#illusivesoulwriting

[illusivesoul]

Wip Meme

Was tagged by @corpocyborg Thank you :)

I'll tag @celemee @nowandthane @marythegizka and @lyriumlullaby-ao3 Only if you feel like doing this, of course.

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"Have you remained in touch with Cassandra?"

"Yes, her letters complaining about nobility and orlesians and nevarrans are always an amusing read, and we've met whenever I've traveled to Val Royeaux. She's happy, and she keeps Vivienne quite happy too, though she is understandably reserved about the topic"

"The right hand of the Divine has many uses" Leliana tried to keep her mind focused in the warm mental image of Cassandra making Vivienne happy, and not on the bitterness that surrounded the edges of her mind, the poisonous thought that had accompanied her all these years that said that the Sunburst Throne should have been hers "Quite the match they made. I could have given our dear Cassadra some advice had Vivienne not gotten rid of me as quickly as she did"

"You wouldn't have stayed even if she asked you to. You were too stubborn, too proud. You still are, Leliana" Josephine smiled as she slid the desserts tray towards the redhead "Try them"

#tag meme #illusivesoulwriting

[illusivesoulgaming]

"Directions"

Yesterday I saw an re music video on Youtube and one of the comments said "The alternate reality where the Raccoon City outbreak never happened". That was my inspiration for writing this short little thing.

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Summary: "In a world where the Raccoon City outbreak never happened, a cop in the subway gets asked for directions"

Relationships: Leon/Claire

Word Count: 699

Read on AO3

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The subway never had many people at this hour. All the better for him, he thought as he rubbed his eyes. The hangover from last night’s party with Jim was killing him. Downing half a vodka bottle after losing a coin toss didn’t seem like a good idea today, but it had certainly seemed good enough for him last night.

“Train arriving soon”

The computerized voice and the short jingle made him rub the sides of his head. Everyday he spent posted to the subway, the more he wished to get out of there. But rookies went wherever they were sent, not where they wanted to be.

“Just a few weeks and then we’ll have you in the streets. You’ll like the subway, Leon. Not a lot goes on there” Marvin had said to him. 

“ “Not a lot goes on there” Understatement of the century” the cop said as he stretched his arms, barely containing a yawn as he did. Still had to keep the appearance of professionalism.

“Why does a city of a hundred thousand even have a subway?” Leon said to himself as he watched the few people that went in and out of the arriving trains. There were a lot more around rush hour, but still, he didn’t think it justified the number of trains or even the existence of the system in the city. “And Warren said they’re going to expand it even more next year. Must be laundering money or something. I should look into it”

“Give it up, mayor Warren! You’re under arrest” Leon said with his gun drawn as the door from the mayor’s office fell to the floor after he kicked it, a squad of police officers and the S.T.A.R.S unit behind him backing him up as he entered the office “You’re nothing but Umbrella’s puppet, taking their dirty money in exchange for letting them do as they please with this town, but it ends now!”

And just as he was exiting the building with the mayor in cuffs, ready to give his statement to the waiting reporters and their flashing cameras, a strong pull in his shoulder snapped him back to reality and out from his daydreaming.  

“Hello? Civilian contacting planet cop. Anyone in there receiving me?” 

Leon shook his head as he turned to see a redheaded woman in a leather jacket that left her toned arms exposed, black fingerless gloves and long brown boots staring into his soul with a very annoyed expression set on her face.

“Yes, ma’am, how can I help you?”

“Glad to see the city officers being so aware of their surroundings. Only had to stand here for a minute before you noticed. Do you know what station goes to the police department? I’m going to see my brother?”

“Take the train to Redstone Street Station. Once you exit, it’s only a short walk to the department”

“Good. Thanks” the woman replied “By any chance, do you happen to know if Chris Redfield is currently there?”

“Sure is. At least was when I left 2 hours ago” Mentioning the time made him remember all the hours he still had ahead of him before his shift ended. He complained mentally as usual. "Huh, did Chris ever mention he had a sister? Can't remember"

A bright white light began filling the tunnel, and shortly after the big red train arrived and stopped at the station.

The woman stepped into the train, and shortly before it closed, Leon spoke.

“Hey, tell Chris he still owes me 5 bucks”

The woman chuckled “Will do. He owes me money too. What’s your name?”

But before he could answer, the doors slid close and the train moved away from the station.

“Meh, whatever. I’ll tell Chris the daydreaming blondie cop at the subway station told me that you owe him money” Claire said to herself as she watched Leon slowly fading away into the distance as the train entered the tunnel.

“He’s cute. In that dorky way kind of cute” she thought as she sat down and turned on her walkman, put on her headphones and lost herself in the music as the train took her to her destination.

#resident evil #resident evil fanfiction #resident evil fanfic #cleon #claire redfield #leon scott kennedy #leon s kennedy #illusivesoulwriting #claire resident evil #resident evil claire #re claire #resident evil leon #re leon #leon resident evil #leon re #leon kennedy

[illusivesoul]

2023 Fic Roundup

Was tagged by @imakemywings Thank you :) I'll tag @alyssalenko @celemee @tungstenb @marythegizka and @quietborderline Only if you feel like doing this, of course.

I'll put the blanks here and my answers under the cut. Repeating what imakemywings said: Please note you are by no means required to follow my template or include individual fic stats at all! You can just answer the questions if you prefer .

Total Words Published at end of year: 

Fandoms:

Highest Everything (raw kudos, hits, comments): 

Hits:

Kudos: 

Comments:

New Things I Tried:

Fic I Spent the Most Time On: 

Fic I Spent the Least Time On: 

Favorite Thing I Wrote: 

Favorite Thing(s) I Read:

Writing Goals for 2023: 

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Total Words Published at end of year: 20,727

Fandoms: Dragon Age and Mass Effect as usual. Started writing some other things for other fandoms but haven't posted them yet.

Highest Everything (raw kudos, hits, comments): 

Hits: I have a big femslash collection that I've been doing since 2022, so I'll ignore that one and use the fics that I posted this year alone. Kinktober 2023 - Day 1: "Flashing" (222)

Kudos: Kinktober 2023 - Day 1: "Flashing" (15)

Comments: Neck Massage (3)

New Things I Tried: I wrote a short fic from the perspective of Rendon Howe, which is something I never thought that I would do. But I had fun getting to delve deeper into his character. Also got to write for some new ships like Vido and Zaeed and Bela and Josie.

Fic I Spent the Most Time On: Of Paragons and Dusters. Exchange fics always take a lot of my time lol.

Fic I Spent the Least Time On: Neck Massage \ A short Kaidan\Steve fic.

Favorite Thing I Wrote: A Divine's Hand \ A Leliana\Justinia fic that I really like how it turned out.

Favorite Thing(s) I Read: "Suitable Indeed" A Leliana\Vivienne fic I got for an exchange.

"To Truly Live" a Maric\Loghain fic

"Royal Flush" a collection of Aria\Jack fics

Writing Goals for 2023: To finish some fics I started in 2020. Hoping to finally close them up and have a sort of blank slate lol.

#illusivesoulwriting #tag meme

[illusivesoul]

Snippet Sunday

Was tagged by @morganaseren Thank you :)

I'll tag @quietborderline @hollyand-writes @timesthatneverwere and @elellan Only if you feel like doing this, of course.

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"Are you done? That little empty box gave you the peace of mind you wanted?" Lavellan replied as he climbed down from the arms of the statue "Get outside. We're leaving" The elf wasn't far away enough for the "bloody shems" he uttered to not reach Leliana's ears. The spymaster let out a deep breath, tightening her grip on the golden box, moving it around in her hands as she vainly hoped to find a secret compartment or a note or anything more. Vivienne placed her hand on Leliana's shoulder, a single act of silent support offered. They had never been friends or gotten along particularly well, but perhaps the Grand Enchanter saw a reflection of herself for a moment in Leliana, or perhaps it was just simple empathy, the spymaster thought. Leliana looked up and gave her a brief, silent smile. Vivienne nodded and walked back towards the entrance. Sitting on the ground, she read the words on the box once more. “The Left Hand should lay down her burdens”. “What more were you hoping for, Leliana? Justinia has released you. Lucky you” As she placed the box beside herself, she noticed the crimson pool of blodo coming from Nathalie’s corpse had almost reached her feet. And then, the lights from the candles started to dim, and the chill going up and down her spine and the way the hairs on the back of her neck were standing made it clear to her that the cold that had started to fill the Chantry was anything but natural.

#tag meme #illusivesoulwriting

[illusivesoul]

Zero Context WIP Tag Game

Was tagged by @hollyand-writes and @pinkfadespirit Thank you :)

I'll tag @celemee @alyssalenko @imakemywings and @lyriumlullaby-ao3 . Only if you feel like doing this, of course.

Deep breaths, short yet long at the same time. Sweat mixing with the blood running down her face, the rush of the adrenaline dulling the pain of where a guard's blade had left its mark, a mark that would never leave her skin. Another one for the collection. She knew she was home before her eyes processed it, the familiar taste of old dust filling her mouth, the tapping noise of her sandals against the finely detailed and decorated stone floors giving way to the sound of scrapping against the dry earth that soon covered her clothes, body and hair. Dropping down onto the ground, she rested her face against the stone of a crumbling building, catching her breath as her eyes drifted to the statue of the duster Paragon that towered over Dust Town. No one knew if she really had been a Paragon, probably not given the state of disrepair the statue was in, but it still was the closest dusters like her would ever get to having a Paragon of their own.

#tag meme #illusivesoulwriting #dragon age dwarves

[illusivesoul]

A short fic for ockissweek.

Characters: Javiera De Valterra, Kalzah Sabol

Words: 632

"In which Kalzah comforts Javiera after the destruction of the Conclave"

Javiera is 30 and she was the revered mother of a Chantry in Antiva. Kalzah is is 48, from Rivain, and she was the elder cleric of Javiera's Chantry.

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Javiera's sight was fixated on the fire boiling the stew. The creaking of the old and rusted metal hinges that held the pot as they swinged slightly in the chilling night breeze and the bubbling soup inside seemed to have an almost hypnotic allure, almost strong enough for her not to think about the charred spots on her Chantry robes, consequence of the explosion that had destroyed the Conclave, or the distant greenish hue of the Breach, the doorway into the Fade that sat on top of the Frostback Mountains from where countless demons and other horrours seemed to pour through with each passing minute, eager to destroy a world that only seemed to spiral more and more into chaos with each passing day.

"You feeling alright?"

Annelise shook her head as she snapped out of her thoughts, turning to look at the source of the voice.

"Saw you staring into that pot as if you were looking at Andraste herself. You all right?"

"As well as one can be, considering all that has happened. How about you, Kalzah?"

“Not great, not terrible” The woman shrugged as she sat beside her on the log, folding the lower part of her Chantry robes so that they didn't touch the ground, not missing the chance to complain about her knees as usual. The bags under her eyes told Javiera that she had been getting as much sleep as she was. "Feeling like the world is about to end at any minute, and a strong desire to not let it happen"

"Always the fighter" Annelise said as she wrapped her fingers with hers, resting her head on the woman's shoulders.

"So bold” Kalzah said with a smile before lifting the woman's hand and placing a quick kiss on top of it, like they had done so many other times in those quiet and silent halls of their chantry “What will the Grand Clerics say?”

“Last I heard, there weren’t many Grand Clerics left to complain about us” Javiera sighed “What are we going to do?”

"You know, I think things are going to be alright"

The younger woman chuckled "You always think everything is going to be alright"

"And I'm usually right, no?"

"No, you’re not"

Kalzah began kneading Javiera’s brown hair, her fingers softly massaging her head as she spoke “Look, every few years something happens, a war, a crisis, a dragon attack that makes us feel like this is it, that it is all over. But things always end up getting sorted out. People always fix things somehow”

“There’s a hole in the sky, Kalzah”

Kalzah smiled “Indeed there is, which means it is just going to take a lot of people to fix it. Besides, I’m sure one of your stern talks will be enough to make all these demons and whatnot to go back into the Fade and close the Breach. Your social skills are quite magical”

Javiera stood upright and looked at Kalzah, the black in her eyes meeting the older woman`s deep blue ones, a half smile set on her face “Why are you so ridiculous?”

“Why are you so pretty?” the woman said as she softly ran her thumb across Javiera’s lower lip.

Javiera’s kiss took Kalzah by surprise, but it didn’t take her long to return it, as usual. Javiera’s hands moved into Kalzah’s graying black hair, and pulled her closer. It was a kiss that tasted in equal parts of despair and hope, a kiss that begged for the future they both wanted, and the future they would fight to get.

They parted the kiss for a moment, and rested forehead to forehead with their eyes closed, smiling, the cold of the night mountain air not bothering them anymore.

Everything was going to be alright.

#ockiss24 #oc kiss week #ockissweek #dragon age #dragon age ocs #illusivesoulwriting #javiera de valterra #kalzah sabol #dragon age inquisition #da inquisition #da fanfic #dragon age fanfiction #dragon age fanfic

[illusivesoul]

WIP Whenever

Was tagged by @starsandskies and @hollyand-writes Thank you :) I'll tag @dabs-into-oblivion @breadedsinner @mxkelsifer @nowandthane @mxanigel and @cactihazard Only if you feel like doing this, of course.

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“So to answer your question, Evelyn Trevelyan: yes, it was more than friendship. Friendship is a very lacking term to describe the bond that we had. Now, you’ll have to excuse me. There are many things I have to see with to make sure this Inquisition of ours lasts more than a month”

As Leliana retreated to the depths of her tent, she pretended to focus on the papers in front of her, the wood on the sides of the table creaking in pain as she tightened her grip on it, desperate to hold back the tears, the rage, the pain and loss that boiled inside of her. Cause she knew, and she felt it, that if she turned around, she would be met with the sight of Trevelyan smiling mockingly at her, laughing at her pain and revelling in the turmoil she had caused.

But Leliana did not falter. She would not let Justinia’s name be tarnished any further by her weakness.

She had failed her enough already.

#tag meme #illusivesoulwriting

[illusivesoul]

A Ser Cauthrien/Anora fic for my Femslash February collection, using the prompt "Warmth" from @meganmoonlight Dragon Age Femslash February Prompts

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Ratings: Teen and Up

Words: 710

Summary: Having lost the throne, Anora and Ser Cauthrien rest by a fire on the road.

Read it on AO3

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Anora had never been a big fan of the countryside.

She hated the thought that years of living in a palace getting all her needs tended to had made her soft -she was the daughter of the man who preferred to sleep in a tent when a whole palace was available to him, after all- but she couldn’t deny that she was not getting used to the wilds after so many days on the road. The bugs seemed to creep everywhere, the mud clogged her boots and socks, and then there was the cold. She was Fereldan, Maker’s sake. She was no stranger to the bone freezing snow and wind that crept up from the ice lands beyond the Korcari Wilds every year. Yet, it was different to endure winter while having the finest royal furs at your disposal than having to endure it while only having a cheap coat purchased with the few coins she had at her disposal. At least she had managed to start a small fire that gave her some warmth. She congratulated herself on having been able to put the tent up, even if it had been over a decade since she had done so and had ended with more than a few cuts in her hand. She smiled longingly as she watched the firm structure. Loghain would be proud. She couldn’t help but wonder where has now, and into which underground pit the Wardens must have sent him to to fight darkspawn.

“Maker, keep him safe”

She cracked more dried sticks and threw them in front, her hands shivering as she did, watching the fires rise from the small pile of dried leaves and sticks in front of her.

By the time the sound of steps reached her ears, the former queen was already on her feet, a sharp dagger in front of her ready to slice anyone and anything that approached.

"Put the toothpicks down, your Majesty. It's me"

Anora sighed in relief as she saw Cauthrien stepping out from the shadow of the treeline.

Cauthrien had a large sack she carried on her back, and a small cut near her forehead that she didn’t have before.

“Were you trying to catch rabbits that were too fast?” Anora asked sarcastically.

“Funny”

"Where’s your armour?"

"Sold it in town. Didn't precisely help us to go unnoticed, and it would help us even less when crossing the border. I got you this with the coins I got"

“No one asked why you were selling such good armour?”

“Dead soldiers aren’t precisely rare these days, Anora. Lots of weapons and armour hit the markets everyday from all the battlefields across the country”

And with that phrase, the thoughts that had been haunting her since that fateful day in Denerim returned once more. “I could have done more. I could have tried harder. I… I failed my people”

Cauthrien opened the sack beside her, and pulled out a large, brown fur rub from it. The former queen felt warmer already just by looking at it, and the thoughts that haunted her vanished for a moment.

"A dwarf was selling these. Dwarves make good fur coats too, apparently. Then again, everything they make is good, so I don't know why I didn't expect their coats to be of equal quality. You don’t think about dwarves getting cold, I guess”

Anora smiled as Cauthriend placed the coat over her, the fur settling nicely against her.

“Where are you going?”

“To keep watch”

“You can keep watch besides me. It’s freezing and the coat is large enough for us both”

“I don’t mind the cold. And you need all the warmth you can get”

"Maker’s breath, no wonder my father spoke so highly of you. Stop being so bloody stubborn and get here"

Cauthrien smiled "Is that an order, my queen?"

"If you want it to be, then it is. And according to you I need all the warmth I can get"

Cauthrien chuckled as she snuck under the coat, wasting no time in wrapping her arm around Anora. The queen smiled, enjoying the feeling of the strong arms wrapping around her. The two watched the crackling fire, holding each other tightly as the cold winds passed by them, no longer a bother to them.

#dragon age #dragon age fanfic #dragon age fanfiction #anora mac tir #anora x ser cauthrien #queen anora #ser cauthrien #ser cauthrien x anora #illusivesoulwriting

[illusivesoul]

WIP Word Search Game

Was tagged by @marythegizka to find the words LIGHT, FRIEND and DANGER. Thank you :)

I'll tag @quietborderline @drelldreams @judithmactir and @nowandthane to find the words Memory, Darkness and Arrival. Only if you feel like doing this, of course.

My answers under the cut.

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LIGHT - From "You Make Me Feel Good Enough" an ME fic of Ashely growing up with internalized homophobia (cause of that line in the game, "I've spent my whole life fighting to get what I want. To get it done... I had to bury a lot of things" just screams closeted to me), and eventually managing to push through it in a rocky process and ending up with Samantha.

“Anyone waiting for you back home, Williams?” the woman asked before letting out a grunt of effort as she lifted the plate. “Is there anyone waiting for you?” “I asked first”’ Pennyloafer placed the metal plate against the wall, giving it a few tugs to make sure it would hold before attaching the small lightbulb into the socket and turning it on, showering that part of the trench in a dim red light. “And you already know the answer to that. Not sure why you keep asking”  “Maybe it’s cause I still can’t believe it. I mean, I'd wait for you if I had met you back on Amaterasu” “Right. Very funny” Ashley replied between grunts as she sped up the pace of her pushups, telling herself that it was just the exercise that was giving her that tingling feeling coursing through her body. “I’m serious. Pennyloafer Williams has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”

FRIEND - From a wip called BarrisBlackwall, in which Blackwall and Barris get close after the events of Champions of the Just

“Are you alright? You seem troubled” “Just… pondering on the events that transpired. How most of my friends and companions who were alive this morning now are laying on the main garden waiting for the fire of the pyre. And how if it wasn't for yours and the inquisitor’s timely arrival, we would all be crimson monsters marching at the tune of a demon across Thedas, bringing death and destruction to the land. The group that’s supposed to protect the common folk against the dangers of magic being puppeteered by a demon for Maker knows how long fills me with a sense of… I can’t even describe it” “Like realising that your superiors lied, and that the original goal that you fought for has been buried and forgotten by the lies and deceit of corrupt men?” Barris remained silent for a moment before answering “Is that what all of us men of arms have to come to terms with?” “It’s easier just being a pawn and following orders. You were fortunate in that you realised that what you were being told to do was wrong and took actions to stop it. Not all of us soldiers are so lucky”

DANGER - From a wip called Templar Stamina, which started as a small smut piece of Fenris, Carver and Bela but now is getting more deep than that lol. And cheating a little cause i have "dangerous" instead of "danger".

“Orlesians. Can’t build a hallway without turning it into a maze” “Keep going. I’m sure your training will kick in any moment” Fenris said as the templar kept tugging at the gate locking their way. “Still don’t like me? I’ve tried to change” Carver answered as the gate finally came loose from the wall, the man tossing it to the side shortly after. “You have” Fenris answered, his eyes tracing the veins that ran across the muscles in the man’s arms “Now you’re dangerous” The templar turned his head around, just in time to notice the elf quickly move his head, seeming suddenly very interested in the wall of the hall “Let’s go” Fenris uttered, quickly stepping through. “After you” Carver followed Fenris inside, the slightest curve of a smile forming on his lips.

#tag meme #illusivesoulwriting

[illusivesoul]

First fic for Kinktober 2023 using the prompt list made by @starsandskies You can find the list here.

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Day 1 - "Flashing"

Pairing: Josephine Montilyet/Leliana

Summary: During a boring war table meeting, Leliana decides to give Josephine a small show.

Words: 731

Rating: Explicit

Read it on AO3

"How about supplies? I can't have my army worrying about water when there are wardens to kill" Evelyn Trevelyan said as she pointed at the 4 figures representing each of the Inquisition's armies.

Cullen exchanged a wary glance with Cassandra before continuing, his eyes burning with tiredness from being awake so late into the night. "We will have constant caravans bringing food and other supplies to the inquisition's troops besieging Adamant" the former templar replied, not so subtly emphasizing that they served the organization and not just her. "For all that that matters" Cullen probably thought to himself "I must admit that water remains in extremely low supplies. Given that the underground oasis is right beneath Adamant, we will have around 2 days after the siege starts to break in before water becomes a problem"

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"The dwarven munitions should be enough to deal with the defenders on the walls. We shouldn't discard the possibility of some the wardens joining us"

"Irrelevant" Trevelyan answered without lifting her eyes from the map "They are all traitors. You of all people should know better than that, spymaster"

"Of course, inquisitor" Leliana replied, unfazed by the inquisitor's hostility as she kept toying with the cord of her black robe, the only thing she had managed to put on at the late hour the inquisitor had decided to call this meeting.

As Cullen continued explaining the great strategic advantage the orlesian trebuchets would have for the assault, Leliana smiled as she turned her gaze to Josephine. The antivan's gaze moved away from the map and met her eyes, looking at her with the concerned expression she always got whenever Trevelyan and Leliana sparred with words. The only downside of her antagonism with the inquisitor was the constant concern it brought to Josephine.

She decided to make it up to her.

The redhead winked, and Josephine’s brow raised in curiosity at the wicked grin forming on Leliana’s lips. Motioning, just barely, downwards with her hand, Josephine followed the indication given, until her gaze reached the spymaster’s legs.

Seeing her eyes had reached what she wanted them to see, Leliana smiled as she spread her legs.

Josephine swallowed hard, using all her composure to keep her eyes from widening too evidently as she was met with the sight of Leliana’s cunt, with a hefty but trimmed red bush that made the ambassador bite her lips. And as quick as she opened them, Leliana closed her legs once again.

The antivan watched intently as the spymaster's finger moved between her legs, and the motion it started making left little to the imagination.

Pulling her other hand coveredly over her chest, Josephine saw a perky nipple appearing Leliana’s fingers, and she wondered how is it that no one else was noticing this. She felt a warmth starting to pool in her lower stomach as she pressed her legs closer, trying to retain her composure.

"Excuse me. I have to see to some matters with my agents" Leliana said all of a sudden as she stood.

The Inquisitor answered with a nonchalant handwave as she kept her eyes fixed on the map, making it clear just how much she cared for Leliana's presence.

As the spymaster reached the corridor to exit the room, outside of the sight of everyone but Josephine, she turned around, and the eyes of the woman met hers.

With a wink and a half smile, Leliana tugged at her robe, which shortly after fell to the ground, exposing herself completely to Josephine. She quickly ran her hands all over her chest and body, arching her back as her hand teased the space between her legs, enjoying the way Josephine got redder and tightened her grip on the table in front of her.

The spymaster then turned around, and in a very deliberate manner, she bent down to pick up the robe, giving Josephine a complete and total view of an orlesian landscape she was quite familiar with, leaving nothing to the imagination

The antivan disguised the gasp that left her lips as a sudden cough, her eyes fixated on Leliana as the woman shoddily put on her robe and exited the room.

Waiting for a few minutes, Josephine also stood, apologizing as she walked out of the room and headed towards the rookery.

She was just in the mood for a tour of Orlais… gourmet cuisine included.

#dragon age #kinktober #kinktober 2023 #dragon age fanfic #leliana #josephine montilyet #josiana #illusivesoulwriting #dragon age josephine #josephine dragon age #dragon age leliana #leliana dragon age #josephine x leliana #leliana x josephine #lemon #starsandskieskinktober

[illusivesoul]

First Lines

@alyssalenko tagged me to share the first line of my last ten published works or as many as I’m able and to see if there are any patterns! Thank you :) I'll tag @quietborderline @sillyliterature @mtreebeardiles @galfrey @wardenrainwall and @mclavellan Only if you feel like doing this, of course.

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In Time - The cargo bay in Bekenstein was still on fire.

1 Week to Amaranthine - "What do you mean it can't be sent?"

Neck Massage - “Your hair smells really nice”

Beach Sounds - "I don't usually spend much time like this. I like the quiet"

IllusiveSoul's 2022 Kinktober Fics - The wooden door creaked open, the sound of metallic hinges ranging out across the Chantry as Bethany stepped inside, her steps echoing across the stone floor.

Fever - "You're burning up," Michel said, reading the temperature report on the omnitool while running her hand across Karin's white and gray hair, who was resting with her head on the redhead's lap.

IllusiveSoul's Femslash February 2022 fics - She had disliked the woman from the moment she first saw her. 

The Crow and the Bear - Ferelden had never been a land he enjoyed.

Come Back to Me - "The Western Approach?"

Sadness and Joy - Josephine's laughter filled the garden as Adaar planted soft kisses along her neck, her face covered in a reddish hue as the blush covered her cheeks. 

#tag meme #illusivesoulwriting

[illusivesoul]

Writing Pattern Tag Game

Was tagged by @defaultjane Thank you :)

I'll tag @imakemywings @morganaseren and @uchidachi Only if you feel like doing this, of course.

Rules: list the first line(s) of your last 10 posted fics and see if there’s a pattern!

My fics under the cut.

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IllusiveSoul's Femslash February 2022 - 2023 - 2024 fics - "Anora had never been a big fan of the countryside"

Pristine Condition - "Come look at this" 

Quiet Hallways - It was a busy day at the Grand Cathedral.

"Things Hidden in the Shadows of your Kingdom" - The rays of moonlight barely broke the darkness as they joined the echo of creaking wood and rusted hinges filling the chamber as the door was pushed open for the first time in years.

Of Paragons and Dusters - “Shouldn’t be much longer now, Natia” 

A Letter of the Divine - The following letter was found amongst the few possessions left behind by Divine Victoria following her sudden disappearance.

Kinktober 2023 - Day 1: "Flashing" - "How about supplies? I can't have my army worrying about water when there are wardens to kill" Evelyn Trevelyan said as she pointed at the 4 figures representing each of the Inquisition's armies.

A Divine's Hand - "Was there something more than friendship between you?"

The Butcher of Denerim - Rendon looked at the wood burning in the fireplace, the crack of the splinters being the only thing that broke the silence in the room. 

2 Old Soldiers - A wave of light breached the darkness of the room as the two stumbled into it, the sounds of the party receding into the distance as the world of the two men was reduced to each other.

Things I noticed: i tend to open fics with either dialogue or describing the area where the fit is set is in.

#tag meme #illusivesoulwriting

[illusivesoul]

Six Sentence Sunday.

Was tagged by @marythegizka Thank you, friend :)

I'll tag @wardenrainwall @jellydishes @mclavellan and @quietborderline Only if you feel like doing this, of course.

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Bethany stared at her reflection, absent-mindedly brushing her hair during the rare moment of quiet she was enjoying.

Her mind raced back to Lothering, back to when sister Leliana had told her how pretty her hair was. It had been only a few months since they last saw each other, but it felt like a lifetime. She wondered if she had managed to escape from Lothering before the darkspawn seized the town. She hoped, she prayed that she had.

Her hand moved to the small bracelet Leliana had gifted her, her fingers tracing the small Andraste figurine that had been carved in the wood.

#tag meme #illusivesoulwriting

[illusivesoul]

Wrote a short Javik/Zaeed smut fic for a prompt of a discord server I'm in.

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2 Old Soldiers

Rating: Explicit

Words: 1150

Summary: Zaeed breaks Javik's 50 thousand year old dry spell.

Read it on AO3

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A wave of light breached the darkness of the room as the two stumbled into it, the sounds of the party receding into the distance as the world of the two men was reduced to each other.

"Goddamn it" Zaeed said between heavy breaths as Javik's bristled tongue went along his neck, tracing the many scars on his skin with it as the prothean's sharped teeth pulled softly at his ear while tightly gripping his ass. With a few quick moves, the mercenary's yellow armour laid on the floor. Zaeed wondered for a moment how the prothean seemed to know how to remove an armour so quickly, but that thought quickly faded away as he found himself pressed against the wall, and after having his arms placed together above his head by Javik, he felt a surge of energy weaving around his skin.

Looking up, he saw the biotic energy wrapping itself around his wrists in circles, its shape making him think of the handcuffs of old he had seen in videos. Giving them a quick tug, he realized the biotics kept his arm tightly in place above his head.

"Hadn't seen green biotics before" the merc uttered "Wonder what else of yours is green"

The prothean gave him a wicked look as he kneeled, the way those four yellow glowing eyes focused on him making the erection between Zaeed's legs get even stronger.

Pulling down the older man's pants, the prothean looked at his underwear as he smiled, noticing the small point of wetness in it "Interesting. Undergarments that have the posterior part removed"

"They're called jockstraps. I'd love to explain all about them to you, but could you please give me some goddamn head first?"

"As you wish"

The prothean's teasing tone built up the excitement in Zaeed. As he pulled down the underwear, the mercenary swallowed hard as he saw Javik's purple tongue slowly come out of his mouth. He wondered if the bristles in it would feel painful against his skin, but the first lick that wiped away the drop of precum rolling down his throbbing cock made all his doubts dissapear as his eyes closed and a deep breath left his lips. The alien's tongue and lips wrapped softly around his erection, the old man rolling his hips as he thrusted almost unconsciously into Javik's mouth. The alien took deep breaths against the mercenary's skin as he moved his head up and down, taking all of it deep inside his mouth.

"Fuck, that's good"

Javik's mouth parted from his cock with a loud popping sound, placing it against his face as he moved his tongue up and down the lenght of it, his hands cupping his balls and teasing the space between his cock and ass.

"Your smell is a delight, human. Your pheromones tell more than you know"

Zaeed felt the sweat rolling down his neck. He wanted to grab the prothean's head and press it against him, desperate to get release and let go of the pressure he felt, all while wondering how the top of his head would feel as he used it as support to thrust into his mouth. But a sharp bolt from the biotic handcuffs wrapped around his hand stopped him.

Javik smiled as he gave one final lick to the throbbing cock as he stood.

"Why the bloody hell did you stop?" The mercenary uttered as he opened his eyes, his voice filled with a mix of wanton and anger.

The prothean moved himself closer to Zaeed. He moved his head forward, eager to taste Javik's lips once more, lips glistening with his own precome. But the prothean moved his head back playfully, smiling before shooting out his tongue and running it quickly amongst the mercenary's lips, enjoying the grunt of frustration that came from the man.

"The teasing is over, human. I believe this will ensure our mutual satisfaction"

Zaeed looked down as the prothean moved his hand to his armour, and after a few touches, the lower half of it fell to the floor.

"Fucking hell"

Zaeed stared in awe at the sight of Javik's cock. He was no stranger to alien dicks. Turians, krogan, batarian, drell. All had their unique sensations, their unique texture, their unique tastes. But as he stared at the purple, girthy, wet and completely smooth dick before him, he knew this would be like nothing he had ever dealt with before.

"Another time"

"Another time what?" Zaeed replied.

"You're wondering how it would feel inside you"

"How did you…"

"Your pheromones. And the way the muscles in your leg tightened. Now…"

Javik pressed his cock against Zaeed's, the old man letting out a series of curses in quick succession as the sensation washed over him "Let's go"

The prothean's mouth crashed against Zaeed, the mercenary tasting himself on the prothean's tongue as the alien wrapped his hand around both their cocks, and started moving it up and down their lenghts in quick but powerful movements. Zaeed moaned as biotic energy seemed to emerge from the prothean's cock itself, wrapping itself around both of the dicks, the electrifiying yet pleasurable sensation sending shivers up and down his spine. The skin around his hands ached as he uncounsciously pulled against the biotic handcuffs, his whole body moving forward, desperate to press himself as much as he could against the prothean.

The cocks moved against each other almost in perfect synchronicity, joined in a perfect union that matched each other so well.

Javik parted from Javik's lips to once more moved his hand at the man's neck, tasting his sweat as he bit the skin all while his free hand tightly grabbed the mercenary's ass, kneading the cheeks with a strong grip.

After a few moments, Zaeed's breaths and Javik's huffed moans drew faster and faster, and no words were needed for them to realize their climax was at hand, and they gave into it with the same fire and frenzy that they had had since their mouths first landed on each other's.

Their first burst of come shot upwards, the rest dripping and covering each other's throbbing cocks from each pump that came out of them.

The two men stood in silence as their orgasm receded, breathing into each other as half kisses and playful tongues slowly gave in to each other, a moment of calm and peace that neither of those old warriours had the privilege of enjoying ofter. As the biotic handcuffs disipated and both their hands softly went along each other's bodies, they knew the rarity of the moment, and embraced each other with a silent promise for more, a promise to survive the coming fight, a promise to finally get to live with someone. 2 old soldiers who for the first time found themselves looking forward to a world after the battles and wars that had defined their lives.

#mass effect #zaeed mass effect #zaeed massani #javik #mass effect javik #mass effect fanfic #mass effect fanfiction #lemon #illusivesoulwriting #zaeed x javik #javik x zaeed #rarepair #mass effect rarepair

[illusivesoul]

WIP MEME!

Was tagged by @alyssalenko and @judithmactir Thank you!

I'll tag @master-dellamorte @mightymizora @rawliverandcigarettes and @hannahrama Only if you feel like doing this, of course.

This is from a horror type fic I've been wanting to do for some time about the Yahg that gets loose in Sur'Kesh during the Cerberus attack in ME3.

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"Nothing on the scanner. Unlikely anything would have come this way. Unless tracks were erased"

The sargeant shook his head to remove some of the drops of water from his head "The disturbance of recently moved ground would not have faded so quickly. Place the drones and readjust the antenna. We have to get out of the jungle before it gets dark"

The salarian soldier placed the minuscule machines that were no larger than bugs and visually not different from them on the trees and the leaves of the taller plants, ensuring a direct video broadcast back to base. Readjusting the antenna to its original position, he returned to his commanding officer at a hurried trot, not wanting to linger any longer than he had to in such a remote zone of the perimeter.

The salarian tightened the grip tightened the grip on his Venom shotgun as he threw one quick and final glance at the now beeping anthena before turning back around, the burning sensation of eyes burrowing into his neck and watching his every move becoming unbearable with each passing second.

As the 2 salarians faded from sight, the 8 eyes that had been tracking their every move finally blinked, and the yahg moved silently as he adjusted his position, moving until he was high enough to keep all the drones within his sight. He had learn the pattern of another patrol, now he would learn the behavior of their machines.

#tag meme #illusivesoulwriting

[illusivesoul]

"You're Not Alone"

Heres my Holiday Harbinger gift for @metallinemenace I hope you enjoy it. It was fun writing about these more minor characters from the game :) .

The familiar creak of the metal greeted him as he opened the locker.

He let out a hushed groan as he felt his body adjusting to the weight of his C-sec emblazoned armour. The dull pain of the old wound near his shoulder made itself felt as usual, but he did his best to ignore it, to forget it as he tried to do with all things that reminded him of the war. A war that, even though its guns had been silent for 3 decades, still raged within him.

He donned his gear in the silence of the empty locker room, the others were rarely on duty at this early hour.

Arriving at his outpost in the Augtaus district in the Wards, he placed his hand in the scanner and closed his eyes as the rays of light of the VI scanner fell on him.

"Welcome, officer Quinctilius Varus" the automated voice said as the doors hissed open.

Sitting in his chair, he began eyeing the security monitors as he connected his omnitool to the external extranet so that he could watch the newest chapter of the Pax Turiana, the famous series about historical battles in turian history that was made to directly compete with the version being broadcasted by the Alliance news network. Making sure everything was in order, he leaned back into the chair, letting the background noise soothe him into sleep.

"Connection lost"

The sound of the synthetized voice made him snap awake. His omnitool came alive, flashing in red the words the VI just said. He tried to connect to other channels, but the whole Palaven network had suddenly become unreachable.

Then, a message appeared.

"Citizens of the Turian Hierarchy! This is an emergency broadcast from the office of Primarch Valerian. Be ready to receive the message!"

He knew what this meant, and he remembered the last time this happened, almost 34 years ago to the day.

The pain in his old wound flared up as he felt a shiver going up and down his spine, his hands denting the metal of the chair as he tightly gripped them, one thought, one single word crossing his mind.

"War" .

Turamus, Erunerla system

The deafening horns were getting closer.

The crowds at the spaceport screamed as the cacophony of war enveloped them. The explosions, the gunfire, the fighter jets roaring overhead, the grotesque shrieking of the monstrosities the Reapers had unleashed.

And in front of the crowds, 3 Alliance ships were fueling and getting ready to depart.

The last ships that would leave the planet.

"There is no more room!" The soldier shouted into the man's face.

"Then just take our daughter. Please!" The woman beside him screamed.

The soldier remained silent for a moment seemingly lost in thought, before nodding and moving aside to let the young girl inside.

"Mom, dad, what's happening?"

"Get on the shuttle, love. We'll be on the one that leaves right after"

"But…"

"It'll be alright. We promise. We will arrive soon. Wait for us on the Citadel"

The girl's screams were silenced as the soldier dragged her inside and closed the door.

The ship trembled and fired into outer space, leaving the dying world and its people behind. .

Handling refugees was not what he had been trained for. Nonstop waves of people coming from all corners of the galaxy looking for safety and comfort, and he was part of the undermanned post making sure they were all registered and processed.

"Move on, Quintus. My turn" Lysaia, one of his few friends in the force said as she tapped his shoulder.

"Took your time"

"Yes, yes. 2 minutes late. The horror of it. The tragedy" the asari said as she took his place at the desk "Why don't you go get some sleep? Come back in a few hours. You could use the rest"

Quintus flashed her a half smile as he stood. He thought about getting some rest, but seeing the masses of people in the docks made him decide to go patrol, to make sure everything was in order.

Varus first saw the girl sitting alone near one of the checkpoints. She was one of the few humans on this portion of the docks.

Her eyes drifted back and forth from the entrance to the docks to her omnitool. It was as if she was waiting for someone to come from one of the many ships outside.

The turian paid her no further attention as he kept doing his round in the rest of the docks.

He returned a few hours later. The lights had already been dimmed to help the refugees get some sleep.

And the girl was still there. She was yawning, eyes barely open, but she still kept looking at the entrance.

Varus had gotten familiar with those desperate looks by now.

The look of waiting for someone that would not show up.

He took a deep breath, and walked towards her.

"Hello there"

The girl looked towards him quickly, clearly startled as her concentration had been broken.

"Uhm, hello, Officer"

"Are you well? You seem concerned" Varus reprimanded himself in his mind after saying that. Concern was a feeling that had become all too common in the last few days.

"I'm alright. I'm just waiting for my parents"

"Your parents? When do you think they will get here?'

"They told me they would take the shuttle after mine. I thought they'd arrive today, but no luck. Maybe they'll get here tomorrow"

Varus lowered his sight towards the floor for a moment. He didn't need to know more of the girl's story for his mind to come to the realisation about what had most likely happened to her parents.

"I'm sure they'll be here in a few days. Where did you come from?"

"Turamus, on the Erunerla system. Its a pretty big place"

Quintus frowned. The Erunerla system had gone dark in the first few days of the Reaper attack, and the Alliance had lost several ships in a foiled evacuation effort. Still, he would keep that information to himself.

"I understand. Were you given a place to stay?"

"Yes, I'm with a group of humans in the containers in section 2C. Most of them are from Earth. I've never been"

"I went once. Part of a training mission with the Alliance"

"How was it? Earth, I mean"

"We were in a region called Atacama. It was a massive desert. It's surprising how many deserts there are. The planet looks almost entirely made of water when seen from space"

"I've never seen a desert; Eramus is a garden world, lots of plants and water there."

"Those are usually the ones the Alliance goes for. It's easier for development. By the way, do you have a sleeping bag, water, food, or a change of clothes?"

The girl nodded enthusiastically "I am ready and stocked. I prepared all these things with my mom and dad. There's also a lot of dehydrated food where I'm staying. Not too tasty, but it's energising" A ping from his omnitool caught Varus' attention. It wasn’t his shift yet, but his colleagues needed assistance. “Look, I have to go, but if you need anything, I’ll be around, ok? Come find me if you need anything"

"Sure thing" the girl answered with a smile. Quintus smiled back and disappeared amidst the wave of crowds that filled the docks. .

The artificial daylight cycle was just starting as Varus reached his post. A familiar face greeted him with a smile as he approached.

"Good day"

"Good day, officer" the girl answered "You're here early"

"It's a habit that's ingrained into us in the military. It stays with you all your life"

"Oh. I understand"

"Waking up early gives you more time to do things. You can have a more productive day" Varus answered as he started browsing the logs from the checkpoint's Avina server. "Also, I don't think you told me your name"

"Alana Ríos. Nice to formally meet you, officer Varus"

The turian smiled back as he gave her a slight nod.

"How are things near where you're staying? Sleeping well?"

"Not really. Too many people, too much noise. Plus, I need to be awake to check if my parents have arrived, or to see if they've tried to contact me through the extranet"

"Ah, I see" Varus replied "What are your parents called?"

"Jorge and Lucy Ríos" 

"How about this? I'll keep alert in case your parents arrive or I hear from them, and you get some proper sleep. Getting enough sleep is important"

"You promise to tell me as soon as you hear something?"

"I promise"

The girl's face seemed to glow as a smile showed up on her face.

"Thank you, officer"

"Please, call me Quintus. And you're welcome"

"Alright. But only if you call me Alana"

"I can do that" .

Quintus walked up to the containers which had been turned into makeshift rooms by the refugees. The waves of people had only grown as the Reapers continued their relentless advance across the galaxy, and now these containers were housing up to four people each.

"Alana!" Quintus shouted to make himself heard over all the noise in the area "It's me, Quintus"

Shortly after, he saw her jumping down from the container and walk towards him. The expression on her face made his stomach sink.

"Hello, Quintus"

"Alana, are you alright? Are you feeling sick? Has someone been bothering you?"

"No, it's fine. Everything is fine. It's just… It's been 2 months, and…"

The girl started sobbing. Quintus stretched out his arm and placed it on her shoulder.

"Alana…"

"If you're going to say what I think you are, then just don't"

He sighed "I have to. About your parents…"

"I already know they're not coming. I’m not stupid. I know that…" Quintus placed his hand on his shoulder “Listen to me. Loss is never easy. You'll feel as if the world is emptier, as if there's no reason to keep going. Trust me, I know loss" “I don't” “But you have to resist. It's what your parents would have wanted. Honour your parents by not giving up. You are safe, you have food, water, shelter. They would be happy knowing that you are safe.”

The girl sobbed. Quintus stretched out his other hand, and covered her with his.

"Your parents made sure you got this chance. You can honour them by living the best life you possibly can. It's what they would have wanted"

The girl just cried in silence.

"Here" Quintus said as he reached for the back of his armour, and pulled out a medium sized metallic square.

"What is it?" Alana asked, staring at the square as she wiped the tears from her face.

"This is a blank VI. A virtual intelligence like the ones you probably had at school or at your home back on Enura" 

Tapping one of the buttons in the square, two small human figures without features were projected in a white and blue light.

"If you connect your omnitool to the VI, you can ask it to find pictures and recordings of your parents, and you could set up the VI based on their personalities. Its a bit old. I had it at home gathering dust. But I thought that you would like it too… you know, with your parents and everything"

Alana smiled, her face beaming with a joy that seemed to have replaced the sadness, even if for just a moment "Thank you so much, Quinths. I'll go set it up right away"

"You're welcome. I have to return to the checkpoint now, but I will be back later. Let me know if you could get it working.

"Will do" Alana replied as she climbed back up towards her container.

Quintus smiled before turning and walking amongst the crowds to reach his post.

. ”Everything will be alright, Alana. We love you”

Alana smiled as she turned off the VI. Things had gotten slightly better at the camp over the last few weeks. More… manageable. A message appeared in her omnitool.*"I hear Commander Shepard and some crewmembers of the Normandy shall be arriving today to talk to the refugees, Alana. Would you like to go see them?"* Alana giggled as she made her way down the container and started walking towards the checkpoint. Today was going to be a good day.

#holiday harbinger #illusivesoulwriting #mass effect #mass effect fanfiction