#i will wake up early i will get at least 2 drawings done i will brave the apple store and fix my phone

[haunthouse]

need to make more prints before flamecon...... perhaps i will do some pacrim content for its 10th anniversary. people are still into pacrim enough to buy prints of it at gay comiccon right

[aethon-recs]

40 Tomarrymort Recs for 2024 — Longfic Edition (Part 3)

Part 3 of 2024 recs! See below for a round-up of some of the most engaging multi-chaptered works/longfics that I came across in this ship in 2024 🤍

As with last year, I found each of these fics, in their depiction of the ship, to be a fresh or surprising take on our familiar beloved characters of Harry and Tom|Voldemort, with an emphasis on underrated fics and/or fics that made me think about the ship in some new way. It's amazing to me that even after 20+ years of writing in this ship, there are still so many new themes and tropes and angles to explore. 

Criteria for this list: multi-chaptered, Tomarrymort-centric, with at least 1 update published in 2024. 

Overall, for 2024, I've split up my year-end recs into 3 parts: (1) Completed Multi-Chapter Fics, (2) One-Shots, (3) WIPs. Here’s the link back to Part 1: Completed Multi-Chapter Fics with 30 fics and Part 2: One-Shots with 30 fics. And with these 40 fics, this wraps up 100 recs for Tomarrymort for 2024!

*

a cool drink of water by @zolpidem105 (E, 10k, WIP)

Harry Potter, an apprentice at Police Scotland, wakes up to find he’s not in his bed.  "Awake? Excellent. We should get going," Tim?—Tom—says from the side, sounding far, far too alert for what Harry feels is catastrophically early in the morning.

A Simple Request by @shyinsunlight (E, 70k, WIP)

Harry can't sleep because of his neighbours' constant fighting, and he ends up falling asleep at work. Tom Riddle, CEO, is not particularly happy.

Accidents happen by @themothatyourdoor (T, 51k, WIP)

Harry must have been London's first accidental sugar daddy.

And the Living Will Envy the Dead by @k-s-morgan (M, 114k, WIP)

When Tom looks at Harry, he feels nothing. Until he does, and then Harry’s world starts drowning in blood.

Anytime, Anywhere, Always by @moontearpensfic (E, 30k, WIP)

Tom expects to feel victorious at his greatest enemy's confession. Instead, he develops a crush on him.

Auror Potter by @albondiguilla007 (E, 21k, WIP)

Harry Potter is done. He's been in the past for months now, working undercover. Enter Tom Riddle. Impulse control has never been a strong suit of Harry’s, and this mission is proving to be the most difficult one yet.

By Any Means by @corpium (E, 101k, WIP)

Harry Potter will do anything to protect his little brother, whether that means facing the Dursleys' wrath, dogging his brother's footsteps, or taking down the Dark Lord himself. Absolutely anything.

Crush by @chiocchi (T, 4 chapters, WIP)

Tom Riddle doesn't know what it's like to have a crush. So when his heart starts beating fast every time he sees Harry Potter, it can only mean one thing: His instincts are telling him that Harry Potter is a threat that must be eliminated.

Do It Over by @marrythemonstersao3 (T, 57k, WIP)

Harry wakes up on the morning of his eleventh birthday, ready to do things differently this time. He has no grand plans, just the instinct to be close to the man whose soul he shares.

draw me after you (let us run) by @toast-ranger-to-a-stranger (E, 287k, WIP)

“Harry Potter,” comes the soft, sibilant hiss of a voice he has heard in his dreams, in his nightmares, in his waking hours for years. “It seems I have finally caught you.” 

Echoes by @dracomort (M, 4k, WIP)

Across a thousand worlds, Harry and Tom find each other.

Embryo by @cannibalinc (NR, 112k, WIP)

This is Tom’s destiny, a King among men. No—a god. He need only rise to that which is his for the taking… if only one strange boy weren’t so determined to get in his way.

Hole in the Wall by @elddrmot (E, 77k, WIP)

Voldemort survives the final battle and is imprisoned in Azkaban. After a series of unfortunate events, Harry Potter ends up in the cell next to him.

Ills of Murder by @shadow-of-the-eclipse (M, 90k, WIP)

Harry Potter is a time-travelling, furious mess, and he is going to kill the Dark Lord. Like most of his plans, things do not work out. Tom should not be so obsessed with his would-be murderer.

Liquida Tenebris (Remastered) by @dymis (E, 595k, WIP)

When Harry Potter cast his first Cruciatus Curse, he was successful. In doing so, he awoke the darkness in his head. It whispers, and it's never wrong. The darkness is hungry, and won’t be denied.

Moon Rite by @isalisewrites (E, 15k, WIP)

Voldemort learned the truth: Harry was his horcrux. With a sudden offer of a ceasefire, the decades long war could be over - lives saved and protected - if Harry swore to one agreement: a magically binding marriage contract with Voldemort himself.

No Glory by @obsidianpen (E, 313k, WIP)

The Dark Lord divines what Harry Potter is in the Forbidden Forest, and revelations lead to incomprehensible consequences. Lord Voldemort has won... and the dystopia is damning.

Of Kings, of Pawns, and of Men by @ambivalens999 (E, 166k, WIP)

When Harry succumbs to dementors in Little Whinging, the last thing he expects is to wake and find Tom Riddle’s face staring back at him in the mirror. It only goes downhill from there.

of various storms and saints by MaidenMotherCrone (E, 36k, WIP)

“I am the last Lector. I am my people’s very last hope,” Harry bites out through the teeth of his fury. He is done throwing curses and spells. He is reduced to this, divine rage.  And then, Voldemort is there, looming and dark and great and terrible. “And I will stamp it out.”

One Year In Every Ten by @saintsenara (E, 207k, WIP)

A decade after the final battle, just when the wizarding world thinks itself safe, a serial killer emerges, leaving a trail of dead women in his wake. Each of the bodies bears a gruesome message for the Aurors. A message which claims the Dark Lord has risen again.

Reckless Cartography by @meles-merrivale (M, 39k, WIP)

Featuring Harry and Tom attending Hogwarts together and slowly ruining each other’s lives.

Revolution of Configured Stars by @tollingreminiscentbells (E, 162k, WIP)

In another world, Harry Potter was spared. Raised in Lord Voldemort's Britain, he enters his seventh year wanting to keep his head down. But after a chance encounter with ‘Marvolo Gaunt’, it looks like it may not be so simple.

Saint Harry by @alenablack @chaos-bear (E, 70k, WIP)

The moment Harry is struck by the killing curse, it’s not death that awaits him, but ascension. A story of faith, obsession, and the burden of divinity.

Seaforth by @kippipies (M, 10k, WIP)

For as long as he can remember, Harry's had a normal life, looking after a precocious child named Tom on an isolated island. But everything in his normal life is shattered when he finds out a terrible truth: that a powerful leader called Voldemort is after him.

Seeing Sand by @valkyrie-chemist (T, 95k, WIP)

Anticipation bubbled in Tom’s stomach as he imagined fear and shock Harry’s green eyes. Eyes that snapped open the instant Tom's hand touched the frame of the hospital bed. Eyes that burned gold.

some like it hot by @duplicitywrites (E, 12k, WIP)

When Tom Riddle applies for an internship at the Ministry of Magic, he is assigned to the Department of Magical Fire Control and Containment, a department that boasts a very impressive headcount of one: Harry Potter.

Strings of Fate by @solelyseeking (E, 58k, WIP)

“When I touch you,” Tom says, bitterness clinging to every syllable, “I feel whole.” Harry might just be the first interesting thing that Tom has ever encountered.

Stygian by @crowcrowcrowthing (E, 71k, WIP)

There's a book in Voldemort's private library that can explain this kind of magic. The cover is black and shiny and looks like it's breathing. Harry really wants to take a look at chapter three, no matter what it takes.

Tender Reigns Our Night by noumena (M, 103k, WIP)

Sent on a Ministry mission to fight for magic's survival, Harry goes back in time with two simple objectives: find and destroy any existing Horcruxes, and stop Tom Riddle ever evolving into Voldemort. Harry thus finds himself working alongside Riddle at Borgin and Burke's.

The Longing by @aglassroseneverfades (M, 41k, WIP)

What is possibly most damning of all is that Harry is not thinking of his parents right now as he trudges alongside his companions up to Voldemort’s eerie castle. He is thinking instead, as he often does, of a name that burns too brightly on his wrist in the pre-dawn light.

The Runemaster by @kazisstillawake (E, 43k, WIP)

Harry trips on a rock and leaps through time. 1940s Hogwarts is very different from the home he is familiar with. To make matters worse, he is dumped into Slytherin – Riddle’s territory. But it’s hard to be invisible when you’re a novelty, a new student that knows too much for your own good.

the stars, my destination by @milkandmoon-ao3 (E, 47k, WIP)

Harry is sent through time to the relative safety of 1963 and adopted into the Potter family. Now he’s entering his sixth year at Hogwarts in 1976, with a war brewing just outside the school walls. The last thing he needs is to catch the attention of the rising Dark Lord.

The Unintentional Consequences of Prison Reform by @badluck (E, 28k, WIP)

Harry Potter, newly licensed Mind Healer, puts personal history aside to take on his hardest job yet. “Talk to me, please. Give me a chance to make you better.” Lord Voldemort looks downright murderous.

The Word of Your Body by @ictyn (E, 7k, WIP)

“Have you heard from him?” Albus asks. He only means one person when he asks Harry this question. He’s asked it five times in twenty years, and the answer is always the same. The only thing he knows about Tom is that he’s not dead. Harry would know if that happened. He’d feel it beating inside his heart, inside of his very soul.

Timeless by @perhaps-sunlight (E, 3k, WIP)

In which Master of Death Harry Potter time travels to the 1940s, only fixing Tom Riddle isn’t quite what he had in mind.

To the Hilt by @izharmilgram (E, 28k, WIP)

Voldemort had trusted him with the task of bringing Prince Gryffindor under his control, thus securing the future of Gryffindor within their hands. Tom would do so easily—the prince was a mere omega, docile and sweet, easily swayed—and then Gryffindor Kingdom would be folded into the Slytherin Dynasty. He would prove himself undoubtedly useful, and Voldemort would finally let him rule at his side.

Venom or Valor by @lightningant (M, 52k, WIP)

20 years old and unemployed, Harry decides to use a time turner to travel to 1946. But what he finds isn’t the proud, charismatic Dark-Lord-To-Be, but a neurotic 19-year-old Tom Riddle living quietly in the tiny flat that his retail job barely pays for, isolated and addled by chronic illness.

we made universes out of bitten lips and broken hands by @boyneptunee (M, 68k, WIP)

Seer Harry who tries to write his own future, fuck prophesies and mastermind darklords and evil teachers. He will live his life, and he will enjoy it, dammit. Oh, and there's also Tom Riddle.

What In Me Is Dark, Illumine by @telelli-writes (M, 80k, WIP)

There was a new transfer student, Tom observed at the Start-of-Term Feast as he idly twisted the Gaunt ring around his finger. Featuring a schoolboy on the precipice of becoming a monster, a powerful and mysterious newcomer to Hogwarts, and an initial spark of interest that becomes an obsession.

With a resolute heart by Act_Naturally (M, 243k, WIP)

Triwizard Tournament, but Hunger Games: Tom Riddle needs to win to fulfill his plans. Cedric Diggory wants to make his family proud. Hermione wants her friends to survive. Harry wants a lot of things, including Tom Riddle. 

you speak of the devil (like he's not your friend) by @amuria (M, 64k, WIP)

When Harry wakes a seventeen-year-old Tom Riddle from the Gaunt's Ring, it is to a world where his future self has achieved none of their goals except one. Harry is proof that he's a great wizard after all.

*

[commandershepardvasfuckit]

Kingsguard part 4

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

M!troll x f!reader

2.3k words

You knew Ba’tual rarely slept with someone more than once, you weren’t quite sure exactly what to make of him letting you know he was expecting more.

(Oral: male receiving, size difference)

————

The sounds of movement woke you and you opened your eyes to see sunlight streaming through the windows and Ba’tual getting dressed.

“Good, you’re up. I though I was going to have to wake you” he commented, only barely looking over.

You sat up, your head spinning a little. Not the worse hangover you had ever had, but you certainly were not feeling so great.

Looking around you saw your clothes folded and sitting on the table along with the borrowed jewelry neatly placed beside them, so at least getting dressed and leaving would be easy.

Well, mostly easy. You struggled to figure out how exactly Bira had tied the shirt around you yesterday and you resigned to wrapping it any way you could just to keep it up. Hopefully you would not see anyone on your way back to the inn where you were staying.

As you went to leave Ba’tual stopped you for a moment and placed his hand under your chin to tilt your head up and make you look at him. He glided his thumb along your bottom lip before pressing the tip of it into your mouth, “I have things to do today, but I’m not done with you yet.”

He pressed his finger in a little farther and forced you to swirl your tongue around it “But you know where to find me.”

As you went to leave he gave you such a saccharine smile. He was still insufferable, but you supposed you did not have to like him to be able to have a little fun.

Tracing the roads back to the hold as a best you could, you kept an eye out for anyone who might recognize you, disheveled hair and last night’s clothes on incorrectly was not a good look on anyone. There were not many humans in the city so you drew at least some attention anywhere you went, but at least so far you did not know anyone you walked past.

You wanted to take a wide berth around the hold, figuring that was where you were most likely to bump into familiar faces. Besides the road you usually took to get back to the inn, you realized you actually did not know any other way back. Going through the main square was your only option for now.

Cautiously you looked out from the side street you were on to check who was there. It was still fairly early in the morning and almost no one was out yet, which was quite a relief. You moved quickly across, hoping your little hustle was not drawing too much attention and you made it just over half way across before you heard a familiar voice.

“Looks like someone had a good night” Bira teased.

You could have died of embarrassment right there.

“I’m just glad to see you didn’t spend all night writing notes” she laughed.

“Yeah” you laughed back awkwardly.

“So, anyone I would know?”

“I don’t think so” you lied.

She gave you a little shrug and a smile, “Well, hope you had some fun.”

As you turned you saw something that made your heart sink: Ba’tual walking towards the two of you. Quickly you started to walk off, hoping to not be too suspicious but you heard him call out to you.

“Hey, you left this at my place” he called out much too loudly for your liking and holding up a bracelet.

You looked back and forth between him and Bira and tried to brace for impact. You were one hundred percent certain that you had put on everything that was laid out by your clothes, you had no idea how you missed something.

“Him?” Bira practically spat at you, “You have a whole city to pick from and you picked him? That’s who you went home with?”

“Good morning to you too, Bira” he smiled, clearly enjoying the scene he was currently causing while he went to hand you the bracelet.

“I could have set you up with so many better choices!” Bira hissed at you as she snatched the bracelet from Ba’tual.

“She can’t help that she has good taste” he smirked.

“A whole city. A whole city! And you choose the guy who’s been pestering you nonstop?”

You did not know how to explain it, nor did you think Bira would actually care, but Ba’tual could actually be quite charming when he wanted to be. And besides, you had fun with him. It was not like you were looking for a relationship.

“Just because you don’t like me doesn’t mean that other people can’t like me” Ba’tual teased Bira.

“Fine, fine, make whatever poor decisions you want” she threw her hands up in defeat and sighed, “Just be careful, ok?”

“It’s fine, Bira. I’m an adult, I know what I’m doing” you assured her.

“And you” Bira snapped at Ba’tual, “don’t be such an asshole.”

“Oh but I think she likes it, she certainly seemed to like being pushed around last night” he smiled.

“Not another word” Bira warned him.

He smirked, “That’s fine, I have places to be anyways, but I’ll be seeing you later.”

“Really?” Bira asked you as Ba’tual walked off.

“I mean, it was really good” you shrugged.

Bira looked like she wanted to retch.

After getting back to the inn to wash up and change, the rest of the day went pretty smoothly at least. You headed back to the hold as you were supposed to meet with several of the huntsmasters from the minotaur clans that lived in the plains outside the city.

As you approached the hold you spotted Ba’tual in his typical spot outside, watching over two newer recruits as they sparred. He looked up as you passed and beckoned you over.

“Find me when you leave, I’ll be here all day” he told you.

You just nodded, fairly excited for whatever awaited later.

The day dragged on much longer than it should of. You found yourself struggling to write down everything the huntsmasters where telling you: important information about traveling routes for trading or following migrating animals, mostly just going in one ear and out the other. At the end of the day you smiled and nodded politely as you bid them farewell, kicking yourself for being distracted at such a vital time.

You quickly scanned the area outside the hold, the excitement building as you spotted Ba’tual sitting and leaning against one of the posts that lined the sparring area.

“Found you” you playfully called to get his attention.

“Great job” he snorted.

“Soooo” you began, “What’s the plan?”

“I’m starving, and could use a drink. Dealing with new recruits is draining.”

“Not a fan of being a teacher?”

“No. They all think they know better and then whine about unfair fights when sparring” he stood up and once more placed his hand under you chin to make you look up at him, “So I could could use a drink and some stress relief.”

You tailed behind him, somewhat struggling to keep up with his long strides as you made your way across town. The tavern he brought you to was one that you had never been to and you were the only human there. Ba’tual sat at the bar and and immediately started chatting in troll to the bartender. He smirked and nodded his head towards you and the bartender gave a laugh.

“What was that about?” you asked.

“Nothing, just ordering for us” he shrugged.

You were certain there was more to it, but it was not like you knew what he had said to prove anything so you dropped it.

The two of you made your way back to his place, a pleasant buzz in your head from the alcohol but less tipsy that then previous night at least. It was a short walk at least.

Ba’tual wasted no time once inside, immediately beginning to unlace his pants. “On your knees” he directed you, only barely glancing your way as he folded his pants and sat them aside.

You raised an eyebrow at him and remained standing.

“Please” he added with a clearly faked smile as he saw your facial expression, “And come over here.”

You knelt down between his legs next to where he sat on the bed and immediately he grabbed your hair and pulled your face right up against his cock. He was looking down at you expectantly, but did not say a word. You ran your tongue across his tip, lapping up the pre cum that had formed already. He groaned and tightened his grip on your hair, somewhat forcing his way into your mouth in his impatience.

Swirling your tongue around him got quite a response. He caught you off guard and bucked into your mouth, making you gag a bit and pull back. You looked up and shot him a dirty look, but he did not seem to care.

“Careful” you hissed at him.

“You can handle it” he shrugged.

“If you want me to blow you then don’t do that again.”

Cautiously you resumed, this time wrapping a hand around his base to hopefully keep him from shoving his cock down your throat. You started a steady rhythm of stroking him while you sucked on his tip and you felt his grip on your hair loosen as he relaxed.

Looking up at him, he really was quite a sight. When he was not being a pain the ass and kept his mouth shut he really was rather handsome.

You ran your free hand up his thigh and felt the taut muscle right under the skin, you had seen him sparring several times and knew he could absolutely manhandle you if he wanted. Slowly you moved your hand farther up his thigh until you were able to cup his balls, they hung heavy in your palm and you smile as you heard him moaning while you played with them.

He was leaning back on his elbow, eyes closed and taking deep breaths through parted lips.

“Fuck” he moaned, “That’s why he didn’t shut up about it.”

You snorted, you did not know what he was going on about, but it was almost charming in a way.

Slowly you took more of him into your mouth, enjoying how he tasted and smelled. He had been outside training recruits and sparring most of the day, giving him a strong, musky smell especially with your face between his legs and tasted of salt from the traces of sweat on his skin.

“Look at me” he directed you, though the commanding tone had all but dropped from his voice. Now it was almost a plea.

You looked up at him, though leaning back a bit he was watching you closely now, breathing heavily through parted lips.

“Spirits” he sighed, “You looked good with your lips around my cock.”

You held his eye contact and took more of him. At this point you were just at the edge of gagging if you went any farther and still it was only about half his length. You kept your tongue against the underside of his shaft, teasing him a bit as you slowly pulled back to see how he would react.

Quickly you felt his grip on your hair tighten again as he yanked you back towards him, though this time with your hand around him he did get deep enough to make you gag.

“Don’t” you warned him as you all but removed him from your mouth.

He gave you an almost pathetic whine, but released his grip on your hair entirely.

With your newfound freedom of movement you wrapped your other hand around him, working your mouth and hands in sync. He was nearly whimpering as you continued and you could hear soft words in troll falling from his lips.

As your pace increased so did his panting and ragged breathing to the point where he was nearly gasping as he finished. Spurts of thick, warm cum filled your mouth and quickly got to the point to overflowing and dribbling down your chin.

He reached down and wiped the cum off your chin with his finger before holding it to your lips.

You humored him, not only licking it off playfully sucking on his finger for a moment.

He let out a deep breath through his mouth before speaking, “Fuck” he sighed. “Really does live up to the hype.”

“Wait, have you never been blown before?” you asked in bewilderment.

“No? Have you seen troll tusks?”

“What about orcs or minotaur?”

“Look, we share a city and all get along, but not like that.”

“Then how’d you even know what it was?”

“My best friend is married to a human, you think he doesn’t tell me all about what he gets up to?”

“Fair” you conceded and you went stand up. You pressed yourself against him and began to kiss and nip along his neck.

“What are you doing?” he asked, almost sounding annoyed.

You did not know how to answer. It was obvious what you were doing: continuing.

“Aren’t we just getting started?” you asked, doing your best pouty, sultry voice.

“Wasn’t that enough?”

“No?” it was your turn to sound annoyed.

“Well, I’m tired. I’ve had a long day.”

“And I must be the only human you’ve had luck with, because while I’m not the only one in the city I must apparently be the only one willing to blow you” you fired back.

You saw his lip twitch as he scowled at you, clearly annoyed and doing his best to play nice. “Fine. If you’re going to be like that then give me a few minutes to catch my breath.”

[rayman-chibi]

Year of Rayman Month 3: March Into Battle!

(Haha I get it :P) (also they're about to throw hands with the entire Smash cast for not including them as actual fighters)

(Click on the picture's link btw lol)

This... took me days to finish (and for good reason; I had to wake up at an unhealthily early time in the morning to draw at least 2-3 characters for almost every day until I was sure that I was done). I even almost forgot to add in Glombrox, Selena, and the First King, and pretty much realized that to put in everyone in the tags, I'd have to get rid of a few of my usual tags..! Anyways, now that I've finished, I'd like to say that yes, there are some characters I haven't been drawing these last handful of months, but my favorite part about drawing this piece is the fact that I included some character interactions I had in mind but didn't draw up until this moment. For example, did you know that Chibi Dark has a crush on Flips? Now you do!

Oh and if you're wondering why Uglette isn't here... yeah, she's protecting the kids.

[veevil]

Get to know your mutuals! Thank you for tagging me @luckytv, @wyrm-mlm and @wishchip106

What's the origin of your blog title? My nickname is Vee and I love weevils. Nothing deeper than that!

OTP(s) + Shipname: Atm it's cherik, but I'm going to be a zukka and mailee enjoyer forever

Favourite colour: Army green, candy red

Favourite game: Fallout 4!

Song stuck in your head: Right now I have Gilded Lily by Cults stuck in my head

Weirdest habit/trait? I touch my face/hair a lot but it's not really a habit, it's just me stimming. I can't think of anything else

Hobbies: Gym and drawing (ik I'm boring)

If you work, what's your profession? I do remote IT help for a telephone company

If you could have any job you wish, what would it be? Realistically? A comfy office job in a small business without all this corporate bullshit

Something you're good at: Drawing ig

Something you're bad at: Baking

Something you love: Sugar free Monster energy

Something you could talk about for hours off the cuff: Nuclear accidents and radiation in general!

Something you hate: British people Having to wake up early

Something you collect: Ikea aliens, Fallout merch, books

Something you forget: I forgor

What's your love language? GIFT GIVING!!

Favourite movie/show: My favorite movie changes depending on what I'm into at that moment. Currently it's X-Men First Class. My favorite tv show I've watched is Breaking Bad

Favourite food: Persimmons! I could live off those things but I can get them for 3 months every year I'm so sad

Favourite animal: I like cats and spiders (I have both!) I've also really been into seals lately (thanks Wyrm)

What were you like as a child? I had to step into a caregiver role for my younger siblings at a very young age, so I was either doing that or self isolating. I did a lot of things on my own, and that's kinda how I picked up art. I needed something to do with my hands

Favourite subject at school? Art, history and religion (I am not religious in any way, but if you took out all the Christianity stuff it was basically just an extra history class.)

Least favourite subject: Math :/ now don't get me wrong, I like math but I just don't know how to math. I never got the support in school I needed in order to learn it and that made it a negative experience for me

What's your best character trait? I'm full of love and whimsy

What's your worst character trait? My insecurity and self isolating tendencies

If you could change any detail of your life right now, what would it be? I'd like to get a promotion at work so I'd actually make a living wage

If you could travel in time, who would you like to meet? I've never thought about this before! I don't have any celebs in mind, but I guess I'd like to go back and meet my great grandpa! He died 2 months before I was born, and my grandma tells me that I apparently saw his ghost as a child. He was a senior police constable and from what I've heard he was a good man. My grandma also says that he is probably my guardian angel and if so, poor dude. I guess he has done an okay job. I'm still alive!

I love sharing personal information on the internet (I'm this close to giving my legal name and address to my mutuals at any given moment)

Tagging: @altruistark @nyang-cheng my pookies

[off-brand-likes]

Febuwhump Day 3: Pinned Down

I'm tired and I'm not editing this now, but: Remember when I trapped Kallus in an abandoned prison (parts 1, 2, and 3)? My brain has finally decided it's time to get him out, in approximately 1,000 words.

@mystical-salamander , thank you for your interest. I have been trying to make my brain write this for a year and a half.

In darkness so complete he might as well have been blind, something wakes Kallus up. He groans, which does not improve his throbbing headache or the ache in every joint and bone that he'd pressed to the cell floor while he slept.

He's still thirsty, starving, exhausted, in pain. The Force, or the Lasat's Ashla, won't let him go in his sleep, it seems. This death is no worse than he deserves for all he's done, but he can't help wishing it were over.

Something in the rubble above his cell is moving.

Chunks of building material grate against each other. Something, or someone, is alive up there.

"Help." That wheeze of a voice will never get through all that debris. At least two stories of the building were above ground, before someone blew the place up with him inside.

The movement stops. Kallus holds his breath. "Don't you dare leave," he says, to himself since nobody can possibly hear him. "Don't you dare."

With more effort than it had ever taken in his life, Kallus rolls himself onto his front pushes at the floor. His arms shake. He raises his chest off the tiles, barely.

Something thumps above him, so heavily he feels it in his lungs. He flinches, which drops him onto the floor again. The ceiling cracks, letting in the dimmest light, but more light than he's seen in… gods only know how long.

He rolls himself onto his back again and lays there, panting, watching the crack turn itself into a web of them. Dust and grit fall through, shimmering a little in the dimness.

Smaller thumps come from above. The cracks split. Kallus shuts his eyes and braces himself for this to finally, finally be over.

Only a few objects fall through the ceiling. One of them crackles. "Hello? Anyone down there?"

It's Zeb's voice. It can't be, but it's Zeb nonetheless.

Kallus forces his eyes open and slowly turns his head. The dim light from above reveals a comlink on the floor by his knee.

It's the first pleasant hallucination his mind has conjured since this ordeal began. He ought to reward it. His whole arm shakes with fatigue as he reaches for the comlink, but his fingers close around it when he does.

His hand keeps shaking as he brings the comlink closer to his face. "Zeb?"

"Someone's down there!" Zeb shouts to someone in the opposite direction of the comlink. "I told you they left somebody behind." Into the comlink this time, Zeb says, "Wait, you… Do I… Never mind, we moved stuff around up here, it's not as stable as it was. Can't stand here talking."

Kallus's chest hurts from the strain this new development is putting on his heart. So much for one last pleasant hallucination. "Don't leave," he rasps into the comlink.

"Don't worry, we'll get you out." Zeb says something slightly outside the comlink's range. Mechanical rumbling starts. "So, uh, we don't have all the best gear for this. Emergency response personnel got drafted early. Just… Can you get up against a wall? We're going to move as much junk off your cell as we can, but the ceiling's gonna come down at some point."

"Alright." Kallus draws a steadying breath. "Thank you, Garazeb."

"You do know me." Zeb's quiet for a beat. "Kallus?"

Kallus smiles, even though the pain of his cracked lips tearing open again. "Yes. I'm moving to the wall now."

"Karabast, we thought you were dead! Have you been here the whole time? Since Atollon?"

"I think so."

Keeping hallucinated Zeb happy isn't really worth the effort of dragging himself over the floor toward a wall. Kallus does it anyway. He's panting by the time he reaches the wall. He can barely find the breath to say, "I'm ready."

"Okay, here we go." Zeb sounds more hopeful than confident.

The mechanical rumbling gets louder. Kallus drags his arms up over his head and wishes he had the energy to cover his ears.

An avalanche of rubble and dirt crashes through the ceiling. Duracrete and metal crash onto Kallus's back and legs. Between the mechanical noise and more construction material falling into his cell, he can't even hear his own scream of pain.

Kallus shuts his eyes against dust and blinding sunlight, but his brain doesn't have the decency to let him sleep again. Instead, he has to lie half crushed under pieces of his prison while the mechanical rumbling retreats. The soil smells like Lothal's plains. He was right about that, at least.

"Damn it, Zeb," Kallus groans. "You said you'd stay." He's lost the comlink, if it was ever real at all.

Footsteps skidding in uneven material tramp around above him. "I see him!" Zeb, again. Good. "Let go, ‘Bine, he's right there, let me—"

"Zeb, if we don't shore up what's left of the walls, the rest of the cell block could collapse on all of us. Give me just a few minutes! Then you can dig through all of that and see if he lived."

"I'm—" Pain lances through Kallus's chest. His interrogators and guards have cracked his ribs often enough that he recognizes the sensation. No matter. "I'm here."

"If you're going down there, then I'm coming too."

Sabine Wren, Kallus assumes, sighs impatiently. "Yeah, okay, but we need to go now. Whoa!"

Zeb's huge feet thud on the rubble pile on the other side of the cell from Kallus. He sets Sabine on her feet next to him, followed by a large crate. "Now how are we supposed to get out?" Sabine groans.

"You'll think of something. Or Hera will let down that ladder you found." Zeb kneels beside Kallus, looking worried. The sun shines through the edges of his fur, outlining him in gold and drifting dust. It makes Kallus smile again.

"Karabast, you're a mess. I knew those junk traders left somebody behind in here, but I'd never have guessed it was you." Zeb moves away to help Sabine with something.

Kallus sighs shallowly. The weight of the rubble on his back stops him from taking as deep a breath as he needs. The view is worse without Zeb here, too. Every sharp ache hurts more without a distraction.

After a lot of grinding metal and duracrete, Zeb reappears in Kallus's field of vision. "We're going to dig you out and get you outta here. I'm, uh." Zeb rubs the back of his neck. His ears sag with embarrassment or sadness, catching the sun behind them again. "Sorry we left you here so long."

Kallus wants to tell him it's alright. He can't get enough air in his lungs to speak. Blackness closes in on him. The rubble on his back shifts and presses directly on a cracked rib.

Pain crashes through him. This time, his brain lets him sleep through whatever happens next.

[theticklingknot]

2 - Ground Rules

HD and 4K need to work out some ground rules between them for this new life together. And HD has to experience his first tickling session.

Had to finish off last minute things to get this out. Namely the updated art for the blog. But with that done now the next chapters should come a lot smoother, just a matter of finishing art for them.

As always, please enjoy.

HD had woken up early morning, as far as they could guess. The opening to the sky above showed gray clouds but it hadn’t rained yet. Birds were out singing in the distance, slowly drawing HD from their dreamless sleep. They weren’t one to usually lounge in bed but today they felt like he needed it. Today was a lot.

The events of yesterday were clear in their mind the moment they woke up. They remembered everything. The deal, the agreements, the...tickling.

HD’s face flushed again and he buried it into a pillow by his head. It wasn’t so much the tickling he was embarrassed by but the moments after. When he was so soft and meek and let himself be so easily carried to bed. He wouldn’t be able to shake that one off for a while.

But while his thoughts swam in the embarrassed he also took the time to take in everything.

Overall, his plan had worked and that was something to be thankful for. It would be an adjustment to be the tickle toy – as the demon so crudely put it – to 4K but it was a sacrifice he could make.

Now the question was...where was the demon?

HD knew the deal wasn’t broken, so he had no need to worry but he was...curious. He didn’t really know what 4K did outside of kidnapping people. There was no good time to ask last night if he had any hobbies.

Or maybe he was just lurking somewhere in the cave, waiting to pounce HD down and tickle him silly.

No. He couldn’t think like that. That would just make him paranoid. With a wakening shake, HD pushed himself to sit up. Seemingly just at the right time as 4K came up the slope.

“Oh good! You’re awake!”

The demon was all smiles again as he came towards the edge of the stone bed. He wore simpler clothes today; a long black robe over duller red top and loose black trousers. His hair was pulled back into a more managed ponytail, but it was still flicking out wildly at the sides.

“I wasn’t sure how long you’d sleep for. Didn’t wanna wake you but I made breakfast if you want it. Just some eggs and fish, nothing fancy.”

“You...cook?”

Somehow that was that should have been the last thing to focus on, but HD somehow latched onto the fact. It was something personal about 4K apart from his love for tickling. It was new.

“Of course! You think I survive on herbs and berries?”

Not with those muscles. HD thought, thankfully keeping it in his mind.

“You want the breakfast, or not?” 4K asked, almost sounding annoyed.

The pang of hunger was slowly gnawing at HD’s stomach though he had tried to ignore it. Gratefully he accepted with a, “Yes. Please…” and 4K lead HD back down to the cave.

While still shadowed the cave had a different feel in the dim light of morning. It was less ominous. The rocks weren’t so jagged or misleading. 4K took HD down the walk way on the right and went into the first small cavern. It was a kitchen room, or at least trying it’s best to imitate a kitchen room. There was an old wooden table in the centre of the room, an off-white cloth thrown over it in an attempt to hide the stains and scratches. The chairs were in just a bit better condition but neither were the same type of wood to match the table. A small campfire lay off to the side, currently cooking a line of fish that hung from their skewers.

There were plates on the table – once again mismatched – with cooked eggs on top.

4K tended to the fire and fish while HD eyed over the furniture and eggs with suspicious. “Where did you get the table and chairs?” He asked. “And the eggs.” He added, noting he had not seen or heard a single chicken.

4K gave an almost smug smile. “Human stuff. They leave it lying around.”

He knew what the answer would be, and yet it still didn’t make it any better. “We made a deal. You wouldn’t harass the humans.”

“No. I said I wouldn’t harm humans, so long as they didn’t harm me first. And, since our little deal is still in tact, seems your terms and conditions don’t consider stealing as harmful.”

He knew the deal hadn’t been broken, and yet HD still reached out to his heart just to check. Still there, the knot in his heart that bound him to 4K.

“I… Can feel that.” 4K’s voice wavered slightly as he took the skewer from the fire.

“You can?” HD asked, genuinely surprised. “When I… Just there?”

“Yes. Like a little tug on my heart. Or...maybe like a squeeze.”

That was a new feature. Though perhaps not. HD had never kept deals long enough to know really, the transaction was done or broken in the same day. He’d have to keep aware of it.

“And even though it’s none of your business. I didn’t steal the furniture.” 4K said matter-of-factly while he divided the fish between them. “I think this cave used to be used for smuggling or...something. When I got here there were no humans but a they left a bunch of stuff.”

“And the crates out front? Were they left here?”

HD knew they weren’t. 4K knew HD knew they weren’t but it didn’t stop his smug smile. “Maybe. Anyway, enough of that.” He sat on one of the chairs and motioned to the other. “Sit and eat. We have a few things to discuss.”

HD raised one eyebrow, but he moved over to the chair opposite. “Discuss what?” He asked as he sat down.

4K was already eating, tearing into the fish with his fangs as he spoke. “We need to lay some ground rules.” He spoke between mouthfulls.

“Those should have been set last night, when the deal was made.” HD said, somewhat annoyed. There was a spoon laid by the plate of eggs that HD picked up after making sure it was clean.

“These aren’t deal breakers, relax.” 4K quickly assured. “It’s like...house rules. Boundaries. Since we are going to be with each other for eternity we should make this as smooth as possible.”

That made more sense that HD could agree to that. “Okay…” He slowly nodded. “What are they?”

“You’re going to need a safeword.” 4K said instantly.

HD blinked. “A...what?”

“A safeword. Something you can remember easily so you can use when you want sessions to end or…”

“I know what a safeword is.” HD quickly corrected. “I mean like...why would you want me to have that? I thought the whole idea was I was for...that.”

4K’s lips curled into an almost scowl and a flash of what looked like hurt passed over his eyes. “I’m a demon. Not a monster.”

A sweep of guilt overcame HD. “I-I didn’t mean it that way.”

“It’s fine.” 4K shrugged. “It’s natural to assume.”

But it wasn’t fine. A deep pit of shame swelled in HD. He knew the sting of people assuming. Even as he helped humans he saw the way they whispered about him or gave his wary looks. No matter what he did he’d always just be a fae creature to them. No matter how many people he helped, it wouldn’t be enough.

“I… I am sorry for assuming. I didn’t mean it to come out that way.” HD apologised. “I just meant that since I agreed to the deal, that would be consent for...all that.”

“Well I...do appreciate it.” 4K sounded almost surprised the apology was genuine. HD wondered how. “But consent today doesn’t count to tomorrow. You still need a safeword.”

HD paused his eating to think. A flurry of words came to mind, but only one stuck out. “Clouds? Would that work?”

“Yes, that should be fine.” 4K said after thinking for a second. “It’s short so you can say it quickly and it will be easy to remember.” He looked over at HD, his eyes growing serious. Or as serious as 4K could look. “You use that whenever you need. If you want the tickling to stop, or even if you just don’t want me to touch you for the day. I won’t ask questions.”

This didn’t feel like the same demon HD talked to last night. This didn’t feel like the demon the morals told him stories off.

“Were you this kind to the others you’d tickle?”

4K paused mid eating. His dumbfounded look quickly melted to a grin as he looked over to HD.

“Is that your question for the session?”

It took a moment to click what 4K meant, and HD’s confused expression changed to a blush. “N-No!” HD quickly flustered. He couldn’t waste his question on that. “That doesn’t-!”

“Relax, Starlight!” 4K couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m teasing you. No. I was not this nice to the others.” He lifted one of his fish back up, which was already torn apart with only the tail left. “Though, I didn’t have any others for long. But you I have for life.”

Another question popped into HD’s head and he had to bite his lips to stop himself from blurting it out without thinking again. “Can I ask another question? That doesn’t count to...the session.”

4K paused eating again to look at HD. His eyes flicking back and forth over the dae like he was thinking, before he spoke. “If I can ask you one?”

“Okay…” HD said unsurely.

“Since you want your questions before the tickling to be saved, that’s means they’re specific, right? What will your specific questions about?”

There was no use lying, though that was HD’s first response. 4K would figure it out anyway when the time came to ask him. “Demons…” HD mumbled, though 4K’s ears twitched to hear him. “I have some about you but...demons mostly.” He admitted.

4K gave a dangerous smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Seems I was right to make sure you couldn’t bring anything to hurt me.”

“I’m not going to hurt you…” HD tried to assure but even he didn’t believe his own voice. It was a demon he was dealing with. A demon that seemed to only be tickling his victims than doing something worse, but it was a demon non the less.

“Sure.” 4K’s voice was distant and his focus was back onto his food. “What’s your question?”

“What was the longest time you’ve kept a human?”

4K gave a shrug. “I think a couple days.”

HD blinked. That couldn’t be right. Some of the victims reported being kept for a week. The maximum was ten days. Was 4K lying? Why would he need to? Then that could only mean the humans were but...why?

“You think so loudly.” 4K suddenly said, pulling HD from his thoughts.

“The… In town. Humans are claiming you’ve kept them for a week. Sometimes longer.”

4K blinked now. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline as he huffed. “Well they’re lying.”

HD was careful not to sound accusing, but he had a feeling it would be taken that way no matter what. “There are a few who said it’s been multiple days.”

“Then a few are lying.” 4K quickly retorted. “I only kept the townsfolk less than a day. The ones I kept for a couple were bandits but never longer than that.”

HD didn’t know if demon lied as often as fae, but he believed 4K. Something about his shock seemed real and he knew humans were no strangers to lying either.

His paused must have came off wrong to 4K as his lips twisted to an almost snarl. “Suppose because I’m a demon, I’m lying about that.”

“No.” HD spoke calmly. “I believe you.”

The fight left 4K then, though he kept his guard up and eyed HD warily. “You believe the demon so easily?”

“We are going to be together for life, as you said.” HD pointed out. “Best we make it as smooth as possible.”

That was something 4K could agree to. He hummed, partly in agreement and partly in thought. He was already distracted, looking off into the distance before looking back to HD again. “We have a few more things to discuss, but that should be after we eat. I have to show you around the place.”

HD had picked at his food though the conversation but now the pang of hunger came again and he quickly ate. It tasted a lot nicer than he thought it would, though he kept that thought to himself. He made note that 4K was a surprisingly good cook.

The first part of the tour had 4K lead HD further down the tunnel. It wasn’t far from the kitchen and the cavern was just a bit bigger but it was decorated more cosy, and HD realised it was a bedroom.

“This will be your space.” 4K explained while he vaguely motioned to the room. “You can change and decorate it how you like, this was just so you had a bed.”

Despite it still being a cave, the room was actually cosy. There was a small indent in the ground, where furs and some pillows were set up like a bed. A dim lantern hung from the ceiling but there was a small clump of light blue crystals growing from the wall beside the bed. They gave off a dim glow which HD was fascinated with.

“They dim and glow at random periods. Or maybe they have a pattern and I’ve never seen it. I’ve not been in here much to know.” 4K explained.

“How many caverns does this cave have?” HD asked curiously while he felt over the furs on the bed. They were invitingly soft.

“A lot. A lot I’ve not gone into much. Some are deep into the mountain. Nothing but bats down there.” 4K shrugged then half turned in the doorway towards the hall. “Come on. Let’s go outside.”

The mention of outside was enough to pull HD away from the furs and quickly follow after 4K. They had not realised how much they longed to be under the open sky again. Caves were fine for shelter against the cold, but nothing would compare to the freeing open air.

The clouds were still overcast, but the day was warm and the air was cooling. As they slipped passed the waterfall and out into the open glade, HD gave a soft sigh. The tension in his shoulders melted away. It helped the demon also happed to live on such a beautiful mountain.

“The mountain is your home now as well. You can roam around it freely.” 4K carried on explaining. He walked slowly around the pond and HD joined him. “You are not bound to it, leave and return as you like, though I would advise from bringing anyone here or letting them follow you back. Humans don’t usually react favourably to demons and I’d hate to have to defend myself against your companion.”

“I won’t bring anyone here.” HD quickly promised, surprised 4K even allowed him that freedom. “I won’t leave the mountain.”

The demon hummed, sounded half interested and half disbelieving. “No? No friends to visit?” 4K asked. “Family?”

“No.” HD quickly replied, and spoke again to not draw attention to it. “I just need my one week in the month. For the rest of the time I’ll be here.”

“Yes.” 4K’s tone shifted, less quizzical and more serious. “While you bring that up, we should discuss that. You’ll need to choose your week. Unless you want it to be different each month.”

HD was relieved for the conversation shift. “Well, I actually have a proposal for that.” He started, and quickly added. “Which I don’t think you’ll like.”

“Okay? Well you’ve been very convincing before. Let’s hear it.”

It was an idea HD thought of in the morning, when his mind was trying to distract him from thinking about anything other than the tickling last night. And though it would be a hard sell to 4K, it made sense over all. “I propose that I take the week off at the end of the month. And then, the week off at the start of the next month.”

As predicted, 4K looked wary to the suggestion but he wasn’t outright refusing it. Instead he asked, clarifying. “So, you want two weeks essentially.”

“Technically yes. But, it would still be just one week each month.” HD reasoned. “And it will solve the issue of me returning on time. I can finish up what I need to do in two weeks easily.”

HD expected questions, or arguing, or even just the slightest disagreement, but 4K looked convinced right away. He hummed again, with his hands on his hips before nodding. “Yes. That would be fine.”

“Really?” HD asked, shocked.

“Yes.” 4K nodded again then looked to the fae. “While being without someone to tickle for two weeks will absolutely suck, just means when you get back, I have a full six weeks to take out aaaaaall that pent up energy.”

4K grinned and HD could feel the heat rise up through his chest, across his neck and settle over his cheeks as usual. He had no time to retort, or even hide his face before 4K stepped towards him and suddenly the demon was towering over him.

“Speaking of,” his voice went soft and he tapped one of his claws against HD’s nose. “You better get a question ready. Because you’re absolutely getting tickled today.”

Even if he hid his face, HD was sure he was absolutely glowing by now. His whole body felt warm, not at all helped by 4K grinning wider, clearly noticing the effect it had on him.

Trying to regain some control, HD cleared his throat. “What’s your...plan...exactly?” He asked.

“Is that your roundabout way to ask, how I’m going to tickle you?” 4K was straight forward and blunt. Especially when it came to tickling. That was something HD had to get used to. He was here for that reason after all. “Nothing too fancy for your first time.” 4K explained while he backed off from HD. “I figure we could start of with old fashion wrestling. I’ll even make it worth it. If you manage to pin me down, I won’t tickle you.”

That was an interesting proposal. People underestimated HD for his looks but he could handle himself. He was strong. He had a chance. Though as he looked at 4K, with his height and muscles tightening under his clothes, his chance seemed slim. But a slim chance was still a chance.

4K stepped around HD, heading back to the cave and HD quickly spoke up. “Can – Can we do it out here?” His voice was squeakier, spoken in a panic and 4K stopped suddenly. Blinking back at HD in surprise.

“You want to be tickled now?”

Shit.

4K grinned again. “I was gonna give you time. I’m not opposed to going now though.”

Part of HD wished he’d said nothing, then he could prepare himself. But another part of him convinced himself this was best. Getting the tickling out of the way for the day would make HD less on edge and he could know what to expect next time. Yes, by the time 4K turned back to face him, he had convinced himself this was the best outcome.

“What’s your question then?”

HD had a whole list of questions he had ready to ask, but all of them seemed a jumble of words when faced with the prospect of being tickled just minutes later. They tried focusing and calming his thoughts. They’d have more chances to ask more questions, so it made sense to get this one out of the way.

“Do you get energy from tickling?”

The question was a surprise to 4K as his eyes widened just slightly. But surprise was replaced with amusement. He gave a quick laugh, but it wasn’t unkind. “If you’re asking if I do this because I need to, no. I don’t get any benefits from tickling.”

It was an answer but it muddled up the plan HD had in their mind. “So-So you just...tickle? But why?”

“Ah!” 4K tapped his finger against HD’s lips. “That’s two questions. Unless you’re up for a double tickling session today.”

HD’s cheeks quickly went red. “N-No!”

“Thought not. Then you have your answer and you can save your next question.”

It wasn’t the answer HD expected but it was one of the most burning ones out the way. The disappointment of the answer was quickly overshadowed by the knowledge that he was about to let himself be tickled.

“H-How do…?” While HD could tell himself this was for the best to get it out of the way, his voice still betrayed him and gave away his nerves so easily.

“How do we start?” 4K finished for him and chuckled. “We’ll get to that. Just want to go over some things.” His voice went serious again and while it had put HD on edge at the beginning of the day, now it gave him comfort. “You have your safeword now, and you can use it any time. Do you remember it?” HD nodded to the question. “Say it.”

“Clouds.”

“Good. Any time you’re uncomfortable or even just unsure, you use it.”

HD nodded again, this time more confident in the motion.

“Alright. Then we start.”

HD opened his mouth to ask exactly how, but all that came out was a surprised squeak and the world turned on it’s side. His back hit to the soft grass and HD only had a moment in his daze before realising 4K was on top of him, then survival kicked in.

4K didn’t have a good hold on him yet so HD quickly scrambled away. He pushed off 4K’s shoulders, almost slipping away until a hand grabbed around his leg.

“You’re a slippery one!” 4K was laughing and pulled HD up.

His first instinct was to resist, but after a split second thought, HD instead moved with the momentum. 4K was unprepared, over pulling enough to roll himself ever so slightly. HD took that chance, rolling himself out from under 4K and managing to perch over the demon’s back.

It was not a pin at all. HD barely got his legs on either side of 4K’s waist and his arms were still free.

He just needed to pin him somehow. If he could get at 4K’s arms for just a moment he could win. HD convinced himself he could.

However, while he was trying hard to think of how to pin those arms, he wasn’t paying attention to those arms. In one quick motion the hand reached back, grabbing onto HD’s thigh and squeezing.

“GACK!”

The tickly shockwave through HD’s body was enough to jolt them off 4K’s back. They rolled just slightly on their side and before realising their mistake but it was already too late.

It took less than a second for 4K to roll over. He scooped HD up into his arms, pulling the fae’s back against his chest. One arm wrapped around HD’s shoulders, pulling him tight against the demon. 4K’s legs wrapped around HD’s, pulling them tight together.

He could still move his arms just barely, but HD was stuck.

“W-Wahait!”

“Far more slippery than you look.” 4K purred against HD’s ear. His chest rumbled against HD’s back and HD wasn’t sure if he was just too sensitive, or if it was from nerves, but it felt like it tickled along his back.

“Hold-Hold on!” HD begged, grasping at the arm around his shoulders. He hadn’t even considered the fact that 4K had two arms until it rose up, placed high above HD in a claw form. Like an animal poised to strike.

“W-Wa-Wait! Wahait! W-Wahait!”

His pleas fell on deaf ears as the hand struck. HD tried to flinch, but he wasn’t allowed. His body was stretched out, open and vulnerable for 4K to pluck and play with. And play he did.

The hand came to HD’s hip. 4K had wrapped his arm around HD’s waist, so he was holding HD extra tightly as he tickled and kneaded the hip on HD’s right side.

HD didn’t even know if his hips were ticklish, but now he could absolutely confirm they were. He shrieked at first as the tickly shocks ran through him, but it was from the surprise of it. His tensed up nerves suddenly felt alive, struggling in 4K’s arms for release.

“EheheHEHEHEHE! T-Tickles! Ihihit tickles!”

“Oh? Does it tickle?” 4K’s voice sounded surprised, even selling it with a small gasp. “Oh I’m so sorry. What about here?”

The hand moved up, positioning right over HD’s stomach digging his tickling fingers in once again. The shriek wasn’t as loud this time but the laugh was deeper. 4K’s fingers found a spot just beside HD’s hip. Like a direct button into his nerves HD laughed, sputtering out confused whines and pleads. He knew he was ticklish. He never knew how ticklish he was.

“OHOH PLEHEHEEASE! IT TIHIHICKLES IT TICKLES TH-THEEEERE!”

“It tickles again?” 4K’s voice had dropped his surprise. His voice was warm, rumbling like a growl almost. “Well aren’t you just a tickly little thing.”

“G-GOHODS! ST-STOHOP STOP!”

“Not a chance.”

There was no stopping the tickling hand, even as HD’s hands tried to bat and pry at it. His strength he was so confident in was gone.

In a blessing, 4K stopped tickling over his tummy. HD was given just a moments of giggly rest before 4K’s hand came back, this time squeezing and tickling up his sides.

HD howled. He was sure he was begging for his life at that moment, but all the words were lost on him. He only had some semblance of self when the tickling travelled up to his ribs. It still tickled, but it was more a soft drumming against his nerves than the shocks again and again.

“What a spot to find!” 4K voice practically trilled with his glee. His tail whipped under him. “I thought you were about to lose your mind there!”

It already felt like he had lost his mind, but there was some small thread of conscious thought working with HD to free him. 4K’s arms were immovable but he still had a chance.

4K’s legs were strong around HD’s, but with HD struggling and wiggling he could feel just a little give. Enough that in that moment he pulled his leg free. He kicked it off 4K’s legs, enough to get his other leg free as well, but before he could plan any more for his freedom, 4K quickly acted.

He rolled himself and HD so now HD was laying on his front on the ground. The grass tickled at HD’s nose, disorienting him for a moment as 4K moved him. The demon was no longer lying on top of him, but sitting on his lower back. Both of HD’s wrists were grabbed, easily, in one of 4K’s hands and pinned to the ground above his head.

Struggling was pointless yet HD still tried. He could move his legs at least but that was no use. He couldn’t kick high enough to get to 4K, and he couldn’t get any grip onto the grass to even try push himself up. Even then it wouldn’t matter. 4K’s weight wasn’t going to budge.

“You almost got out there.” 4K taunted. His finger just pressed ever so slightly on HD’s back through his top. HD squeaked, already giggling even though the touch wouldn’t normally be so ticklish. A worrying realisation hit HD that he couldn’t see. He couldn’t see where the next tickle was going to hit.

“Please! Please...d-dohon’t!”

“Don’t what?” 4K asked casually as he walked his fingers up HD’s spine.

It tickled so madly. It wasn’t intense, like the tickling on his sides, but more like an itch he just couldn’t get too. It felt worse in that moment, but HD had a feeling that opinion was about to change when 4K chose his next target for his attack.

“T-Tickle me! D-Dohon’t tihihickle me! Please!” HD pleaded, uncaring how high pitched his voice squeaked. He tried to turn his head just enough to look back at 4K, but that was a worse mistake.

The black mane of hair had untangled itself from the hair tie. It fell around the demon like a curtain. It shadowed them both from the dim light of the clouded over sun, but that just meant his orange eyes glowed so brightly and made his grin more maddening. Those orange eyes were just watching his own fingers, slowly crawl up, further and further up HD’s spine. When 4K’s eyes just flicked up to HD’s face, HD quickly looked away. He only hoped his hair was hiding his blush.

“Are you ticklish?” 4K asked.

“Y-Yeesss…”

“How ticklish?”

“V-Vehery!”

“So very ticklish.” 4K said it like he was confirming. His fingers stopped their slow walk between HD’s shoulder blades and instead he drew a lazy circle around and around HD’s back. “A ticklish little thing like you couldn’t handle being tickled over and over.”

“N-No!”

HD didn’t know where it was going or if he should have even been agreeing with 4K, but his mind was in a jumbled mess, wanting to do anything to get out of the situation. His skin wouldn’t stop tingling knowing the tickling was coming. Knowing at any moment those fingers would be attacking his sides, or his armpits, or his ribs. And he had no way of knowing.

“Yet you came to me willingly.” 4K’s voice purred again. “You practically walked into my arms and made a deal to be tickled. Again and again.”

That wasn’t something HD could agree with...or deny. Because it technically was true and yet hearing it being said still sent a shiver through him.

“And I think to myself ‘why’.” 4K carried on. “Why has this gorgeous fae offered themselves up to be my tickle toy for all eternity? What do they get out of it? And the only conclusion I could come to is you want to be tickled.”

Heat flushed HD’s face again and he opened his mouth just in time for the attack. The fingers tracing shapes on HD’s back now dug into his armpit. Attacking his left one first, 4K’s claws skittered into the hollows under his arms. Then quickly moved and tickled the right one, this time using the calloused pads of his finger. He moved between each pit and HD roared in laughter.

His armpits tickled furiously. He had no idea how ticklish they were. Now he was cursing the choice to wear a sleeveless top. He was cursing his skin for ever being so ticklish. And he was cursing himself for offering himself up to a mad demon, hellbent on tickling him into insanity.

“AH! AHAHAHAHAHAHA! OOHOOHOHOOH! NOT THERE NOT THERE!”

“Say you like being tickled.”

It wasn’t a request. HD shook his head, though that could just be from the tickling through his body. He was surprised that the words spouting out between his laughter weren’t deny it. They were agreeing.

“EHEEEEEHEHEHEEHE! TICKLEEEES! I-I like be-beeHEEHEHEING TICKLED!”

Another purr from 4K. This one was deeper, like a growl. His tail softly flicked on the back of HD’s leg. Tickling just ever so slightly but not enough to overtake the tickling in his armpits.

“PLEEEHEHEASE!”

“Say you like being my tickle toy.”

“IHIHIEEEE! I LIKE BEHEING YOUR TIHIHICKLE TOHOHOY!”

“And why did you make a deal?”

“BECAUSE-BECAUSE I WAHAHANT TO BEEE TICKLED!”

“And who do you want to be tickled by?”

“YOU! OHHOHOHOH! AH-AHAHAHAHA! NO! NO! IT TICKLEEEEES! IT TICKLES SOHOHO MUHUHUCH!”

His armpits were tortured for another ten minutes, though HD had lost all sense of time, space or sense. The only thing he knew was tickling. His thoughts and entire being was only being consumed by how ticklish he was, and how even despite the same spot being tickled over and over, his body wouldn’t let him get used to it.

“You alive, little star?”

4K had let go of HD’s wrists, and moved himself off the fae, yet HD was still face first into the ground as he mumbled.

“Noooo…” He winced at the sound of his own voice. It felt scratchy and dry. He couldn’t even muster up the strength to turn himself around, but he could still squeak as he felt 4K’s hands on him again.

“Alright. Let’s get you up.” 4K said as he helped turn HD over.

The thought of having to walk was dizzying, so HD was both parts pleased and embarrassed when 4K curled his arms under his shoulders and knees and hoisted HD up.

He shouldn’t have been so calm in the arms of the demon who just tickled him to the edge of his sanity. But 4K was so warm, his voice was so calming and HD couldn’t help himself from leaning his head on 4K’s shoulder.

“You get real cuddly after you’re tickled.”

That voice just moments ago was teasing HD and working up his nerves, but now he found comfort with it. It felt safe and warm and soothing. HD only hummed in response, only because he didn’t trust his voice wouldn’t squeak again.

4K began a slow walk to the cave entrance that HD couldn’t help but think was for his benefit. He tired not to focus on that fact though, and instead focus on 4K’s words as he kept talking.

“I wasn’t going to tease you so much but, well, you’re just so darn cute. Especially laughing your head off and trying to struggle away. Couldn’t help it.” He gave a breathy laugh, which rumbled in his chest slightly. HD could almost feel it against his ear. “And don’t worry about what you said in the moment. Anything said under tickle torture is through coercion and doesn’t count.”

HD didn’t want to even think about what he’d said during those moments, but the words were sadly running through his head, tied to the memory of him laughing so hard. He didn’t want to have to sort through them, deciding which of the things said were to get the tickling just to stop...and which were real.

“And you didn’t use your safeword either! I’m impressed.” 4K said while he shimmied himself and HD past the waterfall and into the cooling air of the cave. “Honestly thought I’d get you to use it for your first time.”

HD shook his head with the very little energy he could muster. “I’d die of embarrassment if I used it on my first session.”

“Ah! So you can speak. Thought I’d done a number on your voice...or maybe you’d fallen asleep.”

HD’s mood drooped slightly as he realised 4K was taking him to his own cavern room, and not to 4K’s. Of course he was grateful to be given his own space. But he really wanted to be under the open sky at that moment. He wanted to feel the sun and smell the trees as the wind blew by. But he kept his mouth shut and let himself be carried. His room was still nice and the cosy closeness just made HD curl up more.

He was lowered onto the bed nook of soft furs and he instantly melted. In a more aware sense, HD would have been ashamed to be so vulnerable in front of another but right now he couldn’t care. He needed to be soft and coddled and warm. He stretched out over the furs, feeling the tension in his limbs slowly fade before turning on his front and curling into the fur.

“I’ll be right back.” 4K said quickly. True to his word he returned not even five minutes later. He had a cup of water – which HD gratefully gulped down – and his other hand held a plate of food. Fruits to be more specific. A mix of apple and orange slices, with berries.

“Not sure what you like. I hope it’s alright.” 4K’s voice was less confident and he put down the plate beside the bed, within HD’s reach, and sat beside the bed. “I’ll need to get you stuff in you like, so you’ll need to tell me. If-If you don’t like it I can make the eggs again…”

4K rambled in a sense so unlike himself and HD realised he was nervous. “It’s fine.” HD quickly soothed him, watching the tension melt from the demon’s shoulders as he looked over to HD.

“Y-Yeah?”

“Yes. I like these.”

As though proving a point, HD took a raspberry of the plate to eat. Though while it did well to soothe 4K’s worries, he was also hungry. It was unusual to find out that tickling worked up his appetite, but he wasn’t complaining.

“That’s good.” 4K practically sighed. “But I’ll still need to get stuff for you. Food…” He gave a look down to HD, and poked his claw just slightly into his arm. “Some clothes as well. Though I certainly don’t mind you in these. Very easily accessible to your tickle spots.”

HD blushed again, quickly finishing the strawberry he was eating. “I can get myself clothes. I’ve got some in the town. And while I’m picking them up I can tell the townsfolk you won’t be an issue anymore.”

“Oh. You going to tell them the deal you made?”

It was teasing that HD should have expected by now, but his face was still lit up red. “I will tell them you won’t be an issue.” He insisted again, ignoring 4K’s laugh. “I’ll go later today.” His legs wobbled at the thought. “Mmm...maybe tomorrow.”

“I think you should rest for now. Surprised you’re still awake.” 4K’s voice went soft again, and HD felt himself melt. He tried to resist it, but it was hard when the demon also reached his hand over, slowly stroking through HD’s hair.

His claws just gently brushed against HD’s scalp and he settled further into the furs with a low hum.

“Do you need anything?” 4K’s voice whispered.

“Just this...please…” HD mumbled back, and shut his eyes. He let himself finally give in to the floaty, soft feeling in his chest, melting his cares away and finally pulling him into a comfortable nap.

[memberment]

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE

So the Trinitarians brain worm is back and Morning Glory is now longer and biting the dust as far as my focus goes.

But like, I genuinely want to talk to anyone who's invested in what's to come as far as part two goes. SO PLEASE. I IMPLORE THE FOUR OF YOU WHO PERPETUALLY TAKE NOTICE OF MY SCREAMS INTO THE VOID.

We're all aware that Trin is a time loop fic. That is confirmed.

BUT THE PROBLEM IS HOW I'M GOING ABOUT DOING THAT. AND I NEED INPUT FROM PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT ME AS FAR AS PLEASES AND SPARKLES GO, YES?

Because like sure I'm writing it and like fuck everything else, let me tell my story. But it's the how of it all like if I'm gonna throw another 200 give or take hours into this I would at least like one person to be having a wonderful time drinking and driving (I have since remembered this is not a common phrase, I do not mean this in a literal sense, it's an expression) with me right?

Part two is going to be 50 chapters, give or take. (Part one is about 37 for reference.)

So the plan for part 2 rn is (ROGUHLY):

(1-10) is the second timeline. There are a lot of importants and I cannot just glaze over it all more than that. But we're also working in a bit of a shorter time period than the original events of the story and introductions do not need to happen again, right?

(11-40)ish would be me running through the next timelines in a set up structure -> what changes -> the results of said changes and then inevitably what sends our looper backwards. It wouldn't be running through all the timelines but the more notable ones in kind of a four chapter structure, I am not fully sold on four, but rough estimate yk.

And then 41-50 would be the finale of part two. It's literally the last timeline in its glory and then the epilogue which kicks off part three.

COULD AT LEAST ONE OF Y'ALL SIT THROUGH THAT OR DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY NOTES AT ALL BECAUSE LIKE

I personally kinda like it but if not a soul is reading this I am throwing myself on the curb with the rest of the garbage LMFAOOO.

I NEED THOUGHTS. OPINIONS. COMMENTS. CONCERNS. ANYTHING.

Anyways, I'm going to work. I have off tomorrow and I broke the ff investment seal for today so insanity and updates will be here tonight and homework will be tomorrow.

HOPE EVERYONE HAS A GOOD DAY <3

(9:30) I am literally falling asleep as I lazily write this angel based on Danse Macabre. Expect all of maybe one more update tonight if the tacos I am abt to receive don't wake me up LMFAO.

Also, I am almost saddened by not having something to post tm. Anyone want an early chapter of something that isn't Genesis/Desolation bc they're both on Monday?????? (I am feeling like a menace rn)

(10:19) tacos and the absolute yap session I just had did wake me up a bit. MAAAYBE might write some more. Idk I slept like three hours last night and went to work I'm kinda dead. But we're at 98.2k!!!!!!🥳

(11:06) okay we made it to 99.6k everything besides the flashback for 31 is done. I'm about to relax and watch something and figure out mechanics of some of this because god this series is A BEAST. Like, I still have six planned chapters left.

Pure insanity. I love it here. I hate it here.

Holy shit wait I just came to the realization that I started this fic exactly one month ago. I have belted out 99.6k for THIS FIC ALONE. (Moreso if we're including future shit that hasn't happened yet)

IN ONE MONTH.

THAT IS FUCKING CRAZY WHAT HTE FUCK LMFAOOOO

I may or may not be cooking we’ll find out in 6-26 business hours

(5:28) So I just had a very interesting past few business hours. I read a fic I've been waiting ever so patiently to finish. That's cool, right. I go for a walk at 4 in the morning because I'm insane. Fantastic. I get home at five and I'm like ohhhh well what do I do now it's not sleep time yet. Oh write I'm supposed to be drawing.

Nope I reread the epilogue of morning glory and realized Tweek's first address is for my morning glory and Craig's last sign off is your morning glory and now I'm ready to throw myself on the curb with the garbage as I sob. Someone call a trusted adult for me thanks.

[conceptalbummultiverse]

Conversion Rates and Easter Eggs

Hello all! If you’re reading Strange Fascination: A Love Story, you might recall a couple significant numbers from the last few chapters- the amount of time that Ziggy spent in cryo-sleep on board his spaceship, and the amount of money that he needed to raise in order to pay for forged documentation that would allow him to return to England. I meant to put a little explanation of both things in the author’s notes, but I forgot to, so I’m putting the explanations (if they’re needed) on this blog. Also, I wanted to additionally draw attention to some Easter eggs I’ve thrown into the story, just for kicks since I like talking about my writing. So…

Conversion Rates

In order to pay for “the full package”- a forged passport, birth certificate, photo ID, and “emergency flight pass”- Ziggy and Rael are told that they’ll need to raise an even $500. In today’s world, this might seem like chump change (or at least, it’s not an entirely unreasonable request). However, SF: ALS does not take place in today’s world, but rather in the early 1980’s. What Ziggy & Rael are being asked to pay is the equivalent of $1,914.40 today. So you can see why Rael would get worried upon hearing this. (I arrived at the “$500” figure by inflating the fees of what it would typically cost in today’s money to get those documents for real- $130 for a passport, $15 for a replacement UK birth certificate, $25 for a replacement UK driver’s license, and the emergency flight pass is supposed to be free in the universe of SF: ALS, but anyone making a counterfeit pass can charge whatever they like for it- and then added on a bunch of “processing fees,” which I think the character Doc would do- he is a criminal and a scammer, after all. Basically, when the number felt sufficiently high, I rounded up and called it a day.)

When Ziggy returns to his ship and wakes it up, his ship’s computer informs him that it has been over ten years since his last interstellar trip. That’s already a long time by Earth standards. However, Ziggy is a Martian, and his ship was made on Mars, which means it’s counting Martian time. And that means, since a year on Mars is almost twice the length of a year on Earth, that Ziggy was in cryo-sleep for almost 18 Earth years. Oof. (The cryo chamber was programmed for exactly 9 Martian years, and the rest of the time- a Martian year and one hundred thirty-three Martian days- is the amount of time that Ziggy spent on Earth. Don’t ask me to repeat the math that gave me that figure or to question it, because doing the math nearly broke my brain and I really don’t want to do it again. Also, if you’re wondering how Ziggy managed to survive being frozen for that long and how he came out of it unscathed- 1. it’s sci-fi- any time cryogenic chambers come into play, you have to suspend your disbelief, and 2. Ziggy is a Martian and Martians can heal themselves from pretty much any damage done to their body. It just takes a LOT of energy.)

Easter Eggs

There are plenty of references to the original story that birthed SF: ALS, which was called Concept Album Extravaganza, in my current story. Several scenes are directly adapted from it, and a few character names are taken from it- for example, the name Cyrus, which I gave to Pink & Ziggy's tour manager, Cyrus Reeves, was the name of Ziggy's first business manager in CAE (he hired another one after he arrived in America, on account of Cyrus having died in the plane crash that brought Ziggy, Pink, and the original members of the Spiders From Mars to America). I also reused the name "Bee-Bee Ellwood," who in CAE was the groupie Ziggy brought back to his hotel after the Spiders From Mars' first show in Suffragette City, as the names of two characters- Bee-Bee and Elwood, the groupies who accompany Ziggy to his failed intervention. (This name is particularly important because it's my "movie star name"- take the name of your first pet and the street you lived on as a child, and you'll get your movie star name. Also known as a porn star name, though I didn't know that at the time that I wrote CAE. :P )

One specific thing that I referenced from CAE which is probably easily missed even by people who may have read the original story is in this particular line from SF: ALS, when Pink & Ziggy are talking together on the balcony of the Bowery Hotel (and even that is sort of a reference to a scene in CAE, as Pink & Ziggy share their backstories with each other while sitting on the roof of a hotel the first night they spend in Suffragette City, although of course in SF: ALS, Ziggy refuses to share his backstory with Pink):

"Flustering Ziggy Stardust was a rare occurrence, but there was no mistaking his reaction to Pink’s comment. 'Oh, er—' He cleared his throat and rapped his fingers against the balcony’s railing, taking a moment to find the right words. Pink found himself leaning in, his intrigue growing. Was Ziggy about to finally reveal where he had come from and why he’d decided to become a musician?

       "However, Ziggy just shook his head, chuckled self-consciously, and said, 'I’d tell you, but you’d never believe me.'"

"I'd tell you, but you'd never believe me" is a line that recurs throughout Concept Album Extravaganza, spoken by multiple characters, to the point where it was supposed to be an example of "Arc Words." As far as I can count, there are 11 moments in the story where this phrase occurs. I've compiled them all below:

 “How did you get here, though?” Floyd asked. “What were you doing so far from the city?”

        Rael sighed. “I could tell you, but you’d never believe it.”

*

Floyd sighed. “I can tell you the story, but I’m not sure you’ll believe it all…”

*

“I’ll try. And I swear I won’t let Xyloto anywhere near him anymore. By the way, what’s his story?”

 Floyd laughed. “I’d tell you, but you’d never believe me.”

*

“I see,” Mylo nodded. “How did you come to meet Floyd and Ziggy?”

        Rael sighed. “Well, we’d tell you, but you really wouldn’t believe us.”

*

 “But… but this is crazy!” the manager blurted, still not taking Ziggy’s hand. “You’re supposed to be dead! How in the world did you survive the plane crash?”

        “I’d tell you,” Ziggy said, “but I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t believe me."

*

 “No, seriously,” Weird said. “Where are you from?”

           “I’d tell you, but you wouldn’t believe me,” Ziggy said calmly, standing up.

*

There’s too much to say about what I’ve been doing all this time in America. If I told you, you wouldn’t believe me.

*

“John!” Floyd’s coworker called in alarm as he staggered through the doorway of the coffeehouse. “Where have you been? You’re late for work!”

        “I’d tell you, but you’d never believe it,” Floyd mumbled, pushing past her and going into a back room.

*

“We could ask you the same thing,” Rael muttered. “What are YOU doing here?”

         “I’d tell you, but I doubt you’d believe me,” Floyd sighed. 

*

He explained to Audrey that he had shared memories with Ziggy twice before, and that there was no possible way of explaining it, according to Ziggy. “Well, except for one thing, but if I told you, you’d never believe it.”

*

 “I’d tell them, but they’d never believe me,” he said disparagingly. “Goodnight, Mylo.”

While some of the names I used for side characters were reused from CAE, as I mentioned before, almost all of the names that weren't are the names of friends of mine, family members, and even my own name is in there somewhere. The only exceptions off the top of my head are Bee-Bee, Elwood, and Cyrus (as mentioned above), Lorraine and Gene (who are references to the songs "Watch That Man" and "The Jean Genie" by David Bowie), and Bobby, Janine, and Simon, who I named before I decided to start naming all the side characters after people I know. A few of the side characters even share a physical appearance with some of my friends (Lorraine and Gene, for example, look like a couple I know in real life).

Speaking of side characters, almost every character who isn't named- such as chauffeurs, concert promoters, hotel employees, residents of cities- is referred to with female pronouns (or at least I made an effort to refer to them with female pronouns). This is something I like to do in every fanfic I write, because often I don't get to include a lot of female characters and this makes up for it in a small way.

And speaking of character names, the Spiders From Mars- Jeremy "Weird" Peavey, Gilly Thompson, and Henry Mackie- are named after companies that make sound equipment- Peavey, Thomson, and Mackie. (I have no idea why I spelled "Thomson" with a P when naming Gilly- it should be without a P, but so it goes.)

Finally, there are a ton of lyrical references in SF: ALS- most of them being references to David Bowie songs. I threw in a lot of them without thinking, but I did hide a few deliberately- specifically, I made sure to reference almost all of the songs from his last two albums, The Next Day and Blackstar. If you find them all... I dunno, maybe I'll name a character after you in the sequel?

[foundationsofdecay]

TDH x Sleep Token #2

Vital Vessels Vindicate is another song from The Dear Hunter that I think resonates a lot with some of Sleep Token's imagery and thematic elements, and not just because of the name of the track.

This post is heavily localized in terms of the lyrics I'm looking at, so while as always I do recommend it, this post will read fine whether you've listened to it or not.

I'm just going to focus on one chunk of lyrics this time, which is the extension of the final chorus, leading into the outro.

We fall beneath the sea of dreams And fail to breathe, until we resurface We fall beneath the sea of dreams And fail to breathe, until we awaken again

So... lots to unpack here. Let's talk about Vessel, death, and choking underwater.

We can see, right off the bat, how this mirrors some of the themes brought up time and time again in Sleep Token's first(!) trilogy of albums, most notably with TPWBYT but we can find this echoed in the other albums as well. Drawing from TPWBYT to start, consider these lines from the very first song on the album, Atlantic:

So flood me like Atlantic, bandage up the trenches, anything to get me to sleep [...] Don't wake me, Don't wake me, Don't wake me up

There can be some debate whether Vessel wants to go sleep or to Sleep, but in either case, yes, it's not just that he is being dragged under like he's being unwillingly swept out and down by a deceptive and powerful current. He wanted this, from the start. He begs to stay asleep, flooded and frozen but in a manner that is its own cold embrace. Whether you consider the trenches to be a metaphor for self-inflicted injuries, or look at it from a lore perspective, it's exactly this. Bandage up the trenches, I don't care, trap me underneath or keep me from falling deeper but just let me be, just let me sleep. I don't want to be here anymore.

Fallen into this sea of dreams, and even as it keeps him from caring to his body's most basic needs, he would rather "crumble like a temple" and "[break] into fractions" than ever wake up. Sleep is the one comfort he has, these dreams are the only thing that he can find any solace or joy in and he'd do anything to have it.

This, in and of itself, is like a self-directed death threat, to those around him trying to wake him up, but he'd "rather be six feet under than be lonely". What is death, really, in the face of these desires? Why would he ever choose to resurface and breathe again? After all, according to High Water, he's confident that he can "hold [his] breath forever". In this, we also have an alternate possibility; if Vessel were to simply hold his breath forever, perhaps he would be able to live forever, sustained by dreams and thus Sleep Itself. Death would be irrelevant, in that scenario, or at least it would feel that way. Effectively, though, they would be one and the same.

Here's the thing, though... even if he thinks he can, he doesn't hold his breath forever. This is depicted in Take Me Back To Eden:

We dive through crystal waters Perfect oceans But no one told me not to breathe And now the weightlessness recedes

There's an abrupt shift, here. He's taken too early of a breath, and perhaps this was a mistake on his part, but the dream is over now. The illusion of this endless embrace with Sleep has been thoroughly shattered. Now, he must decide if he is going to keep falling further and let the ocean swallow him whole, or if he will try to resurface and take a true breath of air, instead of inhaling this salt-loaded sea water where it will permeate his lungs and his stomach, so deeply entrenched that nothing can wash it out entirely. In fact, he's already taken one breath underwater, possibly several, by the time he does resurface (if you believe that he did at all). It's already begun.

There is, however, a glimmer of hope in all of this. In Rain, Vessel understands that situation, he finally can see the damage that was done both to and by him, and he desperately wants to be washed clean. The salt on his hands aren't the half of it, and he seems to realize that now. The remnants of this time aren't just on him, it's inside of him, practically part of his very being at this point, just as entwined with him as he is with Sleep.

It's true that he's been ordered to remain awake for the foreseeable future, that what happened in Atlantic can never happen again, but that's nothing compared to this. He can leave the sea, can leave that situation behind him, but the remnants and their effects still cling to him and continue to harm him.

He's tipping his head back, not just spreading his arms out but opening his mouth wide to drink it all in. Asking to be cleansed with pleasure, not just on the surface level of his skin, but completely saturated. This, he's saying, is what will truly heal him.

[maddiebiscuits]

i don't know how to phrase this any other way so i hope you don't find this rude or anything: you are (imo) a very skilled, very prolific art toaster. it's great quality artwork obviously, but your turnaround is wicked crazy fast to me. what does burnout look like for you? how do you manage to toast so many arts? what dark magics must you employ??

The hard truth is I worked in journalism for two years between 2010-2012 and customer service/hospitality starting at 16 years old in 2007 all throughout my life until 2022 and I don't want to go back to any of it now that I'm almost 33 - that's the main motivator to keep my freelance gig career doing art commissions going as long as possible. Fear and loathing of going back to that work environment keeps me focused.

In action...I'm not quite sure if I ever experience 'burn out'? I do experience art 'block' in that I can't think of anything to draw on my own or feel really unsatisfied with my work...so I just goof off with my canvas or do studies, but this doesn't interfere with doing commissions where I am told what to draw.

I just enjoy the physical act of drawing. Sometimes when I'm bored and restless and going for a walk doesn't help, I just draw more. When I was a kid I would just come home from school and draw crap between playing Gameboy/N64/Gamecube or browsing Elfwood/Newgrounds/DeviantART/Gaia Online, so it's literally just a habit now. If I don't draw for a long time I feel anxious and unwell. Somehow I just programmed my brain to think that art = leisure fun time, even if it's for work. I also tend to get into a "zone" sometimes and just put on video essays or music and a few hours later I'll have worked through some commission stuff.

I have three 'task lists' for my workflow:

A public trello board organized by work order types (N/SFW link)

A personal trello board organized by type/date in chronological order

A coloured tagging and folder system in my emails where I can just see the actual dates/timestamps of my last correspondence with a client so I know exactly who in my taskboard needs to be prioritized for their next WIP update

I hold myself to a standard of sending a client a WIP in stages:

rough draft (1-14 business days)

revisions (1-5 business days)

line art (1-14 business days)

revisions (1-5 business days)

final render (1-14 business days)

tweaks (1-2 business days)

So ideally, the client gets a finished commission in 3-6 weeks, so about 1-2 months. For larger projects I send more WIPs and the process is obviously longer. For simpler stuff like chibis, it's rarely a full six weeks. Over holidays I add an extra two weeks to my noted turn-around to account for IRL time off. On all my terms of service I have a maximum four months turn-around, essentially doubling the time I know my work flow is just in case there's some sort of medical or equipment emergency in my life that I need to account for that gives me a buffer (I also notify all clients)

Monday to Friday I wake up usually...late morning/early afternoon? I do anywhere from four to eight hours of artwork, broken up by walks, stretching, eating, cleaning, cooking, hanging out with my partner, etc. I look at my personal trello taskboard and emails to see what must be done and what can wait. I try to get at least 1-2 things done in a day though, be that sketches/line art/renders/revisions.

Right now I am looking at my email and task board, and the client with the highest wait time chronologically is someone who is waiting for their final render (sketch and line art already revised and done for them). Last email correspondence with them on the email says 9 days ago (so 7 business days, I'm supposed to take Sat-Sun off). Their order was paid in full and confirmed by me on November 9 and it is currently December 13, so I'm at about the 5 week mark (not accounting for delays in clients getting back to me of course) and I am very much On Course for my work load, no one has been without contact from me for 14 days or more so I'm pretty ahead of my game right now! I could take tomorrow off if I wanted, or only do 3-4 hours of work if I feel like it.

However the more work you finish and post, the more you show prospective clients your ability to finish orders and show your audience more art for engagement, so ideally I always like posting stuff when I can, it just creates a cycle of positive production and income.

[davidmariottecomics]

A Matter of Time

Surf's up, gang! 

Aloha from the beach! Okay, not really. I'm at home at time of writing, but I've made 2 whole trips out to the ocean this week, so I'm feeling beachy! Which, if you live near the water, is a pretty good way to feel in the summertime! 

In enjoying the season, I started thinking about the complex production timelines of comics, the ways in which some comics feel timely when they were created well ahead of the events they seem related to, and a book I read recently that had one time element that really didn't work for me. So let's take some time to talk about time! 

Story of Seasons 

Where I live in the U.S., summer means a certain thing. At this time of year, we're largely through the June Gloom and into hot, sunny days. The sun rises before I'm usually up, and I wake up early, and sets around 8 p.m. Most nights, in at least some parts of town, there are fireworks. Folks are having barbecues at home and along the beach--which people are flocking too. The college-aged kids only roll up after they've got up, and since they don't have school, you can usually not expect to see them before noon. And while the coastline's popping, closer to us, things are quieter exactly because school's out and the college campus has largely cleared out. And, specific to where we live, it means the trolleys and buses and some buildings and street signs, have assumed their summer wrap, promoting Peacock and Futurama's return and whatever else companies spent boodles of money on to promote ahead of and during San Diego Comic-Con. 

That's what the exterior of my life is like right now. Sweet, hot, summertime fun outdoors--though I spend most of my time in with the cats. And there's still a little bit of that in my work. I'm planning meeting up with folks at San Diego Comic-Con and, while I'm not particularly involved, I'm watching Riley Farmer get the Sonic the Hedgehog: Endless Summer one-shot buttoned up for next month. But most of what I'm working on is already well ahead, working actively on releases across the fall, and switching from planning to the first steps of production on our winter releases with spring 2024 already cresting the horizon. 

It's a funky dichotomy. If you go into a comic shop in the next two months, summer programs will be in full swing, from DC's big summer crossover event, Knight Terrors to IDW's Endless Summer, to Ultimate Invasion and the Hellfire Gala stuff Marvel's got going on, as well as Skybound's kicking off their Energon Universe, and whatever stores have left of the projects kicked off for Pride. 

But because you're seeing those things in stores, it means they're done and as I've talked about a bit before, generally comics have to be done a ways before their release. In an ideal situation, a comic is done between 7 and 10 weeks before the on-sale date. In a less ideal situation, a comic needs to be done at least 3 weeks before the on-sale date for most printers/distributors/final-order-cutoff reasons. But, in the former case, it means this next week, I'd be looking at what needs to go out right around mid-September--the first week of fall. And those are the things that'd be finishing. Let's say you'd need at least 10 weeks before that for finalizing the script; drawing, coloring, lettering, and doing any production on the issue; and getting it approved by all the relevant stakeholders. So the things entering that phase in the next week wouldn't actually see stores until the last week of November. 

In the books world, there are three spans, rather than the four seasons. Those are Spring (Feb-May), Summer (Jun-Aug), and Fall (Sept-Jan). And when you're working purely with single-issue comics, when you're in one span, you're generally working on titles for the next. When it comes to collections and OGNs, you can be working on stuff years ahead of time. (As an aside to all this, it's also super interesting that this is how things are sorted because it really speaks to publishing in the northern hemisphere... sorry to anyone in the southern hemisphere who is looking at IDW's Endless Summer and thinking "but it's winter!") 

I bring all this up as a reminder that comics take a long time to make and when there are comics have a particularly timely element, like a summer event, they're the result of months of work and planning to hit that specific date that falls in that seasonal span. And while tons of planning can go into something like a 5th week event (in months with 5 Wednesdays, some publishers will add extra titles on the 5th week so they have releases for that Wednesday without disrupting the regular monthly schedule of their titles), it also means sometimes something happens that seems very intentional, but is purely coincidental! 

Unintended Timeliness

Wendy Xu has a new book coming out next month, The Infinity Particle. Like all of her books, it looks very good. Straight from the copy, it "explores big questions through the eyes of an aspiring inventor and the lifelike AI she finds herself falling for." And in the build-up to release, advance reader copies have gone out to booksellers, librarians, and reviewers--the folks who should see the book early because it will help the book get more traction in stores, libraries, and more visibility with readers. But because of developments over the past year, it also is now very closely tied to a hot button issue: AI. Through the circumstances of the world around The Infinity Particle's release, early reviews and examination of it are inherently looping it into the larger conversation. Wendy's gone on the record about, as she said, "'AI' (derogatory)" and "AI-in-fiction (complimentary)."  But one of the things she's also been very clear about is that she's been working on this book since 2018 when we weren't talking about AI in the same way. 

I bring this all up because, when taken with my previous point about how long it often takes comics to be made, a lot of the timeliness that you may seen in a work can be coincidental. As another example, I've been asked a few times about whether the Metal Virus arc in IDW's Sonic the Hedgehog was in any way inspired by the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. That arc is, in many ways, about a global pandemic. That arc, also, was pitched over a dinner at WonderCon 2018, where only the very first issue was on sale a week early and the series had not yet launched widely. The majority of it was written and in production before March 2020 when the U.S. really shut down in the early days of their response. So, no, the timelines don't really work out, it was just happenstance. 

And as a writer/artist/editor/etc, that's one of the things you have to keep in mind. I came from journalism, where timeliness was often an important part of storytelling. "New" is 3/4ths of "News." But outside of strips and editorial/political cartoons, it is much harder to incorporate true timeliness to your comics work. So, often, the default is to look for timelessness--something that isn't pegged to a specific event or set of circumstances, but that can be appreciated whenever because it speaks to something larger. Timelessness doesn't need to be forward-looking necessarily. It can be reacting to or interpreting long-standing history. But the benefit of trying to tell a story that always feels relevant, even if the cultural context around it may change the reader's interpretation from your intention (and there's a longer conversation to be had about interpretation vs. intention), is it usually doesn't feel immediately aged. 

The flip side of things having an unexpected timeliness is when you try to execute something to be timely, but in the interim of writing to execution or just through the flow of time, it just isn't anymore. Somewhat recently, Becca rediscovered "Boyfriend" by Big Time Rush. Obviously, this song is like 13 years old anyway, but boy howdy does the song feel it's age when they call out 2008 Best Picture winner, Slumdog Millionaire. It's not to say you can't or shouldn't put things in the context of the time they're written in, just that being considerate of it is probably to your benefit because specific cultural and contextual touchpoints should feel additive to the work and the intention, not haphazard as a way of showing modernity. (Two quick asides to this: 1. If you don't like "Boyfriend" by BTR musically, you do need to watch the video because it is wild. However, maybe "Boyfriend" by Dove Cameron will be more to your tastes and is incredibly funny if you listen to it as a response to the BTR song. 2. Cultural references aren't the only things that can feel dated or be misused and make your comic worse--see every time AAVE is misused in comics and the creators are immediately dunked on.)

A Timeless Romance... And Leia Organa

Last bit for today, building off what we were just talking about. I recently read Neon Gods by Katee Roberts. It's a smutty retelling of Hades/Persephone set in modern times. (I'm still figuring out some upcoming blogs, but certainly the aforementioned AI and also why SO MANY WORKS are gravitating to Hades/Persephone are on the shortlist). Overall, I liked it. Like many first books in a series, I hear it picks up in later volumes. There's a lot to say about it, but one thing that really stuck out to me was while I understand that it is set in modern day, anytime it made a specific modern reference, it really threw me off. 

Throughout the book, people make calls on their smart phones and have video conferences and there are guns and cars and skyscrapers and other hallmarks of modernity. And it is totally fine. It sets the scene and makes sense for the story being told. But every once in a while--I remember it happening 3 or 4 times--something specific gets called out and it feels weird. One of those times being a reference to the gold bikini Leia wears in Return of the Jedi. It's the sort of touchstone that should feel innocuous. Most folks know it, even if they don't super know Star Wars. But when it happens as like a singular pop culture reference in a work (the other specific callouts I remember feeling odd were a reference to UC Berkley and a brand-name medicine), it weirdly works against the modernity because it feels too concrete in a world of otherwise abstract modern life. It is so solid, so recognizable, that it almost begs the question of why there aren't more references throughout and it vaguely asks questions of the world and of the characters that aren't actually consequential to the plot--or, perhaps, that are consequential to a larger overarching plot that isn't really investigated in depth in the first book. Either way, it was just a little moment that in my reading created a bump that I'm remembering a week and a half later better than some of the actual plot elements or hot smutty scenes, which probably is not the intent of that otherwise kinda throwaway line. 

FRIENDS! 

Okay, shifting away from all that for a moment, I wanna talk about my many cool friends! Who have a new page on my website! Inspired by the webrings of old, I wanted to do a little something to help folks who find their way over to my site find their way over to the sites of other cool folks who are making comics! Right now, you'll notice a lot of family and people who work on Sonic in addition to a few other friends, but always happy to add folks that I've worked with or know and like who might want a bit more web traffic flowing their way. 

While we're on the topic, I know a number of former IDW folks are still looking for work. You'll find links to their LinkedIns there and if you have any opportunities that might be a good fit, please reach out! Also specific shout-out to Yu & Me Books, who could use some help at the moment. 

Patreon!

I'm now on Patreon sharing, wouldja believe, this very blog! As well as some other cool stuff that I've got planned! If you've been enjoying the blog for a while and want a new way to read or support it with a small tip, the Patreon might be for you. I'm also going to be doing Patreon-exclusive blogs that show off stuff like scripts and pitching materials that I can share, WIPs of some of my personal projects, some weird video/audio/streaming content at certain levels, and have a somewhat ambitious group funding goal where subscribers to my top tier mostly help me fund making more short comics by being able to pay cool artists I know! 

Do you not want to read this pitch for my Patreon? Good news: If you subscribe to it, this is cut out from the blog! Ooo aah! 

What I enjoyed this week: Blank Check (Podcast), Craig of the Creek (Cartoon), Dungeons & Daddies (Podcast), Yu-Gi-Oh: Duel Links (Video game), My Adventures with Superman (Cartoon), the beach, Girly Drinks by Mallory O'Meara (Book), the aforementioned Neon Gods (okay, that was last week, but y'know), Stab that Cake (TV show), the only real social media, Clapback, Cruel Summer (TV show), Crime Scene Kitchen (TV show), "Shy Boy" by Carly Rae Jepsen (my queen), the music video for "Water Slide" by Janelle Monae (really loving the aesthetics of their new stuff), Starship Troopers (Movie), thinking about The Love Witch (due for a rewatch). 

New Releases this week (7/5/2023): Sonic the Hedgehog #62 (Editor) Brynmore #1 (Editor) - Actually came out in my last gap week, but go grab it! 

New Releases next week (7/12/2023): Off week for me! Buy something else groovy!

Final Order Cut-Off next week (7/10/2023 - AKA Preorder Deadline) Brynmore #2 (Editor) Godzilla: War for Humanity #1 (Editor)

Announcements:

I'll be at San Diego Comic-Con! My schedule's gotten pretty full, but if you're going to be there, do reach out and let me know. I'll at least try to say hi! IDW announced our panels for the year and I'll see you at Sonic the Hedgehog: Speeding to the 900th Adventure on Sunday at 10, room 25ABC! 

Side note, because con is coming, I may or may not have an update the week of SDCC itself! And Becca's Twitch streams will be off that week, but they'll be streaming throughout the rest of the month. Just anticipate Tuesday streams, rather than Wednesdays, because of some scheduling conflicts. Just through July. 

Oh! And a reminder I am on Bluesky, but don't expect to see me on Threads! That service seems lousy! 

Pic of the Week:

Becca and I at the beach! Beach stuff including some cool shells and part of a crustacean's shell! 

[olderjodijournals]

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1990

Yesterday was awful. I was so pissed at Russ. For the last 5 mornings, during the wee hours of the morning, it was freezing. Later on between 7:00-11:00, it would turn into a sauna. I woke up for two reasons. One was the fucking radiator in the kitchen would clank so loud, you could probably hear it downtown. The other is that I’d have major asthma attacks due to it. It would get so hot in here that my windows would be wet. I yelled on Russ’s machine, asking what it’s gonna take for the heat to be evened out and he stopped up to adjust the thermostat. If this happens continuously, I’ll make partial rent payments and if he fights it he’ll wish partial rent problems were the only problems he’s had with me. Otherwise, he’s a nice guy and the best landlord I’ve ever had. He doesn’t do this deliberately, he just has no brains when it comes to heating.

Today, later on, I’m definitely gonna get the fuck outa this apartment. Where to, I do not know, but I’ve got to get out.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1990

I fell asleep shortly after 11 PM, after seeing the Tai Babilonia story, then at 1:45, I woke up for no reason at all. At least I didn’t wake up cuz of an asthma attack like I did yesterday morning and several previous mornings. I feel much better now and for the last 5 days, I’ve had 4-6 ciggies.

Soon I’m going to try to go back to sleep so I can join Andy on job-hunting trips. Not a job for me, for him of course, but it’ll get me out of the apt.

I’d like to sleep with Shadow, but he keeps waking me up.

I had a great visit with Tammy and the kids, and also a great day with Brenda. Sarah’s adorable and she’s got so much hair on her head. Everyone in the family was born with lots of hair.

John came over for a half-hour tonight and met Brenda and Bill.

Oh, I wish I knew my test scores! I want so badly to go to the academy. I suppose, though, I won’t be going for whatever reason cuz I want to go badly. Of course, that is until I can get anything going musically.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1990

Well, I’m not going to be sleeping for a hell of a long time. I never got up yesterday till 9pm. I had woken up in the early afternoon but felt like shit so I went back to sleep. Not too much has happened since I last wrote. I’ve done some pretty nice drawings, been pissed at Russ cuz he’s got the heat off from 11pm–6am, been a little depressed cooped up at home and wanting to sing. Lastly, been frustrated and scared over my bronchitis.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1990

I am waiting to have my hair trimmed at Hair Performance by Linda. My top layer is incredibly fried. Also, I need my bangs trimmed.

Brenda’s very sick today so I’m going to be going to Martha by bus and it is incredibly freezing out!

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1990

I haven’t written in a while which I sometimes don’t. Last thing I see I wrote about was getting my hair trimmed. Linda trimmed my bangs and my top layer. My top layer was and still is pretty much fried with split ends. I have split ends everywhere. She was shocked at the weight I lost and how long my hair’s gotten. I haven’t seen her in 3 years or so. Linda hasn’t seen me at my skinniest though since I’ve gained 8 pounds. Funny thing is that it looks like I gained double, like 16 pounds. Of course, that’s cuz I’m so short. I no longer despise being short as I’ve realized the many advantages of being short as I’ve gotten older.

Andy’s here now asleep. He came over two nights ago, too. We made some calls this time. Last night we played Crazy 8’s which we haven’t done since we were kids at the beach. Also, we played the piano.

I’ll write later as I’m exhausted. For the last two months or so I’ve been sleeping at night, but I was up all night cuz I slept too many hours yesterday.

[teriwrites]

Behind Closed Doors: 'A Cry in the Night'

My Live Reactions to Reading Through My 2014 Novel

A chapter title referencing night, opening with morning light

It sounds like it's jumped ahead again, Boyd's attempt at being reinducted as a Governor was a flop lol

Cedric is spending 0 time at home but still demanding that his chef cook him grand meals... which he's never around to eat... yet you couldn't afford to keep on a maid?? Alright

Another reference to how big and empty this house is. There are currently two (2) household staff members, and their employer's never even around so it's just this huge open space

It's still so unclear to me why Santos and Eleri are keeping their relationship a secret. Maybe Cedric wouldn't approve of staff getting together?? But now that Eleri's been fired, I have no idea what else would be impeding them

Hours later, and Cedric's back! He's been out day-drinking and looks an absolute mess

Delroy don't compare this man's not getting 're-elected' to what you suffered when your best friends were executed right in front of you...

More worldbuilding! Ardeai was founded by a King who'd lost his original empire in a gamble and got exiled to this lil rock in the northern reaches of the world (btw, Ardeai's in the northern reaches of the world lol)

Said king got assassinated, classic

Actually, most of Ardeai's early kings were assassinated

Sick

Oop, it's about to be nighttime

Another nightmare about his friends' deaths, cuuute

'Delroy shot up in his bed. He was sure he'd just heard a distant scream.' roll credits!

Delroy and Santos both have terrible survival instincts. The move after hearing a scream in the night is probably Not to go investigate it, if you don't want to become the second and third victims of whatever is going on out there

More screaming!

But where is it coming from?

Ahh... they found the source. Let's just say it's no longer screaming.

This description (which is a lil too gruesome to share) is like the weirdest calling card for a serial killer. Like the specific wounds truly make no sense???

And there's So Many of them, like it really just keeps going. 16-year-old Teri wanted to make it abundantly clear that this guy wasn't just attacked, he was tortured

Oh shit the dude's Still Alive

'This man was dead.' okay but who is it??

"Vance," came a voice, and Delroy was able to draw himself away from the sight in front of him to see Santos. He'd straightened back up, but was looking pointedly away from the corpse in the alley. "Vance, that's the Prime Minister." okay firstly oh shiiiiiit (why am I acting shocked? I knew this lol) but also guys, you're at the scene of the crime!! gtfo!!

Okay I'm gonna include one piece of this description bc I feel like it sums it up well: 'Now that his mind had pulled the two links together, he could see the Prime Minister in what remained of this dead man's features.' ('in what remained' is lowkey chilling)

*in the voice of Shane Madej* Who could it be??? Who could've done this??

Refusing to reveal the name of the assassin when you just recognized him in the lamplight, and only doing so after you go all the way back home and wake up your employer in the middle of the night is a Choice, for sure

"The assassin was Soren Tavis." (one of the guys who comes around the Boyd manor pretty frequently)

Cedric's reaction? "I don't know if you're pulling some foolish trick on me while I'm trying to sleep, or if this news is true, but either way, I'm sure you could've waited until morning." (THAT'S the way to assure people of your innocence)

Well, Delroy, the consequences to revealing that you know exactly what Cedric probably paid the assassin to do is that you, too, get to live in fear that the ex-Governor could pretty easily have the same done to you! And, no, them discovering your past is not necessary for Cedric to want you dead. Having information on him is likely enough.

At least I acknowledged that the gratuitous violence at the scene of the crime was, in fact, an intentional case of torture, not like I thought all that was necessary for a pretty simple murder

"Master Boyd left, you say?" Delroy asked casually enough, but his mind was racing. The man had left under mysterious, suspicious circumstances. [understatement of the year, my guy] "I don't like the looks of it, either," Santos told him without turning. "If he's guilty of something, we could take the fall as well." Delroy hadn't thought of that.' (WELL MAYBE YOU SHOULD START THINKING)

In fairness to 16-year-old Teri, I keep assuming certain hiccups, like not piecing together how this could endanger him, are the results of her own lack of judgment, but then it keeps being written in that, no, it's actually that Delroy still has that Terrible wisdom modifier and like 0 foresight

I heard 'Karabast' in Star Wars one time and decided I needed to make up my own cuss words, and it's truly maybe the cringiest part of this whole novel

Cedric Boyd essentially left out a 'how to crime' manual and Delroy just stumbled upon it, I'm Cackling

Tbh, strictly speaking as a writing reference, I'd own a 'murder through the ages' book

'There was a kind of crazed look in [Cedric's] eyes, one that was the sign of either a genius or a madman.' i'm gonna go out on a limb here and say this guy's the latter

'Every piece of the puzzle had fallen into place, and its picture formed a hideous corpse in an alleyway. Sir Cedric Boyd had had the Prime Minister murdered.' (I appreciate the writing, but I'm gonna be real, a corrupt and slighted ex-politician paying off an assassin to murder another corrupt and powerful politician is not the shocking reveal I was going for lol)

Ending Thoughts:

And there it is! The first major point of conflict in Book 2 of the saga. It only took like 64K to get there! The final chapter of this story goes back to Fayina's storyline, so we actually won't be seeing any more of Delroy/Santos/Cedric, unless for some reason I decided to chop the chapter up and break the pattern I had going. It feels a little fitting that this is where Delroy's story ultimately came to a close, somehow. Like I'm more satisfied with it at least being a big reveal, turning point, rather than if he was in the middle of going over accounts with Santos or spending yet another scene reading through texts in the library. I'll have much more to say in the wrap-up regarding Delroy and his journey, but for now, I'm mostly just surprised he's lived this long with this little wisdom lmao his companions are truly the only reason he hasn't accidentally gotten himself killed by revealing that he knows too much. For someone who was meant to go on and mentor a 'Chosen One', young!Delroy is really kind of an idiot. But what's a better teacher than failure? The poor man's dealt with plenty of that.

[hevs-dreamworld]

Iris:

“Hmm, if I had to explain my day in the life. Before I moved in with Nazo and Seelkadoom, I usually got up at around 2-3PM and start doing my skincare and hair. Depending on the day, I’d also use that time to get any shedding scales off my face, arms, and tail. Once done I would get ready for anything I had planned that day. If it’s a day off, I’d go hang around the city and get some tea at my favorite cafe. I can’t say where, because I don’t know who’s around me at the moment. Either that or I’d hang around my friends, or go visit people at the homeless shelters and orphanages. The little ones at the orphanage always have amazing ideas for their home. I just hope I can give enough support to where they can grow up healthy and let their dreams become reality.”

“If it’s a work night? I’d get dressed up for work, let my makeup artist do my makeup as I do vocal warm-ups, and then go perform. Afterwards I go visit with my regulars and then go through all the gifts with my boss, clock out, and go home at around 6:00AM. Get home at around 7-8:00AM, do my skincare, then go to sleep. My skincare schedule fluctuates, but I try not to skip a day.”

“With Nazo and Seelkadoom, it’s pretty much the same, but I wake up later than the other two, and Seelkadoom goes to work with me since we have a similar schedule. However, I noticed that me and the whole group of villains have gotten closer the past couple of months.. I’m glad they’re starting to trust me at least a little bit!”

Nazo:

“I usually get up pretty early to pick up Iris and seelkadoom. They both get off work at around 7:00AM. Whenever Iris goes to bed, me and seelka tend to train for a couple of hours at our gymnasium. It’s small, but it’s proofed to the maximum possible standard for our levels of power. It’s also been recently sound proofed since we’re going to be hosting a lot of events this year. Once done with training and seelka goes to bed, I get into my workings. Get in contact with anyone who sends me out a contract to help with anyone particularly dangerous, check on the event venues I have reserved for the year, quick check on the market to see what’s happening, and then I go do my daily care. If I don’t have any emergency contracts, I tend to take my time and enjoy a glass of tea and read some books about history. If I have no contracts that day, then I spend it with seelka and the others. Otherwise I spend a lot of time reading, drawing, writing, anything to really fill in the time. Although, recently me and seelkadoom have noticed that we’ve been hanging around Iris a lot. Honestly. I’ve been going out a lot more because of her, and it’s helped me get to know her more as a person than just a guest. It feels nice, knowing she’s warming up to us. I mean, even with the weird sleep schedules, we always find a way to spend time together, and I can appreciate that.”

Seelkadoom:

“Much like Iris, I wake up pretty late in the afternoon and do my daily tasks. Chores, checking emails from the office, and checking the work group chat and see what happened when me and Iris are out. I’m telling you, stuff gets quite spicy when we’re not there. Anyways, I usually then get dressed and head out to whatever errands needed to be run. I usually do this with Nazo, but sometimes Iris tags along to get a look at the upper city she hasn’t seen yet. Don’t get me wrong, the lower city is gorgeous, it’s arguably prettier and safer than the upper city. However, the upper city is usually reserved for the ultra wealthy, but it’s also the busiest part of the city due to a lot of the shopping being there. So, it gives her an excuse to explore while we do errands! Once that’s done, I get ready for work and Me and Iris head to the casino!”

——————————

@hunniegl4zed @thebreadmeower @sonic-au-collision

for the characters!! how would u describe ur day to day life??

First question for the characters!!

[quailxcrossing]

horse time :3 everyone come back!!!!

lets just say i . fucking love MLP. so much. making MLP AUs of my characters is one of the most comforting things i could do

I already know there's several characters I will be leaving out, because their cutie marks give insight to some more spoilery things; and there's some AUs I've made where I haven't picked out a mark yet- so this is not an exhaustive list!

also like....it was getting extremely long.

Let's begin!

Turrie - a pale blue daffodil trailed with a stylized stem

Turrie has a LOT of daffodil symbolism. If you see a daffodil, it's Turrie. I use the symbolic meaning of "trust" and "honesty". If Rlioch is holding the daffodil, or if it's upside down, that's bad news. Turrie's concept of truth and trust is something that drives her forward, she has done a lot of actions under her perceptions of others and she frets constantly if she is portraying herself correctly despite how terrified she is of herself. The blue of this cutiemark works into her color palette, of course, but the icy white outline and stylized stem are to give it a "crystalized" appearance. Her perception of reality is steadfast, but easily shattered!

Goat- a bright cyan explosion

Ah my little boy...i dont have a lot of clear shots of his cutie mark outside of this base edit I did with Turrie! (base by elementbases on dA)

Goat has always had a strong throughline of his...personality, and truly what could be more of a special talent than Goat's ability to blow things up and start from scratch! Love a guy who can self-sabotage and totally face no consequences what so ever!

Its also a little nod to that I always associate Goat with fast-moving pyrotechnics, and his cyan accent is one I don't commonly see associated with him- he's just so RED!!! the cyan feels more intimate, more private on his design-a good indication of the facets and twists this guy has! look how happy he is to be held by Turrie

AUI (???)

I actually...do not have a clear image of Aui's CM. that's kinda crazy to me. i was gonna leave him out, just like i know i'm leaving a lot of important characters out, but mostly, i just wanted to share this image..... just let this one pass. look at them.....god. yeah he's an alicorn i don't care..........

Runo - a pink cresent moon with clock ticks inside

ft. Indigo! He is too little to have his cutie mark yet!

Runo was SO happy to have a pink cutie mark. I could not deny him that, despite it not being naturally reoccurring anywhere else in his palette.

The moon was a clear choice- Runo's connection with the moon/nighttime/the time of rest has always been around. Nighttime is commonly associated with "dark times", especially in MLP (looks pointedly at Nightmare Moon- god the Nightmare Moon story must make Runo sob so hard) but Runo's character has always found solace there. Time away from the rush and stress of the waking world, a time he can rest and recoup!

Speaking of time...this guy has a tricky relationship with time, doesn't he? Never enough of it, or are too much. He ran out of time at multiple critical moments, and nowadays he feels like his kids are growing up faster than he can handle, but his childrearing in his early 20s took forty years off his life, if not literally at least emotionally. The song Time 2 by half-alive is just....a very good Runo song. i have always carried time motifs with him, as so moons.

Peony - a small book with a purple flower growing from the pages

ms peony!!!! ok her's a bit more straightforward, less interpretive dance - she's a book editor! she's really really good at it!! it is her job to make stories thrive, to find their good pieces and pull them out and snip the bad roots off. She loves what can be found in the written word and learning about other perspectives. she is trying her best to grow herself too- both as a person (pony?) and in her own creative pursuits.

this is more Christmasy themed drawing, but she's just so cute.....

Francine - a pine tree and two drops of water

eugh. sorry

this was one of the first hints i dropped a while ago that Francine was a swimmer! that is where the water drops came from. they also remind me of teardrops, and the two of them is indicative of her two foals, and perhaps....there is more. perhaps. the tree is remnant of her homeland in the forested Pampel, where she kept dragging people back to. that sounds a lot more murderous than it is, but it is terrible regardless.

LIGHTNING ROUND!!!!

Mauve - ice. cream. he likes it. god if i do anything else I'll feel so fucking sad.

Machwell- whatever Genius Lyrics says that Glass Animals meant when they were singing about pineapples in Pork Soda. cmon, could it possibly be anything else????

Niran - (this is Vega's dad btw. he is hidden/hidden) isn't he cute <3

Ernest - hockey! of course it is hockey. that man loves hockey so much- he used to play it! so yeah its a special talent

Reed Forret- fixing shit n tools and wrenches yeeeehawwww

together they make...the elements of harmony (kindness, loyalty, laughter, honesty, generosity)

I gotta start more lightning rounds. okay okay lets go with some MORE!!!!

Maple (quill feather and green inkmark) and Cranberry (ampersand)

Maple's represents her storytelling, penmanship, and journaling! The quill feather is indicative of the importance of her wings, and the connections she has with the Valkyries. wings are VERY important in Tuesday

Cranberry's is similar- her penmanship and calligraphy! Crannie is a mailwoman and takes a lot of care for letters, and finding them incredibly important to her. Handwriting (hoofwriting) is major for her.

Our salesponies!!!

Cradle (coins under a rainbow), Bartenn (coins with hibiscus flowers), and Slavavas (speech bubbles) are all ponies who've got something sell you.

Cradle's represents luck, finding fortune (they are quite a barterer for what they want) and generally just. having an awesome time.

Bartenn's talent also has to do with being a great retail guy, but the hibiscus flowers = hawaiian tees = often associated with relaxation, vacation. i mean, basically every day is an endless vacation for him, right? isn't that what he wanted?

Slavavas's talent is talking people up and accidentally swaying or charming or seducing or making and accepting a trade offer for something he didn't even know he had. he just talks too much

A pawprint pair!

Jemma (green and dripping pink paw print) and Georgiana (brown, yellow, and blue pawprint)

Jemma's special talent is....well. magically turning people into animals in an extremely painful and violating way. her cutie mark was earned the first time she was able to do this, and all she can think is "god god god no please god no sweet celestia please if you've ever loved me, you'll take it back!!"

Georgiana is just :3 creature :3 animal husbandry! they couldn't work with horses, as they ARE a horse, so I imagine they work mostly with other dangerous livestock, and have a knack for calming even the fiercest timberwolf! ft. Foliose as a birdie! Foliose would also make a cool timberwolf

The last little set!! Then I will let you go.

Esperanza (golden butterfly with heart in the center) Esperanza is the queen of the butterfly effect, and of the butterfly's symbolism of messages and rebirth! I can't even. get into it. you know. you know....

Maiceo (???) its a piece of floss through a needle next to a bobbin pin. Maiceo always dreamed of being a tailor, specifically one who made the intricate lace patterns they now adorn themselves with. of course, this didn't work out, as they became Hierophant and had no time for hobbies. and of course, the whole getting cursed and parasites thing. their dream is of days long past.

Magic (A little pink heart outlined with another pink heart) Its supposed to look like her Ty heart tag! Plushies!!! of course that is her special talent :3 her collecting and care and upkeep of her dear stuffed animals! She is just a girl so full of love for her community and wants everyone to keep better with a little animal friend :3

Ruse (her golden sword with moth wings growing from the handle) Oh Ruse, Ruse and your moth-iness...I've read moths are symbolic for the afterlife, for guidance, for the literal "heading for the light" but also positive transformation! like i can't even overstate how perfect all of that is for Ruse. it mirrors Esperanza's butterfly symbolism so much....her sword is obviously very important to her, swordfighting is her talent and also her golden sword is a literal physical manifestation in the real world of...something. you'll see! maybe

if there

was asked to talk about my MLP AU cutie marks....oh yes. oh yes i will do this. later