#arvio mtas

[kennyswurvegurl]

I have a type

[kamibakura]

[yurissweettooth]

What Happened By The Stairs (AO3)

Summary: The night after a sandstorm ravaged the town, Finn found himself in need of supplies for his cleanup. When he got to town, however, his plans were thwarted by a rather suspicious commotion at the general store's door. If only he'd stopped sooner to intervene...

Fandom: My Time At Sandrock Pairing: Arvio & Builder, Arvio & Amirah, Mi-An & Builder, Amirah & Builder Characters: Arvio, Builder, Amirah, Mi-An, Fang Word Count: 3,557 Tags: Grief/Mourning, Blood and Injury, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Canon Divergence, Exes, Additional Tags to Be Added As The Fic Progresses Notes: This is a rewrite of a WIP I started over a year ago during Early Access. I began writing this before Arvio's late game character development quest was implemented so consider this fic canon divergent. He will gain character development in a different (albeit more angsty) way, as was my original intent! Also, despite what the tags would imply, there will be a lot of healing and relationship mending and so on happening here! TW for future chapters below the cut (Contains Fic Spoilers)

TW Suicide attempts, self-harm, mental illness, unhealthy coping mechanisms, codependent relationship (past/mentioned)

[huni-tchii]

hello. i will be posting art of my sandrock oc because i want u all to look at arvio's gf who he loves and lovingly annoys a lot. she is the love of his and my life. brb

[kennyswurvegurl]

Have I ever mentioned how much I love the dialogue in this game

[kennyswurvegurl]

He is going to get an award in Loverboy

[kennyswurvegurl]

I think Arvio is a character who is deeper and a lot more well written than a lot of us give him credit for. Most of us tend to focus on his optimism, impulsiveness, crazy plans, and annoying charm you either love or hate, but there's a lot of implications throughout the story that he's a troubled man hiding behind a mask.

(I apologize about the image quality, but I had to work around the mobile limit somehow. Please click for better viewing.)

Now, it's no secret Arvio and Amirah had a tough childhood. Their escape from poverty to Sandrock is the focal point of their entire story. When you listen to them talk about it, you come to understand just how bad it was. He seems to brush off and downplay his past hardships, keeping up his cheery attitude. His mask only occasionally slips, causing him to be straightforward and serious with his feelings.

Given that Arvio is only around 20 at the start of the story, and he and Amirah have been in Sandrock for a little while at this point, he must have began working the quarry soon after he finished school, if not earlier.

He tends to cope badly with with stress, considering the trauma of his childhood, with implications of binge eating and, more apparently, depressive/anxious spirals when met with emotional distress or rejection. He tends to cope by either trying to push through with his upbeat persona or shutting down completely.

With how badly he reacts to his encounter with Musa, it can be argued he displays characteristics of Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD). However, this is pure speculation due to a lack of multiple examples.

If he is romanced, he has lines about having nightmares. While these are vague enough that they could mean nothing, I thought they were worth mentioning. From what little can be gleaned from these two lines and other things observed about his character, these nightmares could have an underlying theme of abandonment and rejection.

He seems to put a lot of weight on what he can do for others and how useful he is. He's constantly seeking to please everyone and take care of those he loves...

...sometimes even at the expense of his own wellbeing.

He also seems to have a slight tendency towards self-deprication (focused on his intelligence) when faced with guilt or uncertainty. He is also quick to assume he's the one at fault in social situations.

His egoism could even be some sort of defense against his sensitivity and insecurity, but this is once again speculation.

Social connection is something he seems to struggle with, being oblivious to others' intentions and feelings, and often rubbing people the wrong way. He can navigate social interaction just fine, being a salesman and an extrovert, but forming true bonds seems to be a bumpy process for him at times.

As someone who grew up neurodivergent (autism and adhd), his behaviors reminded me a lot of myself. I used to come up with crazy plans to "help" my friends, come off as annoying and not realize right away, and spiral and self-depricate whenever things went wrong or I got criticized. I think that's what got me to latch onto him as hard and quickly as I did.

Sandrock is full of such well-written characters, I can't help but to fall in love all over again every time I play. My only regret with this post is that I don't know enough Chinese to compare my observations with the localization to the original text. Maybe someday. I hope my analysis was thorough and interesting. I may even make more posts to expand on certain points, such as his neurodivergent traits or his and Amirah's childhood trauma.

Thank you for reading.

[kennyswurvegurl]

Arvio Has A Very Good Day

Summary: Arvio does not have a good day, which only gets worse when someone tries to shoplift before closing hours.

Angst/Implied Undiagnosed ADHD/Barnarock Quarries Are Not OSHA Approved/Implied Work Injuries And Chronic Pain/Yan Is Horrible As Always/Self Deprecation/Pre-Game/Harvio If You Squint

The first thing he notices upon waking up is the pain in his hip. He must have slept on it funny again. Damn thing has been giving him problems since his first major fall at the quarry back in Barnarock. Of course he was expected to pick up his pickaxe and report in the next day as well. He takes a deep breath; no use dwelling on bitter memories. Things are better here in Sandrock. He's finally doing better, ready for another day in his new life.

He stumbles a bit getting out of bed, but he's on his feet soon enough. Making his way to the little kitchen nestled in the corner of his quaint little house, he starts on breakfast. Still hard for him to believe at times, that he has the opportunity to eat every day. Sometimes anxiety gnaws at him, tells him his cupboards will be bare again soon enough, but he tries his best to push those thoughts down, lest he start binging and hoarding again. Amirah's still upset about the time he snuck some bread out of her house, after all.

With his stomach filled and his spirits high, he sets upon opening his shop for the day. He takes the time to dust and sweep off all the sand that accumulated on his storefront with the nightly winds, finding the repetitive action relaxing. Being his own boss fills him with a sort of pride. It was a lot better than the quarry, that was for sure. He'd never miss that place. No more blisters, or ringing ears, or cuts and bruises. It's just him and his own business.

Now, it was time for his delivery runs. Or, it would be if he hadn't gone and screwed up the boxes the night before. It was only at the last minute he noticed the local deliveries mixed in with his usual stocks. That little blunder cost him almost an hour as he got everything back into its proper place. When he finally departs for the morning route, he tries his best to hide the slight limp in his gait, even if it agitates the old injury. He has to keep going. After all, he can rest when he finally reaches success. For now, he needs to keep up the grind for his family's sake. Nothing else matters.

"Apologies, Owen! I would have been on time, but I had a little inventory trouble this morning," he announces his arrival at the saloon. He feels horrible for his tardiness, but what else can you do in times like these? Well, you could be smarter and not let the mistake happen in the first place, for one.

The taller man only smiles and waves off Arvio's apology. "Ah, no worries. I appreciate it!" What a relief, he isn't angry. He probably should be, but who is he to question a neighbor's kindness?

The pain in his leg is getting worse, but he smiles through it as he waves goodbye. See? Even through the pain, he was still useful. Even when he screws up, he can succeed. He could do it.

The jog back to his shop is worse. The pain's starting to travel down his leg as well, but he still picks up the pace when he spots a man waiting at his register.

Just as he's about to slip behind the counter and ring him up, the tourist makes his annoyance known. "Took you long enough. What kind of business you running here anyway, leaving in broad daylight? What, you want a milk break that bad, buddy?" The words sting a little, but Arvio keeps a smile plastered on his face.

"My apologies, sir," he begins, "I had to run a few deliveries around town. The struggles of a one-man-run shop! Surely you can understand?" The man across the counter only scoffs at the excuse, muttering something about a 'moron' and a 'stupid, dead-end town'. Arvio only smiles, pretending not to hear. He can't let it get to him. He's used to this kind of thing anyway. Just push through.

It was a slow day. The afternoon came without much fanfare. At this point, he's close to dozing off at the counter, but at least he finally has the opportunity to rest a little. Well, since he has nothing better to do at the moment, he might as well get a head-start on the daily ledger. He starts with the shelf closest to the register, just so he can sit a little longer. Taking out his folder and a pencil, he gets to work immediately. Mental math is one of the few things he was always good at, and the one area he never felt inferior in. Back in school, math was the only class he consistently got top marks in too. He can't help but grin a little to himself as he recalls his mother's praise every time he brought home his grades, followed by his father's usual lecture about paying attention in his other classes. It felt nice, knowing that he was at least good for something when everything else failed.

A creaking sound from behind breaks him from his memories. He turns to see a woman discretely trying to shove some smaller items from his display into her vest pockets. Immediately, he springs to his feet. "Excuse me! I'll have to ask you to pay for those!" Unfortunately for him, the woman tries to run instead of accepting she'd been caught. Ugh, today of all days. Despite the lingering pain he feels, he begins to chase after her.

It burns with every step as he runs, but luckily the lady is a bit lacking in the speed department. What he doesn't expect is for her to suddenly turn around, grab him by the collar, and sling him straight into some kind of iron frame right by the commerce guild. The wind is knocked out of his lungs, and the pain from his hip starts to flare up all along the side of his body. That's all she needs to make a final break for it and disappear behind Mason's workshop, most likely to wait for the next train to make a proper escape.

Arvio can barely bring himself to stand up, but he has to. If he can make his way to the civil corps as soon as possible, Justice and Unsuur should be able to arrest her when she tries to sneak onto the train and skip town. Just as he's about to hoist himself back on his feet, he hears the shrill voice of the ever infamous guild president. Great. Just what he needs.

"You idiot! Do you know how much that's gonna cost me? A very high profile client was coming to pick that up tomorrow, and you've gone and ruined it!"

"...I'm sorry-"

"That's not gonna cut it, boy. I expect to be reimbursed! Immediately!" Yan scribbles something onto a scrap of paper and stoops down to shove it into Arvio's chest, not even considering helping the man to his feet first. "That's what you owe me. By tomorrow!" He leaves Arvio to squint at the numbers in his hand as he loudly slams the door behind him.

...This is over half his savings. Combined with the loss from the shoplifter, this could take a couple weeks to make back up if he's lucky. No, he has to at least get his merchandise back, especially if he's right about what she took. With newfound urgency, he brings himself to his feet and starts limping across town to request aid from local law enforcement.

He hears the whistle of the train as he opens the door. Not much time left. "Hello? I need to report a theft. Urgently. Very time sensitive."

Justice immediately makes his way towards the other man, but stops short. "What happened to you, partner? Ya look all bruised up. You get into a fight with the perp?"

"Sorry, but no time. We need to-" Another whistle. The train will be leaving soon. "Please, just follow me! She might be on the train already."

Justice nods, but still keeps a bit of worry on his face. "Copy that." With that, the officer starts a sprint towards the station. Arvio tries his best to keep up through the pain, but ends up trailing behind quite a bit. By the time he catches up, all he can see is Justice pinching the bridge of his nose on an empty platform. Too late.

He tries to place a comforting hand on the shorter man's shoulder, but pulls away when he notices him flinch. "Sorry, partner. Was just a little too late. Don't worry though, I'll get Unsuur to sit with you and take a sketch of the thief. We'll get her if she ever shows her face again."

Arvio forces a smile. "That would be wonderful, thank you!" He should have just came to Justice in the first place instead of trying to play hero, shouldn't he. Stupid Arvio. All he can dwell on is his mistake as Justice escorts him back to the station. He tries not to let his thoughts spiral too far while the sheriff explains the situation to his colleague.

"Oh, nice. Not that you got robbed, but I've been wanting to draw more wanted posters. I really enjoyed doing Logan and Haru's. Sorry you got robbed, by the way." As always, Unsuur is monotone, but also oddly comforting in his own way.

Arvio gives him the best description he can, but he can't help but to take glances at the aforementioned posters on the wall. Haru... He misses him so much. He still can't believe it. Why? Why did he have to...? Now there's a pain in his chest, too. Could he have done anything differently? Could he have helped before it went too far? It's all he thinks of on the short walk home.

He barely has enough daylight to finish taking inventory. Turns out, the woman took six small jars of skin cream and two tubes of sunscreen. He was worried that was the case. Stumbling inside his bedroom, he pulls out the case where he keeps Haru's share of profits. If- no, when he comes back, he'll finally be able to repay his kindness. He takes the cost of the stolen goods and adds it to the pile. It's only fair. After all, it's his friend's work that was stolen.

Yan's bill is next. After separating the gols and putting them in a small sack for the sleazeball, Arvio turns towards his remaining savings and sighs. He may have to skip breakfast, just for a little while. He can't fight it anymore, and he lets a couple tears roll down his face. Here he is, crying again at his grown age. How pathetic. He always takes one step forward, then twelve back, doesn't he. He's never getting his parents out of Barnarock. He's hopeless.

Before he can spiral further, a knock at the door gives him a jolt. He hears his sister's voice. "Arvio? Are you alright? Justice came by and said you got hurt in some sort of chase." He hastily wipes his face and opens the door with a wide grin.

"Amirah, dear sister! I appreciate your concern, but I'm alright. I did get into a bit of a scuffle with a petty thief, but I walked away with only a few bruises." He forces his smile wider. "All things considered, I had a very good day!"