Popofsy - ☁️

ELLIE WILLIAMS in The Last of Us Part II (2020)

Vi, the protector

Vi never was a loner. She’s a protector. The entirety of act 1 shows how she cares deeply about people and would never willingly put them in danger. It’s Vander’s influence on her - him telling her that she’s responsible for people’s safety, that whatever happens is on her. 

Vi has only ever known love through protecting others. She learned how to fight and used those skills to defend herself and her siblings - and to survive in the lanes. 

When she thought she wouldn’t be able to keep Powder safe, she left her behind and went out there with Mylo and Claggor instead. She could always rely on people as long as she felt sure she could still protect them if things went south. She wasn’t sure she could protect Powder this time.

Vander did everything he could to protect Vi, even if he was on the verge of death. She learned it from the best.

When Vi finds herself in prison, she becomes a protector with no one to protect.

After Vander dies, Caitlyn is the first person to protect Vi. The very first instance is when she protects her from the warden having a “chat” with her. It’s clear from Vi’s attitude that she was fully bracing herself to be beaten up after her conversation with Caitlyn. And she got released instead.

Caitlyn protects Vi from Sevika’s final blow by shooting Sevika. (and she answers Grayson’s question about what she’s shooting for. They have the same goal; protecting people. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that we see this flashback right before Caitlyn arrives to Sillwater, meeting Vi for the first time.)

Caitlyn protects Vi from Ekko, thinking he was an assailant, saying “listen, I brought her here. It’s me you want." 

Every decision Vi makes about Caitlyn after this is with the intention of protecting her. Keeping her out of trouble on the bridge to find Powder herself. She couldn’t have imagined that Powder would come back and attack Caitlyn instead, but when she fires at them, Vi ultimately chooses to bring Caitlyn to safety. 

“Will you be okay? I’ll be right back” she says, ensuring that she’s safe.

She’s forced to face the inevitable. Powder wants to and could kill Caitlyn. Plus, she almost did. Her connection with Powder puts Caitlyn in danger, so when Vi thinks she won’t be able to keep Caitlyn safe, she leaves her behind, just like she did with Powder all those years ago. 

However, Jayce reminds Vi she won’t make it alone and he’s right. She couldn’t beat Sevika alone the first time and she wouldn’t have been able to do it without the hextech gauntlets the second time, and even then it was a close call. She’s not a solo fighter.

Vi needs people. And she needs people who will protect her.

She needs Caitlyn to protect her.

She needs Caitlyn to protect.

~ The siren that fell in love with a pirate. ~

House for a Painter by DTR_studio architects

Students - Um… Professor?

Harry - Yes?

Students - Class started 5 minutes ago…

Harry - And?

Students - Aren’t you going to teach us?!

Harry - You have all the skills you need for this class. I suggest you go to your next one.

Students - The door is stuck… it won’t open… and a curse hit Matt and now he’s blind!

Harry - Would you look at that.. and just the week after we learned all about how to detect and break curses on everyday objects! Such coincidence! Good luck!

hi :) i saw this set of joel and NEEDED to recreate it with ellie :)

original joel set by @/gabedoesvp on twitter!

Ravenclaw: I alternate between “Maybe I’m smarter than I give myself credit for” and “Maybe I’m dumber than I realized”.

“We’ll present our case to the Council tonight. You did all this yourself?”

CaitVi moments (15/?)

Post-War Storm Epilogue: Reunion **spoilers for RQ4**

                                                   1 year later

The wind is chill on my skin as I step onto the runway at the edge of Archeon. It’s been a year since I was last in Norta, a year since I said goodbye to Cal. So much has changed since then.

I’ve come alone this time, leaving Farley with Clara and Kilorn with Cameron, even Davidson stayed behind in Montfort - all aware that this is a trip I need to take alone. My family are safe and happy, and as much as it pains me to leave them again I’ve known for some time that my path would lead me back here. At least this time around it’s by choice, and not as part of a cruel game.

Over the past year I’ve explored the world to the farthest reaches and back,  always keeping one eye on my former home, on Norta. The first broadcast we watched together; my family, Davidson, the Red Command and even Evangaline, huddled around to see the first glimpses of the new country. In the weeks following the battle the High Houses started to return. Silvers and reds were shown to be mixing, working together to build the new world with a fledgling government drawn from both bloods. Cal was elected temporarily as the first Premier of Norta amidst the fall-out, as the country sought to find a new equilibrium. Seeing his face, clear of pain but worn from rebuilding was a smart to my slowly healing wounds.

The next broadcast I saw came six months later. Away from Ascendant, away from my family, I watched as Cal was sworn in officially as Premier. A king no longer, but still a leader in his blood. The footage panned to Cal’s government, a collection of reds, silvers and new-bloods alike, all committed to upholding a better future. I didn’t watch the full broadcast, unwilling to see the marks of resistance still brewing amongst bitter silvers. I have to remind myself that for once, the good outweighs the bad, and with Cal at the head of government it will stay that way. Progress has been slow, but as Davidson would say, inches for miles.

I snap out of my memories, caught off guard by the light rain that has started to fall. My Montfort escorts lead the way to my transport and I find myself once again on my way to Whitefire.

***

The palace remains much the same; the marble polished and clean, free from the gore of a battle long since passed. The throne room however has been repurposed for government - the colours of House Calore have been removed, as have those of Marandus and Jacos. Much like in Ascendant, the colours that now line the walls are those of silver and red, interspersed in equal measure. A physical reminder of the unification of the bloods.

It’s here that I find him.

My breath catches as I watch him from the doorway. Cal seems much unchanged; his broad shoulders cloaked in a simple dark jacket with trousers to match, tucked into military grade boots. His hair is longer than I last saw it, long enough to start curling around his ears as it falls forward. I put a hand to my red earring, the one Cal gifted to me a lifetime ago, as the full weight of missing him crashes into me and I find it hard to breathe. In response my lightning crackles to life in my palm, and Cal’s head snaps up at the sound.

His gaze finds me immediately, smoldering bronze in surprise and trepidation. Cal straightens, seemingly searching for the right thing to say and coming up with nothing. “Hi”, I say quietly, never averting my gaze. A startled chuckle bursts from him, “Hi” he says in return.

I suddenly feel awkward. What if he didn’t wait for me? What if this year apart has changed everything? Cal steps forward as I make to step back, reading the questions in my eyes before I can voice them. “Mare”, his voice is soft and pleading, serving as a balm to my nerves. My lighting crackles once more as the heat in the room slowly rises, and I step towards him. With that one step it’s as if a spell has lifted and we rush towards eachother, desperate to close the space between us.

Cal pulls me into his embrace, his body warm and as strong as I remember. My arms lock around his neck as he lifts me, holding me so tightly it feels as though we could become one from sheer determination alone. I draw back to look at him, tracing his cheekbones with one hand before settling it along his jaw, cupping his ear softly. Cal shudders beneath me, the raw emotion roiling in his eyes as he studies my face as if memorizing it, likely checking for any new scars, ever the soldier. Cal clears his throat as he sets me back down, although doesn’t release the circle of his arms, keeping me close, safe within his cocoon of warmth.

“I’ve missed you.” Cal chokes out. “Everyday, I’ve missed you. Every storm I’ve hoped to see a streak of purple. Everywhere I turn I think I see you.” Cal’s breathing is heavy as his eyes bore into mine, afraid to look away even for a moment. “Is this real? Are you really here?” Cal swallows audibly, waiting for me to speak with bated breath.

I try to sound nonchalant and fail spectacularly, my voice wobbling when I reply, “It’s real. I’m here.” Cal’s body trembles against mine, his growing smile threatening to crack my heart wide open as I continue, my voice betraying me once more, “I’m never saying farewell to you again” I whisper, tears leaking from the corner of my eyes, tracking quickly down my cheeks. The temperature in the room spikes, my body curled in delicious heat as Cal burns. He leans towards me, tentatively kissing away the tears running down my cheeks one at a time, his lips feather light on my damp skin, before drawing back to look at me once more.

“Are you going to kiss me properly or have I got to do everything myself?” I tease half-seriously. Cal’s deep laugh shakes through my body, through my soul, stitching together all my broken pieces, filling my heart with such happiness I feel as though it might burst. “There’s my Mare” Cal chuckles, sobered once more by the sight of my smile, before drawing me flush against him and closing his mouth over mine.

***

The wounds still exist. The betrayals and deceits lie between us as they always have, but they are no longer obstacles. The path that brought us here was treacherous, fraught with sorrow and death, but it has forged us into the people we have become, and are still becoming. My physical brand remains, as real as the emotional scars left behind by Maven in both of us, but the time spent apart has allowed us to grieve and find peace in our own way.

Nothing stands between us anymore. With hearts slowly mending we have only hope for a new world and a better life for all bloods. Our choice is simple and made without hesitation; on this day, and every day from now, we will choose eachother.

———–

Phew, I hope you guys like this! This is my first attempt at writing any sort of fic, let along posting it. I finished War Storm yesterday and couldn’t bear the way it ended, so wanted to continue the epilogue with this. I needed to see Mare and Cal reunited, ok!

Anyway, I’d love to hear any thoughts on this! Is this how you saw things ending up? I need someone to fangirl with, pls and thanks.