#she made a PACT with Alfred

[mayasaura]

I am never going to forgive Cristabel for what she did to Mercymorn. Inflicted on her the same "cruellest thing anyone has ever done to you" that Gideon did on Harrow, but without the same pressures. No one was banging down the door threatening to kill them both. She didn't have to choose between watching Mercy die and dying for her. When Cristabel violently manipulated Mercy into lyctorhood, she did it with fore-thought. She planned it. Fuck her.

#cristabel oct #mercymorn the first #the locked tomb #harrow the ninth #she made a PACT with Alfred #she planned ahead #so fuck that #suicide cw #suicide tw #cw suicide #tw suicide #survivors guilt cw

[muneca-lemon-steppa]

Interviews for New Beginnings: Part 2

Alfie Solomons x Fem!Reader; Word Count 3.4k

Warnings: Swearing, Sexism

A/N; Hi everyone! I am so glad you guys liked the first part! It was so much fun to write, and when someone asked for this to be multi-chapter, I just couldn't get it out of my mind. So here's another part! I have no clue how long this will be yet, but I do have a plot in mind. Please enjoy, have fun, much love , <3. - Mo

Eli and you made a pact to not tell the family that you now BOTH were working for one of the most feared men in the city. Eli would’ve been berated for an hour or two at best, thrown out at worst. You? One could only imagine how many years you would be locked in your room. When your mother and father asked about your interview and your new boss, you gave the prettiest pieces.

He is quite successful papa. The bakery is very large, easily 100 men employed!

Yes mama, I get my own desk, and I get Rosh Hashanah off.

Yes papa he is Jewish. Yes very respectable. No I don’t know what Temple he attends.

Yes mama Eli never left my side. And I suppose he is handsome. No mama I don’t know if he is married.

Your mother bustled about, checked all of your dresses and stockings, making sure they were all in perfect condition for your new job. She checked your bag of supplies possibly 30 times by the end of the night, just to ensure that you had everything you could possibly need, even things you may not have needed. A mother could never be too careful.

The next morning as you began to walk out of the door, your mother and father kept fussing over you, straightening your hat and sweater.

“Now dear since Eli’s shift does not start till later you will have to walk yourself ok? Be careful, don’t talk to anyone, you go right to the office yes?” Your mother reminded you for the umpteenth time.

“Yes mama of course. Straight to work.”

“And be on the look out for those awful gangsters poppet. The Peaky Blinders have been seen milling about town, and you know that God forsaken Solomons has his disgusting paws on every corner of the city.” Your father grunted out still drinking his morning tea.

You felt the tips of your ears warming. You hated to lie. You were so bad at it. “Of course papa. I’ll be careful, I love you! I might be home late, I’ll send Eli to alert you.”

You kissed them both and made your way down the street. Excited for a new start, and for what the day may hold.

It’s interesting how Alfie insisted on being at the office at 8, yet still had not shown up by 8:20. Thankfully Ollie had given you a tour of the distillery, shown you your desk (situated right in front of Alfie’s door) and given you the times of the meetings today. You had taken the liberty of starting up some tea on the small stove by your desk, and clearing out some of the crumpled paper strewn out across the floor. ‘Honestly for such a tyrant he really keeps this office unruly.’

You hear your name bellowed from outside the office, and you run out quickly. There you see Alfie, smiling at you. “Shalom my little viper! So you weren’t bluffing were you? Glad to see you aren’t as cowardly as Eli.”

You crossed your arms and you felt your mouth firm, “Shalom Alfie. You are late this morning and I have to talk to you about todays schedule. Ollie had to show me around the distillery and he informed me that you have 5 meetings today, FIVE! One of them is set to start in 20 minutes, and -.”

“Now now treacle hold your tongue, be sweet to me yeah? My back. Let get to work yeah?”

It was only then that you noticed the cane he was clutching. You immediately felt your chest become heavy, and guilt override. “Oh..Alfie I’m so sorry I didn’t know I-“

“Hush now pet don’t even begin to fuss. It’s just my back yeah?”

“What are you taking for it?”

Alfred just scoffed and rolled his eyes walking away from you and into his office.

“Mr. Solomons what are you doing to help your back!?”

“Be quiet woman! You want the whole town to know that Solomons’ got a bad back? Hush damnit! Now what is on the calendar? Who am I meeting with?”

“Well you have a Mr. Abrams coming in at 8:40. A Mr. Clochester at 10. Rabbi Rubin at 12. And a Mr. Shelby at 4. But you’re not seeing anyone until you-“

“Till I what huh? Till I what? Are you my mother? No! Now hush! Ollie! Get this woman a notepad now! Treacle sit there on that coach and be quiet!”

You just stared at Alfie, and you couldn’t help but feel shame and embarrassment. And Alfie was faring no better. He could see hints of tears threatening to spill, but your chin set firm, fists clenched. Alfie wanted grab you in his arms and… tell you he was sorry, but…

“Aw fuck… treacle… no you’re right. Treacle come please. What do you think?”

“Think about what Mr. Solomons?”

“Nah fuck that I told you Alfie. Tell me what you think I should do about these meetings and my damn back.”

"No not at all Alfie. If you don't need anything for the pain in your back then you don't. I'm just a woman right?

"Well now you're acting like a fucking child."

"Of course Alfie. Whatever you say Alfie."

You closed your ears off to what he was barking at you. Fine. If he wanted to suffer, he could suffer. It was far too early to fight with such a stubborn...beast of a man. And besides, you had things to attend to.

Despite the tiff this morning, the day went by smoothly. As smoothly as it can be in the distillery you supposed. Mr. Abrams left the room with a black eye and tears, promising he would never lie to Alfie again. Mr Colchester left more bloody than he came in. Rabbi Rubin was a delight, complimenting the tea you made, and scolded Alfie for not coming to temple recently.

Throughout the day, you could slowly but steadily see the stiffness working it's way up Alfie's spine. Though it didn't quite deter him from inflicting pain and vengeance on those who came in, you kept your eye in careful study. The small twitches of his eye. The rougher grunts when he got up from his seat, and the heavier footsteps as he walked around. You also noticed that he hadn't eaten all day, and when you asked about it he merely mumbled, "mmnot hungry''. But based on the way he quickly avoided your gaze when you caught him staring and the loud grumbling you heard at 3, you figured his resolve would have to melt soon.

At 3:45 you were at your desk, drafting out some letters Alfie had requested. It was while you were in deep focus, chewing on the tip of your thumb when you heard a soft cough.

Your head snapped up, and you were met with the iciest eyes you had ever set your eyes on.

Pretty.

That's the only thing you could think as you looked at the man in front of your desk. Clean shaven. Well dressed. The smell of tobacco and soap and...something secretive radiating off of him. You internally shook yourself out of you consideration of the man to finally say, "Good Afternoon sir, how can I help you?"

He smiled, in a soft way though you felt a rush in your chest, "My name is Thomas Shelby, I have a meeting with Mr. Solomons."

Oh. This is Thomas Shelby. Leader of THE Shelbys. "Oh yes Mr. Shelby I've been expecting you. You are a bit early, so if you could please sit. Can I offer some tea?"

He nodded, turning to the soft couch across from your desk, "Tea would be lovely, thank you love."

After serving him tea, you went back to work at your desk till the clock struck 4. At least you tried to. You felt those eyes all over you. You felt as though every muscle movement was being scrutinized. "Since when did Alfie get a secretary?"

"Today is my first day, he hired me yesterday."

Thomas hummed in understanding, looking out the window to your left, admiring the soft rain. "If I may be so bold, could I ask your name? I don't like not knowing who gave me tea."

You gave your name, looking directly into his eyes. He repeated it back, as if he was feeling out every consonant on his lips. Even though it was an innocent enough question, you couldn't shake the feeling that you needed to be on the offensive. As if he wanted something. "Where did he find you? You're far too pretty to be working for someone like Alfie."

"I found him. And I can assure you Mr. Shelby that my face had nothing to do with my hiring."

"As you wish darling."

As soon as he said it, you heard your name being called from inside Alfie's office. You quickly got up to meet him, and felt those eyes all over you.

Alfie looked horrible. His hair was sticking up in all directions, his vest and shirt were both half done, and he was scribbling away on some paper, "Oi, is that bastard here yet?"

"Mr. Shelby? Yes, he is sitting down waiting for you. I've just given him tea."

His head rose from his hands, and his thick brows were furrowed together, "The fuck did you give him tea for? He doesn't need tea, no he doesn't deserve tea!"

"Alfie you can have tea too if you ask me."

"No no no already told you I don't want tea. I don't want lunch. I don't want your help beyond taking the notes. I am a grown man damnit! Now for fucks sake, bring that damn bastard in here, sit on the couch, take the notes, and hush your mouth!"

He was teetering. This wasn't just being a gangster. This was a child who was fighting to take a nap. He was going to snap soon. So you just smiled cheekily, "Of course Alfie. I'll be right back."

You nearly skipped to the door. Alfie was growing increasingly frustrated, "AND TAKE AWAY THAT FUCKING CUP. NO ONE GETS TEA."

You did take the tea cup away from Mr. Shelby , and ushered him in, settling yourself down on your seat with your pad and pencil.

As Mr. Shelby settled in, he smiled and looked at Alfie, who was looking more and more disgruntled, "Good Afternoon Alfie. You look well."

"Fuck off Tommy. What do you want?"

"Yes the weather is quite dreary, but I am doing well thank you. But yes let's get down to it. Alfie...are you familiar with gaming clubs?"

In your opinion, this meeting should have taken 30 minutes at most. But you were going on hour 3 at this point. 7 o'clock and you were growing tired. You know Eli had already gone home to tell your parents you were held up. This was becoming ridiculous.

The idea was interesting enough. Gaming clubs have been an up and coming social house for the high society. Men (and their women) would gather in clandestine areas, playing cards, placing bets, drinking, doing snow, all types of things. But the real trade was information. Yes their main products would be successful in such places, but the information that would be dripping from loose lips would bring more power than they could get now. More than they could get in decades.

The only thing they disagreed on was the split ownership. Alfie offered a 90/10 split. And when Tommy refused Alfie was quick to pull his gun. And maybe you should have been afraid, but frankly you were too irritated with Alfie to care, or to believe this petulant act he was putting up. Your pad was almost filled with doodles, crossed out numbers and terms when they finally shook on it, you would write up the agreement in the morning.

As Tommy stood to leave so did you, and when he took your hand to shake it, he raised your knuckles to his lips, pressing a kiss and giving a wink. Your eyes widened at his boldness. He smirked at your response, turning to Alfie again, "Love the new secretary Alfie. Definitely brightens up the place."

He turned back to you and tipped his hat to you, "See you soon darling."

Tommy sauntered out of the door, and Alfie stayed standing until the door closed and he heard his steps fade. It was then that Alfie nearly collapsed into his chair, hands rubbing his face, "Treacle come here."

You came and sat right back in the chair Tommy Shelby just occupied, "You want me to reread the agreement to you?"

"Nah I trust you got it. Just write it up tomorrow. But listen to me yeah? You do not go near Thomas Shelby. I know the young girls tend to fancy him but listen to me... that man is evil. He is not safe. And I don't want you caught up in his nonsense."

"He's evil yet you're doing business with him."

"I'm a bad man darling, but that doesn't mean you need to get wrapped up in it. Just say that you won't fratrenize with him alright? Or do you need to fight with me about this as well?"

You nodded, "I understand."

You just stared at him, waiting for him to dismiss you when you heard his stomach growl again, and his face twitch in pain, hand rushing to his back. "Are you ready to admit defeat Alfie?"

He scowled at you, "I don't know what you're talking about. Go home it's late, you don't need to stay."

You smiled, "If it's already late no difference is made at this point. But I'm not about to let my boss go home hungry and in pain... or go home without saying I was right."

He puffed out his lip, "There's nothing to eat here anyway."

"I brought you lunch. Beef, roasted veg, and bread."

He looked at you quizzicaly before you said, "Eli told me that Ollie told him that you haven't been eating recently. I just took upon myself to bring you something. There's also a muffin, but you will have to share."

You heard him say something about mutiny, but then told you to go fetch the lunch you brought him. You only brought enough for one lunch for him, but he ended up insisting you share with him, since, "You haven't eaten supper. It's not right."

Eventually, once his stomach was warm with a good meal, you got him to let you tend to his back. "What are you going to do hmm? Give me a strange draught your grandmother taught you that will make me vomit for three days?"

You laughed brightly, and he couldn't help but smile and stare at the way you threw your head back and laughed loudly. Deep in his chest he hoped that you would let him make you laugh like that forever.

"No you ridiculous man. My father was in the war, and he got shot in the shoulder. He lived thankfully, but he feels a deep pain like you do. The muscle tightens and he can't move. We get a hot rag, place it on his shoulder, and my mother needs to work out the pain."

Alfie felt a flush on his neck, "Well that would require me to take my shirt off darling."

You rolled your eyes, "For a gangster you act like a child. I won't tell if you won't Alfie. Now will you cooperate?"

In truth you hadn't thought that far into it. But it was pitiful to see him like this, and you can definitely be professional about this. Alfie shrugged and pulled off his vest and shirt, and you couldn't help but feel the heat rise, and not just from the hot rag in your hand.

You knew he was imposing, it was hard not to see him and hear him. But seeing the breadth of his shoulders, the width of his body and the hair on his chest made your cheeks heat up and your face freeze. Alfie caught your stare, smirking, "Now who's acting like a child?"

You rolled your eyes, and placed the rag on his lower back, hearing him hiss and try to relax into the heat. You began to work the knots out of his back when he asked, "Do your roommates know where you are?"

"My roommates are my parents, Eli, his parents, my little sister, my younger brother, and our grandparents. And they know that I am at work, helping my boss finish a business meeting. Eli told them."

Alfie nodded, "Do they... know where you work?"

You smiled, "They know that my boss is a respectable jewish man, who owns a large bakery that employs many many men, and that I get my own desk."

He snorted, "So you lied to them?"

"Not lie. Just...reframed it for them. Shall I tell my mother that I am the secretary of the fearsome Alfred Solomons? Or should I tell my father that I directly disobeyed his orders to stay away from Solomons boys, and went directly to the top?"

He laughed, "Alright now alright... so why this office? Educated girl like you can't work anywhere else? Unlikely, seems like you like being rebellious to me."

"Well... if you can believe it Mr. Solomons... my back talk does not do me many favors. Truthfully... Eli brought me here because you were my last chance at independence. It was either your office, or I would have to visit the matchmaker."

A silence washed over you, and you began to worry that you shared too much. "Well... I like that you speak your mind. Even if it drives me fucking nuts. Never give it up darling. You stay just the way you are alright?"

You smiled softly to yourself, "Yes Alfie."

A comfortable silence took its' place, and you eventually were able to work out all the knots from his back. You began to pack up your bag, and as Alfie redressed himself he asked, "Is Eli coming to pick you up?"

"No I don't think so. He is probably having to help with the tailoring, and he won't be able to step away. I'll be ok."

"Fuck no. You're a woman, you don't walk alone at this time at night, especially not here. I'm taking you home."

"You don't think women are capable of taking care of themselves?"

"No I know you could hold your own darling, but it is cold and I am not about to let you get hurt on my watch. Come we'll take the car."

The drive to your house was comfortable. You couldn't understand it. You had only met Alfie yesterday. And yet you felt as though you had known him for years. As if you never knew life without him. The whole ride you talked. From business for tomorrow, his childhood, his dog, your interests and what your opinions were on the business. You laughed and spoke the entire time, and it felt like no time passed. The car pulled up right to your door, and Alfie walked to your door to open it for you and help you out, "Alright watch your step treacle, still wet from the rain yeah? There you go darling."

You took his hand, and your breath hitched at the contact, his warm and rough hand covering yours. You looked up into his eyes, face partially obscured by his hat, "Thank you Alfie. You didn't have to."

"Of course I did. And it was no trouble. If you are kept in the office till dark, I drive you home yeah?"

You nodded with a smile, and he shook his head in affirmation, "It's a deal then. Now get inside you little viper, you'll catch a cold."

You began to walk to the door, turning around to say, "Goodnight Alfie."

He smiled, "Goodnight darling."

As you walked up the stairs to the home of your family, you couldn't help but run through the day in your head. Especially the end of it, smiling to yourself and feeling the rush in your stomach. You opened the door as quietly as you could, but heard you mother say, "Who was that in the car dear?"

#alfie solomons #peaky blinders #alfie solomons x reader #alfie solomons x you #alfie solomons x y/n #alfie solomons fanfic #Interviews for New Beginnings

[rainybyday]

Wayne Spirit Add-Ons

Add ons that don’t connected to each other but they probably could of the Wayne Spirit and/or Comic Cross Dimension au idea (pick your favorite) by me

+Danny knows exactly where Damian is because all he needs to do is follow the energy radiating off a Lazarus pit and BOOM, there’s a baby Damian

+Danny won’t kill Joker because sometimes there are worse things then death

+Danny knows where Cass is every single time and she can’t sneak up to him

+Once he knows Duke can see him he started to play hide and sneak to see how many times he can avoid Duke finding him

+Stephanie won’t die, not even for a minute because there is no way Danny was letting any one of his Bats die in Gotham

+Danny will cling on to any Bat who is sad on their backs and won’t go away until they get the care they need or feel better (since they all know that cold spot is their Ghost hugging them and watching them when they are at their worse and is comforting them)

+Danny is always there when anyone gets sick by their bed side

+Kate just accepted the fact Danny existed, no more need to be said when your a vigilante who kicks drama theater kids ever night in a bat suit, a ghost isn’t that far out their

+Danny did meet the spirit of Gotham, had a fight, Gotham sulking that they lost, Danny swearing that he will take care of the Wayne’s and made a pact for them to co-parent the family 

+Alfred is god and Danny respects him and admires him a lot, so when Alfred always verbally gives him gratitude when he cares for the family Danny will get flustered so bad (even if Alfred can’t see him (yet))

+Danny loves all the Bats but Bruce is his favorite, his boy, his baby that he found, his child who he comfort, his teenage he protected, his silly adult he sighed about, his hero who he became so ultimately proud of 

+The same time that Danny was protecting the Wayne’s he was also going to the Drake’s residence to play with a cute cubby baby Tim

+Danny died (again) of laughter when he saw the scene of Jason stealing the tires off the Batmobile

+Danny is always there when the kids are training to become a Robin because training injuries traumatized him when Dick almost fell down a tightrope once

+He didn’t stop the Joker from shooting Barbara in time but he did get to him before he could touch any of the Gordon’s

+Danny is a hugger and a clinger, if you are touched by the Danny, every Bat has the unspoken rule of stopping whatever your doing to rest (they all learned from Bruce who made the mistake of going out as Batman when Danny was clinging on him)

+Danny thinks Damian is hilarious and adorable when he first meet him after spending a good amount of his childhood slightly disliking that Robin

+No villains will, nor will ever can kidnap a Bird to train them without their consent because Danny will be there to show exactly what happened when you touch those that he claims as him (he knows some training sessions are unavoidable but that doesn’t stop him from freezing anyone of those villain mentors from hurting or making any of his Bird’s from doubting themselves of any kind)

+Everyone in the manor always obey Danny, even Alfred (which is very few times since Danny and Alfred always agree with one another to protect the idiots they fondly call their family)

+Loves when Damian is finally at the manor because of all the pets 

+Danny finds listening to Jason reading soothing as it reminds him of Jazz

+Danny always gets Tim to get some rest, always

+Takes care of Steph when she is Robin because clearly someone wasn’t going to be kind to her in anytime soon

+Danny always claps when Dick does his small flairs during fights or during patrol

#danny fenton #danny phantom #batman #dc x dp #dp x dc #batfam #damian wayne #tim drake #jason todd #bruce wayne #dick grayson #cassandra cain #stephanie brown #barbara gordon #alfred pennyworth #Wayne spirit au #Or comic cross dimensions au #Or family spirit au #i Like Wayne spirit better

[missbluesunflowersstuff]

Some Stephanie Brown headcanon

This is my personal headcanon for Steph, it's around her life with the bats. Please respect

She and Duke were the first in the house to see Damian as a child first and a robin/soldier second. That's why the two of them are the ones who are most able to lead Damian in normal activities (the boy is stubborn, but Steph is more stubborn)

She has several photos of Damian having fun, Alfred gets a copy for free, Dick only gets one if he asks please, if Bruce wants a photo of his son's smile, he has to pay. Yep, Steph sells the photos to Bruce for a good price

She do this because she plan to go to college one day (or just save extra money) and she don't want to Bruce pay it for her. And, unlike Tim, she doesn't have rich parents who died and left her money, then her money come between jobs or sell cute photos of Damian to Bruce

She don't see Bruce as father, but she has her own reason for this and Bruce already undestend the why. He is ok being her weird rich uncle

When she faces a difficult in some subject she prefer go to Babs or Dick, but never Tim or Bruce. She know they would help her and they would be really happy to help her, but she also know that Tim and Bruce would end resolve the problem alone instead of helping her understand the problem/explaining where she is going wrong. Tim and Bruce would be happy to help her, but their help wouldn't help her understand the subject

She also can go to Jason for help sometimes, but only when it's focused on literature

She loves listening to Jason talking about books and artistic periods in history, the best part is when he starts calling Shakespeare a pretentious bitch

Duke and Steph are study partner, sometimes Cass just sit with them and watching them study together

She considere herself the prankmaster and one time she and Dick fight for this title

Their prank war spreads throughout Gotham to the point that Commissioner Gordon still finds glitter and stickers in his coats sometimes

Not even Akhaham or the villains were safe from these two's prank wars and no matter what Bruce said or threatened punishment, they wouldn't stop

The prank war only ended because they both activated Jason's PTSD and this caused Tim and Damian to work together to hunt them down

After this Dick and Steph made a pact to never made Tim and Damian work together again, things aren't funny when the mad scientist and the sorcerer team up to stop you especially in a city like Gotham

She still call herself the prankmaster and Dick as her vice and Dick also call himself the prankmaster and Steph as his vice (Bruce only prayer to them never do this again)

Whenever she has free time, she and Cass go dancing together or watch a movie, whether it's Disney or something stupid on TV, just the two of them. Both need this moment

She and Alfred were the first to notice when Dick started treating Damian like a son, it was slower than many imagine, but they noticed the signs growing

Teas with Alfred are more than just gossip, she likes to talk to him, someone who won't judge and listen, a calmer adult presence helps her better than therapy

Some batkid headcanon: Damian || Duke || Cassandra || Stephanie || Tim || Jason || Dick

#stephanie brown #damian wayne #dick grayson #jason todd #batfamily #tim drake #bruce wayne #dc comics #batfamily headcanons #batfam headcanons

[liesmyth]

so why do you think alecto and anastasia were close, so close that alecto’s vow to her passes on to Harrow, Anastasia’s descendant?

OK SO my current theory is that Alecto was involved in Samael's death. Mostly because John rarely lies outright when he can tell a half-truth. He says that "she panicked halfway through" and "I killed him for her benefit, and she knew that at the time", and I'm inclined to believe there IS something there.

We don't know for sure that Alecto was there to witness Anastasia's failed Lyctorhood attempt, but I can't imagine she would have reacted positively if she had. Augustine and Mercy are fucking terrified of her + the fact that some of Alecto's first words to Harrow are "I'm sorry about Samael" suggest that he's on her mind whenever she thinks of Anastasia, and I sensed some guilt there. TO ME, she had a role in Anastasia's failed attempt and made it worse, and that's why she's sworn herself to the service of Anastasia's line.

Also — and this is pure speculation on my part — but in my opinion, Anastasia was one of the first ones to attempt Lyctorhood. It might have been even before Cristabel and Alfred's suicide pact, but I believe it was definitely before Pyrrha was killed by G1deon. Augustine and Mercy had their hands forced but Pyrrha went into it with clear eyes, and I really think everyone else wouldn't have followed suit killing their cavs if they didn't know for sure that there was no other choice. Anastasia took her time and reserched it thoroughly, and I can't imagine the others just committing murder while she scienced way in her lab?

I think Anastasia's failure is what made everyone else believe that there was no other choice, and that there was some time in between Samael's death and the Lyctors leaving the system / Alecto getting locked in the Tomb, while everyone else ascended and they found out about the RBs. Enough time that Alecto still being immediately concerned about Samael the moment she wakes up means that it's personal. To Me etc.

#Anonymous #ask #tlt theories #anastasia the first #alecto #tlt #i believe the timeline of lyctoral ascensions is fuzzy on purpose. many people assume anastasia was among the last to ascend but. #i don't see it

[abigail-pent]

some thoughts on Mercymorn/reproduction/children:

I've seen a few posts recently looking at pre-Resurrection Mercy's insistence on reproductive justice in NTN, and juxtaposing it with her supposedly anti-children stance in HTN, and essentially going "hmm interesting what a big personality change!" and like. y'all. no.

first: plenty of people who are passionate about reproductive justice do not particularly enjoy the company of children. (I'm one of them. hi!) you do not need to want something for yourself to advocate for others to have it. like there just really isn't any contradiction here. present-day repro justice advocacy includes everything from abortion rights to better socioeconomic support for people who do choose to have children. it's about your right to control your own body, and that encompasses both freedom from having children and freedom to have children. two sides of the same coin.

second: I actually don't think we know post-Resurrection Mercy's opinions on children! We know her opinions on *making children into Lyctors.* "Children as fists! Infants as gestures! Yuck! Pfaugh! I live in the worst of all possible worlds!" and that's because... she does! it is an objectively bad and horrific thing to turn children into immortal beings! they've hardly had any life experience, and now John's asking them to live forever, like they have any idea what forever even means. and in Harrow's case she became a Lyctor under duress. like of all the House heirs who come to Canaan House, only Ianthe would have chosen Lyctorhood given any other alternative (yes, Harrow wanted to renew her House, but like... this is also a form of coercion I think. not super consensual imo. or like, consensual only on a technicality, which I hope we can all agree is not the same thing as free and enthusiastic consent, and should *not* be treated like it's real consent.) but I digress... the point is that what we know about Mercy is that she thinks it is bad to turn children into immortals. and also, given her involvement with BOE, I think it is very possible that she is against bringing on any new Lyctors at all. so we have thoroughly registered her disgust for Harrowhark and Ianthe the First, but we have absolutely no information on her opinion of actual children, either before or after the Resurrection.

but what we can infer here is that she cares quite a lot about consent and the right to self-determination. which in itself is quite interesting because Mercy's own ascension to Lyctorhood can also be described as coerced consent... as in, the suicide pact between Alfred and Cristabel forced her hand, and Augustine's as well. and clearly if Cristabel thought she needed to commit suicide in order to get Mercy to ascend, then we can infer that Mercy herself would not have ascended if Cristabel hadn't all but made that decision for her.

#nona the ninth spoilers #nona spoilers #ntn spoilers #tlt spoilers #the locked tomb spoilers #mercymorn

[llovelyclouds]

notes on alfred quinque

here's all the information i found about alfred in my tlt re-read, in one place!

you can find links to the other posts in this project here!

ALFRED QUINQUE

titles:

Augustine’s cavalier, first gen, founded the fifth (with Augustine)

(from the harrow the ninth pronunciation guide) "NOTE: Yes, Alfred and Augustine share an arithmonym: the implications of this so early in the timeline of the Nine Houses aren’t so developed as they would be later on, but are still present."

notes from harrow the ninth:

Augustine's brother (htn. pg. 165)

The reason that Augustine is the Saint of Patience (htn. pg. 177)

“‘You know what I feel… you know I don't think she was the best influence on Alfred… you know I think they brought out the worst in each other, and I don’t think you disagree.’God said, “They were very similar people.’  ‘No,’ said Augustine. ‘They weren’t, John. She was a fanatic and an idiot- yes, she was, Mercy- and he… was a man who regretted he wasn't. It took surprisingly little to lead my brother astray.’” - Augustine and John, discussing whatever happened between Cristabel and Alfred (double suicide, maybe?) (htn. pg. 274)

“‘Nobody could lead him where he didn't want to go,’ said God, and his patience took a solemn edge. ‘You know that.’” -John, about Alfred (htn. pg. 274)

"You picked the wrong man to enter a suicide pact with. I hate 'em. Cristabel might have undone all my good work with Alfred, but here comes the reckoning." - Augustine (htn. pg. 487)

notes from nona the ninth:

"A- brought in his little brother who was a hedge fund manager. A- Junior was useless but he was a darling, I couldn't fault A- for adding him to the mix." (ntn. pg. 191)

"It was A-'s little brother who said, Well, you have to understand money is one big shared hallucination, but I'm not sure they could have hallucinated this much, none of this is even in crypto." (ntn. pg. 273)

"Apparently A-'s little brother and her nun had been obsessing over bank movements and assets. Going crazy checking manifests." (ntn. pg. 396) 

“The nun and A- 's hedge-fund-manager brother had teamed up to try to mediate, which as per usual made everyone pissed off at them instead.” (ntn. pg. 401)

“A-’s little brother was there… dead in the middle… shot from both sides. Nobody likes a peacemaker.” (ntn. Pg. 406)

#junos silly little locked tomb thoughts #tlt #the locked tomb #tlt meta #gideon the ninth #harrow the ninth #nona the ninth #alecto the ninth #gtn #htn #ntn #atn #ntn spoilers #alfred quinque

[paradoxcase]

@wellhappybirthdaytomeiguess:

Fascinating to me that a nun commiting suicide TWICE drove two of the big background events: John identifying soul (when she puts a bullet in her brain) and the Lyctors being forced to take the final step in the process (when she talks Alfred into a suicide pact).

Yeah. Cristabel seems to have been a very strange person. I noticed there was also a mention of her and Alfred meditating together in this chapter, I guess he must also be pretty strange even for a hedge fund manager

John needed the suicidal nun too be able to identify the 'individual code' that identified separate souls within the larger 'program' of the 'world soul' I think. Once he did that he could get that specific about souls....I think.

Yeah, he was able to see the individual soul at that point, but it said he was still not able to do anything with it because Alecto was there

@eye-lantern:

For the nun, well. She is a nun, so the soul is more important than politics. She has found here second coming, but the idiot is raving about how the merchants in the temple are not funding his project instead of becoming closer to his Father. She has a few loose screws but a very clear sense of purpose

@wellhappybirthdaytomeiguess:

@eye-lantern This comment about the nun is really well said, in my view. She was a zealot, both before and after what happened, but she seemed to believe deeply in the 'holy' mission.

When you put it like that, I guess I can see it. I wonder what she is actually like on the other side, after they all come back and I guess have probably forgotten Christianity?

The reference to the shaman and the sun refers to a Maori legend about catching the sun in the sky (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamanuiter%C4%81)

Ahh, neat. But John envisioning himself as Maui (if I understand that right) now makes me think of him singing the "You're Welcome" song from Moana. It's interesting that Maui shows up in both Hawaiian and Maori mythology

@eye-lantern:

I agree that John's decision make little sense, and to me that's part of the message

He is a random dude who was given power over life and death in the most stressful situation of his life. He couldn't handle it better. Anyone in this situation would have their worst aspects exacerbated and for him it was his vindictivness. He misuses it immediately because he is hooked on directly to the absolute power of a screaming mad planet. A few days of lack of sleep can fuck up your reasoning so bad, and he was already at his lowest.

His behavior after becoming Jod is more logical, but informed by the fact that no one can ever harm him, and he can kill with a thought. Life has lost all human like stakes to him. It's nothing more than a game to play with his dolls/friends.

Oh, yeah, I get that he was stressed out and sleep deprived and made a bunch of bad decisions, but like for days up to this he keeps talking about how how it's so important that the trillionaires not be allowed to leave, and nobody tells him that that's not right. Well, I think Augustine maybe did once, when he was like "why don't you do some good wizard shit", and Cassipeia said so way too late, but when John was all like "we have to stop them!" at the beginning of the chapter, no one said anything. I feel like there were some sensible people in this group who should have said something sensible at that point? Mercy, Augustine, Pyrrha, Cassiopeia?

For the burnt thumb thing, when you hurt a finger a lot of instinctual reflexes are: aply pressure, get close to you, and for a burn, wet. So a lot of kids shove any hurt finger in their mouth. Also works for bleeding.

Sure, but I don't see how that relates to "it's human nature to take things" because you're not taking anything by doing that?

And my personal theory for the gift she gave him. She gave him an instinctual look in the working of a plane of the laws that regulate the world. Kinda like how humans and some species evolved to understand abstraction, that allowed them to use tools, and even make them. But when discovering a new concept it's easier to use it to hurt than to heal of build. If you give a sharp rock to someone, they'll understand how to make a weapon before using it to fray plants and create rope. John is a monkey given a toolbox and he realise the hammer breaks things, and did not go in depth with the mastic and spackle because it did not do anything interesting immediately. I think if he had not focused on death, the "easy" option of what he was given, he may have realised he had powers that could have saved humanity

I don't know. I mean, it seems like necromancers generally can work with organic material, but might not be so good at changing the climate or neutralizing pollution. Or do you think that John's powers are significantly different than necromancy, and the powers of regular necromancers don't ultimately come from Alecto, but are just a different thing caused by the thanergy radiation from the undead planets?

#the locked tomb #wellhappybirthdaytomeiguess #eye-lantern

[sundayswiththeilluminati]

After the original disciples found out about lyctorhood Cristabel convinced Alfred to make a suicide pact to force Augustine and Mercy to become the first lyctors. That’s what Augustine means by calling Cristabel a fanatic; she was devoted to god, this was to her simply an extension of that devotion, and Alfred was led by his feelings for Cristabel. That’s why Augustine hates her.

I got this ask literally a year ago referring to this post about my theory that Cris and Alfred had tried to kill some of the original disciples to keep them from trying to become Lyctors and accidentally made them do it instead, and I always meant to answer it, and I never did (more fool me) but now I am because I'm now like 99% sure that's what happened given what's happened in Nona the Ninth. "But we didn't learn anything about how they became Lyctors" no, but we did learn a lot about Cristabel.

Assuming Cristabel pre-Resurrection is "Mercy's nun," that means Cris was the one to go to John and literally kill herself to show him how to understand and manipulate a soul. She already thinks John is divine and the only thing stopping him from fulfilling his godly purpose is the lack of some crucial knowledge or tool. Her death will give him that tool, she thinks, all he needs to save everything is a disciple willing to die to set it all in motion - but the truth is no one, not even John himself, asked her to do it. Nothing and no one in that moment required it. She was just so set on being a martyr. She was convinced death - killing - sacrifice - was the only option, that salvation can only come at the cost of a life.

And her suicide works, in a way, to push things forward, to give John the tools to enact divinity; but it pushes everyone too fast, touches off a cascade of ever-worsening mistakes. John's going to break and back down at the end of his hour, John's not ready yet to understand what it means that the Earth itself has a soul infinitely loving tangled up in every single human being, but her suicide pushes him into it - even as she says pressure and fear drive people further from God (mirror Wake's note in HtN "all we can learn from your civilization is that when our backs are to the wall we rarely become heroes") - and in that moment of anger and loss, kindled by her sacrifice, he can only respond by grasping desperately at more and more.

Mercy's nun dies, and A---'s little brother dies, and John eats the world. And then he resurrects them - but he scrubs their memories, because he thinks oh, how awful to remember making a mistake, how awful to torture yourself asking 'what if'. But what if is how we learn. We think "that was terrible and didn't go well at all, but what if I'd done B instead of A," and then whenever that rolls around again we try B and things go differently. John takes the what if away, denies them the chance to learn from their mistakes, and so every one of his resurrected loved ones is doomed to play out the same fatal flaws with the same fatal results.

But then again John is at his core profoundly a man determined not to learn a goddamn thing and to continue making the exact same mistake for all eternity, so why not drag everyone else along for the ride?

So Cris and Alfred kill themselves because God needs his Lyctors, God will be able to fulfill his great purpose but he just needs his Lyctors, and the disciples can only respond with more killing, swallowing souls without truly understanding what they're doing, without the chance to realize no one needs to die - without just taking their time, as John says Anastasia figured out: "the trick was to do the Eightfold slower." That was all! To do it slower! No one had to die! But Cris thought they did. Cris thought, this power can only come at a price. There’s no such thing as grace, as a gift without a cost. Divine purpose can only be fulfilled, salvation can only be achieved, by killing, and if you won’t kill me to save yourself I’ll just have to do it for you. Of course Gideon doesn’t understand Harrow’s refusal. When did anyone in the Ninth ever show her grace? Existence as a zero-sum game: you must die so I can live, inverted, and in the end just as ruinous.

So whoever you are anon, you have the most galaxy of brains, and sorry it took me a year to catch up.

#The Locked Tomb spoilers #Nona the Ninth spoilers #spoilers!! #no really don't look! #The Locked Tomb #Nona the Ninth #overthinking is my superpower #in the grim darkness of the future there are only goth lesbians

[jugglingjujube]

I know someone has already made this post but I want to know so much more about how the OG lyctors became lyctors. All we know is the order it happened and that Cristabel and Alfred seemed to go in some kind of suicide pact to force their necromancer. But what about everyone else?

How fast did everyone else become a lyctor? Was it like a week of cavs dying or were there long periods between?

Were Pyrrha and Gideon really trying something different? Is that how Pyrrha stuck around?

Cassiopeia really loved Nigella, did she actually kill her? Did she have a choice? Was she also manipulated by John?

And we know so little about Cyrus and Valency and Ulysses and Titania. What was the decision like for them? Was there a decision?

I just have so many questions.

#the locked tomb #og lyctors

[iputthepowerinrangers]

Batfam Fic Idea

Might as well do this since Ao3 is down. Bruce and Harley use to be friends with benefits and roommates during college that would help one another blow off steam when things got stressful before Bruce dropped out for the whole training to be Batman thing. Before he dropped out the two of them made a drunken pact that if both of the are single at X age they would get married. And after a major fight with Ivy right after she turns X that its time to fulfill said pact. Note Harley has 0 idea that Bruce is Batman just that Bruce is her friend that never gave up on her and still visited her in Arkham even when she was all in on Team Joker. Bruce is horrified as Harley arrives at Wayne Manor in a wedding dress to make this happen. Bruce attempts to calm things down until the kids find out. Almost every member of the Batfam is on board with Bruce and Harley getting Hitched for various reasons (most of them because its funny) except for Damian. Bruce is able to talk Harley into a stay of execution by saying they haven't lived together in years and they have no idea if they would even be able to stand being in the same house anymore. Harley then proceeds to move into Wayne Manor must to everyone except Bruce and Damian's delight.

Bruce is trying to get Harley to just talk to Ivy to work things out and struggling to keep the Batman thing a secret. Harley is trying to capture those good old days. The Kids want to see chaos and get dirt on their dad. And Alfred is just enjoying how everyone is staying in the manor for longer than a night. Things get more complicated when a paparazzi stops Alfred picking up Harley that in combination of pictures of Harley shopping for Wedding dress sets Gothams Gossip world ablaze. With the only thing burning brighter is Ivy's fury. After an explosive fight and some words from the kids against all odds somehow Ivy gets onboard with plan BruceXHarley. At this point don't have a solid ending. Ivy and Harley get back together romantically and Bruce is basically just their platonic sugar daddy that asks them to not cause to much trouble. Bruce and Harley actually have serious feelings for one another and they give it a serious go. Everyone's poly?

I don't know or really care.

#batman #batfam #ao3 down #bruce wayne #harley quinn #poison ivy

[emblematicemblazer]

World building and theories of Engage

Attitudes towards Solm. 

‘Solm is an open minded country. They have always had good relations with Firene.’

That is how Alfred in Chapter 4 : A Land in Bloom, introduces Solm to Alear. The introduction is friendly and paints a positive picture of the queendom. It is mentioned that Queen Eve had no problem agreeing to sign a nonaggression pact with them which continues the friendly picture. 

Céline is a little more cautious when she considers Solm. When Fogado invites her for tea in their support conversations

Fogado: ‘Being royals of Solm and Firene, I think it’s important we get to know each other. Talk about different values and whatnot. Could be beneficial for both of us.’

Céline: ‘Haha, spoken like the prince of a nation obsessed with trade.’

Fogado: ‘Nothing wrong with a little give and take.’

Céline: Forgive me, but I must decline for now. The Firenese lifestyle is more pastoral. We lack your taste for intrigue and risk.’

Fogado: ‘You make tea with me sound like some kind of big adventure.’

Céline: ‘Quite a dangerous one, yes. Good day, Prince Fogado.’'s

Céline's role as a princess and protector of Firene requires a certain amount of suspicion and caution. Two royals from different countries engaging in tea is not as simple as tea with friends. There are risks of secrets being leaked and offence being caused. Her attitude towards Fogado's invitation is not surprising considering these facts. In her mind Solm is a trading nation that keeps secrets and can engage in unconventional and risky political and diplomatic activity. She is also aware that Fogado uses his charisma to gather intelligence.

‘Such as the way you curry favour with foreign nobility to pry information out of them.’

Her view of Solm is as a nation engaging in secretive and risky activity and any engagement comes with hidden motives. I

Hortensia is equally as suspicious of Fogado's motives. 

‘Act innocent if you want, but even in Elusia, we’ve heard what a flirt you are.’

She accuses Fogado of being a flirt and is surprised to learn that he is actually helping people and not just socialising for the sake of it.

There is a theme of ignorance about Solm's environment and culture. This is evidence through the various support conversations the Solm characters have with characters outside their kingdom. 

Vander is surprised by the singing, howling and dancing at a religious gathering he attends with Pandreo

Framme selects an outfit for Timerra made of heavy fabric which does not suit the heat of Solm and limits movements which is important for her ability to fight at a moment's notice. 

Boucheron teaches Panetta the etiquette of Firene and is surprised to learn that there are no etiquette requirements for nobles in Solm.

Alcryst is invited to parties by Pandreo. At first he fails to enjoy them because he is trying to apply British convention to them. He is surprised to learn that there are no rules or structure to a Solm party.

 Anna asks Timerra what would sell well in Solm. 

Diamant tried Timerra's style of leadership, intrigued by her concept of being able to protect her people if she knows them.

This ignorance is demonstrated in the main story as well. Alear and the royals of other nations are shocked by the casual nature of Solm's royalty. In Chapter 13: The Sentinels, Alear and the royals are surprised and stunned as Fogado shouts for his mother in a very normal, casual way. There are no airs or graces, not even when Sefonia and Fogado mention the potential location of their powerful and precious Emblem ring; ‘the doodad drawer'. 

#fire emblem engage #fe engage #fe solm #fe fogado #fe timerra #Fe sefonia

[saschacant]

Having just beaten Engage on Hard, I did what any normal fire emblem player would do and immediately started a Maddening save. Chapter 9 and its sexy second seals… We don’t have to talk about Sage Diamant. But we should.

A moment of silence for Prince Alfred, who gave his precious life so that Citrinne and Chloé could wrest Diamant’s fancy new bracelet from Soren’s wretched grip. You’ll never guess who the Pact Ring has to go to now.

Unironically though, Diamant’s staff utility came through on Soren’s paralogue… no, I don’t want to hear that any other unit could’ve done it just as well… we were only there for him, after all. We all know that Citrinne can be very particular about her gifts, which is fine because she had to utterly carry me through the chapter. Totally worth two fucking hours of save scumming bond rings. Hm.

Is anyone else with me on the Dire Thunder hate train, though? Great Thunder is delicious. It’s 20% on top of the displayed attack, and vantage speaks for itself. I don’t know how I would’ve cleared the paralogue otherwise. But then again, I’m the person who made Diamant a Sage. Many thanks to @sieglinde-freud for those particular brain worms.

POV: You finally found out where Citrinne’s contributions to the war effort went.

#fe #fire emblem #fire emblem engage #fe engage #maddening #chloé #chloe #citrinne #diamant #alfred #rip #bury your gays yet lives #gay rights #brodia #THORON #martial master #sage #shitpost #saschacant #still don’t know how tags really work purr

[morphyvt]

Etie's Workout

Ao3 | Wattpad (Fire Emblem Engage) Etie x Reader [Self-Insert/OC]

Words :2522

Tags: Fire Emblem, Fire Emblem Engage, Etie, Kisses, Neck kisses, OC, Self-Insert, Romance, Kissing, Friends to Lovers, Ao3, Ao3 Fanfiction

After Sombron's defeat, Elyos rejoiced in its newfound peace. Lythos, Firene, Brodia, Solm, and even the returning land of Gradlon all united under a non-aggression pact. With the end of the war, the age of hope and rebuilding the world back to normal had begun. The entire continent became busy with efforts of fixing the fragments left by the conflict. Many of the Divine Dragon's companions soon had to part ways. The monarchs returned to rule their sovereign lands, ensuring that relations with each nation would heal and remain firm. Of course their retainers and knights would return their sides. Others would return to their families, some would travel the world, and the rest went back to enjoying a normal life. The once populated Somniel returned to being a tranquil place for the Divine Dragon. The ruckus of Timerra, Merrin, & Panette's singing  was replaced with silence. As was Pandreo's constant howling as returned he to his church. Even the silent gaze of Louis was sorely missed at the Somniel. The Divine Dragon and their stewards' duties mostly had them situated at the newly rebuilt palace of Lythos, so there was little need to return to the Somniel, yet it was still open & welcome to those who had stayed there during the Divine Dragon's journey to expelling the evil Sombron.

It was at this day that I found myself returning to the place where I once enjoyed tea with the likes of Celine & her vassal Chloe. The place where Seadall & Kagetsu read my fortunes. I was overcome with a feeling of yearning for days gone by, then immediately feeling guilty that I would selfishly wish to return to a time where there was war, constant battles, and when the Somniel was full of people.

And yet it seems desire actually became reality. From the plaza I could hear a faint noise coming from somewhere distant. It couldn't have been one of the animals at the stables as they were all either adopted or joined the Divine Dragon at Lythos. Even the creature that follows the Divine Dragon around doesn't show themself unless the Divine Dragon is around. To sate my curiosity, I decide to investigate the sound. As I got closer, I noticed that I was heading in the direction of  the training yard, and that I could hear it more clearly. It was familiar and no animal. It was a person grunting, none other than Etie, a knight of Prince Alfred of Firene. But more important than that, she's a comrade, someone I could trust with my life. 

I do admit, seeing her doing sit-ups like she used to do when we were constantly traveling made my heart beat out of rhythm.  She was facing away from me, so she didn't see me yet, also it would have been awkward as she was also wearing her usual clothes and not the workout garments. I wondered why she was wearing that iconic frilly yellow-ish midriff blouse, though I must admit that I didn't mind seeing her in action. Her sweaty abs glistening against the sunlight-- Oh, I really must have gotten carried away with staring because I lost track of what I was supposed to do. Etie did eventually see me, throwing her reps. Getting up quickly, she lets out a winded "It's you!" 

It felt really good to see her, and next thing I knew she rushed at me and gave a tight hug. For someone almost a foot shorter than me, I could feel her practically lifting me off the ground before she lets go. I did like the embrace though, she hugged me like how I would want to hug someone I care about, if that makes any sense. Maybe it was the sunrays causing me to hover my hand and arm slightly above my eyes, but I could have sworn at that moment when she let go, Etie was blushing.  "It's good to see you! Wait-- What are you doing here?"  She asks, to which I swiftly respond with "I could ask you the same thing!"  

I could see it in here eyes that she felt the same thing I felt. Etie was one of my closest friends during our journey with the Divine One. After the emblems disappeared, it felt just as lonely knowing the fact that Etie had to return to Firene to serve her Prince. I'm sure Alfred & Boucheron would have been great company for her but I wanted to be there for her too. I wasn't native to Firene, neither am I a knight there. Perhaps that's why I decided to return to the Somniel. I was fueled with purpose to fight alongside the Divine Dragon. Now that peace had returned, I felt like I had served my goal. I didn't just come back to reminisce on old times, but to return to a place where I was driven to achieve something. Maybe I'd be inspired to pursue a new goal again!  That would probably be too long to say to someone I hadn't been in contact with for a while, so I just followed up with  "I don't know, I just missed this old place." 

"Huh, I didn't take you for the sentimental type. Me, I missed working out here! Firene's been really noisy lately with all the parties & celebrating us beating Sombron. So I wanted to go somewhere quiet to train." Etie explains to me, albeit panting as she speaks. "Woops! looks like I certainly interrupted that. Sorry to ruin your quiet training day."  I was pretty sure I wasn't really bothering Etie, but honestly I just wanted to tease her. "What no! I don't mind you here." she retorts. "The Divine One used to stare at us training. Remember?" bending her arms and anchoring her hands on her hips in a defensive stance. Etie didn't sound as fatigued as she was earlier. Knowing how intense her workouts usually are, it was quite impressive.

Thinking back, I definitely remember that time. Me, Boucheron, Etie, Prince Alfred, and even little Jean were doing squats at the very training yard we were standing on right now. The Divine One would always stop by to either watch or join in exercises, mostly they'd just stare at us. "That Divine Dragon, always running around and watching out for us. I don't know if they did that cause they cared or if he just thought we'd be too chaotic." I said to Etie. "Wha-- Us!? Chaotic? Why I'd never?" Her voice wavered in denial.

"I'm pretty sure you almost started a fight with Goldmary over a potato." A memory that vividly clouded my mind as soon as she said she'd never. "THAT WAS MINE! THAT POTATO THIEF JUST TOOK IT WITHOUT ASKING AND ATE IT! SHE---" she blew her bangs to the side of her face, clearly showing her furrowed brows. Yet despite the face she was making, I found her adorable. I always had thought she was cute despite her... Intenseness. 

I was still curious why she was working out with her regular clothing, though I did notice the ribbon on her head was crooked. The sight of it lured me to reach out and adjust it properly. I didn't realize I was oblivious to the fact that Etie stopped dead on her tracks mid-sentence. She was willing herself not to look at my face as I had gotten really close to her face. Her cheeks burned red, as did mine when I finally wised up to what I had inadvertently done.  We had closed the distance to each other as if fate or an unseen force was pushing us towards each other. Etie, with her head sunken and eyesight glued to the floor couldn't even mutter a single word. Where was the loud and brash athlete from earlier? Her forehead makes contact with my chest, not completely buried but a light touch as if she was beckoning me to come and embrace her. Funny, if only she knew what I knew. No, what I always had known especially during those moments where corrupted would try assault her and I'd come in and shield her from the blows, or when she'd snipe out enemies who'd almost snuff me out from behind - that I had always had a warm yet soft spot for her. There is no one on earth I would trust in my life. And at that moment, there was no one who I wanted to be alone in that serene Somniel with except her. I didn't even mind that she & her outfit was completely drenched in sweat from her workout, which reminded me... "Why were you working out in your battle clothing by the way?" "So I can be used to fighting with this on-- no, actually... I come here every now and then, hoping to see you again. I-- I missed you." Her face was now fully buried on my torso. Despite how muffled she sounded, I could clearly hear what Etie said. It reminded me of the last time we saw each other, when the Divine Dragon ascended the throne. We arrived that day to celebrate, but left going our separate ways. I recalled how I was tasked with bringing Anna back to her family at Elusia, which believe me was one crazy experience that maybe I'll someday tell, and Etie was tasked with bringing Jean back to his family at Firene. Me and Etie, going to opposite sides of the map. I remember wanting to look back but choosing not to glance over my shoulders. I regret not doing it because maybe she was waiting for me to look at her. However the map of Elyos is a ring, a circle, and ultimately me and Etie found ourselves where we both started - at the Somniel, back at the yard where we'd overwork ourselves until our bodies gave in, hopelessly trying to bulk up. When she said she uttered that she missed me, it felt like our last meeting. Except this time I was ready to face her. "I missed you too" I rested my right  hand on her bright auburn hair, though it probably messed up her ribbon again.

"This seems like a good time for a jog! I'll just..." in that moment, when she said that and turned her back, ready to run - I instinctively grabbed her arm with a tight grip, but not enough to to inflict pain on someone I cared about. In those few seconds, I was overthinking. What if this was too much for Etie and she drifts away from me? Would she pull further and further from me no matter what I said? It felt like my mind was thinking a billion scenarios in that short instant, and I didn't know what would be the right thing to say.

 I tugged her arm lightly and tried to say something, anything. Before I could even form a word, Etie wrenched my gambeson with her other hand like she wanted to rip it off of me. I could not even react as my mind blanked when her lips pressed against mine. Whatever strength I had to yank her to my direction softened. She had brought herself closer to kiss me, and I was paralyzed. Deep down inside, contentment was spreading within and all I could do to express it was to kiss her back the way that she would hopefully love to be kissed. Her hand, still clenching my gambeson, pushes me against the stone wall of the training yard. You know, I imagined I would be the one pinning her against the wall, but I didn't mind this one bit. Feeling Etie's full weight pressed against me while being kissed and backed into a corner, I moaned with our mouths still stuck together. She definitely noticed that because she started kissing more aggressively. Two can play at that game. I grabbed Etie and turned sideways, pinning her against the wall this time. This time I was the one who was stealing a shameless moan from the other.  We were both turned on being chest to chest to one another. My hands & fingers dance along from her shoulders then to her waist. I could feel her hard abs even from the sides. She was the real deal, a body chiseled like a warrior goddess. Then I felt Etie bite my lower lip, catching me off guard. I tilt my head away to see that smug grin on her face. All I could think of was a way to get back at her for that.

When my tongue & mouth touched her neck, she exhales, breath misting away. I stay buried there until I went back to pressing my lips to her. Her shakey arms hook around my neck as she misses kissing me too. We pull away for a moment to meet each other eye to eye, the way we looked at each other changed. There was more of an unexpected warmth. We were magnetized to the sight of one another.  

"Come home to Firene with me." Etie's eyes still glued to mine, I could have sworn they were sparkling at me. When she requested that, my mind quickly returned to reality. Etie was a royal knight of Firene, and the daughter of a marquis. I am nobody,  I'm not even from Firene. I don't think Alfred or Princess Celine would bat an eye. Queen Eve and all those other nobles might though. I don't want to make life harder for Etie. Perhaps our romance would just be this one special moment at the Somniel, but before I could even voice a concern--

"Don't you dare think of having second thoughts now. We kissed. I... I want you with me. I don't care what anyone else thinks, if anyone has a problem with you at home, then they'll have to deal with me!" She reminded me of just what I admired so much about her. It wasn't just the attraction or the bond we've built, but Etie is someone who truly inspires me to be strong inside & out. And with that, my mind was set. I found what I came to the Somniel for. Wherever Etie goes, I go.  

"You are the one I feel closest too. Of course I'll go with you!" My arm, wrapped around her waist and back. I fell closer to her to give her another kiss. Her lips did not move, here eyes remained open. "Did I say something wrong?"  "No, not at all" Now she falls closer to me to give me another embrace.  I wanted that hug to never end. With a single finger, I tilt her head up from the chin. Looking at her eye to eye, I could tell she reciprocated what I felt when I gazed upon her. It was like those moments when war raged on, the chaos of battlefields, and when I was at my most lost - I'd look for her. Knowing Etie was still alive during a battle always calmed my nerves. Now that we saw each other for how we truly feel, I felt content.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

#fire emblem engage #etie fire emblem #fanfiction #ao3 fanfic #ao3fic #fire emblem fanfiction #fire emblem #romance #friends to lovers #kissing #neck kisses #ocs #self insert

[raxistaicho]

Are we not Engaged? Part 13.

Micaiah paralogue time!

Spoilers under the cut.

The opening scene reminds me why I like Micaiah so much.

This map is one of the most markedly different from the one it’s based on. It can’t really be helped: no other game in the series has ledges like RD.

I think I waited too long to do this one, I just kinda rolled over it, lol. Oh well.

Alear wishes she had Micaiah’s foresight is cute, but why is Micaiah acting kinda wistful for the fight that took place here? That was one of the darkest times of her life.

Alear Veyle B: Alear only once saw Veyle and gave her her dragonstone to reassure her. Veyle kept it all those years. It’s cute :)

Celine Mauvier C: Turns out Mauvier’s actually Firenan. He asks for help finding a certain hill near where he grew up, and Celine promises to help.

Chloe Hortensia A: Chloe reassures Hortensia she’s plenty cute. It’s a cute ending but a bit anti-climactic.

Diamant Alcryst A: Diamant beats Alcryst at an archer competition (he can do that???) but Alcryst promises to keep training and someday surpass Diamant. This entire support line had no solid follow-through and it was kinda all over the place, I have to say. In general I note that problem comming up several times in this game.

Diamant Timerra B: Diamant joins Timerra in town, where she embarrasses him with her singing and he joins in which makes it worse.

Rosado Hortensia B: The reason Rosado liked his first sketch of Hortensia was because she was showing her honest feelings at the time. He dislikes that she’s always putting on fake smiles and wishes she’d be more honest with herself, but she insists she can’t because she’s royalty. Pretty sad support :(

Marth paralogue time!

Oh this one’s actually kinda tough.

Astram’s stand-in should have been a whimp. As a joke.

Marth mentions Tiki and compares her to Alear, which is cute.

Last paralogue!

Oh it’s the Pact Ring.

Objective fakeout is shitty.

Oh it’s literally a marriage ring, lol.

Alear Yunaka Bond: It starts off with Yunaka opening up about her past to Alear. It’s mostly the same as in her Citrinne A support but in mildly less detail, but it’s nicer here given Alear didn’t need to put her on the spot to divulge any of it. Alear reveals a secret of her own: she can’t imagine life without Yunaka in it, and offers her the bond ring. Yunaka’s ecstatic, and wants to share all her life with Alear and learn everything there is to know about her. In return, Yunaka gives Alear one of her stars, allegedly made of pure gold. It rests on the momento stand in Alear’s room now.

I’m surprised I wound up liking Yunaka so much. She’s surprisingly deep for a non-royal in a game where the non-royals tend to be one-note characters. Laura Post’s voice acting definitely helped a ton. It’s also just nice that she demonstrates actual character growth across her support arcs, invariably coming back to opening up and showing trust in others.

Alear Rosado B: They’re hiking for one of those locales Rosado wants to sketch. Rosado’s endearingly passionate about this. The support cuts before they see what they’re going to, so I wonder how the A support will work lol.

Celine Alfred A: Alfred’s in bad shape, it seems his illness is flaring up again. Alfred’s fitness regimen only sent it into remission, it seems. Celine tries to go for help, but he refuses, saying he doesn’t want to be a burden or be seen as weak. Celine has an interesting outlook on happiness: she likes small joys, but she fears “undue happiness”, this is even mentioned in her bio and in one of her level up quotes, and it comes up in her A bond with Celica too. She’s terrified in general of the idea of finding a perfect happy moment in her life and being left simply looking back for the rest of her life. It’s a matter I think those of us who aren’t in their teens or even their twenties anymore can understand. Anyways, getting back to the sup, she nearly breaks down in tears admitting she wouldn’t know what to do if something happened to Alfred or to Eve, and Alfred promises not to die and to bring her as many small joys as he can. Really really nice support line.

Diamant Veyle C: Veyle wants to atone for her dumber half having killed Morion, though Diamant assures her he doesn’t hold that against her. Still, he lets her help him help the people to ease her conscience. It’s a cute little scene.

Hortensia Goldmary B: Goldmary is trying to help Hortensia learn how to cook. The support is cute in general, until Goldmary mentions she and Rosado are not officially Hortensia’s retainers. Hortensia was studying at the Elusian academy when Sombron was released, and Hyacinth summoned her back very abruptly. Goldmary and Rosado escorted her back to the castle, and one thing led to another and they wound up her retainers. This actually makes me like the Hortensia trio way better: Rosado and Goldmary were much closer to their liege in a personal sense when they appeared as bosses, too.

With that, I have finished all the paralogues! So now it’s the last stretch before the story’s completion :)

So onward to chapter 23!

Oh joy, a Four Hounds-centric chapter, yaaaaaay. Kill me.

Oh no it’s fuckin Ailel. 

Please tell me this time I kill Zephia.

It takes the dumb bitch a long time to notice Veyle wasn’t wearing the stupid helmet or the bat outfit anymore.

Holy shit I hate Zephia. “Then maybe I’ve never known real love,” oh fuck off, it’s way too late for you to try and fish for sympathy. If you really meant anything you’re saying you’d have turned on Sombron centuries ago.

And making Veyle act sad to be fighting Zephia is fucking deranged. This is the nightmarish creature that twisted Veyle’s mind to turn her into a mindless murderer. You can’t write a bunch of supports having Veyle express guilt and remorse for the things she did WHEN SHE ONLY DID THEM BECAUSE ZEPHIA FUCKING TOOK CONTROL OF HER MIND. NOBODY is pointing this out. It’s fucking absurd.

Jesus this map is cramped as shit.

Oh they blow up the obstructions.

Zephia and Griss try to make up for lacking Emblems with S rank weapons, but it doesn’t really help them much.

Zephia’s finally dying!

Veyle stop being nice to your abusers.

Drain the lake!

Why is Zephia helping us.

Wait no Zephia gave her life to help us? What is this fucking 180 in her characterization. The first thing she even did was threaten to massacre all the people in Firene castle and then threaten to murder Eve’s children in front of her. She’s a fucking monster.

Lol Zephia sob story time, this fucking game.

YES VEYLE, IF ZEPHIA WAS GOING TO TURN GOOD, WHY DIDN’T SHE DO IT SOONER.

roflmao, “You wouldn’t have believed me until I was dying,” this fucking game.

Oh my god they get a sad death.

Wait she hates Sombron??? What the fuck???

Oh my fucking god, Zephia’s wanted Sombron to knock her up so she could have kids even knowing how horribly abusive Sombron was to his children. This fucking bitch.

How is Griss the goddamn only sane man here?

Jesus christ, he falls over so that he’s holding her hand in death. This. Fucking. Game.

How’s there a goddamn ice mountain when this whole landmass was under the ocean a couple days ago at most. Actually how was there a volcano when the landmass was under the ocean? This fucking game.

Alear got thrown somewhere I get lol. I don’t wanna hear people complain about Crimson Flower being unfinished, it never had so many confusing cuts where we have to be told something happened as this game does.

Oh hey it’s Red Alear. We fucking time traveled didn’t we.

Oh my god, what’s wrong with her?

Oh jesus christ she’s got severe ptsd. What is this, poor Alear T_T

Red Marth! So Marth was with Alear for a long time, I wondered about that. Lumera must have summoned him for Alear after she adopted Alear. Otherwise I don’t think Emblems really remember things when they’re red.

Oh fuck Zephia’s alive again.

Wait, how did Zephia not recognize Alear if she served under Alear directly during the war?

This game’s jumped all the sharks.

#Fire emblem engage #spoilers

[yourladystar]

Star's Engage Catalogue Day 29 (part 1)

Sorry for the abrupt cutoff yesterday, something came up. But before I start the paralogue, I wanna really highlight just how hard it is for me to pick who I want to give the pact ring to. So allow me to go into detail of the 10 candidates I have for this.

Yeah, you heard me right.

I said 10.

I was really hoping last night would make it easier for me, but no.

Also, this isn't in any order from least likely to most like, it's just how they're listed in the support list I have for Alear right now.

Seadall

Y'all already know by this point that I fell in love with Seadall the second we got a screenshot of him and I went feral when he first appeared in the game. This man is absolutely gorgeous, his voice is soothing, and he has an enjoyable personality and an interesting backstory. And I like how it works for his and Alear's supports.

Rosado

Outside of being a gender-nonconforming icon, Rosado is so likable and his supports with Alear was surprisingly really good. Having someone in your life who not only validates what you do but understands it is so satisfying, and I can totally picture these two adventuring to find the next hidden beauty the world has to offer.

Yunaka

This one genuinely shocked me. If you remember the tier list I made before Engage came out, you know I didn't have high hopes for Yunaka. And when the game came out and I saw the fandom reception to her, I got even less enthusiastic about her. I felt like I was gonna get another meme character who's only noteworthy for one thing that the fandom beats into being outdated faster than it became popular.

Boy was I wrong!

Reading her supports and learning about her past, struggles, and newfound goals skyrocketed her to being one of my favorites, and Alear's supports with her was part of it.

I know she's a fan favorite, but you guys are honestly not giving her the proper attention.

Diamant

I love both the Brodia brothers and while I like Alcryst more, I ain't about to sell Diamant short. His supports with Alear really sold it for me. The two were able to see each other's vulnerabilities, came to understand each other outside of their painted views, and are now comfortable with being who they are underneath their brave exteriors with each other.

You gotta love a pairing where the two expressing their weaknesses brings them closer.

Zelkov

Zelkov is a character who just gets better with each support of his I unlock. It is actually unfair how amazing this character is. And I love his supports with Alear.

I'm a sucker for pairings where character A has a hobby or interest that others find either weird or disturbing, but character B not only finds it interesting, but actively engages with character A on it. It's one of the main reasons why Shinsai is one of my favorite Danganronpa ships.

Even if I don't pick him, there's no denying these two got great chemistry.

And their A-support was cute as hell.

Alfred

Even discounting their supports, Alfred feels like the option the story itself is going for. I have been taking screenshots of every gay moment these two have shared and it's a lot.

I tend not to care for canon pairings ever since I've come to realize that shipping one character with multiple people is fine, along with the fact that a lot of canon pairings in Fire Emblem don't hit it for me, but these two feel the most expected by Engage's narrative and they do a damn good job at making you believe it.

Ivy

I love this absolute cringe-fail of a woman. I love every moment that showcases her as the walking barely functioning disaster she is and her supports with Alear balances this with her softer side that just wants a break from the hell that is her life.

The Elusia sisters both deserve a vacation to just not worry about anything.

Alcryst

I knew from his first scene that I was gonna love Alcryst, yet that still feels like an understatement. Soft boys with anxiety really draw me in, and Alcryst being an absolute sweetheart on top of it sold me so hard on him.

Also, I know I commented on Alfred having notable gay moments with Alear, but Alcryst also had his fair share of them.

I just love my Brodia boys and I want them to have happiness.

Amber

I love this f*cking idiot so Goddamn much! He is such a lovable goofball who makes me smile anytime he's on screen! His supports with Alear are simple yet so cute to watch these two dorks bounce off each other.

Amber honestly has good chemistry with every character I've had him talk to, which is kinda nuts!

Pandreo

And last but certainly far from least. Pandreo was someone who I knew was gonna have an interesting dynamic with from the moment he and Alear met, and I was not disappointed by that. You really can't get any more of a wish fulfillment than being able to hang out daily with the very deity your church worships.

Also, Pandreo seeing more of Alear's humanity by inviting him to his parties and being kinda embarrassed about it is funny and adorable.

But yes, this is my current dilemma.

I'm just hoping that by the time I'm done with the paralogue, I'll finally have my answer.

#fire emblem engage #playthrough #first playthrough #seadall #fe seadall #rosado #fe rosado #yunaka #fe yunaka #diamant #fe diamant #zelkov #fe zelkov #alfred #fe alfred #ivy #fe ivy #alcryst #fe alcryst #amber #fe amber #pandreo #fe pandreo #This cast is too good!