#asleepythief

[sockablock]

Possible fic request - I've been thinking about Caduceus, and how he seems to be very familiar with the families from which he "gets" his tea. I kind of wonder if he knew any of them growing up, or if his family did? I'd love to read a like, short chapter fic that opens with a story of his meeting them, and then ends with him drinking their tea reminiscing.

- (Read on AO3) -

Their family name is Aigner, andthey arrive at the grove when Caduceus is seven.

His parents are thrilled, ecstatic even. It’s beenalmost a decade since the last visitors trekked through the Savalierwood andsurvived. They are ushered quickly into the temple that has been the Clayhousehold for centuries, and his family begins the process of making theirguests comfortable and treating their injuries. Caduceus’s father busieshimself in the kitchen, and his mother gets to work setting the ankle of theyoungest Aigner: a little half-elven girl who couldn’t have been older thanfive. 

Caduceus is very curious about her. Not just becausethey are the closest in size, but also because of her tears. Because of the wayshe wails after Mother gently takes her foot and pops the joints back intoplace.

He does not understand the crying—why should she be sadwhen she is being healed?

He tugs on Corrin’s sleeve as he rushes by with anarmful of towels, but gets nothing more than a hurried, “Later, Cad,later. We’re busy, right now.”

He is unsatisfiedwith this lack of a response, but does not let it show. His brother is right. This is the most activity their household hasseen in years. 

He hangs around the periphery as his parents and therest of his siblings listen to the Aigner’s request. The father, an older humanman with hair going early grey, has traveled here with his children to lay hiswife to rest. She was a follower of the Mother, he says, and her last wish hadbeen to return to the wild. 

He has brought her body. It is in a crude wheelbarrow bythe front of the temple. His greatest regret is that he could not have givenher a more dignified vessel.

But Caduceus’s mother just shakes her head. Shesays, “A greater regret is forgetting to cherish what you’ve already done.Look at you. Look at your beautiful children. Look at what you accomplished,today.”

Caduceus’s father adds, “Come on. Let’s look for agood spot. Today, our family helps yours.”

Caduceus is swept up in the tide of movement that comesnext. The father herds his three children out into the gentle forest sun, andCaduceus’s parents nudge their three children along as well. Father and Mother pushthe old wheelbarrow through the clearing, through thousands upon thousands ofblooming spring flowers. The grass below their feet is soft, the air sweet, awarmth and peace drifting across the grounds with every playful puff of breeze.

The Aigners look much better than they had an hour ago,though the littlest girl still seems perturbed. Caduceus wonders how that evercould be possible. This grove is the most serene place in the world.

Eventually, they all arrive at a small patch ofunclaimed earth. There is grass curling along the edges, but no life and noflowers mark the space as occupied.

Not yet, anyways. The father and older Aigner childrenhelp the Clays dig a pit.

They fill it. This part has never been anything butright. The most natural thing in the world is for a body to return to theMother who made it.

Even Caduceus, young as he is, knows this better thananything.

Then comes the part where the mourning family says a fewwords. Their still-fresh scars, just-closed wounds, the splint on the littlegirl’s foot, says more.

And then the hole is filled back in. The Aigner father fallsto his knees.

“I’ll see you again, my love. I promise.”

He pulls his children in close. They are in variousstates of tearful, as expected of a moment like this. 

Eventually, they stand. The father glances at Caduceus’sparents, and gives them both a faint, wry smile.

“She was supposedto outlive me,” he says. “She was supposed to outlive me by centuries.”

“Death can be unexpected,” Mother nods. “Even whenit is the only sure thing you can expect.”

The father gives a smile. He gestures slowly at theearth. “When will the flowers bloom?” he asks. “What will grow here?”

Cornelius Clay gives this a careful thought.

“Did she have a favorite flower?” he asks. “Perhapsa color she liked?”

“Chrysanthemums,” says a small, shaky voice. “Mommyliked chrysanthemums.”

They all glance down. The youngest girl had spoken. Herface is red from crying, her eyes are much too hard for her age. Her fists areclenched. Her shoulders are shaking.

For a moment, nobody responds. Her father, most of all,seems stunned. He reaches out as if to take her by the shoulder, but suddenly,Caduceus’s mother stops him.

She shakes her head. Then she turns to her youngest son.

“Do you remember the trick I showed you?” she asks.

Caduceus nods. Of course he does. He’s been practicingit every day.

“Do you know what flower we’re talking about?”

He nods again. He thinks he might know every flowerthere is.

His mother gives him a soft smile. “Then you’re incharge then, dear. Come back inside and let us know when you’re done.”

The father, Mister Aigner, blinks. “Wait, w—” hebegins, but then Mister Clay whispers something in his ear. Their eyes flickerover Caduceus, and then the little girl.

The father seems to understand. He nods. He crouchesdown, and murmurs to his daughter, “It’s okay. Take all the time youneed.”

She doesn’t answer. She doesn’t seem to want to.

Eventually, all of the older people leave. Corrin givesCaduceus a supportive thumbs-up as he runs after their parents back into thehouse.

And then, Caduceus and the little girl are alone.

There is a moment’s pause. Filled with song of a far-offswallow.

Then Caduceus turns towards her. He says, “Why areyou upset?”

She stares at the ground. She bites her lip.

“’Cause Mommy’s dead.”

Her voice is a rasping whisper, and a groan of rage allat once. It is a terrible sound to come from the heart of a child.

But Caduceus is confused. He takes a seat against thebarren dirt.

“So what?” he asks.

The girl seems thrown by this question.

“So…what?”

He nods. She considers this. Eventually she settles on:

“Mommy’s gone. That’s what.”

Caduceus blinks and tilts his head. “I know that,”he says. “That’s what happens when people die.”

The girl does not take this nearly as well as he thoughtshe would. She kicks the ground and whirls around on him.

“I know!” she shouts. “I know! That’s…that’s…Mommy is gone. She’s gone, and she’s not coming back. How come?” shedemands. “Why? Why did thathappen? It’s not fair!”

“It’s not,” Caduceus agrees. “But it happened. Idon’t know why. You dad didn’t tell us. Did he tell you?”

The little girl shakes with emotions she could neverfully understand. That nobody really could.

“He just says that sometimes, people go away,” she cries.“Sometimes stuff happens, and they’re gone forever.”

Caduceus nods. This information is more in line withwhat he had been brought up to know. 

“That’s what dying is,” he says. “It’s natural.”

The little girl stares at the ground again, and then staresat the weird, skinny, fur-covered boy in front of her.

After a pause, she takes a seat next to him. She crossesher arms.

“I don’t care,” she says. “I just want my momback.”

Caduceus, at least, can sympathize with that.

“I’m sorry she’s gone. I’m sorry you’re sad.”

She huffs. She folds her knees up and wraps her armsaround them.

“It’s not fair,” she says again, quieter thistime. “It’s not. Why does dying happen?”

Caduceus thinks for a moment. This is a question he hasbeen pondering for some time, now.

“I think…I think that’s just the way things are. Ifpeople didn’t die, then the world would be different. I don’t know how, yet,but I know that it’s bad.”

“How could it be bad?” the girl mumbles. “In thatworld, my mommy is alive.”

They sit there in silence, for a while. The swallowdarts across the sky and disappears into the trees beyond.

Then Caduceus asks, “Why did you cry, before?”

The girl lifts her head. She gives him an odd look.

“What?”

“Before,” he repeats. “When Mom fixed your foot.Why did you cry?”

She gives him a glare that manages to convey, in asecond, how incredibly stupid he must be. 

“Because it hurt,” she says. “Duh.”

Caduceus sighs. “But you got fixed, after. Theworst part was over, and now you can get better.”

She stares at him. “But it still hurt,” shesays. “Right now, it still hurts a little.”

He blinks. He’d never thought of it like that.

They are quiet for a little longer.

Then the girl says, “I wish she was here right now.She makes me feel better.”

“How?” Caduceus asks. 

“She just does.”

Caduceus looks at the ground. He puts his hand to thedirt and runs his palm along the earth.

“She can’t come back,” he says softly. “You knowthat, right?”

“I wish I didn’t.”

Caduceusnods. “I am sorry,” he triesagain. “Really. I…I wish I knew how to make you feel better.”

“I wish you did too,” the girl sighs. Her chin isresting against her knees. “I just miss her. I wish she wasn’t gone. Iwish she was here, instead of just stupid, empty dirt.”

Caduceus considers this. Then:

“Chrysanthemums?” he asks.

The girls’ eyes dart up again. “What?”

“Your mom’s favorite flower. Chrysanthemums, right?There are different colors. What kind?”

The girl opens her mouth. She closes it again. Shefrowns, and thinks, and then looks relieved when she remembers.

“Yellow.”

He nods. 

“Okay,” he says. “Watch.”

Caduceus Claygets up from the earth and carefully brushes off his trousers. Then he crouchesdown again, presses his palms to the ground, closes his eyes. His hair driftsagainst his face in waves, and the corner of his mouth is curled inconcentration. He has practiced this spell many, many times before, and though he knows what he is doing, thisis the first time he has done it for something as important as this.

 Chrysanthemums, he thinks. Yellow Chrysanthemums.

He feels the soundless squish of fertile earth beneathhis fingers. He feels the caress of twirling air past his cheek. He feels thesun warm on his back, smells the sweet song of spring nectar, bites down on histongue to focus and hears the lilting, far-off cry of a swallow.

He feels the magic taking hold. He feels somethingstirring in the soil.

When he opens his eyes, it is to see a wreath of swayingblooms. He is suddenly crouched shoulder-deep among tall green stems of thatend in bursts of thin gold petals, like thousands of tiny fireworks pressedtogether in light. They shuffle as he stands, as he admires his work, turns tobeam with pride at the little girl he has done this for.

But then he pauses. He frowns.

Mixed within these yellow chrysanthemums are dozens anddozens of a different sort of plant.

These are much taller, to start, towering over thechrysanthemums by a good foot or so. They are thin, and fragile-looking, andlean with the wind as it blows in across the clearing. Their stems are coveredin wide clusters of red and purple and pale pink leaves—no. Not leaves, butflowers.

It takes Caduceus a moment to realize. 

“Sweet pea?” he breathes out, confused. He takes a stepforward, and catches one in his hands.

“Sweet pea,” he repeats. “Huh.”

And then there is movement. The little girl has stoodup. She has taken a step closer, and is pressing a finger to the petals too.

“Is that what this is?”

Caduceus nods. “Yeah. Um…sorry. I didn’t mean forthem to happen.”

But the girl seems entranced. She just shakes her head.

“No, um…no,” she says. “It’s…my mom called methat. She said it’s what her mom called her.”

Caduceus blinks. He looks at the flowers.

“Oh,” he says. “Oh. I…oh.”

She runs her finger along a petal with the utmost care.

“It’s pretty,” she murmurs. “It’s…it’s reallypretty.”

Caduceus is encouraged by this. “I’m glad,” he saysquickly. “I wanted to help. And you said that this place was empty, so…Iwanted to change that. I can’t bring your mom back, but I can at least makesure that something’s here.”

The little girl glances at another swaying stalk.

“Sweet pea,” she repeats. “Huh.”

Caduceus twists nervously at his sleeves.

“Is it…is it—”

And then a pair of arms slide around his waist.

“Thanks,” the little girl whispers. “It’s not the same,but…it’s nice. Thanks.”   

Caduceus grins. Relieved, and thrilled.

“I’m sorry she’s gone,” he says one last time. “I’m gladI helped.”

She gives a soft nod.

And all around them, flowers sway in the breeze.

----------------------

more filled requests here!  -  💜 ☕ ☕💜

[anneapocalypse]

@asleepythief replied to your post “You know, before York’s inability to pick a lock became a running...”

York really was almost as much of a cockroach as Wash, now that I think about it. I wonder what the difference there was.

Doylist answer: plot armor.

Watsonian answer: spite.

[grimmmons]

HEY i heard a song recently that felt like a very Grif-to-Simmons kind of song that has the added benefit of kinda sounding like a Trocadero song and thought you might wanna hear it? It's called "I'll Never Clean My Room" by Swain, and the lyrics themselves are worth a glance

oh ya iove trocadero sounding stuff this is a goodun…. also i fuckin love song recs for anything ever just… so you know

[swallowtailed]

as someone who likes Cad Clay and Mollymauk about as much as one another on paper, after reading your theory I still can't help but wonder--if the theory is correct--if Clay is by definition a temporary character, designed to help the M9 with getting Molly's body safely to someone who can revive him, only for Clay's death magic to wear off and kill Clay? even I think that sounds like a stretch, but still. i wonder.

huh, i hadn’t considered that angle. i think clay is probably designed to be permanent, with the caveat that he could be temporary? just based on what the cast have said.

& considering the theory, i don’t think clay’s magic would wear off that quickly, especially if he’s been preparing for his quest out of the garden for a while. although he might go into decline at some point later on, which is an interesting idea!

[tuckerfuckingdidit]

hey red, why are you trying to give me feelings about KOTOR 2 in the year 2018, i feel like i might die thinkin about that game again

i would ask if you fUCKiNG know what it’s like to be handed a game ending so empty you would literally prefer to watch your video game husband die in front of you instead

but you know.

you know.

[unicornempire]

Have you ever seen the show Leverage? It's by the same showrunner as The Librarians, and it's like if Ocean's Eleven used their power for good every week

I LOVE LEVERAGE! I actually really only gave Librarians a long second glance because of the actor who plays Eliot being in it. I was sooo sad that they took it off of Netflix, I was even in the middle of a re-watch. I already did a Leverage design, but I have been kicking around the idea of maybe making another design for Parker’s Leverage, like- the trio afterwards running the show, though it’s definitely still in the primordial concept phase than anything else. If you have any thoughts, feelings or ideas send them my way I’m always keen!

[vanathema]

asleepythief replied to your chat “hiro: ugh i hate this intern getting his stupid feelings...”

" i tell you what if you like three or four edgelord rivalmances competing at once then exaid is the show for you" this sums up exAid in a way i really could not manage, bravo

Ex-aid is the story of the one soft boy left in all the world, surrounded by people spying on people spying on people lurking in the woods, all of them costumed like the akibarangers fell in a vat of printer ink

and I’m mad that it’s good

[livelivefastfree]

WHOOPS I misread, okay so: Kaia and Foxy!

FIVE-EYED LESBIAN ECO-TERRORIST

TAKE A FUCKING SIP, BABE

WITH YOUR GROSS NECK-MOUTH

[internet-cowboy]

tagged for 20 questions!!!

Rules: Answer the 20 questions in a new post and tag 20 (really? 20?) other blogs :^)

Nickname: serial, ego (handles) || jake, action jackson, pup (actual nicknames)

Gender: boy dog

Star Sign: cancer, honorary virgo

Height: 5′10″

Time right now: 8:04 PM pacific

Last thing I googled: can cat eat tomatoes

Favorite Bands: the mountain goats, dire straits, the weakerthans, the roches, volcano choir, timber timbre

Favorite Solo Artists: josh ritter, anais mitchell, jackson browne, justin vernon, andrew bird, barton carroll

Song stuck in your head: arlo guthrie - st james infirmary

Last movie I watched: rogue one in theaters, fantastic mr fox in general (best movie)

Last TV Show I watched: currently rewatching Looking

When did you create your blog: fun fact: no idea where to find this information

What kind of stuff do you post: gays, demons, dogs, cowboys, landscapes, folk, horror, miscellaneous trash

When did your blog reach its peak: that time failbetter games reblogged somethin from me; i use “peak” very loosely

Do you have any other blogs: i have a @commonplaceblog​ and a defunct folk music blog and a top secret blog that i used to hoard some truly horrifying pornography

Do you get asks regularly: ha no

Why you chose your URL: i am an internet cowboy

Following: 162

Posts: 9166

Hogwarts House: ravenclaw but with hufflepuff envy

Pokémon Team: last time i was playing competitively, it was uhhh... mega absol, starmie, aggron, mamoswine, infernape, and 6th position rotated out between kingdra and my shiny sableye. if i was to make a team just out of favorites: abra, tauros, sawsbuck, mudsdale, sableye, leafeon... shiny meowth

Favorite colors: pastel pink, sea green, grey

Average hours of sleep: like 11 but i’m working on it

Lucky Numbers: 2, 8

Favorite Characters: how can i begin to answer this. eliot from the magicians, doris from looking, gene from bob’s burgers, schmendrick, pentheus, christy mahon, usnavi, toriel, every single character from saga

What are you wearing right now: socks, boxer briefs and a college t shirt

How many blankets do you sleep with: like 4

Dream job: folklorist, or american lit professor (en route), but uh, alternatively, livestock rancher somewhere further north

Dream trip: venice for five days, then general backpacking and horsing around for a few weeks in the italian countryside. alone, or with another good italian boy

I NEVER DONE BEEN TAGGED IN ONE OF THESE BEFORE, I’M EXCITED, i can tag, um, well @asleepythief already went, so, @pootpolice​, @dendropsyche​, @beelzebunny​ (I KNOW WE’RE NOT FRIENDS I JUST WANT TO KNOW YOUR SECRETS), uh, i don’t have 20 friends,

[phemiec]

asleepythief

that is an amazing amount of sketchbooks and i am THROWING MONEY AT THE SCREEN, WHAT IS IN ALL THOSE

Mostly a lot of drawings of cole + terrible trash from highschool and college I’d be embarrassed to let anyone see.

But...there was a lot of cole, a surprising amount even for me really lol.

[anneapocalypse]

The RTX notes about Joe making a show bible after rewatching the series "several times" is bewildering considering the breaks in continuity as far as character growth are concerned. Then I saw that Joe "highlights the parts he believes could be expanded on" and ah. That explains it.

I’m sorry I just absorbed the fact that they didn’t have a show bible fourteen years in and my brain short-circuited.

[punishandenslavesuckers]

Is that also the reason for Maine's prior designation in WOTT? That guy from high school I mean.

LOL No not at all. I honestly have not thought of that guy at all literally until the Bright Sessions because specifically the way that character is written and voice acted is... well, a high-school aged football player crying about high-school aged teen drama and sad-texting his boyfriend. That immediately evoked the only dude named Caleb that I knew in high school. XD

I think abducted child-warrior Maine ended up having the civilian name ‘Caleb’ because it was biblically significant. Like it meant ‘loyal’ or something to that effect. 

[eponymous-rose]

I am dire need of help. I BADLY want to get into CR but like, I never have a chance to sit down for the length of one episode, but I regularly listen to podcasts throughout the day and knock them out easy. Do you know of a way to catch on the go or is it best to just slowly watch bit by bit?

Oh, you can definitely listen to this show in audio-only podcast form! They don’t release it in that format officially, but something like this site (best to approach it with adblock enabled) will let you grab the audio from a YouTube video and download it as an mp3. The complete YouTube playlist for the show thus far is here (new episodes are unlisted for a few weeks, but this playlist seems to get updated every Monday when the episodes are uploaded). The audio quality of the early episodes is… not great, but it improves quickly, and of course everyone involved has extensive voice acting experience, so it’s a good time. You may find yourself wanting to go back and watch certain scenes to see everybody’s reactions, though!

Listening bit by bit is also an option–most episodes have a break around the midway point, and while they’ve got an uncanny ability to end that break on a cliffhanger, it’s generally a fairly natural stopping point, and then you don’t have to rely on YouTube remembering where you left off. It’s definitely easier to find an hour and a half to watch something than it is to find three or four or five hours at a time!

[cat-gh0ul]

Homestuck troll mini adopts huge batch 21 / 09 / 2020

PRICES UNDER CUT 2/21 OPEN

1. Rainbow drinker $20 USD gothicusDeluxis

2. Violet blood $20 USD  INDIG0TEA

3. Olive blood $15 USD tailgatescutebooty

4. Teal blood $10 USD SloanShark

5. Cerulean blood $20 USD SloanShark

6. Jade blood $20 USD INDIG0TEA

7. Cerulean  blood $20 USD @astronomical-fantrolls

-

8. Purple blood $25 USD tailgatescutebooty

9.  Bronze blood $20 USD animesparkleluv96

10. Jade blood $15 USD SloanShark

11. Gold blood $15 USD WitchBiscuit

12. LIBUN $20 USD Kada-kism

13.�� AQUARIES $20 USD OPEN

14. ARPIA $10 USD WitchBiscuit

-

15. VIRPIO Rainbow drinker $20 USD WitchBiscuit

16. Violet blood $20 USD INDIG0TEA

17. LEMINO $25 USD @darigankyriis

18. PITTARIUS $30 USD @darigankyriis

19. ARO $25 USD OPEN

20. TAURUN $15 USD Flintpunk

21. TAURGA $10 USD @asleepythief

v v -tos- v v

No, I wil not accept art unless we are mutual follows.

I also accept video games on steam that are equivalent to the price occasionally so if thats easier for you just ask!

(will accept other currencies as long as it converts right)

Just send me your Paypal email and i will send an invoice for the money!

You can change the design as you see fit once bought WILL send a higher quality, non-watermarked image with paypal invoice.

Do not resell for higher than bought price unless art has been bought for the character

[critrolecloset]

brian wore the “chaser bag” by ukoala bag at denver pop culture con on 6/2/19. this bag was limited edition and i can’t find the exact price, but similar styles are between the $150-$200 mark. update: asleepythief on twitter has let me know that brian’s jacket is the “tracer” jacket in tempest by volante design, which is $450 and available in various sizes. thank you to starvingneopet on twitter for letting me use your photo op as reference!

[laceyloki]

The look from going out with @asleepythief & @thedaisygothic ! I call this water downed snow cone. 😂😩 The colors didn’t blend exactly like I anticipated, but that’s my fault and not @bhcosmetics ! But! I’ll never learn & get better if I’m not trying something new. . . . . . . . . . . . . Brands: Eyes (&Eyebrows): •Brow Whiz in Soft Brown from @anastasiabeverlyhills •Zodiac Love Signs Eyeshadow Palette from @bhcosmetics in the following colors: 1. Aquarius matte & glitter 2. Aries in matte & glitter 3. Taurus glitter 4. Capricorn glitter 5. Scorpio matte •Nano Liner in Black from @absnyproducts •Full Exposure Mascara in Black from @smashboxcosmetics Face: •Profilter in shade 170 from @fentybeauty •Profilter Concealer in shade 130 from @fentybeauty •Extraordinary Translucent Setting Powder from @ciatelondon •Wanderess Blush & Highlighter Palette in Havana Nights from @wander_beauty (I really love it OKAY) •Diamond Glow Powder (like a loose highlight) in Illuminati from @artistcouture •Make Up Setting Spray from @coola Lips: •Eve’s Cherry Lip Scrub from @lushcosmetics •Always On Liquid Lipstick on “Big Spender” from @smashboxcosmetics Face Prep: @curology . . . . . . . . Tags: #makeup #blonde #blondehair #curlyhair #pale #chubby #chubbygirl #curvy #curvygirl #curvywomen #browneyes #sexy #night #nightout #karaoke #dallas #dallastx #texas #blue #absolutenewyork #bhcosmetics #fentybeauty #wanderbeauty #smashbox #lushcosmetics (at Dallas, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3f4p5vgFoW/?igshid=1ds1yysn7b4dk