lucishell

[lucishell]

i compared dahlia's beta and official design

[lucishell]

meet the loser behind the screen

[lucishell]

Lyney : Cards and Colours 

Summary: You’re just another artist presenting your work at the Fontanalia Film Festival. Just what were the chances that the great magician Lyney would stumble across your art?

A/n: I was in my Herta phase while writing this, constantly listening to her voicelines and watching her burst and skill animation, and this fic is a product of whatever “open sesame!” and “a door to a whole new world” did to me. But hey, at least both Herta and Lyney give off magical girl vibes so :D 

Dedicated to the biggest blond man simp I know. @lucishell Happy birthday pookie <3

wc: 3.8k

----------

Although the main attraction of Fontaine’s Film Festival were the films themselves, it wasn’t uncommon to find other exhibits around the city. Even the smallest of stalls seemed to display the most exquisite of creations– from handicrafts to decorated foods, each design was unique.

You yourself seem to have attracted a decent crowd for your own art exhibition. Was it because of the last film you designed a poster for? Regardless, a satisfied smile makes its way to your face as you look at the people browsing through your work.

Three of them seem to be more popular than the others. One is a still from “The Little Oceanid”, another is the spectacle of the courtroom with Lady Furina in all her glory as the archon, accompanied by Monsieur Neuvillette, and the third is of a renowned magician and his assistant. 

You watch as two little kids run up to the painting, exclaiming “Look it’s Lyney!” “Sister Lynette’s there too!” A blond follows them, nodding his head in approval and in a low, husky voice states “Looks like this is from when Pers was in the show.”

You lean into the palm of your hand, satisfied at the attention they were giving to the painting, when two more people walk into your view causing your hand to slip and for your chin to collide into the table you were leaning on. 

“This is truly magnificent! Even “Father” would approve of this.” Lyney exclaims, not hiding the wonder in his words, making your cheeks heat up.

“The lighting has also managed to capture the sense of suspense you tend to create during shows. Impressive.” Lynette states in her usual monotonous voice, taking another bite of the sweet bun in her hand.

You felt obligated to introduce yourself at this point. “I’m glad you like them.”

Upon seeing you approach, Lyney’s wide grin only got wider. “So you’re the artist then? Pleasure.” His dexterous fingers easily slip the hat off his head, twirling it as he bows and then placing it back in its place. You could tell that he must have practiced this move multiple times for it to be so smooth, just like how you had to practice certain strokes multiple times for them to feel natural.

“The pleasure is mine. I love your shows. They’re mesmerising.”

“I’m honoured. And with the effort you seem to have put into this painting, I truly do feel appreciated, and would like to repay you.” He thinks for a while, his purple irises scanning the other artworks on display. And then, he smiles brightly, his mind calculating the possibilities. He holds his hand out to you and asks, “How about we work together?”

----------

Working with Lyney was easy. He was pretty open about his preferences and didn’t beat around the bush regarding any details. He could be professional but also knew how to stir up a casual conversation. It was like he was made to handle all social situations.

You ended up becoming the first person he sought out to make posters for his upcoming shows, and for a while, you felt like the exchange had become unfair. 

“You’re not only paying me the full amount, but also giving me a VIP ticket? Isn’t this a bit too much?”

Lyney only scoffed. “It’s only fair that you get to see the shows you helped me prepare for. Plus, you can say that your presence will be a sort of morale boost for me.”

His easy-going personality and your identity as an artist led to him introducing you to some of his siblings who wanted to try their own hand at art. Some of the little ones had apparently “begged” to be taught by you. (He’s exaggerating, they just expressed an interest and he immediately sought you out, thinking you would be the perfect mentor to them.)

You’d often find yourself just outside the main city, accompanied by some of Lyney’s siblings as they lay in the grass and tried to draw or paint whatever caught their attention. The sound of pencils scribbling on paper, brushes being dipped into the water with a silent ‘plop’ and ‘gurgle’ and the sound of cards being flipped and rearranged filled the air.

Yes, cards. Because Lyney decided to accompany you and his siblings. Not only for everyone’s safety, but also because “practicing out in the open feels refreshing”. It almost felt like a school field trip or a picnic. On rare occasions, Lynette or even Freminet would tag along. And on occasions that were rarer still, even The Knave would come along, taking a seat by the water and either reading a book or polishing her scythe.

Her presence was chilling in the beginning, but realising how gentle she was with the kids and with Lyney’s reassurance, you soon found yourself painting her a portrait.

Working with Lyney changed your life pretty drastically to say the least. You ended up meeting people you never would have met on your own, engaging with personalities that you wouldn’t have expected, and receiving more job offers from influential celebrities in Fontaine’s entertainment industry.

However, despite being the social butterfly he is, you realised Lyney was also quite the people pleaser.

“People pleaser?”

“Mhm, even when it looks like you disagree with something, you hold back. You greet everyone with a smile, and often try to ignore their flaws. You also seem to get tired rather quickly, and are the first to pass out after an event.”

Lyney laughs, shrugging it off by saying, “It’s how the world works. You need to be careful about what you put out there.”

Yes, he also tends to hide things. The more time you spend with him, the more you seem to notice. His nervous glances when things don’t go as planned, his silent pleas when a conversation drags out for too long with someone he isn’t fond of, his clenched fists when he hears a backhanded comment. And yet, he takes it all in stride, his smile never leaving his face when he’s surrounded by others, still radiating warmth and openness.

You sigh, noticing the way Lyney’s bow crinkles as this random guy walks into the Opera Epiclese, boasting his accomplishments. His loud voice echoes through the empty theatre, making him sound more obnoxious than he already is.

“I promise you’ll profit greatly if you work with me. Plus, 70% of our earnings are used for charity, so it would also help you raise your reputation further! We are a rather successful organisation, having worked with multiple drama troupes in the past, and it would be our honour to work alongside the mighty magician himself.”

“I’m afraid I’ll have to decline. My associates and I have already made preparations for tomorrow’s show. Suddenly making new contracts last minute can hinder our performance.”

“Oh but we are very cooperative! We will not make any changes to the show itself.”

Lyney’s patience is slipping through his fingers. His usually composed self is starting to show some creaks. You could tell that he really just wanted to finish up the decorations and go home. And to be fair, he deserved the break. Being the lead, he was in-charge of everything– from designing to practicing his own tricks and to checking the budget and ensuring everyone else was prepared for the show. Despite you offering to help with the decorations, the most you could do was repaint faded props or fix up basic damage.

You glance at Lyney’s now clenched fist. To see him this mad was definitely not a good sign. Looking back up at the obnoxious man, you realise that he was completely unaware of how unwelcome he was, as he went on and on. Before Lyney could act on impulse and ruin what he had slowly built up over the years, you had to intervene.

“Alright gentlemen, I think that’s enough for today.” You walk between the two men, trying your best to stand tall. “It would be much appreciated if you came back after the show, or better yet, if never at all, since Lyney has clearly declined your offer and shows no interest in working with your organisation.”

The man tries to explain himself again, but it seems he finally realises the tension in the room. He excuses himself and (thankfully, finally) leaves.

“Thank you [name], I owe you one.”

You merely nod, noticing that he still looks uncomfortable after the exchange. Perhaps you should ask him about it later?

.

.

.

“He was reminding you of someone, wasn’t he?”

You hear the magician’s breath hitch beside you. He pauses for a moment, hesitant, before finally replying in a whisper, “You saw through me.”

“As artists, we tend to search for hidden emotions. It’s what helps us determine the background, the tone, the lighting and the rest.”

“How much do you know?”

“Only what you feel. Only storytellers would go out of their way to extract hidden stories. As an artist, the most I can do is bring suppressed emotions to the fore through symbolism, and for that, I need to be able to read people’s expressions.”

Lyney lets his head fall, staring at the floor as he fidgets a little. You raise your eyebrow at his actions– it’s the first time he was visibly nervous for a reason that was not about a performance.

He doesn’t say a word, and you don’t press the matter. You know better than to. Some things are just too difficult to talk about. But that’s okay, right? Yet you stay for a while longer, giving him all the time he needs, and the magician appreciates it, mentally noting to himself to thank you properly later...

----------

Lyney finds himself visiting you more often with each day. He doesn’t know when or why it happened, but he would subconsciously walk to your abode, often practicing his magic tricks while you painted.

Admittedly, however, he spent more time watching you work. The way your brush moved in simple, neat strokes. The way you would suddenly pause whenever you had a new idea, quickly grabbing a sheet of paper to briefly sketch it out, before returning to your previous work. He could never get enough of watching a blank canvas slowly gain life, the colours feeling like they were always meant to be there.

Subconsciously, he had started thinking of new tricks too. Before he even assembles his thoughts and realises his own words, he’s already blabbering. “What if I used your paintings in a show? Making things, or maybe even people appear out of it?”

You pause. Pulling the brush back from the canvas and watching a drop of paint fall to the floor. “You already make things appear out of thin air. Why would you need a painting to do that?”

“Maybe because it would look prettier?” And maybe because he could spend more time at your place, spend more time talking to you.

You hum in thought, prodding your chin as you look around your room, glancing at each painting hung on the wall. “Well, I would definitely need bigger canvases if you want to make people appear out of a painting. And would you want the painting to look more realistic? Or maybe more cartoonish to add to the effect?”

Lyney’s eyes light up, the prospect of working together exciting him and the fact that you were indulging him making him feel giddy.

----------

He's starting to grow fond of the smell of paints.

If Lyney didn't already spend a lot of time at your place before, then he practically lived there now. He would sometimes even spend the night because "it's too risky going back home so late". The statement makes you raise an eyebrow the first time you hear it, after all, he probably has had to return home late after shows or even head out in the dead of night for Fatui missions. But he brushes it off saying that he's "more prepared" and in a "different" mood when he has to do that. He would curl up against your couch, stretching his limbs before snuggling against a pillow, his cat-genes on full display.

Sometimes, he would help you with your chores.

"I'm just repaying the favour after you helped me deal with that difficult man that one time!"

"Lyney, that was months ago."

"My saviour, you needn't be so humble." 

If people ever questioned why Lynette has cat ears and a tail but Lyney doesn't, they should really see him when you're trying to get him to go back to his own house. He's like a cat that refuses to leave his territory.

"Lyney please, your siblings are probably worried about you."

You are genuinely worried about him. Freminet is genuinely worried about the amount of time he spends with you. Lynnette is genuinely worried about his sanity.

One minute, he could be swaying his hands while singing to the wind, the next he would be coming down a flight of stairs, stumbling across until he lands on his chin. You wince at the sight, the box of stage props scattering in front of him.

Lynette barely moves to help him. She places a hand on her hip, her tail drooping down, indicating annoyance. “Oh he fell fast.”

"I uh don't think people take different times to fall…" you laugh nervously, scratching the back of your neck as you watch the great magician give you a thumbs up with a bleeding nose.

Lynette only sighs at your oblivion. She’s so done with the two of you.

Lynette doesn't mind having sharper senses than most– her sharp ears come in handy when she's on missions and her senses can help her avert dangers pretty often.

But she hates it when she's being forced to listen to whatever you and Lyney have to say to each other. She was stirring her tea when her tail stiffens up. Her eyes dart around, trying to figure which path would be a quicker escape but it's too late.

"You seem to really like using lilac in your paintings."

"I feel inspired just looking at Lynette's eyes sometimes. They're really pretty."

"I can't deny that. Her expressions also make her seem like an elegant cat." 

Lynnette barely hangs out with you. It's her brother that's always running circles around you. It's his eyes that you see more often.

And they have the same eyes.

So it should be his eyes that you're actually so enticed by.

She might have been better off if only her brother was dumb, but the number of times she has had to urge to break her usually stoic nature and just scream because both of you are hopeless around each other makes her scrunch her nose up.

With how often Lyney visits you, it’s almost impossible for you to go over to the House of the Hearth. On one of the few occasions that you (manage to) go over to his place, you meet with 'Father', who tells you that Lyney talks about you often enough for even her to see you as family. Lyney thinks of you as family.

And the rest of the conversation ends up becoming a background noise for your thoughts. While The Knave is busy complimenting your art and thanking you for indulging the children, you're busy mulling over her words.

You finally get it off your chest when you're helping Lynette in the kitchen.

"I wonder... does he think of me as an older sibling or a younger one?"

Lynette deadpans you. "Do you mind gendered terms?"

You're taken aback by the seriousness in her voice. Laughing nervously, you stutter out a "no" to which Lynette just says "girl you're not actually serious."

"You're right. Knowing Lyney, he probably sees himself as the oldest."

Oh Lynette was so close to smashing the ceramic plate on her head at your words.

And she knows it’s bad bad when even Freminet starts picking up on your requited crushes. “Lyney is really good at reading expressions. Maybe… maybe he should look at himself in the mirror.”

So she does what any good wingwoman person who wants to be rid of the pining would do– set you two up.

----------

A new establishment for the rescue and care of injured and abandoned animals had been set up, and Lynette had already started frequenting the place to play with the cats there. She overheard the owner talk about needing a new poster and just knew what she had to do.

She spoke to both you and the owner to set you up for the poster making job, effectively making herself the mediator.

The owner’s wishes were pretty simple– he just wanted an attractive poster that could give people the message and help them come in contact with anyone who wishes to help the animals.

But Lynette wasn’t going to make things so simple for you.

Not when you and her brother had tortured her enough with your endless pining.

So she gives you awfully vague, but awfully specific details regarding the poster. “He wants it to look like Wonderland with little animals scattered on a backdrop of a vast area, preferably a combination of these.” She hands you a piece of paper with multiple different places written down. 

You look through the list.

Weeping Willow of the Lake

Mont Esus East

Lumidouce Harbour

Fort Charybdis Ruins

Mont Automnequi

Tower of Ipsissimus

Chemin de L’Espoir

These places barely have anything in common! How were you supposed to inculcate these places while also adding animals into the poster? And wait are those last few places… “UNDERWATER?”

Lynette only shrugs her shoulders, already zoning out. She doesn’t actually intend to “enter standby mode” without offering you any explanations, does she…?

You sigh. Seems like you’ll be heading out for a trek.

.

.

.

“Let me come with you.”

Lyney can be very persistent when he wants to be. You only sigh, turning the Kamera in your hand to make sure that you hadn’t left any spec of dust uncleaned. You’re tired of telling him that he has far more important things to do– he’s Fontaine’s greatest magician, with his shows highly sought after. He’s one of the older, more reliable siblings at the House of the Hearth. He might even have some Fatui missions lined up for him.

Assuming your quietness to be a sign of you relenting, he continues, “I can fight. It can be dangerous out in the wild and it'd be better for your own safety if you took me with you.”

“Lyney, what about your shows this week? Or in general, because there’s no guarantee I’ll be done within this week. What if I need to camp-out for, say, nine or ten days?” you sigh again, pinching the bridge of your nose.

“Not important. Safety first, your safety first. I can also swim, how else will you get your underwater references anyway?”

He makes fair points but you can’t help but worry about his prior commitments.

Lyney refuses to leave your side until you give in. He’s pouting and sulking as he follows you around. You nearly bump into him multiple times when you turn around. You try glaring at him, only to end up admiring his cat-like eyes, his most distinguishable katzlein feature. You’re certain that if he were an actual cat, and if you made the mistake of sitting down, he’d crawl into your lap and refuse to leave. To you,he seemed more like a cat than Lynette ever has.

After hours of Lyney being at your heel, you finally agree. In less than two hours, he’s beside you again, grinning from eye-to-eye with an extremely convenient bag for camping (courtesy of his missions and the random picnics of the Hearth). He’d also brought along an emergency medical kit (that you definitely didn’t forget about) and a bit too many snacks for a camping trip and still had more than enough space to accommodate more of your things. This made you feel grateful that he was coming alone (and that you could bring more stuff along, just in case).

You and Lyney stand in front of “Father” as she reiterates the importance of safety on your little trip. The younger children then fall into your arms, begging you to come back soon. “Please don’t leave us forever.” Foltz clings to your right arm while Heloir takes the left. “I'll be back soon, don’t worry.” You pat them, trying to get them off your arms, worried that they’ll pull them off with the way they’re hanging on you.

In the distance, Lyney’s talking to Freminet and Chapleau regarding some of his house-duty shifts, while Lynette’s further away, purposefully avoiding eye-contact with you as she sips her tea. You send her a nervous smile and wave in her direction and she only turns her head again, her usually stoic face now showing one of both worry and avoidance.

After some more reassuring from Lyney regarding his “completely free week” (he gave most of his work to Freminet) and some more long goodbyes (courtesy of Foltz and Heloir), you finally set off.

“This will surely be fun.”

.

.

.

Lynette doesn’t typically go out of her way for things. She never really bothers putting in extra effort unless it directly affects her or her missions. But she started getting restless. She’d toss and turn around in her bed until she came face-to-face with Lyney’s empty bed.

Is he even using this opportunity she oh-so-gratefully granted him?

She decides to go for a little walk, hoping to catch the two of you in the wild. A glimpse at your current status should be enough, she thinks. “According to the list I gave them, they should currently be around Mont Automnequi. Great, I could visit Navia for her macarons on the way back.”

The sound of grass crunching and a few twigs cracking reaches Lynette’s ears and she stiffens up, her hand on the hilt of her sword as she readies herself to take on another group of treasure hoarders. 

Instead, what she’s met with makes the corners of her lips twitch upwards.

It’s you and Lyney. 

Her purple irises are met with a temporary camp set-up and your art supplies scattered on the ground, mixed with some of Lyney’s props that he brought along to practice his tricks. Seems you’ve gotten too comfortable camping out with Lyney.

Lynette looks back to see Lyney dramatically kneeling on the ground while you’re laughing, devoid of all worry, completely carefree in this moment. The two of you almost seem like the young kids running around the streets, free of all burdens of the world.

“A rainbow rose, for the artist themselves.”

Perhaps this could go somewhere after all.

----------

[lucishell]

toxic yaoi for beginners

[lucishell]

verdant lights

lush and warm

softly glow, filling my eyes

and i can't help but smile

[lucishell]

my piece for @butterscotch-4-the-soul 's valentine's collab !!! happy valentine's guys ^-^ <3

[lucishell]

Surprised I haven’t drawn this Till yet

[lucishell]

happy birthday lyney and lynette !! ๋࣭⭑

[lucishell]

i am in shambles, i've listened to the Ithaca Saga more times than i can count and i will never be the same

[lucishell]

the three genders: catgirl, whore and they (redraw)

old version below cut

[lucishell]

idk how well videos do here but

[lucishell]

the summer ivan died

[lucishell]

drawing pre transition lyney because dropping out in 12th grade is wrong

[lucishell]

the only thing i can have is 'death'. it's the only human thing i feel — ivan probably

[lucishell]

Dear Supporter,

I hope this message finds you and your family in good health. My name is Eman Zaqout from Gaza. I am reaching you out to seek your urgent help in spreading the word about our fundraiser. I lost both my home and my job due to the ongoing genocide in Gaza and we are facing catastrophic living conditions. 💔

I kindly ask you to visit my campaign. Your support, whether through donating or sharing, will help us reach more people who can make a difference. Thank you for your continued support for the Palestinian cause. Your dedication brings us closer to freedom. 🙏🕊

Note: Verified by several people as 90-ghost and aces-and-angels. ☑

please check out their account and donate if you can !!! i'll link their gofundme below. stay strong, keep fighting until palestine is free

[lucishell]

i realised i have free will

[lucishell]

coping via modern au <3

(alt below the cut)