#project kestrel

[wolfleblack]

Remedy has cancelled Project Kestrel to "focus more on the other games in its portfolio."

Remedy Entertainment, the developers of Alan Wake 2 and Control, has decided to cancel Project Kestrel in a step described allowing the company to “focus more on the other games in its portfolio.” The game was originally codenamed Vanguard and according to insider reporting was believed to have been a free-to-play game. However, Remedy decided to reboot its development in November of 2023.…

[spookykestrel]

Anyway I don’t really have going out/leaving the house energy today so give me some drawing prompts pls <3

[necropsittacus]

been learning to draw animals

[lookingforcactus]

Because I'm feeling whimsical,

What the fuck do you mean that's a quilt??? Round 2

All quilts are contest winners from the quilt show Road to California, 2022. You can see these quilts and the other winners from that year here.

Best of Show Quilt

Title: Harlequinade Maker: Rebecca Prior Quilter: Jackie Brown Design Basis: Maker's Original Design "Harlequinade" is a theatrical quilt filled with visual clues guiding viewers to discover a hidden story. Inspired by Venetian Carnival masks and commedia del'arte characters, the quilt features the antics of Harlequin, the trickster, who has his own ideas about freedom and fun!

Director's Choice

Title: Welcome Home Maker: David Taylor Quilter: David Taylor Design Basis: Original image by Margo Clabo, used with permission I first saw this image from friend Margo Clabo more than a decade ago. It took years to convince her to let me adapt her photo into a quilt. The image it depicts is especially sentimental for her. The challenge for myself was to create a pieced pictorial background and recreate a traditionally pieced quilt by using my hand appliqué technique. The project size was overwhelming, but I'm thrilled with the finished quilt. So is Margo. Time to exhale.

Note: To be clear, that is not a photo with a quilt in it, that WHOLE THING is a quilt.

Best Machine Stationary Quilting

Title: Emerald labyrinth Maker: Kumiko Frydl Quilter: Kumiko Frydl Design Basis: Maker's Original Design As a starting point I used an image from the entrance to the EL Barkookeyeh Mosque in Cairo. Thinking of an elegant and intricate garden I added bursts of natural color and filled the area between the large elements of the design with finer ornament inspired by butterflies and plants. I set the circular image in a rectangular frame with a subdued complimentary design of rippled reflective pools.

1st Place: Animal

Title: Woodland Wilds Maker: Ann Horton Quilter: Ann Horton Design Basis: Maker's Original Design My morning hikes in the woodland hills of our northern California home inspired this quilt. The rabbits are always alert for danger. This machine appliqued, thread painted and embroidered view through a window is surrounded by wild flowers on hand dyed silk and again surrounded by other wild birds and animals. I love my wilds things in the woods!

1st Place: Human Image

Title: The Memories That Remain Maker: Lynn Czaban Quilter: Lynn Czaban Design Basis: Library of Congress Photos - LC-USF33-006183MI and LC-USF33-0061 I am fascinated by the human face and our ability to communicate without uttering a single word. The Portuguese word 'saudade' meaning a deep emotional state of nostalgic or profound melancholic longing for something or someone that one cares for and loves. Moreover, it often carries a repressed knowledge that the object of longing might never be had again.

1st Place: Naturescape

Title: Desert In Spring Maker: Andrea Brokenshire Quilter: Andrea Brokenshire Design Basis: Maker's Original Design My Mom and I embarked on an epic travel trip we named our "Thelma and Louise Adventure" In Palm Springs, CA we visited the Living Desert Botanical Garden. This quilt is inspired by one of the photographs I took that spring day of a Prickly Pear Cactus in full bloom. I loved the leathery texture of the cactus leaves (paddles) and the almost translucent citron yellow blossoms.

2nd Place: Animal

itle: Not Today Maker: Kestrel Michaud Quilter: Kestrel Michaud Design Basis: Maker's Original Design The chase is on! The Roadrunner is after his next meal, chasing a Common Collared Lizard through a steampunk junkyard. The desert is a favored dumping ground for the detritus of progress, even in a fantasy world. A steam-powered industrial revolution creates iron refuse and pieces of broken machinery have been left to decay in dry desert air. That doesn’t bother these critters. To them, this is home. Will that lizard wind up as dinner? Not today!

2nd Place: Human Image

Title: Declaration of Independence - Voices of Freedom Maker: Nancy Prince Quilter: Terri Taylor Design Basis: Reproduction of John Trumbull's Painting The quilt is a reproduction of John Trumbull's painting which depicts the moment in history when the first draft of the Declaration of Independence was presented to the Second Continental Congress on June 28, 1776. The quilt front and back were created in Photoshop and custom printed on fabric. Four thousand hours over 4 years was necessary to create the quilt. The back captures the story of the Declaration and its signers.

Note: I'm not at all patriotic. But credit where credit is due. That's a fucking quilt.

3rd Place: Animal

Title: Midnight Flight Maker: Joanne Baeth Quilter: Joanne Baeth Design Basis: Maker's Original Design Several years ago we had an injured Great Horned Owl roosting in our willow tree during the day. I took several pictures and was inspired to create him in fabric. The background features a painted sky, old buildings, melting snow and a rabbit on the run The foreground is the swooping owl which was constructed by painting and inking each feather and thread painting over fabrics and needle punched wool rovings

3rd Place: Naturescape

Title: Day Into Night Maker: Deb Deaton Quilter: Deb Deaton Design Basis: Maker's Original Design Inspired from photo by Robert Murray with his permission. When the Arizona sun begins to set, the sky comes alive. I saw this photo and knew the splendor of this landscape needed to be captured with fiber! Sky is hand painted. Raw edge applique. Mixed media used: oil pastels, color pencils, inks to enhance the fabrics and create more dimension. Cheesecloth: painted to create spikes of cactus. Tulle used to capture the sunrays. Machine quilted.

[witherroze]

Kyle putting Scar, Martyn, and Guqqie in the “people I look up to” category on his mcyt tier list thing. Waugh…

[kestrellady]

April 2023 Reading Wrap Up

Stand Out Books from April The Scholomance Trilogy by Naomi Novik Yes, I did read the entire trilogy in April, they're just that good! (In fact I read books 2 and 3 on two consecutive days, after finally getting book 2 after it got lost in the transfer system for two weeks.) This is amazing worldbuilding with some great characters grappling with being not-normal in an already not-normal world.

The 1619 Project created and edited by Nikole Hannah-Jones This is the book form of the New York Times Sunday edition from 2019 that commemorated the first arrival of enslaved people in the British American colonies, expanded and updated/revised. It was a good balance between longer essays that take you step by step through American history with shorter essays that focus in tighter on particular moments and topics. A must read to really understand why the US is the way it is.

Strange Beasts of China by Yan Ge I was looking for something just a bit weird, which for me usually means something that straddles horror and fantasy and this hit the spot perfectly. It's almost a collection of related short stories. It follows a writer who writes about the "strange beasts" that inhabit her city, all of whom are almost human.

What I'm Reading Now I still (slowly) working through The Sandman and I'm at book 3, which is up to issue 56 and some side stories. I just started The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green and it is delightful. I started The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by S.A. Chakraborty, but didn't finish before it went back to the library, so now I'm waiting to get it back off hold so I can finish it! It's a great adventure story and I was excited to see that it's set in the same world as their Daevabad Trilogy.

What I'm Looking Forward to in May So many new books! I've got like 5 different volumes of manga publishing, plus new books in a couple of series. Really looking forward to Who Cries for the Lost, the next Sebastian St. Cyr mystery by C.S. Harris. I'm also planning to re-read An Unkindness of Magicians by Kat Howard before reading the next book in that series that just came out. I was strangely thinking about it a lot while reading the Scholomance books, they've definitely got some themes in common.

Reading Challenges For the Book Riot Read Harder 2023 challenge, I'm planning to read Frederica by Georgette Heyer for 2. One of your favorite author's favorite books (claiming Naomi Novik as a favorite author) and I just started How We Get Free, edited by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor and read by Lisa Renee Pitts for 7. an audio book written and performed by people of color.

Follow me on The StoryGraph!

[spoiledblogif]

This is the development blog for the interactive fiction called "The Second Sight", which you can find on itch.io at the link above!

This is my first IF project, although I've been writing original stories and fanfiction for years.

I've included the story description and character profiles from the itch page below the cut.

This blog will be a combination of development info, images and music that I associate with the story, and other musings.

Fair warning, there might be spoilers from the latest chapters here, so I recommend catching up before reading too far.

Asks and submissions are always open.

You’re an urban legend in a county full of them.  When you were thirteen, you were found passed out in the road by one of the local cops. No missing persons report. No fingerprints on file. No memories. Just a name.

Oh, and some bizarre psychic powers.  You're content with simplicity. You like your isolated cabin and helping Carter track down missing persons.  You know that in theory there are more people like you out there, but you've never wanted to look behind the curtain to find out.

However, with the disappearance of a local teen named Casey Powell and a recent attempt on your foster father's life, your serene, isolated life comes abruptly to its end and a new chapter begins.

✤✤✤

The Second Sight is an urban fantasy story, where you step into the role of a psychic whose strange powers have always separated them from others. Those same powers will drag you down the rabbit hole and into a world that is both the familiar and foreign to everything you know. A world filled with magic, witches, fae, demons, and the unknown.

You can immerse yourself in the story by customizing your protagonist's general appearance, choosing how they interact with others, and whether you lean on logic or intuition to problem solve. There are three love interests planned (more may be added depending on player reception and feedback), the genders of which will be selected by the player upon meeting them.

Characters

Jacob Carter

Age: Late forties

Race: Human. Definitely.

Gender: Male

Temperament: Carter radiates grizzled, old bastard energy and despite being the least paternal person in the world, he is your adoptive father. While harsh and aloof on the surface, he is also fiercely protective of you and has bent over backwards to give a decent life to a kid that isn't even his. He doesn't talk about his life before coming to Herman County and you haven't asked him, though that might change soon enough...

✤✤✤

Zander/Zora

Age: Late twenties.

Race: Human.

Appearance: Umber brown skin, black locs, grey eyes

Temperament: Gentle and resolute, Z isn't what you imagine when you think of an agent of the mysterious Magic and Anomalies Bureau. Kind, soft-spoken, and exceedingly polite, Z is Carter's former apprentice and something about them puts the old man on edge.

✤✤✤ Renard/Rowan

Age: Appears to be in their late twenties or early thirties

Race: Human. Maybe.

Appearance: Tall and slender, white-blonde hair, and gold eyes.

Temperament: Playful and flirtatious, talking to R always feels like a game of cat and mouse and you can never be sure which role is yours. Part sad clown, part trickster, and always maddening to work with, the only things you can be certain of with R is that they probably know what they're doing. Everything else is up in the air.

✤✤✤

Unknown aka "The Kestrel"

Age: ???

Race: Definitely not human.

Appearance: Tall, beautiful, elegant, with black hair and black eyes.

Temperament: The Kestrel is a complete unknown. It's impossible to say whether they are a lethal ally or deadly enemy, but either way they are a powerful dreamwalker. You don't know how long they've been watching you, but you're willing to bet that it's been longer than you're comfortable with.

[somewhere-at-the-burrow]

𝐵𝒰𝑅𝑅𝒪𝒲 𝒮𝒰𝑀𝑀𝐸𝑅𝒮

⤹ 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐖𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲

(( what the summer has looked like in my recent shifts! ))

(( this is a long post I'M SORRY I RAMBLE A TON))

✯ Ginny and I always read the new editions of Seeker Weekly when they are delivered on sunday mornings. this usually consists of her running into my room and flopping onto my bed, teasing me with the magazine if I am not awake already. otherwise, we read it together at the kitchen table while keeping it away from the boys until we are done reading!

✯ in the first two weeks of summer, Bill was staying at the Burrow and telling us all about his adventures in Egypt. let's just say that every single breakfast with him ended on a super mysterious note or with Molly (mum) passing him more food and giving him a look of "motherly protection"

✯ with Arthur's (dad's) help, I have been building my own broom over the summer. I have always had the idea in mind, and with the collaboration of many different wizarding families, it is turning out really well!! I still have no idea if anyone will actually allow it in quidditch games though :')

✯ this might be very mundane, but I always help with the farm chores every morning. we have lots of chickens (and we have had pigs in the past), and it is so refreshing to use grounding techniques while listening to the radio through the open window

✯ speaking of radio... that is one thing that is always going in the Burrow. I look forward to walking downstairs in the morning and hearing the latest hits or listening to the WWN news broadcast.

✯ also, mum always has the Witching Hour (with Glenda Chittock) going in the mornings. in the wizarding world, there is kind of a love-hate with that talk show, as many younger people see it as something that only older women listen to.

✯ however, the Witching Hour was one of the first things I listened to in my first shift, so the memories are all positive and I find myself listening most mornings (despite the incessant teasing from the boys)

✯ in my first shift, I found out that the Holyhead Harpies made it to the League Cup against the Kenmare Kestrels. Ginny and I are obsessed with the Harpies' new seeker (grace belling my lovee <3) so you know I had to script that we would go to the game!!

✯ because this is the first summer where Fred, George and I can do magic outside of school, they have been tinkering away at new joke projects while I work on magically designing the labels and packaging! many late nights with that one!!

✯ my best friend Iris has visited many many times, and sometimes we invite Angelina too and we all bunker down in my room reading our silly witch magazines and looking at photos until the late hours. usually this ends with Ginny knocking on my door and she too curls up on the floor to talk <3

✯ Ginny also found this antique book of muggle victorian slang in the work shed, and she has been saying extremely ridiculous things in random conversation and it has honestly become a bit at this point. we are all on the edge of our seats wondering what that girl is going to say next, especially during meals!

✯ Hermione and Harry visited once, but Ron has such a sporadic schedule and he ended up doing the most random things and dragging them with him. I kid you not, they went and looked at the garden? for no reason??

✯ between Ron and Fred, those two would sleep past noon if we let them. mum will absolutely not have that though, so after she has called them down for breakfast multiple times, she tasks George and I with waking them up. some days we are kind and we gently shove them awake, but those are becoming very rare and I find absolute joy in being a morning menace <3

✯ when Bill was over, we had these fake broom races at dusk in the back field, but they were mostly so we could see the sunset on the horizon and that was a moment when I felt the most alive.

note:

talking about the burrow is my favorite and my mum is tired of hearing about it every time i shift back! so, i guess you all will be graced with my rants AND I HAVE A LOT OF THEM

thank you for reading if you have made it this far!

[kinper]

hi!

i‘m starting my illustration journey and to keep me on track, i thought i could draw different stuff of my daily life. this one is a little project about the different birds i encounter in various forms on my daily way to work!

1. crow 2. kestrel 3. blackbird 4. pigeon (of course) 5. black redstart

[fandomfive39]

HAPPY BATFAM BIG BANG

I wrote a little piece for the long awaited @batfam-big-bang 2024, be sure to go check out all the other works in there because they're lovely.

The League of Assassins was a semi-known organization with power in nearly every country. Even more unknown however, was it's subdivision: the League of Shadows.

Barely more than an urban legend, people in all dark corners of the world feared the elusive Shadows that would hunt you down if they deemed it necessary. It was unknown how many there were, who they were, or where they were. Men, women, wives, husbands and coworkers. The Shadows took every shape needed to get what they wanted.

A few, sparse reports recorded Kestrels: deadly males with more knives than teeth and enough crimes each to rival a prison. Even fewer could say they knew of the Diaemi, masked women who’ve worn hundreds of faces and lived thousands of lives, controlling from behind the scenes.

They were monsters, faithfully stood at the Demon’s hand.

They were children, taken too soon from their innocence.

They were Shadows, Bats and Birds waiting in the dark for whatever was to come next.

also there's fanart which you should go check out here and here

HUGE thank you to my team: @enchantingruinscandy who was my lovely beta reader keeping me on track and making sure everything was nice and tidy and to the artists @dragonpyre and @kuppatan I could not have done this without their amazing help to bring this fic to life!

[spookykestrel]

Those horrors really do be never ending 😓

[triruntu]

#569, a female american kestrel! I'll be branching out and trying some new things with these!

Requests for birds are open, updates happen on Thursdays. [project tag] | [kofi]

[silverphoenix212]

Mcsr mini gift exchange fic for @lost-kestrel !!! I had a lot of fun writing this, I hope you enjoy Fruit getting maybe just a tiny bit too competitive :)

@mcsr-mini-gift-exchange

[newmoonjuno]

Writer (Re)introduction 3.0 (2024)

Hello, Tumblr! After some time away to deal with my mental health (it is a marvel what medication and a change of atmosphere does to a person), I think I’ve gotten a more solid foundation for some of my ideas that I am so excited to share with you.

You have reached the page of Josias Luna (27, they/them). That is my new (and very much permanent) pen name, and you can call me Juno as well! Kind of still exploring, but if I can pinpoint something of me I would say I am transmasc nonbinary or genderqueer.

I am a college graduate with a degree in creative writing, and it’s safe to say writing has weaved in and out of my life. I write fantasy and science fiction as my genre focus (with a heavy lean of fantasy), and as far as tropes I love me some found family, the power of love (of all kinds), magic systems/powers and familial dynamics. Also going to be queer as fuck because life is too short to not have that.

MY PROJECTS

THE WANDERING STARS // In the world of Kosmos, where life and magic are defined by the stars above, orphans Salima and Orazio end up forcibly separated when they are taken away from each other. Ten years later, their sudden reconnection gets swept into a tyrant’s plot when the stars begin to disappear. 

THESE RATTLING HEARTLINES - With a war looming and a kingdom desperate for power soldiers for generations to come, two young men drafted into the Imperial's Smoldering Fang - exile child Kestrel Cordray and displaced student Faro Ballentyne - find themselves entrenched into the Empire's dark secrets.

GLAMOURS OF BREATHING - When a string of events begin to tie together to the disappearance of her father, Cameo Somma finds herself relying on her Fae ex-girlfriend (whom she DEFINITELY still doesn't have feelings for) and her gang to survive the upper echelons of Eadhelm.

TODAY, TOMORROW, FOREVER // In between planets who live with or reject the thousand year lifespans, Nadia Janvier hastily trades places of her best friend to be taken away to the crystalline continent of Spira when rumors stir of ‘The God of Cycles’ reawakening.

--

(Other works that are also being chipped away at but not mentioned: IRIDIAN FEATHERS THE WATERS OF MEMORY HER CRADLE OF FURY

It's nice to meet you at all!

[kaihuntrr]

part three: birds of a feather

The main couple of the fic finally see each other again <3

here's the cover for this arc, i very much enjoyed working on it >:D

To read the tumblr version, check out the read more!

It was good to be back.

The feeling of solid ground underneath Martyn’s boots and the crowds greeting him gave him a warm feeling. These were the people he’d given his life to, the reason he was out on the wild seas to do what he does; to protect those who couldn’t protect themselves. He’d live and die a hunter, he remembered promising to his parents, and he’d stick to it. 

Buildings wedged themselves around the port, many stalls and stores at the forefront to serve the returning ships. This left the entrance to the town narrow and filled to the brim with people walking and talking. Ships of all shapes and sizes docked by the entrance along the pier. The rhythmic hum of engines was one of the first things people could hear upon entering. 

Martyn ran through the streets, passing different buildings and people as he followed the familiar path.

Almost there.

It was never a dull moment in this town; children ran and played in the streets, older folk bartered with sellers, and hunters like the Canaries came by every so often to deliver their goods. But there was one place in particular Martyn frequented; the local tavern, The Golden Apple. He was very familiar with this tavern’s owner. He ran out of breath, panting as he stopped at the entrance. 

Steady breaths, Martyn. Breathe in. Breathe out.

The building had a sturdy stone base, cobblestone pillars for support with walls made of spruce with a roof partially covered in moss and overgrowth. Vines of flowers spiraled up the sides, neatly trimmed bushes lining the little courtyard, tables and benches sat neatly arranged outside. It was uncommon to see buildings with so much greenery, but that just made the place all the more special. People walked in and out of the place, and Martyn took in a deep breath and smiled before opening the door. 

Everything was the same, just as Martyn remembered it. Big barrels were mounted on the walls, holding all sorts of alcoholic beverages. Lanterns hung from the ceiling as jeers from the second floor rattled the interior balcony. Tables and chairs were scattered across the room, strewn with bottles and mugs and plates full of freshly cooked food. Wooden beams held up the inside, with people lying or sleeping against them as their hands gripped their drinks. People bustled around, carrying drinks and hot meals to tables and booths, sharing stories and toasting to whatever, some were dancing to the tunes the bards sang. Clinks of glass, coin, and utensils filled the air. The place was just as busy as usual.

The place was alive. 

The hunters who saw Martyn greeted him with a smile, patting his back as he bowed and waved back to each one. Socializing. He’d missed that. He loved the crew, but even he could go insane if spent his entire life with them alone. But they were off preparing for the king, all he needed to worry about was Scott.

The man he was hoping to see was across the room, talking to people Martyn would rather have him not talk to.

The two hunters had their backs turned, seated on bar stools, but he knew one of them, Mythical Sausage. Not him! Sausage was a piece of work; narcissistic, rude, and a braggart. He always found ways to annoy people and had such a smug grin while he did it. The long-haired blonde beside him was probably a lackey of his. The two wore contrasting clothes, Sausage in light blues while the blonde in red, but both had a long yellow cloth hanging from their waist. 

Kestrels.

Martyn didn’t want to think about it. They were loud, mischievous, and a bunch of spoiled rich brats. Sure, they were a decent faction, but this crew in particular grinded his gears. He grit his teeth.

Scott was seemingly happy in his conversation with those two, smiling and giggling, before his eyes locked with Martyn’s and his smile grew wider as he waved Martyn over. Oh boy, this was going to be something.

Scott tilted his head, Martyn was sure there was a slight tinge of red on his cheeks. “Martyn! I was wondering when you were going to return. How’s my favorite hunter doing out on the seas?” Scott always knew how to make a man blush. Heat rose in Martyn’s cheeks as he stammered, Scott resting his head on his hand as he leaned closer from the counter. 

Martyn scratched the back of his head, “I’m- I’m doing great! I missed you a lot–” Scott giggled, making Martyn more nervous as his eyes looked at everything else but Scott. “The- the normal amount of missing someone.” Oh, he was messing everything up already. So much for a decent entrance and welcome back.

Scott smiled, placing his hand out on the counter, inviting Martyn to put his hand on top. He did and Scott closed his hand around Martyn’s. Scott rubbed his thumb over the hunter’s knuckles, his eyes focused on their hands before looking up at Martyn. “I missed you too.” 

Sausage cleared his throat, much to Martyn’s annoyance, “Are we interrupting something, or is he cutting our conversation short?” There was clear venom in his voice, and the man’s eyes narrowed as he glared at Martyn. Martyn narrowed his eyes back and growled. He did not want to deal with them.

Scott glanced between the two Kestrels and Martyn before looking back at Sausage. “I think you are. We’ve been chatting for a while, and I’d like to entertain this one now,” he smirked, raising an eyebrow, “No hard feelings, yeah?”

The blonde Kestrel sighed, hunched over on his stool as he glared at Martyn, “Why even bother? This little songbird’s not going to fly forever, you know.” 

Martyn’s grip on Scott tightened unknowingly. His eyes narrowed and he snapped, “I’d keep my mouth shut if I were you, Kestrel.” Scott placed his other hand over Martyn’s, making him flinch and loosen his grip. 

Scott was here, looking at him. Martyn shouldn’t make any rash decisions. He didn’t want to cause a scene. He didn’t want Scott to have a bad opinion of him.

Just keep your mouth shut.

Sausage pushed himself off the stool, the metal screeching against the floor causing people to start staring at them. He placed his hands in his pockets, tilting his scarred face with a grin, “Fighting words for someone who used to be one, eh?”

 Stay quiet.

 Sausage raised his voice. “A songbird so cowardly he couldn’t fight with his crew, especially when they needed him.” If only a few people were watching earlier, Martyn was sure more had their eyes on him as Sausage spoke.

That was a long time ago. Martyn wanted to forget; thinking about the Kestrels made his head hurt. He didn’t want to live through all of that again. There were some good memories, but those final moments were… 

Martyn groaned, he stared at the floor. His hands trembled, fist clenched. His eyebrows furrowed. He did not want to deal with this. With them. Too many bad memories.

Scott seemed to notice his discomfort.

Scott gave Martyn’s hand a pat, causing the blonde to look at him. Scott smiled at him before turning to the Kestrels. His smile dropped and he raised his voice, “Enough. Sausage, Joey, get out of here. I don’t want to hear about this from either of you.” Scott pulled his hands away from Martyn’s and crossed his arms, raising his eyebrows at the two of them.

It seemed like he didn’t want to deal with them either.

Sausage’s confidence dropped. He faced Scott, his brows furrowed and eyes narrowed, “Scott–” Scott placed his hands on the counter, glaring at the two Kestrels. “I said, get out,” he grinned with insincerity, leaning up towards the taller man, “Or do I have to repeat myself?” 

There was an edge to Scott’s voice Martyn didn’t understand, as if the man was growling at Sausage.

The blonde, Joey, placed a hand on Sausage’s shoulder, shaking his head. Joey looked at Scott and narrowed his eyes with a sharp sigh, “Fine. We’re leaving.” Scott leaned back, his eyes still locked on the two as they retreated. The tavern was silent. 

If only people could mind their own business.

Martyn looked away from the two Kestrels as they left. Joey paused close to Martyn, but neither of them looked the other in the eye. “This isn’t over, songbird.” Joey hissed. Sausage huffed and shoved Martyn against the counter. Martyn grit his teeth as the two left the tavern. 

Hopefully they wouldn’t see those two again.

The tavern slowly filled back up with sound and jeers. Better than the silence from earlier. Why were they there? Talking to Scott out of everyone in here? Martyn glanced at where the two were seated, noting the lack of food or the intoxicating smell of alcohol. They were just there to talk. Maybe they knew Martyn came by this area, and this was all some scheme to guilt and taunt him back into the Kestrels. Maybe he was going crazy thinking about it. The Kestrels had left a sour taste in his mouth, and he wouldn’t want to go back to that. To them. To him. He wouldn’t go back to his ghost.

That was years ago.

Martyn flinched when Scott placed his hand over his clenched fist. Scott looked at him, his eyes narrowed in a look of worry, “Are you okay?” Martyn glanced at Scott, seeing his concern, but he turned his eyes back towards the empty stools. 

He hated how much his mind focused on them.

It was spilling out of his head too, he started thinking out loud, “Why did they even come here? They didn’t even drink anything.” 

Scott chuckled, rolling his eyes as a smile formed on his face. Martyn raised an eyebrow and Scott motioned to him, “You don’t drink, but you come here.”

Martyn hummed. He shrugged, giving Scott a little smirk, “Fair point. That could change though.”

Martyn was a lightweight drinker. A horrible lightweight. He never really drank, despite all the tragedies that enveloped in his life he never felt the urge to drink. The taste was awful. But Martyn could indulge himself. He was in a tavern, talking to its owner, and everyone around him drank. What’s the worst that could happen?

“It won’t change the fact that you’re a lightweight, hunter.” Scott winked at him, causing Martyn to blush. Scott raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. 

Martyn hesitated. A quick shot or two won’t be so bad, right? Something to ease all this tension should be fine enough. Martyn smiled and nodded. Scott pulled out a shot glass from the bottom rack and one of the many whiskey bottles from the shelf behind him. A small ‘pop’ sounded from the bottle as Scott poured the contents into the shot glass and offered it to the hunter. 

Yeah, just a couple would be fine.

Scott watched as Martyn took a sip out of his glass. A few might be fine, but drinking a shot all at once was a little too much for him. Scott closed the bottle, placing it on the lower counter as he faced Martyn. “You didn’t answer my question, though,” he leaned forward, “Are you okay?”

Martyn took another sip. Yuck. The burning sensation in the back of his throat was so weird. How are people able to drink all of this at once? 

Martyn sighed, mindlessly swirling the liquid in the glass. “Yeah, I’m… I’m fine.” He took a third and final sip, chills running down his spine as he swallowed. “...I just don’t like them.”

That was simplifying. He wasn’t sure how he felt about them at all.

Scott hummed, glancing at the shot glass then back at Martyn, “Anything I should be concerned about?”

Martyn shook his head. He didn’t want Scott involved in all of that. That would probably confuse his mind even more. He stared at the ground, “No… not yet. I just…” 

What was he supposed to say? Talking about the Kestrels was weird. It was like a scab he desperately wanted to scratch off, but he knew scratching it off would make him bleed. But he had to talk about it eventually, it wasn’t something that would heal on its own.

Scott popped the bottle open again, filling the glass with the weird, burning liquid, “You don’t need to say anything you don’t want to, got that? We can talk about something else.” Something else. Something else was good. Scott handed Martyn the glass, smiling, “Like how you’ve come here without any bandages this time; I’m impressed.”

Martyn laughed. He couldn’t tell if his face was heating up from either Scott’s compliment or the alcohol invading his system. “Well, a certain someone kept telling me to look after myself, so I did.” 

He took a sip out of the drink. Scott snorted and giggled, and god, his smile was so pretty.

Scott rested his head on his hand, his mismatched orange and blue eyes focused on Martyn. “Do you need someone to tell you to take care of yourself?” 

Scott had such pretty eyes. Martyn had never seen anyone with such vibrant eyes, he hadn’t even known someone could have both of those eye colors at once. Scott’s eyes were really pretty.

Scott was really pretty.

Martyn paused, his reactions slow as he registered the question. Martyn took another sip from his drink, formulating an answer in his head. “Yes? No– maybe? Uh…” 

Wow, this alcohol was strong. He didn’t know what he was doing, but he was here with Scott. What was he so upset about earlier?

Scott laughed, a charming, adorable laugh, “Ah, it’s a bummer you don’t need anyone to do that,” he smirked, “Maybe if I tell you to take care of yourself more often, I can keep you all to myself.”

Scott moved in close to Martyn, their faces so close Martyn swore he could feel Scott’s warm breath against him, purring. He didn’t even notice Scott moving the shot glass from his hand to the lower counter. 

Scott had such kissable lips. His eyes glimmered and his expression was playful and cute, the only thing running through Martyn’s mind was how this beautiful man kept flirting with him. Martyn tried to flirt back but he’d always end up a blushing mess. He probably was one at that very moment.

Martyn smirked, chuckling, “Oh, I’d like that.” He reached his hand out, wanting to hold Scott’s hand. Scott glanced down and giggled, placing his hand on top of Martyn’s and holding it. Scott had such soft, fragile skin. It felt oddly comforting next to his own, rugged hand. “Give me some time,” Martyn smiled. “Then I’ll be all yours.”

Scott sighed, leaning away. He crossed his arms. Did Martyn upset him? Scott’s eyebrows furrowed, “How long would that be?” 

Martyn hadn’t thought of that. He wasn’t sure how long it’d be until he completed his goal, his purpose being a hunter. More than a protector. 

Scott shook his head, “You can’t keep me waiting forever, hunter. This could be the last time you see me.”

Martyn’s shoulders slumped, his voice low, “That’s… That’s a depressing thought, Scott.” 

It was a thought Martyn was familiar with. The feeling of uncertainty, being so far away that he couldn’t imagine how the other was feeling, what he was doing, or if he was even alive. It was a punch in the gut to remember how much time had passed between when they could see each other.

Scott shrugged, “I know, but these are just things you need to think about. Have you ever thought about it? Staying for a while?” 

The winter months were coming, so they could spend time together then. Though if he remembered it right, Scott would be busy with something during the winter months. What that something was, however, Martyn didn’t know.

He thought about the months after winter. There was no guarantee he’d stay on land longer than a few days. There were always beasts to kill, always something new to discover, and more people to protect. He couldn’t risk being out of service for too long, even if it killed him to admit that. He was still deep into his passion for hunting, but his heart always sang a different song.

A piece of him wanted to stay, but another called to the open seas.

Martyn’s eyes shifted away from Scott as forced a smile, “Yeah...” Not now. Later on, maybe. But now? It wasn’t possible. Martyn shook his head, a dizzying feeling beginning to twist his mind as he smiled at Scott, genuinely, “I promise. One day, I’ll have a final hunt. When I do, and I come home, I’ll stay with you.”

“And what does the legendary hunter, Martyn Woods, want for his final hunt?”

Martyn looked Scott dead in the eye, his eyes widening and his smile dropped, “...A sea prince.”

Scott’s head tilted, his eyes narrowed. He didn’t say a word. Martyn stared back, equally as puzzled, “What? I’m serious!” 

It was a dream of his since he was a young boy. The idea of finding and hunting such a mythical beast has been embedded in his head for a very long time. 

Sea princes were folktales Martyn heard as a kid; he’d been raised with the stories his whole life. Sea princes were larger than any beasts ever seen or documented, shaping the ocean however they desired. They commanded armies of beasts to do their bidding. They bleed in glittery silver and gold, and they guarded a treasure so legendary and powerful one glance could turn any human into a god. 

He wanted to prove they were real.

Scott giggled, waving his hand, “No, no, don’t worry about it.” He placed one of his hands on his hip, the other resting on the counter. “It’s just… very outlandish? Very fitting for you though.” 

Martyn grinned, smiling like a little kid telling his parents he accomplished an impossible task, “Trust me, I have a whole speech planned and everything.” 

Scott looked like he was about to laugh, but Martyn could tell it was because of his passion for things like this. It never ceased to amaze Scott just how much Martyn knew about the sea prince stories, the horrors they gave, and the promises of power under the waves.

Martyn puffed out his chest. “I’ll walk up to the prince and go all,” he placed a hand on his chest, his tone theatrical and playful, “The sea can finally be free of one of its biggest threats. Give up your life now, and we can start living in the new world.” 

The alcohol was definitely getting to him. 

Martyn paused, trying to remember the rest of his speech before Scott sat on the counter, a smirk forming as he raised an eyebrow. “Oh, and you’re sure you can kill me, a powerful beast of the ocean? I could crush you here and now,” Scott lifted Martyn’s chin, holding it in his hands as he moved closer, whispering, “Or I could eat you. You’d be like sweet candy to me, dear hunter.” He winked, sending shivers down Martyn’s spine. 

Oh. 

Oh he liked this.

Martyn laughed, holding Scott’s wrist, “You can’t kill me, I’ll kill you, and I’ll bring your body to shore to show all humankind that we can take down an ancient evil.” This sounded fun to play. Sea princes don’t talk though, but the thrill of it was something else.

Scott blinked and moved away from Martyn. He was back to looking confused, “...You’re serious?”

Martyn tilted his head, “Yeah? Did I say something wrong?” 

He was so stupid for drinking those shots. Was Martyn supposed to play as a helpless victim then? Maybe it was better to think of that later, if they were ever alone. He realizes doing this in public is definitely a bad idea, a blush appearing on his face.

Scott shook his head, sliding off the counter, “You’re fine. I just didn’t realize how handsome you’d look while saying all that. Charming.” He winked again, giggling. 

No hard feelings then. That was good. He hoped the next time they did something similar, Martyn would get it right.

Martyn nodded, internally breathing a sigh of relief. “I try to be,” Martyn hummed, thinking of what else to add. Oh, right! “Ah! I wanted to show you something, let me just get my–” He opened his satchel, only to find his sketchbook missing. He could have sworn he’d placed it in his bag. The Canaries teased him for drawing on it all the time. He knew he kept it on him. He shuffled around, checking his pockets if he placed it there instead. 

Where did he put it?

Scott looked on as Martyn started to dig more furiously through his bag. Scott called out to him several times before snapping Martyn out of his thoughts, “What’s wrong?” Martyn paused, looking around before turning to the door. He turned to the empty stools. 

The forceful push from Sausage. The push would’ve made him unable to notice the sketchbook being slipped out of his satchel! He should’ve really closed it. A lesson learned, but not one he wanted to learn from those Kestrels.

Martyn groaned, his face in his hands. “Those two,” Martyn huffed, Scott raised an eyebrow, tilting his head. Martyn sighed, “They took my sketchbook. I wanted to show you what I did...” 

Martyn loved to show Scott the little drawings he’d of the events that happened over the month, though he would skip all the pages he’d drawn Scott on. Martyn would sometimes sneak in some live drawings when Scott was busy working and not paying attention to him. He was really, really pretty to look at. Could he be blamed for wanting to draw a pretty figure over and over? 

Actually, it was a surprise Scott had been entertaining him for this long. He should’ve been called to do more work by now, but it didn’t look like a priority for him. His other workers seemed to have it covered.

Scott cooed, a blush rising to his face, “You’re sweet. I’ll get it back for you, promise.” Martyn shook his head. He could do it. Sure, he’d hate having to confront them, but it was his sketchbook. Scott shouldn’t be the one covering for him on that. The blame was on Martyn for forgetting to close his bag properly.

Scott didn’t budge. His eyes narrowed, “They make you uncomfortable, Martyn. Let me do this.” He raised an eyebrow, gently tapping Martyn’s shoulder, “Let’s just call this an ‘I owe you’ kind of deal. So you’ll owe me a favor.”

Martyn could sense something stirring in Scott’s head. A deal sounded interesting to say the least, especially from Scott, “What kind of deal would it be, then?”

“I don’t know, maybe something…” Scott glanced at the ceiling, his voice trailing off. Martyn leaned in and Scott smirked, “...special, for the two of us. What do you think?”

“Deal.”

Martyn had never agreed to anything faster than that.

Scott giggled, but his eyes landed on the door as it swung open. “Good– ah, just in time. Your hunter is right here, mostly in the right headspace.” Who was he talking to– oh. 

Martyn looked behind him to see Grian and Joel, glancing between him and Scott. Martyn gave them a small wave.

Joel’s eyes widened as he looked at Martyn, “Scott, did you give him alcohol?” Scott technically didn’t give Martyn alcohol, at least he thinks so. Martyn asked for it, Scott shouldn’t take the blame for it.

Scott shrugged, “Only a little. He needed to loosen up a bit.” He raised his hands up to his chest, “Entirely on me and free of charge, don’t worry about it.” 

If Martyn wasn’t such a lightweight, maybe he would’ve been able to drink a little more…. Didn’t he hate the taste of alcohol? The burning feeling sucked, but spending time with Scott made it oh so delicious and addicting.

Grian nudged Martyn’s shoulder, chuckling, “Don’t say anything stupid when we’re at the castle, Martyn.” Grian looked at Scott and smiled. Martyn didn’t know much of Grian and Scott’s relationship, but Grian would sometimes drink, if not for fun, then…. 

There are so many things not to think about.

Grian waved at the tavernkeep, “We’ll see you around, Scott. It was good to see you again.”

Scott nodded in response. Grian and Joel each held one of Martyn’s shoulders as they brought him out. “You two as well,” Scott called after them, “Safe travels!” Martyn looked back to see Scott waving at them, a grin forming over his face as he winked. Martyn blushed, smiling back. Oh, he had missed Scott. He had missed him a lot.

[atthebell]

Words: 1018 Fandom: QSMP Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Rafael Lange | Cellbit/Roier, Rafael Lange | Cellbit & Richarlyson (QSMP) & Roier (Video Blogging RPF) Characters: Rafael Lange | Cellbit, Roier Additional Tags: Domestic Fluff, Pillow & Blanket Forts, Literal Sleeping Together Summary:

Roier climbs the stairs, winding upwards until they reach the bedroom, and he tosses Cellbit onto the bed before pulling the blanket off gently, letting him adjust to the light again. “Time for a slumber party!” He cheers, and Cellbit sees two pairs of pajamas laid out at the end of the bed, every pillow they own piled beside him, and sheets set aside to make a blanket fort. “Guapito, what is this?” He murmurs, tempted already to sink into the mattress. He hadn’t realized how tired he was, caught up in his latest leads, and now he wants more than anything to bury his face in Roier’s neck and pass out. “You’re working yourself to death again,” Roier mutters, tossing his pajamas at him and stripping himself. “So I’m making you take a break, AND have fun. Richas is supposed to be here soon, he was helping Bad with some project.”

spiderbit blanket fort cuddling for @lost-kestrel for @mcytblrholidayexchange!