Combing around the archives and I found this Fallout throwback from 2022.
I've put her intro under the cut for anybody who'd like a little read on Gillespie's vibes. The fic has since been deleted from Ao3 but archives really are a wonder.
A creature waits at the base of the memorial.
From a distance Lars had assumed it to be a horse, equine at any rate, but the place its soft nose should be is hard and set. Its reptilian nostrils italic slits above a set of long, scissor sharp jaws. Its dark, scaly hide would be better described as mottled, but it is as alive and real as Gus.
It stares at Lars in near perfect stillness as he slides out of the saddle. Hairless, all ridged scales and crested feathers, it's a colour closer to an inkblot than anything else he could compare it to.
There is an elongated, cadaverous quality to the beast that has it look voracious even at rest— its three-toed, draconic feet has Lars linger for a beat too long. It might be horse-like in proportion, but his comparisons fall short when he spots its reptilian tail.
It hisses, dropping its lower jaw as much as it can against the secondary strap keeping its mouth shut.
Lars catches sight of a dark tongue and row upon row of needle thin teeth, thus a hefty step away from what looks like a demon attempting to poorly impersonate a horse.
It has only indents instead of ears and a feathered, spined crest where a mane ought to be— the feathers on its head and puff in warning as it jerks against its tethering rope.
All that black leather does nothing to have Lars believe it's truly domesticated but, edging forwards, he gingerly offers his knuckles in an attempt to settle its nerves.
Gus wickers as he sets his ears back against his head. Lars mutters in reply, “I know.”
The beast snaps its teeth at his hand until he opts to tentatively offer out a piece of jerky from Gus’ saddle pack. It cranes its neck forward to sniff, nostrils flaring, then peels back its mouth to gingerly snap it away with its teeth.
That does the trick. Whipping its head back to open its cavernous mouth, it devours the jerky without any real need to chew, then looks at Lars expectantly. Turning its head to stare at him with one of its high cut, yellow eyes, it cocks its jaw and clacks its teeth impatiently.
Lars feeds it the rest of his travel portion. Some habits die hard.
Getting close enough to run his hand over the arch of its neck, Lars squints at the silver plate on the animal’s bridle strap.
“Gillespie,” he murmurs out loud. The creature lacks any visible ear flaps, but he figures they would perk them up at the sound of its name.
It might be an abhorrent thing, perhaps the same creed as Deathclaws or Nightstalkers in terms of spliced horror, but it is loved regardless.
It chitters a soft ticking breath through its teeth, feathered neck shuddering as Lars runs his hand over its scales.
“Somebody loves you,” he murmurs. Gillespie inhales the smell of jerky from his fingers, then tries to bite at his flannel sleeve in a greedy request for more.
Gus snorts, jealous.
“Be mindful of her tongue.” The voice has Lars freeze. It's measured, calculated, maybe even cold.
“She may take fancy with your fingers."
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soon it'll be dawn again
transcript under the cut ⏬
page 01
Fig: no way? - you're still up?
Riz: Wh– yes?
Riz: Why'd I not be.
page 02
Fig: I me~~ean - that took.
Fig: whole day.
Riz: Yeah?
Fig: 'm beat.
Riz: you should sleep.
page 03
Fig: nah. my guy's still up
Fig: I wanna hang out.
page 04
Riz: That's really nice.
Fig: Hah! - Nobody ever expects an Archdevil rockstar to be nice.
Riz: … yeah. - 's just budget work tho. (the stuff I'm working on) - I've heard it's boring.
page 05
Fig: yeah, but you do it…
Riz: It keeps things going, right? - Nothing happens if nobody sits down and - does the thing.
Fig: That's right… - though. Yeah.
page 06
Fig: sometimes it's someone else who - doesn't want the same thing to happen.
Riz: … - mm.
page 07
Riz (off screen): …It took me a long time to get that not everyone likes doing what I do. - 's probably because you guys are so nice– - or. - kind.
Riz (off screen): to anyone too, not just. - the people you /love/.
page 08
Riz: that's not how it is elsewhere. - The world's– not. hostile. - but 's not like it's kind.
Riz: So I'm doing as much as I can now…
page 09
Fig: Hey.
Riz: ?
Fig: Go dig some dirt with me.
page 10
Riz: [blank speech bubble] - oh you meant like - actual dirt. (not incriminating information)
Fig: o yea.
Fig: there's clay in the backyard soil. - sometimes when I'm sun deficient or something I go touch dirt for a bit.
page 11
Fig: here u go
page 12
Riz: uh
Fig: now we make a thing! - 'm pretty good at freehanding a bowl.
Fig: I'll show u
page 13
Fig: just– yep, flatten that out as evenly as u can, then–! - actually ur nails'd be so good at cutting out the strip. [larger than usual space] wait. - wait. wait u can carve patterns with them! we HAVE to try
Riz: uh - What. do I carve?
Fig: anything!!!
page 14
Fig: and– yep just seal the inside uh. seam?
Fig: yep that works - okay time's up! all contestant hands up
Riz: [blank speech bubble] - okay - wh. what's next?
Fig: haha - watch this.
(sound effect text): FWOO—MP
page 15
Riz: WH– DON'T JUST DO THAT???
Fig: Now it's fired!
Riz: THAT WAS NOT SAFE
Fig: (actually it's just dry. if u add water rn it'll dissolve)
Fig: ok catch!
Riz: [blank speech bubble] - careful!!
Fig: dw no need haha
page 16
Riz (thought bubble): oh - it's warm…
Fig: now I want you to throw this.
page 17
Fig: u gotta do it - c'mon
page 18
Riz: wh– - It's like 3AM right now
Fig: oh it's not /fired/ fired it's not gonna make a loud noise
Riz: And then just? leave a pile out here?
Fig: pour water over it & it'll be gone I told u
Riz: but
page 19
Fig (off screen): RIz.
page 20
Fig: I've done all this before.
Fig: Can you trust that at least?
page 21
Riz: no, I– - I do. - I trust you.
page 23
Riz: okay what happens now
(sound effect text): glob
page 24
Fig: we do it again!
page 25
Riz: wh. [larger than usual space] What do you mean. (this clay's too wet also)
Fig: see! you're already learning
Fig: [blank speech bubble] - there are flows that are futile to fight. - The world changes.
Fig: Things change.
page 26
Fig: I've learned my lessons with "forevers". - But - as an artist
Fig: I can give you one thing: - You can always do it again.
page 27
Fig: most of everything depends on the rest of the world, - but this. - making new. - that's yours as long as you want it.
page 28
Fig: So?
page 29
Riz: Yeah. - Yeah! - let's make another one.
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Solas: Dragon age Inquisition
Also known as Fen'Harel, the Dreadwolf. An Ancient Elvhen god.
I had to draw my favorite rift mage all armed up, looking casual yet intimidating and slightly sexy.
Because look at those thighs. I mean, damn.
Made with fineliners, and acrylic ink on paper.
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