed to be easier than February, but... work has in fact been BRUTAL.

On a brighter note, I got Rosa v1 secondhand! The scrunklies are keeping me going 🤲

I'll try to answer some headcanons this weekend! Or little paragraph drabbles (i.e. send me a word or emoji, and I write a paragraph about it).

Work hard! Do justice!

#rosa rambles #i'm so eepy

[kissofthemis]

Not sure about anyone else but I re-read all my favourite AO3 comments when I’ve had a rough day so if you’ve ever taken the time to write a deep, funny, or just kind comment, thank-you.