too many hobbies too little time

I know I'm not a huge influence in the lads community and I'm a huge introvert! I hate conflict.

But I will make noise for him!!

Join me in making a loud freaking noise 🔊🔊🔊

#BringBackValko

#LADSValkoReturn

#GIVEUSVALKO

it doesn’t matter if he has work, or if his pack needs him, or even if he’s having his own crisis.

nothing is more important than his mate.

“c’mere, short stack,” he says, pulling you into his lap.

he already has his ears and tail out, wrapping his arms around you tightly, his tail landing in your lap so you can run your hands through the fur to calm yourself.

Valko keeps his head buried in the crook of your neck, tracking your scent as he holds you. he doesn’t push for answers, doesn’t ask what’s wrong. he just waits until your tears are under control enough for you to speak again.

“I feel so silly,” you say, still petting his tail. “they’re just pixels. why am I crying this much?”

Valko nuzzles you, readjusting you on his lap so as much of him is pressed against you as possible.

“pixels or not, that doesn’t make them any less real to your brain. or to your heart. not when you’ve loved them as much as you have.”

you sniffle, trying to pull yourself together, but Valko doesn’t move. after a while, he asks you to pull your phone out and show him your favorite game.

“tell me everything about them, short stack. I want to love them just as much as you do. they can even join the pack.”

so you do.

you don’t know how long the two of you stay on the floor, you in his lap, as you walk Valko through all of your favorite characters and storylines. but it doesn’t matter.

he’s not in a hurry. he’ll be there as long as you need, even if you’re there all night.

Proof that he once existed.

Setting aside all the issues that Infold created. I hope the team involved in creating Valko knows that they made an incredible character. He was genuinely loved.

it was one of those perfect lazy days. you had the day off from hunter duties, and valko — being the ceo of eoncore tech — decided the company could survive without him for once. which meant the two of you were currently curled up on the tiny couch in your linkon apartment, you happily planted on his lap while brushing his dark hair.

his eyes were half closed in bliss, a low contented rumble vibrating from his chest. you were mid-stroke when suddenly his fluffy wolf ears popped out on top of his head, twitching cutely like they always did whenever you brushed him.

you paused, brush still in hand, face dead serious.

“valko.”

“hm?” he leaned into the brush like an overgrown puppy, wolf ears flicking happily.

“how do you even wear headphones with these?” you asked, completely earnest. you reached over, grabbed your earphones from the coffee table, and gently tried to place them over his new wolf ears. the moment you let go, they slid right off and dangled uselessly.

valko blinked slowly, his wolf ears twitching. “they usually sit on my human ears,” he said, amused. “but you can try anyway.”

you nodded like this was very important science and kept brushing. “okay but real question. you love chocolate. like… a concerning amount. isn’t chocolate supposed to be poisonous for wolves?”

valko’s wolf ears perked up at once. he stared at you, golden eyes soft and sparkling with barely contained fondness.

“i’m not a regular wolf,” he said, trying to sound serious but failing because you were asking with such genuine concern. “perfectly fine. chocolate is life.”

you hummed thoughtfully, still brushing around his wolf ears. “do you shed a lot in the summer? should i buy a special vacuum? also if you chase a laser pointer would you actually go full zoomies or are you too dignified for that?”

valko bit his lip, clearly fighting a laugh. his wolf ears kept twitching under the brush as his tail started wagging faster behind you. “you’re adorable,” he murmured, nuzzling into your neck before giving you a gentle playful bite that left a tiny indent. “asking me these things so seriously while sitting on my lap like it’s a very important interview.”

“it is important,” you insisted, deadpan. you scratched behind his wolf ears and watched them flick happily. “oh! does your tail have its own brain? because it moves even when you’re pretending to be serious in meetings. i’ve seen it.”

he let out a low chuckle, arms tightening around your waist as he pulled you impossibly closer. “you notice everything, don’t you?”

“of course. also, can you actually smell my emotions? right now am i giving off ‘stupid questions’ energy or ‘i love my clingy wolf boyfriend’ energy?”

valko buried his face in your shoulder, wolf ears fluttering with pure delight. he was trying so hard not to laugh but his whole body was shaking with it. “both,” he mumbled against your skin. “mostly the second one. you always smell like mine.”

you kept brushing his hair, making his wolf ears twitch even more. “last one for now. do you howl at the moon or is that just a myth? and if i played a video of a squeaky toy would you pretend not to care but secretly want to chase it?”

he finally gave up and laughed, the sound warm and rumbling as he peppered your neck and jaw with soft playful bites. “you’re going to kill me one day with these questions,” he said, voice full of affection. “and yes, i find every single one of them adorable because you ask them like you actually need the answers for a research paper.”

you smiled, setting the brush aside so you could cup his face. “good. because i still have like fifteen more saved up for later.”

valko’s wolf ears perked up again, eyes half-lidded in pure contentment as his tail curled tighter around your thigh. “take your time, love. ask me anything.” he leaned in and nipped your bottom lip gently. “i’ll stay right here and answer every stupid question while you sit on my lap and play with my ears.”

you grinned. “best day off ever.”

“mm,” he agreed, pressing a slow kiss to your temple. “best day off ever.”

as dramatic as it sounds, they will never know what they took from me and i truly hope that at the end of the day, cheering over valko being removed is never going to guarantee their love interest gets more time “to shine”.

Valko from Love and Deepspace

I just heard the news that they’re officially cancelling his release. Which tbh is unfair, after releasing the trailers for the past week they took it all away because a bunch of fans weren’t happy. I hope they reconsider 🥲 They could have just delayed his release to appease both sides 😭😭

im extra disappointed from a game standpoint because i know there was going to be a lot of lore added and explained with his introduction bc of his position that we’re now missing out on, and the potential delays in already long awaited updates that re-workshopping this change will cause.

also just genuinely surprised because at the very least, from a business standpoint, all the sunken cost for him alone feels like it should’ve been the last resort for them to do this and not the first solution, since they’ll never make any money back on him now.