#one day i'll work on this wip properly

[vacantgodling]

!!

have an oc from a wip that i feel underqualified to work on :) BUT one that's kind of up your alley so idk maybe i'll keep staring at your wips and i'll have a breakthrough one day eofdsjkcn anyway tho-

noh bell wakes up adrift in the middle of an asteroid cluster; no memory of himself beyond his name. no idea how he got there, no clue what happened either. he's found and taken in by a motley crew of sorts (no idea what their role is or what they're doing but thats cool) and on a news broadcast across the galaxy, the government has been searching for him specifically as a "highly dangerous escaped criminal"

he has no idea what he's done or why he's wanted, but the people who pick him up turn on him quick. why he's able to fight them off with relative ease, also a mystery. but, he'll have to find out and find out fast! the bounty on him is enormous and he wants to know if whatever he did to become a criminal was really worth the status :DD

cryptic writing aside, noh bell is a former government enforcer apart of the JACK & JILL program; a program of enhanced super soldiers who work in duo units to patrol the galaxy and "keep the peace" by adhering to their specific roles. JACKs are the brains of the operation; usually the "head" of the unit. they're assigned with peace keeping, deescalation, giving out tickets, hacking, etc etc. JILLs are the brawn of the unit and its pretty self explanatory. noh was a JILL and was essentially stolen from his family and trained from birth to become apart of said program (which is very common actually). why he's wanted is still a bit of a mystery to me, but i do know it's kinda related to him finding out some sort of government bullshit and being fucked over before he could be a whistleblower on the situation. he was captured and locked up, but managed to escape, however the resulting situation/fight left him with amnesia so he's kinda trying to figure out who he is + stay alive + reconnect with old friends (and old enemies) to remember himself and to then eventually get back to what he was doing which is. blowing the lid off this corrupt joint.

[greenflowerceo]

hii im suuper late to my own week ik (i'll post the rest of the days from time to time, college applications were a pain </3 but i've got most of it down

This piece is a redraw of my very first post ! This has been a wip since the start of the year so my art style unsurprisingly changed a bunch as i tweaked the lines and colors. it's not the best but it's looking as good as it can be!

as for the zine, people are free to draw up pieces for the week up until the end of september and we can compile it all together! it's not really the usual zine format but who knows.. we can maybe try to figure out a way to formally start a more structured zine project for these two

Anyway! I've decided to dedicate my greenflower week posts to my headcanons I've made up for them from the past 4 years.. I figured you guys could take a peek into my brain since I haven't really been good at that unless you catch me in a vc :") there's a buncha hcs and old ass art i never posted finally unearthing under the cut if you wanna take a peek

So, first thing: Body headcanons..

i took super long getting what i want with this waay back when I started posting cause I was still figuring out a lot with my art. i couldn't get in good details/features that would properly differentiate them or make them fun to draw. I wasn't striving to be really innovative with the designs or anything, I just wanted them to feel like characters I like looking at and thinking about

finally, i'm somewhat able to settle on these as of right now! It will most likely update as the time passes and my art changes, but this is what I got!

basically the main idea is that i wanted Lloyd to be bulkier but sharper. grew up fast and has all these edges, but then you get to know him and he's just a big ol dork. Mostly wears loose-fitting clothes that hides his figure, but he's quite built underneath

Brad's a lil taller and pretty lanky. my art style may not be able to show that properly but lloyd can snap him in half <3 he also seems hella chill but that's probably cause he got balls of steel after living through a million ninjago invasions

This thing below is an old outfit concept I have for a project that I've been working on. does not reflect my current headcanons with his physical appearance but i do like his clothes

I think he loves his role as the green ninja, saving the world and such. it came with lots of baggage and reflection but i do promise that he enjoys it for the most part. I think him wearing green is kind of like wearing work clothes so he tends to avoid it on days when he's free to keep from being too ready to jump into ninja mode

i do tend to keep him in green though cause the fandom sure does love their color-coded ninja

anyway .. that's about most of what i've got for this that looks good enough to post, so here's a bunch of other doodles/sketches, both old and new ToT

oh and a quick comic too cause why not

one more: bonus greenflower yuri

thanks for coming to read this far :) there'll be more soon

[hellodarling1357]

Could I request Cass trying to seduce and get readers attention who’s playing hard to get? I need more flirty Cass 😩

Touched by an Angel - Cassian x Reader

This request was so much fun to write!!! Thanks for sending it in lovely anon, hopefully you like it 💕

Excuse the cheesy pickup lines, you know I had to do it…

I’m slowly working through my WIPs and inbox so please send me some more requests!!

Enjoy 🥰

Word Count: 3k

Regardless of the fact that you and Mor had been friends for well over two centuries, Rhy was only just now granting you access into Velaris after much persuasion from his cousin. The plan being you were to stay with Mor for two weeks while she had some time off from her work so that you could properly catch up after being apart for far too long.

Your first night in the City of Starlight was an eventful one to say the least. During the day, you had let Mor show you around the markets and the Rainbow, stopping to have a late lunch along the Sidra, before she dragged you back to her place to get ready for a night out at Rita's. You had heard a lot about the club over your years of friendship, so you were excited to experience a night there for yourself.

After a few too many glasses of wine over the time it took to get ready, you were well on your way to being very, very drunk before you even stepped inside the crowded establishment. Straight away, Mor was pulling you to the bar before promptly placing a shot glass of some pink-looking drink into your hand, followed by another, and another, leaving you feeling giddy with excitement and the overwhelming desire to dance.

So dance you did.

The hours passed and you briefly remember being introduced to some of Mor's friends, not paying much attention as the music and sway of bodies consumed you. However, the overwhelming heat of the swarm of fae pressed so tightly around you eventually got the better of you. You turned on the spot, looking for you friend to tell her you were going to take a breather, only to find her wrapped around a female and very clearly distracted. With a grin spread across your face, you pushed your way through the masses and headed towards the door.

The fresh air was a welcoming change to the stuffiness you had walked out of. But it was the sight before you that had an expression of awe sketched across your face. Velaris had been pretty in the daylight, but at night? You had never seen anything like it.

"It sure is something, isn't it?" You whipped around to face the deep voice that had spoken from behind you.

"I know you." It wasn't a question. The male in front of you did look familiar.

"Yeah, I'm Cassian. One of Mor's friends. We met earlier?" You nodded with a vague recollection of the tall, muscled figure who had seemed to tower over the rest of the dancing fae.

"Right," But you were distracted by the slanted smirk of his full lips, the slight alcohol-induced haze in his eyes tracked your every movement.

You lent side-by-side against the alleyway wall, talking about whatever mundane thing came to mind before an 'acceptable' enough amount of time had passed, then Cassian had you pressed against said wall. Your legs wrapped tightly around his waist, his mouth attacking your neck with bruising kisses, while you moaned out, not caring who heard, at the feel of him inside you. With a final cry, you became undone in his arms, squeezing around him until he came with a guttural groan. You held onto him for support as he helped steady you back onto your feet, afraid your knees would give out as you panted into the chill night air, the thrum of music and excited chatter reminding you of where you were.

"Well, I should probably...," you motioned behind you towards the door, "Mor is probably looking for me."

"Right. I'll see you later, yeah?"

Cassian waited until you had walked back inside Rita's before deciding to call it a, very pleasant, night and flew back to the House of Wind.

*****

You awoke the next morning with a pounding headache, your stomach churning in a sickly way as the sunlight pooled in through the open curtains.

Mor let out a groan next to you, slamming a pillow over her face before soft snores sounded again. With a groan of your own, you forced yourself out of bed and headed to the bathroom.

You looked like absolute shit.

Your hair was a mess on top of your head, strands having escaped the band you used to pull it out of your face. Dark smudges were smeared around your eyes, a stark contrast to the pale and clammy complexion of your skin. Your eyebrows furrowed even further at the sight of the splattering of hickeys that trailed along the side of your neck and across your chest. Clearly it had been a bigger night than you thought because you had zero recollection of how, or when, they got there. Or, more importantly, who gave them to you.

"You look like you've been attacked by a leech."

You shoved Mor as she stood beside you, observing herself in the mirror with a frown. She looked just as bad, if not worse, than you did.

"You can fuck right off, thank you very much." Your friend just shot you a stunning, if not slightly pained, grin.

"Ugh, come on. Showers then we're going to Rhys' for breakfast," She chucked you a towel before walking out to give you some privacy.

As if in after thought, she threw over her shoulder, "Want me to leave a scarf out for you to cover them up?" You slammed the door in her face, the wooden panel not blocking out her laughter as she asked, "Or would you prefer a jumper? Something with a high neckline?"

*****

Walking past the gate of the High Lord's town house, you knew should definitely be feeling somewhat nervous as the prospect of having a casual, albeit hungover, breakfast with him and his inner circle. But the fact that you were hungover, and that the heavenly smell of bacon was wafting towards you, had all pretences flying out the window.

You and Mor were the first to arrive, or more like, the first to drag yourselves out of bed, so had first dibs of the spread of food before you.

Looking a little green, Mor mumbled something about needing to get some fresh air, leaving you alone to eat your eggs in peace. That peace was short lived, however, as the sound of heavy footfalls coming down the stairs reminded you that there were others in the house, and whose house it was for that matter.

Mor waltzed into the room at the same time as the three Illyrian males, you knew Rhys straight away, having met him a few times throughout the years, but the other two only looked vaguely familiar. You were sure you could pinpoint their names if you thought about it hard enough but, alas, your brain was still not properly functioning.

There was a chorus of muffled "mornings" but other than that, everyone was content to eat, and suffer, in silence.

You eventually got up, taking a pile of dishes into the kitchen, vaguely aware of one of the males following behind you.

He let out a low whistle before saying, "Well, I clearly left an impression."

Your brows furrowed in confusion, turning to face the male as you studied his face.

"Do I know you?" Under normal circumstances, you wouldn't have been so blunt. You would have at least tried to feign some sort of confusion, 'I thought you looked familiar', 'of course, what was your name again?' but with your head still spinning you couldn't bring yourself to care.

"Yes," He let out a laugh that quickly faltered as your evident confusion remained, "We had sex. Last night…"

You blinked as he waved a hand towards your neck, where the marks were still very clearly visible. But before you could say anything, laughter sounded from the other room as a stream of taunts filtered in.

"I thought you said that you were good in bed, Cass. That's just embarrassing, not even a few hours later and poor Y/N has already forgotten all about you."

“Left an impression, my ass.”

Cassian

That's right, you could place him now. Him, and the somewhat blurred memory of frantic and passionate kisses, muscled arms holding you tightly, the sounds of...

Yep, you remembered.

Clearly not deterred in the slightest, Cassian gave you a dazzling smile, running a hand through his tousled hair before saying with a wink, "That's alright, I'll just have to make it more memorable for you next time."

You scrunched your nose at the implication. Sure, he was attractive. Honestly, one of the most attractive males you had ever laid eyes on. But you knew better than to fall for the clearly tried-and-tested smirk that you had no doubt had been used on countless females before you.

"Thanks," You noted the glint in his eyes as he continued fixing you with that intent glaze, "but I'll pass."

You walked towards the collection of snorts and laughter as you left Cassian standing in the kitchen with the stack of dishes, a slightly dumbfounded expression on his face.

*****

A few days into your visit, Mor had left you to your own devices for a few hours, which was how you ended up stretched out on one of the seats in the town house's garden, a book in hand as you basked in the sun. You were slightly aware of the back door opening and closing but paid it no real heed, that is, until the shadow of someone standing in front of you pulled your eyes away from the page.

You looked up expectantly, already anticipating the direction the conversation was heading in; having grown accustomed to Cassian's flirtations and not so subtle attempts of wooing you since that first morning.

"Is this seat taken?"

You looked towards the empty seat he was pointing at, and the one beside it, and the one beside that.

"Yes, it is. No go away, you're blocking the sun." You looked back down at your book, not sparing him a second glance.

"We can't have that now, can we, sweetheart?"

For a moment you thought he had actually listened to you and was heading back inside, that is until you quickly glanced up and found him sprawled across the glass, staring up at you with a smirk.

"What? You said that seat was taken. And at least from down here I'm not blocking the sun. You don't mind if I join you, do you?"

You stared ahead in frustration before letting out a huff as you returned to your book, not missing the grin that had spread over Cassian's face at your reaction.

A few minutes of silenced had passed, you had almost forgotten about Cassian's presence until he let out a soft laugh and said, "I hope you don't mind me saying, but you, right now, the way the sun is shining on you, you look like an absolute vision."

You shifted in your seat trying to ignore the irritation that simmered away.

"What is this? What are you doing?" You snapped back, not giving him a chance to answer, "Is this your way of flirting with me?"

Without missing a beat, Cassian answered, "Yes. Is it working?"

The wink he sent you had your indignantly moving your book up to block him out, and to prevent him from seeing the traitorous blush that spread across your cheeks.

*****

A few night later, you were having dinner with Mor and the rest of the inner circle, having grown quite close to some of them over the week you had been staying.

"You know what I don't get?" Cassian, who sat across from you, asked, "What I don't get, is how someone as beautiful as you could possibly be single. And, the funny thing is, I also happen to be single, but we can easily change that. How about it, Y/N? Fancy a drink?"

"Oh, I would but... I've already got one. Thanks anyway." You gave him a pretty little smile as you raised your glass before turning back to your conversation with Mor and Amren.

"Better luck next time," You heard Azriel say through a laugh as Rhys ruffled Cassian's hair.

*****

The next time you saw Cassian, he had run into the kitchen at an alarming speed, a slight look of panic in his eyes as you cautiously observed him.

“Y/N, I’m being serious, I need your help,” Your eyes crinkled in concern, “Please. Can I please borrow a kiss? I promise I’ll give it back.”

The faux-panicked look was quickly overtaken by a wide cheesy grin as he leant in towards you.

“Cassian,” You yelled, whacking him with a tea towel, “You prick! I thought something serious happened.”

“Something serious did happen, Y/N. The night we met, and you stole my heart… That alleyway will never be the same after what we shared there.”

You threw the tea towel at him as you stomped out of the room, passing a confused looking Mor, who, upon seeing Cassian standing there with a lovesick grin, rolled her eyes and followed after you.

*****

“I don’t get why you don’t just say yes,” Mor said as you heavily sipped from a glass of wine back at her apartment. “He’s one of the good ones, Y/N. Take away all of the cringy pick-up lines and I think he’s serious about wanting to take you out, he really does like you.”

“It’s not that easy…”

“No? What’s not easy about it?”

You starred at her, not wanting to say what was on your mind. She was just as stubborn though, if not even more so than you, so stared right back with a quirked eyebrow as she waited for your explanation.

Huffing in defeat, you flopped back onto the couch and let out a sigh.

“It’s not easy, Mor, because there’s no point. I leave in a few days so why start something up when it’s not going to last.”

“You don’t have to,” Mor sat herself beside you, wrapping an arm around you as you leant your head on her shoulder, “leave that is. You could stay.”

“Right,” You let out a sharp laugh, “Let me just pack up my whole life and move across Prythian for a guy I’ve known all of ten days.”

“Or,” Mor counted, sending her elbow into her ribs, “You could move across Prythian for your dearest friend who has missed you like crazy and knows that you’re miserable back home. The guy could just be a nice bonus on the side.”

You sat up, staring at your friend as you mulled over her words.

“Move here? Is that allowed? Where would I even live?”

“Yes, it is. I already spoke to Rhys about it, he would love for you to stay, said he’s already got some potential work lined up if you’re interested. And, obviously, you can stay with me until you find your own place.”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

Huh. Now that was a thought.

“If I moved, that’s an if, not a yes, it would be for you, not because of…him”.

“I would hope so. Though I’m sure Cassian wouldn’t mind in the slightest.”

The knowing grin and wink she gave you had your cheeks reddening as you lifted a pillow to cover your blush. Mor just pulled you back against her side, knowing that your hesitancy to move was just a front and that you would be packed, moved and settled in Velaris within the week.

*****

It was, technically, your last night in Velaris before you went back home to pack up your belongings. After talking out the logistics with Mor and Rhys, you had excitedly agreed to move and become an official citizen and member of the Night Court.

You had spent the afternoon with Mor looking at potential apartments before making your way to Rita’s for a ‘goodbye’ drink with the rest of the inner circle.

After tossing and turning all of the previous night, you had come to the decision that moving to a new city, a new court, signified the beginning of a new chapter. So why not throw caution to the wind and see how things played out with a certain Illyrian male who was currently standing by himself at the bar while he waited to be served.

“Hey,” You somewhat yelled over the music and laughter of the fae around you.

Cassian did a double-take before dramatically clutching at his chest, “Y/N, it should be illegal to look that good, it’s not fair on the rest of the females here.”

You rolled your eyes, but your usual snarky remark didn’t follow.

“I know our time together is limited,” Cassian continued, the dramatic tone still lacing his voice, “But before you leave us behind, would you at least just grab my hand, just for a moment, so that I can tell everyone I’ve been touched by an angel?”

Shaking your head as he grinned down at you, you relented and grabbed his hand. He was quick to slip his fingers through yours with a satisfied smile.

“I’m not leaving,” You said, very much aware that your fingers were still laced together, “Well, I am. But Mor convinced me to move here, so I’ll be back in a week or so.”

Cassian’s eyebrows shot up, shock settling over his features. Clearly no one had told him of your plans.

“Oh?

“Yep.”

You were interrupted by the bartender as Cassian ordered you both a drink before turning back to you with a quizzical expression.

There was a beat of silence in which your hands were still interlocked, Cassian’s thumb absentmindedly caressing the back of your hand, and you watched one another for a moment, as if seeing each other in a different light.

“Your way of flirting is truly awful, by the way.” You teased with a small smile. With the way Cassian was looking at you, there was no chance of attempting to stop your blush.

“But is it working?

“Maybe…”

[valiasims]

WIP#30

Hey everyone!

I was a little busy so couldn't update you earlier but here's the new wip picture. No in-game screenshot this time. Let me tell you how my week went.

I made a crib last week which you can see (and also the rug). Then I wanted to make some kind of baldachin above the crib and after a long time of researching and trial and error I've come up with the one on the left. I was working on the high poly model for a whole day, I think because there was always something I didn't like. I convinced myself this would look good once I put it in game so I did the low poly model, added a basic texture to test it out. Only problem was that I wanted some parts of the curtains/baldachin transparent and for the life of me couldn't figure it out to work properly. Once it was okay and transparent but not exactly how I would have liked it so I tweaked the settings and it wasn't working anymore, also it looked really bad. I didn't like it at all. It was too "curtainy" for lack of a better word. Then I spent some days hating everything I did so far. :D Just the usual.

That's why today I started fresh and tried to bring to life what I see in my head when I think of this nursery. I had some set backs but once I settled with the arch with the drapes I started liking the direction this was going in.

A little bad news, I'm not sure the windows can be included in this set because I only made one and I still need to make some size variations and also I want to make clutter, changing table, the thing you see on the picture, that playmat thingy and those are a lot of items. :D If I have the time I'll finish the windows but if not they'll come in the next part.

Thanks for reading my long complaining, I feel a lot better! I hope I can pull together my ideas and complete this without pulling my hair out!

[uraichievents]

UraIchi Week 2024

Monday, July 1st, 2024 - Sunday, July 7th, 2024

AO3 Collection

Full Prompts List Submitted This Year

(Click images to enlarge. Alt text under the cut.)

What is UraIchi Week?

It’s a week-long fanworks event to promote the Urahara Kisuke x Kurosaki Ichigo ship. There’s no sign-up, it’s just for fun, and everybody can participate. Completed works and wips are both acceptable, and any type of fanwork (fanfic, fanart, gifsets, etc.) is welcome. NSFW and/or potentially trigger-y content is allowed, although please remember to tag your works properly.

The ship itself can be written romantically or platonically, as lovers or friends or even enemies, so long as it stars these two characters together in some way. Poly ships are also fine so long as Ichigo and Kisuke are still the focus of the fanwork. And crossovers and fusions are also allowed even if it isn’t one of the given prompts for the event. Basically, anything goes, and the only criteria is that it has to be UraIchi-centric.

Posting:

UraIchi Week is hosted here on Tumblr and on AO3. For posts on Tumblr, remember to ping @uraichievents and tag #UraIchi Week 2024. For AO3, you can add your work(s) to the collection linked up above. You are also welcome to join the UraIchi Discord server if you haven’t already and come and talk about what you’re working on!

Themes:

July 1st, Day 1: i've met you before / i'll meet you again / this is the first time we've met.. right?

Time Travel / Dimension Travel

Identity Porn / Hidden Identities

“I've suffered from traumatic dreams of my past lives since I was a child, and I'm just now realizing that coming up to a beautiful stranger who looks like someone I've seen die a thousand times in a thousand different ways at a bar and asking if we've met before sounds a lot like a come-on haha no wait come back that doesn't mean I'm not desperately attracted to you please kiss me again” AU

July 2nd, Day 2: It's fact that killable problems are not real problems.

Murder Husbands

Ichigo is Deadpool / unbreakable / any other accidentally immortal being who is really kind of annoyed about it (because it’s boring, and he’s still young enough to be within his lifespan, but it sure takes the fun out of fighting).

All the times Ichigo died, he ACTUALLY died, he just came back. Every time he comes back, he comes back Wronger.

July 3rd, Day 3: Things I Should've Told You / Things I Don't Tell Anyone Else

The skeletons in your closet are about to overflow. Would you like me to tidy it up?

Ichigo is experimenting with self-expression, a hobby, etc., making up for lost time as a regular teenager. Urahara is always the first one (sometimes only one) to see or hear about a new idea.

“The person I trust most is you.”

July 4th, Day 4: Sword and Shield

I am yours to command, use me as you please.

Shiba!Ichigo and Second Division!Kisuke

Summoner/Mage AU: Paired summons who are good apart but unmatched together.

July 5th, Day 5: That One is Mine

Hollow Instincts / Feral Protective

Possessive!Kisuke: He stepped aside for Sui-Feng because Yoruichi was always master first and friend second and love interest never, and because Yoruichi wanted her in a way she's never wanted him. But Ichigo is different, and everyone soon realizes that when Kisuke truly wants something, he always gets it in the end.

“Death can’t have you. You’re mine.”

July 6th, Day 6: Monsters come in all shapes and sizes. Some are born, some are made, and some decide being a monster's pretty fucking cool.

Visored!Urahara Kisuke AU / Vasto Lorde!Kurosaki Ichigo AU

“Ichigo forges a friendship with his Hollow in the Shattered Shaft” AU

vs. Gotei 13 AU: Ichigo time travels back from a future where he was chained to the throne as the next Soul King by the Shinigami.

July 7th, Day 7: Creator’s Choice!

As always, the above prompts are all optional, and you’re free to come with your own ideas. You can also find an excel sheet with all the prompts submitted this year linked up above, so feel free to look through that if you want, and you can also make a copy for yourself.

And that’s it! We’re looking forward to what everyone comes up with!

[thedovesaredying]

Hiiii I was just reading the werewolves!141 x f!reader AND OMG IT ITS AMAZING. I was just wondering if you’ll ever write a second part? No pressure and I hope you have a GREAT DAY!!!

Of course!

That first post was mainly just a general outline/prologue to the rest of the AU. Not sure yet if I'll just be writing little scenes and scenarios from the world or write a proper fic for it. Most likely it will end up being the former since I'm pretty bogged down with study and work sadly.

I'm more than happy to offer a little snippet of the current WIP I'm writing for the AU under the read more. Thank you for your lovely words! (Unedited)

Everything is warm when you start to wake, and you find yourself surrounded by a blanket of softness. It’s comfortable and you’re reluctant to return to the waking world, but there’s something brushing against your nose and irritating you enough to make you scrunch it up in annoyance. Your sleep addled brain is confused as to what is disturbing you, only for something to begin thumping against your face.  

When you reluctantly open your eyes to investigate what’s currently slapping your face, you’re met with an eyeful of brown fur. “Soap,” you mumble through the fluff, “Soap, you’re crushing me,” you grunt, unable to breathe properly with the weight of a fully grown wolf laying on your chest. “Get your ass out of my face, Soap,” you add when he only starts wagging his tail harder.  

You’re able to successfully shove his butt away long enough to breathe without a bunch of fur choking you out. You subject the sergeant to a glare, only to be met with a broad grin as Soap excitedly pants at you. “Stop squishing me you jerk,” you grumble, trying to squirm out from underneath him.  

When you glance to the side, you notice Gaz sitting patiently beside the couch you’re currently being crushed into. “Good morning, Gaz,” your coo, reaching out to pet the fur between the black wolf’s ears. His tail starts swishing and he tilts his head to the side slightly so he can bless you with a tiny lick to the palm of your hand.  

Never one to be ignored for long, Soap sits himself up and lets out the most pathetic whine you’ve ever heard. His ears are drooped sadly, and he stares at you with big, wet eyes. Thankfully, he’s moved enough for you to be able to free yourself from under him, and you’re able to sit up, “Sorry Soap, bad boys don’t get pets,” you shake your head sadly, ignoring the way the wolf in question starts crying.  

Gaz looks mighty pleased with himself, leaning into your gentle caressing. At least he's polite enough not to climb on top of you while you’re trying to take a nap on the couch in the rec room, unlike a certain someone.  

Speaking of that someone, he’s quick to make his way over to you, shoving his large head under your arm and attempting to lick at your face. You squeal, swatting at his face and trying to lean as far away from him as possible. “Soap!” you shriek when his hot tongue swipes across the side of your face.  

Gaz growls and starts nipping at Soap’s feet, unimpressed that the other wolf’s antics has stolen your attention from him. In return, Soap starts biting one of Gaz’s ears before leaping off the couch to tackle him. A playfight breaks out between the two wolves, with both sergeants wrestling with one another on the floor.  

[lautski-week]

Lautski Nation, we are so back!

(Q&A + general info under cut!)

Welcome to the third semiannual Lautski week. This event occurs twice a year, once in the summer and once in the winter, to commemorate the shared love so many of us have for Hatchetfield High's most unlikely it couple! Mod is @peterstankoffski and uses they/them pronouns, and you've probably seen me lurking around the lautski tag since it was created. It's been a lovely little 2.5 years getting to enjoy this ship with everyone.

This year the summer event will be in July instead of May so everyone who is interested has plenty of time to prepare. I understand now through June is fairly bust for many people due to finals, so moving it later into the summer was definitely for the best (thank you to everyone who voted in the dates tiebreaker poll the other day!)

And with that, some FAQ!

Q: What are alternates?

A: Alternates are two extra prompts in case one of them leaves you stumped! They can be used any day, or they can not be used at all! It’s up to each individual participant!

Q: Do I have to do all seven days?

A: You’re free to do as many as you want! You can do all seven, you can do just a few, hell, you could do all nine in you wanted! This isn’t a challenge, it’s an event. The main goal is to make some posts about this ship we’re all brainrotting for and having fun.

Q: What can I make?

A: Anything you want! Art, fics, edits, memes, etc. Nothing’s off the table.

Q: How do I post?

A: I’ll reblog anything made for the event to this blog and my main. If you’d like to be featured, please @ THIS blog. Additionally, I’d recommend tagging works with #lautski week so everyone’s works can all be found in the same place.

Q: I was late! Can I still post?

A: Of course! I’ll keep reblogging new posts tagged #lautski week and/or mention this blog through July 17!

Q: Can I post to AO3, then link it back here?

A: Feel free! This year I will also be setting up a Lautski Week collection, which I will link on the blog closer to time. Feel free to use it!

Q: Can I post to (insert any other fanfic site here) then link it back here?

A: Same as AO3. Go ahead!

Q: One of my wips fits *insert prompt here!* Can I post it for that day?

A: You can, but please don’t post before the event begins!

Q: Am I allowed to write smut?

A: Yes, but please have it properly tagged on both tumblr and AO3. On this blog, I will use the additional tag "smut warning"

That's it for now! I'll reblog this occasionally between now and July, plus advertising and answering any additional questions, but other than that, enjoy the rest of your spring (if you're in the Northern Hemisphere anyway)! See you all again soon 💜

[morganwriteblr]

After many, many months of perpetual writers block which sometimes spilled out a few words...I think I've made a realisation.

This isn't one of those posts like, "Do this to clear your writer's block!" This is entirely personal and I'm just sharing in case it resonates with even one other person on here.

I am holding myself back.

I wanted to write in sequence; start and finish a chapter before moving on.

I discarded the need for perfection long ago, but I just need to fix that one thing...

And if I can't write this scene properly I'll come back another day. Week. Month. Year.

Setting myself nonsensical rules.

It would be better if I wrote my WIPs in chronological order--start with creation stories like The Legend of Corroneau's Landing before starting on anything else set in the same place.

I am the block that stifles my creativity

And I have to be the one to clear this block.

What works for other people might not work for me.

What works for me might do nothing for someone else.

Discard the rules

I can write whichever WIP most takes my fancy at any given moment

Even one word written is progress.

No one holds you back more than yourself.

[itsjaywalkers]

laurie, aside from being a number 1 fan of your fics, i've also read all the fics you bookmarked on your account, and gotta tell you they are all masterpieces, and i want to know if you have any more fic recs, and what your current favorite wips are?

this is so very sweet, thank u darling <3 and it always makes me so excited when ppl ask me for recs and like my taste in stories!!! all my bookmarks are really good if i do say so myself so i'm very glad you've enjoyed all the fics i love + hold close to my heart

hmm i feel like most of my recs are already on my bookmarks but !! current wips that i'm reading and following and that absolutely brighten my day whenever they update are:

hide your fires by @starsworth !! i'm reading it slowly because i wanna take my time and absorb everything properly but i'm . fucking loving it so far, i really can't recommend it enough, it's so insanely good (and i'm in love with kingsley..)

the art of getting off by @just--vi !! such a fun and lovely story, this james has me biting my fist and running laps around my flat. every chapter is like a boost of serotonin

cupid's chokehold by lollipopluna on ao3 !! i've talked about this one before but it's just one of my fav wips rn, i'm fucking obsessed with it and it's so devastating but . in the best way

lovely bitter water by @alarainai !! this fic has made me laugh out loud . several times . most insufferable and embarrassing james potter i've ever read but i love him and i love him dearly. but then again i think i've read every single one of fen's works <3 he never disappoints

get him back by @sixlane !! always ALWAYS thinking about this fic.. this regulus is so special to me and also Peak Denial. it has some of the best tension i've ever read. lane's writing is out of this world

deep the water by @mothbart !! one of my fav james ever.. the amount of happiness this story brings me is INSANE im not ready for the heartbreak that i know it's coming but also . i can't wait .

i'll be home for the summer by @carniferous !! not only one of my favourite current wips but also one of my favourite stories in the whole world. everyone should read it. this jegulus is Everything . to me . i would die for them..

once every few lifetimes by cozypancakes on ao3 !! read it recently and i fucking loved it. saved me during my terrible weekend. it's a triwizard tournament au and the jegulus dynamic in this one has me SCREAMING they're so sweet and so very obsessed with each other

our sun bleeds red by @athymybones !! insane writing insane plot and insane dynamics. it just started and it's already SO GOOD.. i'm always searching for some bartylily and this one caters to all my tastes

and im probably reading more wips but these . are my main ones . i think (hoping i didn't miss any.. i read way too much fanfiction..)

[vroombeams]

it's too much there's too much world < sounds like my cup of tea despite me knowing null abt it!! I'm curious!

ah yes landoscar long distance relationship au!

it's turning out to be one of those wips where i'm like. i'll hop in and pick at it every now and then but it makes me like pretty sad to write so it's a small-dose sitch?? it is essentially a love letter to internet friends and a hate letter to the concept of distance lmao

non-driver au, it's so early days that i've not really even sorted what anyone's doing outside of being hopeless and miserable?? but it's like. oscar is working [job] that he really isn't into and he's just having a bit of a slumpy year or two? sad and stagnating or whatever and he's thinking about quitting and looking for something else, but then he meets lando in some forum online and they hit it off, and oscar spends all of the time he can talking to lando, and it sort of like. renews his zest for life? and all the shitty sloggy things are more manageable because he's got this presence in his life now that makes things easier to look at

after they get into the relationship, also, lando does encourage oscar to find some other job that doesn't make him want to peel his skin off, but at that point oscar's already saving every penny and making mental plans to fly to the UK the second lando is okay with him coming to visit. so he doesn't want to start anything new and risk any hiccoughs in pay or also potentially not being able to take the time off he can with his current job etc etc

anyway the fic is of course set around the leadup to their first in-person meeting and then the in-person meeting itself and the two weeks oscar spends staying with lando and how uhhhh. that all goes

pretty big chunk of messy wip under the cut!!

~

The quality in the Discord window settles and he can see Lando’s face properly. The soft square of his jaw. The pink bow of his mouth, curling out and up into a smile that makes Oscar’s chest ache.

He hurts to look at, when it’s like this. When it’s late and Oscar’s had all day to think about how badly he wants him.

“Sorry I’m late,” Lando says. The curve of his mouth goes sheepish. Lando’s selfish, in his way. He expects Oscar to be there when he’s said he’ll be there. But he knows what he’s asking for. They both know all of their uneven parts that don’t quite fit, the pieces of their lives that they’re jamming together, GMT peg into AEST hole.

Oscar shakes his head and he smiles back and he doesn’t have to force that, at least. "No worries. Tell me about your day?”

And Lando’s good at talking, so he does. He tells Oscar about his day, and the job that he doesn’t love but that pays the bills, and about his best friend’s new girlfriend. Lando’s good at talking and Oscar’s good at listening, so that’s what they do. Lando's little late night podcast for an audience of one; Oscar's personal, nightly radio show that quite thoroughly unravels his heartstrings every time.

“Oscar,” Lando says. Oscar blinks. He’s pretty sure he hadn’t been falling asleep. He could probably repeat back whatever Lando’s just said to him.

“Yeah?”

Lando’s quiet for a second, so still that Oscar wonders for a second if his camera’s frozen.

“Less than a month,” Lando says, so quiet that Oscar’s ears twitch.

Oscar smiles. This one’s not forced either. This one he can’t help. It forces itself out instead of having to be pulled. Less than a month and he'll be getting on a plane with a bag packed for two weeks in London. Less than a month and he'll have Lando in front of him, real and in person.

“Yeah,” Oscar says. “I—yeah. I’m excited.”

It's not eloquent or enough but his voice cracks, comes unstuck on its way up. Little hands, desperate fingers, clawing at the insides of his cheeks where a smile wants to haul itself into something worse. 

“Me too,” Lando says. Soft. That’s how Oscar knows he really means it. These are the moments; when Lando goes so soft and quiet. These are the moments that Oscar knows it’s real.

[whips open trenchcoat] hey buddy wanna buy a wip

[genevawrenn]

I am just going to put this at the top : this post is going to be a long vent about missing Technoblade, please scroll on if you do not wish to read.

We are coming up on two years without him.

We are also coming up on three years since I discovered his content.

I thought I was at the point I could watch one of his videos tonight, as I used to often do when I am doing tasks or writing he was always the background noise I used. I remember calling into work when he streamed for the sheer sake of enjoying them while they happened the few times I caught them before...well. I think you know. He was the reason my passion for writing came back to life and I believed I could actually follow my lifelong dream of eventually publishing a story.

But I suppose the part I always forget about grief is the absence of the unique spirit that person brought to your life. I found his content and engaged with it instantly, developing one of the longest running fixations I have had in a good while. The sheer excitement I'd have getting the notification he went live for one of his rare streams.

I don't think it truly sunk in when he announced his diagnosis. I remember discussing it with the irl friend who got me into watching him and both of us laughed, saying he's strong enough to fight off anything.

A few months pass with his rare posts and there was always this tiny little bit of intuition I had where he never told us what severity of cancer it was. Like he was a very private guy, yes, but this seemed extra...odd.

Then I remember the way my heart sunk when 'so long nerds' popped into my notification bar. The dashing of my heart against the floor texting people as I tearfully listened to Technodad tell us the words his son Alex wished for us to hear.

Its been a long two years. Its been great ones, tbh. I found a new passion with QSMP and Hermitcraft after the finishing of DSMP [tho c!Techno will forever remain close to my heart]. I kept writing, with over half a million words in published fics on ao3 and several WIP including 3 original novels.

But the only one I ever wanted to thank for helping me find my creativity again I can't, and I never will be able to.

I miss Technoblade.

I will never stop missing him.

I wish he could have laughed with his friends for many years yet, being silently proud of their accomplishments while he messed with people on the QSMP. I wish he could have had another MCC with friends.

I wish his unique soul wasn't taken from us so soon, as we weren't done following our hero yet.

But the only thing I can do now is continue to speak his tales. The first book I properly publish, the gratitude page is going to be addressed to him. I will continue to tell others about his accomplishments and tell them to go watch his content on his Youtube channel [get him to 17 million!]! Buy some of his merch [when it comes back in stock]! Support his family & friends!

Though he would call us nerds for crying, I think its beautiful how many lives he touched and how many thousands mourned his passing. He was a light all corners of the MCYT sphere and beyond saw and respected, and not too many creators can claim such an honour.

I'll always be a Voice at my core. Even if I spend my time these days as a crow, a huevito, a ferret, a tubling, a doozer and many more, my heart will forever belong to Technoblade.

Please keep creating art and writing in his name. I love scrolling the fanart tags and adore every piece I come across with my favourite piglin in them. Please, please, please keep saying his name. Sing his legends. Make references, continue the jokes, hang out in one of his friends chats and support the people he loved.

Support those who are still here, even if your heart hurts.

It's only painful because we all loved him so much, which is a beautiful type of sorrow.

[sanhatipal]

Figure Sculpting Commissions

I've been wanting to do this for a long time,now it's finally possible. I'll do mini chibi figures of characters,like the ones above! 25-35 USD + shipping depending on complexity, ToS under the cut

For more examples of my sculpting skills(but I won't do scales because it's too much work), here's some Pandora Hearts merch I've made,and some other sculptures:

The figures will be tiny, around the same size as Nendoroid Petites, which is half of regular Nendoroids (4-6cm).

References are always appreciated

Will be made of resin,air dry clay,and sometimes pieces of plastic or wood. Predominantly resin and clay.

There's the option for proportions between 1 and 2. Flandre Nendoroid is for size comparison only. No price difference.

I'll add a stand to make sure the figure can stand properly,but it won't be removable.

No LED parts (though I'd love to, the post office told me it might get rejected at customs)

Price depends on complexity of the character. I'll give you a price (+ shipping estimate for your country) after looking at the character, and you can decide whether you want it or not,and I'll start working on it. I'll send you WIP shots occasionally.

Payment after the figure is made or almost finished,and before shipping.

Making time is 7-14 days, hopefully,but may be more because I have a volatile schedule. I'll definitely let you know and keep you updated though.

Making these take time,so if you want to pay after a few weeks,you can give me a character to start making,and pay when you're ready. I'll hold onto it for a month.

Shipping is combined for multiple figures. If you want to add another figure after I've started, or even finished, making the first, that's fine, I'll ship it together.

Shipping will be through tracked international parcel post, takes 2-4 weeks, but duration not in my hands. Domestically,speed post, takes 3-5 days.

Payment via PayPal, or GPay/UPI if in India

I can add a fuzzy Luna or crimson moon vampire like this,or anything similar if you want, for 5 usd.

I can only work on 2-3 figures at max at a time,so if I get more requests, I'll reserve a slot,and contact you when I'm ready to start

I hold the right to turn down an offer for whatever reason.

And questions,feel free to ask on DMs. I'm also active on Discord nowadays, Flameheart3794 ,but Tumblr DMs are always open for queries!

[diazsdimples]

I Need Inspiration Saturday

The semester is finally (almost) over, and once I've handed in my last 4 assignments (that are all due on Monday and I think I might cry) I'll finally be sinking my teeth into some of my wips again. Only problem is, it's been so long since I properly looked at any of them that I have no clue which one to work on. So, I'm gonna put little outlines/ blurbs of all my wips, and then a poll and y'all can tell me which one sounds like something you'd want to see more of. Yells seem to fuel me so this is the best way to get me going I feel. So, here are the wips!

Single Dad's AU (Buddie) - 19.3k written, probably 1/6th done (ish)

Buck is a single father to 2 girls, Carrie (7) and Lily (5), and is a probationary firefighter at the 118. He meets Eddie Diaz at school pickup one day, as Carrie and Christopher are in the same class. Buck and Eddie become fast friends, as do their kids, and Buck convinces Eddie to join the 118. This fic follows canon timelines from seasons 2-3, and shows Buck and Eddie's journey to becoming a family together.

Frostpunk AU (Buddie) - 16.6k written, probably like 1/4 done

The world is a desolate and frozen wasteland, with small clusters of humanity. Buck is a Scout from Sector 118, and he comes across a father and his young son, half frozen, on one of his scouting missions. Buck and his scouting team bring Eddie and Christopher back to Sector 118, where they heal and start their life as citizens of Sector 118, living in Buck's tent with him. Eddie reveals to Buck that he has a mission he needs to complete, one he knows will put him in immediate danger, and begs Buck to look after Christopher once he's gone. Buck refuses to let Eddie go alone and the two brave the elements to search for the missing parts of Eddie's life, their survival resting entirely on their ability to trust and work with one another.

Sleepy Mornings (Buddie) - 2.3k written (2/13 chapters complete)

A selection of small oneshots of all the times Buck and Eddie woke up next to each other, including after Dosed, after the Tsunami, after Eddie's shooting, after Eddie's breakdown, after their first kiss, etc. Cute and fluffy with minimal angst and lots of Buddie pining feels.

Doctor's AU (Buddie) - 2.4k written, fuck knows how close to finished

Eddie Diaz is an Obstetrician/Gynaecologist and Evan Buckley is a Pediatrician, both working at Cedars-Sinai hospital. They meet after Eddie comes to the NICU, upset after a rough c section, and continue to bump into one another at work. They build a fast relationship and have a reasonable amount of sex in ill advised parts of the hospital, whilst performing risky surgeries and saving lives. Also lots of pining (mostly from Eddie) and eventual Buddie relationship.

Ballet Au (Buddietommy) - 1.8k written, *shrugs* who knows.

Buck is a new principal ballerina at the New York City ballet, performing the Nutcracker. He meets Eddie and Tommy, both seasoned ballerinas, and they quickly take him under their wing. Buck didn't factor in falling in love with both men, and initially doesn't know how to act around them. However, when it's clear that they also both want Buck, they fall into an easy dynamic, and quickly become the power-throuple New York never saw coming (honestly this is still very much in the Vibes era)

Sauna Sex (Buddie) - 1,3k written, probably 1/4 done.

Buck and Eddie have sex in a sauna as a way to blow off steam, as it were. Porn without plot, there's really not much else to say other than hot, sweaty men fucking each other's brains out and probably being way too dehydrated.

Buddietommy Kid Fic (Buddietommy) - 4.1k written, probably 75% complete

Buck, Eddie and Tommy celebrate their first father's day with their kids. Just lots of Buddietommy family feels, big brother Christopher, and big men tiny babies. Not saying how many babies though. That would be cheating.

[skyfallscotland]

20 Questions for the Writers Tag Game!

I was tagged by @caeli0306

1. Total number of AO3 works

Nine!

2. Total AO3 word count 985,672! We're about to crack the mil, baby! And in just over a year, too 🥺💗

3. Fandoms I've written for

So many! But if we keep it to works currently posted: ACOTAR & The Empyrean series.

4. Top 5 fics by kudos

Truth & TalonFear & FlameMacchiatoFurykeep quiet (nothing comes as easy as you)

5. Do I respond to comments?

Yes, always! I love receiving them, so replying is the least I can do 💗

6. What has the angstiest ending?

...Truth & Talon, actually...

No, I'm just kidding....mostly... 👁👄👁 I'm saying Dangerous Devotion. 7. What has the happiest ending?

Fury, I think.

8. Have I received hate?

Not recently/in the Empyrean fandom (unless you count people telling me they're disappointed with my choices, lol, shoutout to that one girl who was sad Remi wasn't a virgin!) but I have before for sure.

9. Do I write smut? And what kind?

Sure. What kind like...kinks? Praise kink? Cockwarming? What do you mean what kind? 😭 The hot kind 💗

10. Do I write crossovers?

I have before, but I don't have any currently published.

11. Have I ever had a fic stolen?

Multiple times, lol. she's an icon, she's a legend, and she is the moment.

Honestly though, please don't do this. It's not a nice feeling. It doesn't help you, either, or anyone else. Wouldn't you rather contribute something new to the fandom you're in? 12. Have I ever had a fic translated?

Yes! Some of my older Tolkien works were translated into Russian and I've had offers for Remi's Version, but I prefer that translations stay on AO3 (with very limited exceptions) which I suppose limits some people.

13. Have I ever co-written a fic?

I mean, most of my ideas are bounced off @justallihere and we throw dialogue/ideas back and forth so we'll give her... 12% of the credit for my next work. But no, I've never properly co-written anything. I feel like it would be weird, right? Unless you're writing a POV each?

14. What is my all time favorite ship?

Xaden Riorson/Remi Sorrengail 😌

15. A WIP I'll never finish?

I really hope to finish the things I've started so far. I have a few on the go, but the brain does what it wants. Tattoo-artist Xaden is sitting right on the edge there. I have 10k words of a scribe Violet AU that I might never pick up again, so let's say that.

16. Writing strengths?

Feelings, apparently. Lots of people tell me I make them cry, lmao.

17. Writing weaknesses?

Battles, action, fight scenes. I hate them. I hate them so much I'll write in storylines that change the canon universe so I can skip them completely. Ick.

18. Do I like foreign language dialogue?

I just write, for example, 'he said in Tyrrish' after the dialogue, I like that sort of thing, I think it's indicative enough without doing all italics and strange indicators like people used to back in the day, lol.

19. First fandom I wrote for?

Lord of the Rings. Very short lived. Was told it was "the worst fic I've ever read in my life" and that was that. I was maybe thirteen at the time 😌

20. Favorite fic I've written?

I cannot and will not pick a favourite child, but I will say Fury is very close to me. It got me back into writing and it came at a time in my life where I was really struggling and finding who I wanted to be and really changing my life. Without Tessa, there wouldn't be Remi 💗

I feel like everyone I know has already been tagged by someone, so I'll just open it to the floor for anyone who wants to participate 🤷‍♀️

[anisecandy]

So apparently there's another radiostatic week going on, and while I can't participate, I thought I might at least share the beginning of a wip that I hope to finish once I'll be done with my thesis~ (≧∇≦)ﾉ This part of it is sfw! But the whole thing will be like "5 times Alastor and Vox failed at sex (and one time they didn't)" lol. Silly and hopefully a little sexy. Boundaries, compromises, that kinda stuff. Kink. Gore. Being lovely-dovely.

They didn't indulge often in the classic format of dinner dates, but Alastor supposed those too had their charm, once in a while. As fun as it was to dance a night away at a respectable speakeasy, he enjoyed himself today, to the point of not even noticing when three hours of nothing but talking passed. When Vox walked him to the hotel, the sky had a deep crimson color of dry blood; if they weren't in Hell, Alastor would expect to see first stars appear. They would have reached it earlier if they just teleported there, but he found himself not minding the distance between the hotel and the uptown, even though it was more than twice the length of his daily strolls. They didn't hold hands — Alastor believed such displays were quite unbecoming for an Overlord — but their shoulders stayed flushed together almost the entire time.

"I had a lot of fun today," Vox said with a sheepish smile, once they were at the doors of the hotel.

The usually grotesque grin on Alastor's face was already morphed into something much more natural, but now it became particularly soft.

"So did I."

"Do you think you'll be able to make some time next week? I could get the tickets to that musical you mentioned. There's no way I haven't worked with the director or at least some of their actors before."

He hummed thoughtfully.

"I need to make an inventory of the hotel. But I should be done by Wednesday."

Vox snickered, before clearing his throat and nodding.

"Okay, great."

Alastor raised an eyebrow, not getting the joke.

"What has you so amused, my dear?"

"Nothing, it's just that I have a hard time imagining you dealing with something as ordianry paperwork. The closest I can get is you making the notes with some poor fucker's broken femur."

With his usual dramatic flare, Alastor pressed a hand to his chest.

"You wound me, mon cher. I would never waste good bone marrow like that!"

While Vox laughed, he blindly felt around for the doorknob somewhere behind his back. Watching his partner's bright expressions made his dry, dead heart warm up. He didn't want to look away from him yet. Still, it was quite a late hour, and while he needed very little sleep, the same couldn't be said about Vox who, to boost, woke up early every day to tend to his company.

"As lovely as tonight was, I shouldn't be holding you up any longer," he said opening the door and taking a step back, seizing him up with a last fond glance. "Goodnight, darling."

He was about to slip inside the yellow crack of light seeping from the hotel, but a hand tentatively grabbing barely more than tips of his fingers stopped him in his tracks.

"Wait, Al, before you go-"

"Yes?" He tilted his head to the side and Vox smiled nervously.

"Could I kiss you?"

His gaze grew alarmed when Alastor slid his hand away from his grasp. But he only did so to hold his hand properly, upon realizing which Vox relaxed a little.

"You may."

Of course, the one doing the kissing, once Vox closed the distance between them, was Alastor. Unless he opened his mouth, Vox's face was nothing more than a flat display. Alastor proffered it that way, though. Standard human lips, he believed, were too meaty, too wet. Disgusting, to be frank, in any context besides culinary. This, on the other hand, was nice. Sparkles passed between them and he knew his lips were going to tingle all the way to his room on the /6th/ floor. Yes, he thought, quite nice indeed.

Finally, with a squeeze to his hand and dumb, lovestrucken, endearing grin Vox stepped away.

"Goodnight,liebling," he murmured.

Alastor watched him go for a while, offering a fond shake of the head and a wave when he glanced back. Eventually Vox reached the bottom of the hill on which the hotel stood and he retreated inside, humming a little melody that couldn't decide what song it wanted to be — something by Alex Hill? Or perhaps Earl Hines? Either way, it stopped when he noticed Angel Dust and Husk at the bar.

Seeing the two sinners surprised him. It wasn't so late that it would be strange for them to still be up (although the princess did try to implement a half-baked curfew after which the bar was supposed to close), but it wasn't often that Angel could be seen and not heard. Especially when he was around Alastor's thrall. Still, as much as he felt uncomfortable with being potentially seen in a compromising situation, he didn't let it show. Snapping his fingers, he manifested a hat, which he then jokingly tipped at the pair.

"Gentlemen," he said lightly, and tossed the hat on the coat hanger, only for it to disappear in a flash of green light. A small part of him realized that he might be just a little tipsy from the wine he drank with the dinner. Just a little though.

"Uhhh, hi Smiles," Angel replied. Husk just grunted, acknowledging his presence, but not even looking up from the glasses he was polishing.

He paid them no mind and passed the lobby through his shadows. While he could have traveled all the way to his room, he opted to walk instead. The time it took to get to it on foot was about the same as the time it took to reach the closest surveillance camera. This way, Vox would call him to wish him goodnight once more like he did every day when Alastor would be just about to lay down to bed. It was a quite silly thing to plan for and he'd be utterly mortified if anybody somehow learned about it. But at the moment he didn't even feel that embarrassed, too busy enjoying the warmth filling his chest and electricity dancing on his lips.

He was just above the mezzanines when his ears caught the conversation between Angel and Husk starting anew.

"Well, so that was fuckin' weird."

His fangs grated against each other.

One moment he stood on the stairs. The next, the shadows bloomed from the ground next to the bar, like a rotten flower. His head spun like a wing of a windmill with the momentum of being pushed upward. When he leaned into Angel's personal space his chin was in the pace of his forehead and his smile turned into a loathsome scowl.

"Care to elaborate?"

The spider demon let out a high pitch curse, reflectively pushing himself as far from Alastor as possible. Unfortunately the bar stool was too small to accommodate him and he crashed to the ground. Pleased with himself, Alastor straightened up and twisted his head back into place. From the corner of an eye he could see Husk scoffing at his theatrics. Truly, that man needed to learn to enjoying the small joys of life.

"Shit, you gave me a heart attack there!" Angel gasped, climbing back on his seat. "And, real talk, what is the matter with the "Exorcist" bullshit your neck keeps doing? No fucking way there's a type of deer who can pull that off."

Alastor clicked his tongue. The Hazbin Hotel residents became way too used to his presence. While he still managed to get a raise out of them, the initial shock seemed to last shorter with each day. Maybe he should disappear for a while or two. Lull them into a false sense of security, only to reappear covered in bloody and surrounded by moppets and clouds of coffin stench. Or maybe he should just start storing his kills in the communal fridge. Either way, he didn't appreciate being treated like nothing more than a human scare chord.

"I asked you a question, my good fellow," he said dryly.

To his utter disbelief, Angel dismissed him with a wave of a hand.

"Eh, don't worry 'bout it."

His upper lip flared up, showing some of his gums and a low rumble began growing in his chest. But before it changed into a growl, Husk slammed a glass between the two of them. Angel jumped and while Alastor had much more control over his reaction, he still flinched just barely.

"Whiskey on the rocks for you, Al," Husk said, and pushed it toward him, maintaining the eyes contact. "I thought you might want a drink before going to bed." He stressed the last word and Alastor had to stop himself from chuckling. What an adorably failed attempt at diplomacy.

Angel seemed confused for a moment. Then, he noticed Husk's bristled fur and reached to pet his hand reassuringly. He turned to Alastor, spreading his upper arms a little.

"Seriously, it's nothin’. It's just that it's, well, weird as fuck to see Vox act all, like, gentlemanly and shit with ya."

That made Alastor frown a little.

"My dear, I know Hell's standards are quite low but as fond as I am of him, he's hardly a gentleman of any kind."

"No, I mean- Like walkin' ya here and then fucking off? Him and Val were always in each other's pants so you just kissing like two preschoolers gives me- the- yanno-" He snapped his fingers a few times. "The thing when somethin' feels wrong? Cognitive bias?"

"Cognitive dissonance," Husk grumbled.

Angel slapped the counter top.

"Yeah! That's the bitch!"

The mention of that repulsive moth soured all that was left of Alastor's good mood. He was aware of course that before they got together Vox wasn't exactly celibate, to put it lightly. For the most part, he didn't mind all that much. Whatever partners he had were most likely long dead or at the very least out of both Alastor's sight and mind. The same couldn't be said about Valentino. The pimp, being both Vox's friend and business partner and Angel's employer was a small, but persistent part of Alastor's life. Sometimes when they were both present at Overlord meetings he even dared to strike up conversations! Alastor had to exercise all of his willpower to remain composed in face of his vulgar, intrusive jokes and questions regarding Vox's and his relationship. It was incredibly unfair of Vox to forbid him killing Valentino. Alastor was certain him and that young lady he was in alliance with would manage just fine without that deviant. But alas, he was a good partner and respected Vox's wishes. Even if it meant having to suffer though reminders about what Vox used to be doing and with whom that stimulated both the imagination and the gag relfex. Plus, he didn't like having to share Vox's attention with another man. Especially one so flirtatious and sexually aggressive. Not that he believed Vox to be unfaithful, of course not, but it wasn't Vox that Alastor didn't trust.

His smile turned strained, which didn't escape Angel. However, he read his change of expression differently to what was actually going through Alastor's head.

"Hey, don't stress over it," he said, to Alastor's surprise trying to sound... Reassuring? "Doubt he's gonna ditch ya just 'cause ya won't have sex with him. I mean, if he was gonna to get back to Val, he'd done it long ago. They never stayed broken up for more than like two weeks before."

Alastor stared at him for a moment. Then, he burst into laughter.

"Oh dear, did you really think I'd worry about something like that? And because of that distasteful bug no less?" He shook his head and grabbed the drink Husk made for him. He drank it in one swig and pushed the glass over the counter for him to take. "Well, that truly wasn't worth wasting my time on. I should get going. Tomorrow is going to be a lot of work! Remember to have a list of the items for restocking prepared, old pal. Toodle-loo!"

He melted into the shadows before either of the two Sinners could get a word in.

When he appeared in his room, he started pacing around, not even bothering to turn the light on. It flickered to life anyway, courtesy of his shadow. Alastor didn't even notice it.

"Ridiculous," he huffed under his breath. "Me! Replaced by that fils de garce! That cheap whore! Who wouldn't even be an Overlord if it wasn't for Vox! Il vas foutrement pas fait ça—"

He took a deep breath.

He cleared his throat and forced his ears back up. Losing his temper like that should be below a man of his status. Especially over a low-life like Valentino. He let the shadow slip off his coat and hang it by the door and untied his bow. Beside, Vox would rather publicly disband his entire mega corporation than break up with Alastor out of his own volition. He was desperately and shamelessly obsessed with him. He chased after him for years and years and years. After all, Alastor was the only thing that he couldn't control, couldn't kill and couldn't have. Of course he'd be obsessed with him.

That thought made him pause. Because that was before, wasn't it? Now Vox "had" Alastor. When the novelty of it would wear off, would he in his endless greed again turn his eyes to the things he couldn't have? Things Alastor couldn't give him?

This was ridiculous. He must have been more drunk than he thought to allow himself such inane thoughts. That's right, he was simply drunk and tired. A good night rest — that's all he needed.

For the first time in months he didn't look forward to receiving a call from Vox. Suddenly he didn't feel like talking at all. But perhaps he wouldn't have to. The nighttime calls were always very short, barely fitting in entire sentences. So there was nothing to worry about. He would repeat his goodnight, and tomorrow he would wake up to the cold, slimy sensation at the pit of his stomach gone.

Simple as that.

[floralcrematorium]

fuck it, band AU time

with my mounting zine deadlines and drawings i owe friends for their b-days, idk if i'll ever get to draw the accompanying material i wanted to, so it is time to yap everyone's ear off. apologies if this is a mess! it's been a hot minute since i've properly spewed my nonsense out loud

i think i wanna talk abt Nat first... I love using Natalya in narrative works -- she's so so interesting to me and the character i've fleshed out the most

in Band AU, Natalya is a solo pop musician whose earlier music takes heavy inspiration from ethereal wave and dark cabaret. artists who frequent the playlist i've made for her are birdeatsbaby, revue noir, and then a bit of the dresden dolls and mirabilis. here's a hyperlink to her WIP playlist!

as for subject matter, her music probably deals a lot with existentialism and self identity

at the start of her career, Nat is very experimental in her sound, presentation, and image. i like to think she sees her music videos and stage performances as a version of semi-abstract performance art. she's very into symbolism

the pop part of her sound comes a bit later, after she starts dating Alfred Jones, the front man of Multifacet, an alternative(?) rock band (gonna be real, i have NOT nailed down what their sound is yet). her relationship with Alfred is mutually unhealthy - they are somewhat codependent and both feel a need to perform due to media pressure. he's using her for her preexisting fame, she uses him to feel the lonely void she feels

Nat cracks under the pressure. She was a very popular artist before dating Alfred, but she had control. When they start dating, her own achievements begin to be overshadowed. Her career becomes inescapably intertwined with Alfred's. She hits an absolute breaking point

as of right now, the sound of nat's music when she's with alfred is a bit like rina sawayama's. i find her voice gorgeous and i like the sound of urgency in the songs I have added to Nat's playlist -- it's a stark difference from her earlier slower music. I think Frankenstein embodies Nat at this point in her career the best

i know billie eilish is WAY too mainstream for Nat's taste, but I can't help but think of The Diner from billie's latest album for the AmeBel breakup...

also I much prefer platonic AmeBel - I think when in a romantic relationship, these two enable the worse parts of one another. however as just friends, they work quite well! anyway the best way I can sum up how I see AmeBel is:

someone else: what do you even see in him? Nat: he makes me laugh. he's stupid. i like that in a man.

I think the constant theme for Nat is a constant searching for a sense of identity because she continually destroys the identity she's built. I think Nat is a little insecure and to truly flourish, she needs to find some confidence. she also needs a good support system, which comes in the form of Tereza (miss Czechia), but I'll talk about them at a different time (wink wink, nudge nudge)

If I have to give you examples of Nat's different "Eras":

Debut: The Silent, The Tragic Tantrum She's having fun. Nat's a bit cryptic, she's eclectic, and enjoys putting on a show on stage. Start of the AU: Girl Anachronism, The Dresden Dolls I associate Girl Anachronism a lot with Nat in general, band AU aside Dating Alfred: Frankenstein, Rina Sawayama The lyrics of this one really hit for Nat. "All I want is to feel beautiful inside and out/You're the one who can save me from myself." This is when AmeBela are mutually codependent Breakup: Nothing Lasts, Glycerine I don't have anything to add other than this is an old personal favorite of mine. That's it. Breakup, but with plot relevance: The Diner, Billie Eilish I really want to use the lines "I'll go back to the diner/I'll write another letter/I hope you'll read it this time/You better" Nat and Al are having a very public breakup, that's all I have to say Healing: Seventeen, birdeatsbaby Nat's like. 27 at the start of this AU, but I think the themes are still relevant. I also LOVE the dramatic and grandiose intro to the song -- I feel like it's a return to form for her... Healing Nat Part Two: I Always Hang Myself With The Same Rope, birdeatsbaby

Nat will get a happy ending. I do need to figure out in more detail in what ways she damages Alfred, but I think with the general theme of the whole AU being a cautionary tale about fame and the effects it has on an individual, I've focused more on the "good ending" route with Nat's story. She has a moment of self realization and puts in the time to work on herself.