#my take on THAT photo

[littlemissmarianna]

“Do I have your attention now?”

The voice is familiar at this point. This nameless, faceless person who’s been calling Carlos for weeks.

Taunting him, haunting him.

Carlos rarely sleeps anymore, but when he does, it’s this voice he hears in his dreams. It’s this voice that echoes in his head throughout the day.

“You didn’t think I would leave him out of this, did you?”

No.

Carlos knew better than that, and yet, part of him hoped he could protect TK from this psycho. This person with a digitally disguised voice and a blocked number who confessed to killing Gabriel on day one. This person who claimed to know everything about Carlos and listed the details to prove it.

Where he worked. Where he lived.

Carlos expected this person to know his mother’s name and maybe even his sisters, but he didn’t expect to hear the names of his niece and nephew. He didn’t expect to hear the names of his entire extended family listed one by one.

But the name that seemed to bring this sicko the most pleasure was Tyler Kennedy Strand.

“Or should I call him TK?”

Carlos clenches his jaw at the memory. In that moment, his blood ran ice-cold with dread as red-hot rage burned through him.

The person had laughed at Carlos’s silence; they knew they had struck a nerve.

“You know…” The lunatic’s tone is conversational now, like they’re friends with Carlos. Like they’re just calling for their weekly chat. “I knew your husband was smokin’. I mean, I’ve got the surveillance photos. I may have even gotten off once or twice with him in mind. But seeing TK in person…”

Carlos tightens his grip on the phone as this sociopath lets out an appreciative whistle followed by a suggestive moan.

“I’m gonna have fun with him.”

“If you touch him, I will fucking kill you.”

Carlos means it. It should probably scare him how much he means it.

“You’ll have to find me first,” the person replies. “And we both know that’s not going well.”

It’s not.

Carlos has spent hours trying to unscramble the number and trace the call. When that didn’t work, he tried to unmask the voice. And when that came up empty, Carlos tried to narrow down potential suspects based on what this maniac has said.

The information they possess is too in-depth, too far reaching. Whoever this is hasn’t just done their research; they know Carlos. They’re likely hiding in plain sight – crossing paths with Carlos every day – and that’s what bothers him the most.

That’s what keeps him on edge.

That’s what fuels the paranoia.

“How is TK?” the person asks, having the gall to act concerned after what they did to Carlos’s husband. “I hope I didn’t frighten him earlier.”

Carlos glances at TK sitting behind him on the couch. He’s at the stage where he shuts down and withdraws, but TK was frantic when he arrived home. It’s a wonder their front door is still intact from how quickly it was snatched open and slammed shut.

Carlos was on his feet in an instant, both confused and alarmed as TK just stood there, staring at him with wide, panicked eyes.

“What happened?”

TK didn’t answer. Not at first.

But as Carlos approached, TK launched himself into his husband’s arms, clinging to Carlos as the words spilled out.

There was a person in the street. Probably a man, but maybe not. They were covered from head to toe in black clothing with a hood over their head, a mask over their face, and sunglasses covering their eyes. They even wore gloves.

“Who does that?”

“Someone who doesn’t want to leave fingerprints or DNA.”

TK looked horrified by the comment. He knew he had just survived an attempted kidnapping, but the confirmation was overwhelming.

“Can we sit?”

“Of course. But first…” Carlos held his trembling husband at arm’s length, his gaze scanning every inch of TK. “Are you hurt?”

“No,” TK assured. “Just really freaked out.”

“I know. It’s okay,” Carlos soothed, pressing a kiss to TK’s temple as he wrapped him in another hug. “I’m here. And you’re safe.”

TK nodded against Carlos’s shoulder, relaxing beneath his touch.

By the time TK stopped shaking, Carlos had him seated on the couch with a bottle of water and comforting hand on his thigh, rubbing back and forth as TK continued the story.

Whoever the person was knew TK by name. When TK turned, they attempted to grab him. When TK managed to escape and started running down the sidewalk, they gave chase. They followed him to the loft but didn’t enter the building.

Even so, TK took the stairs two at a time; that explains why he was so breathless when he burst through the door.

“But you promise you’re not hurt?”

“I promise,” TK replied, leaning against Carlos’s chest. “Should we call the cops?”

“I am the cops.”

TK huffed a quiet laugh. “I know, but – ”

That’s when Carlos’s phone rang. That’s when this psycho called to rub it in.

They almost took the one thing Carlos can’t live without, and they’re proud of themselves even if their plan failed.

“Next time, I’ll be more prepared.”

The threat is punctuated with a chilling laugh before the line goes dead.

As Carlos lowers his phone, he feels the transformation begin. That version of himself that knows how to kill and not get caught. The version that knows how to dispose of a body and clean up a crime scene.

The world views Carlos as calm and composed, but there’s another side to him.

And it’s about to be unleashed.

[wuntrum]

ripley :)

[ionomycin]

Grief

ref photo by @jawsstone

[hinamie]

trick or treat!

[eastgaysian]

[stil-lindigo]

lighthearted.

if this comic resonated with you, please consider donating to this palestinian escape fund (vetted by @/nabulsi and @/el-shab-hussein) as it is less than $7,000 away from it's goal.

i turn 24 today. To celebrate, I made this comic to be a spiritual successor to lead balloon, a comic in which I talked about the darkest period of my life so far.

A lot has changed since my 23rd birthday and this one. My priorities have shifted a lot, in ways that I think are mostly good. But i think the best part about today is that suicide has gone back to being a far away notion. I'm really lucky, and I'm grateful for that.

[r08s]

[turtleblogatlast]

Leo learns something about himself 🏳️‍⚧️

Based roughly on this old post.

Bonus:

[Leo is taking the fact that he was born biologically female simultaneously very well and also not so well but overall he’s mostly coping with the fact that it was Draxum that just essentially gave him the turtle equivalent of ‘The Talk’.]

[zytes]

look alive, sunshine

[bethfuller]

lunch break.

photo study // find me on insta

[omegaversereloaded]

My friend is hosting a metamorphose temps de fille meet tomorrow and i tested out my coord for it today! Coord rundown in rb 🖤

[hellonpluto]

Educated Wish 😔

(Click on them for better quality they look uber crunchy ik)

[shimmershy]

[hinamie]

10 years later

[kikker-oma]

Is it still awkward family photos if it's technically only Four??

Yes😉

A gift for dear sweet @luna-loveboop so she can get better! I'm sorry you've been so sick for so long, love🥺❤️

[gauntletqueen]

Literally sitting on a coffin lid this place rules