Void. 20's. It/Its/They. DID Sys. Side account, follows/likes from my main. Aroace-spec multishipper - if the dynamic is interesting I'll check it out, but I have pretty clear preferences.
Coiner of Temperance Duo, Absolution Trio, Holy Wound as well as a few other names. Korean v!Abolish Veylocke truther /lh. Mainly posting Hermitcraft, POWCreations, Whitepine, and dabbling in Lifesteal and others
CC Mains: AbolishRegret, XBCrafted, Welsknight
My AU's & Fic Ideas
In The White Pine [hiatus] - Vampires crossover with Whitepine with a heavy focus on the ship Firelocke. Abolish is sent on a mission posing as a potential client for the Hemlocke family. As he stays at the estate he must find out who Mysti's killer is, what keeps making people disappear in the woods, and how he feels about this reincarnated version of Pyro.
The Fighter Still Remains [active]- Fighter Wels forced to retire after a brutal beat down by his rival Hels. Wels flees to New York trying to hide away all while rebuilding a new life and leaving his past behind him. Things change for the better after he meets some friends at his local gym. Based off the song The Boxer by Simon and Garfunkel.
Cicadas Screams [active] - Wels and the other Hermits have to face the consequences that come from 86 days of isolation on the human mind. Wels learns maybe he isn't doing as well as he once thought, and the Hermits learn what it means to truly break a knight.
[Banners by @/taag-the-withering]
Discontinued AU's: Doglike Devotion, A New Vein, Matchsticks
[ VSMP Blinkies by @/lungmold, Hermit Blinkies by meloodyxx]
Candlelight, Paperwork, and the fact it never seems to end. A continuation of this.
Content Warnings: Missing a Coworker (lies, they're friends at this point), You need awareness of @stellar-collective's Matchstick AU, Corporate Intrigue, Patronage, mentions of violence, mentions of blackmail, overworking, possible dehumanization, mentions of killings
"Well, it seems like you're more capable than I give you credit for, Candlelight. To think you managed to find a way to get over Weaver's head to fix that roadblock." Rubble stared at the blonde operative standing in his office as she lowered her head. He placed down the files on his desk with an amused smile on his face.
"I wouldn't be alive in Zoraxis for years if I don't have some skills, sir." She gave him a subtle smile before tugging at her brown coat she often wore on conferences. "I'd rather not rely on that repertoire whenever I can. It's... much safer for me if not many people know the extent of what I can do."
"Well, I find it funny. The way you run circles around them is something part of me wishes... I suppose it's far too late to think about the past. We're already here."
Her grey eyes only looked at the desk filled with tiny trinkets on top of Rubble's office. If the tiny candy jar on his desk gave her some joy, she's not gonna admit it. Especially not openly.
As much as curiosity wanted her to dig deep into whatever is going on with Rubble, she knows knowing too much can kill anyone in this industry. Her tiny stint with a certain Scion already told her enough.
Knowledge is a blade. As much as it can be used to protect oneself, it can easily wound the hand that holds it. And unfortunately, people knowing how many blades you own is a certain way a majority of them will end up deep in your back.
"There's something on your mind. Is there something that I need to know about, Candlelight?"
"Nothing. It's just... it's a bad time this time of month. You know how it is. Zor is upset about recent events and things got even tighter. Since I'm 'new' to the positions, everyone's been keeping an eye on me. One mistake and..." Candlelight looked at Rubble with a pained smile as she let her hand free from the brown coat. The room still feels unfamiliar to her, despite visiting it more times than an average operative.
She's only there because she's useful. Someone who can be used up. The care here only extends to as far as she is able.
"It's always been like that, isn't it?" Rubble leaned back, watching the operative in front of him look away as she took in a deep breath.
"It is what it is, Sir. Besides, what makes you think I'm not trying to look pitiful in front of you to get sympathy?" She shrugged, only to chuckle slightly. "I wouldn't do that, right?"
"Be careful on your way back to your floor, Operative. And make sure to cover up your neck. They will notice the foundation."
Candlelight put a hand on her neck, taking a deep breath. "It mostly faded. Besides, I don't think they will be back until a few hours later. I just overreacted."
"Will they find out?"
"No. I try my best to make sure they don't get openly associated with me. Or you. We already have enough cliques in this place." She tucked her brown coat in closer, making sure to bury her neck into it.
"Go back. You've been here long enough."
Candlelight stared into Rubble's brown eyes before turning aside and walking away. "See you around, Sir."
The door shut behind her. It was a good thing his office remained fairly avoided by most of the operatives. However, anyone might notice she'd been there more often than the average operative, even more for someone in admin such as herself.
Foundation on her neck was wiped away in the women's restroom, a task that required a fair bit of stealth from Rubble's office. The cream felt sticky as she wiped it with a damped handkerchief. The mark has nearly faded away and barely poked out of her coat collar.
It was probably Weaver's doing to assign her to the conference immediately after that incident. Then again, it is the role of the patron to protect their client. Just enough time to let things heal over so no one can really prove Weaved laid a hand on her.
She'd rather not think about anything related to that arrangement right now. After all, thinking about Rubble only leads her to Matchstick.
It's better to get work over and done with. Being gone in the field didn't excuse her from her responsibilities, after all. It just piled up on her desk, with some superiors thinking she needs to handle it immediately, like she didn't just head out.
Her fists were shaking as she fought the urge to gasp. It's not the time to get angry. Not right now.
She doesn't have the privilge to explode like Matchstick. And she might never have it.
Words can be a leash and many hold her collar. And she said so many things already.
Her office remained as desolate as it was. The melted candles serving as a memorial for those killed by the machines she worked on, and now the projects she helped approved stick to her like it melted on her skin. The candy jar remained sealed. The stack of paper left on her desk is bigger than it should have been, even with Matchstick and Scion's workload added in.
She sighed before taking her seat and looking at the stack. Sort the important ones, the urgent ones, the routine ones. Figure out the critical papers first.
Think about the growing headache later. Ignore the nausea. Avoid staining the paper with tears. Her visions' swimming in flashes of dark and light. Ringing floods her ears.
"Candlelight? Are you there?" Matchstick's voice stirred her up, only for them to pause when she started squirming.
"... Matchstick?" Candlelight looked at them, only for her vision to fail her once again. The wind in the back of her ears tell her they're moving.
"Did you pass out from overworking again?" Their tone was pointed, and despite her closing her eyes, followed by a glare.
It took a lot of effort to hold back from pulling on her coat. Getting their attention on it would be a terrible idea.
"I came to your office and you weren't there. There was a 'on the field sign' on it. What happened?"
Candlelight didn't say anything, moving her head down to cover her eyes with her hair. "... Yeah. Don't take me to medical. I just need... a nap. Or two."
There were a few seconds exchanged between them before they put her down, a hand outstretched to catch her if she stumbled.
"You're an idiot who can't take care of yourself."
"I know." She gave Matchstick a wry smile before leaning on them slightly to get her bearings. "... Do you think this will end soon?"
"What will?"
"... I don't... know. I just... I sometimes wish things... didn't have to be like this." Her voice remained small as she tried to say it in between breaths. "I'm... definitely more tired than I thought."
Tag List for the Matchstick AU: @pandagobrr, @phoenix-and-found-family, @warden-draws-sometimes, @ghostlystarwanderer, @agentpheoness, @agent-nor, @silverdragon889
Here's 38 based on @stellar-collective 's Matchstick AU! I finally drew him after all this time XD
The image is supposed to look rough to mirror how rough 38 feels! In this timeline he dyed his hair black and hardly speaks beyond maybe one word or a sentence.
If you want the song I played on loop while drawing this, look up Stupendium's "House Always Wins" and THAT'S the vibes.
