#I thought this template fit them perfectly

[mikamoo]

The sillies

[mysticmoondancer]

Etharah Week 2023 - Day 4: Free Day

"Life After The Cure"

After the Lucifractor explosion and defeating Stern, Sarah and Ethan decided to give dating another shot. Almost a year later, a cure for vampirism was found and of course, Sarah took it. Now eight years later, their relationship together is still going strong, and they couldn't be anymore happier. Funny how the darkest time of one's life could also bring so much light into it, as well. She may not be immortal anymore, but her love for Ethan always will be, though. For their love knows no end. Whether it be in this life or the next.

[grlsbstshot]

Pairing (Original Characters): Jameson Lucas (Aaron Pierre) x Imani St. Cirie (Megan thee Stallion) Story Synopsis: R&B singer/songwriter, Jameson Lucas, is well known as a charming playboy. The latest in his line of 'loved em and left em' behavior? Imani St. Cirie, an emotive singer/songwriter herself. A common sense pulls them in opposite directions – friendships are tested, old flames resurface, and new opportunities threaten to tear them apart for good. In this industry, dreams can make or break you – but what happens when love becomes the gamble of a lifetime? Chapter Synopsis: Jameson makes a late night appearance in his ex's life after a year apart. Warnings: Smut (18+), toxic relationship, possessiveness infidelity mentions, explicit language (mild dirty talk), unprotected sex, daddy kink (very much so), unintentional breath play, dirty talking, creampie Word Count: 6.7k Divider Template: @cafekitsune Notes: The following characters are original creations. Their voice claims are Usher / Lucky Daye (Jameson) & Summer Walker / SZA (Imani). We have no affiliation to any of those artists. There will be alternating POVs between our two leads.

Chapter I: Real Games

[ blockdt unless horny ] : wya?

imani rolled her eyes and tossed the phone back across the couch. of course jameson decided that after a year of not seeing one another, he'd reach out NOW. a year after he broke her heart and ruined their three year relationship, he decided to contact her. with three letters? pathetic. even more pathetic was the fact that she picked the phone back up...and thought of a response.

jameson lucas was like a drug to her. when they met, he was cocky but never without reason. he pursued her relentlessly and it didn't take long until they were everywhere together. the son of a r&b legend, jameson took his own path into music. they just fit each other. imani's own career was in its early stages but she took off like a rocket. soon enough, they were the first names called in their fields. especially when they used their love affair to inspire music. they took a hit of each other and it was nonstop. he knew all he had to do was get his foot in the door and she'd be gone. but imani was determined not to play his game this time. he was almost out of her system. she'd get rid of him for good now.

[ imani ] : why do you care? [ blockdt unless horny ] : i miss you. that better? [ imani ] : no. it's still not explaining what the fuck you want [ blockdt unless horny ] : if i'm looking for you and i want to see you. what do you think i want? [ imani ] : sex? got it. okay, not interested [ blockdt unless horny ] : if i wanted to fuck, i wouldn't have a problem finding somebody to do that with. i want to see you because i miss you. am i being clear enough? [ imani ] : lmfao yeah i guess you wouldn't. i'm not dumb. you want something. [ blockdt unless horny ] : you. i want you. i am literally saying what i want. [ imani ] : and why should i give you access to me? [ blockdt unless horny ] : because i'm asking? begging, really. because i love you? [ imani ] : love me? let's be fucking real, jameson [ blockdt unless horny ] : if i don't love you, i don't love nobody, mani. you not tired of fighting yet? [ imani ] : lmfaoooo you're a fucking joke. you don't cheat on the person you love. [ blockdt unless horny ] : i made a mistake. that doesn't change the fact that i love you. i know we'll never be together again because you don't trust me but what am i supposed to do with the shit i feel? [ imani ] : stop saying you love me. idk maybe you need to live with that shit. i'm doing perfectly fine without you. [ blockdt unless horny ] : okay

jameson exhaled sharply, frustrated with himself. he knew deep in his heart that getting in touch with imani had been a mistake. their relationship came crashing down after his infidelity. a night with a woman he shouldn't have been with spiraled. guilt-ridden, he had confessed the next day then spent months trying to get her back. when his efforts failed and she'd gotten a quarterback as her next man -- jameson had moved on. he'd had another girlfriend for a few months but imani hadn't left his mind. he watched every instagram post with an eager eye but it wasn't like he could avoid her. imani st. cirie was r&b's favorite lover girl. her lyrics were captions more often than his own. he could feel her scolding him with every record release but he listened anyway. the two of them played a game where they pretended not to care or notice one another...but in the dark of night, his finger always hovered over that button to call her. even as another woman lay in his bed. sometimes he fought the urge to press it but most of the time he failed -- and got her voicemail. he wrote songs for her, keeping the object of his affection nameless but their fans could connect the dots. he wasn't over her and never would be.

now his bed was empty and he allowed hope to carry him away. they were both single for the first time in a year. maybe now was the time to work it out? imani's texts quickly shut the idea down. he was losing her and any minute, she'd block him. jameson shuffled uncomfortably in the front seat of his mercedes benz. his gaze strayed up to the gates of her home, wondering if she could see him and knew how atrociously down bad he was. his phone beeped on his lap and he peered down in surprise. she responded ?

[ imani ] : now the cat got your fuckin tongue? [ jameson ] : what would you like me to say to that, imani? nothing, right? [ imani ] : it's just so funny to me. why should i give you what you want? [ jameson ] : why are you asking me questions you really don't care about the answer to? you miss me too. you want to see me too. you love me too. so why are we doing this? [ imani ] : i do want an answer. all that's true but you know it's not good for us to see each other. [ jameson ] : i know, baby. i know you deserve better than this. i just miss you. let me see you for ten minutes. [ imani ] : no. [ jameson ] : baby, please. i swear to god i'll leave after that. [ imani ] : fine. i'm at home. [ jameson ]: i'm outside

imani stared down at her phone with wide eyes, in shock as if she wasn't the one who just texted the words 'fine. i'm at home'. she dropped her phone and jumped off her couch, hands over her mouth. "shit, shit, shit." the woman muttered behind her palms. what the hell was she going to do now? she hadn't expected herself to invite him over and she sure as fuck didn't expect him to be sitting outside.

she took a second more to panic before sprinting up her stairs and down the hall into her bedroom. she tugged her t-shirt over her head and tossed it aside. Her shorts followed as she dug into her drawer for another outfit. something that said 'i'm not thinking about you, bitch! but you think i'm cute?' she ended up with a cropped sweatsuit. it showed the tiniest bit of skin and was still comfortable. she didn't bother trying to wrestle with her hair. she left it in a ponytail and practically broke her neck going to brush her teeth.

her doorbell hadn't rung but she could feel the moment he was in front of her home. an electric undercurrent made her body tense. she finished in the bathroom and forced herself to take slow, measured steps back down to the first floor. she wouldn't be seen trying to look her best for him. he was only visiting for ten minutes anyway.

she was crazy for agreeing with this. she knew she should have left the conversation alone but she couldn't help herself. everything that jameson said was true. she missed him. she loved him. she wanted to see him...and imani hated herself for it. yet there she was opening the door for him. "hey." she managed to utter uninterestedly, taking her time before she met his gaze. when she did, she could have choked on her damn spit.

to his mother and god be all the fucking glory...he was beautiful.

it hadn't been as if she hadn't seen his face since they split. he'd released an album, won three grammys for it, and embarked on a very public relationship with a co-star from that little comedic show he was doing. but seeing him up close and personal again? insane. imani grasped the doorknob tightly to keep herself from moving toward him.

freshly braided cornrows lined his scalp and met at the back of his head. she couldn't see the tattoo at the back of his neck but she knew it was there. she had traced her nails across it often enough. it was the soundwave of his first platinum single. he'd been so proud of it. he had numerous other tattoos but that was the one she loved the most. his warm, golden brown skin that she'd kissed and licked so much that she knew every inch of it practically glowed. he had shaved his beard down to a goatee. it framed full lips that could do the most devilish things to her. he lifted his long, incredibly agile, fingers to give her a wave and it broke her out of the spell she was under.

"hey. you got a timer going?" he asked her, humor evident in his tone but she was too distracted by the sound of his voice. deep, soothing, commanding. imani abruptly turned away from the door and stopped in her living room, folding her arms over her chest. the sooner they got this over with, the sooner he could leave.

"i thought you would have it since you said you were only staying for ten minutes." they both knew that he often made promises that he couldn't keep but she wanted to see how long he'd keep up with the charade. imani crossed one leg over the other as she peered at him. why did he have to be so fine? maybe if he wasn't attractive, things would be easier.

"would rather spend my time looking at you than watching a clock." he told her softly, lowering himself onto the same couch as her. as close as he could get. jameson leaned back against the cushions, settling comfortably. he didn't say anything else for a few moments, one hand patting at his chest lightly. "i feel better seeing you." he admitted lowly. "i know you think i'm full of shit...but that's true. i miss you when i'm not with you. i only feel better when i'm right here."

imani sighed softly. she could feel herself crack at the confession but she refused to go down without a fight. "you just wasted two of your minutes." her stony expression didn't hold up so she chose to look away, not responding again. she just didn't know how to. instead, she slightly shifted so she wasn't as close to him. the perfect storm was brewing between them and she had to decide if she was strong enough to withstand it. "is that all you came over here for? we both know you're just gonna get bored with me, cheat, and then leave again. quit while you're behind."

"i'm okay with whatever you want to do." jameson told her, knowing that the day was coming when she would get tired of this and cut him out for good. he'd have no choice but to let her go. but today wasn't that day. he could tell that even though she was sick of his shit, she didn't mean that they should cut things off. and being the man he was...he was glad. instead of answering her question, jameson was quiet. "but i was never bored of you. i swear."

he didn't quite know why they never seemed to get things right. he drifted away from her and then couldn't stand it so he came right back. she got pissed at him and told him to fuck off but then let him come back. it was crazy but it was them. "you know what you mean to me." he said softly, pulling his hand from his pocket to lift his hand. he brushed his thumb against her cheek, tilting his head to watch her expression. "don't you?"

when imani turned to meet his gaze, he knew it hadn't been wrong to contact her. it had been a year but the same energy was between them. he watched her try to pull herself again, try to pull the hardass out and build the wall back up between them. that was the thing about loving someone you knew like the back of your hand -- you saw everything. even the shit they didn't want you to see. "enough with the bullshit, jameson."

literally no other woman could have him open like she did. he spent years sniffing after her. and when he cheated, he spent months begging. he'd never begged a woman for anything. but he knew he'd get down on his knees for her each and every time. "i fucked you over and i regret it everyday." he said softly, pulling his hand from her. "i never loved anybody before i saw you. i can't prove to you it's not bullshit but i swear on everything...you are the love of my life."

it was the one thing he had never told her and he knew saying it shifted things for him emotionally. but damn it, he was running out of answers. "i can't breathe unless i know you're a phone call away. i can barely fucking function if i go too long without seeing you. you are everything." 

silence lapsed between them as they both processed that there was some kind of breakthrough happening. their communication had been better in bed than anywhere else but jameson knew he'd strip as many layers as he could to get down to the heart of it all. the longer they went without speaking, the more he wondered what she was thinking.

"you hurt me, jameson. you do that shit every time and I let you." she said, looking into his eyes. "i don't know why i fuckin' let you do it. but i do." she moved from her spot, positioning herself in his lap. jameson made room for her, wrapping his arms around her waist. the two fell into tandem -- as if they hadn't spent any time apart at all. imani straddled his lap, he could see the regret in her face but he couldn't bring himself to let her ponder on it. he lifted his head and pressed the gentlest kiss to the corner of her mouth. she melted against him and he heard her whisper against his ear. "just don't promise me shit this time. i don't want to hear any lies."

jameson knew he should be a better man and let her be happy with someone else. but he couldn't find it in himself. "okay, baby." what else could he say? he was a piece of shit. "just...don't give up on me." he said softly, surprising himself with how much he meant the words. "i need you. ain't no me without you." his hand pressed against the small of her back, fingertips stroking against her spine as he sighed. "my ten minutes are up, i think. give me a kiss goodnight."

there it was. she had let him just waltz back into her fucking life. folded quicker than a cheap umbrella in a hurricane. a few apologies, kisses, and touches -- imani was partially disgusted with herself. she was relieved to see she wasn't alone in her addiction though. he clung to her body like a man who hadn't been touched in an eternity even though she knew that was far from the truth. maybe she couldn't leave him alone but she could establish a set of boundaries. not lying seemed easy enough.

she sighed as he relaxed into her body. her arms wrapped rightly around his neck and she placed a kiss on his forehead. "i guess you can stay a little longer." imani slipped her hand under his chin, bringing his lips to hers. that familiar feeling washed over her just from the feel of his lips.

imani could feel him smile against her lips and she couldn't help but nip against his lower lip to settle his ego. jameson gave a lingering groan at the contact. it'd been so long since she'd touched him but every single time, it felt like coming home. "mm. mm-uh." he exhaled, breaking the kiss and shaking his head as he swiftly rose from the couch. imani went up with him, thinking quickly and wrapping her legs around his waist. "i can't stay. i gotta go." he muttered, "i promised i'd leave after ten minutes. i just said i wouldn't lie to you."

it was obvious he didn't want to go. if it hadn't been obvious from the way he kept leaning into her, his body begging for those little kisses from her -- it was obvious when he rose from the couch. he braced his hands underneath her, fingers sprawling across her ass. imani was pressed against him, the evidence of what he wanted to do pressed against her thigh. he couldn't lie to her even if he wanted to. "i'm gonna put you down...in a minute." he mumbled, burying his face against the crook of her neck.

suddenly, she didn't want to talk. she didn't want to think of the shit he'd done to her, the way he'd broken her heart. all she wanted to do was feel. That's what she wanted to focus on right now. "no, no, no." she murmured, shaking her head. "this is a promise you can break. it's okay." she placed her hand on the back of his neck. her acrylics grazed his skin -- claiming him once again. imani left a trail of kisses against his neck to his earlobe then sucked it into her mouth. "you're not leaving." she told him in a demanding whisper.

imani pressed herself to him, nails grazing the skin at the back of his neck, and he felt himself break out in chills. the slight pressure there pleased him. his arms tightened around her as he sighed softly. imani pulled back and he saw the smirk gracing her lips. she knew. she knew he was weak for her and knew exactly how to get what she wanted from him. nobody knew him better than her -- whatever she might think of their relationship, she got him in a way nobody else did. she knew exactly what made him tick and she proved it just then. jameson didn't bother to vocally agree. he just began to walk through her living room, headed to the stairs to get to her bedroom. 

"i hate your house sometimes." he huffed as he shifted her in his arms, tossing her onto his shoulder. she gave a short yell of surprise at the move, her hands pressed to his lower back as he carried her up the stairs. the couch wasn't big enough for what he wanted to do with her. "i can't even fuck you on these uncomfortable ass stairs."

"you don't think so?" she asked. "i don't know. that sounds like a challenge to me." the palm of his hand swatted towards her ass, the stinging in his palm probably not as intense as the one she felt. "a challenge for both of us to break our necks." he walked up the stairs easily, her weight against his shoulder going unnoticed. jameson didn't even bother to answer her question any further. he was sure it'd be uncomfortable but he was also sure he'd fuck her anywhere he could. it was the exact reason he walked down her hallway and took the first left he saw. it wasn't the direction of her bedroom...but it was the closest one to them.

even as the heat and tension spiraled between them, he managed to keep his senses alert enough to flip the light switch. in the brightness of the spare bedroom, jameson carefully lowered imani from his shoulder, standing with her next to the bed. for a moment as he placed her onto the bed. he hadn't been lying when he said he'd rather look at her than anything else. he watched as she struggled to get out of the sweatsuit. she tugged her arms free but seemed too jittery to completely get undressed.

jameson began to move closer...leaving her no choice but to fall backward onto the bed. she began to crawl up it, watching him the whole time. "you impatient, mama?" he asked her, a grin gracing his full lips. imani nodded, meeting his gaze. he dropped his hands to her hips, fingertips grazing against the band of her sweatpants. without a word, he gently pulled them over the curve of her ass then down legs. "me too." he confessed. before she could say anything, he was kneeling in front of her. "show me you missed me." jameson said softly, kissing her thigh.

he saw the moment it clicked in her mind what he wanted from her. her hand moved between her legs and jameson spread her thighs greedily, not wanting to miss a moment. they clicked into their typical roles when it came to sex so quickly that he was practically moving on autopilot. he talked to her like he was still her man, like no time had passed at all. imani's fingers parted her folds with ease, wetness sticking to her fingers. she let out a hushed moan as her fingers pressed into her pussy.

some games he and imani played were painful. some pissed him off. some were even amusing. but the best kind of games were the ones where they drove each other crazy. he watched her play along with him -- following his command with ease. "i forgot how pretty she gets when you're turned on." he murmured, slowly pulling his own sweatshirt over his head. jameson tossed it aside, not caring where it landed. "spread. let me see it all. make me remember." he was pleased when imani whimpered softly and did as he said. fingertips parted her folds, exposing her clit to him as her legs parted further as well.

he didn't have any charming shit to say, nothing smooth or seductive. all he knew was that he wanted her more than he wanted his next breath. so jameson descended to the bed, settling himself between her legs. his hand reached out for her own, gently grasping her fingers to pull them to his mouth. he sucked at her digits, carefully pulling each from his mouth to savor the taste of her until he tasted nothing but her skin. both of his hands came to her thighs, pulling her further down the bed and toward his mouth. jameson pressed a kiss to her clit before his tongue pressed to her folds. no sooner had he slid his tongue between her lips did he groan, happy to be home in a sense. and then he went to work.

imani couldn't believe how gone she allowed herself to be for jameson. the woman she was a few months ago would be sickened to see her writhing across a bed, doing his bidding. that thought should have been enough to make her push him away but they were silenced with the kiss to her clit. her back arched, the shock of pleasure bringing a cry from her lips.

the only thing that stopped her from pulling at those big ass ears to stop him and demand he fuck her right then was the fact that he owed her. for every moment he pissed her off or disappointed her, he owed her this pleasure as recompense.

he unwound one arm from around her leg -- pressing his fingers into her. imani lifted his head to watch as her pussy enveloped his digits, pulling and squeezing. he pressed his fingers deeper, harder -- wanting to see how she would react. eventually, he settled into a familiar rhythm. his index and middle finger delving deeply into her, his thumb lazily teasing against her ass. jameson leaned in again, closing his mouth over her clit as he ran his tongue back and forth...back and forth, timing the movement with that of his thumb. he kept it up until arousal soaked his tongue and knew he swallowed it down with glee because he groaned every single time.

her senses were already overloaded. She didn't like the power that jameson had over her. from his slightest touch, she was putty in his hands. "fuck, jameson." she whimpered. her hands palmed the back of his head, fingertips clinging to his braids, pussy grinding against his face. she wasn't going to last long and she hated that. hated him for it. "baby, wait." it hit her like a cramp to the stomach and imani jackknifed up from the bed, one hand pressed to the bed behind her to keep her upright. "i'ma cum, baby." she whimpered. before he could do anything else, her body jerked and her eyes shut close tightly.

she had prepared for him to be right where he was for a while. but it was going to be over before she knew it. jameson picked up his pace and added another finger, at her confession. she was sure he didn't even need the warning but even with her eyes closed, she could feel him watching her -- pleasure written all over her face. "let me see." he urged her own. "give me my shit."

her body jerked and imani felt him slow down. three fingers pressed into her, a thumb pressed to her clit, and another one teasing at her ass -- it was too much. her legs shut tightly over his hands as he pulled the orgasm free. it hit her hard enough to make her thigh shake. imani thrust herself against his fingers, praying he wouldn't stop. and he didn't. as much as she wanted, he gave it to her. she was breathless by the time her hips stopped arching up, begging for more.

only when she came down did she realize he was speaking to her.

"i missed my greedy pussy." "get what you want, baby. take it." "you better keep this energy the same when i get up."

every word brought a moan from her lips and jolt from her hips. imani watched as he pulled his hands free, sucked on his fingers, and stood from the bed. the two didn't exchange a word as she watched him undress. first went his shirt and then his sweatpants. she hadn't even noticed when he took his damn shoes off. his boxers followed next and...behold. a thing of fucking beauty. his dick bobbed freely, fully erect, and she had the urge to taste him. she wanted him sliding between her lips and down her throat the way he used to but she didn't move. she only watched him climb back onto the bed and settled between her legs. then he hesitated.

"fuck." jameson muttered, "baby...i didn't bring shit with me." he told her quietly. imani genuinely felt fear in the moment. fear he would pull away and get up. she wrapped her arms around his neck, keeping him from pulling away even as he continued speaking. "please tell me you have a couple here." imani parted her legs wider, pouting up at him. "you really didn't bring anything?" she repeated, still not processing it. jameson shook his head, his hands pressed to her hips as he kissed her neck and mumbled his apologies. in the moment, she really didn't give a fuck. "it's okay." she whispered. her hand slipped between them and wrapped her hands around his dick. she moved her hips forward to slowly guide him inside of her. she would think about the consequences later. all she knew was that she wanted him NOW.

jameson knew how these things went with imani. they always ended up here one way or another. he cursed himself for not bringing protection. but it didn't matter — they were both desperate for one another. he froze when she reached for him, his breath trapped in his throat at the feel of her hand. he only exhaled sharply when she widened her legs and pressed him inside.

the last time they had sex without protection had been when they were together. now, they were...well, complicated. but he couldn't deny that it felt right. it's why he didn't pull away. "you sure?" he asked her, lust making his speech slurred. even before she nodded her head, he gave a short, gentle thrust — enveloping himself in her entirely. "oh my god -- you feel so good, daddy." she whispered against his ear. "i'm daddy already? i like hearing my baby say that."

their eyes met as he eased deeper into her. imani's hands found his back and jameson fought off a smile as she replied to him. "you never stopped being daddy." she said lowly. He was incomparable to anyone else. despite what happened between them, she still could acknowledge that he was the only one that could make her feel like this. imani sealed their fate when she arched her back, lifted her hips, and told him that she needed him. jameson wanted to be wanted. he wanted to be needed. and he could tell from the sound of her voice that she meant it -- she didn't just want to get off, she meant it. she needed him.

jameson moved his hand from her hips to the small of her back, keeping her hips lifted and pressed against his own. he tested their position -- slowly pulling out. his gaze dropped to watch the movement, a groan leaving his lips as he saw how she coated him in her arousal. as turned on as he was, he still found the time to joke. "don't come so fast this time.", he teased her, his hips moving forward to fill her again. "we're just getting started."

he laughed out loud when her blissed out face turned into a frown. she opened her mouth -- likely to tell him to shut the fuck up -- and he silenced her with a sharp thrust. any insult turned into a moan. "i'm playin, i'm playin." amusement filtering into his tone as he moved his hand from her hip, fingertips gliding down her leg to grasp her thigh. jameson shifted her leg around his waist, picking it up higher so it rested against his back as he slowly fucked her. once he got her leg readjusted, he ran his thumb against her lower lip, his eyes lowered to watch where they connected. "suck."

her brow was still furrowed as they rocked together. it was almost as if she was deciding if she wanted to curse him out but she opened her mouth and took his thumb between her lips. the more precise his movements, the harder it became for her to keep his thumb in her mouth. he didn't think it was possible but it felt like she became even wetter after his command. imani playfully swirled her tongue around his finger and jameson had to close his eyes for a brief second -- lust making his abdomen clench. "shit, mani. oh my -- fuck." jameson panted, slowly pulling his thumb from her mouth. he let it trail across her lower lip before leaning in to kiss her circle his tongue around a nipple. he pressed his body to hers, hips rocking as he wedged his hand between them.

the bedroom was bright and he could see everything -- a blessing, he figured. he dropped his head, looking between their bodies, and made sure he was pressing his wet thumb against her clit. jameson pressed gently, circling there with ease. he was multi-tasking pretty damn well. he could hear his thighs making contact with hers, the squelching between them as he drove himself deeply into her, sucking and gently biting at her nipple.

"jamie. oh baby..." imani hummed, unable to focus on anything besides the sound of her pussy loudly welcoming her lover home. he slid in and out with precision, angling his hips in the exact way to drive her crazy. her moans and screams accompanied the sound of her love. "you're gonna make me -- i'ma cum again." she whimpered, locking her legs around his thighs.

"this my pussy, ain't it?" imani nodded so fast that he was sure she'd cause a sprain in her neck. "then act like it. give me that shit." he knew she was reacting to what he was doing and saying but jameson could hardly hear imani. he was in his own little world, grazing his teeth against her nipple. he kept his thumb pressed to her clit as he kept up the pace of his hips. when he lifted his head, he found that he didn't have much of anything to say. he was in a daze. he heard himself moan, unashamed of the fact that she knew how far gone he was over her.

"i swear to god...i fucking love you." he muttered, eyes drifting closed as he quickly reached out for her leg, pulling it from around his waist to extend. he pressed it to his shoulder, both hands moving to her hips to pull her onto his length harder. all pretenses of taking things slow were out the window. he was fucking her now, his thumb shifting from pressing to quick circles against her clit. "ooh fuck! daddy, i love you too. i swear." she panted.

he could feel her fighting it. she fluttered over him, shaking in his grasp. she didn't want to make this as easy as the first orgasm she experienced but jameson didn't have a problem working for it. her body shifted again with her leg on his shoulder. He picked up his pace and the speed of his thumb. "sh-iiii-t, fuck me daddy. just like that!" imani clawed at his back and tightened her walls around him. her hands grasp at his ass, firm and full in her hands.

he liked the way she called out for him. but he liked the way she told him she loved him. the words had an effect on him. he grunted, gritting his teeth as he tried to rein himself in. it sent chills up his spine and he couldn't shake the desire to hear the words again. jameson slowed down when he should have kept the same pace. "like that?" he asked imani, his hand slowly moving from between her legs and up her abdomen. "yes! yes b-baby." she stuttered. her hands left his body and found the sheets, gripping them tightly as she blinked up at him. it was like she couldn't ground herself no matter what she held on to. good. he didn't want her sane at all. jameson could tell that she wouldn't last much longer.

his other hand caressed her calf, his head turning to press kisses to her leg. he moved slowly, twisting his hips and biting back another moan. it's even better than what he was doing before. how the fuck could she do that without even trying? she made his head spin half the fucking time and he was still in awe of her. "tell me you love me again." he asked her quietly.

she didn't even hesitate to repeat it. "i love you, baby." mani hissed. "i love you so fuckin' much." her eyes shut and she seized so hard that it was almost as if her body froze. she didn't get to warn him that time. her back arched and her eyes fluttered shut. he could feel her holding her breath. he didn't slack up, lifting his hand to slap down against her clit. her body flinched but still, she didn't release her breath. jameson dropped her her leg from his shoulder to give her a moment of rest. "breathe, mani." he commanded. no sooner than he spoke did he feel her let go. she inhaled sharply, whimpering and moaning out as she did so. nobody could tell him this woman didn't belong to him. the evidence was in the way she let him have his way and her essence covering both their thighs.

she moaned and convulsed around him, wringing a groan from his throat. jameson lowered his body to hers, kissing imani deeply. his tongue slipping between her lips as she clung to him. it was his turn to collapse under the pressure of pleasure. "how you want me, baby?" he asked her between kisses, his release nearing the more he pressed into her. she shook her head as if she didn't understand him and jameson held off with a grunt. "where you want this nut, mani? tell daddy." he was asking for permission and holding off until he got it. even if it killed him.

her voice got caught in her throat and finally, she managed to croak out a response. "inside." one word, the last word she should have said to him. they both knew that. she soaked his dick, the wet spot under them expanding each time he pressed into her. it practically spurted from her. she was spent, he knew she had very little left to give him so now it was time for her to take.

her hands lifted to frame his face, her lips pressed to his cheek, and jameson allowed himself to relax into her. he felt the thrill of lust race down his spine, pulling back only to bury his face in the crook of her neck. he thrust into her roughly, his body losing the sensuous sense of coordination he'd used to get her off. there was no focus or gameplan, desire was driving him now.

he whispered words against her neck, mindless praise about how good she felt. how beautiful she was. how much he loved her. he whispered until the words turned into moans. his hips shuddered and then he came. one hand against her hip, the other over her head -- clenched around the sheets. jameson sagged against her, pressing kisses to imani's shoulder as his hand caressed her hip.

post-nut clarity was a bitch. she had given the man permission to do what he wanted with her body and only now -- when he sagged against her -- did it hit her. her unfaithful, untrustworthy ex had come into her home, hit her with some bullshit about love, and she fell on top of his dick. he breathed heavily against her skin, sleepily pressing kisses to her neck. as much as he pissed her off, she ran her hand up and down his back on instinct. "i really do love you." she heard him say.

despite the fact that they exchanged 'i love you' several times while fucking, it took coming on his dick a few times to remember that she didn't believe him anymore. "mhm." she hummed, patting his shoulder. "i gotta clean up." jameson took the hint and pulled out, surprising imani when he placed his hand against her abdomen. "stay here. i got it." she was silent as he left the room, not even watching his ass as he walked away. she was disappointed in herself. even though her thighs and pussy ached, her clit practically tingled, and her eyes felt heavy with exhaustion -- was it worth going on this damn rollercoaster with jameson again?

he returned to the room with a wet towel. neither of them said a word as he went through the motions of cleaning between her thighs. he even rolled her out of the wet spot that she had been unable to escape. she expected him to take the same care with himself but he didn't. once he was done with the towel, he tossed it aside. the air between them had changed. she could feel it and knew he did too.

"mani." "get out." "...baby, we don't have to do it like that. we can start over." "i don't want to start over with you. i wanted to cum and i did that. so now you can get the fuck out of my house."

imani watched the words impact him and knew he was trying to decide if he believed her or not. she slowly sat up, hating that her body still trembled while she was trying to be strong. "get out, jameson." part of her was pleased that he seemed to give up in the moment. she watched him redress mournfully. they didn't trade words. he was fully dressed and she still sat on the bed, undressed.

"i'll call you." "don't bother."

despite the heat in her words, jameson still leaned in to kiss her. she let him do so, telling herself it was easier than to shove him away. when he finally turned to leave the room, imani let her mask slip. she fell back onto the bed, breath shuddering. she had done the right thing. fucking him was a mistake but she could bounce back. she didn't have to let him back into her life anymore. that chapter of her life was over.

We hope you guys like the start of Neon Lights. If not, please keep it to yourself. No, I'm kidding. Constructive criticism is very welcome!

[luv-indigo]

okay so, redesigning nadine for the third and (hopefully) final time. i felt she looked too similar to soraya (my keyframes fall mc) so i changed nadine up a bit. also!! i was trying to find oc templates to fill out for my visual novel ocs and although there’s so many out there, none were exactly what i was looking for soooo…. I made my own! i’ll post my other our life ocs with them soon but first, nadine ! (again)

I’ve also changed my own mind. Nadine will be my MC for Qiu’s route.

Nadine introduction <3

Nadine spent much of her early childhood moving from place to place, all within her home state of California but oftentimes in different cities. Moving around so often made it hard to keep in contact with friends and after a while made it especially hard making friends in the first place.

When Opal tells Nadine they‘re moving once again, Nadine is surprised to learn they’re moving to Oregon, their neighboring state. This time, she learns it’ll be a more permanent location. Nadine doesn’t know exactly how to feel. She’s so used to moving around that being in a place for so long sounds foreign, weird and new. However, part of her can’t help but feel excited, especially since she gets her own room now! But no matter what, she knows mama will be with her every step of the way.

Upon meeting Qiu and Tamarack, Nadine quickly feels they can be the best of friends. Nadine has always been more of a quiet person but not necessarily shy. Spend enough time with her and you’ll find she can talk quite a lot. Yet she’s perfectly content with simply listening as well.

Nadine is mostly a rule follower. Rules are there for a reason right? She prides herself on being neat and orderly. All her belongings are pristine and in their place because that’s just how she likes it. During step 1, Nadine strongly dislikes getting dirty. Which can be difficult to avoid if you’re playing outside in the woods.

Step Two !!

After four years, Nadine has adjusted well into her new home. Although Nadine needs glasses she very much prefers to use eye contacts instead. It’s also the most convenient when ice skating. She’s taken on ice skating as her main past time and she’s fairly good. Her transportation of choice has been rollerblading so it makes sense she got into ice skating as well.

Her other hobbies are more on the creative side. She enjoys crafting and drawing on occasion. Cosplaying is also one of her major hobbies. For years she has worked on making her Halloween costumes with the help of Mama.

During this time Nadine becomes more of a shy person. During her earlier childhood, she had no problem voicing her thoughts and opinions but it seems now that sort of thing gets harder to do as you age. Thankfully, she has her two close friends to turn to whenever she needs a hand, and in turn she will be there for them as well.

Step Three !!

Nadine has less and less time to do things she wants. If this is how adult life is she wants zero part of it </3

Nadine has always prioritized their studies (although that became much harder to do when middle school started due to her procrastination habits). Now college is weighing on their mind. Nadine still very much enjoys ice skating yet she struggles to make time to practice. Similarly, cosplaying has turning into a year long project (for Halloween of course). Doing multiple cosplays a year is something she doesn’t have time for anymore. Although they are often busy, Nadine will always make time for a special someone and her best friend, Tamarack.

Step Four !!

Nadine’s all grown up </3

Throughout many years Nadine has learned things about themselves and grown into the person they are today. Her experiences and the people she has been around since she was ten years old have impacted her life to mold her into who she is, for better or worse. And honestly, they wouldn’t have it any other way.

And finally this little thing I made with all of Nadine’s doll icons. I had to edit many of them to fit the hair style and clothing options I wanted and it literally took forever </3 ouGh

Also, I apologize for the quality. I tried to preserve it as I was inserting the drawings into the template but resizing may have messed up the quality </3

[the-himawari-otome]

B’s-LOG June 2021 - Shuuen no Virche Special Feature Translation [Illustrator Comments]

Comments from the illustrator, Yomi, on the boys' designs.

Yves

I received a request for an “orthodox knight”, so I was careful not to lose his sense of knightliness not only in his main outfit, but also in his alternate outfits.  His image changed several times along the way as I was drawing, but I think he always had the appearance of a young man with a smile that looks like he’s on the verge of crying.

Lucas

I designed him with the template image of how Japanese people imagine beautiful Western Europeans (platinum blonde hair, blue eyes, etc.).  At first, his outfit was baggy and didn’t show off his body line. But in the final draft, it ended up fitting him perfectly. How strange. I tried to make his hair hide his eyebrows to make it harder to read his expressions and make him feel less human. But he’s definitely a contender for possessing the most masculine eyebrows.

Mathis

I kind of had an idea of how he should look when I sketched him out on the very first piece of copy paper. But as I reviewed the setting several times and began to draw it out digitally, I thought, "somehow, this doesn't feel like Mathis.” So I flipped the table over, handed over most of Mathis’s initial draft from the neck down to Yves, and I reworked it from scratch to create the current Mathis.

Scien

He seems like someone who’s hard to approach due to his position and setting. But I didn’t want him to be invulnerable. I wanted him to have openings. So I made his clothes disorderly in various spots. I decided to place the crest on his neck on a whim, but the more I got to know him, the more I felt like “unbeknownst to himself, he was constantly being strangled by his own creation.” And I thought his neck was the perfect place after all... (this is just my personal opinion).

Adolphe

I had a vague image of a "man who lets sunlight pass through him.” I don't really understand it myself, but I often think that way when our eyes meet while I'm doing my colouring work. I aimed for his appearance to be the most manly together with Hugo, a mutual friend of Yves’s, but what do you think…?

Ankou

I hope I was able to create the feeling of someone who can be seen but not touched even if you reach out to them. Someone who is frightening but also captivating. When I received the proposal, I was contemplating a pure white costume, like an elf king’s. However, it turned out the complete opposite in the end.

---

[DO NOT USE OR REPOST MY WORK W/O PERMISSION, THANK YOU]

[spark-my-nature]

Gingerbread Kisses - SFK

To the lovely Ari @doveabovetheworld, Merry Christmas! I hope you enjoy this, and I hope you have a great holiday!

Love from Secret Santa 🎅❤️

⭐︎

Christmas is a time of love, even from the most unexpected places.

Sam x Reader | Words: 2.7K | Warnings: Language, implied sexual situations but nothing explicit, just fluff!

��︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎

Really, it was Sam’s fault. 

He should know better by now not to leave you alone, and as you stood in your kitchen surrounded by the evidence of your latest attempt at mastering something in the kitchen, blaming your poor, innocent friend was the hill you chose to die on. 

It started off much better, in your defense, with a lot less raw gingerbread dough dripping down the backsplash of your counter. The recipe had seemed foolproof, having even provided a printable template. And damnit, you wanted to impress him for once. Could you have bought a kit at the store along with the dozens of types of candy for decoration that lined your table? Sure, but the thought of Sam’s face when he arrived to your apartment and realized you’d baked the houses from scratch seemed too glorious to pass up at the time. 

And now, you’d still get a memorable face out of him, just a little more teasing than you’d hoped for. Because the half-charred edges of cookie that mocked you from their baking sheet didn’t look fit to go close enough to smell, let alone eat. 

You let a long sigh deflate your shoulders, untying the apron you now felt unworthy of owning, and you had just ran a floury hand across your face when two abrupt thuds at the door startled you. 

Huffing, you crossed your apartment quickly, yanking the door open to a perfectly disheveled, christmas sweater-adorning, sweet smelling, and angel-faced Sam Kiszka. 

“You picked today of all days to arrive early?” you grouched, a tiny smile giving you away, as your best friend held up a grocery bag beside his beaming grin. 

“I did, I thought traffic would be worse,” he waved you off sweetly, kicking his shoes off on the mat. “Brought us some house kits, though, look!”

You grabbed one handle of the bag, sighing in both resentment and relief as he pawed through the confectionary. “Well thank god, cause uh…” you blushed and gestured shyly behind you. 

Sam finally looked up, and you watched with embarrassment and humor as his face shifted from his goofy smile, to shock, and slowly into a shit-eating grin. 

“What did you do?” his voice betraying the giggle he choked the words out through. 

Grunting, you shoved the bag back into his hands and turned heel, grabbing dishes and beginning to set them in the sink to soak off the mess. “Tried to make gingerbread.”

He came up behind you, setting the bag on a cleared off part of the counter, and with his trademark fluidity and confidence, he gracefully spun his back to the counter beside you and leaned on one elbow. Hitting you with a grin that made your head feel a little floaty, he watched you work for a moment. 

“I uh… admire the effort,” he nodded, smirking a little more as his eyes darted towards the dough still decorating the walls. 

You simply rolled your eyes, scoffing and blushing despite your best efforts. “Whatever, at least I tried.”

“Hey, I said I admire it,” he grinned, eyeing the streak of flour adorning your cheek that you seemed adorably oblivious to. 

When you glanced at him from the corner of your eye, you caught him with his eyes lingering a little more tenderly than usual across your face. “What…?” you quietly asked, turning off the tap. 

He blinked, then cleared his throat, straightening up and stepping closer. Softly, he muttered, “You got a little…” and with wide eyes, you watched him extend his hand to your face, gently swiping his thumb outward from the apple of your cheek. 

“Oh-“ you blushed harder, turning your face down as your reached up to swipe at your face, bashful under the warmth of his gaze. He stopped you with a hand on your wrist, smiling faintly when you met his eyes. 

“Cute,” he quietly stated, lips quirking sideways in a crooked little smile. 

“Cute?” you questioned, staring interrogatively up at him with a playful smirk, waiting for the punchline that was sure to follow. 

But it didn’t, he only nodded, using that same gentle hand to tuck the hair that had fallen from your messy bun behind your ear. You caught a hint of a blush beginning to color his cheeks, and slowly it began to sink in that he wasn’t teasing. 

“Oh,” you grinned awkwardly, heart thudding behind your ribcage, frozen in place and relishing his sweet, undivided attention. It wasn’t unlike him, but he wasn’t exactly known for serious moments like this, and it made you nervous as hell when they happened. Mostly because they made you start wondering if maybe he felt the same about you as you’d always felt about him. But those moments had always broken like a baseball through a pane of glass, and he’d go back to his goofy, ‘just friends’ Sammy self, and you’d kick yourself for reading too much into it again. 

His stare this time was unwavering though, and he coupled it with a tiny, nervous blip of a laugh, chewing on his lip. “Mhm,” he simply offered, and if you didn’t know better, you’d think he was almost… shy. 

The lightheadedness was catching up with you, and in a moment of overwhelmed cowardice, you broke eye contact, gesturing to the bag he brought with him. “So, uh, what else did you get?”

Sam swallowed, brows furrowing as he threw a hand through his hair, turning to the groceries. “Uh- right, I got, um…” he opened it, pulling out various candies and the two gingerbread kits. You peered over the bag, up on your tippytoes.

“Standard stuff,” he explained dryly, smirking, “you got your candy canes, your chocolate swirls, your peppermints…”

You nodded, smiling up at him as he rattled off at least another ten kinds of candies, and when he had emptied the bag, you led him into the living room where you already had the TV set up in front of the table. 

“Oh shit- lemme grab something, forgot it in the car,” Sam mumbled distractedly, quickly making his way out the door and back before you could blink. With a beaming grin, he held out a takeout tray with two paper cups, eagerly pronouncing, “Hot chocolates!”

Biting your lip to control the smile stretching across your face, you took yours from him as you both sat down on the couch. 

Quietly, as you popped open the tab on the lid, you remarked, “you really thought of everything, huh?”

Sam sipped his drink, shrugging one shoulder as he eyed you. Swallowing with a loud smacking sigh, he smiled playfully, “Pretty much.”

Wrinkling your nose, you took a drink and set down your cup. “You’re pretty sweet, you know that?”

Sammy waved a dismissive hand, looking at his lap, and your smile softened. “I mean it, I… you make me so happy, all the time. It’s your superpower.”

Sam giggled at that, looking up and meeting your gaze, and your eyes locked for several long moments before he gently answered. 

“It’s my favourite thing to do.”

Feeling a flush warming up your cheeks, you grinned crookedly, “what is?” 

With a blush colouring his cheeks but not a trace of embarrassment, Sam simply murmured, “making you happy.”

Quietly, you searched his face in your flustered confusion, and his smile slowly relaxed into a gentle expression. 

“Sammy…” you started, heart rate spiking as your thoughts raced around your mind. Not wanting to misread his gentle searching eyes, not daring to read into his sweet words. 

Then he cleared his throat softly, and your eyes shot down when you felt him take your hands in his, resting on your lap. As he toyed with your fingers, he started, “I think there’s something I need to say to you. And you know… Christmas and all, I just figure, it’s a good time… right?”

Your brows drew together, watching this normally larger than life man take on such a  serious persona. “Okay,” you cocked your head.

Sam’s lips quirked up in a lopsided grin, and he huffed out a soft shy laugh. “So… um… well I was walking Rose last week, through the public gardens, yknow? That spot I took you to in the fall?” 

When you nodded, he continued, “Right, well I passed that hideous statue of the lil elf dude, and I remembered how hard we laughed at him that time, but the thing is… it wasn’t even that funny. I stared at it for a solid ten minutes, probably really weirded out some families,” he chuckled, his fingers tensing and relaxing in between yours as he spoke, absently fidgeting the way you secretly always thought was adorable. 

“Okay…?” You prompted, giggling softly. 

“I… realized…” Sam shifted, clearing his throat again, his fingers clinging to yours tight for a moment, “…that it wasn’t the statue that made me laugh like that, it was just you.”

You snorted, and he seemed to realize what his words meant, blushing and laughing at himself as he quickly shook his head. “No no no, fuck, that came out so wrong, I-“ 

You interrupted him with a very unattractive honk of a laugh, making him giggle and shake his head again. Taking a breath, he rode the wave of joy and finished his explanation. 

“I realized then that I wanted you there, with me. I meant that the statue wasn’t nearly as funny or interesting or anything, without you beside me. And neither is anything else. You make everything in my life so much brighter, and more enjoyable, and warm and safe and… well, I kinda started to think about why I felt that way about you, so I may have… talked to Danny about it, and he-“ Sam huffed an exasperated laugh at the memory, staring firmly at your hands. 

“He said, ‘for fucks sake Sam. We were waiting for you to realize but clearly you’re more of a dumbass then we thought.”

You smirked shyly, feeling your stomach flip in anticipation. “Sounds like Danny.”

Smiling wide, Sam nodded his agreement, “Yeah, and he’s right. I am a dumbass. Cause my best friend had to tell me for me to realize that I’m in love with you.”

Your pulse raced so fast you weren’t certain that it just stopped beating entirely. With the last scraps of clarity in your swirling mind, you squeaked, “You what?”

After a second’s hesitation, he lifted his gaze to you through his lashes, and licked his lips nervously, scanning your face. 

You’d never seen him look so small. And you’d never felt your entire body buzz with electricity like it was. Your face slowly began to catch up with the butterflies attacking your stomach, and as your wondrous smile spread across your face, Sam relaxed infinitesimally before you. 

“You love me?” You confirmed with a high pitched, nervous giggle. 

He offered a tentative smile, eyes darting between yours, vulnerable and hopeful. “I love you so much.” 

Staring at him for another second, you giggled, lifting a hand to run through your hair, flustered and giddy. Then you perked up suddenly, realizing how the boy in front of you sat at the edge of his seat for your answer. 

“Oh! I love you too,” you rushed out, grabbing his hand again, smiling wide as Sam laughed, relief clouding his eyes as the tension in his body deflated. 

“You love me? Really? You aren’t just saying that cause I did?” He interrogated, playing up the humor in his tone when the question itself was serious.  He’d held out his heart to you, praying you wouldn’t break it.

“No, I do, I love you Sam,” you softly repeated, “I can’t believe you love me, I’m so…”

“-relieved?” he supplied gently, the both of you giggling as you nodded, delirious with your joy. 

Your laughter stilled, and you both held each other’s gaze, electricity sparking to life all around you. 

Sam’s hand left yours, bringing it up to slide gently over your cheek, making your heart flutter even harder in your chest. His eyes nervously dipped downwards, returning to your eyes, then glancing at your lips again before slipping his fingers sweetly into your hair. 

His lips parted, hesitating a second before he shyly confessed, “…I’m dying to kiss you.”

Your face lit up in a wild grin, and you couldn’t stop the positively giddy sounding tease before it was past your lips. “Oh really?”

His mouth twisted in a crooked smirk, meeting your gaze again rather ironically in response. 

“Do it,” you whispered, leaning forward a little in invitation. 

Your heart melted, watching Sam’s face relax into a droopy, lovesick smile of relief, and his face drew into yours before your eyes both fluttered closed. 

You took a short, shaky breath, and then felt his lips press to yours, so gently and sweetly. He held it for a few seconds, then his fingers slipped further behind your head, drawing you closer as his lips parted for a deeper, more passionate kiss. 

Your heart pounded in your ears, so loud you almost missed the whisper quiet groan from his throat. Pouring your overwhelming emotions into the kiss, you surrendered to the feeling with a hum of your own, finally daring to bring a hand up to caress his jaw. 

God, you’d never been kissed like this, like he’d rather suffocate than be separated from your mouth. His head tilted more, aligning his face even more perfectly to slip his tongue teasingly against your lip, a question of sorts. Still rather flustered, nervous in the exciting way a schoolgirl might feel kissing her crush in his car, you dared a brush of your tongue against his mouth, moaning quietly when he met yours with his almost accidentally. 

Sam shivered, parting from the kiss reluctantly, and as your eyes fluttered open, you saw his still closed, his brows furrowed, tipped up in the middle giving away his neediness, and his cheeks flushed, lips swollen and shiny. 

He blinked a few times, eyes focusing on your face, and he huffed a soft, goofy and pleased-with-himself laugh, stroking his thumb across your cheekbone. “Hi,” he rasped. 

“Hey,” you mumbled, blushing pink and giggling. 

“I’ve dreamt about that, y’know,” he informed you, smile turning mischievous. “Not nearly as good as the real thing.”

“I dream about you too,” you slipped, blushing harder when you realized what you said, making Sam coo fondly and draw closer again. 

“Cute,” he subconsciously repeated his earlier word of choice. 

“You’re cute,” you argued, biting your lip as his face teased nearer to yours again. 

“You think so?” he pried flirtatiously, voice dropping to that low rasp that drove you insane. 

Nodding, you swallowed, flustered all over again. Heat prickled at your skin, watching his pupils dilate, consuming those sweet, honey-brown irises. His long lashes drooped, his glances across your face accompanying his words, “I’m the luckiest guy on the planet.”

Before you could answer, he kissed you again, a firm and warm kiss, fulfilling and whole, deliciously exciting and wanting. 

Pulling him by the neck, you leaned back slowly, keeping him leaning on top of you until you sank into the throw pillows. Propping himself up above you, Sam murmured against your lips, “Whatcha doin?” with a shit-eating smirk, returning his mouth to yours before you could give him an answer. 

And it was Sam’s fault, really, that the gingerbread houses went ignored for the rest of the evening. 

Sam’s fault that you didn’t even drink the hot chocolates, only discovering their ice cold presence on your coffee table the next morning, wearing Sam’s shirt, hair a mess and a permanent smile etched into your cheeks. 

And it was all on Sam that you had the best damn Christmas you could’ve ever dreamed of. 

⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎

Join the Taglist | Masterlist

(Thank you for supporting my writing! Love you all!)

[ril-sillyart1st]

BATMM FF AU: "Understand my ship in 5 mintunes" meme!

My own version of this meme! Full credits to gibbarts for the template and inspired by @dead-cat-batmm, @ask-the-blasher-fam, @meliskindachildishlol and more. (Sorry for the tags, just let me know if you don't want to be tagged so I could remove"@")

Drawings itself:

And yeah I didn't fully render instead because I thought it would look too much for an god-damned little work lol.

Chibi Blaze Flarelyn and Crusher Flarelyn:

Going to make their reference sheet and exes version next! :3

Just a heads-up: this will have both SFW and NSFW parts!

Their bar thingy information:

"who's the big spoon and little spoon?"

They're both a big and little spoon (they switch), though Crusher was at first the big spoon when their relationship started and Blaze was still kinda short but after Blaze's 26 birthday she grown older and taller than his boyfriend making them also the big spoon.

Crusher was the clingy one when it comes to waking up.

SLIGHT SUGGESTIVE/NSFW PART AHEAD!

Blaze just loves to use Crusher's chest as his pillow sometimes (same goes to Crusher) but this mostly happened when they were boyfriends at that time.

And Crusher likes to use Blaze's belly and sometimes his ass as his pillow.

SLIGHT SUGGESTIVE/NSFW PART ENDS!

"Who borrows and lends their clothes?"

Pretty much they kinda also both lend each other's clothes swap because both are plus size though Crusher is way bigger than Blaze so it's more rare for Crusher to borrow their partner's shirt because it's too fitted on them. That one cat shirt ended being Crusher's shirt instead because it was bigger than his size (the one that has a cat with pizza everywhere on space), they really, really loved that shirt so much that they never gotten to give it back to Blaze every again lol but Blaze wasn't mad at all because she actually didn't like that shirt that much if they're being quite honest.

After their third date, Crusher has once again stole another cat shirt from his boyfriend that also fits perfectly on them. (It was two shirts this time!)

"who doesn't and does use pet names?"

Blaze and Crusher actually kind of rarely use pet names (ex: love, smarty-pants, etc) when mostly flirting! When they're having a normal conversation or fighting they'll use their real names.

Though this stops when they got married as it got more fewer for them to call each other pet names. This is where they start calling each other "daddy" and supposedly "dad" (parental role names).

SLIGHT NSFW PART AHEAD!

When it was their first time making love, they started to call each other pet names again (ex: sexy, love, etc).

Though Crusher was kind of shy to call Blaze "sexy" while getting all the fun he gets from his husband.

NSFW PART ENDS HERE!

Does this part even still about pet names? Prob not but I'll add this little lore anyways.

After Crusher was tested as "positive" in his pregnancy test he was in full joy to have his own child after being a former child psychologist, child therapist and taking care of children in his younger adulthood (aka babysitting).

Crusher was hoping for the best for his future daughter (Fiar) to say "daddy" as her first word. 👀

But it was "dada"!? Fiar's first word was "dada" instead of "dad" which Blaze wasn't expecting her to say the least. Blaze tried so many types to get his daughter to say "dad" instead but "dada" was his official parental name.

"who's introverted and extroverted?"

Both are socialized trucks (aka extroverts).

"who's affectionate through words and who's affectionate through actions?"

Blaze's way of flirt is being affectionate through her words more than his actions. Even few words would make Crusher's engine explodes from overheating due to easily get fluttered.

Crusher's flirting is through actions instead. Though Blaze isn't the type of truck who would easily be so giggly and fluttered like them but that doesn't mean Blaze can't get fluttered at times sometimes.

"who confesses first?"

Crusher always wanted to confess first but his weak ass was too shy to say it to Blaze so they waited for him instead which didn't last too long for Blaze to say what his confidence ass want to say to his love.

Blaze was having butterflies in his stomach when he confesses to them, which Crusher felt the same as well.

"who's a scary cat and who isn't for a bug?" (TW: mentioned about bugs and k🫧lling a r🌊ach!)

Crusher happens to have a love-hate relationship towards non-pest bugs, they do still find some bugs cool! Their favorite bug would be a dragonfly! And speaking of dragonfly, Crusher have a little dragonfly friend named "hasty", they met them when they where in the garden watering their plants.

Blaze in the other hand loves non-pest bugs as they find them delightful.

Though the only bug both would obviously kill will be a roach and any pest bugs that are harmful to anyone.

"who can and cannot cook and bake?"

Both can cook and bake but Blaze only knows a few recipes from other sweets but isn't a afraid to get out of her comfort zone when it comes to new stuff which same goes to Crusher themselves.

When it comes to Blaze making pancakes, it always tasted weird because some parts of the pancake are still dough and uncooked and this is why Blaze can only make waffles and other breakfast food instead.

"Who likes and dislikes PDA?"

Both Blaze and Crusher likes PDA, Blaze does it more confident and Crusher gets a little bashful. (though that could reverse)

"who's overprotective and who's chill?"

Both are quite overprotective to one another especially Blaze. But it got a little chiller when they got married.

When they have Fiar (their daughter), the two were protective but not overprotective towards her and one another.

"who has more relationship experience?"

Crusher used to date someone in senior collage life who just used them for live streaming and videos but good thing Pickle helped them try to break up with thier ex girlfriend, Maritime aka Gas Guzzler.

Blaze didn't dated anyone in her life not until Crusher themselves. Blaze has been asking advises from his parents when he was 15 years old.

when Blaze finally dated Crusher, his parents were worried and was having second opinions on dating someone who's his frenemies but she told them that Crusher was slowly turning good that they don't need to be worried about, Blaze could handle this one his own. (which he was right, Crusher was now a good truck and he handle it properly in his own).

NSFW PART AHEAD!

"Their horny level"

Like I mentioned earlier about their first time making love, both where really ready to not just have a baby but also wanted to get the fun started in their marriage.

Blaze was patiently waiting for this to happen for some time now. This man was ready to have a blast with his spouse, Crusher.

Both are getting to enjoy the fun, as both are equally giving each other the love. (They're basically doing the "ho-ho-ha-ha" funny number position 👀)

Blaze was mostly the top when she was 😻 her husband so goodly, Crusher was way louder than Blaze though good thing that the neighborhood didn't heard them (somehow lol 👀).

Both Blaze and Crusher gave each other 💕 marks which Crusher looks more obvious than Blaze.

END OF NSFW PART!

"Awkwardness level"

Crusher is way more to get the awkwardness level than Blaze despite being extrovert.

"Jealousy level"

Crusher pretty much can still get easily jealous at his own boyfriend and future husband at time especially on race though he's trying to not get insecure about it and enjoy the race instead.

And I didn't put their relationship lore here because it would take me forever to think and I want it to separate the lore somewhere else.

[oceansmotion]

The sleepy town of Wormwood

A powerful witch has cast a spell over the town, isolating it from the rest of the world. Perpetually 1956, it exists in a stasis, unchanging over the years. No one has ever questioned the way things are, never thought about why nothing seems to change from year to year. Will anyone ever break free of the curse and bring Wormwood into the present or will it forever remain the same? I really love this hood and despite having so many issues with it, I still love playing it (and so does @nonsensical-pixels who is the one that inspired me to dig around to get most of the original files back because she was making me jealous). It's a little more silly but there are some pretty dark undertones as well. I know there's a couple issues but they really aren't a problem if you play the hood as a standalone or with non-PV subhoods. There is an overarching mystery/plot :) Who really is Moira and...is she really that bad? Is she actually evil or is there more to it? What's going on in the Moore house and why is there a strange smell wafting from it? The Tegan's sure are an odd bunch, is the picture perfect family of blonde hair and blues eyes a coincidence or something more sinister? Will Olive Specter finally find some good luck and love in Ocean Grisly? Sam Spyers is determined to figure out what's happening in Wormwood, but can she figure it out before it's too late?

There are 3 files included: Required, Highly Suggested, and Wormwood itself. The Required folder contains various CC that I used, almost entirely from Michelle's recolors from MTS (merged) + the Bespoke build set (merged), the (optional) Prison mod from Simlogical is not required but sort of ruins the immersion for two families, there are various plants from Parsimonious, fences from Smug Tomato Basket, more plants from the Castaway conversion site, the Sims 2 store sets, and unfortunately a really old merged buy mode folder that I genuinely do not remember what's in it other than a ton of Veranka's stuff. I don't think I used too much from this folder and most of it has the creator in the item descriptions. In all, it's about 1GB of CC, so it's not exactly that much. CC lite, I guess? Most of it is just to get the general vibe of the hood and can be replaced and even then, the bulk of it is simply recolors or bespoke wallpapers. I used this template from enchantedw0lf on MTS to create the hood. Townies may or may not be bald. No, I will not explain. As the first hood I've ever made, it has been through hell and back. I actually completely finished a more complex and involved version of it before managing to corrupt it due to a simple misclick in simpe and thinking I had a backup but not actually :):):) Then entirely remade it from scratch again but it was a hacked down version with fewer sims and simpler plot lines (rifp cowboy farmer who secretly wanted to be a pretty ballerina and had a room full of mannequins facing a stage where he'd dance for them). All this to say that I didn't make this hood 100% correctly and it has some...quirks. When I remade it, I forgot to disable stealth hoods (you'd think I'd have learned my lesson from this when I decided to make Natosi later lol), and I simply can't be bothered to delete townies n stuff. I don't have the energy or willpower to clean it up. The hood itself is still very pretty and fun to play, I think the odd quirks actually fit in perfectly and helps give the vibes I wanted for it!

Download || Mediafire

[scrunkly-cherry]

I "splatoonified" four of my OCs and made them into idols! >:] Feel free to drop any name suggestions because I have no idea lmao

Lore dump under the cut!

Template created by "Tagasaing" on Twitter!!

Sury & Mela are a pair of adventurers who host the newscast, as well as the occasional splatfest as a side job. Their aesthetics are supposed to be steampunk and cyberpunk respectively (I can also see that being their first splatfest-Theme). I've shown their non-splatoon OCs on here and kinda designed them to be opposites - I thought they fitted perfectly for idols :D

Flint and Ano are a pair of cybernetically enhanced (or even completely robotic...?) cephalopods who escaped the tyrannical companies that created them and hope to bring peace and happiness towards the galaxy. Both have a very sci-fi esque aesthetic and I can see them working with that "space station"-world hub idea I had.

I hope I'm able to draw more in the future! く⁠コ⁠:⁠彡

[slightlydullpencil]

Hello everyone! I found this meme template while I was on the internet today, and I couldn't help but laugh at the stupid expressions plastered on both Squidward and SpongeBob's face. However, upon looking at this template for a little bit, I realized that this meme would be a perfect fit for a scene in Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey. As a result, I created the meme see above, which depicts Henry Tilney catching Catherine sneaking out of his mother's old room. Although I had not realized it at first, I began to notice that this meme also epitomizes the characters of Henry and Catherine within this scene.

To begin, I would like to start by comparing SpongeBob to Catherine Morland. As we all know, or so I would hope, that SpongeBob is a very innocent and happy character who brings copious amounts of energy to each episode. In fact, it is fair to say that SpongeBob is very immature, with SpongeBob embodying that childlike innocence and vulnerability that often times makes him overly impressionable. Similarly, Catherine Morland also expresses some of these qualities throughout Northanger Abbey. For example, Catherine allows for her novels to fill her head with fantastical ideas. Specifically, in the scene my meme depicts, Catherine allows for her novels to manipulate her mind to the point where she actually believes that Henry's father, General Tilney, had murdered his wife.

Additionally, I believe that Squidward in this template perfectly encapsulates Henry. Although the two of them do not share temperaments, I believe they do have somewhat similar levels of maturity. Squidward, within the show, definitely showcases a more adultlike understanding of the world. In fact, several times throughout the show, Squidward addresses several issues that display his maturity. For example, Squidward points out the fact that Mr. Krabs barely pays him and SpongeBob for their work at the Krusty Krab, while SpongeBob simply views his job as something to do for fun. Similarly, Henry showcases a more mature view on the world around him during the scene depicted within my meme. For example, Henry chastises Catherine for her snooping saying, "dear Miss Morland, consider the dreadful nature of the suspicions you have entertained. What have you been judging from?" (Austen 136). In this quote we can see Henry calling out Catherines immaturity by imploring Catherine to self-reflect on her own thoughts. In doing this, not only is he showcasing his own acknowledgement of the fantastical nature of Catherine's actions, but he is also trying to educate Catherine on the error of her ways. What do you guys think? Let me know!

[branddesigning1]

How can I buy a professional logo for my company?

Buying a professional logo for your company is a crucial step in building your brand identity. A logo serves as the face of your business, and it’s important to ensure it reflects your brand values, vision, and target audience. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you purchase the perfect logo design that will resonate with your customers.

1. Define Your Brand Identity

Before diving into the process of purchasing a logo, start by clearly defining your brand’s identity. Think about what your company represents, who your target audience is, and what message you want your logo to convey. This will help guide the designer in creating a logo that is not only visually appealing but also aligned with your brand values.

Consider brainstorming logo design ideas that fit your brand’s image. Are you looking for something modern and minimalistic or perhaps bold and dynamic? Maybe you want to incorporate specific elements like motion graphics or abstract shapes into your logo. A well-thought-out concept will make it easier to communicate your vision to the designer and help them produce a design that stands out.

2. Explore Different Logo Design Services

Once you have a clear understanding of your brand identity, it’s time to explore graphic design services. Depending on your budget and needs, there are several options to consider:

Freelance Platforms: Websites like Fiverr, Upwork, and 99designs allow you to browse through portfolios and hire freelance designers for custom logo design projects. These platforms offer flexibility in terms of pricing, allowing you to select a designer based on their experience and rates.

Design Agencies: If you’re looking for a more comprehensive approach, you can hire a design agency that offers professional logo design as part of a full branding package. Agencies typically provide a more polished and well-rounded service, though they can be pricier than individual freelancers.

Specialized Tools: Some niche tools, like Scribe&Sigil, offer specific services focused on typography and logo creation, providing an alternative approach to traditional logo design services. These tools are often more affordable and offer pre-set creative templates, which can be ideal if you’re looking for unique logo design ideas with a particular focus on fonts and symbols.

3. Communicate Your Vision Clearly

Once you’ve chosen a design service, communicating your vision is critical to getting the right result. Share your brand identity and your ideas for the logo with the designer. Whether you’re inspired by motion graphics or want a logo that incorporates specific elements such as color schemes, typography, or shapes, be as clear as possible.

Providing examples of logos you like can help the designer understand your style preferences. Additionally, be open to the designer’s creative logo design ideas — they might come up with a concept that you hadn’t considered, but that could perfectly represent your brand.

4. Review Initial Concepts and Give Feedback

After the designer provides the initial concepts, it’s important to give constructive feedback. Logo design is a collaborative process, and revisions are a normal part of creating the perfect logo. Focus on whether the logo reflects your brand’s identity, is visually appealing, and is versatile enough to be used across different media.

For example, if your company uses motion graphics in your marketing materials, make sure the logo can adapt well to animated formats or digital platforms. A good logo should be versatile and work across print, web, and video applications.

5. Finalize the Design

Once you’re satisfied with the design, you can finalize the logo. Make sure to request all necessary file formats (such as vector files, PNGs, or JPEGs) from the designer. Having the logo in vector format is especially important as it allows for scalability, ensuring your logo looks sharp in any size, whether on a business card or a billboard.

6. Ensure Trademark and Copyright Ownership

Before completing the purchase, clarify the terms of ownership. It’s crucial to ensure that the designer transfers the copyright to you once the project is finished. This will prevent legal issues in the future and allow you to fully own and use the logo for all your business purposes.

Conclusion

Buying a professional logo for your company involves thoughtful planning and clear communication. From brainstorming creative logo design ideas to selecting the right graphic design services, the process is about creating a logo that not only looks good but also embodies your brand. Whether you opt for a freelance designer, an agency, or tools like Scribe&Sigil, it’s important to focus on finding a design that effectively represents your business.

By following this step-by-step approach, you’ll be able to purchase a professional logo that resonates with your audience, enhances your brand identity, and helps your business stand out in a competitive market.

[rebeccamoncrieff]

Digital Sketchbook

Front Cover

After researching other magazines, I found they had a a really strong front image relating to what the magazine is about, so I picked out 4 images that I liked from my photoshoot that I felt would work for my front cover. I then continued to pick out parts of the photos i liked and disliked about them to come to a final decision. I looked at things like the shade, do they need brightening or darkening? are they funny and silly? is the image strong enough?

The image below is the final image i chose for my front cover, the original image needed lightening so I used Adobe Lightroom to do this. I chose this image because i thought it was funny and strong as well as relating to my brief, I feel like i achieved this my using the door of a church, a white dress and a cake.

Front cover Inspo

I began to look further into how i would like my front cover to look. I used the Archie and Beano comics as my inspiration, i picked out parts of some of their comic front covers that i liked and used them in my own magazine but giving them a change to fit with my style. The one main thing i picked out was the Love showdown title on the Archie comic front page, i really liked the banner style and bubbly writing and i felt as though it would fit perfectly with my magazine.

Front Cover Title

After looking into the Archie comic front cover i decided that i wanted to create a title similar to that one. I began to create my banner by googling a banner template and copying it into Adobe illustrator, i then began to add colour into the banner, testing different shades until i made the right one. I added my title onto the banner in my heading font Chilli script and playing around with the arc until i found the right size and shape of my title. I then found that the title needed more so i added a black boarder around the white title, a darker shade of pink behind the title to create a shadow and a lighter pink on the inside to create a lighter shadow on the inside. After this i was happy with my title and put it into my magazine to make sure that it worked, which it did so i continued to create a subheading to go underneath the banner. I wanted the words “a guide to your perfect wedding” to be displayed somewhere on the front cover so i decided that under the banner was the best place to put it. I tested the colours on this and found that white with a black boarder worked best.



[stampwithtami]

Trusty Tools [Envelope Card Box Series #8]

TRUSTY TOOLS ENVELOPE CARD BOX I'm excited to share a new addition to my Envelope Card Box Series—a handmade 3D Toolbox Card. This project is especially thrilling as it brings a unique twist to creating masculine cards, which we often find a bit challenging. Inspired by the practicality and rugged charm of toolboxes, I crafted this card with a delightful mix of creativity and utility. Inspiration Behind the CardThe idea struck me while brainstorming on innovative card designs that could appeal specifically to men. We all know how tough it can be to find the right card for the men in our lives, whether it's for Father's Day, a birthday, or just a special note of thanks. That's when the concept of a toolbox card came to life—what better way to celebrate the handymen and DIY enthusiasts? Features of the Toolbox CardThe card features an assortment of tools and a sturdy toolbox design, making it a perfect representation of strength and reliability. But what makes it even more special is the option to include a Home Depot Gift Card inside. It’s not just a card; it's a practical gift that can bring a smile and maybe even fund a small project! Perfect for Any OccasionThis card isn’t just for Father’s Day; it’s versatile enough for any occasion when you might need a "man card." Its design and functionality make it a thoughtful gesture for anyone who appreciates a touch of handiwork. Mailing and GiftingWhether you choose to hand-deliver or mail them, I’ve sourced special mailers that fit these 3D cards perfectly. Below, you’ll find details and links to where you can acquire these. About the Trusty Tools Stamp SetThe Trusty Tools Stamp Set is the star of the show here. It offers a variety of tool designs and heartfelt sentiments perfect for Father’s Day, thanking someone, or simply celebrating the awesome people in your life. The open line-art images are ideal for coloring, allowing you to bring out the vibrant or subtle tones that best suit your project. Ready to Craft?If you’re eager to try making this card yourself, I’ve prepared step-by-step instructions, complete with measurements and a supply list. All of this is available in a free PDF in the INSTRUCTIONS section, and there’s also a video tutorial to guide you through each step. More in the SeriesFor those who enjoy this project and are looking for more creative ideas, be sure to check out the other tutorials in the Envelope Card Box Series. Each tutorial offers unique designs and tips to expand your crafting repertoire. ConclusionCrafting this 3D Toolbox Card has been a thoroughly enjoyable process, and I am thrilled to share it with you. It’s a project that combines fun, art, and practicality, making it a perfect craft for anyone looking to create something special for the men in their lives. Happy crafting, and I can’t wait to see your versions of this creative card! Happy crafting! Tami INSTRUCTIONS, TEMPLATE & VIDEOS INSTRUCTIONS PDF ⬇ The guide provides detailed measurements and a sequential process for crafting this envelope card box, complete with a clickable list of materials. To assist you further, I have designed a visual template and cutting instructions for your convenience.  DOWNLOAD PDF VIDEO ⬇ ENVELOPE CARD BOX VIDEO ENVELOPE CARD BOX CLASS SUPPLIES I USED SUPPLIES I USED TO CREATE THIS CARD⬇ I got these mailers to fit the Envelope Card Boxes on Amazon.  CLICK FOR MAILERS ON AMAZON ENVELOPE CARD BOX SERIES Click the thumbnails below for more free tutorials in my series. ENVELOPE CARD BOX SERIES #1 STAMPIN' UP! CATALOGS CURRENT SPECIALS PHOTOS Sharing my new addition to my Envelope Card Box Series—a handmade 3D Toolbox Card. This project is especially thrilling as it brings a unique twist to creating masculine cards I colored the tools from the Trusty Toolbox Stamp Set with the Stampin' Blends Markers. The background peg board is cut with the Trusty Tools dies. I hung the toolbox with a pop up. I added a full card to the back of the box. I have a tutorial for this coordinating Circle Wreath Card here. Want to save these ideas for later? Pin them to your favorite Pinterest board. Have you tried these designs? I love to see your creations! Be sure to share them on #shareyourcrafts post every Saturday on my Facebook Page    Read the full article

[saskiamcc]

Casting Calls and Choosing actors

17/02/2024

After sending India the information for the casting calls, they sent them back to me with the template. I am really happy with how they turned out and I'm excited to send them out.

I am a member of the Scottish Film Maker and Actors group on facebook so I posted these on there and also posted them to my film instagram account to spread the word.

We had very positive responses for all three characters which was great! We got 5 responses for the role of Mr Balloonhead Man, 3 for Gary, and 2 for Sarah. After receiving these responses, Duncan, Fionntán and I went through and chose sections of the script to send for an audition.

For both Mr Balloonhead Man and Sarah, we chose the phone call conversation at the beginning. We chose this for Mr Balloonhead Man we chose this because it is an opportunity for us to be able to hear the anxiety in the actor's voice, which is a key feature for the character.

Mr Balloonhead Man and Sarah audition scene

For Gary, we chose the hardware store scene as it was really important for us that the frustration and anger was done right.

Gary audition scene

Reviewing Auditions

05/04/2025

Duncan and I had a meeting to review the auditions that we had received. We got some wonderful responses back which made me even more excited than I was already for this project. Unfortunately, none of the actors who had reached out for the role of Sarah sent in any tapes, however this was not the end of the world as we didn't need an actor for Sarah until after the shoot.

We started by going through the audition tapes for Mr Balloonhead Man, and while we thought all of them were good, we had also asked David Clarkson for an audio audition and we decided we wanted to cast him as he had the perfect level of anxiety in his voice.

Gary was the character who was probably the most difficult to cast. We needed someone who looked welcoming and warm, but could also pull off aggression and frustration. After extensive discussion, we decided to go with Liam Hughes, who we thought fit the role perfectly. He had wonderful facial expressions, whilst also nailing the tone in his voice. Additionally, he even added in a little voice for Mr Balloonhead Man's part which we thought was a lovely touch to his audition and showed his commitment very well.

I am really really excited to work with Lev, David and Liam as they are all incredibly talented :)))

[buzzdixonwriter]

Writing Report December 15, 2023

I haven’t written one of these in a while and it’s not been because I haven’t been writing (though I did take a long trip to Germany with Soon-ok in October) but because the writing had been mostly bits and pieces, notes and ideas for future work, and until not anything meant for publication or posting.

I finished my second big project for 2023 in mid-September (I aim to do two a year, starting one on January first, the other on July first) and started gathering material for my Jan. 1, 2024 project…

…if I could decide what it would be.

My recent works have been most humorous novels.  I have one on Kindle Vella (see above), two completed and on deck, the fourth being the just completed Sep. 11 first draft.  I thought the Jan. 1, 2023 work would be a romance / family drama, but while I’ve been gathering material for it, it just hasn’t caught fire in my imagination.

(I have a much bigger project in the works which will probably be a series of several novels, but that’s at least 2 – 4 years away, maybe longer.)

While traveling in Germany, I took along my iPad which also has a couple of thousand books I’ve downloaded from Project Gutenberg, the Internet Archive, and Canada’s Faded Page, among them most of the Doc Savage pulp novels.

My views on Doc Savage will be coming up at the first of the year (watch this space), but reading several of the old novels got me to wondering what a modern pulp adventure would look like and before I knew it, I had a cast of characters, their unique traits and specialties, their supporting cast, and their basic story template plus a great idea for a central location and a dandy mystery to kick off their first adventure.

And I realized this generated a lot more heat than the romance / family drama I want to do so I began anticipating this would be my January novel…

…only a character I created years ago for an idea that went nowhere (primarily because it was aimed at a specific market and I have no access to that market) reminded me she existed and then she re-introduced me to another character I toyed around with in my noodle but never committed to paper / pixel and I thought, well, that’s nice but how would I even get that story started in an interesting way and then I remembered I wrote a play a few years ago that also went nowhere (despite being submitted to several theatrical companies) that fit perfectly as an introduction for the main character as well as introduced another supporting character who could play a pivotal role in the story and then the pulp adventure crew got rudely elbowed aside with a “maybe later, ‘gator” and all my creative energy is going into this new story.

Because it’s that story’s time.

Go back two weeks to the David Bowie creativity post.

Don’t try to force it.

Let it come when it comes.

It’ll make itself know when it’s time to be born.

    © Buzz Dixon

[mi4014tomberry]

Maya Landscape Project 1

The following images will form a foundation of inspiration behind my landscape project in Maya.

ARTISTS

Terrance Unchained

2. Zdzisław Beksiński

3. Hans Ruedi Giger

These are the initial 3 artists I wanted to base my project on, I've been a fan of all of them for a very long time now and initially I wanted to head towards a dystopian possibly cyber punk-esque aesthetic however I found that as I'm a novice in Maya, focusing on creating people/creatures within a landscape would detract from the landscape itself as it would take up the majority of my time. I am instead thinking of focusing on creating statues inspired by these figures as a part of some dystopian temple instead of making cultist type figures. Hopefully this will come together nicely as I can focus on creating an immersive landscape without biting off more than I can chew by creating poorly animated creatures.

WRITERS

Howard Phillips Lovecraft

2. Junji Ito

3. George Orwell

I find that a lot of the artists and media that I am drawn towards centres around somewhat of an otherworldly, generally darker atmosphere. In June last year I got a bunch of books for my birthday because there was a lot of fiction I was interested in and had heard about but had never had the chance to read and appreciate for myself. Among the classic novels that I was interested in was 1984 because I had heard of its acclaim and status as a novel and thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I thought that I could include somewhat of a Big Brother type figure in my landscape drawing upon the idea of an omnipotent ruling icon, maybe I could include propaganda or some sort of symbolism of an oppressive all powerful other. This is helped by the Lovecraftian fiction I have also been working my way through. I really love the worlds that he immerses you in when reading a short story, I wanted to use his eldritch gods as the inspiration for the theme of the landscape because I thought his work especially would pair itself well with Beksinski and Giger. Finally I have Junji Ito, a Japanese Manga author and artist whose work was heavily inspired by Lovecraft. From these artists I am deriving an atmosphere and collection of themes that I will attempt to embody in my landscape. As this project is about creating a 'World of Delights' it may seem counter intuitive to create a landscape centred around dystopia and horror but these works of art and fiction are what I love to get lost in and all pair well with one another and builds a general idea of the sort of landscape I could create.

ARCHITECTS

Antoni Gaudí - La Sagrada Familia

2. The Ancient Egyptians - The Great Pyramids

3. The Nabataeans - Petra

As I was focusing on these otherworldly landscapes and creatures I collected some architectural marvels that could inspire my landscape. I am thinking of making some sort of an ancient temple and thought that Gaudi's work, primarily La Sagrada Familia, would be a perfect template for the temple I could make. All of the grandiose spires, statues and beautiful detailing across the entire building fit the general tone I was aiming for perfectly. I am going to draw upon possibly a ruin of such a temple discovered by the viewers as we enter a place untouched for millennia. I love the idea of stumbling upon something ancient and unknown and always wanted to explore these sorts of things when I was little and was sad to learn that the majority of our world is charted and mapped out, only the very deepest jungles and oceans remain unexplored. That's why I love fiction and art that allows you to get lost into another world and feel as though you yourself can venture into the unknown. The Great Pyramids of Egypt and Petra are prime examples of these ancient temples from history that remain some of the most fascinating areas of history. Petra is astonishing and I hope some day to go there and see it for myself. It also got me thinking about Indiana Jones as it is featured in The Last Crusade and I thought it might be fun to make a temple drawing from all of the artists, architects and authors I have chosen to combine into some fantasy temple that an Adventurer/ Archeologist could explore and use the camera as a POV of someone entering the temple in search of an ancient artefact like in Raiders of the Lost Ark's opening.

SMELLS

Burnt/ Burning Matches, this is a smell that I've always liked for whatever reason and can incorporate it into the temple with the use of burning torches to like the way.

As there aren't many smells that stick out to me other than this I figured I would flip the idea of 'Smells of Delight' on its head and pick two distinct smells that I remember despising which would fit the theme of this project really well. The locations above are the Thackray Museum in Leeds and London Dungeon, I remember both of these locations having a musky odour that really made me feel ill. This sort of dusky, musty smells really had an effect on me and I remember going round these museums holding my nose so that I could stand the smell. I think this sort of smell and tone would work really well with everything I have collected so far.

VIEWS

Mount Vesuvius

2. Wieliczka Salt Mine

3. Lake District - Helvellyn

These are the three stand out views that come to mind when I am think back over some inspiring locations I have been to. I remember going to Rome on holiday and being amazed by all the different ruins including both Pompeii and Herculaneum both of which were ravaged by Vesuvius' eruption. I thought that I could again draw inspiration from this holiday and build towards my ancient temple theme. I maybe create a thriving civilisation long forgotten after it was buried under layer upon layer of Volcanic rock, maybe they even harnessed the lava in their city and I could have rivers of lava flowing through the temple which still remains active. At the moment I'm not sure but I can definitely work with this idea. The Wieliczka Salt Mine is one of the most unique places I have ever been to. It is a Polish salt mine full of amazing structure, rock formations and even a chapel made by the miners with amazing relief sculpture carved into the walls. It is one of the most memorable places I have been to as it just really stands out from everywhere else. It also fits perfectly into the theme of an underground ancient temple. Finally there is the Lake District, this is a stark contrast from the other two locations but is also just as memorable, I've only ever been to the Lake District once and it was another place filled with memorable views. Unfortunately this location doesn't fit with the rest of the theme but at the time I didn't know what sort of a direction this project would go as it could have headed towards more of a utopian peaceful setting with the English Countryside acting as the inspiration behind the setting.

OBJECTS

There isn't a lot of objects that I hold near and dear to me other than primarily the blue folder in the first photo. It's a collection of all my drawing, doodles and writings over the years since year 9ish and so it has a lot of sentimental value to me. I could maybe use this as the inspiration behind the artefact in the temple to tie the whole theme together as a 'World of my Delight' as it could be a temple to the things that I love shaped in the style of the artists, authors and places I love. Other than the folder are my books and films/TV shows which could be referenced throughout the temple. I'm thinking of having alcoves inside the temple with other artefacts which could relate to things I love - references to films, music, TV shows, people, animals, games, etc...