#I guess that was how I was able to draw so much out of them

[umehaji]

— 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓;

☾ Content: popstar f!reader much more famous than your pro volleyball player boyfriend- you finally hard launch your relationship on instagram but the public reaction isn't what you expect, so you take matters into your own hands

ft. Ushijima Wakatoshi, Hinata Shouyou, Miya Atsumu, Bokuto Koutarou, Kageyama Tobio

☾ A/N: inspired by dua lipa and callum turner and my girl sabrina

— 𝐔𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐣𝐢𝐦𝐚 𝐖𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐬𝐡𝐢;

Ushijima doesn't even have an instagram, naturally. the closest thing is he's got is his team's account, curated and managed by the PR team. so when you wiggle your phone in front of him to show him the chosen piece for your account, he just gives it a cursory glance and nods. the photo is from backstage at one of your concerts earlier this month: you, glowing with joy, arm slung casually around his neck, leaning into him as you beam up at him with a smile that could light up your stadiums. he's got one arm wrapped securely around your waist, usual stoic expression softened by a warmth in his eyes as he gazes down at you- one that only you seem to be able to draw out of him.

but the reactions to your post are swift and crushing. you're beyond proud of Ushijima- proud of his quiet strength, his dedication, his raw talent. you know you shouldn’t and it shouldn’t—doesn’t—matter, but your thumb keeps scrolling through the comments. each one feels like a knife twisting deeper, a personal attack, particularly the ones suggesting he doesn't care, that he looks like he's got the emotional depth of a spoon, that this is all just a PR move somehow. watching the sweetest man you know not get the recognition he truly deserves hurts more than you want to admit.

ᯓ🏐

when Ushijima steps into your shared bedroom, shirtless, his hair still damp from a post-workout shower and sweatpants slung low on his hips, his gaze finds you sitting at your vanity. the soft light of the mirror highlights your delicate features, casting a warm glow over your pretty face.

"toshi," you greet him warmly, turning toward him with an inviting smile. he pads over to you, barefoot, and you tilt your chin up expectantly. he rests one hand on the back of your chair, the other on the edge of your desk and leans down, capturing your lips in a long, slow kiss, his head tilting to deepen it as he lifts a hand to your cheek, gently smoothing his thumb across your soft skin he lifts one hand to your cheek, before drawing back, a small smile curving up on his lips when he sees the dazed look in your eyes.

"morning, love." he says simply, before walking off to the kitchen to make himself a protein shake. completely oblivious to the phone propped up against your mirror, the livestream on the screen, and the chaos that you've just unleashed within your fanbase.

readerfanatic_official joined popicon4life just fell to my knees screaming in the 711 parking lot platinum_readerstan she's dating a TREE tinyreader777 'morning love'???...our queen is built different i would've evaporated on the spot bipbop_23 ...i get it now readerfan2024 guess i'm into volleyball now glitznglamfan girl i'm scared for ur holes

— 𝐇𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐲𝐨𝐮;

it's a cute photo: the two of you on a beach at a resort, there for one of Oikawa's games. Hinata's got his head in your lap, one of your hands gently running through his messy orange hair while your other hand rests on his chest. you're gazing out at the sea, a serene smile gracing your face as you enjoy the view, while Hinata looks up at you, equally captivated by what he sees.

the comments that flood in are anything but kind. most of them poke fun at his height, with fans wondering how he managed to catch your eye when he's fighting gravity every day, others insisting that he must just be very funny. and it doesn’t bother Hinata at all, not that you can tell- he just scratches the back of his head and laughs, exclaiming that it's nothing he hasn't heard before, that he’ll just have to work twice as hard to earn your fans’ approval. ignoring your protests that he has nothing to prove.

ᯓ🏐

a few eagle-eyed fans are the first ones to notice it and not long after, screenshots of your activity start to circulate. first it's you liking an edit of Hinata lifting his shirt during ones of his games to wipe sweat off his brow. then it's a clip of him leaping into the air, showing off his energy and athleticism. a third like is a snapshot of Hinata celebrating a victory, fists clenched and knees bent, muscles in his thighs flexed as he roars with triumph.

the one that nips it in the bud is when you share a post to your story. it’s a reel: a compilation of Hinata’s spikes, his raw energy and unstoppable power lighting up the court as he slams the ball past his opponents. your fans lose it when you post a mirror selfie on the same day: you've got your back turned toward the mirror, all dolled up for an award ceremony in a gown that leaves nothing and everything to the imagination. you look good, accentuated by the man at your side who, unlike you, is facing the mirror. but Hinata isn't looking at the camera- his heated gaze is on your reflection instead. one of his arms is curved loosely around your waist, hand resting just above your ass.

the internet goes wild.

mvpmichelle8 2h 385 likes our girl is thirsting publicly on main i respect it robsessed247 2h 306 likes rip to her ass cheeks keanue_433 2h 243 likes ...what team does he play for again stanacctreader 1h 178 likes she got herself a short KING FR newvolley_98 1h 85 likes so when’s the next game where you get a front-row seat to his… spikes? 🥵

— 𝐌𝐢𝐲𝐚 𝐀𝐭𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐮;

you don’t exactly share the photo yourself, but it might as well be yours. when Vogue posts the cover shot and tags you, it goes viral almost instantly. because Atsumu is seated in a luxurious chair, looking every bit like a king in his perfectly tailored suit, legs spread confidently, an air of dominance about him. you're perched on the armrest beside him, the slit of your black dress exposing the smooth curves of your body. one of your hands is loosely intertwined with his, resting on your thigh. the chemistry is palpable, electric. the sultry confidence in your posture paired with the intensity in Atsumu's gaze makes it impossible to look away. paired with the article about your relationship, this is a power couple at its finest.

or at least so you think.

the opinions of your fans are mixed, but those who disapprove don't hold back. they say that he must be cheating on you, that he looks untrustworthy, that his self-assured interview quotes only highlight how self-absorbed he is, implying he’s too consumed with himself to ever treat you right. Atsumu's ready to fight everyone questioning his devotion to you before you remind him that he can’t spend all day replying to hate comments- he has practice, and that you’ll handle it.

ᯓ🏐

you show up to the world championship that month with your entourage in tow. you visit Atsumu in his locker room to wish him good luck, ignoring the way his teammates trip over themselves gaping at you. he almost doesn’t let you leave, seizing you in a deep kiss that leaves you a little unsteady on your feet, but you plan a firm hand on his chest because you have places to be, a job to do.

when Atsumu steps up to serve and you watch as his routine unfolds, the familiar movements flowing effortlessly, your PR team is at the ready. his signature has evolved since his early days, the fist still a familiar gesture, but now his index finger uncurls at the last moment, pointing into the crowd. he doesn’t need to look; he always knows exactly where you are. but today, it’s different. you’re not in the shadows, hiding behind sunglasses or a baseball cap. today, you’re wearing his jersey, sitting front and center, in the best seat in the house. you’re clapping louder than anyone else, beaming so hard your cheeks hurt.

this time, when he finds you in the crowd, the whole world is watching.

Us Weekly: Atsumu Miya Makes History with Serve: Fans Go Wild over Major 'Couple Goals' Moment at the World Championship Buzzfeed: Is He Pointing to Y/N? 10 Moments Atsumu Miya Was Literally Screaming 'I Love You' Sports Illustrated: Atsumu Miya’s Serve Gets Personal: The Unspoken Gesture You Didn’t Know Was for Y/N Kyodo News: Fans Flock to See Miya Atsumu's Relationship with Global Sensation Y/N in Full View Cosmopolitan: Y/N and Atsumu Miya: From Music Charts to Volleyball Courts—Their Love Story (Exclusive)

— 𝐁𝐨𝐤𝐮𝐭𝐨 𝐊𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮;

what you think is a beautiful moment, your fans interpret quite differently. in the photo you post, Bokuto's strong arms are wrapped around your waist, pulling you against him as he hugs you from behind. his hands are positioned low on your abdomen, fingers spread wide and pressing down lightly, a playful gesture that has you squirming in response. the candid shot your manager took captures you in mid-laugh. you're tilting away from him, hands gripping his wrists, body twisted in a half-escape as though you're trying to dodge his ticklish touch. Bokuto's lips are pressed softly to the side of your neck, the curve of your shoulder partly obscuring his face. his expression is partially hidden, but the corner of his mischievous grin peeks out, his eyes glinting up at the camera as he looks up like right at that moment.

your fans tear him apart, their words dripping with criticism- accusing him of being too touchy, claiming that you don’t want him like that, that he's too obsessed, too forward. the comments flood in, one after another, each one more biting than the last. the relentless stream of negativity cuts deep, and you can see the toll it takes on Bokuto as he scrolls on his phone with a downtrodden look. you tell him to ignore it, that he has nothing to worry about, but you can tell it does little to lift his spirits.

ᯓ🏐

you show him that night just how deeply you care about him, straddling his lap and gently cupping his face in your hands. your lips meet his in a soft, reverent kiss, a silent exchange that you hope conveys volumes. you murmur against his mouth, telling him how perfect he is, watching with a quiet smile as the tips of his ears go red. but then he shifts, flipping you over on the bed, caging you in with thick arms all while still blushing so prettily. and when you feel something hard and big pressing against your inner thigh, you wonder what you've gotten yourself into.

Bokuto goes even redder the next day when he wakes up to incessant texting from his teammates and he opens social media to find a photo on your feed: it's of him shirtless, lying on his front and cradling a pillow with his cheek smooshed into it, his hair down and expression peaceful. what's not so peaceful is the view of his bare back- red streaks running down his tanned skin, unmistakably from your fingers. the white sheets thrown over his his legs obscure anything from the waist down but his face flushes deeper as he takes in the rest of the intimate scene.

you've got one hand resting gently on his head, fingers woven loosely in his hair, one thumb caressing his cheek mid-stroke. it's soft, casual, possessive.

fan_gurl_4 1h 403 likes the way we thought HE was the obsessed one...how the turn tables bobfriend_76 1h 386 likes she's marking her territory glamjam69 1h 207 likes ...this ain't demure or mindful at all menin4k22 45m 146 likes ma’am for science, p-please remove those sheets readerfan234 14m 121 likes the way she's touching him...i need a moment to grieve 😩

— 𝐊𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐲𝐚𝐦𝐚 𝐓𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐨;

the release party for your new album goes off without a hitch, and you score tons of cute photos with Kageyama, cuddling up to him that night to scroll through and select the best ones. your top choice is one of the more simple shots: you, with one hand resting on his chest, leaning into the arm he’s wrapped around your waist. his long fingers are hot against your skin through the delicate fabric of your dress. he's serious in the shot, his lips set in a stern line as he gazes into the camera, but you adore that look on him. especially when that same gaze shifts to you, hinting at something deeper, something darker, waiting for later.

your fans, however, don't see what you do. so you wake up to a barrage of comments, about how he looks boring, how he probably doesn't know a single one of your lyrics, how you could do so much better. naturally, Kageyama doesn't give a single shit about what your fans think. just kisses you goodbye as he heads off to practice, duffel bag slung over his broad shoulder. but you care.

ᯓ🏐

it takes a fair amount of convincing and a hefty dose of bribery, which somehow includes you securing an advertisement contract with one of Kageyama's favorite yogurt brands, but he finally agrees to appear in the music video for your latest hit. though, you can't help but think it had more to do with you casually hinting that your company had intended on pulling in one of the hottest actors currently on the scene, known for making girls swoon at meet-and-greets.

he plays a cop arresting you for a string of crimes you commit in the name of revenge on your cheating ex, culminating in him pushing you down in the backseat of his patrol car. it's hot, steamy, and when he shoves his knee between your legs, leaning over you with one hand pinning your wrists above your head, you won't deny that you make a mental note to recreate this scene later, without the cameras.

the music video shatters records and skyrockets to the top of the charts.

and the comments this time? well. they speak for themselves.

bops234 • 1 day ago this awakened something in me fando23 • 12 hours ago i'm going to need this man's @ immediately barkbarkbark_89 • 12 hours ago are we sure he doesn't want to switch career paths stanacctreader • 10 hours ago i thought he was just a plain slice of milk bread but boy was i wrong freedomsings145 1h • 5 hours ago casting ur real life boyfriend as the main romantic lead in ur music video is such a power move, as always our queen's taste is IMPECCABLE atsumumiya • 2 hours ago he looks like a foot

[meanbossart]

Sorry if you’ve already answered this, but I’ve been wondering what would happen if DU Drow and Astarion were the only people in their party. If they never met any of the others and only had each other for company on the way to Baldur’s Gate.

Btw I love your art! I’m obsessed with the way you draw characters and their expressions in your style.

Ohhhhh god. I think that would be disastrous.

My personal belief aside that Astarion is by no means an idiot (not that I'm opposed to participating in the smooth-brained jokes - but, generally speaking, I think I might give his intellect more props than most), he is obviously not at his best at the start of the campaign at all. He is operating out of desperation and it's only halfway through the game that you get to see some of that emotional intelligence that I'm so fond of. And even so, he still requires a successful persuasion check at the end of his quest not to commit undead genocide (and I think he's the only companion who needs a check at all regardless of circumstance or approval).

Then we have DU drow who has no attachments to anyone around him, a penchant for murder, very little skill for self reflection and a proclivity towards latching onto one person and falling obsessively in love, assuming that the person in question knows how to play him - and Astarion would know how to play him.

Lest we forget, Astarion had practically no influence on DU drow's decision to oppose Bhaal. He just kind of goes along for the ride until you hit the point of no return, and only THEN he's like "Oh, uh, maybe this wasn't such a good idea". Shadowheart is the biggest factor on DU drow's decision to oppose Bhaal, with Aylin and Jaheira making for honorable mentions.

Ironically, DU drow's "base" personality (which he has access to thanks to his memory loss) tends to oppose religion, gods, and organized systems as a whole, but I think if it were only him and Astarion alone, they would feed each other's hunger for strength and power enough that DU drow would arrive into act 3 with absolutely no doubt about what he must do. He would very easily revert back to his old, domineering personality and do whatever he thinks he must to establish his status, and most importantly his power over his loved ones, lest what happened with Orin ever repeat itself.

This circumstance would be perfect for the eventual Bhaalist DU Drow + Spawn Astarion scenario. Which just makes it all the worse that Astarion would have had a HEAVY hand in steering him in this direction. And the cherry on top; he has no one else to turn to here.

On the flipside - this could potentially turn into a situation where Astarion keeps DU drow small enough to where he's able to Ascend, while his Bhaalspawn partner either refuses his father out of fear or loses the duel against Orin. I don't know how viable this is, since Astarion very much needs a strong and confident DU drow if he wants Cazador to die - but I guess anything is possible.

The point is, if left to their own devices there would be nothing stopping either of them from pursuing their very single-minded goals, and I don't think there's a scenario they BOTH come out on top either. Between DU drow's obsessive behavior and been-burned-before attitude, and Astarion's distrust and fear of losing control again, they would constantly wrestle for the opportunity to keep the other under their own thumbs.

And hell. All of this assuming they didn't kill each other on night two.

Thank you for the ask and for your kind words! Hopefully this isn't too depressive/disappointing of an answer, LOL.

[chrystallink]

New Year Thoughts

Hey everyone, it's been awhile! Just wanna splat out some thoughts on the first of the new year. This year has been a really nice one for me. There were some hard challenges, like finding a new job when the other one ran dry, and overcoming the challenges of the new one. (I never thought I'd grow accustomed to a customer service type job.)

But also there were a lot of good things that happened, like finally getting my driver's license. Being able to go places on my own when I need to/feel like it is such a huge blessing, and something I honestly wasn't sure I'd achieve a few years ago. God really has blessed me these past 2 years--opening a door I thought would never opening, and giving me the courage and strength to hobble and limp my way through it.

Though in all these good things happening in my life, I don't want to forget the One who brought me here in the first place. So my prayer for this year is to keep on learning and growing in the Lord, and to not grow lazy or forget Him. As far as my art and projects go, I admit I haven't been doing as much digital/traditional art or writing as of recently. I've been putting more of my left over creative energy into various crafts (I've been dabbling in soft solder jewelry in particular recently, and I've been really dazzled by some of the results!) Still, I don't want to abandon my original projects. System Collapse and Catalyst are still my main projects (and there has been some new developments for both of them, so they haven't been totally left to rot). I'm still trying to work on a shorter project too.

I think my main slowness with my digital/comic art is due to feeling tired after work and not wanting to invest brainpower into drawing (somehow crafting takes less brainpower in comparison), and the fact I'm in the age old feeling of 'Oh no, I don't like how my art looks anymore, I gotta put effort into improving or taking my style in a different direction that I actually like'.

And of course I need to learn how to not be distracted so much with online stuff. I guess my main goals for the year are these: -To maintain and deepen my relationship with the Lord -To better exercise discipline -To get more into the swing of doing digital art and my personal projects, and for them to remain rooted in the Lord and not just what I want to do with them. Anyways, that's just my personal thoughts on the new year. I'm hoping and praying that everyone has a good outlook for 2025, and that the Lord will lead you all to where you're meant to be. I can't make any promises about uploading artwork right now, but if you want to see my more recent crafty stuff, just let me know, and I'll get some nice photos to show everyone.

[nihilnovisubsole]

hey, gang! miss me? no? too bad, because i miss you. i think about you all the time. i hope the year has treated you well. this is, what, the third, fourth year i've done a year-in-review post? have i done more than that? it's after midnight. i can't be bothered to check. i fear a lot of the mysteries of getting older, but i will say, i don't mind that it's easier to shrug certain things off. i look back on all the times i hid from some scary fandom discourse and go, "god, why did i care?" it helps to have other things going on.

on the other hand, i guess 2024 was the year of finding out what happens when you put everything into your day job and leave nothing for the weekend. it was a wild year at work, which i assume is normal as a game ramps up to ship. i gave a lot, which was good! i'd be lying if i said it didn't take a lot out of me. important people at trade shows have now seen things i wrote! i got to work with voice actors! good news: a lot of your faves are great people! i also made, like, no progress on any of my own projects except the picrew, which i still chip away at. yes, i still draw. more on that later.

one or two people in my coworkers-turned-friends circle have broached the subject of occupational burnout and whether i've reached it yet. as i said last year, i remember what voltage burnout felt like, and it took a much weirder, angrier journey to get me there. it's kind that they're looking out for me, though. i think it's something all creative people could stand to keep an eye on. a buddy of mine even gave a GDC talk about it. it's a shame GDC is so stingy with access to its talks. at least this article has a great summary if you're interested in learning more.

there were other things, though. my mother broke her hip in june, which forced me into a caregiver role that i'm not suited to. don't worry, she's fine now. i love her, so it was important to me, but it didn't leave a lot of time to sit and write for fun. i started what i thought would be a casual fanfic project, wildly over-scoped it, and made a ton of work for myself. i outlined an original story about a difficult, personal subject and a culture i'm descended from, but not really familiar with. there's a lot of pressure to do it right, is what i'm saying. i'm taking the only path i can think of, which is to bury myself in research. the trouble is, a lot of the literature about this time and place is also very challenging, so it burns a lot of brain calories. it's a far cry from what usually gets me to start a story, which is "i want these characters to sleep together. let's see where it goes."

in a different time, i would've taken this struggle as an omen that i wasn't the right person to write this story and abandoned it. it's critical that i don't take the coward's way out this time if i'm going to honor the question i asked at the end of last year. "what is my work saying?" my mother told me the same thing a few months ago: "i think you're a good writer, you just need to find good things to say." i take that to mean i have to write closer to real experiences, which means including the parts i don't like: disappointment, loss, mistakes, uncertainty. i had all of this year to figure out how, and the evidence shows i didn't. i don't know what to say. "oh well?" maybe you can't put a deadline on these things. in the meantime, hercule and aida deserve more stories (it's an hercule and aida story), and i want more people to know about them, and maybe i can say something real through them.

this was also the year that i reckoned with the other side of "all it takes is money to make problems go away." i was able to travel, i mean really travel, for the first time. all it took was being able to throw a chunk of my salary at it. i had some shipping drama [sorry, not the romantic kind] where i had no choice but to pony up a ton of customs fees. my arm PT didn't work, so i'll have to try a specialist who's out of my insurance network and pay full price to see them. this must be what they call "being a successful adult." i thought it'd look different. i wanted to live in the city and have a hot, mysterious boyfriend. well, i can still live closer to the city if i keep saving up for that house, and maybe some hot, mysterious guy will take pity on me someday. do you think they like 32-year-olds who play video games and have flat chests? i went all the way to paris and still didn't find out. damn! 🤌

nah, i'm kidding. i mean, i'm not, but i have other things to worry about. as i mentioned above, things with my arm have taken a curious turn. after six and a half years of assuming i had tendinitis, i found out, not only is it likely not that, i may not be injured at all. the particulars of this theory get out into the weeds of neuromuscular science, so i'll only bore you with them if you want me to. the point is, if any of it holds water, it would go a long way toward explaining why none of the typical rest/heat/stretching/strengthening protocols have worked. it's actually unfathomable how much effort i've put into solving this mystery just so i can get back to drawing fictional people kissing. you can call my creative work boring or predictable or whatever you want, but never say i haven't committed to the bit.

i don't tend to read my previous years-in-review. this year, i did, because i sensed i was grappling with a lot of the same things as last year. there's nothing i hate like being repetitive. not that you would know from the way i keep writing the same three character archetypes. humor me here. i was all set to keep whining until i reminded myself how 2023 had gone, and i thought, "geez. it wasn't that bad." nobody i love died, for a start. my health is better. i have some unread books sitting around. as terrible as 2023 was, i survived it. if you're reading this, you did too.

so here's what i'm going to do. i think you should do it with me, though whether i'm in any position to give advice is up to you. i'm not going to make any predictions about whether 2025 will be bad or good. i'm just going to see what happens. deal? all right. we'll check in next year. you'd better be there!

[monowritestoomuch]

I Know I’d Take My Heart Clean Apart If It Helps Yours Beat

Day 7:

Fandom: Obsidian Lantern: Merfolk

Theme: Hurt/Comfort. Listener tells Zef why they are working for Mr. Wood. 

Rating: Teen

Word Count: 2044

Notes: SAY IT WITH ME! SONG LYRIC TITLE! Not from EPIC this time though. Do merfolk have eyebrows? I mean, they have hair so I guess they would? Anyway, I love chocolate covered dried bananas. Enjoy, I'm sorry this is so late. 

Zef and Sera had joined you in the cave where you and Zef had first met, reviewing files over Mr. Wood. You had finally gotten somewhere with your research through the files you had been able to obtain. 

Sera had been reviewing some of the papers as well, but he had mostly been reviewing human laws. Most of the laws were from your area, but many of the laws he’d been reviewing were international, or from the Geneva convention. 

When you had asked why he was reviewing laws such as the Geneva convention and other such international laws on violence, he told you how to be able to convict Mr. Wood in Bermuda, he would have to see what human laws Mr. Wood had violated in addition to the Bermuda laws. 

And meanwhile, Zef was playing around and eating your snacks. This time, you’d brought some chocolate covered dried bananas that you’d bought earlier in the week. 

“Clemmy!” Zef called out, arms out on the rocky ground of the small cave. “Clem~” he called again, his tone drawing as if purposefully trying to annoy you. 

“Zef,” Sera sighed tiredly. “Stop that.”

“I’m just trying to get their attention to ask a question!” Zef squawked in mock offense. He bobbed under the water before coming back up. 

You shook your head fondly, putting down the file you’d been reading. “What do you wanna’ ask, Zef?” 

“How did you come to work for Mister Wood?” Zef asked, dropping another few chocolate covered bananas in his mouth. 

Your body froze as your even, calm breaths stopped abruptly. Sera looked up from his documents, holding them in one hand with the other on the rocky floor of the cave keeping him afloat as he gave you a look of concern. 

When you didn’t answer the question after a few moments, Zef spoke up again. “You good Clemmy?” he asked, concern and confusion in his tone. 

You nodded briefly. “I’m fine,” You responded, an invisible weight appearing in your chest. “I just–didn’t expect you to ask a question like that.”

Sera placed the papers he had been holding down onto the cave floor. “Zef makes a good point,” he started, swimming over to where the previously mentioned Merfolk floated. “I too, would like to know. It seems relevant to the case,” he added. 

Although Zef just seemed to be asking out of curiosity, you were nervous to reveal your relationship to the man. He might’ve been your boss, but that wasn’t the only way you knew him, and the way you knew him, you didn’t think the boys would take it very well. 

“Are you sure? I mean–I work for him, but do you need to know how I met him?” You attempted to play off poorly. 

Sera seemed to sense your nervousness, but he could also tell that you weren’t telling the full story, and that wouldn’t work for him. 

“It would be better to know as much as we could about Mister Wood,” Sera explained, his stern gaze meeting yours. “And it would most likely be brought up in our courts when he is to be convicted of his crimes.”

Your nerves only increased as Sera spoke. You logically knew that neither Zef, nor Sera–well, maybe Sera, wouldn’t hate you if you told them. Logically, you knew that, but emotionally? Emotionally, you felt as if they knew how the two of you were connected, that they would despise you for it. 

“Well–” You started, unsure what to say. You knew that whatever you said would lead to yelling and shock, but the eyes and ears were on you now. “When–when I was a child, I was so interested in marine life and biology, and constantly wished to study them even though I lived about three hours away from the closest beachside–” You chuckled to yourself. “And my mother, she wanted to to encourage my curiosity and research, urging me to study what I loved–”

“She sounds lovely,” Zef interrupted, smiling while continuing to nibble on your snacks. 

“Yeah,” You smiled warmly. “She is–and back then, her brother was living close to the coast, starting up his own marine study center,” You continued, taking a breath as your heart thumped loudly in your chest, the invisible weight on it becoming heavier. “And one summer she sent me to my uncle’s place to study and research marine life with him.”

Sera raised an eyebrow in suspicion, as if he had already been catching on to what you’d been trying to avoid stating obviously. 

“At first it was nice,” You continued, hands becoming crossed and grabbing the opposite tricep. “My uncle was stern but not strict and we would study different shells and what caused each shell to be shaped the way they did. He always had me guess what caused those hollow shells with empty caverns to be the way they were.”

Sera’s eyes widened and he opened his mouth to speak, before shutting it and locking eyes with you. The expression on his face resembled concealed shock, his eyebrows furrowed in what resembled a wild rage. 

“I went back, summer after summer after summer. Every summer he would become colder somehow, more secretive. At first I would try to ask, but eventually, I would just leave him be,” You continued, wringing your fingers nervously. “And eventually, I went off to college. I got a degree in marine biology and was looking for jobs when my mother suggested–” You paused, waiting for the realization to settle in before stating the obvious. “-that I work for my uncle, here, on the coast.”

Zef’s face dropped from interested and curious to shocked and horrified, floating in the water in stunned silence. He looked as if he had been betrayed, but he hadn’t. You hadn’t betrayed him, and you would never. But in these very moments, you felt as if you had. 

Even Sera stayed silent, his usual stoic facade cracking under the weight of the revelation that had been revealed. 

You sat in silence as you felt their disappointment seep through your skin and bones and into your soul before you spoke again. “At first, It wasn’t even bad, I was doing minor work and even though my. . .my uncle was cold, it wasn’t a bad job. I met Doctor Evander–” You smiled softly, head down and facing the ground, unable to look at your companions. “--and he was nice, a good fella, but my uncle only grew colder. . .”

Your smile dropped and you didn’t look up, not wanting to see the faces of people who thought they could trust you.

“And when he got colder, his patience wore thin, and his anger became. . .stronger and more–more forceful,” You gulped, feeling as if your throat was burning. 

“What do you mean by that?” Sera asked, his voice deep and stern. You avoided his gaze, shame spreading down your face. 

“Clemmy?” Zef’s voice rang in your ears. “Answer Sera’s question. What do you mean by that?”

“I knew–” You sucked in a grateful breath of air. “I knew my uncle had issues–events that happened in the past to change him, although I didn’t know what those were at the time–but he started to take out his anger on his employees–”

“Did he ever raise a hand to you?” Sera questioned sternly, interrupting your shaky response. 

“No-! He–I,” You stuttered briefly. “He never–not to me, my mother would’ve practically murdered him–” You chuckled sullenly at your own remark. “–if he had ever raised a hand to me, but that didn’t excuse others, such as Doctor Evander, from being caught in the crossfire.”

“Clemmy, what does that mean?” Zef asked, his tone now far more manicked and concerned than upset. 

“We would have performance reviews, every week or so, at the end of the week,” You spoke, your voice shaking. “And every week, he–he would grab an employee and degrade them in front of all of us, sometimes even going as far as slapping them–and if they made him–if he was angry enough, he would damage products or materials we used and blame it on us and subtract it from our paychecks,” You responded with a shaky exhale, wishing for the burning in your throat to cease and you refrained from crying.

“Did he ever do that to you?” Sera questioned, his tone stern and without room for argument. 

“Twice, but he only yelled, never hit. After those two times, which was a few years ago, I was his perfect little employee who performed everything up to standard, and because of that, he never focused on me and I was mostly out of his sight–and I stayed near Doctor Evander and he was nice, but Mister Wood always pulled him aside and I would see bruises on his–,” You concluded. “But he never hit me-he never–” 

Sobs wracked your body as you shook, holding yourself in your arms as Sera and Zef watched on in mystified horror. 

“That has got to be illegal!” Zef practically shrieked, his voice rising. 

“Zef!” Sera attempted to shush. “They’re shaking,” he stated. 

“Oh,” Zef uttered, his voice quiet. He frowned, watching you shiver and shake, fat tears falling from your eyes. He swam up next to you and hooped up, sitting on the cave floor. Hw wrapped you in a hug, and although it was wet, you gladly accepted.

“Just because he never hit you, doesn’t make it okay,” Zef affirmed, raising your head to lock your gaze and his. “Oh Clem–why didn’t you tell us this before?”

You were lost for words, sobs as your only answer. Sera watched on, guilt hanging heavy in his chest. 

“I had previously asked what their relationship was to Mister Wood, and they told me that they were just an employee,” Sera stated, looking at the pair of you and Zef. “But they lied, and maybe they thought of what we’d think of them if we knew.” 

“Oh Clemmy!” Zef cried. “Did you think we’d hate you?” 

“I thought–” You sniffed. “I thought you would leave me here–leave me with–with this–with, oh with–” 

“With Mister Wood?” Sera asked, raising an eyebrow. You nodded as a response. “I would never leave anyone with such a man, especially now when I see how he treats family.”

“We’ll always be here for you, Clemmy,” Zef smiled. “Even if you don’t believe it right now, we’ll always be here for you, here to catch you when you stumble or fall, or when you’re stuck on a boat in the middle of a storm or–” 

“Whenever you need to ask for help,” Sera added, swimming over and placing a wet hand on your arm. “We will be here.”

“And we could never, ever hate you,” Zef added in finality, smiling at you. He let you out of the hug, hopping back into the water, but still facing you. 

You sniffed. “Thanks guys, that means a lot.” 

“Anytime Clemmy, anytime,” Zef offered genuinely, smiling wide. 

You laughed, sniffling. “Guess I’m all wet now.”

“Oooo, yeah, that’s my bad–” Zef cringed, hissing at his own revelation. 

“How about we reconvene here tomorrow? Give some time to process, no?” Sera suggested. 

“I’d like that,” You admitted, standing up and grabbing your documents whilst Sera put his in a large ziploc baggie, courtesy of Zef. 

“Bye Clemmy!” Zef waved. “See you tomorrow!” He ducked under the water, taking your precious chocolate covered banana chips with him. 

Sera collected his things before speaking to you. “What you did today, you shouldn’t be ashamed,” he stated, his voice somehow softer than you’d ever heard it previously. “If you ever need help, and I am serious. If you ever need my help, do not hesitate to tell me. I will help you. You deserve to be treated well.”

You stood in stunned silence with your belongings as Sera took a large breath. “Take care of yourself, I mean it,” he finished, ducking under the water with the ziploc covered documents.

You stood in the cave briefly, a warm feeling spreading across your chest, taking off the heavy invisible weight that had stood prior. 

In those next moments, you walked out of the cave, somehow feeling better and lighter than you had in years. 

[glitchpirate]

Another year, another same template.

This Last year was pretty packed; I managed to get back into commissions (still catching up with waiting list though) and draw some gifts for friends. ^_^ While still being able to draw for myself!

Happy new year y'all. May your dreams come true and all. I'm not big on speeches. No talking, only ART.

Or, well. Some talking. Ramble again, like last year, under the cut.

January: ko-fi limited palette sketch commission overdue many years of mutual's OC. <3 Thankfully everyone's been so patient with my lack of speed. I'll do better next time, I promise!

February: COTL brainrot... I had an Anassy art I was thinking about putting in here but COTL was really so big in my life in February, I had to put my low-effort fanart in there... which surprisingly blew up in numbers. (Thank you 🛐)

March: didn't really draw anything in March except this OC art and a small fanart doodle, so decided to go with this one, with which I experimented with textures. I haven't shared this before and I don't think I will (sorry), but it's on Dia's (depicted OC) toyhouse.

April: birhday gift for friend I haven't talked to in years. This was a perfect opportunity to get back in contact and it worked out nicely. ^_^ In the art are her OCs from her story still in progress. Lineart and painting together works surprisingly well!

May: fun little drawing I had depicting my inkling OC as a human. ^_^ Sorry not sorry for the eyestrain-

June: boy, this month was THE OC month. I created so many here, I don't know what happened. The characters in here are one of them, my beloved Mortis Twins. They are an asura (Guild Wars 2) musical duo who play darkwave music about death and dying. ^_^ (<-Glitch stop writing this emoticon every time pls) Goth siblings beloved. This art is a promo shoot for their new era and album. Get yours signed at a local show now!!!

July: another birthday gift for a long time no contact/talk friend/mutual! Was super happy how this came out and for the recipient's reaction. <3 It's her VTuber! (Check her out at ChiikaboomTV on twitch)! I prefer not uploading birthday gifts and only sharing them privately to who I'm drawing them for but I might share this one sometime cuz I'm really prou of this one. I experimented with a new shading technique even, and it worked out just fine~

August: would you guess it? Another birthday gift for a long time no contact- ok you get the drill. Same shading technique, same-ly happy friend. ^_^ It's her main OC, Persephone Eddington, whom I love very much. <3

September: another overdue ko-fi commission! Despite the overwhelming details, I like how it came out~ I've always been so bad with great amount of detail and mecha stuff. x_x

October: birthday gift for my bestie leeche, depicting their Dragon Heist dragonborn character, Nephintaad Morzavur, whom I also love very much. <3

November: Guild Wars 2 Tyria Pride giveaway art! I offered a bust and wanted to go back to painting again, and the recipient loved it very much. The biggest compliment. <3 Included a lot of things important to the "commissioner's" player character and had a blast!

December: normal commission! I'm finally catching up with the waiting list. A bit saucy hehe but that's just icing, I swear!

-

Aaand that's it. Thank you for reading if you've reached this far and once again, Happy New Year!

[yuseirra]

realities

...seeing how things are in the current story..; why do I feel like we landed on a bad ending in a game with multiple ends...it feels like a wrong timeline where everyone failed

I hope we do get some sort of message out of it all...

[ricky-mortis]

Hatchetfield @femslashfortnight Day 2: Retro

[icewindandboringhorror]

sometimes looking at like Self Help Strategies lists for the symptoms I'm having is always just like:

thing that I already do

thing I have tried 10 times

thing I already do

thing that I don't have the money to do

thing I already do

thing I've been doing since I was 10yrs old to no avail

thing that is impossible given my situation

thing that doesn't apply to me

thing that I already do

thing I have already tried

hrmm, oh wait, maybe finally- OH, yeah.. okay. thing that I already do but it was just phrased slightly differently

thing I have already done

[pekoeboo]

man. I've been reworking a lot of content involving Act II of Home Is Where You Are and like. ugh. it'd work so freaking well in novel form but I just Do Not have the dedication or the drive to start from scratch and rewrite everything that happens.

idk how else to share the updated version of that part of the story with y'all tho, considering that Khalan's journal is insanely outdated now and isn't entirely canon anymore, so I'll probably just have to accept that I likely won't ever be able to update the story for y'all in the way I wish I could. >n<;;

[chibishortdeath]

Great googley moogley it’s all going to shit! Every day becomes exponentially more terrifying!

And all perfectly timed to just right at the start of what’s supposed to be my adult life where I get my shit together and be useful and productive!

[kellystar321]

.

[m0e-ru]

guy whose artstyle is clearly i need to get this out of my system as quickly as possible or i'll get sick inside and die. my grand drawing time was 3 seconds and this year it's 2

[oh-cramity-its-amity]

its so weird to read some of my old fics (do NOT do it but i'm just being hypothetical rn) and reading it. like who even was this person?? i completely was in a haze back in 2020. i literally was posting 3 chapters a day. A DAY. what in the WORLD was that shit.

anyway i remembered some STUPID sappy shit and i didnt remember if i'd put it into a fic or not BUT I FOUND IT.

She and Hope had been dating in secret for months anyway, and any attempt to go talk to Ryan only filed her disposition of displeasure upon knowing that she couldn’t tell anyone, Molly especially, it destroyed herself mentally. They couldn’t really go anywhere near the school, always having to lie to everyone about having projects together when Molly wasn’t around them. It’d consisted with 9 PM - 2 AM intervals of being able to actually see each other. Hope would sneak through her small bedroom window with a portable record player and whatever she had gotten from the vintage record store downtown, and Amy would always fall asleep around eleven because of her internal clock. She would always wake up to find a single sticky note stuck on the edge of her desk whenever she woke up to her alarm the next morning. One of them, Amy still had tucked inside of her phone case, a heavily detailed human heart, with blue and red ink sketched onto a neon pink sticky note, there was a caption that headed the small paper reading the phrase over every now and again makes her almost melt every time. “You have my heart.”

yeah idk why the fuck but i thought of this fucking idea again today and i was like "omg did i ever put that heart note thing in a fic???" yeah you fucking did.

all that to say ME AND WHO???? imagine. thats so fucking.... RAHHHH.

[phagodyke]

i keep getting irrationally miffed at ppl 😐😐

[peapod20001]

Gbavag not knowing enough about/ how to draw your oc is such a curse...

Like you draw them, but it’s not THEM y’know? And the you’re stuck in a loop of “I’m not drawing them because I don’t know how to” and “I won’t know how to draw them unless I practice”