#starling knight

[rotting-ink]

Starling Knight- Burial At Sea

They hated the ocean. It was impossible for them to tell how much time had passed, even though they knew they were supposed to look at the stars and... Guess? The only thing that warned them of the passage of time was the increasing worry on the Captain's face, and the number of ship hands being confined to quarters.

That, and the amount of times Starling would overheard the Captain and their mother arguing, as they sat outside their shared room. Going from reassuring words to near shouting matches, only quietened whenever their mother would burst into tears, sobbing and unable to stop the wretched, painful breaths she had to take. But, even behind doors, they understood. 

Their father had been dead for 6 weeks. For 3 of those weeks, they had been at sea. For a week, there had been signs of plague on board, particularly in the cargo hold. Where their father had lay, stiff, his own coffin side by side to another corpse. Someone’s niece who flung herself off a building at the prospect of an arranged marriage and her remains was being shipped back, her head in a different box to her body. 

The uncle had already happily agreed to toss her own corpse to the sea, after a small service. Starling’s mother was the one who was refusing to have her husband buried in the water. Starling privately thought that he’d have preferred to be buried at home. Their actual home. They already had a burial plot ready, a family mausoleum just outside their house. He wasn’t supposed to be being shipped back to England, to the family he willingly left behind, the people he made sure would never meet Starling. But they had nothing. But they did have something. 

Starling had watched other women in Egypt bury their husbands, and carry on. Ones with no family except a few children, taking over businesses, becoming the heads of their family. Their own mother wasn’t apparently able to fathom it. No, she had written home to the family she married into, and got a response back. They were sad that Andras was dead. They would love for her to come back and be with the family. They were excited to meet Starling. 

And now here they were, standing by the man who would have wanted to be buried underneath the dark dirt and soft sand, surrounded by the people he made his own family. But then again, as Starling was slowly coming to accept, life was cruel. He wasn’t supposed to die. It was before his time. Their cousin's father died only when she turned 45. Starling was just 15. They were supposed to have at least three more decades. 

If life was good, if being alive was fair, then their father wouldn’t have had a fit, standing among the oranges he was so proud of. He would have been found instantly, instead of hours later. He’d have survived. 

If not that, then he’d be buried at their home. Then their mother would take over. She knew how to. Starling knew how to. They’d carry on selling fruits, they’d carry on watching Starling discover that the world bent to the wills of their fingers, helping life bloom. Helping death shrivel. 

But no. Worst of all, Starling couldn’t get mad at the world for the fact that they had wrapped their father in a shroud made from bed linens. Nor that they knew this was the safest way. They’d seen plague victims. 

They could either hold onto their father and die with him before they ever reached the shores of England. Or let his body go now, and reach their new life… Alive. And nothing else. Just alive. 

So, as their mother wailed, uncaring of the eyes of the boat hands staring at the disgusting display, half of them horrified at the sight of this woman, undone, the other half pitying. Starling endured the stares. They already knew it would get worse when they arrived at their relatives. A part of them felt guilty, for being so selfish and thinking of the future, even when half of them mourned him. 

Starling was selfish, they decided. Starling was watching their father being hefted up, wrapped shoddily in borrowed fabric, to be lowered into cold, gray waters, and while half of them cried out, the other half shook in terror. Of what was to come. 

They were one of Osiris’ Followers in Egypt. Once a week they had gone to spend the whole day with the others with their abilities, to be taught, to be taken care of, to be reassured that their power was a blessing, of Old, but also of New. They’d see other classes in passing, as they walked through the halls of tile and stone. People urging plants to grow, helpers of Renenutet, people who could shape light, illusions, Lovers of Khonsu. Creators of Geb, Nut, Tefnut, Wadjet all showed newcomers their control over the elements. Guardians would let blood flow down their arms, to form crystallized weapons in their palms. 

There were also those, who willingly wielded the powers of Apep, to reinforce Ma’at. Seen as the most powerful, most of these Wielders came forward, to reveal Apep’s influence had come to them, and all would be taken in, creatures hanging off their clothes or curled around them, eyes staring and flicking around. They even talked to one of these creatures. It was perfectly polite.  

Starling’s mother always quietly scoffed at what Starling was taught and would come home with. She often talked about how it was a shame that the Kingdom was forced from the shores of Egypt, taking with the teachings of the Basilica, the power, the culture that the country needed. It was the only thing their parents fought about. Their father happily lived in Egypt before going to marry their mother, watching as they purged every influence from the hold the small island had over them, including reintroducing their old beliefs, to wash out the ones imposed. 

They privately agreed with their father. 

Because of what was to come for them now. They knew that it wouldn’t be long before their relatives would send them off to the Scholars and Keepers of the Basilica, to be Tagged, to be forced to unlearn how they saw the world. They already knew that the Sirelings of the Gods were known as Witches, people to be hidden away or used. They knew that instead of learning in cool rooms, side by side with other children, they’d be confined to the classroom. Then the workplace, if they didn’t want to study. 

So, as they watched their father sink down, swallowed by dark waters, their mother hanging onto their shoulder and sobbing, they wished they could sink wholly into their grief. To think of nothing but their father, lost to an abyss of wet waters, instead of themself.

Their mother was eventually escorted back to her room, to be given tea and made to sleep. The Captain, however, put a hand on Starling’s shoulder and escorted them to his cabin. He prepared an opium pipe, as he talked about his condolences, explaining, again, that he wished there was another way, but the threat of plague was simply too great. 

Then he pulled on the pipe. His eyes glazed. He offered it to Starling. 

They took a moment… Then put it to their lips. 

Years later, when interrogated by their Handler, the one who personally branded Starling upon their arrival to the Conservatory of Natural Research and Sciences, about their use of Opium and other “Instruments of Excess”, they might have admitted that they shouldn’t have taken that first taste. Shouldn’t have let the haze sink over them, to dull the edges that pierced and cut their insides. They enjoyed a nice evening, getting to talk about their father without the pain in their heart, drinking bad beer and listening to tales of the Sea, how the Captain was sure that something lurked in the deep. 

That night was the best sleep they had since their father’s death, curled up on their bunk as their mother cried, even in her sleep. 

Maybe they shouldn’t have become so reliant on it, their own personal escape made from poppies, but then again, maybe their father shouldn’t have died, choking on his own breath, among his oranges. Life was unfair. Starling had learnt how to deal with it. 

[deaddovedandelion]

Uncrossable Bridge

authors note: hiiii im insane about starling and z from @rotting-ink s game so bad, i did a small sorta vent but also deeply in love piece 4 them and im scraping together more writing 2 put on here because i have decided i am writing all my insane thoughts down now word count: 444 words (shes short but i like her)

How do you love someone that's across a bridge that's been destroyed? 

How do you tell them that the mere thought of them makes you want to throw yourself into the rapids below and risk death just for a chance to see them?

How do I tell Starling that the invisible wall between us makes me want to throw myself at it until it's red with my blood and my nails are gone from how I've clawed at it?

How do I tell my beloved reaper that the lack of life between us makes me want to claw myself from the inside out just to be with them? 

How do I love someone when I feel a wall? See an uncross-able obstacle? How do I love them? How do I finally cross the gap and sink into them? How do I make them a bridge to come and consume me whole? 

When Starling works and I watch from my seat near their desk, the look in their eyes as they tend to a body makes them seem like wisps of smoke. Like they'll drift away into the night sky never to be seen again if I dare to look away. When they watch me with a glint in their eyes as they study me, I see a pane of glass between us that makes me want to love them more. 

When Z is with me out in a crowd, I can't take my eyes away because I'm the only one that can see them. I fear what will happen if I look away, and somehow that makes me heart beat faster in hopes of finally giving out so I can be with them forever. 

When I sit with them in Starling's home, in front of the fireplace, watching them hold one another while I tuck myself into a corner of the couch with a drink in hand, I imagine the fire consuming all three of us so we can become smoke that drifts away together. When we speak about our days, our weeks, our months, our pasts, our futures, I imagine carving everything they say onto my skin so that when the gap grows too wide, I will be a memoir to them. 

I see Z stand in the graveyard, watching a recently placed headstone and I want that headstone to have my name on it. I see Starling tend to a body in the morgue with so much love and care, I wish that corpse was me so that I may know that sweet love reserved for the dead. 

How do I love them when they have crossed a line I can't cross?

[sailorstarr-chan4]

Anime Titles Summarized (Poorly)

Vampire Knight: *insert Twilight joke here* Ouran High School Host Club: *small child voice* There's debauchery here! Sailor Moon: Everyone's bi. No, I mean it. EVERYONE. Clannad: I'm not crying yOU'RE CRYING Your Lie in April: Mommy Issues & Lots of Tissues Fruits Basket: MOMMY ISSUES ON STEROIDS Yuri on Ice: Sexy gay figure skating Sk8 the Infinity: Sexy gay skate-boarding Blue Exorcist: "[Satan] may have been your father, but he wasn't your daddy." FullMetal Alchemist: Family is your best ally Trigun: Family is your worst enemy Kaguya-sama Love is War: Idiots to Lovers the anime The Ancient Magus Bride: What if a monsterfucker romance was also Ace? Violet Evergarden: Gorgeously animated ✨TRAUMA✨ Made in Abyss: Adorably animated ✨TRAUMA✨ Madoka Magica: *Admiral Ackbar voice* IT'S A TRAP! My Hero Academia: X-Men alternative universe where mutants are the majority of the population Yu Yu Hakusho: Yusuke came here to chew bubble gum and kick ass. And he's all out of bubble gum. Inuyasha: Time travel, youkai, and jewel shards, oh my! Ranma 1/2: The original bisexual harem Urusei Yatsura: Crack. Just pure, unadulterated alien crack. MAO: Feral Catgirl x Tired Catboy Tokyo Mew Mew: Cute girl fursonas are named after food Shugo Chara!: His Dark Materials magical girl!AU Kamisama Kiss: The How to Train Your Dragon of shoujo Noragami: Girl adopts homeless god Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle: Eat your heart out, Doctor Who Skip-Beat!: Eat your heart out, slow burn fanfiction Kiss Him Not Me: Losing weight = gaining a harem Baccano!: Murders on the Immortal Mafia Express Cowboy Bebop: Bounty hunters need therapy Attack on Titan: EVERYONE NEEDS THERAPY Alice in the Country of Hearts: The sexiest and unhealthiest escapism Cardcaptor Sakura: Beautiful gay representation, terrible Elephant in the Room Fushigi Yuugi: Look, when I said falling in love with a fictional character, I didn't mean that LITERALLY-- Angel Sanctuary: Mutual incest destroys the world as we know it Guilty Crown: Unrequited incest destroys the world as we know it Zombie Land Saga: The undead as cutesy idols. That's it. That's the show. Yurikuma Arashi: Lesbian bears Princess Tutu: Duck becomes ballerina

Part 2 Here!

[why-i-love-comics]

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #24 - "Birds of a Feather II" (2024)

written by Cody Ziglar art by Federico Vicentini & Bryan Valenza

[best-ducktales-episode]

ROUND #2

[schwarz-san]

Art for halfa Tim as Consilior Starling!

I did say I'm going to make art for it.

[michimonie]

Jim Starling reflecting on his actions, from "The Duck Knight", Darkwing and Negaduck colored versions. I was going to put more effort into coloring them, but I've been having a rough time recently. Maybe I'll come back to them in the future?

[comicwaren]

From Miles Morales: Spider-Man Vol. 2 #025, “Birds of a Feather: Part Three”

Main story by Cody Ziglar (W), Federico Vicentini and Bryan Valenza (A)

“Family Bitniz”, by Cody Ziglar (W), Federico Sabbatini and Bryan Valenza (A)

[heckcareoxytwit]

As Rabble is finally defeated by Miles Morales, things seem to be bittersweet. Agent Gao's team are back to their normal selves even though they are injured. Rabble is badly injured that she had to be taken to prison hospital. Miles Morales and his team are fine as well as Rhino leaves on good terms.

Shift the clone is alive but injured that he had to be taken to hospital. However, because of Shift's bad experience with the laboratory for being raised and abused in his life, he refused to be taken to hospital. Miles Morales decides that Shift has to go to a better place - his home. Thus, Miles Morales takes his clone brother to his house where he introduces Shift to his family. Miles' parents are shocked at the sight of the clone while his little sister recognizes Shift (since he saved her from Selim when she was a baby) and warms up to him.

Miles Morales: Spider-Man v2 #19, 2024

[missxaster]

Lollipop Chainsaw...

Yes, the game where "your girlfriend" is a sexy popular blonde cheerleader and everything that encompasses the stereotype of a blonde "Bimbo" girl in high school only she hides a little secret...

The girl is a zombie hunter and her family is also far from the character's plot, it really is a good game! Playing with some double meaning jokes (a lot) and various fashion aesthetics, iconic songs and musical styles that are given a certain musical "stereotype" I have played it again and it is very worth it ✨And each zombie is a musical style, plus certainly my favorite boss is "Mariska" Psychedelic Zombie.

I really enjoy the description of

"Bad Fashion Sense"

And really Mariska's lines

"sister Juliet brother Nick"

"Peace and Rot and HELL"

And the iconic song ...

Plus isn't it sweet that Juliet loved Nick even though he was a head! So cute this game has it all...

[rotting-ink]

Who's the biggest tease?

how would they handle the witch deliberately teasing/flirting with them, trying to rile them up?

L Rawlins- I feel like L is a very accidental tease. Doesn't even realise what they do to you at all. Either Luther's general ruggedness, rolling his sleeves up to show off muscular, scarred forearms, Loralei with her uncaring that she's wearing breeches and an open shirt, the way her eyes lazily scrutinize people before her. The way L dresses, showing more of their chest than they should. They don't realise it does things to you at all.

While, for themselves, they can take a lot of teasing but god, it builds up. Then they have to put you in your place, growling softly at you to stop being such a brat or they'll have to show you what happens to people who push them this far.

S Della Rovere- They're the master of teasing. Lives for it. Loves lingering touches as well as inappropriate ones. Doesn't do a long tease, they're happy to immediately put a hand on your thigh and slide it down to start exploring. They know how good they look and they really don't care about propriety

Teasing them? They're nearly impervious. They can take SO much teasing. But they might start whining if you carry on. You think you have the upper hand and then they pin you, whispering that they won't let you sleep at all.

Z Chambers- Legitimately doesn't think they can even tease a little bit. They're head to toe dressed in funeral attire, they're not showing a lot of skin at all! Very unaware of themselves, from their soft eyes, to their dexterous fingers. So, no, is unaware of why you're staring.

As for being teased, they would need a moment to realise that's what you're doing before becoming heated and must look away. Will go invisible but will start making sure you regret teasing them, as their ghostly touches drag along your sides.

V De Winters- They're fully aware that they're attractive but all their teasing seems to be done subconsciously. They just seem to adore touching you and then they have to sneak touches? In public? No wonder you're riled up. When aware, they love teasing so lovingly. Just fleeting touches, some quick kisses, but all things that would rile you up over time.

Oh, they can take being teased. In fact, they smile when they notice you teasing them. Going to take it in, watching with intrigued eyes as you tease them. Very good at keeping their calm, only to return all the energy back in private.

Seir- Average for both. Likes to tease you when you're busy, they're like a cat that wants attention and will drag their hands over you, mouthing at the back of your neck. That and they can take all teasing in stride.

Saleos- Their teasing is basically getting to show off their body to you, already knowing they're deeply, horrifically attractive. Low, purring words, whispering words, asking why dont you come over and play?

And they SEEM to take teasing well. They dont. They keep their composure and then they will ruin you in the grass on the way to a bed.

Starling Knight- Sorry but ehhhh. Neither. They dont tease on purpose, if you find them doing mundane things hot, honestly good on you. That and they're very firm for those subs out there.

And they won't realise ur teasing... So you have to crawl into their lap and whine for attention, that will do it.

A Lancaster- Doesn't tease a lot at all, just in general keep their hands to themself and then when you're alone, they LOVE touching you. And hey, if it turns sexual, that's on you, they're just admiring you. But they also know how hot they are. Likes to work out in front of you so you know exactly how good they look.

They get a look in their eye when you start teasing. Firmly grips your wrist and leans in to whisper if you're sure about starting this? Then going to have fun just watching you try and rile them up.

E Rawlins- They don't tease. They legitimately say whatever comes to mind, do whatever comes to mind and thats on you if you get horny from it, they're just doing whatever their horny brain says.

They CANNOT take any teasing. The moment you give them a look, or a smile, or a flash of skin, they're all over you. Their self restraint is below 0.

Quincy Beaumont- VERY good at teasing. From the dirty things they whisper, all veiled so politely, their outfits, easy to show off skin, their lingering touches, their eyes on you, everything. They live to tease.

They find any teasing quite amusing, as they are IMPOSSIBLE to break. Just finds it cute when you try.

D Woolf- BIG NO ON EVERYTHING. They cannot tease, they think they aren't able to tease or drum up any sexual feelings. They're just existing.

And they cannot take teasing either. While collapse in a heap and put their face in your stomach and whine. Please. Mercy.

[yami268]

Controversial Headcanon that's been rolling around in my brain for some time: Starling is Cyclonian.

[witchpuppies]

(via GIPHY)

[sailorstarr-chan4]

What does your fave Magical Girl series say about you?

Sailor Moon: You're 1000% a Basic Bitch and proud of it! This is also probably your first introduction to the concept of queerness and shipping. Cardcaptor Sakura: You hate dubbed anime. You also pretend the manga doesn't exist, and you're Multi-Ship Trash. Shugo Chara!: You had/still have a crush on Ikuto Tsukiyomi. Madoka Magica: Get help. Just.... get help. Tokyo Mew Mew: You definitely got your fetish from this series. Doesn't matter what it is; you got it here. Mermaid Melody: Your favorite Disney film was The Little Mermaid and you carried that into anime. Princess Tutu: You like your fairy tales like you like your men: Hot, Angsty, and Homoerotic. Revolutionary Girl Utena: This was your bisexual awakening and your introduction of becoming an anime "Snob." Yuki Yuna is a Hero: You're Gen Z or younger. Wedding Peach: You're tired of pretending that love and marriage isn't what you want, and really, who can blame you? Full Moon wo Sagshite: You love cancer stories and idol anime. It probably also awakened a few things in you... Magic Knight Rayearth: You have a thing for classic Good vs Evil, Rescuing a Damsel in Distress tropes, except you are ALSO a slut for soul-crushing angst. Plus, you die a little inside when people praise CLAMP's works, but never mention this gem. Little Witch Academia: Your first fandom was Harry Potter, your next fandom was Sailor Moon, so what better combination than this?! Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne: You went into it thinking it was like Sailor Moon, and stayed for the Lupin the Third vibes and religious discourse. Pretear: You 1000% make perverted jokes about this series. Iykyk.

(Add your own in the comments! This is all just for fun! ❤)

[why-i-love-comics]

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #17 - "Retribution" (2024)

written by Cody Ziglar art by Partha Pratim, Federico Sabbatini, & Bryan Valenza

[best-ducktales-episode]

ROUND #3