Tag: mass effect

Whiskey and Wine: Reyes and Keema gettin’ sloshed

pikapeppa:

This has been my favourite chapter to write so far of my Reyes and Keema BFF fic! I just had to share here. I hope you enjoy! 

Keema laughed… and then she just kept on laughing.

Reyes smiled weakly at her. “Okay, Keems. I’m funny, but I’m not that funny.”

Keema was drunk. After telling her about the Oblivion problem, Reyes had had trouble calming her down. She was insisting that Sloane was behind it, and nothing Reyes said could convince her that they needed more information. Keema had gotten increasingly angry at him for trying to remain logical, so Reyes had had no choice but to fall back on a time-honoured human tradition for coping with emotional distress: he’d gotten her very, very drunk.

Reyes reflected that perhaps he’d gone a little too far by adding whiskey to her third and fourth glasses of wine. She’d announced grandly that she loved the combination, but Reyes wondered if she wasn’t in the position to make judgment calls about the quality of a drink at this point.

As friends were wont to do when the alcohol started flowing, she and Reyes had gotten to talking about sex. In truth, the topic of sex would usually have been something of an academic conversation given the physiological and anatomical differences between angara and humans, but Keema was way too sloshed for this to be anything but raunchy.

Keema turned to face Reyes and grabbed his arm. “You know who’s really not funny? Evfra. You haven’t met him, but he’s a complete hardass.”

“Yep, you said that already,” Reyes said, trying hard not to laugh.

“Did I? I did. Right. But I didn’t tell you that his ass is also hard and as sculpted as rocks. Stars and skies, he is a gorgeous man. Those thighs? They’re so muscly from killing kett.” She hiccuped daintily before continuing. “Reyes, he is always frowning. I have never ever ever seen him smile. It’s so fucking sexy. If I could, I would ride him straight from here to Zheng He.”

It was too much. Reyes laughed until his stomach hurt and tears were squeezing their way out of his eyes. Keema pushed his shoulder, trying to regain his attention. “You think this is funny, do you?” she slurred. “It’s not funny at all. I haven’t had sex in years. Years, Reyes. You don’t know what that’s like.”

Reyes wiped his face on his sleeve. “I do, actually. I haven’t had sex in years either.”

Keema stared at him, swaying slightly. “You haven’t? You?”

Reyes shook his head. “Nope. Not for 634 years, to be exact.” He smirked.

Keema stared at him in confusion, then suddenly she got it. “Oh! Oh. You’re stupid.” She feebly pushed him again in the chest. “Come on, surely you’ve been riding somebody on this planet. You know everyone.”

Reyes shrugged. “I actually haven’t. Work has been all the satisfaction I need.” He gave her a mock-virtuous look.

Keema wrinkled her nose at him. “Ew.” Then she sighed, her face becoming serious. “I miss touching someone,” she admitted bluntly. “I miss having someone touch me. It’s not just the sex part, but the layaveraash. That’s what I miss the most.”

Reyes frowned. “What was that? Laya-what?”

“Layaveraash, you know.” Keema stared at him like he was particularly stupid child, then sighed in exasperation. “It’s that feeling you get from holding someone after sex. Well, not always after sex, but… just holding someone, having your body touching theirs, knowing you’re not alone in the world because someone is touching you, anchoring you to the world. It’s that feeling. I miss that.” She tilted her head curiously at him. “Do you miss that?”

Reyes shrugged lightly, but suddenly found he couldn’t make eye contact with her. In all honesty, he wasn’t sure he knew what that felt like. “I definitely miss orgasms,” he retorted, changing the subject. “Wouldn’t mind having one that didn’t involve my own hand.”

Keema burst out laughing again. “Ew!” Then, as her laughing died down, she looked at Reyes.

Reyes looked back at her, staring into her big azure eyes.

A sudden tension tautened the air between them.

Keema frowned slightly and tilted her head quizzically.

Reyes raised his eyebrows and shifted his eyes to the side awkwardly, trying to look anywhere but at her.

The tension turned uncomfortable.

Abruptly, Keema wrinkled her nose. Then the two friends burst out laughing, and Reyes playfully pushed Keema off the couch onto the floor, where she collapsed in a giggling heap.

Still laughing, she hauled herself back onto the couch beside him and took a slug of wine/whiskey, then impulsively wrapped her arms around his neck so that he was awkwardly leaning over her lap, his head tucked under her chin. “Come here, you idiot. I would never ever have sex with you, but I love you anyway,” she said with fuzzy affection.

Reyes chuckled, reaching up to awkwardly pat her on the shoulder. “All right, all right, you wino. Let’s get you something to eat.” He gently disentangled himself from her embrace, then stood and hauled her up from the couch, supporting her as she stumbled over her own feet.

“I know you love me too, Reyes. Even if you’re too emotionally constipated to say it,” she teased as he helped her over to the kitchenette counter and settled her in a chair.

Reyes smiled indulgently at her, then on an uncharacteristic impulse, he kissed her on the forehead. She probably wouldn’t remember tomorrow that he had done it. “Okay, Keems. Now what do you want? Nutrient paste, adhi jerky, bread…?”

As Keema loudly and emphatically demanded an adhi sandwich and Reyes prepared it for her, he thought about her words. Reyes didn’t have much experience with love, romantic or familial. But if feeling comfortable with someone, wanting the best for them, and just wanting them to be happy was familial love, then…

Then, Reyes supposed maybe he did love her.

Not that he would ever tell her that.

Please visit AO3 to read the rest of Reyes and Keema’s Excellent Adventure!

A chapter from my one and only non-romance/friendship fic! LOL oh man I’d kind of forgotten I’d written this 😂

My first piece of commissioned fan art by @xandrassketchbook, for my fic The Charlatan and the Pirate Queen. I wrote this thing over a year ago now and it could certainly use some editing, but I’m still pretty damned proud of it. Here’s an excerpt…

TW for explicit violence and gore.

****************

“Reyes Vidal,” Aria said, and Reyes lifted his head to look at her. Idly, she observed that he was quite handsome, even with his sweaty face drawn in pain: dark gold skin, unusual bronze eyes, nice lips. Only his boring bog-standard Alliance buzz cut detracted from his attractiveness. Aria was faintly amused that his face was completely expressionless, showing none of the pain he’d expressed through his tedious screaming.

Aria and Reyes stared at each other without speaking for a long, tense moment, until finally Aria raised one eyebrow sardonically. “Who sent you here?” she asked, her voice flat and cool.

Reyes continued to stare at her, unspeaking. The only sound in the room was his breathing and the soft occasional drip as his sweat hit the floor.

Aria almost smiled. Impressive, she thought, but he’s just making it harder on himself. She snapped her fingers.

Grizz stepped into the cell behind her, dragging Reyes’s commanding officer with him, and flung the woman on the floor at Aria’s feet. Gojevic gasped with pain on impact with the floor, then struggled to her knees. Aria kept her eyes fixed on Reyes as she held out a hand to Grizz, and Grizz placed an M-11 Suppressor pistol in her palm.

Aria felt a cold thrill of satisfaction as this sequence of actions finally elicited a reaction from Reyes. His eyes widened slightly as they darted to Gojevic, then to the gun in Aria’s hand. Fucking humans, Aria thought snidely. They’re so transparent. Aria flicked off the safety and pointed the gun at Gojevic’s knee. “Let’s try this again,” she said smoothly. “Who sent you here?”

Reyes’ gaze flew back to Aria’s face, and she experienced a little thrill: his face was still neutral, but anger was starting to burn in those strange bronze eyes. And yet, he still said nothing. 

Aria gave a tiny bored shrug and shot Gojevic in the knee.

The gunshot echoed loudly in the tiny cell, as did Gojevic’s shriek of agony. But Aria continued to watch Reyes’ face. His jaw clenched and he squeezed his eyes shut at the woman’s scream, but still, still, he was silent. So stoic for a human so young, she thought with grudging respect. That’s something I can use. 

Aria slowly crouched down next to Gojevic, who was breathing raggedly on the floor… and pushed her index finger into the bloody bullet hole.

Gojevic screamed again, and Reyes slammed his cuffed fists on the table, just once. “Fuck!” he burst out.

Aria removed her finger from the wound and wiped her hand carelessly on Gojevic’s shoulder. She rose slowly to her feet and twirled the Suppressor idly on one finger before levelling it at Gojevic’s head. “Ready to talk yet?”

Reyes looked at her, and Aria couldn’t help the tiny smirk that pulled up one corner of her mouth. His face was practically incandescent with rage, his teeth bared like an animal. No begging from this one, no pleading, just… rage. That, I can definitely use.

“I have nothing to say to you,” he spat, his Spanish accent thickened with anger.

Aria shrugged. “Fine,” she said lazily, and Gojevic’s head slammed back as the Suppressor’s bullet hit home. Gojevic’s bleeding skull hit the ground with a sickening thud as Aria turned to Grizz and handed him the pistol. “Take him to Anto. Constant supervision, Level 1 security personnel only. Stitch him up and start orientation in three days.” Grizz nodded, then stepped out of the cell to make the call.

“Now what?” Reyes said, his voice raw from screaming, but otherwise flat and emotionless. Aria knew what he was really asking: whether she was going to kill him.

She turned back to face him. “Now you’re stuck with me, little boy. You took the wrong fucking mission.” Over her shoulder, she called out, “Grizz! Send that Alliance girl back to the Citadel on the next ship. I have a message for them.” She turned back to Reyes, and for the first time, she smiled at him.

“Tell them nobody fucks with Aria.”

Read the rest on AO3 if you like!

Writer’s Reflections: Tag Meme

This little tag meme is an opportunity for writers to reflect on (and promote!) our own writing, but also to hear about the work of our fellow writers and to find something new to read!

Rules: answer the following questions about your own writing, whether fanfic or original. If you can’t/don’t want to answer a question, just put N/A. If you don’t have that many posted works, tell us about your WIPs or individual chapters/drabbles or even your ideas! Then tag as many writers as you like 🙂 

AO3 name and link, if applicable: I am queenofkadara on AO3.

What’s your most popular fic, by whatever metric is most relevant to you (hits, kudos, comments, reblogs, some other trait)? My first and longest Aloy/Nil longfic, Stormbirds and Stalkers. It’s got the most hits/kudos/comments/bookmarks of everything I’ve written so far. 

What’s your favourite fic that you’ve written? Stormbirds and Stalkers is also my favourite thing I’ve written. I’m nostalgic sometimes about the feeling I had while writing it – almost 100,000 words in a month of super-late nights while working full-time hours, frenetic writing while commuting/eating lunch/at 1am just because I couldn’t get that story out of my head. It was exhausting and exhilarating at the same time, and Aloy/Nil are still my OTP, even if I’ve kind of run out of juice for writing them. 

What’s your best fic, and is it different from your favourite fic? Umm… (I came up with this question and I find it hard to answer! Lol!) I think maybe the best thing I’ve written to date is my Abelas/Lavellan fic, The One Who Lived On, along with the post-Trespasser sequel Don’t Wake Me Up. I’m pretty proud of the emotional tone of those pieces and how “tight” or concise they are given how relatively short both works are. As much as I love Stormbirds and Stalkers, it could definitely use some tightening up in the first few chapters especially.

Do you have a fic whose popularity surprised you? Within the Dragon Age fandom, I’m super happy with how well my little Cole/Lavellan fic (Become Human) was received. It’s actually my Dragon Age piece that’s received the most kudos on AO3! 

Within the Horizon Zero Dawn fandom, I wrote a minific called Stealth Trials for Aloy and the Spurflints Hunting Grounds Keeper that was meant to just be a smutty oneshot, but it got so many positive comments and encouragement that it ended up mutating from a PWP into a three-part mini love story. (For anyone who doesn’t know who the Spurflints Hunting Grounds Keeper is, this is him – he’s hot af and that’s literally the reason I wrote this piece.) 

Do you have a fic you wish more people would read? I wrote a couple of Blackwall/Arya Lavellan four-chapter fics that haven’t garnered much attention – people seem to prefer Blackwall oneshots? The Big Beardy One™ just deserves more love!! Why is he so underrated? Why???

I also wrote a very rare pair for Mass Effect (Reyes Vidal/Aria T’Loak) which hasn’t gotten much attention either, but it’s a total rare pair, so that’s understandable. But spirits, do I love those two. They’re terrible together and it’s so fun to write. 

Is there a ship or fandom you haven’t written, but really want to? I’ve been meaning to write Frank Castle/Karen Page from Netflix’s The Punisher for some time – I LOVE JON BERNTHAL A LOT, and his depiction of the Punisher hits all my Fictional Husband™ buttons (broody, tragic backstory, hardened shell shielding a tender heart, and very violent as a bonus trait).

Tell us a random fact about your writing process: Uhhh. I often listen to the same song on loop while writing a chapter. And I always like to have tea while writing, but I often forget I’m making tea, so it sits and steeps for an hour and by the time I remember it, it’s gone cold… 

Tagging as many writers as I can think of: @oops-gingermoment @sun-and-shadow-aloy @alyssalenko @ocean-in-my-rebel-soul @galadrieljones @buttsonthebeach @writewherever @himluv @vorchagirl @apostatetabris @jadefyre @thevikingwoman @kimpossibility @redinkofshame @contreparry (Tumblr never wants to tag you, so sorry!!), @summoningpits @aly-the-writer @bronzeagelove @ma-sulevin @thealexmachina @09tiff86 @hellarcanine @valaloy @larissafae​ @underthedreadwolfsgaze​ @elfsplaining​ @mistressdreadwolf​ @ellstersmash​ @fourletterepithet​ – and please, any writers who see this but aren’t tagged, please join in and tag me back so I can read your responses! 

savbakk:

Hey everyone! I’ve recently hit a follower milestone and I wanted to thank everyone who’s supported my art with a giveaway!
To all my new homies, WELCOME! I’m Sav and I draw a lot of Dragon Age and Mass Effect fan art. My inbox is always open, along with my commissions. I also make youtube vids.

I will be drawing 3 winners and each will receive a painterly portrait of their OC or character of choice.

💩

Rules

💩

-be a follower
-likes and reblogs both count
-winners will be drawn by random number generator
–ends 9 September 2018 midnight EST [Countdown]

Greetings from Pikapeppa: Hello new followers! ❤️

pikapeppa:

There seem to be quite a lot of you these past few weeks, and a big Pikapeppa Hello to you all! 

*smiles awkwardly and starts to sweat as though at a party*

Allow me to introduce myself: Hello I’m Trash™ for Nil/Blackwall/Solas and a sucker for writing rarepairs. I rarely write anything without NSFW smut. I suppose this is as good a time as any for a fic masterpost…?

Pikapeppa’s Trash™ series:

– Aloy/Nil (Horizon Zero Dawn): The World and All Its Lessons
– Blackwall/Arya Lavellan (Dragon Age: Inquisition): The Griffon and the Halla
– Solas/Elia Lavellan (Dragon Age: Inquisition): Banal’halam
– Reyes Vidal/Mara Ryder (Mass Effect: Andromeda): The Vidal Chronicles  **this series was my first and NEEDS EDITING BADLY so forgive me plz

Pikapeppa’s rarepairs:

– Reyes Vidal/Aria T’Loak (Mass Effect): The Charlatan and the Pirate Queen, and an accompaniment collection of PWP smut.
– Aloy/Stealth Trials Keeper (Horizon Zero Dawn): Stealth Trials
– Aloy/Ikrie (Horizon Zero Dawn): Put Your Spear Beside Mine, and an accompanying little smut oneshot.
– Cole/Lyanna Lavellan (Dragon Age: Inquisition): Become Human 
– Abelas/Athera Lavellan (Dragon Age: Inquisition): The One Who Will Live On
– Hector/Armistice (HBO’s Westworld): The Snake and the Bandit (TOTAL PWP, this was a fun one-off LOL)

Bonus: Pikapeppa’s face…? 

I play around with makeup when I’m not writing. Especially liquid eyeliner.
PLEASE no reposting to other sites or whatever. That would be creepy af. 

image
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(As a present, my fiancé photoshopped my eye colour in the second one to match my Elia Lavellan’s eyes. Best Fiancé Ever™ LMAO) 

Anyway, happy to have you all here – Fen’Harel guide you, and may the Sun light your way! 

– Your friendly neighbourhood Pika xoxo

Pikapeppa READS (for once): Multi-fandom fic recs!

I spend a hell of a lot more time writing than reading, but I finally sat down to read a bunch of stuff this week, and I thought I would finally make a fic rec post. I’m sharing recs for Horizon Zero Dawn, Dragon Age, and Mass Effect; most will be NSFW. Please see below the cut if you’re interested! 

Horizon: Zero Dawn

– Between Armor and Skin by @jadefyre . This is a wonderful 3-part Aloy/Nil PWP that I had the pleasure of watching the lovely jadefyre actually write (the magic of Google Docs!!! LOL!). I highly recommend this gem.

– Time Out by @silencenorth . Also a great piece of Aloy/Nil smut, set under a waterfall. And you guys know how I feel about Aloy and Nil and waterfalls. 

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

– The Moth by @sacrificethemtothesquid . Now this one is an Aloy/Erend fic, and ya’ll know this is not my ship, but this fic is so well-written and heart-wrenchingly beautiful that I devoured it like dinner when I first came upon it. I’m admittedly like 10 chapters behind at this point, but I look forward to catching up REAL soon.

– Coffins and Carnations by @problematic-cinnamon-roll. Back to Aloy/Nil again, and this time an ADORABLE flower shop AU that had me giggling like a schoolgirl on the subway. Another one I need to catch up on soon!

Dragon Age

– Anachronism by Maleficar on AO3. A time-travel Solas/Fen’Harel/Lavellan fic that is INSANELY HOT but also with a perfect pinch of feels and some awesome/intriguing young!Solas headcanons. This is one of my favourite pieces of fanfic and of smut that I’ve ever read.

– The Benefits of Banging Some Bricks by Maleficar on AO3. The premise here is that Skyhold – yes, the castle of Skyhold – seduces the Inquisitor. It sounds like crack but it’s fucking magic, people. LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY.

– Pas de Deux by Maleficar on AO3. Okay, fine, I just really love this particular writer, but this here is a piece of Solas/Trevelyan smut that is just… so insanely hot. Hot, and beautifully written, and well-tailored to the fact that the Inquisitor involved is a human and not an elf, and such a gorgeous dark!Solas characterization, I just… please, read it. You won’t regret it. *sploosh*

– Message Sent by Aicosu on AO3. Modern AU Solas/Lavellan where their relationship develops entirely via text and eventually phone. It’s… how can I explain this: @hellarcanine and I spent this whole day reading and screaming about this fic from opposite sides of the earth. It’s funny, adorable, heartwarming and heartwrenching, and ends on a horrible cliffhanger because it’s unfinished. You’ve been warned.

– Sovereignty by gamerfic on AO3. Solas/Abelas/Lavellan threesome fic that actually has a very interesting plot, interesting feels, and really fucking hot smut, with an extremely intriguing twist ending that I would honestly love to see a follow-up for.

– Midsummer Dream by @dismalzelenka. Cute and funny Blackwall/Lavellan smutty oneshot with Lavellan being cheeky and Blackwall falling into her charms despite himself – my favourite kind of Blackwall catnip. Super enjoyable!

– Like a Lonely Lover’s Charm by acertainheight on AO3. Beautiful, torrid, vicious smutty femHawke/Isabella oneshot where Isabella has to save femHawke from a desire demon. It’s… god, it’s something else. The first and best piece of f/f smut I ever read.

Mass Effect

– Popping the Heat Sink by @makocartwheels. Honestly, guys, everything Mako writes is fucking gold, but I’m just going to talk about this set of smutty Shakarian oneshots. It’s Shepard and Garrus learning the secrets and pleasures of interspecies sex. It’s hot and touching and beautifully written, and honestly, it’s my favourite little series of Shakarian fic of all time.

– Rust by @orangeflavoryawp . A short, beautiful and heartbreaking Shepard/Mordin piece that had me bawling. Have your tissues ready if you brave this one.

– All Things Worth Keeping by @ahealthylionisanonillion. Super rarepair of Kolyat/female OC who is not Shepard. Honestly, this fic – I don’t even remember how I got here, but it’s SO interesting from a non-Shepard POV, and well-written with fascinating world-building and humour that is clever as fuck. It’s a WIP, and the writer is meticulous about editing and trying to improve it (although it’s PERFECT AS IS IMO), but honestly it’s so worth reading.

– In the Yellow Time of Pollen by @thunderheadfred. Sara Ryder/Kallo Jath fic that honestly makes my chest hurt when I read it. It’s so fucking beautifully written, and the smut is both gorgeous and so, so strange – salarian sex like whaaat?? But seriously, this is a fantastic piece of fic and headcanon and writing, and I get giddy every time it updates.

Hopefully some of you guys will find something new to read among these gems!

Love,

– Your friendly neighbourhood Pika xoxo

Smutty July 2018: LET’S DO THIS

Hey lovely friends!! Thanks so far for all those who have sent me their asks! I won’t say who has asked for what – it’ll all be a surprise – but keep ‘em coming if you have more!

The full prompt list is here.

The pairings I’ll write are as follows: 

  • Aloy/Nil (Horizon Zero Dawn)
  • Blackwall/Arya Lavellan (Dragon Age: Inquisition)
  • Solas/Elia Lavellan (Dragon Age: Inquisition)
  • Reyes Vidal/Aria T’Loak (Mass Effect)

Send me a prompt and a pairing, and I’ll write you something nice. 😉 

I’ve also got some DA:I rarepairs in the works; these will be longer stories with more fluff, but still smutty. Anyone interested in the following?

  • Abelas/female Lavellan
  • Ser Barris/female Inquisitor
  • Fairbanks/female Inquisitor
  • Cole/female Lavellan (a potentially controversial pairing, I know, but bear with me)

I just finished writing the first prompt for Reyes/Aria, and am swiftly moving on to the second! WE’RE OFF TO A GOOD START FOLKS ❤️