#eckehart schmidt

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Heads Up Seven Up

Thanks to @aohendo for the tag! I have not been working on my manuscript proper, but here's the last little bit I wrote as part of a Martin x Eckehart side-story.

“Do you think I’m mean?” Eckehart huffed a laugh. “You’re no saint, that’s for sure.” “Saints die young,” Martin said. “Us devils stay til the end of the show, just to see how well the world burns.” They fell into a thoughtful silence. It pressed into them, suffocating. Finally, Martin said, “Well, I’m nice to you at least, aren't I?” “You’re pushy and cryptic and you make me look dirty when you stand next to me in photographs.”

Martin has only been drunk with Eckehart once. He is delightfully forthcoming.

Tagging @theskeletonprior, @tryingtimi, @kiaraintheforest, and @whimsyqueen

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😳🤓 for Eckehart?

Why don’t they like how their voice sounds in recordings?

Eckehart: *listening to himself on a media broadcast* *grimace* ...Why didn't you ever tell me that I mumble when I talk? Martin: Do you? *smirks, not looking at him* I suppose I'm used to it by now. Eckehart: No you're not. You hear it every time and you hate it. Martin: You always think the worst of me. Maybe I find it endearing? Eckehart: *scoffs* You find my very annoying mumbling endearing? Martin: Would you rather I call it cute? Eckehart: *squints* ..... *blushes and looks away* .... No, endearing is fine.

What is one thing that they "nerd out" over?

So, before Eckehart was the CEO of Schmidt & Foster, he was in Tier III University in New London Heights Academy. His primary career path was in city planning, however, he was also in the music program. He worked closely with Midtown Librarians to translate and restore pre-war compositions, specifically jazz and blues compositions, and create recordings of music that had been lost during the war. He plays jazz and classical piano as well as the trumpet, and has a very VERY large personal collection that probably rivals the Midtown Library. (He also wrote a very popular academic paper under a pen name.)

Strangers at parties with drunk Eckehart should expect at least one unhinged rant and maybe a lesson on jazz history.

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For the emoji ask game: 🌪️🎀🙈

Thanks @aohendo!!

I'mma do these for different characters cause I feel like it.

What is the biggest change you've ever made to them? How have they changed from their original version?

For Martin Hightower:

Martin's definitely experienced the most change out of any OC. He was a side character at first and a lot darker villainous than he ended up being. He ESPECIALLY changed after I decided [INSERT BIG ASS SPOILER HERE]. Now the man has a fully fleshed out, heart-wrenching back story, plus a main part to play in the narrative. A small heart hidden inside roughly 30 inches of concrete...

How would they fit into other worlds / AUs? What AUs would you like to try out? What fictional world would they fit / not fit into?

For Martin and Eckehart:

HartMart is a literal treasure trove of AU material. Ask @valkyrie-the-bogwitch. We talk about it all the time.

We've already passed around the idea of a College/University AU and a Pugilist AU. I kind of want to create a visual novel game that's a Coffee Shop AU from Ehren's perspective, because the idea of Eckehart and Martin bickering over the price of a new espresso machine is just so wholesome to me.

There also was definitely not a crossover idea we had about Kaz Brekker x Martin Hightower look they'd be good for each other okay?

What's a side of your OC that they don't want to show other people?

For Rowan Faraday:

Rowan has some SERIOUS PTSD. She oscillates between freeze and fight (mostly fight) when she's triggered, and anyone seeing that side of her... it just feels humiliating to her. She portrays herself as a devil-may-care type-- a badass who's not afraid of anything-- and hey, most of the time it's true. When she starts having a flashback though, you'd better get her somewhere safe or get the fuck out of her way. A big part of her arc is finding her way through her trauma.

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(from @flowerprose)

20 for Martin and echkehart :)

@flowerprose, thanks for the ask!!

How tolerant is your OTP of each member's ex(es)? Do they care? Do they get jealous when the topic comes up? If they're still in touch with their ex(es), how does the other feel about that?

Lol gosh, I've never even thought about this. I'm going to go ahead and assume this is after they get together.

Eckehart doesn't have a lot of sexual experience (never really interested in it), but back in Martin's academy days, Martin was definitely popular with the other boys.

On the surface, I think Eckehart would make a bigger deal about exes, but Martin would secretly care more... This might be easier to explain in examples.

After a run-in with one of Martin's exes (who, realistically, is no doubt an asshole):

Eckehart: Wow. Piece of work, that guy, huh? Martin: *hum of acknowledgment* Eckehart: ... Run into him often? Martin: *grin* Eckehart, are you worried about me? Eckehart: *scoff* More like I'm worried about them. However big of a snake they are, you're bigger.

There would be a few minutes of silence, and then Martin would tell Eckehart the important bits, because what Eckehart values most is his honesty. That would make him feel instantly better and he'd forget about the whole damn thing.

After a run-in with one of Eckehart's exes (who, realistically, is girl-next-door looking and maybe a little horny):

Martin: She gave you her number. Eckehart: Oh, she tried. Not interested. Martin: *smile* She's quite pretty. Eckehart: *shrug* Sure. *jabs Martin's shoulder* Too bad my type is short guys with better fashion sense than me.

Placated for now, Martin would take Eckehart to bed at the next given opportunity and absolutely TAKE THE MAN TO TOWN. He'd also make the man breakfast in the morning instead of ordering in. You know. For no reason in particular. *biggest eye roll*

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the OTP you've been obsessing over lately 👀

1. What's the biggest wish the members of your otp have for the other? Is it a wish that could come true? Do they actively work towards it?

4. After a bad day, what would each member of your otp do to cheer the other up?

12. Was/is it difficult for the members of your otp to realise their feelings? Were they okay with those feelings or were they in denial? 

@bloodlessheirbyjacques ✨👀

@bloodlessheirbyjacques! Thank you!

SIGH. It's HartMart. Never not HartMart. (To be fair, they are the ONLY eventual canon coupling in the Second Serpent series.)

What's the biggest wish the members of your OTP have for the other? Is it a wish that could come true? Do they actively work towards it?

Eckehart (for Martin): What do you get the man who has everything? Martin, for all his charm and power, is incredibly lonely. He has secrets that he knows, with absolute certainty, that he will take to the grave with him. He's used to keeping people, even important people, at arm's length. No one is allowed to see the real him, because anyone who sees the real Martin automatically has power over him.

I suppose that if Eckehart had one wish for Martin, it would be for Martin to trust someone enough to let his walls down around-- for Martin to see that people find him worthy of kindness and praise without all the swagger and pretense.

Martin (for Eckehart): Eckehart is a tortured idealist-- kind and uncertain and feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders. He is a man seeking redemption for his family's crimes, for centuries of lies and half-truths that have landed New London in a political stalemate. Eckehart will stop at nothing to end his family's hold on humanity, and he knows that at the end of the road he's started on, he will likely to imprisoned, banished, or killed. From day one as Schmidt & Foster CEO, he's been prepared to throw himself onto the pyre. He sees himself as a means to an end-- as an expendable chess piece that the world would be better off without.

Martin's biggest wish is for Eckehart for Eckehart to see himself through Martin's eyes: to see the same gentle, bleeding heart that Martin sees. Eckehart would be a fantastic leader, if only he saw his own self-worth, and admired his assets as well as his flaws.

So, I suppose their greatest wishes are for each to be more trusting, and to know their true, inherent worth. Oh. Oh god. I just made myself sad. HELP.

After a bad day, what would each member of your OTP do to cheer the other up?

Eckehart (for Martin): Martin so rarely has "bad days"-- at least, not ones that he lets onto. But, sometimes, even Martin can hide a waning mood (and he hides it less and less as their friendship goes on). Push comes to shove, Martin's love languages are gift giving and quality time.

So, on a bad day... Eckehart would bring Martin a coffee. He'd sit down face to face with him, no distractions, and crack a couple of jokes. He'd banter with him, because Martin loves that. Later, in some dating phase that the readers will never see, I can see Eckehart bringing home flowers and dinner, then asking Martin to eat with him.

Martin (for Eckehart): Eckehart is definitely a quality time/words of affirmation guy. On a bad day, Martin would remind Eckehart that he's doing his very best, and then take him somewhere to get his mind off of whatever's bothering him for a while, just to reregulate him. He'd take Eckehart for a walk, and give him some blush-inducing praise that Eckehart will tell himself he doesn't absolutely love.

Was/is it difficult for the members of your OTP to realize their feelings? Were they okay with those feelings or were they in denial?

Martin realizes his feelings early on, but I can't really explain how or why for spoiler reasons. Let's just say: He's not a man who's familiar with "love" but he does know what attraction feels like. Eckehart has all of the human compassion that Martin locked away a long time ago, so Martin assumed for a while that he just admired him. Didn't take him too long to fall head over heels... though, in many ways, he always had been.

Eckehart, on the other hand, is a single-minded, repressed loner with depression and anxiety. The man is too busy barreling forward avoiding pain to see when there's someone worth admiring in his general vicinity. It takes him a very long time to see Martin as a friend, and over halfway through the series to see him as a potential S.O. It takes almost losing Martin to realize how much he really cares about him, but that's for another time.

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Clam chowder for the ask game!

Clam Chowder: A scene that has special meaning to you

Thanks for the question @elijahrichardwrites!

Oh, there are plenty, but I think that any scene within Eckehart's 3rd close POV usually ends up being special and meaningful to me. As someone who struggles with mental health, and who is now medicated for it, writing Eckehart with unmedicated anxiety and depression can be an eye-opening experience. A couple pages of one chapter are written from his 3rd close POV during a panic attack, and though panic attacks can look different for different people, I hope that my portrayal of it is both impactful and helps someone feel seen and represented.

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Find the Word: Tag Game

Thanks to @aohendo for the tag! My words are problem, thought, caution, and ship.

I'll tag @jess-p-edits, @ryan-shepard-writes, @athenixrose, @tryingtimi, and @author-a-holmes. Should you choose to accept them, your words are lungs, laugh, long, and luck.

Problem

“Sometimes, I remember how much this position asks of you,” Eckehart said. “It’s a lot of pressure.” Martin grinned and waved his hand dismissively. “What did I tell you when we first met?” he asked. Eckehart sighed and sat back. “I seem to remember an exhausting elevator pitch.” “I told you that it doesn’t frighten me to solve big problems with high stakes,” Martin said. He sipped at his coffee. “I also told you that the work comes easy, when you’re hungry for it.” Eckehart watched him carefully. “Are you still hungry for it?” he asked. Martin blinked slowly, cat-like, smile fading slightly. “Insatiably,” he replied, “Same appetite, different diet.” “Vegetarian?” Eckehart asked. “Cruelty-free?” Eckehart took a moment to consider how they’d changed one another, and saw Martin doing the same.

Thought

Seung nodded. She stood and padded across the floor on bare feet to stand in front of him. “Desperation is a good motivator,” she said. “Adapt or fail—those are your choices.” Ehren frowned. “Is that supposed to help me?” “No,” she replied, “it’s just a fact.” She looked out the open door of her room, out into the morning sunlight and the apple orchard. “You have time though. Whatever you’re afraid of, it isn’t here.” But it is. Ehren thought of blood on the floor. Skin parting from skin under Chul’s blade. Seung’s empty eyes, staring through the floor and into nothing—gone of the focus and light he hadn’t noticed there until it had been gone. What I’m afraid of is right here.

Caution

Belks had gotten far too comfortable with Martin’s side-stepping, his charming winks of reassurance and his low tones of confirmation-- always to what Belks had already said, never stating outright. He couldn’t be sure what had done it, whether it was a sudden insight on his part or a slipping of Martin’s mask, but Belks’ sense of self-preservation had begun to twitch. If it were at Martin’s usual deviousness, Belks would have pushed the feeling aside-- Martin, for all his charm and smiling attitude, was a wolf in sheep’s clothing, and Belks preferred him that way. No, this feeling tugged at his ear in Martin’s presence and whispered a caution altogether unexpected: He’s grown a conscience, the voice whispered. The monster’s shown his belly. It was a thought that smarted, moreso because once he had seen it, he could not unsee it. It had become impossible to see anything else. Belks had sat on the plush couch of his office in this same way many times before, puzzling over problems that normally ended in blood. This would be no different. A test of loyalty would be required to test the waters.

Ship

Seung could reach across the table, find an exposed bit of Ehren’s skin and flood him. He would know the stakes then—enough to back down, to allow Seung to leave quietly with them and plan a regrouping later. But he would see the rest, too. He would see Seung’s first transference, the visit to the Clever Nightcap she’d kept from him. He would see what bit at the back of her mind like a dog at her heels: Elder Tomly’s croaked voice, and his telling of a broken future with Seung at the helm of a war ship.

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💬 Eckhart

“I sometimes imagine what it might be like to unscrew myself-- lay myself out in pieces for public consumption. I don’t wonder what people would think of me, really. I fixate on what it might be like to have eyes examine the truth of me, to plainly see all of my thorns. I’m tired of having to articulate them.”

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woo woo and mimosa (for bird and fish ocs? i love them)

I feel like these are good questions for Eckehart, so here we go!

What’s their relationship like with their parent(s)/guardian(s)?

Eckehart's parents are both dead. His mother died giving birth to him, so he used to have absolutely TERRIFYING nightmares about her. His father was cold and unaffectionate (and, well, just really not a good man) who left the "raising" part of Eckehart's development to the house staff. As a result, he now holds a particular affinity for those in service or household industries, but they were never a full substitute for the love of his very absent father.

Eckehart saw his father as a sort of untouchable god. Then, when he learned about his family legacy and about Schmidt & Foster, he hated his father and decided to live on his own as a teenager and university student. Now, Eckehart resides somewhere in the middle-- no longer knowing how to hate his father but also understanding that his father was not someone who ever had the capacity to love him.

Has your oc ever committed any crimes? if so, what did they do? if not, what would they be most likely to commit?

LOL. Okay, so this is actually really fun for me to think about. Eckehart has some anger issues and has totally gotten into some pretty rowdy bar brawls, but 99% of the time, he is idealistic and straight-laced. With that in mind, has he occasionally committed small, victimless crimes to take out his frustrations? Abso-fucking-lutely.

Like, Eckehart is a piano player. I'm 100% certain that he made a secret copy of the music-hall key so that he could sneak into the school and play whenever he wanted. He has also definitely vandalized Schmidt & Foster property while blackout drunk.

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Happy Storyteller Saturday!! I’m so interested in the characters in your world, so if your good/ hero MC’s would be the villains instead, why would that be? What ideal they hold onto that can be taken too far and what kind of villains they would be? <3

Thanks for the ask @tryingtimi! And thank you for your interest. <3

This is a fun one. I hold a personal philosophy that good and evil are social constructs, and that every person lies in some grey area in the middle. Everyone has the potential to be a hero, and everyone has the potential to be a villain. The motivators are different for every character, but every one of them ABSOLUTELY has the potential to go over to the dark side. I'll go ahead and talk about several main players.

Seung: Seung's biggest flaw is her deep-seated need for approval. She's determined to meet the expectations of her father, who is dead and an asshole but that's neither here nor there for this question. She's wanted it for so long that she'll do nearly anything to get it. Within the Second Serpent narrative, she will find her footing and step back from the cliff when she gets there. But in another world, one where Seung wasn't taught the old adage that "great power requires great responsibility," well... she'd burn New London to the ground without a second thought if it would make her feel worthy and powerful.

Ehren: Ehren desperately desires harmony within himself, in his relationships, and in the world as a whole. His direct insight allows him to feel people's suffering with sharp clarity. In the current novel, his way of achieving harmony is to use his power in good faith-- to be a mediator and a confidant, not judging but finding silver linings in the darkest places, and hoping that his small actions have impact. If Ehren were an angrier, more cynical man, he might use his abilities to make faster, "more efficient" change. People wouldn't hurt each other if they didn't have so much autonomy, right? It would be difficult for people to accept, but people would be much happier if they didn't have all of this HUMANITY weighing them down, right? Right?

Eckehart: Eckehart is Ehren's cousin, and has a very similar desire to make positive change. This desire comes from a different place though. Eckehart's father was an unrepentant tyrant (some would have even called him a sadist) and Eckehart is determined not to be like him. In a world where Eckehart had a different relationship with his father-- was close and learned to see the world as a pot of money rather than a place with people in it-- well, that same savvy determination he uses to the betterment of people might be used to more thoroughly cement his own power.

Martin: Martin comes from nothing. Used to starving and wanting as a child, he now denies himself nothing. Fancy clothes, good coffee, cigarettes, and other luxuries he consumes with absolutely zero shame. This desire to not only be comfortable but to be absolutely fulfilled at all times has led him to make choices that have either indirectly or directly harmed others. He was, in fact, a villain before the start of the books. His redemption arc began when he met Eckehart.

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Look, can anyone blame Eckehart for not trusting a man whose university graduation photo looks like this? LIKE THIS?

Martin Hightower is Franklin Belks' protege and it shows.

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Ok if you're down for another ask I'd love to know more about Eckehart and Martin's relationship? Or them individually. Or both. Liking me these bois.

Oh god I would love to.

Eckehart and Martin are the main characters of Second Serpent's political B-Plot. To make a long story very VERY short, they are both secretly planning to dismantle Schmidt & Foster (the corporation that runs New London), and help the average people form a republic. Well, Eckehart's planning to. Martin agrees to help him, despite the fact that Martin is famous for being Schmidt & Foster's #1 PR and cover-up guru, and also notoriously self-interested and hedonistic.

For a long time, Eckehart just assumes that Martin is playing him. By the time the story proper starts, they're ten years into a game of political-treason-chicken that they no longer care about and have entirely lost track of who's winning.

Throughout their friendship, they change under each others' influence. One-track-mind Eckehart comes to understand his personal preferences: what foods he likes, the types of art he enjoys-- what makes him happy that's not booze or punching things. Martin learns the value of putting effort into something that isn't himself, allowing himself to care just as deeply as Eckehart cares. His heart thaws and it is very sweet.

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