Drawnby27emilys

You guys have no idea how excited I am to finally talk about Red Death Riding by @wheel-of-fish. I’m usually not one for ongoing fics, but every update I saw floating across my feed pulled me in a little more, until I finally caved and started reading. And wow. That was an excellent decision.

Red Death Riding is a highwayman AU, and easily one of the most unique alternate universes I’ve read in a long time. The use of the Red Death costume is something you almost never see carried over into AUs, yet it works so well here. Highwayman Erik is roguish, dangerous, and SO GODDAMN ATTRACTIVE, with flashes of gentleness that you only catch from time to time. And this Christine is one hardened by life on the road, sharp-witted, and one of the few (or is it the only one? lol) Christines that would hurl a knife at Erik. Their clashes and banter are so fun to read, and when the enemies-to-lovers dynamic is layered with shared history and forced proximity, everything hits EVEN HARDER. The tension builds chapter by chapter, simply waiting for the perfect moment to snap. In addition, familiar names like Reyer, Meg, Sorelli, and Jammes all have meaningful roles within the camp, each character feeling fully realized through their interactions with Christine and one another. This is a story none of you would want to miss out on, I can promise you that.

When I was creating the Polaroids and frames for RDR, I was studying abroad, and I think the European setting unlocked a new kind of inspiration for me. These are some of my favorite frames I’ve ever made, and honestly, I’m very tempted to keep drawing more as the story unfolds (especially since other RDR enjoyers have already been nudging me for more art 🤭). If you’re not reading this fic yet, take this as your sign to JUST READ IT.

Frames below the cut:

As she looked deeper into his eyes, she noticed something she hadn’t seen before. It was so obvious she wondered how she hadn’t noticed it sooner. They were empty, devoid of any trace of the man she’d once known. There was no darkness, no sadness, no anger, nothing that made Sato the passionate and spirited soul she’d come to care for. Instead, his eyes were filled with stillness, tranquility, and light. Like she was looking into a calm, clear pond—beautiful and untroubled, but utterly lifeless.

And she understood, without even questioning it, that she was looking at Sato as he might have been. A perfect Jedi Knight, who’d never been hardened by war, never felt the betrayal of his kind, never known years of loss and despair. Their adventures together were not forgotten memories to him; they’d never happened in the first place.

And that was absolutely devastating. It was so devastating, she felt like her heart was about to shatter into a million pieces.

Fantomestein update!

Real doozy of a update to be working on during the unexpected loss of a family member…had to take a little break and draw only silly/happy things for a bit.I’m doing ok though and not tempted to throw myself in the wind, thankfully. <3