#threads — icarus ward.

[xxcrystalinerose]

KEEPSAKE ART!! KEEPSAKE ART!!

I've been waiting for this in particular and there are some very interesting looking keepsakes so let's talk about them!

Hecate's is just the sigil we can find on and around characters allied with the Unseen (Nemesis) or witches (Medea, Circe). So I'm going to assume the sigil itself is called the Silver Wheel.

I had to research what Odysseus' is supposed to be (because I haven't ever read the Odyssey) but it turns out this is a type of game of chance called knucklebones? Interestingly it's something taught by Palamedes to his countrymen during the Trojan War, and Palamedes was the guy whose trickery forced Odysseus into the War and Od never forgave him (in most accounts, Od also killed him later). Oof.

I've wanted to make keepsake-based art for these, but since I don't know what they're supposed to be I was forced to speculate. But I don't need to any longer!

Nem's keepsake is... a literal evil eye charm. I don't know what I expected really! But it has a thread on it, so maybe Nem wears it on her armor? Hung on the back of her cuirass perhaps, to ward off malice directed against her back as she leaves after dealing retribution?

The skull on Moros' keepsake looks adorably polite (just like the man). I like that the 'pin' part is similar to one of those tiny sewing pins. It has the color of the Fates on it; did they give this to him? From its appearance, it's likely the Pin was supposed to be worn to fasten his sash.

Hermes' keepsake is a vial of mercury. Also known as quicksilver. 100/100 pun game and mythological reference here, Supergiant.

Artemis' keepsake is likely a reference to the sacred hind of Artemis, which is said to have golden antlers (likely represented by the golden accessories on the antlers).

Heracles' keepsake is from the name itself without a doubt a fang from the Nemean Lion, whose pelt he is also wearing on his person (my favorite iteration of this trope by the way).

Medea's is almost definitely the Golden Fleece, but looked like that either due to her curses, vengeance, or she just decided to singe it out of spite, as the in-game name is blackened fleece. The Medea we meet in game is likely her after enacting vengeance against Jason (can we see what's left of him? Or his shade? Please?).

I did not expect Circe's to be an ADORABLE pink crystal piggie. I wonder if SGG will discuss Circe's tendency to curse people into animals, judging by the pink sheep pigs on her island... and the entire Odysseus situation, because hoo boy.

Icarus' keepsake is a slightly modified Daedalus hammer. It doesn't look that much different, maybe to signify his doubt of his own skills and his belief that he will never escape his father's legacy and shadow? He's not yet found the courage to come into his own.

[oculiaperticlausi]

"How do you even know what books to look for?" Sawyer turns her head to look over at them. She glances over to the exabit the two of them were looking at. Her eyes focusing on it for a second as she nods her head. "It should be that way when you work in a place like this.. Being able to tell people the real honest history of it." She looks over at him once again. "Have you lived on Marina long?"

@stigmvtas

"Not many do - even some of my coworkers aren't privy to this information. I just happen to read a lot." There was comfort in the old - in the past, in what had been already done; there was also unease, discomfort - but it hung in a delicate balance. A pattern Icarus followed closely - box plots and linear graphs replacing the thoughts in his mind. "Both - I've only been working here for a few months but - it's all fascinating. I like reading up on the places I live, getting to know their history... having a more innate understanding of the ground I'm stepping on - you know? I like feeling... in - tune."

[bloodredx]

Day 30: Fun (Free Choice)

Pleasure is something worth pursuing. There are few risks worth the costs of a good time that do not enrich existence in some measurable facet. For even making a mistake or causing harm can again inspire all sorts of critical outcomes or learning capabilities in even the most basic of situations. Animals do enjoy games, and often pranks upon it. These are exercises in experience, in a safe status. One in which the real horrors of violence are nothing but visions for the future. To cut teeth on survival. To be build capacity under the guise of entertainment.

So too, there are no flaws in the prospects of simply finding enjoyment in just being. Sitting in the moment, observational qualities that too overshadow possibilities of infinite joy. For mere entertainment is something this form takes hold of quite firmly. If nothing else matters, then the echoes of pleasant times should float freely on the breeze, carrying what lightness memories can in the darkness. Happiness is fleeting, therefore precious. Life is fleeting, and therefore precious. What parts of thine own self can be considered anything less. The tragedy remains, as the Song draws closer to the end, or perhaps the al coda, that the more temporary the result, the more flexible one must be in the execution. This form should be grateful to have held this enjoyment it has. For nothing else comes close in consideration. And nothing else shall return, once all has come around.

--

The last of the day’s songbirds had just quieted for the evening, leaving the creatures of the night plenty of course to sing their sweet melodies into the fading twilight. The bubbling of the fountain behind her was plenty distraction enough for her swirling thoughts. A new headache, and new series of problems to sort through with a delicate hand. And as such, the reminder of a delicate hand was needed. The shears between her fingers aimed specifically to cut through the decaying leaves of her precious roses. Ancient, as she was, and attempting their best to overtake her courtyard. Certainly their dominance would not be denied, but much like herself, could be molded into the perfection and poise needed. A few snips, and the offending leaves removed and collected into the compost bin.

Occasional rustling through the leaves alerted her to the struggling hands of her ward, his brows furrowed as he failed to slip loops of twine along the trellis. Frustration was boiling, that much was evident as the twine began splintering to threads more with each attempt. She snorted to herself, just soft enough to keep it from ear shot. Serena inspected her work a moment, then once satisfied, she locked her shears and made the few steps past the fountain to the trellises silently. “Icarus?” Her voice shattered the silence, forcing him to jump.

“W-what?! Huh?” His neck swiveled back, casting an angry glare back at her. One that quickly softened to fear just as quickly.

“You seem to be struggling.” Not a question, a blanket statement. One that hid the amusement behind her eyes. Something of a reflection was pooling in his eyes, Serena seeing bits of herself lingering in the pale green hues. “Is something the matter?”

His fingers absently unraveled the frayed edges the twine in his hands, chewing on a thought before parting his lips. “Honestly?”

“I am not inclined to encourage you lying, so yes.”

Indecision ran rampant in his eyes for a moment, before settling on a decision. “Is this what you consider fun? Like, standing out here and playing with weeds, I don’t know how you stand it?”

Serena took a shallow breath. “It’s a hobby. Something that I’ve always done. Perhaps it brings me back to center. Quiets the mind.”

When no anger or disappointment flashed across her face, he dared to press a little further. “I don’t think this is right for me. I know there’s only so much to be done here, it’s a hospital not an amusement park. I know that. But still. I can’t imagine how you haven’t driven yourself mad with the monotony.”

“It is anything but monotony, let me assure you.” She motioned for him to follow, walking back to the small storage shed, passing the flowers with a soft spring in her step. “Tasks are ever changing, sure. Despite my better desires, even I must take a step back from work and wind down. Gardening is just the easiest. It’s always here, and always needs to be done. Not so much a chore.”

Stepping into the shed, Serena put away her tools and equipment, taking the twine from Icarus’s hands and bidding him to follow her into its depths. “Of course,” She continued. “Weather may get the best of me, or perhaps nothing needs to immediately be completed. So my mind will turn to other things. Painting for one. If that’s something you’d like to try, I can certainly arrange for that. But one thing more practical might be this.”

A combination lock sat guard over a chest, to which she quickly entered the code and opened the lid, freeing its contents from the confinement. Pleasure lurked in her eyes as she stooped down and collected her prizes, a pair of fencing foils. The swords, not sharp, gleamed silver in the low light. She tilted both in her hands a moment, before handing the left one to Icarus, who took it with hesitation. “I don’t understand?”

“You asked me what I enjoy for fun, correct?” A hint of mischief entered her voice. “One of the joys of your arrival, Icarus, is that I now have a new sparring partner.”

(OC-tober challenge by @oc-tober2022 can be found here.)

[disappearinginq]

Thanks to @dragonnan​ for this tag, too!

Name: for the sake of this, Red

Fandom: So many...sooo many...but as far as writing? Lucifer and Magnum, PI the reboot dominate the sheer numbers, but I also dipped my toes in the MCU with a couple one shots, Agents of SHIELD, the 100, Doctor Who, Common Law, Merlin, White Collar...Iron Fist/Daredevil. Probably others, but that’s without looking. 

Where you post: AO3 and fanfic.net. I definitely appreciate both crowds, but I probably read more now on AO3, but I post simultaneously to both accounts. 

Most popular one shot: Only Human in the Lucifer fandom, which was actually the first exchange gift I ever did. 

Most Popular Multi-Chapter Story: Damnatio Memoriae, also Lucifer fandom. Probably the first fic I ever wrote that gained any level of popularity, and now it’s become this boogeyman in my writing closet because I just have one chapter to finish it and wrap up a 140k word epic, but I kinda don’t want to see it go, and have been staring at it for like 2 years at this point debating going back and editing the note saying I was gonna do one more chapter, or just finally give one last one. 

Favourite Story You Wrote: Oooohh....hmm. That’s a toughie. Because like most, I have a favorite within a fandom. Like Damnatio is forever going to be my baby. I should post at some point how that story was actually SUPPOSED to go, and then it developed a life of it’s own and awwwaaaaay we went. I love Running Up That Hill for Agents of SHIELD which is one massive fix it fic because I was so blindingly enraged by what they did with Ward. I love Icarus in the teeny tiny Deception fandom because it’s the first time I really tried to write a dissociate episode and I kind of love how it turned out, and I love Wrong Side of Heaven in the Magnum PI fandom because it’s the first story I haven’t had some level of fantasy or sci fi to fall back on, and it’s a topic near and dear to me from my military service (and it is ALSO turning out to be a massive fix it fic and an excuse to write without the main female character in the show who I have come to despise). 

Story You Were Nervous to Post: I’m ALWAYS a bit anxious when I post, period. But probably Wrong Side, just because I have so much invested in it, I want to convey what being a POW of the Taliban would actually be like, instead of glossing over it like it was a minor inconvenience like the show has. 

How You Choose Your Titles: With very little thought. Icarus was from a random comment in the story about soaring too high, Damnatio was an episode title from Teen Wolf, and I also tend to just pick one word titles. Sometimes I regret the titles I pick later, but eh. Not enough to change them. 

Do You Outline: Not really. And I’m kinda glad I don’t, because my stories have veered violently and wonderfully away from their original plots. Damnatio would’ve been 10 chapters and very cut and dry, no mystery to it; Running would’ve ended the second that Fitz and Ward were rescued...however. That being said, I have heavily plotted out Wrong Side, because I have written it incredibly out of order, AND I don’t have the benefit of Magic existing to wrap up what I don’t want to think about. 

Complete (Stats): Ugh. Does this mean complete stats or stats on completed works?

41 Completed works (some one shots, some multi chaptered)

27 multi-chapter stories

 28 one shots 

14 incomplete (I have intentions to finish all of them but some will take considerably longer)

I don’t want to consider the projects I have from original works or fanfic that will never see the light of day because it’s in the early thousands. 

And because I am lazy - copy and pasted stats from AO3

User Subscriptions:112

Kudos:7699

Comment Threads:917

Bookmarks:2125

Subscriptions:1551

Word Count:447102

Hits:91836

In Progress (Actively Writing): Wrong Side of Heaven and Bad Things Happen (Magnum, PI 2018), Damnatio Memoriae and Cecidit Angelus (Lucifer)

Coming Soon/Not Yet Started/Unpublished:

Okay full disclosure, the following list contains stories that I wouldn’t categorize as “coming soon”.  I am uncertain when these will actually make it to AO3 and my writing workload it enormous right now.  Still, I AM excited by these stories and would love to eventually share them!

Untitled Iron Fist/Daredevil crossover that’s mostly in plotting stages where IGH has captured both Danny and Matt. 

Untitled Prodigal Son story that I kinda want to get out there before I’m either confirmed right or wrong that has to do with Malcolm’s father actively grooming him to be a serial killer just like him and that’s the woman who’s in the box that he keeps having nightmares about, his first ‘victim’.

Lucifer fic of no title that is a series of one shots with Lucifer and Chloe being advocates/law enforcement for the supernatural in LA (selkie gets her coat stolen by a stalker, they have to go retrieve it kind of thing)

Untitled GOTG fic for @rohanrider3 about people being after Peter for his Celestial side and I rip off my favorite tropes of ‘fun character in peril turns out to have some rage issues’ from FMA and Avatar the Last Airbender. 

Do You Accept Prompts: Sure. Not a lot of people submit them, but when I asked for people to participate in ‘choose your own adventure’ style for fics, the audience has entertained my lunacy and given good ideas, and they respond to Bad Things Happen Bingo prompt requests, but other than that....not a lot of people send me prompts out of the blue (FYI, I really like them, though sometimes I’m just slow at filling them). 

Upcoming Story You Are Most Excited to Write: Wrong Side and Unnamed Prodigal Son fic, hands down. 

Tagging: @rohanrider3, @beguilewritesstuff, @ariaadagio, @amandagaelic, @waitingforthestarstofall, and anyone else who’d like to take a stab at this :)

[oculiaperticlausi]

Sawyer turns her head to look over at him. "I actually didn't know that." She drifts her gaze to the exhibit in front of them. A part of her had forgotten the beauty of Marina the last few months, all the death going around made it impossible to feel like home was the best place to be. "Do you like the history of Marina or do you happen to work here?" She teases in a soft tone, her eyebrow arching slightly.

@stigmvtas

open - one of the exhibits.

"Apparently this is leftover debris from a shipwreck found when Marina was first inhabited back in the early 1900's - but it's much, much older than that." Icarus couldn't help the melodic drawl that fell into place whenever he recited what'd he'd spent months memorizing on note - cards for the job, even off - duty, a cautious smile cast towards the masked person besides him. His hands kept firm behind his back, no drink in sight - always too cautious to let his mind become inhibited. "They think that the ship's lost treasure's still intact, somewhere beneath the coral reef - isn't that neat?"