#And I have gotten better ideas of the looks I wanted to convey with some of these characters

[meonlyred]

Our Lady of Sword and Faith

[retrocesosdestacion]

ALCOHOLIC LIES. | keira walsh

keira walsh x williamson!reader

genre: minor funny fluff, surprised love.

warnings: leah being made a fool, reader leah's younger sister, without many touches, not a romance-focused fic, drunk r.

notes: finally started writing again, i really wanted to write keira and r totally in love but i didn't have a better idea, soo i just made leah and r fight + defending her girlfriend. request

𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘: It's okay to date your sister's friend, right? Just keep it a secret... If you can.

“Every day I fall in love with you more and more. Except yesterday, yesterday you were pretty annoying.”

Earl E. Bird

❝ Hey, enough of that now, [reader]. ❞ Keira said as she removed the glass of alcohol from your fingers.

Reddened cheeks, sore expressive marks from the smile printed for so long and of course, the smell of the classic beer between the lips.

❝ Just one more round, please. ❞ The sly tone came out deliberately from your mouth, while you firmly grabbed one of the english's arms.

❝ Leave the child. It's been a while since she touched a bottle of alcohol. ❞ Stanway said between chuckles, also drinking.

❝ No?! Leah will kill me if she sees that I let her drink so much. ❞ It was very clear how desperate she was. ❝ And well… You know. ❞

❝ About the fact that she's going to go crazy not just because of this? ❞ The other english asked.

❝ Exactly. ❞

❝ I already said that Leah doesn't have to interfere in my life. ❞ You grumbled at your girlfriend’s negligence.

❝ Don't say it like that... ❞ Walsh was practically defending the english defender's side.

In fact, you were a little to blame for this whole situation and Keira was right. You should have told your sister from the first day you started dating.

And that's been five months.

It could even be a record, you could never keep a secret for that long. One day or another, Leah will find out.

❝ What the fuck are you whispering my name now? ❞ A mature and feminine voice rose from the beginning of the division between the living room and the kitchen.

❝ Nothing of your interest. ❞ You shout louder than usual.

Georgia and Keira burst into giggles at your sudden cheer.

The four of you were in Stanway's apartment, which was one of the main meeting points for drinks almost every weekend.

Leah and you were the famous dynamic duo of sisters, while the blonde english has a very strong personality, you are the complete opposite.

Seriously, it was actually a shock to Stanway when you took on Keira; You had gotten a girlfriend even before your older sister.

You two were also mostly known for fighting a lot; not just on the pitch. The defender is a completely protective woman when it comes to you.

Maybe because of her protective parental instinct; the fear of being hurt or even for reasons that Leah never told you.

And currently, Leah knowing about you and Keira would probably be the worst thing in the world. First, you lied to her and second, you're dating one of her friends.

❝ Gossiping about others is bad, you know? ❞ The older english made fun of your whispering to the girls, while bringing another bowl of snacks and placing it on top of the central table.

❝ I thought you said you didn’t care about other people’s opinions? ❞ You replied back.

❝ Shut up. ❞ Despite everything, Leah sometimes had a typical stupid attitude. ❝ Didn't you say you had already stopped drinking for today? ❞

Leah looked at Keira across the table, indirectly expecting some answer. After all, she was the one in charge of taking care of you.

❝ I tried. ❞ Walsh defended herself.

❝ Can you stop being like this? ❞ Your lips gestured in a sullen tone.

❝ There are two people older than you here and neither can take a drink from you. ❞ Leah was at least right.

❝ She's not seventeen anymore, Leah. ❞ Stanway opined. ❝ And theoretically it is you who should do this. ❞

Keira turned her eyes to you, eyes that conveyed the only understandable message: begging to stop drinking in Leah's company.

Pout with the lower lips, gradually turning into a short smile. Walsh's concern and advocacy was incredibly adorable.

It's a shame you can't give her a kiss in return.

❝ Okay, do whatever you want, then. ❞ The older blonde clearly didn't want to stress about the whole situation. The responsibility is yours from now on.

❝ Sheesh, you are worse than mom. ❞ You bantered.

❝ Fuck you? ❞ Leah grumbled, snacking on a snack from the bowl.

❝ You go. ❞ You countered.

It slowly turned into an exchange of insults, Walsh and Stanway just watched.

❝ You get ridiculously boring when you drink. ❞

❝ And you don't even have to touch alcohol to know that about you. ❞ That clearly must have hurt Leah inside. Mainly because of her open-mouthed expression.

Georgia tried to put an end to this. ❝ Can you two stop— ❞

❝ Get someone to be your personal babysitter before you say anything. ❞ The English defender spoke louder.

❝ I already have it. ❞ You said without thinking twice.

A regretful silence fell in the living room. And within seconds, you realized the shit you had said; your eyes almost explained.

It was very clear the reductive fear and surprise that hit Keira, especially because her face slowly turned towards you, in disbelief at what you said.

Everything went down the drain.

Stanway was different, she giggled. Because she knew exactly what was coming. ❝ Oh, shit. ❞ She murmured between giggles.

❝ Huh? ❞ It was a pretty loud noise, to be realistic. Eyebrows raised, lips half-open, Leah gradually seemed to squint, trying to understand. ❝ How is that? ❞

It took you exactly seven seconds to formulate some justification. ❝ I meant… ❞

❝ …You. ❞ You cleared your throat before saying that.

And Leah clearly didn't buy it.

❝ Shut up, liar. ❞ Williamson slowly came back to reality. ❝ Who? ❞

❝ Who what? ❞ Don't look to Keira, don't look to Keira, don't look to Keira. Play dumb.

❝ Don't act stupid. ❞ Leah replied.

Walsh kept contact with the glass on the table, touching her index finger to the rim of the glass as she begged you not to say anything. The last thing Keira would want was to die in Stanway's messy apartment.

Leah looked at Georgia. What no one told you is that Stanway can't keep secrets in front of Williamson. ❝ Did you know that? ❞

❝ Yes…? ❞ She replied.

And the defender looked at you again. Now worse, you told everyone in your social circle except Leah.

❝ You too? ❞ Referencing Walsh.

Anyone could confirm that she was very nervous. She avoided contact at first instance, and as Keira was at your side; her free fingers played with yours, anxiously under the table.

She just nodded in agreement.

❝ Why didn't you fucking tell me? ❞ Leah grumbled in her own way.

❝ Because you would be harassing me my whole life. ❞ You answered for Keira. In the first few weeks from now on, Williamson will make fun of you a lot. ❝ And you are very threatening. ❞

❝ No, I'm not. ❞ She defends herself. You were turning Leah into a children's story villain.

You looked back at Keira. The alcohol was like a river in your body, alcohol was so effective that it made you the most shameless person in the world. And you must do this.

❝ It's Keira. ❞ You gestured your lips without any fear.

Eyes wide, eyebrows raised and so scared that she seemed to have heard the worst thing in the world; what it actually had been. ❝ What?! ❞

It had been so sudden that Walsh didn't believe it the first time. You crossed your arm around her neck, bringing her closer to you.

If Leah had the onset of a heart attack, you can be sure she would have had an attack right then and there. It wasn't like she didn't like you dating, in fact, Williamson was just afraid of the consequences.

But the fact that Walsh's name was mentioned instead of someone stupid or unknown relieved Leah.

The english defender knew her, which meant she also had knowledge of her previous relationships. And to be honest, Keira Walsh was the best person to date.

However, at the moment, this information was not very useful. Especially when your field of vision only had Leah in shock.

❝ Are you fucking my sister? ❞ Williamson desperately released the words from his lips.

❝ Fucking is a very bad word. ❞ Keira murmured back.

Again, silence remained in the middle of the table. Stanway just blatantly watched the three of you argue, you hugged Walsh with one arm and Leah seemed to think about her words.

❝ Fine. ❞ Leah said with an understandable intonation.

❝ Fine? ❞ You questioned back, after all, such an attitude from your sister was the least expected.

❝ It could be worse, for example, if it were Geo. ❞ This caused Stanway to choke on her own drink, forcing the glass onto the table.

❝ Hey! ❞

Leah stretched her arms and laid her back completely on the floor, grunting, probably tired from all this.

You looked first at Stanway, who still seemed affected by the blonde's comment, wiping her mouth; your eyes moved to Keira's face, giving her a victorious smile.

Your arm used to pull your girlfriend away, slowly moving towards Walsh's long fingers and intertwining them. ❝ You was the only one who didn't know, but now everything is great. ❞ You reported it.

❝ What? Was I the last to know? Why always me?! ❞ Leah stood up so quickly that her knees hit the bottom of the table.

❝ To be honest, I was going to tell you once, but you never have patience. ❞ Keira replied. ❝ And you would probably hit me with a chair for dating [reader]. ❞ The english bantered, but there was a little truth in her speech.

❝ No, never! I just think it's funny that you started dating before me. ❞ Leah said pointing at you. ❝ Anyway, I hope you don't do anything bad. ❞ Williamson spoke in a not-so-enthusiastic tone indirectly to you know who.

Walsh was finally able to rest her face on the side of your neck, crossing one of her arms over yours for support. ❝ You've known me for years! It feels bad to say something like that to me. ❞ She murmured.

The three of them laughed, it was the typical humor of long-time friendships that you weren't used to yet.

Leah coming to terms with your relationship was a huge relief. You placed a peck on the top of Keira's head before hugging her. ❝ We should celebrate Leah not killing us… You know. ❞ You sounded like a drunk.

❝ This is just an excuse to drink more, right? ❞ Yes, exactly. Stanway was right.

Williamson rolled her eyes before pushing the last bottle of beer onto the table. ❝ Ask your babysitter for permission. ❞

❝ Leah! ❞

❝ What? ❞ The defender said between laughs.

❝She's not my babysitter. ❞

Of course, Keira Walsh no longer needed to hide behind the playful nicknames that Leah always gives. After all, she was now your girlfriend; no more secrets.

[7ndipity]

Take a Chance on Me

Yoongi x Plus Size Reader

Summary: You and Yoongi met during his enlistment and quickly became friends, but what happens when your friendship begins to grow into something more?

Word Count: 1.3k

Warnings: Swearing, mentions of insecurities and anxieties

A/N: A massive thanks to @bethanysnow for requesting this idea and for obsessing over it with me!😘 I’m so excited to work on this as a drabble series, I hope you’ll all enjoy it!

Masterlist

Requests are open

°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

‘Okay, you can do this, it’ll be fine.’ Yoongi repeated to himself, fingers drumming anxiously against the steering wheel as he waited to pick you up from work, trying to quell his nerves before he spotted you jogging across the parking lot towards his car.

“Hey, Min.” You greeted him as you slid into the passenger seat.

“Hey, Y/n.” He said, feeling a smile tug at the corners of his mouth in spite of himself, your presence alone managing to calm him, if only a little bit.

It was remarkable almost, how in just a few short months, you’d come to be such an important part of his life.

When you’d first met following his public service assignment, he’d been a bit hesitant of getting too close with anyone around him too quickly, but you’d managed to worm your way into his heart almost instantly.

He still remembered the first time he realized how much he liked you; he’d made some dry, sarcastic remark that no one else had really reacted to, unsure if he was being serious or not, but you had let out a quiet burst of laughter that had immediately set everyone else at ease. It was just a little thing, but it had played over in his head for the rest of the day.

He hadn't even known that much about you at the time, except your name, your department, and that the sound of your laugh was one of the best things he’d ever heard.

Before long, he had started finding more and more excuses to come by to see and talk to you, even if it was just for a minute as he brought some forms for somebody else to sign, eventually asking if you wanted to hang out together outside of work as well.

You’d known who he was of course, in your own words it was impossible not to, but you’d never treated him differently because of it, something he’d come to appreciate more and more as you’d gotten to know each other.

You were so bright and warm and funny, and had a way of putting him at ease that few others had ever managed, he found himself easily charmed by you, and it was honestly your friendship that had made the rather jarring shift between his lifestyles bearable, if not almost pleasant.

But more recently, he’d begun to realize that his feelings towards you had grown beyond those of purely a friend.

Yoongi craved you, he wished there was a better word or phrase to convey his feelings for you, but that was the best he could come up with. He craved your presence, your comfort, the sound of your laugh when you found something he did cute or funny. He found himself missing you constantly, even if he’d just seen you, wanting to wrap his arms around your plush figure and keep you close at all times. It was like he was addicted, and frankly, it scared the shit out of him.

“You okay?” You finally asked, pulling him out of his thoughts. You’d noticed he’d been quieter than usual, having barely spoken the entire car ride to your place, stirring up your concern for him.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I-uh, wanted to ask you something.” He started, scratching at his palms nervously.

“Okay.” You said, eyeing him curiously, making him fidget even more.

Fuck, it would be easier if you weren’t staring at him with those fucking eyes, he thought. They’d been one of the first things he’d noticed about you, one of the first things to put a chink in his armor.

He had spent the previous night laying in bed, trying unsuccessfully to come up with a more eloquent way to put his feelings into words, but as soon as he looked up at you, everything seemed to shrivel up and drift away, like leaves on the wind, leaving him with only the simplest of thoughts and question in his mind.

“Would you… go out with me?” He asked softly.

Your eyes went wide. “What?!”

“Will you go out with me?” He repeated.

“But, w-why?” You asked, flabbergasted.

“Why do you think? I like you, a lot.” He let out a huff of laughter, running a shaky hand through his hair. “Fuck, honestly? I think I might even love you, but I know that’s way too much out of the blue. I just know that I want to be with you, as more than friends, if you’ll have me.” He finished, glancing down at his feet awkwardly.

It was quiet for a long moment as you stared at him, stunned, letting his words sink in.

“I don’t… get it.” You said slowly.

He blinked, “What do you mean?”

“I mean, why me? I’m not exactly your type.”

“You don’t know that.” He interjected.

You scoffed. “C’mon, Yoongi, be serious,” You said, skepticism clear in your voice.

“I am being serious.” He said, looking at you with utmost sincerity. “You’re one of the most amazing people I’ve ever met.”

You shook your head in confusion. You’d seen the type of people that Yoongi spent time around in his line of work, and they were very different from you; thin, beautiful, perfect. Not that you didn’t think you were pretty in your own way, but compared to the idols that he was typically around, the idea of you and Yoongi just didn’t make sense to you.

“But I’m just… me.” You said, the last part coming out almost as a question, not understanding his logic.

He smiled. “That's why I like you. You're open and honest and kind, you don’t hide behind some front or mask, and you don’t put up with anyone’s shit. You’re smart, and funny, and beautiful-”

“But I’m-” Your hand went as if to gesture to yourself, but he was quick to catch it in his own.

“Hey.” The sudden sharpness in his tone caught you off guard. “Don’t you dare try to sell yourself short, you hear me? When I say you’re beautiful, I mean it.”

You bit your lip, mind racing. You wanted to believe him, but there was that nagging voice in the back of your head that kept saying it wouldn’t work, something was going to go wrong.

“I thought you weren’t supposed to date though?” You pointed out. “What if someone finds out?”

“They’ll say ‘good for them’, otherwise I don’t give a fuck.” He said firmly. “What I do outside of that building is none of the company’s damn business.”

You smiled at that, but said nothing, still thinking.

“Look,” He spoke again, this time much softer. “I realize that this is a lot all of a sudden, and you don’t even have to answer today, you can take however much time you want to think about it, I’m just asking for a chance.”

It was quiet for a moment before you spoke again, softly. “Okay.”

He looked up at you. “Okay?”

“I’ll go out with you.” You clarified.

“You will?” His eyes lit up.

“Yeah,” You nodded, grinning at him.

He beamed, letting out a relieved sigh before leaning across the center console and pulling you into a hug. “Thank you.” He mumbled against your hair, wrapping his arms around you tightly.

“I like you too, by the way.” You said.

“I was kinda hoping, given your answer, but thanks.” He chuckled, smirking at you.

“Ugh,” You shoved against his chest lightly, but he was giving you no room for escape. “You could’ve just said it back.”

“I’m sorry, I’ll do better next time, okay?” He asked, grinning at you.

“Fine.” You grumbled, feigning annoyance.

“Can I make it up to you?” He asked.

“Maybe. What did you have in mind?”

Instead of answering, he leaned closer, pressing his lips softly against yours.

[synergysilhouette]

"Batman: Caped Crusader" review

Binge-watched this show, and I wanted to be one of many people to share my thoughts on this--plus I was spurred on by getting a wish of mine granted from the show. Make sure to check out the show if you can!

The animation is beautiful--I know this is a weird comparison, but soemthing about the animation reminds me of 2010s Scooby Doo animated films, and I kind of adore that.

The voice acting was...fine--I can't tell if it was poor performances or poor direction; Hamish's Bruce Wayne sounds too raspy/rugged some of the time, like he's still playing Batman, and many of the other actors felt like they were just reading lines rather than performing lines, not enough emotion. IDK if they're more used to live-action work, but voice-acting is a different ballgame, since your voice is all you have to convey the character. A lot of performances fell flat for me, but it wasn't 100% unbearable, just underwhelming. I have some people I'd recommend instead (both familiar to the role and otherwise), but I don't wanna start anything.

LOVED Harley (but not her costume)--Jamie Chung had one of the better performances in the group, and I really LOVED the angle they did for Harley; I feel like the media often flanderizes her as the goofy crazy chick, so seeing her actually utilize her psychology skills (like I've been asking for!) is so satisfying. That said, the outfit has GOT TO GO. Gold and black is gorgeous, but it ples in comparison to her black and red look. And a weird nit-pick; when I first saw the stills, I was under the impression she was wearing a carnival-esque mask rather than face paint, and I find that idea a lot creepier. I wish we'd gotten more of Harley's antics--and even seeing her get close to Bruce in the way she did with Barbara and Renee--before revealing her as a big bad to the public. And I appreciate that she isn't 100% evil; she is doing what she believes is a noble cause, just doing it in an illegal and unethical way. I needed a backstory!

Not enough Batman--Maybe it's just me, but it definitely felt like there were some episodes where Bruce and Batman were supporting characters and more focus was on the GCPD. While I don't mind it too much, I enjoy superhero shows for the superheroes, not the heroes; this is why I had a love/hate relationship with "Gotham."

Batman (and Bruce) isn't quite likeable enough--In earlier incarnations, Batman was more kind and caring before becoming more emotionally closed off with time, but here he's that way from the get-go. Not to mention that Bruce Wayne puts on a facade around everyone, even people he trusts (he probably did that anyway; I can't remember), and his session with Harleen really frustrated me because I don't expect his walls to come down immediately, I don't expect them to be this high this early. I wanted him to be a bit warmer and transparent, rather than curt and cold like he's usually seen in the show. I feel like this is an issue often seen in comics, too; people prioritize Batman's "coolness" and thus push his feelings to the wayside.

Using underrated and familiar villains--I'm sure the real experts are gonna chew me out for this one, but as someone who got into comics in the 2010s and didn't catch up on the acclaimed 90s series, it was fun to see villains I loved and villains I didn't know; one of the best things a popular property can do is use underrated characters, since it helps the show feel original and fresh (thus why "Teen Titans" is so enjoyable; the whole franchise is underrated).

Too modern for the 1940s--I can't put my fingers on it exactly, but the vibes feel too modern; I assume the 1940s was for aesthetics, but since everything else feels updated (from the way people talk to Harley and Renee seemingly being open about their feelings for each other), I don't think it was a wise choice to have it both ways. I see no reason not to have it in modern-day, but I suppose you'd have to get more creative with technology.

Barbara and the Robins--First off, I should've gambled with someone that Jason would be a redhead; I'd have made SO MUCH money. Secondly, I'm not crazy about how all four kids are orphans; If I recall correctly, both Carrie and Stephanie's parents were alive when they joined the Batfamily. In any case, I'm confused on why Barbara is significantly older than them when they're all supposed to be within the same age bracket (I think; someone has told me otherwise since posting this, so I could be wrong). Not to mention, a part of me worries that because of the quartet's young ages and Barbara getting so much screentime as a lawyer, we won't get any of them as Robins or Batgirls unless something drastic happens, and/or we get a time jump.

Overall, I think my biggest gripes are the voice acting and how Batman/Bruce Wayne is written. That said, I enjoyed the show overall. IDK why HBO Max dropped it. Hopefully season 2 will introduce Poison Ivy, Catman, Tim Drake, Ghostmaker, and Gardener, since the finale already showed us a certain someone who IS coming to Gotham.

[flightyalrighty]

(sorry if you've gotten this before or if this is not the right kind of question for the blog)

Do you have any advice on HOW to make a comic series? From what I've seen your work is fantastic, well made and written! (Cool concepts, story, and character dynamics etc)

How did you start? How DO you start?? How do you comic lol

I'm glad you enjoy my work! I'll do my best to answer this question!

I could give the ol' "Just jump in! Get started!" But I don't think that's the answer you're looking for, here. Even if it's technically the correct one.

"How do you make a comic series" Is one of those questions where the answer is kinda difficult to summarize in a single ask, because there's a whole lot that goes into it, y'know? I'll give you a brief run-down of my process.

I figure an idea for a story. In the case of Infested, the whole story was written before I even got started on the script. This is an outlier in my usual process and I don't normally do this and definitely don't recommend it.

Figure the plot like how you would figure a regular story's plot; The beats you wanna hit, the way the characters develop, the beginning, the middle, the end. What's the point of the story? What, exactly, are you trying to convey here? Who's the target audience? All that stuff ought to be figured out before even picking up a [MEDIUM OF ARTIST'S CHOICE].

Script the story. If you've seen a movie script, these things look a bit like that. You wanna not skip this step because this is where you determine the visual language of each page. Comic script writing is a whole thing and a half but I do have some random tips regarding it. -> When writing the beginning of a new scene, write down the time of day, the weather, and any important details about your setting (this is most important if you're working in a team). -> Using storyboard/film language when trying to figure out a scene is very helpful. You're not gonna remember exactly how that scene looked in your head when you finally get around to penciling it. Trust me. Write it down. Or thumbnail it! Thumbnails are also very helpful! -> Remember that you have very limited space for dialogue. Write with that in mind.

Figure the paneling on a page. I work at 11x17 and do my panel layouts based on those dimensions. I tend to make more important panels, or panels with PUNCH or SHOCK bigger than the others. Each panel is an individual illustration, but together they make a whole piece. You gotta treat it like that, y'know? Find the focal point on a page, find the most important element of it, and make that your focal point. Don't be afraid to get a lil wacky with panel shapes, either. They don't HAVE to be squares and rectangles. Check out what other cartoonists do! Get inspired! Paneling is an art-form within itself!

Page from "Hanna Is Not A Boy's Name" By Tess Stone

5. Penciling time! Get the perspective figured out, then draw the background, then draw the characters. Do it in that order. Trust me. With a background already set up, characters can be drawn more like they exist within that space, instead of floating in front of it. Also? Be aware that comic artists need to be ready to draw ANYTHING. You may have a great idea that you GOTTA put out into the world, but you have no idea how to draw, say, a car. Or debris. Or jungle foliage. There's no shame in using references, tutorials, or even doing a bit of tracing if something's outside your wheelhouse. Here's a bazillion tutorials from two guys who REALLY know their stuff.

6. Speech Balloons! Yes, really. In fact, you may want to do this and penciling at the same time. I certainly do. It's better to figure this out immediately so it doesn't hurt you later when it comes to getting your balloons to share a space with your art. Here's some great advice on the whole subject from a master of the craft

7. Inks! Line weight variation is key. Closer to the "camera" means thicker lines. If a part of a character is in shadow, that part is gonna get thicker lines, too. Personally, I make my background line art thinner than character line art. It helps the characters pop out!

8. Flats! Or flat colors if you wanna get specific about terminology. It's exactly what it sounds like -- Coloring the characters and backgrounds with the bare bones basic colors. I highly recommend keeping the character flats and bg flats on separate layers if you're working digitally.

9. Rendering! There's no hard and fast rule as to how a cartoonist ought to render their comic -- If they want to do that at all, even. Go with what you believe looks good AND is something you can do quickly. The "quickly" part is important. Heed my warning. Don't be like me.

And then I'd schedule the comic to be uploaded on whatever day suits me -- Thursday (usually) in Infested's case.

Of course, I kinda suck at relaying my process, so the final thing I can do for you is direct you to an extremely helpful book that really breaks it down in a way that may click with you as it did with me.

I hope this was in any way helpful to you!

[theship-thewalrus]

This is My Idea || Benedict Bridgerton

benedict bridgerton x reader

based on the song 'this is my idea' from The Swan Princess

word count: 1682 words reading time: about 7 minutes warnings: none really

I can't believe I'm stuck with her all summer I bet she doesn't wrestle, hunt or box

The boy who stood in front of you looked conceited. The brown, untamable hair that looked similar to a bird's nest you had passed in the carriage. He looked rather unimpressed as his eyes scanned you, for someone so young he seemed to resemble a sour-faced mother.

"Where are you manners dear? Introduce yourself."

The voice of your father filled your eyes, causing your eyes to cast back to him for a moment. You were sure your face convey a look of uncertainty almost asking if you truly must indulge this idea. The carriage ride to the countryside had taken some time, Adurey Hall, they had called it. The best place to spend the summer, or so you were told.

"(Y/N), a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

As you bowed her head slightly to show respect there was a beat of silence. It caused your eyes to flick up, wondering what fool did not understand how to greet someone. You watched the shoulder of the boy in front of you get knocked forward, a puff of air leaving his chest. A scowl formed on his face as he stepped forward bowing his head and holding out his hand.

"Benedict."

As he took your hand in his there was a small pause again, both of you looking back to your parents. Almost pleading for them to intervene, asking them with your eyes if they were truly going to make you both do this. Yet, all that was returned were encouraging smiles. The kiss on the back of your hand was quick, you quickly retracted your hand to wipe it on your dress and him to wipe his mouth with the back of his hand.

What a fun summer you had in store.

We've tried all summer but we just can't lose her

"Wait up! Anthony! Benedict! This isn't funny!"

Three pairs of footsteps could be heard running across the floors of Audrey Hall. Maids clinging to the walls of the halls as three children barrel through. The two boys were much fast than you, something you blamed on your skirt. You could hear their mutters of each other, encouraging the other to run faster in an attempt to lose them.

The doors flung open as the trio ran outside, the boys gaining ground against you. The wooden floor you had been running on quickly changed to stone and then uneven grass, that you were sure you were going to trip over. The ground only worsen as you trailed the boys to the forest that encased the grounds. Perhaps if you were in the first under better circumstances you would not be so annoyed.

"Quick, Anthony! Before she gets here."

You could hear Benedict urging his brother to climb the rope ladder to their little treehouse. Moving forward, your fingers just missed the rope of the ladder to the treehouse. The two boys are much too fast in pulling it up and away from you. Looking up at them with an angered and displeased expression you were only met with their smug ones. Having gotten out of having to spend any time with you for now.

"You'd think she'd take a hint a learn to read."

You could hear Benedict tease, waving a piece of paper at you from his higher position. Squinting you could make out 'no girls' in scratchy words and a terribly drawn picture of what you assumed to be you.

"This really isn't fair." "We really couldn't care."

With a huff, you picked a plank of wood that stood tall near the tree. Though it seemed to be the main support of the tree house as you heard the planks of wood groan and shift under the boy's weight. Before it all came crashing down around you, boys included.

She tries to talk me into playing dress-up She's always flirting with the castle guards

You don't quite remember when you had given up trying to befriend Benedict. It was clear the pair of you simply had no intention of ever wanting to get to know each other. Perhaps if you both had not been forced together for months, since you were both young, it would be different. Now you seemed to spend your time with the Bridgertons entertaining his younger siblings, gossiping with Daphne and talking to the various servants.

It was not unusual to find yourself outside, you enjoyed the time away from the ton and in the countryside. Yet, this particular time you seemed to be occupying your time talking with a footman. He was rather young and you must admit, easy on the eyes. You sparked up the conversation with him during your walk around the grounds. Asking him to accompany you on a quick walk in the nice weather.

"Why, I did not know you were so knowledgeable on the different Flora around Britain."

Your voice was smooth as you spoke, looking at the young man from the corner of your eyes. The pair of you stood a respectable distance apart. You heard him chuckle before he answered, turning his head to face you.

"Well, miss, I tend to find myself out in the forest in my free time." "How wonderful,"

You muse a small smile on your face as the pair of you turned to head back to the manor. Though a figure in one of the many windows caught your eye. Squinting slightly you attempt to figure out who happened to be spying, you assumed it would be Daphne, the girl would want to know everything as soon as you get inside. But much to your surprise the figure was none other than the man you were avoiding, Benedict. You could not make out his face, but you could tell by his body language that he was not in the greatest mood.

I'd like her better if she'd lose at cards

Sitting across from Benedict you peer over your cards at him. There was one thing you both agreed on, and that was a love for card games. At times you had both been known to wager something, a necklace here or a few coins there. But during your winning streak, Benedict was too fearful, having already lost too much. He already owed you one of his paintings and some poetry.

You pretended to not notice Colin peering over your shoulder, trying to grab a look at your cards. You doubted he could see much or even knew how to play. You watched Benedict's movements carefully, you doubted he would suddenly win this round, you weren't worried about losing.

"Four sevens and a ten." "I think I've won again."

Your words were covered in honey as you showed your card. Displaying them opposite his with a smirk playing on your lips. You could not help yourself, it felt nice to win against the boy. Considering you could never seem to win against his older brother. Small cheers from Daphne and Eloise were heard as Benedict groaned and leaned back in his chair unimpressed.

For as long as I remember We've been told we'd someday wed

Somewhere along the years you and Benedict had figured out the reason why you were both forced together every June until September. Your fathers had been friends and you guessed they desired a way to keep your families close. Unfortunately for you, you had simply been born close to Benedict. Thus, it seemed simple that the pair of you should wed. Though it was rare they spoke about it, there were always countless hints and pushes to shove you both together.

Being pushed around in this manner was not want you had expected during this visit to the Brigdertons. You could feel your father pulling and shoving you in all sorts of directions. Your unhappy grumbling going unheard by the man. That morning you had been shoved into a rather nice dress and your corset did up so tight you were sure you were going to pass out.

I see him smiling and my knees start buckling I see inside him and my doubts are gone

You heard the door shut behind you, your father leaving you in a room by yourself. Hearing another door slam shut on the other side of the room. Casting your eyes over you saw Benedict. He seemed to change over the last time you had seen him, matured a bit more. He did seem so brash and aloof as before, more refined and put together.

You watched his eyes as he scanned you as well, realising he was not alone. Confidently you took a few confident steps towards him. Though he seemed to stumble a little at the start he was quick to extend his hand as he meet you in the middle. Extending your hand he grabbed it softly, you took note of the charcoal on his fingertips that he had not seemed to clean yet. Though you did not seem to mind all that much. Softly kissing the back of your hand he would straighten up once more. Yet kept his hand on yours, it brought a smile to your face.

"How have you been these past months?"

Your question breaks whatever trace the man was under, bringing his attention back to you. There was a pause as you watched him think of a response. Perhaps not all that much had changed since you were young, the man still needed to be pulled through conversation.

"G-Good! I've been good." "That is good it hear."

There is another pause for a small moment before he seemed to catch on to what you were waiting for.

"And how have you been?" "Well, I spent the colder months inside by the fire." "Good, good. I had painted the manor in a winter setting. I would be happy to show it to you." "It would be my pleasure to see."

This is my idea This is my idea What a good idea, it's such a charming and romantic notion.

[yeehawpim]

What's your process in making comics

And how do you make something so good with such a simple art style!? 🥺

(if this has been asked before could you send a link to the post?)

Alright so ive been sitting on this ask b/c I already know it's a long answer aflskdjf

Write dialogue/text down in my notes app Sometimes it's just me sitting there like hghghg as music plays and I stare at my phone for 10min. Usually it's 12am thinking about stuff while I'm in bed and I type some piece of dialogue down real quick. I'm nowhere near as comprehensive as comic script I've seen online that they give examples for, like there's no direction on what's happening in panels or anyth because it's just for myself and I just sort of remember composition ideas if I have them on the spot

Literally start drawing 😂 As previously said I sometimes go into comics with comp ideas already, like for this one I knew I was going to divide the page going in. Or like I know this is gonna be 4 panels and pretty static. Other stuff I fully wing it sentence to sentence because I can't bother with thumbnailing 😅 sometimes this bites me on the ass because I spend forever drawing smth I have to toss, but I've gotten better at doing stuff fast

I use photoshop, so for vertical comics I've been following this tutorial for years

Vertical comics are a lot easier to structure composition-wise for me, I started out making those because it was less intimidating

The red arrow is your eye direction as you read it. For me it's always the bottom of a page is one less boundary to worry about. You can be less precise if the reader is automatically drawn to looking down b/c they're scrolling and never sees a full page laid out. 😂 Also if I want to pace something slower/further down I don't have to worry about having to cram it in y'know?

This might be a weirdly specific thing to mention but I'm always thinking about it when I make comics because...

lol I gotta make up for being too lazy to spend more than 30 seconds drawing a character

jkjk but yeah my interests are more in slapping the story in my head on the page. I like doing compositions and writing stuff that interests me. I get tired when I spend too much time fiddling with stuff, so if I can get smth across with a rough estimation I'm happy. This does limit the type of stories that can be told cuz certain more rendered styles just work better when you're trying to convey certain things but! there's lots of things you can do drawing simply too!

there's defs more stuff out there that doesn't follow what I'm doing, lots of different styles. Eg American superhero comics are super text-heavy and boggle my mind. This is just what I like to do cuz I like reading way too much manga/webtoons lol

you don't have to be super technical to make comics! go out there and make one if you've got an idea!

if you want to of course haha

hope this explains my process a little (thank you for the compliment it means a lot 🤠🙏)

[wisp-wandering]

For those of you who don't understand Taco’s complex character, think she's a straight up terrible person, or just want to know my view on her... this is the chapter for you! I will be going over analysis, psychology facts, and head cannons that align with her character.

Let's start with copy and pastes with Ideas I've already conveyed in other media's;

(This is me):

How come nobody here actually sees II in the light of a *REALITY SHOW*. A thing that's meant to bring out the worst in people? Like genuinely it makes me so frustrated that people can't see that. Characters like Steve Cobs/Walkie/Springy have no excuse, as they were never shoved into the environment. But the Gameshow was not only nonconsensual but offers 1 MILLION DOLLARS. in the light of 2011? THATS A LOT OF DAMN MONEY. most gameshows offer 10k, or 100k? 1 MILLION IS A LOT. Just to put it into perspective try to imagine the difference between 100k and 1Mil in marbles.  the human brain simply can't process that high of a number.

Onto the psychological effects. IT CAN PUT HIGH STRESS ON IT'S CONTESTANTS. and I'm just gonna say it right now. What Balloon, Trophy, and Taco did isn't that bad. LIKE I SWEAR. PSYCHOLOGICALLY IT MAKES SENSE FOR THEM TO USE STRATEGY LIKE THIS. The only thing I'll call Them out on was their rude comments and nature after the fact, but you also have to realize it's to exaggerate their negative antagonism towards the other contestants. In a game show like that it invokes behaviours that would otherwise not be part of their character. Trophy can be seen being a better person once not in the Gameshow. Cheesy was rude as shit until he wasn't in the Gameshow, Balloon reflected on his character when he wasn't in the Gameshow, Taco— oh! Would you look at that! Became better when she wasn't in a game show! Sure she acted shitty in some cases, but that was when money was still put on the line. I'm absolutely furious people can't realize that the Gameshow invokes that behaviour. Nobody cancels people from survivor when they act shitty. In fact, they Invited the shitty people TO PLAY AGAIN??? AND PEOPLE ROOTED FOR THEM??? People actually need to look at it from a bigger perspective.

Taco has conveyed the thing I've believed and tried to communicate on multiple occasions. THE GAMESHOW BRINGS OUT THE WORST IN PEOPLE!!! The only problem is that SHE DOESNT BELIEVE SHE HERSELF IS EFFECTED SIMILARLY. She's been berated and convinced she's a horrible person, and that she needs to act the way she does because that's who she is. Taco probably thinks she deserves what she's gotten, and was always too scared to confront Pickle directly. She probably thinks she needs to have circumstance around her change in order for her too aswell, considering how she wanted to go back with the Time Machine, but, when confronted by Mepad she denied it. I feel like the plot is pointing towards a situation where she tries to save everyone, and when confronted by Microphone she breaks down and curses herself out for being a horrible person, friend, and other things similar. Microphone and Pickle. Creating a situation where they show Taco that the game made her the way she was too. That she didn't have to be the villain.

Notice how Taco never blamed Mephone directly for the shortcomings of others? Sure she did say it was for his entertainment, but never that it was his fault. She blamed the game. Something NO OTHER VILLAIN HAS DONE. She taking account for her mistakes, THINKING ITS HER. And not stressful circumstances! She doesn't understand she's not a villain, She's just *human* (or object for that matter). A living breathing being. Mistakes don't make you the bad guy.

Also saying Taco has no will to make try and apologize for the sake of others is stupid too. She clearly wants to. She REALLY does. She's scared to hurt them, she's scared she will hurt the again.

(Spoilers for a Spider-Man no way home)

Its a similar trip to what happens at the end of Spider-Man NWH, she isn't going back because she thinks she's protecting them from herself. She genuinely believes she ruins everything she touches. She tried to do so by sabotaging the challenge!

Taco didn't really manipulate Microphone—??? I know what you're gonna say. "Ohh!! Wisp! Yes she did!!!" But— I mean... Rewatching it? If she is— it's... more of peer pressure than direct manipulation??? I mean. She never forced Microphone to do anything. Applauded her input... LET MICROPHONE LEAVE? There was no guilt tripping or alienation, Direct threats to Microphone and her friends. It was more so pressure about the game. Which was— probably Taco perceiving herself as still in the competition. Needing to out smart the others to get Microphone further. Taco seemed to admire Microphone's pacifist nature after a while. And I believe when she Attacked the aliens in ii14, she acted out of blind fear, like an unexpected twist in a challenge. You could tell her initial reaction wasn't malice, it was more of a natural response. She was more protecting Microphone than anything else. Trying to get her out as fast as possible.

I myself have been through a manipulative relationship, and... While I know all experiences aren't the same.

It doesn't feel malicious. Taco felt genuine. She wants to protect others from her own mistakes and herself. She's unknowingly putting others first! She doesn't even realize it! Taco is trying to be a villain only to mistakenly be good, and when she tries to be a hero, she's mistakenly bad... I feel bad for her. She doesn't understand she... Has it right now. It's sad...

What about the situation with balloon?

Well...

She tried to convince Mic to harm him, but never threatened Microphone or herself. Nor did she try to alienate balloon to make it more appealing. Taco pointed out a situation and gave a morally Grey solution. But she never forced Microphone to go with it, she just warned her of potential consequences.

People often mistake her strategy with manipulation. When... Taco didn't really manipulate anyone. She pretended, and provided input. Knowing actions have consequences from her own experience.

Taco is experiencing the "illusionary truth effect" otherwise known as "gaslighting":

(Online statements)

—...However, repetition itself should not serve as a signal of truth, since it does not add anything new to the conversation in terms of credibility. For this reason, the repetition bias is also called the "illusory truth effect"

the fact that repeated presentation of information or items typically leads to better memory for the material. The repetition effect is a general principle of learning, although there are exceptions and modifiers

In relationships, an abusive person may use gaslighting to isolate their partner, undermine their confidence, and make them easier to control. For example, they might tell someone they are irrational until the person starts to think it must be true.

It is a psychological FACT that if one, or other's repeatedly give you information, even if it's false, eventually your mind will begin to perceive it as true. It's why bullying can negatively effect someone, or even just simply saying, "hey fatty" as a joke. Even if you're the skinniest human being on the planet, If you or another says say it enough, the subconscious will inevitably perceive it as true, despite if you know it's false. Even something stupid, like, "The sky is red." Well, no. The sky is blue. You think. But, if someone were to bash that into your skull every day. Ranting on about how the sky IS RED. You're mind will betray your knowledge.

Everyone constantly talks about her in a bad light. Say she's horrible. A good for nothing liar. She's going to perceive it to be true in the end. And she has...

Saying Taco is nothing but a terrible person, and a villain just isn't true. She's an Anti hero, anti villain AT WORST. Not to mention her childish decisions and mind sets make her seem in her teen years, as per my head canons. That only makes her mind MORE malleable and vulnerable. Taco is a complicated Character. But that doesn't mean she's the worst human on the planet. Please, if you don't agree with what I've said, before you berate me, rewatch the show, or atleast look up the psychological effects and other such I included in this rant. I may add onto this in the future, so keep an eye out for a future Taco analysis.

Thank you for your time.

[emry-stars-art]

Hi, i just want to stop by to tell you how much I love your art and even more your Royal au

I hope this is in no way an offence but I found this post https://www.tumblr.com/gatorparade/721685064988131328 and immediately thought of you and His Highness Prince Andrew.

I wondered if on a walk Andrew stopped to freshen up and Abram, in keeping watch, found himself observing him from afar and what thoughts he might have, not so much at the Prince’s splendid figure but how much he manages to convey a calmness to him that he never had, a kind of serenity that radiates, that he can read in Andrew’s eyes when they finally meet.

Feel free to ignore this if it doesn't inspire you, I love everything you post regardless, you cannot know how much your blog brightens my days ✨

Okay im FINALLY HERE

I wish I could have done this more justice but this is what I got, I love the idea of Nathaniel/Abram first seeing the little bits of humanity and vulnerability (only the barest bits but it’s much more than the Moriyamas ever gave) from Prince Andrew and like. It jumpstarts the idea that Palmetto is really and truly different than Evermore or something TT

anyway the linked post [here] is first off gorgeous (it’s an oc if I remember, pls go give the artist some love if you can we appreciate ocs in this house) and second I LOVED THE VISION. Im sliding a little writing snippet under the cut so thank you for the ask :DD

Find the royal au masterpost here 💕

The prince said he just wanted to acclimate Nathaniel. His short, matter-of-fact way of speaking was still unfamiliar - he sounded as if he was being transparent, but Nathaniel knew better than to take royalty at their word.

It wasn’t as if he had the choice to refuse.

He accompanied the prince on his ride of the outer courtyard. There wasn’t much for Nathaniel to do; unfortunate, because he couldn’t distract himself with real work. The prince was bringing him deep into the untamed grounds, through thick trees and bushes. Secluded and private. Still, Nathaniel said nothing.

After countless minutes of what should have been easy silence, they reached a creek. The prince guided his horse to a stop and considered something, lost in thought until Nathaniel had dismounted and approached. It took more effort than normal to remove his glove.

Nathaniel’s hand moving into his space seemed to jog the prince. He blinked, took a heavier breath, and held a little too tightly as he always did to slide from the saddle.

Despite Nathaniel’s every anxiety, he brushed right by without a word. Nathaniel watched dumbly as the prince shook his hair free of its tie, combing it out and kneeling at the creek bed. He splashed his face with water and ran some over his scalp to combat the midday heat.

He didn’t seem to be watching his back. He wasn’t hesitant or afraid for Nathaniel to see him in a state like this. Easy, casual. Even now Nathaniel was playing the possibilities in his head. All the ways the prince could be harmed in that moment. How easy it was for Nathaniel to see it and know the royal family wasn’t as infallible and godlike as they claimed.

But, then - the Minyards had never claimed godhood. Though the water made the prince’s hair sparkle.

Prince Andrew didn’t think himself as far above Nathaniel as Nathaniel had assumed.

The prince straightened then, turning a look on Nathaniel as he retied his hair.

“You seem rather heat stressed,” he said flatly. “Are you certain you don’t need some water?”

Nathaniel was certainly stressed. Just maybe not from the heat. He hesitated before gesturing aimlessly with the reins he held, one horse in each hand. He’d gotten too distracted to tie them anywhere.

The prince met him at his own horse’s head, taking both reins without a word.

“Go,” he said. Nathaniel forced his mouth closed when he found he couldn’t speak, and the prince gave him another unimpressed look. “That’s an order, Nathaniel.”

So Nathaniel let go and stepped back, still hesitant to let the prince hold his horse when it should only have ever been the other way around. But the prince had already turned his attention to GS, stroking the white blaze of his nose with as blank an expression as ever. Nathaniel wondered briefly if the prince’s face ever changed as he went to obey.

(Also thank you for your other kind asks AM, I cherish them and you 🥰)

[vilevenom]

Howdy, Anon! An idea for this prompt smacked me right in the face as soon as I read it. Aaaand I have a feeling it's, uh, not as fluffy as you may have been hoping. Still a JD & Bruce fic, buuuut less of an "Oh no! John Dory had a bad date! lol" and more of a "Oh no. John Dory had a bad date." Also, this is set pre-brozone breakup. Let's not mention the sheer amount of times I wrote "Bruce" instead of "Spruce" and had to go back and fix it I hope you enjoy!

John Dory crept into the pod, knowing full well he was much, much later than he had told his grandmother he would be. And after the night he'd had there was no way he wanted to deal with a confrontation with her. She had been upset enough with him when he had proposed the "Win a Date with BroZone" contest in the first place, especially without a sponsor to cover it. He didn't need to provide her with extra ammo over the whole thing by how late he'd gotten home.

He made sure the door shut as quietly as it could, then tip toed through the pod, doing his best to avoid toys and instruments scattered across the floor in the dark. He let out a near inaudible sigh of relief as he made it to the door of his bedroom, reaching for the knob, fully believing he had made it scot-free.

"About time you got home."

"Cupcakes!" John hissed, nearly jumping out of his skin at the voice suddenly to his right. He placed a hand over his rapidly beating heart, shooting a glare at Spruce who was stood in the darkened hallway, arms crossed over his chest, and a scowl on his face.

"Bitty B cried when you weren't home to tuck him in."

John rolled his eyes, shoving his bedroom door open. "It was one bedtime story. I'm sure he'll be fine," John grumbled, quickly ducking into his room and away from Spruce.

Spruce followed John Dory like a shadow, quickly shutting the bedroom door behind him in the hopes of keeping the rest of their brothers asleep. "Oh, no. You do not get to pretend like you weren't out until the middle of the night, making us worry. And you better believe that Grandma is going to have words with you in the morning. You've got to stop putting all of the band crap before your family!" Spruce growled, doing his best to keep his voice quiet, while also conveying to John Dory just how upset he was. Not only did he have to deal with a crying Branch, but Floyd had also been upset by John missing their bedtime routine, and Clay had just been angry.

"Come on, Spruce. Can't you lecture me in the morning? It's late," John grumbled, tugging his goggles off and tossing them aside, not bothering to turn the bedroom light on.

"No! You're going to listen to me, John Dory! This is getting ridiculous. First you start sequestering yourself in your room for hours on end to write, then you're forcing us to practice every minute we're not scheduled for a press conference or photo shoot, now you're out partying it up late into the night, making our brothers upset! It has to stop," Spruce snapped, flipping on the bedroom light as he spoke. He scowled when John quickly turned his back to him, his fur bristling as he stormed across the room. "Look at me when I'm talking to you," he snarled, grabbing John's shoulders to turn him around.

Spruce fully expected John to glare at him and give him some snotty remark about being manhandled. He was not expecting to find a bruise forming over his brother's cheek, and crusted blood covering a split in his lip. Spruce gaped while John looked at the floor, unshed tears brimming in his eyes.

"What happened?" Spruce asked, his tone distinctly softer as he directed John to sit on the edge of his bed.

John took in a deep breath, obviously trying to keep himself from sobbing, but it did nothing to stop the tears that slowly began to trail down over his cheeks. "The date went…badly."

"This looks like it went worse than 'badly', JD," Spruce murmured, sitting next to his brother and wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "Talk to me, bro. What happened?"

John sniffed loudly, quickly wiping this nose with the back of his hand. "You're going to say 'I told you so', and I really don't need that tonight, Spruce."

"I won't, I promise," Spruce said quickly, shaking his head. He had a feeling he knew exactly what John was referring to. After John had argued with Rosiepuff over the date contest, he'd gone to Spruce with the proposal, as he was the designated heart throb and had previous experience with fake dates with fans. Spruce had immediately refuted the idea, citing the debacle when 'Trolls Magazine' had held a similar contest, and the awkward ice cream date he'd gone on with one of their fans and a photographer. John was proposing they run the contest themselves, without someone to vet the entries, to boost popularity before their next tour. Spruce had argued that a date without a chaperone, even with John being seventeen, was a terrible idea. John thought he would be able to handle it. After all, how crazy could their fans be?

John took another deep breath, coughing quietly as he tried to choke back a sob. "You really promise?"

"I absolutely promise."

John blinked a couple of times, before finally letting out a low whine, burying his face in his hands. Spruce rubbed his back in comforting circles as his older brothers shoulders shook. After a moment he finally sat back up, gasping quietly for air. "I…It started off fine," he said quietly, gaze far away, "She looked older than I thought she'd be. Her contest entry said nineteen, but I think she was older. She brought me flowers, which I thought was weird, but sweet. We went for dinner. I took photos with a few fans who asked while we were out. She got mad. She said I should only be paying attention to her and telling the others to go away, because she won my time. I told her I couldn't just ignore our fans, that'd be rude. She was upset, but let it go. She seemed to get more agitated as the night went on, though. Finally, when I was walking her home- or, at least, what I think was her home…She pinned me up against the tree and kissed me. She was rough, and it hurt. She bit me when I tried to pull away. When I did finally manage to get her off of me, she hit me. I ran for it, and she chased me. I only got home so late because I wanted to make sure she wasn't following me anymore."

"John," Spruce breathed, shaking his head in disbelief. To think that one of their fans would do such a thing was disturbing, to say the least.

"I should've listened to you and Grandma," John whimpered, turning a tearful gaze onto Spruce, "I never should've put together this stupid contest. I never should've gone on that date without someone with me."

"Hey," Spruce murmured, "What happened wasn't your fault."

"Wasn't it?" John scoffed, wiping at his eyes angrily, "I didn't listen to you or Grandma, I went out by myself to meet someone I didn't know, and then had to run around the tree for hours so she wouldn't follow me home! I think that qualifies it as being my fault." He let out a weak sob, covering his face again. "I was scared." The admittance was quiet, and Spruce likely only heard it because he was so close to John.

Spruce tugged John Dory bodily into a hug, his older brother practically falling into his lap. "It wasn't your fault. I should've gone with you, regardless of how I felt. I could've helped to keep you safe." John clutched at the back of Spruce's sleep shirt, the damn of his tears breaking as he wept quietly into Spruce's shoulder. "You're going to be okay, JD. It's going to be okay."

[roleplaybook]

ROLEPLAY PSYCHOLOGY: PASSIVE AGGRESSION

Passive aggression harms relationships, causes unnecessary negative feelings all around, and is inefficient. It shows up in many forms, and we’ve all participated in it and have been subjected to it.

UNDER THE CUT:

Strategies to identify when you’re being passive aggressive, and non-scary ways to broach issues directly.

Scripts to tackle issues head on when a writing partner is being passive aggressive toward you.

Examples of passive aggressive behavior between RP partners.

If you’ve been collaboratively writing for any length of time, chances are you’ve met passive aggressive individuals in the Internet wastes. The roleplaying community is rife with them. If you’re not sure, see if any of the following sound familiar:

“It’s fine,” when things are, in fact, not fine. Even through text, the tone can often be perceived as a little flat — a little cool. It’s meant to subtly suggest you make changes/go with their preference without directly communicating that this is what they want. Sometimes, they don’t even communicate what it is they do want; you’re meant to figure it out.

You’ve done something they didn’t like. Maybe you turned down an idea, or maybe you took longer than usual to reply to their post. Now you’re getting the silent treatment OOC, or receiving unusually flat and monosyllabic responses. When you do ask if everything’s okay/what’s wrong, chances are you’re getting, “It’s fine,” and, “nothing.”

They punish you IC after a conversation they disliked happens OOC. For example, a character who was flirting with yours might turn suddenly sour/critical in the very next post after you mention your character being romantically unavailable in an OOC conversation. Alternatively, you shoot down an idea they proposed, so they kill off their character without consulting with you.

Passive aggression comes in many forms, and we’ve all been subjected to it. Surely we have all been passive aggressive at some point, too.

While it can seem easier in many situations to be passive aggressive until the other person’s behavior changes, all it really does is harm relationships and stretch out undue negativity.

When you spot passive aggression, you should call it out. This doesn’t necessarily mean you say, “Hey, I see you being passive aggressive. Cut it out.” It might look more like, “I feel like you’re upset with me. Can we talk about it?”

By the same token, we should be vigilant about our own behaviors and have the self-awareness to catch when we’re inclined to be passive aggressive. It’s an easy behavior to fall into! Who hasn’t gotten short with a friend? Who hasn’t given the silent treatment in hopes of receiving an apology we didn’t have to spell out?

But it’s poor communication, and it does nothing to strengthen your bond with the other person. It doesn’t help build social skills. It’s inefficient.

When you feel inclined to indirectly communicate your annoyance, freeze. It may be wise to step away from the keyboard/put the phone down for a moment and sit with what you’re feeling. Often bad behavior happens when we react too quickly to a stimulus.

After looking at the situation logically, come up with a script to directly broach the topic. You might also realize it’s not worth being angry about in the first place! For example, if a partner turned down an idea you proposed, you might feel disappointed and want to convey it with short, unsatisfying OOC banter. You might put your character in a bad mood or insert angst into the plot abruptly. However, after giving it some time and thought… aren’t they allowed to politely turn down an idea? Haven’t you turned ideas down? Wouldn’t you rather they turn it down than agree to it and half-ass replies because they didn’t want to go that route in the first place?

It’s better for your hindsight, better for your relationship with your writing partner, and better for you to step back and allow yourself to feel disappointed. Deal with it in healthy ways. You can try writing up an ad for an RP with someone who will fulfill that idea. (Slap yourself on the hand if you think to do this as a way to get back at your current partner, or in hopes they’ll see they can be replaced!) Write a one-shot about it, etc.

If you feel they’re in the wrong after taking a moment to reflect — let’s say they always shoot your ideas down, and the RP tends to only be about what they want — you should start a conversation. It is better to be direct, and being direct doesn’t mean being aggressive or hostile.

“Hey, can we talk about the RP for a minute? I appreciate how honest you are with me when you don’t want to go with the ideas I bring up for our story. I also value you as a writing partner, which is why I want to bring this up instead of letting it continue to nag at me: it feels like we always go with your ideas. The last few I’ve had, you’ve turned down. I don’t want you to feel obliged to write things you’re not interested in, but I’m hoping we can come to a compromise on this. Can I get your thoughts?”

Direct, but not hostile. Not accusatory. Not scary! It allows the issue to be handled with no guess-work, and makes it far more likely you’ll see actual changes.

You can use the same strategy when they’re being passive aggressive with you.

“Hey, I notice you’re not being as talkative as you usually are, and you’ve told me everything is fine. I’ll take you at your word, but I just want to make sure you know I welcome you to bring stuff up with me directly. I would rather communicate than continue to upset you without realizing it. If something is wrong, I hope you’ll tell me so I can fix it/stop doing it/come up with a compromise.”

[anyamaris]

My Unlikely Hero

Word Count-3027

Summary-An unplanned trip to the store has you seeing your shy roommate in a new light.

Pairing-Jeongin x f!reader

Trope-Roommates to lovers AU

Warnings- Vulgarity, sexual language, unprotected sex (wrap it up irl), mentions of blood and minor injuries, mild harassment to reader, implied physical fight, MINORS DNI 18+

Tags- @cultofdionysusnet @wooyoungmybelovedhusband @yoonguurt @shinestarhwaa @babesindestroyland @lemonhongjoong @stardragongalaxy @kpop-stories-21 @flowerboykun @millennial-fangirl @ericssmile @kthpurplesyou @changbinslovelylegs @yeosxxx @ssaboala @millennial-fangirl @starillusion13 @duchesskaren

As always, thank you to @cafekitsune for use of banners and dividers! 🤍💜🤍

A/N- This is for an ask for @labyrinthonmymind I got a bit ago, sorry it took so long for me to get to it! I'm new to writing SKZ so I hope I did your ask and him justice. This was on my mind so I hope you like the idea I got from your ask!

You’d been hesitant at first to accept a male roommate when Jeongin showed up to look at the room.  The friend you’d originally moved in with had moved out of town and you needed to rent out the room.  When you’d put out the ad, you hadn’t thought to ask for only females, and only after receiving the call from him had it occurred to you.  

Regardless, you’d had him come to look at it, trying to figure out how to turn him down if he made you uncomfortable.  Despite your reservations at first, the man who had shown up was adorable, and his bright smile had you immediately letting down your guard.  His almost shy demeanor was actually what drew you in, and he was very respectful the entire visit.  

So when no one else had inquired about the room after a few more days, you’d called him to let him know it was his to move into at his convenience.  His delight was conveyed through his voice and you couldn’t help but smile at the infectious cheeriness of his personality.  

Within two days he had moved in, and he’d been exactly what you needed, financially, and as an ideal roommate.  He was clean, respectful and quiet.  Sometimes almost too quiet, you think, watching him shut his door to head out to wherever it was that he was going for the day.  

It had been three months since he’d moved in and you’d gotten a little closer to him.  He was sweet, caring, and very upbeat when you’d gotten him to actually talk with you about anything, but the majority of the time you attempted, he would just blush and clam up.  

When he was with his friends the rare times he’d had anyone over, he was loud, laughing and smiling, teasing them when they played games.  You’d even caught a little bit of his savage sense of humor, smiling to yourself as you happened to catch him prodding at one of the guys.  

Worried that you probably just made him uncomfortable, you pulled back a bit on being too pushy.  If he wanted to open up to you, he could.  You just couldn’t help wanting to know him better, possibly even become good friends.  So as he makes his way to the door to put on his shoes, you can’t help but go to say goodbye to him.  

“Jeongin…I’m um…making cookies today!  Do you have a cookie you like best?” you ask him, smiling at him.  His eyes get large as he looks up at you, darting back and forth as he seems to think about your question.   “Um..anything you make will be good.” he shrugs, a cute little smile on his face as he stands up, unable to meet your eyes.  

“Oh..uh okay.  Well…if you come back later I’ll have them on the counter!” you say, and he nods, turning to go out the door.  “Bye!” you wave at the closing door, then deflate a bit, wondering if you’d once again been too pushy.  Sighing, you just go back inside, turning up the music to dance along to now that you were all alone.

A bit later, after getting side tracked from your baking by some phone calls and random chores, you finally make your way to finish your cookie preparation.  You frown as you realize you don’t have enough eggs and you sigh, looking at the clock.  It was after 9pm so you’d have to just run to the corner store to grab them.  Shrugging at your bad planning skills, you slip on some shoes and hope it’ll be a nice quick trip, and that not many people will be out.  You just had on some sweat shorts and a tee, hair a bit of a mess, but it’s not like you were trying to impress anyone.  

Opening the door, the bell chimes and you notice there aren’t many people, and a wave of relief washes over you.  You notice the bored cashier reading some kind of book and make your way to the cooler to see what they have.  Grabbing a few snacks, along with your eggs, you make your way to the register when a group of young men enter the store.  

You just keep your head down and thank the uninterested cashier as you make your purchase, then turn to head out the door.  “Hey there cutie…” you hear but ignore the voice, pushing open the door.  “Awww, where you goin?” you gasp as your arm is suddenly grabbed and you’re yanked inside.  Scared, your eyes dart to the cashier who is turning away and you curse your bad luck.  “Uhh, please let go.” you manage, looking at the three guys.  

“What’s your name, sweetheart?” another asks and you yank your arm away, clutching your bag to your chest as you eye them.  “None of your business, excuse me..” you say and push open the door to leave.  You almost let out a sigh of relief but then you hear the chime of the door as it opens again, and the laughter of the men.  

Starting to walk fast, you glance behind but then your foot catches on the curb and you land on your knees, scraping them.  “Shit…” you mumble, checking your bag to see if you broke anything.  “Aww honey, did you hurt yourself? Let me make it all better..” “Please leave me alone..” you tell them, looking up at the men hovering over you now.  “What’s wrong, sweetheart? Come on, I’ll kiss it better for you-” one says, grabbing for you, but then you hear shouting.  

“YAH! HEY!  Get away from her!” you hear a male voice from behind you, then a bag is flying over your head, hitting one of the guys in the face.  Then a figure is launching himself at the men, a bunch of shouting and commotion causing you to just stare in confusion.  Startled, you jerk away as a hand settles on your shoulder.  “Are you alright?” a voice asks and you look up into a familiar face.  “Hyunjin?” you whisper, remembering one of Jeongin’s friends.  

“Yeah, are you hurt?” he asks, then frowns as he looks over at the men fighting, another having joined the figure you’d seen flash by.  Before you know it, it quiets down and all you can hear is the heavy breathing of the two men who had chased away your harassers.  “Idiot, what are you trying to do?” you hear one berating the other before a figure runs over to you, kneeling in front of you.  

“Oh my god, what did they do to you? Are you alright? Where are you hurt?”  it takes you a moment to recognize Jeongin, his normally cheerful smile replaced with anger and concern.  Realizing that they’d come at just the right time, you sniffle a little, trying to hold back a sob. “Thank you, I … they were kinda scary…” you manage. Jeongin is frowning at your scraped knees, his hands shaking as he seems to want to help but doesn’t want to touch you.  

“Thank this moron, flying over people and screaming.  Holy hell, I’ve never seen him run so fast.”  You look over and notice Changbin standing to the side, glancing down at Jeongin as he worries over you.  “Hyunjin, let’s go make sure those dicks aren’t coming back.  Can you get her home ok?” he nudges Jeongin with his toe and he just nods, waving them away as he never takes his eyes off of you.  

“I’m ok, really.” you tell him, but when his eyes meet yours, you don’t push it.  They soften as he watches you wince a bit at his glare, holding his hand out as he stands up.  “Come on, let’s go home.” He says, and you take his hand, letting him pull you up.  “My eggs!” you say, then check them.  Luckily they weren’t broken and you breathe a sigh of relief.  “Here, let me…” he says, taking the bag.  “I’ll protect your eggs with my life, promise.” he says, giving you a reassuring smile.  

He holds his hand out to you and you blush shyly as you take it tentatively.  “Just to make sure you don’t trip, if it makes you uncomfort-” “No! I…thank you….I’m ok with it…” you manage and he nods, turning to watch the other two walk away.  You both start towards the apartment, the silence between you almost comfortable as he holds onto your hand, checking to make sure you’re walking alright every so often.  

“I’m sorry that those men were bothering you.” he says, and you glance up at him, the concern back in his dark eyes.  “I’m so grateful that you came along, really.  They were just being annoying, but it was a little scary.” The long pretty eyes that you loved to watch squint into a smile were now filled with anger, his mouth twisted into a grimace.  “I wish I’d hit them a few more times…” he growls out and you gasp, the realization that he’d been in a fight finally hitting you.  Your brain is a little slow, but now you look down at the hand holding yours and feel your heart hurt over his bloodied knuckles.

“Jeongin! Oh no!” you cry, stopping to look closer, pulling his other hand up.  “It’s fine, really I-” “It’s not fine! You were hurt because of me!” you exclaim, feeling your eyes fill with tears.  “Really…” “Inside, now!” you drag him along, despite his protests behind you.  Once inside, you frown at him, pointing to the couch as you set the bag down in the kitchen.  “Sit.  No! Don’t argue-just go sit. That’s an order!” you tell him, running off to get your first aid kit.  

“Wow…ok ok..” he mumbles, and you hear him going into the living room.  He’s perched on the couch, a little lopsided smile on his face as you sit beside him.  “Really, I’m alright.” he tells you as you pull out antiseptic spray and bandaids.  “Jeongin…” you sigh at him, putting on some ointment after you clean the injured knuckles on both of his hands.  “Why did you throw yourself at them like that? You could have been hurt even worse…” you swallow hard, thinking what might have happened if they had fought back or …

“It doesn’t matter, they were bothering you.” he simply states and you glance up at him as you put the bandaids on.  His eyes were soft and caring, causing your breath to stop.  The elongated silence as you watch him has your cheeks heating up, and you see the telltale sign of pink on his as well.  “You…you saved me….” you blink at him, realizing at that moment that you just might have it bad for this man.  

Before you can stop yourself, you cup his face in both hands and place a light kiss on his lips.  He stiffens, then a small whimper escapes him as you draw back, hand over your mouth.  “Oh..oh…Jeongin..I’m so sorry.  That was horribly rude of -” You’re abruptly cut off as he dips his head to recapture your lips, but this time it's less soft, more eager as he tilts his head to lean into you.  

Shocked but excited, you throw your arms around his neck and part your lips for him.  Gasping, his tongue tentatively searches for yours, deepening the kiss as they meet.  He slows, then pulls back for a moment, tipping his forehead against yours.  You search his eyes as he watches you, his gaze almost questioning.  “You’re hurt too..let me…” he says, but you shake your head, watching his lips, going to lean in again. 

As your lips press to his, he smiles and laughs a little, then pulls you back again.  “Hey..you yelled at me…let me at least clean your wounds before…” he blushes again, biting his lip and looking at your scraped knees.  “Before?” you ask breathily and he groans, immediately reaching for the antiseptic spray with shaking hands.  

“Jeongin…” you murmur as you watch him clean your wounds hurriedly.  “Mmm?” he continues to apply ointment and bandaids much like you did for him.  “I..I like you.” you finally get out, your cheeks burning even though moments ago he was kissing you back.  You still feel nervous, worried he might be just reacting to the adrenaline of the fight.  

At your words, he fumbles the box of bandaids and they fall, then he’s picking them up, not even looking at you.  “I just…sorry…that was probably-” “I like you too.” he says, finally turning to you as he places the box on the coffee table.  “I really like you…I just didn’t know if it was appropriate…” he manages, glancing around the apartment.  

“Because roommates?” you ask him and he nods at you as he takes a seat next to you once more.  You reach out and take his hand, feeling even more bashful.  “I..yeah it’s a little…well…” you stammer, but as you look back up at him, his eyes are filled with want as he watches you and you can’t stop yourself as you grab his shirt to pull him in for another kiss.  

He hums as your lips meet, his hand finding its way onto the nape of your neck, caressing the bare skin there.  A shiver runs through you as you melt into him, your arms around him, fingers delving into his silky hair.  Suddenly he’s lifting you into his lap and you press yourself against him, feeling bold as your hand slips down to unbutton his shirt.  

A small whine escapes him as your hand skims the bare skin of his chest where the shirt is parted, and you feel the telltale sign of his arousal growing where you’re seated on him.  “We-I-oh god-” he gasps as you rub a thumb over his nipple, turning to adjust on him, straddling his hips as you push him back on the couch.  “Too fast?” you ask him, but he’s shaking his head as he lifts your shirt over your head, his arms wrapping around you.  “Whatever you want…I only want what you want…” he professes as he looks up at you as you cup his face in your palms.  “I want you.” is all you say and he groans, then he’s lifting you, carrying you to his room as you wrap your legs around him.  You let out a little giggle as he makes cute noises trying to maneuver around things, finally falling with you onto the bed.  He props himself above you, taking in your bra clad torso.  

You bite your lip as you slip your hand behind your back and unhook it, drawing it off to throw to the side.  His eyes glaze over at the sight of your naked breasts, then he’s shedding his unbuttoned shirt as well.  “Jeongin-” “Oh…are you alright-?” “Pants, take them off…” you whisper and he stops in shock for a moment, then he’s stripping everything off as you giggle at his expression.  

Your laugh is cut off as he grabs your shorts and yanks them off along with your underwear, then he’s between your legs.  “I’ll stop anytime it’s too-” “Don’t you dare stop.” you demand, fingers back in his hair and leaning up to reclaim his mouth eagerly.  “Want to feel you-” you mumble against his lips, drawing out a long moan from him as your hips lift against him.  

You can feel the underside of his rigid length slide along your slickness as he rubs against you, the pressure against your clit has you already gasping in pleasure.  “Jeongin, please…I want you so much…” you whine, and he slips his hand between you to grip himself, guiding the tip of his cock to your entrance.  “Please!” you cry as he hesitates once more, then he’s stretching you, hips thrusting forward to bury himself deep within you.  

The collective moans you both let out are the only sounds as he just pauses as you pulse around him, then he’s pulling back, thrusting back into you with a wet slap.  “Oh god, yes!” you cry out, your hands on his shoulders.  He lifts your leg a bit and slips a hand under your ass to tilt you up, letting him go a bit deeper.  His face is contorted in bliss, watching you as he slowly builds up the power behind his thrusts, speeding up gradually.  

“You feel amazing, oh-god-” he groans out, lowering himself a bit to kiss you, his hand gripping the sheets as he sets a steady pace, drawing out cries from you that mix with his own.  The sounds of your bodies coming together, and the soft cries and moans from him has your womb throbbing, tightness building inside of your abdomen and your body starts to shake as you realize you’re close.  “Jeongin…JEONGIN- I-”  His hips stutter as your walls clench around him and his breath hitches.  “Oh GOD-I CAN’T …FUCK- “ he groans, but you lift your hips, urging him on.  

“Cum, Jeongin, cum with me…please….” you cry, your orgasm finally stealing your breath as you scream, then his cries are blending with yours as he thrusts once more inside of you, emptying himself in a flood within you.  “Oh-GOD–GOD YES-” he chokes out, your legs around his waist as you hold him against you.  He shudders on top of you, gasping as he finally gets his breath back, and goes limp on you.  

Swallowing and catching your own breath, you just run your fingers through his hair and smile as you kiss his forehead.  “Mmmm” is all you manage and he echoes the noise back at you, then you’re both giggling.  He rolls you both to the side, pushing your hair back, both of you damp with sweat.  “I really like you.” you whisper and he smiles, his grin a little cheeky.  “I sure hope so…after that…”   You giggle as you slap him playfully, then his mouth is pressed against yours again.  “So, I’m your boyfriend AND roommate now?”  he asks, an eyebrow raised. “My roommate, my boyfriend.  My hero.”

[yanderes-galore]

Hello, May I request a Cod Cold War ask? Specifically for Weaver x reader who’s part of the zombies strike team? I can imagine that they’re quick to figure out things (as you need to be for the Easter eggs) yet tough as they need to be? If not, I guess can I request Bell x reader (Bell may be hard to write for since they’re a player created character but I figured you do something cool with it!)

-MsPlacedHero

Ps, Chase loved the cookie I gave to him saying it was from you!

I'll try Bell as I'm a bit more familiar with them! Happy he liked the cookie even if it was a long time ago. Hope you enjoy :) Bell is referred to as They/Them as you did not specify what kind of Bell you wanted.

This is mostly rambling and may be short but it was me giving my view on the character and their potential. I wanted to explore it a bit so there's no real plot.

Yandere! Bell Concept/Overview

Pairing: Romantic/Platonic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Mentioned self-aware behavior but not focused, General Bell thoughts, Stalking, Brainwashing, General yandere behavior, Character death, Dubious companionship.

Bell can be both interesting yet difficult to write so I will try to keep this rather general.

Bell could be difficult since their character is primarily meant for the player to insert themselves into.

They're meant to be so the player can interact with the story and feel like a part of it.

This would be difficult to try and convey, however, it opens many different possibilities.

Bell would be like a customizable yandere.

In a story you can pick and choose how you'd want Bell to be.

Bell would work even better in a "Self-Aware" story since they'd act as a host for the player and are extremely player dependent.

Your little puppet.

A reflection of you.

Overall Bell could really have any sort of yandere personality traits due to being a blank canvas.

You could see Bell as soft or someone who follows their darling like a puppy.

Maybe you could see them as a worship yandere.

Maybe you could see them as cruel, perhaps even prior to the brainwashing?

As a result, the darling is just as customizable.

You could be a part of the CIA or know Bell prior to the brainwashing.

There's a lot of potential.

The things is, how to write Bell is you'd need to be specific.

That's why I'm mostly just looking over the character.

Honestly my favorite ideas may be the Self-Aware one and Bell with a fellow CIA agent.

The Self-Aware one is self explanatory, I mentioned it before.

But the CIA agent one could also be fun to explore.

You know you shouldn't get attached or involve yourself with Bell.

They've been brainwashed with MK-ULTRA to find out info on Perseus.

That's all, afterwards they may just be tossed away.

For now they just need to be alive until the mission is finished and over.

However, Bell appears to have some sort of adoration for you one way or another.

Maybe somewhere in their memories they seem to recall you being important to them.

It's most likely a fabricated memory to coax more information out of them, but it works.

How Bell deals with such information could vary.

They may follow you around, they may be overly protective/clingy, they could be possessive, they could be any number of things.

They don't understand why you never like being around them.

Truthfully you either don't care or don't want to be attached.

Either way, Bell would want to treat you more than a "comrade".

They either see you as a close friend they "fought alongside" or maybe even a lover.

They have no idea you and Adler just need them for information.

Bell may most likely be "gotten rid of" before they become too much of a problem for you due to their obsession.

If they are a softer and more docile yandere, it feels horrible to know Adler did them in.

If they are rougher and more intense, it may feel like a relief when they're gone.

Player created characters like Bell have potential to be interesting once you have traits decided.

Unfortunately as a result I can't really assign Bell any definitive yandere behavior for them.

They seem like a puppet, a husk, meant to follow orders due to all of the brainwashing.

Regardless... a blank slate character can still have endless potential if you have a plot to work with.

No two Bell stories would be the same, essentially.

Bell is a wild card when it comes to their darling.

Which can mean they're a dangerous yandere if you think about it.

[twilightmalachite]

Yuuta Aoi - Budding Season

Author: Yuumasu

Characters: Yuuta, Rinne, HiMERU, Kohaku

Translator: Mika Enstars

"(I-Ignore him, ignore him…! If I react, I lose!)"

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Season: Winter

Location: CosPro Office (Conference Area)

Yuuta: (Yaaay, I got some super-spicy rice crackers from someone at the agency!)

(Thanks for the mea~l. *chew chew*)

(Ah~, delicious! This tingling sensation that lingers on the tongue is just the best…☆)

(Since we’ve advertised ourselves as “the older brother who likes sweet food” and “the younger brother who likes spicy food” to emphasize our twin characters…)

(Those around us can tell us apart, and I don’t have any problem getting spicy food these days~.)

(I get told things like “It was a gift from a business partner, so I saved it for you, Yuuta-san” and “I saw this during a business trip, so I bought it for you”…)

(I’m so glad I’ve been using my love for spicy food as my appeal…☆)

(I’ll have to remember to mention that in my in my interview with the idol magazine today. ♪)

(…I have a lot of solo work tomorrow, too. I’ve gotten a sudden increase in individual appearances lately…)

(I guess it’s because half of 2wink, that sold themselves for their identical looks, suddenly got an image change?)

(Though my blood does boil when trashy gossip mags will write about it and call it a “rebellious phase that came late” or an “agency policy” or whatever.)

(But I try to tell myself it’s better than not being talked about at all.)

Yuuta: (…But when I get pissed off, I get seriously pissed off, though~.)

(Anyhow. The attention I’ll be getting for this is temporary, so I need to make sure I don’t get too cocky.)

(Right now, it’s just bonus time. I’m only being featured out of amusement, because they find it unusual and unheard of—)

(I need to properly give thought on how to proceed myself as 2wink, and as Aoi Yuuta…)

(I know things won’t be the same as they used to… How can I convey who I am now…?)

(……)

(Nope, I don’t have any ideas…)

(Maybe I’ll read idol magazines and ponder it.)

Rinne: Heya all~, Crazy:B minus Niki has arrived! ♪

Yuuta: (Ugh. Someone troublesome just came in!)

(I’ll hide my face behind this magazine to not be noticed…)

Rinne: Ooh, I see a little cutie! Yu~ta ♪

Yuuta: (Ignore him, ignore him…)

Rinne: That’s the magazine with Crazy:B’s gravure!

Are ya takin’ notice to me? I’m embarrassed~, Gyahaha! ☆

Yuuta: (I-Ignore him, ignore him…! If I react, I lose!)

HiMERU: —Amagi, quit it.

Kohaku: What he said. Can’t ya see you’re botherin’ Yuuta-han?

Rinne: It’s fine, it’s fiiine! Yuta and I are buddies!

Don’t ignore me, Yuta! Come have a nice chat with your big bro, ‘kay?

Yuuta: You are not my big bro!

Rinne: Theeere we go. Finally lookin’ at me, eh?

You eatin’ those spicy rice crackers again? Won’t ya upset yer stomach eatin’ too much of that stuff?

Yuuta: None of your business.

Rinne: Hmm… Are ya growin’ your hair out more?

Yuuta: It’s less that I’m growing it out, and just that I’m not cutting it.

I’m free to do whatever I want with my hair, as long as it doesn’t get in the way of work, aren’t I?

HiMERU: HiMERU agrees. Growing your hair long means more options for styling it.

Kohaku: Is that the reason why Niki-han’s got long hair too?

Rinne: In that guy’s case, growin’ it out would do nothin’ but just have it be longer, wouldn’t it?

He had his hair pulled back when we first met too, just shorter than it is now.

Kohaku: Is that so? …Yuuta-han, can I ask ya a stupid question that’s been on my mind for a while?

Is that hairstyle some sorta show of respect to Madara-han?

Yuuta: Huh, Mikejima-senpai?

Kohaku: Y’know, the half-up sorta look. It’s similar to how Madara-han wears his hair, y’know?

So I figured it maybe was a matter of respect. Doesn’t seem to be the case though, judgin’ from your reaction.

Yuuta: Ahaha… Yeah, it’s just a coincidence. I figured it’d be a little boring if I just grew it out.

It’d get in my face when I move around, so I just tied the sides of my hair up.

It’s a surprise to me that it was taken as a sign of respect for Mikejima-senpai. If I’m gonna grow my hair out, I gotta learn how to style it, huh…

Rinne: How ’bout we Crazy:B try givin’ producin’ yer hairstyle a try, Yuta? We’ll cook ya up a good meal!

Yuuta: Thank you very much~, if you’d be so kind, I’d appreciate it, then~.

Rinne: Ah, I thought ya would never agree to that in your life.

Yuuta: Ahaha. ♪ Seems like the magazine reporter is here to see me, so you’ll have to excuse me first.

HiMERU: Yes. I apologize for our Amagi.

Rinne: The hell you mean by that?

See ya later then, Yuta.

Kohaku: Do your best at work!

Yuuta: (Produce my hairstyle, huuuh?… Crazy:B’s changed, too. They weren’t that type of character when they first debuted.)

(…Guess the same goes for me. Back when I first debuted… No, even since when we’d perform on the streets, all I did was imitate Aniki.)

(As the two-in-one twin idols, 2wink.)

(Because, that was the strongest weapon we had.)

Yuuta: (…How will I change? How will I grow and who will I become?)

(……)

(I don’t know, so I’ll just do what I’m able to do now. One by one, as Aoi Yuuta would.)

(If I build myself up carefully like this, then one day—)

(I believe I’ll reach the future I desire.)

[ ☆ ]

story directory

[telekitnetic-art]

Hi!! Your art is so fucking cool! Can I ask what the process looks like for form line? Ex. What do your sketches look like when they are really rough? How do you go from idea -> final product. 💕

Hadih, thanks so much for your question!

Honestly, it's sort of hard to explain? I do have some sketches to sort of give an idea though.

This sketch I posted a couple days ago is a pretty good example of what my initial concept sketches sometimes look like.. As you can see, they're pretty chaotic and very rough, and usually these sketches are more about getting the idea down then actually making the formline itself. There aren't formline shapes just yet, although I do sometimes sketch out elements or shapes like eyes or bodies or paws/hands that will usually have an ovoid in it, because those elements tend to be a focus or centerpiece. The sketch is obviously not final, and things can change along the way to account for space and balance as well as what I'm trying to convey. (These sketches aren't entirely accurate of course because they're for pieces that are meant to be fusions of character illustrations and formline art, but they're the best thing I can find on my pc at the moment)

The rough sketch helps me figure out the flow of the piece, and once I'm satisfied with it I try and get to putting down the shapes and silhouette, and it's here where I try to find the balance with my rough sketch and how the shapes can fit and behave in the piece to the best of their limits while also still conveying the message I want to send. The most common shape I start with is the focus shapes, which are usually ovoids.

This rough of my harbor seal formline which I sent to my aunt for review sort of gives a better Idea of what I mean when I say I try and focus on where the centerpoints will be. Ovoids are usually a focus, so you can see them pop up a lot; in the body, the head, the eyes, the tail, etc. Ovoids are so important and probably the most common shape in formline art, and one of the most common feedback I get from my aunt is to adjust how the ovoid looks in any one of my pieces; she often compared them to a loaf of bread! You don't want your ovoids to look like a loaf of bread! (Her words, not mine). I feel like I've gotten better at drawing ovoids though, because she gives it as feedback less and less nowadays. Ovoids usually also have to have a bit of weight/perspective to them; it's hard to describe but essentially the top of the ovoid should usually be bigger/thicker/have more weight then the bottom.

From ovoids, the next shapes are usually circles, u-shapes and crescents, then usually y-shapes/trigons. It can be difficult, because the key is to make sure the shapes flow together and feel cohesive, as well as to make sure the negative/positive space balance feels right. Also a fun tidbit, trigons are most typically used to essentially fill space; it's always important to make sure that they are binding bigger shapes like u-shapes and ovoids and not stealing all the space and attention.

The lines in this stage tend to be very rough and messy, and I always try to go over the next rough draft with a smoother and cleaner pen.

Once the initial shapes are done, I'll usually send the piece to my aunt (sometimes I send them earlier on, when I'm in the middle of working out the shapes) for feedback! I am still a student in formline work after all; basically all of my teachings come from my aunt, who has a lot more years of work in formline art then me. She'll give me feedback and tips of what she thinks I should fix or experiment with. I adjust and fix and sometimes even completely delete and redo parts of the piece with her guidance. The list of things she tells me to change decreases with each piece, so I like to take that as a sign that I'm improving!

Once the black and white version of the design is done, I move onto coloring. Usually I already have a color scheme in mind when I go into a piece, so I'll mess around and put down colors and see how well they contrast before I color it. Typically, a piece will have about 3 colors; one for the background, one primary color, and one secondary color. I use a clipping layer to color the entire formline piece with the primary color, and then go in with the pen tool and bucket tool to use the secondary color. Adding in the secondary color is tricky but important because it once again falls into balancing positive and negative space/colors and the transitions between the two.

Once coloring is done, the project is basically finished! Unless there are some other plans I have for it, ie using it for an overlay in a bigger piece, colouring is usually the final stage.

And that's about it! I hope this helps you understand a bit; this isn't a perfect explanation as this is just from my own artistic POV and other nations and artists have their own process, but I hope it helps nonetheless!!

Edit: I forgot I posted other WIP formlines here before 😭 here and here!! You can sort of see me figure out the flow and balance of the designs in between the WIP and the finished piece!

[dilucsfavorite]

I have gotten inspired from my most recent ask, about my opinions on the DW. This time, I am going to talk about how I believe they are worshiped by the people, and how they affected the present world. Not going by village, just the general most common ways they are worshipped.

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Irene: Much like how hospitals have the red cross symbolizing medicine and hospitals, Irene's symbol is that. Wherever a doctor and where a hospital is, is the Irene symbol. The matron symbolizes healing due to her many healing abilities, and so that translated over to hospitals and doctors when the idea of medicinal herbs and such were made popularized. Churches are typically where she is worshipped, sermons and days specified when they will join together and pray. The believers also believe that all plant life should be looked after and taken care of, destroyed only if necessary. Many of the bigger villages have green houses filled with medicinal herbs and native flowers that are religiously taken care of. However, there is a dark side. Bandits, kidnappers, just evil doers in general, use the promise of prosperity the name of Irene brings, to bring down and dangers unto others. There were even historically recorded times of people sacrificing others in the name of prosperity and good health.

Enki: Enki was the one who coined the idea of recording history and knowledge within books, less in murels. He was also someone that pushed education buildings and the idea that everyone should get the chance to learn, even if societies at the time did not want that to happen. He was also the cause of the publishing of the first maps to be made of the entire world and the nations. There is one major university using his symbol as the colleges symbol, even if that is not historically accurate. However, most books were destroyed in book burnings that he had created, ones not stored in a major library that is still hidden to this day. He is worshiped by scholars and sailors alike, though there is not one set place people worship him. Though the library could count.

Kul'Zak: Kul'Zaks symbol is used at camps and hotels people own in order to convey the idea that this is where wanderers and travellers can stay. He also had helped Enki publish the maps, though he was the one who had created them. He is not necessarily worshiped, but he has a small mantra that goes around camps that adventures learn, one that is said to bring safety and protection to those going between cities and nations.

Esmund: Esmund is the symbol of the guards order and is used at the guard training facilities around the different nations. He is the symbol of protection and people use his plus Irene's when them or a loved one is sick or injured. Irenes for health and healing, and Esmunds used for the protection of the person. It is also a symbol used alongside head guards, next to the cities symbol. It is only used by the head guards of said village, since they are the main protectors. It is rumored that one can learn the skin hardening ability he has, but it had only been done once, and it was an old man close to death.

Shad: Before he became the destroyer, he was the fighter. Unlike the idea of the protector, he was always on the front lines. He worked with blacksmiths to make different types of weapons that are used today, some were even the basis of better weapons made at later dates. He was worshiped among brash men who only want to become fighters within the wars, but he had the respect of weapon makers. When he became the destroyer, he was worshiped by small cult like villages, ones who praised him to the brashness he had faced as well. They do not believe in the other DWs, and they believe that Shad is the one and only being, the one true DW. Whenever someone was close to death, they were killed to be sacrificed to the Shadow Lord. When young promising fighters come along, they are sacrificed to Shad. Thus, the Shadow Knights began.

Menphia: She is actually the most less known DW, one who is not widely known. Only the oldest witches (and that's few) know of her and worship her. Other than that, there is folklore surrounding her. She would stay in the back lines and rain fire or ice balls from the sky to hit enemies in the lines. Though, that story became less of her and more of a ghost story that surrounds battle fields. That if the battle is gruesome enough, the sky would rain fireballs to torch those who dare make such a gruesome display on nature. Though that type of story is common within Irene believers. She was fine with being the most less known DW, as she did not want fame or worship.

YIPPEE!!!!!! I hope you like and pls expand on your own ideas as well :3