Artfight attack for @winzormancer of their hollowknight oc Valisha.
This was so fun to make! Never made art for hollowknight but I enjoy how this came out. I fell in love with this oc's design and used her for a lighting experiment <3
βKilljoy has passed out at her desk again, and Cypher reminds her it's okay to rest.β
Not sure who is interested, but this was written after a conversation I had with my brother. I hope you enjoy <3
(this is platonic, shush. Also forgive me for errors, English is my second language!)
The hum of the servers was the only sound left alive in the lab.
Monitors flickered faintly against the shadows, reflecting lines of code that had long since stopped moving. Empty coffee mugs sat like silent witnesses around the workstation, and the faint smell of solder and burnt circuits hung in the air.
Cypher stepped inside quietly, his gloved hand brushing the doorframe as it closed behind him. His boots made no sound against the tile, a habit formed from years of moving unseen. Heβd meant only to check the lab, make sure the night systems were running properly before heading to his quarters.
Then he saw her.
Killjoy sat slumped over her desk, chin resting on her arm, her hat askew, glasses sliding down the bridge of her nose. A faint snore escaped her, soft and uneven. Bot parts scattered across the desk.
Cypher tilted his head, a quiet sigh escaping him. βAh, little engineer,β he murmured under his breath, voice warm with amusement. βYouβve been at this for far too long.β
He moved closer, careful not to startle her. Her wrist twitched faintly, even asleep, she looked ready to reach for her tools. On the desk, a small drone blinked weakly, its battery light fading to red.
Cypher shut down her workstation with practiced precision. The room dimmed, leaving only the amber glow of one lamp and the steady hum of machinery. He hesitated for a moment, then gently rested a hand on her shoulder.
βKlaraβ he said softly, his tone barely above a whisper. βΨΨ¨ΩΨ¨ΨͺΩ, wake upβ
She stirred, mumbling incoherently. βJustβ¦ give me five minutesβ¦ almost doneβ¦β
βNo, no,β Cypher chuckled quietly, shaking his head. βYou said that five hours ago.β
He gave her shoulder another gentle squeeze. Her eyes fluttered open, unfocused, glazed with exhaustion. And for a moment, she blinked at him, confused. βCypher? Whatβre youβ¦ doing here?β
βSaving you from yourself,β he said simply. βCome now, youβll ruin your neck sleeping like that.β
She tried to sit up, but the motion made her wobble. Cypher caught her easily, steadying her with one arm. βCareful,β he murmured. βYouβve pushed yourself too hard again.β
βI had to finish the calibration,β she protested weakly, words slurred by fatigue. βThe new signal relay wasnβt syncing, and...β
He gave a soft, patient hum. βAnd it will still be here in the morning,β he said. βCome on, up we go.β
With surprising gentleness, he helped her to her feet. She leaned on him instinctively, too tired to argue further. Cypher guided her through the corridor with slow, steady steps, the kind of care that spoke more of experience than sympathy.
He remembered doing this once before. A long time ago, with someone smaller, someone who used to fall asleep at her homework desk with the same stubborn spark in her eyes. The memory tugged faintly at his chest.
When they reached Killjoy's quarters, Cypher pushed the door open and guided her to the bed. She sat down heavily, eyelids drooping.
He helped her out of her heavy jacket, then draped a blanket around her shoulders. She blinked up at him, still half-asleep. βYou didnβt have to do all that,β she mumbled. βI couldβveβ¦ made it on my own.β
βYou could have,β Cypher agreed. βBut I was here. So you didnβt have to.β
That silenced her. For a moment, she only looked at him, the edge of embarrassment fading into a small, tired smile.
He adjusted the blanket one last time, brushing a stray lock of hair from her forehead. βTry to rest properly,β he said quietly. βThe world will not collapse if you take one night off, yeah?β
Her eyes were already closing. βThanks, old man,β she mumbled, barely audible.
Cypher chuckled under his breath. βOld, perhaps. But not deaf,β he teased softly.
He waited until her breathing evened out before standing. On his way out, he turned off the light, leaving only the soft glow of the window.
Lighting study I decided to use Cypher for after I was inspired by a song. I really wanted an excuse to draw him though lol
I've never actually painted a sunset before(A sin as an artist I know) so it was a fun challenge honestly. Simplified the background a bit compared to my original sketch.
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