#well this post isn't showing up on the dash not sure why but hopefully you see it anon.

[pooklet]

Hi! Not the same anon as your last ask (though I agree with them about your face templates being wonderful, I use them myself as non-default versions by Deedee!), but seeing that ask made me remember that I also sent you an ask a few days ago about your default face templates post, but as I included the link to the post for convenience I’m wondering if my ask perhaps got eaten..?

hi anon!! sorry, your ask did not get eaten!

however

the hair you are asking abt is not a single hair, it's a hair, accessory buns, and an accessory flower crown, and the hair & buns were made by @skulldilocks many moons ago but not shared. neither of us have the full bun set on our computers anymore so we had to track it down on an old harddrive!

..... and then discovered that in my infinite wisdom i tried to bin the buns but just ruint them & now they crash bodyshop! still have the textures tho so will remake them and share in a bit. we've just been v. busy with a family visit.

apologies for not answering sooner i wanted to be able to provide dl links to your original ask so it was in my drafts, but i don't want u to think i am ignoring you either.

[yukidragon]

Sunny Day Jack - Oopsie Baby 2

I've been scrounging up spoons as best I can to continue with the Jack accidentally getting Alice pregnant idea. I did a small continuation of it in a reblog replying to some tags, but I figured I'd make another proper post for as long as my spoons last.

Let's touch on a bit of the timeline for how this sort of AU might unfold. Beware of spoilers for Sunshine in Hell.

Content Warning: This post contains some spicy talk about sex and intimacy, both positive and negative experiences. I mean, how else is babby formed? There's also discussions about pregnancy, birth control, chronic illness, sickness, contemplating abortion, manipulative behavior, and a dash of overprotective sketchy yandere spice.

@channydraws @earthgirlaesthetic @sai-of-the-7-stars @cheriihoney @illary-kore @okamiliqueur @kurokrisps

As you may remember me mentioning from previous posts, Sunshine in Hell is my personal alternate continuity of the Something's Wrong with Sunny Day Jack story and won't follow the games one-to-one. For example, as I've also mentioned in previous rambles such as this one, the relationship that develops between Alice and Jack is more of a slow burn, and that includes being intimate. Their first kiss isn't going to be the same day or just a couple days before they wind up making love for the first time.

Still, the morning after they go all the way for the first time is the same day Shaun shows up to stay at Alice's place. It's just too hilarious to me to imagine how flustered she'd be about the whole thing, especially after Jack seduces Alice while Shaun is there to mark his territory.

So it'd be even more hilarious that this is when Jack accidentally gets Alice pregnant. She was already mortified and upset after she figures out he intended for Shaun to hear them, so why not have that moment cause further drama later~?

Though I suppose their first time could be when it happened as well. I mean, getting knocked up isn't an instantaneous thing. It takes a while for the sperm to reach the egg and what not, and Jack is definitely going to seduce Alice a fair amount of times before the seed that he planted starts to take root.

Which is more reason why Alice kicks herself for not buying Jack condoms. Maybe the surreal and supernatural aspect of their relationship made such consequences slip her mind. Being with Jack is like living in a happy dream, detached from the regular struggles of reality. There's also the fact that condoms are expensive, and she's barely struggling to keep afloat with her meager paycheck.

It's so easy for Alice to forget such troubling details when Jack is there, whispering sweet words into her ear, caressing and kissing her body so lovingly. He makes her feel so beautiful, desirable, perfect, and irreplaceable. It's so easy for her to get swept up by him. She's never felt so loved before. No relationship has felt so right. It scares her sometimes how naturally they fit together, so effortless in spite of challenges they face. It's nothing like her previous relationship.

Not to mention their connection causes his horny urges to rub off on her, increasing her libido. Sex with Jack is actually a pleasure for Alice, unlike previous experiences, and she's found herself hornier than ever after they start getting intimate. She never thought penetrative sex could feel so good, make her feel so connected to someone without any barriers between them.

Granted, Alice was a lot more cautious when she and Ian were together, and she always made sure he wore a condom when he was going in down south. Despite often losing control of himself when horny, and really, really wanting to do it bare, he was pretty good about making sure he was always wrapped.

Though I wonder if Ian remembered to use a condom when he cheated. I mean, he clearly forgot he was in a relationship at the time, so I'd imagine using protection would slip his mind as well. Hopefully he didn't get his affair partner pregnant. That would make things so much more complicated.

Ian and Alice had discussed having kids before, but as a far, far future thing. Though Ian was terrified about being a father, as he wasn't sure he'd be a good one. He never knew his father. The closest thing he had to a father was Alice's dad, Ambrose, and even then Ian felt guilty even thinking about as Ambrose like that, like he was betraying his mom somehow. Perhaps it was because of all his mom's talk about him being selfish with his desires and how all men are cheating scum...

Alice had yet to talk about kids with Jack.. well, outside of him being a kids TV host and being fond of them in general. Certainly, he imagined having children one day with his sunshine, but Alice was taking things slowly with Jack.

Of course now the topic is at the forefront whether they're ready for it or not.

Alice was so distracted by her new relationship with Jack and all the pleasure and complications that comes with it, pregnancy never crossed her mind. Too much is going on for that to come up.

First there's the relationship itself, then using introducing Jack to Shaun as a trial run before Alice tries to do the same with her family. This comes with the whole embarrassing incident of Shaun overhearing Jack and Alice going at it and having to deal with the awkwardness that follows. There's also helping Shaun move into his own place and getting settled in.

It's only after things settle into a new normal that Alice starts bracing herself for how she's going to introduce Jack to her family, though she's started talking about him to them without yet mentioning his supernatural nature.

It'll probably be sometime after Shaun gets moved into his place that things start seeming amiss. Alice suffers from chronic illness, and sometimes this causes her cramps, exhaustion, nausea and food aversion/sensitivity. As such, when these pregnancy symptoms manifest, she just assumes it's business as usual, more or less, even if the nausea gets pretty intense. She's learned she just has to deal with it by this point.

It's only when Alice realizes that she hasn't had her period for way too long that the thought pops into her head.

One missed period is something to take note of, but not necessarily anything bad. Sometimes a period skips a month. Two though... that's when things get dicey.

Heck, Alice could even be as far as three months in if she mistakes the light bleeding that's common to experience in the early weeks of pregnancy for her period.

It's possible Jack noticed something different about Alice. Being a ghost(?) he might possess more supernatural powers than we've seen thus far in the story. It's possible a part of him picked up on some sort of change in her warm light that he can't quite put his finger on. Maybe to him it's like she's glowing even more radiantly than she used to?

Though Jack is more focused on taking care of his poor sunshine while she's sick. Alice has to work even on days when she's throwing up. It's so unfair. If only he could work in her place. If only he could provide more. He spoils her even more to compensate, and she appreciates how far he goes to take care of her, but he can't take away all of her troubles and woes.

Once Alice has the thought she might be pregnant, that's when the fear sets in. She hesitates to say anything to Jack, at least not until she takes a pregnancy test, but it'll be very hard to hide anything from him. Since she's been sick lately, he's particularly keen on going with her everywhere, especially if she's doing something to exert herself. Still, she does manage to talk him into staying home to cook dinner while she picks up "a couple things" from the corner store, one of which being a tester.

Alice doesn't like keeping secrets from Jack, especially since they've become so intimate, but this fear feels... irrational? Like she shouldn't worry Jack about something that might not even be possible.

Like she shouldn't crush his hopes considering how isolated he is...

It's even possible she had a pregnancy scare in the past with Ian and, well... I have a feeling that would've been a very stressful situation involving a lot of tears and fears.

It's better if Alice is the only one freaking out about what might be nothing at all.

Besides... Alice is on birth control. There's no way it failed... right?

Jack does pick up there's something amiss when Alice starts acting dodgy around him. When she rushes immediately to the bathroom after coming home from the errand, he's willing to chalk it up to being related to her illness, but the feeling of panic he senses from her when she takes a while to come out has him soon knocking on the door asking if she's okay.

When Alice gets the positive result from the pregnancy test, at first all she can do is just stare at it in disbelief. She did buy a second one, just to be sure or in case she somehow messed up the first, but the result is the same.

That's when the panic sets in.

When Jack knocks on the door and Alice hears his sweet, concerned voice, that's when she has a bit of a breakdown. She didn't tell him to come in, but when he heard her sob through the door, he couldn't stop himself from rushing in.

Home pregnancy tests in the 80's weren't an easy to read stick, but a whole miniature chemistry set, so Jack isn't likely to recognize the iconic little device Alice is holding in her hand. As such, he has no idea what's wrong and needs to calm her down so she can tell him.

Needless to say, Jack is floored when Alice tells him through tears that she's pregnant.

At first, Jack stares at her, stunned, then when it's clear that he heard her correctly, he's overcome with emotions - disbelief, joy, and worry being chief among them. The idea of being a dad is terrifying, but at the same time he's elated. A part of him wants to spin her around in the air and shout for joy.

It's her fear and tears that mollifies his excitement.

Jack focuses primarily on reassuring Alice, tucking away his excitement and his own worries for later. His sunshine needs him now... as does their unborn child.

Alice is so angry with herself. She should've thought about this possibility. She should've known better... bought condoms, got better birth control, done something! It's all her fault. After all, it's not like Jack can get his own birth control, and he always dutifully follows her lead. How could she have never even thought about this before? She was so reckless.

Jack remains strong for Alice, talking her down from spiraling while cuddling her close. He gets her off the bedroom floor and onto their bed where where it's comfy. She's not hungry for the dinner he made for them, but that's okay. He can heat it up later. Right now taking care of her comes first.

The situation is complicated. Jack understands full well that this is going to be a huge challenge, but he assures Alice they can both handle it. He promised to always be there for her and take care of her after all. He'll take care of her and their child, no matter what.

Alice worries about the logistics of it. This place is too small even for two fully grown adults, let alone a baby. Her apartment in Sunshine in Hell is much smaller than the one she lived in with Ian, with only one bedroom, one bathroom, and a common room sectioned off into a living room and kitchen/dining room.

Her paycheck is pathetic. Even though Alice always makes sure Barry doesn't stiff her on all the overtime she works, it's still barely above minimum wage. She has student loans to pay off, medical bills she has to pay with chronic illness and the like... plus having meals with Jack so he can feel more like a regular human means she's spending more on grocery money. How can that pitiful paycheck stretch enough to handle a baby on top of all that?

Then of course there's telling her family. Alice hasn't even told them about her situation with Jack yet. How is she supposed to explain this?

How is this even happening?

The rest of the day is spent with Jack comforting Alice and talking her through her panic and anxieties. It worries him how upset she is by this news that overall has made him so happy. He does share with her that he's worried too, but he knows that together they can handle anything. They'll be good parents.

Alice does consider abortion as an option, but the idea is too much for her to handle. She can't even vocalize the thought. She's pro choice, but that means understanding herself and what choice is best for her. As hard as having a baby will be at this point in time, the idea of getting in an abortion... she can't even think about it. It's just too much.

Fortunately, she doesn't have to. Jack does pick up on this line of thought and how hard it hits Alice, so he redirects the conversation away from it gently. He gets her to focus on the things they can do to make things work.

It might be happening a little sooner than Alice expected, but she said she wanted to have kids one day, right? It was something she mentioned while they were still just friends (likely when finally spilling her guts about Ian and lamenting all the dreams that were destroyed there). Even if the situation isn't ideal, she has a partner who loves and supports her. No matter what, Jack will be there for her and their baby. He's taken care of her so far, hasn't he?

After quite a long and emotionally exhausting conversation involving a lot of reassurance and love, Jack does manage to coax Alice into eating a little before she finally passes out. They have a plan of action in place, to see the doctor as soon as possible to get this confirmed and make sure she and the baby are healthy. After that, they'll take things step by step.

Money is the biggest issue in this capitalist society. Jack knows it all too well. Though he runs away from memories of being Joseph, the days when he was a penniless drifter still haunt him. He won't let that happen to Alice and their baby.

It's not a good thing what Jack is considering, but he did promise to take care of their little family, didn't he? What kind of man would he be if he just sat back and let Alice do all the hard work?

Still... Jack can't bring himself to go too far (yet). He's Sunny Day Jack! Sunny Day Jack would never consider doing something underhanded and illegal, even if he really needs the money.

But maybe... a few nudges to her boss might help grease the wheels a bit. Barry is such a bully, constantly forcing Alice to come in, especially when she's sick, pushing her to work long hours, trying to squeeze extra free hours of labor from her where he can. He owes her for all of that, as well as all those days off he yanks away at the last minute and overtime he just expects her to do day in and day out.

Jack always thought Barry was taking advantage of his sunshine. He encouraged Alice to stand up for herself more and make sure she got what was owed. He helped on her end, but clearly it's Barry that truly needed the lesson here.

Besides, it's not like a nightmare ever hurt anyone before, or a few sleepless nights for that matter. Jack is just teaching a naughty boss a lesson about respecting his employees and treating them fairly. A hefty raise and some bonuses are the least Barry can do after all the suffering he put Alice through.

If that's not enough... well, Jack will just have to brainstorm more ideas about ways he can take things into his own hands.

What's for sure is that Jack isn't going to let Barry push more overtime on Alice either. If anything, she needs more time off to rest! Pregnancy is hard on the body - especially a body that's already suffering from chronic illness!

Jack doesn't go too far, at least not right away. Terrorizing Barry is something he can excuse as justified in his mind right now. Outright theft or other highly illegal activities to acquire money? Not so much.

At least... not until Ian comes back into the picture, trying to act like the hero and save Alice from her plight.

Ian doesn't find out about the pregnancy until Alice mentions it on her socials. She joined some online support groups for people unexpectedly expecting for the first time, and Ian stalks every single account and who she follows to snatch up any scrap of info about her that he can.

It crushes him. At first, Ian almost believes that it's his baby Alice is pregnant with. It must be.

But that's just impossible. They've been broken up for over a year now.

Not to mention Alice has talked about a new boyfriend in some posts. Ian was going crazy trying to find more than just some drawings she posted about him, but this "Jack" character is like a ghost, with no footprint online.

Ian isn't even sure Jack is real. After all, that face paint and strange outfit look an awful lot like the part he's been hired to play. He actually convinced himself that Alice was stalking him like he was her (which makes it totally okay!) and found out about the part, which means she's indirectly telling him that she misses him by drawing "him" as his new persona that's going to make him a star.

But Ian doesn't say as such to her. No, not with how Alice is stubbornly distancing herself. She's been vulnerable since they broke up. She nearly accidentally killed herself after finding out he cheated. Anyone could've swept in while she was vulnerable to take advantage of her then dip out when she got knocked up.

It boils Ian's blood to think of such a predator targeting Alice like that, especially after he hurt her so badly already. Now more than ever he needs to step up and help her. He needs to cross the boundaries she put up to keep him out, for both their sakes.

So Ian gets in contact with Alice through a mutual friend. Heck, maybe even gets them to trick her into meeting with him someplace where he's waiting with a bouquet of flowers and a tearful apology.

Which isn't going to go over well. Alice would be freaking out at the ambush, especially since she'd be very visibly pregnant by this point and extra emotional due to hormones.

Ian was prepared for that though. He manages to keep Alice from running away and puts his metaphorical foot in the door. He apologizes. Not only that, but he offers her money, claiming there's no strings attached. He owes her at least this much for all that he's put her through.

It's a very unpleasant conversation for Alice to say the least, but she knows Ian well enough to know he's sincerely sorry. She knows he's in pain. He might have tricked her with this meeting, but he does care... He knows she wouldn't have the heart to abort or give away her baby. She's so kind, and she'll be a wonderful mother. He always knew she would be.

Ian feels sorry for himself for a bit, lamenting his mistakes, but he's going to make it up to Alice. She and the baby need help, and he'll do that for her... It doesn't even have to mean they're back together as a couple. Conceding this point is like a spiky lump in his throat, but he reminds her how they've always been each other's best friends, and he wants to be her friend again now. He won't push anything on her. He just wants to help.

Of course we all know Ian isn't going to be satisfied with just remaining friends, but he's learned over the past year or so since they broke up how to adjust his tactics. He's had to learn the art of the deal and how to make people want you in order to make it anywhere in his model and acting career.

Is it manipulative? Of course not, Ian would insist! How could it be? He's just making things up to Alice and showing her how sorry he is. He's proving it with his actions and not just his words. If he proves it well enough then he'll be able to make amends and make things right between him and Alice.

Ian doesn't even care who the father of her child is. He's not ready to be a father, but he views it as a sacrifice he's willing to take in order to have Alice back. He'll do his best no matter how scared he is, since losing Alice has been far worse than all the what ifs and fears he built up in his head.

If not for the pregnancy, Alice would turn down the money. She left the big apartment, her old job that she enjoyed, and a lot of possessions behind after the breakup just because they were tied to Ian. She willingly threw away all that money just so she wouldn't be reminded.

But Alice has a baby to think about. Her child is far more important than her hurt feelings or how icky she feels about accepting charity from her ex. Sure, Barry has surprisingly given her a pay increase lately, but it costs so much to get baby supplies and rent a bigger apartment. Plus there's the medical bills...

It... it should be fine, right? Ian owes her for all the pain he put her through and this makes them even... right? But how can she tell him not to contact her again after accepting it? He might claim there's no strings attached, and maybe he believes it, but the emotions tied to it can't be so easily severed.

Naturally, Jack is anything but pleased by this whole thing. He can't do much to stop it, save encourage Alice to leave, but Ian keeps drawing her attention away from him with pitiful attempts to gain her sympathy. Alice is so kind. Even after how much Ian has hurt her, even though this meeting itself is painful, she still doesn't want to hurt him.

Jack does help bolster Alice's resolve to turn down the money, at least initially, but Ian is surprisingly insistent. He drops the money into her account before she can stop him. He still has her account details from when they lived together and had started intermingling their finances. Alice forgot about that since he never did anything related to it since the affair.

When Alice sees that amount hit her bank account, she's just stunned. How the hell did Ian get so much money? Sure he looked good, and he was wearing expensive clothes and product, but...

Then again, Ian has that modeling job now. He's popular. He talked about this show he got a starring role in. It's hush-hush right now, but he'll let her in on the details since she's his oldest friend.

Alice isn't interested in details. She keeps trying to avoid letting this situation get more personal... but Ian has become more confident since he moved away. He's so different in a number of ways that it's hard to recognize him... yet he's also the same in ways that are maddening and make it so hard for her to stop caring about the little bullied boy who was her only friend in school.

Jack helps Alice cut the meeting short, or at least shorter than Ian would've liked. Ian accepts her retreat reluctantly, but offers that she can contact him at any time. If she needs more money, help with anything, a shoulder to cry on, or anything else, all she has to do is ask. He's there for her... always.

Oh you bet your butt Jack has a lot to say about that sentiment.

Unfortunately Jack can't tell Ian off, at least not there. Sure, he could expose himself, write a message like he did with Shaun, but that needlessly complicates things.

They'll just need to have a private discussion later.

For now, Jack focuses on Alice, reassuring her that she doesn't need Ian or his money. She doesn't have to deal with feeling hurt or awful like she does whenever she even thinks about Ian. She has Jack, someone who loves for her and their baby and will move heaven and earth for them.

Alice did make it clear right away that she's in a new relationship with someone else. She's happy now. She even mentioned Jack by name, though that resulted in Ian giving her strange look she couldn't quite understand. He didn't seem as crushed as she expected him to be. He even asked about Jack, and Alice declined to answer, not wanting to prolong the conversation.

Ian caught how Alice winced when he asked to meet Jack, maybe get his phone number or photo. Her avoidance of any of these just felt like proof to him that he was right about the identity of this "boyfriend" of hers.

The entire encounter was stressful, and felt far longer than it actually was. Alice was left feeling a bit conflicted and unhappy with herself for letting Ian get to her like this. Fortunately, Jack was with her the entire time. It was reassuring to have him holding onto her while she had to face Ian. He gave her the strength she needed and made dealing with suck an icky situation just a bit easier with his reassurance that it was okay to just leave Ian behind. Jack continues to reassure and comfort her after the meeting, which she needs badly after being so shaken.

Keeping the money is something Alice is the most torn about. She doesn't feel good about it, and Jack says they don't need Ian's help, but... they do need money. She's living paycheck to paycheck, and the baby isn't even here yet! She's barely keeping her head above water.

Can Alice really let something as petty as pride keep her from giving their baby a good life?

Jack has been helpful the entire time. His help has been invaluable. Alice doesn't think she could hold it together without him. This money doesn't take away from how important Jack is to her or how much she loves him. It doesn't change who her baby's father is.

Jack can't do anything his sunshine doesn't want, and that includes returning the money.

So Jack will just have to take matters into his own hands. As long as Alice doesn't need that money, she won't feel pressured to keep it.

Alice also won't have to feel obligated to let Ian back into her life if Ian is the one who decides to leave her alone once and for all.

Alice was right that a parent can't let their pride get in the way of taking care of their child. That includes Jack's pride in being the flawless role model of Sunny Day Jack.

So what if a law or two is broken? It's not like the law applies to someone who doesn't legally exist. Jack might as well take advantage of this almost nonexistent state he's in to get away with things no one else can.

Ian might have a lot of money to throw around, but Jack can do so, so much more than Ian could ever dream.

Jack just has to figure out a way to not get caught by the only person who can see him. It's not that Alice would reject him for what he did for her and the baby, oh no! It's just not good to stress her out more than she already is.

Alice doesn't need to know, just like she doesn't need to know about the person Jack used to be. He's still clean as long as she doesn't know. Jack can stay clean and perfect and everything Alice will ever need.

Things might've gotten a bit out of control, but that's okay. Jack can fix it. He's quite the problem solver. All Alice needs to do is take care of herself and love him with all her heart, just as she's been doing.

Jack has been given a second chance. He'll never let anyone get in the way of that.

I think I'll wrap things up on that fun yandere note, as I'm starting to run out of spoons. Maybe next time I can go into the King family's involvement and how Jack might try to win over his new in-laws despite a lot of obstacles standing in his way. I hope you enjoyed this ramble about the drama that comes with unplanned baby making!

[papa-evershed]

from the first episode of the show it's obvious that they are showing that Daniel is suspicious, you know with his first sort of lack of reaction to his father's death, to little things he says like "my mum" then "our mum", the banged up car, not finding out who the company's are and then needing money (and his bloody coat, maybe he's hiding something in there) ofc the show is throwing us of, when I first watched the episode I wasn't paying attention to the other characters because I was just thinking what is Daniel up to (and why is rob James collier so good looking) but I've been thinking about who the murderer could've been, it could've been the wife, the best friend, or any of the siblings or ex boyfriends, or it could be a situation where they all helped to kill the dad, and they all had their own motives. But I completely agree with you on your other post, all of them or some of them have drinking problems. Part of me feels like the murder wasn't a 1 man job tho.

Alright guys, just for the sake of saving myself some time and people's dashes from being flooded I'mma answer all of these at once and under a read-more, hopefully that's cool. Plus, I'd probably answer them all fairly similarly and a read-more may be for the best in case anyone out there doesn't want any spoilers/speculation.

I've definitely seen a few people now speculating that there could be more than one person responsible for their father's death. And it's definitely not out of the realm of possibility. I lean away from it being all three siblings (but still could be two of them or a nonsibling involved) for a few reasons though.

First, I really don't think Daniel did it. Like one of you said, I believe we're supposed to the suspicious of him but based on a few things I just don't think it was him. I felt like his reaction to finding his father's body was more of an "oh shit, who is going to bail me out now" mixed with a bit of shock, most likely. RJC said in an interview that Daniel is quite selfish, has used his father his entire life, and has taken from the family pot on the regular. Someone else hypothesized on Discord that the accounts their father has been sending money to could very well be Daniel's and I think it's a great catch and probably likely based on RJC's quote and the fact that Daniel was quick to take those papers and offer to figure it out...while never actually doing so. If his father has been bailing him out on the regular, I don't see someone jumping to murder for more money, especially since getting an inheritance can take a long time to be sorted. Daniel really has no motive, his father was worth more to him alive than dead, and even if he'd learned of the will change, I'd definitely hold off on killing him if I needed the money asap (which Daniel clearly does).

Could it still be him? Sure. But I really hope it isn't because that just seems too easy and also nonsensical at the same time to me. I think most of his behavior can be blamed on how he's scrambling now without his financial safety net.

Which leaves Chloe and Sian for the siblings and Chloe is still sus af to me. Why was she cleaning? I feel like these small details are usually added in for very specific reasons, they're supposed to be anyway, so I wonder if 'ol girl needs to remove some evidence. 👀 And if by some chance I'm right, then I really, really don't think Daniel is in on it because he was the one to ask her why she was doing it. Plus, like I said earlier, she's just too quiet but her eyes are so knowing. Mind you, they're all supposed to have secrets according to the official plot so perhaps I'm reading too much into this girl's poor face. 😂

I still don't know what to make of Sian. She seems more detached than the others but that's just how some people grieve. Could also be a red flag. Maybe the ladies teamed up and took out dear Dad for some reason. 😅

I do really like the idea that there are clues hidden in the home videos and that sinister things were accidentally captured. The creeper in the caravan I'm still clueless on, none of the characters introduced so far seem the sort to hide out in creepy caravans, except perhaps the father's ex-best-friend. I do wonder if the caravan scenes could perhaps be on a different timeline that we need to catch up to though and in that case it could be one of the siblings or well...anyone, still.

I'm reminding myself of the fact that this is a mini series, so it's all got to be summed up in only three more episodes which seems like a lofty goal to me. But I will say the pacing on this show has been amazingly executed so far, it definitely feels like there's zero filler (although I wouldn't object to Daniel related filler) which is also why I think every tiny detail is placed there for a very specific reason. Their time is so very limited, I don't see anyone wasting time on throw away scenes or even lines. As mentioned above, even the music choice seems exceptionally intentional, more so than most shows, so I'm just going to continue to assume everything is being said or done for a reason until I'm proven wrong. 😂

Maybe we're all wrong and the dad killed himself because he was tired of these damn kids. 🤪

[cookierunrebaked]

Not-Quite-Progress Update (07/24/2023)

Hi! I'm writing this in advance! Like... Even more so than usual. So, if anything went wrong, you can laugh at me. (Please, don't do that. That's hyperbole.)

As you might be aware, the organizer's on vacation at the moment, and can't attend to their computer at all. That's a pretty big deal in not letting us go full Steam ahead this week.

But… I figure I might as well take the time to do just a more general recap of things you can do during the downtime. As of writing, there's a whopping 11 pages of GingerBrave's Tale up for sketching, and 13 pages of City of Wizards 1 available for sketching. If you're an interested artist who wants to work on a collaborative webcomic project, consider joining into the Discord!

You might be asking, "Wait. 11? 13? Weren't we only on Pages 31-40 of GBT and Pages 9-18 of CoW1 (including subpages)?" And... We also sent out those drafts now, hopefully around the same time this post goes up and we send out this Progress Update on the Discord. While the writing process and organization process are very heavy, at least those are substantially easier to send out via mobile.

But, we digress. Thanks for sticking around, thanks for tolerating this very informal not-quite-progress update, and we'll return next week! (unless some as of now unforeseen tragedy strikes. Again, written in advance.)

...Oh! And for the Tumblr heads out there, you can have a little look at the FULL drafts now, under a readmore as to not clog people's dashes.

GingerBrave's Tale:

Panel 1: Shot of GingerBrave beside Fairy. Brave looks surprised, while Fairy is making a subdued ":o" expression. Brave: "What... Is *that?*" Fairy: "That's... Odd..."

Panel 2: Same shot as Panel 1, but with Fairy looking at GingerBrave. GingerBrave doesn't look any less surprised. Fairy: "I've seen some of these guys from far away, as well as a few kid ones in my garden before... But they sure haven't come this close before...?"

Panel 3: Illustration of the Ginger Squad and Fairy from above, from the Jelly Worm's perspective. Fairy, Skater, Brave, Bright, and Strawberry should all be relatively close to the table, while Zombie is still pouting. Zombie should look like he blends in colors-wise. Fairy: "They like to keep their distance, usually...? It doesn't help that I don't really know what the adults do..."

Panel 4: Shot of the Jelly Worm squinting. It looks pretty confused, and is squinting, as if it isn't sure it's seeing everything right.

Panel 5: Same shot as Panel 4, but it's looking up at a thought bubble it has. The thought bubble is a cartoonish rebus. " = <5 fairy cookie silhouettes>???"

AUTHOR NOTE: Zombie Cookie was expressly not seen by the Jelly Worm. That's why it's 5, but 6.

City of Wizards 1:

Panel 1: Similar shot to page 18 panel 7, but "zoomed out" to show Cinnamon and Wizard in full. The bone-in meat (11) slams behind them. SFX: "THUDD!!"

Panel 2: Cinnamon looks terrified, while Wizard has a glare in his eyes.

Panel 3: The gelatin starts to rise up slowly (think like a Thwomp from Mario), as Wizard looks up at it.

Panel 4: Shot of the bone-in meat starting to spin, as if about to roll out.

Panel 5: Isometric shot of Cinnamon and Wizard darting underneath the gelatin, narrowly out of the shadow of the plate, as the shadow of the bone-in meat is visible in the corner.

Panel 6: Shot of the bone-in meat, officially starting to roll its way towards Cinnamon and Wizard, as it rolls right under the gelatin.

[darkleysgarden]

The Light In a Storm

Written August 23rd (Posted November 12th)

Warnings: PTSD, dissociation

Pairing: Satan and Lucifer

Type: Hurt/Comfort | Angst

Words: 1920

Summary: Storms bring back traumatic memories for Satan. When a three day thunderstorm sweeps over The Devildom he becomes panicked. In his fear he starts clinging to Lucifer.

Lucifer tries to help him out in whatever way possible, his brothers helping as well.

Lucifer sat at the table, a couple papers held in his arm. They were quick ones he could finish as he ate. That way he didn't have to stop working entirely.

Slowly, his brothers made their way into the room.

Levi collapsed into his seat, lying his head on the table, "Ugh, lame. I couldn't sleep at all last night because of that stupid storm!"

Asmo groaned as well, "I couldn't get as much of my beauty sleep! Hopefully my skin isn't ruined...."

He cleared his throat, "Well you're all going to have to deal with it. The storm isn't going to clear for a couple more days."

Groans and whines were the main response he gained. Regardless, they all started to eat normally, hoping that the thunder wouldn't sound as loudly that night.

Beelzebub took a pause from eating, "Hey, has anyone seen Satan? He isn't here this morning.... He's usually one of the firsts- I'm worried..."

All of them looked at eachother for an answer, but none had one. Lucifer stood from his seat, "I'll get him. I'm just about done anyway. Beel, make sure you save a plate for him once he comes down."

Beel nodded, confident in his abilities to save food. How ironic.

He sighed as he dropped the paperwork off in his office. What was the fourth born doing?

He knocked on Satan's door, a shriek sounding on the other side. Worry shot through him at the noise. He pushed it aside for the moment, "Satan, I'm coming in."

As he stepped in, he didn't immediately spot him. Books were piled high everywhere, blocking his field of vision.

He would never be able to understand how Satan liked his room this disorganized. All Lucifer's stuff was perfectly placed and tidy. Quite the opposite of Satan's mess.

Eventually, his eyes landed on the blonde.

It was a pitiful sight. Hidden on one side of his reading chair he sat, curled tightly into himself. His eyes were wide and wild, dashing around at anything and everything around him. He shook violently, tremors taking over his entire body. He was paler then usual, sweat coating his forehead. Unshed tears were in his eyes. Red cheeks, puffy eyes, and tear tracks showed that he'd been crying.

Even as his heart squeezed painfully, he kept a face of neutrality.

He got onto his knees, trying to decide the best course of action. He didn't get to choose, as Satan had thrown himself forward into his arms.

He clung with a tight grip, head burying in the elders chest.

Lucifer didn't bother hiding his shock. Inevitably deciding to return the hug.

Satan shook, tears starting up again. He mumbled incoherent words, 'please' being all Lucifer could make out.

What was wrong? Had Lucifer failed to realize that there was a problem going on with his brother? No. Not brother. his son.

Was he really that terrible? Terrible enough not to know about an issue going on within his own family.

After a few minutes, the blondes sobs decreased. He figured now or never may be the best course of action, "Satan, what's the matter?"

He ran his hand through Satan's hair, form still shaking, "Why would I-i tell y-you?"

Lucifer raised his eyebrows, "Well, you are clinging onto me quite desperately, are you not?"

Satan paused for a moment, ".....shut up...."

He breathlessly chuckled. Even in such a state, he kept up his act of hatred.

Now, of course Lucifer saw through his facade. Even if Satan didn't realize it, he always goes to Lucifer. Whether it be searching for his approval, or moments like this. Subconsciously or not, Satan relied on him.

He moved his hand to the younger's cheek, running his thumb across it. An action Satan leaned into, "Now then, are you ready to tell me what's wrong?"

Satan avoided eye contact, plopping his head back onto Lucifer's chest instead, "....storm..."

His eyebrows raised once again, "Storm? You have an issue with storms?"

The shaking increased, "Y-yes, now shut up!"

Afraid of storms? Why? He wasn't one to pry, but he was curious. Though, maybe now wasn't the time, "Would you at least like to eat breakfast? Beel saved you a plate. Or at least, I asked him to."

There was no instant reply. But after a few seconds he mumbled, "Fine.. "

Lucifer let go of the boy, beginning to walk, allowing him to follow. He let out a gasp of shock when Satan grabbed back onto his arm.

He clung to his arm like a lifeline, looking almost like Asmo did with one of his partners.

When he tried to look at the younger, he looked away. Pink dusted his cheeks, a clear sign of embarrassment.

Lucifer patted his head, allowing Satan to walk along with him.

They stepped downstairs, making their way to the dining room.

All were there except Belphie and Levi; who'd gone to sleep or game respectively.

As they walked up to the table, everything went silent. Someone even dropped their fork, metal clanking against metal. A couple of gasps were heard.

Embarrassment flushed Satan's face, he tucked his face against Lucifer's arm to hide himself.

Lucifer stopped at Satan's spot so that he could sit down, but he only clinged harder.

He gently pushed off the blonde, feeling bad about the whimper he let out as he did so. Though, he didn't protest, taking his spot anyway.

His brother's looked at Satan with faces of concern.

It was obvious he had been crying. Not only that, but he looked like the slightest movement would break him. He looked so small, despite his height. Dare he say fragile.

Satan stared at his plate. His eyes were glazed over and he made no movement. His mouth was opened every so slightly. Almost as if there was no thought behind his eyes.

They all tried to return to eating normally, but as Satan didn't move, worry increased.

Finally, Beelzebub tapped his shoulder, "Satan, are you going to eat?"

He flinched violently before replying, "Oh, u-um, you ca-can have it."

Lucifer looked at him strangely, was he really that terrified?

Beel frowned, "That's not what I was asking. I meant that you should eat. Breakfast is the most important meal! So is lunch, dinner, dess- sorry- that's irrelevant. But, you got to eat!"

Satan looked between Beel and his plate before ultimately deciding to take a bite.

He looked queasy, and probably was. Naesua was bound to happen from crying that much. Not to mention the headaches.

Lucifer realized he had been staring. But, what else was he to do? He'd finished eating, why was he still here?

Maybe it was his worry for Satan. That's stupid. He shouldn't be worried. Satan can handle himself.

Though, the feared glances Satan was continuesly shooting his way threatened to make his heart break.

He stood suddenly. Stepping over to Satan's seat. He pulled him up out of his chair.

Just as he was about to propose going back to bed, it happened. All in one moment.

Thunder struck loudly. A blood curdling scream came from Satan as he collapsed to the floor. Lucifer had no chance to catch him, as his body fell at an incomprehensible speed.

Everyone stood up, surrounding the fourth born. Leviathan and Belphegor rushed into the room, obviously having heard the scream.

Satan clawed at his ears, trying to hide the sound. Seconds later, another strike hit. Another scream sounded, but not as loudly as the last.

Lucifer got onto his knees, trying to help cover his ears.

His brother's stood around the two, not knowing what to do.

Satan glanced up at them with a face of pure anguish. Lucifer's heart wrenched at the sight of his son in this state.

Leviathan quickly removed his headphones, replacing Satan's hands with the soundproof quality. A gesture Lucifer was thankful for.

Satan still held his hands over the headphones, pressing them even harder against his ears. Trying to block out any of the noise around him.

Levi pulled out his D.D.D, most likely searching for calming music to play to distract from the noise of the storm.

Sobs continued to rack Satan's body. Though luckily, his breathing started to slow down to a normal speed, as he couldn't hear the thunder clearly anymore.

He let out small flinches whenever it sounded, but Lucifer believed he could barely even hear it anymore.

Asmodeus was the first to speak up since the incident, "He can rest in my room. While it won't be completely blocked out, my room is far more sound proof than others."

Everyone nodded in reply. Beelzebub stepped forward to pick him up, but Lucifer raised a hand, telling him to stop, "I can carry him. The rest of you, return to your rooms or whatever you were doing before. Asmo, you can come with me."

They slowly split off, even with the worry they clearly held. Asmo was standing a bit too close for comfort. But, Lucifer knew it was just because of his concern.

He gently lifted him into his arms. Satan removed his hands from the headphones, clinging tightly to Lucifer instead.

As thunder sounded, his grip got tighter and tighter.

The walk was slow and painfully silent. The only noise being gentle footsteps and Satan's heavy breathing.

Asmo held open the door for the two, a frown on his face. An expression he'd normally complain about, saying he'd get wrinkles from it, or something of the sort. But, worry for his brother was stronger than those thoughts at the moment.

He closed the door behind them, standing next to his own bed, lifting the covers back for Satan to lay under.

Lucifer tried to lay him down, but he clinged tighter. A mantra, almost inaudible, began. The word 'no' on repeat.

He didn't know what to do, "Sata-"

"please..."

As it was clearly the best option, he sat on the bed, cradling Satan in his arms. He pulled the covers over them, attempting to provide him more comfort.

Asmo watched in awe. In this moment, he'd probably want to take a photo for Devilgram. But, Lucifer wouldn't allow that. And it seemed Asmo knew that very well already.

He ran his fingers through the youngers hair, touch that Satan leaned into. It was a bit awkward to do, headphones getting in the way, but he continued anyway.

"Asmo," The fifth born jumped to attendance, "I doubt I'll be able to move him anytime soon. And as this is the best room for him to stay in with the storm, I'd like it if you could make arrangements to sleep somewhere else tonight. Whether with one of our brothers, Solomon, or whoever else. For now, please give him some alone time to sleep. And turn the lights out on your way."

Asmodeus nodded, doing as he said. Lights dimmed, a soft click of the door showing that he'd left.

Lucifer sighed, he wouldn't be able to do any of his work today. Maybe even tomorrow. He'll have to inform Lord Diavolo and Barbatos of what was going on.

They'd be more than glad to give him this break. He was sure of it. After all, they always insisted he take one.

Contrary to popular belief, working wasn't his main source of pride. So this break wasn't a gigantic problem.

Instead, he was feeding off a better source.

His younger brothers and son would forever be his true pride.

[bloke-interrupted]

Walk a mile in another man's shoes... I wish!

Why do I never pack sensible shoes when I visit London!? I already knew my feet would hurt when I pulled on my shoes yesterday morning. 7.45am breakfast then walking down Portobello Rd dodging the stalls getting set up. It's always the best time to go, I never go there intending to buy something so going at daft-o-clock in the morning really gives you a feel for the place. Food is cooking, stall holders are dashing about and best of all only the most determined of tourists are out and about. I'm not against tourists, hell I'm a tourist in reality, but because I lived there for a number of years I always class myself as a local. Having Nat (the other half) with me always makes me feel like a tour guide, she relies on my knowledge for the places to go and I quite like that, some of the time my knowledge let's me down. One of the times was this weekend and the reason for my post starting about footwear. After Portobello Rd we headed off into Camden , after a lovely mooch looking at all the tat on sale we decided to go to the British Museum, forgetting that we went there on our last trip to but that's another story. So after a quick stop for a drink I suggested we walk there.... bad idea, Google maps isn't great for judging a walk, it was far, very far, and in 25 degree heat felt like a death march, but I'd committed us to this venture and was determined to see it through. Anyway to cut a long story short we walked 16 miles yesterday, mostly in uncomfortable shoes with no socks. Ah well you live and learn....

So after the death march to a museum we didn't want to go to we ended hurriedly dashing around the National Gallery to fill an hour then up to see if the Queen was in, she was.

!! SPOILER ALERT!!

So the main reason we came to London was for a culture fix, see a play and hopefully convince my better half of the benefits of "legitimate theatre". Clive Owen nearly scuppered that part of my plan, he was fairly wishy-washy in his portrail of a man having a nervous breakdown in Night of the Iguana, although the nervous breakdown might explain why his accent became British towards the end of the final act, on the flipside of that the 2 female leads were excellent and masked Owen's lackluster performance. My reaction to the play maybe, in some small part, due to the actual venue. If awards were given out to the most uncomfortable seats Grand Circle seat C14 would have cleaned up, although Nat would have probably disagreed and given it to C15. So uncomfortable were the seats I found myself internally screaming for one of the most poignant parts on the play, one of the females leads grandfather reciting his last ever poem, to end, just hurry up and finish the bloody thing and die!

After the play we went for our, now traditional, Chinese meal where we discussed the play... actually we mainly fawned over the food and complained about the seats with a few mixed comments about the show. I'm yet to be sold on Tennesse Williams based on that performance.

After being throughly stuffed with food we waddled from Chinatown only to find a black cab Bermuda Triangle, only one cab available and comptely ignored by it, thank god for Uber. Black cabs might want to take a look at what's happened to travel agents and happening to estate agents and take heed.

Well it was another great trip to London I can forgive the prices, the death march and even Clive Owen, probably because I hold a deep place in my heart for this polluted, expensive and crowded town. We even found time over breakfast this morning to get tickets for Ian McKellen in November, I'm sure he won't let us down!