#smile through the tears

[ash-wolf-runner]

Me at work trying very hard to be an emotionally stable adult about the not great feedback.

[tenth-sentence]

The Damsel smiled through her tears as they separated.

"Incarnations of Immortality: Bearing an Hourglass" - Piers Anthony

[hinamie]

matching eye horror for u and ur back-from-the-dead bestie <333

[dragondawdles]

THE brothers

[dailysigma]

sigma has been asleep for all of 2024! 🎉🎉

(he will wake up in 2025 TRUST)

[slutforpringles]

"If that point becomes crucial, I know Max is a good man, he'll do right by me and he'll get me a nice christmas present." 🫶🏻😭

[kizzer55555]

Welcome to the Restraint! (Restaurant)

Imagine Danny runs to Gotham and starts squatting in an abandoned old building in Crime Alley. Slowly putting some ecto into the place to claim it as his haunt (while recovering from the sudden loss of his old one). And he does the normal stuff to survive. Finds some odd jobs, often as a messenger, and is just surviving. Another thing he does is make his own food. It’s cheaper than takeout and he’s gotten pretty good at cooking (out of necessity instead of eating sentient hotdogs). Then he ends up accidentally taking in some street kids. Or more like they follow him home. He can’t just turn them away so he makes a meal for them and lets them stay the night then sends them on their way. And then it happens again. And again. And ok, so maybe he saved a girl from getting molested. And that older guy from getting his only good blanket stolen. And sure, maybe letting that poor pizza delivery guy rant was unnecessary but he looked like he was having a bad day ok? Pretty sure that kid with the scar is a meta too but…he needed a place to stay a few nights alright? It’s not like any of them stay permanently. Danny’s started picking up a few more odd jobs to pay for all the extra food he’s had to buy. Always keeping his place stocked. At least he doesn’t have to pay for water and a fridge, he just makes some ice (or melts it). Sure the water is cold, but it’s probbaly the cleanest water in Gotham. And then some of the people start paying. Like…actually paying in exchange for food. Not sure if it’s because of guilt or pity but Danny won’t look a gift horse in the mouth. And with all the money, he hasn’t had to take as many dangerous jobs. Soon, his little abandoned apartment became what’s essentially the closest thing to a legitimate restaurant in Crime Alley.

It didn’t look normal. The chairs and tables were more like old couches and stools pulled up to coffee tables and cabinets turned on their side. Although with the bulling becoming more like Danny’s haunt, the walls naturally started repairing themselves so at least it didn’t look like it was gonna collapse anymore. And ok…so Danny might have rescued a few feral kids who…weirdly have gold eyes. And possibly stopped a meta trafficking ring on accident. And look, these people didn’t have anywhere to go! And the apartment did have empty rooms. It was already known as a place someone could crash for the night (last winter the entire place was cramped with people. Danny had to break up multiple fights but they usually calmed down when he got there.)

One benefit from controlling a haunt is controlling the temperature inside so it was one of the only buildings with ‘heat’. But back to his…strays. So yeah…most didn’t seem like they could rejoin society…so he let them stay. And…they kind of became employees? Impromptu bodyguards? (Some of the golden eyed people almost felt like he was rangling feral ghosts again.) they came in all ages. A few kids, lots of teens, and a few adults. Same with the metas he rescued. They mostly helped deliver food to costumers. They even got a phone line working and could take orders. (Although the new…employees…also got more protective whenever a fight broke out.) With all the extra money he’s been getting he was even able to afford some medical supplies. A lot of his customers(?) came in injured and he tried his best to patch them up but now he could do more than tie some ripped clothing around the wound and use ice to numb it. He’s got bandages. And pain killers. Plus other medical stuff. He can even give someone stickers now! All that experience as an injured vigilante was paying off. Even Villains and goons start attending this place. The place was unofficially designated as one of the Alley’s ‘safe zones’ where no fighting takes place inside (the body guards make sure of it.) the metas and Talons are getting an identity for themselves, the street kids even get a job and a hideout, random people can go there for help or to pass messages, this place provides food, shelter, and medical care. No one wants it going down.

So yeah, welcome to the restaurant!

(I’m debating whether I want this to be the weirdest restaurant/safe place/truce area in the alley, or whether I want Danny to accidentally become a crime lord. Possibly both.)

Also, this place is called the Restraint because I keep misspelling Restaurant and I think Danny would do the same so the name stuck. (Or one of the kids spelled it when making a sign or passing around messages to spread the word of this safe place.)

So anyways, to add some angst, after Danny adopts a bunch of crime alley kids/villains they find out about Danny’s powers and that he’s a ghost, only they don’t know about Halfas so they think Danny is fully dead and this super kind guy who has been the only person to ever treat them like people…died. He died likely a long time ago and there’s nothing any of them can do to change that.

(And if the GIW dare to come into the alley, they better be prepared for the entire place to turn on them.)

[khaoala]

Don't get on people's nerves. Stay alive and come out of there in one piece.

What? I've got way more mellow since I met you, you know?

FIRST KANAPHAN as KANT PATTANAWAT and KHAOTUNG THANAWAT as BISON episode 11 of THE HEART KILLERS

[nolongerapileofashprobably]

How am I supposed to cope with the fact that it is HEAVILY IMPLIED if not practically canon that Link and Zelda lived together post botw

Link can still sleep in the bed.

The table is set for two 🥹

Zelda had to have a separate room built for ‘privacy’ and Link’s hair tie and is found there. Why would she need privacy if she lived alone? Plus having to hide his new champions tunic in the throne room??? Can’t hide it in the house if they both live there

Zelda even states that Link hasn’t left her side since they were reunited 🥹 kill me I’m so fucking emotional about this

It’s referred to as ‘Zelda’s house’ but in Japanese I believe in her diary she just calls it ‘the house’ (again, I’m not positive but localizations have applied ownership where the Japanese version lacks it)

Symin says “oh! You’re back in town, link!” And then “if you’re here alone then Princess Zelda must still be missing” which implies Link does still live there and that he’s literally always with Zelda (which we been knew)

Remember that while the side quest for the house was optional, it would have been torn down if Link didn’t buy it. It’s still there. So it’s safe to assume that canonically, Link did the majority if not all the side quests in botw.

Like fuck this I’m so fucking upset Link spent years by Zelda’s side, is referred to as an ADULT, and now they’re separated AGAIN. I’m. Im fucking emotional. This is everything I wanted from the sequel which is a pretty clear indication that zelink are together like what the fuck Nintendo. What the fuck.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

In Regards To Your 2024 Summary:

Holy shit it’s been another year????? The hell?????

Also! Your art style is gorgeous and that being found in 2023 and then refined throughout late 2023 and the entirety of 2024 really shows, as does your growth in panel layouts, perspective, and — as you said — experimentation. If you ever post your animation or video game art I’m looking forward to it.

As cheesy as it sounds, being able to laugh at funny comics and look at all the details of your art really made my 2024 brighter, even when things were hard. Including looking at your older art— it doesn’t need to be new to be enjoyable! I’m glad your art is well loved and it’s a privilege to have been here since the (near) beginning. I hope you take care of yourself in 2025 and beyond!

You and your art bring a lot of people a lot of joy never forget that <3

Thank you so much for keeping up with my art journey throughout these last two years! Two years!!! I am baffled at how that feels both too long and too short!

Admittedly, my art summary didn't manage to capture the fact that I did a lot of comic layouts that I'm really proud of. I also drew more backgrounds and made some very detailed works (*Dungeon Meshi spoilers for these examples*).

The growth is lot more evident when comparing my 'best' comics of 2023 to 2024:

Sometimes the growth is vertical, sometimes it is horizontal - and damn, sometimes it goes out of sight into the Z-plane. But it is always happening!

[buckleyseddie]

eddie hugging karen when they're trying to bring denny back. oh sweetheart

[kibby-reaper]

elbie is... a frail victorian child

- mod kibby

[brianskangs]

young k, you're doing really great and i'm thankful for you 🥹🥹🥹

[leclercskiesahead]

🥹 carlitos

by callo albanese

[lurkinginnernarrator]

in the spirit of thanksgiving

Cang Qiong should have an age old traditional feast.

Depending on who you ask:

It's great. Food, wine, the people you grew up next to and fought side-by-side with. The disciples you've raised.

It's terrible. Awkward small talk, other people's insane opinions (think modern day politics and stuff but xianxia), the adult versions of your fellow disciples(cousins) who either you bullied, or they bullied you, your terrible first kiss, AND those brats you have to teach/the one teacher that just hates you

(Shang Qinghua hates this feast. So, so much. Drunk peak lords, drunk hallmasters, drunk disciples. )

And there's dancing. It's great. It's terrible. All depending on who you ask.

Shen Yuan's first feast makes him dislike them. Between the distance acting as Shen Qingqiu puts between him and everyone else, and the empty void he feels in his ribcage it's not the best. He won't even think or acknowledge it, but it's there.

The feast reminds him of the family dinners from when he was younger.

But there isn't a Shen-mei to lean over to and show stupid memes, there isn't an Er-ge to gossip with, and there isn't a Da-ge to have a late night meaningful conversation with that sticks with you for the rest of your life.

Instead it's a bunch of strangers.

He doesn't actually know them. At all.

To everyone but him, these are the people who they've lived next to for years, shared meals, little joys and burdens, the monotony and life-changing events. Inside jokes and ribbing about choices you made as a teenager.

To him, it's the same as having a meal alone in a bustling restaurant: It's warm, full of laughter and gentle smiles, jokes and stories. And there he is; standing alone.

What's worse? To be completely unknown, or for people to believe they know you, and know your shared history, and be wrong. To have no-one acknowledge you at all, or to be held accountable for actions that are not your own?

As soon as it's socially acceptable to leave, he does so. He shoos all of his little disciples away, telling them to enjoy the festivities.

He comes home to an empty, cold house. At least it's quiet.

(The next feast is bearable. What makes it good is he and Airplane retreat back to the bamboo house together and get blackout drunk. They laugh, they cry, they dance (and sing but they don't remember that.). )

[highdefinitions]

happy birthday mouse