#c: arthur royston

[tragedycoded]

favorite line tag!

@leahnardo-da-veggie got me for this one. I've been thinking about what Athena did to Brett all weekend LOL.

This is from Chapter 12 (the first October 1872 chapter) of Doom Metal Love Story. I've cut out Sullivan's ??? responses and given you the previous lines of dialogue for context.

"Sounds like something a man would say if he wanted to butter up the… fellow he was courting." "Are you buttered, First Sergeant?" "No, sir, I can't say that I am." "So I either failed," Royston slid closer, "or you're not a piece of bread." [several lines of back and forth of flirt vs. ??? until:] "You're not a piece, darling, you're the entire loaf."

I almost burst into flames when that exchange left my keyboard.

Tag! As much pressure as you want, baby, it's a Monday~

@lychhiker-writes @cowboybrunch @saturnine-saturneight @ashfordlabs @autism-purgatory

@noblebs @aintgonnatakethis @the-golden-comet @asablehart @mauvecatfic

@leahnardo-da-veggie @sableglass @gioiaalbanoart @words-after-midnight

@lavender-bloom @jev-urisk @wyked-ao3

[wyked-ao3]

my Monday post for Jamie

(I'm going to pile up a bunch of quotes or images that makes me think of Royston and Sullivan and post one or two each Monday *I'm forgetful but I'm setting a calendar alarm for each Monday* Pinterest to the rescue)

@tragedycoded Royston and Sullivan vibes hit hard with this

I can see Sullivan tell you this while pointing at Royston.

Ps (if you find it annoying let me know and I'll stop..i have been told I can be annoying...its not intentional)

[steammanofthewest]

Head cage and Asian villain British boys' weekly cover, The Champion No. 77, July 14, 1923, "The Scarlet Scorpion" by Arthur Brooke (Arthur C. Marshall), art by Fred Holmes. Marshall was editor of The Boys' Leader. Champion Editor F. Addington Symonds created for his Rhodesian school magazine the wealthy hero Royston Drake.

The Steam Man of the West

[tragedycoded]

oc questionnaire - royston edition.

I'm not happy about this either /bit

So, I lost all my old character intros when I nuked the old blog. They're probably floating around somewhere.

If nobody knows who Royston is, he is the tritagonist (that's right, idiot, Hofer's the deuteragonist) of Doom Metal Love Story and a neverending pain in my neck. As of July 1st, 1873 he is a 45-year-old gambler who's wanted in five states for various flavors of murder and known to consort with 37-year-old First Sergeant Cole Sullivan.

I will do my best to keep spoilers to a minimum; however, for my own sanity, I'm answering for Book 2 Royston.

@the-golden-comet [1, 2] wants to know:

What never fails to make you laugh?

[he immediately starts cracking up]

Well, since you asked, I was just imagining the expression on Laurence Huston face when I stuck him.

What a knob. I cannot wait to drain the snake on his grave. Do not tell Cole I said that.

How can you tell if you’ll get along with someone?

Oh, I get along with everyone, darling. I don't have to wonder ahead of time.

Do you prefer sweet, savory, sour, or salty snacks?

[looks in Sullivan's direction and sighs]

What is your favorite season?

Autumn. [beat] Oh you want me to elaborate? Well I sweat less, for starters--

Never mind.

Where would you like to visit?

Now that you mention it, I've never been to Kentucky.

When do you usually go to sleep?

Why, are you hoping for an invitation? When I'm done for the day. Or when I'm tired. Or whenever I damned well please.

Royston tends to pass out around dawn.

@wyked-ao3 [x] I picked Royston knowing he would have to answer these:

If you had to pick just one enemy who would it be?

[he doesn't hesitate]

Doctor Emil Powell of Wherever the Fuck University. His actions directly lead to Cole's death. If someone didn't have me figuratively leashed to the damned boarding house I'd have caught up to him already, but noooo, I'm not allowed to go ahead and take care of him myself.

When did you feel safest and why?

[scoffs]

I will bring out Gott.

New Year's Eve. I will not elaborate.

If you could save just one other person who would it be?

Listen, I don't have to save him. He's the one who saved me.

Royston thinks people in town give a shit about whether he maintains his heartless badass reputation.

Oh shit @sableglass [x] has some good ones:

Tell us your favorite joke.

Would you believe I learned this one from Sullivan? Cavalrymen are absolutely filthy.

The private--I presume one could say "gentleman," however when Sullivan recited it to me the first time, it went like this:

The private couldn't understand why his lass failed to write him throughout the entirety of the campaign. She said it was out of her power, as he had carried away the pen with him, and left her nothing but the ink-stand.

Oh he thinks that's funny.

What is your proudest achievement?

He just grins. I think that's supposed to means he's proud of still being alive.

Five things that make you happy?

BEER.

TOBACCO.

BEDS.

HOT WATER.

SULLIVAN.

Pre-Sullivan #5 would have just been "GAMBLING."

And finally, from @orphanheirs [x]:

What would your perfect day look like?

[sigh] He's there when I wake up, and he's there when I go to sleep. Typically I'm there when he goes to sleep and then he has to go. If Army doesn't muster him out quickly I will burn down that entire fort. That would be a perfect day.

Do you believe in ghosts?

[siiiiigh] Ghosts aren't real. Spirits, however... are insatiable little bastards, and I have no tolerance for them.

If you could only wear one color of clothing for the rest of your life, which one would you choose?

Black. It's easier to conceal blood, and I notice Cole looking at my ass significantly more when I'm wearing dark clothing. Win-win-win.

Tag! (I have a tag list, let me know if you want on or off it.)

@lychhiker-writes @cowboybrunch @saturnine-saturneight @ashfordlabs @autism-purgatory

@noblebs @aintgonnatakethis @the-golden-comet @asablehart @mauvecatfic

@leahnardo-da-veggie @sableglass @gioiaalbanoart @words-after-midnight

@lavender-bloom @jev-urisk @wyked-ao3

[tragedycoded]

OC fight game tag!

Loves @sableglass [x] and @leahnardo-da-veggie [x] unlocked the DMLS DLC for Tumblr Kombat.

I've definitely envisioned them as party members in a shitty RPGMaker horror game, so they port into a fighting game np.

Cole Sullivan

Health: 12 Strength: 10 Speed: 4 [the leg situation] Armor: 5 Cunning: 8

Special Attack: Peacemaker, a hit-scan ranged attack that will halve your HP if you don't perfectly time your dodge; Crutch Strike, which will knock you on your ass and leave you vulnerable to a follow-up: Cavalry Saber, an absolutely unfair combo attack.

Weakness: Limited mobility. Tank-like. Noticeable input lag when blocking; the developers will never fix it.

Idle Animation: Stands at attention on crutches. Occasionally frowns or adjusts his grip on the handles. If he's left idle too long, he will unholster his revolver and confirm the chamber is fully loaded. Sometimes Royston will run into his animation to smooch him on the cheek and run off again, which leaves his sprite with blushy cheeks and a :3 thought bubble.

Erik Hofer

Health: 8 Strength: 8 Speed: 6 Armor: 4 Cunning: 8

Special Attack: Ether Fist. An unchoreographed punch that heals 30% of his HP if it connects.

Weakness: Easily stunlocked.

Idle Animation: Black bag in one hand, cigarette in the other, he looks from side to side with a bored expression until he finishes smoking. Will roll his eyes if left long enough to finish smoking.

Arthur Royston

Health: 6 Strength: 8 Speed: 10 Armor: 8 Cunning: 12

Special Attack: Death From Above. Will climb any environmental structures (trees, railings, walls, etc.) and jump down on top of his opponent. Don't let him do this if you're less than half health or it's one-shot. Also has Talk Shit, which will debuff either Speed or Cunning.

Weakness: Easily distracted, poor impulse control. Short. Poison attacks are 50% more effective against him.

Idle Animation: Bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet, twirling a hunting knife, waggling his eyebrows. Will eventually throw back his head in maniacal laughter, throw the knife, and run off-screen.

Melanie Gott

Health: 8 Strength: 5 Speed: 6 Armor: 6 Cunning: 10

Special Attack: Leg Sweep. Causes knockdown, leaves opponent vulnerable to having the shit beat out of them with a broom. Also Shotgun Blast. Exactly what it sounds like.

Weakness: Her punch attacks are ineffective against opponents with high Armor.

Idle Animation: Holding a shotgun with the barrel aimed at the ground, she rolls out her shoulders. Looks like she'd be rather be anywhere else. Every 60 seconds there's a 1% chance Royston will run through her idle animation, which makes her make the -_- face.

I know all of y'all have been tagged already, but tag! And it's open.

@cowboybrunch @finickyfelix @saturnine-saturneight @ashfordlabs @autism-purgatory

@noblebs @aintgonnatakethis @the-golden-comet @asablehart @mauvecatfic

@leahnardo-da-veggie @sableglass @gioiaalbanoart @words-after-midnight

@lavender-bloom @jev-urisk @wyked-ao3

[tragedycoded]

Here is a scenario for Royston,

Hofer and his wife have Royston babysit the kids while Sullivan is away doing something else. (If necessary Sullivan can stay in the picture. Hofer does this possibly as a way of getting even with Royston or Sullivan for something they did previously)

How would he react? What would happen?

IDK who this is but thank you for presenting me with such a funny scenario.

So first Royston throws a bitch fit because what the fuck why does he have to get stuck watching the kids aren't there enough of them that they can just watch each other what's the point of having twelve children if they don't create a self-sustaining ecosystem rehrehrehrehreh. Mostly he's angry because he wants to be hanging out with Sullivan and Sullivan isn't around for this operation.

He and the thirteen-year-old, William, have a brief staring contest to establish dominance, but William loses because he's 13, this is the first time he's tried to maintain eye contact with whatever the fuck Royston is. (Trying to abstain from spoilers for five seconds.) William isn't any happier about the situation than Royston is.

Eleanor (12) is probably in the kitchen doing something with bread. She likes baking. Royston interrogates her as to her experience and how long it's been since she caused an uncontrolled fire as a result of baking. She thinks he's intense and obnoxious but tolerates his interrogation anyway bc again: really likes baking. After he watches her prep a loaf to ensure she hasn't poisoned it, he fucks off to go annoy the other kids.

Jonathan (5) and Abigail (3) are minding their own damned business in the nursery. Jonathan doesn't like Royston at first, but Abigail is like her sister and won't shut the fuck up if you ask her about something she's interested in. Also, she's three, so arguing is one of her favorite activities. If any of the kids is going to grab him by the hand and drag him around the house and keep him occupied the entire time, it's Abigail.

And the baby is like, there. When Ulysses is awake he needs to be watched, obviously. I can see Royston talking to him like he's capable of responding. Royston doesn't know how children work.

Since Royston doesn't like doing chores and is only motivated to be helpful by Sullivan, nothing extra is getting done that night. I guarantee Eleanor will be stuck taking care of Ulysses because Royston would rather play whatever outside game John and Abby are playing than change a diaper or mush up food. They will absolutely be out past dark, and it's going to be a shitshow at bedtime.

By the time the Hofers and Sullivan return to relieve him of duty he's like THANK FUCK I CAN'T PUT ONE OF THOSE IN YOU ON ACCIDENT. And then drags him home to celebrate the freedom of homosexual intercourse.

[tragedycoded]

seven sentence sunday monday tag!

Time isn't real but these tags from @the-golden-comet [x] and @wyked-ao3 [x] are!

Context, context context... Book 2, Chapter 2, Royston POV. Hofer and Royston are discussing some particulars of an operation that's about to occur. Y'all get 14 lines instead of 7, thanks to the double tag :D

If you don't want spoilers, blacklist #dmls-spoilers and get out of here. I'm making blatant references to backend DMLS 1 events that carry over into Book 2.

cw: medical, hofer/royston bickering

"I can take the brunt of it and leave him conscious," Royston said. "I will tell you no for two reasons. First, you need to be able to hold him down. If you feel as though I am cutting off your leg, then you will attempt to murder me." "Huh. Fair point." "Second, I have two gentlemen with me who have no idea what the City is, that blood sorcery exists—" "It's not sorcery," Royston protested. "I'm sorry, I seem to have forgotten what you—" "Sangromancy." "That sounds absolutely fucking ridiculous." "You're fucking ridiculous." "Regardless, Mister… Sullivan [1], given the presence of my escort, and the fact that Mister Westerberg shall be assisting with the surgery, it is my professional opinion that you ought to begin acclimating yourself to the concept of discretion. I dare say most folks will have a rather violent reaction to learning a man with your proclivities is also a witch." Royston narrowed his eyes.

[1] Royston uses Sullivan's name around other people to stick with the "cousin" charade they established in Book 1. It's exactly as gay as it sounds.

Tag! If you've already been tagged, then HEY LOOK AT THIS SHIT I WROTE.

@lychhiker-writes @cowboybrunch @finickyfelix @saturnine-saturneight @ashfordlabs

@autism-purgatory @noblebs @aintgonnatakethis @the-golden-comet @asablehart

@mauvecatfic @leahnardo-da-veggie @sableglass @gioiaalbanoart @words-after-midnight

@lavender-bloom @jev-urisk @wyked-ao3

[tragedycoded]

writing share tag!

@leahnardo-da-veggie got me! And it was so good. It was such a good get.

I'm editing the last 30 pages of DMLS 2 rn. There are spoilers, so blacklist #dmls-spoilers if you don't want to be cavalier about plot details.

Pretty sure I shared the end-end of this chapter on the old blog. Here's 250 words from Chapter 15. I tried to find something mildly humorous to offset the content warnings, but like... it's DMLS humor.

CW: mild antisemitism, implied/threatened violence

"Drop your weapon!" Sullivan bellowed without showing himself around the corner. "You turn around, you're dead!" The bass in Sullivan's voice just about shook the glass in the foyer. A shotgun clattered to the floor, and the last of the eight hatchet men shook loud enough to hear the rest of the weaponry strapped to his person, if a body knew what to listen for, and had sharp enough ears. Sullivan added, "All of 'em!" A pistol hit the floor next. Then a knife. What sounded like rope. "Remember what I told you about turnin' around!" The kitchen door swung open, and Gott's shotgun hefted to eye level. "Jesus, lady," the hatchet man quavered. "You will tell me who sent you," she said in a grave tone, "right now, or I will add your name to the insurance claim." "I-I-It was Mister Huston," the man stammered. Didn't sound any older than twenty-five, from where Sullivan was standing. "And you are here for whom?" "He-He-He s-s-s-said—" "Tell me who you are here for." "The Jew," the man blurted. "He said he wants the Jew what killed his boys." Before Royston could heckle him, Sullivan shook his head and tightened his grip on his man's fingers. "Alive," Gott asked, "or dead?" "Said it don't matter b-but he-e'd throw a thousand bucks t-to whoever brought 'im a hand. Triple that, for both of 'em." "What?" Sullivan interjected. "You're squeezing too hard," Royston hissed in his ear. Sullivan eased up on his grip, but did not release him.

Tag!

@lychhiker-writes @cowboybrunch @finickyfelix @saturnine-saturneight @ashfordlabs

@autism-purgatory @noblebs @aintgonnatakethis @the-golden-comet @asablehart

@mauvecatfic @leahnardo-da-veggie @sableglass @gioiaalbanoart @words-after-midnight

@lavender-bloom @jev-urisk @wyked-ao3

[tragedycoded]

find d10 lines tag!

(I know I'm not funny.)

Local favorites @noblebs [x] and @sableglass [x] nailed me with an activity that will def fill the hole where editing and updating is.

Most of these lines come from the 1874 timeline in Doom Metal Love Story.

A line describing the weather.

The sky outside was a deep and unfamiliar gray, and droplets of rain clung to the glass that Sullivan had not noticed before.

A line in which characters are traveling/moving.

He didn't have to kick Molly's sides to get her to move without his spurs on. He could click the reins and set her to trotting to depart the conversation, to double back to their rear, and he did.

A line with/about anger.

Hot emotions, anger and fear, formed a band around his ribs, kept him from drawing a deep enough breath to keep himself calm. If he didn't get himself under control now, Sullivan wouldn't be able to function. He needed to be able to function.

A line about a scent.

Sullivan didn't smell like aftershave. Sullivan smelled like cheap soap and dirt and honest sweat. Like the closest Royston would ever get to home.

A line about friendship.

And he knew his love for Hofer was not unrequited. It had been, for a time, when Sullivan thought he had a different sort of love for Hofer. Hofer loved Sullivan like a brother. That was how he had always loved Sullivan, and it was how he would always love Sullivan. Sullivan loved him back, without condition, and he was proud to call the surgeon his friend.

[A/N: the beach episode wasn't canon okay *huffs copium*]

A line about rest.

"Don't worry about what I'm doing. You get some rest so you can at least pretend to be capable of listening to me when I ask you to do something tomorrow."

A line about regret.

For a moment he was dizzy with

(relief. need. regret.)

want, the sort of want that transcends time and space.

[A/N: Technically this is a line about Royston flipping through responses like a Rolodex but 'regret' was in there.]

I saved this last one for the end so I can throw it under a cut for people who don't want sort-of-major spoilers. Sorry for mixing you two up like DNA strands~

A line you're particularly proud of.

Sullivan forgave Royston, and Royston wept.

(Whatever, it's a plain sentence, but I genuinely wasn't sure if Sullivan was going to end the run forgiving Royston or if he was just going to let himself forget it happened without "absolving" him. It's a load-bearing sentence.)

Tag! Pick 4-6 of the prompts my lovely mutuals have provided, I'm ass at giving prompts.

@lychhiker-writes @cowboybrunch @finickyfelix @saturnine-saturneight @ashfordlabs

@autism-purgatory @noblebs @aintgonnatakethis @the-golden-comet @asablehart

@mauvecatfic @leahnardo-da-veggie @sableglass @gioiaalbanoart @words-after-midnight

@lavender-bloom @jev-urisk @wyked-ao3

[tragedycoded]

Everything under the cut, I thought about just transcribing in my notebook without posting.

But I've been more distracted than usual, and I think it's a good illustration of what the inside of my fucking brain sounds like rn.

So here is 3,000+ words of me talking to myself about DMLS 2, in particular the subplot involving Reeves, as recompense for my being quieter than usual. I love all of you, but a reset is coming up and I need to not completely FUCK UP WHAT I'M WRITING.

Heavy spoilers, no promise anything makes sense, etc.

Let's talk about The German House, why Gott is the character whose wants matter in this chapter, why Reeves shooting Royston needs to happen, and why Royston continues to be a piece of shit.

Who the Fuck is Elodie Reeves

Reeves is a bounty hunter; I have her referred to as a deputy, but that's because she's a contractor, basically. The first female U.S. Deputy Marshal wasn't sworn in until twenty years after DMLS.

Re: The U.S. Marshals and Sullivan

The marshals were already out to Fort Sarras in the spring of 1873 to bust Sullivan's balls about the train derailment (September 1872; why he went into The Pig & Whistle on a Thursday afternoon) and were waiting at the Catena (Columbia, MO analogue) station on June 30th bc they had intel that said the Hustons were going to rob/hijack/somehow board that train after it left the Sarras City station.

[Cut: about a thousand words of rambling about Royston's backstory.]

Marshals found a train full of dead bandits, went "Well, who the fuck killed them?" and started a separate investigation immediately. While Royston was with Sullivan.

Everyone in town is like "Who the fuck do you think it was?" It's a pretty open and shut case. But they can't find Royston in town, and Gott lies to them. Said he was headed east and wouldn't tell her where. Gott is a real one.

Re: The U.S. Marshals and Royston

So Thomas Huston (railroad magnate from Georgia) wants Royston dead, being as he killed all four of his sons + his daughter-in-law. Marshals literally just turned around. They aren't coming back. Huston decides to call in every favor he has to get a bounty hunter sent after him. Thinking his hiring a bounty hunter would excuse him from culpability in what I'm about to say ("Why would I hire hitmen when there's a bounty hunter coming to execute an arrest warrant?") he... yeah. Hires a bunch of hitmen.

Reeves is coming from St. Louis at Sheriff Mason's request--Mason is calling her in at Huston's request. That happened before the gang was aware of how bad Huston had his hooks in Mason.

They figured Huston was going to ask Mason to call in the marshals on Royston. And since the marshals already came and went, they'd have to be worried about bounty hunters. Which they are. IDK if I've made that clear enough. But they don't receive evidence of that happening until after the shootout, which by then Reeves is already on her way out. There's no avoiding the scenario I'm discussing, like it has to happen. Not everything is something they can see coming or adjust for, and every time Royston and Sullivan divine the future, they run the risk of something else changing.

What Does This Have To Do With Anything

Re: Reeves

Reeves is going to be a powerful ally, and she's going to be very helpful in stopping Powell, but right now she's an antagonist w/r/t Royston.

She and Gott are intimately familiar with each other (she stops at The German House every time she's in the territory) but she isn't like "Hey lover I'm coming into town you wouldn't happen to have a piece of shit named Arthur Royston staying at your establishment, right? Because that'd make my job easier."

In the version of the chapter I have written, Reeves shows up unannounced like she always does, and she and Royston have a mediated confrontation in the kitchen with Gott present, everyone is up front and honest about their reasons for being in the kitchen, and it FUCKING SUCKS.

Why the Current Version Sucks: or, Melanie Gott Doesn't Deserve This Shit

First of all, it's not the best version of the scene. In order to support Reeves failing to successfully arrest Royston, both of them need to be lying about their knowledge of the situation when Gott's present. Reeves can't let on that she's got a bounty on Royston and Royston can't let on that he even knows who Reeves is.

Royston used to be a bounty hunter, so they've 100% crossed paths before.

Second of all, because she doesn't know Reeves is there to arrest Royston, Gott can't loop Reeves into what's happening in town. She's trying to negotiate "Alright, Royston is being weird to Reeves, I need to split them up immediately." It isn't until after they reset that she realizes who Reeves is in town to arrest.

I think I can make a pretty necessary point about Royston's sacrifice having lasting consequences by having Reeves need to shoot him when he won't allow her to quietly arrest him. He has 30+ years of muscle memory telling him to either flee or fling knives when he's threatened with arrest. And I don't think he's let himself get in a position where he's almost been arrested since he was a kid. He goads people into attacking him so he can pull the self-defense card, it's obnoxious.

The German House is supposed to be a haven for criminals in Sarras City, and I'm putting Gott in a real shitty spot by not letting her be around to stop Reeves attempting to arrest Royston. Like, she can't be physically present.

If she is there, then she could just as easily deescalate the situation. That's her lover vs. her friend. She's already watched him die once. She doesn't want him to get shot in the head again.

So How Are Gott and Royston Going to Avoid This

Gott needs to tell Reeves what's going on in town the second she arrives at The German House. It doesn't in the chapter I have written because she doesn't realize it's going to escalate to that point.

Why is a Reset Necessary?

Resetting saves them sleuthing time, gets Mason on their side faster, and means Royston and Reeves are cooperating. Sullivan will have all of the information he wasn't able to physically gather himself when Mason comes up to talk to him--I haven't even mentioned Sullivan, but yeah, Royston dying and triggering a reset does him a huge solid here LOL that's fucked up.

Besides that, it's in Reeves' best interests to arrest Huston rather than try to arrest Royston. They'll be able to locate and apprehend Huston before he can regroup and try to kill Royston again. This is setting up for the climax.

I do need to be super careful when I'm writing certain post-reset chapters--Hofer can't let himself get pissed off that Royston died and they have to do the last several days over again, for example, but this actually works out for Hofer, because he was kind of a dick to Clara the first time. Now he gets a do over. This is going to have longer-reaching effects than just "OK REWIND."

OK Good For Me Back To Gott

Once they reset, Gott is aware (because they have an entire day between the shootout and when Reeves arrives and Royston is going to be honest about what triggered the reset if he doesn't want Hofer to beat his ass) that she has to be very obviously in Royston's corner while also letting Reeves know what the fuck is happening in this shitty fucking town so she doesn't try to arrest Royston.

She's also going to have to further explain the magnitude of the problem they're confronting in Book 3 ("Some fucking anthropology professor wants to summon a god-spirit that will basically flood the earth with spirits and monsters and all this other Apocalyptic Shit") without sounding like a total fucking lunatic.

Why Did I Feel the Need To Write a Disjointed Essay About This

I need to negotiate the pre-loop dynamic carefully.

It's important to Reeves not to violate Gott's "Don't bring violence into my house" rule, which is like, one of Gott's few rules, the other one being "No snitching." The fact that Reeves is even allowed in the house tells Royston they're in a romantic relationship, and--

OK here's where I can show you what I mean when I say Royston is a psychopath. It is demonstrably beneficial for Royston to have a place in town where he can sleep knowing the person there isn't going to narc on him--she can't be paid off by local criminals or hitmen, and anyone who attempts to assassinate him while he's there will be out on their ass, meaning he can easily pick them off later. The fact that Gott remembers everything that's happened and is willing to help him overcome his illiteracy to send letters to Sullivan is incredibly useful to him. He feels nothing when he thinks about Gott. He isn't grateful. He doesn't value her as a person beyond what she's able to do for him. It would be the same if she was a man. All he sees is "Gott"; during the shootout, his lizard brain upgrades her to "mine" for the purposes of not letting the goons get to her. (And because he is attached to her, whether or not there's any emotionality involved.) Other than busting her balls about her sex life and encouraging her to be a degenerate, Royston does not give a single fuck about helping her with her own personal goals. They both know as little as possible about each others' pasts--but he uses autobiographical information to make people uncomfortable, so Gott knows more about him than he does about her. At no point does Royston think of Gott as a friend, even though he's literally killed people for threatening her, and runs errands/does chores for her when her being busy is a source of annoyance for him. Like if he's bored and she has a ton of work to do.

Because I Realized This is the Spot to Remind the Reader Royston is a Piece of Shit

The only reason not violating the "no violence" inside rule even sticks between Royston's ears is because it directly benefits him. It's like rules at a card table. He gets real pissy if you break the rules when he's dealing, and he starts fights with people who cheat when he's gambling bc it's like Hey, I'm following the rules and I hate rules, fuck you, man! Very mature.

He won't attack Reeves first because he's following the rules. Reeves has to either talk him into getting arrested, which Royston would rather die, or she has to be the one to escalate to the point where a gun's drawn. Since she doesn't know about "the greater scheme of things" atp, she has no motivation to NOT kill Royston. She hasn't even heard Sullivan's name or met him yet. And he can stab her faster than she can draw, so if she's going to kill him, she has to be far enough away and quick enough drawing. It could be a scenario where he stabs her and she shoots him, which would lead to both of them having amnesia at the start of the reset and Gott's actions being the ones that ultimately help get them out of a death loop.

Either way it's a They Both Suck situation unless it happens outside, and it needs to happen outside for Gott's emotional health, so they need to both be fucking gentlemen (gender neutral) about the situation, which is inevitable.

I'm making a point about free will or smth IDK. Royston accepts that he simultaneously is a major mover in cosmic events and also doesn't mean shit because he's only going to live another 50 years and then that's it, there's nothing after that.

Just kidding. Sullivan and Royston forever. I'll just reincarnate them in a different decade and another stupid "soldier meets outlaw" meet cute, it's what they both secretly want.

Comparison of Character Motivations in This Subplot

Gott: Feels sorry for Royston, has a strong platonic bond with Royston, loves Reeves. Reeves: Respects Gott, loves Gott, wants to do right by Gott, tries to follow her rules out of love and respect; has a job to do. Royston: "Gott will kick me out if I start shit inside. Better tolerate Reeves."

Conclusion

Gott, you aren't getting paid enough. I'll make sure the insurance claim is enough to get the fuck out of Kansas with, and that Reeves and Royston's behavior triggers the reset in a way that respects (such as it is) you and your autonomy as a person.

[tragedycoded]

I will never let an open call for filthy asks go unanswered

I CANT STOP thinking about this gamechanging reveal of Royston as a monsterfucker SO. what are his (and any other characters you think would have a fun answer) impossible/impractical/wildest sexual fantasies?

HAAAAHAHAHA YEEEEEEES @noblebs thank you this is the sort of degenerate shit I was hoping for.

Guys this is 18+ fetish shit. This is horror novel shit. I'm putting it under a cut. GTFO if you're trying to enjoy a meal.

In no particular order, here's impractical things Royston would love to do if it wouldn't earn him a free trip to a federal penitentiary and/or the morgue:

Wound fucking. He has had a fantasy about cutting a partner's (not necessarily Sullivan's, but like...) throat and fucking the hole since "I don't even know when," he says.

He would lose his mind if Sullivan ever fucked him with a revolver. Specifically the Colt SAA that he carries around. He will never ask Sullivan to do this, because he knows Sullivan wouldn't do it, but that gem is rattling around there.

I genuinely believe he is sexually attracted to Sullivan's cavalry saber and would fuck it if it wasn't a SABER.

Royston is an eyeball licker. Royston likes getting choked out, and he would love it if Sullivan would step on his throat wearing his spurs and boots. Royston is into fucking in public and has an active fantasy about doing it with Sullivan in the corner of The Pig & Whistle on a Friday night. They didn't have vore in the 1870s but I think he would swallow Sullivan whole if he could.

"I would fuck a dragon," he says.

I'm done. I'm out of here. He would keep going if I let him. I'm going to get banned off this site.

OK hang on. I got a Sullivan answer. Bail out if you haven't read DMLS/haven't realized the fate of Sullivan's leg.

I asked Sullivan how he would feel about Royston fucking his (healed) stump and he thought about it for a moment and then said that's incredibly impractical, which I then reminded him is the point of the exercise. After blushing he asked if he could penetrate Royston with the stump for this exercise.

Now you're thinking with portals, Sullivan.

(Royston asks "CAN WE DO THAT IS THAT PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE" not with a transfemoral amputation buddy sorry.)

[tragedycoded]

villain crimes tag!

Hey this looks fun and funny thank you for the tag @the-golden-comet!

Rules: List all the real-world crimes your villains are guilty of committing!

I was going to do Dr. Emil Powell (Books 1 and 3) and Thomas Huston/his sons (the 1872-73 timeline in Book 1, Book 2) but like... they're kind of boring? One or two big crimes and then like, The Events of the Novel.

You know who was a villain protagonist until Sullivan hugged him?

Arthur fucking Royston, my tritagonist, has committed more crimes than anyone else in the entire trilogy, to include a dead god-worshipping cultist and a Man Who Owns the Town, so let's just blast the crimes he commits in the first two novels:

commits at least one (1) murder per loop, sometimes in front of Sullivan

(knife-fighting falls under assault/battery, iirc; I'm not a lawyer, I'm a stoner)

light breaking & entering

IDK what law it's breaking when you hop on a train without paying but he does that at least once sometimes twice per loop

assault/battery of a serviceman (that one probably would have gotten him ten years in prison if Sullivan hadn't kept his name out of his mouth)

obstruction of justice

ample trespassing

spitting on the sidewalk

when the reader isn't looking in the 1873-74 part of the story, he partakes in public intoxication, causing a disturbance, whatever it is when you cut someone's tongue out of their mouth but don't manage to kill them because [redacted], and a couple other things

Open tag :>

[wyked-ao3]

My 3rd Monday post for Jamie

Happy Monday hope you have a good day. (Feel better soon.)

Found on Pinterest as usual.

Pic one I think is fitting given the situation they are in.

Pic two Royston wanting to burn the city and Sullivan being the voice of reason. (Again it felt fitting for death metal love story)

@tragedycoded

[tragedycoded]

I wanna start by saying I adore Khalid with all my heart :) That said, would you get along with him and Neil if they were real? And would the cast of ALM vibe with the cast of DMLS?

Leah hiiii thanks for stopping by. I was not expecting the Khalid love this morning.

OK. So. Thank you. Khalid is a little weirdo and it brings me inner peace knowing he has fans.

For the purposes of answering this question, I'm going to de-age myself so I would be anywhere near them atp in the story.

I would party with Neil, at least as much as Neil parties. We would both be doing psych coursework, so we'd have something to talk about. Neil is a sweet guy who has zero interest in dating or sex, so I would have a new pub trivia night buddy. It'd be great.

Khalid and I would both be afraid of each other. And the more obviously pregnant he gets, the less he goes outside. So I wouldn't have to get along with him unless Neil brought him to a mixer LOL. Which is sad, because Khalid would mean I wasn't the weirdest one at the social engagement.

I think Khalid would get along with Sullivan the best. Sullivan is not a judgmental person, and his manner of asking questions is to come around to an answer that makes sense to him, not necessarily straight-on interrogation. Sullivan is in the Army and Neil is in a government agency that has to work with the military occasionally, so I think Neil would get on with him well enough.

They would definitely have an easier time in ALM2.0 if they had Sullivan in their corner LOL.

The other two... Hofer would be distracted by a pregnant male (and the "wait, how's he planning on extricating the baby" question might make him ill; he's not an obstetrician, he's an Army Surgeon.) Once it became clear Sullivan (and by extension Royston) had "adopted" him (and by extension Neil) Hofer would be like "Great. Like I needed young adults in the house." (His oldest son William is 13.)

Royston would want to fuck with Neil, because he's a "Fed." He'd probably observe Khalid like he observes his marks before he drops them, then come to the conclusion Khalid is so fucking weird he must possess Knowledge of Things Man Was Not Meant To Know. (He does.)

Molly would love both Neil and Khalid, although Khalid can't ride Molly until Apricity joins us. Something about the pelvis chassis he installed this time? I don't... we're not there yet, I don't want to hear about it.

So... I think they would vibe? It'd be hilarious to watch, for a while, but they would vibe. Thank you for the question :>

[tragedycoded]

Does Molly ever get jealous of Royston or is it only Royston getting jealous?

Wyked! Hello :3 Thank you for the ask!

Most of the time Molly isn't aware of Royston's existence lmao.

She tolerates him climbing into the stirrup to try and suck Sullivan's soul out of his body on at least two occasions, and is instrumental in saving his ass in Book 2.

It's all Royston. He's not right, mentally.

[wyked-ao3]

Found this on Pinterest and thought it reflected Royston and hofers dynamic @tragedycoded

Tagging @the-golden-comet and @gioiaalbanoart since they read the story as well