etherfall - Tumblr blog

[etherfall]

may i ask of a fic post bw as N is healing?

Not my most favorite piece, but here!

Alder awoke to the sound of creaking wood. He blinked his eyes open slowly. The soft moonlight filtered through the curtains and painted the ground white. 

Usually he would have assumed it was one of N’s pokemon having a nightly stroll around the house. But as he laid there listening he could tell that the steps were unmistakably human. That means it could only be one person.

With a sigh Alder pushed himself up into a sitting position, before leaving his room and making his way down the stairs. As he peered through the railing he could see a figure sitting at the kitchen table, slumped against the wood. A Swoobat was sitting beside him on the table surface, chirping softly.

Alder called out quietly, “N? Is that you?”

The figure slowly raised its head, and Alder could make out N’s unmistakable green hair in the light as he turned to look up at the stairs. 

“Oh hey dad…” he said with a soft smile, standing up as Alder came down the stairs and into the kitchen. “Sorry, if I woke you up.”

“No no it’s alright” Alder said swiftly, waving his hand dismissively. “I’m a light sleeper anyways.”

N’s Swoobat squeaked, flapping its wings and taking flight into the air. It flitted around the room for a while before snuggling itself onto N’s shoulder. N’s mouth curled up into a smile as he scratched it behind its ear. 

Alder chuckled. “What are you doing here so late anyways?”

N rubbed his eye with one hand. “Couldn’t sleep, I had a nightmare.”

Alder’s smile faded slightly. He knew exactly what was troubling him. It had been nearly two weeks since N had been rescued from Team Plasma’s castle. Physically, he had been recovering well. The healing scar on N’s cheek was proof of that. But that didn’t mean that he was completely unaffected by the aftermath.

N could see the unhappiness on Alder’s face. “Hey it’s okay dad,”  He said quickly. “They aren’t as bad as before.”

Alder could see that N wasn’t telling the full truth. The way his hands fidgeted with the bracelets on his wrists, the way his eyes darted down to the ground. Many years of raising N meant that he could read his body language like a book. His nightmares may have been less severe than the first few days he was home, but that didn’t mean they still didn’t bother him.

“N, are you sure?” Alder prodded softly. “You know you can tell me if something is bothering you.”

N glanced down at the floor, his hand absentmindedly reaching back up to scratch Swoobats head. Swoobat squeaked, burying its face into N’s palm comfortingly.

“I…” He paused for a long moment, then shook his head. “I…was just thinking. Thinking about a lot of things.” He used his hand to rub the healing scab along his cheek. “But…I don’t think I want to talk about it right now.” He murmured quietly.

Alder nodded in understanding, but his anger towards Ghetsis bubbled up slightly. “That’s alright, I understand.”

As his mind began to wander, he was snapped back to reality as he noticed N looking off to the side with his eyebrows furrowed.

“N? Are you alright?”

N didn’t say anything, but Alder could tell just by his expression alone that whatever thought was bothering him was starting to break him apart. The nightmare he had must have been a lot more serious than what he was letting on.

Without saying a word, Alder held out both his arms for an embrace.

N looked back up, then stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Alder, sinking into his embrace. He buried his head into Alder’s shoulder, just like he did when he was younger. Alder could hear him let out a shuddering breath as tears began to soak through on Alder’s shirt.

They stood there together in the silence, N quietly blinking away his tears while Alder held him in his arms. It hurt Alder to see him trying to put on a brave front.

“It’s alright N…” Alder murmured at one point, pulling him closer. The minutes ticked on by as N’s shuddering breaths began to slow down and relax. Alder rubbed N’s shoulder comfortingly, just like what he used to do when N took a tumble out of the trees as a kid. He smiled slightly at the memory. Since when had his little boy gotten so tall anyways? He could barely reach N’s shoulder with his hand anymore. 

“You’ve gotten taller.” He said, breaking the silence, his voice muffled by N’s shirt.

N smiled, letting out a shaky laugh. “I think I’ve been taller than you for a good while now.”

“ You’ve grown more than just in height.” He said with a grin, pulling out of the embrace slightly and looking N in the eyes. “You’re stronger, braver. My little boy has grown up powerful.”

“Oh dad stop, you’re gonna make me cry again.” N said with a laugh, shoving Alder away gently as he pressed his hand against his eyes, his smile quivering slightly.

Alder chuckled alongside N, then his face grew serious again. “I know these past few days have…probably been rough.” He said, resting his hand on N’s shoulder. “But if you ever want to talk about something you can always come to me, alright?”

N nodded, trying to give Alder a reassuring smile. “Alright, I think I just need some time to think things over.”

“Always here for you.” Alder replied, patting N once more on the shoulder. “Try to get some sleep alright?”

“Okay.” N said with a nod. He reached over to embrace Alder one more time. “Thanks dad, you should get some sleep too.”

Alder watched as N made his way back up the stairs, his Swoobat trailing loyally behind him. After a while the door to N’s room closed with a soft click. Alder stood in the kitchen alone, the pale moonlight settling onto his shoulders like dusted snow. He sighed softly, tilting his head to look up out the window. It was hard to see N suffering quietly to himself like this, while he could only try to comfort him as much as he could.

But he would be patient, and wait for him whenever he was ready to talk.

[etherfall]

I had a request to make my recent N and Reshiram piece into a print, so I will be putting an updated version on Redbubble for a limited time. Thought I would let you all know in case someone else was interested. (Here!)

[This post will be deleted once I take the listing down]

I don't plan on making more prints/merch unless people express interest, so I've set it as low of a price as possible!

[etherfall]

Hey bud, THANKS A BUNCH FOR INVENTING ALDER ADOPTS N AU!! It always cheers me up each time i'm feeling down and it lives rent-free in my head

Also, your arts always looks cozy and warm, i bet it tasted like a warm, fresh baked bread out oven :D

Awweee thank you so much for the kind words! I'm so glad that you are enjoying my AU! :D

[etherfall]

Does Benga call N uncle in your au where he’s adopted by Alder lol

I mentioned it in this post but yeah in technical terms he does! I think they would have more of a cousin dynamic though.

[etherfall]

Please consider: Snom. (Even if you do not draw it, please look it up. Shaped like a friend. 🙏)

Oh my goodness.

[etherfall]

what if.. he was in a Zekrom outfit? I always think of him and Zekrom going together because it makes sense to me, and he’s got a very soft, light look, compared to Zekrom’s darker, sharper look!! They contrast each other but fit each other so well

I've actually been planning a Zekrom fit for a while haha, so here it is!

[etherfall]

N’s reaction to seeing mewtwo and learning its origin.

Man you guys just like seeing him with the most angsty Pokémon huh :'D

I have my own thoughts on what he thinks but I'll leave his reaction up to interpretation.

[etherfall]

Some initial sketches that I might not finish, a little peek into my art process. I was gonna delete them but figured we needed more N content anyways lmao. (AU A+C designs are here too!)

[etherfall]

AU N and Iris!

I'll make an info post on her character later, but her and N are good friends! She is a little closer to N's age in this story. I think in this pic he is 14 while she is 10!

[etherfall]

Are you good with drawing the characters of this blog ?

@kieran-au

Hmm I think that pieces of other AUs would need to be commissioned, sorry!

[etherfall]

Not a Pokémon but just as good as any of them... can you draw a Calumon?

I know absolutely nothing about Digimon lol but sure, why not?

[etherfall]

your art is so healing to my 10 year old self who had no friends who loved pokémon/n haha. much love, your art is gorgeous

Aww thank you so much!

I make art for my N-obsessed 11 y/o self too, who stopped drawing cause she was told she was a terrible artist :'D. The soul healing creativity came back years later tho!

I'm so glad you enjoy my works! 11 y/o me gives 10 y/o you a high five!

[etherfall]

Aso turned 18 HAPPY BIRTHDAY 🎊

Ayyy thanks! Happy birthday to you too!!

[etherfall]

A Father's Anger

[etherfall]

Happy birthday!!!!

Ahh tysm!! ^^

[etherfall]

Happy birthday!!

Thank you!!

[etherfall]

Today is my birthday! I have to pay taxes now :'D

I think I get to bully 5th grade me, as a treat