#buried in venice

[phykoha]

don't leave me to breathe

[chemdisaster]

boat boys reunion after secret life! after they both have their reunions with their allies first, of course

update: now with art

Etho sticks around for a long time, after.

Wanders around the server, avoids every site of active battle, and eventually comes to a free spot near Joel's fairground, where the grass is marked with patches of gunpowder, but the leaves ripple and his vision remains clear of dirty dark grey smoke.

He stays there a while—until his comm pings with the news that it's over and something hooked deep in his shoulders begins to let up on its unyielding pull.

He stays after that, too. Until an all-too-familiar voice comes up on his half-baked musings, complete with the usual tint of derision—with less heart behind it now, though.

"What are you doing here, Etho?"

Etho turns around, makes a point to smile despite his mask.

"Hi, Joel."

Joel sighs, walks up to stand beside him.

"You like the fairground?"

"Liked it better when it was still whole."

Joel sighs again. Taking advantage of his gaze being lost somewhere between the ferris wheel's cabins or the railings of the slide, Etho looks him over—notes both the bags under his eyes and the green streak in his hair, bright in a way he's never seen it be this far in.

"You okay?"

Joel blinks, as though surprised by the question being asked—or the person asking the question.

"Yeah, I think I am," he says after a moment of consideration, and then scowls, "Bloomin' Scott killed me again, though."

Etho has nothing to say to that. Another minute of silence passes, as the temperature around them starts to mellow out.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spots Joel glancing his way, looking almost unsure. "Are you...?" he asks and, as expected, doesn't finish the phrase.

Etho looks over at him again. Staring directly into his eyes, he nods.

"Okay," Joel says. "Okay."

Almost as though by force, his brows pitch downwards.

"Good for you," he spits then, with more venom in his voice than anyone would imagine for such a simple remark.

Suddenly, Etho understands what he's getting at—what he's been getting at the entire season.

"You still care."

"Wh—no, I don't," Joel immediately bites back—a wolf, ready to bare his hackles, even now.

"You do," Etho repeats, but it's not the accusation it could have been.

"I have the Mounders now," Joel says in response, and it's not the uncompromising rejection it once was.

Etho nods. "Yeah." He knows that's not the end of it, knows that Joel has something more to say, will always have more to say—in contrast to where his own words feel like they could never be enough.

For a moment, silence reigns and neither of them speaks. Etho shifts his weight from foot to foot, digs his hands into his pockets and flexes his thumbs. Somewhere in the unnatural stillness, the first bird chirps in the remnants of warm-blooded destruction.

"The ship burns, everything burns," Joel recites softly.

Etho nods again.

Joel looks up at him, something vulnerable in his expression never seen before.

"I'm not—I can't—" he begins, and then breaks off, pressing his palms into his forehead with a frustrated sound. He squeezes his eyes shut, and Etho waits for him—but strangely, he finds himself fine with that being the state of things for the rest of both their foreseeable futures.

"I don't—I won't burn again," Joel eventually forces out. "I'm not going to—do that. You know. It's—I'm tired of everything burning, okay? I'm just—I'm tired," he repeats, and looks over at the remains of the helter-skelter behind him. "I want to keep this. I want something I can call my own."

"You don't want to run around the server lighting things on fire with me?" Etho asks in a somewhat-joking tone, but he gets it. He does.

And he thinks Joel gets that, too.

Still, when his old soulmate grabs his hands into his own, hot and dry skin just like he remembers, when he looks up at him, a question in his eyes, a desperate plea for something that stays, something real—

Etho thinks of Cleo and Grian.

"Yeah, I don't want to burn, either, I think."

Joel relaxes, steps away, but does not release his hands. Etho takes that as his invitation to come closer, drop his head down until it leans against Joel's, and their shared warmth envelops them, not like flames licking at their ankles, but like a comforting embrace, like home.

He thinks of the Relation—charred sails and splintered wood scattered around the air like the tiny scars on his fingers.

Nothing is ever truly gone, even when it turns to ash.

[bittersweetterror]

Come rest your bones next to me and toss all your thoughts to the sea.

[fangs-4-fags]

what the buck is up everypony back at it with another perfect cover that is arguably better than the original featuring my expert ukulele playing this time. and it's not even 3 in the morning. imagine that. i can make impulsive decisions i will regret later at any time of day

[kierancaz]

My heart is buried in Erebor

[reybeeze]

would someone be willing to take my heart home??? (for reference it's buried in venice)

[addieyapsalot]

my heart is buried in Venice is so so so s3 sydcarmy

[feverdreamsandlucidnightmares]

Listening to Ricky Montgomery, thinking about Trigun,,,,many thoughts

[hermitsdump]

Yk how artists get to see what playlists their songs have been added to (on Spotify at least? I think it's only for public playlists).

I want to be able to do that too. Let me see how many other satosugu playlists added certain songs like, I want to compare Ricky Montgomery songs I want to make a chart of how many times they appear

[nightwingshero]

I had the amazing honor of getting a donation commission from @felrija for Ezio and my Assassin's Creed oc, Alessandra. Thank you so much, you captured them perfectly!!! We all know Alessandra is done with his shit (but she honestly loves him so much, it's gross.) Thank you so much for this lovely!!! You're so talented, I can't get enough of your work!

[gerrydelano]

[bad end posting] tazia probably sends melanie something for her video too tbh. g-d. someone who knew what his childhood was like. the only person who was even a little bit present for it. she would have so much to say about her friend.

[vampire-rodeo]

bros like “i’m fine” bro your listening to My Heart Is Buried In Venice by Ricky Montgomery again

[crybaby-writings]

if anyone is writing ghiaccio angst and is inspired by music, i think you should listen to the song 'my heart is buried in venice' by ricky montgomery. just saying.

[couchie]

my heart is buried in penis 🎶🎶🎶

[idk-idc-srry]

you:

me:

[trans-spidey]

ive had this song on loop for too many days so i had to make some art from it

and inevitably it was hannibal bc theyre taking it off prime in my country at the end of the year