Learned FireAlpaca and drew my favorite flesh-stealing clown! >:3
Building up from that idea of Martin being technically blind because his glasses keep fogging up, Martin can easily sense people's presence based on how lonely they are
Jonlias week day 1 <3
I'm just thinking about like...when did Jonah fall for the Eye?
We know he must of had some form of power around 1924 when Barnabas got banished because he decided to watch him, he wanted to see what would happen.
Did he gain his powers around the time he established the institute? Maybe he was already an avatar before he met Smirke, and he used Smirkes research to feed himself and the Eye. I got no clue.
Maybe we'll get more backstory to Jonah in the magnus protocol. Perhaps a statement from himself, instead of his story being told from an outside perspective. I think that's why, out of all of the TMA villains, people hate him the most. His story is the one we don't hear. His side of things, what happened.
TMA is a story about choices and the lengths people will go to achieve some ounce of power. Why does he want power and immortality. There must be a deeper reason. All avatars struggled and felt so deeply that they became the thing that both haunted them and they relished in. So why did Jonah become an avatar. Just because he was an obsessive academic? Because he was an elitist snob? There has to be a deeper reason, people!
...Anyway, this won't be my final ramble about Jonah. There's so much more I can say about him
Spoilers so under cut just in case.
A little snippet. A taste. A morsel of my new AU/Fic
HI TUMBLR I HAVE SOMETHING TO SHARE! I give you my first real contribution to the Storm Singer AU/FIC!
I've got a plan to write a bunch of things I want to see and then weave them together into a fic to put on AO3 so right now, all I have is disjointed snippets, but I've decided to show you the entirety of this scene I'm just calling 'At Dawn - Jmart' in my docs because I suck at naming things! I hope you enjoy!
Also: If you want to follow this project as it develops, I'm going to tag all things related to it with #The Storm Singer AU! Also Martin is He/They and Jon is He/It! Bear with me as I learn how to write and place different pronouns!
ANYWAY, HERE YOU GO!
(This is unedited, but I think its still pretty good.)
AT DAWN
---
The sky was still strewn with stars when Martin quietly packed his bag and crept out of the house he shared with his father. The streets were sparsely lit with lamps, many of them having guttered out in the early morning gloom. Martin found themself invigorated as they walked down the winding streets towards the bay, its waters reflecting the light of the moon overhead.
His heart was thumping but he felt light and sure of himself as he walked along the boardwalk towards the beach. Twice, he found his gaze drawn upwards towards the heavens, and all the mysteries that resided there, out of reach, in the sky.
Stars so old they'd watched the rise and fall of empires, of dynasties, and of families. Martin's grandfather, and his father before him, sailing under the same stars, and across the same sea. There was something so breathtakingly awesome about that.
But if they stood there gazing skyward and wondering about the universe and their place in it, they'd be there for hours. Martin dropped his bag onto the soft sand and went to retrieve his rowboat from where it was hidden beneath the pier.
The tide was eager, and so was Martin. He gathered his things back up and climbed in, and began his journey out into the dark waters.
For a while, there was no sound but the quiet splash of their oars as they rowed themself into the night. The wind blew lightly, and the temperature was just shy of chill, but Martin didn't mind.
Once the city of (Name pending lmao) was reduced to glittering fireflies on the shore, Martin stopped rowing.
Their little boat bobbed up and down gently on the waves and they were consumed with the feeling of being so very small. The sky undimmed in the hours before dawn, was an expanse they would absolutely lose themself in if they had the option.
But he'd travelled out to the bay in secrecy for a purpose. And after taking a steadying breath, Martin started to speak.
The words were nothing special, at least he'd say so. Their aptitude for poetry always felt middling at best, but right now, it wasn’t the prose they were focusing on, but how they spoke it, how their voice ebbed and flowed like the tide, tone and nuance rising and falling like the water that surrounded them.
Martin was waiting for something, and he didn't have to wait long.
From below the waves came a strange glow, ethereal, almost beautiful. It rose gracefully, brightening the water like an aquatic, silver comet, tail and all. He dared to dip his fingers into the light and it dimmed the sea to blackness once more before a long fingered hand slipped into his from below. Martin's heart gave a dizzy lurch and he gasped as Jon's head surfaced from beneath, long dark hair liquid in the night. His eyes were luminescent green and reflected the moonlight as he stared up at the human he'd been hoping to see.
"Hi," Martin breathed.
Jon smiled, and let go of their hand to haul himself up the last few inches and chastely kiss Martin's lips, careful not to upset the boat. The contact was expected, and yet Martin’s body trembled with nerves and thrilled at the sensation.
"I-I didn't know if you'd come," he said in a rush as soon as the siren had drawn back. Jon let out an amused sound in the back of its throat. "Likewise. I assumed... you'd had enough adventure for one lifetime."
Thankful the night hid their blush, Martin coughed a little.
"Yes, well... sharks."
Jon's arms crossed over the edge of the boat, rocking it a little as he sighed and rested his chin against them. "I wouldn't have let them harm you. All denizens of the sea answer to the storm singer. They were just curious about you. You are a curious thing to us, Martin, can you blame them?"
Martin giggled nervously and the sound was pitched high in a way that made Jon smile indulgently. "Next time-" he began but Martin let out another gasp. "Next time? You want a next time for me swimming with sharks, Jon?"
Jon rolled his green eyes skyward and then continued as if Martin hadn't interrupted. "Next time, I'll introduce you to a less inquisitive species."
"Oh, I'm sure that will make all the difference. They're sharks!"
Reaching out, Jon poked Martin. "And you're a human and I'm a mer, I'm so glad you've learned the differences between creatures," it deadpanned.
"Jon."
"Martin~"
Martin threw their hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright, you win. I guess I'll have to swim with sharks the next time I'm out here. Are you coming up?"
Onto the boat, was what they meant and Jon's face crinkled up under the moonlight in a way that made its markings dance as it laughed silently. "If you had a bigger ship, perhaps. As it stands, if I put any more weight onto your flimsy hollow log, it's going to turn into kindling and you are going to drown. Again.”
There was definitely truth to his words, Martin could spy Jon's long tail coiling and drifting in the water. It was powerful and hypnotic to watch it undulate. The silver patterns all over it were dim tonight, but they knew that was because Jon was relaxed. It made them feel good that Jon could let his guard down around them.
"Well, come up a little bit," they cajoled. "Please?"
The siren arched an eyebrow. "Another kiss?"
Martin hmm'ed gently. "For a fish, you're really good at it."
"For a fish??"
Jon's aghast and affronted tone had Martin giggling again. "Ah-! Ahaha.. you know what I mean! Fish- fish person? You know I didn't- Whoa!!"
The rowboat rocked so suddenly, Martin unbalanced, but Jon's hands had them, cupping both their cheeks as he pressed his lips hard to theirs. Oh.
Martin's heart did a funny little flip flop and they were pretty sure they made the most embarrassing noise against Jon’s mouth. Still, Jon kissed them like he was hungry, all lips and tongue and a little teeth, though Martin never bled, a testament to how gentle Jon was being with them. When he was dizzy again, that was the moment the siren released him, steadying him and the boat as it slipped back down into the water next to it.
"Oh." Martin said, intelligently, trying to herd his thoughts back to coherency. "Th-That was..."
Jon licked his lips. "Enough compensation for me not being in your arms right in this moment?" There was a satisfied purr in his voice.
"Y-Yes," Martin said, nodding. "Definitely."
On the horizon, a band of brighter sky quietly made itself known, gently pink, not red. Jon turned his head to glance towards it. "Dawn," he said, voice soft. Martin hated the resigned tone of it. "Stay with me?" they asked, no, begged, reaching out to take Jon's hand and hold it. "Until the sunrise?"
There was conflict in the beautiful siren’s eyes as it looked between the imminent break of day and back to Martin's hopeful expression. But then, Jon sighed, squeezing the human's hand. "Of course."
Martin smiled and they both turned to watch the sky get brighter, the stars slowly fading out, a beautiful blue colour overtaking the darkness, followed by pure light. Martin squinted his eyes painfully as the sun rose in all its dazzling glory, spilling liquid gold across the world, but one look at Jon stole their breath away and made them forget how much their eyes were watering.
Jon’s deep brown skin glittered, not with water droplets, but minute flecks of scales catching the sun and reflecting it back. His eyes and the pale strands in his dark brown hair shone fiercely too, and in that moment, Martin understood how humans of yore had worshipped beings like Jon as gods for eons. It was indescribably beautiful, and Martin's inelegant, poetic ramblings could never capture the emotion in his chest when he looked at the man he loved. And then the moment was over, and Jon turned his head back to Martin, eyes a little sad. "I have to go now. You understand, don't you?"
Martin did. Jon was hunted, for its crimes against the people of the city and the crime of simply being what it was. As much as they didn't want to let that hand slip from their grasp, they knew they had to.
"I'll come back," Martin promised as Jon pulled away, fingertips lingering on their palm. "And you can show me as many sharks as you'd like."
Jon paused, eyes glittering with something that Martin didn't want to yet classify as love. It wasn't his right. Nor did he think he was worthy of it, not when he was keeping so many dangerous secrets from him.
"Is that a promise?"
Martin grinned, his own blue green eyes shining. "On my honour, I will pet all the sharks. I promise."
The skin around Jon’s eyes crinkled when he smiled, and not for the first time, Martin wished they were a visual artist instead of a wordsmith, they would have loved to capture that expression, those eyes in that face, and preserve it for eternity.
"Goodbye," Martin whispered, and then Jon disappeared beneath the water with barely a ripple and was gone.
A gull cried far above him and Martin let out a shuddering breath, blinking away sudden wetness in their eyes. After a silent moment of composure in the warm sunlight, they picked up their oars and began rowing for home.
Listen up!
You see a post like this? Where OP might hurt/kill themselves? You hit that button that I circled
Hit that.
Click Suicide or Self-harm Concern
Yes.
Fill in the rest of it, and hit submit. The "content you reported" will fill itself in
Tumblr will follow up and help them.
Warning: this is only for mobile. If anyone knows how to do this for desktop, please add it!
This could SAVE SOMEONE'S LIFE.
YOU HAVE NO EXCUSE NOT TO REBLOG THIS.
I DON'T GIVE A FUCK IF IT DOESN'T GO WITH YOUR BLOG'S THEME.
And yes, REBLOG. Liking does no shit at all. This isn't ig.
You reblog, people see it. You don't, people don't see it. This shit's that simple.
This could save someone's life. It's not a joke.
This isn’t some ‘oh yeah sure it could’.
This could legitimately do so.
Don’t you dare fucking scroll past.
You mad lads did it, so as promised, here’s my DTIYS celebrating 250 followers! (Well actually 261 at this time ☺️)
Please tag your entry under #LanternDTIYS
Deadline is June 30th
I will draw the winner a full art piece
(I’m not imposing restrictions yet, but if the piece demanded is too complicated or inappropriate I might need to discuss alternatives)