Cover of the minizine, titled 'rootbound'.
On the right is the front cover. There are a number of graphics of floral themes in both a deep red purple color and a deep olive green on a yellow tinted background.
On the left is the back cover featuring credits:
writing: jibbingjibberish
art/layout: mysticdahlias
#apotynshipweek2026
and the same monochrome overlaid floral graphics to the right.
Spread 1/3 of the minizne
1 / Malice / Welcome
Something tangled in Apo’s throat when they saw him. Annoyance, hatred, all of the above. His hand to take theirs when they fell, blond hair swept in a curtain of defiance.
Something gnarled in their throat, spikes of thorns down their esophagus and a phlegm-like film.
Afterwards, they coughed, hunched over themselves in their quarters, until blood came out.
Dotted all over petals out their lips.
There is a monochrome deep purple-red sketch of Apo from the side on the left hand side, her neck overlaid with a bunch of petals, which are deep olive green colored.
2 / Disguise / Reveal
Of course she hides it. Has to. Within these castle walls, feelings are an illness, and both are weakness.
That doesn’t stop her from faltering with Martyn’s hand on her back, though, him walking her through the castle.
“How long have you been on your own for?” Martyn asks, casual, and Apo flees.
A trail of flowers follows her, the pollen in her lungs and in her bloodstream.
The middle of the spread features Apo (in deep purple red) and Martyn (in deep olive green) from the back, the latter having his hand on the former's back. The previously mentioned close up of Apo is connected to this illustration with a trail of petals in deep olive green, and they continue in a line to the right edge of the spread.
3 / Entwined / Shattered
Something in her fractures, day by day.
Martyn’s fingers slotted between hers.
The vines make her gasp and cough and break apart, and Martyn still doesn’t let go.
Spread 2/3 of the minizine
4 / Shallow / Fathom
Sometimes, Apo thinks that, if she weren’t full of plants and flowers, someone could sink their wrist into her soul and the palm would touch the other side.
Not even six inches, let alone six feet.
She used to think the same of Martyn, but his wide, citrine eyes, his soft concern at how her fits rattle her body; Apo can’t comprehend it anymore.
The page on the left is slowly getting filled by floral petals colored in deep olive green.
5 / Sunrise / Sunset
Warm rays across Apo’s cheeks. Morning.
Flakes of obsidian weigh her down, flowers scattered across their bosom.
Apo’s body withers as the flowers sprout, leaving her veins, sprouting alongside her fingers.
He does not come, and she–
The flowers, they, they make her wish he would.
A sketch of Apo in deep purple-red with her arm out, getting totally enveloped in the deep olive green petals.
6 / Alternate / Canon
There’s a world where there’s a knock on the door, and another one where Martyn isn’t deterred by no response, and comes in.
One where he looks at her, barely able to get upright, and he sees the state she’s in, and he knows what’s wrong.
And he says, “I’m so sorry, but I just don’t–” (the last line is at the very edge of the page, getting cut off)
Spread 3/3 of the minizine
(the ficlet is split between the pages)
7 / Free / Kept
But that’s not what transpires.
“Apo,” he sighs, like he already knows. But, if he does, he should be running, right?
Why isn’t he leaving, why is he drawing near–
On the left, a monochrome sketch of Martyn (in deep olive green) and Apo (in deep red-purple), Apo is seen from the back, with petal specks in deep olive green all over them, while Martyn is seen from the front, looking concerned. There is once again a trail of petals, which turn from the olive green on the left side of the spread to the purple-red once reaching the next page, on the right.
(continuation of the ficlet on the right side)
But that’s not what transpires.
“Apo,” he sighs, like he already knows. But, if he does, he should be running, right?
Why isn’t he leaving, why is he drawing near–
On the right, a monochrome sketch of Martyn (in deep olive green) and Apo (in deep red-purple), now interlocked in a kiss, the petals on Apo's face and neck fading away.
7 • (all prompts) minizine • @apotynweek 2026
writing by @jibberingjocular // art&graphics by me
#art #vsmp #vampiressmp
