#a jackass

[powerupcomicstonight]

[high-in-hardtown]

Neve Week Day 3: Contentment

and also Work In Progress Wednesday. I actually have something to share this week and was tagged by @woundedsoul12 - thank you, as always! Also using this for @datvcompanionweeks Neve Week.

Signs of Change

Word count: 752 Rating: G Neverook (using my Rook, Zephyr Mercar). Summary: The Shadow Dragons are out celebrating together after the events on Tearstone Island, the first time the members of the faction have been reunited since the end of the Sixth Blight. They won, all is well, happy day! Can Neve be content with that?

Under the cut (trying to shake off the rust and remember how to scrape two sentences together 'n get out of Bad Brain, but I'd like to continue this piece).

This bar wasn't their usual haunt, but Trouble was right after all: the Shadow Dragons were ready to let loose after everything Minrathous has been through. But now, a cult on its heels, a dragon or two felled, a duo - no, trio - of almighty elven mages denied ascension.

All that work, and yet there still feels like so much to do. The real work has only just begun.

Viper recommended the place. An unassuming hole in the wall by the looks of it, but any local worth their salt knows the best bars can just have a sign that says "bar" above the door. So unassuming, way out here in the armpit of Dock Town far beyond the markets overlooking a well-tread fishing pier, that the Venatori didn't seem to get too comfortable during their brief stay in the city.

A shame, Neve thought, the owner is full of stories. You don't come to own a bar in the heart of Tevinter as a Qunari without a tale or two. Varric would have liked the man.

The other Dragons haven't let their hair down for as long as Neve can remember. It's good to see the gang back in their spirits, sure, and yet a twist of discomfort contorts in her stomach. Neve sighs and steps out of the rowdy establishment as a glass shatters behind her, proceeded by a cavalcade of ooohs and aaaahs, then laughter.

That would be my Trouble. Told him not to try to match Tarquin shot for shot.

The sheer revelry of it all - what a novelty, really. Neve allows a smirk to hide under her hat as the door shuts behind her.

It doesn't take much time of Neve gazing out on the moonlit waters lapping at the pier down below for Rook stumble out, looking for her.

"I thought I might find you here," Rook exhales after what seemed a strenuous little climb uphill. "Lovely brooding weather this evening, indeed."

"Oh? That predictable, am I?"

"Only to someone who knows you," he replies, clearly resisting the urge to wink. "So what's up? I mean, Viper said he doesn't think I can handle something called a 'Dumat's Revenge' and I very politely disagreed. We were about to find out and I thought it'd be funny either way,."

"Well, I certainly wouldn't want to miss that," Neve shakes her head, wondering if the average street mabari possesses more brain cells than this man. Her man. "Don't you get too carried away now," she raises an eyebrow. "Your services may be required this evening, but only if you don't waste yourself on Ashur."

Rook's eyes go wide and he turns away with a forced cough. He collects himself and salutes with a noticeable wobble. "I… just wanted to check on you, that's all. See if you're alright. It's been a long day. Week? Age."

Two clouds part - the light of the full moon pieces through. Neve's eyes remain locked in place. "That's the thing, Trouble," she says, her voice light as air. "I think I just may be alright, terrifying as that is. I can do casework. I can do nasty blood mages. Hells, I can even do darkspawn fairly well nowadays." She pauses and then sighs. "I don't know what to do with this. It's just new, I suppose."

Rook lights up, excited for his rebuttal. "Neve, this is what we've been fighting for. This is why the Shadows exist. To fight for a city we can enjoy being in! To live and breathe and get piss-rotten drunk when we win! We fought for our home, the world, and we won."

Neve smiles wearily. "You can tell just from their faces. You can see a glint of light in their eyes that hasn't been there," she says, her gaze affixed. "The smiles are authentic, not strained. Unconstrained joy, no unspoken lies."

Rook begins to approach her but does not interrupt. She continues.

"You can tell when someone is just doing enough to survive. At a certain point, any performance becomes obvious. Try as you might, you're just going to run out of the energy to put on the mask."

"Neve…"

"But the masks are off tonight, Rook," she turns to face him. "Because there's nothing to hide. Nothing to be concealed. Just… bliss. That's hard to come by these days."

Rook nods. "So let's rejoice in it, Neve. Hold on to it. To each other."

Neve rolls her eyes with exaggeration. "See? Told you you're a sap."

[delicatefury]

I need to go to bed now but-

If you’re researching a character trait/problem/disability that you don’t have a lot of experience with, Reddit AMAs can be ridiculously helpful.

I’ve got several for mutism open, and they’ve verified some ideas I had about the character, given me ideas for interactions, ways to use his mutism to showcase his personality, and pointed out a few issues I hadn’t even thought of.

Also helped me get over that research hurdle of not quite having the right phrase for the algorithms to give you what you want.

Anyway, Reddit. AMAs. Research tool.

I’m too tired. Night.

[corpusdekay]

upset at a coworker and I can't tell if it's because I'm too autistic to have read between the lines or if this is just another time he's being a jackass

[dingusships]

It would be cool & very dumb of my si to be open to meeting & befriending the other (former? It's been a long ass time) villains from ppg bc they could vey Actual Mean Threats but like. they're cool. & I automatically have a soft spot for anyone I associate with Ace lol

[rottagecoreblog]

oh my GOD so i found out from the best friend of the guy i like that he has a gf but i’m pretty sure his friend is into me

[old-flesh]

weyes blood’s new album is essentially the kind of poetic, world weary narrative songwriting that father john misty has slowly been perfecting for years now, complete with lush, string laden arrangements and backing choirs, the sonic language of kitsch deployed with taste and emotional grounding

i love that they’ve collaborated and toured together because you can totally hear the sonic commonality they’ve got going and the way they both process these feelings of having a soul that just feels a little too old for this shit

both of them sound like they could have been a lonely country singer at a bar somewhere in texas, playing every friday night with the lights low, the pedal steel crying, and knots of couples slow dancing around the room with silent reverence 

-”please don’t die” by father john misty

-”Everyday” by Weyes Blood