#sleepytrolls

[thestarlightbrigade]

Sprite set for @sleepytrolls of their troll Mickii!! (My beloved... teehee)

I love him your honor.

[sasster]

How would dem feel about going to the ball with dia to just eat food and ruin things

“Wouldn’t that be a hell of a place for her to meet my kismesis for the first time.”

[hubbery]

Reverence

Title: Reverence Characters: Inezra Thamus, Dialus Bolrik POV Character: Dialus Bolrik POV: First Person, Present Tense Originally written in 2018 for @sleepytrolls. Content edited.

—

I wonder how she works.

I wonder what the underlying reasons for her actions are. I wonder why she smiles at me, teeth sharp but expression at odds with that display. Her expression is soft, the corners of her eyes divided into the smallest of wrinkles. It doesn't take me long to realize I'm taken with her.

It takes less time to catalog all the ways she's captured my attention, my love for her, and sent me falling down a hole I won't (can't, and don't) want to pull myself back up from.

i. Her music ii. Her movement iii. The quirk of her mouth iv. The snap of her wrist v. Her love for me

i.

She plays songs less for me and more for me to hear. She sits with her feet on the coffee table, fingering strings that will snap the next time she plays in anger. Her music is the only language she knows how to speak, and she speaks it well. She doesn't sit with the posture she should, back hunched as she plays chords I can only guess at, but that's part of how she plays.

My only guess is that sitting straight hurts when you never learned how to play the proper way—when you've never learned how to express yourself without contorting yourself and your feelings into odd shapes.

I know that beneath her shirt, on the arch of her back, are marks I've left. She gives me a mixtape the week after we play our first song.

ii.

I watch the way she walks with interest. She has a wide gait, slightly swaying shoulders, and a self-assured look that's only a small gateway to her inner confidence. I know the falter in her step when she's tired, the stiffness in her back from working all night, and the rhythm of her steps up the stairs she'd kissed me on. It wasn't the first time.

iii.

She smiles at me like I'm only a sweep younger. She smiles at me like I know all the secrets to the universe, like what I'd said was the funniest thing she'd heard all week. She smiled at me like she loved me, and it took me too long to realize that the feeling in my chest was the same I'd gotten when she'd played for me. She doesn't smile often, not with feeling.

iv.

She fights the same way she plays music, without pause and with a visceral quality that reveals her feelings. She never fights me how I see her fight others. She doesn't want to break me. She leaves her bite to her words and I leave mine on her flesh.

I'd asked for it the first time I'd met her and I hadn't known just who I was getting involved with; what kind of troll looked back at me over the blaze of a cigarette and tired eyes. Now I know it was the kind of person who could love me like she loved feelings she didn't have a name for.

(The first time we fought I screamed at her. I don't understand it. I don't understand her. I don't understand why she makes me feel this way, why she doesn't yell back, why she smiles, why the expression on her face and the emotions hidden in her eyes stops my heart in my chest. Why I stormed out.

For once in her life she leaves me be.)

v.

She loved me in stages, and she revealed parts of herself to me in the form of memories and friends, mix tapes and yellowing pictures, song lyrics and notes hurriedly scribbled on the backs of napkins. She loves me like she loves the way I make her feel. She loves me in the way she hesitates to hold my hand, to have her skin touch mine, to let the three words that stutter and stop in her throat reach my ears.

I know she loves me, and I know I love her, maybe more than I should.

Her world is a machine I want to take apart and understand. I want to know the pieces of her life as intimately as I know the marks on her skin and her emotions based on the sound of her voice; as intimately as the sound of her playing a song just for me.

[sleepytroll]

☽ ✧ Grit ✧ ☾

| Commission Info

[keeponsmilodon]

portrait for @sleepytroll of their character Faline.

[ace--of--swords]

Behold!

Created for the Gayze by command from @sleepytrolls ,

Has been awesome working with you again!

Comissions

[scumscuttlers]

A really normal person who is just an asshole.

— @coralcalypso describing my character, 2024.

Inezra as a character has been around since 7/28/2014. She doesn't have a super long history though because most of what I did have was lost to hard drive failure. So, lol. I ended up reconstructing things pre-2018, and have been trying to flesh her out by interacting with more people.

If you're curious what writing I'm referencing, her writing tag is over here.

Personality

Inez is obsessive. This isn't always a negative.

Inez is too smart for her own good and frequently thinks herself into knots (as evidenced from some of the conversations and interactions in recent / old stories). She is absolutely yanking on people's chain when she pretends to not know or understand some things. Key word: Some. Somewhat at odds with the brawns over brains presentation she has. It's easier not to think about things. Imagine how happy you would be if you stopped thinking too. (She's still not happy.)

That said, she's also allergic to being honest about herself and her feelings. She doesn't lie out of habit. It's more likely she'll omit information or deflect by making a joke. This makes it easier to slip in actual requests for information. You just never know if she's fucking with you or not.

Rarely does she reconsider whatever she thinks the "best" option is. Gleaned from Dialus' perspective in old writing and conversations with my friend @sleepytrolls.

She has a kneejerk reaction to new information, but will also keep asking for details until she's satisfied that she knows enough about it. She's then incredibly likely to turn around and make fun of your character for their perspective. This makes her not fun to talk to. She knows this. She also doesn't care (most of the time).

Has a penchant for violence that's hereditary and probably in part caused by brain damage. From all the concussions, your honor. She has poor emotional regulation normally. She also does not have a moirail or very many trolls willing to put up with her, so this is just bad soup. She's gotten better but not better fast enough.

She has standards and a conscience even if she goes to great lengths to pretend she doesn't. There are absolutely lines she won't cross and she's sensitive to people not being receptive to her bitching, but that's new. Notably, times in the watch party chats when she's switched tack mid conversation based on someone's responses. You won't catch her apologizing though.

She tries to tone down her assholery depending on the person, or tailor it specificly to them to make their day worse. It depends.

Likes

Fighting. As 5lux put it, Inezra was hatched to hate. She doesn't need much reason to fight people and will go so far as to injure herself to get another lick in during those fights. There's something going on up there in her pan. Don't ask what it is.

Being a dick. This is just a precursor to fighting. She doesn't really do blackrom or she'd be in a quad with the whole world. If you hate her she likes you.

A cool cigarette to ease the pain.

Reading, but only sometimes, and she doesn't like most contemporary writing.

You'd think music would belong in this list but it doesn't. No I won't be elaborating on that right now.

Quirks

You can earn her honesty. Ways this has been done so far includes: fighting her and making it fun, having a spine, making her laugh, or being upfront about feelings (that last one doesn't always work). This is usually only for a limited time. You get one glimpse into her functioning troll brain. Just one.

She smokes. A lot. If she were normal she would probably have had two types of lung cancer by now, but she's suspiciously okay.

Whatever

Stuff that doesn't have a specific place to go yet.

Inezra doesn't relate to anyone in her age group. She finds it very strange how Sefoni & co (how she mentally refers to that entire extended friend group) seem wrapped up in other alien's cultures. It's somewhat alienating to be the only "real" troll, which as we all know is a feeling normal people react to with anger. 😀 (She's not actually normal.)

She actually did dodge the draft. That piece of trivia isn't punk posing and will probably catch up to her at some point.

The game doesn't exist in her universe. Every time she sees somebody talk about the game and adjacent topics she thinks they're taking FLARPing too far. It's the cognitive dissonance for me.

Thanks for making it this far. Maybe I'll vomit words again soon.

[maritimemelancholy]

happy life day

throws a puck at you

Let's fuckin GOOOO

[thestarlightbrigade]

Their ball outfits be like. do you think they're fuckin CUTE TOGETHER OUGH

@sleepytrolls

[sasster]

Dia popping by the bar in no costume "Do you want the trick or the treat first?"

“Here I thought the trick was having to see that mug of yours.”

>Dia’s treat is a BIG HUG squeeze. Not like he likes or her anything.

[hubbery]

runtime.

Title: runtime. Characters: Inezra Thamus, Dialus Bolrik, Glynne Cacein (Mentioned) POV Character: Multiple Characters POV: Mixed POV, Mixed Tenses Written 2023 in collaboration with @sleepytrolls. Continuation of message begins.

=====> DIALUS: RESPOND?

When Dialus returned hive for the day, their routine was the same. They doff their hat, chuck their bandana, and ignore the mud they’ve trekked in for at least a few minutes. Their palmhusk is charging and their husktop laid amongst a pile of papers filled with diagrams, some scratched out and others balled into so many wrinkled piles. Their husktop’s dim screen displayed a bright red, bordered window, cursor flashing every so often as the message awaited for a response.

Well, not the message. The troll that sent the message.

They slid papers aside to sit and hunkered down in front of the screen, fully prepared to close the window in favor of dealing with it tomorrow night. Except they stopped midway, eyes drawn to the handle on top of the screen, the voice file that broke up a block of text they cringed reading back to themselves.

-- standoffishMalaise [SM] sent a voice file! --

They hit play against their better judgment, their previous contentment replaced with an overwhelming sense of dread as the play button spun and the audio started seconds afterwards. Their bloodpusher was loud in their ears, roaring and drowning out whatever fleeting thoughts they may have had. They hunched forward, hands balling into fists they pressed against their thighs. They only needed to breathe. They would be fine. They were fine. 

Except they weren’t. Inezra had that effect on them before, sweeps ago now. She tore through their carefully put up defenses by showing fleeting moments of honesty, vulnerability, the troll beneath the bravado. Dialus pushed up from their awkward position on the floor, steadied themself by placing a hand on the wall and started walking a ring around their living block. In time their heartbeat matched their footsteps. Their breathing steadying, mental fog clearing, but their emotions didn’t fade. Their nails dug into their palms, vision swimming before they angrily swiped at their eyes.

Inezra’s message was still waiting for them when they sat down.

-- standoffishMalaise [SM] began trolling bastillesActuator [BA] at 18:07 --

SM: . Not sure if you didn't get the lined yellow paaper paad or if you don't feel like chaatting baack, but I waanted to see how you were doing SM: . & I waanted to heaar you I guess . Not for aany reaal reaason SM: . I tried to caall you before but the number waas disconnected . By the time I figured I should messaage you it aalwaays seemed like too much time haad paassed so I kept doing whaat I waas doing SM: . I don't waant aanything from you to be aabsolutely cleaar . Except to taalk, if you're up for it, & you don't haave to saay yes Just let me know

Dialus’s cursor kept flashing, taunting them until they finally responded with shaking fingers.

You're facetiming with Glynne when you get a notification. You’ve got your phone propped up against a half-empty bottle you didn’t feel like topping off, sharing your screen through your phone only because you know the low resolution is annoying. Glynne is begging you not to purchase an outlandish piece of furniture you have in your cart when her expression drops, and with it your attention turns back to your husktop. You must look like broodmates in that moment.

Dialus’s response is staring you in the face.

BA: hey BA: long time no see i guess

The problem you think, as you click your jaw shut, is that you’re not sure you can read them anymore. It was awfully difficult even in person, but you’d had the time to figure it out. Now you don’t have time, you’re half drunk, and you don’t know where to begin. 

BA: is this important?

You take a deep breath, glancing back at your phone. Glynne’s disapproving gaze meets yours for but a fleeting moment, then she’s back to rolling her eyes. “Yeah,” You say aloud, answering Glynne’s unspoken question and the text. “It’s just small talk though. It’s important to me. Is that manipulative?” It’s honest, at least. Whether your sincerity comes through in your voice or expression doesn’t matter. The answer you got would probably be the same.

Glynne’s response comes after a short delay. “So long as you mean it.”

You sigh, and with the support of your intergalactic wingtroll start typing away, leg bouncing against the bottom rung of the barstool you’re sitting on.

SM: . It's importaant to me SM: . but it's not like I haave aanything serious to taalk aabout . I reaally did waant to see how you were doing

You purposefully don’t include any further apologies in your message. They never read well over text, and you don’t want Dialus thinking you’re just trying to butter them up.

SM: ? & caatch up I guess BA: why would you w4nt to t4lk to me

Your expression sours, leg bouncing slowing until you're sitting still again. What do you say aside from the obvious? You want to talk because you're sorry? Because you miss them? Because you gave them an ultimatum and fully believed you were right and you regret it? You've got a million and one contradictions floating around in your pan, multitudes of messages you type and delete with Glynne's silent encouragement, and the whole time you're wishing you had her way with words.

Whatever. Gods, honestly. Whatever. You backspace another paragraph, fingers flying across the keys. You can get to the crux of the issue.

SM: . becaause I waant to get to know you aagaain SM: . if you're willing to thaat is

Another time you’d have put a joke at the end, some last ditch attempt at humor to make being honest with yourself go over a little smoother. 

SM:  . aas friends, or aacquaaintaances . I'm not trying to spring something on you BA: this is sudden you know BA: trying to work b4ck into my life

You don’t have any way of knowing what effect your words have. The fact they didn’t immediately block you would be telling if it were something you wanted to take advantage of, but you’re not trying to push. You’ve got a manageable obsession with trying to right your wrongs so you don’t regret it for the rest of your incredibly long life.  Dialus has anger to fuel them. Sweeps of being knocked aside and left behind. Sweeps of wondering if things turned out the way it did because of them. Not that you have any way of knowing that. Just like you have no way of knowing that they’re counting now, doing their best to entertain this conversation against everything in their body telling them no.

BA: im not re4lly in 4 position to give 4w4y where i 4m 4t the moment SM: . You haave my haandle & I haave yours . You don't need to up & give me your aaddress so we caan taalk

You think for a moment, drumming your fingers on the laminate. After a while you admit the obvious.

SM: . It waas aa spur of the moment kind of thing SM: . I'd thought aabout it plenty before though, just didn't think you'd aappreciaate it

They probably don’t appreciate it now, but that comes to you after you examine your own discomfort. You’ve been staring at your screen for a while now, cheek pressed against your calloused palm and mumbling back and forth with Glynne as she picks your pan and you pick hers in turn. It reminds you of when you were getting schoolfed and had less pressing problems like grades and extracutriculars. Interpersonal problems weren’t something you had to deal with often. Too many superficial relationships with trolls you only shared classes and breezeblocks with.

SM: . I'll give you some spaace to think aabout it

[hornedpandeiros]

GUNDAM FIGHT! READY, GO!!

[kaztrolls]

"Im here to protect you!" - Fest to Yam

“I sincerely doubt that,” you say as you ruffle her hair. “But it’s a cute thought nonetheless.”

[missiodei]

ok breakfast/sydney bc i love them. 9, 12, 34, 46, annnddd 77.

9. Is confidence cute?

☽It can be, certainly. Sometimes it can be too much. I think I found the right fuckin balance if you ask me.☾

12. Do you own a pair of skinny jeans?

☽Yeah I do and I look damn good in them.☾

34. Listening to?

☽This.☾

46. Did you talk to someone until you fell asleep last night?

☽Yeah, Bou. I do this frequently. I talked to Yufi too but he was just begging me to come over. ☾

77. Ever been in love?

☽Yeah, a few times. You win some you lose some.☾

[solaredarisen]

its gold and we know it!

Still 10x better than figuring out what pun "Horticulture" is

[trollplaying]

Here’s some Grave Flowers headcanons hot off the presses because me and sleeps have been gushing about the dainty wives again:

They commute via a train station not far from their forest

They ride it together when going on shopping trips: attire on these says include lace gloves, fancy/sun hats, totes, and a lunch they’ve prepared for one another

Atro picks up anything Pes wants to look at while shopping so she doesn’t have to touch it, then makes sure to scrub her hands clean before touching Pesley at all

Pes buys her wife fancy bottles for her poisons (which Atro has a special case for them to make sure they’re secure)

They enjoy making new vegan recipes together, or just making new recipes vegan

Atro makes sure to mark anything that isn’t vegan in the kitchen so Pes doesn’t eat/use it on accident

She also refrains from making anything that isn’t vegan when Pesley is home

They are both incredibly soft for one another