#cuz I have a mini comic in the works ….

[cj-the-random-artist]

Is this my best comic ever?? Nope. Do I think I characterized either of these two particularly well in this comic?? Not really. Did I spend an unreasonable amount of time on it to the point that it would be a waste to not post it?? Yes, yes I did.

I really committed to this one, spent a lot of time on those backgrounds and treated myself to ample suffering with the perspective, which is not my strong suit but I am happy with how it ultimately looks. Yay perspective and background practice!!

(Tbh I shouldn't talk like I think this one sucks, I think I've just been staring at it for so long that my brain has decided it's not good and it's actually way better than I think it is, and honestly I am quite happy with it. The artistic process really is something, isn't it?)

The inspiration was basically me reminding... myself... to take breaks sometimes... by drawing for several hour stints during my only little bits of free time. Which totally tracks. Probably. But I've been rolling around in my brain this idea that Lambert is a very uptight people pleaser and anxious workaholic, but Narinder, at least since adjusting himself to the circumstances (which probably took at least a century, maybe two) has discovered the joys of self care, and has made an active effort to chill tf out. This has not made him any less terrifying to the cultists (save for Lambert's closest disciples), nor has it made him friendlier to really anyone but Lambert (and maybe his siblings), but he sure has found some serious peace of mind. That said, I can't place what his motivations are here. Perhaps he is secretly concerned about Lambert's sanity, because he doesn't want them to turn into what he was, or maybe he's just trying to steal away some quality time with his one and only friend, but regardless of the reason, I spent too much time on this for nobody to see it, dang it.

That said. Enjoy this silly little comic that I spent way too much time on, and I hope this silly comic brings you some joy today.

[fossilfan39]

sketches from my mind palace

[leoruby-draws]

Back to back to back comics, last time I swear lol!

The Batfam and their relationship to money (or more specifically Bruce's money). Or at least a more goofy, parody interpretation of it. Bruce is more lenient (wimpy almost I feel) here, in this au, bit more likely to spoil the kids for comedic effect. His money seems endless and he's never been afraid to spend money to help whoever needs it. Well the kids need it!! For roblox and cool bikes!!

For Dick tho, he tries not to relies on Bruce for money and strives to be independent. I based his attitude on his outsiders appearance, where he got pissed that Bruce was funding his team without his knowledge. I do understand Dick's position on this, since Bruce can be a control freak despite how generous he can be.

Barbara has always been more independent from Bruce, and I think in the new52 she even has her own company to fund herself? (Correct me if I'm wrong, didn't read her new52 book). She has no interest in money from Bruce at all. She's smart and resourceful enough to become a millionaire herself honestly.

Cass being 'raised' outside society, doesn't seem to care whether or not she has money. She'll grab a club sandwich outta a dumpster then eat all of Bruce's most expensive caviar's and truffles. At the same time, no concern whatsoever. Bruce likes to spoil her regardless.

Jason being from a very poor background is absolutely ecstatic to have a billionaire for a dad and will spend to his hearts content. Bruce is happy to make Jason happy, but wishes Jason would stop buying expensive bikes (and crashing them). Interestingly I noticed in the comics, Jason himself likes to hand out money to friends in need as well. Like father like son.

Steph has a better relationship to Bruce than in canon, so here she likes to scam some cash from Bruce whenever she can, cuz why not? Bruce doesn't mind helping her and her mom out, its harmless really. Tim is rich himself, and a bit oblivious to Steph's lower class problems. Perhaps she'll try scamming Tim next lol.

Damian has a rich parents on both sides of the family, both Bruce and Talia have a bit of a competition on spoiling him. Can't blame them, he's just too much of a cutie-pie. Tho they're working on trying not to over do it. Talia likes to spoil Jason as well, they have a pretty friendly relationship in this au.

Didn't have enough room for Duke, so he gets a half-page to himself. The fully functional mini-batmobile is from this drawing from way back. Looks like Duke is learning to get as much outta Bruce as he can, seems Bruce is more generous the younger his sidekicks are. Case in point here:

Jason and Cass should be older here, as Robin and Batgirl, since Dick is Nightwing here (as per my personal timeline). But this gag works better when they're little and cute. Bruce just can't resist their cuteness here.

That was a lot, hope you like this!

[akanemnon]

Have you eaten moss? it's actually tasty!

Find the closest moss in your vicinity, grab a handful , examine it (make sure it has only moss, no mushrooms, no bugs) then shove it in your mouth!

Ps: i love your work , i only joined tumbler cuz of you. Seriously, you're awesome!

Pss: can you do more side comics if you can? Like that one where Chris and Susie captured gaster for a school project!

Psss: yes i add more "s" to the "ps" when I'm adding another "ps", deal with it

Happy to hear you like my work and it made you join Tumblr!

I haven't tried moss myself even if I joke about it at times. I just like petting it lol

As for mini comics... Since I'm so deep in this whole serialized comic business rn it's actually kinda hard to do small comics that are not related to it. Most of the mini comics nowadays tie into Twin Runes somehow haha...

[phantasmablahh]

Ahhhh I haven't posted here in a whiileeee

But I wanted to post a work in progress for a mini Hylics comic I'm working on! Having some trouble finishing the whole thing cuz I'm a slow inker-- but for now here's the gang visiting Wayne's house :3

I'm super proud of this one because I hate inking on digital, like my hand isn't super coordinated and worse also super shaky. But I'm supper happy with how Dedusmuln's curls and armor came out and even the pattern on Somsnosa's poncho is so nice. My fav has to be Pongorma's helmet tho ^^

[vaporclan]

Mini Hiatus Coming! Starting August 2nd to (Unknown date)

So. My room needs a deep clean and some stuff replacing.

Tldr. I am disabled. I struggle to care for myself in general. I live off disability benefits. I spend all day bed rotting.

Last year I was extremely suicidal. I did not care for my room or myself at all. It got out of control and I'm still living in that room to this day, even though my mental state is WAY better nowadays (mainly thanks to this comic!)

Mold everywhere, flies, rotted food, Ive seen maggots, mites, all sorts. My carpet will need removing cuz its so moldy . I'm kind of sick of being covered in bugs and living in a room full of biohazards

I do not know how much this deep clean will cost - I am going to be replacing my floors and some furniture that's too far gone

This will mean whenever I start (when the new furniture and stuff arrive - so probably in a few days) I'll probably take a short break from the comic as cleaning makes my arms super tired - and in general I CANNOT get tempted to draw in this time else I'll never get this bloody room tidied lol

I have the money for what I need to buy, but the cost of it will have me drained until I get paid again in a couple weeks

I have my Patreon where you can support me so I can still afford food and other essentials after this 🙏

I will be working on scripts and writing even when I'm not drawing, and posting said scripts and page previews to Patreon in the meantime <3

I MAY try to make a teeny backlog for this time and schedule some pages, so I can continue posting throughout the hiatus (if I can get this done, the backlog will be posted to my Patreon too)

[joydoesathing]

Hey! Prism here again. I come with a question about Steph and Kendra's mother-daughter relationship.

What kind of mother was/is McKendra towards Stephanie? Is she like, more of the sort of carefree parental figure or was she more of a strict one? Would she still kill and die for Stephanie and protect her no matter what, or would she believe Steph could take care of herself? What kind of parent did she become after Papa Rudboy's free life trial ended? Sorry if this is too much, I'm like really curious. I like, need a 10 paragraph essay/j

thanks for asking cuz now i have an excuse to go on a brief hc dump i have for these two ❤️❤️❤️❤️

so, yes, general dynamic for these two is that they give "best friend" vibes. mckendra is quite a carefree parent but she does dote a lot on steph at times. steph does get embarrassed with this but she lets it slide most of the time. the two of them are both extremely caring for each other but trust each other enough that they can protect themselves.

however they would definitely not stay put if something bad happened to the other (especially kendra, cuz she'd be powered with maternal wrath XD)

But as to how there dynamic developed to what it is now, i have a mini-essay + comic down below👇

from the start, kendra was quite the same as she is in present time. carefree and quite doting on steph

however, after papa rudboys got unexpectedly offed by a doppel, kendra still tries her best to keep up her carefree persona to not worry steph, but she has becomes noticeably more clingy towards steph and tended to coddle her, almost obsessively. (this happened in the span of 3 years after papa rudboys death)

(note: in a previous post, i previously hc that papa rudboys got killed when steph was small, but now with the new lore drop, I now adjusted the time period. papa rudboys was now killed around the early years of trojan horse project's establishment ,around 1945-1950 and steph was already older and new to her job )

at the time, kendra's coddling sometimes seriously got in the way of steph's work. one time, they had a had a heated exchange. steph had to be gone for almost a whole week for work but kendra didn't want her to. she tried to persuade steph to stay, even to the point that she had to downplay steph's position as a female in the air force (out of desperation of course)

of course, steph did not like this and got mad accordingly.

the obsessive coddling just stemmed from mckendra's fear of losing her daughter too.

steph understood her mother's worry but reassured her that, she'll be fine

so, long story short, they agreed that they would make sure that they will stay alive not only for themselves but for each other.

steph letting her mom's doting slide in present time was just a result from that whole exchange (that was the second time she ever saw her mom look so distraught in her life and she didn't really wanna see it happen again.

so, thanks for reading if you made it here.

[minamorsart]

What , And how did you start pairing lotura, And Plance .?

Ooooh boy am I excited to answer this!!! This is going to be a long answer, hope you don't mind! Because I have some specific memories about these two ships, particularly lotura, that I would absolutely love to share with you!

Prepare for a long read! Hehe

Starting with lotura, when season 3 came out and Lotor made his debut, of course I was all 👀👀👀 Because that day something awoke in 19 year old me that I didn't realize could ever be awoken lol. And I wish I could remember exactly what my reaction was to his cat-and-mouse chase with Allura in the episode "The Hunted", but at the time I must not have considered the idea of them ever going in the direction of a romance. Looking back now though, how could I have been so blind??! That chase scene is HOT. I mean just look at them!!! Look at Lotor especially woah mama 😳

Season 4 was mediocre to me at the time, I will confess, for a lot of different reasons. But then season 5, man... SEASON 5!!!! I remember it was March 3rd, 2018. I wasn't keeping up with the show anymore, but I just so happened to see an article online that said season 5 had been released the day before on Netflix. I told my sister and we decided, "eh, let's watch at least the first episode."

And we watched the first episode, alright. And then another, and then another and another until we watched all six episodes in one sitting. We were both blown away! Lotor... Allura... together???? 😲

Their adventures, their chemistry, their clear attraction to one another... I was OBSESSED!!! I shipped them hardcore after that. They were and are still my #1 OTP, and it's because of them that I really tried to work hard and improve my art! I wanted to draw them all the time, making mini comics and AUs, and while their tragic ending actually left me in tears and I was upset for a really long time, I can now say that I have been able to heal and move on from it--eh, mostly anyway, haha.

It still hurts, but 5 years later I feel that I've matured and come to a greater understanding and acceptance. I have come to really appreciate how perfect they are for each other, both aesthetically of course (cuz lookit that sexual dimorphism babeyyy) as well as the many, many things they have in common. I have also come to appreciate their flaws, their imperfections, and the mistakes they made regarding each other and their relationship. They may have gotten a sad ending, but they were still truly equals in every way. It's just beautiful, and my love for them now is stronger than ever :')

For Lance and Pidge on the other hand, it's not quite as clear as when I started shipping them! I remember rolling my eyes at Lance and Allura's first meeting, like "okay Lance is one of THESE guys, here we go 🙄"

Other than that I didn't really ship Lance or Pidge with anyone! If I'm recalling correctly, I don't think it wasn't until after season 6 that I started shipping them together. I remember reading metas and analyses of their relationship that people were making in anticipation for season 7's release, and the more I thought about it, the more I started to really like the idea of Lance and Pidge getting together! And there are definitely subtle hints throughout the earlier seasons of Pidge's feelings for Lance, as well as their fun chemistry with one another, like the episode "Space Mall"!

The hints are not so subtle to me now, but back then it wasn't until I watched season 7 that I actually became hopeful that they could be a couple! I especially loved the moments when Pidge indirectly called Lance "cute, in a creepy, hideous sort of way" lol, and when Lance become very protective over Pidge in such a way that I don't think we ever saw him react before! I was honestly taken aback by that moment!

And again, their ending was definitely less than satisfactory, particularly Lance's ending (still hate it with a passion), but just like with Lotura's relationship, I have also come to appreciate many things about Plance's relationship today. While Lotor and Allura have so much in common and are able to reach an understanding with each other that they can't with anyone else, it would seem at first that Pidge and Lance are far too different to be compatible. And it is true that they are very different, but for one, that can be a good thing! The foundations of some relationships are built off of their differences. It can make someone more compassionate and more open-minded when they have a willingness to accept and appreciate the differences they have with their partner, and a willingness to take a genuine interest in the things that their partner is passionate about, even if they don't completely understand.

And two, at the same time, Pidge and Lance DO have things in common! They both love their families, both have a stronger connection to Earth compared to the other paladins, and they are able to bond with one another over fun pastimes such as video games! How cute is that??!

And just like with Lotor and Allura, I also love Pidge and Lance for their flaws. It did take me a while to come around to Lance, because while he has his funny moments and one-liners, I also found him very annoying at times lol. But I think the fact that he can be really annoying honestly makes him the most realistic character in Voltron. Not necessarily the most relatable, at least not for me, but definitely the most human! Because there are people in our real lives that we love and cherish deeply, but they absolutely have their moments where you go, "ugh, you're so annoying and it really frustrates me when you act this way" but we still wouldn't trade them for the world 🥰

And just to draw one last comparison between Lotura and Plance, I especially LOVE how incredibly different the two pairings are even from each other! To me, Lotor and Allura are sexy and passionate, while Pidge and Lance are pure and fun! They're all so unique and special in their own ways, and they bring so much to the table, both for their characters and for their relationships.

I can't help but write essays every time I get asks, I'm so sorry lol 😭 There's so much more I could say about these guys, but I think I'd better stop here haha! I had a lot of fun writing about Lotura and Plance, and I hope you had just as much fun reading this! I really love these characters a lot. I'm so incredibly grateful that they exist, even if in the form of fiction, and I'm even MORE grateful that my love for them has continued to grow over the years. Thank you so much for the ask!!!! 💖💜💙💚

Oh and one last thing: we were robbed of a lot of different potential interactions with a lot of different characters, but I have to say it would have been fun to see more of Lotor and Lance interacting with each other! Lance was always acting out due to his jealousy, while Lotor on the other hand mostly just ignored him lol.

[balloonspace]

Heyyyyyyy I'm back (finqlly) and with good news >:] iimm making a work schedule thatz prop gonna work x] soo here it is; I work monday 2 friday but I have break on weds so I xan post on weekend:D (but I mayyy post doodlez here and there through the week) €:< sooo yea happ 2 bb back nowww (for real thiz time) here's a comic 4 waiting:] it's not and prop never will get finish ]: cuz I suck at finishing storyys D; ohhh well :( but im pretty thoo either way :) (btw the comic is based a random thing that can happen that I completely 4got Abt lol c(: )anyways I should stop yapping now d: (thxx 4 reading by the wayyy srry 4 doing this mini rant[??]) have a nice day/night/any time) °u°

[seeminglydark]

Ty for making me feel better today, I’m so lucky to have such supportive people around <3

Working on a mini comic and since I was thinking about it, cuz I could never choose, I love them both too much, and I know some of you fictional crush on them too, so who would you pick?

[ihopesocomic]

Sorry for the mini-essay but I think people massively underestimate how much hard work and dedication goes into a Passion Project. People think that creators who make free content, who do their work as a hobby and not as a job, must only get enjoyment out of it.

That’s not how it works. Doing it purely because you want to doesn’t automatically make the more challenging, frustrating, or (gasps) TIME CONSUMING parts of the project any less burdensome. If anything, it makes it worse because you aren’t being paid for all of that labor. You’re just doing it for the sake of doing it, and as rewarding as it can be, it can also be demanding.

Im finally publishing a fanfic for the first time and don’t get me wrong, it’s been great to get feedback on my work and interact with a community. I love that there are usernames and profile pictures I can actually identify because they’re regulars on my work.

But does that mean I don’t have to constantly redo work because I don’t like how it turned out? No. Does that mean I always update on time? No. Never get burnout? No. I still very much go through all of the things paid writers do, because the Creative Process is difficult and demanding no matter what they paycheck is or isn’t.

And all of that is just if you guys WERE missing updates, which you’re NOT. So like… these complaints are not only very entitled and ignorant, but also just confusing. People really just be mad for the sake of being mad, I guess?

Anyways yeah, free content creators are still content creators, and passion-driven hard work is still hard work. You two are cranking out absolutely STUNNING visuals, compelling characters and engaging worldbuilding every single week and that’s amazing. Thank you for your hard work and I’m sorry about the twerps that don’t appreciate it enough!

Ah the price we pay for being human and having a brain, amirite haha

It's to be expected, to a certain point, that people simply don't understand that things like comics and cartoons take time. General impatience is something that can be ignored. If people asking for updates bothered us, we wouldn't post anywhere ever haha You gotta have at least SOME backbone if you want to do a comic. Or anything really.

Comics are a TON of work, and I knew this going in cuz I've done shorter comics before. It is not to be treated as if its easy. (Well, its easier than animating a whole series by yourself LOL) There's a lot of pre-comic planning that people don't tell you about. And that's just the stuff you have to do before you even start drawing. Of course this only applies to long-form storytelling, there's different rules for different kinds of comics.

And I won't even get into what it takes to making the comic itself, there's a lot of parts that need to be considered like formatting, time-management, what shortcuts you have to take to save on labor, and getting across as much information as you can in a short amount of time, while using mostly visuals. It's a skill, so it can be learned haha

A lot of doing comics is on-the-job training. Which I know can be frustrating for perfectionists, but from a reader's perspective, part of the joy of webcomics is seeing how far the art has come. And you can't exactly get out a webcomic if you keep redoing things over and over. You'll burn yourself out even faster. This is why it's important to have a plan lol it just makes it easier to adjust if you have to change things, than if you have no plan at all.

Even if RJ and I for whatever reason no longer felt passionate about this story, and wanted to move on to something else entirely, we wouldn't leave everyone hanging. We'd tell everyone what happens one way or another. Because too many people just abandon a story just to tell another one, and that's not fair to people who were here to read a story that appealed to them.

But the entitlement of people sucks, the constant heckling, the fact we can't moderate our own comment section, and more importantly Webtoons just sucks as a site anyway. - Cat

[under-loch-n-key]

You're doing Psych Omens?? Amazing!! I especially like it cuz while Shawn isn't too dissimilar from Crowley in that he can easily fulfill a similar narrative role, Gus is so different from Aziraphale I think it'll really bring an interesting new dynamic to it, not to mention one of them having a human love interest would affect the dynamic further! Oooh, are you gonna make Lassie a witch hunter? That'd be extra interesting. Whatever you decide, I am looking forward to all the new dynamics!!! (If you do make Lassie a witch hunter, Juliet should be a witch but he doesn't know it lol)

Yes, I am~ and just for you lot, I will post my idea and first draft of a story plot and mini comic idea. Maybe a fic? I don’t know maybeeee. We’ll have to see. Lol. Depends on what all of you would like. [:

Sooo, anyways, here it is.

Shawn - Demon (former Angel. Gus’s guardian angel.)

Gus - Human (is aware of Shawn’s being. Was scared shitless at first. Probably got The Father (we love him) involved to try and exorcise Shawn at some point but eventually accepted Shawn as he was. Although, he definitely bitched him out for things he should’ve saved him/prevented him from doing.)

Lassie (Lassiter) - Angel (too tired for his job. Been on earth way too long. Honestly is considering being apart of the witchfinder army just to wipe out any evil beings. That would make his job a hell of a lot easier. He is still fuming about The Fall because Lassie’s got that loyal dog mentality. Lol.)

Jules (Juliet) - Human (she is like Anathema and is heavily empathic and spiritually sensitive so she is immediately and heavily drawn to Lassie and Shawn.)

Woody - Demon (lovable demon. Absolute weirdo and sweetie. Woody makes dark jokes and perverse jokes but he’s just seen as a weirdo at his job. Little does most people know he’s a demon. He really enjoyed Shawn’s company in Hell and was very glad to see that they are working together at the precinct in the overworked. He knows that working at a precinct full of angels is basically a death sentence but Woody is a bit of a masochist and we all know it.)

Sooo, anyways here’s the Prophetic Omens (no, you’re prophetic!) (Psych x Good Omens) crossover draft idea.

————————

Lassie is blue and Shawn is green. Their narrated dialogue will be too. The basic introductory won’t have any colour but I figured colour coding would be easier for some people.

Prophetic Omens will be set where the Santa Barbara police precinct is mainly dominated by angelic and human officers. Some demons are littered in there of course. When Shawn gets arrested like he did in the first episode, he can tell the others (Lassie & his first partner) are angel’s but he has his demonic aura and overall self cloaked. Lassie could sense that there was something off about him but couldn’t place it.

He’d get to the bottom of it though.

His suspicions never fully went away, but he found out what Shawn was during the time with Yang. Right before his mum was kidnapped, when Yang was in the Psych office because instead of Juliet & Lassiter leaving Shawn and Gus behind after Shawn snapped at Jules, Gus goes after Juliet to console her on what Shawn’s going through and to not take it too personally. He’d deal with Shawn later.

Lassiter stays behind to put Shawn in his place regarding how he acts all fun and games, but now that things are getting serious, suddenly the game isn’t fun anymore and to get on him about how he treated O’Hara. Shawn spins around and snaps at Lassiter with his true eyes showing and Lassie looks at him in shock and Shawn realises the slip and retracts.

“You..” “Yeah..” “You son of a bitch!” He goes to grab Shawn by the neck and push him into the wall “You caused all of this chaos didn’t you, Spencer? You sulphuric imps just didn’t learn anything from the fall, did you? Keep your grubby little mitts off of this plane or so help me and sweet justice herself, I’ll make sure you won’t be able to set foot here again.”

“Dude, get..OFF!” He pushes Lassiter away “as if you over glorified, holier than thou pieces of KFC are any better! You know, Lassie, you could miracle this away but you won’t. So, don’t blame me for this. Yang wasn’t my doing. I didn’t mean to hurt Jules. Well, I did, sort of, but you weren’t even supposed to stick around! That wasn’t apart of the plan, man! So, thanks a lot. Now the plan is ruined. Gotta think of something else now..”

Lassiter’s glare deepens and he scoffs, “you’re one to talk about ruining plans, Spencer. Does 6,000 years worth of sin not ring any bells to you?”

“Lassie, don’t be the e in bible. You’re crueler than I could ever be and you’re the angel here. I’m shocked you don’t even have a harp. Yeah, some things did not go the way it was supposed to a few years back, but do you have to recycle the same point in time? You couldn’t do anything more creative? Like ‘hey you remember that time when you and your lession of demons possessed some pigs? What was that about?” Ya know, something more with a flare.”

(Yes, that is an actual biblical story btw.)

“You always have a response to everything don’t you?..”

“Well, I was a guardian angel before I fell. So, having a response to everything was kinda in my job description..”

“I don’t think heaven would approve of you remaining by the side of your divined assignment.”

“Pfft, Please, they already don’t approve of me anyways, Lassie. You know that. Besides, Gus is my best friend, not an assignment.. Sure, he was freaked out to learn that his guardian angel wasn’t an angel anymore at all. Well, and there truly being a heaven and all that, but ya know. He got over it. He had more questions than a whole season of Jeopardy and don’t worry my lips were sealed. Buttt, the exorcism case made going to the beach in bare feet seem enjoyable. It was like hopscotch but, well, just hopping no scotching.”

Lassiter cracked an amused smile at the image. That explained why Shawn was more on his feet than usual while we were there.

He knows that he’ll have to tell heaven about the arrival of the enemy.

“I know that look..” “what look?” “You’re “it’s so hard being me” look. Just do what you gotta do; I already left Santa Barbara once, but for now..we have a killer to catch. Heaven can wait.”

I don’t look like that.. he thought. That’s not important now though. Lassiter nods, “you take shotgun and don’t mess up my seats, Spencer.”

Shawn grabs his bag of corn nuts “I would never, Lassifrass. I’d say I’m an angel but ya know.”

“No. Those monstrosities are staying here.”

“They’re delicious, Lassie. Don’t join Gus’ corn nut hate club. He doesn’t even have shirts for it!”

“You’re not bringing those into my car. I don’t need crumbs in my seats and I don’t need that smell left in my car. I just had it detailed.”

“You’re no fun, Lassie. Aren’t angels supposed to be symbols of positivity and fun? You’re seeming pretty grumpy there, Carly.”

“Shut up, Spencer. When we’re done with this, you will apologise to O’Hara. I don’t know what you were thinking but make it right. Also, don’t get yourself killed. I have a feeling there’s more about this Yang-goon that we aren’t being let in on..”

“I will, don’t worry about me, Lassie. To think, us working together. Sharlton & Shassie have joined forces at last.”

“Tsk. Don’t think I enjoy working with you. One case. Then we’re done. This is a matter of convenience, we were already talking. That made you convenient, nothing more.”

“Admit it, your heart hearts me.” Shawn points at Lassies heart and back at his.

Cuts to panel of Lassie’s face with a light red tint on his cheeks and he grips the steering wheel.

“I’d rather help McNab pick flowers for his wife. Now shut your mouth, Spencer. If we’re going to be in this car together, I’d like to at least enjoy some part of the ride. Preferably in silence.”

“Fineee. You’d miss my sweet nectar of a voice if I wasn’t here and you know it.”

“Not in a million years, Spencer. The times I’ve gone to bed happy are the days when your trap is shut and you’re out of sight.”

“And they call me the demon.”

Lassie smirks to himself as they drive to the crime scene to meet up with O’Hara and Gus.

To be continued…

——

Soooo, yeah, there is the first draft of stuff rn. If people want me to make it a fic, I will. Then I’ll doodle some art of them all to go along with it. The fic would probably take place at the beginning of that episode or even a few episodes before. Still deciding on stuff. Lol. I always do making anything Psych related. Lmao. M

Hopefully, you lot enjoy the first draft. 💛💛💛

[gaillol-13]

While GATG may not have as much appeal as the original show, it was able to execute one thing that the og couldn't. And that was Gadget's sidekicks.

We all know how bad Corporal capeman was, he's an asshole, he's annoying, and he overall jus freaking sucks look at him.

Ew. Another issue (aside from his character) is that he's out of place. Cause his whole thing is that he's a "superheroes sidekick" or something, and yes while Gadget is technically a superhero, it doesn't feel right seeing him work with this guy. It ruins the 'scifi-ish cyborg detective' theme.

Fidget and Digit on the other gadget-hand fit well with the theme. Being lil robot mini versions of the Inspector makes them blend with the show's atmosphere perfectly, both shows in fact. Cause if you put the Gadgetinis in the Original show they would still fit.

We know Gadget prefers to work on his assignments alone (even tho that's hardly the case in reality), but if he had to have companions on almost all of his missions I'd think he'd choose the Gadgetinis. Cuz

They're equipped for the job like he is (I'm sure he still has way more gadgets than they do but they're probably equipped enough)

They're durable robots, so he doesn't have to worry about their safety as much as he would with Penny and Brain (since an organic life and mental health is more fragile than the gadgetinis. Specially if your a child like Penny who shouldn't have to deal with the burden of M.A.D in the first place).

Knowing Gadget. Having little robots who not only look like him but, are programmed to bring justice to M.A.D alongside him, and help him even without him knowing, is probably very awesome for Gadget. He sees himself as a teacher/father figure to them and I wouldn't be surprised if he takes alot of pride in having sidekicks created by his dear niece (I just know he's super proud of her).

The only reason Capeman became Gadget's sidekick is cause he buttered him up.

And most importantly, the Gadgetinis are actually enjoyable and fun to watch. They are comic reliefs who are sassy and silly. They have a funny dynamic.

While it's still a bummer that they took Brain's role, they make up for it by being way better sidekicks (and better characters in general) than Corporal capeman ever will be.

[leoruby-draws]

Decided to post some more random, mostly minor characters from the DC universe, mostly ones that seemed they would be fun to draw. I guess technically these drawings are all based in my TrWh au, as always. Here they are:

Wanted to draw heroes with wings, I draw Vanessa quite a bit so I had to learn wings and feathers. Still working on it, but its fun. You can see Vanessa there at the bottom middle, looking a little menacing.

The girl with red wings is called...Redwing aka Carrie Levine. I thought she was a sweet kid, so her ultimate fate was pretty sad. Wonder if she'll come back to continuity at some point.

The guy with the mohawk is Northwind aka Norda Cantrell, part of Infinity Inc the earth 2 version of a Teen Titans group. He honestly didn't get a whole lot of focus in Infinity Inc, like the writer didn't know what to do with him. Maybe they should've made him into the magic fighter of the group, almost felt like thats what they were going for him before they wrote him off.

The girl in yellow is Dawnstar, part of the Legion of Superheroes. I haven't read much of LoSH, mostly some 90's issues. But her design is soooo pretty I had to draw her, her costume here is a mix of her various outfits.

Lastly, here's Bluejay aka Jay Abrams again, part of Justice League Europe. Kinda thought JLE was a bit of a letdown, I mean the team's made up of mostly americans not europeans! I think Crimson Fox was the only european, I thought her set-up of being two people was cool.

Little extra Infinity doodle, here's Hector Hall (Silver Scarab) hating on poor Norda, with Lyta Trevor (Fury) looking on with confusion. Hector's just a hater (tho there's reasons for it ig), an archetype you see sometimes in some superhero groups, like Roy Harper or Guy Gardner. The plot-line of Hector's resentment of Norda was kinda interesting, but like with most things in Infinity it didn't get the focus it should've gotten. Speaking of Infinity, here's some more doodles:

There's Rex Tyler (Hourman 1) with little Rick Tyler (Hourman 2), enjoying some father-son time. Apparently Rick's first costume isn't well liked (so says reddit). I thought it seemed cute but maybe it works better as a kid's or sidekick's kinda costume?

In the middle is Jack Knight (Starman) suffering as he interacts with Sylvester Pemberton (Skyman, formerly the Star-Spangled Kid) and Courtney Whitmore (Stargirl, actually she should still be S-SK but whatever). In my au he actually joins Infinity Inc, since everyone becomes heroes earlier he's actually around when the team's still running. I suspect his dad (Ted Knight) forced him into it. Also Courtney doesn't respect Jack at all, he's so annoyed at this. Look at her mini-staff, I presume Ted made it for her.

Also there's Beth Chapel (Dr. Mid-Nite) and Jesse Chambers (Jesse Quick) looking cool. Jesse also joins Infinity Inc in my au, will there be a love triangle going on between Beth, Rick and Jesse? Don't think Rick's gonna survive that, aw well.

Look at baby Jade and Obsidian, Alan is overwhelmed by their antics.

In another post someone asked if I could draw more of the Relative Heroes, a super obscure hero group. So @draculaura1660, this one's for you. Here they are:

I kinda had a hard time drawing this group, cuz their costumes are so complicated! I wished there was a reference/concept art for them cuz it was a struggle trying to figure out the details, the comic art did not help matters at all. You might have noticed I changed details anyways, I tend to simplify costumes for my au both to make it easier to draw and also to signify their younger ages. It's just fun to play around with costume design ig.

Some more characters!

Jinx, who looks very different between her comic and cartoon self. I did like her pink hair, so decide to see how it would look on her comic self. There's Kole, who also has different designs in comic/cartoons. I think her comic costume is so cool, esp that color pallet! But I love her pink hair in the cartoon, so she's got pink hair here! Just like pink hair a lot lol.

The other pink haired girl is Laethwen, love interest of Ray Palmer in Sword of the Atom. I think I made her hair more pink to better differentiate her from Starfire, also, again I just like pink hair. I wished she and her little kingdom didn't die, in my au Ray saves them! Maybe he relocates them to his backyard or something?

Little Donna and Vanessa doodle, did you know they never once interacted on panel? The closest is when Donna brings her stepsister Cindy to talk to Vanessa instead. I wonder how they would even interact, I know Vanessa wanted to be wonder girl (and resented Cassie for 'taking' it from her). Did she look up to Donna, or wanted her out of the way? Funnily enough Donna wasn't even Diana's sidekick when post-crisis started, due to both their origins being reworked and contradicting each other's timelines. It's all very confusing.

Anyways, some bonus doodles:

Had fun making a new outfit for Laethwen, I imagine she took some inspiration from indigenous groups from the Amazon, seeing as that's where her people crashed into.

Kole's costume is just so beautiful but so complicated, maybe that's why she got killed off so soon in Crisis on Infinite Earths.

Lastly, here's Bette bugging Dick with Barbara being super amused about it. I said in my post about her that I didn't really care about her crush on Robin, which is true, but I still wanted to doodle something making fun of it. Poor Dick is doesn't know how to get outta of this social situation.

Well that was a lot, hope you liked all that.

[izubabes]

OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD!!!! I just read your Koko x Inui!Reader work and it's a ✨masterpiece✨ Am I crying? Yes. Am I still in love with this psycho Koko? Definitely. Why? Don't know. But am I in love with your work? Absolutely!!!!!

If it's possible, may I please request Koko with fem!reader who also lost her lover (I dunno, Shinichiro, for example? Yeah, he's muuuch older than them, and the reader knew that he would never see her as a woman (more like a sister, but he’d still say smth like “yeah yeah you'll get older and I'll marry you”), but she still loved him (puppy love and stuff)). However, if Koko’s still obsessed with Akane, the reader moved on;she cherishes the memory of her first lov, but she became older and realized thing that she wasn't understand when she was younger. So with her help (it's not like she fell in love with him when they met, it's just cuz of their similar situations she decided to kinda help(?)Inui pssst Inui) , Koko see other side(?) of this type of “love”.

I still want a happy ending for him. I mean, he's such a sad (maniac, nonetheless) character, but I believe that he does deserve true and mutual love. We all had our “first loves”, puppy crushes, older crushes and stuff. I was “in love” with my brother’s friend (he was like 5 years older than me lol, and I was like 9?He also told that he will marry me and stuff, but it was like when your dad/borther promises you the same; cute and childing memory). But I think when you couldn't confess before your pass out/move on/start date someone else, you would have a feeling as if something isoff/the story does not have an ending. I don't think that even if Akane were alive, it would have changed smth for Koko. I still believe that he’d move on sooner or later. But hey, it's only my opinion 🤷🏻‍♀️

I just truly want him to be happy and feel genuinely loved.

𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧, 𝐈 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐢𝐭. 𝐌𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞. 𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝, 𝐈 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭.

What a mystery it is — this emotion we call grief.

Shinichiro’s luck with women was always a comical one, never being able to snag a date, let alone have a girlfriend. He reached rock bottom as soon as he heard one of Manjiro’s childhood friends proclaim, “I’m Shinichiro’s future wife!”

“I’m too old for you,” He politely rejected, giving your head a gentle pat as a form of acknowledging your feelings. His heart ached at the fact that a girl was finally confessing her feelings for him but most likely under the guise of a childish crush. Something you would grow out of as soon as you matured enough. “You should give the other boys your age a chance. Manjiro and Keisuke have been fighting over who’s going to marry you.”

Shinichiro was amused at the way you violently shook your head at the prospect, quickly becoming defensive and pleading your case to him. “I may be young but I swear I’ll grow up into a beautiful lady. I can cook, I can clean, and I can take care of my siblings.”

He sighed, lighting up a nearby cigarette to help cope with the insanity he was suffering though at the moment. “Y/N, I don’t want a housewife. I want you to grow up and find the right person to fall in love with. I'll be just peachy seeing you fall for the right person.”

“Mama helps me out right now but she says I’m practically a mini adult.” You protested with your hands on your hips, glaring him down as he just shook his head at you.

“Sweetheart, you’re 13…” Shinichiro shudders at the realization of how old he's gotten. Another hit of his cigarette settles in his lungs, easing his racket of a mind. “I’m 23. There are so many things wrong with what you're asking of me.”

“In five years, I will be old enough to marry you. Wait for me until then, I know you’ll still be single!”

“Uh, ouch.” Shinichiro’s pride was bruised by how confidently you had rebuked his answer. He could sense a prick of annoyance begin to crawl up his spine. Your answer wasn't meant to be malicious in the slightest but it sure struck a nerve. “Y/N, you’re not thinking straight. You’ll get over this little crush in a couple years and it’ll be a silly little joke between us.”

“A joke? You think my feelings are joke…?” You said in a quiet voice as your heart fell to your stomach. The weight of the world was coming crashing down on your childish delusions. “I love you, I really do!”

“Oh come on, Y/N. Don’t get upset, I’m just being honest with you.” Shinichiro’s words come off more harsh than he intended, made apparent by the streams of fresh hot tears rolling down your cheeks.

“But… But! You promised… Shinichiro, you promised to marry me!”

Shinichiro’s gaze switched from the motorcycle to the blubbering mess who was turned away from him. Seeing your tears made him reconsider how harsh his words would have came off. His cigarette falls to the ground, embers burning out as he glanced over at you. “What the— Don’t cry, Y/N.”

Mikey trailed in as soon as he hears the sound of loud and pronounced wailing coming from the shop. He lazily glanced between you and Shinichiro as the lollipop in his mouth swished from side to side. “Bro, what’s wrong with Y/N?”

“I-I don’t know! She just started crying!”

“Shinichiro’s being mean! M-Mikey, your brother’s being mean to me!” You wailed, tugging on his shirt as he lightly shook you off.

Mikey grinned as he placed his arms behind his head, watching the chaos unfold before him. His mischievous eyes were still focused on his older brother’s distressed face. “This is why you’re never getting a girlfriend…”

Shinichiro groaned, shooing away Mikey as he attempted to settle down your incessant outburst of melodrama. “Y/N, look at me. Stop crying, yeah? I wanna tell you a secret, just between you and me.”

“W-What?” You sniffled.

“There’s my pretty little lady,” Shinichiro smiled, thumbing away the waterworks with his oil stained hands as he left some streaks of it on your face, not like you minded much. “No more tears, okay? When you’re older we’ll get married, yeah?”

You sniffled, wiping away the lingering droplets before staring up at him. “Promise?”

Shinichiro held up his pinky extending it out for you to reciprocate the action. “Cross my heart and hope to die.”

“I think the twenty rejections have gone to his head,” Wakasa interrupted, crunching down on the lollipop lingering in his mouth. He glanced between his friend and the young girl in front of him, scrutiny in his eyes. “He’s preying on middle schoolers now. Call the cops.”

“Shut up, Waka. You have no idea what we’re talking about!” Shinichiro immediately backtracked.

“Shinichiro, that’s sick.” Benkei shook his head at the ongoing conversation, gently pulling you away from Shinichiro’s arms before inspecting you for any sign of harm or injury. He gave Shinichiro the same judgmental glare as Waka before turning to glance at the girl right in front of him. “Did he hurt you, Y/N?”

Before a decent explanation could be made by you, it had appeared that you had run off to tell your friends the seemingly positive news. You shouted at the top of your lungs, “Emma! Shin said he would marry me.”

Takeomi walked in after you had sprinted past him through the shop’s back door, glaring down his captain with a menacing smile. “Am I high or did she say what I think she said? Better have a decent excuse, Shin.”

“Big bro’s farts stink like hell, Y/N." Mikey interjected, becoming amused with the way you always accepted Shinichiro's false promises without a second thought. "Oh, I bet he only said that so you would stop crying.”

Mikey had never received a more painful punch in his life, knocking him straight in the jaw as you ran back inside to tattle on your best friend. 

“Shinichiro! Manjiro’s being mean to me. He keeps saying you're not gonna marry me!”

Soon after, the unexpected news of Shinichiro's death crashed on your body like a bucket of ice water. You refused to eat, sleep was no longer a priority, school was no longer a necessity. A piece of you had died along with him, a piece that would leave a gaping hole in your heart, a piece of yourself that would never come back.

“Big bro would have wanted you to have it,” Mikey said quietly, onyx irises devoid of emotion. “Take care of it, okay?”

Shinichiro’s chain necklace, the one you always fiddled with as a child. The one you always loved hearing clink against his neck as he worked on a motorcycle. It was yours now. The necklace found a new home upon your neck, the frigid metal weighed heavy on your collarbones, it would serve as a constant reminder of the love you held for Shinichiro.

No one ever told you the difference between love and grief.

The visits to Shinichiro’s grave became less frequent though your feelings for him were still tucked away in the folds of your heart. Shinichiro Sano was once the iridescent sun and you were his precious little moon, orbiting his ethereal presence as if he were the only celestial body in existence.

“I’m in high school now, Shin. I wish you could see how much I’ve grown,” You sighed, hugging your knees to your chest as you spoke to the shining tombstone. “Bet you’d wish I was still begging for your attention.”

“Manjiro and Emma are doing well though we haven’t spoken in a while. The Black Dragons have changed, Shinichiro. More than when you were around. I wish you never left us…”

Inui Seishu was someone you would never would have expected to become friends with. He held the first-generation Black Dragons with high respect. You had previously spotted him hanging around S.S. Motors along with the other delinquents Shinichiro often housed. Kokonoi Hajime was someone who tested your patience with every breath he took, he loved to tease and get under your skin with a snaky remark. The two reminded you of a cat and dog duo, one who's constantly at the other’s throats.

“I made a new friend; I’m sure you remember him. His name is Inui, basically sees you as a god.” You chuckled, "He hangs out with Waka and Benkei sometimes. Oh, they're doing fine too..."

A shaky breath escapes your quivering lips, the childhood memories of the time you all spent together come flooding in like a tidal wave. “It’s time for me to grow up, Shinichiro. You said I needed to find the right person to fall in love with, right?”

Except you’re not sure how to do that nor how to even begin on that journey.

Your soft steps echoed the graveyard as a warm gust of breeze enveloped your body as if to reassure yourself that you were making the right choice. “This is goodbye, first love."

You peered up at the sunset, sparing it a gentle smile as you continued on your path. “Shinichiro, wherever you are, you’ll live in my heart forever. I’ll always remember that smile of yours… too bad it was your last.”

Koko can’t seem to remember when days started turning into weeks, into months, into years. When the fine lines of separation between Seishu and Akane began to blur into one person. It was fascinating how his grief had him groveling in a rut of searching for a glimmer of happiness. He never realized how low he had fallen until he kissed Inupi’s sleeping figure in the library’s silent corridors. He swore it was Akane who welcomed his anguished lips to lie upon hers. He swore it was her who was resting against the windowsill, basking in the comforting embrace of the sunshine pouring in through the glass.

What have I done?

His sleepy lids fluttered open, he glanced up at the evening sky, gentle streaks of golden light dance across the scattered clouds, hinting at the vibrant display yet to come. The air is calm, and the world seems to hold its breath, savoring the tranquil moment as day slowly gives way to night.

Kokonoi groggily reaches out to the figure next to him, his fingers brushing against the other person’s arm. “Akane?”

He was instead greeted by your teasing voice, a slight snippy tone as you get firm with him as he wakes up. “Good morning, Your Highness. It’s about time you woke up.”

“It’s not very good if you’re here,” He muttered as soon as he realized who exactly he was talking to. What a joke. “Were you watching me sleep? I knew you were a freaky girl, been telling Inupi since the day we met.”

“Remind me again why I even bother with you, Koko…” You snapped, shaking your head at the attempt to insult you. "I'm not the one who sent some cryptic ass text telling me to meet you here. You were the one I found asleep in the middle of the field."

He chuckled at the remark, sticking his tongue out just as he always did when being smug. “Lack of a brain, clearly.”

The summer air was thick with moisture, each breath feels heavy, laden with the scent of blooming flowers and freshly cut grass. The humidity wraps around everything, making the world seem slightly softened and hazy. Beads of sweat form quickly, tracing lazy paths down foreheads and necks, as the heat lingers even in the shade. The atmosphere is thick, almost tangible, carrying the distant hum of cicadas and the occasional rustle of leaves in the still, sultry air.

One question weighed on your mind, escaping your chest before you could think clearly. An inquiry that desperately needed an answer, no matter what kind of potential rift it would cause for either of you. “Koko, have you ever been in love?”

“Yes,” He paused for a moment, tilting his head and closing his eyes in deep concentration as he pondered on how to answer the question. “She was beautiful,” Kokonoi said, cutting through the momentary silence. “I wanted to marry her. Hell, I was going to marry her but—“

“Who’s Akane?”

Kokonoi realized you heard his muttering as he was asleep on the grass.

“Life never works out, does it?” A cold laugh escaped your lips, “I lost my first love too."

Kokonoi is aware of the fact you are an open person, he’s never witnessed the endless void in your eyes as you begin to relay the story of your lost lover. The empty shell you became as soon as the words began to depart your mouth. What a soulless sight.

It reminds him of himself. He hates it.

“We both promised we could marry once I was older. Now I’m beginning to realize how naïve I was to think it would work out.”

“Seishu told me about his older sister. She reminds me of Shinichiro, did you have a chance to confess to her?”

“That’s none of your damn business. Everything I do is for Akane," He admitted. “It’s the only way I can atone for the sins I carry.”

“Do you think that’s fair to Seishu?” You questioned, leading the conversation into dangerous territory. Kokonoi perked up at the drop of his friend's name, narrowing his scrutinizing gaze at you. It was like you knew which aggravating buttons to push with an expert hand, slowly setting the stage for an argument to brew and burst out. “Pushing him away because you believe that you deserve to suffer in his place. That’s a bit selfish, don’t you think?”

“What do you know? You’re just a stupid little girl who can’t get over the ghost of someone who’s never coming back!”

“You’re just a scared little boy who can’t face the fact that he deserves to make his own choices! Are you so far gone that you'll do anything for the sake of money?!” You fired back, frustration beginning to cloud your mind as the argument escalates further and further. “The Kanto Manji Gang is going to ruin you, Kokonoi."

“It’s my life, isn’t it? Quit acting like you own me." He griped, slapping away the finger you had jammed into his chest.

You scoffed, shooting him a pained glare as the knot in your throat tightened with each syllable that escaped your lips. Koko reflected so much of your grieving self that it was painful to stare at him straight on. “I’m not going to speak for Akane, but I know Shinichiro would hate me for using his memory as an excuse to make myself miserable! Let the dead rest, Hajime. It’s the least we can do for them to able to move on peacefully.”

Kokonoi has never received such an enraged response from you, nor has he ever witnessed you shedding tears over a fight. “Some days are more difficult than others, I understand that. I can function normally until the band aid over my heart is ripped off once again and I’m just a pathetic crying mess.”

Kokonoi can picture himself at home, destroying his belongings and wrecking his room in a fit of relentless rage.

“40 million... I'll make that money even if I die."

Kokonoi can picture himself receiving the phone call from his best friend, anguished sobs echoing across the line as he delivers the bone-chilling news he never wished to hear.

“Akane... She’s dead."

He can picture himself inside the hospital room, looming over Akane’s lifeless body. Bandages covering the unsightly burns across her body. Even in death, she was such a beautiful sight despite the injuries that consumed her entire being.

“I’m sorry, Akane! If only I had more money…”

Koko wishes he could be freed from the guilt of losing his best friend’s sister. Freed from the urge to chase at a fleeting shadow. Freed from the need to atone for his past self's shortcoming and unfulfilled promises.

“I walk into Mikey’s house sometimes expecting to run into Shinichiro,” You sighed, laying back in the grassy area of the ground. Kokonoi’s gaze traced your gentle features, admiring how well they reflected with the sunset’s glow on your skin. He can sense a subtle aura of longing radiating from your body “I always expect to see him waiting for me in the old bike shop.”

He can barely stop the suppressed confession from escaping his lips as soon as he blurted it out. “I kissed Inupi because I wanted to believe that it was Akane who was sitting there."

Surprisingly, you say nothing in response. Simply accepting it for what it is.

"I tried going out with Mikey for a while thinking he could make up for Shin. We both realized it wasn't healthy for either of us." You know he isn't seeking a response, instead someone who could find common ground. “Moving on doesn’t mean we’re leaving the people we love behind us. It means we have to live for ourselves, we get to choose our own paths, we write our own stories.”

You sighed, standing up and brushing away the debris lingering on your pants. The guilt of arguing with him earlier continued biting at your conscious, beckoning for you to reconcile with the boy. “It’s late, I should be heading home soon. I’m sorry for raising my voice at you, Hajime. I was trauma dumping, totally uncalled for.”

He nodded his head in response, choosing to acknowledge you passively rather than with words. Kokonoi could sense the iron-clad walls surrounding his heart beginning to cave in, threatening to tear apart his remaining composure. The years of pent-up grief was starting to bubble up and escape through the tattered seams of his soul.

Y/N has always treated me as friend even though I never considered her more than a nuisance.

Koko trembled, tears rolling thickly down his face, stinging his cracked lips. His hands twisted around each other as if he could press the worst of his feelings back into his skin. “Y-Y/N?” He croaked.

You immediately abandoned your thoughts, rushing to his side. “Koko? What is it? What’s wrong?” Your voice was sharp with concern as you scrutinized Koko any sign of something amiss.

Hesitating, Koko shook his head, his mouth opening and closing before opening again. His quivering voice could barely be heard from above a tiny whisper. “Could you just… hold me? Just for a minute?”

The request was bizarre but the anguished expression consuming his features sent your mind into overdrive. It was as if he would split into pieces if you weren't there to hold him together. He resembled a child crying out for their mother, desperate to be reassured that everything would be okay, he was safe, he was fine.

“Yeah, yeah of course.” You pulled Koko in, enveloping him in your arms, one hand cradling the back of his head and the other rubbing soothing circles into his back. You were quiet for a moment before you spoke, soft and gentle, “You know, it doesn’t have to be for just a minute. I’m here for as long as you need me.”

Koko is unable to understand how someone as compassionate as you can exist. Despite the constant banter you two have shared over the past year, you always treated him so well. He admires the way you’re ready to hand out your infinite kindness without expecting anything in return. He’s forgotten that there are people in this world who could care less about money or what he can offer to them.

There are people in this world who are the walking definition of a guardian angel. People who are there to listen and guide others when they've lost themselves, Koko stumbled upon that epiphany as soon as he became vulnerable with you. No expectations, no need to return the favor, it did not feel transactional to him like his other dealings.

“I’m not a good person. I don’t deserve comfort,” Koko mumbled into your shoulder. He was speaking more to himself than to you, finding a way to cope with the influx of manic chaos rushing through his veins. Your embrace was more than enough to calm his nerves though he cursed himself internally for allowing himself to be so weak in front of you.

The pure vulnerability of being able to indulge in another person’s care was something Koko thought he would never experience. Life served him the worst hand of cards, the only way to survive was to outsmart the system by creating his own.

“Regardless of whether you’re a good person or not, people don’t become better by treating themselves badly. And you don’t have to earn my kindness or ration it like it’ll run out. You already have it, as much as you’ll let me give you.”

You both stood like that for much longer than a minute.

"To be honest, I tolerate you better than most. You can be nice to have around, sometimes." He admitted, thinking you deserved some shred of his kindness in exchange for the temporary sanctuary you provided.

"I think that's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me, Koko. I should record that, say it again!" You rolled your eyes playfully, holding up your cellphone as if you actually wanted to follow through with your plans.

Koko rolled his eyes at the suggestion, choosing to stick his tongue out as a response. "Don't push your luck, Y/N. This won't happen again."

"Hajime... It's time for you to live your life the way you want to."

“I will," Koko affirmed. "Don't have to tell me twice."

Meanwhile, Inui sighed from the sidelines, making note of the way you avoided his gaze as if it would change how easy it was for him to read you. He noticed the sheepish smile on your face and the subtle rosy tint on your cheeks but decided to spare you the embarrassment of explaining as soon as you approached. "How did it go?"

You cleared your throat, a tiny grimacing smile soon replacing the bashful expression. "Better than expected. You should reach out to him before 2nd Gen Toman faces Kanto Manji, I would hate see either of you get hurt."

Inui shook his head, returning a pained smile "You've done enough, Y/N. Koko needs to figure out the rest on his own. Want me to walk you home?"

"Thanks, Seishu." You answered but continued to politely decline his offer. "But I have to catch up with someone in a bit. I'll see you around okay?"

"Right, get home safe then. Message as soon as you make it back."

Soon enough, the sight of a familiar tombstone comes into view, a pair of fresh incense sticks and a pack of his favorite cigarettes adorning the gravesite. Waka and Benkei must’ve paid a visit right before you arrived. "Hiya, Shin. Guess what? I think I found someone to fall in love with. He's rough around the edges in some ways but I can sense that he has a warm heart. Sure, he gets on my nerves and can be too cocky for his own good, but he has some redeeming qualities.”

A tiny grin dances across your lips as you fiddle with the hem of your sleeves. “You know, it may be too soon to call it love but we’re starting off as friends… that’s a nice start, right?”

It’s quiet, so painstakingly quiet that you swore you could hear Shinichiro’s voice being carried through the wind. The graveyard was desolate considering the late hour. Call it wishful thinking, a side effect of long term grief or pure and utter delusion but the words strike like a resonating chord in your heart.

'I’m proud of you, Y/N.'

The graveyard feels a little less lonely tonight.

[ms-mo]

Mini Comic Saigenos - In Sketch (cuz I don't have time to do proper linearts. Work has been shitty) inspired by this little cards box I got from my husband. He found it from a Japanese thrift shop. I cannot describe how much I love it and will treasure it of the rest of my life.

Please read from right to left

Well, what can I say.. Saitama gonna need a cold shower for a week 😅

Also, Genos is really angry and sulking hard 😂 the only person that can make the strongest man quiver in fear