You'd think Dennis would find this funny, wouldn't you?
Housesitting for your boss, when one day a dirty magazine arrives in the mail. Oh how hilarious. Now Dr Robby not only owes him a favour, but Dennis now has something funny to tease him over too. Fantastic. Trinity will piss herself laughing.
But that's not what happens.
Dennis immediately drops the thing out of shock, shouting "shit shit shit shit shit-" in a progressively panicked tone.
Because this, this, is the magazine that, back when he was extremely desperate for money, he did a boudoir style shoot for.
He never thought about those photos again after they took them. Until now obviously. But now all he can think about is that his boss/friend/crush might have seen him like that.
Arms above his head, with his jumper riding up, and his nipple peaking out.
Oh god Dr Robby might have seen his nipple.
He also tries to shove down the unhelpfully hopeful thought about how Robby is subscribed to this magazine. This magazine that this is very much targeted towards men who are attracted to other men. Dennis has to actively stomp down that giddy internal monologue squealing "I have a chance!"
Because that is ridiculous. No matter what this subscription might suggest, there is no way someone like Robby would want a relationship with him.
As far as he could tell, from overhearing Princess and Perlah's gossip, all Robby's previous 'relationships' had been with women. All the ones serious enough to be known about at work anyway. This must just be some fun that the man enjoys privately? Right?
The thoughts become even harder to shut down when Robby starts casually phoning him at his rest stops.
"To check how things are going."
That's what his attending says he's doing anyway. But over time the calls have morphed more into friendly chats than practical discussions about the house.
Asking more about what music Dennis likes and what it was like growing up in Nebraska, than about if he remembered to take the bins out or if any of the neighbours had asked after him.
These chats flowed both ways obviously. Dennis learned a lot about Robby too. From how he liked his eggs cooked, to how he sung and played bass in a very shortly lived rock band in medical school.
Robby was momentarily horrified when Dennis managed to find a grainy camcorder video on YouTube of "The Flu Fighters" performing in a crowded bar sometime in the 90s. He also blushed when his resident complimented how good the performance sounded. And laughed when Dennis screeched out "IS THAT DR ABBOT?!" mid way through watching the clip.
It was, the night shift resident was on vocals, and at one point had his leg (not yet a prosthetic) propped up boldly on one of the amps, strutting like a peacock at someone in the front row of the crowd.
So given how 'close' they had gotten, it only felt natural when eventually these chats turned into video calls.
Their talks usually took place after Dennis' shift, so this way he could make himself some dinner, without the need to sandwich his phone between his shoulder and the side of his face. It was much easier just propping 'Robby' up on the worktop so the older man could watch Dennis potter around the kitchen prepping and cooking a stir fry while they shared details about their day.
It makes the house feel less big and empty. And good lord Dennis definitely notices the difference on the days the Motel's lack of wifi stops Robby from calling.
Robby jokes skeptically on one of these calls that Dennis "probably hasn't managed to keep any of the houseplants alive". That he was expecting to come back in just over a week to "a barren wasteland in colourful pots".
To which the younger man became very mock offended. Because as he pointed out, he is "an excellent plant foster dad, thank you". Proving his point by taking Robby on a tour of the luscious, green, and thriving beauties.
Though when he goes to show off the Monstera by the front door that was now actually starting to flower, Robby suddenly goes white as a sheet. Dennis taps his phone at first, thinking the feed must have frozen given how still and silent his boss had gone.
He scans the room for what may have panicked Robby.
Oh god. Did he fuck up somehow?
Did he trek mud in on his boots?
Did Trinity leave a liquor bottle laying somewhere?
Did the mail pile look too mess--
Oh shit
The magazine. It was clearly visible on the entry way table right next to the plant.
Dennis hadn't known what to do with it, so he'd just sort of left it there hoping it would disappear like a bad dream. But if the thing arriving here in the first place was a bad dream, then this was a nightmare.
Just as Dennis is about to start a frantic diversion onto another topic, Robby waterfalled out a thousand apologies.
"Fuck! Shit Dennis I'm so fucking sorry. Shit fuck I thought I cancelled the damn- "
"Robby?"
"-fucking hell- Dennis I cannot apologise enough, this was a total overstep-"
"Robby."
"-of boundaries and I completely understand if you want to swap shifts or-"
"ROBBY!" He shouted. Which finally made his attending stop babbling, didn't make him look any less frantic though. "I-It's fine, honestly! You have nothing to be ashamed of. There's no need for me to swap-"
"Nothing to be ashamed of?!" Robby cutted in again, "Dennis I don't know how stringent HR laws are in Nebraska, but an attending subscribing to a magazine because they saw a picture of their resident in an issue of it is so far beyond the realms of-" Robby cut himself off as he realised what he'd let slip. The chief hid his face behind his hands and let out a long sigh turned despairing groan.
"W-what- you- how did-" stuttered Dennis
Robby sighed much lighter this time. "Jack bought me one copy of it. As a joke. A 'funny' Christmas present after I came out to him as bisexual"
"Oh.. I, didn't know you were bi,"
"Honestly? It's a fairly recent thing. Well, recent in proportion to the rest of my life, I guess..." Even over a video call it was clear Robby was looking anywhere but him. All this talk of sexuality very clearly still made him a bit nervous.
"Well that's, ok? You know?" Dennis tried his best to be comforting. He hadn't exactly had many positive coming out experiences to base this chat off though. "There's no timeline for these things"
"I didn't even know I was on a timeline. I've only ever liked women. I'd never even looked twice at a man like that until I met-" Robby cut himself off and shook his head
"Until.. you met..?"
Those deep brown eyes returned to Dennis.
"You."
It felt like time stood still. Surely he can't be hearing this right, could he? That's impossible.
"Why would you say that?" Replied Robby with a furrowed brow
Oops, Dennis had said that last part out loud it seemed.
"Dennis, you're... you're amazing. You're smart, and you're funny. And you're somehow both handsome and adorable... How could I not start to like you?" His attending's kicked puppy expression returned. "I can only apologise that you've been saddled with an old man fawning over you like this..."
"You're not old! Well, you are- I mean, you're not that old, er, I don't mind that you're old? Or the fawning. Because I am too! The fawning that is, not the uh, old... Yeah"
Robby's face was a mix of shocked eyes and a tiny hopeful smile.
Meanwhile Dennis tried his very best to be brave. "So maybe when you, uh, get back, we could? Fawn? Together?"
The attending smirks at the unintelligible waffle of cuteness "Whittaker. Are you asking me on a date?"
"Yes. I think so. If you want to. Or er, would like that or- something."
"I would like that."
"That's great!" He shouted, unable to curb his enthusiasm. "Ah- yeah that, erm that would be cool" Great save Whitaker, flawless.
Neither of them spoke for a while beyond beaming like smitten teenagers and playfully telling the other to "piss off".
I completely forgot to post these designs I made at the beginning of November last year. The final versions you see here were finished in March of this year and… I lost the folder. How shameful. How predictable. How… human.
Presenting Carl, Donut, and Mongo from Dungeon Crawler Carl, one of my favorite book series.
REWARD: You get to look at this artwork for as long as you want. It grants no EXP, no loot, and absolutely no tactical advantage. But maybe it’ll give you epilepsy. Lucky you!
And yeah, there's more. Much more. I designed several characters from the books, and I'll be sharing them in future posts.
NEW ACHIEVEMENT: THE LOST FOLDER.
You found artwork several months after it had been finished. +1 Organization. (That's a lie. You're exactly the same.)
You found artwork several months after it had been finished. +1 Organization. (That's a lie. You're exactly the same.)
Carl is notoriously not looking for someone in the Dungeon. primarily because he's busy trying to blow up the galaxy, but also, may i present you:
Carl is scared that the AI would take that someone out if he ever took interest in anybody, so he shoves his feelings for people down scared that they could be in danger if he didn't
no bc why these horror "fans" are so eager to say things like "i was TRAUMATIZED" "this movie gave me PTSD"
especially with movies like Obsession where the actual topic is about SA and consent... like are you fr. do you have to make a mockery of actual horrible things that happen to people... what is so wrong or lame about saying "hey this movie was scary" or "this movie is good"... is it necessary for you guys to be saying it like that...
carl who spent his life feeling alone and desperately craving connection but not having it. carl who loves and cares deeply but after his mom never really had anyone who loved him back. carl who realized how much he needed connection after the world ended and he found it in a found family. carl who found hope and comfort and determination in the cookbook and considered the authors his family, his brothers and sisters, before he ever knew that they'd been watching and knew he was theirs. carl who spent so long alone but now he has donut and safehouse yolanda and the authors who are as much his as he is theirs and as much family as safehouse yolanda. carl who holds so much love and care for so many people from so many walks of life and corners of the galaxy. carl who unites them in his determination and his anger and his compassion and his vengeance.
I do in fact see a comment so stupid and insane I can hardly believe it. Look, there are absoutely criticisms of DCC, but to say it isn't political and cultural satire is just admiting you have no reading comprehension. Out loud. On the internet. For the whole of Tumblr to see.
I'm rereading book 1 and I'm realizing just how early the themes of the book start. The humor is crude and juvenile, but that doesn't change the satire. (I'd argue that one of the most famous satirists also used crude and juvenile humor to make his point. Go read Gulliver's Travels if you don't believe me.) I just.... are people really unable to think critically about what they read? It's not even like Dinniman is being sublte about it.
it is important to me that everybody knows DCC is woke.
like DCC is SO WOKE.
like DCC is WOKE WOKE.
like if you don't get that it's woke after the first boss fight, you're definitely not reading the same book we all are.
I'm the type of person that would google that Spanish sentence to know what it means, and you're the type of person that didn't cared for it because you just wanted to say "oh yeah i read that book". fuck you.
behold, the ubermenschfisch
as per usual the superior genes of the fascist party have been greatly exaggerated
my headcanon is that not only are the kua-tin very small, they are cartoonishly doofy looking in comparison to the huge stone carvings the crawlers first see, like it's just some bloom propaganda to make them look powerful
Everytime Donut mentions something about what the public is saying, we should have a twitch stream chat layout of her in whatever situation she's in. There should be funny easter eggs in the chat. and a lot of meowing.
2. Shining Eyes. ALL. THE. TIME.
Everybody should have flashing eyes from time to time. Specially Donut, she *must* have sparkling eyes. All the time if possible. Obviously maybe not over the top, but it's second nature in the Dungeon, so it MUST happen.
Most of the time, it should be something in the background that isn't really talked about. It's normal for people in the Dungeon. It's not a surprise after the third floor. Everybody has "eye" flashing at least a couple of times per chapter.
3. Pony
Pony should absolutely NOT be CGI'd. it should be a random boy with a goat mask on. like on Chillin Adventures. special kudos if it's a fursuit type of mask that they can operate from the inside to blink and move the mouth.
4. POV Hub
at least 2 times per episode, we should see Carl's Hub. his inventory, the views spiking, some chat he has open and his general chat list. specially when he's doing something like writing to a friend or wtv.
5. Goofy sound effects
I put Scott Pilgrim as an example but it could also be Into the Spiderverse coded. like:
tell me that's not absolutely adorable and so full of personality. i need them. the level ups and achievements specially.
I just want a campy, really really campy tv show. I know some of these are definitely not going to be done, but it'd be nice to have at least the flashing eyes as a running gag.
i really love DCC and i just want for peacock to give it personality and whimsy and to not take away the topics it revolves around. i think the DCC series could become a staple in the book-to-show, if done right.
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