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dhwty-writes · 4 years

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Chapter 15 - A Broken Solitude

Hello lovelies, I am back with another chapter. I'm so glad that the last one was so well received - especially the oath and Yennefer. Maybe I'll be tempted to write a short prequel about Jaskier and Yennefer and how they got down the mountain? We'll see how it goes. I also want it to be known that this chapter was filed as "Geralt vs. the Doublet" in my WIP's. You'll see why shortly.

Unfortunately, I also come bearing bad news: sadly, @persony-pepper will be unable to continue betaing this fic due to personal reasons. So, I guess if any of you is interested in doing that going forward, shoot me a message? I also have to announce that this is the last pre-written chapter and I am experiencing a minor wave of writer's block atm, so the next one might take a while. I apologise in advance. Have fun reading the chapter!

Summary: While Geralt is still wrestling with the implications of Jaskier's impending wedding, a new Pankratz sister comes to town. Surely, everything will be fine, right? Right.

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Geralt couldn't fucking sleep. It wasn’t a new problem, he was well aware of it. Maybe Jaskier even had a point when saying that worries were the cause for his temporary insomnia. The fact that he hadn’t so much as blinked since swearing himself to his not-friend was a pretty good clue.

But it wasn’t just that or the quiet noise that drifted towards him from behind closed doors. It wasn't as simple as Jaskier's confession of his impending marriage either, or the godsawful anger that seared through his body whenever he thought of it, or even the glaringly obvious lack of music, which was a rather vicious thorn in his side.

Why wasn't there music? There should be music. A dirge, maybe, playing in the distance. A requiem, to mourn the death of the Viscount’s freedom, his happiness, his soul. One last song to bid farewell to Jaskier the Bard. It would have been a welcome relief to drown out the silence that rang far too loud.

Geralt wasn’t stupid. He knew that was what it was. Jaskier had left him on that mountain, but he had never reached Lettenhove. Instead Julian Pankratz had risen from the dead, instead of staying in his grave where he fucking belonged. This marriage was nothing but another nail in the bard’s coffin.

And if that wasn’t enough, each passing day revealed more of the nightmarish monster that slumbered beneath Lettenhove's pretty facade. Geralt suspected it only just began rearing its head. 'He shouldn't have to,' was the mantra of madness that kept Geralt sane that night. 'He shouldn't have to, he shouldn't have, he shouldn't.'

He remembered his first instinct when he saw Jaskier again: ‘A curse. It had to be a curse.’ What else could shut him up, after sixteen years of grunts and insults? What else could make him lay down his lute, stop his singing, drive him home, if all the horror of the Path hadn’t been able to?

In a way, Geralt supposed, it was a curse. Not a proper one, of course, they were very different. But like one of those Jaskier used to sing about, pretty curses for pretty princesses that would be broken with a true love's kiss.

Only that this one wouldn't be. He wanted it to be, very much so. Maybe he even prayed for it to be, as stupid and futile as it was. A curse, he could do something about. A curse, he could break.

But this? This self-inflicted purgatory Jaskier was living in, dragging him deeper and deeper down the stairway of living hell with each passing day? There was nothing he could do about that.

Because Geralt had delivered him there and now Jaskier did not want to be rescued by him - if he wanted to be rescued at all. ‘He’s not being dragged,’ he thought glumly, ‘he follows willingly.’ He didn't have to choose this way, and yet he did because of... what exactly? Because a miserable witcher had showed up on his doorstep and their friendship was still important enough for him to sacrifice nothing short of his soul for that? Surely, that couldn't be it.

'It isn't,' he thought as he watched the sun rise on another day of misery. 'It's not for you that he's doing this, you heard him yourself.' And why would he be? He got a pretty young wife, a secure position and maybe even a new title out of it. Many people would do more for less. It shouldn't bother him as much as it did.

That was true for a lot of things. He had no right to be bothered by this marriage, nor did he have any right to resent the young lady that had overtaken his own place at his bard’s side. Nor should he be complaining about the very comfortable rooms he was residing in, that so clearly had belonged to someone much higher up the social food chain of Lettenhove than a jumped-up witcher. He tried not to think too much about who the noble in question had been. The answer to that question only made him uncomfortable.

He heard Jakub quietly knock on Jaskier's door to announce the looming arrival of one Lady Justyna of Kerton. The Viscount sighed along to the quiet whisper of silken sheets. "Alright then," he answered, "let the mummers' farce begin. Fetch me my motley, will you?" There was a joke in there, one that Geralt didn't quite get, too preoccupied with his own thoughts.

The news that yet another of Jaskier's sisters would join them in Lettenhove had left a sour taste in Geralt's mouth. He wasn't sure what to expect. But if Janina's delight, Józefa's indifference and Jaskier's jumpiness were anything to go by, he doubted it would be a pleasant experience for him.

'Here's to hoping it's better than the last visit for Jaskier,' he thought. The day of the oath still haunted him in his waking hours as well as his sleep, with the look of pure agony in Jaskier's eyes when he had told him of his betrothal out of his head. He just couldn't forget how the whole keep stank of onions and tears, mingling with Jaskier's smell that was as familiar to Geralt as his own. Or the way Jaskier's pinkie finger had trembled in his grasp, the way Jaskier's hands had closed around his, to pin him to the present with nothing more than a gentle squeeze. The way Jaskier had looked at him, a plethora of scented emotions swirling around them, cupping his cheek, caressing the outline of his cheekbone with his thumb-

"Fuck." Geralt sat up with a start and forced himself to get out of bed. He needed a bath. A cold one, preferably.

He cursed again when he heard Jaskier race down the stairs, and busying himself with... whatever he was doing in his study. So, a lick and a promise had to do and Geralt had to rely on his discipline to will the hot feeling coiling in his stomach away.

But even with his shortened ablutions he wasn't quite fast enough. He crouched before his chest in nothing but his breeches when his door burst open. "There you are, witche- ah," Jaskier stopped mid-sentence.

Since the Viscount couldn't see him, he allowed himself to smirk. "Told you to knock, my lord," he mumbled and pulled out a fresh shirt that he pulled over his head.

"Well, yes," Jaskier responded, stumbling only a little over his words, "and I also told you that I can go wherever it pleases me. My castle, remember?"

“I remember.” He dug out a quilted doublet he didn’t know he owned and began fiddling with the buttons.

"Now, where was I?” Geralt could hear the finger fidget he did so often now. Another one of the jittery days, then. “Right, you need to hurry up. My sister's almost at the gate, or so I am told, and you will greet her."

He rolled his eyes and rose to his feet, closing the front of the doublet in the process. "Of course, my ngh-" He turned and his words failed him.

Geralt would've been glad to say the first thing he noticed about Jaskier was his flushed face. Alas, that was not the case. 'He's wearing colour,' was the first thought that crossed his mind, closely followed by: 'Fuck.' After sixteen years of peacocking he should be used to this. After more than a month of mourning garb, though, it still came as a shock.

The Viscount de Lettenhove stood before him in all his glory. Of course, he was wearing the cursed red chemise again, that had drawn his eyes to Jaskier like a fucking target painted on his chest. 'Fuck.' Instead of black, Jaskier wore green, a frivolous velvet doublet embroidered with goldthread that didn't have any buttons. 'Of course, it doesn't have any buttons.' He supposed the silk lacing fit Jaskier and his chronic immodesty, that had been suspiciously absent the past weeks. The thigh-high boots the matching breeches were tucked neatly into, made Geralt's mouth go dry. He counted it as a small blessing that at least the shirt was buttoned up properly.

"Are you quite done yet?" Jaskier huffed and that was when he first noticed the blush burning bright on his cheeks. Geralt liked to imagine that he himself didn't look quite as flustered. His hopes weren't very high, though. "I know you glare at every speck of colour as if it's attacking you, personally, but I am, quite frankly, not in the mood today. So, you'll have to get used to it again, no matter how bad of a look you think it to be."

"I don't," he heard himself say before his brain had the chance to catch up. "It's not as offensive as the black."

Jaskier opened and closed his mouth like a stranded fish. “Hmm,” he said after a while.

“Hmm,” Geralt agreed, too preoccupied with how the light caught on the intricate goldwork with Jaskier’s every move for a conversation. He shifted from one foot to the other, showcasing the glittering strings that tied doublet and breeches together and Geralt couldn’t tear his gaze away.

"Can we go now?" Jaskier interrupted his musings once again.

"Do you want me to greet your sister barefooted," he shot back, "my lord?"

He just sighed and leaned against the door frame, waving his hand in boredom. "Get a move on, then. We haven't got all day."

"Yes, my lord," Geralt mocked and put on the soft stockings Ana, Marin's mother and the head cook, had gifted him before pulling on his boots. It was weird to be dressed all in new clothes. It felt like they didn't really belong to him. But it was nice, too. Nice to be given things. And not to worry about holes in his socks.

"Ready?" Jaskier asked impatiently.

"Ready, my lord," he confirmed. Jaskier turned and bolted immediately.

He quickly caught up with him. It wasn’t hard. Jaskier was very distracted that morning, staring down the stairs at nothing at all. He didn’t even notice Geralt approaching. Instead he started fidgeting again. He'd done that before, Geralt knew, and he recognised it as a tell-tale sign for the bard to lunge for his lute and start plucking at the strings. Only that there was no lute in sight. Only that he wasn't a bard anymore.

The urge to grasp his pinkie finger again was nearly overwhelming. Or better yet, to hug him tight, that all the tension pent up in Jaskier's body could seep deep into Geralt's bones. He’d done that before, too. It had been uncomfortable at first and he had growled and snapped at him. Only when even that hadn’t discouraged Jaskier, he’d learned to accept it. To anticipate it even.

‘How ironic,’ he thought, ‘to think how I hated it then and how I wish for it now that I’m not allowed to anymore.’ He didn't even have to ask to know that. "Nervous, my lord?" he asked instead.

"No," Jaskier replied and fiddled with the signet ring on his finger, "why would I be? She's my sister, after all."

Geralt raised his eyebrows at that. 'You tell me, my lord.' "I had the impression that your relationship with some of your sisters is rather strenuous."

Jaskier gasped indignantly. "Now thats-" He faltered and winced. "- probably true.” He looked almost pained when he dragged his focus back to their way downwards and began walking again. "There won't be anything to fear from dearest Konwalia, though. She loves me."

'I've heard that one before,' he thought but couldn't find it in him to act annoyed. "Hmm," he answered.

Jaskier scoffed, not very impressed. "Go on, witcher. Speak your mind. I can hear you mocking me even so."

He smiled. Of course he could. "I was just reminiscing on all the times you said this in the past, my lord," he answered. "And how often it led to us spending the night out in the rain."

Jaskier laughed and pushed the door to the courtyard open. "Well, you're in luck, Geralt," he said and spun to hold it open for him. "The chances of that are minimal."

Geralt snorted and stepped out into the freezing morning. Next thing he knew, the Viscount was on the floor, writhing and yelling, and shoving at the stranger who had tackled him.

Geralt cursed. How had he not seen that coming? He was a witcher, for fuck's sake. Fuck, he had just sworn to Jaskier that he would keep him safe and now this: "Get off me!" Jaskier shouted and kicked his legs. "You're crushing me, you horrible, horrible person! And ruining my doublet besid- no, not the sides, I’m ticklish, fuck- godsdammit, Geralt-!"

He was on the attacker a heartbeat later, pulling her off his Viscount. "Oh, you dirty son of a whore, get your hands off me!" she screeched in turn and slapped at his wrists, not that it did her any good. "Unhand me, you brute, you swine, and let me punish my brother for his crimes!"

'Brother?' Geralt looked at Jaskier who was slowly getting to his feet and mercifully looked unharmed. Using the distraction in her favour, the woman stomped on his foot, which made him loosen his grip. She spun, kicked him in the balls and when he doubled over, she pressed a tiny dagger against his throat.

She stared at him defiantly. Geralt stared back. Blinked in confusion. He looked at Jaskier. Back at her face, an exact copy of Jaskier's features. The Viscount doubled over with laughter. "What?" Justyna of Kerton snarled and pressed the blade harder into his skin, almost hard enough to draw blood.

Jaskier slung an arm around her shoulders and kissed her on the cheek. "I missed you, Konwalia." He grinned and Justyna of Kerton grinned, too, and for a moment it was like seeing double.

It took his brain an embarrassingly long time to catch up with what was happening and to drop his hand. "Apologies, my lady," he mumbled, "I didn't realise who I was talking to."

"Obviously not." She turned up her nose at him, but didn't lower her dagger. "Who do you think you are, mangling me like that?"

Jaskier sighed and took a step back. "You know who he is," he answered and waved his hand.

She narrowed her eyes, her gaze burning with icy fervor as she took him in. "Oh, I know who you are alright. You're the man who stole my brother from me.” Finally, she sheathed the blade, the gods knew where, and extended her hand. “Well, I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Geralt of Rivia."

“The pleasure is mine, Lady-” Geralt bowed to kiss her hand, but Jaskier's sharp whisper stopped him, too quiet to be heard by any human: "Don't touch her rings."

He halted, eyeing and sniffing the pretty jewels warily. He nearly hissed with disgust when the stink of several lethal poisons assaulted him. Hemlock, cyanide and lily-of-the-valley. “Konwalia,” he said, thoughtful.

Justyna scoffed. "You're no fun," she accused her brother, as she withdrew her hand.

Geralt straightened himself and quirked an eyebrow at Jaskier, who crossed his arms. "I won't let you kill my witcher."

"Please," she rolled her eyes. "He's a mutant. It wouldn't have killed him."

"I won't let you incapacitate my witcher either. I-"

Whatever he had wanted to say next, was quickly drowned out by a squeal: "Mother," a boy in dusty travel clothes called, "look at what Daria is doing!"

Daria, he supposed, was the girl in Ciri’s age balancing precariously on the railing of a trough to evade the grasping hands of a nursemaid. "What? You told me I’m so dirty, it'd be easier to dunk me in the horse trough!" Daria shouted defiantly. "I'm dunkin' myself!"

"Gods have mercy on the parents of clever children," Justyna groaned and rolled her eyes. "Not before you greet your uncle, you won't!” She shouted. “You two come over here right this instant!"

The boy obeyed right away, scurrying over to hide behind Justyna's skirts. But the girl needed more begging by her nurse and shouts by her mother before finally running over. Not before giving one of the two ponies in front of the stable, a pat on the neck, Geralt noted. Justyna’s three guards standing with the five horses watched the scene with thinly veiled humour. No other nobles, though.

"Your husband is not joining us?" Jaskier voiced the question that occupied Geralt's mind.

Justyna sighed exaggeratedly. "Alas, I fear he is still in Goldfurt," she answered cheerily, "where he is annoying our beloved brother-in-law terribly and teaching my eldest all his horrible fibs."

Jaskier looked startled for a moment, before he continued: "And he can stay there as long as he likes, so long as he doesn't come here."

Justyna smiled and mussed her son's hair. "Indeed, he can."

"Here's to hoping my husband dearest doesn't grow tired of yours," Janina shouted from across the courtyard and knocked on the wooden door. "You look good, Justynka. I am glad to have another sensible person in these halls."

Józefa and Ciri were with them, too, and they looked upset at that. But Justyna was quick to answer before the youngest Pankratz sister could protest: "As if I've been sensible for one day of my life," she sighed and opened her arms to stiffly hug Janina and Józefa after. "Ah, there you are." She smiled fondly as Daria slid her small hand into hers. "Go on now, be nice guests and greet Lord Lettenhove."

The two children looked up at her with wide eyes, then glanced over to Jaskier. 'The same blue eyes all Pankratzes share,' he noted. The Viscount smiled and took a step forward while Geralt backed up a little, trying to look as unintimidating as possible.

Jaskier's niece let go of her mother's hand and his nephew came forth from behind her skirts to greet him with a nice bow. "Thank you for allowing us to stay at your keep, my lord," Daria said and if he strained his ears, Geralt could hear Jaskier's heart skip a beat. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Oh, no, d- madam," Jaskier said. He took her hand, to raise her from her curtsy and kissed it gently. "The pleasure is all mine. I hope you may forgive the mishap that is failing to make your acquaintance until now."

She pursed her lips, obviously straying from the carefully rehearsed protocol when she said: "I might. If you're a nice uncle, Lord Lettenhove."

He laughed and reached out to mess up her already tousled hair. "I will have to make an effort, then, little Lady Daria." She grinned widely, and Jaskier turned to his nephew: "What about you, sir? I'm afraid I didn't catch your name."

The boy straightened himself, but his eyes continued darting around, not daring to settle on his uncle. "Julian of Kerton, my lord, if it pleases you," he said far too quickly.

Out of the corner of his eye, Geralt saw Jaskier's mouth forming a silent 'Oh'. Honeyed happiness trickled through the air, as he carefully looked over to Justyna. She smiled and nodded.

Jaskier gulped and dropped to one knee before the boy. "Now that will lead to some confusion, huh?" He laughed nervously.

Justyna clicked her tongue. "How were we supposed to know either of you would grace the halls of Lettenhove? Go on, Julek, and let your namesake give you the hug he owes you."

If Jaskier looked nervous, then Julian did so doubly so, glancing back to his mother thrice, before finally wrapping his small arms around the Viscount's neck. He startled just like Geralt, when Jaskier sniffled quietly. "I'm sorry," he whispered, hugging his nephew tighter. "I'm sorry I'm late."

There was a simultaneous scoff from all three of his sisters and some muttering about 'idiotic men who didn't know how to apologise' or something of that kind. Truth be told, Geralt stopped listening as soon as Jaskier introduced his 'Cousin Fiona', and once more related the unlikely tale of their reunion.

Absentmindedly he wondered, when it would be acceptable for him to make a quiet escape. Three siblings had set him on edge already. Four was definitely nothing he was equipped to deal with.

Just when he was about to leave, there was a tug on his sleeve. When he turned, he saw Daria looking up at him with curious eyes. "Who are you?" she demanded to know.

"Geralt of Rivia," he responded with a nod of his head. "At your service, madam."

"Are you the witcher mother talked about?" she continued. "The one that stole Uncle Julian? Did you really steal him? Why did you return him?"

"I... am?" he answered cautiously, not entirely sure how to address any of those questions.

He was still trying to figure out how to answer them when she already babbled on: "Why d'you look so weird? What happened to your eyes? Why's your hair all white? Only old people have white hair, but you don't look old. Why don't you look old? Can I have white hair, too? It looks wicked."

"No," he growled, but she didn't even flinch.

"You can't tell me no!" she exclaimed. "You said you're at my service, so you can't deny me!"

“Aren’t you scared of me?” he asked with raised eyebrows.

She stood with her hands on her hips. “I am Lady Daria of Kerton,” she informed him, “and you have no right to frighten me.”

He had to repress a quiet chuckle. 'Oh, you're Jaskier's niece alright,' he thought. 'No fucking sense of self-preservation.' "Is that so? Didn't your mother tell you, witchers steal children and turn them into monsters?"

Her eyes grew even wider. "You can do that? Can I be a witcher, too? Are there girl witchers? Can you steal me, so that I don't have to marry someone? Mother says, that's what you did to Uncle Julian. I'd rather be a white-haired witcher than marry someone. And I already know how to swing a sword!" She gasped and quickly clasped her hands over her mouth when she realised what she'd said. "Oh bother," she mumbled, "I wasn't supposed to say that."

He tilted his head, intrigued. "Why not?"

"Father says, a lady mustn't bear arms."

"Hm," he answered. 'Arsehole,' he thought. "And what does your mother say?"

"That a true lady knows where to hide arms from idiot men's view." Her eyes gleamed mischievously. "Did you know that I can hide ten blades on my person without father noticing?"

That made him chuckle. "I did not, madam. Do you think it wise to entrust that information with an idiot man?"

She frowned and cocked her head. "No. But you don't look like an idiot."

"I'm very glad to hear that."

Daria crossed her arms. "Will you train me now?"

Geralt shrugged. "I fear that is not up to me to decide. You'll have to ask your mother about it. And your lord uncle. It is his service I am sworn to."

"Very well," she answered and tossed her braided hair over her shoulder. "I will ask."

He already feared she was about to ask right then and there, when Justyna of Kerton came to his rescue: "Daria," she called, "time for your dunking. In a bathtub."

"Later," she acquiesced. "I will ask later." She and her brother quickly vanished between four chattering Pankratz siblings, leaving him alone with Ciri.

His child surprise beamed at him. “Can we train? Please?”

As if he needed any encouragement. “Meet you back here in half an hour,” he told her and went to change and get his own training sort.

“Daria is fun,” Ciri announced as soon as she came barrelling into the courtyard again. “She said you’ll train her, too. Is that true?”

He glared at her. Fucking great. “Maybe.” His voice sounded far too soft for his liking. “You’d like that?”

“Oh, I’d love that!” Ciri spun in a circle and giggled childishly. “I’d love to have a friend.”

“Hmm,” he grunted. “You’re not here to make friends. You’re here to train. Start with the drills.”

She sighed and took her basic stance, moving effortlessly through the footwork Geralt srilled into her. “Why can’t I do both?”

“Making friends gets you talking,” he recited Vesemir’s words, “talking gets you sloppy.” He nudged her food with his sword, adjusting the position slightly. “Sloppy gets you killed.”

“But Geralt!”

“First rule of training?”

“Listen and do as you’re told,” she mumbled.

“Right. D’you need your mouth for that?”

“No.”

“Then shut it and get moving.” She pulled a grimace he knew he should reprimand her for. Somehow, he couldn’t. “Alright, I’ll do it with you.” That always seemed to cheer her up. Together they moved through the basic drills until they were rudely interrupted by Justyna of Kerton.

“Continue,” he told Ciri and walked over to Jaskier’s sister, who was eying his student with interest.

"So, it is true," she said.

"My lady?" he prompted.

"Daria told me you were willing to train her."

Geralt sighed. "Would you believe me if I said those were not my words?"

She laughed and shook her head. "I'd be disappointed if they were. She's a good liar."

"You sound proud," he said as disapprovingly as he could.

"Lying is a very useful talent for people like us," she answered secretively.

"Nobles?"

"Noblewomen," Justyna clarified.

"Hm," he answered. "Lower, cublet," he shouted to Ciri, who thought she could cheat by not making proper use of her knees, "I want to see a right angle!"

"So, will you?" Justyna inquired.

"Will I do what?" he asked irritated. Using a whole lot of words without saying anything at all seemed to run in the family.

"Train my children."

"The boy, too?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Justyna wrinkled her nose in disgust. "I fear the same people that forbid my daughter from picking up arms, also dictate that my son must. Despite their contrary natures."

He scoffed. "Your daughter can store ten blades on her person without anyone noticing.”

“So she can,” she agreed. "And one day, that’s what will bring people to listen to her. If she knows how to use them. So?"

He looked down at her and raised an eyebrow. "As the intelligent woman I know you to be, you should know that I hold no power here. Ask your brother."

"You are just like him, absolutely no fun," she pouted.

"I'm sure your sisters will be happy to agree. If you excuse me now? I have a job to do." Without looking back, he walked over to Ciri to correct her posture. She was cheating again. "You know you're doing yourself no favour with that, hm?" he said as he tapped her feet to get them wider apart.

She lost her balance with flailing arms and his hand shot out to steady her. "But it hurts," she complained.

'The trials hurt, pup,' he remembered Vesemir's response to those words, 'this is nothing.' But when he opened his mouth, the words couldn't seem to come out.

'It's a stupid phrase,' he thought. 'There are no trials anymore.' And even if there were, nothing in this world and the next could bring him to subject her to their cruelty. He tried not to think about how Vesemir had been able to do it to all of his pups.

"It will stop hurting," he told her instead.

"When?"

"When you get used to it." He poked her in the side and she giggled. "Once we get some muscles on you, you'll hardly notice it. From the top."

Both of them were lost in the almost meditative trance that came with drills, when suddenly a loud voice cut through the silence: "Jaskier!" Justyna called.

Geralt groaned quietly. 'Gods preserve us.'

The Viscount was dressed in a green riding cloak and heading to the stables, where Marin was already waiting for him. Apparently, they were about to restart their daily rides. "What?" he asked, mildly irritated.

"Nothing at all, brother. I just wondered whether or not your witcher might be persuaded to train Daria and Julek, too?"

"Sure," he replied with a smile, as he mounted his horse, "why not? Are you alright with that, Geralt?"

He shrugged and looked down at Ciri. "Fine," he replied begrudgingly. "Might be nice for Fiona to have some company."

"It's settled, then. Marin?"

"Ready, my lord." The Captain of the Guard was already in his saddle, his horse prancing a little.

"Where are you going?" Justyna asked.

Jaskier shot Geralt a quick glance. "I can't tell you," he replied cautiously. 'Great,' he thought. He hated the damned secrecy. "But you are welcome to come with me."

"And I would love to! Wiktor, my horse."

Geralt sighed and turned back to a grinning Ciri. "What?" he grumbled.

"You're staring," she informed him.

"So?" He knew he was fucking staring. How was he supposed not to stare?

Her grin grew even wider. "So, nothing. I really like Jaskier's new doublet. Don't you?"

"You little menace," he growled, "you're doing this on purpose."

"Maybe," she drawled.

"If you've got time to pull my leg you're not training hard enough. Again!"

It was the early afternoon, when Jaskier and Justyna returned from their ride — without Marin, though. He could hear them from a thousand yards away, talking animatedly about everything and nothing at all.

"Again," he grunted at Ciri, who was drenched in sweat, her dark-dyed hair clinging to her forehead. She groaned loudly but did what she was told all the same.

Geralt didn't really pay attention, much too preoccupied to listen to Jaskier and his sister. "As the good friend that I am I told him to talk to me," he related as they rode through the gates. "A futile attempt, I'm well aware. I hadn't been able to get him to talk for a full decade, but my inebriated past-self still believed in miracles. And then — can you imagine? — he asked whether or not I had sung to her before she left!"

She snorted. "Unbelievable."

"I know!" He hopped from his saddle and handed his reins to Wiktor. "But that's not even the worst part. He told me, my singing was like, and I quote, "ordering a pie and finding it has no filling"."

"The audacity!" Justyna gasped and clutched at her chest. “Your witcher should really learn to respect his fellows.” As if he wasn’t fucking standing right there.

He didn't catch Jaskier’s response, for there was a sharp pain in his shin that demanded his attention. He looked down to where Ciri had hit him with her wooden sword. "Ow."

"You're not even paying attention!" she complained.

"Not true. I was paying attention. I chose to ignore that blow."

"Lying is a sin and a crime," she told him.

"Good that I heed neither king nor god, then. Again."

Ciri groaned again but did as she was told. Geralt's attention was already elsewhere again, as Jaskier and Justyna laughed loudly and Geralt couldn’t help but scowl. He should be thankful, he figured. Thankful that Jaskier was happy again. Why did it make him even sadder?

“Are you alright?” Ciri asked quietly, as more snippets of conversation drifted over to them.

“Deliver our dinner up to my study, if you will,” Jaskier told some servant. “And see to it that my liquor cabinet is restocked. There are some celebrations in order."

'Oh, fuck no,' he thought and paled. Geralt was well aware of Jaskier's usual manner of celebration. They began with a tankard of ale and bawdy songs. A few hours of prancing and at least one pint stolen from Geralt in tiny sips later, he would stop singing and start drinking vodka. One drink had him chattering, four and he was draped over Geralt, and after that he took on the strenuous task of spilling every secret he knew, to anyone who would listen. The end normally came with sunrise, at least one vomit spell and Jaskier in some stranger’s bed. The handle of his sword creaked dangerously in his clenched fist.

“I am,” he told Ciri, forcing himself to sound as calm as possible. “That’s enough for today. Go and get changed.”

She hesitated. “What about you?”

“I’ll stay for just a bit longer. Go now.” She gnawed on her lip and he had to look away. He couldn’t bear the pity in her eyes. After a quick squeeze of his hand, she took off all the same.

When he looked up, the courtyard was deserted and it felt as if Geralt was suffocating. "Fuck," he grunted and angrily kicked the horse trough. He really needed to get a grip.

He heard an appreciative whistle behind him and spun to see Marin stand in the gate, leading his horse by the reins. "Careful now, Geralt," he said with a soft smile, "or you'll scare his lordship's servants again."

"His lordship and his servants can go kiss my arse," he sneered, half hoping to smell a whiff of vinegar at that. But of course, he didn't.

Instead, he laughed, and the amused smell of young wine laced with honeyed happiness filled the air. Without really wanting to, Geralt took a deep breath. It was intoxicating. "I bet you'd like that," he said with a wink and handed his reins over to a stableboy.

"Piss off, Marin," he said exasperated, “I don’t want company.” He was not in the mood for any of his prying questions and clever words.

Unfortunately, that didn't discourage him in the slightest. "Now, now, don't say that too loudly. Else someone's going to believe it."

"I care fuck all about someone's beliefs."

"Stop taking the piss out of yourself," he said unimpressed, "and start telling me what's gotten you so riled up."

Geralt grunted and crossed his arms. He had no intentions of telling him anything. Somehow, the words still tumbled out of his mouth when Marin smiled expectantly: "I can't fucking sleep."

"Oh?" The captain of the guard leaned against the wall. "Lord Julian's finally warmed up to you, then?"

He scoffed. "Still hoping to win the bet?"

"Hm," he said and smiled. "That too, yeah. So, how's the lordly bed?"

"Fuck if I know. Haven't even really talked to him in two days." And with Justyna's arrival he doubted that would change anytime soon. He sighed and drew the sword from his belt. "Drop it. Spar with me instead?" He had offered it, after all. More than once.

He pushed off the wall and went to pick up another wooden sword. "Gladly. I was promised to get my arse kicked, after all.”

Geralt snorted and that’s all the warning he gave before charging. “You seem awfully unbothered by that.”

He laughed and blocked the blow. “My fortieth winter came and went some years ago. I’d be awfully offended if I so much as stand a chance against you.” He grinned and almost landed a strike. “Don’t you dare go easy on me, witcher.”

“Not any easier than I would go on any other human,” he promised and knocked his sword away, pointing his own blade at his throat. “Yield.”

“Again,” Marin demanded with an eager gleam in his eyes. Geralt was happy to oblige and they resumed their positions. After a few rounds, they fell into an easy routine. It was less of a fight and more of a dance.

“Oh, Melitele’s tits, I missed this,” Marin sighed as their swords clashed again. “Not as good as sinking my sword into some Nilfgaardian’s, but it gets my blood singing all the same.”

Geralt snorted as he sidestepped and dealt a blow to Marin’s backside for good measure. “Are you always this chatty during swordplay?”

“Usually,” he admitted and grinned. “You could try to gag me, though I make no promises that’ll work. I like to know my foe before sheathing my blade in them.”

He raised a suspicious eyebrow. “And I suppose you know all about fighting while gagged.”

“Certainly. I was captured during the war, you know? Had to, uh, fight my way out.”

“Hmm,” he answered. “Again?”

“Definitely.” He raised his sword again. “Wouldn’t want our tilt to end so soon.” Geralt blocked his blows easily, relishing in the silence safe for the clank of their wooden swords.

“Speaking of getting to know my foe…”

“I’m not talking about my past,” he grunted.

“And I wouldn’t ask you to,” Marin said and grazed his thigh with the tip of his sword. “So, about this sleeplessness.”

“Marin,” he grunted annoyed and felt the control on his strength slip. He hit him square in the chest and the human stumbled a few paces back.

To Geralt’s neverending confusion, he laughed. "Come on, witcher, is that all you got? I thought you were angry!"

'I am,' he thought, 'but-' "I don't want to hurt you." His anger always hurt people.

"Don't worry about me, I can take it." He blocked another blow, hard enough that it was bound to hurt. "That's better," he said with a wide grin. "Let your blade talk if you can't."

For the second time that day he answered despite his better judgement: "It's just fucking shit," he grunted and ducked away under a mean blow. "I know I fucked up, but it's like he's a different person. Sixteen years, dammit, and now nothing."

Marin shook his head and used the moment to catch his breath. "I don't think you understand how things here work. Maybe you were friends with him some time ago. Maybe you brought Lady Fiona here. But they're nobility. They're different from you and me."

"Bullshit."

"What happens when they catch you stealing? When you chop someone's head off? When you're a traitor?"

He grunted and lunged forward again.

"I know. But when they steal, it's taxes. When they kill, it's justice. When they act like the backstabbing cunts they are, it's politics. Like it or not, but as long as you're in Lettenhove, you're at his mercy. No matter how friendly he might act with us, we are not the same. He could always decide to fire us or banish us, or execute us. Nothing you can do about it."

"That's stupid. There must be something."

He shrugged and parried. "Tell me when you find out. In the meantime, enjoy what you can, shut up about what you can't. You're lucky. You're free to go, at least. For the rest of us, there's nothing out there."

Geralt snorted. "Right now, I can't."

"Why, because you're his lordship's guest? He won't force you to stay."

"Hmm." He drove him farther back. "You sure about that? That bloody oath seemed pretty fucking important to him."

Marin tripped over thin air and landed on his butt with a grunt. "Ex- excuse me?" he stammered.

"Hm?" Geralt said and pointed his sword at his throat. "Yield."

"Yeah, sure." He pushed the blade out of the way and accepted Geralt's hand to get back to his feet. "I just thought you said you're sworn to his lordship now."

"I did."

"Well...," he said slowly, "that changes quite a bit."

"It does." He knew damn well that it did.

Marin didn’t get the hint to shut up: "He certainly won't fuck you now."

Geralt made a point of slowly sheathing his sword and sat down against the wall to take a large gulp from his waterskin. "Hm."

"Is that what's been keeping you awake?" Marin settled down next to him and accepted the waterskin. "The oath, I mean." He hesitated for a moment. "I'm sure he'd release you from it, if you asked. He's got a good heart, you know, and-"

Geralt closed his eyes and let his head thump back against the wall. "I know," he interrupted him harshly. “Too soft.” Was his heart supposed to hurt like that?

"Right, I'm so-"

"I can't sleep because I can't stop hearing him," he gritted out, not knowing why.

"Your ears're that good, huh?"

He raised his eyebrows in amusement. "I can hear your mother scolding the kitchen boys from here."

"Really?" Marin whistled through his teeth. "What's she saying?"

"Nothing child appropriate."

That made him laugh. After a moment he said: "So you're frustrated, huh?"

Geralt grunted. "Nothing that should concern you."

"Really? 'Cause I've heard I've got a knack for stress relief. I’d love to take the edge off."

Turning to him he frowned. “Hm,” he hummed quietly as he took in his appearance. The sweaty hair, the flushed cheeks, the lewd grin. ‘Ah.’ The dark eyes that gleamed mischievously. And then the wave of spicy-sweet cinnamon, he inhaled greedily. ‘Fuck.’

For a moment, he thought of Jaskier and his heart ached. He'd missed that smell, omnipresent as it had been on his bard. And now it was back, only all wrong.

It was stupid, he knew. Marin wasn’t anything like Jaskier. Silver strands streaked his hair and crow’s feet adorned his eyes. His hands were rough, his stomach soft and his smile kind. 'This isn't right,' the voice of reason told him.

‘Like rubbing salve on a tumour.’ He frowned. It seemed like a lifetime ago when Jaskier had told him that. He had been right then, he’d probably be right now.

But Jaskier wasn't here. He was in his rooms, about to get drunk with the sister he had evidently missed and never mentioned before. 'He'll be fine,' Geralt told himself. 'He'll be happy.'

Marin's smile faltered. "Look-" he began, but Geralt gave him no chance to finish that sentence. ‘Fuck it,’ he thought and hauled him close by the collar of his shirt.

Their lips crashed together in a bruising kiss. His lips were rough, too, but so were Geralt’s and he’d never cared much about that. It also dispelled any illusion that he was kissing anyone but Marin, which was just as well.

Marin pulled back slightly to catch his breath. "Oh, good," he said, smirking, "I already thought you weren't interested. "

“Hmm,” Geralt answered and leaned back against the wall, “didn’t know it was an option.”

He threw his head back and laughed, exposing his throat while he did so. Geralt didn’t even fight the urge to lean in and kiss below his jaw. Judging by Marin’s groan and the hands that tangled in his shirt, it wasn’t unwelcome. “I didn’t know you suffered from blindness, witcher. Aren’t your eyes supposed to be keener than any man’s?”

“I’m seeing you just fine,” he chuckled. “Just wasn’t listening.”

“As long as you like what you see.” He craned his head again, obviously waiting for Geralt to make another move. He kissed him again, just because he could.

This time, a stifled groan from the battlements broke them apart. “Captain!” Borys called, a large smile plastered on his face and that of half a dozen other guards. “Have pity on our eyes and get yourself a room!”

Marin huffed and smiled enticingly. “Alright, alright.” He got to his feet and extended his hand. “What d’you say, Geralt? I’d fancy a night in silken sheets and eiderdown.”

He frowned, unwittingly thinking of Jaskier. Geralt gave him three hours to be drunk as a sailor. He’d be telling stories, humming and laughing, maybe even singing. All of that in his study, where Geralt would hear every word. “No,” he decided firmly and let him pull him to his feet. He couldn’t bear it, neither with Marin nor alone.

So, he grabbed him by the waist and pulled him close. “I don’t care for silk and featherbeds,” he announced and kissed him again. “But I like the sound of a wall between us and those pricks. Lead the way, Captain.”

#my writing #of witchers bards and broken hearts #OWBABH #geraskier #geralt of rivia #jaskier #julian alfred pankratz #geraskier fanfiction #the witcher fanfiction #geraltxjaskier #geralt/jaskier #cirilla of cintra

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nicistrying · 4 years

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Been trying to post the vid since about 8am yesterday but my internet sucks so bad atm ☹. It finally rained after a few really hot, dry weeks so I got out for a nice early walk yesterday to listen to the rain and the wind in the trees and it was awesome! Had my Spanish writing exam yesterday too which went fine I think, and my little basil plant was doing well and getting quite tall so I gave it a haircut and made some fresh pesto which we had with pasta, carrots, peas & baked quorn for dinner. 🤗

I have a day off from exams today so went for a run this morning and frankly didn't love it at all 😂 I haven't been running anywhere near often enough so I can't expect to be good but I just felt very unfit today - pace was pretty terrible as was my form. BUT it was a great bit of cardio which is primarily why I wanted to run bc I've been struggling to reach peak HR at all during my home workouts lately, I got outside, it stayed dry and fairly bright while I was out (and is pouring down again now that I'm at home in my blanket with a cup of tea 😍) and my music was good so I achieved exactly what I set out to do even if I was slow. Did some lovely yoga and some housework, had a fried egg on toast & salad for lunch and am now going to watch Masterchef and call my nanna to see how she is. It's been a blooming lovely day off so far. Last ever uni exam tomorrow!! 😄

(@insertcaffeine tagged me for a selfie too! I tag @xokrazyinsanexo & @therambl3r 🤗)

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wuxian-vs-wangji · 4 years

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May I ask what your 'black list' is? Not to kink shame or anything, I'm just curious. If you're not comfortable sharing that is fine too. Just ignore this if I'm overstepping.

I’m cool with it. I push my comfort levels online answering questions from others and in turn I become more confident discussing things with partners. Win-Win. Sex shouldn’t be something people are afraid to talk about, you and every last one of your ancestors are here because of it.

Please please please if you hold any of these do not feel like I am against you or attacking you in any way. They just aren’t ones that I engage in, not even to humor a partner. The only person/people whose sexual preferences you should ever care about are your own and the preferences of whoever you are with. Not some random stranger on the internet.

So my *personal* ‘Black List’ of kinks (that I will never judge another person negatively for enjoying)::

Age play, Daddy Roleplay, or Pet-Play:: I’m fine with being *called* ‘pet’, just don’t expect me to act like an animal.

Scat

Watersports

Not fond of spitting

Needles

Strong impact play

Shower stuff (bath stuff is totally fine, my issue with shower stuff is just a safety thing + someone’s always cold + you’re too focused on not slipping that you’re not in a great position, etc. I don’t even write about it, i steer characters to the bath.)

Not in the same vein as the above, but also choking-- I can (and often do) write about it, I can talk about it being hot, I can watch it in adult videos- I even get a little turned on watching JC choke out Wuxian in Episode 16- but the second a hand (lips or tongue are fine) touches the front of my neck I have a visceral and intense reaction. No matter when it’s done or even if I’m like right at the edge of subspace- I will instantly go ice-cold, snap wholly back mentally, shove that partner away so hard they could legit fall off the bed, and I am dressed and out the door. Trying to stop me- well intentioned as the gesture is- only makes it worse. I also *never* hold it against a partner (I get that people can innocently forget). Touching the side or back of my neck is fine, kissing my throat is *good shudder* quite nice, it is literally only touching the front of my throat with a hand. A weirdly specific ‘Black List’ item.

That’s all that are coming to mind ATM... Most of my limits are soft limits frankly.

#ask #nsfn #Anonymous

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peepingtoad · 4 years

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THE POSITIVE & NEGATIVE; Mun & Muse - Meme.

fill out & repost ♥ This meme definitely favors canons more, but I hope OC’s still can make it somehow work with their own lore, and lil’ fandom of friends & mutuals. Multi-Muses pick the muse you are the most invested in atm.

My muse is: canon / oc / au / canon-divergent / fandomless /

Is your character popular in the fandom? YES / NO / 50-50 (There’s a lot of love and a lot of hate, but I think many are actually pretty neutral on him too!)

Is your character considered hot™ in the fandom? YES / NO / 50-50 (I’d say he may be an... acquired taste? Of course a lot of people I know here find him sexie so it’s hard to say for certain, heh. We may just be the weirdos of the fandom :P )

Is your character considered strong in the fandom? YES / NO

Are they underrated? YES / NO (Not in terms of ability, but underrated for just how complex and multi-layered he is, I’d say)

Were they relevant for the main story? YES / NO.

Were they relevant for the main character? YES / NO /

Are they widely known in their world? YES / NO.

How’s their reputation? GOOD / BAD / NEUTRAL (I honestly think he’s a man of many reputations, both in canon and in fandom :’D)

How strictly do you follow canon? — I’m very much a ‘use the bones of what we got in canon and do my best to flesh them out’ kinda roleplayer. There are some things that can be taken too easily at face value that I see fit to build upon. For example, I think Jiraiya’s feelings on the prophecy and his relationship with Konoha is something that could be too easily played off as simplistic, or like they were immovable constants. But that’s unrealistic for a man of his years and many experiences, so I try to put myself in his emotional setting at various points in his life, and trace how his feelings and behaviours change, if that makes sense?

I try to avoid saying that any of the writing was straight up wrong because it’s disrespectful to the creator. But especially for Jiraiya, who had such a significant role to play in the narrative that it sometimes took precedence over his actual character, I do find some of his actions, and the way some interactions were handled in the canon to be a little OOC... so I’ll work with it and try to spin it in a way that I feel fits how he was characterised.

Basically, I’d say that I follow canon, but I like to enrich it in areas that were lacking detail or a nuanced view that took in all the surrounding events of the time. After Jiraiya’s canon death, of course, that’s when more divergence comes in to my portrayal... otherwise I wouldn’t be able to play any post-war scenarios! But the essence of his character is the same, which I try to keep as close to canon as possible.

SELL YOUR MUSE! Aka try to list everything, which makes your muse interesting in your opinion to make them spicy for your mutuals. — A man of many experiences! You can bet that any topic that comes up, he’ll have some sort of amusing anecdote to share, or be able simply to talk shit about it. He's seen so much, and has a sensitive soul enough that he’ll give anyone a chance; he’s very open-minded and non-judgemental, and honestly is a humanitarian that wants to help those in need. Might leave your muse a little baffled as to how he could hold the status of ‘legend’, only to show it when they least expect it. You never quite know what you’re going to get with him: he’s generous and selfless, yet has many vices that seem selfish at times; he’s both a lover and a fearsome fighter; he’s immensely resilient at the same time as incredibly vulerable and damaged; he’s a himbo and a bit of a jock with the soul of a poet. Love him with no restraint and invite his love in return, and you’ll get not only a lover, but a devotee. Wears his heart on his sleeve... or does he? Chip away at him and find out!

Now the OPPOSITE, list everything why your muse could not be so interesting (even if you may not agree, what does the fandom perhaps think?). — The pervy, flirty, jokey schtick could get grating, or come across as disingenuous. In romantic situations, he’ll keep quiet about putting a label on whatever it is, and beneath his overall sweetness and devotion there may be an underlying reek of commitment issues and a fear of admitting he is afraid. He also has a habit of deflecting negativity in general, and playing things off as if they don’t matter or they’re a joke, making him actually rather a difficult person to get to know the heart of. One might feel as if they’re getting nowhere with him...

... Either that, or they get the complete opposite. Yes, as equally as he can be guarded, he can overshare like crazy, and has a tendency to become codependent with those he gets attached to, which is inconsistent with his free-spirited nature, and how adept he is at keeping others at arm’s length from his less sunny side. This inconsistency might make him seem unreliable—if the fact he’s always off who-knows-where doesn’t do the trick already.

What inspired you to rp your muse? — I’ve been a big fan of the Sannin ever since I first read the Deadlock, but being a very young person at the time I perhaps couldn’t relate enough to people who had experienced so much to do them justice in my teenage fic-writing endeavours, so I remained on the sidelines enjoying content by other people (there may also have been a little bit of ‘what the fuck, why do I dig the old dude so much’ denial in there haha). I’ve picked up and dropped my obsession with the series several times over the years, and my love for those three seemed to grow each time. They really are ‘the lost generation’, and as the sole survivors—alongside having a huge impact on the plot, how the shinobi world is shaped, and the three main protagonists—there’s a lot of juicy material there, a lot of emotional background, along with decades of history that basically goes untapped in the canon.

Anyway, I digress. Coming to the Naruto RPC for the first time around this time 2 years ago at the age of 25, I made this blog and my Deidara one on a whim, but focused on the latter at first. Villains were always comfortable territory for me in my other RP experiences, and I think it made me doubt that I could possibly do someone who is frankly a lovely guy any justice, no matter how much I loved him. I even had the intention of making him fully Akatsuki/Missing-Nin AU at first. Yeah. That’s how stuck in my villain/anti-hero zone I was! But, I think in the end, the fact he actually isn’t a two-dimensional typical ‘hero’ was something I chewed over and realised would be incredibly enriching to write, worth stepping out of my comfort zone for. And being a little more mature and less angst-ridden myself by that point, I found I could resonate with his feelings and ideals in a way that I know I couldn’t have as a teen... but I was still tentative.

Anyway, after leaving his blog empty for a bit (with its placeholder URL ‘frogdaddy’, which sadly got hoarded by someone else), I cosplayed the old bastard, along with my partner as Orochimaru. We’d been stanning that particular ship and talking about how great the Sannin are in general for quite some time by that point, but being casually in character for fun while drunk off my tits at a boat party, was a bit of an epiphanic moment. Not long after that, I threw myself right into writing this chaotic-good old bastard with gusto, and here I still am :’)

What keeps your inspiration going? — Taking breaks to recharge as and when I need to. Seriously. The death of all my other blogs has been pressure (mostly from myself) to be there and force myself to put out regular content, so I went into this not thinking that way and it’s really helped!

Of course, there’s also the fact that there simply seems to be no shortage of areas I can delve into with this guy. Again, it’s his age and all the missing years in canon... but I think it’s also how much love he has and his genuine eagerness to engage with others that makes him one of the most naturally bountiful muses I’ve played. Because honestly? Most of my villain muses wanted people to just fuck off :’D this guy is open to everything.

That aside, I guess I just gel with him more than I ever expected to. I’ve changed a lot as a person and gained more confidence since various areas of my life got better, and I really just vibed with this chill, funny, romantic, pervy, big-hearted energy. I enjoy angst, but my real love is peppering the serious and heartbreaking with romance and comedy—and isn’t that just befitting of him? Writing through his eyes also helps to keep my outlook positive, so that keeps me stuck on him as much as the seemingly limitless content potential.

And this is without even going into my cross-fandom AU ideas I have on the back-burner. Honestly, they’re there but I want to put a real effort into them while keeping his essence the same, which for some, involves brushing up on my lore!

Some more personal questions for the mun.

Give your mutuals some insight about the way you are in some matters, which could lead them to get more comfortable with you or perhaps not.

Do you think you give your character justice? YES / NO.

Do you frequently write headcanons? YES / NO.

Do you sometimes write drabbles? YES / NO / RARELY. (depends on whether I get a flash of inspiration—which mostly comes with random asks that happen to stir up an idea for a scene, such as this one (NSFW warning))

Do you think a lot about your Muse during the day? YES / NO.

Are you confident in your portrayal? YES / NO.

Are you confident in your writing? YES / NO.

Are you a sensitive person? YES / 50-50 /NO. (I tend not to take things personally but am also very passionate—call it my innate Leo-ness!)

Do you accept criticism well about your portrayal? — Hmmm. I haven’t actually had any critique on my portrayal, so I’m not sure haha! I’d say if it’s constructive, then I’ll take it into account and consider it, especially if it’s a case where it helps me realise I’ve perhaps not gotten across what I intended to very well. But I’m also quite fond of my portrayal in its essence, so I may end up just thanking the person for their opinion and carry on as usual :P

Do you like questions, which help you explore your character? — Absolutely! I’ve had some wonderful ones recently and it’s exactly the kick I need to get ideas out, some of which I’ve had on the back-burner but not had a framework within which to write it without it getting derailed. I definitely appreciate a question that will keep me at least a little on-topic, otherwise if I go off on my own volition I really tend to... well, go off! Even if a question is a similar topic to something I’ve already done, it’s a good exercise for me to go back to the similar headcanon and see if I can build further on it, deviate, and link it to show what past thoughts I’ve been working with. A great way of keeping some consistency in my portrayal while making improvements, I find! And then of course I’ve had some questions that are entirely new morsels for thought, and it leads me to something new and fresh, which I greatly appreciate.

Basically, any questions at all, fire away! I may take a while but I will get to them eventually!

If someone disagrees to a headcanon of yours, do you want to know why? — Yeah. I mean I think it’s just polite to present a reason as to why not, instead of just being like ‘this is wrong/a bad take’ or whatever. Source material is down to personal interpretation, so if I draw different ideas from it to another person after discussion, then we can simply agree to disagree on it.

If someone disagrees with your portrayal, how would you take it? — They are welcome to disagree with me I guess? So long as they’re respectful and don’t then treat me as if my interpretation is ‘AU’ or talk about ‘canon Jiraiya’ as if he’s obviously a different entity to my own, then disagree away. But if prompted enough, know that I will most likely defend my portrayal with what I consider to be justification from the source material :P I did pay close attention to it, after all, and I do consider my portrayal to align well with it.

If someone really hates your character, how do you take it? — Depends on the nature of it and the conduct, really? Like, people are allowed to dislike characters. I myself find a couple of characters pretty annoying or don’t particularly care for them (granted, usually it’s in a love-to-hate or simply a ‘this character doesn’t interest me’ way), but that doesn’t affect how I behave towards the RPer of a character. It’s just manners, really. People tend to RP characters because they like them, so why would you take negativity right to their doorstep, in this space they’ve made as an expression of enjoyment for, and to develop said character?

There’s been some people who admitted to me that they didn’t care much for Jiraiya, but then began to like him more with my portrayal and that’s more than fine; I take it as the highest compliment in fact. It’s also the kind of open-minded attitude I like to have with portrayals of characters I don’t necessarily like or have much interest in, because by and large, people do tend to add more depth and nuance than the busy and character-packed canon allowed.

However, if it’s the type of hate that’s got its own devoted circle of bitter bitches, who seem to use so much energy hating a character... then please, don’t engage me. Doesn’t matter who the character is, don’t expect me to follow/keep following your negative ass if it’s constant on the dash—and if the target character is any of the Sannin then frankly I’ll have probably blocked/blacklisted in a heartbeat. The ‘critical’ views of them tend to diminish them as humans, diminish the context and events that surrounded their choices, and in a way that I find is a gross double standard compared to what people will allow other (read: young, attractive, fandom faves, ‘babies’ or ‘beans’) to get away with and excuse the behaviours of. I don’t need that kinda negative energy sullying my hobby, nor do I need moral superiority that isn’t applied consistently across the board.

Are you okay with people pointing out your grammatical errors? — Absolutely! I meticulously fret and check, and cringe when I get a reply and happen to spot errors while rereading what I wrote before it! I edit a lot but don’t always pick up on errors, so I’m more than happy to have it pointed out. Chances are, I’ll be far more brutal to myself about it than anyone else would be!

Do you think you are easy going as a mun? — Overall, yeah. I’m not possessive or clingy (I don’t think) and don’t expect the world from people, nor for them to focus on or favour me or be super fast. I just expect the same respect in return. Having said that, I will express it when I don’t like something or it makes me uncomfortable, provided we’re familiar enough, because if we’re strangers I’d feel like I was coming across as entitled to your energy and emotional labour. I do my best to be diplomatic about it though, and rest assured it doesn’t mean I’m forever mad at you or turned off in any way just because I have a small grievance. I just find that being honest with each other rather than letting things pile up and fester makes a friendship more solid, and basically more genuine and long-lasting.

That’s about it, congrats for filling out!

Tagged by: @dokuhebi Tagging: Whoever hasn’t done this yet!

#this got super long yikes #{dash games}#{ooc}#{long post}

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ober-affen-geil · 4 years

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So literally every one of your recent gifsets has made me pause and curse softly. I mean, I adore your gifsets in general(I have no sense for lyrics or poetry but you make me feel things, it's very odd in a good way) but I did not expect these to hit so hard. Mostly because while I definitely understand the draw for Miluca I still don't...want it, I guess. Mostly because all I can see is Maria getting hurt by his secrets, one way or another. I want her happy, in some ways more than I even 1/3

{Alex and Michael together.(which, I ship them so hard it’s weird for me. I actively want them to kiss onscreen and that’s usually a thing that I more suffer through. Reading it is fine, but seeing it - I don’t see the appeal. Except no, I see the appeal, of course they want to kiss each other. I would have watched the show on the strength of their relationship alone, for the novelty if nothing else) But Maria just - I don’t want her hurt and I can’t see a way to avoid that here. I’m against 2/3

[third part missing thanks to tumblr, ask continued after advertising on my blog]

Oh man dude that got out of hand very fast so honestly I don’t remember. (I just wanted to say I liked your gifsets and then I realized I was talking about why and that dovetailed with why I can’t really get behind Miluca even when I see things that make me like it) But yes it was because the third part was when I actually figured out the point. Highlights are that I don’t like Miluca(they’re both going to be hurt, I feel like, but Maria esp and I love her too much to want to see her hurt by ½

his secrets. Plus, I feel like Michael can only really move up or stay stagnant atm, Maria could go up or down and I fear a downswing is coming. I definitely think they’ve got an interesting dynamic, but I’d honestly be much more interested in that dynamic if they weren’t romantically involved, or even dancing around it) Also I like your gifsets because every relationship feels equally prominent and complex and compelling, even ones like Miluca that I normally just don’t want to deal with. 2/2}

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Whew. Anon that is a lot, but who am I to say anything lol. Also very glad you found me again! Welcome!

First of all, thank you for your very kind words about my sets. I’m beyond flattered, so

Second of all, big ass mood on the surprise at shipping them so hard. And for me hardcore SAME for Echo, which was a big shock because I’m usually not here for het as much as I am for Echo so like. Idk WHAT they’re putting in the water but. Go Roswell go!

Third of all, woof. This is like reading my own thoughts immediately after the finale, and I mean that literally. I try to stay more or less neutral on this subject, partially because I know it’s a contentious one and I try to have my blog be welcoming to everyone from the fandom who might want to see content and partially because I really don’t like to speculate overmuch ESPECIALLY with shows like this that can turn on a fucking dime, but. In the interest of reciprocity and because I am absolutely starved for new show content, I’m gonna step out from under my neutrality umbrella for a hot second.

I am an endgame Malex shipper. I don’t try to hide that. But the reason I am an endgame Malex shipper is one of the reasons I’m not all that bothered by Miluca, and that is that the way the narrative has been set up (from episode one) Echo and Malex are on squarely even footing. Literally the second meta post I ever did for this fandom was about parallels between the two, that’s how strongly it speaks to me. (I am very, very happy to do another upon request.) In my mind, Malex is as clearly endgame as Echo is. That’s just the way I see the storytelling.

The other reason I’m not all that bothered by it addresses your concern about Maria being hurt. Because honestly, I’m frustrated about that too. I really like Maria and I don’t love seeing her in a situation that I’m pretty certain is going to end badly. But here’s the thing. As much as I doubt Maria is going to end up with Michael (poor boy has to finish crashing from last season, someone please get him a hug and a therapist ffs), her involvement with him is also almost certainly going to blow the doors off her story.

We didn’t see her a lot in season one, not as character with an independent story line, and I think that’s going to change in season two. Mostly because we now know that her necklace, a family heirloom, contains the non-native flower whose pollen happens to subdue alien powers. And she suspects something is up with Michael’s hand. And there have been too many seeds planted about her mother’s undiagnosable decline from mental stability for me to sit there and NOT expect that to become relevant.

Basically, like Isobel, I think we’re going to get to see Maria stand on her own a lot starting in season two. And it’s going to come from the fact that Michael came to her in the Wild Pony at the end of the season one finale because he was finally at a place where he could step away from Alex. (Which I believe is a good thing, I’ve talked about that before.) I think it’s going to open her up and yeah, she’s probably going to get hurt. But frankly, so is everyone else.

Michael is going to crash and burn. Hard. Isobel is apparently dealing with all of her stuff from last season in not the healthiest of ways. Max up and fucking died and while I absolutely LOVE THAT (no really, I do), Liz isn’t gonna take that too well. Kyle has now found himself in the middle of quite the shit storm, so heaven help the poor man. Rosa is just. Well, fucked, basically. And Alex, as much as I love to see him having found himself, seems like he’s going to go a little too far in the other direction which is going to be fascinating.

All this to say, yeah. I super feel where you’re coming from. But I can’t see the ships in this show as isolated from each other, they are all interconnected in ways that very much affect and inform all the individual arcs and journeys for me. So I guess that’s why my sets come across the way they do lol. Thanks again for the lovely words anon, I hope you don’t mind me riffing off them.

#ask #personal #roswell new mexico #rnm #rant #don't mind me #whole lot of speculation in here #please take with a large grain of salt #hey nonny nonny #a riley special

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hanabiira · 4 years

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THE POSITIVE & NEGATIVE; Mun & Muse - Meme.

My muse is: canon / oc / au / canon-divergent / fandomless /

Is your character popular in the fandom? YES / NO / IDK

Is your character considered hot™ in the fandom? YES (??)/ NO / IDK.

Is your character considered strong in the fandom? YES (as a captain, by default she should be considered strong. Whether or not people take that seriously is another question lol) / NO / IDK.

Are they underrated? YES / NO / She’s an oc. lol.

Were they relevant for the main story? YES (but only in my head lol) / NO

Were they relevant for the main character? YES / NO / THEY’RE THE PROTAG.

Are they widely known in their world? YES ( again, as a captain, she ought to be known by at least name, whether people acknowledge that is another thing as she is an OC) / NO

How’s their reputation? GOOD / BAD / NEUTRAL.

How strictly do you follow canon? — I’m a little bit of a stickler when it comes to following canon. I do it to the best of my ability and try not to bend the rules to much to the point where it may seem far fetched. As an OC, I’m inserting something made up and non-canon into something canon. For me, I want her to be as believable as possible. I want her to fit in with the rest of the characters and story without disrupting that original story too much.

SELL YOUR MUSE! Aka try to list everything, which makes your muse interesting in your opinion to make them spicy for your mutuals. — In canon, there’s no character quite like her in Bleach. Bleach has a surprising amount of rather diverse female characters, but I really liked the idea of having someone who was strong, at their top of the game but wielded an ability and set of skills that is classically “feminine”. Her love of flowers, gardening, and being soft and gentle doesn’t compromise her ability to lead or to fuck up your shit. She’s honed her skills so much she can turn the division into something of her own, much like Urahara did by turning the 12th into the research division (a specialization that remains even after his exile) and made a name for herself that is wholly unique.

Now the OPPOSITE, list everything why your muse could not be so interesting (even if you may not agree, what does the fandom perhaps think?). — People may find her interests boring or on the surface, her avenues of interaction repetitive. Maybe they can’t see their character interacting with a captain or someone from the soul society. Maybe they find her bubbly and friendly personality boring to interact with, because they prefer dramatic or angst driven story lines.

What inspired you to rp your muse? — I’ve had Miki for a long ass time. Her original inspiration is shallow and embarrassing, so I’m going to pretend not to acknowledge it and simply say that I really wanted a shinigami that had a flower based zanpakuto. Like literal flowers, not just the aesthetic of flowers (like Byakuya).

What keeps your inspiration going? — The people that I rp with frankly! I love my gorl, but it’s the other people I really write with that help bring her to life in a certain way. Oh no. My answer is just “the friends we made along the way” lmao.

Some more personal questions for the mun.

Give your mutuals some insight about the way you are in some matters, which could lead them to get more comfortable with you or perhaps not.

Do you think you give your character justice? YES / NO.

Do you frequently write headcanons? YES / NO. (I’ve written quite a few over the years, the longer i go on the rarer they tend to get)

Do you sometimes write drabbles? YES (I like them, but I haven’t written any in a long time!) / NO.

Do you think a lot about your Muse during the day? YES / NO.

Are you confident in your portrayal? YES / NO.

Are you confident in your writing? YES / NO.

Are you a sensitive person? YES-ISH / NO.

Do you accept criticism well about your portrayal? — I’m always open to constructive criticism. I think without it, it’s hard to grow as an artist/writer (I’m leaving this thought of Lainey’s bc I agree lol). But its one thing to come and bash when you are only scraping the surface level of someone’s portrayal. Like, you can’t come to me and offer “criticism” if you haven’t bothered to read all the information that’s available to my character. As for my writing in genral, I welcome it. I’ve never professed to be a strong writer, I actually never really liked writing when it came to school, it is not a flowing talent for me like it is for others. I know sometimes I can get stuck in loops or sound repetitive. Sometimes I sit there and I know the feeling I want to portray but just can’t come up with the right words. So really, if you know of a way to shake that up, tell me!

Do you like questions, which help you explore your character? — Yes!! Though sometimes I feel brain dead and don’t know how to answer lol...but I do my best!

If someone disagrees to a headcanon of yours, do you want to know why? — I mean, unless it’s something that blatantly goes against something in canon, since she’s my own character no one can really say shit.

If someone disagrees with your portrayal, how would you take it? — Tell them they can go if they don’t like it?? I understand that she will not be everyone’s cup of tea and can’t possibly hit everyone’s boxes with her but...if she doesn’t vibe with you I don’t need to hear it, you can just go and not interact with me, lol.

If someone really hates your character, how do you take it? — Obviously, since she is a character of my own creation, I DO want people to like her. I also realize that not everyone is going to like her though, by virtue of people being people and her characterization. We all have preferences. If you really HATE HATE her I’d maybe like to know why..because that seems like a really strong emotion and naturally we are curious. If it’s like “I hate her bc you make titty jokes sometimes” then get outta here, lol

Are you okay with people pointing out your grammatical errors? — Yeah, please, just fix it for me if its in a reblog. I’m pretty good with grammar but sometimes I just miss stuff and don’t catch it before it goes to post. Do me a solid.

Do you think you are easy going as a mun? — I”d like to think I am very easy going, but I also subscribe to the stupid idea that no one actually wants to talk to me, so I tend to keep to myself a lot and I find it hard to get really friendly with new people. I have my handful of people that I know I can say anything to, but it’s taken a long time to get there. But seriously, I don’t bite. I am a nice person. But also, don’t just come up to me and be like “whats up” and then when I respond you’re just like “cool” and nothing else. Fuck outta here with that.

That’s about it, congrats for filling out!

Tagged by: @elxfi Tagging: Do this if you have an OC haha

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captusmomentum · 6 years

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ARRANGED TANZANITE RETURNS WITH A BANG!!!!!

fair warning tho this fucker is COMPLETELY UNPROOF READ. I told myself I’d get something posted today and i’m doing it even if it’s janky as shit I’m too tried to actually edit it atm so whatever. ENJOY!!!! IT’S FLUFF (KINDA????)

@theladypirate @feynites

Seeing Inan with her clan peers is a bit of shock. He’s generally used to her being good natured but nervous and prone to anxiety. Kind but not someone he call sociable. That is until now at this little impromptu gathering of many of the younger clan elves currently in the city. It’s about as raucous as you’d expect for a group of youths this large but there’s nothing untoward going on so tolerable to his sensibilities.

What’s the focus of his and Uthvir’s attention now is Inanallas who had been called away from their table about 2 hours ago by some friend and is now embroiled in leading some large group songs and play acting what is clearly very popular childhood tales to the delight of the crowd. The songs at the start had been the most jarring, He had absolutely no idea she could yell that loudly and wished he had not found out by her yelling obscenities at her fellows. It must be the drink— though he knows she hasn’t drunk enough to lose her senses so completely but— clearly it must just be that she’s extremely drunk. People are very different when inebriated that’s just normal.

The play acting is actually quite engaging, it’s not a quality production by any stretch of the imagination, but the stories are the tales that Inanallas and her peers where told as children, folk lore and such which is actually deeply interesting. Uthvir is going along with the crowd laughing and crowing with the lot. Honestly.

Inanallas seems to usually end up as a villain or something similar (which he finds offensive frankly, his spouse is not a villain!) and they do a very good job being an incredibly hammy villain, shifting to match the character, some of which he cannot help but note are quite attractive— not that she’s normally not, in fact, her main form is definitely more attractive than any of those. Definitely. His spouses are very attractive just like he is, they are all very good looking.

He takes a healthy swig of his wine.

They are all drunk by the time they make their way back to their apartments, not embarrassingly so but still. Inanallas is still in exceedingly high spirits leading the way as Uthvir endlessly goads them.

“I’m shocked, I hadn’t realized we’d married such a talent” They drawl wickedly.

Inan spins around and bows dramatically as they walk backwards.

“Why thank you! I pride myself on being a rank amateur thespian.”

“Amateur? No, I thought you scenery chewing was truly professional.”

He can’t help the burst of laughter at that apt jibe, but he quickly covers his mouth and works to contain the outburst. Inanallas wink at him roguishly and Thenvunin can feel his face flush from more than wine.

The mood is high when they get back and as comfortable as it as ever been between them all which is practically sublime after all the stress and terrible awkwardness of it all. Their conversation seems impossible to break the train of and they all end up still at chatting in the living room hours later and much more sober by the time he realizes how late it is and how he really should get to bed. He’s loathe to end this moment but he supposes someone among them has to be responsible, though it pains him to have to wear that mantle so frequently.

“I’m sorry to say but it is terribl—“ before he can finish he’s overcome by a yawn which he covers quickly with his sleeve. How embarrassing!

“Tired? Oh no wonder! Look at the time!” Inan exclaims sympathetically, noticing the hour herself.

He nods. “It’s unfortunate we have to end such a wonderful night but we really should be to bed.”

“Oh? I don’t think it really has to end just now does it? Though I agree moving things to the bedroom is for the best.”

Thenvunin stares at Uthvir aghast. Honestly! The savage! If anyone here that should’ve been playing the villain it’s Uthvir not Inanallas! How typical of them to ruin a perfect night with their lewd lustful ways! His gaze snaps to poor virginal Inanallas who this must be traumatizing to only be even more horrified. They’re grinning at Uthvir with a look he’s categorized as ‘Inan is about to go along with Uthvir’s Terrible Plan’. He’s Doomed.

Before he can try to dissuade them (because of course he would) Inan has scooped him up as if he weighs nothing and his flush returns with a vengeance. A hot spike of embarrassing arousal pierces him and he works furiously to regain his composure. He is clings to them tightly—for balance! And focuses on the impropriety of it all and not how solid her arms are or the feel of her so close.

“ I— You! Put me down at once! This is— I swear—! You two are incorrigible! Even after all this you to still want to— to—!”

Uthvir chuckles as they open the door to his bedroom for Inanallas.

“Oh come now, I thought you just said were loathe to part with your beloved spouses? We’re simply remedying that.”

He huffs angrily but supposes it was bound to happen eventually. They are married and it was only a matter of time before they prevailed upon him thusly. He must simply stay strong and preform this more lewd duty of a husband.

Only, by the time Inan places him on his bed and topples on top of him, nuzzling his collarbone it’s clear that she at least is just as tired as he is. It’s no shock, they were the most active out of all of them. Looking again at Uthvir as they sit next to them even they too look a bit sleepy. It looks like the likelihood that they’ll be jointly ravishing him is quite low. He feels a bit put out— only that he has to continue to wait to get it over with. Obviously.

He cannot help flush further when Inanallas begins to undress him.

“W-what—?!” he gasps—demands.

“Well you can’t sleep in your fancy clothes can you?”

Once again he’s thrown for a loop, it must be part of some evil clan mind trick since he’s so throughly caught wrong footed that he’s practically wanton under he as she works, maneuvering him out of his dress. He notices with mounting horror has she shifts that he is definitely reacting and as she is straddling him she must certainly have noticed. But maybe she hasn’t as she doesn’t exclaim in shock or make some lascivious remark like Uthvir. Maybe she’s simply is so untainted she doesn’t even know how to tell? But then he’d be a monster for exposing her to something to lurid—

He’s distracted by the trail of kisses she leaves down his neck that seem to hit sensitive spots too well to be lucky that makes him rethink that.

Uthvir sits back down —Uthvir had left? With one of his nightgowns in hand— one of the red ones. Gods, red— Honestly the elf had no shame.

“Tell me Thenvunin, would you like us to dress you as well?”

Thenvunin shoots up one of the hands on Inan’s thighs —when did those get there?— reflexively going to her back to keep her steady and safely to him.

“I am more than capable of dressing myself thank you!”

They raise their hands in mock defeat and offer him the offending garment.

He snatches it and Inan takes it as her cue to leave his lap and he instantly misses her weight. Without her body to obscure it, his reaction is in full view. Quickly he gets up and turns his back to them as he changes quickly in an attempt to preserve some of his dignity.

He can hear clothes flying and hitting the floor and he looks down at the growing pile of what’s clearly Inan’s clothes before looking at her in time to see her boots go flying. She haphazardly wrestles her pants off and throws them to the floor as well leaving her in only what could best be described as a kerchief held up by string and tiny panties. He stares openly for a moment as he now can very clearly see the full extent of her tattoos before his senses come back and he quickly returns his attention to the pile of clothes. He’d wonder how someone who wore so much could disrobe so quickly if it was clear she tore them off her like an animal.

He snaps back around at Uthvir’s growl of approval to them oggling Inanallas. Honestly! He returns to the bed and quickly slips under the covers for modesty, closer now he can keep an eye on that beast and make sure they do not try to take advantage of their spouse.

“Inanallas would you be a dear and help me out of my armor?”

“Yeah of course.”

She moves closer to Uthvir and he can see her back. He feels a jolt as somehow her back is even more covered than her front. He didn’t think that— Well it’s not as if— Tattoos can be quite artist even if her’s are quite brutish thought he would never say that were interesting to him—It’s doing things to him in ways he hadn’t anticipated.

He shifts the blankets.

Uthvir and Inan move quickly and soon Uthvir is out of all their many pieces which are set away much more neatly than Inan’s own articles. Inan comes and slips in beside him as Uthvir removes only what would be truly uncomfortable to sleep in before joining the two of them.

Thenvunin is quite certain he’s about to die from the strain.

#my writing #arranged tanzanite au #inanallas #uthvir #thenvunin #tanzanite trio #one day i'll get back to fucking proof reading but lol whatever #if this is/was continued there's an easy 50/50 it'd either end with sleep or quick sleepy sexy times #honestly it can go either way #finally the dark secret is Revealed inan is actually REALLY OBNOXIOUS #where is this in the time line you ask????? WHO KNOWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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teamtt-blog1 · 7 years

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15 Reasons Why We Love Japan!

15 February to 4 March 2017

We opted to leave the sun kissed white beaches, fascinating underwater marine life and the ice cold beers to discover the innovative, richly cultural if not a little crazy country that is JAPAN!

We were immensely looking forward to seeing Tokyo, the hub of the hi-tech world and we couldn’t wait to hit the slopes in the Hakuba valley on the main island. As the skiers of you know Japan is famous for it’s snowy conditions, the weather systems that move across Siberia mean that there are massive amounts of snow compared to the rest of the world’s ski areas and we all know that lots of snow means… lots of PAAAAAAAAAAWWDAAAAAAAAl! (powder). To give you an example the average snowfall in ski resorts in Japan is anything between 14-18 metres. Compare that with Europe, although European resorts don’t publish their average snowfall, so after scouring the internet I did find one article that reported Lech in Austria known historically for having superior snow cover and also the highest average snowfall of any resort in Europe at 10.6 metres, once, big difference hey! We were very excited to get amongst the paaaawdaaa and see this super snow for ourselves.

We couldn’t wait to don our newly bought winter coats and see what Japan had to offer. We had just under three weeks to explore this country. We had high expectations which meant we could have easily been disappointed, but it exceeded our expectations. We loved Japan! Here are some of the reasons why…(in no particular order):

1. Bullet trains

One of the things I was most excited about seeing and experiencing in Japan was their famous Shinkansen. We opted to buy a JR Rail Pass, which entitles you to use any participating train around Japan, including the bullet trains!

The Shinkansen is pretty impressive due to many factors, the futuristic appearance with its long nose is very stylistic. The punctuality of the trains are second to none, JR reported that the Shinkansen’s average delay is just 18 seconds, wow, C2C and Greater Anglia could take note. They’re also renowned for being pretty quick too, the top speed of the Shinkansen is 320km/h (200 mph).

Our first ride was from Kyoto to Tokyo, which took just over 2 hours and covered just under 500kms, pretty quick hey!

Excited and ready to set off

Trying to navigate our way to our hotel from the bullet train…

We loved the Shinkansen’s so much, we took ourselves off for the day on the train, accompanied by some wine and cheese, to an hour or so outside of Tokyo to cross platforms and head straight back!

2. Cleanliness

Everywhere was so incredibly clean. OK so we had just come from spending 4 months in South East Asia and so clean public facilities weren’t a common feature, but what was more common were pungent smells when you wandered down roads that were riddled with cockroaches. But seriously though, this country was spotless, there was no litter anywhere, no horrid smells, there are no cigarette butts and chewing gum on the pavements, in fact there are designated places, outside, for smoking, eating ice cream from a street vendor, yes you cannot walk along the road whilst eating.

The roads themselves are extremely well maintained, the streets in Kyoto and in particular Gion Shijo, which is like their equivalent of Oxford Street, was immaculate, to the extent that it looked fake, like a street you would see in a theme park, are you with me?? Dan and I rode along this stretch on our bikes (a little clip in the Kyoto vid).

3. Vending machines

You are never more than a hop, skip and a jump away from a vending machine in Japan. Everywhere you look two, three, four machines are lined to give you a thirst quenching treat.

The selection was mammoth, in a few seconds you could have your hands on water, fizzy pop, juice, beer, sake…

It was also the first place where not only a cold drink option was available, but also a hot beverage, and a selection of them! I went safe and opted for hot chocolate, it wasn’t quite PAUL standard but it was pretty good.

We soon discovered that these machines were not limited to supplying drinks and that you could buy a variety of goods…

1. Headphones

2. Watches

3. Noodles, yes, hot noodles!

4. Cigarettes

5. Snacks

6. Umbrellas

7. Ice cream

8. Vegetables in stick form!?!?

9. Dinner, yes DINNER!

So it’s quite simple, you order whatever picture takes your fancy, put your money in and within a couple of minutes your dinner/lunch is served!

4. Mount Fuji

We took the Shinkansen out to Hakone, a day trip from Tokyo and were impressed with the snowy peaked Mount Fuji. We travelled to Owakundani in Hakone which has great views of Mount Fuji and itself is a volcanic valley with active sulphur points, so we got the rotten egg smell and you can see the steam in the picture below.

Mount Fuji

We were lucky enough to see Mount Fuji on one of our sightseeing days in central Tokyo when we went to the top of the Metropolitan Government building, which was also free, lucky timing hey!

5. Sushi

I love sushi and couldn’t wait to try it in its birthplace. Dan who isn’t so keen also tried it and while it didn’t blow his mind, his conclusion was “I didn’t mind it” which I’ll take as a win as he would flatly refuse to try it in the UK.

We had sushi at a sushi train restaurant at the famous Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo. We sat at the counter where the chefs made the sushi in front of us which was a great experience. The Tsukiji fish market is the biggest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world and has a renowned tuna auction which takes place daily, however it is limited to 120 visitors per day and so we weren’t lucky enough to witness this event. We did however sample the best toro (high quity tuna) I have ever tasted, delicious!

Taking orders

Enjoying something other than sushi

We did sample these and they were NOT nice!

6. Musical tunes

This may seem a strange heading, but there is music everywhere in Japan. Christophe loved it!

There was musical tunes when you took cash out of the ATM’s, when you crossed the road, when you entered a 7-Eleven, when you used a public toilet… OK so you may be thinking that there are sounds everywhere when you do all the above (maybe except for the loos!), but that’s just it, it wasn’t simply a toy machine gun sound when the green man appeared at a crossing, or an urgent set of beep beep beeps when your cash appeared, making you fear that if you weren’t quick enough to retrieve it, the cash machine may gobble it back up. No, these were melodies, tunes that made you smile and in Christophe’s case, sorry, Dan’s case, want to sing along.

Moving onto the music in the loos, well, the toilets were quite frankly awesome, see ‘Electronic Toilets’ below. When you entered a cubicle, music started, the sound of running water and birds tweeting, what a genius idea in order to ensure patrons could be discreet, or slightly foolhardy if you were cutting it fine, I am not sure the sound of running water would help!

7. Temples et al

We spent a day and a half navigating our way around the numerous temples, gardens, imperial palaces and Shinto shrines in the previous capital of Japan, Kyoto. We hired bikes and were on our way, first up, the Golden Pavillion, Kinkaku-ji Temple…

Geisha spotting in the Golden Pavilion Gardens

Here we lit candles and had a go at getting our fortune. Unluckily we didn’t get a good fortune and so we tied our fortune up and left it there, apparently this averts you from receiving the bad luck, fingers crossed!

Next up was the Bamboo Forest at Arashiyama, OK so not strictly a temple, but it was amazing and felt like you were in another world, plus there are temples around it. The bamboo forest is quite awe inspiring and according to CNN is one of the most beautiful groves on Earth!

We visited the Imperial Palace gardens

We then headed for Sannen-zaka, a typical Japanese street full of Japanese sweet delicacy shops and lots and lots of tourists. From there we headed uphill to Kiyomizu-dera Temple.

Mr Grey

The Pagoda at Kiyomizu-dera

From the temple there was a lovely view of Kyoto

…and Team TT

The final destination of the day was the world famous Shinto shrine, Fushimi Inari-taisha, which is a spectacular area full of Tori gates (orange shrine columns). Thousands of these tori gates form passageways and snake through the forest into the Inari mountain range. We were quite tired by the time we reached this temple and so didn’t walk the full 4 kilometres of shrines but we did cover approximately half of it, which was quite mesmerising.

We also passed many fox statues made out of stone, which are said to be the messengers of Inari, the Shinto god of rice, generally guarding the place. Dan and a very tired looking tourist giving the foxes a hand.

We refuelled with a Yatsuhshi Chou which is the most popular traditional Japanese sweet made from rice flour, sugar and cinnamon… not bad.

8. Electronic toilets

Yes the toilets are EPIC! Not only could you probably eat your dinner off of them as their public loos are super clean, the Japanese have gone one step further and turned these thrones into technological marvels! They actually call them Washlets and they can have up to 20 functions… I won’t bore you with them all and we didn’t really like the idea of the bidet function, which also included different water pressure jets that could clean your behind, accompanied with a drying function of different temperatures! What was a lovely surprise though was the heated toilet seat, especially on those skiing days, with music playing (see ‘Musical tunes’ above) and an automatic toilet lid, so as you entered the cubicle, the lid lifted, genius! :-) However, when you marry a big kid, you can sometimes get more than what you bargained for… These toilets can also come with remote controls, which sometimes are attached to the outside of the toilet door. Can you see where this is going… Yes, I got a little surprise during one visit to the bathroom!

9. Taxi drivers

The taxi drivers in Japan are always very smartly dressed wearing a suit, driving cars that look like they were straight out of the 80s and the drivers tended to be older men. Maybe it’s what you do when you retire in Japan… well you should know the roads pretty well by then!

They are also renowned for being incredibly expensive and so we only got one taxi whilst we were in Japan, see ‘Golden Gui’.

10. Onsens

We were a little dubious about onsens. We wanted to experience a Japanese style bath and say we’d been in an onsen, however, communal bathing with dozens of other naked Japanese people would be very uncomfortable! So whilst in the Hakuba valley we opted for a private onsen. It was set in idyllic open air surroundings and we were ready for some relaxation and to reap the benefits of the mineral composition of the bath. However, it was bloody hot! Apparently, Japanese people can sit in hot springs up to 55 degrees! 55 degrees!! Not sure I want to be part boiled.

Relaxed

11. Polite, disciplined and friendly

The Japanese people really do lead by example, they are so incredibly polite and disciplined. They queue meticulously for everything, think of Canary Wharf underground station during rush hour, on steroids! The Japanese also are extremely disciplined at pedestrian crossings. They don’t just quickly skip across the road when there are no cars coming, they patiently wait for the green man even when the road is a single lane road.

The Japanese really are so helpful and friendly, continually bowing when they greet you which feels a bit awkward, do you bow in return, then fear you may do it wrong or bash heads or just stand there like a lemon…

Dan and I were looking at the Tokyo underground station map, trying to work out how we could get to the Tokyo Tower. This kind Japanese man asked us in broken English if he could help. We started to explain where we were headed. He looked confused, unsure how to get there himself. Next thing, he was running away from us, briefcase in hand, (picture a Japanese Tin Tin, just missing Snowy) towards an information desk which we didn’t see, he found out the directions, then gestured for us to follow him, he kept saying, “I will take you”. We asked him where he was supposed to be going, he just said “it’s OK”. What a complete gentleman, we kind of worked out that he wasn’t really heading in our direction but he was so helpful and happy. We all got on the train and he took us all the way to the Tokyo Tower, changing trains and platforms along the way! When we left him at the Tokyo Tower station a good twenty minutes later, he bowed and bowed at us and I opted for none of the above and couldn’t just stand there like a lemon, so went for the very English handshake. We couldn’t really believe what had happened, a total stranger, in a huge city, during rush hour and probably on his way to work, went out of his way literally to help two lost tourists, a heart warming experience and something we won’t forget, offering someone your kindness and your time.

12. 7-Eleven

So we were a little worried about going to Japan as we had heard that it’s just so bloody expensive, would we burn all our cash in three weeks! We hoped not, and it turns out that it is not expensive as everyone thinks. Australia for one is much much pricier. And these little corner stores, yes there is literally one every 100 yards, turned out to be very convenient and helpful in saving our pennies. They sold everything, to the extent that people would actually have their evening meal and sit inside so it was a 7-Eleven as we would know it, plus a dine in restaurant and take away! The Japanese people that served us were uber friendly, loving their life grinning from ear to ear, chatting away to us whilst we paid, not that we understood a word they were saying… Either way, they were ultra convenient and pretty tasty, the sushi wasn’t bad from these joints either!

13. Tipping is rude

Luckily for Team TT we found out this fact before we arrived in Japan and so saved ourselves from insulting any locals. I was a bit surprised to begin with as you pretty much tip for everything at home but after some thought, I kind of liked the message behind it.

14. Golden Gui

On our first night in Tokyo we opted for some traditional Japanese food at a BBQ place where you order your meat, and you cooked it yourself on a BBQ grill in the middle of the table. We had Kobe beef which was delicious, along with beef tongue, not so delicious! In fact it was disgusting!!

Trying Sake

Sticking to what we know

The restaurant was close to Golden Gui, a small area near to Shinjuku station where there are approx. 6 rows of small shed like buildings, housing around 200 bars. They are tiny in size, a few metres wide, fitting only 5 or so patrons at any one time. We picked one and had a few drinks chatting to another couple that made up the customers in the bar, oh and the barman.

We got on the red wine, uh-oh and ended up leaving around 4am, as the owner had to take his son skiing that morning. We were chatting to a lovely couple from Mexico and decided that it woulld be good to move on and hit up a karaoke bar.

Christophe in action

We ended up getting a taxi home around 8.00am! Needless to say the next day we didn’t make the most of our first full day in Tokyo :-) and Golden Gui most certainly beat us. We had a fantastic night and Japan was turning into a fantastic trip. Thanks for a fab night Lina and Carlos!

15. Skiing

We took the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Nagano near to the Hakuba Valley where we would spend the next 8 days skiing the best of the 10 ski areas. We stayed at the hotel Reposer Hakuba located in Echoland a small village just outside of Happo-One the main ski area in the valley.

View from our room

We only had summer clothes with us :-/ so quickly headed to the hire shop and got fully kitted up ready to hit the slopes.

Ready to go

Ok so I know I agreed to take my husband family name, but surely this was one step too far!? :-)

First up, we decided to ski the 1998 Winter Olympic ski field, Happo-One. Being immensely excited and keenos, we were ready to get the first lift and I wanted photographic evidence.

First in line, so up and away on the first chairlift! :-)

The runs were empty, the snow was soft, light, fluffy and squeaked when you walked on it. Due to the massive amount of snow Japanese resorts receive each season means that they are not known for having many blue bird days. However, Mr Lucky strikes again and we had 8 days of sunshine and blue sky! This meant that we unfortunately didn’t have any powder days, making first tracks in the snow, but the snow on the pistes was the best we have ever skied in perfect conditions. You gotta take the rough with the smooth! :-)

Over the next week we skied Hakuba Cortina, Tsugaike Kogen, Iwatake, Happo-one, Hakuba 47 and Hakuba Goryu. Our favourite was Iwatake, the runs were empty and it was like a ghost town. We pretty much had the place to ourselves to the extent that when we reached a chair lift, the lift operators were so pleased to see us like we were the only people they had seen all day, maybe we were!

This meant we could practice our technique and for me that meant taking the perfectly timed shot.

The pro carving up the snow

View from the top

Alone on the runs

“Because I‘m happy”

We had an incredible week skiing and absolutely loved Japan. We hope you enjoy the two videos below.

Next up for Team TT was a road trip through Vietnam, not before meeting up with my fantastic folks, it was going to be an emotional reunion.

Stay tuned.

Lots of love

Team TT xxx

#teamtt #travel #japan #favouritecountry #konichiwa #arigato #irasshaimase

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