affectionatesuggestion:

sometimes just existing in the same space as someone is so lovely. sitting on a couch together, not speaking. you, seated next to me reading separately and listening to music. even if we aren’t exchanging words, there’s a comfortable silence and the love is always there.

jaclcfrost:

i could talk about that character less

but i could also

not do that

imagined-comfort:

Hello my dear, 

I am saddened to hear that the Holidays are a time of the year that cause to feel more uncomfortable, rather than make you excited. Well then, that simply will not do, and we shall have to do our best to set that right. 

My dear, I want you to remember something for me. 

The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another. 

Now, while I understand that simply thinking of something other than what is making you anxious is easier said than done, I wish for you to, instead, imagine me there with you. 

Imagine my arms around you, holding you in such a way that you are the most comfortable with when you are at your most anxious. I want you to imagine me speaking softly into your ear, asking you to breathe slowly in time with me as we breathe in and out together. And that I will always be right here for you, and together we shall get through that which makes you nervous.

Now see…you have thought of something entirely different than what was making your heart race. Perhaps now, it races for an entirely different reason.

Know too, that I that I will keep you safe from harm. And I will be very glad to hold you as long as you desire, till you can face things on your own again. 

You are very brave, my dear. 

Know that it takes a strong person to ask for help, and I am so very proud of you for doing so. 

With Love,
Ardyn

imagined-comfort:

Hey,

Prom and I had a bit of downtime and figured we’d check in with you, cause well… it’s been awhile and you’ve been on my-our minds a lot lately. 

I know the two of us don’t get to hang out with you as much as we would like, but we’re going to do what we can to keep in touch. I thought about sending Umbra your way with a note or two, when–you know I can’t get you off my mind? I mean, I know you like Umbra, and he likes you, so I know he’ll find you easily enough–

Dude, you are entirely lovesick. 

Shut up! And you’re not?!

….okay. Okay ye-yeah, you uh, you got me there buddy…

Uh… right! Ok um. H-Hi. 

Well, I had planned to tell you all the things we’ve been up to lately, but…now that I think about it, I’m pretty sure most of it would be pretty boring to you. Heh. I guess that’s how it goes with being an adventurer! 

Well.. I mean, c’mon. If you think about it, we’re out here doing what an adventurer would! Yeah? We’re even sending notes and things home to our loved ones right? 

Dude! Do…do you think Umbra would mind if I sent a few pictures along?

Nah, he’d be fine with it, c’mon, how bout we send a selfie their way?

Awesome!

See you soon!
Noctis and Prompto

imagined-comfort:

Hey Sweetheart, 

Sometimes we all think that we can take on the world. And that if we don’t shoulder what we take on, well, it’s almost like we’ve failed in some way. But I want you to remember…

It’s alright to say no, and it’s alright to say you can’t.

Saying you can’t doesn’t make you weaker. 

Believe me Sweetheart, I know how it is to think that you’re worth a whole hell of a lot less than you think you are because you’ve taken on everything you can possibly take on at once.

Besides, when it gets to be too much…I’ll help shoulder what I can. 

I’ve always got your back. 

With Love,
Jack (Your 76)

promptis-is-here:

Those who complained FFXV lacks character development didn’t play the game as it was supposed to be played

I haven’t even finished the game – just got to the point where Noctis wakes up from his coma – and I can tell that it has character development.

Yes, it may be small in comparison to some Final Fantasy games, but it is there – and can be quite large, too, if you actually take time to notice. The development isn’t in your face. It’s not some sort of huge revelation. It’s a subtle change that you see more in real life. It doesn’t happen suddenly, it doesn’t happen with large fireworks and dramatic music.

But in order to see that development, you can’t just rush through the storyline and expect it to be there. The game, being an open world, was meant for a non-linear story. Side quests are supposed to be played. The land is meant to be explored. There are so many little quips and lines of dialogue that add more to the characters, scenes that tell of backstory and show how much the characters evolve over the course of the game.

The episodes only add onto this, and are necessary to understand the characters in full. They add backstory, they add personality, they add motive. Without them, you have not experienced the game to its full potential.

Prompto. I see a boy turn into a man. I see fear turn into courage. A frightened child, terrified of being alone, and then terrified of what he may be. He was quiet. Shy. Afraid to speak up for himself. And throughout the entirety of the story, he doesn’t think for himself. As stated in his episode, he thinks about what others want, never what he wants.

And by the end of that episode, by the time he reunited with everyone, he realizes what he wants, and he chases after it. He realizes who he is and he’s stronger because of it. He’s a clone, yes, but he’s the only clone who grew up as he did – and he knows it. He trusts the others to trust him.

Despite his fears, despite his doubts, despite not even knowing how to fight, he fights to defend his friends. He fights and grows stronger. Not just emotionally, not just mentally, but physically as well. And by the time Noctis goes to the crystal? He’s hardened, he’s ready, he’s motivated. He may be afraid, but he knows how to put that aside now, and do what really needs to be done.

Gladio. I see a frightened soldier, unfit for battle, turn into a hardened warrior. I see a troubled man turn into a more understanding one. Yes, he’s got some problems under his belt. He lets his stress get to him too much. He ends up snapping at Noctis a few times, but you know what? While he does go a little too far, it’s what Noctis needs. If left to mourn as he wanted, Noctis would not have been able to do as he needed. He would not become the king he needed to be. And I have a feeling that he knows that, as well.

Now that I’ve got that out of the way, I want to talk about his own development. Very, very rarely do I see a character like Gladio – a thickheaded, jock-like character with bulging muscles – break down and admit that he’s frightened. I rarely see a character like him shape and overcome that fear, just enough to realize what he needs to do, himself.  It’s so refreshing to see that kind of thing addressed. He starts out terrified he can’t protect his friends, terrified he’ll lose them along with his city. But he learns how to fight for not just himself, but for his King, his kingdom, his country.

He comes to understand that what he did was wrong, that he should not have pushed Noctis as much as he had. And he lets up. Yeah, sure, it was after Ignis snapped him out of it, but it happens. He shows pride in Noctis’s own revelations and continues to follow him. He’s not just some body guard. He’s Noctis’s friend, Ignis’s friend, Prompto’s friend. He uses his fears of not being able to protect them, and turns it into the motivation to become stronger and do his absolute best.

Ignis. I’ll admit, I haven’t played his episode yet. I was warned to play it after the game. But already, I see development in him. In the beginning, he’s quiet. He’s just there to aide Prince Noctis, as his advisor. He doesn’t have much to him. He’s so quiet, reserved, he doesn’t know what to say. Only when enticed to speak (such as Prompto mentioning his food) will he ramble about something. Otherwise, he has moments of advice.

But he ends up a strong supportive character. Even when blind, he remains strong and fights his way through everything. He refuses to give up. He refuses to let go of his hope. I see a man determined to stay by not just his King’s side, but his friends’ sides. I see a man devoted to making sure everyone will be okay, regardless of who it is. I see a man who becomes willing to defy the word of others, to not long sit idle and listen. He becomes the voice of reason, not just the voice of logic.

And I’m sure there’s even more to him in his episode. I just haven’t gotten there yet.

And finally, Noctis. I see a whiny prince turn into a regal king. I see fear turn into determination. I see pain turn into resolute anger. He starts off uncaring about so many things, angry and hurt with the loss of so much. Throughout the course of the story, he loses everything he has, and thus loses sight of what he needs to do and where he needs to go. He doesn’t know what to do, even with the help of his friends. He barely even trusts them to help, believing he must go about on his own.

And as time goes on, he learns. He learns how to trust them, he learns how to do as he needs, he learns his duty as not a prince, but a King. He steps up into his father’s shoes, learns the ropes the hard way. He learns how to trust his friends, follow their advice, and knows they will support him. He learns the balance between mourning and fighting. He grows into a soldier, ready to face the world head on.

I don’t see a whiny brat of a prince, not giving a shit about what he needs to do. Through conversation, through scenes, through fighting, I see a man who learns what he must do and where he must go. I see a True King.

And these characters have so much more than that. It’s not supposed to be taken at face value, you have to take the time to notice. But it’s there, and it’s powerful. I have never seen a game address these kinds of delicate things so well before, and in realistic ways.

Change is not a sudden revelation, complete with fanfare and 180 turns.

Change is gradual. Change is subtle. Change is for those who care to notice it.

And if you can’t see that kind of development, did you really play the game? Or did you play the story?

chocobostrinket:

So I’m sitting here listening to music and thought of an idea for an Ardyn focused AU. Don’t get me wrong, I love him as a villain, but also, I want to see him just break the prophecy before it started.

Like, just imagine for a moment the reason the royal family has magic is because they’re related to the gods, but chose to walk a mortal life. But as time went on, the reason they had magic was lost. That long before Ardyn was born, the knowledge was lost to them. The gods remember though.

Then the scourge is introduced, and people in Ardyn’s time start getting sick. The gods could have eradicated it themselves, but at the cost of also becoming mortal and losing their magic. Why should they do that though? It would take time, but eventually, they could restore one of the blood line of Lucis to godhood and let them end the scourge by giving up their godhood and magic for good this time. The brothers would serve for this. One would be king, while the other would fall into the scourge.

So they put a plan into action. They appear to the Lucis Caelums and give them the crystal, something that will slowly start siphoning the magic from each successor of the line and storing it until the one they deem ‘the king of light’ is born. They tell them it is the soul of their world and that it must be guarded by the Lucis Caelums, that their magic is divine and was the best fit to over see it’s safety. Which of course they readily agree. The rite to tie the crystal to their line is planned for the next day, and each member will offer themselves up to the crystal to be judged on who will be it’s first protector.

But like, alright, through time shenanigans, imagine that young Ardyn goes to bed that night and dreams of thousands of years. He sees everything. The rise and fall of himself. His brother being tricked by the draconian into ‘killing’ him. Years of isolation in the prison on Angelgard. Getting free and walking into a world where the people have forgotten him. Learning early on that isolation was better than watching people he grew attached to die while he still lived. Hearing the plans the god had for his family. Growing hopelessly entrapped by the chains of the ‘prophecy’ and trying to change it. Being beaten into submission by the gods through the passage of years. The gods won’t let him die until he accepts that he’d to die on their terms. And when he accepts it, Noctis is born.

This part of the dream is the most vivid. Imagine him seeing Noctis, seeing that he has the face of brother, and his chest hurts. But he plays the roll of the villain and gets lost in the thought that soon, it’ll finally be over. He’ll die finally. He’ll have peace and…

Then he wakes, and he screams. He screams and cries, and REFUSES. With his heart beat in his ears, he runs to the crystal. He knows the truth. That it’s a shackle to the god’s will. His magic has always been HIS, and is not tied to the crystal. Not yet. He hasn’t received the order from the crystal, the gods really, to heal the people and allow the scourge to infect him down to his very soul. He knows what he is, and the crystal is at it’s weakest then. The only magic that has touched it has been from the gods that made it. 

His brother and father run through the door the moment he places his hands on the surface of the crystal. And upon touching it, he’s in the Draconian’s realm, standing before a god. And he screams at him, accuses him, and firmly states that he refuses to let his family be used. The Daconian’s roars and an argument for the ages ensues. But the god doesn’t have a leg to stand on. 

And before the Draconian can make a physical move, to stop him from foiling their plan, he’s back outside the crystal and forcing all his magic into it’s surface, splitting and cracking it apart with his fury. As it cracks, magic rips through the air. Flashes of the future, projected from Ardyn’s mind, echo around him and his family. And when it breaks apart, he collapses. It shatters, and when it does, it rips the magic from the gods, and kills the scourge before it can even really get a foot hold in the world. 

promptis-is-here:

i love how in final fantasy xv, prompto still looks like an adult

he’s a soft boy, the civilian of the group. he doesn’t have any fighting experience. he’s the chipper, happy-go-lucky, excitable one. (yeah, i know he has some shit he deals with, but in general, THAT’S how he’s shown to be.) he loves chocobos, makes video game and movie references constantly, hates fighting, and so much more

when you see this kind of character in a video game, they’re often small and fragile. they don’t have any muscle. they have a round face and big eyes. they have a higher voice. they look, more or less, like a child

but not prompto

he’s got a square jaw, amazing biceps, a thick neck. his voice might be high, but it’s still very masculine, not childlike in nature. while he is small and thin, he still has the square shoulders. his eyes, while blue, aren’t as big as they could be. they still hold a more masculine aura. same with his lips. thin and gentle yes, but his smirk— he’s a fine young man, and his appearance reflects just that

rsasai:

Look

Everyone, I get that it sucks that Episode Luna/Aranea/Noctis were cancelled, but it isn’t like they “chose” to finish Episode Ardyn because of “misogyny”.

They already put money and time into Episode Ardyn. They’ve probably been working on it for a while—it was slated to be the first DLC released in late winter (likely January.)

They are finishing it because they already sunk too much into it. The employees were probably all moved onto this DLC weeks ago, and Episodes Luna/Aranea/Noctis were likely nothing but notes, while Episode Ardyn at least had some groundwork.

So please stop with saying that they cancelled Episodes Luna and Aranea in particular because they hate female characters. Trust me when I say that I seriously question Luna’s character as she was written, but this particular choice was a business decision, not one rooted in misogyny.

promptis-is-here:

the fact that the group is so willing to accept prompto, no matter what, always gets to me on an emotional level

i’ve always had these huge self image issues, and my self worth has always been lower than the bottom. to see a character openly say that, in front of his friends, showing that kind of emotional vulnerability… you don’t see that very often – especially not a male character

and the guys? they accept him wholeheartedly. they encourage his photography, even posing for him and complementing his photos. they may joke about him being afraid of the dark, or not wanting to fight, but they never expect him to. they KNOW he’s not a warrior. they make sure not to leave him behind, growing extremely worried when it does happen. they find out the truth of his past, and they shrug it off. nothing changes between them

it’s so refreshing and amazing and i love every bit of it

i see myself reflected in prompto, in his struggles with self image and self worth. i may have not been obese as a child, but i’ve had my fair share of ridicule and teasing, things that would leave emotional scars and make me think i need to be a “better person” than that. i share his autophobia (fear of being alone or abandoned) and his hatred of himself. i, too, wear the same happy-go-lucky, outgoing mask

to connect to a character so much, and to have that character open up to his friends about it on screen, and have them support him fully through it all… it means so much to me

and that’s why prompto is my favourite

not because he’s a ball of sunshine or a cute character, but because i see myself on the screen. and somehow, it lets me know that everything’s going to be okay

midwestphantomthief:

Final Fantasy XV Self Care

(Written by @solarexalt)

Noctis wants you to remember that you have people who love you and have your back.

Prompto wants you to remember you don’t always have to be positive and it’s okay to have emotions because they’re valid.

Ignis wants you to have a delicious meal and treat yourself.

Gladio wants you to challenge yourself because he believes you can do anything.

Luna wants you to be kind to yourself while you’re taking care of others.

Cor wants you to remember to take breaks while you’re running through the gauntlet of life.

Cindy wants you to not take things so seriously.

Nyx wants you to remember to be yourself.

Crowe wants you to ask for the things you need and that it’s never selfish to do so.

Libertus wants you to know that recovery isn’t linear but someday, you’ll get through the trials of your past.

Cid wants you to take it easy and not push yourself too much where you injure yourself.

Iris wants you to take a moment and smell the flowers.

Ardyn wants you to remember your roots and that you are an incredible being capable of anything.

Ravus wants you to know it’s okay to make mistakes and that you can learn from them.