#this took so long this happens when you cant lineart

[koucholate]

Enstarsdori my beloved ⭐✨

[lmelodie]

I title this thing: Jack Frost Canonically Fucks (somehow)

BET YALL THOUGHT I FORGOT ABOUT THE COMIC POLL HUH!? Well I didn't, y'all just chose the longer option and I took FOREVER to actually get it done and its literally all my own fault.

This was supposed to be a small project! I had a thumb-nailed little comic thing and I swear I was just gonna clean it up just enough to post. BUT THEN I kept finding things to add! I went a little crazy on screentones and background blocking and COLORED LINEART, AND JACKS HAIR?? JACQUELINES BODICE???? God those took so long! You bitches cant wear anything NORMAL for once huh? I lost myself in bringing such a stupid concept to life. 

Jack secretly into goth bitches when 👀

Some fun facts about the damn thing:

I’ve added Killian’s frostbite scars here! They're meant to be pretty subtle and I kinda want to get into the habit of drawing them ever since I decided what exactly happens to him to give him these scars. They're apart of him! Whether he likes em of not! :) 

And say hello to CHERI EVERYONE!? God she is such a MOOD at all times, she’s so CHARACTER. This is a very beta concept for Cheri, but since Im not gonna draw her nearly enough to warrant a full redesign this is what she’s gonna look like for now!

This project has made me discover that I actually love when The Man is in distress! I love it :) and I now see why Kills loves it also

One of the best parts was doing Jacqueline's hair all poofed up like a cats when she gets startled. Very studio Ghibli

Thank y'all for coming to my ted talk 😌

[rwqv]

whoops i accidentally unfollowed when i was trying 2 send u another ask ... am not a fake fan pls

no bro i totally get what u mean like the culling games absolutely threw me off... like season one was all happy n dandy and yuji was figuring out his powers yes!!!! and then ooo a flashback to gojos past thats super slice of life-y how cool! and omggg shibuya incident this is where soo much action is happening and kenjaku might win!!! and then kenjaku is setting up a killing game with a points system ? like where r we going with this

like yes action wow but like at the same time i just want the story to progress... like its all battle battle battle battle with soo many characters like give me sum story ...

i think the zenins getting destroyed was cool asf and i cannot lie naoya is kinda hot SORREY ..... like hes a terrible awful person and hes ugly when his mouth is open but like he looks hot when his mouths closed i cant help it..

remi is only in like 10 panels at max LOL so u shouldn't have any trouble.... but she'll be the one to defeat sukuna trust me

NO LIKE LITERALYL RENDERING IS SOOOSO BORINGGGG .... honk shooo snooze fest ... like the idea of it is so cool and when i actually do render like it makes me feel so happy that it looks so much better compared to the sketch ... but at the same time like i just get so bored nd unhappy after a little ... BUT THANK UUU .... im ngl i lay a bunch of random colors down n pray for the best .. i took a couple advanced art classes in my days that taught me like the slightest bit of color theory but really angel ganev on yt is my goat like i literally have learned sm from him just from his youtube shorts LOLLLL hes the best ...

but like yeah .. i alwayz render over the sketch which sometimes looks cool and it looks cool on all my inspo but oh my goodness it takes so so long to do ... lowk i might go back to lineart even tho i HATE lineart

YES NOBAMAKI NATION!!! SCORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

fakest fan ever!!!! ggggrrr

yuji learning his power was so wholesome and even the kyoto exchange was good and gojo lore was also great and i liked the shibuya incident although i just wanted mahito to die. but whats the poitn of the culling game bro its not jeopardy... also i keep thinking whenebr they say noritoshi kamo as kenjaku i keep thinking its the third year or whatever

i think the complexity of jjk comes from the deep level of thought gege put into it. i was watching some explinations on tiktok and i felt like gege definitely has the brain to do stuff its just why did you do the culling games make more story pls

thats just personal feeling though i love seeing all the fight scenes and stuff but it feels kinda baseless like yeah all these randos popping out of nowhere for like 0 reason at all definitely have a meaning. all these good character ideas too

i do understand that everyone was saying jjk was dragging on for too long but 5 chapters is not enough to finish everything off either!!! what about the merger? what about like other people? are we ever gonna get a reason why sukuna goes on a killing rampage?? is he evil to just be evil?? i mean i get the fact that everyone hated him and he was based off of someone who was despised at birth for his extra limbs but... just blood lust?!

if gege did a spinoff series where everything was slice of life and fun id watch it... lobotomy kaisen is carrying me rn

LIKE MAKI YES GOO i support also WHAT... that man would want you in shackles bro he does not think of women kindly... naoya is a wild crush

esp with that popularity poll and HE COMES OUT NUMBER 5. NUMBER 5 OUT OF EVERYONE. HOOWWWW. over sukuna my bbg... and mechamaru...

I GET IT WITH GETTING BORED like okay heres another color that no one else will notice but ill spend 10 minutes undoing and redoing because it doesnt look right!!! i will be sure to chec angel ganev out!!!

i hate lineart tbh i just use my sketch as my lineart and call it good because if i line it it looks like i traced my own art bro its crazy but ur rendering over ur sketch looks so goated ngl but u do whats best for u because art is about being happy and cool!!!! and expression (even if its sugar baby gojo)

NOBAMAKI WAS SO CUTE IN THE SHOW IT MADE ME SO HAPPY they are so cute together i fw them heavy

i miss happy jjk

[caffstrink]

u know when u open a canvas and ur like “oh its all chill, imma just doodle a bit, get the creative juices flowing, my art groove going” and then u start drawing something and ur like oh this could go somewhere. but somewhere along the middle it just starts feeling really off and you cant lay your finger on why but youve already spent quite some time drawing, erasing, and redoing this so many times you feel too spiteful to give up so you keep going, and by the time you get the lineart done youre like damn i actually have no idea how im gonna finish this. so you slap some colors on it and youre like “wow. this sucks. i dont know why i spent so long in this. it was only supposed to be a doodle, i didnt have fun, and it doesn’t even look good for the time it took. i used to be better than this. i used to be so motivated. what happened to that. where has the spark gone? will it ever come back? ive been asking myself this for 4 years now and the spark has never returned, why am i still trying to push through this passionless activity?”. anyway completely unrelated heres a pastry cookie doodle that i spent a stupid amount of time on.

[chipper-smol]

how did you learn to draw so well? I'm 19 and I feel like I'm way behind everyone else my age with my art, and it's really discouraging.

*rubs my hands* this is a complex question so you guys should prepare for another long wall of text cause here we go

So everyone is different. Everyone has a different drive and collection of feelings in their gut when they draw. We all have different backgrounds about why or how we started drawing. What works for me might not work for everyone else, but hopefully I can help guide you in the right direction.

That being said, i’ve always been an artist like it wasn’t even a decision I made when I was younger I just was. I had big ideas I needed to just GET OUT and so I drew massive stories of stick figures and horses and dragons on towering piles of printer paper. That hasn’t changed, but I can go for weeks without drawing a single thing because I have nothing sparking in my brain but im rambling here lemme get to my points

Everyone is an imposter: No one is ever 100% comfortable with their artistic ability and if they are they’re very likely to be an ass. Go look at the Dunning-Kruger Effect which is a pretty interesting psychological mindset. In a nutshell, the Dunning-Kruger Effect is where a person who has very little knowledge in a skill thinks they are a master at that skill, whereas a person who has is a master in that skill thinks that they aren’t good at all. I still recommend watching the whole thing when you get the chance, its only 10 minutes long.

So where you are right now is the most difficult part of the art process, lemme show you one of my favorite graphs which helped me when I was in spots like you are.

You have two parts to your artistic skill. One is the ability to draw itself and the other is the ability to perceive how good that drawing is! You know whats happening? 

You’re growing! You’ve started the next step! You see your art and think it could be better because your brain is more skilled than your hand. So how do you get better?

I could say something like “look up tutorials” “challenge yourself” “do studies” but if i’m honest that advice never helped me, it just made me struggle more, so we’re going to go back to your mindset.

Accept your achievements!

It’s! Very! EasY! To compare yourselves to others! It’s! Very! Hard! To recognize how far you’ve come! Give yourself some credit! Praise yourself! Look at your art and point out what you like about it. We all have a little puppy inside our hearts that just wants to be called good boys/girls. If you don’t take care of that puppy and only give it negative feedback then you’re going to definitely struggle to get started.

When someone compliments you, take it! Don’t try to be polite or say “ah but my lines aren’t that great” or “my colors could be better,” accept it! Some stranger or friend saw how good you are and actually took the time to verbalize it because it meant so much to them! If some stranger on the internet thinks i’m good, then why can’t I feel the same way towards my own art? Trust me, you’ll start feeling more confident. You’ll go from “am I good? :(?” to “I AM good! >:D!” 

Get good at what you want to get good at!

I love expressions, subtle moments that speak a thousand words, character flaws and drives, dynamic movement and DRAGONS!! So I drew and draw those things! They make my brain go brrrr

I used to hate drawing backgrounds, but recently I had an epiphany. I can make a background be its own character. It doesn’t make sense typed out but in my brain that association is key. I’ve connected the joy I have with drawing characters to a thing I normally avoid and now I feel a bit more inclined to put in the extra effort. Let the feelings you get when you draw the stuff you like leak into the stuff you don’t like to draw as much and you’ll find yourself growing even more.

What do you if you don’t want to do something in the process of drawing a picture? Say like, lineart?

Simple.

Don’t do it. Skip it. Do what you want instead. Many of my hollow knight art is just sketches, but you guys have seen my fully completed pieces. I cant make that shit every day hell no. I do what I want. I also discovered a new way of shading and lighting that is SOOO much easier than what I was doing before because I WANTED TO BE LAZY!! (put your colors down, select from opaque, new layer, make new layer a multiply layer, gradient tool, use the gradient tool to make one big shadow, erase where you want the light to come from, BAM! SHADING!)

Which leads me into my next point.

Just say Fuck it.

Do you want to draw Grimm in a dress? Fuck it. Do it. If someone has a problem with that then its their problem. They can unfollow you or block you but fuck ‘em. This is your life and damnit you are going to enjoy it. Remember when you were a kid and you just drew? Just draw. Have fun. It doesn’t matter if the hand doesn’t come out right, it’s there and it looks good enough.

Once you give yourself that much needed break, your interest in seeking ways to improve will come naturally. After drawing hands without caring, you might just want to know out of curiosity instead of frustration about how you can draw the knuckles right. It’s a very important mental shift from “I want to be good at art because I have to be” to “I want to be good at art because I want to be.”

Make your art about you and not because of someone else. Be selfish. Be careless. Do what you want and have fun again.

TL;DR Accept that you are better than you give yourself credit for. Your mental mindset is extremely important for your artistic growth. Make your art someone else’s problem and enjoy yourself.

[ace-in-a-shopping-cart]

Day 27

Prompt: Your eyes match your soulmate’s hair color. If they dye their hair, your eyes change colors.

Word Count: 995

Main Taglist: (Send an ask to be added or removed!) @starlocked01,​​​ @spoopy-turtle,​​​ @lizluvscupcakes,​​ @more-fandon-than-friends​, @i-cant-find-a-good-username, @vindicatedvirgil, @star-crossed-shipper, @justaqueercactus, @gayboopnoodle, @sanderssidesweirdo, @the-sympathetic-villain, @8-writes, @lizzy-lineart, @battlebunnyteardropsinthesun, sirprplsnail

Soulmate taglist:(Send an ask to be added or removed!) @elizabutgayer, @melodiread, @tsshipmonth2020, @mikalya12, @8-writes, @lizzy-lineart

CW: animal mention, vampire mention, food mention.

Virgil ignored the stares he was getting, used to them by now. As he had to live his life with red eyes, he’d had to get used to the stares quite quickly. He felt worse for his parents, who had to deal with questions of why they would let their child wear colored contacts and the effects they could have on him. His mom had to hold his ren back from tearing a person’s head off. Instead, she would just calmly inform them that red hair occurs naturally too.

In his teen years, it was seen as a rebellion to have red eyes. Some of his teachers even tried to say he wasn’t allowed in the classroom unless he ‘took the contacts out’. Those times, his mom didn’t hold his ren back from verbally tearing into the teacher about how it was against school policy and freedom of expression to tell him he couldn’t wear something that wasn’t bothering anyone else and this was how genuine aids got taken away from the people who needed them. Next the teacher would be saying that kids couldn’t have tassels on their backpacks as it would be disruptive. Once his ren had gotten their rant over, they informed Virgil’s teacher that his soulmate most likely had red hair. The teacher never mentioned it again.

Halfway through his teen years, Virgil just decided to roll with it. If people were going to stare at him, he was going to give them something to stare at. So, he dyed his hair a dark purple that almost passed as black, claiming it was payback to his soulmate. By the time he was fully settled in his style, he looked like the vampire he was so often confused for with how red his eyes were.

Thus, he didn’t pay attention when the customer kept staring at him as he tried to restock the ferret food section. He smiled, wiggling his fingers at the little guys before moving on. He began the routine feeding of the fish when he heard footsteps near him.

“You!” He turned to find a redhead with purple eyes hidden behind black wire frames pointing angrily at him.

Virgil thinned his lips and raised his eyebrows. “Me,” he said disinterestedly, moving to go back to feeding the fish.

“You’re the one who’s made me have purple eyes for the past ten years!”

Virgil nodded. “Sir, as you’re assuming you’re my soulmate, I will inform you that there is no way we can hold an actual conversation as I’m currently working. If you would like to have the conversation of who had to deal with the worse eyes for the longer time, I would suggest you come back at five as that’s when I get off.” He smiled, flashing his dark red eyes at him before moving to a different tank.

His soulmate stepped back, tugging slightly on the leash of a large canine. “Alright, I’ll be back then.”

True to his word, Virgil clocked out and exited the building to find the man from before standing there, no dog in sight. He stepped forward and reached out his hand for a handshake. “I’m sorry, I believe we got off on the wrong foot. See, I was having a hard day and took it out on you in a way that was completely unacceptable. For that I apologize. Would you allow me to buy you a hot beverage to make up for it?”

‘Oh, he’s adorable’ was the first thought in Virgil’s mind as he reached to shake the man’s hand. “That sounds perfect, thank you.” He was exhausted after his shift and could use the pick me up. They fell in step beside each other as they walked to the coffee shop down the way. “I’m Virgil.” He said as a way of starting a conversation.

“My name is Logan.” Silence descended until they’d gotten their drinks and slid into a booth. Logan cupped his drink in both hands. “Again, I’m sorry we got off on the wrong foot. I know it was my fault.”

Virgil shrugged. “To be fair, I snapped right back so I don’t think you can claim it was entirely your fault.”

“Still, I shouldn’t have come on so strong.”

“Eh, agree to disagree.” Virgil shifted in his seat, taking the time to drink from his cup. “So, how about you tell me about the struggles of living with purple eyes?”

Logan shook his head, a smile forming. “It’s not been the worst thing to happen to me. I mean, at the very least it’s an interesting conversation starter.”

Virgil laughed. “I wish I could say the same about the red eyes.”

Logan winced slightly. “Sorry, that must have been difficult for you.”

“Oh, you know, just a few people not understanding that red haired toddlers exist. Or red haired teens. So, the vampire aesthetic was a direct combatant to that.”

Logan looked up at him. “If it’s any consolation, I think the aesthetic suits you.”

“Thank you. I have to say, I like the red hair more than I thought I would.”

Their conversation went on, changing from hair and eyes to animals and jobs. Soon, they were knee deep in a discussion of which Greek constellation truly deserved it’s fate. Theirs was a match made in heaven and they got along like a house on fire. They stayed in that coffee shop until they were kicked out at closing and soon it was a normal thing for them to meet up every Friday after Virgil’s shift and walk to the coffee shop, talking as long as they were allowed.

Soon, it was progressing to every Tuesday and Friday, then practically every day. Virgil began to rely on Logan, being excited to see him at the end of his shift. It was no surprise to anyone when they started dating a few months after meeting and were married by the end of the year.

[badheart]

*WHEEZE*  THANK YOU, I never had someone go in such detail about something I did, I should draw more stuff for ya ;) and it’s like you dissected this piece by piece lol this took me about 4 to 5 hours Finished it at 12am, I was thinking about using blue but I redrew the scene of Ichigo and I decided on a blue background and I wanted to contrast it since blue and orange complement each other. Then just plain orange was boring. It took me so long to mix the blue for his hair and eyes cuz I wanted it to look perfect. Hehe I love redrawing scenes but I’m such a perfectionist when I do my art. I actually drew another scene of grimmjow in 2016 ((which is the other pic I’ll submit with this message, uggh I hate it so much, just the mistakes makes me cringe at the younger me, and you have no idea how long it took me just to get that damn six to come out right. I actually painted the six black, I don’t have a pic of it tho)) but most importantly I wanted to see if I made progress. I was thinking about drawing all his hair but I would die doing it but I should still do it. Also I WISH I COULD PIN IT ON MY WALL!! Sadly..I do not have this artwork with me, I had to turn it in for a Contract piece in art class  ;-; R.I.P. grimmjow..he’s some where in my art teachers room for the summer lol. Thank you again for your tips as well. Ahhh Just you replying makes me feel like I can die happy now  ---  by @midnightmadness5.

This cuz most people can’t appreciate art or simply don’t realize how much time it can cost, also it takes me only a few minutes to write a long comment B)) also i love making people happy back if they made me happy. AND WOAH THAT LONG?! Well art definitely can kill time if you put effort into it and all, horrible is then if you know you could have done it better or you wish you wouldn’t have put so much time into it, since not always turns out the result well, god art can be so frustrating, ne? At least for me. THEY DO, those two colors, yet I am personally not fond of them, sorry B’) M not a fan of this ship after all but yeah, personally I think that Ichigo looks much better with blue background than Grimmjow with orange one, maybe because Grimm is simply such a cold-hearted asshole, mostly. While Ichigo is always this bright sun, which shows his hair color already enough, especially there on your drawing looks the hair color so awesome! With the mix from yellow and orange. Something I would make differently next time though, is lineart the hair with a brighter color, and only where the hair doesn’t touch the skin or leaving it away completely, so it keeps more its realism, after all is our hair not framed. But otherwise pretty awesome, also with his outfit and the mini stars upon it, makes it all more beautiful *^* Meanwhile back to the grimm drawing. OH YES THE SIX, honestly I would search for pictures where you can see his back and the six, because there exist this one six.png file in google images which might be nice, but actually looks his six a tad differently, still I think for the first try, or even if not, it still came out mostly well, I SUFFER WITH HIS SIX quite a lot too whenever I bother to draw it too, which happens luckily rarely. I find it forever funny how grimm cares more about his espada title than the king title which he got from his fracción. oh actually black? tbh just in white it doesnt look bad either, might like it even more but cant rly tell in the end, cuz idk the end result, a shame u cannot show it. if you ever consider drawing him again, draw him from the side, there is hair rather easy to draw in my opinion. ASDFghj damn , well hopefully will the teachers appreciate this motherfucker B)) And no problem!!! I love getting art and seeing the process by artists, by your last drawing was the anatomy definitely much better and all seemed kinda cleaner, idk anyway thank you so much for showing your art again!! ♥

[ace-in-a-shopping-cart]

Day 10

Prompt: You are born with a birthmark, similar to a tattoo, that is shared by your soulmate.

Word Count: 1,896

Main Taglist: (Send an ask to be added or removed!) @starlocked01,​​​ @spoopy-turtle,​​​ @lizluvscupcakes,​​ @more-fandon-than-friends​, @i-cant-find-a-good-username, @vindicatedvirgil, @star-crossed-shipper, @justaqueercactus, @gayboopnoodle, @sanderssidesweirdo, @the-sympathetic-villain, @8-writes Soulmate taglist:(Send an ask to be added or removed!) @elizabutgayer, @melodiread, @tsshipmonth2020, @mikalya12, @8-writes, @lizzy-lineart

Virgil turned his head to look at the roommate he’d had since first semester. “So, what do you want to do now?”

Logan shrugged. “I guess we could play some simple game that doesn’t really require lights?”

Virgil scoffed. “Like what, truth or dare?”

“I’d be fine with that.”

Virgil sat up, moving his head to stare at him in the dim light. “Really? You wanna play a children’s game?”

“It sounds like a good way to pass the time.” Logan said as he shifted to face Virgil, legs crossed as one hand gripped his ankle.

Virgil threw his hood back. “Fine. Do you want to go first then?”

“Sure. Truth or dare?”

“Truth.”

“Have you met your soulmate?”

“I have. Truth or dare?” He neglected to mention that he’d seen Logan’s already and knew they were soulmates.

“Truth.” Logan’s voice sounded a bit sad.

“Where is your soulmark?” Virgil pretended like he did know simply because he wanted to see if he could get another glimpse of it.

Logan pulled up his sleeve, turning his arm so Virgil could see it. “On my wrist. Truth or dare?”

“Uh, let’s go with dare.”

Logan thought about it for a minute. “I dare you to show me your soulmark.”

Virgil sighed. He began to pull his hoodie and tee shirt over his head. Logan looked startled. “What are you doing?!”

Virgil paused. “Showing you my mark? It’s on my right shoulder blade and is easiest to see with nothing in the way. You got a problem with that?”

If the storm hadn’t knocked out their power, Virgil was sure he would have seen Logan try to hide a blush. “No, continue.”

Virgil pulled it all the way off and turned to show Logan. Judging from his shadow on the wall behind him, the flashlight was now pointed at his back. He felt cold skin against his and twisted his head to see what was happening. “What are you doing?”

“Virgil, our soulmarks are identical.” Logan’s voice was filled with surprise and something that sounded like relief.

Virgil smiled. “I know.”

Logan pulled back and Virgil turned back around to find his shocked expression. “You do? How long have you known?”

Virgil shook a finger at him. “Not your turn to ask. Truth or dare?”

Logan sighed. “Truth.”

Virgil had been waiting for this moment since he’d suggested the game. “Do you love me?”

Logan looked shocked but quickly recovered. “Dare.”

Virgil leaned forward slightly. “I dare you to tell me if you love me. It’s imperative to my mission as well as the answer to your own question.”

Logan looked away and seemed to be gaining courage because he twisted his head back and said, “Yes, I do love you.”

Virgil smiled and leaned forward just enough to kiss him on the cheek. “I love you too, soulmate.”

Logan didn’t react to the kiss. “So, truth or dare?”

Virgil couldn’t help but chuckle as he leaned back to give Logan space. “Truth.”

“How long have you known we’re soulmates?”

“About a year or so. I saw your soulmark while you were doing dishes and I was reading your textbook to you.”

Logan nodded. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

Virgil shrugged. “I guess it just never came up. I also hadn’t put it together right then and there, it wasn’t until I was able to look at my back that I realized. I mean, it’s not like I have it in an easily seen spot, you know.”

Logan nodded. “Follow up question: how long have you known you love me?”

Virgil sighed as he laid back down on the floor, just as uncaring about it as when he’d first done it. “Emotions are tricky. I can’t pinpoint the exact second that particular one came into being, only that it is here and I have to deal with it. I can say it feels like I’ve loved you for my whole life and I can’t imagine not loving you.” He turned his head to look at him again. “What about you?”

Logan shrugged. “I’ve known I love you for about two months.”

Virgil couldn’t help but bark out a laugh. “Mutual pining at it’s finest, huh?”

Logan smiled, turning to face him. “It doesn’t have to be pining anymore, does it?”

Virgil nodded, letting his arm fall to his side in a silent invitation. Logan took it, curling up next to him with his head over Virgil’s heart. “So, what are we?” Logan asked after a while.

Virgil held up his hands in the typical helpless position. “Soulmates. If we need to put another label on it, boyfriends, maybe?”

Logan giggled, snuggling his head into a better position. “I like the sound of that.”

Virgil ran a hand through his hair, settling into a comfortable rhythm that matched his breathing. “I like it too.”

They stayed like that for a while, cuddling on the floor of their shared apartment while waiting for the storm to blow over. They knew the power wasn’t going to be back on for another few hours at the earliest and were perfectly content to sit there and talk in the meantime.

[ace-in-a-shopping-cart]

Day 26

Prompt: You can’t see shades of your soulmate’s eye color until you meet and look into each other’s eyes for the first time.

Word Count: 1,007

Main Taglist: (Send an ask to be added or removed!) @starlocked01,​​​ @spoopy-turtle,​​​ @lizluvscupcakes,​​ @more-fandon-than-friends​, @i-cant-find-a-good-username, @vindicatedvirgil, @star-crossed-shipper, @justaqueercactus, @gayboopnoodle, @sanderssidesweirdo, @the-sympathetic-villain, @8-writes, @lizzy-lineart, @battlebunnyteardropsinthesun, sirprplsnail

Soulmate taglist:(Send an ask to be added or removed!) @elizabutgayer, @melodiread, @tsshipmonth2020, @mikalya12, @8-writes, @lizzy-lineart

CW: food

Remy sighed, glancing at his watch. “When will this party be over?” He muttered.

Roman leaned against him, sprawling on the couch. “You feeling alright?”

Remy shrugged. “I’m fine, buddy, just bored.”

“We could always find the bilge rat and make some mischief?”

Remy shook his head. “No, I think I’ll just go home early.”

Roman popped back into a sitting position. “What? No, you can’t go home early! You never go home early! You’re the party animal, the last to leave. What are you talking about? Are you sick?” His brother moved to put a hand to his forehead but Remy just pushed him away.

“I’m just tired, okay? It’s been a long day.”

Roman snapped his fingers. “That’s right, you went out with Virgil all day! How did it go, did you ask him out?”

Remy pushed him. “I didn’t.”

“Why? I’m almost a hundred percent positive you’re soulmates so why not ask him out? What’s the worst that could happen?”

“He rejects me and we end up not even being friends anymore.” Remy stood. “You know, I think I will leave.”

He passed Remus on the way out, both siblings maintaining eye contact for the whole time they were in the same room. Remy sighed in contentment as the cool night air hit his face. He kept walking, hands in his jacket pockets, letting his mind wander.

In such a crowded area with music so loud he could feel his chair vibrating, the only thing he’d been able to think of was Virgil. The silly redhead had taken over his mind to the point that everything else was dull in comparison to him. He kept walking, his mind wandering again and again to Virgil no matter how many times he tried to think about something else. He paid no mind to the wind whispering in the trees or the sounds of his own footsteps, too consumed with his thoughts to even notice the direction his feet were taking him.

“Remy?” Virgil’s voice caused him to look up to find himself inside the diner Virgil worked at. Reflexively, he twitched his nose to make sure his shades were in place. He silently cursed whatever instinct made him find Virgil.

“Hey.” He said softly.

Virgil just laughed. “Go sit down, my shift is over in a half hour anyways.”

Remy did as he was told, sliding into a booth and taking the time to people watch. Soon enough, Virgil was placing a milkshake in front of him and sitting opposite. Virgil took a long pull from his own milkshake before speaking. “So, what brings you to my little corner of the universe? I thought you had a party to go to.”

Remy shrugged. “I was just spoiling it anyway.”

“Why?” Virgil tilted his head, his jewelry flashing in the too bright lights.

Remy wanted to tell him that of all the people in the party, Virgil’s face was the only one he wanted to see, that no matter how hard his chair vibrated with the music, Virgil's voice was the only thing he wanted to hear. He wanted to tell him that no matter how many people dressed to get his attention, it was only going to be on Virgil and his ratty hoodies and multitude of piercings.

“I’m not really in the mood to party so I’d just drag down the mood.” He took a sip of his milkshake. “It’s not that big of a deal.”

Virgil nodded and moved the conversation to something else, the talk wandering from topic to topic as they drank their treats. When they were done, Virgil cleared off the table before clocking out. Remy held the door for him as they left. They walked down the street, Virgil’s hands in his kangaroo pocket. Eventually, they ended up at the pier.

Remy sat down, taking off his shoes and socks to let his feet dangle and brush the water. Virgil sat next to him, one leg pulled against his chest and the other curled beneath him, his head coming to rest on Remy’s shoulder. They sat like that for a while, just enjoying the other’s company in silence.

Finally, Remy spoke. “Have you ever wondered who your soulmate is?”

Virgil smiled. “Yeah, I’ve wondered.”

“Have you ever thought that you’ve met him already but didn’t know?” Remy laid his head on Virgil’s and hoped he wouldn’t hear how fast Remy’s heart was beating.

Virgil laughed. “Remy, are you trying to ask if I think you’re my soulmate?”

Remy shook his head, sitting back up and gently nudging Virgil’s head up until he was looking at him. Virgil’s nose ring glinted in the light of the moon and his earrings reflected the streetlights. “I’m trying to tell you I think you’re my soulmate.”

Virgil smiled. “Okay, how do we prove it?”

Remy glanced out at the ocean that was a churning mass of grey tones, a blank palate waiting to be filled with color. He pondered the idea of something being withheld from someone until they hit an arbitrary milestone in their life before his attention was brought back to Virgil and his glinting jewelry. “Well,” he answered, “I could always take off my sunglasses.”

Virgil nodded. “Okay, that works.”

So, Remy reached up and removed the only thing protecting him from getting his heart broken. He screwed his eyes shut as the lenses fell away before slowly opening them and seeing blue for the first time in Virgil’s eyes.

In that moment, when it was just the two of them, something clicked into place in the world as Remy cupped Virgil’s cheek. “Is it the wrong time to confess that I’ve had a major crush on you for the past year and ask if I can kiss you?”

Virgil laughed, those blue eyes sparkling. “I’d have to confess that I’ve felt the same for about a year and a half and I’d be terribly devastated if you didn’t kiss me.” So, Remy leant forward and was met halfway by Virgil.

[ace-in-a-shopping-cart]

Jewel of the Sea: Chapter 18: A Long Overdue Talk

Chapter 17

Word Count: 1,594

Virgil woke the next morning curled around Elliott, who was trying to get out of bed. Virgil gave a soft groan before untangling their tails and rolling over. “Five more minutes.”

Elliott laughed. “Looks like someone got used to sleeping in.”

Virgil sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and floating slightly before sinking back down into the natural bed. “What time is it?”

“Just past nine.”

Virgil nodded, and moved to grab a fresh covering from the closet. He opened his jewelry box for the first time in a few moons and decided to go all out. He was home, he was royalty, and he wanted to show it. Before he slid the first armband on, his eyes caught on the bracelet Roman had given him. His smile was tinged with sadness at the edges but he kept it on, brushing his thumb over it. “Thank you.” He whispered.

“What was that?” Elliott asked as they turned back around.

Virgil shrugged. “Nothing. Nothing, let’s get to breakfast.”

They headed down to the dining room and took their places. Virgil’s mother commented on him being gone longer than normal but the family was used to him disappearing for moons at a time so no one made too big of a deal out of it.

Toby and Ember were talking about Ember’s crush and how she thought a Necklace was in her future. Nate and Jasper were discussing plans for the crops. Andy, as usual, was just sitting off to the side. Virgil bumped their shoulders together as he sat. “How are you doing?”

Andy just leaned his head on Virgil’s shoulder. “I should be asking you that.”

Virgil chuckled. “I’ll be fine. How have you been holding up?”

Andy closed his eyes, looking exhausted. Virgil knew his twin like his own mind and there was something they needed to talk about. “I’ve been taking it one day at a time, Virgie. Don’t worry about me.”

Virgil laughed. “It’s my job to worry about you, silly.” He squeezed his twin’s hand as they began the meal. “We’ll talk about that later, okay?”

After the meal, Andy said he was going to be in his room so Virgil went to the garden to try to sketch out the Necklace design. He picked up the slate and writing utensils, bemoaning the loss of paper and pencil. Just as he was getting somewhere with the drawing, a knock sounded at the arch.

He looked up, hair floating in the midmorning current. “Yes?”

One of the royal guards was there, looking slightly annoyed. “Someone found a royal-finned out by the edge of town. He says he wants to talk to you.”

Virgil nodded, putting his drawings and thoughts aside. “Send him in, won’t you?” He tried to put on the princely mask he’d always worn for affairs of state like this but he found that it was eerily similar to the polite mask he’d worn at the party. An event he would rather not think of at the moment.

He had no idea who he was expecting to see but it certainly wasn’t the very person, the very human, he was trying to forget. Logan swam in, his hair a mess the current had used as a toy, his shirt rumpled and barely coming far enough down, and his legs in the form of an indigo tail that, despite Virgil’s best efforts, his brain categorized as complementary to his own and a color that looked very nice on the human prince. Logan smiled at him, his hand coming up for a tentative wave. It was the meekest Virgil had ever seen him and, despite all that had happened in the past day, it hurt.

Part of him was elated to see him again, to know that he was here with him instead of with the-. He couldn’t bear to finish that sentence. Instead, he waved the guard away and rose to stand. “What are you doing here? Better question, how did you get here?”

Logan didn’t respond, his eyes scanning Virgil. The mer crossed his arms, acutely aware of just how many bands he had and how few rings. When Logan’s eyes met his again, the human took a deep breath with a wince, clearly not used to breathing water.

“It started at the cliff. I talked with the . . . entity that you gave the stone to. They gave me a tail for three days and I set off to find you. So, I swam for what must have been three hours before time and exhaustion caught up with me and I fell asleep. I woke to a . . .” His voice trailed off as he searched for the right word before eventually just gesturing to Virgil’s tail.

“Mer. We’re called ‘mer’.” Virgil supplied in a tone that conveyed more anger than the hurt he truly felt at seeing Logan here.

“Right, a mer. She asked me which blessing I came from and where my contingent was, claiming she’d never seen me in town before. I have no idea what she meant by blessing so I just asked for you and they brought me here.”

Virgil held up a hand. “What name did you ask for specifically?”

“Virgil. I asked to see a Virgil. I described the purple tail and the side fins,” he gestured to the ones that lined his own sides, “and they brought me here.”

Virgil nodded. “And why are you here?”

Logan frowned, awkwardly moving forward until he was as close as Virgil normally allowed. “Why wouldn’t I be here?” His tone made him sound as if he had no idea what he’d done wrong.

Virgil scoffed, throwing his arms wide. “Maybe because you played with my feelings for a few moons before asking to kiss someone else?”

Logan huffed out a breath, turning to the side slightly before turning back. “How about the lying? How about the consorting with that entity, leading me on all summer, the fake amnesia? How much of that was the truth?” He paused, hurt in his eyes. “Do you even truly care for me?”

That made Virgil snap, his heart shattering. “Out of all the questions to ask!” He had to take a second to run a hand down his face, batting at his floating hair. “Do you even know what I’ve been through in the past day, let alone the past four moons?” He paused for breath, sending a glare toward Logan when the human opened his mouth to speak. “I’ve been captured by pirates who wanted to sell me for profit, made a deal for my life with Remy, faked amnesia just to get that trinket of a necklace, fallen in love with a human and I might as well have betrayed my entire blessing in the process!” Only at the end did Virgil realize he’d been raising his volume the whole time and was now shouting at someone he’d once thought he’d never hurt.

Logan opened his mouth to give a rebuttal but paused. “Fallen in love? How would you be betraying your entire blessing by doing so?” His voice was softer and at a lower volume.

Virgil shook his head, feeling the headache that comes with tears. His voice was shaky but he managed. “No. You don’t get to hear all of my secrets and pain while I know you’re in love with someone else.”

“But I’m not!” Logan ran a hand through his hair uselessly. “I thought he was you!” This was quiet, barely drifting to him.

It was Virgil’s turn to pause, hand reaching to rub his aching eyes. “What?”

“It’s a story that most people would question the sanity of but suffice it to say that the person you saw, or think you saw, was a shapeshifter using your likeness.”

The space was silent for a time before Virgil sniffled. “Does that mean . . .?”

Logan nodded, coming just shy of Virgil’s personal space. “I had wanted to ask if I could kiss you before I professed undying love.”

Virgil smiled, feeling heat rise in his cheeks. “Is it too late to accept the kiss?”

Logan shook his head as his hands came up to cradle Virgil’s cheeks. Virgil’s head dipped down and their lips connected. In that moment, Virgil could have sworn time had stopped. The kiss was sweet and short but it was also everything Virgil had dreamed it would be even before he’d known he wanted it.

“Now,” Logan said when they broke the kiss, “what was that about you betraying your blessing? And, what is a blessing?”

Virgil settled back down in his seat on the sea moss, turning the slate over and hiding the picture that now served a new purpose. “A blessing is a group of mer.” He waited as Logan settled by his side, tails intertwining. “The reason I might have betrayed my blessing by falling for you is that I was willing to give up my life here and live with you on the land. Typically, once a mer chooses to leave their blessing, they aren’t allowed back in.”

Logan took his hand and gently rubbed his thumb over the back of it. “I’m grateful that you are willing to do that.”

Virgil leaned into him, his free hand sliding through the water to hover over Logan’s cheek. The human leaned into his palm and Virgil could have melted. “May I kiss you?” Virgil’s voice was a whisper that was almost a purr.

Logan smiled and leaned in.

Chapter 19

Main Taglist: (Send an ask to be added or removed!) @antisocial-xxxpert, @lizluvscupcakes, @more-fandon-than-friends, @i-cant-find-a-good-username, @vindicatedvirgil, @star-crossed-shipper, @justaqueercactus, @gayboopnoodle, @the-sympathetic-villain, @8-writes, @lizzy-lineart, @lila-lupus, @battlebunnyteardropsinthesun, @punk-academian-witch, @princedarkandstormv, @sirprplsnail, @sarcasmremovedsoul, @private-snippers, @mygenderisidiot, @mistythegirlfluxmess,

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[ace-in-a-shopping-cart]

Jewel of the Sea: Chapter 19: A Peaceful Evening.

Chapter 18

Word Count: 1,185

They sat in the garden for a little bit, allowing Logan to get used to being in the water and breathing it while they talked it over in greater detail, Virgil telling Logan what happened on the cliff that day four moons ago and Logan telling Virgil what happened in the maze that night. After about half an hour of silence in which Virgil had gone back to sketching, Logan sat beside him. “What are you working on?”

Virgil shook his head, smiling. “A secret.” He finished the portion he was working on and put the utensil down before he turned to Logan, hoping to distract him from the drawing. “Do you want an official tour of the palace?”

Logan smiled. “That’d be great.”

Virgil nodded and moved into the building, Logan close behind him. He showed him around the castle, telling him all about it and the people who lived in it. The day wore on as Virgil talked about the history of the blessing, his siblings and parents, the castle. He introduced Logan to any siblings he came across, wondering where Elliott had swam off to.

The day wore on as they went, eventually arriving at Virgil’s room. He moved over to the pen that took up the entirety of a wall. He’d trained the sea dragons to stay in the pen so had no fear of them wandering out, even then he didn’t mind them floating around the whole room and sleeping in the pen so had no reason to lock it. However, he did find the lock on it so he assumed Elliott had locked it when they came in to feed them while Virgil was gone. Logan noticed and swam over, staying a bit apart.

Virgil laughed and waved him over. “Have you seen one of these before?”

Logan shook his head. “They’re incredibly rare. Only one aquarium has any and they’ve struggled for years to get them to breed. Although, I have read about them as much as I can. It seems you have one of both known species.” He pointed at the lavender one with a multitude of tendrils. “What’s the leafy’s name?”

Virgil smiled. “Her name is Sera.”

Logan nodded and moved his finger over to the other, a darker purple with greenish gold accents and few tendrils. “And the weedy’s?”

Virgil almost laughed at the fascination in Logan’s eyes. “His name is Tiko.”

Logan stared at the large pen, stars in his eyes. Virgil smiled and moved to sit on his bed, just watching Logan. The human moved around, seeming to be trying to see the sea dragons from every angle. Virgil just laughed and, when Logan looked over his shoulder at him, Virgil just pointed at his desk. “There are keys over there if you want to go in with them.”

Virgil hadn’t thought Logan’s face could get brighter but it seemed to as he shot over to the desk to grab the keys. He fumbled with the lock before slipping into the pen and sitting in the middle, watching as the two dragons swirled around him.

Virgil turned his head when a knock on the door sounded. Logan moved to stand but Virgil waved him back down, moving himself to open it. One of the chefs was kind enough to bring a meal up as they’d skipped lunch on the tour. The mer prince took the tray, thanking the chef, and moved to set it down on the desk. “I would let you eat in there but they’d try to take it thinking it was theirs.”

Logan nodded and moved to sit on the bed to eat with Virgil. He seemed surprised to see cooked fish. Virgil laughed. “We do know how to cook, you know.”

Logan nodded, those stars coming back into his eyes. “Is it possible to take a tour of the kitchens?”

Virgil smiled and nodded. “Tomorrow.”

They ate, talking about what happened during Virgil’s four moons on land, what a normal day below water is like, and anything in between they can think of. Virgil fed the sea dragons before pinning a blanket over the pen, letting them know it was time to sleep. He turned and grabbed a pair of shirts out of his closet, handing one to Logan. He quickly pulled his shirt off and put the new one back on with his back to Logan.

He turned around to find Logan just standing there, awkwardly holding the shirt. Virgil raised his eyebrows. “Are you not getting ready for bed?” He moved to the jewelry box and started taking off all his jewelry.

“Are you sure we’re allowed to sleep in the same room?” Logan sounded genuinely concerned so Virgil refrained from laughing.

“Why wouldn’t we be? What’s there to worry about?” Virgil moved to sit on the bed, still facing Logan.

Logan shrugged. “I guess most people on land would be concerned with an unmarried couple staying a  night in the same room due to them trying to have intercourse.”

Virgil nodded. “Yeah, we don’t usually worry about that. Most mer are, what’s the word? Asexual? We have no feelings to reproduce sexually.”

Logan nodded. “Yeah, that’s the one you’re looking for. Does that mean that you personally are asexual?”

“Yep.”

Logan then turned his back to Virgil and changed out of his now ruined dress shirt and into the one Virgil provided. He turned back around and moved to sit on the bed next to Virgil. Taking a deep breath, he opened his mouth.

Before he could say anything, Virgil held up a hand. “Logan, I know that look in your eyes. You’re about to say something and I want you to think about it first. If you’re not ready to tell me but think you have to just because I said something, you don’t have to.”

Logan nodded and took the hand Virgil was holding up. “I want to tell you. I trust you with this information. Besides, it’s not something I’ve ever felt the need to hide.”

“Okay. You have the floor.”

“I’m demiromantic.” Virgo’s brow furrowed and he was about to ask what that was when he remembered he said he’d let Logan talk. “That basically means that I need to form a close emotional bond before I have romantic feelings for someone.” He took another deep breath. “That being said, I’m in love with you.”

Virgil nodded, understanding that that was a big thing. Thinking about the Necklace design that was still laid out on the desk, he smiled. “It’d be pretty awkward if you weren’t. Because I'm in love with you too.”

Logan smiled and leaned toward him. “May I kiss you?”

Virgil nodded, closing the distance himself. The kiss was soft and gentle and it wasn’t long before they were pulling back to slip under the covers and fall asleep wrapped in each other’s arms. The last thing Virgil remembers from that moment is purring in contentment and happiness while drifting off to sleep, holding the love of his life close as their tails wrapped around each others.

Chapter 20

Main Taglist: (Send an ask to be added or removed!) @antisocial-xxxpert, @lizluvscupcakes, @more-fandon-than-friends, @i-cant-find-a-good-username, @vindicatedvirgil, @star-crossed-shipper, @justaqueercactus, @gayboopnoodle, @the-sympathetic-villain, @8-writes, @lizzy-lineart, @lila-lupus, @battlebunnyteardropsinthesun, @punk-academian-witch, @princedarkandstormv, @sarcasmremovedsoul, @private-snippers, @mygenderisidiot, @mistythegirlfluxmess,

JotS Taglist (Send an ask to be added or removed!): @5-falsehoods-phonated, @vindicatedvirgil, @viva-la-pluto-dam-you, @acetatertot, @silvarraven, @logan-positivity, @virgil-positivity, @luella-the-homosexual, @positivitykitty, @akatsuki-no-katira, @ironwoman359, @winterwynd, @lookingforaplacetosleep, @lonelyanxiousbean, @modsnow, @pansexualpuppet, @awkwardjester

[ace-in-a-shopping-cart]

Day 21

Prompt:  Pick your favorites (1 or more) and combine them! Trail of color combined with impossible to lie to soulmate.

Word Count: 2,170

Main Taglist: (Send an ask to be added or removed!) @starlocked01,​​​ @spoopy-turtle,​​​ @lizluvscupcakes,​​ @more-fandon-than-friends​, @i-cant-find-a-good-username, @vindicatedvirgil, @star-crossed-shipper, @justaqueercactus, @gayboopnoodle, @sanderssidesweirdo, @the-sympathetic-villain, @8-writes, @lizzy-lineart, @battlebunnyteardropsinthesun, sirprplsnail

Soulmate taglist:(Send an ask to be added or removed!) @elizabutgayer, @melodiread, @tsshipmonth2020, @mikalya12, @8-writes, @lizzy-lineart

CW: blood, mentioned side character death, mention of knife, (just in case) mention of police/detectives.

Logan stepped out of his car and approached the crime scene. “What do we know so far?”

“It looks like a homicide, Detective.” 

He turned his head, glaring at him. “It looks? Do we not know if that’s the case? Surely if this were a homicide, the victim would still be here. So, is the body on site? Or at least on it’s way to the morgue?”

The cop cowered into his jacket slightly. “Yes, Detective, there was a body.”

Roman walked over. “Shoo! I’ve got him, you go get a break.” Logan rolled his eyes but turned to follow the lieutenant as the cop wandered off in relief. “So, what we’ve got is a body, footprints, a murder weapon, and three distinct blood samples.”

Logan nodded. “Two against one, not great odds for the dead guy.”

Roman barked a laugh. “Yeah, you could say that again.”

They entered the house and Logan took his time walking the scene. He examined the almost comical outline of where the body had been found, the placards for evidence, and the splatters of blood. He lingered on certain spots for reasons unknown to those around him. Sometimes, he would pull out his phone to take a picture to look at, his expression neutral. It wasn’t for another hour or two before he left to go back to the precinct.

He drew up a file for what they knew so far and added a personal note of ‘Is my soulmate one of the killers?’ He pulled the file for the victim and found that it was one Patton Hart. The man had been an upstanding citizen who worked at a local bakery. Logan made a note to call the bakery and give the owner a notice of Patton’s passing.

The next day, the call was made and he was off. He knew this was going to be an easy job and he also knew that he shouldn’t have taken it. He thought his emotions wouldn’t get in the way, that he would be able to take this case and not think about the fact that the person he was hunting could turn out to be his soulmate. He tried not to think about the implications of that and how it would impact his decisions.

No, he didn’t think about how he could be on his way to incarcerate someone who could end up being the love of his life if the circumstances were different. He didn’t wonder what that person was like, if they were cruel or soft to those they loved, if they slept lightly or deeply, how it would feel to have them next to him.

He didn’t think about how easy it was to track their path due to the glowing purple trail highlighting their every move, how this was worse than fish in a barrel because the fish at least knew there was no escape while his soulmate, this criminal and killer, thought they were free, thought they’d actually get away with this. They had no way of knowing that their life had been on a timer the second Logan stepped inside that house. No, he didn’t think of any of that. His hands tightened on the steering wheel, the music blasting in the hope of drowning out those thoughts.

He didn’t know how long he drove, only that it had taken him all day before the trail swerved off road. He pulled into a farm area and parked on the side of the dirt road. He stepped out, his service weapon close at hand in case things got nasty. Approaching the door to the farmhouse, Logan tried to look professional or at least laid back, anything other than the bundle of nerves and live wires he felt like.

He pushed through the door of what looked to be a bed and breakfast. “Hello?”

A man poked his head around the corner. “In here, honey bun!”

Logan followed the voice. “I would ask that you refrain from pet names as we are strangers but I can already tell that would be a lost cause.”

The man laughed, pulling his sunglasses down just enough to look over them at him. “If you keep that up, we’ll get along just fine, sugar.”

Logan sighed but sat down in the kitchen. “I’m just here to ask a few questions, I’m not going to be staying the night.”

The man sat down opposite him at the large wooden table with a live edge. Logan took a minute to glance around the large and airy kitchen, the current main source of light being the windows giving it a homey look. His eyes went back to the man before him and he slid out pictures of the people the blood samples matched. “Have you seen either of these people lately?”

The man paused, the towel he’d been using to dry his hands held suspended in his grasp. While he looked over the pictures, Logan looked around the room for any trace of his soulmate and found faint ones but nothing to go on. “The left one's name is Virgil. I don’t know the right. What would a sweet boy like him be doing messing with the law?” The last sentence was said quietly, as if it wasn’t meant for Logan to hear.

Logan sighed. “So, you’ve seen Virgil in the past few days? Could you point me in his general direction?”

The man put his towel down. “I could. What do you need him for?”

Logan decided to just tell a half truth. “I just need to ask him a few questions about something that happened a few days ago.”

He nodded before jutting his thumb over his shoulder. “Emile told me he’s out back chopping wood or something.” He shrugged. “I will never understand him.”

Logan thanked him for his time and exited through the indicated door. He found the trail of purple leading around the side of the building and followed it, coming upon the sound of wood being split by an axe. A purple hoodie in the same color as the trail lay nearby, discarded by the person chopping wood. He traveled around the corner and found the source of the sound.

He cleared his throat to get the man’s attention. The shirtless man startled and turned. Logan knew he was his soulmate based off the trail that led right up to him but he still wasn’t prepared to meet him like this. Putting on a professional face that made his features neutral, he spoke. “Would you mind answering a few questions?”

His soulmate, the man who might be a criminal, Virgil nodded. “Am I allowed to finish this pile first, Officer?”

Logan smiled, sitting on the grass nearby. “That’s fine. And my actual title is Detective.”

Virgil nodded before swinging the axe again, letting it hit and spilt the piece of tree trunk before him. Logan took the time to examine the man. The homicide was committed with a kitchen knife in a stabbing motion and this man certainly seemed capable of it. Logan’s eyes lingered on his biceps, seeing the definition of the muscle and he knew those muscles were practical, not dehydrated for a bodybuilding competition.

The last axe swing hit its mark and Virgil left the axe in the stump, moving to pick up a discarded shirt to wipe his face of sweat before downing part of a water bottle. “So, what can I do for you, Detective?” He sat Indian style in the grass facing Logan.

Logan looked through his notes. “Were you in the city two days ago?” He gave the address for the house as well.

Virgil’s expression was stiff as he nodded. “Yes, I was there. I’m assuming you want my witness statement?”

Logan looked at him as he pulled out the photos from the crime scene. He meant to reassure him but he forgot about the inability to lie to his soulmate. “You’re actually currently a suspect.”

Virgil tensed. “You don’t know I didn’t do it, do you?” He scrambled to his feet, beginning to pace as he ran a hand through his hair that must have been matted with sweat. “I was a victim too!” He reached down, pulling up his pants leg to show a large bandage. Logan noticed a smaller one on his cheek and one that was somewhere between them residing on his nondominant shoulder.

Logan didn’t know what to do. With his soulmate being unable to lie to him, he had to take his word as absolute truth. Still, there was a small part of him that wondered if it was only a one way soul connection and Virgil wasn’t his soulmate. “Okay, I understand.” He swiftly put away the crime scene photos, instead pulling out the random stack of mug shots he’d compiled before he left. “All I need you to do now is help me figure out who did this. Can you do that?”

Virgil’s pacing slowed, coming to a stop in front of Logan. He looked down at the pictures, hand on the injured shoulder. He scanned them as Logan watched his eyes, fear evident in them when they came to one particular picture. Virgil pointed at it. “That one. That’s him.”

Logan looked down to see the mug of the third blood sample staring back at him. “Okay, that will be helpful.” He rose to his knees with minimal effort, gathering the pages up. “I’ll be on my way then.”

Virgil’s hand clutched his sleeve, keeping him there. “Can I ask a request?”

Logan turned to look at his soulmate, the man who wasn’t a killer, the one who was a victim, and his face softened. He allowed himself to show emotion, his face the picture of concern. “Yes?” His voice was soft too.

Steel crept into Virgil’s eyes, turning him into something that looked dangerous. “I want to come with you.” That same steel was in his voice, almost turning it into a command instead of a request.

Logan raised an eyebrow. “Why would you deliberately ask to meet your attempted murderer?”

Virgil’s voice remained firm but sadness tinged the edges. “He killed my best friend and I want to watch his face when justice is served.”

Logan nodded, softly chucking him under the chin. “I guess I can stay the night to give you time to shower and pack. Would that be acceptable?”

Virgil nodded, releasing him to grab his things, their arms brushing as he headed inside. They spent the night at the bed and breakfast, Remy seeing them out in the morning with a quick hug and a “Bye, babes!”

They both climbed into Logan’s car, the detective making sure to turn the radio down and off before Virgil got in. Virgil put his bag in the trunk before walking around to get in the passenger side, a sketchbook in his lap. Logan smiled at him as he got in, handing him the aux cord. “How about you pick the music for the ride? I don’t have any preferences when it comes to music.”

Virgil nodded and plugged his phone in. Logan expected him to play rock or emo music but instead a soft ballad was followed by a catchy pop song. The drive was spent in relative silence as Logan headed in the direction the actual killer had run. Finally, Virgil turned down the volume and spoke. “So, what are we doing now?”

“I’ve already communicated with the precinct so they know you’re a witness under my protection. At the moment, I feel no need to inform them that you’re my soulmate. That will be done eventually but I assumed after this was over would be soon enough.” He glanced at his soulmate. “Unless you would like me to alter the timing at all?”

Virgil shook his head. “No, that’s fine.”

“In return, I was informed of the last known location of your attacker. I was told it was close to where you resided, which, at the time, only perpetuated the idea of you working together. However, I am more inclined to think he was stalking you in an attempt to finish the job.”

Virgil’s hand slid closer to the center console. Logan allowed his right hand to let go of the steering wheel, letting it rest near Virgil’s. The purple clad man smiled, holding the hand in a loose grasp, one that told Logan he was free to pull away when he needed to. “So,” Virgil asked, “are we going to arrest him now?”

Logan nodded. “That’s the plan.”

A silence descended that was more comfortable than the one before, one that knew they were on an even footing. So, even as the music was turned up and a song from a musical came on, they both reveled in the companionable silence that came with the other’s hand in theirs. The car sped on, eating up the road easily as they headed off to get justice for Patton Hart.

Maybe one day I’ll give this a second part where they take down the killer.