sorryyyy im still thinking about this
im totally willing to accept that some ppl are super critical of the vallaslin removal and that some ppl are critical without knowing the context it exists in - bc ppl love to be hyper-critical of solas and his actions and assume the worst case scenario all the time
but also, i think the 'cruelty' that gets brought up isn't strictly or exclusively related to the vallaslin removal as such: it's more the fact that he offers, and regardless of her choice, he immediately breaks up with her. yes, he's giving her a choice, and yes, he values the freedom to choose - but that doesn't mitigate the fact that right after he ends the relationship
from his pov we can see why. but in-game, within the timeline, and from lavellan's pov... he tells her something incredibly traumatic about her people's history, offers to remove the evidence, and regardless of her decision, he leaves her. it's even right there in canon with cole's dialogue after the fact
if she kept it: She feels her face, marked, marred without malice. She didn't know. She thinks it's why you walked away.
if she let him remove it: She is bare-faced, embarrassed, and she doesn't know. She thinks it's because of her.
players knowing his reasons doesn't preclude this from hurting lavellan in either situation. going from a strictly-canon pov, lavellan associates her vallaslin with solas ending their relationship - that's the cruelty. he can't tell her the truth, we as players get that, but it's a direct correlation for her. and if she lets him remove it, someone who has grown up dalish, who is culturally dalish regardless of the specifics of her feelings about them, would very likely feel entirely unmoored - i think that's what ppl are mostly driving at when they talk about this process. bc she loses so much in one moment: 1) her people's history, 2) possibly the primary marker of her cultural identity, 3) and the man she loves
again: she canonically associates her vallaslin with why he left. ppl taking that and running with it aren't being unduly critical of solas or lavellan. but even if it was pure fanon, it's reasonable to consider how losing or keeping her vallaslin would impact her, both personally and within the larger world
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I have very normal feelings about a situation where Toshiro visits Melini after a long while. Laios has established himself as king, although he still has much to improve on. Toshiro carries on the family mantle, but that isn't relevant now; he's on a break, seeing friends he hasn't seen since their last chaotic adventure. Laios waits to greet him at the docks when he arrives. Toshiro feels his heart quicken, though this is very quickly brushed off. Who wouldn't feel excited when meeting a companion after so long? He runs down to the docks—he forgets himself—He runs down the docks, ecstatic.
Laios greets him with a handshake. It's... much too formal. Diplomatic. The attitude befitting a king, not a friend. Toshiro forgets himself. He greets Laios with the handshake he's extended, yes, but he feels weird about it.
As Laios walks ahead of him, he is aided by his trusted advisor, who is bickering with him while telling him what to do. Laios is comfortable, with him. Toshiro is an outsider; he forgets himself.
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AGH FASHION DESIGNER SUGURU AND MODEL SATORU W A NEW INTERN DESIGNER UNDER THEIR WING 😞😞☹️ - 🌺
WAHHHH I LOVE THIS 🥺🥺🥺 the pining and flirting and slowburn of it all… model!satoru and his favorite designer suguru geto, both of them undeniably skilled and born with an eye for fashion….. well-known and adored……..
designer!suguru who gets tasked with showing you the ropes, who’s always so patient and kind despite your inexperience. diligent with his teaching but also so laidback, so easy to talk to… he looks intimidating, but he’s so polite that you can’t help but swoon a little. and he admires your enthusiasm so much…… grows fond of you soooo quickly bc you’re just such a breath of fresh air compared to the divas he’s forced to work with all the time. he thinks you’ve got real potential and he wants to nurture it.
and ofc you end up running into model!satoru eventually…. bc he’s always hanging around suguru whenever he gets the chance. and he’s maybe a little jealous that you’re hogging so much of his personal designer’s attention, but… he also thinks you’re so cute . T_T like a little puppy following suguru around… so excited to be apart of something you’ve dreamed of for so many years……… he looks into your eyes and sees the same sparkle he had before he made it big, and it makes his heart race.
yeah . i’m just thinking abt the peaceful coffee breaks with suguru….. how he’d insist on paying for your drink, ”since he’s your senior” (he wants to be your favorite </3)…… and how he’d just be so protective over his little intern. don’t get me started on the close proximity with satoru when you’re taking his measurements, the glance and smile he sends your way during an impromptu shoot… the way he always calls for you with a sweet coo of ”how’s my favorite intern doing today?”
😔😔😔 yeahhhhhh. they make me feel ill.
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