#{ a secret shared

[demaparbat-hp]

Hi Dema!! Your art is fantastic and even the lineart is awesome! Solid and confident in where it's thick and where thin. I really like how your style has characters look more realistic and they have specific consistent features. Your blog has a pleasant atmosphere, and you're skilled in weaving AUs! There's a lot of details and structure, and I'd like to ask if any of them have a full story arc? Could you do a list of all of the AUs? Is there a motif that you especially like that repeats in any of the AUs? And whenever you add comments to my stuff in the tags I literally smile, it makes me want to keep at my plan to create everything I have in mind. So I'd like to spread this joy! I hope you have a nice day! (from late-draft ^^)

Hello, Late-Draft! I wasn't expecting this ask at all but I'm so glad to have received it!

First of all—I'll try to hold myself back from giggling like a schoolgirl. I'm having a sempai noticed me moment over here and that's just embarrassing. So give me a second to compose myself, if that's alright?

Okay, I'm back.

Now, on to business.

Character design, especially when it comes to facial features and how they're unique to each person, has always been a passion of mine. I always try to have a solid design for each character. I choose which features feel like the character in question, which face feels natural to draw, and go along with it. I love drawing Katara as much as I love drawing Zuko. Meanwhile, I seem to be on a never-ending battle against Sokka's features. Woes of an artist, I suppose.

Character design is actually one of the reasons I love your work so much, in case you hadn't noticed. I'm currently experimenting a bit with a different style... Hopefully it won't be long before the artwork is done and I can share it over here. I'm so excited for everyone to see it!

Now it's time for the reason we're all here.

I have said it before and shall say it once more: AUs are my lifeblood.

I love them so much! Building them, daydreaming the scenes, thinking of the characters and how they differ from their canon versions. The arcs and the themes and the worldbuilding. Building AUs is my passion, and I have so many of them!

There are a lot of motifs and themes that tend to repeat themselves in several of my AUs, I believe.

You'll notice that most of my stories are Zuko-centric, with a heavy emphasis on grief and humanity. There's the question of what makes us human and how to move forward when the whole world seems to push you back. I put a lot of stock in metaphors and symbolism within the narrative itself. I'm especially interested in the nuance of war and how it affects people emotionally, physically, and psychologically

I also tend to reutilize some elements of the lore and/or worldbuilding! Such as the Painted Lady's backstory, or the existence of War Children within the ATLA universe.

Now, the list!

I think I'll start with my current project, if that's okay :)

For the Spirits (New Gods AU)

Zuko was a child when he met Agni. Then, the spirits started coming to him. Eyes hidden in the hallways, voices pleading for help, for recognition, for remembrance.

Zuko could see Agni. He could see the broken remains of a Great Spirit and the empty smiles of amnesiac ghosts.

And they could see him in return.

I've been working on this AU for a long time, but only now did I get the chance to start writing the fic (linked up there!). I'm extremely excited about FTS and where the story will lead us in the future, but I'll try not to spoil too much.

It's a Zuko-centric story, with a heavy emphasis on Spirits and humanity. I'd like to add a warning for depression/mental health issues.

To Hesitate (Lee & Kya AU)

As she watches Lee and Kya avoid each other's eyes from across the room, the phrase comes back to her, swift and silent:

"To hesitate is to lose."

.

As Song treats the victim of an unfortunate interaction with a rare poisonous flower, her day takes an unexpected turn when it becomes apparent that the old man's nephew and her assistant have history.

A vivid history.

The Lee & Kya AU is a vibe, a feeling. It's probably one of my oldest AUs out there as well as one of my dearest.

A classical Lee and Kya From The Tea Shop AU, full with wholesome fandom tropes such as: fake (but not really) dating, fake identities, Ba Sing Se shenanigans, vigilante stuff, White Lotus missions, Iroh is a great Uncle, Zuko is an awkward turtleduck, and, of course, the fluffiest fluff you'll ever see.

Other than that, Lee & Kya is probably one of the less plot-focused AUs I have. However, that doesn't mean that there aren't scenes I can't wait to write or a canon divergence or two where Zuko is concerned.

(I have another fic posted but I'll leave that one to the end. You asked for a full story arc and, oh boy, does Soundless deliver.)

Kintsugi AU

Closer to being canon-adjacent than canon-divergent, Kintsugi is yet another Zuko-centric AU (and are we not noticing a pattern over here?).

I'd love to explain it in depth, but I believe the caption of the artwork linked above does a better job at explaining than I ever will.

Kintsugi is the art of decorating your scars with pieces of Agni.

In the Fire Nation, the amount of golden marks are a sign of status. Only the Royal Family can afford to seal every single wound with Kintsugi. Such is the weight of this tradition that, among the ones with Agni's blood, it is the highest mark of dishonor to have a natural scar, for it proves you aren't worthy of the privilege.

After the Agni Kai, Ozai forbid Zuko's scar to be sealed with Kintsugi. The boy wasn't worth his title, his traditions or his pride. Zuko would be broken, but he wouldn't be beautiful. Not anymore.

(And sometimes it's easier to pretend he never was)

Kyoshi Warriors AU

One of my absolute favorites!

In this AU, Ursa took Zuko and Azula with her when she was banished, so they could start anew. With help from Iroh and the White Lotus, she managed to relocate her freshly burned eight-year-old child and her crying daughter to Kyoshi Island.

Years later, when Avatar Aang and his companions first arrive at Kyoshi Island, they're met by the Kyoshi Warriors and their leader, Noriko of pale skin and warm brown eyes.

The Gaang leave Kyoshi Island many weeks later with a new companion. And if Jian Li, with his war paint and his scar and his dual dao, gives the island that he has called home for so long one final, longing glance as they fly away on Appa, they pretend not to notice.

Hunters AU

We're starting to dwelve deep into dangerous waters!

This is a Katara Joins Zuko In His Quest To Find The Avatar AU, with a twist!

This AU was born as a writing experiment. What if we take Katara's character, and change one of her core characteristics? Katara, who looked up to the Avatar as a saviour figure, now blames him for leaving and allowing the Fire Nation to wage war on the world.

Then comes Zuko, a banished Prince with a crew full of traitors and his own agenda. Zuko wishes for nothing more than to dethrone his father and end the war. He is a White Lotus member, an honorable, driven young man, and he has a plan.

The catch? He needs to take the Avatar to his father if he wishes to regain his title and be able to rightfully take the throne. Oh, and he will deliver the Avatar to the Fire Lord—but nobody said it had to be in chains.

Halfblood AU

I watched Blue Eye Samurai a few months ago and it destroyed me. The idea of a half-blooded child dead set on getting revenge for their very existence stuck with me, and this AU was born.

Kanna made a life for herself in the Earth Kingdom after leaving the North. Katara was raised by her grandmother in a small village, being taught to hide her bending if she wanted to live peacefully in a place she was only half of. Her mother had died in childbirth. Her father, a nameless warrior from the Southern Water Tribe who had loved Kya and left her behind, didn't know of Katara's existence.

Katara took over Kanna's clinic after she passed away. Always taking care of others. Always suppressing her need to bend. Always wishing for more.

One day, he arrived. A half-child, just like her. But while she was of Water, he was a son of Agni. He was searching for the man who brought him to this world. The man who scarred him. The man whose face he couldn't recall, whose name he did not know. The man whose specter had chased his mother to her grave. The man who would die at his hand.

The answers were hidden in a small teashop deep within Ba Sing Se. Lee offered her a way out, and Katara took it.

Soundless (Uiscefhuaraithe)

Katara of the Southern Water Tribe has hands scarred by fire and great talent, though no teacher.

Zuko is a mute War Child, a herbalist and healer, and the Blue Spirit. He bears the mark of fire, and the scar of the blade that took away his voice.

The first time they met, the Blue Spirit had just saved her, tough not before her hands got burned. The second time they met, his name was Lee, and he was healing her.

They live in war and they will fight, if not for the world, then for themselves.

You asked for a full storyline, and I shall deliver!

Soundless is probably the only AU I have fully planned. Three-books, Azula redemption arc, role-reversals and all.

This AU has everything. From travelling through the Earth Kingdom together, to odd character team-ups that somehow manage to work, and a major goal/conflict to resolve.

Zuko and Katara must find their way to Omashu in an Earth Kingdom ravaged by war as they also grow to understand each other, themselves, and the world around them. They meet with new and old alliances, keep their ears open for rumors of the Avatar (They say he is an airbender, Lee. Do you truly belive that?), and do their best to always be two steps ahead of their pasts.

Meanwhile, both the Northern and Southern Water Tribes are searching for the runaway heiress, Aang must find his way alone on this new, hostile world, and Azula must face the revelation that, despite what her father has stated for the last two years (liar, he lied at her! Her! He lied he liedliedliedlied), her brother might just be alive.

I'm sorry for making this such a long answer! I just get very excited about these subjects and don't know when to stop. If you made it all the way down here: thank you again.

I hope you have a good day ❤️

[cimicherrychanga]

Complicated Relationship with God (As Seen Through Lyrics in the Character's Playlist)

[cosmogone-spectacles]

I, for one, would definitely be interested in learning about your flondon main, if you're willing to share

Oh, I suppose I can go ahead and share a tad... presuming my poor, skittish heart survives the ordeal. ^_^;; +++

"D. T. Oversol, Silverer. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

(Portrait by my good friend Cheru at @cheru-art-time!)

Primary Skills: Persuasive / Dangerous; Glasswork / Artisan of the Red Sciences

Feel free to send a calling card! Lengthier character introduction beneath the cut. +++

Mr. Oversol (or Oversol, as he is commonly referred – he seems rather particular about sharing more than the initials of the rest of his name) is an immensely private individual. Whilst he is semi-commonly present at a variety of high-society events, and, of course, the occasional apocalyptic threat to London, he always seems to subtly direct conversation towards topics related to others rather than himself. This aire of mystique, as some have put it, is only furthered by the bombazine-dark veil he has not been seen without in many a year. ...In fact, one might note, he wears black gloves, too, and a high-collared shirt, and even dark spectacles beneath hat heavy veil... God forbid one foregoes manners enough to ask about all the pomp directly, of course. High society leaves little room for such straightforwardness. A silverer by trade, his services are peculiarly difficult to obtain. First comes the mere challenge of locating the blasted man, should you not find yourself fortunate enough (or, em, unfortunate enough?) to be inundated with party invites. Oversol's offices lie somewhere in the twisted back-streets set about the foot of the Bazaar, and the longer one searches the clearer it becomes he may not want it to be found. Does he even have clientele? And why, for goodness sake, is a silverer rumoured to turn away all of the Bohemian-and-creative sort? Truth be told, Oversol is a bit of a hermit – mostly due to a displeasure with rowdy environments, a few too many suitors, and a healthy appreciation for his own privacy. This most certainly has nothing to do with a rising paranoia that has grown steadily over his years in the Neath, and irrational fears over what exactly some unsavory party might do with information on his good self. He makes true companions exceptionally slowly due to this, and finds himself primarily in the company of one Dola Hallowrove, monster hunter (@peliginspeaks), and a Captain-Correspondent Ren Haarsink (@indefinitely-sealed). —Er, perhaps not the latter. Not at current. Not after recent events. Regardless of the man's paranoid tendencies, and resulting stiff public face, he is exceptionally warm and loyal to those he considers his trusted and beloved few. They, of course, are welcome at his office any time of any day (set just beneath his lodgings, in fact; both are decorated in expensive fashion, yet stay within the line of good taste), aside from the middle of his appointments, and may even be allowed knowledge of his dear young daughte– ahem, feline companion, Boo. Sure, his gifts tend to be inordinately and unnecessarily expensive, and he will most certainly refuse a romp through Prickfinger or any other destination lacking a proper road, but you can always count on him to lend a good ear and as many perfectly-steeped cups of tea as you'd like. (Oh, ah— One last little thing. You would be well-advised not to allow him inebriation; he's a nasty rash streak with a little alcohol in his system. Last time he took drinks at a bar, he ended up across the zee on Gaider's Mourn daring pirates to most unreasonably dangerous competitions. Ghastly, that hangover was. Ghastly, and awfully zalty.)

('Portrait' by me, on MSpaint with mouse, because my tablet is broken.)

[carlyraejepsans]

flowisk makes my brain buzz. It’s about how Flowey is “why do you still care about me? I am not that person you sought. They are dead in the ground, their corpse long gone, dust adrift in the wind. I am a mistake. A remnant accidentally brought to life. The only connection I have to that person are memories I can barely recognize as my own.” And Frisk is “b/c you’re a cutie patootie (When I was saving you I wasn’t aiming for one part. You counted as well for a remnant is still a part of him. And despite everything even if you aren’t you are still you)”

not that i disagree on the "frisk being dead set on saving/caring for flowey" aspect, but I think you're really lowballing the "self recognition through the other (derigatory)" aspect they've got going on.

i mean, you see flowey being revived and taking control of RESETs and going through this gnarly endless cycle of repetition where he wallows in his own trauma and regrets, growing isolated from his loved ones with every retry and idolizing his memory of chara as a comfort to the alienation he caused himself...

and then here comes frisk. who is perhaps the only person who could ever understand what he's gone through. what if MEANS to have that power, to use it, to abuse it, to retry a thousand times, who FEELS like chara.

and they absolutely fucking infuriate him. stupid, ridiculous, gullible, painfully unpredictable frisk. who calls for help and people come running. who kills him (or maybe they don't) and then reached for him all the same and calls his name. who is so determined it drowns him out. how can he not get a little bit obsessed.

i think flowey is the only character who can truly understand frisk, and frisk is the only character who can truly understand flowey. they should be lil freaks together about it methinks

[pixlokita]

What's your favorite way to prepare pasta? (Shape, cooking techniques, sauce, toppings, etc)

Ohohoho 👌 boil water with some oil and a little bit of salt, a little softer than al dente >> and add butter :’> my fave is angel hair 😔✨

Toppings can either be home made meat sauce, tuna and cheese or eggs and ham >> or bechamel sauce :’>

🍝✨

[goldenpinof]

These two coming back to youtube and possibly going to start posting more regularly makes me so happy so just let me rant. ;') I am SO GLAD that they didn't hire somebody to edit their gaming video for them. I was worried that they would hire somebody else to edit their video and the vibe of it would be different. The editing style, the cute moments that they chose to leave in, and their banters are just so THEM and they took me right back to my high school days. It's just so heartwarming to see them so unapologetically themselves, and I am so happy for them. I am so ready for more gay jokes and less jumpcuts..hehe

On the other note... I was rewatching BIG and Phil's Draw My Life post-coming out for the phanniversary after watching their comeback video. It gave me all the feels to say the least. I would really like to ask them where I can find my best friend forever and how to sustain such a healthy relationship? Like telling the whole fucking world that this person makes you feel safe and you are lucky to find someone you are SO compatible with? (if it isn't the best and sweetest compliment ever, i don't know what is...) Like that person allows you to take a break and explore yourself and your creative endeavors while agreeing to pause the channel that brings the biggest monetary income for 5 fucking years AND being EXTREMELY supportive along the way? Like BEING THERE for each other through the highs and lows? Like being the safe place to go back to in this world filled with craziness and chaos? Their love for each other really transcends all the normal definition of relationship. I have to admit that my young rotten nosy phannie mind kinda wish that their first comeback would be their marriage announcement video but oh well.... Despite EVERYTHING, it's STILL YOU and through EVERYTHING, i STILL have YOU... i guess ;')

P.S. If we were able to manifest the dnpgames comeback, we might be able to manifest a wedding announcement video?

[cheemken]

Oh that mental image of him breaking down and his Dragonite gently holding him until he's ready to hug back--crying in the club fr I wanna write this scene so much

Another personal hc that I have is definitely one that has a lot of self-projecting onto it. Mostly from the throw away line of 'my knees are creaking' and how the other E4s run to the end of the arena while he takes his sweet time. Couple that with lines on how he fell asleep and is always just resting at the club, a part of me likes to think that he's got some health issues. Maybe joint pain or something that causes chronic exhaustion.

Drayton isn't all too bad with his classes schoolwork wise but he fails primarily on his lack of attendance. Maybe it's partially from days where getting out of bed is hard, or when he can't pretend that everything's all fine and dandy. Sitting down often because standing or walking too long causes his knees to act up. Napping when he can cause he's just low-key tired all the time.

Perhaps he wouldn't have gotten the reputation of being lazy and a slacker if he just spoke up about it but no. He gives me the vibes of someone who dislikes pity, having a level of pride where he prefers to handle stuff on his own. He's got a system with his Pokemon where they help him on bad days. Shame that's how people saw him but it's not like he's making an effort to dispel it anyway. He'd hate it if those displeased looks turned to pity instead

But I'm also a sucker for days where he just can't summon up the energy to pretend around people, and while most just chalk it up to him being lazy again, maybe his friends can tell and help make things a little easier.

(Again, that's just my personal hc with a healthy dose of self projection. I just love putting him through situations haha)

Omf cndmcndm yeah yeah I get that I understand that that hit me right at home lmfaooo

No but, imagine if the reason behind that too is bc how grueling the training of Drayden was. Cause I also have this small hc that Iris really tried to keep up w Drayden's 10k push ups, sit ups, and squats during their training too (so she's a bit built thanks to that lmfao), but Drayton couldn't keep up w that, he tries but he couldn't, his body wasn't frail to say the least, but he wasn't built like Drayden or Iris, his body was a bit weaker compared to theirs, so when he tries, even when he did warm ups beforehand, it'd still leave his body quite sore

That plus the lil hc I have that he always waits for Iris to come back home most nights, so he stays up late most of the time too, making him tired the next day

But yeah, with his pride, he always refuse to get help, to the point he conditioned himself that there really is nothing wrong w him, but there is y'know, and sometimes he can't handle it anymore. There was once his body just needed rest that he didn't go to school at all, it resulted in his fam telling him if he's that lazy then he should just stop going to school and just help around the house, after all, he isn't trusted enough for the gym, wasn't motivated enough to do any kind of work, not even w school, so what's he gonna do

Anyways yeah, this I canon in my heart anon, just let the boy sleep in he deserves it

[proxythe]

m writing a super self indulgent akishinji fic and your art has inspired so many things in it..massive shoutout to you

i jumped when i got this notif… anon.. im truly honored. …….&i need this so bad … hands trembling. eyes bloodshot. grabs you by yhe shoulders . shakes you.

[the-meme-monarch]

I’m already aware of a couple plot holes with frisk being the “strange someone” to bestow jevil and spamton and the secret bosses Brain Breaking Awareness but also it’s so. narratively interesting to me. to go from being the protagonist to potentially an antagonist. they Know the world is a video game bc they were possessed by the player, they know how meaningless they really are. and now the player is Done with their game and that they’ve regained autonomy what are they supposed to do now? it ended up being not-particularly-good things, apparently

[the-faultofdaedalus]

fantasy culture where everyone’s name is a riddle. this is specifically a defence against fae trickery - if a fairy asks your name, you can give it. the fairy can’t actually take it unless it knows the answer.

[landwriter]

Hob just like love missing scenes?? do tell :)

He’s blond. That’s the first thing Hob notices, when the stranger - not his Stranger, just the lowercase sort, comes and sits down next to him. Thank Christ, he thinks, he couldn’t cope with some raven-haired beauty, not tonight. Maybe not for a few decades. Maybe he oughta move to, to bloody Finland or somewhere.

“Rough night?” asks the stranger. He sounds like a cowboy out of a Hollywood film.

Hob tries to smile and winces instead. “That obvious, am I?”

The man smiles. His teeth are white and perfect. He’s dressed in a cream suit and wearing coal-black sunglasses in the middle of the night, indoors. He’s the most American thing Hob has ever seen.

“Nah,” the lowercase stranger drawls. “I just wanted an excuse to come over. Drink to our troubles?”

Hob blinks. He’d started twelve hours ago with beer, which turned to wine, then whisky, then bitter disappointment and a cab ride here, and now more whisky, except it’s hideously expensive and he’s too deep in his cups to appreciate it. And he still knows he’s being hit on.

“Hob,” he says, and holds out his hand. The stranger takes it, and his grip is firm and cool. He momentarily forgets that he’s supposed to get a name in return. “What are you drinking tonight, mate?”

The stranger smiles again, long and slow this time, and lust slithers into Hob’s gut, settling comfortably atop the mess of misery below. “Well, whatever you’re buying.”

---

all I've done for it so far! but really want to cover Corinthian's accidental use of Hob's "Life is so rich" line - here's my notes for the rest of this:

hob’s reaction, etc- his suspicion, smelling the death, wanting annihilation, knowing something is STRANGE about him. maybe even in earlier section - hob sensing he’s dangerous. poss the Corinthian offers a fake name. poss the name is like, randomly chosen, and a few minutes later hob notices it’s from a drink behind the bar, or on the cocktail menu, Usual Suspects style. immediately sobers up best he can. assessing situation, assuming he is a Dangerous Man, and thinking, perfect. a fuck and maybe a fight. then later, kissing, finding the dagger, and being honestly incredibly turned on, knowing he was right.

I think it could be a super fun and hot drabble and I really wanna jump into Hob's fresh-off-1989 mindset here because it's surely INSANE

[pikslasrce]

[rabbit-1961]

I have all of your secrets. ALL. OF. THEM.

But as an only child too, no more big brother protection. No one to go crying to at 1am with a bad dream.

Celebrate that you heartless bitch

@your-brightest-star

O-oh fuck wait, no, Sirius...

I think I got caught up in the moment...

[chewwypepsicola]

ohhhhh you wanna talk about your victim headcanons. ohhhh you wanna talk about soooo badly

I CAN NOT TALK IN DEPTH ABOUT THEM BUT... (AND THEN I PROCEDED TO TALK ABOUT IT A LOT.)

my timeline of events for how us victim enjoyers can still win is that upon closing the program his file was saved, not as a proper file, but as a backup file. thats the reason why he still manifests as a "ghost", he did die he did suffer but he remained in this limbo state, alone for long periods of time before Chosen, Dark and Second would come along, he witnessed it all, the creation of his little brothers and the cruelness they also had to endure. When he comes back is cause upon switching computers the Creator transfered a lot of his files, (this takes place after like, my entire hollowhead family thing btw) when checking for what to delete and what to keep from his clutter he probably stumbled upon this backup file, he opens it and then boom! ... error, this file is corrupted, plus incompatible, Victim becomes physical again but his form is glitchy and "uncanny" to the sticks that saw this guy manifest into thin air, his body is unstable and he is suddenly way too aware of his surroundings, he runs away cause oh god, its the creator, he's looking right at him (he's going to kill me again, this time ill be gone for good) he runs out to the outernet, probably falls onto that same cliff by the sea we see the rest fall to in showdown, Second and the colors go after him despite how weird he looks, when they catch up to him he's on his hands and knees holding the grass between his fingers as if its going to dissapear if he loosens his grip, the colorgang try really hard to catch his attention, Second (who is having a steven universe moment, meaning: he knows this is another one of those sticks his "dad" hurt) makes the rest step away and let him try to get this guy to at least acknoledge them. Victim, whoever, is literally mesmerized by the beauty of the world, he can't believe his eyes he can't believe he's back. after some minutes of Second talking at him and then giving up, now just sitting by his side, Victim turns to him, fistfuls of grass, and then brings Second into a hug, Victim has been wishing he could do that for so many years now, he could cease to exist right there and then and it wouldn't matter cause he finally got to hold his baby brother in his arms. Second holds him back just as tightly, they don't know what Victim's story is, but he knows it has something to do with the creator, while this hug is a wish come true for Victim, Second is apologizing for someone else's crimes thru his.

Next part is Second bringing Victim to the Dark and Chosen household like a kid who found a kicked puppy on the street and NEEDS their parents to let him keep it, Chosen and Dark on the other hand are both confused and alarmed cause "Oh god there's another one" "OH GOD WHY DOES HE ACT LIKE HE KNOWS US?!"

It's all fun

[moe-broey]

Only cunt remains....