#kluh'taq

[celelorien]

Eeeee!! I got art from @maddcatart of Glinmuin and Kluh'taq, and look at how dang cute it is!!!! We can all tell you secretly love it, Kluh'taq!! You knew what you were signing up for!!

[cowsaresushi-coral]

Commissioned by @celelorien (Thank you for commissioning me!)

Was commissioned to do lineart with cell shading of their two characters, Glinmuin and Kluh'taq, their personal OCs! Twas’ a fun commission, and an interesting experience. Enjoy!

Commission Information (CLOSED - 1/3/2022 --> Plan to reopen in May!)

[celelorien]

"Take responsibility!"

[celelorien]

An additional pic to go with this one - I just really liked the idea of them on the couch together in matching sweaters, with Glinmuin reading aloud for them. Though admittedly, by this point, Kluh'taq is less listening to the story and more just listening to Glinmuin's voice.

[celelorien]

Glinmuin wanted to pamper him a bit, and who is Kluh'taq to say no to that?

[celelorien]

"Admit it - you only wanted to be Thanatos so you could float taller than me."

"Come now, love, you know me better than that - the giant fuck-off scythe was a pretty big draw, too."

[celelorien]

Let's go on an adventure!!

[celelorien]

we had some good clear hot weather for a bit and so i took a brief detour from working on the initial meeting cycle to bring you family hammock naps, because Why Not. A definite perk to being so tall is that you can gently push the hammock back and forth, heh.

[celelorien]

((confession, continued))

a continuation of this scene:

He shook his head as if to clear it, then with a swift, practiced motion, Kluh'taq rolled over onto his knees, throwing one leg over and ending up straddling Glinmuin's lap as he cupped his cheeks in both hands, looking at him intently. "I need you to promise me something," he growled, face now deadly serious. "You will never let me take advantage of you like I did earlier."

"You didn't -" Glinmuin started, but Kluh'taq cut him off.

"I did," he insisted, and drew his hands back to take Glinmuin's, looking down. "I did, and while I am glad you are not upset, I must apologize for my actions. Both the shove and the kiss. I let my emotions get the better of me, and I am deeply sorry."

"Well, I forgive you, then. A bard is nothing if not well aware of the power of passion - plenty of stories only happen because of emotions getting the better of someone," Glinmuin chuckled, shrugging carelessly.

"Then you also know very well that such stories do not always end happily for all involved. Push me away," he commanded suddenly, once more looking directly at Glinmuin.

"What??"

"Push. Me. Away," Kluh'taq repeated, still steadily meeting his confused gaze. Hesitantly, Glinmuin lifted his hand, stretching out his fingertips to press gently against Kluh'taq's shoulder. Immediately the hobgoblin stood, backing away a few steps before kneeling in front of him, pressing his forehead to hands placed on the ground. "My apologies, Glinmuin," he said, hands on his knees as he sat up.

Glinmuin stared at him for a moment, then - "You -! You told me to do it!?" he spluttered, throwing his hands in the air.

"I did, and I appreciate your forbearance," Kluh'taq replied, the corner of his mouth twitching up in an ever so slight smile. "Do you truly have no problem with how I was sitting?"

"No, not at all. I've been told I have a very comfortable lap, thank you very much," Glinmuin retorted, arms crossed as he pouted.

Kluh'taq's mouth twitched up again as he stood, saying, "If all is well, tell me 'You are forgiven.'"

"But there's nothing to forgive!" Glinmuin protested, then sighed as Kluh'taq merely stood there, waiting. "You are forgiven," he repeated, and Kluh'taq stepped forward to either side, returning to his previous position. He took Glinmuin's hands again and placed them on his shoulders.

"Run your hands up and down my arms, please, and at some point push me away," he instructed, settling his own hands on Glinmuin's hips.

"I'm not some frightened bunny, you know," Glinmuin scoffed.

"No, you are your own person with your own likes, dislikes, and boundaries, and I care very deeply for you and desire to not cross them unduly. This is the price I must pay for my cowardice."

"Cowardice?! You? When??" Glinmuin blurted out, shocked. "You've always been the bravest of us, out in front every time, protecting everyone!"

"If I were not a coward, I would have told you the truth long before and it would not have come to such a point. Please - do this for my sake? Not just so you can trust me, but so I can trust me as well." His hands tightened briefly around Glinmuin's hips, but his serious gaze never wavered.

"People are people, and no peoples are perfect," Glinmuin replied, smiling a bit wryly. "But I'll do as you ask, though I do trust you already." He began to trace gentle lines along Kluh'taq's arms and was surprised at the change it wrought - the hobgoblin's eyes fluttered shut and his whole expression softened as he caught his lower lip just between his teeth, tilting forward ever so slightly. It was fascinating, and Glinmuin got so caught up in just observing the differences he nearly forgot what he was supposed to be doing.

He gave a quick little push halfway down his bicep, and again the change was instantaneous - Kluh'taq let out a strangled half-grunt, half-gasp as his eyes snapped open and he stumbled to his feet before they'd even focused, backing away and sinking heavily to his knees. Once more pressing his forehead to his hands, his voice was rough and just a bit shaky as he said, "M-my apologies, Glinmuin." His pupils were dilated, and though he held Glinmuin's gaze as he spoke, he averted his immediately after, looking down at his folded hands.

"You are forgiven. Come back?" Glinmuin opened his arms wide, and as Kluh'taq settled onto his lap again Glinmuin grinned as he realized a dark red flush had begun to suffuse his cheeks and the tips of his ears. "Is that a hobgoblin thing, or a you thing?" he inquired.

"The Ritual is a hobgoblin thing. Arms being sensitive is a me thing," he answered brusquely, not yet meeting Glinmuin's eyes. "It is not usually so much through clothes, but... it is you."

Glinmuin's grin widened as Kluh'taq's blush deepened, spreading further across his cheeks and nose and down his ears. He reached up to tweak one darkened tip and Kluh'taq snatched his hand away, pressing it back against Glinmuin's chest with a firm, "No. Not there, yet - that's a hobgoblin thing pretty much across the board, and I am... not ready for that yet."

"My apologies, Kluh'taq," Glinmuin said, chastened. He couldn't really get up with Kluh'taq on his lap, but he leaned back and inclined his head in a sort of seated bow, dipping his ears to show contrition and covering the offending hand with the other.

"You are forgiven," Kluh'taq responded easily, and a true smile broke across his face like the sun suddenly appearing from behind a cloud. "And I thank you for your use of the proper form."

"Sure, of course," Glinmuin replied distractedly, almost as thrown by the smile as the reprimand. "Are we... are we good? Should I...?"

"It was done in innocence on your end - you didn’t know, and you stopped right away, so you're fine. Once more for me - as they say, thrice for truth," Kluh'taq reassured him, then paused, hesitating. "If you are uncomfortable with the ritual, please, tell me so. It's against the spirit of the thing to force you to do it, after all."

"I may not fully understand why it's necessary, but it doesn't bother me to do it. Especially if it's important to you," he answered, shrugging slightly. "Happy to help. What's next?"

"I asked you before, but I will ask again - may I kiss you?"

"You may."

"Then I ask that once more, at some point, please push me away. You may touch me as you like, though I do ask that you refrain from touching my ears, still."

Glinmuin nodded assent, settling his hands around Kluh'taq's waist as he cupped Glinmuin's face in his again. Slowly, deliberately, Kluh'taq leaned in, pressing a soft kiss onto Glinmuin's cheek next to where his thumb held him. Then at the very corner edge of his mouth, then the tip of his nose. The other corner, the other cheek, and then finally capturing his lips with a hunger that belied the gentleness of his previous kisses, though nowhere near as rough as that very first, the one that led to all this. His hands shifted, one moving around to the back of Glinmuin's head, fingers threading through the ash-blonde hair at the nape of his neck as the other slid down to rest against his collarbone.

“Nnf!” Glinmuin huffed in surprise as Kluh’taq licked across his lips, parting them instinctively to allow him to deepen the kiss.

It was an unusual sensation, but not unpleasant - he savored it a few moments more, his own hands sliding up Kluh’taq’s sides, fingertips digging slightly into the thick muscle before shifting a hand to Kluh’taq’s chest and giving a firm push. He could feel how unyieldingly strong he was, but even so, the moment the pressure obviously changed from touch to push Kluh’taq broke off, leaning back with his hands up. He caught his breath for a moment, then stood deliberately and backed up, kneeling into his third and final bow.

“My apologies, Glinmuin,” he rumbled, voice even huskier now. As he looked up, he smiled softly, mostly with his eyes, the edges of his lips just faintly turned up.

“You are forgiven,” Glinmuin responded, opening his arms again, his own voice a bit thick. To his surprise, Kluh’taq shook his head as he stood, holding a hand out to help Glinmuin to his feet as well instead.

“We have tarried here long enough. We should get back to camp - but I will kiss you again, another time, if you have not reconsidered this relationship.”

“You officially have standing permission to kiss me as you like,” Glinmuin pronounced, a grin on his face as he accepted the proffered hand. “May I kiss you as well?”

“You may. Though I do prefer not to be overly intimate in front of others.”

“Understood.” Glinmuin pulled him in and pressed a quick kiss to the top of Kluh’taq’s head before turning back in the direction of the camp, pulling him along by the hand he still held. Kluh’taq smiled to himself, trotting a couple paces to catch up, finally walking alongside the one he had kept at arm’s length for so long.

[celelorien]

I did promise, and here they are! Inspired by the vintage photos from that previous post (see source link), some of my fave poses redone with Glinmuin and Kluh'taq! Additional notes below the cut, haha.

1 - I do so love a good fainting couch. That pinning-in pose! And that lil nose touch!! How could I possibly resist? Glinmuin loves taking Kluh'taq's hair down because it's surprisingly silky - it's his one major vanity point. (Though Kluh'taq will maintain it's just another facet of proper warrior discipline - 100 strokes every night keeps your arms strong and limber!)

2 - A little spicy but so very sweet. After all, what's the point of a big square neckline if your partner doesn't take advantage every now and then? I love the idea that Glinmuin was just sitting and working on something and Kluh'taq just settles in behind him and tugs his shirt to the side, sliding his hands down to capture Glinmuin's and pulling him close, unable (or at least unwilling) to resist.

3 - Post-handfasting soppiness, ahaha. I do love that Glinmuin on his knees is still up to Kluh'taq's chest level. Kluh'taq loves fluffing up Glinmuin's hair, too, as though Glinmuin's is much brushier naturally it de-fluffed over the course of the evening chase. Funnily enough, even though Glinmuin is somewhat suggestively helping Kluh'taq out of his handfasting vestments here, it's late enough and they're tired enough that as soon as they're both down to the purple undershift I think they just curl up together for bed proper.

4 - Kluh'taq still has a tendency to be a bit shy about public affection for quite a while after they get together. I imagine Glinmuin has also just used some sort of terribly cheesy line, too - "A daisy is nice, but you could replace it with... tulips?" - so he totally deserves getting face-smooshed away.

5 - Oh the melodrama~! "Alas, there is simply nowhere safe to sit for I am but a weak, frail bard - if only there was a big, strong warrior about to protect me!" Kluh'taq is equally flattered and exasperated, but he does love Glinmuin ever so much, so he only occasionally dumps him on the floor instead, hahaha.

6 - A mid-morning coffee present! Kluh'taq doesn't ever retire, really, but he does end up more frequently on the paperwork side of adventures as he gets older. Glinmuin certainly doesn't mind as it keeps him home and in easy smooching range, haha. Just a very soft domestic morning. I'm also weirdly proud of the tree outside the window in the background? Good shape and adds texture without being too distracting, I think.

And, well, that's it for the vintage cycle! While I do like a lot of the other photos' aesthetics in and of themselves, I don't think they feel quite right for these characters. So that's all for now! These handsome tols live in my head rent-free though so there will, of course, be ever more art going onwards, heh.

[celelorien]

just one more chapter...

[celelorien]

and just in time for their six-month debut anniversary (again, what the hell, it's only been six months?!) i present their in-universe meet-cute! Glinmuin is having fun singing a reel and bein oblivious, and Kluh'taq is incredibly dismayed to realize he has caught feelings, oh no. Featuring guest appearances by Hyuva and *her* eventual love interest (who still hasn't told me her name so all I know about her is she's a drow Echo Knight), and Satsuma - the dwarf with a shipping penchant.

[celelorien]

"The sass! Do you kiss your lover with that mouth?" "Do you know, actually I do?" "Oh, well then..."

[celelorien]

Kluh'taq gazed down at the sleeping firbolg, eyes softening as he gently lowered himself back onto the bed, head propped up against one fist as he reached out to brush his thumb across the slightly parted lips, pressing a little more firmly as he toyed with the base of one ear, leaning in for a brief kiss as his fingertips scruffed into the ash blonde hair at the nape of his neck. Glinmuin stirred, humming slightly as his eyes fluttered open, still somewhat unfocused as they met Kluh'taq's. "...mmmhey..." he murmured, voice still creaking with sleep, a slow smile spreading like molasses. "....hey." Kluh'taq's own voice was as gravelly as ever, as Glinmuin reached up to cover his hand with his own, holding it in place as he turned to nuzzle kisses into his palm, his wrist, his forearm. "Good morning, beloved. Ready for breakfast?" "Mmmmffive more minutes?" Glinmuin wheedled, glancing up hopefully. Kluh'taq's smile twitched up on one side, and as he leaned over to kiss the firbolg again he stole his hand back, ruffling Glinmuin's hair to an approximation of his usual sticking-up fluff. "It's never just five minutes, and I'm not burning breakfast. Come on," he coaxed, rolling off the bed. Glinmuin blew out a sigh, but began to stretch in earnest, back arching slightly off the mattress. Kluh'taq turned quickly for the kitchen, fully aware that if he kept watching, no amount of burnt breakfast would keep his resolve.

[celelorien]

K: You didn't have anyone to help you before, but I'm here now. I won't let you down, and I won't rush you, either. If you ever feel unsafe, we will stop right away. Ok? G: ...ok.

----

K: You're doing wonderfully, love.

G: I'm-m pretty sure you're lying to m-me but I'll take w-what I can get.

K: Just focus on your kick rhythm. You're a bard, aren't you? One-and-two, one-and-two.

----

G: *koff hack hack koff*

K: You're alright, love, just got swamped. Spit it out, catch your breath.

G: kh... snf... Are you... treading water?

K: You're really not that heavy, love, especially in the water. Ready to try again?

G: !!

K: (could just touch the bottom but is showing off)

G: ...Yeah, I guess I am.

[celelorien]

Got a bit long, so storytime to go with the pictures under the read-more! How Arrowind met Glinmuin and Kluh'taq in the universe where they're married and live in Exandria. (Though this is pre-handfasting of course - just dating!)

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Kluh'taq turned from the stall, tucking the purchased meat buns safely away in his pack next to the bundle of vegetables. Walking briskly down the busy street, it was unusually difficult to spot Glinmuin - here in Asarius, the City of Beasts, there were many beings as tall as or even taller than the firbolg, so he simply headed towards the cider stand they'd pointed out before. And indeed, there he was, leaning on the counter and chatting up the shopkeep animatedly as she filled an earthenware jug - and there, just behind him, a small hand delicately plucking at his purse strings. Scowling as he widened his stride, he covered the remaining distance swiftly. Snatching the offender up by the wrist and spinning him - it was a young boy?? - to face him, he demanded, "What's all this, then?"

The boy's eyes widened in fright, then shrank suddenly - along with the rest of him - as he transformed, arm slipping out of Kluh'taq's grasp.

"Haah?!"

"Whoops! Got him," Glinmuin said, having turned to see what Kluh'taq was talking about and reflexively reaching out to catch the falling creature.

"Think you scared him, love - yowch! Hey now, biting does you no good - I'm not gonna hurt you, and all the pups used to love teething on me," Glinmuin scolded, tucking the boy-turned-giant-rat firmly in the crook of his elbow, against the leather of his vest. He frowned, fingers shifting slightly against the matted brown fur. "Why, he's nothing but skin and bones..."

Kluh'taq's scowl deepened, crossing his arms as he recalled the feel of that too-thin wrist. "Rrrgh, don't even bother breaking out the puppy eyes. This is our first downtime in weeks, so if you want to feed the stray he'll just have to come along. I'm not giving up our picnic time," he grumbled, turning on his heel to march back towards the meat bun stall.

Glinmuin beamed, first at Kluh'taq's retreating back and then down at the rat boy who had frozen stock still in his arms at the mention of food. "There, see? Not so scary once you get to know him!" he chirped, still grinning broadly.

"I heard that!" Kluh'taq called over his shoulder, still frowning fiercely.

"Love you!!" Glinmuin shouted back, his grin taking on a decidedly wicked cant as Kluh'taq hunched his shoulders, the tips of his ears darkening as he picked up his pace and hurried off.

"Well, now that that's settled, let's finish up here and go get some dessert!" he continued cheerfully, placing his coins on the counter and picking up the finished jug of cider. "Do you want to stay there or ride on my shoulder?"

The rat boy hesitated, then reached out a tentative paw and climbed slowly upwards, slinking up the bell pouches like ladder steps. It seemed too good to be true - he'd just tried to pickpocket him! But if the blue guy really meant to feed him... His stomach twisted painfully as he crouched there, reminding him how long it'd been since his last real meal. He could always jump off if it seemed they were headed to the guards, he reasoned to himself, scanning the area around and behind with quick glances. His nose twitched and he looked down, eyes widening at the pie being wrapped in a large green kerchief. It smelled of apple and cinnamon, and was definitely worth the risk of trusting these weirdos.

They left the market thoroughfare and headed towards the outskirts of the city, the dirt path well trodden as they climbed up the hill. "This looks like the spot! That innkeeper was right - this is quite nice!" Glinmuin declared, setting the cider jug on the ground and extracting a large checked blanket from his bag. He shook it out with a snap and laid it down, nodding at the rat boy. "Mind getting those corners?"

His passenger nodded, skittering down his arm and shifting back to his halfway form, pulling the edges of the blanket straight. "I'm Glinmuin, by the way - Glinmuin Tarogness Turen! The grumpy one's Kluh'taq. And you are?" he continued, pulling more and more foods from his pack, handing some to the boy to set down.

Hesitating just a moment, the boy decided. "Arrowind. Arrowind Skint," he answered honestly.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance," Glinmuin replied, smiling broadly.

(and so.... Nice picnic chats were had, Kluh'taq continued to pretend very hard not to care whilst caring very deeply, offering that he guesses Arrowind could come along as his squire or something, he's been looking for a likely lad to assist him no he hasn't he doesn't let anyone touch his armor if he likes or whatever but he doesn't have to or anything.)