#SOMETIME

[potatobugz]

three dandys world doodles today. dandys worl. its me dandys from world

[shtern-and-art]

I think there's just something in it. This blanket.

When Viktor rejects his past, his job, his social standing, his academic ambitions - all that and more. He goes to live his new life fully naked. Only with that blanket in tow. But when Viktor starts to build his new life, and his new self, closer to his actual goals (at least so he thinks at the moment), he doesn't get any new clothes.

People in the commune did. Sort of. They have redressed for the new life. And Viktor keeps wearing the only thing he brought over from the previous one. The cane doesn't count here, it also transformed into it's new self. But the blanket is still the same blanket. Just wrapped more securely around Viktor to give more coverage and protection like clothes would.

I'd say the commune followed Viktor's lead in ditching their old fashion styles and wrapping themselves in loose fabrics, like monks. For them it was abandoning their past. For Viktor it was not letting go of his. Not completely at least.

-----

There's something, s o m e t h i n g in this, you know?

He was wearing that blanket and only it. It became part of his divine (?) soul.

We don't see it on him in the arcane mindscape, where Viktor is happy and exploring with Sky (like he wanted to do with Jayce). We don't see it on him, when they talk honestly with Jayce. Viktor is actually naked there, soul bare, doing what he always wanted to do.

But each time Viktor tries to reject and diminish himself and his humanity, the blanket is there on his shoulders.

----

And I don't mean it in the soft "Jayce is always there caring about Viktor's wellbeing" way (even though it's totally true). Maybe Jayce did put that blanket on him the first time, but Viktor did it himself all the times after that. He kept the blanket and wore it in the commune. His mind created his celestial body on the arcane-plane, where the blanket wrapped around him like flesh. His divine evolved self picked the blanket up from the floor it fell on, after Viktor stepped out of the cocoon fully naked, not needing anything in life anymore but his goals.

----

This contradiction is so human.

It's like. No matter how strongly Viktor might want to destroy himself, his self who is weak and not needed. There was this one gesture of kindness towards him. At, probably, one of the most terrible moments of his life. When he was accepted and cared for as he is, even if Viktor couldn't bear it at the moment.

Idk, man. Now pull the blanket tight.

----

Even when Sky (symbolic representation of Viktor's guilt and desire for connection) was gone, he kept the blanket. On his soul now.

The braces on Viktor's god-self mean several things at once (not getting into it here, maybe in another post). But the blanket moving to that plane, too? Viktor's subconscious clutching at it, despite everything?

Like he actually never could let go of his humanity. Like it's impossible, when there's at least one little lifeline left. A glimmer of hope, of desire Viktor wouldn't even acknowledge to have.

Not even talking about the great gay love here.

----

Viktor wearing the blanket, pulling it tighter each time he essentially tried to kill himself. Means that he wants it. That connection. That kindness. Means that he wants to live. Despite everything.

If Viktor really fully lost himself in his ascension, his older self wouldn't have been able to recognise that desire.

Viktor's tragedy is not in him losing his humanity. It's in the fact that this goal, this Perfection is impossible to achieve to begin with.

(The dehumanised ableist perfection of capitalistic ideal life, and "fitting in" lies in this grave, too.)

He has to keep choosing to accept to not be human, each time at each turn. Accept it from the world, the system of power. From himself.

And yet, he never can. Not fully.

This is why the grand lie of it all is Viktor's salvation, too.

---

As soon as Viktor regained his (human) perception of himself, the blanket disappeared almost completely.

And when he faced his fears and desires and came back to himself fully - the blanket is gone.

Because Viktor doesn't need the externalised symbol of everything he's trying to let go off. All the yearning and desire to live is within him now (also Jayce is actually there with him, bet that helps).

---

I think this is the major point I disagree with in other, more pessimistic reads of the show's themes. That it's a story about oppressed people lashing out and breaking themselves in various ways to escape the pressure and threat of death from the world. That it doesn't go anywhere but conformity or death. Oh, I can write another separate essay about how Viktor and Jayce didn't die at the end and how important it is that it didn't happen (and i did!). This whole rant is part of it, too.

And I mean, bad things do happen to people in the story, they do lash out and break.

----

And yet, Viktor wears the blanket. Clings to it so strongly it becomes part of his godhood. Strong enough to eventually tell about it all (back in time) to Jayce.

And yet, even under unimaginable pressure, after breaking completely, Viktor is still holding on to that blanket. Is still human. Despite what the world told him all his life. Despite the world wanting him dead, gone, forgotten, not caring one bit, despite Viktor agreeing with all this eventually. He holds the blanket close.

Despite Viktor becoming a monster in everyone else's minds, a real threat to the proper Piltover society and his own people in Zaun. Despite all that, Jayce can still look at Viktor at his worst, most distant and cruel and say "I see you. I need you. As you are".

Despite Viktor going past any possible point of no return, destroying his body and mind, and being ready to destroy the world, too, despite giving in to everything he feared. Viktor can still hear it from Jayce and realise he was wrong.

Despite fucking it up infinite amount of times, there was still always the chance to get it right, and they found it.

----

Like. Isn't it wild. No amount of dehumanisation or cruelty you experienced can make you less human. Less worthy of care and love.

That blanket, man. I can't.

[dreagine]

Doing it on insta so I will do it here too

Let me know if there’s anything you want to see from me this year!!! I will draw more ink, of course :]c

I wish u all the best this upcoming year, too!!

[sabellart]

vi arcane my beloved

[cupofsharks]

No, I don't know why this turned sad halfway through, don't ask me.

[thepollyjustice]

Soo quick question, do you prefer cats or dogs? And why?

“I’m more of a cat person, really.. (Mikeko would knock over my coffee if I said otherwise.)”

“But I used to take care of Mr. Gavin’s dog every now and again… I wonder how Vongole’s doing now..”

[strawberri-draws]

Working on a pjo drawing and I keep having to stop to be like 🥺 he’s just a little guy,,,,

[thisteaistoosweet]

Wanted to draw this for an au where Dracula gets control of Soma’s body before the eclipse and dips out. (Soma and Mina were never friends in this au)

He works as an “occult specialist” and basically gets people to run in circles attempting to summon Dracula. He finds it both funny and pathetic. Nobody’s caught on yet.

this totally didn’t start as an excuse to draw soma with long hair and in fancy clothes, no sir.

[quartergremlin]

oh you know what i did do? i finally designed mondo! he actually had a lot to work with, even more than leatherhead did it was p cool. i brought the metal band from his first iteration back.

[bababerries]

think my main issue with Sharon Rainsworth is idk what Mochijun was trying to do with her and she feels very out of place in the cast

Her thing is that she feels weak specifically because she relies on her chain a lot but it’s kind of just stated and then done with and she’s like “I was arrogant about it” but this wasn’t shown so I’m just like ???? Her main role in the story is a support to Break similar to Reim and like that’s fine but it’s so distracting how out of place she is because sometimes I feel like I’m reading a separate story when there’s a scene about her specific insecurity and I’m just like “oh ok” I think the idea of Sharon being reliant upon her chain and constantly being cuddled and sheltered and seen as weak especially with the state her body is in of not aging causing a lot of crisis within her because she’s in this weird stage of not feeling exactly like an adult but not entirely like a child is interesting but it doesn’t feel like that at all tbh it's not explored despite how it's adding to her insecurity. And then there’s the whole her acting “arrogant thing” and my response to that is when? The only time she was mean is once to Gilbert like literally only one panel, she was joining in on teasing him with Break. It's very light hearted and comedic to and frankly who in the manga doesn't bully Gil? It's not enough. I wish they made her messier and that she was a spoiled princess with unchecked privileged who was overcompensating and trying to hold the power of her family after feeling coddled and sheltered throughout her life and feeling like she needs to live up to the image of her mom and grandma but doesn't know how to so she's all talk and relies heavily upon her chain and acts haughty about it. Not realizing she's further indulging in her ignorance of the world. I think she could’ve been interesting in PH classism and exploitation themes. That she wants to be "strong" but is just furthering her ignorant just in a different way. And real strength and maturity would come in her recognizing the flaws in royal society and how they hurt and exploit the people below them. And her having to look inwards on her own flaws and unchecked privilege. (It also just adds to pandora heart's toxic codependency theme where obsession and reliance on something is harmful and denies you of growth and identity) And I just think about that one line she says to Lottie “selfishness runs in my blood” or smth it was a good line but it really doesn't feel earned because we never see Sharon being selfish or arrogant or cocky or anything. I don’t mind Sharon not being that angsty of a character she didn't need to have a sob story and a breather character like her would be good for more diversity esp when a lot of characters in pandora hearts can be quite intense with their conflicts. But her entire arc is incredibly lacking. The manga tells me *this* is her arc without actually showing it. And her development is someone calling her weak once and gets over it

[kkpwnall]

last three lines tag <3

rules: post the last three lines you've written and if has been over a week, write something new in a wip!!

tagged by the charming and effervescent and ever-lovely @snowangeldotmp3 @fragilecapric0rnn @fastcardotmp3 @judasofsuburbia @cuoredimuschio and @cheatghost

it's been a minute but the writing worms are starting to wriggle again!! i have the day off and finally got to crack into diyc again for the first time in waaay too long, so without further ado, the first 3 lines i've written in months:

“Missed me, sweetheart?” “Like crazy,” Steve says, not even trying to hide it. He’d miss Eddie after an hour. The last three days have been just shy of torture. 

reverse uno right back at all of you, and @figthefruitfaeth @heybluechild @starryeyedjanai @sharpbutsoft and @thefreakandthehair too!!

[estrellami-1]

Soft Touch Baby

Pt 1 | Pt 2 | Pt 3 | Pt 4 | Pt 5 | Pt 6 | Pt 7 | Pt 8 | Pt 9 | Pt 10 | Pt 11 | Pt 12 | Pt 13 | Pt 14 | Pt 15 | Pt 16 | Eddie’s POV | Song | ao3

(Holy shit, y’all, FIVE parts and the notes STILL aren’t slowing down and I’m not even a Steddie/ST blog. Y’all are STARVED for content huh 😂)

Steve is confused, scared—terrified—and pissed off.

They’d made it. They’d been done with it. Done with all the Upside Down shit but it turns out the Upside Down wasn’t done with them, with him, because now they’re back and there’s bats everywhere and Steve can’t find his nail bat, come on, where is it, it was right here—

There. He lunges for it, wraps his fingers around the handle, feels the splinters pressing into his fingertips. One swing. One bat down. Hundreds, thousands more to go. He moves on autopilot, swinging and smashing and stomping and doing what he can. It’s not enough. It was never going to be enough, but he can’t just sit idly by and watch the world end.

“Dustin,” he yells, because he can see him, right in front of him, and there’s bats everywhere and why isn’t he listening, he’s standing, he’s alive, so why—

And then Steve sees. His bat falls from numb fingers. He doesn’t register as his fingertips begin to bleed.

A trash can lid, with nails imbedded in it like Steve’s bat. A hand, lying limp, not but a foot away.

Steve follows the hand up to the rest of the body, not understanding, not wanting to understand, but his eyes move up, up, up without his permission, landing on Eddie’s face, and he doesn’t recognize the sound he makes, doesn’t recognize that he makes a sound at all.

“Eddie,” he whimpers. “No- no, please-”

Eddie’s eyes are open, staring unseeingly into the distance, but when Steve speaks they slide over to focus on him. “Hey, Steve,” he says, and his teeth are bloody but he’s smiling and Steve’s dam breaks, and the tears come, and he’s falling to his knees beside Eddie.

“Hey,” Eddie murmurs, “it’s okay,” but no, that’s not right, Steve’s not the one dying, he shouldn’t be the one needing comfort—

“Steve,” Eddie says again, stronger this time. His hand twitches, and Steve all but trips over himself to grab it.

“Eddie, no, you’re-” he chokes on a sob. Knows what Eddie’s going to say. Knows he can’t hear it. “You’re okay, you’re gonna be okay, you just hold on.”

“Steve,” Eddie says again, even stronger, and suddenly bats are attacking, clawing at his shoulders and torso and back and they descend upon Eddie like one of those Bible plagues, and Steve’s screaming, trying to help, and they’re on him again and—

He sits up with a gasp, and something in the dark room skitters back, and he can’t hear anything above the sound of his own gasps. He’s looking around for his bat, but it’s behind whatever moved back, so he looks around for something, anything, eyes wide, throat catching in panic by the time the figure raises its hands.

The creature moves forward, cautiously, hands out, but Steve still can’t see what it is, and he presses against the headboard, watching in barely contained panic as the creature begins to step towards him, slowly, until it’s sat on the foot of his bed.

His eyes flick up occasionally, towards the face, but they’re backlit and their hair is long and curly and something in Steve’s brain is saying it should be familiar but right now it just blocks their face even more.

Eventually his breathing slows down enough he can hear again, the blood stops rushing through his ears, and oh, God, he knows that voice, but that’s not possible, he’s dead, Steve watched him die—

“Didn’t die, Stevie,” Eddie murmurs. “You saved me. Saved all of us. C’mon, come back. I don’t know where your brain’s taking you but I do know it’s not fun, focus on me, on my voice, on my breathing. Wanna touch me? Make sure I’m real? Whatever you need. I’m kinda following your example here.”

Steve’s breath hitches again, and his hands are trembling and his throat is dry and his voice cracks but it works. “Eddie.”

“Right here,” he promises immediately, moving closer to perch on the edge of the bed, and Steve all but collapses on him, burying his face in Eddie’s neck and sliding shaking hands around his torso.

Eddie’s hands come up to rub his back, hold his neck, and Steve could cry, is crying, trying and failing to hold back the tears, giving up when Eddie leans in close and whispers, “I’ve got you.”

Steve falls apart, trusting Eddie to pick up the pieces.

Pt 6

[cerealforkart]

Ghost Trick Switch remaster is out… bye

[totally-not-regulus]

Got some new decor for the dorm. I've heard it, otherwise, looks 'all gloom and doom'

[lavenderspectra]

if you had a magic staff why wouldn't you want to create a path of stars in the sky ??