#DRaFF

[everyonesonthespectrum]

Today’s Autistic character of the day is:

Draff from Pablo (TV series)

[valenteal]

Look, I love Diona and she deserves so much better but the Genshin fandom needs to stop hating on Draff so much. I’m not saying he hasn’t done anything wrong, but alcoholism is an addiction, an illness, and it’s something that people can’t recover from on their own. If you want to blame someone for Diona’s situation blame the people around her father, the other hunters, the people who sell him alcohol. They know he has a problem and enable, even encourage him. Allan made it pretty clear in Diona’s hang out that he was aware of how she felt about her father’s drinking habits but he didn’t do anything to stop him, none of the hunters did. Addiction is a result of how human bodies work, chemically and neurologically and it isn’t something that can be fixed with willpower alone, not when it gets bad. Draff doesn’t drink because he cares more about alcohol than Diona, he drinks because he’s suffering from addiction and it’s hurting him just as much as it’s hurting Diona.

[finalfortunart]

Practice drawings of Diona (plus her dad)

[1thousandminus7]

I love that in the Genshin universe some characters just have animal ears and tails and absolutely no in-universe explanation is provided for this. There's a set of twins where one of them has cat ears and a tail and the other doesn't.

But the BEST part of this is that it isn't limited to the cutesexy playable characters. There do in fact exist the occasional very rare animal ear NPCs. Which leads to one of my favourite Genshin characters.

LOOK AT HIM. HE'S JUST SOME GUY. CATMAN SUPREME.

You know that one tumblr post about the washed up depressed catman downing his fifth glass of whiskey and pushing it off the counter? This is him. I found him.

Anyway thank u Genshin and please can we have more completely standard NPCs with animal ears pls

[kiliinstinct]

The Forbidden Woods

A Genshin Impact Au Pairing: Aether/Xiao Urban Fantasy and Supernatural Romance Find on A03: [Here] Special Thanks to @genavere: My beta.

Chapter 2: / Chapter 4:

---

Chapter 3: What Shouldn’t Be Seen

To his surprise, the bird was nowhere to be seen for the following two days: a fact Aether felt both disappointment and relief over. The destruction of his phone screen aside, he was able to place a call or two with some finagling. One to warn Lumine of him potentially going dark until he could find an adequate replacement, and another to Draff, leaving a message in hope of speedy assistance. 

The absence of the bird left him feeling empty and grasping in the dark. The childhood nostalgia the animal had brought him had been yanked from under his feet and forced reality back upon him.

It made being angry at the little demon difficult–unfortunately for the feathery terror, the spiderweb cracks along the screen could only be tolerated for so long. Which is why he finally made a trip into town. 

Hurried by Aether’s frantic voicemail, Draff kept his word to check in, giving him the opening needed to request a ride into town as soon as possible. By lunch, Draff had come and dropped Aether off on the doorstep of one of the nearest corner stores of Springvale; just forty minutes from the dilapidated property. 

The old Plaza was familiar, with a few new and upgraded stores that hadn’t been there in earlier days. The updates filled Aether with a meager hope that one of the modernized locations should have exactly what he was looking for.

Asides from that, Aether wasn't too surprised by the lack of service options. The provider for his phone didn't even have a location in Springvale, but there was still one dingy electronic store built between a barber and nail salon. He was certain he could find a screen replacement there at the very least.  Assuming the visit to last thirty minutes at the most, he waved Draff off as the hunter peeled out of the parking lot, promising to pick him up after finishing his own errands. With Aether left to his own devices, he hummed beneath his breath and began his search.

Unfortunately, things were not as easy as he’d hoped.

“Sorry, we'd have to order a screen replacement for that size.” Aether deflated when the store owner exited the back stockroom empty handed, and bemoaned the fact he'd be stuck with only short calls for the rest of his stay. Bad news seemed to be his friend lately. The type of friend who’d burst into your home without knocking or calling ahead and expected you to be available. 

“...have an internet connection?” The owner asked, pulling his attention back. “Perhaps you could just order a replacement phone from your provider? Might be faster than replacing the screen, to be honest.” 

Oh. That was a good idea actually.

Hope was renewed! 

Until a pessimistic voice whispered in the back of his head, reminding him of his lack of internet service. Giving a 'thanks anyway' to the owner, Aether left with his heart sinking into the pit of his stomach.  

Where could he find a place with internet service and a computer he could use? The obvious answer would be a public library, but despite the signs of population growth in the town, Aether spied no such building. He stared ruefully at his phone screen, thumb swiping along it in a half-hearted attempt to open its web browser. The response was a glitched scuffle of images before reverting back to the main screen. Sighing, he looked down the short strip of shops with the futile hope for good luck to drop directly into his lap.

It simply was not to be. 

Not including the drive from the farmhouse, Springvale was a small town filled with homes crammed together  between trees and rolling hills. The main road covered the length of the town from beginning to end with no other major highways nearby. He remembered as Draff drove them through town, pointing out the most popular locations. He was quick to name the bars- more than Aether thought a small town needed, then showed him other places: The churches are located at every corner, the small grocery store and two family-run cafes. None of these would give Aether the help he needed.

“... could have sworn this place had a library when I was younger,” he muttered under his breath, wondering if it would even have a pc with internet service he could use. 

Perhaps he should have asked Draff if he would be willing to take him to the next town over. He knew it was larger in comparison, but was an hour drive, at least. 

Aether frowned, considering the time and sighed. No good. It was enough that Draff had picked him up from the airport when he first arrived, offered him a place to stay--even though he turned it down, and had brought him into town today.

Maybe fate was trying to tell him something in the form of an angry demon bird.

Spiraling, Aether fought with his phone again to dial Draff's number and listened to the ringing with half his focus torn between accepting his fate or throwing a tantrum. 

As nice as it was to see the area hadn't changed much since they left, it also filled him with a strange sadness. All the buildings were updated just enough, but the foundations were old and the paint was chipping down on the banisters. What was left of the parking lot was faded and full of potholes. When was the last time any company came through with the intention to fix the place up? Maybe that’s exactly what would happen once his property was officially leveled to make room for that packaging company to come in. Not for the first time, he second-guessed his decision to postpone selling for this visit.

The ringing continued until Draff’s voicemail message answered. Frowning, he hung up and tried again, tapping his feet impatiently. When the message sprung up again, a sense of being stranded filled him with consternation. Two more tries garnered the same results.

A pressure welled inside his throat, urging him to begin examining nearby shop windows and zone out as he listlessly waited for the hunter to finally answer his phone, call, stop back, or something. 

The old dollar store window was littered with old announcements, lost pet posts, and seedy job offers. Some looked as if they hadn’t been replaced in over a decade while others were freshly pressed and taped to the window with bright, bold lettering that screamed for attention. One in particular caught Aether’s eye. A flash of teal and gold made his heart flutter in surprise at a grainy photo copied to a cardboard cutout of a bird. For a second, he thought the demonic bane of his phone’s existence had somehow made it onto an announcement page, only to laugh at himself when the image shown was a creature much larger than his little beastie. In fact, it didn’t look like anything he’d ever seen before. 

Crazed, citrines eyes peered over an elongated beak full of serrated teeth that could tear through flesh. Feathers, dark and tea with bits of gold, looked as long as Aether’s arms and two pairs of wings adorned it, wide-spread and open as it prepared to take flight. It appeared to be a doctored photo, showing the creature to be twice the size of an average man, perhaps larger. Its plumage gleamed in the sunspots of the photo, succeeding in both increasing the majesty of the appearance, and hiding other aspects. The background, for one, could barely be seen, the creature's talons and elegant tail feathers faded from over exposure. What little details remained were the inconsistent lines of a poor edit job. Aether squinted at it. While the image looked to be taken from a professional camera, it was clearly photoshopped. Maybe even AI generated. He couldn’t think of a single bird, outside of mythology, that looked close to what he saw against the glass. ‘Have you seen Ol’ Misty?’ The paper read in rainbow embossed lettering, ‘Springvale: Home of the Clearspring Fairy and our Dark Woods Stalker, The Mistwatcher!’ He didn’t remember Springvale being a Cryptid tourist spot, but the fact there was not one, but four other similar posters covering the glass put Aether into a fit of giggles as he read on: ‘Forest Protector: Poacher’s Beware The Mistwatcher!’, ‘Mistwatcher Tours, Call To Reserve!’  

He remembered the old tales of the Fairy of Clearsprings; it had been Lumine and his favorite fairy tale as children. But this? Who in the world came up with this while they were gone?

With his attempted phone calls becoming a dull, white noise in his ear, he traced the edges of the photo, watching the golden eyes of the creature, mood slightly lifted from the hilarity of it all. He considered going inside to take down one of the posters, if only to keep as a mini-souvenir, but reconsidered in lieu of snapping a photo instead.  Now if he could just get his phone fixed so he could- 

“Ah, Aether! Need me to getcha already? That was quick.” Draff's booming voice jarred him from his train of thought, and he grimaced as the volume made his ears ring.

“Oh, yeah, I guess,” he muttered, lips thinning into a line as he began to tap the ground again. “Actually, you wouldn't happen to know where I could use a computer, would you? I didn't bring mine considering there wouldn't be wifi-”

“Well, you could always use mine but-” Draff backpedaled with a groan, “Scratch that, we've still got dial-up set up and Diona rarely gets off the phone these days. Hmm, I think I know a guy who can help you out.”

“Really?!” Aether couldn't believe his luck. ”Who?“

“Ever heard of Venti and Zhongli?” he asked. 

While he tried to recall the names, the memory was far too faded or didn’t exist. He still had no idea who these people were.  “I don't think I was introduced to them when I was a kid.”

Aether thanked the stars; Draff finally stopped shouting straight into his eardrums, lowering his tone to normal levels. ”Venti opened up a little area in the back of his bar that has a lot of computers hooked up. Think it was for games, but he'd probably let you use it.“

The world never looked so sweet at that moment. “That sounds perfect!” 

“He’s probably sleeping in at Zhongli’s right now, and I gotta see them anyway. How about I just take you with me and see if they'll help?”

“Draff?” Aether said, hope filled him as he looked to the heavens above. He muttered a silent prayer of thanks to all the archons he could remember. “You are a godsend today!”

“Pfft, anything for my best bud’s kids. Now, stay in the lot, I'll be there in ten.”

He hadn't gone far from Draff's original drop off point, which made the pick up and subsequent ride through town much easier. 

Whoever this Zhongli and Venti were, their home veered off the main road, trailing along the nearby lake and further  still. The fields and hills became sandy bluffs that aligned the nearby river while wind blew through the trees and dandelions bordering the road. The sights were vaguely familiar to Aether, who drank them all in while staring out the window.

The view changed to an ultimately different experience. Their driveway was a minor swerve off the road, turning to gravel as it trailed along uphill to disappear in the wood. With as far off as it was, Aether tried his best to use the time to get information out of Draff, curious towards these mysterious men. But try as he might, the hunter gave no further details than he already had.

'Are Venti and Zhongli together?' Not likely.

'But they live together?' For now.

'How long have they been in Springvale?' Longer than you've been alive, kid.

Ah, so they were old codgers. Aether must have said the thought out loud as Draff laughed so hard he almost wheezed himself into a coma, and nearly wrecked in the process. He couldn't figure out what had been so funny to warrant the near death experience, but he had considered making a brief, yet heartfelt, audio recording on his phone for Lumine to listen to in the case of his imminent demise.

Luckily, no other attempts on his life happened, and Aether soon found himself exiting the car after the long trail up the ridiculously long driveway.  

It was then that Aether noticed a few things weren't quite... normal. Plant life was everywhere, green masses of moss and winding ferns dotted the edge of the lawn. Pebbles and stones created pathways circling the large house as flowers and garden decorations enhanced the landscape. 

It felt less like a home and more like the scene from a painting. The side of the house hosted a cutesy, two person swing, surrounded in vines and a trellis covered in more blooming flowers then Aether could count.

But what really felt odd to him was the way it felt as if he was being watched from all directions. As if the very land itself was tracking his every step and the few birds that passed overhead, looked vaguely familiar to the very one that had attacked his phone. Though the color was off.

When the two stepped on the porch, Draff rapping his knuckles against the front door without a second thought, Aether looked down to his feet to see a gift basket to the side. Upon further scrutiny, he realized the basket had a loaf of bread, a jar of local honey, and... 

“Why do they have milk on the porch?” he asked, but wasn't surprised when Draff didn't answer.  He whistled far too loudly to hear anything around him. 

When the door swung open, Aether was just beginning to inspect the nearby wind chimes and intricately designed tea set on the table nearby. As if caught putting his hand in the cookie jar, he jolted a foot in the air and spun to face the door sheepishly, prepared to apologize for his nosiness.

The apology never left his lips, stunned when he met the face of a man who looked far too youthful to have lived as long as Draff claimed. He looked uncannily young: No laugh lines, no wrinkles and smooth skin, with deep eyes that felt as rich as the deepest chasm in Teyvat. This supposed old man was way more handsome than expected. Aether felt his stomach flip as the breath was taken from his lungs in that one look. 

The hunter seemed less than confused by this and firmly shook the man's hand, beaming.

“Zhongli,“ He greeted, smiling so wide you couldn't see his eyes, ”I hoped you'd be home. I've brought along those meats you requested from my last hunt, smoked and dried just as you instructed.“

Standing taller than both, Zhongli had a regal air about him. His shoulders were poised and he looked down upon them with a gentle, discerning eye as he smiled warmly. Aether felt both at ease and nervous, as if in the presence of a man far above his station. When his gold-orange irises focused on him, he waved silently, unable to speak.

“It's good to see you, old friend,” he greeted, grasping Draff's hand firmly, “You’re earlier than expected, but I wasn't busy. Please, do come in. We can have tea while you introduce me to the young man there.”

Draff needed no further invitation, strolling through the door the moment Zhongli stepped back to usher him in. Feeling out of place, Aether moved to join them, holding out his hand in polite greeting, as well.

“Nice to meet you, sir,” he muttered, having a very difficult time tearing his gaze off the man. “I'm Aether, and Draff's been-”

“Surely we can discuss it once you're inside,” Zhongli interrupted, and under normal circumstances, Aether would have found it rude, but his tone carried that of an apology when no words were given. However, his gaze shifted to the floor, catching sight of the gift basket and sighed.

“Forgive me, but would you mind bringing that in for me?” he asked. “I'd hate for it to go stale.”

“Oh, uh-” Aether said lamely as he moved to pick it up mechanically.“Sure, no problem!“

Was he attracted? Is that what this was? No, he'd seen many handsome faces before, this was something different. But he couldn't put his finger on it, even as he walked in with both hands grasping the basket between white-knuckled fingers, feeling dazed.

The next few minutes were a blur as Zhongli nipped the basket from Aether's hands and disappeared down a hall–presumably to the kitchen, and reappeared empty handed. Directing them to a nearby sitting room, he pulled out a chair beside Draff for the puzzled boy to take a seat before sitting down himself. A steaming hot kettle was already there, with a set of tea cups just waiting to be used.

If Aether hadn't been so distracted, he may have asked why it felt as if Zhongli had been expecting them, but he bit into a cookie offered from a separate plate and listened as the two men talked freely between each other.

“Would you need to start a new order already?”

“No, no, that won't be necessary. I do apologize, Draff,  could you keep your voice lowered? I'm afraid Venti is still asleep.”

“I figured that would be the case. The man's so tiny, it surprises me how he can hold his liquor. I should stop by his bar sometime soon-”

“Indeed.” The sudden, pointed monotone finally drew Aether from his funk, noting the way Zhongli's lips curled into a deep set frown. “I'm sure he'd love to see you. Now then-” His gaze finally met Aether's, burning with quiet intent, “You said your name was Aether, yes?”

It took longer than it should have to drag his mind out of the mush that was his brain trying to process the way Zhongli’s gaze fixed him in place. His question hung in the air, unanswered until a flustered heat spurred Aether to answer, choking on his drink in the process. Coughing, he covered his mouth to avoid sputtering remnants of cookie and tea across the table and avoided the man’s gaze. “Y-yeah, that- that’s me, sorry!” 

He wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but the soft, amused chuckle of the other wasn’t it. Nor was he ready for the harsh smacks to his back given by Draff, who attempted to keep him from choking. Jostled about, the world began to spin and he clenched his eyes shut until the world reoriented. “Sorry, I was spacing out a little there.” “Best be careful before you knock yourself out, kiddo,” Draff laughed, reseating himself as soon as Aether seemed in control of himself again. As if the embarrassing spectacle hadn’t occurred, Zhongli sipped his tea and hummed. “It’s nothing to apologize for. I’m sure you weren’t here to discuss work, after all, though I assume there was a reason for you to come, yes?”

For one, horrifying eternity, Aether forgot the reason for him being there. Something about the place left his mind in a fog and everything was too off kilter to keep track. Sensing his inability to speak, Draff chose to speak for him, tapping the table as he did and motioning for Aether to withdraw his phone. “Yeah, see, he’s visiting for a short time. Cleaning up that old house on the edge of the deep woods; you know the one.”  With the damaged electronic out on the table, he tapped the shattered screen. “He came across a very angry hummingbird that-”

“He wasn’t a hummingbird,” Aether found himself saying, but Draff continued. “THAT, didn’t take kindly to having it’s picture taken. Unfortunately, none of the stores in town have what’s needed to fix it so we were hoping Venti would be alright with him taking an early trip to the bar to make use of the pc area before it’s filled up for game night.”

There was a noticeable shift in the air, one that Zhongli and Draff both looked to the ceiling for as Aether shuddered from a draft trailing along his back. The shiver was involuntary and goose bumps raised along his skin one after the other. 

Trying to appear unaffected, he watched Draff drop his gaze and guzzled his tea as if it were a completely different drink. Zhongli seemed to study the ceiling for a moment longer, then shifted his gaze back to the table. “Very unfortunate,” he said, examining the phone himself with a curious gaze. “Most birds in Springvale are docile creatures, but it seems you touched a nerve with this one.”  

With hands folded together, his gaze left the phone and moved along to the wall as if following an invisible trail. After a beat, he stood and nodded towards his guests, “Forgive me, but I fear Venti’s been awoken. Give me just one moment and I’ll return with what you need.”

Before Aether could ask, Zhongli had already disappeared around the corner with only a glimpse of his tailcoat fluttering behind him. There were too many puzzling things happening all at once and the blond was having trouble keeping up. He pulled his phone back to his side of the table, brows knitted together in thought. “How did-” He paused, thinking over the question as he noticed Zhongli had swapped the screen to a clear view of his phone background. The spiderwebbed cracks splintered across, but the image of him and his sister, still children and posing before a large tree in their yard, stared back at him. “How does he know Venti is awake?”

Wiping his mustache, Draff shrugged and started in on the cookies. “They’ve always been like that. Best to pay it no mind.”

He couldn’t resist a follow up, “And you’re sure they’re not together?”

“That’s what they say.” 

Aether was starting to believe he was missing something. A very big something, at that. 

The wait for Zhongli’s return was long enough to make the crunching of Draff’s cookies awkward, but too short for Aether to pinpoint just what was making him feel as if the world was off its axis. In the interim, the sensation of a breeze continued to drift about, sometimes so subtle it tickled the back of his neck; other times so intense he wondered if the AC had kicked on, but could find no vent.  At these times, he thought he heard voices further in the house, but dared not venture forth to make sense of what was being spoken. It was maddening how strong the urge to explore and unearth every secret he could feel at the edge of his senses. While he couldn’t put a finger to it, he felt something familiar in the odd things he noticed. As if he were being welcomed by a feeling he’d missed from long ago. When Zhongli returned, it was as if a spell broke and the mental fog faded. The urge to move dispersed and Aether exhaled the breath he hadn’t known he was holding. Draff happily welcomed  him with a smile, oblivious to Aether’s confused reveries. When Draff inquired about Venti’s health, the other man merely smiled and assured that the tired bar-owner was happily making himself a pot of coffee, but would sadly be unable to greet them. “Well, that’s too bad,” Draff began, arms crossed as his nose twitched. “I wondered if he might agree to let me have a sneak of some of the liquor while we were there.”

And then, Aether noticed it, that same, stony expression Zhongli carried earlier as his chest rumbled, displeased by the topic. “I’m sure you can bring it up to him next time you visit. He’s been especially tired this week.” “Ah yeah, getting to be that time for him, huh?” “Indeed.” 

Aether was starting to feel as if he was looking through a window and unable to piece the bits of conversation he was hearing together. Uncertain what to do or say, he listened intently, a placid smile on his face to hide the tremulous thoughts in his mind as he frantically tried to keep up. Luckily, he didn’t have to wait long for the conversation to divert once again as Zhongli broke contact with Draff to hold out a set of keys to Aether. His eyes crossed to focus on them. “...uhh?” “The spare keys to the bar,” Zhongli explained, jostling them slightly until Aether accepted them. “All Venti asks is that you lock up and leave them in the mailbox when you’re done. It’s hours yet before he opens, and he’s not awake enough to go there himself. As a friend of Draff, we’re choosing to trust you.” Aether tried to ignore the strange prickling that ran along his arm as he held the keys, feeling as if he was stumbling over some strange etiquette he was unaware of. “Oh, well, sure, I can do that. Thank you.” “Of course.” Zhongli’s smile was warm as he motioned towards the door. “Then I’ll not keep you any longer. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

For a delirious moment, Aether got the feeling he wasn’t referring to a replacement phone, but he nodded listlessly as Draff jumped from his seat and began to nudge him back through the hall and towards the doors. Everything was a whirl after that, as if the older man couldn’t waste a second to get them out of there. Zhongli’s eyes watched their walk all the way back to Draff’s truck and stayed on them even longer down the driveway, but Aether thought he saw a second pair of eyes on the upper floor, peeking through the windows. It wasn’t until they’d made it back to the main road that Aether felt the world rebalance itself again and Draff, blinking as if for the first time in hours, wetted his lips and grunted, “Place gives me the creeps.” “Did you say something?” Aether asked, having been too distracted to catch his quiet mumbling. Draff gripped his steering wheel and laughed heartily. “Huh? Nah, nevermind, I don’t know what I’m talking about. It’s probably nothing.”

He’d be thinking it was definitely more than nothing for the rest of the day. In fact, Aether just knew he’d be remembering this entire scenario for the rest of the week,if not longer. Perhaps he really was missing something. Or he’d merely forgotten. Maybe Lumine would know. He made a mental note to ask her during their next call.

Despite the earlier disappointments of the day, the trip to Venti’s bar was smooth sailing in comparison. He was informed along the way that it was actually owned by a completely different man who was out on business so often that he allowed the event organizer, Venti, to keep watch during his absences. Aether couldn’t help but get the hint that many found this decision a poor one, as Draff’s description of the mysterious man made him sound as much of a drunk as the patrons were. When Draff assured him that Venti was far better at his job than he appeared, Aether noted the way his eyes glazed over as he spoke before regaining their earlier gleam. And while that was enough for Aether to add to his mental checklist of, ‘things not quite right in Springvale,’ the suspicion flew out the window the moment he entered the bar. It was spacious, clean, with the most comfortable stools and chairs he’d ever seen. Even the arcade games looked well-maintained. Not a thing was out of place and a small stage in the corner was decked out in an array of lights Aether imagined to be perfect mood lighting when turned on. Unfortunately, he was there on a mission, and exploring the bar was not on his to-do list. With Draff bemoaning his fate to not sneak a drink, Aether made it to the side rooms littered in gaming computers and was finally able to enjoy the glorious modern technology of wifi. With a skip to his step and a printed document of a new phone soon to be delivered, he left the building and dropped the keys with a loud thud in the mailbox,. The perfect fix to everything–minus the three days wait period, but that wasn’t enough to put a damper on his mood. Not now when he knew he’d defeated the demonic bird with the help of –well, the help of many people actually, but he appreciated the small town being full of people more than willing to help a stranger. The ride back was a comfortable one with Draff humming off-key to the radio and Aether playing with the broken phone in his hands, already considering how he could transfer all his important contacts and photos over to the new one. The screen was still on the open background Zhongli had left it on, and while the cracks still discolored many places on the screen, Aether was pleased to find he could still access a small amount of his apps. One text full of misspellings was sent to Lumine, and after, he attempted the dreaded photo gallery. The night before, all attempts to access it felt cursed to a void as the app opened and closed multiple times or failed to respond, being right behind one of the many beak indentations that shattered the screen.

Perhaps luck was on his side, or he’d brushed it in his pocket just right, as he noticed the gallery app  was no longer behind the damage, but moved just enough to the left that he could press against it with no limitations. He blinked in surprise when the gallery opened revealing the list of images he’d taken since his arrival. “Hah, take that, you little demon,” he muttered beneath his breath, already searching for the very image he’d taken that had offended the bird in the first place. “I got you after all- huh?”

Except, when he opened the image, it was not a bird he saw sitting atop the stone altar, tossing small twigs aside. He blinked and screwed his eyes shut, thinking perhaps he was seeing things. A couple more blinks and he looked again, stunned by what he was witnessing. “Draff?” he asked when the man slowed down for a particularly sharp curve. “Hey, do you- do you see this?” 

Holding the phone up for him to peek at, he had to steel himself to keep his hands from shaking. “Save a horse ride a-” Draff continued to sing, pausing as he noticed the screen. His cheeks burned red, a cough fell from his lips. “Ah, maybe I shouldn’t be singing that in front of a- oh hey, you caught the bird after all! Cute lil’ fella, ain’t he?”

Moving on auto-pilot, Aether lowered his hand, entire body quivering as a lump formed in his throat. “Uh yeah… that’s…one way to call it.”  

He swallowed thickly and stared at the offending image as a strange sense of terror and familiarity settled in his bones, draining his heat away. The chill was not from a drop in temperature, but he methodically shut the air vents on his side, anyway. What he looked at was the farthest thing from a bird he could have ever seen and Draff’s response only solidified in his mind that he’d stumbled into something directly out of a story book. A man crouched on the altar, the image was blurred in places, with the colors off and pixelated in others, but Aether saw it clear as day. Moving aside bits of debris, his hair matched the beautiful black and teal colors of the bird, with sharp golden eyes that peered angrily at him through the screen. Much of the image was obscure, grainy in places, but the details were all there and a sensation that he knew this man flooded Aether like a wave. And those golden eyes reminded him of something, but he couldn’t remember.

He turned the phone off and stuffed it back into his pocket, breath ragged. It hit him in that moment with a wild clarity that this was an image he was definitely not supposed to see.

And for the life of him, he didn’t know what to do with that fact.

[sadko101]

I CAN FIX HIM!! i can do it guys, i can fix him.

[gachagamesoutofcontext]

Help Him

[junjii-48]

Duel! The Summoners' Summit! 🩵 ◦ೋ•◦❥•◦ೋ

⠀⠀ 𓂃𓂃𓂃𓂃𓂃𓂃𓂃𓂃𓂃 ִֶָ ִֶָ

[frdaejeon]

인간 야수 / La bête humaine - [DRaFF 2023] 제5회 대전철도영화제

제5회 대전철도영화제의 일환으로 1938년 개봉한 장 르누아르와 장 가뱅의 영화 '인간수'가 대전아트시네마와 소소아트시네마에서 2회 상영된다. Dans le cadre du 5e festival du film ferroviaire de Daejeon, le film “La bête humaine” de Jean Renoir avec Jean Gabin sorti en 1938 sera projeté 2 fois au Daejeon Art Cinéma et au Soso Art Cinéma.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Le film français - 인간 야수 (La bête humaine, 1938)

# 1 - 날짜(Date) : 10/13(금) Le vendredi 13 octobre - 시간(Heure) : 15시30분 - 장소(Lieu) : 대전아트시네마 (Daejeon Art Cinema)

# 2 - 날짜(Date) : 10/14(토) Le samedi 14 octobre - 시간(Heure) : 19시30분 - 장소(Lieu) : 소소아트시네마 (Soso Art Cinema)

야수 인간(La Bête Humaine, The Human Beast)은 프랑스에서 제작된 장 르누아르 감독의 1938년 드라마 영화이다. 에밀 졸라의 동명의 소설을 바탕으로 제작되었다. 장 가뱅 등이 주연으로 출연하였고 레이몬드 하킴 등이 제작에 참여하였다.

La Bête humaine est un film français réalisé par Jean Renoir, sorti en 1938, adaptation du roman homonyme d'Émile Zola.

자크 랑티에는 르아브르와 파리 사이를 오가는 증기 기관차 '리종'의 기관사다. 그는 술을 마시면 끔찍한 두통과 내면의 야수적 충동이 올라와 주위 여성들에게 폭력적으로 돌변한다. 한편 르아브르 역의 부역장 루보는 젊고 아름다운 세브린과 결혼하지만 강한 질투심에 사로잡혀 그녀의 옛 애인인 그랑모랭에 대한 살인을 그녀와 함께 계획한다. 같은 기차에 있었던 랑티에가 살인 목격자로 의심받으면서 세브린은 랑티에를 자기 편으로 끌어 들이려한다.

Jacques Lantier est l'ingénieur de la locomotive à vapeur « Lison » qui circule entre Le Havre et Paris. Lorsqu'il boit, il a de terribles maux de tête, ses pulsions bestiales intérieures augmentent et il devient violent envers les femmes qui l'entourent. Pendant ce temps, Roubaud, directeur adjoint de la gare du Havre, épouse la jeune et belle Séverine, mais est rongé par une forte jalousie et complote avec elle le meurtre du Grand Morin, son ancien amant. Comme Lantier, qui se trouvait dans le même train, est soupçonné d'être témoin d'un meurtre, Séverine tente de rallier Lantier à ses côtés.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// - 제5회 대전철도영화제 / DRaFF 2023 - 5ème Festival du film ferroviaire de Daejeon

- 일시 (Date) : 2023.10.12(목) ~ 2023.10.17(화) (6일) Du 12 octobre 2023 au 17 octobre 2023 - 장소 (Lieu) : 대전아트시네마, 소소아트시네마, 한남대학교 서의필홀 Daejeon Art Cinema, Soso Art Cinema, Seo Eui-pil Hall de l'université Hannam - 주최 : 시네마테크대전 La cinémathèque de Daejeon - 주관 (Organisé par) : 제5회 대전철도영화제 집행위원회 Le comité exécutif du 5ème Festival du film ferroviaire de Daejeon - 후원 (Sponsor) : 대전정보문화산업진흥원, 대전광역시, 일본국제교류기금, 한국시네마테크협의회 Agence de promotion de l'industrie de l'information et de la culture de Daejeon, Ville métropolitaine de Daejeon, Fonds japonais pour les échanges internationaux, Conseil de la cinémathèque de Corée

철도의 등장은 사람들의 시간을 단축시키고 공간을 확장시켰습니다. 달리는 열차 안 창 밖의 풍경처럼 영화는 사각 프레임 안에 여러 해의 시간과 무한의 공간을 압축하며 이야기를 만듭니다. 여기와 저기, 과거와 현재, 익숙한 것과 낯선 것들을 잇는 철도를 따라 도시가 만들어지고 영화라는 이야기를 만듭니다. 철도와 함께 성장하고 번영한 도시 대전에서 영화와 만나는 축제, 대전철도영화제는 도시의 역사와 영화의 근원을 들여다보는 특별한 여정입니다.

L'arrivée des chemins de fer a permis à la fois un gain de temps et une réduction de l'espace. Comme le paysage derrière la fenêtre d’un train en marche, un film crée une histoire en compressant dans un simple cadre rectangulaire des années, des heures et des minutes ainsi qu'un espace infini. Une ville se crée bien souvent le long d’un chemin de fer qui relie ici et là, passé et présent, familier et inconnu, et se forme une histoire propice à un film. Le Festival Ferroviaire de Daejeon, une ville qui s'est développée et qui a prospéré grâce au chemin de fer, est ainsi un appel au voyage pour se pencher sur l'histoire de la ville et les origines du cinéma à travers une sélection de films internationaux qui ont une relation avec les chemins de fer.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// - 부가 정보 / Plus d’informations

Le DRaFF (Festival du film ferroviaire de Daejeon): http://draff.org/ https://www.instagram.com/draff_2023/

소소아트시네마 (Soso Art Cinema) https://sosoartcinema.tistory.com/ https://www.instagram.com/sosoartcinema/

대전아트시네마 https://www.instagram.com/djartcinema

-

[plushiefucker69]

ik a lot of ppl compare diona to diluc, but honestly, i think she and kaeya have a lot of similarities tbh - which, i know is vv typical coming from the guy who sees kaeya similarities in literally everything lmao, but hear me out on this:

kaeya seeing her angry, child self in diona - being angry at a father who abandoned you (whether it's physically or emotionally), but still being so desperate for his affection again. believing that if you could somehow prove your worth or save him (kaeya wanting to be a good spy, diona wanting to destroy the wine industry), that he will come back and love you again... that you can be his little girl once more and save you from the horrors you had to endure in order to make him proud / save him from himself.

they are both being thrown into dangerous situations (kaeya being left alone in a foreign country in the middle of a storm, diona literally working as a bartender, despite being like 12), and while both of them obviously see what's wrong with their situations (kaeya being a repeat runaway, diona regularly trying to make the most disgusting drinks imaginable to scare off customers), they still don't quite understand the weight of their situation - believing that their suffering must be for the greater good if it means that that one day, their fathers could be happy and that they could finally be a family,,,, they both scream "LOVE ME LOVE ME PLEASE LOVE ME !!!" even if they do their best to push other people away... they want to be loved. they just want to be loved. loved by the man who was supposed to protect them - not the other way around.

perhaps, in a way, kaeya sees her child self and her inner feelings in diona - young and angry at everyone, overwhelmed by these negative emotions that you don't know what to do with; and diona sees a dreaded future in kaeya - a heavy drinker who fakes a laugh and smile, suppressing those emotions deep within you, just so you could be tolerated and loved by everyone. idk, there's much to consider here, i think.

[anonymouscheeses]

I just wantdd to share my fic. Its becoming way longer than i orginaky intendded for it to be but thats the work of writing i guess 😭

This is an angsty one, exprct absolute HURT. And then the comfort cz im not a monster 😎

(I LOVE GLASSHEART SMM RAHHH 🫶🫶)

[thekaiqueen]

Kaeya and Draff: *arguing*

Diluc: *hands Kaeya a pie*

Kaeya, confused: What’s this?

Diluc, whispering: What do you think it is?

Kaeya: oh. *throws pie in Draff's face*

[egginfroggin]

A rough Diona to test out some inks

[delectableworm]

"Find me in our next life!"

"I promise! I will!"

"Im sorry but, you look familiar. Have we somehow met?"

"I think, but im not sure. Either way, it's nice to meet you. Again."

Idk its 1 am hnggghh but probably gonna do a buggy x reader with this hsjajsnsnka

[clawdmg]

 ✿ . APPLICATION / WRITING SAMPLE

I.

𝐎𝐍𝐂𝐄  𝐔𝐏𝐎𝐍  𝐀  𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄  𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄  𝐖𝐀𝐒  a  little  scruffy  creature  ——  with  equally  scruffy  powder-pink  hair  ——  who'd  periodically  pop  her  head  out  from  the  safety  of  her  father's  tall  legs.  bright,  inquisitive  eyes  the  shape  of  almonds  and  the  hue  of  seaglass  gleamed  in  awe  of  the  vast  world  surrounding  her.  most  striking  of  all  were  the  twitching,  real  calico  ears  crowned  atop  her  head.

this  was  diona  kätzlein.  she's  very  important. 

when  she  was  younger,  she  seldom  visited  the  moon  city,  apart  from  when  her  father  caught  big  game  that  day  and  took  her  to  the  market  to  celebrate.  such  fond  memories  warmed  her  stomach.  the  mora  in  his  calloused  fingers  would  sparkle  like  gemstones  as  he  placed  them  one  by  one  in  his  daughter's  tiny  hands.  he  would  then  gently  encourage  her  as  she  reluctantly  approached  good  hunter  and  placed  an  order  like  an  adult.  they'd  spend  the  afternoon  feasting  on  chicken  skewers,  grilled  fish,  and  fruit  juice  together  until  their  bellies  swelled  full  enough  to  burst. 

but  then  calico  ears  would  twitch,  alerting  the  girl  of  hushed  whispers  drifting  over  the  market  square.  she'd  glance  to  find  eyes  pinned  'pon  her,  mouths  open  wide  in  wonderment.  she'd  try  to  blend  into  the  chair,  sinking  lower  and  flattening  her  ears  against  her  skull  as  her  cheeks  dyed  red.  as  always,  her  hero  of  a  father  would  come  to  her  aid,  ruffling  her  hair  till  she  scoffed  indignantly. 

❝ let  them  stare, ❞ he'd  say  between  another  bite  of  fish. ❝ you  and  me?  we're  hunters,  kings,  conquerors  of  the  wild.  people  like  us  aren't  meant  to  shy  away  in  a  corner.  didn't  you  say  you  wanted  to  be  a  hunter,  just  like  your  daddy? ❞

❝ of  course  i  do! ❞ with  a  shout,  fists  pound  the  table,  eyes  gleaming  with  determination. ❝ i  want  to  ——   no,  i  will  ——   put  together  an  unrivaled  hunting  team.  we'll  travel  across  the  region  and  won't  come  back  until  we've  caught  the  largest  bounty  you've  ever  seen.  just  you  wait,  dad,  it'll  be  for  the  history  books! ❞ realizing  the  scene  she  was  creating,  the  righteous  fire  in  her  voice  fades  to  a  softer  tone,  ❝ . . . because  then  you'll  be  swimming  in  mora.  you  won't  have  to  worry  about  working  ever  again. ❞

❝ atta  girl, ❞ her  father  chuckles,  reaching  over  to  pet  her  head  once  again,  but  she  swats  his  hand  away  with  an  amused  but  annoyed  huff.  he  laughs  again, ❝ well,  aren't  we  just  spirited  today?  i'm  looking  forward  to  it,  but  you  should  know  it'll  be  a  long  time  before  you're  ready  to  take  on  the  family  legacy. ❞  

❝ what!?  but  i'm  already  plenty  prepared! ❞ to  prove  it,  the  calico  extends  her  arm  over  the  table. ❝ c'mon,  wrestle  me. ❞

❝ ohoho?  think  you're  strong  enough  to  take  on  your  old  man? ❞  

❝ i  know  i  am! ❞

II. 

diona  giggles  absentmindedly  as  she  ties  back  her  hair,  recalling  how  draff  used  to  always  let  her  win  their  wrestling  matches.  she  threw  a  tantrum  when  she  first  discovered  it,  but  now  she  thinks  it's  astonishing  how  long  the  jig  lasted  ——  what  a  lousy  actor  he  was! 

hands  rest  on  her  head.  she  doesn't  remember  when  he  last  ruffled  her  hair. 

III. 

for  a  young  mondstater,  especially  for  one  less  acquainted  with  the  outside  world  like  diona,  learning  how  the  other  archons  reign  over  their  people  can  be  quite  the  culture  shock.

indeed,  it  made  some  sense  for  morax  ——   ah,  it's  awkward  to  say  this  about  a  god,  but  bless  his  soul,  she  hopes  he's  resting  in  peace  ——  to  have  descended  from  the  heavenly  skies  once  a  year  to  lead  his  people.  but  then  her  thoughts  drift  to  kirara,  the  two-tailed  inazuman  courier,  who  she  was  told  has  delivered  parcels  to  the  almighty  shogun  herself.  she  often  rolls  the  idea  around  in  her  head  like  a  pearl,  imagining  what  it  must  be  like  to  witness  a  deity  in  person  and  speak  with  them  as  you  would  any  other  person. 

quite  frankly,  it  feels  strange,  and  she  doesn't  like  it. 

while  neither  the  most  devout  nor  the  least  pious,  diona's  connection  to  the  god  of  freedom  was  precious  all  the  same.  when  she  snuggles  into  her  favorite  spot  'pon  the  giant  oak  in  windrise,  bathing  in  warm  sunlight,  she  understands  barbatos'  love  does  not  manifest  in  grand  spectacles  nor  glorious  feats,  but  rather  the  gentle  breeze  caressing  her  cheeks.  like  a  cherished  tune  murmured  beneath  one's  breath,  it  is  a  love  faint,  comforting  and,  most  importantly,  hers. 

IV. 

❝ i'm. . .  archons,  it  sounds  so  stupid  now  that  i'm  saying  it  aloud.  i'm  mad  at  someone.  like,  really,  really  mad. ❞

❝ language,  my  dear. ❞ a  gentle  breeze  swept  through  the  little  garden,  rippling  through  white  tablecloth  where  sister  grace  and  her  old  friend's  daughter  were  seated,  stirring  the  shimmering  amber  liquid  in  their  cups.  the  calico's  plush  ears  twitched  in  displeasure,  but  she  did  not  pounce  right  away,  instead  narrowing  her  eyes  as  the  nun  lifted  the  teacup  to  her  lips.

❝ even  worse,  i've  been  mad  at  d——  uh,  my  friend  for  what  feels  like  forever  now.  i  can  feel  it  driving  me  crazy.  he's  driving  me  crazy. ❞ diona  frantically  gestured  to  her  tail,  the  fur  standing  on  end.  ❝ just  talking  about  it  now  has  me  riled  up!  give  it  to  me  straight,  grace,  will  i  be  punished  for  this? ❞

rather  than  reply,  sister  grace  tilted  her  head  curiously,  taking  in  the  child's  expression.  pink,  fluffy  eyebrows  furrowed  the  longer  she  studied  the  young  girl;  diona  was  never  the  patient  type.  ❝ well? ❞

❝ why,  my  dear, ❞ sister  grace  finally  said,  setting  down  her  cup  and  folding  her  hands  in  her  lap,  ❝ would  lord  barbatos  punish  you  for  this? ❞

 a  groan  of  frustration.  ❝ it  feels  ——  i  don't  know  ——  wrong?  it's  a  heavy  feeling  in  my  stomach,  like  swallowing  a  pile  of  rocks.  my  kätzlein  intuition  is  screaming  something  bad  is  about  to  happen! ❞

despite  the  calico's  obvious  distress,  sister  grace  simply  traced  the  rim  of  her  teacup  with  a  neatly  manicured  nail,  humming,  ❝ i  don't  think  you'll  be  punished,  diona. ❞

❝ and  how  do  you  know  that? ❞ she  scoffed.

sister  grace  smiled,  pointed  to  her  veil,  then  the  remainder  of  the  habit,  and  finally  to  the  anemo  archon  statue  in  the  distance.  ❝ because  i  know  enough  about  lord  barbatos  to  know  he  would  never  punish  his  children. ❞ she  paused  before  adding,  ❝ i  was  concerned  at  first  when  you  came  to  me  seeking  repentance,  but  dear,  i  am  relieved  to  inform  you  that  you  have  not  confessed  to  any  sin.  feeling  slighted  is  a  fact  of  a  life,  i'm  afraid. ❞

❝ but  i  ——  augh,  it's  not  about  being  angry, ❞ diona  huffed.  feline  eyes  wandered  to  the  skies,  searching  for  the  right  words  amongst  the  white  clouds  dotting  the  skies.  ❝ you  don't  have  to  tell  me  that  it's  okay  to  feel  angry.  i  know  damn  well  —— ❞

❝ language. ❞

❝ darn  well, ❞ she  grumbled  under  her  breath.  ❝ that  it's  fine.  in  fact,  i  could  give  you  a  long,  long  list  of  unruly  drunks  who'd  i'd  give  anything  to  turn  into  my  personal  scratching  posts.  i  don't  feel  a  lick  of  guilt  for  hating  any  of  them!  but  when  it  comes  to  my  friend. . . ❞

❝ you  don't  want  to  hate  him, ❞ grace's  sister  nodded,  ❝ but  it's  nearly  impossible  because  you  think  he  deserves  it. ❞

❝ exactly! ❞ diona  exclaimed,  clapping  her  hands  together.  the  elation  is  fleeting,  however,  as  she  then  frowned,  muttering,  ❝ but  it's  not  his  fault  he  acts  like  that.  he  doesn't  deserve  to  be  hated.  it's  the  evil  alcohol  infecting  his  mind  and  feeding  him  those  horrible  thoughts.  i'm  the  one  who  isn't  working  hard  enough. ❞

❝ diona. ❞ calico  ears  perked  up  as  she  watched  the  nun  set  her  teacup  carefully  back  onto  the  saucer.  the  patient's  smile  vanished  into  lips  pulled  taut.   ❝ indulge  me  for  a  second,  will  you? ❞

diona's  brow  furrowed  once  more  but  slowly  nodded.

❝ lord  barbatos  blessed  me  with  the  chance  to  take  care  of  many  children.  wonderful  children.  i  know  sometimes  draff  isn't  always  —— ❞   sister  grace's  eyes  flickered  to  diona's  own,  gauging  her  reaction  before  continuing  on,  ❝ ——  present,  so  i  wouldn't  mind  taking  care  of  you  in  his  stead.  there'd  be  warm  meals  every  day  and  a  warm  bed  every  night,  and  i'd  promise  a  happy,  prosperous  life. ❞

her  lips  pulled  tighter  as  diona  fidgeted  uncomfortable  in  her  seat.  where  was  she  going  with  this?  ❝ but  i  know  you'd  never  want  to  part  from  your  father.  you  love  him  dearly,  don't  you? ❞

the  calico's  response  was  lightning-quick:    ❝ of  course  i  do!  more  than  anything  else  in  the  world! ❞

❝ i  thought  so, ❞ sister  grace  nodded.  it  was  as  if  a  magic  spell  cast  over  her  had  faded  in  an  instant.  diona  had  always  been  a  perceptive  girl,  but  now  she  could  see  the  dark  circles  beneath  steel  blue  eyes,  how  her  pale  skin  seemed  to  sag  even  further  after  hours  sitting  in  the  sun.  was  she  always  so  tired?  ❝ i  want  to  ask  one  more  thing:  does  he  make  you  happy? ❞

❝ pfft,  what  type  of  question  is  that?  of  course  he. . . ❞ diona  began,  but  the  words  died  in  her  mouth  as  she  saw  sister  grace's  face,  which  suddenly  bore  a  wry,  melancholy  smile.

 (  she  loves  him.  of  course  she  does  ——  it's  natural  to  love  your  father.  she  shouldn't  be  angry  whenever  happy  families  run  around  the  market  square,  flashing  mora  and  feasting  on  sunsettias.  it  shouldn't  devour  her  insides  when  she  discovers  draff  dead  against  the  side  of  angel  share  and  has  to  alert  a  guard  to  accompany  the  two  of  them  home.  the  enemy  is  the  wine,  not  draff.  she  needs  to  say  that.  )

she  finished  weakly,  ❝ . . . he  makes  me  happy.  every    single  day.  sure,  he  may  not  always  be  at  home,  but  only  because  we  both  work  in  the  morning.  he  still  puts  in  the  effort  to  make  time  for  me.  he's  my  best  friend  and  i'm  his.  we  love  eachother. ❞

 (  it's  not  a  lie.  its  not.  he  is  trying,  he  does  make  time  for  her,  he  tells  her  all  the  time  he  loves  her.  why  does  it  sound  so  unconvincing  even  to  her  own  ears?  )

❝ i  see. ❞ another  breeze  blew  through  the  gardens  as  the  enormous  church  bells  rang,  signaling  the  end  of  prayer  hour  and  afternoon  tea.  the  air  smelled  softly  of  honeysuckle  and  fresh  dew  as  the  two  ladies  cleaned  up,  dumping  the  remaining  cold  tea  into  a  nearby  sink  and  gathering  their  belonging.  bidding  the  sister  goodbye,  diona  was  the  first  out  the  gate,  racing  down  the  curving  dirt  path  toward  home,  hair  flying  behind  her.  all  the  way,  she  could  feel  the  rocks  in  her  gut  slowing  her  down.

[ag32-tm0]

I wonder if the other teams are also planning that.