#kalytera art

[kalytera]

Here is my contribution to Thread of Fate's digital side zine: Tobirama as the Ace of Cups!

I've never done a tarot card before, so I had a lot of fun designing this piece. It was a wonderful experience to be a contributor to this zine!

Please check out all the other amazing contributors and big thanks to the mods of @founders-tarot-zine for organising this amazing project!

[ninjas-and-coffee]

Hey! I just wanted to say I absolutely love your style! I've tried lifeless myself and it just doesn't work for me. You really inspire me as an artist and every piece you make is just so powerful! Like, they're so beautiful in an intense, majestic sort of way.

I also wanted to say that I can't believe you did that Swing speedpaint in three hours! It's beautiful and I love it so much! If you don't mind my asking, how long has it taken you to develop your style?

:)) wow thanks so much! Lineless is a pretty weird style I’ll have to admit, And as for my pieces being inspiring. I’m absolutely floored like wow! thx! hehehe

As for my style, I think once anyone veers away from tutorials and basic anatomy a style is born based on what you think needs more emphasis and how you style your art. But to give a more specific answer, I developed my current style in about a year of constant trial and error. little things like details and time savers are just little techniques added to the style already in place. 

Once again thank you so much for the ask. I hope I answered your question adeptly. 😚😚😚🌟🎨

[cannibalisticcorpse]

Summary:

The batfam isn't... great at expressing feelings. Well, at least not the positive ones. They are all able to cook, and checking the weather for those around you seems like a reasonable enough substitute for saying "I love you"... to them.

Using food and weather updates as a love language.

Rated T | jason/roy | wally/dick, kori/dick | tim/bart/kon&cassie | duke&damian

written for @batfam-big-bang this year! thank you to @thecolloquialcavalier for beta-reading and @feral-anthropologist for the mood board and @kalytera for the art!

[solangelover]

Nyctophobia

A/N: Haven’t written in FOREVER but this was done a while back for the @after-everything-pjo-zine ! It��s out now, free download! Please check it out and support the other content creators who put a lot of effort into the zine. I had art done for my fic by @kalytera and it is EXCELLENT please check it out!

Read on AO3 or FF.net

Nico sprinted after the monster, directly into the forest.

He had been on border patrol and let the son of Hermes working with him leave early. They hadn’t had any monster activity in months and the kid looked like a zombie. Nico didn’t have too much sympathy for him, though, as he knew Cecil and his siblings were gearing up for some big prank. But still, Nico was more than powerful enough to take on a monster or two on his own. Not that he expected any action.

Of course, he was wrong.

In the darkness of the night, Nico saw something moving in the woods just beyond the border. He knew whatever it was couldn’t actually get in, but it was so close that Nico decided to go ahead and get rid of it. He had been itching for action anyway. The moment he stepped outside the border, the monster shot out of the trees. Luckily, Nico had his guard up and quickly rolled out of the way. The monster slammed into the camp border and whipped back around to Nico.

It was hard to make out what monster Nico was facing, but he didn’t care too much. It just looked like a giant badger of some kind. Not giant as in a Giant giant, but very abnormally large for a badger. Nothing major, Nico had faced down the worst of the worst in his life. This was a plaything in comparison.

“Let’s go, big guy.” Nico readied his sword. The monster lunged again, and this time Nico hoisted his shield to block the teeth, standing his ground. He swung out with his sword and grazed the badger’s cheek, causing it to flinch to the right and back off. Nico used the shadows to hide himself as he circled around the monster’s left side. It swiveled around looking for him, taking a second too long as Nico darted forward and stabbed it in the side. The creature screeched, flailing around and knocking him over with its tail. With a grunt, he fell to the ground, his sword skittering away from him. The monster, however, did not turn back to attack like he expected. It must not have been as invested in the fight as Nico was, because it began running back into the forest where it came from.

“Wha—hey!” Nico was affronted. He wanted that fight, and he was winning.

So here he was, chasing a giant badger in the dark woods. After running for 5 minutes, Nico realized that he had lost the beast. How, honestly, he didn’t know. He must’ve been out of practice. Or maybe the badger burrowed underground. He didn’t know how he’d missed a giant hole in the ground, but either way, he was annoyed.

The next thing he realized was that he was lost. Again, how he could get lost so quickly literally right past the camp border, Nico was at a loss. He was really out of practice.

Nico spun around, trying to see if anything looked familiar. Just trees and darkness. He tried to figure out which way he came from, but he got turned around. The adrenaline from before began to leak out of his body as his situation set in.

Nico was lost. Out in the woods. Outside of camp. In the darkness of night.

Well, okay, Nico tried to reason with himself. No problem, just shadow travel.

Except he hadn’t gotten the clearance from one Doctor Solace yet. But this was a bit of an emergency situation, so it was probably fine.

I mean, this isn’t actually that urgent, a voice in Nico’s head said. Just walk in one direction and you’ll probably hit camp.

Nico nodded to himself. He could try that. Why was he even worried anyway? He was looking for action—being stuck in the woods was the best way to find it. Maybe if he was lucky, he’d run into the badger beast and get to finish the job. So, he started walking.

And kept walking.

And walking.

Nico lost track of time and his steps, but it felt like an eternity. His breathing was coming out in short puffs, the cool air revealing each breath. His heart was beginning to race, though he wasn’t sure why. He was only walking. His eyes darted around, at first out of caution, but it slowly felt more and more like paranoia.

It felt like the darkness was pressing in on him from all sides.

His body started to tremble as he walked faster, but Nico knew this feeling.

He was scared.

A son of Hades, afraid of the dark. Ridiculous.

But he couldn’t help it. He felt its cold tendrils snaking up his back, making his hair stand on end. Dark fingers were curling around his throat. His breathing was shallow, and too fast, but he couldn’t seem to draw a full breath. His hands flew to his hair, tugging at it as he tried to ground himself. He realized he had stopped walking, just standing in a small clearing of trees, head spinning.

He was fine. He was in the forest, he’d been there a million times, it’s no different than in the daytime. It was fine. He was fine.

But he knew he wasn’t. He could almost hear the whispering voices, feel the tug where the shadows fell upon him. They wanted to take him from this world into the world of darkness. Maybe that was his world, not this one filled with light. Maybe they were right.

No, he thought. He couldn’t give in—he’d been through too much to give in. But isn’t that the reason he belonged in the shadows? Darkness and death followed him everywhere—maybe he wasn’t supposed to run from it.

Nico’s heart was pounding, his blood rushing in his ears. He belatedly realized that he had collapsed to the ground. The world swayed before his eyes. He was barely drawing in breath, his chest felt locked tight like something was constricting his lungs. Nico squeezed his eyes shut, feeling tears track down his cheeks.

Seriously? Here? Now?

Somehow, Nico’s thoughts were racing and yet, his mind was blank. The whispers were growing louder, buzzing through his head in an unintelligent stream of sounds. He could feel the darkness closing in on him, feel his consciousness slipping away.

He couldn’t breathe.

He couldn’t move.

He couldn’t do anything.

Suddenly, a sharp pain cut through Nico’s haze and made him cry out.

His body moved on instinct. Nico’s eyes flew open and he rolled into a crouched position. With a groan, he fell back down to his knees, gasping for air that his lungs so desperately needed. As his vision cleared of black spots, he finally looked down and noticed the fresh blood gushing from his thigh. His head whipped up just in time for him to dodge a swipe from the same badger monster from before.

Nico had never been so relieved to see a monster.

With the pain in his leg sharpening his focus, Nico gathered his energy and pushed up, suppressing a scream as his leg protested the movement. He drew his sword once more, still drawing in large gulps of air. The badger snarled and lunged once more. Nico quickly sidestepped and swung down with his sword, slicing the outstretched leg of the monster. It howled in pain, tumbling to the ground before staggering to its feet and retreating back into the woods.

Nico wasn’t planning to give chase, until he heard a large thump and another screech from the monster. He limped in the direction it ran to see that the badger had slammed into an invisible barrier. The camp border! Nico nearly cried with relief, completely ignoring the monster as it scurried away from him. Once he stumbled past the border, Nico fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face. He could see the lights of camp. They stood out against the darkness of the night, reminding Nico that he was still shrouded in shadows with his back barely within the camp border.

He scrambled to his feet, feeling blood trickle down his leg and soak his sock. He used his sword to prop himself up as he limped forward, refusing to look down at his wound, which was probably bleeding more than he’d like. While he knew logically that his injury made his progress slow, Nico couldn’t help but feel like the shadows were pulling him back. It was like before, when he would shadow travel and almost get stuck in-between destinations. The voices were whispering again, trying to lure him into the darkness where he belonged. His vision was beginning to fade, black spots dancing before his eyes. He knew it was the pain and blood loss, he knew that. But it scared him because what if it was him? What if he was fading again? What if he disappeared in the night and no one knew?

Nico’s heart was pounding, which was not good for all the blood still gushing from his wound. His foot hit something, and he pitched forward, falling hard on the wooden steps of the Big House. He moaned loudly, unable to contain his pain and fear.

He distantly heard the door creak open and felt someone kneel beside his head. Nico was sure he was nearly hyperventilating, both from physical exertion and panic. He couldn’t hear anything being said. Then, there were hands on him, and he desperately shook them off, afraid of being pulled into shadows.

Then, a sudden warmth washed through his body.

The air rushed out of Nico as his entire body relaxed, his head falling back not onto the hard wood like he expected, but into gentle hands that cradled him carefully. As his breathing steadied, he peeked up to see blue eyes gazing down at him with concern, blonde hair falling down and framing a freckled face.

Nico saw Will’s lips move, but no sound reached his ears before his eyes slipped shut.

---

Nico woke the next morning to the familiar sight of white walls and sunlight streaming in through the window. He sighed, disappointed he landed himself in the infirmary for the millionth time, before he remembered the events of the previous night.

Nico was suddenly very alert, his heart rate jumping immediately as he sat upright in bed. He shoved the sheets back to inspect the wound on his thigh. It was wrapped up in white bandages, but no blood was showing through. Will must’ve been able to heal it closed, or at least stitch it up well. Nico tested moving his leg around a bit, surprised that it really didn’t hurt at all. He took a deep breath, then let it out slowly, willing his heart to slow down.

“Glad to see you’re awake.” Nico’s head jerked up at the sound of the son of Apollo’s voice. Will strolled in front of Nico’s bed, looking down at his clipboard as he scribbled something down. Then he looked up and locked eyes with his patient.

Nico gulped. Will didn’t seem too happy to see him.

Before Nico could say anything, Will glanced down at his injury and said, “I fixed it up as much as I could. The wound wasn’t too deep. The blood loss was the worst of it, which is why you’re hooked up to an IV.” He gestured at the item, which Nico hadn’t even noticed in the few minutes he’d been up.

Nico nodded, leaning back against his pillow for a moment. He subtly tensed his muscles, assessing his physical condition for himself. Overall, he felt alright, just tired. It was probably the blood loss and… the other things that happened last night. He didn’t want to think about it, but it was like he could still feel the cold darkness lingering under his skin. His sense of panic out in the forest sat in the back of his head, keeping him from fully relaxing.

Will walked around the side of Nico’s bed, sitting in the chair and putting his clipboard to the side. “Nico…”

Nico knew that tone. The tone of a concerned friend, the tone of someone who wants to talk about things Nico really did not want to talk about. It always turned out to be a good thing when he talked with Will, but he couldn’t ignore his initial reaction of get away, especially not after last night. “Thanks for healing me, Solace.”

Will just looked at him, concern and worry evident in his eyes alone. Nico looked away quickly, unable to take that look without spilling his guts, which he most definitely did not want to do in this moment.

The medic nodded, not that Nico saw, and said, “Of course. You know I’m always here for you, Nico.” The son of Hades knew Will was trying to get more out of him, but he just couldn’t—wouldn’t—talk. Not right now.

Will seemed to get the hint. “You’re probably tired. The few hours of sleep you got isn’t enough to recover from your blood loss. You should get some rest,” he said reluctantly.

Nico glanced up as Will stood to leave, relieved when Will smiled down at him. At least he wasn’t mad that Nico wasn’t talking. He probably knew, to some degree, that there was more going on here than a monster attack.

Nico nodded back in silent gratitude for Will’s understanding.

“I’ll be back to check on you later.”

Will pulled the curtains closed around Nico’s bed, and Nico was alone. He could feel his mind beginning to buzz with thoughts and anxieties, so he quickly shook his head. The dark-haired boy shuffled further down into the infirmary bed, shutting his mind up and giving into the exhaustion he felt. If anything, he’d at least get a good rest out of this whole situation.

---

Nico woke up sometime in the afternoon, the sun shining in the sky. He sat up slowly, feeling out his body. His muscles ached a bit, probably from pushing himself while injured last night, but otherwise, he felt alright. The wound on his thigh throbbed dully. Pushing his sheets back, he saw that his bandages were still white, meaning it was mostly healed, thanks to Will’s magic.

The son of Hades glanced around. His curtains were still closed, and the infirmary sounded pretty quiet around him.

Nico paused for a few seconds.

Then promptly swung his legs off his bed and planted his feet on the floor.

He knew he shouldn’t leave, not without Will clearing him first. Will would not be happy with him (he knew from experience). But he could feel his nerves sparking under his skin, anxiety and fear sticking with him even through his nap. He didn’t want to be trapped in the white walls of the infirmary when Will eventually found him.

So, he stood up, shook himself out, and tried to look casual as he strolled toward the doors of the infirmary.

“Hey—wait!”

Nico glanced back, seeing a young child of Apollo nervously approach. “You—I mean, you can’t—can’t leave…?” She sounded so uncertain, Nico almost felt bad. Almost.

“Oh, it’s fine. I was just resting until I felt ready to leave.” He decided to leave Will out of this because lying to his sister felt a bit too much like betrayal.

Before the girl could reply, he opened the door and left.

Nico headed straight for the arena, intending to work out some of his excess energy so that he could go back to his cabin and fall right back asleep. He wasn’t even limping on his previously wounded leg, which he took as a good sign. He also reasoned that, considering a monster got the best of him, he should get to training as soon as possible.

He chose to ignore all the other thoughts pulsing in the back of his mind.

(Darkness, fear, shadows, don’t belong don’t belong don’t belong—)

Only ten minutes of swinging around a sword passed before, “Nico di Angelo.”

Nico winced at the tone. He lowered his sword and looked over at the entrance to the practice area, only to lock eyes with a stern (and frankly, intimidating) son of Apollo.

He knew better than to ignore the healer, so he waited as Will stalked over. The other boy crossed his arms tightly, coming to a stop in front of Nico. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Nico cast about for some kind of response, but he knew there was nothing he could say in this moment to justify his actions. Not without diving into the details of his monster encounter, which he didn’t exactly feel up to doing.

After opening and closing his mouth a few times, Nico simply shrugged, eyes darting off to the side. He heard Will blow out a frustrated breath. Meanwhile, the son of Hades distracted himself with the rocks at his feet.

“Nico,” Will said, in that same knowing tone as before. Nico nervously adjusted his grip on the hilt of his sword before sheathing it, if only to give his mind something else to focus on for a few seconds. There was silence for a moment before Will continued. “I’m not mad at you.”

At that, Nico glanced up at the healer. He could see it, in the soft blue of Will’s eyes, that he was being honest. Nico had seen Will angry—usually not at him, but Nico had pulled stupid stunts in the past—and this wasn’t it. This was concern and genuine care. Nico was always waiting for Will to stop caring, to stop reaching out to him, but he never had, and he was beginning to think he never would.

The dark-haired boy nodded, unsure of what he should say. When it was clear Nico was not going to respond verbally, Will spoke again. “Something happened out there.” His eyebrows creased in concern when Nico stiffened. “You don’t have to tell me if you really don’t want to. But I want to help you, Nico. I saw you last night. You were… scared. Terrified. And I know it wasn’t from whatever monster attacked you. That’s not you.”

Nico gave himself a second to think about it, before blurting out, “I’m afraid of the dark.”

Both boys looked surprised, a moment of silence passing between them.

Nico expected to be judged, to be mocked. He knew it was Will, and Will wouldn’t do that. But hearing it out loud, it was laughable, at least to Nico. He could see the irony. He was Prince of the Underworld, the Ghost King. But he couldn’t help it.

“That’s—” Will started, then shook his head, starting over. “I didn’t know. I’m sorry, Nico.”

The son of Hades scoffed. “Sorry for what? That I’m a coward? It’s not your problem, Solace.” He looked away, shaking his hair so it covered his eyes.

“Nico…”

“It’s fine.”

“It’s not,” Will said firmly. “I mean, it is. Ugh, I mean, it’s okay to be afraid of things. Everyone has their fears.”

“I’m the son of Hades. I exist in the darkness. I literally use the shadows to move around!”

Nico waited for Will to say more, unsure of what he wanted the other boy to say.

“Nico, please look at me,” Will pleaded.

Nico sighed, and peeked up at Will through his hair. He was met with an understanding gaze and a gentle smile.

“You’re not any less of a warrior for your fears, you know.”

And maybe that was truly what Nico needed to hear, whether he knew it or not.

But still, “I think it’s embarrassing.”

“I think it’s human,” Will shot back.

“Well, I’m only half, you know.”

“Shut up,” Will rolled his eyes. “You know what I mean.”

Nico looked away again, feeling a bit better even without having said much about what transpired last night. Maybe he didn’t have to. Maybe Will understood anyway, and really meant it when he said he’d be there for him.

Maybe he did have a place in this world, in the light, where the darkness of his mind and enemies of his past couldn’t get him. Maybe Will would be the one to show him that, once and for all.

[langstron]

Langst Halloween Exchange 2020 Masterlist

Everyone worked incredibly hard on all of their wonderful gifts! We’ve compiled them here for easy reference. Please, look through all this wonderful angst!

Reblogs, comments, kudos, likes and recs are all greatly appreciated by everyone!

FANFICS

AO3 Collection (Click to open in Ao3):

Sometimes, Things Change by @spacecadet-rens-writingcorner

In His Arms by samielissabeth

Distract Him First & Push Him In His Room After  by @typintypos (with art!)

Where Did Lance Go? by @angstyzebra

_The Quith_ by @kaptainkoalaoshiz

Kindling Point by @sakarrie

Witches and Wolves by @phantomaskadrien13

You’re a wizard, Lance by WhatTheCheese

to fly by @rosieclark

Bonded To You by @rueitae

Ring of Golden Light by @veilofemptyspace

O’Lantern by @ebhenah

Cold Right To My Bones by @superfandomdqueensnook

Ghost by Time_is_fading

Remnant by @imashayne

it’s a journey by @burntheupholstery

Happy Halloween by Senko

I Should’ve Told You by @imori-hikaru

Crash and Burn by idealistic_fatalism

Tumblr Fanfics:

Wolf’s Bane by @numbah34

Nightmares by @shastelly

Langst Among Us AU by @sillygurl1021

FANARTS

Why are you helping me...? by @art-lokiitama

Shance tending wounds by @goldgalaxytea

Captive Lance by @art-lokiitama

Rueitae’s Gift by @doodlelight

Ashkazora’s Gift by @good-legs-lance

Samielissabeth’s Gift by @hauntedwintersweets

Senko’s Pinch Hit by @art-lokiitama

The Hanged Man by @astraist

Macabre Werewolf Lance by @anchoredtetherart

Ebhenah’s Gift by @bluegirlartist

NotSoCoolio’s Gift by @kalytera 

Imashayne’s Gift by @ashkazora

TimeIsFading’s Gift by @noconsenttobeanerd

Thank You Gift by @fallen-angel-nightshade

Thank You Gift by @art-lokiitama

Thank you all for your patience and hard work in making this event possible! If you don’t see your work on the list or in the AO3 collection please let us know!! We tried to reblog everything, but it is possible we missed something. Mods @fallen-angel-nightshade  @lokiitama

[after-everything-pjo-zine]

After Everything Zine PDF Downloads Open!!!

Hey there, demigods!

This zine has been in the works for a while now, and it’s finally ready to be released! The writers, artists, and betas worked hard to bring this together during a tumultuous time of change and hardship. We are thankful for their perseverance, and can’t wait for you all to see the final product!

Click the Google Drive link below to view and download the After Everything zine PDF:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Hirwp492cHp9JtCpNl4352L8P_S9IgiB/view?usp=sharing

If there are any issues, please let us know! We’d also love to hear how you like the fics and art! Please support the content creators as well—their Tumblr URLs and Ao3 usernames are listed in the zine.

~participants~

@nicostolemybones

@worteltje7

@solangelover

@kalytera

@thebluesideofmyworld

@gattonero17

@meetmyglowinthedarkboyfriend

@daughter-of-nemesis / @heythereamigos

@moonlight22oa

@moustiel

[anotherninjagoblog]

Warmth

Happy White Day! This was a fun piece written for @ninjago-valentine-exchange for Pixane A! I had such a blast writing it, and only hope it does the beautiful fluffy art piece justice @kalytera <3

////////////////////

“The consciousness of love and being loved brings a warmth and richness to life that nothing else can bring.” - Oscar Wilde

Patent.

Design sheet.

Interview request. 

Another patent. 

Pixal had been combing through documents when she noticed.

She had taken a slight glance away from her work, one gathered from the very edge of her peripheral vision.

Although, she could not say the same of Zane, for his gaze, from all the way across the room, proved to be unwavering and quite obvious to her.

Pixal continued regardless, pulling open the filing cabinet, before setting aside the paperwork in their respective folders. All sorted in alphabetical order, no less.

She still felt that he was looking at her, so it was no surprise to her that when she had finished and looked up, she met his gaze directly. Neither of them looked away, resulting in an odd sort of staring match between the two.

She stood from her spot at the desk, her hands automatically linking together at the front.

"May I ask you something?"

Zane slightly raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"Why are you staring at me?"

Zane, as if finally realizing what he'd been doing, blinked, then frowned. "Oh. My apologies, I have been told by Kai that it is rude to stare."

Pixal moved away from the desk, and pushed in the chair neatly before walking over to where he was standing, next to to one of the wide windows in the office.

Only Zane had come by today, she noticed. And she hadn't yet asked him where the others were. However, she could guess as to what they may be doing in the city. The weather was optimal, and it was nearing the end of the week. Meanwhile, it had just been another day in the office for her, as usual.

That is, until Zane arrived. Pixal had only met him a few days ago, yet he seemed to come in daily since then. She didn't really know why, considering all she ever did was work.

"I do not find it strange. Or rude. I was merely inquiring on why." She responded.

Instead of answering, Zane turned to look out the window.

Pixal followed his example. Careful not to touch the glass, she too, peered out the window. New Ninjago City remained bustling as always with cars and buses driving by, while people walked down the adjacent sidewalks.

She watched carefully. Silently.

She cocked her head to the side before speaking again.

"I think it might be nice. Walking around, like them. Looking like a real person."

There was no sadness to her voice. After all, it was merely an observation.

"You look like them." Pixal said, matter-of-factly. "There is no visible circuitry to be found on your face plate, and your eyes do not glow brightly. Is that nice?"

Zane didn't answer her.

She raised a hand, about to touch the glass when she stopped, and pulled it back down to her side.

"I look different. And even though we are the same, I am still different. Is that why you stare?"

She could tell Zane had started watching her again, but this time she really did ignore it.

"That is alright. It is not uncommon," she paused. "I must return to my work now, or you see I begin to speak rather personally." Pixal said, before turning away from her spot at the window.

"You are very beautiful."

Pixal stopped, before turning around to face Zane once more. After his sudden comment, Pixal noted that he had an odd expression that she could not immediately decipher. His cheeks began to glow a natural shade of red, and she could not decide whether he appeared to embarrassed or determined.

"I have heard that I have an interesting design choice. Yet, I'm unfamiliar with the the term beautiful. Does it mean the same?"

"It means that you do not need to look like other people."

Pixal watched as Zane slowly stepped towards her. He reached out his hand, and gently laid it upon her cheek. She was immediately surprised at the warmth found in his touch, and the internal response her processor was generating. She did not know what it was, but the feeling was very nice.

"You do not need to look like everybody else, for me - or for anybody to recognize your beauty." Zane finished, a small smile on his face.

Pixal tended not to smile very often, but the situation, she thought, was very appropriate.

When the time came, much later, for Pixal to create her own body, she realized how much power she truly held to do so. She had not only the ability, but the choice to change anything she wanted about herself.

In a way, it was terrifying.

Remembering Zane's words to her from long ago, and the warmth and truth that they held, she moved forward.

.

.

.

Holding hands, she thinks, is much more than a simple gesture. It didn't mean just one thing. In many contexts, it proved to mean much more.

Like many other things that she was unaccustomed with, Zane helped introduce it to her. And, when he was gone, it had undoubtedly been one of the things that she missed the most.

During that time, she quickly came to realize that holding your own hand did not have the same effect.

It was a long time before it happened again. Fate had a way with teasing them, it seemed. For once they reunited she could still not feel the simple touch due to being in his head.

Now that they were both physically present, the small comfort returned.

In the moments where their goodbyes needed to be quick before they split to their respective battles, he holds her hand, gives it a squeeze, and looks at her in a way in which the words are spoken by his eyes.

Stay safe.

Then, he steps back until he eventually lets go, his fingertips brushing against hers in farewell.

Pixal is never the one to let go first. And as she climbs into the mech, she finds herself whispering a "you too".

Other times, she ends up using it like a tether.

In the time that she's known Zane, the one thing that has never changed about him was his ultimate devotion in protecting others. So much so that he often puts himself second, which as she's seen many times, proves to be dangerous.

Just because it isn't unusual, doesn't make it any less frightening to her. In the times where Zane is there, but isn't, lying still in the med bay upon a cool metal table that is not comfortable at all, she's there, holding his hand, making silent promises in her own head.

Even though she knows he is not online, she continues to hold his hand, providing the only source of comfort she can give in this situation. She knows Zane would do much more for her than she can begin to fathom, and she wants him to know that she can, too.

One day, she thinks. There will be no more scary moments like these. One day, she will not have to hold his hand with the context of fear behind it. 

The next time, she finally says what she has been thinking out loud. 

The brief goodbye is carried out normally, but this time, as Zane pulls away, she reaches out again, pulling him back a step. 

“Wait - Zane.” 

He looks at her, the mask already up and over his face. 

She takes a breath.

“I love you. Please come back to me in one piece.” 

He moves forward, wrapping her in one last hug.

“Of course.” He whispers into her ear. 

And again, she watches as he races off, and she can’t help but feel the nervousness web away this time as she climbs into the mech, and slowly become replaced by the familiar warmth.

One day. 

.

.

.

She knows.

It's a feeling she can't quite describe, but it's there, nestled in her chest, somewhere between ache and instinct. The feeling gradually wakes her up, similarly to morning sunlight shining through glass window panes. Faint, but growing stronger.

Pixal brings herself out of bed, making the quiet walk in the dark to his door. It is the dead of night and she can detect snoring coming from the other rooms and its occupants. Once she reaches his room, only three doors down from her own,  she gently pushes the door open.

In the dark, all she can see is his eyes, and she waits by the door as he makes room for her. His movements are hurried, and even though she cannot see his face, she knows the stressed and panicked expression that is inevitably sketched upon his features. 

The room is undeniably cold, although this time there is no thin coating of ice to be found anywhere. Or, at least, not yet.

She walks over to the bed in the middle of the room before climbing in, and Zane can barely wait for her to fix the covers over the both of them. He reaches for her, and Pixal pulls him closer. They stay silent as he lays his head on her chest.

She reflects on the days following his return from the Never Realm, where the situation had been the opposite. Back then, she had just been so happy to be so close to him, to feel him again.

Her nightmares were over. But Zane’s were just beginning.

A moment passed before Pixal moves again, gently raising her hand to dispel the frost that had begun to form in his hair. She runs her hand through it gently, and is relieved when her sensors detect the temperature is slowly returning back to normal.

It had become some sort of unspoken routine as of late. Tonight has been easier than others, as every time is different. This time, she just needed to be there for him. To hold him close and let him know that she is there.

When she looks down again, she's happy to see that he'd fallen back asleep. The worry slowly fading away from her chest, as it was over for now. With her, he would never be cold again. Only warm.

And if Zane decided to speak about it in the morning when they woke, she'd be more than willing to listen.

.

.

.

It is a nice day, Pixal thinks to herself. 

Throughout the years, she finds that gift-giving holidays had never really been of much importance to them. Being a part of the team and reflecting on all the missions she's been on, has really instilled a belief that people are more important to her than any item imaginable. 

Despite always reminding Zane, and further insistence that she did not want or need anything materialistic, he had always gifted her a small intricate box of chocolates for White Day each year. 

And Pixal had to admit, that despite not needing to eat much, she could never resist the sweet taste of chocolate. 

The scenario would always play out the same. Zane would present her with the box, and she'd keep offering until he would take some as well.

But even then, she found that her favorite part of each and every White Day was the ability to spend time together. No interruptions from the others, no need to rush off to another battle. As if this day was labeled just for them in the calendar of fate to be left completely undisturbed. And it was just the way she liked it. 

This time, things played out a little differently. 

The cherry blossom tree had been a favorite spot of hers. There was a stone bench big enough for the both of them to sit comfortably upon, and the shade was perfect in shielding them from the sun. It was there that they spent many times simply enjoying each other’s company.

Pixal popped a chocolate in her mouth before leaning on Zane's shoulder. She linked an arm with his as she began to focus on the small soft ribbon in her hands, carefully twirling it around her fingers. The box of chocolates it had come from set upon Zane's lap. 

The chocolates were as delicious as always, evidenced by only one half remaining.

She couldn't help but feel absolutely content, as the sky slowly turned pink.

Pixal closed her eyes, focusing on the warmth she felt in her chest.

"Pixal,” said Zane, his voice breaking the comfortable silence held between the both of them.

"Hm?" She hummed, her eyes still closed.

"I.” He paused for a moment, and Pixal could only wonder what he was about to say next.

“I think I want to be with you forever."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Pixal instantly opened her eyes, and sat up. 

"What?" she asked, almost in a whisper of disbelief.

Zane immediately stiffened, a blue blush beginning to emanate from his cheeks. It reminded her of the nervous nindroid that had been the first person to tell her she was beautiful all those years ago.

At his sudden movement, Pixal stopped the box from toppling over, the remaining chocolates saved from reaching the ground. 

"I-I mean. What I was trying to say was that, I know I want to be with you forever.”

Pixal’s mouth opened slightly in surprise, before she slowly felt a smile beginning to form. "Is that so?"

"Yes." Zane said, a little more calmly this time, perhaps in response to her growing reaction. “Of course, only - only if you want to too?” 

Pixal didn’t think about it for longer than a second. 

Zane had changed her life since the first time she met him. He had been with her always, and never let her forget that her own thoughts - her own decisions mattered more than anybody else’s. He had brought a warmth that she had never felt before and could no longer live without. And for that she remained grateful. 

She knew the lives they were living, and promises were hard to keep under their circumstances. But the fact that Zane was promising her a forever, no matter how long it might be, meant the world to her.

She didn’t know whether forever meant one hundred more days or one hundred more years. But, to spend the rest of it with Zane sounded perfect enough to her. 

Pixal set the box of chocolates aside, and scoots closer to him. She could tell he was eagerly and carefully waiting for her response. 

Slowly, she moves her face closer to his, and closes her eyes as she kisses him. 

She wraps her arms around his neck before pulling away, touching her forehead to his. She feels an immense warmth shared between the both of them, and through her smile, she finally gives him an answer. 

“I would not have it any other way.”

<3

[ninjago-valentine-exchange]

2021 Masterpost

Hello everyone! This concludes the 2021 Ninjago Valentine Exchange! Thank you to everyone who signed up and participated; it’s been absolutely wonderful seeing what everyone came up with!

Also, to all participants, if you can and are willing, please fill out this Feedback Survey to help us/me decide if we want to do this event again next year!

Here are all the created works, sorted by ship (still missing some people but I thought I’d post this now to let yall see. This will be updated when they finally post) :

Lava

Pair B: Art @nightlybirdie; Fic @purplerose244

Pair C: Art @sensei-twinkles; Fic @kai-in-the-brain

Pixane

Pair A: Art @kalytera; Fic @anotherninjagoblog

Pair B: Art @jacked-anime-cole; Art  @quasarsketches

Opposite

Pair A: Art @hikanaaa; Fic @fanfictsbehereyall

Pair B: Art @summertimesketches; Fic @xanketori

Plasma

Pair A: Art @excalimar; Fic @dumbfandomdoodles

Pair B: Art @ninjapolis; Fic @excalimar

Jaya

Pair A: Art @earths-caligo; Fic @hydroelectricjaya

[bnhabigbang]

WE HAVE A CALENDER

AUGS 17TH interest checks open

SEPT 10TH sign-ups and writer summaries open

OCT 11TH sign-ups closed

OCT 15 writer summaries due

OCT 24TH claiming opens

NOV 9TH claiming closes

NOV 23RD teams assigned

DEC 12TH deadline to check-in with your team

DEC 19TH first check-in

DEC 26TH second check-in

JAN 1ST third check-in

JAN 8TH fourth check-in

JAN 25TH fifth check-in

FEB 1ST sixth check in

FEB 6TH final check-in / posting dates assigned

FEB 10TH posting begins

FEB 15TH posting ends

I am tagging people who follow us so they see it!!

@hopenight t

@withinmeloveresides1

@ire-mired

@fujoshi-in-a-box

@am-yuki i

@aquamaris

@fangirlatheart

@caniuseyourhotspot

@thegaygyrus

@stardustandinkstainz

@thxnderclouds

@apollosukulele

@melonsam-a

@alittlewightfox

@kalytera

@queer-eliza

@fun-dip-and-copics

@aerugonian

@pikachica

@ace-asami

@ispyblu

@theawkwardone6

@lanabanana-art

Mod Suki

[feral-anthropologist]

Hoodwinked

[IMAGE ID: A grey street with pools of water fill the image. In the center of the image is two stripes of red light reflecting off the water. In the middle of the image is the text "Hoodwinked" written in white Times New Roman. The text appears to be floating on top of the pools of water. END ID]

When Tim said that he wished Wayne Enterprises events were a bit more interesting, being kidnapped by the Red Hood was not what he had in mind. Now he's posing as a hostage while Jason tries to infiltrate Scarface's gang. Surviving Scarface will be one thing, but can Tim survive Jason? A fic for the @batfam-big-bang​

Thanks so much to all of my artists and betas! I know this wouldn’t have turned out nearly as well without all of you. Special thanks to @bisexualoftheblade for the amazing header and @thecuriousinfj​ for helping with some last-minute beta work!

Artists: @kalytera​, @jassus​ @jdrawsanddoodles (ik you’re not on tumblr but I gotta give a shoutout somehow) Betas: @houser-of-stories​, @snowlikestardust​, @sun-lit-roses​

Art links: Jo (1 and 2), Ash, Jas

I’ve loved doing this with you so much!

....so it came to my attention that I forgot to actually link the fic. Here it is now.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26923111

[kalytera]

My art to accompany @mercurysystem’s fic “Sunny Skis and Scrambled Eggs” for the 2022 @batfam-big-bang. Be sure to check out the fic on ao3!

[image ID]

An illustration of Jason Todd with a surprised expression. He is holding a spatula in his right hand and both hands are raised in front of him facing outwards. He is wearing a red tank top. A text bubble to the right of his head reads “I was making breakfast!”. The background of the image is a pale red with light texturing.

[rainsmediaradio]

Shakira & Ozuna – Monotonia Lyrics

#NewMusic with @RainSegzy @Shakira & @Ozuna – Monotonia Lyrics Wande Coal • President of Lagos • Eriksen • Potter • Edo State • Dubai • Kepa #INDvsPAK #kalytera #GranHermano

Monotonia Cover Art Intro: OzunaWoh-oh-oh-oh-oh, ehYeah Coro: ShakiraNo fue culpa tuya, ni tampoco míaFue culpa de la monotoníaNunca dije nada, pero me dolía (Mmm, ah)Yo sabía que esto pasaría Post-Coro: ShakiraTú en lo tuyo, yo haciendo lo mismoSiempre buscando protagonismoTe olvidaste de lo que un día fuimosY lo peor es que Coro: Ozuna & ShakiraNo fue culpa tuya, ni tampoco míaFue culpa de…

[kalytera]

My piece to go with @pjo12fan's fic for the @pjo-hoo-bigbang. Check it out on ao3!

Image ID below the cut:

[IMAGE ID]: Luke Castellan stands before a backdrop of a smoke-textured blue circle. The circle is outlines by a blue-white glow. Luke himself is possessed by Kronos. His arms are crossed, left arm over right. Luke's hair is sandy blonde, his eyes golden, and he has a scar on the left side of his face running from his jaw to just beneath his eye. His expression is serious. Luke is wearing a white chiton and a himation over his left shoulder. On his back rests Kronos' scythe, which is brown with golden detailing wrapping around the staff and running through the blade. Smoke surrounds the lower half of his body. The artist's signature is parallel to the scythe. The background is transparent.

[kalytera]

My contribution to the @krbkfantasybang for 2021!

I got to work with @apomaro-mellow and @zamiart on this amazing AU, be sure to check out their work! They were awesome partners for this bang!

https://zamiart.tumblr.com/post/645904409352683520/its-my-teams-turn-to-post-today-i-put-a-lot-of

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30101559/chapters/74141277

[kalytera]

After a long wait, I’m finally finished the piece I did for the @batfam-big-bang for Chapter 4 of @shelbychild’s fic bare your teeth (meet divinity). It’s batfam but Teen Wolf AU, so be sure to check it out on Ao3!

[kalytera]

To celebrate five years since Voltron premiered, I was partnered with @ItsBrinx (Twitter) for the @fiveyearsofvld mini bang and I got to draw this funny scene from her fic “A Memory’s Calling”. Be sure to check it out on ao3 (@Brinx) if amnesia/found family/Keith whump/established Klance are your tropes!