monstrousroommates

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The Mummy’s Curse 🪦

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obsessed with whichever ancient roman was out there walking around with a ring with a fish and shrimp on it

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If you're reading this...

go write three sentences on your current writing project.

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Dead Poets Society, Chapter 11

In Which Roman gets himself together.

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Chances are you’ve seen Fayum mummy portraits, the very realistic and warm panel paintings depicting the people of Roman Egypt between the 1st century BC and the 3rd century AD.

They’re breathtaking and very moving. Familiar faces, so human and so beautiful in their humanity. Most of them have been divorced from their purpose, torn from the bodies of the people they depict.

It is a different feeling entirely to see them in their original context.

This boy died before he could finish growing that mustache. Someone’s beloved son, crowned in golden laurels for all eternity, swaddled in linen. He is in there. The depiction of his face covers his face. The other portraits have lost their subject, greedily taken by those who wanted to admire their beauty without acknowledging the profound grief they represent.

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Is this a horrible thing with legs or...a horrible thing with fingers? Or just a horrible thing?

That’s cephalopharyngeal, a word which ought to help. Thank you so much for thinking of me!

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Little things to know for artists just now coming to (or returning to) tumblr:

Remember that “liking” a post doesn’t add it to anybody else’s dash or spread it around; only reblogs do that!

Even if you have no followers, your art will be seen if you tag it appropriately. #art #original #oc are common basic ones but you should also tag any relevant themes and content like #animals #horror #fantasy #mermaids and so on. People following or checking those tags will see them!

Unlike tiktok, instagram and twitter it is considered normal (and should be) to interact with posts no matter how old they are. There’s no expiration on reblogging or commenting, including re-reblogging your own posts or adding new thoughts to them.

They only added this in recent years, but you can click on your own post in your dash to see all the comments and tags.

Tumblr is the only social media I know of where a lot of people routinely use the tag field to add personal thoughts and opinions, so don’t miss out on that as another source of feedback and commentary on your work!

Unconstructive negativity or unsolicited criticism is much rarer and more frowned upon here, so the likelihood of a comment that really amounts to just “this sucks” is a lot lower. People who do that just get ripped to shreds, really.

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Expressions of Love

(on Ao3)

Valentine's day was approaching, and Roman was approaching a panic attack.

“You don’t understand, Thomas!” He cried, flinging himself onto the couch in despair. “I can think of nothing that sufficiently would express to my beloveds how I feel about them.” 

In the kitchen, he could hear the kettle switch on.

“Tea is not going to help!” 

“What about cocoa?” Thomas muttered without becoming visible. 

“Nay, not even that.” Roman flung an arm over his eyes. 

“You tell them how much you love them every day.” the ghost said helpfully. “They probably know.” 

“That’s just it, I must somehow exceed the normal affection I display. It’s special.”

“Neither Virgil nor Logan believe that, and Patton would be happy with chocolates.”

“I can’t get him chocolates, he’ll eat the entire box and make himself sick.” Roman protested. “I can’t even get Virgil or Logan chocolates, because Patton has no self control when it comes to food.” 

Thomas wished he could deny that, but he’d also watched Patton cook twice as many cookies as he needed, because he knew he’d eat half of them before the bakesale, even if he’d packaged them up neatly in little boxes ahead of time. 

“Logan likes baked goods better than chocolates, right?” 

“I’m still not allowed to use the oven.” Roman moaned. “And he deserves better than anything I could make.”

“Roman it doesn’t matter what he deserves, he’s got you-”

“And Virgil and Patton, and they too, are beyond the pale.” 

“You’re pretty awesome too, Roman.” Thomas pointed out. 

“Am I? I am running out of time, Thomas, how can I count myself as creative and romantic if I fail at the simple task of expressing my feelings?”

“Material stuff isn’t important!” Thomas insisted, trying his best to shake the cushion Roman was holding over his face. “Words! ‘So long as men can breath or eyes can see, so long lives this, and gives life to thee’ use your words, Roman.” 

“I am hardly the master bard, Thomas!” Roman shrieked. Thomas changed his effort to pushing down, with similar effect.

“You don’t need to be. They love you. Just be honest.”

“I am honestly unworthy.”   

“I’m sure they disagree, not to mention be mad you’re talking shit about yourself.” 

“The sky cannot see how brilliant it is! Patton’s love is the sun, brilliant and warm and life giving. He shines wherever he is and the loss of his regard is like a chill.” “Uh huh.”

“Virgil is more the moon, silvery and secretive, unchanging a changing both. A constant pull.  Luminous. Mysterious and with a bit of a dangerous thrill.” 

“Then Logan is what, the stars?” 

“While he sparkles brightly no, he’s... He’s the earth beneath my feet. The sky and it’s attendant wonders arch over him, and love with a force that crushes all else.” His hands clenched on the pillow. “Strong and beautiful, and supportive. Agh. My heart aches with it. How is it I can continue rather than simply laying here being wracked with love for them, every single day.” Roman pressed a hand to his heart. “And where do I stand when faced with such glory? I am in awe, wordless, and without breath to praise their magnificence!” 

Thomas managed to stifle a laugh.

“I don’t think you’re taking my problem seriously!” 

“He doesn’t need to, you’re taking it too seriously.” 

Roman jerked upright, horrified, to see that not just Virgil, but all three of his beloveds were standing in the entranceway of the living room, wearing a varied collection of fond expressions. 

“Vile spectre.” Roman mumbled under his breath face darkening with embarrassment. “You might have warned me.”

“I told you to use your words, mummy dearest.” Thomas teased breathlessly. “Not my fault you were too busy monologuing to hear the door.” 

Logan sat down on the couch beside Roman, and picked the smaller man up bodily, placing him in his lap. Without seeming to communicate at all, Virgil and Patton sat on either side and leaned in to squish Roman between them. 

“I don’t claim any special talent with words.” Logan said quietly, leaning down to press his cheek to Roman’s hair. “But I may note that the sky is the commonality between your metaphors.” 

“The sun and the moon share it and the earth looks up to it!” Patton said brightly. “So that makes you the sky, the air that fills up.” 

“Airhead.” Virgil added, pressing a kiss to Roman’s cheek. “Blowhard.” he continued, dropping another kiss. “Valuable, vital and you smell nice most of the time.” 

“Virgil!” Patton scolded. “C’mon, he said such nice things.” 

“If he doesn’t realise how much we love him, I don’t think anything I could say would convince him.” 

Roman’s eyes did look a little wet but he was smiling. 

“Oh damnation and disappointment, I don’t have enough hands.” He pressed back against Logan’s chest, a steady firm pressure, and grabbed one of Patton’s hands and one of Virgil’s first pressing them to his lips, then to his chest. “I suppose it’s all right that  you heard my weak musings about how much I love you.” 

Logan pressed his cheek against Roman’s hair again, and the others squeezed his hands. 

“I love you like I love my jars. You are part of me and I am worse without you.” Roman said thickly, and they curled closer into eachother. 

“You are so, so loved.” Logan said softly, muffled by Roman's hair. 

“Adored and adorable.” Patton agreed. 

“Hopelessly devoted to.” Virgil agreed after a moment’s thought. There was a  faint noise like someone cooing over something cute in the next room; but they were very much wrapped up in each other. 

This lasted for several long minutes.

“I mean I still want to shower you in mercantile affection.” Roman admitted. 

“Order an extra pizza.” Virgil joked.

“Hmm, well they do offer those giant ones shaped like a heart …”

Roman was derailed by Virgil shifting and blowing a loud raspberry in the hollow of his throat. Laughter sounded a lot like love.

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Chapters: 10/? Fandom: Sanders Sides (Web Series), Thomas Sanders Shorts Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders & Sleep | Remy Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Sleep | Remy Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders Characters: Sleep | Remy Sanders, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders, October | Toby Sanders, OFC, OMC, The Critic (Sanders Sides) Additional Tags: Past Relationship(s), Blood, Violence, monster au, Vampire Anxiety | Virgil Sanders, Vampire Sleep | Remy Sanders, mid ninetys fashion, Casual Sex, Scars, we respect sexworkers here sir, 90s goth Virgil is a gift, Horror Elements, Sex Work, Sort Of, Pizza, Claustrophobia, Buried Alive, Temporary Amnesia, Casual Drug Use, Gaslighting, prolonged flashback, Dehumanizing Language, Genderfluid Character, in the 90s economy?, Alcohol, Attempted Sexual Assault, Vampire Sex Series: Part 4 of Before they were Roommates, Part 24 of Monstrous Roommates Summary:

Remy is back in New York after some time away, and gets to introduce two of his favorite people to each other. Neither Virgil nor Roman is particularly pleased about this, at least at first.

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The Latest Chapter of

Dead Poet's Society has gone up on Ao3

In which Remy is frivolous, Roman is sexy, Virgil is Spiderman and I remind readers that this is still set in the mid to late 90s.

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My friend: You better not be the cunty Frankenstein’s creature from R. B. Peak’s adaptation of Frankenstein

My rambunctious ass:

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"But I love thanksgiving!"

"No you don't, you love food."

Patton crossed his arms over his chest and pouted.

"That's what thanksgiving is about!"

"I think it' more about the myth of white supremacy, the noble savage and the prelude to genocide." Virgil growled back.

"I'm pretty sure it has more to do with cranberries."

"I think I may be on my little sweet-tart's side on this." Roman weighed in. "Perhaps it hits different because I wasn't told the mythos as a child?"

Patton gave an offended gay gasp that he had absoltly picked up from Roman.

Logan sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose. This was giving him a headache. Virgil had just woken up grouchy, it seemed and had started taking it out on the nearest stress- that being Patton's gleefull Thanksgiving Day plans. Their kitchen was absolutly stuffed with food, including a turkey that would only just fit in their oven.

"Listen, kiddo-" Patton started. "I know that they sure didn't treat the natives well, but that's no reason to give up on everything."

"Genocide, Patton." Virgil repeated. "Putting some cranberry jelly on it doesn't change that."

"But that's not what Thanksgiving is about!" the werewolf protested.

"That does seem to be the central narrative. I like a party as much as the next person- and I am looking forward to seeing Remy, but-"

"That's the point!" Patton whirled and pointed at Roman with a spatula. "Family! Food! Being together! coming together to enjoy a meal together!"

"Drinking yourself insensible so you don't have to deal with your relatives." Virgil provided.

"Charitably-" Logan offered "One could call it a harvest festival, though the average modern American is even further removed from that than they are the so-called 'First Thanksgiving'."

"Kind of an anti-harvest festival, given that harvest festivals are about expressing bounty, and lack of bounty is what brought on the first one, isn't it?" Roman asked.

Patton glared at them all.

"Pie is for festive people." he said tightly.

Virgil looked over to the veritable smorgasbord of different pies set out on the pass through counter.

"... okay fine, I'll set the table."

"Thank you!" Patton grinned.

"But no Christmas carols, and I'm still going to bitch about Black Friday."

"Your terms and conditions have been accepted!"

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Never Let Anyone Make You Believe that You are the Monster, My Beautiful New Prometheus.

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"Hey Virge."

Virgil looked up from what he was doing. Normally, he wouldn't stop working to talk to anyone when he was on the clock- he took his work seriously.

But he was writing a pop-song, and it was driving him nuts.

He'd been given a phrase and a feeling and was trying to turn it into something worth hearing, while adhering to the bubbly pop psudo punk the client was going for.

Also it was Thomas, and the ghost had been a bit drifty lately, making conversation less frequent.

"Sup." He answered.

"I was wondering." Thomas did that thing he did where he wans't fully visible, but gave the impression he was perching on something- in this case, the edge of Virgil's dresser. "You're an excellent musician, and I've seen you writing all sorts of songs, and mixing music and everything."

"Thanks." Virgil said a little awkwardly. He knew he was pretty good, but it was still weird to hear it, even though that's mostly where he made his money.

"And you said you played in bands back when you lived in the city when someone bugged out."

"Played with this one band almost a year before they found a bassist that didn't suck. I was on their debut album." he agreed.

"How come you never had a band of your own?"

Virgil snorted, but suppressed actual laughter.

"Well first off- I am not front-man material. In the least."

"I suppose that you don't really like being stared at."

"Yes, that too. But that's not why."

Thomas tipped his head (just a bit too far making him look more like a cartoon of a person than a person) and raised his eyebrows. Virgil smiled without thinking, even if it was a little weird. Thomas had started doing things like that shortly after he started manifesting visually. Logan thought it had something to do with how he thought of himself, and one of the first things they'd learned about Thomas was that he really loved cartoons. So if he pictured himself as a cartoon version of himself, his visible form would reflect that.

Virgil wondered if, given time, Thomas might start looking entirely like a cartoon, as he forgot more about himself as a living person.

"One second." He sent a text out. He was pretty sure that Logan and Roman had gone to a museum to be snarky about an exhibit, but Patton was probably in the house. "Alright, if you really want to know, I can show you."

"Please, you have more musical talent in one tooth than I had in my whole body, and I did a lot of singing."

"Uh-huh." Virgil looked at the ghost skeptically. He went over to the door, opened it and called down stairs. "Hey Patton, I'm going to sing."

There was a faint strained whine and then a faint

"Have fun!" followed by a door closing.

"You can do it!" Roman called, a little closer. "I believe in you."

"Oh fuck off." Virgil retorted, and Roman laughed.

Thomas snorted, shifting in place and folding his arms.

"Now you're just being theatrical."

Virgil smiled sarcastically and hummed under his breath. Then he started singing

For a few moments Thomas felt justified. But then- it was wrong. He couldn't put his finger on why but it was wrong. Technically the melody and the tune were there, and he was hitting the notes. But it echoed and it warped and it just sounded wrong, like someone was purposefully playing with sliders on a mixing board.

Outside, Patton started howling, sounding a little hurt himself. Virgil stopped, coughed, and put his hand over his mouth looking a bit embarrassed. There were a few more baying howls, and then an apologetic sounding bark.

"It used to be I just was a little flat, you know? I know how music works." His voice sounded rough. "but not really vocalist quality. But then uh." He looked even more embarrassed. "Something happened, and now my voice does that when I sing. I don't mind that-" Virgil hastened to add. "Since I don't have to sing to play instruments or even write or mix music. But it sounds worse recorded, believe it or not."

"Well." Thomas flickered a bit, and gave a lop sided smile. "There's always death metal."

"A favorite of ghosts everywhere." Virgil agreed, and Thomas laughed himself invisible.

[monstrousroommates]

Part 1 | Part 2

Please enjoy this cute sapphic comic about accidentally adopting a werewolf from the pound based on this post. (Except I made it gay.) Meet Sabine and Jazz as they fall in loooove.

If you enjoyed please consider donating to my Kofi! Comics are a labor of love and tips really really help me out while I'm in school!

[monstrousroommates]

Part 1 | Part 2

Please enjoy this cute sapphic comic about accidentally adopting a werewolf from the pound based on this post. (Except I made it gay.) Meet Sabine and Jazz as they fall in loooove.

If you enjoyed please consider donating to my Kofi! Comics are a labor of love and tips really really help me out while I'm in school!