I have not been able to work on as much as I would have liked to for this week. This has been a wip for a while and I didn't have time to do a decent background. I did both day 2 and 3 because of course date night with these two ends in conflict. Snippet below of their disaster 'date' night from my always wip Illario Dellamorte x Nia de Riva fic - under the cut
Illario stood up and walked over to her, holding out his hand and giving a slight bow, “Now according to your rules, I believe I have to ask you for a dance.”
She glared up at him, he hadn't exactly broken the rules of their arrangement, but he definitely bent them. “Damn it Illario, I never know if you are flirting or trying to start a fight.”
She wasn’t sure why or what had possessed her to do it, but she took his hand.
He grinned in triumph,“Why can’t it be both?” he said as he pulled her to her feet.
He led her through the crowd down to the dance floor.
Illario set one hand on her waist and still held her hand in his other. She suddenly realized something.
“I don’t know this dance.” She told him flatly.
“It’s alright.” He smiled at her, “just follow my lead, you’ll catch on.”
He pulled her closer, wrapping his entire arm around her waist. Her heart sped and she felt warmth up her neck. The firmness of his body against hers made her feel…safe? It was a strange sensation.
As nice as it was, she was still reeling from his words before.
It caught her off guard. He would never have dared speak to her that way unless he had expected her to call him an asshole and storm out on him. So why didn’t she?
The music started and Illario began to move them across the dance floor. He was right, it was a simple dance she could easily follow. A spin here a turn there. When they were back together she finally spoke.
“I don’t always argue.” She stated, her mouth finally catching up. “And if anyone here is arrogant it’s you. And if I’m suspicious it's only because…”
Illario chuckled, “Is this you not arguing?”
“If you find it so hard to be around me or be my friend then why are you trying so hard?” She asked him.
“Because I like a challenge,” he replied.
Nia rolled her eyes.
The music slowed and so did he. He held her close again.
“And despite your constant complaints, clever insults and determined indifference, I think you actually have come to like me too.”
He smirked at her as they swayed gently to the music that seemed to be fading into the background.
He wasn’t wrong, but she hated to admit it.
She tilted her head thoughtful, trying not to give any hint of a smile.
“I don’t feel the constant need to stab you anymore,” was all the confirmation she was going to give him.
His smirk melted into a genuine smile. “Well if that isn’t a confession of love I don’t know what is.”
She raised an eyebrow at him, “I still get the occasional impulse.” She growled but in a more playful manner.
He spun her again, gently pulling her back to him with her back against his chest. She followed his steps as he glided them along with the other dancers. His lips came up behind her ear and whispered, “why do you hold back?”
She wasn’t quite sure what he was asking her. She turned her head slightly to the side to try to look at him, her cheek brushed against his.
“From what? Stabbing you?” She tried to joke but the end of her question caught in her throat when she felt his lips against her cheek.
“You still don’t trust me, you're still suspicious of my motives.”
He turned her in his arms until they faced each other again.
“Why?”
His question was sincere. The music stopped and the dance ended. He still held her close, waiting for her answer.
She thought he was astute enough to know why she was still so hesitant around him, she thought it was all part of his game. That he was still playing her, that was how he was keeping her at arms length, the same way she was keeping him. But his question was sincere. In fact all night he had been very forthcoming with her. He honestly didn't know.
She furrowed her brow at him and pushed him back. He loosened his hold on her reluctantly.
“Because you're still wearing the mask, you're still playing the game.” she snapped at him, shaking her head. “Because you're still lying to me.”
She waited just a split second to see if he would deny it, but to his credit he didn’t. She turned and left him standing there just as the fireworks started, ending the evening celebrations. She couldn’t hear if he called after her or not, but he didn’t chase after her. She really wished he had.
Enjoy some self indulgent silliness to go with this under the cut
“Give it to me!” Nia demanded.
“No,” Illario stated firmly, staring down his nose at her.
Her eyes narrowed and she gritted her teeth in frustration.
“Give it to me now!” She repeated, lunging toward him, stopping only inches from him.
He, of course, made no move himself. He didn’t even flinch at her attempt to intimidate him. Just like always, he seemed to be enjoying himself, he got some twisted pleasure out of making her angry. The corner or his lips twinged, struggling to contain his amusement.
Nia didn’t exactly make it hard for him to get a rise out of her. She was easily provoked, especially by him.
Today was no different. He had taken something that belonged to her. She wanted it back. But Illario was having far too much fun playing keep away.
The fire behind her icy blue eyes intensified as she noticed his grin.
“Make all the demands you want Princess,” he taunted her, leaning in even closer. “You’ll have to pry it from my cold dead hand.”
Before his last word was out he felt the cold steel at his bare throat. He cursed himself for being too entranced by her eyes that he hadn’t noticed her blade come out.
“Oh,” her voice reduced to a low, sultry whisper. “Nothing would make me happier.”
The blade at his throat made him lean back a bit, but she had him backed against a table.
“You would really kill me?” He looked almost hurt, if not for the gratifying thrill behind his dark eyes, “for this?”
He flashed a small gold item in his hand then quickly closed his fist around it.
She considered him for a moment, her dagger still at his throat, then cocked her head to the side. “I supposed if I killed you, you would never learn your lesson.”
“And what lesson would that be?”
She leaned forward, pressing her dagger harder against his throat, causing him to lean farther back over the table.
“Don’t. Take. My. Things.” She enunciated each word, inching closer.
“Or else?” Illario seemed to be enjoying himself more than he was feeling threatened. So Nia decided to up the stakes. She, of course, had no intention of killing him, she wasn’t even planning on hurting him…much.
Once again he was so focused on her eyes and having his fun that he didn’t notice the second dagger she pulled out. This one she positioned at his stomach, right under his navel. She slid the blade carefully between the thin, silky fabric of his shirt. The sharp blade barely touched the thread attached to the buttons before she felt it pop.
It didn’t exactly get the reaction she wanted from him, but it got his attention.
Illario frowned when he realized what she had done. Her eyes never left his, she knew exactly where her blade was as it traveled up to the next button.
“Nia,” he growled in annoyance. “This is a very expensive shirt.”
Another pop, and the button hit the floor.
“I don’t care,” she scoffed at him. The back of her hand grazed the warm skin on his stomach, then his chest as her blade found the next button.
“What are you going to do when you run out of buttons?” He turned his head to the side, positioning his head perfectly for her to lean in and steal a kiss. But she was absolutely not going to make it that easy for him. She intended to play with him a little bit more.
Another button popped off, “Well that’s entirely up to you,” she sneered at him.
She used her knife to push him back, giving just enough pressure against his skin to make him lean all the way back until he was laying flat on his back.
She could tell he was trying very hard to keep a stoic face but he was biting the inside of his cheek to keep from grinning. He was enjoying himself way too much.
Nia took her other hand that held the dagger at his throat, and pushed his free arm down on the table. She drove her dagger down into the table, pinning his arm to it by the cuff of his sleeve.
“Or maybe we make a deal..” she leaned over him, her face dangerously close to his. She slowly slid the flat side of her second dagger back down his bare chest, over the ridges of his stomach, feeling the goosebumps caused by the cold steel on warm skin, smiling at the desired effect. She stopped at the top of his trousers.
Standing up straight, she maneuvered the blade under his belt. It fell to the floor after a swift tug split it in half.
Illario sucked in a sharp breath through gritted teeth when he realized what she was doing. He could no longer hide how much he was enjoying her torture.
He tried to sit up but the dagger in his sleeve kept him pinned down to the table. He now saw his predicament.
Nia gave him a one sided grin then took a step back, sheathing her dagger back in her thigh strap.
“If you give me what you stole,” she inclined her head to his hand that held the item he took from her, “then your hand is free to free yourself,” she nodded towards the dagger pinning him to the table.
“And what do I get out of this deal?” He asked. She relished in the tension and frustration building up in him.
She raised an eyebrow at him”Besides your dignity and freedom?”
He looked at her expectantly.
She leaned over him again. This time she placed both her hands on his thighs, feeling the heat of his body through the fabric of his clothes, telling her she was about to get her way.
She placed her lips against his ear, “I’ll give you everything that you want.”
That was all he needed to hear. She felt the anticipation radiated through him as she pulled away. Before she could take a step back, his open palm presented her with her golden trinket.
Nia smiled smugly. ‘Too easy,’ she thought to herself. She gently took the golden ball from his open hand.
A perfect gold package, with a delectable treasure inside. She stripped the gold foil away and popped the round chocolate truffle in her mouth.
She glared down at Illario.
“Some things I will always share with you, amante” she began licking the tips of her fingers, “chocolate is not one of them.”
She turned on her heel and headed for the door. She heard it before she saw it, a whooshing sound as her own dagger flew past her head and embedded itself into the door she was headed to.
She paused and turned to see Illario, free from his trap, shirt torn, belt gone, hair disheveled. He looked completely opposite from his perfectly put together self. He looked feral.
He charged toward her, slamming his body into hers and pushing her back against the door.
“I don’t like being lied to.” He growled.
“I never lied to you,” she breathed, an attempt to sound completely innocent.
“Your end of the deal?” He demanded, his skin was flushed, sweat rolled down his temple, his arms on either side of the door, trapping her, the way she had trapped him.
“You didn’t specify when or where,” she grinned , again claiming innocence.
“Here. Now.” He demanded. His voice was low and rough.
She had no intention of leaving the room in the first place. She knew exactly what she was doing to him and that she too wanted him here and now. But she needed to see him want her. She needed to drive him insane for her. She needed to feel his desire for her, so fierce that he was willing to endure a little bit of torture to have her.
Tagging (no obligation) @lonyn @corinnesin @himluv @pixiedurango @djfatchip @alyssalenko @slothssassin anyone else who wants to share
I actually have so much to show for this year. I am not proud of all of it but I am proud that I did it.
Not to say I didn't have my issues with Veilguard as DA game, but I did love parts of it, I love my Rooks, and the characters and companions and that it brought out my creativity again. I did so much art and writing this year and all of it was because of this game so thanks DA and the community and especially my friend @lonyn for always cheering me on and looking at/reading all my wips and listening and sharing all our crazy ideas and headcanons <3
Fan Art 2025 🎨🖌️
Fan Fic 2025 ✒️📓
My first official fic that sadly is unfinished. I wish I had finished it by the end of the year but things got in the way and I lot my steam. I still love this a lot and have ever intention of finishing it so if anyone is still interested keep an eye on it because I will finish it one day!
Love and Ahses - Rookanis fic/ Lucanis Dellamorte/Emmra Mercar
Snippets and moments of the journey of the charming and handsome Antivan Crow, Lucanis Dellamorte, who steals the heart of the beautiful, Shadow Dragon, Mage and hapless hero, Emmra "Rook" Mercar, through the events of Dragon Age the Veilguard.
AO3 Statistics:
Kudos: 66
Comment: 25
Bookmarks: 20
Subscriptions: 36
Word Count: 18,616
Hits: 1,409
I don't really care about numbers but for my very first fic I am super happy that this many people not only read it but liked it and commented on it. Thank you to everyone who read and commented and were kind and supportive 💜
I also have another one in the works with my non Rook OC Nia de Riva and Illario that kinda goes along side my Rookanis fic, its already 32k words and completely out of control but I learned my lesson and wont post any of it until its close to done which knowing me could be never.
Also here are some little snippets that I did post:
Injury prompt , After the wake , Beach vacation
Again the important thing is, I started writing a lot this year and ever participated in NaNoWriMo for the first time this year, again with the encouragement and support of @lonyn 🤗🤗 Thank you my friend!!!
So there is my summery. If you made it this far thank you for looking at and reading all my rambling
I set a goal for myself in November to write every day be it one sentence, one paragraph, one page, one thousand words etc. The goal was to just write after several months of not really being able to write much.
I feel really good that I was able to accomplish this aside from November 1st (I was reading my original stuff and got too tired to write that night lol). From November 2nd on I was able to accomplish my goal! I may not have made MUCH progress but any progress is good progress!
I used to write for me and not care if anyone read what I wrote, but this past year I’ve let myself succumb to feeling inadequate not having many comments, kudos, feedback. I remember having a decent amount of traction back in the DAI and MEA days and man it felt really good. I sometimes feel like I took it for granted what little bit of engagement I had back then. I’m eternally grateful though for it. It was a very good time back then. But things have changed these days and that’s okay.
I’m just trying to get back to writing for me again, so I’m going to push the goal forward for December as well!
No one’s going to see this most likely, but if anyone wants to join me please do! This is a low stakes goal and mainly just to feel good about writing and feeling accomplished no matter how small the goal is!
Despite the scars, look on toward a future of healing. Happy N7 Day! A bit ago I halfassed colored the sketchy sketch I did a while back! Figured I should post something. Shepard lives on (:
I haven’t sketched in forever, but this little shit lives rent free in my head still. Also process video cause they’re fun and the way I sketch is unhinged xD (I did not learn how to sketch the right way and it shows haha)
“how to recognize AI in fanfic” — hey so this is another not-gentle reminder that AI stole from us. it’s using OUR words and OUR sentences and OUR styles.
writing “long” paragraphs is not a sign of AI — it’s a common narrative choice many writers make both in fanfiction and in traditionally published novels, and AI stole it from us.
using an em dash is not a sign of AI. it’s a stylistic sentence choice that’s been an option in place of commas and semicolons for a very long time, and AI stole it from us.
long sentence structures are not a sign of AI, but are yet another stylistic choice writers often make to create a cadence and tone that mimics the flow of poetry, and AI stole it from us.
“YA narrative breaks”? i don’t even know what the fuck this means, but i can guarantee that AI stole it from us.
italics are once again a stylistic choice that many writers love to use to create emphasis, and it’s a more stylistically acceptable and traditional form of emphasis than bold or underline text. oh, and just to be extra clear: AI STOLE IT FROM US.
stop creating fandom witch hunts over AI when you know fuck all about what it means to sit and write a story, and to spend hours fiddling with sentence structure and dialogue to get the exact right tone. writers will stop writing out of fear that their work “sounds like AI” — IT DOESNT! AI STOLE FROM US! AI SOUNDS LIKE US! — and after a while, all that will be available on AO3 is shitty AI-generated fanfiction.
because yeah, people are going to continue to use AI to write fanfiction whether you “call them out” or not. but making a laughable thread on X that uses asinine criteria is not going to fix that problem. it will just push the real writers out because people will accuse them of using AI when they haven’t, and they will (rightfully) stop writing for spaces that attack them.
I’ve made so many damn mistakes on this cover I’m so over it xD I put the damn spine title on the wrong way so now it won’t face the right way when the cover is facing up 🥹 aaaand I already scraped off the previous spine since it was crooked (the whole thing is crooked lmao) so I’m done…
I am but a woman at war with a legion of… tomato hornworms…
Context: My mom planted a cherry tomato plant back early spring that has grown into a forest force to be reckoned with. Unfortunately the tomato hornworms are trying to eat the entire thing… they tried a couple months ago and I sent them into the dishwater cup of doom, but now they’re back, and I am but one woman…