Unofficial Linked Universe Coloring Book

I don’t think adding nonbinary to Victorian’s gender system would’ve fixed their weird sexism. If anything I think it would’ve made them weirder and sexismier

I haven’t posted in a hot minute so accept this little ficlet I wrote back in January.

Part two is in the works guys I swear I just got crushed with finals 😭

Anyway- Four and Sky go to a market together. Sky has a good time and Four doesn’t.

788 words, no warnings!

~~~~

Sky loves the markets in other times. Seeing what the surface becomes… seeing the way people interact with one another and help each other survive.

Four despises markets.

He’s not sure why, he’s not sure what happened, if the smith is just shy, how he manages his job with his hatred of smithing… but the teenager does.

Will make excuse after excuse to not go with them into a market, lagging behind and avoiding attention at all costs whenever he’s forced.

So when he’s paired up with Four to get information from townspeople in the market…

“Let me do something else.” Four begs Time immediately, something like fear in the smithy’s eyes.

Time gives him a soft look. Says something softly that he can’t quite hear, but Four goes tense.

“Please. Something- anything else. Anything. Please.”

Time must refuse, because Four looks… defeated.

Stalks back to his side, where he’s sitting at the table, pulling his stuff towards him and aggressively attaching knifes to his body.

“Remember you’re not killing anyone. You’re getting information.” Wild chuckles, but Four shoots him a harsh glare that stops the champion and anyone else from commenting.

He swallows nervously as Wild gives him a look that screams ‘good luck.’

But he waits for the smith, and the teen follows him out the door to the market square when he leaves the inn.

“I’m not talking to anyone.” Four says aggressively, leaving no room for disagreement.

“Alright. I’ll do the talking, you want to gather supplies?” He asks gently.

Four blinks at him, then seems to remember he’s angry. Nods curtly, glaring at a rock in the path.

So that’s how they make it work.

He walks up to a vendor, talking and making conversation as Four looks around.

All day.

It gets hot, the sun bearing down on them.

Four seems determined to maintain his grumpy demeanor, hood pulled and arms crossed despite the heat.

“Let’s take a break. Get something to drink, maybe a snack.” He offers, out of breath.

“I would rather get this over with.” Four says quietly, nearly in a whisper.

“Fifteen minutes.” He pleads, sweat trickling down his temple. “It’s hotter than Din’s mother out here.”

Four does not laugh or even smile. He does, however, relent reluctantly.

They find a vendor making fresh juice, buy two cups, and find a shady orchard and buy some apples and rest under the trees.

Four remains grumpy and quiet, glaring in the direction of the town tensely.

“What did Time tell you?” He asks finally, trying to break the mood.

A straight up nasty scowl. “I need to ‘work on my social skills.’” Four says with little air quotes.

He can’t help it- he laughs.

Four’s cheeks turn bright red, glare turning to him.

“Sorry!” He pleads immediately, still smiling. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Really. It’s just… well… you’re not social. At all. This whole time you’ve been hostile and… scary. We were all terrified of you when we met you, man. We were so relieved when you finally started warming up to us. You’re straight up scary.” He smiles again.

Four’s glare makes way for a soft, confused frown.

“I’m not scary.”

But it’s said like a question.

“I don’t have good experiences with people.” Four elaborates quietly. “I just… protect myself, I think.”

He nods slowly. “I understand that. But… aren’t you lonely?” He asks quietly, thinking of how desperately alone he felt… when he was like that.

“No.” Four says shortly, and he believes him. “No. I have everything I need. The friends I want, my grandfather… some small friends. It’s not lonely.”

“There’s a difference between not being alone and not being lonely, kiddo.” He says softly, and Four pauses.

Looks up at him with eyes that look… almost red in the harsh sunlight. “I know. I’m not. Really. I’m happy. With how everything is for me. I like the people I have around me, and I kick out the ones I don’t.”

He laughs at that, grinning at his friend.

Four blinks again.

“Never change, Four. Never change.” He grins, offering an arm.

Despite the heat, Four leans into his chest with a soft sigh. Let’s him wrap him in a hug, staying like that until the juice and snacks are long gone and the sun is nearly setting.

“Ready to head back to the inn?” He asks, glancing down at the smithy and pausing.

“Oh. I guess so.” He says aloud, smiling softly.

Four’s fallen asleep at some point, head resting on his shoulder. Probably heat exhaustion, despite their break to combat it.

Well. No big deal.

He stands, carefully, gathers their things, carrying the smithy back to the inn with the others.

~~~~

I've come to realise that having motivation issues (linked to executive dysfuction) is like owning a car that doesn't have a starter motor. You have to physically get out and push the fucking thing to get it to go.

Meanwhile everyone else's cars start fine with the turn of a key or press of a button.

You wanna do the thing and go to the place like everyone else but it takes such a monumental effort to start the car each time that a lot of the time it's easier to bail on the thing and not do it.

Some people are lucky to have someone who can help them push the car and get it to start, and this makes it easier, and you don't have to expend as much energy.

Some of us have developed systems and hacks like the routine of parking the car on a hill so next time we need it to start we have momentum helping us out.

But once the car is started then hey ho you're good to go!

...until it stalls.

We can never install a starter motor for our car and yeah the clock is broken and there's no sat nav, but it goes faster than everyone elses, it has tons of storage space and a bitchin media and sound system.

So do what you gotta do to get the car rollin', lads, even if you feel stupid doing it. Peel out like a boss with the music cranked up, go to the place and do the thing.

p.s and don't forgor to put fuel in it

p.p.s and check your tyre pressure regularly

i dont consider myself a 'fashion guru' by any means but one thing i will say is guys you dont need to know the specific brand an item you like is - you need to know what the item is called. very rarely does a brand matter, but knowing that pair of pants is called 'cargo' vs 'boot cut' or the names of dress styles is going to help you find clothes you like WAAAYYYY faster than brand shopping

pain sharing curse au feat THE COLORS✨ + wild is actually the only one who’d believe you wind lol

< PREV | NEXT >

the woman who holds the moon

prints available here. my cover for this month's issue of baffling magazine.

Is this anything

Cheeseaged Exocolonist Masterpost

For easy reference, I've made a masterpost of Cheeseaged Exocolonist, the run where I play Exocolonist as it was truly meant to be played: as a ten-year scheme to manipulate hearts, minds and time until I have created the perfect world, where I rule with everyone's blessing.

This run will contain so much spoiler content, cheese and psychological horror as to ruin Teenage Exocolonist for everyone. Or make it better. Titles that contain spoilers/triggers are censored on this list, more on request.

Intro

Age 0-9 - Minmax my own early childhood

Age 10 - Neglect my own education for levelling purposes

Age 11 - Ruin Valentine's Day as soon as it is invented by blorboing so hard it becomes existentially horrifying

Age 12 - Announce my intention to rule the world

Age 13 - Forget my dad's love because it's suboptimal

Age 14 - Sol meets her one weakness...

Age 15 - Use my transcendence of time to cheat at cards

Age 16 - Ascend to autistic godhood

Age 16 (Again) - Be so good at the game that I [ruin my own plans] and have to backtrack significantly

Age 17 - Treat people's mental health issues [in a family-unfriendly way]

Age 18 - Use my compassion and mental health literacy to set up a coup and crush my enemies

Age 19 (First Half) - Form a trans lesbian political marriage for the buffs

Age 19 (Finale) - Cement my power...

Epilogue

Just gonna leave this here.

Okok hear me out, boatem knights au but mumbo has a rocket launcher