Typeset by the amazing @sammialex! Fantastic art by @albymangroves and @jayjay-thejet-plane.
Amazon fabric, matte gold HTV, endpaper from Hollander's, vine ribbon from Michael's, printed on Church short-grain warm white (opaque vanilla) paper, except for the art which is on warm white cardstock.
since the use of generative AI becoming so incredibly rife, I've become so much more appreciative of my own art.
like I'm usually pretty hard on myself about my art being good/bad and that's still the case but I'm so much more chill now.
like my art can never be bad when it's HUMAN. human art is such a pure form of expression and communication and it's something that ai can never replace, regardless of its code.
@bekstek I was so embarrassed about Steeb's missing feet that I girdled up and drew them in. Reposting with this addition because Steeb has feet now and I didn't even die drawing them or anything.
been following your art for close to a decade, it is so gorgeous and vivid and i love it dearly. and if that weren't enough, i just found out that you wrote one of my favorite marcus/esca fanfictions (vision of a gentle coast) all this to say, i love your art and thank you for putting it out there, across fandoms and websites. <3
Oh, I LOVE THAT. Thank you, that's amazing. I can't understate how much it means to me that my story was memorable enough to warrant this message. Thank you also for your support over the years and for enjoying my art! I can't really be cute or glib in this reply, I'm genuinely so touched. Thank you so so much! 🖤 HUGS 🖤
Just wanted to let you know how much I ADORE your art! I first saw your work via Cesperanza’s writing and just *clenches fists* it’s so freaking gorgeous. Magnificent drawings to suit magnificent words. Thank you so much for sharing your talent with fandom!
oh my GOD where did you come from, come here and hug me and then have a lovely fucking day, okay? Okay!
Thia hitched Bud higher on her hip and smiled down at her chirping face. The little Kalisk was growing bigger every day.
Dek was making a racket in one of the carriers, they were scavenging whatever remained of supplies in the decimated Weyland-Yutani base and Thia recalibrated her receptors for any missed operational drone units.
Dek exited the carrier and grunted, head cocked to one side.
Cataloguing his body language had come quickly to Thia from the moment they’d met; the Yautja wore their emotions on their proverbial sleeve and Thia was a research synth after all, but even without all that, the gesture was such a universal expression of curiosity.
“What.” Thia said.
“What.” Dek replied, blinking.
“You’re staring. Is something wrong?”
“Why do you hold her?” Dek said.
Thia brightened. “Carrying a baby is an important social and psychological parenting behavior used by many species to strengthen the bond between parent and child. It’s also used for transporting the baby and-”
“She is not a baby.”
Thia looked down on Bud’s big eyed face and scritched her under her chitinous chin.
“She might be! Her mother was enormous, and Bud is a tiny juvenile. We don’t know how old she is exactly, but the rate at which she is growing suggests that-”
“You are not her parent either.”
“I won’t tell her if you don’t,” she said, smiling widely at the Yautja monochromatic world view, “Wait. Don’t Yautja parents carry their young?”
“She rolls faster than we can run. She does not need transport,” Dek said.
Thia sighed at his evasion. “Yeah, I know,” she said. “But look at her. She likes it.”
Dek looked down, expression turning thoughtful, and Thia hugged Bud even tighter to her chest, making the little Kalisk gurgle in pleasure.
Dek went into the transporter and stowed the ammo he’d collected from the decommissioned droids. When he came out again, he gave one decisive nod.
“Yes. She likes it.”
“Would you like a turn at holding her?” Thia said, then laughed at his retreating back.
“Oh well,” she said, looking into Bud’s enormous eyes, smoothing her hand over her bumpy little head. “Maybe next time.”
