#I've had this ready for a while

[eunchancorner]

Revenged and Rescued (Part 16)

It's election day. I'm terrified. My mom never votes and she just voted so that about tells you how bad shit is at home

Anyway have an extra long fic

-

Hello, Hubert

As you can see, I have taken your precious little injured civilian. In exchange for his safe return, I demand that you turn over my prisoner immediately. I will give you a 24 hour grace period to deliver Henry to me. After that, every hour I have to wait will be another body part your precious ‘Dave’ loses. Understand that this is not a negotiation. I will not be taking no for an answer now, Hubert.

You know where to find me.

-Dmitri Petrov

Henry remembered every word of that letter. He remembered how Rupert insisted on finding and killing Dmitri himself, how Galeforce had made the tough decision to force him to stay out of this one. He remembered how guilty he felt. How guilty he still felt. It was his fault that Petrov had Dave now, even if no one else wanted to hear that.

He remembered insisting he should be the one to save him. He remembered Charles insisting that if he did go, he wasn’t going alone. He remembered the entire squad deciding to come with, and how they loaded up two helicopters to get ready. He remembered Rupert handing him his M16, insisting that if they killed Dmitri with anything, it should at least be his gun. He remembered those last words Rupert said to him before they left.

“I don’t like owing people shit, Stickmin, but if you bring Dave back, I will owe you big time… so please… just bring him back safely…”

That was the second time he’d seen Rupert cry.

But this time, he’d make sure it’d be the last.

That brought him to where he was now; sitting in Charles’s copter, watching out the window as darkness and snow were the only things to be seen for miles. He never imagined he’d see this place again, much less go back there willingly, but he had to. This was his fault, he had to make it right.

Eventually, the helicopters landed on an outcropping on a mountain, a few miles away from the Wall. As Henry stepped out, he took in the sight of his old prison, looking so small and inconspicuous with the lower levels hidden underground. He remembered the very few hours he spent here before calling for help.

He remembered his escape.

His betrayal.

No, focus on Dave. That’s the objective now, he reminded himself.

“Alright, I can patch into one of the cameras, but if I try to get into any more, Dmitri will know something’s up. Let’s see if we can figure out where he’s holding Dave,” Eel announced from where he sat in Quentin’s helicopter.

“Dmitri is nothing if not an organized prick. He wouldn’t hold a hostage where he holds the prisoners, nor in his office, and I doubt he wants to alert the guards to the fact that he kidnapped someone…” Andrew mumbled in thought.

“On top of the main building. That’s new, it wasn’t here when I was,” Henry pointed to a small building on top of the prison, new and cleaner than the rest. “It looks like a newer building. Do you think he might have set it up specifically for Dave?”

“It looks like there’s an unnamed camera here, so let’s see,” Eel decided, shortly before the feed appeared on his screen. Inside of the building was a mess; it seemed to be disguised as a storage facility, with an overturned table and a couple of filing cabinets. There were two doors; one led outside, one that probably led to a stairwell farther down. In the center, Dmitri was towering over Dave, who was bound in a chair, gagged, but still looking up at him like he could overtake the warden at any time. If it wasn’t so worrying, Henry would have been proud of his apparent confidence. In the corner, Grigori seemed to be standing guard, as if making absolutely sure Dave didn’t move.

“Alright, good, now we need to figure out a safe way to get down there. Henry, can you go scout ahead, make sure we can get in close enough for a safe landing?” he asked, and as Henry nodded and prepared to take off on his own, he felt Charles grab his arm. He looked at the pilot, their eyes meeting.

“Be careful,” was all he said, and Henry nodded, before launching and flying closer. He got about a mile away from the prison before he could see trouble.

“Problem; there’s guards all over the place, and a lot of them seem to have RPG launchers. We’re gonna have an issue bringing any choppers in with those guys around,” he said into the radio in his chest, and after a few seconds, Eel answered.

“See what you can do on your own, if you come up with a plan, tell us immediately.”

Henry took a deep breath and focused on his arm, seeing if he had anything to take enemies out quickly but quietly. It shifted into a dart gun, with a small screen displaying the number 5, which Henry could only guess was how many shots he had.

He quickly reassessed the situation and a plan formed in his mind, so he relayed it to the others.

“I’ve got a dart gun with five shots. Five of these guys have the RPG launchers, but the last one has a rifle. Madd, if I hit the heavy fire guys, can you get the rifleman by the door?”

“Affirmative,” the sniper replied.

“Alright, I’ll count it down for you… Five.”

He fired a dart with a small thwump, and down went one of the guards.

“Four…”

Thwump

Another guard down.

“Three…”

Thwump

Three down. That was the roof cleared.

“Two…”

Thwump

There went the one on the stairs.

“One!”

Thwump

One door guard went down, followed by the second almost instantly.

“Nice work, Madd. Looks like the guards won’t be an issue anymore.”

“Great news, Henry, now come back so we can move along with the plan,” Eel told him, and for a moment, Henry was going to. But then he remembered.

He was so close. This was his fault. This was his battle. He had to fight it.

“Change of plans, I’m heading in.”

“What?! No, Henry, you can’t!” he heard Charles’s alarmed reply over his radio.

“This is my fault, I have to be the one to make it right. I’m going to take down Dmitri and get Dave myself.”

“Henry, as much as we all love a hero, this is a really bad time. If you’re going to try to take down Petrov, then we’re coming with you,” Eel insisted, and Henry groaned.

“Fine, then let’s do this; I’ll go in and distract Dmitri and Grigori. Quentin, we’ll need you to fly Charles, the Bukowskis and Madd into position. When they’re safely on the roof, send a sound signal over my radio. When I give the signal, Charles, Konrad, Calvin and Madd will rush in and open fire. I’ll focus on getting Dave to safety. With any luck we kill Dmitri and Grigori, but we mainly just need suppressing fire so they’re too distracted to try to recapture me or Dave. The rest of you can hold everything down on the clearing, set up to transport Dave back home. That sound good to you guys?”

After a few beats of silence, Charles’s voice came back over the radio.

“Quentin wants to know why he has to be the getaway pilot instead of me.”

Henry groaned.

“Because, Charles, you’re supposed to be my personal bodyguard. And well, because I want you in the action with me.”

“I was hoping you’d say that. We’ll get ready and head on over. Don’t get killed, okay?”

“Roger that.”

With that, Henry flew in closer to the prison, landing carefully on the roof. As he strided to the new structure’s door, his gaze was drawn to the bodies of the guards, and he felt the guilt inside of him grow. More lives lost for his gain. Hopefully he wouldn’t have to keep doing this…

With a deep breath, he opened the door and stepped in, letting it slam shut behind him. Dmitri turned almost immediately, a smug smile on his face.

“Ah, Henry, long time no see,” he greeted with feigned hospitality, “Tell me, how has life been on the outside?”

“Pretty rough, thanks to the augmentations I had to get after what happened at your prison,” he growled, earning little more than an annoyed look.

“You mean the injuries you sustained while escaping my prison. But at least you made Grigori’s job easier; now he knows what actually went down on the airship that day. Maiming the leader’s husband and then taking over, I had no idea you were so ruthless!” the warden sneered.

“Yes, I maimed him, and not a day goes by that I don’t think about what I did to that man. I feel like a piece of shit, are you happy now?”

“Oh, Henry,” Petrov chuckled, “You know I will not be happy until you are in a cell, where you belong. Now, come with me, perhaps we can negotiate for you to have a nice view of the ocean.”

“Release Dave first,” Henry demanded, crossing his arms, moments before his chestplate beeped.

They’re ready.

“Now, why would I do that?” Dmitri asked, crossing his arms right back.

“Because you’re a man of your word, right? Release Dave, a civilian who’s done absolutely nothing, and you get me, the convict you’re after. Fair?”

“Hm… Alright. Grigori, release the hostage,” he ordered the other man, who nodded and began cutting the ropes that held Dave down. As soon as he was unbound, he hobbled into Henry’s arms, holding onto him for support.

“Henry! I knew someone would come! I knew it would be different this time! Why are you alone? Where’s Rupert? Is Charles here, too?” the man questioned, his eyes darting between Henry and the door.

“Everything’s fine, just listen very closely. When I say ‘Now’, let me pull you down, okay?” he whispered to the other, and he nodded, though he was clearly confused.

“Well, Henry, anything you’d like to say as a free man, while you still can?” Dmitri questioned with a smirk, and Henry took a deep breath.

“Just one word, Dmitri…”

“Spit it out then, I’m anxious to get you into a cell.”

Henry was silent for a single moment, before yelling out.

“NOW!”

He pulled Dave down with him as the door flew open, Charles leading the way as he opened fire on the two men inside. He managed to get him behind the table, hearing bullets hit it for a few moments before it sounded relatively safe. He managed to peer up, seeing that Charles, Calvin and Konrad had spread out on one wall behind a filing cabinet, Dmitri and Grigori huddled up behind the other, both groups firing at one another. Madd managed to slip down to where Henry and Dave were, grabbing the injured civilian and pulling him out the door as fast as he could.

Dmitri suddenly darted for the door to the stairwell, drawing Charles’s fire, which gave Grigori an opening.

“FUCK, MY HAND!” the pilot shouted as Grigori managed to nail his hand, dropping Rupert’s M16 and pulling a pistol from a holster on his hip, firing back at the man and hitting his leg.

“SHIT!!” the man shouted as he fell to the ground, trying to get to the door before his boss slammed it.

“Your sacrifice won’t be forgotten!” Dmitri promised before he disappeared behind the window, leaving his second-in-command to the mercy of the soldiers. As the Bukowski twins fled out the door, Henry saw Charles approaching him, pistol tight in his grip. He saw the fear in Grigori’s eyes as though he was watching the Reaper itself draw closer.

“Charles! We got what we came for, let’s go!” Henry tried to tell him, but the pilot didn’t respond, raising his gun to the grunt’s forehead.

“CHARLES! NO MORE!” Henry shouted, and finally the pilot conceded, lowering his weapon.

“Tell your boss to stay the hell away from Henry…” Charles growled before running back out, holstering his weapon and grabbing onto the ladder Quentin had lowered. Henry took off with his own wings, and together they flew back to the outcropping, where Mac, Phlex, Eel and Andrew were waiting for them.

~

“RUPERT!”

“DAVE!”

As soon as the pair of helicopters landed, Rupert was the first to rush up to them, pulling Dave into his arms and holding him close. As Henry stepped out, he watched them with a smile, before walking over.

“Sorry, we, uh, kinda lost your gun during the whole…” he didn’t want to mention the shootout, worried he’d just upset Rupert. “Incident.”

“Stickmin, you could’ve lost a whole bomber jet, it’d still be worth it as long as I got Dave back…” the lieutenant assured him, his head still on Dave’s shoulder as he lifted the man, preparing to carry him back to medical.

Henry chuckled quietly, “If you’re so sure. Me and Charles are gonna head down to medical with you guys. I might need a more thorough checkup after that, and Charles got injured while we were rescuing him. Wanna walk together?”

“Fine by me, c’mon. I wanna get him back to comfort as soon as possible,” the ravenette told them as he began walking, and Charles and Henry followed after him, chatting along the way about how Henry and Charles were suddenly together, even making plans for a double date.

As they arrived, Henry warned Charles not to be too loud about the details of what happened, in case Rupert got upset about the risk Dave had been exposed to. The pilot nodded as he sat on a free cot, one of the nurses coming up to examine his injured hand.

After what felt like hours of boredom, the pair were cleared to leave, and met back up with the others at the bonfire. 

“How’s the hand, Charlie?” Andrew asked as they sat, motioning to the pilot’s hand.

“It’ll be fine. Turns out he only grazed it, so I guess I overreacted…” he admitted. “But in my defense, I didn’t have enough time to check the damage. And, well, I was also very angry. But, I do admit, I don’t have an excuse for losing Rupert’s gun, so that kinda sucks, y’know.”

Beside him, Konrad groaned. “I’m surprised we didn’t get hit, considering we mag-dumped a couple of M16’s and hit nothing but concrete,” he grumbled, head in hands. “Fucking hangover, man…”

“Don’t blame your bad aim on the hangover,” Madd scolded them, “Blame it on cutting your own target practice short the moment you two hear that Henry can do something new and cool.”

The twins were silent for a moment before Calvin spoke up.

“Okay first of all, fuck you, and second, you say that like you fired a single shot in that room. And don’t say you sniped the dude by the door, okay? He wasn’t in the room, it wasn’t close-quarters combat, it doesn’t fucking count.”

“Bitch, I got Dave out of there, meanwhile you wasted bullets trying to shoot two fucken idiots!”

“Hey, Petrov might be a lot of things, but he’s not an idiot, okay? He’s smart, he’s sneaky, and I just wanted to shoot the dude that made me go out while I had a massive fucking migraine, okay?!”

“Then shoot Henry, it was his fucking idea!”

“YOU BETTER FUCKING NOT-” Charles butt in, tensing up as though ready to leap on either of them.

“I’m not, I’m not, and it was Dmitri’s fault! His stupid grudge, his stupid prison, his stupid hostage situation, his fucking fault, got it?!” Calvin counted out on his fingers as he yelled.

“Oh my god, would everyone just chill the fuck out!” Andrew finally cut in, covering his face with a groan as silence fell on the group. “Look. We’re tired, we’re in pain, it’s late, we’ve been gone for god knows how long, let’s just all go to bed, okay? God, you people are professionals at screaming, I swear…”

With a sigh, Quentin spoke up.

“He’s right. We’re all tired and agitated, so let’s just go to bed. We can worry about everything else in the morning. I’ll handle the fire. Goodnight, guys.”

And with that, the others all stood and headed off to their tents. As Henry and Charles entered theirs, the pilot spoke up.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“I’m not the one who got shot,” Henry replied with a tired chuckle, but his facade quickly faded. “Do… Do you think this was my fault, too? Like Madd does?”

“What? No, of course not. It’s Petrov’s fault for being a petty jerk who managed to bribe someone into revealing where you are,” Charles assured him, taking Henry’s hands in his and sitting with him on one of the cots.

“Are you sure…? It’s just… A lot of stuff happened today that wouldn’t have happened if you’d just left me in the jungle, y’know? Dave got kidnapped again, everyone’s tired and angry, you’re hurt, six probably innocent guys died… I feel like I’m bringing more destruction than I’m worth…”

“That stuff also wouldn’t have happened if Petrov wasn’t a petty asshole,” Charles offered, earning a small chuckle from Henry.

“I guess… still, I feel like I’m hurting more people than I’m helping…”

“Well… sometimes that’s just how things have to be. Fighting for our own freedom comes with a lot of costs, and we have to live with those… and sometimes, it feels like you don’t want to be free if you have to keep hurting people to get it… I’ve lived that truth for a long time… But you have to remember that if people don’t want you to be free, and you can’t negotiate with them, then the best-case scenario is going to end with someone hurt. And we can’t change that, because sometimes people are shitty. In a perfect world, none of this would ever have to happen, but that world doesn’t exist, so we keep fighting. And I’ll keep fighting along with you. You got that?” he finally asked, pressing his forehead to Henry’s.

For a few moments, Henry wanted to argue. He wanted to say that his freedom wasn’t worth it. He wanted to argue that for everything he’s done, he deserved detainment. But being close with Charles like this, it just made him glad he was free to be there with him.

“Yeah, I got it…” he finally relented with a smile. He let Charles kiss him softly, relaxing into him before he pulled away.

“Good. Now let’s get to bed, okay? We’ve done enough thinking for today,” the pilot suggested, and Henry nodded, snuggling up with him underneath the thin blanket as they laid together. Finally able to relax.

[ann-chovi]

[legionofpotatoes]

Here's a second N7 Day surprise, thanks yet again to @swaps55 - we added Eden Prime to our lineup of Mass Effect destinations! I don't think I need to explain the profound importance of this one; the moment I laid eyes on a gas bag I knew I would pay respect to it in art form one day. Was just a matter of time and sufficient accumulation of skill. But we finally did it, folks.

As an added bonus, we helped tease the final piece to today's treasure hunt for Mass Effect's newest reveal over on the dreaded bird website. Caused quite the hubbub but was certainly a fun time!

[twisted-wonderland-shenanigans]

Hiatus Update

Hey everyone! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and is ready for the next year!

I'm really sorry that I keep falling into a hiatus status, but I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about some things.

No, this isn't an announcement of canceling my AUs or that I'm dropping Twisted Wonderland! I still love the series very much and I still have far too much in mind with the AUs to stop thinking about them so soon! I just wanted to get that out of the way since I realize my lack of content creation lately seems to have worried a few people, and I'd like to apologize to everyone for worrying you all.

That being said, that brings me to my next point, and...it's going to get serious. No TW, it's nothing like that! Just...me speaking my thoughts and realizations. TLDR at the end if you want to skip the ramble!

I've been writing for this blog for...gosh, I think about three years now? It feels less than that for me, but that's a lot of writing done over the years. So many AU ideas, so many asks, so much love for the AUs I've created that--honestly--I almost didn't even start this blog had it not been for some encouragement from a good friend. And I'm glad I did! These past few years have been some of the most creatively liberating times I've had before I ever discovered Twisted Wonderland (would you believe it was originally Leona that made me want to play it despite Malleus being the one that kept popping up in my feed to the point I had to try and figure out what his name was? XD).

Yet despite all that writing and hyper-fixating, I've come to realize and accept that I'm experiencing quite the huge burnout...and I have been for quite a while without realizing or accepting it.

It's not because of any particular wip fic or art that I've been slowing down. The burnout had been happening for a while and just boiled over, and I think as a result...I started doubting myself over time. Doubting that what I was writing was going to be good, or that I'd be able to fulfill everyone's requests or asks in a way that makes them happy or feel that I put as much effort into the writing as I do with others, feeling like I'd be letting people down if I don't make something as long or detailed as some of my other responses, or making promises of grand ideas and not being able to deliver on it. I didn't feel connected to my writing, that it wasn't meant for me to enjoy or feel like I could be part of.

To put it simply, I put far too much pressure on myself, and the lack of feedback or reactions beyond likes on some fics I spent a lot of time and effort on didn't exactly help my mind's relationship with my own writing. Because of that self-imposed pressure, I'd...forgotten what it was like to love my own writing, to enjoy the process for what it was and to feel like I can just write what I want and feel included in my own adventures. Writing consumed me to the point that most days...I'd only be able to stare at the blank screen or my notebooks, the words and scenes in my mind yet unable to string them together in tangible form and yet I felt terrible NOT sitting there trying to write.

It was a pretty vicious cycle I couldn't break until now.

Lately, I've been focusing more on self-care. Not just physical stuff like hygiene or cooking better home meals (though I am doing that), but I mean giving myself other things to enjoy on my self-care wheel.

This is what I mean by the self-care wheel (link to instagram post ). It puts it in a way that makes sense, and I hope it helps someone else as well! Here's a screenshot of the post for those who don't have Instagram.

I've been watching more anime and other shows on streaming services lately, I've been playing other games like World of Warcraft (which has become my current obsession!) among others, and just...essentially breaking up the routine I had where I did nothing but writing, so I could take a break. And honestly? I've been able to write other things again. But this time for myself.

I feel like I'm able to enjoy the process again.

I love my writing again!

But I know better than to just assume that things are okay now and I can jump back into the blog so soon. I don't want to repeat what I had been doing when I thought my burnout was gone and just silently falling into hiatus again. Healing isn't a linear process no matter what it's for, and things won't get better if I don't start being kinder to myself.

So to bring a long story short:

I'm okay. I'll be okay, I just have to remind myself to enjoy more hobbies and interests in my life to make each day more fulfilling--more rounded. And when I come back to Twisted Wonderland, I'll go at my own pace and remember to write for myself too. I'd still love to chat and ramble about it or even about other fandoms or things to try! I've spent far too long building this blog to let it and the wonderful people who have followed and commented and even sent asks and fanart go away, and I want to connect in a way I feel I hadn't been able to in ages. ;;v;;

Remember to take care of yourselves, and find other things to fill your self-care wheel! It'll take time and effort, but I promise that things will start to feel better the more you realize you've got other things to make life worthwhile. 💝

TLDR: I'm okay! I'm just going to be on hiatus for a while longer and working more on self-care to remember to enjoy life as it should be enjoyed. Writing and concept art will resume at my own pace when I feel I'm able to consistently enjoy the process of writing for the fandom again. Would love to ramble and chat about other hobbies and interests and interact with the community though!

[crabsnpersimmons]

Dear Crabsie,

I have brought thou a gift to defend thyself against any fishy thoughts, especially those which bringeth with them sadness and disdain, have these items to fortify your mind :

Okay have a nice day 🫂✨💕💥‼️

Dearest Starrie,

I was so thrilled upon receiving your notice of such a thoughtful gift that my joy rivalled that of my passing exam mark! However, I was simply aghast to discover that your gift had fell victim to the capricious nature of my postal service! I was looking forward to disrupting the tender tranquility of my housemates with my sweet kicks, but alas, the universe deemed this gift too powerful—too dangerous on the wrong feet. I am unworthy of such a gift. I only pray that whoever has received such a paragon of personal footwear will give them the honour and care that they deserve.

Your Humble Jestie,

Crabs

meanwhile...

but where did the other shoe go?

[meyonherown]

Based on Lilith and Eve by Yuri Klapouh

Definitly not happy with the outcome but I'll hopefully improve my body drawing skills in the future.

here is a focus on Siuan's face because her dimples are the best <333

[10yearsofdnp]

February 10, 2015: Dan and Phil head home from Playlist Live, though it seems Dan is having a hard time HANDLING it! 😉☀️💼

[clarasghosts]

I will not break this promise. Even if it breaks me.

Evil 4.11, "Fear of the Future"

[mary-lotf]

Mary references🎀

I want to clarify that you don't have to draw her so dirty and messy that's just how I realistically imagine she would look, but you can of course omit the sunburn and all.

-Ari 🐝✌️

[thevioletcaptain]

as someone who normally reads a script over on the tv writing site every day while eating breakfast like it's the morning paper, but who didn't have time today because i'm trying to meet a deadline on my own script that i've been slow to work on due to an assortment of fire related stress as a resident of los angeles this week........ i am experiencing some severe fomo over these new spn script drops

[lightasthesun]

the overwhelming need to buy a new and prettier/ more flashy cane as a fashion girly vs the visceral fear of able-bodied people thinking it's a statement piece and not a mobility aid and taking me even less seriously than they already do

[goldenflowers]

not enough people acknowledge that lae'zel's kisses are extremely cute but also the way her hand keeps lingering on briala's face while she's standing up is making me go insane so i think playing a short race tav might just make this one even better

[mermaidslabyrinth]

Happy Early Father's Day (and a belated Mother's Day)

Left: A picture is of Igreyn and two day old Rhagerys. Right: Is Daemon showing off Rhagerys. (Just know Rhagerys was a chunky baby with chubby, pinchable cheeks) [Also there was no way I was going to try and draw Daemon's personal sigil. Maybe someday]

Next: A family portrait of Daemon with his three eldest children. Rhaena and Baela have their dragons, Morning and Moondancer on their outfits. While Rhagerys has his dragon, Starsong, and Daemon's dragon Caraxes on his outfit. (I was going to put Caraxes on Daemon but I couldn't see him wearing an outfit where Caraxes looked like a feather boa on him)

Left picture: Is of Rhagerys and Aemond becoming first time fathers. Rhagerys holding Aemond Targaryen the Younger. Aemond holding Rhagerys Targaryen the Younger. Baby Rhagerys was born eight months before baby Aemond.

Right picture: Is of the family with the 9 youngest children. L-R: Visenya Targaryen (Aemond's daughter. Who got a hold of the scissors and tried to cut her own bangs), Maegor Targaryen (Rhagerys's son), Rhaenys Targaryen (Rhagerys's daughter), Aenys Targaryen (Aemond's son. He is tiny for his age), and Maegon Rivers (Aemond's bastard son. He doesn't need to be on a leash because he is well behaved). And yes the two sets of twins need leashes or they will run wild. Then behind is Aemond holding Ettienora Targaryen (Rhagerys's daughter. Who has to have her hair done like her Kekepa or she will throw a fit). Plus Rhagerys keeping the tiny triplet girls, Vaegelle Targaryen, Maegelle Targaryen, and Jaegelle Targaryen in a little baby sling. (I also tried to give Rhagerys a little tummy, his dad bod would be starting around when the triplets are born)

The top left picture is inspired by the one that I saw going around with Rhaenyra holding Jace. I didn't know it was a reference to The Borgias until I did some digging.

Then the one with all the kids on leashes in inspired by this picture. I was going to do the one that's really well known but then I saw this and I immediately thought "That's the two sets of twins right there." I added Ettienora and Maegon and the triplet girls because I felt something was missing when I just had the four other kids.

[daily-whistlebreeze]

daily whistlebreeze until ki becomes PoV day 1553

the results of the prompts challenge are in (and have been for a while, but I have been distracted <3) and Stretchkit and Rustlekit are here to assist Whis with the planning.

as you have voted to have a full month of Whisses, I have decided that this will happen in July. I can't really do it earlier because I need to focus on my exams in June. I have already prepared the prompts and I will share them when July approaches (in the meantime I'll try to cobble a pretty image for it together)

[kulemireloaded]

i already felt like i was fighting for free time just with all the things i was juggling; my nephew, school, personal projects, trying to be social, searching for work, keeping up with my house chores, making sure i do my daily calls and emails when need be but.... now that i'm going to be working, like yeah, alot of the annoying things will finally go away and im so so soooo grateful for that!!!

but i wont lie... with me taking on a full time term load AND working full time, i really do feel like i'm gonna be fighting for my life trying to keep up with my hobbies AND maintaining (my version of) a social life, plus also trying to help out with my nephew when i can..

i'm immensely grateful to have found work and i understand that this is what adulthood is, but.. i dont think there's anything wrong with being a little sad that i'll have to cut down on my silly little guy time for my own benefit. ya know?

[pencilofawesomeness]

Guys I'm having such a bizarre moment. I didn't expect to win like this, or to have my personal headcanons be confirmed so directly, but I also feel simultaneously robbed because Akutami is reaching into my head /jk

We received so little about Sukuna, but those brief brief brieeef moments of existentialism really caught me and I've thought about him for so long because of it. He was a fantastically terrifying villain, but there was always that dissonance there, between some of his words and actions, that portrayed that aimless longing and hurt and what that meant as a characterization point, and I'm honestly so hyped we turn around and get this in 271:

(scanlation for this panel because I think it gets the sentiment across better)

Followed by

I'm—

Y'all I started my draft for my Sukuna Reincarnation AU months ago and I never expected canon to validate me. They leave it easier and more open-ended, of course, but I'm coming on the record to say I wasn't crazy for my stretch of a character exploration and also I called it.

I won't go into the specifics of my "study Sukuna like a cockroach" notes now I just wanted to come grab the mic and announce that I beat Akutami to it >:D /lh

I'm being a good noodle and not stretching myself thin by starting a new multichap now, but I've had With the Storm in the works since January, and in light of the end of JJK and this lovely little tidbit, I'm tossing a sneak-peak from Chapter 7 because why not:

But maybe it could be. Maybe, just maybe, Uraume could accept this proffered hand and continue to hope.

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Yet… things were different now. Things changed. Uraume changed, Sukuna changed, and even though they were still themselves, there was a myriad of shifts that piled on their shoulders until something gave way. Maybe a subconscious part of Uraume had braced for that to be a crash, but instead, Sukuna had been nothing but accepting and open. It only made them more nervous about losing him, just as they feared losing Pops. Uraume was not used to wanting, or hoping, but there was a powerful need in their chest that childishly demanded that they should get to keep both their kinder father and this happier Sukuna close, even if that may not be possible.

They nodded, not trusting their words at the moment, and Sukuna relaxed slightly.

“Good. Though that reminds me… You never really answered my first question. What do you want to do? With this life, I mean.”

There was that want again. Uraume felt the pull at their lungs until it was unbearable. They knew what he was asking; the question didn’t hinge on his involvement anymore, just them. Sukuna said he wanted to live peacefully, so what, then, was Uraume’s answer?

As much as they felt like a coward saying this, maybe that was okay. Sukuna felt the same way, after all. “I like this life too…” Uraume answered, and it was very different saying those words aloud. “Pops isn’t a shaman at all, and he’s good company and a good father. If I wasn’t able to find you, or you were not of this world, then… I would stay as his family.”

“That’s good,” Sukuna agreed, lifting yet another anxious weight from their chest. “I get that. Nobody else in my family are shamans either—at least, not really—and they’re all good people. It’s a good life, and even though I would have never expected it… I don’t want to lose it.”

It was amazing how similar they were, then and now. Uraume…really shouldn’t have worried about a lack of understanding. Sukuna didn’t have to say it, but it was clear that their thoughts had wandered down a similar road yet again. Their families, full of normal people living normal lives, were an unexpected treasure; to willingly become a monster, to become a scourge upon the world for whatever reason, would forfeit that. More than that, having people to care about made the desire to spread destruction lessen, rather significantly. Maybe that hurt and rage and bitterness was still there, in between their ribs, but in the ones that were dead and buried—a part of them, but also not quite there anymore, like when a scar ceases to constantly itch and ache and becomes only a mark on functioning skin.

They didn’t have to be monsters anymore. There were calmer, kinder things available to want—available to receive, even.

“This is so weird,” Uraume blurted, staring at their small hands and thinking of the strange miracle their lives turned into.

Sukuna barked a quick laugh before it was muffled into something like a snicker. “I know, right?” He leaned back in a stretch, his face catching the sun and lighting him in something that wasn’t a fire, but equally bright. “It’s not bad though.”

It was weird, to be a child, to be without some far-off goal, to be loved and happy, in the sense that it was absurd and foreign and absolutely unexpected. It was a breath of fresh air after years and years of having frozen lungs. Weird, surprising, but unmistakably good after so long of believing that no such term, deceptively simple, could have ever been applicable.

“Not bad at all,” Uraume agreed, a bright and blooming thing in their chest as their life began to slot into a new place. Still open-ended and perhaps a little terrifying for it, but Pops accepted them, and Sukuna accepted them, so maybe they could truly accept themself now, and whatever that will look like.