#I actually really dislike how this came out so I might redo it at some point | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

erinhime83 · 2 years ago

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Edit: lol, I thought I had posted these designs before, but couldn’t find them…until now. >.<

With the realization that we had a twenty year collab anniversary coming up (hold up, hold up, twenty years? Shiittt) and deciding to use the current designs for the characters rather than use the actual characters due to some…dislike of the story they came from, I discovered that I had recently redesigned all these characters, although I had forgotten how recent that had been. From what I recall, I had seen a twitter/tumblr post about Viking dresses, and saw one that just blew my mind so much that I had to design Buttercups’ dress around it. Just wish I had kept the link to the post, lol.

But as I looked at the designs, I realized I really really like them, but I have a new template for designs, and the older ones, although very nice, didn’t ‘look’ right anymore. So I made it my mission for the past couple of days to redo all the designs using the new template. (It wasn’t as challenging as you might thing, since I basically reused a lot of my lines. It was a lot of copying and pasting and fixing lines.) So I figured I’d make a stupidly long post and show off all the designs I did.

The biggest difference in this version is that I have designed to age up the characters. Sure, their story really doesn’t need it, but eh, I sort of like writing not-teen characters now. Besides, it makes the whole thing with people worrying about Buttercup not being engaged/not have any prospects a little more understandable, since she’s older. Rereading it, it was weird how everyone was so worried although she was seventeen.

Buttercup Angelia: Age 20. Buttercup is one of the voice characters, and she’s the daughter of a blacksmith. She helps her father with his job since she’s a Fire Mage. She’s one of the very few Fire Mages what wasn’t brought to the Temple when she was younger, since her parents decided they wanted to raise her. She is the second oldest of nine, and people consider her a bit odd because, well, technically she is. Her father educated her and she has a weird obsession with the written word, she doesn’t think the Lumentians are as evil as everyone makes them out to be, and she helps out at a forge. It’s really no wonder that none of the guys in the village have shown little interest in her, but she doesn’t really care. She’s a skilled archer, since every Alterian is required to know how to fight. She chose archery because she doesn’t like being up close and personal, and she’s really good at it.

I really love her dress, and how it’s sort of a call back to her first dress a bit. She really looks like a Viking!

Raito Akira: Age 22. Ratio is the other voice character, and he’s the second prince of Lumentis. His people don’t think too much about him, mostly because, well, he’s the second prince, not the heir. He’s more of a scholar than anything else, preferring to hide away in the library reading than attending his lessons. He’s a skeptic when it comes to religion, which hasn’t endeared him to the capitals’ priests at all, and they basically go around slandering him whenever they can. Raito is bothered by it because he does want to help his people out, but most of the people who live in the capital think he’s worthless. He goes on the journey to find out what happened to the Angelus Dei partially to prove himself and mostly because he was tricked by his older brother.

His outfit isn’t really anything new or original. Its sort of like his 2013 outfit, tweeked a little, but damn, making his sash longer worked wonders. I also redid his hair (ignore the fact that it’s Connor’s hair), and...wow. He looks awesome!

Clover Gunvald: Age 23. Clover is Raito’s bodyguard and best friend. Clover’s parents are royal guards as well, so she grew up in the palace and around Raito since they were close in age. Despite the fact that they were basically polar opposites, the two of them got along very well as they got older, such that Clover declared that she was going to protect Raito no matter what. She is a very skilled warrior, although she herself is an Earth Elf. She tags along with Raito on his journey because she knows he wouldn’t be able to survive on his own, and because, you know, she’s his bodyguard. And while Raito is annoyed that a girl knows how to fight better than he does, he doesn’t hold it against Clover because, well, she’s an elf. She’s a little distrustful of Buttercup at first, since she’s from Altere and a Fire Mage, but she warms up to her quickly once she realizes Raito’s interest in her.

Her outfit is ridiculously simple, but also awesome. It suits her very well, even if she lost her awesome jacket in the process. This looks better on her, in my opinion. Makes her look like a medieval badass.

Odessa Wilson: Age 21. Odessa is a Dragon Tamer that the group comes upon when they visit with a traveling merchant troupe. She’s from Tara Nora, being the only child of a poor farmer. She started traveling with the troupe about three years ago because she was always longer for adventure, and the advantage of the troupe is that they stop in her hometown several times a year, so she still gets to see her family. She Bonded with her dragon Regalis by accident when she was about ten, although it was more of his part than hers since he took an interest in her. (She didn’t find him as an egg, but rather when he was fully grown. He’s a good thousand years old or so). She ends up joining the group just for the hell of it and not at all because she develops a crush on Clover.

Odessa was always the hardest one for me to come up with a design for, for whatever reason. I wanted her to be tomboyish, but not overly so, and honestly, what I landed on here is perfect. I love her dark skin and light hair, and I love her outfit and I love everything about her. It just all works so well together.

Ruby Starleaf: Age 24. Ruby is pretty much the only one I don’t have much on, mostly because I keep forgetting that she exists, whoops. But Ruby is/was the sacred fairy before the Angelus Dei disappeared. The old one recently passed and she had just gained the position a few years ago, so she’s never really been in contact with the Angelus Dei. But thanks to that connection, she’s the only fairy who isn’t effected by her disappearance. She sort of randomly stumbles across the group and decides to join them, which Buttercup casting a communication spell on her so they could hear her like they would any normal person.

I can’t really say much about her outfit. It’s cute, obviously, and I love the wings. Another benefit of being the Sacred Fairy is that she gets an actual dress rather than the leaves and the like normal fairies wear, lol.

Ignatius: Age ???. He’s the Diabolus Dei, at least according to the Five Kingdom’s religion. His real title is the Younger God of Fire, and he’s considered the evil one of the four gods, which annoys him to no end. He’s the only one of them who actually interacts in the world and the people and he’s not quite sure why no one but the Alterians dislike him so much. He’s the one everyone is blaming for his sister’s disappearance, which he doesn’t understand. Why would he kidnap his sister? He ends up being summoned by Raito, mostly because he is confounded by the fact that a Lumentian prince is trying to summon him. He and the rest of his family started pulling away from the world about a thousand years ago, with his final appearance being about five hundred years ago, which is why there are skeptics like Raito out there.

I like how I ended up designing him. I’ve been trying to add a ‘flair’ to the gods’ outfits for a while, but doing something simple like this works very well as well. He’s the only one whose continued to pay attention, which is why he’s up on the current fashion.

The next group is the villain characters.

Selene Deangelo: Age 21. Selene is the second princess of Silverstine and Raito’s betrothed….sort of. (I actually forgot about this detail until I was rereading the story.) Basically, should Raito not be married by the time he turns twenty-five, he’ll be married to Selene. She is absolutely obsessed with this idea, despite the fact that Raito clearly doesn’t like her very much. He’s probably be fine with it if she wasn’t obsessed and annoying. She basically just recently moved herself into the palace right before the story starts, which annoys Raito to no end. Obviously, she views Buttercup as the enemy since Raito picked her over Selene. She doesn’t have much of a role in the first book beyond being an annoyance, but she’d be more of a villain in the later stories.

Her design…I really like it. I like the dress I came up with. It’s elegant and pretty and suits her extremely well. She’s pretty.

Dante Eld: Age ???. I really don’t have much on Dante, at least nothing that’s not spoilery. I remember I included him the first go around because he was a randomass character I had created, and I felt like I needed to use him, but he had no real purpose, and that’s sort of true now, at least for the first book. He’s supposed to show up and have no point, and then he shows up in later books as a villain and people’ll be like…oh, hey, I remember him! But anyway, Dante is a Dark Elf, and I switched him back to his original appearance (he was a traditional Dark Elf for a while) mostly because I already have a dark skinned elf. Plus, I always thought it was fun to have a Dark Elf that wasn’t a traditional Dark Elf, you know?

And eh, I didn’t change much about his outfit. It works, it’s dark, and it looks better in my current version, so I like it. I like how he turned out.

Aria: Age ???. Aria is the titular Angelus Dei whose disappearance at the beginning of the book sparks the adventure. What no one knows is that she chose to severe herself off from the world because she had been corrupted, and that she ends up being the main antagonist of the first book.

One thing I like about designing Aria is the idea that the other gods are not paying attention to the world around them after they start disassociating with the world, so their clothes are outdated. Way outdated, which is why she’s wearing a Roman inspired dress. Also, with Aria, I liked the idea of her looking like a storm cloud while she’s corrupted, since she’s the Younger God of Air. Which is why she’s in all greys there. She actually turned out looking pretty damn cute!

The next set is the ‘extra’ ones I did, and sort of what I consider the Lumentian designs, I guess. I mean, the first two designs are what the main three wear in Lumentis – Buttercup in the dress she’s given when she arrives at the palace (her ‘princess dress’, if you would), Raito in his prince attire, and then Clover in her royal guard uniform. I was going to give Raito the extra sleeve things I had given him in his previous prince design, but I sort of liked how this looked without them, so kept them off. Also, Buttercup sort of tries to de-Alterian herself so the Lumenian people might accept her more, but, uh, girl. You a Fire Mage. Can’t work yourself out of that, but that’s why she doesn’t have the braids around her face, or the eyeliner.

The other three, though, are Raito and Clover’s siblings.

Yukino Akira: Age 18. Yuki is Raito’s little sister, the only princess of Lumentis, and both her bothers are overly protective of her. She and Raito are closer, though, and she’s always sneaking off to hang out with him. She’s the first in the palace to accept Buttercup, since Raito trusts her. Raito hates the fact that she’s technically an adult now, and guys are starting to court her.

Her design is really cute, and her dress is something different but still medieval looking.

Fern Gunvald: Age 23. Fern is Clover’s twin brother and polar opposite. Where she’s a warrior, he’s a scholar, and was actually the first one to meet Raito when they met in the library when they were younger. He is Raito’s other best friend, although Raito and Clover are closer. Despite the fact that they are so opposite, the twins are extremely close and supportive of one another.

I love hos nerdy he looks, lol. He did have spiky hair, but that didn’t suit him (or look right), so standard boy hair it is, and it works perfectly for him.

Kazuto Akira: Age 24. Kazuto is Raito’s older brother and Crown Prince of Lumentis. He is, in a word, a womanizer, and has been seducing any girl who has shown any sort of interest in Raito for as long as he’s been able to. Not like Raito has really cared about any of those girls, of course. Naturally, he attempts to sway Buttercup as well, much to Raito’s annoyance. The brother do not get along at all, with Kazuto constantly having to prove that he’s better than Raito at everything.

His design isn’t anything exciting, but I like how I managed to make him look like a playboy prince somehow.

The next set, I suppose is the Alterian design, which are Buttercup’s friends as well as two of her siblings. Her friends aren’t featured that much, but I had wanted to design out their dresses, so…here we are. Buttercup had more friends in the original, but I whittled it down to three.

Lilac: Age 21. Lilac is the brunt one of the group, as well as being the oldest. She’s not engaged because all the guys their age are terrified of her, but no one’s really worried about her, despite her age, because she does have a guy she’s talking with. Also, she’s very independent. She’s trained in melee fighting.

Rosemary: Age 20: Rosemary is technically Buttercup’s best friend who also happens to have just recently become engaged to her older brother. She is sweet and gentle and perfect, and pretty much beloved throughout the village. (Given that she has the more complicated dress, I think you can tell which of the three is my favorite, lol). She’s trained in sword fighting.

Lavender: Age 20. Lavender is sort of shy and withdrawn, although not to the point where she’s soft spoken. She’s the one closest to actually getting married thanks to an arrangement her parents made with another family, although neither party minds since they’d been close since childhood. Thanks to her glasses, she’s trained in using a staff so she doesn’t have to get close to her enemies.

Seth Angelia: Age 22. Seth is Buttercup’s older brother and he’s highly protective of her thanks to being the only one older than her. He’s also the only Angelia son who’s training to following in his father’s footsteps – the others work on the family farm which is run by their father’s cousin. He and Buttercup are close and he’s unsure what to think about Raito’s interest in her. He was a little unsure about asking Rosemary to marry him, seeing as she had a lot of other options, but considering all the time she spent with him growing up, it was really no completion. He’s a trained swordsman.

It was hard to come up with a male Viking design, especially after seeing how plain they tended to be, but I think I did really good! I mean, he is really plain, and then you have Rosemary looking all gorgeous over there, and it’s sort of funny knowing they’re a pair. But I like how he turned out! He’s just as adorable as everyone else.

Lily Angelia: Age 12. Lily is Buttercup’s younger sister, and the second Angelia daughter. (With everyone aged up, I decided to give the Angelia’s two more children, and the last one is another daughter.) She is pretty much the opposite of Buttercup, believing herself above her own status and that she’s somehow going to catch the eye of some nobleman in the future, despite there being none in her life. As such, she’s a bit lazy since she doesn’t see the point in learning homemaking, although she’s forced to learn. She is obsessed with Lumentian culture, which irks everyone due to the fact that, well, Alterians hate Lumentians for the most part. Buttercup loves her little sister and all, but the two do not get along.

Lily ends up looking simple as well, but I amused myself with the idea that she’s wearing a Lumentian inspired dress that turned out extremely pretty! I wasn’t going to give her a braid at first, because at some point, she absolutely refuses to participate in any of the Alterian cultural attire, but figured she'd find a way to make it work where she was still pretty. I also like the soft pink on her.

I know the three girls look similar, but that’s because I found a design I love and wanted to run with it. I liked the idea that, since their village is a border village, their clothes would have some Lumentian elements to it anyway, and I just…I don’t know. I really like how everyone turned out.

I think my biggest problem with this story is realizing that I wrote the original ten years ago, thus making it a prospective story to write for NaNo, *dies* I mean, I still want to do Division, and it’s still, you know, two months away, so anything can happen, and knowing me, I’ll probably lose interest in this once it goes out, but there you go. I had to do these because my muse was bugging me, and I figured I’d write out this long ass description for my future self, lol. And because I wanted to put these designs out into the world.

#my art #designs #angelus dei

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glamorousruins · 3 years ago

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Art Dump #1

I have some time on my hands today so I decided to compile a small post with some drawings/sketches that I've made but never officially posted on my blog! Some are pieces made for friends and others are just drawings I made for no reason lmao

I decided to do this to feed yall some content but also so I can appreciate my art a bit more because right now I'm not all that happy with it kawjshdg

Anyways here we go! (imma also explain some of them cuz I wanna)

so this was a drawing i tried doing of an overblot!Ace design made by my very lovely mutual @ai-0uch !! I had this whole idea of what I wanted to do but then I realized something- I did his design wrong aKWEJHGRH. He has a flower over one of his eyes and I didn't realize it until After I started coloring. Not to mention the fact that for some reason this drawing is too intense for my laptop to handle??? Every time I try opening it to work on it it just closes the app. So I'm physically unable to work on it

Still love how I did his hair though. And I may actually redo this since I'm still so in love with this design

Punk Ruggie!! This was a sketch that was inspired by the Punk!Ruggie design created by my lovely mutual @minccinoocappuccino !!! I loved how scrunkly he looked and just Knew I had to sketch him

This sketch is actually what made me adopt and more sketcher style! My "sketches" are usually always filled with clean and neat lines which kinda defeats the whole purpose. So this little doodle was great because I got to have fun with it and make it as wild as I wanted

And I really like how it came out!! His nose and smile are my favorite part of this one

This is a little fan art I did for another one of my mutuals, @twisted-lusty !! I remembered seeing his post about this guy n went "oh he's horrible. I must draw him" and this was the result

I actually don't hate it??? There is def a lot I could fix about this but I liked the eyes a lot!! I had such a fun time that coloring this in was very enjoyable. And that's hella important to me because coloring in my drawings is my favorite part!!!

Usually, during my drawing process, i color in the eyes mid-sketch so I don't get bored. And I take so much time coloring since it's very relaxing for me to do

oh this fucker

Okay, this is just a silly little doodle that I made for an ask but I still love how it came out??? His face shape, the perfect head-to-neck ratio, his smile??? mwah mwah

It might not seem all that important but unfortunately, I have the terrible habit of pointing out every flaw in a drawing after I finish it and it usually makes me dislike what I made. I'm working on not doing that dw, but I actually like this one. Not to mention, the lineless look of his hair??? Woah that's new

ok so this is getting long so I will be making a second part soon

#ruin nonsense #art #twisted wonderland art #mutuals #just silly little moments #trey looking Much better than his first sketch of him that I did #thank god #twisted wonderland

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bnhaficsforthesoul · 4 years ago

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BNHA College AU - Monoma

Major: Psychology

Minor: French

Sports: Soccer

Clubs: Debate

Neito feels the need to prove himself to everyone - he wants everyone to look at him and recognize how successful he is, mainly due to a childhood of everyone around him having very low expectations for him, so he wants to prove them wrong

Because of that, he’s forced himself into doing as much as possible - he studies in all his free time so that he can go into class and act like it’s easy and stay at the top of the class, he volunteers on some weekends at a local hospital, he’s on the soccer team and so he spends a lot of time at practices or games, and he joined the debate team to top it off

So basically, he has a full time schedule, and he is very tired. Not that he would ever admit it, he hides behind concoctions of coffee and energy drinks to make it appear like he’s fine

Even though most people tend to avoid him because of his “I’m so much better than all of you” attitude, no one can deny he isn’t amazing for pulling off everything he is. So far he hasn’t broke, so despite how tired he is, it seems to be working for him

The only people who really try and help him calm down are his roommate, Shinsou, and a friend from high school, Kendo - who are both very concerned about Neito, but he brushes them off saying that he’s fine

You’d think as a psych major he’d be able to understand that he needs to chill, but nope - his ego won’t let him

Now, you meet Neito in your Abnormal Psych class, when at the beginning of the semester your professor said that your only grade for the class is a project that you’ll be paired up for - and you ended up with Neito

At first you thought you were lucky, getting paired with the smart kid, but as soon as you two sat down together to talk about the project you quickly decided you weren’t so lucky

“Let’s just get this over with, I’ll do all the work, okay? I don’t want to fail because of you.”

Even though having him, who you already admitted was smart, do all the work sounded like a nice way to pass the class without doing any work, you weren’t gonna let him bad mouth you like that. He had no right to immediately decide that you were too dumb to even help out

“Well I don’t want to fail because of you, so I’ll take my half of the work, and you’ll take yours. I’m not putting my grade completely in your hands either.”

After a few seconds of glaring at each other, he dramatically rolled his eyes and sighed, “Fine, whatever, I’m picking what parts I want to do though.”

Truthfully he was happy you said that because he does not want to do a whole project by himself nor does he have the time to do so, but he doesn’t want to fail. So he’s just gonna hope that you’re smart

Throughout most of the project, you two just did your own work by yourselves - neither of you had any interest in working with the other

So other than the few times where he made sure to check in and go “are you actually working on the project?” you didn’t talk to him again until the day before the project was due when you met up in the library

You both needed to make sure the other actually did their part and that your work would actually work fine together, and you weren’t surprised when Neito’s parts ended up being amazing work that would for sure get a high score. He was also very happy when he saw that your work was also amazing, he had worried a bit that he would have to redo a bunch of your stuff so he was glad he wouldn’t

But poor boy was exhausted, with everything that he has to do day by day on top of a huge project that he totally didn’t end up doing most of in the past week (the hypocrite) – and you could tell. Despite not knowing him well, you knew that Monoma tended to take a lot of pride in his appearance, so seeing him show up with dark circles under his eyes and messy hair was surprising

Even though he had been kinda rude to you before, you felt lowkey bad. He had obviously worked very hard on the project, and your grade depended on that. His did too of course, but still. So, you invited him out for coffee

“Seriously?”

You thought he was gonna make fun of you for asking, almost making you say nevermind, but the look on his face showed shock rather than humor, so you nodded your head, “yeah, you look tired. I’ll buy it, don’t worry. Just to celebrate us finishing this stupid project.”

He agreed, although he still looked kinda shocked, but maybe it was just because he was tired

So, you brought him to the nearest starbucks on campus, and you ordered your drinks – he got some fancy one with a lot of instructions, and once you got them you went back to the library cause there were a lot of people in the starbucks - it is a college campus afterall

At first you both kinda just drank your coffee and went back to going over your project since you would have to present it tomorrow, but as the caffeine started kicking in Monoma started talking more and more about other things

Like he mentioned that he has to leave in about an hour cause he has soccer practice and so you were like oh youre on the soccer team?? How cool – and ofc, he’s not gonna miss a chance to brag about himself. So yes, he did talk about all of the cool things he does around campus, and despite how easily it could come off as annoying, he seemed like he was actually happy to be talking about it

However, you had to flaunt yourself too – so whenever you could you’d interject with a hard class you took or some volunteering or internship you’d done or your job, anything to show that you’re a hard worker too

And Neito liked that – you were fun. You were letting him talk about himself without getting annoyed, you were smart, you were nice, and you also were really hardworking

He totally didn’t go back to his dorm after practice and ramble to Shinsou about how awesome his project partner is

The next day, of course the presentation went great, no matter how you are at presenting Monoma is great at it and your actual project was really good so everything went perfect

You had pretty much that’d be it of you and Monoma, but at the end of class he came up to you with a proud grin on his face and asked if you wanted to come to his game this weekend

You weren’t busy or anything so you agreed, and lowkey you thought it be fun to see him playing. Even before you met him you knew this boy was pretty, and thinking about him running around playing made you a bit more flustered than you’d like to admit

So you went, and you followed Monoma’s instructions of where to go and all that, and soon the game started.

And your brain was right – he did look extra pretty like this. You couldn’t help but cheer for him as he scored goals, making him flash you a smile every time. Part of you wondered why you were doing this, you had only really known him for a few days altogether, and you disliked him for most of that, but you couldn’t deny you were having fun

Ofc, his team won, and you cheered like crazy. He came up to you after the game, ready to brag about how good he did, but you beat him to it, “You did so good Monoma!”

“I know, I know, thank you~”

Even though you should probably be the one treating him for winning, he said that he had to pay you back for the coffee the other day, and you went to get some fast food

Not healthy, but it’s a celebration, he’ll let himself eat badly sometimes

After that, you found yourself hanging out with him a lot more often, either studying or going to his games or whatever – you even ended up together in another psych class the next semester

Basically, you two had become best friends, and that was fine for a while, despite you thinking he was very pretty and had a gorgeous voice and you had started to respect him a lot

Well, it was fine for you – Neito had found himself falling deeper a lot sooner than you did. People generally don’t show him the time of day that you have, and he knows he wasn’t exactly the nicest to you when you first met but even so you not only defended yourself but were nice anyways

So yeah, long story short he loves you, he practically worships the ground you walk on tbh but he won’t ever admit that (at least not for a while)

It takes a lot of convincing from Shinsou and Kendo to even try asking you out, them saying “they’ve stuck around for this long, there’s a good chance they might like you too. Or at least I doubt they’d think it’s weird, if they can put up with you normally I’m sure they can handle this.”

So eventually, he did. Awkwardly knocking on your dorm room door one night dressed nicely, making you feel kinda weird when you answered in your pajamas, but he asked “y/n, would you like to go out with me tonight? As a date?”

Poor boy was trying so hard to sound confident but he wasn’t doing all that well, his voice coming out kinda wobbly. You were lowkey shocked when he said it but it was a pleasant surprise, no you had never really thought about dating monoma, but you were sure as hell willing to give it a try

So you said yes, asking him to give you a minute so that you could get equally as dressed up while your roommate helped you out, and soon you were on your way to wherever he was taking you

Of course it was a very fancy date, Monoma wanted to go all out for you, so it was a kind of overwhelming first date but you found yourself enjoying it greatly. He may have tried being all romantic and flirty, but there was still the goofy Monoma that you were used to under there

By the end of the date, there was no doubt about it, you liked him, so there were no objections when he asked if he could kiss you after walking you back to your dorm.

Once again, Monoma coming back to his dorm and rambling to Shinsou about how well the date went and how he even got a kiss! But Shinsou was happy for him

The next day he texted you to come meet him at the library where he officially asked you to date him, he wanted to do it there because that’s where you first became friends – how cute

Now Neito has another person constantly telling him to calm down, you support him in everything he does of course but when he’s tired you will make him stop studying so that he can nap with you

When he has matches you get to do that cheesy thing when after he wins he can run up to you and kiss you – its amazing, his teammates think it’s gross, but who cares

And you go to his debate competitions if youre allowed to, and hoo boy can he debate he always has the best arguments and everything you’re so proud like hell yeah that’s your annoying ass man

Neito is a French minor, and of course he’s gonna use that on you. He’s very good at French, like he picked it up quickly and he’s just got it down completely, so ofc he’s using that to flirt with you

But if you know French and use it back at him he will get very flustered (if you don’t know it maybe you should learn some just for this)

You guys go on so many fancy dates, not always expensive fancy dates, but things like you show up at a park and he set up a bunch of fairy lights and brought champagne or something

If you ever hang out at his dorm, which might be fairly often cause of how much he studies and all that, Shinsou will get annoyed by you two being cute

But he’ll also tell you a bunch of embarrassing stories about Neito so you love talking to him, Neito does not like it so much for that exact reason

he’s generally not big on pda but sometimes he’ll feel the need to make some big declaration of his love while you’re in public and you’re just like neito plz shut up - he’s romantic he cant help it

okay but you two have totally faked a proposal multiple times at a fancy restaurant or gone to bakeries saying you were engaged just so that you could get free food - but he makes the fake proposals so realistic that they lowkey make you tear up... imagine what he’ll be like when he does it for real

#in this household we love and support monoma neito #monoma headcanons #monoma #monoma neito #monoma x reader #monoma imagine #monoma college au #bnha #mha #bnha college au

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shintorikhazumi · 4 years ago

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Trope 2: Accidental Marriage

Trope 2: Accidental Marriage- From: No Please

A/N: I might do a part 2 to this, maybe. Also, Sorry to the one who requested something else first. Still looking for a trope to match your description :’<, but I will get to it!! Please do submit um, specific tropes. That will also make it kinda easier :)). Thank you!

Sorry if this isn’t quite what you had in mind? I had fun though. Will try to stick closer to the theme next time ;-;. Really need to practice. This feels more like… unintended? Marriage? Then Accidental? Yep. I might just need to redo this prompt someday huehuehue. I’ve been burnt out of good ideas lately so. This is ;-; sorry. Realized too late, and couldn’t retract, rip.

This is not a short, it seems. I have failed. Both the short, and the prompt. I’m sorry. ;-;

Enjoy?

~Shintori Khazumi

Trope 2: Accidental Marriage- From: No Please

“This… was not quite what I meant before when I said I needed a partner who could stand alongside me on stage forever.” Claudine muttered, still shocked as she played with the ring on her finger, beholding it with some sort of awe, and slight awkwardness.

“Is that so?” The question was followed by a thoughtful hum. “This was exactly what I had in mind, though.” Maya smiled flirtatiously across the table, act perfect as always as she pretended Claudine’s words and the migraine she currently sported did not hurt her as much as they actually did.

“Hmmm.” Claudine simply continued to scrutinize the jewelry that now adorned her finger, not sparing Maya a glance.

This made the latter deflate, confidence shrinking by the minute. Claudine… did she really dislike the situation all that much?

Maybe Maya should find this sudden, forced(?) romantic engagement weird as well. After all,

They were only best friends.

And best friends didn’t just wake up side-by-side, married, out of the blue.

-As much as Maya loved the mere idea of it.

The events of yesternight were surprisingly vivid and fresh in her mind; Claudine’s as well. This only served to feed the uncomfortable atmosphere and embarrassment between them as they tried to wrap their heads around the thought of them actually, legitimately, officially being married.

How had it even come to that point?

Well…

It all started with Maya’s celebratory party after a successful nation-wide tour for her new show. Claudine had come to watch the top star in all her glory on the closing night, and had gotten herself invited along with the cast afterwards while the pair had been exchanging pleasantries and the usual congratulations. Claudine had been pulled along so naturally, like she was meant to be with the group, and it wasn’t even on Maya’s request.

Maya was ever in awe of her former partner’s charisma, drawing her own cast to the French actress, as if she were their companion these past few months of dedicated rehearsals and shows.

She was happy, and just the slightest bit jealous. Of Claudine or her cast? Maya didn’t really know.

Another thing she did not know was that everyone knew something. That there was something different, different about Maya and Claudine, leading to this turn of events.

After months of dealing with a stoic Maya with minimal genuine emotions slipping by, they’d known in a heartbeat when things changed. Changed when Saijou Claudine, her best friend, was around. They’d have to be blind to not notice how Tendou Maya was always much more enthusiastic in practice whenever Claudine would drop by. Though of course, she was always perfect during any performance, whether in practice or the final thing.

But the troupe knew it was different. It just was. As unexplainable as it was.

There would be weeks when Claudine would never show up, and sometimes it felt like practice was a little tense. Maya was like a deprived pup, waiting on her owner, eyes darting to the door at the end of the practice hall any chance she’d get. She thought she was being discreet, but no. No, she was not.

By no means did her distraction ever weigh anyone down. Maya would die before letting something as trivial as feelings get to her. But… it was clear when her heart was in a place separate from the stage. It never did leave, but it occasionally wandered off, taking its steps farther and farther to where Claudine was as time went by.

Moments like those, the cast had learned to deal with. With how often Claudine came over, they’d all gotten to know each other enough to exchange numbers, and it was simply an easy matter of praying the woman wasn’t too busy for a quick video call, the troupe members shoving a smiling Claudine on their phone screen, the blonde tutting Maya and telling her to move her ass along and stop troubling the rest of the group.

They could just see the light beaming off of Maya even as she was being scolded; so happy, so pleased.

‘Best friends’ their ass.

She’d make a haughty, faux-prideful remark and Claudine would call her out on it, be her usual irritated self with the occasional “mechante va!” . Maya would laugh airily at her, before calming down and mumbling softly how she missed Claudine, how she wished she could pay her a visit- selfish as it sounded. Claudine would then apologize for being so busy, tell Maya that her schedule was hectic at the moment, but that she’d try to swing by one way or another soon. The cast would pretend they didn’t hear the longing in the pair’s tones over the phone, how Maya’s usually perfect posture would slip, frame slouching in poorly-hidden sorrow.

Being apart clearly tore at her. But what could anyone do? Maya had chosen the world of Takarazuka, and Claudine went to walk on broadway. It was surprising enough that they were able to still visit one another as often as they did, Maya surely having been on Claudine’s sets more than once, always welcome, and ever well-known.

They were inseparable, not only physically, but in public image and name as well.

And so with all this knowledge, it was only the obvious choice that Claudine would be invited as an honorary guest to the afterparty, right? No problems with that, right?

….right. Maybe.

Everything had been going swell at first. All was the norm when it came to these somewhat generic parties. There were the usual speeches, acknowledgements, some challenges, karaoke and games. Yes, games. And one game just so happened to swerve them completely off of the safe course.

Maya had been observing Claudine the whole night from where she was seated at the head of the table with important producers and guests. She tried her utmost to hide the annoyance at being interviewed after a long show, unable to enjoy the ambience of the festivities. Coupled with that were the people attempting to get with her, or at least suck up to her good graces. Albeit, she should be used to all this, with Claudine so near, yet so out of reach, it only served to tick her off each second that went by with these snakes of men and women coiling about her, choking her with their disingenuous praises.They were as acid in her ears, burning hot and unwelcomely painful.

The horrid collective concentration of their too-strong “fancy” perfumes with scents all jumbled and odd, along with all the alcohol they made her down (she willingly did so, if only to distract herself from all of them) made bile tickle the bottom of her throat, humiliation threatening to make its appearance.

‘Ah, how annoying.’

She’d much rather be next to one gorgeous French woman, standing alongside all her underrated castmates- these moneybags never gave their potentials a second glance, the idiots. She’d much prefer to be dancing the night away to the oddest of tunes, but enjoying each moment all the same with the rest of her new family, alongside one who had always been her family. And her home. And-... she would stop herself right there.

She hadn’t the right to claim Claudine like that. Not while she remained cowardly, concealing her affections each and every day. She shouldn’t. Not until she made the effort to be able to.

Maya sighed, downing another glass of beer. She was beginning to feel a migraine coming on. She needed a different distraction. One that hopefully did not involve her getting more drunk than she already was.

Who better a distraction than Saijou Claudine then? Beautiful, a sight for sore eyes, voice a pleasing timbre to the ears, aura radiant and warm. Maya sighed, feeling her stress melt away instantly the moment she’d placed her focus on her cherished partner. Now, if only she could call for her attention to save her, or maybe go to her and spend the rest of the night with- wait. Wait a second.

While observing Claudine intently, Maya had realized something. Maya, with all her competitive spirit, had taken note of the fact that Claudine had drunk one glass of alcohol more than Maya. How she knew this? Besides the number of empty glasses laid before the woman on a table as the troupe had currently advanced into a drinking competition, Maya had subconsciously been taking note of each time Claudine called for another drink when Maya managed to spare her a glance. And she always seemed to be taking in more and more!

Therefore, by her very sober mind’s standards, did this not mean that Claudine was trying- and actually being- superior? With the higher tolerance and capacity? Claudine was winning something! And that certainly wouldn’t do! For Maya was always the winner.

Yes! Maya now had the perfect reason to get out of this unwanted bind! She had to defend her honor! She had to maintain her winning streak! She had to best Claudine as she always did in any competition they had! It was tradition; everyone knew of their rivalry since the beginning of time. This was a valid excuse!

With not so much as a word of farewell to the blabbering buffoons she’d be leaving behind, Maya made her exit, stumbling momentarily- whoops, was that supposed to happen?- as she moved out of her seat towards where Claudine currently stood. She had left the drinking game she’d been a part of moments prior, now occupied in talking with one of the show’s directors who wasn’t the slightest bit interested in the affairs that Maya had been drowning in, it seemed. And he should have been the one to be receiving all these… those people. He made Maya his scapegoat, the damned old man.

“Tch.”

She observed for a moment as they continued chatting, one moment looking serious, then the next, laughing as if they were old time friends. Was their conversation of great significance at the moment? Maybe. Maybe Maya shouldn’t cut in. But Claudine was animatedly communicating with him, gestures and smiles and all, and something stirred within her at the thought of her best friend so close to this man. Claudine looked like she was having fun. Too much fun. So Maya thought it would be best to interrupt them. Right now.

“Ma Claudine!” She hiccuped, covering her mouth in surprise, and giggling a little ‘sorry’, very amused by the sound that had slipped from her own lips.

“Hmm?” The woman turned around before her eyes widened, moving forward just in time to catch Maya in her arms as she slumped forward. “Maya?! What are-” Her scent… though still as pleasant as always, was mixed with something Claudine didn’t quite fancy as much.

“Claudine? Oh! Claudine! Greetings, my lovely sta-”

Maya had leaned in closer to do who knows what, but Claudine was not having it. Not right now. She pushed her face away, still holding the girl up by the waist. “Maya! You’re drunk! So drunk!” She screeched, already requesting for a glass of water that the director went and fetched from a passing waiter, a glass of relief that Maya adamantly rejected, stomping her foot down with a little whine.

“No! Am not!” She slurred, giggling some more. “But maybe you are!” She poked at Claudine’s chest. “And so you won’t accept my challenge!”

“Challenge?” Claudine shook her head, not wanting to be distracted from the matter at hand. The matter in her hands being an incredibly wasted Maya. “Maya, I think you’ve had a little too much to-”

“You’ve had too much to drink? Haha, I thought so. You’re looking a little red, my dear.” Maya drawled, dragging a manicured nail along Claudine’s cheek, lightly scratching.

“No,” Claudine sighed. “I am very much sober, thank you.” She shook her head fondly. “Come on now, be a good girl for me and take this water.” She tipped the glass the director had passed her, getting Maya to drink somehow.

“I’d say thank you-” Maya exclaimed, pointing a finger into the air, still slumped against Claudine. “But times like these, I can’t be grateful to the enemy. Saijou Claudine!” She patted the said woman’s cheek, maybe a little too hard. It sounded like it would leave a mark.

“Maybe you need more water.” Claudine grit her teeth, very willing to douse Maya with a pitcher with the way she was acting at the moment.

“I challenge you-”

“Are you not listening?!”

“To a drinking contest!”

“I just told you you’ve had enough-”

“Scared?”

“Maya, if you drink any more, you’ll-”

“You’ll lose to me.” Maya grinned, evil and conniving. “Wouldn’t want that now would we? Haven’t won lately, dear Claudine.” Maya chuckled, lips leaning close to a now shaking Claudine, irritation and fury building. Maya just had to add the spark to the ready fuel. “- or at all.”

“You…. you… mechante va! ” Claudine grabbed Maya by the wrist, taking her to the drinking table, seating her opposite of herself. “I’ll make sure you eat your words. Or well… drink them bitterly. More bitter than any alcohol or your tears. Be prepared, Tendou Maya!”

“Always am, Saijou Claudine. ”

//-//-//-//-//

Ten mugs in and Maya was toeing the edge of consciousness. Or lack of it. Her mind was floaty, hazy, dull.

Still, she could not lose. Not to anyone. Especially not to Claudine. She had to always stay on her toes, and keep Claudine’s eyes on her… she’d also like it if they met her own and they’d stare into one another’s colored gems, the sunset’s rays hitting Claudine so perfectly as they had dinner by the beach, the sound of waves beating against the coast as Maya got down on one knee and- that was not important right now.

Maya had to get through one more drink. She shook irrelevant thoughts out of her head. She needed to focus. Focus.

Focus on… Claudine and her pretty pink eyes, almost identical to the flush of her face, lips parted slightly as she breathed gently over the chilled glass, droplets condensing on the outside and rolling down, and gently falling onto the waxed wood of the table.

‘ Ah… you’re just so… ‘

“Beautiful.”

“What was… that?” Claudine got out, tolerance slipping after so many rounds of drinking, including the ones from her previous match up.

“If I win this… there’s a reward, right?” Maya changed the subject, hoping Claudine was drunk enough to truly not have registered her little slip up. Now was not the time for her desires to be made known. She took in a deep breath of air while their drinks were being refilled. “There is. Right?” Violets pinned Claudine in place, daring her to say no.

“Mmph.” Claudine nodded sloppily, reaching for the full glass, bringing it closer and staring into liquid death. This little contest might just be going too far. Claudine still had work the next day. She knew this. Maya knew this too. Claudine knew that Maya knew this. And yet, here they were, probably way past midnight and into the early morning, drowned in intoxication and pride. And yet, “Whatever you want.”

Maya had never been so irresponsible in her life, to get this inebriated. She knew this was a first for Claudine as well. They were usually so careful and calculated, and just… not this pair of reckless drunkards, consuming glass after glass, staring into each other’s souls, no one willing to back down.

“Whatever… I w-want… you sh-say…” Maya drawled, tapping a finger against her cheek, looking to be in thought.

“Obvious-ugh-... obviously… within my power to give.” Claudine laid her head back against her seat, breathing heavily through her nose and huffing out strongly, hoping she wouldn’t just spill her guts right then and there.

She was going to fucking win this.

“And if you won? Whaateveeerr could Claudine Saijou even need, or want in this world?” Maya giggled, taunting. “I’ll give it to you. All of it. Even if it were to be the moon that you wanted, or a star.”

“Don’t be stupid, I’m not as unrealistic as you.” Claudine waved.

The twentieth glass glared at them through the table.

Maya could barely manage to read Claudine’s body language, but she knew the girl was at her limit. Well, she was too. Her beautiful best friend remained staring into the cup.

“Giving up?”

Claudine shot her a glare, one that sent electricity coursing all throughout Maya’s entire being. She loved it. She loved it so much. This feeling, that gaze, that Claudine. She loved her.

And all Maya wanted to do was be able to tell her without fearing rejection. Why she ever did was stupid. She knew Claudine, and Claudine knew her. They knew each other’s minds, almost as if they shared them. She knew Claudine’s kind and gentle heart. She would feel her affections, sweetness, and genuine thoughts in every action.

So why was she so hesitant?

Why did she still think that Claudine might not return her feelings?

Maybe it was because she knew she could be too egotistical and assuming; assuming that everyone loved her, and always would. Because they just did.

But Claudine wasn’t everyone.

Claudine didn’t fawn over her every gesture, or plaster her posters along her wall, or cry out for autographs, or send her billions of gifts and mails and extravagant whatevers.

Claudine just stayed by her side. Even after seeing how weak Maya truly was.

Even now, in her insecure, lowly, shameful state.

Claudine loved her.

Maybe.

Maya wasn’t brave enough to confirm that sober, so maybe this little contest reaped good benefits for her after all.

She had a chance if she won. Yes. She’d use the reward to request Claudine to go out on a date with her, then they’d go to this quaint little cafe, just like the ones Claudine loved in back in France, and Maya would get her a dress in a shop, and take her on a boat ride and-

“Maya.”

“Do you like the swan boats, or the wooden ones?”

“...huh?”

“O-oh.” Snapping out of her reverie, Maya asked Claudine to repeat her words, apologizing for being absent-minded.

“Iiit’s… it’s alright.” Claudine blinked, brow raised in question, before shaking her head in dismissal. “Anywaaay,” she sighed. “I… said I’ll sh-stop. Tch. I give in. You win.”

Claudine sounded a lot less drunk then Maya, but maybe the glass of water in her hand, as well as the lack of people around them explained that Maya had been out of it for a while. Really, Maya was so far gone from the world that she hadn’t noticed most of her troupe and guests had already headed on home. Even the bartender who had been serving them up to this point was already wiping down the far ends of the counter, preparing to close up.

She would have been concerned about all that, if not for one little detail...

“Araaaa~Ara, Shaijou-shaannn~” She grinned. “Admitting de-*hic*-feat is so unlike y- ack”

Claudine retracted the hand that had just chopped Maya on the head. “Quiet. Drink your water and let’s go home.”

“Eeehhh...”

Claudine sighed. She barely had enough of a mind to be thinking straight right now. She really should have stopped this stupid little thing sooner. She was lucky enough to notice that Maya had very much passed out seated, and she knew she was on the brink of losing her rationality as well. So she just wanted them both to get home in one piece before she lost all semblance of controlled thought. They needed to be home safe. Home separately, not together of course, not that they lived together. Not that Claudine minded , but… oh God. She was really getting there.

“You haven’t forgoootteeen about my… -eugh- ahh… reward though? Have you?” Maya managed, wiping the drool from her cheek as she asked for another glass of water.

“I’m starting... to think you’ll be the one t-to forget it very soon.” Claudine sighed, feeling her eyes begin to droop, rubbing her face with her palms. “Buuut... whatever. Get it over with. What ish-is it that you want, insufferable woman?” She still tried to maintain her coherent speech, shamed enough for losing their little bet.

Through her exasperated tone, Maya still heard fondness and sprinkles of mirth, Claudine smiling at her gently, even if her brows were furrowed. Ever the good sport. Maya loved her like this too.

“Sooo? Hurry up? We don’t... have all the time in the world here?

Right. Maya’s reward. A response.

Drinking more of her water, she prepared her tongue to speak the necessary words.

‘I want to date you. I want to go out with you. Please go out with me. Please be my girlfriend, please be mine.’

“Maya?” Claudine was beginning to get worried as Maya just stared at her blankly.

‘I love you.’

“Oi. Tendou Maya!”

‘You’re beautiful, inspiring and amazing.’

“Maya? Ma Maya?”

‘I love you. I want to be with you. For a long long time. Please go out with me. Say it Maya. God damn, SAY IT!’

“Tendou Maya!” Claudine shook her by the shoulders, very concerned now by the lack of response, that concern quickly turned into surprised confusion as Maya blurted out her request.

“How about your hand in marriage?”

“...”

‘ What did she just…’

Claudine was in too much shock, too drunk to comprehend what the hell Maya had just asked. So just as stupidly, she replied,

“Sure whatever.”

Maya felt herself slightly sober up suddenly. Wait… didn’t she just say… and Claudine said... “Is… Is that…. Are you shue-su… sure?? Are you-”

Claudine sighed, headache coming on quick. She hoped she had aspirin in her bag. Or car. Or- ah gosh dang it, she wasn’t in the safest state to drive. “Go on ahead, you idiot.”

“But…” Maya tried to reach out for Claudine, still fairly surprised. “What about yoouur… feehlinshh-whoops.” She had stumbled forward again, Claudine catching her the same way she did earlier that night.

Just a lot less sober.

Claudine sighed, taking a sip from her water glass on the counter, hoping to keep her mind for moments longer. Downing one big gulp, she decided maybe it wasn’t so bad to be honest from time to time. Maya was a lot less sharp- scratch that. She was completely dense when it came to Claudine, it seemed. Or maybe she was pretending not to know of the blonde’s feelings for her. Whichever it was, Claudine had no better chance to tell Maya something she’d otherwise never allow the light of day to see.

The truth of her feelings. It was fine. Nothing would be amiss after this, even if Maya understood it now. Tomorrow would be a normal day. So Claudine just needed to tell her honestly, and wholeheartedly, try to make these feelings known tonight. Not that Maya would remember this in the morning. Not that Claudine wanted her to.

This water tasted funny.

But Claudine needed to confess first.

“Don’t you know I’ve…”

‘Huh? What is this… why is everything suddenly so hazy and…’

“likaefgfin you fer so”

“Whaaat was thaaat?” Maya replied a little too loud for Claudine’s eardrums to take.

She barely registered the bartender cursing under his breath, apologizing for leaving that drink on the counter fairly close to Claudine’s water. It was supposed to be his. A strong drink for him to unwind with.

“Ah, Fuck it.”

//-//-//-//-//

“I have to admit, as weird as it feels, I’m impressed.” Claudine whistled, still looking at the metal band wrapped about her finger, fitting perfectly, design simple, yet intricate- and how did that even work. A beautiful purple sapphire rested at the apex of its curve. Claudine admired it carefully. “I really am impressed. How you managed to arrange all this, drunk. Rings and all, even marriage papers.”

Claudine sorted through her memories of the day hours prior to their current afternoon meal time on Claudine’s apartment balcony, admiring the sunset that was closing in. Fragments of images of them walking up to an empty church with Maya shaking down a priest to marry them haunted her recall.

Claudine wasn't all that religious, but Dear Lord, forgive them both.

Claudine felt the intensity of second-hand embarrassment wash over her. Really. What had they been doing at six a.m.?

Right. They had been busy trying to get married.

They even sat in front of the supreme court, waiting for it to open come eight-thirty in the morning. How Maya convinced people there to get them to do the procedures that fast was a mystery in and of itself, but in barely two hours, they were walking onto the street, hand-in-hand, somehow still barely conscious and far from sober enough, with the sun blaring in their eyes, sleep-deprived, and now officially married.

“I still can’t believe your crazy amounts of luck, to have come across a travelling trader. And these rings…” Claudine stroked them gently. “Exotic and from a different country, huh…” She murmured. “Hope they aren’t fake.”

Maya choked on the tea she had been sipping, tongue burnt suddenly. “I-I’ll have you know I have a good eye for these kinds of things.”

Claudine merely hummed again, stirring Maya’s anxiousness up even worse. Maya thumbed the onyx on her own wedding ring, biting her lip nervously, a question on the tip of her tongue escaping after being held back since they’d regained consciousness.

“Do you mind it? Being married to me?” She whispered, hopefully loud enough for Claudine to hear. Or not in case she had an unfavorable answer for Maya that she didn’t know if she wanted to hear. “Does it bother you?”

Claudine’s eyes lifted up, a sparkle in them, and a few shadows swirling about. Maya read it as doubt, but with a conviction. Claudine had something planned. What it was waslost on Maya, but clearly she was about to say something important-

“I mean, I love you. So I hardly mind this arrangement, out of order as it is.” Claudine laughed. “And I’m fairly sure you feel the same way, considering you were the one to propose this. Quite literally propose. So,” She tried her best to offer a reassuring smile, finally looking Maya’s way to meet her eyes and tell her what they both thought about this- “Maya?”

The sight that greeted her was a flabbergasted Tendou Maya, mouth opening and closing like a fish.

“I… you… I- you- me, l-l”

Claudine blinked, taking Maya’s image all in. Before she broke,

“...pfft- Ahahahaha, you should see your face, Tendou Maya! You look like you can’t believe what I just said!”

“I… I-”

“If you say you actually can’t believe it, I’ll be incredibly heartbroken, you know?” Claudine wiped tears from her eyes; she propped her arm on the table, chin resting on an open palm. “I’d cry a river.” She giggled, but they both knew there was a truth to her words.

Maya was still at a loss. And Claudine was only teasing her more and more. It was frustrating that Maya couldn’t even manage a word out, she couldn’t even tease her back to regain the upper hand-

Wait… didn’t this mean…

“Oh my god.”

“Hmm?” Claudine cocked a brow. “Are you praying or something?”

“You’ve won.”

“Eh?”

“You’ve actually won.”

“Won? Won what, exactly?” Clearly, this victory wasn’t registering in Claudine’s mind, as she still gazed upon Maya tenderly, a soft blush on her face as she lovingly made fun of the girl. Her smile was of a maiden in love, happy and satisfied, and Maya…

“Or am I the one whose won?” A winner to be married to the most wonderful person in the world- unintentional as it was. Maya knew she’d do it all over again. Intentionally, this time.

“If you’re talking about winning me over, then isn’t it a little too late to realize it now, Tendou Maya?” She chuckled, taking a sip of her tea.

Maya blinked. “Maybe.”

“Eh? Not that?”

“But maybe you can take that as your first victory.” Maya’s usual flirtatious smile had returned, but there was a sincerity to it that made Claudine’s heart flutter in her chest, Maya’s eyes so warm adding to the butterflies within her.

“A-and what… what “reward” do I gain from all of this?” She stuttered, suddenly unable to keep her eyes locked with Maya’s.

“My, what a silly question, Ma Claudine.” Maya reached a hand over, taking Claudine’s ringed one in her own. “For haven’t you already won me?”

“...you really are infuriating.”

“Infuriatingly charming?”

“I should not be as calm and accepting as I am in-and-of this situation. I just got proposed to and married in the span of so few hours.” Claudine shook her head, almost in disbelief. Almost. There were too many things grounding her in this reality, proving to her that she indeed was bonded to Maya in sickness and in health.

“That wasn’t a no, and don’t change the subject like that.” Maya laughed, standing up from her seat and walking around the table, standing behind Claudine for a while, unsure if she should proceed with her actions.

“Quit being weird and standing behind me like a stalker. Just hug me if that’s what you were planning on doing. You already did it before all this, what’s stopping you now?”

“Th-things are different this time, clearly I’d be a little nervous!.”

“Wuss.” Claudine teased, but her heart was beating way too loudly in her chest.

“Ever the sharp tongue.” Maya sighed fondly, wrapping her arms around Claudine from behind, kissing her on the temple.

“You like it.”

“I do, Mrs. Tendou.”

“Hmm? Are you still drunk? You got a little confused there, Tendou Maya.” Claudine chuckled, a hand reaching for Maya’s left and kissing the back of it, before kissing the ring.

“Not at all? Are you forgetting something? Tendou Claudine?”

“Ten- ah…” Claudine’s face burst into flames, the realization finally sinking in. That she was actually married to the person she loved for so long. So unconventionally too. She would have been consumed by these emotions, but then again, there was something wrong about that statement that stirred up her competitive nature. “Why do I take your name?”

“Well, obviously, I-”

“Saijou Maya.”

Both their brows twitched.

“Yes, that just…”

“Doesn’t sound quite right.”

“Tendou Claudine does not work for me either.” Claudine huffed.

“Alright, alright.” Maya laughed. “Mrs. Saijou, would that work for you?”

Claudine turned to give her a bright smile, actually liking how that sounded. “Yes, it would, Mrs. Tendou.”

Staring into one another’s eyes, they felt that familiar magnetic pull they always seemed to have between them, drawing them ever closer. They had always tried to fight against it before, afraid of what the next moment would bring, but now… there was none of that fear. Only reassurance and love.

“May I kiss you, Saijou Claudine?” Maya whispered, softly against Claudine’s lips that were now barely touching her own, breaths mingling and warm.

“You’ve already married me. So why not?”

Soft and teasing, chasing and embracing, their first kiss was all sorts of wonder, and colorful in every way. Their first kiss, and it had happened after they had gotten married.

It truly was out of order, the way they did things. Odd and different, just as everyday was when they were together. Never dull, never getting old. Always something new and changing. Never ordinary. But really, when were they ever the ordinary pair, Maya and Claudine?

Pulling away, Maya laughed. Laughed so hard tears spilled from her eyes until her laughter turned to chuckles, and into sobs, all of joy.

“I love you.”

Claudine felt herself tear up as well, getting up from her seat to hug Maya in full, both of them holding onto one another, neither willing to let go. Whispered reassurances and small kisses brought them down from their emotional high, calming them both as they swayed about in a slow dance on the terrace. They shared words, not really meaning anything at the moment. A few jokes, a few feelings, a little love.

It truly was a wonder how perfect everything fit, and felt. Like it was all natural, the pair so easily getting used to this new lifestyle as sudden as it was.

The stars shone overhead as night fell upon the dancers, the cool breeze wrapping them in its refreshing embrace. Nature provided them their music to a well-practiced dance that only they knew, and Maya had never felt more content in a moment than now. Truly, it was a perfect end to their perfect wedding day. But something seemed to be missing...

“Honeymoon?”

“...”

“Not here, obviously. Bahamas?”

“...”

“Claudine?”

Face heated and hidden in Maya’s neck, Claudine mumbled, “You truly have no shame…” She groaned, but added, “...Only if you’re paying.”.

Maybe some things needed the normal getting used to, after all.

Notes:

A/N: Might make a part 2 if I feel like it. This one was fun! ~Shintori Khazumi

#mayakuro #starira #revue starlight #shoujo kageki revue starlight #fanfic #tendou maya #saijou claudine

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madrabbitsociety · 4 years ago

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Sometimes, and I do not mean for this to sound malicious, which it will, I feel the need to defend hairdressers.

Hairdressers and hair stylists are skilled technicians who go through thousands of hours of training in order to hone their craft. Some of us were lucky enough to go to a technical school while in high school and are not in debt. I, however, paid almost $25,000 to go to school. I had to go for 1500 solid hours. In my state, that meant Mon-Thurs evenings for 5 hours a night. In my opinion, people don’t give stylists enough credit for what they need to know to get licensed in their state. Specifically, my license is for cosmetology. I had to know skin disorders, chemical reactions, actual strand structure - and we still don’t get told enough because we don’t get proper training on different types of hair, but that’s a whole different post that a lot of other people have done better than me.

The predominant way we are paid in the industry is via commission. So if we have no one scheduled, we don’t get paid. If we have a client cancel, we don’t get paid. At my first salon I was expected to stay as early as I could to as late as I could, unpaid, just in case someone came in. Of course, corporate places are mildly better in that they offer a minimum wage, but that’s usually somewhere between $7-9 an hour. In order to earn commission in that type of situation you have to do more in services than what you would have been paid for the hour. Again, probably an entire post in itself.

I tried a lot of places. I paid a lot of money for a license I was very proud to own. The final straw was a salon near my house. Personality-wise, I really felt like it would work out because I enjoyed the people I was around and I was disappointed when it didn’t work. When I first started, they insisted I do two unpaid apprenticeship days because I was (licensed for 6 months at that time) too new to work on their clients. They would provide models and charge the models a lower service fee than their usual service fee. I would then have two paid days at $10 an hour where I would basically follow the owner around, clean and do shampoos. On my days off, I was expected to want to come into the salon and continue to apprentice for free. There was a point in my apprenticeship phase where I was only being paid two days for 5-6 days worth of work.

Again, this is not uncommon in the industry. Maybe not to this extreme, but certainly there’s a lot of free work being done. Does your stylist have someone help them blowdry? You might want to make sure that apprentice is being paid.

My skills did improve greatly during this period, but I maintain that was because I put a lot into it. The owner took all the credit- through his great teaching methods, I was becoming an ‘okay’ hairdresser.

During the apprenticeship, unless you handed me a cash tip, he kept all of my credit card tips. So if you added a tip after service with your credit card, the salon kept them because they said I was using their electricity/taking up space in the salon and I needed to pay for that.

In addition to all of the time I listed above actually being in the salon, I was also expected to attend continuing education classes. In summary, and again this is not an uncommon culture in the industry, if you do not eat-sleep-breathe HAIR, you are told you’re not good and you won’t do well. The only exception seems to be if you have children, but if you’re single/without kids they will work you to the bone.

When I was finally promoted to a junior stylist, I stopped being paid hourly at all. I was told I would get 36% commission for services and I was specializing in color corrections/the blonding journey at the time, so I was doing $200-300 services quite often. Some of those services took 4-6 hours of my time, but if I had no one scheduled I was still expected to straighten up, do laundry, sweep the floors and help other stylists with color application and blowouts. Which is fine, kind of. The problem became that from the start of my journey at that specific salon, I would be expected to arrive when we opened at 10 AM and stay until the owner finished his clients- sometimes I didn’t leave until 11-12 PM, and was expected to come back the next day.

So yes, one $300 color service could mean that I earned 14-16$ an hour, but… when you’re working 10-12 hour days that kind of knocks it down to minimum wage again.

Then there is the opinion that this is an easy job that so many people can do and you don’t need to be vaguely intelligent to do it. That the people who chose hair are stupid or unskilled. I was sitting on the steps of my school once, reading an Agatha Christie book and comparing certain passages to an ACD Sherlock Holmes story via text message with SpicyMags, when an older couple walked by. The man looked up at the school sign and scoffed, “These girls are getting suckered into a scam. This is nothing but a scam and they’re stupid enough to fall for it.”

Well, in retrospect, he’s not wrong, but at the same time when you know the blood and sweat and tears- the thousands of hours and dollars that are poured into not only the initial licensing but the continued education classes- being a hairdresser is so much more than people give it credit for. It’s an abusive industry that exploits a lot of unpaid labor and even when you get to a point where you have skill, where you are an artist, you have people asking for a luxury service and then complaining when that unnecessary luxury costs them actual money.

One last thing I’d love to point out- the 100% customer service guarantee. A lot of salons these days are trying to change, but a lot of them also still have a guarantee that if you don’t love your hair, you get a free redo or a refund. Do you know what that means? Your stylist doesn’t get paid.

So I can spend 6-8 hours on your hair after you tell me it’s been box dyed brown attempting to take you through the lightening journey to get it blond. I can tell you that because of the molecules and ingredients in the dye, the actual damaged structure of your hair, that it is not possible to do it all in one day but I can get you close. I can explain to you the entire process, waste all my time being completely honest with you about how golden it’s still going to look because it IS a journey/process, and at the end you can decide that because I didn’t get your hair to solid white in one go that you want a refund…

And I don’t get paid for the entire day that we spent together.

That’s some fucking bullshit, but it’s - and this is a quote from several of the places I’ve worked- an “industry standard”.

The cherry on this shituation cake is that we also don’t get any health benefits, life insurance, retirement- no freaking anything (corporate salons being a slight exception although having worked in the medical field I can tell you the benefits offered by corp. owned salons are not great.)

So please, next time you decide that it’s laughable that a salon quotes you $150 for a craft haircut that takes a certain level of knowledge and skill, remember that the salon gets most of that and if you don’t like it there’s a huge change your stylist isn’t getting paid.

Edit: Things that I did not mention but should have- the toll it takes on your body (repetitive motions and standing in heels on concrete floors cause back issues, neck and hip issues, knee issues, carpal tunnel and risk of cutting off your knuckle with your instruments). I had to sign a release that my school was not responsible for me cutting any part of my body with my shears (I’ve had bosses who lost toes and knuckles). You think that heels thing is a joke? I’ve worked in several salons where ‘female’ stylists were required to wear heels and at least three items of make-up because ‘this was the beauty industry and we had a standard to keep’. Say you gather a clientel and can rent your own chair or booth, you’re responsible for purchasing every single bit of supplies you might need to continue doing what you’re doing, so you’re still having business costs eat into your hourly wage. People need to give a fucking standing ovation to hairdressers, okay, because this industry is brutal.

I’m not saying I dislike doing hair, or that I’d never do hair again, but there are several reasons I’m not doing it right now.

#madrabbitsociety #mad rabbit society personal stuff

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etherealellaelf · 5 years ago

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Disney Remakes: they’re not all bad.

I submit that some of the disney live action remakes are, regrettably, a bit off. But not all of them. A lot of them are really good. Here’s why.

-Lion King did really put me off with the lack of expressions. I’m not sure if I have much to say about it, lol I’ll have to see it and let you know. Honestly though I don’t think I can because I love the original Lion King so flipping much, it’s a masterful movie and part of its mastery is the beautiful hand drawn animation and its expressive characters. I can’t think I can watch a bunch of real lions just talking. Who knows? I’ll keep you posted.

-Alice in Wonderland, one of the first of them, had some really good feminist moments. I love the Hatter and Alice’s love for each other, I guess he’s like the only human in Wonderland so it makes sense. But I get some weird ideas because the denizens of Wonderland are supposed to mirror the characters in Alice’s real life, and since the only redhead in Alice’s life is Hamish, that weirdo who asks her to marry him and he’s a total jerk.... and the Hatter is a redhead too.... idk it’s weird. Also it’s weird if he represents her dad because number one he’s dead and number two it’s incest, but the Hatter does say a few things that her dad said at the beginning....hmmm... fishy. However I feel like I can rest assured because this might just be the case of “Johnny Depp came to shoot today in a homemade cosplay and nobody can stop him because he’s just a mad genius”, in which case why do they keep letting him do that??? I don’t mind the hatter’s design, but can you imagine Just Plain Old Johnny Depp In All His Sexy Glory as a mad hatter? It would have been fine. They had to give him a gap between his teeth, CGI enlarged eyes, crazy red hair, white and pink makeup... oh well, whatever, it’s fine. I like how Underland looks a bit more like Narnia than like a Tim Burton land; I honestly don’t know if they gave him complete creative control when it came to the CGI set design. It might’ve been cool to see that.

-Cinderella was wonderful, I thought. I really love how Cinderella and the Prince interacted a lot more, falling in love over a long period of time. In fact, I feel like it was a spiritual remake of Ella Enchanted(which, in my opinion, Disney really botched up because the book was just so amazing), so they did really good in my book. My brother, however, hates that at the end she just twirls in her tower and doesn’t do anything to save herself, when in the original she tried to escape. He thinks it’s really unfeminist and he doesn’t want his daughter to act like that. I agree on that mark, but I’ll let everyone watch it. Also they threw a little bit of the Beauty and the Beast original fairy tale in there when her dad, a merchant, asks what she wants and Cinderella asks for the branch that brushes his arm or whatever; similar to a single rose, when her sisters ask for riches. I also liked the handling of Lady Tremaine; it really humanized her and I felt for her. The stepsisters were silly as per the usual. The King went from a bumbling psychopath(the cartoon) to a very melancholy, concerned father, and I cried at his death scene. Bravo, Kenneth Branagh, bravo.

-I really like all of Beauty and the Beast, although I do think that they made Lumiere & friends a little bit too important in this movie. I needed more moments between Belle and the Beast that were in the animation! Evermore was breathtaking though, let’s be honest. Although let’s be honest, I REALLY REALLY wanted to see a shirtless Dan Stevens emerge from a wall of rose petals because that sounds absolutely magical and super HOT. I’m so mad they had to redo it. Also I like the subtle crush Lefou has on Gaston; I’ve always wondered if he liked him. I do wish that Josh Gad had toned it down with his fabulousness though, because although I love fabulousness I wonder if it was slightly offensive. I really liked Gaston, and I feel like he could have gone a little bigger and with more bravado, could have been from slightly comedic to VERY comedic, but I think that’s alright. He did a great job. And as for everyone complaining about the villagers being really nasty and openly evil towards Belle, I actually liked it. It’s clear in the cartoon that the villagers whisper behind Belle’s back, but I feel like she just has a small smidgeon of an idea that they think she’s weird. In this, they freaking ATTACK her. They’re like ‘We can’t have smart bicc’s in our town! Get out me town!” It is a bit on the nose sometimes but I think it works because it helps Beast and her relate to feeling like outsiders. I do think the Beast knowing how to read kind of gave them something in common as well, but I disliked how he scoffed at her favorite book, Romeo and Juliet. I wish he had been more understanding like, “There’s this poor girl whose library is like, seven books, and amongst those seven books, one of which is probably the freaking bible because they belong to a pastor, her favorite is basically a romance. She’s not well read; I’m going to show her the classics.” Which back then was probably, like, idk, Voltaire? Too soon? Eh I’m not sure when it takes place. I do wish he’d gifted the library to her though, that was a nice gift for her in the previous movie. (Here’s the thing; the Beauty and the Beast cartoon is basically a perfect movie and I don’t think anything can live up to it, but this one was good too. It wasn’t better, but nothing can be better than that movie. Except maybe the Princess Bride or the first Pirates of the Caribbean or the stage production of Phantom of the Opera. No, not even then.)

-Dumbo? I haven’t seen it yet, I’ll have to and update this.

-Okay so Aladdin is really good. I entered the film with the meme cringe in my mind, totally expecting it to look weird and bad, but honestly Will Smith was such a great actor! And I actually freaking cried so many times because number one: the genie was aladdin’s father figure that he never had! He taught him how to date! Number two: the genie got his true love as well, and you see her and their kids at the beginning of the movie! SPOILERS btw. Sorry. Also Number three: they picked Will Smith to play the genie because he’s HITCH of course! The matchmaker extraordinaire! (I just love Will Smith. I wish he would run for president; it wouldn’t be the first time we had an actor in the white house. Just kidding, I don’t want to burden him that way, and there are really smart candidates this year to choose from. I just am urging everyone to go vote, and no more harambe crap!!!!) Also Jasmine had a nice new empowering role in this movie. I just sort of wish Jafar had been more menacing and villainous. But his actor was fine, just a bit soft-spoken.

-Lady and the Tramp- I started it on Disney+, I need to finish it. I’m halfway there.

-Christopher Robin is a gift; it’s both simple and complex. It has a lot of nice metaphors and I could feel my heart hurting for much of the film. Seriously good aesthetics as well, Director of Photography!!!

-The Jungle Book is a really good remake! So much excitement, and I could totally see Bill Murray in Baloo. (I think it’s equal in terms of story to the movie Mowgli, although Mowgli had that nasty little surprise at the end, I’m still hurt about it.)(also in comparing, the CGI is similarly good, but Mowgli wanted to do a really ambitious face capture thingy and I’m not sure if it worked,(uncanny) but it was interesting! It was also a lot darker. I think they’re both good.) Ben Kingsley was superb, of course, as Bagheera, as always, and he has a really fatherly voice(I thought Christian Bale did well as Bagheera as well, but he was more of an action figure in that movie, less of a father/teacher figure). And John Favreau, as always, went the extra mile to bring the action, the writing, and the moral through, and made it super good for children at the same time!(the same cannot be said about Mowgli, as there were some violence/action things that go beyond ‘peril’, hence it’s PG-13 rating) My one discrepancy was the voice of Kaa. Scarlet did fine, but I always thought of Kaa as a boy. I think they could have found a slithery voice actor for Kaa. Benedict Cumberbatch did really well as Smaug, hissing and growling, and he could have done well. I also think that Tom Hiddleston could have done a great job; he has a really gentle and pliant voice that can turn menacing in the matter of seconds, and if it’s about the snake being sexy as Scarlet Johanssen(haha what??), I think that Hiddles can bring it.(I’m not quite sure what I’m talking about at this point so I’ll shut up now.) I do feel like Mowgli started shooting way before The Jungle Book was even a glimmer in John Favreau’s eye, and that kind of makes me want to root for Mowgli because I’m sure that different movie houses have people working in both, probably swapping stories with their friends, and I’m sure it wasn’t an exact copy, but I can totally see Bill Murray in Baloo’s face and that can’t be by accident. Just saying. Not calling Disney out or anything, but I’m sure they can take it, they have like a trillion dollars. Anyway. Still a good one.

-Haven’t seen Pete’s Dragon.

-101 Dalmations, I know this shouldn’t count but it just does. I loved watching this as a child. I’m so happy they didn’t make the dogs talk? Haha it usually works when they do, but it gave a lot of room for Doctor House and Mister Weasley to interact. Also Glenn Close is great. I think this movie’s a good example of a career woman who decides to get domesticated and her sista is like, “Girl, you can’t do this! We have to be strong women! You have to come back to work!” But Anita is all, “Girl, respect my decisions! Feminism isn’t forcing your girl to be exactly like you, it’s giving me the respect to make my own decisions. If I want to have a baby with my husband, that’s fine. I want to be a mom!” I feel like the “new” 101 dalmatians remake they’re gonna make, will have a different opinion. Similar to wicked and maleficent, it’s going to humanize Cruella, but I just hope that they’re nice to Anita. She’s such a smol soft bird and if she wants 2 billion dogs and one baby, that’s fine... ugh, that’s gotta be like so much dog poop in her house... anita what are you doing...

-Maleficent. Obviously I love it. I love how those arguing fairies are super incompetent at raising Aurora because they’re too busy fighting, so Maleficent has to swoop in and rescue the princess. I like how Maleficent is a fae and it’s so sad how there’s like this rape metaphor when Stefan cuts off her wings, and that would be reason to curse his baby, especially because they were in love and he betrayed her! Stole her wings! Married someone else! T^T Maleficent, you poor misunderstood fairy! I love her motherly relationship with Aurora. I love that she’s the one who kisses her forehead to wake her up because Philip met her just that day. However, I don’t like how they just shove Philip out of the way, because Sleeping Beauty is honestly so romantic, and I love how they dance together and everything. I also like the raven boi. I ship him and Maleficent so hard and I hope he doesn’t die in the sequel, I haven’t seen it yet.

-So technically the Parent Trap is a remake. It’s awesome. It gave my childhood so much romance and prank ideas. It’s much better than its predecessor, especially because the mom in the old one is, like, urged to look prettier by her butler(wtf?!?! YOu’re FIrEd?!?). I’m so glad we’ve come so far.

Anyway, those are my thoughts. Are the remakes better? In some cases they are. I think Cinderella is better than its predecessor. I think the original Alice is very good, as a nonsense movie, and I feel like the remake is equally good, but they’re different movies with different motives and plots. The original Beauty and the Beast is my favorite and it’s perfect, so the new one isn’t better, but it is really great and I love it, too. Anyway, that’s all.

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squinoas · 5 years ago

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Final Fantasy VII: Remake is both a blessing and a curse, to newcomers and series veterans alike - a (kinda) in-depth review of Final Fantasy VII: Remake.

Final Fantasy VII: Remake is both a blessing and a curse, to newcomers and series veterans alike.

As the latter, and someone who has played and enjoyed (and watched, in the case of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children), most of the compilation that followed the original, I feel confident in saying this game is a worthy remake of the standout hit that put Final Fantasy on the radar of the Western audience. The blessing is an imaginative and fleshed out retelling of a fraction of an original thirty-hour story – stretching it out and giving backstory to returning characters, while introducing some fresh (and welcome) faces along the way. The Midgar section in the beginning of the original Final Fantasy VII clocks in at around 3-4 hours of a player’s overall journey.

Not this time.

But is that also the aforementioned curse of this game? That those players who have enjoyed the original many, many times know of what it still to come? Throughout my play through of the game this felt like it was going to be its main detractor, when actually the ending completely throws this into the air.

Only time will tell if this is a good decision that will pay off, or if it will backfire. Nevetheless, I’m optimistic that the best is yet to come.

How long will we have to wait for more? That’s anyone’s guess at this point, especially with the Coronavirus situation. Safety comes first, and any delays to the second and third parts of this episodic epic (and I hope it continues to be epic) will be understandable – and hopefully, much like this first part, well worth the wait.

GAMEPLAY (COMBAT, MATERIA, WEAPONS)

Much furore has been made about the series ditching a turn-based system – one still employed by Dragon Quest (another Square-Enix property, and the most recent instalment, Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age, one of, if not my favourite, recent JRPGs).

Final Fantasy now employs an action-based model, more akin to another property, Kingdom Hearts.

Sometimes erratic and frenzied in 2016’s Final Fantasy XV, I’m happy to say that Square-Enix appeared to fine tune most of the aspects I disliked about that game’s playstyle and the result is Final Fantasy VII: Remake’s fun gameplay.

Keeping the ATB gauge involved was a good move, and gave the game a familiarity. The oscillating difficulties mean that there is a playstyle for everyone to find. I managed the entire game on normal mode (even my first time fighting the Whispers), until the Sephiroth boss battle. I have my own narrative issues with us fighting Sephiroth in the first part of this game anyway, but the difficulty spike in this battle on Normal mode felt unreal. I’d managed the slog that was the Hell House boss battle, and the annoyance of the escape from Shinra section, including that boss battle, but this was another level, and the only boss I had to change to easy mode for (which meant redoing the Whispers fight on that mode too).

On the other hand, there were bosses where, understanding their attack patterns and developing a strategy meant that winning the fight felt genuinely rewarding, as opposed to just time and energy-draining. An example of this was the Ghoul fought in the Train Graveyard – a new inclusion, and a whole strand of story that I enjoyed immensely. That battle really made use of switching between party members – Cloud and Tifa taking the lead in physical attacks and Aerith using her magic whenever necessary.

Materia has been updated, but not massively. Rather than a huge overhaul of the system, it still works largely how it did before. It’s been adapted for an action-JRPG but still comes down to strategy. However, an option to change materia mid-fight might have been prudent, considering the variety of enemy weaknesses. I found myself having to restart more than one fight because a batch of enemy scrolled through at least three different weaknesses and I was never adequately prepared for them at first. But at least restarting these fights was easy and hassle-free.

I liked the additions of new materia; such as Synergy which is another way to control what your other party members do in a fight, and the Magnify materia which works like the All materia of the original game. It made finding new materia fun and fresh, and meant I was constantly changing up my strategies to see what worked best.

The weapons system has been changed significantly, however. The upgrade screen looks stylistically like the crystarium from Final Fantasy XIII and the Historia Crux from Final Fantasy XIII-2. Therefore, it looks interesting, but is actually kind of boring when it comes to upgrading weapons. I ended up letting the computer upgrade my weapons with the balanced option, and this was a cool feature for people like me who found the task of upgrading tedious; especially when having to click out of each character’s weapons to only click into another one.

But the abilities that came with the weapons and having to develop a proficiency for these abilities was a nice addition. The only time I felt hindered by this was when Barret had to learn an ability on a close combat weapon. I like the fidelity to the original, but at the same time it was a handicap. Of course this is probably my own problem as I could have chosen not to use those weapons, something I may not do in a second playthrough.

Nonetheless, I felt like it encouraged me to play as every party member, and some were just downright cool. Special mention has to go out to Aerith’s Ray of Judgement, and Barret’s Maximum Fury which are so OP it isn’t even funny.

STORY (CHARACTERS, PLOT, ADDITIONS)

The original Final Fantasy VII is well known for the infamous ship wars. Clerith vs Cloti has been the ongoing debate for the past twenty years, and I don’t think this game is going to convince anyone that their side is right or wrong. It’s still left open to interpretation, at least in my opinion, and perhaps this was the best way to keep everyone satisfied. However, the game adds the additional element of having Aerith confirm that she did indeed love Zack Fair, the main protagonist and her love interest in Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core. As a ‘Zerith’ and ‘Cloti’ shipper myself, this game gave me plenty of moments to love for both couples. As someone who does have a liking for Clerith and Aerti, it kept me more than fed.

I have to give kudos to those involved with the game that they stayed true to the very canon interpretation that Aerith and Tifa are friends, and always were. True, they both expressed some small mote of jealously in the original game (and, at times, in this one too), but it quickly becomes obvious that they are both strong-willed young women who admire each other greatly. There are great examples of their burgeoning friendship but my favourites have to be kicking the lecherous asses of Don Corneo’s lackeys, and discussing a shopping trip for stuff for the bar.

All in all, the characters are kept true to their original incarnations. If anything, they – as with everything else in this game – are given to breath and work through things organically. They are fleshed out, and given further backstories, motivations and plot. I think this was best done with the doomed member of AVALANCHE, Jessie. She’s given a last name which, to begin with, makes her feel less like an ancillary plot device and more a character in her own right. To add to this, we meet her mother and father; which absolutely tugged at my heartstrings, what with her father’s tragic accident leaving him in a comatose state. We find out Jessie wanted to be an actress and was working at the Gold Saucer (this also works as a nice nod to places we know exist in-universe but will not visit until a later instalment).

Marle, Leslie, Madam M, Andrea Rhodes – every Chocobo Sam – are all fantastic additions, and I hope we see them again. In particular I would love to see Leslie reunited with his lost love in a future game.

Now, in terms of the story, I have played the original inside and out for many years, and always thought I would be against changes made to the story. Throughout most of the game most of these additions are simply changes that just make things more interesting for someone like me who’s played the original before. Towards the end, however, things take a drastic turn, and turn everything we’ve known on its head. As I said before, I have no idea where this is going to go in the next part, and there were some aspects that left me scratching my head.

The main of these being Zack. As far as anyone who has played the original or Crisis Core will know, Zack died in a last stand against the Shinra corps sent after him and Cloud after their break out from Nibelheim. However, the ending raises some interesting questions. At first I thought us defeating the Whispers had rewritten Zack’s fate, but maybe that’s not the case. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see where they take it (one change I did not like was Zack’s voice actor. I know all the English VAs were changed – which I wasn’t a big fan of in the first place – but the new voice actor does not sound good compared to Rick Gomez).

Overall, our characters end the game in more or less the same position as the end of the Midgar section of the original, but after the events of the battles with the Whispers it appears that certain events that would have been due to happen (the original ending with Red XIII, Aerith’s death, etc) may not happen at all – or at least, not in the way we think.

#GUESS WHO FINISHED THE GAME THIS MORNING SUCKAS #this girl #this post contains spoilers so do not go any further if you haven't finished the game #it's not really that in-depth but i was trying something new #it got kinda long tho #and a lot of this was written before i finished the game #if you guys want to know my opinion on anything i've missed out just send me a message #and yes this means the hiatus is OVER #gifs are incoming #everything will be tagged #ffviir spoilers #for at least the next few months #text post

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crystalized-dreams · 5 years ago

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Will you ever upload more abyssrium or word villas or some other mobile games?

In general, mobile games are really tricky to record. I used to have a fairly decent program I used-- Side Sync, but it’s been discontinued and is now broken. I can still kind of use it (as I did with my recent Pocket Camp video and the STYLIT video), but it’s a huge pain and skews the video entirely as essentially the vertical game is being shown squished into a horizontal perspective. There is no fix.

I haven’t found a program that works for my needs. The closest I can find either have a monthly fee (I don’t mind buying something once, but I don’t use things enough to justify a monthly fee), some kind of recording mark over the video and/or will record sound through the microphone. I actually generally play mobile games muted and live in a very loud house so that helps no one. Or they aren’t for screen sharing at all and are really just to get your emails/alerts which I don’t need.

And Samsung Flow, Side Sync’s replacement, is honestly terrible. I can’t get it to work.

While I could consider an emulator, the issue there is not all games properly carry over progress and my computer is slowly having more issues and just can’t always run them. I do try to use an Emulator for games where I know I will play for a long time, but it can be pretty glitchy (Using Choices and Hogwarts Mystery as examples, my progress isn’t always properly saved and sometimes I have to redo things on my phone after).

As for the games you specifically asked about, being completely honest, I don’t think I’d be uploading more of Abyssrium or Word Villas regardless as, to put it nicely, both have became a bit too greedy for me.

Before I go into it, I want to say I never have an issue with putting money into a game I enjoy. I’ve spent a lot on Abyssrium and a fair amount on Word Villas. But I have very little patience with subscriptions for one and I just... haven’t enjoyed a lot of choices either game has made recently (of the two, despite playing Abyssrium longer, I think Word Villas has made me more upset about the direction they’ve gone).

This will also get quite long, so....

My first worry with Abyssrium came with the pearls. I dislike second currencies and we already had some expensive things (they had a Mermaid for $100 for crying out loud, but they at least seemed to be slowing down with that). Next were some of the event features... like the 150 gift boxes for an event fish. That is A LOT of constantly logging in and I am very much a “let be just be done ASAP and be good” person (I’ll be talking about this more in an upcoming entry) so the added walls were another thing really making me kind of anxious about Abyssrium.

Then they added subscriptions. No ads (which with the amount of their stupid events that required you to watch ads now was HUGE to save time) and the adorable Puffin taunted me, as I had every other fish up to this point. I couldn’t justify $7 a week for that though so I only ever temporarily did the subscription whenever an event happened.

And thus our problem-- we started getting monthly events. Which included a $10-$20 exclusive new species (and sometimes even a second one for you to spend even more money on). And also new dailies which removed more accessible pearl getting, but also were another layer to these events as every single one would have a whole second set of objectives with one that required you to complete 3 Dailies in a row.

I rarely did the dailies, partially due to my burnt out issues when it comes to monotonous tasks, but also because I find tapping incredibly painful. So I was killing my wrist every single event. And that adds up fast.

It was just too much to keep track of. And then they added in a gacha system too that cost event currency or materials and it just... it was too much. This was too much every month and like why I dropped Pocket Camp (and now only really check in for the special gifts), I just couldn’t take a chance to breathe.

Adding in Abyssrium Pole just made it worse which continued some of the worst parts of the original while also making things even slower at times and it’s a shame as there’s some really neat things they did with it, but it was just annoying.

This doesn’t even go into all the other little intricacies I had with some events (Like having to create more than one of each or remake ones I already had because of some objective), but it was just exhausting.

----

As for Word Villas... Just... ugh, I think what really breaks my heart with this is I LOVE decorating games, but I HATE Match Three′s with a passion so this was so much more my speed and they just had to ruin it. I don’t know if I’ll ever find a replacement either because for some reason every single time someone makes a decoration-based game, they have Match Three firmly printed on their forehead.

I’m going to bullet-print this one because none of it really requires the long description as Abyssrium did for the most part, but it’s just a lot of frustrations and the fact that they just didn’t seem to care about their fans up to this point.

Constant events. Some people hated these events as they just wanted more rooms, but I actually really enjoyed them! The issue mainly came as they were just, like Abyssrium’s issue, happening constantly. I would’ve been fine with a break of no updates, but it was getting a bit exhausting to constantly be doing event stuff... Especially as the events generally required 60 levels minimum to get everything (Some only required 40 but it was still a lot) and it was just tiring to power through so many due to the limited time.

Similarly, there was a glitch with the Chinese New Year/Lunar New Year event and not everyone even got the photo, yet they were never able to fix this.

We also started getting Competitive Events which nobody really seemed to want? Myself included. The game was a solo game. This was entirely pointless and making some items only available to the person in first was super scummy, especially when some people were already out of levels and thus, couldn’t keep going for that #1 spot in the first place.

The Blossom Problem - Blossoms are no longer even in the game, having been replaced by Blue tickets which you can only get randomly through certain things ooor by buying them with a premium currency that you can only get with real money... yet these are now used to get things the blossoms were-- Collectibles that can be used as decorations in various house areas. Some people had over 50,000 blossoms built up only for them to be dumped. They kept asking for more things to be used on. Blossoms were only gotten for hitting certain combo streaks and while not having the combo streak pressure is nice, it’s still a huge slap in the face to long-term players who saved up.

The writing is kind of spotty. In all honesty, I glance over this a lot as I like the characters quite a bit, but anytime the main character talks with her best friend about dieting and not wanting to get fat when they’re super thin, I just cringe. The dialogue is unneeded. It’s a game for crying out loud. And honestly, proof reading is needed.

They did recently let use customize the MC’s appearance to an extent, but we still can’t change her eye color or skin color and hairstyles are set to whatever color they are. But we can’t adjust her sleepwear appearance...

The Premium Currency - There’s just... no ways to get this in-game (or if there are, I have not found them and it’s definitely not much) and yet they keep adding more things that require them.

New Visual Novel feature? Every choice that is somewhat romantic or just not being awful requires it. And this is a shame as I’d genuinely love to read some.

Furniture options you like? Might require it. (Heck, the only other option in the current “limited” boardwalk decorating does each time).

Certain customization options? Require it.

As a note, I’m not even necessarily against premium currencies as long as the prices are fair and it’s possible to earn in-game too, but otherwise when your game has a huge focus on customization and/or collecting, it’s essentially pay to win and that’s a problem.

My biggest issue as we get more and more currencies though is the main one often ends up taking a backseat because of it.

As I mentioned above with Abyssrium, I have no issue purchasing games, but I think having to repeatedly pay to remove ads is super dumb and getting ads between rounds is so annoying, but I don’t always play enough to justify paying every month to remove ads. I also just find it kind of distasteful.

The upped star costs. I get that I’m pretty far in, but needing 3 minimum to 4 or 5 Stars at a time now to do things is honestly just kind of boring. I liked to do bursts of levels than story, but now I just have to do too many levels to do that and I can’t switch off enough to keep myself from getting burnt out.

The stupid mission pass thing. Let. People. Play. At. Their. Own. Pace. And don’t prevent rewards just because people won’t pay for the premium version... there shouldn’t even be two versions.

Too grindy. Too many levels needed for so many things (events, the stupid competitive stuff, etc.) and it’s just exhausting.

The constant events also really did just end up burning me out in and off itself and then running out of my “no ads” time period due to how little I’m playing just gets me more discouraged. I used to be up to date, but I’ve been behind due to the larger costs and lack of time (and then the ad issue and ugh). I can’t even bother with most of their events lately as it just isn’t fun.

#Abyssrium #Word Villas #Mobile Games #Anonymous #Asks #ask

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thewarriorandtheking · 5 years ago

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Catching Up

The Warrior Queen: The Warrior and The KIng - Book II

Chapter 10. Catching Up

***************************************

Kaylea awoke lying in her bed. She must have dozed off. She felt Thorin against her back, his arm around her waist. The walls were set to a grove of trees on Dorsai, the sky was just turning pink above the mountains on the far wall. She could feel Thorin was awake and put her hand over his, snuggling against him.

“What time is it?” Thorin asked. It had taken him a moment to remember where he was. He was sleeping in the most comfortable bed he had ever been in, but he was also in a grove of trees. Then he remembered, he was on a spaceship with the woman he loved and a giant orange cat who could read minds.

“The projection shows the time outside,” Kaylea replied. “It is an hour before dawn.”

Thorin sighed, he was so comfortable he did not want to move but he knew Kaylea never stayed still for long. This time she did not move immediately, just leaned back against him watching the dawn light grow stronger. Thorin looked around the room, there was not much personal about it. He had seen last night the walls opened up into all kinds of storage spaces: weapons, clothing, tools. There was a narrow desk along one wall and a table beside the bed, both without any kind of object or decoration on them. As he was looking at the desk a rectangular frame appeared on the wall, a blue light blinking in the corner.

A soft, melodious voice said something in a strange language. Thorin started, what was that? Kaylea answered in the same language. The blinking light stopped, the frame on the wall remained.

“Who was that?” He asked.

“That was the Ship,” Kaylea said. “This starship is run by a kind of machine that thinks, it can also talk.” Thorin knew what she was talking about, the ship’s computer. Pilot must have put that one in his head.

“But what was that, on the wall?”

“Message from someone I do not feel like talking to today.”

Thorin shifted to look at her face. “You can do that? Talk to people across the stars?”

“Yes,” she turned her head to look at him. “I know, I put this off too long.”

Thorin lay back down, hugging her. “All these years, we could have been talking to each other,” he sighed. “I hope you are giving me something so I can send you messages when you leave.”

Kaylea arched her back against him. “That, and a few other things,” she said.

“Are you giving me a rifle, my love?” He whispered in her ear, now he knew what they were called. “I will make it worth your while.” He moved his hand down between her legs.

Kaylea laughed, taking hold of his hand and bringing it back up to her chest. “No. If I give you one of those you will start building them and all Blackwolf’s work to protect this place will be undone. Not to mention he will have my head on a plate.”

Thorin sighed, tightening his arm around her. It got him thinking about the projectiles. Most of the weapon he understood, the barrel would be very hard to make but not impossible. What stumped him was the projectiles. How to move them down the barrel?

“Is this really how you live? I think your quarters in Erebor have more decoration than these,” Thorin told her.

Kaylea chuckled. “You do realize this whole ship moves? You cannot leave loose things lying around,” she reached over and touched the wall next to the bed. A drawer slid out, she reached into it and stood up a photo of Thorin she had taken in Erebor. “You are right here, my king.”

Thorin smiled. “So, you sleep with my portrait beside your bed, as I sleep with yours,” he said. “Do you also dream of the day I wake up beside you every morning?”

“I try not to dwell on things that may never come to pass,” she replied. When Thorin started to reply she put a finger on his lips. “You promised to think about all I have shown you. Do not speak until you do.” Kaylea rubbed his arm. “I suppose we should get up, we have a long ride today. Let me show you what I really miss when I am in Middle Earth.”

She took him to the bathroom and showed him the shower. After explaining the control panel and how the dispensers worked, she turned it on. Thorin grinned widely, feeling the warm water, now that was a great idea. He stepped into the spray and pulled Kaylea in with him. When they were clean, which took a bit longer than it might have, Kaylea hit the dryer switch and held her head under the fast dryer, then moved so Thorin could do the same. All she needed to do was add some oil to her braids and she could go a few days without having to redo them. When Thorin stepped out he looked back at the shower, as if fixing the idea in his mind.

“I am definitely building one of those,” he said with a grin. “Clean and dry in less time than it takes to draw a bath.”

Kaylea had put on her leggings and tunic, when Thorin was dressed they went out to the kitchen where there was already coffee waiting. Kaylea poured them each a cup and took them to the bridge to watch the sunrise. It would be some time before the sun hit the valley the ship was parked in. Kaylea touched the console and a small screen appeared filled with some kind of writing. She scanned it briefly before turning to Thorin with a smile. He was sitting in the chair where Pilot had been yesterday, being careful not to touch anything.

“We still need to do some catching up,” Kaylea said. “If it is not too painful to tell, I would like to know what happened to your wife.”

Thorin took a deep breath, remembering. “As I said, it is an old grief now. She traveled to visit her family every couple of years, she loved to ride ponies and was always jealous of that horse from Rohan that I had. One year a trader came up from the south with some small horses, I bought one for myself and she persuaded me to buy one for her. She rode him to visit her parents that year and used to ride him often around the Lonely Mountain. One day she was out riding. Durin was with her, he said her horse spooked at something on a narrow trail and reared up, fell over backward right on top of her and they both rolled a hundred feet down the mountain. I believe she was killed instantly. As I said, there was nothing anyone could have done.”

Kaylea shook her head. “Durin being there explains his dislike for me. He was there when his mother died and now he thinks you dishonor her memory by trying to replace her.”

Thorin looked down into his cup, shaking his head. “I am not trying to replace her, how can he not see that? And he knew she had a lover, the same as me.”

Kaylea sighed. “One does not often have control over one’s feelings. Your other son has a tremendous crush on me, and Freya likes me, so that makes it two out of three.” She looked out the viewscreen at the dawn breaking over the hills. “You know this war I have been talking about is very close now, it may start any day.”

Thorin nodded. He told her about a messenger that had come to Erebor from the Dark Lord promising the return of three of the Dwarven rings in exchange for information about a Halfling named Baggins and a ring he carried. Kaylea listened intently, then told him the story of how Bilbo came by the ring in the caverns under the Misty Mountains.

“I cannot believe Bilbo Baggins of all people is in possession of the One Ring!” Thorin said, shaking his head. “Turns out he was quite the burglar after all. Is this why you are here now? Is there a plan to keep it safe?”

She nodded. “Yes, that is Gandalf’s part. It does change things if Sauron is now looking for a Halfling, he must know something of the story of how it was found. I am here to investigate other rumors, it may be that some we looked to as allies in this fight have changed their allegiances.”

Thorin looked out the viewscreen thoughtfully. “We could use more allies, not less.” He looked at her. “Do you think your Pilot can tell if my people still survive in Khazad-dum? It has been more than 30 years since we had any word from Balin.”

“You know I doubt any of his party are left alive,” Kaylea replied. “To attempt to retake Moria without a plan to deal with Durin’s Bane was absolute folly, as I told him. But we can ask Pilot. Where is he?”

“Pilot is outside the ship, sir,” came the reply in that melodious voice, speaking Khuzdul this time. Thorin started involuntarily, that voice from nowhere took some getting used to, as would most things in Kaylea’s world. Kayea said they could talk to him when he came back.

“Can you tell me more about is this Lord Blackwolf you serve?” Thorin asked. “You seem to know him well. Are you so certain he would not allow you to travel to Middle Earth when you want to? Even if you told him it was to see the man you loved?”

Kaylea looked sharply at Thorin. “He does not know about you,” she turned to face him. “If he knew I had another reason for coming to Middle Earth beyond the fact I love this planet and wish to defend it, he would probably ban me forever.”

Thorin gave her a puzzled look. “Because I am a Dwarf?”

“Because everything Blackwolf does is about power. Knowing there is someone here I love is a weapon he could hold over me forever.”

Thorin looked at her gravely. “I assume there is some binding reason you serve this lord. He does not sound just or reasonable.”

“The Empire is a very different place than Middle Earth. To keep a hold on power there he must use every advantage, and he is very good at that,” Kaylea looked out at the mountains around them. “There is a lot of history between me and Blackwolf. Out there I command an elite fighting force, we are said to be the Emperor’s personal guard but we actually work for Blackwolf. He is the true power behind the throne. I trained long and hard to get where I am, dealing with Blackwolf is the price I pay to do what I was born to do.”

“Wait a moment,” Thorin frowned. “You said he was originally from Middle Earth, how did he get to the stars? Did he build himself a spaceship?”

Kaylea smiled. “There are other ways to travel to the stars. I do not believe he is the only Elven lord who knows how, just one of the few who has actually done it.”

As they were talking Pilot came in and took a seat along the wall. He looked over at Thorin. “You seem to be adjusting well to all this, your majesty.”

Thorin smiled ruefully. “Thanks partly to you.”

Kaylea asked the Kzin what he could see in Moria. Pilot called up a map of Middle Earth on the screen and Thorin pointed out where Khazad-dum lay, astonished to see the land laid out from above in its natural formations. Both Mirkwood and Lothlorien were clearly visible, which helped him get his bearings. The Kzin studied the map for a time with a faraway look in his eyes.

“Goblins, more goblins, orcs, cave trolls,” Pilot closed his eyes. “Something nasty in the water at the western door. There is something…” His voice trailed off, he looked at Thorin. “I do not know, there is some kind of presence there I have not felt before, but it is faint. Sleeping perhaps, or waiting for something. I read no Dwarves.”

“I am sorry,” Kaylea said. “It is as I feared.” Thorin bowed his head. It was also what he had expected, but Balin had been one of his closest friends and advisors, and many of his people had gone with him. Kaylea and Pilot sat in silence with him for a time, to honor the fallen. When Kaylea moved again, she called up a window on the console and made some entries then got up and went to the far wall, taking something out of a slot. Thorin watched her curiously as she brought it over to him. It was a slim metal rectangle that fit easily into his hand, one side had a beautiful brushed finish the other looked like glass. “When you are ready, Pilot will take you through it,” she said, resting her hand on his shoulder. “I am so sorry, my king.” She picked up his coffee cup and went to refill it and make some breakfast.

Thorin was saddened to hear about his people in Khazad-dum, but in a way he had already done his mourning for Balin, he had known when he let him go to Moria that he likely would never return. He turned the thing Kaylea had given him over in his hands. “What is this?” He asked the Kzin. Pilot gave him a closed-lipped smile.

By the time Kaylea came back Thorin was already making a call to her. Her handheld which she had left on the console was chiming. She smiled and hit the receive key. Kaylea could not believe how fast Thorin picked things up, having a telepath there to seamlessly insert instructions in his head was part of it, but it was also his natural affinity for understanding how things worked. She had enabled only a few functions on the handheld she gave him, not wanting to return to Erebor to find electric lights and steam engines.

The two of them set out for Erebor later that morning. Kaylea had given Thorin two sets of the woven armor she used, much lighter and more comfortable than mail and no weapon of Middle Earth could pierce it. She also had let him choose a couple of axes from her armory. They were light, beautifully balanced and sharp as razors. Thorin would rather have had a rifle, but the ax was one of his favorite weapons. Dearest to his heart was the device she had given him, now he would be able to speak with her and see her when she was away from Middle Earth. He carried it in a pocket inside his tunic, he was already thinking about the case he would make for it.

On the way back they talked about what Kaylea’s life was like out among the stars. She told him that she was always working and unless he wanted to play the faithful husband waiting at home he would need to do the same training as her soldiers. The Sardaukar were organized into three-man teams, so if Thorin could pass the training he would become part of her team. She warned him the training was far from easy. Thorin just laughed.

“After all these years you still think threatening me with a challenge is going to stop me?”

“The Sardaukar are the toughest warriors in the galaxy. Training typically lasts three years and less than ten out of a hundred make it,” Kaylea replied gravely. “Some of them die.”

Thorin tightened his arms around her, bringing his lips close to her ear. “And I will graduate at the top of my class. All this time and you still do not know me.”

“I am only letting you know what you are getting into before you decide if you want to continue down this path with me. A few more things for you to think about, before you make your decision.”

As if that decision was not already made, Thorin thought to himself, tightening his arms around her. He would not let her go. He had known that since the first time he saw her in the sunset on the way to Rivendell all those years ago.

Read the complete adventures of The Warrior and The King on AO3 & FanFiction, author is akdogdriver. All three books now also on Wattpad.

#fanfiction #thorin x oc #thorin fanfic #the hobbit #tolkien fanfic #middle earth #true love #thorin oakenshield #lord of the rings #fantasy adventure

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snarkwriteswrasslin · 5 years ago

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FFT: discount chocolate day

Notes:

So this is an anti-valentines prompt sent to me on the main by @schizoauthoress and I have to say, given that I’m not the biggest valentines day fan, I really enjoyed it. So, I gave it a space here on this blog. Definitely want to write more for these two.

Summary:

Two anti-Valentines grouches just kind of awkwardly and resistantly starting the process of falling into love. This is the beginning. Bantering and bickering. Fluffy af if you squint.

Warnings:

anti - valentines, alcohol tw - mentions of it, fluffy bantering and bickering between two grumpy people and that’s about it.

Pairing:

Curtis Axel x OFC, Nicolette

“Happy…” before Alexa could even finish what she’d been about to say, Nicolette had her fingers in her ears, humming so loudly that Alexa couldn’t finish. Almost the instant that Nicolette had taken her fingers out of her ears, Alexa tapped her foot and asked in a huff, “Are you done now? Do you feel better?”

“I’ll feel better tomorrow.” Nicolette shrugged, offering no further explanation. Everything around her was decked out in red and an almost unsettling shade of Pepto pink and people were being so utterly adorable together that quite frankly, Nicolette was just sick of the entire holiday. It was a commercialized sham to begin with, were people really too stupid to see?

“Why not today, I mean it’s..” again, as soon as Alexa went to mention Valentine’s, Nicolette started to plug her ears and hum. As soon as Alexa’s mouth was closed, Nicolette took her fingers out of her ears again and Alexa glared at her. “Grouch.”

“Not a grouch, merely a realist. This entire sham of a fucking holiday is just a convenient way for corporations to make money.” Nicolette answered in an even tone, her gaze flitting around the backstage area in sheer boredom as she did so. “Honestly, half these people who are sucking face now won’t be next week.”

“Some of them are married, Nic!” Alexa rolled her eyes; exasperated with her friend at the moment. Nicolette shrugged. “It’s not my fault they don’t calculate risks before taking them.”

“So that’s your real thoughts on Valentine’s Day?”

“Umm, yeah. Yep, pretty much. There’s honestly no point in a holiday where the suicide rate hikes up at least ten percent. I mean, the pressure itself is enough to drive someone insane. Everything has to be perfect this one day.. People seem to forget there are also 364 additional days in the year in which they could show a person they love them too. But no, let’s just focus on the train-wreck fuckery of this one fucking day.”

“You have to be lying. If a guy came up to you right now and gave you candy or a bear or roses..” the wheels in Alexa’s mind were turning already, but they were subsequently ground to a full stop when Nicolette shrugged mildly and opened her locker, holding out a card. “I got something. And I still strongly dislike this farce of a holiday. Care to try again?”

“You’re just being contrary now.”

“It’s my prerogative.” Nicolette shrugged and turned to dig through their shared makeup kit, grabbing for her favorite MAC shade and it’s corresponding lipliner. “Wait a minute. You haven’t even opened this!? Why?” Alexa’s question had Nicolette rolling her eyes and shrugging.

“Because knowing my luck, it’s probably a glitter bomb or something. Thing will probably explode, spraying glitter everywhere. I mean.. I’ll richly deserve it because I put Icy Hot in Mandy’s bra, but yeah. I’m 99.999 percent certain that this is some kind of stupid prank… Just like..” Nicolette trailed off and added silently, every other time someone’s ‘had a secret crush on me’, to herself. Alexa was still gaping at her.

“Aren’t you even like… a little curious?”

“Nah.”

… liar, liar, pants on fire, her brain saw fit to taunt her, but she ignored it. Just like she’d been ignoring it all damn day. Just like she was hell-bent to continue ignoring it until she got good and damn ready to do otherwise. Oh, she was beyond curious as to what the envelope might hold. But she wasn’t planning to indulge that curiosity either.

“Well, if you’re not opening it, I am.” Alexa grabbed the red envelope and tore it open and Nicolette found herself torn between watching it happen and pretending complete and total disinterest and continuing to apply her makeup.

“WHAT THE FUCK?” red glitter clouded around Alexa almost as soon as she had the envelope fully open and all Nicolette could do was shrug and smirk at her friend. “I did try to warn you, Alexa.”

“You enjoy this.”

“Maybe just a little?” Nicolette stopped laughing for a second or two. The let down she felt at being right wasn’t something she felt like dealing with, so she pushed it out of her head. It didn’t matter anyway. She’d rather not focus on being right again and it’s implications or her deepest hopes.

Alexa grabbed for Nicolette’s favorite black lace tank top and wiped at her face, swearing again when all the glitter didn’t just come right off. She stomped her foot, whining and tugging at her pigtails. “Now I have to wash all this makeup off and redo it.”

“I’ll do it. I think I can actually lean into this whole glitter whore aesthetic you’ve got going on tonight. Did you learn a lesson though?”

Alexa flipped her the bird and sank back into the chair sitting in front of the vanity as she grumbled aloud, “Okay, Ms. Know it all. But I saw that disappointed look on your face when you were actually right.”

“That was more or less a look of disgust. You got glitter on my Louboutins, bitch.” Nicolette grabbed for her favorite black and red makeup brushes and set to work after priming Alexa’s face and fanning it so it might dry a little quicker.

At one point, she happened to glance down as the light caught on little flecks of red dotting her cleavage and she rolled her eyes in disdain. “Could you have gone elsewhere to open the damned card, Bliss?” with a pout.

Alexa gave a giggling shrug and shook her head no as Nikki Cross peeked in. “Thought ah ‘eard yellin.”

“It was Bliss. I told her to leave the glitter bomb card in my locker alone. She refused. Now we’re having to redo her entire face and not even ten minutes before the three of us all have to go down to the damn ring and face against Bayley and Sasha and their mysterious third.” Nicolette rolled her eyes and laughed softly, giving her friend a fond smile as she finished up with Alexa’s makeup.

“You’ve got glitter on your titties.” Alexa nodded at Nicolette’s cleavage and smirked at her friend.

“I noticed.” Nicolette replied dryly, grumbling as she grabbed for a makeup wipe and tried to get the sparkly red flecks off her skin.

Their theme music hit and the three of them made their way down to the ring, trying not to laugh about the whole incident as they did their promo against Bayley and Sasha and their mystery partner for the night.

–

“So, wot are yer big plans for t’night?” Nikki asked Nicolette.

“Well, as soon as we get back to the hotel and I’m out of these shoes, I’m going to change and go to Target.” Nicolette was already wiggling her feet free from the heels and giving a sharp hiss as she raised her foot and flexed her toes to give them room to breathe at last. “I will never.. And I mean ever.. Wear a brand new pair of heels without breaking them in first. Regardless of how good they may or may not make my ass look.”

“Oh come on! Come out with us.” Alexa was trying again to talk her into going out to a nightclub but Nicolette just wasn’t feeling it; especially not on Valentine’s day. No, she’d really rather not.

“I’d really rather not tonight…” Nicolette shrugged and Nikki eyed her, smirking.

“She’s got ‘erself a date.”

“If by date you mean Silence Of The Lambs, a bottle of wine and discounted Godiva chocolates, then yeah.. Yeah I do have a date.” Nicolette gave a smirk as Alexa eyed her. “You really hate Valentine’s day. This isn’t just a way to be contrary, you genuinely dislike it. Why though?”

“Because it’s bullshit. If you can’t love someone the entire year, why make a big fucking deal out of one day?” Nicolette shrugged as their SUV pulled to a stop in the parking lot of the hotel. She got out, stretching and grabbing her luggage from the back of the SUV, starting her walk towards the hotel lobby.

About halfway across the parking lot, she heard her name being shouted. She ignored it, kept walking. But just as she got to the doors, she felt a strong tap to her shoulder and she turned to find herself surrounded by Bo Dallas, Curtis Axel and Heath Slater.

“Boys. Hi.” Nicolette looked from man to man, her gaze lingering a second or two longer on Curtis as she gave hints of a teasing grin.

Curtis felt Heath nudging his elbow into his side and he cleared his throat, smirking as he held out a pair of bright red lace and a black lace bra. Heath snickered and Curtis spoke up. “These fell out of your bag. Fancy.”

“Oh my god.” Bo palmed his face and shook his head. Heath snickered at Curtis and Curtis gave a shrug, flashing that smirk at Nicolette as he held out the panties and bra to her. Nicolette reached for them, her hand brushing his and quickly pulling them free from his grasp. “Well they better be, I mean they’re fucking Agent Provocateur.”

Curtis chuckled and shrugged, gave her a blank look. “Either way, they fell on the pavement.” he raked his hand over the top of his head, biting his lip as he found his eyes fixed on her eyes. An almost milk chocolate-colored, he could’ve easily stood there staring at her all night, but somehow, he got the sense that she’d only be annoyed by it and that to an extent, she was used to it and hated it. “Happy Valentines Day.” he muttered the words and she gave a roll of her eyes.

It had him curious. She had him curious, actually. He’d never particularly paid her any certain amount of attention before, but right now? She had his full and undivided attention. At the very least, she seemed to be of a similar mindset to him in regards to Valentines.

“Discount chocolate day is better.” Nicolette quipped, biting her lip as she found herself kind of lingering her gaze on his mouth. The feel of his hand against her hand a few seconds before had been.. Unexpected but not entirely disliked either. She’d die before admitting it, of course, but the fact remained. Now that she was up close and personal with Curtis Axel, the man did have her intrigued just a little bit. “Is that all, Curtis?”

“Yeah.” Curtis managed to cough out the word because it suddenly hit him that at some point during their little exchange, she’d stepped closer and so had he and somehow, neither of them seemed to notice. However, he couldn’t help but notice that the second she did, she quickly stepped back and straightened herself up.

It made him smirk a little because that little flash in those eyes of hers told the tale clearly. He’d done something, he’d had some sort of effect on her.

“Well, I’m going in now.” Nicolette turned on her heels and slunk away and Curtis stared after her almost to a point where Heath reached out and lightly smacked him right in the back of his head. Bo cleared his throat, gesturing at the doors to the lobby. “Well?” Bo asked with a curious gleam in his eyes, “Aren’t you going to at least go say something else?”

“Nah. I got shit to do.” Curtis shrugged it off.

“Right.. Your plan of going up to your suite and shutting yourself in.”

“Still say you oughta come out with us, buddy.”

“I’d rather not.. Not tonight. Too much syrupy sweet shit. I don’t wanna bear witness to it.” Curtis rubbed his chin in thought, still staring intently at the lobby doors.

–

“Okay, let’s see here. I’ve got the wine.. I’ve got all the stuff to make myself fettuccine alfredo, I’ve got myself my favorite gelato, now let’s see if they have the chocolates marked down..” Nicolette turned the corner of the Valentine’s clearance aisle and smirked as her eyes settled on the Godiva chocolates on the top shelf. In her distraction, she managed to push her cart right into another cart.

Curtis grumbled and looked up from the box of dark chocolates he’d been thinking of buying, prepared to glare at whoever rammed him. When he saw Nicolette standing there, scrolling through her cell phone, he smirked to himself.

She’d changed clothes. Gone was the little black leather mini skirt and the low cut white v neck blouse. And gone were the heels.

… she’s so fucking tiny… the thought crawled across his mind lazily and he smirked just a little more.

He cleared his throat and spoke up, flashing her that smirk the entire time. “We have got to stop meeting like this. People are going to talk.”

Nicolette eyed Curtis with a raised brow. She smirked just slightly, shrugging. “Let them talk then. I’m just here to get stuff to cook tonight.”

“And wine, apparently.” Curtis chuckled.

Nicolette’s eyes settled on the case of beer and the juicy porterhouse steaks in his own cart and she felt her mouth-watering a little. Suddenly, just having fettuccine Alfredo, wine and chocolate was not nearly as filling as she’d originally thought.

“I mean speak for yourself, you’re the one who has a case of glorified horse piss in their own cart.”

“Beer is not that bad. It’s not fruity.”

“Exactly. It’s bitter and gross and it smells like an old gym sock.” Nicolette teased, her eyes darting over him while he was rifling through the boxes on the shelf in front of them. Her own eyes settled upwards, towards the top shelf chocolates.

The Godiva white chocolate truffles, to be precise.

Rather than ask for help, she gripped the shelf above her head and stepped onto the lowest shelf. From beside her, Curtis happened to glance up from the box of Hershey’s dark in his hand just in time to see her trying to reach for the box of white chocolate Godiva over her head. He snickered and stepped up, one hand bracing her lower back and the other reaching up, grabbing it lazily.

“Your overpriced glorified vanilla.” Curtis quipped as he held it out to her and watched her do it again, step away from him a little too quickly while staring just a little too long and biting that pouty little lower lip. “It’s not vanilla. I mean, at any rate, it’s better than Cella’s.”

“Oh god, anything is better than Cella’s. Cella’s is disappointment in a box.” Curtis spoke up quietly, stepping closer all over again, mostly just to see what she’d do. She stepped away, giving him a raised brow. But she smirked and nodded.

Her eyes settled on his steaks for a third time and he just wasn’t the kind of guy to not at least offer, so he spoke up. “You’re going to starve with all those empty calories, princess. How about you let me cook you an actual meal, yeah?”

“My name is Nicolette.” Nicolette made a point to say it, even though she was more than a little affected by the nickname.

“Oh, but I think you’ve made it blatantly obvious princess suits you better.” Curtis was stepping a little closer again. She backed away, eyeing him, her mouth opening and closing. Clearly, she wasn’t used to a man holding their own against her little tactics.

“I did no such thing!” Nicolette was doing her best to seem offended. Even as the heat rose to her cheeks and she felt her thighs clench tighter than if they’d been bound by molasses.

Curtis caught that little look in her eyes and smirked, his eyes flickering over her body and an amused gleam in his own eyes. “Just save us both the hassle and give in. No catch. No expectations. Or are you too scared, hm?”

“Oh, I’m not scared at all. Fine. I accept your dinner proposal. Only if you let me make the Alfredo I was planning to make too. Hell, I’ll even throw a little culture into the mix for you in the form of this red wine.”

“You can honestly keep your wine, princess. But I will let you make your alfredo.”

Nicolette was left gaping as soon as he walked towards the register, stopping at the end of the aisle to wait on her, chuckling to himself.

How the fuck had he gotten her to agree to a dinner date?

“Hope he knows I am not getting dressed up all over again… Okay, maybe just a little.. My silk pajamas..” Nicolette mused to herself as she started to push the cart to catch up to him.

“You’re something else, sir.”

“Sir, huh?” Curtis stopped pushing his cart towards the self-check lane to look back at her. “It’s Curtis.”

“Well, Curtis. Are you opposed to Silence Of The Lambs? Because I always watch that on.. This particular hell day.”

“It puts the lotion on it’s skin or else it gets the hose again.” Curtis chuckled as he quoted the line from the movie. Nicolette gave a quiet giggle and added, “A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.”

“This is going to be an interesting night, I’m guessing?” Curtis remarked as he rang up the steaks, his chocolates and the pint of rocky road he’d gotten himself and the case of beer. Nicolette rang up her own purchases and after a few seconds, she had to agree. “I think so. It’s better than me, picking apart the movie all by myself I suppose.”

“You’re just not willing to admit that maybe it’ll be fun, huh?” Curtis smirked as he met her gaze.

“Ask me after it’s all over.”

“Noted.”

#curtis axel fanfiction #curtis axel fanfic #curtis axel fic #curtis axel oneshot #curtis axel imagine #// anti valentines day fluff for the win yeah?

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evilisk · 5 years ago

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Talking Hatoful Boyfriend Pt 2

Now talking about Holiday Star. Spoilers below:

While I liked this game, this didn’t really feel like a sequel. It’s honestly more like some add-on; to me it feels like "okay, you played through all the routes, you got to see everyone SUFFER, now have some lighthearted fun with all the characters!”... though there’s absolutely nothing wrong with this approach.

There are three main stories here: one is Christmas themed, one is some zany plot like out of a completely different genre, and the other is a 2-part story taking place on the titular star. There are also a bunch of bonus stories as well as a 4th wall breaking radio show where the devs answer fanmail.

Compared to the "base game" of Hatoful Boyfriend, where you're kinda figuring out the way to each character's heart, all the stories here are honestly pretty linear save for one or two choices that you can, figure out if you’re playing attention, or you can just redo if you fail them.

The game's mostly light-hearted, mostly linear and basically feels like a victory lap for the original Hatoful Boyfriend. The original title apparently started off as a joke game yet it seems to have become a successful multimedia series for its creator. With that context, yeah a victory lap is kinda deserved.

Still, I’m a bit disappointed I won’t really have anything to talk about when I get to the “gameplay analysis” post of HBF. Holiday Star is about wrapping this setting and story up in a neat little, pleasant bundle (...though not before gut punching you one last time).

On to the stories and characters. Each story basically introduces a new character.

Miru and Kaku are the 'villains' of story one. The first story is pretty damn lighthearted, I don't think there's even a failstate in it, so it's unsurprising that its duo of villains turn out the way they do. I love these two little buggers, they're used in pretty funny ways and also they upset Shuu so I like 'em.

The second story involves Tohri. Now I mentioned Tohri before; in the PS4 port of Hatoful Boyfriend, Tohri was added as an extra route. He basically piggybacks off Shuu’s route, and kinda works like “oh you messed up Shuu’s route? Do Tohri’s route right, and you’ll maybe not die horribly by Hawks”.

While I knew Tohri’s route was new, I had no idea he was a character in Holiday Star. In HBF, Tohri just came off as a disjointed joke character that wasn’t funny at all. In Holiday Star though? He’s pretty entertaining. He’s an over the top anime villain with a 1-sided rivalry to Shuu. I was shocked he was so competent and that I actually liked him after how much I disliked him in HBF.

Tohri is great because he’s kinda like what I wanted Shuu to be (i.e. he’s an obvious jerk, but there’s a bit more to his character than “cackling villain”). Shuu is just immediately evil and while you learn about his backstory, he doesn’t change that much (in OG HBF anyway, he’s a tiny, tiny bit less of a jerk in Holiday Star). It helps that he’s the only character with any sense and thinks Shuu’s gotta gog.

The last character / villain to be introduced was the King. I didn’t really care for him much, until we got his backstory. And damn. That’s... actually awful. I didn’t cry or anything but God, the whole “suicide pact” thing is terrible. Worse still is that shit is REAL. There was an actual serial killer in Japan who did the exact same thing, only he did it multiple times. GEEZ. Even though I don’t really care for the King (I kinda feel he got off scot-free) it really makes me feel for him...

It also makes me really dislike Kazuaki. Like in my mind, he might actually be as bad as Shuu. Shuu’s killed more folks, sure, but Kazuaki pulling this ultimate betrayal is TERRIBLE (it’s not helped that you actually see this slow, agonizing death, play out in the game itself).

There’s also one other character, the Migrant, but like, it’s super duper obvious who it is (there’s only one other character that has that sprite...). What else is there to say...

This was a great way to cap off Hatoful Boyfriend. I actually ended up platinuming the game (even though the game requires you to sit through like, all 8 characters in that one mini-story, and then do it all again but with the human portraits).

I think the stories where Anghel were involved were my favourite. Anghel not being involved in the final story because he fell asleep is PRECIOUS. Really, Holiday Star did a good job of beefing up the presence of the birds that had less of a focus in BBL (i.e. Nageki, Anghel, Yuuya)

My only complaint with this game is that platinuming the game requires you to do that one short chapter 16 times (once for each bird, and then again for their human forms).

#hatoful boyfriend holiday star #hatoful boyfriend #playing visual novels #not a reblog

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natsthinkitythinkthinkthonk · 6 years ago

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Underrated Anime Series (Part One)

I can’t say that this will be the only part, but I don’t know when the next part will come! “Underrated” is a little broad.

My definition means that I haven’t met a whole lot of people that have watched it, and I haven’t seen a whole lot of content or it on this website. Of course, you might not agree with this list. If there’s one missing, it’s probably because I haven’t watched it (Mushishi, 3-Gatsu no Lion, etc.).

In order to qualify, I watched 12+ episodes or the complete series (only Honey and Clover remains uncompleted for now).

NO ANIME MOVIES! That’s over here “Underrated Anime Movies (Take One)”

The descriptions, general information, and recommendations are generally provided by MyAnimeList with some editing done.

This list started off small then swelled out of control. It took me a long time. Hopefully, you can find a new anime to like on this list! Prepare for a long post!

Hachimitsu to Clover / Honey and Clover

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Josei, Romance, Slice of Life Studios: J.C.Staff Length: 24 episodes (23 min per ep)

Three poor college guys live in a rundown apartment building. Shinobu is a mysterious, quirky person, who does things on a whim. Takumi is passionate both in work and love, and Yuuta is a simple person with simple dreams and desires. They meet a girl named Hagumi who is friends with Ayumi. Hagumi is a petite young-looking girl (basically, what the internet calls a loli). Ayumi is a beautiful and talented young lady. Together, they all try to get through college life and romance.

Similar Anime: - Nodame Cantabile: College students from artistic faculties both overcome personal hardship while finding their own personal romance. - 3-Gatsu no Lion: From the same creator and mangaka, the slice of life way of telling the stories of these dynamic characters and the differences and contrasts between the two stories definitely make them unique in their own right.

This is a great anime with a light palette, a simple yet stunning soundtrack, and a great story that brings realism and charming characters together. With strong performances from the voice actors, you will notice notable names like Tomokazu Sugita and Hiroshi Kamiya. To me, this was one of Sugita’s best roles. It showed me a more dramatic, vulnerable, and emotional side of his acting which was probably shown in Gintama a few hundred episodes in.

My complaints are that the pacing is a little slow sometimes (as expected with a slice-of-life series), and I didn’t like Hagu much because the internet poisons those types of characters (lolis). It makes her romances very shady and uncomfortable for me. You also might be deterred if you don’t like the genre.

Death Parade

Studios: Madhouse Genres: Game, Mystery, Psychological, Drama, Thriller Length: 12 episodes (23 min per ep)

This originally came from a short film called Death Billiards which was part of the Young Animator Training Project's Anime Mirai 2013. This series is basically a young animator’s film being made into a series, and I think that’s awesome. It has the same director as Mob Psycho 100 despite being a dramatic series with no comedy.

After death, you arrive at a bar with no memory of how you died. Without heaven or hell, there stand two options: reincarnation or the void. To decide, you play a game like bowling, darts, or pool. Winner gets reincarnation while the loser is sent into the void. Welcome to death! Don’t be fooled by the opening, this anime is not happy.

Similar Anime: - Jigoku Shoujo: Divine punishment is delivered by emotionless beings. Each episode seems to have its own cast with an overarching storyline even though Jigoku Shoujo is a lot longer. - Psycho-Pass: Even though I haven’t watched this one, both touch on very philosophical subjects that contain the idea of the difference between right and wrong and the lines in between. They are both psychological thrillers.

This anime was one that introduces a new story every episode but has an overarching plot that wraps it together. Its development is done well. The characters may seem blank, but that’s for the sake of the new characters that come with each episode. It can be felt to be very emotional so have your tissues at hand for the finale (I didn’t cry, but I hear it was really sad?)

The art fits the plotline perfectly. The voice acting is strong with a cast that is filled with notable names like Tomoaki Maeno and Asami Seto, but there are many names in the supporting cast as well.

The side plot seems poorly done at times, and there are plot elements that are introduced that indicate another season, but we won’t be having one. There is pretty much no happiness to be found here.

Barakamon

Studios: Kinema Citrus Genres: Slice of life, comedy Length: 12 episodes (23 min per ep)

Handa is a calligraphy prodigy who is sent to the Goto Islands as punishment for punching a veteran judge who called his work “unoriginal”. He must find inspiration and learn the ways of his new life.

Similar Anime: - Poco Udon World/Sweetness and Lightning: I’m not including Usagi Drop because of the manga. SCARRED ME FOR LIFE. These are all about people who fall into a single-parent situation. - Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso: Both are about child prodigies who have to explore life beyond the book, but Shigatsu takes a more romantic drama kind of approach. *Gin no Saji: [ON THIS LIST - Please look at both anime entries to see why!]

This is one of my favourite anime out there! Its story is relatable to many people who grew up with expectations. It’s about a guy who gets wisped into a life he never asked for and experiences a taste of the childhood he never had. This is one of the first anime I recommend to anyone of any age especially if they’ve never watched anime before. I think this was the first anime I showed to my own mom, and she enjoyed it.

Gakkou Gurashi!

Studios: Lerche Genres: Psychological, Slice of Life, School, Horror, Mystery Length: 12 episodes (24 min per ep)

Yuki loves school so much that she never wants to leave! But it’s not as if she can. She’s part of the School Living Club which consists of the president Yuuri, Kurumi, Miki, Sakura-sensei, and the club dog Taroumaru all live at school. Despite the illusions of Yuki’s imagination, the real purpose of the School Living Club is to escape from the shocking and disturbing truth: the girls are in the middle of a zombie apocalypse and have barricaded themselves inside the school as the sole survivors.

Similar Anime: - Madoka Magica/Higurashi: I haven’t watched Madoka and Higurashi, but they both use cute as a facade to hide the darker themes and horrors behind everything. “Moe moe kyun”? More like “moe moe kill”. (I’m going to be kicked in the balls for that) - Girls’ Last Tour: I haven’t watched Girls’ Last Tour, but I know they have post-apocalyptic cute girls doing normal things. They all only have each other and try to enjoy each day peacefully. - Angel Beats: Both shows present normal high school students who live in excruciating circumstances that all hide a deeper meaning. This show has less cutesy moe stuff though.

It delivers on the promised cute elements. I even tried recommending it to a friend who likes Love Live! Let’s just say, there are some differences. The voice actresses do a great job, and I actually found this anime kind of scary (although I get scared too easily).

Gin no Saji / Silver Spoon

Studios: A-1 Pictures Genres: Comedy, Slice of Life, School, Shounen Length: 11 episodes (23 min per ep)

Hachiken is a studious and diligent student who found it unbearable to live with the expectations of his parents and society. With his entry into high school, he decides to attend a unique boarding school in the countryside. The new environment isn’t what he expects, and along with meeting his new classmates and surroundings, he tries to adjust while trying to survive his new life.

Similar Anime: - Fullmetal Alchemist: This is an unexpected entry, but they have the same creator! Both are beautifully developed stories with lovable characters that you get attached to. Hiromu Arakawa is a genius in her own right, and this story has her art and her brilliant storytelling. *Barakamon: [ON THIS LIST - Please look at both anime entries to see why!]

The voice acting here is great too, and the animation does its job well, but the real magic here is in the storytelling and the characters. I love the entire cast so much. Each of them are realistic and hardworking despite having their own quirky attributes. The setting and the meaning of every line of dialogue really sticks with me. The morals in both Barakamon and Gin no Saji are ones that I will never forget. The only reason why I don’t actively recommend this is because it is a farm, and those with weak stomaches might not like the idea of dealing with farm animals that get eaten, but if that’s the case, why eat meat at all? No animals are killed on-screen.

Hai to Gensou no Grimgar

Studios: A-1 Pictures Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Isekai Length: 12 episodes (24 min per ep)

*Isekai = Term used for fictional stories where characters are thrown into a new (usually fantasy RPG-style) world

Thrown into a foreign land with nothing but hazy memories and the knowledge of their name, a group of strangers is given no other choice than fight and eliminate anything that threatens the peace in their new world, Grimgar. This is no game—there are no redos or respawns; it is kill or be killed. It is now up to this ragtag group of unlikely fighters to survive together.

Similar Anime: - Sword Art Online/Goblin Slayer: They are of the same genre, but Grimgar does a better job than both combined (but I dislike SAO and Goblin Slayer). - Tate no Yuusha: Another Isekai anime (like SAO and Goblin) except unlike the two other similar anime, these ones are both done well. Tate no Yuusha already has a following.

The voice acting here is great, and we see Hosoya playing the main role for once! The art and animation are done well. This anime takes a far slower approach comparing to other Isekai anime. They spend more time on the emotional burdens of each of the characters and their slower adjustments. While that’s a turnoff to some, they make you view the lives of these former normal citizens and make you wonder whether you’d be able to survive these circumstances, and if you don’t like that... well... there is the fan-service I guess.

Hinamatsuri

Studios: feel. Genres: Comedy, Seinen, Slice of LIfe, Supernatural Length: 12 episodes (23 min per ep)

Yakuza member Nitta is rudely interrupted when a young female esper barges into his life. He quickly finds himself being a caregiver and parental figure to the girl. The unlikely duo lives life unconventionally as circumstances change and everyday chaos ensues.

Similar Anime: - Mob Psycho 100: The number of similarities often go unnoticed, but they are both about shady adults (a conman and a yakuza) taking in a young esper (Mob and Hina) with hilarious stories. YOU MUST WATCH BOTH. - Gintama: Odd choice, I know. Both are quite similar in terms of humour. Gintama takes the shounen route while Hinamatsuri is a seinen series.

The majority of this voice cast are newbies (meaning people I’ve never heard of before), and honestly, they do such a great job that I genuinely thought that these people were seasoned veterans. Same with the studio. I don’t usually see them take on these kinds of projects (with most of their things being basic Slice of Life). The faces are hilarious. The characters are hilarious (thanks to brilliant writing and voice casts). It was so much fun to watch. I had to conceal my laughter at 2am because I was secretly binge-watching this. I failed multiple times.

Net-juu no Susume

Studios: Signal.MD Genres: Game, Comedy, Romance Length: 10 episodes (23 min per ep)

30-year-old Moriko Morioka is unemployed—and she couldn't be happier. Having quit her job of over 11 years, Moriko quickly turns to online games. With the pesky societal obligations of the real world out of the way, she dives into the realm of an MMO. Life online and in the real world intertwine.

Similar Anime: *Wotakoi: [ON THIS LIST - Please look at both anime entries to see why!] *ReLIFE: [ON THIS LIST - Please look at both anime entries to see why!]

This oddly relatable and adorable (don’t know what other words to use) romance between two people who meet online is honestly so pure, but let’s not forget that one of the high-ranking staff members of this anime is... uh... less than wholesome.

Kazuyoshi Yaginumi (director) is a Holocaust denier and a supremacist who has radical political views. But hey, if you’ve watched the third season of Natsume’s Book of Friends, Naruto, No. 6, Tokyo Magnitude 8.0, Hotarubi no Mori e, Black Bullet, Beck, or Akira, I hate to break it to you, but he was a part of all of them. I found this out after I watched the anime. I probably would not have watched this if I knew. But if you dismiss the anime that this man has worked on, you are truly missing out. Let’s not forget that he wasn’t the only person working on these projects, and he isn’t the creator, but let’s pray that he isn’t hired to do anything else!!! I don’t know of any other major work he got after this one (aired in 2017)

Wotakoi

Studios: A-1 Pictures Genres: Comedy, Romance, Slice of Life Length: 11 episodes (22 min per ep)

Narumi Momose finds herself running late for her first day of work at a new office. She makes a promise to herself that none of her coworkers will find out about her dark secret: that she is an otaku and a fujoshi. This goes wrong when she runs into Hirotaka Nifuji, a friend from middle school. Luckily for her, the only witnesses to this slip-up are Hanako Koyanagi and Tarou Kabakura who are otaku as well. But what happens when otaku date each other?

Similar Anime: *Net-juu no Susume: [ON THIS LIST - Please look at both anime entries to see why!] *Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun: I constantly swear on this anime because I like both of these anime a lot.

I liked this one better than Net-juu no Susume, but that isn’t because of the director of the other one. I like this one for its cast of characters, its use of references that go beyond the gaming world (although this anime touches on it too), and the fact that there are different type of otaku out there. I seriously understood more references than I would’ve liked.

No. 6

Studios: Bones Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Mystery, Drama Length: 11 episodes (23 min per ep)

Many years ago, after the end of a bloody world war, mankind took shelter in six city-states that were peaceful and perfect... at least on the surface. However, Shion—an elite resident of the city-state No. 6—has an encounter with a mysterious boy, Nezumi who lived in the desolate wasteland beyond the walls of the supposed utopia. Despite knowing that the other boy was a fugitive, Shion decided to take him in for the night and protect him, which resulted in drastic consequences. Now, a long time after their life-altering first meeting, Shion and Nezumi are finally brought together once again—the former elite and the boy on the run are about to embark on an adventure that will, in time, reveal the shattering secrets of No. 6.

Similar Anime: - Banana Fish: I haven’t completely watched Banana Fish, but it features the darker sides of society with loads of casualties. *Zankyou no Terror: [ON THIS LIST - Please look at both anime entries to see why!]

Hosoya and Kaji are both amazing in this anime. This anime meant a lot to both of them. Hosoya wanted to give up voice acting while Kaji was a fan of the original series and was hyped to hear its news for adaptation. This heartwrenching story suffers from the whole “rush this bad adaptation”, but as someone who doesn’t read manga/novels, this anime is a great look into the inside of this intricate universe. Again, most of the shortcomings have to do with poor pacing and toned down storytelling (and toned down violence) which come from being badly adapted from the source material, but even after taking away all that good stuff, we’re still left with a pretty good anime. Just don’t cry... too hard... yeah.

Kimi to Boku

Studios: J.C. Staff Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance, School, Shounen, Slice of Life Length: 13 episodes (24 min per ep)

Four high school boys, who have known each other since childhood, hang out together in school every day in their mundane lives. There's the handsome twins Yuuki and Yuuta Asaba, the gentle Shun Matsuoka, and the calm class head Kaname Tsukahara. Although they have become used to a lack of excitement in their lives, the addition of a new transfer student, Chizuru Tachibana, may add a little more adventure to their routine.

Similar Anime: *Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou: [ON THIS LIST - Please look at both anime entries to see why!] *Hachimitsu to Clover: [ON THIS LIST - Please look at both anime entries to see why!]

While I wouldn’t classify this as a complete shounen nor would I call it a shoujo, it achieves a happy medium with enough anime cliches to call it an anime and enough ordinary elements for me to truly feel that it can be relatable. It has a really nice OST that’s sung by Aoi Shouta at times. We have a stacked and entertaining voice cast, and the story is slow but nice. It pulls more at the slice of life side rather than romance.

Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou / Daily Life of High School Boys

Studios: Sunrise Genres: Comedy, School, Shounen, Slice of Life Length: 12 episodes (24 min per ep)

Hidenori, Yoshitake, and Tadakuni are just an everyday trio of ordinary guys trying to pass the time, but who said everyday life couldn't be interesting?

Similar Anime: *Nichijou: [ON THIS LIST - Please look at both anime entries to see why!] *Kimi to Boku: [ON THIS LIST - Please look at both anime entries to see why!] *Gintama: The shows do share a number of voice actors, the humour is similar, and the general nonsensical writing will draw audiences from both sides.

Here’s the more comedic and strictly non-romantic side of Kimi to Boku. This one is probably relatable in way that shouldn’t be shared with the general public. Unlike the other Nichijou (with girls and by Kyoto Animation), this one doesn’t rely on the animation. It relies on humour in its writing. There aren’t any really good female characters in this anime. It does focus on three guys and their antics though. And I mean, is anyone in this anime really a winner?

Natsume Yuujinchou / Natsume’s Book of Friends

Studios: Brain's Base Genres: Slice of Life, Supernatural, Drama, Fantasy, Shoujo Length: 12 episodes (24 min per ep)

Takashi Natsume has had a connection with youkai all his life and soon discovers that his deceased grandmother Reiko had passed on to him the Yuujinchou, or "Book of Friends," which contains the names of the spirits whom she brought under her control. This makes him a target of enraged youkai that want their names back. His only companion is a self-proclaimed bodyguard named Madara. Fondly referred to as Nyanko-sensei, Madara is a mysterious, pint-sized feline spirit who has his own reasons for sticking with the boy.

Similar Anime: *Mushishi: I haven’t watched Mushishi (even though it’s on my watch later list). It contains similar ideas and concepts. *Hotarubi no Mori e: Same creator/mangaka! Yuki Midorikawa has taken her masterful storytelling to other stories, and Hotarubi has a wonderful anime movie that manages to get you with the feels in less than an hour.

I know this anime gets a lot of attention already, but I feel like I haven’t met a whole lot of people who’ve watched it. A shoujo without romance? It’s unusual, but this definitely works out. The simple art works in its favour, and its music is beautiful. This anime has a way of making all of its stories resonate, and if you aren’t going to watch it for the youkais’ stories, watch it for Nyanko-sensei. He’s honestly the best.

Sakamichi no Apollon / Kids on the Slope

Studios: Tezuka Productions, MAPPA Genres: Drama, Josei, Music, Romance, School Length: 12 episodes (22 min per ep)

Introverted classical pianist Kaoru Nishimi has just arrived in Kyushu for his first year of high school. Having constantly moved from place to place since his childhood, he abandons all hope of fitting in, preparing himself for another lonely, meaningless year until he encounters the notorious delinquent Sentarou Kawabuchi. Kaoru begins playing the piano at after-school jazz sessions, located in the basement of fellow student Ritsuko Mukae's family-owned record shop.

Similar Anime: - Your Lie in April/Shigatsu no Kimi no Uso: Both anime are about classical musicians breaking out of their shells in beautifully written stories. Sakamichi no Apollon is arguably more serious and take on a bit of a darker and more mature tone since Shigatsu is a shounen anime while Sakamichi is a josei. *Kimi to Boku: [ON THIS LIST - Please look at both anime entries to see why!]

This anime suffers the same thing that No. 6 does. The story gets watered down and condensed to fit the short-episode format, and so much is left out in terms of pacing. The voice acting in this is phenomenal. Ryohei Kimura and Yoshimasa Hosoya do not disappoint. Yuuka Nanri barely has any other lead roles, but she does an okay job here too. Yoko Kanno on score composition is one of the best decisions to be made for this anime even if jazz isn’t her main genre of choice. She composed everything masterfully. I wouldn’t have thought that she did it if I didn’t see it on the staff list. Those things are the reasons why I liked this anime so much. The OST and voice acting are good enough for me to recommend this anime despite (like No. 6), the adaptation quality not being that great. Even taking that stuff away, we are still left with a great anime.

ReLIFE

Studios: TMS Entertainment Genres: Slice of Life, Romance, School Length: 13 episodes (23 min per ep)

Hopeless 27-year-old loser Arata Kaizaki bounces around from one job to another after quitting his first company. He meets Ryou Yoake who offers Arata the opportunity to change his life for the better with the help of a mysterious pill. Arata takes it and awakens to find that his appearance has reverted to that of a 17-year-old. He takes part in a unique experiment and must attend high school as a transfer student for one year. Arata struggles to adjust to his hectic new lifestyle and avoid repeating his past mistakes, all while slowly discovering more about his fellow classmates and himself.

Similar Anime: - Erased: Both anime are about adults reliving their past and trying to make amends for past mistakes that they’ve made. Erased takes more of the murder mystery route while ReLIFE stays in a simpler slice of life style. *Net-juu no Susume: [ON THIS LIST - Please look at both anime entries to see why!]

This anime suffers the same thing that No. 6 and Sakamichi no Apollon does. The story gets watered down and condensed to fit the short-episode format, and so much is left out in terms of pacing that they had to fit hundreds of chapters into the second season which had FOUR episodes. This one has an awesome casts which mixes experienced voice actors with newer ones. This was one of Yuuma Uchida’s first major roles, and we see new(er) people like Reina Ueda and Himika Akaneya mixed in too. In terms of experienced voice actors, we can look forward to Kensho Ono and Ai Kayano playing the main characters along with Haruka Tomatsu and Ryohei Kimura also playing major characters along with appearances from Noriaki Sugiyama, Daisuke Namikawa, and Miyuki Sawashiro. With a bunch of new EDs with practically every episode and an OST that people seem to love or hate (jazz piano riffs have to be your thing, and I liked it), the music is hit and miss. For me, it was a hit. The jazz soundtrack is out-of-place but unique. It takes a sharp contrast, and it isn’t bad music.

Senyuu

[This anime is on the “Anime with Short Episodes” list]

Studios: Ordet, LIDENFILMS Genres: Action, Comedy, Parody, Fantasy, Shounen Length: 13 episodes (4 min per ep)

In a story we’ve all heard before, the demon lord is sealed until things go amiss! Amateur adventurer Alba Frühling and sadistic talented soldier Ross must go defeat monsters and seal the demons away.

Similar Anime: - Saiki: Both episodes have short run-time and derive their humour from parodying genres. Senyuu takes the RPG adventure genre and flips it on its head while Saiki takes overpowered espers and pulls it like Hinamatsuri and Mob Psycho 100. - Konosuba: I know this is strange coming from someone who actually detests Konosuba. I couldn’t stand the characters that were flawed to the point where I couldn’t like them no matter how hard I tried. Both take the RPG adventure world and parody it to the point where you wonder why these flawed buffoons are trusted with anything.

This anime is one of my favourite short anime out there. With a short run-time of four minutes, it quickly got me invested in the story and the characters. It was so funny that I found myself binge-watching both seasons and the OVAs within the same day. Yuuichi Nakamura and Hiro Shimono provide their perfect performances for this anime. The other cast members contribute a lot as well with other names like Ai Kayano, Yumi Uchiyama, Takahiro Sakurai, Kenichi Suzumura, and others. Hiroshi Kamiya also takes the lead role in the OVAs. Overall, it’s a great watch when you have no patience for 24-minute episodes.

Honobono Log

[This anime is on the “Anime with Short Episodes” list]

Studios: Fanworks Genres: Romance, Slice of life Length: 10 episodes (2 min per ep)

Insights into couples, why they’re better than being single, and why you’re just a sad loner.

This is actually based off a picture book.

Similar Anime: NONE! I truly haven’t seen an anime like this around. While Tsurezure has its similarities in short-run time and romance, this one is vastly different. Dareka no Manazashi is too different to say it’s similar. Both are short (although Dareka no Manazashi is a short film) and about life, but Dareka no Manazashi is different because it focuses on one person doesn’t have romance and relies on more of the “growing up” part whereas Honobono relies on each specific situation.

This anime is another one of my favourite short anime out there. With a short run-time of two minutes, they manage to guilt-trip you for being alone and single. Of course, not all of them are about cute couple stuff, but some are about family and growing up. Miyu Irino and Asami Seto do an amazing job, and the OP is really nice and adds to the heartwarming factor of this anime.

Zankyou no Terror

Studios: MAPPA Genres: Thriller, Psychological, Drama Length: 11 episodes (22 min per ep)

Six months after a mysterious unsolved terror attack, a strange video makes its way onto the internet. In it, two teenage boys who identify themselves only as "Sphinx" challenge the police, threatening to cause destruction and mayhem across Tokyo. The police struggle to act effectively against these terrorists, with Detective Kenjirou Shibazaki caught in the middle of it all. The two boys behind the masked figures of Sphinx are known as Nine and Twelve, and they stand strong in a world of deception and secrets while they make the city fall around them, all in the hopes of burying their own tragic truth.

Similar Anime: - Death Note: I haven’t actually watched Death Note (haha), but they are both similar. I know that much. Both are about the police lagging behind some teenager as they wreak havoc, but while Light Yagami has a god-complex, Sphinx has its own secrets. - Psycho-Pass: I haven’t watched this one either, but both take on philosophical ideas that make you wonder whether society should be run one way or another. They are both centred around law enforcement and the detainment of those who step out of line.

Yoko Kanno provides yet another stunning masterpiece for this anime’s score which really drives the anime further. Along with extremely strong art style from Studio MAPPA, it creates for a very mysterious and eerie tone that fit the anime so well. The voice acting from the two leads and the detective are amazing, but I can’t say they have good female characters in this anime, and without good characters, I can’t say there was good voice acting on their parts, although, Megumi Han did sound pretty good in her given role. Soma Saito and Kaito Ishikawa are both close in real life, and it almost transcends onto the screen in this anime.

The story is riveting even if it’s been done before. It’s not the most unique in that right, but I still found myself finding these characters to be human. It was well-paced too and didn’t feel dragged or rushed for the most part. Shinichiro Watanabe directed and created this, and you might know him for Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, Kids on the Slope, Space Dandy, and more, and he certainly does not disappoint with this anime.

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flowerconcept-blog · 8 years ago

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enemies 2 lovers!doyoung

kim doyoung........is your worst nightmare.......

you're a stylist for a male fashion magazine and your life was so easy before doyoung arrived ;(

taeyong the photographer is wonderful and sweet.... taeil the lighting director is an angel........ mark the props director is like ur cute lil brother.... sicheng the other stylist is basically a living teddy bear!!! and your regular models johnny, ten and jaehyun are hilarious

basically before doyoung you were all like a cute little family and you would all go out for drinks after every shoot and you miss those days

because one morning you walk into a shoot and.....taeyong is standing next to another guy with a camera?!?!?!?!?! why????! your world is turned upside down

taeil explains to u that because the magazine is getting bigger they brought in this new photographer, kim doyoung

u've actually heard of the guy! u've seen some of his portfolio online and he's a really good photographer so you're excited to work with him at first

until you send the new model yuta out in your favorite outfit of the day

and kim doyoung..... has the AUDACITY to say "what the hell is that top"

immediately ur up in arms like that's from gucci's 2018 f/w collection exclusively lent to us for this shoot it costs more than you're worth and you're blessed to even be LOOKING at it check urself

from that moment on, u and kim doyoung were sworn enemies

at every shoot.. every SINGLE shoot... the two of you start bickering because he has to run his goddamn mouth

it honestly astounds you how such a sweet handsome looking guy can be so frickin annoying

once he walked into work looking all high and mighty and opened his mouth to speak to u and u were like "i KNOW the sweater you're wearing is from the 2010 H&M collection don't even try" and haechan the lighting assistant laughed so hard he cried

but even when you destroy him so effortlessly he keeps coming back for more! aka he questions your fashion choices when clearly he should be deferring to you!!! as if you won't take him out for saying your miu miu bag is an ugly shade of pastel yellow!!!!!

and then he cooes over sicheng's outfits and ok you understand cooing over sicheng plus he's a good stylist but you're head stylist for a REASON!!! you're great at your job!!

not that you want doyoung to compliment your work though. you hate him

he bickers with other people too especially taeyong but he's the worst with you...... he just refuses to let you live….. you and taeyong have started having your own little pity parties over lunch when doyoung is particularly savage ;(

after shoot dinner and drinks turns into doyoung and haechan ripping into the whole crew.... which admittedly is pretty fun but you wish he would just leave u alone

mostly because johnny keeps insisting that the sexual tension between you two is ridiculous ,,,,,,,, and ten sits there nodding like johnny is Dr. Phil but it's not like you LIKE satan himself kim doyoung

it's not like you wish u could run your fingers through his hair to see if it's as soft as it looks....it's not like you watch him take photos with those elegant hands and think about holding them..... it's not like you've wondered whether that big mouth of his would be good at kissing.....

it's not like bickering with him is the best part of your day because of his unrestrained smile when you snark him.....and it's DEFINITELY not like you get jealous whenever you overhear the makeup artists cooing over him

because what would you do if doyoung started ignoring you and teased sunmi the hair stylist instead???? or worse, what if they started dating?? what if hes interested in one of them??

no.... it's not like you like him.... not at all

but johnny and ten keep pushing you and saying you do, which is driving you up the wall because more or less you can't handle the thought of liking doyoung when he so obviously dislikes you

you feel like you're in high school again, pining over someone out of your league, so even though you don't ACTUALLY like him at all you decide you need to get over,... hypothetically liking him

so you sort of..... pull back from bickering with him.... when he says one of your styling choices is bad you ask sicheng to redo the outfit.... of course you still can't resist calling him out for his bullsh*t every once in a while but you avoid him as much as possible

cause that way you will not feel any of the confusing love emotions that bubble up whenever you're around him! you can live in sweet sweet denial!!!!!!

ten nd johnny are like This Is The Opposite Of What We Wanted(that's what you get for being meddlesome assholes)

meanwhile doyoung......honestly misses you...... he misses having someone who can outwit him because his whole life he's been the snarkiest one in the room and people haven't known how to respond to him

but you ,,,,,,, you give him a run for his money, in fact you beat him in pretty much every argument the two of you have

and yeah haechan and some of the other guys are good at going back and forth with him...... but doyoung isn't hopelessly crushing on any of them like he is on you

the more you draw away the more he worries about you...... taeyong always points out when he gets distracted and glances over to you during shoots

but he can't help it! your pretty nose pretty lips pretty face pretty everything is so eyecatching to him...... he's a photographer he can't help but be drawn to beautiful things and he finds you unreasonably beautiful!!!

and he wants desperately to be able to talk to you again and maybe tell you about his feelings, but as oblivious as doyoung is sometimes he knows you're avoiding him and he doesn't want to make you uncomfortable

so all he knows how to do is keep trying to get your attention with his jokes and chatter and jabs ...... which doesn't really work

the dynamic shifting between the two of you honestly messes the whole crew up..... taeyong is always worrying over you and doyoung being okay and mark is trying to get doyoung to talk to you and ten is trying to convince you to talk to him and taeil just watches everything nervously in the background

except both of you are really fuckin stubborn so nothing happens

until things blow up one day

you barely slept the night before because your cat was puking and meowing all night and you spilled your coffee all over your new jacket this morning and yuta has been flirting with you since you came in and if he calls himself "your osaka prince~~" one more time you seriously might snap

but you have a job to do and you do it, working with sicheng to dress yuta and you shove him over to doyoung

who IMMEDIATELY looks yuta up and down and is like "this top doesn't go with the background of the shoot what r u doing" and its supposed to be lighthearted

usually you would ignore him but U Have Had Enough and you're so fuckin tired and doyoung is such an ASSHOLE and fuck you like him SO MUCH and why can't you get over it?!?!?!? and it all just explodes and suddenly you're in furious tears

and ur pissed off about doyoung ur pissed off about crying ur pissed off about yuta everything is pissing you off so u just shout "FUCK YOU KIM DOYOUNG" and stomp off into the hallway with everyone staring at you in shock

you kind of stand right outside the door shaking and scared because what if you get fired for harassment?? what the hell did you do that for?? you slide down to sit on the floor just letting all your frustration come out

so when doyoung comes out he finds you sitting there curled into yourself and you just sigh when you see him like "if you're gonna get me fired don't apologize"

and he's ?????????? because why should he do that???????? but that's not the most important thing going through his mind as he carefully sits down next to you

"i don't want you to be fired i want to apologize. i know you hate me and i understand because i've been an asshole to you but thats because......"

he trails off and when u peek over at him he looks the most serious you've ever seen him, jaw clenched and eyes narrowed as he seems to pick his words

which is surprising because kim doyoung never thinks before he talks and then he says

"i like you"

and you think for a second youre hallucinating???? you can't help but laugh because is he just punking you??? is this a hidden cam???

but he's completely serious and his ears are red and you stop laughing in shock like "wait you LIKE ME????"

doyoung has the audacity to snort "of course i do.... i literally stare at you all the time how could you miss it"

u gape at him..... because seriously.... "are you a child?!?!?! do you think picking on someone is flirting?!?! how was i supposed to know!!!!" and he sighs and starts to stand up like "i know you don't like me back but i wanted to tell you. i promise i'll be professional from now on"

suddenly you realize you haven't told him you like him back so panicking you pull at his arm and pretty much just kiss him

which soon deteriorates into a pretty fierce makeout session with doyoung's lip between ur teeth and his big warm hands slipping clutching at your shirt and running up and down your sides until you hear a throat clearing....

mark is standing there awkwardly like uhhhhh we gotta uhhh do this shoot..... uhhh and u hear haechan holler "THEY MADE OUT" because he can tell from his best friend's stammering hehe

as the kid darts back into the studio you look up at doyoung's mortified face and finally finally tell him that you like him too

and honestly doyoung would traumatize his precious mark lee a thousand times as long as he got to hear you say those words for the rest of his life :'^)

that night after dinner with the gang doyoung takes you to a cute little cafe and you spend three hours talking about your lives and when he teases you it's lighthearted and sweet

that night you cannot help going home with him and not that you'd tell him this but Dr. Johnny Phil was right that intense sexual tension makes for an amazing first time

you both admit that you were unnecessarily hard on each other but doyoung doesn't hold back his opinions at work, and now that he's more respectful about it you actually really welcome his opinions.... he pushes you to do better and to learn more as a stylist

and you're the same with him! if he takes an ugly photo you tell him it doesn't work and he loves that about you

now that you don't try to rip each others throats out you're highkey the magazine's dream team and even the editor in chief compliments you on "your excellent collaborations"

yuta still flirts with you to get a rise out of doyoung but either you or doyoung basically just ruin yuta's life with a single sentence when he gets too touchy

lots of lots of teasing in private but now the teasing is accompanied by doyoung biting at the sensitive spot below your ear or leaving hickies on your chest and uh using his mouth in more creative ways..... if u know what i mean

you're the only person who can shut him up!!! 90% of the time he actually listens when you tell him to shush but the other 10% of the time he's just staring dreamily because you're so pretty when you're annoyed

and all the time

tells u how beautiful you are and how much he loves you totally out of the blue and you have to hide your face because you can handle him calling you the devil incarnate but not him calling you his angel

#nct scenarios #nct imagines #doyoung scenarios #nct 127 #nct 127 scenarios #idk if this is alright but i wanted to post something so oo oo o o #!#💌

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skeletonbuddycos · 8 years ago

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pyrrha nikos update 7/8

this costume has been a journey, but i’m super happy with the results so far (ღ˘⌣˘)

i started with the skirt & sash, because i figured those would be an easy start to this soon-to-be shitshow. i used this pattern from jalie (i wanted a skort instead of a skirt because skorts are basically the real world counterpart to monty oum anti-upskirt technology). i altered the pattern to take out the side panels & overall shortened it. for the sash, i used a pattern i came up with a few months back to get that wave/fold that pyrrha’s has. i like the end results, but the sash isn’t quite as long or full as i hoped it would be, so i might remake this.

i’m ridiculously proud of the belt, mostly because after a few days of staring at my corset, wondering how i’d fix the binding (more on that later), i finally had something go right. i based this belt off something i saw on labinnak’s instagram story, with a little help from this video from zonbi. i hotglued a bunch of 1 1/4″ strips of craft foam together (two strips to give the belt some sturdiness), sewed a long tube of fabric (using the same fabric as my skirt, shoes, & gloves so everything matches!), then pulled the tube over the foam. i then added a buckle i picked up from the the craft store that i spray painted a while back with the same spray paint as my armor & punched in some grommets. it’s not super sturdy since it’s just craft foam & hot glue, but i don’t plan on this belt actually holding anything up, so i think (hope) it’ll be okay.

the gloves are just cheaters gloves, with an added flap on the thumbs so i can use my phone while wearing these

the boots are......not my proudest accomplishment. i’m quite pleased with the (currently unfinished) boot cuffs, but the boot covers.....yikes. i’ve never made boot covers before, so let’s blame it on that. luckily, these are just shoes from goodwill, so i’m not upset over ruining them (& they’re actually half a size too small, so i might just get another pair & redo these before dragoncon). the red paint on the soles is also a hot mess, because the plastidip i bought to seal it didn’t actually seal it. tbh, i wouldn’t be upset if these shoes met a horrible fate & had to be replaced.

now the corset. holy shit, the corset. pyrrha has such a distinctive top & i’m a perfectionist asshole when it comes to costumes, so i’m going all in on this. one thing i noticed while planning this out is that pyrrha’s corset is probably made out of metal & the 3 panel design of it doesn’t translate well to fabric. i wanted something fitted & supportive, so i started looking for commercial corset patterns (i actually tried to make a custom corset pattern first, but that was its own separate disaster). i finally decided on simplicity pattern 8201, which i think is supposed to be.....a star wars thing? i dunno, but this pattern has a few features i was looking for, including being a generally basic but fitted pattern, having a seam straight up the middle, & being designed for ridiculous fabric. i picked it up at the craft store with some muslin & got to work.

i first made a mockup of the original, unaltered pattern in my size to get an idea of the shape & look, then i started figuring out what should be altered to get to pyrrha’s corset. i don’t have a dress form, so i found it easiest to (badly) draw on myself what i was going for.

then i transferred the pattern onto paper, added my alterations, & made a mockup of that. my alterations included cutting the center front pattern piece on the fabric fold so i get one piece instead of two, extending the top line of the front & side front pieces for the tabs, extending the side back pieces so the corset can lace up (the original pattern calls for a zipper in the center back), & adding a modesty panel. (pyrrha sticker on my phone is from @binch-queen‘s redbubble!)

it took a few tries to get the tabs to lay right, but i finally managed to get something i liked.

i finally started on the actual corset, but because i’m a baby, i started with my inexpensive lining fabric instead of my pricier outer fabric. i fused the fabric, a woven fabric i found at the craft store that happened to match my knit fabric for the skirt perfectly, to heavy weight fusible interfacing, then sewed the pieces right sides together. i wasn’t sure how exactly i wanted to do the center gold panel, so i didn’t sew that lining piece to the rest. i then sewed my boning channels onto the lining seams.

the lining went well, so i finally started on my outer fabric. i looked around online for some faux leather fabric, but couldn’t find anything i really liked. however, when i went to joann to get fabric for another project, i found some upholstery vinyl that had the perfect faux leather look & color & i knew it was meant to be (ღ˘⌣˘) (side note: while looking up that link, i noticed the fabric is flame retardant, so if any cinder cosplayers try to fuck with me, i’ve got that going for me) i did the same to the outer fabric as i did the lining, fusing the heavyweight interfacing & sewing right sides together, then topstitching along the seams to get everything to lay flat. then i placed the outer & lining right sides together, sewed along the bottom & the lower 2/3 of the center, flipped it right side out, then topstitched again to get everything to lay flat.

i added a lining for a few different reason, the first being that the inside of the corset will (probably?) be visible with the tabs, so i didn’t want the ugly wrong side of upholstery vinyl to be on display. i also didn’t want the boning channel stitches visible on the outside, plus the additional layer of interfacing makes the whole thing a lot sturdier. sewing the whole thing together was a nightmare & i’m pretty sure my sewing machine was screaming at me at more than one point, but it looks much neater & more professional.

i was on a roll with the corset at this point, but the gold panel & binding quickly derailed me. my original plan was to spray paint the same vinyl fabric gold, fold the binding over the top edge, & sew it down, but i ran into a few different problems. the first was that vinyl doesn’t just fold over like normal fabric, the only way you can get it to lay flat is to topstitch it, which i was planning on doing after folding it onto the fabric. i also couldn’t pin the fabric down without putting in a bunch of permanent holes, so i started to tacky glue the binding onto the corset to hold it in place while i sewed, then discovered when i removed my clamps that the paint pulls up & transfers onto pretty much anything it comes in contact with. my shiny gold accents were now looking quite worn. i tried a clear polyurethane to seal the color, but it also had a sticky surface, so it had the exact same problem as the unsealed paint. i kept gluing & clamping out of denial, but the binding just looked bad. i put my corset aside for a week & started on armor while i tried to figure out how to fix this.

i eventually started looking up sealing spray paint on vinyl (apparently pinterest moms love to upcycle vinyl chairs), but most blogs didn’t give any detail on how they sealed the paint, & the only blog that did mention it used an expensive wax that you can only get from specialty retailers. i tried another clear spray paint, one specifically designed for sealing, & got......whatever those bumps are, plus a really ugly color (although to be fair, that’s the same vinyl binding that was currently being painted for the 4th & 5th time). i shared my dilemmas on reddit, got some tips for helping the color actually stick to the fabric, & discovered that the clear plastidip that betrayed me on the soles of my shoes actually sealed the color without discoloration, weird bumps, or stickiness. i still haven’t stress tested it, but this process is looking much better now than it did yesterday morning.

another thing i disliked about my original binding was how it looked on the inside, which would be somewhat visible. the only way i could get the binding to lay flat on the opposite side would be to cut slits in the fabric, which would be visible. i ended up digging up a vinyl binding tutorial from december wynn that i considered when i was first patterning the binding, but decided against because i thought i wouldn’t like it. i tried it out on some scrap gold fabric, & holy shit, it’s infinitely better than my original plan. don’t do my original plan, it’s terrible & will cause you nothing but pain.

i’ve also been working on armor the past few weeks, but this word vomit is long enough so i’ll save that process for another update. i’ll be starting on a commission for amon & a hylian hood this week, so those updates will start soon. thanks for reading! if you found this useful or just enjoyed it, please consider buying me a coffee (ღ˘⌣˘)

#pyrrha nikos #rwby #cosplay #rwby cosplay #pyrrha updates

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