#it’s either because I only know how to draw like 3 locations or because this is a significant location in their story

[ki1ldeer]

Sometimes you just gotta draw your oc being emo am I right

[deoidesign]

How I save time on backgrounds as a full-time webcomic artist

Hi! I make webcomics for a living, and I have to be able to draw a panel extremely fast to keep up with my deadlines. I draw about 50 panels a week, which gives me about 45 minutes per panel if I want any semblance of a healthy work-life balance.

Most webtoon artists save time on backgrounds by using 3d models, which works for them and is great! but personally I hate working in 3d... I went to school for it for a year and hated it so much I completely changed career paths and vowed never to do it again! So, this is how I save time without using any 3d, for those of you out there who don't like it either!

This tactic has also saved me money (3d models are expensive) and it has helped me converting my comic from scroll format into page format for print, because I have much more art to work with than what's actually in the panels. (I'll touch on this later)

So, first, I make my backgrounds huge. my default starting size is 10,000 x 10,000 pixels. My panels are 2,500 pixels wide, so my backgrounds are 4x that, minimum. Because of this, I make them less detailed than I could or that you might expect so it doesn't look weird against my character art when I shrink portions of it down.

I personally find it much easier to add in detail than to make "removing" details look natural at smaller sizes, but you might have different preferences than I do.

I also make sure to keep all of my elements on separate layers so that I can easily remove or replace them, I can move them to simulate different camera angles more easily, and it's simple to adjust the lighting to imply different times of day.

Then I can go ahead and copy/paste them into my episodes. I move the background around until it feels like it's properly fitting how I want.

Once I've done that in every panel, I'll go back through the episode and clean up anything that looks weird, and add in solid blacks (for my art style) Here's a quick before and after of what that looks like!

This makes 90% of my backgrounds take me just a few hours. This is my tactic when I'm working in an environment that an entire scene, or multiple scenes, will take place.

But many panels will inevitably have a location that's used exactly once, and it would waste time and effort to draw a massive background for those. So in 10% of cases, I just draw the single panel background in the episode. I save all of these, just in case I can re-use it later (this happens more often with outdoor locations, but I save them all nonetheless!)

I generally have to draw about 2 big backgrounds per episode, and 3-5 single-panel backgrounds per episode! At the beginning of an arc/book the number is higher, but as the series is continuing and I'm building up an asset library of indoor and outdoor elements to re-use for the book, the number generally goes down and I save more time.

My series involves time travel and mysteries, so there's a lot of new locations in it and we're constantly moving around. If I were working on a series that was more consistent in this aspect, this process would save me even more time!

Like I said earlier, this also saves me a lot of pain and gives me a lot more options as I'm converting from scroll format to print format!

panels that look like this in scroll format...

can look like this in print!

because I drew the background like this, so I didn't need to go through the additional effort to add in the extra detail to expand it outwards at all.

Anyways, I hope this helps someone! As always if it doesn't help, just go ahead and disregard. This is what I do and what works for me, and I feel like I only ever see time-saving tips for comics that involve 3d models and workflows, which don't work for me at all! I know there's more people like me out there, so this is for you!

Enjoy!

Also obligatory "my webcomic" if you want to see this in action or check it out!

[lordprettyflackotara]

dollhouse || jeff the killer || bonus part

SMUT MINORS DNI 18+ tw: spanking, jeff has a daddy kink, slapping, jeff’s just a sadistic asshole in this one, blood, brief description of gore

a/n: what’s this?! a double feature in one day?! yeah fuckers yall got the bonus part! i apologize for the delay my mind stayed lagging. i hope you all enjoyed the mini series <3

“This is our last chance. Dont fuck it up!” You hissed.

Jeff rolled his eyes. “Oh yes because taking out the target is sooo hard. I think I may cry,” He barked sarcastically. Slender had given you both one final chance to right your wrongs. Your last mission had ended with one too many news channels showing the camera footage of you and Jeff escaping the hospital. Nothing too identifying could be found of course, detectives puzzled on how Jeff was able to paint the walls and leave no fingerprints behind.

Little did they know the culprit had burned off his fingerprints ages ago. You crossed your arms, frowning. “The motorcycle was the best thing Ben could find on such short notice?” You asked. Jeff shoved his motorcycle helmet on, reving up the engine. “You are always welcome to walk doll,” He snickered. You stomped over to the motorcycle, shoving your own helmet over your head. You mocked him under your breath, throwing your legs over the seat. You couldn’t decide which was worse, dying at the hands of Jeff driving a motorcycle or being tortured to death by Slender.

As the motorcycle roared to life, you began to wonder just how bad Slender torturing you to death would be.

It was no secret you and Jeff were an item. The two of you were the obnoxious married couple of the mansion, terrorizing not only everyone around you but each other. There was a guarantee if you both were in the same room that you’d bicker until you’d go upstairs and fuck the anger out. It made the other residents sick. Sometimes they’d place bets on who would win the fight. Other times they’d high tail out of the room if you both entered. You’d argue with Jeff until your very last breath and you wouldn’t have it any other way.

Slenderman was not happy with either of you. His alternative was having you both dress up as scarecrows to defend his garden in a hundred degree heat. You both agreed to this mission without hesitation. It should’ve been simple enough, killing the newspaper chief who insisted on covering the story. As you wrapped your arms around Jeff from behind, you realized you never really knew how easy a mission was going to be with Jeff coming along. To you, Jeff was an anger filled imbecile who thought with his rage and not his mind. And to Jeff, you were a smart mouthed bitch who talked too much. The two of you together versus anyone else was a lethal combo.

It was around two in the morning when you both arrived to the house, parking the motorcycle blocks away as to not draw attention from the loud sounds. You grabbed your knife, following Jeff’s lead as he picked the lock to the back door. It was moments like these, when Jeff had shut the fuck up, that you were attracted to him the most. Once he picked the lock you both crept inside, watching each others backs. It was always unpredictable, home murders. There was always the chance the owner had a dog or some kind of pet to try to protect its person. Then there was always the possibility of an alarm system, an investment the chief of this newspaper company should’ve seriously considered.

You both scanned the kitchen and living room. Due to the time you guessed he was asleep, like most humans were. It was quiet enough to hear a pin drop, the ticking of the old grandfather clock the only audible sound. That was, until you reached the main hallway. Thankfully for you and Jeff the chief lived alone, providing them with zero additional witnesses to send to hell. His soft snores alerted you of where he was located. Jeff slid in first, crouching down to the floor on the left side of the bed. You went to take the right, a loud creaking floorboard alerting the newspaper editor awake. He shot up out of bed, grabbing the baseball bat that was laying by his nightstand.

“I knew you’d come for me! You witch!” He hissed. You were caught off guard, his sudden alertness causing you to take a step back. He jumped off of the bed, attempting to swing his bat at you. You barely managed to dodge the attack, Jeff’s arm wrapping around the editors chest. “Surprise bitch. Bet you thought i’d let you kill my girl huh? Fucking stupid asshole,” Jeff snarled. He brought his knife to the editors neck, slicing his throat open in a quick and fluid motion. The crimson paint sprayed out of him, washing over you like a rainfall. It splattered onto your face and body, the editors body slumping to the floor. You frowned as you looked down at your jacket. “Are you deadass Jeffrey? I just got this!” You barked. Jeff raised his eyebrows.

“Are you kidding me? I just saved your life!” He argued. You glared at the dead editor, a pool of his blood forming at both of your shoes. “Oh great. Now it’s on my new heels too. You’re going to have to replace these!” You spat. Jeff threw his hands in the air dramatically. “Oh cmon it’s just a little bit of blood. You’re telling me you can’t handle blood?” Jeff questioned. You crossed your arms, clenching your jaw. “I can handle blood Jeffrey but my tory burch heels cannot,” You gritted through your teeth. Jeff twirled his knife around in his fingers lazily, clearly unamused. “Maybe get better shoes then. Not my fault you made this mission a fashion show,” He replied dryly. You grabbed him by his hoodie, shoving him back onto the bed.

“You’ve got some fucking nerve, you know that? You’re such a fucking dick! I can’t stand you,” You snarled. You crawled on top of you, straddling him as he relaxed against the mattress. “You look pretty hot covered in blood babe, remind me to soak you in it more often,” Jeff grinned. You rose your hand, delivering a sharp slap to his cheek. Jeff’s cocky expression fell, his gaze hardening. “Oh that’s how you wanna play? Fine,” He huffed. He flipped the two of you over, his fingers wrapping around your throat. His grip restricted your airway, a smile spreading across your lips. “You pain addicted bitch. I’ll show you pain,” Jeff growled. He flipped up your skirt, before throwing you over his knees. He delivered a sharp slap to your ass, a painful whine escaping your lips.

“Fucking count them or i’ll leave you to get off on the dead guys dick,” Jeff spat. He delivered another smack, a shock of pain electrical as it went down your spine. “One,” You let out lowly. He slapped your other cheek as hard as he could. He grinned sadistically as your skin turned a dark red. He wondered if he could get it to bruise. “Two,” You whimpered. Jeff’s hand strayed from the mounds of your ass, exploring your drenched panties. “This wet from me abusing you? You really are a pain slut,” He snickered. He delivered three more spanks, your body shuddering in pain as you counted them all. Tears had welt up in your eyes, your body tense as he yanked your panties down your legs.

“Awe don’t cry doll. I’m no where done with you yet,” He purred. Roughly he shoved two fingers inside of you, keeping you bent over his lap. He refused to curl his fingers, his slender digits just barely brushing against your g spot. “J-Jeff I need more,” You whined. With his spare hand Jeff delivered another smack to your ass, causing your waterline to finally flood with tears. “Well you’re not calling the shots, are you babe? Now shut the fuck up and take what I give you,” He snarled. You were a whimpering mess, the slightest touch of your abused skin making you cringe in pain. But Jeff’s fingers. His long and thick fingers. They filled up your cunt so nicely, so good. “What do we say when I make you feel good?” Jeff asked. Your mouth was running dry, tears streaming down your cheeks.

“Thank you,” You mewled. He grabbed a handful of your hair, roughly yanking you towards him. “Call me daddy bitch,” He growled. Your gaze met his dark obsidian eyes, that were determined to see you squirm. “Thank you daddy,” You whined. Jeff released your hair, shoving you back to your original position. You could feel yourself getting closer to the edge, your body hanging on to every little thrust Jeff made inside of you with his fingers. “S-s-so close,” You stuttered. Jeff delivered more harsh smacks to your ass, sadistically chuckling as you whimpered. “Go on then! Be my little painslut and cum,” He huffed. With one final slap you came around his fingers, humiliated as goosebumps spread across your skin from the cold air.

He flipped you around as he pleased, treating you like you were his fuckable ragdoll. “Go on doll, do that thing I like,” He instructed. You grabbed your ankles, placing both of them almost completely behind your head. As Jeff undid his belt he delivered a sharp slap to your clit, causing you to audibly whine. “You sure are a noisy little bitch, aren’t ya?” He asked tauntingly. He wiped away some of your tears, the splattered blood staining his thumb. Lazily he slapped the head of his cock against your folds, before slamming himself into you. You gasped as he quickly began to snap his lips into yours. “I know you can handle it. Your cunt is begging me for more, so fucking tight,” Jeff grunted. He rutted into you like he was in heat.

He pressed down against your thighs, sinking your body into the mattress. His grip was tight you knew bruises were forming, the unholy noises vibrating off of the victims walls. He pounded into your cunt like he despised you and the ground you walked on. You were so addicting, so mesmerizing. He muttered your name as he slammed into you. You held onto your legs, Jeff’s cock so deep inside of you that you were seeing stars. He delivered a sharp slap to your cheek, before roughly grabbing your face. He forced your lips to pucker out like a fish, an evil grin spread across his lips. “Such a stupid fucking whore,” He panted. You hardly had time to process the pain, his cock abusing your g spot perfectly.

You gripped onto his hoodie, your eyes rolling in the back of your head. “Fucking shit, Jeff!” You moaned. You came undone on his cock, squirting profusely over his bottom half. Jeff groaned your name as he came inside of you, his seed painting your inner walls. You both were panting messes, the sound of car doors shutting catching your attention. “Fucking hell,” Jeff grunted. He slid off of the bed, fixing his pants as he looked outside. “The neighbors called the cops on us. Goddammit. Let’s go,” Jeff growled. You shoved your panties on, the two of you running out of the back door of the house. You ran like your life depended on it, ready to go home.

\/

“What’d they do again?” Ben asked. He munched on some kettle popcorn as he floated beside Slenderman. The two were in his office, watching you and Jeff pretend to be scarecrows to defend his garden. “Besides terrorizing my existence they left semen at the scene of the crime. Both of their identities are going to be traced,” Slenderman sighed. He ignored the irritating sound of Ben munching loudly. The blonde had decided to be in ghost form today, allowing him to float carelessly.

“Gross. Hey boss, is there a particular reason you partnered them together in the first place?” Ben asked. They watched as you and Jeff tried to fight with pitchforks, both of you sweating in the relentless heat. “They’re the only individuals in this mansion that’ll love one another. If not for my pairing Jeff would have gotten his fan girl pregnant by now,” He replied. The supernatural creature straightened his back, pausing for a moment. “If Jeff unfortunately reproduces I cannot handle a carbon copy,” Slenderman elaborated. Ben fell upwards, flying around his head. “Oh I see boss! You played matchmaker. Good for you! I always wondered what you did for fun,” Ben chuckled. If Slenderman had eyebrows, he would’ve raised them.

The two watched you launch yourself at Jeff, both of you dressed in ridiculous farm clothes.

“Hey boss you wanna set me up with somebody next?”

“Watch yourself Ben.”

“Yes sir.”

[gay-jewish-bucky]

Debunking the Claim that Bucky Barnes' Dog Tags "Prove He Cannot Be Jewish"

In 2021 and 2022, when discussing the fact that MCU!Bucky (henceforth referred to simply as Bucky) is based off of Arnie Roth, a gay Jewish man and Steve's childhood best friend, I received pushback from fans telling me that Bucky can't possibly be Jewish due to his dog tags; citing a behind the scenes picture posted by Sebastian Stan to his instagram story.

Transcription of the dog tags:

James B. Barnes (Legal Name) 32557038 (Serial Number*) T41 42 (Tetanus Immunization) O (Blood Type) R. Barnes (Next of Kin) 3092 Stockton RD (Address) Shelbyville IN (Location) P (Religion Marker)

*A serial number starting with a 3 indicated that the servicemember was drafted into the Army, it's important that we do not forget that Bucky didn't chose to fight.

During World War II the dog tags of American service members would have had one of the following regulation religion markers:

P for Protestant (the marker we see on Bucky's dog tags)

C for Catholic

H for Hebrew, this being the marker for 'Jewish'

NO (or left blank) for No Religion

For Jewish servicemembers fighting in Europe, being discovered to be a Jew by your captors–especially if you were captured by the Nazis–carried considerable risk and could mean the difference between life or horrific torture, experimentation and possibly even death.

Some Jewish service members, justifiably incredibly fearful of what could happen if they were found out, would either omit a religion marker altogether or, after getting their tags, would attempt to obscure the 'H' marker in some way so it could not be read by their captors.

While this saved some lives, it was not a perfect and fool-proof system, and we have no way of knowing how many times it failed.

In 1943, the year Bucky was drafted, the Army introduced a more official (and more widely adoptable, and thus widely adopted) option to protect Jews in its ranks:

Through the European Theatre of Operations United States Army, Jewish servicemembers could elect to have the 'H' marker for Hebrew on their dog tags replaced with a 'P' for Protestant.

This would offer Jewish servicemembers a more convincing layer of protection if they were ever captured by the enemy, because, unlike an obscured religion marker (or that lack of one) which could itself draw suspicion, a set of dog tags printed with a 'P' would be entirely indistinguishable from the dog tags worn by a gentile and would be less likely to draw suspicion.

Due to this option being made available to Jewish people serving in the United States Armed Forces, the 'P' marker on Bucky's dog tags not only does not definitively prove that he's really a gentile, in actuality its presence provides even further historical support in favour of him being a Jewish man.

Sources and Additional Reading:

Jewish GIs and Their Dog-Tags by Rabbi Akiva Males - Hakirah

A Star of David for Pvt. Benjamin Garadetsky - Jewish Telegraphic Agency (jta.org)

U.S. Army WW2 Dog Tags | WW2 US Medical Research Centre (med-dept.com)

Do You Know the History of the "Dog Tag" (jcveteranscouncil)

Beyond The Battle: Religion and American Troops In World War II (uky.edu)

World War II and American Jewish Identity

European Theater of Operations, United States Army - Wikipedia

Pride Month 2022, 40 Years of Arnie Roth and Michael Bech - Marvel Comics: The Queer History Behind MCU Bucky’s Backstory

J.M. DeMatteis, the creator of Arnie, confirming the character's use for MCU!Bucky

Full screenshot of Sebastian Stan's post of the dog tag

How to Decode a WWII US Army Serial Number | Amy Johnson Crow

[michellemisfit]

✨Weekly Tag Wednesday ✨

Thanks for creating the game and for the tag @jrooc thanks for the tag @vintagelacerosette

Today we’re talking fandom. Come play!

Name and A03 handle: Michelle, michellemisfit

Current Location: Living room, surrounded by feathers, as I’m currently fletching some arrows

Favourite picrew: This one is pretty fucking spot on. Or at least it was at the time. Hair is very different now. But then, hair is always different… lol

Also this one is spiritually VERY me

What's one thing you want in a picrew? Ability to add coloured streaks! And a wide selection of scars, or alternatively the ability to move them around the screen. Either is fine. But mostly the hair thing. My hair is generally 4 different colours. Don’t try and limit me to one!!

Favourite thing you’ve created (or seen created) for the fandom? Erm… 3 way tie between Mexico Gallacrafts, Fimo Gallavich, and Cookie Gallavich? Maybe? Argh. Turns out, looking back at my art tag… I’ve created some pretty cool stuff. Huh. Yay me.

Why is it your favourite? I don’t really do photography, and I’m really proud of the idea behind and the execution of that photo. And while I LOVE drawing more than anything, I don’t think I’m exceptional or anything. But I’m damn creative when it comes to silly 3D craft projects, so both Fimo Gallavich and Cookie Gallavich make me happy and feel like something not just anyone could do… I dunno.

Did it come easily or was it hard to create? It was LONG to create. Both cookie and Fimo Gallavich took several days in total. And I think that’s the other thing I like about myself. I am willing to put in the work, and it usually pays off.

Last ao3 fic you commented on? Hah! You’ll be able to corroborate this, I’m not just sucking up!! LOL I’m currently reading Camp is a Battlefield by @blue-disco-lights, @jrooc, and @mybrainismelted, with artwork by @creepkinginc, so that’s the last one I commented on :)

Biggest WIP heartache you’ve ever experienced? I mean… every single WIP I have ever started reading, only to realise that maybe there won’t be any more of it… 😱 Every. Single. One. They’re all special, and they all hurt in their own special ways. And I will remain subscribed to all of them FOREVER, because you never know!!

Also? Comment on WIPs. Tell authors how much joy the story brought you, how much space it’s occupying in your brain, how much you would love to see it continue but how happy you are to have read as much of the story as there is because it’s changed your brain chemistry… do NOT comment saying ‘next chapter when?’, cause that makes you a dick bag.

Favourite trope or head cannon you like included in a fanfic? I’m a sucker for fake dating, only one bed, and a soulmate AU 🤷🏽‍♂️

Least favourite? …not a huge fan of kid fic, but hey, all it takes is a great author to make it work.

Secret or surprising kink or trope? Again, do not kink shame, because you’re only ever one good fanfic away from discovering something about yourself you did NOT see coming…

Describe how you feel after you’ve created something new? Exhausted and antsy. Is it good enough? Are people gonna like it? Should I even bother anyone with this? Why don’t I just go and hide under a rock forever?? I felt okay about this when I finished it, why is it suddenly the worst thing to have ever been created??? …I wish there was a sense of calm and accomplishment. There is not. Brains suck!

Top hype man you have that always helps you get across the finish line: @deedala - I so appreciate how we’re on a similar wave length when it comes to art as well as ‘everybody wants to hunt me for sport’ vibes. I know I can always count on you for kind but honest words, and that’s so important!!

It's been a bad day, you turn to the fandom and you _____? Read comfort fic. Probably Like Real People Do or None the Wiser.

Edit: Also? Go and read comments and tags on old art posts. That’s a sure fire way to cheer me up!

This was fun, and made the 15 minute wait between fletching each feather pass much faster. Thanks!!

If you are currently making your own arrows and need something to occupy your wait time with… how about completing a tag game? lol

@heymrspatel @loftec @creepkinginc @deedala @too-schoolforcool @darlingian @iandarling @iansw0rld @ian-galagher @mybrainismelted @palepinkgoat @crossmydna @mikhailoisbaby @sickness-health-all-that-shit @rereadanon @rutherinahobbit @energievie @junemermaid @francesrose3 @deathclassic @faejilly @rutherinahobbit @gallawitchxx @look-i-love-u @jessij1997 @callivich @celestialmickey @wehangout @doshiart @lynne-monstr @the-rat-wins @blue-disco-lights @suzy-queued @sleepyfacetoughguy @spookygingerr @burninface @gallapiech

[transformers87]

Ok!! Thought Dee was gunna be easy or a tad bit more simpler to draw/design

NOPE!!!

And this is my weak ass attempt at drawing Orion hiding in his neck/shoulder blade armor from the teasing Dee was giving.

Still working on the style…. Just wanna post and show off some ideas of mine.

This was after Orion helped lead Dee and escape the security drones Sentinel had placed all over the restricted archives…. They were walking back to Orion’s royal chambers… using the secret escape cavern/tunnel that was meant for Orion if the Quintesans ever found his location… and Dee being curious as to why this ghost bot went all out his way to help a poor, low-class miner like himself.

Also I know I butchered the enemy’s name!! But luckily I somehow surprisingly remember their name!!… which… it never happen!!

——————————————————

First draft!! Hope you like it!! :3

Orion kept his cloak over his helm, hoping that none of his father’s drones had found him, he shivered at the thought of having to step one ped inside their royal chambers only to be faced to face by an angry Prime…. And now his bigger problem… how to help the newcomer back to where he originated from… peering a sneaking glance from the hood of his cloak he caught sight of the mech walking in pace with his stride.

The mech was large.. much lager and taller than him… the Prince practically was a dwarf strolling near him….the mech’s color plates were a darker shade of silver and grey… his helm a deep blackish grey as well as his servos… which were large enough to tear through anything that if angered so…. The optics of the mech were a brilliant shade of golden yellow…. Blazing like fire… and filled with hope…. The prince then recognized his staring.. and went back to his pondering as he subconsciously use his servo to gently guide the mech to his chamber.

He knew that the mech is one of the thousands of other cog-less miners… all whom have either lost their lives or in the mere verge of losing it when mining for energon… he sighed knowing that the energon loss was his own fault… after all he is the mech’s prince and new leader… yet to be anyways…. It was his responsibility to find the matrix of leadership and help his father bring back victory…. But as for now all he felt was an utter failure for he was nowhere near in finding the ancient relic…

“HEY!!!” Hissed the mech, his large servo grabbing a hold of the prince’s armor and shook him stopping the prince dead in his tracks. He looked up and meekly whispered, “what is it?”

The mech beamed him a friendly smile and said a quick apology. “I wanna say is thank you for helping me ditch them drones back there sir.” Sapphire blue optics blinked for a bit and smiled behind his mask. “It’s no problem…”

The mech nodded, but glanced around the passage way curiously. “So? Where exactly are you leading us?” “you could stay in my quarters til near dawn…” “I had to wait that long?!” He said. Golden optics wide. “that way there’s enough time for the drones to stop in their rush.” The prince stated, ignoring the rude cut off from the mech.

“Why your place? And who are you?” The mech asked, eyeing him suspiciously. “My dear miner… I apologize for the lack of knowing your name… yet i cannot tell you mine due to being out in the open… and as for my home… this passage way is where we are heading for.”

“So?.. you’re not a haunted spark?” The mech questioned, his optics squinting. “No, “ he chuckled “i’m not dead… i may look a bit hauntingly but i can assure you that i am in fact still much alive…. And no i don’t haunt these tunnels” the mech laughed at the end bit. “Ok… ok… well my name is D-16… my friends and coworkers all call me Dee though…. and i am not a haunting spark either” he smiles a bit more once the prince started to laugh more.

“But what i don’t understand is why a cogged mech like yourself is helping a cog-less mech like myself?” Dee asked. The prince smiled within his mask. “Because… it’s my job to help. Why can’t i help?”

Dee sighs, “no cog bots in iacon are allowed to help a cog-less bot, much less a miner.. like me.. you could’ve lost your job or worse.” He blinked and sighs at the mech with him. “A spark is worth saving for Dee,” stated the prince

“But?-“ the prince then cut Dee off. “every bot no matter how great or small… with or without a cog..… deserves a helping hand once in a cycle… even if it meant my own spark slain… then so be it…you do matter”

He then opened the secret door that lead into his personal chambers and helped his newfound friend in

[leafofkudzu]

Hello and Happy New Year!!! The first Saturday of a new month will soon be upon us, which means it's time for another art party hosted by my guild, Verdant Shield [VS]! But this one is extra special, because exactly one year ago was my first real foray into the world of event hosting - that's right, it's the one-year anniversary of [VS] Art Party!!!

The very first [VS] Art Party was held January 7th 2023, and was a very quiet experiment with no visible tag, announced only two days before and hidden away in an obscure corner unlikely to be noticed by non-participants. I was nervous, but with a modest 20ish-person turnout and a chill energy not dissimilar to the current EU parties, it seemed to go over great! As art trickled into the tag over the following days and weeks, people started asking about future parties, and even about hosting ones on EU servers, which I could certainly do since I already had an EU alt. And so, a monthly tradition was born!

For those unsure of what an art party is, they're a concept carried over from Final Fantasy XIV - in-game get-togethers for artists/writers/creatives of all kinds to hang out, chat, and create together! Grab your character and outfit of choice, head to the party location, find someone that inspires you, and create! Afterwards, everyone posts their creations in a shared tag (ours is #VSArtParty) so others can see, interact, and share! The tl;dr I've been repeating since the very first announcement post is simply this: the 'goal' of an art party isn't to be drawn, but to draw others, and share with the community!

Time and /squadjoin information is under the cut, but will be posted again via reblogs as the squads go up on the day of the party!

Location Information:

It's a bit tricky to get to if you're F2P, but there was no way I wasn't returning to the location of the original party - the uninstanced asura home instance in Rata Sum, the Applied Development Lab! I've even dusted off my original map image, complete with hand-drawn arrows:

(That's Magustan Court Waypoint, by the way.)

This area is only accessible via flying mounts or with the use of a Teleport to Friend, so be sure to have one (or both) handy when the time comes!

Time & Squad Details:

As per usual, there will be two 3-hour parties - one on EU servers and one on NA ones - with an hour break in between. People do tend to arrive early though, and those with multiple accounts often jump directly from one to the other, so don't be surprised to see things running late and/or starting early!

The first party will be on EU servers and begin at 9pm Central European Time (aka 3pm Eastern Standard Time or 4 hours before in-game reset). I’ll be hosting on my EU alt account, so to join either /squadjoin or whisper Paranomalous Plexxi for an invite.

The second party will be on NA servers and begin at 7pm Eastern Standard Time (aka 1am Central European Time or at in-game reset). I’ll be hosting this one on my main account, so to join either /squadjoin or whisper Teekzi for an invite.

Closing Words:

The engagement, energy, and love in these events always blows me away, and words can't express how happy I am with what we've all created together. I'm so glad that I took that first step last year and extended an invitation to what would've likely just been a throwaway guild event to the best section of the GW2 community I know. GW2 tumblr, keep being amazing. I love you guys so much, and I can't wait to see you guys on Saturday, and for many more first-Saturdays-of-the-month to come!

Ever your diligent cat herder,

Meka ♥♥♥

[darka-3363]

Wave your hand

From parallel universe

Hidden in a folded palm

After 28 light-years, my research

Must be ended somehow...

Anyways that took me forever to make, I am so not used to drawing this much lol

So here's notes what I've written in my terrible handwriting in all of those lil papers:

1. On the page: Remember cosmological constant!

2. The shitty rectangulars are 'dimensions', while between them is, well 'the in-between'

3. On the mug it's a Hawking formula for calculating entropy

4. And I honestly forgot what's that last one supercomplicated formula is lol

On the third page on the papers on the board:

How to locate a dumbass lost in multiverse 101

2. Dimensions: think less furniture in a room, more fruits in jello in a jar: separate, yet connected. Does that mean there are more multiverses?

My own take on fem!Stan makes its debut! This is Stacy Pines, the proud owner of Mystery Shack. Her Pa was constantly saying, she's got too many manly interests, like fixing cars and beating up the bullies, and is always scolding her for being 'unladylike'. About the only hobby he approves is sewing - after all, if she wanted to be a fashionable young lady, she had to make the clothes herself, because her father will surely not spend money on the new, fashionable items, and he was barely tolerating even having to buy them second-hand.

Instead of going for boxing lessons, she was signed up for dancing lessons - Ma Pines was insisting; her daughter will learn how to dance, or else. It was fine by Stacy though, she liked to dance, and she even roped Stanford to dance with her from time to time.

She still gets kicked out of the house for accidentally breaking Ford's school project, and she still has the Cadillac, though what happened during the 10 years on the streets differs quite significally from what we have seen in the canon, but that I'll leave as a secret for now, since I do plan to expand, either in a fic or comics, whichever comes first.

After getting Ford back from multiverse, Ford realises Stacy is hiding something big from him - and somehow, the kids and Mystery Shack workers know the secret, but none of them are willing to share it for some reason. It's fine by him, if Stacy wants to have secrets, then by all means, it's not like he cares that much, after all (lie). He has better things to do anyway (doesn't stop him from obsessing about what's Stacy hiding though).

And that's it for now!

PS: Yes, she's using Petri dish for cigarette ash.

PPS: The lyrics is from Jinjer - I Speak Astronomy, it's a metal song so be warned.

[transmasc-wizard]

blinks at you. i <3 vampirism + devastating loneliness can yu tell me more

blinks back with my wide empty eyeballs

cw for parasites, death, blood, etc. vampire stuff. the vampires. with the blood and death and diseases. you expected this

so im currently playing with vampirism as a two part disease. part one is a magical virus that turns old spirits who got lost on their way to the underworld into these decaying, angry shell of themselves, which collapse very rapidly into parasites that search desperately for a host to sustain their energy that should already be gone. the second part is... well, that parasite. the host is what we'd think of as the "vampire" but the parasite is the "vampirism" and the vampire is very much a victim of it. vampirism attaches itself to a person's heart when they come close to death in proximity of it, keeping them alive but forcing them into a trade that never ends. (vampires are often the end result of an angry ghost haunting someone.)

the parasite exists in the same level of reality as magic and spiritual energy do. if you were to carve a vampire open, you could tell there was something wrong feasting on its heart, but you could not cut it out. it's not physically tangible enough for that. the vampirism spends every second of every day begging for spiritual energy, which it takes as either a slow draw from the vampire itself (slowly killing them), from the energy of people around the vampire (this is called weak feeding, and is more like a snack at best), or from the physical blood of people around the vampire (proper feeding). the vampire actively chooses to do the latter two, or else the vampirism takes the first. the longer this relationship goes on, the larger the parasite grows, and the more the vampire has to feed.

this creates a scenario where, to the vampire, they have only one being that they can reliably give to instead of take from: the vampirism. but the thing is, like... it doesn't actually care. vampirism has no feelings. it attaches in a final burst of fear and anger, but in the actual form of a parasite, vampirism isn't the ghost it came from; that ghost is gone. the vampire is stuck feeding something that genuinely cannot even care for it in some fucked up toxic way. it's just hungry. it sees no difference between the vampire and the victims. a vampire can survive for a very, very long time as long as they don't sustain life threatening injuries, but the parasite isn't going to save them if they do. additionally, there is no such thing as a community for vampires. vampires are either people who are infected by the parasite originally, or people who narrowly survive being fed on by another vampire with a parasite large enough that a bit of it broke off. there is no real common thread or community, because they're scared of each other. most vampires despise other vampires. vampires also cannot find solace in magical communities, because the parasite both impairs most of their spells and stops their ability to tell when they're pushing themselves too far, so a vampire who was or wanted to be a magic user almost always has to give that up to save their own life.

most vampires live and die never understanding how vampirism works. many die in the first year because they don't know how to reliably feed themselves. Orion goes seven years surviving on just "weak feeding". the parasite doesn't tell them anything. the only reason vampires can know its there is because the nature of vampirism gives them a few extra powers; increased strength and speed, ability to communicate with and locate/sense the dead, and ability to hold someone's spirit in place when they're dying for a brief amount of time (this is so feeding can take the most of a person's spirit at once). between that and the constant hunger... well, some figure out they are feeding something that is not themselves, and those are the ones who survive. friendships are always incredibly strained, because the majority of vampires will find themselves weak feeding constantly. they need to. so they see themselves, and they understand they are hurting their loved ones and destroying relationships, but they barely know how or why.

Orion in particular was a very community-oriented person before he turned. he wanted to be a doctor. he wanted a family. now he feels constantly stuck in a loop of selfishness and guilt, and that's BEFORE he starts... uh... literally ripping people's throats out and eating them. after he turns, people can tell something is wrong, and they push him away, which furthers his idea he is fundamentally bad. the first person he ever feels like he can talk to is Arthur, and that is because he takes comfort in realizing Arthur is even more selfish than he is, as Arthur is someone who kills and hurts without the threat of a parasitic disease looming over his head.

but yeah. TLDR. becoming a vampire is finding yourself in debt for the rest of your life to something that is a part of you and cannot be carved out but forces you to hurt yourself and others every moment. and it doesn't care. it doesn't love you. it needs you, but it doesn't love you. and it is the closest thing to love you have unless you are willing to risk the constant unending fear of irreversibly harming the real flesh and blood people you care about. most vampires become incredibly isolated because they can't emotionally handle anything else. but that's hard to handle, too. vampires are. sad.

ty for the ask :3 !!

[arsonstick]

tell me abt ur favorite oc!!!

OK!!! you migjt want to sit down for this one. also its under cut cause i accidentally made it really long sorryyyy

his name is dr. allistair mothh (hes the one ive been obsessively posting about recently) and he sucks soooooo badly </2

basically his story is. hes a general surgeon who studied alongside a "dr emoto." him and emoto grew closer and closer as they went through school together, and often danced a line between best friends and romantic partners

now mothh is the type of guy who doesn't like to not know things. hes a very organized person and it only doesnt really bother him is if it's on his terms. he'll do whatever he can to get an actual answer. so him and emotos relationship was very frustrating to him. he wanted a defined label. tbh hed probably be fine with either he just wanted an answer

anyway. after they both finished their education, mothh was offered a job by the government (mary bell radiation authority) that ran the school (mary bell university, located in mary bell township). he accepted the offer, only because he assumed emoto had both gotten and accepted the same/a similar offer. he thought they would still have time to work it out....

but! emoto didnt. and by the time mothh found out it was too late and it was already time for him to leave. womp womp

anyway. while mothh was doing his job way off in Somewhere™️ a group of arsonists burnt down the MBU, which not only educated people but held a majority of mary hell township's records.

emoto i think he stayed in mary bell township, but he died prematurely (this is still kinda up in the air. dont take my word for any of this paragraph) and his records were kept in MBU. however. due to the burning of the MBU. his records were permanently lost

mothh came back to mary bell township, only to find out that. not only did his only chance to rectify anything was gone, but his beloved university had been burnt down to the ground and almost everyone he knew had either died or moved away

so basically he comes back to loss after loss, and he doesnt really know how to take it. hes a very introverted person, and it takes a lot for him to be willing to talk about. anything really personal. much less something on this scale

so he gets stuck in the cycle of grief, getting angrier and angrier and eventually he starts twisting around his memories of emoto

he starts to think that maybe emoto hated him for still taking that job even though he knew they wouldn't be together. he starts to think that emoto held a grudge for that, and that maybe he couldn't have saved their relationship after all

this leads to him denouncing any connection with emoto (maybe. i might change that i came up with that a While ago and idk if it fits anymore)

theres more but! that is spoilers for Some People who Follow my Blog so i wont post them here <2 also theres more characters to explain for it to make sense and i. already have a wall of text here

to thank you for reading so far!! heres some Mothh Fun Facts!

hes actually based off of an album! albeit i did. add a lot to his story. the albums surgery by machinery of the human heart btw

if i had to pick 3 bands to represent him it'd be machinery of the human heart (duh), los campesinos!, and the mint chicks in that order

ive gotten two people to draw him so far <<<<2222

hes arospec allo to me... best label that fits him is cupioromantic but the way i described it is "someone whos aro but wouldnt mind being in a romantic relationship. like they would prefer other types but if push came to shove theyd do it"

a lot of people in his story are references to other songs! emotos one, as well as the whole. "mary bell" thing

the song that i think is the most himcoded (outside of any tracks off surgery) is we are beautiful, we are doomed by los campesinos!

[bird-inacage]

Love in the Air Locations | (Sky's Arc) as told through Sky's Bed

(PART 1) (PART 2) (PART 3)

This is where we see a real shift from Sky being alone to being in Prapai's care and company.

5 - Sky is comforted during a nightmare. Prapai immediately rushes over to soothe Sky, "I won't let anyone hurt you." Prapai's patient coaxing manages to calm him down. Based on what we know of Sky, he tries his best to hide his PTSD, even from his father. So it's unlikely that anyone has seen him in the midst of a nightmare. Sky is understandably shocked when he recognises it's Prapai of all people whose holding him in his arms. To Sky, this is kindness. This is relief. This is like water in a desert. And so he promptly breaks down. At his core, Sky knows he needs the support.

6 - Prapai watches over Sky sleep. I hadn't given this moment much thought but it's actually very endearing. Prapai accompanied Sky back to his dorm after 'Last Cheer', taking a quiet vigil over him whilst he peacefully sleeps. It's likely that either Prapai ushered Sky to bed (considering he was still feverish the night before), or Sky was so tired he fell asleep easily. What's worth noting here is how unguarded Sky already is with Prapai being in his space. We have to remember that Sky wasn't the one who initially let Prapai into his dorm. Rain did. Besides, Sky would have been too weak and delirious to put up a fight if he really wanted Prapai gone. This is the first time he's allowed Prapai into his dorm, by his bedside with permission. And the fact that Prapai simply watches over him as he rests is rewriting the narrative that his bed or 'any bed' is associated with torment. Rather, it's exactly what it should be, a place of sanctuary. It's precisely what Prapai (offhandedly) promised to do at the time he said, "Remember that this wind's watching over the Sky."

7 - Prapai keeps Sky company whilst he sleeps. Sky is now developing feelings for Prapai because (whether consciously or not), he's testing him. Prapai doesn't have to stay the night and he certainly doesn't have to rough it on the floor. He could sleep on the couch even. But he wants to remain close and so concedes, even admitting "What choice do I have? I've already lost to you", indicating that he's willing to accept any boundaries dictated on Sky's terms. This confirms what Prapai's attitude to consent is in response to Sky's test: 'If I say no, if I draw the line, will you respect my wishes?' Sky turns his back to Prapai because he's still holding his cards close to his chest. He may appear to be keeping Prapai at arm's length but that's still within reach.

8 - Prapai ushering Sky to bed when he's exhausted. At this point Sky is completely at ease with Prapai being around him when he's defenceless. He's only able to do so became he deems Prapai as harmless. The way they behave around one another feels amazingly routine, proof that this has become a frequent occurrence. Prapai takes care of Sky, and Sky lets him. Sky's increasing reliance on Prapai (such as letting Prapai look after him) demonstrates an immense degree of trust and acceptance.

Despite the location being Sky's bed, most of the scenes in this gifset are very wholesome. Considering how their first encounter was purely physical, I find this a really interesting story-telling device to deconstruct the meaning of 'being in bed' with another to all the things it can involve that don't have explicitly romantic or sexual undertones.

[fated-normal-767]

Do you think theproject takes place in like . A country with a high property value . Is it well known ? Does it have good food and . Well I know for a fact it does not have low crime rates but . Can it make up for that ? Is it scenic ? What’s the culture like y’know ?

okay hang on I’m going to make a couple of maps for the first time ever because I really want to answer this properly. So I’m going to start with weather and temperature and location. This is not canon because I blatantly refuse to place it anywhere on the world map so I don’t have to talk about geo political relationships and fucking science of how it’s there or whatever, I failed geography, but it is somewhere in this area, not in the middle of the ocean, but closer to one or another landmass. So similar weather to either the uk or parts of America, probably closer to America as it’s referenced as being quite easy to travel to. No one ever talks about Britain but then neither would I if I had a choice so that indicates nothing.

It’s probably slightly warmer than the uk but it has thunderstorms and rain quite frequently and I’d guess it’s equal to or smaller than Britain in terms of land. However characters can travel around frequently because there’s good public transportation. I drew a map but I really really hate it so much I just needed to create the idea of the layout. I hate drawing maps.

There are roads and train lines and the like not pictured because I couldn’t be bothered but You Get It, vaguely. It’s completely an island so the views of the sea are probably very nice and I think before skills were a thing they weren’t really known for anything, so initially a low population density, and probably still pretty affordable property. Not cheap but like. Better. Nice place generally. We see the worst of it because that’s how you get a good story but it’s not that bad it’s genuinely Quite Good, you know? Free healthcare, pretty good housing opportunities, good few jobs in law or offices or journalism due to all the things to report on. I think a lot of the people there, if not the majority, moved there after it improved once skills started benefiting work in healthcare and sciences and stuff. Big governments probably delayed looking into that for ages in case it backfired or messed stuff up somehow, but small place, not hugely complex system? Just jumped straight in and it worked. It also has some of the loosest regulations on powerful or hard to control skills so I’d think there’s people from all over going there. It’s probably very much like the more boring parts of America and some bits of the USA but . It’s one of the safer places if you get what I mean. There’s some very crucially bad things but if you remove those niche defects from the picture it’s actually. A really good place.

I don’t know if it has a comparatively high crime rate actually. Maybe because it’s a small place with one or two very dedicated criminals but . Generally there is less crime than would be in any other places if they were shrunk down to that size. Or at least an even amount. Once again, we see the worst of it. And everyone still keeps living mainly happily. Considering it’s an island I imagine they have a good amount of seafood but in my mind there’s also a channel tunnel type construction that means it’s not difficult to either travel or import wider ranges of food. Probably a lot like America but I’m betting there’s like . super niche cafes and restaurants around for a variety of things. There’s good food because if I made all this world building just to give them shit food I’d have to kill myself. I would go more into what seafood they have but I honestly don’t like seafood much so I only really know 2 or 3 seafood dishes and I definitely couldn’t accurately profile what would be most popular. It’s definitely scenic I think it’s quite high above sea level in places especially near the city of cliffs so it’s. Honestly probably beautiful.

[msommers]

4, 5, 23, 26 and 27 for rook!maeve and alidda

thank youuuu!! xoxo // rook questionnaire

4: If your Rook was a companion, where would they be found?

rambler's note: i took this as where they would be found in the lighthouse?? idk if that was the intention, but it's what my brain decided at 2am so that's how the answers proceeded.

MAEVE — i think it’d be the right amount of fantastical magic suited for Maeve that you’d access her space by going through a portal in the mini library of the lighthouse’s entryway, and then end up in a laughably larger library that’s inside one of the floating towers outside. multiple floors that you can explore by taking a spiral staircase, and she can either be found on the ground floor relaxing in a reading chair or 2-3 floors up in what looks to be her designated bedroom, sat up at a writing desk scratching away at some parchment.

ALIDDA — i’m deciding it needs to be obnoxious to get to her room because it’s funny. you know that walkway that leads up to the big ass eluvian, where on the sides it just has empty spaces of blue?? let’s add a broken up staircase going down to one side, that so clearly looks like a low effort jumping puzzle, and then at the end it opens up into an abandoned map room. Alidda never had the stairs fixed because she’s already used to hopping and climbing to navigate terrain, she feels right at home. the cutest updates to her room would be map markers and notes showing Rook’s progress in exploration, little comments about uncovered locations and shelves holding some of the collected artifacts/momentos. partway through act 2 one of those magic studying desks that are always lying around gets added to a corner of the room and a codex entry is on top of it with notes on how Bellara’s teaching her some advanced arcane analytics or smth.

5: What emotion did they usually pick?

MAEVE — i don’t know if they have names in veilguard, but Maeve was a majority blue with some dashes of purple, and some friendly flirting tossed in here and there for good measure. just bard things 🥰

ALIDDA — and if i admitted right here that i only played maybe 30 minutes of Alidda’s save before i went and made another mage. what then. my called shot is a 40/35/25 split between direct/humorous/helpful (using da2 terms lmao) because it feels like the right kinda energy for a girly raised by Jorina and then later being influenced by said sister and her chaos boyfriend once they’re around more.

23: What do they do after an absolute crisis?

MAEVE — seek out loved ones, which is blessedly simple in the lighthouse. she knows where to find somebody if she feels drawn to needing their particular energy in the moment, or can just as easily find a grouping of the companions to surround herself with. she can't stand being alone and draws a great deal of comfort from talking things through with her friends, though sometimes it's enough to simply be there as they talk amongst each other. after that entire [redacted] ordeal of act 3, for a time it was borderline impossible to find Maeve anywhere without Emmrich or Neve, she became so horrendously clingy and reliant on maintaining physical touch to ground herself.

ALIDDA — funnily enough i think Alidda might be almost an opposite in this department. she would've reached a point growing up where she realized that it would make her big sister's life so much easier if she was independent and could handle things on her own, and one of the habits that came out of that goal was isolating herself to work through any big emotions alone so that she wouldn't burden either of her siblings with it. she'd still rely on that in the present, retreating from the group and coming back half an hour later as if she'd found a reset button, right back to normal. (she was off-screen talking to herself for like 15 minutes and then took a 15 minute nap tbh)

26: What animal best represents your Rook?

MAEVE — luckily i got to avoid extra research by remembering that the swan is one of Maeve's symbols! they're known for beauty, grace, love, and loyalty, all perfect for the babygirl. i also just think she’d like them a lot so i’m counting that towards being important and nobody can stop me.

ALIDDA — animal symbolism research drives me up the wall so i'm going to just settle for now and go with a hawk: clear vision, keen senses, adaptability, courage, loyalty, trusting yourself, etc etc.

27: What was their life like before the events of Veilguard?

MAEVE — i truly straight up ignore the in-game shadow dragon background for her because i don’t give a fuck, it’s Maeve. she’s in this world just for the fun of it, not being canon compliant. i was looking at the faction-given surname the other night and goofing to myself about how it’d be funny if she used that while adventuring purely because she’s also a famous author in this world and can’t be going around as a shadow dragon having people recognize her off the bat. i want to see companions gagged that this modern icon of romance & adventure novels is their de facto leader, it’s so funny to me idk. the less goofy stuff is that i think she could actually be fairly similar to her usual backstory here, just further along in the journey. a lady freed from her abusive, dreadful excuse of a husband that was able to build a ridiculously successful brand as an author while moonlighting on the side as an adventurer over the years, just this time she ends up working with the shadow dragons instead of witchers lmao. she would’ve been something like a connection of theirs that provided resources and occasional hands-on assistance, maybe initially based in Orlais?? i don’t remember where i said Carden would have been from in Thedas, but doesn’t matter all that much, she still ends up being recruited into the most fanciful quest she’s ever had put to her.

ALIDDA — the current Alidda concept is that she joined the veil jumpers very early on, alongside Jorina and Aleksi! i don’t know if we have any idea how long the faction has been active?? but i imagine that they’ve been at it for a good while. Alidda was greatly influenced by Jorina and Aleksi’s stories of their time with the Inquisition, and tbh she probably got to visit them there once or twice?? during those years between Corypheus and the Exalted Council, and i can easily see a girly in her mid-teens getting inspired there to become something more than just another city elf getting by. i love toying with the world and recent DA media has been all over the place with its magic system, so i think it could be a fun thought that Alidda initially began her veil jumper career in a space more akin to a classic scout like her sister would have, but then somewhere along the way one of the insane magic surges of the forest resulted in her gaining some magical abilities. it fits into some of the rogue abilities in the game, plus plays off that years old joke concept of elves regaining their magic as the Veil gets toyed with that’s always been entertaining.

[bibibievansbuckley]

This sounds familiar!

“Are you seriously suggesting there are benefits to not sleeping next to me?” “You always steal my covers! I almost had forgotten what it feels like to sleep through the night, all sound and warm.”

_gk <3

Colt draws the sheets to his chest with a groan. 3 AM, and he has yet to fall asleep. His spine burns, begging for him to find a comfortable position to rest. Days like today are a grim reminder of falling from twelve stories, snapping spine, and agonizing pain. He overdid it, and now he’s going to pay the price for a few days.

And he’s not even in his own bed.

New York City is far from his favorite place. Sure, the hustle and bustle is nice, but there’s something about it that seems…Lonely. Isolated. If it weren’t a popular location for his job, Colt doubts he’d ever come here. At least not alone. He’d brought Ken along once, but the crowds and flashing lights of Times Square were overwhelming.

It might’ve gone better if either of them had remembered Ken’s noise canceling earbuds, but Ken vowed that he’d never go back. Somehow Colt doubted that, but he hasn’t pushed. Barbie might like it, though.

Two weeks down, three more to go. Colt thinks about his husband and their partner, what they’re doing. Barbie’s probably asleep by now, but Ken’s an insomniac. A smile tugs at his lips as a picture forms in his mind: Ken, wide awake and staring at the ceiling, earbuds in and begging for the crash of ocean waves to lull him to sleep. Ignoring his aching back for a moment, Colt reaches over to the nightstand and grabs his phone. It’s midnight in Los Angeles. What if Ken’s actually asleep?

He keeps his phone on vibrate. If he’s truly asleep, he won’t hear it. Worth a shot. He pulls up Ken’s contact information and hits the call button before he can overthink it.

Two rings, three, then four. Colt’s about to hang up when suddenly the ringing stops. There’s the sound of a clearing throat on the other end, and then a garbled, “Honey? You okay? It’s late, isn’t it?”

Colt winces at the sound of his husband’s voice. It almost hurts to listen to him. “Hey. Yeah, I’m okay. I just can’t sleep. You sound like shit.”

Ken chuckles. “Thanks. I love you, too. It’s all Barbie’s fault. She brought a plague back from her weekend away with Gloria.”

“Aw, she got you a souvenir. That’s sweet.”

“Fuck off.” Colt laughs, some of the earlier uneasiness beginning to settle. There’s a pang of guilt in his chest - Ken’s throat sounds raw and scratchy. He can only imagine how badly it must hurt him to talk. But Ken doesn’t seem eager to hang up.

“You okay?” Colt asks softly. “Do you guys need anything? I can - “

“Honey. Relax. We’re fine. We have DoorDash and plenty of trash TV to hold us over. Are you okay? It’s like, 3 AM there, right?”

“3:20, actually, but yeah. I’m okay. I can’t sleep either.”

“Back hurting?”

“How’d you guess?”

“Easy. You sleep like the dead except for when your back is bothering you. I’ve slept next to you for how long now? I know these things.”

Colt smirks. “How am I supposed to sleep like the dead with you next to me? You leave me with two inches of space! I have the whole bed to myself right now.”

Ken gasps, and Colt bites his lower lip to keep from laughing. He can almost picture the look on his husband’s face, jaw dropped and eyes widened indignantly. “Are you seriously suggesting there are benefits to not sleeping next to me?”

“You always steal my covers! I’d almost forgotten what it feels like to sleep through the night, all sound and warm.”

“All sound and warm? You’re a koala! You cling to me and I wake up so sweaty and gross. If I’m gonna wake up like that, I at least want to get some action.”

Colt swallows and shoves the images out of his mind. When he gets home, though… Nope! Nope. Can’t go there. “Because you steal the covers,” he says after a long pause. “So if you think about it…”

Colt almost hears the eye roll through the phone. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. My fault.” Ken’s voice drops, raspy and low, and it sends shivers down Colt’s aching spine. “You miss me, don’t you?”

“Don’t do that,” Colt urges. “Don’t tease. I can’t.”

“You just bitched about me stealing the covers! This is called payback, sweetheart.”

If Colt closes his eyes, he can see their bedroom. Ken sitting up in the darkness, Colt leaning on his elbow. It could be any other Tuesday night at home. Ken rambles away on the other end of the phone, three hours away. Colt’s eyes flutter open closed, and he knows he’s about done for.

“Hey, dollface?”

The rambling stops. Colt wonders for a moment if he’s fallen asleep. Then there’s a quiet, “Yeah?”

“I can’t wait to come home. The bed feels too empty.”

[elkkiel]

Hi hi!

16, 20, and 35. (Also, meow!)

MEOWW :3 hello new url, fancy seeing you here!!

ANYWAYS artist ask game <3

16: How do you motivate yourself to draw?

I have no fucking clue dawg. I used to go months at a time without drawing anything more than a doodle here or there, and it fucking sucked lol.

It's always either prompt-based, or I saw something cool that I want to specifically draw. I have a hard time sitting down and just *drawing*, so I've always relied on fanart or structured projects to get me going.

I'm actually so so thankful for sleep token and this community, because it's a constant source of inspiration that makes me excited to draw again. Pretty sure I've drawn more this year, purely for fun/the love of it, than like any other point in my adult life so far lol (I mean that's only 5 years, BUT after constant uni burnout, getting out of that rut feels so good)

20: Is your workspace organized?

Traditional? Hell yes, I even just got a new organization system and purged a lot of old, nasty supplies I stole from my high school and stuff lol

Digital? Fuck no!!!!!! That shit is so messy, you could make a 15-part Netflix docuseries about me trying to locate my fuckass files. Untitled Artwork/Untitled_1 gang rise up :')

35: If you had one piece of advice to give your younger artist self, what would it be?

*shaking myself by the shoulders* Learn your foundational skills!!!!!!!!!!!! Please!!!!!!!!!!!!! Some kind of basic anatomy or like something more than 1 or 2 point perspective!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You will hate yourself once you reeeeally want to draw those stupid British dudes (no, different British dudes, not those ones) and have to draw them as cats instead!!!!!!!!!!!!

There's a lot of discourse with learning fundamentals vs the fuck it we ball mentality. I'm 100% fuck it we ball, but that's just because I'm impatient lol. At the very least, knowing the rules lets you break them way more effectively without that awkward "hands hidden behind the back" stage

[shadyruinskryptonite]

Titan Bending, Chapter 3

Warning: Violence consistent with cannon, NSFW so MDNI, language, major character death (both consistent with canon of both AOT and ATLA as well as diverging from canon), so much trauma literally everyone is so traumatized, very much slow burn, a little enemies to lovers, SO MUCH ANGST, hurt/comfort, hurt and delayed comfort, AFAB reader

Chapter Warnings: Language, violence and implied violence, Levi being a dick, please let me know if I missed anything

WC: 2600

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Masterlist

I’m given no formal introduction to the soldiers, but Hange does take me around. I’m trying so hard to pay attention to what she’s saying because I think I could be friends with her, but I find myself zoning in and out of the conversation.

“You’ll technically be on Captain Levi’s squad but much like Eren you’ll be running a lot of experiments with me,” Hange says.

“Wait, hold on. I thought we agreed that I was allowed to kind of be my own free agent? What’s this about squads and experiments?”

She waves me off and says, “yes, yes, you have your independence still. But for the sake of our strategy and planning, we have to know roughly where you’ll be located. And as for experiments,” I swear I see her vibrate with excitement, “we also need to understand your abilities and how we can best utilize them.”

I’m still a little apprehensive but I ultimately nod. Eventually, I quietly mumble “I refuse to call that little shit ‘Captain’ though.”

Hange bursts into laughter, so uncontrollable that it starts to draw the attention of other people milling about. Once she collects herself, she says “I can’t wait to see you two interact more. You’re either going to be his favorite or he’s going to hate you with every fiber of his being.”

“That’s…reassuring,” I say wholly unconvinced.

Our tour around the barracks comes to a close at the mess hall just in time for dinner. I join Hange in line and continue to listen to her describing the quality of food. “It’s not the best but it’s not the worst either. They do what they can with what little resources they have. We don’t often get meat though so I hope you’re not strictly carnivorous,” Hange laughs at her own joke and I smile.

“Honestly, a hot meal that I don’t have to hunt or catch myself is a welcome change,” I lament.

“You said something similar about sleeping in a bed even though the dungeon beds leave much to be desired. If you hate living out there so much, why did you choose to live out there?” she ponders.

I smile again as food is added to our trays and we slide along. I don’t know what a lot of the items are so I just pick up all of the same things that Hange does. As we look for seats, I explain, “Well, truth be told this experience wasn’t exactly what I was anticipating. When I’ve lived on my own previously, I had the option to go into villages and I did so a few times a week.”

She sits down and I don’t pay much attention to our surroundings as I finish my story. “Sure, I was completely self-sufficient before but what I liked was that life seemed so simple. I did odd jobs for people, made art, and played music when I needed extra cash. I was expecting the same thing here but obviously that’s not what I got.”

Now that we’re sitting, I take my first bite and nod in contentment. Hange was right - it’s not great, but I’ve certainly had worse. It’s only now that I take a moment to look at the people near us and realize we’re being stared at. Before I can get too self conscious though, I notice the boy that I treated on the cart is sitting just up the table from us.

I grin, happy to see a familiar face, and I wave enthusiastically to him and say “Armin! It’s nice to see you again!” He seems embarrassed so I just turn back to keep talking to Hange. 

We finish eating and she shows me where to return my tray before changing the subject. “Okay!” she says with a clap. “Now I just need to show you to your room!”

The surprise must have been evident on my face because she laughs again and says “What, you thought we were going to make you sleep on the ground?”

I snort and respond, “no, it’s not that. I honestly thought I’d stay in the cell or be put in some kind of communal housing. I’m surprised I get an actual room.”

The humor drops from her tone as she says, “we did consider that, but both for your safety and that of the other soldiers, we decided it was best to keep you on your own.” I let her words sink in and I nod knowingly before she continues. “Plus, your room is right between the Captain’s quarters and my lab, so we can keep an eye on you.” When she says this, she almost seems like she feels guilty for not trusting me.

We stop in front of a door and I turn to her, trying to reassure her. “Hey, I get it. You guys have been really accommodating as it is, I totally understand that you’ve gotta watch me. I’ve said it before, but in your shoes I know I certainly wouldn’t trust me either.” With that, her smile returns and she opens the door to an admittedly very small room. 

Hange sheepishly says “it was converted from a storage closet so it’s-”

“It’s perfect,” I say with a smile, cutting her off before she says anything negative. “Whether it’s a closet or a cell or a blanket on the ground, I’m honestly just grateful that you didn’t opt to execute me.”

The backpack I took with me as I left the forest is sitting at the foot of the bed and there’s a small chest of drawers with a lamp on top. It’s not like I have a lot of things as it is, so this is more than enough. I open my bag and begin to put things away, and Hange���s voice cuts through my thoughts, “Even though your room is situated among the officers, you will still have to use the communal bathrooms and showers that the enlisted use. Sorry about that.”

I laugh, saying something similar to my previous responses, “I’ve been bathing in a river and rubbing flowers on myself so I don’t smell like a dead turtle seal. If it’s water and soap, I have no complaints.”

It seems like she has a question, but she just turns to walk out, only adding “I’m experimenting with Eren in the morning, so I’ll plan to see you just after lunch. Captain Levi and I want to test the extent of your abilities.” I nod and bid her a goodnight, hearing her mumble to herself as she closes the door, “what the hell is a turtle seal?”

When I wake up, I can barely make out what’s on the clock. I have no concept of time because my little closet doesn’t have a window so I flip on my light and instantly regret it. As my eyes adjust I see that I’ve missed breakfast so I decide to shower before I start my day. I fold my clean clothes over my arm and grab the towel and soap from the bottom drawer. As I walk towards the bathroom, I see what looks like a field of kids training.

Wow, Armin was right, most of them do look like they’re only about 15.

I shower quickly and peacefully, getting dressed before I step in front of the mirror to braid my hair. As I’m standing there, a girl with jet black hair walks in. I glance at her from the corner of my eye and recognize her as someone that was sitting with Armin the previous night. As I’m about to greet her, I realize that she’s merely glaring at me so I quickly decide against it. Walking back to my room I also realize how strange it would be to introduce myself to someone in a bathroom.

To kill a little bit of time, I go for a quick run to get my blood pumping for the day. It seems like everywhere I go people are staring at me.

This will be hard to get used to.

I cut my run off early when I came across Hange running an experiment with who I’m guessing is Eren. As I approach she spares me a glance before doing a quick double take.

“Are you wearing the same thing you wore yesterday?” she asks, now looking at Eren again.

I glance at my outfit before looking at her and blinking slowly. I answer with my own question, “you wear a uniform every day, does that mean they’re the same articles of clothes you wore the day before?”

“Touche, but you’re a civilian, why do you have more than one of the same thing?”

“Because I like it?” I say, a little perturbed. “It’s comfy, I can fight in it, and it’s all black so it’s good for concealing myself.”

“Okay, okay. I appreciate how early you are! Your enthus- wait! You are early right? I didn’t miss lunch again did I?!”

I chuckle a little, “relax, yes, I’m early. I was just going for a run before lunch. You didn’t miss anything.”

She heaves a noticeable sigh of relief and returns to her work. I decide to make myself comfortable and watch.

As I’m watching the scene unfold, I hear one of the only voices I’ve come to recognize.

“Oi! Y/n! If you’ve got time to sit you’ve got time to train,” Levi calls to me.

I sit up straighter, but I don’t look at him, afraid that if I do I’ll just lunge at him. I take a deep breath before I slowly turn to look at him. His expression is stoic as ever. I take one more calming breath before yelling back, “I train on my terms, remember? Plus, it’s almost lunch anyway.” I turn back to Hange and Eren and see him crawling out of the titan’s neck.

Holy shit, so there’s an actual person in there.

Once he’s been pulled out and the two start to head towards me, I offer the exhausted looking kid a smile. 

“I’m Y/n, and you must be Eren.” I stick out my hand but his big green eyes only look at it before looking back at my face. Somewhat coldly, he says, “yeah, I know.”

Rather taken aback, I slowly lower my hand and opt to look straight ahead as I offer a weak apology, “sorry, I didn’t realize you don’t shake hands with people when you meet them for the first time here.”

“Oh no,” Hange quips and I turn to her. “We do, he’s just being rude.”

I open my mouth to say something but I’m too stunned for any words to come out. At least she told me the truth. I hear Eren mumble something about not being rude under his breath and I realize I recognize his voice too. 

Before I can stop myself, the words come flying out, “Oh! You’re the kid that I could hear whining when you were in the woods the other day!” As soon as I say it, I want to suck the words back in but Hange laughs and, like a ghost, Levi seems to appear on the other side of Eren and snort too. 

I can see the kid’s temper flare as he yells back at me “Oh yeah?! Well you’re the freak that uses magic bullshit to ‘heal’ people! I think it’s a crock of shit and I think you’re dangerous!”

I smile at his outburst as we enter the mess hall. The four of us get in line and I can see that he’s flustered by the fact that he didn’t get a rise out of me. I shrug and say, “Well, you’re at least partially right. I am dangerous, but I have no intention of harming you or anyone else here,” I wink at him as he stares blankly. “There’s nothing ‘magical’ about my waterbending though. I simply manipulate water the same way people have done for thousands of years.”

My dismissal seems to shut him up. I see that he grabs different items than Hange and so I try to copy him. When we sit down, Levi disappears again and this time some kids sit with us, I’m guessing friends of Eren. Armin sits directly across from me and I grin at him again.

Hange can’t sit quietly for long, so she starts in “you say people have been bending water for thousands of years? Who was the first water bender? How did people discover they could do it? How did the first people learn?”

I smile as I listen to her questions and take a bite of my meal.

Hm, I think I like Eren’s picks better than Hange’s. I’ll have to remember this.

I look up, about to start, when I see multiple pairs of eyes on me. I chuckle and begin answering Hange’s questions.

“Well, it’s kind of complicated. Each of the elements learned from what we all call the ‘original benders.’ For earth benders it was the badger moles, for fire benders the dragons, and for air benders it was the flying bison. Water bending is weird in that the original bender isn’t an animal but rather the moon. People learned to water bend by mimicking the push and pull of the tide and since this is controlled by the moon’s pull on the earth and the ocean, people were basically just copying the moon. For that reason, water bending is actually stronger at night and strongest during a full moon. Conversely, I lose the ability to bend at all during an eclipse.”

When I look back up, everyone looks at me confused. “Okay, which part was unclear? I can explain something better depending on what you don’t understand.”

Hange answers immediately, “Y/n, nothing you said made sense. It sounds like you were speaking a different language. Dragons aren’t real and what the hell is a ‘badger mole’ or a ‘flying bison?’ And once you explain that, do you mind telling us what a tide is?”

Before I can start, Armin excitedly speaks up, “A tide is the ocean water hitting land! I’ve read about it! Are you saying you’ve seen the sea?!” His childlike curiosity makes me grin again. 

“Yeah, you’re exactly right. And yes, not only have I seen the sea, I’ve been swimming in it more times than I can count. I’m from the Northern Watertribe. It’s the farthest North you can go…or at least, that’s what people from my world think. We also think the Fire Nation is the farthest West you can go but I ended up here somehow so clearly we don’t know as much as we think we do.

“Anyway, badger moles are basically these big blind idiots that live underground. They use earth bending to feel their way around and it basically acts as their eyes. Flying bison are almost extinct, but the one that’s left belongs to my friend. His name is Appa and he’s probably as big as this room. He’s extremely fluffy and has six legs and a tail that can generate as much wind as a tornado.

“As for dragons, they definitely do exist. It was thought that they were hunted to extinction by firebenders at the beginning of the 100 year war but my friend Aang - the same person that owns Appa - encountered and learned from the last two dragons in the world.”

It seems like I’ve managed to mesmerize these kids and even Eren seems to have completely forgotten his anger towards me from moments ago.

With a slap of her legs, Hange declares, “Alright! Enough talking! Y/n, you ready to show us what you’ve got?”

And with that, we stand up and head to the training field.