Why Are

Oooh taking off nikto's mask thoooo

when you saw nikto's face for the first time, it was on a balmy night. you were deployed to a small section of the middle east, hunting down one of zakhaev's groups. but it'd been so, so long, and even a man such as himself, one burdened by the need for revenge, can only wait for so long.

so, you set up camp for the night.

you traded cigarettes with one another. he had the cheap, crude kind-- the sort that you smoke only to take the edge off. (really, you only liked them because his chapped lips touched each one before he passed them onto you.)

you still remember the look in his eyes. he was magnetic, this character that disturbed you but drew you in with every little quip and brooding look. there was-- is-- something about him that you just can't shake.

the night set in, and after smoking for quite a while, you both got into the tent. it was small. if a strong wind came through, it would've knock it down with the two of you in it. but you weren't nervous, not with nikto around.

he always wore a face-covering, often a mix of fabrics and tactile material. you knew of the campfire tales from your rookie days of what he endured, of how zakhaev tortured him, each story more exaggerated than the last. you don't really know what happened, you just know it was bad enough for him to always hide behind a mask.

like a fool, you asked him about it. and he answered by turning around, presenting the clasp to you, daring you to release him from the measly pieces keeping the mask together.

you did. your fingers hesitated before undoing the clasp, but you did it. he did not flinch-- he wasn't bluffing or trying to prove a point. he just let you do it, and you weren't sure of why. maybe it was because you were alone, or that he liked that your mouth touched his cigarettes, or maybe he just wanted to give you something to write home about.

was he beautiful, or ugly? was he "atrocious" and "blighted by scars?" maybe. maybe not. this character that people formed, that he played into, was not all it was made out to be. he looked just as tired as everybody else, just as sullen. you saw him as andre that night, not just nikto, the man who kills and terrorizes.

i just commissioned another artist for more self insert art and now i am eating kimchi

man, i hate mondays

my 7 year old ipad is running out of space but anyways the artist has sent me updates :33333

thank you dear malrows and nikto 😭😭😭

Ode, this is a favorite Gromsco!

thank you buddy @enigmaue for the tag! i love this kind of personality quiz :3

no pressure tag: @vxmpyree @koeni9in @milkteaarttime @simp4konig @madstronaut and anyone else who would like to do this :3

here it is, the only personality quiz that matters: what vegetable are you?

i’m starting this, i’m tagging @sunsetskylane @shatterthefragments @branches-in-a-flood @vamprlestat @alkalineghoul @bubacorn @stellasplendens please i want to know lmao

ever since i was 11 years old i knew i wanted to bleed out on the snow

Krueger notices how nikto now rests the weight of him gun against his chest as he takes his turn to sleep during his lookout shift.

He's trying to replicate the weight of your head resting on his chest.