Kloktober Day 1: OTP

Kloktober Day 1: OTP

Happy Kloktober. I'm here to start it off with the OTP.

Summary: The final day at Camp Rock-A-Roonie, and Toki can’t get his mind off his camp counselor 

Tags/warnings: one-sided magtok pining

Read below, or read on Ao3 here!

It was the final evening at Camp Rock-a-Roonie. Last night’s concert had gone without too many complications, and after Dethklok’s arrival, DVD sales of the camper’s concert were the highest they’d ever been. Most of the attendees had long since packed their musical instruments, and those who weren’t already on their way out were busy congregating with their families, eating hot dogs or chili burgers, or making the most of the remaining sunlight to catch the last of the warm rays or cool lake water. A few fans had tried making it their life’s goal to locate and get autographs from Dethklok, but aside from Toki Wartooth, most of the members had disappeared, having driven off in their tour band overnight before anyone could capitalize on the situation. 

Toki remained behind to complete the rest of his camping experience at Rock-A-Roonie. As with his usual escapades, the guys didn’t quite comprehend his reasons for wanting to stay behind, certainly not after learning about the bullying that took place throughout the weekend. Nathan had just the mind to drag Toki into the tour bus upon seeing Magnus Hammersmith, but Pickles ultimately allowed it, figuring once Toki had it out of his system, they could all move one from this stupid camp.  

With the sun beginning to set, Toki could easily conclude that he had tired of the camp. After singing a few several dozen guitars and posing with campers for photos, he was eager to call one of his servants forward and demand for them to call forth the Dethbus. The only reason he hadn’t was for one simple reason: he had yet to speak with Magnus.

After last night’s crazy events, Toki was consumed with the idea of befriending Dethklok’s ex-member. The man had selected him to be in his pretend band, protected him from Ludwig and his no-good punk friends the entire weekend, and even saved his life. It wasn't something Toki would ever forget. It was normal for everyone to be peachy with him, the famous Toki Wartooth, but Magnus had looked after him even before he removed his disguise, and once he revealed his true identity, Magnus refrained from being too clingy or uncouth. Quite the opposite, Magnus remained his usual stoic self; only now, Toki would catch him sharing a knowing smile whenever they made brief contact. What exactly it meant, Toki was still unsure. Perhaps Magnus was just as surprised as everyone else to know Toki was more than a beginning guitarist, or maybe the smile was his way of letting Toki know he wasn’t going to drool over him and ask stupid questions? Whatever the smile meant, the occasional friendly stare wasn't enough a form of communication, and with the sky darkening, Toki was increasingly more anxious to locate the old guitarist before the camp officially closed for the summer. 

He sat by the pier, watching families gather in the parking lot before driving off the campsite, and Toki counted each one off, until all that were left were a few sparse vehicles in an otherwise vacant lot. One of the klokateers approached and informed him that Nathan and the others were waiting for his word to pick him up. 

“It’s getting late, Sire.”

“Tells them I needs five more minutes.” Toki murmured out his answer as his eyes narrowed and honed on someone exiting one of the finer cabins. He studied the figure, squinting past the golden rays that were obstructing his view, and could just make out the round curves of Magnus’ guitar case. Toki brought his knees closer to his chest, and he nervously began chewing the flesh of his inner cheek as he monitored Magnus’ smooth movements. The man looked so cool just walking. Something about the bounce of his hair, the streaks of silver hairs or his belt buckle that glowed under the orange sky, the sharp contours of his face and distinct outline of his nose, and even the way his heels hit the grass,  made both Toki extra eager to speak with Magnus, but also terribly nervous. What could he possibly say to a man so confident, who had everything in the world? Silently, Toki followed Magnus’ stride, until he saw him slow and stop at an old, beat-up car. With swift movements, he unlocked and began stowing his guitar into the backseat, and Toki realized that his dreamy staring was eating away at previous time. 

He leapt from the wooden deck, pushing through his servants and picking up his pace to reach the campsite’s open field. From afar, he saw Magnus close the door to his old car to return to his cabin. So there was still time! Toki maneuvered over the deconstructing stage, jumping over pieces of metal and fixtures in order to reach the empting lot. He ran, pushing fellow campers and fans alike, until he reached the old clunker. Minutes later, he saw Magnus returning to drop off more of his personal items, and judging by the stuffed suitcase, Toki had reached him just in time. 

“Oh, hey Magnus.” Toki stopped to bring his hands down to his knees. In his hurry, he hadn’t any time to relax, much less think of something to say to the older man. One look at Magnus, and the heat from his running over failed to annoy him in comparison to the sudden rush of nervousness. 

“Hey, Toki.” Magnus’ voice welcomed him as he continued to regain control of his breathing and thoughts. Even the way he talked was cool! Upbeat, but also commandeering and…kinda gravely? 

Toki swallowed a few deep breaths, then, after wiping a fine line of sweat from his brown, bounced up and approached the man as he raised a hand and unlocked his car with his car keys. “S-sups? You, uhh, good?” 

Toki watched Magnus place his suitcase down. A warm smile spread across the older man, capturing Tokis attention and threatening to remove the line-up of casual conversation starters his mind had hastily devised. “Yeah, I’m alright,” Magnus replied, his complexion and composure calm and undisturbed. It made Toki jealous. “I’m actually just about to hit the road,” Magnus continued, pointing his thumb to the old car behind him. “I’m surprised you haven’t left yet.” 

“Oh noes,” Toki said, snapping upright. His neck warmed and the palms of his hands began to shake and itch with sweat. Unsure of what to do with them, Toki placed his hands on the side of Magnus’ car. “I wanted to gets to hangs with all the friends I made before I leaves.” 

“Uh-huh.” 

Magnus tossed his suitcase into a messy trunk partially filled with old clothes, crumpled paper and plastic bags. Toki blinked as a wave of dusty air struck his face. He swallowed another thick ball of air as Magnus slammed the trunk shut. His faded denim jacket caught some of the flying dirt and sand, but most of it continued to rise and settle across his bare chest where, once it was noticed by Toki, was impossible to ignore. Even when Toki finally managed to drag his stare from the older man’s chest, there were other things that distracted him. The long, bristly beard. The slight dent on Magnus’ belt buckle. His one rich, brown eye. 

How did such a neat guy end up getting kicked out of Dethklok? Until last night, Toki never paid much attention to the band’s history. Pickles and Nathan had their fair share of warnings, but surely whatever went on between the men couldn't have been too serious. otherwise, they wouldn't have let Toki remain behind, right? Did any of it really matter? 

“Something wrong, dude?” 

Toki caught Magnus peering at him with an odd expression. “Huh?”

Magnus pointed. “You keep staring.” 

A blush exploded across Toki’s face and ears. “Sorries. I just… I was wonderings…”

“Yeah?” 

Had his stares been that obvious? The thought made Toki want to drown himself in the lake, but Magnus’ funny smirk and the way he stood in front of him, holding himself high as he leaned against his car with his arms crossed, kept Toki’s shaking legs glued in place. 

A cool, evening breeze swept past them, and the chilly air helped soothe Toki’s nerves. That, and that knowing smile returning to Magnus. 

“I knows we just mets and alls,” Toki started, and to his surprise, Magnus nodded along to his trembling words, “But since we got along so wells dis weekend, and since you saved my lives–thanks again, by the ways.” 

“No problem, Toki.” 

“W-well.” Toki dug his heels into the dirt before stiffly shoving a hand into his pocket. He shakingly pulled out his phone which, once it was freed, gained a significant amount of weight in his unsteady hand.  “I was wonderinks if you’s maybe wanted to hang outs some times?” 

Toki heard the cracks in his voice and inwardly winced. In front of him, Magnus was unchanged and difficult to read. Doubt hurried its way into his head, and Toki frantically searched for a way to better interest the older musician. Then, before he could process the thought, he added, “It doesn't haves to be with just Toki; I can brings Dethkloks along, too! We cans all hangs out togethers, if you prefers.” 

Magnus’ curious stare broke into a smirk. Toki’s legs wobbled at the prospects of his offering possiblying being rejected. Because why on earth would an old rocker want  to hang out with someone like him? Magnus probably had better things to do than spend his afternoon hanging out with someone as silly and easy to pick on as himself. 

“You know what?” Magnus rubbed the bridge of his nose with a finger and thumb, then chuckled. “I’d be down for that…but I don’t know about inviting the others.”

“Huh?” 

Magnus drew closer. The ends of Toki’s eyes strained as his stare widened at the incoming figure that appeared so giant before him. 

“Not to worry you, or stir up any drama,” he continued, and because they were so close and Magnus was so tall, all Toki could do was lock his eyes with the lips forming each word, until they broke into a low chuckle. “Well, call me presumptuous, but I personally think you and I would have more ... fun if it were just the two of us. Agreed?” 

Toki was sure he had just about had a heart attack at the suggestion. 

Just the two of them? So, Magnus liked him back? He thought he was equally cool and worthy of being friends with, possibly more? A ticklish sensation bubbled up from Toki’s stomach, into his throat. He saw his vision blur a moment, then saw Magnus’ warm smile reenter this foggy mind. Just like last night, Toki thought, and he had to bite his tongue to keep him from laughing or getting too excited in front of Magnus. 

Last night, his mind returned again. Something special definitely happened last night. 

“Well?” Magnus then asked, and he opened his palm in front of Toki. 

“Oh? Oh!” Toki saw his moment opening before him, and as he outstretched his clammy hands, he fumbled and nearly caused his phone to slip from his shaky grip, but he still managed to keep it long enough before placing it into Magnus’ palm. 

Toki swallowed the second he felt their fingers collide during the transfer, and held his breath as he watched Magnus punch in his number. Another cool breeze flew between them, but Toki could hardly sense it through the gathering heat around his face and chest. When did it get so warm, he fretted, but his worries vanished when he suddenly felt the back of  Magnus’s steady hand brush against his face. 

Then, his Dethphone returned into view, and with his mind at a blank, Toki picked the dangling phone before him back into his trembling hands.

A rush of cool air blanketed his face once Magnus broke contact. “See you soon, buddy.” 

Still at a blank, Toki brought a hand to his cheek, feeling Magnus’ gentle imprint seep from flesh to flesh, and reignited the butterflies in his stomach. “Uhm, see you’s,” he said back, his voice now harboring the shakiness that had controlled  his limbs. Thankfully, Magnus didn’t hear it, and had returned to packing the rest of his belongings into the car. 

If it weren’t for that knowing grin of his, Toki might have assumed everything had happened in his head. But it happened, and Magnus confirmed it one last time as he stared out the window and flashed Toki one last playful smirk before driving off. 

Toki smiled, and remained so long after the dust trail in front of him began to disperse, and the sun set into the trees, leaving behind only the glow of his phone’s screen swaying excitedly in his hands. Once he lost sight of Magnus’ car, he lifted his phone and, with a bashful flash of his teeth, stared at the recently added contact on the screen. 

The Dethbus made its return about ten minutes later, picking up a stupidly happy Toki before making its own dissent into the woods. 

Sometime during their drive down the highway, Pickles caught him, still starry-eyed and wearing the cheekiest smile, and commented, “What’s got you all giddy?”

Without tearing his eyes from the screen, Toki answered, “Nothinks.” 

He couldn't explain it, but he knew this was the start of something very special.

It only took five years, a video about System Shock, and one piece of rad music, but suddenly I understand the commission of Morgan Yu from Prey I did in 2018! XD I am...randomly fixated on this game I can't play. Thank goodness Markiplier did a playthrough.

The commission in question, for long time friend I still think of as Dazz but I think they go by something else now? I see a few ways I would do this differently now but I like how I did Morgan's face and hair.

It only took five years, a video about System Shock, and one piece of rad music, but suddenly I understand the commission of Morgan Yu from Prey I did in 2018! XD I am...randomly fixated on this game I can't play. Thank goodness Markiplier did a playthrough.

It me, I am the friend. Thank you all so very much for doing this and for adding to it if you do. When Jaydee sent me this the other day I legit burst into tears, it means so much that anyone would do something like this for me. I haven't listened to everything yet but last night I listened to some Jaydees doggo borks and them and their brother playing Mario Kart and it got me out of a bad spiral long enough to get some sleep.

The Human Voices Project

So I have a very very dear friend who has been blind since birth. They're actually pretty good at being blind-- they have a Masters in Eyeball Science, live independently, and make amazing art (by pressing their face so hard against the drawing surface to see it that they used to get sores on their cheeks!). They have also gone through a lot of shit-- some of it, but not all, due to being a disabled trans person-- and though they have been trying their hardest to keep a smile on their face, they live in a place where they have few in-person friends, accessible social spaces are hard to get to (or don't exist, or cost too much), and sometimes they don't have the energy to go out at all. They use a screen reader to hang out on tumblr and on discord etc, but one time, after a DnD session over voice chat, they told me that it was always so quiet in their apartment after the session was over, and that it was nice to hear real people talking. That stuck with me. Last week I started asking friends and family to record themselves talking-- about anything. My older brother and his wife told funny stories about crazy things they'd done. My friend who loves the circus arts described a particular act that they loved. Dad told a story of his own, and Seb and I recorded ourselves trading banter while he played Mario Kart. People read stories, read poems, described what they saw while on a jog through their neighborhood. A whole bunch of people, just talking, so that my blind friend could listen to a real human voice whenever they wanted-- not a polished podcast, not a sponsored youtube video, but a regular person.

I uploaded this first batch of audio files to a google drive folder and sent it over to my buddy. They loved it! They downloaded all the files to their phone so they could listen whenever they wanted. And I thought, there must be more people who want to tell stories about their lives, or talk about their favorite subject, or read poems that mean something to them.

If you have a way to record a digital audio file (most smartphones and tablets have a native recording app) and would like to participate in the Human Voices Project, you can send an audio file to thehumanvoicesproject (at) gmail [dot] com.

Guidelines: mp3 is the *preferred* format because it'll play on most devices without having to have a special app. If you send me something other than an mp3 I can convert it, but I would appreciate it if you converted it on your own.

most subjects are okay; the only thing that's absolutely a no is talking about or describing guts, innards, or viscera. Try to *avoid* explicitly describing abuse (of anyone, including animals), and if you're reading a story or poem, let me know if it's in the public domain or not so I can make sure to put those in a different folder.

you can introduce yourself if you want but you don't have to.

the recordings I've gotten are usually between 3 and 5 minutes long, but I also recorded myself reading a short story at 20 mins, and a friend talked about not knowing how to swim for 90 seconds, so any length is fine.

Right now the google drive folder containing the audio files is private. I might make it a public thing someday, but as for right now it's still a thing for my friend, to fill up the silence and brighten their day. Thank you so much to the people who've already contributed, and thanks also to all those who'll contribute in the future!

"You can't ship that!"

lol what are you gonna do, climb inside my mind and shut off the imagination switch?

Me: Oh I'd never ship Magnus and MMA together, or have any sort of Metalocalypse OC, it's just not my thing. Also me: (has half delirious fever dream about their daughter)

Just goes to show that your past is not your future. XD