Actions

Work Header

just can’t keep hanging on to— (i depend on you)

Summary:

dēpendeō

Latin
Verb
  1. to hang down, from, or on
  2. to wait for
  3. to be dependent on or governed by
  4. to depend on, to be derived from
Etymology
From dē- +‎ pendeō (I am suspended, I hang)

Wikitionary


Ewan and Logan “I Went To Market” argument redraw in the style of the recently viral art meme I Depend On You.

Notes:

Oh look, I’m back on my bullshit with these two! (Can one be back on one’s bullshit if they were never off their bullshit in the first place? 🤔 Enquiring minds want to know! 😜)

*I* just couldn’t keep away from this still, and knew that I wanted to do something with it sooner rather than later. The other night in a moment of brilliance, I remembered the art meme, and everything fell into place! 💙💚💛🧡❤️

More details about my inspiration and process in the End Notes.

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

You know we can get away
Because I’m calling your name
Every day, I feel this pain
But you just turn and walk away, no

I just can’t keep hanging on
To you and…


ALT
just can’t keep hanging on to— (i depend on you), 2025, mixed media (acrylic ink, watercolor & colored pencil, soft pastel) on paper, 12 × 18 inches. (full size)

Touch me and then turn away
And put your hands into the flame
Tell me if you feel this pain
’Cause I don’t wanna be a ball and chain, no

I just can’t keep hanging on
To you and—
I just don’t know what is wrong
With you and me

Lyrical excerpts from Hanging On © 2011 Active Child / 2012 Ellie Goulding

Notes:

Read more about the meme that inspired the composition and color palette here: What Is The ‘I Depend On You’ Meme? The Viral Controversial Art Getting Redrawn On Twitter Explained

My brainworm yarn map took me from the meme title, to the latin etymology, to the titular lyrics from Hanging On, originally by Active Child. I’m familiar with Ellie Goulding’s 2012 cover version from Halcyon—which, in case you haven’t noticed by now, is the Roycest album.

Wait, Darkness, you said Roy-cest?! Indeed, I tagged both versions of the relationship here because these two will never not be amperslash to me. Although *I’m* certainly imagining these two [redacted] after this moment (See my recent fic… 😏), it remains open to platonic interpretation, and a spectrum of every hue in between.

But, back to the song, it opens with a sort of scat singing (I will not make a pun, I will not make a pun, I will not…) wherein the artist vocalizes the phrase You and backwards; it just so happens that and backwards is… DNA. 🧬 Likewise, that very You and literally sounds just like… yeah, I know right?! 🤯🤩 Especially followed by the languid, longing pause between it and the me.

Speaking of distance, as I was adjusting the still to serve as my reference, I repositioned the figures more closely together—as they ought to be, obviously! I did a very loose digital sketch that I printed out and traced onto my paper, but I generally worked the figures in an impressionistic style. In a reversal of my typical process, I used masking fluid to leave silhouettes and painted the background before addressing the figures. The elements of building up, hiding behind, and peeling back layers felt extremely appropriate for these two. 💕