#clever cowbelle

[funny-critter-blog]

the doodles, dude

tabby! she exists!

I should draw sweetie and cody together more, they are adorable (I should draw cody more in general tbh)

he’s a lil’ scamp

terrifying, horrifying even

bigger is better from Sofia the First is so clever-core

what a silly lil guy

what’s he singing?

abrakadoodle is concerned (ft. @portalling101 and @doodledoesthing3)

…is that all of them?

wait, I found one more…

wonder what that means?

[guppie-draws-stuff]

I love these mildly unsettling cartoon animals so much

[guppieishere]

I did a whole lot of doodles on @blues-of-randomness ‘s whiteboard

(the frowning critters belong to @eggritos)

putting them under the cut cuz this post got long lol

I feel like all the canon and switcheroo critters would get along with their color counterparts, but Bobby and SweetiePup especially would be instant besties

wimpin my beloved

clever, probably talking about science or how smart she is

catcaper on a case!

bubba looks a bit worried! wonder what’s got him stressed?

I’ve only really dabbled in oc x canon once before, but I’ve been rotating clever x crafty in my head for a while. they are very silly

the short icons

snoozy and icky interacting

I have one more but I reached the pic limit so I’ll just put it in a reblog

[funny-critter-blog]

👀

bittify her, perhaps

Just had a silly idea

Any of you want your ocs turned bitty?

Just offer your sacrifice (oc) to me and I’ll turn them small for you 🤝

/hj

[forlorn-crows]

Crow!

I have a question...questions? Request? Maybe a little bit of both...?

I am a (relative) newcomer to the fandom, I've been hyper-focused on Ghost for the last year and my heart's completely, irreparably and quite blissfully gone on all of the Era IV Ghouls (Phantom and Aurora included), but, in particular, on our beloved Earth Ghoul Mountain (Mmmmmountain...💕)

HOWEVER, recently, I've begun trying to learn more about the previous era's Ghouls, and although I already have a growing appreciation for Omega, there's another that I find myself circling back to again and again and again...

...Zephyr.

Unfortunately, there seems to be a distressingly small amount of information on him in terms of HC's and fandom lore which really does make it harder to get a feel for his character and personality, so, I was wondering if you could help with that.

How do you see him in your head?

What is he like?

Who is he to you?

Please help me add a tenth Ghoul to the nine I already love...

hi, welcome!

ive got lots of headcanons about them so i'd love to go through some of those for you. i'll drop some great zephyr photos first and then we'll continue under the cut :3

firstly, i cant tell you where the name zephyr originated. maybe fanfiction or other fan circles. zephyr is more commonly known as "chAir", because they were almost always sitting down to play. sort of like cowbell is named after the instrument he appeared for two seconds to play lmao

you'll notice i use they/them pronouns for zeph. thats something i picked up from @gayrickgrimes when i first started interacting more with ghost fanfic. but lots of people also use he/him. not sure why nonbinary zeph has really stuck with me since then, but i quite enjoy it!

i would say the most commonly shared headcanons about zephyr are as follows:

older in age, like omega or alpha often are portrayed

has chronic back and/or joint pain (there's lots of clips of them walking off stage holding their back, thus the headcanon)

has light or white hair, commonly portrayed as longish and wavy.

reserved. maybe a little "old mannish" at times. less spontaneous than other ghouls.

however! they like groovin' on stage. can be seen doing some wiggles during their keytar solo or jamming out on their stool.

some artistic portrayals i love are @endopyre's, @turbodrawn's, and @kamonart's :3 also for a portrayal that doesnt necessarily fit those 'common' appearance hc's above is @joeynihil's zeph, whom i LOVEEE.

i also love @divine-misfortune's depictions of them, but i have indeed given void the zephyr brainrot soooo....oopsies sorry not sorry.

so, now onto the things i specifically headcanon about zephyr. i dont know if youve read any of my ficlets with them yet, but i do have a few! generally, i hc pretty similar to the above bullet points. some other thoughts i have are as follows:

i think zeph has a more antiquated way of speaking. doesnt use a lot of slang or 'modern' words. is very precise, refined in the way that they speak.

very amicable with and well-loved by their pack (aether, ifrit, dew, mountain).

has an 'air' about them, if you will (pardon the pun haha). some may say its too much like they're looking down their nose at you, but i think they're clever, smooth, and teasing in equal measure. has a way with words, in more ways than one.

they really do like to have fun on stage, and i think they like to 'let loose' a little bit that way. that ghoul can groove and move when they want to! and i do enjoy watching ritual footage of them, would recommend <3

not sure if you're interested in unglamoured hc's, but i think they turn very gangly, resembling something like a vulture or other long-legged birds. taloned feet and hands. hocked legs. feathers sticking out behind their ears and tattered, crooked wings. bright eyes that glow in the dark and can see for miles. razor sharp teeth. literally terrifying if you catch them peering at you from high in the trees.

likes when the others offer to help with their back pains. ifrit with his warm hands. aether with his quintessence. maybe mountain with weed or dew taking them to the lake to take some weight of their joints. always very kind, thankful in return.

i think the abbey has a chapel with an organ that zeph likes to play. i think that's what they learned on originally, and transferred that knowledge to the keyboard. when they retired from the band they still enjoyed playing for midnight mass or special occasions.

lastly, i think zeph is a quiet dom. very controlled of a ghoul in normal situations, but very good at controlling and directing others. has a silver tongue and can absolutely take mountain down to studs with just words. i have many feelings about mountzeph in general, and how their dynamic works, which ive explored a little bit. but in general, i think zeph likes to have that control, either because they have pain that doesnt allow them the freedom to explore certain pleasures, and/or because thats what they like. its natural and fun for them. and its certainly fun for everyone else involved lmao. i just think of them as a very elegant ghoul in all aspects of their life.

all in all, im very fond of zephyr as a character, at least how i see them in my head and how i've seen them portrayed by others thus far! hopefully that can serve as some inspiration for you in 'getting to know' this air ghoul :3

[rhaenella]

You & Me - Rhys Montrose x Reader - Part 23

Part 22 | Masterlist

Summary: What happens when reader assassin is tasked with killing the possible future mayor of London; Rhys Montrose. Politician by day, Eat the Rich Killer by night. But he isn’t the only person wearing different masks. 

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Violence, murder, immoral sociopathic behaviour, mentions of alcoholism, drug abuse and neglect, smut

Word count: 6.1k

A/N: at the end.

Song: Darkness In Your Heart – Cowbell

By the time you entered your sisters’ building, Zoe had already let you know via text that your mother wasn’t currently with them. That had been a massive relief. But, she’d said, there was something they needed to show you. She hadn’t specified what that something was, so your nerves were still working overtime, your stomach churning painfully.

What could that woman have done now?

And why, after all these years, was she still able to draw such a reaction from you? Get under your skin like that?

The answer was brutally simple: all the pain and sadness, the abandonment caused by her absence, and her behaviour that had led to your father leaving without a forwarding address—it was all still bottled up inside of you. How she’d hurt your family and had ruined your childhood. There were so many feelings and thoughts that you had pushed far, far away, never wanting (or ready) to deal with them. But ever since the house fire, something inside you had changed. 

The time of ignoring your mother’s antics had come to an end. She couldn’t get away with what she’d done. Not only to your sisters. But also to you. 

In your mind, she was to blame for most of your hardship, if not all of it. For the person you had become; cold and ruthless. Sure, there was a heart in there somewhere, you weren’t totally cut off from any type of feeling. Not entirely. But that only made your very being that much more confusing to you. 

The nature vs. nurture question wasn’t a theoretical concept to you. No, you lived that question and battle every day. What was wrong, and what was right? Had you been born this way, or had you become this way? Rhys had once confided in you that he didn’t think the answer to that question could ever be straightforward. That he deeply felt that—contrary to what American serial killer H.H. Holmes may have thought—people are not born with the devil in them. 

But did that come from a place of pure conviction? Or was it just another way to justify his own nature? 

You would have to try and find the answers to those questions another time, because first, there was something else you needed to know: were your sisters okay? There was no need to knock when you rushed to their front door, it was already open, with Sadie standing in the opening looking as pale as a wraith.

“Oh, Kittykat,” you sighed, wrapping your arms around her.

She buried her face in your shoulder, sniffing. “Thank you for coming…”

“Of course, baby, I got here as fast as I could.”

You followed her inside, where your other sister was in a similar state. Zoe hugged you tight, whispering a stream of apologies. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry–”

Running a soothing hand down her back, you frowned. “What for? You didn’t do anything.”

“No, but Rhys is all over Twitter with that new murder, and we knew you were with him this morning and we didn’t wanna bother you,” she trailed off.

You stepped away from her, alarmed. “What murder?”

She frowned as if the answer was obvious. “Tom Lockwood?”

Instant relief washed over you. For a moment, images of Rhys stabbing Jonathan to death and getting caught red-handed had flashed before your eyes. But thank god she was only referring to that other prick.

“He’s disappeared, Zoe. He might still be alive.”

She huffed. “Yeah, right. With all the murders happening lately, I doubt it.”

Inwardly, you smiled. She was way too clever for her own good. 

“Hey,” you grabbed her shoulders, levelling with her. “Don’t worry about it, okay? It’s horrible, whatever has happened to him. But like Rhys said, the police are investigating and will get to the bottom of it.”

“But what if this is another murder?” Sadie chimed in, worried.

“Then they will catch whoever’s responsible.”

They didn’t look convinced. And you couldn’t blame them. Even if you hadn’t been there to watch Lockwood take his last, dying breath—or been responsible to scatter his remains in a secluded grave—you wouldn’t have been persuaded by the current narrative either. Too many prominent people had died in the last couple of weeks, mostly thanks to you and Rhys. The idea of the famous CEO just popping up one day, alive and well, was a lot less plausible than murder.

Zoe shook her head, still sceptical. “How can you be so confident?”

Because, dear sister, I’m a con. That’s what I do.

You weren’t confident that the police would figure out who was actually responsible. No, you and Rhys had done a perfect job of covering it up. There was no way they could trace it back to you. However, it was precisely that confidence you used to enhance your lie. The best lies come from a place of truth, and masking the real intent behind your feelings by using them to convince people of something else, was a skill you’d gotten very good at.

Even if your sisters weren’t naive enough to fall for it like other people would, you still hoped it would reassure them a little. They were safe, as long as you were here to protect them. Your mind slid back to the real problem at hand. Your mother. The one unpredictable, dangerous variable you couldn’t control.

“I just know it. Now, enough about Lockwood. He isn’t important right now. Mum was here, you need to tell me what happened.”

“No,” Sadie bit her cheek. “She wasn’t literally here here.”

“But on the phone you said that she’s back,” you raised a brow, confused. “What is it you needed to show me then?”

Zoe took a breath. “Well, her proof of life. So to speak… and uhm, how shall we put it?” 

She looked to Sadie who merely shrugged. “An olive branch?”

Your questioning eyes darted from one sister to the other. “An olive branch?”

“Yeah, an olive branch,” Zoe nodded. “That’s the best way to describe it, I guess.”

“What the hell does that–”

Before you could finish the question, Sadie had retrieved a folded envelope from her back pocket, which she handed to you with a slight tremor in her hand. It had all three of your names written on it, sloppy and askew. Your frown deepened as you felt the envelope. Going by the low quality paper, it could definitely be from your mother. 

“A letter?”

They both nodded. 

Un-fucking-believable… Your mother had sent you a bloody letter? Saying what? Oh, I’m sorry for almost burning you alive, I hope you forgive me, Love, mum. What a joke.

“You already read it, I presume?” Another nod. Sighing, you turned the envelope a few more times. “And this was delivered here?” You could scarcely believe it.

Zoe shook her head this time. “No, it was delivered to Darcy College. They sent it over to us.”

You froze at that new piece of information, your blood running cold. You’ve got to be kidding me… Looking up slowly, your sisters flinched at the seething look crossing your face.

“They did what?!” you fumed, making both of them flinch again. “I left specific instructions that if she were to contact the school in any way or form, they had to let me know first! Jesus christ, what a bunch of bloody useless imbeciles…”

Zoe and Sadie shared a look at the sudden outburst, but didn’t say anything. They didn’t need to look at you twice to see you were under a lot of stress. And in those circumstances, it was usually best not to argue. Perhaps one of them should let Rhys in on that secret.

“I can’t fucking believe it,” you glanced down at the envelope. “What bullshit has she written then? What twisted web of lies has she conjured up this time to justify her actions?”

Zoe swallowed thickly, her voice quiet as she spoke. “Read for yourself…”

You bristled, angrily fishing out the two-page letter, the cursive handwriting all too familiar. Oh dear, here we go.

My dearest daughters,

I know I haven’t always been the best mum, but I’ve been working hard on myself. To be a better mum for you. After the incident, I thought two of my precious children had died. It was my fault. I couldn’t live with what I had done, so I ran. I almost died myself that night. But I was found by a retired officer who was kind enough to take me in. I barely remember what happened or what he looks like, but he was the one who told me to seek help. He said he knew of a very good place that had once helped his son. I’m not gonna lie to you, sweet daughters, I was hesitant at first. The first step in recovery is to acknowledge your own mistakes and wrongdoings. I’ve learned that now. And that night, I took my very first step. The kind man called someone he knew at the facility and then drove me there. It was the last I saw of him. After I finish this letter, I plan to write to him too. Donald, my primary caretaker, said he knows the man’s address and will post the letter for me once I finish writing. 

But first this letter to you. You’re my priority. Maybe you won’t believe me, but you have always been my priority. Y/N, since the day you were born, you stole my heart and my love. You were my bright little bundle of joy, always smiling and happy. Until you were not. Another acknowledgement: that was my fault too. 

But back to the present. Cause I’m trying to look to the future nowadays. Moving forward. Once I got here, I checked myself into St. Raphael’s Clinic in Northampton. They help people like me here. To get better. To make amends with myself and the people in my life. I know I have a long road ahead of me before I can say that I’ve truly bettered myself. Because I know my actions have caused a lot of pain and suffering. I know that. I’ve been a terrible mother to you. And I will have to live with that knowledge until the end of my days. But that’s why I want to make things better now. For you girls. So that maybe you can find it within yourselves to forgive me, and we can be a real family once again.

The moment they told me you had survived and that you are okay, my dearest Zoe and Sadie, I felt a strength arise in me that I had never felt before. I know I can do this. I’m certain of it. Frankly, I’ve never been more sure about anything else in my life.

There’s so much I wish to talk to you about. I hope you’ll give me the opportunity to do so. Because I think I’m finally ready. To see you and to explain more about what has been going on, and how my treatment is progressing. That’s why I would like to invite you to come visit me at the clinic. You can meet Donald. I’ve been talking his ears off about you girls, he’ll be happy to finally put faces to the names. But it’s nothing compared to the joy it would bring me to see you again. Hold you in my arms again. And properly apologise for all that I have done.

So, please come see your mother soon. I love you.

Mum

(P.S. I’ve written the address on the back)

Tense silence filled the flat as you finished reading your mother’s messy letter. You stared blankly at the pages in your hands, your thoughts racing. What the hell had you just read? It seemed she survived the accident, and was now residing at some… addiction clinic in Northampton? Reading between the jumble of nonsensical sentences, you were sure it was also supposed to contain some kind of wayward apology. You didn’t know whether that should make you laugh or cry. 

In your eyes, this was nothing more than the ramblings of a delusional woman, definitely not someone who was getting better. Because if she was really getting better, she wouldn’t have had the fucking nerve to even send this in the first place. How fucking dare she? You shook your head in disbelief as you blinked up at your sisters. Sadie was chewing on the end of her nail whilst Zoe nervously twisted her clammy hands, both anxiously awaiting your reaction. If possible, their worried looks made you even more angry. 

“This is pathetic.”

Sadie winced. “Which part?”

“How about all of it?” you sneered. “She’s doing what she’s always done. Making up excuses for the shitty person she is.”

“Maybe she really thought we were dead…”

“So fucking what?” you spat, not even realising you were crumbling the letter in your hands. “That isn’t a bloody excuse to leave you alone after a potentially fatal accident, in an upside-down car, in the middle of a busy intersection no less. Not to mention, the house she had set on fire before leaving you to fucking burn alive in there.”

“She came back, though,” Sadie mumbled, shrugging her shoulders weakly.

“Are you kidding? Kittykat, she’s obviously just pretending to be the sweet ‘I’m going to better myself’ innocent, little lady. Probably to get out of that clinic as fast as she can to shoot up and start drinking again. Or to get us to pay for her bloody treatment. Or both.”

“Or she really wants to start getting better…”

Zoe flinched when your blazing eyes landed on her. “Et tu, Zo?! Really?” 

She shrugged as well, looking so meek, it startled you a little. She was usually much more fiery. Like you. But, you supposed, your mother had a funny way of toying with all of your heads. 

Sweet-talking her way back into your lives was second nature to her. Not that it would ever work on you. Not anymore. You were the unlucky one who had the most experience dealing with years of false promises and confessions of love. Each and every time, she failed to deliver. Hurting you again. Hurting you even more than before. There was a good reason your dad had left when he could. The fucking coward... Making life that much harder for you as you practically had to raise your little sisters all by yourself. Whilst also picking up the slack after your mother, who just kept on partying, not caring about anyone but herself.

Your sisters knew that. They weren’t stupid, they had lived through that as well. And even with their younger age, they wouldn’t quickly forget about it. But maybe, just maybe, because you had always tried to shield them from your mother’s antics as much as you could, their (naive) hope of this being a real pivotal moment in mum’s life, was a bit more tenacious than yours. 

You took a calming breath. It wasn’t their fault that they longed for a normal mother. A normal family. But, as hard as it would be for them to hear it, they would never have one. 

“Come here,” you sighed, your voice softer than before. Zoe and Sadie wrapped their arms around you, and you stayed like that for a while, hugging them tightly in the middle of the living room. When you pulled back, Sadie’s cheeks were wet, and you cupped her delicate face to wipe the tears away. 

Another breath, and you clasped their hands in yours. Breaking their hearts was the last thing you wanted to do, but you needed to make them understand that your mother wasn’t going to change. Not now. Not ever. No matter how ‘bright’ the future might seem.

“Listen to me,” you implored, squeezing their hands. “I know you want to believe her. I want to believe her too. But it’s a promise she’s made a thousand times over. And never, not once, has she lived up to it. I don’t want you guys to build up your hopes, only to find it crushed again later when she inevitably fucks up… Because she will. That’s who she is. It’s who she’s always been, and always will.” 

More tears fell from Sadie’s eyes, Zoe’s welling up as well, and your heart broke at the sight. 

“Hey–hey, shhh,” you pulled them into another hug, swallowing your own tears at seeing them like this. “I know it hurts, but she’s not worth your tears. She’s not worth them. Okay? And she’s certainly not worth our time.”

Sadie sniffed into your shoulder. “So you don’t think we should go see her?”

You managed to stop yourself from barking a loud No! They needed comfort more than anything else. Swallowing again, you shook your head. “No, baby, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Not ever? Because what if the accident was a wake-up call for her? Maybe—and I know it’s unlikely—but maybe if she does get better and stays sober… we can go see her,” she tried, even though she sounded a lot less hopeful than before. But still oh so young.

They pulled back, both wiping at their faces. “I agree, Y/N,” Zoe spoke for the first time since you snapped at her, her wet eyes holding yours. “If she manages to stay on the right path, what harm can it do to see her and hear her out?”

It could break you, that’s what.

But right now, their innocent, hopeful eyes were breaking you.

“I still don’t think it’s a good idea,” you said, running a frustrated hand through your hair. “It would be a mistake, quite frankly.”

Zoe huffed, resoluteness creeping into her eyes. “Then let it be a mistake���let it be our mistake to make. I don’t know about you,” she briefly looked to Sadie. “But I don’t think I could live with myself if I never gave it one last try.”

“Me neither,” Sadie said, unwavering, her face also turning dead serious. 

You held their steadfast gazes, another tense silence stretching between you. Evidently, stubbornness was genetic… Even in their pain and disarray of conflicted emotions, they wanted to see this through. And they weren’t going to change their minds. Quickly realising you wouldn’t be able to persuade them otherwise, at least not right now, you sighed reluctantly. 

“Fine,” you said, clipped. Their faces lit up, but you were quick to tamper their excitement. “But I will contact the facility first, okay? Check in with the doctors about her prognosis. And if everything is indeed the way mum claims it to be, only then, can we have a serious discussion about seeing her. Together. Yeah?”

They shared another look, their mouths curving into pleased smiles before they nodded their heads in agreement. “We can work with that.”

“Good… But in the meantime, I need you both to promise me you won’t seek her out. Do not contact her in any way. She doesn’t know your address, and I’d very much like to keep it that way. Rhys went through a lot of trouble to make sure she wouldn’t be able to figure it out. Let’s not let him down.”

“We promise,” Zoe and Sadie said at the same time. Then Sadie added: “Thank you, sis. Thank you…” And they gave you another long hug, radiating a mixture of great relief and gratitude.

“I’m so sorry it has to be this way, I truly am. I just want to make sure you’re safe and that she cannot hurt you anymore. You’ve been through enough.”

“We know,” Zoe mumbled, squeezing you tighter. “We’re not mad at you. Honestly, we understand. But you also gotta understand that this is something we feel we need to do.”

“Yeah,” Sadie nodded as she leaned back. “Even if she’s an absolute nutter, she’s still our mother. Besides, weren’t you the one who taught us that everyone deserves a second chance?”

That was true. More or less. But this wouldn’t be a second chance for your mother, it would be her million-and-second. Still, you knew there was no point arguing with them. Therefore you didn’t. Just like there was no way in hell you would ever actually allow a reunion between your sisters and that toxic witch. But they didn’t need to know about that, so you nodded, forcing a smile onto your face.

“You’re right,” you offered, glancing between the two of them. “And you’ve both grown into such smart, independent, young women. I’m so proud of you, of course I will respect the choices you make.”

Respect them, yes. But in dire situations such as these, you would make sure they wouldn’t be able to see them through. You just had to play along long enough until there would be nothing but a grave left to visit. Because this letter had sealed your mother’s fate. She had to go. Before she could do any more irreparable damage to your already torn-up family.

Luckily, your ‘promise’ was enough for your sisters right now, and they both smiled appreciatively. 

“Thank you, Y/N,” Zoe whispered softly. “Thank you for always being here for us. I love you.”

Sadie lifted a finger, instantly correcting her. “Nuh-uh, we love you.”

“Right right, I’m sorry. We love you,” Zoe chuckled.

Even as your mind clouded over with dark thoughts, their declarations managed to ground you. “I love you too,” you smiled, distantly hoping that they would still feel this way after you’d killed the woman that had birthed you. And that they would eventually come round to see it your way. Because your reasonings were blatantly simple after all. Protecting your sisters had the highest priority, higher than their immediate happiness and wishes.

Speaking of priorities… Jonathan. Lockwood. Atkinson. Your mind couldn’t help but drift to the usual three suspects (apart from your mother) who succeeded in keeping you occupied nearly 24/7. You realised your better half was probably eagerly awaiting an update on the mum situation and, even with everything going on here, you were quite antsy for an update on Jonathan as well. 

You mumbled a quick apology as you fished out your phone. “Sorry, I just remembered, Rhys asked me to let him know if everything was alright. So, uhm, I’m just gonna–”

Their faces immediately turned knowing at the mention of London’s favourite politician. “You do that, sis,” Sadie giggled, stepping back to give you some space. “You know, it speaks volumes how much he cares about us.”

Zoe snorted, adding: “Yeah, I’m sure lover-boy is dying to do anything for her affection.”

“Oh, definitely! Remember how he couldn’t keep his eyes off of Y/N whilst he was showing us our new flat?”

“Mhm, I remember,” Zoe smirked. “What about you, sis?”

Rolling your eyes, you didn’t even bother to retort, typing a new message to Rhys instead. Inwardly, you were glad their moods had lightened a little, and that they were back to their usual, annoying selves.

<<< They’re okay

His reply was instant.

>>> Thank god. Are you?

<<< I’m fine

<<< Jonathan?

>>> Still alive. Your mother?

<<< Still alive…

<<< But not for long

You imagined him chuckling ever so slightly at your text.

>>> She’s still there?

<<< No, she never was, she sent a ridiculous letter

<<< I’ll show it to you later

>>> I see. Do you want me to come pick you up?

It was a simple question, yet the answer proved not so straightforward. Yeah, you wanted him to. But leaving your sisters alone after this whole ordeal? There was no way you could. During your inner debate, Zoe had, as silent as a cat, managed to sneak up on you, and was now squinting at the screen, trying to read your texts. You whirled around, locking the device just in time before she could see too much. 

“Oi!”

“Are you gonna go see him?”

“Don’t be so damn nosy.”

“Are you?” she prompted with a smile, not in the least bit deterred.

You hesitated for a second. “No. I’m staying here with you.”

Compassion flashed across her features. “It’s okay, sis. You can go if you want to. And we both know you do,” Zoe added with a wink. “There’s nothing we can do about mum now, anyway.”

You huffed. “You’re kicking me out?”

“Call it what you want,” she snickered. “No, but seriously, I actually have an evening class that’s starting in an hour, and I don’t know what time I’ll be back. Some of us are gonna get drinks later. And, to be honest, I could really use one.”

You frowned just as Sadie joined the conversation again. “Yeah, same. I was supposed to meet a few friends,” she said, checking her watch. “So, if you want to go, it’s fine. We’ll be okay.”

Your frown only deepened and Sadie smiled reassuringly, grabbing your shoulders in the same manner you had done earlier. “Truly. Honestly. Cross my heart,” she promised, shaking you slightly to get the point across.

You opened your mouth to protest again, but Zoe was quick to cut you off. “Seriously. Go to him,” she nodded, encouraging. “We won’t be on our own tonight. So why should you be?”

You groaned. Yes, she made a good point. But not even ten minutes ago, you were holding them tight, drying their tears, and now they were assuring you all was well? You had a hard time believing it. Even if you knew their friends were very supportive and would be there to keep an eye on them.

“But you’re still upset by what happened, understandingly so. I can’t just leave you–”

“Yeah, you can,” Zoe said, simple. “And you will. How many times do we need to tell you we’ll be fine. Don’t get me wrong, I still feel like absolute shite, there’s no way I can’t be…”

“Same,” Sadie cut in, then let her older sister continue.

“Like… of course we do. And you do too. But we all have people close to us that we can talk to, and help us forget about our shitty lives. Even if it’s just for a little while.”

“Righttt,” you bit back an amused smile. “By drinking? …Sound familiar?”

“Okay, first of all, we’re in no way as bad as our mother. Secondly, do you honestly expect me to believe you’re not gonna open a bottle of wine the second you get home?” You pursed your lips, unable to counter that (even with your expert lying capabilities), making her smile triumphantly. “That’s what I thought. Now go tell Rhys to come pick you up, or I swear to god I will knock you to the floor and send that text myself.”

One last lingering look, which your sister matched with an intensity that equalled a pre-fight staredown, and your shoulders sagged in surrender. “Jesus… Okay, fine! Bloody hell, you’re a vicious woman when you choose to be, aren’t you,” you murmured, grabbing your phone again.

Sadie barked a laugh as Zoe coyly shrugged, not even trying to hide her smug grin. “Yeah, I know.”

Shaking your head with a smile, secretly proud of their resilience, your thumbs flew over the keyboard, finally sending a reply.

<<< Yes

A few minutes later, your phone pinged again.

>>> Finishing up now. Be there in 40.

Reading the text, your smile widened involuntarily. The prospect of seeing Rhys again, and having a like-minded individual (aka another psychopath) to discuss your complicated emotions with, instantly made you feel a lot better about this chaotic mess of a situation. You locked your phone, then looked up at your sisters, who were eyeing you with obvious delight.

“I take it lover-boy is on his way?”

You snorted. “Yes. He’ll be here by the time you’re leaving.”

“Good. I’m sure Rhys will be able to ease your mind about mum,” Zoe said, wiggling her brows suggestively.

“Yeah, I’m sure he will,” you laughed, but your smile slipped a little. He certainly would, but not in the way Zoe had suggested. Rhys would help ease your mind, yes—by plotting stone-cold murder. A very different type of pleasure…

By the time Zoe was ready to go to class, and Sadie had grabbed her things to meet up with her friends, the sun had started to set. You briefly recapped today’s crazy events when the three of you made your way outside. The Comic Relief meeting seemed like ages ago, with Lockwood’s disappearance finally hitting the news, Rhys’ impromptu press conference in Whitechapel, Zoe’s text about mum, you and Rhys falling out… him going to see Jonathan, whilst you sprinted through the streets of London to save your sisters from… a bloody letter. You would almost forget that a mere 24 hours ago, you were stalking your latest victim into the Natural History Museum, to kill him. 

Privately, you let out a long and tired sigh. The short summary confirmed it: your life was absolutely bonkers.

After you’d hugged your sisters goodbye, you’d reluctantly let them go, like an overprotective mother on the first day of preschool. But not before once more making sure they were really fine. “We are, Y/N… Please, stop worrying, and enjoy your night. We’ll try the same.” And with that, they’d gone—and you were left to wait outside their flat, rubbing at your temple. 

A headache was forming. The dull, throbbing pain wrapping itself around your head the way a tightening elastic band would. But that wasn’t unexpected, considering the circumstances. Especially not since you were currently making yourself go nuts by squinting at your phone, pocketing the device, taking it out. Then, pocketing it again. And taking it out again. For a few minutes, you kept at it, only worsening the vexing pain in your head, until you had enough of your own indecisiveness, and mentally slapped yourself in the face. 

“Oh, fuck it,” you muttered, angrily tapping the screen to google your mother’s rehab facility’s number. Before you could rethink your actions for the gazillionth time, you pressed the green call button, nervously (not that you would ever admit it) tapping your feet against the concrete pavement.

There was a short dial tone, a click on the other end, then a monotone voice greeting you with unprecedented enthusiasm.

“You’ve reached St. Raphael’s Clinic emergency line, this is Paula speaking. If you are calling without experiencing an immediate, life threatening situation, I kindly urge you to call back tomorrow between the working hours of eight and five.”

The tone with which she spoke suggested that pretty much everyone calling their ‘emergencies only’ after-hours hotline, was never really in any danger at all. And that it annoyed her to no end. You bit your lip. You were about to add yourself to that list, even if in your eyes, your particular situation seemed dire enough to warrant special treatment. Probably like everyone else…

“Hi, Paula. My name’s Y/N Y/L/N, I’m calling about my mother, Valerie Campbell–”

“Is your mother in immediate danger, Miss Y/L/N?”

A wry smile tugged at your lips. Kind of…?

“I’m not exactly sure,” you faltered, tapping into the worry you genuinely felt, but using it to play the concerned daughter in hopes of persuading Paula not to hang up on you. “I believe my mother is a patient of yours.”

An exasperated sigh came from the other end of the line. “Miss, I told you, this number is for emergencies only–”

“Please, Paula, don’t hang up on me. I know this isn’t exactly an emergency, but my mother was in a really bad car accident a few weeks ago. I only found out today where she is, after she disappeared without a trace and I tried everything I could to find her, but to no avail…” you sniffed, faking a distressed sob for good measure. “Now I’m told she found her way to Northampton somehow, and is staying at your clinic. Please, please, tell me how she’s doing. I’ve been worried sick all this time.”

It was quiet for a moment. You didn’t try to fill the silence, only sobbing every now and then, as you waited for Paula to come to the conclusion that it wouldn’t hurt to help a distressed daughter in need. You imagined there wasn’t much else she could be spending her precious time on anyway. She likely sat next to that phone all evening and night, drinking litres of coffee in order to stay awake, waiting for the next person to call with a bullshit excuse like yours.

Another sigh, and Paula relented. “You said her name was Valerie Campbell?”

“Yes.”

You held your breath, listening to the harsh clacking noises of Paula hitting the computer’s keyboard as she pulled up your mother’s file. Two excruciatingly long minutes went by before she spoke again, in the same tiresome voice.

“Ah, yes. I see here your mother was indeed admitted to our clinic. She came in with a heavy set of old and new bruises, as well as some second-degree burns, for which she was treated by our medical team. The retired policeman that brought her in told us Ms. Campbell had strongly refused to go to the hospital, otherwise he would have taken her there first… Her injuries are healing nicely, so there’s no need for you to worry. She’s currently under treatment for substance abuse… primarily an alcohol and cocaine addiction.”

You frowned slightly. So far, this information backed up the claims your mother had made in her letter. No lies thus far. You weren’t sure if that was supposed to be comforting or not.

“...I’m also seeing that you’re listed as her emergency contact. Just your name, though. Your mother couldn’t provide a phone number or an address. Can I add this number from which you’re calling to the file?”

“Uhm, yes. That’s alright,” you said, rubbing your temple again. The headache wasn’t getting any better. “H–how is she doing? Like, mentally?”

“I unfortunately don’t have access to her psychiatrist’s files, those are sealed for obvious reasons.”

“Right… Of course.”

“However,” Paula continued. “As her daughter, you are within your rights to discuss your mother’s well-being with her doctor, her psychiatrist, etcetera. You will have to make an appointment at the clinic, if you wish to do so.”

“I do,” you said quickly, perhaps a little too eager. “Uhm–does that–can I also see my mother? She asked for me to come, actually.”

“Yes, you most definitely can. Generally, you will have an appointment with her primary caretakers first, after which you can see your mother. If she’s up to it, of course.”

“Oh, good… Uhm, yes, then I would very much like to schedule an appointment, if that’s possible.”

“I just told you it was,” she replied tartly, rigid typing sounds filling your ear again. “Let’s see when we’ve a spot available…”

It turned out the facility was absolutely packed with addicts, and there weren’t nearly enough doctors available to handle the impressive workload. Meaning you were now scheduled to visit the clinic in ten days time. You pushed aside your annoyance, telling yourself that you needed the time to carefully plan this visit anyway… There wasn’t room for error here. Besides, the intel that the clinic was immensely understaffed—like most care facilities in Britain—was certainly valuable information for someone who wanted to commit matricide on their premises.

All in due time, you thought to yourself. She’s not getting away with it this time. But even as you wholeheartedly believed that this is what you were meant to do, you couldn’t stop the cold lump of dread from forming in the pit of your stomach. 

Sadie’s words rang through you, causing a shiver to run down your spine. “She's still our mother.” Yes… She was. But she didn’t deserve to be.

You managed to hide your actual feelings and thanked Paula for her help, then finally hung up, letting the sore woman return to her uneventful evening at St. Raphael’s Clinic.

As if on cue, a black car rounded the corner, screeching to a halt in front of you. The door immediately swung open, revealing a worried Rhys. When his blue eyes met your weary ones, his ever-soothing presence still managed to calm your racing pulse. Sparking a light in the sinful darkness of your heart. Assuring you that no matter what the future had in store for you two, everything would work out in the end. 

It simply had to…

–––– 

A/N: Now that all the cards have been revealed, it’s time to see how they will play out…

––

Tags: @artaxerxesthegreat

[everybodyshusband]

because i know you have Thoughts: tell me about aeon :3

i doooooo !!!! <3

How I feel about this character

he's my baby, my plaything, my poor little meow meow, my evil dude and my pet to project everything and everything onto <3

All the people I ship romantically with this character

it's the ghouls so... everyone, really sdkfjnksdf particularly swiss, dew and rain though but i'm not really sure why, they just seem to fit together well

My non-romantic OTP for this character

well @midnight-moth got me into cowbell & aeon and i've seen the light and been converted dbkdjfnf they're the best of friends your honour (i see them as having a romantic relationship as well but in my eyes the ghouls interact platonically just as much as they do romantically so i think they count :3)

My unpopular opinion about this character

my aeon headcanons shift constantly but my favourite (that i haven't written yet, oops !!!) is that i think he's veryyyy quick to anger but he's quiet about it. he won't blow up in anger like some of the other ghouls can. when he's angry, he's clever enough about hiding it that no one will know unless he accidentally lets that mask slip. he holds grudges like no one else and once you get on his bad side, there's barely any chance of redemption in his eyes

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon

uhhh i wish we got more of the mummy dust hip thrusts 👀

[funny-critter-blog]

DROP THEM HERE! (Please include Artfight link)

[shinygoku]

Rubber Soul (1965)

I've been looking forward to this one! It's arguably the point where the band shifts from Consistently Good to Consistently GREAT, and also where some point to as being their apex. While that may seem premature, given what will soon follow, there may be truth in these takes, and I know this album harbours absolutely amazing numbers. Interestingly, the US release actually modified the track listing to be Acoustic Only, which results in some people's preferred version, but I disagree as it means one of my Top Favs is cut (and it goes against the Band's Intent lol). I'm only covering the Original UK Canon for the albums, except for [spoilers lol] MMT and when I gather singles together.

The famous serendipitous distorted image! It's sure conveying A Mood, though I can't say it's a favourite of mine. But I can say that it's possibly the cover I've seen the most, as the music classroom at school had it on the wall among several other non-Beatles records, though I persistently misread the title as "Rubber Soup" instead due to the placement lmao

SIDE ONE

Drive My Car: A bodacious and unique opener here, their first song with a Female Protagonist (if via a Male POV character)! Now only that, but one with ambition and confidence, which really makes this song fun. Even as a Car Disliker, I'm fully on board with the high energy and witty lyrics, and there's something infectious about Beep Beep, M-Beep Beep YEAH! The new Red Album version makes the instruments clearer like the cowbell and tambourine, and it's such a strong first song for this collection~

Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown): The famous Sitar debut! This one's narrative gives it a bit of infamy too, as it seems to be another tale of misread signals, but this one with a somewhat shocking twist at the end! Still, the music is very good even with iffy implications lmao. I also dig the waltz timing and clever description of the scenery.

You Won't See Me: I sometimes get this confused with I'm Looking Through You, as they're both Paul songs with pretty much the same jist. However, I'd call this one the weaker of the two. That's not to say it's bad, but the pessimist vibe and the song seemingly losing energy as it progresses make it less of a bop than the sister song, to me at least.

Nowhere Man: I would like to tentatively claim this song as my Favourite of The Beatle's whole catalog. For one thing, it's their first Original that is NOT about love/sex/"dancing" lmao, which makes it more relatable on top of an already empathetic tale. Hmm... the songs John writes quickly after an art block are real easy to relate to for some reason! ^^;; - The Electric instruments meant the song was omitted from the US version of RS, as they were going for an acoustic only feel. Some people think that was a cool idea, but if it comes at the cost of Nowhere Man, I can't agree!! And of course, while the song is another one of John's autobiographical #mood tunes, the use of this in Yellow Submarine as Jeremy's leitmotif and that gorgeous, lovely animated sequence help this one stick in the noggin even more. I always look forward to hearing it~

But anyway, the music itself has SUCH a beautiful distinct feel to it too, the spoken word intro before the Twang of electric guitar kicks it off! The simple but steady driving bass and drums with beautiful little rolls periodically, the way the song repeats and goes back on itself~ I appreciate how the narrator does offer a little bit of reassurance, too... the Nowhere Man might be going in circles, but there's still hope and potential aid to be found...! Opportunity lies in front of you as long as you can find a path!

Think For Yourself: Here's George's moody number for the album! The buzzing bassy twangs offset by the jingle of what I presume is a tambourine, to match his disinterested lyrics about rejecting someone too keen on hearing his take on things. It's solid and distinct but we still have a ways to go before Peak George (at least, those are my own thoughts, dohoho).

The Word: Hmmm.... this kinda feels like a beta test for what would later become All You Need Is Love, albeit with a decidedly different backing music flavour. Unfortunately the lyrics aren't doing it for me, somehow it feels more repetitive and a bit droning, even though (like AYNIL) it's sending a positive message and psychedelic vibe.

Michelle: I love this one, it's so warm and quite sweet. I'm bad at French so the small amount sprinkled in here sounds convincing enough, I think he's saying something like "My Beauty" "[something something] Very Good Combination" and other such phrases. There's a curious atmosphere, like Paul's already kind of come to terms with the inevitable failure due to the language barrier, but he's indulging in a fun what-if daydream. The loud guitar twangs and gentle pace really sound lovely too~ (Note: Upon googletranslating the French I was a bit off lmao)

SIDE TWO

What Goes On: I want to like this song. I want to enjoy so bad, but I'm afraid I'm struggling to. The backing music is great, and the story being told is solid (if in a Beatles For Sale type scenario lol), but the title getting drawn out over and over kind of irk me. Maybe cause that's where the Harmonies get put instead in a better part of the song? I'm a certified Ringo enjoyer but this doesn't seem to be highlighting his strengths the way previous and future songs do.

Girl: I'm not into ASMR so the part where John goes right up to the mic to suck in air doesn't please me at all! XD;; The rest is fine, I like the gentle guitar rhythm, and the lyrics are clever, but when I keep cringing away from the speakers, it does rather affect my enjoyment of a song.

I'm Looking Through You: Hey, it's the sister song to You Won't See Me! I think this one is a bit stronger. I'm also inclined to wonder if Paul's recurring vagueblogging in song form about his dissatisfaction about his relationship to Jane Asher raised any red flags? I mean damn, twice in one album?! And again in the next one? Still, this one has groovy backing tunes and memorable lines, which YWSM lacked to me.

In My Life: This is another favourite for me! And yet again John's autobiographical lean makes a banger lol. This one is ambiguously framed, it's easy enough to see as Romantic but with how much the past people alluded to, I feel like it makes a better memorial song than the many Lover type numbers they've done. And of course, I must remark on the sped up piano/harpsichord(?) bridge/middle eight (???), as that really gives this already more unique song another serving of special sauce~

Wait: This has suuuuch a great backing instrumental, and the vocals and lyrics ain't bad either~ This feels like (yet) another case where a perfectly good, solid song got overshadowed by the competition, and if it were a non-Beatles release it may've topped charts...! Not to say it's the best of the album or even a favourite, but it's Solid! According to youtube comments, this was actually rejected from the Help! sessions?! If true then that only reinforces my point about how odd the perception is, though it's also possible that they did some improving in the time passing lmao

If I Needed Someone: This one is fine too! I don't have as much to say though, the lyrics are a bit wishy-washy but I can't fault the "Aaaaaaaahhhhhh" harmonies or steady drums :>

Run For Your Life: Oooouuugggghhhhhhhhhhhhh 😬 Isn’t it a shame when an incredible instrumental is tied to awful misogynistic words?! [AVGN Voice] What a shitload of fuck! What were they THINKING!? - Before I heard it I knew there was at least 1 incredibly iffy line, but that was wrong, it's the WHOLE damn thing!

I don't wanna come across as the Purity Culture type, who thinks there isn't room for Le Problematique aspects in art, but the entire song leaves not just a bad taste in the mouth, but it also kneecaps the album at the last hurdle. Rubber Soul is close to a no-skips album for me but this is a bummer. And it could have been amazing if it was less aggressive and unambiguously threatening. Homaging an Elvis line in a way that makes me wanna avoid Elvis songs too. Woopieeee. I know John came to regret this one, and again I emphasise it coulda been great if they didn't pick a shitty gimmick for the Words.

CONCLUSION

Best 3: Drive My Car, Nowhere Man, In My Life

Blurst 3: You Won't See Me, The Word, Run For Your Life

If Help! was the band hitting their stride, Rubber Soul is where they really pick up on speed! Almost every song is either fun, clever, beautiful or just plain catchy, and the ones I'm less into personally remain very strong. I still lament Run For Your Life and find the YWSM/ILTY twins a bit more of a drag, but they aren't numbers where I scramble to avoid the songs as a whole either. And on the other side of the coin are a few I'd call my faves!! In fact, this might just be my favourite album as a whole - if not in the entire release catalog, then absolutely So Far, but time will tell...! So, overall I must brand this album Amazing, while trying to keep in mind the next few that are similar quality but with different flavours, but one at a time XD;;

🪲🪲🪲🪲

The next collection keeps coming around, having some of the most beloved and iconic numbers within and being more of a twirl into the Psychodelic. Revolver shall rotate into position in due time~

[funny-critter-blog]

I’ve been thinking about these two nerds all day for some reason

[guppie-draws-stuff]

Clever Gets Curious: Digital Remake

Clever asks a question and gets knocked out, in HIGH DEFINITION!

one of these days I gotta learn to draw backgrounds

[funny-critter-blog]

*hands you two of my babies*

Still waiting for the ship votes to finish

So might aswell do this in the mean time.

REBLOG AND SHOW ME YOUR BABIES!!

[guppieishere]

Smiling Critter OC Fun Facts! (+ Silly doodles)

because I gotta talk about them or I will explode

under the cut cuz it got longer than I thought it would lol

💙 🎭 Randy RatTrick 🎭 💙

Randy has an interest in the performing arts! Specifically theatre, but he also dabbles in close up magic tricks (his last name is a pun on Hat Trick after all lmao).

Randy’s character was inspired by Swiper from Dora the Explorer and Pete in Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. They both tend to play antagonistic, even villainous roles, but aren’t actually evil, and will actually help the main characters out every so often. Though, in Randy’s case, it takes him a bit to get to that point.

CatNap is the only one of the critters that Randy never really becomes friends with. They might have moments of mutual understanding, but in general, the best they get to is being willing to work together towards a common goal. Like, if someone was being mean to their friend, they’d work together to beat the shit out of that guy.

Randy’s favorite food is pasta. It’s also the only food he knows how to cook, for some reason.

Randy is very genre savvy. If he recognizes a common trope in a situation he’ll lampshade the hell out of it.

Randy is Gay!

💜 🎤 Rozzie Rockoon 🎤 💜

Rozzie is a fan of pretty much all genres of music, but her favorites are rock and roll, country, and jazz.

Rozzie names all her instruments. When asked about this, she’ll respond with, “What? You don’t?”

Rozzie’s oldest and favorite instrument is a Spanish guitar she named Salma.

Rozzie’s often gets her name mispronounced as “Rosie.” It used to bother her a lot, but nowadays she doesn’t really care.

She often struggles to come up with lyrics for songs. The melody and instrumentation come a lot easier to her.

Once, she stayed up late trying to write lyrics for a song, and somehow, CatNap caught wind of it and appeared in her house to convince her to go to sleep. It scared the shit out of her, and she still has no idea how CatNap got into her house.

Rozzie’s favorite food is cherry pie.

Rozzie is Aroace!

🤎 🔔 Clever Cowbelle 🔔 🤎

Clever and Bubba have a bit of a rivalry. Not nearly as bad as CatNap and Randy, but enough to cause occasional wacky science hijinks. In her hypothetical debut episode of the hypothetical cartoon, they would actually have known each other prior to said episode.

Clever is secretly jealous of Bubba, as he’s able to make friends relatively easily, something Clever struggles with. Her jealousy is part of what fuels her half of the rivalry. Good luck getting her to admit it, though.

Clever has a tendency to refer to people by their last name instead of their first name, out of a desire to seem more “proper.” The closer she is to someone, the more likely she is to call them by their first name.

Clever’s favorite drink is hot chocolate. She drinks the stuff like it’s coffee. Or alcohol. Whatever’s funnier for the scenario.

Clever is very smart, except when it comes to her and other people’s emotions. She is not very good at comforting people, but she tries.

Clever’s goggles are a comfort item for her. She only takes them off to sleep.

Clever is Bisexual and Transfem!

🩷 🧭 GobyGills 🧭 🩷

GobyGills gained his legs after finding a magic pearl on the seafloor. Not realizing it was magical, he made a wish to explore somewhere new, and the pearl granted it by giving him legs and sending him to land.

Goby needs the pearl to transform between his legged form and tail form. If he loses the pearl, he’s stuck in whatever form he was in when he lost it, until he finds it again.

Goby struggled with walking when he first arrived on land. Even after learning to walk, he’s still very clumsy, often tripping over nothing. He’s much more nimble underwater.

Goby looks up to Bubba for his intelligence.

Goby mispronounces words a lot. This annoys Bubba greatly, though he tries not to show it. There’s a running gag of the other critters accidentally using the mispronounced words.

Goby’s favorite food changes every week. In his words, “They’re all just so good! How could I pick?”

Goby is Pansexual!

[sleep-isnt-real]

BROOO I LOVE YOUR SMILING CRITTERS OC LABRAT!

he is sooo cute, and I’m a sucker for wacky scientist characters

I actually also have a scientist smiling critter oc, Clever Cowbelle

I think she and labrat would be instant besties

they’re off building crazy inventions together while bubba is like “I think these two are trying to give me a panic attack”

SORRY I DIDN'T SEE THIS SOMEHOW! Yes I agree they probably could be besties haha

[blujayonthewing]

7, 9, 11, 14 for Felix! [Shaking him like a magic 8 ball]

[cowbell rattling sfx]

7. favorite animal? why?

you know, thinking about it, I feel like this is one of the things we have in common lol-- how are you supposed to pick A definitive favorite animal?? there are so many good animals and they all have completely different merits!

he definitely has a soft spot for squirrels, having grown up with a lot of them around all the time. he really likes crows and pigeons; they're clever and friendly, tremendous gossips, and crows especially tend to have a great sense of humor. he also has a soft spot for rats, for a lot of personal reasons but also just because they're surprisingly intelligent and sweet. and all memeing aside, he really is a pretty major cat guy

9. favorite food? least favorite? are they a picky eater? do they have any dietary restrictions?

to say he 'hates' fish is sort of an understatement; for one thing, he hates fish the same way most westerners hate spiders? which is to say it doesn't even parse as food at all, and the idea of eating it is gross on principle. but also seafood stinks and also (alive) fish are so slimy just-- WHY would you--!! he CANNOT with seafood on so many levels, lmao. he is generally sort of a picky eater-- not because he's particularly fussy, actually, he just has a couple of really strong textural aversions :\ he can't do cooked mushrooms at all (frustrating, there's a lot of mushroom in gnomish cuisine), he has trouble with marbled red meat and would rather just avoid it than fuss with it, he's very particular about eggs, etc

he likes apples, especially if they're really crisp. he likes a good grill cheese, which is maybe more of a comfort food than a 'favorite' food per se. There are definitely very traditional forest gnomish foods like spider or rabbit that he doesn't get to have much anymore, and misses whenever he's in the city for a long stretch of time; he does probably have a distinct favorite food, but I'm not sure exactly what it is yet, haha

11. what do they have in common with you? how are they different? would you get along with them?

LET'S SEE. he loves animals and being outdoors; he draws, and carries a sketchbook (I do this rather less than I used to lol I need to get back into the habit). he's really curious about everything and loves learning and figuring things out. he really likes people and being around people, but doesn't feel like he knows how to interact with others-- he's much worse at people than I am, but we very much share a love of hanging around with other people without being expected or required to be the center of attention or 'participate' in something per se. he's very tactile, although he doesn't act on it as much as I do. he's got a non-zero number of Issues that were not intentional projection but coincidentally ended up aligning with some of my issues, which I'm not going to detail too much, partly to not tell on myself and partly because I'm trying to leave some things for justin to find out organically at the table as a fellow player, lol

he's DEFINITELY more proactive and adventurous than I am. a crucial difference is that he's not ruled by fear of embarrassment-- he's absolutely not immune to embarrassment by any means, he just doesn't let it stop him. on a couple superficial notes, I love seafood the most lmao, and felix does not like dogs. he would love big complex board games and hate ttrpgs (roleplaying would make him too nervous) :') for all my awkwardness, I very often have Can't Shut Up Disease, but he's pretty reserved, thinks a lot of thoughts but generally tries to keep them to himself, and even gets completely silent if he's stressed out enough

we would get along so well it's ridiculous lmao. I can forgive him about the dogs if he can forgive me about the sushi

14. are they any good with numbers?

yeah, I think so! he's got a good memory and a good mind for logic and problem-solving; he doesn't know any advanced mathematics or anything but he's generally Good With Numbers

ask about my OCs :3

[toastwithahat]

The stork told me to give you these

Credits/names:

@kirblox - Toolfox

@funny-critter-blog - Clever Cowbelle

@portalling101 - Wanda Wonders

@yoursimp098 - Sweet Tooth

@skelexguts - Marvelous Mauve

@star-phobia - Ritzy

@pumpkinfr0g - Nyx Akumu

@dracdliweht - Rocky Radio

@peirres-play-place - Luna

I had fun drawing all of your ocs! You’re all so creative!