#things are lewking up!

[adashofniallandasprinkleoflunacy]

HIIIII

[pondslime]

who allowed this man to go to this movie premiere in a white button up & blue jeans

[ambreiiigns]

people talk too much abt terzo coming back from the dead stop before i start believing there's a real chance and then when it won't happen i'll be so sad :(

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

the girl next door 1

Warnings: this fic will include elements, some dark, such as age gap, manipulation, chronic illness, noncon/dubcon, coercion, and other untagged triggers. Please take this into account before proceeding. It is up to curate your online consumption safely.

Summary: A new neighbour moves in and upends your already disarrayed life.

Author’s Note: Please feel free to leave some feedback, reblog, and jump into my asks. I’m always happy to discuss with you and riff on idea. As always, you are cherished and adored! Stay safe, be kind, and treat yourself.

This lewk but silverfox

“Mom, we should get going,” you say as you check your bag.

Your mother sits at the table. It’s cluttered as always. You can see her inhaler amid the mess. Wait, there’s another one. You cross the kitchen, only two steps, and grab both inhalers. You feel the subtle difference between them.

You take both, putting the full one back in the medicine cabinet and the other in the disposal bin. The doctor said the inhalent would help with your mother’s dopamine levels, balances her out a little, but the new treatment only seems to be another symptom of her disease. She hates doing it, she hates all of it, but you can’t blame her for that.

“We can’t be late for the consultation. We’ll be waiting another six months,” you come back to the kitchen.

She looks at you as she wobbles slightly. The tremor is more prominent than before. Each day you notice it more. All the little things changing about her. She’s a bit slower, her words don’t come easy or always clearly, and her mood grows grimmer and grimmer. So does yours.

You grab your purse and the keys. You’ll clean up when you get home. It doesn’t take very long for living to pile up though. Especially when you’re the only one to keep it in order.

Your mother grips the table and stands up. Getting her dressed was a battle already won. Her posture is slightly crooked as she shuffles around the table, “I’m moving.”

You step back, waiting patiently for her to round the table. She grumbles. Your mother was never bright and bubbly but ever since her diagnosis, she’s lost any glimmer of warmth. It’s like she’s living in a fog, just slowly wading through.

You walk down the hall ahead of her and pick out your shoes from the rack. As you kneel to tie your sneakers, she leans on the wall and slides her feet into the orthotic flats. She’s not very old yet. Neither of you expected her to decline so quickly.

You stand and open the door. You back up though the screen door and hold it for her. Her steps get a bit smoother the more she moves around. The permanent scowl sinks into the lines of her face as she comes out onto the porch. You lock the door behind her as she grunts and leans on the railing, stamping down each step to the walkway.

You follow behind her. That’s another problem. The lawn. The old mower broke. You haven’t been able to replace it.

As you trail your mother to the car, she swats you away. Sometimes you try too much for her. You know she must feel helpless. You back up as she sits heavily in the passenger seat and your eyes skim around the neighbourhood. The white sign on the lawn next to yours catches your eye.

You remember the finely dressed woman, her very image on the sign, and how she grimaced at the weeds and grass. If she’s going to sell the property, the neighbours shouldn’t be living in a jungle. You heard her say as much over the phone as she paced back and forth on the porch.

You mother pulls the door shut but it doesn’t click. You give it an extra push to secure it and round the hood. You get in the car and turn the key, rolling down the windows as the early summer morning crowds the tight space. Your mother mutters and wipes her forehead with a shaky hand.

“Let’s just go,” she sneers, “waste of my time...” she bends her arm over the open window, her fingers quivering, “damn doctors said it enough. Nothing they can do. Charlatans.”

“Mom,” you chide gently, “the surgery could help. If you qualify--”

“I heard ya last night,” she snaps. ���Just drive.”

You nod and snap your mouth shut. You shift into reverse and back out of the drive. You know better than to talk too much. Your mother never liked hearing anything she didn’t want to hear. Facts are just an attack on her.

You steer down the street slowly, following the curve of the suburban street. The green lawns and white picket fences are palatial at first glance. It’s a 1950s fever dream implanted in the twenty-first century.

Your house is the black stain on an otherwise pristine canvas. The HOA must curse your grandmother for her leaving a perfectly nice home to a pair of beatnicks. You don’t blame them. You’re the puzzle piece that doesn’t fit, leaving a gaping hole in the picture.

The radio crackles on and you wince. Your mother struggles to turn the knob and the volume pendulums up and down. You reach to help her and she smacks your hand, only softly as she has little strength behind it. You retract and grip the wheel, listening to buzzing struggle of her unsteady. You just hope the appointment goes well.

🏠

Your mother hasn’t said much since the appointment. That worries you. What should be good news is just another dark cloud over her.

She sits as she often does; half-reclined in the chair by the window, watching the neighbourhood just outside the pane. She’s just a resentful of the picture-perfect neighbours as she if of everything else. As she is of you.

You tidy the kitchen table as the unsaid dangles in the air. You know better than to bring it up. She barely acknowledged it when the doctor said it. She’s a good candidate for surgery but it isn’t a cure. It will help with the symptoms but not stop them altogether. It’s not good enough for her but it might just be her only hope of relief, even if temporary.

“Bring me a coke,” your mother calls through and you hear the hollow tin clatter of an empty can.

You bring the dirty dishes to the sink and set them beside it. You go to the fridge to grab a red branded can and let the door shut on its own. As you enter the living room, your mother sits forward, the recliner snapping forward with her weight. She leans on and elbow as she squints through the window and cranes over the armrest.

You pick up the old can and put the new one on the small table by the chair. She sits back and takes the Coke, trembling as she struggles to crack the tab. You know better than to help her. The curl in her lip warns you better.

“Someone’s looking at the place next door,” she says.

“Oh?” You move behind her chair and try to the next house. You can only really see the edge of the porch from here. You could open the side window but that would give more than a view of the siding and might be too obvious. “New neighbours.”

“Eh, if it sells. Could do better without these stuck-up prissy bitches running around measuring grass,” she growls of the Home Owners’ Association.

You nod. She’s right. You’ve had to deal with that nosy blonde too many times.

“We’ll see,” she mutters as she finally gets the can open and slurps. “Just hope it’s not another bitch.”

You cross your arms and step closer to the window. You sense movement just beyond your vision and the realtor in her pantsuit comes down the front steps of the neighbouring house. She turns back to face someone you can’t see and speaks to him. Their words are garbled by the barrier of window and wall.

The woman smiles and spins to strut down to the sidewalk. A man follows after, a slow stroll in his long legs. He turns to face the house again and puts his hands in his pockets as he looks up at the facade. His eyes narrow as he considers it.

His gray hair is streaked with remnants of its former blond. If it wasn’t for the colour of his locks, you might not have guessed his age. He’s tall and his shoulders are broad. He’s built finely for any era.

Your mother leans forward again, “heh, lookie there,” she slurs.

She leers through the window as you stare blankly out. A new neighbour just means another person to complain about the lawn; or another person for your mother to complain about. The man pivots on his sole and pauses, his gaze set in your direction. You don’t think he can see you, not with how the sun reflects off the square panes. He stalls for just a moment before he turns complete, striding up towards the realtor.

You back up and retreat toward the kitchen. You mother hums as she continues to snoop through the window. The recliner squeaks beneath her as she shifts in the seat.

“Bit old for a family man,” she tuts.

[bluegekk0]

Finished designs for the FPK Dragon AU! Very happy with how they turned out, I'm definitely going to draw more art for this side AU in the future

Some short info and close-ups below

General AU stuff:

I don't have many story or world details yet, but in general it would be quite simplified and changed in a lot of ways

The vessels are not a thing, though The Radiance does exist and the infection would still happen in some shape or form (I haven't thought of the details yet). Holly's purpose would still be to put a stop to it, but the whole aspect of emotionless void beings is not included

Humans don't exist in this world, so the one above is simply to get an idea of their scale. The dragons in that world are sapient and live in communities, a lot of them can use magic and similar powerful abilities

More info to be added as I brainstorm it, and I might design more characters for the AU in the future

Character specific stuff:

Vyrm - a lot of his backstory is very similar to the main AU, his kind is considered extinct (the reason would most likely be different), though he never changed his form to be smaller, which means his large wyrm form does not exist here. His relationship with WL was also basically the same, as was his journey of discovering his love for Grimm. And just like in the main AU, he ended up losing his status as a leader and hibernating. Unsure whether he would also lose all his powers, since I want to keep his workshop hobby and I like the idea of him having powers that he learned specifically for that purpose (not to mention, doing any kind of precise engineering would be difficult with his dragon anatomy). So we'll have to see.

Grimm - once again a very similar backstory to his main AU counterpart. He is one of the most powerful dragons to exist, and The Radiance is still his sister in this AU. He was banished from his homeland and stripped of many of his powers, losing his status as a higher dragon as a result. I'm still brainstorming how NKG comes into the AU, as of now my idea is that it would be closer to a god-like beast form than a being in another realm, but it may still change. And I'm still thinking how to reconceptualize the ritual to fit this version. Even though he's much weaker than in his prime, he's still more powerful than an average dragon, especially in the NKG form (if that is the direction I take with him).

Lewk, Asta and Milo - basically the same as in the main AU. Lewk and Asta can fly just fine, Milo however is incapable of it (and will likely remain that way even as he gets older, with his wings being too small and weak for flight).

Hornet - in most aspect she's the same, though her half-spider origin would be changed to something else; Herrah is not a spider in this AU, though she would still be quite beastly and unique in her appearance. She has two pairs of wings, which are a trait inherited from her mother's side. She knows silk magic, which she learned as a young dragon.

Zote - he's the most unique here body plan wise, I based his design on pterosaurs. I loved the mental image of him being this annoying, bird-like dragon. In basically all aspects he's the same as his main AU counterpart, though being a dragon I imagine he would have a more impressive lifespan than an average bug in the main AU. He's a herbivore dragon, his mouth resembles a beak, and he has no powers, only a nasty attitude.

Holly - as mentioned before, they are not a vessel in this AU, nor a void being. Instead, they're a hybrid of Vyrm and WL, who is a powerful higher dragon, and were trained to stop The Radiance and put an end to the infection from the day they hatched. Though they did end up learning void magic to aid them in the fight, I think that would be a nice way to preserve at least some of that aspect and it would explain the color of their body in this version. They have a mouth, though they are still mute, likely as a result to battle damage. Like in the main AU, they lost one of their eyes and a limb, and I'm considering designing a prosthetic wing for them at some point to mirror their counterpart.

[brainrockets]

The fashion and lewks in the third chapter of Candela Obscura feels like it was (like many of the things Aabria helms) specifically designed in a lab to light up very specific parts of my brain. (Mostly the gay parts tbh).

Like what in the Kate Hepburn, 90s Mummy, Miss Fisher, 30s fashion hell Aabria? All of the bisexual millennials are in terrible horny danger. Just being all tall rocking a high waisted wide leg trouser all louche and slouchy?

All that gold to Distract from the stabbity stab about to go down?

Also, did you steal Imhotep's jacket? Cool cool cool.

And that's JUST AABRIA! Idk. If I die, I die.

Total baller shit. Even before you presumably take the references and tropes and make them your bitch.

[bucktommyweek]

Getting to Know You: A BuckTommyWeek Event

Hey everyone! We're back with another event (and a new lewk), but it's a little bit different this time.

3 days, 1 week apart, 1 prompt per week, all about Buck and Tommy getting to know each other.

Here are your prompts for #btgtky

---

Wednesday, September 25, 2024 - Favourite things. We know Tommy loves monster trucks, flying, Love Actually and craft brews. We know Buck loves research, his friends and family, not basketball and adventure. But how do they share these things with each other?

Wednesday, October 2, 2024 - A good morning. What does a good morning look like for Buck and Tommy as they learn about themselves as a couple and each other as individuals?

Wednesday, October 9, 2024 - A bad night. It's time to bring the angst, folx. What makes a night bad? What makes a bad night better? How do these two comfort each other, or don't they?

---

Accepted Submissions: Anything as long as it follows the rules. We're talking headcanons, fics, essays, graphics, edits, whatever you want. Just tag @bucktommyweek to be reblogged and use #btgtky

Important Information Before Participating

Rules

Rating System

FAQ

Racism and Prejudice

Ao3 Collection

Optional Post Format

Resources for Writing

If you have any questions either hit up our askbox or my own personal askbox or message @alilypea

Haters need not engage.

-

Thank you for @brasscacti for the favourite things inspo! 💛

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved in our archive

By Isaac Ocean

7 amazing ways one-way masking keeps you safe during covid

Let’s face it – we’re all tired of talking about masks. But here’s the tea: one-way masking is a real game-changer for staying healthy, especially as COVID continues to circulate in 2024. Whether you’re the only one rocking a mask at your local coffee shop or braving a packed concert, one-way masking can offer significant protection against airborne illnesses, COVID included. The inside scoop? Wearing a high-quality mask solo—like a KN95 or N95—means you’re taking control of your own health, even if others around you aren’t masking up. In crowded places, this solo mask mission can dramatically reduce your exposure risk, making it well worth the extra step to stay protected.

The solo mask movement is taking off, and here’s why Gone are the days when everyone was masked up like they were extras in a medical drama. Now, it’s all about taking control of your own health journey. One-way masking means wearing your mask even when others aren’t – and yes, it actually works! Think of it as your personal force field against those pesky respiratory droplets floating around.

Level up your protection game with these mask hacks Want to know the secret to maximum protection? It’s all about that high-quality mask life. Here’s the breakdown of what you need:

N95 masks: The heavyweight champion of personal protection

KN95 masks: The popular alternative that’s almost as fierce

Surgical masks: The reliable backup dancer

Cloth masks: The basic option (but make it fashion)

The receipts: why one-way masking is a total vibe

Let’s spill the scientific tea on masks and travel safety. Research reveals that wearing a mask on planes can cut your infection risk by more than half when you’re seated near someone who’s unwell—COVID or not. Think of it as a bodyguard for your respiratory system! And here’s where it gets even more interesting: wearing a KN95 or N95 mask alone offers significantly better protection than if both you and the person next to you are wearing standard blue surgical masks. This is especially crucial as COVID cases continue to fluctuate and travel restrictions ease, increasing exposure risks. So, whether you’re in a crowded airport or a packed plane, strapping on a quality mask can be one of the most effective defenses against airborne illnesses, COVID included.

Your ultimate covid defense starter pack Ready to level up your protection game? Here’s what you need in your arsenal:

A stash of high-quality masks (we’re talking N95s or KN95s) Your vaccine card showing you’re fully boosted A sixth sense for avoiding packed indoor spaces Hand sanitizer (obviously) A can-do attitude about keeping those germs away

The secret sauce: making one-way masking work for you

Here’s how to absolutely slay at one-way masking:

Check that seal! No gaps means maximum protection Keep it clean and dry (wet masks are so last year) Replace your mask regularly (treat yourself to a fresh one) Rock it with confidence (masks can be a lewk) Remember: something is better than nothing

Living your best masked life: the extra steps that matter

Want to really step up your protection game? These bonus tips will have you covered:

Upgrade your home’s ventilation game with HEPA filters Master the art of the elbow cough Perfect your hand-washing routine (20 seconds minimum) Know when to take a sick day (listen to your body) Stay updated on the latest CDC guidelines

The bottom line: why one-way masking is here to stay Look, we get it – being the only one wearing a mask can feel awkward. But here’s the thing: protecting yourself isn’t just smart, it’s iconic. One-way masking gives you the power to take charge of your health, regardless of what everyone else is doing. It’s like having a superhero shield that you can whip out whenever you need it.

Remember, you don’t need everyone else to mask up to stay protected. With the right mask and proper fit, you’re already doing amazing, sweetie. So go ahead, rock that mask with pride – your immune system will thank you later.

Pro tip: Keep a variety of masks in rotation so you can match them to your outfit or mood. Because if you’re going to protect yourself, you might as well serve looks while doing it.

Stay safe, stay stylish, and keep slaying the one-way masking game. Your health is the ultimate trending topic, and you’re the main character of this story.

[segretecose]

when sasha velour arrived on rupaul's drag race bald head crazy monobrow editorial lewk after lewk and said i'm just going to 1. have a situationship with shea coulee 2. win this thing and 3. go straight back to dressing up as nosferatu in a basement in new york city and lip sync to kate bush. she is so real

[goodgymboy]

TAKE THE SHAME

The dumber you get, the more people are going to judge you for it. For most of your life you’ve probably pretended to be smart, prepared and alert. That needs to change. After all, a truly dumb fuck doesn’t realise how stupid they are. It’s just obvious to everyone else. Your transformation involves accelerating and internalising changes that make it clear that you’re just a simple minded jock. Sure people are going to laugh at how dumb you are. But at least you’ll be hot and taking cock.

Speak Slow and Low. Changing the way you speak is a great way of showing the world just how slowly the wheels are turning in your jock-slut brain. Speak slower. No, even slower. Slower still. Make it obvious you’re having to think really hard about each word and concept. Pitch your voice lower/deeper and quieter. Add lots of pauses and speech fillers that make it seem like you need extra thinking time: words like “duh”, uh” “err” “um” “like” and so on. Sound more like the meathead you are.

Simplify Your Language Stop using those big words. What are you, some kind of nerd? Simple language reflects a simple brain. If it needs a big word, ask someone smarter than you what you mean. If the dumbest jock in your gym couldn’t understand it, it shouldn’t be coming out of your mouth.

Just Hit Send Stop editing/proofreading what you write in your texts and social media posts. If there’s a mistake there, leave it. Soon enough you won’t even notice. You don’t need to show off using words. Post a pic of your pecs instead. Vocab, punctuation and spelling are hard. So stop trying.

Admit You’re Out of Your Depth Let people know when you’re too dim-witted to follow. Thank them when they correct you. Tell them “that’s way too hard for me to think about”. Take the time to check your appearance and post another selfie instead.

Don’t Go Overboard Some jocks on a dumbing down journey try to really over-do this aspect of things. Dey rite n tok lyk dis finking itz gunna mayk dem lewk n sownd dummer. Wrong. This just makes you look like a bad actor. You can make it obvious what you are without making it sound like you’re auditioning for a role. This isn’t cosplay. This is your reality.

ACTION POINT: Start practicing new voice and language patterns. Record yourself speaking and work on slowing your voice down and sounding more like a dumb jock. Post audio clips here on Tumblr and ask for feedback. Go to a local cafe and order lunch or a drink using your new jockboy voice. Start using even simpler language in your texts and posts. Get used to fucking up, being unsure, not having the words.

[bey-life]

"I am so deeply thankful to AMC and every team member who worked so hard on this film. I just can't thank all of you enough for your support. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done because of the short turn around time. I practically slept in the edit, color, and mix sessions. The race against time continued in order to get this film out so quickly. But it was so worth all the grind. I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of love from my Hive. And WOW! I am so touched and encouraged by the incredible reviews!!! I love seeing everyone all dressed up in their most opulent lewks in the theaters. The mute challenges still happening, even in the theater!! Y'all are cracking me up. Please keep that energy going. I can't wait to see what else yall do :) I also love seeing the positive take aways from people who were not my fans or didn't yet know my story. The people who had no interest in seeing my shows who have now gained a deeper understanding and respect for all it takes to be a RENAISSANCE woman. I'm very proud that we launched the film on World AIDS Day in memory of my Uncle Johnny. I pray I continue to make something that lifts all of y'all up the way you continue to lift me up. While I'm often critical and feel my art is never finished, the pendulum swings. I feel gratitude. "We did it." We have the #1 movie in the country! And a 💯 on Rotten Tomatoes 🍅🥹 And it's because of you and your support! I humbly thank you."

— Beyoncé via Instagram

[1eos]

wait what did you mean by “kardashians brought pop culture to slaughter and bts delivered the final blow”? I SWEARRRRRR im not trying to be one of those “gotcha!” anons but i keep seeing sm ppl posting abt pop culture / counter culture being dead, and a lot of it in relation to renaissance and i’m just confused by it 😭😭 i’m not even a kpop listener i just think u put these things eloquently

i love asks like this bc my initial reaction before and after i realized this is a genuine question was night n day.

anyways the kardashians were a very very calculated rise to fame at any cost nd were maybe the first people to be on reality tv and skyrocket into mainstream fame (unfortunately) and kim's obsession w stealing everything from black people and marketing it out spearheaded the generic insta baddie aesthetic which is responsible for at least half of the desctruction of unique pop culture. if you look at the 2000s the shit was weird but it was unique. go back even further and the shit club kids were doing influenced fashion EVERYWHERE now everyone is passing around the same name brand outfits, everyone's going to the same surgeon to get their unique features changed into the same racially ambiguous lewk, you don't need talent, you don't need charisma you just need to look like you have money and therefore you deserve fans that will die to be scammed by you.

so the kardashians put pop culture on the slaughtering board right? and then here bts comes. also just copying what black ppl do 1 to 1 until they blow up internationally and start producing some of the most generic western bait pop to be palatable enough to all the white children of the world and their token black friends. but this generic music is taking over the world. the hype isn't in the content but its in the numbers. their fans begin to become obsessed with streaming numbers, video views, breaking records etc. the music is irrelevant. its all about the numbers and being on as many unskippable ads as possible. so now the industry follows behind the biggest (and worst) fandom of all time and award shows, journalists, online content curators who could be informing pop culture accurately are just saying whatever these people want to hear. giving accolades to soulless 'hits' bc they want to avoid death threats or just get a cut of the zombie streaming pie. good pop culture is DEAD. if it werent for the few big black girlies in the industry like beyonce who can do whatever we'd be in hell! no one can sing cuz theyre getting ribs removed to fit into corsets and no one is dancing bc the rented mugler bodysuit has to be returned with no damage and it's all just very very generic.

ofc there are rare interesting performers that pop up but bc they dont fit into the mold they get bullied out like poor mitski wants to be an actual artist nd they hate her for it. anyways kris jenner is going to hell for the evil she's brought into the world

[locria-writes]

at my grown-ass age, i have finally matured enough to realize the real reason i slowly stopped following ukiss after mono scandal (besides the fact they basically became a jpop group which makes following them infinitely more difficult) ---

i had unfortunately started to find kevin attractive, and that was/is deeply unacceptable 😔

.

[thefrontofmymind]

matty healy x reader ig blurb

FC: Rachel Sennott

yninstagram 🙄🙄

view all comments

ynfan1 slayyyy

ynfan2 is this yn saying she’s gay??? (not to speculate on people’s sexuality!!)

>yninstagram only like 50% of the time lol

yninstagram i’m a pretty pretty princess, suck on that. 💕

view all comments

ynfan1 she is literally so gorgeous

1975fan1 lmao why did matty like this post????

>1975ynfan1 yn is friends with charli so they probably met at some point

ynfan2 OMG I HAVE THAT TOP

>yninstagram twinsssss

~~~

yninstagram via stories:

~~~

charli_xcx reshared story:

Caption: sexy bitchessss

~~~

yninstagram vegas babyyyyy

view all comments

trumanblack stop eating snacks in my bed

>yninstagram i will when you eat this snack in bed

>ynfan1 YN OMG 

ynfan2 she’s literally so hot

ynfan3 yall ever been jealous of a rose???

yninstagram doing my best matty healy mirror selfie pose

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ynfan1 im SO obsessed with those pants

trumanblack you failed.

>yninstagram well you’ll have to give me some more coaching

1975ynfan1 a yn/1975 was not on my bingo card for 2023 but im not mad about it

yninstagram been cooking almost naked for years now when will i get wifed up??

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ynfan1 I AM BEGGING LET IT BE ME

charli_xcx sexxiiii

trumanblack be patient

>1975fan1 ok so should we just assume that yn and matty are together then??

>1975fan2 seems like it!

yninstagram rockstar girlfriend but make it slutty ballerina

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ynfan1 im so obsessed with this look

rass1975 ew gross heinekin

>yninstagram fuck u 2 then

ynfan2 NEED this dress

1975fan1 IS THIS A CONFIRMATION????

>1975fan2 I THINK SO????

yninstagram save a horse (a.k.a. lewk for the Hollywood Bowl)

view all comments

ynfan1 truly the fashion icon of our generation

ynfan2 omg its rockstar girlfriend doing rockstar girlfriend things

1975fan1 she is truly so iconic i love her so much

charli_xcx I hope Matthew can fight

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

the girl next door 37

Warnings: this fic will include elements, some dark, such as age gap, manipulation, chronic illness, noncon/dubcon, coercion, and other untagged triggers. Please take this into account before proceeding. It is up to curate your online consumption safely.

Summary: A new neighbour moves in and upends your already disarrayed life.

Author’s Note: Please feel free to leave some feedback, reblog, and jump into my asks. I’m always happy to discuss with you and riff on idea. As always, you are cherished and adored! Stay safe, be kind, and treat yourself.

This lewk but silverfox

Steve’s glare follows you out the door. You don’t look back as you flit out with your roll of pencils and sketchbook. Peter stands casually at the bottom of the steps, his camera hanging around his neck. He smiles and you show your teeth. Your cheeks are tight. 

“Hey, you okay?” He asks as he walks behind you. 

“Fine,” you like. 

He reaches around you to open the gate and you lead him out. You turn down the pavement and he comes up next to you as the latch clanks shut behind him. You shrink down as his arms brushes yours. Your steps are wide and stiff as your clothing rubs against your pelvis. 

“You looked sad when you drove by so I thought maybe you’d like to see the frogs again.” He says. 

“Oh?” You peek over at him. 

“Uh, not that you don’t look nice. I like your hair.” He grins. 

“Uh, yeah, Steve... Steve took me to the salon.” 

“That’s really nice of him. Weird, he seemed a bit grumpy.” He remarks as he checks out his camera, walking casually without a glance ahead. 

“Mm, yeah. He was.” 

“But he still took you out for all that?” 

“Yeah...” you drone. “Thanks for stopping by. I... don’t go out much.” 

“Gets kinda lonely by myself. The frog doesn’t always show up, then it’s even lonelier.” He chuckles and you try to. You feel heavy. 

When you get to the bridge, he goes to the railing and works at adjusting his lenses. You perch yourself in the grass, just at the apex of the rise that leads down to the river. You open your sketchbook to new page but don’t bother with your pencils. You don’t feel like drawing. Usually, it’s what helps you calm down but now you can’t even focus. 

Peter snaps photos and points out the tadpoles rippling across the surface. You stare through the water, minnows speckling shadows onto the silt. It’s beautiful and peaceful. It’s a stark contrast to what you know awaits you at home. 

“You sure you’re okay?” Peter asks as he leans on the railing and looks at you. 

You nod and shrug. You can’t lie anymore. You bend your legs and toss your sketchbook beside you. You hang your head and cross your arms over your knees. The bridge creaks as Peter comes around. He lowers himself next to you. 

“Hey, you know, it’s been a while and all but you can talk to me.” He says. “Is it your mom? She bad?” 

“She... she has a nurse now. They take care of her.” 

He exhales softly. “Mm,” he hums thoughtfully. The water babbles gently as he fiddles with his camera. “Is it Steve?” 

You’re silent. Deathly so. Tellingly. You shift and grimace at the burn along your thighs. 

“You uncomfortable or something?” He asks. “You’re fidgeting a lot.” 

It's gnawing at you from the inside. You can't hold it in any longer. You're terrified.

“Peter,” you squeak. “I don’t... I don’t want you to judge me.” 

“Judge you?” He chuckles. “For what?” 

Your eyes glisten and you sniff, leaning your head back. You look at him slowly. “At the salon...” you quick avert your gaze and hunch down again. “They waxed me.” 

“Oh? Yeah, your brows look pretty good.” 

“No, my... my privates.” 

He makes a strange noise, “really? Uh, I think yeah, a lot of girls get that done.” 

“I didn’t-- I didn’t want it. Steve he... he made me.” 

He sighs and sniffs. “Why would he do that?” 

You raise your head and your tears spill out. His brown eyes are warm. You feel fuzzy. 

“He touches me. Says things. Does things.” 

“What?” He hisses. “Oh, god, I’m sorry.” 

“It’s okay. I asked for it. I... deserve it but... my mom needs help and he can give it to her.” You sniffle and wipe your nose. 

“You don’t have to stay there. Oh god, you should come back with me. To my Aunt May’s. She remembers you.” He insists. 

You shake your head, “I belong with my mom.” 

He huffs, “you don’t belong there. Not with that. With him.” 

“Please. Please. I can’t leave her. But...” you quaver at the thought in the back of your mind. “I’m scared.” 

“Yeah, well, who wouldn’t be--” 

“Please, just let me talk. And I’m sorry because it’s going to be really strange.” You shake your head and chew your lip. You think of last night and the car ride and all the things Steve promised. You want to hurt him too and you don’t know how else to do so. “Will you do it with me first?” 

He garbles and winces. His breath turns shallow and he looks around, “do what?” 

“Peter.” You touch his arm. “I don’t want it to hurt and I know you’ll be nice.” 

“But... we... it’s a lot.” 

“Oh,” you cover your face. “I told you it’s weird. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I just... I can’t stop him.” 

“Just come with me,” he pleas. 

“I told you, my mom!” You snap. “It’s okay. I’ll... I’ll just... hold my breath.” 

He wallows beside you. A tense silence rises between you, around you, consuming you. You’re embarrassed and you think he is too. You can hear him swallow. 

“I’m... I’ve never done it before either so... I... I’m nervous.” He confesses. You slowly turn to him. 

“Really?” 

“Yeah, I just never got to it, I guess but maybe it’s not so bad knowing that neither of us... have?” His brows squiggle and he pushes his shoulders up. 

You nod, “is that... are you going to do it?” 

He bites his lips and his brown eyes scan around the grass and water. 

“My aunt’s at home right now, we can’t really sneak in so...” 

“It’s okay. We’ll do it here.” 

“Here?” He gurgles. 

“Yeah,” you reach for his hand and stand up slowly, “come on.” 

He blinks widely and gets up. He wiggles his hand free and lifts his camera straps from around his neck. He follows you with his head down. You carefully walk down the incline to the river and dip under the bridge. There’s just enough dirt to stand on. 

“How--?” He asks as he sets the camera on the wooden plank that braces the bridge. 

“It doesn’t have to be romantic.” You unbutton your shorts as you turn your back to him. “I just wanna get it over with.” 

“Hey, woah,” he draws your hand away from the denim and pulls you back towards him. “I don’t want it like that. Let’s take it slow, okay?” 

You look at him pout. “Okay, slow.” 

“Can I... can I kiss you?” He asks. 

“Sure,” you smile without thinking. It doesn’t feel so scary. Not with him. 

He guides you closer and puts your hands on his shoulders. He wraps his arms around you and brushes his nose down yours. His breath tickles you and he presses his lips to yours lightly. He’s shy at first. His tongue darts out then away, then out again. He grows bolder and you let him inside. He groans in surprise and delight. 

You sigh into him and your body relaxes. You slide your arms around his shoulders and cling to him. He kind and warm and nice. You like the taste of him. You like that you can feel his heart racing. You like that his touch makes you tingle that way. 

You can do this. That way when you have to face Steve, you don’t have to be there. Not in your head. No, you’ll just think of Peter and the river and the smell of pollen. 

[bluegekk0]

fav art pieces of each character?

Ooooh this is a good question. I'll start with the ones I haven't drawn as much since that's going to be easy. Long post ahead.

Hornet first:

I think I like how she turned out on this birthday drawing the most. Maybe it's because it's one of the rare instance of her smiling. She does look a lot more like Vyrm when she does.

Holly next:

It's gotta be this one. It is slightly outdated since I changed the design on their legs but I really like this drawing regardless. They look really good in that casual cloak too, I was actually considering making that their main outfit for a while

Zote:

It's pretty old but I like how he looks on this ref sheet image. It captures that Rocket Raccoon & Groot dynamic I always envisioned for these two, and I like Zote's expression.

Now for the kids, this is where it becomes harder.

Lewk:

It has to be this one. I mean, just look at him. My favorite detail is the drawing he's making, I wanted to make it look like it's meant to be Dirtmouth, with the tiny houses and mountains in the background. And I love how his long back fur looks here, like a big mane of sorts.

Asta:

This one from the birthday drawing. I love her expression here and just the general pose she's in, I'm really proud of it. She really looks like a little kitten here and it melts my heart

Milo:

I really like this one. He looks so tired and grumpy, and unimpressed with his sister's antics. I think his skinny body really comes through with this one, and I love how his little "mane" turned out.

Okay, now for the hardest part. It's going to be impossible to choose just one, so is it okay if I pick my favorite three? I think it's okay. There's so much art of these two after all it only makes sense.

Vyrm:

I'm going to go with these three. The top one I'm super proud of, his expression, the arm and all the details around him. The second one isn't surprising, I've been using it as my profile picture for a long time now, I'm so happy with how squishy Vyrm looks there. And the last one may actually be a bit of a surprise, especially considering it was kind of a vent piece, but I think he generally just turned out so well there. It was a drawing that really helped me figure out how to modify how I draw his torso to make it look better. My favorite detail is the dried tear marks, they really add to that exhausted look.

And last but not least, Grimm:

It was hard to choose, but I'm really happy with these three. First one I'm just proud of he generally turned out, I like the expression I gave him, and as silly as it may sound, I think his butt and tail ended up looking really nice hahah. The second one is, well. It was a really self-indulgent one. Top one may be a bit suggestive but I think it might actually be my favorite of the two, though I'm really happy with the bottom one as well. And the last one, funnily enough, is a similar situation to the last one I picked for Vyrm. A vent-ish piece that is a lot less upbeat than most of my art, but man, I'm so happy with it to this day.

Honorable mention for both of them is this one. It is a bit outdated in some aspects so that drags it down a little bit for me, but aside from that it's one of my favorite pieces in general. Might have been the first one to start the trend of using brighter (usually yellow) backgrounds but I'm very happy that I did. I think this piece in particular just radiates with such a positive, comforting energy that I might just go back and touch it up a little bit to bring their designs more up to date, I think it would really benefit from that (I'm considering doing that with a lot of my older favorites, I really like having things be more consistent haha)

Anyway, this was a lot of fun, thank you so much for asking!