#tbh this is mostly for me

[areslikethegod]

friendly reminder that art is meant to be enjoyable. Striving to publish a high quantity of art on your blog shouldn't overshadow the goal of creating quality work

maybe take a break, take a breath and watch your favorite show again. it will be ok

[hopeandjoy9]

You know how I shared my ikesoren playlist forever ago? I thought I'd share my FFXIV playlist now though it's audience is, uh, just me.

Some background: some songs are for generic WoL, but my specific WoLs are a female Au Ra named Yukiko Shirogane and a male Viera named Freyr Cyfddydd. They are both reincarnations of Azem, as Freyr almost died when he was born, splitting his soul in two. Their relationship is ultimately that of "like brother and sister".

Main ship in the playlist is Freyr/G'raha (so, m!WoL/G'raha), Freyr/Haurchefant, and also some scattered Hythades references. The playlist order is roughly chroniclogical.

Adult Children - Kanzaki Iori (Freyr's backstory)

I wanted to be the same, too; I wanted to be born into a loving family We'd laugh together, say "It's great to be alive." Let this unchanging day end. Let this day where I can't change end.

2. Dernie Traveler’s Diary - PIPPO (all WoLs)

If I can simply go on like this, singing to myself, to keep myself smiling, then it’s all good, even if I can’t touch anyone else. As long as I can still see their hearts, I’m happy simply singing to myself, smiling, even if no one can feel me here.

3. Wonderland and the Sheep's Song - Hachi (all WoLs)

In the rain shelter of the candy shop, I awaited God's return So, shall we sing? The sheep's song! With that lantern in your hands, Illuminate everything, so like the sun...

4. Chignon Solider - seeeeecun (Freyr during ARR climax, with flashbacks to the fall of Dalmasca)

“Raise the flag of retaliation!” I cried. I’ve become an adult just so that, to the lives of humans, I can… That is your “atonement” to your mother. I will simply never stop believing that.

5. Flamingo - Kenshi Yonezu (ARR G'raha -> Freyr)

You're a fla-fla-fla-flamingo, A dazzling fla-fla-fla-flamingo You dance away, stumbling and laughing, never to return Only loneliness and jealousy remain Thanks for your business - treat me better next time...

6. Vampire - DECO*27 (Freyr -> Haurchefant)

You’re a vampire too It’s OK if you suck me up, go ahead “I can’t take it anymore” I want you to make me say it too I could never do it with anybody else, let me praise you

7. Cactus and Mirage - Jakkan-P (Freyr -> Haurchefant)

You're a mirage, Like some impossible dream, Lying on a desert bed, And when the sun goes down, You're gone, you're gone, you're gone, you're gone, you're gone, Gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone

8. BugLug - seeeeecun (Fray -> all WoL)

Yes, yes, in that case, I’ll do it, so cease your grumbling. The child cries gratingly. The ultimate of love and hate concentrate from a slovenly direction onto a single point. A man-to-man portrait of the dead in a bug-manipulating ending summer.

9. Kimi no Taion - Kuwagata-P (Freyr -> Haurchefant)

Flowers wither and the moon wanes Another season passes That you were here, feeling and touching you fades away as if nothing was there

10. Strangers - Heavenz (Yukiko -> Freyr)

"There was someone, there was someone..." I must have clung to that phrase. The enveloping sounds are just noise, and through it I can't pick out anything But you, you were still there, weren't you. That is to say, we are like lost children but we are not all alone.

11. Brainwashing - Neru (Yukiko & Freyr)

If you follow the tracks of tears on my cheeks At the end of them, Abandoned and starved, My dreams have frozen

12. Namida - MARETU (StB Fray)

The flowing blood and tears, tears dye you darker and darker. Take out your blades, your blades. It hasn't stopped beating yet, right? Your heart.

13. Ideals and Wars - Inumaru Shibaigoya (8th Umbral Calamity!G'raha -> all WoLs)

Even though your shadow is already gone, your noble ideal, determination, and views will keep in living within me. I shall be the one to fight this time. If I have fought until the moment I reach the end of my days, pray let me tread on your shadow, my God.

14. Six Feet Under - Aqu3ra (Ardbert)

Give back the time I lost Who was it that got in the way? It feels as though I’ve forgotten both what I liked and what I hated The goddess smiled as if making a bargain It seems she won’t wait for the proper timing

15. Red Tears - nekobolo (Crystal Exarch -> Freyr)

I'm sorry, for building a wall around me. I'm sorry, for being a coward. I love you, it's true. But I can't open the door to my heart.

16. Toosenbo - wowaka (Crystal Exarch -> Freyr)

I won't let you through. I'm the only one playing hide-and-seek. It's an innocent spoiled child's dream, "Please keep your eyes off me. Please let go of me. Smile with your innocent eyes!"

16. Android Girl - DECO*27 (Freyr -> Crystal Exarch)

Android girl, I’m out of my mind. I know you’re mine and mine alone, but “who” are you anyway? Even though I’d had faith in us the whole time, the whole time...

17. Ars - Sekikomi Gohan (Crystal Exarch -> Freyr)

I, who fantasizes over an optimistic view of life, will stay lonely In my final moments, I put everything about the reason I lived in this lethargic smile that will never reach you

18. Dramaturgy - Eve (Emet-Selch)

I can’t escape from this box. I came to that sad realization and wanted to escape. We were all playing our parts, Making our way towards the credits.

19. Tiara - Sekikomi Gohan (Emet-Selch -> Hythlodaeus)

My oath to love you forever and to share the pain together Alone, I proclaim it under the waning moon Shining Tiara, here is proof of my pure love

20. Two Breaths Walking - DECO*27 (Crystal Exarch & Freyr)

The front foot I’d half-put out to come over and embrace you Has somehow started to hurt you The words I just learned become a knife that pierces through you Tearing your life to pieces

21. Eine Kleine - Kenshi Yonezu (G'raha -> Freyr)

To have everlasting sorrows and open seams, but also you; How happy I would be to smile and say, "It was for the best"... Everything before me seems to blur and dissolve; A flood of miracles wouldn't be enough... Because you called my name... Is it all right if I call your name?

22. The Defeated Boy - Kemu (Crystal Exarch/G'raha)

After struggling and running, I had somehow ended up standing where I am I'd wanted to become someone that everyone would admire, a hero - but I couldn't

23. My Name is Love Song - Neru (G'raha & Freyr) (translation)

Please don’t treat me so nicely; the wounds at the depths of my heart will open up If you do that, I’ll end up by your side for life While singing “please don’t treat me so nicely,” I ended up forgetting my own name Now, we’ll call out our names with the same voice, waiting for someone to come

24. Pierce the Clear Blue Sky - Kasamura Tota (Freyr -> G'raha)

You dumbass, you don’t have the right to go and die You’ve got to be happy, it’s your job to stay by my side forever So let me take on those pains that won’t ever leave you alone If you go off somewhere without me, I’ll never, ever forgive you

25. Cynicarealism - TaKU.K (Venat -> Emet-Selch)

At long last, you’re smiling, I see. But even if your lid’s a bit loose, who could blame you? Your heart is unsullied. The morning star appeared in the sky today. What a beautiful picture it makes. I could almost forget about even the deplorable Avici hell. Alas, if only he had survived, the world may have been sullied, but the two of you could have swindled the world, escaped it, and arrived at——

26. Teo - omoi (Yukiko & Freyr -> Meteion)

Not a single one left behind We'll reclaim every last piece, that's all Until the magic wears off - until then, Hold on tight to my hand, my hand My hand!

[bacchuschucklefuck]

truly this one's just for me. I can do what I want foreverrr

[skitastc]

Brownies❤

Ink!sans by Comyet

Palette Roller by angeutblogo

Paperjam by 7goodangel

Undertop!Gaster by stylincheetah

[5577v]

pour it on, acht

[hinamie]

congrats on your recovery n all yuuji but unfortunately for you I thought the scars were cool >:/

[tsunosagun]

i flew too high, please catch my fall

[paperbagedhead]

It's OK to not want to be touched, but sometimes...

(btw isn’t crying because they aren't getting hugged, it’s for an unrelated reason.)

[sainz100]

2024 Brazilian GP | x

[bunnieswithknives]

I feel bad for neglecting Hazel so much, I do have many thoughts about her.. and also a mermaid au that im probably not going to do anything with

[xxplastic-cubexx]

your movie charles art gives me cuteness aggression

obsessed with getting these asks back to back and yet they both hold some truth i think ...... thank you very much everyone ....

[ihavesomejays]

text transcription:

Many springs ago, I perceived a sea of flowers upon a lake. I thought to myself that those fleeting colors held indescribable beauty.

The next time I perceived those colors was many years later, when the medic’s tent had blinded me to all but red. The radiance of that shining star was lost on my eyes.

Now, my eyes no longer perceive the subtleties in the colors around me.

But I am content.

For I can now see the most brilliant colors in my universe.

anyways yeah why did they fucking do that to jiaoqiu bro

the planning for this experimentalish comic is under keep reading

[amphibianaday]

day 1765

[macaronsintrees]

friends with benefits but the benefits are holding hands

[totally-here]

Post Gotham war Jason and post GIW Danny scrap

Jason is laying on the ground. He can hear water running to his right and can see his parachute tangled in trees overhead. 

The explosion must have sent him farther away than he hoped. His back hurts from the landing after he disconnected from the parachute. His hands are still shaking from residual adrenaline that in turn makes his throat constrict in fear. 

Fucking Bruce. Of all the things he could’ve done to break their cycle. 

Because that’s what it was, wasn’t it? A never ending cycle of them fighting over morality, making up, then fighting again without any real progress being made. The Joker’s still kicking in one way or another, and Jason still doesn’t talk with his family much outside of vigilante activities. 

And now he won’t even be able to go out as Red Hood, because his own fucking adrenaline will immobilise him with fear. 

Jason never should have tried to work with Selina. He’s self-aware enough to admit that. It was stupid, trying to mess up her operation from the inside after realizing just what she was setting up the goon workforce for, even if it wasn’t her intention. She was only letting him work with her to shove it into Bruce’s face, anyway. 

Because that’s all Jason will ever be to them. Batman’s biggest mistake. A Robin turned corpse turned mass murderer. Like he hasn’t been actively not killing people for at least a year now. Hasn’t shot a gun in months. 

And yet here Jason is, trying to tell if his ribs are broken without moving. His ears are ringing faintly from the collision with the meteor and then the explosion at the observatory. 

He ditched his comm to Oracle and the rest of the bats earlier, and the batwing is one with the wreckage now. But there are cameras everywhere in Gotham. They would see he got out, and probably send someone to pick him up. Maybe. 

Jason doesn’t know if he can stomach looking at his family right now. Not when he can still feel the effects of whatever Bruce stuck in him in the back of his throat, in the back of his mind. It’s like he’s been flayed out, all his scars and weaknesses on display. 

“Hey man, you okay?” A man steps into Jason’s vision. Around his age, if not younger. His eyes that verge on the edge of uncannily blue have deep eye bags, like he hasn’t slept in weeks. He looks at Jason like one would a particularly uninteresting bug. Jason shivers.

It takes a few tries for Jason not to swallow his words. As it is, he still slurs on the swear. “Just fucking peachy.” 

The guy raises an eyebrow, looking very doubtful. He looks Jason up and down, then sighs. He rights himself from leaning over and runs a hand through his long black hair with white streaks in it. It’s choppily cut, and not in a tasteful way. It’s like a five year old found scissors for the first time. It’s annoying how it actually works for the guy. 

“I have a first aid kit in my truck, wait here,” He orders, then walks off to the left. Jason turns his head to watch him. There is a small white truck parked to the side of a road that no cars are passing through. The guy opens the back door and digs around, then emerges with a white box. 

He kneels on the grass next to Jason and slowly reaches out to help him sit up, narrating as he does. “I’m gonna lean you against the tree so that I can get a better angle for your forehead.” He does that, and Jason realizes that yeah, his forehead is bleeding. Maybe he snagged it on a branch on the way down, or maybe it was debris. “I’m going to disinfect it, brace for the sting, I guess.” 

It does sting, but Jason doesn’t flinch away. It’s not the exhaustion from the back to back panic attacks that’s calming him. He knows what that exhaustion should feel like, this is not it. As the guy gently washes off the blood from Jason’s forehead with wipes and presses bandaids onto it, he feels like he’s being enveloped in a warm hug. 

“Why do I feel safe with you?” It stumbles out before he can stop it. The guy doesn’t stop inspecting Jason’s arms for cuts to answer. Only when he finds traces of burns to wrap against infection does he say anything. Jason’s too warm for a November night. 

“Well. There are two options. Either you’re concussed, or you’ve died before.” Jason takes in a sharp breath, but the guy doesn’t seem to notice. “Oh, three, I guess. Since it could be both.”

“I don’t feel concussed," Jason says. And he doesn’t. Maybe slightly dehydrated, but his head doesn’t hurt and he’s not nauseous at all. The slight slurring is just because he’s tired, probably. 

The guy hums, leaning back to check his handiwork. There’s bandaids on Jason’s forehead and bandages along his arms. He closes the first-aid kit with a snap and stands to his full height. His face is haloed by the full moon behind him. His eyes reflect in the light. “Guess it’s option two, then. I was leaning towards that, anyway. Once Deads tend to have that effect on me, and you do give off Realms Touched vibes.”

The guy offers a hand, and Jason stares at it for a moment before taking it. It’s like touching an ice cube. “I don’t know what that means.”

The guy pulls him up easily, despite being built like a broad-shouldered twig and at least five inches shorter than Jason. Probably a meta, then. Or maybe magic. The guy lets go of Jason’s hand to run a hand through his hair again. The motion brings attention to the layer of scar tissue around his left eye. Likely scarred over in the past month or so. 

“Yeah, my bad. Should’ve assumed. Um, short version: I have what amounts to a biological need to help peop-” He stops, purses his lips, then starts again. “To help the undead. And that stretches over to you, I guess.”

“And the Realms Touched thing?”

He shrugs, not looking at Jason’s eyes, but up at his hair. At the white streak sticking out against the black. “Let me guess, you had an encounter with some green not-quite-liquid stuff sometime after you died?” Jason nods once, slowly. “Yeah, that’d do it. The green stuff’s from the Infinite Realms, and doing stuff with it kinda marks you for people with an eye for it.”

“People like you?” Jason narrows his eyes, but it really does seem like this guy is telling the truth. That this is just some weird coincidence that the spooky guy (who cannot be local. Jason might have ditched the mask, vest, and gloves, but he still has his padded shirt with his symbol on it. No true Gothamite would dare to approach the Red Hood with medical supplies) just happened to stumble upon Jason. The complete blasé attitude he has toward the pits helps. A League devotee would be more reverent. 

The guy tilts his head to the side, his face scrunching. “Technically, yeah. I meant more, like, formal magic users. I’m… different?”

“What are you, then?” 

“It’s complicated?” As Jason’s unimpressed look, he tries again. “I’m, I’m kinda like a protector spirit and a psychopomp rolled into one? But, a psychopomp that’s not good at their job.”

Jason gets the feeling that that’s the best explanation he’s going to get out of this guy. He’s already shifting away, looking past the trees and at what’s probably Gotham proper.

“So I have a sense for dead things. ‘S actually why I ended up coming through here. Something that felt like a meal was coming here, but now it’s faded.” He points past Jason, and he follows his finger, moving to face the green smoke rising from the observatory, glowing in the night sky. “You know what happened?”

“Big fuckin’ meteor,” Jason mutters. The smoke is dispersing slowly but surely. A news helicopter is already buzzing around the observatory site. 

“Sure, why not?” The guy mutters back. His eyes flick to Jason before jutting a thumb backwards. “Welp, I’m gonna get back on the road. You need me to call someone for you or something?”

Jason thinks about it. He could call someone to pick him up, or check in with Rose. But. That would mean eventually going back into Gotham. Back into the fire. Back into a city that’s being overrun with thieves he had helped support. It’s not shame that stops him, but fear. 

Fear that if he goes back, it will just start the cycle again. That it’ll just take another form, but he’s just going to be stuck fighting. He’s always fighting, has always been fighting. If he goes back and he starts fighting again, it will never stop. Fear lodges into the back of his throat once again and Jason realizes that he might not be able to fight like that anymore. 

And standing outside of Gotham, seeing the smoke coming out of it color the same as the Pits that still haunt him, Jason thinks that maybe fear and fighting are all he has left. 

He wonders what would happen if he let himself lose those, too. 

“Actually, which way are you going?” Jason asks the guy, who squints at him.

“North.” 

“Sounds good.” Jason spins around and walks determinedly towards the guy’s truck. The guy stutters and hurries to catch up to him.

“Wait, what? You’re just gonna… come with me? Are you sure you’re not concussed?” He says, but stops at the driver’s side door and just watches as Jason slides into the passenger seat. 

Jason smiles at him, all teeth. “Come on, Charon. Aren’t psychopomps supposed to lead the dead to their next destination?”

The guy just looks at him for a moment, then opens the driver’s side and slides in. He glares at Jason, but it doesn’t feel like there’s any real dissatisfaction behind it. “You’re not dead now, and I told you I’m bad at my job.”

Jason shrugs and swings his feet onto the dashboard, ignoring the guy’s disgruntled and insulted look. “Then you’ll get some on the job training.”

“I’m on the run from the government. This isn’t going to be a fun adventure, dude.” 

That does make Jason pause. But he also knows the government. “What’d you do?”

He scoffs. “Exist. Fuckers think they’re entitled to my organs. For science, they said.”

A victim, it sounds like. Hell, maybe even a clone. Not likely to be a criminal. Jason shrugs and shimmies more into the seat, making a show of getting more comfortable. The guy frowns, then closes his door. 

“You know what? Fine, guess I’m doing this now. But we gotta set some ground rules for this roadtrip, okay?” He points at Jason with his left hand, leaning over a little in what could have been intimidating if he didn’t look dead on his feet. Jason recognised the faint lichtenberg scarring on his finger. Recently electrocuted, and badly. “First, get your dirty ass boots off of the dash.” Jason obliges. “Thank you. Second, seatbelts stay on. I know how I drive, and it is not good.”

He emphasizes his point by buckling himself in and glaring at Jason until he does the same. 

“Third, um, I don’t have a third one.” He drums his fingers on the steering wheel. “Oh, tell me a name I can call you. Yeah, that’s the third.”

“Jason. What’s yours?” He should have hesitated. All bat protocol for getting into unmasked situations with a stranger determines giving a fake name, and to not even think about anything close to real. But he doesn’t. It doesn’t matter. This guy clearly doesn’t know who Red Hood is, if he doesn’t recognise the symbol, so Jason doubts he’d recognise the first name of Bruce Wayne’s dead son, and then connect the dots. 

“Danny.” Danny starts the truck and pulls back onto the empty road. It must be two or three in the morning at this point. Maybe later. “Hope you have an enhanced ID, ‘cause we’re going to Canada.”

Jason, in fact, does. Not one that has his name on it, and it’s for New York, but the picture looks similar enough.

~~

So the original idea for this was they head to a cabin aunt alicia has in canada, but I got like 2000 words into this then realized i didn't have the motivation to continue, plus i wasn't confident about the characterization (i'll admit i read the gotham war event in a vacuum) so i just scrapped it. But!! I figure i would post it here in case someone else wants to take the idea and run with it :P

[moonkhao]

WE ARE | EP16