At the end of the day you can use "Varric is an unreliable narrator" to overwrite literally any part of DA2 that you don't like. Like you can say, "Oh of COURSE Varric isn't actually against mage freedom! He just said that he objected to Hawke freeing the mages because Cassandra was interrogating him." And sure, I can't prove to you that he isn't lying about that. I can't prove to you that Varric isn't lying about anything. I can't prove to you that the entirety of Inquisition isn't also Varric making things up because he did also write a book about that and we hear Cassandra reading it in the end credits. At the end of the day if you want to you can basically wipe out Varric's entire character as presented to us and say, "Actually he was lying! He's really this."
But at a certain point you do also have to acknowledge that the frame narrative is a storytelling device that's meant to enhance the story, not like... erase it. Or at least I prefer to acknowledge that, because going too far the other way basically guts the story of all meaning. If Varric is a character we are meant to engage with on any level--and I think it's clear from his prominence in the franchise that he is!--then at least some of what we see him say and do needs to be able to meaningfully interpreted, even if we second-guess him, even if we can pick out half-truths here and there, even if we cross-check our interpretations against how he behaves in other parts of canon.
Like at least some of what we're given about Varric has to be meaningful to his character, or why even bother, I guess is what I'm saying.
90 notes
·
View notes
Existence [Hawks | Takami Keigo]
Content: Thoughts of Suicide, Self-Deprecating Thoughts, Questioning Existence. Please take caution.
Pronouns: None
Header: @/kadeart
Reblogs: Let me know that you enjoy my work and want to see more, so don’t forget to like and reblog (and comment in the tags. I love seeing people’s rambles in the tags)!
This work’s concepts, plot and original characters are my own which means I do not allow any sort of creative theft nor do I allow my work to be entered into any sort of A.I. bots. Thank you for respecting my space and boundaries.
“Hey, Dove—”
You cut him off, “It’s getting worse but also pretty on brand.” then shrugged.
He paused. “I… what? On brand?”
“Like kinda just questioning my existence and hating being perceived.”
He sat next to you. “Can you explain that for me?”
You fiddle with the hem of your sleeve. “I just don’t like people knowing I exist… kinda don’t like existing but…” You shrugged.
“What don’t you like about existing?”
“It's hard. There’s too much to worry about.” You frowned, the words souring on your tongue. “I just… I don’t like knowing that people know me and hate me.”
“Dove, not everyone—”
You held your hand up. “Yes, logically I know not everyone hates me. I can’t help thinking like this, though, so just drop it.” You sighed and stood. “I’m gonna take a nap.”
“Yeah…” Keigo absentmindedly said as he watched you drag yourself into the bedroom. “That could have gone better…”
A few hours later, Keigo dared to enter the bedroom, one of your favorite small meals in hand.
Despite what the media believed, he was pretty skillful in the kitchen.
You were curled up in the middle of the bed, clutching a pillow close to your chest.
He sat the food down on the side table before dropping down next to you, placing a hand on your back.
“How ya feelin’?”
“...Not better, not as bad as before.” You exhaled deeply before sitting up. “Kinda feel like I’m numb again.”
“Numb to yourself and the world?”
You nodded, “I gotta be. It’s all too much to deal with.”
He looked away then asked, “You hungry?”
You placed a hand on your stomach, “Yeah, actually.”
He grinned, “I’ve got something I’m sure you’re craving.”
You gave him a small smile of your own, “Thank you, Keigo.”
Ko-Fi | Commission | Masterlist
44 notes
·
View notes
Eyed hawk-moth Smerinthus ocellatus
This species was first described Carl Linnaeus in 1758.
Image credit: webandi on Pixabay
[image ID: a moth with hook shaped light and dark brown forewings and pink and yellow orche colored hind wings transitioning basally from pink to yellow. There are large blue eyespots on the hind wings that are rimmed with black and partially covered by the fore wings.]
83 notes
·
View notes
Out Loud [Hawks | Takami Keigo]
Content: Thoughts of Suicide and Self-Deprecating Thoughts. Please take caution.
Pronouns: None
Header: @/kadeart
Reblogs: Let me know that you enjoy my work and want to see more, so don’t forget to like and reblog (and comment in the tags. I love seeing people’s rambles in the tags)!
This work’s concepts, plot and original characters are my own which means I do not allow any sort of creative theft nor do I allow my work to be entered into any sort of A.I. bots. Thank you for respecting my space and boundaries.
“I wanna die.”
Keigo spun on his heel, immediately ready to comfort you, but—
There you were, slumped on the couch and mindlessly scrolling on social media.
He eyed you for a moment before hesitantly asking, “What was that, chickadee?”
You looked up, eyes glazed over with something that was frighteningly familiar. “Hm? What was what?”
“Pretty sure you just said something.”
You blinked, “I did?” He nodded. “Oh… well, I’m sure it was nothing.”
Then you went back to your phone
Like it was nothing
But Keigo knew otherwise.
It wasn’t just nothing.
From that moment on, he kept a closer eye on you.
He noticed that you furrowed your brows a lot.
You let out a random string of curses, then shake your head.
And very occasionally would you say,
“I wanna die.”
But just like before, you didn’t seem to notice.
However, it was really beginning to concern Keigo.
“Dove, we need to talk.”
A look of dread crossed your features, and he quickly assured you it had nothing to do with your relationship. “Okay…. What’s up?”
He took a deep breath. “Why do you keep saying that you want to die?”
You blinked twice, then your brows shot downward.
You were overthinking.
He tapped your forehead with a finger, “Don’t keep it all up there— let me in.”
You blinked a few more times then said, “I don’t really know…”
“People don’t just say something like that and don’t know why.”
“But I don’t!” You sighed. “I mean, yeah— I’ve noticed I’ve been a lot meaner to myself lately. Like, to the point where I’m saying stuff out loud.”
He raised a brow. “Like when you say random curse words?”
You slapped a hand over your face and curled in on yourself. “Ugh— you heard that?” Yeah, when I say stuff like ‘You stupid fucking dumbass’, I’m usually talking about myself.”
He wanted to ask why, but he knew he’d be met with a wall, so instead he asked, “And now it’s turned into you saying that you want to die?”
You nodded.
“Do you actually want to die?”
You stayed still.
He called you by your name.
And that was all it took for your body to convulse, racked with sobs.
He pulled you into his lap, where he embraced you with his arms and wings.
He wanted to do more for you
But where would he even start…
Because protecting you like this, body and wings shielding you from the world wasn’t enough.
Ko-Fi | Commission | Masterlist
24 notes
·
View notes