🧡 22 | He/Him | Gabriel/Gabe 🧡 This is an OC centric blog, technically also my art blog by extension … if you love me ask me silly things about my beloved little guys
Reminding myself; I will revel in the act of creation itself. Creating is holy, perhaps even more so than finishing up. look, look! Your heart in its most tender state, the rawest you could give - the most complete it’s ever been in this movement
Write, goddammit, things that will never end and never were meant to. Draw for the sake of drawing. Paint and tear apart, tell your friends you love them
I will never forget the magic of a thing both unfinished and whole. Look, look you are creation onto itself. Now breathe and take a walk and sit down again and create
Oh this is going to get so long, thank you so much (kissing you so so much right on the mouth)
🌹 How easy is it for them to connect with others and make friends? On the flip side how easy is it for them to make an enemy of someone? Are they the kind of person who hangs around the food table at a party and never talks to anyone or are they the type who can talk to anyone?
He’s not outright a peoples person and if he could choose he’d probably be solitary for most of the time - but he also doesn’t not like people? At heart he’s a scholar and a writer, a keen observer who is a good conversationalist but rarely lets people get close enough to study him back
Out of him and Vermont, though, he’s definitely in charge of making most of their friends. But then again, most of it is hardly more than acquaintances - most of the friends he makes don’t get to miss him at the end of a cycle through no intent of his own
🔥 Give us a list of general likes and dislikes, such as colours, textures, music, weather and other stuff!
Color: blues and turquoise, specifically dark warm purple and orange as well (this is also the colors he wears most of the time). Never really made his peace with most pastels
Textures: a bit of a texture nerd in that he has dropped good amount of money on quality blankets and shawls, sure loves him his cashmere. Also kind of related, but he fiddles with Vermont’s hair whenever he can get to do it as a tactile thing
Music: not hugely into music, more of a ‘soft jazz 10 hour Sunday relaxation’ YouTube video kind of lad. He also really likes soundscapes and he has a couple movie soundtracks he listens to a lot
Weather: unsurprisingly, really into rain and will get pissy if it’s cloudy with no rain for too long
Other stuff: generally not fond of overly floral or sweet smells, bad with but very fond of children and a reader of a lot of different things with a huge soft spot for magical realism and soft sci-fi
📀 How easy is it to shock your OC? To confuse them? To lie to them, to manipulate them? How are they with feelings of trust? Can your OC be trusted?
Teehee very topical for him. The idea of trust is inherently a tad weird for this particular character. He is trusting but he’s never naïve, he goes along with the resets not out of misplaced trust but rather something like faith? A twisted sort of reverence?? He knows that something is going on; he’s baseline very hard to lie to, but Vermont in particular just like … can’t. They see through each other.
The times Vermont resets them without Kass’ knowledge or explicit consent are undeniable fucked up but Kass is not without agency and I never want to imply that he’s just meekly dragged along. They’re wrapped up in each other beyond repair - he knows or chooses not to know. He trusts because what else is there to do?
💚 Talk about some of the traumatic events in your OC’s life. These events can be ones that have happened to them or a loved one. These events can be minor or major.
ooh boy. I like the idea that the violence that seeps through his life is very quiet and downplayed. Where Vermont is grandiose in his angsting, the most traumatic part for Kass is the quiet and ongoing loss inherent to both immortality and memory decay
💧 What is the earliest memory your OC can recall? Do they know what their first words were or remember where they took their first steps? Do they have any mementos of their childhood they’ve kept such as a stuffed toy or tiny baby clothes?
Time is very loose for him, a lot of it muddled together without the grounding of his physical body changing much there to place things on a timeline. His whole storyteller/author thing comes out of a want to archive and remember. He doesn’t carry many or meaningful trinkets between resets but he does scratch at the itch by writing; grasping at what can’t be recalled
The only exception is probably the jewelry? It’s not from his “childhood”- he didn’t have one - but it is from very early in his existence. An amber earring in his left ear and two pendants he sometimes wears as necklaces, sometimes as bracelets
🍆 Tea or Coffee or Hot Chocolate? Sweet or Spicy? Fruits or Vegetables?
A predominant tea person who occasionally has coffee periods. Definitely spicy. A fruity guy all around
💖 Has your OC ever been in love, be it romantic or platonic or otherwise? Who with and did they ever express their feelings or keep it private? How long did these feelings persist / do they still feel this way?
❌ What kind of things would end any relationship for them? Is there a history behind why these things bother them? Could they ever take someone back despite this? If so or if not, why?
💋 How affectionate are they with their friends? Their family? Their romantic partner(s) (if they have any)? Are they more physical or emotional when it comes to displaying their affection? Why?
🌹 How easy is it for them to connect with others and make friends? On the flip side how easy is it for them to make an enemy of someone? Are they the kind of person who hangs around the food table at a party and never talks to anyone or are they the type who can talk to anyone?
🍒 What kind of things do they expect from their relationships? Does this differ between platonic relationships and romantic ones? Is your OC “demanding” or a door mat? What kinds of things do people expect from them in a relationship?
Preferences
🔥 Give us a list of general likes and dislikes, such as colours, textures, music, weather and other stuff!
🍊 What is your OC’s favourite meal? Snack? Dessert? Drink? Any reasons behind this besides liking how it tastes?
What is your OC’s most hated food? Stuff they can’t stand to eat or drink?
🍑 Where is your OC’s favourite place to relax or calm down? Recount a story of their time spent in this place! What makes it so special to them?
Is there anywhere your OC hates to go to? Anywhere that stresses them out or have negative memories of?
🧡 Who is your OC’s favourite person? Why is this person the top of their list and have they actually met them (an idol or rolemodel or celeb can be someone’s favourite after all!).
Who does your OC absolutely hate, the one person who they’d sell to Satan for one corn chip? Why do they loathe this person so?
📙 What kind of subjects (of conversation, of discussion, in school or whatever) does your OC find interesting or engaging or that they can talk for hours about? What kind of stuff do they just find fun?
What things bore your OC to tears and they couldn’t care less about? Why?
Emotions
😊 What can make your OC smile even when they’re feeling down? What cheers them up and makes everything feel better for them? Is your OC genrally a happy person and do they enjoy making others smile? What about your OC makes others happy?
⭐ What is your OC afraid of? Any crippling phobias or some such? How do they act when scared and what helps them calm down? Does anyone ever find your OC scary? Why?
🍋 Does your OC act petty and jealous easily? What sort of things make them feel like this and do they experience guilt for getting so worked up? How do they deal with these emotions when they get them? If your OC doesn’t feel like this often, why not?
📀 How easy is it to shock your OC? To confuse them? To lie to them, to manipulate them? How are they with feelings of trust? Can your OC be trusted?
💛 In general, how in control of their emotions is your OC? Do they have a good hold on them or do their emotions control them, not the other way around? What do you think is the reason behind this and is your OC ever concerned about their lack of or good control?
Mental Health
🌳 Compare your OC to themself from 10 years ago. How has their mental state changed since then, how have they aged and grown up? Would they say they’re in a better place than they were back then or do they need help? What advice would they give their younger self? What advice would their younger self give to them now?
🍏 Does your OC have any triggers? What is the history behind these triggers and are they related to any disorders or mental illnesses? In what ways does your OC react to being triggered?
🥝 What does a bad mental health day look like for your OC? Walk us through it with them. What kind of things can help them out of this slump and what kinds of things comfort them when they start to feel like this?
🍐 What is your OC’s mentality? Are they overall positive? Negative? A bit of both? Describe their thought patterns and reasoning behind their choice making!
💚 Talk about some of the traumatic events in your OC’s life. These events can be ones that have happened to them or a loved one. These events can be minor or major.
History
💧 What is the earliest memory your OC can recall? Do they know what their first words were or remember where they took their first steps? Do they have any mementos of their childhood they’ve kept such as a stuffed toy or tiny baby clothes?
🌠 Who was your OC’s first friend? Do they remember them or are they still friends now? Talk about some of the people your OC has lost contact with over the years. Do they have any regrets about losing these people and would they revist them if they could?
💙 What did your OC want to be when they grew up and why? Did they have any lifelong dreams or ambitions they never got to work on or are they currently working to achieve this dream? Has their life taken a very unexpected turn and put all these plans on hold for a while or have they given up on any dreams?
🌀 Where is your OC from? Where were they born? Do they still live there, if not why did they move? If they still live in the area how has it changed since their childhood? How many places has your OC lived in and where has been their favourite?
💤 What was your OC like as a baby, a child and as a teen? (if your OC is a teen or a child, what will they be like as an adult?). How have they changed since then? What lessons have they learned and what things about their youth do they miss the most? Do they have any general regrets?
This or That
🍇 Day or Night? Sun or Rain? Summer or Winter?
🛍️ Function or Aesthetic? Skirts or Pants? Heels or Flats?
🔮 Star gazing or cloud watching? Hand-holding or snuggles? Early mornings or late nights?
💜 Music or Silence? Swords or Spells? Cities or Nature?
🍆 Tea or Coffee or Hot Chocolate? Sweet or Spicy? Fruits or Vegetables?
Features
🌸 What does your OC’s voice sound like? Their laugh? Are they good at singing? Do they have an accent?
🎀 Do they wear a specific accessory with a special meaning behind it? What is their usual fashion sense like? What do they wear when they want to be comfortable and what do they wear when they’re going to a fancy party? Or do they just not care?
💗 What would your OC say is their best feature? Why? What do their friends / family / lover(s) / people they know think is their best feature and why?
🌺 Does your OC have any tattoos or other body art? Does their body art have any specific meaning behind it? Do they have any scars? How did they get those scars? Any birthmarks?
🌷 In what ways would your OC alter their body if they could? How would they do it using mundane means (hair dye, surgery, make-up?). What is their ideal look for themself?
as somebody who writes and generally creates very much as a casual outlet, and therefor rarely makes a proper outline for anything, there’s always something weird - and weirdly therapeutic - about suddenly realizing what a certain project or concept actually is
Like bitch you thought you were sitting down to have a relaxing time bumping your homemade blorbos together like barbie dolls. In reality you’re talking yourself through trauma you didn’t even know you had! Haha! You do know the way through and the coiled thing in your stomach drips no acid stronger than what you will eventually be able to swallow
A short little peak into the beginning of A Thing I’m writing. Everything here is a huge work in progress, including the title but I’m very happy with the tone so far! I hope you enjoy!
I
He knows he must, at some point, have been a child. He also accepted long ago that there are things he can’t recall. The unsettling feeling faded quickly, hardened into the skill of talking around, laying low. Saying yes and interesting! and how quaint and throwing his head back in hearty laughter when appropriate.
At times, he manages almost to trick himself. Look at me, he can think in the middle of a staff meeting, looking suspiciously like a man who has a before. It doesn’t bother him like it used to, doesn’t even come close.
He has so much they don’t. He has a tight stairwell to maneuver up when the day is done, a keyring he likes the feel of between his fingers. He has thick skin on the right parts of his palm to carry grocery bags without discomfort. He has a couch and kitchen cabinets where only one of the doors won’t close easily. He has a beautiful man sitting on the couch or wandering around his kitchen or, on rare occasions, coming home after him up the stairs with a rhythm to his step he’d be able to recognize anywhere.
He has the quiet plan to one day, when it feels right and the want finally swells into something undeniable and pressing, find a ring that’s lovely without being ostentatious and ask a question he already knows the answer to.
He sometimes thinks it might have been a fair trade. How many people get to have this substantive an after, a from-here-on-out? He reckons that if he had the resources to trade, he would have given away every hazy childhood friend and knowledge of where and when he ever studied history for this.
He also has the dreams, though he’d swap those for the memory of a mother’s face immediately.
He dreams and his dreams are the color of amber and elation.
There is a woman at his door and fire laps at her feet with winter storm insistence. Her skin crackles and reforms but there is neither the sharp tang of burned flesh nor trace of pain in her features. “How long yet?” she asks with a voice that echoes and distorts.
His mouth opens and the dream hiccups, the words he feels like a physical thing crawling from his throat, distorted beyond recognition.
Her eyes are a deep purple and sadder than anything he’s ever seen before. It’s only when the heat makes them boil he notices the tears on his cheeks. He tries to forget when he wakes.
He says, “love, I had the strangest dream,” and Kassim looks up over the spine of whatever book he’s reading and the further explanation dies in his throat.
“What dream, Jamie?” Kass says, suspicion laced cobweb-thin through the words. He knows that he has failed in making the words sufficiently nonchalant. Yet another thing he has that he has at this point figured most of his colleagues lack; the bond, the streaming, the tingle between them like uneasy air over hot pavement.
He is a fine liar but disarmed completely.
He knows that Kassim doesn’t have a childhood either. He also knows that he has loved him years before he knew this name of his, from before they found their way here. Somehow.
“You know, a strange one.” he grins and adjusts how he’s sitting. Kass looks at him for a long, drawn out moment before nodding minutely.
“A strange one indeed,” Kass says all sly, he isn’t smiling in the real sense but the lines around his eyes are deep enough for it to be all the same.
Someday he’ll gather the courage to buy him a ring and ask ‘marry me’ and ‘forgive me’. He has no real idea why or what he is asking.
He never dwells, and in return is never asked to, instead he scoots closer on the couch, pushes his feet under Kassim’s thigh and relishes both the warmth and Kass’ soft sigh.
“What did you want, to be?” he asks.
Kassim looks up, pushes the reading glasses into his hair though Jamie knows they’ve slowly gone from a necessity when he’s reading to just a necessity. His mouth is wrinkled in thought. “I write,” he states though the words flow like a question.
“Hm.”
“Why?”
Jamie shrugs. “On the subject of dreams, you know? Besides, always want to know what goes on in there.” He pushes Kassims glasses down and touches a finger to his brown in one smooth movement.
Kass snorts but doesn’t fight the glasses back into his hair. “What about you? Won’t tell me about your literal dreams, what about this?”
Logically he knows he must have been a child, and by extension he knows he must have had a childhood dream as well. All experiences with children tell him so.
Nevertheless, there is nothing there when he tries to recall. Oh to know, to want fiercely to be something. He wants plenty, wants comfort and hands pressed into his and to vacuum the living room though he still doesn’t get up to do it.
“I teach,” he says instead and hopes that it is enough.
Kass smiles and he knows that it is enough.
The dream woman is bright as few things are and he wishes for the ocean of guilt in his belly to evaporate before her.
“I can’t help you here, like this.” She says and her words sound very very far away. He knows that he wished to name her a liar and he knows himself too cowardly to have ever done so. Her hands are steady and her feet planted solidly. She never did cross the threshold. “Don’t.” flame like a halo wrought around her shoulders, “Please, let this one be the last.”
His face is a snarl but he knows he can’t touch her, not like this. The heat is new and ancient and beyond him.
He dreams of the house that once was theirs turned to smoke in his lungs and vows never to wait again. It is sweet and bitter like caramel left on the stove too long.
Wanted to draw something cute of Kass and Vermont for halloween, but I’m stumped for costume ideas by the knowledge that they themselves would attempt to go as something like ‘rising ocean temperatures’ and ‘the eventual heat death of the universe’ respectively
Repost from old blog, but Vermont at different times in his existence. Though it’s been a lot slower (and less linear) than most people, he’s generally kept to changing his appearance (while he still could) to generally progressively aging
Lore the third: What are the two of them doing now? How do they make money? What kind of place do they live in? Do they have a social circle outside of eachother?
They’ve done a lot of different things. Each resets last them about 20-30 years and they only visibly age for the first 3~ ish years of that (it’s usually not noticeable until a couple cycles have gone by), so after a certain amount of time they do run into kind of a Twilight ‘we have to move away’ situation or somebody will start to ask questions
Vermont is typically very academic when it comes to jobs, beginning of canon cycle he’s a history professor teaching at university level. Kass has a knack for language that survives the resets, he picks up a lot of translation jobs and of course, is and has historically been a pretty prolific children’s book author (though of course under a lot of aliases)
The only real consistent factor for housing is that it is always very private and just the two of them. Vermont is messy and Kass loves himself some knickknacks
They do socialize, but they can be pretty weird? Even when they’re basically mortal, there’s an off vibe to them. Like somebody with a little too much charisma, somebody a little too much
Lore the second; When they do the reset, how much is forgotten? Just the past few mortal years? A full lifetime? Eachother? Their knowledge of themselves as other worldly beings?
They retain only the most basic situational memories. They know their names, the rough circumstances of their current lives (a vague sense of ‘I am a carpenter’ or something). They also retain a sort of basic apprehension to anyone finding out they do this? It’s not spoken out loud but they both emerge feeling distinctly like no one should be able to notice there’s something off about them. And they remember each other being important.
They do not remember being in any way magical, and if they consciously try to recall a lot of things from before it’ll be that fuzzy ‘just on the tip of your tongue’ kind of feeling
The first couple of weeks after a reset are definitely stressful but not as much as you’d think. After a couple loops there’s definitely a vague but persistent feeling they’ve survived something like this - without being able to name what ‘this’ is - before
The ask box is open I am now pestering you for lore
Lore the first how did Kass and Vermont meet? How long ago was it? How old were they? Gimmie as many deets as you have prettiest of pleases
The askbox is indeed open (thank you)
Okay so as a preface for this, I’d like it to be known that this is extremely loose as most of the story I’m interested in telling with them hinges on the context on them doing their magical conscientious objection - and what that means morally?
That said, they met a long long time ago and were at the time basically different people? I’m toying with the idea of having them just be full on ancient, primordial even, having no definitive start in any way that matters
So I’d imagine they’d met a couple of times over the millennia? Without ever really paying that much attention to one another, at least not until the dawn of mayor civilisation where they started having very similar interests- mainly people watching. If I had to pick a canonical entangle point for them, it would be something like Baghdad juuust around the time of Muhammad (600AD) where they probably did a very standard ‘loosely part of the same social circle making big eyes at each other at gatherings’ and slowly figuring out if the interest was just because they’d clocked one another as mayor players in the magical world, or because there was mutual attraction (the answer was both)
It’s only when they start resetting and living parts of their lives without magical influence that they started visibly ageing. Before that they could pretty much shapeshift. The forms they had now are also very like what they preferred to look like before - though Vermont always looked younger than Kass, sometimes by a whole lot
