AU - Nayana and Koan Live

Kinda makes it sad

While almost everyone looks very happy here, I've gotta say, Natani looks kinda dead inside. Compared to how he's normally drawn in the comic (with pupils and eye highlights, like everyone else here), his eyes appear hollow and dead. And it's not because of the brain link with Zen, cause that never happened in this timeline. This is because the life he's living is a lie. He's trying to conform to what his family and society expect of him and can't do it, because he's not a she. As sad as it is that this timeline never happened, the one upside is that Natani actually gets to live.

These were heated discussions on a serious background on an somewhat inappropriate platform. I am confident that the outcome would have been more satisfying for everyone if we had had them in person with a beer or two in our hands. I think very few people here will change their position and that's not my aim: I'm not a missionary. But I hope that some of us have perhaps been given a little food for thought. Just my two cents in the hope of a conciliatory conclusion. I think it's important to stay open minded and keep the conversation going, even on such controversial topics.

I can see Nat becoming a really good farmer. She got the drive to be in the shape for that hard labor.

So then the question remains how did Nat get brown eyes? Does that come from her father?

Koan: [takes out a pistol] I said, "Find one." Natani: (gulp)

Attempt at an image analysis. When I saw AU - Nayana and Koan Live for the first time, I commented “Heartwarming”. Now there's the color version and also based on the discussions here, the “simple comic image” has been on my mind quite a bit. Yes, grandparents and grandchildren are heart-warming. But next to them is Natani. He's the only one who, from what I can tell, is wearing typical Wolf-Keidran male clothing (see also Koan in Nat's memories on page 1226 of the comic) and the eyes speak volumes: I don't think Tom drew empty pupils here by accident. While a family idyll is shown here, Nat is on the sidelines, somehow not a part of it (although I think he's a very good uncle to his nieces and nephews, without perhaps being able to use the word in this AU). And: thoughtless words from loved ones hit the hardest. I now think that Alaric's picture of the closet fits much better than I perceived it at the beginning. And if I've learned anything from the sketches and the comics, it's that Tom rarely leaves details to chance. One interpretation and certainly one of many possible ones. But I would like to thank Tom as an artist as well as Alaric, Lago24, puugu and many other co-discussants (but also my daughter and her boyfriend) who have given me an insight that was initially foreign to me, but now seems quite natural if you want to treat your fellow human beings with appreciation. As Alaric wrote: “Well written characters can speak to people like this does” - if you want to listen and have some support. What do I always say? I write too much.

I think Natani has a bright future in front of her. She has a full, loving happy family and great potential. Of course this likely means that the universe has to compensate by having some other poor random Keidran Family and village be destroyed. Karmic balance

Good work Tom 🥰🥰🥰

Beautiful scene! Lots of joy, and some sorrow. Great art makes us think. Well done!

The sad look on Nat's face, oof. I remember those days.

Do wolfs not have willies

A big happy family!

Rogue 'Zenny' spotted! xD

Offhand I'd say that both of the guys married up. Maybe Natani will accidentally find herself far from home and meeting a short Basitin who's looking for his long lost fiance and find herself strangely attracted to this long eared guy.

Ten minutes later, Keith stumbles up to the fence. He is dusty and sweaty from the road, desperate for food, and half-delirious from thirst, barely able to articulate a plea for aid. Natani: "DIBS!"

Poor Natani, his eyes look even sadder in color.

Beautiful scene, beautiful characters, sad it's not the true timeline. 'coz everyone just happy & thriving,was it should be, no shenanigans in sight. Well done Tom ~ 💖

Guys please no war in the comments 🙏

This is the timeline where Nat teases Zen about his girlfriend instead of Zen teasing nat about Keith.

This turned out great. Amazing job. 👍

Nayana has heterochromia? That's a nice detail, great drawing Tom!

This came out beautifully, but I must again note how bittersweet this AU is. Nat is living an internalized, personal hell and you can see it in his eyes. Painfully relatable, especially when you feel trapped having to live up to societal norms, expectations, AND restrictions as an LGBTQ+ individual. Not to mention, his parents.

I love this!!! Thank you everyone!!

A good family scene! Sad it's an au but still wonderful and as RemyHindle said even greater in color! But I think Nat is wrong. He'd make an excellent *parent* because love of family knows no gender boundaries!

I wonder what’s going through Nat‘s right now because of that look in her eyes? The colouring is perfect in this scene!

So cute, glad this one got color voted so fast,who would natanis mate be? Keith or someone else you think? Iam still thinking Keith, but then again these Au posts can be a bit of a fun mystery, so it could be anyone for natani, mayne a character we don't know about

i like the idea that even if natani never realized hes trans he would still be the one wearing the most clothes to cover up.

For those wondering, Zen's wife, Lilith, appeared first in 2017: https://www.patreon.com/c/twokinds/posts?filters%5Btag%5D=Lilith

That’s a good one!

A life that could've been, it looks even greater in color! :)

We need to know who zen wife is!?