#at first you’re like ‘really

[thranduel]

some thoughts about astarion because i'm tired of the internet reducing him to one thing

when bg3 came out in early access, astarion was always seen as the extremely flirty, confident guy who enjoyed sex (or so we thought) and spoke about it like it was his favourite thing. he was also kinda marketed as the “sexy vampire”, so you can understand why many people saw him that way based on the little amount of content we had. even while playing act 1 and act 2, many players still might think of him like that because he does have a very charismatic personality and he asks to sleep with you very early on, so it just automatically makes you think he’s genuinely happy doing that and being totally serious.

BUT!!!!!!! we end up finding out later on that’s NOT the case and it was all part of a plan to seduce us in order for him to gain protection. he opens up about his past and his trauma and how he was forced to use his body to lure people back to cazador. he struggles with intimacy and relationships in general because of this. that’s why i really hope that people stop reducing him to “hot sexy vampire that loves flirting and having sex with everyone” when that is not who he is, he’s literally traumatised because of sex due to being forced into it and he’s slowly trying to heal. he’s also so much more than just “the hot vampire”, ya know? if you actually put in the effort to get to know him, you will see who he truly is underneath and he has many loveable traits to appreciate.

you may not see the “soft” side of him very often because he hides it, but it’s there!! one thing i noticed that really stood out to me was that when i gave food to an orphan in act 3 and he approved. back when you first met him, he probably would’ve done the opposite or had no reaction at all. i also saw a clip of someone trying to romance karlach and astarion and he literally told tav to choose karlach over him because he can see that karlach loves her. he said normally an arrangement would work for him but after everything karlach has been through, he doesn’t want to get in the way or see her hurt. letting tav go is also hard for him as well but he still thought about someone else. he could’ve whined or been possessive or jealous but he didn’t do that at all. where are all those people who reduce astarion to “the guy that flirts and sleeps with everyone” now? seriously. that’s not what he does, and when he was forced into it by cazador, he was trying to survive, he didn’t do it for his own pleasure. it’s not a “hot” personality trait of his, it’s literally trauma. and because he did it so much, he got used to it, and that resulted in him disassociating and feeling empty.

apparently if you ask him to join you and sleep with the drows at the brothel (something i will never make him do in my playthroughs), he only says yes because he struggles to say no. but he disassociates. and if you’re in a high approval relationship with him and he loves you, he will feel safe enough to express his feelings and say he’s not comfortable. this happens before you fight cazador. i’m not sure if he gives the same response after, but either way, if he joins in, he will always disassociate and it’s not something he wants to do despite what he may say.

that being said, it’s obviously still okay to appreciate his beauty and attractiveness, because he is very beautiful. he appreciates it and even likes being called beautiful. calling him “hot” and “sexy” isn’t a bad thing either, we know he can be and i'm sure he knows it too! it’s just annoying when people act like that’s ALL he is and they don’t even mention anything else about his character. the love scenes are beautifully done too (i personally prefer the second one after you’ve stopped him from doing the ritual, because that’s the one where he decided he truly wanted it and felt safe and comfortable because he genuinely loves you), and i actually would’ve been fine if they didn’t have any scenes like that at all because it’s totally understandable and valid if he didn’t feel comfortable, but i just hope that people don’t take things too far and over-sexualise him just because of how he appeared to be in the first half of the game and the way he’s often marketed on social media. and yes i know he’s fictional and nothing on the internet is going to hurt his feelings!!!! it’s more about the fact that he canonically has sexual trauma and many people still say really disturbing stuff even AFTER they find out about that, and it just makes me uncomfortable to think that people are okay with treating someone like a sexual object especially when they've said they're traumatised and it makes them uncomfortable. idk if this makes sense 😭

but yeah he doesn't want to flirt and sleep with everyone as i've seen people claim. and if in an alternate universe he did, and he did it on his OWN terms, and the other people he had relationships with enjoyed it too, then good for them! absolutely nothing wrong with that if there's consent, respect and honesty. however, that's not the case with what happened with astarion, because 1. he was forced into using his body WHEN HE DID NOT WANT TO and 2. he misled people and lured them to a miserable fate. it's so horrible and devastating for everyone involved. sex was never something fun for him, and it certainly isn't a "personality trait" of his. it was a survival tactic. he was forced to. he didn’t want to.

obviously when he becomes more comfortable, then it's totally understandable to get excited when he flirts and shows physical affection. he can be so charming, funny, sweet and romantic and i love that. it’s so beautiful to see him heal, genuinely find comfort in someone for the first time and experience intimacy that he feels ready and comfortable for. he deserves to love and be loved on his own terms instead of being forced. but again, he is so much more than the guy we were introduced to at the beginning. the internet just sees one thing and sticks with it but i really hope people start to actually appreciate him for who he is and the complexity of his character.

aaaaand i just had to leave this here <3

#astarion #baldur’s gate 3 #bg3 #sorry for rambling i’ve just been very emotional about him recently 😭 #also i hope people remember that even if he NEVER EVER wanted to have sex again he is 100% valid #he does not have to change or force himself to feel a certain way #especially after everything he’s been through #and if you think he does then you’re gross. he doesn’t owe anyone ANYTHING #anyways #when he kept apologising for not sleeping with tav i wanted to cry #there is literally a scene where if you tell him halsin is interested in you he says it’s ok to go to him #but then he gets concerned and asks if it’s because he hasn’t slept with you for a while #and i wanted to cry #he should NEVER have to feel guilty for that #honestly the only reason why i think he might eventually feel comfortable with sex again is because -> #in act 3 after his genuine love confession after you help him defeat cazador he initiates it himself #and it feels like it’s something he truly wants after developing a strong emotional bond with someone for the first time #and i think that’s really beautiful that he chose to do it on his own terms when he felt ready #but also #for a while i wasn’t sure if he was repulsed and uncomfortable by sex in general and hated it entirely #or if he only feels comfortable after he develops a strong emotional bond #the only reason i think the second one now is because of what happened in act 3 #but regardless whatever it is i just want him to feel safe and comfortable and happy #my posts

[thief-of-eggs]

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but you are allowed to have a favorite character out of a particular ship. You’re allowed to mostly focus on that character in any fics or art you create. You’re allowed to have a lesser understanding of their counterpart. You do not need to have every ounce of lore in order to ship them. Heck- you can even just like a ship for vibes.

Just because you love a ship doesn’t mean both characters are your absolute favorites. You’re allowed to relate more to one over the other. You’re allowed to make that other character your focus.

#i’ve seen soooo many people get butt hurt when a person focuses on tim in timkon #like… we are ALLOWED to relate to tim more… #which is why i usually write from tim’s pov #i ADORE kon #but i relate much more to tim #which is why i write fic?? i write it for me first #and tim is a character i can really see myself in #anyways #this goes for any ship #you’re allowed to have favorites!!! #you don’t need to know every ounce of lore to ship them !! #timkon #ships #fandoms #birdflash #dc #marvel #harry potter #star wars

[l3irdl3rain]

How is my best friend Arthur has he helped you baldur any gates

He’s been good! My washing machine broke last week and I hauled it out the other day in preparation for the new one and he’s been loving his new Top Secret Hiding Spot.

We are taking a little bit of a Baldur’s Gate break right now just because I was getting burnt out. We’re slowly making our way through Mass Effect Andromeda for the second time. I’m very excited to get back to BG3 tho.

I left off right at the start of Act 2. I’m playing a Githyanki monk named Ez’rai and spent way too much time coming up with a backstory for them. I’m going to be romancing Wyll this time. I think Ez’rai growing up in such a harsh culture that didn’t have room for soft romance will go together in such a fun and cute way with Wyll. A noble’s son who is just so sweet and romantic and good.

#been too busy to play much vidya games the past week or two #I spent SO much time on DND wiki #and I feel like it’s plausible with the already set lore. which obviously doesn’t really matter bc it’s just for fun #but it’s important to me that it feels plausible lol #their crèche went rogue. anti Vlaakith teachings as well as teaching that the githzerai and githyanki should reunite #to have a better chance of defeating the mindflayers #for obvious reasons Vlaakith was NOT a fan of this #Vlaakith sent people to destroy the crèche and Ez’rai was one of the only ones who survived #all the survivors eventually either died or ended up split up somehow #makes for an extra interesting dynamic with Lae’zel and also Orpheus (even tho I have to imagine it all in my head lol) #anyways BG3 was my first introduction to DND lore so if you’re a seasoned pro and this seems so far fetched to you I’m sorry #I’m just having fun with my blorbos #my post #Arthur #ask

[trickstump]

I’m trying to have a hashtag nuanced and thoughtful take on this, but I think it all boils down to “you can’t #troll the nostalgia fest if you do it twice.”

#jack's shit #like first time i get it. That was so fucking funny #But i think round 2 you’re just unironic #And AS A MATTER OF PERSONAL OPINION NOT CONDEMNATION #I think that’s really fucking lame. I think this whole fest is lame #I get why bands do it I do #And I understand why and how one would be excited for it #But like. It’s. Lame. #< I am a hating ass bitch <3 amen.

[ghostdrinkssoup]

hannigram are not enemies to lovers they’re friends to lovers who keep breaking up, except each breakup is more devastating than the last

#‘it’s complicated’ #at first I was gonna say the situationship breakup only happens later and that s1 is a friendship breakup #but that’s not even true hannibal already decided they were co-parenting abigail in s1 #tfw you’re not really dating your psychiatrist but he’s also not really your psychiatrist but also he’s not really your friend either #but he’s also your closest companion and you’re parenting a kid together but also you wouldn’t call him your boyfriend or anything #and then he breaks your heart and sends you to jail for his crimes #but it’s not like he’s your archnemesis now or anything he’s just sleeping on the couch #just typical friends to lovers shenanigans #nbc hannibal #hannibal #will graham #hannigram #ghost speaks

[nartothelar]

Even without his request for the Zoroark to turn into Emmet, Ingo is a friendly, open and kind person... Even without his memories he still has a very open, positive and respectful attitude towards Pokemon. Given how many Pokemon are feared across Hisui, I think especially Zorua and Zoroark face a lot of negativity when encountered, I feel like having suddenly someone treating the Pokemon kindly and friendly is weird at first but definitely welcoming. It probably didn't even took that long for the Zoroark and Ingo starting to have conversations. (in my thoughts it likely started with demands of certain types of food and evolved from there) And the more they warm up to each other the more they appreciate each others company, making the Zoroark less bitter and lonely and Ingo gets a sense of familiarity and comfort seeing Emmet again, as well as helping another lonely soul.

It makes me wonder if the Zoroark ever makes the connection that the person he reflects back to him isn't just a weird mirror version of Ingo but a person very near and dear to him. What I do think is that they indeed form a very close friendship that in a few ways mirrors the brotherly bond Ingo and the actual Emmet had.

(you might think that no one remembers him but I do, I loved the comic you first created way back when so much that I also made a lengthy ask a while back wishing to see more of it, I was very thankful and grateful back then and I'm very much looking forward to see the new one done soon! Take all the time you need though! Good things need their time! Thank you!)

reassurance

- ingo realizes that maybe continuously bothering someone to talk with you until they fold might’ve been rude 💀 but zoroark is too chill (and lonely) to really mind sksk

- though a few form packs, hisuian zoroarks tend to live and hunt alone

- ingo gets most of the gifts he brings from the pearl clan or jubilife village since the foods zoroark requests are fancier than what he usually eats

- melli notices when ingo leaves for his visits

- previous comic

#WAHHH IM REALLY GLAD YOU LIKE THE AU 🥺💖 it’s one of my faves even though I don’t really talk about it #but you’re def right in that ingo was one of the first humans in a while that treated them as anything other than a threat #ingo and the zoroark #ingo #nobori #zoroark #pla #pokemon legends arceus #pokemon #pokemon fanart #fanart #ask #tw eye contact

[iinryer]

still laughing about the part of the maddie and buck conversation where she’s trying to get to the heart of him essentially coming out to her and he keeps being like NOT THE POINT. and she’s like ISNT IT?????

#coming out to your big sister while pretending that’s not what you’re doing #actually you know what that’s so real. #the first time i came out to some friends i didn’t think of it that way bc I didn’t know that was a thing really?? #and one of them goes ‘did you just. come out to us?’ and I just started sputtering like WHAT NO. NO. WHAT DO YOU MEAN #HFHFHDDHDH #iinryer talk

[greg-montgomery]

what can i even say at this point

#ABOUT THE FIRST TWO ON TOP #visualise this with me 🙏🏻 #young!hotch best friends to lovers #you’re just friends 🙄 but he sees a random guy flirting with you at a party #and just stares at the two of you like this bc he can’t do really anything about it #cause you’re not his #(except you are) #UGHHHHHHHH #tg #pics

[a-small-writer-in-a-big-world]

Just a question: do you think ghost might have fallen in love with her just based on the fact she's always around, she's like the personification of 'home'? Nothing in particular at first he liked about her character or looks but the fact she's physically close to him, because it felt easy for him to fall for her?

I would say it’s definitely a factor.

But when you first moved in he thought you were pretty and at the time you both were more like two people living in the same place but not really seeing each other.

What hooked him was your ability to ground him with “mundane” talk. You talked about the normal stuff, things that he wasn’t used to but it made him feel normal, it made him feel alive and he was a little confused and scared because of it.

You basically became the calm to his chaos as you reminded about how life is outside of the military and then he realized that maybe living was okay. It was easy to fall for you because no one had treated him so much like a person before.

When you became “home” to him is when he knew that he was in love with you,

#asks #I hope it doesn’t sound #like he loves you for the wrong reasons #not because you’re an emotional therapist for him #but because you treated him like he was just some guy #because when you first met #he really was just some guy to you

[cometrose]

obsessed with zhongli x azhdaha lately like they were doomed from the start and they make my heart hurt a bit

a blind dragon yearning to see the sun and morax gives him eyes so he is the first thing he sees

MIND YOU zhongli is always represented by the sun (this is just like being stabbed)

azhdaha himself said there was no one who trusted and respected morax more than he did

"that day in the chasm...did you hesitate?" "a heart of stone is a heart nonetheless" SHOOT ME

"you're leaving?" if you listen closely you can hear zhongli's heart crash and shatter into pieces when he realizes azhdaha can't stay

rage beneath the mountain is one of my favorite pieces of genshin music it is so good

azhdaha is the moon and zhongli is the sun (why don't i just die)

im telling you they were DOOMED cause morax is like "lets form a contract and be friends but if you hurt my people i will stop you" thats how you knew it was already fucked

zhongli trying to hold back azhdaha's erosion with his own strength for as long as he could but he couldn't do it and having to watch his friend turn into a shell of himself

zhongli having to steel himself and lock away his feelings as he seals his partner in a prison within the earth and its implied that this is contributed to his own erosion

eroded azhdaha calling zhongli an usurper who stole his throne but this also means the true azhdaha did not care for the title and loved zhongli and humanity

that one event where zhongli returns to azhdaha's domain and leaves wine there

the 5* liyue golden bow trapped in beta and the description is that zhongli asks azhdaha "if we can ride on your back we could visit the palace on the moon" and the thought of morax sitting on azhdaha's back as they roam the mountains makes my chest ache

the betrayal hurts even more because azhdaha is saying all of these hurtful things and doing horrible things and morax knows this isn't the real him but he can't do anything to stop him

azhdaha seeing morax's face before he was sealed away and accepting his fate

more beta bow lore (it’s called Dreams of Dragonfell) is that in his prison azhdaha is distraught over breaking his relationship with zhongli and humanity that he treasured so much he doesn’t understand why he did such a thing but the memory itself is painful

tragic doomed from the start dragon yaoi i would not wish this on anyone

#JUST SICK i might cry #weep weep sob #azhdaha #zhongli #rezhong #they were partners and friends and companions #azhdaha yearned to see the sun and the first thing he sees is morax YOU ARE HIS SUN MORAX IS HIS STAR #THEY WERE DOOMED #i got to get zhongli a partner that wont perish before him! #hold on im trying im trying but it seems you are really doomed to die alone IM SORRY MY LOVE #azhdaha: jade as brilliant as the sun #me: okay i know you’re in love but you need to relax #i haven’t even mentioned the SONG azh’s cn va sang LIKE THERES A WHOLE SONG #did i tell you that they used to write poems for each other?

[napping-sapphic]

Telling people i’m too shy to start talking to people and dating only for them to tell me to just meet people online like bestie i’m shy online too😭😭

#wlw #wlw mood #sapphic #sapphism #lesbian #they’re like ‘just send someone a message or something’ like no i would die wtf #wlw dating scene where we all stand in a room trying to avoid eye contact with each other #but if I’M too shy and YOU’RE too shy then who’s dating as a lesbian??🤔 #are people really attracted to confident girls or simply to the idea that someone else would message first🤔 #lesbian philosophical questions #anyway yeah very sorry i never talk to people i love yall but u scare me #i do not get people who get more confident online because i am simply The Same #perhaps even more awkward though #🙃

[slightly-depressed-sloth]

I think we as a fandom need to be talking more about Gus’ non-binary swag this season 

I refuse to believe either of these two are cis 

COMMISSIONS OPEN

#i mean c’mon #Hunter dresses like I did when I first came out #next time someone asks me what my gender is I’m just gonna show them an image of season 3 Gus #gus porter #agustus porter #gus owl house #Owl House #the owl house #toh #toh gus #toh hunter #hunter noceda #hunter #hunter wittebane #thanks to them #owl house season 3 #trans #are really cishet if you’re making homemade Star Trek cosplays? #The three watch look gives me sm gender envy ngl #non binary #slightlyslothdraws

[mellioops]

Trying to decide what hairstyle to give etho because I’m not a fan of the one I’ve been drawing lol

#ethoslab #etho #hermitcraft #hermitcraft fanart #me arts #the buzzcut one was mostly just for fun #I really like the first one but I feel like it’s too cool looking for etho 😭😂 #like sir you’re supposed to be a wet cat

[cheese-water]

I know I’m late but idc that person who tried to spread fake allegations about tubbo is so fucking stupid. Like yeah, the obviously fake story is telling enough but their lack of forethought as to what they’re actually doing is just crazy.

They outright used Tubbo’s name and blatantly accused him of a crime that he didn’t commit. AND if his viewers can defend him based on the limited evidence we have, I can only imagine what his lawyer could do if given the opportunity. This random person has potentially put themselves in so much legal trouble and for what? goddamn twitter likes???? Like congratulations, thanks to your actions not only will you rot in hell but also possible rot in jail as well.

It hasn’t even been a month since Cellbit’s twitter calúnia case was made public and yet we still have people who don’t understand that their actions have consequences ESPECIALLY IF ITS FUCKING ILLEGAL

#discourse #tubbo #cellbit situation #ig #ask to tag #THATS THE FUCKING LAW #WHEN YOU DO A CRIME #YOU GO TO JAIL #anyway whenever I see of critics of victims stories saying there’s not enough context or it’s too vague or too much “flowery language” #my eyes roll into the back of my head #like first of all shut the fuck up #if you’re only opinion of abuse accusations is about minimizing the victim #nobody wants to hear it #and second of all you really don’t understand the severity of these situations #there are reasons why abusers identities were confirmed indirectly and not on stream #amongst more legal jargon victims have to hoop through if they ever want to share their story #always support victims #just be aware of what you read and believe #stupid people have a hard time pretending they’re not #and anyone willing to falsely accuse people who can and will sue the hell outta them is stupidity itself

[sashasylvaart]

Fairy Lights

Reblogs super appreciated!

#I DEFINETLY DIDNT POST THIS TO THE WRONG BLOG AT FIRST OOPS. MUTUALS YOU SAW NOTHING. IT WAS ALWAYS HERE #this was going to be an adopt but I spent like #19 hours on this and I’m super proud of it and I would not get my moneys worth for it #so unless you’re willing to pay like 190. #it’s not going to be sold #tho if you did pay be 190 bucks I would love you forever lmao #I will put out actual adopts that I don’t spend 3 eternities rendering and stuff. I just really liked this design and had fun with it #skeleton #skull #deer skull #fairy lights #mage #moth #moths #anthro #bug art #skull art #character design #creature #creature design #my art #sashasylva #magic #fantasy

[pansyfemme]

you have to be pretty in the way only transsexuals get. this is an order

#you ever notice that when i get anon hate they always go for how ugly and fat i am first #but whenever im talking to other trans people (the community i prefer to surround myself with) they all are really positive about my looks #and my weight? like yeah you’re really convincing that detransitioning would be a better life #trans communities are incredibly supportive of variations in apperance and its really refreshing #its like ohhh no i have a double chin? i never noticed that before #i know im fat and i know my presentation is not attractive to some people and im chill with that because the people who actually care about #me love that part of me and love how i look