#i hope i did that read more right

[stil-lindigo]

warmth.

a comic about not being alone.

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creative notes:

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all my other comics

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[smittyw]

im halfway thru the first book and guys i rly would love to draw gideon but she wont stop describing harrow for me in grave (haha) detail for some reason so basically i had no choice? damn?

(being called "ferrety" without makeup was a KO this girl is always sweating blood ik shes a damn mess.. )

[whenyoulosesmallmind]

Nicklas Bäckström & the Washington Capitals (+ nickeovi) ― Immortality, Clare Harner | insp.

credits: x. x. x. x. x. x. x. x. x. x.

[ancientbygone]

i didn’t do it, i didn’t do it for love; what did i do it for?

[sequel piece to kill the sparrow]

[anxiouspotionofgloom]

Day 1 - A Memory In Amber (Cooking Together)

[Hi! I've decided to try the @hot-scarian-summer-2024 ! Can't promise I'll do all days, and I'm really sorry if I mess up anything: it's my first time trying to participate into an online thing, and it's making me really anxious but we persevere! Also please forgive me it's a bit rushed, things just keep happening to me T-T. Awesome day/night to you all!]

-

"Grian-" The words are breathless, almost on the run, and he can feel the tell-tale signs of Scar flying a little too close - a loud woosh followed by the sounds of crushed gravel. 

With a practiced ease, Grian steadies him, rolling his eyes as Scar dusts himself off. As distinguished as he wants to be, he couldn't really fool anyone. 

"Just the man I wanted to see!" His eyes sparkle as he smiles, and there's that familiar feeling in his stomach - a roll and a twist all at once, a rollercoaster ending right into the vulnerable flesh of his belly - and Grian already knows he'll fall for whatever scam the other is preparing.

- 

"You want me to cook for you?" Grian can't erase the incredulity out of his tone, and Scar winces in turn.

"No! Not really!" His hands dance, waiving in and out of his space as if he could convince him further by speaking with his whole body instead of only his words. "We would be cooking together."

The grass crumples against his shoes when he wordlessly starts to walk, and Grian doesn't have to wait for the tip tap of Scar's cane to know the other will follow. The two of them are like that sometimes, human-sized stars waiting to collide.

Still, the whole ordeal fails to make sense in his eyes - and even if it's Scar, there are not many of his ideas that so completely escape his sense of understanding. "You want me to help you cook... for you and someone else?" 

"Well..." The word trails off, and in the ill-fitted silence his mind tries to picture this nebulous person, the one worth this much effort on a Friday night. 

If Grian's honest with himself, in the quick second it takes to remember Scar's earnest face as he'd asked for help, he's just the tiniest bit jealous. And pissed. The two emotions mix in his guts and leave him with an acidic aftertaste.

Scar fumbles through an explanation all the way to his base. 

-

"So. What was your idea?" 

"For?" 

Grian can already feel himself grow irritated at his future cooking assistant - big green eyes blinking in confusion at him. There's something he does not dare name stirring in his chest: it feels awfully like drowning. "For cooking obviously. Unless you need me to clean the place too?" 

It sounds defensive. Scar is quick to pick up on it too, and Grian tries not to let the analytical look resting on his back win. 

"Are you okay? You look... tired." It's a kind way of describing his frown. Feeling the tiny claws of culpability sink into his heart, Grian swallows any leftover irritation and clears his throat, just to be sure. "Sorry. I'm assuming you have a meal in mind?"

It's only when he turns to speak face to face that Grian realizes - Scar is close, skirting the edges of his personal space, and there's a hesitating hand stretched his way. It hangs in the air for a heavy moment, and in the time it takes for an unsteady breath to rattle his lungs, it retreats back to its owner. Grian shudders all the same, and hopes the weather is cold enough to justify it. 

Continuing as if nothing happened, Scar answers. "Well, at first no, but then I asked around for the best dish to make for a date and-"

Grian almost chokes. "You're having a date?"

Right here and then, the need to turn back and bury himself at the bottom of the sea is almost strong enough for him to run away.

-

"You had to ask my help for pasta?"

Scar smiles, a sheepish expression on his face that would be cute if Grian could stop picturing the very same face lit up by candlelight, smiling at someone that wasn't him. He hates, hates the situation this impossible man has put him in, and yet his heart softens as Scar speaks. 

As much as he despises what's happening, there's no denying that Scar is hard to hate. He's annoying, sure. A bit careless, definitely. But at the end of the day, when the dying sun hits his face just right - molten gold staining the brown halo of his hair, emerald eyes looking at him as if Grian was something precious - well. There's only so much a man can handle before his fingers shake with the need to reach out and touch.

(Nobody blames the sea for kissing the white sand of the shore: nobody stops a volcano from erupting. Those things just happen.)

Grian only tunes back in at the end of Scar's speech, something about judging people and trying out new things. Half of it derails from the original point, but Scar smiles confidently through it all. Even then, Grian kind of wants to punch him in his perfect little teeth, for giving him a taste of something he will not get to have.

-

"Void help me, if you put this spoon into your mouth, I will kick you out of this kitchen."

Scar pouts. "I don't see why it's such a big deal, the water is boiling, so it's gonna get disintegrated anyways!"

Unyielding, he does not stop glaring until the aforementioned spoon is well away from the steaming pot of pasta. "I don't care about disinfecting the  spoon, it is disgusting, and I'm sure that your date will agree with me here."

Something in Scar's eyes shines, and his stomach twists unhappily at his own reminder that Scar won't be alone tonight. "You think?" It sounds happy, and Grian hates himself for the burning need to twist the knife deeper.

"Do I know them?" 

There's a second of confusion on Scar's face, before an easy smile overtakes it. "You can say that, yeah." 

Frustration bubbles in his chest. If only Scar would stop being so damn deliberately obtuse about the identity of that mysterious date! It's not like he'd do something drastic about it. Too much of a coward to willingly expose himself like that.

I don't want you to date anyone, he swallows back again and again as the meal shapes itself together. I wanted to be the one you chose. None of the words pass the airtight wall of his teeth. Instead, all that comes out of it is a forced "Let's work on that sauce."

He'd said it himself: Grian was a coward.

-

He feels dumb, standing in the middle of the kitchen as they wait for the food to cool down. 

Untying the knot of his apron - aiming for nonchalant and landing quite a few meters away, right into something like dread, Grian asks. "So. When are they getting here?" 

For the first time of the night, Scar's face morphs into something anxious, like he's not quite sure of where to go from now on. 

Gently, he sets the plates on the table, watching Grian in the corner of his eyes all the while. "About that."

There's a hopeful smile on his face, looking slightly strained around the edges. There's a hopeful smile on his face as Scar looks straight at him.

A horribly promising realization starts to tickle the back of his head. All at once, the dots connect, as fast as it takes for the electrical impulse in his brain to reach his heart and make it skip a beat. There are a million words fleeting through his mind, an entire vocabulary flying out the window, and all that comes out of his gobsmacked mouth is "You."

"I thought. You know. You, me, and a meal I-" Sensing the murderous intent forms before his eyes, Scar corrects himself. "We cooked, I thought it would be a good idea?" 

Grian stands still, eyes flickering in between the two plates set on the table and Scar. Truly, there's no words to be had. His hand grips the back of the chair a bit too tight, and Scar grimaces. "It doesn't have to be a date, of course, it could be a totally platonic dinner with candles in between- friends." 

It's enough to snap Grian back into reality. "Oh no you don't! You- Yo made me cook a meal for an hour-" Cutting Scar short with an accusatory finger against his chest, he continues. "Don't pretend you were anything remotely close to useful." 

Getting closer, he tries to muster all the damned annoyance and self-control it took to go this far. Scar doesn't look very assured. Good. "You made me miserable, and now you're trying to back out?"

The other's face does some strange gymnastics then, but Scar had always been quick to understand the underlying thought in his words, and Grian, despite the way fury ran through his veins, couldn't help but mirror the slow smile on his face.

Hesitancy fading away as Grian gripped the front of his shirt, Scar held both his cheeks in his hands, as gentle as he'd imagined it to be, in the dark of the night, burning from the embers of a forgotten dream. 

The smile on Scar's face looks awfully close to a confession, and the raw feeling in his chest melts into something much more pleasant. "I'm sorry. Let me make it up to you?"

"You better."

[fainfaineant]

I've lowered the prices of my commissions!

To be honest, it was a decision I made for two reasons. First, I know my reach is terrible right now, and second, I know the economy is rough on all of us right now.

That doesn't stop me from wanting my art to be my work, and I do think in general that art is a luxury that should be priced accordingly, but I want to be able to reach more people! Offering low cost work is better than no work at all, as things are at the moment. That being said, I still need to reach more eyes! So even if you, beloved reader, cannot commission me, a reblog and a share would do a lot for me! Thank you for your time!

You can comm me on Vgen forrrr (some price examples);

sketches at $16, chibs at $20, loose color art at $30, and more!

[cirrus-grey]

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck the goddamn music-

I don't know the name for the technique but there's this thing that was in there that's the string players, like, tapping the instrument with the bow to create a more percussive sound and normally I wouldn't think too much of it but I swear to god it sounded like creeping spider legs. During the case set at Hill Top Road. With the very obvious references to the Buried and the Stranger and all the rest. Which dropped about a hundred Achives references including Jon's fucking name???

I have always respected the soundscaping they do at Rusty Quill but they're really going above and beyond for this show.

[shalom-iamcominghome]

Hello! Could you help me with something? I read that Jewish people call God HaShem l, but why do they also write "God" as "G-d"?

Quick disclaimer that I am not an expert, and while I want to give a thorough answer, I also do not want to be too wordy - I may leave out some things!

The long and short of it really comes down to respect and revearing His name! There are many names used for g-d, and in fact, I can think of many just off the top of my head!

When g-d's name is written down, whatever is used to inscribe that name on should not be destroyed - to the point that there are specialized places (genziah) where one may place time-worn objects (such as tefillin or manuscripts with g-d's name written down within the pages) within in order to be properly disposed of. In fact, we have one for our shul and community and though I haven't gone, it's a serious thing!

One way we "get around" using g-d's name is calling Him Hashem (השם), which just means The Name - it's appropriate to use pretty much whenever, honestly. In shul (at least, mine), we don't use Hashem in prayer or reading from the Torah, we instead use Adonai, or Elohim, or whatever is appropriate for the prayer or situation. G-d is a g-d of name names, but honestly, if someone respects g-d's name, the semantics about Which Name is right become ess emphasized, in my experience.

[nguyenfinity]

[slams this on the table] HAPPY MOTHERS’ DAY

Extra:

[clegfly]

“Of course you have an Other Brother,” he says, waving off her denial as he opens some nearby cabinets. “Who else would I be if I wasn’t?”

Small WIP sketch of the Other Brother from IDKSomethingClever99’s fic “Mari in the Pink Palace”!!! OMORI and Coraline are my two biggest interests ever so this fic was like winning the lottery for me. Not to mention how good it is… please go read it ragh

[hestzhyen]

Chapter 45 Uh, Seriously?! Posting

So! Full speed ahead it is, internet void! What a dense chapter.

First up, John Hishaku and the Samurai Murderer Guy that was at Chihiro's house in chapter 2.

Guess we'll see more of him soon, how fun! It's not quite clear how many people are talking here, but Hishaku scheming is afoot and the game is on. The only question is how fucked the Kamunabi is going to be by the end of the arc IMO.

And don't think I missed that vase reappearing. My nemesis. The spiky boi on the mid-left drove me insane as soon as the raws dropped but I would like to tentatively propose that it is a kiku (chrysanthemum). Different colors have very different meanings so I still admit defeat on that front. But kiku are usually associated with mourning or Imperial imagery, so that's cool. I demand a treat if this flower arrangement turns out to be the world's subtlest hint that the Hishaku are related to an old regime or breakaway faction of the government.

But yeah... so much cuteness this week. Very welcome after the rich drama from the past few chapters.

Boys who commit patricide together fall asleep mid-conversation wake up together, apparently. And for all the fan artists/fanfic writers out there, it's now canon that both of them are wearing long-sleeved shirts under the other layers. I was kind of hoping for Chihiro to be wearing one of his dad's shirts but this is more in character...

Fine, okay, it's probably for convenience's sake since apparently these guys can only rest for one night before jumping into the lion's den. But I'm flabbergasted by their soulmate coding. I kind of expected Hakuri to pass out, but Chihiro conking out at the same time in the same pose is too damn cute! Barely over a week together and they've already perfectly synced their sleep schedules and postures lol.

I find it deeply amusing that the entire flashback sequence at the end of chapter 44 was purely for the reader's benefit though. Seriously! Hakuri asked Chihiro "So... what comes next?" and then they both immediately passed out sitting up. So the last four pages were there just to spare us from even more infodumping in this chapter, which is much appreciated.

That's something that Hokazono-sensei also did at the end of the vs. Sojo arc in chapter 18. 10 pages to him exploding, 7 to the situation at the Kamunabi (which will now come into play! EXCELLENT LAYERING OF DETAILS!). I don't know if I'm smart or educated enough to do a full analysis on the techniques he's using, but I love the style. He doesn't let the emotional points linger too long or waste a single goddamn panel in this manga. Yeah, I want more time with the characters outside of serious plot moments, but there's not much else for me to complain about. The need isn't particularly dire anyway since every scene is efficient in giving us characterization and info at the same time (example later this rant).

So yeah. Thanks to that excellent pacing decision, we get to witness this crowning moment of heartwarming:

LOOK AT THESE DORKS. LOOK AT THEM. I LOVE EVERY SINGLE ONE. Thank you for this moment of Team Goldfish x Hiyuki and Tafuku bliss.

And look at the food on the table! Hiyuki and Tafuku have earned a measure of trust with Team Goldfish! Just a bit, but Shiba definitely wouldn't have let them stay the night and eat with them if he felt they were dangerous.

It's also so sweet that Char's comfortable sitting in big bro Tafuku's lap... she's come a long way since her debut as a scared, scruffy orphan. Wonder where the gang is hanging though. Someone's apartment, I guess? A nearby hotel? More insignificant details this annoying reader wants to know...

TW for SF5-era tournament enthusiasts: That Stage appears in the first panel.

Did anyone have bets on Shiba wrecking Hiyuki in Street Fighter while waiting for Hakuri and Chihiro to wake up? I didn't, but I love it. And this scene highlights something I've really come to appreciate about Kagurabachi's writing: it's incredibly efficient. Almost every scene has more than one thing being conveyed at a time. For instance, here we learn that Hiyuki sucks at Street Fighter compared to Shiba but is too stubborn to quit (comedy & character consistency) and still doesn't know he's ex-Kamunabi (serious). This in turn tells us that Shiba's probably got something to hide from active Kamunabi personnel. After all, it's not like the org itself is a secret, and we wouldn't see Hiyuki questioning him twice if his circumstances weren't suspicious. So Shiba's subplot thickens while we laugh at the gag- peak efficiency.

The cuteness, though... the sweetness of this chapter, man!

Chihiro respecting Yuu's nickname and correcting Hakuri with such a gentle expression is incredibly adorable. He's so relaxed here... but oh wait, there's... chibi Hakuri and Chihiro apologizing for worrying Uncle Shiba?!

Chihiro and his new #1 enabler owe more than an apology but it's good enough for now.

This break wasn't quite long enough to reset the tension in my opinion, but it absolutely delivered on character moments. We definitely needed this after all the big feels from the previous few chapters. I wish there was more time devoted to letting us calm down before ramping up again but what we got here is pretty good.

And so we jump feet-first into laying the groundwork for the Kamunabi arc. A nice, efficient recap of the situation leads us into some additional context and a surprising bit of Shiba characterization. Whatever beef he's got with the Kamunabi feels quite personal for a guy who plays it cool and loose most of the time. We know he's glad he quit because they're too uptight, but there's gotta be more to it than that- he's subtly trying to steer Chihiro away from them while Hiyuki is having none of it here. I want to gently snap this man in half to make him spill his secrets...

At the end of the day, though, Shiba's not going to stop Chihiro from joining the Kamunabi. That's been his thing since Chapter 1: if Chihiro makes up his mind to do something, Shiba will offer advice and make suggestions but ultimately leave the decisions up to him. I wonder how much of his guilt over Kunishige's death plays into that...

Then!

PFFT. "I know what I'm doing here seems risky and unwise but It's fine, trust me. I've got Hakuri." OKAY BUDDY. You've been able to do a hell of a lot since you met this kid haven't you? It's like meeting him changed the trajectory of your life as much as you changed his.

Shiba's expression is very interesting to me. He's like "ah, I get it..." and he's not thrilled in the slightest. Adding Hakuri to the team means Chihiro can be even more reckless than ever before; what little influence he had over Chihiro's safety is all but gone now. And Hakuri himself won't try to stop Chihiro from putting his life on the line- he'll risk his own to help him do it! All this while they're poised to go somewhere he probably can't follow... poor Mr. Shiba.

And then!! AND THEN!!!

Chapter 32: Smile Unlocked (once has no meaning...)

Chapter 36: Smile Lost (twice is a coincidence...)

Chapter 38: Locked In (three times is a pattern...)

Chapter 45: Smile Restored (four times is fate)

The one pulling the other forward is always on the right, leading the reader as well.

When one calls, the other answers. What one starts, the other finishes. A and Un. And this time Hakuri echoes Chihiro's "you got it" catchphrase back to him! I hope this is their thing now, like the "How's my timing?/Perfect" bit that Shiba and Chihiro had.

I'm going absolutely insane over this interaction though. It's the first time Chihiro's gotten to hear someone affirm that they'll see things through with him at his own request (on-screen at least). The first time he's outright said he needs someone, even. And of course Hakuri responds so enthusiastically- he's finally wanted. Just a few days ago he thought he'd never amount to anything. But he's got so much hope thanks to Chihiro's faith in him now.

"What I need in my life is a samurai! THAT'S YOU!" is finally answered with "I'm going to need your help again." hnnnngh what in the hell is this chapter.

Platonic, familial, romantic- however you want to see their relationship, these guys are meant to be together. If I ever start to doubt Hakuri's importance again just smack me right upside the head- he's truly Chihiro's other half now. Let's cheer them on and hope nothing horrible happens to Hakuri ever again! Protect the smile of the boy who would die for you on command, Chihiro. You've been warned.

Protected Bearers

Cool stuff ahead, and tough times to go with them. I doubt things will be as simple as Chihiro successfully making his case and being allowed to start trying to Talk no Jutsu the former wielders. This arc seems like it could easily be longer and more complicated than the previous two combined. I kind of hope it is, just to get more time with everyone. I've never loved a cast of characters this much.

That said... In another series I'd be sure Chihiro would visit each area one by one in their own mini arc, but Kagurabachi is probably going to subvert the expectation somehow. We got previews of the areas so we'll be seeing all of them. Probably (we goddamn better after that gorgeous spread showing them off.), but not in the way we'd expect. This story is so fast I kind of expect us to blitz through all of them in a handful of chapters each... guess it depends on how in-depth we get with the bearers themselves.

As we originally saw them in chapter 18. The slightly updated designs from this chapter are pretty nifty.

I'm 100% sure the order they're presented here corresponds with the areas shown on the spread immediately afterwards. So eye scars is stuck in a temple, the girl is stuck in an onsen, kabuki monk guy is stuck in what looks like a floating shrine, and sushi chef is in... a sushi restaurant. Wow shocker.

I'm going to make the assumption that they got to choose where they were imprisoned for the rest of their lives. Maybe it was the government's way of expressing gratitude for helping the war effort? Which makes Magatsumi's wielder (the Sword Master) being sealed up like a nasty curse all the more intriguing... he's clearly fucked up but was he always that way or did the sword corrode his mind? Is there more to the lifelong contract with these swords than just being the only person who can use them? I better get some answers!

Anyway.

So Kunishige personally knew and chose these people... I wonder how meeting them will deepen Chihiro's understanding of his father's legacy. I sincerely doubt that all of them will make it easy for him to recover the blade they're tied to, but we'll hopefully learn a lot while Chihiro makes his attempts. Really seems like we are set up for Kunishige and Seitei War backstory so I am hype. Dead DILF lore! DEAD DILF LORE!

Hiyuki and Kamunabi Thoughts

Hiyuki also had some interesting moments this chapter. She understands that the current stalemate with the Hishaku has tied the Kamunabi's hands for the most part, forcing them to do less than savory things (like bidding on the Shinuchi) to keep the peace. And despite her hotblooded outburst before the auction, she still has rock solid faith in her org's mission. So I don't think she'll defect easily so as long as she believes the mission is doable under better circumstances.

And it seems like she thinks Chihiro might be the right catalyst for change... hmm. She's essentially using him as a chaos agent to shake up the status quo because he proved himself to her. She finds him worthy of deciding how to handle the blades, so now she's giving him and Hakuri the opportunity prove themselves to her leaders. Very cool. There's some rather deep stuff going on with her.

Hiyuki's much more establishment-oriented than her personality and actions suggest. I get the sense that she's there as an idealist who is willing to upset the status quo to see the mission through. A true believer in a bureaucratic institution- love that type of conflict. Can't wait to see more of her in this arc!

So now we're set to see Chihiro's philosophy and methods on trial. Super intriguing stuff and I'll definitely be looking at the questions each Kamunabi leader is asking to try and suss out their allegiance. Playing Guess the Traitor this arc is gonna be a lot of fun (I hope)!

Speaking of which... Azami as the traitor allegations don't move me, but I do think he'll be restricted this arc due to the ongoing investigation into his clandestine activities. Chihiro could well be on his own without an adult to watch out for him. At least he and Hakuri will be there for each other. ...With no one to try and stop them from doing reckless stunts. Uh oh.

So that's a wrap on this fuckhuge ramble. Hope the breakneck pace slows down just a smidge but I'm still very onboard with whatever is coming next. Thanks for allowing me to ramble as always, void.

[cyanide-sippy-cup]

So, Book of Bill, huh?

[peridots-pixiwolf]

[Start ID. A dark, warm-toned drawing of Tundra, a robot with bladed legs and mechanical hands both lightened by frost, and a face like that of a fencing mask. She wears a blue jacket with a fluffy white ruff and pockets on the shoulders and chest, a long green skirt with tassels and pale wavy lines at the border, and a brown belt with a pouch at the side. She's shown from the right, leaning back on a stack of pillows and a wooden wall as she looks out to the left, disregarding the open book in her hand, her legs bent in front of her. Under her is a yellow and red rug which pads gritty flooring, over her are series of low, round string lights, providing soft lighting in a room that's partially open to the night sky.]

it's a friend's birthday today yet again... in honor of the occasion here's a Tundra for @automatonknight :]

[bagadew]

A detective who regularly investigates weird and inventive murders decides to start a blog…

Unfortunately rather than writing about his job, he decides to write about his interests: a collection of the most boring subjects known to man.

[r0b0t1me]

✨BRIGHT STARS, CONSTELLATIONS, BIBLICALLY ACCURATE ANGELS✨

fanart for bad blud by @/pidgetails/bigdamnher0 

alt. w/ no text

[doomedpuppetyuri]

RADICAL LEFT SPOILERS SURVIVAL STREET MUTUALS BE WARNED

OK SO THAT WAS A CRAZY FIRST ISSUE -punk rock gurgle my beloved they should've let her keep that outfit -starling REEKS of dr teeth and the electric mayhem energy and i love them for it -sassy's design is so cute omg -i love hippy so much -gurgle's new intro card thingie being "overwhelmed and underprepared" she's just like me fr,,,, -BIRDIE AND HERBERT JUST DECKING EACH OTHER WAS CRAZY??? I KNEW THEY WERE BREAKING UP THE TEAM FOR AWHILE THIS VOLUME BUT DAMN THAT WAS FAST -gurgle's 121 days clean i'm so happy for her,,,, -I WAS RIGHT HIPPY'S HANGING OUT WITH MR BURTON